California voters have approved a ballot measure that increases taxes on cigarettes by $2 a pack and places new taxes on electronic cigarettes.

Proposition 56 passed by a margin of 62 percent to 38 percent Tuesday with more than 5 million votes counted.

The measure adds $2 to the current 87-cents-a-pack tax. It's the first increase in California tobacco taxes since 1998.

Much of the money will fund California's Medi-Cal, a state program that covers health care costs for the poor. The revenue would also fund anti-smoking campaigns and medical research.

California also joins only about a half-dozen states that tax e-cigarettes and vapor products.

Opponents, led by tobacco companies, raised more than $71 million to fight Proposition 56. Opponents said the money would benefit insurance companies and hospital corporations.

Proponents cheered the increase as a victory for public health.

The tobacco industry  one of the biggest spenders in a record year of initiative fundraising in the state  was criticized for misleading voters.

The Mercury News said opponents ran "a supremely sleazy advertising campaign designed to kill Proposition 56" by claiming it would take money from schools and give it to greedy insurance companies.

California's legislative analyst and the state's finance director say Proposition 56 could raise as much as $1.4 billion in state revenue by the 2017-2018 fiscal year.

No on 56 coalition spokeswoman Beth Miller said the vast majority of the $1.4 billion would go toward hospitals and health insurance providers contracting with the state for Medi-Cal.

The measure was backed by billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer, medical groups and educators, and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who also supported an attempt to raise tobacco taxes in 2012 that was narrowly defeated amid big spending by tobacco interests.

Proponents of the measure note that California and Hawaii recently increased the legal age to purchase tobacco or e-cigarettes to 21.

However, California ranks 37th in the country on per-pack taxes, according to Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, an advocacy group.

E-cigarettes heat liquid nicotine into a vapor, delivering the chemical that smokers crave without by-products generated from burning tobacco. Proponents say e-cigarettes are a potentially useful tool to help smokers _ a benefit that could be threatened if the products are taxed.
Richmond voters took to the polls on Tuesday and told the mayor, city council and several landlord groups that they want and need rent control.

Measure L, the controversial proposition drafted to protect tenants in the working-class city, overwhelmingly passed with just over 66 percent of the vote.

The measure mandates that the rent of apartments built prior to 1995 cannot raise more than 3 percent annually, while also making it illegal for landlords to evict tenants if there is no just cause.

The Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA), the measure's largest advocate, touted Tuesday's victory.

"As Measure L advocates have said from the start, this measure alone will not solve our communitys housing crisis, but it constitutes an important step to help seniors and working people stay in their homes and to prevent evictions without just cause," organization leaders said in a statement. "Moving forward, Richmond must redouble its efforts to develop more affordable housing."

The RPA had several reasons to celebrate: Members Melvin Willis and Ben Choi also nabbed spots on the city council, now giving the alliance a majority.

Willis, who was backed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' Our Revolution organization with Choi, said he's looking forward to bringing in housing developers who prioritize community needs. He admitted that he worried about rent control passing.

"I had a strong feeling Measure L wasnt going to pass, but Im just so relieved it did," Willis said. "So many tenants were riding on it passing. Now, we have a chance to stabilize our community and develop housing thats actually affordable for Richmond."

Meanwhile, those against rent control and the RPA took to social media to voice their grievances after the crushing defeat.

"Well played RPA," wrote Felix Hunziker in a Richmond Facebook group. "You've ridden another wedge issue into power and for the next two years Richmond is your petri dish. We can only pray that you'll represent all Richmond residents equally and wisely rather than catering to the whims of your political clique."

Rent control was arguably the most contentious issue facing the Richmond community during the election. Its passing is especially surprising considering other Bay Area counties voted down similar measures, including San Mateo and Burlingame.

Those against rent control in Richmond, like Hunziker and Mayor Tom Butt, voiced concern that the measure would ultimately raise rents on newer properties and give developers second thoughts about building in the city. There was also the fear that RPA would gain control in the city council and always vote in a bloc, a prospect that Mayor Tom Butt once called his "worst fear."

Willis dismissed those worries, saying that the primary goal of the organization was to better the lives of Richmond residents.

At the end of the day, were all our own individual people," he said. "We may be part of the same group, but the group that were part of is about what's best for the community and not about gaining power."

Gillian Edevane covers Contra Costa County for NBC Bay Area. Contact her at Gillian.Edevane@NBCuni.com
San Francisco's Ocean Beach is known for big waves, especially during the fall and winter seasons. But on Tuesday those big waves went beyond what is typically seen at the popular beach.

"I love that we have this on the western edge of our city," resident Emily Nahmansom said. "But in the wintertime, when the waves are big, it's extra exciting."

A high-surf advisory went into effect at 3 p.m. Tuesday, pushing the usual 10-foot waves to 20 feet and higher.

With waves that size, even the most experienced surfers say they are staying out of the water.

"It's death-defying," surfer Monique Kitamura said. "If you are not a skilled surfer and you are going to throw yourself out there, regardless, if you even make it out of the current the undertows, youll die. So luckily for us, the surfer that surfs here ... they know what they are doing."

From the parking lot, people kept their distance, admiring Mother Natures strength from afar after Coast Guard officials reiterated warnings about sneaker waves. Such waves can snatch unsuspecting beach goers and fishermen who venture too close to the water and pull them out to sea.

The high-surf advisory remains in effect in coastal areas for Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties until 6 p.m. Wednesday.
A federal judge has refused to immediately block a San Francisco ordinance that would fine Airbnb for booking rentals that were not registered with the city.

But U.S. District Court Judge James Donato said in his ruling on Tuesday that he still wants to hear additional argument before making a final decision.

Donato rejected some of Airbnb's arguments in favor of a preliminary injunction but said the company may have legitimate concerns about its ability to comply with the ordinance.

San Francisco allows short-term rentals but requires hosts to register with the city and limit the length of stays.

The city says the vast majority of San Francisco listings on Airbnb are unregistered.

Airbnb argued the ordinance would force it to screen and remove listings. An email to the company was not immediately returned.

Supervisor David Campos, who authored the ordinance, released a statement Tuesday, saying all industries have to deal with regulations.

"The truth is while no one in San Francisco's city government wants to see a homegrown company like Airbnb go out of business, its our job to protect the housing stock of our citizens," Campos said. "And while San Franciscans appreciate tech and innovation, they also appreciate not being evicted from their homes so landlords can Airbnb."

Campos added that Airnbnb's lawsuit was unfounded and "a bit petty."
Hundreds of protesters poured onto Bay Area streets minutes after Donald Trump was declared the 45th president of the United States early Wednesday morning, blocking freeways, lighting fires and chanting, "Not our president" and "F--- Trump."

Protesters, who predominantly appeared to be students and other millennials, also burned Trump effigies, smashed windows of the Oakland Tribune newsroom, and set tires, trash and newspaper stands on fire in Oakland and Berkeley. The disturbance also forced BART officials to shut down the 12th Street Oakland City Center station. Most of the vandalism was concentrated in the 2300 block of Broadway to 7th Street starting just before midnight, police said. Despite the mayhem, no injuries were reported and just one person was cited for a vehicle code violation, police said.

All the noise and angst came hours after Trump was declared leader of the free world, a stunning upset in this liberal swath of the country.

"When our communities are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back," railed protesters, walking through streets with their arms linked.

Hundreds of protesters poured onto Bay Area streets minutes after Donald Trump was declared the 45th president of the United States early Wednesday morning, blocking freeways, lighting fires and chanting, Not our president.

Police stopped protesters at Broadway and 8th Street in Oakland. "Let us through," the crowd hollered at officers, who stood their ground.

One protester held a sign which read, "Trump is a fascist pig," joining about 50 people who refused to disperse. Others, however, turned back around and headed to Berkeley. No one was arrested.

"I'm angry, it's hard to accept Trump to represent our country, it doesn't represent the best part of country," said Berkeley City College art major Devan Tevanbentuy.

During the earlier part of the protest, a woman was struck by a car on Telegraph Avenue and Highway 24, the California Highway Patrol said.

Hundreds of protesters poured onto Bay Area streets minutes after Donald Trump was declared the 45th president of the United States early Wednesday morning, blocking freeways, lighting fires and chanting, Not our president and F Trump. Pete Suratos reports.

California Highway Patrol Officer Sean Wilkenfeld said officers responded to reports of a protest at Interstate 880 and Broadway around 12:20 a.m., when they heard of pedestrians running into the eastbound lanes of Highway 24. A Honda Element hit a pedestrian in the second lane, near Telegraph Avenue.

Protesters surrounded the car and vandalized it. The woman, who sustained major injuries, was taken to an area hospital for treatment. The driver pulled over to the side of the road after the collision and cooperated with officers, Wilkenfeld said.

Officers said that the highway's eastbound lanes were closed as emergency responders treated the severely injured pedestrian.

"Although we respect the public's right to protest, we continue to stress the fact that the freeway is not a safe or legal place to conduct a demonstration," CHP officers said in a statement.

University of California, Berkeley students reportedly gathered at Sproul Plaza to watch the presidential election unfold.

Malini Ramaiyer, a Daily Californian reporter, said some screamed and booed as Trump snatched up electoral votes. "We, the rational people, are a minority now," freshman Sean Betancourt told her.

The Berkeley protest swelled to over 200 people, and spilled into Oakland city limits. People chanted, "Whose streets? Our streets," Anderson Lanham, a UC Berkeley sophomore and reporter for the Daily Cal, said on Twitter.

Lanham credited Ilsa Carillo with spearheading the protest in the East Bay city. "We are students of color and we will not be marginalized, we will not be silenced," Carillo said, according to Lanham's Twitter page.

The hashtag #Berkvote was trending on Twitter with city resident Carol Coyote saying, "We need to get organized ... as a nation. We cannot have a Trump presidency. This is frightening."

Protests erupted early Wednesday morning at San Jose State University after the announcement of the Donald Trump presidency. Chuck Coppola reports.

Students also used the hashtags #Berkprotest and #Notmypresident.

In the South Bay, a demonstration raged at San Jose State University. Pajama-clad students crowded outside dorms, with one yelling, "I'm not giving up." Noise complaints were filed as hundreds of protesters took to Tower Lawn, according to the Spartan Daily.

"The time for reform starts with us," one student said to a chorus of cheers.

Another said she voted for Hillary Clinton, but her voice "was not heard" because many of her peers "did not do the same."

Determined to be heard, San Francisco State University students also launched their own expletive-filled rally, chanting, "The people divided will never be divided."

Students posted on Twitter that they planned to protest again at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Malcolm X Plaza on campus. Oakland protesters were scheduled to re-appear at 5 p.m. at Frank Ogawa Plaza. Another demonstration has been planned at the same time near San Francisco's Powell and Market Streets cable car stop.

The CHP and Oakland Police Department will increase staffing levels Wednesday as a precautionary measure, Wilkenfeld said.

Students at other UC campuses protested after the election results as well, with at least 500 people taking to the streets at UCLA. Smaller protests sprung up at in Santa Cruz, Irvine and San Diego.
Several ballot measures championed by San Francisco's progressive supervisors intended to place new limits on the mayor's power to make appointments ad change the way the city is governed appeared to go down in defeat on Tuesday.

Propositions D, H, L and M were billed by supporters as good government measures, but drew strong opposition from business and real estate groups as well as elected officials including, not surprisingly, Mayor Ed Lee.

Proposition D, which would have prohibited anyone appointed by the mayor to fill a vacancy on the Board of Supervisors from running for election, was rejected by 52.9 percent of voters, according to complete unofficial results from the San Francisco Department of Elections.

Proposition H, which would have created a new elected Public Advocate position with the power to investigate whistleblower complaints about city government, was voted down by 53 percent of voters.

Proposition L, which would have split appointments for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency board between the mayor and the board and given the board more power over the agency's budget, was rejected by 55.1 percent of voters.

And Proposition M, which would have eliminated the Office of Economic Workforce Development and the Mayor's Office of Housing and created a new commission to handle those offices' functions, was rejected by 56.4 percent of voters.

Other measures supported by progressives performed better with voters, however.

Proposition X, a measure introduced by Supervisor Jane Kim aimed at preserving space for neighborhood arts, small business and community services in some neighborhoods, passed with 59.4 percent of the vote.

And Proposition N, a measure introduced by Supervisor Eric Mar that will allow non-citizens to vote in school board elections, passed with 52.5 percent of the vote.

The measure was the third attempted since 2004 by advocates to win voting rights for non-citizens in San Francisco, and Mar praised the result.

"This victory is huge for immigrant parent leaders and organizations in our city and many others nationwide who have fought for decades to expand voting rights at the local level for immigrant communities," Mar said in a statement.

However, Proposition F, a measure introduced by Supervisor John Avalos that would allow teens 16 and up to vote in local elections, appeared to be headed to defeat with 52.7 percent of voters voting against it.

Measures backed by moderates saw mixed results as well.

Supervisor Mark Farrell's Proposition Q, which banned tent encampments on sidewalks, passed with 52.8 percent of the vote, despite vehement opposition by homelessness advocates.

Two other measures Farrell introduced went down, though, despite backing by realtors and business groups.

Proposition P, which would have required the city to find three bidders for any affordable housing project on city-owned property, was rejected by 67.3 percent of voters. Proposition U, which would have increased the income eligibility limits for affordable housing in the city, was voted down by 64.9 percent of voters.

Opponents argued the measures would have effectively halted many affordable housing projects and made it harder for low-income residents to get affordable housing.

A law and order measure backed by Supervisor Scott Wiener, Proposition R, which would have created a neighborhood crime unit in the city's police department, was defeated by 54.4 percent of voters.

Voters also approved Proposition G, expanding the police oversight powers of the Office of Citizen Complaints, and Proposition T, restricting gifts and campaign contributions, both of which faced no formal opposition.

Proposition O, which would permanently exempt new office space in Candlestick Point and Hunters Point from the city's annual 950,000-square-foot limit, passed with 52.5 percent of the vote.
For the second night in a row, thousands of people took to streets across the Bay Area late Wednesday to express their heartbreak and anger at Donald Trump's seemingly improbable presidential victory.

Tear gas and flash-bang grenades were deployed in Oakland, where an anti-Trump demonstration was declared an unlawful assembly by police after bottles, rocks and firecrackers were thrown at officers. At one point, protesters also set off fireworks in response to police attempts to move in.

The window of the Agave Uptown restaurant, located at 2135 Franklin St., was vandalized by a man with spray paint as members of the crowd urged the vandal to stop.

Other windows were smashed and spray-painted in the vicinity of Webster and 17th streets.

Officers lined up in front of a Chase Bank location in the vicinity of Eighth and Franklin streets to prevent further vandalism after windows there were smashed. Trash fires were set nearby, and an American flag was also burned.

The protest kicked off around 5 p.m. at Frank Ogawa Plaza before people set off down city streets. People chanted "Not our president" while others carried signs saying, "Donald Trump is a rapist" and "Secede #CalExit."

Officers in riot gear were positioned through downtown Oakland on Wednesday evening, with more than 30 at the intersection of 15th Street and Telegraph Avenue.

Just before 7 p.m., police estimated that the crowd had grown to roughly 3,000 people, saying that traffic in the area was being impacted and asking drivers to use alternate routes. Just after 8 p.m., police said the turnout had swelled to over 6,000 people, who had flocked to 8th Street between Washington Street and Broadway.

Hundreds of anti-Trump protesters marched in Oakland late Wednesday. (Nov. 9, 2016)

At roughly the same time, police officers stopped the massive crowd and a yellow truck from passing. It remains unclear what street they were on. NBC Bay Area's chopper appeared to show flash bangs being used to disperse the protesters.

Alessandra Bergamin tweeted that protesters shattered the glass of a bus shelter, burned Trump in effigy and called for women, children and elderly people to leave the march. The group, which made its way to 14th Street and Broadway, plans to resume their rally at 5 p.m. Thursday, she wrote.

Bergamin also wrote on Twitter that an organizer instructed participants not to destroy "mom and pop, brown, black or native" shops in Oakland.

CHP officers based out of Oakland tweeted that the protest had forced them to shut down the Broadway off-ramp from northbound Interstate 880. Fremont police also were asked to assist the Oakland Police Department.

Earlier in the day, protesters took to Market Street in San Francisco, also yelling, "Not our president," as they meandered along city sidewalks and sliced through traffic.

A similar outcry of frustration and dissent was heard at the cable car turnaround near Powell and Market streets around 5 p.m. Over 2,000 people were scheduled to attend the protest, according to the Facebook event page.

While American voters come to grips with the new leader in the White House, droves of Bay Area citizens continue to voice their opposition in earnest. Jodi Hernandez reports.

Social media posts from the scene showed thousands of people carrying "F--- Trump" and "Dump Trump" signs while others read, "Fight White Supremacy."

"Donald Trump has got to go. Hey, hey! Ho, ho!" chanted protesters, some of whom held signs accusing the President-elect of "making America hate again" instead of making it "great," as was his campaign promise.

San Francisco police officers, vans and cruisers lined Market Street as people marched toward Castro Street and through the Tenderloin district toward the Civic Center and UN Plaza.

According to posts on Twitter, a peaceful candlelight vigil was held in the Castro district, while a group marched toward the Mission district around 7 p.m.

"I'm devastated by the election results and felt like I had to do something," one San Francisco resident said at the vigil.

Anti-Trump Protesters Hit the Streets in the Bay Area

Further south, San Jose State University students hosted a post-election rally in front of Clark Hall. Protest art, as it is called, was also spotted at an anti-Trump rally at MLK Library.

Berkeley was also scheduled to play host to its own march and rally. Irate citizens had planned to walk from the corner of Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue to the federal building in downtown Oakland, all the while speaking out against Trump's proposed immigration policies and the president-elect's history of racist behavior. The organizing activist group "By Any Means Necessary" was leading the protest, which was scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., according to an event flyer.

The rash of Bay Area protests marks an ongoing bout of tension that sparked when Hillary Clinton conceded the election to Trump early Wednesday morning. Students in Berkeley, Oakland, San Jose and San Francisco demonstrated immediately after the news broke before high school students across the Bay Area walked out the classroom hours later and spoke out against America's decision.

Thousands of protesters also gathered in Chicago and outside Trump Tower in New York City to voice their discontentment.
An Oceanside man who died of natural causes in September was elected to office in the coastal San Diego County city more than a month later, officials confirmed Wednesday.

Gary Ernst was elected to Oceanside City Treasurer by a six percent margin over challenger Nadine Scott. The election results are expected to be certified on December 7th by the city council.

Ernst died Sept. 23 which did not allow enough time to remove his name from the ballot.

With all precincts reporting, Ernst earned 17,659 votes.

City councilmembers can declare the seat vacant since the winner cannot physically take office, according to Oceansides City Attorney John Mullen. That will lead to either an appointment or a special election.

If city leaders choose to appoint someone for two years, the decision must be made within 60 days, Mullen said.

Scott told NBC 7 that she would like to be appointed to honor the 15,500 voters who cast their ballot for her.

She said she believes voters were not informed that Ernst was deceased prior to the election because some city leaders wanted to appoint another candidate after the election.
Republican Donald Trump, who entered politics after a career in real estate and reality TV, defied pollsters and pundits Tuesday to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton for the presidency.

"Now its time for America to bind the wounds of division," Trump told a crowd of joyous supporters at 3 a.m. ET. "... We're going to dream of things for our country and beautiful things and successful things once again."

Clinton called Trump to concede after Trump had taken several battleground states, including Florida and Ohio.

President Obama called Trump early Wednesday while Trump was speaking to his supporters in New York, his campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said. Trump called him back after he left the stage, she said.

Conway said Obama congratulated Trump and the two had what she described as a "very nice talk."

The White House said President Obama will make a statement on Wednesday at the White House "to discuss the election results and what steps we can take as a country to come together after this hard-fought election season."

Obama invited Trump to meet with him at the White House on Thursday "to update him on the transition planning his team has been working on for nearly a year. Ensuring a smooth transition of power is one of the top priorities the President identified at the beginning of the year and a meeting with the President-elect is the next step," the statement said.

The White House also said Obama "called Clinton and expressed admiration for the strong campaign she waged throughout the country." Clinton was expected to address the election's outcome in a speech Wednesday morning.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also reached out to president-elect Trump, writing in a telegram that he, "expressed hope for cooperation in ending a crisis in Russian-American relations, as well as solving the important issues on the global agenda and searching for efficient responses to global security challenges," according to a statement issued by the Kremlin.

Trump sent his first tweet as president-elect early Wednesday, saying: "Such a beautiful and important evening! The forgotten man and woman will never be forgotten again. We will all come together as never before."

Video by Nina Lin/NBC

And House Speaker Paul Ryan said later in the morning that Trump had "turned politics on its head."

"He just earned a mandate," Ryan said.

Trump, 70, directed his campaign primarily at white, working-class men who felt left behind by the economic recovery after the 2008 recession, and insecure in an increasingly globalized economy. When Clinton said that half of Trump's supporters belonged in a basket of deplorables, they embraced the insult.

He promised to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border to keep out undocumented immigrants, to deport the 11 million undocumented immigrants already in the country and to ban Muslims from entering the United States. But as with many of his positions, the details changed repeatedly and the exact provisions are unclear.

Vector will conduct three commercial missions from Virginia Space's mid-Atlantic regional spaceport.

He claimed that the economy was in collapse, and promised to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States. He said that the country's military was in shambles and pledged to beat ISIS in the Middle East. He promised to repeal Obamacare.

Trump's campaign faltered in October after he was heard bragging about groping women and trying to have sex with them in a videotape with Billy Bush, then of "Access Hollywood."

Bush, a "Today" show host at the time the tape was released, was fired by NBC as a result. Trump apologized for what he repeatedly called "locker room talk," but many Republicans, particularly women, condemned his comments and abandoned his campaign.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, congressman for Wisconsins 1st congressional district, will keep his spot in the House after being re-elected on Nov. 8. I will work my hardest to deserve this, Ryan said.

Trump, whose candidacy was treated with wide skepticism when he launched his campaign, beat 16 other Republicans to become the GOP nominee. He was considered insufficiently conservative, his positions criticized by many mainstream Republican leaders as inconsistent and contradictory. His choice of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence was seen as an attempt to mute that criticism.

Trump, who graduated from the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania, rode to victory partly on name recognition built over decades, starting in New York City and spreading around the world.

The son of a real estate developer, Trump took his inheritance  he says it was $1 million  and built his own businesses, dangling opulence with endless self-promotion. One of his first big projects, completed in 1980 with the help of guaranteed loans from his father and generous tax breaks, was to transform what had been the Commodore Hotel into the dazzling Grand Hyatt hotel, next to Grand Central Terminal. He built the Trump Tower in Manhattan, Trump hotels, a Trump casino empire in Atlantic City that later fell into bankruptcy and Trump-branded luxury goods.

Tuesday is the day that American voters will decide wholl be their next president  Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. Polls already open in states across the Eastern U.S. are seeing lines of voters form as people prepare to cast their ballots. (Nov. 8)

Trump became even better known with "The Apprentice" on NBC, which featured competing business people who were eliminated with his catch phrase, "You're fired."

NBC Universal ended its business relationship with him due to "derogatory statements by Donald Trump regarding immigrants." The decision came after Trump announced he was running for president, when he said Mexico was sending rapists and other criminals to the United States.

Trump's personal finances were the subject of repeated controversy during the campaign. The real estate businessman and reality show star refused to release his tax returns, raising questions about his worth and how much he had paid in taxes. The New York Times later was given tax records that showed he had declared a $916 million loss on his 1995 income tax returns, which would have allowed him to avoid paying federal income taxes for up to 18 years.

Some voters are going from the polls to the cemetery in upstate New York in order to pay respect to womens suffragist leader Susan B. Anthony.

He long questioned where President Obama was born, finally conceding in September that he was born in the United States but immediately falsely claiming that Clinton had started the conspiracy talk.

Toward the end of the race, with polls showing Trump trailing Clinton, he claimed the election was rigged by a dishonest media. He hedged when he was asked whether he would accept the outcome of the election.

Outside the Hilton Hotel in New York City, where Donald Trump and his campaign were watching the election results roll in, supporters chanted "President Trump."

Cars passing the Trump supporters honked, some shouting "Go Trump!" The street rally got louder with every honk. A handful of people were selling Make America Great Again merchandise  Trump flags, pins, hats.

Former wrestling entertainment executive Linda McMahon secured Senate confirmation as the next leader of the Small Business Administration. The Senate has been split mostly along party lines on most of President Donald Trump's Cabinet choices. But McMahon faced little resistance after assuring lawmakers that she believes the SBA should continue as a Cabinet-level, stand-alone agency and that she would be a strong advocate for small business within the new administration. A Senate panel recently approved her nomination by a vote of 18-1, moving the nomination to the full Senate for consideration. That vote came Tuesday, 81 in favor and 19 against.

Inside, Trump told the crowd: "As Ive said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement."

At 2 a.m. ET, Clinton's campaign chairman, John Podesta, took the stage at the Clinton gathering and told campaign supporters to go home.

"Several states are too close to call, and we wont have anything more to say tonight," Podesta said. "She is not done yet. Thank you for being with her. She has been with you."

Sticking mostly to the teleprompter, Donald Trump had a message of unity on Nov. 9, when he spoke as president-elect. Ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement, Trump said. Its a movement comprised of Americans from all races, religions, backgrounds and beliefs who want and expect our government to serve the people  and serve...

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged, reflecting investor concern over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade. But after Trump's victory speech markets pared their losses. U.S. stocks were mixed early trading on Wednesday.

NBC News projected Trump as the apparent winner in Florida, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. He was the prdojected winner in Alaska, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, North Carolina, Missouri, Utah, Georgia and Iowa.

Clinton was projected to win Maine, Vermont, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, New York, New Mexico, Colorado, Virginia, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada and Washington. Clinton also was the projected winner in the District of Columbia.

Shortly after 3 a.m. ET, Trump had 278 electoral votes, with Clinton at 218. At 1 a.m. ET all voting ended, as the polls in Alaska closed.

Exit polls showed women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

Doug Ratliff, a 67-year-old businessman from Richlands, Virginia, said Trump's election was one of the happiest days of his life.

Donald Trump, speaking from New York City, addressed his supporters after he was elected president of the United States. Its been what they call a historic event, Trump said. But to be really historic we have to do a great job and I promise you that I will not let you down.

"This county has had no hope," said Ratliff, who owns strip malls in an area badly beaten by the collapse of the coal industry. "Things will change. I know he's not going to be perfect. But he's got a heart. And he gives people hope."

The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

House Speaker Ryan, a reluctant Trump supporter, called the businessman earlier in the evening to congratulate him, according to a Ryan spokeswoman. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the American people "have chosen a new direction for our nation."

President Obama, who campaigned vigorously for Clinton throughout the fall and hoped his own rising popularity would lift her candidacy, was silent on Trump's victory as the results came in. It will be a potentially awkward meeting with the man who pushed false rumors that the president might have been born outside the United States.

Democrats, as well as some Republicans, expected Trump's unconventional candidacy would damage down-ballot races and even flip some reliably red states in the presidential race. But Trump held on to Republican territory, including in Georgia and Utah, where Clinton's campaign confidently invested resources.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in her party's hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his health care law.

But she struggled throughout the race with persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. Those troubles flared anew late in the race, when FBI Director James Comey announced a review of new emails from her tenure at the State Department.

On Sunday, just two days before Election Day, Comey said there was nothing in the material to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.
The world faces a starkly different America led by a President Donald Trump.

While the billionaire businessman's election was welcomed in some countries, others saw it as a big shock as governments will now have to deal with a man who has cozied up to Vladimir Putin, told NATO allies they would have to pay for their own protection and vowed to make the Mexican government pay for a multibillion-dollar border wall.

Trump's win was particularly startling in Mexico, where his remarks calling Mexican immigrants criminals and "rapists" were a deep insult to national pride. Financial analysts have predicted a Trump win would threaten billions of dollars in cross-border trade, and government officials say they have drawn up a contingency plan for such a scenario, though without releasing details.

Mexico's President Pena Nieto said he was ready to work with Trump to strengthen existing bonds.

"Mexico and the United States are friends, partners and allies and we should keep collaborating for the competitiveness and development of North America," Pena Nieto, who was criticized for meeting with Trump in Mexico in August, said on twitter.

Mexico's foreign minister said the government would not pay for a wall along the U.S. border promised by Trump, Reuters reported. Claudia Ruiz Massieu said the Mexican government has been communicating with the Trump campaign since the his visit to the country.

In a telegram, Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump and "expressed hope for cooperation in ending a crisis in Russian-American relations, as well as solving the important issues on the global agenda and searching for efficient responses to global security challenges," according to a statement issued by the Kremlin.

French President Francois Hollande congratulated Trump, adding that "This American election ushers in a period of uncertainty. I have to address it with lucidity and clarity. The United States constitutes a partner of the first order for France. And what is at stake here is peace, the fight against terrorism, its the situation in the Middle East, its the economic relationships and the preservation of the planet."

Hollande said his "thoughts are also with Hillary Clinton, with whom I have worked during the Obama presidency."

Nigel Farage, with the UK's Independence Party, also congratulated Trump on his success.

I hand over the mantle to @RealDonaldTrump! Many congratulations. You have fought a brave campaign. pic.twitter.com/txD3RFMQ2l  Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) November 9, 2016

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said "the results of the U.S. election have no effect on the policis" of his country. He added that Iran's nuclear deal with six world powers has been reflected in a United Nation Security Council resolution and cannot be dismissed by one government.

Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte wished Trump "success in the next four years" and said he "looks forward to working with the incoming administration for enhanced Philippines-US relations anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit and shared commitment to democratic ideals and the rule of law."

Despite Trump's sharp criticism of NATO during the campaign, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday he's looking forward to working with the president-elect.

Trump has questioned whether NATO, an alliance of Western nations formed to counter the former Soviet Union, is outdated.

"We face a challenging new security environment, including hybrid warfare, cyberattacks, the threat of terrorism," Stoltenberg said in a statement. "U.S. leadership is as important as ever. ... A strong NATO is good for the United States, and good for Europe."

In July, Trump said the United States might abandon its NATO military commitments, including the obligation to defend members against attacks. After that, Vice President Joe Biden said he had met with the presidents of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to reassure them that Trump doesn't represent America.

Biden said the three presidents were "scared to death" about the prospects of a Trump presidency and whether he would maintain the country's commitments to its NATO allies if they faced aggression from Russia.

The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said he hoped "Trump, would be guided by God to serve his country but also to promote peace and wellbeing in the world."

Stock market futures plunged dramatically, as investor expectations of an easy Clinton win ran head-long into a growing lead for Trump. And the Mexican peso fell sharply against the U.S. dollar in response to the results.

Chinese state media outlets cast the U.S. election as the embodiment of America's democracy in crisis in contrast to China's perceived stability under Communist party rule.

China's state-run Xinhua News Agency said the campaign has highlighted that, in its words, "the majority of Americans are rebelling against the U.S.'s political class and financial elites."

The official Communist Party newspaper People's Daily said in a commentary that the presidential election reveals an "ill democracy."

On Tuesday, the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV ran man-on-the-street interviews with unidentified American voters in which they expressed disgust with the system and dissatisfaction with both candidates.

But U.S. Ambassador to China Max Baucus assured "the world's most important relationship" between Beijing and Washington will remain stable regardless of the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.

Asked by a Chinese reporter about Trump's proposal for a 45 percent tariff on Chinese goods imported in the U.S., Baucus said, "people say a lot of things in the heat of a campaign that are not quite as feasible as they think when they're elected."

The first French presidential candidate to comment on the U.S. election was populist, anti-immigrant politician Marine Le Pen, congratulating Trump even before the final results are known.

Le Pen, hoping to ride anti-establishment sentiment to victory in April-May French presidential elections, tweeted her support to the "American people, free!"

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said France would continue to work with the new president whoever wins the final tally, though expressed concern about Trump's lead and said it could hold a cautionary message for Europe.

"We don't want a world where egoism triumphs," Ayrault said on France-2 television Wednesday. France's Socialist government had openly endorsed Clinton.

Ayrault said European politicians should pay attention to the message from Trump voters. "There is a part of our electorate that feels ... abandoned," including people who feel "left behind" by globalization, he said.

He said a Trump victory could bring "more incertitude" to French politics.

Watching the results at a New Zealand bar, 22-year-old student Sarah Pereira said she is looking forward to working as an intern in the U.S. Congress, but dreads the prospect of Donald Trump winning the presidency.

Pereira, a master's student in strategic studies, said she will leave for Washington this weekend after winning a scholarship to work for Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks. She predicted the effects of a Trump on international relationships would be "catastrophic."

And Indonesians on social media are questioning why Americans have voted in big numbers for billionaire Trump, who many in the world's most populous Muslim country perceive as intolerant and reactionary.

Twitter, Facebook and chatrooms in instant messaging apps are buzzing with speculation about whether Trump would follow through on campaign rhetoric that included a ban on Muslims entering the U.S.

Some people said that under a Trump administration they fear they'll be prevented from visiting relatives and friends who live in America or traveling there as tourists.

About 100,000 Indonesians live in the United States.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said on national television that his government will work with whoever becomes president.

Trump has also pledged to withdraw U.S. support for the Paris climate change agreement that was reached largely through hard negotiating with China.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told an aide before the 11 p.m. ET hour that "the competition is closer than expected" in the U.S. election, according to the Kyodo News service.

The Japanese government has remained neutral in public statements, but analysts on both sides of the Pacific have talked about a possible change in U.S. policy toward Japan and the rest of Asia if Trump should win.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga reaffirmed his government's commitment to the U.S.-Japan security alliance. He told reporters that whoever is the next president, the Japan-U.S. alliance will remain the cornerstone of Japan-U.S. diplomacy.

Japanese were tweeting about their interest in the U.S. election, and retweeting developments, though not everyone was happy. One Twitter user complained: "The U.S. presidential election is the only thing I can see on any channel!"

Several major television stations suspended their regular morning programming to cover the vote, with a running tally of results and explanations of the electoral vote system.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed Wednesday to work "very closely" with President-elect Donald Trump.

The Liberal prime minister told students at an event in Ottawa that he will work with Trump not just for Canadians "but for the whole world." He earlier offered his congratulations in a statement and said Canada has no closer ally and partner than the United States.
Rep. Tammy Duckworth defeated incumbent Republican Mark Kirk Tuesday in one of the nations most pivotal Senate races, NBC News projected.

In the lead up to Election Day, Duckworth held a strong advantage in the polls and a substantial fundraising edge over Kirk, who was widely considered the most vulnerable Senate Republican up for re-election.

Duckworth has served as congresswoman representing Illinois 8th Congressional District since 2013. She beat out former Urban League president and CEO Andrea Zopp and state Sen. Napoleon Harris in the March Democratic primary.

The combat Army veteran, who lost both her legs co-piloting a helicopter in Iraq in 2004, settled a 2007 workplace retaliation lawsuit in June. A settlement agreement related to the suit, which stems from Duckworths time as director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, has not been finalized.

Over the course of the race, the Kirk campaign used Duckworths lawsuit and a separate set of allegations stemming from her time at the IDVA as their main line of attack.

In an exclusive interview with NBC Chicago last week, Duckworth claimed she's unfazed by the attacks because "they're not true."

"I know it's a political strategy to go after your opponents strengths," Duckworth said. "I'm proud of the work I did in Illinois."

On her path to victory, Duckworth scored high-profile endorsements from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and a host of elected officials, including President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
As voters across Chicago cast their ballots on Election Day, relatively few problems have been reported at polling places, officials said Tuesday afternoon, but the day was not without its trials and tribulations.

Seven judges were removed from the polling locations, James Allen, director of communications for the Chicago Board of Elections, said Tuesday.

Two judges at different locations were removed for sleeping at the polling station and others were removed for being verbally abusive or hostile. An election judge in the 2nd Ward, 30th Precinct was also removed after misdirecting voters, and allegedly throwing voting booths across the room after being asked to assemble them, Allen said.

In terms of voter turnout, a little less than 60.1 percent of 972,000 registered voters showed up to the pollsincluding early, Election Day and by-mail ballots, officials said Tuesday afternoon. The turnout number does not, however, include thousands of mail ballots received on Tuesday.

The largest demographic to turn out, officials said, was ages 25-34, with 208,000 voters finding their ways to the polling place. The smallest was 18-24 years of age with 79,000 voters casting their ballots.

Another issue that could alter the announcement of election results, according to the Chicago Board of Elections, is the amount of write-in votes they anticipate will be cast.

"Probably our only concern tonight is judges counting write-in votes," said James Allen, communications director of the Chicago Board of Elections, adding that this was the first time he remembered so many reports of officials "of any political party talking about writing in for even the highest offices."

"Judges might have to take more time there, but hopefully that wont be the case," he said.

Elected officials across the country have openly discussed writing in a candidate for president, with Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk saying Tuesday that hew rote in disgraced former CIA Director David Petraeus after pulling his endorsement of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in June.

Those write-in votes could add time to the process of tallying ballots, officials said.

"What happens is, as the ballot is fed into the scanner, if theres a mark next to the name printed on the ballot then the scanner knows thats a vote for candidate Smith or candidate Jones," Allen explained.

"But if there's a mark next to the write-in space, it just checks for the connection between the arrows, not the name," he said.

If the write-in arrow is completed, the scanner places the ballot in a different section of the ballot box to be counted individually.

"At the end of the night, the judges have to go through the different sections and tally the write-in votes, determine if the candidate is an eligible write-in candidate, and the voter's intent," Allen said.

If there are a significant number of write-in votes, counting each ballot individually could add extra time to the process before election results can be officially announced.
Nearly 2,000 protesters marched in Chicago's downtown streets Wednesday night, shutting down Lake Shore Drive and chanting angry slogans about the president elect outside Trump Tower, according to a Chicago Police Department estimate.

Demonstrators carried signs and shouted "Donald Trump has got to go," and "We reject the president elect," after a crowd of a few dozen grew into multiple groups totalling at about 1,800, sparking a huge police presence downtown as the evening wore on.

Chicago Police said about 10 p.m. that there had been no arrests or injuries.

"We will be ensuring adequate police coverage so that participants have an opportunity to safely assemble and demonstrate, but the department will be intolerant to any criminal or destructive activity," Chicago Police said in a statement.

A massive amount of people showed up to do just that.

"We don't stand for sexism, we don't stand for racism, homophobia--this is not my president" protester Reily O'Neil said.

The crowd also drew some Trump supporters who hoisted signs and argued with his detractors.

"I expect the Republicans to rally around [Trump] and the things they can agree on get done," Don Peterson, who drove in from Yorkville, said.

About 8 p.m. one of the large groups spilled onto Lake Shore Drive, halting traffic from Fullerton Avenue to Roosevelt Road. A swarm of protesters at one point climbed atop a stopped CTA bus. Multiple bus routes were impacted by the protesters, the transit agency tweeted Wednesday night.

Demonstrators protesting the president elect, Donald Trump, Wednesday night climbed atop a halted CTA bus after shutting down Lake Shore Drive.

The emergency protest was scheduled following Donald Trumps shocking victory over Hillary Clinton.

The event, which involved groups including Answer Chicago, Freedom First International and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, originally planned to gather from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., according to organizers. But by 10:30 p.m., groups of protesters had fragmented into smaller packs roving downtown's streets.

We must resist this outcome, organizers wrote in a Facebook page for the protest. In fact, we cannot be idle. We must get into the streets immediately. We must unite and stand with immigrants, Muslims, women, LGBTQ people, poor and working people and Black Lives Matter. Only the people can defeat racism, bigotry and hate.

Chicago police had been stationed outside the hotel Wednesday morning prior to the protest for extra security purposes, authorities said.

Other similar demonstrations took place in various cities throughout the United States Wednesday, with high school and college students from coast to coast staging walkouts.

Trump, who entered politics after a career in real estate and reality TV, defied pollsters and pundits Tuesday to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton for the presidency.

"Now its time for America to bind the wounds of division," Trump told a crowd of joyous supporters early Wednesday morning. "... We're going to dream of things for our country and beautiful things and successful things once again."

Clinton called Trump to concede after Trump had taken several battleground states, including Florida and Ohio.

Minutes after Trump was declared the winner, hundreds of protesters flocked to the streets of the Bay Area in California, blocking freeways, lighting fires and chanting, "Not our president" and "F--- Trump."

Protesters also burned Trump effigies, smashed windows of the Oakland Tribune newsroom, and set tires, trash and newspaper stands on fire in Oakland and Berkeley.

Hundreds of students protested on other California university campuses following Trump's victory. Police said at least 500 people swarmed on streets in and around UCLA early Wednesday morning.

Trump, 70, directed his campaign primarily at white, working-class men who felt left behind by the economic recovery after the 2008 recession, and insecure in an increasingly globalized economy.
Democrat Kim Foxx beat out Republican Christopher Pfannkuche in the Cook County States Attorney race Tuesday.

Foxx defeated former state and federal prosecutor Donna More and embattled incumbent Anita Alvarez in the hotly-contested March Democratic primary.

This is an honor and a privilege to be a child of Cabrini standing before you, Foxx said Tuesday night after declaring victory.

You have to be relentless when you grow up in the projects of Cabrini Green, she said.

Alvarez came under fire for her handling of the controversial Laquan McDonald case. McDonald, a Chicago teen, was shot and killed by Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke in October 2014.

Prior to running for states attorney, Foxx served as an assistant Cook County states attorney for 12 years. More recently, she served as chief of staff for Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.



During her time under Preckwinkle, Foxx was the lead architect of the criminal justice reform agenda that deals with racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

The Chicago native, who was raised in the Cabrini-Green housing projects, received high-profile endorsements from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and a host of elected officials, including Sen. Dick Durbin.
Raja Krishnamoorthi beat out Republican Pete DiCianni to claim Rep. Tammy Duckworths soon-to-be-vacated 8th Congressional District House seat Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.

Krishnamoorthi was appointed a special assistant attorney general in the Public Integrity Unit by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan before leaving the office to serve as deputy treasurer in 2007.

Krishnamoorthi later lost the 2010 Illinois Comptroller race to David E. Miller. In 2012, he also lost to Duckworth in the Democratic primary for the 8th district House seat.

He has since served as president of Bolingbrooks Sivananthan Laboratories. The company focuses on research, development and commercialization of miltary night vision technology, solar cells, radiation detectors and biosensors to detect weapons of mass destruction.

Krishnamoorthi rode a wave of high-profile endorsements from the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and a host of elected officials, including President Barack Obama.

Illinois 8th congressional district covers parts of Cook, DuPage and Kane counties and includes suburbs like Addison, Hoffman Estates and Villa Park, among others.
Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza unseated Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger Tuesday in a race that was widely considered a proxy battle for House Speaker Michael Madigan and Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Mendoza previously served six terms as a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives alongside Madigan. Munger was appointed comptroller by Rauner in 2015.

The race became the states most expensive after Munger smashed campaign finance caps in September, removing fundraising limits. The race quickly became the state's most expensive, with Mendoza holding nearly $3 million on Election Day, according to the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform.

Mendoza, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, won her second consecutive term as Chicago City Clerk in May. During her time there, she successfully transitioned 1.3 million customers away from an inefficient, 105-year-old vehicle sticker sales program.

She now becomes the primary financial officer for a state with a $9 billion bill backlog that's over $220 billion in debt.
A fractured, discontented electorate handed Donald Trump the presidency, allowing him to breach a region that Democrat Hillary Clinton was banking on in her bid for the presidency.

Key battleground states Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin had voted for the Democratic candidate in every presidential election for a generation. Ohio, Minnesota and Iowa have been part of winning Democratic maps, as well.

Trump outperformed expectations in all of them, moving most into the Republican column after President Barack Obama twice swept the region.

Exit polls and unofficial returns reflected deep racial, gender, economic and cultural divides nationally and across the Midwest and Great Lakes region, helping drive Trump's success. His soaring popularity among white voters without a college degree was essential to his capturing the Rust Belt and holding off Clinton in battlegrounds elsewhere, with voters describing themselves as "fed up" and ready for a different, even if unpredictable, direction.

"The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer," Trump said in his acceptance speech, alluding to his economic populist message that helped him shift much of the old industrial territory.

Trump's support Tuesday skewed older, more male and overwhelmingly white. His supporters said they were deeply dissatisfied with the federal government and eager for change, according to the exit polls conducted by Edison Research for national media outlets.

Nationally, he won almost 7 out of 10 whites without college degrees.

"It's just shocking that it took a billionaire to connect with the working-class folks that controlled this election," said Byron Dopkins, a 59-year-old accountant and Trump voter in River Falls, Wisconsin. "It wasn't the elite, it wasn't the white collar ... it was the working-class people."

Trump's surge in working-class regions was evident in places such as Mahoning County, Ohio. Obama won Mahoning, where organized labor still acts as a political force, by a 28-point margin in 2012. On Tuesday, Clinton won it by just 3 percentage points and fell short of Obama's vote total by more than 20,000.

Obama won nearby Belmont County, in the coal country along the Ohio River, in his first election. It shifted to Romney in 2012, and on Tuesday Trump won almost 70 percent of the vote.

Across Ohio, nearly half of all voters said international trade hurts the country's jobs situation, and two-thirds of them backed Trump. Two-thirds of the state's voters said the job situation in Ohio had deteriorated or remained static over the past four years, and three-quarters of them voted for Trump.

John Osborn is a lifelong Democrat who owns a barber shop in Waverly, Ohio. He voted for Barack Obama twice, but the 44-year-old disabled veteran said people in surrounding Pike County have suffered too much.

"We are hurting with industry, we're hurting with jobs and morale is low. So for me, I had to take the chance" and vote for Trump, he said. "I'm a Trump supporter. I'm not racist. I'm not uneducated. I'm not deplorable. But I'm fed up."

It was a pattern that repeated across the region.

Clinton did refashion an alliance similar to Obama's  women, young voters and nonwhites  but it wasn't large enough.

In Michigan, she lost Flor Penner, a 60-year-old massage therapist who voted for Trump after having twice voting for Obama. Penner lives in the Detroit suburbs of Macomb County, which twice sided with Obama only to see Trump win by almost 12 points.

Penner said Trump will bring needed to change to Washington, compared to "something wrong and corrupt" about Clinton. A Filipino immigrant-turned-American citizen, Penner dismissed Trump's harsh rhetoric on immigration as "just campaigning."

Clinton's support was concentrated in large cities, the Northeast and along the West Coast. But even in some key urban areas, Clinton fell short of Obama's benchmark.

The president won 420,000 votes in Cleveland and surrounding Cuyahoga County in 2012; Clinton won just 383,000.

The urban drop-off was a critical blow to Clinton, as Trump ran up resounding margins in small towns and rural areas, while adding victories in many suburbs.

While Trump clearly struck a chord among white voters, it's less clear what the electorate that chose him actually wants out of government.

The same group of voters gave Obama a 53 percent approval rating and returned Republican majorities to Congress, where GOP leaders already have clashed with Trump on personality and policy.
Republicans held onto the House of Representatives on Tuesday and retained their slim Senate majority, another stinging blow to Democrats in a night full of them. Democrats had been nearly certain of retaking Senate control but saw their hopes fizzle as endangered GOP incumbents won in Missouri, Indiana, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and even Democrat-friendly Wisconsin.

And with GOP candidate Donald Trump clinching the presidency, the Republican party will soon control both the executive and legislative branches of the federal government.

SENATE

GOP-held New Hampshire remained too close to call in the early morning hours Wednesday, but even if Democrats eked out a win there it would not make a difference.

Republicans started the night with a 54-46 majority in the Senate and were on track to end up with at least 52 seats, presuming they win a December runoff in Louisiana, as expected.

The outcome added to a debacle of a night for Democrats, who lost the presidency and faced being consigned to minority status on Capitol Hill for years to come.

Republicans celebrated their wins, already looking ahead to midterms in 2018 when Democrats could see their numbers reduced even further with a group of red-state Senate Democrats on the ballot.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who will serve in that role next year under a President Trump, issued a statement congratulating the president-elect.

"After eight years of the Obama administration, the American people have chosen a new direction for our nation. President-elect Trump has a significant opportunity to bring our nation together," McConnell said. "It is my hope and intent that we succeed in the years ahead by working together with our colleagues across the aisle to strengthen our national and economic security."

As the night wore on, Democratic operatives struggled to explain why their optimistic assessments of retaking Senate control were so mistaken. Some blamed unexpected turnout by certain segments of white voters, or FBI Director James Comey's bombshell announcement that he was reviewing a new batch of emails connected with Democrat Hillary Clinton.

In Pennsylvania, GOP Sen. Pat Toomey won a narrow victory for his second term over Democratic challenger Katie McGinty. It was a race Democrats expected to win going into the night  and one that many Republicans felt nearly as sure they'd lose.

The story was the same in Wisconsin, where GOP Sen. Ron Johnson, written off for months by his own party, won re-election against former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold in a rematch.

In Missouri and North Carolina, where entrenched GOP incumbents Roy Blunt and Richard Burr faced unexpectedly strong challenges from Democrats, both prevailed in the end.

Democrats did grab a Republican-held seat in Illinois, where GOP Sen. Mark Kirk lost to Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a double-amputee Iraq war vet. That stood as the one Democratic pickup as the early morning hours ticked toward Wednesday.

The other bright spot for Democrats was in Nevada, where Minority Leader Harry Reid's retirement after five terms created a vacancy and the one Democratic-held seat that was closely contested. Reid maneuvered to fill it with his hand-picked successor, Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada's former attorney general who spoke often of her family's immigrant roots in a state with heavy Latino turnout.

Cortez Masto will become the first Latina U.S. senator. She beat Republican Rep. Joe Heck, who struggled with sharing the ticket with Donald Trump, first endorsing and then un-endorsing Trump to the disgust of some GOP voters.

Indeed the Senate races were shadowed every step of the way by the polarizing presidential race between Clinton and Trump. Yet in the end, Trump was apparently not the drag on GOP candidates widely anticipated. Republicans like Johnson who endorsed him and stuck with it won re-election, as did others like Pennsylvania's Toomey who never backed Trump until the very end. And so did a few like GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona who un-endorsed Trump after audio emerged of him boasting of groping women.

McCain, at age 80, won his sixth term in quite possibly his final campaign. The 2008 GOP presidential nominee was re-elected without much difficulty despite early predictions of a competitive race, and struck a reflective note ahead of the outcome.

"While as Yogi Berra said, 'I hate to make predictions, especially about the future,' I'm not sure how many more I have in me," McCain said.

In Indiana, GOP Rep. Todd Young beat former Democratic senator and governor Evan Bayh, who mounted a much-ballyhooed comeback bid, but wilted under scrutiny. And in Florida, GOP Sen. Marco Rubio beat Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy, giving Rubio a platform from which he could mount another bid for president in 2020.

In New York, Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democrats' leader-in-waiting for a new Congress, easily won re-election. But the results elsewhere meant he would be leading a Senate minority when he replaces Reid in the leader's role.

Even though the GOP's renewed control of the Senate will be narrow, the advantages of being in the majority are significant. The controlling party holds the committee chairmanships, sets the legislative agenda and runs investigations. First up is likely to be a nominee to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Republicans retained their lock on the House for two more years early Wednesday as GOP candidates triumphed in a checkerboard of districts in Florida, Virginia and Colorado that Democrats had hoped Donald Trump's divisive comments about women and Hispanics would make their own.

Democrats who had envisioned potentially big gains in suburban and ethnically diverse districts instead were on track for disappointingly modest pickups. Republican contenders were buoyed by Trump's startlingly strong White House bid against Democrat Hillary Clinton and appeal to white working-class voters.

Expectations were low that Democrats would win the 30 seats they had needed to capture House control. But both sides had anticipated they'd cut the historic GOP majority by perhaps a dozen seats, which seemed possible but unlikely. Republicans currently hold a 247-188 majority, including three vacant seats, the most the GOP has commanded since their 270 in 1931.

By Wednesday morning, Republicans had at least 232 seats  guaranteeing control  and just five of their incumbents had lost. The GOP retained seats in Minnesota, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Iowa and Wisconsin that Democrats sought to grab, and Republicans prepared to build on their current six-year run of House control.

"This could be a really good night for America," House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who won a 10th term, told supporters back home in Janesville, Wisconsin.

It was initially unclear what impact the marginally smaller size of the GOP majority would have on Ryan, who'd angered some Republican lawmakers by refusing to campaign for Trump.

While one member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus was defeated, several newly elected Republicans could bolster it. That would increase conservatives' leverage to demand their way on issues like curbing spending and government regulations.

In Florida, freshman GOP Rep. Carlos Curbelo won a race that underscored how Trump's damage to Republicans would be limited. With around 7 in 10 of the Miami-area district's voters Hispanic, Democrats targeted it and the race became one of the country's most expensive with an $18 million price tag. But Curbelo distanced himself from his own party's nominee and held on.

Virginia freshman Rep. Barbara Comstock kept her seat in the Washington, D.C., suburbs despite Democrats' attempts to lash her to Trump. The two sides spent more than $20 million in a district of highly educated, affluent voters that both sides had viewed as vulnerable to a Democratic takeover.

Democrats defeated two Florida GOP incumbents, but that seemed due to local circumstances.

Rep. John Mica, 73, a 12-term veteran from the Orlando area, was criticized by GOP strategists for a lackluster campaign and lost to Democrat Stephanie Murphy, a political neophyte. Democrat Charlie Crist, once the state's Republican governor, defeated Rep. David Jolly in a St Petersburg district redrawn to favor Democrats.

Democrats spent $4 million and beat GOP Rep. Scott Garrett, a Freedom Caucus member from New Jersey's suburbs of New York City. Also defeated was Rep. Bob Dold, a GOP moderate from outside Chicago, and Republican Rep. Cresent Hardy from Nevada.

No Democratic incumbent had lost by early Wednesday.

Both parties' candidates and outside groups spent nearly $1.1 billion combined on House campaigns, shy of the $1.2 billion record in 2012, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group. Republicans had only a slight financial edge.

Even with the Ryan-led House GOP's current formidable advantage, work has stalled this year on spending bills after hitting objections from conservatives.

Moving into 2017, Congress faces a fresh round of budget legislation plus the need to renew the government's borrowing authority or face an economy-jarring federal default. Those are never easy to pass.

Ryan, 46, has said he wants to be speaker in the new Congress and has expressed confidence in doing so. But he is not immune to ire from the Freedom Caucus, which chased former Speaker John Boehner from Congress last year, and other Republicans upset over his frigid treatment of Trump.

Just a handful of disgruntled conservatives could possibly block Ryan from the 218 votes he'd need to retain his post. That would be an embarrassing setback for the GOP's 2012 vice presidential candidate, who may harbor White House aspirations.
A car crashed into glass doors at Norwalk Community College on Tuesday.

The 56-year-old driver told police he was picking up his sister-in-law from the school at 9:24 p.m.

He said he parked his 2003 green Subaru Legacy outside the entrance to the East Campus building, police said.

Instead of putting his foot on the brake, the driver stepped on the accelerator, which caused his car to drive over the curb and onto the sidewalk, according to police.

The car eventually struck the glass doors of the building and stopped, causing heavy damage to the doorway.

The driver was transported to Norwalk Hospital for minor back pain. He was issued an infraction ticket.
Even though they were swept by Democrats at the top of the ticket in Connecticut, down the ballot, the Connecticut GOP made sweeping gains in State House and Senate races.

The Democrats House majority was trimmed from an 87-64 majority, to a far less impressive projected 79-72 margin, according to current election results.

The major story of the evening was the swing of control in the State Senate.

A pair of Democratic incumbents lost, while an open seat previously held by a Democrat was captured by the GOP.

In the district that includes Ansonia, Derby, and Hamden, Republican challenger George Logan appeared to narrowly defeat longtime Democratic incumbent Senator Joe Crisco who has held the seat since the early 1990s.

In Meriden, former State Senator Len Suzio recaptured a seat he held several years ago in a rematch of a race he lost narrowly two years ago. Sen. Dante Bartolomeo held a last minute campaign appearance with US Sen. Chris Murphy, but the notoriety wasnt enough to put her over the top.

Finally, in the 18th Senate district that includes Groton, Stonington, and Waterford, Republicans won a seat that had previously held by Sen. Andrew Maynard, a Democrat, who announced his retirement earlier this year. Heather Somers, who gained name recognition as the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 2014, defeated former State Representative Timothy Bowles.

Since none of the election results are final and some votes appear to not have even been counted yet according to the Secretary of the States website, the 18-18 tie is a projection. Both Democrats and Republicans late Tuesday night communicated to NBC Connecticut that they did not expect the number on either side to change.

With the 18-18 split, there will be more pressure than ever on Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman, who presides over the State Senate.

Since the executive branch is controlled by Democrats, they will maintain control of the State Senate because of the tie-breaking procedure, which is in the hands of the Lieutenant Governor.

Wyman, a Democrat, is widely respected by both sides of the aisle, and will act as the tie-breaking vote.

Republicans were one seat short of obtaining their first majority in the State Senate in 20 years.
A Griswold man is accused of having child pornography on his computer and other devices, police said.

Brian Lasalle, 39, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with first-degree possession of child pornography, Connecticut State Police said.

The investigation into Lasalle started in December 2015 when police linked child porn to the man's residence.

In March 2016, police used a warrant to seize Lasalle's computer and other devices. An examination of the items confirmed that the devices had child pornography on them, police said.

Lasalle's bond was set at $50,000.
Students at UConn are marching in protest after Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton to win the presidential election and students at the Ethel Walker School in Simsbury are holding a sit-in.

UConn students are marching in mass, chanting Donald Trump has to go along with the school UConn! Huskies chant, according to a Tweet from a staff member.

Connecticut was one of the states that Hillary Clinton won, 54 percent to 42 percent, over Trump.

Ethel Walker School is a middle and high school for girls from throughout the United States and abroad and a senior organized the sit-in.

"Our goal today is to convey the message that the result of the election is more than politics and news headlines. For many, the results of this election threaten safety, peace, and survival, Eshita Rahman, said in a statement the school released. At an all girls school, we have been taught that if women are well-prepared and hardworking, we can rise above systematic sexism - however, last night's results prove this to still be wrong today."
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut is returning to Washington for a second six-year term.

The Democrat on Tuesday easily fended off a challenge from Republican Dan Carter, a state representative from Bethel.

Carter said just after 8:30 p.m. that he called Blumenthal and conceded.

"I've called Senator Blumenthal and congratulated him and, you know it was interesting, he said 'I think I will be seeing you around' and I think that's true," Carter said in his concession speech.

This year's race did not receive nearly as much attention as the 2010 contest, when Blumenthal faced wealthy former professional wrestling executive Linda McMahon. She spent about $50 million of her own money, deluging voters with television ads and mailers.

Carter has had few resources to wage such a battle. As of Sept. 30, he had $35,014 in cash on hand. Blumenthal had $4.7 million.

Blumenthal and Carter faced off in only one debate. While agreeing on some issues, including abortion rights, they differed on how best to address gun violence.
Some voters are going from the polls to the cemetery in upstate New York in order to pay respect to women's suffragist leader Susan B. Anthony.

A reporter for The New York Times tweeted a photo of about 250 people waiting in line to pay their respects to Anthony, who died in 1906, 14 years before the 19th Amendment was enacted, giving women the right to vote.

Among the visitors was Nora Rubel, the director of the Susan B. Anthony Institute at the University of Rochester. She told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle that she went to the polls and the grave with her two daughters in order to share the experience.

Some people were leaving yellow roses, which was a symbol of the women's suffrage movement, according to reports.

Anthony had been at the forefront of advocating for womens right to vote and was even arrested for illegally voting in the 1872 election. Voters have been leaving I Voted stickers on her tombstone for weeks now as homage to Anthony's advocacy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMjfqHNBnfg/

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren said visiting the gravesite has become an Election Day rite of passage for many citizens. She also said it was appropriate to keep Mount Hope open as Hillary Clinton, the first women nominee for a major political party, is on the ballot for this election.

[NATL] Highlights From the 2016 Campaign Trail

Special measures have been put in place to accommodate the crowds, including extended hours, guides and security on sight. The cemetery usually closes at 5 p.m., but has extended its visiting hours to 9 p.m. Tuesday to allow for more Election Day visitors.
First it was Justin Timberlake, and now it's Eric Trump: it appears the Republican presidential nominee's second son may have broken New York law by taking a photo while he was voting and sharing it online.

Trump tweeted a photo that showed his paper ballot with a bubble above his father's name filled in on Tuesday morning, along with the caption "It is an incredible honor to vote for my father! He will do such a great job for the U.S.A!"

But he deleted the tweet later Tuesday morning after ProPublica's Electionland blog retweeted the image and reminded voters taking photos of ballots is illegal in the Empire State.

A quick reminder to other New York voters: This is actually illegal. Please do not post a picture of your ballot (or a ballot selfie). https://t.co/zOlnCHwVB8  Electionland (@electionland) November 8, 2016

It comes less than a week after a federal judge refused to overturn a state ban on so-called "ballot selfies." Voters contended that they had the First Amendment right to post photos of their ballots, while lawyers for the state and New York City successfully argued that a century-old law barred people from showing their marked ballots to others.

New York isn't the only state to bar photography at polling places. New Jersey and a handful of other states bar voters from taking ballot selfies. Other states, including Connecticut, allow them.

The issue gained prominence last month when Timberlake posted a photo of himself inside a polling booth in Memphis, Tennessee, during early voting, violating a newly-passed state law prohibiting photography and video inside polling locations.
Three days after a statewide Amber Alert was issued for a missing Texas teen, police say they have found her body.

Baytown police said the body of 16-year-old Kristen Fritch was found on Thursday in a wooded area behind a bar in Texas City, which is about 25 miles from Baytown.

Fritch was reported missing Tuesday after her mother, Cynthia Morris, 37, and her 13-year-old sister, Breanna Pavilicek, were found shot to death in their Baytown home.

Fritch's 21-year-old boyfriend, Jesse Dobbs, who is a person of interest in the shootings, was taken into custody at a bar in Texas City on Monday. Police say he abducted Fritch.

Surveillance video shows officers barge into the bar, struggle with Dobbs, then fall to the ground before arresting him.

Dobbs was transported to Galveston County jail and charged with resisting arrest. Police said they will also be seeking murder charges against him. His bond has been set at $50,000.
Republican Texas House incumbents held off most challenges in areas of Dallas County where Democrats were hoping to re-create a history of down-ballot success with Barack Obama atop the ballot.

But Democrat Victoria Neave defeated incumbent Rep. Kenneth Sheets by a slim margin in House District 107, an area including parts of Garland, Mesquite and eastern Dallas that has been notoriously close in recent elections.

CLICK HERE to read more from our media partners at The Dallas Morning News.
The early crowd at Fort Worth's Paris Coffee Shop was discussing the election returns Wednesday morning.

"I'm just glad it's over," said Charlie Armstrong of Fort Worth.

NBC 5s Ben Russell spoke with diners at the Paris Coffee Shop in Fort Worth the morning after Election Day.

Between sips of his coffee, the 71-year-old Armstrong expressed his lack of enthusiasm regarding her choice between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

"I still can't believe those were the best two we could come up with," he said.

Mike Smith is the owner of the Paris Coffee Shop, which opened its doors in 1926. He's been making breakfast for more than 50 years, and he has heard a lot of talk about politics over his eggs.

"There's been a lot of it here recently," he said. "I'm looking forward to that being over for a while."

As a small business owner, Smith said he is hopeful that Donald Trump, a successful businessman will govern with his best interest in mind.

Hundreds of North Texas Republicans in Dallas celebrate Donald Trumps victory in the 2016 presidential election.

Members of the Dallas County Republican Party and Trump supporters stood watch over election returns into early Wednesday morning. When Trump was named winner, the crowd erupted into chants and cheers with many holding back tears.

"America has rejected 8 more years of the Obama Administration  the failed policies of the Democrats. You see this whole sweep of getting rid of Washington insiders,'" Dallas County GOP Chairman Phillip Huffines said. "So, Americans are excited and Republicans are charged up. Energized."

Some supporters said they have specific hopes for Trumps first 100 days in office.

"I think we need a strong appointment to the Supreme Court and weve really got to get the foreign policy on track and I think rolling back Obamacare and then start working on the budget, Jonathan Boos said.

NBC 5s Courtney Gilmore speaks to people traveling through Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on what they think is ahead for a Donald Trump presidency.
Hundreds of protesters poured onto Bay Area streets minutes after Donald Trump was declared the 45th president of the United States early Wednesday morning, blocking freeways, lighting fires and chanting, "Not our president" and "F--- Trump."

Protesters also burned Trump effigies, smashed windows of the Oakland Tribune newsroom, and set tires, trash and newspaper stands on fire in Oakland and Berkeley. The disturbance also forced BART officials to shut down the 12th Street Oakland City Center station.

"When our communities are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back," railed protesters, walking through streets with their arms linked.

Police stopped protesters at Broadway and 8th Street in Oakland. "Let us through," the crowd hollered at officers, who stood their ground.

One protester held a sign which read, "Trump is a fascist pig," joining about 50 people who refused to disperse. Others, however, turned back around and headed to Berkeley. No one was arrested.

"I'm angry, it's hard to accept Trump to represent our country, it doesn't represent the best part of country," said Berkeley City College art major Devan Tevanbentuy.

During the earlier part of the protest, a woman was struck by a car on Telegraph Avenue and Highway 24, the California Highway Patrol said.

Officers Sean Wilkenfeld said the CHP was responding to reports of a protest at Interstate 880 and Broadway around 12:20 a.m., when they heard of pedestrians running into the eastbound lanes of Highway 24. A Honda Element hit a pedestrian in the No. 2 lane, near Telegraph Avenue.

Protesters surrounded the car and vandalized it. The woman, who sustained major injuries, was taken to an area hospital for treatment. The driver pulled over to the side of the road after the collision and cooperated with officers, Wilkenfeld said.

Officers said that the highway's eastbound lanes were closed as emergency responders treated the severely injured pedestrian.

University of California, Berkeley students reportedly gathered at Sproul Plaza to watch the presidential election unfold.

Malini Ramaiyer, a Daily Californian reporter, said some screamed and booed as Trump snatched up electoral votes. "We, the rational people, are a minority now," freshman Sean Betancourt told her.

The Berkeley protest swelled to over 200 people, and spilled into Oakland city limits. People chanted, "Whose streets? Our streets," Anderson Lanham, a UC Berkeley sophomore and reporter for the Daily Cal, said on Twitter.

Lanham credited Ilsa Carillo with spearheading the protest in the East Bay city. "We are students of color and we will not be marginalized, we will not be silenced," Carillo said, according to Lanham's Twitter page.

The hashtag #Berkvote was trending on Twitter with city resident Carol Coyote saying, "We need to get organized ... as a nation. We cannot have a Trump presidency. This is frightening."

Students also used the hashtags #Berkprotest and #notmypresident.

In the South Bay, a demonstration raged at San Jose State University. Pajama-clad students crowded outside dorms, with one yelling, "I'm not giving up." Noise complaints were filed as hundreds of protesters took to Tower Lawn, according to the Spartan Daily.

"The time for reform starts with us," one student said to a chorus of cheers.

Another said she voted for Hillary Clinton, but her voice "was not heard" because many of her peers "did not do the same."

Determined to be heard, San Francisco State University students also launched their own expletive-filled rally, chanting, "The people divided will never be divided."

Students posted on Twitter that they planned to protest again at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Malcolm X Plaza on campus.

Hundreds of students protested on other California university campuses following Trump's victory. Police said at least 500 people swarmed on streets in and around UCLA early Wednesday morning. There were no immediate arrests.

Smaller protests sprung up at in Santa Cruz, Irvine and San Diego.

Elsewhere in the country, students at the University of Connecticut marched in protest on Wednesday.

Hundreds of activists in Chicago planned an "emergency protest" later in the evening at the Trump International Hotel & Tower there.

And in New York City evening demonstrations were expected at Union Square and Columbus Circle near where Trump lives in Manhattan.

NBC Bay Area's Jennifer Gonzalez and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
In Tuesday's general election, several North Texas cities and towns held elections for alcohol sales ranging from beer and wine to mixed drinks in restaurants without the need for a private club license.

In every instance except for Grapevine, the measures passed.

Tarrant County's JP Precinct 1 Special Election, Proposition No. 1, allowed for"The legal sale of all alcoholic beverages for off-premise consumption only."

It was approved by voters by 2 out of 3 voters.

Voters in the city of Grapevine rejected Proposition No. 1: "The legal sale of all alcoholic beverages for off-premise consumption only.

The city is host to a number of wineries, but rejected a proposal to allow liquor stores in the city.

Restaurants and bars in Royse City will be able to sell mixed drinks without requiring a private membership after Tuesday's vote.

Residents in the town of Boyd will be soon be able to buy beer and wine in the city limits after voters passed a beer and wine proposition 74 percent to 26 percent.

The city of Roanoke's Special Election, Proposition No. 1 for "The legal sale of all alcoholic beverages including mixed beverages" passed.

Restaurants and bars in Decatur will be able to sell mixed drinks without requiring a private membership.
Democrat Terry Zee Lee watched as Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton to become America's 45th president.

"I fear for our country," said the 68-year-old Lee, who earlier Tuesday had no doubt in her mind that Hillary Clinton would be elected president. "I cannot imagine that as well as our country is doing right now, with all the improvements and all the gains we've had for equal opportunity and social justice  it just makes me sick to my stomach that my fellow Americans have that much hate and misogyny."

This was meant to be the dance floor at the clinton campaign #ElectionNightmare pic.twitter.com/DwClqCt1Td  Ines Pohl (@inespohl) November 9, 2016

From Pennsylvania to California, Oregon and Washington hundreds of people hit the streets to voice their opposition to Trump's victory.

Police said at least 500 people swarmed on streets in and around UCLA, some shouting anti-Trump expletives and others chanting "Not my president!"

There were no immediate arrests.

Smaller demonstrators were held at University of California campuses and neighborhoods in Berkeley, Irvine and Davis and at San Jose State.

Many also took to Twitter to express their shock, grief and fear.

#NotMyPresident and #ImStillWithHer hashtags were trending on Twitter Wednesday morning.

Trump did not win, racism won, sexism won, hate won, and the lack of education won.#TwitterBlackout #NotMyPresident      (@sweetenertrack4) November 9, 2016

Hundreds of activists are planning to gather in Chicago Wednesday evening to stand in serious disapproval to a Trump Presidency. More than 1600 said they plan to attend the event in front of the Trump International Hotel & Tower, located at 401 N. Wabash Ave. in Chicago.

We must resist this outcome, organizers wrote in a Facebook page for the protest. In fact, we cannot be idle. We must get into the streets immediately. We must unite and stand with immigrants, Muslims, women, LGBTQ people, poor and working people and Black Lives Matter. Only the people can defeat racism, bigotry and hate."

At least two protests were also planned in New York City. Facebook events for demonstrations in Union Square and Columbus Circle were created on Wednesday morning, with more than 2,500 Facebook users responding that they would attend the protests.

Election night turned into a nail-biter for millions of Americans as the nation waited for the final tally of votes from a small number of states, mostly in the upper Midwest. But Trump victories in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, along with traditional Republican strongholds, gave the real estate mogul the path he needed to win.

The final determination of who would become the nation's 45th president extended an already long, acrimonious race.

In Hagerstown, Maryland, Sebiina Odin, an African-American who supported Clinton, wondered about the prospects of the nation coming back together after such a rancorous campaign. She joked that her son asked her, "'You want to go to Canada for four years?'"

But Odin said that on Wednesday, "I'm going to get up and go to work. And I'm just going to be like, he's in the White House. And hopefully, four years from now, we'll win it back. "
Hundreds of demonstrators protested over Donald Trump's presidential victory early Wednesday at UCLA's campus in Westwood.

The demonstration was one of at least three on California school campuses in the hours after the Republican billionaire businessman's defeat of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's election.

Police were called out to the Westwood Plaza at around 12:15 a.m. Around 500 to 600 students were "practicing their First Amendment rights," according to the LAPD West Los Angeles Division.

No one was arrested.

Videos posted on social media showing crowds marching down campus streets, yelling "(expletive) Donald Trump." Twitter users reported a small police presence at the scene.

Several demonstrations broke out overnight all around Los Angeles protesting Trump's win.

Dozens of demonstrators in Dowtown Los Angeles gathered in Pershing Square around 11 p.m. Tuesday, but the crowd eventually dispersed, according to the Los Angeles Police Department Central Division.

Protests also erupted in the Bay Area -- in Berkeley, Oakland and San Jose -- over the election results, and students at the University of California, San Diego, also marched in protest.

More than 1,000 high school students have walked out of classes in Berkeley Berkeley Unified School District spokesman Charles Burress said about half of the school's 3,000 students left at the start of the first period on Wednesday and gathered in the school's courtyard.

Students held anti-Trump signs.

Burress said classes were still going on for students who wanted to attend.

He said the district would prefer for students to stay in classes, but school officials understood that extraordinary circumstances prompted the student protest.
Carlos Curbelo holds on to his seat in the hottest and most closely watched race among South Florida's Congressional Districts.

Rep. Curbelo was locked in a tough battle with Democratic challenger and former Congressman Joe Garcia.

It was a rematch between the two. Curbelo unseated Garcia two years ago.

Curbelo got support of Republican leaders including Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Garcia got the endorsement of President Barack Obama.

District 22

Incumbent Ted Deutch wins re-election in District 22, according to the Associated Press. Rep. Deutch represents a relatively new district after the 2015 redistricting case. Lois Frankel also wins in her new district, according to the AP, which is now primarily Palm Beach County.

District 23

The district covering much of Broward County and parts of Palm Beach County proved to be an easy re-election win for Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, according to the AP. The seven term representative  who has been elected twice before from her current district  has been dealing with her own issues during the 2016 election cycle, resigning her position as chairperson of the Democratic National Committee after controversy ensued regarding her alleged efforts to influence the partys Presidential primary in favor of Hillary Clinton over challenger Bernie Sanders.

Wasserman Schultz was opposed for the second straight election by Republican nominee Joe Kaufman, who lost in 2014 by over 25 percentage points and is making his third overall bid for Congress after having also lost in the 2012 GOP primary.

District 24

For the fourth straight time, Rep. Frederica Wilson will be heading to Washington D.C. as a member of Congress. The Democrat representing the district spanning from Miami to Miramar faced no opponent from the Republican Party in the general election.

District 25

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart holds on to his seat that spans the state from Collier to Miami-Dade County (including most of Hialeah and Miami Lakes).

Diaz-Balart, who at one point was joined by his brother, Lincoln, as a member of the House, will get his eighth term in Congress. While having a voting record not considered as conservative as others in the Florida GOP delegation, Diaz-Balart has faced plenty of criticism from his Democratic challenger, Dr. Alina Valdes.

District 27

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has been elected to a 15th term in office. Her district ranges from Hialeah all the way down to Key Largo. The moderate Republican faced a challenge from Democrat and local businessman Scott Furhman.

Furhman went after the incumbent over Ros-Lehtinens opposition to restoring relations with Cuba while Raul Castro is still in power. Meanwhile, Ros-Lehtinen hit her opponent on his lack of political experience and personal issues, including a previous arrest for DUI.
Donald J. Trump emerged as the president-elect early Wednesday morning after reaching 278 electoral votes. Americans took to social media to share their Election Day photos and thoughts on the historic campaign and outcome.

Voters shared their poll experiences on Twitter. Parents brought their children into voting booths and tweeted images with #FamilyVote.

Some voters stood in line for hours as others tweeted #WearWhiteToVote. The hashtag surfaced to bring attention to the past struggle of suffragists who championed a woman's right to vote, as well as Hillary Clinton's run for the presidency.

Lines formed early across the country Tuesday as voters turned out in force. Hillary Clinton greeted supporters outside her polling place in Chappaqua, New York. So many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country, and Ill do the very best I can if I am fortunate enough to win today, Clinton said....

As the first female nominee of a major party, Clinton's campaign slogan #ImWithHer clashed with Donald Trump's #MAGA (Make America Great Again) throughout the campaign. Here's some of the top tweets from Election Day:
What to Know Thousands of people were marching in the streets of New York City to protest President-elect Donald Trump

They gathered in front of Trump Tower by Wednesday night, where police were prepared with extra officers and barricades

Trump was beaten by Clinton in every borough except Staten Island on Election Day

Thousands of people marched in the streets of New York City Wednesday night to protest President-elect Donald Trump, weaving through traffic in midtown to get to Trump Tower, where police braced for the crowds.

Hundreds of protesters began gathering in Union Square by 6 p.m., despite light rain. They chanted "Not my president" and "hey, hey, ho, ho Donald Trump has got to go," and held signs that read "Trump Makes America Hate" and "Don't Lose Hope."

They then began marching more than 40 blocks uptown to picket outside Trump Tower in midtown.

"America has not voted for Donald Trump's policies, which don't exist," said Jesse Levine. "They voted for sexism, racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, misogyny."

"I'm concerned for the immigrants in this country, I'm concerned for the black and Muslim peple," said Zoe Beloff.

At least 65 people were arrested at the Columbus Circle and Trump Tower demonstrations, according to police. The majority of arrests were for disorderly conduct or resisting arrest.

Teacher Julia Dunn told NBC 4 New York, "On the subway ride here, everyone was just extremely tense and there was this crazy air -- so dark -- and if that's the result of our presidential election, something has to happen," she added.

A separate Columbus Circle demonstration, meanwhile, was hosted by the anti-racism group Answer Coalition. That event started at 5:30 p.m., and there were chants of "Donald Trump, go away, racist, sexist, anti-gay." They also marched to Trump Tower, where police were putting up barricades as they braced for demonstrators.

As they weaved through the streets of midtown to get to Trump Tower at 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, protesters faced threats of arrest from NYPD for blocking vehicular traffic.

Buses and trucks got jammed at the intersection as the crowds kept swelling. Police helped vehicles maneuver U-turns. Driver Joe Herrera said he had been stuck in traffic there for an hour.

The chaos also kept visitors from their hotels. Steve Dumerve, a visitor from Pennsylvania, was supposed to stay at Trump Tower.

"We have reservations but it's not happening tonight, so we need a plan B," said Dumerve.

"It's just crazy to see all these people in this uproar over our next new president," said Jay Gerdes, also visiting from Pennsylvania.

Fellow New Yorkers watched the protests, and many who live in the area said they didn't mind the slowdown of their walk and nighttime commute home.

"We're a free nation. These people are not happy so they have the right to express their unhappiness," said Margarita Krip of midtown Manhattan.

The Facebook events for demonstrations in Union Square and Columbus Circle were created on Wednesday morning, with more than 10,000 Facebook users responding that they would be present at the protests.

Similar anti-Trump protests were being held in other American cities Wednesday, including Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington and Boston.

There was also at least one instance of election-related vandalism in the city on Wednesday. Someone appeared to have written the words "I will kill you Trump" on a subway train window, though it's not clear when the vandal wrote the message.

The NYPD said officers responded to the location, but the vandalism had been removed by the time they arrived on scene.

Despite spending his entire life in New York City, Trump was not a popular choice in the Big Apple on Election Day. He was beaten by Clinton in every borough except Staten Island. He also lost the popular vote statewide by nearly a 2-to-1 margin.
What to Know Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, taking 278 electoral votes, NBC News projects; Hillary Clinton got 218 electoral votes

Both candidates were in Manhattan on Tuesday night. Trump's supporters celebrated and Clinton's supporters went home, some in tears

Global stock markets plunged upon the news of a Trump victory as the global economy faces new uncertainties

Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Trump Wins Election

Republican Donald Trump, who entered politics after a career in real estate and reality TV, defied pollsters and pundits Tuesday to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton for the presidency. Clinton called Trump to concede after Trump had taken several battleground states, including Florida and Ohio. She did not give a concession speech Tuesday night. News organizations said the Republican candidate was the winner at about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. Trump, whose candidacy was treated with wide skepticism when he launched his campaign, beat 16 other Republicans to become the GOP nominee. Outside the Hilton Hotel in New York City, where Donald Trump and his campaign had been watching the election results roll in, supporters chanted "President Trump.

Uncertainty for Global Economy

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged, reflecting investor concern over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade. In recent days, markets rallied on a broad expectation Clinton would win, which was seen as a more stable outcome for investors. The election of Trump creates new uncertainties for the global economy, say investors and economists, who see him as a reckless novice who might disrupt trade at a time when growth is already fragile. "We simply can't know what type of President Trump will be," said Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist for Capital Economics, in a report.

Rural Voters Power Trump

NBC News Chuck Todd described Donald Trumps surprise victory  which none of the polls or political experts correctly predicted  as rural America screaming at us, saying, stop overlooking us! Analysis suggests that rural America powered Trump to a win. Third-party protests votes may have also played a role as third-party candidates took small but significant portions of the vote in a handful of key swing states.

Congress Stays Red

Republicans held onto the House of Representatives on Tuesday and retained their slim Senate majority, another stinging blow to Democrats in a night full of them. Democrats had been nearly certain of retaking Senate control but saw their hopes fizzle as endangered GOP incumbents won in Missouri, Indiana, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and even Democrat-friendly Wisconsin.

Polls Proven Wrong

Donald Trump's stunning victory against Hillary Clinton in the presidential election Tuesday was a final twist in a made-for TV thrill ride  and a stern lesson to journalists to avoid leaping to conclusions. Relying on polls and group think, television networks began covering election night with a barely concealed assumption that Clinton would win, only to see the actual results suggest something quite different.

Social Media Erupts

As avid Twitter user Trump sealed the deal to become the 45th president of the United States, the #TrumpTrain celebrated on Twitter. But plenty of other people took to social media to express their dismay. As results rolled in, Canada's immigration site went down. Twitter users suggested it was the result of Americans flooding the site to inquire about packing up for a life in the Great White North.

Schumer Wins Re-Election

Three-term Democratic New York U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer won re-election on Tuesday, easily fending off a challenge from a little-known and poorly funded Republican New York City lawyer.

Local Election Results

Head to NBCNewYork.com for a full list of election results from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
President-elect Donald Trump vowed Wednesday to unify a deeply divided nation, having scored a stunning victory backed by extraordinary support from working-class America.

The tough-talking New York billionaire claimed victories in the nation's premier battleground states, but his appeal across the industrial Midwest  Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, in particular  sealed a victory that defied pre-election polls and every expectation of the political establishment.

"I say it is time for us to come together as one united people," Trump told supporters gathered in a Manhattan hotel near his Trump Tower campaign headquarters.

"For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, I'm reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so we can work together and unify our great country," he said, the stage crowded with family and his most loyal allies.

Trump addressed the nation after sweeping most of the nation's top battlegrounds  and created some new ones.

He won Ohio, Florida and North Carolina. He also took down the Democratic Party's "blue firewall" by scoring victories in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that haven't supported a Republican presidential candidate since 1988 and 1984 respectively.

Trump's win shocked political professionals and global financial markets alike. But it created pure joy inside the hotel ballroom where hundreds of Trump supporters waited for hours for his celebration speech. They hugged each other, chanted "USA!" and bellowed "God bless America" at the top of their lungs.

House Speaker Paul Ryan called Trump Tuesday night to congratulate him on his "incredible victory."

"We are eager to work hand-in-hand with the new administration to advance an agenda to improve the lives of the American people," Ryan, who had a rocky relationship with Trump at times, said in a statement. "This has been a great night for our party, and now we must turn our focus to bringing the country together."

While Democrat Hillary Clinton was trying to make history as the first female president, Trump made a different kind of history as one of the least experienced presidential candidates ever elected.

A businessman and former reality TV star, he is a true political outsider in a way that marks a sharp break from past presidents.

Some were branded resume lightweights: ex-governors George W. Bush of Texas, Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Ronald Reagan of California, among them. But they had served somewhere  whether in Congress, states or in a leadership post in an administration.

Trump's outsider status ultimately helped him politically far more than it hurt.

His political inexperience allowed him to cast himself as a change agent just as frustrated voters in both parties were hungry for change. The message was particularly effective against Clinton, a fixture in public service over the last three decades.

Ever the showman, his strategy relied almost exclusively on massive rallies to connect with voters, ignoring the grunt work that typically fuels successful campaigns.

Pre-election polls suggested he was the least popular presidential nominee in the modern era.

Yet there were signs that Republicans who previously vowed never to support Trump were willing to give him a chance moving forward.

"If Trump wins, he does deserve the benefit of the doubt because he was right on his chances and so many of us were wrong," tweeted conservative leader Erick Erickson.
What to Know NYPD Sgt. Paul Tuozzolo, 41, was shot and killed while responding to a home invasion in the Bronx Friday, officials say

Another sergeant, Emmanuel Kwo, 30, was also shot; he has since been released from the hospital

The suspect, 35-year-old Manuel Rosales, was killed in the shootout with police; he has 17 prior arrests in Suffolk, police say

Hundreds of uniformed colleagues, relatives and friends gathered Wednesday to pay tribute to the 41-year-old NYPD sergeant and father of two shot in the head while confronting a home invasion suspect in the Bronx last week.



Sgt. Paul Tuozzolo, a 19-year NYPD veteran, died Friday after he was shot while trying to apprehend a 35-year-old man who held his family hostage in Van Nest. Another NYPD officer was grazed in the leg; he has since been released from the hospital. The suspect, Manuel Rosales, was killed.



A line of blue stretched out the Fredrick J. Chapey & Sons Funeral Home in Bethpage as police officers from across the area paid their respects to Tuozzolo.

Former partner Yalcin Kiyar, who worked the late shift with Tuozzolo at NYPD's 43rd Precinct, called him a "great cop" and a "wonderful father."

"My wife was heartbroken, I was heartbroken," Kiyar recalled of getting the news of Tuozzolo's death. "I remember when Paul was dating his wife. We had met them at a restaurant. It's just heartbreaking."

Mayor de Blasio, who last week ordered all flags on city buildings to fly at half-staff until Tuozzolo is laid to rest, was among the mourners at the wake.

Earlier in the day, NYPD Commissioner Jimmy O'Neill and his predecessor Bill Bratton joined the officers inside the funeral home.

The family of Wenjian Liu -- the NYPD officer who was killed alongside his partner Rafael Ramos as they sat in their squad car two years ago -- was also at the wake, hugging officers outside.

A funeral Mass will be held Thursday at St. Rose of Lima in Massapequa.

At a vigil over the weekend, blue and white candles flickered quietly below three balloons as part of a makeshift memorial, where a delegation of Patrolmen's Benevolent Association officials laid bouquets of flowers.



Tuozzolo is the fifth NYPD officer to be shot to death in the line of duty in the last two years.



Rosales' estranged wife said the shooting was "something that should have been prevented."

In a lengthy Facebook post, Tia Rosales blamed the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office for allowing her husband to be released on bail following an arrest earlier this year.

"I'm devastated," she said in the post. "This is something that should have been prevented and could have been prevented time and time again."
A suspected robber was grazed by a bullet fired by undercover cops as he and two other suspects fought with their victim on a Bronx street, a city official says.

According to local councilman Rafael Salamanca, three men tried robbing a building superintendent on East 164th Street Tuesday afternoon.

A fight ensued and spilled out onto the street, where one of the suspects allegedly took out a gun. Two undercover officers were driving by at the time and saw what was going on and intervened, according to Salamanca.

Gunfire was exchanged between the cops and the suspects, who apparently didn't know they were shooting at police officers, who were undercover.

The two others took off and forced their way into a woman's home to hide the gun, Salamanca said. The officers caught up with the suspects and arrested both men; one of the suspects was grazed by a bullet during the struggle inside.

Police have taken two suspects into custody. One other is still being sought.

Salmanca said the police investigation closed off the street leading to Bronx Regional High School, forcing voters on Election Day to detour around the block, taking an extra five minutes to get in to vote.

"We're encouraging everyone to do that so they can execute their right to vote," he said.
California and Massachusetts voted to approved measures allowing recreational marijuana Tuesday, handing the legalization movement a huge victory in the nation's most populous state and giving it a toehold in the densely populated Northeast.

Nevada also passed a proposal for recreational pot. Voters in Florida, North Dakota and Arkansas approved medical marijuana measures.

Six other states also considered proposals to expand legal access to the drug, which is still forbidden by the federal government.

A preliminary exit poll conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research showed the proposal passed handily in California.

California's vote makes the use and sale of recreational cannabis legal along the entire West Coast and gives legalization advocates powerful momentum. Massachusetts is the first state east of the Mississippi to allow recreational use.

The victories could spark similar efforts in other states and put pressure on federal authorities to ease longstanding rules that classify marijuana as a dangerously addictive drug with no medical benefits.

"I'm thrilled," said Northern California marijuana grower Nikki Lastreto. "I'm so excited that California can now move forward."

California was the first state to approve medical marijuana two decades ago. It was among five states weighing whether to permit pot for adults for recreational purposes.

Voters rejected legal marijuana in Arizona, refusing to make it a rare U.S.-Mexico border state with recreational pot. Maine was among the states considering whether to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.

Arkansas became the first Bible Belt state to legalize medical marijuana, a cultural tipping point that advocates hoped would be proof of pot's popularity even in conservative parts of the country.

Voters in Florida and North Dakota also approved measures permitting marijuana for medicinal purposes. The ballot initiative in Florida was backed by 71 percent of voters.

Montana voted on whether to ease restrictions on an existing medical marijuana law.

Collectively, it was the closest the U.S. has ever come to a national referendum on marijuana, which remains illegal under federal law.

In general, the proposals for recreational pot would treat cannabis similar to alcohol. Consumption would be limited to people 21 or older and forbidden in most public spaces. Pot would be highly regulated and heavily taxed, and some states would let people grow their own.

State-by-state polls showed most of the measures with a good chance of prevailing. But staunch opponents that included law enforcement groups and anti-drug crusaders urged the public to reject any changes. They complained that legalization would endanger children and open the door to creation of another huge industry that, like big tobacco, would be devoted to selling Americans an unhealthy drug.

"We are, of course, disappointed," said Ken Corney, president of the California Police Chiefs Association. Corney said his organization plans to work with lawmakers to develop a driving-under-the-influence policy.

The California proposal sowed deep division among marijuana advocates and farmers. In Northern California's famous Emerald Triangle, a region known for cultivating pot for decades, many small growers have longed for legitimacy but also fear being forced out of business by large corporate farms.

"I'm not necessarily stoked nor surprised," said Humboldt County grower Graham Shaw, reflecting the ambivalence of the region to the measure. "I am very happy that the war on cannabis in California is finally over."

If "yes" votes prevail across the country, about 75 million people accounting for more than 23 percent of the U.S. population would live in states where recreational pot is legal. The jurisdictions where that's already the case  Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state and the District of Columbia  have about 18 million residents, or 5.6 percent of the population. Twenty-five states allow medical marijuana. Combined, 63 percent of Americans live in legalized states.

According to national polls, a solid majority of Americans support legalization.

Proposition 64 would allow people 21 and older to legally possess up to an ounce of weed and grow six marijuana plants at home. Varying tax rates would be levied on sales, with the money deposited into the state's marijuana tax fund.

The exit poll of 2,282 California voters was conducted for AP and the television networks by Edison Research. This includes preliminary results from interviews conducted as voters left a random sample of 30 precincts statewide Tuesday, as well as 744 who voted early or absentee and were interviewed by landline or cellular telephone from Oct. 29 through Nov. 4. Results for the full sample were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points; it is higher for subgroups
Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs "did their part," former Mayor Michael Nutter said Wednesday, but it still wasn't enough to prevent Pennsylvania from turning red for the first time in a presidential election since 1988.

Nutter, who has long been one of the state's biggest Hillary Clinton supporters, said many Democrats are trying to figure out "what the hell happened" in the aftermath of President-elect Donald Trump's victory.

"There is no reason in the world he should have won Pennsylvania," Nutter said in an interview. "None. Absolutely none. This is the state of William Penn. We were founded on the fundamental principle of tolerance."

He is right that southeastern Pennsylvania showed up in strong numbers to vote Democrat. As the five-county Philadelphia region did in 2012 for President Obama, voters overwhelmingly voted for Clinton. Expanding further to include Berks, Northampton, and Lehigh counties, Clinton beat Trump 1,495,200 votes to 877,807 in the region.

Clinton beat Trump in each of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

That is drastically different than the last time Pennsylvania's electoral votes went to a Republican. George H.W. Bush won Pennsylvania in 1988 with the help of the greater southeastern region. He beat Michael Dukakis 927,000 to 905,000 in the eight counties.

"In Philadelphia, we did our part. And she took the surrounding counties. I dont know the numbers for the rest of the state, but all of the traditional folks came out for her in our region: blacks, whites, progressives, Latinos, Asian-Americans," Nutter said.

He said Democrats would have to figure out what happened in the rest of the state before his party could figure out ways to swing the pendulum back in the months and years ahead.

"Clearly, some people were not honest or forthcoming when they were surveyed or polled," Nutter said.

One issue playing out in Pennsylvania is the growing schism between the "new economy" of America -- sectors like technology and healthcare -- and the rural and manufacturing economies, according to Randall Miller, a political history professor at Saint Joseph University.

It helps explain how Pennsylvania went Republican in 1988 and 2016 despite the drastically different vote totals in the southeastern part of the state.

"Theyre not part of the new economic and cultural conversation," Miller said of much of Pennsylvania. "Its a very different world and thats part of what happened in this election."

He said the media overlooked the way Trump connects to large swaths of the population.

He paraphased a magazine article from two months ago that described a deep misunderstanding in how many Americans see the Republican president-elect.

"The press takes him literally, but not seriously," Pittsburgh-based writer Salena Zito wrote in The Atlantic in September. "His supporters take him seriously, but not literally."

Nutter, who teaches a political science class at Columbia University, said some of his students don't yet know how to react to Trump's victory.

"Some of them were crying. Many expressed they are afraid, fearful that they dont belong. Theyre uncertain about their future," he said. "People are dazed and confused about what just happened."
Allison Sharkey knows a thing or two about perseverance. She didnt let the Blizzard of 2016 stop her from getting married to her husband Juan Rodriguez earlier this year. She also didnt let the early birth of her daughter Leyda stop her from voting Tuesday.

The election was too important to miss, the Philadelphia couple told NBC10.

Allisons daughter Leyda Elaine Rodriguez was born Monday at 2:34 a.m., a week before her expected due date. After doctors allowed her to go home Monday afternoon, Allison decided she was strong enough to go out and vote. Only a day after giving birth, Allison, her sister and Leyda went to their polling place a few blocks away from their home in the Francisville section of Philly.

Maybe it was a postpartum high, Allison said.

Young Leyda was a big hit with the crowd of voters who gathered at the polling place Tuesday, with many asking to take pictures. Allison took a photo of her daughter wearing a He Votado Hoy, sticker on her head.

She was the youngest voter there, Allison said.

It was the latest big moment in a memorable year for Allison and Juan. Last January the couple managed to brave Blizzard conditions and got married in Delaware the same weekend a powerful winter storm slammed the East Coast.

Theres something about these extreme circumstances, Allison said while laughing.




A man is accused of crashing into a police vehicle and injuring two officers before fleeing the scene in the Germantown section of Philadelphia Tuesday night.

Allen Terrell, 31, is charged with aggravated assault, causing and risking a catastrophe, simple assault, fleeing police and other related offenses.

Police say the ordeal began Tuesday around 9:50 p.m. when 35th District officers stopped Terrell's vehicle, a blue 2016 Chrysler 200. Terrell spoke to the officers and gave them his registration and other paperwork, according to officials. Police say the officers checked Terrell's records and determined that he had a suspended license.

As the officers prepared paperwork, Terrell put his vehicle in drive and fled southbound on 21st Street, police said. The officers at the scene notified police radio that Terrell had fled but did not pursue him.

Police say other officers assigned were driving eastbound on Conlyn Street and coming through the intersection at 21st Street when they were struck by Terrell's vehicle. Terrell then allegedly got out of his car and fled on foot before he was captured on the 5700 block of Woodstock Street by other responding officers.

The two officers struck by Terrell's vehicle were taken to Einstein Hospital. One of the officers was treated for contusions to the body, a broken left hand and broken ribs. The second officer suffered contusions to the head and body and a possible broken bone in his right leg. They are both in stable condition.

Allen suffered contusions to his body and a head wound. He was treated at Temple University Hospital.
Many of the calls coming into our Problem at the Polls? hotline today (1-877-NBC-WCAU) are from people who've been asked to provide photo identification at their polling places. Here's what you need to know --

Q: Do I need an ID to vote?

A: The absolute answer is no, but there are different conditions in our three states.

Under Pennsylvania law, ID is only required for voters showing up to a polling place for the first time. So that basically mean two groups of people:

1) new voters

2) you moved and you're voting at a different place for the first time

If you fall into one of those two categories, bring one of the following photo or non-photo IDs with you:

Pennsylvania driver's license or PennDOT ID card

ID issued by any Commonwealth agency

ID issued by the US government

US passport

US Armed Forces ID

Student ID

Employee ID

Acceptable non-photo IDs include:

Voter registration card issued by the County Voter Registration Office

Non-photo ID issued by the Commonwealth

Non-photo ID issued by the US government

Firearm permit

Current utility bill

Current bank statement

Current paycheck

Government check

New Jersey: If you've voted in the state before, you don't need an ID at the polls. If you're voting for the first time in your county and DID NOT provide and ID when you registered to vote, bring one with you. Use the list above for acceptable photo and non-photo identification.

Delaware: ID is not required, but preferred. If you bring one you'll get through the process faster. Poll workers will ask you for proof of identity. If you don't have it, you'll be asked to fill out a form before voting.

Delaware IDs can include:

Delaware drivers license or state ID

US passport

Signed polling place or social security card

Signed vehicle registration

Signed credit card with photo

Similar document that identifies you by photo or signature

Q: Can I be turned away if I'm supposed to show ID and don't have it?

A: No. If you show up on Election Day without an ID, you can still vote using the provisional ballot. A provisional ballot allows you to cast your vote and gets counted after the election once your voter eligibility has been verified. It is your right to ask for a provisional ballot.

No poll worker or monitor may ask about your citizenship status or require proof.
A fire at a historic Delaware mill spread to four alarms Wednesday morning as flames engulfed the sprawling complex.

Firefighters responded to the former Bancroft fabric mill near Riddle Avenue and Mill Road in Wilmington around 2:05 a.m. to find some smoke coming from the complex, said Wilmington firefighters.

Flames and smoke could then be seen shooting into the morning sky.

"There were about five commercial buildings that were fully engulfed in flames," said Wilmington Fire Battalion chief James Jobes.

No one was hurt, said firefighters. [[400522221, C]]

Firefighters continued to battle flames as of 8 a.m., bringing in additional tanker trucks from as far away as Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for a "tanker task force" to help battle the flames, said Jobes.

A firefighter could also be seen assessing the blaze from a Delaware State Police chopper.

Firefighters said they expect the building to burn for hours. Chief Anthony Goode said crews battled to keep the flames from spreading to nearby properties. [[400522901, C]]

The location of the buildings along the river made it more difficult for firefighters to battle the flames, said Jobes.

Jobes said the buildings date back to the 1920s.

"They were a prosperous business back in the day doing milling of carpet," said Jobes.

All five buildings were vacant at the time of the fire.

Firefighters said to expect road closures in the area through the day.
Two bodies found on the rural property of a South Carolina man linked to five other deaths were a couple who had a history of panhandling and had been buried there for nearly a year, authorities said Wednesday.

One of the victims was a 25-year-old woman who appears to have died from a gunshot wound to the head and the other was her husband, a 29-year-old man who was shot in his chest, Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said. Their families have been told the couple was killed.

"It's bad news but also they have questions that we're able to give them answers to. This isn't a run of the mill case. It never has been," Clevenger said.

Authorities got a break last week when investigators searching the property discovered a woman alive and chained in a large storage container, yelling for help. Her boyfriend's body was later found in a shallow grave on the land. That couple had disappeared about two months earlier.

The property owner, Todd Kohlhepp, was arrested at his home in a nearby suburb. After his arrest, deputies say he confessed to killing four other people in the county at a motorcycle shop in 2003. He confessed to the cold case after they granted him several requests, including letting him speak to his mother. He also led authorities Saturday to the graves on his property.

Kohlhepp was denied bond Sunday on four murder charges in the killing of the motorcycle shop's owner, service manager, mechanic and bookkeeper. He has chosen to represent himself. More charges are expected.

As a teen, Kohlhepp was sentenced to 14 years in prison in Arizona for binding and raping a 14-year-old neighbor at gunpoint. Released in 2001, he managed to obtain a real estate license in South Carolina in 2006.
A lot of things have changed since James Otis took an ax and sledgehammer to Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in an overnight act of vandalism and protest.

The heir to the Otis Elevator Company fortune, dressed as a construction worker in a hard-hat and high-visibility vest, smashed the star to pieces in the wee hours of Oct. 28. Otis' protest of the then-candidate for president was caught on camera, representing just another passion-filled chapter in a bizarre election saga.

Nearly two weeks later, voters have cast their ballots, Trump is the president-elect and repairs, which began just a few hours after Otis chipped the star into fragments and removed its bronze TV emblem, are almost complete. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce said the star has been mostly repaired but still needs to dry and be polished.

Officials said they're hoping to unveil the star as soon as possible.

The star remained blocked off and covered in plywood Wednesday, hours after the former reality show star and New York billionaire defeated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the race for president.

About two dozen Trump supporters reveled at the site after the election, snapping photos until police asked them to move on. Trump's star was dedicated in January 2007 for his work as a producer on televised beauty pageants and his work on NBC's "The Apprentice."

Walk of Fame star recipients are selected by a committee that considers hundreds of applications each year. The stars are sponsored for a fee of $30,000, if the person is selected.

The star was repeatedly targeted during the presidential campaign. It was defaced with spray paint and surrounded by a miniature wall in protest of Trump's plan to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.

As for Otis, he took full responsibility and was arrested on suspicion of vandalism. His plan was to remove the star, then use it to raise money for the women who accused Trump of sexually assaulting them, Otis said

"He fancies himself a civil activist," said his attorney, Mieke ter Poorten. "Someone who fights for the right of the under-represented.

"It didn't work out quite the way he wanted it to. What he was trying to do was that when you have a bad act, you accept responsbility for your bad act. And, you accept the responsiblity for your bad act."

Trump has denied the sexual assault accusations.

Editor's note: This article was updated to clarify the Walk of Fame sponsorship process.
A fugitive wanted by authorities in Los Angeles on double homicide charges was arrested at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on Monday.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents discovered 23-year-old Jose Rubio, a U.S. citizen, trying to cross from the U.S. into Mexico at the PedWest pedestrian crossing at about 12:30 p.m.

Rubio presented his California I.D. to CBP agents and a routine law enforcement database search revealed that he had an active felony warrant for his arrest related to a double homicide. The warrant was issued by the Los Angeles Police Department with bail set at $3.5 million.

Rubio was arrested and turned over to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). An FBI official confirmed Tuesday that Rubio had been transferred to the custody of LAPD.

An FBI Official also confirmed that the FBI Fugitive Task Force was actively searching for Rubio prior to his arrest at the border.
Reports of hundreds of missing girls south of the U.S.-Mexico border are unfounded, according to the Mexico state attorneys office.

Officials discussed reports of a growing number of girls reported missing when they met with the media Monday about reports of human remains found.

There are 1251 missing persons reports filed in Tijuana, one Procuraduria General de Justicia del Estado de Baja California official told NBC 7 Wednesday. Of those, 655 were women.

However, the official stressed that 985 of those missing person cases have been solved.

The agency receives approximately 120 reports of a missing person each month. That can average to more than a dozen a day, the official said.

Eight out of 10 reports are often women between the ages of 13-16. Teenagers who leave home as runaways are included in those statistics.

As for the unsolved cases, officials speculate the subjects of the investigation may have crossed into the U.S. and later contact family to let them know they are safe. The family members do not contact the authorities to clear the case, the official said.
The day after Donald Trump's victory, the head of the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization asked the president-elect to respect the rights of all Americans.

At the same time, the Council on American-Islamic Relations will work with Trump and his administration as a way to strengthen the nation, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad pledged in a statement.

And Awad tried to calm those who may be concerned about the future for Muslims in America. At one point, Trump campaigned on a promise to ban Muslims who don't live in the U.S. from entering as a way to keep out terrorists, and in November 2015, Trump proposed Muslims be required to register in a national database.

"To those in the American Muslim community who are fearful of the future, know that America is your home and you have the same rights and responsibilities as all other Americans, Awad said.

Last fall, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in San Diego to condemn discrimination against refugees and Islamophobic attitudes.

Trump has said he would suspend arrivals from Syria, portraying them as a potential security threat. Of the approximately 12,000 Syrian refugees admitted into the U.S. in 2016, the vast majority identify as Muslims.

San Diego, the nation's eighth-largest city, has received 626 Syrian refugees since Oct. 1, more than any other in the United States.

On Wednesday, CAIR called on people of all faith, racial and political backgrounds to commit to working with each other.

"Regardless of who won or lost yesterday's election, American Muslims are here to stay. We are not going anywhere, and will not be intimidated or marginalized, Awad said in the written statement.
BM Family Trust of San Diego has purchased a 1.67-acre residential land parcel in Encinitas for $2.75 million, with plans to develop four single-family homes, according to brokerage firm Colliers International Group Inc.

The seller of the property, at 858 Hymettus Ave. near Leucadia Boulevard, was R. Colby and Claudine Trust of San Diego, represented by Colliers Ciara Trujillo.

In a Colliers statement, Trujillo said the property was privately owned for more than 40 years and is among the last well-located parcels available west of Interstate 5 in Encinitas, with ocean views. The propertys zoning allows for four single-family homes with lot sizes of about 14,500 square feet each.

Additional stories from the San Diego Business Journal are available here. Sign up for their free daily email newsletter.
Dozens of students from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) protested Donald's Trump presidential win by marching through their campus in La Jolla overnight.

Video posted to Facebook showed protesters marching and shouting, "[Expletive] Donald Trump."

According to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), UC San Diego police responded to the protests around 12:20 a.m. and made calls to SDPD for assistance.

David Fite a senior at UCSD said students were marching to voice their concerns over America's choice.

"It's really just to show our disgust with the election and the results -- to show that we aren't a part of this," said Fite. "This is not my president."

At one point, students tried to march onto Interstate 5 at La Jolla Village Drive. Police shut down the on-ramp to the freeway for about 15 minutes.

At around 1:40 a.m., one student marching on southbound I-5 was hit by a car. It appeared she suffered a broken pelvis, police said. She was taken to a local hospital and is expected to recover.

California Highway Patrol said the I-5 ramp was reopened by 2 a.m. By 3:30 a.m., police said things had quieted down at the university.

UCSD students weren't the only ones protesting the election results. Students at UCLA and UC Berkeley also held marches near their campuses. Hundreds of students marched in the streets of Berkeley, Oakland and San Jose, blocked freeways and lit flares.

The protesters also smashed windows of the Oakland Tribune newsroom and prompted the closure of a BART station.

At UCLA's campus in Westwood, California there were approximately 500 to 600 students who protested the results of the presidential election. No damage was reported and no one was arrested, according to Los Angeles Police.

On Wednesday morning, the UCSD campus was calm, with students heading to their classes. However, there were still mixed feelings about the results of the presidential race.

"I'm okay with it," student Angela Chou told NBC 7. "A lot of people are saying they don't like Trump because of what he says, but in reality Hillary did a lot more things that are bad and we have a lot of proof against it. So, I guess it's like choosing the lesser of two evils."

Ryan Spence, a UCSD student who voted for Clinton felt otherwise.

"The hateful rhetoric that was spewed kind of sparked silent Trump voters in a sense that all these swing states -- like, I was watching the election and they were all blue and all of a sudden they turned red," said Spence. "I thought, 'This is really concerning. I can't believe this is happening.'"

In response to the election results, University of California President Janet Napolitano released the following statement on Wednesday.

"In light of yesterday's election results, we know there is understandable consternation and uncertainty among members of the University of California community. The University of California is proud of being a diverse and welcoming place for students, faculty, and staff with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Diversity is central to our mission. We remain absolutely committed to supporting all members of our community and adhering to UCs Principles Against Intolerance. As the Principles make clear, the University strives to foster an environment in which all are included and all are given an equal opportunity to learn and explore. The University of California will continue to pursue and protect these principles now and in the future, and urges our students, faculty, staff, and all others associated with the University to do so as well. We are proud of what the University of California stands for and hope to convey that positive message to others in our state and nation."
Both Donald Trump's and the plaintiff's attorneys on Thursday agreed to enter settlement talks in a class-action fraud lawsuit involving the president-elect and his now-defunct Trump University, raising the possibility of a quick end to the 6 -year-old case just before it goes to trial.

Daniel Petrocelli, Trump's lead attorney on the case, also asked to delay the trial to early next year, saying Trump needed time to work on the transition to the presidency.

Click here to read why Petrocelli is asking for the trial to be delayed. Click here to read why the plaintiff's attorneys are arguing against the delay.

"The good news is that he was elected president. The bad news is that he has even more work to do now," Petrocelli told U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel.

The lawsuit alleging Trump University failed on its promise to teach success in real estate begins in San Diego on Nov. 28 before Curiel, an Indiana-born jurist who Trump accused of bias during the presidential campaign for his Mexican heritage.

Both sides accepted Curiel's offer to work with U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Miller, who is based in San Diego, on a possible settlement.

"I can tell you right now I'm all ears," Petrocelli told Curiel.

Patrick Coughlin, an attorney for the former students who sued, told reporters that previous attempts failed. "We've been miles apart," he said outside the courthouse.

Curiel didn't signal how he would rule on the request for a trial delay, but he encouraged efforts to settle. He has been reluctant to postpone it any longer.

The judge said more than 100 potential jurors would be in court Nov. 28, and nine would be picked to begin hearing arguments no more than two days later. He expects both sides to finish presenting their cases around Dec. 14.

Previously both Trump and Petrocelli have said Trump would be present in person for the trial. Today in court, Petrocelli asked the judge to consider alternative options for Trump's involvement in the trial, like a video deposition or video appearance.

The attorneys argued for nearly three hours over tentative rulings that Curiel issued earlier in the day on what evidence to allow jurors to hear.

Curiel said he was prepared to deny a request by Trump's attorneys to prohibit statements made by and about their client during his campaign. The highly unusual petition would apply to Trump's tweets, a video of Trump making sexually predatory comments about women, his tax history, revelations about his private charitable foundation and public criticism of the judge.

Curiel noted Trump's attorneys didn't specify what campaign-related evidence they wanted to exclude and that he would consider specific objections at trial. Trump's attorneys didn't challenge the judge further on that point, but they objected to many other decisions, including his refusal to allow many customer surveys and Trump's claims of a 98 percent customer approval rating.

The lawsuit filed in 2010 on behalf of former customers says Trump University gave seminars and classes across the country under the guise of being an accredited school, which it wasn't, and pressured people to spend up to $35,000 on mentorships from Trump's "hand-picked" instructors.

The claims largely mirror another class-action complaint in San Diego and a lawsuit in New York.

Petrocelli told reporters in May that Trump planned to attend most, if not all, of the trial and would testify.

At the May hearing, Petrocelli asked for a trial after Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, but the judge raised concerns about distractions if Trump won the election.

The attorney said then the period between the election and swearing-in is extremely hectic for a president-elect but it was preferable to holding a trial during the campaign.
Final results indicate Encinitas voters have shot down a city ballot measure involving housing developments.

Measure T would allow higher-density housing developments in parts of the city.

A majority of voters voted against the measure, with 56.03 percent of ballots - or 10,204 votes - cast against it.

Some residents strongly oppose the measure. They say the plan wont actually allow more low-income housing to be built and that private developers will just build expensive homes that dont fit in Encinitas.

Get results for local races here.

They also says the measure will increase traffic, make parking more difficult, ruin community character and take control away from residents.

City officials say Encinitas has a lot to lose if the measure doesnt pass. The measure would bring the city in to compliance with state housing law and encourage the production of more affordable housing.

Read more about the measure here.
Former D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray is headed back to the Wilson Building, and voters want Congress to make the District of Columbia the 51st state in the union.

Gray won 87 percent of votes in his race for the Ward 7 D.C. Council seat. Independent Gary Butler won 7 percent, and Independent Christian Carter won 6 percent.

Gray lost the 2014 Democratic mayoral primary amid a federal corruption probe.

Allegations of corruption within Gray's successful campaign to become mayor in 2010 began to surface just weeks after he took office. The U.S. attorney's office launched an investigation that ultimately led to six guilty pleas from people who helped Gray get elected. The probe revealed that an influential businessman poured $660,000 in illegal cash into the campaign, and prosecutors said in court that Gray knew about the illicit funding scheme. Gray denied all wrongdoing, and the investigation ended in late 2015 when prosecutors decided not to charge him.

Eighty-six percent of voters approved the advisory referendum that asked voters "whether the [D.C. Council] should petition Congress to enact a statehood admission act to admit the State of New Columbia to the Union."

Fourteen percent of voters rejected the measure.

Mayor Muriel Bowser thanked D.C. residents for their approval of the "bold, new path" to statehood.

"Today, nearly 80% of District voters cast a ballot for full democracy and citizenship. We pause tonight to celebrate this remarkable milestone in the District's decades-long fight for fundamental fairness," she said in a Facebook post.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton hailed the results.

"Todays over-the-top majority signals D.C. recognizes that Congress needs a kick in the pants to jump start a new drive for statehood," she said in a statement.

Though D.C. residents pay federal taxes and fight in the military, they have no senators and only one congresswoman without voting powers.

Despite the fact that we perform all the functions of a state, Washingtonians do not enjoy the rights of all Americans, Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a speech to the Democratic National Committee in June.

DC Delegate to US House

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton will serve another term.

Norton won 89 percent of votes. Norton has held the position since 1991. She faced Libertarian Martin Moulton and D.C. Statehood Green Party candidate Natale Stracuzzi.

At-Large DC Council Seats

Voters have decided to keep Independent David Grosso and Democrat Robert White as at-large D.C. Council members.

White won 53 percent of the vote. Grosso won 25 percent. Voters could select two candidates.

Their competitors were G. Lee Aikin of the D.C. Statehood Green Party, Republican Carolina Celnik, Independent John C. Cheeks and Libertarian Matthew Klokel.

DC Council Ward 2, Ward 4 and Ward 8

Ward 2 Councilman Jack Evans and Ward 4 Councilman Brandon Todd on after running unopposed.

In Ward 8, newcomer Trayon White also won after running unopposed.

Stay with News4 for more details on this developing story.
Fairfax County, Virginia, voters rejected a referendum Tuesday on whether to tax prepared foods and restaurant meals.

Results showed that 56 percent of voters rejected the measure. Forty-four percent of voters supported it.

The tax would have applied to restaurant meals and already-prepared foods at grocery stores, such as items from hot food buffets and salad bars. It would have excluded nonprofits and volunteer organizations that fundraise with food. It also would not have applied to groceries and food from vending machines.

The tax could have been up to 4 percent, but Fairfax County's Board of Supervisors had planned to hold public hearings to establish the rate and terms of the meal tax. Businesses would have been permitted to keep a small percentage of the tax.

The board introduced the referendum in an effort to reduce dependence on real estate taxes for revenue, the county said on its website. Officials said the meals tax could generate an additional $99 million per year, with 70 percent of it dedicated to funding for schools and the other 30 percent for county services, capital improvements and property tax relief.

Opponents had argued that the tax would disproportionately affect lower-income and middle-income families who rely on prepared meals. They also said the tax would negatively affect tourism.

Fairfax County residents rejected a similar referendum in 1992.

Herndon, Falls Church, Vienna, Arlington, Alexandria and Washington, D.C., all have meals taxes. D.C.'s meal tax is the highest, at 10 percent.

Stay with News4 and NBCWashington.com for updates on this developing story.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen will be elected to the U.S. Senate.

The Democrat won 62 percent of the vote. Del. Kathy Szeliga (R) took 35 percent.

Van Hollen will fill the first open U.S. Senate seat in Maryland in 10 years.

Szeliga faced an uphill battle against the seven-term congressman in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2 to 1.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D) will vacate the Senate seat in January. She has served in the Senate for 30 years and will retire at age 80.

This marks the first time in a decade that a Senate seat has been open in Maryland. In 2006, Sen. Ben Cardin (D) won the seat left open after Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D) retired.

After a competitive primary, Van Hollen, of Kensington, defeated Rep. Donna Edwards for the Democratic Senate nomination. He was a state delegate and a state senator before he was elected to the U.S. House in 2002. Democratic-led redistricting made the states 8th congressional district more competitive. Since 2011, he has served as the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee.

Szeliga has represented Baltimore and Harford counties in the House of Delegates since 2011. She has served as the House Minority Whip since 2013. Before joining the General Assembly, Szeliga ran a construction business. Gov. Larry Hogan endorsed her in the Senate race.

Congressional District 4

Former Lt. Gov Anthony Brown (D) has won the race for the 4th District seat.

Brown won 80 percent of the vote. Businessman George McDermott (R) won 16 percent.

Brown ran to fill the seat vacated by Donna Edwards, who lost in the primary race for the open U.S. Senate seat. Brown lost his race for governor in 2014.

The 4th District includes parts of Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties.

Congressional District 6

Rep. John Delaney (D) has prevailed over challenger Amie Hoeber (R).

Delaney won 55 percent of the vote. Hoeber won 41 percent of the vote.

Delaney was elected in 2012 and barely beat out Republican candidate Dan Bongino in his second run. Prior to serving in the House, Delaney was an entrepreneur. Hoeber is a former Deputy Under Secretary of the Army. Both candidates live in Potomac and dug into their own pockets to try to ensure victory.

The 6th District includes parts of Frederick and Montgomery counties.

Congressional District 8

State Sen. Jamie Raskin (D) has won his first term in Congress.

Raskin won 66 percent of the vote. Dan Cox (R) won 29 percent.

Raskin beat out eight other Democrats in the primary. The constitutional law professor at American University will replace Van Hollen.

The 8th District includes parts of Frederick and Montgomery counties.

State Ballot Measure

Maryland voters approved a measure on whether political party affiliations should be preserved when people are appointed to fill vacancies in the offices of the attorney general and comptroller.

Seventy-three percent of voters supported the measure. Twenty-seven percent opposed it.

Montgomery County Ballot Measures

Montgomery County residents will determine if the county executive and members of the County Council should be limited to three terms, and if the county charter should " recognize that under state law the County Council may provide for a special election to fill a vacancy in the office of county executive."

Prince George's County Ballot Measures

Prince George's County residents approved measures to borrow money and issue bonds for as much as $60 million to upgrade library facilities, for as much as $66 million to upgrade public safety facilities and as much as $48 million to upgrade community college facilities.

Stay with News4 and NBCWashington.com for updates on this developing story.
Virginia voters headed to the polls Tuesday to select not just the next president, but also some new local leaders. They also had to decide whether to approve two amendments to the state's constitution and ballot initiatives.

Virginia's 8th Congressional District

Rep. Don Beyer has won his race to stay in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Beyer, a Democrat, won 68 percent of the vote for Virginia's 8th District seat. Charles Hernick (R) won 28 percent of the vote. Julio Gracia took 4 percent of the vote.

This will be Beyer's second term. He was formerly Virginia's lieutenant governor, and ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein under President Barack Obama.

Virginia's 8th District includes Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County.

Right-to-Work Amendment to Virginia Constitution

Voters declined to enshrine Virginia's current right-to-work law as an amendment to the state constitution.

The results said 53 percent of voters rejected the measure. Forty-seven percent of voters approved it.

The state's current law bans employers from requiring union membership or from denying non-union members the right to work. The proposed amendment would place the provisions of this law into Virginia's constitution.

Virginia's 10th Congressional District

Rep. Barbara Comstock, a Republican, will keep her U.S. Senate seat after fending off challenger LuAnn Bennett, a Democrat.

Comstock won 55 percent of the vote. Bennett won 45 percent.

The freshman Republican's fight to retain her office has been seen as a bellwether for how Democrats and Republicans will fare in this election.

Virginia's 10th District includes parts of Fairfax County, Loudoun County and farther west toward the West Virginia border.

Property Tax Exemptions for Survivors of First Responders

Virginians were asked to vote on property tax exemptions for the surviving spouses of emergency service providers who died in the line of duty.

The results said 80 percent of voters approved the measure. Twenty percent opposed it.

The amendment will give localities the option of removing property taxes for the surviving spouses of any law enforcement officers, firefighters, search-and-rescue personnel, or emergency medical services personnel killed in the line of duty.

There is a current law, but it only extends to spouses of veterans with 100-percent service-connected, permanent and total disability, as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

In all cases, the exemption is not valid if the surviving spouse remarries.

Arlington County Board

Democrat Libby Garvey is up against challenger Audrey Clement, an independent, for the Arlington County Board.

Although Garvey is the current board chair, there is no guarantee that, if re-elected, she would be chair again. The board votes on that appointment at its annual meeting in January.

Arlington County Board members serve staggered four-year terms, according to the county's website.

Fairfax County Meals Tax

Fairfax County, Virginia, voters rejected a referendum on whether to tax prepared foods and restaurant meals.

The results said 56 percent of voters rejected the measure. Forty-four percent of voters supported it.

The tax would have applied to restaurant meals and already-prepared foods at grocery stores, such as items from hot food buffets and salad bars, but not groceries and food from vending machines.

If approved, the tax would have been up to 4 percent, but Fairfax County's Board of Supervisors said it would hold public hearings to establish the rate.

Stay with News4 and NBCWashington.com for updates on this developing story.
Former president George W. Bush and Laura Bush did not vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in this year's presidential election, NBC News has confirmed.

A spokesman for the Dallas-based former first couple said they voted two weeks ago and did not cast a ballot for Clinton or Trump, confirming a report in the Wall Street Journal.

George W. Bush and Laura Bush did not vote for Trump or Clinton, spox confirms to NBC News  Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) November 8, 2016

Spokesman Freddy Ford told NBC News they voted "None of the Above" for president, while voting for Republicans on the rest of the ballot.

Back in September, a prominent member of the Kennedy family said former Republican President George H.W. Bush told her that he plans to vote for Clinton for president this fall.

Bush's spokesman, Jim McGrath, has said in a statement that the 92-year-old former president's vote is private and Bush isn't commenting on the race.

Trump defeated Jeb Bush, son of George H.W. Bush and brother of George W., in the 2016 primaries, often attacking the former Florida governor for being "low energy."

Keller police say theyre investigating after a man and his wife in their 90s were found dead at the Whitley Place assisted living facility Wednesday morning.
Donald Trump's supporters flooded social media with congratulatory messages as news organizations called the Republican candidate the winner about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. The long, contentious presidential race came to a stunning end as pollsters had erroneously predicted Hillary Clinton would win.

"I just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulates us, it's about us," Trump said at Trump Headquarters in New York City. His supporters cheered after hearing Clinton had conceded.

As Trump sealed the deal to become the 45th president of the United States after surpassing 270 electoral votes, the #TrumpTrain celebrated on Twitter. Supporters used #MAGA (Make America Great Again) and #DrainTheSwamp to flood social media timelines.

On Election Day, Trump steadily dominated the candidate share of the conversation on social media, according to Facebook. In Florida, for example, Trump captured 52 percent of the conversation on Facebook, compared to Hillary Clinton's 48 percent. Clinton was not able to recover online nor at the polls.

Read some of the Trump victory tweets here:
A convicted felon was arrested Tuesday night after he allegedly shot a person inside an apartment in Hartford, Connecticut.

Hartford Police said Yamil Rohena, 21 of Wetherfield, CT, had entered the apartment on 283 Wethersfield Avenue around 6 p.m. and confronted someone inside. Another person intervened and was allegedly shot in the arm by Rohena.

Police said that Rohena continued to fire his gun at the victim during the struggle, but no other injuries were reported. Seven young children were among those in the apartment during the shooting.

Rohena was safely detained by police when they arrived on the scene.

The victim was transported to Hartford Hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.

Police arrested Rohena and charged him with first degree assault, unlawful discharge of a firearm, first degree reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a firearm, pistol without a permit, possession of high capacity magazine and seven counts of risk of injury.

Yamil Rohena is a convicted felon with an extensive arrest history, according to police. Rohena was on supervised parole for a serious assault with a firearm in 2014.
The United States Coast Guard said Tuesday that they are searching for three men who went missing off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

Coast Guard officials said they were notified by a friend of the men at about 7 p.m. after they failed to return from a fishing trip in Cape Cod Bay. The men were supposed to return in their vessel, the Dad Sea Cave, around 2 p.m.

The men have been identified as Carlos Amaral, Dylan Amaral and Mario Fialho. Coast Guard officials said their truck and trailer is still parked at Sandwich Marina.

A response boat crew from Station Cape Cod Canal, a motor life boat crew and an air crew was launched to search the area from Sandwich to Provincetown.

Anyone with information about the missing crew is urged to contact Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England command center at 508-457-3211.
Dr. William Petit, who survived a 2007 home invasion that took the lives of his wife and two daughters, is the apparent winner of the state House race in Plainville and New Britain.

Petit ran against 11-term Democrat state Rep. Betty Boukus and she conceded to him.

"When you win, you win. When you lose, you lose. You've got to make that bridge," Boukus said of the loss.

Petit said serving the community in Hartford is just a continuation of his family's longtime legacy in Plainville.

We like to follow with the foundation. ... You must be the change you wish to see in the world. So you got to step up and start trying to make the changes that makes the world a better place, Petit said.

Petit said he has no plans to try to revive Connecticut's death penalty and is running for as a fiscal conservative.

The two men convicted of the slayings of the Petit women were placed on death row, but then the state abolished the death penalty and their sentences were changed to life without parole.

Boukus is the House chairwoman of the powerful bonding subcommittee.

The race garnered national attention this month when a labor union's political action committee ran an internet advertisement that tried to link Petit to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and "attacks on women and families."

Boukus said she was horrified by the ad, which resulted in the resignation of the union official who authorized it.
New Hampshire State Police say they seized more than $30,000 in cash and $21,000 in marijuana from a man who was pulled over for speeding in North Hampton Tuesday.

An officer pulled over Nicholas Leone, 27, of Worcester, Massachusetts, on I-95 after he was clocked at 90 MPH in a 65 MPH zone.

Leone allegedly smelled of marijuana and turned over some marijuana to the officer, who placed Leone into custody.

A tow truck was called and the officer observed more marijuana in a duffel bag in the trunk. An arrest warrant was obtained and officers found seven pounds of marijuana, packaging material and $31,262 in cash.

Leone will be facing drug charges and is due in court on Jan 12, 2017.
First-term Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin defeated Democratic former State Senator Emily Cain in the 2nd Congressional District race.

In the 1st Congressional District, Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree defeated political newcomer, Republican Mark Holbrook, in her bid for a fifth term.

The District 2 election was a rematch between Poliquin and Cain and brought record spending to Maine's 2nd Congressional District. Poliquin, who won two years ago, casted his opponent as a career politician who supports higher taxes and who's out of touch with Mainers. Cain, meanwhile, accused Poliquin of being a multimillionaire puppet of Wall Street donors who abused tax loopholes in Maine. The two candidates together raised more than $6 million, and the race attracted more $9 million in outside spending.
A Florida man is recovering after being found with gunshot wounds in the woods of Easton, Massachusetts, on Tuesday.

Police told WJAR-TV that two children came across the injured man lying in a path between Pond Street and Longwater Pond.

The man was identified as Daniel Smith, 35, of Florida. Police said he is formerly of Easton.

Smith was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton and transferred to Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston where he was listed in critical condition on Wednesday.

Police are asking for the public's assistance in locating a red 2016 Mazda3 sedan with Florida license plate 372-QQK, which they believe may be connected to the shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Easton police at 508-230-3322 or Massachusetts State Police detectives at 508-717-4238.

Authorities said they do not believe the public is in any danger.
A Massachusetts police officer has been accused of rape, and his city plans to begin the process of firing him.

The Essex District Attorney's Office confirms that Brian Butler, a Salem police officer, was arrested late Tuesday afternoon by state police.

Butler, a veteran officer and the husband of the city's police chief, Mary Butler, was ordered to be held on $10,000 cash bail during his Wednesday arraignment in Salem District Court on rape and indecent assault and battery charges.

"Like many in our community, I am surprised and deeply saddened by the allegations made against Officer Brian Butler," Mayor Kimberly Driscoll said in a statement. "While the incident is still under review, there is no doubt that this is a serious issue involving his conduct as a police officer while on duty."

Driscoll said Salem plans to begin termination proceedings immediately, "pursuant to civil service statutes." She also expressed confidence in Chief Mary Butler.

Prosecutors say the alleged assault happened on Halloween, when a man in his 20s was drunk and taken into police custody after flooding a Salem hotel room with water.

The man was not arrested, but kept in a booking area.

Prosecutors say the young man undressed, asked Butler for a blanket and tried to make a phone call, which is when Butler allegedly grabbed him from behind, brought him into a broom closet and performed oral sex.

Investigators say the incident was all caught on camera.

The victim told police he was afraid to say no because he was in protective custody.

"There are questions that are raised from his statement, whether this would have been consensual behavior," Butler's attorney Randy Chapman said.

Chief Butler says she's saddened by the allegations and will be taking some personal time off.

Brian Butler is on paid administrative leave during this investigation.

His next court date is in December.
Donald Trump's most loyal supporters were being considered for positions in his presidential cabinet, among them former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former U.S. Rep. Newt Gingrich, sources have told NBC News.

Trump will become the 45th president after a stunning upset over Hillary Clinton. With several states still too close to call, Trump won 278 electoral votes to Clinton's 218, according to NBC News' Decision Desk, surpassing the 270 needed to win.

Giuliani is being looked at for attorney general. Gingrich, an author of the Contract with America in the mid-1990s while in the Congress representing Georgia, could be a candidate for secretary of state.

Giuliani, who Tuesday night described a possible Trump victory as the people beating the establishment, demurred when NBC News' Chris Matthews asked him want he might want to do.

"It's too early for me to think about anything like that," he said.

Other possible names that have been put forward: retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn for defense secretary or national security adviser; Steve Mnuchin, Trump's finance chairman, for treasury secretary, and Lew Eisenberg, the Republican National Committee finance chairman, for commerce secretary, three campaign advisers told NBC News. Flynn would need a waiver from Congress because he has not been retired from the military for seven years as would be required.

Reince Priebus, the current chairman of the Republican National Committee who was a staunch Trump defender, could be the chief of staff, according to NBC News.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was frequently mentioned as a possible member of a Trump administration before two of his top aides were convicted for causing a traffic jam on the George Washington Bridge as political retribution.

Helping to vet the names are the conservative Heritage Foundation and Trump's running mate Mike Pence.

Trump's campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks told NBC News that "none of this is accurate."
Vermont's newly-elected Republican governor, Phil Scott, said he will be able to put aside past criticism of President-elect Donald Trump and strive toward unity following a divisive period in national politics.

On the campaign trail, Governor-elect Scott had called out Trump, describing some of the presidential candidate's messages as incendiary or rude. Scott supported Ohio Gov. John Kasich for president.

After the central Vermont businessman and stock car racer managed to speed past Democrat Sue Minter on Election Day, Scott promised he will work toward unifying people as a governor during Trump's presidency.

"I can work with anybody. We'll be OK," Scott told reporters. "I'm going to respect the office and we'll continue to work for whatever benefit we can for Vermont. There's a tremendous amount of dysfunction on the federal level, as we know. All's I can say is we will do our very best to act appropriately here. I'll treat people with respect, I'll treat them the way I want to be treated and I'm sure we'll find common ground."

Minter praised Scott's positive vision and leadership style in her concession speech Tuesday night.

"We can still disagree without being disagreeable," Minter said in her speech at the Vermont Democratic Party headquarters on election night.

As for whether Vermont would legalize recreational marijuana now that the neighboring state of Massachusetts is going that way, Governor-elect Scott said he would "never say never."

First, however, Scott said he would have to be assured that edible forms of the drug, safety measures, and the tax structures of retail operations could be appropriately handled. Scott said he thinks it would be best to potentially follow other states' leads on the matter, and learn from their mistakes.
Norfolk churches urged to back Christmas appeal



This year Christian Aids appeal aims to light the way for people fleeing violence this Christmas, focussing on refugees around the world.



Christmas should be a joyful time. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the light who came into the world, many of us will seek to fill our homes and churches with light and laughter, family and friends. But for more than 65 million people who are fleeing from conflict and crises, a joyful home is a distant memory. Forced out by the darkness of violence and fear, they're searching for safety and refuge.



In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), joyful Christmases at home are a distant memory for thousands of women, men and children who have had their lives brutally uprooted as a result of violence and conflict.



In his 16 years as a priest in the DRC, Celestin has witnessed more darkness than most. Hes seen his own bishop killed by armed groups, and nine other priests slain in front of him.



Celestin had to flee  but now his ministry brings the light of Christ to others whove been forced to escape from horrific violence. He is now a priest in a relatively safe community  so it's become a sanctuary to many distressed survivors of violence. Local host families show extraordinary generosity and kindness to newcomers, but their few resources are often already stretched.

Julian Bryant, Norfolk Coordinator is inviting churches to take part in lighting the way through prayer and action as part of the Christian Aid Christmas Appeal.



There are many people in our world who need a safe place to call home. This Christmas I am inviting people to remember those people as they light their Advent candles and more  to pray, to give, to make a difference and even to write a Christmas card to the prime Minister. It would be wonderful if people were able to remember others in need at advent and of course carol services, Christmas services, at candle lit vigils and by giving. There is hope beyond the darkness of violence. There is a way that can be lit.



Different resources are available including written prayers, colouring in candles, candle light liturgy, nativity sketches and much more.

To find out how you can be involved email Julian jbryant@christian-aid.org or telephone 01603 620051.



To order resources online: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/christmas-appeal



Pictured above: A young girl carrying wood and her baby sibling on her back, in Luhonga, outside of Goma, North Kivu

Photo credit: Christian Aid / Amy Sheppey

Below: Celestin
Rosebery Road Methodist Church in Norwich will be holding its annual Cribs and Trees Festival in December.

Rosebery Road Methodist Church in Norwich will be holding its annual Cribs and Trees Festival in December.

Transforming Norwich lunch offers ministry tips Ex-Brighton vicar, Rev Phil Moon, will offer tips on how to keep going in ministry to the Transforming Norwich leaders lunch on Wednesday November 16. Read more

Quiet Waters in Bungay offers healing retreat Quiet Waters Christian Retreat in Bungay is holding a gentle day retreat exploring healing in the Kingdom of God. Read more

Latest Norfolk Christian community events Events of interest to the Norwich and Norfolk Christian community happening over the next few weeks are listed. Read more

Norfolk ministry coaching duo are guest speakers Former church leaders and now freelance ministry coaches, Jonathan and Paige Squirrell, are the guest speakers at the next dinner of Norwich FGB on Monday, November 21. Read more

Bringing light to Halloween Anna Price encourages Christians to engage positively with Halloween rather than hide away, on what many see as the darkest night of the year. Read more

First service takes place at Norwich church site SOUL Church hosted around 400 people for a special service on the site of their new building on Heartsease Lane. Read more

Dereham draws up list of warm places for winter As rising energy prices make it harder to heat homes, churches in Dereham are leading the way in creating warm spaces where people can go. Read more

South Norfolk church scoops national award A medieval Anglican church in a tiny hamlet in South Norfolk has won a national award and a 10,000 boost. Read more

Dereham churches help people to help themselves A group of churches in Dereham have launched an ambitious project which aims to meet needs in the town, including the provision of food and skills training. Read more

Executive assistant and nursery manager jobs SOUL Church is a vibrant, welcoming and growing church in Norwich. They are seeking an organised and versatile Executive Assistant to provide key support to the churchs Senior Pastors, as well as a qualified Nursery Manager to head up SOUL Nursery. Read more

Halloween light in Gorleston church On Halloween this year, St Mary Magdalene Church in Gorleston will be preparing to welcome around 200 families to experience their Light on a Dark Night event. Read more

An opportunity for Norwich to pray for the nation Rev Nigel Fox, who has served as a Methodist Minister for 15 years in Norwich, shares an open invitation to pray for the nation at a crucial moment. Read more

Norwich church seeks musicians Kingdom Ambassadors International Church is appealing for instrumentlists, keyboardists and guitarists to be part of their worship experience. Read more

Please keep Rishi in your prayers Andy Bryant urges us to pray for our political leaders, especially the new Prime Minister, and avoid unhelpful judgementalism. Read more

Emilys art boosts growing Yarmouth foodbank A pupil at a primary school in Bradwell has been selling her pictures in order to raise money for the Yarmouth and Magdalen Foodbank, which is expanding its capacity and is seeking more volunteers. Read more

Patrick Regan helps Norwich to bounce forwards On Saturday St Stephens in Norwich hosted Bouncing Forwards as part of a national tour by the mental health charity Kintsugi Hope. Read more

Painting and biblical feasting in Overstrand There will be opportunities to improve your painting skills and indulge in some biblical feasting next month at the Pleasaunce in Overstrand in North Norfolk. Read more




Norfolk volunteers packing shoeboxes for needy

Volunteers across the county from Christian charity Samaritans Purse expect to send over 9000 shoeboxes of gifts to children in need around the world in the run up to Christmas.



Operation Christmas Child is the largest Childrens Christmas Project of its kind in the world, and last year the UK sent an incredible 900,008 shoeboxes of gifts to children in need around the globe.



Samaritans Purse has been running Operation Christmas Child (OCC) since 1993, and the impact on childrens lives is immeasurable. Nick Cole, Director of Operation Christmas Child in the UK shared about his teams passion.

There is little that brings us as much joy as seeing the smile on these childrens faces. So often they have little or nothing. Receiving an unconditional gift, lovingly packed by a volunteer in the UK is a fantastic way to share the true meaning of Christmas with them.



Emma Fawcett  OCC Eastern Regional Manager says In Norfolk, the shoeboxes are processed at 3 sites - Aylsham, Norwich and Dereham, all staffed by volunteers. Norfolk is aiming to export a full lorry of boxes this year which will be around 9000 shoebox gifts.



The project is simple to take part in;

Step 1: Get a medium sized shoebox and wrap it in colourful paper, attaching a label to signify it is for a boy or girl and the appropriate age group (2-4, 5-9, 10-14)

Step 2: Fill the shoebox with gifts, such as hygiene items and school supplies. Dont forget the WOW item - a special gift that will really delight a child like a football and pump, a doll or cuddly toy

Step 3: Make your shipping donation of just 3 per shoebox online, and place the barcode generated inside the box to track which country your shoebox goes to

Step 4: Include a personal note or photo, and pray for the child who will receive your shoebox

Step 5: Drop off your shoebox at a local collection point


Yarmouth preachers new book of Revival poetry Yarmouth preachers new book of Revival poetry

Paul Juby, an 85-year old Methodist lay preacher from Great Yarmouth has recently published his fifth book, Revival For All From the Shoulder, a book of 155 poems intended to challenge both people who have no faith and those that do.
The prospect of an army of robots marching in unison to launch an attack on an unsuspecting city belongs in the realm of science fictionas do most images of menacing autonomous machines wreaking all kinds of havoc on civilization.

Thats not to say robotics is free from security and safety threats, however. In fact, experts say the growing use of robots by companies such as manufacturers, retailers, healthcare institutions and other businesses can present a number of cyber risks.

There are two primary issues related to security and robotics, says Michael Overly, a partner and information security attorney at law firm Foley & Lardner.

First, these machines are generally integral to assembly line operations and other similar activities, Overly says. An attack could literally bring a manufacturing or assembly plant to its knees, he says. We have seen this very outcome in a ransomware attack targeted at robotic assemblers in a plant in Mexico. In that case, the ransomware locked up the specifications files from which the robots drew their operating parameters, he says.

Second, robots are generally large and capable of causing significant bodily and property damage if operated other than in accordance with their specifications. If the subject of an attack, the machines could cause dramatic harm, both to individuals and to property, Overly says.

[ RELATED: How secure are home robots? ]

The difference between actual and potential risks with robot security incidents is a function of the complexity of the algorithms used by robots, and the physical and social context of their operation, and their numbers, says Tom Atwood, executive director of the National Robotics Education Foundation, which provides educational information about robotics to students, educators and professionals.

For example, the circumstances and predictions of potential harm will vary widely depending on whether the robots are used in an industrial, military, urban, mobile, educational context or other context, Atwood says. These contexts are growing in number as physical and virtual robots proliferate in all spheres of human endeavor, Atwood says.

Many organizations that operate autonomous machines such as industrial robots mistakenly think they will not be targets because the machines dont process personal information or financial information. The same goes for companies that produce the machines.

They tend to not have the level of security protection found in other industries, Overly says. These organizations should start with a thorough information security audit conducted by a third-party auditor who has specific experience in the manufacturing and automation space. They should prioritize remediation measures based on the outcome of that audit.

The motivation to build rigorous and secure robots should be there because it is quite possible that all involved in its design could be held liable if a horrendous weakness was found that led to personal distress or financial losses, says Kevin Curran, senior lecturer in computer science at the University of Ulster and a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

No distinction should be made between a Web-enabled robot and a router in a back office.

Kevin Curran, senior lecturer in computer science at the University of Ulster

Security should also not be an afterthought, Curran says. Ultimately every device connected to the Web should be password protected. It should not be connected with the default out of the box password. A long complex password needs to be set. All devices should be updated as soon as updates are released, just like best practice on PCs and tablets.

Robot manufacturers should also release security updates once vulnerabilities are found, Curran says, but the incentive is simply not there for them to do it much of the time.

Examine how robots use data

Data security risks related to robotics can be addressed by examining how robots use and harbor data, and by evaluating how they can be hacked. But again, the outcomes from such analyses depend in large part on the type of robot in use and how it is being used, Atwood notes.

Much like the risk of other industrial controls systems, the risk of autonomous machines is the unpatched vulnerabilities and access to critical and confidential information within the environment, says

Jerry Irvine, member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerces Cybersecurity Leadership Council and CIO of IT outsourcing provider Prescient Solutions.

These vulnerabilities can allow access to [business] critical systems and intellectual property, Irvine says. He recommends that organizations implement secure access and authorization controls, limiting access to people who need it to perform their jobs. Another good practice is to segment autonomous machines from other networks to limit their digital footprint and accessibility to other systems and applications, he says.

One of the most important steps to ensuring strong security for robotics is to keep a close watch on them.

Human stewardship of robot protocols and operating procedures, and human oversight of robots at work, must be maintained at a high level at all times for the foreseeable future, Atwood says.

These detailed oversight practices are important to prevent endangerment of people in work environments where robots operate, Atwood says. Hotel lobbies, factory floors, parking lots, warehouses, hospitals and our streets where robotic autos are emerging are all immediate front lines.

Deciding who within an organization is responsible for robotics security is up to the individual enterprise. But in general because robots can transcend multiple areas of operations it should involve representatives from several groups, including IT and security management, operations, and even top senior managers.

The board of directors and the most senior officers bear ultimate responsibility, Overly says. IT management and security management are on the front line, but senior management is, by law, the ultimate responsible party. They need to exercise reasonable business judgment in addressing these issues.

The role of CISOs and CSOs in robotics security should be to oversee overall security policy and approach, but also to ensure that the board and senior management is adequately informed of any security-related issues and the efforts being made to address them, Overly says.

At many organizations, top security and IT executives will have a key role in robotics security, especially if robotics efforts are tied to IT-related areas such as cloud services, mobile applications and big data/analytics initiatives.

The CISO and/or CSO is the titular head of cyber security, and is the leading executive whose job it is to inform and coordinate with the CEO and other designated people to protect the companys robotic infrastructure as well as the people working in the organization, Atwood says.

[ MORE: Surgical robots  smart but insecure ]

Curran agrees. The CISO and his IT team should assume responsibility for all connected devices including robots, he says. No distinction should be made between a Web-enabled robot and a router in a back office.

Appropriate preventive and corrective controls in the form of policies, standards, procedures or technology functions and monitoring mechanisms are needed to minimize the risks associated with deploying any connected devices within an organization, Curran adds.

Robots themselves might in some cases play a role on the security team.

Already, security intrusion detection robots have been developed by many companies, Curran says. These for the most part consist of smaller mobile robots with cameras and movement detection, which move around a building looking for intrusion.

These machines use technology such as high-definition cameras, sensors, and microphones to measure a variety of conditions and actions.

There is [always] the risk of such robots being hacked, therefore additional measures need to be taken such as implementing extra security authenticationperhaps facial recognition of the owner when opening panels, Curran says. There is a real risk of privacy invasion, especially in the case of a robot that has complete freedom to roam inside a building, he says, so we have to ensure that the surveillance footage is securely stored.

This story, "Robots present a cyber risk" was originally published by CSO .
Madison County, Indiana, population of about 130,000, was the victim of a ransomware attack last week. Government workers without working computers were thrown back into the past to pen and paper, confusion abounds, and county commissioners unanimously voted to pay the ransom.

Indiana State Police Capt. Dave Bursten told WTHR, It's like when I came on in the 80s - we're doing everything with pencil and paper.

We cannot query old information to bring up prior reports or prior court records, Madison County Sheriff Scott Mellinger told Fox59. If we want to bring somebodys record up for something in the future, lets say for somebody that has been arrested or somebody who is even in jail then we cannot look up information that would help us at a hearing. On the sheriffs office side, we cannot book people into jail using the computers. We are using pencil and paper like the old days.

In one of many contradictory reports, sheriffs deputies were not using pen and paper but were using laptops. And since they couldnt access police reports, they were collecting information and creating documents in Microsoft Word. While that's not normal operating procedure, typing in Word is not quite the same thing as using pen and paper.

County residents making special trips to the courthouse were reportedly ticked, turned away, or their information was jotted down on paper. Auditor employees took vacation or burned personal time off, since without the computer system there could be no work done," auditor Jane Lyons told TheHeraldBulletin. "We have to access all our information on the computers.

Two of the Circuit Court divisions kept going, keeping track of court activities by hand, but one judge moved all of Mondays court hearings to another date.

The ransomware was discovered Saturday at the countys Central Dispatch after the computer system started locking up. Indiana State Police Capt. Dave Bursten mentioned that 911 calls were being taken down by hand as opposed to being entered into a computer.

Otherwise, there are conflicting reports about the details of the ransomware attack. For example, after the attack reportedly occurred on Friday, Nov. 4, locking the county out from accessing records, Fox59 asked Madison County IT Director Lisa Cannon how could this happen to an entire countys computer system? In return, Cannon explained that the IT department took all the security measures they could have, but hackers found a way in.

Wouldnt taking all the security measures possible have included having offline backups, or at least some backups? Cannon told TheHeraldBulletin, Were in the process of adding a backup system. Unfortunately, thats too little too late.

Employee awareness might also need a bit of work, or perhaps it was simply sound advice when an Indiana State Police spokesman advised people that it is critical to back up pictures, files, records - everything either in the cloud or a on a hard drive. Also, avoid clicking on any links you're not familiar with.

Cannon claimed, County officials are confident that no personal information from local residents was compromised. However, she also added, Were checking to determine if any information was harvested through the attack.

There was no mention of the ransomware variant that hit the county. Several articles reference a specific quote on Fox59 that is no longer a part of the article. That missing quote was allegedly a statement by Madison County Sheriff Scott Mellinger: There are so many unknowns here because even the investigators that had a lot of experience in this area are telling us they have not dealt with this specific virus before.

Umm, that is doubtful but not impossible. However, now the article quotes Sheriff Mellinger as saying, They are calling this a very significant event and that means whoever is behind it absolutely knows what they are doing and it is going to be extremely difficult for us to gain access of our servers on our own.

Additionally, there have been only vague references to the ransom amount demanded. WTHR claimed the ransom was thousands of dollars. Cannon refused to reveal the actual amount, but he told Fox59 that it was a large sum. Yet Madison County Commissioner John Richwin claimed the ransom was for an amount less than most county residents would have anticipated.

According to StateScoop, during an emergency meeting on Saturday, county commissioners were told they had seven days to pay the ransom. Commissioners unanimously agreed to pay the ransom.

Madison County was covered by Travelers Insurance, which will reimburse a portion of the cost, less the countys deductible.

Heres another head scratcher: TheIndyChannel reported, No one has taken responsibility for the attack.

Hello? Read the ransom note. I'd be willing to guarantee the payment is going to someone as opposed to no one. Tracking down that someone may not be so easy. The Indiana State Police were continuing to investigate.

Presumably the inconsistencies are a result of people being unfamiliar with ransomware and how it works. The IT director explained ransomware so non-security-minded individuals would grasp it: Just as you would have a ransom note you see on a drama on TV when someone is kidnapped, there is a ransom note and it is exactly that type of thing.

As for the county commissioners meeting and voting to pay the ransom on Saturday, did paying the ransom work? As of Monday, it was reported that Madison County was not expected to be up and running until today. StateScoop said earlier today that services are still being brought online.

Thankfully voting in Madison County was not affected, as it was on a different system.

Related video:
By IANS

SAN FRANCISCO: In what could be a direct threat to Microsoft-owned LinkedIn, social networking giant Facebook is experimenting with a 'job openings' tab on its business pages.



"Based on the behaviour we've seen on Facebook, where many small businesses post about their job openings on their page, we're running a test for page admins to create job postings and receive applications from candidates," a Facebook spokesperson told TechCrunch.



The new feature could not only be a threat to LinkedIn, but also to developers like Workable and Jobscore that build 'Jobs' tab applications which businesses can embed in their Facebook pages.



The new feature may help companies drive traffic to their Facebook page beyond marketing their products in the News Feed, the report added.



The job postings will also show up in a 'Jobs' tab of the page, creating a place where companies can send job seekers.



Job postings will include an 'Apply Now' button, helping job seekers to quickly apply for multiple jobs without typing in redundant information.



Submitted applications will be received by the page as a Facebook message.



LinkedIn has 467 million members compared to 1.79 billion Facebook users.

SAN FRANCISCO: In what could be a direct threat to Microsoft-owned LinkedIn, social networking giant Facebook is experimenting with a 'job openings' tab on its business pages. "Based on the behaviour we've seen on Facebook, where many small businesses post about their job openings on their page, we're running a test for page admins to create job postings and receive applications from candidates," a Facebook spokesperson told TechCrunch. The new feature could not only be a threat to LinkedIn, but also to developers like Workable and Jobscore that build 'Jobs' tab applications which businesses can embed in their Facebook pages. The new feature may help companies drive traffic to their Facebook page beyond marketing their products in the News Feed, the report added. The job postings will also show up in a 'Jobs' tab of the page, creating a place where companies can send job seekers. Job postings will include an 'Apply Now' button, helping job seekers to quickly apply for multiple jobs without typing in redundant information. Submitted applications will be received by the page as a Facebook message. LinkedIn has 467 million members compared to 1.79 billion Facebook users.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Venturing beyond their existing strongholds in India - electronics and machinery, Korean investors are now keen on foraying into the Indian cosmetics market.

The global business platform, Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) launched at least ten Korean cosmetics brands in India on Tuesday.

There are over 200 brands of Korean cosmetics. While some of these brands are popular in the US and China, the Indian market has not been explored before by these companies.

Speaking to Express on the sidelines of the launch here, Hansoo Park, President for KOTRA South East Asia said this was an attempt to look at the soft market. While traditionally, Korea has been involved in exports of automobiles, electronics and machinery to India, Korean investors believe that an expansion into the cosmetics industry would help in strengthening relations between the two countries.

There are two reasons why we are looking at the cosmetics industry in India. The first being that they want to educate Korean manufacturers about India. The second is that we want to communicate with Indian people. This is an attempt to connect with Indian hearts, Hansoo Park added.

According to inputs from KOTRA, the volume of exports from Korea to India stands at $14.5 billion and the imports at $50 billion (includes agricultural products and grains).

In the future they hope to further strengthen the trade relations with import of raw materials from India including chemicals and natural products. Hinting at Chinese companies, Park said, We are not looking at dumping our products here. We want to prosper together with India.

Korea is the seventh largest exporter of products to India. Over the next two years they hoped to go up to the fifth position.

As for the cosmetics stores, they are going to be online for the time being. Ryan Park, CEO, Wish Company, one of the products to be launched at the event, said while they were looking at options for offline stores, for the time being their products would be available on Amazon and on the companys website.

BENGALURU: Venturing beyond their existing strongholds in India - electronics and machinery, Korean investors are now keen on foraying into the Indian cosmetics market. The global business platform, Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) launched at least ten Korean cosmetics brands in India on Tuesday. There are over 200 brands of Korean cosmetics. While some of these brands are popular in the US and China, the Indian market has not been explored before by these companies. Speaking to Express on the sidelines of the launch here, Hansoo Park, President for KOTRA South East Asia said this was an attempt to look at the soft market. While traditionally, Korea has been involved in exports of automobiles, electronics and machinery to India, Korean investors believe that an expansion into the cosmetics industry would help in strengthening relations between the two countries. There are two reasons why we are looking at the cosmetics industry in India. The first being that they want to educate Korean manufacturers about India. The second is that we want to communicate with Indian people. This is an attempt to connect with Indian hearts, Hansoo Park added. According to inputs from KOTRA, the volume of exports from Korea to India stands at $14.5 billion and the imports at $50 billion (includes agricultural products and grains). In the future they hope to further strengthen the trade relations with import of raw materials from India including chemicals and natural products. Hinting at Chinese companies, Park said, We are not looking at dumping our products here. We want to prosper together with India. Korea is the seventh largest exporter of products to India. Over the next two years they hoped to go up to the fifth position. As for the cosmetics stores, they are going to be online for the time being. Ryan Park, CEO, Wish Company, one of the products to be launched at the event, said while they were looking at options for offline stores, for the time being their products would be available on Amazon and on the companys website.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Japans SoftBank Corp had to write off Rs 3500 crore investments it had made in different ventures in India, including Ola and Snapdeal.

In the earning statement for six months ended September 30. SoftBank wrote off 58.14 billion yen ($560 million- Rs 3500 crore) in the value of shares in its investments in India, which include ANI Technologies, owns countrys largest cab aggregator Ola, and Jasper Infotech, which runs e-commerce marketplace Snapdeal.

Gain or loss arising from financial instruments at FVTPL (fair value through profit or loss) comprises mainly changes in fair value of preferred stock investment including embedded derivatives, such as ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd and Jasper Infotech Private Limited in India, designated as financial assets at FVTPL, SoftBank said in a statement.



SoftBank has so far invested close to $2 billion in India and earlier this year it stated that it is looking to scale up the investment to $10 billion in next 5-10 years. My goal is to become the Warren Buffett of the tech industry. Were aiming to be the Berkshire Hathaway of tech, SoftBank Group Corp Chief Executive Masayoshi Son said.

The Japanese firm had led a $210-million investment in Ola and $627 million in Snapdeal in October 2014. It made follow-on investments in both firms.Both Ola and Snapdeal are looking at raising fresh funds to sutain operations amid growing competition from rivals.

Bengaluru-based Ola has so far raised about $1.2 billion from a clutch of investors including Tiger Global Management, Matrix Partners, SoftBank Group and Didi Chuxing.Last year, Snapdeal.com raised $500 million from Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba Group, Foxconn Technology Group and existing investor SoftBank Group, which then valued the Delhi-based firm at about $4.8 billion post money.

SoftBank has so far invested close to $2 billion in India and earlier this year it stated that it is looking to scale up the investment to $10 billion in next 5-10 years.Last month, it said it will form a new fund with Saudi Arabias public investment fund to invest as much as $100 billion in the global technology industry in the next five years.For the July-September quarter, SoftBank posted a net profit of 512 billion yen.

NEW DELHI: Japans SoftBank Corp had to write off Rs 3500 crore investments it had made in different ventures in India, including Ola and Snapdeal. In the earning statement for six months ended September 30. SoftBank wrote off 58.14 billion yen ($560 million- Rs 3500 crore) in the value of shares in its investments in India, which include ANI Technologies, owns countrys largest cab aggregator Ola, and Jasper Infotech, which runs e-commerce marketplace Snapdeal. Gain or loss arising from financial instruments at FVTPL (fair value through profit or loss) comprises mainly changes in fair value of preferred stock investment including embedded derivatives, such as ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd and Jasper Infotech Private Limited in India, designated as financial assets at FVTPL, SoftBank said in a statement. SoftBank has so far invested close to $2 billion in India and earlier this year it stated that it is looking to scale up the investment to $10 billion in next 5-10 years. My goal is to become the Warren Buffett of the tech industry. Were aiming to be the Berkshire Hathaway of tech, SoftBank Group Corp Chief Executive Masayoshi Son said. The Japanese firm had led a $210-million investment in Ola and $627 million in Snapdeal in October 2014. It made follow-on investments in both firms.Both Ola and Snapdeal are looking at raising fresh funds to sutain operations amid growing competition from rivals. Bengaluru-based Ola has so far raised about $1.2 billion from a clutch of investors including Tiger Global Management, Matrix Partners, SoftBank Group and Didi Chuxing.Last year, Snapdeal.com raised $500 million from Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba Group, Foxconn Technology Group and existing investor SoftBank Group, which then valued the Delhi-based firm at about $4.8 billion post money. SoftBank has so far invested close to $2 billion in India and earlier this year it stated that it is looking to scale up the investment to $10 billion in next 5-10 years.Last month, it said it will form a new fund with Saudi Arabias public investment fund to invest as much as $100 billion in the global technology industry in the next five years.For the July-September quarter, SoftBank posted a net profit of 512 billion yen.
By Express News Service

THIPPAGONDANAHALLI : A day after two actors were feared to have drowned in Thippagondanahalli (TG Halli) reservoir while shooting a scene for Masti Gudi, rescue teams are yet to recover the bodies. Teams searched the lake throughout the day and finally called off the operation at 7.30pm.



Early on Tuesday, a team of divers from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) had identified the location and marked it out. The search operations began around 7.30am.

actors Yash and Sadhu Kokila were among the

several actors who visited the spot during the day



As the water is stagnant, the search was restricted to the point where Raghav Uday and Anil Kumar landed. The search was also extended to 15m from the point where the duo had landed.



The divers complained of poor visibility after a depth of 30-35 feet, and slush. As a result, they were unable to reach the lakebed. Later, a few members of Civil Defence joined the search operations with two underwater cameras. Again, the operations were stalled due to poor visibility. Fire service officials also took help of local fishermen to lay nets in the lake.



Six rescue boats and five coracles were involved in the search operations. Several nets were also spread across the reservoir in hopes of fishing out the bodies. Fire service officials also fear that the bodies might be stuck in silt, causing problems for the search teams.



Anil Kumar and Raghav Uday went missing on Monday afternoon after they jumped off a helicopter into the lake while shooting a scene for the Kannada film Masti Gudi.

police dispersing crowds that gathered to see the actors

| vinod kumar t

Crowds caned

Several actors of Kannada film industry including Shivarajkumar, Jaggesh, Ragini Dwivedi, Nikhil Kumarswamy, Rangayana Raghu, Bullet Prakash, Ashok, Sadhu Kokila, Amulya and Yash visited the spot. Crowds thronged the reservoir to catch a glimpse of the actors and many cheered as they dropped by.



As a result, police were forced to resort to mild caning to control the crowd. Many actors expressed their hurt over crowds thronging to take photos and videos of them in such a situation. Entry though the main gate of the reservoir was restricted, many had gained entry to banks of the reservoir from unguarded entry points.

THIPPAGONDANAHALLI : A day after two actors were feared to have drowned in Thippagondanahalli (TG Halli) reservoir while shooting a scene for Masti Gudi, rescue teams are yet to recover the bodies. Teams searched the lake throughout the day and finally called off the operation at 7.30pm. Early on Tuesday, a team of divers from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) had identified the location and marked it out. The search operations began around 7.30am. actors Yash and Sadhu Kokila were among the several actors who visited the spot during the day As the water is stagnant, the search was restricted to the point where Raghav Uday and Anil Kumar landed. The search was also extended to 15m from the point where the duo had landed. The divers complained of poor visibility after a depth of 30-35 feet, and slush. As a result, they were unable to reach the lakebed. Later, a few members of Civil Defence joined the search operations with two underwater cameras. Again, the operations were stalled due to poor visibility. Fire service officials also took help of local fishermen to lay nets in the lake. Six rescue boats and five coracles were involved in the search operations. Several nets were also spread across the reservoir in hopes of fishing out the bodies. Fire service officials also fear that the bodies might be stuck in silt, causing problems for the search teams. Anil Kumar and Raghav Uday went missing on Monday afternoon after they jumped off a helicopter into the lake while shooting a scene for the Kannada film Masti Gudi. police dispersing crowds that gathered to see the actors | vinod kumar tCrowds caned Several actors of Kannada film industry including Shivarajkumar, Jaggesh, Ragini Dwivedi, Nikhil Kumarswamy, Rangayana Raghu, Bullet Prakash, Ashok, Sadhu Kokila, Amulya and Yash visited the spot. Crowds thronged the reservoir to catch a glimpse of the actors and many cheered as they dropped by. As a result, police were forced to resort to mild caning to control the crowd. Many actors expressed their hurt over crowds thronging to take photos and videos of them in such a situation. Entry though the main gate of the reservoir was restricted, many had gained entry to banks of the reservoir from unguarded entry points.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: In a shocking incident, a 38-year-old transgender allegedly set herself ablaze in front of a police station in Chennai this early morning after police seized her scooter, succumbed to burn injuries st Kilpauk Medical College Hospital.

Taara, who is a resident of Choolaimedu, had poured petrol on herself around 5 am and immolated herself in front of the Pondy Bazaar police station, which is located in the heart of T Nagar, the city's shopping hub. An activist, who heard it from Taara's friends, said Taara was found covered with mud on the ground by the time they managed to reach the police station.

She was then taken to hospital and is said to have suffered 90 percent burn injuries. Police officers in the Pondy Bazaar police station acknowledged that they had seized a scooter in the early morning hours and Taara approached the station asking for the scooter claiming it to be hers.

"The scooter was seized when we went rounds in Thirumalai Pillai Road where we heard a few transgenders involved in flesh trade were trying to woo the customers. But they fled from the spot on seeing us. But one of them left behind a scooter and hence we seized it," said a police officer.

Police said they refused to hand over the scooter to Taara because she was drunk when she came to the police station. After an argument with the police, she went out and suddenly set herself on fire.

However, friends of the deceased expressed apprehensions over the credibility of the account provided by police. They expressed doubts whether the police had verbally abused Taara when she tried to retrieve the vehicle."She was riding the scooter in the early morning hours and its not clear why the police seized the vehicle," said Sreejith Ramakrishna, an activist.

Her friends and members of transgender community are staging protests seeking action against the police.

CHENNAI: In a shocking incident, a 38-year-old transgender allegedly set herself ablaze in front of a police station in Chennai this early morning after police seized her scooter, succumbed to burn injuries st Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. Taara, who is a resident of Choolaimedu, had poured petrol on herself around 5 am and immolated herself in front of the Pondy Bazaar police station, which is located in the heart of T Nagar, the city's shopping hub. An activist, who heard it from Taara's friends, said Taara was found covered with mud on the ground by the time they managed to reach the police station. She was then taken to hospital and is said to have suffered 90 percent burn injuries. Police officers in the Pondy Bazaar police station acknowledged that they had seized a scooter in the early morning hours and Taara approached the station asking for the scooter claiming it to be hers. "The scooter was seized when we went rounds in Thirumalai Pillai Road where we heard a few transgenders involved in flesh trade were trying to woo the customers. But they fled from the spot on seeing us. But one of them left behind a scooter and hence we seized it," said a police officer. Police said they refused to hand over the scooter to Taara because she was drunk when she came to the police station. After an argument with the police, she went out and suddenly set herself on fire. However, friends of the deceased expressed apprehensions over the credibility of the account provided by police. They expressed doubts whether the police had verbally abused Taara when she tried to retrieve the vehicle."She was riding the scooter in the early morning hours and its not clear why the police seized the vehicle," said Sreejith Ramakrishna, an activist. Her friends and members of transgender community are staging protests seeking action against the police.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: CITU Ernakulam district president K N Gopinath was stabbed on Tuesday at noon at the busy Palarivattom junction here.

The trade union leader was rushed to a private hospital in the city, where he underwent an urgent surgery. The condition of Gopinath, who was later shifted to the post operative ward, is said to be stable.

The police have taken into custody Vadakara-native Unnikrishnan, 45, in connection with the incident.

Unnikrishnan, the accused, being

taken into police custody | EXPRESS

The incident occurred around 12.30 pm when Gopinath was walking towards a shop at the junction, after inaugurating a march organised by autorickshaw drivers in protest against online taxi operators. The assailant stabbed the trade union leader from behind.

However, Gopinath resisted the attempt to attack him further. Though the attacker tried to escape, auto drivers who were present at the meeting venue chased and caught him. Later, he was handed over to the Palarivattom police.

It is learnt that the assailant, who has been living in a rented house at Ponekkara for the last two years, had issues with CPM workers at Vadakara during the Assembly polls.

The statement given by Unnikrishnan revealed that he did not have any personal grudge towards Gopinath. While the motive behind the attack remains unknown, Unnikrishnan reportedly told police that he hated all Communists.

Unnikrishnan was charged under Section-307 of the IPC for murder attempt. It is being investigated whether he is mentally unstable.Soon after the incident, CITU workers staged a dharna in front of the Palarivattom police station, while autorickshaws and taxis stayed away from the road till 6 pm.

KOCHI: CITU Ernakulam district president K N Gopinath was stabbed on Tuesday at noon at the busy Palarivattom junction here. The trade union leader was rushed to a private hospital in the city, where he underwent an urgent surgery. The condition of Gopinath, who was later shifted to the post operative ward, is said to be stable. The police have taken into custody Vadakara-native Unnikrishnan, 45, in connection with the incident. Unnikrishnan, the accused, being taken into police custody | EXPRESSThe incident occurred around 12.30 pm when Gopinath was walking towards a shop at the junction, after inaugurating a march organised by autorickshaw drivers in protest against online taxi operators. The assailant stabbed the trade union leader from behind. However, Gopinath resisted the attempt to attack him further. Though the attacker tried to escape, auto drivers who were present at the meeting venue chased and caught him. Later, he was handed over to the Palarivattom police. It is learnt that the assailant, who has been living in a rented house at Ponekkara for the last two years, had issues with CPM workers at Vadakara during the Assembly polls. The statement given by Unnikrishnan revealed that he did not have any personal grudge towards Gopinath. While the motive behind the attack remains unknown, Unnikrishnan reportedly told police that he hated all Communists. Unnikrishnan was charged under Section-307 of the IPC for murder attempt. It is being investigated whether he is mentally unstable.Soon after the incident, CITU workers staged a dharna in front of the Palarivattom police station, while autorickshaws and taxis stayed away from the road till 6 pm.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections would be the third talaq for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been talking about triple talaq, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said. Inaugurating the centenary celebrations of the historic October Revolution here on Monday, Yechury said the Uniform Civil Code should be uniform for all religions.

Lashing out at the Narendra Modi-led BJP-NDA Government, Yechury said, Modi must realise that the first talaq he got was the Delhi Assembly elections where the BJP had been decimated. The second talaq was when they lost the Bihar elections. Now, the UP elections would be the BJPs third talaq.

He added that the CPM stood for gender equality. Equality for women or gender equality cannot be ensured through uniformity or Uniform Civil Code. The Uniform Civil Code will have to be uniform for all religions. Even after the framing of laws some are not allowed to enter a few Hindu temples. Also, there is the issue of remarriage of widows.

One only needs to go to Prime Minister Modis constituency(Varanasi) to see how widows suffer. If you want a Uniform Civil Code lets sit down and work it out. It should not try to isolate some . It should not be used to spread communal polarisation or for petty electoral gains, the CPM chief warned.

Assailing the BJP for promoting communal polarisation in the name of nationalism, Yechury said its a vicious combination where the BJP has been functioning as the political arm of the RSS, whichs trying to bring in a communal agenda to create divisions in the secular, democratic Republic in the name of a Hindu Rashtra. Criticising the BJP mode of nationalism, the CPM general secretary alleged that there was a deliberate attempt to create communal polarisation in the name of nationalism. They attempt to define patriotism in their own way. To project Indian nationalism as opposed to Hindu nationalism, he said.

According to Yechury, when the Modi Government is ready to write off debts to the tune of 1.12 lakh crore to big corporates like Ambanis and Adanis, they are not ready to waive loans worth a mere `40,000 -`60,000 to the farmers. And he accused the BJP-NDA Government of enriching the well-heeled at the expense of the poor. Furthermore, the CPM boss alleged that the coming budget would have tax incentives to the tune of `six lakh crore to the rich.

Yechury released Mounting Terror, an album on RSS violence by handing over a copy to CPM veteran V S Achuthanandan.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who addressed the gathering, opined that the October Revolution still had social relevance.

Speaking on the occasion, VS said the October Revolution had ushered in major changes world over. CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan presided over.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections would be the third talaq for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been talking about triple talaq, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said. Inaugurating the centenary celebrations of the historic October Revolution here on Monday, Yechury said the Uniform Civil Code should be uniform for all religions. Lashing out at the Narendra Modi-led BJP-NDA Government, Yechury said, Modi must realise that the first talaq he got was the Delhi Assembly elections where the BJP had been decimated. The second talaq was when they lost the Bihar elections. Now, the UP elections would be the BJPs third talaq. He added that the CPM stood for gender equality. Equality for women or gender equality cannot be ensured through uniformity or Uniform Civil Code. The Uniform Civil Code will have to be uniform for all religions. Even after the framing of laws some are not allowed to enter a few Hindu temples. Also, there is the issue of remarriage of widows. One only needs to go to Prime Minister Modis constituency(Varanasi) to see how widows suffer. If you want a Uniform Civil Code lets sit down and work it out. It should not try to isolate some . It should not be used to spread communal polarisation or for petty electoral gains, the CPM chief warned. Assailing the BJP for promoting communal polarisation in the name of nationalism, Yechury said its a vicious combination where the BJP has been functioning as the political arm of the RSS, whichs trying to bring in a communal agenda to create divisions in the secular, democratic Republic in the name of a Hindu Rashtra. Criticising the BJP mode of nationalism, the CPM general secretary alleged that there was a deliberate attempt to create communal polarisation in the name of nationalism. They attempt to define patriotism in their own way. To project Indian nationalism as opposed to Hindu nationalism, he said. According to Yechury, when the Modi Government is ready to write off debts to the tune of 1.12 lakh crore to big corporates like Ambanis and Adanis, they are not ready to waive loans worth a mere `40,000 -`60,000 to the farmers. And he accused the BJP-NDA Government of enriching the well-heeled at the expense of the poor. Furthermore, the CPM boss alleged that the coming budget would have tax incentives to the tune of `six lakh crore to the rich. Yechury released Mounting Terror, an album on RSS violence by handing over a copy to CPM veteran V S Achuthanandan. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who addressed the gathering, opined that the October Revolution still had social relevance. Speaking on the occasion, VS said the October Revolution had ushered in major changes world over. CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan presided over.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has restrained Senthil Kumar, proprietor of G&7G Films from releasing the Tamil feature film Kadavul Irukkan Kumaru, starring GV Prakash Kumar, scheduled for release on November 10.

Justice MM Sundresh on Tuesday granted the stay for two weeks while passing interim orders on an application arising out of a civil suit from one R Singaravelan, praying for a direction to restrain Senthil Kumar, producer, his men, agents and representatives from distributing the film in any television network, DTH, DSS or in any manner communicating to the public.

According to plaintiff, Senthil Kumar owed Rs. 61.25 lakhs to him in the matter relating to the release and screening of another film Lingaa, starring Rajinikanth and directed by KS Ravikumar in December 2014. Senthil Kumar assured the plaintiff that the sum will be paid as soon as possible. But did not do so.

Petitioner came to know that Senthil Kumar is about to release his film Kadavul Irukkan Kumaru, directed by M Rajesh, on November 10.

The producer had executed a letter on June 18 last saying he will not release the film without clearing the dues to the plaintiff.

However, contrary to the promise, the producer, with a view to defrauding the plaintiff, fixed the date of release of the film as November 10 and caused wide publicity. Hence, the present suit, he said.

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has restrained Senthil Kumar, proprietor of G&7G Films from releasing the Tamil feature film Kadavul Irukkan Kumaru, starring GV Prakash Kumar, scheduled for release on November 10. Justice MM Sundresh on Tuesday granted the stay for two weeks while passing interim orders on an application arising out of a civil suit from one R Singaravelan, praying for a direction to restrain Senthil Kumar, producer, his men, agents and representatives from distributing the film in any television network, DTH, DSS or in any manner communicating to the public. According to plaintiff, Senthil Kumar owed Rs. 61.25 lakhs to him in the matter relating to the release and screening of another film Lingaa, starring Rajinikanth and directed by KS Ravikumar in December 2014. Senthil Kumar assured the plaintiff that the sum will be paid as soon as possible. But did not do so. Petitioner came to know that Senthil Kumar is about to release his film Kadavul Irukkan Kumaru, directed by M Rajesh, on November 10. The producer had executed a letter on June 18 last saying he will not release the film without clearing the dues to the plaintiff. However, contrary to the promise, the producer, with a view to defrauding the plaintiff, fixed the date of release of the film as November 10 and caused wide publicity. Hence, the present suit, he said.
Suhas Yellapantula By

Express News Service

The sense of relief on Naga Chaitanyas face is evident. It seems like a tremendous load has come off his shoulders and he looks a different man  calm, relaxed and carefree. The shy smile that we have always associated with him, has now turned into a big, wide grin. He has already opened up about his relationship with actress Samantha and his latest release Premam has done well at the box-office. On both personal and professional fronts, Naga Chaitanya seems to be content and satisfied.

Huge sigh of relief, admits the actor, when asked about Premams success.

Another reason for him to be relieved is that his film with Gautham Menon, Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo (SSS) is finally ready for release, after eleven months of delay.

Yes, we were initially planning to release the film last December but the project got delayed. The main reason for the delay is because the film is releasing simultaneously in both Telugu and Tamil. Finding an appropriate date for a simultaneous release was difficult since both industries have different windows, Chaitanya points out.

Regardless of the delay, the actor is delighted that its finally hitting screens this Friday, especially at a time when his previous film is still fresh in the audiences minds.

Both movies belong to different genres, and there are no similarities between the two. As an actor Im happy to have two completely contrasting films releasing in the span of one month, he says.

In SSS, Naga Chaitanya reunites with Gautham Menon after their blockbuster Ye Maaya Chesaave

(Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa in Tamil) in 2010.

The first half of this film is an extension of Ye Maaya Chesaave. In this film, my characters journey starts after graduating from college and while looking to find a job, I fall in love. Second half, it goes completely into the action zone and transforms into a suspense thriller, informs the 29-year-old actor.

Naga Chaitanya, by his own admission, is more comfortable doing love stories. There have been times when he looked uncomfortable while essaying action sequences, most notably in Autonagar Surya in 2014. The actor hopes his image as an action hero would change with SSS.

I did try my hand at action earlier but perhaps I wasnt mature enough as an actor then. Now with 12 films under my belt, I have grown as an actor and matured a bit. Also Gautham Menons direction gave me more confidence. After Ye Maaya Chesaave, the audience accepted me in the love story genre. In the same vein, I hope the audience can accept me as an action hero after watching this film, he says, optimistically.

Looking back to when he started his journey as an actor with Gautham Menon, Chaitanya believes that he has evolved as an actor over the years.

I have inflicted lesser pain on Gautham this time, he laughs.

In Ye Maaya Chesaave, Gautham had worked very hard to bring the best out of me. But now after six years, I guess I have matured as an actor, but it continues to be a learning journey for me, he adds.

Naga Chaitanya will next work on an untitled project with director Kalyan Krishna, shooting for which commences today.

Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo, which features Manjima Mohan as the female lead, is slated to hit screens on November 11.

The sense of relief on Naga Chaitanyas face is evident. It seems like a tremendous load has come off his shoulders and he looks a different man  calm, relaxed and carefree. The shy smile that we have always associated with him, has now turned into a big, wide grin. He has already opened up about his relationship with actress Samantha and his latest release Premam has done well at the box-office. On both personal and professional fronts, Naga Chaitanya seems to be content and satisfied. Huge sigh of relief, admits the actor, when asked about Premams success. Another reason for him to be relieved is that his film with Gautham Menon, Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo (SSS) is finally ready for release, after eleven months of delay. Yes, we were initially planning to release the film last December but the project got delayed. The main reason for the delay is because the film is releasing simultaneously in both Telugu and Tamil. Finding an appropriate date for a simultaneous release was difficult since both industries have different windows, Chaitanya points out. Regardless of the delay, the actor is delighted that its finally hitting screens this Friday, especially at a time when his previous film is still fresh in the audiences minds. Both movies belong to different genres, and there are no similarities between the two. As an actor Im happy to have two completely contrasting films releasing in the span of one month, he says. In SSS, Naga Chaitanya reunites with Gautham Menon after their blockbuster Ye Maaya Chesaave (Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa in Tamil) in 2010. The first half of this film is an extension of Ye Maaya Chesaave. In this film, my characters journey starts after graduating from college and while looking to find a job, I fall in love. Second half, it goes completely into the action zone and transforms into a suspense thriller, informs the 29-year-old actor. Naga Chaitanya, by his own admission, is more comfortable doing love stories. There have been times when he looked uncomfortable while essaying action sequences, most notably in Autonagar Surya in 2014. The actor hopes his image as an action hero would change with SSS. I did try my hand at action earlier but perhaps I wasnt mature enough as an actor then. Now with 12 films under my belt, I have grown as an actor and matured a bit. Also Gautham Menons direction gave me more confidence. After Ye Maaya Chesaave, the audience accepted me in the love story genre. In the same vein, I hope the audience can accept me as an action hero after watching this film, he says, optimistically. Looking back to when he started his journey as an actor with Gautham Menon, Chaitanya believes that he has evolved as an actor over the years. I have inflicted lesser pain on Gautham this time, he laughs. In Ye Maaya Chesaave, Gautham had worked very hard to bring the best out of me. But now after six years, I guess I have matured as an actor, but it continues to be a learning journey for me, he adds. Naga Chaitanya will next work on an untitled project with director Kalyan Krishna, shooting for which commences today. Sahasam Swasaga Sagipo, which features Manjima Mohan as the female lead, is slated to hit screens on November 11.
By Express News Service

Why this scheme?

The incidence of fake Indian currency notes in higher denominations has increased. They are being used by terrorists and for hoarding black money. India remains a cash-based economy, hence the circulation of fake currency notes is a menace.

What is this scheme?

Old high denomination (OHD) notes of D500 and D1000 stand withdrawn. They cannot be used for transacting business. They can be exchanged at any of the 19 offices of the RBI or at any bank or at any head post office or sub-post office.

How much value will I get?

You will get value for the entire volume of notes you tender.

Can I get all in cash?

No. You will get up to D4000 per person in cash irrespective of how much you submit, and anything over and above that will be receivable by way of credit to your bank account.

Why cant I get the entire amount in cash when I am surrendering everything in cash?

The scheme does not provide for it, given its objectives.

Rs 4000 in cash is insufficient for my needs. What to do?

You can use your bank balance to pay for other requirements by cheque or through electronic payments such as internet banking, mobile wallets, IMPS, credit/debit cards etc.

What if I dont have a bank account?

You can open a bank account by approaching a bank branch with necessary documents.

What if I have only a JDY account?

A JDY account holders can avail the exchange facility subject to the caps and other laid down limits in accordance with norms and procedures.

Where can I go to exchange the notes?

All issue offices of RBI and branches of commercial banks/RRBS/UCBs/State co-op banks or any head post office or sub-post office.

Must I go to my bank branch only?

For exchange up to D4000 in cash you may go to any bank branch with valid identity proof. For exchange over D4000, which will be accorded through credit to a bank account only, you may go to the branch where you have an account or to any other branch of the same bank.

In case you want to go to a branch of any other bank where you are not maintaining an account, you will have to furnish valid identity proof and bank account details for electronic fund transfer to your account.

Can I go to any branch of my bank?

Yes, you can go to any branch of your bank.

Can I go to any branch of any other bank?

Yes, you can go to any branch of any other bank. In that case you have to furnish valid identity proof for exchange in cash; both valid identity proof and bank account details will be required for electronic fund transfer in case the amount to be exchanged exceeds Rs 4000.

I have no account but my relative/friend has an account, can I get my notes exchanged into that account?

Yes, you can do that if the account holder relative/friend, etc gives you permission in writing. While exchanging, you should provide to the bank evidence of permission given by the account holder and your valid identity proof.

Should I go to the bank personally or can I send the notes through a representative?

A personal visit to the branch is preferable. In case it is not possible for you, you may send your representative with an express mandate i.e. a written authorisation. The representative should produce an authority letter and his/her valid identity proof while tendering the notes.

Can I withdraw from ATM?

It may take a while for banks to recalibrate their ATMs. Once ATMs are functional, you can withdraw up to a maximum of D2,000 per card per day up to 18 November, 2016. The limit will be raised to D4000 per day per card from 19 November 2016 onwards.

Can I withdraw cash against a cheque?

Yes, you can withdraw cash against a withdrawal slip or cheque subject to a ceiling of D10,000 in a day within an overall limit of D20,000 in a week (including withdrawals from ATMs) for the first fortnight, i.e. upto 24 November 2016.

Can I deposit withdrawn notes through ATMs, cash deposit machines or cash recyclers?

Yes, high denomination notes can be deposited in cash deposits machines/cash recyclers.

Can I make use of electronic (NEFT/RTGS/IMPS/Internet Banking/Mobile banking etc.) mode?

You can use NEFT/RTGS/IMPS/Internet Banking/Mobile Banking or any other electronic/non-cash mode of payment.

How much time do I have to exchange the notes?

The scheme closes on 30 December 2016. High denomination banknotes can be exchanged at branches of commercial banks, regional rural banks, urban cooperative banks, state cooperative banks and RBI till 30 December 2016.

For those who are unable to exchange their banknotes on or before December 30, 2016, an opportunity will be given to do so at specified offices of RBI, along with necessary documentation as may be specified by the RBI.

I am right now not in India, what should I do?

You may authorise in writing enabling another person in India to deposit the notes into your bank account. The person so authorised has to come to the bank branch with the old high denomination banknotes, the authority letter given by you and a valid identity proof.

I am an NRI and hold an NRO account. Can the exchange value be deposited in my account?

Yes, you can deposit the OHD banknotes to your NRO account.

I am a foreign tourist, I have these notes. What should I do?

You can purchase foreign exchange equivalent to Rs 5000 using OHD notes at airport exchange counters within 72 hours after the notification, provided you present proof of purchasing the OHD notes.

I have emergency needs of cash (hospitalisation, travel, life saving medicines) then what I should do?

You can use the OHD notes for paying for your hospitalisation charges at government hospitals, for purchasing bus tickets at government bus stands for travel by state government or state PSU buses, train tickets at railway stations, and air tickets at airports, within 72 hours after the notification.

What is proof of identity?

Valid identity proof is any of the following: Aadhaar card, driving licence, voter ID card, passport, NREGA card, PAN card, identity card issued by a government department, public sector unit to its staff.

Where can I get more information on this scheme?

Further information is available at the RBI website (www.rbi.org.in)

If I have a problem, whom should I approach?

You may approach the control room of RBI by email or on telephone nos 022 22602201/022 22602944.

Why this scheme? The incidence of fake Indian currency notes in higher denominations has increased. They are being used by terrorists and for hoarding black money. India remains a cash-based economy, hence the circulation of fake currency notes is a menace. What is this scheme? Old high denomination (OHD) notes of D500 and D1000 stand withdrawn. They cannot be used for transacting business. They can be exchanged at any of the 19 offices of the RBI or at any bank or at any head post office or sub-post office. How much value will I get? You will get value for the entire volume of notes you tender. Can I get all in cash? No. You will get up to D4000 per person in cash irrespective of how much you submit, and anything over and above that will be receivable by way of credit to your bank account. Why cant I get the entire amount in cash when I am surrendering everything in cash? The scheme does not provide for it, given its objectives. Rs 4000 in cash is insufficient for my needs. What to do? You can use your bank balance to pay for other requirements by cheque or through electronic payments such as internet banking, mobile wallets, IMPS, credit/debit cards etc. What if I dont have a bank account? You can open a bank account by approaching a bank branch with necessary documents. What if I have only a JDY account? A JDY account holders can avail the exchange facility subject to the caps and other laid down limits in accordance with norms and procedures. Where can I go to exchange the notes? All issue offices of RBI and branches of commercial banks/RRBS/UCBs/State co-op banks or any head post office or sub-post office. Must I go to my bank branch only? For exchange up to D4000 in cash you may go to any bank branch with valid identity proof. For exchange over D4000, which will be accorded through credit to a bank account only, you may go to the branch where you have an account or to any other branch of the same bank. In case you want to go to a branch of any other bank where you are not maintaining an account, you will have to furnish valid identity proof and bank account details for electronic fund transfer to your account. Can I go to any branch of my bank? Yes, you can go to any branch of your bank. Can I go to any branch of any other bank? Yes, you can go to any branch of any other bank. In that case you have to furnish valid identity proof for exchange in cash; both valid identity proof and bank account details will be required for electronic fund transfer in case the amount to be exchanged exceeds Rs 4000. I have no account but my relative/friend has an account, can I get my notes exchanged into that account? Yes, you can do that if the account holder relative/friend, etc gives you permission in writing. While exchanging, you should provide to the bank evidence of permission given by the account holder and your valid identity proof. Should I go to the bank personally or can I send the notes through a representative? A personal visit to the branch is preferable. In case it is not possible for you, you may send your representative with an express mandate i.e. a written authorisation. The representative should produce an authority letter and his/her valid identity proof while tendering the notes. Can I withdraw from ATM? It may take a while for banks to recalibrate their ATMs. Once ATMs are functional, you can withdraw up to a maximum of D2,000 per card per day up to 18 November, 2016. The limit will be raised to D4000 per day per card from 19 November 2016 onwards. Can I withdraw cash against a cheque? Yes, you can withdraw cash against a withdrawal slip or cheque subject to a ceiling of D10,000 in a day within an overall limit of D20,000 in a week (including withdrawals from ATMs) for the first fortnight, i.e. upto 24 November 2016. Can I deposit withdrawn notes through ATMs, cash deposit machines or cash recyclers? Yes, high denomination notes can be deposited in cash deposits machines/cash recyclers. Can I make use of electronic (NEFT/RTGS/IMPS/Internet Banking/Mobile banking etc.) mode? You can use NEFT/RTGS/IMPS/Internet Banking/Mobile Banking or any other electronic/non-cash mode of payment. How much time do I have to exchange the notes? The scheme closes on 30 December 2016. High denomination banknotes can be exchanged at branches of commercial banks, regional rural banks, urban cooperative banks, state cooperative banks and RBI till 30 December 2016. For those who are unable to exchange their banknotes on or before December 30, 2016, an opportunity will be given to do so at specified offices of RBI, along with necessary documentation as may be specified by the RBI. I am right now not in India, what should I do? You may authorise in writing enabling another person in India to deposit the notes into your bank account. The person so authorised has to come to the bank branch with the old high denomination banknotes, the authority letter given by you and a valid identity proof. I am an NRI and hold an NRO account. Can the exchange value be deposited in my account? Yes, you can deposit the OHD banknotes to your NRO account. I am a foreign tourist, I have these notes. What should I do? You can purchase foreign exchange equivalent to Rs 5000 using OHD notes at airport exchange counters within 72 hours after the notification, provided you present proof of purchasing the OHD notes. I have emergency needs of cash (hospitalisation, travel, life saving medicines) then what I should do? You can use the OHD notes for paying for your hospitalisation charges at government hospitals, for purchasing bus tickets at government bus stands for travel by state government or state PSU buses, train tickets at railway stations, and air tickets at airports, within 72 hours after the notification. What is proof of identity? Valid identity proof is any of the following: Aadhaar card, driving licence, voter ID card, passport, NREGA card, PAN card, identity card issued by a government department, public sector unit to its staff. Where can I get more information on this scheme? Further information is available at the RBI website (www.rbi.org.in) If I have a problem, whom should I approach? You may approach the control room of RBI by email or on telephone nos 022 22602201/022 22602944.
Aishik Chanda By

Express News Service

KOLKATA: Amid the hullabaloo over the sudden demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000

currency notes, fake Rs 10 denomination coins from Bangladesh have silently crept into the markets of Kolkata and other south Bengal districts.

A counterfeit Rs 10 coin is in circulation that has numerical 10 written in the

centre of the silver plate, 15 markings on the top in the golden domain and two bars on the top and below of the Ashoka pillar on the backside of the coin. These fake coins come through Malda border from Bangladesh, a senior police official of Kolkata police told Express.



An official of Salboni mint, where currency notes are printed, cleared the confusion. The original Rs 10 coin has 10 written in the intermittent region of silver and golden concentric circles. Also, it has exactly 10 markings on the top of the coin in the bronze region, he said.



However, general public are not taking any chance and are altogether refusing to accept the Rs 10 coins. Bus conductors or fish sellers are not accepting any Rs 10 coin. What should I do with all the Rs 10 coins that I have? Most of them are original, said Ashish Deb, a marketer in Esplanade area in central Kolkata.



Even commuters at major railway station Howrah refused to accept the Rs 10 coins as change from the booking counters.

How do I check each and every Rs 10 coin during the rush hour? When commuters say that the Rs 10 coin is fake and refuse to accept, I have to give them Rs 10 notes, said Sutapa Mondal, a railway ticket counter operator at Howrah station.



Meanwhile, Bengalis throughout Kolkata and other parts of the state faced problems as petrol pumps and railway counters failed to cope up with their tactic of getting the bigger currencies exchanged for smaller ones.



Bangladesh nationals who had come to Kolkata for medical treatment with Indian currency in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes also staggered with shock and grief over the situation. I had got Rs 50,000 in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from Benapole border. What should I do with them if people refuse to accept them? How can I return home? asked Shamsul Rahman, a resident of Jessore,121 km from Kolkata but on the other side of international border, at SSKM hospital here.

KOLKATA: Amid the hullabaloo over the sudden demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, fake Rs 10 denomination coins from Bangladesh have silently crept into the markets of Kolkata and other south Bengal districts. A counterfeit Rs 10 coin is in circulation that has numerical 10 written in the centre of the silver plate, 15 markings on the top in the golden domain and two bars on the top and below of the Ashoka pillar on the backside of the coin. These fake coins come through Malda border from Bangladesh, a senior police official of Kolkata police told Express. An official of Salboni mint, where currency notes are printed, cleared the confusion. The original Rs 10 coin has 10 written in the intermittent region of silver and golden concentric circles. Also, it has exactly 10 markings on the top of the coin in the bronze region, he said. However, general public are not taking any chance and are altogether refusing to accept the Rs 10 coins. Bus conductors or fish sellers are not accepting any Rs 10 coin. What should I do with all the Rs 10 coins that I have? Most of them are original, said Ashish Deb, a marketer in Esplanade area in central Kolkata. Even commuters at major railway station Howrah refused to accept the Rs 10 coins as change from the booking counters. How do I check each and every Rs 10 coin during the rush hour? When commuters say that the Rs 10 coin is fake and refuse to accept, I have to give them Rs 10 notes, said Sutapa Mondal, a railway ticket counter operator at Howrah station. Meanwhile, Bengalis throughout Kolkata and other parts of the state faced problems as petrol pumps and railway counters failed to cope up with their tactic of getting the bigger currencies exchanged for smaller ones. Bangladesh nationals who had come to Kolkata for medical treatment with Indian currency in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes also staggered with shock and grief over the situation. I had got Rs 50,000 in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from Benapole border. What should I do with them if people refuse to accept them? How can I return home? asked Shamsul Rahman, a resident of Jessore,121 km from Kolkata but on the other side of international border, at SSKM hospital here.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Wednesday accused the Congress of spreading misinformation with mala Fide intention on the decision of the NDA government at the Centre to denotify the old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000. The BJP claimed that the Congress had ruled the country on the might of black money and institutionalizing the spread of unaccounted money.

That the Congress claims that the people in the rural areas and farmers, in particular, will face inconveniences are completely unfounded. The agricultural income is income tax-free and the farmers can freely go to any bank branch in their areas to exchange their old notes. The Prime Minister has already clarified that honest people will not face any kind of inconvenience and robust arrangements have been put in place, said Gopal Krishna Agarwal, the BJP leader who is a points-person for economic issues.

The BJP also stated that 80 per cent people in the country are happy and only those who have ill-gotten cash are worried and spreading misinformation. The decision of the Prime Minister will be a legacy for the future generation that a government took such a decisive step against unaccounted and black money. The political class and the bureaucracy amass the black money and the decision to denotify the old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 will hurt them the most, added Agarwal.

The BJP maintained that the government decision was already in the public domain as the economists had been discussing the option to do away with these notes as a way to hit the black money hard. The Congress is largely making attempts to confuse people on the landmark initiative. The apprehensions expressed by the Congress have already been addressed and carried by the Prime Minister and Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, said Agarwal.

Meanwhile, the BJP veteran L K Advani showered fulsome praise on the Prime Minister for bold step against black money. Incidentally, Advani had attempted to make black money an election issue in 2009 in which he was the Prime Ministerial candidate of the NDA. Prime Minister Narendra has given an effective direction to the need to establish an accountable and transparent democratic system which is sensitive to the common man and free from corruption. I congratulate Modi for the bold and decisive step, said Advani in a media statement.

Another BJP patriarch Murli Manohar Joshi also lauded the Prime Minister "blitzkrieg on the unaccounted money". He stated that the government decision against black money is bold and timely. It

should be supported in full despite short-term inconveniences. It is a right step for making India corruption free," Joshi added.



NEW DELHI: The BJP on Wednesday accused the Congress of spreading misinformation with mala Fide intention on the decision of the NDA government at the Centre to denotify the old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000. The BJP claimed that the Congress had ruled the country on the might of black money and institutionalizing the spread of unaccounted money. That the Congress claims that the people in the rural areas and farmers, in particular, will face inconveniences are completely unfounded. The agricultural income is income tax-free and the farmers can freely go to any bank branch in their areas to exchange their old notes. The Prime Minister has already clarified that honest people will not face any kind of inconvenience and robust arrangements have been put in place, said Gopal Krishna Agarwal, the BJP leader who is a points-person for economic issues. The BJP also stated that 80 per cent people in the country are happy and only those who have ill-gotten cash are worried and spreading misinformation. The decision of the Prime Minister will be a legacy for the future generation that a government took such a decisive step against unaccounted and black money. The political class and the bureaucracy amass the black money and the decision to denotify the old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 will hurt them the most, added Agarwal. The BJP maintained that the government decision was already in the public domain as the economists had been discussing the option to do away with these notes as a way to hit the black money hard. The Congress is largely making attempts to confuse people on the landmark initiative. The apprehensions expressed by the Congress have already been addressed and carried by the Prime Minister and Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, said Agarwal. Meanwhile, the BJP veteran L K Advani showered fulsome praise on the Prime Minister for bold step against black money. Incidentally, Advani had attempted to make black money an election issue in 2009 in which he was the Prime Ministerial candidate of the NDA. Prime Minister Narendra has given an effective direction to the need to establish an accountable and transparent democratic system which is sensitive to the common man and free from corruption. I congratulate Modi for the bold and decisive step, said Advani in a media statement. Another BJP patriarch Murli Manohar Joshi also lauded the Prime Minister "blitzkrieg on the unaccounted money". He stated that the government decision against black money is bold and timely. It should be supported in full despite short-term inconveniences. It is a right step for making India corruption free," Joshi added.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Finance Ministry will monitor the transition process of removing Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency from the circulation and introduction of new Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes. Control room will be set up in RBI and Finance Ministry to monitor situation, said Shaktikanta Das, Secretary Department of economic Affairs.

New notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2000 with greater security features and design will be circulated from November 10. Das also informed Rs 500 notes circulation is up 76 per cent from 2011 to 2016 and Rs 1000 notes by 109 per cent as against 40 per cent rise in all currency notes.

Urjit Patel, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) addressing a press conference after speech by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighted that RBI had been working on the expected demand for the new currency notes. The new notes will be released in phased manner, said Urjit Patel, RBI. The new currency notes have strong security features and will act as a major deterrent for those for copying the notes.

The industry was appreciative of the move with caution. This is an extremely bold move by the Prime Minister and will have a debilitating impact on the parallel economy in the country as well as deal a body blow to terror financing, said Harshavardhan Neotia, President, FICCI. He added there could be some inconvenience for a few days.

However, we are sure that government and RBI will take adequate measures to ensure the transition happens smoothly, he said. Demonetizing high denomination notes can be an effective means of checking accumulation of wealth in cash. The government has taken a measure aimed at the heart of the black cash economy, Dr Naushad Forbes, President, CII said.

NEW DELHI: The Finance Ministry will monitor the transition process of removing Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency from the circulation and introduction of new Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes. Control room will be set up in RBI and Finance Ministry to monitor situation, said Shaktikanta Das, Secretary Department of economic Affairs. New notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2000 with greater security features and design will be circulated from November 10. Das also informed Rs 500 notes circulation is up 76 per cent from 2011 to 2016 and Rs 1000 notes by 109 per cent as against 40 per cent rise in all currency notes. Urjit Patel, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) addressing a press conference after speech by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighted that RBI had been working on the expected demand for the new currency notes. The new notes will be released in phased manner, said Urjit Patel, RBI. The new currency notes have strong security features and will act as a major deterrent for those for copying the notes. The industry was appreciative of the move with caution. This is an extremely bold move by the Prime Minister and will have a debilitating impact on the parallel economy in the country as well as deal a body blow to terror financing, said Harshavardhan Neotia, President, FICCI. He added there could be some inconvenience for a few days. However, we are sure that government and RBI will take adequate measures to ensure the transition happens smoothly, he said. Demonetizing high denomination notes can be an effective means of checking accumulation of wealth in cash. The government has taken a measure aimed at the heart of the black cash economy, Dr Naushad Forbes, President, CII said.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: To deal with the chaos at toll plazas arising out of the government's junking Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, the government today suspended fee collection on all booths at National Highways till the midnight of November 11.

 We have issued instructions to suspend collection of fees on all toll plazas on National Highways till November 11 midnight, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said here.

The government, he said, had earlier decided that the withdrawn Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would be accepted at plazas till November 11 midnight but that led to chaos in the absence of adequate change, causing traffic jams.

 We reviewed the situation and decided to suspend the collection of fees, the minister said.

On being asked as to how the government plans to tackle the loss arising out of the non-collection of fee, Gadkari said government will bear it.

As per an official statement, Instructions in this regard are being issued to all the concessionaires including BOT, OMT operators and other fee collection agencies.

It said, The decision has been taken in order to avoid difficulties that may be faced by the highway users following instructions by the Ministry of Finance yesterday that currency notes of the denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 will no longer be legal tender from 12.00 am today.

Earlier in the day, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Chairman Raghav Chandra had taken up the matter with the Prime Minister's Office after being flooded by calls from states over the grim situation at toll plazas.

 Several Chief Secretaries including Chief Secretaries of Haryana and Gujarat besides commuters contacted us about the situation. Many travelers narrated their plights, he said.

NHAI, he added, was monitoring the situation so that commuters are able to travel without any inconvenience.

NEW DELHI: To deal with the chaos at toll plazas arising out of the government's junking Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, the government today suspended fee collection on all booths at National Highways till the midnight of November 11. We have issued instructions to suspend collection of fees on all toll plazas on National Highways till November 11 midnight, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said here. The government, he said, had earlier decided that the withdrawn Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would be accepted at plazas till November 11 midnight but that led to chaos in the absence of adequate change, causing traffic jams. We reviewed the situation and decided to suspend the collection of fees, the minister said. On being asked as to how the government plans to tackle the loss arising out of the non-collection of fee, Gadkari said government will bear it. As per an official statement, Instructions in this regard are being issued to all the concessionaires including BOT, OMT operators and other fee collection agencies. It said, The decision has been taken in order to avoid difficulties that may be faced by the highway users following instructions by the Ministry of Finance yesterday that currency notes of the denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 will no longer be legal tender from 12.00 am today. Earlier in the day, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Chairman Raghav Chandra had taken up the matter with the Prime Minister's Office after being flooded by calls from states over the grim situation at toll plazas. Several Chief Secretaries including Chief Secretaries of Haryana and Gujarat besides commuters contacted us about the situation. Many travelers narrated their plights, he said. NHAI, he added, was monitoring the situation so that commuters are able to travel without any inconvenience.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Donald Trump's victory as the 45th US President will not affect India's military relations with the US, but has defense experts in the national capital believe they must wait for Trump's policy on multilateral engagement.

Naval sources have voiced apprehensions over multilateral naval exercises between US, India and Japan.

However, military experts believe that Trump's staunch stance on terrorism could deepen Indo-US defence and strategic ties after Trump expressed concern over Pakistan's nuclear arsenal and its support to harbor terrorism on its soil.

Moreover, military analysts say ties between US and Russia are expected to flourish, a good sign for India which has strong defence and strategic relations with Russia.

The Ministry of defence last year spent nearly 84,000 crore to import defence items from American companies including C-130J super Hercules, P8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft, Harpoon anti-sumbarine missiles and the C-17 Heavylift transport aircraft. India been trying to procure 22 Apache attack helicopters along with 15 heavylift Chinook helicopters for the Indian Air Force.

Alexander Gray, a senior military adviser and author of several of the ambitious defence policies of Donald Trump told a news agency that "Trump Administration would attempt to strengthen the defence side where it shares so much common ground with India. At a time when Indias foreign policy is changing because of China and Pakistan, because of Islamic terrorism, we need to be there to greet them with open arms. I think, the Trump Administration is ready to do that, giving an insight into a possible Indian possibility under Trump's administration.

NEW DELHI: Donald Trump's victory as the 45th US President will not affect India's military relations with the US, but has defense experts in the national capital believe they must wait for Trump's policy on multilateral engagement. Naval sources have voiced apprehensions over multilateral naval exercises between US, India and Japan. However, military experts believe that Trump's staunch stance on terrorism could deepen Indo-US defence and strategic ties after Trump expressed concern over Pakistan's nuclear arsenal and its support to harbor terrorism on its soil. Moreover, military analysts say ties between US and Russia are expected to flourish, a good sign for India which has strong defence and strategic relations with Russia. The Ministry of defence last year spent nearly 84,000 crore to import defence items from American companies including C-130J super Hercules, P8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft, Harpoon anti-sumbarine missiles and the C-17 Heavylift transport aircraft. India been trying to procure 22 Apache attack helicopters along with 15 heavylift Chinook helicopters for the Indian Air Force. Alexander Gray, a senior military adviser and author of several of the ambitious defence policies of Donald Trump told a news agency that "Trump Administration would attempt to strengthen the defence side where it shares so much common ground with India. At a time when Indias foreign policy is changing because of China and Pakistan, because of Islamic terrorism, we need to be there to greet them with open arms. I think, the Trump Administration is ready to do that, giving an insight into a possible Indian possibility under Trump's administration.
The India Center staff By

Express News Service

Now that American voters have selected a new president, Donald Trump, whats next?

As they put behind them what many call the most contentious, disruptive, tedious and unusual election of their lifetimes, Americans want to know: How will the incoming Trump administration handle the nations business? That includes Washingtons relationship with New Delhi.

Why India? Because, in addition to being the worlds most-populous democracy and a rising power, India is increasingly a global leader of consequence in the 21st century, analysts say. The relationship with the United States is a key part of the still-evolving story. Consider the perspective of former ambassador Teresita Schaffer, a non-resident senior fellow for The India Project at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. In a recently co-authored book, India at the Global High Table, she points out that U.S.-India relations went from being thin and disagreeable to acquiring major importance and warmth for both sides. That happened in a relatively short period of time. One of the forces contributing to the drawing together of the two countries is the Indian-American community.

Half the battle is garnering attention, Schaffer says. What helps provide that attention? For one thing, she notes, the presence of Indian-Americans in some elective and many appointive offices, although the appointees dont necessarily drive policy. The India-U.S. relationship is one that is high maintenance, Schaffer adds, which means high-level attention is required on both sides.

Attentive campaign-watchers noticed that Trump paid increasing attention to Indian-Americans as the race was drawing to a close. He made presentations to Indian-Americans; released a television

advertisement that talked about India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in glowing terms; spoke some words of Hindi using his version of Modis own campaign slogan  Ab ki bar Trump sarkar  or This time, a Trump government; and arranged for his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to celebrate Diwali at a Hindu temple in Virginia. Those types of gestures prompted Shekhar Tiwari, a long-time supporter of Republicans, to exude: Democrats talk good about India. Republicans do good about India. Trump is in a solid position to make relations with India more important and warmer, analysts suggest. The president-elect is not as well-known in India as Hillary Clinton, says Lisa Curtis, a senior research fellow at the Asian Studies Center of the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C.

But his presidency will almost certainly attach high value to maintaining and growing Indo-U.S. ties, she says. Curtis acknowledges that Trump is more of a wild card than Clinton, but also that he has made some positive statements about India on the campaign trail. Attitudes among Indians are mixed, with some fretting about Trumps stance on immigration and others celebrating the possibility that hell be tough on terrorism, analysts say. The bottom line is that observers of Indo-U.S. relations shouldnt expect the two countries interaction to be uniformly friendly under Donald Trump or any U.S. president.

The factors affecting the relationship are varied, Schaffer explains, drawing on her diplomatic experience at the U.S. embassy in New Delhi and service as deputy assistant secretary of state for the Near East and South Asia. India has its own motivations and interests. Also, big powers dont and cant always agree.

In India at the Global High Table, Schaffer describes the drivers of Indias foreign policy as: reaching for primacy in its region; charting its own global course; tapping its economic potential to the fullest; and promoting the exceptionalism that stems from Indias pride in its ancient civilization. Some of those goals will result in closer relations with the United States.

For example, if India does pursue a bigger international leadership role during Trumps presidency, its policies will likely become more interdependent with those of the United States and other countries. Its also important to take into consideration how Indias own actions will shape the relationship, including the vigorous pursuit of closer ties by Modi, analysts say.

He has visited the United States four times, and invested far more effort in Indo-U.S. relations than most Indians would have imagined. At the same time, there are tricky aspects of the U.S.-India relationship, Schaffer says, including the impact of the confidence each of them has in the moral superiority of its political system.

The two countries like to think of themselves as unique, she states, and believe they have a right, even an obligation, to seek the good of humankind. To highlight her perspective, Schaffer references an Indian journalist who made this comment to her years ago: We are two such preachy peoples. The self-righteousness that each sees in the other has frequently been an impediment in the relationship, Schaffer says.

Despite the possibility of such hiccups going forward, the Indo-U.S. relationship  on balance  appears headed toward a more-comfortable, smoother ride under Donald Trump. The extent of his interest in and involvement with India and Indian-Americans may be relatively new, but he is expected to reach out to India in a positive fashion. For the moment, though, observers must wait for the proving ground of the first 100 days of Trumps presidency for early signs of what will actually happen.

(This article is a collective effort by multiple staff members with The India Center

at UCF.)

Now that American voters have selected a new president, Donald Trump, whats next? As they put behind them what many call the most contentious, disruptive, tedious and unusual election of their lifetimes, Americans want to know: How will the incoming Trump administration handle the nations business? That includes Washingtons relationship with New Delhi. Why India? Because, in addition to being the worlds most-populous democracy and a rising power, India is increasingly a global leader of consequence in the 21st century, analysts say. The relationship with the United States is a key part of the still-evolving story. Consider the perspective of former ambassador Teresita Schaffer, a non-resident senior fellow for The India Project at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. In a recently co-authored book, India at the Global High Table, she points out that U.S.-India relations went from being thin and disagreeable to acquiring major importance and warmth for both sides. That happened in a relatively short period of time. One of the forces contributing to the drawing together of the two countries is the Indian-American community. Half the battle is garnering attention, Schaffer says. What helps provide that attention? For one thing, she notes, the presence of Indian-Americans in some elective and many appointive offices, although the appointees dont necessarily drive policy. The India-U.S. relationship is one that is high maintenance, Schaffer adds, which means high-level attention is required on both sides. Attentive campaign-watchers noticed that Trump paid increasing attention to Indian-Americans as the race was drawing to a close. He made presentations to Indian-Americans; released a television advertisement that talked about India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in glowing terms; spoke some words of Hindi using his version of Modis own campaign slogan  Ab ki bar Trump sarkar  or This time, a Trump government; and arranged for his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to celebrate Diwali at a Hindu temple in Virginia. Those types of gestures prompted Shekhar Tiwari, a long-time supporter of Republicans, to exude: Democrats talk good about India. Republicans do good about India. Trump is in a solid position to make relations with India more important and warmer, analysts suggest. The president-elect is not as well-known in India as Hillary Clinton, says Lisa Curtis, a senior research fellow at the Asian Studies Center of the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. But his presidency will almost certainly attach high value to maintaining and growing Indo-U.S. ties, she says. Curtis acknowledges that Trump is more of a wild card than Clinton, but also that he has made some positive statements about India on the campaign trail. Attitudes among Indians are mixed, with some fretting about Trumps stance on immigration and others celebrating the possibility that hell be tough on terrorism, analysts say. The bottom line is that observers of Indo-U.S. relations shouldnt expect the two countries interaction to be uniformly friendly under Donald Trump or any U.S. president. The factors affecting the relationship are varied, Schaffer explains, drawing on her diplomatic experience at the U.S. embassy in New Delhi and service as deputy assistant secretary of state for the Near East and South Asia. India has its own motivations and interests. Also, big powers dont and cant always agree. In India at the Global High Table, Schaffer describes the drivers of Indias foreign policy as: reaching for primacy in its region; charting its own global course; tapping its economic potential to the fullest; and promoting the exceptionalism that stems from Indias pride in its ancient civilization. Some of those goals will result in closer relations with the United States. For example, if India does pursue a bigger international leadership role during Trumps presidency, its policies will likely become more interdependent with those of the United States and other countries. Its also important to take into consideration how Indias own actions will shape the relationship, including the vigorous pursuit of closer ties by Modi, analysts say. He has visited the United States four times, and invested far more effort in Indo-U.S. relations than most Indians would have imagined. At the same time, there are tricky aspects of the U.S.-India relationship, Schaffer says, including the impact of the confidence each of them has in the moral superiority of its political system. The two countries like to think of themselves as unique, she states, and believe they have a right, even an obligation, to seek the good of humankind. To highlight her perspective, Schaffer references an Indian journalist who made this comment to her years ago: We are two such preachy peoples. The self-righteousness that each sees in the other has frequently been an impediment in the relationship, Schaffer says. Despite the possibility of such hiccups going forward, the Indo-U.S. relationship  on balance  appears headed toward a more-comfortable, smoother ride under Donald Trump. The extent of his interest in and involvement with India and Indian-Americans may be relatively new, but he is expected to reach out to India in a positive fashion. For the moment, though, observers must wait for the proving ground of the first 100 days of Trumps presidency for early signs of what will actually happen. (This article is a collective effort by multiple staff members with The India Center at UCF.)
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Republican candidate Donald Trump on winning the US Presidential elections on Monday. He also hoped that the two countries will work together to take the bilateral relations to new heights.

"We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign," Modi tweeted to Trump after he was won the elections.

Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on being elected as the 45th US President.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign, @realDonaldTrump.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height. @realDonaldTrump  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

The Prime Minister also stated that he was looking forward to work with him. "We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height," Modi tweeted.

The senior BJP leader Ram Madhav, who was reportedly closely observing the US Presidential elections, noted that the Republicans would have a strong command over both the Houses. "With both House and Senate solidly behind him packed with Republicans, Trump will have a field day for next four years in US politics," said Madhav. The BJP leader also took potshots at the media, saying there is a disconnect between what's written and the aspirations of the people.

Another senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramaniam Swamy hailed the victory of Trump. "Sometimes, issues stir people up. Like the Hindutva issue in 2014, similar reasons are at play in the US today, Swamy states. He denounced the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, saying she was compromised by Pakistan". He claimed that Trump is committed to fighting Islamic terror.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Republican candidate Donald Trump on winning the US Presidential elections on Monday. He also hoped that the two countries will work together to take the bilateral relations to new heights. "We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign," Modi tweeted to Trump after he was won the elections. Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on being elected as the 45th US President.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016 We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign, @realDonaldTrump.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016 We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height. @realDonaldTrump  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016 The Prime Minister also stated that he was looking forward to work with him. "We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height," Modi tweeted. The senior BJP leader Ram Madhav, who was reportedly closely observing the US Presidential elections, noted that the Republicans would have a strong command over both the Houses. "With both House and Senate solidly behind him packed with Republicans, Trump will have a field day for next four years in US politics," said Madhav. The BJP leader also took potshots at the media, saying there is a disconnect between what's written and the aspirations of the people. Another senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramaniam Swamy hailed the victory of Trump. "Sometimes, issues stir people up. Like the Hindutva issue in 2014, similar reasons are at play in the US today, Swamy states. He denounced the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, saying she was compromised by Pakistan". He claimed that Trump is committed to fighting Islamic terror.
By Express News Service

In one fell swoop, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sucked the black money and counterfeit currency out of circulation in India by demonetising Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, saying they were lubricating terror ops; announces timeline for phasing out banned notes

NEW DELHI: It was a surgical strike on black money, and thereby on corruption, fake currency and funds for terrorism. Addressing the nation late on Tuesday evening Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would not be used starting midnight. Stating the move was essential in the fight against black money, Modi said the public could deposit their old notes at banks or post office accounts till December 30.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

addressing the nation on the recall

of C500 and C1,000 denominations

| Express

We want to take this fight against corruption further ahead, Modi said, requesting the public to help make the move successful. The Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will not be legal tender from Tuesday midnight. These will be just worthless piece of paper, he said. Assuring people that the move will not result in people losing their money, he said that the step will strengthen the hands of the common man in the fight against black money. To minimise the inconvenience caused, the government decided to give a linger extention for essential services like hospitals, railway reservations, airports and petrol pumps. These services will continue to accept the old denominations for the next 72 hours, but will have to maintain strict records.

Throughout his entire address to the nation, the Prime Minister kept reiterating that these decisions would fully protect the interests of honest and hard-working citizens. He also said that notes hoarded by anti-national and anti-social elements would now become worthless pieces of paper. There is a need for a decisive war against the menace of corruption, black money and terrorism which are festering wounds that make the country hollow from within. These are the activities that hold back our nations progress, he said. Describing illegal financial activities as the biggest blot, Modi said that despite several steps taken by his government over the last two-and-a-half years, Indias global ranking on corruption had moved only to 76th position from 100th earlier.

This shows the extent of the web of corruption in the country. The disease of corruption is the domain of some people who are flourishing. Some people have misused their positions and benefitted. On the other hand, honest people are suffering, he said. The Prime Minister added the steps taken by the Government would strengthen the hands of the common citizens in the fight against corruption, black money and counterfeit notes.

On black moneys link to terrorism, Modi said that enemies from across the border were running their operations using fake currency notes. This has been going on for many years. Many times, those using fake Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes have been caught and many such notes have been seized, he said. Those unable to deposit their old notes by December 30, can approach specified offices of the RBI up to March 31, 2017 and deposit the notes after submitting a declaration form, the Prime Minister added.

Officials said there were 6.7 billion pieces of Rs 1000 notes in circulation and 16.5 billion pieces of Rs 500. Bankers and industry leaders welcomed the move as a bold and revolutionary step. We will strive to restock ATMs at the earliest and make them operational, SBI Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya said.

KEY POINTERS:

Rs 500 , Rs 1,000 notes out of circulation

Rs 2,000 , Rs 500 new notes to be released from Nov 10

30 December last date to deposit old notes

72 hours key services like hospitals, petrol pumps, railway reservations, airports and crematoriums will accept old notes

In one fell swoop, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sucked the black money and counterfeit currency out of circulation in India by demonetising Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, saying they were lubricating terror ops; announces timeline for phasing out banned notes NEW DELHI: It was a surgical strike on black money, and thereby on corruption, fake currency and funds for terrorism. Addressing the nation late on Tuesday evening Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would not be used starting midnight. Stating the move was essential in the fight against black money, Modi said the public could deposit their old notes at banks or post office accounts till December 30. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the nation on the recall of C500 and C1,000 denominations | ExpressWe want to take this fight against corruption further ahead, Modi said, requesting the public to help make the move successful. The Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will not be legal tender from Tuesday midnight. These will be just worthless piece of paper, he said. Assuring people that the move will not result in people losing their money, he said that the step will strengthen the hands of the common man in the fight against black money. To minimise the inconvenience caused, the government decided to give a linger extention for essential services like hospitals, railway reservations, airports and petrol pumps. These services will continue to accept the old denominations for the next 72 hours, but will have to maintain strict records. Throughout his entire address to the nation, the Prime Minister kept reiterating that these decisions would fully protect the interests of honest and hard-working citizens. He also said that notes hoarded by anti-national and anti-social elements would now become worthless pieces of paper. There is a need for a decisive war against the menace of corruption, black money and terrorism which are festering wounds that make the country hollow from within. These are the activities that hold back our nations progress, he said. Describing illegal financial activities as the biggest blot, Modi said that despite several steps taken by his government over the last two-and-a-half years, Indias global ranking on corruption had moved only to 76th position from 100th earlier. This shows the extent of the web of corruption in the country. The disease of corruption is the domain of some people who are flourishing. Some people have misused their positions and benefitted. On the other hand, honest people are suffering, he said. The Prime Minister added the steps taken by the Government would strengthen the hands of the common citizens in the fight against corruption, black money and counterfeit notes. On black moneys link to terrorism, Modi said that enemies from across the border were running their operations using fake currency notes. This has been going on for many years. Many times, those using fake Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes have been caught and many such notes have been seized, he said. Those unable to deposit their old notes by December 30, can approach specified offices of the RBI up to March 31, 2017 and deposit the notes after submitting a declaration form, the Prime Minister added. Officials said there were 6.7 billion pieces of Rs 1000 notes in circulation and 16.5 billion pieces of Rs 500. Bankers and industry leaders welcomed the move as a bold and revolutionary step. We will strive to restock ATMs at the earliest and make them operational, SBI Chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya said. KEY POINTERS: Rs 500 , Rs 1,000 notes out of circulation Rs 2,000 , Rs 500 new notes to be released from Nov 10 30 December last date to deposit old notes 72 hours key services like hospitals, petrol pumps, railway reservations, airports and crematoriums will accept old notes
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Stating that demonetization of high-value currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 will give a body blow to fake currency circulation, terror financing and corruption, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said the move will render the printing press in Pakistan involved in counterfeits jobless.



"The printing press in Karachi and Peshawar will now be jobless due to demonetization of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes," he told reporters here.



The Minister of State for Home said fake currency note has become one of the major headaches for security agencies till now.



On a question on the quantum of fake currency circulation in the Indian economy, the minister said there are a lot of variations in the estimates by various agencies. The quantity of fake currency in circulation is huge....I cannot give a figure, he said.



To root out corruption, black money must be checked. Prime Minister Narendra Modis bold step will help strengthen both national and economic security.



Modi last night announced the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes/.



High-quality Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) seized in India and its neighborhood originate only from Pakistan which has created a self-sustaining syndicate in the South and South East Asian region for infusing counterfeit notes into the country. Pakistan often uses third country bases for shipping the fake notes including from Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates, according to reports with the Union Home Ministry official.

NEW DELHI: Stating that demonetization of high-value currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 will give a body blow to fake currency circulation, terror financing and corruption, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said the move will render the printing press in Pakistan involved in counterfeits jobless. "The printing press in Karachi and Peshawar will now be jobless due to demonetization of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes," he told reporters here. The Minister of State for Home said fake currency note has become one of the major headaches for security agencies till now. On a question on the quantum of fake currency circulation in the Indian economy, the minister said there are a lot of variations in the estimates by various agencies. The quantity of fake currency in circulation is huge....I cannot give a figure, he said. To root out corruption, black money must be checked. Prime Minister Narendra Modis bold step will help strengthen both national and economic security. Modi last night announced the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes/. High-quality Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) seized in India and its neighborhood originate only from Pakistan which has created a self-sustaining syndicate in the South and South East Asian region for infusing counterfeit notes into the country. Pakistan often uses third country bases for shipping the fake notes including from Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates, according to reports with the Union Home Ministry official.
By Express News Service

PATNA: The ban on currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000, though supported by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, made the ordinary people in the state face several difficulties on Wednesday as a number of hospitals refused to accept these currency notes and fuel stations refused to sell fuel for prices less than Rs 500 or Rs 1,000.

I welcome and support this decision, said Kumar, who is also the national president of JD(U), about the ban on the currency notes announced by prime minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening.

People may face some inconvenience in the beginning, but considering everything about it, this decision would produce positive results, he added.

Kumars praise for the demonetization of the two high-value currency notes sprang a surprise as the Bihar CM is known as one of Modi's most outspoken critics.

Deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav, however, was not as forthcoming as Kumar in support of the demonetization move. "While this seems useful, the government should put in place elaborate and foolproof mechanism in order to ensure the people do not face hindrances in their routine transactions," said Yadav.

The demonetization drive, while it drew massive public support across Bihar, thousands of people in the state's 38 districts complained of facing trouble as the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes they had failed to purchase essential goods and services for them.

"Most hospitals in Patna, both private and government, refuse to accept these notes from the people. Medicine shops are simply refusing to sell anything to people carrying notes of the two denominations. It's weird because the government's appeal has been misunderstood by a large section of the trading community," said Manoj Kumar, a BA student in Patna.

An emotionally distressing scene was witnessed in Madhepura district when a young man was turned away by many clothes shops when he approached them with a Rs 500 note to buy a pall for his dead mother before her funeral. The man finally got the new cloth when a generous shopkeeper gifted it to him.

Petrol and fuel refilling stations in Patna and almost all district headquarters towns were reportedly asking people to either buy fuel for "round figures" of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 or return without buying any fuel.

PATNA: The ban on currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000, though supported by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, made the ordinary people in the state face several difficulties on Wednesday as a number of hospitals refused to accept these currency notes and fuel stations refused to sell fuel for prices less than Rs 500 or Rs 1,000. I welcome and support this decision, said Kumar, who is also the national president of JD(U), about the ban on the currency notes announced by prime minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening. People may face some inconvenience in the beginning, but considering everything about it, this decision would produce positive results, he added. Kumars praise for the demonetization of the two high-value currency notes sprang a surprise as the Bihar CM is known as one of Modi's most outspoken critics. Deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav, however, was not as forthcoming as Kumar in support of the demonetization move. "While this seems useful, the government should put in place elaborate and foolproof mechanism in order to ensure the people do not face hindrances in their routine transactions," said Yadav. The demonetization drive, while it drew massive public support across Bihar, thousands of people in the state's 38 districts complained of facing trouble as the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes they had failed to purchase essential goods and services for them. "Most hospitals in Patna, both private and government, refuse to accept these notes from the people. Medicine shops are simply refusing to sell anything to people carrying notes of the two denominations. It's weird because the government's appeal has been misunderstood by a large section of the trading community," said Manoj Kumar, a BA student in Patna. An emotionally distressing scene was witnessed in Madhepura district when a young man was turned away by many clothes shops when he approached them with a Rs 500 note to buy a pall for his dead mother before her funeral. The man finally got the new cloth when a generous shopkeeper gifted it to him. Petrol and fuel refilling stations in Patna and almost all district headquarters towns were reportedly asking people to either buy fuel for "round figures" of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 or return without buying any fuel.
By Express News Service

PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar began his Nischay Yatra (Tour of Resolve) on Wednesday from West Champaran district and made an impassioned appeal to Bihars people, especially women, at a massive rally to help make the implementation of prohibition in the state historically successful. The main Opposition BJP appeared jittery over Kumars rally.

Addressing the rally at Bettiah, headquarters town of the northern district from where Mahatma Gandhi had begun his iconic campaign for social reform and Indias independence from British colonial rule a hundred years ago, an effusive Kumar claimed prohibition has brought about numerous benefits for Bihars people in the past seven months since its implementation.

As high as Rs 10,000 crore used to be spent by the people on consumption of alcoholic liquor. Now that much money is being saved. Since April, the sale of milk has gone up by 11 per cent in Bihar. Also the sale of sweets, honey and other eatables has gone up considerably, said Kumar, who was accompanied by deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav.

Critics are saying the prohibition law is not workable and so it should be scrapped. They are repeatedly saying so instead of offering feedback or suggestions. But we will implement the law in the strongest manner... We will not allow smuggling of liquor inside the state and the likely entry of inter-state smuggling gangs. I appeal to women to inform the authorities about alcohol consumption in their area and to take alcoholics to deaddiction centres, added Kumar.

He reminded women, who formed the bulk of the audience at the rally christened Chetna Rally (awareness rally), that it was on a call from women in July 2015 that he had decided to implement prohibition if elected again. I took oath on November 20 and announced on November 28 that prohibition would be implemented from April 1, said Kumar, arguing that prohibition has remained a success in Bihar in the past seven months.

In Gujarat, where prohibition has been in place since the beginning, calls were made at a massive rally recently for prohibition to be implemented like in Bihar. Now Gujaratis have demanded a strong prohibition law like in Bihar, said Kumar in an oblique critique of BJP, whose leaders have been critical of the prohibition law in Bihar.

During the four-day yatra that would cover four northern districts, Kumar would inspect implementation of rural infrastructure schemes such as piped water connections to homes and construction of toilets.

BJP leaders were vocal in criticising the rationale behind the tour. His (Kumars) seven so-called resolves are eyewash. The state government is seeking credit for schemes of the central government, said Prem Kumar, leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly during a demonstration against the government.

The CM should instead review implementation of schemes for which he had erected foundation stones in Bihars rural areas during his previous nine such tours. The grand alliance government cannot hide its failure by the CMs statewide tours, said senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.

PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar began his Nischay Yatra (Tour of Resolve) on Wednesday from West Champaran district and made an impassioned appeal to Bihars people, especially women, at a massive rally to help make the implementation of prohibition in the state historically successful. The main Opposition BJP appeared jittery over Kumars rally. Addressing the rally at Bettiah, headquarters town of the northern district from where Mahatma Gandhi had begun his iconic campaign for social reform and Indias independence from British colonial rule a hundred years ago, an effusive Kumar claimed prohibition has brought about numerous benefits for Bihars people in the past seven months since its implementation. As high as Rs 10,000 crore used to be spent by the people on consumption of alcoholic liquor. Now that much money is being saved. Since April, the sale of milk has gone up by 11 per cent in Bihar. Also the sale of sweets, honey and other eatables has gone up considerably, said Kumar, who was accompanied by deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav. Critics are saying the prohibition law is not workable and so it should be scrapped. They are repeatedly saying so instead of offering feedback or suggestions. But we will implement the law in the strongest manner... We will not allow smuggling of liquor inside the state and the likely entry of inter-state smuggling gangs. I appeal to women to inform the authorities about alcohol consumption in their area and to take alcoholics to deaddiction centres, added Kumar. He reminded women, who formed the bulk of the audience at the rally christened Chetna Rally (awareness rally), that it was on a call from women in July 2015 that he had decided to implement prohibition if elected again. I took oath on November 20 and announced on November 28 that prohibition would be implemented from April 1, said Kumar, arguing that prohibition has remained a success in Bihar in the past seven months. In Gujarat, where prohibition has been in place since the beginning, calls were made at a massive rally recently for prohibition to be implemented like in Bihar. Now Gujaratis have demanded a strong prohibition law like in Bihar, said Kumar in an oblique critique of BJP, whose leaders have been critical of the prohibition law in Bihar. During the four-day yatra that would cover four northern districts, Kumar would inspect implementation of rural infrastructure schemes such as piped water connections to homes and construction of toilets. BJP leaders were vocal in criticising the rationale behind the tour. His (Kumars) seven so-called resolves are eyewash. The state government is seeking credit for schemes of the central government, said Prem Kumar, leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly during a demonstration against the government. The CM should instead review implementation of schemes for which he had erected foundation stones in Bihars rural areas during his previous nine such tours. The grand alliance government cannot hide its failure by the CMs statewide tours, said senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday blamed former finance minister P. Chidambram for his carelessness allegedly by giving contract for printing notes to a British company which was also printing currency for Pakistan.

Subramanian Swamy told ANI today that the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of demonetisation of Rs. 1000 and Rs. 500 notes was necessary to preserve national security and it would give a complete blow to terrorism.

I welcome the initiative of Narendra Modi because it was necessary for national security. We have to follow up certain steps to eliminate black money.

But, for fighting terrorism, its a death blow because the entire terror financing was done by illegal currency, counterfeit notes, Swamy said.

This all started, when Chidambaram was the finance minister. He gave the contract for printing currency to a British company, De La Rue , in London, and the same company was also printing currency for Pakistan. So, it became easy for Pakistan to get currency papers. All Kashmir agitation was based on the counterfeit currency from Pakistan, he added.

Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday announced demonetization of Rs 500 and 1000 currency notes with effect from midnight, making these notes invalid in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption.

In his televised address to the nation, the Prime Minister said that people holding notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 can deposit the same in their bank and post office accounts from November 10 till December 30.

Following the announcement, there were huge crowds outside ATMs across the country as people lined up to withdraw currency of smaller denominations.

Prime Minister Modi also announced that new notes of Rs 2000 and Rs 500 will be introduced.

ATM withdrawals will be restricted to Rs 2000 per day and withdrawals from bank accounts will be limited to Rs 10,000 a day and Rs 20,000 a week.

Besides depositing money in bank accounts, the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes can also be exchanged with lower denomination currency notes at designated banks and post offices on production of valid government identity cards like PAN, Aadhaar and Election Card from November 10 to November 24 with a daily limit of Rs 4000.

Those unable to deposit Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes till December 30 this year can do so in designated RBI offices till March 31 next year after filling a declaration form along with proof and reasons, the Prime Minister said.

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday blamed former finance minister P. Chidambram for his carelessness allegedly by giving contract for printing notes to a British company which was also printing currency for Pakistan. Subramanian Swamy told ANI today that the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of demonetisation of Rs. 1000 and Rs. 500 notes was necessary to preserve national security and it would give a complete blow to terrorism. I welcome the initiative of Narendra Modi because it was necessary for national security. We have to follow up certain steps to eliminate black money. But, for fighting terrorism, its a death blow because the entire terror financing was done by illegal currency, counterfeit notes, Swamy said. This all started, when Chidambaram was the finance minister. He gave the contract for printing currency to a British company, De La Rue , in London, and the same company was also printing currency for Pakistan. So, it became easy for Pakistan to get currency papers. All Kashmir agitation was based on the counterfeit currency from Pakistan, he added. Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday announced demonetization of Rs 500 and 1000 currency notes with effect from midnight, making these notes invalid in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption. In his televised address to the nation, the Prime Minister said that people holding notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 can deposit the same in their bank and post office accounts from November 10 till December 30. Following the announcement, there were huge crowds outside ATMs across the country as people lined up to withdraw currency of smaller denominations. Prime Minister Modi also announced that new notes of Rs 2000 and Rs 500 will be introduced. ATM withdrawals will be restricted to Rs 2000 per day and withdrawals from bank accounts will be limited to Rs 10,000 a day and Rs 20,000 a week. Besides depositing money in bank accounts, the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes can also be exchanged with lower denomination currency notes at designated banks and post offices on production of valid government identity cards like PAN, Aadhaar and Election Card from November 10 to November 24 with a daily limit of Rs 4000. Those unable to deposit Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes till December 30 this year can do so in designated RBI offices till March 31 next year after filling a declaration form along with proof and reasons, the Prime Minister said.
Ritu Sharma By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: AS billionaire-businessman without any experience of holding public office, Donald J Trump staged an upset win in the US Presidential election, watchers of India-US relations say New Delhi should move fast to build on the upward swing in bilateral ties.

There are many areas where India would be keenly following Trump's policy initiatives. If his campaign is to be taken as a signal of things to come, the first area to be looked at would be security

since Trump has been harping on withdrawing from any foreign wars with no impact on the US. The second is economic as he wants to nix unfair competition to American workers and some curbs on immigration can be expected with a tighter visa regime.

Indian diplomats have been in touch with both candidates even before the US election results were announced. If you are not in touch with all options then you are fairly in for a surprise, a diplomat

said before adding that of the two candidates, Trump had the most novel ideas with regard to foreign policy. However, the official said it does not matter if Republicans or Democrats form the government as India enjoys true bipartisan support from all quarters in the US.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Trump on his election as the President-elect and said New Delhi was looking forward to closely work with him. Congratulations Donald Trump on being elected as the 45th US President. We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height, said Modi.

Nirupama Rao, former foreign secretary who served as Ambassador to the US, echoed

positivity on Trump's win. I believe President-elect Trump will be an enthusiastic proponent of an even better and stronger India-US relationship. India should not waste time in reaching out to Mr. Trump and his team in order to establish a durable understanding that will take the relationship forward in all sectors of relevance, including the strategic and economic, Rao told Express.

Trump has not elaborated on how his South Asian foreign policy will be formulated, but stray statements provide clues.

Trump and Modi are likely to have convergence of thoughts on following a tough line on combating terrorism. Trump has not been mincing words on Pakistans support to terrorists and their networks. In 2012, an angry Trump had tweeted: When will Pakistan apologize to us for providing safe sanctuary to Osama Bin Laden for 6 years?! Some ally. How much of this will be translated into policy shift remains to be seen.

The successor of President Barak Obama, with whom Modi shared a good equation, has also professed his inclination for India. During a charity event organised by the Republican Hindu Coalition in

October, the President-elect had said India and US would be best friends if he's elected President.

The sentiments were echoed by US Envoy Richard Verma who said India-US relations go beyond the friendship between the American President and Indian PM. The US-India relationship is vitally important, it is bipartisan, and it is only growing stronger. Heres to another four years of robust US-India dosti, Ambassador Verma said after Trumps victory speech.

Another issue would be immigration following Trumps stand to reform the H1B system visa system and temporary stopping of grant of green cards. Indian techies and students will likely bear the brunt of any such move. Another positive takeaway from his election would be how he would be working towards improving relations with Russia. The downhill movement in Washington-Moscow ties has impacted Indias strategic equation with the two countries.

NEW DELHI: AS billionaire-businessman without any experience of holding public office, Donald J Trump staged an upset win in the US Presidential election, watchers of India-US relations say New Delhi should move fast to build on the upward swing in bilateral ties. There are many areas where India would be keenly following Trump's policy initiatives. If his campaign is to be taken as a signal of things to come, the first area to be looked at would be security since Trump has been harping on withdrawing from any foreign wars with no impact on the US. The second is economic as he wants to nix unfair competition to American workers and some curbs on immigration can be expected with a tighter visa regime. Indian diplomats have been in touch with both candidates even before the US election results were announced. If you are not in touch with all options then you are fairly in for a surprise, a diplomat said before adding that of the two candidates, Trump had the most novel ideas with regard to foreign policy. However, the official said it does not matter if Republicans or Democrats form the government as India enjoys true bipartisan support from all quarters in the US. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Trump on his election as the President-elect and said New Delhi was looking forward to closely work with him. Congratulations Donald Trump on being elected as the 45th US President. We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height, said Modi. Nirupama Rao, former foreign secretary who served as Ambassador to the US, echoed positivity on Trump's win. I believe President-elect Trump will be an enthusiastic proponent of an even better and stronger India-US relationship. India should not waste time in reaching out to Mr. Trump and his team in order to establish a durable understanding that will take the relationship forward in all sectors of relevance, including the strategic and economic, Rao told Express. Trump has not elaborated on how his South Asian foreign policy will be formulated, but stray statements provide clues. Trump and Modi are likely to have convergence of thoughts on following a tough line on combating terrorism. Trump has not been mincing words on Pakistans support to terrorists and their networks. In 2012, an angry Trump had tweeted: When will Pakistan apologize to us for providing safe sanctuary to Osama Bin Laden for 6 years?! Some ally. How much of this will be translated into policy shift remains to be seen. The successor of President Barak Obama, with whom Modi shared a good equation, has also professed his inclination for India. During a charity event organised by the Republican Hindu Coalition in October, the President-elect had said India and US would be best friends if he's elected President. The sentiments were echoed by US Envoy Richard Verma who said India-US relations go beyond the friendship between the American President and Indian PM. The US-India relationship is vitally important, it is bipartisan, and it is only growing stronger. Heres to another four years of robust US-India dosti, Ambassador Verma said after Trumps victory speech. Another issue would be immigration following Trumps stand to reform the H1B system visa system and temporary stopping of grant of green cards. Indian techies and students will likely bear the brunt of any such move. Another positive takeaway from his election would be how he would be working towards improving relations with Russia. The downhill movement in Washington-Moscow ties has impacted Indias strategic equation with the two countries.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: Two army men were killed in Pakistani troops firing and shelling along Line of Control (LoC) while two militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

An army official in Srinagar told Express that a soldier was killed in Pakistani sniper firing along LoC in Machil sector in border district of Kupwara this afternoon.

He said the army men also fired on the Pakistani posts.

Our men fired from heavy weapons on Pakistan army posts.

However, the damage caused to their posts and casualties suffered by Pakistani troops could not be known immediately, the official said.

Meanwhile, defense spokesman in Jammu Lt Col Manish Mehta said an army man, who was critically injured in Pakistani troops firing along LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district yesterday, succumbed to injuries today.

The slain soldier, who was identified as Naik Harindra Kumar Yadav, 30, of Ballia District, Uttar Pradesh, is survived by wife, and three young children.

Another soldier identified as Non-Commissioned Officer, Naik Prem Singh was also killed in the Pakistani firing in Nowshera sector yesterday.

Mehta said Army responded appropriately to the unprovoked firing by the Pakistan troops and caused heavy damage to Pakistan army posts.

Meanwhile, an encounter broke out between militants and security forces at village Dursoo, Dangiwacha in Sopore area of North Kashmirs Baramulla district this afternoon.

The encounter started after militants fired on search party of the troops in the village. The fire was returned by the troops and in the ensuing gunfight, two militants were killed, an army official told Express.

He said two AK rifles were recovered from the encounter site.

The official said the slain militants seem to be foreigners. Their identity and the outfit to which they owe allegiance was being ascertained.

SRINAGAR: Two army men were killed in Pakistani troops firing and shelling along Line of Control (LoC) while two militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. An army official in Srinagar told Express that a soldier was killed in Pakistani sniper firing along LoC in Machil sector in border district of Kupwara this afternoon. He said the army men also fired on the Pakistani posts. Our men fired from heavy weapons on Pakistan army posts. However, the damage caused to their posts and casualties suffered by Pakistani troops could not be known immediately, the official said. Meanwhile, defense spokesman in Jammu Lt Col Manish Mehta said an army man, who was critically injured in Pakistani troops firing along LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district yesterday, succumbed to injuries today. The slain soldier, who was identified as Naik Harindra Kumar Yadav, 30, of Ballia District, Uttar Pradesh, is survived by wife, and three young children. Another soldier identified as Non-Commissioned Officer, Naik Prem Singh was also killed in the Pakistani firing in Nowshera sector yesterday. Mehta said Army responded appropriately to the unprovoked firing by the Pakistan troops and caused heavy damage to Pakistan army posts. Meanwhile, an encounter broke out between militants and security forces at village Dursoo, Dangiwacha in Sopore area of North Kashmirs Baramulla district this afternoon. The encounter started after militants fired on search party of the troops in the village. The fire was returned by the troops and in the ensuing gunfight, two militants were killed, an army official told Express. He said two AK rifles were recovered from the encounter site. The official said the slain militants seem to be foreigners. Their identity and the outfit to which they owe allegiance was being ascertained.
By PTI

CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today accused the SAD-BJP combine as well as the Congress of "allowing Punjab's water to flow into other states" and demanded the resignation of all the state MPs and MLAs of these parties.



AAP Punjab convenor Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi and senior party leader and Supreme Court lawyer Harinder Singh Phoolka alleged that the SAD-BJP and Congress leaders of the state had "played into the hands of the anti-Punjab forces" and "ignored the rights of the state on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue".



The fate of Punjabis was now hanging in the Supreme Court and the decision of the SC could affect the farmers of the state to a great extent, they claimed and added that in this backdrop, the leaders of these parties had lost the right to represent the people of Punjab.



Ghuggi said AAP leaders will meet the Governor tomorrow and submit a memorandum to him on the SYL issue.



They will appeal to the Governor to seek the resignation of all the MPs and MLAs of SAD-BJP and Congress from the state for "failing to protect the rights of Punjab", he added.



Ghuggi accused Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh of "inviting then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to commence the SYL canal construction work" and of now "shedding crocodile tears to mint votes".



Similarly, he alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had acquired land for the project "to please his friend" and former Haryana chief minister Devi Lal and had got land for his hotel "in return".



Phoolka accused Badal of "betraying all Punjabis for the sake of his own family".



"He did not even think of discussing the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in spite of being in the alliance at the Centre. Under these circumstances, Badal's daughter-in-law

Harsimrat Badal has lost the right to continue as a Union minister in the anti-Punjab Modi government," he said.



Accusing Amarinder of "failing to raise the issue of Punjab", Phoolka wondered why did he not resign from the post of the state's chief minister when his own party's government at the Centre had sent the case to the Supreme Court through the President.



He said that Amarinder did not have any right to even contest the polls from Punjab.

CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today accused the SAD-BJP combine as well as the Congress of "allowing Punjab's water to flow into other states" and demanded the resignation of all the state MPs and MLAs of these parties. AAP Punjab convenor Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi and senior party leader and Supreme Court lawyer Harinder Singh Phoolka alleged that the SAD-BJP and Congress leaders of the state had "played into the hands of the anti-Punjab forces" and "ignored the rights of the state on the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal issue". The fate of Punjabis was now hanging in the Supreme Court and the decision of the SC could affect the farmers of the state to a great extent, they claimed and added that in this backdrop, the leaders of these parties had lost the right to represent the people of Punjab. Ghuggi said AAP leaders will meet the Governor tomorrow and submit a memorandum to him on the SYL issue. They will appeal to the Governor to seek the resignation of all the MPs and MLAs of SAD-BJP and Congress from the state for "failing to protect the rights of Punjab", he added. Ghuggi accused Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh of "inviting then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to commence the SYL canal construction work" and of now "shedding crocodile tears to mint votes". Similarly, he alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had acquired land for the project "to please his friend" and former Haryana chief minister Devi Lal and had got land for his hotel "in return". Phoolka accused Badal of "betraying all Punjabis for the sake of his own family". "He did not even think of discussing the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in spite of being in the alliance at the Centre. Under these circumstances, Badal's daughter-in-law Harsimrat Badal has lost the right to continue as a Union minister in the anti-Punjab Modi government," he said. Accusing Amarinder of "failing to raise the issue of Punjab", Phoolka wondered why did he not resign from the post of the state's chief minister when his own party's government at the Centre had sent the case to the Supreme Court through the President. He said that Amarinder did not have any right to even contest the polls from Punjab.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Karnataka became the third state in the country to have a palliative care policy after it was launched here on Tuesday. British physician Dr Robert Twycross, considered the father of palliative care movement, launched the policy.



The plan is to roll out palliative care in Bengaluru, Raichur, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Mangaluru and Kalaburagi including all Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust-empanelled hospitals. This will involve training a team in each district. A palliative care unit in each district hospital will be set up, essential drugs for palliative care including oral morphine will be available at all these centres and efforts to include palliative care in medical, nursing and paramedical curriculum at graduate level is on. Doctors, nurses and pharmacists will be trained by doctors at Kidwai and Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement.



Dr P P Bapsy, president, Bangalore Oncology Group, said, In 1995, we struggled to get morphine. Im glad things will change now. Cancer is a notifiable disease in Karnataka now. It banned all forms of tobacco too. We should use the term symptom control instead of palliative though.



Dr Robert Twycross, Emeritus Clinical Reader, palliative medicine, Oxford University, said, Palliative care improved survival by three months in Europe. Palliative care is not just about giving morphine. It takes care of physical, psychological, social and emotional well being of the patient as well as their family.



Dr K B Lingegowda, director, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, I am from a rural area and I have seen the suffering of patients personally. Kidwai is the fifth best in the country competing with private hospitals and the first centre to provide oral morphine.

Last year, the centre saw a consumption of 13 kg. In 1969, Kidwai started a palliative care centre. Amendment of NDPS Act, starting of MD course are major milestones in palliative care in the country. It is currently not included in medical or nursing curriculum. Though initially it was meant only for cancer patients, we now provide palliative care for patients suffering from renal diseases, HIV, etc.



Health Minister K R Ramesh Kumar said, Family systems are getting weakened and becoming materialistic. Parents grow older and get into old age homes with flourishing children around. Imagine their plight with ailments like cancer. Doesnt it reflect on our standard of civilisation? We distance ourselves. They dont get minimum affection. Anything done in this direction is welcome.



Treatment is secondary. Doctors who cant smile should get into real estate, he quipped.

Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said, The decision to extend palliative care to all centres is a big leap. Palliative care is about how to live with dignity. Not just the patient, even the family needs to be prepared. In rural areas, taluk areas and district hospitals, its important. Curriculum, though, is framed by the Medical Council of India. I will write to MCI to include it and vice-chancellor of RGUHS to start an MD course.

BENGALURU: Karnataka became the third state in the country to have a palliative care policy after it was launched here on Tuesday. British physician Dr Robert Twycross, considered the father of palliative care movement, launched the policy. The plan is to roll out palliative care in Bengaluru, Raichur, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Mangaluru and Kalaburagi including all Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust-empanelled hospitals. This will involve training a team in each district. A palliative care unit in each district hospital will be set up, essential drugs for palliative care including oral morphine will be available at all these centres and efforts to include palliative care in medical, nursing and paramedical curriculum at graduate level is on. Doctors, nurses and pharmacists will be trained by doctors at Kidwai and Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement. Dr P P Bapsy, president, Bangalore Oncology Group, said, In 1995, we struggled to get morphine. Im glad things will change now. Cancer is a notifiable disease in Karnataka now. It banned all forms of tobacco too. We should use the term symptom control instead of palliative though. Dr Robert Twycross, Emeritus Clinical Reader, palliative medicine, Oxford University, said, Palliative care improved survival by three months in Europe. Palliative care is not just about giving morphine. It takes care of physical, psychological, social and emotional well being of the patient as well as their family. Dr K B Lingegowda, director, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, I am from a rural area and I have seen the suffering of patients personally. Kidwai is the fifth best in the country competing with private hospitals and the first centre to provide oral morphine. Last year, the centre saw a consumption of 13 kg. In 1969, Kidwai started a palliative care centre. Amendment of NDPS Act, starting of MD course are major milestones in palliative care in the country. It is currently not included in medical or nursing curriculum. Though initially it was meant only for cancer patients, we now provide palliative care for patients suffering from renal diseases, HIV, etc. Health Minister K R Ramesh Kumar said, Family systems are getting weakened and becoming materialistic. Parents grow older and get into old age homes with flourishing children around. Imagine their plight with ailments like cancer. Doesnt it reflect on our standard of civilisation? We distance ourselves. They dont get minimum affection. Anything done in this direction is welcome. Treatment is secondary. Doctors who cant smile should get into real estate, he quipped. Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said, The decision to extend palliative care to all centres is a big leap. Palliative care is about how to live with dignity. Not just the patient, even the family needs to be prepared. In rural areas, taluk areas and district hospitals, its important. Curriculum, though, is framed by the Medical Council of India. I will write to MCI to include it and vice-chancellor of RGUHS to start an MD course.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The two major parties in the state  Congress and BJP  are headed for a showdown on Thursday over Tipu Sultans birth anniversary celebrations. While the government has decided to go ahead with the celebrations for the second year in a row, the BJP is going ahead with a statewide stir, notably in Bengaluru, Kodagu and Chitradurga where protests are expected to be intense.



The celebrations last year saw two deaths. This year also could see confrontations as the CM fired a salvo first thing on Wednesday morning. Ridiculing B S Yeddyurappa, who has been spearheading the protest against the celebrations, Siddaramaiah said the state BJP president was a pseudo politician and should remember how he celebrated Tipu when he was in the KJP.



Both Siddaramaiah and Yeddyurappa held each other responsible for any violence that may occur. BJP is holding a massive protest at Town Hall in Bengaluru on Thursday morning and workers being encouraged to go on jail bharo and wave black flags.

Drone cameras (circled) have been set up for tight vigil during Tipu Jayanti celebrations in Mangaluru. Bengaluru-based drone operator Yogish (second from right) helps cops keep an eye on it I Rajesh Shetty Ballalbagh



Home Minister Parameshwara is leaving no stone unturned with the security preparations. By Wednesday, 30 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), 20 platoons of City Armed Reserve (CAR) along with a platoon of Rapid Action Force were kept ready to be deployed.



The new Hoysala and other patrolling vehicles have been asked to keep an eye on the developments. Sensitive zones in the city have also been marked and more police have been deployed in those places. Police also have been deployed in the entry and exit points of the city to ensure no anti-social elements enter the city.



Senior officials of the respective divisions have been cautioned that strict action will be taken against them in case of any lapses on their part. The rank and file have been told not to go on leave or take weekly offs. Police officials working in non-executive posts including special wings of the CCB and special branch have also been pressed into service.

BENGALURU: The two major parties in the state  Congress and BJP  are headed for a showdown on Thursday over Tipu Sultans birth anniversary celebrations. While the government has decided to go ahead with the celebrations for the second year in a row, the BJP is going ahead with a statewide stir, notably in Bengaluru, Kodagu and Chitradurga where protests are expected to be intense. The celebrations last year saw two deaths. This year also could see confrontations as the CM fired a salvo first thing on Wednesday morning. Ridiculing B S Yeddyurappa, who has been spearheading the protest against the celebrations, Siddaramaiah said the state BJP president was a pseudo politician and should remember how he celebrated Tipu when he was in the KJP. Both Siddaramaiah and Yeddyurappa held each other responsible for any violence that may occur. BJP is holding a massive protest at Town Hall in Bengaluru on Thursday morning and workers being encouraged to go on jail bharo and wave black flags. Drone cameras (circled) have been set up for tight vigil during Tipu Jayanti celebrations in Mangaluru. Bengaluru-based drone operator Yogish (second from right) helps cops keep an eye on it I Rajesh Shetty Ballalbagh Home Minister Parameshwara is leaving no stone unturned with the security preparations. By Wednesday, 30 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), 20 platoons of City Armed Reserve (CAR) along with a platoon of Rapid Action Force were kept ready to be deployed. The new Hoysala and other patrolling vehicles have been asked to keep an eye on the developments. Sensitive zones in the city have also been marked and more police have been deployed in those places. Police also have been deployed in the entry and exit points of the city to ensure no anti-social elements enter the city. Senior officials of the respective divisions have been cautioned that strict action will be taken against them in case of any lapses on their part. The rank and file have been told not to go on leave or take weekly offs. Police officials working in non-executive posts including special wings of the CCB and special branch have also been pressed into service.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has rejected the stand of party Thrissur district secretary K Radhakrishnan who revealed the identity of the Wadakkanchery rape victim. Speaking at a face to face programme organised in connection with the 60th anniversary of Kerala, Kodiyeri said party general secretary Sitaram Yechury has already made CPMs stance clear in the issue.

The general secretary has revealed our stance in the matter. The state committee does not have a different stand, he said. Kodiyeri however added that with the kind of campaign, attention is getting diverted from the main issue. Asked about the controversial statement issued by CPM state secretariat member MM Mani about some CPI ministers, Kodiyeri said Mani has clarified that he hasnt made any such statement.

Replying to a query on allegations against former Kalamassery area secretary, Kodiyeri said the party has issued clear instructions to party workers that CPM should not be made a power centre, especially when the Left government is in power. While trying to resolve problems, party cadres and leaders should not impose their decisions on others, he stated. The party should try to resolve issues amicably but at the same time, decisions should not be imposed on anyone, Kodiyeri clarified.

The government should constitute a special team to probe into the surfacing of allegations regarding incidents that occurred two years ago. The CPM will not protect anyone involved in criminal activities, he said adding that party will not give any special consideration to anyone. Kodiyeri said no decision has been taken on inducting a new minister into the Pinarayi Cabinet in the place of EP Jayarajan.

Asked about the standoff between IAS officers in the state, Kodiyeri said under the Left rule only corrupt officials need to worry. If there are allegations against anyone that will be probed into, he said in reply to a question on the allegations against the vigilance chief. He said the government is taking a new approach towards land acquisition, rehabilitation and compensation.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has rejected the stand of party Thrissur district secretary K Radhakrishnan who revealed the identity of the Wadakkanchery rape victim. Speaking at a face to face programme organised in connection with the 60th anniversary of Kerala, Kodiyeri said party general secretary Sitaram Yechury has already made CPMs stance clear in the issue. The general secretary has revealed our stance in the matter. The state committee does not have a different stand, he said. Kodiyeri however added that with the kind of campaign, attention is getting diverted from the main issue. Asked about the controversial statement issued by CPM state secretariat member MM Mani about some CPI ministers, Kodiyeri said Mani has clarified that he hasnt made any such statement. Replying to a query on allegations against former Kalamassery area secretary, Kodiyeri said the party has issued clear instructions to party workers that CPM should not be made a power centre, especially when the Left government is in power. While trying to resolve problems, party cadres and leaders should not impose their decisions on others, he stated. The party should try to resolve issues amicably but at the same time, decisions should not be imposed on anyone, Kodiyeri clarified. The government should constitute a special team to probe into the surfacing of allegations regarding incidents that occurred two years ago. The CPM will not protect anyone involved in criminal activities, he said adding that party will not give any special consideration to anyone. Kodiyeri said no decision has been taken on inducting a new minister into the Pinarayi Cabinet in the place of EP Jayarajan. Asked about the standoff between IAS officers in the state, Kodiyeri said under the Left rule only corrupt officials need to worry. If there are allegations against anyone that will be probed into, he said in reply to a question on the allegations against the vigilance chief. He said the government is taking a new approach towards land acquisition, rehabilitation and compensation.
By Express News Service

TIRUVANNAMALAI: A woman who wanted to be with her husband at the time of her delivery took the risk of boarding a bus to meet him, only to deliver twins in the Chetpet-bound vehicle late on Monday.

Sathya (24) married lorry driver Kumar (28) of Padagam village near Polur in the district a year ago. After marriage, they lived at Melmalaiyanur near Chetpet. Seven months into her pregnancy, Satya moved to her mothers house in Padagam.

During her latest checkup at the government hospital in Polur on Monday, she was informed that she would become a mother very soon. Though she knew that she could get labour pain anytime, she boarded the bus from Polur to Chetpet.

When the bus was nearing Chetpet, she went into labour. On hearing her cries, women passengers encircled her. Also, all the men got down from the bus to facilitate the delivery when the bus was three km away from Chetpet. Sathya first delivered a baby girl and the driver soon took the bus to Chetpet Government Hospital, where she delivered a boy baby.

Due to a misunderstanding, my husband has not come to meet me at Padagam for the last few weeks. As I wanted to be with him while giving birth to our babies, I boarded the bus, Sathya said on Tuesday.

As the baby boy weighed less than two kg, Sathya and the newborns were shifted to Tiruvannamalai Medical College Hospital on.

TIRUVANNAMALAI: A woman who wanted to be with her husband at the time of her delivery took the risk of boarding a bus to meet him, only to deliver twins in the Chetpet-bound vehicle late on Monday. Sathya (24) married lorry driver Kumar (28) of Padagam village near Polur in the district a year ago. After marriage, they lived at Melmalaiyanur near Chetpet. Seven months into her pregnancy, Satya moved to her mothers house in Padagam. During her latest checkup at the government hospital in Polur on Monday, she was informed that she would become a mother very soon. Though she knew that she could get labour pain anytime, she boarded the bus from Polur to Chetpet. When the bus was nearing Chetpet, she went into labour. On hearing her cries, women passengers encircled her. Also, all the men got down from the bus to facilitate the delivery when the bus was three km away from Chetpet. Sathya first delivered a baby girl and the driver soon took the bus to Chetpet Government Hospital, where she delivered a boy baby. Due to a misunderstanding, my husband has not come to meet me at Padagam for the last few weeks. As I wanted to be with him while giving birth to our babies, I boarded the bus, Sathya said on Tuesday. As the baby boy weighed less than two kg, Sathya and the newborns were shifted to Tiruvannamalai Medical College Hospital on.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: A go dated September 27, 2016, which prohibited fishing by mechanised fishing vessels, motorised country crafts, using mechanised fishing techniques in a radius of 5 nautical miles around potential nesting and breeding sites of sea turtles, identified by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute and Department of Forests in the coastal areas for four months from January 1 every year, has been challenged in Madras High Court.

The first bench of Chief Justice SK Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan, before which the PIL from Thenindhiya Meenavar Nalvazhvu Sangam came up for hearing on Wednesday, ordered notice to the authorities, returnable by November 28. It also directed that the proceedings be brought to the notice of the amicus curiae by both the counsel.

In his PIL, association president V Sankar submitted that the said GO prohibits fishing in almost the entire sea coast of the State, adversely affecting the poor fishermen as well as their families numbering several lakhs. The GO was based on a suo-motu PIL following news report on turtle deaths. Deep sea fishing vessels were alleged to be the culprits which had butchered 35 turtles, according to the news report and based on that, this court had directed action against the erring fishermen. Country boats, catamarans and traditional boats, using small motors, were incapable of doing any trawl fishing or bottom fishing using rollers or by using purse siene or other banned fishing methods. Therefore, the prohibition directly affected their life and livelihood, he contended.

CHENNAI: A go dated September 27, 2016, which prohibited fishing by mechanised fishing vessels, motorised country crafts, using mechanised fishing techniques in a radius of 5 nautical miles around potential nesting and breeding sites of sea turtles, identified by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute and Department of Forests in the coastal areas for four months from January 1 every year, has been challenged in Madras High Court. The first bench of Chief Justice SK Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan, before which the PIL from Thenindhiya Meenavar Nalvazhvu Sangam came up for hearing on Wednesday, ordered notice to the authorities, returnable by November 28. It also directed that the proceedings be brought to the notice of the amicus curiae by both the counsel. In his PIL, association president V Sankar submitted that the said GO prohibits fishing in almost the entire sea coast of the State, adversely affecting the poor fishermen as well as their families numbering several lakhs. The GO was based on a suo-motu PIL following news report on turtle deaths. Deep sea fishing vessels were alleged to be the culprits which had butchered 35 turtles, according to the news report and based on that, this court had directed action against the erring fishermen. Country boats, catamarans and traditional boats, using small motors, were incapable of doing any trawl fishing or bottom fishing using rollers or by using purse siene or other banned fishing methods. Therefore, the prohibition directly affected their life and livelihood, he contended.
COLOMBO: The Muslim Personal Law Reforms Action Group (MPLRAG) has said that Sri Lanka is duty bound to carry out reforms in the archaic Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) 1951 in accord with the international human rights covenants it has signed.



In 2010 the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Committee reminded Sri Lanka that its statutory and personal laws discriminate against women and girls such as by allowing early marriage of girls as young as 12 years, thereby restricting their economic, social and cultural rights.



Therefore, repealing such laws is an immediate obligation of the State parties which cannot be conditioned to willingness of concerned communities to amend their laws.



The EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Tung-Lai Margue, said at a press briefing on November 1 that the GSP Plus concession will be available to Sri Lanka if it adheres to the 27 international conventions that it has already ratified. Minimum age of marriage is derived from such an international convention and is part of Sri Lankas obligation any way.

Sri Lanka is party to the Convention of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).



The CEDAW Committee stressed that governments must address patriarchal traditions and attitudes and open family law and policy to the same scrutiny with regard to discrimination against women that is given to the public aspects of individual and community life.



Article 16(1) of the Sri Lankan Constitution, which allows for customary laws like the MMDA to have precedence over the Constitution, means that Sri Lanka is in acting in direct violation of Article 26 (relating to right to equality) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).



The CEDAW Committee also voiced its concern at the fact that there is no opportunity for judicial review of legislation pre-dating the Constitution.



Given the current constitutional reform process, we believe that it is also necessary to ensure the repeal of the Article 16(1). As misconceived by conservatives, the repeal of Article 16(1) will not abolish MMDA, it will only allow for review of discriminatory provisions within the MMDA. The fear thus that this would remove all personal laws is greatly unfounded, the Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG) said.



Clearly MMDA must be reformed. It must be reformed because that is what the Muslim community, particularly Muslim women want, not because it is required by international community. It is important to note that there has been a longstanding call for reform of the MMDA from within the Muslim community, it said.



Reform has been considered in the 1970s with the first government appointed committee which also recommended the raising the minimum age of marriage. There were subsequent government appointed committees set up to no avail. The most recent committee was set up in 2009 headed by Justice Saleem Marsoof. This committee is yet to submit its recommendations for reforms of the MMDA.



This rhetoric of MMDA reform being part of an international or national government conspiracy to wipe out Muslim law in Sri Lanka does great disservice to Muslim women and children who have been waiting too long for protection, dignity and respect.



COLOMBO: The Muslim Personal Law Reforms Action Group (MPLRAG) has said that Sri Lanka is duty bound to carry out reforms in the archaic Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) 1951 in accord with the international human rights covenants it has signed. In 2010 the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Committee reminded Sri Lanka that its statutory and personal laws discriminate against women and girls such as by allowing early marriage of girls as young as 12 years, thereby restricting their economic, social and cultural rights. Therefore, repealing such laws is an immediate obligation of the State parties which cannot be conditioned to willingness of concerned communities to amend their laws. The EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Tung-Lai Margue, said at a press briefing on November 1 that the GSP Plus concession will be available to Sri Lanka if it adheres to the 27 international conventions that it has already ratified. Minimum age of marriage is derived from such an international convention and is part of Sri Lankas obligation any way. Sri Lanka is party to the Convention of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The CEDAW Committee stressed that governments must address patriarchal traditions and attitudes and open family law and policy to the same scrutiny with regard to discrimination against women that is given to the public aspects of individual and community life. Article 16(1) of the Sri Lankan Constitution, which allows for customary laws like the MMDA to have precedence over the Constitution, means that Sri Lanka is in acting in direct violation of Article 26 (relating to right to equality) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The CEDAW Committee also voiced its concern at the fact that there is no opportunity for judicial review of legislation pre-dating the Constitution. Given the current constitutional reform process, we believe that it is also necessary to ensure the repeal of the Article 16(1). As misconceived by conservatives, the repeal of Article 16(1) will not abolish MMDA, it will only allow for review of discriminatory provisions within the MMDA. The fear thus that this would remove all personal laws is greatly unfounded, the Muslim Personal Law Reform Action Group (MPLRAG) said. Clearly MMDA must be reformed. It must be reformed because that is what the Muslim community, particularly Muslim women want, not because it is required by international community. It is important to note that there has been a longstanding call for reform of the MMDA from within the Muslim community, it said. Reform has been considered in the 1970s with the first government appointed committee which also recommended the raising the minimum age of marriage. There were subsequent government appointed committees set up to no avail. The most recent committee was set up in 2009 headed by Justice Saleem Marsoof. This committee is yet to submit its recommendations for reforms of the MMDA. This rhetoric of MMDA reform being part of an international or national government conspiracy to wipe out Muslim law in Sri Lanka does great disservice to Muslim women and children who have been waiting too long for protection, dignity and respect.
By PTI

BEIJING: At least one person was killed and three others injured in an explosion followed by fire at a factory in China's eastern Anhui province, state media reported today.

So far, four persons have been rescued while 11 remain unaccounted for, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The explosion occurred at 5:15 (local time) yesterday afternoon at a factory on an industrial park in Tangshu Township, Shucheng county.

Police have cordoned off the scene of the incident, and ambulances have begun to arrive. Fire fighters continue to fight the fire.

BEIJING: At least one person was killed and three others injured in an explosion followed by fire at a factory in China's eastern Anhui province, state media reported today. So far, four persons have been rescued while 11 remain unaccounted for, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The explosion occurred at 5:15 (local time) yesterday afternoon at a factory on an industrial park in Tangshu Township, Shucheng county. Police have cordoned off the scene of the incident, and ambulances have begun to arrive. Fire fighters continue to fight the fire.
By Associated Press

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vowed to work with President-elect Donald Trump "in a positive way."

Trudeau told students in Ottawa that he will work with Trump not just for Canadians and Americans "but for the whole world." He says the two nations' relationship is based on shared values.

The prospect of Americans moving to Canada after Trump's win drew so much online interest it temporarily knocked out Canada's immigration website.

Internet searches for "move to Canada" spiked Tuesday night as election returns favored Trump. "Canada" was a leading U.S. trend on Twitter.

The website for Citizenship and Immigration Canada went down due to a surge in traffic. Andree-Lyne Halle, a spokeswoman for Trudeau, said staff worked throughout the night to resolve the issue.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vowed to work with President-elect Donald Trump "in a positive way." Trudeau told students in Ottawa that he will work with Trump not just for Canadians and Americans "but for the whole world." He says the two nations' relationship is based on shared values. The prospect of Americans moving to Canada after Trump's win drew so much online interest it temporarily knocked out Canada's immigration website. Internet searches for "move to Canada" spiked Tuesday night as election returns favored Trump. "Canada" was a leading U.S. trend on Twitter. The website for Citizenship and Immigration Canada went down due to a surge in traffic. Andree-Lyne Halle, a spokeswoman for Trudeau, said staff worked throughout the night to resolve the issue.
Farwa Imam Ali By

Somehow, the United States of America does not look or feel united this day November 9, 2016. Picture this, an election that went down to the wire, a campaign that was extremely bitter, and a people deeply divided by race, religion and class.

Moments after Donald J Trump was declared President Elect of America, only half of America is smiling. The other half is in tears. A glass ceiling that was there to break, remains. It serves as a solemn reminder that the 2016 election termed as a rebellion against elites turned out to be much more, and negatively so.

President Elect Trump had always claimed he was going to find his fair share of voters in the rust belt, an economic region concentrated in the formerly dominant industrial states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. And he certainly did hit a bullseye in these states. Predictably, the Dems won urban areas, in exurban America Hillary Clinton stumbled somewhat, and in rural regions, white voters supported Trump by margins tipping past 40 percent.

However, when Election night 2016 is remembered, it will be noted that the battle of suburbia alone did not cost Hillary Clinton; her, and millions with her, their dream of seeing a woman in the White House. The battle was shaped and won by the conservative white male voter who voted Trump. The race makeup of 2016 voters read: White-70 %, Black-12%, Latino-11%, Asian-4% and others 3%. Almost prophetic, Professor Douglas Spencer, Expert in Election Law, University of Connecticut, had told TNIE last week: Come election night, Trump will be closely watching the exit polls to monitor the turnout rate of White males. His best chance to win, perhaps his only chance, is if this crucial demographic group turns out in historic numbers. And they did.

Given this, and economic brouhaha notwithstanding, Americans must then ask themselves the tough question: Could it be that the majority white American male voter is simply not ready to take orders from a woman? Are we implying gender bias? Lets just say we are not implying it. Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State, via Skype, some addressing a crowd of women gathered at Wellesley College, Hillarys alum to watch her win said it best. Nothing comes easy for women. Everything that is worth doing takes work. Point is, Hillary Clinton had done her work on Capitol Hill for decades, and much more.

Even President-elect Trump acknowledged the same in his gracious acceptance speech. But the fact is, Mr. Trump had also repeatedly questioned this very fact, had questioned Clintons stamina and qualifications to be Commander-in-Chief. A conservative, even medieval thought? Frighteningly, yes. For those who believed America had turned a corner with regard to racial prejudice and misogyny the verdict was an eye-opener. Interestingly, a CNN exit poll nearly 46% advocated a more conservative approach in governance and carrying forth President Obamas policies.

Given the shocking developments, Hillarys hard-hatters who had worked relentlessly hoping to break the glass ceiling have every reason to retrospect. Who are these people, rural or suburban that place archaic patriarchal values above democratic principle? The answer is, perhaps the 46% of voters who said they were dissatisfied with the way performance of the federal government. This despite the fact that President Obama currently enjoys an approval rating of 57%!

And we still have not talked about the elephant in the room. Race. Wait, we here you say, both candidates were white. Political commentator, Van Joness statement will probably go down in history with the US Presidential Election 2016. We haven't talked about race. But, this was a white-lash against a changing country ... against a black President in part. And there might be some truth to that. In addition to Trump winning the majority white male vote Clinton lost the uneducated white women by 28%.

Oral Historian, Terse Pipe, at age 75 had voted for over 50 years and was ready for a woman President to finally lead America. She finds it hard to imagine that women, from any genre would even consider voting for Mr. Trump after the way he denigrated women. Scared yet? For those who answered no, chew on this.

In the last 24 hours, scores of Americans have voted for a candidate who has been endorsed by the Klan and the NRA. They voted for a candidate who denigrated women in the crassest of terms.

They voted for a candidate who advocates racial profiling for people of color, immigrants, Mexican and Muslims.

Van Jones painted a poignant picture when he remarked: You have people putting children to bed tonight, and they're afraid of breakfast. They're afraid of How do I explain this to my children? Later that evening, the answer, came from the immigrant parent of an American-born Muslim child: We dont. It is democracy at work. But we stay, and fight the good fight.

Like Hillary Clinton who put the crack in the glass ceiling? asked the little girl.



Somehow, the United States of America does not look or feel united this day November 9, 2016. Picture this, an election that went down to the wire, a campaign that was extremely bitter, and a people deeply divided by race, religion and class. Moments after Donald J Trump was declared President Elect of America, only half of America is smiling. The other half is in tears. A glass ceiling that was there to break, remains. It serves as a solemn reminder that the 2016 election termed as a rebellion against elites turned out to be much more, and negatively so. President Elect Trump had always claimed he was going to find his fair share of voters in the rust belt, an economic region concentrated in the formerly dominant industrial states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. And he certainly did hit a bullseye in these states. Predictably, the Dems won urban areas, in exurban America Hillary Clinton stumbled somewhat, and in rural regions, white voters supported Trump by margins tipping past 40 percent. However, when Election night 2016 is remembered, it will be noted that the battle of suburbia alone did not cost Hillary Clinton; her, and millions with her, their dream of seeing a woman in the White House. The battle was shaped and won by the conservative white male voter who voted Trump. The race makeup of 2016 voters read: White-70 %, Black-12%, Latino-11%, Asian-4% and others 3%. Almost prophetic, Professor Douglas Spencer, Expert in Election Law, University of Connecticut, had told TNIE last week: Come election night, Trump will be closely watching the exit polls to monitor the turnout rate of White males. His best chance to win, perhaps his only chance, is if this crucial demographic group turns out in historic numbers. And they did. Given this, and economic brouhaha notwithstanding, Americans must then ask themselves the tough question: Could it be that the majority white American male voter is simply not ready to take orders from a woman? Are we implying gender bias? Lets just say we are not implying it. Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State, via Skype, some addressing a crowd of women gathered at Wellesley College, Hillarys alum to watch her win said it best. Nothing comes easy for women. Everything that is worth doing takes work. Point is, Hillary Clinton had done her work on Capitol Hill for decades, and much more. Even President-elect Trump acknowledged the same in his gracious acceptance speech. But the fact is, Mr. Trump had also repeatedly questioned this very fact, had questioned Clintons stamina and qualifications to be Commander-in-Chief. A conservative, even medieval thought? Frighteningly, yes. For those who believed America had turned a corner with regard to racial prejudice and misogyny the verdict was an eye-opener. Interestingly, a CNN exit poll nearly 46% advocated a more conservative approach in governance and carrying forth President Obamas policies. Given the shocking developments, Hillarys hard-hatters who had worked relentlessly hoping to break the glass ceiling have every reason to retrospect. Who are these people, rural or suburban that place archaic patriarchal values above democratic principle? The answer is, perhaps the 46% of voters who said they were dissatisfied with the way performance of the federal government. This despite the fact that President Obama currently enjoys an approval rating of 57%! And we still have not talked about the elephant in the room. Race. Wait, we here you say, both candidates were white. Political commentator, Van Joness statement will probably go down in history with the US Presidential Election 2016. We haven't talked about race. But, this was a white-lash against a changing country ... against a black President in part. And there might be some truth to that. In addition to Trump winning the majority white male vote Clinton lost the uneducated white women by 28%. Oral Historian, Terse Pipe, at age 75 had voted for over 50 years and was ready for a woman President to finally lead America. She finds it hard to imagine that women, from any genre would even consider voting for Mr. Trump after the way he denigrated women. Scared yet? For those who answered no, chew on this. In the last 24 hours, scores of Americans have voted for a candidate who has been endorsed by the Klan and the NRA. They voted for a candidate who denigrated women in the crassest of terms. They voted for a candidate who advocates racial profiling for people of color, immigrants, Mexican and Muslims. Van Jones painted a poignant picture when he remarked: You have people putting children to bed tonight, and they're afraid of breakfast. They're afraid of How do I explain this to my children? Later that evening, the answer, came from the immigrant parent of an American-born Muslim child: We dont. It is democracy at work. But we stay, and fight the good fight. Like Hillary Clinton who put the crack in the glass ceiling? asked the little girl.
By PTI

TEHRAN: Iran blinded a man today after convicting him of throwing chemicals in face of a four-year-old girl and depriving her of sight, a judicial official was quoted as saying.

It was the second time this year that Iran had carried out the strict eye-for-eye punishment that can be imposed for such crimes in the Islamic republic, the head of criminal affairs for the Tehran prosecutor's office, Mohammad Shahriari, said.

"In 2009, this man threw lime into the face of a little girl of four years in the Sanandaj region, leaving her blind," the ISNA news agency quoted him as saying.

"Today, the law of retribution was applied in my presence and that of experts," he said, without giving details.

The law of retribution is a central part of Islam's sharia code but has been condemned by international human rights groups.

Victims can choose to spare their attackers the punishment often in exchange for blood money.

In 2011, young Iranian woman Ameneh Bahrami, one of a number who have been blinded and disfigured in acid attacks in recent years, used the right, saying she did not want her attacker to endure what she had.

TEHRAN: Iran blinded a man today after convicting him of throwing chemicals in face of a four-year-old girl and depriving her of sight, a judicial official was quoted as saying. It was the second time this year that Iran had carried out the strict eye-for-eye punishment that can be imposed for such crimes in the Islamic republic, the head of criminal affairs for the Tehran prosecutor's office, Mohammad Shahriari, said. "In 2009, this man threw lime into the face of a little girl of four years in the Sanandaj region, leaving her blind," the ISNA news agency quoted him as saying. "Today, the law of retribution was applied in my presence and that of experts," he said, without giving details. The law of retribution is a central part of Islam's sharia code but has been condemned by international human rights groups. Victims can choose to spare their attackers the punishment often in exchange for blood money. In 2011, young Iranian woman Ameneh Bahrami, one of a number who have been blinded and disfigured in acid attacks in recent years, used the right, saying she did not want her attacker to endure what she had.
Gayathri Gopakumar By

Express News Service

Apart from perhaps the New York Post, almost every other American media house blatantly and aggressively endorsed Hillary Clinton in the run up the to the US presidential elections, and lost no opportunity -- and there were many -- to run down her Republican rival Donald Trump.

Despite this, Trump won. Why did the people of America clearly snub and ignore the media endorsements? Chances are that perhaps the media overdid it. News organizations tend to lose credibility when they offer clearly partisan reports. Social media too played a very crucial role. People got smarter when offered an open forum to discuss and exchange views.

For example, when more women started coming out accusing Trump of sexual harassment, many people actually took to social media to describe it as a bluff engineered by Hillary and her team.

This was a significant development since people generally believe what the media tries to sell. But each time a person read a fellow voter who convincingly argued on social media that these charges were made at Clintons behest, she lost a voter. In other words, the media overkill actually backfired against Clinton.

In a jubilant article immediately after Trumps victory, the traditionally Republican Fox News declared: The election was a national rejection of both the traditional media and the Hollywood elite who piled on money, endorsements, appearances and offensive videos telling people to vote. Celebrities went full-on insane.

Actor Mark Ruffalo vowed to do a nude scene if Clinton won. Madonna said she would perform oral sex on Clinton voters. It was so overboard that it might well have caused voters to just say no to all of the star media.

Also, Trump didnt take all this lying down. He reacted by sending out a black-list  which banned a bunch of media conglomerates including the Washington Post, Huffington Post, and Politico from his campaign. He even went public with it in the third presidential debate  naming a couple of news media giants as Clintons hardcore supporters.

This election also exposed the underbelly of pre-election surveys and polls. Bar a few, every news media organization predicted a clear victory for Clinton.

The end result, however, made them run for cover. Analysts subsequently blamed it on double-minded voters. In fact, there were reports that many people publicly declared they would back Hillary because they were worried about being labeled racist, but then quietly voted for Trump.

So now with Donald Trumps victory, we have the prospect of a presidency at odds with the media. Well either have a hasty patch-up or a dirty cold war. The media is going to, without a doubt, play up every blunder the temperamental Trump makes, confirming to his supporters that the media establishment is out to subvert the change they voted in.

Unlike candidate Trump, president Trump is not going to rest content with a flurry of angry tweets. America now faces the prospect of a president without the conventional six-year honeymoon with the media. Unless the media eats its words and begins to play nice with the new president.

Apart from perhaps the New York Post, almost every other American media house blatantly and aggressively endorsed Hillary Clinton in the run up the to the US presidential elections, and lost no opportunity -- and there were many -- to run down her Republican rival Donald Trump. Despite this, Trump won. Why did the people of America clearly snub and ignore the media endorsements? Chances are that perhaps the media overdid it. News organizations tend to lose credibility when they offer clearly partisan reports. Social media too played a very crucial role. People got smarter when offered an open forum to discuss and exchange views. For example, when more women started coming out accusing Trump of sexual harassment, many people actually took to social media to describe it as a bluff engineered by Hillary and her team. This was a significant development since people generally believe what the media tries to sell. But each time a person read a fellow voter who convincingly argued on social media that these charges were made at Clintons behest, she lost a voter. In other words, the media overkill actually backfired against Clinton. In a jubilant article immediately after Trumps victory, the traditionally Republican Fox News declared: The election was a national rejection of both the traditional media and the Hollywood elite who piled on money, endorsements, appearances and offensive videos telling people to vote. Celebrities went full-on insane. Actor Mark Ruffalo vowed to do a nude scene if Clinton won. Madonna said she would perform oral sex on Clinton voters. It was so overboard that it might well have caused voters to just say no to all of the star media. Also, Trump didnt take all this lying down. He reacted by sending out a black-list  which banned a bunch of media conglomerates including the Washington Post, Huffington Post, and Politico from his campaign. He even went public with it in the third presidential debate  naming a couple of news media giants as Clintons hardcore supporters. This election also exposed the underbelly of pre-election surveys and polls. Bar a few, every news media organization predicted a clear victory for Clinton. The end result, however, made them run for cover. Analysts subsequently blamed it on double-minded voters. In fact, there were reports that many people publicly declared they would back Hillary because they were worried about being labeled racist, but then quietly voted for Trump. So now with Donald Trumps victory, we have the prospect of a presidency at odds with the media. Well either have a hasty patch-up or a dirty cold war. The media is going to, without a doubt, play up every blunder the temperamental Trump makes, confirming to his supporters that the media establishment is out to subvert the change they voted in. Unlike candidate Trump, president Trump is not going to rest content with a flurry of angry tweets. America now faces the prospect of a president without the conventional six-year honeymoon with the media. Unless the media eats its words and begins to play nice with the new president.
By PTI

MEXICO CITY: A lawyer for Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman filed an appeal to block his extradition to the United States, where he faces drug and murder charges.

The lawyer, Andres Granados, dropped off the documents at a court in Mexico City yesterday, which he said will hand them over to a panel of appellate judges.

Granados argued that the wrong US embassy official signed one of the extradition requests and that Guzman could face the death penalty if he is put on trial for murder in Texas.

"We know it's a high-profile case, which is very complex because it has to do with Mr. Guzman," Granados told reporters after filing the appeal.

"We hope that the federal government won't interfere like it did" when a lower court rejected a previous legal challenge on October 20, he said.

A "college," or panel, of judges will review the appeal but Guzman's lawyers also plan to take the case up to the Supreme Court.

Guzman is facing two extradition bids, one in California for drug distribution and another in Texas on charges that include murder and money laundering.

When the foreign ministry approved the extradition in May, it said the US government had given "enough guarantees that the death penalty will not be applied."

Guzman's extradition would set up a major trial in the United States for the head of a cartel accused of providing tons of drugs to addicts in the United States while fueling violence in Mexico.

Guzman was captured in February 2014 after 13 years on the lam, but he escaped a year later from a maximum-security prison near Mexico City, humiliating President Enrique Pena Nieto.

After the slippery drug kingpin was recaptured in January in his northwestern home state of Sinaloa, Pena Nieto demanded his speedy extradition.

MEXICO CITY: A lawyer for Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman filed an appeal to block his extradition to the United States, where he faces drug and murder charges. The lawyer, Andres Granados, dropped off the documents at a court in Mexico City yesterday, which he said will hand them over to a panel of appellate judges. Granados argued that the wrong US embassy official signed one of the extradition requests and that Guzman could face the death penalty if he is put on trial for murder in Texas. "We know it's a high-profile case, which is very complex because it has to do with Mr. Guzman," Granados told reporters after filing the appeal. "We hope that the federal government won't interfere like it did" when a lower court rejected a previous legal challenge on October 20, he said. A "college," or panel, of judges will review the appeal but Guzman's lawyers also plan to take the case up to the Supreme Court. Guzman is facing two extradition bids, one in California for drug distribution and another in Texas on charges that include murder and money laundering. When the foreign ministry approved the extradition in May, it said the US government had given "enough guarantees that the death penalty will not be applied." Guzman's extradition would set up a major trial in the United States for the head of a cartel accused of providing tons of drugs to addicts in the United States while fueling violence in Mexico. Guzman was captured in February 2014 after 13 years on the lam, but he escaped a year later from a maximum-security prison near Mexico City, humiliating President Enrique Pena Nieto. After the slippery drug kingpin was recaptured in January in his northwestern home state of Sinaloa, Pena Nieto demanded his speedy extradition.
By PTI

PESHAWAR: Pakistan has deported Sharbat Gula, National Geographic's iconic green-eyed 'Afghan Girl', days after authorities temporarily halted her deportation for using fake ID cards to stay here, media reports said today.

Gula was handed over to Afghan security personnel at the Torkham border yesterday after she refused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government's offer to stay in Pakistan, Dawn reported.

Gula, who was immortalised after her haunting picture taken at a refugee camp in Pakistan in 1985 was carried by the magazine on its cover and became a symbol of her country's wars, was arrested last week from her home here and faces deportation as early as Monday.

She and the Afghan government, in an application submitted to the provincial government, pleaded to allow her to leave Pakistan on completion of her 15-day sentence today. The decision of stopping her deportation was taken on Saturday by the provincial government on humanitarian grounds and as a goodwill gesture towards Afghanistan.

However, she refused to stay in Pakistan. A special anti-corruption and immigration court here ordered Gula's deportation to Afghanistan on Friday after serving a 15-day jail sentence besides slapping a fine of 1,10,000 rupees (USD 1,100).

The spokesperson for the provincial government Mushtaq Ghani had said that directives not to deport Gula for the time being had been forwarded to the Home and Tribal Affairs Department, adding that the case needed to be taken up at the federal level.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had indicated that Gula may be released on humanitarian grounds. However, officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said that the court orders would have to be carried out in letter and spirit.

Another official said that the special court's decision could only be challenged in the Supreme Court.

However, he said, because Gula admitted to the crime, any appeal would only lengthen her stay in jail.

Gula, who was dubbed as 'Mona Lisa of Afghan war', was arrested by the FIA for alleged forgery of a Pakistani Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC).

She gained worldwide recognition when her image was featured on the cover of the June 1985 issue of National Geographic Magazine at a time when she was approximately 12 years old.

According to interim charge sheet submitted on November 1, the prosecutor said that she accepted the main charge of faking her identity to get the CNIC.

Gula said that her late husband, Rehmat Gul, had earlier made a manual national identity card in 1988, which was used to get the CNIC with the help of an agent who was bribed.

Pakistan has been tackling the Afghan refugee crisis for over three decades. It is estimated that some three million Afghan refugees are living in Pakistan, half of whom are unregistered.

PESHAWAR: Pakistan has deported Sharbat Gula, National Geographic's iconic green-eyed 'Afghan Girl', days after authorities temporarily halted her deportation for using fake ID cards to stay here, media reports said today. Gula was handed over to Afghan security personnel at the Torkham border yesterday after she refused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government's offer to stay in Pakistan, Dawn reported. Gula, who was immortalised after her haunting picture taken at a refugee camp in Pakistan in 1985 was carried by the magazine on its cover and became a symbol of her country's wars, was arrested last week from her home here and faces deportation as early as Monday. She and the Afghan government, in an application submitted to the provincial government, pleaded to allow her to leave Pakistan on completion of her 15-day sentence today. The decision of stopping her deportation was taken on Saturday by the provincial government on humanitarian grounds and as a goodwill gesture towards Afghanistan. However, she refused to stay in Pakistan. A special anti-corruption and immigration court here ordered Gula's deportation to Afghanistan on Friday after serving a 15-day jail sentence besides slapping a fine of 1,10,000 rupees (USD 1,100). The spokesperson for the provincial government Mushtaq Ghani had said that directives not to deport Gula for the time being had been forwarded to the Home and Tribal Affairs Department, adding that the case needed to be taken up at the federal level. Pakistan's Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had indicated that Gula may be released on humanitarian grounds. However, officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said that the court orders would have to be carried out in letter and spirit. Another official said that the special court's decision could only be challenged in the Supreme Court. However, he said, because Gula admitted to the crime, any appeal would only lengthen her stay in jail. Gula, who was dubbed as 'Mona Lisa of Afghan war', was arrested by the FIA for alleged forgery of a Pakistani Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC). She gained worldwide recognition when her image was featured on the cover of the June 1985 issue of National Geographic Magazine at a time when she was approximately 12 years old. According to interim charge sheet submitted on November 1, the prosecutor said that she accepted the main charge of faking her identity to get the CNIC. Gula said that her late husband, Rehmat Gul, had earlier made a manual national identity card in 1988, which was used to get the CNIC with the help of an agent who was bribed. Pakistan has been tackling the Afghan refugee crisis for over three decades. It is estimated that some three million Afghan refugees are living in Pakistan, half of whom are unregistered.
By PTI

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI: India today protested to Pakistan over the unprovoked firing from across the border togive cover to infiltrators when its Deputy High Commissioner was summoned for the sixth time in over two weeks againstalleged "unprovoked ceasefire violations" on the LoC.



Foreign Office (FO) said Director General (South Asia &SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy HighCommissioner J P Singh to "strongly condemn the unprovokedceasefire violations on November 8 by the Indian Forces on theLine of Control (LoC) in Khuirata and Battal sectors".



This is the sixth time in over two weeks that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner has been summoned to the FO here.



The FO said the violation by India resulted in the deathof four civilians, including a woman and a 10-year-old girl,besides causing injuries to seven others.



On his part, Singh protested against the unprovokedfiring from Pakistani Rangers, saying it was primarily to givecover to infiltrators.



He also said casualties on the Indian side include bothcivilians and security forces in the ceasefire violations bythe Pakistan.



The FO said that the Director General urged the Indianside to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigatethe continued incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct theIndian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit,stop targeting the villages and civilians and maintain peaceon the LoC.



It claimed that so far, this year, India has committed222 ceasefire violations out of which 184 have been on the LoCand 38 on the Working Boundary, resulting in killing of 26 civilians and injuries to 107 others.

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI: India today protested to Pakistan over the unprovoked firing from across the border togive cover to infiltrators when its Deputy High Commissioner was summoned for the sixth time in over two weeks againstalleged "unprovoked ceasefire violations" on the LoC. Foreign Office (FO) said Director General (South Asia &SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy HighCommissioner J P Singh to "strongly condemn the unprovokedceasefire violations on November 8 by the Indian Forces on theLine of Control (LoC) in Khuirata and Battal sectors". This is the sixth time in over two weeks that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner has been summoned to the FO here. The FO said the violation by India resulted in the deathof four civilians, including a woman and a 10-year-old girl,besides causing injuries to seven others. On his part, Singh protested against the unprovokedfiring from Pakistani Rangers, saying it was primarily to givecover to infiltrators. He also said casualties on the Indian side include bothcivilians and security forces in the ceasefire violations bythe Pakistan. The FO said that the Director General urged the Indianside to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigatethe continued incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct theIndian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit,stop targeting the villages and civilians and maintain peaceon the LoC. It claimed that so far, this year, India has committed222 ceasefire violations out of which 184 have been on the LoCand 38 on the Working Boundary, resulting in killing of 26 civilians and injuries to 107 others.
By AFP

US-backed forces pressed offensives Wednesday on the Islamic State group's strongholds in Syria and Iraq, as an air strike by the American-led coalition reportedly killed 20 civilians near the Syrian city of Raqa.

Supported by coalition air raids, Iraqi forces have pushed into IS's Mosul stronghold and a Kurdish-Arab militia alliance has been advancing on the jihadists' de facto Syrian capital Raqa.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a coalition strike overnight had hit the IS-held village of Al-Heisha, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Raqa.

Rami Abdul Rahman, the head of the Britain-based monitoring group, said nine women and two children were among the 20 civilians killed and that 32 others had been wounded.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the militia alliance which Washington is supporting in the assault, denied the civilian deaths.

"There is no such thing, and any such claims are IS news," SDF spokeswoman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed told AFP.

Colonel John Dorrian, a spokesman for the coalition, told AFP it appeared there had been strikes in the area.

"After an initial assessment... the coalition confirms it did conduct strikes in the area described in the allegation," he said.

"However, more specific information is needed to conclusively determine responsibility" for civilian casualties.

The Observatory said the latest deaths brought the number of civilians killed since US-led air strikes in Syria began in September 2014 to 680, including 169 children.

- 'We left everything behind' -

Some 200 families had fled Al-Heisha, according to an SDF official.

"Daesh fighters brought heavy weapons to our village and stayed among us so that if there were strikes they would hit us," 45-year-old Saada al-Aboud said after fleeing the town, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"They wouldn't let us leave. We had to escape by running out into the fields, with our children and old people. What else could we do? We left everything behind."

The SDF launched the drive towards Raqa on Saturday, upping pressure on the jihadists three weeks after Iraqi forces began their assault on Mosul.

Raqa and Mosul are the last major cities in Syria and Iraq under IS control, after the jihadists suffered losses that greatly reduced the size of the self-styled "caliphate" they declared in mid-2014 following their seizure of large parts of both countries.

The US-led coalition, which launched its air campaign against IS two years ago, hopes that driving the group from the two cities will deal it a knockout blow.

The SDF has been pushing south from areas near the Turkish border towards Raqa, seizing a string of villages and moving to positions about 35 kilometres (22 miles) from the city.

An AFP correspondent east of Ain Issa, the main staging point for the offensive, said coalition aircraft could be seen on Wednesday carrying out repeated air strikes in the distance and that IS fighters were shelling SDF positions.

In Iraq, an official said Tuesday that Kurdish peshmerga fighters had seized the town of Bashiqa near Mosul, which would be a final step in securing the eastern approaches to Mosul.

There were still pockets of resistance in the town, officials said, and an AFP correspondent in Bashiqa reported continued air strikes, gunfire and explosions on Tuesday.

- 42,000 forced from homes -

The peshmerga and Iraqi federal forces have been advancing on Mosul from the north, east and south since October 17, and last week pushed into the city's eastern outskirts.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Wednesday he hoped for enduring US support following Donald Trump's presidential election win.

"We look forward to the continued support of the world and the United States in standing with Iraq in its confrontation with terrorism," Abadi said in a statement congratulating Trump.

Officials are warning of long and bloody battles ahead in Mosul and Raqa, with IS expected to put up fierce resistance and to use trapped civilians as human shields.

More than a million people are believed to be in Mosul. Raqa in 2011 had a pre-war population of some 240,000, and more than 80,000 people have since fled there from elsewhere in Syria.

The International Organization for Migration said Wednesday that nearly 42,000 people had fled their homes since the start of the Mosul operation.

That was an increase of more than 7,000 from the figure the IOM gave the previous day.

The IOM said a significant part of that increase was the result of new counts of people who were already present in camps, though more were also still arriving.

US-backed forces pressed offensives Wednesday on the Islamic State group's strongholds in Syria and Iraq, as an air strike by the American-led coalition reportedly killed 20 civilians near the Syrian city of Raqa. Supported by coalition air raids, Iraqi forces have pushed into IS's Mosul stronghold and a Kurdish-Arab militia alliance has been advancing on the jihadists' de facto Syrian capital Raqa. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a coalition strike overnight had hit the IS-held village of Al-Heisha, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Raqa. Rami Abdul Rahman, the head of the Britain-based monitoring group, said nine women and two children were among the 20 civilians killed and that 32 others had been wounded. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the militia alliance which Washington is supporting in the assault, denied the civilian deaths. "There is no such thing, and any such claims are IS news," SDF spokeswoman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed told AFP. Colonel John Dorrian, a spokesman for the coalition, told AFP it appeared there had been strikes in the area. "After an initial assessment... the coalition confirms it did conduct strikes in the area described in the allegation," he said. "However, more specific information is needed to conclusively determine responsibility" for civilian casualties. The Observatory said the latest deaths brought the number of civilians killed since US-led air strikes in Syria began in September 2014 to 680, including 169 children. - 'We left everything behind' - Some 200 families had fled Al-Heisha, according to an SDF official. "Daesh fighters brought heavy weapons to our village and stayed among us so that if there were strikes they would hit us," 45-year-old Saada al-Aboud said after fleeing the town, using an Arabic acronym for IS. "They wouldn't let us leave. We had to escape by running out into the fields, with our children and old people. What else could we do? We left everything behind." The SDF launched the drive towards Raqa on Saturday, upping pressure on the jihadists three weeks after Iraqi forces began their assault on Mosul. Raqa and Mosul are the last major cities in Syria and Iraq under IS control, after the jihadists suffered losses that greatly reduced the size of the self-styled "caliphate" they declared in mid-2014 following their seizure of large parts of both countries. The US-led coalition, which launched its air campaign against IS two years ago, hopes that driving the group from the two cities will deal it a knockout blow. The SDF has been pushing south from areas near the Turkish border towards Raqa, seizing a string of villages and moving to positions about 35 kilometres (22 miles) from the city. An AFP correspondent east of Ain Issa, the main staging point for the offensive, said coalition aircraft could be seen on Wednesday carrying out repeated air strikes in the distance and that IS fighters were shelling SDF positions. In Iraq, an official said Tuesday that Kurdish peshmerga fighters had seized the town of Bashiqa near Mosul, which would be a final step in securing the eastern approaches to Mosul. There were still pockets of resistance in the town, officials said, and an AFP correspondent in Bashiqa reported continued air strikes, gunfire and explosions on Tuesday. - 42,000 forced from homes - The peshmerga and Iraqi federal forces have been advancing on Mosul from the north, east and south since October 17, and last week pushed into the city's eastern outskirts. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Wednesday he hoped for enduring US support following Donald Trump's presidential election win. "We look forward to the continued support of the world and the United States in standing with Iraq in its confrontation with terrorism," Abadi said in a statement congratulating Trump. Officials are warning of long and bloody battles ahead in Mosul and Raqa, with IS expected to put up fierce resistance and to use trapped civilians as human shields. More than a million people are believed to be in Mosul. Raqa in 2011 had a pre-war population of some 240,000, and more than 80,000 people have since fled there from elsewhere in Syria. The International Organization for Migration said Wednesday that nearly 42,000 people had fled their homes since the start of the Mosul operation. That was an increase of more than 7,000 from the figure the IOM gave the previous day. The IOM said a significant part of that increase was the result of new counts of people who were already present in camps, though more were also still arriving.
By AFP

KABUL: Afghanistan's president Wednesday welcomed back Sharbat Gula, the green-eyed woman immortalised on a National Geographic cover, after she was deported from Pakistan to the war-torn homeland she first fled decades ago.

Pakistani officials handed over Gula, whose haunting eyes were captured in a cover photo taken in a refugee camp in the 1980s, to Afghan border authorities after escorting her from a Peshawar hospital where she was being treated for Hepatitis C.

Gula, arguably Afghanistan's most famous refugee, was arrested last month for living in Pakistan on fraudulent identity papers.

"Pleased to have welcomed Sharbat Gula & her family back to (Afghanistan)," President Ashraf Ghani said on Twitter. "Her life inspires us all. She represents all the brave women of this land."

The president and first lady Rula Ghani honoured Gula and her children at a ceremony at the presidential palace in Kabul.

Ghani has promised to provide Gula, 45, with a furnished apartment to ensure she "lives with dignity and security" in Afghanistan.

Speaking to AFP last week in Pakistan, Gula said she was "heartbroken" at the prospect of returning.

"Afghanistan is only my birthplace, but Pakistan was my homeland and I always considered it as my own country," she said.

"I had decided to live and die in Pakistan but they did the worst thing with me. It's not my fault that I born there (in Afghanistan). I am dejected. I have no other option but to leave."

Gula said she first arrived in Pakistan an orphan, some four or five years after the Soviet invasion of 1979, one of millions of Afghans who have sought refuge over the border since.

Since July hundreds of thousands have returned to Afghanistan in a desperate exodus amid fears of a crackdown, ahead of a March 2017 deadline for the final return of all Afghan refugees.

Last month UNHCR said more than 350,000 Afghan refugees -- documented and undocumented -- had returned from Pakistan so far in 2016, adding it expects a further 450,000 to do so by the year's end

KABUL: Afghanistan's president Wednesday welcomed back Sharbat Gula, the green-eyed woman immortalised on a National Geographic cover, after she was deported from Pakistan to the war-torn homeland she first fled decades ago. Pakistani officials handed over Gula, whose haunting eyes were captured in a cover photo taken in a refugee camp in the 1980s, to Afghan border authorities after escorting her from a Peshawar hospital where she was being treated for Hepatitis C. Gula, arguably Afghanistan's most famous refugee, was arrested last month for living in Pakistan on fraudulent identity papers. "Pleased to have welcomed Sharbat Gula & her family back to (Afghanistan)," President Ashraf Ghani said on Twitter. "Her life inspires us all. She represents all the brave women of this land." The president and first lady Rula Ghani honoured Gula and her children at a ceremony at the presidential palace in Kabul. Ghani has promised to provide Gula, 45, with a furnished apartment to ensure she "lives with dignity and security" in Afghanistan. Speaking to AFP last week in Pakistan, Gula said she was "heartbroken" at the prospect of returning. "Afghanistan is only my birthplace, but Pakistan was my homeland and I always considered it as my own country," she said. "I had decided to live and die in Pakistan but they did the worst thing with me. It's not my fault that I born there (in Afghanistan). I am dejected. I have no other option but to leave." Gula said she first arrived in Pakistan an orphan, some four or five years after the Soviet invasion of 1979, one of millions of Afghans who have sought refuge over the border since. Since July hundreds of thousands have returned to Afghanistan in a desperate exodus amid fears of a crackdown, ahead of a March 2017 deadline for the final return of all Afghan refugees. Last month UNHCR said more than 350,000 Afghan refugees -- documented and undocumented -- had returned from Pakistan so far in 2016, adding it expects a further 450,000 to do so by the year's end
By AFP

GUATEMALA CITY: Guatemala on Wednesday asked Donald Trump to ensure the "protection" of migrants in the United States, fearing his campaign promise to deport undocumented foreigners.

"Guatemala hopes that the actions his administration will take will allow recognition of the precious contribution migrants make to the United States, and that his policies promote and ensure the respect, well-being and protection of the migrant population," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement.

During his campaign for the US presidency, Trump vowed to deport millions of migrants who did not have papers to legally live in America, and said he would jail any deported illegal migrant who attempted to return.

He also repeatedly promised to build a wall across the US-Mexican border to prevent such immigration.

The United States has an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants, the overwhelming majority from Latin America, especially Mexico and Central America.

Guatemalan authorities say around 1.5 million Guatemalans live in the United States, of whom less than a third are legal residents.

Much of Guatemala's economy depends on remittances US-based Guatemalans send back to their families.

The foreign ministry said Guatemala's government wants "to work closely" with Trump's administration to address common priorities in the region, and wished Trump "a successful term."

GUATEMALA CITY: Guatemala on Wednesday asked Donald Trump to ensure the "protection" of migrants in the United States, fearing his campaign promise to deport undocumented foreigners. "Guatemala hopes that the actions his administration will take will allow recognition of the precious contribution migrants make to the United States, and that his policies promote and ensure the respect, well-being and protection of the migrant population," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement. During his campaign for the US presidency, Trump vowed to deport millions of migrants who did not have papers to legally live in America, and said he would jail any deported illegal migrant who attempted to return. He also repeatedly promised to build a wall across the US-Mexican border to prevent such immigration. The United States has an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants, the overwhelming majority from Latin America, especially Mexico and Central America. Guatemalan authorities say around 1.5 million Guatemalans live in the United States, of whom less than a third are legal residents. Much of Guatemala's economy depends on remittances US-based Guatemalans send back to their families. The foreign ministry said Guatemala's government wants "to work closely" with Trump's administration to address common priorities in the region, and wished Trump "a successful term."
Farwa Imam Ali By

NEW YORK: The US 2016 US Presidential Election has gone down in history. For one, it failed to break the glass ceiling and give the United States its first Woman President.

Two, in a stunning verdict Republicans, upset the Democrats 288: 215, making business mogul and now President Elect Donald Trump, a man with no previous political experience the opportunity to be the successor to President Barack Obama. To those who did not vote for me, I am reaching out to you said President Elect Trump in his acceptance speech. And there were quite a few who did not vote for him. In fact, hoping to deliver a strong statement against his racist rant against Hispanic voters, the latter voted in large numbers.

Florida saw a 100% spike, with high turnout in Democratic counties, in Hispanic voters compared to the 2012 vote.

However, it appears that the Hispanic vote was not enough to fight off the surge in voting from the white male voters. There are many ways to parse the 2016 presidential election in the United States, but perhaps the best window into the unorthodox race is the pattern of support for Trump among White male voters.

Explains Professor Douglas Spencer, Expert in Election Law, University of Connecticut: In general, White voters prefer the Republican candidate. In the last four presidential elections 55% of the White electorate voted for the Republican.

Support is significantly stronger among White males, with 62% supporting the Republican candidate in the past four elections (since 2000).

The 2016 percentage of white male voters stood at 70%. Point is, Trump has proven especially popular among white male voters. A factor that was factored into the race, but just not as heavily in hindsight. By the time the night ended, the election board was bleeding red all over blue states.

This was because his popularity with white male voters was offset by his disfavor among educated white women. Largely, though, a lot of voters were concerned about his lack of political experience.

As an independent, I wish I had a better choice of candidates from both parties. It was a personal struggle to vote, for not the best choice of candidate or, for the first time, not vote at all. In the end, it was more important personally to express my representation than not at all. I did not vote for Trump primarily because running a government is different than running a business, says business owner Arun Sanjeev, Joint Managing Director, Mira Alloy Steels.

As voters poured out of Clintons election headquarters in New York, teary-eyed and saddened she had not chosen to speak Ivan Svanovic, a Hillary supporter remarked: Let this be a lesson for us all to return to the grassroots, and figure out what we stand for in these changing times. So, in the end, the outcome of the 2016 Presidential Election as it stands is that the specter of a Donald Trump presidency is now very real. Succinctly put: The Dems got Trumped!

NEW YORK: The US 2016 US Presidential Election has gone down in history. For one, it failed to break the glass ceiling and give the United States its first Woman President. Two, in a stunning verdict Republicans, upset the Democrats 288: 215, making business mogul and now President Elect Donald Trump, a man with no previous political experience the opportunity to be the successor to President Barack Obama. To those who did not vote for me, I am reaching out to you said President Elect Trump in his acceptance speech. And there were quite a few who did not vote for him. In fact, hoping to deliver a strong statement against his racist rant against Hispanic voters, the latter voted in large numbers. Florida saw a 100% spike, with high turnout in Democratic counties, in Hispanic voters compared to the 2012 vote. However, it appears that the Hispanic vote was not enough to fight off the surge in voting from the white male voters. There are many ways to parse the 2016 presidential election in the United States, but perhaps the best window into the unorthodox race is the pattern of support for Trump among White male voters. Explains Professor Douglas Spencer, Expert in Election Law, University of Connecticut: In general, White voters prefer the Republican candidate. In the last four presidential elections 55% of the White electorate voted for the Republican. Support is significantly stronger among White males, with 62% supporting the Republican candidate in the past four elections (since 2000). The 2016 percentage of white male voters stood at 70%. Point is, Trump has proven especially popular among white male voters. A factor that was factored into the race, but just not as heavily in hindsight. By the time the night ended, the election board was bleeding red all over blue states. This was because his popularity with white male voters was offset by his disfavor among educated white women. Largely, though, a lot of voters were concerned about his lack of political experience. As an independent, I wish I had a better choice of candidates from both parties. It was a personal struggle to vote, for not the best choice of candidate or, for the first time, not vote at all. In the end, it was more important personally to express my representation than not at all. I did not vote for Trump primarily because running a government is different than running a business, says business owner Arun Sanjeev, Joint Managing Director, Mira Alloy Steels. As voters poured out of Clintons election headquarters in New York, teary-eyed and saddened she had not chosen to speak Ivan Svanovic, a Hillary supporter remarked: Let this be a lesson for us all to return to the grassroots, and figure out what we stand for in these changing times. So, in the end, the outcome of the 2016 Presidential Election as it stands is that the specter of a Donald Trump presidency is now very real. Succinctly put: The Dems got Trumped!
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON: Republicans held onto their slim Senate majority, a stinging blow to Democrats in a night full of them. Democrats had been nearly certain of retaking control but saw their hopes fizzle as endangered GOP incumbents won in Missouri, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and even Democrat-friendly Wisconsin.

Republicans also held onto a GOP seat in Indiana. GOP-held New Hampshire remained too close to call on Wednesday morning, but even if Democrats eked out a win there it would not make a difference.

New Hampshire Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan declared victory in the Senate race Wednesday morning, but incumbent GOP Sen. Kelly Ayotte refused to concede defeat. Hassan was fewer than 700 votes ahead in unofficial results.

Republicans started the night with a 54-46 majority in the Senate and were on track to end up with at least 52 seats, presuming they win a December runoff in Louisiana, as expected.

The outcome added to a debacle of a night for Democrats, who lost the presidency and faced being consigned to minority status on Capitol Hill for years to come.

Republicans celebrated their wins, already looking ahead to midterms in 2018 when Democrats could see their numbers reduced even further with a group of red-state Senate Democrats on the ballot.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky issued a statement congratulating the president-elect.

"After eight years of the Obama administration, the American people have chosen a new direction for our nation. President-elect Trump has a significant opportunity to bring our nation together," McConnell said. "It is my hope and intent that we succeed in the years ahead by working together with our colleagues across the aisle to strengthen our national and economic security."

Democratic operatives struggled to explain why their optimistic assessments of retaking Senate control were so mistaken. Some blamed unexpected turnout by certain segments of white voters, or FBI Director James Comey's bombshell announcement that he was reviewing a new batch of emails connected with Democrat Hillary Clinton.

In Pennsylvania, GOP Sen. Pat Toomey won a narrow victory for his second term over Democratic challenger Katie McGinty. It was a race Democrats expected to win going into the night  and one that many Republicans felt nearly as sure they'd lose.

The story was the same in Wisconsin, where GOP Sen. Ron Johnson, written off for months by his own party, won re-election against former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold in a rematch.

In Missouri and North Carolina, where entrenched GOP incumbents Roy Blunt and Richard Burr faced unexpectedly strong challenges from Democrats, both prevailed in the end.

Democrats did grab a Republican-held seat in Illinois, where GOP Sen. Mark Kirk lost to Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a double-amputee Iraq war vet. That stood as the one Democratic pickup.

The other bright spot for Democrats was in Nevada, where Minority Leader Harry Reid's retirement after five terms created a vacancy and the one Democratic-held seat that was closely contested. Reid maneuvered to fill it with Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada's former attorney general, who spoke of her family's immigrant roots in a state with heavy Latino turnout.

Cortez Masto will become the first Latina U.S. senator. She beat Republican Rep. Joe Heck, who struggled with sharing the ticket with Donald Trump, first endorsing and then un-endorsing Trump to the disgust of some GOP voters.

Indeed the Senate races were shadowed every step of the way by the polarizing presidential race between Clinton and Trump. Yet in the end, Trump was not the drag on GOP candidates widely anticipated. Republicans like Johnson who endorsed him and stuck with him won re-election, as did others like Pennsylvania's Toomey who never backed Trump until the very end. And so did a few like GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona who un-endorsed Trump after audio emerged of him boasting of groping women.

McCain, at age 80, won his sixth term in quite possibly his final campaign. The 2008 GOP presidential nominee was re-elected without much difficulty despite early predictions of a competitive race, and struck a reflective note ahead of the outcome.

"While as Yogi Berra said, 'I hate to make predictions, especially about the future,' I'm not sure how many more I have in me," McCain said.

In Indiana, GOP Rep. Todd Young beat former Democratic senator and governor Evan Bayh, who mounted a much-ballyhooed comeback bid, but wilted under scrutiny. And in Florida, GOP Sen. Marco Rubio beat Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy, giving Rubio a platform from which he could mount another bid for president in 2020.

In New York, Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democrats' leader-in-waiting for a new Congress, easily won re-election. But the results elsewhere meant he would be leading a Senate minority.

Even though the GOP's renewed control of the Senate will be narrow, the advantages of being in the majority are significant. The controlling party sets the legislative agenda and runs investigations. First up is likely to be a nominee to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court.

WASHINGTON: Republicans held onto their slim Senate majority, a stinging blow to Democrats in a night full of them. Democrats had been nearly certain of retaking control but saw their hopes fizzle as endangered GOP incumbents won in Missouri, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and even Democrat-friendly Wisconsin. Republicans also held onto a GOP seat in Indiana. GOP-held New Hampshire remained too close to call on Wednesday morning, but even if Democrats eked out a win there it would not make a difference. New Hampshire Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan declared victory in the Senate race Wednesday morning, but incumbent GOP Sen. Kelly Ayotte refused to concede defeat. Hassan was fewer than 700 votes ahead in unofficial results. Republicans started the night with a 54-46 majority in the Senate and were on track to end up with at least 52 seats, presuming they win a December runoff in Louisiana, as expected. The outcome added to a debacle of a night for Democrats, who lost the presidency and faced being consigned to minority status on Capitol Hill for years to come. Republicans celebrated their wins, already looking ahead to midterms in 2018 when Democrats could see their numbers reduced even further with a group of red-state Senate Democrats on the ballot. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky issued a statement congratulating the president-elect. "After eight years of the Obama administration, the American people have chosen a new direction for our nation. President-elect Trump has a significant opportunity to bring our nation together," McConnell said. "It is my hope and intent that we succeed in the years ahead by working together with our colleagues across the aisle to strengthen our national and economic security." Democratic operatives struggled to explain why their optimistic assessments of retaking Senate control were so mistaken. Some blamed unexpected turnout by certain segments of white voters, or FBI Director James Comey's bombshell announcement that he was reviewing a new batch of emails connected with Democrat Hillary Clinton. In Pennsylvania, GOP Sen. Pat Toomey won a narrow victory for his second term over Democratic challenger Katie McGinty. It was a race Democrats expected to win going into the night  and one that many Republicans felt nearly as sure they'd lose. The story was the same in Wisconsin, where GOP Sen. Ron Johnson, written off for months by his own party, won re-election against former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold in a rematch. In Missouri and North Carolina, where entrenched GOP incumbents Roy Blunt and Richard Burr faced unexpectedly strong challenges from Democrats, both prevailed in the end. Democrats did grab a Republican-held seat in Illinois, where GOP Sen. Mark Kirk lost to Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a double-amputee Iraq war vet. That stood as the one Democratic pickup. The other bright spot for Democrats was in Nevada, where Minority Leader Harry Reid's retirement after five terms created a vacancy and the one Democratic-held seat that was closely contested. Reid maneuvered to fill it with Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada's former attorney general, who spoke of her family's immigrant roots in a state with heavy Latino turnout. Cortez Masto will become the first Latina U.S. senator. She beat Republican Rep. Joe Heck, who struggled with sharing the ticket with Donald Trump, first endorsing and then un-endorsing Trump to the disgust of some GOP voters. Indeed the Senate races were shadowed every step of the way by the polarizing presidential race between Clinton and Trump. Yet in the end, Trump was not the drag on GOP candidates widely anticipated. Republicans like Johnson who endorsed him and stuck with him won re-election, as did others like Pennsylvania's Toomey who never backed Trump until the very end. And so did a few like GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona who un-endorsed Trump after audio emerged of him boasting of groping women. McCain, at age 80, won his sixth term in quite possibly his final campaign. The 2008 GOP presidential nominee was re-elected without much difficulty despite early predictions of a competitive race, and struck a reflective note ahead of the outcome. "While as Yogi Berra said, 'I hate to make predictions, especially about the future,' I'm not sure how many more I have in me," McCain said. In Indiana, GOP Rep. Todd Young beat former Democratic senator and governor Evan Bayh, who mounted a much-ballyhooed comeback bid, but wilted under scrutiny. And in Florida, GOP Sen. Marco Rubio beat Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy, giving Rubio a platform from which he could mount another bid for president in 2020. In New York, Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democrats' leader-in-waiting for a new Congress, easily won re-election. But the results elsewhere meant he would be leading a Senate minority. Even though the GOP's renewed control of the Senate will be narrow, the advantages of being in the majority are significant. The controlling party sets the legislative agenda and runs investigations. First up is likely to be a nominee to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court.
By IANS

TALLAHASSEE: Voters in Florida, a key battleground, have reported multiple accounts of voters saying they have encountered aggressive, intimidating behaviour, according to an independent group monitoring election issues nationwide.



"In Florida we continue to receive a substantial amount of complaints about voter intimidation," The Washington Post quoted Kristen Clarke, President of Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which is running an independent effort to field voter complaints and questions, as saying.



Clarke said her group received reports from Miami-Dade County of "yelling, people using megaphones aggressively".



In Jacksonville, Florida, Clarke said: "An unauthorised individual was found inside a polling place."



This person was at St. Paul's Methodist Church, a polling precinct in what Clarke described as a part of Jacksonville with predominantly black residents.



"He was asked to leave and refused," she said. "Through our intervention and calls, that individual has been removed. Unauthorised individuals have no place in the polls."



During early voting, Clarke's group also received reports from Hollywood, Florida about "aggressive individuals hovering around individuals as they approach the polling site", she said during a briefing with reporters.



"Some have turned away because they did not feel able to freely cast [a] ballot."



Clarke said her group has received reports from about 80,000 voters since the beginning of early voting and expects the figure to reach 175,000 reports by the time the polls close.

TALLAHASSEE: Voters in Florida, a key battleground, have reported multiple accounts of voters saying they have encountered aggressive, intimidating behaviour, according to an independent group monitoring election issues nationwide. "In Florida we continue to receive a substantial amount of complaints about voter intimidation," The Washington Post quoted Kristen Clarke, President of Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which is running an independent effort to field voter complaints and questions, as saying. Clarke said her group received reports from Miami-Dade County of "yelling, people using megaphones aggressively". In Jacksonville, Florida, Clarke said: "An unauthorised individual was found inside a polling place." This person was at St. Paul's Methodist Church, a polling precinct in what Clarke described as a part of Jacksonville with predominantly black residents. "He was asked to leave and refused," she said. "Through our intervention and calls, that individual has been removed. Unauthorised individuals have no place in the polls." During early voting, Clarke's group also received reports from Hollywood, Florida about "aggressive individuals hovering around individuals as they approach the polling site", she said during a briefing with reporters. "Some have turned away because they did not feel able to freely cast [a] ballot." Clarke said her group has received reports from about 80,000 voters since the beginning of early voting and expects the figure to reach 175,000 reports by the time the polls close.
LIVE UPDATES (All times IST) That's a wrap, stay with us for more news and updates. 1:45 PM: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Trump's win: 'The American people have chosen a new direction for our nation' 1:40 PM: President-elect Donald Trump is telling the American people that "I promise you I will not let you down." Trump, addressing supporters at his victory party in New York City early Wednesday, says he looks "very much forward to being your president." He tells his supporters he hopes to make them "very proud" for choosing him to be the nation's 45th president. And the celebrity businessman vows to "get to work immediately for the American people" and says his "movement" was just beginning. 1:35 PM: President-elect Donald Trump is trying to reassure jittery U.S. allies. Trump ran on a platform of pulling back from historic treaties like NATO. But in his victory speech Wednesday morning Trump is trying to reassure foreign countries. He says, "I want to tell the world that, while we will always put America's interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone." 1:33 pm: Donald Trump has pledged to be a president "for all Americans." The president-elect, addressing supporters at his victory party in New York City, asked that the nation to come together, and promised to "represent every citizen of our land." He added that it was "time for America to bind the wounds of division" and "time for us to come together as one." He also declared his administration will be a time of "national growth and renewal." Trump said "America will no longer settle for anything but the best" and said that the nation will "dream big and bold and daring." 1:32 PM: House Speaker Paul Ryan calls Trump victory 'a repudiation of the status quo of failed liberal progressive policies'. 1:22 PM: Donald Trump says it's "time for us to come together," pledges to be president "for all Americans". 1:10 PM: Japan is sending a top official to Washington to try to meet with those who will be responsible for the next White House administration. Katsuyuki Kawai, a political aide to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in charge of diplomacy, told reporters after meeting with Abe that he had been instructed to visit Washington as early as next week. 1:00 PM: Donald Trump has been elected president of the United States. The Republican nominee won Wednesday after capturing Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes, putting him over the 270 threshold. Voters eager to shake up the nation's political establishment picked the celebrity businessman to become the nation's 45th president. Trump rode an astonishing wave of support from voters seeking change and willing to accept a candidate loose with facts and accused of sexual misconduct. 12:59 PM: Clinton called Trump to concede election: CNN, NBC 12:59 PM: Trump to address supporters in New York. 12:39 PM: Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta says her campaign will have nothing to say tonight about state of race 12:31 PM: Trump wins Nebraska's final congressional district, sweeping the state's 5 electoral votes. 12:30 PM: Hillary Clinton has won the statewide vote in Maine. Clinton has won one of the state's congressional districts, giving her three electoral votes. Trump has won one district in the state and wins one electoral vote. Clinton now has 218 electoral votes. Her Republican opponent has 266, just four shy of the threshold needed to be elected president. 12:19 AM: News of Trump's widening lead hit hard in Cuba, which has spent the last two years negotiating normalization with the United States after more than 50 years of Cold War hostility. Normalization has set off a tourism boom in Cuba and visits by hundreds of executives from the U.S. and dozens of other nations newly interested in doing business on the island. Trump has promised to reverse Obama's opening with Cuba unless President Raul Castro agrees to more political freedom on the island, a concession considered a virtual impossibility. 12:06 AM: Donald Trump has won Pennsylvania and its prize of 20 electoral votes. Trump's stunning victory in the key battleground state gives him 264 electoral votes. It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, has 215. Pennsylvania last voted for a Republican for president in 1988. Trump repeatedly campaigned there, believing his populist message would resonate with the state's working-class voters. 11:28 AM: Republicans have clinched continued House control for the new Congress. They'll likely lose seats from their current historic high, but they won enough seats to extend their six-year streak of commanding the chamber. With voting results still being counted early Wednesday, Republicans have won at least 218 House seats. That exceeds the number needed to control the chamber. - It was only yesterday that a fish in Chennai, Chanakya, predicted that Trump will win this election. 10:50 AM: Hillary Clinton wins Nevada. 10:37 AM: Donald Trump has won the battleground state of Iowa. He was awarded the state's six Electoral College votes early Wednesday. Trump now has 244 electoral votes. His Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 209. Iowa had voted for a Republican only once since 1984 but polls remained tight throughout the campaign. Trump proved popular with the state's sizable evangelical population while Clinton and her allies campaigned frequently in its college towns. 10:27 AM: Donald Trump has won Utah. The Republican nominee was awarded its six electoral college votes. He now has 238 electoral votes. His Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 209. Utah is normally one of the safest states on the map for Republicans. But the presence of independent Evan McMullin changed the calculation this year as polls consistently reflected a tight three-way race. Trump also had struggled with Mormons, who are normally reliably Republican voters. 10:20 AM: Celebrities across the world have begun reacting to the election outcome. One way or another, history will surely be made tonight.



Let it be the good kind. Please, please let it be the good kind. #ElectionNight  J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 8, 2016 10:05 AM: Donald Trump has won Georgia. The Republican nominee on Tuesday was awarded its 16 electoral votes. Trump now has 232 electoral votes while his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 209. 10:00 AM: Hillary Clinton has won Washington state and its 12 electoral votes. The victory in Tuesday's elections brings the former secretary of state's electoral vote total to 209. Republican Donald Trump has 216. 9:50 AM: California voters passed a ballot measure to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, giving a big boost to the campaign to end the drug's national prohibition. Adults older than 21 can legally possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow six plants. California was one of five states where votes were considering the legalization of recreational marijuana Tuesday. Four other states were considering measures to legalize medicinal marijuana. READ MORE 9:41 AM: Donald Trump wins North Carolina. The victory in Tuesday's elections brings the billionaire's electoral vote total to 216. Democrat Hillary Clinton has 197. North Carolina was one of the hardest-fought contests of the election and is one of the map's newest swing states. It consistently went for Republicans until Barack Obama captured it in 2008. Republican Mitt Romney narrowly won the state in 2012. 9:35 AM: Hillary Clinton wins Oregon. The Democratic nominee on Tuesday was awarded its seven electoral votes. Clinton now has 197 electoral votes. Her Republican opponent Donald Trump has 201. 9:34 AM: New York Times has revised the forecast for Trump's chance at Presidentship to >95 percent. 9:29 AM: Hillary Clinton has won California and Hawaii. Donald Trump has won Idaho's four electoral votes. The results in the West bring Clinton's electoral vote total to 190 and Trump's to 201. It takes 270 votes to win the presidency. California, with 55 electoral votes, has voted for Democrats beginning in 1992. Hawaii has chosen Democrats consistently since 1988.



9:23 AM: Donald Trump has won the key battleground state of Florida. Trump on Tuesday was awarded 29 electoral votes. He now has 197 electoral votes. His Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 131. Both candidates have spent an extraordinary amount of time in Florida, one of the most important prizes on the map. Trump calls Florida his "second home" and his campaign acknowledged that a win there is vital to his White House hopes. Barack Obama captured the Sunshine State in both 2008 and 2012. 9:20 AM: Hillary Clinton has won Colorado. The Democratic nominee captured its nine electoral votes Tuesday. She now has 131 total electoral votes while her Republican opponent Donald Trump has 168. Colorado has become an attainable state for Democrats in recent years thanks to shifting demographics. Clinton tried to woo a surge in Latino voters and the state's college-educated whites while Trump repeatedly made pitches to Colorado's large military population and swaths of rural voters. 9:19 AM: Hillary Clinton has won Virginia. The Democratic nominee has captured its 13 electoral votes. Virginia was reliably Republican for decades until Barack Obama won it twice, thanks in part to huge turnout from Washington, D.C.'s suburbs. Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine, is a senator from Virginia, though Trump made a late push in the state. The victory gives her 122 electoral votes. Her Republican opponent Donald Trump has 168. 9:10 AM: Donald Trump has won the electoral prize of Ohio, a state known for picking presidents. The Republican wins the state's 18 electoral votes in Tuesday's election, bringing his total to 168. Hillary Clinton has 109. Clinton had appeared ready to concede Ohio's 18 electoral votes to Trump as polls showed him pulling ahead even in some traditionally Democratic blue-collar areas. But Trump struggled after release of a video in which he talked about groping women and kissing them without their permission. Republicans held their nominating convention in Cleveland. Governor and one-time Republican presidential rival John Kasich refused to endorse Trump. 9:05 AM: Donald Trump has won Missouri. The Republican nominee was awarded its 10 electoral votes. The result was not as a surprise, as the last Democratic victory in the Show Me State came in 1996. Trump now has 150 electoral votes. His Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 109. 9:00 AM: Hillary Clinton has won New Mexico and its five electoral votes. That brings her electoral college vote total in Tuesday's election to 109. Republican Donald Trump has 140 votes. 8:57 AM: Republican Gary Herbert has been re-elected governor of Utah. Herbert had a strong advantage in Tuesday's elections and was considered the favorite in the conservative state. But many Utah conservatives were not enthused about GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. And Herbert had vacillated on his support for the New York billionaire. Herbert has been in office since 2009 and had been challenged by Democrat Mike Weinholtz, a wealthy former CEO of a medical staffing company. 8:33 AM: Donald Trump wins Montana. The Republican presidential nominee on Tuesday was awarded the state's three electoral votes. The result was not a surprise, as Montana was considered a safely Republican state. Trump now has 132 electoral votes. His Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 104 votes. Watching the votes come in at HQ #election2016 #MAGA pic.twitter.com/0oixRl4RBj  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) November 9, 2016 8:27 AM: Republican Donald Trump is maintaining Republicans' advantage among white voters nationwide, but perhaps not by the usual margin that the party's nominees have enjoyed. Preliminary exit polls of voters who have already cast presidential ballots show Trump winning a majority of whites. He has not quite reached the roughly six-out-of-10 share that Mitt Romney notched four years ago in his unsuccessful challenge of President Barack Obama. The difference appears to come among white women. Trump is posting about the same, if not a slightly wider margin among white men as Romney did in 2012. But his lead over Clinton among white women appears to be in single digits, short of Romney's double-digit advantage four years ago. 8:18 AM: FiveThirtyEight founder Nate Silver observes that it'll be very hard for Clinton to win the Electoral College if she loses Michigan along with Ohio, North Carolina and Florida none of which look particularly safe for her right now. 8:14 AM: As of now, New York Times has predicted a 59 percent chance of Trump winning the Presidentship. 8:12 AM: Fox News has announced Clinton winning New Mexico. 7:58 AM: Donald Trump has won Louisiana and its eight electoral votes. That extends his Electoral College total in Tuesday's elections to 137, compared with Hillary Clinton's 104. History was on Donald Trump's side in the state. Louisiana hasn't given its electoral votes to a Democrat since Bill Clinton won 52 percent of the vote two decades ago. 7:55 AM: Hillary Clinton has won Connecticut. The Democratic nominee on Tuesday was awarded Connecticut's seven electoral votes. The result was not a surprise, as Connecticut was considered a safely Democratic state. Clinton now has 104 electoral votes. Her Republican opponent Donald Trump has 129. #ElectionNight | Clinton clinches big win with Connecticut. Catch the live updates here: https://t.co/yqyOAtS85d pic.twitter.com/Tkr0lDYWXz  New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) November 9, 2016 The result was not a surprise, as Connecticut was considered a safely Democratic state. Clinton now has 104 electoral votes. Her Republican opponent Donald Trump has 129. 7:47 AM: Republican Donald Trump has won Arkansas and its six electoral votes. That brings his electoral vote total in Tuesday's election to 129. Democrat Hillary Clinton has 97. It takes 270 votes to win the presidency. The result was expected. Earlier polling showed Trump leading Clinton by double digits in the state where she served as first lady for 12 years while her husband was the governor. Also read: Asia shares sink as Trump reported taking lead in vote count 7:46 AM: Donald Trump has won Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska while Hillary Clinton has won New York and Illinois. Trump also on Tuesday won two of Nebraska's congressional districts. In the state that awards by congressional district, one remains too close to call. #ElectionNight | Trump wins in Nebraska; Clinton leads key counties of Flouton & Hamilton. Live updates here: https://t.co/yqyOAtS85d pic.twitter.com/t7UlASBCgC  New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) November 9, 2016 Trump was awarded Texas' 38 electoral votes, the second-largest prize on the map. He also won six from Kansas, four from his victories in Nebraska and three apiece from Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. Clinton was awarded 20 from Illinois and 29 from New York, the state both candidates call home. Trump had declared he would try to win New York but never mounted a serious effort there. The Republican nominee now has 123 electoral votes. Clinton has 97. 7:40 AM: Hillary Clinton is watching election returns with a collection of close campaign aides and her family in a suite at the Peninsula New York, a luxury hotel in midtown Manhattan. Aides say the group is snacking on salmon, roasted carrots and fries  along with vegan pizza and creme brulee for former President Bill Clinton, who's careful about his diet. Her granddaughter, Charlotte, is wearing a dress emblazoned with the campaign logo. Clinton and her husband have also been working on her election night remarks with her speechwriters. Later Tuesday evening, they'll move to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City for her election night party. It's a building with a glass ceiling  a nod to the historic moment. 7:39 AM: Donald Trump has won Mississippi and its six electoral votes. That brings his Electoral College total in Tuesday's election to 66, compared with Hillary Clinton's 48. The outcome was not unexpected. Mississippi has voted for Republicans in every presidential election starting with 1972, with the exception of Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1976. 7:37 AM: Democrat Tammy Duckworth of Illinois elected to the Senate, toppling Republican incumbent Mark Kirk . 7:32 AM: Donald Trump wins Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming; Hillary Clinton wins New York and Illinois. 7:31 AM: Hillary Clinton has won Rhode Island and its four electoral votes. That brings her total Tuesday to 48, compared with Donald Trump's 60. It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. Rhode Island has voted for Republicans for president only four times since 1928. In 2012, President Barack Obama defeated Republican Mitt Romney in the state by about 27 percent. 7:25 AM: All eyes on Florida as Donald Trump is leading by 1 percent. The scenario is reminiscent to the George Bush and Al Gore's 2000 Presidential election. 7:22 AM: A mariachi band has serenaded Donald Trump on the sidewalk outside Trump Tower in New York City. The group of men in big white sombreros paraded down the sidewalk Tuesday across the street from the skyscraper playing horns and guitars. The vibrant performance interrupted a mostly low-energy night outside Trump headquarters. A separate group of about five Trump backers marched along the sidewalk across from the midtown Manhattan hotel where Trump is expected to address supporters later Tuesday night. They chanted, "Lock her up!" as they marched behind police barricades. A group of enterprising vendors also patrolled the outside of the hotel, selling Trump buttons, shirts and hats. 7:20 AM: Donald Trump has won Alabama and its nine electoral votes after Sen. Jeff Sessions endorsed the billionaire candidate. That brings Trump's total in the Electoral College to 60 votes, to Clinton's 44 votes. It takes 270 votes to win the presidency. The results continue the state's streak of voting for Republicans every presidential election since 1980. 7:02 AM: Now Donald Trump has won Alabama as well. He also leads in crucial states like Florida and Texas. 7:01 AM: Donald Trump has won Tennessee and its 11 electoral votes. Tuesday's vote is the fifth presidential contest in a row in which the state voted for the Republican candidate. That includes the 2000 election, when native son Al Gore lost the state to Republican George W. Bush. It takes 270 votes to win the presidency. 7: 00 AM: An election watchdog says some voters were denied provisional ballots at several polling stations in Atlanta. Georgia Election Protection coalition spokesman Harold Franklin says poll mangers refused to provide provisional ballots to voters Tuesday. He says the group received reports that voters were given no reason for being refused. Franklin claims voters who are eligible or entitled to a provisional ballot were denied. He did not know the number of voters who were refused, but said the bulk occurred in Fulton County. Franklin says he spoke with Fulton County election officials, who he said told polling managers to provide voters with ballots. The Fulton County elections office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Election Protection is organized by the Lawyers Committee for Civils Rights Under Law. 6:55 AM: Donald Trump has won South Carolina. The Republican nominee was awarded the state's nine electoral votes, giving him 40 for the night. The result was expected as the state has long been a Republican stronghold. 6:50 AM: Democratic Rep. John Carney has won the Delaware governor's race eight years after losing his first bid to become the state's chief executive. Carney easily defeated Republican state Sen. Colin Bonini of Dover in Tuesday's gubernatorial contest. The victory was driven by voter registration numbers that heavily favor Democrats. Carney has said job creation and economic development will be among his top priorities, along with improving Delaware's public education system. He also has acknowledged that the next governor faces significant challenges given troubling revenue expectations and escalating costs for Medicaid and state employee health care. Carney will succeed Jack Markell, who defeated Carney in the 2008 Democratic gubernatorial primary. Carney previously served as lieutenant governor. 6:48 AM: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has written in his father, former Rep. Lawrence Hogan, as his choice to be president. Doug Mayer, Hogan's spokesman, said Tuesday the Republican governor voted early. Hogan has been saying for months that he wasn't going to support Republican Donald Trump. He has said he has been extremely disappointed in the candidates from both major parties. Mayer says the governor decided to write in the name of the person who taught him what it meant to hold public office with integrity. 6:45 AM: Democrat Hillary Clinton has won Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware and the District of Columbia while Republican Donald Trump has captured Oklahoma. Clinton was awarded Massachusetts' 11 electoral votes, 10 from Maryland, 14 from New Jersey and three each from Delaware and the nation's capital, giving her 44 for the night. Trump picked up seven from Oklahoma, giving him 31. The results Tuesday were not surprising. Massachusetts and the District of Columbia are two of the nation's safest Democratic strongholds. The last time Oklahoma went for a Democrat was 1964, when it voted for Lyndon Johnson. Maryland last went for the GOP in 1988. New Jersey has been a safe Democratic state for 20 years. Its governor, Chris Christie, is a close Trump ally but is saddled with low approval numbers. 6:30 AM: A state official says Democrats have gone to court to extend voting across Colorado by two hours after the secretary of state's voter registration system went down for nearly 30 minutes Tuesday. Lynn Bartels, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office, says the hearing was scheduled for federal court in Denver. She says state officials are investigating what caused the outage, which forced in-person voters to cast provisional ballots. Some county clerks were unable to process mail ballots that needed to have the signature verified. Tauna Lockhart, spokeswoman for the state information technology office, says the system came back up about 3:20 p.m. She says the incident is under investigation by state officials, but there is no evidence the network was hit by hackers. While Hillary takes the lead now, here's a look at her quote which was cited as a U-turn: 6:29 AM: A change in the trend, Hillary Clinton has taken the lead in Ohio, Florida, New Hampshire and North Carolina. 6:25 AM: North Carolina got more attention than usual this election, and exit polls show why. Exit polls conducted by Edison Research for national media outlets suggest a tight finish between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump for the state's 15 electoral votes. The polls suggest a majority of men back Trump, while Clinton won a majority among women  with the margins essentially even. The polls suggest women made up slightly more of the electorate. About four out of five nonwhite voters backed Clinton, while about six out of 10 white voters supported Trump. But the exit polls don't offer definitive information about actual turnout among those groups, with the estimates again pointing to a close finish. 6:15 AM: A section of Twitterati started to get panic attacks as Trump seems to lead in two key states Florida, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Flash back quote: 5:58 AM: Vast divides of race, gender and education are keeping the presidential race in two tightly fought southern states close shortly after polls close. In both Virginia and Georgia, about 9 in 10 black voters and two-thirds of Hispanics backed Clinton, while most whites backed Trump. That's according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research for national media outlets. In Georgia, large majorities of whites with and without college degrees backed Trump. In Virginia those two groups diverged. Whites without a college degree backed Trump by a large margin, while those with a degree split their votes between the two major-party candidates. Women in both states were far more likely than men to back Clinton. Majorities of women in both states said Trump's treatment of women bothers them a lot. While the results are flooding in, here is an infographic that tells shows you the poll predictions of prominent US media

Create column charts 5:45 AM: Early results give Donald Trump the lead as he has won Kentucky and Indiana while Democrat Hillary Clinton has won Vermont. Trump was awarded Kentucky's eight electoral votes and Indiana's 11. Vermont gives Clinton three. These are the first states to be decided Tuesday in the 2016 general election. The wins were expected. Vermont has voted for a Democrat every election since 1988, while Kentucky has gone Republican every cycle since 2000. Indiana is normally a Republican stronghold but went for President Barack Obama in 2008. The Republicans captured it again in 2012 and Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, is the state's governor. The winning candidate needs 270 electoral votes. 5:30 AM: According to CNN exit poll projections, Donald Trump wins in Kentucky and Indiana, while Hillary takes a win in Vermont. (With inputs from agencies)
By IANS

LOS ANGELES: One person was killed and at least three others were injured on Tuesday in a shooting near a polling location in California.



Los Angeles County Sheriff's Captain Jeff Scroggin said police were dealing with at least one suspect who was heavily armed, The Los Angeles Times reported.



The incident occurred outside the Memorial Park North Recreation Centre in Azusa which is located roughly 30 miles outside Los Angeles.



One of the injured was headed to the polling station to vote, a law enforcement source told the daily.



The police arrived to find a man with a rifle. The gunman immediately fired at least 20 shots, said the source.



Under a hail of gunfire, police officials took cover and returned shots at the man, who retreated into a home in the 500 block of Fourth Street, said the source.



Officers have the suspect surrounded and were evacuating the area.



Roberto Chavez, 67, and his wife were sitting outside on their porch when they saw a heavily-armed man fire at least 10 rounds at group of people.



The gunman, who wore a white shirt and black pants, ran into a home about three doors down from Chavez's house, he said.



Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan said the shooting was impacting two polling stations at Memorial Park, a preschool, and Dalton Elementary school.



He urged voters to avoid the area and "if necessary, cast a ballot at an alternate polling location".

LOS ANGELES: One person was killed and at least three others were injured on Tuesday in a shooting near a polling location in California. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Captain Jeff Scroggin said police were dealing with at least one suspect who was heavily armed, The Los Angeles Times reported. The incident occurred outside the Memorial Park North Recreation Centre in Azusa which is located roughly 30 miles outside Los Angeles. One of the injured was headed to the polling station to vote, a law enforcement source told the daily. The police arrived to find a man with a rifle. The gunman immediately fired at least 20 shots, said the source. Under a hail of gunfire, police officials took cover and returned shots at the man, who retreated into a home in the 500 block of Fourth Street, said the source. Officers have the suspect surrounded and were evacuating the area. Roberto Chavez, 67, and his wife were sitting outside on their porch when they saw a heavily-armed man fire at least 10 rounds at group of people. The gunman, who wore a white shirt and black pants, ran into a home about three doors down from Chavez's house, he said. Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan said the shooting was impacting two polling stations at Memorial Park, a preschool, and Dalton Elementary school. He urged voters to avoid the area and "if necessary, cast a ballot at an alternate polling location".
By AFP

NEW YORK: Sipping wine in a Manhattan ballroom and watching the results roll in, devoted Donald Trump supporters were on tenterhooks Tuesday but quietly confident that the billionaire can ultimately clinch victory.

"I mean no one can call it, we're on pins and needles, it's crazy. It's going to come down to the wire," said Omarosa Manigault, a former contestant on Trump's "The Apprentice" who said she just spoke to the nominee as he watched the results with family in nearby Trump Tower.

"I have butterflies, I'm excited and then I look at the numbers in Florida and they go up for us, and then they go down for us and then one minute we're up," she added, glamorous in a smart dress and Trump broach, one of the first guests to arrive at the Hilton Midtown.

Select Trump supporters, campaign staff and volunteers from across the country descended after nightfall at Trump's official "victory party" in the Grand Ballroom of the hotel close to Central Park.

Well-dressed Manhattan women in cocktail dresses, many red in homage to the Republican Party, and men in suits and Trump trucker hats watched Fox News on giant screens as they stood around tall tables or mingled with friends, laughing and joking.

There were gasps of amazement and frenzied photograph-taking of a bust of Trump in cake form, bar staff in black tie serving drinks and piles of "Women for Trump" and "Hispanics for Trump" placards there for the taking as the ballroom started to fill up.

"It looks good for Trump," said Todd Cefaratti, a Trump supporter who flew in from Gilbert, Arizona, sounding almost surprised.

Attending the party with a friend, they were out to have a good time -- "win or lose, hopefully win" but would be "men either way" regardless of the outcome, he said.

"He's starting out well in Florida," he said. "Trump has to win Florida. If he wins Florida and North Carolina, I'd say game's on. If either one of those are lost it's going to be tough," he said.

"I feel pretty good about it. We know a lot of the grassroots people, there's record people out there," he said. "If Trump loses tonight it's not the United States of America anymore. Unfortunately."

Supporters were enthusiastic and from different walks of life. There were first-time voters, a man in a wheelchair and Mary Lee Ward, an African American woman in her 80s who lost her home and whom Trump met on the campaign trail, relaxing in a chair, dressed in black lace and a hat.

"I was invited because I'm homeless and Mr Trump said he's going to help me," she said.

"I met the man in person. He's real," Ward said. She said he kissed her on the cheek and treated her "like royalty."

John Fredericks, a radio host and Virginia state chairman of the Trump campaign, was super confident although he conceded the race was very tight.

"I'm fired up tonight, I'm very confident," he said. "This is split 50-50. We're closing, she's stumbling. We're peaking, she's faltering."

"This is a working class revolution in America," he said.

"The pundits don't understand it, the mainstream media doesn't understand it, they don't talk to real voters," he said.

"They're simply talking to the same other elite people in their wine and cheese and champagne echo chamber," he said.

Others were less bombastic but equally excited, if more anxious.

"I believe he's got a great shot," said 18-year-old Jesse Blanco, looking dapper in a dark suit, with a stars and stripes bowtie and Trump campaign buttons pinned to his lapels.

A student of politics, philosophy and economics at the University of Pennsylvania, he is one of the hardworking volunteers being rewarded for their efforts.

Trump, he said simply, has inspired him.

"I think it's very exciting, I'm seeing the first few states closing, Trump getting those very expected victories, boosting morale," he said.

"I feel there's been such a tension all over America... but now kind of letting it all out, de-stressing and finally seeing the results of this year and a half-long election," he said.

NEW YORK: Sipping wine in a Manhattan ballroom and watching the results roll in, devoted Donald Trump supporters were on tenterhooks Tuesday but quietly confident that the billionaire can ultimately clinch victory. "I mean no one can call it, we're on pins and needles, it's crazy. It's going to come down to the wire," said Omarosa Manigault, a former contestant on Trump's "The Apprentice" who said she just spoke to the nominee as he watched the results with family in nearby Trump Tower. "I have butterflies, I'm excited and then I look at the numbers in Florida and they go up for us, and then they go down for us and then one minute we're up," she added, glamorous in a smart dress and Trump broach, one of the first guests to arrive at the Hilton Midtown. Select Trump supporters, campaign staff and volunteers from across the country descended after nightfall at Trump's official "victory party" in the Grand Ballroom of the hotel close to Central Park. Well-dressed Manhattan women in cocktail dresses, many red in homage to the Republican Party, and men in suits and Trump trucker hats watched Fox News on giant screens as they stood around tall tables or mingled with friends, laughing and joking. There were gasps of amazement and frenzied photograph-taking of a bust of Trump in cake form, bar staff in black tie serving drinks and piles of "Women for Trump" and "Hispanics for Trump" placards there for the taking as the ballroom started to fill up. "It looks good for Trump," said Todd Cefaratti, a Trump supporter who flew in from Gilbert, Arizona, sounding almost surprised. Attending the party with a friend, they were out to have a good time -- "win or lose, hopefully win" but would be "men either way" regardless of the outcome, he said. "He's starting out well in Florida," he said. "Trump has to win Florida. If he wins Florida and North Carolina, I'd say game's on. If either one of those are lost it's going to be tough," he said. "I feel pretty good about it. We know a lot of the grassroots people, there's record people out there," he said. "If Trump loses tonight it's not the United States of America anymore. Unfortunately." Supporters were enthusiastic and from different walks of life. There were first-time voters, a man in a wheelchair and Mary Lee Ward, an African American woman in her 80s who lost her home and whom Trump met on the campaign trail, relaxing in a chair, dressed in black lace and a hat. "I was invited because I'm homeless and Mr Trump said he's going to help me," she said. "I met the man in person. He's real," Ward said. She said he kissed her on the cheek and treated her "like royalty." John Fredericks, a radio host and Virginia state chairman of the Trump campaign, was super confident although he conceded the race was very tight. "I'm fired up tonight, I'm very confident," he said. "This is split 50-50. We're closing, she's stumbling. We're peaking, she's faltering." "This is a working class revolution in America," he said. "The pundits don't understand it, the mainstream media doesn't understand it, they don't talk to real voters," he said. "They're simply talking to the same other elite people in their wine and cheese and champagne echo chamber," he said. Others were less bombastic but equally excited, if more anxious. "I believe he's got a great shot," said 18-year-old Jesse Blanco, looking dapper in a dark suit, with a stars and stripes bowtie and Trump campaign buttons pinned to his lapels. A student of politics, philosophy and economics at the University of Pennsylvania, he is one of the hardworking volunteers being rewarded for their efforts. Trump, he said simply, has inspired him. "I think it's very exciting, I'm seeing the first few states closing, Trump getting those very expected victories, boosting morale," he said. "I feel there's been such a tension all over America... but now kind of letting it all out, de-stressing and finally seeing the results of this year and a half-long election," he said.
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON: Republicans retained their lock on the House for two more years early Wednesday as GOP candidates triumphed in a checkerboard of districts in Florida, Virginia and elsewhere that Democrats had hoped Donald Trump's divisive comments about women and Hispanics would make their own.

Democrats who'd envisioned big gains in suburban and ethnically diverse districts instead seemed on track for modest pickups. Republican contenders were buoyed by the GOP presidential candidate's tight battle against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

While expectations were nearly zero that Democrats would win the 30 seats they'd needed to capture House control for next year, both sides had anticipated they'd cut into the historic GOP majority by perhaps a dozen seats. Republicans currently hold a 247-188 majority, including three vacant seats, the most the GOP has commanded since their 270 in 1931.

By late evening, Republicans had won at least 218 seats  guaranteeing control  and just four of their incumbents had lost. The GOP retained seats in Minnesota, New York, Colorado, Iowa and Wisconsin that Democrats sought to grab, and Republicans prepared to build on their current six-year run of House control.

"This could be a really good night for America," House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who won a 10th term, told supporters in his hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin.

In Florida, freshman GOP Rep. Carlos Curbelo won a race that underscored how Trump's damage to Republicans would be limited. With around 7 in 10 of the Miami-area district's voters Hispanic, Democrats targeted it and the race became one of the country's most expensive with an $18 million price tag. But Curbelo distanced himself from his own party's nominee and held on.

Virginia freshman Rep. Barbara Comstock kept her seat in the Washington, D.C., suburbs despite Democrats' relentless attempts to tie her to Trump. The two sides spent more than $20 million on that contest in a district of highly educated, affluent voters that both sides had viewed as vulnerable to a Democratic takeover.

Democrats defeated two Florida GOP incumbents, but those results seemed due to local circumstances.

Rep. John Mica, 73, a 12-term veteran from the Orlando area, was criticized by GOP strategists for a lackluster campaign and lost to Democrat Stephanie Murphy, a political neophyte. Democratic challenger Charlie Crist, once the state's Republican governor, defeated Rep. David Jolly in a St Petersburg district that had been redrawn to favor Democrats.

Democrats spent $4 million and beat GOP Rep. Scott Garrett, a member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus from a northern New Jersey suburb of New York City. And they defeated Rep. Bob Dold, a GOP moderate from the Chicago suburbs where Democratic strength proved overpowering.

Both parties' candidates and outside groups spent nearly $1.1 billion combined on House campaigns, shy of the $1.2 billion record in 2012, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group. Republicans had only a slight financial edge.

While Trump hurt Republicans in some areas, his appeal to working-class white voters and their antipathy to Clinton were helping GOP candidates in others.

That seemed likely to help Republicans limit an erosion of their House majority, which would have left hard-line conservatives with added clout to vex party leaders.

Even with the Ryan-led House GOP's current formidable advantage, work has stalled on spending bills after hitting objections from conservatives, including the roughly 40 members of the hard-right Freedom Caucus. A major winnowing of moderate GOP lawmakers, which hadn't materialized by early Wednesday, would increase dissident Republicans' leverage next year.

House Republican leaders still face problems ahead. Conservative objections are likely over a fresh round of budget legislation plus the need to renew the government's borrowing authority or face an economy-jarring federal default.

Ryan, who's said he wants to be speaker in the new Congress, is not immune to ire from the Freedom Caucus and other Republicans upset over his refusal to campaign for Trump.

Just a handful of disgruntled conservatives could block Ryan from the 218 votes he'd need to retain his post. That could be an embarrassing setback for the GOP's 2012 vice presidential candidate, who may harbor White House aspirations, and some Republicans say it might persuade the 46-year-old Ryan to leave Congress.

WASHINGTON: Republicans retained their lock on the House for two more years early Wednesday as GOP candidates triumphed in a checkerboard of districts in Florida, Virginia and elsewhere that Democrats had hoped Donald Trump's divisive comments about women and Hispanics would make their own. Democrats who'd envisioned big gains in suburban and ethnically diverse districts instead seemed on track for modest pickups. Republican contenders were buoyed by the GOP presidential candidate's tight battle against Democrat Hillary Clinton. While expectations were nearly zero that Democrats would win the 30 seats they'd needed to capture House control for next year, both sides had anticipated they'd cut into the historic GOP majority by perhaps a dozen seats. Republicans currently hold a 247-188 majority, including three vacant seats, the most the GOP has commanded since their 270 in 1931. By late evening, Republicans had won at least 218 seats  guaranteeing control  and just four of their incumbents had lost. The GOP retained seats in Minnesota, New York, Colorado, Iowa and Wisconsin that Democrats sought to grab, and Republicans prepared to build on their current six-year run of House control. "This could be a really good night for America," House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who won a 10th term, told supporters in his hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin. In Florida, freshman GOP Rep. Carlos Curbelo won a race that underscored how Trump's damage to Republicans would be limited. With around 7 in 10 of the Miami-area district's voters Hispanic, Democrats targeted it and the race became one of the country's most expensive with an $18 million price tag. But Curbelo distanced himself from his own party's nominee and held on. Virginia freshman Rep. Barbara Comstock kept her seat in the Washington, D.C., suburbs despite Democrats' relentless attempts to tie her to Trump. The two sides spent more than $20 million on that contest in a district of highly educated, affluent voters that both sides had viewed as vulnerable to a Democratic takeover. Democrats defeated two Florida GOP incumbents, but those results seemed due to local circumstances. Rep. John Mica, 73, a 12-term veteran from the Orlando area, was criticized by GOP strategists for a lackluster campaign and lost to Democrat Stephanie Murphy, a political neophyte. Democratic challenger Charlie Crist, once the state's Republican governor, defeated Rep. David Jolly in a St Petersburg district that had been redrawn to favor Democrats. Democrats spent $4 million and beat GOP Rep. Scott Garrett, a member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus from a northern New Jersey suburb of New York City. And they defeated Rep. Bob Dold, a GOP moderate from the Chicago suburbs where Democratic strength proved overpowering. Both parties' candidates and outside groups spent nearly $1.1 billion combined on House campaigns, shy of the $1.2 billion record in 2012, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group. Republicans had only a slight financial edge. While Trump hurt Republicans in some areas, his appeal to working-class white voters and their antipathy to Clinton were helping GOP candidates in others. That seemed likely to help Republicans limit an erosion of their House majority, which would have left hard-line conservatives with added clout to vex party leaders. Even with the Ryan-led House GOP's current formidable advantage, work has stalled on spending bills after hitting objections from conservatives, including the roughly 40 members of the hard-right Freedom Caucus. A major winnowing of moderate GOP lawmakers, which hadn't materialized by early Wednesday, would increase dissident Republicans' leverage next year. House Republican leaders still face problems ahead. Conservative objections are likely over a fresh round of budget legislation plus the need to renew the government's borrowing authority or face an economy-jarring federal default. Ryan, who's said he wants to be speaker in the new Congress, is not immune to ire from the Freedom Caucus and other Republicans upset over his refusal to campaign for Trump. Just a handful of disgruntled conservatives could block Ryan from the 218 votes he'd need to retain his post. That could be an embarrassing setback for the GOP's 2012 vice presidential candidate, who may harbor White House aspirations, and some Republicans say it might persuade the 46-year-old Ryan to leave Congress.
By Associated Press

WASHINGTON: Americans are choosing a new president Tuesday, but not just that. They are making history, reshaping Congress, saying good riddance to a campaign of numbing negativity and setting the political calculus of a nation that won't be healed any time soon.

Whether the glass ceiling shatters or not, precedent will.

Never before has the country had a woman as president, not to mention the spouse of an ex-president. Never before has the country had a president like, well, Donald Trump, unique in lacking the public-service background that everyone in our lifetimes and deeper into the past brought to the office (both his weakness and his strength). Whether the 45th president is Hillary Clinton or the billionaire outsider, the U.S. is turning a corner.

CLINTON vs. TRUMP

The two New Yorkers pounded each other relentlessly, each preaching that the other is wholly unqualified, as the race tightened in the final days after a persistent if elastic lead for Clinton, the Democrat, in preference polling. Those who dreamed of Bernie Sanders for the Democratic ticket or anyone but Trump for Republicans face their time of reckoning. Will they come home to their party, or just stay home?

Clinton, inheritor of Barack Obama's vaunted campaign apparatus and a skillful (and well-financed) organizer in her own right, fielded an impressive professional and volunteer operation. She had big names on the stage, loads of people tracking down supporters and getting them to early-voting places, committed and well-heeled interest groups behind her and lots of money for sustained advertising.

Trump's effort paled in comparison, seeming as unpolished and improvised as the candidate himself. What he had, that she didn't, were the pulse and the passion of huge crowds. Election Day should settle the question of which counted for more.

To those in Trump country, no boastful, stomach-turning video about women, no "lock-her-up" insult from the stage, no toxic tweet in the wee hours, could peel them away from the man whose crudities only made him more authentic in their eyes. To many of the Republicans who didn't come to the rallies  and to some of the lawmakers who faced the prospect of working with him in Washington  he was a disaster, a Republican Titanic sailing alongside Clinton's Democratic Lusitania. To the country at large, and much of the world, he polarized, repelled, entertained, shocked and fascinated.

Did that make Clinton less of a divisive figure?

Not to the Republicans who are already itching to impeach her if she wins.

__

WHAT TO WATCH

Virginia could be a harbinger for the night. An early win for Clinton in that state bodes well for her; a contest that drags on until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. EST could mean a good night for Trump. Results begin to come out when polls close at 7 p.m. in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia. More waves come just after 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., when polls will have closed in 30 states and the District of Columbia.

Trump and Clinton fought fiercely over Florida, a big prize. Trump also made an audacious play for Minnesota and scared Clinton in Michigan, which drew both the Democratic nominee and President Barack Obama on the campaign's final day.

Republicans fretted about Utah, normally as GOP-friendly as can be. The state was courted by an independent who tapped anti-Trump sentiment among the state's many Mormons.

___

FIZZLING OCTOBER SURPRISE

FBI Director James Comey's disclosure that the agency discovered more emails potentially connected to its investigation of Clinton's email practices roiled the race. That shadow lifted when Comey said Sunday that the review had found nothing to change the FBI's recommendation in July that she not face charges. Between his two announcements, though, nearly 24 million ballots were cast in early voting.

___

SENATE SUSPENSE

The night's second big mystery is which party will control the Senate, now Republican dominated. Democrats need to gain five seats to take an outright majority. If they gain only four  and if Clinton is elected  her vice president will be able to break 50-50 Senate ties.

Indiana could give an early hint of where the night is going. Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Missouri and North Carolina could tip either way. Republican incumbents were in particular danger in Illinois and probably Wisconsin.

The math made it tough for the GOP: Republicans had to defend 24 seats compared with only 10 for the Democrats. Some were between a rock and a hard place  risking rejection from anti-Trump Republican voters if they were too close to him and rejection from his core supporters if they pushed him away. Squirmy rhetoric ensued.

___

HOUSE HUNTING

Barring a shocker, Republicans will keep control of the House. They populate that chamber in numbers not seen since the 1930s.

The breakdown is 247-188 for the GOP, with three vacancies. GOP losses of 10-15 seats have been predicted by people in both parties.

Notable names: Republican Liz Cheney is expected to win the Wyoming seat once held by her father, Dick Cheney. GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of California, investigator of the Benghazi, Libya, episode and other Obama administration actions, could be upended.

___

RESUME REVIEW

Rare is the U.S. president who has come to office without having held any previous public office.

To be sure, some were branded resume lightweights in their campaigns: ex-governors George W. Bush of Texas, Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Ronald Reagan of California, among them. But they came from the tradition of having served somewhere  whether in Congress, states or in a high post in an administration. Dwight D. Eisenhower had no political experience but plenty of leadership cred  as well as war hero status  as allied commander in Europe in World War II.

Trump comes purely from the business and reality-TV worlds, making him distinctly a political outsider even if he's firmly part of the elite. No one questions Clinton's breadth of experience, as secretary of state, a New York senator and, uniquely, as a policy-driven first lady during her husband's two terms. The question is what voters make of her experience and his lack of it.

___

SHE-NANIGANS/HE-NANIGANS?

Trump pronounced in advance that the election is rigged, in what sounded like a hedge should he lose. He warned without evidence that Clinton partisans would commit fraud and prodded his supporters to watch for misdeeds at polling stations. The prospect of vigilante election monitoring and the anger seething behind that impulse raised concerns about confrontations Tuesday, especially if the result is close.

___

BALLOT BONANZA

Voters in Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada are deciding whether to legalize recreational marijuana use; Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota are weighing whether to do so for medical marijuana. Arizona, Colorado and Maine are deciding whether to raise the minimum wage to $12 by 2020; Washington state is considering $13.50. The federal minimum is $7.25. Voters in several states may tighten controls on guns and ammunition.

___

SOME POLITICS IS LOCAL

Of a dozen races for governor, at least seven appear competitive and most of those have Democrats on the hook. Republicans went into the campaign with 31 governorships, just one short of their historic high. And Republicans control more than two-thirds of statehouse chambers.

WASHINGTON: Americans are choosing a new president Tuesday, but not just that. They are making history, reshaping Congress, saying good riddance to a campaign of numbing negativity and setting the political calculus of a nation that won't be healed any time soon. Whether the glass ceiling shatters or not, precedent will. Never before has the country had a woman as president, not to mention the spouse of an ex-president. Never before has the country had a president like, well, Donald Trump, unique in lacking the public-service background that everyone in our lifetimes and deeper into the past brought to the office (both his weakness and his strength). Whether the 45th president is Hillary Clinton or the billionaire outsider, the U.S. is turning a corner. CLINTON vs. TRUMP The two New Yorkers pounded each other relentlessly, each preaching that the other is wholly unqualified, as the race tightened in the final days after a persistent if elastic lead for Clinton, the Democrat, in preference polling. Those who dreamed of Bernie Sanders for the Democratic ticket or anyone but Trump for Republicans face their time of reckoning. Will they come home to their party, or just stay home? Clinton, inheritor of Barack Obama's vaunted campaign apparatus and a skillful (and well-financed) organizer in her own right, fielded an impressive professional and volunteer operation. She had big names on the stage, loads of people tracking down supporters and getting them to early-voting places, committed and well-heeled interest groups behind her and lots of money for sustained advertising. Trump's effort paled in comparison, seeming as unpolished and improvised as the candidate himself. What he had, that she didn't, were the pulse and the passion of huge crowds. Election Day should settle the question of which counted for more. To those in Trump country, no boastful, stomach-turning video about women, no "lock-her-up" insult from the stage, no toxic tweet in the wee hours, could peel them away from the man whose crudities only made him more authentic in their eyes. To many of the Republicans who didn't come to the rallies  and to some of the lawmakers who faced the prospect of working with him in Washington  he was a disaster, a Republican Titanic sailing alongside Clinton's Democratic Lusitania. To the country at large, and much of the world, he polarized, repelled, entertained, shocked and fascinated. Did that make Clinton less of a divisive figure? Not to the Republicans who are already itching to impeach her if she wins. __ WHAT TO WATCH Virginia could be a harbinger for the night. An early win for Clinton in that state bodes well for her; a contest that drags on until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. EST could mean a good night for Trump. Results begin to come out when polls close at 7 p.m. in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia. More waves come just after 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., when polls will have closed in 30 states and the District of Columbia. Trump and Clinton fought fiercely over Florida, a big prize. Trump also made an audacious play for Minnesota and scared Clinton in Michigan, which drew both the Democratic nominee and President Barack Obama on the campaign's final day. Republicans fretted about Utah, normally as GOP-friendly as can be. The state was courted by an independent who tapped anti-Trump sentiment among the state's many Mormons. ___ FIZZLING OCTOBER SURPRISE FBI Director James Comey's disclosure that the agency discovered more emails potentially connected to its investigation of Clinton's email practices roiled the race. That shadow lifted when Comey said Sunday that the review had found nothing to change the FBI's recommendation in July that she not face charges. Between his two announcements, though, nearly 24 million ballots were cast in early voting. ___ SENATE SUSPENSE The night's second big mystery is which party will control the Senate, now Republican dominated. Democrats need to gain five seats to take an outright majority. If they gain only four  and if Clinton is elected  her vice president will be able to break 50-50 Senate ties. Indiana could give an early hint of where the night is going. Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Missouri and North Carolina could tip either way. Republican incumbents were in particular danger in Illinois and probably Wisconsin. The math made it tough for the GOP: Republicans had to defend 24 seats compared with only 10 for the Democrats. Some were between a rock and a hard place  risking rejection from anti-Trump Republican voters if they were too close to him and rejection from his core supporters if they pushed him away. Squirmy rhetoric ensued. ___ HOUSE HUNTING Barring a shocker, Republicans will keep control of the House. They populate that chamber in numbers not seen since the 1930s. The breakdown is 247-188 for the GOP, with three vacancies. GOP losses of 10-15 seats have been predicted by people in both parties. Notable names: Republican Liz Cheney is expected to win the Wyoming seat once held by her father, Dick Cheney. GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of California, investigator of the Benghazi, Libya, episode and other Obama administration actions, could be upended. ___ RESUME REVIEW Rare is the U.S. president who has come to office without having held any previous public office. To be sure, some were branded resume lightweights in their campaigns: ex-governors George W. Bush of Texas, Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Ronald Reagan of California, among them. But they came from the tradition of having served somewhere  whether in Congress, states or in a high post in an administration. Dwight D. Eisenhower had no political experience but plenty of leadership cred  as well as war hero status  as allied commander in Europe in World War II. Trump comes purely from the business and reality-TV worlds, making him distinctly a political outsider even if he's firmly part of the elite. No one questions Clinton's breadth of experience, as secretary of state, a New York senator and, uniquely, as a policy-driven first lady during her husband's two terms. The question is what voters make of her experience and his lack of it. ___ SHE-NANIGANS/HE-NANIGANS? Trump pronounced in advance that the election is rigged, in what sounded like a hedge should he lose. He warned without evidence that Clinton partisans would commit fraud and prodded his supporters to watch for misdeeds at polling stations. The prospect of vigilante election monitoring and the anger seething behind that impulse raised concerns about confrontations Tuesday, especially if the result is close. ___ BALLOT BONANZA Voters in Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada are deciding whether to legalize recreational marijuana use; Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota are weighing whether to do so for medical marijuana. Arizona, Colorado and Maine are deciding whether to raise the minimum wage to $12 by 2020; Washington state is considering $13.50. The federal minimum is $7.25. Voters in several states may tighten controls on guns and ammunition. ___ SOME POLITICS IS LOCAL Of a dozen races for governor, at least seven appear competitive and most of those have Democrats on the hook. Republicans went into the campaign with 31 governorships, just one short of their historic high. And Republicans control more than two-thirds of statehouse chambers.
Portsmouth boy bullied for long hair has plan to donate it

It makes me feel so proud of him, his generous spirit. He cares about others more than he cares about himself sometimes."
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Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021
Biochemists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have created the first atlas that maps where molecular tools that can switch genes on and off will bind to the human genome. It is a development they say could enable these tools to be targeted to specific parts of an individual's genome for use in precision medicine, developing therapies and treating disease.

The study is published this week (Monday, Nov. 7) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The tools are polyamides, engineered DNA-binding molecules that are an important component of artificial transcription factors. Transcription factors  both natural and artificial  determine which genes are translated into proteins inside cells.

"We know that transcription factors bind to specific sites in the genome and when they misfire they drive many diseases, including cancers," explains lead study author Graham Erwin, a former graduate student in the lab of Aseem Ansari, a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and the Genome Center of Wisconsin. "Using insights gleaned from this research, we hope to design polyamides that can bind to these same sites and outcompete the cancer-inducing factors, helping to repress that gene."

Transcription factors work by binding to a particular gene and then recruiting the cellular machinery necessary to read it and manufacture the desired protein, or they can stop a protein from being created.

While polyamides had already been designed to attach to particular regions of the human genome and turn corresponding genes on or off, the new study answers lingering questions about where particular polyamides bind and ultimately function in the cell.

"Our big question was, where are these molecules going across the genome?" says Erwin, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. "With this study, we have a whole new understanding of how they read the genome."

Using a technique called COSMIC (Crosslinking of Small Molecules to Isolate Chromatin), the researchers were able to create polyamides that would bind to DNA in human embryonic stem cells. Then, using a light-activated "handle," the scientists could search for the location where the polyamide had bound to the genome. This enabled them to build an atlas of specific binding sites within the context of whole cells.

To their surprise, the researchers learned some polyamides can bind to DNA previously thought to be inaccessible.

Each human genome, nearly five feet in length, must be highly packaged to fit inside the tiny volume of a cell's nucleus. To accomplish this extraordinary task, cells wind up tightly most parts of the DNA that isn't readily needed. At any given time, more than two-thirds of the DNA in the human stem cells the researchers used is packaged in this way.

The study team found some of the polyamides were bound to this off-limits DNA. While the DNA is unavailable to most transcription factors, polyamides may be small enough to reach it, the researchers believe.

"Being able to target a specific site in the genome is essential for the next generation of rationally designed therapies, and the lessons we've learned have changed the way we design molecules to target individual genomes," says Ansari.

In a parallel study published Nov. 4 in the journal Angewandte Chemie, Ansari collaborated with Kan Xiong and Paul Blainey of MIT to visualize how these small molecules search long stretches of DNA for their binding sites. The study shows that these synthetic genome readers behave like "molecular sleds" and slide effortlessly across vast tracts of the genome.

Together the studies provide new insights into how these molecules locate their preferred target sites in the genome.

"For 15 years we've been working on this idea and now it seems we're finally on the way to being able to intervene in a thoughtful way," Ansari says.
DNAtrix, a clinical stage biotechnology company developing virus-driven immunotherapies for cancer, announced it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with the University of Florida, Gainesville to develop a novel oncolytic virus platform. The platform is based on myxoma virus, a poxvirus that has been shown to have beneficial features for treating cancers.

A major advantage of the myxoma virus is its ability to attach to T lymphocytes and other white blood cells, which are then delivered to the patient to trigger tumor cell killing and antitumor immunity. Myxoma virus can be armed with multiple immune stimulatory genes, a feature shared by other large DNA viruses such as herpes simplex and adenovirus.

Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today

"The myxoma virus has unique properties for attacking cancer," said CEO Frank Tufaro, Ph.D. "We think this technology platform provides a new modality for delivery of a potent oncolytic virus to tumors by co-administering it along with T cells. We look forward to testing this 'Trojan horse' strategy in the clinic."

"The myxoma virus is a novel oncolytic candidate that does not infect normal human cells but has a unique ability to identify the damaged signaling pathways found in the majority of human cancers; thus, resulting in productive infections in the patient's cancer cells," stated Grant McFadden, Ph.D., Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology at the University of Florida, College of Medicine.
One of the worst cruelties of lethal cancer is the phenomenon called wasting, or in medical terms, cachexia (pronounced ka-CHEX-ia), in which a patient seems literally to diminish in bodily terms as the cancer ravages one or more internal organs.

Today, a team at Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, led by Professor Douglas Fearon, M.D., of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York and a Distinguished Scholar of the Lustgarten Foundation, publishes in Cell Metabolism results of experiments showing that tumors interfere with the patient's ability to cope with wasting and may even impair their ability to respond to immunotherapy.

In mouse models of human pancreatic and colon cancer, the team traces cachexia to a molecular reprogramming of the liver induced by the tumor, the effect of which is to alter the liver's normal response to caloric deficiency. As the caloric deficiency worsens and weight continues to decline, the body responds by releasing stress hormones. The team found that these hormones, in turn, prevent the immune system from responding to the tumor.

Thus the new research helps explain two ways in which pancreatic and colon tumors have long vexed doctors attempting to treat them: these tumors themselves set in motion the process that results in wasting; and wasting, in turn, accounts for why immune therapy for such cancers has typically failed. Providing massive caloric supplementation - what doctors call hyperalimentation - does not vanquish wasting; and immune therapy does not impair the tumor's ability to thrive.

The researchers in Cambridge, led by M.D.-Ph.D. student Thomas R. Flint and oncologist Tobias Janowitz, M.D., Ph.D., performed experiments demonstrating that in mouse models of pancreas and colon cancer, liver reprogramming begins during pre-cachexia, when wasting has just begun but is not yet manifest. Signals broadcast by tumor cells induce the release of interleukin 6 (IL-6), a molecular beacon of the immune system called a cytokine, that normally helps induce an immune response. IL-6, in turn, impairs the capacity of the liver to respond to caloric deprivation, which is already under way in pre-cachectic mice.

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The team proposes this liver reprogramming is the result of IL-6 suppressing a gene-regulating protein, or transcription factor, called PPAR-alpha, which in turn suppresses a vital process in the liver called ketogenesis. "Translated into human terms, this means that when a cancer patient loses his or her appetite and decides not to eat, the liver is not going to generate sufficient energy to compensate for the caloric loss," explains Dr. Fearon.

Often, cancer patients don't eat, Dr. Fearon clarifies, not because they are nauseous due to chemotherapy; rather, they feel full and simply lose their appetite. Importantly, he adds, his team's discovery that the tumor is programming the liver not to make calories, which are essential for continued brain function, assures two things. One is that wasting will continue; the other is that the body, massively releasing glucocorticoids, or stress hormones, will thereby short-circuit the immune system's ability to respond to the tumor. It's a vicious circle that sadly ends in death.

The team's discovery not only sheds light on why conventional caloric supplementation fails to curtail cachexia in cancer patients. It also helps to account for the failure of T-cell checkpoint targeted immunotherapies in pancreatic and colon cancers. The tumor, in effect, is

fooling the immune system into thinking the tumor is not a threat but rather just normal regenerating tissue. The team tested several ways of addressing liver reprogramming in pre-cachectic mice. Using a mouse model that recapitulates human pancreatic cancer, they administered an antibody that targets and inactivates IL-6; the same mice received massive caloric supplements via infusion. According to Dr. Flint, "Our data suggest that successful reversal of cachexia in people may well depend on co-administration of anti-IL-6 with nutritional support."

The team also noted that their findings may have relevance in a wide range of IL-6-associated illnesses in which weight loss in observed. These include sepsis, HIV, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiac failure and rheumatoid arthritis.
University of Florida researchers have identified cells targeted by a male hormone and found that an excess of that hormone at a specific time can cause genital defects in female mice. The findings appear today (Nov. 7) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The study identifies a window of fetal development and a type of cell targeted by masculinizing hormones that cause a certain type of vaginal defect.

"How the vagina and urethra separate is an interesting developmental question," said Christine Larkins, Ph.D., a research assistant professor in the department of molecular genetics and microbiology at the UF College of Medicine, part of UF Health. "Having two openings is something that is almost exclusively found in rodents and primates, including humans."

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Scientists have long known that prenatal exposure to androgens, such as the hormone testosterone, causes genital defects in females. Androgens act as masculinizing hormones, directing formation of male genitalia and preventing formation of a vaginal opening in boys.

When a female embryo produces excessive amounts of androgen, it disrupts the development of the urethral and vaginal openings. Instead of developing as separate tubes with individual openings, they are born with only one opening.

"Genital malformations cause very serious clinical issues," said Romano DeMarco, a UF Health physician in the department of urology. He listed problems such as incontinence, infertility and inability to have intercourse, as well as the psychosocial struggles of a physical deformity.

Until now, many scientists assumed it was the quantity of androgen that dictates where the urethra and vagina attach in these malformations -- in milder defects the tubes join close to the natural opening, but in more severe defects, they can fuse near the bladder.

Using mouse models, Larkins, working with Ana Enriquez, an undergraduate, and Martin Cohn, Ph.D., a professor in the department of molecular genetics and microbiology and a member of the UF Genetics Institute, demonstrated that the timing and duration of androgen exposure influence the severity of vaginal malformations.

The researchers also identified a group of cells that guides the developing vagina to the correct position in the embryo. They report that androgen blocks the activity of those cells, causing the vagina to remain connected to the urethra.

"This study really opens the door for us to get at the targets of androgen that are regulating this process," Larkins said. "Now that we know when and where androgen is acting, we can really define what's downstream of that to regulate this process."

Genital malformations are among the most common birth defects in humans, affecting 1 in every 250 live births.

"We know very little about external genital development, despite the high incidence of malformations," Cohn said. "The little bit that we do know is almost all from studies of males. There's a lot of catching up to do."
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) announced today the newest member of its national Affiliate Network, Hawaii Pacific Health. Anchored by four medical centers in Kapiolani, Pali Momi, Straub and Wilcox and over 70 locations statewide, Hawaii Pacific Health is one of Hawaii's largest health care providers and is partnered with the University of Hawaii Cancer Center as a member of the Hawaii Cancer Consortium. SCCA and Hawaii Pacific Health's strategic partnership will help advance the standard of cancer care in Hawaii with a focus on improving prevention, screening and early detection of cancer.

Ranked in the nation's top 10 cancer centers by U.S. News & World Report, SCCA brings together the research teams and cancer specialists from three world class institutionsFred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle Children's, and UW Medicine. This partnership will allow Hawaii Pacific Health to enhance its current cancer care programs by expanding existing initiatives with SCCA in patient education, quality improvement, research, and clinical trials. For Hawaii Pacific Health patients, this means access to the latest cancer treatment options while at home in Hawaii and supported by family and friends.

"Hawaii Pacific Health and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance have a similar vision, values and culture of collaboration that made this partnership a natural fit," said Hawaii Pacific Health President & CEO Ray Vara. "This formal affiliation will enhance our ability to develop a population health management program that complements our ongoing work with the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. It also will increase our depth of expertise by providing broader access to SCCA's network of providers and resources."

SCCA has 13 Affiliate Network partners located across the Western U.S., including in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and now Hawaii. By forging partnerships with community-based physicians and hospitals, the affiliate network program supports SCCA's mission of advancing the standard of cancer care.

"Both Hawaii Pacific Health and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance share the goal of elevating patient care. The Hawaii Pacific Health cancer care team is among the best in Hawaii and SCCA is honored to partner with them to support the patients and families of Hawaii," said Dr. Marc Stewart, medical director and vice president of SCCA.
The Cornell Douglas Foundation, an environmental health and justice advocacy group based in Bethesda, Md., has named University of Massachusetts Amherst environmental health scientist Laura Vandenberg one of its 2016 Pearl Award winners in recognition of her "outstanding leadership in conducting critical research to identify and address the many issues concerning endocrine disruptors."

The national honor comes with a $50,000 check to Vandenberg, who says, "This award is given to someone who is an irritant, someone who has perhaps encountered trouble because of the science they do, specifically in environmental health. I donated the funds to the campus so that my lab can continue to 'cause trouble' and work to improve agencies like EPA and the FDA as they make decisions about chemical safety."

Vandenberg, an assistant professor of environmental health sciences at UMass Amherst's School of Public Health and Health Sciences (SPHHS), is an internationally known expert on the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals on development and how environmental exposures in early life can contribute to adult diseases including breast cancer, infertility and obesity. She uses molecular, genetic, tissue-based and endocrine tools to investigate such chemicals as bisphenol A and S (BPA and BPS) and others used as plasticizers, in flame retardants and cosmetics.

Environmental Health Expert Laura Vandenberg at UMass Amherst Play

SPHHS Dean Marjorie Aelion says, "Dr. Vandenberg does it all, from being an excellent teacher to leading a highly-funded research laboratory. This award is unique, and does not recognize her for these accomplishments. Rather it recognizes her advocacy for the environment based on science, and her role in bringing this science to the larger community and environmental policymakers. What an incredible honor for an assistant professor."

As the foundation explains, it named its award for the pearl, noting that each jewel starts as a grain of sand, an intrusion that creates a blister "conceived in pain." Vandenberg says she deeply appreciates the metaphor and it is fitting to her career. As a vocal critic of regulatory agencies' oversight of chemicals in consumer goods, her comments have appeared in Newsweek, Time, Huffington Post, Mother Jones, National Public Radio, USA Today, The Boston Globe, Consumer Reports and Scientific American.

"I started causing trouble 10 years ago as a graduate student, which maybe is early to stick your neck out," she says. "I have taken personal and professional risks by challenging the safety of chemicals worth billions of dollars. That is an uncomfortable place for a young scientist to be; it can be scary. But I had a lot encouragement that as long as the science guides my recommendations, then it's the right thing to do. I do it because the science is strong, and because advocating for public health is the most important thing I can do in my career."

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She adds, "To get an award like this is incredible. Although the work done in my lab is funded by NIH, a lot of my other research projects really can't be funded in the conventional way. A good portion of my work in environmental health is about policy, about changing approaches to protect public health and pushing for regulatory change. That is not a typical science endeavor. But it's the most important work I'll ever do in my life, to try to fix some of the big gaps in chemical safety assessment that are evident today."

Vandenberg says that as a society, "we've gotten better about big environmental problems such as clean air, clean water and waste disposal. At the same time, we've allowed thousands of chemicals to be placed on the market with little or no testing. And, there are more cases of cancer, asthma, autism and metabolic syndrome than ever before. Those increases can't be due to genetic changes in the human population because the genome doesn't change that quickly."

There are now thousands of papers showing associations between low level chemical exposures from consumer products and disease, she notes. Either the studies are all wrong, "or we are slowly being poisoned by these low exposures," she adds. "If that is true, what we thought was safe for us is not. I want a rethinking of how we figure out what is safe and what do we do about these low level exposures that we dismissed for a long time because they seemed benign."

"When you think about bad water and air pollution you can see the problem. Nobody is thinking of being polluted by canned food or their hand lotion."

Vandenberg says her immediate response to winning the Pearl Award was that someone else must be ahead of her in line, "because there are people much more senior to me that deserve it. I've benefited so much from people who came before me, my mentors. This award is given to people who have already accomplished something. I feel I'm just beginning to do something, so I'm grateful. This gift will give me the freedom to think about my next project."

Vandenberg's colleague, biology professor R. Thomas Zoeller, himself an internationally known expert on endocrine disrupting chemicals, says, "There is no doubt in my mind that Professor Vandenberg is a rising superstar and this award is just one recognition of this. She has made major contributions to the science of environmental and public health, changing the way we think about fundamental issues. I have great admiration and respect for her work. What's more, she is a gifted scholar and teacher who has great passion for public health protection and for higher education. UMass Amherst is incredibly lucky to have her here!"
A weight loss condition that affects patients with cancer has provided clues as to why cancer immunotherapy - a new approach to treating cancer by boosting a patient's immune system -- may fail in a substantial number of patients.

Cancer immunotherapies involve activating a patient's immune cells to recognise and destroy cancer cells. They have shown great promise in some cancers, but so far have only been effective in a minority of patients with cancer. The reasons behind these limitations are not clear.

Now, researchers at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute at the University of Cambridge have found evidence that the mechanism behind a weight loss condition that affects patients with cancer could also be making immunotherapies ineffective. The condition, known as cancer cachexia, causes loss of appetite, weight loss and wasting in most patients with cancer towards the end of their lives. However, cachexia often starts to affect patients with certain cancers, such as pancreatic cancer, much earlier in the course of their disease.

In research published today in the journal Cell Metabolism, the scientists have shown in mice that even at the early stages of cancer development, before cachexia is apparent, a protein released by the cancer changes the way the body, in particular the liver, processes its own nutrient stores.

"The consequences of this alteration are revealed at times of reduced food intake, where this messaging protein renders the liver incapable of generating sources of energy that the rest of the body can use," explains Thomas Flint, an MB/PhD student from the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine and co-first author of the study. "This inability to generate energy sources triggers a second messaging process in the body - a hormonal response -- that suppresses the immune cell reaction to cancers, and causes failure of anti-cancer immunotherapies."

"Cancer immunotherapy might completely transform how we treat cancer in the future -- if we can make it work for more patients," says Dr Tobias Janowitz, Medical Oncologist and Academic Lecturer at the Department of Oncology at the University of Cambridge and co-first author. "Our work suggests that a combination therapy that either involves correction of the metabolic abnormalities, or that targets the resulting hormonal response, may protect the patient's immune system and help make effective immunotherapy a reality for more patients."

The next step for the team is to see how this discovery might be translated for the benefit of patients with cancer.

"If the phenomenon that we've described helps us to divide patients into likely responders and non-responders to immunotherapy, then we can use those findings in early stage clinical trials to get better information on the use of new immunotherapies," says Professor Duncan Jodrell, director of the Early Phase Trials Team at the Cambridge Cancer Centre and co-author of the study.

"We need to do much more work in order to transform these results into safe, effective therapies for patients, however," adds Professor Douglas Fearon, Emeritus Sheila Joan Smith Professor of Immunology at the University of Cambridge and the senior author, who is now also working at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Weill Cornell Medical College. "Even so, the results raise the distinct possibility of future cancer therapies that are designed to target how the patient's own body responds to cancer, with simultaneous benefit for reducing weight loss and boosting immunotherapy."

Source: University of Cambridge
Although many of us don't want to think about grandma still "getting it on," multiple studies show that older women are still sexually active beyond their seventh decade of life. A new study published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), suggests, however, that at least one in seven women aged 65 to 79 years has hypoactive sexual desire dysfunction (HSDD).

In the questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study, more than 1,500 Australian women were assessed for sexual function and sexual distress as defined by the Female Sexual Function Index and the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised. The group consisted of 52.6% partnered women, with a mean age of 71 years. Within this group, 88% were found to have low sexual desire, 15.5% had sexually related personal distress, and 13.6% had HSDD, which is defined as the presence of both low sexual desire and sexually related personal distress. This percentage was higher than what had previously been reported for women in this age group and similar to the prevalence reported for younger women.

Although HSDD was found to be more common in women with partners, the study confirmed that unpartnered older women are still sexually active and may be distressed by low sexual desire. Independent factors included vaginal dryness during intercourse in the past month, having moderate to severe depressive symptoms, and having symptomatic pelvic floor dysfunction.

"This study demonstrates that healthcare providers need to have honest and open discussions with their patients as they age with regard to desire, mood, vaginal dryness, and pelvic floor issues to determine whether these factors are affecting a woman's desire or ability to be sexual," says Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, NAMS executive director.
One Medicine: how human and veterinary medicine can benefit each other

Professor Roberto La Ragione

News-Medical speaks to Professor Roberto La Ragione, Chair of Trustees at Humanimal Trust, about the concept of One Medicine and how human and veterinary medicine can collaborate, share knowledge, and initiate research for the benefit of both humans and animals.
Today, data integrity has become an important regulatory topic in quality management. It refers to the consistency and accuracy of stored data, and presents a major challenge to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies that can either make or break the outcome of a specific product.

Information that is properly recorded, traceable, and reported is important to provide proof to regulatory investigators that products have indeed been produced according to the recognized protocols. Such information also helps ensure the identity, strength, quality, safety, and purity of products before they are distributed in the market.

This article describes the seven validation documents and records that should be included by all computerized data systems in order to conform to international standards and FDA regulations.

The crucial regulatory issue is turning out to be very important in a marketplace. The following list provides a viable solution on how to manage regulatory risk and thus realize a sustainable benefit in the market.

The regulatory framework of data integrity

For life science companies, data integrity is not an entirely new concept but regulatory bodies have some new expectations with regard to data quality and data trustworthiness. As such, there is a tremendous pressure to regulate data integrity owing to the industrys growth and globalization.

In April, FDA issued a new draft guidance called Data Integrity and Compliance with CGMP Guidance for Industry, for the pharmaceutical sector to explain the role of data integrity in current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) for drugs2.

The new draft, in addition to answering frequently asked questions, defined data integrity as the completeness, consistency, and accuracy of data. Complete, consistent, and accurate data should be attributable, legible, contemporaneously recorded, original or a true copy, and accurate (ALCOA). The draft also emphasized several critical requirements from CFR parts 210, 211, and 212 with regard to data integrity, such as:

211.100 and 211.160 (requiring that certain activities be documented at the time of performance and that laboratory controls be scientifically sound)

212.110(b) (requiring that data be stored to prevent deterioration or loss)

211.68 (requiring that backup data are exact and complete, and secure from alteration, inadvertent erasures, or loss)

211.188, 211.194, and 212.60(g) (requiring complete information, complete data derived from all tests, complete record of all data, and complete records of all tests performed)

211.180 (requiring that records be retained as original records, true copies, or other accurate reproductions of the original records)

The key term audit trail, correspondingly detailed by the draft, is defined as a secure, computer-generated, time-stamped electronic record that allows for reconstruction of the course of events relating to the creation, modification, or deletion of an electronic record.

Audit trails are important for visualizing organizational activity both externally and internally and therefore, they serve as key concepts for compressive exploration.

A certain group of activity and data in various categories, such as: operational, management, technical controls, and security, are tracked by several audit trails present in each system.

By considering all the data relevant to a system and its users, audit trails collect data for system administrators to check and analyze and also offer insurance against legal evidence and system failures if protection from compliance issues are required.

Data audit reviews can be performed in periodic, real-time or as required based on the protocol and system. Audit trail data can be continually monitored and analyzed by implementing several tools (Figure 1). For instance, according to the Computer Security Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), this can include the addition of:

Trends/variance-detection tools [that] look for anomalies in user or system behavior

Preprocessors designed to reduce the volume of audit records to facilitate manual review

Attack signature-detection tools [that] look for an attack signature, which is a specific sequence of events indicative of an unauthorized access attempt

Figure 1. Monitoring and analyzing audit trail data.  solarseven / Shutterstock.com

Recent intensification of data integrity sanctions

As FDA increased its on-site inspections of processes and systems at overseas facilities, the prevalence of cGMP infractions including document adulteration and data manipulation has also increased in international markets like China and India.

In India, concerns related to data integrity have been well-documented, but despite this fact, the FDA has cited 15 companies over the accuracy and consistency of their data since 2013. More serious violations identified companies that did not have the facility to backup and restore data, backdated lab data, and permitted lab analysts to share login IDs.

With regard to China, FDA inspection teams have come across situations where audit trails were disabled and names of the sample raw data files were changed.

Bloomberg informed that FDA inspectors recently visited a pharmaceutical factory located in the Chinese city of Taizhou and found that sometimes workers either do not record the results or delete them altogether while doing quality tests on drugs meant for U.S. export. An import ban list was later imposed on these violators, which prevented them from exporting products to the U.S.

Penalties in the form of a warning letter, Form 483, and import alert will be served to manufacturers who do not take appropriate corrective actions. Warning letters were served to certain companies for deficient corrections in response to observations made in the Form FDA 483. These companies include:

BA General Devices, Ridgefield, NJ, USA 4

Sri Krishna Pharmaceuticals Ltd. - Unit II, Andhra Pradesh, India 5

Megafine Pharma Limited, Mumbai, India 6

Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Maharashtra, India7

It takes time to respond to violations, and regulatory actions equally affect the companys revenue stream as well as the ability of a drug maker to obtain approval for novel drug applications.

Key factors in data integrity compliance

If data is properly recorded, managed, tracked, and kept in an easily accessible manner, then harmful sanctions and the resultant negative market can be prevented. Since 1997, the FDA has standardized automation of the data recordkeeping procedure using computer systems.

Recognizing all the needs within an organization and the numerous processes being used, marks the initial step for fulfilling data integrity compliance. The FDA expects all systems, whether they are computerized or software, to possess the required reliability and quality and to be operational for their intended applications, including designated applications for data integrity.

It is certainly not sufficient to just have data integrity because organizations would still need to prove that their system is secure and that their data is accurate. Organizations are expected by FDA to develop the objective evidence that they have fulfilled the data integrity needs and also have the required reliability and quality in their systems.

The FDA standards of data quality

The FDA, at its core, wants to find out how companies acquired and recorded their data and how they obtained it properly. The FDA goes on to stipulate that the source data should be legible, attributable, original, accurate, and contemporaneous when it comes to meeting the needs for the oversight, collection, and storage of electronic source data in clinical analyses. This list of criteria called ALCOA acts as a guidance for validating quality standards as a proof of data quality (Figure 2).

Figure 2. FDA standards of data quality.  bikeriderlondon / Shutterstock.com

As such, proper documentation as defined by the ALCOA standards is as follows:

Attributable  Knowing where the data originated from and identifying the person who did the work or entered the datas origin.

Legible  Presenting the data in a clear, readable way. If changes are there in the data, both the new and old values can be reviewed

Contemporaneous  Entering the data at the time or as close to possible when the activity occurred

Original  Inclusion of the earliest record in all data which should not be obscured by following records

Accurate  Valid representation of results from a data source and ensuring that all corrections are recorded and acceptable explanations are provided for why changes took place

From selection and collection of data through to analysis and reporting of data, there are several aspects of data integrity that contribute to compliance with the rules and international standards as well as FDAs ALCOA standards.

Achieving data validation

When it comes to auditing computer systems for data integrity, it is important to know what to look for in validation documentation to be able to comply with the specified standards. This step is imperative because according to an established protocol, production process control software should be validated for its designated use.

Also, auditors should be able to detect and assess the documented proof of the validation process, such as documented proof of following the process and completing both the validation tasks and the validation activity results.

According to EduQuest experts in association with UL, the following are the seven software and system validation documents and records that must be included with all systems:

Requirements documents describing the intended use(s) and user needs associated with the software and system

Established validation protocol/plan describing the activities necessary to demonstrate that the requirements can be met

Records of the results of the validation activities described in the validation protocol

Records that show changes are appropriately controlled (where applicable)

Records that show appropriate software, system, and quality requirements were established and provided to the vendor, if developed elsewhere. The vendor must be qualified, and the purchasing data and validation results should support that the requirements were met

Records of testing and verification activities, including proper installation

Validation report that summarizes the activities and documentation as described in the validation protocol/plan, including issues during development and testing

Building a culture of integrity

Top biotech and pharmaceutical companies are promoting a culture of integrity across their technology, processes, and people to realize a lasting organizational commitment towards integrity and validation of data.

As seen with nearly all regulatory and organizational objectives, the variation between ineffective or successful data integrity management is proportional to the organizations culture. Harvard Business Review published a study that highlights four factors that drive quality as a cultural value.1 They are:

Peer Involvement: Quality initiatives should be clearly defined by companies; companies should also develop a sense of pride by encouraging positive social pressure to create self-promoting and authentic peer engagement

Leadership emphasis: Consistency should exist between the companys mission and executive messaging and action. Any disconnect can impact commitment and enthusiasm which leads to lower quality work

Message credibility: Management should be aware what drives committed and quality work and then modify messaging for staff

Employee ownership of quality issues: After giving education and guidance to employees, they should be permitted to take actions, which enable them to apply their knowledge and skills in corrective or creative decision-making.

Establishing electronic signatures and digital audit trails that conform to EU Annex 11 and 21 CFR Part 11 will always form the main elements in effective integrity and validation of data. Life science experts will place more importance on directly incorporating data integrity into business operations and day-to-day considerations of their organization.

Conclusion

Adopting these criteria will set a basis for a data integrity program that fulfills FDA expectations, validation of documents and records is just one of the areas to ensure data integrity.

As a result, companies should be ready to apply effective and meaningful strategies to regulate their data integrity risks across the whole scope of their operation. These strategies include:

Isolating web servers and database servers on individual networks

Disabling and securing unwanted network services

Implementing real-time security warnings

Recognizing and eliminating known exploitations and vulnerabilities

Instilling and enforcing access controls

Constantly updating, monitoring, and auditing systems regularly

A quality approach to production that prevents instances of mix-ups, contamination, errors, failures, and deviations in manufacturing processes and facilities is required for securing good documentation practices and organizational data integrity and also for staying off the regulatory radar practices.

In accordance with FDAs cGMP, this can be achieved by acquiring proper quality raw materials, establishing strong operating processes, establishing robust quality management systems, detecting and studying deviations in product quality, and sustaining consistent testing laboratories.

Even the most systemized and organized organizations have to comply with many regulations and controls. This is the reason why companies partner with UL to ensure compliance with data integrity.

UL can teach organizations about audit management systems and best practices, while UL consulting can guide organizations through the FDA inspections, auditing, and compliance mitigation protocols.

UL also allows companies to promote awareness of the issues and foster a culture of excellence and enhanced behaviors. This is a part of a new data integrity program comprising of eLearning courses written by industry leaders.

Ultimately, whether companies do it alone or seek external expertise or knowledge, it is their responsibility to apply effective oversight and controls before FDA inspections. Efforts should be made to ensure data accuracy and reliability so that consumers are protected from buying products that are dangerous to their health.

References

Srinivasan, Ashwin and Kurey, Bryan. Creating a Culture of Quality. Harvard Business Review. April 2014. Data Integrity and Compliance With CGMP Guidance for Industry. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) April 2016 Pharmaceutical Quality/Manufacturing Standards (CGMP). An Introduction to Computer Security: the NIST Handbook. Doi: 10.6028/NIST.SP.800.12. Chapter Summarization. October 1995. 86 Harriet Ave Corporation DBA General Devices. Public Health Service Food and Drug Administration Warning Letter. 6/1/16. Sri Krishna Pharmaceuticals Ltd. - Unit II. Public Health Service Food and Drug Administration Warning Letter. 4/1/16. Megafine Pharma Limited. Public Health Service Food and Drug Administration Warning Letter. 5/19/16. Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited. Public Health Service Food and Drug Administration Warning Letter. 3/3/16 Analyzing the State of Data Integrity Compliance in the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry, Ernst & Young, 2015. Data Integrity and Compliance With CGMP Guidance for Industry  Draft Guidance, US Food & Drug Administration, April 14, 2016. Facts About the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs). http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/Manufacturing/ucm169105.htm

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Our solutions help companies enter new markets, manage compliance, optimize quality and elevate performance by supporting processes at every stage of a companys evolution.

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Republican Donald Trump stunned the world on Tuesday by defeating heavily favored Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House, ending eight years of Democratic rule and sending the United States on a new, uncertain path.Trump elucidated on his 15-point agenda in the run-up to the elections. If he decides to implement them, it could impact the Indian government, people and businesses in several ways.Here is a lowdown on the implications Trumps policies as the US President could have for India.- Has plan to reduce corporate tax in U.S. from currently 35% to 15%- Would make U.S. one of the most attractive destination in business world and this could lure back U.S. business in India to American soil.- Has threatened to label China as a currency manipulator and has called for imposing higher tariffs on Chinese goods.- Will boost Indian pharma, computer and telecom equipment exports to U.S.- Has called for making Americans being prioritised for open jobs and restricting skilled visas to make more jobs available to Americans.- Bad news for top Indian IT companies that make their billions by using the H1B visa programme that allows low cost skilled Indians to work in the U.S.- Plans to boost GDP growth to 4% by adding 25 million jobs over the next decade.- Would mean an enhanced role for private businesses in creating jobs and enhanced opportunities for big businesses in India but also smaller ones to invest in the U.S.- Has used strong words on the need to curtail ISIS and curb immigration from countries that export terror.- This would comfort India, which has seen a surge in support for ISIS among its young population. If Trump fulfils his promise of restricting immigration, that would further hurt Pakistan.- Trump has promised to unleash Americas shale oil, natural gas and coal reserves to make U.S energy self-sufficient.- Indias dependence on OPEC will end and opening up of the US oil sector could lead to price stability.- Has vowed to scrap the scheme aimed at providing affordable healthcare to Americans.- That could be bad news for the Indian pharma sector.
Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, the right-wing fringe organisation which rooted for Donald Trump during his campaign, has expressed hope that the US President-elect will "embrace" the Hindu culture and give up eating beef."I've heard that Trump eats beef. Well, now he has come in contact with Hindu culture, he will embrace it and all vices in him shall be reformed," Chandraprakash Kaushik, national president of the Hindu Mahasabha told CNN-News18 on Wednesday, hours after Trump's stunning upset in the election.Kaushik said Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton was certain from the beginning as the "entire Hindu community" had stood behind him. In the run-up to the polls, Hindu Mahasabha leaders had organised 'havans' in support of the Republican candidate.I went to Ayodhya and prayed for his politician. Trump is the only global politician to come out so strongly against terrorism. You and I both know what he means by terrorism. Whoever is against them, we back them.About Trumps opposition to giving jobs to foreigners he said, "That is their internal policy. We are happy about his tough anti-terror stance.
Kolkata: An automobile engineer, who went to Saudi Arabia for better job opportunities, has allegedly been "sold" to a Saudi national as a slave to work in his camel farm.



The family members of Jayanta Biswas have approached the Ministry of External Affairs for help in bringing him back from Saudi Arabia.



However, they are yet to receive a word from the ministry.



"We appeal to the Indian government to initiate action in order to bring my brother back. We are at our wit's end," Gouri Biswas, elder sister of Jayanta, said.



According to Gouri, earlier this year Jayanta got in touch with agents in New Delhi and Mumbai, who had taken Rs one lakh from him to help him get a plum job in the automobile sector in Saudi Arabia.



"The agents had put Jayanta on a plane to Riyadh on a tourist visa. They had promised that he would get a work visa after staying there for three months and find a job at an automobile service centre. On their assurance, Jayanta reached Riyadh on May 15. He was conned by the agents," she alleged.



She said that after he reached Riyadh, he was sold to a Saudi national to work in his camel farm.



"He was forced to work as a labourer in the farm and was given food only once. The person who bought him also tried to sexually abuse him. Jayanta once tried to flee his master's house but failed and was severely beaten up," Gouri claimed.



Later, however, he managed to escape and sought help from the Indian Embassy in Riyadh which recorded his statement and sent him to an NGO in the Saudi capital.



Infuriated over Jayanta's escape, his master lodged a police complaint accusing him of stealing 10,000 Riyals, following which he was put behind bars, she claimed.



"From the prison he managed to get in touch with us and this is how we got to know about his ordeal. When we got in touch with the agents, they demanded Rs 35,000 for my brother's release. We paid the amount and he was released from prison on October 27," Gouri said.



However, though he is now out of jail, the family is clueless about his return. His father, Rabindranath Biswas, wrote to the External Affair Ministry seeking their help in ensuring Jayanta's return.



"We have written to MEA and Union Minister Sushma Swaraj. But our pleas are yet to be heard. We want the MEA to take swift action," Gouri said.
New Delhi: Continuing the blame game, India and Pakistan on Wednesday summoned Deputy High Commissioners of each other to express concern over ceasefire violations even as India protested the manner in which the information of eight of its officials in Islamabad was made public, thereby, endangering their security and safety.



The Ministry summoned the Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan and conveyed the strong concern of the Government of India on the continued violation of ceasefire along the International Border and the Line of Control by Pakistan, MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in New Delhi.



"Despite calls for restraint, Pakistan forces have committed 16 ceasefire violations since 3 November 2016 alone.



As a result, there have been three fatal casualties during this period among Indian security forces.



"The Government conveyed that such loss of life is unacceptable and is strongly protested. In addition, the injuries to civilians during the shelling by Pakistan forces are deplorable and strongly condemned," he said.



Swarup said India has also protested the manner in which the photographs of eight officials of the High Commission of India in Islamabad were prominently displayed in newspapers in the wake of factually incorrect allegations by Pakistan government, and conveyed that this is against basic norms of diplomatic practice and courtesy, besides having the potential to endanger their security and safety.



"It is expected that the Pakistan side will desist from such actions in the future and will ensure the safety and security of all members of the High Commission of India in Islamabad and their families," Swarup added.



Earlier, in Islamabad, Foreign Office (FO) said Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh to "strongly condemn the unprovoked ceasefire violations on November 8 by the Indian Forces on the Line of Control (LoC) in Khuirata and Battal sectors".



This is the sixth time in over two weeks that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner was summoned to the FO.



The FO said the violation by India resulted in the death of four civilians, including a woman and a 10-year-old girl, besides causing injuries to seven others.



On his part, Singh protested against the unprovoked firing from Pakistani Rangers, saying it was primarily to give cover to infiltrators.



He also said casualties on the Indian side include both civilians and security forces in the ceasefire violations by the Pakistan.




Washington US President Barack Obama on Wednesday telephoned Donald Trump to congratulate him on his stunning victory and invited the President-elect to meet him at the White House on Thursday.



Obama called Trump from his residence in the White House early on Wednesday to congratulate him, White House spokesman said. The spokesman said President Obama invited Trump to White House on Thursday to discuss the presidential transition. Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway also said Obama called Trump while he was speaking to his supporters in New York, and so Trump called him back after he left the stage.



She said the two leaders had a "very nice talk." Conway said they would meet possibly tomorrow. The official said Obama will make a statement from the White House to discuss the election results and what steps to take as a country to come together.



Obama also called former secretary of state and Trump's rival Hillary Clinton to express his admiration for the strong campaign she waged.



In a stunning result, billionaire businessman Trump beat seasoned politician Clinton in the knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President after starting off as a rank political outsider.
: Subramanian Swamys beaming face has that unmistakable I-told-you-so look. As Donald Trump makes it to the White House in a stunning surprise, the BJP Rajya Sabha MP is having the proverbial last laugh.In an exclusive interaction with News18 almost a month ago, Swamy had predicted a Trump victory dismissing Hillary Clinton as the worst-possible candidate.These allegations against him dont stand. Bill Clinton was much worse. I expect Trump to win. He is still in the race, the former Union Minister had told News18 when asked about the then-faltering candidacy of the Republican nominee in the face of charges of molestation.On Tuesday, as news poured in of an inevitable Trump victory, Swamy attributed it to a unified working class white vote.Sometimes, issues stir people up. Like the Hindutva issue in 2014, similar reasons are at play in the US today, said the mercurial BJP leader, adding that Hillary Clinton was compromised by Pakistan.Trump on the other hand is committed to fighting Islamic terror. he said.Talking about a potential Modi-Trump bonhomie, he said that Trump becoming President will not hurt Indo-US relations at all. Trump had attended an Indian Hindu conference, his son visited a temple. But the US must treat India as an equal partner, not a junior partner, he said.
Mumbai: NCP President Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said he welcomed the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in a move to unearth unaccounted money as well as counterfeit curreny.



"We welcome the decision to demonetise currency notes - Rs 500 and Rs 1000. This will curb Blackmoney and terror financing," Pawar said in a tweet.



Taking the nation by surprise, Modi last night announced demonetisation of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes, making these notes invalid in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption.



While the sudden announcement had taken common man aback with people queueing up to ATMs to get Rs 100 notes and deposit liquid cash in banks, it was hailed by President Pranab Mukherjee and BJP's ally, even as the main Opposition Congress raised apprehensions over the decision.



Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala sought to know if the Prime Minister has brought this scheme without giving much thought just to cover his "failure" to bring back Rs 80 lakh crore black money stashed abroad and deposit Rs 15 lakh in the account of every citizen.



BJP's ally in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena also hailed the bold step from PM and said it hoped that the common man does not get adversely affected by the decision.


Thank you. All of us have to work shoulder to shoulder and create a prosperous, inclusive and corruption free India. https://t.co/3rurQwFYja  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

Yes @imbhandarkar, it will give an impetus to growth. https://t.co/V03lnCRJ7E  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

Dear @iamnagarjuna, this step will check corruption, black money and fake currency rackets that slow our progress. https://t.co/qns6cyosAB  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

This step was taken in the interest of our honest citizens who deserve a better India. https://t.co/kFU4tVWgOV  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

Thanks @karanjohar. We must create an India that is corruption free for our future generations. #IndiaFightsCorruption https://t.co/QuY7vx3phO  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

Prime Minister Narendra Modis declaration that Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes will be considered invalid by midnight on Tuesday, had many  including celebrities  take to Twitter to express their elation. From megastars Rajinikanth and Big B to Anushka Sharma, Karan Johar and Sidharth Malhotra  all stars hailed Modi's decision to counter black money. But what is note-worthy is that PM Modi replied to each of the tweets to express his gratitude for their support.PM Modi's reply to Rajinikanth's tweet, 'Hats off Narendra Modiji. New India is born, Jai Hind.'PM Modi's reply to Madhur Bhandarkar's tweet, 'Congratulations to Narendra Modi for this bold move to ban 500 and 1000 notes to counter black money and strengthen our economy.'PM Modi's reply to Nagarjuna Akkineni's tweet 'Frm Paris/congrats @narendramodi Ji!!for rewarding us tax payers/india on the way to become a super economy'PM Modi's reply to Kamal Haasan's tweet, 'Salute Mr. Modi. This move has to be celebrated across political party lines. Most importantly by earnest tax payers.'PM Modi's reply to Karan Johar's tweet, 'This is truly a masterstroke move!!!! Narendra Modi hits it out of the stadium!'
A mother of three in France claimed that her Samsung Galaxy J5 smartphone caught fire and exploded.Lamya Bouyirdane told The Associated Press that she noticed the phone felt very hot and soon had "swollen up" and smoke was coming out."I panicked when I saw the smoke and I had the reflex to throw it away," said Bouyirdane, a resident of the French city of Pau who bought the phone last June on a website.Her partner quickly extinguished it as the phone caught fire and its back blew off.William Stofega, an IDC mobile analyst, said the incident in France was the first of its kind that he is aware of.He also said that there's no easy fix for problems involving lithium-ion batteries. Manufacturing defects or even a little damage can result in an overheated battery and can potentially start a fire following a short circuit."We are unable to comment on this specific incident until we obtain and thoroughly examine the device. Customer safety remains our highest priority and we want to work with any customer who has experienced an issue with a Samsung product in order to investigate the matter and support them," said Samsung in a statement. "The issues with the Galaxy Note7 are isolated to only that model.
(Image: Screenshot of the website/ News18.com)

Soon after forecast revealed that Donald Trump had taken a lead over Hillary Clinton, the Canadian immigration website had reportedly crashed on Tuesday night. According to a report by CNET, citizens were concerned about Trump being the next US president and preferred to leave the country.Social media remains ablaze, too, with many claiming they'll move to Canada should Trump become the US' 45th president, the report said.As Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump wait for the verdict in the US presidential election 2016, CNN projections now show the Republican candidate taking the lead again.The projections at 10:18 am IST show Democratic candidate Clinton with 209 against Trump's 244 electoral college votes.
The Reserve Bank of India has dismissed as figments of imagination rumours that a new series of Rs 2,000 will come with a GPS-chip that will help government track illegal money transactions.Such a technology does not exist at the moment in the world, then how can we introduce such a feature? RBI spokesperson Aplana Killawala told News18 She said that the RBI website had detailed the security features of the new note and that there was nothing else besides what has been officially said, especially any possibly of a GPS-enabled chip.Reports of a chip-enabled series of new currency notes had surfaced immediately after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday that the government was scrapping the existing denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes.
Sony India has launched its flagship RX100 V camera in its Cyber-shot RX100 series at a price of Rs 79,990. It is equipped with a Fast Hybrid A/F system with 315 A/F points covering approximately 65 percent of the frame.



The camera can further shoot continuously at speeds of up to 24 fps at full 20.1MP resolution with AF/AE tracking for up to 150 continuous shots.



It features a newly developed 1.0-type stacked ExmorRS CMOS sensor with a DRAM chip, a ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T 24-70 mm F1.8 to 2.8 large aperture lens, and an enhanced image processing system with a new front-end LSI chip that maximises processing speed, expands the memory buffer and optimises image quality, in particular at high ISO settings.



The camera also features 4K video recording with full pixel readout and no pixel binning, super slow motion recording at up to 960fps with extended recording time and more.


: Donald Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway on Tuesday suggested her candidate was hurt by not having the full support of the Republican establishment.If Trump loses narrowly it would be "too bad" that "we have former Presidents not voting for us, former nominees not voting for us", The Washington Post quoted Conway as telling MSNBC."That's got to hurt," she said, according to the exchange reported by the Wall Street Journal. "When you talk about growing the party, the idea was growing it, but having that base together."The last Republican President, George W. Bush, and the party's last nominee, Mitt Romney, both refused to support Trump, with Romney being especially outspoken in his disdain.While Conway appeared to be largely complaining about those party standard bearers, it did seem like an about face from earlier in the day when the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee held a joint conference call with reporters to discuss how well situated they were to win.Meanwhile, a senior adviser from Donald Trump's inner circle sized up the US Republican presidential candidate's chances on Tuesday in one stunning sentence: "It will take a miracle for us to win."The adviser went on to say that Trump was in such a deep hole after the "Access Hollywood" tape that it was assumed inside the campaign that he would lose by a wide margin, CNN reported.Trump's ability to close that gap in the last weeks of the campaign is seen as a pretty stunning achievement -- one that may even save the Senate for the GOP in the view of this adviser.
Republican Donald Trump stunned the world on Tuesday by defeating heavily favored Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House, ending eight years of Democratic rule and sending the United States on a new, uncertain path.A wealthy real-estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to defeat Clinton, whose gold-plated establishment resume includes stints as a first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state.Worried a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors were in full flight from risky assets such as stocks. In overnight trading, S&P 500 index futures fell 5 percent to hit their so-called limit down levels, indicating they would not be permitted to trade any lower until regular U.S. stock market hours on Wednesday.The Associated Press and Fox News projected that Trump had collected just enough of the 270 state-by-state electoral votes needed to win a four-year term that starts on Jan. 20, taking battleground states where presidential elections are traditionally decided.CNN reported Clinton had called Trump to concede concede the election.A short time earlier, Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta told supporters at her election rally in New York to go home. "Several states are too close to call so we're not going to have anything more to say tonight," he said.Victorious in a cliffhanger race that opinion polls had forecast was Clinton's to win, Trump won avid support among a core base of white non-college educated workers with his promise to be the "greatest jobs president that God ever created."His win raises a host of questions for the United States at home and abroad. He campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist "America First" path. He has vowed to impose a 35 percent tariff on goods exported to the United States by U.S. companies that went abroad.Both candidates, albeit Trump more than Clinton, had historically low popularity ratings in an election that many voters characterized as a choice between two unpleasant alternatives.Trump, who at 70 will be the oldest first-term U.S. president, came out on top after a bitter and divisive campaign that focused largely on the character of the candidates and whether they could be trusted to serve as the country's 45th president.The presidency will be his first elected office, and it remains to be seen how he will work with Congress. During the campaign Trump was the target of sharp disapproval, not just from Democrats but from many in his own party.Television networks projected Republicans would retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs. In the U.S. Senate, the party also put up an unexpectedly tough fight to protect its majority in the U.S. Senate.Trump entered the race 17 months ago and survived a series of seemingly crippling blows, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologized but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, allegations he denied. He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Clinton.TOUTS HIS BUSINESS ACUMENDuring the campaign, Trump said he would make America great again through the force of his personality, negotiating skill and business acumen. He proposed refusing entry to the United States of people from war-torn Middle Eastern countries, a modified version of an earlier proposed ban on Muslims.His volatile nature and unorthodox proposals led to campaign feuds with a long list of people, including Muslims, the disabled, Republican U.S. Senator John McCain, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, the family of a slain Muslim-American soldier, a Miss Universe winner and a federal judge of Mexican heritage.Throughout his campaign - and especially in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in July - Trump described a dark America that had been knocked to its knees by China, Mexico, Russia and Islamic State. The American dream was dead, he said, smothered by malevolent business interests and corrupt politicians, and he alone could revive it.He offered vague plans to win economic concessions from China, to build a wall on the southern U.S. border with Mexico to keep out undocumented immigrants and to pay for it with tax money sent home by migrants.The Mexican peso plunged to its lowest-ever levels. The peso had become a touchstone for sentiment on the election as Trump threatened to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico.His triumph was a rebuke to President Barack Obama, a Democrat who spent weeks flying around the country to campaign against him. Obama will hand over the office to Trump after serving the maximum eight years allowed by law.Trump promises to push Congress to repeal Obama's troubled healthcare plan and to reverse his Clean Power Plan. He plans to create jobs by relying on U.S. fossil fuels such as oil and gas.CLINTON'S FAILED SECOND BIDTrump's victory marked a frustrating end to the presidential aspirations of Clinton, 69, who for the second time failed in her drive to be elected the first woman U.S. president.In a posting on Twitter, Clinton acknowledged a battle that was unexpectedly tight given her edge in opinion polls going into Election Day."This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything," she tweeted.The wife of former President Bill Clinton and herself a former U.S. senator, she held a steady lead in many opinion polls for months. Voters perceived in her a cautious and calculating candidate and an inability to personally connect with them.Even though the FBI found no grounds for criminal charges after a probe into her use of a private email server rather than a government system while she was secretary of state, the issue allowed critics to raise doubts about her integrity. Hacked emails also showed a cozy relationship between her State Department and donors to her family's Clinton Foundation charity.Trump seized on the emails to charge that Clinton represented a corrupt political system in Washington that had to be swept clean.Trump's national security ideas, opposed by most of the elite voices across the political spectrum, have simultaneously included promises to build up the U.S. military while at the same time avoiding foreign military entanglements.He wants to rewrite international trade deals to reduce trade deficits. He has taken positions that raise the possibility of damaging relations with America's most trusted allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.He has promised to warm relations with Russia that have chilled under Obama over Russian President Vladimir Putin's intervention in the Syrian civil war and his seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region."Wouldn't it be nice if we could get along with Russia?" he said at many rallies.Also Read: Why the 'Anti-Politicians' Keep Trumping Again and Again
Such a beautiful and important evening! The forgotten man and woman will never be forgotten again. We will all come together as never before  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 9, 2016

Striking a more moderate tone than his ususal outbursts, US President-elect Donald Trump today called for unity in his first tweet after scoring a stunning victory in the presidential election against Hillary Clinton."Such a beautiful and important evening! The forgotten man and woman will never be forgotten again. We will all come together as never before," Trump said in the tweet.Trump has 13.7 million followers. His first tweet as the president-elect was retweeted 140,000 times and was "liked" by more than three lakh people.Trump's, even before running for office, has long used Twitter to fire off incendiary messages against the media and in his own Republican party.More than 75 million global tweets were sent related to #Election2016 through 3am ET when Trump claimed victory, said Nicholas Pacilio, spokesman of Twitter. It was a new record.In 2012, only 31 million tweets were sent during the entire election day.Pacilion said the last tweet of Hillary Clinton sent Tuesday night is now her second-most retweeted ever. "This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything," Clinton tweeted. It was also retweeted 130,000 times and liked by three lakh people.Clinton has 10.6 million followers.
With her husband Donald Trump triumphing in the US presidential polls, Melania Trump was set to become the first foreign-born First Lady of the US in almost two centuries.46-year-old Melania will be the first foreign-born First Lady since Louisa Adams -- the wife of John Quincy Adams, the sixth US president (1825-29).Louisa was born in London to an English mother and an American father who served as US consul, according to the White House. Till date, Louisa was the only First Lady to be born outside the United States.Melania, a Slovenian former model, was born in 1970 in communist Yugoslavia.She is the daughter of Viktor Knavs, a car and motorcycle dealer and a member of the Slovenian Communist Party, and Amalija Knvas, according to media reports.Melania began her modeling career when she was 16, and at the age of 18 signed with a modeling agency in Milan, Italy.Melania has her own jewellery and skin care line and speaks five languages-- Slovenian, Serbian, English, French and German.She met Trump at a Fashion Week party in New York in September 1998, when he was separated from his second wife Marla Marples.They were engaged in 2004, and were married in a church ceremony in Florida the following year.In March 2006, she gave birth to their son Barron. Melania got her Green Card in 2001 after moving to the US five years earlier and became a US citizen in 2006, a year after her marriage.She has insisted that she is not shy about giving her husband political advice, despite avoiding the limelight for much of the presidential campaign.In an interview with CNN, she said, "I give him my opinions, many, many times.""I don't agree with everything he says, but, you know, that is normal. I'm my own person, I tell him what I think.And I think that's very important in a relationship," she said.Melania had made headlines in July after she was accused of plagiarising parts of a speech made by Michelle Obama in 2008.She had stood by Trump after video footage emerged of his boasting about groping women.Melania is also stepmother to Donald Jr, 38, Ivanka, 34, Eric, 32, from Trump's first marriage to Ivana, and Tiffany, 22, from his marriage to Marla Maples.It was a heart-break for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who was hoping to become the first woman president of the US, as the 70-year-old business tycoon edged past her in a see-saw battle.
Kaduna: Nigeria's army is planning attacks on Shia processions scheduled November 20, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria said on Tuesday as the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission asked Nigeria's president to ensure their protection.



Nigeria's military did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday evening.



The Nigerian army gunned down and killed some 300 Shiites in December and buried them secretly in a mass grave, according to an independent government-appointed committee into the killings in northern Zaria city. One soldier was killed. The Shiites say more than 1,000 were killed.



Dozens remain in illegal military detention including leader Ibraheem Zakzaky, who was shot seven times and lost one eye.



Nigeria's army accused the Shiites of trying to assassinate the country's army chief a claim human rights groups call unbelievable.



Today, Shia spokesman Ibrahim Musa said Tuesday's appeal from the Islamic Human Rights Commission to President Muhammadu Buhari was based on reports from military intelligence officers privy to alleged plans to attack processions and burn members' businesses and homes.



Shias have antagonized other Nigerians by forcefully blocking main roads with processions that draw hundreds of thousands.



Nigeria's 170 million people are equally divided between Christians and mainly Sunni Muslims. Zakzaky is believed to have about 5 million followers.



The group has been attacked in the past. In 2014, soldiers opened fire on a procession, killing 34 people including three of Zakzaky's sons.



Last month, the Shia movement was outlawed in its home state of Kaduna, a move analysts warn could spark another Islamic uprising.



The Shias insist they are peaceful and note that suicide bombers of Boko Haram Islamic extremist group attacked a procession last year, killing several people.



Boko Haram emerged as a much more radical and violent group after a military attack on its headquarters in northeast Maiduguri city in 2009 killed about 700 people.
Republican Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to shake up Washington and as president the brash real estate mogul will be in a position to dramatically change how the United States handles immigration, trade and a range of other policies.Yet many of his more ambitious proposals will require cooperation from Congress. While he will likely enjoy a post-election honeymoon with congressional Republicans, a long-lasting romance is far from guaranteed, given his uneasy relationship with congressional leaders and some basic ideological differences he has with Republican orthodoxy.Following is an overview of Trump's top domestic policy plans, based on the sometimes vague details of his agenda, and their likelihood of success:In his campaign, Trump argued that international trade agreements had hurt U.S. workers and the country's competitiveness. He has promised to "get tough" on China, withdraw from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, which is still not finalized, and renegotiate or scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement, the 1994 free-trade deal with Mexico and Canada.As president, Trump does have some power to raise tariffs on countries such as China. He could delay the TPP, as well, even if Congress approves it.Economists have warned that such moves would damage the economy by forcing consumers to pay dramatically higher prices on everything from refrigerators to T-shirts. U.S. exports, such as airplanes and soybeans, would likely suffer as well.On the campaign trail, Trump has promised to build a wall along the Mexican border, deport millions of undocumented immigrants and ban immigration from countries that have been "compromised by terrorism."Those policies would not come cheap. Trump has estimated the wall would cost $8 billion to $12 billion. Other estimates have run much higher.Politico estimated it would cost at least $166 billion to deport all of those in the country illegally and complete a border wall. While many congressional Republicans support those policies, they might blanch at the cost.Trump has said he would force Mexico to pay for the wall, but he has no power to force another country to spend money on something it does not want.More broadly, Trump could shift the broader debate over immigration, empowering skeptics like Republican Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, who want to reduce overall immigration levels and reduce the number of skilled guest workers. That would be a blow to business groups and Hispanic advocates who have sought to relax immigration laws.Trump has promised to repeal President Barack Obama's signature Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, and replace it with a plan that would give states more control over the Medicaid health plan for the poor and allow insurers to sell plans nationally.He would need Congress to act, and Republicans could have difficulty getting the 60 votes needed to advance a repeal effort through the 100-seat Senate.Republicans could face a public backlash if they repeal a law that has provided healthcare to millions of Americans.A Trump administration would have plenty of other opportunities to undermine Obamacare, however, by appointing officials who are not committed to its success.Trump has vowed to make deep tax cuts, while also promising to protect popular health and retirement programs that account for more than a third of U.S. government spending.That combination of policies would massively increase the national debt, according to the nonpartisan Center for a Responsible Budget.He has also proposed increasing spending on the military and infrastructure, but has said he would reduce spending on categories other than health and retirement by 1 percent each year.On taxes, he would get plenty of help from Republicans in Congress, who have been laying the groundwork for a tax-code overhaul that would lower rates and close loopholes. But they will encounter fierce resistance from homeowners, businesses and other interest groups that benefit from current tax breaks.Trump's promise to protect entitlement programs will rile fiscal conservatives, who worry they will swamp the federal budget in the decades to come. But those programs are popular with the American public.Trump has promised a "dismantling" of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law enacted following the financial crisis, but has given few details.The Republican Party's platform calls for reinstating Glass-Steagall, the 1930s-era law that forced the separation of investment banks from deposit-taking institutions. Trump's former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, said in July that his campaign backed that change.Republican lawmakers have so far been unable to undo many of their most-despised pieces of the Dodd-Frank law, and many in their ranks oppose a return to Glass-Steagall.Trump has offered few details about his plans to fight Islamic State but has said he would "knock the hell out of" the militant group. He says he is keeping the details of his strategy a secret so as not to disclose them to the enemy. Trump has said if he wins, he would give U.S. generals 30 days after he takes office on Jan. 20 to propose their own plans.Trump has said he opposes accepting refugees fleeing violence in Syria, and instead has said he would create "safe zones" there, which he says would be funded by Gulf states.Obama has said a safe zone in Syria would require a large U.S. military commitment, something that could prove to be unpopular with Americans weary of lengthy wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.Trump has said he would have a "very, very good" relationship with Russia.Trump has said could work with Russia to combat Islamic State. He also said he would look into recognizing Crimea, seized from Ukraine in 2014, as Russian territory and lifting sanctions on Russia imposed by Western nations for what they called an illegal land grab.Trump has criticized the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, saying some U.S. allies have not met their defense commitments. In July, he said if Russia attacked a NATO member, he would consider whether the country has paid up before providing defense.NATO leaders say the sanctions against Russia are key to persuading it to change that country's behavior in Ukraine, where it has backed ethnic Russian separatists, and that the alliance has long been focused on fighting international terrorism.With one vacancy on the Supreme Court and several more likely in the coming four years, Trump will have a chance to put a conservative stamp on the nation's courts for decades to come.His list of potential nominees has won praise from conservative activists and Republicans in the Senate, who will be eager to help him in that area.
So will a Trump presidency be good for India or should we prepare for the worst?Actually, despite months and months of a heated campaign where Trump has made his opinions clear on almost everything under the sun, the foreign policy establishment is still divided.For one, no one actually knows this man. When News18 spoke to a number of foreign policy experts, politicians and government officials about this. Each one of them said that Donald Trump is an unknown entity whose foreign policies and capabilities are yet to be seen. Indian officials have had little or no interaction with the flamboyant real estate moghul, not even when he came to India to inaugurate the Trump Tower in Mumbai.But that hasnt stopped right-wing politicians like BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy from calling this election for Trump from day one. In an interview to News18, in early October, he had predicted a Trump win calling Hillary the worst possible candidate. Some right-wing organisations had been backing him from day one mainly because of his anti-Muslim statements, even celebrating his birthday.The Indian right-wing takes succor from Trumps recent endorsement of the contributions of the Hindu community in the US. The Hindu community has made fantastic contributions to world civilisation and to American culture and we look forward to celebrating our shared values of free enterprise, hard work, family values, and a strong American foreign policy, he said during the campaign.In policy circles, Trumps tough stand against the global jihadi threat has been welcomed, but there are deep concerns over his statements on H1B visas and immigration. If Trump continues to take a hard line on immigration after being sworn in then that could have a negative impact on Indian software professionals who have dominated the Silicon Valley.There are enough Indian experts who fear that under Trump, stricter immigration laws will force out Indian students in the US to return home or migrate to other foreign countries. Students preparing for GRE or GMAT can rule out USA from their preferred higher educational destinations.At the same time they hope that USA would want to maintain or improve its current relationship with India, being a growing economy with powerful military and one of the eight countries with nuclear weapons.Till now Trumps rhetoric has been protectionist, isolationist and often veering towards the extreme. He has often said that the international trade system is rigged against the US. Former Indian ambassador to the United States Meera Shankar said if Trump comes true on his election rhetoric, then there will be implications for India as well as the global economy. Shankar, as an ambassador, has also met Donald Trump at a social gathering. She also admits that she only knows about Trump the businessman and can't comment much on his future foreign policies.India is in a fortunate place. We enjoy bi-partisan support among republicans and democrats. Their policy would be to seek better relations with India she said.Indian government officials feel Trump was trying to appeal to the average Joe in the US. He wanted to cash in on the anti-Washington and anti-establishment sentiment, but President Trump would be a different fish.CNN Internationals Executive Editor Ram Ramgopal, who has vast experience covering Indo-US affairs, feels Trump's foreign policy positions have been all over the place. But he also felt that the new US President could moderate his views once he takes charge. Trump won't be able to bring about a comprehensive immigration reform all on his own. They will have to work with the legislature and the US Congress and that's going to be a long drawn out and difficult job, Ram said.With Trump in the White House India will have to explore, test waters and then move ahead. Hopefully, he will team up with advisers and a vice president who could guide him towards a better and more realistic foreign policy than what he has advocated during the election campaign.* Enough to worry about his statements on H1B visas and immigration* Students preparing for GRE or GMAT can rule out USA from their preferred higher educational destinations.* Indias BPOs and Software companies could face huge business loss* Might force India to join USAs War on terror, demand India contribute troops if it calls itself an American ally* Volatility in global markets could dry up FDI coming in* Indian bonds will come under pressure and so will be the currencyLikely to take an unambiguously anti-Pakistan stand when it comes to non-state actors and terror tapMight help India in getting top end military technology and Space technologyHis Stand Up to China policy could be good for IndiaWhat NATO is today could make way for a Modi-Trump-Putin axis pitchforking India into the big league
Catastrophe, tragedy, humiliation. The world's press reacted with shock at the astonishing election victory of Donald Trump, describing the US president-elect as "dangerous" and unpredictable.Here is a round-up of some of the media reaction:# "The US has elected its most dangerous leader. We have plenty to fear. The people of America have stepped into the abyss. The new president-elect is an unstable bigot, sexual predator and compulsive liar. He is capable of anything." (The Guardian, Britain)# "That wasn't a campaign. That was a national crisis. And at the end was the worst possible catastrophe: Donald Trump is president of the United States. The unimaginable has become reality." (Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Germany)# "Trumpocalypse... Shock. A thunder bolt. And dizziness at the thought that Donald Trump will be unpacking his bags in the White House in scarcely two and a half months. The world's leading power is from now on in the hands of the far-right. Fifty percent of Americans voted in all conscience for a racist, lying, sexist, vulgar, hateful candidate." (Liberation, France)# "Revenge of the deplorables. The most extraordinary presidential campaign in modern history ends in humiliation for Hillary, the pollsters and the elites of business and showbusiness as the voters America forgot sweep Donald to victory." (Daily Mail, Britain)# "Trump's victory confirms the vitality of American democracy, which has the ability to transform itself continuously, but the victory also produces both inside and outside the United States a deluge of uncertainty due to the winner's unpredictability. Trump has to explain what he wants to do. In the meantime, the rest of the world has to digest what has happened tonight: the people of the revolution are knocking at our doors." (La Stampa, Italy)# "President Donald Trump will declare economic war on our biggest customer (China), wipe unprecedented amounts off global stock markets, usher in extraordinary financial instability, and risk turning the world's biggest economy into a basket case by pushing its national debt past 100 per cent of GDP." (The Age, Australia)# "Seen from Paris, Trump's victory, coming after Brexit, is an additional warning. In the world that has opened up with this election, anything is possible  even that which we have difficulty facing up to  an extremist party taking power. (Le Monde, France)# "An American tragedy." (New Yorker, US)
"I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans," he declared, in a conciliatory address in which he paid tribute to his defeated opponent and thanked his staff.

Such a beautiful and important evening! The forgotten man and woman will never be forgotten again. We will all come together as never before  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 9, 2016

Trump has an uneasy relationship with the broader Republican Party, but it will have full control of Congress and he will be able to appoint a ninth Supreme Court justice to a vacant seat on the bench, deciding the balance of the body.

Donald Trump elected the 45th president of the United States of America #PresidentTrump pic.twitter.com/so41KjGNOx News18 (@CNNnews18) November 9, 2016

Donald Trump has stunned America and the world, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States.The Republican mogul defeated his Democratic rival, plunging global markets into turmoil and casting the long-standing global political order, which hinges on Washington's leadership, into doubt."Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division," Trump told a cheering crowd of jubilant supporters in the early hours of Wednesday in New York, pledging to work with Democrats in office."Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country," he said of Clinton, whose hopes of becoming America's first woman president were brutally dashed.During a bitter two-year campaign that tugged at America's democratic fabric, the 70-year-old bombastic tycoon pledged to deport illegal immigrants, ban Muslims from the country and tear up free trade deals.There was no disguising the concern of Washington's European partners that Trump's victory might destroy the Western alliance they still regard as a touchstone for stability and the rule of law.Russia's autocratic leader Vladimir Putin offered warm congratulations and seized on the opportunity to urge Trump to help him get "US-Russia relations out of their critical condition."But EU leaders Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker invited him to an EU-US summit at his "earliest convenience" to seek reassurances about trans-Atlantic ties.And NATO head Jens Stoltenberg warned Trump, who spoke during the campaign of making US allies take a bigger share of the Western security burden, that "US leadership is more important than ever."Trump openly courted Putin during the race, called US support for NATO allies in Europe into question and suggested that South Korea and Japan should develop their own nuclear weapons.Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reacted to Trump's election by insisting that his country and the United States are "unshakeable allies."One ally took heart from Trump's win. Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett said it guaranteed that his state would never have to accept the idea of an independent Palestine.And some of the most enthusiastic support for Trump came from far-right and nationalist politicians in Europe such as French opposition figure Marine Le Pen, Matteo Salvini of Italy's Northern League and British euroskeptic Nigel Farage.Trump, a businessman turned TV star turned-politico  who has never before held elected office  will become commander-in-chief of the world's sole true superpower on January 20.The results prompted a global market sell-off, with stocks plunging across Asia and Europe and billions being wiped off the value of investments.Mexicans, fearing Trump's vow to build a wall to cut America off from its southern neighbor, were dismayed and the peso fell to historic lows.But it was not all economic gloom, Moscow's stock market surged on the news and a Philippine property firm that is building a skyscraper licensed by the US tycoon saw its shares surge 20 percent.Trump's message was embraced by a large section of America's white majority who have grown increasingly disgruntled by the scope of social and economic change in the last eight years under their first black president, Barack Obama.Many Americans from minority backgrounds expressed dismay at Trump's victory, which some saw as the result of what some observers said was a backlash against multicultural America.Street protests over Trump's win in San Francisco and Oakland, California led to small disturbances, with demonstrators facing off against police.Although he has no government experience and in recent years has been as well known for running beauty pageants and starring on his reality television series "The Apprentice" as he is for building his property empire, Trump is the oldest man ever elected president.Yet, during his improbable political rise, Trump has constantly proved the pundits and received political wisdom wrong.Opposed by the entire senior hierarchy of his own Republican Party, he trounced more than a dozen better-funded and more experienced rivals in the party primary.During the race, he was forced to ride out credible allegations of sexual assault from a dozen women and was embarrassed but apparently not ashamed to have been caught on tape boasting about groping women.And, unique in modern US political history, he refused to release his tax returns  leaving a question mark over how much, if any, tax he has paid while running a global empire.But the biggest upset came on Tuesday, as he swept to victory through a series of hard-fought wins in battleground states from Florida to Ohio. He amassed at least 290 electoral votes to 218 for Clinton, according to network projections.Clinton had been widely assumed to be on course to enter the history books as the first woman to become president in America's 240-year existence.Americans repudiated her call for unity amid the United States' wide cultural and racial diversity, opting instead for a leader who insisted the country is broken and that he "alone can fix it."So great was the shock of defeat that the normally robust Clinton did not come out to her supporters' poll-watching party to concede defeat, but instead called Trump and sent her campaign chairman."We are so proud of you. And we are so proud of her," chairman John Podesta told shell-shocked supporters. "She's done an amazing job, and she is not done yet."The campaign confirmed Clinton herself would speak early Wednesday.The election result was also a brutal humiliation for the White House incumbent, Obama, who for eight years has repeated the credo that there is no black or white America, only the United States of America.On the eve of the election, he told tens of thousands of people in Philadelphia that he was betting on the decency of the American people."I'm betting that tomorrow, most moms and dads across America won't cast their vote for someone who denigrates their daughters," Obama said."I'm betting that tomorrow, true conservatives won't cast their vote for somebody with no regard for the Constitution," he added.His bet appears to have been flat out wrong, and America's first black president will be succeeded by a candidate who received the endorsement  albeit unsought and unacknowledged  of the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan.
Indian-Americans made a mark in Congressional politics with one of them becoming the first to be elected to the Senate and four others winning seats in the House of Representatives.Kamala Harris was elected from California to the Senate defeating fellow-Democrat Loretta Sanchez.Pramila Jayapal from Washington, Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois and Ro Khanna from California will join Ami Bera, who was re-elected from California, in the House of Representatives.Tulsi Gabbard, who is a Hindu although not of Indian descent, was re-elected to the House from Hawaii.All Democrats, they range in age from 35 years to 52 years and represent the emerging class of leaders."Winning a Senatorial seat combined with several Congressional victories, has made the community somewhat reach its goal of political involvement," Thomas Abraham, Chairman, Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, told IANS."This also help the US and India to come closer as a global partner in trade, investment, education, science and technology, military cooperation and fighting terrorism."The victory of Harris is significant because senators are elected by the entire electorate in their states and California is the most populous state in the nation with 18 million voters.The 52-year-old Harris, who traces her family roots to Chennai, is a lawyer by profession and was twice elected Attorney General in 2010 and 2014.Bera, a 51-year-old doctor, had come under a cloud after his 83-year-old father, Babulal Bera, was found guilty of illegally funding his son's election campaign and sentenced to a year in prison. Prosecutors, however, cleared Ami Bera of involvement in his father's crime and he beat the odds to defeat his Republican rival Scott Jones.A financial analyst by profession, Jayapal, 51, defeated fellow Democrat, Brady Wilkinshaw. A civil rights activist involved in immigrant and women's rights causes, she was born in India. She received the endorsement of Bernie Sanders, the insurgent socialist who ran against Hillary Clinton in the party primary.Krishnamoorthi, 43, who had advised President Barack Obama on economic issues when he was a Senator, received a personal endorsement and a promotional video from Obama. He defeated Republican Peter DiCianni in a constituency that comprises Chicago suburbs.Born in India, he is a technology entrepreneur heading two companies and has also served as Illinois state DeputyTreasurer and an Assistant Attorney General on special assignment to fight corruption.Khanna, a former federal Deputy Assistant Commerce Secretary, won from the heart of Silicon Valley on his second try. With the endorsement of former President Jimmy Carter, he defeated sitting Congressman Mike Honda in a bitter rematch.Harris has a dual identity: She is also counted as an African American as her father is a Jamaican of African descent and she follows the Baptist faith.She would also become the second American woman of African descent elected to the Senate and joins two other African Americans in the Senate.After her parents divorced, Harris was raised by her mother Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer specialist from Chennai, giving her equal claim to Indian heritage.Gabbard's Republican rival Angela Kaaihue launched bigoted attack on her with anti-Hindu statements and called her a "pathetic Hindu 1,000 gods leader." Republican Party leaders condemned Kaaihue and withdrew support to her.The first Indian elected to Congress is Dalip Singh Saund, who won from California in 1956.
New Delhi: Indo-US ties "go beyond" the friendship of the American President and the Indian Prime Minister, US envoy Richard Verma on Wednesday said after Republican Donald Trump's election as the 45th President of the United States.



Verma, who has Indian roots, stressed that the ties that bind the two countries are built on shared democratic values and go beyond the economic and people-to-people ties. It is "bipartisan", he emphasised.



Verma, appointed by the Obama administration in 2014, had worked closely with Trump's Democratic contender Hillary Clinton, when she was serving as the Secretary of State.



"The ties that bind our two countries together are built on our shared democratic values, and go beyond the friendship of the American President and the Indian Prime Minister. They go beyond the economic and people-to-people ties.



"The US-India relationship is vitally important, it is bipartisan, and it is only growing stronger. Here's to another four years of robust US-India 'dosti' (friendship)," Verma said in a statement.



Earlier, when Trump's victory was all but a foregone conclusion, Verma expressed confidence that "standing up to terrorism", particularly when it comes to India, would continue to be a priority of the next President.



"I would even say that the US India relationship is now a non-partisan issue, it is such an important foreign policy priority that it is in the top tier. Be confident, whatever the result, US-India relationship will continue to grow and prosper in the coming four years," he said.



He was speaking at the 'Election Breakfast' event in the US embassy premises, attended by US citizens in India, diplomats from several countries, senior journalists and celebrities.

Verma was to make a statement after the official



declaration of the results but he spoke earlier than scheduled as the trends made it clear that Trump was on the cusp of clinching a stunner.



The event, that started off on a celebratory mood at around 7 AM, stretched on beyond schedule as the contest between Trump and Clinton went down to the wire, belying expectations, and in the words of Verma "we would have a clear winner by now."



A hush descended on the lawns of the Ambassador's residence at Chanakyapuri as the big screen playing CNN displayed rapid gains made by Trump. Things were wrapped up as Trump inched closer to victory at around 11.30 PM.



Asked about the message from the outcome of the elections, Verma said, "There was an economic message, there is probably a message about globalisation and income inequality that has to be addressed.



"Part of the job of the next president is to bring the country together because you can't govern in a divided country, you want to govern in a united country.



"As you come into power, you do need to reach out. It's hard to get things done in our country just operating within your own set of supporters," he said.



Verma also congratulated Kamala Harris, who scripted history by making it to the Senate from California, becoming the first Indian-American to achieve the feat.



"We have come a long way from the House of Representatives when I was working as an intern in 1987 where you could count the number of people of South Asian descent," he said.
Ain Issa: US-backed forces pressed offensives on Wednesday on the Islamic State group's strongholds in Syria and Iraq, as a strike by the American-led coalition was reported to have killed 20 civilians near Raqa.



Supported by coalition air raids, Iraqi forces have pushed into IS's Mosul stronghold and a Kurdish-Arab militia alliance has been advancing on the jihadists' de facto Syrian capital Raqa.



The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a coalition strike overnight had hit the IS-held village of Al-Heisha, about 40 kilometres north of Raqa.



Rami Abdul Rahman, the head of the Britain-based monitoring group, said nine women and two children were among the 20 dead civilians and that 32 others had been wounded.



The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which Washington is supporting in the assault, denied the civilian deaths.



"There is no such thing, and any such claims are IS news," SDF spokeswoman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed told AFP. The US-led coalition said it was checking on the report. The SDF's online media account said at least six IS fighters had been killed by coalition strikes in the village and accused the extremist group of preventing civilians from leaving Al Heisha in a bid to use them as "human shields".



Civilians fleeing Al-Heisha told AFP on Tuesday that IS fighters had brought heavy weaponry into the village when the

SDF operation began.



"Daesh fighters brought heavy weapons to our village and stayed among us so that if there were strikes they would hit us," 45-year-old Saada al-Aboud said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.



"They wouldn't let us leave. We had to escape by running out into the fields, with our children and old people. What else could we do? We left everything behind."



The SDF launched the drive towards Raqa on Saturday, upping pressure on the jihadists three weeks after Iraqi forces began their assault on Mosul.



Raqa and Mosul are the last major cities in Syria and Iraq under IS control, after the jihadists suffered losses that greatly reduced the size of the self-styled "caliphate" they declared in mid-2014 following their seizure of large parts of both countries.



The US-led coalition, which launched the air campaign against IS two years ago, hopes that driving the group from the two cities will deal it a knockout blow.
As Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump wait for the verdict in the US presidential election 2016, CNN projections now show a strong fightback by the Democratic candidate.

The projections at 9:30 am IST show Democratic Clinton with 190 against Trumps 186 electoral college votes. The Republican having a slight edge in the key battleground state of Florida.

Both candidates scored early victories in states where they were expected to win. Trump captured conservative states in the South and Midwest, while Clinton swept several states on the East Coast and Illinois in the Midwest.

Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here.
New Delhi: As the Conference of Parties (CoP22) kicks off in Marrakech, Morocco, the celebratory mood from the previous CoP in Paris, where a climate change agreement between 195 countries came into force earlier than expected, will have taken a hit.



Donald Trump, a known climate change denier, is now the leader of the US, the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases.



For India, and the rest of the global south, the Paris climate deal was a way of making ambitious commitments towards reducing emission and moving towards limiting global warming to below 2Celsius above industrial time.



India is currently the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases.



For India, this could mean greater stress from climate change events, something that already costs the country $6 billion annually, according to the Council of Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).



A non-cooperative United States will hamper inter-governmental efforts on cleaner energy, increasing the likelihood of the 4Celsius rise for India, leading to conditions such as extreme heat.



According to the Centre for Science and Environment, the Paris deal could be threatened if Trump undermines it by ignoring Americas commitments. As CSE told News18, the US Congress, still controlled by the Republicans skeptical of the deal, hasnt ratified it yet.



An American citizen has the power consumption of 34 Indians, putting the United States far ahead per capita emissions.



In Leonardo DiCaprio's documentary on climate change Before the Flood, CSE head Sunita Narain said, Electricity consumed by one American at home is equivalent to 1.5 citizens of France, 2.2 citizens of Japan and 10 citizens of China, 34 of India and 61 of Nigeria.



Geetika Singh, a researcher with CSE, said that it was too early to say how Trumps stand would influence Indias position. Though the US has not pledged to an ambitious reduction of gas emissions  only 13-15% by 2025  that by itself is important. She added that if the country were to back out now, the targets of the remaining countries would be meaningless.



Arunabha Ghosh, CEO of the CEEW, took a more measured stand. Trumps actions could undermine the $100 billion commitment of the developed world to help developing countries cope with reducing emissions, as very little money is expected from the US now. However, Ghosh said the question for India is how much of the shift towards cleaner energy is dictated by regulatory forces and how much by market forces. Indias shift hasnt happened because of the US, but because it makes sense for the country, he said.



The Paris deal is by no means radical. India and the rest of the global south have historically not been contributors to global warming, thus they do not have a historic responsibility to reduce it. Though Indias emissions are set to go up as the economy grows, they are not yet close to the per capita emissions of countries such as China and the United States, the top two emitters.



The Paris deal eliminated that historic responsibility, the concept that countries that have contributed most to global warming should shoulder the duty to bring it down. Instead, it called on countries to come up with their own Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on how far they could reduce emissions by the target years, either 2015 or 2030.
In Donald Trumps shock victory Tuesday night in the US Presidential elections, it seems, the right-wing has completed the home run with a giant trans-Atlantic leap.



And it is getting manifested in the choice of the electors as they are increasingly backing the un-conventional. As they root for the outsider who says the unsayable.

In the first week of February last year, hundreds of students stood vigil at the gates of hallowed debating society at Oxford, posters and placards in hand, picketing against what they called a black day in the annals of the university.Oxford union, shame on you; they cried their lungs out. Shame for having invited Frances ultra-right wing leader Marine Le Pen.When Pen did not arrive at the designated hour, the motley group of 300-odd protesters thought they had won the battle for the day. It was only much later that the reality dawned on them that the daughter of the once-openly racist French leader Jean-Marie Le Pen had entered the venue two hours ahead of the scheduled time from a side-gate.And all this time as the students stood guard at the gates, Pen had already launched into a diatribe which began with a thanksgiving to the organisation since its foundation has been a place of open debate and freedom of expression.On realising what had happened, someone in the cosmopolitan diverse group made a telling remark: the world seems to have taken a right turn.From Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey to Shinzo Abe in Japan in the far-east, the list just keeps growing - depicting the rise of anti-politician.Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau has been the only exception.So what is it that makes the political right click in the current milieu?A common thread which runs through the campaigns of most of the successful right wing netas is a carefully crafted narrative which can be called a direct anti-thesis to what politicians are supposed to be: politically correct.Trump all through the campaign said and did things exactly the opposite of any political rule book. He mocked minorities, he brazened out allegations of sexual escapades, he was disdainfully sexist in his rhetoric; he was chided and left to fend for himself by the GoP grandees. And yet he won!The answer perhaps lies in the cumulative and cross-section contempt for what is seen as a growing disdain for the ruling cabal. The political class as such, irrespective of the affiliation, is increasingly been seen as a part of the ruling class.Except for the rhetoric, nothing substantive differentiates the contestants that cry hoarse during the campaign. Even the mainstream media is dubbed as an accomplice, as something which is seen to be the part of the ruling clique.Sample this. At Delhis Kwality Restaurant on the Connaught Place, a group of about a dozen Americans feast on chana-bhatura. All are glued in to CNN International as the counting reaches its last leg. All are Trump supporters. And they all are unapologetic about their choice.Trump is what he is, says one.Quite unlike Hillary, who stood by her husband despite knowing all too well what Bill did with an intern, quipped the other.So there you have it. The distrust of a conventional politician is far too pervasive and widespread than what we think. Politics for far too many people now should no longer be be the art of the possible.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview to Network18, said how he has never been accepted by the Lutyens club. Just like two former PMs Deve Gowda and Morarji Desai, both quintessentially outsider politicians.The imagery of the Corruption Hunter Arvind Kejriwal, used by Aam Aadmi Party, is a vintage example in this genre. Adapted from the Hollywood thriller Vampire Hunter: Abraham Lincoln, the party successfully changed the perception of their leader by projecting him as someone who was out to clean up the system.In the changing paradigm, there are also those who have tried to adapt to the altered dynamics of mainstream politics.Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Prize winning Myanmarese leader has surprised many with the majoritarian position she has taken in the fight between Buddhist majority and Rohingya Muslim minorities. Once the darling of the western media, of late, she has come under sharp criticism for her position.If anything, Suu Kyi has only thrived in her new avatar.The world, quite perceptibly seems to have taken a right turn.
Grace Bell Hardison, a 100-year-old woman recently mentioned by President Barack Obama after attempts were made to purge her from the voter registration list and hence deny her right to vote, receives an I Voted Today" sticker from election official Elaine Hudnell after she cast her ballot in the U.S. general election from a car in Belhaven, North Carolina. (Photo Credit: Reuters)
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RUSTBURG  The Altavista Town Council race went to the incumbents.

Michael Mattox retains the Altavista Mayor seat for a second term in a row with 958 votes.

Micki Brumfield, current councilwoman, ran a write-in campaign against Mattox. A write-in candidate netted 388 votes in the Altavista mayor race as of Tuesday night but the official name wont be released until later this week.

Mattox said he is proud of the citizens of Altavista and what they have given him.

It does my heart well  that what we are doing is working and I appreciate it, he said Tuesday evening.

He said his goal, and town councils goal, has always been to bring jobs and investment to the community and improve the quality of life for residents.

Mattox added he has great respect for Brumfield and said they will remain friends.

We both love our town of Altavista, he said.

He will be joined by Beverley Dalton, Tracy Emerson, and Jay Higginbotham, all incumbents, on Altavista Town Council. Betty Gilliam and Tanya Overbey just trailed Higginbotham with 608 and 568 votes respectively to Higginbothams 616.

Emerson, who sought his second term on council, had been campaigning for almost 11 hours by 5 p.m. Tuesday evening.

He won his seat with 659 votes.

At the polling station his 6-year-old daughter Laci stood beside him and handed out yellow strips of paper with Vote for Tracy Emerson scrawled on them.

She handed them out to anyone who walked by.

She thought I needed business cards, he said while standing outside the Town of Altavista precinct at Altavista Fire Company. She wanted to see how the polls work.
BEDFORD  Incumbents Tim Black and Stacey Hailey will remain on the Bedford Town Council with Bruce Johannessen and Bryan Schley joining.

Four of the council's five seats were open for re-election.

Town council members serve four-year terms on the seven-member board.

Bruce Hartwick, who did not win a seat, took 13.27 percent of the vote while Black received 26.23 percent, Hailey, 23.35 percent, Johannessen, 20.53 and Schley with 15.97 percent.

Council members Robert Carson and Beck Stanley did not seek reelection.

Johannessen was taking his second shot at the seat after an unsuccessful run in 2014.

"It's been a great experience," he said Tuesday night. "Most people have been positive, and I hope they will come talk to me. Theycan talk to me or Sara [Braaten].We're a team."

He said he hopes to find a way to talk to citizens about their concerns after starting his post.

Black said he wanted to thank the citizens of the town for giving him the opportunity to serve a second term.

"I look forward to working with the other candidates that won on improving the services for the residents and businesses for the town of Bedford," he said Tuesday night.

Before results were counted, Hartwick said he enjoyed his campaign and was thankful to friends and family who helped him along the way.

He plans to remain active in the community.

"I hope it works out for me, but if not, great," he said.
Although Donald Trump lost the state of Virginia during his race to victory Tuesday, he won handily with local voters who turned out in full force for the Republican presidential candidate.

Voters across the Lynchburg region headed to the polls early Tuesday morning, with some polling places seeing lines hundreds of people long and some voters arriving an hour before polls even opened to choose the nation's next president and vice president, the 5th and 6th District congressional representatives, and to vote on two proposed amendments to Virginia's constitution, plus local races in some areas.

At Lynchburgs Linkhorne Middle School, Kasey Forehand said she supported Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and added that her late mother would have relished seeing a woman elected to the White House.

With the election over, Forehand said she wont miss the bitterness of the campaign season.

It's definitely been stressful at times," Forehand said.

Jim Martin, a Trump supporter at First Presbyterian Church on Lynchburgs VES Road also wont miss the ugly nature of the presidential race.

"Quite frankly, this is the dirtiest campaign season I've ever witnessed, Martin said.

His hope was that Trump would emerge victorious because he doesnt trust Clinton.

"She's carrying too much baggage with her," he said.

He added Trump seems aligned with "the average American person" and would do more to unite the country, make it safer, and stimulate the economy.

In Lynchburg, Trump earned 51 percent of the vote, and Clinton followed with 42 percent, her second-best showing in the Lynchburg region, where most voters cast their ballots for Trump.

Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson earned four percent, slightly edging fellow Independent candidate Evan McMullin who earned three percent of the Lynchburg vote.

Green Party candidate Jill Stein earned less than one percent of the vote in Lynchburg.

In the region, Bedford County was darkest red, overwhelmingly going to Trump with 73 percent of the vote, compared to 22 percent for Clinton. No other candidate had more than three percent.

At Moneta Elementary School, Republican volunteer Brian OConnor, displayed a table of Trump campaign memorabilia complete with stuffed animals sporting party colors that OConnor labeled a basket of deplorables  a visual gag about Clintons shot at Trump supporters during the campaign.

He said hed spoken with several first-time voters in their 40s and 50s who turned out for Trump.

Campbell County showed a similar shade of red with 71 percent of voters casting their ballots for Trump, compared to 24 percent for Clinton.

Of the minority who turned out for Clinton in Campbell County were Abdul and Asia Nasir, immigrants from Pakistan, who voted in their third U.S. presidential election.

For the Nasirs, the vote was personal in light of comments that Trump has made about Muslims.

Asia Nasir said she hopes their children  raised in the U.S.  can be judged by the content of their character, rather than their religion.

Appomattox County also showed strong support for Trump with 71 percent of the vote, compared to 25 percent for Clinton. No independent candidate earned more than two percent.

Though Stein earned less than one percent in Appomattox County, Pamplin City Resident Sidney Smith campaigned for her outside of the Pamplin Precinct and urged voters to choose the Green Party, to break up the duopoly, of the Republican and Democratic Parties.

Amherst County followed the Central Virginia trend as 63 percent of voters cast their ballots for Trump and 33 percent for Clinton. No other candidate earned more than two percent of the vote.

Louise Hume of Monroe has voted in every election since 1951.

She made the trek to Amelon Elementary school with her husband of 60 years, Lyndelle Hume.

I feel like its our duty as a citizen, she said, when asked why she continues to vote in each election. At our age, hes 90 and Im 86, we have to make an effort  it takes longer to do everything.

With a woman on the ballot, shes glad to see equality of opportunity but shes not really fond of Miss Hillary.

Nelson County was the closest local contest between the two presidential candidates with Trump taking 50 percent of the vote, compared to 44 percent for Clinton.

No other candidate earned up to three percent of the vote in Nelson County.

Gail Troy, a longtime Nelson resident and member of the countys Democratic committee campaigning at the Lovingston precinct said she was happy to have a woman on the ballot.

I dont think men have done such a good job. I think we should let a woman have a shot. Im looking forward to saying Madame President, Troy said.

Pointing to the felt button she made to resemble Clintons logo, she said she was going to stop making pins but decided to keep making pins for the re-election.

Republican Tom Garrett who won the open seat in Virginias 5th Congressional District, voted at Monelison Middle School and told The News & Advance he cast his ballot for Trump.

Even so, Garrett predicted that whoever emerged the victor, national tension wont be over.

My biggest concern is half of America is going to be angry tomorrow. Not upset or frustrated or wishing something else had happened, but angry. How we, as a people, channel that anger is going to define us, Garrett said.
Hillary Clinton held on to Virginia on Tuesday to give Democrats their third straight presidential win in the Old Dominion, even as the national contest with Republican Donald Trump turned unexpectedly close.

Clinton was expected to pick up Virginias 13 electoral votes, but the state quickly became a must-win Tuesday night as other battleground states tilted in Trumps favor.

With Trump winning North Carolina and Florida, Virginia was the only Southern state in the Democratic column.

Though Virginias early returns seemed to favor Trump, Clinton pulled ahead late. That served as a bright spot for Democrats on a night that seemed to be turning ominous.

Clinton won by running up big margins in populous and diverse Northern Virginia, overpowering Trumps strength in rural areas.

Late polls had Clinton leading Virginia by about 6 points, but she was ahead of Trump by less than 2 points with more than 96 percent of the vote counted. That margin was expected to grow as the last votes were counted largely in Democratic-leaning localities in the D.C. suburbs.

Late Tuesday, Clinton had 47.8 percent of the vote in Virginia, compared with 46.36 percent for Trump. Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson had 3 percent, independent conservative Evan McMullin had 1.4 percent, and Green Party candidate Jill Stein had 0.7 percent.

Polls showed Clinton with a solid lead in Virginia for much of the campaign, but the race appeared to tighten in the closing week. That prompted Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence to hold separate rallies in Northern Virginia on the final weekend before Election Day.

A poll in mid-October had Clinton up 15 percentage points, but her lead dropped in the campaigns closing days to about 6 points, more in line with margins seen in the last two presidential elections. President Barack Obama carried the state for Democrats twice, winning by 3.8 points in 2012 and 6.3 points in 2008.

In a repeat of Virginias March 1 primary, Trumps strongest region was Southwest Virginia, where the white working class delivered him margins of nearly 80 percent in several counties.

Clinton performed well in large, suburban bellwethers such as Loudoun County, where she led Trump by nearly 17 points; and Henrico County, where she won by about 20 points.

Clinton seemed to underperform Obama in some areas, particularly in heavily African-American cities in the Hampton Roads region and Richmond.

Some speculated that Clintons selection of U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a former Richmond mayor and Virginia governor, would give Clinton a bump in Kaines home state, but its not clear what impact the choice had.

Clinton also had the benefit of a tight relationship with Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a longtime Clinton friend who chaired her 2008 presidential bid.

On several occasions, Trump criticized McAuliffes move to restore voting rights to more than 67,000 felons who had completed their sentences, which Trump and state Republicans criticized as an openly political move to boost Democratic support.

McAuliffe characterized his action as a civil rights issue and denied any political motivation.
The vast majority of Liberty University Vines Center precinct voters lined up behind President Jerry Falwell Jr.s personal endorsement Tuesday, although turnout was down from 2012.

While Republican nominee Donald Trump lost Virginia in a tight race with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, he dominated Liberty, where Falwell had strongly supported him.

Its hard to beat northern Virginia with all those government employees up there that vote Democrat simply because they want to keep their jobs and those big bureaucracies, Falwell said late Tuesday.

While no clear presidential victor had been declared by midnight, Falwell was confident Trump would pull out the national win.

Following his early personal endorsement, Falwell supported Trump on the stump through robo-calls, a speech at the Republican National Convention and, last weekend, a radio ad paid for by the Trump campaign. He also stood by Trump through several controversies, bringing increased national media attention to the university.

Trump received 85 percent of the student vote, with 2,739 ballots cast for him. With 5,031 active registrations of students who live on campus, 3,205 cast ballots. In 2012, LUs precinct drew 3,347 people.

Benjamin Beals, 18, an LU freshman from New Hampshire, cast his first presidential ballot for Trump. Beals said he was a Trump supporter from early on.

Trump talks to the people so plainly that it made it easy for me to understand why I agreed with him, Beals said.

The precinct turnout seemed to be ready to smash 2012 after more than 2,100 voters cast ballots before noon. The steady stream turned to a trickle, though.

The Liberty Trump Coalition and a small group of Libertarians and Democrats reached out to students who were given the day off for Election Day and waited in line for free Dominos Pizza. Tall stacks of pizza boxes arrived periodically throughout the day. Free snacks are common near LUs precinct.

Voting officials prepared for a heavy turnout this year by moving the polling booths, check-in tables and lines to the Vines Center floor, rather than the concourse above.

"This is 98 percent better," said precinct Chief Vicky Bradley, who first started working the precinct in 2012. "... Look at all the space that we have. Look at all the seating that we have. People don't have to stand, they can sit."

The school made national news after a group of students calling themselves Liberty United Against Trump posted a petition saying not all LU students were Trump supporters.

Falwell contested that these students were a small minority. He said Tuesday he kept challenging the group because he believes their characterization of their petition numbers was dishonest.

When asked how the attention would affect the university, he said, All I know is enrollment is at record levels. Our giving this year is at record levels. Enthusiasms never been higher.

Non-Trump support on campus was less than 15 percent. Liberty United always conceded Trump would win the precinct.

Independent Evan McMullin received the highest non-Republican vote at Liberty, with almost 5 percent. Clinton and Libertarian Gary Johnson received close to the same percentage at just above 4 percent.

Paige Cutler, a 21-year-old senior, was one of a small group of McMullin supporters. She said he embodies the conservative values she was looking for in a candidate.

She considered the Liberty United groups work to be positive.

I think those who didnt support Trump, making a voice for themselves was important, Cutler said. It allowed people to see that there are perspectives other than just what we first see.
House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, a Republican is headed back to Washington, D.C., to represent the 6th Congressional District for his 13th term.

Goodlatte, a Republican, faced a spirited challenge from Harrisonburg City Councilman Kai Degner, a Democrat. The Associated Press called the race Tuesday evening after polls closed at 7 p.m.

While Goodlatte faced a soft challenge in the Republican primary from Harry Griego, Degner jumped in late and charged through the district after the former Democratic nominee dropped out for health reasons.

The candidates only met on stage once at a debate at E.C. Glass High School in October.

The district, which includes Lynchburg and Amherst county and northern Bedford County, stretches from Roanoke to Front Royal.
NEW YORK  The waiting is the hardest part.

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., knows the Tom Petty lyric. But few probably understand what it means to sit on a hotel room sofa in Times Square waiting to find out whether you are the next vice president of the United States.

Outside of campaigns for class president in high school, Kaine has never lost an election. But in running for vice president, he was quick to remind supporters that despite his 8-0 record as an adult, he has never won his elections by many votes.

So with results still being tabulated, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clintons running mate remained in a holding pattern on Tuesday evening in his suite at the InterContinental Hotel.

Just across midtown Manhattan, Republican Donald Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, were also waiting.

Kaine is trying to make history  not only as part of the first female presidents ticket, but also as the first Virginian elected vice president since John Tyler, another former governor and U.S. senator, in 1840.

If Kaine wins, Virginia will be at the heart of the action for the next four years, said Larry Sabato, head of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. Kaine, said Sabato, would be the fundraiser-in-chief and patron saint of the Virginia (Democratic) Party. Sabato said one concern could be that Virginia Democrats might have a hard time separating themselves from the Clinton administration. But then, in this polarized era, they couldnt have managed that anyway.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe planned to head to New York from his own election night party in Northern Virginia after the Virginia results were known. Kaine, meanwhile was waiting to take the stage at the Jacob Javits Center on Manhattans West Side once the results were finalized.

Fortunately for Kaine, the agony of waiting was buffered by more than the U.S. Secret Service. A squadron of more than a dozen family members  including Kaines parents, Kathy and Al, were with Kaine and his wife, Anne Holton.

Starting in Richmond

The day started in Richmond with Kaine and his wife walking the two blocks from their home in the predawn darkness to the Hermitage Methodist home, the polling precinct at which they have voted for the past 24 years.

It continued with another Kaine routine  Tuesday breakfast with old friends at City Diner. Because it was an unannounced stop, Kaine was largely able to slip into the restaurant without media attention and occupy his usual corner booth with his buddies without forcing the U.S. Secret Service agents constantly at his side to frisk patrons over their eggs and toast.

This time, however, Kaine brought his father, whom he calls Pops. Kaines parents came to Richmond from Kansas City, Kan., on Monday evening to accompany their son on his historic final day of the campaign.

Before departing Richmond for New York, Kaine introduced his parents to staff and members of the traveling press corps.

So when Tim was a young boy, did you ever expect, or imagine, that your son would be here today? Al Kaine was asked.

No  absolutely not, he said, to laughter and smiles. Totally surreal.

What about my prolific Boy Scout fundraising? Kaine said with a smile. That should have told you. ...

Harmonicas for staff

Kaine also took care of his adopted campaign family  more than a dozen Clinton campaign and former U.S. Senate staffers who have logged thousands of miles in his company since July 22, when Clinton invited him to be her running mate.

He gave each of them a bottle of RdV red wine, made in Virginia. The self-taught harmonica player also gave each staff member a signed Hohner harmonica, prompting intermittent toots that could be heard in the cabin of the charter jet on its last campaign flight to New York.

Kaine also gave each staffer a personal note, which he penned on his stationery. Arriving in New York, Kaine, his wife and their daughter, Annella, were greeted by a flood of extended family  in-laws, nieces and nephews.

Just across the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport, two of Trumps campaign airplanes were parked, a reminder that Clinton, Trump and their running mates were convening in the same city .

The Kaine entourage piled into a 13-car motorcade for the short ride to Manhattan, where the candidate was expected to relax and spend time with family before the wait.
The words A True Story open Mel Gibsons war drama Hacksaw Ridge, the new film based on the heroics of Lynchburg-born Desmond T. Doss, the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor.

Not the commonly used phrases based on a true story or even inspired by real events, but a true story.

Its gotten to be sort of a trite term [because] filmmakers put on there: 'Based on true events,' based on somebody, based on, based on, said Terry Benedict, a producer on the film who was close with Doss before his death in 2006.

It is a rather bold statement to make in the current movie climate of CGI effects and adaptations, one that encourages the audience to perk up and pay attention.

Its stating that there are no tricks, no gimmicks in this film. That the filmmakers are telling a story based on the merit of the human experience.

I think it was important to notate that what people are going to see is true, Benedict said, To let people know, Look we don't need to really embellish on major story points here.

Desmond Doss, an American hero The first time veteran Harlow Reynolds heard of Desmond T. Doss, he was sitting with a group

A heros story

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Doss voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Army even though his job at a Newport News Naval shipyard could have secured him a deferment, a decision that left him to reconcile his desire to serve his country with his religious ideals.

Raised a Seventh-day Adventist, Doss believed strongly in the Gospel and especially the Sixth Commandment and refused to carry, or even touch, a weapon. Because of this, the military labeled him a conscientious objector, a title given to those who refused to wear the uniform or salute the flag.

I felt like it was an honor to serve God and country. We were fighting for our religious liberty and freedom, Doss said in The Conscientious Objector, the award-winning 2004 documentary chronicling his heroism, which was produced and directed by Benedict. I tried to explain I was not that type of conscientious objector. I tried to explain I was a conscientious cooperator.

At training camp, Doss was placed in a rifle company and faced numerous hardships and abuse from both his commanders and fellow recruits. Through verbal and physical attacks, the worst personnel assignments, threats of court marshal and attempts to have him removed from the Army under Section 8  mental instability  Doss refused to yield on his commitment to not touch a weapon and was eventually made a medic for the 77th Infantry and deployed to Guam, Leyte and eventually Okinawa.

He operated not out of the principal of denominational dogma. He operated out of the biggest commandment of all, which was the commandment of love and service, Benedict said in a phone interview last month. He was a simple guy with very clear intentions. He was a deep man of faith. That faith was always on display [but] not in an evangelical way.  It was always there out of service and love.

Once in Okinawa, Doss and the 77th faced their greatest challenge yet: capturing Hacksaw Ridge, the highest point of the Maeda Escarpment, a 400-foot fortified slope topped by a 40-foot cliff, which ran along the southern part of the island.

This ridge served as a strategic military position for the Japanese with multiple defensive and attack points against the American troops. Overtaking it would change the tide of the war.

Thousands lost their lives taking the ridge, including many men in Doss unit.

It would have been more if not for Doss efforts.

During a particularly brutal assault on the escarpment in May 1945, the medic singlehandedly saved at least 75 of the wounded soldiers by lowering them down the cliff to safety with a rope he tied to a tree stump.

"From a Christian aspect, we as Christians are called to be Christ-like, which means to serve, said Stephen Doss, principal of the Desmond T. Doss Christian Academy in Lynchburg (he is not related to Desmond Doss).

What a better example of service than the selfless act that Desmond did for his soldiers that had treated him pretty poorly for a while, he continued. It goes against human nature. Once again, from a Biblical standpoint, that's the trick to truly having Christ in your heart."

On Oct. 12, 1945, President Harry Truman presented Doss, along with 14 other soldiers, the Medal of Honor at a ceremony on the White House lawn. He also received the Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts with Oak Leaf clusters, though not at the same ceremony.

The movie Hacksaw Ridge focuses on Doss efforts during the days of May 4 and 5, said Dr. Charles Knapp, a retired U.S. Army colonel who knew Doss. But Doss Medal of Honor citation credits him for continued acts of bravery for almost an entire month. Doss constantly put himself in danger to aid to his fellow recruits throughout his entire time in Okinawa.

About two weeks after his most famous act, Doss was injured while aiding soldiers during a night mission. He tried to kick a live grenade away from himself and three other men. The blast left him severely injured with numerous pieces of shrapnel imbedded in his legs. While being carried away from the battlefield, Doss saw a man with worse injuries than his own, so he rolled off the litter and told the medics to take the other soldier instead.

While waiting for their return, Doss was shot by a Japanese sniper. The bullet entered his arm in two places, leaving broken bones and severe nerve damage, and Doss used a broken rifle barrel as a makeshift splint. This was the only time he ever touched a gun during the entire war.

Because of this, events in the movie, including the actual date of Doss wounding, have been compressed for time.

Despite the ceremonies, biographies and medals, Doss remained the humble, soft-spoken Lynchburg-raised boy he was before the war throughout the rest of his life.

"The most common question asked of me in all the focus group showings is, in two or three words, how would I describe Desmonds character? said Knapp. I can distill it into two words: integrity and love.  Integrity, doing what is right when nobody is looking regardless of the consequences, and love for his God, his country and his fellow man, even if it meant sacrificing his own life.

A movie-worthy tale

For years, Hollywood bigwigs reached out to Doss at his home in Georgia, where he moved with his first wife and son in the 1950s, asking for the rights to turn his story into a movie.

Doss had certain key requirements for anyone who asked. Among them were that the film had to accurately portray his beliefs with no fictionalization of the key events and that his church must have proper representation.

What most people don't know is that Desmond, back in the 70s, had actually signed two production contracts with different studios, said Knapp. And then because they were overly dramatizing and fictionalizing his story, he backed out. He withdrew his approval, so neither of those contracts ever came to completion.

When his age began to catch up to him, the Medal of Honor recipient put the Georgia Cumberland Association of the Seventh-day Adventists in charge of his affairs, including the intellectual rights to his story. The organization created the Desmond Doss Council with the mission of preserving and protecting his legacy.

The Council wanted to see Doss heroism preserved on film, and they gave the rights to do so to Benedict, who had slowly built a relationship with the veteran after they met at a church camp event when he was a younger.

I had been very clear that I felt it was important to get a doc made first while at least some guys were still alive, Benedict said. Many were just gone. One of Desmonds commanding officers died two weeks after I interviewed him. Another died a month or two [later] and a few died even the same year.

I was barely staying ahead of Father Time, he said. And so I was very fortunate and blessed to get what we got on the documentary and then, to have it turn out as well as it did.

They had planned for it to take only a year-and-a-half, but in the end, the documentary took three-and-a-half years to make. It was over schedule and over budget, but if it had not been, Benedict said, it would not have come out as well as it did.

Between interviews with Doss, as well as his siblings and fellow officers, Benedict filmed the former medic returning to his hometown, his basic training camps and, finally, to Okinawa.

When it premiered in 2004, the documentary took home awards at three festivals and received positive reviews, including one from Doss himself.

Then Benedict and the council turned their attention to making a feature film.

It took more than a decade to come to fruition, but it was finally greenlit in 2014 with Mel Gibson set to helm the project.

He turned it down several times during the many years, said Knapp, who acts as the chairman of the Desmond Doss Council. I needed to make the decision and give them the go-ahead to make it into an R-rated movie. We had requested, not insisted, but requested that the film be made as a PG-13, but Mel doesnt make PG-13 movies when it involves war.

Soon, actor Andrew Garfield (The Social Network, Spiderman) signed on to play Doss. Hollywood heavyweights Vince Vaughn and Sam Worthington (Avatar, Clash of the Titans) were cast to play the veterans commanding officers and Hugo Weaving (The Matrix, The Hobbit trilogy), his father.

Gibson brought the entire cast and crew together to watch Benedicts documentary to get a feel for the man and the story.

Andrew really wanted to take ownership of the character and do everything he could to crawl inside Desmonds skin, Benedict said.

The British actor met Benedict in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and visited where Doss lived by the Georgia border and his grave in the Chattanooga National Cemetery. They then drove up to Lynchburg and visited his Virginia haunts, including the houses he lived in, the train trestle on which Doss would play as a boy, and the church he attended.

We just used that time to really talk about Desmond and I listened to the kinds of questions Andrew was asking, he said. He wanted to know a lot about characterizations and developing his accent and gestures. He talked about unpeeling Desmonds onion on various things, whether it was how he talked about the weather or where he went to church.

A few locals recognized the former Spider Man, but in all, their entire visit went undetected by the Lynchburg community.

Filming began in Australia in September 2015 and wrapped in December.

According to Knapp, who had unrestricted access to the set, Gibson used no CGI. All the fight choreography was developed through live action and the hundreds of extras on the battlefield were physically present on set each day.

I found Gibson to be a highly motivating director, he said. He would get on his hands and knees down in the dirt in those shell holes, and he would act or explain in highly emotional and relational terms what he wanted his actors to produce. He didnt necessarily tell them how to do it. He told them what he wanted to have done.

Cinematic genius

When Hacksaw Ridge premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September, it received a 10-minute standing ovation. Critics hailed it as Gibsons triumphant return to Hollywood and Oscar buzz began to form.

Though the film does contain a heavy amount of violence, there is no sex and has limited language, decisions made at the request of the Council, making it possibly the only war film in history to not use the names of God and Jesus Christ in vain or to drop a single F-bomb, said Knapp.

"I don't know if I truly grasped [Doss actions] until I visually saw what Mel Gibson has done with the battle scenes, said Stephen Doss, who had the opportunity to attend a special screening before the film entered theaters.

[It was] beautifully horrific to give you a real appreciation of what he did that day. The battle scenes are as heinous as you can imagine what battle would have been like on a pacific island in World War II. For me, it made me go away with even more appreciation for what Desmond had done and gone through."

Faith and veteran organizations alike have rallied behind the film. Benedict, who has been attending special previews of the film for months leading up to the premiere, said it has received an overwhelmingly positive response and has sparked discussions about war, bravery and commitment, something Gibson and the team hoped the film would accomplish.

It has also renewed the conversation surrounding veterans and PTSD and has caused the Army to reevaluate how it treats the condition, Knapp added.

Those who knew Doss personally have hailed Garfields performance for its uncanny accuracy.

What I think is so good about this film is it doesnt preach, it doesnt teach, it doesnt moralize, it doesnt offer judgment, said Knapp. Its not anti-war, its not anti-gun, its not pro-conscientious objection or activism. It just tells a story.  And every viewer then draws his or her own conclusion.
Dominion Packaging, a Richmond-based company that supplies printed packaging and folding cartons for makers of consumer products, is expanding its operation in eastern Henrico County to support a new contract with Anheuser-Busch.

The company plans to invest $25.1 million in the project, which will create 60 new jobs.

Virginia successfully competed against Pennsylvania for the project, Gov. Terry McAuliffe's office said today.

Dominion Packaging has expanded operations in recent years. It converted a former Mazda auto parts distribution facility across U.S. 60 from Richmond International Airport into a plant and warehouse.

It also operates a plant in South Richmond.

The company's major clients include Altria, Philip Morris, McDonalds, Hardees and Bojangles Famous Chicken n Biscuits.

Dominions business strategy was best supported by Henrico County, offering the best geographic location, positive impact to financials and overall community environment that we believe supports a growing company, said Brett Hawkins, president and CEO of Dominion Packaging.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Henrico's Economic Development Authority to secure the project.

McAuliffe approved a $150,000 grant from the Commonwealths Opportunity Fund to assist Henrico.

The governor also approved a $200,000 performance-based grant from the Virginia Investment Partnership program, an incentive available to existing Virginia companies.
GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us.
Home News Sports Social Obituaries Events Letters Flags now fly over the Port November 8, 2016 Since the establishment of the Bonners Ferry Port of Entry (POE) more than two decades ago, there has always been something missing  the United States flag, the Idaho State flag and the POW/MIA flag. Thanks to the request of POE Inspector Tom Chaney, the efforts of other District 1 staff, an area business that donated and poured concrete for the base of the flagpole, and an ample amount of sweat equity, the Colors are now flying at the port.



It is inspiring, not only to our employees, but to visiting truck drivers and our Idaho State Police partners as well," explained POE Sr. Inspector Philip Youngman. "The positive feedback from industry partners, ITD associates, and the Idaho State Police is encouraging.



The Bonners Ferry POE, located at the junction of U.S. 95/U.S. 2, is the first Idaho government facility commercial carriers encounter as they enter Idaho from Canada on U.S. 95.



The project represents how our physical environment can have an effect on our attitudes, Youngman said. The past two years of physical improvements to the facility and surrounding grounds has helped nurture a positive cultural attitudinal shift. Transforming the ports physical environment has helped make it a desired destination. We all witnessed the physical progress from breaking ground on this project to seeing the flag flying high. It is a great reminder of why we do what we do.



Witnessing the Colors on display outside the observation window has nurtured a feeling of accomplishment, he added.



The ITD personnel who participated in the flagpole project coordinated their efforts with their daily service obligations in order to make it a success.



Many thanks to the following ITD and industry partners:



 Gerry Brown, (D1 Welder/fabricator); Pole modification/fabrication

 Roy Clark, (D1 Electrical/Lighting); Electrical work, pole fabrication

 Tom Chaney, (D1 Bonners Ferry POE Inspector); Project laborer

 Mike Rearden, (D1 TTP Sign and Striping Foreman); Base anchor bolt anchors and template material

 Clint Roney, (D1 Bonners Ferry ITD shed); Backhoe work

 George Shutes, (D1 Bonners Ferry ITD shed Foreman); Project consulting

 Ron Morgan, (D1/D2 POE Area Supervisor); Flags and pulley parts, project promotion and encouragement

 Dave Stoddard, Todd Chaney, Kody Francis, (D1 Sign and Striping); Pole installation

 Philip Youngman, (D1 Bonners Ferry POE Senior Inspector); Project manager, laborer

 Pat Carr, (Idaho POE Manager); Project promotion and encouragement

 Brian Wood (Woods Crushing & Hauling, of Sandpoint); Concrete donation and pouring of pole base Questions or comments about this article? Click here to e-mail!
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(Newser)  Samsung wants Americansor at least the handful of them that still ready daily newspapersto know that it's "truly sorry" its new phones keep exploding. Gizmodo reports the company took out full-page ads in the Washington Post, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal to address the expensive recall of its much-hyped Galaxy Note 7. The ad appeared in the Monday editions of the papers and was signed by Samsung president and CEO Gregory Lee, according to the Verge. "An important tenet of our mission is to offer best-in-class safety and quality," the ad states. "Recently, we fell short on this promise." It states an investigation is underway to figure out what went wrong with the Note 7. (The ad also addresses Samsung's recent problem with exploding washing machines.)
(Newser)  Election night turned out to be a big night for marijuana advocates. Californians voted to legalize recreational use of the drug, giving the movement its biggest victory yet. The win means recreational pot is now legal along the entire West Coast, notes the AP. Massachusetts also approved recreational pot, the first state east of the Rockies to do so. Nevada did the same, while Florida and Arkansas voted to legalize marijuana for medical purposes, making them the first in the South with full-scale medical marijuana programs. Arizona voters rejected a recreational marijuana proposal, while votes on Maine's were still being counted early Wednesday, Slate reports.

North Dakota also voted to permit marijuana for medical purposes. Montanans, meanwhile, voted to ease restrictions on an existing medical marijuana law. Collectively, it was the closest the US has ever come to a national referendum on marijuana. "These votes send a clear message to federal officials that it's time to stop arresting and incarcerating marijuana users," says Rob Kampia, executive director of the pro-legalization Marijuana Policy Project. Ken Corney, president of the California Police Chiefs Association, says they are "of course, disappointed" by the state's vote. Corney says his organization plans to work with lawmakers to develop a driving-under-the-influence policy. (Read more marijuana stories.)
(Newser)  Should've bought stock in pantsuits. Vox reports a private Facebook group started a few weeks ago to encourage Hillary Clinton supporters to wear pantsuits on Election Day has ballooned to millions of members. Maine resident Libby Chamberlain founded Pantsuit Nation after the final presidential debate, according to CNN. We support each other during this highly contentious election season and have created a refuge from the vitriol that is sweeping the nation," Chamberlain tells Vox. It turns out that's exactly what a lot of people needed. "All these posts flying by my news feed are giving me hope and courage," CNN quotes one member as saying. The New York Times reports Pantsuit Nation now has more than 2.5 million members, an impressive feat considering it requires an invitation to join.

And with Election Day finally here, the pantsuits are coming out. Chamberlain says members are posting a thousand or so photos of themselves in pantsuits every few minutes. "We have dozens of moderators and they can't keep up," Chamberlain tells CNN. But Pantsuit Nation isn't just about pantsuits, or even about providing a safe space for Clinton supporters avoiding political conversations with their Trump-loving friends and family. It's raised more than $216,000 for the Clinton campaign, and Chamberlain sees the group making a difference in the future. "I love the idea that this could influence policy," she tells the Times. (Read more Election 2016 stories.)
(Newser)  Neither of the Bush presidents voted for the GOP nominee in Election 2016but while No. 41 reportedly opted to cast his ballot for Hillary Clinton, No. 43 took a different route. George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, "voted 'None of the Above' for president," spokesman Freddy Ford told Reuters via email. The couple did vote for all Republicans in down-ballot races, however. And so one person who should be offering an "I'm sorry" to the former first couple, per Ford: Rush Limbaugh. CNNMoney reports that Limbaugh had led his radio program listeners to think Dubya and Mrs. Bush had voted for Clinton.

"Rush is wrong and should apologize," Ford said. Limbaugh didn't exactly express regrets for misspeaking, but at the top of his website is now a short correction that reads: "We've been told by President George W. Bush's office that President Bush did not vote for Hillary Clinton as was reported on today's show. He voted two weeks ago and did not vote for her." Who's not giving up his pick: one-time 2016 presidential candidate Jeb Bush, who told CNN last week he would be keeping his vote secret. (Read more Election 2016 stories.)
(Newser)  More bad news for the Democrats: In a result that the Washington Post says leaves the party "basically extinct in the South," Republicans are now in control of Kentucky's House of Representatives for the first time since 1921. The state house was the last legislative chamber in the South controlled by Democrats, who held a 65 to 35 majority in the chamber just six years ago. House Speaker Greg Stumbo was one of 17 Democratic incumbents defeated on Tuesday, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports.

Two other Democrats switched parties after Republican Gov. Matt Bevin defeated Democratic candidate Jack Conway, and two more resigned to accept jobs from Bevin. The Herald-Leader notes that the GOP, which also controls the state Senate, is now expected to revive proposals including tougher restrictions on abortion. University of Louisville political science professor Jasmine Farrier told the Post earlier this year that defeat in Kentucky would be a wake-up call for the Democrats. "What has the Democratic Party done for poor, conservative, evangelical white people?" she said. "And the answer is not much." (Read more Election 2016 stories.)
(Newser)  Canada might want to talk to Donald Trump about a wall. It appears so many Americans were suddenly interested in moving to Canada Tuesday night that the country's immigration website crashed, CTV reports. According to Business Insider, the website first went down around 10:30pm ET. That's around the same time Trump took a lead in a number of major states, Reuters reports. The website continued to go down on and off for the rest of the night. Around the same time, Google searches for Canada spiked.

For people who still can't get onto Canada's immigration website, the Independent explains that most paths to Canadian citizenship involve moving to Canada for work or to live with family. But maybe those policies will change in the wake of a Trump victory; Canada has been praised for being welcoming to refugees from Syria and elsewhere in recent months. (Read more Election 2016 stories.)
(Newser)  For those still reeling from the election that named a former reality TV star as president-elect, Politico takes a look at how it happened. Sure, Donald Trump looked like a long shot candidate this summer, even as Hillary Clinton appeared to shoot herself in the foot repeatedly with email scandals and an FBI investigation. But following a rocky Republican National Convention, when Ted Cruz refused to endorse Trump in his speech, the resignation of Trump's campaign chairman Paul Manafort helped turn things around. While aides had previously tried to tone down the candidate, new faces "let Trump be Trump." And even during what some called a disastrous first debate, Trump still managed to reach his audience, which liked what it was seeing.

Then when the infamous Access Hollywood tape leaked, Trumpfeeling himself backed into a cornerattacked Clinton about her husband's dealings with women. It was "a political third rail for most conventional candidatesa tactic that Republicans had tested and deemed a failure, and an approach so ugly that even the Clintons most vocal detractors urged Trump against," reports Politico. Yet it worked. It was just one part of an "untraditional and unflinchingly shameless campaign" that appealed to far more Americans than polls had suggested. "On Election Day, voters judged the sins of both candidates equally," per Politico. "Trump simply edged out the win." Click for more, including Trump's strategy in the last two weeks. (Read more Donald Trump stories.)
(Newser)  The mysteries of Old Faithful may soon be solved, thanks, in part, to something that looks like a giant hula hoop. American and Danish scientists have this week begun an aerial survey of Yellowstone that actually looks well into the earth, "visualizing" the geology and water as much as 1,500 feet below the surface, says Carol Finn. She's waited a decade to explore what she calls "a last frontier ... in Yellowstone," and the intention is to better map the flow of water that's feeding Old Faithful and rare but sometimes violent hydrothermal explosions. Over a four-week period, a helicopter will fly above, armed with electromagnetic technology that looks like a giant hula hoop. The AP explains it in layman's terms: "The device acts like an X-ray to determine where and how hot water flows beneath the surface."

Scientists will use the data to determine whether solid earth, "rotten" sulfuric rock, or water lurks below, which could assist in identifying unstable areas, per Wyoming Public Media. But a press release frames the main quest like so: We know that the water that explodes from Yellowstone's geysers "originates as old precipitation, snow and rain that percolates down into the crust, is heated, and ultimately returns to the surface." We know that it can take as long as thousands of years for that process to run its course. What scientists are hoping to determine are the routes these waters take. "Does it travel down and back up? Does it travel laterally?" asks Finn. Right now, "nobody knows." (Archaeologists made a surprise find underneath a Mayan temple.)
(Newser)  Dead puffins are washing up on the shores of an island in the Bering Sea at an alarming rate, National Geographic reports. "In 10 years of monitoring, we've only seen six puffins wash intotal," a professor who coordinates a West Coast volunteer bird-monitoring network says. In just shy of three weeks, they've seen 250. Scientists believe the actual number of dead puffins is much higher, to the point that half the puffin population in the North Pacific may be dead. The cause is no great mystery: The birds are simply starving to death. And scientists are concerned what that means for other animal populations in the Bering Sea, which provides a good chunk of North America's seafood, from crab to salmon to the pollock found in fish sticks.

The culprit appears to be water temperatures that were "off-the-charts warm" this year, according to NOAA ecologist Nata Mantua. Even the normally chill water found at the bottom of the Bering Sea was 6 degrees Celsius above normal. The warm water not only killed off the fatty zooplankton fish rely on for food, but almost all zoo plankton; that hurt fish populations, which meant less food for mammals and birds. In August, the Portland Press Herald reported on the woes plaguing the largest puffin colony in the Gulf of Maine. On Machias Seal Island, 60% of puffin nests that hold eggs produce viable chicks who ultimately enter the sea; this year it was 12%, and those who didn't starve to death were notably small. Scientists theorize a warming gulf impacted the food supply there, too. (There's other drama happening at Machias Seal Island.)
Actor Wagner Moura will return to "Narcos" Season 3 in 2017 as the famous Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. Although in the previous two seasons, the rise and fall of Escobar was wrapped up and the show will now focus on the Cali Cartel, there are reports that Netflix will continue to show scenes involving Escobar.

One report says that the two seasons have not thoroughly told the tale between the Medellin Cartel headed by Pablo Escobar and the Cali Cartel, and the encounter between these two cartels will be part of season 3 in a "flash back" or transitory style, before "Narcos" will focus on Cali Cartel. This may be true considering that Wagner Moura's outstanding portrayal of Escobar is one reason why the show enjoys high ratings.

The speculation that Moura is still part of season 3 cast anchors on the statement given by Eric Newman, the show's producer, in an interview when the team started its production in September for "Narcos" season 3 and 4. In the interview, Newman hinted that some members of previous seasons would still be part of the upcoming season.

"We're working on that now and as many of them as dramatically makes sense is the rule that we live by," Newman was quoted by The Hollywood Reporter, and added that season 3 will not have a single personality as the center of the plot. "Narcos" will also shift its storyline from centering on a drug lord's life to telling the story of cocaine as a business.

"We are going to look deeper into the systemic effects within Colombia of cocaine and corruption," Newman elaborated. Another character that will be returning to season 3 is Javier Pena portrayed by Pedro Pascal, while his sidekick, Agent Steve Murphy played by actor Boyd Holbrook remains unconfirmed.

"Narocs" has had good ratings from audience since it began airing in August 2015. It initially centered on the life of Pablo Escobar before and after he took over the Medellin Cartel, and on his death.
Samsung is under tremendous pressure since its "Galaxy Note 7" blast and finally the firm decided to kill off the premium device. Now, it seems to be setting another debacle for the smartphone major. "Samsung Galaxy J5", the mid-level smartphone is also facing the same issue of Note 7. In France, a "Samsung Galaxy J5" reportedly exploded last week, which can further downsize the fortunes of the firm if repeated.

Lamya Bouyirdane, who owned the device spoke to the media that before her "Samsung Galaxy J5" exploded, it became very hot and fumes came out of it. She dropped the phone to the floor and it caught fire and blown up. Interestingly, the image of the "Samsung Galaxy J5" that exploded was also shared in the social media .

However, this can be considered as the first case that a "Samsung Galaxy J5" exploded since it released in April. The concerns are due to the issues Samsung devices faced recently, per reports. Apart from Note 7 blast, Samsung Washing machines also recalled considering the injury risks. At this point of time, it can be considered as an isolated incident, considering the "Samsung Galaxy J5" is already available in the market for more than 6 months.

Further speaking to the media, Bouyirdane confirmed that she purchased the "Samsung Galaxy J5" in June and her son was holding the phone just before the blast. She also reported that she plans to take Samsung to court on the issue. Samsung spokesperson however generously responded that it will investigate the matter but it sees customer safety as the top priority. He also said that the issue of Note 7 can't be mixed with "Samsung Galaxy J5", as it was specific to the device.

Mobile battery are now world's smallest bomb. Hope not, next terrorist attack is planned with mobile battery. #Galaxyj5 #Note7 #Samsung  Uchit Shah (@uchitshah) November 7, 2016

It is safe to assume that all the electronic device manufacturers have to look for proper R&D and testing to make the devices safe and secure. It should be understood that when sophisticated devices are manufactured, it also increases the risks of multiple technical issues, manufacturing defects etc. Also, it is reported that global climatic changes affecting the electronic devices especially batteries. The latest incidents on Samsung Galaxy J5 and Galaxy Note 7 explosion should compel the firms to take corrective steps.
Republican candidate Donald Trump shocked the U.S. and the world after beating his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the just concluded neck-to-neck presidential elections. Trump defied all expectations and posted an unthinkable but stunning upset of heavily-favored Clinton on election night. The Republicans are rejoicing the victory of the former reality-show star who rode his wave to the White House by relying on the working-class rage.

For Americans, waking up the next day in the U.S. will be different than the day before. Donald Trump's ascendancy to the presidency is not only a tragedy but also a triumph of a boorish man incapable of growth, comprehension, or compassion.

"Fortune" magazine has just reported on the stock markets' negative reaction to Donald Trump's win. Dow futures shed more than 800 points. Market analysts believe that Trump's anti-trade rhetoric has raised concerns among investors. They worry about the impact of Trump's trade policies on the U.S. economy.

Paul Krugman, an economist, predicts a global recession. He describes Trump's win in the "Politico" as a "terrifying night." Krugman explains in "Politico" why Trump is a harbinger of global economic chaos that will never end. He calls Trump as the "mother of all adverse effects."

"The New Yorker's" David Remnick criticized the incoming president as a "twisted caricature of every rotten reflex of the radical right. " He cited "Trump's world of vanity, hate, arrogance, and untruth."

The world is not also receptive to Donald Trump's win in the U.S. elections. The Telegraph UK reported that Trump's entry into the White House will be bigger than Brexit, which refers to the June 2016 referendum that saw Great Britain's departure from the European Union. Anti-racism protest has been planned outside the U.S. Embassy in London.

Spanish newspaper "El Pais" headlined "The United States fears total paralysis." British publication "The Economist" considered Tuesday evening as "Fright night."
"Rise of the Tomb Raider" is included in the list of playable games on the upcoming PlayStation 4 Pro. Players can learn more of it with the newly released footage and disclosed visual improvements.

"Rise Of The Tomb Raider" Update: Crystal Dynamics Releases Footage

According to Gamespresso, Crystal Dynamics has released the new footage of the "Rise of the Tomb Raider." In the new tech video, Crystal Dynamics chief technology officer Gary Snethen explained the three different visual options for the "Rise of the Tomb Raider." These are available to players on PlayStation 4 Pro with 4K resolution, enriched visual and high frame rate modes.

"Rise Of The Tomb Raider" Update: Upgrades & Enhancements Explained

"Rise of the Tomb Raider" renders at 4K resolution, PlayStation Universe explains. This enhancement runs at 30 frames per second. It improves texture, silhouettes, specular highlights and other effects. The enriched display or visuals play at 30 fps at 1080p. However, it utilizes extra power just to improve the image quality and rendering effects. The high framerate allow "Rise of the Tomb Raider" players to play at 60 fps at 1080p resolution. This allows smoother animations and tighter controls.

Multiple upgrades in the "Rise of the Tomb Raider" also include hardware tessellation. It manages data sets and allows detail to be added and subtracted from a 3D polygon mesh. This is a compilation of edges, faces, and vertices that define 3D objects' shape in the computer graphics. Upgrades also include anisotropic filtering that enhances the image quality and texture on surfaces of computer graphics that are at oblique viewing angles. There are also additional foliage and increased level of detail, according to Game N' Guide.

Sony will release more updates of its upcoming PlayStation 4 Pro. This powerful console will be available soon on November 10.
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New Delhi:

Republican nominee Donald Trump has won the 2016 US presidential election after the poll results were declared on Wednesday (Indian Standard Time). Trump defeated his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in a pitched race to the White House.

Click here for more updates

The election result is in stark contrast to the opinion polls that projected Hillary's victory.

Interestingly, the Trump campaign, in the build up to the polls, had filed a lawsuit complaining about the voting process. Trumps legal team had sued Joe Gloria, a registrar of voters in Nevadas Clark County, over his decision to keep polling locations open two hours beyond the designated closing time on the final day of early voting. However, Nevada judge rejected Trump request for order over early voting.

There were reports of intimidating voters during the election. According to Election Protection helpline, there were 63 cases of intimidation reported at the polling booths.

Here are the highlights:

12:15 (IST)

Donald Trump to win Alaskas 3 electoral votes as per CNN projects

11:07 (IST)

Hillary Clinton wins Nevada

11:07 (IST)

Trump on verge of victory, leads Clinton by 238-209 in race to 270 electoral votes

10:29 (IST)

Trump wins Utah and Georgia

9:44 (IST)

Trump wins North Carolina

9:30 (IST)

Donald Trump edges past Clinton in battleground state of Florida

9:20 (IST)

Donald Trump wins Colorado, inches closer to victory

9:15 (IST)

Donald Trump wins key swing state Ohio, Clinton wins Virginia

9:00 (IST)

Clinton wins New Mexico, Trump takes Missouri

8:20 (IST)

Donald Trump wins Louisiana. Hillary Clinton wins Connecticut.

8:10 (IST)

Republican Donald Trump has won Arkansas and its six electoral votes.

8:00 (IST)

Trump wins Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska while Hillary Clinton takes New York and Illinois.

Trump wins Nebraska and two of the state's three congressional districts, winning total of 4 electoral votes.

7:45 (IST)

Donald Trump has won Tennessee and its 11 electoral votes.

As per reports in Associated Press (AP), Donald Trump has won Alabama and its nine electoral votes after Sen. Jeff Sessions endorsed the billionaire candidate.

7:42 (IST)

Donald J. Trump has won Alabamas 9 electoral votes. Trump has polled 9,644 more votes than Hillary Clinton, with 2 percent reporting. Donald J. Trump is up by 39 points with 2 percent of precincts reporting.

7:32 (IST)

As per reports from ABS poll, Hillary takes the lead with 72 to Trump's 57

7:20 am (IST)

Senate control up for grabs as GOP holds Florida. Republicans held onto a key Senate seat in Florida on Tuesday as their hopes of protecting their narrow majority rested on a handful of states that were tossups until the end.

7:00 am (IST)

As per ABC News projections, Republican nominee Mr Trump has racked up wins in southern states and Democrat Mrs Clinton has taken northeastern states

6:50 am (IST)

As per ABS poll prediction reports, Republican candidate Donald Trump was tipped to be victorious in Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Mississippi and Oklahoma. Meanwhile, The network tips Mrs Clinton to win in New Jersey, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Delaware, Illinois and Rhode Island.

6:40 am (IST)

Polls closed in North Carolina and Ohio, each of those states expected to be very competitive, but it is too early to call a winner.

6:30 am (IST)

Polls have closed in two of the fiercest battlegrounds, North Carolina and Ohio; Donald Trump jumps to the lead in very early returns in those states.

6:20 am (IST)

Donald J. Trump has won three deep red states  Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia, earning a total of 24 electoral votes in his bid for the presidency.Hillary Clinton has won Vermonts three electoral votes, emerging victorious in the state represented in the Senate by Bernie Sanders, her top Democratic challenger in the primaries

The wins were on expected lines. Vermont has voted for a Democrat every election since 1988, while Kentucky has gone Republican every cycle since 2000. Indiana is normally a Republican stronghold but went for President Barack Obama in 2008

5:40 am (IST)

According to exit polls, Donald Trump is projected to win in Indiana and Kentucky. Hillary Clinton has taken Vermont.

Earlier, polling was opened in United States on Tuesday night as eight ballots were cast in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire as part of town's tradition of being "first in the nation", with Democratic candidate Clinton winning the contest.

Clinton registered her first 'win' in the 2016 elections by four votes to two against her Republican rival Donald Trump soon after midnight in the remote northeastern part of the US.

Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump traded barbs in their final pitch to voters as the curtain came down on the ugliest campaign in US history and voting began on Tuesday in the knife-edge polls that will elect America's first woman president or put a political outsider in office.

(Read this story in Hindi here)

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New York:

As US Presidential election 2016 is underway and the main battleground states have seen an increase in early voting from Asian-Americans.

Early votes saw about twice as many early ballots from Asian-Americans, including Indian Americans came out in large numbers to vote against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, according to a report based on early voting trends.

Early vote analysis by TargetSmart indicate that Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) voters are responding against 70-year-old Trump and the Republicans by voting in record numbers, AAPI Victory Fund said yesterday.

In Nevada and North Carolina, the per cent of AAPI voters is outpacing Hispanic voters, who are turning out in high numbers, the report said.

In Nevada, AAPI early vote is 42.7 per cent of the registered electorate and Hispanic vote is at 39.7 per cent.

In North Carolina, AAPI early vote is 37.7 per cent versus 30.2 per cent for Hispanics. The participation in the state is up 74 per cent in comparison to AAPI voter turnout in 2012, the report said.

One of the critical investments made this cycle was providing AAPI ethnicity data about our fast-growing electorate, which more than doubled the number of people identified as AAPI in the voter file, it said.

There will be many story lines out of this election and the most important to us is that our early investments in registering and turning out the AAPI community has paid precious dividends, said Shekar Narasimhan, chairman and founder of the AAPI Victory Fund.

More than anything it shows that despite the lack of targeting of our communities by establishment political entities, our vote share toward Democrat candidates is creating an emerging AAPI voting block that has profound implications on this and future elections, he said.

The miracle of our democracy is unfolding today as Asian Americans are voting in record numbers across the country and could provide a winning margin in states like Nevada and North Carolina to elect Hillary Clinton as our next president, said Dilawar Syed, co-founder and vice chair of the AAPI Victory Fund.

Syed said Trump and the Republicans debased immigrants and women and built their campaign on a platform of hate and fear against an entire faith with even denigrating an AAPI Gold Star family.

It has not gone unnoticed. Our community is mobilised and poised to emerge as a powerful member of the winning coalition, he said.

Using the newly created voter file to target AAPI voters, the AAPI Victory Fund published a number of online viral informational videos, including What Does Donald Trump Think About Asians, targeted at AAPIs in swing states.

With nearly a half million views on Facebook alone, it is the most widely viewed AAPI targeted election ad in history.

A day earlier, the Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook credited Asian Americans as part of the Clinton Coalition of high early voter turnout.

If Secretary Clinton does win this election... it will in part be because of enormous turnout... in the Asian American community, Mook said.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Mumbai:

Rupee plummeted by 23 paise to 66.85 against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday on the governments surprise move to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in a bid to curb black money.



Besides, an early trend suggesting Republican Donald Trumps lead in US presidential election also influenced the trading sentiment.



However, a fresh demand for the American currency from importer weighed on the domestic currency, but dollars tumbling against other rivals overseas on strong Trump showing in US election minimised the fall, traders said.



On Tuesday, the rupee had ended higher by 12 paise to close at one-month high of 66.62 following heavy dollar unwinding by banks and exporters amid capital inflows.



Meanwhile, the benchmark BSE Sensex crashed below the 26,000-mark by plunging 1,688.69 points, or 6.12 per cent, to 25,902.45 in opening trade.

Also read:

US Presidential Election Result Live: Trump wins battleground states Ohio and Florida, inches closer to victory

Watch live updates | Currency note ban: Nation wakes up to major assault on black money, Bihar CM congratulates PM Modi
New Delhi:

Republican nominee Donald Trump has won the 2016 US Presidential election after the election results were declared on Wednesday (Indian Standard Time). Trump defeated his arch rival Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in a pitched race to the White House.

Trump is slated to be elected as the 45th President of the United States of America. He shall assume the US Presidential office on January 20, 2017.

The 50 states and Washington DC voted across six different time zones throughout Tuesday, 8 November. The US's complicated system is a race to secure 270 out of the 538 votes in the electoral college.

The Republican candidate eased his way to the much revered 270 seat mark, which is the halfway mark to the total seats in the United States House of Representatives and the Senate.

Read | As it happened: Trump and Hillary go through neck to neck race to White House

Here are the live updates:

#Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on being elected as US President, saying he looks forward to working with him closely to take Indo-US ties to a new height.



#Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on being elected as the 45th US President, Modi said in a tweet.

#I have learnt so much from my parents, want to thank my sisters: President elect Donald Trump

#We've a great plan, we will double other economy and will strengthen our relations with every country who is willing to be our friend: Trump

#Working together we will fulfil our desired dreams, we have tremendous potential and we will achieve everything: US President Donald trump

#Ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement made up of hard working men and women: Donald Trump

#Got a call from Hillary, she congratulated me and I congratulated her on a very very hard fought campaign: Donald Trump

# We will develop highway projects and put millons of people to work while doing it: President-elect Trump

#No citizen will be left alone: President-elect Trump

# I pledge that I will be President of each and every citizen of United States: President-elect Trump

President Elect Donald Trump arrives at the HQ in New York, to deliver his speech soon pic.twitter.com/EZjgV9L92e  ANI (@ANI_news) November 9, 2016

US Election: Visuals from Trump HQ in New York, loud cheers being heard for Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/1Vi6ZVFr9E  ANI (@ANI_news) November 9, 2016

#US Election: Hillary Clinton calls Donald Trump and concedes the race, reports CNN

Donald Trump won the battle- ground states of Ohio and Florida besides clinching victories in North Carolina, Georgia, Missouri and Montana, Louisiana, Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, Mississippi, Nebraska, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee.

Hillary Clinton tasted victory in the following states - California, New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Washington, Massachusetts , Maryland , Oregon , Connecticut, Nevada , New Mexico, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Vermont , Delaware, DC

The 2016 US Presidential elections is touted as one of the most closely fought presidential battle witnessed in the history of US political landscape.

The race to the White House was a pitched battle between two candidates with completely different political ideologies.

On June 16, 2015, Trump made his White House ambitions official when he announced his run for president on the Republican ticket for the 2016 elections.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Republican Party candidate Donald trump has won the US presidential election of 2016. He will be 45th President of the US.

Lets have a look at his profile

Trump made his White House ambitions official when he announced his run for president in 2015 on the Republican ticket.

During the electoral campaign he gave the slogan to make America great again. His electoral campaign includes issues of illegal immigration from Mexico. He even spoke of building a wall along the border with Mexico to prevent illegal immigration.

He also called for more job creation in America by decreasing the job outsourcing to other countries. Trump also promised strong action against terrorism. Other major issues taken by Trump were regarding taxes, healthcare, and religious freedom in the country.

Donald Trump was born on June 14, 1946 in Queens, New York. Trump married Ivana Zelnickova Winklmayr, a New York fashion model and athlete from Czech in 1971. The couple had three children - Donald Jr, Ivanka and Eric - before they filed for divorce in 1990.

Trump married actress Marla Maples in 1993. They had a daughter named Tiffany before divorcing in 1999.

His current wife Melania Knauss, a model, in 2005, and the couple has one son, Barron William Trump.

Trump became involved in large, profitable building projects in Manhattan. In 1980, he opened the Grand Hyatt, which made him the city's best-known developer.

In 2004, Trump began starring in the hit NBC reality series The Apprentice, which also spawned the offshoot The Celebrity Apprentice.

Trump is the son of Fred Trump, a wealthy New York City real-estate developer. He worked for his fathers firm, Elizabeth Trump and Son in 1968.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Biharsharif:

A day after the Supreme Court cancelled his bail in connection with a rape case of a minor girl, former RJD MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav surrendered before a court in Bihar's Nalanda district on Wednesday.

He surrendered in the court of the additional district judge (ADJ-1) Shashibhushan Prasad Singh.

The Supreme Court had on Tuesday cancelled the RJD MLA's bail granted by the Patna high court, vide an order, dated September 30.

Yadav, an MLA from Nawada assembly constituency, was suspended by the RJD after he was booked in the rape case of a minor girl at his residence in Biharsharif town on February six.

After evading arrest for a month, the RJD MLA had surrendered before a local court in March following confiscation of some of his properties at various places by the police to force him to submit himself before the law in the case.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Melania Trump is the wife of US president-elect and real estate billionaire Donald Trump.



Melania Trump is a Slovene American former model who is married to US president-elect and American businessman of the United States, Donald Trump. She is set to assume the role of First Lady of the United States on January 20, 2017.



Early Life and Education



Born in Yugoslavia in the erstwhile Socialist Republic of Slovenia (now independent country of Slovenia), Melania became a permanent resident of the United States in 2001 and a citizen in 2006. She will assume the role of First Lady of the United States on January 20, 2017.



Melania Trump was born in Novo Mesto in Southeastern Slovenia (then part of Yugoslavia) on April 26, 1970. She is the daughter of Amalija (nee UlAnik) and Viktor Knavs, who managed car and motorcycle dealerships for a state-owned vehicle manufacturer and was a member of the Slovenian Communist Party.



Trump attended the Secondary School of Design and Photography in Ljubljana and studied at the University of Ljubljana for one year before dropping out.

Also read: Know about Donald Trump: President-elect of United States



Modelling Career



Melania Trump began her modeling career at age 16 and at age 17 posed for Slovenian fashion photographer Stane Jerko. At 18, she signed with a modeling agency in Milan, Italy. She was named runner-up in the 1992 Jana Magazine "Look of the Year" contest, held in Ljubljana, which promised its top three contestants an international modeling contract.



Marriage to Donald Trump and American Citizenship



After moving to New York City in 1996, Melania met Donald Trump at a Fashion Week party in New York City in September 1998, while he was still married to, but separated from, Marla Maples.



In 2006, Trump gave birth to Barron William Trump. Their son is husband Donald's fifth child. She also became a U.S. citizen in the same year.



After becoming engaged in 2004, Donald and Melania were married on January 22, 2005, at The Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida, followed by a reception in the ballroom at Donald's Mar-a-Lago estate.



Melania Supports Donald Trump's presidential campaign



In November 2015, when asked about her husband's presidential campaign, Trump said: "I encouraged him because I know what he will do and what he can do for America. He loves the American people and he wants to help them."When asked by The New York Times in 1999 what her role would be if Donald Trump were to become president, Trump replied: "I would be very traditional. Like Betty Ford or Jackie Kennedy. I would support him."

Also read: US Election Results Declared: PM Modi congratulates Donald Trump on being elected as 45th US President

Other Projects



Melania Trump has a successful jewelry line on QVC, as well as a skincare line. She has appeared in an Aflac commercial, co-hosted on The View, and appeared on her husband's NBC reality show, Celebrity Apprentice.



Multilingual



Melania is fluent in five languages: Slovenian, English, French, Serbian and German.

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New Delhi:

The Congress party on Wednesday seemed divided over the Centre's demonetise move. Former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram raised questions over the Narendra Modi governments decision to demonetise the currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000. However, he maintained that the Congress party is not questioning the objective behind the decision.

We are only questioning whether these objectives will be achieved. I dont understand why Rs 2,000 notes have been introduced when Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes have been demonetised? he said.

However, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Janardan Dwivedi, on the other hand, hailed the Modi governments decision, saying on November 9, those who are too rich and those who are poor are almost equal.

"Dil khush hua hai masjid-e-veeran dekhkar, meri tarah khuda ka bhi khana kharab hai," he said.

ALSO READ | Govt had demonetised high-value currency in 1978 but it failed, says P Chidambaram

"Many people will be happy and satisfied with the move. We will definitely welcome the government's move if it turns out to be successful in curbing black money," he added.

On Tuesday, in a surprize move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a televised address, announced that currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 will be discontinued in a crackdown on black money.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living Foundation, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has released a message for the nation requesting everyone to not panic after demonetization of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 currency notes by the Narendra Modi-led government on Tuesday.

Statement from the spiritual leader said, "I request everyone not to panic. The demonetising of high value currency is good for the country. It will curb corruption, black money and terrorism.

"There is no need to worry. No one will lose their hard-earned money since the government has made provisions for exchanging the 500 and 1000 notes easily with other legal notes, Statement added.

It further said, "This move from the government will only impact those who have hoarded money illegally. The government is taking all efforts to see that the common man is not inconvenienced. In fact, this decision has brought a sigh of relief for all of us who have been fighting corruption all these years.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar also applauded PM Modis bold step to curb black money. He said, "I congratulate the PM for taking this bold move and ushering in Artha Kranti."

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New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a three-day visit to Japan from tomorrow during which the two countries are expected to sign a civil nuclear deal besides discussing ways to step up cooperation in the areas like trade, investment and security.



Modi will be holding the annual Summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and have an audience with the Emperor of Japan in Tokyo.



From Tokyo, Modi, accompanied by Abe, will travel to Kobe by the famed Shinkansen bullet train, the technology that will be deployed for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Railway, Modi said ahead of his visit.



He will visit the Kawasaki Heavy Industries facility in Kobe, where high speed railway is manufactured.



I will visit Japan on 10-12 November 2016 for the Annual Summit. This will be my second visit to Japan as Prime Minister, Modi said in a statement here today.



I will have a detailed interaction with top business leaders from India and Japan, to look for ways to further strengthen our trade and investment ties, he said.

Modi said he looks forward to reviewing the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation when he meets Abe in Tokyo on November 11.



Our partnership with Japan is characterized as a Special Strategic and Global Partnership. India and Japan see each other through a prism of shared Buddhist heritage, democratic values, and commitment to an open, inclusive and rules-based global order, he added.



During the visit, the two countries are expected to sign civil nuclear cooperation agreement which will facilitate leading US-based atomic companies to set up plants in India.



The two countries had sealed a broad agreement during Abes visit here last December but the final deal was yet to be signed as certain technical and legal issues were to be thrashed out.



Both the countries have completed the internal procedures including legal and technical aspects of the text of the pact, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said last week.



When specifically asked whether the pact will be signed during Modis visit, he only said, I cannot pre-judge outcome of the talks.



Negotiations for the nuclear deal between the two countries have been going on for a number of years but the progress on these was halted because of political resistance in Japan after the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.

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New Delhi:

With great anticipation and a close fight, Presidential elections in the United States has finally concluded. Republican candidate and property mogul Donald Trump has been elected as the 45th President of the country. Along with this, there have been Indian-origin candidates who have made it big elections which include the likes of Kamala Harris, Raja Krishnamoorthi, and Pramila Jayapal.

Out of six Indian-American candidates, three have been successful in defeating their respective opponent to enter the US Senate and US house. Here is some brief information about them:

Kamala Harris

Indian-American Kamala Harris has made history after becoming the first Indian-American to be elected to the US Senate.

Harris went pass fellow-Democrat Loretta Sanchez to defeat him in California to also become the first Indian-American woman to be elected to the Congress.

This victory is also significant as California is the most populated state in the US with 18 million voters. Senators are elected by the entire electorate in their respective states.

I could not do any of this without you. Thank you for your support. Let's get to work! pic.twitter.com/9XvvJ7SW3n  Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 9, 2016

Harris, 52, whose family roots are linked to Chennai, is a lawyer by profession and was twice elected Attorney General in 2010 and 2014.

Interestingly, Kamala Harris is also counted as an African American as her father is a Jamaican of African descent and she follows the Baptist faith.

Her mother Shyamals Gopalan is a cancer specialist from Chennai which gives her equal claim to Indian heritage.

Reportedly the first Indian elected to Congress was Dalip Singh Saund, who won from California in 1956.

Also read: Know about Donald Trump: President-elect of United States

Raja Krishnamoorthi

Indian-origin Raja Krishnamoorthi has won a seat in the House of Representatives from Ilinois, becoming the fourth Indian American being elected to Congress.

Representing Democratic Party, Krishnamoorthi was elected from the Illinois Eighth Congressional District which surrounds a few suburbs around Chicago.

He has defeated Republican Peter DiCianni in the constituency which is traditionally being a democrat fortress.

The 43-year-old Krishnamoorthi is one of the many talented young political leaders in the US. At the Democratic Party Convention in July, the party leadership had presented him as a "New Leader of Tomorrow".

Born in New Delhi, Krishnamoorthi is a lawyer by profession and has served as a state assistant attorney general on a special assignment to fight corruption and as a state deputy treasurer.

Krishnamoorthi has a mechanical engineering degree from Princeton University and a law degree from Harvard.

His father is a professor of engineering at Bradley University in Peoria. Krishnamoorthi is married to Priya Krishnamoorthi who is a doctor by profession. They have two sons and a daughter.

Also read: Know all about Melania Trump, the first lady of United States

Pramila Jayapal

An India-born Pramila Jayapal, who made a mark with her progressive agenda in the Washington State Senate, on Wednesday becomes the First Indian-American woman to be elected to the US House of Representative, winning the Washington State Senate seat.

51-year-old Jayapal got 57 per cent of the votes from Washington State, leaving behind her rival Brady Walkinshaw who secured 43 per cent votes. India-born Jayapal made a mark with her progressive agenda in the Washington State Senate.

To everyone that has been a part of this movement -- THANK YOU! #TeamPramila pic.twitter.com/q5EYRO7HjS  Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) November 9, 2016

Endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders, the former Democratic presidential aspirant, Jayapal is running from the seventh Congressional District of Washington State that encompasses Seattle and its neighborhood.

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New Delhi:

The decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes to curb the menace of black money was not an easy decision. Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed various aspects and held several meetings before announcing taking the decision.

Here is what all happened and what was on PM Modi's mind before the ban:



#PM Modi had given a go ahead this scheme six months ago.



#PM Modi was worried about the possibility of inconvenience that could be faced by common people.

#In 1978, high value notes were banned during the tenure of former PM Morarji Desai. PM Narendra Modi studied the file related to the decision taken by the then government.

#PM Modi discussed on the confidentiality with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley fearing the possibility that the information could be leaked.

#It was kept so confidential that it was not even revealed to other ministers in the cabinet. It was kept to only PM Modi, RBI Governor, Finance Minister and Finance Secretary.



#PM Modi held four meetings with RBI Governor, Finance Minister and Finance Secretary on the decision. The strategy to ban the currency notes was chalked out during these meetings.



#PM Modi was worried about the possible inconvenience in transactions after demonetisation. But PM Modi was told that America, Russia and China have only 100 value notes, hence it won't be a problem in India too.

#Now the question is why the government is introducing Rs 2000 notes? The simple reason was if the government allowed to circulate Rs 1000 again, Pakistan would again print those notes and send them to India. As of now, Pakistan won't be able to print Rs 2000 notes.

#The decision was kept top secret and the message was recorded on DD. Cabinet was informed only after the recording and the ministers were not allowed to go out until the telecast. The ministers are not allowed to carry their mobile phones in cabinet meet.

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The Republican wave that swept Donald J. Trump into the presidency appeared to diminish Hillary Clintons margin of victory in blue-leaning Connecticut, but in the Danbury area, the Democratic nominee managed to outperform Barack Obamas 2012 numbers.

According to unofficial results, Clinton defeated Trump statewide by 54 percent to 42 percent, a decisive victory, but smaller than the margin four years ago when Obama trounced Republican Mitt Romney, 58 percent to 40 percent.

But in 14 towns and cities in greater Danbury, Clinton polled about 1,800 votes better than Obama, while Trump underperformed Romneys 2012 total by about 1,400 votes, according to the Associated Press.

J.R. Romano, the states Republican chairman, chalked up Trumps lower poll numbers in this part of the state to the candidates inflammatory rhetoric during the campaign. But he said the partys success across the state, including gains in the state House and Senate, were a clear rebuke of Democratic policies.

I think that you have some people in the area that are uncomfortable with Trumps tone, Romano said. But I think what were seeing is here in Connecticut were tired of partisan politics. The Democrats dont want to take ownership of their failures, and Trump tapped into those failures.

Brookfield figures have been omitted from the regional comparison because technical problems in one of the towns two precincts delayed this years returns.

Three area towns, Redding, Ridgefield and Newtown, flipped from supporting Romney in 2012 to voting for Clinton on Tuesday, while New Milford turned the other way, going for Obama in the last cycle and voting for Trump by more than 1,000 votes this time around.

The swings in Newtown and Redding were sizable, with Democrats gaining 932 and 1,323 votes respectively, but the shift in Ridgefield was by far the largest, with Clinton winning by more than 2,200 votes after Romney took the town by 900 in 2012.

Clintons victory in Ridgefield did not surprise its Democratic chairman, Tom Madden, but the margin did.

Im stumped, said Madden, who noted that Republican state House candidates John Frey and Michael Ferguson both performed well in town. Its hard to say, but I think that it was really about the people and not about party.

First Selectman Rudy Marconi, a Democrat, believes that the towns voters and many in the Danbury area did not feel the same itch for wholesale change that helped catapult Trump to a decisive electoral victory.

I think that people in Ridgefield are a little more moderate than the rest of the country, Marconi said. If you look at Ridgefield as relatively affluent, times are not that bad, the market has come back and many peoples unemployment has come down. You see a lot of improvements everywhere. The rest of the country has not seen what weve experienced.

Republican Town Committee member Marty Heiser said local GOP members tend to fit the establishment mold, a faction that often clashed with Trump during the campaign.

That the Republicans in Ridgefield tend to be more of the establishment, traditional Republicans, and it appears that they are somewhat reluctant to embrace now president-elect Donald Trump, Heiser said.

But he added that despite the results in Western Connecticut, the GOP is gaining strength across the state.

Connecticut as a whole is somewhat the blueberry in the tomato sauce of our country, Heiser said. It continues to be a stronghold for liberal political views, but theres a robust Republican Party statewide in Connecticut.

awolff@newstimes.com; 203-731-3333; @awolffster.
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David Arconti Jr. has won his third term representing Danbury in the state House, defeating Republican Veasna Roeun for District 109

Arconti ran on his record of bringing municipal and education funding to Danbury as reasons why he should return to the state capital.
Connecticut's craft beer industry is on a roll and brewers have a lot to be giddy over.

Two Roads Brewing Company celebrate the state's craft beer industry with many of these brewers in Stratford Monday night for the third annual Connecticut Brewers Fest.

Thirty-four breweries were in attendance to show off some experimental beers and favorites to attendees and fellow brewers. Proceeds from the event benefitted the Connecticut Craft Brewers Guild, an organization that gives local breweries a legal voice and supports their business efforts.

Jeff Browning, brewmaster and partner at Brewport in Bridgeport, said the event is a great opportunity to showcase as wide a variety as possible among local brewers.

"There's so much variety...I think every tries to put their best foot forward so they bring their best beers," Browning said. "We want to show off our medal beers."

Browning's son also works at Two Roads, showing, "a little indication of how well everyone gets along."

As attendees meshed throughout Two Roads' tasting room, brewers also made sure to stop by their peers' booths, catching up with fellow brewers and offering up their unique styles of beer.

Fairfield Craft Ales brewmaster and co-owner Joseph Bow said one of the best parts of the event is the opportunity to get professional opinions in addition to feedback from beer drinkers.

"I brought two of our newer beers...I just wanted to get some reaction. I think most people bring something interesting to share," Bow said. "When you're at the brewery you can't get out and try everybody's stuff like this.

"It's always great to talk to people, get feedback, and share thoughts and ideas."

The importance of that feedback extended to casual beer drinkers as well. While brewers were able to visit and collaborate with peers, the event gave consumers the chance to speak directly with brewers about their beers.

As the state's craft beer industry continues to grow in sales and offerings, it's information that is becoming increasingly important for breweries to get ahold of.

"We started the Connecticut Brewers Fest three years ago to showcase the immense talent that Connecticut breweries had in a low-key space," Emily Sauter, communications and social media manager with Two Roads, said. "Attendees can have conversations with the breweries they love."

The Brewers Association, an organization of craft breweries, estimates Connecticut brought in almost $600 million through the craft beer industry in 2015. As many predict more breweries to begin or expand in the next decade, breweries could find themselves looking for more attention in a crowded field.

But, as Browning noted, there's always room for more.

"I've been in this business for almost 25 years. The fact that we both still really care about our local beer scene says something," Browning said. "You can still be an innovator even after being in the business this long."
CALGARY, Nov. 9, 2016 /CNW/ - Crown Capital Partners Inc. ("Crown" or the "Corporation") (TSX: CRN), which provides growth capital to successful mid-market companies, today announced its financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016. Crown's complete financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the third quarter of 2016 are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Q3 2016 Financial & Operating Highlights

Revenue of $2.9 million , including interest revenue of $3.0 million , fees and other income of $0.2 million , and net change in unrealized gains in fair value of investments of ($0.3) million .

, including interest revenue of , fees and other income of , and net change in unrealized gains in fair value of investments of . Adjusted EBIT 1 of $1.5 million .

of . Total comprehensive income, net of non-controlling interest, of $0.8 million , or $0.09 per common share (basic).

, or per common share (basic). Total equity per common share (basic) of $10.65 at September 30, 2016 .

at . Total assets of $151.6 million at September 30, 2016 , up from $130.1 million at December 31, 2015 .

at , up from at . Cash and cash equivalents of $46.5 million , compared with $43.6 million at December 31, 2015 .

, compared with at . On September 9, 2016 , paid a third quarterly dividend of $0.11 per common share.

, paid a third quarterly dividend of per common share. On July 15, 2016 , completed a $25 million closing for Crown Capital Fund IV LP (" CCF IV LP "), bringing the current total capital committed to the Fund to $125 million .

, completed a closing for Crown Capital Fund IV LP (" "), bringing the current total capital committed to the Fund to . On November 8, 2016 , Crown announced the signing in escrow by CCF IV LP of a $15.0 million term loan (the "Agreement") with Touchstone Exploration Inc., a Calgary -based publicly-traded company engaged in acquiring interests in petroleum and natural gas rights, and the exploration, development, production and sale of petroleum and natural gas, with its primary focus in the Republic of Trinidad .

"Our current investments continue to perform well overall, which was validated by the new limited partners we added to CCF IV LP during the quarter," said Chris Johnson, President and CEO of Crown. "Our financial results for the quarter reflect the higher-than-planned cash balance carried during the period. We completed one special situations transaction subsequent to quarter end and expect to deploy additional capital before year end. We continue to see strong demand for our financing solutions from successful companies in the mid-market. In addition to building the investment portfolio, we expect to finalize a credit facility in the near term, providing new leverage to drive higher returns on equity."

Q3 2016 Financial Results Summary















Selected Quarterly Information Three Months

Ended

September 30

2015 Three Months

Ended

September 30

2016 Nine Months

Ended

September 30

2016 Revenue:













Fees and other income $ 874,217 $ 159,804 $ 1,528,116

Interest revenue

1,123,335

2,967,729

7,921,114

Net realized gain on sale of investments

71,387

-

1,741,260

Net change in unrealized gains in fair value of investments

(148,063)

(254,237)

1,758,669 Total Revenue $ 1,920,876 $ 2,873,296 $ 12,949,159 Total comprehensive income, net of non-controlling interests $ 395,220 $ 832,573 $ 4,219,904 Weighted average shares outstanding - basic

8,595,480

9,514,921

9,500,160 Total comprehensive income per share - basic $ 0.05 $ 0.09 $ 0.44 Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted

8,821,241

9,803,951

9,739,504 Total comprehensive income per share - diluted $ 0.04 $ 0.08 $ 0.43 Adjusted EBIT1

554,016 $ 1,468,683 $ 7,181,265 Investments, at fair value through profit or loss $ 36,401,906 $ 99,410,054 $ 99,410,054 Total assets $ 114,296,590 $ 151,568,894 $ 151,568,894 Total equity $ 97,257,858 $ 101,344,596 $ 101,344,596 Common Shares outstanding

9,488,094

9,519,071

9,519,071 Total equity per share - basic $ 10.25 $ 10.65 $ 10.65



























Reconciliation of Earnings before Income Taxes to Adjusted EBIT1 Three Months

Ended

September 30

2015 Three Months

Ended

September 30

2016 Nine Months

Ended

September 30

2016 Earnings before income taxes

$500,489

1,915,057

$8,879,362 Add: financing costs

-

-

- Add: non-cash share-based compensation

414,791

201,033

1,049,045 Deduct: net income and comprehensive income attributable to











non-controlling interests

(361,264)

(647,407)

(2,747,142) Adjusted EBIT1

$554,016

$1,468,683

$7,181,265

1. Adjusted EBIT is not a measure of financial performance (nor does it have a standardized meaning) under IFRS. In evaluating this measure, investors should consider that the methodology applied in calculating this measure may differ among companies and analysts. Adjusted EBIT is calculated by Crown as earnings before non-cash share-based compensation, finance costs and income taxes less net income and comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling interests. The Corporation has provided a reconciliation of earnings before income taxes to Adjusted EBIT in this news release. The Corporation believes Adjusted EBIT is a useful supplemental measure that may assist investors in assessing the financial performance and the cash anticipated to be generated by Crown's business. Adjusted EBIT should not be considered as the sole measure of Crown's performance and should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, analysis of the Corporation's financial statements.

Conference Call & Webcast

Crown will host a conference call to discuss its Q3 2016 financial results at 8:30 a.m. EDT on November 9, 2016. The call will be hosted by Chris Johnson, President & CEO, and Lyle Bolen, CFO. To participate in the call, dial 647-427-7450 or 1-888-231-8191 using the conference ID 3945204. The audio webcast can be accessed at www.crowncapital.ca under Investor Relations or at http://bit.ly/2eqoAWi. Listeners should access the webcast or call 10-15 minutes before the start time to ensure they are connected.

ABOUT CROWN

Crown (TSX: CRN) is a specialty finance company focused on providing capital to successful Canadian and select U.S. companies that are unwilling or unable to obtain suitable financing from traditional capital providers such as banks and private equity funds. Crown also manages capital pools, including some in which Crown has a direct ownership interest. Crown originates, structures and provides tailored special situation and long-term financing solutions to a diversified group of private and public mid-market companies in the form of loans, royalties and other structures with minimal or no ownership dilution.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements, management's beliefs, expectations or intentions regarding the alternative financial market and the general economy, transaction pipeline, Crown's business plans and strategy, including anticipated capital deployments and the timing thereof, and Crown's future cash flow and shareholder value. Forward-looking statements are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors identified in the Crown's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. See Crown's most recent annual information form for a detailed discussion of the risk factors affecting Crown. In addition, Crown's dividend policy will be reviewed from time to time in the context of the Corporation's earnings, financial requirements for its operations, and other relevant factors and the declaration of a dividend will always be at the discretion of the board of directors of the Corporation. Crown undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

Additional information relating to Crown is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com

SOURCE Crown Capital Partners Inc.

For further information: Christopher A. Johnson, CFA, President & CEO, [email protected], (416) 640-6715; Craig Armitage, Investor Relations, [email protected], (416) 347-8954
New services connect YVR to Frankfurt and London

RICHMOND, BC, Nov. 9, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, Air Canada announced new, non-stop seasonal daily service to Frankfurt (FRA) and three-times weekly service to London Gatwick (LGW) for the summer of 2017. These new services will further expand Air Canada's international hub at YVR and will provide passengers with exciting new travel possibilities.

"What an amazing year it has been for Air Canada and YVR," said Craig Richmond, President & CEO of Vancouver Airport Authority. "I want to thank Air Canada for continuing to grow its international hub out of YVR and delivering a steady stream of excellent new services. Air Canada's new non-stop services to Frankfurt and Gatwick will further expand this award-winning airline's reach into key European markets and will provide incredible benefits for our passengers, partners and communities."

Air Canada will launch service between YVR and Frankfurt Airport on June 1, 2017 on Dreamliner 787-8 aircraft, featuring 20 International Business Class individual lie-flat suites, 21 Premium Economy seats and 210 Economy Class seats. Air Canada Rouge will launch service to London Gatwick on June 8 on a Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft featuring premium and economy cabins.

"Air Canada continues to strategically increase its European flights at YVR with seasonal daily flights to Frankfurt next summer and three times weekly flights to London Gatwick," said Benjamin Smith, Air Canada President, Passenger Airlines. "The addition of our flights to Frankfurt, one of Europe's most important hubs, offers customers a wide array of convenient choices and the ease of one-stop connections with our Star Alliance partner Lufthansa when travelling to southern, central and eastern Europe as well as Africa, the Middle East and beyond."

"We will be the only airline flying non-stop between YVR and the two largest airports in the London metropolitan region during the peak summer travel period with the addition of London Gatwick. By next summer, Air Canada will serve five European destinations non-stop from YVR including two significant hubs, Frankfurt and London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Dublin, and on a code-share basis with joint venture partner Lufthansa Munich, strengthening YVR as an important hub that connects our B.C., Western Canada and U.S. routes to our expanding international network," concluded Mr. Smith.

These new services will create more than 254 jobs at YVR and throughout British Columbia and will add an additional $12.3 million in Gross Domestic Product, $4.2 million in taxes and $7.7 million in wages.

New services such as this are made possible thanks to YVR's new five-year rates and charges program, ConnectYVR. The program provides a highly competitive rate structure and includes rates lower than any other major airport in Canada and competing US airports.

- YVR -

ABOUT VANCOUVER AIRPORT AUTHORITY

Vancouver Airport Authority is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that manages Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Canada's second busiest airport, YVR served more than 20.3 million passengers in 2015. Fifty-four airlines serve YVR, connecting people and businesses to more than 120 non-stop destinations worldwide. In 2016, YVR received CAPA Centre for Aviation's prestigious Airport of the Year Award and was voted Best Airport in North America for the seventh consecutive year in the Skytrax World Airport Awards. Vancouver Airport Authority is a dedicated community partner and in 2015 donated more than $900,000 to local organizations. We are committed to creating an airport that British Columbia can be proud of: a premier global gateway, local economic generator and community contributor. For more information, please visit www.yvr.ca.

SOURCE Vancouver Airport Authority

For further information: YVR Media Relations, [email protected], 604-880-9815, @yvrairport
TSX: MDF

www.mediagrif.com

Second quarter highlights:

Revenues up 9% to reach $19.5 million .

. Adjusted EBITDA 1 of $8.1 million or 42% of revenues.

of or 42% of revenues. Profit of $4 .5 million ( $0.30 per share).

.5 million ( per share). Cash flow from operating activities totalled $5.9 million .

Quarterly dividend:

Declaration of a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share payable on January 16, 2017 to shareholders of record on January 3, 2017 .

LONGUEUIL, QC, Nov. 8, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Mediagrif Interactive Technologies Inc. (TSX: MDF), a Canadian leader in information technology, today announced its financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2017. Unless indicated otherwise, all amounts are in Canadian dollars.

SUMMARY OF CONSOLIDATED RESULTS







Three months ended September 30, Six months ended September 30, In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts. Unaudited and not reviewed by independent auditors. 2016 $ 2015 $ 2016 $ 2015 $ Revenues 19,509 17,953 38,475 35,662 Adjusted EBITDA1 8,118 7,539 15,080 14,017 Operating profit 6,159 6,117 11,690 11,234 Profit for the period 4,544 5,089 8,278 8,509 Earnings per share (basic and diluted) 0.30 0.34 0.55 0.56 Weighted average number of shares outstanding  in thousands 14,999 15,093 14,999 15,276

_______________________________

1 See reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA and profit and "About Mediagrif Interactive Technologies Inc."

SECOND QUARTER OF FISCAL 2017

For the second quarter of fiscal 2017, revenues increased by 9% or $1.6 million to reach $19.5 million when compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2016.

During the second quarter, Advanced Software Concepts "ASC" services were used for an amount of $1.7 million. Of that amount, only $1.4 million is included in revenues in the quarter due to the adjustment made to recognize the fair value of deferred revenues at the acquisition date of ASC on May 31, 2016.

Adjusted EBITDA totalled $8.1 million or 42% of revenues compared to $7.5 million or also 42% of revenues during the second quarter of fiscal 2016.

Profit reached $4.5 million ($0.30 per share) compared to $5.1 million ($0.34 per share) during the second quarter of fiscal 2016. Profit for the second quarter of fiscal 2017 includes a foreign exchange gain on assets denominated in U.S. dollars of $0.3 million compared to a $0.8 million gain recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2016.

FIRST SIX MONTHS OF FISCAL 2017

Revenues for the first six months of fiscal 2017 reached $38.5 million compared to revenues of $35.7 million recorded in the first six months of fiscal 2016.

Adjusted EBITDA totaled $15.1 million or 39% of revenues, compared to $ 14.0 million or 39% of revenues in the first six months of fiscal 2016. Adjusted EBITDA of the first six months of fiscal 2017 includes professional fees totalling $0.1 million related to the acquisition of ASC.

Profit reached $8.3 million ($0.55 per share), compared to $8.5 million ($0.56 per share) during the first six months of fiscal 2016. Profit for the first six months of fiscal 2017 includes a foreign exchange gain on assets denominated in U.S. dollars of $0.3 million compared to a $0.6 million gain recorded in the corresponding period of 2016.

FINANCIAL POSITION AND FINANCING

During the first six months of fiscal 2017, cash flows generated by operating activities reached $10.3 million, compared to $9.2 million for the six months of fiscal year 2016. The Company used a portion of these funds and funds available on its credit facility to proceed with the acquisition of ASC and also to cover for the acquisitions of capital assets. The Company also paid out $3.0 million in dividends during the first six months of fiscal 2017.

As at September 30, 2016, the Company had $12.0 million of cash and cash equivalents and $41.0 million available on its revolving credit facility of $80.0 million.

QUARTERLY DIVIDEND

The Board of Directors of Mediagrif declared a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share payable on January 16, 2017, to shareholders on record on January 3, 2017.

RECONCILIATION OF ADJUSTED EBITDA AND PROFIT

Adjusted EBITDA represents earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, foreign exchange gain (loss) and other revenues (expenses) as historically calculated by the Company.









Three months ended September 30, Six months ended September 30, In thousands of Canadian dollars Unaudited and not reviewed by independent auditors 2016 $ 2015 $ 2016 $ 2015 $









Profit 4,544 5,089 8,278 8,509













Income tax expense 1,689 1,664 3,116 3,059

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment and amortization of intangible assets 622 509 1,247 972

Amortization of acquired intangible assets 1 321 881 2,305 1,775

Amortization of deferred financing costs 10 - 20 -

Amortization of deferred lease inducement (38) (40) (220) (76)

Foreign exchange gain (274) (762) (283) (612)

Interest on long-term debt 244 198 446 394

Loss (gain) on disposal of property, plant and equipment - - 171 (4)









Adjusted EBITDA 8,118 7,539 15,080 14,017

ABOUT MEDIAGRIF INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGIES INC.

Mediagrif Interactive Technologies Inc. (TSX: MDF) is a Canadian leader in information technology, owner of several recognized web and mobile platforms including Jobboom, LesPAC, Reseau Contact, MERX, ASC, InterTrade, Carrus and BidNet. Mediagrif's e-commerce solutions are used by millions of consumers and businesses in North America and around the world. The Company has offices in Canada, the United States and China. For more information, please visit us at www.mediagrif.com or call 1 877 677-9088.

In addition to providing profit measures in accordance with IFRS, the Company shows operating profit and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, foreign exchange gain (loss) and other revenues (expenses) ("Adjusted EBITDA") as supplementary earnings measures. Operating profit and adjusted EBITDA are not intended to be measures that should be regarded as an alternative to other financial operating performance measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. Those measures do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA is provided to assist investors in determining the Company's ability to generate profitability from its operations and to evaluate its financial performance.

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements with respect to the Company. These forward-looking statements, by their nature, necessarily involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected by these forward-looking statements. We consider the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based to be reasonable, but caution the reader that these assumptions regarding future events, many of which are beyond our control, may ultimately prove to be incorrect since they are subject to risks and uncertainties that affect us. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation. Unless otherwise indicated, all amounts are in Canadian dollars.

Unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements, accompanying notes and MD&A are available on www.mediagrif.com and have been filed with SEDAR at the following address: www.sedar.com.

SOURCE Mediagrif Interactive Technologies Inc.

For further information: Mediagrif InteractiveTechnologies Inc., Claude Roy, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tel.: 450 449-0102 ext. 2004, Toll Free: 1-877-677-9088 ext. 2004, Email: [email protected]; Paul Bourque, Chief Financial Officer, Tel.: 450 449-0102, ext: 2135, Toll Free: 1-877 677-9088 ext. 2135, Email: [email protected]
Volvo Canada and its Retailer Network Set Donation Goal of $100,000

RICHMOND HILL, ON, Nov. 9, 2016 /CNW/ - On November 7th, Volvo Car Canada Ltd. launched the Thoughtful Test Drive campaign, in partnership with United Way Centraide. Volvo Canada will make a donation to United Way Centraide on behalf of each test drive taken at Canadian Volvo retailers from November 7th to December 31st. The national program aims to raise $100,000 in donations to support families in need across Canada.

"Volvo Cars is a human centric brand that is passionate about building vehicles that keep our drivers and their families comfortable, content and most importantly, safe," said Alexander Lvovich, Managing Director, Volvo Car Canada Ltd. "We at Volvo Canada are thrilled to extend this passion across the country in support of families in need with the Thoughtful Test Drive campaign."

The Thoughtful Test Drive campaign aligns with an integral pillar in the Volvo Car brand's focus: people. People are the driving principle behind all of the brand's technological innovations and world first's safety advancements. This program is an opportunity for Volvo Canada and its retailer network to not only introduce new customers to the Volvo brand, but also to support local communities across the country through United Way Centraide's remarkable work.

"Caring about people in need is an important value to both United Way Centraide and Canadians across the country," said Dr. Jacline Nyman, President & CEO of United Way Centraide Canada. "By supporting United Way Centraide this holiday season, Volvo Cars and its customers are demonstrating the true power of improving the lives of families in our local communities."

To book a test drive, and to support the Thoughtful Test Drive campaign, please visit: http://www.volvocars.ca/thoughtful-test-drive

To learn more about Volvo Cars' award-winning product, please visit: http://www.volvocars.com/ca

About United Way Centraide Canada

Operating locally in over 100 communities across Canada, United Way Centraide works to meet immediate needs and invests in long-term solutions to challenging social issues. Together with the generous support of Canadians, United Way Centraide improves lives locally by moving people from poverty to possibility, helping kids be all they can be, and building strong and healthy communities. Learn more about United Way Centraide's work in communities nationwide at unitedway.ca.

About Volvo Car Canada

Volvo Car Canada Ltd. is part of the Volvo Car Group of Gothenburg, Sweden. The company provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology and training support to the 36 Volvo automobile retailers across the country. The S60, S80, V60, XC60 & XC90 are among vehicles that have been awarded the prestigious new Top Safety Pick+ by IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). Volvo Cars is committed to Vision 2020, our goal that no one shall be killed or seriously injured in a Volvo by the year 2020.

SOURCE Volvo Car Canada Ltd.

For further information: Kyle Denton, Public Relations & Events Manager, Volvo Cars of Canada, Phone: (905) 695-9633, Mobile: (647) 461-4259, [email protected]
1. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang just concluded a trip to Latvia, where the 16+1 bloc signed a deal for a high speed railway line between Belgrade and Budapest. One of Chinas largest transport firms will be involved.

The current line has an end to end journey time of some 8 hours. The vision is for a passenger and freight route that could cut that to just two and a half hours.

On top of that is a $233.6 million agreement that will see a Chinese firm involved in redeveloping this highway between Serbia and Montengero

2. China and Malaysia on Tuesday signed agreements on railways, energy, defense, and joint development of Malaysias naval ships, during Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razaks visit to Beijing.

The deals were signed after talks between Premier Li Keqiang and Najib. They covered areas ranging from infrastructure, agriculture, education, tax, quality inspection to customs and defense.

China will link the Belt and Road Initiative with Malaysias development strategies and build pilot programs for industrial cooperation, Li said.

China and Malaysia can enhance cooperation in railways, including high-speed rail to strengthen regional connectivity, Li said.

He also called for further cooperation in finance, law enforcement, security and culture, particularly the operating of Xiamen University Malaysian campus.
A senior UK Army intelligence officer, states: Without hyperbole, [Russian] Armata represents the most revolutionary step change in tank design in the last half century.

It adds: Unsurprisingly, the tank has caused a sensation, and it goes on to question the failure of current defence strategy to plan for a new tank that can compete.

US analysts note that many of the Armatas advanced survivability features are drawn from the Israeli Merkava series. Nonetheless, the Russian seem to have advanced the state-of-the-art in terms of reactive armor and active protection. Indeed, if the Russian Afghanit active protection system works as advertised, the Armata could prove to be a serious problem for the West if it were ever produced in numbers. However, most Western analystsgovernment and private sectorare dubious about Russian claims that their APS can defeat kinetic energy rounds.

However, even if the Armata was as dangerous as the British report claims, Russia is not likely to be able to afford the expensive new machine in the huge quantities. Using the British reports own numbers120 Armata tanks produced per yearCNA Corporation research scientist Mike Kofman, a prominent Russian military affairs expert in Washington, noted it would take nearly 21 years to replace Russias 2500 operational tanks with T-14s. Thats if the Kremlin has the financial wherewithal to buy that many Armata tankswhich is somewhat dubious.

Kofman noted that the Russians simply do not have the money to afford a huge fleet of T-14 tanks nor has the Armata family completed development

UK report is very worried about Armata

The tank is pioneering, according to the document, because of a revolutionary turret design that makes crew less vulnerable under fire.

The tank is also reckoned to be lighter, faster and lower in profile than Western rivals.

The document also suggests the tank will be kitted out with a radar system currently used on state-of-the-art Russian fighter jets and new composite armour. It has a reported higher muzzle velocity gun and the possibility of an upgraded missile system.

As a complete package, Armata certainly deserves its billing as the most revolutionary tank in a generation, concludes the intelligence briefing paper.

The Army intelligence officer says UK defence strategy has concentrated on the threat from improvised explosive devices deployed by insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan and ignored the danger posed by tanks.

The intelligence report, which it stresses should not be interpreted as an official MoD statement, also raises the spectre of far superior Russian tank numbers, with plans to build 120 Armata tanks a year from 2018.

It points out Russia already has a fleet of 2,500 tanks with a reserve of 12,500, which is 35 times the size of the fleet in the British Army.

The Russian defense ministry announced in September that it had signed a contract for the delivery of the first 100 Armata tanks. Another 2,200 are expected to follow.

By contrast, the British Army has 227 Challenger 2 main battle tanks, dating from 1998. Germany has 410 Leopard 2 tanks, and France has 200 Leclerc tanks. America has 2,338 M1 Abrams main battle tanks  although just 250 tanks and armored fighting vehicles are stationed in Eastern Europe.

So Armata is an advancement in tank technology but Russia might not be able to field enough to really matter

How many will Russia be able to make ? and how soon ?

Would Russia use them in the Ukraine and against other countries

Will China and other countries copy the advancements and make them in larger numbers?

SOURCES- Telegraph UK, National Interest
Mrs. Aisha Alhassan, the Minister of Women Affairs, has said that women were very disappointed over Hilary Clintons failure to win her ...

Alhassan





Mrs. Aisha Alhassan, the Minister of Women Affairs, has said that women were very disappointed over Hilary Clintons failure to win her bid to become Americas first female President. I am very sad about the outcome of the elections; we women have been robbed again, Alhassan said on Wednesday in Jos.Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State, who contested on the ticket of the Democratic Party, lost the Tuesday race to her Republican rival, Donald Trump.She had since called to congratulate the winner and also wish him well.expressed optimism that the womenfolk would be luckier next time in their bid for equal opportunities to serve humanity.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday afternoon held a closed-door meeting with the leadership of the upper legislative chamber.

meeting which

at

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday afternoon held a closed-door meeting with the leadership of the upper legislative chamber.Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu led other Senators to theheldthe Presidents office, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.After the meeting with the lawmakers, they exited while Mr. Buhari held a personal meeting with Saraki.This meeting came barely a week after the Senate rejected President Buharis request to borrow $29.9 billion from external sources.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday met for the second time within one week with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Presiden...

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday met for the second time within one week with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.They met first last Friday after the Senate on Tuesday rejected Buharis approval request for $29.9 billion loan.The Senate, the following Thursday also rejected Buharis request for approval for the 2017 to 2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).It described the MTEF as empty.Saraki arrived Aso Rock Villa for the meeting on Wednesday few minutes past 3pm when the President was meeting with members of the South East Caucus in the Senate led by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and Eyinnaya Abaribe.Saraki, unlike Friday, was accompanied by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang.After Ekweremadu and his delegation left, Saraki joined Buhari to pray in the Villa mosque before returning together to the office for their meeting, just like it happened last Friday.The meeting was termed private as State House correspondents were not allowed to cover the meeting on Wednesday.The Senate President, at the end of Friday meeting, had told State House correspondents that the issue of the $29.9 billion loan was work in progress.Bukola during the encounter also warned Nigerians not to politicise the issue of the loan request.
Canadas immigration website crashed as Americans watched Donald Trump take the lead in the US election.

Canadas immigration website crashed as Americans watched Donald Trump take the lead in the US election.Searches for move to Canada and immigrate to Canada spiked immediately election returns started favouring the Republican nominee.The website for Citizenship and Immigration Canada was down at the same time, and has suffered several outages since then.Amid financial markets mayhem in the wake of Trumps shocking victory, reaction across the world started pouring in.The head of Russias sovereign wealth fund said Trumps victory would reduce geopolitical confrontations.A less confrontational US foreign policy will unlock major opportunities for joint (Russia-US) trade and investment, said Kirill Dmitriev.This is coming at a time when the Canadian authorities agreed to increase economic immigration quota to 300,000 per annum.The number of immigrants admitted under the economic category is expected to increase to 172,500 in 2017  from 160,600 in 2016.Checks by TheCable showed that the site was coming on and off with a very slow response time.
An aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is facing corruption trial, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, has accused the Economic and Financ...

An aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is facing corruption trial, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of mounting pressure on him to incriminate former first lady, Patience Jonathan. Dudafa, who served as a senior assistant on Domestic Matters to Mr. Jonathan, in a petition to the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, said he was being deliberately punished by the commission because of his loyalty to the former President and his family.But EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, denied Dudafas claims, saying I dont know the petition you are talking about but whatever petition there is, the commission does not force anybody to do anything. However, Dudafa accused the anti-graft agency of desperation to perpetually detain him despite meeting the bail conditions granted him by two federal judges.My only sin is that I have refused to yield to the commissions pressure to write false statements to incriminate the former first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, said Mr. Dudafa in his petition dated November 4. Mr. Dudafa was arrested by operatives of the State Security Service in Lagos last April while attempting to travel out of the country and was later handed over to the EFCC. In June, the EFCC arraigned Mr. Dudafa and two others before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court on a 23-count charge of concealment and retention of proceeds of crime totalling N1.67 billion.He was also arraigned, alongside two persons and four companies, before Justice Babs Kuewumi of the same federal court for money laundering to the tune of $15 million. Mrs. Jonathan has since claimed the money belonged to her. In the case before Mr. Idris, the judge granted Mr. Dudafa bail in the sum of N500 million with three sureties in like sum. The sureties shall be landed property owner within the jurisdiction of the court, said Mr. Idris.The sureties shall deposit the title documents in the registry of the court. The said title documents shall be verified as genuine by the EFCC. The sureties shall deposit three years tax clearance certificates which shall be verified as genuine by the EFCC. The sureties shall file affidavit of means and residency which shall be verified by the EFCC. The judge further ordered Mr. Dudafa to deposit his international passport with the registry of the court. For the matter before Mr. Kuewumi, the defendant was admitted to bail in the sum of N250 million with one surety. The surety shall be ordinarily resident in Lagos and shall be owner of built up property within Lagos metropolis. The surety shall deposit original copy of property certificate of occupancy with the registry of the court. The surety shall deposit four recent passport photographs, his international passport, depose to affidavit of means and show proof of payment of three year tax paid as at when due. The judge also mandated that the surety be a civil servant or public officer and must obtain a letter of introduction from an officer not below the cadre of a permanent secretary in either federal or state civil service and resident within Lagos State.The bankers of the surety shall write letter of introduction to indicate the age of the surety account with the bank. The prosecution in conjunction with the court registrar shall verify the surety as a suitable person as well as the property in issue. The certificate of occupancy shall be verified by the land registry in Lagos, Mr Idris said. The judge also mandated that Mr. Dudafa deposit his international passport and four recent passport photographs with the court registrar. Despite meeting all the herculean bail conditions as ordered by the two courts, the Commission has failed to fulfill its part, by verifying all the title documents of the sureties, Mr. Dudafa stated in his petition.He said various attempts by his lawyer to ensure that the commission deposited his international travel passport with the court since he was admitted to bail had been unsuccessful. The petitioner further accused the EFCC of a blatant refusal to verify all the title documents provided by his sureties at the Land Registry for over two months in relations to the bail conditions granted him by Mr. Kuewumi. From the above facts, it has become obvious that the EFCC is desperate to keep him perpetually in prison with the ultimate aim of killing him in prison despite the fact that his deteriorating state of health has been made known to the EFCC through a medical report dated August 29, 2016, and issued by the Nigerian Prison Service, Ikoyi, Lagos, the petition said.Mr. Dudafa appealed to the Human Rights Commission to intervene in a clear case of arbitrary abuse of power and flagrant disregard to court order and breach of his fundamental rights by the EFCC. On Mr. Dudafas claims of the EFCC refusing to verify his bail documents, Mr. Uwujaren said that matter is before a competent court of jurisdiction and matters before the court I dont comment on them.
Governor Ayo Fayose on Tuesday visited the detained former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, in the custody of Economic and Financi...

Governor Ayo Fayose on Tuesday visited the detained former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, in the custody of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, an aide has said.Jude Ndukwe, Mr. Fani-Kayodes media adviser, said Mr. Fayose arrived at the EFCC facility in Abuja where the ex-minister is being detained. He said the governor spent more than two hours chatting with him.The governor visited Fani-Kayode in EFCC custody on Tuesday afternoon and spent quite some time encouraging him, Mr. Ndukwe said.An EFCC officer, simply identified as Madaki, was the one who welcomed the governor when he arrived at the EFCC headquarters at 2:15 p.m., Mr. Ndukwe said.He later departed the commission at 4:30 p.m.Mr. Fayoses visit followed similar high profile ones paid to Mr. Fani-Kayode in recent days.The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and Catholic cleric, Matthew Kukah, visited last week.The former minister is expected to be arraigned on November 10 at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.
Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, Wednesday, stated that he will not destroy his United States residency permit just yet; while he...

Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, Wednesday, stated that he will not destroy his United States residency permit just yet; while he warned that the victory of Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential race could jeopardize U.S. support in Nigerias fight against Boko Haram. In an interview with Newsweek, Soyinka stated that Trumps bunker mentality could see the U.S. withdraw support for counter-terrorism operations in West Africa. Following the announcement of Trumps victory, Nigerians took to social media to question Soyinka about whether he would honour his pledge. In response, the report quoted Soyinka as saying that he is biding his time until Trump is inaugurated in January before deciding on his next steps.Why dont we wait until Trump actually takes office? I am just going about my normal commitments, but definitely not getting into any more commitments. Lets put it that way for now, he said. According to the report, under the administration of Barack Obama, the U.S. has provided financial support and military training to West African countries fighting Boko Haram.The U.S., it said, provided $71 million worth of equipment, logistics and training to five countriesNigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Beninthat together formed a joint task force in 2015 to fight the militants, according to a February fact sheet from the U.S. State Department. Obama also approved the deployment of up to 300 U.S. military personnel to Cameroon in October 2015 to carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in the region.One should expect that level of collaboration to diminish. Trumps mentality is one of, What are we doing there? What business do we have over there? Soyinka stated. I foresee Trump dismissingThe report said Soyinka is based between Nigeria and the U.S., where he is affiliated to several universities. Excerpt of the interview with Newsweek The victory of Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential race could jeopardize U.S. support in Nigerias fight against Boko Haram, according to Nigerian Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka.In an exclusive interview, Soyinka tells Newsweek that Trumps bunker mentality could see the U.S. withdraw support for counter-terrorism operations in West Africa.The Nigerian author and playwright also says that he will not destroy his U.S. residency permit just yet, despite a pre-election pledge to cut his green card, which is afforded to immigrants granted permanent residence in the country. Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka takes part in a debate in Berlin, Germany, July 3, 2012.Soyinka pledged to cut up his green card if Donald Trump was elected U.S. president.Trump, the Republican party candidate, shocked pollsters by defeating Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in Tuesdays vote. The businessman and former reality television star secured victories in key swing states, capitalizing on an anti-establishment feeling among voters to win out against his more experienced rival. Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group, launched an armed insurgency against the Nigerian government in 2009, killing thousands and displacing more than 2 million since then.The group also pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) in 2015, though it has recently split into factions following the appointment in August of an ISIS-approved leader. Under the administration of Barack Obama, the U.S. has provided financial support and military training to West African countries fighting Boko Haram. The U.S. provided $71 million worth of equipment, logistics and training to five countriesNigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Beninthat together formed a joint task force in 2015 to fight the militants, according to a February fact sheet from the U.S. State Department. Obama also approved the deployment of up to 300 U.S. military personnel to Cameroon in October 2015 to carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in the region. One should expect that level of collaboration to diminish. Trumps mentality is one of, What are we doing there? What business do we have over there? says Soyinka, speaking to Newsweek from New York. I foresee Trump dismissing that kind of expectation offhand and closing in, shrinking, becoming smaller in terms of [the U.S.s] presence in other parts of the world, he says. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari extended his congratulations to Trump on Wednesday, saying that he looked forward to working with the president-elect to build on and strengthen relations between Nigeria and the U.S. Trump had little to say about U.S. foreign policy towards Africa in general and Nigeria specifically during his presidential campaign. While he has vowed to pursue ISIS in Syria and Iraq, the Republican has made no mention of whether he intends to persist with or discontinue the countrys support for counter-terrorism efforts in West Africa.Newsweek contacted the Trump campaign for further comment but received no immediate reply. An analysis by South Africa-based thinktank the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) suggested that Trump could become the single most effective recruiting tool for terrorist organizations across the globe, including in Africa.The ISS cited Trumps hardline rhetoric towards Muslims, his advocation of the use of torture and expressed desire to target the families of militants all as potential factors in Trump being used by militant groups in recruitment drives.Trumps campaign pledge to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the U.S. has already been used in a propaganda video by Al-Shabab, a Somali militant group aligned with Al-Qaeda. Soyinka is based between Nigeria and the U.S., where he is affiliated to several universities.In a recent discussion with students at the University of Oxford in the U.K., which was shared in a video on October 27, the author vowed to destroy his green card should Trump be declared the winner of the election.Following the announcement of Trumps victory on Wednesday, Nigerians took to social media to question Soyinka about whether he would honor his pledge.The Nigerian authorwho was the first African to win the Nobel Prize in literature in 1986says he is biding his time until Trump is inaugurated in January before deciding on his next steps.Why dont we wait until Trump actually takes office? says Soyinka.Im just going about my normal commitments, but definitely not getting into any more commitments. Lets put it that way for now.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria to immediat...

The House of Representatives on Wednesday asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria to immediately go after the promoters Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox, otherwise known as MMM in Nigeria.Lawmakers strongly opposed the investment scheme, which lately gained popularity among Nigerians in the wake of the current economic recession in the country.MMM promises 30 per cent return on investment for any money put into the scheme within 30 days.The investment scheme has a Russian origin and involves directing clients to make money available for an anonymous person with a promise of 30 per cent return within one month.But, members described the scheme as a scam and warned Nigerians not to be carried away by the mouth-watering returns on investments.Lawmakers warned that the trick used by the operators was to attract as many Nigerians as possible to invest substantial amounts of money before the bubble would burst.The House directed the EFCC, security agencies and the CBN to take urgent steps to halt the scheme before many Nigerians would become victims of the scam.It also asked its Committees on Banking/Currency and Financial Crimes to investigate the activities of MMM Nigeria Scheme, with a view to saving Nigerians participating in the scheme from you financial ruin.The Chairman, House Committee on Telecommunications, Mr. Saheed Fijabi, had in a motion, drawn the attention of the House to the growing popularity of the scheme among Nigerians.Fijabi, an All Progressives Congress lawmaker from Oyo State, represents Ibadan-South/West Federal Constituency.The scheme entered the Nigerian circle in 2016, capitalising on the high level of unemployment and poverty to deceive unwary Nigerians into falling prey to their antics, Fijabi stated.He said the fact that MMM was not regulated by law or approved by the CBN as a secure business venture, made Nigerians more vulnerable.
Following the stunning victory of Republican candidate, Donald Trump over media-favourite, Hillary Clinton, early on Wednesday, in the j...

Following the stunning victory of Republican candidate, Donald Trump over media-favourite, Hillary Clinton, early on Wednesday, in the just-concluded United States Presidential election, cross section of Nigerians have taken to the social media, calling on Nobel Laureate, Playwright and Poet, Professor Wole Soyinka to cut his green card and leave the US.Soyinka, who is scholar-in-residence at New York Universitys Institute of African American Affairs this autumn said: If in the unlikely event he (Trump) does win, the first thing hell do is to say [that] all green-card holders must reapply to come back into the US.Well, Im not waiting for that. The moment they announce his victory, I will cut my green card myself and start packing up. With the emergence of Trump, Nigerian social media users are now calling on Soyinka to fulfill his words.
Donald really reminds us of Nigerian politicians for all the wrong reasons. Here are some of the ways he reminds me of our very own.Before he started running for President, Trump was one of Americas richest and most successful businessmen. He probably thought this meant that the presidency would be handed to him on a platter. The good thing is that, unlike in Nigeria, money is not the only thing that helps to win an election. The only thing he has not done is share items like bags of rice or tubers of yam.Donald is the King of reckless tweets, and he tweets like a parody account. Weve had quite a few Nigerian politicians make a mockery of themselves on twitter several times. Ben Bruce does that almost every day, even the First lady of Nigeria was recently involved in a tweet fight with the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose.Trump is openly racist and has stated on several occasions that he hates immigrants, black people, Muslims and even women. Nigerian politicians do tend to run their campaigns on tribalistic and sentimental lines.He has plans to build a great wall to keep immigrants out, conveniently forgetting the fact that he is the son of immigrants. He also plans to deport all immigrants and black people when hes president and is of the opinion that they do not deserve to hold political office. This is kind of similar to Nigerian politicians who only give political appointments to people who are of the same tribe or ethnicity with them.When he is interviewed, all he does is throw random words around the place without actually saying anything concrete or sensible. The average Nigerian politician does not care about being politically correct, all they do is apply to sentiments like ethnicity or religion and make wild campaign promises that never get fulfilled.Trumps opponent is the formidable Hillary Clinton, who actually has plans for when she is elected. Trump has made it no secret that he thinks that she is less than he is, by virtue of the fact that she is female. The last presidential elections in Nigeria featured a female candidate, Mrs Remi Sonaiya who was largely ignored by her opponents.During the debates, Trump said that he didnt support Americas 2003 Invasion of Iraq. This lie was just pointless forgetting that his support of the invasion has been public knowledge for a while now. Of course, Nigerian politicians have something to parallel this. In 2013, Former President Goodluck Jonathan said,only for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to come out days later with proof that Nigeria had never (at the time of course) generated up to that amount of electricity.
Is- haq Oloyede, the registrar of JAMB, has said that the board cannot adequately fund the conduct of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Exam...

haq

Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination

,

third party

invigilators

Is-Oloyede, the registrar of JAMB, has said that the board cannot adequately fund the conduct of(UTME).The professor said this in his Abuja office on Wednesday while he received a delegation of the senate committee on tertiary institutions and Tertiary Education Trust fund (TETFund).He said: The major challenge facing the board has to do with funding; we take N5000 from each candidate; we do not even have the money to conduct the examination.Rather, we call onto do some of the things and they only give some commission to JAMB, because we do not have enough money to invest.Conduct of examination across the country requires intensive human participation; you will recruitand monitors and then it costs so much money to set exam questions.The capital allocation is N1 billion; the release so far is N45. 57million; the overhead cost is N50 million allocated, but N24.9 million is what we have received so far.The N24.9 million given is not sufficient to pay electricity bills because all the 36 states and zonal offices depend on what comes from headquarters for their funding, Oloyede explained.According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Oloyede also urged the National Assembly to review its decision to make the UTME result valid for three years.
Donald Trump has been elected as the 45th president of the US contrary to what a lot of people expected  including Nigerians.

scholar

recession back home

Donald Trump has been elected as the 45th president of the US contrary to what a lot of people expected  including Nigerians.Wole Soyinka, Nobel laureate, said he would destroy his green card  his US residency permit  if Trump won.Now Trump has won the White House race in keen contest with Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee.While giving a speech to students of Oxford University, England, said Soyinka said he would not be waiting to be told to reapply for a green card.If in the unlikely event he does win, the first thing hell do is to say [that] all green-card holders must reapply to come back into the US. Well, Im not waiting for that, said Soyinka, who is-in-residence at New York Universitys Institute of African American Affairs.The moment they announce his victory, I will cut my green card myself and start packing up.Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, advised Soyinka to think twice about destroying his green card.Dear Professor Wole Soyinka, please think twice before you tear your green card. You may findhard to deal with! Dear TB Joshua, who gave you your prophecy? My God that I serve is not a man that he will lie, Omokri said in a Facebook post.Furthermore, Thelma Feastra, a 101-year-old African-American, also said she would leave the US if Trump is elected president.I want to get the best people out there to take care of the citizens; so I voted Hillary. I am hoping the election will be alright, she told NAN in Virginia.However, if Trump wins, I guess I will just pack my bags and leave the US.Also, a lot of Nigerians have taken to social media to express disappointment over Trumps win, which most say would affect them  especially their chances of getting into the US.
HASBROUCK HEIGHTS -- On a historic election night that left a bitter taste in the mouth of many liberals across the nation, Democrats in Bergen County were celebrating.

Democrats swooped in on Tuesday and won a clean sweep of races across the board in Bergen County -- three freeholder positions, and the fights for sheriff, surrogate and county clerk, securing absolute power over the county government.

"This is monumental, what we did here tonight," said Bergen County Democratic Party Chairman Lou Stellato, who entered a victory celebration carrying a broom to seemingly symbolize the party's sweep. "Not only did we win the clerk and the surrogate and the sheriff and every freeholder seat. ... We have the county executive, which has never been done before."

County Executive Jim Tedesco, who was not up for reelection, stood on stage at the Hasbrouck Heights Hilton with his fellow Democrats, smiling as they gave their speeches. He won his own hotly-contested race two years ago.

The shining star at the Democratic party was Josh Gottheimer, 41, who unseated the seven-term incumbent for the fifth congressional district, Rep. Scott Garrett.

Even the man who had been twice elected to sheriff as a Republican won as a Democrat.

Sheriff Michael Saudino said he changed his party affiliation after he said he was "disrespected" by the Republican Party.

"The party lacked leadership," Saudino said, citing his run-ins with former County Executive Kathleen Donovan over combining the county police with the sheriff's office.

Saudino will serve another three-year term. Manny Alfonso, who challenged Saudino, said at Bergen County Republican headquarters in Hackensack that it would be a "hard decision not to run" again.

Maura R. DeNicola, the lone incumbent on the county's GOP ticket for freeholder, said she had hoped voters would "see the importance of having a two-party system and represent for both of those."

"I'm surprised at some of the results we're seeing in both directions. We have strong incumbents who have lost to newcomers," DeNicola said. "I know the incredible turnout played a role. It's such an unusual election. I don't think I could have predicted the outcome."

Bergen County election results show a 66.61 percent voter turnout.

The seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders is now entirely made up of Democrats.

Incumbent Thomas J. Sullivan was reelected, while Mary J. Amoroso and Germaine M. Ortiz were also elected to the vacant freeholder positions. They will each serve three-year terms.

"It is my honor to represent Bergen County," Ortiz said.

Both John Hogan, who was reelected as county clerk, and Michael R. Dressler, who was reelected as county surrogate, said they wanted to make more information available and increase their digital infrastructure.

Democrat Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-9th), who won another term on Tuesday, said he'd work across the aisle regardless of who was in the White House. Gottheimer made the same promise to supporters at what became his victory party.

Asked to respond to the resounding Democrat victory, Gottheimer responded, "How great is that?"

"That's great news, but we all have to be held accountable now. That's what I expect," Gottheimer said.

Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
NJ Transit officials settled contracts with the next-to-last union working without a new pact and hinted that non-union workers may see a pay increase for the first time in almost a decade.



The agency's board approved a new contract on Wednesday with the Communications Workers of America, which represents police dispatchers and fare enforcement officers. Details of the contract weren't immediately available.



That leaves union police officers as the last bargaining group that is still negotiating with NJ Transit, said Steve Santoro, executive director. Talks are "active" with the police union, he said. Rail unions settled earlier this year, avoiding a crippling strike after working for five years without a new contract.

NJ Transit police are the last union still bargaining with the agency for a new contract.

Officials also are considering raises for 1,870 non-union workers to prevent the loss of experienced employees to other commuter agencies, Santoro said. Those workers, not covered by a union agreement, have gone nine years without a pay increase.

"We will be looking seriously at our competitiveness of all salaries, focused on the rail and bus side, and working our way down to all levels," Santoro said.



Problems with retaining workers was mentioned by Santoro at a legislative hearing on Friday as a factor why NJ Transit trains have higher breakdown rates than other commuter railroads.

"We understand we need to be competitive to replace staff and get people," he said.



Earlier in the week, Santoro said the agency plans to hire more employees to install the Positive Train Control safety system on the railroad to meet a federal Dec. 2018 deadline and more police.

Also, 30-year bus veteran Mike Kilcoyne was named general manager of NJ Transit bus operations. He will earn $180,000.

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.


Merged steel giant to get 2 HQs: report Updated: 2016-11-09 07:11 By ZHENG XIN(China Daily)

A Chinese company will have dual corporate hubs for the first time, expert says

China's Baosteel Group will have dual headquarters following its merger with smaller rival Wuhan Iron and Steel (Group) Corp, according to Shanghai-based newspaper The Paper.

The newly merged steel giant will have headquarters in both Shanghai and Wuhan in Hubei province, it said, citing anonymous sources.

A leading industry analyst said it was the very first time a Chinese company would have two corporate hubs.

"Having two headquarters for the newly merged steel giant will substantially boost its efficiency in management and operation," said Wang Guoqing, director of the Lange Steel Information Center.

The two State-owned steel-makers will form the largest steel company in China by capacity.

Despite the fact that Baosteel is taking over Wuhan Iron and Steel Group, the smaller rival will retain some influence following the takeover, Wang added.

An official with the Baosteel's PR department declined to confirm the report on Tuesday. But he said on condition of anonymity that Baosteel will make official announcement on this issue soon.

According to Wang, the dual headquarter operation is also based on an evaluation of the impact of large scale corporate headquarter on local government.

"Local governments prefer corporate headquarters, as they contribute more tax revenue than branch offices," said Wang.

"Wuhan Iron and Steel Group has contributed substantially to the local government, and moving its headquarters from Wuhan would have a major impact on Hubei province financially."

Wuhan used to be the home to several other State-owned enterprises' headquarters. However, China Changjiang National Shipping Corporation and Gezhou Dam have since relocated to other cities.

First announced in June, the plan to combine the two State-owned steel firms is part of the Chinese government's push to consolidate the vast, fragmented industry to get rid of excess capacity.

The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission approved the joint restructuring of the two steel-makers to form the largest steel company in China by capacity in the same month.

Based on 2015 capacity, the two companies will produce around 60 million metric tons a year, leapfrogging Hebei Iron and Steel to the top spot among China's steel-makers, according to Reuters.

Wang Ying in Shanghai contributed to this story.
ELIZABETH -- Candidates aligned with Elizabeth's Democratic establishment swept three open school board seats Tuesday, extending the influence of the city's longtime mayor who was re-elected in an unopposed race.

The re-election of incumbents Jose Rodriguez and Stan Neron, and the selection of newcomer Diane Barbosa, turns over a board seat currently held by Carlos Trujillo, a member of a bitterly opposed political faction.

"We've ended the regime that has tormented us and stressed us out," Neron said in a speech at a victory party Tuesday night. "Now it's time to turn the page."

Come January, the Elizabeth Board of Education will seat seven members backed by six-term Mayor J. Christian Bollwage and state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), and two commissioners supported by the opposition.

Barbosa won 8,948 votes, Neron took 7,493 and Rodriguez earned 7,426, according to unofficial results from the Union County clerk. Neron and Rodriguez were first elected to the school board in 2013.

The city's school board has long been the stage for a battle for influence between the Democratic slate and a faction led by former board president Rafael Fajardo. In January, control of the board flipped over to the establishment's team.

That hold is guaranteed to remain for at least two years, regardless of next year's election results. Two members of the opposition, Paul Perreira and Ana Maria Amin, and one member of the establishment group, Maria Carvalho, will be up for re-election in 2017.

At the victory party at The Lobby Restaurant in Elizabeth on Tuesday night, Bollwage praised Rodriguez, Neron and Barbosa for campaigning on the current school board's record, particularly by holding the line on taxes this year and reducing the district's legal fees.

An emotional Rodriguez said the election of three establishment-supported candidates validates the work of the current school board.

"It's really a referendum on our past year," he said.

It's a BLOWOUT!! A sweep! See you at the lobby for the party!! Posted by Jose M Rodriguez on Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Barbosa, a mother of young twins and a pharmacist at Elizabeth's Stop & Shop, said she had been motivated through a more than three-month campaign by the parents she had met while canvassing in the city.

"I have a heart, and I'm gonna work with it," she said. "And I'm gonna make the best decisions that I can."

Trujillo, the ousted commissioner aligned with Fajardo's faction, said in a statement that he was honored to have served on the school board for nine years and would continue to be active in Elizabeth politics.

"I will search for opportunities to promote change and field candidates that offer an alternative to our residents," he said. "It's not a matter of if we will break through. It's a matter of when."

His running mate on Fajardo's ticket, Sima Farid, said she was proud that all seven school board candidates had campaigned on the idea of building a better school community.

Independent candidates Christina Moreira, Maria Lorenz, Maria DaRassi, Virginia San Pedro and Ricky Castaneda also competed for the open board seats. Moreira and Lorenz ran on a ticket together.

Barbosa will take her board seat at a school board reorganization meeting in January. A date has not been set.

Marisa Iati may be reached at miati@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Iati. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
A truck driver from Morris County died early Wednesday morning after pulling his rig off Interstate 380 South in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, the Monroe County Coroner's office reports.

The tractor-trailer veered off the road sometime before 4 a.m. at mile marker 4 in Coolbaugh Township, coroner's office Assistant Chief Michael Sak said. Emergency medical personnel attempted to revive 55-year-old William Reynolds, of the Long Valley section of Washington Township, but were unsuccessful, Sak said. The coroner's office pronounced Reynolds dead at the scene, Sak said.

Since the truck didn't actually crash, the coroner's office is looking for another cause of death, Sak said. An autopsy is planned for Thursday.

Pennsylvania State Police at Swiftwater didn't have any information to release about the incident, a trooper said.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The Yankees may have to move quickly if they want to re-sign free agent Carlos Beltran because their big rival might swoop in and get a done deal.

The Boston Red Sox are on the hunt for a designated hitter to replace newly retired slugger David Ortiz, and a source told Scott Lauber of ESPN.com that "they want him badly."

Beltran was an All-Star for the ninth time last season at age 39, as he hit .295 with 29 homers and 93 RBIs in 151 games for the Yankees and Texas Rangers.

Tuesday was the first day that free agents were able to sign with any club.

There's been speculation that the Yankees also will attempt to sign Beltran to be their regular DH for 2017 if it's not Brian McCann, who is believed to on the block because he lost his starting catching job late last summer to rookie phenom Gary Sanchez.

Because of Beltran's age -- he turns 40 on April 24 -- suitors likely will try to get a one-year deal that perhaps would include a club option for 2018.

Besides Beltran, the Red Sox also are interested in signing free agent Kendrys Morales, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported. The switch-hitting first baseman/DH is a 10-year vet who hit .263 with 30 homers and 93 RBIs last season playing for the Kansas City Royals.

The Red Sox also have been linked to free agent slugger Edwin Encarnacion, a 33-year-old right-handed hitter who averaged 39 homers and 110 RBIs the last five seasons playing first base and DH for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Toronto, Boston, Houston and Texas are interested in Encarnacion, who hopes to get a five-year deal worth $25 million annually.

Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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Rosneft sells 20% of huge field to Beijing Gas Updated: 2016-11-09 07:34 (China Daily)

An employee works on a drilling rig at the Rosneft-owned Prirazlomnoye oilfield outside the Siberian city of Nefteyugansk, Russia. [Photo / Agencies]

Rosneft PJSC agreed to sell 20 percent of its Verkhnechonsk oil and gas field in Siberia for about $1.1 billion to Beijing Gas Group Co in a deal that may give the Russian producer access to China's natural-gas market.

"The competences and capabilities of our partner in the key distribution market will generate significant synergies from our joint operation," Rosneft Chief Executive Officer Igor Sechin said in a statement on Monday. Sechin and Beijing Gas Chairwoman Li Yalan signed the agreementoutlined back in Juneduring a meeting in St. Petersburg.

Workers stand next to a logo of Russia's Rosneft oil company at the central processing facility of the Rosneft-owned Priobskoye oil field outside the West Siberian city of Nefteyugansk, Russia, August 4, 2016. [Photo / Agencies]

The sale will help Rosneft manage the largest debt load in Russia's oil industry. It has accumulated total debts of more than $40 billion, mainly from its $55 billion acquisition of TNK-BP in 2013.

This year it also agreed to buy Russian oil producer Bashneft PJSC and Indian refiner Essar Oil Ltd. While the Verkhnechonsk deal will bolster the balance sheet, it also helps Russia boost energy ties with China, after trade between the two countries declined last year.

This deal, with one of China's largest distributors of natural gas, gives Rosneft a strategic partner in exploiting the unit's reserves of the fuel. Rosneft gains the possibility of accessing China's local gas market, including end-customers, through gas-supply swaps, according to the statement.

Bloomberg
New Orleans-style school changes on the ballot in Mass., Georgia
State Sen. Bodi White, a Republican from Central, finished second in the Baton Rouge mayoral runoff and will return to his seat in the state Legislature.
China-Hungary economic, trade cooperation deepening: Ambassador Updated: 2016-11-09 09:34 (Xinhua)

BUDAPEST - The economic and trade cooperation between China and Hungary is deepening and both countries face new opportunities of cooperation in areas of trade, investment and infrastructure, Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Duan Jielong said Tuesday.

The ambassador made the remarks while attending a Chinese-Hungarian meeting of professionals organized by the Hungarian National Bureau of Taxes and Tariffs.

Duan noted that Chinese investments in the Eastern and Central Europe had exceeded $5 billion, of which $3.16 billion had been invested in Hungary by the end of 2015.

Bilateral trade expanded 9.8 percent year-on-year to $6.49 billion in the first nine months of this year, he added.
House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., left, and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson. talk as they leave a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. Scalise easily won re-election Tuesday (Nov. 8) for a fifth term in Congress, returning to Washington as Louisiana's most influential and highest-ranking member on Capitol Hill.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Louisiana, New Orleans: Here is who and what you voted for on Election Day
China's Tianjin Airlines announces new route, extends China-Britain service Updated: 2016-11-09 13:47 (Xinhua)

Stewardesses of Tianjin Airlines walk down the stairs of an A330 aircraft at Tianjin Binhai International Airport in Tianjin, May 5, 2016. [Photo / VCG]

LONDON - China's Tianjin Airlines on Tuesday announced launching a new flight route from London to Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province in May 2017.

The new flight service will be operated on an Airbus A330-200 aircraft with 18 business class and 242 economy class seats. The total flight time to Xi'an is around 10 hours and the aircraft will then continue onto Tianjin.

The airline, which launched its first British route from London Gatwick airport this June, will also increase its twice-weekly service to three flights per week in next summer. The service currently departs every Wednesday and Saturday from Gatwick, arriving in China the following day.

Robert Chen, British general manager for Tianjin Airlines, said: "We're delighted to announce yet more new services for British travelers following the hugely successful launch of our first ever flights from Gatwick to Tianjin and Chongqing in China. We're proud to be helping introduce British travelers to our fascinating country through our high quality service and unbeatable flights."

Guy Stephenson, Gatwick's chief commercial officer, said: "We are delighted that Tianjin has announced a new route from Gatwick to China. Tianjin Airlines now connects Gatwick to three of China's megacities, including the UK's only direct flights to Xi'an, home of the Terracotta Army, and Chongqing, southwest China's commercial capital. Our passengers will value the increased frequency of services to China announced today."

Tianjin Airlines, a subsidiary of HNA Group, currently operates a fleet of nearly 90 aircraft to more than 100 destinations throughout China from its eight hubs.

China and Britain have been strengthening the aviation cooperation. Officials from both sides agreed on a deal to more than double the number of flights allowed to be operated between the two countries last month.

In a statement the British Department for Transport (DfT) said under the new deal passenger flights can now be increased from the current maximum of 40 per week for each nation to up to 100. There will be no limit on the number of all-cargo services, creating new opportunities for British trade and businesses.

Meanwhile, a restriction on the number of destinations that airline can serve has also been increased, meaning services can be operated between any point in Britain and any point in China.
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China, Russia concentrate on SME cooperation Updated: 2016-11-09 14:55 (Xinhua)

BEIJING - As small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) enjoy many advantages and could tap great economic potential, both Chinese and Russian prime ministers called for more cooperation between the two countries' SMEs to create new sources of growth.

During Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's official visit to Russia this month, where he also attended the 21st China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting, Li and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, simultaneously attached importance to enhancing SMEs cooperation.

The premier pointed to SMEs and innovation in particular as the areas where the two countries should step up efforts to exploit new potential besides major strategic projects.

To respond to Li's calling, Medvedev said the two countries would make more efforts to boost cooperation in SMEs' innovation, while actively conducting cooperation in major projects in the areas of oil and gas and nuclear energy.

In fact, the trade volume between the two countries fell a bit in 2015, mainly due to sinking prices of commodities, which were usually traded through large enterprises.

SMEs, which are relatively not sensitive to commodity prices, could not only create more jobs, but also provide complementarity for large enterprises to reduce their costs, so as to better boost their cooperation.

Besides, SMEs are more flexible, allowing them more accurately to sense market need and carry out cooperation more on the basis of business principles.

Furthermore, if SME cooperation, featuring more people-to-people exchanges, goes well, the foundation of economic cooperation between two countries can be expanded, which, in turn, enlarges nongovernmental exchanges.

Su Xiaohui, research fellow at China Institute of International Studies, said it is notable that the two countries' premiers have agreed to exploit potential in SME cooperation to energize innovation cooperation and increase employment, besides traditional cooperation in energy and major projects.

China and Russia have deep cooperation in political area, she said, adding more cooperation space in economy is expected.

In fact, Li has also talked about SME cooperation with other heads of governments, including Germany and South Korea, to serve China's domestic policy of mass entrepreneurship and innovation.

In the context of fragile world economic recovery and slowing global trade growth, China and Russia should further give full play to their complementary advantages, so as to add new vitality to each other's development, revitalization, and economic transformation and upgrade, Li said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all.
China's finance industry embraces change Updated: 2016-11-09 16:08 By Jiang Xueqing(chinadaily.com.cn)

Bank of China chairman Tian Guoli speaks at the Bank of China - Bloomberg Global M&A Summit on Tuesday. [Photo by Jiang Xueqing / China Daily]

Mergers and acquisitions have accelerated the transformation of China's financial industry, according to leaders in the field.

Vice chairman and president of China Investment Corporation, Tu Guangshao told the Bank of China  Bloomberg Global M&A Summit on Tuesday that the sector was changing.

"The expansion from trade finance to acquisition finance will provide a strategic opportunity for development of the Chinese financial sector," Tu said.

"Acquisition finance requires financial institutions to adjust the content of services they provide, improve their product systems, increase the effectiveness of their organizational structures and put risk management well in place," he continued.

Zhu Min, former deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, said M&A is a crucial engine for post-crisis economic growth.

He said it will lead the global economy out of the gloom through supply-side restructuring.

In the first half of 2016, the volume of cross-border mergers and acquisitions led by Chinese buyers reached $149.2 billion, exceeding the total volume in 2015. The amount accounted for 23 percent of the total volume of global cross-border M&A, up from 6 percent in the same period last year, according to Tian Guoli, chairman of Bank of China.

"As the cross-border M&A by Chinese companies has entered a new stage, it is pushing forward the transformation and upgrading of China's financial sector," he said.

Bank of China has established an investment and loan linkage mechanism via diversified platforms and has 600 branches in 47 countries and regions.

"During the process of promoting industrial upgrade through cross-border M&A, Chinese companies should also pay close attention to potential risks to avoid shortsighted, irrational acquisitions that are seeking instant benefits," Tian said.

Certain M&A projects were overpriced and had problems with post-acquisition integration of businesses, he added.
Bank of Communications opens London branch in show of confidence Updated: 2016-11-09 23:47 By Cecily Liu in London(chinadaily.com.cn)

A leading Chinese bank opened a London branch on Wednesday, a move seen as a sign of confidence towards UK as a leading financial center despite Brexit uncertainties.

Bank of Communications, founded in 1908 in Shanghai, entered London initially in 1993 with a representative office, which was upgraded to a subsidiary in 2011.

Its launch with full branch status rides on a wave of booming UK China financial collaboration in recent times. The news came as high level UK and Chinese government officials met this week for the 8th UK China Economic and Financial Dialogue in London.

"Since our subsidiary's launch, we've been providing quality, convenient and efficient services to support China UK economic and trade cooperation," said Song Shuguang, chairman of the supervisory committee of Bank of Communications.

Song said the bank's early entry into London in 1993 identifies how important the UK market is.

Bank of Communications ranked 17th in tier 1 capital globally, according to 2015 statistics by London-based magazine, The Banker. The bank became listed on the Hong Kong and Shanghai stock exchanges in 2005 and 2007 respectively.

So far five other Chinese banks in London have branches. Unlike subsidiaries, branches have lending and financing capacities proportional to the bank's headquarters asset base, which gives them much greater capacity for growing service volumes.

Bank of Communications currently has 15 overseas institutions, and later this month it will open a branch in Rome and another in Paris, signaling its fast international expansion.

The bank's UK services in the future will include commodities trading, currency clearing and settlement, investment loans and trade financing.

Zhu Qin, a minister at the Chinese Embassy in London, said the growing number of Chinese banks establishing London branches "is concrete evidence that China's banking sector is steadily expanding international business, and the financial cooperation between China and the UK is growing even closer by the day."

Zhu said Bank of Communications' branch establishment will help it provide more diversified options to renminbi cross-border trade settlement, investment and financing services.

"This will be a further boost for London as an renminbi offshore center and make this city even more competitive as a global financial center," he said.

Sherry Madera, deputy director-general for the UK government's Department for International Trade, said the Bank of Communications' continued commitment to London is evidence of London's leading role as a global financial center, marked by its openness for foreign investment. It is a move "the government applauds and welcomes".

Wang Lianghua, a partner at the law firm King and Wood Mallesons, said the branch launch also demonstrates British financial regulators growing trust and understanding of Chinese banks.

He added that Brexit uncertainties could be both a challenge and opportunity for Chinese banks in the UK.

"Chinese banks need to consider how to best coordinate their UK and EU branches' strength towards an overall group strength."

"Collaboration between their UK and EU branches could face potential policy obstacles post Brexit, but effective structuring of activities can also be their opportunity to excel," Wang added.

To contact the reporter: Cecily.liu@mail.chinadailyuk.com
Green on the go Updated: 2016-11-09 07:49 By Liu Xiangrui(China Daily)

Young Tibetan women produce woolen blankets in a workshop, which is part of the Tibetan Dike Animal Husbandry Cooperative in Qumarleb county of Yushu, Qinghai province. WANG ZHUANGFEI/CHINA DAILY

In Yushu, Northwest China's Qinghai province, ecological protection has entered policy planning, including on poverty reduction.

In recent times, protecting the environment and ensuring livelihood have become the focus of local authorities in this prefecture-level city.

In Qumarleb county of Yushu, for example, herdsmen have joined government-supported animal husbandry cooperatives, leaving behind traditional ways.

The landlocked county, at an altitude of 4,550 meters above sea level, is heavily dependent on animal husbandry, according to county chief Nyima Tashi.

The county has established 65 cooperatives that are believed to help integrate labor and natural resources, increase people's incomes, ease pressure on the grasslands and lower the risks from extreme weather.

Local herdsman Zhaxi Gongbao, 38, joined the Tibetan Dike Animal Husbandry Cooperative in Liyue, a remote town in Yushu, in 2013.
Economic deals to the fore during Modi's Japan visit Updated: 2016-11-09 08:24 (China Daily)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, May 14, 2015. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi starts his three-day official visit to Japan on Thursday, he will be expecting to see the already close bilateral relationship rise to a new height, with several major deals set to be inked.

Among them will be a civil nuclear cooperation agreement, which allows Japan to export its nuclear plant technologies to India, and one on India's purchase of 12 amphibious rescue aircraft from a Japanese manufacturer worth up to $1.6 billion.

These deals are especially significant given that India has yet to ratify the international Non-Proliferation Treaty, and that the aircraft deal will be one of Japan's first sales of military equipment since it lifted a 50-year ban on arms exports.

The very good personal chemistry between Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is said to have played a part in deepening relations between the two nations. It is reported that Modi is one of the few people Abe follows on Twitter. Modi, on his part, first visited Japan back when he was chief minister of India's Gujarat province.

It would be just another diplomatic anecdote if it stopped there.

Yet some have tried to describe the visit as a mutual effort by New Delhi and Tokyo to "counter an assertive China", or "to keep a rising China in check". They hope that an anti-China alliance could be forged between the world's second most populous nation and third-largest economy, because of China's longstanding territorial dispute with India and its spat with Japan over the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

People with such thinking have too simplistic an idea of international relations that are not a zero-sum game.

Modi has always sought "to lead India's foreign policy with its economic interests in mind". And Japan's trade with India is still less than a quarter of that between India and China.

China, as the top trade partner of both, is more than happy to see deepened economic, trade and political relations between its neighbors if they contribute to peace and stability in the region.

While some in Japan may continue to trumpet "the rule of law in the South China Sea" or "freedom and openness in the Indian and Pacific Oceans", as Abe did with Modi in September on the sidelines of a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Laos, Sino-Indian relations are strong enough to withstand differences and external interferences.
Tourism boom threatens Vietnam's 'Tonkinese Alps' Updated: 2016-11-09 07:31 By Jenny Vaughan in Sapa, Vietnam(China Daily)

At the top of Vietnam's Fansipan Mountain, throngs of giddy tourists wielding selfie sticks jostle for a photo op on the once-remote peak in the Sapa region, famed for its breathtaking views across undulating rice terraces.

Getting to the top traditionally takes a two-day trek, but these days most visitors opt for a 20-minute ride by cable car instead - the latest flashy tourist attraction to heighten concerns over rapid development destroying Sapa's natural beauty.

Known by some as the Tonkinese Alps, the former French outpost has seen a tourism boom in recent years with a new highway from the capital and hotels popping up at breakneck pace.

"If more and more building (happens), then one day we will lose Sapa, we won't have any more mountain," says guide Giang Thi Lang, from the Black Hmong ethnic group.

Vietnam's tourism industry has taken off in recent years, especially among domestic visitors with growing appetites and budgets for travel.

The country has also become a draw for foreign visitors turning their backs on better-known Southeast Asian destinations, such as Thailand's Chiang Mai, seeking instead a road less traveled.

But some lament the commercialization of Vietnamese treasures, with reports of locals complaining about multi-course meals served in Ha Long Bay's famous caves, or trash-strewn beaches in the resort town of Phu Quoc.

In Sapa town, where heaps of rubble mark hotel sites under construction, the number of rooms has surged from 2,500 in 2010 to 4,000 last year, according to official figures.

Visitor numbers have snowballed too, reaching around 700,000 last year, and revenues have more than tripled since 2010 to $50 million.

Part of that growth is thanks to the cable car - the longest of its kind in the world according to operators - which opened in February with the capacity to ferry 2,000 people to the top of the mountain daily.

"It's good for Sapa when they can attract more tourists ... and we have a big number of the local people that can find jobs," says Nguyen Van Manh, deputy director of Sapa's Tourist Information Center, adding that the sector provided employment to thousands.

But some locals tell a different story.

"Before the cable car, there were more porters from the village with regular work," says Hmong trekking guide Ma A Tro from Fansipan's summit, where he had just led a two-day trip.

"Now with the cable car there, village residents no longer have jobs, mostly becoming freelance construction workers."

Some tourists also say Sapa is losing its appeal, with Fansipan's picturesque summit replaced by concrete steps, souvenir shops and still-under-construction temples.

"I imagined I would come to the top and it would be really natural, but it's developed here, so for me it's a bit disappointing," says trekker Duong Hoang Minh, who hiked to the top of the 3,143-meter peak.

Even so, he decided to take the cable car down and agreed that more people can enjoy the mountain because of it.

"For other people I think it's better because it's safer for them," says the 23-year-old teacher, his white sweatpants slicked with fresh mud.

Most tourism operators agree the boom has brought much-needed development - roads, schools and clinics, for example - to a region where the majority of the population belong to one of Vietnam's 53 ethnic minorities, who have traditionally lagged behind the rest of the country.

But without sustainable growth Sapa risks "shooting itself in the foot", says Hubert de Murard, manager of the Topas Ecolodge about 18 kilometers from Sapa town.

The lodge, with its 25 white granite bungalows overlooking a rice terraced valley, employs mostly locals, was built using materials found nearby and was designed to blend in with the surrounding environment - a business model de Murard says he'd like to see newcomers adopt.

He worries that some investments have been short-sighted, aimed at maximizing the number of visitors.

"We need to be a bit more careful to avoid the mistake of mass tourism in Sapa," he says as the sun sets over the yawning valley behind him.

Agence France-Presse

Left: A tourist looks at mountains from a coffee shop in the northern Sapa tourist town. Right: Foreign tourists walk in a street of the Sapa town. Known by some as the Tonkinese Alps, the former French outpost has seen a tourism boom in recent years with a new highway from the capital and hotels popping up at breakneck pace. Photos By Hoang Dinh Nam / Afp

(China Daily 11/09/2016 page19)
A Trump supporter celebrates as election returns come in at Republican US presidential nominee Donald Trump's election night rally in Manhattan, New York, US, November 8, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

Nov 8 - Republican Donald Trump edged closer to winning the White House with a series of shocking wins in battleground states such as Florida and Ohio on Tuesday, rattling world markets that had counted on Democrat Hillary Clinton defeating the political outsider.

With investors worried a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors fled risky assets such as stocks. In overnight trading, S&P 500 index futures fell 5 percent to hit their so-called limit down levels, indicating they would not be permitted to trade any lower until day-side trading resumed on Wednesday morning.

Mexico's peso plunged to its lowest-ever levels as Trump's chances of winning the presidency increased. Concerns of a Trump victory have weighed heavily on the peso for months because of his threats to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico and tax money sent home by migrants to pay to build a wall on the southern US border.

Trump surged to wins in Florida, Ohio, Iowa and North Carolina, and Fox News projected a win for him in Wisconsin. With voting completed in 49 of the 50 US states, he also narrowly led in Michigan and New Hampshire, edging him closer to 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the state-by-state fight for the White House.
EU urges Trump to an EU-US summit 'as soon as possible' Updated: 2016-11-09 18:15 By Fu Jing in Brussels(chinadaily.com.cn)

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives for his election night rally at the New York Hilton Midtown in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 9, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

European Council President Donald Tusk has invited the next American President Donald Trump to hold an EU-US summit as soon as possible, at the same time urging him to put trans-Atlantic relations high on his agenda.

Tusk sent the invitation shortly after Trump won Tuesday's election to be the 45th President of the United States of America.

"Today, it is more important than ever to strengthen transatlantic relations. Only by cooperating closely can the EU and the US continue to make a difference when dealing with unprecedented challenges," said Tusk in his congratulation letter.

Tusk has listed the shared challenges as so-called Islamic State, the threats to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, climate change and migration.

"Fortunately, the EU - US strategic partnership is broad and deep," said Tusk.

Tusk said both sides have delivered joint efforts to enhance energy security and address climate change, through EU-US collaboration on facing threats to security in Europe's Eastern and Southern regions, and on the negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

" We should spare no effort to ensure that the ties that bind us remain strong and durable," said Tusk. "We should consolidate the bridges we have been building across the Atlantic."

Tusk said Europeans trust that America, whose democratic ideals have always been a beacon of hope around the globe, will continue to invest in its partnerships with friends and allies, to help make our citizens and the people of the world more secure and more prosperous.

"We would take this opportunity to invite you to visit Europe for an EU - US Summit at your earliest convenience," said Tusk. "This conversation would allow for us to chart the course of our relations for the next four years."

To contact the reporter: fujing@chinadaily.com.cn
Further cooperation seen as Li, Putin meet Updated: 2016-11-09 07:41 By Hu Yongqi in Moscow and Mo Jingxi in Beijing(China Daily)

Premier Li Keqiang met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in Moscow, continuing bilateral high-level exchanges and signaling a desire for further cooperation.

Moscow was Li's second stop in Russia and the last stop of his eight-day Eurasian trip, which has also taken him to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Latvia. Li also met with Putin in June during the Russian president's visit to China.

A major characteristic of the China-Russia relationship is that high-level meetings are frequent between leaders of the two countries, which has become the "locomotive" that pulls bilateral ties forward, Jiang Yi, a Central Asian studies researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said on Tuesday.

In June, Li vowed to further link China's Belt and Road Initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union and to form an industrial chain for cooperation in gas, nuclear power and electricity. Putin pledged willingness to promote production capacity and third-party market cooperation.

Before his arrival in Moscow on Tuesday, Li visited the Russian coastal city of St. Petersburg, where he attended the 21st China-Russian Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting with his counterpart, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. More than 20 agreements were signed to boost bilateral cooperation in fields such as high-speed railway and nuclear power stations.

A joint statement released after their meeting emphasized further cooperation in major projects, including the 280-seat, wide-body commercial aircraft that is being jointly developed with Russia. The plane will make its first test flight by 2020 and be delivered in 10 years, according to an announcement last week by Commercial Aircraft Corp of China.

"While the cooperation between Beijing and Moscow has already yielded fruitful results in various areas, there remains great potential to be tapped in fields such as energy and neighboring areas," Jiang said.

He added that since China is revitalizing its old industrial bases in the northeast and Russia has a strategy to develop its Far East region, the two countries could work toward interconnection and mutual investment between the areas.

"The two countries could also seek more space for energy cooperation in terms of industrial chains, including investment in energy-related projects and joint exploration of gas and oil," Jiang said.

Contact the writers at huyongqi@chinadaily.com.cn

Premier Li Keqiang is greeted by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on Tuesday.Sergei Karpukhin / Reuters

(China Daily 11/09/2016 page1)
Clinton and Trump bringing end to bitter election year by rallying voters

PHILADELPHIA (AP)  Closing out a wildly unpredictable White House race, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump blitzed through battleground states Monday in a final bid to energize supporters. Clinton urged voters to embrace a hopeful, inclusive, bighearted America, while Trump called for supporters to beat the corrupt system.

The candidates rallied voters late into the night, a frenzied end to a bitter election year that has laid bare the nations deep economic and cultural divides.

Clinton campaigned with confidence, buoyed by FBI Director James Comeys announcement Sunday that he would not recommend criminal charges against her following a new email review. The inquiry had sapped a surging Clinton momentum at a crucial moment in the race, though she still heads into Election Day with multiple paths to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to become the nations first female president.

I think I have some work to do to bring the country together, she acknowledged as she boarded her plane for her last battleground tour. I really do want to be the president for

everybody.

Looking beyond Election Day, Clinton said in a radio interview that she hopes Trump will play a constructive role in helping bring the country together if she defeats him.

Trump at times struck a nostalgic tone during his final round of rallies, recalling the rivals hed vanquished and how far hes come. As he surveyed the crowd in Scranton, Pennsylvania, he declared, Its been a long journey.

Still, Trump was aggressive to the end, slamming Clinton as the face of failure. Having made the new FBI review a centerpiece of his closing case to voters, he argued that the Democrat was being protected by a totally rigged system.

You have one magnificent chance to beat the corrupt system and deliver justice, Trump said. Do not let this opportunity slip away.

The comments were a reminder that Comeys news, delivered in a letter to lawmakers on Sunday, was a doubled-edged sword for Clinton. While it vindicated her claims that the emails would not yield new evidence, it ensured that a controversy that has dogged her campaign from the start would follow her through Election Day.

Across the country, nearly 24 million early ballots were cast under the shadow of Comeys initial announcement of a new email review. That number represents about half of the nearly 45 million people who had cast votes by Monday, according to Associated Press data.

The inquiry involved material found on a computer belonging to Anthony Weiner, the disgraced former congressman and estranged husband of Huma Abedin, a longtime Clinton aide. Comey said Sunday the FBI reviewed communications to or from Hillary Clinton while she was secretary of state.

Clinton tried to fly above the controversy Monday, making no mention of the FBI during her rallies. The centerpiece of her final day of campaigning was a nighttime event in Philadelphia with President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, along with rock stars Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi.

Nearing the end of his two terms in the White House, Obama was sentimental as he launched his own busy day of events, noting that he was probably making his last campaign swing for the foreseeable future.

Whatever credibility I have earned after eight years as president, I am asking you to trust me on this. I am voting for Hillary Clinton, Obama said.

Clinton is banking in part on high turnout  particularly among Obamas young, diverse coalition of voters  to carry her over the finish line Tuesday. Roughly half the states with advance voting have reported record turnout, including Florida and Nevada, which have booming Hispanic populations, a possible good sign for Clinton.

In Florida alone, Hispanic participation is up by more than 453,000 votes, nearly doubling the 2012 level. Black turnout is up compared to 2012, but that share of the total vote is lower due to bigger jumps among Latinos and whites, according to University of Florida professor Daniel Smith

In Nevada, where more than three-fourths of expected ballots have been cast, Democrats also lead, 42 percent to 36 percent.

Trump deputy campaign manager David Bossie downplayed the impact of increased Hispanic participation, telling reporters on a conference call, We feel that were going to get a good share of those votes. However, he sidestepped two questions about the level of Hispanic vote Trump needs to win the presidency.

Without victories in Florida and Nevada, Trumps path to 270 electoral votes would be exceedingly narrow. He already must win nearly all of the roughly dozen battleground states.

Trump had planned to keep up his breakneck travel schedule deep into Election Day, but aides revised plans, keeping the businessman in New York.

Trump warned it would all slip away if he loses Tuesday.

Go vote, he urged. Or honestly, weve all wasted our time.
LINCOLN  Gov. Pete Ricketts was proven right.

Nebraskans, he has said over and over, support the death penalty and, if given the chance, would reverse the Nebraska Legislatures decision to repeal capital punishment in 2015.

On Tuesday, voters backed up the governors prediction and repealed a law enacted by state lawmakers, thus restoring capital punishment.

The vote ends a protracted battle over a life-and-death issue that put Nebraska, a conservative, law-and-order state, in the national spotlight after the Legislatures landmark vote and subsequent narrow override of Ricketts veto.

At the time of the repeal vote, Nebraska stood as the first conservative state to do away with capital punishment since North Dakota in 1973. A group of conservative senators, citing the high cost of the death penalty and its rare use, joined with longtime capital punishment foe State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha in voting to repeal the ultimate penalty.

But the victory was short-lived.

Shortly after the Legislatures vote, a group supporting the death penalty formed to put the issue before the states voters.

Using contributions from the governor, his father and others, Nebraskans for the Death Penalty collected more than 143,000 signatures of voters during the summer of 2015 to put a referendum on capital punishment on Tuesdays ballot.

Ricketts, whose family owns the Chicago Cubs and the online brokerage firm, TD Ameritrade, donated $300,000 of his own money to aid the pro-death penalty group, according to the most recent campaign spending reports. His father, Joe, pitched in $100,000, and his mother, Marlene, donated $25,000.

Those donations were among the $1.3 million spent through early November by Nebraskans for the Death Penalty during its 1 1/2-year campaign to get the issue on the ballot.

An anti-death penalty group, Retain a Just Nebraska, also got some high-profile help for its campaign, which collected $2.7 million through mid-October. Its contributors included Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon, who gave $1,500. One of its major donors was a Massachusetts organization, the Proteus Action League, which gave $650,000 this year and $600,000 last year.

Death penalty opponents argued capital punishment is an archaic, immoral and expensive punishment that could possibly take an innocent persons life. They pointed to the case of the Beatrice Six in which six people were wrongly convicted in the 1985 rape and murder of a Beatrice woman. Several of the six said their fear of the death penalty factored into their decision to falsely confess.

A group of retired judges was among those calling for an end to capital punishment, but death penalty supporters countered with their own group of Nebraska sheriffs and prosecutors who said that for the most heinous crimes, death was the most appropriate sentence.

"It's not about vengeance, it's about justice," said Pierce County Sheriff Rick Eberhardt, who collected more than 3,000 signatures to help put the death penalty referendum on the ballot.

On Tuesday night, the sheriff sat quietly with three members of the family of Evonne Tuttle, who was shot and killed along with four others during a botched bank robbery in Norfolk in 2002. The three gunmen all are on Nebraskas death row.

It wasn't a celebration, said Eberhardt and the others, but affirmation that the state's residents still support the death penalty.

"It was the right thing to do," said Christine Tuttle, Evonne's 32-year-old daughter, of Tuesday's vote.

"We're going to get justice. It's going to happen," said Evonne 's mother, Vivian, of Ewing, Nebraska, who has driven more than 9,000 in support of the death penalty since the Legislature repealed capital punishment in 2015.
Republicans say lawmakers out of touch with constituents when they abolished death penalty

LINCOLN (AP)  To outsiders, Nebraskas upcoming general election could seem like a ho-hum affair with no U.S. Senate or governors races on the ballot.

For Republican leaders, though, the election is a chance to reassert the states conservative traditions by reinstating the death penalty, trying to oust a Democratic congressman and electing a more conservative Legislature by replacing some GOP lawmakers who have opposed Gov. Pete Ricketts on key issues.

Conservatives, including Ricketts, have argued that lawmakers, including some Republicans, were out of touch with their constituents when they abolished the death penalty, raised the state fuel tax and allowed drivers licenses for certain youths who entered the country illegally but were granted lawful presence under the Obama administration.

Ricketts has openly called for replacing some GOP incumbents with more conservative candidates, but the Nebraska Republican Party has concentrated on flipping seats held by Democrats in the officially nonpartisan Legislature.

I feel like were in a good position, said Bud Synhorst, the partys executive director. People are paying attention. I do believe that based on how things look in this election, well have a Legislature that lines up ideologically with the conservativism of Nebraskans.

Even though some conservative state senators voted to abolish capital punishment last year, organizers of the group Nebraskans for the Death Penalty said theyre confident voters will reinstate it. Death penalty opponents have appealed to Catholic voters and fiscal conservatives with arguments that the punishment defies church doctrine, could risk innocent lives and costs too much.

The GOP is also pushing to reclaim the Omaha-centric 2nd Congressional District, which Democrat Brad Ashford won in 2014 when he unseated eight-term Republican Rep. Lee Terry. Ashford has presented himself as an advocate for bipartisanship in gridlocked Washington.

In the 1st district, GOP Rep. Jeff Fortenberry is expected to win easily, and 3rd district Republican Rep. Adrian Smith is running unopposed.

Republican gains in the Legislature dont guarantee that senators will adhere to a party line. For instance, the decision to abolish the death penalty and raise the gas tax passed because Republican lawmakers joined forces with Democrats.

Still, some lawmakers said they expect a more right-leaning Legislature when senators convene for their next regular session in January. Voters have more options in legislative races than in previous years because more conservative candidates have stepped forward, said Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte.

Groene said some senators votes on the death penalty and immigration-related issues may come back to haunt them. At least five incumbents appear to face serious threats in the general election, as three Republicans and two Democrats finished second to conservative challengers in the primary.

Weve had some black and white issues that defined candidates clearly, and it brought challengers forward, Groene said. Were still a conservative state.
Trump on top after unpredictable night

WASHINGTON (AP)  Capping a presidential campaign of venom, audacity and history, Donald Trump scored major victories in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina on Tuesday, building steam in a stunningly competitive contest with Hillary Clinton that raged across battlegrounds late into the night.

As the race lurched past midnight, neither candidate had cleared the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House. Trump stood at 264 to Clintons 215.

Clinton pocketed Virginia  a squeaker like Florida  and both candidates rolled up victories in their predictable strongholds. But nothing else was predictable as the man who faced a narrow path to the presidency inched closer to it, in an election that laid bare the divisions gnawing at the nation.

Trump flipped Iowa, a state that twice voted for Democrat Barack Obama. He won Utah, a slam-dunk for most Republicans but a state where many die-hard Republicans were said to find him intolerable.

Both candidates left multitudes of Americans dissatisfied with their choices.

The struggle over whom to support was voiced by two voters in Independence, Missouri, after casting their ballots.

I had such a hard time, harder than Ive ever had, said Joyce Dayhill, 59, a school bus driver who reluctantly voted for Trump. I just prayed on it as hard as I could and felt this was the right decision.

The first states to be decided Tuesday night produced expected results: Kentucky, Indiana, Oklahoma, West Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee went for Trump; Vermont, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware and the District of Columbia for Clinton.

In later waves, Trump added Texas, Kansas, Georgia and more to his column while Clinton took New York and Illinois, each reaping significant gains in the contest for 270 electoral votes but still searching for a breakout. Trumps trio of wins in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina may have provided it.

Control of the Senate also hung in the balance on a night that was reshaping the political calculus in Washington, a dozen governors offices and statehouses.

The nations fractures were reflected in surveys of voters as they left polling stations. Women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

And people were markedly unhappy with the choice in front of them, the exit polls found. More than half of voters for each candidate cast their ballots with reservations about the one they voted for or because they disliked the alternative. Only 4 in 10 voters strongly favored their candidate.

In contrast, about two-thirds of voters in 2012 strongly favored the candidate they chose.

The nights second big mystery was which party will control the Senate, now Republican-dominated. Democrats needed to gain five seats to take an outright majority. If they gained only four  and if Clinton were elected  her vice president would be able to break 50-50 Senate ties.

Democrats blew two of their chances, as Republican Rep. Todd Young thwarted a comeback by Evan Bayh, a former Democratic senator and governor, in Indiana; and as Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida held his Florida seat against a challenge from Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy.

But Democrat Tammy Duckworth toppled Sen. Mark Kirk in Illinois, and with undecided races elsewhere, Senate Republicans were not home free.

To no ones surprise, Republicans kept control of the House, if with thinned ranks. They came into the election populating that chamber in numbers not seen since the 1930s.

The breakdown going into Tuesday: 247-188 for the GOP, with three vacancies. With results still being counted early Wednesday, Republicans had won at least 218 House seats. That exceeds the number needed to control the chamber.
Nebraska beef producers who have been in the business for a while well remember the extraordinary plunge in U.S. and Nebraska beef exports that began in 2004. The cause: international concern over mad cow disease.

Nebraska producers saw their overseas sales fall from $502 million in 2003 to $105 million in 2004. For the U.S. beef sector as a whole, overseas sales fell from $3.2 billion in 2003 to $631 million a year later.

But now, for the comeback.

Recent word that the first Nebraska shipments of beef in 13 years will soon be heading to Israel illustrates the welcome turnaround. State officials marked the occasion by personally congratulating Hastings-based WR Reserve, which will start with 200 head of Angus cattle a week.

Nebraska beef exports have risen steadily in recent years as state and national officials and U.S. producers have demonstrated the safety of American beef. The World Trade Organization officially verified the safety of U.S. beef in 2007.

Trade promotion efforts, in which Nebraska has devoted great focus in recent years, also have helped. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, a former governor of Iowa, has been energetic in working to end restrictions on our countrys overseas beef sales.

Nebraskas beef exports have climbed from $380 million in 2007 to $762 million in 2011 to more than $1 billion in 2015 (though slightly down from 2014).

A standout is the strengthening of Nebraska beef exports to Europe, again thanks in large part to marketing by the industry and state government. Nebraska accounted for 42.5 percent of U.S. beef exports to Europe last year, up from only 5 percent in 2005.

For the first half of this year, Nebraskas share in Europe was some 50 percent. Nebraska quality is clearly winning over consumers there.

A major improvement for U.S. beef exporters is that overseas sales are no longer limited to cattle that are 20 months old or younger. That requirement, in place for years after the rise of mad cow concerns, placed considerable documentation requirements on producers, processors and packers.

China has been something of a question mark for U.S. beef exports. The Beijing government officially said in September it will end the ban on U.S. beef imports imposed in 2003. Chinese authorities have yet to announce import guidelines, however. Theres been uncertainty, for example, over whether the country will allow imports of hormone-treated U.S. beef.

What we dont know yet is how much of our supply will be eligible, says Joe Schuele, spokesman for the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

But it looks as if Nebraska producers are about to receive positive news. Gov. Pete Ricketts and a delegation of Nebraskans left Monday for a trade promotion visit to China. The schedule includes the signing next Tuesday of a commitment to purchase Nebraska beef  encouraging proof of Nebraskas effective overseas marketing.

A lingering obstacle is the high value of the U.S. dollar, which makes American exports more expensive for overseas buyers. Still, the overall news on the export market for our countrys beef is positive. Roadblocks stemming from the mad cow scare are gone.

Now the task is to build on the strong promotion efforts overseas by the industry and by state and federal officials. Lets keep the progress going.
The Australian Kangaroos will pause on Friday, November 11, as will many Australians, to honour Remembrance Day and those who have fought for freedom.

Members of the team have been sending messages home to Australia, encouraging everyone to wear a poppy in honour of the fallen and pause to reflect on the selfless sacrifices that thousands of Australians have made in years past.

Kangaroos skipper Cameron Smith led the tributes and said November 11 was an important day for Australians to honour those who have served our country in times of conflict.

Earlier this year, the NRL acknowledged its continued partnership with the Returned Services League (RSL) as it commemorated its 100th anniversary.

Australians are encouraged to purchase a poppy for Remembrance Day and support the Defence Care Poppy Appeal at poppyshop.org.au
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FRAUD: Some Trump voters say electronic ballots are switching to Clinton in battleground state of Pennsylvania

As voters head to the polls all around the country today, it didnt take long for reports of potential vote fraud to surface.

As reported by KDKA, voters in Clinton Township (no kidding) who cast ballots for Republican nominee Donald J. Trump have reported that their electronic ballots were being switched to his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

Election officials in the small town located in Butler County confirmed to the station that yes, there were some issues with two of their eight automated voting machines. They said most of the issues occurred when voters tried to cast straight-ticket ballots.

But others said they specifically wanted to vote for Trump, but then watched in frustration as their vote switched before their eyes to Clinton.

I went back, pressed Trump again, Bobbie Lee Hawranko told KDKA. Three times I did this, so then I called one of the women that were working the polls over. And she said you must be doing it wrong. She did it three times and it defaulted to Hillary every time.

Pennsylvania state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe issued a statement saying that anyone who encounters voting issues of any kind should immediately inform election officials, but also call their county bureau of elections, as some people have already done.

Election officials said they recalibrated the machines and assured everyone that the issue was resolved. But that begs a couple of questions: Werent the machines calibrated already, prior to votes being cast? And if so, how could they fall out of calibration after voting began?

Trump has warned repeatedly that he believes he is facing a rigged electoral system, and indeed, there have been a number of reports of vote fraud leading up to the election. In fact, he has called on voters to make sure that, if theyre using electronic machines, their votes are accurate.

Looks like The Donalds warning was prescient.

Sources:

Pittsburgh.CBSLocal.com
McAlisters Deli and Jimmy Johns are giving Northwest Indiana residents more options of where to go to grab a sandwich.

McAlisters Deli, a chain known for its sweet tea, baked potatoes and traditional delicatessen fare like corned beef, recently opened at 8217 Broadway in Merrillville. Local franchise group, Daves Deli LLC, invested at least $2.1 million in the new restaurant by the Century Mall and is looking to open four more in Northwest Indiana in the coming years.

The fast-casual chain, which is akin to Panera Bread or Noodles and Co., also will open another restaurant at the new Shoppes on the Boulevard Development on Indianapolis Boulevard.

We were patient in choosing the right site in Schererville, said Brett McDermott of Latitude Commercial, which brokered the deal. This development will put us right in the middle of where you want to be on US 41.

The Schererville location should open in the first half of next year.

Jimmy Johns, a sub shop that brags about its freaky fast delivery and free smells, also is planning to open a new sandwich shop in a new strip mall at the intersection of Kennedy Avenue and 169th Street in Hammonds Hessville neighborhood.

It is one of a number of nationally-branded eateries that are locating in urban North Lake communities or giving them another look. This summer, Starbucks opened a 2,000-square-foot coffee shop with indoor and patio seating at the intersection of Indianapolis Boulevard and Interstate Plaza Drive, across the street from the Cabelas and the new super Walmart in Hammond.

Jimmy Johns also just opened a new restaurant at 8180 Mississippi St. in Merrillville, just across from the South Lake Mall.

Which Wich, another sub chain, also recently opened at 1508 U.S. Highway 41 in Schererville.
Gina Marzilli loves helping people.

Marzilli, 24, is a senior psychology major at Purdue University Northwest and spends most of her time assisting students at her job as a new student orientation leader.

Being able to see the people you helped and helping them with the things you wish you had help on, its a great feeling, she said.

Marzilli graduated with an associate degree in psychology from South Suburban College in 2015 and transferred to Purdue to continue her studies. Marzilli also decided to minor in broadcasting because of her love for writing and photography.

I feel doing creative things like that helps balance out all of the more challenging, busy work that is involved sometimes with studying psychology, Marzilli said.

After classes began, she applied for an orientation leader job because she wanted to work on campus and spend more time at school. She quickly found she loved interacting with the students.

I love the community within my office, Marzilli said. We have a lot of students now, [who] dont work with us but come into the office and just hang out. Its good that they love the energy we have and continue to come back.

Marzilli enrolled in the Honors College because she wanted to get more involved at PNW.

Im glad I did enroll. Its one of my favorite things and its giving me a lot of opportunities, Marzilli said.

One of the biggest was attending the National Collegiate Honor Council conference in Chicago in 2015 with other members of the Honors College. The conference inspired her and helped her connect with fellow members of the program.

Once her first honors class ended, Marzilli applied for a leadership role within the Honors College and became the vice president of research this year. The role is a newly created position and Marzilli is responsible for defining the position and conducting research that will benefit students.

Brandon Rukes, Honors College program coordinator, said the college is lucky to have Marzilli.

Its very rare that someone new to the Honors College would be in a leadership position, and a new position at that, Rukes said. It just shows her leadership capabilities and how well shes doing, especially since she does it on her own without needing a lot of advisement.

Marzilli began research on studying techniques for students, including rewriting information, chewing gum while studying, listening to classical music and rereading information.

Her research goal was to find information that shows the best studying techniques so it can be exchanged with other honors colleges and programs from different universities. Her research was also accepted to be presented at this years NCHC conference in Seattle.

Gina has a lot of ambition to do research, which is hard to find in students, Rukes said. The idea to love research and to love to learn is such a great quality and whats shes doing will help with things like Student Research Day and the Science Olympiad at PNW.

Marzilli will be expanding on her research this semester by doing research on mnemonic devices with a professor at PNW. She hopes to have it published in the near future.
VALPARAISO  Four felony charges have been filed against a Westville woman accused of drunken driving Saturday and causing an accident that resulted in the death of a passenger on a motorcycle.

Rachel Dover, 24, is charged with two different counts of drunken driving resulting in a death and two different counts of drunken driving causing serious bodily injury, according to court records.

She also is charged with misdemeanor drunken driving.

Dover reportedly told police she was driving south on County Road 550 East approaching U.S. 6 in Jackson Township around 7:30 p.m. when she saw two motorcycles driving west, according to charging documents. She turned east once the bikes passed and said she did not see a motorcycle that struck her vehicle.

A passenger on the motorcycle, Nanette Howard, 55, was airlifted to an Illinois hospital and later died of massive trauma to her head and leg, police said.

The driver of the motorcycle also suffered serious injuries, according to police. Neither was wearing a helmet.

Police said they used a portable breath test and found Dover had a blood alcohol content of 0.23 percent.
INDIANAPOLIS  Republican Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb has won his first election.

He will be Indianas 51st governor after defeating Democratic former House Speaker John Gregg in the contest to succeed Republican Gov. Mike Pence.

Good things are wanting to be done and I cant wait to work on the next steps, Holcomb said.

A year ago no one  including Holcomb  had any inkling that he shortly would become the next chief executive of the 16th most populous state in the country.

At that time, Holcomb was running third in a three-candidate primary for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination.

But in March Pence picked the former Indiana Republican Party chairman and top aide to U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., and Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels to fill the vacant lieutenant governors office.

Then when Pence was chosen in July to run for vice president alongside Donald Trump, Holcomb secured the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

His campaign got off to a shaky start with little ready cash due to a fundraising snafu where Pence ended up keeping most of the money hed raised for his re-election bid.

Though, in the end, Holcomb won over Hoosier voters by promising to take Indiana to the next level, by staying the course the state has been on with Republican governors for the past 12 years.

State Auditor Suzanne Crouch will succeed Holcomb as Indianas lieutenant governor. He will appoint a replacement to finish the two years remaining in her term.

Gregg, whose plan to run as the anti-Pence candidate floundered after Holcomb replaced Pence, said its unlikely Hoosiers ever will see his name on another ballot.

Nevertheless, he urged dispirited Democrats to work with Holcomb for the good of the state.

Tonight were all Hoosiers, and tomorrow as the dust of this election settles and the wounds begin to heal, well still all be Hoosiers, Gregg said.
INDIANAPOLIS  Several new lawmakers, many incumbents and at least one new-again former legislator will represent Northwest Indiana residents in the Republican-controlled General Assembly during the 2017 legislative session and beyond.

Here are the results of Tuesdays elections in contested races for four-year terms in the Indiana Senate and two-year House terms:

Senate District 5  State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, overcame a spirited challenged by Democrat Jim Harper to win a third full term representing Valparaiso, Hebron, Kouts and Jasper County. Charbonneau is expected to remain chairman of the Senate Environmental Affairs Committee where he oversees state water policy and other key issues.

Senate District 8  Republican LaPorte County Commissioner Mike Bohacek, of Michiana Shores, will succeed retiring state Sen. Jim Arnold, D-LaPorte. Bohacek outpolled Democrat Maxine Spenner, of LaPorte, in part by persuading voters that a Democratic senator cannot effectively represent the district in a Republican-dominated chamber.

House District 1  State Rep. Linda Lawson, D-Hammond, the deputy Democratic House leader, easily defeated Libertarian Michael Sandridge, of Whiting, to win a 10th term representing Hammond and Whiting.

House District 4  State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, will be around to shape Indianas long-term infrastructure spending plan, as chairman of the House Roads and Transportation Committee, after prevailing in a close-fought race against Democratic former Porter County Clerk Pam Fish.

House District 11  Voters awarded state Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron, a second term representing the southern third of Lake and Porter counties. He defeated Democrat James Metro, of Cedar Lake, for a second time to return to the Statehouse.

House District 12  Voters in Munster, Highland, Hammond and Griffith decided to send former state Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster, back to the Statehouse in place of state Rep. Bill Fine, R-Munster, who ended her initial eight-year tenure in 2014.

House District 15  State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville, a member of the budget-writing House Ways and Means Committee, will be going back to Indianapolis for a third term. He defeated Dyer Democrat Tom ODonnell in a rematch of their close 2012 race.

House District 19  State Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point, appears to have narrowly prevailed over former state Rep. Shelli VanDenburgh, D-Crown Point, after the House Republican Campaign Committee pumped in nearly $600,000 in the final month of the race to push Olthoff toward a second-term win representing Crown Point, Merrillville, Winfield and Lakes of the Four Seasons.

House District 20  Republican Jim Pressel, of Rolling Prairie, defeated Democrat Karen Biernacki, of LaPorte, and Libertarian Aurea Torres, of LaPorte, in this rare open seat contest to succeed state Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte.

Uncontested winners were state Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago; state Sen.-elect Eddie Melton, D-Merrillville; state Rep.-elect Earl Harris, Jr., D-East Chicago; state Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary; state Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City; state Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage; and state Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary.
INDIANAPOLIS  Hoosiers are sending a Marine to the U.S. Senate.

U.S. Rep. Todd Young, R-Bloomington, who consistently cited his Marine Corps service on the campaign trail, defeated Democratic former U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh on Tuesday in what likely was the most expensive and virulent Senate campaign in state history.

Tonight Indiana voted for a change in Washington. They voted to send in the Marines, Young said. Well Ill tell you, this Marine is humbled. Im proud to have earned your trust, your confidence and your support  were not going to let you down.

And I pledge to you, Ill always do whats right for Hoosiers.

Young staged an amazing political comeback after his initial Democratic opponent, former U.S. Rep. Baron Hill, abandoned his ballot spot for Bayh, who never had lost in five prior statewide elections including two terms as governor.

Initial polls following the July candidate switcheroo showed Bayh leading Young by 21 points.

But aided by interest groups spending tens of millions of dollars on negative ads blasting Bayhs post-Senate employment, questioning his Indiana residency and hinting at suspect ethics, Young crawled back to win.

Despite his defeat, Bayh was ebullient in his concession speech, saying that he stands ready to help my fellow citizens in any capacity they may see fit to have me serve.

I also hope, more than anything, that together we can find a better kind of politics, Bayh said. One that emphasizes hope, not fear; one that brings us together, rather than divides us; and one that finds common ground that we can stand on, and move forward on, together.

Young succeeds retiring U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., and will serve alongside U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind.

It was a good night for incumbents in Northwest Indiana U.S. House races.

District 1  U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky was overwhelmingly re-elected to a 17th two-year term representing Lake, Porter and western LaPorte counties.

The Merrillville Democrat was unchallenged by a Republican candidate this year and he easily dispatched Libertarian Donna Dunn, of Hammond.

Visclosky now is among the 10 most senior members of the 435 representatives in the House.

Assuming he serves his full term, Visclosky will tie his 1st District predecessor, U.S. Rep. Ray Madden, and former U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton as Indianas longest-serving House members.

District 2  U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Jimtown, survived a strong challenge by Democrat Lynn Coleman, of South Bend, to win a third term representing this north central Indiana district that includes western and southern LaPorte County.

District 4  Republican U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita, a Munster native who now lives in Brownsburg, cruised to victory over Democrat John Dale, of West Point, to win a fourth term representing Newton, Jasper and several other west central Indiana counties.
CROWN POINT  Early vote totals indicate Lake County will retain all seven Lake Superior Court judges on Tuesdays ballot.

Voters appear to have granted new six-year terms to: Lake Criminal Court Judge Samuel L. Cappas, Civil Division Judges William D. Davis, Calvin D. Hawkins, Bruce D. Parent, John R. Pera and Diane Kavadias Schneider and Juvenile Court Judge Thomas P. Stefaniak.

Parent thanked voters and said he found the experience exhilarating. I had never run for public office before, Parent said.

The seven ran under Lake Countys merit-selection system, designed to take partisan politics out of the selection of the criminal, juvenile and civil justice system.

Previously, all judicial candidates ran under party labels. The General Assembly passed a 1973 law that future judges are appointed by the governor, go through the retention/rejection election two years after appointment and then every six years thereafter.

No one can run against an incumbent Superior Court judge. Superior Court judges cannot campaign unless there is an organized effort to push voters to reject that judge.

Voters have only removed two judges, Andrew Giorgi in 1977 and Darlene Wanda Mears in 1992.

Cappas has served on the Lake Criminal Court bench in Crown Point since 2013 and Davis in the Hammond-based Civil Division Court since 1994.

Hawkins has presided over civil matters in East Chicagos county courthouse since 2007. Parent has occupied the civil bench in the countys Gary courthouse since 2014.

Pera has presided over his Civil Division Court in Crown Point since 2000 and is the Superior Courts chief judge in court administrative matters. Kavadias-Schneiders Civil Division Court is in Crown Point. She has been on the bench since 2000.

Stefaniak served as Hammond City Judge from 1995 until 2001 and a Lake Criminal Court from 2001 until 2013, when he moved to the Juvenile Court bench.
Some voters were greeted early Tuesday by packed parking lots and lines snaking out the doors in Northwest Indiana  though many said it could have been worse if not for the popularity of early voting.

Overall, turnout was steady throughout the day.

Complete voter turnout figures for Lake County were not available late Tuesday night, but election officials earlier in the day estimated that between 200,000 and 225,000 cast ballots, either on Election Day or through early voting. Thats on par with the 2012 general election, where nearly 206,000 voted in Lake County.

With 103 of 123 precincts reporting, 65,003  or about 51 percent  registered voters cast ballots in Porter County. With all 92 precincts reporting in LaPorte, about 55 percent  or 46,369  cast ballots in Tuesdays election.

Voters who spoke with The Times reported only minor issues and most were quickly resolved, according to election officials.

One of more egregious moments came out of Merrillville, where a woman showed up at the polls to vote, surprised to hear she had been removed from the rolls because she died.

In the end, Pamela Edwards, of Merrillville, said she cast a ballot after signing an affidavit that she was, in fact, alive. Edwards said she was surprised because she has voted in the same place for 30 years and cast a ballot in this years primary election.

Im still employed. Im still paying Social Security tax. Ive very much alive and well, Edwards said, joking that the county wont accept any excuses when her property taxes are due later this year.

She said she suspected the county was trying to clean up its rolls, but something went wrong. The poll workers were following the rules, as they should, she said.

A good crowd

Earlier Tuesday, cars jammed the parking lots outside the polls at the Lake County fairgrounds, but things appeared to be moving relatively quickly inside.

Bonnie Parrish, an inspector for Center Township Precinct 3, said turnout appeared to be brisk.

Its kind of looking like four years ago already, Parrish said. This is kind of a good crowd.

At the Valparaiso Boys and Girls Club, voters found themselves sitting elbow to elbow casting ballots before going to work early Tuesday morning  with just one voting booth available.

Instead of waiting for the voting booth to open up, Andrea Flynn, of Valparaiso, said she, like others, sat down to fill out a ballot.

No new machines had been delivered when she left about 6:20 a.m., she said.

Sundae Schoon, Republican director of Porter County Voter Registration and Elections, confirmed crews initially failed to deliver the total number of requested voter booths to the polling site at the Boys & Girls Club, but she said the issue was quickly remedied.

Booths are double-sided, so two people can simultaneously work on ballots.

Other minor issues were reported  some candidate signs were found to be too close to polling places  but Schoon said it was otherwise quiet.

Tom Malinowski, inspector of Precinct 19, said the Schererville Town Hall was packed with early voters in the days leading up to the election, which may explain why fewer voters were at the polls on election day.

I think it had a big impact, Malinowski said.
CROWN POINT  A jury found a 31-year-old Chicago man guilty of murder and feticide in the death of his pregnant girlfriend and her 20-week-old fetus.

Jurors deliberated about four hours Tuesday before finding Isiah Barker guilty.

Cynthia Funches' body was found June 22, 2011, abandoned in a storage bin inside a house being rehabbed in Chicago.

The 26-year-old Highland woman was 20-weeks pregnant with Barker's child at the time of her death. A pathologist testified Friday at Barker's trial the woman ultimately died from blunt force trauma, but she also suffered numerous cuts, bruises and stab wounds.

Prosecutors allege Barker killed Funches during an altercation at the woman's Highland apartment.

Police testified Thursday the storage bin that contained Funches' body was purchased the day before her death from a Walmart in Schererville, and surveillance footage from the Walmart allegedly showed Octavius Barlow, Barker's alleged accomplice in the murder, purchasing the item.

Barker and Barlow were also recorded on surveillance tape at Halsted True Value in Chicago purchasing a Fortress lock, which was found on the door of the garage where Funches' body was found.

Both tapes were shown to the jury Thursday and Friday morning.

A warrant for Barker's arrest was issued in November 2012, and he was arrested by police in Georgia about 11 months later.

Barlow remains charged with two felony counts of assisting a criminal in connection with the incident.
GARY  Ivy Tech Community College offers two events to help area residents with their plans for college.

Prospective students (and parents) can get information about enrollment and programs on Go Ivy Day on Friday. Go Ivy Day will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. at all four Ivy Tech Northwest campuses: East Chicago, 410 E. Columbus Dr.; Gary, 1440 E. 35th Ave.; Michigan City, 3714 Franklin Dr.; and Valparaiso, 3100 Ivy Tech Dr. Learn more about admission requirements and financial aid; tour campus; meet faculty, staff and current students; and explore programs. For more information, visit www.ivytech.edu/goivyday.

Ivy Tech also will offer help to prospective students completing their Free Application for Federal Student Aid during College Goal Sunday, from 2 to 4 p.m. Nov. 13. Staff members will be available at the colleges East Chicago and Valparaiso campuses to help with filing the form, which is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships and student loans at institutions of higher learning.

The FAFSA deadline for Indiana financial aid is March 10, but this is the first year students can file the form using tax information starting in October of the year prior to entering college.

Those attending College Goal Sunday should bring completed 2015 IRS 1040 tax returns for themselves and their parents (if applicable), W-2 Forms and any other 2015 income and benefits information. Students and parents are encouraged to apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs at fsaid.ed.gov before College Goal Sunday. For more information, visit www.collegegoalsunday.org
CROWN POINT  Police are seeking a 23-year-old Gary man on allegations he fatally shot another man in October during a botched armed robbery.

Damonta Lamont Jarrett was charged Nov. 2 in Lake Circuit Court with murder and robbery murder in the shooting death of 40-year-old Steven Marquand.

Court records contain alternate spellings of Jarretts first name.

Marquand, a resident of Cedar Lake, was found dead of a gunshot wound to the chest on the night of Oct. 18 near a gas station at 4890 Maryland St. in Gary, according to a probable cause affidavit.

His girlfriend told police the couple stopped at the gas station to purchase items, when a man approached their vehicle and demanded money from Marquand, the affidavit states.

The woman said she heard a pop, and Marquand drove off in the vehicle, according to the affidavit. He was found dead in his vehicle less than two blocks from the scene.

Gary police reviewed surveillance footage from the gas station and were able to identify Jarrett as the alleged shooter, according to the affidavit.

U.S. Marshals later found the suspects vehicle parked outside a Gary apartment, the affidavit states. The mother of Jarretts children confirmed Jarrett had access to the vehicle at the time of the shooting, according to the affidavit.

Jarrett was previously convicted of attempted robbery in January 2013 and sentenced to three years prison, according to court records.

Jarrett is also wanted by police in connection to an armed robbery case from 2014, records state.

Anyone within information regarding Jarretts whereabouts can contact the Lake County/Gary Metro Homicide Unit at (219) 755-3855, Central Dispatch at (219) 660-0000 or the Crime Tip Line at 866-CRIME-GP.
CROWN POINT  St. Mary Catholic Community School hosts its 55th annual spaghetti supper Wednesday at the school, 405 E. Joliet St., Crown Point.

The meal includes spaghetti, Caesar salad, Italian bread, dessert and coffee or milk.

Ticket prices are $5 for senior citizens, $8 for adults ages 15 to 59 and $5 for children 5 to 14. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance by calling the school at (219) 663-0676.

Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Drive-thru service also is available; call ahead for orders of 10 or more. Delivery service is available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for those who have a place of business in the Crown Point area and would prefer to dine in for lunch. There is a five order minimum for this free delivery service.

To request a delivery service order form, call the school and an order will be faxed or email cflores@stmarycp.org.
Michael French's drive to work was a hoot in more ways than one.

He was heading to work about sunrise Sunday in Michigan City when an owl shattered his windshield on Interstate 94. Then, just a few miles farther, he quite possibly saved the life of a woman from a burning car.

The odds of either occurring are long, but since they both happened so quickly, the 31-year old French believes destiny was at work.

"If I wouldn't have hit the bird, then I probably would have never seen the lady with her car on fire. It all happens for a reason," said French, who lives in Buchanan, Michigan.

French was traveling to Sullivan-Palatek, which makes industrial air compressors, where he's head of maintenance.

He had just merged from U.S. 12 to Interstate 94 at New Buffalo and got his Ford F-350 up to 70 miles per hour when suddenly the owl slammed into the top of his windshield.

"No injuries were sustained by Michael French, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle," said Berrien County Chief Deputy Capt. Robert Boyce.

French said he had no idea what he struck until locating the deceased owl in some weeds just off the shoulder.

"It sounded like a brick hitting my window or something. It was just ridiculously loud," he said.

Like many drivers this time of year, his focus was more on avoiding a deer that might jump out into his path, not an owl.

After a Berrien County Police officer finished taking the report, French had just crossed into Indiana when he saw flames underneath a red, early 2000s Pontiac stopped along the opposite side of the interstate.

Donnette Williams was behind the wheel on her phone.

French said he parked next to the concrete divider then ran across the three eastbound lanes, yelling for her to get out.

He said Williams didn't seem to realize what was happening at first, but as he kept hollering at her about the fire, she grabbed her bag and got out.

It wasn't two minutes later that flames engulfed the entire vehicle.

Williams told French she was driving from Hammond to her home in Niles, Mich.

Members of the Springfield Township Volunteer Fire Department showed up and extinguished the flames. State police gave Williams a ride home afterward.

Samantha French said her husband's actions might be unusual for most others, but not him.

He used to drive a tow truck, and he doesn't hesitate to stop and see if he can help whenever he comes across a stranded driver.

"He always stops. Always," said Samantha French.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation officer Shawn Brown said motor vehicle collisions with owls and other wild animals like turkeys are rare, but do occur periodically.

He said the owl that flew into the man's windshield could have been swooping down to grab another animal with its claws.

Owls are not endangered, but they are federally protected to keep the population of the species from becoming a major concern, Brown said.

Being protected means it's against the law to intentionally kill, capture or possess an owl without a special permit, according to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act that gives owls and hawks protected status.
VALPARAISO | Plans for an upscale eatery/Chicago-style wine bar and a first-time espionage escape room were presented to the city's Site Review Committee on Tuesday.

Local optometrist Steve Buck and his wife, Jill Buck, would like to turn a downtown former shoe repair business into a restaurant and a Chicago-style wine bar.

The former shoe repair business, at 1 Napoleon St., has been owned by the Buck family since 1948.

Prior to that, the 2,000-square foot building west of Valparaiso City Hall was a grocery store.

Plans by the Bucks are to remodel the inside of the now vacant building as well as to restore the outside of the building, possibly through the city's facade improvement program, Buck said.

"It's such a great spot that I know I would kick myself if someone else was to rent it from me and turn it into a restaurant," Buck said.

If all goes well, Buck said, he and his wife would like to open the new business, called Corner at Lincoln Flats, by mid-summer.

The Valparaiso couple still need to obtain a three-way liquor license prior to its opening.

In addition to serving fine wines by the glass and craft beers, the Bucks plan to serve a variety of foods they termed American Tapas or small plate.

"We plan to serve good food with smaller portions," Jill Buck said.

Diners will also be able to sit outdoors during warmer weather months, according to plans presented by the Bucks.

Buck said his plans have been evolving since his dad died this past February.

"We have been part of Valparaiso for forever and it seems like the perfect venue given the renaissance that is going on in the downtown," Buck said.

Amy Rankin, a former UPS driver, has plans to open Espionage Escape Valparaiso as early as December.

"I'd love to open next month and be in there for the holidays," Rankin said.

The new business will be at 103 E. Morthland Drive, site of the former Imagine Beads.

Rankin said she came up with the idea for the business after she went to one while visiting Louisville, Kentucky.

Her business, once opened, will feature two types of rooms, including one in the style of a vintage 1800s train station called the Wild Bunch Gang, and the other inside an Egyptian tomb.

Participants, including teams of eight to 10, solve riddles and puzzles, then must finish and escape within 60 minutes.

"You have to beat the clock," Rankin said.

The cost per person would be $25.

"I think this will be great for Valparaiso," Rankin said.

It will be the first of its kind in Porter County, but there are similar businesses in Schererville and Mishawaka, Rankin said.
VALPARAISO  In honor of Veterans Day on Friday, Edward Tick spoke Monday at Valparaiso University about overcoming adversity together by understanding post traumatic stress disorder. This was the second annual Overcoming Adversity Together: A community Conversation event.

Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas welcomed the speaker and the audience and stressed the importance of voting on Tuesday.

Many people gave their lives so we can vote, he said. And that came at a costly price.

Tick, an educator, author and expert on veterans, PTSD and military related issues, told the crowd that this nation needs to have concerns for veterans.

If we neglect our veterans we are all going down, Tick said. We must all be there for each other's grief and pain. We need to make our veterans feel at home and provide a vision for them. We all have schemes or ideas on how to help veterans but we need a broader, more holistic vision.

Tick addressed the veterans in the audience and applauded them for their service.

We want you to know we have been through many generations of struggles and we are devoted to your homecoming, Tick said.

Tick spoke of PTSD and moral injury in which the heart and soul are disturbed by what the soldiers experience.

The soldiers have invisible wounds that we don't see but the wounds are real, Tick said.

Tick stressed that veterans struggling from PTSD can either stay in the war zone or come home and live a long, happy life and help the younger veterans get through their troubles, too. Tick said PTSD became a diagnoses in 1980, but it has been around for a while under other names, including battle fatigue and shell shock.

This is not a hopeless situation," Tick said. "We need to create places for veterans in every community and invite veterans into schools and community centers to educate our young to the realities of war and service. But understanding the true holistic scope of PTSD and providing our veterans what they need for healing and return, we could set a model for the nation and the world. Healing our veterans heals us all."
WOODRUFF, S.C.  Investigators discovered a third body on the property of a South Carolina man who is now linked to seven deaths and the kidnapping of a woman who was found chained inside a storage container, authorities said Monday.

Todd Kohlhepp, 45, became a suspect after the woman was found Thursday chained by her neck and ankle in a metal storage container on his 95-acre property near rural Woodruff.

The body of her boyfriend was found a day later. The couple had been missing for about two months.

The other remains were found near one another Sunday and Monday, and authorities are not sure who they are. Investigators were expected back at the property on Tuesday, but Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said he didnt think there were any more bodies.

As the coroner, thats all I have been advised of. That was the total number of bodies I was told was on the property. If I am told there are more, I will be back, he said.

Following Kohlhepps arrest, he confessed to a 2003 quadruple slaying at a motorcycle shop in the small town of Chesnee, said Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright. He was denied bond Sunday on four murder charges for gunning down the motorcycle shops owner, service manager, mechanic and bookkeeper.

Wright has said Kohlhepp gave details only the killer would know. His confession came a day before the 13th anniversary of the crime, which many feared would never be solved.

Before his confession, authorities granted him three requests, WSPA-TV reported. One was to transfer money to a girl Kohlhepp says hes helping raise, to help pay for college. The second was to give his mother a photograph, and the third was to let him talk to his mother.

Kohlhepp is charged with kidnapping the woman, and more criminal counts are expected. He has chosen to represent himself and not hire an attorney, Wright told the Spartanburg Herald-Journal.

Wright, who was first elected about a year after the Superbike Motorsports killings, is now investigating what appears to be a crime spree stretching over more than a decade.

As a teen, Kohlhepp was sentenced to 14 years in prison in Arizona for binding and raping a 14-year-old neighbor at gunpoint. Released in 2001, he managed to obtain a real estate license in South Carolina in 2006. The search for human remains has now expanded to other properties he owns or used to own, including places outside of South Carolina, Wright said Sunday. He declined to elaborate.

Kohlhepp showed investigators Saturday where he says he buried two other victims on the property he bought two years ago.

Were not even close to identifying the remains or cause of death, Wright said. We cant tell anything.

Kohlhepp did not tell investigators who was buried there. Removing the remains to preserve every bit of evidence is a meticulous, time-consuming process, the coroner said.

The gravesites Kohlhepp pointed to are in addition to the body found Friday in a shallow grave at the site. Authorities identified that victim as the boyfriend of the woman found Thursday. Clevenger said he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

The Associated Press is not naming the woman because the suspect is a sex offender, though authorities have not said whether she was sexually assaulted.

___

Kinnard reported from Spartanburg, South Carolina.
WASHINGTON  Donald Trump claimed his place Wednesday as America's 45th president, an astonishing victory for the celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalized on voters' economic anxieties, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations on his way to the White House.

His triumph over Hillary Clinton, not declared until well after midnight, will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House and threatens to undo major achievements of President Barack Obama. Trump has pledged to act quickly to repeal Obama's landmark health care law, revoke America's nuclear agreement with Iran and rewrite important trade deals with other countries, particularly Mexico and Canada.

As he claimed victory, Trump urged Americans to "come together as one united people" after a deeply divisive campaign.

Clinton called her Republican rival to concede but did not plan to speak publicly until later Wednesday. Trump, who spent much of the campaign urging his supporters on as they chanted "lock her up," said the nation owed Clinton "a major debt of gratitude" for her years of public service.

The Republican blasted through Democrats' longstanding firewall, carrying Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that hadn't voted for a GOP presidential candidate since the 1980s. He needed to win nearly all of the competitive battleground states, and he did just that, claiming Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and others.

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged, reflecting investor concern over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.

A New York real estate developer who lives in a sparkling Manhattan high-rise, Trump forged a striking connection with white, working class Americans who feel left behind in a changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of the problems plaguing many Americans and tapped into fears of terrorism emanating at home and abroad.

Trump will take office with Congress fully under Republican control. GOP Senate candidates fended off Democratic challengers in key states, including North Carolina, Indiana and Wisconsin. Republicans also maintained their grip on the House.

Senate control means Trump will have great leeway in appointing Supreme Court justices, which could mean a shift to the right that would last for decades.

Trump upended years of political convention on his way to the White House, leveling harshly personal insults on his rivals, deeming Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers, and vowing to temporarily suspend Muslim immigration to the U.S. He never released his tax returns, breaking with decades of campaign tradition, and eschewed the kind of robust data and field efforts that helped Obama win two terms in the White House, relying instead on his large, free-wheeling rallies to energize supporters. His campaign was frequently in chaos, and he cycled through three campaign managers this year.

His final campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, touted the team's accomplishments as the final results rolled in, writing on Twitter that "rally crowds matter" and "we expanded the map."

Clinton spent months warning voters that Trump was unfit and unqualified to be president. But the former senator and secretary of state struggled to articulate a clear rationale for her own candidacy.

The mood at Clinton's party grew bleak as the night wore out, with some supporters leaving, others crying and hugging each other. Top campaign aides stopped returning calls and texts, as Clinton and her family hunkered down in a luxury hotel watching the returns.

At 2 a.m., Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta told the crowd to head home for the night with the race not officially called, but the Democrat's fate all but certain.

Trump will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture.

Exit polls underscored the fractures: Women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

Doug Ratliff, a 67-year-old businessman from Richlands, Virginia, said Trump's election was one of the happiest days of his life.

"This county has had no hope," said Ratliff, who owns strip malls in an area badly beaten by the collapse of the coal industry. "Things will change. I know he's not going to be perfect. But he's got a heart. And he gives people hope."

Trump has pledged to usher in a series of sweeping changes to U.S. foreign policy, including building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and suspending immigration from countries with terrorism ties. He's also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoken of building a better relationship with Moscow, worrying some in his own party who fear he'll go easy on Putin's provocations.

The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, a reluctant Trump supporter, called the businessman earlier in the evening to congratulate him, according to a Ryan spokeswoman. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the American people "have chosen a new direction for our nation."

Obama, who campaigned vigorously for Clinton throughout the fall and hoped his own rising popularity would lift her candidacy, was silent on Trump's victory, but he is expected to invite him to the White House this week. It will be a potentially awkward meeting with the man who pushed false rumors that the president might have been born outside the United States.

Democrats, as well as some Republicans, expected Trump's unconventional candidacy would damage down-ballot races and even flip some reliably red states in the presidential race. But Trump held on to Republican territory, including in Georgia and Utah, where Clinton's campaign confidently invested resources.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in her party's hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his health care law.

But she struggled throughout the race with persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. Those troubles flared anew late in the race, when FBI Director James Comey announced a review of new emails from her tenure at the State Department. On Sunday, just two days before Election Day, Comey said there was nothing in the material to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.

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Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey, Jonathan Lemire, Lisa Lerer and Jill Colvin and AP Polling Director Emily Swanson contributed to this report.

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Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC
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Half of us want to cheer for the imminent change President-elect Donald Trump represents.

The other half feels angered, stunned or in mourning.

The reverse likely would be true if Hillary Clinton had won the way most pundits and pollsters so very incorrectly predicted she would.

But now is neither the time for gloating nor mourning if any of us truly treasure the nation in which we enjoy bountiful freedom.

In the wake of one of the most divisive election seasons on record, unity is now the panacea for healing our nation and putting the focus back on important issues at home and abroad.

Ready or not, change is coming, and not just in the Oval Office.

Hoosiers also elected a new governor Tuesday  one who demonstrated an understanding of our Regions economic development promise and pledged not to be a stranger to Northwest Indiana.

Regionites from all points of the political spectrum owe it to our collective future to hold Republican Gov.-elect Eric Holcomb to that promise.

It takes unity and common purpose to bring about that sort of accountability. It takes a voice of advocacy for our home communities.

We cant do it if we wallow in disgust or rudely gloat about our presidential candidate of choice winning or losing.

Hoosiers also chose a new senator in Republican Todd Young to fill a seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Dan Coats, who chose not to seek a new term.

Young overcame what some pollsters determined were long odds to defeat Democratic challenger and former Sen. Evan Bayh, whose popular name was supposed to carry the day.

As a new senator, Young needs both our support and our scrutiny as he endeavors to represent the Hoosier state in the U.S. Senate.

Indiana also will have a new superintendent for public instruction in Republican Jennifer McCormick.

McCormick has pledged bipartisanship in repairing a damaged and dysfunctional relationship between our states public education head and other state leaders.

She must usher in a new, yet-to-be-determined, standardized test and practices for measuring school performance.

We need to be both behind her and looking over her shoulder to ensure she accomplishes what she has promised.

Too much is at stake for us to continue the squabbling and venom that spread from prospective leaders to constituents in the 2016 election.

Its time to dust ourselves off, shake hands and get back to the work so important to our families and our future.
Finding something positive following a horrific loss seems so unlikely.

Yet one Region family has done just that, helping turn the tragic slaying of their teen daughter into an initiative aimed at saving the lives of other youth.

Their quest to replace tragedy with hope and salvation for other teens is one worth noting and encouraging.

In 2011, 19-year-old Amanda Bachs former boyfriend Dustin McCowan shot the Portage teen to death after she visited McCowans Union Township home, a jury determined.

The Portage womans partially clothed body was found the following day, less than 300 yards from the house in a wooded area along County Road 625 West at the Canadian National railroad tracks.

It was an excruciatingly painful way for Sandy and Bill Bach to lose their daughter.

But the couple and area nonprofits are continuing to honor their daughters life and legacy through a teen advisory council in Porter County. They also started the Caring Place, which created The Amanda Forum to bring awareness to youth about healthy relationships and the dangers of domestic violence.

Last month, more than 160 Lake County students and representatives from the East Chicago Central, Griffith, Munster, Hobart and Crown Point high schools participated in a forum workshop encouraging discussion about issues related to dating violence.

Through all of the pain that we live with every day, it gives us a bit of comfort knowing that sharing her story may save someone else, Bill Bach said during the October event. If we save one life, it is worth it, and we feel like its doing a lot more than that already.

A common response to tragedy is to shelter in mourning. Instead, the Bachs and their nonprofit partners are using this tragedy to help change the direction of others.

The October workshop resulted from a $3,000 grant awarded by the Munster Rotary Club. Meals were generously donated by Strack & Van Til grocery chain.

We hope this spirit of cooperation and desire to glean hope from tragedy spreads throughout Northwest Indiana.

In the end, everyones goal should be fostering a safer environment for our children and young adults.
After both presidential candidates voted in New York earlier today, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are set to watch results come in at their election parties in New York City tonight.

Clinton will spend the evening at the Javits Center on Manhattan's West Side.

She cast her ballot this morning in an elementary school near her home in Westchester.

"It is the most humbling feeling because I know how much responsibility goes with this," she said. "So many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country. And I'll do the very best I can if I'm fortunate enough to win today."

Trump, meanwhile, will be in Midtown.

His victory party is at the Hilton on Sixth Avenue, but the Republican presidential candidate posted to Twitter that he will watch returns from Trump Tower.

I will be watching the election results from Trump Tower in Manhattan with my family and friends. Very exciting!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 8, 2016

The Republican cast his ballot earlier today at P.S. 59 in Midtown.

He arrived with his wife Melania and daughter Ivanka to a mixture of cheers and boos.
Donald J. Trump addressed supporters in New York early Wednesday after he was elected president in a stunning upset against Hillary Clinton.

Credit Credit... Eric Thayer for The New York Times
(Want to get this briefing by email? Heres the sign-up.)

Good morning.

Were providing unlimited access to all New York Times digital platforms until midnight Eastern.

Heres what you need to know:

 Trump triumphs in upset.

The American voters have spoken and have elected Donald J. Trump as the 45th president of the United States. Mr. Trumps victory defied late polls showing Hillary Clinton with a modest edge.

The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer, he told supporters around 3 a.m. at a rally in New York City, just after Mrs. Clinton called to concede.
The air of uncertainty and, in some cases, dumbfoundedness, was a stark contrast to the earlier part of the evening, when the major news networks  some of which had been broadcasting at full-tilt for hours already  seemed prepared for an unusually early night.

Anchors and producers received midafternoon exit polls before voting ended on Tuesday afternoon, and those numbers showed Mrs. Clinton with a small advantage, particularly in key states. On Fox News, even as the anchors made clear the race was far from finished, there was room for some easy banter. We dont want to hear anything about this election extending beyond this evening, joked Ms. Kelly, when a guest raised the specter of a recount.

Within a few hours, gentle humor had fallen away. It is a white-knuckle kind of night, Norah ODonnell said on CBS News. Youre either opening a second bottle of wine or youre brewing a new pot of coffee.

A memorable moment occurred when Bill OReilly, the Fox News commentator who had been mostly absent from his channels coverage on Tuesday, beamed into the set, tieless, through a camera set up in his Long Island home. At the time, Florida appeared to be trending toward Mrs. Clinton, but Mr. OReilly was not having it.

Its pretty much a dead heat, he said, jousting with Charles Krauthammer, a Fox News analyst who said he believed Mrs. Clinton still had the advantage.

The exchange was an intriguing departure from what had been a mostly strait-laced evening on Fox News. While the network remains popular with conservative audiences, its new executive chairman, Rupert Murdoch, has pledged an emphasis on straight news reporting since he took over from Roger Ailes, the chairman who was forced out this summer.
For election fanatics obsessively watching the race on Tuesday, a new Silicon Valley-backed start-up called VoteCastr offered a tantalizing promise: real-time voter turnout data that could predict, throughout the day, how many votes the candidates got in seven closely contested states.

In an unprecedented experiment, VoteCastr teamed up with Slate and Vice News to publish projections hours before the polls closed, breaking with a longstanding journalistic tradition of waiting until final votes are cast in each state before reporting the results.

Their methodology involves using a team of observers in dozens of precincts in the seven swing states to assess turnout for likely voters for Donald J. Trump and Hillary Clinton, whom they have identified using surveys. The states being watched by VoteCastr were Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Some political analysts were skeptical of VoteCastrs efforts from the start, and warned that it could depress voter turnout in close states. (Writing in The Hill, the analyst Mark Plotkin called it irresponsible and downright scary and disruptive.)
LONDON  Three weeks after naming the 17-year-old makeup artist James Charles its first cover boy, CoverGirl, one of the largest cosmetics companies in the United States, has announced another first: its debut CoverGirl in a hijab.

Nura Afia, 24, a Colorado native, first started watching online beauty tutorials in 2011 while breast-feeding her baby daughter, Laila. Married at 18 and caring for a child by 19, Ms. Afia spent a great deal of time at home. It was then that she started looking on the internet for new and exciting ways to experiment with makeup. She soon saw what she felt was a gap in the market and began creating YouTube tutorials of her own.

While there was a lot of content focused around fashion and how to dress, there were still very few videos out there for the massive audience of observant Muslim girls who love beauty and are constantly on the hunt for cosmetics, Ms. Afia recalled during a telephone interview this week. I just felt there was a real void  especially in videos produced by Muslims living in the United States, and because the dramatic looks many women who wear hijab choose to wear can take real practice. So I decided to have a go at creating videos myself.
Thats a good ad, Senator Chuck Schumer said into the phone on Monday evening, putting an end to one conversation and starting another without saying hello or even changing the subject, as if anyone he spoke to would be in the middle of the same discussion.

They need it first thing in the morning, he said. All hours, Im approving ads. Four in the morning, Im looking at them.

He paused for a breath.

Thats the last one, he said.

The ad  for Katie McGinty, a Democrat running in Pennsylvania against the Republican incumbent, Patrick J. Toomey  was among the final purchases by the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee.

All but eclipsed by the presidential cage match, the question of who will control the Senate dawned on Election Day 2016, as central to the matter of how  or if  the country will be governed as the choice of Hillary Clinton or Donald J. Trump.
Senate Republicans seem to be banking on future outcomes from past results: In 2014, when Mr. de Blasio took an active role in trying to turn the Senate into Democratic hands, Republicans won seats and took a majority in the 63-seat chamber. Those efforts also led to investigations and damaging reports about the mayors fund-raising activities.

When Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo recently endorsed a pair of Democrats on Long Island, Scott Reif, a spokesman for Senate Republicans, lumped the governor  a centrist Democrat  in with radical New York City Democrats and suggested that one of the endorsed candidates was bought and paid for by Bill de Blasio.

That sort of language has also informed individual campaigns, including in the 41st Senate District in the Hudson Valley, where the incumbent, Senator Sue Serino, a first-term Republican, has accused her opponent, Terry Gipson, of advocating the extreme New York City de Blasio agenda. The Democratic challenger in the 39th District, Chris Eachus, has been labeled a Bill de Blasio Democrat. Senator George Latimer, a vulnerable Democrat in the 37th District, was criticized for imposing a New York City-style campaign finance system on the entire state.

And so on.

Part of the calculation of using Mr. de Blasio as a punching bag is based on his unpopularity in the suburbs as well as suburbanites historical mistrust of the citys more liberal policies.
When the S.U.V. was recovered, two days after it was stolen, everything inside was gone, a long and bizarre list.

More than 100 Brioni neckties. A fur coat that had been a gift from the Onassis family.

Two bronze urns that had been in the trunk, and their precious contents.

And a 1977 New York Yankees World Series ring, a personal gift from George Steinbrenner. It was inscribed, To my friend, Bill White.

That would be Bill White, the philanthropist and former chief executive of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The same Bill White who hosted a fund-raiser with President Obama in his home in 2014. Guests included Rosie ODonnell, Aretha Franklin and Mark Wahlberg.
Josh Gottheimer, a first-time Democratic candidate and former aide to President Bill Clinton, defeated Representative Scott Garrett of New Jersey on Tuesday, ending a bruising campaign for a seat that both parties had targeted in seeking gains in their battle for control of the House.

The race was marked by negative advertising and a flood of outside money, as Democrats sought to unseat Mr. Garrett, a seven-term Republican incumbent who was one of the most conservative members of Congress.

With 97 percent of precincts reporting, Mr. Gottheimer held a nearly four-point lead. Mr. Gottheimer declared victory shortly after midnight, although Mr. Garrett did not immediately concede.

They said this couldnt happen, that our district was just too partisan, too entrenched, Mr. Gottheimer said at his victory party, which his campaign streamed on Facebook Live. But handshake by handshake, call by call, living room by living room, vote by vote, you, all of you proved them wrong.
As the struggle for control of the Senate played out in swing states across the country on Tuesday night, the Democrats were quickly assured of preserving one of their safest seats: Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, as expected, was re-elected to a fourth term  clearing the way for him to become his partys leader in the Senate.

Mr. Schumer easily flicked away his Republican challenger, Wendy E. Long, who had eagerly embraced the outsider ethos and convention-defying policy positions of Donald J. Trump, the Republican nominee for president, riding New Yorks Democratic majority and his own deep name recognition to a nearly effortless victory.

Mr. Schumer will succeed Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, who is retiring, as the chambers Democratic leader.

Mr. Schumer, a former congressman from Brooklyn who was first elected to the Senate in 1998, rumbled past Ms. Long, a Manhattan lawyer whose only other foray into electoral politics  as Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrands Republican opponent four years ago  also ended in double-digit defeat.
Republicans on Long Island turned back challenges from Democrats in several State Senate races on Tuesday, most likely stymying the Democratic Partys bid for control of both chambers of the State Legislature.

Two incumbent Republican state senators, Carl Marcellino and Kemp Hannon, in the Fifth and Sixth Districts, in Nassau County, seemed to have won narrow victories. In the nearby Seventh District, Adam Haber, a Democrat and local businessman, was beaten by Elaine Phillips, the Republican mayor of the village of Flower Hill, on the North Shore.

Results were less certain in the Eighth District, where Michael Venditto, the Republican, was struggling to secure a second term against John Brooks, the Democratic challenger.

Republicans have dominated the State Senate for most of the past 50 years. But after the conviction in December of Dean G. Skelos, a Long Island Republican who had served as majority leader, Democrats were able to pick up a seat when Todd Kaminsky was elected to finish Mr. Skeloss term in a special election in April, giving his party a numerical majority. Republicans have been clinging to power only by dint of an alliance with a Democrat, Simcha Felder of Brooklyn.
Updated, 11:01 a.m

Good morning on this gloomy Wednesday.

We knew there would be a winner, and we knew there would be a loser.

In the end, Donald J. Trump, the real-estate developer from Queens, triumphed.

But perhaps we didnt expect, based on the election forecasts, to be kept on the edge of our seats for as long as we were.

Even at the candidates post-election festivities, both held in New York City, supporters were holding their breath until the very end.
Almost everyone Jared Rosenthal does business with has a secret or a suspicion, something they hold close and keep confidential and do not share even with those nearest to them.

But they tell Mr. Rosenthal.

He is not a priest or a psychologist. He is not a doctor or a lawyer.

He is the owner of two trucks, each emblazoned with a slogan as blunt as it is effective, posing a simple question: Whos your daddy?

The trucks  recreational vehicles that have been converted into rolling laboratories offering on-the-spot DNA testing  invariably attract stares and questions when they appear around New York City, and might seem like unlikely confessionals.

But Mr. Rosenthal, 46, said the trucks have been extraordinarily effective marketing tools, and that with DNA testing, intimate stories of intrigue and revelation are never far.
The narrative that grew up around H.B. 2  officially, the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act  turned town against country by persuading both that ones idea of common sense is the others worst nightmare. It stymied the long-running efforts of activists to persuade rural whites to join a progressive interracial coalition.

The truth is that the cities and counties have plenty in common. Dwight Mullen, a political scientist at the University of North Carolina at Asheville who collects statistics on the struggles of local African-Americans, told me that what the data clearly show are that poor whites in Appalachia are the socio-economic cousins of African-Americans in the city. Replace Nascar with the N.B.A., and all of the sudden we start having very similar interests.

This is the point that the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, president of the North Carolina N.A.A.C.P., has made at rallies from the mountains to the coast, where he has interlaced hard socio-economic facts with quotes from the Psalms and Hebrew Prophets  all to weave a common story of suffering in this state. You can feel the mood is beginning to change, that people are understanding that theyre voting against their own self-interest, said Wanda Woodby, who helped found a new branch of the N.A.A.C.P. in the western part of the state. But then the transgender issue popped up.

Moreover, facts and prayers didnt work so well in the shadow of a presidential candidate who encouraged his supporters to ignore reality and dismiss the Golden Rule as rigged. Mr. Trump turned the 2016 election into an anti-fact crusade in which laughably vague promises masqueraded as common-sense policy proposals.

He also showed a genius for manipulating the anxieties of evangelicals. In the South, we have these traditions of reading the Bible as a story of a God who affirms our fears and fights on our side and is going to destroy our enemies in the end, said Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, a progressive Baptist activist in Durham who collaborates with Dr. Barber. Very faithful people will say that his instrument right now is Donald Trump.
When China took control of Hong Kong from Britain in 1997, it signed an agreement guaranteeing the city a high degree of political autonomy for 50 years under the one country, two systems doctrine. On Monday, Beijing took a step away from that commitment, putting at risk the political stability and rule-based governance that have made Hong Kong a free-market mecca.

China intervened to effectively block two politicians, Sixtus Leung, 30, and Yau Wai-ching, 25, who were elected in September to the Hong Kong Legislature, from taking their seats. Their crime? Last month, at a swearing-in ceremony, they displayed a Hong Kong is not China banner; Mr. Leung used a derogatory term for China in his oath, and Ms. Yau used an obscenity. They support independence for Hong Kong. Beijings leaders consider such support a national security threat that must be crushed.

Hong Kong is governed under the Basic Law, a charter negotiated by China and Britain before the 1997 handover. It ensured Hong Kong its freedoms, including an independent judiciary. It also gives Chinas Parliament the right to interpret the law, but until Monday, Beijing had not issued its own interpretation of any clause in the Basic Law without being asked for an interpretation by the Hong Kong government or judiciary. In this case, it intervened to say that office holders must sincerely and solemnly take loyalty oaths.

Beijings unilateral move was a heavy-handed attempt to silence democratic voices. And it raised new questions about Chinas willingness to reinterpret agreements for its own benefit.
In New York City, where public education is profoundly segregated by race and income, the anger and dismay over a plan to diversify a couple of elementary schools on the Upper West Side of Manhattan are not terribly unusual. Few issues get the city more riled  or put liberal values more to the test  than battles over housing and schools, complicated by old injustices and deep divisions of ethnicity and class.

Public School 199 is the good school  mostly white, with high test scores and lots of money. It is also severely overcrowded and has one of the longest waiting lists in the city. Public School 191, not far away, is the bad school, with low test scores, deep money woes, a reputation (undeserved) for being unsafe and a student body that is mostly black and Latino and mostly poor. It has a dynamic young principal, who has improved some test scores, but it still has lots of unused capacity.

Years of debate and stalemate have led this month to a moment of truth. The Department of Education had first proposed simply redrawing zones to send more children from P.S. 199 to P.S. 191. A predictable furor erupted, and last year the board backed down. Since then, the elected parent group from the local district, the Community Education Council, has united behind a more complicated plan to carve up the district and move children and schools around. P.S. 191 would get a new building a block away, and a fresh start. Part of a sprawling condo development, Lincoln Towers  middle class, mostly white  would be rezoned to P.S. 191 from P.S. 199. Another well-regarded school, P.S. 452, would move several blocks downtown, into P.S. 191s old building.
In other places with similar histories of discrimination, officials have closed polling places, creating longer lines and making it difficult, if not impossible, for people in minority communities to vote. In Texas, the number of voting locations has been reduced by more than 400. In Arizona, nearly every county closed at least one voting location; about 60 percent of counties in Louisiana and numerous counties in Alabama did so as well. A vast majority of these closings would have been blocked had the Voting Rights Act not been eviscerated by the Roberts Court.

That law had required nine states and many counties with long records of voting discrimination  primarily in the South, but also in places like Arizona, Alaska and New York  to seek federal approval, or preclearance, before making changes to their laws. Hundreds of discriminatory laws and practices were blocked over the years  until 2013, when the Supreme Court struck down the preapproval requirement, as applied to those states and counties, as no longer addressing current conditions and as an unconstitutional burden on state sovereignty.

Why? Because things have changed dramatically, according to Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., who wrote the 5-to-4 majority opinion in Shelby County v. Holder. With that decision, he and the other justices in the majority set back the cause of racial equality at the voting booth by decades.

The past three years have confirmed just how naive the chief justices words were. Right after the courts decision, lawmakers in North Carolina passed a stunningly broad anti-voter law, while Texas revived its own absurdly strict voter-ID law that had already been blocked by the federal government.

Last summer, federal appeals courts found that both states laws discriminated against minorities, but voters, poll workers and government officials were confused, even on Election Day, about what the current rules were.
About 20 million people now have health insurance because of Obamacare, according to government estimates. But will they vote?

Civis Analytics, a Democratic polling and data firm, has developed a detailed model to determine which Americans are likely to vote in this election. In collaboration with Enroll America, they have also developed estimates about precisely who got the new health insurance.

So we asked them: How much overlap is there between the two groups?

The answer is some, but it looks like many newly insured Americans probably wont participate in the election. The biggest reductions in the uninsured rate came among those adults who were not registered to vote or who were registered but had not voted in the last two elections. The uninsured rate declined nearly 8 percentage points among the nonregistered. Among people who were registered voters but had not voted in the last two elections, the uninsured rate fell 11 percentage points. By comparison, among the group of people whod voted in both elections, the uninsurance rate dropped about 6 percentage points.

There are some things that may change that, but, really, what we find is that people who have voted in the past are likely to vote, and people who have not voted in the past are not likely to vote, said Amos Budde, a data scientist at Civis.
AZUSA, Calif.  A gunman with a high-powered rifle was found dead inside a home in a suburb of Los Angeles on Tuesday after shooting at police officers who responded to a report of gunfire and found one person fatally shot and two others critically injured, the authorities said.

It was not clear if the gunman  a man whose identity was not immediately known  died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound or had been shot by the police, Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department said at a news conference.

Were in the process of trying to figure out why this happened and who this person is and what exactly made him snap, he said.

The victim who was fatally shot was a man, but no details were immediately available about him. The two other victims, women ages 65 and 59, were in really critical condition, Lieutenant Corina said. We dont know whats going to happen to them, he said.
Californians also sent the first black woman to the United States Senate since Carol Moseley Braun in 1999. Attorney General Kamala Harris easily defeated Representative Loretta Sanchez in the states first Democrat-only race, the result of the top-two primary system.

Bullet Train to Nowhere : Construction of the California high-speed rail system, Americas most ambitious infrastructure project, Construction of the California high-speed rail system, Americas most ambitious infrastructure project, has become a multi-billion-dollar nightmare

A Piece of Black History Destroyed: Lincoln Heights  a historically Black community in a predominantly white, rural county in Northern California  endured for decades. Lincoln Heights  a historically Black community in a predominantly white, rural county in Northern California  endured for decades. Then came the Mill fire

Warehouse Moratorium: As warehouse construction balloons nationwide, residents in communities both rural and urban have pushed back. In Californias Inland Empire, As warehouse construction balloons nationwide, residents in communities both rural and urban have pushed back. In Californias Inland Empire, the anger has turned to widespread action

I intend to fight for a state that has the largest number of immigrants, documented and undocumented, Ms. Harris told a crowd of supporters. Our ideals are at stake right now  and we need to fight for our ideals.

California will join four other states and the District of Columbia where recreational marijuana is allowed, and the decision could open the door to federal legalization.

The passage of the measure will allow residents older than 21 to grow up to six cannabis plants at home and an ounce of marijuana. It also allows the state, county and city government to regulate and tax the growth and sale of marijuana.

Voters also passed a measure supported by Gov. Jerry Brown that would increase the number of nonviolent inmates eligible for parole and allow the inmates to earn credit for good behavior. The measure was aimed at reducing the states prison population and rolling back some of the tough-on-crime measures Governor Brown once championed.
In a surprise development late Tuesday, a federal judge in Charleston, S.C., ordered a competency evaluation and delayed jury selection in the death penalty trial of Dylann S. Roof, the avowed white supremacist accused of killing nine worshipers at Emanuel A.M.E. Church in June 2015.

The District Court judge, Richard M. Gergel, wrote in a brief order that an issue has arisen concerning the defendants competency to stand trial and explained that he was required to order the evaluation and conduct a hearing, which he scheduled for Nov. 16. He reset jury selection, which was to have started this week, for Nov. 21.

There was no further explanation, but Judge Gergel held a closed hearing on Monday, with only Mr. Roof and his lawyers present, that presumably dealt with the late-breaking issues. A sealed motion had been filed on Sunday by one of Mr. Roofs lawyers, and a scheduled break for Election Day had already delayed until Wednesday the start of jury selection, which was expected to last for several weeks.

Judge Gergel wrote that he was mindful that this delay in jury selection may be disappointing to some, but it is the courts duty to conduct a fair trial and follow procedures which protect the legal rights of the defendant.
I told him quite candidly, Mr. Prettyman recalled in 1996 in an oral history interview with the Historical Society of the District of Columbia Circuit, that it sounded more like a dissent than a concurring opinion.

After Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson died in 1953, his successor, Earl Warren, presented Jackson with a draft of what would become the final Brown decision. After reviewing it, Mr. Prettyman, by his account, told Jackson, You know, it meets a lot of the problems that you had, as expressed in your unpublished opinion, and while it certainly doesnt contain a lot of law, it makes sense, it hangs together, it doesnt offend people, it reads well, anybody can understand it.

Jackson, he said, replied, Exactly.

On May 17, 1954, the court ruled unequivocally that, in the field of public education, the doctrine of separate but equal has no place.

In his book, Mr. Kluger concluded: It is doubtful if any of the many excellent young men who have come fresh out of the law schools or soon thereafter to serve the justices of the Supreme Court ever served more faithfully or usefully than Barrett Prettyman served Robert Jackson. What part Prettymans memo played will never be known, but it is a fact that Jackson, having written this much on the segregation cases, wrote no more.

In 1962, Mr. Prettyman, a lifelong Democrat, was recruited to help the Kennedy administration, covertly, to speed the donation and shipment of more than $50 million in agricultural and medical supplies to Cuba as ransom for more than 1,000 hapless Cuban exiles who had been captured the year before while trying to retake their homeland from Fidel Castro.

Unbeknown to Mr. Castro, the supplies included surplus products that American companies were dumping as a way to take tax deductions. To prevent Mr. Castro from immediately finding out, Mr. Prettyman flew to Havana and persuaded him to accompany him for the day on a visit to Ernest Hemingways old house outside Havana. By the time they returned to the docks, all Mr. Castro could see was a bountiful supply of baby food.

I did get in the fact that because of the way we had to load, he might be getting some things he could throw away, but by then he was sufficiently pleased with what hed seen, Mr. Prettyman said, and he ordered that the prisoners could start to leave right away.
Older white and conservative voters propelled him to victory every four years for six elections, pumping millions of dollars into his campaign. But his dominance waned as he faced more legal challenges and opposition from a growing number of Latinos, who this year accounted for almost 20 percent of all registered voters in the state. Latinos are poised to become a majority in Arizona by 2030.

Even as Maricopa County, the states largest, spent tens of millions of dollars in Sheriff Arpaios legal defense  he has also faced numerous lawsuits over abuse and faulty medical care in the several jails he runs  he claimed that he saved taxpayers money.

His focus on immigration enforcement intensified as hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants were crossing into Arizona. For a time, the federal government enabled his activities, allowing some of his deputies to act as immigration agents and, with that, to selectively target Latinos on the streets and at work.

Sheriff Arpaio plunged into the illegal immigration debate in 2005, after an Army reservist named Patrick Haab detained seven undocumented immigrants at gunpoint in the desert. The sheriff ordered Mr. Haab arrested, saying, Being illegal is not a serious crime.

The Maricopa County attorney at the time, Andrew Thomas, refused to prosecute Mr. Haab, though, holding him up as a sort of folk hero who was simply exercising his rights as a citizen.

You could almost see a light bulb go off as Arpaio watched the positive reaction from the public, recalled Paul K. Charlton, who served as United States attorney for Arizona from 2001 to 2007. From that point on, we lost him.

In 2005, an Arizona law made it a felony to smuggle people for profit in the state, and Mr. Thomas, who has since been disbarred, interpreted the law as one that criminalizes both smugglers and those being smuggled, effectively giving the sheriff carte blanche to carry out his arrests of unauthorized immigrants.
The last election night that two New Yorkers duked it out for the presidency, a guy named Dewey set up camp at a hotel named Roosevelt.

The year was 1944, and Thomas E. Dewey, the G.O.P. candidate and the governor of New York, conceded to his Democratic opponent, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, at the Republican National Headquarters at the Hotel Roosevelt. The hotel was named for Roosevelts cousin, former President Theodore Roosevelt.

Roosevelt had soundly defeated Dewey in the Electoral College vote, 432 to 99, and Dewey gave his concession statement just after 3 a.m. on Nov. 8.
Mr. McCain nonetheless endorsed Mr. Trump, justifying his decision not as a personal choice but as a matter of respect for his party. His support was fleeting. He withdrew it last month, prompted, he said, by Mr. Trumps demeaning comments about women and his boasts about sexual assaults.

Ms. Kirkpatrick, 66, embraced the positions pushed by Hillary Clinton, banking on support from Latino voters, moderate independent voters and disaffected middle-of-the-road Republicans to propel her to victory.

Mr. McCain was buoyed by a deep campaign war chest and by help from the Republican establishment. Last week, Mitt Romney, the partys nominee in 2012, stumped for him in Arizona.

Mr. McCain seized on Ms. Kirkpatricks support of President Obamas Affordable Care Act as a main point of attack. In ads, his campaign assailed her for calling her vote for the program her proudest moment in Congress and declared her too liberal for Arizona.
His candidacy unfolded in much the same way: as the rampage of an aggrieved outsider, aligned more with the cultural sensibilities of blue-collar whites than with his peers in society.

On the first day of his run  June 16, 2015  Mr. Trump drew a direct parallel between his determined quest for success in New York and his entry into the political arena.

Addressing a crowd made up largely of reporters in the atrium of Trump Tower, Mr. Trump noted that political seers had predicted, Hell never run. Seconds later, he mused that his father, Fred Trump, had urged him never to compete in the big leagues of Manhattan.

We dont know anything about that. Dont do it, Mr. Trump quoted his father as saying. I said, Ive got to go into Manhattan. Ive got to build those big buildings. Ive got to do it, Dad. Ive got to do it.
Global markets swooned overnight but stabilized as investors considered the possibility that Mr. Trumps mix of policies might bolster the economy.. News of Mr. Trumps election was met with a mix of shock, uncertainty and some congratulations around the world.

Clinton calls her loss painful, but urges unity.

 Mrs. Clinton thanked her supporters in her concession speech, and said that she felt pride in the campaign she ran.

 Of Mr. Trump, Mrs. Clinton said she hoped that he would be a successful president for all Americans, and that she respected and cherished the peaceful transition of power. She told her supporters that they must accept that Mr. Trump would be president. We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead, she said. But she also acknowledged that the country was more divided than she had realized.

 After a long campaign, Mrs. Clinton acknowledged that the loss cuts deep. This is painful, and it will be for a long time, she said. She also expressed regret that she did not shatter the glass ceiling, but said, Someday, someone will, and hopefully sooner than we might think right now.

 Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, who spoke before Mrs. Clinton, said, Im proud of Hillary Clinton because she has been and is a great history maker, pointing to her long career of public service. He saluted her for winning the popular vote in the election, drawing cheers.
We held the line, said Barbara Madeloni, the president of the states largest teachers union, the Massachusetts Teachers Association. She added, Money cant buy our public schools.

Bullet Train to Nowhere : Construction of the California high-speed rail system, Americas most ambitious infrastructure project, Construction of the California high-speed rail system, Americas most ambitious infrastructure project, has become a multi-billion-dollar nightmare

A Piece of Black History Destroyed: Lincoln Heights  a historically Black community in a predominantly white, rural county in Northern California  endured for decades. Lincoln Heights  a historically Black community in a predominantly white, rural county in Northern California  endured for decades. Then came the Mill fire

Warehouse Moratorium: As warehouse construction balloons nationwide, residents in communities both rural and urban have pushed back. In Californias Inland Empire, As warehouse construction balloons nationwide, residents in communities both rural and urban have pushed back. In Californias Inland Empire, the anger has turned to widespread action

The initiative, which would have allowed up to 12 new charter schools to open in the state each year, became the most hotly contested election issue in deeply Democratic Massachusetts, with spending on the question shattering state records as the campaign turned into a pitched battle over the role of charter schools and unions in the public school system.

There was little dispute from either side that the existing 78 charter schools had performed well. But the state caps how much money communities can send to charter schools, and nine communities, including Boston, have hit the cap or can open only one more school, and thus have long wait lists. The battle turned to the question of equality: Would creating more charters help close the achievement gap for minority children in those cities? Or would it drain money from traditional public schools and create a tiered education system?

Opponents spent about $15 million trying to defeat the initiative, hoping to show that unions in Massachusetts still have the clout to stop the charter movement, which has expanded rapidly in other parts of the country.

JESS BIDGOOD

Four States Approve Higher Minimum Wages

Voters in four states  Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington  approved initiatives to increase minimum wages, furthering a national trend toward greater compensation and benefits for the countrys lowest-paid workers.

The proposals that were approved will elevate the states wage floors to amounts ranging from $12 to $13.50 an hour by 2020. Voters in a fifth state, South Dakota, rejected, by a large margin, a measure to exclude teenage workers from an across-the-board increase that passed in 2014.

Since 2009, when Congress passed the current floor of $7.25 an hour, President Obama has struggled to rally support for increasing the federal minimum wage. State and local governments have taken on the matter themselves; 18 states have increased their wage floors since 2013, as have dozens of cities, including Santa Fe, N.M., and Lexington, Ky.
Three in five voters said the country was seriously on the wrong track and about the same number said the economy was either not good or poor. Two-thirds said their personal financial situation was either worse or the same as it was four years ago. About one in three voters said they expected life to be worse for the next generation.

Mr. Trumps unusual assault on the impartiality of the countrys elections appeared to have an effect, but mostly among his supporters. Nearly seven in 10 of Mrs. Clintons voters were very confident that the votes in their state would be counted accurately. But fewer than three in 10 of Mr. Trumps supporters said they were very confident.

Some demographic trends seem to be hardening. Twelve years ago, George W. Bush made inroads with Hispanic voters who many Republicans confidently said would form the basis of an enduring conservative majority. But todays Republican Party is repelling them. Mr. Trumps performance among Hispanics, at 29 percent of the vote, was similar to Mitt Romneys in 2012, but far below Mr. Bushs 44 percent support in 2004.
Pat McCrory, North Carolinas Republican governor, trailing by only a few thousand votes in one of the countrys most volatile and expensive races, said early Wednesday that he would not concede the contest until at least Nov. 18, after votes are scrutinized county by county.

The democratic process is going to proceed in North Carolina for a while, Mr. McCrory said, on the same night that his Democratic rival, Attorney General Roy Cooper, declared victory. The State Board of Elections reported early Wednesday that, with all of North Carolinas precincts reporting, Mr. Cooper led Mr. McCrory by fewer than 5,000 votes out of more than 4.6 million that were cast.

The North Carolina contest had been one of only a few governors races where existing Republican control was considered to be in jeopardy. Mr. McCrory, battered by his support for a law that curbed transgender rights and the subsequent fallout, struggled, even as Donald J. Trump won the state handily.

Patrick Gannon, a spokesman for the State Board of Elections, said that all counties would begin reviewing thousands of provisional ballots between now and Nov. 18, the date that all counties must canvass, or certify, their vote counts. At that time, if the trailing candidate is within 10,000 votes, he may ask for a recount under North Carolina law.
On Tuesday, the publics verdict was rendered.

Uncertainty abounds as Mr. Trump prepares to take office. His campaign featured a shape-shifting list of policy proposals, often seeming to change hour to hour. His staff was in constant turmoil, with Mr. Trumps children serving critical campaign roles and a rotating cast of advisers alternately seeking access to Mr. Trumps ear, losing it and, often, regaining it, depending on the day.

Even Mr. Trumps full embrace of the Republican Party came exceedingly late in life, leaving members of both parties unsure about what he truly believes. He has donated heavily to both parties and has long described his politics as the transactional reality of a businessman.

Mr. Trumps dozens of business entanglements  many of them in foreign countries  will follow him into the Oval Office, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest. His refusal to release his tax returns, and his acknowledgment that he did not pay federal income taxes for years, has left the American people with considerable gaps in their understanding of the financial dealings.

But this they do know: Mr. Trump will thoroughly reimagine the tone, standards and expectations of the presidency, molding it in his own self-aggrandizing image.

He is set to take the oath of office on Jan. 20.
It did not help Mr. Kirks chances that only days before the election, he seemed to denigrate the background of Ms. Duckworth, 48, a military veteran who lost her legs in the Iraq war after the Black Hawk helicopter she was co-piloting was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade in 2004. Ms. Duckworth was born in Bangkok to a Thai mother of Chinese descent, and her father was a Vietnam War veteran. She has been in the House since 2013 and worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs before that.

The re-election effort of Mr. Kirk, 57, a former Naval reservist who previously served in the House of Representatives, was complicated by a medical problem. Mr. Kirk had a stroke in January 2012, and he was sidelined for about a year during his first term in the Senate to undergo operations and rehabilitation.
I think of this victory in California as a major victory, said Lauren Mendelsohn, the chairwoman of the board of directors of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, a group that has campaigned against the governments war on drugs. It shows the whole country that prohibition is not the answer to the marijuana question.

Ms. Mendelsohn spoke at a celebration in Oakland for the passage of Proposition 64, as Californias legalization measure was known.

Supporters of legalization in California vastly outspent opponents.

As of Nov. 6, pro-legalization committees in the state had raised around $23 million, according to the California secretary of states office. Chief among the backers were marijuana companies and tech entrepreneurs, including Sean Parker, a founder of the file-sharing service Napster and a former president of Facebook, who was the single largest donor to the campaign. The anti-legalization campaign had spent less than $2 million in California.

Kevin Sabet, the president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, one of the countrys major funders against marijuana legalization initiatives, attributed the imbalance in campaign spending to investments by marijuana companies hoping to profit if the industry was legalized.

Theres a lot of money to be made if marijuana is legal, not a lot of money to be made if it remains illegal, he said.

Opponents of legalization say the adoption of medical marijuana laws in more than 25 states has led to a popular perception that cannabis is good for you. They have called for more studies on the drugs long-term effects, particularly on the developing brains of young people.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.  Senator Roy Blunt, Republican of Missouri, staved off an unexpectedly strong challenge on Tuesday from Jason Kander, Missouris secretary of state, to hold a seat Republicans had counted on to help maintain their Senate majority.

Missouri was not expected to be one of the prime battlegrounds in the fight for control of the Senate. But Mr. Blunt, 66, had to fend off accusations that he was the very type of Washington insider that his partys presidential nominee, Donald J. Trump, built his campaign against. And although Missouri has been a reliably red state in recent years, Mr. Blunts support of Mr. Trump also turned off some of the moderate voters who had traditionally backed him.

Mr. Blunt also had to confront a candidate as well positioned as a Democrat can be in a right-leaning state like Missouri. Mr. Kander is a military veteran who was viewed as a long shot when he announced his candidacy last year. But he surged in the polls after releasing an ad in which he put together an assault rifle while wearing a blindfold, trumpeting his support for a background check law and taunting his opponent over who really knew their way around firearms in this gun-loving state.
Mr. Heck, 55, a physician and Iraq war veteran, tried to emphasize a record of across-the-aisle compromise. But he was tripped up by Mr. Trumps statements on immigration, veterans and women, observers said.

Mr. Heck started off critical of Mr. Trump during the primary contests, then threw his support behind him after his nomination, only to call in October for Mr. Trump to step down.

He was doing a good job trying to thread the middle and not alienate the base until the whole Donald Trump thing, said David Damore, a professor of political science at the University of Nevada. Then it was like he couldnt say anything right.

Mr. Heck relied on the financial backing of groups outside the state  including money from the conservative activists Charles G. and David H. Koch.
But in the end, some candidates who rejected Mr. Trump prevailed, others who abandoned him lost and those who tried to avoid the question of his candidacy did fine. Mr. Portman, who started off as a provisional underdog, began an early attack on his opponent, Ted Strickland, the former Ohio governor, over job losses during Mr. Stricklands tenure. His no-stone-unturned campaign  which even included radio ads in Ukrainian  and a big volunteer network helped him compensate for a less robust turnout operation from the top of the ticket.

The Republican Partys task appeared to get infinitely more difficult when its voters chose Mr. Trump to head the ticket. Suddenly, the divisiveness was coming not from challengers to the incumbents but from the man running for president who railed against Washington politicians, including many of those seeking re-election.

Most Senate candidates initially remained mum about Mr. Trumps candidacy, but they were forced, often awkwardly, to react to his many contentious statements.

Mr. McCain and Ms. Ayotte eventually broke with their partys nominee, saying they could not support his quest for the White House. But Mr. McCain did so not after Mr. Trump insulted him personally or after Mr. Trump offended a Gold Star family, but only when Mr. McCain had obtained a comfortable lead. Ms. Ayotte rejected Mr. Trump after various tortured moments, which cost her support. Mr. Portman stuck to his position of supporting Mr. Trump while largely distancing himself from his remarks.

In Nevada, Mr. Heck, seeking the seat vacated by Mr. Reid, the Democratic leader, renounced Mr. Trump, only to incur a fierce backlash from Trump supporters. Ms. Cortez Masto, who had Mr. Reids strong backing, will become the nations first Latina senator.

Some themes of the election transcended partisanship. Mr. Blunt, Republican of Missouri, and Mr. Bayh were hit repeatedly for their ties to lobbyists. Mr. Bayh, who began his race with a double-digit lead in polls over Mr. Young, was swamped by negative ads paid for by outside political groups that painted him as out of touch with his state and too in touch with Washingtons insider culture.
Late in the campaign, Ms. Ross called attention to an Oct. 29 recording of Mr. Burr in which he said he was a little bit shocked that a National Rifle Association magazine with a picture of Hillary Clinton on it did not have a bulls-eye over the candidate. On the tape, Mr. Burr also vowed that if Mrs. Clinton were elected, he would work to keep her from filling the vacancy on the Supreme Court.

Mr. Burr, known for wearing shoes without socks in the Senate, worried some Republican leaders with his decidedly mellow attitude toward campaigning. But both sides viewed Ms. Ross as vulnerable because of her A.C.L.U. background, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee blanketed the airwaves with ads claiming that Ms. Ross opposed a state sex offender registry, an allegation Ms. Ross strongly rebutted.

In a state with numerous military bases and veterans, Mr. Burr, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, emphasized his national security credentials, trumpeting, among other things, a bill he had sponsored that would prevent President Obama from closing the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Since she registered to vote when she was 19, Rosanell Eaton, 95, a lifelong resident of North Carolina, has navigated around efforts to disenfranchise and intimidate her.

The granddaughter of a slave, Ms. Eaton was forced to recite the preamble of the United States Constitution as part of a literacy test to gain the right to vote. Someone planted a burning cross in her yard when she joined the N.A.A.C.P. and registered black voters.

In 2013, her right to vote was once again challenged after the United States Supreme Court effectively struck down the heart of the Voting Rights Act. The name on her birth certificate and voter registration card did not match, invalidating her vote under North Carolinas new voter ID law, which was enacted after the court decision. That law was blocked by the Supreme Court in August, but concerns about voter confusion and intimidation remain.

Ms. Eaton spent Election Day monitoring her polling location outside of Louisburg, N.C., watching for problems and conducting exit interviews. She said she was determined to ensure that everyone could exercise their right to vote.
At a family restaurant in Sturtevant, Wis., Jane Michalek, 53, stabbed a fork into her taco salad, grousing about the steep increase in her health care premiums since she retired three years ago. Her date, Jim Harnden, 55, said a rising tide of leftist politics had left conservative Americans isolated.

Young people are always socialists, Mr. Harnden said. Women are socialists, too. White men really did build this country, and now theyre a minority.

Most of Mrs. Clintons supporters believe that life is getting better for people like them, according to studies by the Pew Research Center. The vast majority of Mr. Trumps supporters do not.

No one cares. People are scared, said Pamela Bojtos Lent, 52, a Democrat from Brownsville, Pa., who cast her vote for Mr. Trump with her children and grandchildren in mind. As bad as it is now, if it doesnt go to the flip side, what happens next? Theyre all going to work in fast-food restaurants.

In the wake of a campaign that exposed rich seams of misogyny and prejudice marbled through American politics, the prospects for any kind of national harmony looked bleak on Election Day. Most voters said in a New York Times/CBS News poll just before the election that the campaign had left them disgusted. In exit polls Tuesday, the idea of either candidates taking office made most voters concerned or scared.

Many Americans came out to vote against someone, not for someone.

Im down here to vote against Trump, said Estraya Ingel, a middle-aged blackjack dealer in the Centennial Hills neighborhood of Las Vegas, where the citys sprawl tapers into the former horse ranches and scrub brush of rural Nevada. A worn brown vinyl purse hung from her left arm, and she stared down at the cracked pavement. The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Ms. Ingel said she had never failed to vote since turning 18.
Jessica Huseman, Senior reporting fellow at ProPublica: We\u2019re at CUNY Newsroom which pro-public has set up for Electionland\u2026 TEXT CARD More than 250 news organizations and 14 journalism schools joined efforts to monitor the first election without full protection of the Voting Rights Act. Jessica Huseman This center is set up to track things that prevent people from voting or prevent people from voting in a timely way. That is typically issues with election administration broken voting machines long lines because there are not enough polling places poll workers giving wrong instructions to voters 1.52 we have people who are who are feeding us information we have graduate students from Columbia and CUNY school of journalism here. And we also have what are called catchers which take the information from students and make sure that its authentic and well-packaged so that that can go to reporters Darius Johnson, Columbia Journalism Schoo It feels like I am a detective and it also feels like Im just like this hard news journalist again Im working in the NEWSROOM call and verifying trying to get things as if Im working on a story.  TRUMP BITE ON rigged elections here: there is no evidence to suggest that voter fraud is a widespread problem at all. There was a 2014 study that was posted by the Washington Post that took ballots from 2000 and 2004 and seen more than a billion ballots cast and within those billion ballots only found 31 credible instances of in-person voter fraud which is the type of fraud that Donald Trump has been talking about when he tells us that if the election is rigged \u2026.. NATPOP - TRUMP - \u201cYou have to get everybody to get out there and watch DARIUS There was a woman in Pennsylvania who said that there was voter intimidation going on at one of the polling places where citizens were individualise once they came in by political party. So if you are a Democrat you were voting at the booth with the blue curtain if you were a Republican you are voting at a booth with a red curtain. So that was something that was very interesting to me and I reached out she did tell me what happened but I found it hard to be able to verify. The actual location of where it was taking place Caitlin Healy, Columbia Journalism School I caught about five minutes ago a county clerk in Michigan announced that voters had to have their photo I.D. when in reality they didnt they could vote they could sign an affidavit saying that they didnt have photo ID and then still be allowed to vote Jessica statistically you have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than coming across in case of in-person voter fraud. 4.00 So our students have key words programmed into TweetDeck to look for things on Twitter. Were also looking for things on Facebook signal and Instagram Darius Johnson, Columbia Journalism School [00:31:38] Key words strike attention voter intimidation long lines down the block home to hours on what else. Rigged. Ive done Philly Ive done Imay politics. Caitlin Healy, Columbia Journalism School 22.30 is its pretty finely tuned machine right now in this newsroom and it feels like the way campaigns are going to be the early elections are going to be covered in the future. [00:08:13] 10.00 So we have noticed that in previous elections the focus has been more on the horse race Its not been really about whether or not people could cast a ballot who tried to cast a ballot. And so the coverage weve seen has been the next day and thats after anybody could do anything about it. So were hoping that if we can put cameras we can put reporters out in front of long lines out in front of polling places with broken machines out in front of polling places where admit were polling workers are not following the law then we can fix those problems really quickly and do something about it today instead of learning lessons from it for next time.
JERUSALEM  Donald J. Trumps stunning election victory on Tuesday night rippled way beyond the nations boundaries, upending an international order that prevailed for decades and raising profound questions about Americas place in the world.

For the first time since before World War II, Americans chose a president who promised to reverse the internationalism practiced by predecessors of both parties and to build walls both physical and metaphorical. Mr. Trumps win foreshadowed an America more focused on its own affairs while leaving the world to take care of itself.

The outsider revolution that propelled him to power over the Washington establishment of both political parties also reflected a fundamental shift in international politics evidenced already this year by events like Britains referendum vote to leave the European Union. Mr. Trumps success could fuel the populist, nativist, nationalist, closed-border movements already so evident in Europe and spreading to other parts of the world.

Global markets fell after Tuesdays election and many around the world scrambled to figure out what it might mean in parochial terms. For Mexico, it seemed to presage a new era of confrontation with its northern neighbor. For Europe and Asia, it could rewrite the rules of modern alliances, trade deals, and foreign aid. For the Middle East, it foreshadowed a possible alignment with Russia and fresh conflict with Iran.
The world has watched this years presidential election with fascination, he said in a statement. At almost every turn, media commentators have been proved wrong and the results anticipated by experts have been overturned. Donald Trump was considered a distant outsider when his candidacy was first announced. He beat the establishment consensus by winning the Republican nomination, and did so again with his remarkable victory today. Mr. Trumps success shows that politicians should never take voters for granted.

Mr. Najib, who has stared down corruption charges, added, His appeal to Americans who have been left behind  those who want to see their government more focused on their interests and welfare, and less embroiled in foreign interventions that proved to be against U.S. interests  have won Mr. Trump the White House.

Arriving in Malaysia on Wednesday evening, Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, who has lashed out at the United States and at Mr. Obama in often profane comments, mentioned Mr. Trump in a speech to overseas Filipino workers.

Congratulations, he said. We are alike. We both swear.

 SEWELL CHAN and RICHARD C. PADDOCK

A Surprise for the Worlds Largest Democracy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet addressed at Mr. Trump, We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign.

For India, a central question is whether Washington will reduce its military presence.

If that is called into question, India will no longer be able to rely on the U.S. to be there as a security provider, said Dhruva Jaishankar, a fellow at the Brookings Institution India Center. The result could be more assertive attitudes from China, Japan and Korea.

Manjeet Kripalani, the executive director of Gateway House, a Mumbai-based think tank, likened Mr. Trump to Putin of Russia, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, and Mr. Modi. (A former journalist, Ms. Kripalani worked for Steve Forbess 1996 presidential campaign.)

As far as any change in the relationship between India and the United States is concerned, she predicted, You will find the Trump administration being realistic about Pakistan, being realistic about India and realistic about China.

 ELLEN BARRY and NIDA NAJAR
GDANSK, Poland  Conceived nearly a decade ago in a moment of pan-European optimism, the Museum of the Second World War here seeks to tell a story of devastation that transcended national boundaries. Its collection includes Soviet and American tanks; keys to the homes of Jews murdered by their Polish neighbors in the village of Jedwabne; flags from the Polish Home Army, which fought the Nazis; and an Enigma encoding machine.

But today, this state-financed museums fate is uncertain, caught up in the countrys cultural and political battles. After five years of construction, at a cost of 449 million zlotys (about $114 million), the museum may not open in January, as scheduled. Even if it does, the government may starve it of funding.

Image A handkerchief with a note of farewell written by an imprisoned Polish politician to his wife in 1940. Credit... The Museum of the Second World War

Piotr Glinski, the culture minister of Polands conservative government, has criticized the museums expansive approach and says it should focus more on the Polish experience. In a move that would oust the museums director, the minister has called for the museum to merge with another museum, which exists only in name. That institution is dedicated to the Battle of Westerplatte, the first battle of the war in September 1939, when Polish forces fended off the Nazis before surrendering  an event he regards as more symbolic of heroic Polish self-defense.
None of this was in the script.

The presidential election had obsessed the news media for a year and a half. The rise of Donald J. Trump from reality host to presidential nominee had been wall-to-wall on television news.

But during election-night coverage, it seemed that hardly anyone involved, deep down, had truly prepared for the possibility that the candidate they fixated on for months might become president.

Early in the evening, in fact, it didnt even seem as if Mr. Trumps campaign saw it coming. Before the first polls closed, the tea leaves were spilling and recriminations starting.

The Trump campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, told MSNBCs Chuck Todd that the campaign was disappointed not to have had more support from the Republican establishment. CNNs Jim Acosta quoted a senior Trump adviser as saying, It will take a miracle for us to win.
Bill Cosbys homeowners insurance company, American International Group, must pay his legal fees in three defamation lawsuits brought by nine women who say he branded them liars when they accused him of sexual assault, a Massachusetts federal judge ruled Tuesday.

The company, better known as A.I.G., had gone to court to deny him coverage, arguing, among other things, that the policies had an exemption that meant it should not have to cover claims that arose from alleged acts of sexual misconduct.

When the women came forward in Massachusetts and elsewhere with their claims in recent years, it was too late for them to sue on sexual assault grounds, because the statute of limitations had expired. So the women sued for defamation instead, asserting that Mr. Cosbys lawyers and other representatives had damaged their reputations when they dismissed the allegations as fabrications.

To cover his legal costs, Mr. Cosby relied on the somewhat surprising tool of the insurance policies he had on his homes in Massachusetts and California, each with limited liability coverage of $1 million, according to court records. Mr. Cosby and his wife, Camille, also have an extra liability policy with coverage of $35 million.
Presumably, when it was announced over the summer that Stephen Colbert was planning a special, live election-night broadcast on Showtime, the expectation was that he would riff on a once-in-a-lifetime political event, as momentous as anything he regularly satirizes as host of The Late Show on CBS.

There can be no disputing that the special, called partly Stephen Colberts Live Election Night Democracys Series Finale, was unique, but surely not in the way the politically liberal Mr. Colbert, his guests or his audience had expected. With pre-election polls suggesting a Hillary Clinton victory, Mr. Colbert and his guests were buffeted throughout the broadcast by the growing realization that Donald J. Trump had won the presidency. No entertainer could have managed this task easily; the night had a nervous energy that made it compelling, surreal and sometimes difficult to watch as it unfolded.

An Ominous Opening

Mr. Colberts special began with a dark animated sequence in which a seething cartoon version of Mr. Trump reflected angrily on his humiliation by President Obama at the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner, and the cold, competitive attitude of his father, Fred Trump. Against the backdrop of a stormy night at Trump Tower, he contrives to run for the White House.

Mr. Colbert then took the stage of the Ed Sullivan Theater to deliver a monologue that tried to wink at the possibility of a Trump victory. You dont need to stand for me, he said. You dont need to chant my name. America doesnt have dictators  yet. (The audience members, whose phones he said had been taken away for the live broadcast, tittered uneasily.) He said a swear word to show he could do it on cable television and announced Marco Rubios re-election to the United States Senate, with the help of a nearly nude male model who had the news written on an index card taped to his crotch.
Yes. A lot of the quant-driven political science was also wrong. Those people who said, Hillary has a 75 percent chance  one guy at the University of Illinois even said it was 99 percent  are just compiling polls. Im not saying history is perfect. But it gives you a vastly better understanding of how elections work.

You developed your model in 1981, in collaboration with the Russian geophysicist Vladimir Keilis-Borok, who was perhaps the worlds leading expert on predicting earthquakes. Did you seek him out specifically because of that part of his work?

Everything we know about elections weve stolen from geophysics anyway  we talk about tremors of change, volcanic elections. What our model looks at isnt Republicans versus Democrats, liberals versus conservatives, or one personality versus another, but the underlying stability of the incumbent party.

The conventional wisdom is that Trump has shattered the norms of American politics. Does the fact that his victory conforms to patterns going back to 1860 suggest otherwise?

This year I did issue a qualification of my model for the first time. I said that in Donald Trump, we may have a candidate who is so outside the bounds of history that he could break the patterns of history. This should be a change election, but maybe Trump was too much of a change?

I do think we saw those two effects coming into play here. On the one hand, Donald Trump won the Electoral College. But on the other hand, the popular vote is basically a tie. That reflects a fascinating confluence of these two forces: the force of history and the force of the history-breaker. [In 2000, Dr. Lichtman predicted that Al Gore, who won the popular vote but lost the electoral vote, would defeat George W. Bush.]

Your focus on the incumbent party cuts sharply against the narrative of this years election, which emphasized the supposed implosion of the Republican Party, or at least its leadership. Was all that attention to the state of the party totally misplaced?
Each of Michael Connellys Harry Bosch books has a way of referring to earlier ones in the series, as when his latest, The Wrong Side of Goodbye, brings up something about a plastic surgeon. That surgeon figured in The Crossing, one of the seriess better recent installments. And it came out only a year ago. Still, I had to look it up, because the characters arent what make Mr. Connellys books worthwhile. The classic mystery plotting and streamlined storytelling are what render him so readable. Of all the big-name writers who dominate this genre, Mr. Connelly is the most solid, old-school pro.

His books also have a kind of broody glamour. He has invested an unlikely mystique in the stretch of Mulholland Drive that meets Woodrow Wilson Drive in Los Angeles, because Harry lives nearby. Readers of the series know that Harry loves the view from that place. He also loves listening to jazz (and plugging his favorite musicians). And he loves his daughter, Maddie, by now away at college, but eternally available for Mr. Connelly to imperil if Harrys in need of motivation.

By the end of The Crossing, readers may have become a little dizzied by Harrys on-again-off-again relationship with the Los Angeles Police Department. (He won a lawsuit against it for forcing him into early retirement. Still, hostilities persist.) But in The Wrong Side of Goodbye, he has a new police job, working for the City of San Fernando. San Fernando is a 2.3-square-mile enclave inside Los Angeles, but it has its own small police force, which makes it the perfect hide-out for a loner like Harry. Since Harry works for no pay, he can also take on private investigations.

Image Michael Connelly Credit... Mark DeLong

So, at the start of the book, he takes a commission from a very old and wealthy recluse, Whitney Vance. Harry has an audience with Vance at the older mans Pasadena estate and is treated to an eerie story. Fifty years ago, Vance was in love with a Mexican girl named Vibiana. She became pregnant, and the Vance family separated him from her forever. Now in his mid-80s, Vance has no known heirs and would like Harry to discover whether there are unknown ones.
If there are budget cuts, one area that is likely to continue to thrive is the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits paying bribes to foreign officials to win business in their countries. The Justice Department depends in large part on companies to self-report violations of this law and conduct internal investigations to determine the scope of the misconduct.

The roots of the governments crackdown on overseas corruption can be traced to the administration of George W. Bush, and it was continued aggressively by President Obama. Many of the cases involve foreign companies that have paid millions of dollars in fines, and they are a way to show the public that global enterprises are being overseen to ensure compliance with American law.

One domestic corporation likely to resolve a case under the new administration is Walmart, which has already spent more than $600 million to investigate bribe payments in its foreign operations after reporting by The New York Times revealed questionable conduct in 2012. The giant retailer was reported to have rejected an offer from the Justice Department to pay a $600 million penalty, but that opening gambit signals that the investigation is nearing a settlement that Mr. Trumps new attorney general can announce.

The benefit of how the foreign bribery cases are pursued is that the cost is borne by the private sector. Although prosecutors proclaim they do not necessarily accept the findings of the law firms hired to ferret out misconduct inside a company, there have been few cases in which the government committed significant resources to investigate on its own. It is unlikely that Mr. Trump would want to be seen as going soft on corruption after some of his rhetoric during the campaign, so the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is likely to remain a featured player in white-collar enforcement.

The S.E.C. in the cross hairs

The Securities and Exchange Commission has become a punching bag on Capitol Hill, with regular efforts to cut its budget and restrict its rule-making authority. President Obama was able to fend off most of that, but with the House and Senate still in Republican control, and a Republican administration, there is a chance that significant changes will be imposed on the agency.

Any reduction in its appropriations will hit the S.E.C.s enforcement program, which has reported annual increases in the number of fillings each year under its chairwoman, Mary Jo White. Those statistics were padded a bit by cases for minor violations, a reflection of Ms. Whites broken windows approach that emphasizes enforcement for small transgressions in the hope that it will prevent large problems. Interestingly, Mr. Giuliani pushed that same policy to reduce crime when he was mayor of New York.

Of greater concern for the S.E.C. may be a change in its authority to pursue cases in administrative hearings outside of federal court. The Dodd-Frank Act gave the agency the authority to obtain penalties against any defendant in these proceedings, so it had the choice of where to file an action. An administrative case can be pursued more quickly because the rules do not allow for broad discovery of evidence by a defendant, and the initial ruling is decided by an internal judge working on a tight deadline, not by a jury.
Almost all small-business owners dream of the day when they can expand nationally. This has proved to be a unique challenge for those in the marijuana industry because the products they create are illegal under federal law, and the checkerboard of states that permit marijuana sales have complex and constantly changing regulations.

Dixie Brands, a company in Denver that creates drinks and other products using marijuana, is aiming to navigate those hurdles and become one of the first companies in the industry to build a national presence.

Voters on Tuesday brought that dream a little closer to reality. California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada approved adult-use (a new term for recreational use) marijuana. Florida, Arkansas, North Dakota and Montana voted to legalize or expand medical marijuana use. Twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia now have some sort of allowed use.

The legal cannabis industry is dominated by small businesses operating in individual states, so these new laws could open significant prospects for entrepreneurs. And for the companies that can figure out how to operate in multiple states, the opportunity is tremendous.
A fire broke out at a former steel factory in Lackawanna, N.Y., on Wednesday morning, the Lackawanna Police Department said.

The fire at the former Bethlehem Steel factory complex in the small city just south of Buffalo, adjacent to Lake Erie, sent a thick cloud of black smoke into the sky, seen in images shared on social media.
Under a drizzling gray sky, they arrived in droves on Wednesday to bid an anguished farewell to the woman they had dreamed of calling Madam President. The streets abutting the New Yorker hotel in Manhattan teemed with the bereft, with the emotionally and politically wounded seeking solace, camaraderie and some kind of reassurance that they could weather Hillary Clintons astonishing loss to Donald J. Trump.

They waited in stunned silence, a smattering of men but mostly women, some pushing walkers, others strollers, all there to hear their candidate deliver a concession speech that none of them expected and all of them dreaded.

Today, I woke up a second-class citizen, said Tabatha Garcia, an insurance claims adjuster from Tampa, Fla., who is Mexican-American and black. She said she spent the morning in tears as Mr. Trumps campaign promises reverberated through her head: mass deportation, bans on Muslims and building a wall along the Mexican border.
Afterward, Mr. Guardian released a statement that said that a five-year recovery plan drawn up by the city would have saved the state a substantial amount of money and would have allowed us to maintain complete local sovereignty. He said the city would continue to work with the state but would keep all of our options on the table.

Other New Jersey cities, including Camden, have been placed under state supervision in the past, but the state has granted itself more authority to take direct control in Atlantic City, said Marc H. Pfeiffer, assistant director of the Bloustein Local Government Research Center at Rutgers University.

This is a new process, Mr. Pfeiffer said. Weve never done a process like this before.

In 2002, the state assigned a chief operating officer to help sort out Camdens financial problems. One of the changes that ensued was the dissolution of the citys police department and the transfer of authority to patrol Camden to the county police.

Camden is effectively not on the critical list any more and is in better shape than Trenton and Paterson, Mr. Pfeiffer said. Atlantic Citys fiscal problems are far more critical that those of Trenton or Paterson.

Atlantic City, which has around 39,000 residents, has sunk deep into debt as much of its lifeblood, the money that gamblers lose at its casinos, has been drained away by Pennsylvania and other neighboring states that have legalized gambling in recent years.
At the end of a stunning and divisive election that left many Americans feeling further apart than ever, there was perhaps one area of common ground: infrastructure.

In a triumphant victory speech early Wednesday, President-elect Donald J. Trump cited the issue as a top priority for his administration.

We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals, Mr. Trump said. Were going to rebuild our infrastructure, which will become, by the way, second to none.

The sentiment was echoed across the country on Election Day as voters supported dozens of local ballot measures intended to improve public transportation. In Los Angeles, Seattle and Atlanta, voters were poised to approve spending billions of dollars on buses, rail lines and other projects.
As I watched the unfolding electoral disaster on Tuesday night, a banner appeared on the New York Times website for the musical Hamilton.

It made me wonder what Alexander Hamilton would think of the state of the nation he helped create and the man who just took the White House. But even more, it reminded me that the battle that has consumed, tormented and once almost destroyed our country is still raging.

It is the battle between rural and urban, between those who want to keep things as they are, and those who are not part of that order and want a new one. It started when the country was born, and it has been bound up inextricably in race. Its a battle of culture and religion, too, but race  starting with the implacable evil of slavery  has primarily driven the divisions in this country since 1789.

On Tuesday, every nonwhite group in America voted overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton. Actually, Clinton seems to have won the national vote by a small margin, but thats not what counts. The Electoral College system has long been broken, but President-elect Donald Trump won decisively and we have to honor the legitimacy of his election, which is probably more than he would have done.
President Donald Trump. Get used to it. The world as we knew it is no more.

To give Trump credit, he had a single formidable intuition: That American anger and uncertainty in the face of the inexorable march of globalization and technology had reached such a pitch that voters were ready for disruption at any cost.

Enough of elites; enough of experts; enough of the status quo; enough of the politically correct; enough of the liberal intelligentsia and cultural overlords with their predominant place in the media; enough of the financial wizards who brought the 2008 meltdown and stagnant incomes and jobs disappearing offshore. That, in essence, was Trumps message. A New Yorker, he contrived to channel the frustrations of the heartland, a remarkable sleight of hand. Ohio and Wisconsin lurched into the Trump camp.

This upset victory over Hillary Clinton, the representative par excellence of the American political establishment, amounted to Brexit in American form. Ever since Britains perverse, self-defeating vote last June to leave the European Union, it seemed plausible that the same anti-globalization, often xenophobic forces could carry Trump to victory.

And so it proved. The disenfranchised, often living lives of great precariousness, arose and spoke. Clinton never quite seemed to understand their frustrations, as her challenger for the Democratic nomination, Bernie Sanders, did.
SEOUL, South Korea  President Park Geun-hye of South Korea was destined to be a political leader. She grew up in the presidential residence as a daughter of South Koreas longest-ruling dictator, Park Chung-hee. After her mother died in a 1974 assassination attempt against her father, Ms. Park became the countrys de facto first lady. She later was a lawmaker for 15 years, crafting an image as a deft politician while helping to build a conservative party with national security and economic growth as its core message. She became the countrys first female president in 2013.

Ms. Parks personal history and image as a corruption-free conservative have been her main political assets. But that image quickly faded in September when the news media began looking at her longtime confidante, Choi Soon-sil. Ms. Choi is accused of using her connection to the president to extort money, advance her own daughters career and influence government policy.

The nation was first stunned, then enraged, by the revelations. By some estimates, 200,000 people took to downtown Seoul on Saturday to demand Ms. Parks resignation. The government has come to a standstill, and Ms. Parks approval ratings are in the single digits.

The relationship between Ms. Park and Ms. Choi apparently began after the death of Ms. Parks mother. Ms. Chois father, Choi Tae-min, reportedly approached the young Ms. Park with the claim that he could make contact with her dead mother. Mr. Choi, a shadowy cult leader, died in 1994, but the connection between Ms. Choi and Ms. Park deepened over the decades.
It was the night that wasnt supposed to happen, that had almost no chance of happening. Having relied on major media, and the overflow of polls it fed readers on a near-daily basis, the audience sat back and waited for a Democratic victory, possibly a rout. Could the Senate be reclaimed by Democrats, or even the House?

On Tuesday afternoon, The New York Times told readers in its Upshot polling feature that Hillary Clinton had an 84 percent chance of winning. And for many weeks leading up to Election Day, The Times delivered a steady stream of stories. One described Clintons powerful and well-organized ground operation  and Trumps frazzled counterattack. Another claimed a surge in the Latino vote that could decide the election. Others speculated on the composition and tenor of a Clinton cabinet. The picture was of a juggernaut of blue state invincibility that mostly dismissed the likelihood of a Trump White House.

But sometime Tuesday night, that 84-percent Clinton win Upshot figure flipped. Suddenly it was 95 percent  for Donald Trump. And when readers woke up Wednesday, they learned that the second forecast, at least, was on target.

Readers are sending letters of complaint at a rapid rate. Heres one that summed up the feelings succinctly, from Kathleen Casey of Houston: Now, that the world has been upended and you are all, to a person, in a state of surprise and shock, you may want to consider whether you should change your focus from telling the reader what and how to think, and instead devote yourselves to finding out what the reader (and nonreaders) actually think.
The research was conducted with collaborators in China, Dr. Courtine said, because Swiss restrictions on animal experiments at the time would not allow the work. Now that the work is proving successful, he has permission to proceed with similar experiments in Switzerland, he said.

Dr. Courtine has written about ethical issues involved in such experiments with primates and emphasized that 10 years of research in rodents was necessary to prepare for the work in monkeys. One of the reasons that only one leg was paralyzed is that four-legged animals can function even without the use of one leg and retain bladder and bowel control, whereas complete severing of the spinal cord can be devastating for an animals quality of life.

Further, he said, this kind of work, with all its promise for human beings that have suffered spinal cord damage, cannot be pursued in people without testing in other primates first. The brain recording and the stimulation of the spinal cord involve devices that are already in use in humans for other purposes. Only the brain decoding software has not been used with people.

David Borton, of Brown University, and one of the primary authors of the new report, developed the wireless sensor with colleagues when he was doing doctoral work before he started working with Dr. Courtine. Combined with micro electrodes, it records and transmits impulses in the part of the brain where signals to move the leg originate. He said that one of the reasons the system may be helpful in rehabilitation is that it strengthens remaining connections between parts of the spinal cord and the injured limb. There is a saying in neuroscience, he said, neurons that fire together, wire together.

The brain recording device was combined with electrical stimulation to an area just outside the spinal cord that conveyed signals to the reflex system. Walking is only partly under brain control. The spinal cord has its own system for receiving input from the legs and responding. Humans dont think about walking most of the time, and its not that the brain is running the activity below conscious awareness. The spinal cord and reflex system are running much of it.

Dr. Courtine had used electrical stimulation before to train paralyzed rats with spinal cord injuries to walk again.

But that work didnt involve the brain, and one crucial part of these experiments was timing. If the brain says it wants that limb to move, it must happen within milliseconds for that connection to strengthen, Dr. Borton said.
The Irish government on Wednesday filed an appeal seeking to stop efforts by European authorities to force Apple to pay the country $14.3 billion to cover what antitrust officials say are unpaid taxes.

Margrethe Vestager, Europes competition chief, ordered Apple in August to pay the amount, alleging the company had received preferential tax rulings from the Irish government that gave Apple an unfair advantage over rivals.

Both Ireland and Apple deny any wrongdoing. The appeal, filed with the General Court, the top appellate court of the European Union, represents the beginning of a lengthy standoff between European authorities, the Irish government and Apple.
Silicon Valleys luminaries woke up Wednesday morning to a darkened new global order, one that the ceaseless optimism of their tech-powered visions seemed suddenly unable to conquer.

Across the technology industry, the reaction to Donald J. Trumps election to the presidency was beyond grim. There was a sense that the industry had missed something fundamental about the fears and motivations of the people who use its products, and that the miscalculation would cost the industry, and the world, greatly.

The horror, the horror, said Shervin Pishevar, a venture capitalist at the firm Sherpa Capital who, like just about every leading light in tech, had strongly supported Hillary Clintons candidacy. We didnt do enough, he added. There were too many people in the tech industry who were complacent. They waited and waited and waited to get engaged in this election. And now we have this nightmare.

Others were more succinct in their devastation. Im heartbroken, said Stewart Butterfield, co-founder of the corporate messaging service Slack.
It was not, as was mentioned several times by the friendly, anxious people preparing dinner, an evening that anyone should spend alone. And though they often broke my heart as I listened to them trying so hard to sound hopeful, I am grateful to have spent Tuesday night with the members of the Gabriel family of Rhinebeck, N.Y.

They didnt exactly improve my state of mind about the state of the nation. But they put me in touch with feelings that I had been trying to avoid all day. There are times when sitting down with like-minded friends for a good cry  even if the crying is on the inside  temporarily drains the poison from what has felt like an abscess of a day.

While millions of my fellow citizens gazed like frustrated fortunetellers into onscreen maps of the United States turning shades of red and blue, certain New York theatergoers chose to hunker down with the Gabriels for election night. This opportunity was graciously provided by the Public Theater, where Women of a Certain Age  Play 3 of the Gabriels: Election Year in the Life of One Family opened on (and is set on) the very night that Americans went to the polls to select their next president.

The Gabriels are the tenderly wrought creations of the playwright Richard Nelson. Their time onstage here and in two previous dramas  along with Mr. Nelsons earlier tetralogy, The Apple Family Plays (seen between 2010 and 2013), also set in Rhinebeck  may collectively represent the most profound achievement in topical theater in this country since the Depression-era triumphs of Clifford Odetss Waiting for Lefty and Marc Blitzsteins The Cradle Will Rock.
The beverage industry spent a lot of money to defeat soda taxes in four American cities Tuesday, but it lost in every one of them.

The victories for soda-tax advocates  in San Francisco, Oakland and Albany, Calif., and Boulder, Colo.  were decisive. Those communities now join Berkeley, Calif., and Philadelphia in embracing plans to tax sugary beverages.

The pro-tax forces had the help of their own deep pockets. The billionaires Michael Bloomberg and John and Laura Arnold donated heavily to the pro-tax campaigns. They didnt match industry spending, but they got close. Altogether, the Bay Area campaigns cost about $50 million, more than was spent on the states Senate race, medical marijuana initiative and gun control measures combined.

The spending may have made a difference. Big donors stayed out of early soda-tax fights, but the beverage industry always fought hard against them, and 40 such measures failed. Mr. Bloomberg, the former New York mayor, donated in the late days of the Berkeley campaign, and he has spent more heavily in the more recent fights.
That bill, the Restoring Americans Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act of 2015, would eliminate Obamacare programs to provide Medicaid coverage for Americans near or below the poverty line. It would eliminate subsidies to help middle-income Americans buy their own insurance on new marketplaces. It would eliminate tax penalties for the uninsured, meant to urge everyone to obtain health insurance. And it would eliminate a number of taxes created by the law to help fund those programs. (It was written to kick in after two years, meaning the programs wouldnt disappear immediately.)

We dont know, of course, exactly what legislation a new Congress would pass. And we cant be sure that the vote would go down the same way a second time. But last years bill is a good template for what Republican leadership believes it can achieve through the special process. The Republican-led House has voted for dozens of total and partial Obamacare repeal bills. If we believe Donald J. Trump, who has vowed repeatedly to repeal Obamacare, he would seem likely to sign such a bill.

Many parts of Obamacare cant be repealed through reconciliation. Among them: reforms to the Medicare program, a provision that requires insurers to cover young adults on their parents policies, and requirements that health insurers sell policies to anyone regardless of their health history. Those parts of the law are very likely to remain law.

The kind of partial repeal possible through the reconciliation process could lead to greater instability than total repeal. That means that it could lead to more people losing health insurance than the estimated 20 million who have gained it under the law. The health law was designed with a number of interdependent provisions devised to keep insurance affordable. By removing only some of them, a partial repeal could disrupt insurance arrangements not just for people newly insured under the law, but also for those who had purchased their own insurance before the law.
Donald J. Trump won the presidency by riding an enormous wave of support among white working-class voters.

It was always a possibility, but it had always looked unlikely. Hillary Clinton led in nearly every national poll  and in other surveys in the states worth the requisite 270 electoral votes.

The traditional view of recent American elections gave even more reason to think Mrs. Clinton was safe. National exit polls suggested that President Obama won the 2012 presidential election despite faring worse among white voters than any Democrat since Walter Mondale. Those polls showed that white voters without a degree were now just one-third of the electorate. It was interpreted to mean that there was not much room for additional Democratic losses, especially once a white Democrat replaced Mr. Obama on the ballot.

The truth was that Democrats were far more dependent on white working-class voters than many believed.
By then, the site was taking about half a minute to load but was accessible shortly before 8 a.m. Eastern. Move to Canada remained among the top trending search topics on Google.

There is no way, of course, to be sure how serious these queries are. And experts point out that anyone seeking refuge in another country would be hard-pressed to escape the global effects of a new American administration or outlook on the world.

Stephen J. Farnsworth, a co-author of the 2013 book The Global President: International Media and the U.S. Government and a professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington, said that escaping to Canada would not shield you from the influence of a President Trump.

Americas global reach being what it is, the impacts that America has in the world will also follow you wherever you go, he said. Decisions that the U.S. makes with respect to NATO policy, for example, would be part of your experience if you move to say, a NATO country.

(Canada is one of the founding members of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.)

Of course, many of those exploring their options would be fleeing not just the new president and his policies, but also the America that voted for him. And Canada was not the only country people appeared interested in checking out.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.  Julia Child was a regular customer, scouring the Out of Town News kiosk here for German and Italian cooking magazines.

John Kenneth Galbraith came to the kiosk every day to buy Le Monde.

And in 1975, a young man named Paul Allen picked up a copy of Popular Electronics with a picture of a boxy personal computer on the cover; he shared it with his friend Bill Gates, and, well, the rest is history.

For decades, the cluttered kiosk has catered to the eclectic, ink-stained needs of the famous, the soon-to-be famous and 10 million others who pass through Harvard Square each year.

But fewer people are buying newspapers and magazines these days, and the kiosks life as a purveyor of print publications is almost certainly coming to an end. The powerful Harvard Square Business Association wants the newsstand out so it can clean up the square  or, in its phrase, polish the trophy.
While you were refreshing your electoral-vote map every few seconds, looking up countries to move to or running out to buy more Champagne, events unrelated to the American elections were happening in the world. Here are a few of them:

At least five people died when a tram derailed in London.

More than 50 people were injured when the packed two-car tram tipped over in Croydon, a southern suburb of London, just after 6 a.m., trapping dozens inside. The tram driver was arrested, though charges have not been made public.

An airstrike by a U.S.-led coalition killed at least 20 civilians near Raqqa, Syria ...

The deaths overnight came as the Kurdish-Arab coalition moves to drive ISIS from Raqqa, its capital, encircling the city to cut off the Islamic States supplies of arms and fighters. The American defense secretary had called the Raqqa siege the next step in our coalition campaign plan. A human rights group based in Britain said that six women and children were among the dead. The coalition said it was checking into reports of the killings.
Hillary Clinton made history as the first female presidential nominee on the ballot, but the 2016 election saw other, more successful attempts by candidates from several states entering uncharted territory and breaking barriers.

Here are some examples of notable campaigns that reflected the countrys growing ethnic, social and gender diversity.

Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris, 52, the Attorney General of California, became the first black woman elected to represent the state in the United States Senate on Tuesday night. She defeated Representative Loretta Sanchez in Californias first Democrat-only race for that office, the result of the top-two primary system introduced by a 2010 ballot initiative.

Ms. Harriss victory made her only the second black woman voted into the Senate after Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois in 1999.
In an interview in March, he had no compunction about threatening the kingdoms survivability. If Saudi Arabia was without the cloak of American protection, Mr. Trump said during a 100-minute conversation, I dont think it would be around.

The mystery is how much of that kind of talk arises from deeply held beliefs, and how much is an opening bid by the author of The Art of the Deal.

He sees himself as a dealer, a negotiator who knows that you get nowhere unless you threaten, said Graham Allison, a longtime Harvard professor who has begun a new project in applied history, taking lessons from past moments to inform Americas current strategic choices.

Indeed, the world is about to discover whether the most outlandish promises Mr. Trump made in his campaign about rethinking the international order  thoughts that often seemed at best off the cuff  are about to become reality.

Financial markets abroad panicked on Tuesday night, fearful that a Trump presidency would instantly send the country into uncertain economic territory that investors had discounted as wholly improbable just 24 hours ago. But there was a far more mild decline as Wall Street opened, suggesting that investors here saw other possibilities. Mr. Trump, who never argued with the notion that he is a protectionist, time and again vowed to punish companies that move jobs abroad, a task that would begin with the abolishment of Nafta, the trade agreement that once was envisioned, by President Bill Clinton, as the first step unifying the Western Hemisphere. To Mr. Trump, it is a disaster.

The Trump vision, in fact, is an America unbound by a half-century of trade deals, free to pursue a nationalistic approach in which success is measured not by the quality of its alliances but the economic return on its transactions. We will not be ripped off anymore, he said in the interview in March. Were going to be friendly with everybody, but were not going to be taken advantage of by anybody.

He bristled at the suggestion that his wall-building, trade-deal-canceling views would take America back to an era of isolationism, arguing that he was simply freeing the United States from the binds of international rules that are not in the nations interests.
WASHINGTON  The stunning election of Donald J. Trump as president and the re-election of a Republican-controlled House and Senate will usher in sweeping change to the nations policy course that will most likely amount to a repudiation of much of President Obamas legacy and will reorient the United States position on the world stage.

Some changes, on immigration and climate change, for example, can be done by the Trump White House on its own. Others will take Congress, but through the use of budget rules, Republican leaders have already shown they can effect serious change, such as repealing the Affordable Care Act, without Democrats help. They need only the new presidents signature.

Here are some major arenas in which Mr. Trump and Congress have promised action:

_____

Immigration

On immigration, the changes Mr. Trump will bring will be swift and sweeping. While Mr. Obama had been moving to create openings for undocumented immigrants to attain legal status and increase the number of refugees, Mr. Trump said he would sharply curtail the refugee flow and start a nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration. He will bring a nativist vision to the White House, regarding immigrants warily as competitors for American workers and treating refugees as potential terrorists.

President-elect Trump has promised to start construction right away on a wall across the Southwest border that was the signature proposal and rallying cry of his campaign. That will take money from Congress, but other efforts need only a stroke of the presidential pen.
Call it pink and blue America.

To the many divides this ugly presidential campaign has exposed, add the chasm over the treatment of women, the plight of men and the proper roles of each.

This was an election that showed how much we still talk past one another when we talk about gender. It made plain profound gaps in how men and women perceive one anothers lives and prerogatives.

This was an election in which the grievances of white men  their economic upheaval, their cultural displacement  exploded. The fallout included toxic paroxysms of racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and sexism. Misogyny, it appears, thrives in corners of the United States.

Donald J. Trumps hyper-masculinity  the sexual swagger, the belittling of his opponents, his need to dominate  appealed to some men who believed he could restore them to their rightful place.
WASHINGTON  The election of Donald J. Trump means that Justice Antonin Scalias seat, vacant since he died in February, will almost certainly be filled by a conservative nominee. Back to full strength, the court will again tilt right, as it has for decades.

And with the courts two senior liberal members fairly old, that may be only the start. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 83, and Justice Stephen G. Breyer is 78.

Mr. Trumps surprising triumph vindicates Republican senators, who refused to act on President Obamas nomination of Judge Merrick B. Garland, saying the choice of a new Supreme Court justice should belong to the next president. It now belongs to Mr. Trump.

Senate Republicans strategy of not even considering Garland, of letting the American people decide who gets to fill Scalias seat, worked, said Ilya Shapiro, a lawyer with the Cato Institute, a libertarian group. Not only that, but it didnt at all hurt vulnerable senators running for re-election.
OTTAWA  The move-to-Canada memes started spreading in earnest shortly after Donald J. Trump looked increasingly likely to win Florida: Election Night Starter Kit, read a post on Instagram, above photos of United States passports and an Air Canada plane. Another post depicted a machine-gun-toting man riding a moose, with the words Canadian Border Patrol Watching for Illegal Americans.

The comedians may have been on to something. Later on Tuesday night, the website of Canadas immigration department crashed. Social media quickly filled with speculation that it had been overloaded by Americans looking for a new country to call home.

Lisa Filipps, a spokeswoman for Citizenship and Immigration Canada, said on Wednesday that the departments site had failed as a result of a significant increase in the volume of traffic, but gave no details about the source of the traffic. The site was back in operation by midmorning but responded slowly and erratically.

Such a desire to flee an election result in the United States is often expressed, but rarely borne out. On the other side of the border, Canadians reacted to Mr. Trumps election win with concerns of their own, even anxiety, but also a whiff of pride.
Whether or not Donald J. Trump follows through on his campaign pledges to diminish or possibly abandon American commitments to security alliances such as NATO, his election victory forces nations around the world to begin preparing for the day they can no longer count on the American-backed order.

This creates a danger that derives less from Mr. Trumps words, which are often inconsistent or difficult to parse, than from the inability to predict his actions or how other states might respond to them.

That uncertainty puts pressure on allies and adversaries alike to position themselves, before Mr. Trump even takes office, for a world that could be on the verge of losing one of its longest-standing pillars of stability.

Youre going to see a lot of fear among Americas allies, and in some cases they may try to do something about it, said James Goldgeier, a political scientist and the dean of American Universitys School of International Service.
MEXICO CITY  For Mexico, the nightmare came true.

Perhaps no country aside from the United States itself had as much at stake in the American presidential election as Mexico did.

Then, early on Wednesday, it watched as Donald J. Trump became the next American president: a man whose central campaign promises included building a wall between the two countries, upending decades-old trade deals and deporting millions of Mexican immigrants.

The peso suffered its largest drop in nearly 20 years, and for many, the election set back years of carefully cultivated efforts to improve the cross-border relationship, one that has been historically fraught. The outcome promises a turbulent financial future for Mexico, which relies on America as an economic lifeline, both in terms of trade and remittances.

Its an unmitigated disaster, said Jorge Castaneda, a former foreign minister of Mexico and a professor of politics and Latin American studies at New York University. There are very few tools to fix the relationship.
It will take weeks or months to fully parse Donald J. Trumps upset presidential victory, but his campaign was driven, at least in part, by the dramatic rise of a new kind of white populism.

It has fueled turmoil in the United States and Europe, including not just Mr. Trumps election to the presidency, but Britains vote in June to leave the European Union and the rise of anti-immigrant, populist political parties across much of Continental Europe.

I have spent the past year investigating the rise of that new kind of populism  a majoritarian backlash  including speaking to dozens of social scientists and gathering original data. And while their research varies, their conclusions all converged on three key factors that explain what is taking place: fear of social change; fear of terrorist attacks and other physical threats; and the crisis of identity that many whites are experiencing as they struggle to maintain their position.

Fears of social change

The first is rising fear of social change. Marc Hetherington, a Vanderbilt University political scientist who focuses on polarization and authoritarianism in American politics, explained to me earlier this year that its important to remember that recent decades in the United States and Europe have been tumultuous.
KABUL, Afghanistan  Sharbat Gula, the green-eyed Afghan woman whose photograph as a young refugee girl was published on the cover of National Geographic magazine three decades ago, received a warm welcome on Wednesday from Afghanistans president after she was deported from Pakistan.

Long the face of Afghanistans millions of refugees abroad, Ms. Gula, now 44 and the mother of several children, has become the most public example of what has become, in effect, the forced return of hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees and migrants from Pakistan, as well as Iran and Europe.

Ms. Gula was arrested by the Pakistani authorities two weeks ago on charges of obtaining false identity documents, a common practice among Afghans in Pakistan, who have been subjected to roundups and arbitrary arrests in efforts to force them to return to Afghanistan.
BEIJING  When President Xi Jinping of China meets foreign leaders, he tends to recite talking points in a dutiful monotone, diplomats say. But when challenges to Chinas sovereignty come up  like protests in Hong Kong  he roars to life.

He read flatly from the script, one Western official said of such a meeting. But when it got to Chinas core interests, these disputes, he put down his notes and spoke passionately.

For anyone puzzling over why China reacted so swiftly and severely to block two pro-independence politicians from taking their seats in Hong Kongs legislature, Mr. Xis expansive idea of sovereignty is a good place to start.

He lets you know that this is what really matters, said the Western official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a closed-door meeting with Mr. Xi.
HONG KONG  Thousands of people marched in Hong Kong on Sunday to protest an expected decision by the Chinese government that would effectively block two newly elected politicians from taking their seats in the semiautonomous territorys legislature.

The decision, issued the next day, came after the prospective lawmakers, Sixtus Leung, 30, and Yau Wai-ching, 25, made controversial remarks last month during an oath-taking ceremony in Hong Kongs Legislative Council. Rather than say China in their oaths, they said Chee-na, a term that many find offensive, associating it with its use by Japan during its occupation of China during World War II. Ms. Yau also added an expletive to her oath.

Relations between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, a former British colony of 7.3 million, were already frayed by pro-democracy demonstrations that erupted in 2014 in response to the Chinese governments rejection of calls for free elections in the territory. The remarks by the two politicians, who have argued that Hong Kong should be independent from China, were widely seen as acts of defiance  and catalysts for a renewed political crisis.

Where does the term Chee-na come from?

Aoki Masaru, a Japanese Sinologist, argued that it originated in early Sanskrit transcriptions of Qin, the name of the dynasty that unified China more than 2,000 years ago, according to a 2012 essay by the historian Joshua A. Fogel. Qin, pronounced chin, may have contributed to the countrys name in many Western languages. With the spread of Buddhism from India, and the translation of scriptures into Chinese, the word entered China and then Japan. Professor Fogel, who teaches at York University in Toronto, wrote that the Japanese used the name Chee-na for centuries, but especially from the 19th century through World War II.
Of course, some people were against it, said Mr. Liu, 67, a second-generation barber. But they eventually came around. In the end, we are all just trying to be good citizens.

Mr. Liu spoke from within the small white-walled shop where he keeps two rusty barber chairs on the main pedestrian street of Wuzhens western scenic area. Mr. Liu has worked on this street for 20 years, long before there were any tourists. It looks about the same, he said, though it is cleaner now and more commercialized.

Because of the tourist zones entrance fee, Mr. Liu said, he no longer saw some of his former customers. But, as is the case for many of the shop workers here, the increase in tourists has more than made up for that loss.

Life is better now with the tourists, said Shen Wenying, 66. Sitting on a wooden stool on a recent afternoon, Ms. Shen plunged her hands into a bucket to extract dead silkworms from their small white cocoons to make silk thread. As she worked, a group of tourists began to gather around to snap photos of what appeared to be a seasoned local craftswoman at work.
BANGKOK  The timing of President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines couldnt be better. Before Donald J. Trumps election victory, the Philippine leader had already named Mr. Trumps business partner in Manila as a special envoy to the United States.

Mr. Duterte, whose colorful and unpredictable comments have drawn comparisons to Mr. Trump, late last month named the chairman of Century Properties Group, Jose E. B. Antonio, as an envoy to Washington for trade, investment and economic affairs, Philippine news outlets reported. Word of the appointment became public this week.

Stock in Century Properties rose 20 percent on Wednesday on the Philippine Stock Exchange on the news that Mr. Trump had been elected.

The company is building the Trump Tower at Century City, a $150 million, 57-story apartment building in metropolitan Manila. Mr. Trump has no involvement in the project except to provide his brand name.
HONG KONG  For more than half a century, Asia has benefited from an American commitment to free trade and bilateral alliances in the region. But the election of Donald J. Trump left both statesmen and citizens here asking whether that commitment  and the prolonged era of peace and prosperity that has accompanied it  might be coming to an end.

Even before he began his campaign for the presidency, Mr. Trump was known as a critic of policies that opened markets in the United States to lower-cost Asian goods and helped fuel the dizzying growth that transformed Japan, gave rise to the dynamic economies known as the four Asian tigers, and propelled Chinas emergence as a global power.

But during his campaign, Mr. Trump made a drumbeat of his criticism, accusing several nations here of currency manipulation and threatening a 45 percent tax on Chinese imports. He also added a geopolitical dimension by suggesting the United States might withdraw its security guarantees to Japan and South Korea unless they agreed to pay more of the cost of defending them.

Now, the question in Asia is how much of that rhetoric Mr. Trump will act on.

The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, sent a conciliatory message of congratulations to Mr. Trump that made no mention of Mr. Trumps promises to confront Beijing on trade and currency issues. Developing long-term healthy and stable Sino-U.S. relations is in the fundamental interests of the peoples of both countries and is also the shared hope of the international community, Mr. Xi said.
LONDON  It was a revolt against elite complacency, an almost palpable shock to conventional wisdom and conventional politics. Opponents could barely comprehend the poll-confounding news. This was June in Britain, not November in America, and the upset was the British decision to leave the European Union.

The election of Donald J. Trump as Americas 45th president has strong parallels to the British decision, known as Brexit, but the impact will be much bigger, in Europe and the world.

Mr. Trumps victory was hailed by European far-right leaders, including the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orban. And there were immediate concerns about how the anti-elitist surge will affect other European votes, and how a Trump presidency might respond to a post-Brexit Britain.

One main reason for the surprise at the polls was the participation of people who in the past had rarely voted. That is a lesson that could echo all over Europe, where the Italians will hold a constitutional referendum next month, the Austrians will vote for president and the French are about to hold a presidential primary among center-right candidates  and as France and Germany gear up for national elections next year.
MOSCOW  The victory of Donald J. Trump declared early on Wednesday was an unexpected bonus for the Kremlin, which had used the long, tortured United States election campaign to prove the global reach of its disruptive disinformation operations and to cast doubt on the entire Western democratic process.

In some ways the result was less important to President Vladimir V. Putin than the fact that Moscow could exploit the campaign as evidence that the West was in chaotic decline.

Mr. Putin coolly congratulated Mr. Trump on his victory on Wednesday, expressing hope that the two could work together in a constructive dialogue to solve international crises, including the issue of security, according to the official Kremlin website.

Speaking at a Kremlin ceremony to welcome new ambassadors to Moscow, the Russian president said that the Kremlin had heard Mr. Trumps campaign slogans about resuming and restoring ties with Russia and was ready to cooperate, even if it involved a difficult path.
LONDON  At least seven people were killed and dozens more were injured when a tram derailed near London on Wednesday, the British police and emergency services said, and the driver of the tram has been arrested.

The police were called to the scene in Croydon, south of the British capital, shortly after 6 a.m., and officers, firefighters and paramedics worked through the morning to free people who were trapped inside the tram, the British Transport Police said in a statement.

At least seven people are now confirmed as having died as a result of the incident, the transport police said in a statement. The cause of the accident was unclear, the police said, and an investigation was opened.

Several of the injured were treated at the scene and 51 were taken to the hospital, Peter McKenna, the deputy director of operations for the London Ambulance Service, said in a statement.
THE BOAT ROCKER

By Ha Jin

222 pp. Pantheon Books. $25.95.

The China-born but United States-based author Xuefei Jin, who publishes under the nom de plume Ha Jin, is a writer of simple yet powerful gifts. These were on full display in his career-making 1999 novel, Waiting, which won him a National Book Award and many admirers. A poignant tale of thwarted love, set in Mao-era China, it featured sympathetic characters and a narrative in which each word seemed chosen with exquisite care. Adding to the wonder of the novels prose was the fact that it had been written in English, a choice made, as Jin told interviewers, to free himself of the warping effects that Maoist structures and strictures had placed on his native tongue.

Jins latest novel, The Boat Rocker, isnt as elegantly crafted as Waiting, but it provides even more linguistic dexterity. Its cast features people of varying backgrounds whose speech patterns Jin captures in pitch-perfect dialogue, right down to the slang common to members of my own tribe, Homo academicus. (Katie, the girlfriend of the novels journalist narrator, Feng Danlin, is a professor of sociology.) Jin also reveals an added talent, previously hidden, for savage satire.

The Boat Rocker focuses on a feud between Feng and his ex-wife, Yan Haili, with most of the ancillary characters as allies of one and foes of the other. Feng works for a New York-based Chinese-language news site, writing a column devoted to exposing cover-ups and scams; Yan is a novelist whose new book is being hyped as a masterpiece written in iridescent prose. Publishers around the world are supposedly clamoring to translate it, while a major Hollywood studio is purportedly eager to pay big bucks for the film rights, but Feng is intent on skewering his ex-wife as an untalented phony.

This naturally earns him the ire of Yan, who had callously told him she wanted a divorce on the day after he arrived from China to join her in America. It also angers the Chinese Communist Party, whose publishing establishment is determined to make Yan the kind of star whose place in the international literary firmament will reflect glory back on her native land. The humor in The Boat Rocker largely stems from Fengs gleeful mocking of the grandiose claims of Yan and various party hacks, not least through his quoting of purple passages from the manuscript. For instance: His backside, white like cream and perfect in size, dazzles me and makes my breathing flutter.
Carnegie Hill seemed very staid to Neil Runyon, a 54-year-old licensed massage therapist, when he and his wife, Celeste Torello, 50, a senior director of communications for Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company, moved in 15 years ago.

I resisted it, Mr. Runyon said of the quiet, elegant neighborhood east of Central Park from around the mid-80s to the mid-90s. We were still young, and it was a little bit of a culture shock.

They had mostly been moving around in Brooklyn before they bought a two-bedroom two-and-a-half-bath duplex in a walk-up co-op building on East 93rd Street for $560,000. Soon after they moved in, their daughter, Mabel, now 14, was born.

As it turns out, its a great place to live and, more important, a great place to raise a daughter, Mr. Runyon said. She spent her childhood in the park and in the museums.
A WATERFRONT VILLA WITH A POOL

$2.3 MILLION

This three-bedroom three-and-a-half-bath house sits on a two-acre waterfront lot on the eastern coast of the Caribbean island of Antigua. Behind the house is a large lawn dotted with trees, and past that, a small beach on Browns Bay shared with neighboring homes, reached by taking a few steps and a pathway down from the property.

The house is named Sehil Villa, said Ken Meade, the owner, for a combination of his daughters and wifes names: Selina and Hilda. Built of concrete blocks, with a white exterior, it is surrounded by tropical plants. The living room has a ceiling trussed with pine beams and glass doors with views over Browns Bay, Mr. Meade said; a dining area is to the right of the living room. The kitchen has Frigidaire appliances.

Two of the bedrooms are on the main floor and one is downstairs. Each has an en-suite bathroom, water views and access to the yard. Theres also a laundry room downstairs. The house, which has air-conditioning units in each bedroom and ceiling fans throughout, is being sold furnished.

The bedrooms, living room and kitchen all open onto a large terrace running along the back of the house. Parts of it are covered, including an area that accommodates a small dining table, just outside the living room. A saltwater pool is at the center of the terrace, and a gazebo is on the far left.
There are two main characters in Hand to God, the irreverent Tony Award-nominated comedy by Robert Askins. One is a shy and slightly repressed teenager named Jason. The other is Jasons sock puppet, Tyrone, an Elmo-y figure (as described in the script) who may be possessed by the Devil. He spouts profanities, terrorizes Jasons churchgoing friends and mother and grows more demonic as the play goes on.

Steven Boyer, who was nominated for a 2015 Tony for portraying Jason/Tyrone on Broadway, said the role was like getting shot out of a cannon.

Thats because Hand to God requires its lead actor to talk to his hand, have a fight scene with his hand and engage in one of the longest puppet sex scenes to ever grace a stage. Mr. Boyer reportedly sustained numerous bruises during his time with the show, which started off off Broadway and has gone on to be the most produced new play at nonprofit theaters around the country this season.

I dont know how Steven Boyer did that for three years, said a marveling Karl Gregory, who recently played the role at Kitchen Theater Company in Ithaca, N.Y. I had to see a physical therapist.
In an election pitting two young, ambitious strivers, Mr. Rubio, who had vowed not to seek re-election to the Senate, was by far the better-known, better-financed candidate. Mr. Rubio began his career in the Florida Statehouse, where he became speaker. But the race proved surprisingly tight as Mr. Rubio, 45, struggled to characterize his support for Mr. Trump, his onetime opponent in the presidential primary contests. Mr. Trump bested Mr. Rubio in the Florida primary and ridiculed him as Little Marco. Even as Mr. Rubio endorsed Mr. Trump, who is highly unpopular among Hispanics, a crucial constituency for the senator, he mostly avoided mentioning him on the stump.

A moderate South Florida congressman, Mr. Murphy was depicted by Mr. Rubio as overprivileged and overly reliant on his fathers fortune and connections. Mr. Murphy, one of the youngest candidates to run in a high-profile Senate race, was in turn accused of inflating his resume and accomplishing little in Congress during his two terms.

The two candidates took opposite tacks on a number of issues, with Mr. Murphy supporting abortion rights, a minimum-wage increase, the Affordable Care Act and an end to the United States economic embargo on Cuba.
Donald J. Trump won the election by consolidating support from white voters and making unexpected gains with minority groups.

VOTE SHIFT OVER TIME 2004 '08 '12 2016

Trump overwhelmingly won votes of whites without college degrees.

Based on exit polls, Mr. Trump did significantly better than his predecessors among whites without college degrees. Whites with college degrees have favored Republicans in recent elections. They shifted toward Hillary Clinton in 2016, though Mr. Trump still won the group.

Party support shifted dramatically at nearly every income level.

Historically, lower-income voters have tended to support Democrats, and wealthier voters leaned more Republican. But income correlates with education, which strongly divided voters this cycle.

Clintons support from minorities fell short.

African-Americans, Hispanics and Asian-Americans overwhelmingly backed Mrs. Clinton, but their level of support for her was less than their support of President Obama four years ago. At the same time, Mr. Trumps support among whites was slightly more or equal to recent Republican nominees.
NZEI calls on MPs to defend public education today

NZEI Te Riu Roa is calling on MPs to vote for the future of public education today, by using a one-off opportunity to make American-style charter schools history.

Parliament is today voting on Labour's Chris Hipkins' bill to abolish the charter school model.

"Today is an opportunity to defend New Zealand's public education system from efforts to privatise and Americanise our chidrens' education," NZEI National Secretary Paul Goulter said.

"Charter schools have been used as a tool to decimate the public education system in America, and we call on all MPs to use the opportunity to protect our public education today.

"Charter schools suck up funding that should be used to pay for quality public education, for every New Zealand child.

"Education experts don't back charter schools, big business does. We're calling on MPs to put children ahead of ideology today and relegate the charter school failure to history," Mr Goulter said.

For more information

Paul Goulter 027 208 1087

Leah Haines, Communications Advisor 027 268 3291
Funds generated by Alabama state parks will go only toward funding state parks following the passing of Amendment 2 on Tuesday.

Since 2012, approximately $15 million has been taken away from state parks to fund other state programs. This has left some parks underserviced and has led to the closure of five state parks, according to Philip Darden, chairman of the Alabama State Park Partners, a volunteer advocacy group for the state parks.

However, Amendment 2 prohibits the Alabama Legislature from using money generated by state parks to fund anything other than state parks. Alabamas state parks will be able to operate as intended, said Alabama State Parks Director Greg Lein.

For the last five years, we havent really been able to take care of the maintenance of the parks system because of the transfer of the money out of the parks, Lein said. We will once again be able to plan for the prosperity of the parks system and will be able to start digging out of this hole that we find ourselves in relative to maintenance of our facilities and the programs.

Darden, who is also president of the Central Alabama Mountain Pedalers, said the amendment will only make parks like Lee County's Chewacla State Park stronger.

Its only going to make the experience that visitors have to the park better because theyre going to have the ability to update buildings that need to be updated and invest money into the park, Darden said.

Opponents of the amendment have claimed it could open the door for the privatization of state parks, but Lein said that is not the case.

There are some folks out there with ill intentions that have capitalized on that misunderstanding and basically said that its a Trojan horse, Lein said. No ones been beating down the door or forcing us to do more concession agreements or anything like that. What the reality has been is having money transferred out of our accounts.

Lein said Tuesdays support of Amendment 2 shows the investment Alabamians have in the state parks system.

We all feel that the vote tonight validates the concerns about the parks system and our feeling that the funds of the park system should be protected, Lein said. Were proud for the state. Its a big deal to us, and its very clear to all of us that Alabamians believe in the park system. They believe in protecting the parks and they feel that the future of the parks system is foremost in their minds. Its a big day for us.

Staff writer Jim Little contributed to this report.
Angered by the election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president, hundreds of students protested at three university campuses in Orange County. Residents also protested at a Santa Ana intersection.

Besides the local protests, demonstrations erupted nationwide  some drawing thousands of people in big cities.

Wednesday night in Santa Ana

Also Wednesday night, an anti-Trump crowd that eventually swelled to about 250 protesters took over an intersection at McFadden Avenue and then traveled down Bristol Street in Santa Ana, said Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna.

Some protesters began throwing rocks and bottles at police, he added. The Santa Ana Police Department requested aid from the Orange County Sheriffs Department to control the crowd.

There were no immediate reports of injuries, but just after 11 p.m. police started firing non-lethal rubber bullets and pepper balls in a bid to disperse the crowd.

At one point protesters fired off illegal fireworks.

On Thursday morning Bertagna said seven adults and three minors were arrested for crimes including assault with a deadly weapon  after someone threw a rock that hit at least one officer  being drunk in public, violating curfew, damage to property and damage to police vehicles.

Were here to help peoples first amendment rights  in a civil manner, Bertagna said. But when people start violating the law obviously we cant tolerate that.

A dozen other agencies were called to the protest and 182 officers were on scene. Three police cars and two businesses were vandalized. Protestors smashed police car windshields and tagged businesses along Bristol Street with graffiti. A 7-Elevens windows and doors were also shattered with rocks.

I think that it starts with people just trying to speak out, but then other ones come in and are looking to do other things, Bertagna said.

No one was reported to have been seriously injured or taken to a hospital.

Wednesday afternoon at CSUF

About 50 Cal State Fullerton students held a lunch-time march on campus Wednesday, from outside the Titan Student Union to the entrance of the Humanities-Social Sciences Building, a school official said.

Students chants included: Not my president and This is what democracy looks like, said Cal State Fullerton Senior Ashlyn Ramirez, who came upon the protest.

Students are very angry, Ramirez said.

Tuesday night at UCI

A spontaneous protest with some 300 students marchers began around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday at UC Irvine near the student center.

We wanted to start a peaceful movement to express our displeasure with Donald Trump as president, said David Morales, 18, a sophomore studying urban planning.

The students marched around residential halls and several other campus buildings. Some shouted profanities and Dump Trump while displaying clenched fists.

Morales said some in the group fear theyll be targeted with hateful rhetoric now that Trump has been elected.

Israel Foss, 19, a freshman majoring in business, said he participated in the protest to demonstrate his concern about a Trump presidency.

I fear for the whole world, he said. We wanted to have an expression of solidarity in support of our diversity.

Wednesday night at UCI

On Wednesday night, about 200 UCI students gathered peacefully near the Langson Library to listen to speakers.

They included Roxana Akbari, 18, a political science major.

I was upset about the results, she said. I wanted to voice my opinion for the unity of students. Now is the time to build it up and fight for the rights we believe in. Its a lesson learned to be politically educated.

Wednesday night at Chapman

Earlier on Wednesday in Orange, about 100 Chapman University students took to the streets holding signs and chanting, Build bridges, not walls.

We feel like crap, Chapman junior Rebecca Rost said. Weve been crying all day.

Staff Writers Roxana Kopetman and Nathan Percy contributed to this report.
ANAHEIM  Hundreds of immigrants were welcomed as fellow citizens Tuesday during a naturalization ceremony on Election Day.

How ironic and unfortunate, the presiding federal judge went on, that they couldnt vote.

But they could.

And Simon Bensaidy of Fullerton knew it. As soon as the ceremony ended at the Anaheim Convention Center, he pulled out his cellphone and showed his fellow new citizens the proof.

Even though voter registration closed for most Californians almost two weeks ago, these newly minted citizens could immediately exercise one of their new key rights, thanks to a little-known law passed in 2012: New citizens can register and vote until the polls closed.

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Most of those sworn in during the first of two ceremonies at the City National Grove of Anaheim on Tuesday had no idea  until they walked outside to meet cheering relatives with cameras and flowers. Thats where two representatives from an immigrants-rights coalition distributed fliers describing their new rights.

You can vote today, Katie Brazer told them in English and in Spanish.

A security guard tried to stop her, telling those gathered around that they couldnt vote so soon.

Yes, they can, Brazer countered, continuing to distribute the fliers from the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.

Wael Al Shuab, 36, of Irvine, was excited.

Along with his wife and two young children, he headed straight to the Orange County Registrar of Voters Office in Santa Ana.

Its a good feeling, said Al Shuab, a doctor in Pasadena. Ive felt as if Ive belonged. But now, I belong more.

The California law gives new citizens through Election Day to register and vote; on Tuesday, they had to cast their ballots at county election office.

It was the first presidential election covered by the law. In previous elections, new citizens, in the dozens, registered and voted after the standard registration deadline had closed, Orange County Registrar Neal Kelley said.

More than 10 states, plus the District of Columbia, allow some form of same-day registration and voting, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Starting Jan. 1, any qualified Californian will be able to register and vote all the way through Election Day. Some opposed that law, saying it could help lead to voter fraud.

Sara Flores, a director at the El Sol Science and Arts Academy school in Santa Ana, left the 9 a.m. naturalization ceremony in Anaheim, held by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, with her husband.

They headed off to the countys election office in Santa Ana.

Ive been looking forward to this moment, said Flores later, outside the office, sporting an I voted sticker.

A longtime legal permanent resident, Flores said the anti-immigrant rhetoric that punctuated this election cycle prompted her to apply for citizenship.

I was kind of scared that if (Trump) gets elected, what crazy idea he might have to remove green-card holders, she said.

For Bensaidy, who owns a small electronics-distribution company, his new citizenship and right to vote is very gratifying, beyond words.

Walking out of the ceremony and on his way to cast his first ballot, Bensaidy tucked a miniature American flag into his coat pocket  where, as he put it, it was right by my heart.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7829 or rkopetman@scng.com
Stunned doesnt describe it. One side prepares for a victory party. The other side is poised for a crushing defeat.

Then, as election day morphs into election night, the outcome and the emotions flip.

And a Donald Trump supporter from Riverside County celebrates with an adult beverage or two.

And a Hillary Clinton supporter from Santa Monica doesnt recognize America after the vote.

And a Jill Stein voter from Orange County pledges to support the protesters along the controversial pipeline in North Dakota.

The Southern California News Group followed three voters before, during and after election day. They spoke candidly about the stunning day.

A SHOT FOR A GREAT DAY

His night ended in a dive bar.

Mario Herrera, a Trump supporter from Murrieta, went to Joannies Cantina and ordered two celebratory drinks: a Goose IPA beer and a shot of Jameson Irish Whiskey.

There has been no gloating and no taunting, said Herrera, 27, who works as a Republican political consultant.

But there has been a lot of happiness.

Herrera spent election day walking precincts, monitoring polling places and working the phones. Then he went to two Republican celebration parties.

We were sweaty, gross and smelly and everybody else was in ties, he said. It was awesome.

Up until 7 p.m., he said, he thought Trump was going to lose. Then the numbers started rolling in.

There was an overwhelming amount of positivity, Herrera said.

Yesterday was a good day to be an American.

What kind of president is Donald Trump going to be?

An executive type like you would see in a board room, Herrera said. I dont think Donald Trump is going to make positive change. But he is going to put people in positions to flourish.

WHAT HAPPENED TO AMERICA?

Mark Sarvas had planned to watch the election results with his students at UCLA, where he teaches a class in novel writing.

Sarvas, 52, a Clinton supporter, turned off the media coverage when he could see the numbers werent cooperating.

This feels like chapter one of the worst post-apocalyptic novel ever written, he wrote on Twitter. And later: Alec Baldwin is gonna be busy for the next four years.

Wednesday morning, he was angry.

I no longer recognize this country, he said. Hatred, fear and racism have triumphed in America. Its a terrible day for the whole world.

What happens next?

We go forward, Sarvas said. Its all we can ever do.

He said he didnt want to answer anymore questions.

SANTA CLAUS CAME, KINDA

Sabrina Rios went to bed before she knew the results.

Rios, 22, a student at Saddleback College, woke up at 4 a.m. Wednesday and turned on the television.

It was like Christmas in reverse, she said, meaning she was not happy with the present left for her in the morning.

For a second, I didnt believe it. But it was true.

Rios, who voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein, took some heat from her friends. Some unfriended her on Facebook. Some said Trumps victory happened because of her.

Some people have stopped talking to me, she said.

With a day to think about it, shes still happy with her vote. Rios wants to send the message that America needs more than two major parties.

Its a wake-up call, Rios said.

She was quite critical of Hillary Clinton. She didnt inspire voters, Rios said. Trump is completely offensive. But he inspired his voters by awakening their anger.

Now that the election is over, Rios will concentrate on another protest. Shes not in favor of the pipeline being built on Native American land in North Dakota.

Shes started a GoFundMe page to raise money for her Re-Right History project. On Nov. 23, Rios and a few friends plan to use the money they raise to buy food and drive to North Dakota. They will distribute food to all the people on front lines of the pipeline  protesters, workers, security personnel and anyone else who is there.
An Orange County Superior Court judge was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment on Sunday, a sheriffs official confirmed on Wednesday.

Stephanie George, who presides at the West Justice Center in Westminster, was taken into custody by deputies at a South County residence at about 7 p.m.

Sheriffs Lt. Mark Stichter said that George, 58, was arrested and booked into the Intake Release Center in Santa Ana.

She posted bond early the next morning and was released, Stichter said.

He would not give details on what led to the arrest or what her relationship was to the child. A court profile on her says George was married and has three children.

Calls to Superior Court officials and George seeking comment were not returned. It was unclear if she had a future court date or would face charges.

George was appointed by Gov. Gray Davis in October 2000. From 1989 to 2000, she served as a deputy district attorney and was a U.S. Navy judge advocate from 1985 to 89. She was also a commander in the Navys Ready Reserve Unit from 1989 to 2005.

She graduated from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and Whittier College School of Law.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7865 or afausto@scng.com
California has a lot to lose if President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican-led Congress fulfill their campaign pledge to repeal Obamacare.

The Golden State fully embraced the Affordable Care Act by expanding Medicaid coverage for the poor and creating its own health insurance exchange for about 1.4 million enrollees. Supporters held California up as proof the health law could work as intended.

But now President Barack Obamas signature law is in serious jeopardy, and California officials are left wondering what Republicans in Washington may put in its place.

There is no doubt that Obamacare is dead, said Robert Laszewski, a health care consultant and expert on the California insurance market. The only question is just exactly how Republicans will get rid of it.

Health policy experts dont expect Republicans to immediately kick millions of people off their insurance policies. Instead, they predict lawmakers may repeal parts of the law and allow for some transition period for consumers while a replacement plan is put together.

Still, the personal and financial impact for the state could be jarring. The number of uninsured Californians would more than double to 7.5 million people if the Affordable Care Act was repealed, according to a recent study by the Urban Institute.

Researchers also said California stands to lose an estimated $15 billion annually in federal funding for Medicaid expansion and insurance subsidies  more than any other state. That loss of federal money would make it difficult for California to pursue health reform on its own.

State Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina, chairman of the Senate Health Committee, said its difficult to predict what the next iteration of the Affordable Care Act may look like.

Will there be federal subsidies? Will the state Legislature pay for subsidies to ensure Californians have coverage? Those are open questions, Hernandez said. I will do everything I can to make sure California continues to take the lead on this issue.

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said the state doesnt have the money to maintain Medi-Cal expansion or insurance subsidies on its own.

With repeal, there is not some soft landing. There is not any capacity on the part of states to backfill what these cuts will do, Jones said. I am very frustrated that the progress that has been made reducing the uninsured by half in this state and the nation will be undone. I am horror-struck at all the Americans who will be without health insurance.

Congress already has voted to eliminate funding for Medicaid expansion and premium tax credits to dismantle two key pillars of the health law. Obama vetoed that legislation this year, but Trump made the repeal of Obamacare a centerpiece of his campaign.

If repeal goes through, state leaders and consumer advocates may look to the ballot box, asking voters to fund expanded health coverage through higher taxes or fees. In Tuesdays election, Californians backed the extension of a hospital fee to help pay for Medi-Cal, the states Medicaid program.

State officials could aim even higher and try for a government-funded single-payer health system at the state level. But thats expensive, disruptive to the current system and a tough sell to the public. Colorado voters soundly rejected a state single-payer initiative during Tuesdays election.

Some Republican lawmakers in California would applaud a reversal on Medi-Cal expansion. They have argued that state and federal spending increases on the program are unsustainable.

The states Medi-Cal program now covers about a third of all Californians. The health laws Medicaid expansion has added about 3.5 million Californians to the program since January 2014 and total enrollment stands at more than 13 million.

Molina Healthcare, a Long Beach-based insurer, is a major player in Medicaid managed care nationwide and also covers about 600,000 people through exchanges in California and eight other states. The companys chief executive, Dr. J. Mario Molina, said he thinks Covered California and other exchanges will become a smaller part of health reform under a Republican plan and coverage expansion will shift more to Medicaid.

Molina said Republicans in Congress could grant governors more flexibility on Medicaid benefits to keep costs down while maintaining guaranteed access to coverage regardless of pre-existing conditions, a popular provision of the health law.

Republicans have the benefit of looking back at the experiment of Obamacare and seeing what worked and what didnt work, Molina said in an interview. I think the Republicans will negotiate a deal where Medicaid gets expanded with more state control and exchanges will play a different role. The most cost-effective way to do coverage expansion is through Medicaid.

Consumer advocates acknowledged the financial challenges posed by repeal but also encouraged Californians to keep signing up for coverage in the meantime.

Californians should continue to enroll in Covered California this open enrollment season, in Medi-Cal, and all the benefits they are still entitled to  and then fight like hell to keep them, said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California, a consumer advocacy group.

But some Covered California policyholders expressed concern about what a Trump administration might mean for their coverage.

I worry it will be gone, and I dont know what I will do for insurance, said Jane Henning Childress, 61, who lives in Calaveras County.

Taking into account her federal subsidy, she said she pays about $135 a month for her exchange plan. Earlier this year, she used it to help cover surgery for an ovarian cyst. It sure helped me out, she said.

Even before the election, some major health insurers were pulling out of the exchange market nationally and premiums shot up 22 percent, on average, for state and federal exchanges for 2017.

In the Covered California exchange, the average rate increase was 13.2 percent for next year. Thats higher than the 4 percent average rate increases that California negotiated its first two years. Open enrollment started Nov. 1.

Health insurers in California and nationwide face plenty of uncertainty as well from the election outcome. Some analysts said more insurers may exit state marketplaces rather than wait for them to unravel and risk getting stuck with too many expensive patients.

Four big insurers, led by Anthem Inc. and Blue Shield of California, account for about 90 percent of Covered Californias enrollment.

The unthinkable has happened, said Ana Gupte, a senior health care research analyst at Leerink Research. With a Republican sweep of the White House, Senate and the House, we are looking ahead to a 2017 filled with much change and uncertainty in the health care markets.
SACRAMENTO  Voters approval of Gov. Jerry Browns sentencing changes on Tuesday means at least 30,000 of Californias 130,000 state inmates could soon be considered for early release, the latest step in an unprecedented five-year effort to reduce Californias prison population.

The measure was leading by a margin of 64 percent to 36 percent on Wednesday morning.

The Democratic governor says Proposition 57 will encourage more rehabilitation and help reverse a mistake he made when he was first governor in the 1970s by giving corrections professionals more say in when inmates are released, restoring balance to the legal code that he says has become overburdened with get-tough policies.

But opponents worry the initiative could cause a spike in crime and create uncertainty about the timing of inmates releases.

It will lower the prison population in three ways. It will:

 Allow earlier parole consideration for nonviolent inmates.

 Permit the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to give earlier release credits even to inmates convicted of violent crimes, if they complete rehabilitation programs.

 Require that judges, instead of prosecutors, decide whether juvenile offenders should be tried in adult court.

Brown has said the goal is to encourage rehabilitation.

You can actually earn years off your sentence. You can earn it by good behavior, by really changing your life, he said before the vote.

Brown posted on his official Twitter account Tuesday night that Californians had embraced the public safety reforms of (hash)Proposition57. Now its up to all of us to make it work.

Opponents are concerned the measure gives corrections officials too much power to overrule judges sentencing decisions.

Merced County District Attorney Larry Morse, who co-chaired the No on 57 campaign, called it a dangerous measure that will put Californians and our communities at serious risk.

For the first time in two decades, crime in California is going up  and now Prop 57 will allow prisoners convicted for domestic violence, human trafficking, assault with a deadly weapon and other violent crimes to be eligible for early release, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, another co-chair, added in a statement.

The nonpartisan state Legislative Analysts Office projects that nearly a quarter of inmates could seek earlier parole under the first provision.

They would first have to finish the prison term for their primary offense, without the enhancements that can add years to sentences for things like being a repeat offender or gang member or using a gun during the crime.

Only inmates whose crimes are classified as nonviolent could apply. But under California law, that would exclude only those convicted of about two dozen crimes such as murder and kidnapping.

Opponents cited the case of former Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner, whose sexual assault of an unconscious woman was considered nonviolent under state law. His six-month jail sentence prompted Brown to sign two new laws in September, one requiring longer sentences and the other permitting victims to say in court that they were raped, even if the attack doesnt meet the technical legal definition.

Inmates releases would not be automatic.

The initiative expands on an existing federal court order requiring earlier parole consideration for second-strike offenders convicted of nonviolent and non-sexual crimes. The court order uses a truncated version of the lengthy process used for murderers seeking parole from life prison sentences.

Browns administration projects that about 7,000 inmates will be immediately eligible for earlier parole consideration. However, about 5,700 of those already qualify under the court order, so the initiative will speed consideration for an additional 1,300 inmates, about half of whom are likely to be released earlier.

In the long term, the legislative analyst projects that about 7,500 new inmates each year could seek earlier parole.

Corrections officials would take more than a year to develop new regulations before anyone is paroled or before the department awards additional sentencing credits to inmates. And there is no way to project how many inmates would get sentencing credits until the department writes the regulations.

We would ensure that we protect and enhance public safety, said department spokeswoman Terry Thornton.

The initiative also reverses voters decision in 2000 to let prosecutors decide if juveniles as young as 14 should be tried as adults. Now, judges will decide after a hearing and fewer youths will be eligible for adult courts.

Fewer than 600 teens were sent to adult court last year, most of them automatically or by prosecutors. Judges agreed to transfer fewer than 100 youths to adult court last year.
VIENNA  The United Nations agency monitoring the nuclear pact between Iran and six world powers said Wednesday that Iran is in violation of the deal meant to curb its ability to make atomic arms by storing marginally more heavy water than the agreement allows.

Heavy water is a concern because it is used to cool reactors that can produce substantial amounts of plutonium. That, in turn, can be applied to making the fissile core of nuclear warheads.

The U.Ns International Atomic Energy Agency said in a confidential report obtained by The Associated Press that Iran had exceeded the heavy water allotment of 143.3 tons only slightly  by 220 pounds. The report also noted that Iran had served notice it would resolve the issue by exporting 5 metric tons, substantially over the excess amount.

Wednesdays report said the agency verified the overhang on Tuesday, just days after IAEA chief Yukiya Amano expressed concerns to top Iranian officials.

A senior diplomat familiar with the issue said the Iranians had told the IAEA that the shipment would be leaving their country within the next few days. The diplomat requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record about Irans nuclear program.

Still, with both sides closely watching for violations, the breach was sensitive even beyond the technical uses of heavy water, especially since it was the second such breach since implementation of the deal curbing Irans nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

In February, a month after the deal went into effect, the agency noted for the first time that Iran had exceeded its allotted limit of heavy water. The amount was greater in that case and some of the excess was exported to the United States under an arrangement criticized by U.S. congressional opponents as facilitating Iranian violations of the deal.

Wednesdays report did not specify to which country or countries the exports would be going this time.
U.S. stock futures plunged as investors rushed to price in a potential victory by Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential race, as rising odds of victory for the Republican in a succession of key swing stakes shocked investors into a near-panic and threw global markets into disarray.

December contracts on the S&P 500 Index lost 4.3 percent to 2,044 at 11:23 p.m. in New York, extending losses as Trump held slim leads in numerous must-win states for Clinton. Key battlegrounds of Michigan and New Hampshire are among other states where polls have closed and results have been too close to call, but show Trump leading over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Ohio went to Trump.

The marketplace at least has upgraded dramatically Trumps chances of pulling this off  clearly the market is pretty nervous, said David Joy, the Boston-based chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial Inc., which oversees $796 billion. Its across-the-board and theres this general reaction, which just shows you how jittery the market is about this.

S&P 500 futures erased the rally that began Sunday night on word the FBI had resolved its investigation of Clintons e-mails. The benchmark gained 2.6 percent on Monday and Tuesday, its third biggest gain ever in the two days before a presidential election.

A Trump victory, buttressed by electoral gains from Florida to North Carolina, had been portrayed by analysts as having the potential to unhinge markets that had banked on a continuation of policies that coincided with the second-longest bull market in S&P 500 history.

The stock market has shown itself more comfortable with the Democrat taking over the White House as Trump is considered less predictable after his policy positions have not been consistent during the race. At stake is leadership of the worlds largest economy at a time when America is divided over immigration, trade and the countrys role in the wider world.

Traders are especially on edge after the U.K.s vote to leave the European Union was largely not predicted by polls and betting markets. Declines in futures that night triggered the Chicago Mercantile Exchanges limit down price curbs. The rules come into effect when S&P 500 contracts decline 5 percent from a reference price that is calculated in the last 30 seconds of trading on the previous day.

E-mini futures on the benchmark gauge settled Tuesday at 2,135.12, implying a trigger at around 2,029. The curb means the contract cannot trade at a lower price for the remainder of the overnight session.

Everything thing weve been reading suggested youd see a Clinton win and that Republicans take take control of the House. Every incremental vote that makes that outcome more difficult, thats a vote towards a lower market, said Mike Bailey, director of research at FBB Capital Partners, which oversees $900 million. As the race looks more competitive, thats going to weigh on equity prices as we head into tomorrow.

Swaps traders trimmed wagers on tighter U.S. monetary policy. The market-implied chance of a December rate hike by the Federal Reserve plunged below 50 percent, based on U.S. overnight indexed swaps that trade 24 hours a day, compared to 82 percent at 5 p.m. The OIS-derived probability tends to be a few percentage points lower compared to calculations based on fed funds futures.

About 700,000 e-minis contracts expiring in December have changed hands since the futures market started trading at 6 p.m. New York time, 22 times the average volume at this time of the day over the past month, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

The S&P 500 Index advanced 0.4 percent Tuesday to cap its biggest two-day rally since June. The index sits at the highest in two weeks after rebounding from a nine-day rout that was the longest slump in 36 years.

Final voter polls taken before voting began Tuesday showed Democrat Hillary Clinton with a narrow lead over Republican Donald Trump. The two have spent the past days campaigning in key states as polls showed the race had tightened. State-by-state surveys indicate a narrow lead for the Democratic candidate, while websites that take bets on the presidential victor show her odds of winning the White House are generally about 80 percent.

The walloping in stocks will test the reliability of hedges built up over the last month as the election neared. Some of the biggest were tied to swings in the CBOE Volatility Index, the options-derived gauge of market stress which saw its longest streak of gains ever last week. Volume in VIX futures have been at or close to records in past weeks, a sign institutional investors took steps to mitigate a potential plunge.

Hedges are pretty tricky when its such a binary outcome of results, meaning that the initial reaction for a Trump victory was clearly going to create some volatility around the equity market, aid Mark Heppenstall, chief investment officer of Penn Mutual Asset Management which oversees $20 billion. Its always hard to have effective hedges when there are expected outcomes.

Regardless of how equity prices react on Nov. 9, next-day moves in the S&P 500 are useless in telling what comes after, as gains or losses over the first 24 hours predict the markets direction 12 months later less than half the time.

In the 22 elections going back to 1928, the S&P 500 has fallen 15 times the day after polls close, for an average loss of 1.8 percent. Stocks reversed course and moved higher over the next 12 months in nine of those instances, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Officials for Los Angeles bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games congratulated Donald J. Trump on a presidential victory that is being viewed within the Olympic movement as a significant setback to the citys quest to hold a third Games.

IOC members have made it clear for months that they viewed a potential Trump presidency as an impediment to Los Angeles bid, citing the Republican candidates anti-Muslim and immigrant stances as well as several other comments made about foreign governments.

The Trump victory was also a personal setback for LA 2024 chairman Casey Wasserman. Wasserman contributed at least $277,700 to Democratic campaigns including Hillary Clinton in 2016, according to state and federal campaign records.

LA 2024 congratulates President-elect Donald J. Trump and appreciates his longstanding support of the Olympic movement in the United States, LA 2024, the local bid committee said in a statement Wednesday. We strongly believe the Olympics and LA 2024 transcend politics and can help unify our diverse communities and our world.

LA 2024 has achieved 88 percent public support in the latest poll and strong bipartisan government support at the local, state and federal level. We look forward to working closely with President-elect Trump and his Administration across the federal government to deliver a New Games for a new Era that will benefit and inspire the entire Olympic movement in 2024.

Los Angeles is bidding with Paris and Budapest for the 2024 Games. The International Olympic Committee will select the 2024 host city next September in Lima, Peru.

IOC members and other longtime Olympic movement watchers said the impact of Trumps election on the Los Angeles bid could be offset by a victory by Marine Le Pen of the ultra-conservative National Front in next springs French presidential election. Le Pen was tried and later acquitted for inciting hatred in a Lyon court for comments she made about Frances Muslim community.

Contact the writer: sreid@scng.com
LOS ANGELES  The pharmaceutical industry scored a big victory in California, where voters rejected a ballot measure seeking to curb prescription drug prices paid by the state for millions of retirees, prisoners and poor people.

Opponents to Proposition 61 garnered 54 percent of the 8.5 million votes counted Wednesday.

The measure would have required certain state health plans to pay the same prices for prescription medications as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which typically gets deep discounts for its purchases.

Drug-makers spent more than $109 million to oppose the measure, saying it would reduce access to medicines and raise prices for veterans and others.

Voters did their research and recognized Prop 61 was a seriously flawed measure, Kathy Fairbanks, spokeswoman for the no campaign, said in a statement.

Supporters said the measure would have provided significant savings for the state and could have forced the industry to begin reducing prices elsewhere.

At the end of the day, we fight for whats right, said Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which raised the bulk of the more than $18 million spent in support of the measure.

The so-called California Drug Price Relief Act produced the most spending of Californias 17 statewide initiatives. The two sides featured dueling advertisements saying capping spending would either finally help rein in rising drug prices or lead to even higher costs for virtually everyone else.

The VA, which serves some 9 million veterans nationwide, pays some of the cheapest prices because of its massive bargaining power and automatic discounts it gets under federal law.

Backers said passage would save the state money for prescriptions it reimburses or buys for prison inmates, government retirees and some low-income residents on Medi-Cal, the states low-cost or free Medicaid health plan for the poor. The measure would have affected between 4 million and 6 million people.

During the year ending June 30, 2015, California spent about $4 billion on drugs for the groups covered under the initiative.

Opponents contended it would reduce access to medicines and if the industry lowered prices for this group it would simply raise prices for others, including veterans. And since Prop. 61 did not force drug-makers to alter their prices  it only stipulates that the state not pay more than the VA price  independent analysts said it was unclear whether California would save much money.

Drug pricing is a hot issue nationwide and companies have faced blistering criticism over some huge hikes in the cost for individual items, such as Turing Pharmaceuticals raising by 5,000 percent the cost of a drug for a life-threatening parasitic infection and Mylans pair of EpiPen emergency allergy shots, which increased more than 500 percent since 2007.

Both sides recruited heavy-hitters for their causes. Supporters include the California Nurses Association, AARP and former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who held rallies in Los Angeles and Sacramento just before Election Day.

Opponents include the California Medical Association, the states largest doctors organization, and the state chapters of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America and the American Legion.
SANTA ANA  Miguel Pulido, Santa Anas mayor for the past 22 years, appeared to be on his way to his 12th two-year term early Wednesday.

I am very appreciative to the residents of Santa Ana for a strong vote of confidence, Pulido said in a text message.

Pulido, first elected to the City Council in 1986, had a sizable margin over longtime educator and community activist Benjamin Vazquez and retired teacher and writer Steve Rocco.

The longtime mayor has said hes in favor of boosting the number of police officers, prioritizing economic development and enforcing stricter policies around homelessness. Pulido took an early lead Tuesday.

Under an eight-year mayoral term limit that went into effect in 2012, Pulido would not be able to be re-elected to the seat past 2020.

Vazquez, a Valley High School world history and ethnic studies teacher and board chairman of Centro Cultural de Mexico, entered the race vowing to focus on investing in youth and affordable housing. He said the citys budget had too sizable a chunk of money going toward the police department and not enough toward expanding the citys library system and youth summer programs.

Rocco is a perennial mayoral candidate.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7762 or jkwong@ocregister.com or on Twitter: @JessicaGKwong
Former Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva took a narrow lead in her bid to reclaim Orange Countys 65th state Assembly District from Incumbent GOP Assemblywoman Young Kim, who won when the two last faced off in 2014.

Quirk-Silva had 50.8 percent of the vote on Wednesday morning and led Kim by 1,542 votes. However, one-third of all Orange County votes still remain uncounted, leaving more than 410,000 ballots left to be tallied.

This years contest was a rematch of the 2014 contest  and once again, the balance of the Legislature is on the line, with Democrats statewide hoping to gain a two-thirds supermajority that would allow them to raise taxes without Republican support. Two years ago, Kim ousted Quirk-Silva after she served a single term.

On Tuesday night, as vote totals began to roll in, Quirk-Silva and Kim both felt confident about their chances of winning.

We feel really good, Quirk-Silva said. We feel really optimistic about the work we put in, not only over the past weeks, but the past months. We feel were going to end the night looking strong. Its going to be a close race, but in the end, we think well be on top.

Kim held a lead when she spoke with the Register on Tuesday.

It just goes to show you when you work hard in the district, when youre visible and accessible, it pays off, Kim said Tuesday night. Working the district, working on behalf of the constituent, that really matters.

The districts recent flip-flopping gave the states Democrat and Republican parties hope to claim an area that in recent years has shifted from solidly red to purple. That shift sparked combined spending of $7.5 million on this years contest  with $4.2 million backing Quirk-Silva and $3.3 million in support of Kim.

Kim ran on her track record  especially her work on the state budget committee. Last year, she fought to extend tuition freezes at Californias public universities for two more years. She also boasted of securing an additional $10 million in grant funding to help homeless youths, and enabling Orange County to apply for that money for the first time.

She said if she is re-elected, shell introduce legislation to change how teachers are evaluated to include additional professional development on use of new educational technology. She has framed her candidacy partly as a bulwark against a Democratic supermajority and potential tax hikes.

Quirk-Silva highlighted her ability to author and pass legislation during her Sacramento term  including a law providing an additional $25 million in tax credits to small businesses and another requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to construct and fund a veterans cemetery in Irvine.

If elected, Quirk-Silva said she will be a bridge for Orange County to make sure were getting the resources to build affordable housing, ensuring that cities know what resources are available at the state level.

On Election Day, Democrats held a 9-point lead over Republicans in voter registration in the 65th  which includes west Anaheim, Fullerton, Buena Park, Cypress, Stanton and La Palma. As recently as April, that lead was only 2 points, but a push to register Democrats in the district bolstered their numbers.

Democrats need only one additional Senate seat and two Assembly seats to secure a supermajority in both houses of the Legislature. The Sacramento Bee identified seven Assembly and five Senate races, including the 65th Senate District, as battlegrounds where Democrats have a chance to take Republican-held seats.

Incumbent GOP Assemblywoman Young Kim took a narrow lead Tuesday night in her bid to reclaim Orange Countys 65th state Assembly District seat and defeat former Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva for the second election in a row.

Kim led with early voting results reported.

This years contest was a rematch of the 2014 contest  and once again, the balance of the Legislature is on the line, with Democrats statewide hoping to gain a two-thirds supermajority that would allow them to raise taxes without Republican support. Two years ago, Kim ousted Quirk-Silva after she served a single term.

It just goes to show you when you work hard in the district, when youre visible and accessible, it pays off, Kim said Tuesday night. Working the district, working on behalf of the constituent, that really matters.

Quirk-Silva believed she still had a chance of winning the election.

We feel really good. We feel really optimistic about the work we put in, not only over the past weeks, but the past months. We feel were going to end the night looking strong, Quirk-Silva said. Its going to be a close race, but in the end, we think well be on top.

The districts recent flip-flopping gave the states Democrat and Republican parties hope to claim an area that in recent years has shifted from solidly red to purple. That shift sparked combined spending of $7.5 million on this years contest  with $4.2 million backing Quirk-Silva and $3.3 million in support of Kim.

Kim ran on her track record  especially her work on the state budget committee. Last year, she fought to extend tuition freezes at Californias public universities for two more years. She also boasted of securing an additional $10 million in grant funding to help homeless youths, and enabling Orange County to apply for that money for the first time.

She said if she is re-elected, shell introduce legislation to change how teachers are evaluated to include additional professional development on use of new educational technology. She has framed her candidacy partly as a bulwark against a Democratic supermajority and potential tax hikes.

Quirk-Silva highlighted her ability to author and pass legislation during her Sacramento term  including a law providing an additional $25 million in tax credits to small businesses and another requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to construct and fund a veterans cemetery in Irvine.

If elected, Quirk-Silva said she will be a bridge for Orange County to make sure were getting the resources to build affordable housing, ensuring that cities know what resources are available at the state level.

On Election Day, Democrats held a 9-point lead over Republicans in voter registration in the 65th  which includes west Anaheim, Fullerton, Buena Park, Cypress, Stanton and La Palma. As recently as April, that lead was only 2 points, but a push to register Democrats in the district bolstered their numbers.

Democrats need only one additional Senate seat and two Assembly seats to secure a supermajority in both houses of the Legislature. The Sacramento Bee identified seven Assembly and five Senate races, including the 65th Senate District, as battlegrounds where Democrats have a chance to take Republican-held seats.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7960 or jgraham@scng.com
ANKARA, Turkey  Turkey said Tuesday that the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led forces leading an assault on the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa should not enter the city itself but merely help encircle it, a suggestion dismissed by the Kurds.

The dispute between the two U.S. allies threatens to complicate efforts to drive Islamic State out of Raqqa, the de facto capital of the extremist groups caliphate.

The U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces, or SDF, which include Kurdish, Arab and Turkmen fighters, have driven Islamic State from large swaths of territory, but Turkey views the Syrian Kurds who dominate the group as an extension of the Kurdish insurgency raging in its southeast.

Turkey has sent its own forces across the border to back Syrian opposition fighters, and has suggested they lead the offensive to retake Raqqa. The Turkey-backed forces, now pushing toward the Islamic State stronghold of al-Bab, have clashed with both Islamic State and the SDF.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Turkey-backed opposition fighters captured six villages near al-Bab on Tuesday and are now about 4 miles from the town.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters that the U.S. chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen. Joseph Dunford, told Turkish officials during a recent visit that Kurdish-led forces would have a role only in encircling Raqqa and would not enter the city.

We hope that this will be the case and we expect that our partners keep their promises, Cavusoglu said. He said local fighters aided by Turkish special forces should drive Islamic State out of Raqqa, and suggested that residents of the mainly Sunni Arab city might not welcome Kurdish forces.

The SDF has made some gains since the Raqqa offensive began Sunday, taking over nearly a dozen villages.

Ilham Ahmed, a senior official in the political arm of the SDF, said the same forces leading the offensive will enter Raqqa.

The campaign will continue to be in that form until it enters the city, Ahmed told The Associated Press. She said the Kurdish-led SDF, as the main force on the ground, is best placed to decide what forces are needed to liberate the city.

The U.S. Central Command says coalition warplanes have carried out more than 30 air raids north of Raqqa since Sunday. Elsewhere in Syria, two airstrikes killed at least 21 civilians in the province of Idlib, according to the Observatory.
It was just 8 p.m., after Donald Trump was declared the Ohio winner, that the lawyer with the Proud Nasty Woman T-shirt said, I cant take it any more.

What had begun as a festive Irvine watch party for Hillary Clinton fans, was turning morose as the delegate numbers for Trump clicked higher on the television screen, and a talking head declared, There are paths to 270 opening up for Donald Trump as we speak.

Joan Carmack, 69, headed for the door. Its a nail-biter and it makes me sick, she said.

The living room of the modest townhouse on Brisbane Way was bedecked with blue Clinton signs. The table was laden with a potluck feast of salmon, chicken wings and multicolored salads. Wine flowed.

And then Trump was declared the winner in North Carolina. And around 11:30 p.m., the Associated Press called Trump the winner.

For many of the dozen or so women at the party, gathered in a semi-circle around the television, this election was the culmination of years of waiting.

Years of hoping that some day, somehow, a woman would be president.

Lita Robinow, the hostess, had never given a watch party before, despite decades of Democratic activism. But this year was to be different. I thought it would be fun, she said.

Robinow peeled a photograph off her refrigerator. This is my grandmother, she said. She was born before women got the vote. She was a feminist in the 20s.

A 62-year-old food broker representing manufacturers and a small business owner who has experienced prejudice in a mostly male business, Robinow said her male colleagues had all been for Trump: They dont see women as equal.

Robinow, founder of a small local Democratic political action committee, DemOC PAC, said, Im not a person who cries, but Ive been crying all the time throughout this campaign  just because it was so moving to see what Hillary was facing and how unfair it was.

Robinow was sporting a T-shirt with the slogan, Nasty Woman: 1. a confident, independent female who gets (expletive) done.

The T-shirt was a gift from her friend Julie Tapp, a nonprofit executive who was wearing one too. Tapps husband, Peter Jipson, a Chapman University math professor, had donned a Bad Hombre shirt.

Tapp, 54, was just back from a fast food joint toting a box of barbecue. While waiting at the restaurant, she said, I was looking at my phone, and, oh God, I saw the Senate was leaning Republican.

So when she returned to Brisbane Way, she had plopped onto the couch, jumped on her phone and made some calls to get out the vote in Iowa and Nevada.

Tapp was excited about Clinton for every reason, she said. Climate change, a womans right to choose, her understanding of the economy. She is a centrist who can build coalitions and bring people together.

But then Trump was declared the winner in Florida. Half of Robinows guests left.

People got too stressed, Robinow said. They just want to go home and get under the covers.

Anne Hirsh was one who bailed. Im frightened and disgusted, said the 52-year-old former social worker.

Ive never felt so sad for our country. Trump preyed on fear and ignorance. I agree with Hillarys ideas. And it was super sexist to hear people say she should smile more or be softer. You would never say that about a male candidate.

She glanced at her phone. She had texted her husband, out of town on business, saying, Im so stressed. He texted back: Its not over.

The yammering heads yammered on from the screen.

And from the dwindling group, cries of, No way! and Oh, my God, punctuated an ever gloomier silence.

Mary Broude, a human resources professional, was checking her phone, answering a Japanese neighbor who texted her, Whats happening to America?

Broude texted back: We are going to hell.

For Broude, the election was not about a woman president, she said. She is the most competent candidate. She just happens to be a woman.

Robinow was refusing to concede. She still has a slim path to victory. Shes ahead by 18 votes in New Hampshire.

Her husband, Kevin OLeary, a UC Irvine research fellow and political scientist, was not optimistic. Hillary has to hold on to Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, and shes behind in all three, he said.

He mused, Obama was about change and hope. Trump is about change and fear.

By 10:30 p.m., the last guests were leaving.

Im trying to remember that the sun will rise tomorrow, said Jepp. And the earth will turn.

Contact the writer: mroosevelt@ocregister.com; Twitter@MargotRoosevelt

MORE O.C. RESULTS: Orange County city and school races and measures

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A 22-year-old Uber driver has been charged with sexually assaulting a teenage girl who was a passenger in Laguna Beach, authorities said Tuesday.

Samer Alaaeldin Mahran is accused of sexually assaulting the girl in his car near her home in Laguna Beach early Saturday, said Laguna Beach Police Sgt. Tim Kleiser.

Kleiser said police were called at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday regarding a sexual assault in an Uber car. Uber assisted police in identifying the driver, he said, adding that Mahran was arrested hours later at his home in Huntington Beach.

He said Mahran had worked for Uber for less than a year.

Were devastated by what this family has gone through and our hearts are with them, Uber spokeswoman Tracey Breeden said in a statement. Well continue working with police to support the investigation and proceedings. The individual has been permanently barred from the app.

Mahran was charged Tuesday with four felony counts of rape by use of drugs, forcible oral copulation on a minor over the age of 14, sexual penetration of a child over 14 by a foreign object and force, and unlawful sexual intercourse, according to court records.

In January, another Uber driver was charged with raping a 21-year-old woman in an Anaheim motel after giving her a ride from a Fullerton bar.

Omar Mahmoud Mousa, 53, of Anaheim had pleaded not guilty to felony charges of rape, forcible oral copulation and sexual penetration by foreign object in connection with the Oct. 2015 incident, authorities said.

Mousa is due in Orange County Superior Court for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.

The rapidly growing ride-sharing company, based in San Francisco, has faced scrutiny in the wake of high-profile incidents.

In April, Uber agreed to pay at least $10 million to settle a consumer protection lawsuit filed by district attorneys in Los Angeles and San Francisco claiming the company misled passengers about the quality of its driver background checks.

In a separate case, Uber earlier this year reached a $28.5 million settlement brought by riders over similar allegations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact the writer: kpuente@ocregister.com
Just a few steps into the Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York, up the curve of a cobblestone walkway on a low hill, is the grave of Susan B. Anthony, a leader of the movement for womens suffrage who lived about three miles away.

On Tuesday, her gravestone was nearly invisible beneath a coating of I Voted stickers and behind a line of hundreds of people who came here to pay their respects. They left notes of thanks to a woman who was arrested when she dared to vote and who did not live to see women granted that right.

The cemetery opened early, at 7:30 a.m., to mark the day, and was to stay open late.

At 11 a.m., Lovely Warren, the mayor of Rochester and the first woman elected to that position, arrived at the grave. I was elected 141 years to the day that Susan B. Anthony cast that illegal vote, Warren said, seated on a stone step in the graveyard under a bowed spruce.

To me that means, as a woman, there are no shackles and no chains to what we can accomplish, she said. If I could do back flips, I would be doing back flips.

The line to the grave site grew throughout the day. By noon it had snaked and doubled back on itself through the orange and gold trees. The color of the leaves was reflected in the yellow flowers many carried or wore pinned to pantsuit lapels  the bright roses the suffragists took to symbolize their cause, which began in the 1840s and continued for 80 years.

A woman moved among the stones with a hand drum looking to form a drum circle. Others knelt with their children and whispered about who Anthony was and who Hillary Clinton is.

A young woman wearing a sandwich board emblazoned with vote vote vote posed for pictures.

Rochesters population is 40 percent African-American, but there were few black people in the crowd, perhaps reflective of the fracture between some suffragists and abolitionists that split the allied causes for a time.

At 12:15 p.m., a group of women reached their turn at the grave and assembled around the stone in a semicircle.

One by one, each read from the Declaration of Sentiments, the text modeled on the Declaration of Independence and written in by the suffragists demanding equality and decrying a government that did not grant it.

It reads, It is their duty to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

More than 300 miles away, workers at Woodlawn Cemetery in New York City invited voters to visit the graves of four prominent female suffragists buried there, including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Anthonys friend and a founder of the National Woman Suffrage Association.

Around 2 p.m. there were no lines at the graves at Woodlawn, but word about Stantons resting place was slowly starting to spread on social media.
LAGUNA BEACH  A civil rights lawsuit filed in April by seven Muslim women claiming they were targeted and humiliated when forced to leave Urth Caffe by management is fraudulent, an attorney for the Laguna Beach restaurant said in a brief filed Tuesday supporting a lawsuit countering the seven women for trespass.

The trespass claim followed a lawsuit filed by the women claiming they were subjected to religious discrimination when Urth Caffe staff, with assistance from Laguna Beach police officers, asked them to leave when the women refused to abide by the cafes seating policy.

Tuesdays brief was filed by the American Freedom Law Center, a national public interest law firm retained by Urth Caffe.

The underlying lawsuit claiming religious discrimination is a fraud and a hoax on the courts and the media, said David Yerushalmi, AFLC co-founder and senior counsel. It is nothing short of an abuse of process to extort public apologies and other accommodations from my client, Urth Caffe.

A hearing on the motion is set for Nov. 22 at Orange County Superior Court in Santa Ana. This will be the first time a judge will review details of the case.

Yerushalmi said Urth Caffe did not discriminate against the women. He said the claim that they were asked to leave the cafe because they were wearing hijabs  a traditional Middle Eastern headscarf  is laughable.

On the night of April 22, as on many Friday nights, a large number of young people, including a majority of whom are Muslim and of Arab descent, make up the base of Urth Caffes customers, Yerushalmi said.

Not surprisingly, many of these customers are women wearing hijabs. None of these other Muslim women was asked to leave. The women who now claim victim status were not asked to leave, but only to abide by the cafes policy to give up their high-demand outside patio table after 45 minutes to allow other customers, including those wearing hijabs, to enjoy the experience. The women refused to abide by the policy and began causing a scene and disrupting other patrons.  This is trespass plain and simple.

The trespass countersuit claims the seven women were not victims, but instead the aggressors and guilty of trespass.

The women, represented by three attorneys, said at a press conference in April that they were singled out and told to leave Urth Caffe on April 22 because they appeared to be Muslim. Six of the seven wore hijabs.

One of their attorneys, Mohammad Tajsar, said at the time that Urth Caffe staff targeted these women as a way of cleansing their location of women that appeared to be Muslim to appease the Islamaphobia in a predominantly white Laguna Beach community.

We vigorously deny they broke the trespass law because they followed the orders of the police, he said in June. We view their cross-complaint as a mechanism to question the motivation of the women who came to Urth Caffe to have a good time and a further attempt to scare them not to pursue their lawsuit.

On Tuesday, Tajsar said the new filings by Urth Caffe are a response to a motion the women filed on Aug. 26 asking the judge to toss out the cafes counterclaim of trespass. The motion is a way to get an earlier hearing.

We filed it because (their trespass claim) was an attempt to intimidate and silence plaintiffs, Tajsar said Tuesday.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@scng.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini
Vladimir Chaika, a pensioner from the Ukrainian city of Kiev, spent 15 years turning the staircase of his Communist era apartment building into an artistic masterpiece reminiscent of 17th and 18th century chateaus.

Vladimir says that he had always been fascinated by the interior design style of 1600s and 1700s castles and estates, and having worked in constructions for many years, repairing various structures around Kiev, he had the skill and experience needed to undertake such a complicated project. It was time that he lacked, but following an accident that left him clinically dead in 1997, he was forced to retire and ended up with a lot of free time on his hands. He was very familiar with the decorating style of 17th century French chateaus, construction materials were cheap, and after asking a friend to supply him with a variety of custom molds, he was ready to get to work.

Photo: Magesqueen/Livejournal

Theres no denying that the style he opted for is infinitely more complex and laborious that the minimalism most people favor nowadays, but that doesnt explain why Vladimir only managed to finish the first three floors of his apartment building. He admits that he is partly to blame, because he took too long trying to make sure that every single detail turned out perfectly  for example, he redid the ceiling of the first floor four times before he was satisfied with it  but the increased cost of materials like plaster and paint was also a factor.

However, these three floors that he managed to fully transform are nothing short of breathtaking. From the intricate plaster patterns and gilded motifs to the photocopied portraits of aristocrats decorating the walls, the place actually looks a lot like the interior of a charming French chateau.

Chaika says that the work he put into redecorating his apartment building helped him takes his mind off his personal problems, and the positive feedback from his neighbors gave him to confidence to push on. Sadly, the drastic increase in prices for plaster, decorative paint and other materials have kept him from completing his project, and now the pensioner says its unlikely he will ever finish the upper floors of the building.

One of the most impressive features of his Ukrainian chateau is the garbage chute, which has been cleverly transformed into a gilded column. It looks so beautiful that some neighbors are reluctant to use it for its intended purpose for fear of damaging it. He says that his work has become famous around Kiev, with people coming into the building regularly to see it for themselves. The apartment building has also become a popular photo shoot location for newlyweds.

Although at one point Chaika offered to redecorate his neighbors homes to match the style of the staircase, he says they refused, and admits that he himself didnt implement 17th century elements in his own house, except for a small fireplace.
In a desperate attempt to raise money for her sick mothers cancer treatment, a 19-year-old girl in China recently posted a message on the Asian countrys most popular social media platform, WeChat, saying that she was selling herself to the highest bidder.

In her post, Cao Mengyuan says she was born and raised in a rural home in Gaozhou city, southern China. Her 45-year-old mother, who had worked as a farmer all her life, was recently diagnosed with skin cancer and her health was deteriorating very fast. Doctors told the young girl that the treatment for her mothers illness would cost about 350,000 Yuan ($51,500) which the family could not afford to pay. And since the woman doesnt have medical insurance either, the 19-year-old decided that, as the eldest of five children in her family, it was up to her to somehow come up with the money, by any means necessary. So she decided to sell herself online.

I wish that a kind-hearted person could buy me, so my mother can undergo the operation, the post states. After the transaction, I am willing to work at the will of the buyer in return. I will do whatever the buyer asked me to do. I never go back on my word. Everything I said is true. I will sell myself to the highest bidder.

After the post went viral on QQ.com, it attracted thousands of comments, with most expressing their sympathy for Cao and he family, and a few worried that her desperate plea might send the wrong message to other youths.

If I were her, I might do the same thing, one user wrote.

Rich kids can spend 350,000 yuan in a few months, while its astronomical for a poor family, another added.

With nothing but this online post to go by, there were also quite a few people who didnt believe Caos offer to sell herself to someone was real. However, British Daily Mail reports that theyve gotten in touch with Huang Qiliang, the founder of a Chinese charity, who confirmed that her case and the social media post were genuine. Qiliang added that he had visited the girl and her mother at the hospital and learned that a generous boss had agreed to pay all the medical bills for the cancer treatment after seeing Caos post. It has been settled. She doesnt have to sell anything now, he said.

This wouldnt have been Cao Mangyuans first sacrifice in order to help her family. The 19-year-old also had to drop put of high-school so she could support them by working as a labourer. She earned 1,000 Yuan per month, barely enough to take care of her elderly father and young siblings.

Source: QQ via Daily Mail
RJ Bardsley

The only thing more captivating than the presidential race in the news these days seems to be the challenges Samsung is facing with the Note 7. Say what you will about the company and its portfolio of devices, the Note 7 has focused tremendous scrutiny on the company and its ability to deliver high quality, compelling innovation. It has also focused a lot of attention on something else: the broader state of the mobile industry.

There have been a lot of discussions in the media over the past year about the crisis in innovation in the mobile sector. The Wall Street Journals Joanna Stern recently wrote that these days its hard to decide which is more thrilling: watching a new phone announcement or doing laundry while listening to hold music.

While I think Sterns words are a little harsh, and that there are still a lot of really cool phones coming to market, to many, it seems like the days of wonder and amazement have passed for mobile devices. Will we ever feel that sense of awe that we felt with our first iPhone, Nokia, Blackberry or Palm? Arguably, the devices in the market today do a lot more, a lot faster and with a lot better connectivity, then their distant ancestors. But where has the wow gone?

I believe were in the third age of mobile. Im calling it the Age of Introspection. And guess what: theres a lot more to come from this industry, but we have to get through this phase first. Im not a historian, but let me elaborate a little more on my theory of the evolution of the mobile experience:

Phase one: the Age of Utility

In the first phase of the mobile phone, we had great big bulky car phones and brick handsets. Were they sexy? No and yes. If you had one, you were super important. The device itself couldnt do much more than make a call. Battery life was awful and connectivity was nonexistent. But there was a mystique around these devices that began to capture the attention of the broader public.

Phase two: the Age of Invention

The rise of the Internet and the first dot.com bubble moved technology into the American mainstream, and eventually global, culture. With that move, the cell phone became glamorous. Motorola flip phones, Nokia Candy Bars and Blackberry devices came onto the scene and all of a sudden we were living in a new universe. We were freed from the shackles of our desks. We could text our friends (who doesnt remember the T-9 texting function on standard dial pads of the late 1990s?). Suddenly we were all as connected as the Wall Street bankers with all their car phones and brick phones.

The other thing that happened during this Age of Invention was an explosion of form factors  we had flip phones and sliders and keyboards and you name it  everything you imagine a phone morphing into seemed to happen. I also toyed with calling this the Age of Wonder  because there was so much excitement with every new device debut, and this translated into an incredible optimism about the future of the industry. Even as the dot.com bubble collapsed under its own weight of expectations, the mobile web, as we were calling it during this phase, seemed poised to take off.

Phase three: the Age of Introspection

The pinnacle of the Age of Invention was the launch of the first iPhone. This was also the beginning of our current phase, The Age of Introspection. The iPhone, for all its brilliance, started us down a path where everything would start to look remarkably similar. As Android evolved, it provided an increasingly elegant alternative to iOS, but between the two systems, they eliminated the rest of the ecosystem. The recent news about Blackberry ceasing its own handset business was disheartening, not because they were great devices or the operating system was particularly remarkable, but because it emphasized the increasingly narrow variety of devices on the market.

But, this Age of Introspection is important, because its forcing the industry to do some soul searching. Whats the next step in the evolution of the handset? Is it camera, battery, network or screen improvements? Is it software? Is it rethinking the app paradigm? Is it an altogether new form factor? Is it an evolution of the role of the device to a central portal for our connected lives?

I wish I knew the answer to the question, but I dont. However, if I were to make an educated guess, it would be some combination of all of them.

Perhaps the future lies in the personality of the device. In a recent presentation in San Francisco, Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said that were evolving from a mobile-first to an AI-first world. That sounds interesting enough, but I think theres more to it than that. While Apple, Google, IBM, Amazon and Microsoft are all making huge strides in Artificial Intelligence  and its application to mobile devices. Perhaps the new generation of wow will come from a devices temperament and ability to connect with us.

One thing that I do know is that this Age of Introspection is healthy; its something we all must go through together: consumers, marketers, manufacturers, chip designers, everyone. It will be a collective decision on what is important that will hopefully lead us into a new age of mobile. Im hoping we can call it something like the Age of Enlightenment.

***



RJ Bardsley is EVP, Global Technology Strategy Lead at Racepoint Global.
Rob Cronin (L) & Seth Duncan authored this piece.

More times than we can recall, weve counseled clients on earned media strategy (e.g., which reporter and outlet should be approached with the story and why).As sound as we believe our counsel has been over the years, it was based largely on previous experience and relationships. And while these are valuable considerations to be sure, we both knew  lets be honest, all of us have always known  that these are highly subjective filters, particularly for business. In response, weve been developing a capability designed to find more data-driven, quantified answers to these and other questions facing tech CMOs and CCOs every day.

We started with a simple, relevant question: What media do CIOs engage with the most? What followed was three years of developing the necessary technology, talent and process to create the first in a series of technology tribes  nerd slang for databases that are focused on capturing and analyzing the online behaviors of specific audiences.



The more formal term for this is audience-based analytics and its a field that W2O Group has pioneered.



What started as a skunk works project is today a database of more than 20,000 IT Decision Makers, including thousands of CIOs. By capturing publicly available posts, shares and likes from ITDM handles across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other online sources we are able to amass statistically valid data sets across industry, title, geography.



We then use proprietary algorithms developed by our data scientists to understand not just media consumption, but trends related to topics, content, conferences, thought leaders, fellow ITDM behaviors and more. Our most recent analysis illustrates how this works.



ITDMs are very active in social media channels, but not always in ways a PR professional would expect. In our analysis of over 5.3 million social media posts from ITDMs over the past 12 months, over a third (35 percent) of the posts are actually about IT. This content covers many IT topics but is increasingly focused on IT security, especially new malware, hacker threats, and the various updates and patches required to keep these threats at bay.



Another 20 percent of their social media posts are about the ITDM Lifestyle that goes along with the considerable travel required of ITDMs at mid- to enterprise-sized companies. This content tends to be the most original and engaging to their peers and friends and is often written with the dry and sardonic wit stereotypical of IT professionals.



Popular themes here include the trials and tribulations of air travel, the food they eat while travelling for work and a range of nature and architecture photography taken while traveling. The latter two are of particular interest because they demonstrate something that seems obvious but is often overlooked when communicating with IT professionals: they are surrounded by technology all day every day. This is not how they want to spend their free time.



In many respects ITDMs engage with and produce social content typical of educated, professional, usually male audiences. They tend to discuss sports, politics, business news and, unsurprisingly, Star Wars. There are a few areas of interest that are especially unique to ITDMs, though, including the role of technology in higher education and space exploration. And  in case you were wondering  if ITDMs elected the next POTUS, her name would be Hillary.



Sometimes an audiences dislikes are as informative as their likes. In the case of ITDMs, the big dislike is the types of inspirational quotes that are typical of LinkedIn newsfeeds (e.g., Steve Jobs mantra to Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.). We found that ITDMs are less than half as likely to post an inspirational quote in one of their social feeds than the general population.



So, if youre a community manager thats responsible for producing content thats relevant to ITDMs, we recommend that you avoid sharing these bite-sized universal wisdoms.



A good portion of your ITDM audience will find it cliche. Unless, of course, you are posting them with a deep sense of irony.



For all the advances in digital marketing, conference-base d marketing remains a large share of most tech CMOs budgets. But budget beware: Not all tech conferences are created equal in the Seth Duncan eyes of the almighty IT buyer.



Although Gartners IT Symposium continues to reign supreme, some may be surprised to learn that Microsoft Ignite isnt too far behind VMworld and is actually ahead of Dreamforce, Cisco Live Rob Cronin and Oracle OpenWorld.



And how do you like that: we buried the lead! When it comes to media consumption trends, we tend to look at two data sets. The first uses link sharing as a proxy for what ITDMs are reading. The second analyzes who ITDMs are following compared to a normative sample. For the purposes of our analysis we remained topic-neutral.



So what pearls of wisdom can we offer? First, for all of the tech PR folks out there deciding between the Wall Street Journal and New York Times for your next exclusive, we would offer the following advice: you will reach roughly the same number of ITDMs, but the network effect will be far greater with The Gray Lady.



Second, ITDMs have an outsized appetite for Slashdot, NPR programs and The Onion. And finally, some of the many questions inspired by our data include: Have you embraced Medium as a platform? Whats your HBR strategy? How often are you engaging with the Washington Post?



***



Rob Cronin leads the Technology practice at W2O Group. Seth Duncan is the Chief Analytics Officer at W2O Group.
More key property exchanges are underway in midtowns Park Avenue neighborhood, the latest focus in the ongoing renewal of urban residential neighborhoods in Omaha. One transaction is expected to breathe new life into a castlelike structure; the other ends an era for a small, family-run convenience and liquor store. Meanwhile, public meetings are beginning to come up with a multivoice plan for future redevelopment in the area.

* * *

A midtown castle in distress is being rescued.

Its knight in shining armor is InCommon Community Development, a nonprofit neighborhood group that aims to resurrect the worn, medieval-looking Georgia Apartments into affordable rental housing for a dozen families.

Vacant and 126 years old, the structure at 1040 S. 29th St. cost $275,000, according to county records. Its part of InCommons strategy to preserve housing for low-income people on and around the Park Avenue corridor, said Executive Director Christian Gray.

InCommon leaders, who bought the historic landmark from Bellamini Properties, fear that an influx of investment and wealthier gentry is raising rents and pushing out poorer folks who had an established support network in the Park Avenue area.

They want to ensure availability of housing to those who cant pay market rents charged by developers drawn to the citys core during the past six years. Eventually, families in need of two and three bedrooms will be housed in the building.

The Georgia purchase furthers an InCommon anti-gentrification mission launched a year ago when the organization bought the 64-unit Bristol at 1029 Park Ave.

That 32,500-square-foot stucco Spanish Colonial style structure (originally built in 1922 as Hanscom Apartments) cost $1.5 million, and that purchase also was made possible by the organizations supporters.

While the Bristol is on its way to getting national historic status, the Georgia already has that distinction and also is a local landmark.

According to its historic nomination, the three-story picturesque eclectic was built in 1890 for J. Herbert Van Closter, president of the Nebraska Mortgage and Loan Co. and financier of several development projects.

Designed in the Queen Anne style, it derived its name from Georgia Avenue, the earlier name of South 29th Street.

Over the years, it was reconfigured and often is referred to as the Georgia Row House.

While in need of much restoration, the for-sale sign on the Georgia was fortuitous for InCommon. Thats because the organization, which fights poverty by strengthening neighborhoods, had been considering changes to the nearby Bristol to create some larger, family-sized apartments.

Messing substantially with the Bristols exterior, however, would have jeopardized any financing tools involving historic tax credits.

Serendipitously, the Georgia Apartments came on-line for sale, Gray said. And it is virtually across the alleyway from the Bristol.

The plan is to renovate the Georgia for families, and retain the Bristol for singles and couples.

Because the two properties are so close to one another, Gray said residents could share the Bristols future community kitchen and event space, computer lab and bike room.

Broader than the Bristol and Georgia projects is a related effort  pushed by InCommon  to create a neighborhood master plan for what the Park Avenue area will be and look like in 20 years.

Gray called it a big-picture guide. The first public meeting to gain input was held Monday at InCommon headquarters at 1340 Park Ave.

Stakeholders including real estate developers, area residents, neighborhood activists, urban planners and other city officials are to have a voice in the final product, which is expected to lay out the groups desired cultural identity and economic return goals.

Those collective goals would be considered when a proposed project surfaces, said Gray, adding that members might say: We agreed upon this and this particular project fits, this one doesnt.

Gray said InCommon was taking a risk in pushing for a 20-year-plan, as a majority might not be as interested in preserving low-income housing and instead might prefer a high-rent district.

He said InCommon still likes the idea of a master plan rather than piecemeal development.
ROCKWELL CITY, Iowa (AP)  At least 1,000 law enforcement officers and much of the small Iowa community of Rockwell City gathered Tuesday to mourn the death of a 24-year-old police officer nearly a week after he and another officer were gunned down in their patrol cars.

Residents and officers packed into a middle school gymnasium to remember Justin Martin, a rookie officer in the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale who grew up in Rockwell City. The community of 1,700 people is about 75 miles northwest of Des Moines.

Urbandale Police Chief Ross McCarty told mourners that his department and Rockwell City had both suffered a tremendous loss.

This past week, the Urbandale Police Department lost our young man, but the community of Rockwell City lost their son, McCarty said.

An Urbandale man is charged with first-degree murder in the Nov. 2 shooting deaths of Martin and 38-year-old Des Moines police Sgt. Anthony Beminio. A funeral for Beminio was held Monday.

Few knew Martin as well as Urbandale officer Brady Farrington, who also grew up in Rockwell City. He spoke at the service about first meeting Martin in kindergarten and remaining close throughout their lives, the Des Moines Register reported.

Martin was born to serve, Farrington said, and loved his hometown and adopted city of Urbandale.

Justin was intense, in all facets of his personality, Farrington said. Justin wanted to be part of something bigger than himself.

After the funeral, Martins body was driven across town along flag-lined streets and through farmland for burial in Rosehill Cemetery.
The Omaha City Council has seven requests for the Nebraska Legislature in its session starting in early January, in areas such as public safety, streets and the emerald ash borer.

The council voted Tuesday to task city lobbyist Jack Cheloha with trying to find legislators to sponsor the following:

 A bill, sought by council President Ben Gray, to disband the Nebraska Tax Equalization and Review Committee or add oversight by elected officials. Grays proposal is in response to a commission order earlier this year that Douglas County adjust tax valuations in two areas of the county.

 A bill that would make the conviction for using a realistic-looking fake weapon carry the same penalty as the use of a conventional weapon. The proposal, from Councilman Garry Gernandt, mirrors one from 2014, the year that police officers fatally shot a robbery suspect and a sound man for the television show Cops. The suspect had brandished what appeared to be a gun but turned out to be a replica weapon.

 A bill, also proposed by Gernandt, that would get rid of the states good time law, which automatically cuts most prison sentences in half.

 A bill, requested by Mayor Jean Stotherts office, that would increase the amount of time property owners have to pay to repave or upgrade their streets. Currently they must pay the city back for street work within 10 years; Stothert

wants that increased to 20.

 A bill, requested by City Prosecutor Matt Kuhse, that would remove expiration dates on warrants issued to defendants who refused to report to probation.

 A bill, also sought by Kuhse, that would allow county courts to order psychiatric examinations. District courts can already do this.

 A bill, sought by Omaha police, that would change witness tampering from a Class IV felony to a Class II felony if the defendant is charged with another felony as well.

Cheloha also is instructed to support legislation to increase funding to local governments for the emerald ash borer, but he does not have to ask legislators to sponsor such a bill. Councilman Pete Festersen made that suggestion.

The council voted down two other proposals:

 A bill, proposed by Gernandt, that would decrease the amount of time people have to wait between keno games. That limit is currently five minutes. The council voted 4-3 to not include that item, saying it would use up the citys capital with legislators, who have previously declined to pass such a proposal.

 A bill, requested by Gray, that would allow for the foreclosure of tax liens after two years rather than three. Gray previously sought the change only for abandoned houses.

Councilwoman Aimee Melton had raised objections, saying it could make it harder for people who simply get behind on their taxes. Gray asked the council to withdraw the proposal.
Credit for Republican Don Bacons congressional win goes to the Sarpy County firewall that has so often protected GOP candidates in Nebraskas 2nd District.

Bacons 12,200-vote Sarpy edge over incumbent Rep. Brad Ashford, D-Neb., was more than enough to offset Ashfords 6,600-vote advantage in Douglas County, based on unofficial vote counts as of Wednesday.

Late Douglas County returns once again pushed the contests resolution into the day after the election, with Ashford calling Bacon around 8 a.m. to concede and offer his congratulations.

Later in the afternoon, Bacon pledged a smooth transition as he works with Ashford on still-pending initiatives such as a new veterans medical facility for the area.

Whatever is left over, I will take the baton  well make it as seamless as we can and carry on those efforts, Bacon said to a room full of cheering supporters.

The intense contest featured a flood of pointed attack ads sponsored by the opposing political parties, but the candidates praised each other for keeping the race civil between themselves.

Hes an honorable man, Bacon said of Ashford. I watched his speech today, I teared up there. I could feel what he was feeling.

For his part, Ashford said Bacon will do a great job.

And he bid farewell to Congress the same way he arrived two years ago  by espousing the power of Nebraska bipartisanship that is embodied in the states Legislature.

Taking that message to a national stage has been a dream of mine since actually going back to 1969 when I first worked as an intern for Sen. (Roman) Hruska, Ashford said at a press conference. The dream came true for me. I had the opportunity to go to Washington to talk about who we are as a people here and to hopefully make a difference.

Ashfords time in Congress will come to a close after just one term. He had defeated longtime GOP incumbent Rep. Lee Terry in 2014  an election he won by about 5,700 votes. This time Ashford lost by nearly 5,600.

Digging into the returns:

 Both Bacon and Ashford outperformed the unpopular presidential candidates at the top of their tickets, but it appears Ashford overall faced more political headwinds. Donald Trumps margin over Hillary Clinton in the 2nd District was almost double Bacons margin over Ashford.

 Ashfords losing margin was well below the 13,000-voter registration advantage Republicans enjoy in the district, suggesting he fared well with some Republicans and independent voters.

 Ashfords loss cant be blamed on black and Hispanic voters staying home. To the contrary, he received 18 percent more votes in the north Omaha City Council district than Democrat John Ewing did in 2012, and almost 50 percent more votes from two City Council districts in South Omaha. But that was not enough to offset voter growth for Republicans in Sarpy County and, perhaps, previously disaffected Republicans coming home to Bacon.

During his remarks Wednesday, Bacon outlined his top priorities as he heads to Congress: cutting spending, overhauling the tax code, representing the men and women of the military and pruning an overgrown federal bureaucracy.

Right now we have a bureaucracy thats on steroids thats killing our small business and weve got to rein them in, Bacon said.

And he vowed to represent everyone in the politically balanced swing district.

Were going to work hard in every neighborhood, it doesnt matter whether you voted for me or not, Bacon said. My job is to represent everywhere in this district, and I take that seriously.

During his remarks, Ashford repeatedly got choked up and took long pauses to collect himself. But he insisted that he was not sad and that he wanted Wednesday to be a celebration of what he and his team were able to help move forward during his short time in office.

He talked about improvements to the runway at Offutt Air Force Base, a new Ebola training center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and that new veterans health facility.

In response to questions, Ashford said hes not sure how the presidential race might have affected the outcome of his race.

But he warned about the potential fallout from what he described as the most toxic presidential campaign cycle in history.

If we let that be the course and speed of our country, I fear for my children and my grandchildren, he said. We as a nation are going to have to come to grips with what weve wrought here  this toxicity and this partisan gridlock. I hope President Trump can rise above his rhetoric.

Ashford turns 67 today and said hes not sure what the future holds. He said hell look for ways to serve the public.

But Ashford, who has run for office as a Democrat, Republican and independent over the years, downplayed the possibility that he would seek major elected office again.

Id have to figure out which party Im in, he said with a chuckle.
For American business interests in Asia, the fate of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal under a Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton administration is a major worry.



"The biggest thing we're concerned about is the TPP," Dwight Hutchins, chairman of the board of governors at the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Singapore, told CNBC's " Squawk Box ."

The Singapore branch of AmCham, like its outlets around the world, and the U.S. Embassy were open in early hours of Wednesday in Asia to hold election viewing parties.

"We need to make them [Congress and each candidate] understand that 95 percent of the world's consumers are outside the U.S. and we need to be playing out in that marketplace, so the TPP will help," Hutchins continued.

The world's largest free-trade deal has been a signature economic objective of Democratic President Barack Obama but despite its potential benefits, including the creation of new jobs and a competitive advantage for U.S. firms in foreign markets, it has been opposed by both Trump and Clinton .





"Opposition to the TPP and a similar deal with Europe has come from many in the U.S. labor movement, as well as some economists, who argue that trade agreements in their current form hurt workers, degrade the U.S. manufacturing base, and exacerbate income inequality," strategists at the Council of Foreign Relations explained in a recent note.



Last week, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman told CNBC that the agreement wasn't dead yet , as it could still garner enough votes for ratification by Congress after the presidential election.

Seven of the deal's 12 signatories are Asia Pacific nations: Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, and New Zealand.

"We need to ensure both candidates understand the full importance of Asia," Hutchins said. "Both candidates have expressed concerns so we have work to do on both counts."

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.
california proposition 64 passage

The war on drugs took a decisive turn on Election Day.

So far, California, Massachusetts, and Nevada have voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Voters in Arkansas, Florida, and North Dakota also passed ballot initiatives legalizing medical marijuana.

The results continue to roll in, and it's looking likely that at least a few of the remaining states will join the legalization movement.

Massachusetts became the first state in the Northeast to legalize marijuana. Legalization is currently leading by a slim margin in Maine as well.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS.

"This is really day one of a decade-or-more-long process of bringing this industry into the light and getting rid of the illicit market," Richard Miadich, one of the authors of California's Proposition 64, told Business Insider on Tuesday.

The results are unprecedented, though not all that surprising. More Americans favor outright marijuana legalization than ever before. A recent Gallop Poll data showed an increase in support from 35% of US adults in favor of legalization in 2005, to 60% in 2016.

Nearly half of Americans say they have tried marijuana at least once in their life.

"This is the most momentous Election Day in history for the movement to end marijuana prohibition," Rob Kampia, the executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, said. "From Los Angeles to Boston, voters are casting their ballots in favor of sensible marijuana policy reforms. Today's results are right in line with national polls showing record-high support for making marijuana legal."

sparc san francisco california proposition 64

Experts also stressed how marijuana is now going "bicoastal."

"Western states have led the way on legalizing marijuana but the victory in Massachusetts powerfully demonstrates that this movement is now bicoastal and soon to be national," Ethan Nadelmann, the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, said. "Indeed, I'd wager that the next states to legalize marijuana will also be in the Northeast."

Story continues

California, however, became the heaviest domino yet to fall in the nationwide push to legalize marijuana. The state's economy is the sixth largest in the world, in terms of GDP, and the success of Proposition 64 sends a clear signal to the federal government.

The decision comes 20 years after California became the first state to legalize and regulate the medicinal use of marijuana under Proposition 215, a 1996 voter initiative.

Proposition 64 allows adults over the age of 21 to use, possess, and transport up to an ounce of marijuana for nonmedical purposes, and grow as many as six plants. It becomes effective immediately. The bill also imposes a 15% tax on sales of the drug, generating up to $1 billion in new tax revenue annually, according to the state's nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office.

marijuana cannabis

Some are calling California a "tipping point" in the battle to end the prohibition on pot.

"Marijuana reforms in the US could reach a tipping point, accelerating the acceptance of marijuana in both medical and social settings and fueling the growth of an industry that is already expanding rapidly," Peter Murphy, an attorney that works on marijuana issues, said.

The result in California and Massachusetts is an "epic outcome," Todd Palmieri, the CEO of Tradiv, a wholesale website for cannabis, told Business Insider.

"And really, we should honor the people that have fought long and hard, for decades  the California cultivators, brokers, dispensary owners, budtenders  everyone that risked life and liberty when cannabis was vilified," Palmieri said.

Still, marijuana remains a Schedule 1 drug, which makes it illegal in the eyes of the federal government. How will the plant fare under president-elect Donald Trump?

Trump has flip-flopped on the issue throughout his public life. The Manhattan billionaire supported state's rights to choose how to legislate medical marijuana, but has not expressly called for legalization. His campaign hasn't yet taken a definitive stance on the issue.

We'll continue to update this post as more state results are announced.

NOW WATCH: Legal marijuana may have several health benefits





More From Business Insider
WASHINGTON (AP)  Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump battled fiercely in a handful of exceptionally tight battleground states across the country Tuesday night, as an ugly and unpredictable presidential election lurched to an uncertain finish.

Here are the latest developments (all times EST):

11:43 p.m.

Donald Trump's victory in Ohio demonstrates the Republican nominee's ability to energize working-class voters outside of America's largest cities.

Mahoning County stands out as a working-class county where organized labor still maintains political clout. Trump didn't win the county that surrounds Youngstown. But he might as well have.

Hillary Clinton won by just 3 percentage points and less than 3,500 votes. Four years ago, President Barack Obama outpaced Mitt Romney by almost 25,000 votes on his way to a 28-point margin in the county. Clinton fell more than 20,000 votes shy of Obama's total.

Youngstown is represented in Congress by a Democrat who offers some of the same populist appeal to labor as Trump. But those loyalties to Rep. Tim Ryan apparently didn't transfer to Clinton.

11:37 p.m.

Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Scott has won election as governor of Vermont.

He defeated Democrat Sue Minter.

The popular construction company executive and part-time race-car driver had served three two-year terms as Vermont's part-time lieutenant governor. He was previously in the state Senate.

Scott takes over in January from Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin, who decided not to seek a fourth two-year term.

11:36 p.m.

The crowd at Donald Trump's election watch party is jubilant as returns continue to roll in putting him closer to 270 Electoral College votes.

Supporters packed into a hotel ballroom in midtown Manhattan are breaking into chants of "USA!" and embracing each other in groups.

Others are breaking into song, bellowing "God Bless America" at the top of their lungs.

The screens in the ballroom are turned to Fox News. When the station shows images of Clinton's election headquarters, the room breaks into boos and chants of one of Trump's slogans: "Drain the swamp!"

11:33 p.m.

Donald Trump has won Georgia.

The Republican nominee on Tuesday was awarded its 16 electoral votes.

Trump now has 232 electoral votes while his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 209.

The Democrats had some hopes that changing demographics in Georgia could allow then to flip the reliably Republican state but their efforts fell short.

11:29 p.m.

Hillary Clinton has won Washington state and its 12 electoral votes.

The victory in Tuesday's elections brings the former secretary of state's electoral vote total to 209. Republican Donald Trump has 216.

It takes 270 votes to win the presidency.

11:15 p.m.

California voters passed a ballot measure to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, giving a big boost to the campaign to end the drug's national prohibition.

Adults older than 21 can legally possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow six plants.

California was one of five states where votes were considering the legalization of recreational marijuana Tuesday. Four other states were considering measures to legalize medicinal marijuana.

So far, voters in Florida and North Dakota have also passed marijuana measures Tuesday.

Collectively, it's the closest the U.S. has ever come to national referendum on marijuana.

11:11 p.m.

Donald Trump has won battleground North Carolina and its 15 electoral votes.

The victory in Tuesday's elections brings the billionaire's electoral vote total to 216. Democrat Hillary Clinton has 197.

North Carolina was one of the hardest-fought contests of the election and is one of the map's newest swing states. It consistently went for Republicans until Barack Obama captured it in 2008. Republican Mitt Romney narrowly won the state in 2012.

At least 270 electoral votes are needed to win the presidency.

11:06 p.m.

Hillary Clinton has won Oregon.

The Democratic nominee on Tuesday was awarded its seven electoral votes.

Clinton now has 197 electoral votes. Her Republican opponent Donald Trump has 201.

Several key battleground states have yet to be won.

11 p.m.

Hillary Clinton has won California and Hawaii. Donald Trump has won Idaho's four electoral votes.

The results in the West bring Clinton's electoral vote total to 190 and Trump's to 201. It takes 270 votes to win the presidency.

The results were not surprising. California, with 55 electoral votes, has voted for Democrats beginning in 1992. Hawaii has chosen Democrats consistently since 1988.

Idaho has voted for Republicans beginning in 1968.

10:50 p.m.

Donald Trump has won the key battleground state of Florida.

Trump on Tuesday was awarded 29 electoral votes.

He now has 197 electoral votes. His Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 131.

Both candidates have spent an extraordinary amount of time in Florida, one of the most important prizes on the map. Trump calls Florida his "second home" and his campaign acknowledged that a win there is vital to his White House hopes.

Barack Obama captured the Sunshine State in both 2008 and 2012.

10:43 p.m.

Hillary Clinton has won Colorado.

The Democratic nominee captured its nine electoral votes Tuesday. She now has 131 total electoral votes while her Republican opponent Donald Trump has 168.

Colorado has become an attainable state for Democrats in recent years thanks to shifting demographics.

Clinton tried to woo a surge in Latino voters and the state's college-educated whites while Trump repeatedly made pitches to Colorado's large military population and swaths of rural voters.

10:40 p.m.

Hillary Clinton has won Virginia.

The Democratic nominee has captured its 13 electoral votes.

Virginia was reliably Republican for decades until Barack Obama won it twice, thanks in part to huge turnout from Washington, D.C.'s suburbs. Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine, is a senator from Virginia, though Trump made a late push in the state.

The victory gives her 122 electoral votes. Her Republican opponent Donald Trump has 168.

10:37 p.m.

Donald Trump has won the electoral prize of Ohio, a state known for picking presidents.

The Republican wins the state's 18 electoral votes in Tuesday's election, bringing his total to 168. Hillary Clinton has 109.

Clinton had appeared ready to concede Ohio's 18 electoral votes to Trump as polls showed him pulling ahead even in some traditionally Democratic blue-collar areas. But Trump struggled after release of a video in which he talked about groping women and kissing them without their permission.

Republicans held their nominating convention in Cleveland. Governor and one-time Republican presidential rival John Kasich refused to endorse Trump.

10:25 p.m.

Donald Trump has won Missouri.

The Republican nominee was awarded its 10 electoral votes. The result was not as a surprise, as the last Democratic victory in the Show Me State came in 1996.

Trump now has 150 electoral votes. His Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 109.

10:21 p.m.

Hillary Clinton has won New Mexico and its five electoral votes.

That brings her electoral college vote total in Tuesday's election to 109. Republican Donald Trump has 140 votes.

10 p.m.

Republican Gary Herbert has been re-elected governor of Utah.

Herbert had a strong advantage in Tuesday's elections and was considered the favorite in the conservative state. But many Utah conservatives were not enthused about GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. And Herbert had vacillated on his support for the New York billionaire.

Herbert has been in office since 2009 and had been challenged by Democrat Mike Weinholtz, a wealthy former CEO of a medical staffing company.

10 p.m.

Donald Trump has won Montana.

The Republican presidential nominee was awarded the state's three electoral votes.

The result was not a surprise, as Montana was considered a safely Republican state.

Trump now has 132 electoral votes. His Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 104 votes.

9:40 p.m.

Preliminary exit polls show the racial divides that were expected to define the 2016 presidential election.

Polls conducted for national media by Edison Research show Republican Donald Trump winning a majority of white voters while Democrat Hillary Clinton is drawing support from about three out of four nonwhite voters.

Trump's support is strongest among whites without a college degree. He's winning nearly two-thirds of them. Whites with college degrees are split between Trump and Clinton. Trump is winning both among white men and white women, though his margin is much higher among men.

Clinton's strongest support comes from African-Americans. She's winning about nine out of 10 black voters. She's winning about two out of three Hispanics and Asian-Americans.

9:30 p.m.

Republican Donald Trump is maintaining Republicans' advantage among white voters nationwide, but perhaps not by the usual margin that the party's nominees have enjoyed.

Preliminary exit polls of voters who have already cast presidential ballots show Trump winning a majority of whites. He has not quite reached the roughly six-out-of-10 share that Mitt Romney notched four years ago in his unsuccessful challenge of President Barack Obama.

The difference appears to come among white women. Trump is posting about the same, if not a slightly wider margin among white men as Romney did in 2012. But his lead over Clinton among white women appears to be in single digits, short of Romney's double-digit advantage four years ago.

9:28 p.m.

Donald Trump has won Louisiana and its eight electoral votes.

That extends his Electoral College total in Tuesday's elections to 137, compared with Hillary Clinton's 104.

History was on Donald Trump's side in the state. Louisiana hasn't given its electoral votes to a Democrat since Bill Clinton won 52 percent of the vote two decades ago.

9:26 p.m.

Hillary Clinton has won Connecticut.

The Democratic nominee on Tuesday was awarded Connecticut's seven electoral votes.

The result was not a surprise, as Connecticut was considered a safely Democratic state.

Clinton now has 104 electoral votes. Her Republican opponent Donald Trump has 129.

9:15 p.m.

Republican Eric Holcomb has won the governor's race in Indiana and Democrat Jim Justice has won the governor's race in West Virginia.

Holcomb defeated Democrat John Gregg in Tuesday's election and will succeed Gov. Mike Pence. Pence is presidential candidate Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate.

In West Virginia, Gregg defeated state Senate President Bill Cole.

9:08 p.m.

Republican Donald Trump has won Arkansas and its six electoral votes.

That brings his electoral vote total in Tuesday's election to 129. Democrat Hillary Clinton has 97.

It takes 270 votes to win the presidency.

The result was expected. Earlier polling showed Trump leading Clinton by double digits in the state where she served as first lady for 12 years while her husband was the governor.

The once reliably blue state has turned red in recent years. Republicans now control all of Arkansas' statewide and federal offices, as well as a majority of seats in both chambers of the state legislature.

Arkansas has backed the Republican candidate for the White House in every election since 1980 except for years when Bill Clinton was running for president.

9:05 p.m.

Hopeful Hillary Clinton supporters have gathered on a Brooklyn street corner they expect to be prophetic: The intersection of President and Clinton Streets.

Photos and video posted on social media Tuesday show hundreds of people gathered for a block party where the streets cross.

Organizers have set up a large screen to stream election coverage. A food truck is dispensing tacos to the crowd.

The street signs in the intersection have been an attraction all Election Day for Clinton boosters snapping selfies.

It is just under a mile from Clinton's national campaign headquarters in Brooklyn.

9:05 p.m.

Polls in Colorado will close at 7 p.m. MST after a judge denied the Colorado Democratic Party's request to extend voting by two hours.

The head of the Colorado Democratic Party argued that voting hours should be extended to account for a 29-minute computer glitch Tuesday afternoon. The statewide glitch affected same-day voter registration and caused some voters to have to cast provisional ballots.

The Secretary of State opposed the extended hours. Deputy Secretary of State Stephanie Staiert says no one was prevented from voting because of the glitch.

9:01 p.m.

Republican Doug Burgum has won the North Dakota governor's race.

The Fargo businessman and onetime Microsoft Corp. executive was considered a shoo-in in Tuesday's election. He defeated Democrat Marvin Nelson.

The matchup focused on qualifications to lead the socially conservative state amid declining oil and crop revenues.

Burgum has stuck to themes of budget discipline, job creation and opposition to tax increases. Nelson has been highly critical of deep cuts to government agencies and a massive raid on the oil-rich state's savings to make up for a more than $1 billion budget shortfall due to a drop in oil drilling and depressed crude prices

9 p.m.

Donald Trump has won Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska while Hillary Clinton has won New York and Illinois.

Trump also on Tuesday won two of Nebraska's congressional districts. In the state that awards by congressional district, one remains too close to call.

Trump was awarded Texas' 38 electoral votes, the second-largest prize on the map. He also won six from Kansas, four from his victories in Nebraska and three apiece from Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Clinton was awarded 20 from Illinois and 29 from New York, the state both candidates call home. Trump had declared he would try to win New York but never mounted a serious effort there.

The Republican nominee now has 123 electoral votes. Clinton has 97.

8:55 p.m.

Hillary Clinton is watching election returns with a collection of close campaign aides and her family in a suite at the Peninsula New York, a luxury hotel in midtown Manhattan.

Aides say the group is snacking on salmon, roasted carrots and fries along with vegan pizza and creme brulee for former President Bill Clinton, who's careful about his diet. Her granddaughter, Charlotte, is wearing a dress emblazoned with the campaign logo.

Clinton and her husband have also been working on her election night remarks with her speechwriters.

Later Tuesday evening, they'll move to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City for her election night party. It's a building with a glass ceiling a nod to the historic moment.

8:51 p.m.

Donald Trump has won Mississippi and its six electoral votes.

That brings his Electoral College total in Tuesday's election to 66, compared with Hillary Clinton's 48.

The outcome was not unexpected. Mississippi has voted for Republicans in every presidential election starting with 1972, with the exception of Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1976.

8:40 p.m.

Hillary Clinton has won Rhode Island and its four electoral votes.

That brings her total Tuesday to 48, compared with Donald Trump's 60.

It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

Rhode Island has voted for Republicans for president only four times since 1928.

In 2012, President Barack Obama defeated Republican Mitt Romney in the state by about 27 percent.

8:27 p.m.

Donald Trump has won Alabama and its nine electoral votes after Sen. Jeff Sessions endorsed the billionaire candidate.

That brings Trump's total in the Electoral College to 60 votes, to Clinton's 44 votes.

It takes 270 votes to win the presidency.

The results continue the state's streak of voting for Republicans every presidential election since 1980.

8:13 p.m.

Donald Trump has won Tennessee and its 11 electoral votes.

Tuesday's vote is the fifth presidential contest in a row in which the state voted for the Republican candidate. That includes the 2000 election, when native son Al Gore lost the state to Republican George W. Bush.

It takes 270 votes to win the presidency.

8:09 p.m.

Donald Trump has won South Carolina.

The Republican nominee was awarded the state's nine electoral votes, giving him 40 for the night. The result was expected as the state has long been a Republican stronghold.

8:08 p.m.

Democratic Rep. John Carney has won the Delaware governor's race eight years after losing his first bid to become the state's chief executive.

Carney easily defeated Republican state Sen. Colin Bonini of Dover in Tuesday's gubernatorial contest. The victory was driven by voter registration numbers that heavily favor Democrats.

Carney has said job creation and economic development will be among his top priorities, along with improving Delaware's public education system.

He also has acknowledged that the next governor faces significant challenges given troubling revenue expectations and escalating costs for Medicaid and state employee health care.

Carney will succeed Jack Markell, who defeated Carney in the 2008 Democratic gubernatorial primary.

Carney previously served as lieutenant governor.

* * * * *

WASHINGTON (AP) America's ugly and unpredictable presidential election barreled toward the finish Tuesday night, with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump fighting for Florida, North Carolina and Ohio, three of the nation's most competitive states.

Clinton, a fixture in American politics for decades, was hoping to become the first woman to serve as commander in chief. She faced stiff competition from Trump, the billionaire businessman who tapped into a searing strain of economic populism.

The race was expected to be determined by roughly a dozen competitive states. It was too early to call the contests in several where polls had closed: Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

Vast divides in race and gender were keeping the contest close in Virginia and Georgia, another pair of hard-fought races. About 9 in 10 black voters and two-thirds of Hispanics in each state were backing Clinton, while most whites supported Trump, according to exit polls. Women in both states were far more likely than men to support Clinton.

The winner will inherit a nation angry and distrustful of leaders in Washington. She or he will preside over an improving economy that is nevertheless leaving many behind and a military battling new terror threats. And whoever emerges as the country's 45th president will have to confront head-on a divisiveness that was painfully evident over a two-year race replete with racially loaded rhetoric and unrelenting negativity.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in Democratic hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Barack Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his signature health care law.

"I know how much responsibility goes with this," Clinton said after voting Tuesday at her local polling station in Chappaqua, New York, with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at her side. "So many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country, and I will do the very best I can if I'm fortunate enough to win today."

Trump, the New York real estate developer who lives in a gold-plated Manhattan penthouse, forged a striking connection with white, working-class Americans who feel left behind in the changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of many problems plaguing the nation and called for building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"I see so many hopes and so many dreams out there that didn't happen, that could have happened, with leadership, with proper leadership," he said by telephone on Fox News before casting his own ballot in Manhattan. "And people are hurt so badly."

Seven in 10 Americans who went to the polls Tuesday said immigrants now in the country illegally should be allowed to stay, while just a quarter said they should be deported. More than half oppose building a border wall, according to preliminary results from the exit poll conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.

The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

Trump set both parties on edge when he refused to say in the third and final debate whether he would accept the election's results, citing with no evidence the possibility of a rigged outcome. His statement threatened to undermine a fundamental pillar of American democracy and raised the prospect that his fervent supporters would not view Clinton as a legitimate president if she won.

Asked Tuesday in an interview with Fox News if he would accept the election results, Trump continued to demur, saying "We're going to see how things play out."

According to the preliminary exit polls, most Americans who voted had at least a moderate amount of confidence that election ballots would be counted accurately.

Most problems that did pop up at polling places Tuesday appeared to be routine the kinds of snags that come every four years, including long lines, machines not working properly and issues with ballots or voter rolls.

Even before Tuesday, almost 45 million people had cast ballots for president. Many expressed relief the end was in sight after an election season in which personal attacks often drowned out the issues.

"I'm tired of the mudslinging," said Laura Schmitt, a 54-year-old Republican from Woodbury, Minnesota, who was voting for Trump. Emetric Whittington, a 51-year-old Democratic mother of three on Chicago's violence-plagued South Side, agreed: "I can't wait for this night to be over."

Clinton has denounced Trump for calling Mexican immigrants "rapists" and promoting a ban on Muslims entering the U.S., and for his long line of remarks about women that culminated in an audio in which he bragged about grabbing their genitals. Trump called his opponent "Crooked Hillary" for her use of a private email server as secretary of state and her complicated ties to the family's Clinton Foundation.

"I can't vote for somebody who's so morally reprehensible," said Lisa Moore, a 48-year-old Republican from Glen Rock, New Jersey, who picked Clinton. Democrat Charles Ikner of Cross Lanes, West Virginia, opted for Trump, saying it was time for "fresh blood" in the White House.

In the final days, Clinton was buoyed by FBI Director James Comey's weekend declaration that he wouldn't recommend criminal charges against her following a new email review. Comey announced the inquiry late last month, sapping Clinton's surging momentum and threatening Democrats in down-ballot races.

Copyright 2016 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
As voters flooded polling places across the country on Election Day, some reported problems such as broken machines, long lines and voter intimidation in states ranging from Texas to Pennsylvania.

While voting appeared to proceed without headaches in many locations, election observers said they expect a significant increase in the number of issues reported nationwide. In particular, voters in jurisdictions across the country encountered problems with malfunctioning voting machines, highlighting issues with the aging infrastructure expected to support tens of millions of voters turning out on Election Day.

The first high-profile legal action of the day saw Donald Trump's campaign headed to court for a hearing in Nevada after filing a lawsuit arguing that polls were improperly kept open late during early voting in Clark County.

According to the lawsuit filed by the Republican nominee, this was done "to help Hillary Clinton," Trump's Democratic opponent. Trump's campaign asked for the voting machines and ballots involved "be set aside, sequestered and impounded" to preserve the status quo "in the event of post-election challenges."

A spokesman for Clark County noted that early voting records already have to be preserved under state law and said that no polling precincts were improperly kept open. At a hearing Tuesday morning, a skeptical judge questioned the Trump campaign's attorney and denied the request to preserve evidence in the case.

This lawsuit follows a raft of recent legal wrangling in the days leading up to the election. As the bitter presidential campaign rumbled toward its conclusion, officials across the country have been bracing for the possibility of confusion and chaos on Election Day, owing to a flurry of new voting restrictions and Trump's calls for his supporters to closely monitor polling places.

Voters in Florida, a key battleground, reported multiple accounts of voters saying they have encountered aggressive, intimidating behavior, according to a nonpartisan group monitoring election issues nationwide.

"In Florida we continue to receive a substantial amount of complaints about voter intimidation," said Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which is running an independent effort to field voter complaints and questions.

Clarke said her group received reports from Miami-Dade County of "yelling, people using megaphones aggressively." In Jacksonville, in the northeast corner of the state, Clarke said, "an unauthorized individual was found inside (a) polling place."

This person was at St. Paul's Methodist Church, a polling precinct in what Clarke described as a part of Jacksonville with predominantly black residents.

"He was asked to leave and refused," she said. "Through our intervention and calls, that individual has been removed. Unauthorized individuals have no place in the polls."

During early voting, Clarke's group also received reports from Hollywood, Florida, about "aggressive individuals hovering around individuals as they approach the polling site," she said during a briefing with reporters. "Some have turned away because they did not feel able to freely cast (a) ballot."

Clarke said her group has received reports from about 80,000 voters since the beginning of early voting and expects that figure to reach 175,000 reports by the time the polls close. In 2012, the group received 90,000 calls total on Election Day.

On Tuesday afternoon, Colorado officials reported what could have been one of the biggest disruptions of the day. A spokeswoman for the Secretary of State's office said that voter registration system was down in parts of the state, which meant that clerks could not process mail ballots and also meant that in-person votes would be viewed as provisional. The issue was resolved shortly before 3:30 p.m. Denver time.

During a telephone interview Tuesday on Fox News, Trump did not say whether he was expecting to argue with the outcome of the election, but he said he believed there were reports of voter fraud happening across the country.

"It's happening at various places today, it's been reported," he said. "The machines, you put down a Republican and it registers as a Democrat, and they've had a lot of complaints about that today."

It was not immediately clear what accounts Trump was referring to when he mentioned "a lot of complaints" about the issue. A report out of Clinton Township, an area near Pittsburgh, quoted some voters saying their tickets were switching from Trump to Clinton. According to that report, officials there said the machines were fixed and the problem resolved.

There have been other issues with machines, including some cases of them showing incorrect votes, though it was unclear how widespread this was.

Wendy Weiser, director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, said that they are seeing more problems with voting machines than they have seen in past election years.

"There are more machine breakdowns and more malfunctions all over the place," Weiser said. "It's really widespread."

These breakdowns are not a surprise, Weiser said, because 42 states are using machines that are 10 or more years old. There have been issues with machines in South Carolina, New York, Missouri, Georgia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Illinois and Indiana.

"These machines are just degrading," Weiser said.

The problem with voting machines has long been predicted by voting experts. In a report last year, the Brennan Center found that in 14 states, voting machines set to be used in the election will be 15 or more years old.

The center said that the machines were "perilously close to the end of most systems' expected lifespans," noting that nearly every state is using some machines that are no longer manufactured, making it hard to find replacement parts.

"Old voting equipment increases the risk of failures and crashes - which can lead to long lines and lost votes on Election Day," according to the 2015 report. Although voting machines in use across the country debuted around 2000, they were actually designed and engineered in the 1990s, the report said, and "today's systems were not designed to last for decades."

One specific problem highlighted by the report and mentioned Tuesday by Weiser was "vote flipping," which is what Trump seemed to be referencing. This occurs when a voter presses a button on a touch screen for one person but the machine shows them voting for another candidate.

"We've seen more malfunctions and more vote flipping all over the place," Weiser said. But it was not clear how many machines were seeing vote flipping.

Mark Thomas, director of elections in Utah, said that on Tuesday morning, local officials in Washington County found that none of their voting machines were working. They wound up using paper ballots as a backup; the issue with fixing the machines was finished by noon, he said.

Issues with machines caused lines earlier Tuesday at precincts in Virginia, Clarke's group said. Her group also heard similar complaints from Philadelphia, one of the cities specifically cited by Trump during speeches in which he claimed that voter fraud is "all too common" and asked his supporters to closely monitor other voters.

The office of Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams said it has assembled a task force including more than 70 prosecutors and dozens of detectives to tackle complaints of voter fraud, intimidation and electioneering.

"We, as expected, had kind of a busy call volume in the morning," Cameron L. Kline, a spokesman for Williams, said Tuesday morning in a telephone interview. Kline said the task force was not seeing an unusual volume of calls or complaints. "So far the trend is historically rolling the right way."

The Philadelphia Republican Party posted on Twitter that poll workers in the northern part of the city were handing out literature supporting Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, while inside a polling station.

Problems with machines also cropped up in North Carolina, another major battleground state and home to one of the country's most high-profile laws imposing new voting restrictions.

In Durham County, North Carolina, which has more than a quarter-million residents outside Raleigh, officials ran into technical problems with the electronic poll books used to check in voters. As a result, state authorities told Durham officials to use paper poll books, rather than electronic ones, eventually leading to some delays. (Durham was already using paper ballots.)

The issues in Durham prompted officials there to ask for voting to be extended in that county. In a statement, the North Carolina State Board of Elections said that it would meet later Tuesday to consider that request. In a statement, Robby Mook, Clinton's campaign manager, urged the state to agree to push back voting hours.

A group filed a lawsuit Tuesday afternoon seeking to keep the Durham polls open until 9 p.m.

There were also other problems reported across the country. In complaints submitted to The Washington Post, voters described confusion over identification requirements in Pennsylvania, Texas and D.C., among other issues.

Volunteers with Common Cause, a nonpartisan government reform group, fanned out to help at the polls on Tuesday, and they also saw problems with relocated polling places, broken machines and confusion from voters and poll workers alike over new voter ID laws.

In Harris County, Texas, the county's website listed the incorrect polling places for a number of precincts, according to Common Cause. A lot of voters went to one site only to be told that the voting place had been changed. And in one precinct, voters were sent to a third site.

"Voters had to go to a lot of trouble to cast a ballot," said a Common Cause worker in Texas. Also in Texas, there were a "large number of calls" about voting machines that were not up and working when the polling places were supposed to open.

Ohio has mostly been dealing with routine problems, including a power outage. But in one county, Montgomery, there was confusion over the number of pages that were supposed to be on the ballot. Only one page was provided. The poll workers had to call all the voters to return and correct their ballots with the second page.

Clarke said the lawyers' committee was contacted about sites that did not open on time in Brooklyn and Boston, along with long lines and broken machines elsewhere.

In Georgia, Clarke said, people complained of "11th-hour polling place changes with no notice issued to voters," creating uncertainty over where to go.

Leading up to Election Day, there have been some heated confrontations between supporters of Clinton and Trump. The specter of possible violence has loomed over Election Day after a particularly vitriolic campaign, one in which issues of race, class, gender and ethnicity have taken center stage in caustic ways.

In a poll last month, half of likely voters said they were worried about violence on Election Day. Meanwhile, U.S. officials recently said they were investigating a possible threat from al-Qaeda to carry out pre-election terrorist attacks, although authorities described the threat as vague and said they were unclear whether it was credible.

Law enforcement officials from Nevada to Georgia have pledged an increase in officers at some locations, with agencies vowing vigilance and saying they are prepared for possible issues.

The Las Vegas police said units would visit polling locations, though the department noted that early voting in Clark County came and went without any issues of violence at the polls. In Chicago, another city named by Trump when he exhorted his supporters to monitor polling locations, police say it is normal procedure for them to have extra officers visiting these sites to ensure safety.

Police in New York are preparing for "a very unique set of challenges," because both Clinton and Trump plan to hold election-night events in Manhattan, said James O'Neill, the police commissioner.

But O'Neill said police are prepared to secure more than 1,000 polling locations across the city, as well as the Clinton and Trump events just two miles apart later on Tuesday night.

"Planning for security events like this is a big part of what we do," O'Neill said during a briefing Monday. "This is nothing new to us."
Voters overwhelmingly approved Douglas Countys $45 million bond issue that will pay for new emergency communications equipment and a new home for the 911 call center.

The people of Douglas County recognize that we need to give our brave first responders the tools they need to keep us safe, Douglas County Board member Jim Cavanaugh said.

The vote reverses the results of 2014, when voters rejected a similar bond issue. This time around, the Douglas County Board pressed harder to make the public more aware of the proposal.

They labeled it Public Safety. The Citizens for a Safer Douglas County Committee, formed to promote it, was backed by the Omaha Professional Firefighters Association, the Omaha Area Board of Realtors, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 2 and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska. The tax watchdog group Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom endorsed the proposal.

County officials have said the bonds most likely will not increase property taxes, because other debts will be paid off by the time that taxpayers start paying off the new bonds principal.

About $15 million of the bond proceeds would:

 Buy portable radios for the Douglas County Sheriffs Office, Douglas County Corrections Department, rural law enforcement agencies and hospital emergency rooms

 Replace base stations for the 911 call center and towers, and dispatch radio consoles

 Buy a new fire station alerting system for the Omaha Fire Department

The county would spend $20 million to renovate space in the former Thomas Fitzgerald Veterans Home for a new 911 call center. And $10 million will go to Douglas County Jail renovations.
The author is a retired editor and reporter for The World-Herald and the Associated Press.

At 8:26 Tuesday morning, my personal history repeated itself.

As in every election year since the 1970s, in the four different states that Ive called home, I walked to my polling place and cast my ballot. Its a little tradition that allows me, for a few minutes, to walk in the footsteps of the Founding Fathers while exercising the great privilege and responsibility they gave to all of our citizens.

Tuesday morning was glorious  crisp and cloudless, some trees still showing their fall colors  a fine antidote to the poisonous rhetoric of this years presidential campaigning.

What greeted me after my 10-block walk was a fine antidote as well: a crowd.

All of the voting booths were in use. A dozen people stood in line ahead of me. Pleasantries were exchanged. Outside, a young couple hoisted a cellphone and snapped a selfie standing in front of the red-white-and-blue polling place sign.

As I write, I dont know who the winners are or how large the official voter turnout total will be when the polls close. I do know that my neighbors werent deterred by the ugly campaign, the insulting TV commercials or the presidential options that many in both parties found less than ideal.

Nope. We voted.

The small crowd at my polling place was an encouraging sign. Instead of being frustrated, disgusted, depressed and discouraged, we utilized that most valuable tool Americans have wielded for generations. We cast our ballots  not just for president but for Congress, for county offices, on the important public policy question of whether Nebraska should have a death penalty.

It was exactly what those old birds who invented our Republic had in mind.

Should things go wrong at any time, the people will set them to rights by the peaceable exercise of their elective rights, wrote Thomas Jefferson, who was both our third president and a fellow who knew a little something about ugly political campaigns.

Indeed, the 1800 election in which Jefferson defeated President John Adams reached a level of personal animosity seldom equaled in American politics, notes the Miller Center at the University of Virginia. The Federalists attacked the 57-year-old Jefferson as a godless Jacobin who would unleash the forces of bloody terror upon the land, while the incumbent Adams was attacked as a hypocritical fool and tyrant. And those were among the more polite insults.

Our democracy has served us through other troubled times  when the Great Depression challenged our economic system, as the Vietnam War tore at the nations heart and after scandal brought the only resignation of a president.

Each time, we Americans returned to the ballot box. Regardless of which candidates won and which lost, of which party prevailed, the nation persevered.

So Tuesday, despite the philosophical differences that some pundits insist cleave the U.S. map into pockets of red or blue, we again were united in something bigger than political discord.

We put our collective faith in the act of marking a piece of paper and having our say.

Its democracy. And like Tuesday mornings weather, its glorious.
Treatment best solution to Whiteclay woes

I dont think that forcing the liquor stores in Whiteclay, Nebraska, to reapply for liquor licenses in hopes of shutting them down is what will be best for that community (Nov. 2 World-Herald).

The level of addiction and other alcohol-related health problems would not go away if the stores were shut down. Many of these people will do whatever it takes to find alcohol.

Forcing people to travel longer distances to acquire alcohol will only put their own lives, along with the lives of other Nebraskans, at risk, since there will likely be an increase in drinking and driving.

Instead of focusing efforts on shutting down the stores, we should focus on fixing the problem at its roots and help the individuals in Whiteclay through rehabilitation. A small number of people suffering from substance abuse issues receive treatment in a specialized rehab facility.

A reason this is an issue, not only in Whiteclay but throughout our country, is that people suffering from alcoholism are not receiving the help that could change their lives. This is something that must change.

Daulten Sadd, Hastings, Neb.

Make Deffenbaugh do its job

I understand the need to increase the efficiency of trash collection, but where does the city expect me to store these behemoth 96-gallon trash cans?

For those who have alleys, that answer is pretty simple, but most of Omaha doesnt have alleys. Many of us have small garages that barely accommodate our cars. I dont have room for two 96-gallon trash cans in the garage.

I dont have a sidewalk going around the back of the house, and I dont want to have to scoop an additional 60 feet of sidewalk in the winter to accommodate two trash cans, much less struggle to move them  wheels or no wheels.

Leaving these things in front of the house is just as impossible. Our driveway is not wide enough to allow the cans to sit while we get the cars in and out. Trash cans in front of the house will make the property look unattractive. And there are numerous housing developments that dont allow trash cans to remain in view of the street.

Rather than creating problems for hundreds of thousands of citizens, wouldnt it be better for the City of Omaha to require Deffenbaugh to correct their own problems?

Steve Hudson, Omaha

Fort Calhoun a bad idea from the start

After reading the Nov. 6 World-Herald articles on Omaha Public Power District managements decisions about Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant employees retention and severance pay  decisions made and signed even before the board voted to close the plant  I can better understand why my OPPD estimated bill increased by $29 a month.

It sounds like the first bad decision was to build the plant, especially to build it a size that resulted in its costs per megawatt-hour being double that of the industry average.

It certainly has been a costly decision for the consumers. The sad part is that the average users cant just decide to go someplace else for their electricity.

Rosalee C. Yeaworth, Omaha

Panhandling is dangerous

Omaha, the panhandle of Nebraska. Not the geographical panhandle of Nebraska; panhandle as in to approach and beg from a stranger.

At many of Omahas busiest intersections, you may find several panhandlers with their signs asking for help. The ones I consider the most considerate are on the sidewalk, but there are many on the medians.

The medians were not designed for pedestrian traffic, and one step off the median at an inappropriate time could mean personal injury. Some of the panhandlers even weave between vehicles asking for help when the light is red.

Dick Meredith, Omaha

Out of place in Omaha

Congratulations to reporters Matthew Hansen and Henry J. Cordes and to The World-Herald for a super series about Goodwill. Everyone involved should earn well-deserved awards for the articles.

We grew up in Illinois; if this had been about Goodwill in Chicago, we may have shrugged our shoulders. But this is Omaha, where most nonprofit (and for-profit) organizations are managed by honest people.

How did this happen? I want to read that the board and managers have been replaced and that Goodwills operations have been totally revised. Until then, we will not donate again.

Karen S. Martin, Omaha

Not the nonprofit we thought

Thank you for the stories about Goodwill. They were eye openers.

It infuriates me to think that Goodwill is just another business and not the nonprofit organization that we were led to believe.

I have donated to Goodwill several times a year for several years and shopped at their stores. After reading those articles, I will not step into another Goodwill store.

Goodwill has become the good ol boy network. So sad.

Matt Niedert, Omaha
BJP worker stabbed to death in Bengaluru

Bengaluru

oi-Anusha

A BJP worker identified as Chikkathimmegowda was stabbed to death by unidentified men in Bengaluru on Tuesday night. The incident was reported in Kamakshipalya police station limits in the West division of the city.

[Also Read: BJP worker murdered in Bidar, cops cite personal rivalry ]

The deceased and his friend Naganna were returning home on his bike late Tuesday night when 3 miscreants allegedly followed them. Police sources said that the miscreants crashed into Chikkathimmegowda's bike causing him and his friend to fall. The unidentified assailants then stabbed the BJP worker in the chest and left his friend Naganna untouched.

"We have registered a case and are investigating. It it too early to declare anything as far as motive is concerned. We are not ruling out any angle for now", said M N Anucheth, DCP, West.

The deceased was a member of JD(S) till the last mayoral elections and joined BJP recently.

OneIndia News
Masti Gudi: 2 days after mishap actor's body found

Bengaluru

oi-Anusha

The body of Raghava Uday, one of the actors, who drowned in T G Halli during a film shoot has been found by search teams. Teams of National Disaster Response Force, Fire and safety personnel along with the help of local fishermen had been searching the T G Halli reservoir waters since Monday evening for bodies of actors Uday and Anil.

[Also Read: 'Masti Gudi' Anti-climax- Entertainment? But at what cost?]

After 2 days of search operations the teams found Uday's body in a highly decomposed state. Search will continue for Anil. Bengaluru District Commissioner, Shankar addressed the media soon after the body was found and declared that the body was of Anil. However Duniya Vijay, the lead actor of the movie clarified later and said, "We have found Uday in a highly decomposed state. We will continue searching for Anil".

Uday's body was moved to a distance in an ambulance to avoid crowding. Dozens of people are thronging T G Halli reservoir as search operations have continued over the last 2 days.

Search operation teams with the help of divers, underwater cameras had been relentlessly searching for the bodies of both actors who drowned while shooting ana ction sequence for upcoming kannada movie 'Masti Gudi'

[Also Read: 'Masti Gudi' tragedy: FIR against crew members]

Both actors along with the movie's lead actor Duniya Vijay had jumped off a helicopter from a height of over 100 feet into the water for the climax action sequence of the movie. The mishap had taken place at around 3 PM on Monday even.

The local police had filed an FIR against the film's producer, director, stunt director and 2 assistant directors mainly under IPC sections 304(A) and 308.
Masti Gudi- Duniya Vijay prohibited from taking up fresh projects

Bengaluru

oi-Anusha

Two days after actors of a Kannada film drowned during a shoot, the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce has prohibited three members of the crew including the film's lead Duniya Vijay from taking up any fresh projects pending investigation.

[Also Read: 'Masti Gudi' tragedy: FIR against crew members]

President of KFCC, Sa Ra Govind on Wednesday said that the chamber has decided to take action against Masti Gudi's Director Nagashekhar, Stunt Choreographer Ravivarma and the film's lead actor Duniya Vijay. All 3 persons have been prohibited from undertaking any more projects in the industry.

"A case has already been registered by police but we want to understand what went wrong during the shoot as well. Until the chamber resolves the issue Duniya Vijay, Ravivarma and Nagashekhar are prohibited from doing any more projects", said Sa Ra Govind while addressing the press.

Reacting to the decision by the chamber, the movie's lead actor Duniya Vijay, who has relentlessly been part of the search operations since day 1 said, "We welcome any decision by the chamber. I am willing to be part of any talks that will be held. Priority is search operations for now".

[Also Read: Masti Gudi: 2 days after mishap actor's body found]

After 2 days of search operations actor Uday's body was found on Wednesday. Search operations are still underway to find the body of actor Anil. Uday's body was handed over to his family following a quick postmortem near T G Halli reservoir.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, November 9, 2016, 19:31 [IST]
3 reasons why India need not worry about Trump Presidency

Feature

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Contrary to what a lot of people are fearing, India need not feel anxious about the future of its relation with Trump's America; there are realities that won't separate these two countries in todays' times

[Also Read: What does Trump mean for India - The good and the bad]

Donald Trump's election as the 45th president of the United States will make things in American foreign policy quite exceptional from here on. A country which made an emphatic entry into a world order dominated by Europe in the early 1940s and ensured that the evil Axis Powers did not become the decider of the world's fate, continued to lead the free world since then -- during the Cold War and also after it against diverse opponents. But 75 years since joining the Second World War, the United States now might be seen covering a different journey altogether under a president who has been a complete outsider.

But the proposition of an American retreat has made various countries - particularly the friends and allies of Washington across the globe anxious. Will they no more find a reliable friend in Washington? India, too, is concerned though for different reasons. It thinks whether Trump will dissociate the immediate past when the Narendra Modi-Barack Obama bonhomie had reached new heights with the near future by targeting India's job market and take back all things that are American. A retreat, after all, could be good militarily but not economically.

[Also Read: Donald Trump elected 45th US President]

But there is little reason for Indians to feel anxious about an American retreat. And there are of course a few reasons that play in India's favour:

Economy: Away from the days when India had stifled its own economy, thanks to ideological compulsions (tough to understand today of course), it is one of the fastest growing in the country and find itself in a perfect alignment with the American style of economic functioning. Given the massive market, cheap but meritocratic labour, India finds itself a perfect partner for America which has the businesses and the money. The Indian diaspora in the US has become an integral part of the bilateral relation between the two countries. And with both being vibrant democracies, the inclination to complement each other is also very natural. With so many factors working in favour, no American or Indian leadership will ever commit a blunder of derailing the ever-strengthening relationship. We saw how much significance the US attaches to India in the episode of denying visa to Narendra Modi. The pragmatic outlook laid the foundation of a robust relation which not even Trump will look to disturb.

Terrorism: Another major reason why the US and India will not going to part ways. The devastation of 9/11, in a nutshell, replaced Pakistan with India as the most reliable strategic partner in South Asia, thanks to Islamabad's hobnobbing with the terrorists in Afghanistan who challenged the US. This remarkable turnaround in the equations that the US and Pakistan had enjoyed vis-a-vis the erstwhile Soviet Union during the Cold War era saw New Delhi replacing Islamabad as a more effective partner for Washington. It is true that the US will still need Pakistan as long as problems in Afghanistan persist but at the same time, the Haqqani factor will also see the US toughening its stand on the old ally in Asia. As long as this geostrategic reality persists, India will enjoy the blessings of the US, even under Republican presidents - something that marks a notable departure from the past.

China: It is still not clear which way President Trump will go on China. Will he continue to imitate his predecessor Barack Obama's strong stand vis-a-vis Beijing in the Eastern Asian theatre? After all, China has been one issue on which Trump's talks so far have shown a rare similarity with Obama's actions. In case Trump continues to compete with the Chinese like Obama did, even if only financially and not militarily (though withdrawing militarily from the Asia-Pacific will create more problems for Washington), it will need India as a strategic partner. In fact, at a time when the US is losing allies in Asia fast - India stands as one major country which has become closer to the Americans. No president, irrespective of his individual preferences, will be ready to give up this advantage.

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Story first published: Wednesday, November 9, 2016, 16:38 [IST]
Donald Trump impact on IT jobs may not be as dramatic as expected

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Nov 9: US presidency under Donald Trump could spell a difficult time for the software and outsourcing industry jobs, but the impact may not be as dramatic as anticipated, say experts.

Trump had earlier said the Americans are living through the greatest job theft in the history of the world, saying the companies are moving out jobs from the US to countries like India, China, Mexico and Singapore.

He had also accused US technology giant IBM of laying off 500 workers in Minneapolis and shifting their jobs to India and other countries as he warned of levying a 35 per cent tax on companies doing so if he is elected.

Trump was on Wednesday elected as the new President of the US. "With this win, the immigration policies that Trump stands for could spell a difficult time for the software and outsourcing industry, significantly affecting the growth of this industry and related remittances from the US to India which are considerably high," Antal International India MD Joseph Devasia said.

"In the short term, this would be a space worth watching and how immediate policy decisions may impact India."

Also read: Donald Trump elected 45th US President

Rituparna Chakraborty, co-founder and Senior Vice-president, TeamLease, said: "Believe Trump won the election on his protectionist pitch, however once he takes over the Oval office the business man in him shall surface."

She further said even before Trump came to power, Visa norms got tightened and one should anticipate the same to continue or probably become a tad more difficult. However, to restrict all jobs that are currently outsourced to India from within the US may take some time to manifest.

Also read: From Trump, Pakistan expected to get some tough love

"The turnaround will take a while to manifest and the desired skills and the numbers may not be readily available in the US right now. India is an important ally for the US in geo-political space and one would see reasonable trade-offs being made which cannot be one-sided as incidentally India is an important domestic market for many American firms," she explained.

"There would be a mixed impact in IT and BPO/KPO services jobs, however may not be as dramatic as anticipated," Chakraborty, who is also the president of Indian Staffing Federation, added.

According to Sunil Sharma, Chief Investment Officer, Sanctum Wealth Management, the IT sector could get negatively impacted, especially in the short term.

"However, we do not expect significant impact in the long term as the cost advantage of emerging nations like India should outweigh, going forward," Sharma added.

PTI
As the countdown clock struck zero, rocket of Aakash BYJUS took off from Bandra Bandstand

Donald Trump's victory good for engineering exports: EEPC

India

oi-PTI

Mumbai, Nov 9: Engineering Export Promotion Council of India (EEPC) on Wednesday said it sees great promise in infrastructure focus by US President-elect Donald Trump in the world's largest economy as reflected in his election campaign.

Congratulating Trump on his historic victory in the Presidential elections, EEPC India Chairman T S Bhasin said America is among the largest trading partners for India and engineering exporters would like to lap up the opportunities promised in new investment in building the US infrastructure.

"Trump has stated clearly his focus would be to spend huge funds on building the US infrastructure like highways, airports etc. That would generate great demand for engineering exports in areas like steel, machinery and high technology domains.

"The Indian industry would certainly look forward to be a partner in that great endeavour of the next US President," the Chairman of apex engineering organisation said.

The engineering exports to the US had been slowing, but that was in sync with the rest of the globe, Bhasin said, adding, with the new administration, "We expect a great recovery in the US economy, which is a great news for India."

PTI
CPI(M) has a problem with the Congress Bharat Jodo Yatra: Heres why

Publicise cost of demonetization: Left tells Narendra Modi

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, Nov 9 Calling the government decision to demonetize higher denomination notes as a "gimmick", the CPI-M on Wednesday demanded the cost of withdrawing currency notes to be made public.

"This demonetization is attempted as a gimmick to divert attention from serious social and political failures of this government in the past 2.5 years," CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted.

"What is the cost of withdrawing currency notes and replacing them with Rs 2,000 notes? Also, its economic and social costs must be made public," he said, dubbing the move to be another "jumla".

"What are the estimates of black money that will be curbed by this move? Government should make the figures public," said the leader of the Communist Party of India-Marxist.

As part of sweeping steps to battle black money, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes will cease to be legal tender from midnight of Tuesday.

Yechury said the move was "poorly planned and not thought-through" and did not address the major sources of black money abroad or those invested in property, gold and such instruments.

"To uncover the illicit money trail, we demand that the government release the name of top 100 defaulters of bank loans," added Yechury.

IANS
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Rs 500 and 1,000 notes invalid: All your questions answered here

India

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, Nov 9: In the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing that the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will not be valid from midnight on Tuesday, here are the steps one needs to take.

Modi announced that new notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 will be made available soon. The announcement to do away with the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were made to curb the menace of fake currency that has been emanating from Pakistan for several years now.

Quick guide

From midnight, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will cease to be legal tender.

Notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 can be submitted to post offices and banks between November 10 and December 30th, 2016.



RBI to issue new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes.

Those who fail to meet deadline can submit the notes at the RBI by providing a declaration.

For the next 72 hours special arrangements have been made to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes at hospitals, airports, railways stations, petrol bunks.

On November 9 all banks will remain closed for public work.

RBI's proposal to circulate new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes accepted.

Also read: Rs 500 and 1,000 notes no longer valid announces PM Narendra Modi

Here is what you should do and know:

Till when will the Rs 500 and 1,000 notes have value?

The notes will have value till December30, provided it is deposited in the bank.

How much money will I get in cash?

You will get Rs 4,000 in cash and rest will be deposited in your bank account.

What if I fall short of cash?

Internet banking, credit, cheques and debit cards can be used.

What if I do not have a bank account?

You can ether open a bank account or get your notes exchanged at the post office, offices of RBI and branches of commercial banks/RRBS/UCBs/State Co-op banks. To open a bank account carry required documents and fill in required KYC details.

Do I have to go to the bank with which I have an account?

For exchange of notes upto Rs 4,000 you can go to any bank. For amount above Rs 4,000 you will need to go to your own bank so that amount can be credited to your account. In case you want to go another bank, carry valid identification documents and bank account details for money to be transferred to your account.

Can I go to any branch of my bank?

Yes, one can go to any branch of the main bank.

Can I got to a bank where my relative or friend has an account?

Yes you can, but your friend or relative should give you permission in writing. Show this letter with identification proof at the bank.

Do I have to personally go to the bank?

Process would be easier if you personally went to the bank. if you send a representative then give him or her a written mandate. The representative will have to carry with him or her the written mandate and valid identification proof.

What can I submit as identification proof?

Aadhaar Card, Driving Licence, Voter ID Card, Pass Port, NREGA Card, PAN Card, Identity Card Issued by Government Department, Public Sector Unit to its Staff.

Can I deposit the notes in the ATM?

Yes, notes can be deposited in the ATM. However, on November 9, ATMs will remain shut.

How much can I withdraw from the ATM?

Till November 18 the withdrawal limit will be Rs 2,000 after which it will be raised to Rs 4,000.

Can I use cheque to withdraw cash?

Yes you can. The ceiling for withdrawals by cheque or withdrawal slips would be Rs 10,000 per day. The ceiling per week would be Rs 20,000 including transactions made through ATMs. The ceiling would be in place until November 24th.

What if I am out of the country?

You can authorise someone to deposit the notes on your behalf.

What if I am an NRI?

You can deposit the notes to your NRO account.

What if I am foreign tourist?

You can purchase foreign exchange equivalent to Rs 5,000 within 72 hours with valid proof of identity.

Where can I get help in case of problems?

Information is available at www.rbi.org.in and GoI website. You can also write to publicquery@rbi.org.in or call 022 22602201 / 022 22602944.

OneIndia News
When India prayed for a Donald Trump win

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

It appears as though the prayers were India for Donald Trump were heard. Several persons over the past couple of months have openly offered prayers for Trump to become the President of the United States of America.

[Also Read: What does Trump mean for India - The good and the bad]

Two days back, at Meerut, the Akhila Bharathiya Hindu Mahasabha offered prayers for Trump's victory. A havan was in fact conducted at their office in Meerut on Monday. After the prayers Pandit Ashok Sharma, national vice president of the outfit, said, "The thinking and political policies of Donald Trump bear a striking resemblance with that of Nathuram Godse. With the outlook Trump has against radical Islam terrorism, world peace will prevail only if he comes to power, " the Times of India had reported.

On November 7, rituals were performed at a Mumbai temple for Trump's win. "We performed two yagnas for the victory of Trump. The rituals were performed at the behest of NRIs in the US," Vishnudham temple trustee Ramesh Joshi told PTI.

[Also Read: Donald Trump elected 45th US President]

"Some NRIs in the US are regular visitors to the temple when they visit India. They asked us to perform the yagnas. Accordingly, two yagnas were performed. The Vijay Prapti Yagna was to ensure victory for Trump and the Shasan Prapti Yagna was to help him govern the US," Joshi said. "The NRIs told me that Trump has assured the Indian diaspora in the US that he will work for eliminating the terror menace in India, if elected," Joshi said.

In the month of May, members of the Hindu Sena held a prayer in support of Trump winning the US presidential election. They said they prayed because he is hope for humanity against Islamic terror. "Only Donald Trump can save humanity," Vishnu Gupta, founder of the group, told the Associated Press news agency.

He also told The Indian Express newspaper that the group had planned "several events to express its wholehearted support for Trump".

OneIndia News
In Europe, the bird will fly by our rules: EU commissioner on Twitter takeover

EU invites Donald Trump to summit, warns against 'isolation'

International

oi-PTI

Brussels, Nov 10: The EU's top leaders on Wednesday invited US President-elect Donald Trump to a summit as soon as possible as they warned of uncertainty in relations and a need to respect democratic values.

"I do not believe that any country today can be great in isolation," European Council chief Donald Tusk told reporters in Brussels, referring to Trump's campaign slogan of "Make America Great Again".

"Europe and the United States simply have no option but to cooperate as closely as possible." Tusk and European Commission boss Jean-Claude Juncker said in a letter that they wanted to discuss "unprecedented challenges" including the Islamic State jihadist group, the conflict in Ukraine, and a troubled EU-US trade deal under negotiation.

"We would take this opportunity to invite you to visit Europe for an EU-US summit at your earliest convenience. This conversation would allow for us to chart the course of our relations for the next four years," they said in a letter of congratulations to Trump.

But former Polish prime minister Tusk struck a more sober tone in a statement to journalists at the 28-nation European Union's headquarters as he recalled that "Italians, Irish, Poles, Germans, Spanish" had helped build America.

"While respecting the democratic choice of the American people, we are at the same time aware of the new challenges that these results bring. One of them is this moment of uncertainty over the future of our transatlantic relations," he said.

With the EU still reeling from the shock of Britain's recent vote to leave, Tusk added: "The events of the last months and days should be treated as a warning sign for all who believe in liberal democracy."

Following Trump's victory, EU foreign ministers will hold a special meeting in Brussels on Sunday at the invitation of the bloc's foreign policy supremo Federica Mogherini.

They will have an "informal dinner to exchange views on the way forward in EU-US relations following the US elections," a spokeswoman for Mogherini said.

Separately Martin Schulz, the head of the European Parliament, urged Trump to show "responsibility" after a divisive campaign, adding that he had "managed to become the standard-bearer of the angst and fears of millions of Americans."

PTI
Great American Suspense: Will Donald Trump concede defeat if he loses presidential elections?

International

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Washington, Nov 9: Within few hours we will know who will be the next President of the United States of America.

However, the final outcome will be announced only in January 2017, after the counting of the electoral votes.

One question that is creating a great amount of anxiety among the voters and political experts of the nation is--Will Donald Trump concede defeat if he loses the election?

The question has been raised as the Republican presidential nominee had earlier threatened that he would keep the country in "suspense" over whether he would accept the results of the US Presidential Elections 2016.

However, a day later, he told his supporters that he would accept the results if he wins.

Thus we can conclude that Trump is likely to reject the result of November's elections if he loses.

Hardly ever in the history of the US Presidential Elections, the losing candidate had contested the result.

The losing side has always accepted defeat with grace; that is the power of US democracy, say experts.

Political analysts say that even if Trump rejects the results, Clinton will lead the country.

However, such a reaction from the losing opponent is likely to have a great repercussion and cause serious damage to the country.

Experts say supporters of Trump might make it difficult for the Clinton-led government to function normally.

Moreover, Trump camp might resort to violence.

In fact, few Trump supporters had earlier threatened to respond violently, if their candidate did not win.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, November 9, 2016, 9:11 [IST]
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Hillary Clinton writes to 8-yr-old girl who lost to a boy in class president election

Indian American elected for first time to US Senate

International

oi-IANS

By Ians English

New York, Nov 9: Kamala Harris made history on Tuesday, becoming the first Indian American elected to the US Senate.

She defeated her fellow-Democrat Loretta Sanchez in California to also become the first Indian American woman elected to Congress.

"Winning of Kamala Harris is another feather on the cap for the Indian American community," Thomas Abraham, Chairman, Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, told IANS.

"Winning Senatorial seat combined with several congressional victories has made the community somewhat reach its goal of political involvement," he added.

US votes - Catch it live here: Hillary Clinton 215 vs Donald Trump's 244

This will also help the US and India to come closer as a global partner in trade, investment, education, science and technology, military cooperation and fighting terrorism.

Senators are elected by the entire electorate in their states.

A victory is significant because California is the most populous state in the nation with 18 million voters.

Harris, 52, who traces her family roots to Chennai, is a lawyer by profession and was twice elected Attorney General in 2010 and 2014.

Harris has a dual identity: She is also counted as an African American as her father is a Jamaican of African descent and she follows the Baptist faith.

She would become the second American woman of African descent elected to the Senate and she joins two other African Americans in the Senate.

After her parents divorced, Harris was raised by her mother Shyamals Gopalan, a cancer specialist from Chennai, giving her equal claim to Indian heritage.

She is married to fellow lawyer Douglas Emhoff.

Harris succeeds Democrat Barbara Boxer, a Democrat who is retiring.

The first Indian elected to Congress is Dalip Singh Saund, who won from California in 1956.

IANS
Nawaz Sharif congratulates Trump on being elected as US President

International

oi-PTI

Islamabad, Nov 9: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on being elected as the US President, saying he looks forward to working with him closely as strong bilateral ties is critical for regional peace and security.

"On behalf of the government and people of Pakistan, and on my own behalf, I wish to extend to you and the people of the US, our most sincere felicitations on your election as the 45th President of the US," Sharif said in his message.

"Your election is indeed the triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights and free enterprise. Most importantly, your momentous success is a testimony to the confidence that the people of the US have reposed in your leadership, vision and commitment to serve your great country," he said.

Also read: Pak stocks dive nearly 800 points after Donald Trump's victory

Sharif also said that strong relationship between Pakistan and the US was critical for regional peace and security. "Over the past seven decades, Pakistan and the US have enjoyed a strategic partnership, rooted in the shared ideals of freedom, democracy, mutual respect and commonality of interests.

"Our deep seated conviction that a strong partnership between the two countries remains critical to promoting and sustaining peace, security and stability in the wider region, continue to underpin the resilience in Pak-US ties," he said.

Also read: Prospect of Trump presidency unnerves companies, economists

Sharif expressed desire to expand relations with the US under Trump.

"I wish to re-affirm my government's commitment to further strengthening and deepening our relations, in a manner truly reflective of the aspirations of our two nations. I am looking forward to closely working with you, to bring our two countries closer and making our partnership an important vehicle for the realisation of peace, security and prosperity in the region and beyond," he said.

Trump on Wednesday beat seasoned politician Hillary Clinton in the knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President.

PTI
Record 5 Indian-Americans set to be elected to US Congress

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Nov 9: An unprecedented 'desi' wave hit the US general elections as a record number of five Indian- Americans were all set to be elected to the US Congress today.

Indian-American women put up a good show in the 2016 elections, with Kamala Harris, 51, a two-term attorney general from California, creating history by winning the US Senate seat from the state.

Pramila Jayapal, 51, won the Congressional seat from Seattle to enter the House of Representatives, the first Indian-American woman to accomplish this feat.

Jayapal would be joined in the House of Representatives by Raja Krishnamoorthi, who made it to the highest citadel of democracy in their second attempt. Ro Khanna and Ami Bera were leading in the race for the House of Representatives from their districts in California.

US votes - Catch it live here: Hillary Clinton 218 vs Donald Trump's 265

With 56 per cent of the votes counted in California's Silicon Valley, Democratic Congressman Bera was leading with 54 per cent votes at 47,427, ahead of his Republican party rival Scott Jones who got 46 per cent votes. If elected for the third successive term, Bera would become the longest serving Indian-American Congressman ever.

Khanna, the democratic party candidate from Californias 17th District, was leading with 58 per cent votes at 50,952 after 72 per cent of the votes were counted. His closest rival Mike Honda, also of the Democratic Party, had so far garnered 42 per cent of the votes. Interestingly, the outgoing US President Barack Obama had endorsed Harris, Krishnamoorthi and Bera.

Senator Bernie Sanders and former US President Jimmy Carter had endorsed Jayapal. Harris, who was born in Oakland, California, is the daughter of an Indian mother who emigrated from Chennai in 1960 and a Jamaican American father.

California Democrats had overwhelmingly endorsed Harris for US Senate, solidifying her front-runner status in the race to become Californias next Senator.

Endorsing Harris, Obama had said "Kamala Harris fights for us. Thats why I am so proud to endorse her for United States Senator. And if you send her to the Senate, she'll be a fearless fighter for the people of California, all the people of California, every single day."

Jayapal entered the US Congress on her maiden try. Born in Chennai, she left India at the age of five for Indonesia, Singapore and eventually for the US.

Jayapal says her life transformed for the better after she spent some time in India when she returned to the country after a gap of 25 years in April 1995. Her book-- "Pilgrimage to India: A Woman Revisits Her Homeland" was published in 2000.

PTI
US presidency under Trump to boost strategic ties with India

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Nov 9: US presidency under Donald Trump, a confessed big fan of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is most likely to boost Indo-US strategic relationship with a special emphasis on defence ties and counter-terrorism cooperation.

Trump, 70, had recently described India as "a key, and key strategic ally" and looks forward to deepening the diplomatic and military cooperation that is the shared interest of both countries. The billionaire businessman who has lauded economic policies of Modi had said he wants to work with him.

At an event in New Jersey less than a month from now, Trump had promised to the Indian-American community in him India would find a true friend at the White House. "I am a big fan of Hindu and I am a big fan of India.

If I am elected president, the Indian and Hindu community would have a true friend at the White House," he had said at an event organised by the Hindu Republican Coalition. Trump said he appreciated "great friend India in the fight against radical Islamic terrorism."

Controversy's child Trump treads unusual path to White House

India has experienced firsthand "brutality of terror" in the past "including the mayhem in Mumbai," he said and described the 2008 Mumbai terror attack and that on Indian Parliament in 2001 as "absolutely outrageous" and terrible. "We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism. We will stand soldier-to-soldier in this fight. This is so important in the age of ISIS," he said.

"India's is the world's largest democracy and is a natural ally of the US. Under a Trump Administration, we are going to become even better friends. In fact, I will take the word even out because we are going to be best friends.

I look forward to working with Prime Minister Modi, who has been very energetic in reforming the economy and bureaucracy. Great man. I applaud him," he said. "I look forward to doing some serious bureaucratic trimming right here in the US, believe me we need it most," Trump said.

"Your great Prime Minister has been a pro-growth leader for India. He has simplified the tax code, cut the taxes and the economy is strong growing at 7 per cent year. Excellent," he said.

On the eve of the November 8 general elections, a key military advisor to the Trump said that India will have an important role to play in the Trump Administrations Asia Pacific policy of "peace through strength."

"This is a country that shares our values, this is a country that shares a lot of geo-political interest and I think, his (Trumps) work is going to be continuing the tradition of Bush Administration which made a lot of progress in that regard," Alexander Gray, a military advisor and author of several of the ambitious defence policies of Trump, said.

"We (a Trump Administration) would be looking to strengthen not just the cultural and economic aspect, but also on the defence side there is so much common ground with India.

At a time when Indias foreign policy is changing because of China and Pakistan, because of Islamic terrorism, we need to be there to greet them with open arms. I think, the Trump Administration is ready to do that," Gray said.

PTI
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(Adds other management changes at the bank and expected date for CEO replacement)

SAO PAULO, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Itau Unibanco Holding SA will appoint Candido Botelho Bracher as the successor to Chief Executive Officer Roberto Egydio Setubal, whose term ends at next year's annual shareholders meeting, the bank said on Wednesday in a securities filing.

Bracher, a 57-year-old business administrator who is currently Itau's head of wholesale and corporate banking, should take the reins of Brazil's No. 1 lender by market value in April at the shareholders assembly, the filing said.

Bracher is a member of the family which partly owned Banco BBA Creditanstalt SA, an investment banking firm that Itau bought in 2003 and morphed into the conglomerate's corporate and investment banking arm.

The bank also announced changes in the executive committee. Eduardo Vassimon will replace Bracher as head of wholesale and corporate banking.

Marco Bonomi, which heads the retail banking division, will become a board member and be replaced by Marcio Schettini. Caio David will become the bank's chief financial officer, the filing said.

Investors and analysts have closely followed the process to replace Setubal, who has been at the helm of the bank since 1994. Setubal, 62, belongs to one of the families controlling Itau Unibanco.

Setubal's decision to step down from Itau's chain of command comes as the bank is emerging from a phase of operational transformation amid Brazil's worst recession in eight decades.

Over the past two years, Setubal shunned fast growth. Instead, he wanted the bank to tap the least risky credit segments, ramp up fee income, curb expenses, expand overseas and tighten loan disbursement standards.

Setubal's ability to steer Itau through years of slow growth in Brazil has made its stock an investor favorite: 15 of the 17 analysts covering the bank rate it a "buy" or a "hold," with the remaining two labeling it a "sell," according to Thomson Reuters data.

Itau's preferred shares, which are the most heavily traded stock on the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange, shed 3 percent to 37 reais in late afternoon trading. The stock is up 57 percent over the past year.

(Reporting by Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Tatiana Bautzer; Editing by W Simon and Andrea Ricci)
by  Graham Pierrepoint



The British Royal Family have always been a source of fascination for the mass media both at home and abroad  theyve been an institution of Great Britain, of course, for centuries  and while much of the power that monarchy may have wielded in years gone by now resides with MPs in parliament, the Queen and her family still court keen interest from tourists and citizens alike. They have also, however, had their fair share of run-ins with the press, from coverage of Princes Charles and Andrews relationships to Prince Philips social commentary. Prince Harry, too, has been under the scrutiny of paparazzi over the years  but this week, it certainly seems that hes had enough.

Prince Harry has authorized an open letter from the Communications Secretary to address the manner in which his girlfriend  American actor and humanitarian ambassador Meghan Markle  has been scrutinized by certain media publications in recent days. While the Princes relationship status had not been officially confirmed to journalists, the royal took to writing his letter of complaint to effectively confirm rumors that papers have been circulating for some time. Beyond this, it is the first time in considerable years that a member of the royal family has taken such action  perhaps bringing into question the ethics of the manner in which Ms Markle and Prince Harrys privacy has been invaded.

The Princes letter does not directly name any particular publications, but the statement unveils concern as to a wave of abuse and harassment that Markle and her family continue to receive as a result of invasion into their privacy  and that family lawyers continue to work nightly to ensure that they are protected against heightened scrutiny into their private lives. The statement asserts that Prince Harry is concerned for his girlfriends safety, and has therefore ensured that comments on press behavior are to be made public.

The statement has been reported by most UK media outlets earlier this week and, as a result, it is hoped that the Princes concerns are taken seriously in light of increased scrutiny into Meghan Markles life and family. While certain tabloid newspapers deny any wrongdoing, it will remain to be seen in the coming weeks and months as to whether or not the royals words have been taken to heart  and if not, what action may be taken to defend against such invasion in future.
my interests, updated: science fiction, mysteries, science, history, and science history; and Paris and writing and sketching and knitting and sewing and, oh, whatever else comes up
Despite the popularity of Hillary Clinton in the polls prior to the election, Jim Cramer earlier this week advised investors to be prepared for a Donald Trump surprise victory.

The one stance that stood out to Cramer from Trump's platform was his stance on Mexico . Trump plans to build a wall along the border and attempt to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).



"What matters for the market is that in the scenario where Trump wins the White House, he is likely also going to have Republican majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives, which means if he wants to build a wall and renegotiate NAFTA, he'll probably be able to," the " Mad Money " host said.

Cracking down on Mexican exports would likely boost American manufacturing jobs, but it could also make products more expensive for U.S. consumers.

This means a company like Cemex (Mexico Stock Exchange: CEME-MX)  a Mexican company that is one of the world's largest manufacturers of cement and concrete  could be hurt substantially under a Trump presidency.











Historically, NAFTA has been good for Cemex. Every time an American company moves its manufacturing operations south of the border, a company like Cemex helps to build facilities.

"I would say that Cemex is the perfect example of the kind of company that gets hurt if Trump wins the White House, except for one thing  the wall," Cramer said.

If Trump does actually build the border wall and gets Mexico to pay for it, Cemex could be the supplier of choice for concrete. Still, Cramer does not think that is enough to offset the damage that could occur by renegotiating NAFTA.

Another stock that could be impacted negatively by a Trump regime is Kansas City Southern (KSU), the main railroad that connects Mexico to the U.S. A large wall could hinder the very transportation routes that Kansas City Southern relies on.

Additionally, Trump's stance on Mexico could lead to tariffs on Mexican exports, Cramer said. In turn, this would mean fewer imports of goods from Mexico. Given that Kansas City Southern gets nearly half of its revenue from Mexico, any change to NAFTA could seriously impact its numbers.

Story continues

"The thing to keep in mind is that if we toss NAFTA down the drain, it won't just be Mexican exporters that get hurt. Their whole economy will be put through the meat grinder, and the value of the peso is going to plummet," Cramer said.

Cramer also pointed to EWW (NYSE Arca: EWW), the iShares Mexico capped ETF, as a possible Trump victim. It has risen recently on the probability that Clinton declares victory. In the event Trump wins, Cramer expects the ETF to get hammered.

"If he managed to pull off a surprise win ... you need to sell Kansas City Southern and the iShares Mexico Capped ETF. KSU in particular would make a terrific Trump short," Cramer said.

Questions for Cramer?

Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBC

Want to take a deep dive into Cramer's world? Hit him up!

Mad Money Twitter - Jim Cramer Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - Vine



Questions, comments, suggestions for the "Mad Money" website? madcap@cnbc.com
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SCHAUMBURG, IL--(Marketwired - Nov 8, 2016) - When it comes to skin care, men have traditionally kept it simple. However, experts say more men are now pursuing healthier, younger-looking skin. Since November is National Healthy Skin Month, dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology say now is a great time for men to evaluate their skin care routine and learn more about how to take care of their body's largest organ.

"Men's skin care isn't as taboo anymore as more men embrace ways to take care of their skin at home," said board-certified dermatologist Anthony Rossi, MD, FAAD, assistant professor of dermatology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York. "Although there are key differences between men and women's skin -- for example, men's skin is thicker than women's -- the basic elements of an effective skin care plan remain the same."

Before developing a skin care routine, Dr. Rossi says it's important that everyone identify and understand their skin type:

Sensitive skin may sting or burn after product use

Normal skin is clear and not sensitive

Dry skin is flaky, itchy or rough

Oily skin is shiny and greasy

Combination skin is dry in some areas and oily in others





"Understanding your skin type will help you learn how to take care of your skin and select skin care products that are right for you," said Dr. Rossi.

To help men develop healthy skin care routines, Dr. Rossi recommends the following tips:

1. Consider product labels and ingredients: The skin care products you choose will depend on your skin type. If you have acne-prone skin, look for cleansers and moisturizers that say "oil free" or "noncomedogenic," as these won't clog your pores. If you have sensitive skin, use mild, "fragrance-free" products, as products containing fragrances can leave skin feeling irritated and dry. However, beware of products labeled "unscented," as many of these contain masking fragrances that can still irritate your skin.

2. Wash your face daily and after exercise: Since regular bar soap often contains harsh ingredients that can be drying to the skin, wash your face with a mild facial cleanser and lukewarm -- not hot -- water.

3. Watch your shaving technique: For some men, multi-blade razors can work too well or shave too closely to the skin. If you often experience razor bumps, razor burns or ingrown hairs, use a single- or double-blade razor instead and do not stretch your skin taut while shaving. Before you shave, wet your skin and hair to soften it. Use a moisturizing shaving cream and shave in the direction of hair growth. Rinse after each swipe of the razor, and change your blade after five to seven shaves to minimize irritation.

4. Moisturize daily: Moisturizer works by trapping water in your skin, which can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and make your skin look brighter and younger. For the best results, apply moisturizer to your face and body immediately after bathing, showering or shaving while the skin is still damp.

5. Check your skin regularly: New spots or moles that itch, bleed or change color are often early warning signs of skin cancer. If you notice any suspicious spots, make an appointment to see a dermatologist. Men over age 50 have a higher risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, than the general population. However, when caught early, skin cancer is highly treatable.

6. Wear sunscreen whenever outdoors: To help prevent sun damage that can lead to wrinkles, age spots and even skin cancer, before going outdoors, apply sunscreen to all exposed areas of skin, including your scalp, ears, neck and lips. For best protection, use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating. You can also protect your skin by seeking shade and wearing protective clothing, including sunglasses that have UV protection and wide-brimmed hats.

Story continues

"Every man's skin is different, and there is no 'one size fits all' approach to skin care," said Dr. Rossi. "If you aren't sure what skin type you have, or if have questions about how to take care of your skin, see a board-certified dermatologist."

These tips are demonstrated in "Skin Care Tips for Men," a video posted to the AAD website and YouTube channel. This video is part of the AAD's "Video of the Month" series, which offers tips people can use to properly care for their skin, hair and nails. A new video in the series posts to the AAD website and YouTube channel each month.

Headquartered in Schaumburg, Ill., the American Academy of Dermatology, founded in 1938, is the largest, most influential, and most representative of all dermatologic associations. With a membership of more than 18,000 physicians worldwide, the AAD is committed to: advancing the diagnosis and medical, surgical and cosmetic treatment of the skin, hair and nails; advocating high standards in clinical practice, education, and research in dermatology; and supporting and enhancing patient care for a lifetime of healthier skin, hair and nails. For more information, contact the AAD at 1-888-462-DERM (3376) or aad.org. Follow the AAD on Facebook (American Academy of Dermatology), Twitter (@AADskin), or YouTube (AcademyofDermatology).

To view a media-rich version of the release, go to: http://aad.new-media-release.com/2016/skin_care_tips_for_men/
Donald John Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States last night in a stunning culmination of an explosive, populist and polarizing campaign that took relentless aim at the institutions and long-held ideals of American democracy.New York Times reported live that the surprise outcome, defying late polls that showed Hillary Clinton with a modest but persistent edge, threatened convulsions throughout the country and the world, where skeptics had watched with alarm as Mr. Trumps unvarnished overtures to disillusioned voters took hold.The triumph for Mr. Trump, 70, a real estate developer-turned-reality television star with no government experience, was a powerful rejection of the establishment forces that had assembled against him, from the world of business to government, and the consensus they had forged on everything from trade to immigration.The results amounted to a repudiation, not only of Mrs. Clinton, but of President Obama, whose legacy is suddenly imperiled. And it was a decisive demonstration of power by a largely overlooked coalition of mostly blue-collar white and working-class voters who felt that the promise of the United States had slipped their grasp amid decades of globalization and multiculturalism.Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter ONeill , has extended his congratulations to Donald Trump following his success in the vote count yesterday in the United States Presidential Election."I send Papua New Guineas best wishes following the election of Donald Trump, and congratulate him on his election to become the 45th President of the United States," the Prime Minister said."Papua New Guinea looks forward to working with the incoming Administration when it is sworn into office in January 2017."It is clear the American people have expressed their confidence in Donald Trump both in the popular vote and through the electoral college vote."This has been one of the most controversial Presidential campaigns in the history of the United States and now there is an outcome."The result of the election is a decision of the American people and Papua New Guinea will work with the elected Government of the day, as we do in every partner nation."Our Embassy in Washington DC will look to engage with the incoming administration at the appropriate time and strengthening relations between our two countries."Mr Trump is a successful businessman and now has the opportunity to develop his vision for the United States and its engagement with its international partners."The Prime Minister also congratulated Hillary Clinton for her hard-fought campaign and thanked her for her relationship with Papua New Guinea and her inspiration to women and girls around the world."I send my best regards to Hillary Clinton, who is a long-standing friend of Papua New Guinea, and I congratulate her for a solid election campaign."Secretary Clinton has broken through barriers and is an inspiration to women in our country."I hope Hillary will maintain contact with Papua New Guinea into the future."
Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia:

The island of Guernsey in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy has a reputation for developing innovative products, including a robo-advisor technology called Wealthify. The UK-based robo-adviser was an innovation that came out of the island, said Dominic Wheatley, Chief Executive of Guernsey Finance at the latest Opalesque Guernsey Roundtable.

Wheatley said that Wealthifys co-founder was born in Guernsey and trained at one of the islands investment management houses. Also, much of the seed investment came from the islands angel investor network, he said.

Wheatley stated, "A local investment adviser is still retained by Wealthify for their expertise. Those sorts of FinTech products are very much a part of where the island is headed. Led by a committee made up of people from the government, regulator and industry, who are very much developing the island as a center of innovation."

William Mason, Director General of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission expressed excitement that a robo-advisor technology was developed there. He commented, "I can remember many years ago when I was working as a supervisory manager for the Financial Services Authority in the UK, we were wrestling with this problem of, frankly, vast numbers of retail consumers......................

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Opalesque Industry Update - Investcorp, a global provider and manager of alternative investment products, has announces that it has reached an agreement to invest $20 million in Calligo Limited, a fast growing provider of cloud solutions focused on serving the global mid-tier enterprise segment. Founded in 2012, with the aim of leveraging jurisdictions across the globe that offer a robust data protection framework, Calligo provides a trusted cloud platform for hosting mid-tier enterprises, their data and applications. The company's proprietary cloud platform offers the highest levels of data privacy along with application performance guarantees, commercial flexibility and a personalized support service. Calligo services hundreds of clients all over the world from its locations in Jersey, Guernsey, Switzerland, Singapore and Bermuda. The investment by Investcorp is expected to accelerate Calligo's international expansion with new office locations in North America and the UK. Calligo is well positioned in the fast growing public cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) market which grew 51% in 2015 and is expected to more than triple in size by 2020. Mid-size enterprises represent the fastest growing, most underserved business segment with a cloud adoption rate of only 5%. In the first nine months of 2016, Calligo grew its revenues by approximately 100% year-on-year. Investcorp has established a market leading position of investing in lower mid-market technology companies with a particular focus on Data / Analytics, IT Security and Fintech / Payments and has raised more than $1 billion in funding for technology investments. Other recent Investcorp technology transactions include the sale of CSIdentity to Experian, the sale of TDX Group to Equifax Inc; the partial exit of Fishnet through a merger with Accuvant; the ultimate full sale of Skrill Group to Optimal Payments (now renamed Paysafe Group plc); and the flotation of Sophos Group plc on the London Stock Exchange. Commenting on the investment, Gilbert Kamieniecky, Managing Director focused on Investcorp's technology investments in Europe, said, "The mid-tier enterprise segment is lagging behind in adopting cloud solutions. In our view, Calligo pairs an attractive market opportunity with a highly compelling product and a proven and experienced management team. With our strong track record of working with fast-growing, founder-owned businesses in the technology space, we believe that we will be a valuable partner to the company as it continues to expand internationally, both organically and through targeted add-on acquisitions." Julian Box, Chief Executive Officer, Calligo, added, "We are extremely pleased to have found the right partner in Investcorp during this exciting period of growth for the business. I believe Investcorp's proven track record, global presence and extensive network will support the company's continued international expansion and product innovation. Our ability to attract this investment is a fantastic validation of the business we've managed to build so far and we believe the ongoing support from Investcorp will enable us to continue our exponential growth." As Investcorp continues to identify investment opportunities in the technology sector, the company has recently recruited two new investment team members, Georg Knoflach and Julian Bennet as Vice Presidents. Georg Knoflach joins Investcorp from technology-focused private equity firm, Silver Lake where he worked for four years. Prior to that, he was part of Merrill Lynch's investment banking team in Germany. Julian Bennet joined Investcorp following three years in the technology team of HG Capital in London. Prior to that, he worked at Augusta & Co, a mid-market UK corporate finance boutique and Morgan Stanley, primarily in their technology M&A team, in both London and Dubai. Gilbert Kamieniecky and Georg Knoflach will join the board of Calligo as non-executive directors. Q Advisors, a leading TMT investment banking boutique, acted as financial advisor and placement agent to Calligo. Investcorp is a leading global provider and manager of alternative investment products. The Investcorp Group has offices in London, Bahrain, New York, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Doha. Investcorp has three business areas: corporate investment, real estate investment and alternative investment solutions (formerly known as hedge funds). As at June 30, 2016, the Investcorp Group had $10.8 billion in total assets under management ("AUM"), including assets managed by third party managers and assets subject to a non-discretionary advisory mandate where Investcorp receives fees calculated on the basis of AUM.
Reprinted from www.citywatchla.com

07 November 2016

LOS ANGELES

It is propaganda about "public" charter schools that confuses the public. Our citizens are unaware of the plan and the ploy by the Educational Industrial Complex to end public schools by starving their budgets, using bogus tests to label them failing and then hand them over to those who want to do so much more than just make a fortune.

I read and admire the writing of David Leonhardt, but it is outrageous, that once again, the New York Times perpetuates the absolute false notion that there are Public Charter Schools.

Giving taxpayer's money to charter schools that lack transparency and regulations does NOT make them PUBLIC SCHOOLS, and yet, this ploy is on the ballots in Massachusetts, Georgia, Pennsylvania and many states.

Do not pretend that your paper is printing all the "news that is fit to print," when you consistently promote the end of public education instead of printing the stories that could make our schools strong again. Make America great again by bringing back our schools so an ignoramus like Trump will face a nation of educated, skilled, working people who love democracy!

I have been an educator for four decades and I now write at Oped News and on the Diane Ravitch blog about the takeover of the institution of Public Education.

Dr. Ravitch wrote, "How Not to Fix Our Public Schools-Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America's Public Schools," and you [LA Times] have published her editorial, but you have learned nothing about the plan to takeover our democracy by doing what every dictator (and even the Saudi's know) get the children when they are young -- because they are not kids for long; soon they will be citizens who vote.

The insidious plan is to let people like these guys rewrite history. "Get 'em young"" as they are doing in North Carolina, where the Koch Bros want to write social studies curricula.

Read the Ravitch blog: "Civics Lessons Financed by the Koch Brothers" | Diane Ravitch's blog and you will see the end of public education.

They also know that Democracy depends on shared knowledge, and they know how to end real knowledge by simply taking over the 15,880 school systems, and make sure the newspapers and media spit out lies.

Fifty-two states and almost sixteen thousand separate school systems make it so easy for the puppet-masters who own all the media in this nation to hide this assault on American democracy, and the only road to income equality.

We saw how privatizing heath care affected our people while enriching the corporate big pharma!

There is a ton of money to be made when the salaries and benefits of experienced professionals are removed from the budget. Take the experienced professional out of a hospital and watch it fail, too.
Dear Millennials,

Good morning/afternoon. It's election day. There's something no one has told you because they've been too busy wagging their finger at you, admonishing you that you need to grow up and vote today for Hillary Clinton. Yeah, like that works. Like none of these older adults were ever 19 and didn't do unconventional or contrarian or rebellious things like refuse to vote because both candidates "sucked."

They also didn't want to tell you they smoked pot at your age, but they did, and they also refused to vote at times or vote third party. Yup, the same ones telling you that you have to vote today.

But here's the secret no one is telling you: You, more than any other group In the U.S., truly hold all the power today. You will determine the outcome of today's election. The pollsters and pundits, the media and the campaigns of both candidates, all agree on who's' going to get the majority of the African American vote (Hillary), the majority of the Hispanic vote (Hillary), the majority of the white male vote (Trump), the majority of the vote of those with a high school education (Trump), and on and on.

But there is one group that they all agree they don't have a clue as to what's going to happen with them today: YOU. The 18 to 35-year olds.

Oh, they know that if you vote, the majority of you prefer Hillary. But what they don't know is if in fact you are going to vote at all! The millennial vote it seems is not between Hillary or Trump but between Hillary and those who simply won't vote today (or vote 3rd party).

And so you've made all the adults very nervous. Especially in the Clinton campaign. They know the election may be very close in some states today and that just a few of you, should you decide to show up, could tip the balance. That means you, the young adults, hold all the power today. You are the wild card. And it is clear that tomorrow morning you are either going to be blamed for her loss or be given the credit for putting her into the Oval Office.

It is nothing short of amazing that you are the most powerful group in America for the next eight to 12 hours. If someone told me that I could determine the outcome of this election, that I would be given the credit for Hillary Clinton winning the presidency if all I had to do was show up, do you think I'd stay home? If the headlines tomorrow were to read "Millennials Show Up in Record Numbers and Hand the White House to Hillary Clinton," what kind of power do you think you'll hold over the next four years? Do you think you might end up with free college tuition for all? A law to forgive those already saddled with tens of thousands of dollars of student debt? Do you think we might finally deal with climate change in a profound way because you're going to be the inhabitants of this planet in the second half of the 21st century, not us? How many wars do you think we're going to start if the age group who's going to be asked to fight them held the political power on November 8th, 2016 and stopped a trigger-happy sociopath from getting elected?

You young adults will not only be the ones to decide who wins today, you will be the demographic President Hillary Clinton will have to listen to over the next four years -- or else. In 2008 you came out in record numbers and elected this country's first African American president. You probably don't remember that the ONLY white age group President Obama won eight years ago were 18-35-year olds. He LOST every other white age group! Young people of all races massively poured into the polling places across the country and put him office.

And what did you get for that? How many countries has he invaded or new wars has he started using you and your young friends as cannon fodder? None. Where are the flag-draped caskets of thousands of young people being shipped back to the USA (this is not to condone his use of drones which must stop)?

What's one of the great provisions of his health care act? That parents can keep their sons and daughters on their health insurance until they are 26 years old!

And who has proposed that all community college be tuition free for every American? The president YOU put in power. He didn't forget who did that for him and he spent eight years trying to do his best for you. Was he perfect? No way. In fact, he started off pretty slow in '09 and was too nice, and eager to compromise with Republicans. You didn't like that and so, to exercise your power of "that's not cool," you stayed home for the 2010 Congressional elections -- and Obama lost both Houses of Congress to the Republicans. It was a stinging blow and a huge lesson for him and everyone else of just how much power you really held.

This year you started a revolution with Bernie Sanders. You shocked everyone -- even Bernie! -- because you became an army of millions in the primaries and caucuses and handed Sanders a whopping 22 states -- 22 states who voted for a SOCIALIST for President of the United States! THAT blew everyone's mind.

Hillary Clinton saw the power you held -- and what did she do? She moved as fast as she could leftward, adopting one Sanders position after another. At the convention she accepted over 2/3 of his platform, which in turn won her his support and he's been out campaigning for her ever since.

And here's the bonus of what you did by starting the Bernie Revolution: if the Dems take back control of the Senate today, the new chair of the Senate Budget Committee will be none other than Bernie friggin' Sanders! WTF? A socialist will be in charge of the budget? THAT can happen today! Who wants to stay home and sit this one out?!

Look, I don't blame you for being upset that Bernie didn't make it onto today's ballot. I'm upset. The DNC played a lot of dirty tricks. They will pay for that, I promise you. But for us to not claim our victories in this major historic moment (and movement) we created would be foolish. This movement is going to continue. There's no going back now. You made this happen -- and the Bernie Revolution will be there to support Hillary when she does right, and we'll challenge her mightily when she doesn't. This work begins tomorrow morning.

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Can someone please call a waaaahmbulance for Paul Krugman? At a little after 9pm on November 8, the economist and New York Times columnist fired the starting gun on America's quadrennial whinefest: "Btw, Jill Stein has managed to play Ralph Nader," he tweeted. "Without her Florida might have been saved."

Early the next morning, about the time Hillary Clinton called Donald Trump to concede the presidential election and congratulate him on his victory, the New York Daily News ran 400 words or so on the same note: "The vote totals between the Republican and Democrat in battlegrounds such as Florida and Pennsylvania were close enough to have been swayed if minor party voters had supported Clinton."

Wow! What a concept! If people who didn't support Clinton had supported Clinton, Clinton would have won! This is news?

Let's talk about who's really responsible for Donald Trump's victory.

First we have the people who voted, in plurality numbers in states disposing of a majority of electoral votes, for Donald Trump. Yes, really. Trump voters are largely responsible for Trump winning the election. Funny how that works, isn't it?

Running a close second: The Democratic Party. They could have offered voters Bernie Sanders, Jim Webb, Lincoln Chafee, Martin O'Malley, or Rocky de la Fuente. But noooooo ... instead, they nominated one of the most loathed and mistrusted American political figures of the last half century. What could possibly go wrong? They found out on Tuesday, didn't they?

Those of us who supported third party candidates (I cast my vote, in Florida, for Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson) didn't owe our votes to the Democratic Party or to Hillary Clinton. If they wanted our votes, they should have gone to the trouble of EARNING those votes.

Instead they stomped their feet and demanded that we waste our votes on the candidate they supported instead of the candidates we supported, because " well, just because. And now they're throwing themselves on the ground and holding their breath until their faces turn blue because they didn't get their way.

No, I don't expect either of the major parties to learn anything from this outing. They'll continue to ignore the concerns of third party voters every four years, then cry a river when those third party voters ignore them in turn. The Democrats made their bed. Let them lie in it. Lying seems to be something they're pretty darn good at.
I was surprised to see the editor of "The Nation" magazine, Katrina vanden Heuvel, as part of a panel on MSNBC's "Meet the Press Daily" recently. She appeared with the moderator Chuck Todd and two other guests (one was chief political correspondent for "Time" I believe and someone else whom I've completely forgotten). Katrina hadn't generally been appearing much on main stream media, and I was wondering what she might be up to. And, sure enough, when it was her turn to comment on whatever they were offering up at the moment, she quickly did so and then segued into what she had apparently really came there to say. And it was good. She was lamenting the lack of real policy coverage by the media during this election, in favor of reporting almost exclusively on "character" issues. But she went a bit further and said that everyone knows Donald Trump is "ratings bait" (I love that), and she then reported that CNN had just made a billion dollars so far this year, etc. Mr. Todd and the others quickly just dismissed her comment saying that they were all just covering the news and, blah, blah, blah, and then really completely shut Ms. vanden Heuvel out, unwilling to even fleetingly consider such garbage.

It was a very memorable, and telling, scene.

This brought to mind the head of CBS, Les Mooves's recent comment, "Donald Trump may not be good for America but he sure is good for us" (heeheehee)...

But even more to the point, I also recall something that Michael Moore once said. During an appearance in a documentary called "The Corporation" (which he didn't direct) Michael shared onscreen that these corporate businessmen were so greedy that they'd sell you the rope you are going to hang them with, if it made them money.

To some extent, I think this sums up a good part of my perspective on the election of Donald Trump as President. Trump indeed told a group of people years ago with whom he was discussing his possible candidacy that he would not need to raise a lot of money to do so because he knew how to manipulate the media in order to get unending amounts of free coverage. And he has proved to be a master at just that. He has apparently won the primaries and the presidency with barely a fraction of the money his rivals had to raise- for them just to lose!

And now, after Trump making network news companies rich beyond measure, most are now coming up with all kinds of explanations for his victory, which of course don't include the staggering free ride they have given him ($2 Billion Dollars of Free Media for Donald Trump").

Unfortunately, their greed and recklessness must be recognized as a major reason for our now being left to twist slowly in the wind, right alongside those oh-so-smart & savvy newsfolks...



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(Article changed on November 9, 2016 at 09:15)

(Article changed on November 9, 2016 at 09:17)

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Dear Democrats,

Are you finding yourselves suddenly a bit doubtful of the wisdom of drone wars? Presidential wars without Congress? Massive investment in new, smaller, "more usable" nuclear weapons? The expansion of bases across Africa and Asia? Are you disturbed by the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Yemen? Can total surveillance and the persecution of whistleblowers hit a point where they've gone too far? Is the new Cold War with Russia looking less than ideal now? How about the militarization of U.S. police: is it time to consider alternatives to that?

I hear you. I'm with you. Let's build a movement together to end the madness of constantly overthrowing governments with bombs. Let's propose nonviolent alternatives to a culture gone mad with war. Let's end the mindset that creates war in the first place.

We have opportunities as well as dangers. A President Trump is unpredictable. He wants to proliferate nuclear weapons, bomb people, kill people, stir up hatred of people, and increase yet further military spending. But he also said the new Cold War was a bad idea. He said he wanted to end NATO, not to mention NAFTA, as well as breaking the habit of overthrowing countries left and right. Trump seems to immediately back off such positions under the slightest pressure. Will he adhere to them under massive pressure from across the political spectrum? It's worth a try.

We have an opportunity to build a movement that includes a focus on and participation from refugees/immigrants. We have a chance to create opposition to racist wars and racism at home. We may just discover that what's left of the U.S. labor movement is suddenly more open to opposing wars. Environmental groups may find a willingness to oppose the world's top destroyer of the environment: the U.S. military. Civil liberties groups may at long last be willing to take on the militarism that creates the atrocities they oppose. We have to work for such a broader movement. We have to build on the trend of protesting the national anthem and make it a trend of actively resisting the greatest purveyor of violence on earth.

I know you're feeling a little beat down at the moment. You shouldn't. You had a winning candidate in Bernie Sanders. Your party cheated him out of the nomination. All that stuff you tell yourselves about encouraging demographic trends and the better positions of young people is all true. You just looked for love in all the wrong places. Running an unpopular candidate in a broken election system is not the way to change the world. Even a working election system would not be the central means by which to improve anything. There's no getting back the mountains of money and energy invested in this election. But activism is an unlimited resource. Directing your energies now in more strategic directions can inspire others who in turn can re-inspire you.

Dear Republicans,

Your outsider is threatening insiderness. He's got the same tribe of DC corporate lobbyists planning his nominations that Hillary Clinton had lined up for hers. Can we resist that trend? Can we insist that the wars be ended? Can those moments of off-the-cuff honesty about dinosaurs like NATO be turned into actual action? Donald Trump took a lot of heat for proposing to be fair to Palestinians as well as Israelis, and he backed off fast. Can we encourage him to stand behind that initial inclination?

Can we stop the Trans-Pacific Partnership and end NAFTA as well? We heard a million speeches about how bad NAFTA is. How about actually ending it? Can we stop the looming war supplemental spending bill? Can we put a swift halt to efforts in Congress to repeal the right to sue Saudi Arabia and other nations for their wars and lesser acts of terrorism?

How about all that well deserved disgust with the corporate media? Can we actually break up that cartel and allow opportunities for media entrepreneurs?

Dear United States,

Donald Trump admitted we had a broken election system and for a while pretended that he would operate outside of it by funding his own campaign. It's time to actually fix it. It's time to end the system of legalized bribery, fund elections, make registration automatic, make election day a holiday, end gerrymandering, eliminate the electoral college, create the right to vote, create the public hand-counting of paper ballots at every polling place, and create ranked choice voting as Maine just did.

Voter suppression efforts in this year's elections should be prosecuted in each state. And any indications of fraud in vote counting by machines should be investigated. We should take the opportunity created by all the McCarthyist nonsense allegations of Russian interference to get rid of unverifiable voting.

There are also areas in which localities and states, as well as international organizations and alliances, must now step up to take the lead. First and foremost is investing in a serious effort to avoid climate catastrophe. Second is addressing inequality that has surpassed the Middle Ages: both taxing the overclass and upholding the underclass must be pursued creatively. Mass incarceration and militarized police are problems that states can solve.

But we can advance a positive agenda across the board by understanding this election in the way that much of the world will understand it: as a vote against endless war. Let's end the wars, end the weapons dealing, close the bases, and cut the $1 trillion a year going into the military. Hell, why not demand that a businessman president for the first time ever audit the Pentagon and find out what it's spending money on?

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By Dave Lindorff



Get used to it: President Donald Trump

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Let's look on the bright side.

Donald J. Trump is the next president of the United States. His stunning victory over Hillary Clinton came after he had first crushed the Republican Party establishment, steamrollering all the candidates it put forward and defeating party leaders' concerted efforts to deny him the nomination as he rolled up victory after victory in that party's primaries.

But Trump did more than that. He also, along with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, smashed the Democratic Party establishment too.

Trump's win in traditionally Democratic strongholds like New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and his near win in Minnesota, not to mention his victories and near wins in states like Florida, Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina and Virginia, all a result of the Democratic Party's failure to energize it's critical base in black and Latino communities, have exposed the total bankruptcy of a party whose leadership long ago abandoned the poor, the working class, African Americans, Latinos and organized labor, working on a now thoroughly discredited assumption that it would automatically win those votes anyhow because those "little people" would have no place to turn but to the Democrats.

The Democratic Party establishment this election cycle threw any shred of principle to the wind in orchestrating the nomination of Hillary Clinton, surely the most disliked candidate to run on a major party ticket in history. The party did this knowing that it was promoting a candidate who had a tin ear for the issues of ordinary people, who was demonstrably corrupt and dismissive of laws and ethical standards, and who was actually under investigation by the FBI the whole time she was running in the primaries.

We know, thanks to principled Democratic Party leaders who quit like Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, and to emails leaked by Wikileaks, that the DNC worked assiduously throughout the primary season to undermine Bernie Sanders' insurgent primary campaign. The DNC and the Clinton campaign -- actually facets of the same malignant organization -- did this by scheduling early debates at times, like during the Superbowl, when few people would be paying attention, by working with corrupt mainstream journalists to plant hit pieces on Sanders, resorting to cheap red-baiting, lying about his history of civil rights activism, and questioning his mental abilities, and even resorting to voter suppression -- usually a tactic favored more by Republican Party operatives.

When this DNC bias and manipulation of the primary campaign was exposed, forcing the resignation of DNC chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Clinton immediately made that disgraced Florida congresswoman the titular head of her own campaign, demonstrating her utter contempt for ethics and for the Democratic base.

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From Unz Review

Delusional foreign policy could bring disaster



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The American people don't know very much about war even if Washington has been fighting on multiple fronts since 9/11. The continental United States has not experienced the presence of a hostile military force for more than 100 years and war for the current generation of Americans consists largely of the insights provided by video games and movies. The Pentagon's invention of embedded journalists, which limits any independent media insight into what is going on overseas, has contributed to the rendering of war as some kind of abstraction. Gone forever is anything like the press coverage of Vietnam, with nightly news and other media presentations showing prisoners being executed and young girls screaming while racing down the street in flames.

Given all of that, it is perhaps no surprise that both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, neither of whom has served in uniform, should regard violence inflicted on people overseas with a considerable level of detachment. Hillary is notorious for her assessment of the brutal killing of Libya's Moammar Gaddafi, saying "We came, we saw, he died." They both share to an extent the dominant New York-Washington policy consensus view that dealing with foreigners can sometimes get a bit bloody, but that is a price that someone in power has to be prepared to pay. One of Hillary's top advisers, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, famously declared that the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children due to U.S. led sanctions were "worth it."

In the election campaign there has, in fact, been little discussion of the issue of war and peace or even of America's place in the world, though Trump did at one point note correctly that implementation of Hillary's suggested foreign policy could escalate into World War III. It has been my contention that the issue of war should be more front and center in the minds of Americans when they cast their ballots as the prospect of an armed conflict in which little is actually at stake escalating and going nuclear could conceivably end life on this planet as we know it.

With that in mind, it is useful to consider what the two candidates have been promising. First, Hillary, who might reasonably be designated the Establishment's war candidate though she carefully wraps it in humanitarian "liberal interventionism." As Senator and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton has always viewed a foreign crisis as an opportunity to use aggressive measures to seek a resolution. She can always be relied upon to "do something," a reflection of the neocon driven Washington foreign policy consensus.

Hillary Clinton and her advisers, who believe strongly in Washington's leadership role globally and embrace their own definition of American exceptionalism, have been explicit in terms of what they would do to employ our military power. She would be an extremely proactive president in foreign policy, with a particular animus directed against Russia. And, unfortunately, there would be little or no push-back against the exercise of her admittedly poor instincts regarding what to do, as was demonstrated regarding Libya and also with Benghazi. She would find little opposition in Congress and the media for an extremely risky foreign policy, and would benefit from the Washington groupthink that prevails over the alleged threats emanating from Russia, Iran, and China.

Hillary has received support from foreign policy hawks, including a large number of formerly Republican neocons, to include Robert Kagan, Michael Chertoff, Michael Hayden, Eliot Cohen and Eric Edelman. James Stavridis, a retired admiral who was once vetted by Clinton as a possible vice president, recently warned of "the need to use deadly force against the Iranians. I think it's coming. It's going to be maritime confrontation and if it doesn't happen immediately, I'll bet you a dollar it's going to be happening after the presidential election, whoever is elected."

Hillary believes that Syria's president Bashar al-Assad is the root cause of the turmoil in that country and must be removed as the first priority... It is a foolish policy as al-Assad in no way threatens the United States while his enemy ISIS does and regime change would create a power vacuum that will benefit the latter. She has also called for a no-fly zone in Syria to protect the local population as well as the insurgent groups that the U.S. supports, some of which had been labeled as terrorists before they were renamed by current Secretary of State John Kerry. Such a zone would dramatically raise the prospect of armed conflict with Russia and it puts Washington in an odd position vis-a-vis what is occurring in Syria. The U.S. is not at war with the Syrian government, which, like it or not, is under international law sovereign within its own recognized borders. Damascus has invited the Russians in to help against the rebels and objects to any other foreign presence on Syrian territory. In spite of all that, Washington is asserting some kind of authority to intervene and to confront the Russians as both a humanitarian mission and as an "inherent right of self-defense."

Hillary has not recommended doing anything about Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, all of which have at one time or another for various reasons supported ISIS, but she is clearly no friend of Iran, which has been fighting ISIS. As a Senator, she threatened to "totally obliterate" Iran but she has more recently reluctantly supported the recent nuclear agreement with that country negotiated by President Barack Obama. But she has nevertheless warned that she will monitor the situation closely for possible violations and will otherwise push back against activity by the Islamic Republic. As one of her key financial supporters is Israeli Haim Saban, who has said he is a one-issue guy and that issue is Israel, she is likely to pursue aggressive policies in the Persian Gulf. She has also promised to move America's relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a "new level" and has repeatedly declared that her support for Israel is unconditional.

One of Hillary's advisers, former CIA acting Director Michael Morell, has called for new sanctions on Tehran and has also recently recommended that the U.S. begin intercepting Iranian ships presumed to be carrying arms to the Houthis in Yemen. Washington is not at war with either Iran or Yemen and the Houthis are not on the State Department terrorist list but our good friends the Saudis have been assiduously bombing them for reasons that seem obscure. Stopping ships in international waters without any legal pretext would be considered by many an act of piracy. Morell has also called for covertly assassinating Iranians and Russians to express our displeasure with the foreign policies of their respective governments.

Hillary's dislike for Russia's Vladimir Putin is notorious. Syria aside, she has advocated arming Ukraine with game changing offensive weapons and also bringing Ukraine and Georgia into NATO, which would force a sharp Russian reaction. One suspects that she might be sympathetic to the views expressed recently by Carl Gershman in a Washington Post op-ed that received curiously little additional coverage in the media. Gershman is the head of the taxpayer funded National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which means that he is a powerful figure in Washington's foreign-policy establishment. NED has plausibly been described as doing the sorts of things that the CIA used to do.

After making a number of bumper-sticker claims about Russia and Putin that are either partially true, unproven or even ridiculous, Gershman concluded that "the United States has the power to contain and defeat this danger. The issue is whether we can summon the will to do so." It is basically a call for the next administration to remove Putin from power -- as foolish a suggestion as has ever been seen in a leading newspaper, as it implies that the risk of nuclear war is completely acceptable to bring about regime change in a country whose very popular, democratically elected leadership we disapprove of. But it is nevertheless symptomatic of the kind of thinking that goes on inside the beltway and is quite possibly a position that Hillary Clinton will embrace. She also benefits from having the perfect implementer of such a policy in Robert Kagan's wife Victoria Nuland, her extremely dangerous prote'ge' who is currently Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs and who might wind up as Secretary of State in a Clinton Administration.

Shifting to East Asia, Hillary sees the admittedly genuine threat from North Korea but her response is focused more on China. She would increase U.S. military presence in the South China Sea to deter any further attempts by Beijing to develop disputed islands and would also "ring China with defensive missiles," ostensibly as "protection" against Pyongyang but also to convince China to pressure North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. One wonders what Beijing might think about being surrounded by made-in-America missiles.

Trump's foreign policy is admittedly quite sketchy and he has not always been consistent. He has been appropriately enough slammed for being simple minded in saying that he would "bomb the crap out of ISIS," but he has also taken on the Republican establishment by specifically condemning the George W. Bush invasion of Iraq and has more than once indicated that he is not interested in either being the world's policeman or in new wars in the Middle East. He has repeatedly stated that he supports NATO but it should not be construed as hostile to Russia. He would work with Putin to address concerns over Syria and Eastern Europe. He would demand that NATO countries spend more for their own defense and also help pay for the maintenance of U.S. bases.

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From Consortium News



Peter Sellers playing Dr. Strangelove as he struggles to control his right arm from making a Nazi salute.

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Obviously, I never wanted to see a nuclear war, which would likely kill not only me but my children, grandchildren, relatives, friends and billions of others. We'd be incinerated in the blast or poisoned by radiation or left to starve in a nuclear winter.

But at least I always assumed that this horrific possibility would only come into play over something truly worthy, assuming that anything would justify the mass extinction of life on the planet.

Now, however, Official Washington's neocons and liberal interventionists are telling me and others that we should risk nuclear annihilation over which set of thieves gets to rule Ukraine and over helping Al Qaeda terrorists (and their "moderate" allies) keep control of east Aleppo in Syria.

In support of the Ukraine goal, there is endless tough talk at the think tanks, on the op-ed pages and in the halls of power about the need to arm the Ukrainian military so it can crush ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine who dared object to the U.S.-backed coup in 2014 that ousted their elected President Viktor Yanukovych.

And after "liberating" eastern Ukraine, the U.S.-backed Ukrainian army would wheel around and "liberate" Crimea from Russia, even though 96 percent of Crimean voters voted to leave Ukraine and rejoin Russia -- and there is no sign they want to go back.

So, the world would be risking World War III over the principle of the West's right to sponsor the overthrow of elected leaders who don't do what they're told and then to slaughter people who object to this violation of democratic order.

This risk of nuclear Armageddon would then be compounded to defend the principle that the people of Crimea don't have the right of self-determination but must submit to a corrupt post-coup regime in Kiev regardless of Crimea's democratic judgment.

And, to further maintain our resolve in this gamble over nuclear war in defense of Ukraine, we must ignore the spectacle of the U.S.-backed regime in Kiev wallowing in graft and corruption.

While the Ukrainian people earn on average $214 a month and face neoliberal "reforms," such as reduced pensions, extended years of work for the elderly and slashed heating subsidies, their new leaders in the parliament report wealth averaging more than $1 million in "monetary assets" each, much of it in cash.

A Troubling Departure

The obvious implication of widespread corruption was underscored on Monday with the abrupt resignation of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili who was the appointed governor of Ukraine's Odessa region.



A scene from 'Dr. Strangelove,' in which the bomber pilot (played by actor Slim Pickens) rides a nuclear bomb to its target in the Soviet Union.

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Though Saakashvili faces charges of abusing power back in Georgia, he was nevertheless put in charge of Odessa by current President Petro Poroshenko, but has now quit (or was ousted) amid charges and counter-charges about corruption.

Noting the mysterious wealth of Ukraine's officials, Saakashvili denounced the country's rulers as "corrupt filth" and accused Poroshenko and his administration of sabotaging real reform.

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Fascism never dies, but merely takes other shapes and forms. It can be confusing, because it attracts many of the same people as socialism, so it is vitally important to unpack it now that Trump has won.

Like socialism, fascism appeals to lower income populations. The crucial difference is that most people embrace socialism via a relatively complex thought process, while fascism mainly appeals to raw emotions.

Had the Sanders campaign not been torpedoed by the Democratic Party (officially the 'progressive' party), polls suggested at the time that he would soundly trounce Donald Trump, so in a way this election vindicates Bernie's supporters.

Had Bernie been allowed to become the Democratic candidate he would be poised today to officially rehabilitate socialism, and although he failed to come out forcefully for international cooperation, which is a basic socialist principle, he would also have mended relations with Russia, as Trump plans to do.

The great difference between the supporters of these two candidates is that Trump's are armed and could be dangerous if their expectations are not met. President Bernie would have had to buck opposition by the combined Democratic and Republican 1%, while his supporters would not be likely to take up arms to get their way. Trump's control of all three branches of government is fearful to Democrats, but it will enable him to do what authoritarian leaders do around the world: get things done. It is not clear that the president-elect will be able to pull jobs out of a hat. But at least socialists will live to see another day, since he will not make war on the other great nuclear power, Russia, as Hillary was planning to do -- and as Hitler did.
From Consortium News



A sign supporting Donald Trump at a rally at Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix, Arizona. June 18, 2016

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In the end, Hillary Clinton became the face of a corrupt, arrogant and out-of-touch Establishment, while Donald Trump emerged as an almost perfectly imperfect vessel for a populist fury that had bubbled beneath the surface of America.

There is clearly much to fear from a Trump presidency, especially coupled with continued Republican control of Congress. Trump and many Republicans have denied the reality of climate change; they favor more tax cuts for the rich; they want to deregulate Wall Street and other powerful industries -- all policies that helped create the current mess that the United States and much of the world are now in.

Further, Trump's personality is problematic to say the least. He lacks the knowledge and the temperament that one would like to see in a President -- or even in a much less powerful public official. He appealed to racism, misogyny, white supremacy, bigotry toward immigrants and prejudice toward Muslims. He favors torture and wants a giant wall built across America's southern border.

But American voters chose him in part because they felt they needed a blunt instrument to smash the Establishment that has ruled and mis-ruled America for at least the past several decades. It is an Establishment that not only has grabbed for itself almost all the new wealth that the country has produced but has casually sent the U.S. military into wars of choice, as if the lives of working-class soldiers are of little value.

On foreign policy, the Establishment had turned decision-making over to the neoconservatives and their liberal-interventionist sidekicks, a collection of haughty elitists who often subordinated American interests to those of Israel and Saudi Arabia, for political or financial advantage.

The war choices of the neocon/liberal-hawk coalition have been disastrous -- from Iraq to Afghanistan to Libya to Syria to Ukraine -- yet this collection of know-it-alls never experiences accountability. The same people, including the media's armchair warriors and the think-tank "scholars," bounce from one catastrophe to the next with no consequences for their fallacious "group thinks." Most recently, they have ginned up a new costly and dangerous Cold War with Russia.

For all his faults, Trump was one of the few major public figures who dared challenge the "group thinks" on the current hot spots of Syria and Russia. In response, Clinton and many Democrats chose to engage in a crude McCarthyism with Clinton even baiting Trump as Vladimir Putin's "puppet" during the final presidential debate.

It is somewhat remarkable that those tactics failed; that Trump talked about cooperation with Russia, rather than confrontation, and won. Trump's victory could mean that rather than escalating the New Cold War with Russia, there is the possibility of a ratcheting down of tensions.

Repudiating the Neocons

Thus, Trump's victory marks a repudiation of the neocon/liberal-hawk orthodoxy because the New Cold War was largely incubated in neocon/liberal-hawk think tanks, brought to life by like-minded officials in the U.S. State Department, and nourished by propaganda across the mainstream Western media.



Donald Trump speaking with supporters at a campaign rally in Phoenix, Arizona. June 18, 2016.

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It was the West, not Russia, that provoked the confrontation over Ukraine by helping to install a fiercely anti-Russian regime on Russia's borders. I know the mainstream Western media framed the story as "Russian aggression" but that was always a gross distortion.

There were peaceful ways for settling the internal differences inside Ukraine without violating the democratic process, but U.S. neocons, such as Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, and wealthy neoliberals, such as financial speculator George Soros, pushed for a putsch that overthrew the elected President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014.

Putin's response, including his acceptance of Crimea's overwhelming referendum to return to Russia and his support for ethnic Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine opposing the coup regime in Kiev, was a reaction to the West's destabilizing and violent actions. Putin was not the instigator of the troubles.

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In 1909, early cinematic auteur D.W. Griffith offered his seven-minute interpretation of Edgar Allan Poe composing his acclaimed and widely-read poem The Raven. In 2011, filmmaker Don Thiel offered his twelve-minute interpretation of an encounter between a writer named Poe, apparently young and not long out of the military, and a stately talking raven  an encounter that takes place not in the modern day, nor in the first half of the nineteenth century during which the real Poe lived, but in the winter of 1959, over a century after Poe died  and in a Hollywood room, no less.

Poe made his name on tales of mystery and imagination; Edgar Allan Poes the Raven adds another layer of mystery and imagination atop it all. The effort won the film several awards, including Best Short at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival.









That might at first seem like an odd place for an adaptation of a poem of longing like The Raven, however deliberately skewed, to earn its honors. But you could see Lovecraft, who launched his own lifes career in elaborate explorations of dread beyond mans direct comprehension almost exactly a century ago, as Poes literary heir.

But then, unlike Poe and The Raven, Lovecraft never claimed to have written anything deliberately and singlemindedly to maximize the satisfaction of the widest possible audience. Indeed, Lovecrafts work, however influential on that of later imaginative writers, remains in the shadowy realm of the cult, while Poes has ascended onto the plane of required reading. Edgar Allan Poes the Raven, which envisions Poes most famous piece of work with booze, cigarettes, yellowing patterned wallpaper, lurid lighting, eight-millimeter film, a Corona typewriter, and other artifacts of midcentury dissolution, shows us that theyve done so in part by transcending time and place. Longing, it seems, never gets old.

Edgar Allan Poes the Raven will be added to our collection, 4,000+ Free Movies Online: Great Classics, Indies, Noir, Westerns, Documentaries & More.

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Based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities and culture. Hes at work on a book about Los Angeles, A Los Angeles Primer, the video series The City in Cinema, the crowdfunded journalism project Where Is the City of the Future?, and the Los Angeles Review of Books Korea Blog. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall or on Facebook.
Biofuels Market: Global Industry Insights,Consumption and Research to 2020

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Biofuel is a hydrocarbon that has been derived from agricultural biomass, plant and animal waste or from metabolic by-products.Biofuel is mainly available in two types such as bioethenol and biodiesel, which are primarily used in automotive, marine and railway. Bioethanol is used as a replacement for petrol and biodiesel is used as a replacement for diesel. Use of biofuel can reduce carbon emission by 80%. Biofuel is basically extracted from the photosynthesis process and can therefore often be referred to as a source of solar energy.Request Sample Report:Biofuel market has witnessed significant growth in recent years on account of rising environmental awareness and strong demand from automotive sector. Stringent government regulations resulted into growing demand for biofuel. This is anticipated to boost the demand for bioethanol. Biofuel market is classified based on different forms of biofuel such as liquid (biodiesel and bioethanol), solid (biocoal, fuel pellets, and biochar), and gaseous (syngas, biogas, and biopropane). Biodiesel was the largest product segment followed by bioethanol. Moreover, Advancement in technology expected to propel the biofuel market over the forecast period.Request TOC (Table of Contents) of this report:Major regional segments analyzed in this study include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa, further bifurcation of region on the country level, which include U.S., Germany, UK, France, China, Japan and India. North America has witnessed strong biofuels demand over the recent past years on account of stringent government policies and environmental awareness. Asia Pacific is expected to experience significant growth in biofuels consumption.This report provides detailed analysis and forecast of the biofuel market on a global and regional level. Additionally, the report covers Porters five forces model, which provides an insight into the intensity of competition in the market. The study also comprises market attractiveness analysis, wherein various end-users are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness. The segments have been analyzed and forecast based on current trends at the global and regional level.Browse report at:This report includes a detailed analysis of each key participants operating in the biofule market in terms of company information, financial overview and recent developments in the industry. Prominent industry participants include Green Plains Inc., Raizen Energia Participacoes S.A, Australian Renewable Fuels Limited, Renewable Energy Group, BlueFire Renewables, Aventine Renewable Energy Holdings, Inc., Copersucar S.A, DSM, Western Dubuque Biodiesel Llc and Solazyme Inc.Biofuel Market: Form Segment Analysis Solid Biofuelso Pellet Fuelo Biocharo Biocoal Liquid Biofuelso Bioethanolo Biodiesel Gas Biofuelso Biogaso Syngaso Bio propanBiofuel Market: Regional Segment Analysis North Americao U.S. Europeo Germanyo UKo France Asia Pacifico Chinao Japano India Latin Americao Brazil Middle East & AfricaAbout US:Syndicate Market Research provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Syndicate Market Research cover more than 30 industries includsing energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@SyndicateMarketResearch.comWebsite:
Pain Management Drugs Market Trends, Size, Development and Demand Forecast to 2020

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The growing geriatric population and increasing demand of innovative and advanced pain relaxing medications around the world are the predominant growth drivers for the global pain management drugs market. Additionally, the increasing number of hospitalization cases; unmet requirements for neuropathic pain management drugs; innovative and advanced applications of pain management therapies; increasing prevalence of various chronic diseases, such as cancer, and neurological problems; and increasing healthcare expenditure are also driving the growth of the global market. The growing numbers of mergers and acquisitions is a key trend observed in the market.Among the various therapeutic indications, the post-operative pain relief segment accounted for the largest share, and the low-back pain segment accounted for the second largest share in the global market.Explore Report at:Pain management drugs are mainly used to relieve discomfort associated with injury and surgeries. Moreover, pain management medications are used in the management of pain associated with neurological problems, migraine, cancer, orthopedic problems, low- back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia.The stringent regulation for the approval of pain management drugs is restraining the growth of global market. High expenditure requirement in the manufacturing of pain management drugs and risks of side-effects associated with pain-killers are also hindering the growth of global market.Browse related market research at:North America and Europe are the major markets, due to increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, and growing awareness about various types of chronic pain conditions in these regions. The U.S. followed by Canada, is the largest market for pain management drugs in North America. Whereas, the U.K., Germany and France are some of the major countries holding significant share in the European pain management drugs market.Some of the major players operating in the global pain management drugs market include Purdue Pharma L.P., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Eli Lilly and Company, Forest Laboratories Inc., Endo International PLC, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer Inc., Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., GlaxoSmithKline PLC, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., and Baxter International Inc.Pain Management Drugs Market SegmentationBy Category Prescription-Based Drugs Over-The-Counter (OTC) DrugsBy Therapeutic Indications Post-Operative Pain Low-Back Pain Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Osteoarthritis Pain Cancer Pain Migraine Neuropathic Pain Fibromyalgia OthersBy Brands Maxalt Zomig Qutenza Lidoderm Savella Imitrex Voltaren Gel Celebrex Cymbalta OthersBy Geography North Americao U.S.o Canada Europeo Germanyo Franceo U.K.o Spaino Italy Asiao Japano Chinao India Latin Americao Brazil Rest of the WorldAbout P&S Market ResearchP&S Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide market research reports, industry reports, business intelligence and research based consulting services across a range of industries.With the help of our professional corporate relations with various companies, our market research offers the most accurate market forecasting. Our analysts and consultants interact with leading companies of the concerned domain to substantiate every single data presented in our publication. Our research assists our client in identifying new and different windows of opportunity and frame informed and customized strategies for expansion in different regions.Contact:AbhishekExecutive  Client Partner347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY - 10016US/ Canada Toll-Free: 1-888-778-7886Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.comWeb:347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY - 10016US/ Canada Toll-Free: 1-888-778-7886
New report: Smart Transformers Market growth, trends, forecast and value chain from 2015 to 2020

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Smart transformer is also known as solid state transformer. Smart transformer controls power distribution networks. It makes possible the conversion of AC to DC and DC to AC, as per requirement. Smart transformer (ST) provides the exact amount of power that is needed, and responds instantly to fluctuations within the power grid, acting as a voltage regulator to ensure that the optimized voltage is undisturbed. Smart transformer facilitates appliances to exhibit optimum efficiency as well as they last longer and use less power.Request Sample Report atThe smart transformer market is primarily driven by rising demand for power consumption, transmission & distribution networks across the globe. However, the need to improve efficiency of grids along with reduction in wastage of electricity is expected to drive the market growth. Increasing adoption of renewable power sources, such as wind & solar energy, traction locomotives, are major factors boosting the adoption of smart transformers. However, high cost of smart transformers and inadequate testing infrastructure can lower down the growth of market.The report covers forecast and analysis for the smart transformers market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2014 along with a forecast from 2014 to 2020 based on revenue (USD Million). The report also offers detailed competitive landscape of the global smart transformers market. It includes company market share analysis, product portfolio of the major industry participants.Do Inquiry before buying atThe global smart transformers market is segmented on the basis of product types, applications and regions. Smart transformers market is segmented based on product type as power, distribution, specialty, and instrument. Smart grid, traction locomotive, electric vehicle charging, and others are key application segments of global smart transformers market.The report provides a comprehensive view on the smart transformers market we have included a detailed value chain analysis. To understand the competitive landscape in the market, an analysis of Porters Five Forces model for the smart transformers market has also been included. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, wherein application segments are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate and general attractiveness.Read full Table of Content atApplication segments have been analyzed based on historic, present, and future trends, and the market has been estimated from 2015 to 2020 in terms of revenue (USD Million). Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand of APAO for hot melt in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA).Out of all the regional segments of the global market, Asia Pacific will hold the dominant share in the overall smart transformers market across the globe. This dominance is majorly witnessed due to the increasing demand of power and upgradation in transmission and distribution infrastructure of smart grids. Asia-Pacific have high industrialization urbanization rate. However, North America and Europe region exhibits aging power infrastructure.Browse the full report atSome of the key player operative in global smart transformers market includes Siemens AG, ABB Ltd., General Electric, Eaton Corporation, Alstom, Schneider Electric, and Crompton Greaves among others.This report segments the global smart transformers market as follows:Global Smart Transformers Market: Product Segment AnalysisPower TransformerDistribution TransformerSpecialty TransformerInstrument TransformerGlobal Smart Transformers Market: Application Segment AnalysisTraction LocomotiveSmart GridElectric Vehicle ChargingOtherGlobal Smart Transformers Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeUKFranceGermanyAsia-PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East & AfricaAbout US:Syndicate Market Research provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Syndicate Market Research cover more than 30 industries includsing energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@SyndicateMarketResearch.comWebsite:
Drill Bits Market , Analysis, trends, segment & forecast up to 2020 available in new report

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Drill bits machine are cutting tools used to remove material to create holes, always of circular cross-section. Drill bit is a tool designed to create a cylindrical hole in the earths crust by the rotary drilling machine method for the extraction of hydrocarbon such as natural gas, petroleum, and crude oil. Drill bits are mainly classified into two types such as rolling cutter and fixed cutter bits. The structure of rolling cutter drill bits are tooth shape. Rolling cutter is used to two or more cone shaped element that roll across the borehole as the bite is rotated. Fixed cutter mostly use in natural or synthetic diamond, to remove material by grinding action as the bit is rotated.Get a copy of free Sample Report @Increasing world energy demand with high cost of natural oil and gas is the major driving factors for the global drill bits market for oil and gas application. Large scale drilling and Exploration and Production (E&P) activities in both onshore and offshore oilfields, is the another key driving factor for drill bit. Moreover, Advancement in technology to provide better services expected to fuel the drill bit market over the forecast period. However, government control over oil and gas price hamper adoption of new technologies.The global drill bits market is segmented on the basis of products and region. Based on different product market is segmented as roller cutter bits and fixed cutter bits. Roller cutter bites are includes milled-tooth bits and tungsten carbide inserts. Similarly, fixed cutter bits are includes polycrystalline diamond bits (PDC), natural diamond bits.Get in-depth TOC (Table of Contents) with Tables and Figures @The report provides a comprehensive view on the drill bits market we have included a detailed value chain analysis. To understand the competitive landscape in the market, an analysis of Porters Five Forces model for the drill bits market has also been included. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, wherein product segments are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate and general attractiveness. It includes company market share analysis, product portfolio of the major industry participants. The report provides detailed segmentation of the drill bits market based on product, and region segment.Major regional segments analyzed in this study include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa with its further bifurcation into major countries including U.S., Germany, France, UK, China, Japan, India, and Brazil. This segmentation includes demand for drill bits market based on individual products in all the regions and countries.Browse detail report @The report covers detailed competitive outlook including company profiles of the key participants operating in the global market. Key players profiled in the report include National Oilwell Varco, NewTech Drilling Products LLC, Halliburton, Baker Huges, Inc., Atlas Copco, Scientific Drilling International, Inc., Torquado Drilling Accessories Inc. and Varel International, Inc.Drill Bits Market: Product Segment AnalysisRoller Cone BitsMilled-Tooth BitsTungsten Carbide InsertsFixed Cutter BitsPolycrystalline Diamond Bits (PDC)Natural Diamond BitsDrill Bits Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeGermanyFranceUKAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East & AfricaAbout US:Syndicate Market Research provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of Syndicate Market Research cover more than 30 industries includsing energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@SyndicateMarketResearch.comWebsite:
Nano-Enabled Packaging Market For Food and Beverages Would Reach $15.0 billion in 2020

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the global nano enabled packaging market for food and beverages industry was worth USD 6.5 billion in 2013 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.7% during 2014 to 2020, to reach an estimated value of USD 15.0 billion in 2020.The global progress in technologies is making lives simpler and safer. Nanotechnology is one such field which is dynamically progressing and is contributing to the development of several industries, including food and beverages packaging. Nano-enabled packaging gives longer shelf life to food and beverages as compared to traditional plastic packaging. Food and beverages packaging is done through two different technologies under nano-enabled packaging-active and intelligent packaging. Active packaging has a comparatively larger market than intelligent packaging.For More Information Request TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report @Intelligent packaging is growing at a faster rate as compared to the active packaging. Customers prefer traceable food and beverages packaging, since it offers information such as expiry date and best use period, present state of the consumables. The radio frequency identification (RFID) tags keep customers informed about the state of the food within the packaging. Intelligent packaging is mostly used for fruits and vegetables, meat products, and beverages. Stricter regulations associated with active packaging have been stimulating the use of intelligent packaging in Europe and North America.Intelligent packaging in the U.S. is growing mainly due to the increasing demand for fresh fruits and vegetables. Americans are shifting their breakfast preference from junk foods to fresh alternatives. The U.S. is one of the largest producers and exporters of cherries globally. With the ease in trade regulations, fruit exports of the U.S. have increased. In September 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that after ten years of negotiations, U.S. cherries can be exported to Western Australia, one of the most important markets for cherries. The increasing demand for intelligent packaging in international trade (especially in fruits) is laying out opportunities for this technology in food packaging.Browse Report @The Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) proposed by FDA in 2011 is another growth indicator for intelligent packaging wherein the fresh produce, including fruits and vegetables, are required to be scientifically grown, harvested, packaged, and stored. The farm products that come in the acts domain are lettuce, spinach, cantaloupe, tomatoes, sprouts, mushrooms, onions, peppers, cabbage, citrus produce, strawberries, and walnuts.Nano-enabled packaging finds its application in several industries, including bakery, meat, beverages, fruit and vegetables, prepared foods, and others. The increasing demand for meat products, beverages, vegetables, and prepared foods is expected to drive their respective nano-enabled packaging markets, while the market share of bakery products is expected to decline on account of the rapid growth of other application segments.Nanotechnology is at a nascent stage and, therefore, usage of nano-enabled packaging is low in the food and beverages industry. Limited numbers of buyers have more leverage to negotiate with nanotechnology companies. On the other hand, there is a plethora of companies providing nano-enabled packaging solutions to the food and beverages industry.Request Report Sample @Nano-enabled packaging market for food and beverage is very competitive with a large number of players offering an array of patented products. The major players in this industry include Amcor Limited, Bemis Company, Inc., Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, L.L.C., Klockner Pentaplast, Sealed Air, and Tetra Pak International S.A.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Hot Melt Adhesives Market to Record an Impressive Growth Rate During the Forecast 2020

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Hot melt adhesive popularly known as hot glue is a thermoplastic adhesive which is commonly marketed in solid cylindrical form of varied diameters. Hot melt adhesives are designed in such a way that it can melt in electric hot glue gun. Hot melt adhesives have unique advantage of fast processing over other adhesives. Unlike water-based and solvent based adhesives hot melt adhesives do not need drying after application. Hot melt adhesives begin bonding immediately after it is applied on the object because it cools down to its solidification point immediately. Such fast solidification feature of hot melt adhesives is ideal for industrial application that requires high speed manufacturing line, bonding versatility, large gap filling, fast green strength and minimal shrinkage.Request to view Sample Report @On the bases of nature global hot melt adhesives market can be bifurcated into ethylene acrylic acid adhesives, polyolefin adhesives, polyurethane adhesives, amorphous polyolefin, ethylene vinyl acetate adhesives, styrenic block copolymer adhesives, polyamide adhesives and others. Hot melt adhesive are majorly applied by the packaging industry. Other major application of hot melt adhesives includes building and construction, paper converting, woodworking, tiles and floor adhesive product, bookbinding, clear case bonding, soap & bubble gum wrapper coating, footwear & leather goods, stock & tapes manufacturing, bottle labeling, automotive headlights and glue sticks.North America has the largest market for hot melt adhesives, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. China is the largest consumer of hot melt adhesive products owing to greater demand from manufacturing industry. North America is expected to maintain its dominance in the forecasted period. Europe is expected to show average growth. However, Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness highest growth in the coming future. Increasing number of manufacturing units in the developing region such as India is expected to boost the Asian market.Increasing demand from high speed manufacturing companies is driving the global hot melt adhesive market. Additionally, changing trend of the packaging industry (largest end-user of hot malt adhesive) is expected to increase the global demand for hot melt adhesive products. Also, government policy by EPA (environment protection agency) in the U.S. and European country for using eco friendly product is further expected to increase the demand for hot melt adhesive products to some extent.Request to view Table of content @Some of the major companies operating in the global hot melt adhesive market are Avery Dennison Corporation, Dow Corning Corporation, Sika AG, Henkel AG, H. B. Fuller, Beardow & Adams (Adhesive) Ltd, Bostik Inc., Hexcel Corporation, Worthen Industries, Inc., Ashland Inc., American Chemical Inc. and 3M CorporationAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Air Canada Boeing 767 300Er

As Donald Trump completed his quest for the White House on Tuesday, many Americans were busy looking for a way out.

According to discount online travel agency Cheapflights.com, searches for one-way flights to Canada surged to unprecedented levels.

By 6pm ET on Election Day, inquiries for flights to Canada were up 133% compared to the same time over the past four Tuesdays.

Between 6pm and midnight, as it became increasingly clear that "The Donald" will ascend to the Presidency, that number skyrocketed to 900% the normal rate.

And as Trump declared victory, searches for one-way flights to Canada increased 1,000% between midnight and 8am ET this morning in comparison to the search volume record during the same period over the past four weeks.

In addition to Canada, searches for one-way flights to Japan, the U.K., New Zealand, South Africa, and Germany all spiked at least 500% on Tuesday.

With that said, getting to Canada may be relatively easy, immigrating to our northern neighbor is considerably more complex.

NOW WATCH: How to move to Canada and become a Canadian citizen





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Face and Voice Biometrics Market Explores New Growth Opportunities By 2021

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Facial and voice acknowledgment technologies can recognize identity of an individual even without any direct contact between the system and the person. This is conventionally done by taking or capturing a sample of image or voice of the individual using cameras and voice recorders. Voice recognition systems are developing into a conventional commercial user acknowledgement technology, achieving substantial level of adoption in a wide range of customer interactive applications.Request to view Sample Report @Biometrics assists in authenticating the identity of an individual through physiological or behavioral distinctiveness. More precisely, conventional verification methods such as magnetic cards, passwords, keys and personal identification cards are weak towards any threat and can be stolen without much effort. Biometrics technology acknowledges an individual by analyzing his fingerprints, DNA, face, iris, signature, typing rhythm, etc. and extends a simple and secure authentication.The boom in Internet-based businesses such as online banking, coupled with growing need for accurate verification while accessing various accounts, has rendered biometrics technology a highly convenient and simple solution. Features associated with the technology include measurable, universal, permanent and uniqueness. These factors ensure high level of information security and therefore assist in market growth.The major drivers for the market include growth in E-Passport Program, government support, biometrics in smart phones, use of biometric technology in banking and healthcare, extensive use in criminal identification, use of biometric technologies in election administration and growing need for large scale supervision at public meetings. Key challenges for market growth include fear of privacy intrusion and high cost of systems. Substantial opportunities for face and voice biometrics system will arise in the e-commerce and cloud computing space for biometrics technology. Interoperability of biometrics system is one of the major burning issues in the market, in addition to the long time frame for implementation.The market is segmented by end-user and geography. The various end users include banking and financial firms, government, consumer electronics, defense, healthcare, home security and safety, transport and logistics, visa authentication services, commercial safety and security, and others. The others segment includes retail, hospitality, automobile and gaming. Geographically, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (RoW). Face recognition methods can be segmented as traditional method, 3D face recognition skin texture analysis and facial thermogram. Traditional method of face recognition includes face recognition using Eigen Faces and face recognition using Line Edge Map.Biometric technologies in the public sector have continued to exist in spite of the debt crisis in Europe. This is primarily a result of most governments in the European Union to put into operation Biometric IDs for citizens. These range from biometric passports to biometric national identification cards. Thus, as Europe shifts its attention towards international business, biometrics is bound to play key role in trade facilitation as it will upgrade the operational security and optimize trade flows. Potential of adoption of biometric technology and services thus remains high in international trade and commercial shipping sectors.Request to view Table of content @Key players in the market include 3M Cogent Inc., BIO-Key International Inc., Cognitec Systems GmbH, DigitalPersona Inc., Fujitsu Limited, IDTECK, IrisGuard Inc., Morpho SA, Daon Inc., NEC Corporation, Lumidigm Inc., Accu-Time Systems Inc., Siemens AG, RCG Holdings Ltd., and Suprema Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Global Radio Frequency Components Market: Impact of Existing and Emerging Market 2015 - 2021

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Radio frequency components are the fundamental components required by any communication device for its proper functioning. The advancements in technology and miniaturization property (capability to fit in small size) of RF components are the factors driving this market forward. In addition, with advancements in universal mobile telecommunication network (3G and 4G), the market has seen high demand for tuners and switchers for offering precise functionality to other radio frequency devices such as demodulators, power amplifiers, etc. Although, the radio frequency components market is witnessing good growth, the production of radio frequency components requires significant investment from vendors, posing a challenge to the growth of radio frequency component market.Request for Sample Report:The radio frequency components market is segmented on the basis of components, modules, applications, and geography. The radio frequency components market is segmented on the basis of its components into five major categories, namely- RF filter (RX/TX FILTERS), duplexers, power amplifiers, antenna switches, and demodulators. On the basis of applications, the radio frequency components market is segmented into four major categories, namely- cellular phones, tablets and note books, SMART TVs, and STB (Set Top Box). The global traction transformer market is further segmented on the basis of modules into six major categories, namely- TX module, RX module, antenna switch module, duplexer + PA module, multi duplexer module, and RX + duplexer module. The radio frequency components market is segmented on the basis of geography into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of World (ROW).Request for Table of content:Some of the leading players in the radio frequency components market include Triquint Semiconductors (U.S.), Murata Manufacturing (Japan), RDA Microelectronics (China), Skyworks Inc. (U.S.), RF Micro devices (U.S.), and AVAGO Technologies (U.S.). Other key players in the market include, ANADIGICS Inc., Vectron International, Tektronix, Inc., Epson Toyocom, WIN Semiconductors Corp., and Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.About Us:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact Us:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Automotive Roof System Market: Recent Industry Trends and Projected Industry Size by 2016 - 2026

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ntroduction:Growing automotive industry coupled with increasing demand for premium cars is expected to boost the demand for roof systems in the near future. Automotive roof system facilitates flow of fresh air and sunlight in the car without disturbing the aerodynamic of the vehicle. In the recent past, there has been a massive development in automotive roof system market. Various type of roof systems such as sunroof system, panorama roof system, panorama with sunroof system, multi-optional roof, roof system with solar technology among many others. Roof system made up of polycarbonate, glass-plastic composite, and fibre-plastic composite and polyurethane composite are used in hybrid cars to save energy, and light weight construction. Revenue generated from the sales of automotive roof systems, globally is expected to increase at a moderate CAGR over the forecast period.Request for Sample Report:Global Automotive Roof System Market Dynamics:Global automotive roof system market is anticipated to be driven by growth in mid and premium range cars in Asia-Pacific, North America and European regions. There is slow but rising demand for convertible automobiles in European countries and which is also expected to drive the global automotive roof system market in the near future. Stringent government policies regarding limiting the hazardous emissions are forcing key players to manufacture light weight vehicles. This in turn is expected to fuel the global automotive roof system market. Changing lifestyle of people coupled with rising disposable income and demand for premium cars is anticipated to boost the global automotive roof system market. Growing market for MUV and SUV is also expected to fuel the global automotive roof system market. A substantial amount of growth is expected in the aftermarket segment of global automotive roof top system market. High cost is expected to be one of the restraining factor for the growth of global automotive roof systems market.Request for Table of content:Global Automotive Roof System Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, global automotive roof system market can be segmented as North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, Middle East and Africa. Europe and North America are expected to remain prominent in the global automotive roof system market. Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a rapid pace in the global automotive roof system market. The convertible cars market is expected to be dominant in North America and Europe. The market share of mid-range car in Asia-Pacific is anticipated to increase in the near future.About Us:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact Us:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Standard Based Communication Servers Market: Opportunities, Demand and Forecasts, 2015 - 2021

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Standard based communications servers are open computing systems that function as a carrier-grade universal platform for an extensive assortment of communications applications. These servers enable the equipment providers customize the system architecture as per the requirement by adding potential value to it. Irrespective of the differentiated features and specification, the standard based communications servers offer attributes such as open platform, carrier grade and flexible. The standard based communications are designed in accordance with the industry standards and provide interoperability with the architecture. Moreover, standard based communications servers offer carrier grade attributes as they provide extended lifecycle support, high availability, and longevity of supply. Additionally, these servers are upgradable without any disruption and offer high speed for real time communication applications to ensure high quality of service.Request for Sample Report:The standard based communication servers offer an introductory platform for building a network infrastructure using the several equipment for applications such as IPTV, wireless broadband and other IP multimedia subsystems. These servers are based on managed industry standards such as Advanced Telecommunication Computing Architecture (ATCA), Advanced Mezzanine Card, Micro Telecommunication Computing Architecture, High Platform Interface (HPI), Carrier Grade Linux and Application Interface Specification (AIS). The Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) refers to string of specifications by Peripheral Component Interconnect Industrial Computers Manufacturers Group (PICMG), which is developed to meet essential necessities for carrier grade equipment. In addition to these standards, the standard based communication server is governed by different industry associations and vendor alliance programs. The industry associations include SCOPE Alliance and Communication Platforms Trade Associations. The vendor alliance programs include Intel Communications Alliance, Motorola Communications Server Alliance and Mobicents Open Source Communications Community.ATCA integrates the latest interconnect technologies, manageability and serviceability, improved reliability and next generation processors. The specifications provided by PICMG for Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC) identify the base-level necessities for a variety of mezzanine cards that are optimized for ATCA Carriers. AMC enhances ATCAs flexibility by widening bandwidth and provides multi-protocol interface to individual servers. MicroTCA specification is basically a framework for directly combining AMC modules, instead of using an ATCA. Moreover, MicroTCA is designed for smaller equipment for application running on low entry cost, small physical size and high scalability. This framework is primarily used for Wi-Fi, wireless base stations, VoIP access gateways and WiMAX radios.Carrier Grade Linux is basically an enhanced version of Linux that is used by the communication servers to offer high security, high availability, scalability and easy maintenance. HPI and AIS are defined by Service Availability Forum (SA Forum) for telecommunication platform to maintain the availability of communication services. The HPI specifies the interface used between the middleware and the primary hardware and the operating system. The AIS specifies the interface between the application and middleware. Moreover, AIS enables applications to run over a variety of computing modules and provides easy migration between the platforms.The standard based communications servers market is primarily driven by the rising demand for high speed and compatible servers across the communication industry. The progressive and vigorous communication server ecosystem consists of several hardware and software providers, server vendors, standard bodies, vendor alliance programs, industry associations and the end-users.Request for Table of content:Leading players in standard based communication servers market are NEC Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, AltiGen Communications, Inc., Emerson Network Power, Barrcuda Networks, Inc., Fenestrae B.V., Estech Systems, Inc., B Labs, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Siemens Enterprise Communication GmbH, Cisco Systems Inc., Sun Microsystems, Avaya, Inc. and IBM Corporation.About Us:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact Us:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Beauty Device Market is Expected To Reach $54,186.9 Million in 2020

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Global beauty devices market was valued at USD 19,389.1 million in 2014 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.7% from 2014 to 2020, to reach an estimated value of USD 54,186.9 million in 2020.Request to viewSample Report @Globally, the beauty devices market is witnessing significant growth due to increasing disposable income, which is enabling people to spend more on personal care. In addition, rise in aging the population and increasing prevalence of skin diseases and harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation are also driving the growth of the market. However, there are various risks and complications associated with beauty devices which may lead to bruising, swelling, and redness. In addition, extended availability of easy-to-use beauty products inhibits the growth of the market. The global beauty devices market is anticipated to grow from an estimated USD 19,389.1 million in 2014 to USD 54,186.9 million in 2020 at a CAGR of 18.7% during the forecast period.In North America, increasing aging population and availability of advanced devices are driving the use of beauty devices in the market. In addition, in the U.S., there are around 750,000 beauty salons and spas. These beauty salon and spas have propelled the demand for beauty devices and personal care products in order to offer better services to their customers.In Europe, the beauty devices market is driven by rising aging population. In addition, in Spain the market is evolving due to rising awareness about potential healing applications of beauty devices in the treatment of skin and hair problems.However, in Asia the growth for beauty devices is much higher than developed countries due to increasing disposable income, availability of multinational brands and the introduction of less expensive beauty devices.Request to view Table of content @LOreal Group, Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc., Home Skinovations, Ltd., PhotoMedex, Inc., TRIA Beauty, Inc., Syneron Medical, Ltd., Koninklijke Philips N.V., Panasonic Corporation, Carol Cole Company and Procter & Gamble are some of the major players of beauty devices market.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each PMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With a wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports strive to serve clients and satisfy their overall research requirement.For information regarding permissions, contact:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway,7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United StatesTel: +1 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWebsite:media@persistencemarketresearch.com
United States Kiosk Market Report 2016

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United States Kiosk Market Report 2016 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the United States Kiosk industry.View Sample Copy of Report@The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure.Manufacturing processes and cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states sales, price, revenue in United States.The report focuses on United States major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, price, revenue and contact information.Enquire about the report@With 101 tables and figures the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Table of Contents:1 Kiosk Overview 11.1 Product Overview and Scope of Kiosk 11.2 Classification of Kiosk 21.2.1 Indoor Kiosk 31.2.2 Outdoor Kiosk 41.3 Applications of Kiosk 51.3.1 Hospitals 71.3.2 Banks 81.3.3 Airports 91.3.4 Others 101.4 United States Market Size Sales (Volume) and Revenue (Value) of Kiosk (2011-2021) 111.4.1 United States Kiosk Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021) 111.4.2 United States Kiosk Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021) 122 United States Kiosk Competition by Manufacturers 132.1 United States Kiosk Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016) 132.2 United States Kiosk Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016) 162.3 United States Kiosk Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016) 192.4 Kiosk Market Competitive Situation and Trends 212.4.1 Kiosk Market 212.4.2 Kiosk Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers 212.4.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion 22Purchase a copy of report & Get Discount on United States Kiosk Market Report 2016 @ at USD 3800 (Single User License):Contact us:Dhananjay Potle5933 NE Win Sivers Drive,#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesDirect : + 1-503-894-6022oll Free : + 1-800-910-6452Email: help@bigmarketresearch.comWith the arsenal of different search reports, we help you here to look and buy research reports that will be helpful to you and your organization. Our research reports have the capability and authenticity to support your organization for growth and consistency.With the window of opportunity getting open and shut at a speed of light, it has become very important to survive in the market and only the fittest and competent enough can do so. So, we try and provide with latest changes in the market that can suit your needs and help you take decision accordingly.5933 NE Win Sivers Drive, #205
Global Halal Products Market: End-to-end Halal Integrity in Production and Supply Chains to be Key Determinant of Success, says TMR

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The global market for halal products is highly diversified, comprising product varieties in the areas of food and beverages to personal care and pharmaceuticals. Halal food companies account for the dominant share in the global markets revenue as halal food and beverages account for nearly 50% of the worlds total halal products market demand, observes a recent report by Transparency Market Research.With the fast pace of globalization and the increasingly complex nature of supply chains, end-to-end halal integrity has become a profound concern for consumers. In this scenario, companies capable of demonstrating a high level of commitment in this area have an upper hand to the companies who consider halal simply as an add-on to an existing range of product.The leading players in the halal products market for the food and beverage segment is Nestle S.A. For halal products for cosmetic and personal care application Unilever is the leading player, besides several other notable players. Reckitt Benckiser Group plc. is one of the leading players catering to the chemical and materials industry.Get More Information:Asia Pacific to Remain Dominant Regional MarketTransparency Market Research estimates that the global halal products market was valued at US$2.70 trillion in 2015 and is expected to reach USD 10.51 trillion by 2024, exhibiting a CAGR of 16.2% from 2016 to 2024.Geographically, the halal products market in Asia Pacific accounted for over 47.0% of the global halal products market in 2015 and is also expected to be the region exhibiting the most significant growth in the next few years. In terms of product variety, the segment of processed food and beverages accounted for the dominant 25.9% share in the market in 2015 and is expected witness a vast rise throughout the forecast period as well.Rising Global Muslim Population Key to Market GrowthBeing the prime consumer of halal products, the rising population of the Muslim community across the globe is one of the most prominent drivers of the global market for halal products. Studies estimate that by 2030, nearly 26% of the worlds population will be accounted by Muslims, which is a vast rise from the 19.9% in 1990. Moreover, the rising disposable income of Islamic countries, chiefly owing to the rapid growth of the Islamic economies in Middle East and South East Asia, is also expected to contribute to the market growth in the next few years. In addition to this, the consumption of halal products by other communities is also on the rise, which is expected to further fuel the global demand for halal products.Browse The Report:The market is also embarking upon a promising growth path owing to rising urbanization and the resultant improvement seen in the retail sector in the past few years across many key markets. Earlier, the halal food market was highly unorganized. The present-day halal products market, on the other hand, features a highly organized retail structure with the presence of a large number of retail outlets selling a vast variety of halal products. Moreover, the high degree of globalization of the halal market and multilateral trade agreements have boosted the trade flow of halal products.Lack of Globally Uniform Standards to Hinder Market GrowthThere exists a clear distinction between halal products and haram products, with the latter denoting food or daily use items unacceptable for use according to Islamic (sharia) law. Nevertheless, the difference in Islamic regulatory bodies across different countries leads to varying definitions of halal products across the globe. Hence the products accepted by the Halal Certification Board of a particular country may not be accepted in another country.For instance Non Alcoholic Beer was accepted by the Halal certification board in the ASEAN economies. However it was rejected by their counterparts in the GCC, thus creating chaos among the manufacturers and consumers. Such lack of a global halal certification board is projected to be a significant restraint for the market in the next few years. Such lack of a regulatory body capable of monitoring all the processes involved on the production and marketing of halal products is expected be a key restrain for the global halal pharmaceutical and halal personal care market in the near future.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Reduction in Overall Manufacturing Cost can Further Fuel up Femand for Edible Packaging Market

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Over the last two decades, global food industry has gone through vast changes in terms of consumer preferences. Demand for ready-to-use food is gaining momentum, which in turn, is expected to create demand for enhanced food packaging solutions. With global food industry players introducing novel products following trends in customer behavior, food packaging has also seen significant changes in terms of visual graphics, physical and chemical characteristics and biodegradability. Edible packaging is also a result of these trends in the food packaging industry.Get Sample Report Copy :Traditional packaging creates pollution and takes too much time to decompose. Regulations from various government and environmental agencies has led packaging manufacturers to reduce utilization of plastics by introducing biodegradable packaging. Edible packaging is a breakthrough in the field of food packaging, which creates zero waste after consumption of food product. Edible packaging can be used for several applications including poultry, meat, fruits, vegetables and other such food products. Edible packaging provides barrier to oxygen and carbon dioxide between food and atmosphere, leading to enhanced shelf life of the product. Rising consumer awareness, coupled with regulations from various government & non-government organizations, the demand for edible packaging is expected to grow at a significantly high CAGR over the forecast period of 2016-2026.Global Edible Packaging Market DynamicsThe demand for edible packaging, due to its several beneficial properties such as ecofriendly nature and biodegradability, is expected to grow significantly over the coming years. It also possess the potential in reducing waste of food packaging generated by corporate and residential areas across the globe. Further, environmental regulations to reduce the use of plastics for food packaging is pushing its demand to grow over the forecast period.The major challenges with edible packaging is that it possesses inferior mechanical properties as compared to conventional packaging. For proper safety, edible packaging requires additional packaging over it which directly increases its cost, making it difficult to deliver at a cost comparable with that of the traditional packaging. Being relatively new in the market, consumers are less aware about the benefits of edible packaging technology, which pose a significant challenge for marketing products with edible packaging. Also, due to its biodegradable nature, edible packaging cannot be used for long term storage.Since manufacturers and consumers are emphasizing on the use of edible packaging due to rising awareness and environmental concerns, the demand for edible packaging is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period of 2016-2026. Reduction in overall manufacturing cost can further fuel up the demand for edible packaging, leading to increased revenue for market players associated with this market.Global Edible Packaging Market Segmentation:-Global edible packaging market is segmented on the basis of raw material, end-use and region. By raw material, global edible food packaging market is segmented as the following:PolysaccharidesProteinsLipidOthersOn the basis of end-use, global edible packaging market is segmented into:RestaurantsFood MallsCorporate SectorHouseholdOthersGlobal Edible Packaging Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the global edible packaging market is segmented by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East and Africa and Japan. North America, APEJ and Europe are expected to be the major regions in the global edible packaging market throughout the forecast period.Global Edible Packaging Market PlayersKey players reported in the value chain of edible packaging include WIKIFOODS Inc., MONOSOL Inc. etc. Market players in the edible packaging industry are highly focused to reduce the overall manufacturing cost, making it comparable with that of the conventional packaging.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
High Demand for Consumer Goods and Consumer Durables Packaging Increases Laminated Labels Market

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Packaging industry has transformed significantly over time, packaging has emerged from just a need to an integral part of product strategy. Packaging plays a pivotal role in product marketing, and have significant impact on overall product sales. Hence, packaging has emerged as an important factor to compete in fast moving consumer goods and other related market. Innovation and use of technology in packaging is as important as that in product development. Need for highly resistive, flexible, durable, attractive and consumer-engaging packaging led to the introduction of laminated labels in the packaging industry. Manufacturers, especially of consumer goods, adopted laminated labels packaging due to its high receptivity among the consumers. Laminated labels are available in large variety and offers resistant to high moisture, friction, solvent and weathering exposure. Laminated labels are manufactured using polyesters, polypropylene and other laminates. High demand for consumer goods and consumer durables packaging and growing pharmaceuticals industry aid in proliferating the sales volume in the global laminated labels packaging market.Get Sample Report Copy :Laminated Labels Market: Market DynamicsFood and beverage sector with the maximum product range and highest consumption pattern is the major driver of laminated labels packaging, globally. Pharmaceutical and medical sector with the next bigger product portfolio stands second in boosting the sales of laminated labels packaging. Apart from these sectors, laminated labels packaging sales are fuelled by increasing demand from automobile, furniture, paints and electronics industries. Capital intensive nature of laminated labels packaging and presence of other economic packaging equipment may restraint growth of the laminated labels packaging market. Recent economic downturns across various countries in developed and developing region could hamper the growth of the market. Factors such as increase in sales of packaged food products, beverages, electronic products, clothing merchandise and wooden products, will stimulate the growth of laminated labelspackaging market globally.Laminated Labels Market: SegmentationThe global laminated labelspackaging market is segmented by material type, composition, printing ink type, technology and by end-user.Based on the material type the global laminated labelspackaging market is segmented into:PolyesterPolypropyleneOther laminatesBased on the composition the global laminated labelspackaging market is segmented into:FacestockAdhesiveRelease linerLaminated Labels Market: Regional outlookIn terms of geography, the global laminated labelspackaging market has been divided in to seven key regions including North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Middle East & Africa (MEA). The Asia-Pacific laminated labelspackaging revenue contribution to the global laminated labelspackaging market is expected to be the maximum by the end of forecast period owing to increased demand of laminated labelspackaging from food and beverage industry. North America and Europe are expected to create significant opportunities for laminated labelspackaging manufacturers owing to increased demand for laminated labelspackaging in shopping goods, and healthcare sectors. The demand for laminated labelspackaging for electronics and furniture applications in developing economies such as Brazil, Mexico in Latin America will drive the revenue sales of laminated labelspackaging, in the region. Middle East and Africa (MEA) is also expected to foster growth, however at a substantial rate over the forecast period.Laminated Labels Market: Key playersSome of the major players identified in the global laminated labels market includes Eskay flex, Cosmo films, 3M, Avery Dennison Corporation, Coveris Holdings, Constantia Flexible Group, CCL industries Inc, RR Donnelley and Sons Company, MG Packaging, Woelco Labeling Solutions Inc., Langley Labels, Stickythings Limited, etc.About TMRTMR is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride (CAS 122-01-0) Market Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis 2016

Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride

http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-and-chinese-para-chloro-benzoyl-chloride-cas.html

http://bit.ly/2fC5oHp

http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/category/chemicals-and-materials.html

http://www.mrsresearchgroup.com/

Global Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride Market Research ReportThis report provides a strategic analysis of the Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride market and the growth estimates for the forecasted period.The market research analyst projects the global Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride market to grow at a considerable CAGR, in terms of revenue,over the forecast period. The report will provide the client with market insights andin-depth analysis of multiple market segments on the basis of applications, end-users, and geographicalcross-sectional study across the globe.This report also provides market sizing and forecasts for the Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride market. In addition, it provides a copious view on the market dynamics such as market drivers, market restraints, and opportunities for each of the micro markets.Complete Report With TOC Available @The report provides detailedinformation with respect to competitive landscape along with the top competitors in the Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride market.Furthermore, to help the clients make strategic decision, the reporthighlights a comprehensiveprofiling of leading players, their detailed analysis, their key developments along withthe market positioning. The report also foregrounds current and future market trends in order to justify the forthcoming attractive markets within the Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride market.Moreover, clients are also provided with segment-wise, region-wise, and country-wise analysis of the Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride market.To convey a proper analysis of all the data, the report comprises a number of figures, graphs, tables, and diagrams, which will help the clients get a crystal clear idea of the current trends in the Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride market. Additionally, the report also strategically analyzes the Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride market with regards to individual growth trends, future prospects, and contribution of each segment to the market. Various competitive developments such as contracts and agreements, new product developments, expansions, and mergers & acquisitions in the Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride market are also included in the report.Access Free Sample Report @This research study incorporated the use of extensive secondary sources, directories, and databases in order to identify and gather information useful for the technical, market-oriented, and commercial study of the Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride market.This report is an effort to identify driving factors for the Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride market and sub-markets in the near future.The research report also presents an exhaustive evaluation of the Para Chloro Benzoyl Chloride market and comprises contemplative insights, historical data, facts, and statistically supportedmarket data that is industry-validated. It comprisesestimations using anappropriate set of assumptions and necessary methodologies. The research report provides analysis, statistics, particulars, and information with respect to the market segments such as geographies, applications, and others.The chemical industry plays a crucial role in the existing business as well as manufacturing units. This industry manufactures a variety of chemical substances which are used in various sectors and fields which include agriculture, medicine, automobile, healthcare and many other commercial purposes. These industries make use of metals, oil, natural gas and water to create a range of chemicals as well as chemical products that are used by various organizations throughout the world. Chemical companies purify and process the raw materials to produce pure chemicals. Chemical can be classified in two different categories i.e. basic chemicals and petrochemicals. Basic chemicals consist of basic chemicals and chemical products that are produced in abundance and are used on a regular basis. Petrochemicals are extracted from fertilizer, petroleum and hydrocarbons and are used in huge quantities by the agricultural sector. Besides this, chemical companies also manufacture and produce special chemicals, consumable chemicals or fine chemicals.Browse more reports on Chemicals-and-Materials at:MRS Research Group is the worlds giant collection of the Market research Reports. Where we specialized in global publisher, tailor made reports and specialists consulting. Global Publisher provides in-depth analysis of global and Chinese market. Tailor-made reports represent methodologies deliverable to proper insight of the client. While, expertise research specialist helps to provide strategic solution in specialists consulting. It consists of head such as, latest report, category, niche market and news. Reports published on the million of category like chemical, machinery and equipment, consumer goods, manufacturing and construction etc. Latest national, international, business News published under news portal.Contact UsJoel John3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442United StatesToll Free : +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Email: sales@mrsresearchgroup.comWebsite:
Global Synthetic Leather For Furniture Industry Analysis and Key Developments 2016

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http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-synthetic-leather-for-furniture-sales-market-report-2016.htm

http://www.qyresearchreports.com/category/chemicals-market-reports-57.htm

http://www.qyresearchreports.com

Global Synthetic Leather For Furniture Industry 2016 Market Overview, Size, Share, Trends, Analysis, Technology, Applications, Growth, Market Status, Demands, Insights, Development, Research and Forecast 2016-2020.Since the last few years, the global market for Synthetic Leather For Furniture has been undergoing a phase of transition. To understand the changes in this market, analysts have performed this study by examining the markets current and historical performance.This research study on the worldwide Synthetic Leather For Furniture market presents a detailed assessment of the impact key trends have on the dynamics of the demand and supply of Synthetic Leather For Furniture. By utilizing efficient analytical tools and techniques such as SWOT analysis, market feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis, researchers predict the level of attractiveness of this market in this study.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report also projects the future performance of the worldwide Synthetic Leather For Furniture market on the basis of results achieved after these evaluations and offers a comprehensive and unbiased overview of how the Synthetic Leather For Furniture market has been progressing over the years across the world. It further presents an evaluation of crucial strategies adopted by key market players in the past for business development and also talks about the strategies they are expected to implement in the coming years for further expansion.Further, the research study provides a competitive analysis of the global market for Synthetic Leather For Furniture by profiling the leading players functional in this market. It also classifies this market into several segments on the basis of various significant market parameters.In conclusion, the study presents an assessment of the global Synthetic Leather For Furniture market on the basis of the product, application, and the geographical segmentation. The volume produced, product pricing, and the revenue generated by the sale of these products have been considered as the main factors that influence the performance of this market. The dynamics of demand and supply and the export import scenario have also been studied thoroughly in this study.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of ContentsChapter One Synthetic Leather For Furniture Industry Overview1.1 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Definition1.1.1 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Product Pictures & Product Specifications1.2 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Classification & ApplicationChapter Two Synthetic Leather For Furniture Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.1 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Raw Material & Equipments Supplier and Price Analysis2.3 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Labor & Other Cost Analysis2.5 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.6 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Manufacturing Process AnalysisChapter Three Synthetic Leather For Furniture Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis3.1 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Synthetic Leather For Furniture Capacity and Commercial Production Date3.2 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Synthetic Leather For Furniture Manufacturing Plants Distribution3.3 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Synthetic Leather For Furniture R&D Status and Technology Sources3.4 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Synthetic Leather For Furniture Raw Materials Sources AnalysisChapter Four Synthetic Leather For Furniture Production by Regions, Technology and Applications4.1 2010-2016 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Production by Regions(such as US, EU, China and Japan etc)4.2 2010-2016 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Production by Product Type & Application4.4 2010-2016 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Price by key Manufacturers4.5 2010-2016 US & China Synthetic Leather For Furniture Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis4.6 2010-2016 Europe and Japan Synthetic Leather For Furniture Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis4.9 2010-2016 US and China Synthetic Leather For Furniture Supply Import Export Consumption4.10 2010-2016 Europe and Japan Synthetic Leather For Furniture Supply Import Export ConsumptionChapter Five Synthetic Leather For Furniture Sales and Sales Revenue by Regions5.1 2010-2016 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Sales by Regions (such as US, EU, China & Japan etc)5.2 2010-2016 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Sales Revenue by Regions (such as US EU China Japan etc)5.3 2010-2016 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Sales Price by Regions (such as US EU China Japan etc)5.4 2010-2016 Synthetic Leather For Furniture Demand by ApplicationsRead More @About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Agricultural Enzymes Market: Agricultural enzymes are biological catalysts used extensively in agricultural based biotechnological processing, 2020

Agricultural Enzymes Market, Agricultural Enzymes

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3304

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3304

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

The technological advancement in the field of agricultural enzymes has boosted both the manufacturing capacity and application of agricultural enzyme such as invent of phytases (enhances the nutritional contents of the food grains) and silage fermentation. Agricultural enzymes are biological catalysts used extensively in agricultural based biotechnological processing, such as enzyme-assisted silage fermentation, processing of crops and crop residues, bio-processing of fibers, and production of many animal feed supplements.Request for TOC @Growing demand of processed food, rising demand of renewable energy sources such as bio-fuel, coupled with cost-efficiency of agricultural enzymes has helped in its wide acceptance in agricultural sector.Based on the various crop types the global enzymes market can be broadly categorized as cereals & grains, oilseeds & pulses, fruits & vegetables and others. On the basis of the various chemical properties of the enzymes the global agricultural enzyme market can be segmented in five broad categories namely, carbohydrates, proteases, lipases, polymerases & nucleases and othersGrowing demand of natural and organic food, coupled with rising awareness towards hazardous properties of pesticides and other chemicals used in agricultural have raised the demand of green and naturally sourced agrochemicals over the years. Moreover rising government concern over food and environment safety in the Asia Pacific and Latin America has led to many stringent regulations, such as integrated pest management (IPM). Such regulations are forcing the farmers of this region to adopt bio-based chemicals in place of their conventional chemical counterparts. This trend is expected to increase the demand of agricultural enzymes in coming years.North America is the largest market of agricultural enzyme attributed to growing agriculture industry and rising awareness towards organic forming. It is followed by Asia Pacific and Europe. Asia Pacific is the fasted growing market of agricultural enzymes where growth rate is expected in double digit attributed mainly to government initiatives towards integrated pest management (IPM) and increasing acceptance of genetically modified (GM) seeds by the farmers in this region.Request for Sample Report @Some of the leading global players operating in global agricultural enzymes market include, Novozymes A/S, Agrinos Inc., Agri Life., Stoller Usa Inc., Bioworks Inc., Syngenta Ag, Aries Agro Ltd., Greenmax Agro Tech., and Camson Bio Technologies Limited.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Eye Contour Brush Industry 2016 Consumer Reviews, Market Sales Volume, Growth Factors, High Demands & Key Types

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http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-eye-contour-brush-market-research-report-2016.htm

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The rapid growth in the global Eye Contour Brush market has boosted key companies to conduct a detailed market research to better understand its current situation, restraints, leading players, and areas of operation. As the global Eye Contour Brush market flourishes, it becomes a challenging task for all leading players to study the market by depending only on the in-house resources. This is when external sources come into the picture. The study by expert analysts offers a brief overview of the global Eye Contour Brush market. The report further discusses the key elements responsible for the growth of the global Eye Contour Brush market. The research forecasts new projects, key players, applications, and the size of the global Eye Contour Brush market for the given period.The study reveals details about key companies in the global Eye Contour Brush market by considering factors such as production capacity, the list of products, new projects, and their geographical reach. The analysts conduct the value chain analysis of the global Eye Contour Brush market. Factors such as upstream and downstream components, changing trends in demand and supply, and import and export are analyzed in the report by the analysts. The report highlights some other important factors that are responsible for the growth of the global Eye Contour Brush market.Request a Sample Copy of this Report @This report studies Eye Contour Brush in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with Production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringAvonLancomeDiorYve Saint LaurentCotyChanelAnnaSuiMarket Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Eye Contour Brush in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaThe reports authors have profiled leading organizations in the global Eye Contour Brush market by taking into consideration factors such as key segments, their annual revenue, new products, their production capacity, and others. Developments, changing trends, and the future opportunities in the global Eye Contour Brush market are highlighted by the analysts while measuring the market. An industry-standard tool, SWOT analysis, is used by the analysts to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of leading players in the global Eye Contour Brush market.Traverse through Full Report with TOC @Table of ContentsChapter One Eye Contour Brush Industry Overview1.1 Eye Contour Brush Definition1.1.1 Eye Contour Brush Product Pictures & Product Specifications1.2 Eye Contour Brush Classification & ApplicationChapter Two Eye Contour Brush Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.1 Eye Contour Brush Raw Material & Equipments Supplier and Price Analysis2.2 Eye Contour Brush Labor & Other Cost Analysis2.3 Eye Contour Brush Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis2.4 Eye Contour Brush Manufacturing Process AnalysisChapter Three Eye Contour Brush Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis3.1 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Eye Contour Brush Capacity and Commercial Production Date3.2 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Eye Contour Brush Manufacturing Plants Distribution3.3 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Eye Contour Brush R&D Status and Technology Sources3.4 2016 Global Key Manufacturers Eye Contour Brush Raw Materials Sources AnalysisChapter Four Eye Contour Brush Production by Regions, Technology and Applications4.1 2010-2016 Eye Contour Brush Production by Regions(such as US, EU, China and Japan etc)4.2 2010-2016 Eye Contour Brush Production by Product Type & Application4.3 2010-2016 Eye Contour Brush Price by key Manufacturers4.4 2010-2016 US & China Eye Contour Brush Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis4.5 2010-2016 Europe and Japan Eye Contour Brush Capacity Production Price Cost Production Value Analysis4.6 2010-2016 US and China Eye Contour Brush Supply Import Export Consumption4.7 2010-2016 Europe and Japan Eye Contour Brush Supply Import Export ConsumptionChapter Five Eye Contour Brush Sales and Sales Revenue by Regions5.1 2010-2016 Eye Contour Brush Sales by Regions (such as US, EU, China & Japan etc)5.2 2010-2016 Eye Contour Brush Sales Revenue by Regions (such as US EU China Japan etc)5.3 2010-2016 Eye Contour Brush Sales Price by Regions (such as US EU China Japan etc)5.4 2010-2016 Eye Contour Brush Demand by ApplicationsVisit here for New Research Reports @QYresearchreports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations.QYResearchReports1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Global Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Market Report

https://goo.gl/XVodW0

https://goo.gl/FkLGtk

http://www.bigmarketresearch.com/global-offshore-wind-turbine-installation-vessel-by-manufacturers-regions-type-and-application-forecast-to-2021-market

Get a Report of Automotive,Logistics and Shipping,Booming in Industry"Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Market" on Bigmarketresearch.comSelf-propelled jack-up vessel is a vessel specifically designed for the installation of offshore wind turbines. Similar to a jack-up rig it is self-elevating. To enable quick relocation in the wind farm it is self-propelled. It also has a slender ship shaped hull to achieve a quick turnaround time with the vessel carrying several foundations or wind turbines each time. Azimuth thrusters are used to position the vessel during jack-up operations.Request for Sample Copy:Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversA2SEAMPI-OffshoreSeajacksFred. Olsen WindcarrierGeoseaVan OordJack-Up BargeMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)Latin America, Middle and AfricaMarket Segment by Type, coversSelf-propelled jack-up vesselNormal jack-up vesselHeavy lift vesselFor Discount Visit Here:There are 13 Chapters to deeply display the global Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel market.Chapter 1, to describe Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel, with sales, revenue, and price of Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel, in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2015 and 2016;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel, for each region, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 5, 6, 7 and 8, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 9 and 10, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2011 to 2016;Chapter 11, Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2016 to 2021;Chapter 12 and 13, to describe Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, appendix and data source.Get Complete Report:With the arsenal of different search reports, we help you here to look and buy research reports that will be helpful to you and your organization. Our research reports have the capability and authenticity to support your organization for growth and consistency.With the window of opportunity getting open and shut at a speed of light, it has become very important to survive in the market and only the fittest and competent enough can do so. So, we try and provide with latest changes in the market that can suit your needs and help you take decision accordingly.5933 NE Win Sivers Drive, 205, Portland, OR 97220 Unite
RiskRhino offers free risk management software for SMEs

www.riskrhino.com/free

Dutch risk management software company RiskRhino is the first to offer a free mobile app to support SMEs with their risk management.All companies have to comply with rules and regulations. Large enterprises work with advisors, employ compliance officers or risk managers and use software (RegTech) to assure that the organization remains compliant and that risks are properly managed. SMEs face the same requirements and risks however, they often cannot afford to hire advisory firms, employ risk managers and compliance officers, or invest in RegTech.RiskRhino now makes professional risk management software available to SMEs. The company offers a free survey app in which managers can complete surveys and get instant reports to help manage risk. A growing list of advisors, such as law firms Arthurs Legal and Bosselaar&Strengers advocaten, Labor services MKBasics and Business Risk and Compliance advisor Bcon-PRO understand the importance of RegTech for SMEs. Therefore, they partnered with RiskRhino in the creation of free surveys that are easy to complete. The resulting reports offer quick insight into regulatory and other risks that the enterprise faces. The surveys are set up in a way that they also support the identification of possible control actions to mitigate the risks. This way, enterprises can quickly establish whether they are at risk and what appropriate steps should be taken next to tackle those risks.Dr. Tim Willems, CEO of RiskRhino: We have already been supplying risk management software to large enterprises for years. By offering free and easy to use technology for regulatory compliance (RegTech) to the SME and startup market, we can make SMEs benefit too without the high costs that usually come with risk management. With the results of the surveys, enterprises can determine which risks they want to accept and which risks they want to mitigate, if necessary with support from us or one of our partners. We welcome expert partners to create surveys for multiple jurisdictions. Together we are constantly working to expand the survey library both for Dutch and international regulations.You can find more info about the free RiskRhino app at:Contact:Dr. Tim Willems CEO and foundertim@riskrhino.cominfo@riskrhino.comRiskRhino is a leading provider of Governance, Risk management & Compliance applications with Dutch roots. With hundreds of clients world wide ranging fromsmall enterprises with less than 10 employees to large enterprises with over 300.000 employees and over 1000 active users on a daily basis RiskRhino offers the ultimate risk protection.P.O.Box 3155480 AH SchijndelThe Netherlands+31(0)654792099info@riskrhino.com
Algoworks - A Certified Kentico Partner

http://www.kentico.com

Algoworks, Simplifying Technology smartly, disruptively & globally today announced it has entered a Bronze partnership with Kentico Software (), the Web Content and Customer Experience Management provider, to provide customers meet the scalability needs of their projects, and to provide flexibility to simplify the complex demands of web content at a great price-point.Algoworks is a company dealing with Mobile Application development , ECM and CRM Systems. It has acute finesse in CRM and SaaS technologies like Salesforce and unmatched excellence in ECM technologies. Algoworks chose Kentico as the platform for their clients websites as its CMS comes with hundreds of extendable modules and is backed by a strong community.We are known for creating stunning front-end for Kentico Websites. For a prominent Pennsylvanian Steel Manufacturer looking to update its legacy website, Algoworks helped them develop an award winning Kentico based B2B website. Based on the clients requirement of an enterprise level website, we chose Kentico as our main content management system and website building tool, said Pratyush Kumar, Co-Founder, Algoworks.Any time that we have a question, Kentico makes its top resources available to help us understand the issue and find the best resolution," said Brian McKeiver, Co-Owner and MVP at Kentico. "The most impressive aspect of being a part of the program is the direct line of communication that Kentico provides to our team."About AlgoworksAlgoworks is a trusted global IT Services company offering services in the area of enterprise mobile app development, enterprise content management solutions and customer relationship management solutions.About KenticoKentico is an all-in-one CMS, E-commerce, and Online Marketing platform that drives business results for companies of all sizes, both on-premise or in the cloud. It gives customers and partners powerful, comprehensive tools and customer-centric solutions to create stunning websites and manage customer experiences easily in a dynamic business environment. The Kentico Web Content Management Solutions rich selection of out-of-the-box web parts, easy customizations, and open API, quickly gets websites up and running. When combined with the full set of integrated solutions, including Online Marketing, E-commerce, and Intranet and Collaboration, Kentico fully optimizes the digital customer experience across multiple channels.About Kentico SoftwareFounded in 2004, Kentico is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner headquartered in the Czech Republic with offices in the US, UK, Netherlands, and Australia. Kentico has 1,000 digital agency partners and powers more than 25,000 websites across 100 countries. Customers include Gibson, Twinings, Ingram Micro, Mazda, Kingspan, Hunter Fan, Starbucks, and Allergan.All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.Algoworks is a trusted global IT Services company offering services in the area of enterprise mobile app development, enterprise content management solutions and customer relationship management solutions.AlgoworksA 61/B 4, Spring Meadows Business Park,Sector 63, Noida 201307+91-120-651-3162
Transdev Sweden chooses IVU.rail

Transdev Sweden chooses IVU.rail (Image: Transdev Sverige AB)

www.ivu.com

IVU continues to develop its strong market position in ScandinaviaBerlin, 9. November 2016  IVU Traffic Technologies AG is strengthening its market presence in Sweden with a new contract. Transdev Sverige AB, the Swedish branch of the global transport company Transdev, will use the specialised standard software IVU.rail to plan all rail franchises trains as of December 2016.Transdev Sverige is one of Swedens largest transport companies and has multiple subsidiaries across the entire country. Among others, this includes the long distance train connection Snalltaget, which runs from Are via Stockholm to Malmo, and even operates as far as Berlin in summer. IVU.rail will be implemented for the planning and dispatch of all of Transdev Sveriges trains, on time for the timetable change occurring later this year.IVU.rail makes it possible for planners in Sweden to create efficient timetables, vehicle workings and run schedules. Automatic suggestions and a freely configurable rule system accelerate planning. In the process, the system takes service intervals and train units into account, as well as track and depot capacities. Dispatchers receive all important information about the current operating situation, and can therefore react swiftly to disruptions.We have continually expanded the number of our connections in recent years, said Petra Lagerkvist, Head of IT at Transdev Sverige AB. With IVU.rail we are optimally prepared for the continued growth of our network and the increasing complexity of planning. In the future, IVU.rail will be the preferred solution for all of Transdevs upcoming operational launches across Scandinavia.We are linked to Transdev Germany through our long-term positive collaborative work and we are very much looking forward to enhancing this connection with the contract from Transdev Sverige, said Robert Mulder, sales director at IVU Traffic Technologies AG. This sales success underscores the efficiency of our system and significantly strengthens our position in Scandinavia.Last year the largest Swedish rail company, SJ, ordered IVU.rail for the planning and dispatching of all of its trains and employees. In addition, MTR Pendeltagen AB, a subsidiary of the Hong Kong MTR Corporation, recently opted for IVUs solution to be used with the Stockholm suburban railway.IVU Traffic Technologies AG has been working for 40 years with more than 400 engineers to ensure punctual and reliable transport in the worlds metropolises. In growing cities, people and vehicles are constantly on the move  a logistical challenge that calls for intelligent and secure software systems. The integrated standard products of the IVU.suite work to plan, optimise and control the deployment of buses and trains, provide passengers with real-time information, create routes for parcel delivery services, and support businesses in choosing branch locations.IVU. FACILITATING PUBLIC TRANSPORT.Dr Stefan SteckCorporate CommunicationsIVU Traffic Technologies AGBundesallee 88, 12161 Berlin, GermanyT +49.30.85906-386Stefan.Steck@ivu.com
Apptimized launches worlds first revolutionary cloud-based applications packaging solution

https://apptimized.com

www.packaging-automation.com

November 7, 2016, UK  Apptimized, the industry-leading application packaging supplier has launched the worlds first truly cloud-based application packaging solution.Apptimized offers IT professionals everything they need to create and manage MSI and App-V application packages for all MS Windows platforms without the need to invest in expensive dedicated hardware or software.Apptimized can be used as a complete self-service toolset for the applications packaging specialist, or as a low touch application packaging factory service for enterprises.Apptimized Self Service gives application packaging specialists everything they need to create application packages with nothing more than an internet connection (). This includes full MSI editing capabilities as well as access to leading edge automation to bring the time to package down to minutes for most applications. All for a single low fixed annual fee for unlimited access.Apptimized AppPackaging Factory offers enterprises a high quality, high speed, cost-per-application service to support Business-As-Usual activities or Operating System migration programmes.Chief Sales Officer for Apptimized, Simon May explains: Apptimized gives application packaging professionals a highly reliable, high quality, scalable and cost-efficient alternative to the traditional packaging tools.What sets it apart is that it gives users industry leading capabilities based on over a decade of specialist experience, without the need to stand up and maintain expensive dedicated hardware or invest in costly software.With the coming of Windows 10, application specialists need an efficient and scalable way of quickly assessing, remediating and managing their packaged applications. Apptimized gives them that.Apptimized also offers a free AppUpdate service, notifying customers when an application has been updated or upgraded by the vendor at no extra cost.Apptimized has already been adopted by an international 250,000 seat professional services organisation to support their global rollout of Windows 10.We have been incredibly impressed with just how easy it is to set-up, configure and use apptimized. the customers Head of Desktop End User Experience commented.Apptimized can be trialled for free by signing up atNOTE: Apptimized is a part of the Revacom Group. Revacom have been offering high quality application packaging services to more than 250 of Europes top enterprises since 2003.Contact:Simon May | Chief Sales Officer | Apptimizeds.may@apptimized.com | +44 (0) 7795 608370Apptimized is the worlds first truly cloud based application packaging solution. Everything needed to package without the need for dedicated hardware or software. Apptimized is a part of the Revacom Group.Apptimized is the industry-leading provider of application packaging services having supported over 250 global customers since its inception in 2003.Apptimized is part of the Revacom Group. Revacom was founded and is headquartered in Potsdam, Germany. The Revacom Group now has over 100 staff in Germany, the UK, Switzerland, Denmark, Vietnam, the Ukraine and the US.From the outset weve had a clear goal  to become the global leader in application packaging.Our strategy is to simplify the traditionally complex and resource-intensive application packaging process through the pioneering use of leading-edge technologies and the continuing industrialization of processes.25, Queen Victoria Street, Reading, Berks, RG11SY, UK
Global Coal Market  Analysis and Forecast to 2020

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IndexBox has just published a new report World: Coal - Market Report. Analysis And Forecast To 2020 ().This report has been designed to provide a detailed analysis of the global coal market. It covers the most recent data sets of quantitative medium-term projections, as well as developments in production, trade, consumption and prices.The global coal trade amounted to 76,447 million USD in 2015, fluctuating mildly over the period under review, with a consistent downward trend in the last four years. A slight drop in 2009 was followed by brief recovery over the next two years, until exports decreased again.According to IndexBox estimates, Australia continued to lead the way by a large margin in the global supplies of coal. In 2015, Australia's coal exports totaled 29,630 million USD, which accounted for a 39% share of global exports. Indonesia, Russia, USA, and Colombia were the other key global suppliers of coal in 2015, with a 45% combined share of global exports.Indonesia (+10.3% per year) and Australia (+6.9% per year) were the fastest growing exporters from 2007 to 2015. Indonesia significantly strengthened its position in the global coal export structure, growing its share from 13% in 2007 to 19% in 2015.On the other hand, Japan (18%, based on value terms), India (16%), China (11%), the Republic of Korea (11%), and Taipei (5%) were the leading destinations of coal imports in 2015. Imports to China grew the quickest, at a pace of +19.6% per year from 2007 to 2015. The balance of key imports also increased their imports over the period under review. India's share of global imports increased by +9 percentage points, while the share of Japan illustrated negative dynamics (-3 percentage points).1. INTRODUCTION1.1 REPORT DESCRIPTION1.2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY2.1 KEY FINDINGS2.2 MARKET TRENDS3. MARKET OVERVIEW3.1 MARKET VOLUME AND VALUE3.2 CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY3.3 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES BY COUNTRY3.4 MARKET FORECAST TO 20204. PRODUCTION4.1 PRODUCTION IN 2007-20154.2 PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY5. IMPORTS5.1 IMPORTS IN 2007-20155.2 IMPORTS BY COUNTRY5.3 IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY6. EXPORTS6.1 EXPORTS IN 2007-20156.2 EXPORTS BY COUNTRY6.3 EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY7. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERS3 easy ways to order: Follow the link below to review a free sample or to buy the report: Call us +44 20 3239 3063 to discuss your information needs and for special discounts on multi-report orders Email your order to info@indexbox.co.ukPrice: 1490 EUR for Single LicenseSource:IndexBox is a leading market research publisher in the world. We conduct market research and publish reports. You can find more than 25,000 research reports in our web store, which cover global industries and regional markets. All the worldwide marketing data you need is at your fingertips.Company Name: IndexBoxContact Person: Kirill BezverhiEmail: kirill.bezverhi@indexbox.co.ukPhone: +44 20 3239 3063Adress: United Kingdom, LondonWebsite:
Global Copper Ore Market  Trends and Insights

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IndexBox has just published a new report World: Copper Ores And Concentrates - Market Report. Analysis and Forecast to 2020 ().This report has been designed to provide a detailed analysis of the global copper ore market. It covers the most recent data sets of quantitative medium-term projections, as well as developments in production, trade, consumption and prices.From 2007 to 2015, global copper exports showed a steady declining trend, with the exception of a brief reversal in 2010 and 2011. Exports amounted to 5,407 million USD in 2015. There was an annual decrease of -2.4% throughout the analyzed period.According to IndexBox estimates, Chile continued to lead the way in global supplies of copper. In 2015, Chile's copper exports totaled 2,177 million USD, which accounted for a 40% share in terms of global exports. Bulgaria, Zambia, Namibia, and Congo were the other key global suppliers of copper in 2015, with a 37% combined share of global exports.Zambia (+19.7% per year) and Congo (+12.6% per year) were the fastest growing exporters from 2007 to 2015. Zambia significantly strengthened its position in terms of global copper exports, growing its share from 2% in 2007 to 12% in 2015.On the other hand, China (43%, based on value terms), Belgium (19%), India (7%), Canada (5%), and the Republic of Korea (5%) were the leading destinations of copper imports in 2015. Imports to India grew at a rapid pace of +37.7% per year from 2007 to 2015. By contrast, the Republic of Korea contracted its imports of copper over the same period. China's share of global imports increased significantly (+27 percentage points), while the share of the Republic of Korea illustrated negative dynamics (-5 percentage points).1. INTRODUCTION1.1 REPORT DESCRIPTION1.2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY2.1 KEY FINDINGS2.2 MARKET TRENDS3. MARKET OVERVIEW3.1 MARKET VOLUME AND VALUE3.2 CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY3.3 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES BY COUNTRY3.4 MARKET FORECAST TO 20204. PRODUCTION4.1 PRODUCTION IN 2007-20154.2 PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY5. IMPORTS5.1 IMPORTS IN 2007-20155.2 IMPORTS BY COUNTRY5.3 IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY6. EXPORTS6.1 EXPORTS IN 2007-20156.2 EXPORTS BY COUNTRY6.3 EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY7. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERS3 easy ways to order: Follow the link below to review a free sample or to buy the report: Call us +44 20 3239 3063 to discuss your information needs and for special discounts on multi-report orders Email your order to info@indexbox.co.ukPrice: 1490 EUR for Single LicenseSource:IndexBox is a leading market research publisher in the world. We conduct market research and publish reports. You can find more than 25,000 research reports in our web store, which cover global industries and regional markets. All the worldwide marketing data you need is at your fingertips.Company Name: IndexBoxContact Person: Kirill BezverhiEmail: kirill.bezverhi@indexbox.co.ukPhone: +44 20 3239 3063Adress: United Kingdom, LondonWebsite:
For years, the once-hot growth BRIC countries -- Brazil, Russia, India and China -- and other emerging markets had turned into middling investments at best, and downright dogs at worst.

From the start of 2012 through the end of 2015, funds tethered to the BRIC countries languished. Brazilian stocks lost some 65 percent while Russian equities shed 45 percent. Sure, Indian and Chinese stocks were up, by 3 percent and 11 percent, respectively, but the Standard & Poor's 500 index charged ahead by more than 60 percent over the same period.

This year has been a different story. While the S&P 500 has rebounded 14 percent from its February lows, Indian stocks have roared ahead by 19 percent, Chinese and Russian stocks have ripped off respective gains of 28 percent and 34 percent. And lowly Brazil? It's working on a doubler, up 87 percent for the year amid the impeachment of scandal-plagued President Dilma Rousseff and renewed hopes for economic reform.

[See: 10 Great Ways to Buy Emerging Markets.]

As a result, the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (ticker: EEM) -- the oldest broad emerging markets fund, and the second-largest by assets at more than $30 billion -- has soared 22 percent since mid-February. That has the EEM on pace to outperform the index for the first time in five years.

The question is, how much do emerging markets have to give, and should you trust EEM to deliver?

Keep riding the hot hand. The main investment thesis behind emerging markets has always been the promise of outsize economic growth compared to their developed brethren. But the other edge to that blade is the market's violent negative reaction to slowdowns in that growth.

Bearish headlines decry slowing growth in China and India, despite both countries still producing 7 percent GDP growth or more. That's a lot better than the mid-2 percent GDP improvement from the U.S. over the past few years, but global investors were less worried about America's consistently slow growth compared to those emerging market's downward trend.

Story continues

Meanwhile, lower prices for commodities such as oil and gold have hampered emerging markets such as Brazil and Russia, whose economies are strongly tethered to production.

But much of that is changing.

Oil and gold have both bounced back strongly in 2016, putting a charge back into Russian and Brazilian equities -- a trend that JJ Feldman, portfolio manager at Miracle Mile Advisors in Los Angeles, sees continuing.

"We think emerging-market economies stand to benefit from higher commodity prices and lower-for-longer (interest) rates," he says. "We expect oil to stabilize around $50 with the potential to appreciate as high as $70 in 2017, which will help the oil exporter giants such as Russia."

[Read: Why China Should Be Part of a Long-Term Investment Portfolio.]

China has seen economic growth improve, and even slower-paced South Korea is managing to top forecasts and stretch market optimism.

"It appears as if some of the headwinds for these markets are dissipating," says David Twibell, president of Custom Portfolio Group in Englewood, Colorado. "China's growth, while nowhere near where it was a decade ago, has stabilized somewhat. And we're even starting to see better growth in many of these countries relative to the U.S. and other developed markets.

That would seem to be a ringing endorsement for EEM ... but it's not.

Where EEM succeeds, and where it fails. The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets exchange-traded fund is a widely held emerging-markets fund that has become almost a proxy for the space.

The EEM tracks the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, resulting in a basket of roughly 850 equities across 27 countries. The U.S. is included because while "exposure" mostly is determined by where the companies are headquartered, iShares points out "in some instances it can reflect the country where the issuer of the securities carries out much of their business."

So EEM provides decent diversification. But the experts also say it has some fundamental flaws.

"The EEM is one of the easiest ways to invest in emerging markets, but it's not necessarily the best," Twibell says. "EEM uses a capitalization-weighted approach to selecting stocks, meaning it invests more money in larger companies and less in smaller ones. That's OK, but it tends to lead to a relatively geographically concentrated portfolio."

It absolutely does. More than a quarter of EEM's weight is dedicated to China. However, given China's still-robust growth, that's not nearly as troubling as the combined 27 percent weight in South Korea and Taiwan, which deliver low 3 percent and 1 percent GDP growth, respectively.

Meanwhile, India -- which Feldman likes because its "demographics are trending towards a younger, larger population which will drive consumption" -- and its 7 percent GDP growth are represented at just 8.4 percent of the fund. Any exposure to commodity-spurred growth will be muted, too, as Brazil is weighed at less than 8 percent and Russia sits below 4 percent.

David Fabian -- managing partner and chief operations officer of FMD Capital Management in Irvine, California -- points out another core flaw that was echoed by his peers: price.

"One of the most detrimental aspects of this fund is its 0.68 percent expense ratio, which ranks much higher than many competitors," he says. "Vanguard Emerging Market ETF ( VWO), for instance, only charges a 0.15 percent expense ratio and gives you access to a pool of 4,272 stocks versus 850 in the large cap-dominated EEM."

Where the experts diverge is the question of, if not EEM, where should your emerging-market allocation go?

Fabian suggests going lower-cost because "over time, these fees can add up and potentially weigh on your returns. In addition to VWO, Fabian likes the iShares Core MSCI Emerging Market ETF ( IEMG), which owns 1,900 companies and charges just 0.14 percent annually.

Twibell likes the Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF ( SCHE), which charges 0.13 percent and has slightly less weight in China and Taiwan than EEM, plus it excludes South Korea entirely. But he also points more aggressive investors toward the PowerShares DWA Emerging Markets Momentum Portfolio ( PIE), an actively managed fund that typically provides greater exposure to smaller emerging countries.

"PIE currently has a 19 percent weighting in Thailand and a 10 percent weighting in the Philippines -- two areas that are barely rounding errors in EEM," he says.

[See: 8 Great ETFs That Hold ETFs.]

Feldman even suggests going more conservative with the iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol Emerging Markets ETF ( EEMV), which "has double the exposure to emerging market large-cap stocks" and features a 25 percent lower three-year standard deviation than EEM. Yes, EEMV charges a base 0.69 percent expense ratio, just like EEM ... but it has waived those fees down to 0.25 percent through the end of 2023.





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Matrix to Showcase its Well-Engineered Telecom and Security Solutions at CeBIT 2016, Bangalore

Matrix, a leading manufacturer of enterprise grade Telecom and Security solutions, is participating in CeBIT 2016, Bangalore. CeBIT India is a platform where brands from all over the world will exhibit their latest technological innovations. This year, Matrix will be showcasing its latest Telecom, Video Surveillance and People Mobility solutions at the event.Matrix will showcase its entire range of Telecom products which includes its latest, innovative products: SARVAM UCS and VARTA WIN200. Matrix SARVAM UCS  Unified Communication Solution for Modern Enterprises, brings employees working on multiple locations upon a common platform and improves collaboration. VARTA WIN200 will also be presented at the event. VARTA WIN200 - UC Client for Seamless Collaboration is redefining communication experience for employees at many organizations. The product offers features like Video Calling, Presence Sharing, Instant Messaging and more. The solution streamlines communication by allowing employees to use the same extension number from their desktop computers.Matrix will also highlight its office-in-a-box solution - NAVAN CNX200, for small and progressive offices. The product improves communication infrastructure of offices with up to 24 employees. It caters to small businesses needs of voice, data, internet, messaging and mobility. NAVAN CNX200 offers a bunch of features such as dialling by extension number, caller ID, GSM/3G connectivity, Voice Mail access on Android/iOS phones and more.Matrix, under the security domain, will demonstrate its range of biometric Time-Attendance, Access Control solution and its advanced applications. Matrix will launch COSEC DOOR FMX as a high-performance door controller with Multispectral sensor. The device is powerful enough to read fingerprints of dry, wet, elderly, oily hands. In addition, Matrix will present its Standalone Access Control solution where one can connect up to 255 devices and 25,000 users without a server. Additionally, Matrix will be showcasing its Time-Attendance solution, where attendance can be marked from a hand-held device as well as using GPS/Wi-Fi through mobile.Matrix will showcase its entire portfolio of Video Surveillance solutions, which include the Enterprise Video Management Software along with Video Recorders and IP Cameras. This VMS offers a highly scalable solution by providing centralized management and monitoring of up to 1 Lakh cameras spread across various locations. Its intelligent features like Missing Object, Perimeter Security, Face Detection and instant notifications like SMS, E-mail with snapshot, Alarms and Buzzers ensure real-time, preventive security of guests and assets. Moreover, its not just limited to security, smart features like Crowd Management and Parking Management boosts productivity and ensures customer retention by enabling you to provide best services at all times. In addition to this, it can be integrated to all third-party systems like Fire Alarm, Access Control, Billing Software and many more to facilitate synchronous working of different systems.CeBIT Bangalore16 is a great platform to showcase our industry leading Telecom and Security solutions. We look forward to meet new customers as well as system integrators to let them know how our innovative products can help them improve their experience on communication as well as security solutions, said Sagar Gosalia, Vice President - Marketing and Sales.Matrix cordially invites you to visit us at booth number C 301, Hall Number: 1, CeBIT, at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Bangalore from 8th - 10th December, 2016 and have a glimpse at our perfectly tailored Telecom and Security solutions.Matrix, a leading manufacturer of enterprise grade Telecom and Security solutions, is participating in CeBIT 2016, Bangalore. CeBIT India is a platform where brands from all over the world will exhibit their latest technological innovations. This year, Matrix will be showcasing its latest Telecom, Video Surveillance and People Mobility solutions at the event.Matrix will showcase its entire range of Telecom products which includes its latest, innovative products: SARVAM UCS and VARTA WIN200. Matrix SARVAM UCS  Unified Communication Solution for Modern Enterprises, brings employees working on multiple locations upon a common platform and improves collaboration. VARTA WIN200 will also be presented at the event. VARTA WIN200 - UC Client for Seamless Collaboration is redefining communication experience for employees at many organizations. The product offers features like Video Calling, Presence Sharing, Instant Messaging and more. The solution streamlines communication by allowing employees to use the same extension number from their desktop computers.Matrix will also highlight its office-in-a-box solution - NAVAN CNX200, for small and progressive offices. The product improves communication infrastructure of offices with up to 24 employees. It caters to small businesses needs of voice, data, internet, messaging and mobility. NAVAN CNX200 offers a bunch of features such as dialling by extension number, caller ID, GSM/3G connectivity, Voice Mail access on Android/iOS phones and more.Matrix, under the security domain, will demonstrate its range of biometric Time-Attendance, Access Control solution and its advanced applications. Matrix will launch COSEC DOOR FMX as a high-performance door controller with Multispectral sensor. The device is powerful enough to read fingerprints of dry, wet, elderly, oily hands. In addition, Matrix will present its Standalone Access Control solution where one can connect up to 255 devices and 25,000 users without a server. Additionally, Matrix will be showcasing its Time-Attendance solution, where attendance can be marked from a hand-held device as well as using GPS/Wi-Fi through mobile.Matrix will showcase its entire portfolio of Video Surveillance solutions, which include the Enterprise Video Management Software along with Video Recorders and IP Cameras. This VMS offers a highly scalable solution by providing centralized management and monitoring of up to 1 Lakh cameras spread across various locations. Its intelligent features like Missing Object, Perimeter Security, Face Detection and instant notifications like SMS, E-mail with snapshot, Alarms and Buzzers ensure real-time, preventive security of guests and assets. Moreover, its not just limited to security, smart features like Crowd Management and Parking Management boosts productivity and ensures customer retention by enabling you to provide best services at all times. In addition to this, it can be integrated to all third-party systems like Fire Alarm, Access Control, Billing Software and many more to facilitate synchronous working of different systems.CeBIT Bangalore16 is a great platform to showcase our industry leading Telecom and Security solutions. We look forward to meet new customers as well as system integrators to let them know how our innovative products can help them improve their experience on communication as well as security solutions, said Sagar Gosalia, Vice President - Marketing and Sales.Matrix cordially invites you to visit us at booth number C 301, Hall Number: 1, CeBIT, at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Bangalore from 8th - 10th December, 2016 and have a glimpse at our perfectly tailored Telecom and Security solutions.Matrix Comsec394 GIDC, Makarpua, Vadodara -390010
New Study on Global Online Travel Agencies IT Spending - Market Research 2015-2019

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Online Travel Agencies IT Spending - Market Research 2015-2019" to its huge collection of research reports.Global Online Travel Agencies IT Spending - Market Research 2015-2019Covering: This research report provides the growth projections and market analysis of the global online travel agencies IT spending market until 2019. It segments the market according to software spending, IT services, and hardware. Market shares of Americas, APAC, and the EMEA are also included in the report. The leading vendors detailed include Amadeus, Navitaire, Sabre, and Travelport.Market outlook of the global online travel agencies IT spendingOnline travel agencies depend on technology and IT services to execute airline bookings, hotels, cruise, car and other services. It necessitates continuous upgrades, maintenance, and spending on IT services to provide the best in class services to their customers. The research report predicts the global online travel agencies IT spending market to grow at a CAGR of close to 24% from 2015 to 2019.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The market is fierce, and service offerings of online travel agencies are dependent on IT offerings that consist of advanced features and functionality that match or outperform the competition. Agencies are always on the lookout for vendors that provide agile, flexible and cost effective IT infrastructure solutions for a glitch free booking experience. Thanks to the growing competition, the market is likely to witness many strategic buyouts of such technology solution companies by online travel agencies over the next few years.Market segmentation and analysis of online travel agencies IT spendingSoftware spendingIT services spendingHardware spendingThe global online travel agencies software spending market was valued at nearly $400 million in 2014, and it is expected to witness manifold growth until 2019. This segment comprises content, website design, product development, computer software, ERP packages, CRM systems, computer system related software, in-house developed software, licensing and maintenance of software, and other software products. Agencies are heavily dependent on these software to run their business smoothly, and hence invest significantly in the maintenance of their software architecture.Geographical segmentation of the online travel agencies IT spending marketAmericasAPACEMEAThe Americas region has dominated the market thanks to pioneers such as Expedia, Priceline, and Orbitz in the online travel space. South America still requires enhanced IT solutions to increase the number of online consumers for travel bookings. The demand for IT services from this region is expected to drive the growth of the services segment in the Americas during the forecast period.Competitive landscape of the online travel agencies IT spending marketThe leading players are keen to penetrate emerging markets that are likely to display a faster market growth over the next four years. Vendors will look to leverage the growing use of online travel booking services through advanced apps in these markets. However, the rising threat from new entrants looking to expand their market shares in the same geographies will remain a key concern for market leaders through the forecast period.AmadeusNavitaireSabreTravelportOther prominent vendors in the market include CRS Technologies, Dolphin Dynamics, eCare Technology, Expert Travel Services, Fourth Dimension Software, Lemax, mTrip, Oracle, PcVoyages 2000, Qtech, Technoheaven, Toursys, Tramada, TravelCarma, Trip Solutions, and Web Booking Expert.Key questions answered in the reportWhat are the key factors driving the online travel agencies IT spending market?What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the online travel agencies IT spending market?What are the various opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the online travel agencies IT spending market?Trending factors influencing the market shares for EMEA, APAC, and Americas?Key outcome of the five forces analysis on the online travel agencies IT spending market?Growth forecast of the online travel agencies IT spending market until 2019?Technavio also offers customization on reports based on specific client requirement.Related reportsGlobal Travel Agencies Market 2015-2019Global Travel Technology Market- Opportunity, Trends and Forecast 2015-2019Retail Travel Services Market in India Forecast and Trends 2015-2019Travel Trailers Market in North America 2015-2019Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Chromium Ore Market  Trends and Insights

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IndexBox has just published a new report World: Chromium Ores And Concentrates  Market Report. Analysis and Forecast to 2020 ().This report has been designed to provide a detailed analysis of the global chromium ore market. It covers the most recent data sets of quantitative medium-term projections, as well as developments in production, trade, consumption and prices.The global trade in chromium amounted to 351 million USD in 2015, fluctuating strongly over the period under review. After a 47% drop in 2009, exports more than doubled in 2010. The growth trend reversed in 2012, and after a small increase in 2014, exports continued falling. Overall, there was an annual increase of +1.9% from 2007 to 2015.According to IndexBox estimates, Russia dominated the market in global supplies of chromium for most of the period under review, falling behind France in 2008 and 2013. In 2015, Russias exports of chromium totaled 105 million USD, which accounted for a 30% share in terms of global exports. France, the UK, China, and the Netherlands were the other key global suppliers of chromium in 2015, with a 60% combined share of global exports.Russia (+3.6% per year) and the UK (+3.6% per year) were the fastest growing exporters from 2007 to 2015. Russia strengthened its position in terms of global chromium exports, growing its share from 26% in 2007 to 30% in 2015.On the other hand, the USA (23%, based on value terms), Germany (19%), Japan (13%), the Netherlands (4%), and the UK (4%) were the leading destinations of chromium imports in 2015. Imports to the USA grew at a rapid pace of +24.1% per year from 2007 to 2015. By contrast, the Netherlands significantly contracted its imports of chromium over the same period. The USAs share of global imports increased significantly (+18 percentage points), while the share of the Netherlands illustrated negative dynamics (-14 percentage points).1. INTRODUCTION1.1 REPORT DESCRIPTION1.2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY2.1 KEY FINDINGS2.2 MARKET TRENDS3. MARKET OVERVIEW3.1 MARKET VOLUME AND VALUE3.2 CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY3.3 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES BY COUNTRY3.4 MARKET FORECAST TO 20204. PRODUCTION4.1 PRODUCTION IN 2007-20154.2 PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY5. IMPORTS5.1 IMPORTS IN 2007-20155.2 IMPORTS BY COUNTRY5.3 IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY6. EXPORTS6.1 EXPORTS IN 2007-20156.2 EXPORTS BY COUNTRY6.3 EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY7. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERS3 easy ways to order:1. Follow the link below to review a free sample or to buy the report:2. Call us +44 20 3239 3063 to discuss your information needs and for special discounts on multi-report orders3. Email your order to info@indexbox.co.ukPrice: 1490 EUR for Single LicenseSource:IndexBox is a leading market research publisher in the world. We conduct market research and publish reports. You can find more than 25,000 research reports in our web store, which cover global industries and regional markets. All the worldwide marketing data you need is at your fingertips.Company Name: IndexBoxContact Person: Kirill BezverhiEmail: kirill.bezverhi@indexbox.co.ukPhone: +44 20 3239 3063Adress: United Kingdom, LondonWebsite:
sky[nav]pro - The 4-in-1 Solution for Private Pilots: Navigation App now Available for Free

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Dacher Systems is taking the next step: after a very successful launch phase of the world innovation sky[nav]pro  a 4-in-1 solution offering all relevant flight information like current weather data, navigation, collision warnings as well as tracking in one App for the first time, the navigation App is now also available for free download for Android tablets and Smartphones at the Play Store. We are also already working on the iOS version which will be available at the Apple Store by the end of the year, delights Tiberius Dacher, Managing Director at Dacher Systems. Currently, the following countries are available for navigation with comprehensive map material: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France as well as Benelux. The App also gives users access to the free online planning tool allowing them to perform their flight planning online that they can then send direct to the App. Only value added services like in-flight weather, collision warning as well as tracking with an integrated SOS function plus monitoring come at a charge.Furthermore, until spring 2017 sky[nav]pro will be offering a free pilot phase together with FuelMap, the App for general and business aviation pilots: this shows fuel prices at airports in Germany (later also in other countries) making savings possible in the field accounting for largest flight cost variables. And you can now test it for free: simply click on it in the Online-FLY planning portal at the relevant airfield  you will then see the entry on available fuel and prices in the info box.The next few weeks will see the next phase for the Dacher team being completed: because from Q4/2016 the Hardware Box will be available for delivery. One-off costs for the box stand at Euro 699 plus Euro 49/month for the satellite communication. Those quick off the mark benefit doubly here: alongside being able to use a worldwide technology innovation Dacher Systems is offering the first five hours per month free as a special promotion. Which means the only thing missing is Collision Avoidance developed, amongst other things, together with FLARM Technologie, which will be presented in the first quarter of 2017. This means we will have arrived, said amateur pilot Dacher. Because as soon as the App is also available in the iOS version, the system will be fully operational on all platforms!SkyNavPro was developed by Dacher Systems GmbH. Dacher Systems was established in 2005 by CEO Tiberius Dacher as an IBM-based systems company and rapidly developed into a solutions provider for telematics and avionics. As a member of the European telematics company, Telematics PRO e.V., Dacher Systems is known for the creation and design of social mobility requirements. The sites in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Zurich and Kronstadt assist international corporations in the aerospace sector. The owner and CEO, Tiberius Dacher, is a keen private pilot.Further information atDacher Systems GmbHc/o Eva-Maria Geef (Press agency 7Divisions)Klarwerkstr. 1A13597 Berlin - GERMANYPhone: +49 (0) 2161 937 44 83Mail: presse@skynavpro.aero
Opificio V Milano: the world premiere in cruelty-free Goodyear construction.

Opificio V, a leading Italian company in the creation of cruelty-free luxury shoes, presents its first ever men's collection employing Goodyear welt construction.Thanks to its refined luxury shoes, now crafted with innovative eco-friendly materials, Opificio V is today an established brand, both in the domestic market and internationally. Opificio V is the brainchild of Paula Caracciolo and was founded in 2013.The company ideals are perfectly aligned with the modern awareness context, characterised by concern and discussion regarding ethics and respect for the environment. Since its inception, Opificio V has been implementing ideals as concrete actions.In the first week of November, a new collection of men's shoes will be added to the Black Label range: a world first in the field of footwear, bringing the Goodyear method to "cruelty-free" shoes.Goodyear welt construction was invented in the late nineteenth century and soon became synonymous with high-class English shoemaking. Over time it has become a real "must" in luxury footwear, offering many advantages: robustness, durability, comfort, and a unique design that gives the shoe a distinctive and elegant touch. And today, thanks to Opificio V, it is also sustainable.Once again, the company - renowned for its careful selection of materials, collaborations with exclusively Italian master craftsmen, attention to detail and commitment to the timeless 'Made in Italy' ideal - is taking a further step, offering a high-quality collection that emphasises the connection between ethics and aesthetics.The new Black Label collection with Goodyear welt is available online and in some shops.Thanks to its refined luxury shoes, now crafted with innovative eco-friendly materials, Opificio V is today an established brand, both in the domestic market and internationally. Opificio V is the brainchild of Paula Caracciolo and was founded in 2013.Opificio VVia Zurigo 5Lugano (CH)
European leaders have congratulated Donald Trump for winning the race to the White House, despite concerns over what his presidency could mean for global politics, with key general elections in Germany and France just around the corner.

President Francois Hollande of France congratulated Trump "as is natural between two democratic heads of state," adding, however, that the election result "opens a period of uncertainty."

Before making his public comment, Hollande spoke with the German chancellor over the phone, Reuters said.

France itself is entering into a politically sensitive time with a presidential elections early next year. Trump's victory could represent a boost to Marie Le Pen, head of the far-right party Front National. She congratulated Donald Trump on Twitter hours before the election was closed.







Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany said she is ready to work with Trump based on common democratic values. Earlier on Wednesday, senior members of Merkel's conservative party told Reuters that they have no idea what Trump would do as U.S. president in a scenario of volatile geopolitics. Also, in Germany, the victory of Donald Trump could affect the upcoming election for the chancellery.

There's been an increasing support for the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) in recent state polls. Jorg Meuthen, AfD's chief, said the U.S. result was a "very good signal for the world".

In Italy, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, a strong Hillary Clinton supporter, said that "there is a need to reflect on how the country can build strong institutions that go beyond specific political alliances or elections."



Prime Minister Theresa May of the U.K. has also sent her congratulations to Donald Trump on his victory. "We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defense," May said in a statement.

Trump's victory has been welcomed and congratulated also by the Greek far-right party, Golden Dawn. A spokesperson told Reuters that it was not just a win for Trump, but a victory against "illegal immigration" and in favor of ethnically "clean" nations.

Story continues

In Russia, President Vladimir Putin said that he is hopeful that both countries will cooperate on international issues, Reuters reported. Viktor Orban, prime minister of Hungary, said on Facebook "What a great news. Democracy is still alive."

The Secretary-General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, also congratulated Trump in a statement, saying "U.S. leadership is as important as ever," at a time when there is a "challenging new security environment."

Elsewhere, the President of the European Council Donald Tusk has invited Trump for an EU-U.S. summit at the latter's "earliest convenience."

European newspapers began the day saying November 9 would be remembered as a "black day" for financial markets, but investors seemed far from panicking.

The U.K.'s The Guardian described the market tumult as "bigger than Brexit." Translated headlines showed the Spanish El Pais newspaper saying "Fear of a Trump presidency takes over world markets," and the French Les Echos wrote "Black day for the markets."



European stocks started with heavy losses as the session opened Wednesday, but quickly pared losses with the FTSE 100 (FTSE International: .FTSE) hovering around the flatline by 10:00 a.m. London time.

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.


By Steve Holland and John Whitesides (Reuters) - Republican Donald Trump put aside the celebrations and focused on his 73-day transition to the White House on Wednesday as rival Hillary Clinton promised to bury the bitterness of their long presidential race and work to unify a divided country. After Trump's stunning upset of the heavily favoured Clinton, Democratic President Barack Obama and leading figures in the Republican Party who had struggled to make peace with Trump all vowed to move past the ugliness of an angry campaign to seek common ground. "Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead," Clinton, the Democratic nominee, said in a concession speech in New York, joined by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and daughter Chelsea. With a row of American flags in the background, she told supporters her loss was painful "and it will be for a long time," and that she had offered to work with Trump as he prepares to begin his four-year term on Jan. 20. A wealthy real estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to win Tuesday's election against Clinton, whose gold-plated establishment resume included stints as a first lady, U.S. senator and Obama's secretary of state. Trump's victory marked a crushing end to Clinton's second quest to be the first woman elected president. She also failed in a White House bid in 2008. Obama, who campaigned hard against Trump, invited him to the White House for a meeting on Thursday after a brutal night for the Democratic Party, which also fell short of recapturing majorities in both chambers of Congress. "We are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country," Obama said at the White House, adding that he and his staff would work with Trump to ensure a successful transition. "We are not Democrats first, we are not Republicans first, we are Americans first." Trump and his senior aides were meeting at Trump Tower in New York on Wednesday to begin the transition. "They are hunkered down in meetings, plotting the next steps, the transition, the first 100 days, key staff positions," said a source close to Trump's campaign. Trump will enjoy Republican majorities in both chambers of the U.S. Congress that could help him implement his legislative agenda and appoint a Supreme Court justice to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. "Now, Donald Trump will lead a unified Republican government and we will work hand-in-hand on a positive agenda to tackle this country's big challenges," House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, who had a strained relationship with Trump, told reporters, saying Trump had earned a mandate in the election. TRUMP PRIORITIES In an Oct. 25 Reuters interview, Trump said his top priorities when he took office would be building stronger borders, repealing Obama's national healthcare plan, aiding military veterans and working to create more jobs. In his victory speech early on Wednesday, he also promised to embark on a project to rebuild American infrastructure and to double U.S. economic growth. Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday that repealing the healthcare plan known as Obamacare would be a "pretty high item" on the agenda. [nL1N1DA2ZE] House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that she spoke to Trump about passing a "robust" jobs bill. Worried that a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors initially fled stocks worldwide but Wall Street made a dramatic turnaround and the U.S. dollar hit its highest level against the Japanese yen in nearly four months. The Mexican peso recouped some losses after falling to a record low. The currency has been vulnerable to Trump's threats to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico and to tax money sent home by migrants to pay to build a border wall. Scattered protests broke out around the country over Trump's triumph. In Berkeley, California, outside San Francisco, some 1,500 high school students and teachers walked out of classes chanting, "not our president." Smaller groups of students walked out of classes in nearby Oakland and in Seattle, Washington, while several hundred students protested at the University of Texas, according to local reports. Speaking to cheering supporters in a New York hotel ballroom after his victory, Trump said it was time to heal divisions after a campaign that exposed deep differences among Americans. "It is time for us to come together as one united people," Trump said. "I will be president for all Americans." His comments were an abrupt departure from his campaign trail rhetoric in which he repeatedly branded Clinton as "Crooked Hillary" amid supporters' chants of "lock her up." Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, on Wednesday did not rule out the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton's past conduct, a threat Trump made in an election debate last month. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said it hoped the tradition of not using the criminal justice system to extract revenge on political opponents would continue under Trump. Despite losing the state-by-state electoral battle that determines the U.S. presidency, Clinton narrowly led Trump in the nationwide popular vote, according to U.S. media tallies. Fuelling his upset was Trump's avid support among white non-college educated workers. He ran up big leads in rural areas, beating Clinton by 27 percentage points among voters outside of urban areas, a Reuters/Ipsos Election Day poll found. While Clinton, 69, won Hispanics and black and young voters, she did not win those groups by greater margins than Obama did in 2012. Younger blacks did not support Clinton like they did Obama. She won eight of 10 black voters between the ages of 35 and 54. Obama won almost 100 percent of those voters in 2012. At 70, Trump will be the oldest first-term U.S. president. The presidency will be Trump's first elected office, and it remains to be seen how he will work with Congress. During the campaign Trump was the target of sharp disapproval, not just from Democrats but also from many in his own party. GOOD NEWS FOR RUSSIA Foreign leaders pledged to work with Trump but some officials expressed alarm that the vote could mark the end of an era in which Washington promoted democratic values and was seen by its allies as a guarantor of peace. During the campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested that Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defence burden. Russia and Putin appeared to be winners from Trump's victory. Defying years of U.S. foreign policy orthodoxy, the Republican had promised much warmer relations with Moscow, despite Russia's intervention in the Syrian civil war and its seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region. Russia's parliament erupted in applause after a lawmaker announced that Trump had been elected, and Putin told foreign ambassadors he was ready to fully restore ties with Washington. "It is not an easy path but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development," Putin said. Russia is hoping that improved relations could yield an elusive prize: the lifting or easing of sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union to punish Moscow for its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who sparred with Obama, spoke by phone to Trump, who proposed they meet "at the first opportunity," Netanyahu's office said. Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing and Washington shared responsibility for promoting global development and prosperity. Iran urged Trump to stay committed to the nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers. Several authoritarian and right-wing leaders hailed Trump's victory. Other officials abroad, some with senior roles in government, took the unusual step of denouncing the outcome, calling it a worrying signal for liberal democracy and tolerance in the world. "Trump is the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement. He is also a warning for us," German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said in an interview with the Funke newspaper group. U.S. neighbour Mexico was pitched into deep uncertainty by the victory for Trump, who has often accused it of stealing U.S. jobs and sending criminals across the U.S. border. Trump campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist "America First" path. He wants to rewrite international trade deals to reduce trade deficits and has taken positions that raise the possibility of damaging relations with America's most trusted allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Trump survived a series of blows on the campaign, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologised but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, allegations he denied. He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Clinton. A Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day poll offered some clues to the outcome. It found Clinton badly underperformed expectations with women, winning their vote by only about 2 percentage points. (Writing by John Whitesides and Alistair Bell; Additional reporting by Amanda Becker, Emily Stephenson and Christopher Kahn in New York, Letitia Stein in St. Petersburg, Florida, Luciana Lopez in Miami, Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem and Kim Palmer in Ohio; Editing by Will Dunham and Howard Goller)
Welcome to Episode #57 of the Zacks Market Edge Podcast.

Every week, host and Zacks stock strategist, Tracey Ryniec, will be joined by guests to discuss the hottest investing topics in stocks, bonds and ETFs and how it impacts your life.

In this episode, Tracey is joined by Zacks very own Greek experts Harry Kougias and Domina Tingos. They are Greek natives, have friends and family in Greece and visit yearly.

Both of them were on the very first episode of the Market Edge in October 2015 discussing the Greece crisis and whether or not you should invest. This is a follow-up podcast to see if things have improved or gotten worse.

In 2015, the worries were whether or not Greece would stay in the Eurozone and whether or not Greeks would be able to get money out of the ATMs.

Flash forward a year and the capital controls are still in effect in Greece and its still in the Union, but there are other issues that have moved to the forefront.

1. There are now 60,000 refugees or migrants in Greece which are straining social services and hurting tourism in the eastern islands.

2. The Greek banks have about $120 billion in bad loans on the books, with 41% of those delinquent mortgages. There have been violent protests regarding the repossession, or foreclosure, of homes. Supposedly about 50,000 properties are up for repossession by the banks next year. But will it happen?

3. One bright spot is still tourism. In 2015, Greece saw a record number of visitors. Through September of 2016, it is again on pace for another record year as Greece has stolen visitors from Turkey and Egypt, which have been plagued by political unrest. Tourism is about 20% of GDP. But is it enough to keep the economy going?

In 2015, Domina and Harry were still optimistic about the future for younger Greeks but what do they think this year?

And what do they think about investing in Greece through the Greek ETF (GREK)? It is down 8.5% year-to-date. Tracey discusses whether it is a contrarian play right now.

Story continues

There are other ways to play the Greek economy, including by buying cruise ships like Royal Caribbean (RCL) and Carnival (CLL) as well as Ryan Air (RYAAY).

What else should you know about Greece, its debt crisis and its economy?

Tune into this weeks podcast to find out.

Listen to the 2015 Podcast on Greece

Greece was the very first topic we covered on Zacks Market Edge. The podcast is interesting to listen to a year later.

Enjoy.



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The talk from Wolf Blitzer on CNN is all Florida, Florida, but for Hillary Clinton the first win of the night Tuesday was the much-expected Vermont and its three electoral votes. The home state of the Clintons primary rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders, was called right after 7 PM ET on CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC as polls closed in the Green Mountain State.

With Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia going in Donald Trumps column, the GOP candidate holds an early Electoral College lead of 19-3. The night has already seen some computer glitches in North Carolina, where polls in Durham County will now stay open an extra 90 minutes, state officials have decided. In the closely contested state, that county is seen as heavily Democratic with its large African-American communities.

Along with Vermont, polls closed at 7 ET in Alabama, Georgia, Virginia, South Carolina, New Hampshire and pivotal Florida. West Virginia and Ohio are expected to close at 7:30 PM ET, as is the rest of North Carolina. A win in Florida by Clinton would make it very hard for Trump to find a route to the White House unless he took all the other battleground states in play and more.

Of course, as small percentages trickle in among those states, cable news networks are starting to froth at the calling-it mouth. At least John King had the reserve to say weve got a long way to go in Florida when looking at the first batch of numbers from the Sunshine State. Then again, senior advisors from both the Clinton and Trump camp are being cited left, right and center too  is the night were facing.

RelatedDonald Trump Takes First Two States After Filing Days First Legal Battle And Eying Wifes Ballot

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Ingram Micro Inc. IM recently entered into a partnership with Microsoft Corporation MSFT to add Azure cloud connectivity to its New Zealand Cloud Marketplace. The move will offer Ingram Micro partners a reliable, high-performance connectivity solution as they can now directly connect to Microsoft Azure via the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace.



The financial implications of the deal were not disclosed.



Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing platform, launched in 2010, for creating, deploying and managing applications and services through the worldwide network of its datacenters. It is a cloud platform that helps users manage applications effectively.



Benefits for Ingram Micro



Featuring Microsofts Office 365 via the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program, Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace will be extremely beneficial for channel partners. Not only will it enhance the overall support experience for customers but also accelerate growth of Ingram Micros cloud businesses.



Moreover, it will broaden Ingram Micros capabilities as a cloud solution provider, thereby helping it to capitalize on the increasing opportunities in the cloud computing market. It will also be a good source of monthly recurring revenues for Ingram Micro.



Ingram Micro's initiative comes at an opportune moment as cost benefits of cloud computing are compelling companies to engage in massive information technology restructuring and upgrades. The Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace has more than 200 cloud-based solutions from over 70 vendors, which include salesforce.com CRM, VMware VMW and AVG Technologies.



According to Gary Bigwood, managing director of Ingram Micro New Zealand "We are pleased to enhance the Ingram Micro Ecosystem of Cloud and differentiate our Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider offering with the addition of Azure to our broad portfolio of cloud solutions." He further added, "By automating the delivery of Azure and making available the necessary resources and tools for transformation, our reseller partners have the capability to quickly build a successful Azure practice and deliver greater value to their customers."

Story continues

INGRAM MICRO Price

INGRAM MICRO Price | INGRAM MICRO Quote

Conclusion



Leveraging Azure will equip Ingram Micro with additional capacities like artificial intelligence, natural language processing, enterprise application integration and advanced data visualization. Furthermore, integration with Office 365 will help Ingram Micro integrate industrial applications with business process and analytics.



Though we are unable to estimate the financial benefits, we remain encouraged by the close association that Ingram Micro enjoys with the leading enterprise application software developer.



Ingram Micro has been striking distribution deals with a number of original equipment manufacturers, thus expanding its product portfolio. Moreover, Ingram Micro's exposure in cloud computing products is expected to remain its key growth driver.



Though Ingram Micros high debt burden is a concern, we remain fairly optimistic about its strategic relationships with network giants such as Juniper Networks Inc., Cisco and International Business Machines Corp.



Currently, Ingram Micro has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here

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martin sorrell

Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of the world's largest advertising agency holding group, said on Wednesday that Donald Trump's surprise win in the US presidential election is "effectively a second Brexit."

In an emailed statement, Sorrell said the news "leaves many surprised, including the markets and me."

He went on to discuss the short term implications of Trump's win.

Sorrell said: "Increased levels of uncertainty will mean more hesitation to make important decisions in the short term, both by people and governments. But it may accelerate implementation of helpful reforms in the medium term to reduce uncertainty and stimulate investment as a result."

The advertising chief believes immigration, trade, and terrorism were the key issues that swayed voters in Trump's direction  similar concerns that led the UK public to vote for the country to leave the European Union in June.

Last month, WPP saw a slowdown in growth in its UK revenue, which Sorrell commented could reflect "the first signs of Brexit anxiety"  as marketers tend to be cautious with their ad spend at times of uncertainty.

With those two major political events compounded, Sorrell said: "There will now be a lot of reassessment, including of polling techniques. Electorates at times like these clearly don't like to be told how they're going to vote, especially by the media and other elites."

Sorrell signed off his statement with the news that he and his wife Cristiana Falcone, welcomed the birth of their child on Tuesday. Sorrell, aged 71, also has three grown up sons with his first wife, Sandra Finestone.

Sir Martin Sorrell's full statement on the US election result:

"Effectively a second Brexit that leaves many very surprised, including the markets and me.

It's going to take a significant amount of time to assess the implications beyond the short term.

Increased levels of uncertainty will mean more hesitation to make important decisions in the short term, both by people and governments. But it may accelerate implementation of helpful reforms in the medium term to reduce uncertainty and stimulate investment as a result.

Story continues

Clearly immigration, trade and terrorism were key issues that swayed electoral opinion in a very significant way, just as they did in the UK, and probably will in the European referendum and elections to come.

There will now be a lot of reassessment, including of polling techniques. Electorates at times like these clearly don't like to be told how they're going to vote, especially by the media and other elites.

One unsurprising event - Baby Sorrell was born on Election Day in New York. A welcome to a rollercoaster world."

NOW WATCH: Animated map shows where your bottled water actually comes from





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Goose Creek, SC (29445)

Today

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 58F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 58F. Winds light and variable.
Polls have closed as of 7 p.m., but voters who were in line by that time will still be allow
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Last week at Midland City Hall, a line formed to cast absentee ballots. Tiffany, 35, Jenn, 55, Robert, 78, and Kate, 103, all stood waiting to vote. Counting Barbs vote beforehand, thats five generations of the Schlosser family: a great, great grandmother, great grandfather, grandmother, mother and daughter-in-law casting ballots at the same time.

You could say voting is important to the longtime Midlanders.

Kate Schlosser was born before World War I started, decades before TVs were common in homes and nearly 80 years before the invention of the World Wide Web (See: Internet). And, for the millennials who still remember the device, the 103-year-old had her first day on earth not long after the first radio signals were transmitted.

She was first able to vote in 1932, at 19, and did. The country was in the throes of the Great Depression. Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt would go on to defeat Republican Herbert Hoover.

In what now could be taken as a chilling foreshadowing of the 2016 election, FDR, the first president to appear on TV, famously said in his first inaugural address the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Kate Schlosser has voted ever since. She waded a river of Republican candidates this year  at one point, there were 20. Of the choices, she said, Im disappointed. Still, Im a Republican. Ill vote Republican.

Casting her absentee ballot this week marked 21 presidents shes voted for in one lifetime.

So why vote?

So I can gripe, she said with a smile. I just think you should vote. Its your privilege.

Her son, Bob, 78, said he votes so he doesnt feel guilty. Hes a retired Midland police officer and served 25 years on the force.

That was fun, Jenn Joseph, 55, an office administrator at Midland Towne Center Management, said after casting her ballot. Doing it as a family, that was pretty cool. No feelings of being rushed and a nice, relaxed atmosphere at city hall, she said.

Outside and especially on social media, not so much.

I feel like there is a lot of hate in the world, said Tiffany Joseph, 35, who works at Lowes and at the polls. Looking toward her daughter, Savannah, 15, who joined the family in line, Tiffany said shes hopeful her vote actually makes a difference.

Kate Schlosser, along with her son, Bob, and daughter-in-law, Barb, lives at Riverside Place. She worked at The Dow Chemical Co. for 24 years. She said her parents had moved into a house in the downtown area in 1894. She carries in a purse a crisp and well-preserved photo dated 1920. It shows her and family, most of which have passed. Shes a snowbird, taking off for Florida in the winter, but says shes lived here all her life.

Like others at Riverside, she has a reputation: she knits a pair of mittens for each new resident. By her count, shes up to 400 pairs.

Its my pastime, she said.

After voting, the family all exchanged hugs and kisses and went their separate ways.

The highest voter turnout of recent record in Midland County is 71 percent in the 2004 presidential election. In 2000, it was 63 percent; in 2008, 68 percent; and in 2012, 64 percent. Turnout for presidential primary elections are generally lower (19.5 percent in 2008 and 16 percent in 2012), but shot to 34 percent for the one in March this year, when 21,890 of 64,208 registered voters cast a ballot.
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Rep. Gary Glenn, R-Midland, will be returning to Lansing for a second term as voters overwhelmingly showed their support on Tuesday.

Glenn, who was facing first time political candidate Geoff Malicoat won by an approximately 60 - 40 percent margin for the district that encompasses: the Bay County townships of Beaver, Fraser, Garfield, Gibson, Mount Forest, Pinconning and Williams. It also covers Homer, Jerome, Larkin, Lee, Lincoln and Midland townships in Midland County along with the cities of Auburn, Midland and Pinconning.

"I'm gratified by the support that Midland County and Bay County voters have proffered tonight and their faith in me. I hope to continue to focus on things that will bring more jobs to mid Michigan," Glenn said.

In Midland County, Glenn was more dominant than his first victory in 2014. This time, he only lost two precincts, both in the City of Midland: Ward 1, Precinct 6; and Ward 2, Precinct 2. In 2014, he lost eight precincts, all in the City of Midland.

"This is the high water Democrat year. It seems like there is a Republican wave across the state," he said referring to the strong support for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and the surprising victory of Donald Trump for president.

Overall, Glenn unofficially won 60.15 percent of the vote, or 25,669, while Malicoat took 39.85 percent, or 17,004. Midland County saw Glenn earn 19,337 votes, or 59.4 percent, to 13,177, or 40.4 percent, for Malicoat.

Historically, a Democratic area, Bay County was even more friendly for Glenn as he earned 62.13 percent of the vote, or 6,332, against 37.55 percent, or 3,827 votes for Malicoat.

Glenn can now set his sights on his second term where he hopes to continue his quest for cheaper electricity in the state. His first term saw him as vice chairman of the House Energy Committee, but he hopes to have a more important role in the energy arena this term.

"I believe one of the most critical things that we need is to have cheaper electricity. There is a strong possibility that I may serve as chairman of the committee. So it would be even more of a focus for me," he said.

A bout with cancer during the past year made campaigning more difficult for Glenn.

"I started four months later than 2014 and I could only do two hours a day instead of 8-10 hours a day," he said, when comparing the two campaigns. But, his supporters took up the slack with a letter writing campaign.

"I've been in politics for almost 40 years now and I've never seen a letter-to-the-editor disparity that was the case in this race," he said. "On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the Daily News ran 40 letters to the editor supporting my reelection and only one supporting my Democratic opponent. That was very gratifying."
Officials in Las Vegas are responding to a lawsuit from the Donald Trump campaign claiming polling places stayed open too late during early voting.

Trump campaign attorney Brian Hardy told the judge he wants to preserve records about late ballots on the last day of early voting at four locations in the Las Vegas area.

Long lines kept polls open past the 7 p.m. posted closing time last Friday at a Mexican market and several shopping centers, including one in southeast Las Vegas where officials say the last voter cast a ballot after 10 p.m.

The Donald Trump campaign says allowing early voting sites to stay open past closing time in the Las Vegas area was an "egregious violation of election law." The county says they were accommodating people already in line.

Nevada state campaign director Charles Munoz said in a statement the suit describes multiple incidents where election law was broken, including one where a county employee allowed people to vote even though the lines had been cleared and closure announcements had been made.

County officials have said there was no formal extension of closing time, but elections officials often keep sites open to accommodate all voters in line.

The Trump campaign is suing Clark County Registrar Joe Gloria and asking a judge to order the ballots impounded and segregated.

Clark County District Court Judge Gloria Sturman said Tuesday that making the names part of the court record could expose the workers to possible "public attention, ridicule and harassment."

She says the county registrar is already required to keep the records, and the Nevada Secretary of State is responsible for investigating the complaint.

State Republican party chief Michael McDonald has also criticized the process, but Democrat Hillary Clinton's campaign calls the suit frivolous.










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In his first attempt at reelection, Congressman John Moolenaar, R-Midland, easily defeated Democratic opponent Debra Wirth.

"It's an exciting evening," Moolenaar said as he sat in a booth at Pizza Sam's. "I'm very pleased with the outcome and thankful for the opportunity to serve the residents of the 4th District in Washington. I'm ready to get back to work."

Overall, Moolenaar took 61.62 percent of the vote, or 194,569 votes, for the district that includes the counties of Clare, Clinton, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, Ogemaw, Osceola, Roscommon, Shiawassee and Wexford. It also includes portions of Montcalm and Saginaw counties.

Wirth garnered 101,275 votes, or 32.08 percent. As expected, Midland County went heavily for Moolenaar with 26,950, or 64.7 percent, to 12,669, or 30.4 percent for Debra Wirth.

Although it wasn't a rugged campaign, Moolenaar used the campaign trail to better understand and build relationships with people in the 4th Congressional District. The 2016 campaign was in contrast to 2014 when he faced a tough primary challenge from Paul Mitchell. Interestingly, Mitchell has since declared residency in Michigan's 10th Congressional District and will be heading to Washington, D.C., after winning that seat in the U.S. House.

Moolenaar stated that the 2014 campaign went by so quickly, especially after the primary, that he didn't have time to build the relationships that are key.

"We've had a great team representing the area here and in the district and in Washington, D.C., and were able to help a lot of people," Moolenaar said of his first term.

As he looks forward to his second term, he wants to work on the "Better Way Agenda," which comprises six areas: poverty, national security, the economy, the Constitution, health care and tax reform. The agenda seeks to share what the Republican stand for, not what they are against.

"We want to work on a more simpler, fairer tax code, health care reform that is more patient center, a strong defense where we have a strategy to defeat the terrorists," he said.
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Republican Gaye Terwillegar won the election on Tuesday to represent District 4 on the Midland County Board of Commissioners.

With all seven precincts reporting, results show Terwillegar defeated Democrat Eric Anders by 3,566 to 1,837 votes, taking 66 percent of the vote.

"It's been quite a 24 hours," Terwillegar said on this morning.

District 4 comprises Ingersoll, Mount Haley and Midland townships along with the southern and western areas of the city of Midland.

When the first precincts in Midland County reported around 9:11 p.m., Terwillegar took a large lead (780-315) and maintained a double-digit margin. She said she left a viewing party at Pizza Sam's around midnight with six of seven precincts reporting.

Terwillegar, a fourth generation Midlander, grew up in Midland Township and later moved to Ingersoll Township. She taught at Delta College as an adjunct professor of health and wellness after graduating with a master's degree in health management from Central Michigan University. Terwillegar also served on the Midland-Gladwin Red Cross board of directors. She was named executive director for Midland Area Partnership for Drug Free Youth in 2002, a position she held for 10 years.

Terwillegar joins Republican Jeanette Snyder, who won election to serve as county commissioner of District 1. Of the seven commissioners, two are now women.

"It's nice to have that complement of gender," Terwillegar said. "The most important thing, and this is very important, it's the skillset, not the gender. You need to have that coming in. The right background, skills and frame of support of Midland County."

Terwillegar said she wants to hit the ground running, attending more commissioner meetings until she is seated, in January. She said she wants to work as a team cohesively with current commissioners and listen to the needs and concerns of her community, although she has spoken with all three townships in her district and says there are not any significant issues as in other districts.

"Things are quieter out here," she said.

"I wish Gaye all the luck in the world," Anders said.

Anders said he wants to continue to try to "engage, educate and enlighten" county residents about issues he thinks are relevant.

"I've always maintained that I see many of the problems the county is experiencing as coming from Lansing."

Four incumbents in county commissioner races: Chair Mark Bone, R-2nd District; Jim Geisler, R-5th District; Eric Dorrien, R-6th District; and Scott Noesen, R-7th District, did not have opposition in the general election. Steve Glaser, Republican candidate for 3rd District, did not face opposition in either the primary or general.

However in District 1, which covers Warren, Edenville, Geneva and Jerome townships, as well as Coleman and Sanford, Republican Jeanette Snyder and Democrat Connie Methner squared off to determine the first female to serve on the board since 2012. Snyder won that race.
This is being written before Tuesdays election. By now, we will know, depending on the popularly promoted view, whether weve elected a congenital liar or a sexual predator. Or, if you prefer, the spouse of a sexual predator or a congenital liar. Either way, this election cycle is not worthy of the Republic. However, unfortunately, while it may not be the election we wanted, in many ways it is the election that we deserved.

The national election of 2016 is the result of a number of factors, most of which have been brewing for some time. The United States of America and its governmental system can only survive with an active, educated citizenry. When the electorate only tunes in during a presidential cycle, it gets the fruit of its inattention. Factors affecting our elections are plenty, but here are a few which could use attention, including a public worthy of the political traditions created, fought for, and preserved.

1. Competitive districts. As data and consultants have become more exact in focus, state legislatures (Michigan a prime example), have reduced representatives to agents of one party. State legislatures in many cases re-draw electoral districts to assure one-party success, not an open, competitive exchange of issues and proposals. When legislatures do this, it means that the most rigid ideologues can win a primary without fear of confronting true competition in the general election. This promotes fringe politics.

2. Gerrymander. This is related to the need for competitive districts. Taking the authority to district away from partisan politicians in state legislatures and giving it to a non-partisan commission charged with promoting electoral competition would assure more representative districts and elections. This idea terrifies current legislators and their donors, who have a vested interest in power, but not representation.

3. Term Limits. Term limits sound great in theory, but in practice, they promote rigidity of thought and political incest. Is there any other field in which experience is considered a bad thing? However, in our rush to promote electoral turnover, we leave lawmaking to inexperienced legislators with axes to grind, who (see Gerrymander and Competitive Districts) are not accountable to anyone but the fringe of their party and the donors who promote rigid views. Maybe its time to re-think term limits as part of a move to promote representative elections and higher quality officials.

4. Vote Fraud. While it sounds like a great thing to be against, if our legislators were honest, they would admit that vote fraud is almost non-existent. Voter suppression by elected officials, however, is alive and well. State legislatures across the country have gone on a rampage of making it more difficult for people to vote, instead of making it more convenient and credible. The truth is, donors have a pretty big interest in suppressing the vote of certain types of voters, depending on the district, and so they use vote fraud as a sham to cover up the attempt to prevent Americans from participating.

5. Legislative Compromise. We used to elect representatives who became statesmen by realizing that compromise was necessary to ensure broad understanding and representation. We dont have statesmen anymore. Across the country, legislators and governors brag of their refusal to compromise. Ideological purity does much more harm to the process of creating, passing and implementing laws than almost any other attitude. Add to that the role of lobbyists in writing laws for inexperienced legislators, and you have the recipe for disaster which many statehouses have become.

6. Campaign Finance. The Citizens United case in the Supreme Court essentially rendered state legislatures and Congress a parliament of whores in the words of the conservative writer P.J. ORourke (2003). Free speech in the United States is one of the most important characteristics of our nation. We confuse free speech with money. Why is it impossible to require that all political donors be identified? The Cruella DeVille Fund for Good Government should have to disclose all individual donors to its political action committee, as should corporations and unions. No fake names. No reliance simply on aggregate reporting. Full disclosure will at least give the public the opportunity to see who rents our legislators votes. Maybe shedding a little light on who runs the show will give the electorate a bit more information on why we get the policymaking we get.

7. Media. A lot has been said about the media during this election cycle. Heck, the Midland Daily News even complained about it, and they are members of the media. The proliferation of news sources is a good thing. The inability of Americans to critically assess multiple viewpoints is not.

Studies over the last 20 years have indicated that people are trending more and more to reading news sources which agree with the views they already hold. Watching only CNBC or Fox News is akin to exercising one muscle in your arm. Media sources like the TV networks and newspapers have writers and editors who are accountable for their work, and must be able to provide attribution. Online sources (Breitbart, for example) are for the almost criminally ignorant, but are cited as authoritative.

If you do not consistently economically support authentic (rather than tabloid) news media (subscribe to newspapers, magazines, etc.), youre part of the problem. You may be reading this online right now, without subscribing, but it means that the Midland Daily News loses revenue, then staff, and then cannot carry out the mission of newspapers. When studies talk about how people mistrust the media, maybe its because as a public, weve become too lazy to read, assess and critically analyze multiple viewpoints, especially those with which we disagree. People who rely on internet sources, like articles or believe clickbait make impossible a rational response to issues.

Everybody likes to quote the Founders. Even Thomas Jefferson preferred newspapers as a check on governmental power. Modern politicians blame the mainstream media for their troubles, knowing that fringe media are much better at attracting attention, but much worse at building intellect.

8. Debates. The three presidential debates were a disgrace to the concept of presidential as well as a disgrace to the word debate. Why is there ever a studio audience for these? This isnt Americas Got Talent or a game show. If, as a nation, we want substantive, serious proposals presented and analyzed, we cannot have the process treated like a middle school pep rally. Foxs Chris Wallace made the best effort at keeping the crowd at bay. If we want auditions for a sitcom, use this format. If you want intelligent discourse, remove the titillation factor of playing to the audience.

When asked what form of government the Constitutional Convention had devised, Benjamin Franklin was reported to have said, A republic, if you can keep it. At present, we are doing a disservice to the men who gathered to give us not a perfect, but more perfect union. We can, and must, do better, if we are to keep it.

Ric Shahin is a resident of Midland.
Hope: Looking Back at Looking Forward in 2008

By Alexander Joenks | Politics | November 9, 2016 |

Publishers Note: Originally published the day after the election, November of 2008, but somehow, weirdly seems fitting today.

It was a time of peace, it was a time of war. Everyone wanted heaven but dealt in hells prizes. Soldiers fought in the deserts, civilians fought in the streets. The politicians bickered on television, the reporters begged for exclusives. The rich got richer, the poor got poorer. In short, it was no different than any other stretch of time on this pallid people infested globe.

The recently departed American president could not complete a sentence, nor claim victory in the popular vote. The challengers sat in million dollar mansions and pondered stock prices more than party principles. In tenements and ranch houses, the masses flocked to one side or the other, based more on calculated moral stances than issues or even their own pocketbooks. Promised tax cuts mattered little next to the platforms position on unborn children. The intellectuals surrendered twenty years prior and formulated wordy theories explaining their opinions and the faults of their opposites. Fighter planes screeched over oil-rich provinces independent in name only, the national guard holding cities they could not pronounce for ideals they invented for their leaders.

Prisons overflowed with felons who bought a joint, while rapists walked free. In California, every news room and available camera focused on a yuppie who killed his wife, while a thousand computers stole an election without a peep. From sea to shining sea, billion dollar record companies sued nine year olds for downloading three minute songs they heard on the radio. Life savings disappeared into the coffers to fund the ad campaign for the next Britney Spears, except this time, it would be twins! The best-selling books were filed under self-help or were elaborate conspiracy theories wedged into current events. Class rooms in Kansas taught that the lord created the world in 7 days, even while the Hubble space telescope glimpsed the fourteen-billion year old remnants of the Big Bang.

Reporters caught up with Loretta Biggs outside her Topeka church and asked her how she explained the fossil record if the world was indeed created on October 23, 4004 BC. Well, young man. Of course God buried all those bones to confuse you high-falutin, too-smart scientistologists. Halleleujah and Amen. They cut her rendition of the Lords Prayer to launch into a toothpaste commercial. Dentiment. Great-tasting and plaque-killing.

Russia, the declared loser of the Cold War, hurried to tiptoe as close to utter collapse as was possible without actually holding a civil war. They spent a decade bombing a breakaway province or two and battering their own armys morale into dissolution. The apparatus of Soviet government continued on with a different head, for a time a new born democrat and then his throwback prodigy who disliked democracy enough to keep the regime from imploding another few years. Nuclear reactors popped like blown fuses, but mountains of soil and dollars - not rubles, no one would take them anymore - kept the lid on the mushroom clouds. The Russian mafia sold their most beautiful daughters to American internet users who could not get dates on their own, but did not know how to order call girls within their hemisphere. A thousand nuclear weapons probably got lost, though no one could recall since no one paid guards to keep track of them for the better part of a decade. Rollicking elections fostered a sense of democracy, even while a prophylactic factory tried to pay its workers in condoms when it ran out of money. The same workers rioted when a vodka tax raised the price by thirty cents per liter. Life expectancy among men dropped two decades in a little over five years once the less fair sex of Russians realized that their particular democracy made them neither richer or freer, nor did it make their wives Swedish or their country more than a third-world superpower has been. The Germans slaughtered the Jews and even they got the Marshall Plan.

America thought the better of itself since it still could afford to invade the occasional country or two, even if it did have a tragic cost in hundred-story office buildings. A million jobs telecommuted to India and the skilled middle class became mop-jockeys and drive-through monkeys. Too close-to-call elections led to the replacement of paper ballots with untraceable electronic ones. Immense multi-nationals reported false profits for years upon years, lied to their stockholders and jumped ship right before the iceberg with golden parachutes. Kenneth Lay did not serve a day and kept his mansion in Boca Raton. Jimmy, the stoner down the hall with all the tattoos got three-to-five upstate for owning a bong. They euthanized his two dogs since he had no family to take them. Martha Stewart did three months hard time, although the commentators could never agree on whether it was funnier or sadder. Late night talk shows got the most mileage out of every event, almost as if their script writers had a hand in the events of the day. A fake news show on Comedy Central won Emmys for journalism. Telling the truth was a laugh and passing on the lies was a fact.

All these things passed as the twenty-first century began. All around this dance of events, the workers trudged to dying factories and employees lined up at punchclocks for their menial work as janitors, sales associates, customer managers, and administrative assistants. The bureaucrats lilted easily on their thrones of senate seats and corporate board rooms. A wind lifted in the backcounty, whirling dusty through the ditches and small towns, twisting through back alleys and high rises, ever rising into the coming whirlwind.

Dr. Steven Lloyd Wilson is a hopeless romantic and the last scion of Norse warriors and the forbidden elder gods. His novel, ramblings, and assorted fictions coalesce at www.burningviolin.com. You can email him here.






Last January, congressional Republicans finally succeeded in getting a bill to President Obamas desk that would repeal the Affordable Care Act and pave the way for major GOP replacement ideas. Obama, of course, vetoed the bill and allowed his long-embattled signature health insurance plan to continue.

Today, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told Politico that the GOP intends to keep its promise  which could happen as early as January  when a newly ensconced President Donald J. Trump will be sitting in the Oval Office. McConnell said, "It's pretty high on our agenda as you know," the Kentucky Republican said on Wednesday. "I would be shocked if we didn't move forward and keep our commitment to the American people."

Related: Clinton and Trump Stake Out Stark Differences on Obamacare in Second Debate

The 2010 Affordable Care Act  which has provided more than 20 million Americans with subsidized and market rate health care insurance  survived two legal challenges that made it all the way to the Supreme Court and more than 50 attempts by hostile Senate and House members to kill the program through legislative action.

But Obamacare appears to be the biggest casualty of Tuesday nights stunning election results. Trump, the billionaire businessman who spent the waning days of the campaign denouncing Obamacare and promising to repeal it, soundly defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton, who devoted much of her campaign to defending the program and vowing to build on it.

Now, with a Republican in the White House beginning January 20 and the GOP retaining firm control of the Senate and House, lawmakers and health care policy experts agree that the axe will fall on the program early next year  possibly even before Trump is sworn in as president. Trump has repeatedly denounced Obamacare for its soaring premiums and financial instability and has promised that repealing the program would be among his first acts in office.

House and Senate GOP leaders are mulling the idea of having the legislation repealing Obamacare waiting for Trump on Inauguration Day.

Story continues

I think theyre serious, John McDonough, a Harvard University public health professor who worked with Senate Democrats to draft and pass the Affordable Care Act, said in an interview on Wednesday. How many times do they have to say it before we say, Okay, we get it, you really mean it.

Related: Obamacare Suffers Another Big Blow as Aetna Pulls Out of 11 States

This is not a drill, he added. This is the real deal.

Larry Levitt, senior vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation, said in an interview with The Washington Post today that Obamacare may be on its last leg. The ACA as we know it would seem to be toast, he said.

The landmark program championed by President Obama mandates uninsured Americans to obtain coverage provides an array of individual policies and tax subsidies for lower income Americans. It greatly expands health insurance coverage for the poor under Medicaid and allows parents to keep their children on their family policies through age 26. And it offers consumer protections including a ban on insurers denying policies to applicants with pre-existing health problems.

Summarily dismantling that program without an adequate replacement would pose a stunning setback for millions of Americans who would eventually lose their current level of coverage and have to settle for something far less comprehensive  or nothing at all.

Related: A Big Problem for Obamacare: How Much Americans Can Afford to

The Republicans have been long criticized for waging war on Obamacare without offering a viable alternative. Indeed, House Republicans for years routinely brought up and passed measures to financially cripple or kill off Obamacare, but they invariably stalled in the Senate, where Republican leaders couldnt muster the minimum of 60 votes needed to pass major legislation.

That began to change last winter after House Budget Committee Chair Tom Price (R-GA) introduced a bill tailor-made for the reconciliation process in the Senate. Prices bill would repeal Obamacares mandates on individuals and businesses and eliminate tax credits for lower income people by the end of 2017, as VOX explained today. That bill would also end the ACAs Medicaid expansion while creating a two-year transition period to give the GOP more time to come up with a suitable replacement.

Republicans are in general agreement that one of the most popular provisions of Obamacare -- allowing children to remain on their parents health insurance plans until they turn 26, will be preserved, as well as some variation on the ban discriminating against applicants with pre-existing health care problems. And Trump has indicated that he would support preserving the existing expanded Medicaid coverage in 31 states and the District of Columbia, but not allowing other states to do the same.

Christopher Condeluci, a health care expert who worked for Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee during the debate over Obamacare, said that GOP leaders were well aware of the risks of trying to immediately cut off benefits to millions of Americans and came up with the idea of a two-year transition. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that unless a new plan is offered, 22 million people would lose insurance under Prices plan after the two-year transition policy ended.

Related: This Obamacare Repeal Plan Cripples State Budgetsand Economies

That transition period serves two purposes, Condeluci said in an interview today. One, it insulates the Republican policy makers from getting beat up over, Hey, youre kicking 20 million people off of insurance, because thats not going to happen immediately.

The second purpose is, they needed a transition period so that they could figure out what to replace it with, Condeluci added. He said that before House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) unveiled his comprehensive Better Way proposal for health care reform last summer, there was really no credible replacement proposal that House Republicans coalesced around.

Ryans 37-page plan was not written in the form of legislation but instead is a general discussion of plans to reform Medicare and Medicaid  including providing Medicaid block grants to the states and Medicare premium supports for younger Americans. It also proposes incentives for employers to expand health care coverage to their employees.

Senate Republicans havent weighed in on Ryans proposal yet, and are likely to advocate a different approach. But House Republicans are largely in agreement with Ryans approach, according to Condeluci.

Trump has repeatedly called Obamacare a disaster and offered a series of mostly half-baked alternatives, including encouraging health insurance sales across state lines to increase competition among insurers and bring down premium costs. He has also endorsed the wider use of medical savings accounts to help defray the cost of coverage.

Related: More Bad News for the Remaining Obamacare Co-ops

Robert Laszewski, a consultant on health care issues, said today that there is absolutely no doubt that Trump and the Republicans will go ahead with their threat to dismantle Obamacare as early as possible, but warned that the new administration and GOP leadership will be entering treacherous terrain.

A fully ideological Republican plan that doesn't pay attention to how this market really works could put the Republicans right back where the Democrats are today, he wrote in a blog post, noting that Obama and congressional Democrats passed the legislation without the support or input of a single Republican.

The best news here is that defunding and then replacement of Obamacare could ironically set the table for the first real bipartisan legislative effort in a very long time, he added. The one we should have had in the first place.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
THEATER

BHS comedy

BLOOMINGTON  Michael Frayn's comedy, "Noises Off!," is the fall play at Bloomington High School this weekend.

Performances, in the BHS auditorium, are at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Tickets are $4 and $8 at the door before each performance.

"Noises Off!" follows a group of roving actors determined to stage a silly British sex comedy titled Nothing On, with disaster imminent as the cast struggles its way through chaos behind the scenes.

CCHS farce

BLOOMINGTON  "North Woods Nonsense," a farce by Andrew Ross, is the fall production of the Central Catholic High School Drama Department.

Performances are at 7 p.m. Thursday and 1 p.m. Saturday in the CCHS Auditorium in Bloomington. Tickets, $3 and $5, are available at the door.

The play is a farce about the Granola sisters who inherit an animal-infested, dilapidated lodge in northern Maine. An inept congresswoman and her staff eventually end up at the lodge and comedy ensues.

MUSIC

Symposium guest

BLOOMINGTON  Award-winning composer and vocalist Eve Beglarian will be the featured guest Thursday at Illinois Wesleyan University's Symposium of Contemporary Music.

Beglarian will participate in a panel discussion, The Arts Outside of the Boxes, at 4 p.m. in Presser Hall 258, and guest at a concert of her music, including live electronics and video, at 8 p.m. in Westbrook Auditorium.

Both events are free. Beglarian is the winner of the 2015 Robert Rauschenberg Prize from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts.

ART

Gallery event

BLOOMINGTON  Torri Thompson, an assemblage artist, will discuss popular Mexican culture from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Main Gallery 404, 404 N. Main St., Bloomington.

The free talk, open to all, is part of the gallery's monthly Ladies Get Together series.

Torri's discussion will focus on Day of the Dead and the Virgin of Guadalupe. Her artwork involves found objects, wood, glass and metal. For more details, call 314-603-1349.
NORMAL  Illinois State University students gathered in the Bone Student Center to watch election returns in what was, for nearly all of them, the first presidential race in which they voted.

They came to share the experience with friends and, potentially, to watch history being made.

Three large screens at the front of the Prairie Room displayed the latest vote returns and projections from CNN and the New York Times website. The University Program Board sponsored the watch party, which was attended by about 150 people.

No matter how it turns out, the United States is still the greatest country in the world, said student body President Kyle Walsh, a senior from Bloomington majoring in political science and legal studies.

Noting the bitterness of the hard-fought campaign and the potential for the first woman president to be elected, Walsh said, This is something I'll never see for the rest of my life.

Senior David Munoz, a political science major from Lansing, stood watching the screen closely, a Bernie Sanders hat turned backward on his head.

Some supporters of the Vermont senator expressed reluctance to back Hillary Clinton after she won the Democratic nomination, but Munoz said, I supported Hillary right off the bat.

Although Sanders didn't win, Munoz thinks he helped the Democratic Party become more progressive.

There was little doubt about who Caylynne Snook of Danville supported. The junior in special education wore a T-shirt that said POTUS  an acronym for president of the United States  and the O was the symbol for women.

I'm definitely for the feminist movement, Snook said. We need to change the gender roles.

Her friend, Bri Chinlune, a senior in criminal justice from Woodstock, supported a third-party candidate because she was disappointed in the two major-party choices.

Chinlune said she was raised a Republican but didn't agree with Republican nominee Donald Trump's positions.

If we could have a third party in there,  it would make it more interesting, she said.

Although the two friends supported different candidates, Snook said, We don't let politics spoil our friendship.

Seniors Ivan Ramirez, an exercise science major from Waukegan, and Jesus Magana, a public relations major from Chicago, attended the election watch party with their fraternity brothers from Sigma Lambda Beta.

We can play off our fears about the election outcome and joke about it, said Magana.
BLOOMINGTON  As far as Kyle Moulton is concerned, all he did was help take friend and lifelong Cubs' fan Norman Wilson  who is paralyzed from the chest down  to a Cubs game.

Jon Caponi built a wheelchair ramp for a neighbor.

But in both cases, they changed lives.

"I don't consider myself a hero," Moulton said. "We all are taught to help those in need. To see the joy on Norman's face was enough."

Moulton, a LeRoy Ambulance EMT, and Caponi, a Bloomington Fire Department firefighter/paramedic, were among everyday heroes honored Wednesday during the 12th annual American Red Cross Serving Central Illinois Saluting Our Heroes Breakfast, attended by 500 people at the DoubleTree by Hilton.

Moulton and other LeRoy EMTs and Bloomington firefighter/paramedics received the Public Service Award for taking Wilson  on their own time  to a Cubs' game in August. It was a dream come true for Wilson, a former pre-school teacher who hadn't been to a game since he was left paralyzed from the chest down after a hit-and-run accident in 2007.

"Before I die, I got a chance to go to a Cubs' game," Wilson said.

"Norman deserved it," LeRoy EMT Chris Dunning said. "Every time we see him, he wants to talk about how we're doing. He never complains."

Caponi received the Good Samaritan Award for donating material and time to build a ramp for Bloomington neighbor Clarine Aldrich, who uses a wheelchair.

"I have a soft spot in my heart for people with disabilities," said Caponi, whose mother was a quadriplegic following a car crash.

"There's always an opportunity to do something nice for somebody," Caponi said. "Get out and volunteer. Don't take life for granted."

"We live in a broken world but we have hope," said Bloomington firefighter/paramedic Stuart Blade.

Also honored were:

Jerry Monical, Paula R. Walsh Volunteer Award. Monical, who worked for The Pantagraph for 40 years, volunteers with his church, American Legion Carl Martin Post 435, Home Sweet Home Ministries and Red Cross, where he has donated 43 gallons of blood.

Growmark employees, Health and Safety Award, for performing CPR to save the life of co-worker Al Widick when he suffered cardiac arrest.

Shyresse Winters, Youth Award. The Bloomington High School senior volunteers at school and for 20 hours a week at local human services agencies.

Dr. Antony Joseph, Armed Forces Award. An audiologist, veteran and assistant professor at Illinois State University, Joseph is studying whether combat-induced auditory injuries can predict post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and depression.

Tom Huffington, Ambassador Award. Huffington created Healing Outside of a Hospital (HOOAH) Deer Hunt for Heroes to help wounded soldiers with their recovery by providing camaraderie to reduce the risk of isolation and suicide.

Sonja Reece, WJBC Don Munson Spirit of McLean County Award. Reece is a long-time McLean County Chamber of Commerce and United Way of McLean County volunteer who served on the Normal Town Council for many years.
GIBSON CITY  Police and school officials are investigating a threat that led to the evacuation of Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley Middle School on Tuesday afternoon.

Superintendent Jeremy Darnell said there was a written threat, and it's standard practice to take any threat seriously.

Darnell said the matter was still under investigation so we don't want to share any details.

The evacuation took place about 12:30 p.m., and all students and staff were out within seven to eight minutes, according to Darnell. The school has about 230 students in sixth through eighth grades and about 30 adult staff, he said.

Students were taken to the elementary school after the evacuation.

Normal routines continued at the high school and elementary school.

We've been through this before, he said, referring to a bomb threat 13 months ago that led to an evacuation. Nothing was found during a search after that threat.

We do evacuation drills every school year, said Darnell. The kids handled it well.

After the all-clear was given by Gibson City police, students were returned to their last-period classes about 2:30 p.m., he said.

Regular dismissal took place at 3:18 p.m. and 3:23 p.m., with a little extra support, he said.

No after-school activities were affected and Darnell said late Monday afternoon that a career night would proceed as scheduled later in the evening. He expected about 100 people at that event.

No schools were serving as polling places. Voting in Gibson City took place at the First Presbyterian Church and Moyer Library.
Tackling mental health and providing affordable housing options were among the priorities identified by candidates vying for McLean County Board seats in the three districts that encompass a majority of the town of Normal.
SPRINGFIELD  Republican U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood of Peoria was elected Tuesday to his first full term in Congress.

The Associated Press called the race for LaHood shortly before 8:30 p.m. With 60 percent of precincts reporting, LaHood led Democratic challenger Junius Rodriguez of Eureka with 72 percent to 28 percent, according to unofficial election returns.

It was a vote of confidence for LaHood from residents of the 18th Congressional District, who last fall chose him to serve out the remainder of former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schocks term. Schock, also a Peoria Republican, resigned amid questions about his spending of campaign and public funds.

"Our electoral process is one of the things that makes America exceptional," LaHood said in a prepared statement. "Every two years we have a chance to go to the ballot box and chose our leaders  and today, the voters have spoken. I look forward to getting back to work in Washington, D.C., for a full term to represent Central and West-Central Illinois on the issues and priorities that we are facing here at home."

A former state senator and the son of Ray LaHood, a former congressman who served as U.S. transportation secretary under President Barack Obama, LaHood campaigned as someone capable of working in a bipartisan fashion while also standing up to leaders of his own party when necessary.

He has pointed to successful legislation on transportation, education and the nations opioid addiction crisis that hes supported as evidence of his bipartisan efforts during his short time in Washington. Hes also noted his opposition to bipartisan budget deals, which Republican leaders supported, because he believed they were unaffordable.

Rodriguez, a history professor at Eureka College, said he ran as a moderate Democrat to give a choice to voters in the Republican-leaning district, which stretches from Quincy to eastern McLean County and includes all or parts of Bloomington, Normal and Lincoln. County Democratic Party chairmen chose Rodriguez to fill a vacancy on the ballot following the March primary.

Rodriguez criticized LaHood for his continued support for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in spite of Trumps many controversial statements and for being too far right of center on many issues.

Rodriguez couldnt be reached Tuesday night for comment.
BLOOMINGTON  A 24-year-old Burbank man was killed in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon on Interstate 55 north of Normal, the McLean County coroner said Thursday.

James B. Kwak died of blunt force chest trauma due to the crash that happened about 2:45 p.m. near the Veterans Parkway exit, Kathy Davis said in a news release.

The driver of semitrailer truck that collided with Kwak's semitrailer truck was taken to a local hospital for treatment, but his name and condition have not been released.

This accident remains under investigation by the coroners office and state police.
Malaysia Airlines flight 370 known as MH370 have disappeared on March 8, 2014. This shortly happened after another Malaysia Airlines flight was taken down in the airspace of Ukraine months prior.

According to The Guardian, MH370 disappeared middle of the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with a total of 239 passengers onboard. Two and half years later, and a multi-million-dollar investment of three countries to find answers and information, it has not been found.

There were reported traces and debris of MH370. Two big pieces of MH370 were found washed up on the remote beaches of Indian Ocean have been confirmed as that of the missing flight. More more pieces from MH370 were found and is certain that it is part of the plane.

It was also reported by Malaysian Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai that 22 potential pieces from the flight were found along the coastline of South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania and Mauritius. Fourteen of the said fragments of MH370 were found by one man, Blain Alan Gibson.

This is from Gibson's self-investigation which he funds himself and began 18 months ago. There are other fragments and plane parts that have yet to be confirmed by authorities to determine if it is part of MH370.

Part of Gibson's effort going to Sydney from Canberra where he handed six fragments found in Madagascar over to Australian investigators. Two of the pieces showed signs of charring which translates to fire on board before it crashed.

As added by CBS News, critics have recently been pushing the alternate theory that someone was still controlling MH370 before it ended. If such is the case, MH370 could have glided farther tripling the size of the possible crash area.

However, in recent reports analysis of satellite data is consistent that MH370 is in a high and increasing rate of descent. It is also suggested that the flaps were not deployed as it was found along the coast of Tanzania.

Over two years and still, there is no sure and confirmed reports on what exactly happened to MH370. This is also putting too much stress to the families and loved ones of all 239 passengers and crew onboard the ill-fated plane.
NBC News now projects Donald Trump to win Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes, bringing him beyond the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.

The eyes of the country turned to Pennsylvania as it was one of the remaining battleground states, and a must-win for Hillary Clinton after Trump's victories in other battleground states.

NBC News previously said Pennsylvania was still too close to call. Meanwhile, Trump was named the apparent winner of Florida , Ohio , North Carolina and other key battleground states, increasing his running lead over Clinton.

Get-out-the-vote efforts have been intense in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. But most of the state's African-American residents said they were contacted about voting by only one candidate during the campaign: Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The NBC News Exit Poll asked Pennsylvania voters if either campaign had contacted them personally to remind them about voting about coming out to vote. Only about one in 10 African-Americans said they had been contacted by the Trump campaign. By contrast, roughly two in three black voters said they had heard from the Clinton organization. (These figures include voters who said they were contacted by both campaigns.)

The differences become even starker when contact rates for African-Americans in Pennsylvania are compared to those for whites in the state. Among white voters, roughly three in 10 said they had been targeted by Trump get-out-the-vote efforts; the same share said they had been targeted by Clinton.

There were scattered reports of voting machine glitches in Pennsylvania, where some voters said they tried to vote the Republican ticket only to see the Democratic boxes checked on their touchscreen.

NBC News did not witness any of the issues, and it was not clear if the phenomenon was the result of voters not tapping the screen correctly or a technical issue with some machines. Two voters who spoke to NBC News said they used their fingers to vote on the screens, not a stylus designed for that purpose.

Story continues

The Pennsylvania Secretary of State's office, which oversees elections, could not be reached for comment. A spokeswoman for Allegheny County said voters in Robinson had reported that the machines were showing the wrong selection  but officials were not able to replicate the issue.







On the eve of the election, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump refused to give up on Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes.



Both Trump and Hillary Clinton campaigned in the state on Monday night leading up to the election. Trump held his rally in upstate Scranton, Pa., while his rival campaigned in Pittsburgh and was later joined by President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama in Philadelphia .

Clinton had a 1.9-point lead in an average of recent Pennsylvania polls on Election Day, down from 10 points near the end of August, according to RealClearPolitics. The state was listed as "leaning Democrat" in NBC News' final battleground map .

As of November 7, more Republican-affiliated Pennsylvania voters had cast early ballots than Democratic voters, according to TargetSmart voter file data obtained by the NBC News Data Analytics Lab.

The Pennsylvania Department of State reported about 60 percent of Pennsylvania's voting-age population cast their ballot in 2008 and 2012.

In 2012, President Obama won 52 percent of the statewide vote, down from 54 percent in 2008. Democrats John Kerry and Al Gore also carried the state in the 2000 and 2004 election.

Obama won a majority of the vote in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in both elections. Those two urban areas could make the difference between loss and victory for Clinton in the state, which every Democratic presidential candidate has won since 1992.

Pennsylvania voters heading to the polls also had to decide on their state's U.S. senator. Democratic challenger Katie McGinty had a 2-point lead against Republican incumbent Senator Pat Toomey in an average of recent Pennsylvania polls on Election Day. Her lead was down from an average of 5 points less than a week ago, according to RealClearPolitics.
A mysterious and rare debilitating syndrome has affected eight children in Washington State. The illness targets the nervous system and can cause varying degrees of paralysis.

According to federal and state health officials, eight children developed acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a debilitating syndrome that is also caused by the polio virus, ABC News reported. AFM causes inflammation in the spinal cord, resulting in temporary or permanent paralysis.

AFM involves abrupt weakness in one or more arms or legs, loss of muscle tone and reduced or missing reflexes, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed. People with AFM rarely experience numbness or other physical symptoms but some patients may feel pain in their arms or legs.

Other cases involve failure of the nerves in control of the head and neck. This results to facial weakness, drooping of the eyes, problems in swallowing and limb weakness.

Children affected with AFM in five different counties in Washington State are between three and 14 years old. They all experienced weakness or loss of movement in one or more limb. Three of the children with AFM are still at Seattle Children's Hospital and five have been discharged.

A spokesman from CDC told ABC News that they "haven't found evidence to identify what's causing these causes" but assured that investigation is continuing. The CDC is working alongside Washington "to examine case reports for potential causes and risk factors as well as providing technical assistance and communication support."

Officials at Seattle Children's Hospital assure that they are doing everything they can to prevent AFM from further spreading. Dr. Mark Del Beccaro, the chief medical officer at Seattle Children's Hospital, said in a statement released on Friday that it's safe to bring children to the institution because officials are implementing proper standard infection control "including putting patients with symptoms of active respiratory infections in isolation so they do not have contact with any other patients."

From Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, 2016, 89 people in 33 states across the United States have been diagnosed with AFM, according to CDC. AFM, however, is still considered as an extremely rare disease that only affects less one in a million.

Nevertheless, the CDC urges people to practice prevention steps against viruses such as thorough washing of hands, staying updated on vaccinations and protecting themselves against mosquito bites. As of late, the CDC is still working on trying to understand AFM's cause and risk factors.
The missing 10-year-old Texas girl, Kayla Gomez-Orozco, was found dead inside a well days after an Amber Alert was issued for her. It is believed that her cousin by marriage, who was facing possible deportation for being an illegal immigrant, killed her.

The man was identified as Gustavo Zavala-Garcia. New York Daily News reported that he is now charged with capital murder. He is also being held on a $10 million bond.

Two years ago, Zavala-Garcia was busted regarding immigration. He was found to have illegally entered the United States after being convicted of attacking another family member.

After the attack on a family member, Zavala-Garcia was taken into custody by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Oct. 21, 2014. However, he was released on bail. The immigration proceedings against the offender were ongoing when he allegedly killed Gomez-Orozco.

Fox News Latino also reported that Zavala-Garcia will be arraigned at the Smith County courthouse on Tuesday and additional charges are expected, said Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith. Smith added that they will utilize all available assets at the local, state and federal level of law enforcement in order "to see that justice is swift and thorough for Kayla and her family."

Gomez-Orozco was reported missing on Nov. 1 after she was not seen by her family after their church services at the First Assembly of God in Bullard. Her family said that the little girl got bored, left the room, and waited in the lobby. However, when they were to check on her, she was nowhere in sight. It remains unclear what caused the death of Gomez-Orozco.

A church member claimed that she saw the suspect leave with Gomez-Orozco and his three-year-old daughter leave the area. Zavala-Garcia voluntarily surrendered himself to officials for questioning.

Meanwhile, the investigation is still ongoing. As of writing, the family of Gomez-Orozco has not yet released a statement.
After Prince William all settled after his 2011 marriage to Kate Middleton, it is now Prince Harry's turn to be in the spotlight. Prince Harry has a new girlfriend, Meghan Markle and literally, everyone is excited to know more about this girl.

According to Sydney Morning Herald, Meghan Markle is a 35-year old actress who is a co-star on the legal drama, "Suits." Meghan Markle was raised in Los Angeles and is now a resident of Toronto because this is where her show is filmed.

The relationship of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is surrounded by a lot of controversies. Meghan Markle is not even an English commoner but an American. Meghan Markle is also two years older than Prince Harry, with the latter being 32 and the former being 35. Most controversial of all is that Meghan Markle was married for back in 2011 and went for divorce two years later.

It is known the that British Royal family can be extremely conservative especially to those who may be an additional member. However, knowing the free-spirited Prince Harry, he is to stand up for this relationship and will continue on regardless of what everyone else would say.

The relationship of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle began back in May when he traveled to Toronto to promote the Invictus Games Foundation. After the meeting in Toronto, both Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have reunited in Los Angeles and England where Markle was introduced to Prince William and Kate.

As added by E! Online, Meghan Markle has been subject to many condemnations from the English public. She has been subject to wave of abuse and harassment.

Prince Harry not only will be standing up for this relationship, he is also going to fight for it. It is confirmed that from a statement released by Kensington Palace that Prince Harry is in defense of his girlfriend. Legal battles are being dealt with.
Two Phoenix, Arizona high schools, had students ending up staging a walkout on Tuesday afternoon as a protest against Sheriff Joe Arpaio and presidential hopeful that time, Donald Trump. One of the organizers confirmed the plan and narrated what happened.

Approximately 200 students from Maryvale Trevor G. Browne High School marched against Trump and Arpaio on Friday as well. These students are from a northwestern suburb of Phoenix. They walked out along with hundreds of North High School students who gathered in a nearby parking lot. They surrounded a pickup truck that displayed an effigy of Arpaio in a striped prison suit.

Labor union leaders came with the Hispanic and Muslim students as they were protesting and fighting for social justice in Central Arizona, according to a report by the Arizona Republic. Students at two Valley high schools went out from the classrooms over the noon and finally promote their stand of not casting votes from ballots for Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

"The stakes are too high to watch this election happen without being part of it," a senior at North High School said in an interview with AZFamily. Some students are holding the anti-Arpaio signs saying "vote against hate."

Many students were able to participate because many were out for lunch. Phoenix Union spokesman Craig Pletenik said that at least 200 students at Maryvale High School walked out, but around 550 to 750 followed.

Arpaio is facing federal contempt-of-court charges connected to a 2011 complaint from Maricopa County Sheriff's Department. Such criticism targeted mainly Latino drivers because of the belief that they are illegal settlers in the country. Arpaio is up for re-election and would be his seventh term as sheriff.

Students have a comfortable and ideal view on Election Day in spite of their young age. Most are seriously taking it as a responsibility and priority and thinking about County Recorder's refusal to do her job makes them have such a vital reaction to consider by voters.

Nonetheless, Trump won the election. Their cries were not as clearly heard as they hoped so.
As college debts have taken an upswing enormously in the past decade overburdening students and parents alike, U.S. President Barack Obama's presidency took the initiative to counter the cost of education to Americans. "America's College Promise" aimed at making community colleges completely free, an idea noble enough but simultaneously seemed too good to be true.

The former socialist presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and the leading democratic contender Hillary Clinton have also been advocating similar proposals behind their political campaigns, following the footsteps of Barack Obama. According to University Star, President Obama sought for "the first two years of community college free, for everybody who is willing to work for it."

The said scheme deemed applicable for all those students enrolled at a minimum of half-time. It's also applicable to those who have scored at least a 2.5 GPA.

The only limitation to America's College Promise is that it'll be implemented only in states that have conformed to its legislation. Most of the incurring budget would be catered by the Federal government, whereas the remaining tuition costs are to be accommodated by the respective states.

With that said, college tuition still wouldn't be free of cost. Its burden will be lifted off from students' shoulders but nonetheless, someone ultimately has to bear the brunt of this so-called "free-education."

This echoes both Clinton and Sander's blueprints, where all community colleges would be free to attend. But those students belonging to families under the $125,000 annual income mark would attain cost-free tuition in their respective state's public universities.

It may seem logical to enact on these initiatives but if they were to become a reality the fallout would far exceed the benefit. It was said that Obama's plan to rid tuition at community college level would cost the U.S $60 billion over a whole decade, whereas Clinton's proposal would reach a titanic value of $350 billion in ten years.

Even though brainstorming may seem appealing, executing these ideas into practical systems is far easier said than done. According to the Business Insider, countries like Sweden, France and Germany, which offer free college education, are few in number but their high levels of federal tax rates allow free-college initiatives to bear fruit. If the same results are to be attained in the United States on a practical level, the federal government will have to raise its taxation from 31.5 to 50 percent, just like the aforementioned countries.
In a new report published today smartphone analyst and Consumer Insight Director for Kantar Lauren Guenveur stated that "In the US, the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models made an immediate impact, becoming the best-selling smartphones in the month of September at 17.1%. Strong sales of the iPhone 7 and the lower-priced iPhone 6s, the second best-selling device in the US in September, contributed to an overall growth of iOS to 34.2% in the third quarter of 2016.

Dominic Sunnebo, Business Unit Director for Kantar added that "In Great Britain, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus were top-sellers during the month of September, accounting for 15.1% of sales. In the third quarter of 2016, iOS accounted for 40.6% of smartphone sales, a 2.4 percentage point increase from the same period a year ago. It's interesting to note the continued success of the iPhone SE in Britain, accounting for 8.5% of sales in the quarter vs. a share of just 3.5% in the US."

During Apple's Q4 Financial Conference Call, their CFO noted that even though sales were down in China in Fiscal Q4, Apple would return to growth in China in the December quarter and that demand for the iPhone 7 is outstripping supply, especially the iPhone 7. The Kantar report today noted that "with supply constrained on the iPhone 7, and particularly the 7 Plus, this positive turn for Apple is a good sign, suggesting that as supply grows to meet demand, Apple will be able to turn the tide in Urban China."

Samsung in Store for More Pain

In respect to Samsung, Lauren Guenveur noted in today's report that "Despite some sales from the beleaguered Samsung Galaxy Note 7, still technically available through the month of September, Samsung posted a year-on-year decline from 36.9% to 33.8% of US smartphone sales in the third quarter."

Guenveur added that "The holiday sales season may prove to be more challenging than normal for Samsung, who competes head-to-head with Apple during this crucial time of year. Fallout from the Note 7 recall could have an unintended impact on continuing sales of other, similarly-named Samsung devices (chiefly the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge), as consumers may not always understand the difference between the model names. However, deep holiday discounts, as we saw with the Galaxy S6 last year, may counteract any expected negative impact, as the driving reason for choice among US consumers remains finding a good deal on the price of the phone." Though any way you look at it, Samsung is in for a rocky calendar Q4 without a doubt.

Notable 2016 Smartphone Trends

In other research areas of interest, a secondary Kantar report noted that "In 3Q 2014, just before the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, which introduced the 4.7 and 5.5-inch form factors, 47% of smartphones featured a screen size of less than 4.5 inches. In the most recent quarter, that share is just 17%. More than a quarter of the units sold now have 5.5-inch or larger screens.

With that shift, the reasons people love their smartphones have also changed  47% of owners who acquired their device in 2016 cited 'the size of the screen' as the main driver of their satisfaction. For those who acquired phones in 2014, 'durability and reliability' was the leading reason for satisfaction, cited by 41% of consumers.

After screen size, Kantar noted that the performance of the camera is the next driver of satisfaction among new smartphone owners, cited by 39% of consumers. While this is not a monumental percentage increase from the 32% who expressed this preference in 2014, it is accompanied by a move up the list of priorities, with camera quality advancing from third to second in importance.

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In October I noted in a report that the "majority of Irish voters believe the Government is right to appeal the European Commission ruling in the Apple case," according to an Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll. When asked whether the Government was right to appeal the ruling that Apple should pay 13 billion in back tax, 47 per cent said yes, 39 per cent said no. With the majority clearly in hand, Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan will file their appeal with the European Union Court tomorrow over Apple's record 13 billion-euro (US$14.4 billion) tax bill that will potentially triggering years of litigation.

Bloomberg reports that "The nation will file its appeal against the European Commission's decision to force Ireland to claw back alleged tax subsidies, in a case that will test the EU's powers to use state aid law in what governments argue are national affairs."

The challenge at the EU General Court in Luxembourg will join a handful of pending appeals by other EU nations and companies that received similar decisions in the past year, targeting tax rulings regulators deemed to be unfair. The EU's Apple decision was the biggest ever state-aid payback demand.

Earlier today Noonan said at the European Parliament in Brussels that "The government fundamentally disagrees with the European Commission's analysis and the decision has left the government no choice but to take an appeal to the European courts, and this will be submitted tomorrow."

Reuters noted back in September that the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) will also be the court in any appeal that Apple brings forward as well.

"The court usually backs the Commission, but lawyers say it sometimes disagrees in state aid cases where it usually comes up against countries. Some lawyers say ECJ judges are influenced by political considerations and that if the Commission's rulings prompt a major spat with the United States and member states don't support the Commission, the court may hesitate to enforce a tax demand of up to 13 billion euros plus interest.

However, so far, the big guns of France and Germany have voiced support for the Apple ruling. In Apple's specific case, the UK declined comment.

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My second grader began yesterday evening with excitement. She made her own charts to track electoral college wins. By the end of the night, she was in tears, sobbing. I had to look her in the face and say . . . something. I have never in my life felt so at a loss for words. Parents are supposed to tell their children that its going to be okay, but theyre also not supposed to lie to them. I think? Im not always up-to-date on parental etiquette. As I tried to figure out what to say, she started talking about her friends at school, because she goes to a heavily Hispanic school and thats what this election has always been for herimmigration. She knows very little about Trumps other policieson trade, of foreign relations, and so forth.

Last night, my daughter lost her innocence. She had thought we lived in a world of possibilities, a world where a woman could be president and her young immigrant friends could share in the American Dream. Today that world has changed. Today she lives in a country that elected Donald Trump. I lost my innocence too, my faith in the progress I thought we had made. But progress is not a linear thing. My mind keeps turning to Germany, where the Weimar Republic fell to a fascist strongman.

I have Facebook friends whose Hispanic children are afraid theyll be deportedeven though they were born here. For Muslims, for newly settled refugees, for LGBTQ youthwhat must this day be like? Im about to send my daughter off to school. What were her immigrant friends parents up discussing last night? Plans for keeping the family together if theyre deported? How far the land of opportunity has fallen. How far we have betrayed those words penned by Emma Lazarus.

I had thought there was something special about this country, something there in our belief in freedom and opportunity, something that made us different even as we made mistakes and grave errors. Im not so sure of that anymore. Today we feel like just one more country in a rising tide of nativism and nationalism that scares me.

Last night, I told my daughter about the U.S. Senators and Congresspeople who will fight to stop Trump from implementing his agenda. I didnt mention that Trump will have a minority in both houses. I didnt have the heart to.

Tomorrow, we fight. Its the only thing we can do.

I see the talk of moving to Canada, but this is my country, and I feel a sense of responsibility. My ancestors have been here since 1620. They fought in the American Revolution, participated in the abolitionist movement during the antebellum period, andyeswere in the KKK in the 1920s. Im not going anywhere. Indeed, the populations who suffer most in situations like these are often those least able to leave. I am not in these groups. I can well afford to stay and fight.

There is a lot of uncertainty at this moment, but I am concerned that protesting is about to become a lot more dangerous than it has been in recent years. Those involved in the civil rights movement faced beatings on a scale we dont see today, and Trump has personally stated a desire to return to that timea time when protestors had to be carried out on a stretcher. Is the price of fighting back about to go up? That scares me. This is supposed to be a country where we have freedomsfreedom of assembly, freedom of speech, the freedom of the presswill these freedoms remain in Trumps America? Its terrifying that I have to ask that.

Right now, I feel weary of national politics. I suspect many others feel the same. In the wake of this election, lets turn to the local. Look up groups in your area that work with immigrants, with LGBT youth, with refugees and other vulnerable populations. Look into volunteer opportunities, and, if you have means, make a donation. Get involved in your local Democratic Party. Perhaps if we think locally, it will all seem less overwhelming, less daunting, less inevitable.

If youre like me, you feel burnout coming on. We cant be effective if were in the midst of burnout. Take some time. Enjoy the small pleasures of lifefamily, friends, a fall walk. Create your own Thanksgivings if you cant stomach spending that much time with Trump-supporting relatives that soon. Turn on some music, clean your house, light some candles. Take a break from social media if you need to. Focus, recenter, breathe. We have a long road ahead of us.
Biharsharif: Overruling the Patna High Court earlier decision to grant bail to former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) legislator and rape accused Raj Ballabh Yadav, the Supreme Court on Tuesday cancelled his bail and ordered him to surrender before a Biharsharif court immediately.

Yadav, who had met with RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav just days after obtaining bail from the Patna High Court apparently to seek his help in securing his freedom, is expected to surrender on Wednesday.

The Nitish government, facing widespread criticism over Yadav's release, had appealed to the Supreme Court to cancel his bail.

The former RJD legislator remains accused in the rape of a minor girl who was lured to his house on the night of February 6 this year by a woman running a sex racket in Nawada district.

Jitendra Kumar, the lawyer of the minor girl, said that his client had been living in constant state of fear since the RJD leader obtained bail from Patna High Court.
Patna: The district administration in Patna have begun constructing the 'tent city' at the sprawling Gandhi Maidan to accommodate nearly 20,000 visitors who would be coming to Patna to participate in the 350th anniversary of the birth of Guru Govind Singh, the 10th religious leader of the Sikhs.

According to the officials, the 'tent city' would be ready by the end of December.

Prakash Utsav, as the celebration is being called, will kick off on December 30 and will conclude on January 8, 2017. During this period, hundreds of thousands of Sikhs, and even non-Sikhs, are expected to visit Patna Saheb during the 10-day celebration.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is keeping a close eye on the entire preparation, has asked the district officials to ensure all arrangements were completed prior to their deadlines and no guest left Patna with bad feelings or negative impression about Patna and the state of Bihar.

Rajendra Mishra, the Project Manager of Lallu Ji and Sons, an Allahabad-based company that has been entrusted to build the tent cities in Patna, told the reporters that the company was building two other tent cities in the state capital including one near Kangan Ghat in Patna City and the other one at the By-pass.

"The tent at the Gandhi Maidan would be very colorful and decorated appropriately for the occasion. It will be fully waterproof and will have 1500 toilets to accommodate the visitors. With dormitory like setting, all three tents will have thousands of beds so the visitors will not have to go out searching for accommodation," Mishra said.

Meanwhile, authorities are in the process of making arrangements for security and medical emergencies.

"Fire extinguishers will be placed in all tents at convenient locations. Besides, dozens of fire trucks will be available at all the time until the last guest leaves the tent. We are also building tall watch towers for security reasons and surveillance cameras are being installed in strategic places to capture all movement outside the tents," said a senior police official.
Patna: The decision to declassify Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 bills as legal tender notes from Wednesday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, like other cities across the country, created frenzy in Patna on Tuesday as hundreds of thousands of people rushed to banks and ATMs to exchange their currency bills into smaller denominations to avoid losing their cash.

{gallery}newsimages2016/nov/110816_1{/gallery}Panic ensued throughout the day as most shop-owners stopped accepting large bills creating some tension among the customers and the petrol-pump owners who demanded payment in advance with only small bills.

While most people favored Modi's attempt to stop the use of black money, many were in a state of shock knowing starting tomorrow their stash of cash in large notes would not worth the price of its paper.

Most petrol pumps in the state capital were witnessing large lines with people hoping to get rid of their stash of Rs. 500 or Rs. 1000 by filling their tanks for one last time. Even retail shops on Dak Bungalow Crossing, Boring Road, Ashok Rajpath and other business districts in the state capital were refusing to accept Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 bills. Many, to avoid scuffle with customers, just downed their shutters and left for the day.

With all banks across the nation closed on Wednesday and Thursday, a sense of uncertainty prevails in the market as to the future of their business.
Obama's Departure: More Difficulties for Iran

11/09/16

By Shireen T. Hunter (source: LobeLog)



Iran and U.S. Presidents Hassan Rouhani and Barack Obama

(source: cover of Iranian magazine Mosalas)





Although disappointed about the economic benefits flowing from the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran's political leadership feels fairly certain that at least the threat of a potential U.S. military strike has now disappeared. Also, even if the United States were to re-impose sanctions, in addition to those non-nuclear related sanctions already in existence, the Iranian leadership is confident that other countries, including European states, will not follow America's lead.

Iran's hardliners, in particular, are pushing this line of thinking as a way to prevent any further steps to move US-Iran relations in a more positive direction. They also argue that America has suffered setbacks in Iraq and Syria and will not risk becoming entangled with Iran. In short, at least judging by various statements and commentaries, especially by hardliners, the nuclear deal has created a false sense of security in Iran.

Iranians don't seem to appreciate that President Barack Obama's outlook on world affairs, his preference for diplomacy for resolving disputes, and his commitment to free the United States from unnecessary military entanglements were largely responsible for the success of the nuclear negotiations. The same has been true of Secretary of State John Kerry. Had President Obama's predecessor taken a similar approach, an agreement could have been reached much earlier.

The situation will change on January 20, 2017, when a new administration comes to power in the United States-regardless of who wins the presidential election today.

Hillary Clinton and Iran

Under President Hillary Clinton, the United States would adopt a more hardline approach towards Iran. As secretary of state, she advocated a tough attitude vis-a-vis Iran. She has proudly said that she was instrumental in devising and imposing tough sanctions on Iran. In fact, she coined the phrase "crippling sanctions." In her 2008 presidential campaign, she also threatened Iran with total obliteration in case it attacked Israel. In general, Hillary Clinton has disagreed with President Obama's Middle East policy. Her statements regarding the need to revitalize America's relations with its traditional allies, such as Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States, indicate that she would listen with greater sympathy to their complaints about Iran and would be more willing to accept their estimation of Iran's alleged threat to their security. Of course, she would be far more sensitive to Israel's fears and concerns.

Similarly, President Clinton would likely support more direct US engagement in regional conflicts, most notably in Syria. As a first step, she would be less tolerant of Iran's engagement in that country. This approach could even mean targeting some members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) active in Syria. Should this happen, it would put Iran in a difficult position. President Clinton may also be less tolerant of some of the activities of the IRGC's naval vessels in the Persian Gulf.

The Clinton administration may also pressure Iran on its missile program. The United States could always argue that the UN Security Council Resolution 2231 has prohibited Iran from developing missiles potentially capable of delivering nuclear warheads, even though under the nuclear deal Iran has given up the option of developing nuclear weapons.

Then there's the risk of accidental confrontation, which could arise with a less tolerant US attitude to Iran's regional activities, especially in Persian Gulf waters, and the tendency of at least some IRGC commanders to adopt a defiant posture. Iran's unwillingness so far to talk to American military authorities-to prevent any accidental confrontation at sea and to work out ways of handling cases of accidental transgression of Iran's territorial waters-has kept alive the risk of confrontation. This risk would be enhanced if a Clinton administration adopted a tougher stand towards Iran.

Finally, the belief that any normalization of US-Iranian relations is not possible as long as the current regime in Tehran remains in power is strong among those foreign policy experts and former policy makers who are likely to gain influence in a Clinton administration. Given US disappointment that the nuclear deal hasn't opened the way to some sort of understanding with Iran on other issues, such views would gain more credibility.

Donald Trump and Iran

If Donald Trump emerges the victor in the US presidential election, Iran would not be better off. The view that Trump is a deal maker with whom it's easier to do business is totally misguided. The only kind of deal Trump likes is one in which he vanquishes his opponent. The "win-win" strategy of which Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif is so fond is not Trump's style.

Trump also would be sensitive to any real or imagined slights to America's national pride. He has already said that if he is president no American would be captured. Nor would anybody who commits such an act go unpunished. Moreover, the foreign policy expert pool from which Trump is likely to choose his officials is even harder on Iran.

Given the situation regardless of who is elected, Iran must realize that it cannot continue its cat-and-mouse foreign policy if it wants to prosper and be secure. Iran must also realize that, despite all of its setbacks, the United States is still a formidable power. Should it decide to bring the full weight of its military might against Iran, the costs for Iran would be prohibitive, although America would also incur heavy costs. Finally, Iran must realize that, under no circumstances, would Europe side with Iran against America, nor would Russia or China come to Iran's aid in case of a US attack.

Iran should thus use the remaining two months of the Obama administration to take bold and positive actions towards America. It should, for instance, offer to hold bilateral talks on Syria, Yemen, and other outstanding regional issues. Unfortunately, shifting political winds in Iran, the spectacle of anti-American demonstrations on the anniversary of the 1979 hostage-taking, and statements by Iran's hardliners-which even some moderates have had to echo-all suggest that Iran will continue its self -defeating foreign policy. This has already undermined its economic progress and other interests, making it possible for even its smaller neighbors to manipulate and humiliate it.





About the Author:

Shireen T. Hunter is a Research Professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. Her latest book is Iran Divided: Historic Roots of Iranian Debates on Identity, Culture, and Governance in the 21st Century (Rowman & Littlefield, 2014).




US election results won't affect Iran policies: President Rouhani

11/09/16

Source: Press TV

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says the results of the United States presidential election will have no impact on the Islamic Republic's policies.





Trump had threatened he would "tear up" the Iran Nuclear Agreement (JCPOA) or try to renegotiate its terms if elected president.





US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump won more than 270 electoral votes in the 2016 presidential election on Wednesday, enough to make him the 45th president of the United States even as vote counting continued in a number of states.



"The position of the United States has been weakened within the international community and in the world's public opinion as a result of wrongful policies, and a wider gap with the global community and Europe will further harm that position," President Rouhani said on Wednesday, referring to the potential prospect of a Trump presidency distancing the US from the world.

The Iranian chief executive added that Washington cannot continue to spread Iranophobia as forcefully as before in order to win international consensus against the Islamic Republic.



"The Islamic Republic's policy of constructive interaction with the world and breaking up nuclear sanctions, has placed Iran's economic ties with all countries on an improving and irreversible course," he noted.



Rouhani further said a nuclear agreement negotiated with Iran under the outgoing US administration is not a deal with a single country or a single government.



The deal has been reflected in a UN Security Council Resolution, and therefore, cannot be overturned on the back of one government's decision, Rouhani added.



The agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was struck between Iran on the one side, and the US, France, China, Britain, Russia, and Germany on the other in June 2015.

'US must still honor JCPOA'

Also reacting to the US election results, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said during a visit to Romania that the Islamic Republic expected the US president-elect to honor the JCPOA.



"It is our norm not to interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries," Zarif said, commenting on Trump's win.



"Since Iran and the US have no political relations, what is important is that America's next president is bound by the multilateral commitments of the JCPOA," he said, referring to the nuclear deal.



"We are certain the international community would expect the same thing from the United States of America," Iran's top diplomat said.



Ever since the deal was struck, its opponents in the US Congress have been threatening that a future US administration opposed to the agreement would scrap it.



Trump had threatened he would "tear up" the JCPOA or try to renegotiate its terms if he was to be elected president.



Back in July, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said, "We will not violate the JCPOA, but if the opposite side violates it - as US presidential candidates are currently threatening to tear up the JCPOA - if they tear up the JCPOA, we will burn it."



In practice, however, JCPOA runs little risk of being scrapped out of hand by any level-headed American government as it has been endorsed by a United Nations Security Council resolution, meaning that it has effectively become international law.



Zarif said the president of the US should "grasp the realities of the world today and connect his policies with those realities."

'Wrongful US policies behind Mideast crises'

In another development, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi also reacted to Trump's presidential election win, saying that Washington's policies and approaches over the past decades have brought about "an unpleasant, bitter experience" for the Iranian government and people.



"What is important to Iran and its people, and would be used by them as an assessment criterion is the next US administration's future performance and executive policies," he added.



He further said the policies of previous US administrations and their intervention in Middle Eastern countries are the "main factors behind the escalation of tensions" in the troubled region.



All these testify to the need for the US to seriously review its policies vis-a-vis other regions, he added.

'Americans frustrated with political structure'

Meanwhile, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani, said the outcome of the US election indicates "increasing frustration and distrust among the majority of the American society with regard to the current structure and trends in the country."



He, however, expressed hope that the election would paves the way for the US to revise its policies, which were based on disregard for the interests of the majority and reliance on countless resources, which it was using to pursue imperialism, interventionism, warfare, and bloodshed against other countries.



Shamkhani, meanwhile, asserted that no change of the ruling system in any foreign country would prompt Iran to change its "independent course and smart attitude."

'Trump election brings no change to US policies'

Also on Wednesday, Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the second-in-command in the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), said the election of Trump as the next US president would change nothing in Washington's policies.



"To us, there is no meaningful difference as to which candidate wins, since no specific change will take place in the US' regional, global or general policies with regard to its interactions with different parts of the world," the senior Iranian commander said.



He said it had been proved in the past four decades that the US policies vis-a-vis Iran would not change with the election of a new president either from the Democrats or Republicans.



"The US policies towards Iran will not change with the change of the US president because there is a political establishment there, which sets out its objectives based on an unfair relation with other countries and such foreign relations are independent of the party which comes to power," Salami said.



'American people opposed to belligerent policies'

The chairman of the Iranian Parliament's Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, said the results of the presidential election in the United States showed that the American people do not favor warmongering and violent policies, which have claimed the lives of many US nationals and wasted part of the country's wealth worth hundreds of millions of dollars.



"It remains to be seen what policies will be pursued by Trump vis-a-vis the region and the Muslim world, but overall, the vote of the American people is a no to warmongering and violent policies," the senior Iranian lawmaker said.

"It seems that the American public opinion expects [the next government] to address the problems of the people."



Meanwhile, Boroujerdi pointed to the nuclear agreement between Iran and the world powers and said the US president was obliged under international law to comply with the deal.
Kofax Power PDF review TechRadar Pro

Kofax has a handful of multi-platform apps to help you alter and annotate PDFs. Standard is likely the one best suited for most needs, and is the software well be exploring in this review.
Googles adding a new weapon to its Safe Browsing arsenal to fight back against dodgy websites. As of Tuesday, sites can be labeled as repeat offenders if they repeatedly switch between operating a clean site and one filled with malware or unwanted software.

Why would a website do that? Simple. Unscrupulous sites can make money with deceptive practices such as forcing unsuspecting downloads on users. Eventually Google flags these sites as unsafe, which reduces site traffic since users see giant red warning signs in their browsers with no obvious way to continue. To get around that problem, sites clean up their act, apply to Google to get the site warning lifted, and thenonce the warning is gonethe malware or unwanted software returns.

Google didnt say how often sites use this strategy, but it must be often enough that the search giant felt compelled to take action. From now on, if a site gets caught reintroducing unsafe elements Google will flag it as a repeat offender. Once that happens, the sites will be flagged with the big red warning screen once again. On top of that, the site owners will not be able to apply for a repeal of the harmful site warning for 30 days. During that time, the large red warning screen will remain.

Its a response that will hopefully deter some sites from continuing their shady behavior. Google also says the new measures wont affect sites that have been hacked. The new measures are only for sites that purposefully post harmful content.

The story behind the story: Googles harsh stand on harmful sites will undoubtedly protect many people from being unwitting victims to malicious software. But I wonder if its an approach that is truly fair. Its one thing to enforce a thirty-day waiting period for sites that deserve it, but what if a second offence is explicable? Perhaps its too little too late for those sites, but a 30-day sentence to purgatory without any chance of appeal seems almost guaranteed to ensnare sites that dont deserve it.
Joseline Tlacomulco leads several hundred people in a march on the University of Connecticut campus, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in Storrs, Conn., protesting the election of Donald Trump as president. Tlacomula, a sophomore who lives in New Haven, said she was born in Mexico and came with her family to Connecticut when she was 8-months old. She fears her family may face deportation under a Trump administration. (AP Photo/Pat Eaton-Robb)

The election of Donald Trump to President of the United States of America on early morning Wednesday has spurred protests at colleges and high schools around the country.

Many students have been uploading photos of the protests under the hashtag #NotMyPresident.

At Berkeley High School in California, about 1500 students and teachers walked out of class before 9 a.m., The Los Angeles Times reported.

About 2,000 people protested Trump's election on Wednesday morning at The University of California, Los Angeles. At the height of the protest, a Trump pinata was set on fire in a trash can, according to The Times.

Students also convened at the State House in Boston, Massachusetts on Wednesday in a similar protest of the president-elect.

NOW: Thousands of students at Berkeley High School in CA walked out of class with their teachers, to say that he is not their president. pic.twitter.com/vcKGKDPdE9  KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) November 9, 2016

Students at MA state house chanting: "We are Boston and we are pissed" pic.twitter.com/dBiLdvIEvY  Jenifer Mckim (@jbmckim) November 9, 2016

Trump Protest in front of the State House in Boston #Election2016 #NotMyPresident pic.twitter.com/Qj2oo3qrr7  erin (@ErinLaVigueur) November 9, 2016

Hundreds of students at the University of Connecticut also marched on campus to protest.

Story continues

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won the electoral votes for California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

Protests on school campuses mounted even in states that went to Trump. About 1000 students at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa walked out of classes, local station WHO reported.

At the University of Pittsburgh, protesters chanted, "No KKK no fascist USA, No Trump."

UPitt riots part 2 pic.twitter.com/55s46LWf0K  reilly (@reidaddy) November 9, 2016

And currently a large protest developing at the University of Texas, where students are blocking a bridge in Austin, ABC affiliate WFAA reported.

Some of the fury on school campuses is likely due to the surprising nature of Trump's win, amid a contentious election cycle.

Almost all of the major election forecasters, including RealClearPolitics and FiveThirtyEight, predicted a Clinton win.

NOW WATCH: SELF-MADE BILLIONAIRE: My best advice on how to make money





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FANTASY SPRINGS

Led by colorful frontman Boy George, Culture Club had multiple radio-friendly hits and music videos including Ill Tumble 4 Ya, Do You Really Want to Hurt Me and Karma Chameleon. The 80s pop crew makes a tour stop Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio this weekend.

8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, 84-245 Indio Springs Drive, Indio. $59-$89. 760-342-5000, fantasyspringsresort .com.

Then, stay out in the desert and catch a Beatle. Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band head to the casino on Saturday night. Not only will you see Starr on the drums and the microphone on Beatles classics, but the band consists of rotating members that had hits of their own. The current lineup includes Todd Rundgren, Richard Page of Mr. Mister and Steve Lukather of Toto.

8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12. $49-$109.

AGUA CALIENTE

Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage is the place to be for some good ol rock n roll as former Three Dog Night member and founder Chuck Negron stops by to perform Friday, Nov. 11. The group had numerous chart toppers such as One, Mama Told Me Not to Come and Joy to the World.

7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, 32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. $40-$75. 760-321-2000, hotwatercasino.com.

PECHANGA

Get ready for a double dose of rock at Pechanga Resort & Casino on Sunday. With Dennis DeYoung, former vocalist for Styx, and Night Ranger on the bill, there will be plenty of chances to sing along to songs such as Styxs Come Sail Away, Babe and Mr. Roboto, while Night Ranger had hits with tunes, Dont Tell Me You Love Me and Sister Christian.

7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, Pechanga Resort & Casino, 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula. $59-$89. 877-711-2946, pechanga.com.

Contact the writer: sschulte@scng.com or @Stephreally on Twitter
Voters appear ready to replace a governing document that many city leaders and government analysts say has hobbled the city for years  but that defenders say offer critical checks and balances that may now be lost.

Measure L, which would replace the city charter with a new one, appeared headed for a landslide. It was up 60.15 percent to 39.85 percent as of 7 a.m. Wednesday, according to the Registrar of Voters.

If the trend holds, the rules that govern how the city is run  essentially, its constitution  will change dramatically.

This is the beginning of a new day for the city, one that a lot of people worked very hard for, and I want to thank all of you, Phil Savage, the head of the committee that wrote the new charter, said at an election-night party at his home Tuesday. This city can now become what it used to be and what it should be.

Former City Attorney James F. Penman, one of the leading opponents of Measure L, said he was not surprised by the apparent defeat and hoped he was wrong in his predictions that the charter change would enable corruption.

I pray that Im wrong, he said. I want to see San Bernardino do well, and I hope that whoever the future city managers are lead well.

WHATS NEXT FOR THE CITY

Measure L changes San Bernardino to a city manager form of government, which Penman said works best when voter engagement is high.

Thats historically not been the case in San Bernardino, but, advocates of Measure L say, turnout should increase substantially because it moves future elections for city officials from odd-number years to match California state elections  November of even-numbered years.

In 2012, 61 percent of San Bernardino voters came out to vote for president, says charter reform PAC member Susan Lien Longville, while the 2013 mayoral election had turnout below 16 percent. The county Registrar of Voters confirms these numbers.

Most of the proposed changes move San Bernardino closer to the norm of other cities its size, and advocates including most of the currently elected officials say it will lessen the gridlock and confused lines of authority they say have held the city back from addressing its other issues.

But defenders of the current charter argue the changes would limit voter control of the city and open the door to corruption.

Measure L would mean that three offices now chosen by voters  city attorney, city clerk and city treasurer  would instead be appointed, and responsibility for some day-to-day operations would shift from elected City Council members to the city manager, who is appointed by the City Council.

And pay for police will be set through collective bargaining, instead of through the unique formula San Bernardino has used for decades, which bases the pay on the average of 10 like-sized California cities.

WHAT IS THE CITY CHARTER

The measure replaces San Bernardinos charter with a new one, written over a two-year period by a committee based on state and national models.

While many cities in the Inland Empire and the rest of the state operate under general law, following a pattern set by the state, San Bernardino has operated under its own city charter  amended several times  since 1905.

Would-be reforms to the city charter have been attempted repeatedly, with mixed success.

Most recently, in 2014, voters by a 10-point margin rejected Measure Q, which would have replaced the police and firefighter pay formula.

This time around, No on L received contributions worth $13,433 in the last campaign finance report, covering the period up to Oct. 22. Yes on L campaign manager said Tuesday her campaign raised $107,000.

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Lets talk sense about the election. Nothing is to be gained by refusing to face the hard facts. What are those facts?

First of all, neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump has the qualifications, the track record or the personal character to be president of the United States.

Most of us could probably think of a number of people who would be better in the White House. But here, as elsewhere in life, we can only make our choices among the alternatives actually available.

Those of us who have been disgusted by some of the things that Donald Trump has said and done need to face the fact that he is not running against Mother Teresa. His sins have been matched and exceeded by Hillary Clinton and her husband.

As for accomplishments, Trump has none in politics, and business accomplishments do not automatically transfer into government.

Hillary Clinton has been in politics for decades. But does she have even a single serious accomplishment to show for it? In the Senate, she accomplished nothing, and as secretary of state far worse than nothing.

Secretary Clinton carried out the foreign policy that destroyed two governments of countries which posed no threat whatsoever to America or to American interests in the Middle East. Each country is now moving in the direction of one of our two most dangerous enemies, Iran and Russia.

Egypt is now planning joint military exercises with Russian forces. Libya has already seen the rise of Islamic terrorists who killed the American ambassador for whom the Clinton State Department refused to provide the security he asked for repeatedly.

So much for track records. As for personal character, would you want either of them living next door to your family?

Donald Trump seems to think that it is OK for the government to seize someone elses home and turn the property over to him, so that he can build something  without having to pay what it would cost him to buy the home. We cant even discuss what he has said about women in a family newspaper. Add an almost childish egomania and you have a 70-year-old adolescent.

Hillary Clinton is fundamentally very similar. But, having spent decades in the political limelight, she is far more experienced at concealing her ruthless and cunning contempt for anything and anybody that gets in the way of her personal enrichment and power. That includes contempt for the law.

Long before her emails became an issue, Mrs. Clinton was evading subpoenas for records she had somehow lost in the White House when she was first lady. Both she and her husband perfected the tactic of stalling and stalling, until enough time had passed that they could say that an issue was now old news and that it was time to move on.

The issue before the voters, however, is not which of the two is the worse person. The issue is which is more dangerous to the future of America. Nor is this just a question of what will happen in the next four years.

Whoever becomes president of the United States can appoint Supreme Court justices able to destroy the Constitution by interpreting its protections of freedom out of existence  not just for the next four years, but thereafter.

Hillary Clinton is already on record as wanting a Supreme Court that will overturn recent decisions protecting free speech and upholding the right to bear arms. Everything in her past shows a contempt for law that makes her a very credible threat to dismantle the Constitution, whenever it gets in the way of her agenda.

All it takes is a Senate controlled by fellow Democrats to let a President Clintons judicial nominees be confirmed automatically, no matter how little regard for the Constitution those nominees have demonstrated.

Donald Trump shows no such ideological agenda and has no such automatic support from congressional Republicans as to have them rubber stamp either his judicial nominees or whatever other agenda he has. More than that, Trump can be impeached if he oversteps the bounds, without either the Republicans or the media screaming loud protests.
Incumbent Mayor Mike Naggar and former Rancho California Water District board member, James Stew Stewart, are looking good in the Temecula City Council race, according to the first set of numbers released by the Riverside County Registrars Office.

There are two seats up for grabs on the council, which are currently held by Naggar, who is seeking his fifth four-year term on the council, and Councilman Michael McCracken, who was appointed last year to serve on the council after Chuck Washington was appointed to serve on the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.

The other candidates are Ronald Bradley, a city manager who has worked in Hemet and Temecula; Jeffrey Frichner, education director for a local Tutor Doctor location; Angel Garcia, owner of a San Diego-based consulting firm; James Cooley, a retired naval officer; Adam Ruiz, a real estate professional, and Skylar Tempel, a student who recently graduated from Temecula Valley High School.

Im so proud, so honored, Naggar said Tuesday night, taking a call while watching the election night coverage with family and friends.

Naggar ran on his record during the campaign, touting his efforts to provide additional services to members of the special needs community and his work behind the scenes on projects such as the Civic Center.

Temecula wasnt a city formed with magic beans. It wasnt a accident; a lot of people worked hard to make this city what it is.

Looking forward to the next four years  the early returns in cities like Temecula typically track closely with final results  Naggar said he plans to work on a trail that will connect Temecula with the Pacific Ocean, which has been dubbed Waves to Vines, and he recently helped form a task force to expand cancer treatment in the region.

The citys voters also are considering Measure S, a general use 1 cent sales tax hike. Temeculas sales tax rate would rise to 9 percent if the measure passes.

According to the first numbers, the measure was garnering support from more than 50 percent of voters, but the margin was narrow.

Although Naggar enjoys a large lead, Bradley and Ruiz are within striking distance of Stewart, a local barbershop owner who has opened multiple locations in the valley.

Im as nervous as all get out! Stewart said late Tuesday.

Asked about his campaign strategy, which didnt rely heavily on yard signs or precinct walking, Stewart said he used targeted Facebook ads to get his name in front of Temecula voters about every two weeks.

I wanted to get the people without getting into their space or into their face, he said.

The ad campaign ended up costing around $1,500, which included production of the ads and placement.

Stewart said hell employ that sort of economic pragmatism as a member of the council, looking for ways to leverage the citys revenue sources and get the most for it.

Im a businessman, he said.

RELATED: Temecula council candidates facing budget challenge

This post will be updated throughout Election Night as results come in.

Click here to see the latest results for all local elections.
A former Cathedral City man extradited from Central America to face a murder charge stemming from the 2008 stabbing of a woman in Sky Valley made his initial court appearance Wednesday at the Larson Justice Center but did not enter a plea.

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Arraignment was rescheduled to Tuesday for Edward Lee LeBlanc, who is accused of killing Kristin Miner, a 44-year-old Thousand Palms resident.

After his capture late last month in Cuyotenango, Guatemala, LeBlanc was extradited to the United States and held in Miami before his arrival at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on Sunday. He has been denied bail.

LeBlanc, 38, faces a murder charge filed in 2008, along with a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony. A warrant was issued for his arrest in August of that year.

Authorities believe LeBlanc stabbed Miner in the stomach after an argument in February 2008, then drove her to a remote area of the desert in Sky Valley, burned her body and buried it in a shallow grave. Her remains were found in the desert north of Dillon Road in July of that year.

According to court documents, several people told Riverside County sheriffs investigators that LeBlanc bragged to them about killing Miner in the months after her death.

Federal authorities said the FBI received a tip about LeBlancs whereabouts, leading to his arrest by FBI agents and officers of the Guatemala National Civil Police.

At the time of his capture, federal authorities were offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to his arrest.
There were scattered reports of problems at Riverside County polling places going into Tuesday afternoon, although fears about widespread Election Day violence had yet to be realized.

In San Bernardino County, polling had went smoothly Tuesday morning.

Riverside County Democratic Party Chairman Howard Katz took a call from someone complaining about a man intimidating voters at a polling place in Hemet.

Menifee Mayor and county GOP Chairman Scott Mann said he heard about minor administrative issues, such as a voter who moved from Murrieta to Menifee and was told his name wasnt on the registry even though he had documentation from the registrar and Secretary of State about his new polling place.

Callers to The Press-Enterprise described polling places in which ballots were improperly handled or issues with voter eligibility.

In California, voters whose eligibility is in question can fill out provisional ballots, which are counted if the voters are determined to be legally eligible.

San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters spokeswoman Melissa Eickman said polling had gone smoothly in the county during the morning hours.

We have people out there monitoring, she said of the polling sites. I havent seen any confrontations.

Although there are no hard numbers yet, she said voter turnout is expected to be high.

We expect there to be more people than in 2012, but probably less than 2008, Eickman said.

Workers were expecting the first round of ballots to arrive early in the afternoon. Eickman said noon pickups were scheduled at 296 of the 405 polling sites throughout the county. The ballots will start being counted at 4 p.m.

The county operation involves 3,600 people in the field and 400 temporary workers in the registrars main San Bernardino office. Organizing the effort, Eickman said, is intense.

Its like planning a wedding for 880,000 people to come to, she said.

Vanessa Arlt, 35, of Loma Linda, voted at the downtown office.

I got the ballot in the mail, but I like coming in, Arlt said. It makes me feel more patriotic.

Arlt gave a county worker her phone, so the worker could shoot Arlts photo in front of a selfie poster, erected for that purpose. Its a relatively new feature in the process, Eickman said.

We started with the (June) primary election, she said. The only restriction is, you cant (take a photo) with your marked ballot.

Arlt held up her I voted sticker in her photo.

Its going up on Facebook, she said. People keep texting me, Have you voted? 

San Bernardino resident Victor Marinelarena, 65, said he came to the main office to vote because its within walking distance from his home. He was in and out quickly, he said.

Marinelarena was taking a selfie in front of the office, with the registrars sign in the background. The Army veteran said he votes in every election.

I think every vote makes a difference, he said, people just dont realize it.

This election, he said, was more important to him than some others because of most of the propositions and for the Supreme Court issues.

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Lobster roll sliders, albacore poke, clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, hickory-smoked fish tacos, kale salad and Idaho trout are headed for a new seafood restaurant next to The Habit in Riverside Plaza.

Pier 76 Fish Grill is poised to open in the next few months, the third location of the restaurant founded and owned by Christopher Krajacic and Michael Santos. The 76 is an homage to the countrys 1776 origin and the birth year of both business partners, 1976. They launched the flagship 31/2 years ago in Long Beach, followed by the second Pier 76 in Cerritos. The fast casual spot will serve mostly classic American seafood dishes as well as domestic wine and beer. Visit pier76fishgrill.com for more information.

SMALL BITES & SIPS

Free cookies: Crumbles Cookies, at 1191 Magnolia Ave., Suite C, in Corona, will celebrate its 11th anniversary on Friday by handing out a free snickerdoodle to each customer. Co-owner Bonnie Yoder said everyone will also receive a free, wrapped snickerdoodle as a gift for a veteran. 951-270-2627, crumbles cookies.com

Shellfishly feasting: Put on your bib at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday for Bluewater Grills lobster feast. The restaurant, at 26700 Ynez Court in Temecula, will host a three-course meal, paired with wine, for $34.95. It includes a whole Maine lobster with shrimp and buttery panko crumb stuffing and served with a choice of New England or Manhattan clam chowder, two sides and unlimited fresh sourdough bread. This meal is also available off the menu through December, but without the wine pairing and celebratory ambiance. 951-506-2899, blue watergrill.com

Uprooted: The Living Root Cellar, at 5225 Canyon Crest Drive, Suite 7B, in Riverside, has closed. The shop began selling its cold-pressed juices and vegan meals in January 2015 at the Canyon Towne Centre. However, the original Living Root Cellar, at 12 N. Sixth St. in Redlands, is still going strong. 909-798-4100, thelivingrootcellar.com

One last kick: Wild Donkey Brewing Co., at 2351 W. Lugonia Ave, Suite G, in Redlands, went out with a bang. After opening four years ago as The Donkey Punch, the brewery celebrated its fourth anniversary on Saturday before closing for good the next day.

Palate for wine, beer and culture: Backyard Bottleshop & Taproom, at 39400 Murrieta Hot Springs Road, Suite 123A, in Murrieta, will host its first Work in Progress creative event, showcasing the work of six local painters (who will be present) and one musician while visitors sip wine and beer 6- 10 p.m. Saturday. 951- 461-4877, backyardbottleshop.com

Rancho Cucamongas got suds: Rowdys Brewing Co., at 10002 Sixth St., Suite A, opened a week ago. 909-929-2722, facebook.com/RowdysBrewCo. There are two others coming soon: Sour Cellars, (an all-sour beer barrel room specializing in newly isolated wild yeast strains, 9495 E. Ninth St., Suite B, sourcellars.com) and Solorio Brewery & Tasting Room (9395 Feron Blvd., Suite K; soloriobrewing.com).

Recently Opened: Pieology Pizza at 26460 Ynez Road, Temecula. 951-719-1001, pieology.com. Pho Ha #1, a Vietnamese restaurant, opened this week at 27536 Ynez Road, Temecula; 951-506-0862. Ninja Sushi & Grill Japanese sushi bar, 1380 W. Sixth St., No. 101, Corona; 951-496-3933. Sushingon, Mexican and Japanese restaurant, 6060 Magnolia Ave., Riverside; 951-224-9590, sushingon.net. Thai Spoon 2, formerly Thai Ocha, 25596 Barton Road, Loma Linda; 909-478-0555

To pass on tips about restaurants, breweries and food shops that are opening or closing, contact Laurie Lucas at llucas@scng.com or 951-368-9559.

Contact the writer: llucas@scng.com, 951-368-9559
Whoever may be Menifees next mayor will very likely serve a four-year term rather than the two-year limit now in effect.

With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Measure EE showed the citys voters overwhelmingly in favor of extending the term to four years.

The measures companion piece, Measure FF, would impose a two-term limit on future mayors. Voters appeared less enthusiastic about that measure, but it too appeared to pass with all precincts reporting.

Wednesday morning results showed Neil Winter leading incumbent Scott Mann.

Though all the precincts had reported in, a number of ballots must still be counted, including vote-by-mail ballots received on Election Day, provisional ballots, write-in ballots and damaged ballots.

If approved, Measure EE would take effect immediately so that the next mayor will serve a four-year term. The mayor would still be elected at-large, unlike the district-based council seats.

While Measure FF would establish the two-term limit, a mayor who reaches the limit would be able to run again for the post after a two-year gap.

Other council members are already held to a two-term limit. Current Mayor Scott Mann said Measure FF is on the ballot because the language of Measure Z  which set term limits for council members  was unclear regarding at-large mayors.

Click here to see the latest results for all local elections.

Contact Michael J. Williams at 951-368-9690 or michaelwilliams@scng.com
Donald Trump sensationally won the White House race this morning as Hillary Clinton phoned him at 2.30am to concede she had lost.



She made the private call shortly after sending her campaign chairman to give her supporters exactly the opposite message, that it was not over - a humiliating and bizarre end to a political career which had put her on the verge of being the first female president.



Instead a jubilant Trump headquarters erupted in cheers as the news broke.



At Trump headquarters, running mate Mike Pence was first to take the stage and said: 'This is a historic night. The American people have spoken and the American people have elected their new champion.'



To chants of USA he said: 'I come to this moment deeply humbled, grateful to God for his amazing grace. I am mostly grateful to our president-elect, whose leadership and vision will make America great again.



'Let me say, it's my high honor and distinct privilege to introduce to you the President-Elect of the United States of America - Donald Trump.'



The bizarre ending to Clinton's political career came after Trump confounded pollsters at every turn, capturing one 'swing' state after another in a line of toppled dominoes that stretched across three time zones and now ends at the White House.



The last to fall was the Keystone State - after Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and Wisconsin all went to the Republican. That gave him 274 votes in the electoral college - the winner is the first to achieve 270.



He is also winning in the popular vote by a more than one per cent margin.



But Clinton is clearly gearing up to go to court across the country to try to force recounts in close-fought precincts and counties in the hope of grinding out a victory.



It is precisely the divisive end to the election she accused Trump of planning when he said last month that he may not accept the result.



If her beyond-the-eleventh-hour tactic fails, Clinton is contemplating the ruins of her career, a promise of a full-scale investigation into her and Bill's charity and personal riches by a special prosecutor, and the Democrats locked out of not just the White House but both houses of Congress.



There will be a Republican lock on the Supreme Court which could last a generation.











Source: Dailymail.co.uk









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Ghanaians who have overstayed their visas in the United States of America must be concerned because the new Trump administration will ask them to depart, U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Robert P. Jackson has told Atiewin Mbillah-Lawson in an exclusive interview minutes after Mr Donald Trump emerged winner of the U.S. election on Wednesday, 9 November.



One thing that I do think that Ghanaians need to be aware of is, I think the president-elect, as I mentioned, is likely to be more rigid about illegal immigration. We have a lot of Ghanaians who have overstayed their visas in the U.S. and I think that they need to be concerned about whether they would be allowed to remain illegally. My guess is they will be given some options but the president will be serious about asking those whove violated their visa status to depart, Mr Jackson said.



Atiewin Mbillah-Lawson: So that means we would be expecting more Ghanaians to be potentially deported into the country from the U.S.?



Ambassador Jackson: I think thats already underway in the Obama administration. I think its likely to accelerate under a Trump administration, but apart from that I do not expect major changes in our policy and whatever government emerges here after the elections on December 7 will have a friend in the U.S. and Im confident will be a friend of the U.S.



Mr Jackson also said the Trump administration would not paint every African country with the same brush. Ghanas economy is growing, Nigerias is shrinking. We have a very different relationship with Ghana. Ghana is more supportive of free trade and shares a long history of peaceful existence which Nigeria does not have, so I think we need to be cautious, he added.



Just last week, the U.S. deported 108 Africans, 54 of them being Ghanaians. There were some 50 Liberians among the deportees as well. They refused to disembark from the plane that transported them to Accra describing as inhumane the treatment meted out to them by U.S. authorities.



They claimed the U.S. officials were being hypocritical in their deportation as they were not treated with dignity while on board the plane en route to Accra.



Some of them, who spoke to Atiewin Mbillah-Lawson in an interview at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra said although their deportation had nothing to do with criminal issues, they were handcuffed and treated as criminals by the U.S. authorities in Louisiana and even while on board the plane.



According to them, when they reached the airport, the authorities attempted to take off the handcuffs to create the impression that they were treated with respect, an act they thought was hypocritical.



One of the deportees said: They (U.S. authorities) handcuffed us, they handcuffed us before we boarded the plane. That is why we say we are not getting down unless they allow us to get down with the handcuffs for everybody to see how they have been treating us. That is why we said no, we are not getting down They called some immigration officers (at the airport) to come and talk to us but we said no we want to come down with the handcuffs on and so they said we should come down. They handcuffed us in the United States. My waist, hands and my legs were all cuffed. Both legs [were cuffed], so you cannot even walk, you cannot eat, you cannot do anything.



Another deportee narrated: We have been handcuffed from Monday to today, a lot of people here (Kotoka Airport) today saw it. If you think I am lying, you can ask the people around. If you want to urinate you struggle in the handcuff before passing urine.



Another disgruntled deportee indicated: We all left Ghana to America to go and better our future, so we passed through Brazil to Colombia and some of us even died on the way Now the people handcuffed us, they only gave us bread and water from morning till evening, so when we came here (Kotoka) a lot of the people were fighting them that: You cannot deport us empty-handed; we need money to go home [with].

Source: Classfmonline









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - November 09, 2016) -

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

Resource Capital Gold Corp., (TSX VENTURE: RCG) ("RCG" or the "Company") is pleased to provide this update on its operations scheduled to recommence gold production in January, 2017 at the Dufferin Gold Mine located in Nova Scotia, Canada. The Company is preparing for commencement of milling operations beginning with stockpiled materials followed by the recommencement of full mining operations in early 2017. The Company has engaged MineTech International Ltd. of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Global Mineral Resource Services of Vancouver, British Columbia, to prepare a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) of the Dufferin project. The results of the PEA economic analyses and the resource estimates for Dufferin are expected to be received and published in the next 10 days, and the full document filed shortly thereafter.

Gold bearing stockpile materials and tailings

The Company has sampled stockpile and tailings materials on the surface at the Dufferin Mine and at the Tangier Mine. The Company intends to process much of this tonnage for gold recovery at the Dufferin Mill while it simultaneously prepares for full mining operations at the Dufferin Mine during the first quarter of 2017. The Company expects to generate cash flow from processing these materials while it is preparing to mine.

Material previously identified in Saddles 1, 2 and 4 of the mine

In portions of Saddles 1, 2 and 4 in the Dufferin Mine, three of the 14 quartz "saddle reef" structures comprising the mine, the Company has identified developed and partially-developed materials that were described and sampled as disclosed in its press release of October 17, 2016. These materials are intended to be the first blocks to be mined during the recommencement of mining operations in early 2017.

Activities underway at the Dufferin Mine and Mill

In addition to the sampling and identification of materials to be processed in early 2017 as described above, the Company has begun hiring and training of mining and milling personnel and the preparation and submittal of required regulatory forms and documentation to commence operations, along with the following activities:

Story continues

Electrical systems checks, repairs and adjustments

Specifications for a replacement hydro-cone crusher

Review of flowsheet and design of adjustments and improvements

Inspections of tailings facilities and confirming capacity

Specifications of mining equipment to be utilized in reducing dilution

Analysis of and adjustments in ventilation system

Designing improvements to mine compressed air, water and pumping systems

Inspection and servicing of all mill pumps, motors, belts, and piping

Design of an improved assay laboratory for 18 hour turn-a-round

Design fine ore storage facility to improve crushing efficiency and reduce costs

Forest Hill and Tangier Mines

Regarding the Forest Hill and Tangier Mines, the acquisition of which was announced on October 17, 2016, the Company considers the resource estimates for Tangier and Forest Hill to be current resource estimates and will be filing updated technical reports on these two properties on form NI 43-101 within 180 days in preparation for development. Processing options could include an expanded milling operation at Dufferin, or processing at a third party mill. These projects represent attractive growth scenarios for the Company to complement its advancement at Dufferin.

The Tangier Gold mine is located 30 km from RCG's Dufferin Mine. It has mineral resources of 41,700 ounces gold in the indicated category (134,000 tonnes grading 9.67 g/t Au), and 131,500 ounces gold in the inferred category (271,000 tonnes grading 15.09 g/t Au) (Mercator Geological Services, 2004, technical report on mineral resource estimate, Acadian Gold Corporation, Tangier Property, Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Canada, effective date September 29, 2004). The mine sits on a project area of 2,187 hectares in 135 exploration claims.

The Forest Hill mine is located 70 km from RCG's Dufferin Mine. It has a mineral resource of 173,800 ounces gold in the indicated category (225,000 tonnes grading 24.02 g/t Au) and 152,900 ounces gold in the inferred category (383,000 tonnes grading 12.42 g/t Au) (Mercator Geological Services, 2005, technical report on updated mineral resource estimate, Acadian Gold Corporation, Forest Hill Property, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Canada, effective date September 28, 2005). The Forest Hill mine sits on a project area of 3,398 hectares in 210 exploration claims.

About Dufferin

The Dufferin Gold Mine is a fully permitted operational underground gold mine.

The project comprises 874 hectares in 54 mineral claims that are all in good standing. The property contains +14 east - west trending "saddle reef" quartz vein structures, situated in a vertical assemblage, each hosting free milling gold. These saddle reef structures are open at depth and along strike for over 1.4 kilometers.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Resource Capital Gold Corp.

George S. Young

Chairman and CEO

About Resource Capital Gold

Resource Capital Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: RCG) is an emerging precious metals developer and producer. The Company's focus is on gold and silver and it has a pipeline of late-stage exploration, development and previously producing assets in Nova Scotia and Nevada.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is generally identifiable by use of the words "believes," "may," "plans," "will," "anticipates," "intends," "could", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "projects" and similar expressions, and the negative of such expressions. Forward-looking information in this news release include statements about the Company's plans for Dufferin.

All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.
Commercial sex workers at Adansi-Obuasi in the Ashanti region are calling on government to as a matter of urgency legalise the trade in Ghana.



They want government to either provide them alternative jobs or legalise the present trade.



According to them, life has been unbearable considering the current economic conditions in the country.



The commercial sex workers explained that they only sneak to have sexual bouts with their clients in hotels, clubs and other joints.



Prostitution if legalised they stated, will enable them operate freely and not being harassed by security personnel.



They are also promising to vote massively for any presidential candidate that will heed to their concerns.



A representative of the aggrieved sex workers in an interview with Obuasi-based Shaft FM Mama Sweet explained that if government legalises prostitution, it will help them make proper savings adding that monies generated from their night work is not enough due to the time limit.



She promised to vote for the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) if it legalises prostitution.



We want government to legalise prostitution by giving us licenses to operate, so that we can work morning, afternoon and evening. Some of us were introduced into prostitution by our friends due to lack of financial support from family members, she stated.

Source: Ultimate1069.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A High Court in The Gambia has sentenced exiled journalist and manager of Taranga FM, Alhagie Abdoulie Ceesay a total of four years imprisonment.



The court presided over by Justice E.O Dada on November 8, 2016, convicted and sentenced Ceesay to a one year imprisonment and a fine of Dalasi 100,000 (about US$ 2,290) on count one and two.



On count three to six, the journalist was sentenced to one year imprisonment and also a fine of Dalasi 100,000 (about US$2,290). Counts one to six were duplicated sedition charges. On count seven, which charges Ceesay with false publication, he was sentenced to two years in prison. The sentences are to run concurrently.



Judge Dada in his ruling indicated that if Ceesay fails to pay the fine, he will be made to serve additional two years in prison.



Alhagie Abdoulie Ceesay was first arrested on July 2, 2015, briefly released and re-arrested on July 17, 2015 on accusation of distributing photos of Gambian President Yahya Jammeh with a gun pointed at him.



After a two-week detention in which Ceesay was held incommunicado with no access to a lawyer or his family, he was brought before a Magistrates Court on August 4, 2015 and charged with a single count of sedition.



On November 18, while the case was still ongoing at the Magistrates Court, the state pressed a fresh seven-count charge against the journalist. These charges were a mere duplication of the first charge at the Magistrates court, except for that of publication of false news. The initial single count charge was later dropped.



Despite several calls by the MFWA and many civil society organisations to the Gambian authorities to release Ceesay, he was kept in detention. On March 3, 2016 the MFWA and 36 other freedom of expression organisations from across Africa and the globe petitioned the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights and the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion to urge President Jammeh to release Ceesay.



On March 31, 2016, two US senate members, Richard Joseph Durbin, a senior United States Senator for Illinois and Patrick Joseph Leahy, Senator for Vermont, also wrote to President Jammeh to release Ceesay who had then been in detention for over eight months.



While in detention, Ceesay was tortured and maltreated and was hospitalized on several occasions until his escape from hospital on April 21, 2016.



While giving the judgement on November 8, 2016, Justice Dada also said an order will be served on the police to declare Abdoulie Ceesay who is currently on exile a fugitive and to bring him to serve his sentence. Ceesay will therefore be arrested and be made to serve his sentence should he return to The Gambia.



The MFWA is deeply concerned about the sentencing of Alhagie Abdoulie Ceesay after the long period of detention and torture that he has already endured.



We are particularly dismayed that despite the numerous interventions and appeals by local, regional and international groups and individuals, the Gambian authorities have continued to persecute Ceesay.



We call on the Gambian government to grant amnesty to Ceesay who has already been forced to live in exile and far from his family and friends. We are once again calling on ECOWAS, and the African Commission to urge President Yahya Jammeh to grant amnesty to Ceesay and also improve on the press freedom, freedom of expression and human rights conditions in the country.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
Members of the Greater Accra Regional House Chiefs (GARHC) have demonstrated their unwillingness to allow their registrar, Harry Anthony Attipoe, to be transferred to the Volta region, daring the Chieftaincy Minister to bring the fight on.



The GARHC, since April 1, 2016, had been pleading with Dr. Henry Seidu Daanaa, Minister for Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs not to transfer Mr. Harry Attipoe, because of some innovations and seminars he had been taking them through, which has helped them to be abreast with the chieftaincy act.



However, the Ministers insistence on transferring the registrar, which the GARHC said was borne out of mischief by a certain Regional Minister and Member of Parliament (MP).



Again, the GARHC did not mince words, mentioning Dr. Daanaas continuous disrespect for the House but the GARHC said this misconduct by the MP cum Minister and Dr. Daanaa would not scare them.



We have, as a House, stopped the transfer of Harry Attipoe. He is not going anywhere today or tomorrow and the sector Minister must bring it on, Nene Gmogmowuyea Tetteh Mineh Animle VI, Paramount Chief of the Osuwem Traditional Area, disclosed this at a press conference at the GARHC, Dodowa.



Speaking on behalf of the House, Nene Gmogmowuyea Tetteh Mineh Animle VI exposed Dr. Daanaa for secretly blocking the transfer of some civil servants in his office and consequently hijacking the GARHCs three months allowances after changing signatories to their accounts.



We are telling Dr. Henry Seidu Daanaa that he cannot impose Emmanuel Tetteh Addoquaye on us. We are matured and he must respect us if he wants to earn our respect too, he indicated.



On Monday, October 31, the GARHC said the sector Minster held a press conference and stated that Mr. Attipoes refusal to go on transfer to the Volta Region would be a bad precedence in the civil service.



On the contrary, Nene Gmogmowuyea Tetteh Mineh Animle VI said: If there is any bad precedence set, then it started from Dr. Daanaas office, where he stopped the transfer of some persons close to him.



If he finds some of his staff dear to him and stopped their transfer, we are also holding on to Harry Attipoe because of his hard work and the huge change he has brought to the House.



He reminded the sector Minister to act in a way that would not raise the political tension in the country, because we want to do our best to uphold the peace and stability of the country.



The known politicians in government should also stop inciting the youth to demonstrate against Mr. Attipoe, because the youth front is not the Secretariat of the House.



Concluding, Nene Animle VI, held that Mr. Harry Anthony Attipoe would not go on the transfer to the Volta Region, as long as Dr. Daanaa and the faceless MP cum Regional Minister remain in position.

Source: The Chronicle









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Music legend Kojo Antwi aka the ladies man has released a new single titled Mi Yoo loosely translated as "my woman".



The Adiepena hit maker in an interview with Roman Fada last Thursday mentioned that his new single was recorded with the sole intention of drifting from the usual peace songs especially during elections.



He added that musicians adopt the peace song and peace walk trend which tends to induce panic in the minds of listeners.



I felt I should give the people something to cheer about; there is more to life than elections, life will still go on, he opined.



The music legend asked Ghanaians to watch out for another mind blowing Album which will be released very soon.









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The LA Times is reporting that at least one person has been killed and three injured after an active shooter opened fire near a polling place in Azusa, California. The Los Angeles County Sherriff confirmed that police are currently dealing with one suspect who is heavily armed.

#UPDATE: Situation is still active in Azusa, California after a shooting, at least one suspect trapped. #9News https://t.co/bGJgiOSmUw  Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) November 8, 2016

This is a very volatile and critical situation, said Officer Jerry Willison of the Azusa Police Department. Few details about the shooting have been released, and police have urged residents in the area to stay in their homes.

Local resident Roberto Chavez told the LA Times that the gunman, who wore black pants and a white shirt, was someone he recognised as someone who frequently visits a neighbours home. Police told Chavez to remain indoors as the gunman had allegedly barricaded himself in a home.

The exact location of the shooting has not been divulged for the safety of the officers and locals.

Well keep you updated as this develops.

Source: LA Times.

Photo: KLATV.
Well, its not very hard to find stories about Australias detention regime that completely stomp your faith in humanity into the dust, but this one surely taps into some heretofore unknown vein of horror.

Its long been the governments line that our punitive border regime is important because it prevents drownings at sea  the widely exposed incidences of sexual abuse and torturous conditions in our overseas facilities is obviously just an unfortunate side-effect of a very important humanitarian mission.

Well. The Guardian has more deets on the refugee who was reportedly deported from Melbourne to Nauru in the middle of the night last week. Turns out he did arrive in Australia by boat  but it was a cruise ship. He arrived in Australia in 2014 on a ship on the understanding he had a valid visa.

The man, who is believed to be from an African nation, later applied for asylum. He was immediately recategorised as an illegal maritime arrival and send to Villawood detention centre, before being transferred to Nauru via Darwin. He has since returned to Australia three time to receive medical treatment, and has been taken back to Nauru each time  the most recent event being the aforementioned deportation last week.

Its not an illegal boat, he told The Guardian from Nauru. You cant get on a cruise ship if you dont have a visa. It is a legal boat [] I came here because I have a problem.

Because the man is considered an illegal maritime arrival, the fact that hes been deemed a legitimate refugee doesnt mean much. Government policy holds that illegal maritime arrivals can never settle in Australia.

Daniel Webb of the Human Rights Law Centre says that this event really exposes the fact that the Government dont actually give much of a shit about deaths at sea  its all about border protection:

Punishing a man who arrived on a cruise ship exposes the lie that the governments policies are some sort of humanitarian crusade. If this was really about safety, then the government would focus on developing safe and orderly paths to protection for people seeking asylum instead of needless punishing them.

Welp. Important to remember that while America frets over a nativist border protection fanatic in Donald Trump, were the ones who are actually doing it.

Source: The Guardian.

Photo: Getty Images.
What could be better than a giant outdoor camping music festival with all your mates in gorgeous sunny Australia?

Well, that would be a giant *GAY* outdoor camping music festival with all your mates in gorgeous sunny Australia.

Gaytimes is back with a huge, thoughtfully diverse line-up.

Itll be held in February at the Lake Moutain Alpine Resort in Marysville (thats the same location Paradise is held), which is only a 100-minute drive from Melbournes CBD.

According to triple j, along with a impressive lineup, the event will also feature DJs, performance and visual art, light projections, yoga, cinema, workshops, and speed dating.

Plus, youll be fkn thrilled to know its BYO, but theres a cocktail bars, food, coffee, and a community canteen on-site if you forget/have some kind of huge disposable income.

The event preaches inclusivity and openness for all LGBTQIA people, and so has organised gender neutral toilets and a strict zero tolerance policy for anti-social, homophobic, transphobic or racist behaviour.





LINEUP





Ngaiire

JD Samson (NYC)

Ali Barter

Au Dre

Avery

Brendan Maclean

Broadway Sounds

Brooke Powers

Chelsea Beach

Cunningpants

Der Kreis

Fritz Hedler (Berlin)

Geryon

Gretta Ray

Habits

Hunly

Jennifer Loveless

Jlaw

Jess McAvoy

Kam Shaafati

Luke Agius

Mojo Juju

Nyami

Nussy

Poly

Renee Delay

Ruby Slippers

Salvador Darling

Shouse

Smithers

Teeth & Tongue

The Football Club

The Posse

Toyah Hoetzel

Two Steps On The Water

Whiskey Houston

Yo! Mafia

Zebulen Howell

and more to be announced

Gaytimes is being held 17  19 February next year.

Early bird passes have already sold out; first release tickets and VIP glamping options are on sale today.

Hands u you are absolutely fkn here for this:

More info here: gaytimes.com.au/

Source: Gaytime / triple j.
I tell you, Ive typed these words out a lot today and they are not getting any easier or any less ridiculous: Donald Trump is going to be president. The actual president. Of the United States of America.

Hes going to be added to Disneys Hall Of Presidents. Warships will be named after him. Kids will read about him in history books (if the Earth survives that long). He might even end up on a coin. Donald J. Trump will actually, definitely, 100% for serious be President.

While Americas disenfranchised white people (have a look at the stats, they are pretty telling), hardcore racists, and idiot 4chan teens are celebrating, the rest of the world is quite reasonably dumfounded as to how people could be so willing to put a man with no skills, no plans and no idea how shitty his fake tan looks into the White House. Today is just the fucking craziest day.

The question on everyones lips at the moment (except, presumably, Hillarys) is Where is Hillary? We havent heard from the Secretary of State since around midday east coast Australia time, when the election results started to look real, real bad:

This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything. pic.twitter.com/x13iWOzILL  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 9, 2016

Traditionally, once it gets to the point of no return, the losing candidate gives a concession speech on the night. However, Hillary opted to concede to Trump with a phone call at 2:30am local time, with Trump giving his acceptance speech shortly thereafter.

The concession speech is optional, but now considered an integral part of the process, designed to ease the transition and reduce instability, which was crucial during the Cold War, when the US wanted to give the Russkis the impression that they were strong and undivided at all times  hence the I actually think this guy I just spent 10 months calling a fuckface is really good vibe of the speeches.

Its also generally considered a bit shit to your supporters, who have been waiting up all night and wouldnt mind some acknowledgement that the efforts theyve put in have been have been recognised by their candidate, regardless of the outcome, or at least a bit of closure.

There are a few possible theories for why shes opted not to give the address tonight. Firstly being that the immense soul-crushing devastation of losing something she so deeply dedicated herself to rendered her completely incapable of being able to stand up in front of a crowd. Probably not the case, but boy howdy would it be relatable.

Secondly, she might not have actually prepared a concession speech. Given how absolutely bizarre the idea of a Trump presidency was (christ), they might not have even entertained the notion of failure. It seems unlikely given Hillarys history as a consummate statesperson, but it also seemed unlikely that she wouldnt deliver one on the night, so who knows.

Hillary would be well within her rights if her concession speech was you all can go eat a dick.  Ray (@SirEviscerate) November 9, 2016

The third possibility is that they are still looking for some way out of this, desperately hoping theres some weird technicality or ancient bylaw that will wake them up from this crazy orange-skinned, big-haired nightmare Hillarys campaign seem to be experiencing.

Fourthly, she might just have been really tired.

Reports seem to indicate that shell be delivering the speech Wednesday afternoon US time (which will be tomorrow morning for us), which will still put her a solid month ahead of how long it took Al Gore to deliver his concession speech.

Photo: Justin Sullivan.
Following on from yesterdays drama around the wildly popular shitposting Facebook page, Yeah The Boys, a fake page with the same name (and over 600 likes) has popped up overnight.

It proclaims to be the official YTB page, but it appears to be anything but.

For starters, its first status embodies the absolute worst of the Yeah The Boys Meet Up Facebook event  which YTB repeatedly claimed to have nothing to do with  which caused the original page to shut itself down temporarily in the first place.

And secondly, a Yeah The Boys 2 Facebook page, which does appear to be from the original admins, have told their 33,000 followers to ignore it.

As we reported on yesterday, the YTB page found itself the unwanted target of media attention after the (again, not official) meet-up event page went freaking nuclear, attracting over 10,000 attendees all intent on spamming the page with violent and sexually-charged abuse.

It spiralled out-of-control after a male attendee called a female attendee wanting to come a fucken two hole, and, in a horrendous example of group think, thousands of people decided that comment was okay.

FB user Georgia Mantle then pointed out the absurdity of calling women two holes, and the abuse, rape threats, and general misogyny skyrocketed.

A YTB admin announced yesterday he were shutting the page down temporarily, after media coverage continually linked the Facebook page with the event and Im not gonna have A Current Affair rock up to my house.

News.com.au, Daily Mail, Mamamia, and whoever made a news article claiming we made the yeah the boys meetup event and that were some female hate page you seriously need better researchers or need to actually try with your journalism because we made multiple status and comments saying we have nothing to do with the event, none of us even live in NSW for fucks sake.



The long-winded (and now unavailable) status rejected all claims that the group was a pro-rape or anti-women page, explaining that it was made to be based on the satirical and controversial humour of the working class Australian male and his relationship with his mates, or his boys.

Yes the statuses are controversial, theyre crude and theyre offensive, but theyre to be taken 100% as fiction and as light heartedly as possible, but unfortunately its the people who have commented and taken the statuses seriously who have caused this to become the issue that it is right now. For the record we absolutely do not condone violence against women or anyone in general, its a terrible thing and the eradication of such horrendous act would be an amazing step in the right way for humanity as a whole, were all the same biology regardless of ideology or gender. For everyone saying we are dogging the boys for this, we are clearing our name and our page morals so that we can continue the content you love; Burnouts, pokies, getting pissed and shelfing biscuits with your mates so run and tell that.

As we reported yesterday, NSW Police is investigating the entire Facebook event for evidence of criminal wrongdoing. So yeah, fellas  if you think abusing people online is funny or cool, please be prepared to face the consequences.

Photo: Facebook.
sparc proposition 64 california marijuana legalization 1354

Voters in California passed a ballot initiative on Election Day to legalize marijuana for recreational use, ending the prohibition on pot in the Golden State.

Proposition 64 allows adults over the age of 21 to use, possess, and transport up to an ounce of marijuana for non-medical purposes, and grow as many as six plants at home.

The bill also imposes a 15% tax on sales of the drug, generating up to $1 billion in new tax revenue annually, according to the state's nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office.

Voters said yes to legal weed in a big way on Tuesday.

The decisive victory comes 20 years after California became the first state to legalize and regulate the medical use of marijuana under Proposition 215, a 1996 voter initiative.

Those in favor of the decision owe a big thanks to billionaire Silicon Valley fixture Sean Parker. The former Facebook president and founder of Napster contributed $8.5 million to the effort, making him the single biggest donor of the initiative, according to The Los Angeles Times.

All said, Proposition 64 raised close to $16 million, about four times the amount spent on a failed effort to legalize recreational weed in California in 2010.

sparc proposition 64 california marijuana legalization 1310

The bill builds on its predecessor's shortcomings by creating clearer standards around the sale and distribution of marijuana and disincentivizing black-market operators from continuing, according to Richard Miadich, a Sacramento attorney and a co-author of Proposition 64.

"If you accept the principle that what we're doing today isn't working [in the war on drugs] and you're looking for an alternative, I feel very comfortable saying this is an alternative  this is more than a viable alternative, this is an outstanding alternative," Miadich told Business Insider on Tuesday night, hours before the final tally was announced.

As the governor of Colorado said at the time his state legalized recreational marijuana in 2012, users shouldn't "break out the Cheetos" just yet. Nonmedical sales are still a ways away. California marijuana consumers will not have a place to buy their bud legally until retailers are issue licenses to sell. The state has until January 1, 2018, to begin that process.

Story continues

Californians are free to possess and grow marijuana immediately.

sparc proposition 64 california marijuana legalization 1321

Business Insider spoke to voters outside San Francisco's City Hall on Tuesday afternoon, where people expressed overwhelming support for Proposition 64.

"I don't smoke weed or marijuana or nothing like that, but it's better than alcohol," said Jeffrey Chapman, an independent contractor who voted in favor of the bill. "It's for helping people."

"It just seems like a no-brainer to me," said Byron Weiss, assistant stores manager of 826 Valencia, a Bay Area nonprofit that helps underprivileged children build writing skills.

Weiss, a California native, told Business Insider he followed the 2010 ballot initiative more closely than Proposition 64 and was disappointed when it failed to pass. But as the stigma against marijuana dropped, legalization in California was "only a matter of time."

An immigration attorney, who asked to remain anonymous given marijuana's federal status, hopes legalization puts a chokehold on the black market. Her clients come from outside the US and sometimes fall into situations where they become drug mules, she said.

"Bringing [marijuana] more to light, I feel, will hopefully decrease the drug trafficking and illegal markets for it," she said, adding that regulation will make the drug safer for all involved.

sparc proposition 64 california marijuana legalization 1323

There is a catch. Marijuana remains a Schedule 1 drug, which makes it illegal in the eyes of the federal government. But how will marijuana fare under president-elect Donald Trump?

Trump has flip-flopped on the issue throughout his public life. The Manhattan billionaire supported state's rights to choose how to legislate medical marijuana, but has not expressly called for legalization. His campaign hasn't yet taken a definitive stance on the issue.

Many industry insiders hope California becomes a "tipping point" toward ending prohibition nationally. Ben Larson is cofounder and managing partner of the Oakland-based startup accelerator Gateway, one of the first incubators for pot-focused entrepreneurs.

"This will be a significant driving force in pushing legalization to other states, at the federal level, and beyond," Larson said. "Tonight is the tipping point."

Miadich, the bill's co-author, spent a year drafting the bill while working as managing partner of law firm Olson Hagel & Fishburn LLP. He knows firsthand the work that went into it.

"I believe this is a good, comprehensive approach to a problem that everybody should acknowledge exists today," Miadich said. "If other states look at this and they're interested in [legalization], I think they ought to pay pretty close attention to what we do here in California."

sparc proposition 64 california marijuana legalization 1316

Experts within the industry stressed the "historic" nature of the vote.

"This is a historic day for the cannabis movement as California officially legalizes marijuana for the adult market," Max Simon, of Green Flower Media, told Business Insider. "Not only will this stop tens of thousands of people from getting arrested each year just for using an all-natural substance that's much safer than alcohol, but it will also create hundreds of thousands of new jobs and give millions of people safe access to a medicine they desperately need."

Kyle Sherman, the CEO of Flowhub, a seed-to-sale tracker for the marijuana industry, reflected Simon's thoughts.

"It's fantastic news for the health of this country that California has legalized cannabis for adult-use," Sherman said. "Not only are tens of thousands of jobs going to be created but cannabis will be regulated in a system built to keep consumers safe from pesticides and other additives."

The night's victory was largely overshadowed by the nail-biting presidential race. Business Insider stopped by an election night viewing party at Sparc, a dispensary located in the heart of San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood, attended by industry entrepreneurs.

Attendees cheered, hugged, and threw high-fives upon hearing the news that Proposition 64 passed, then quickly turned their eyes back to the television screens.





More From Business Insider


University of Sydney students are where youd rather be right now: in the pub, drinking.

About 500 students are packed into Manning Bar watching the election / end of days, and while most (85%) are Clinton supporters, a small selection are rooting for Trump.

And if youre wondering what kind of Sydney Uni students would happily out themselves as Trump supporters:

Trump supporters at Sydney Uni gleefully yelling grab them by the pussy! Thats how we do it!  Jess Hill (@jessradio) November 9, 2016

Freelance journo Jess Hill, whos attending the party, reported on Twitter that the crowd was also chanting drain the swamp, lock her up, and build that wall, which was met by boos from the rest of the Sydney Uni crowd.

Hill said when she confronted the students about their grab them by the pussy chants, they yelled Bill Clintons name back at her.

@JamilaRizvi yep  and when I had a go, they yelled BILL CLINTON. Who is not running for president, nor talking about assaulting women  Jess Hill (@jessradio) November 9, 2016

She said it was over in seconds, and that its unlikely the university will be able to identify (and therefore take action against) these students whore literally promoting sexual assault to be funny.

7 News reported that the Manning Bar election party was being thrown by the United States Study Centre.

Update: The University of Sydney says some participants were removed by security. Good.

Some participants removed by security from on-campus election event. Attendees reminded to observe Code of Conduct.https://t.co/JwXfRjYd8U  University of Sydney (@Sydney_Uni) November 9, 2016

Official event is over but security taking a no-tolerance approach to inappropriate or offensive language for any still watching at Manning https://t.co/TUrrJrERhd  US Studies Centre (@USSC) November 9, 2016

participants have been removed. University does not endorse and will not tolerate such behaviour.  University of Sydney (@Sydney_Uni) November 9, 2016

Photo: Twitter / Nick Fergus.
All is not lost, ladies and gentleman. But there has been a great darkening, a great unwokening. May I turn your gaze to two different election forecasts. First  the one that the entire internet is losing its collective mind over: the New York Times poll, which currently gives Trump an 88% of winning. The FiveThirtyEight poll, which has always been more bullish on Trump from the get go, isnt quite as dramatic  had Clinton slightly ahead for some time.

But that lead is collapsing fast.

So what does this mean? The general conversation hasnt quite accounted for the potential of an actual Trump victory and what it would really look like. So lets take stock of what the realities are right now. We cant say for sure, but its looking like Trump could very well take the White House. Lets just assume he will.

There are a couple of certainties here too. The Republicans are almost certain to take both the House of Representatives and the Senate. So if, by some miracle, Clinton limps over the line, its going to be a hollow fuckin presidency: she wont be able to get any new Supreme Court judges through, her legislation would be paralysed, the chance of any kind of progress has basically been ripped from underneath her. So, in practical terms, she cant win at all.

Reminder that Trump win means he will control unified house and senate, plus long-term SCOTUS picks and 2020 gerrymander. Dem Apocalypse.  Richard Cooke (@rgcooke) November 9, 2016

But if Trump does win  and I stress that I reckon its a pretty high chance of that happening  hell have wiiiiiide space to do whatever he pleases, more or less, as long as he has the support of the Republican legislature. Which, to be honest, he will. For all the NEVER TRUMP bluster from some moderate (lol) wings of the Republican Party, theyll be pretty fucking gleeful to have their hands on the levers of power and theyll run with it all the way.

Hell also control the county lines for the next election  meaning the Republicans can redraw them any damn way they like. This has huge impact on the electoral map and can make it even harder for a Democrat to win next time around.

Hell also have room to select the Supreme Court judges he wants. Hes promised to pick very solid conservatives for the Supreme Court, which dooms it to being an extremely conservative judiciary for the next couple of decades. D E C A D E S. If youre a progressive, that should concern you even more than the presidency itself.

How about all those promises Trumps made? The Muslim ban? The big fucking wall? Impossible to tell at this point. I dont think the United States federal government has the institutional capability to pull together the labour effort to contribute to a wall like that. I just dont see it happening the way Trump has promised. The Muslim ban, though? Id fucking worry.

There you go, folks. Turns out the kind of weak, centrist liberalism proposed by someone like Hillary Clinton wasnt enough to topple far-right populism. It was proved with Brexit, and its being proved again by Trump.

The next couple of decades are going to suck.

FOR MORE ELECTION COVERAGE:

USyd Students Chant Grab Her By The Pussy At Manning Bar Election Party

Yanks Desperate To Flee Trumps America Crashed Canadas Immigration Site

Trumps Site Had A Major Glitch Which Made It Say W/E You Fkn Wanted It To

Photo: Getty Images.
Noah Galloway.jpg

Pictured is Iraq War veteran and television star Noah Galloway during an interview Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, at the U.S. Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle. (J.C. Lee / PennLive)

When Noah Galloway enlisted in the U.S. Army, he knew there was a chance he wouldn't be able to make it home.

He didn't expect that he would come back missing an arm and a leg.

Galloway will speak about his time in service and how his injuries have changed his life at 7:15 p.m. today at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center at 950 Soldiers Drive in Carlisle. It's the keynote presentation for the venue's "This We'll Defend: The Army's Infantry Through the Ages" program.

Galloway was wounded by an improvised explosive device in Yusafiah, Iraq, during his second deployment in 2005, according to a news release from the venue. The soldier lost his left arm above the elbow and his left leg above the knee. Galloway later suffered from depression and addiction upon returning home. However, he recovered with the help of his children and his "passion for fitness."

"With a goal of inspiring others to be healthier, he transitioned into the role of teacher, becoming a personal trainer," according to the news release.

Galloway has also appeared on several television shows. He competed on the 20th season of Dancing with the Stars in 2015 and currently appears on the television series True Grit.

The program is a part of the venue's Veterans Day celebration. The event features reenactors who will depict soldiers throughout history, including those from the Pennsylvania National Guard. They will talk about what it's like to be an infantryman and display some of the tools they would have used in combat.

For more information, visit the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center's website.
Joe Arpaio

In this Jan. 9, 2013, file photo, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio speaks to reporters in Phoenix, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

(Ross Franklin)

The man who styled himself "America's toughest sheriff" lost his job in Tuesday's election.

Maricopa County, Ariz., Sheriff Joe Arpaio was defeated Tuesday in his bid for a seventh consecutive term by his Democratic challenger, Paul Penzone, a 21-year veteran Phoenix police officer.

Penzone campaigned on a reform agenda, promising tough law enforcement without racial profiling, a practice for which Arpaio became notorious as he crusaded against undocumented immigrants, sometimes in defiance of the federal government.

"I come from a law enforcement background," Penzone told his supporters late Tuesday, the Arizona Republic reported. "I pursued this because I want to restore the respect, the transparency" of the sheriff's office.

"No longer will we be known by the notoriety of one," he said.

Arpaio's defeat was no big surprise. He had trailed in some polls by double digits.

And, as the Los Angeles Times noted, the demographics of Maricopa County changed dramatically, becoming more liberal with an increasing number of Latino voters and more youthful voters.

Democratic hedge fund billionaire George Soros pumped tens of thousands of dollars into the campaign against Arpaio, with his spokesman denouncing him as "a stain on the justice system" in the state.

But, as the Republic reported: "It was likely Arpaio's aggressive immigration stance that was his downfall. It alienated him from Hispanic and Democratic voters. And eventually, Republican support split as Arpaio's enforcement measures spawned a long-running racial profiling case."

Arpaio took office in 1993. His predecessor fell to a scandal in which two men, falsely charged with murder, won $2 million from Maricopa County. Arpaio was then 60, retired from a career with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Over the next two-dozen years as sheriff, Arpaio's own reputation would not remain untarnished.

Under Arpaio, the county jail once again found itself paying out lawsuit settlements. A man named Scott Norberg, restrained in a chair with a towel placed over his mouth, died in 1996 of what the medical examiner determined was "positional asphyxiation," reported The Arizona Republic. The settlement with Norberg's family cost the county $8.25 million.

One racial profiling case, which began in 2007, ultimately cost the county more than $41 million, according to the AP. A lawsuit filed by Hispanic plaintiffs argued that the sheriff's deputies unconstitutionally targeted Latinos at traffic stops.

In 2011, U.S. District Court Judge G. Murray Snow ordered the sheriff's office to stop detaining people solely on suspicion that they were undocumented immigrants, without reference to whether they had reason to believe they had committed a crime.

In October, Arpaio was charged with criminal contempt of court for resisting Snow's order.

If convicted, his sentence could include jail time of up to six months. He pleaded not guilty at the end of October; the trial is planned to be held Dec. 6.

The lawman was also known for a handful of strange and divisive stunts.

He clothed inmates in pink undergarments. More than 2,000 inmates lived in a "tent city" in the Arizona desert - even when the heat, the men living in the desert said, melted their sneakers. They were fed twice a day; meals included sandwich meat that had reportedly turned green with age. Arpaio reinstituted chain gangs for men, and later expanded them to include women and juvenile offenders.

The sheriff was never one to shy away from the spotlight. He recruited actor and martial artist Steven Seagal to train a volunteer posse how to breach rooms and carry guns. One of the tasks given to the 3,500-strong posse was patrolling local malls during the winter season, the Los Angeles Times reported in 2013.
Barack Obama,Joe Biden

President Barack Obama speaks about the election, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington.

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Barack Obama says he's instructing his team to make sure there is a peaceful transfer of power to Donald Trump.

Obama spoke Wednesday in the White House's Rose Garden following Trump's upset victory in Tuesday's presidential election.

He noted that he and Trump have had big differences. Trump promises to repeal many of Obama's achievements over the past eight years. Obama had warned voters that if Trump were to win, "all that progress goes down the drain."

Now, Obama said "we all want what's best for this country." He said the point is that we all go forward with a presumption of good faith in all citizens. He says that's how the country has moved forward and he's confident that the American journey will continue.

Obama said he was heartened by Trump's call for unity in his acceptance speech.

He also said he could not be prouder of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Obama said Clinton's candidacy and nomination sent a message to daughters all across the country that "they can achieve at the highest levels of politics."
2016 Election Trump

President-elect Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech during his election night rally, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in New York.

(John Locher / AP)

When Donald Trump announced he was running for president, it didn't make the front page of his hometown newspaper The New York Times.

The newspaper buried it inside, and most political analysts laughed off his candidacy as impossible.

Trump was underestimated that day in June 2015. He was underestimated when he defeated 16 challengers in the Republican primary. He was underestimated when a video scandal rocked his campaign. He was underestimated in the general election.

The New York real estate mogul and self-proclaimed billionaire was elected Tuesday as the 45th president of the United States, becoming the first political outsider to hold the nation's highest office.

Trump acknowledged his "very, very historic victory" early Wednesday morning and immediately talked about unifying the country.

"To all Republicans and Democrats, it is time for us to come together as one, united people," Trump said. "It's time."

From the moment he rode down the escalator to Neil Young's "Rockin' In The Free World" to start his run for the White House, Trump connected with a demographic that eluded traditional Republicans and Democrats for decades: white, working-class voters.

After eight years of a president who told voters how hopeful America could be, the voters who felt left behind by liberal elites and the Republican establishment chose the tell-it-like-it-is populist.

Trump told them he would make America great again. He told them he would build a wall - and make Mexico pay for it - to keep out illegal immigrants. He told them he would bring back coal and steel jobs, rebuild the military and infrastructure without raising taxes, save the inner cities, and restore law and order.

It was a message that clearly resonated among the thousands of supporters who showed up at Trump's events, but poll after poll predicted Clinton to win battleground states and the U.S. election.

All of those polls were wrong.

Trump won the presidency with 289 electoral votes to Clinton's 218 electoral votes.

Just like their 18-month campaign, it was a hard-fought election night that came down to the wire.

As state after state started to fall in his favor, political analysts started asking how the polling could've been so wrong.

"This is quite possibly what political scientists call a 'critical election,'" said Kyle Kopko, a political scientist at Elizabethtown College. "This could define new voting patterns in the Electoral College. People could be reconsidering their party allegiances. I think this will be the subject of political science research for years and years."

The proof was never on the other end of the phone line or captured in a survey. It was in the rallies, including Friday night at Giant Center when he attracted 13,000 people - his largest campaign crowd in Pennsylvania.

This state was a keystone in the election. From their first stops here before the April primary to the 20 campaign stops in the past three days, Clinton and Trump fought hard to win Pennsylvania.

Clinton focused on increasing turnout in population-heavy Philadelphia, the Philadelphia suburbs and Pittsburgh. Those areas have helped Democrats win presidential elections every year since 1992.

Trump bucked the trend and appealed to blue-collar workers in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Central Pa. and Pittsburgh's surrounding counties.

His strategy paid off and he became the first Republican since George H.W. Bush in 1988 to paint Pennsylvania red.

When he won Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes, he sealed his victory and made Clinton's path to 270 impossible.

It's the victory Trump supporter and CNN analyst Jeffrey Lord always knew was possible.

"It was one of the reasons I kept comparing him to (former President Ronald) Reagan, precisely because I thought that he had the same kind of appeal that could carry Pennsylvania and states in the 'Rust Belt,'" said Lord, a Camp Hill resident.

That appeal helped him flip traditionally blue states, capturing Reagan Democrats - or perhaps they're Trump Democrats now.

Polling places throughout Pennsylvania reported a high number of voters who hadn't cast ballots in decades.

Trump received 20 percent more of the blue-collar vote than Mitt Romney in 2012, and Clinton underperformed among African-American voters compared to President Barack Obama four years ago. That's largely how Trump won the election.

Now, the real work begins.

Trump is meeting with Obama Thursday to discuss the transition of power.

The president-elect inherits a divided country that didn't really like or trust either presidential candidate, and continues to seek better economic opportunities.

A gracious Trump noted the partisan divide in his victory speech and called for unity, thanking Clinton for her service to the country.

"Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service," Trump said.

He said he would also reach other to those who have disagreed with him to ask for their help in unifying "our great country."

"While the campaign is over, our work is just beginning," Trump said.

"I pledge to every citizen of our land I will be a president to all of our citizens, and this is so important to me," Trump added. "For those who have not supported me in the past, I'm reaching out to you for guidance and help in unifying our great country."

Taking a calmer, more measured approach in the last two weeks helped voters, who were on the fence, see Trump in a new light, according to Scott McLean, a political scientist at Quinnipiac University.

"He was able to bring along those voters who had doubts," McLean said. "Republicans started coming home."
PFC William Stambaugh.png

PFC William Oscar Stambaugh was one of the first Perry County residents to die in World War II.

(Provided photo)

On the eve of Veterans Day, a bridge will be dedicated to one of the first Perry County residents to die in World War II.



The honoree is PFC William Oscar Stambaugh, who was 22 when he was killed fighting the Japanese in Buna, New Guinea, in November 1942.



State Rep. Mark Keller will host the naming ceremony at 10 a.m. Thursday at the bridge on Route 74 over Sherman Creek in Spring Township.



Stambaugh was born in 1920 and graduated from the former Landisburg High School. He enlisted in the Army just 13 days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor drew America into the war.



When he died, he was serving in the 32nd Infantry Division, the Red Arrowmen. Stambaugh was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart medal and a presidential citation.



By an act of the state Legislature, the span on Route 74 will be named the PFC William Stambaugh Memorial Bridge. Several members of his family are expected to attend the dedication ceremony.



Stambaugh is among three deceased Pennsylvania military veterans the Legislature recently voted to memorialize.



A portion of Route 74 at Carlisle was designated the Marine Lance Corporal Gary Lee Ream Memorial Highway in honor of a Carlisle man who was 20 when he was killed in an ambush in Vietnam in 1966.



Navy Lieutenant Commander John J. Peterman had a section of Route 220 in Lycoming and Sullivan counties named for him. He spent World War II serving in submarines on patrols in the Pacific, and retired from the Navy in 1972. He later served as Sullivan County sheriff.
Bucks County Election 2016

Crowd for voting at the Woodside Church in Lower Makefield Twp. in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

LOWER MAKEFIELD TWP. - Bucks County is one of the most contested areas in the United States presidential election.

A Philadelphia suburb, it's one of the must-wins for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton -- and it's decidedly divided.

Voters from both sides expressed their fears and reservations about losing the election on Nov. 7 in Lower Makefield Twp.

A group of Trump supporters stated they would need proof that Clinton legitimately won the election before supporting her.

"There's enough articles out there about these shady mathematics," said Thomas McGowan, 53. "...I think it should be challenged."

On the other hand, Clinton supporter Arthur Cohn, 75, didn't even want to think about a world with Donald Trump as president.

"The country and the world would go bye-bye," he said.

"I think it would be the worst thing that could happen to the country."

While each side had its extremists, there were those with more moderate views on the election results.

Clinton supporter James Bowe, 23, admitted he would be "kind of scared" if Trump won, but that it wouldn't be the end of the world.

"If Trump does win, a lot of people will be unhappy," he said. "A lot of people will be saying 'that's not my president;' but the cool thing about the U.S. is you get to pick a new one every four years."

Loretta Dileo voted for Trump, but she would have no problem accepting the results if Clinton won.

"As an American, I will support her as our president absolutely," she said.

There were also those who were just happy the whole thing was over.

"I think eight months ago most people decided what they were going to do and tonight's the end of it," said Jeff Spive, 52, a Clinton-supporter.

"I think everybody's going to be relieved. Once they hit the green button, they're done. They can just sit back and watch who wins."

There were a lot of people hitting that green button in Lower Makefield Twp. As of 7 p.m. roughly 2,500 people had voted at the Woodside Church polling place. Lines for voting were so long it took more than two hours to cast a ballot during the afternoon.

"It's very encouraging," said Zach Rubin, a Democratic Committee Person for the township who had been watching the polls all day.

"People have waited 2, 2.5 hours to vote, which shows you they have a stake in their country."

Trump-supporter McGowan was also impressed.

"My first vote was for Ronald Reagan and I don't remember seeing lines like this since," he said. "I haven't seen anybody that's said they're not voting."

There was no doubt that driving many of the voters was the polarizing nature of the two presidential candidates: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

"It's only the fate of the nation, that's all," said Rubin. "Some people want to preserve a way of life and some people want to buy snake oil from a [scam] artist."

Democrat Cohn gave all the credit for turnout to Trump.

"People either love him or hate him," Cohn said.

For the Trump supporters, however, they focused on the state of the country.

"The country's on the edge of collapse," McGowan said. "We have to do something. It's the last chance we have for a change."

Dileo agreed. "I think things are really chaotic right now," she said, adding later "I think we need to get our country back where it needs to be and back in line."
Maurer.png

David Maurer

(Provided photo)

A tech expert who worked for Dauphin County is facing charges that he bugged his estranged wife's private email and Facebook accounts.

That alleged electronic eves-dropping violates Pennsylvania's wiretap law, the state attorney general's office said Wednesday in announcing the arrest of David R. Maurer of Susquehanna Township.

Investigators said Maurer, 36, secretly installed spyware on his wife's laptop so he could access her private chats and emails and see what websites she was visiting. He then supplied illegally obtained screen shots to a court-ordered child custody evaluator, prosecutors said.

They said the investigation showed Maurer had used the county's wireless network to commit the crimes. The case was referred to the attorney general's office by the county district attorney's office.

Maurer is charged with with three counts of illegal interception, disclosure or use of wire, electronic or oral communications, one separate count of illegal interception, disclosure or use of wire, electronic or oral communications and one count of unlawful access to stored communications. He is free on $20,000 unsecured bail.
Gregory Theodore 2.jpg

Gregory Theodore

(submitted)

A drug addicted anesthesiologist who was found unconscious between surgeries at Carlisle Regional Medical Center has been sentenced to 4 years of probation under a plea deal he struck in September.



First Assistant District Attorney Jaime Keating said Wednesday that the sentence Cumberland County Judge Albert H. Masland imposed this week also requires Dr. Gregory Theodore, 62, of Carlisle, to stay in substance abuse rehabilitation.



Theodore must not engage in medical practice, either, and must surrender his license to prescribe drugs.

Investigators said Theodore was taking excess medications, including painkillers, that were prescribed for patients. He was arrested the state attorney general's office began investigating a July 2015 report that he was found unconscious in a bathroom between surgeries.
(Adds Minnesota Senate result, Connecticut Senate tied)

By Karen Pierog

Nov 9 (Reuters) - Republicans will continue to dominate state legislatures in the wake of Tuesday's election, which kept their party in control of Congress and put Donald Trump in the White House, legislative analysts said on Wednesday.

After an election in which more than 80 percent of 7,383 state legislative seats nationwide were up for grabs, Republicans and Democrats were likely to control the same number of chambers they had previously, according to the bipartisan National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), which is still compiling voting results.

Republicans, who have dominated control of legislatures since the 2010 mid-term election, held the majority in 67 of the country's 98 partisan legislative chambers, while Democrats had 31 going into the election. Nebraska's single chamber is nonpartisan.

"Neither party can sort of boast of having a big night down on the state level," NCSL elections analyst Tim Storey said. "Republicans will remain in a dominant position in terms of policy making."

In Kentucky, Republicans took over the House of Representatives for the first time since 1921, while defeating longtime Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo, according to the Republican Legislative Campaign Committee.

That result leaves Republicans in control of all 30 legislative chambers in the U.S. South for the first time in history, Storey said.

Republicans also wrested control of the Iowa Senate and the Minnesota Senate from Democrats, according to NCSL.

Democrats hit their target in the New Mexico House of Representatives, gaining a majority of seats, and took over both chambers of the Nevada Legislature.

In Hawaii, the only Republican in the Senate was ousted, making the Democratic-controlled chamber the first all one-party state legislative chamber since 1980. One chamber, the Connecticut Senate, came out of the election tied.

Democrats retained control of the Illinois Legislature but lost their veto-proof majority in the House after Republican Governor Bruce Rauner and his top donors invested tens of millions of dollars in a bid to weaken long-serving Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Story continues

The control of the New York Senate was still undetermined, NCSL said.

Missouri's legislature and governor's office will be totally under Republican control after Eric Greitens won the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Governor Jay Nixon. Vermont will be split with the election of Republican Phil Scott as governor.

Republicans extended their majority of U.S. governorships in Tuesday's vote.

(Reporting By Karen Pierog, additional reporting by Dave McKinney; Editing by Grant McCool and Bill Trott)
Bernard Schade.png

Bernard Schade

A state appeals court panel has refused to accept a claim by the former director of a boy's choir that he was too old, deaf and and physically feeble to understand the guilty pleas he entered in a child-sex case.

Kenneth B. Schade was 75 when he pleaded guilty to counts of statutory sexual assault and possessing child pornography before a Monroe County judge in July 2014. He was accused of molesting a teenage boy from 1995 to 1997.

In return for his pleas, prosecutors dropped an array of other serious charges, including child rape and aggravated indecent assault counts that they filed against the founder of the renowned Singing Boys of Pennsylvania.

Schade, who also is a former professor at East Stroudsburg University, was sentenced to 4 1/2 to 10 years in state prison. County Judge Margherita Worthington deemed him to be a sexually violent predator.

On appeal to the Superior Court, Schade claimed he didn't understand what his lawyer was telling him about the plea offer. He claimed he never intended to plead guilty, was seduced by the victim, and couldn't adequately hear the judge during the hearing where he entered his plea.

None of those arguments convinced the state judges, who denied Schade's appeal in a recent opinion by Judge Lillian Harris Ransom.

Ransom noted that in his "inartfully phrased" appeal, Schade claimed no crime had been committed "because the sexual acts were consensual and initiated by the (teen)," who was a member of the choir. He also argued that the 1,101 child porn images police said they found in his home were "protected by the First Amendment" of the U.S. Constitution.

Schade contended that he should be allowed to withdraw his guilty pleas because at the time he "was overwhelmed by the destruction of a life's work, was overwhelmed by his outing as a homosexual, (and) was hearing impaired and in poor physical and emotional health due to his age."

Court records indicate otherwise, Ransom concluded. It was evident from the transcript of his plea hearing that Schade knew what he was doing, she found, considering that he told the county judge he understood and was willingly entering the pleas. Schade was able to engage in "reasoned" conversations with Worthington, Ransom noted.

The record also shows his lawyer effectively advised Schade before he agreed to plead guilty, she found.

"The law does not require that (Schade) be pleased with the results of his decision to enter a guilty plea, only that the plea be knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently made," Ransom wrote.
HARRISBURG-- U.S. Rep. Scott Perry on Wednesday toured a Harrisburg tire shop severely damaged by a wall collapse to try to find solutions that could save the small business.

Howard Henry, owner of Howard Tire and Auto, gave the representative a tour of his 56,000 square-foot facility that he had to close last month because of safety concerns about additional collapses.

The original May 5 collapse near the Mulberry Street Bridge sent tons of dirt, debris and even a car onto Henry's rooftop, which eventually collapsed the back of his warehouse.

The debris has sat untouched since then, as nearby property owners and people who worked on the wall try to distance themselves from the liability.

Henry wanted to get a meeting with the governor, but the governor's staff said that would not be possible. Instead, Henry met Wednesday morning with staff members.

Later on Wednesday, Perry came to the tire shop to see the damage first-hand and offer his help.

"You can look around this building and see the amount of investment, time, years of work," Perry told reporters after his tour. "It's sitting empty. I don't what caused the problem and I don't know who's responsible for it. But I can tell you I know who's not responsible and who didn't cause the problem and that's this poor guy here."

Perry said he had not found a "federal nexus" to be able to offer specific assistance. Instead, he said his office would act as a "facilitator," to get the various involved parties to the table to start negotiating a solution.

Perry said they would get to work making phone calls right away to city officials, state officials, nearby property owners and any companies that worked on the wall to stage a meeting.

The city believes the wall that collapsed is owned by The McFarland Apartments. The wall propped up one of the apartment's parking lots.

The other entities don't feel the urgency to solve the problem as Henry does, Perry said.

"We need other folks to be interested as well and provide their information," he said. "People are fearful that the problem will be theirs or partially theirs so they just don't want to touch it. And since they're not losing money every single day, since they're not having to pay the bills, since their facility is not empty, they're not as concerned as this guy here."

Henry had to lay off 12 employees when he shuttered his doors in early October, concerned that his employees could be in danger with the exposed wall towering above his shop.

Without any income from the shop, Henry said he's not sure how much longer he can hang on financially.

"This man can't wait for months, if not years for a court process," Perry said. "All this is going to go away at some point...Time is of the essence here."

Howard thanked Perry for getting involved. Howard and Perry graduated together from the Northern York High School

"He came right to the table with all kinds of support and help," Howard said. "He didn't have to come here today. Our governor in our backyard did not come, but he came from Washington so I think that's a telltale sign of who we're dealing with here."

City officials have cited the owner of The McFarland apartments with code violations in an attempt to speed up cleanup at the site, but the apartment owner appealed.

The attorney representing the owner, Adam Klein, previously said his client doesn't have the millions of dollars it would take to begin cleanup. Without admitting fault or ownership of the wall, Klein said his client is awaiting word from their insurance company to see what kind of coverage would apply.
As the final vote tallies trickled in from Pennsylvania precincts, a man who worked to get the Amish community to the polls was still up watching returns in hopes his organization's impact would push Donald Trump to the presidency.

Ultimately, the Keystone State was not the final state to put Trump over the threshold, but Ben Walters, a co-founder of the Amish Political Action Committee, was happy. Though he hadn't slept in 48 hours, Walters said, he planned to watch election returns until the nomination was secured or he dozed off -- whichever came first.

Walters noted that it was too early to tell how many Amish voters in the county, went to the polls, saying he will have to review logs and canvassing sheets to measure the impact of the PAC's efforts.

Officials at several Lancaster County polling locations said that by lunchtime, they saw more voters from the Amish community turn out than ever. Even more cast votes in the afternoon and evening -- between morning and evening wedding celebrations across Amish Country. Around 20 weddings were performed in the community Tuesday.

"We knew it would be close from the beginning," Walters said. "We knew the Amish were a sizeable enough amount of the population to provide the margin, should the election come down to the wire in Pennsylvania."

In Lancaster County, Trump defeated Clinton by a little more than 47,000 votes, a margin about 5,000 votes greater than Mitt Romney' margin of victory in 2012 over President Barack Obama. The 137,000-plus votes Trump won in Lancaster County are among more than 2.9 million votes the president-elect secured in Pennsylvania. Election returns currently have Trump winning Pennsylvania by about 68,000 votes.

"It really goes to show you that every vote counts," Walters said.

***

Of the Amish voters who spoke to PennLive on Tuesday, nearly all said they voted for Trump, with a handful declining to address which candidate they supported. The overwhelming tenor of the Amish remarks on the election were that Trump was a flawed candidate but a better representative of the issues that matter to them.

Because the Amish rarely grant interviews, PennLive is respecting the voters' wishes not to be identified.

One Amish voter, a man in his 30s, said it was the first time he had voted since 2008. He said he was unhappy with the political process but will continue to vote and voice his opinions.

"I'm not sure how we got to the point where neither candidate has any morals," the man said.

He said most of the community does not talk politics, so he was unable to address whether more Amish planned to vote in the election.

"If who I voted for gets in, I feel we need to pray about it," the man said, reluctantly revealing he supported Trump.

An Amish man in his 20s said it was his first time voting, with his main concern being religious freedom. He noted that his father was a Republican and that it influenced his decision to vote for Trump.

Another Amish man who is not currently a church member told PennLive he disagreed with both candidates but found Trump to be the "lesser of two evils." The man, who also was in his early 20s, said he owns a business installing solar panels and is fearful of the environmental policy Clinton would have employed and its effect on smaller companies like his.

This man pointed to a shift in the community from agriculture as a means for a livelihood as a reason for more politically aware people in the community. With more people in skilled trades and outside the somewhat insular community, the reality of politics has become more clear.

"I think it's our duty to vote, and the newer generation is feeling that more," he said, adding that his father would have voted for the first time were it not for his sisters' wedding and missing the absentee deadline. His mother is more "old-fashioned" and does not vote.

A middle-aged Amish couple said they were aware of the PAC's efforts but voted based on the issues. Both were proud they had voted since 2000 and had no plans to stop.

The husband said he was a supporter of Second Amendment rights and did not believe Clinton would serve gun owners as president. He said Trump had failures as a businessman, shaky morals and multiple marriages but would be a good leader.



The man's wife echoed the same sentiment, adding that she didn't think a woman was fit to be president. Both said a woman wouldn't be good under pressure, with the husband noting that though Germany and Britain have had women leaders, those countries have much smaller populations and are therefore easier to oversee than the U.S.

"I don't know one Amish that would vote Democrat," the woman said.

***

Walters said PAC organizers expected about 20 or so volunteers to help drive members of the Amish community to the polls. More than 300 volunteers ultimately showed up, and scores of that group shuttled potential Amish voters to the polling locations throughout the day.

"It was just incredible," Walters said. "We located every single registered voter in Lancaster County. In many cases we had volunteers knock on their doors two times (yesterday)."

Paula Page Eicher of Claysburg said she travelled from Bedford County to help get out the Amish vote and help inform the community of the issues that were at stake. She shuttled several people from weddings and their homes to polling locations Tuesday because she felt so strongly about the election's impact on the direction of this country.

"I had a desire in my heart to do something more than just cast a ballot," Eicher said.

Eicher said she spoke to Amish teenage girls about the need to vote and having their voices heard as women in coming elections. She also said she explained the role of the electoral college and why Pennsylvania was so important to securing the election for Trump.

Pointing to farm issues, business taxes and regulation, religious liberty, Second Amendment rights and health care, Walters said the Amish were affected by the issues as much as other Americans. He added that he didn't understand why the community didn't vote in large numbers until studying the subject, which helped the PAC develop its strategy over a six-month span. The Amish PAC used "unconventional ways, old-fashioned ways, ways that (the Amish) are comfortable with," including billboards, newspaper ads, sending information by mail and phone calls.

"I think today really was a culmination (of those efforts)," Walters said.

After instructing volunteers and getting the PAC's headquarters up and running, Walters rushed back to Arlington, Virginia, to vote for Trump.

Walters said Amish PAC co-founder Ben King and treasurer Taylor Swindle will work to keep the Amish PAC up and running to support down-ballot Republicans and to hold government accountable.

"We hope this is the start to something long lasting," Walters said.
Frank Wojtowicz.png

Frank Wotjowicz

A 32-year-old man is behind bars in Wayne County, charged with brutally attacking and threatening to kill a 4-year-old boy whom he blamed for all his troubles.



The Scranton Times-Tribune reports that Frank Wojtowicz hit the child's mother on the head Monday afternoon and then began attacking her 4-year-old son, fending off the mom's attempts to protect the boy.

Police said Wojtowicz is accused of throwing the boy head-first into the arm of a couch, kicking him in the head and choking him. The mom told them Wojtowicz punched the boy about a dozen times, investigators said.

During the assault, Wojtowicz blamed the boy for his problems, they said. The mother and son eventually escaped to a neighbor's house. The county district attorney said the child was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Wotjowicz was sent to prison in lieu of $500,000 bail on charges including attempted murder and aggravated assault.
Officials in Ephrata are working to repair a huge sinkhole on one of the borough streets and to get residents from several apartments back into their homes as soon as possible.

Ephrata Police chief Bill Harvey said dispatches received a call about a pothole just after 5 p.m. Nov. 8 at Park Avenue and West Pine Street. The pothole grew and the street collapsed with the sinkhole spanning about 45 feet in length and about 25 feet deep.

The hole collapsing caused a minor water main break and came close to damaging a gas line. UGI Utilities crews set up a bypass for the natural gas and the water was diverted, Harvey said, adding that no one lost gas or water service and no injuries or deaths occurred.

Two apartment buildings were evacuated on the adjacent streets: residents from eight apartments were displaced on Park Avenue and four were displaced at apartments on West Pine Street.

Borough officials, the apartment's property management company and the American Red Cross of Central Pennsylvania are working to assist the residents of the Park Avenue Apartments who were displaced. Those residents will likely be out of their homes for a few days, Harvey said. That evacuation was caused by the proximity of the apartments to the sinkhole and for safety reasons, he added.



Displaced residents from the apartments on West Pine Street could be back in their homes as soon as tonight, Harvey said. He noted that the sinkhole disconnected the apartments from sanitary sewer and borough code mandates residents have access to sewer services.

Harvey said crews are working to determine why the sinkhole opened up but said it likely had to do with the limestone sediment, which is the cause of many sinkholes in Pennsylvania. He pointed to notable instances of sinkholes in the area, including one in Harrisburg.

It could take about a week to repair the sinkhole, adding that there may be an update on the situation tomorrow.
They were the true believers. Trump voters in Central Pennsylvania saw what they described as America's last chance for change, and they weren't about to miss it. Even when the polls, the political pundits and even Republican Donald Trump's own, sometimes outrageous words and actions would seem to argue against him winning the presidency.

Through it all, these Trump supports persevered. Most of all, they voted. But their reasons varied.

Some loved Trump's outsider status. They saw him as a true change agent. Someone to shake up the political establishment, and in Trump's own words, "drain the swamp" of Washington, D.C.

If Obama won with a message of hope and change. These Trump supporters were willing to vote for change without knowing exactly what it would look like - and then hope for the best.

Others were attracted by Trump's business acumen. They see him as the president who can bring business back to America and give work back to working people.

A few simply couldn't accept a President Clinton. Citing her e-mail scandal and other Clinton controversies, they insist she should be prosecuted -- not sworn-in as president.

Indeed, Sal Beatty, a Trump voter from Swatara Township, talked of Clinton's corruption and America's deep divisions among his reasons for pulling the lever for Trump.

"I hope Trumps pulls it out," Beatty said. "I prayed about it."

As for Hillary, Beatty was true to the chant of "Lock her up" heard at many Trump rallies. "I just think she should be held accountable for the crimes she committed," he said.

Most of all, though, it was about changing the country.

"There's a lot of passionate people, and they do want to see change," Beatty added. "The economy isn't good in America right now. People want to paint the picture that it is."

Of course, not everyone will accept a President Trump. And Beatty said he expects even the election results to be labeled racist due to Trump's controversial comments regarding everything from Mexicans to Muslims.

"I've had so many people call me racist, and they don't even know me," Beatty lamented.

Getting big money out of politics and breaking Washington's stranglehold on the rest of the country with everything from regulations to Supreme Court rulings is what motivated Vietnam veteran Mike Barna of Steelton to cast his vote for Trump.

"Washington is big money," he said. "That's why so many Republicans are against Trump."

Now, Barna hopes Trump will shake up the system.

"If it is on the up-and-up, it's going to be a landslide for Trump," he said of the election.

Gerald Kauffman was more of a reluctant voter for Trump. Mainly, he didn't want to "be responsible" for a President Clinton.

And while he is not exactly sure what a Trump administration will bring, he was willing to vote for change - and then hope for the best.

Kauffman is predicting that divisions in the country exposed by the campaign will remain, but he is optimistic that Trump will pioneer a new third path - similar to what a third party candidate might bring to the table.

"There's going to be divisions in this country, but America will be America," he said.

Greg Bilger of East Pennsboro Township is bullish on America, as well. He voted for Trump, but said he would have accepted a President Clinton because that's what Americans do and it is what democracy demands. But his already strong optimism in America under any leader is clearly buoyed by a President Trump.

Andrew Mauer of East Pennsboro Township was attracted most by Trump's outsider status. He saw Trump as a change agent, and the closest thing the country could have gotten to a true third party candidate to break the Washington, D.C., power structure and shake up the political establishment.

Still, Mauer predicted the Trump might only serve for four years, then make way for his running mate, Mike Pence, to ascend to the top job.

But those next four years might just be enough to change things.

The Supreme Court and a deluge of Clinton mailers were enough to spur first-time millennial voter, Kevin Thompson, age 23, to come out and vote for Trump in Susquehanna Township.

"The thing I was concerned about most is Supreme Court justices," he said. "I know there were three spots coming up, and I prefer them to be conservative."

But the true catalyst might have been all the political mailers Thompson was receiving as a prized millennial voter.

"I was swimming in paper and online media to come out and vote," Thompson said. "I'm tired of being harassed. I'm just going to come out and do the opposite of what they want me to do."

For veteran Ardee Burno Jr., 53, once a top secret control officer for the Air Force, Clinton's e-mails stuck in his crawl.

"Those are all prosecutable offenses," the Susquehanna Township resident said of the allegations of Clinton having classified emails on a private server. "You got military guys sitting in prison for far less right now."

So Burno saw his vote for Trump as a vote for fighting corruption.

"Somewhere along the line you got to have some rule of law," he insisted.
After months of sidestepping questions about whether he supported his party's presidential nominee, incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Pat Toomey voted for Donald Trump.

The announcement came just before 7 p.m. on Tuesday as Toomey left his Lehigh County polling place. He faces a tough reelection bid against Katie McGinty, the state's former Democratic environmental secretary.

"In the end I decided we've just got to change the course we're on," Toomey told The Morning Call.

Toomey walked a tightrope on the Trump question for months.

While he has criticized many of Trump's public statements, he refused to denounce his party's nominee. Such a renunciation, of course, would have risked alienating impassioned Trump supporters.

McGinty used Toomey's equivocation against him in campaign speeches and TV ads. Polls have shown the race at a virtual dead heat for months.

In previous interviews, Toomey said he would probably tell voters which presidential candidate he planned to vote for by Election Day.

He did so with one hour left before Pennsylvania's polls close.
CAMP HILL -Brock Warner hopes Donald Trump builds a wall that separates the United States from Mexico to curb illegal immigration if elected president.

The 29-year-old Silver Spring Township resident believes Trump, who appeared to be on the path to victory as of midnight, is going to tackle the promises he made along the campaign trail.

Repealing Obamacare and protecting the rights of gun owners are among Warner's chief reasons for supporting the billionaire candidate.

He also likes Trump's brash style.

"I like that (Trump) is outspoken and isn't politically correct," Warner said among well over a hundred GOP loyalists gathered in a ballroom at the Radisson hotel in Camp Hill. The Republicans were there to watch the presidential poll results roll in and celebrate local GOP campaign victories.

State Rep. Greg Rothman, who was re-elected to the 87th District seat of the state House of Representatives Tuesday, celebrated amid a sea of red shirts and "Make America Great Again" hats. Rothman was one of several Republican state lawmakers in attendance to win midstate races Tuesday night.

Despite national polls that called the presidential race in favor of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, Rothman said he wasn't surprised Trump was on his way to stage an upset.

For the past eight years, the country has been crippled by Wall Street, which has done incredibly well as American workers were left to deal with stagnant wages, Rothman said.

"I would have been surprised if (Trump) lost. People are being left behind," said Rothman, who defeated Democratic challenger Jim Massey. Massey, a retiree of the U.S. Army and Pennsylvania Department of Education, ran for state office after receiving enough write-in votes in the primary.

As a Trump victory seamed all but certain, cheers continued.

One particularly enthused reveler screamed "let freedom ring." The same man then screamed "(Expletive deleted) the media."

Another Trump supporter refused to speak with PennLive, and said "I don't like media people."

Fred Jenkins of New Cumberland was open to an interview.

Dressed in a white coat covered in Trump buttons, Jenkins, 76, said he knows Trump isn't going to be able to fulfill every campaign promise, "but he's going to try."

Jenkins said he didn't pay attention to polls during the race.

"I think (Trump) has been very truthful with everybody and believe the agenda he set against all odds came through," he said. "You have to believe in a person and have faith."
One of two men shot during a home invasion near Shippensburg University late Monday is a suspect in the burglary case.

Kevin Malik Kenney, 20, of Philadelphia, was shot after he and Harrisburg resident Sherrod E. Baltimore, 21, forced their way into an apartment in the 1200 block of Bard Drive, Shippensburg Township, at about 10:30 p.m., police said.

Christopher Batts Jr., who was in the apartment at the time, was shot in the stomach and airlifted to York Hospital. Kenny was flown to Hershey Medical Center. Police did indicate where the bullet(s) entered Kenney's body, and no information was immediately available on either's condition.

Chavez Ortiz, who lives in the apartment, told police the incident began after someone knocked on his door two times between 9:30-10:30 p.m.

Ortiz said he didn't recognize the person through the peep hole, so he didn't open the door.

After Batts arrived, the individual came back and knocked for the second time, Ortiz told police. After a third knock, Batts answered the door and Kenney and Baltimore forced their way in, according to police.

Batts immediately was struck on the head with a crow bar, police said. Just after, Ortiz said he heard two gunshots ring out, and saw one of the suspects run from the apartment.

The other suspect wrestled with Batts, who dropped his Ruger pistol during the tussle, police said.

The two kept wrestling until Ortiz said he found the gun and pointed it at the suspect, who then fled the apartment.

Police discovered Kenney with a gunshot wound in the 500 block of Bard Drive at 11:20 p.m. They responded to the incident scene and found Batts at 11:46 p.m.

Police said another person, Nashid Al-Hadi, also was in the apartment when they arrived. Officers found blood on the floor, walls, doors and light switches throughout the first floor. Police also said they found a crow bar on the living room floor, gloves, a pocket knife, a black Ruger pistol, shell casings and a cell phone.

Officers said they found a white 1999 Land Rover, with its front passenger seat covered in blood, near the spot they found Kenney. Police also said they found a gun holster in the vehicle. During a canvas of the area, officers said they found a discarded 9 mm pistol and a blue glove.

Police caught up with Baltimore, who confessed to participating in the incident on Tuesday.

Baltimore told investigators he went to the apartment to buy marijuana, and he had a crowbar with him. He said he didn't know Kenney had a 9 mm with him, however.

As Batts opened the door, Baltimore told police Kenney forced the door open.

Baltimore said he thought Kenney was being dragged inside, which is why he swung the crowbar and struck Batts in the head.

Baltimore said moments later he heard a gunshot and immediately dropped the crowbar. As Kenney and Batts rolled around on the floor, Baltimore told police he tried to pull them apart. He said after they were separated, he and Kenney fled the scene. Thats when he said he realized Kenney had been shot, according to police.e

Baltimore would not provide any additional information about the incident, police said. He has been charged with:
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2016 / Roscan Minerals Corporation (ROS-H.V) ("Roscan" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an option and joint venture agreement (the "Option Agreement") dated November 7, 2016, with Pelangio Exploration Inc. ("Pelangio"), pursuant to which the parties established an earn-in arrangement to jointly advance the Dormaa Project, a gold exploration project in Ghana, West Africa. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Option Agreement, Roscan will have the right to earn a 50% beneficial and equity interest in the Dormaa Project by making certain payments to Pelangio and providing funding for the Dormaa Project, as described below.

Don Whalen, Director of Roscan stated: "Roscan has been focussed on evaluating strategic opportunities and is now delighted to have concluded an agreement for the right to participate in what we believe to be a prospective and exciting gold exploration project in Ghana.". He added, "In addition to the significant exploration potential of the Dormaa Project, we believe that, because of the option payment structure, Roscan is in a strong position to raise financing for the project and for its other working capital needs".

About the Dormaa Project

The Dormaa Project is an early-stage gold exploration project for the exploration of an approximately 86.44 square kilometer land area located in the Ahafo Ano District of the Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo Regions of the Republic of Ghana. Initially, the Dormaa Project was established by Pelangio to support the reconnaissance for minerals in the Dormaa Project area by Torkornoo and Associates Limited ("TAL"). Early stage prospecting, geochemical and geophysical surveys were carried out by TAL. Subsequently, TAL entered into an agreement with Pelangio Ahafo (G) Limited ("Pelangio Ghana"), an indirectly held, wholly-owned subsidiary of Pelangio, pursuant to which TAL transferred and assigned to Pelangio Ghana all of its interest and related work obligations in the Dormaa Project area, including 100% of the mineral rights granted pursuant to a prospecting license (the "Prospecting License") with respect to the Dormaa Project area, which are now held by Pelangio Ghana.

Pelangio has reported that work on the Dormaa Project to date has included stream sediment surveys into the secondary and tertiary drainages in the licensed area; soil sampling using the BLEG technique on an 800 metre by 100 metre grid; and follow-up, closer-spaced, soil surveys of a 100 metre by 25 metre grid on the northern half of the Dormaa Project area, and that this work resulted in the finding of significant gold-in-soil anomalies. In addition, Pelangio has reported that significant anomalies up to 4 kilometres long and 500 metres were identified in the southern half of the Dormaa Project area and that follow-up, closer-spaced, soil surveys have not yet been conducted in this region. Pelangio has also informed Roscan that recent satellite imagery indicates that substantial unregulated artisanal and mechanized alluvial operations were carried out during 2014-2015 in areas surrounding the Dormaa Project, and that gold-in-soil anomalies on the Dormaa Project may be the source of the alluvial deposits giving rise to these operations. Roscan has not verified the foregoing historical information about the Dormaa Project.

Based on a preliminary work plan approved by the parties for the first year following the Effective Date, expenditures of approximately $300,000 are planned to be made for expanded gold-in-soil geochemical surveys, prospecting, and approximately 3,000 metres of reverse circulation and air core or rotary air blast drilling, to be completed by Pelangio Ghana at the Dormaa Project.

Option Agreement Highlights

Some of the key terms of the Option Agreement are summarized below:

To exercise the option and earn a 50% interest in the Dormaa Project, Roscan would:

fund a total of $2,000,000 in exploration expenditures to be incurred by Pelangio Ghana within three years of the date of the Option Agreement (the " E ffective Date ") as follows:

pay to Pelangio an aggregate of $160,000, as follows:

pay the applicable annual ground rent and mineral right fees, which are payable to the Government of Ghana pursuant to the Prospecting License, and becoming due during the three-year option period (estimated to be approximately U.S. $15,000 in the first year of the Option Agreement).



Pelangio has no requirement to fund the Dormaa Project during the option period.

Upon the exercise of the option, a joint venture between Roscan and Pelangio would be formed, whereby each party would have an initial 50% participating interest, and thereafter contribute funding on a pro rata basis (initially, 50% Roscan, 50% Pelangio) or have its participating interest diluted in accordance with a standard dilution formula.

Once formed, the joint venture would hold 100% of the mineral rights to the Dormaa Project area granted pursuant to the Prospecting License, subject only to a 2% net smelter return royalty on all ounces of gold recovered from the Dormaa Project to be retained by TAL (but, subject to the royalty payor's right to buy-back 1% of the royalty at any time for U.S. $2,000,000), and a 10% free carried interest in the rights and obligations of the mineral operations of the Dormaa Project reserved to the Government of Ghana.

The Option Agreement sets out a detailed process for the further exploration and operation of the Dormaa Project, which will be overseen by a management committee consisting of representatives of both of the parties.

During the option period and the joint venture, Pelangio Ghana will be the operator of the Dormaa Project.

Private Placement Financing

In addition, Roscan announces its intention to complete a non-brokered private placement of up to 10,000,000 units (each, a "Unit") of the Company, at a price of $0.05 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $500,000. Each Unit will consist of one common share (the "Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant (the "Warrant") entitling the holder thereof to purchase one additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.08 for twenty-four (24) months from the date of issuance. The Company reserves the right to accelerate the expiration of the Warrants, if at any time, which is more than four months and one day following the closing date of the private placement, the closing price of the Company's Common Shares is $0.15 or more for at least twenty (20) consecutive trading days. The Common Shares and Warrants comprising the Units will be subject to resale restriction for four months plus one day from the date of issuance. The Company may pay finder's fees with respect to proceeds raised.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to fund its first year commitments of the Option, for working capital purposes and otherwise in a manner consistent with the accomplishment of the Company's business objectives.

Option Grant

The Company also announces that it has granted options to a director of the Company under the Company's stock option plan to purchase a total of 150,000 common shares of the Company at a price of $0.05 until November 7, 2021.

Mr. Warren Bates, P.Geo., (APGO #0211) is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this press release.

For further information, please contact:

Mark McMurdie, Chief Financial Officer

Roscan Minerals Corporation

Tel: (416) 293-8437

Fax: (416) 293-3957

Email: info@roscan.ca

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the option to earn an interest in the Dormaa Project, the Company's proposed financing activities and its ability to satisfy its project financing and working capital needs, planned use of any proceeds or available funds, objectives, goals or future exploration plans at the Dormaa Project, the business and operations of the Company. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: failure of Pelangio to obtain the authorizations for the assignment to it of the Prospecting License; the Company's inability to obtain financing to satisfy the payments necessary for it to earn an interest in the Dormaa Project when due; political and economic risks related to Ghana, title risks, liquidity risks related to the Company and Pelangio, general business, economic and social uncertainties; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; those additional risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com; and other matters discussed in this news release. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except where required by law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

SOURCE: Roscan Minerals Corporation
mcginty-toomey

Pennsylvania candidates for U.S. Senate, former state environmental secretary Katie McGinty and incumbent Sen. Pat Toomey.

(PennLive.com file photos)

UPDATE: Pat Toomey wins re-election

Katie McGinty had been leading incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey for hours after Pennsylvania polls closed Tuesday, but that advantage eroded late in the evening.

With 88 percent of precincts reporting, the former Democratic state environmental secretary trails the former Wall Street investment banker by nearly 14,000 votes, according to unofficial Department of State data.

Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, trails Donald Trump by less than 8,000 votes.

Both races are currently within 1 percentage point.

The problem for McGinty, however, is that much of the vote in the Democratic strongholds of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and the suburbs and southeast Pennsylvania has already been tallied.

The most expensive congressional race of all time had been a virtual dead heat for much of the year, although McGinty had pulled ahead of the incumbent Republican Sen. Pat Toomey in more recent polls.

In all, a total of $155 million was spent on the race, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, much of which came from outside groups that, due to the U.S. Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision, can spend such sums with little disclosure of the source of the money.
Frank Ryan.jpg

Frank Ryan

(submitted)

Republican Frank Ryan is the apparent winner in the 101st District state house seat being vacated by long-time Rep. Mauree Gingrich, according to unofficial results.

Ryan received 66 percent of the vote, compared with 33 percent for Democrat Lorraine Scudder, with 91 percent of the county's precincts reporting.

Election 2016: Live results and chat

Ryan, 65, of Cornwall, topped Democrat Lorraine Scudder, 64, an office manager from Palmyra. It is Ryan's first successful election, after two tries in congressional races, and it was Scudder's first campaign.

Ryan, a retired Marine Corps reserve colonel, touted his financial experience in helping companies out of bankruptcy, and promised he'd help put the state on better financial footing.

Scudder, a former paralegal and executive director of legal and auditor organizations, said her skills as a liaison would serve her in helping to prevent future budget impasses in the state.

Ryan said property tax and pension reform will be his first priorities. He supports House Bill 76, which would shift property taxes to increased sales and income taxes. But first, he would correct the pension crisis reduce spending and eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in state programs.

Scudder described herself as more progressive than her opponent, and advocated increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour. Ryan is against raising the minimum wage statewide, saying it would hurt rural areas, and advocates more job training instead.

Scudder also advocated funding education more fairly, but believes eliminating property taxes is viable, since raising income and sales taxes wouldn't produce enough revenue.

The 101st District includes the city of Lebanon; Cornwall, Mount Gretna and Palmyra boroughs; North Cornwall, North Londonderry, South Annville, South Londonderry, West Cornwall townships.
Sue Helm.jpg

Rep. Sue Helm

(file photo)

Republican Rep. Sue Helm apparently survived a Democratic challenge in the 104th District, and will return to the state house for another two years, voters decided Tuesday.

Helm received 62 percent percent of the vote, compared with 38 percent for Democratic opponent Jody Rebarchak, according to unofficial results.

In Dauphin County, with 74 percent of precincts reporting, Helm received about 61 percent of the vote, compared with 39 percent for Rebarchak.

In Lebanon County, Helm received 81 percent of the vote, compared with 19 percent for Rebarchak.

Helm, 72, of Susquehanna Township, ran on her record of protecting taxpayers "hard-earned money" and upholding GOP values. She cited improving the local economy and generating jobs for residents as the top issue in the district.

Reforming pensions for new state hires would help reduce property taxes, Helm said, and leave taxpayers with more money to spend.

Her other priorities were fighting the opioid crisis, property tax reform, improving funding for education, including tax credits for businesses that contribute to schools, and legislative reform.

Rebarchak, 48, who is a Susquehanna Township commissioner, said legislative reform was her top priority, followed by fair property tax reform and funding for school districts. She also advocated raising the minimum wage to $10.10, on-time state budget, not balanced with "sin" taxes, a severance tax on gas drilling and criminal justice and drug treatment reform.

Rebarchak also said she would refuse to take a pension, pay raise or per diem if elected even though she would work as a full-time legislator.

Helm said she has voted for pension reforms that would have decreased her state pension, but they didn't pass. She said she declines other perks.

In the May primary, Helm survived a challenge by Nate Curtis, a veteran, during a wave of anti-establishment sentiment among voters nationwide.

The 104th District covers parts of Dauphin and Lebanon counties and includes East Hanover, North Annville, Halifax, Jackson, Jefferson, Middle Paxton, Reed, Rush, Susquehanna, Upper Paxton and Wayne townships; wards 4 and 7 in Swatara Township; and Dauphin, Halifax, Millersburg and Penbrook boroughs.
11barletta-marsicano.jpg

The race for the 11th Congressional District pitted incumbent Lou Barletta against Democrat Mike Marsicano.

(Provided photos)

Republican incumbent U.S. Rep Lou Barletta won re-election to the 11th Congressional District seat in a contest that pitted him against another former Hazleton mayor.

Barletta, 56, who served as Hazleton mayor from 2000 to 2010, was among the early supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

The Associated Press called the race in his favor with 37 percent of precincts reporting: Barletta had 64 percent of votes to Democratic challenger Mike Marsicano's 36 percent.

Barletta was leading with 57,384; Marsicano trailed with 32,822.

Barletta first drew national attention in 2008 during his term as mayor, when the city became the first municipality in the country to pass a local law intended to make it illegal to rent to or employ undocumented immigrants. The law was eventually ruled unconstitutional.

Immigration continued to be a focus for Barletta after he was elected to Congress in 2010. He cited illegal immigration, along with national security and saving taxpayer dollars, as top issues when he announced his re-election campaign.

Marsicano a former state police helicopter pilot who went on to work more than 20 years as a pilot with Continental Airlines, served as Hazleton mayor from 1996 to 2000.

In announcing his candidacy, he cited the need to fix "a broken Congress" by listening to constituents, offering "common sense bipartisan direction" and "refusing to engage in a negative campaign."

The 11th congressional district includes Columbia, Montour, and Wyoming counties along with parts of Carbon, Cumberland, Dauphin, Luzerne, Northumberland, and Perry counties. The district was redrawn in 2012.
Shapiro, DePasquale, Torsella

Pennsylvania's row office winners Josh Shapiro, Eugene DePasquale, Joe Torsella

Successfully separating themselves from the taint of scandal and a weak top of the ticket, Democratic candidates completed a sweep of Pennsylvania's three statewide row offices Tuesday.

Democrats Josh Shapiro and Joe Torsella won open seat races for the state Attorney General and Treasurer offices, respectively.

And Incumbent Auditor General Eugene DePasquale was cruising to a relatively easy re-election to a second term as state government's top quality control officer.

The sweep was a significant accomplishment for the Democratic candidates, and meant that Shapiro and Torsella, especially, had successfully separated themselves from the scandals of their Democratic predecessors.

Both former Attorney General Kathleen Kane and former Treasurer Rob McCord were forced to resign mid-term after criminal convictions that voters apparently saw first and foremost as personal lapses.

Shapiro said he never felt that he was carrying baggage from Kane's problems.

"This race has always been about me and my opponent's competing visions for the (Attorney General's) office, and my record of executive management and governing with integrity," Shapiro said as returns mounted in his favor Tuesday night.

"I'm incredibly honored and humbled that the voters have entrusted me to be the people's Attorney General."

All the Democrats benefitted from large, 400,000-plus margins out of the City of Philadelphia, perhaps spurred by the all-Democrats-on-deck election eve rally featuring President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

But there was also some ticket-splitting in evidence statewide, as evidenced by the fact that each of the three Democratic row office candidates ran at least 2.3 percentage points ahead of Clinton.

Clinton, for her part, looked to be headed for a narrow loss to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the race for Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes at this writing.

DePasquale was at a loss to explain the difference, but speaking for himself, he said that he appeared to have benefitted from targeted television advertising in the Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Scranton / Wilkes-Barre media markets that helped him run a little better than the top of the Democratic ticket.

DePasquale had the added advantage of just completing what has generally been considered to be a successful first term.

"I think people, in a sense, ratified their belief in the work that we've been doing," the 45-year-old former York County lawmaker said.

Torsella, of Flourtown, Montgomery County, likely was helped by coming from the voter-rich Philadelphia media market, where he had worked both as a deputy mayor to Ed Rendell in the 1990s, and later, as CEO of the National Constitution Center.

He had the biggest margin of the three Democrats, winning 50.7 percent of the vote to his opponent Otto Voit III's 44.1 percent with more than 98 percent of all the state's precincts reporting.

In a statement on his win, Torsella said:

"I couldn't be more grateful for the chance that Pennsylvanians have given me to serve.

"The results show that our message to restore integrity to the Treasurer's office - by setting the toughest ethics standards in the country, by banning payments to politically-connected middlemen, and by making Pennsylvania's finances an open book is the right plan."

DePasquale was up by 50.0 percent to Republican John Brown's 45.1 percent.

In the Attorney General's race, both Shapiro and Republican nominee John Rafferty are Montgomery County lawyers.

But Shapiro posted a big win in the voter-rich, suburban Philly county, perhaps owing to the fact that as county commissioner he is currently holding a countywide office while Rafferty represents just a portion of the county.

Shapiro was pulling 51.4 percent of the statewide vote in the Attorney General's race, to Rafferty's 48.6 percent.

It was hard for any of the statewide row office candidates to distinguish themselves in a ballot topped by the presidential race and a high-profile U.S. Senate race this year.

Exit interviews with several midstate voters Tuesday showed that most were either voting their party registration or simply worked down the ballot from their presidential pick.

Typical was Liz Brown, a middle school teacher from Carlisle in Cumberland County.

Brown said Tuesday that she hadn't specifically researched the row offices but was supporting the Democratic candidates because she hews more closely to that party on the issues.

Political commentators understood exactly where those voters were coming from.

"The two scandals ought to be learning lessons for us," said veteran Pennsylvania pollster and Franklin & Marshall political science professor G. Terry Madonna, referring to the McCord and Kane convictions.

"But it doesn't mean that the voters are going to be paying attention to [those races] in the face of a presidential election and a United State Senate race in which [a record amount] has been spent.

"It's absolutely sad that we continue to elect these three important offices in an election cycle where they get so little attention," Madonna continued.
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Republican incumbent Rep. Keith Greiner is expected to defeat Democratic challenger Steve Elliott to retain Lancaster's Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 43.

(File)

Republican incumbent Rep. Keith Greiner is expected to defeat Democratic challenger Steve Elliott to retain Lancaster's Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 43.

With 75 percent of precincts reporting, Greiner received 68 percent of the vote and Elliott received 32 percent. Greiner has served in the House since 2013.

If elected, Elliott said he would focus on property tax and public pension reform. The issues have been major areas of contention in the Pa. General Assembly.
Vice President Joe Biden campaigns for Hillary Clinton in Harrisburg

State Sen. Rob Teplitz, D-Dauphin County, waves to the crowd after speaking before the introduction of Vice President Joe Biden on Nov. 6, 2016.

(Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.)

Shortly after it became apparent he lost his re-election bid in Tuesday's election, Sen. Rob Teplitz, D-Harrisburg, announced he was calling for an investigation into a whole host of concerns over how the election was handled in Perry and Dauphin counties.

Teplitz, who was defeated by Republican challenger John DiSanto in the 15th state senatorial district race, said it's not because he lost that he is calling for an examination of the counties' voting process.

"This is about the integrity of the elections process," Teplitz said in a news release issued in the middle of the night shortly after the Dauphin County election results in his race were tallied.

"One of the basic tenets of our democracy is that every American citizen must have full faith and confidence in the results of our elections. And, unfortunately, what happened in Dauphin and Perry Counties on Election Day undermines that confidence in this process."

Specifically, he cited the following issues:

Unprepared staff at multiple polling locations, resulting in long lines.

Waits of more than two hours at some polling locations, and no attempt to move the process faster - voters literally had to choose between going to work and voting in this historic election.

Calibration problems with voting machines.

Final results of key precincts were not provided until almost five hours after the polls closed.

Election observers turned away from the Board of Elections when they attempted to observe the ballot count.

Police instructed observers that they could not even stand on the same side of the street, on a public sidewalk, when ballot information was being unloaded from a car - after midnight.

An attempt to reach DiSanto's campaign manager for comment was not successful early Wednesday morning.

The results in the Teplitz and DiSanto race trickled in hours after Perry County's results were known, which made Teplitz's campaign staff begin to question the cause for the delay.

Earlier in the day, some voting machines in Perry County were malfunctioning, but Secretary of State Pedro Cortes said this did not result in votes being cast inaccurately.

Teplitz said he intended to call for a full and complete investigation into the "processes from preparation to vote county and every step in between" this morning.
teplitz-disanto.jpg

While Democratic incumbent Rob Teplitz (left) is calling for an investigation into Election Day irregularities, Republican John DiSanto, who defeated Teplitz in the 15th state senatorial district contest, sees no need for one.

( )

Democratic incumbent Rob Teplitz may want an investigation into what he considered irregularities in the voting and vote-counting processes in Dauphin and Perry counties but his Republican opponent who defeated him in Tuesday's election doesn't see the need for one.

Sen.-elect John DiSanto, who beat Teplitz by more than a 2 percentage point vote margin to win the 15th senatorial district seat, said he neither saw or heard of any irregularities at the polls.

"Various polls in larger districts had long lines which most people didn't seem to mind," DiSanto said on Wednesday. "They were happy to see a good turnout of the voters. He seems to think there's irregularities but obviously under his scenario only Democrats were disenfranchised and couldn't vote because everyone else seemed to be able to vote."

Teplitz indicated in a statement that his complaint was centered on the integrity of the process rather than his election loss.

"I continue to be troubled by the many irregularities that were on full display yesterday, both during the voting and the vote-counting, and I fully support the Pennsylvania Democratic Party's efforts to ensure a full investigation into what happened. As Americans, we must have confidence in our electoral process, and yesterday's election called into question that confidence," he said.

The Democratic State Party lacks investigatory authority but it might consider bringing the concern about the ill-prepared staff or insufficient number of voting machines in this district as well as in other places around the state to the public's and appropriate election officials' attention, said its Chairman Marcel Groen.

"There should be an investigation of some sort," he said. "I think we have an obligation in the political system to make voting as simple as possible."

Perry County's board of election director Bonnie Delancey said she had no comment about the matter at this point because she had't heard yet what Teplitz wants investigated.

Chad Saylor, chief clerk to Dauphin County commissioners, said he too wasn't aware of any complaint being filed but suggested there is a formal process for addressing election-related concerns once the vote counts become official.

"Those people with concerns, issues or accusations can bring them forward to a judge and let the legal process begin," he said.

Dauphin County will begin the vote certification process on Monday and it likely will take about a week to complete.

Among the issues of concern to Teplitz were the complaints about malfunctioning voting machines in Perry County, which Secretary of State Pedro Cortes said on Tuesday did not result in any votes being inaccurately cast.

In addition, Teplitz complained about unprepared staff to handle the heavy turnout and long lines at polling places that disenfranchised some voters who had to choose between going to work and voting. The defeated senator also was critical of Dauphin County's vote counting process.

He said it took more than five hours after the polls closed for final results to be reported. Furthermore, election observers from his campaign were turned away at the Dauphin County Courthouse when they attempted to observe the ballot count and that police instructed them to move to the other side of the street when election returns were being unloaded from a car after midnight.

Saylor dismissed the concern about the delay in reporting results saying it is not uncommon to have late-night election results especially in close races. He pointed to Teplitz's 2012 election when it was almost midnight before the outcome of that race was known.

As for the issues that arose when Teplitz's campaign staff showed up at the courthouse, Saylor said, "I don't know the nature of that. It may have been some miscommunication." But he suggested that perhaps a policy needs to be developed covering that part of the vote-collecting process.

However, he said on Monday when the county begins the official vote count, that is open to the public. It is not uncommon to have watchers on hand to monitor the process when absentee and provisional ballots are opened and all votes are tallied.

An attempt to reach Teplitz on Wednesday afternoon to ask if he intended to have someone monitoring that process was unsuccessful.

* Staff writer Wallace McKelvey contributed to this story.
Progressive Conservative candidates Jason Kenney, a former Conservative MP, and Sandra Jansen sit next to each other during the Alberta Progressive Conservative party leadership forum in Red Deer, Alta. on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016. Alberta Progressive Conservative member Sandra Jansen is weighing her options on leaving the caucus and party, and is taking leader Ric McIver to task, saying he "hasn't had my back." THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Dean Bennett
presidential campaigns seth meyers late show nbc

Seth Meyers sized up the final days of both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's presidential campaigns in the latest "A Closer Look" segment on Monday's "Late Night," and found the absurd humor in it.

He began by looking at Clinton's celebrity guests, which have included Beyonce, Jay Z, LeBron James, Bruce Springsteen, and Stevie Wonder.

"It's like she's gathering photos for a coffee-table book called, 'People I'm Not As Cool As,'" Meyers joked.

But while Meyers found Clinton's celebrity brigade humorous, he pointed out that Trump wasn't entertained.

"This massive show of celebrity seemed to wound the fragile ego of Donald Trump, who literally spent the entire weekend b---ing about it," said the host as clips from the Republican presidential candidate's recent campaign stops showed him complaining about Clinton's star-studded supporters.

At one point, the real-estate mogul said, "Just me, no guitar, no piano, no nothing."

To which Meyers responded, "That's right. Trump didn't bring a guitar or a piano, but that's okay. I brought an instrument for you, Donald: the world's smallest violin. Boo hoo!"

But despite Trump's claims that he didn't need the star power, he did have the very controversial rock star Ted Nugent at a rally on Sunday. Meyers said he couldn't repeat some of the things that Nugent said about Clinton, but he was able to show footage of the rocker grabbing his crotch and saying, "I got your blue state right here, baby. Black and blue."

"Wait, what? Why are your genitals black and blue?" Meyers asked. "Is it because you keep grabbing them like that, because you should go see a doctor, like, right away."

In the end, Meyers compared Nugent to one of Clinton's most rousing guests and popular enemy of Trump, Khizr Khan. His son was killed while serving the US in the military. He got into a war of words with Trump after challenging the candidate's proposed ban on Muslim immigrants.

Story continues

"Meanwhile, Trump was in Michigan with a special guest of his own, who has this equally inspirational message," Meyers said as footage of Nugent grabbing his crotch replayed.

Watch Meyers' latest "A Closer Look" segment below:

NOW WATCH: Clinton and Trump's final ads perfectly explain how different they are





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President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, walks back into the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, after speaking about the election in the Rose Garden. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Women's Resource Center adapts to meet rising domestic abuse concerns

With many victims unable to reach out during the pandemic, the Women's Resource Center had to find new ways to connect.
This piece, titled, The New Plague, depicts life in Philadelphia in the age of COVID. Artist and educator Raphael Tiberino began painting at the age of four and has been in the spotlight as a professional creative for over 25 years.
Spray-painted swastikas, racist graffiti and references to Donald Trump and Nazi Germany have appeared on a South Philadelphia storefront and elsewhere.

"That makes this singular event all the more distressing and horrifying," said Nancy Baron-Baer, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League. The ADL's full statement is here.

A police spokeswoman confirmed that officers were called to the 1300 block of South Broad around 10:39 a.m. Wednesday by a citizen who reported a swastika and German writing on glass.

Video surfaced on social media that showed a worker later washing off the anti-Semitic symbols.

We're also getting reports of similar graffiti elsewhere in South Philly.

A photo posted by Twitter user @Anthony19145 this morning showed a white SUV covered in black spray paint that read "Trump Rules" and "Black Bitch" parked at the Liberty Auto Body shop in South Philadelphia. An employee who answered the phone at the shop did not want to be identified but said the vehicle was brought in this morning by its shaken owner. The staffer said detectives had already been to the business to investigate.

A police spokeswoman said authorities responded to reports of vandalism of "multiples autos and houses" on the 900 block of South 6th Street around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. The graffiti-covered car at the auto body shop is believed to have been among the houses and cars damaged along South 6th Street.

Reporter Michael Matza flagged this "Trump rules" graffiti at 6th and Carpenter. @Philly311 responded that it's sending a cleanup request.

Mayor Kenney said in a statement today: "The acts of political and racial vandalism that occurred this morning in South Philadelphia must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. As I said in my statement to residents today, in the wake of the election, Philadelphians must work tirelessly to bridge the divides that have plagued this nation for decades. I know that many residents are planning to take part in vigils and rallies tonight and in the days ahead, and I urge you to gather respectfully and peacefully."

Check back for updates.

Tips: benderw@phillynews.com
Like book and record shops, the charming independent toy store has been virtually written off in this age of online and big-box emporiums.

But don't talk endangered to Michelle and Paul Gillen-Doobrajh, the "mom-and-pop" team that opened Tildie's Toy Box at 1839 E. Passyunk Ave. (near Mifflin) last summer "to a great response from the community," Michelle said.

And don't murmur extinction to the powers that be at the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, a trade group representing 800 merchants, plus 1,000 sales reps and toymakers nationwide. ASTRA recently released its carefully vetted 2016 Best Toys for Kids Awards, "one of the few toy awards that doesn't have entry fees, equalizing the field for small makers," said association president Kimberly Mosley. There isn't an Elmo or Barbie, Razer ride-on, Airhog, or "collectible" anything in the bunch.

On Saturday, the indie toy-retailers association will open its holiday selling season with Neighborhood Toy Store Day at shops local and across the country (details at astratoy.org). Modeled after Record Store Day, which crops up again come Black Friday, Neighborhood Toy Store Day will feature "special value offerings and fun, free, in-store events," Mosley said.

At Center City's Happily Ever After, "we'll have crafts giveaways, refreshments and across-the-board discounts," said proprietor Edward Ferry. A perennial at 10th and Pine Streets for 21 years, Happily Ever After has seen "lots of other local toy stores go," he said.

"There used to be six others like ours just in Philadelphia, which also had a strong focus on dolls and classic toys. Now, we're one of just 12 doll specialists left in America. But with the upsurge of young families settling in Center City, two new toy stores have recently joined ours in the area: Tildie's and Momo's Tree House [at 205 Arch St]," he said. "And Born Yesterday [1901 Walnut St.] is still serving the Rittenhouse Square area. So things are starting to look up again."

Mosley said that toy reps -- agents selling for different manufacturers -- "say that 75 percent of the stores they used to sell to 10 years ago are now out of business." Yet she said she believes "we've hit the bottom of the market and are on the way back up."

One reason: As with the recently rebounding record and book businesses, indie toy sellers now function as trusted "curators" for their guests, as guides delivering personalized services you can't find elsewhere.

"More often than not, you'll be greeted personally by the owner of the shop," Mosley said. "They're happy to assess your needs - `Tell me about your child, and I'll show you what's appropriate' - with a personal walk around the store and hands-on experience."

All that is becoming especially important as shoppers crave guidance on the befuddling array of STEM and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) specialty toys. It's a mixed breed that is rarely advertised on TV but is now one of the industry's biggest growth categories, last year claiming $32.4 billion in retail value sales globally, according to a recent Toy Industry Association report.

To make it at Tildie's Toy Box - or onto the ASTRA Best Toys list - a product has to offer "real play value that engages the children, focuses on development and enrichment," said Michelle Gillen-Doobrajh, who came to the toy business after advanced studies in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania (where she met her IT-focused husband), then a spell as a pastry chef. But what really got her going was a stay-at-home career as mother of two young girls, now 18 months and 4 years old.

"I went looking for, but couldn't find, the kind of toy store I grew up loving as a child  jaZams in Princeton," she said. "What I found were just big-box toy stores and departments obsessed with 'press a button and a nose lights up' toys, with pink, princess-y things for girls and rugged toys for boys. My philosophy is toys should be gender-neutral. It's fun and OK for everybody to get messy, dig in the dirt, play with science toys."

What are her thoroughly modern notions of fun? Playthings like ASTRA Best Toys of 2016 winners Sew Mini Treats, a sewing crafts kit from Klutz ($21.99) for creating 18 cute food plushies, and SpinAgain ($29.95 from Fat Brain), an early-play stacking toy that magically spins each addition down a corkscrew-threaded holder.

To work those STEM cells, ASTRA's recommendations include Snap Circuits Jr. project kits ($18-$40 by Elenco) and the Geckobot, a Thames & Kosmos put-together (about $50) for building a suction-working, wall-climbing robotic lizard.

On Saturday, Tildie's guests also will get to mix it up with Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty ($3.50 and up), including glow-in-the dark and metallically magnetic varieties. It was an ASTRA award winner two years ago.

"Fantastic stuff  bounces really well, adults use it for stress relief," said Gillen-Doobrajh. "And it's made right here in Narberth, Pa., by workers with special needs."

Andrew Quartin, president of Thames & Kosmo, now a $100 million-a-year global company, said, "I don't know what we'd do without the indie toy stores and museum shops," which are also part of ASTRA.

"These specialty retailers don't just comprise 10 to 20 percent of our business," Quartin said, "they're also our brand ambassadors and crucial to our growth in the last few years."
GettyImages 621865822

President-elect Donald Trump struck a surprisingly conciliatory tone in his victory speech early Wednesday morning in New York City.

Addressing an energized crowd at the Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan, Trump announced that his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, had called to concede the 2016 race.

"She congratulated us on our victory," Trump said, adding, "We owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country."

The tone stood in stark contrast to the dark rhetoric the New York businessman frequently employed on the campaign trail, where he entertained angry crowds that demanded she be imprisoned.

Trump himself had promised, if elected, to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the former secretary of state's private email server.

Shortly after assuming the awesome powers of the presidency, however, Trump opted to begin making mends.

"It is time for us to come together as one united people," he said. "It's time."

Trump appeared to move to calm horrified world financial markets, which were in free fall, by assuring leaders he would give them a fair shake at the bargaining table.

"I want to tell the world community  we will deal fairly with everyone," he said.

The Associated Press declared Trump the president-elect at 2:30 a.m. ET, shortly after the wire service placed Wisconsin in his column.

Trump's victory was one of the most stunning political upsets in history. Clinton was strongly favored to emerge as the victor on Tuesday night, with some analysts estimating Trump's chances of winning the election to be as low as 1%.

NOW WATCH: Watch Donald Trump thank Hillary Clinton for her service in his victory speech





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The polls have closed in Ohio , and NBC News projects Donald Trump to be the winner.

Trump widened his lead after taking the key battleground state. Hillary Clinton eked out a win in Virginia and captured Colorado.



All eyes were fixed on Michigan , New Hampshire and Pennsylvania  crucial swing states where Trump and Clinton are running neck-and-neck.



Trump's apparent victory in Ohio is somewhat surprising when one looks at how Buckeye State voters evaluated the two candidates. When asked who is qualified to serve as president, half of Ohio voters said Clinton was qualified, compared to 4 in 10 saying Trump. Some 15 percent of Ohio voters said neither one was qualified.

When asked who has the temperament to serve effectively as president, more said only Clinton has the temperament  44 percent vs. 34 percent for Trump.









In terms of honesty and trustworthiness, both candidates did poorly, but Trump had an edge over Clinton in Ohio. Thirty-six percent of Ohioans said only Trump was honest and trustworthy, compared with 29 percent for Clinton. Close to a third of Ohio voters felt that neither candidate is honest and trustworthy.

Overall, it appears voters in the Buckeye State  like those in many parts of the country  have considerable reservations about both candidates. But in Ohio, confidence in Trump's ability to handle the economy, on which he has a 4-point advantage, outweighed voters' concerns about his personal shortcomings.

Another reason may be voters' concerns about the economy. More than half of Ohio voters said that the economy is the most important issue facing the country, NBC News exit poll results showed, and 49 percent say Trump would handle the economy better.





An old Election Day saying had Trump and Clinton spending millions on ads in the Buckeye State this election season: "As Ohio goes, so goes the nation."

Since the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln, only three presidents (and no Republican candidates) have gone to the White House without winning Ohio. Both candidates knew the stakes this year, and it showed in their ad spending in the battleground state.

Story continues

According to data from Advertising Analytics, Clinton and her allies have spent more than $46 million on ads in Ohio, while Trump and groups supporting him spent a little over $19 million in the state where the Republican National Convention was held.

Despite being outspent on Ohio's TV airwaves, on Election Day, Trump maintained a 3.5-point lead over Hillary Clinton in an average of recent state polls, according to RealClearPolitics.

As of Nov. 7, however, Ohio's Democratic-affiliated voters cast a greater number of early ballots than their Republican-affiliated counterparts, according to TargetSmart voter file data obtained by the NBC News Data Analytics Lab. The data showed more than 209,000 early votes had been cast in the state.

There was, however, a decrease in early voting in Cuyahoga County, which is the home of Cleveland and widely considered a Democratic stronghold in the state. The country saw 218,711 early votes cast this year, down from more than 250,000 in the 2012 general election.

One bellwether could be Montgomery County  where Dayton is located  which not only went to President Barack Obama in the past two elections, but also reflected the statewide margins of both races.





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Ray Dalio

The world's biggest hedge fund thinks stock markets around the world will tank if Donald Trump wins the US presidential election.

Bridgewater Associates expects a 10.4% drop in the US equities market should Trump win the presidency, according to an investor note sent Tuesday obtained by Business Insider.

A Clinton win would boost the market 2.3%, according to the note.

The numbers represent the hedge fund's "updated rough estimates of the likely market action depending on the election result," Bridgewater said.

The note, written by the firm's co-chief investment officer Greg Jensen, Jason Rotenberg and Jeff Amato, made clear that they were not taking a political stance on either of the candidates.

"We are global macro investors, not political experts," the trio wrote. Bridgewater manages about $150 billion firmwide.

Other equity markets that would plummet on a Trump win: European equity markets by 10.8%, Japan by 9%, and China by 11.4%, the note said.

A Clinton win, on the other hand, would boost those markets in the low single digits, the note said.

"The impact of a Trump win is larger because the odds of a Trump victory are currently smaller," the note said.

The hedge fund also expects:

The euro to surge 4.9% compared to the dollar on a Trump win, compared to a 1.1% drop if Clinton takes the presidency.

The Mexican peso to drop 13.1% if Trump wins, and rise 2.9% if Clinton wins.

The Japanese yen to surge 6.2% if Trump wins, and fall 1.4% if Clinton wins.

Gold would surge 8.6% on a Trump win, while it would drop 1.9% with a Clinton win.

Oil would drop 2.9% on a Trump win, and eke out a 0.6% gain on a Clinton win.

In the short term, the hedge fund expects it would experience investment losses equivalent to a bad month if Trump wins, calling it "a manageable loss." The note added that a Clinton win would mean the firm would "likely net a modest gain."

Story continues

"Over time, we expect to capture the effects of either Trump's or Clinton's policies on markets and economies and adjust our views accordingly," the note said.

Bridgewater's external PR firm Prosek Partners didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

NOW WATCH: Watch Donald Trump get booed while he goes to vote





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In the EWS series rule book, there are no compulsory items that a rider must carry (except a number board and GPS tracker for the top 180 riders), but there are heavy recommendations and rules against stashing, littering, or handing goods between team crew or friends. Riders must ride self-supported for the duration of the event, and there is often a pit-stop/lunch break at the pits, or food and water stations along the ride. Probably the most overlooked item to carry, against suggestion, is a first-aid kit and emergency blanket.



The choice of whether or not to take a pack comes usually comes down to the individual EWS event and format. I raced some events in 2015 and, for example, in the backcountry wilds of Colorado packs were in favor, whereas the lift assisted event in Samoens passed through the pits after nearly every stage and packs weren't donned.



The general consensus towards riding with no pack is to eat and drink as much as possible when you have chance, stuff your pockets and bike with useful bit and bobs, and hope for the best. After all, these guys are racing against tenths of seconds; all or nothing is widely adopted strategy. Plus, most of the top riders are so well trained and efficient they could probably complete a whole day racing with no food or water.



I raced the Trans-Rezia pack-less earlier this year, and thanks to a bike with two bottle cage mounts and clothing with pockets, I took water, tubes, first aid kit, passport, money, tools, phone, packable jacket, chainlink, pump, co2 and 7-900 calories of dates and had no issues. Even on long 6-8 hour days there were enough places to grab food and water. - Paul Aston
A Baton Rouge Police officer who was seriously injured during a July 9 protest over the shooting of Alton Sterling has filed a lawsuit against the national Black Lives Matter movement and co-founder of the organization DeRay McKesson.

"Protests in other cities staged by Defendants resulted in violence and property loss," states the lawsuit, which was filed Monday. "Defendants conspired to violate the law by planning to block a public highway. Defendants were in Baton Rouge for the purpose of demonstrating, protesting, and rioting to incite others to violence against police and other law enforcement officers."

"At the beginning the protest was peaceful until activist began pumping up the crowd," states the lawsuit. "DeRay McKesson was in charge of the protests and he was seen and heard giving orders throughout the day and night of the protests."

The lawsuit claims the protesters began to "loot a Circle K" for water bottles that were later thrown at police officers.

"When the Defendants ran out of the water bottles they were throwing at the Baton Rouge City Police, a member of Defendant Black Lives Matter, under the control and custody of the Defendants, then picked up a piece of concrete or similar rock like substance and hurled into the police that were making arrests."

McKesson is part of a class action lawsuit that was filed in August on behalf of several individuals who were arrested the night of the protest. That case is assigned for a telephone conference with Magistrate Judge Erin Wilder-Doomes on Nov. 10, WAFB TV reports.
Dep. Daryl Smallwood

Peach County (GA) sheriff's deputy Daryl Smallwood who was critically injured during a shootout has died. He is the second deputy killed in this incident.

Both Smallwood and Sergeant Patrick Sondron, who died Sunday, were shot while responding to a complaint, according to agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Investigators said the shooting suspect is the father of a deputy from Jones County. There was a "thin blue line" symbol on the suspect's mailbox, WTVM reports.

According to authorities, 911 dispatchers received a call around 5:30 p.m. Sunday in reference to a dispute among neighbors on Hardison Road, just west of Byron. Two neighbors complained that another neighbor, 57-year-old Ralph Stanley Elrod, came out threatening them with a gun while they were riding an ATV and a motorcycle.

Two responding deputies interviewed the complaining neighbors. As they arrived at Elrod's property, he spoke with them briefly outside before opening fire, according to the GBI. Special Agent in Charge J.T. Ricketson said Elrod's home surveillance camera captured him drawing a handgun he had concealed on him and shooting the two deputies when one approached him to take him into custody.

Elrod has been charged with murder.
California voters handed a decisive victory to Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday in his effort to reshape the state's criminal justice system, approving a ballot measure to offer a new chance at prison release for thousands of prisoners.

Proposition 57, the governor's plan to further shrink the state's prison population, was supported by almost two-thirds of voters in Tuesday night returns.

The ballot measure changes the state's prison and legal systems in three significant ways. The least controversial element will reverse a law approved by voters in 2000 that sent more juvenile defendants to adult courtrooms. Those young defendants will now only be charged as adults with a judge's approval.

Proposition 57's strongest support came from urban areas with a sizable number of Democratic voters. It was opposed by many law enforcement officers, survivors of fallen officers, and prosecutors.

The most controversial parts of Proposition 57 involve the prospect of parole for felons who have not been convicted of one of California's designated "violent" crimes, and the creation of new good-behavior credits that all state prisoners would be eligible to earn.

Brown and district attorneys clashed mightily over the ballot measure's assertion that new parole eligibility would be limited to "nonviolent felons." Prosecutors accused the governor of hiding the fact that some prisoners convicted of brutal sexual assault crimes, for example, would be eligible for parole under Proposition 57, the Los Angeles Times reports.
One person was killed and at least three others were wounded Tuesday afternoon in an active shooting near a polling station in Azusa, CA, reports KTLA.

The incident occurred in the area of West Fourth Street and Orange Avenue, a Los Angeles County Fire Department official told KTLA shortly before 2:45 p.m.

Four people were hit by the gunfire, and one person later died of his or her injuries, according to the Fire Department. Three patients were transported to area hospitals, including two who were taken by helicopter. Their conditions were not immediately known. None of the victims have been identified.

The shooter exchanged gunfire with Azusa (CA) Police Department officers, but they were not hit or injured, a fire official told KTLA.

Amid the search for the shooter, multiple police and SWAT vehicle could be seen on the streets of the residential area, which appeared to be near a school, aerial video from a KTLA helicopter showed.

Two polling places in the area  Memorial Park North Recreation Center and Dalton Elementary School  were also impacted by the shooting, L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan tweeted. He described the incident as an "active shooter situation."
CPS 'failing to help Asian honour crime victims over unrest fears'

Award-winning Met detective speaks out over what he claims is a denial of justice.

Det Sgt Pal Singh, centre, was praised for his work in this area at the Police Federation National Detective Forum last month. He has also won a commendation from Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe. Main photo: David Anderson Photography

Date - 9th November 2016

By - Press Association - 9th November 2016

0203 119 3303

or alternatively get in touch via the Do you have an interesting news story? Contact the newsdesk onor alternatively get in touch via the contact form

Prosecutors are failing to tackle honour crimes in British Asian communities for fear of causing "unrest", a Scotland Yard whistleblower has said. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has "denied justice" to victims,...
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The Republican Party and their new corporate owner/designated messiah, Donald Trump, really doesnt like it when people who are sufficiently white cast a ballot. Weve already seen Trumps Nevada lawsuit collapse

Meanwhile, Ann Coulter has suggested that the best way to run an election is to require voters to have four grandparents born in this country. Then, she claimed, Trump would win in a 5-ostate landslide.

George Takei was having none of that, and tweeted in mockery of the McCarthyist Coulter,

Wait, wait. "At least" 4 grandparents? Just how many are we expected to have? We're not all Trump children with three possible moms. pic.twitter.com/wUG0LPvvll  George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) November 8, 2016

The truth is, there are plenty of African-Americans who can trace their ancestry back to the earliest days of the North American colonies when their ancestors were brought here to be slaves for people like Ann Coulter. Mexicans were living in cities in the Southwest already, so there are many Hispanics here who can also trace their ancestry sufficiently far back.

And never mind that if Coulters wish came true it would exclude much of the Trump family, including Donald Trump himself, whose mother came over from Scotland. Yes, white people can be immigrants too.

While that is true, the real intent, of course, is to prevent more recent arrivals from voting, even though they are American citizens, with all the rights and privileges granted by the United States Constitution that the rest of us enjoy.

The sly dig here by George Takei is brilliant, mocking the evangelicals choice for president by alluding to his multiple marriages. Republicans will do anything to prevent minorities from voting, and it is a very small leap from Coulters wishful thinking to a Republican legislature.
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Despite the Trump campaigns best efforts to pretend Michigan and Pennsylvania were in play as the election season came to a close, Republican pollster Frank Luntz says Republicans can kiss the two states goodbye  and, as a result, probably the entire election.

Luntz also says Wisconsin, another longshot for Trump, is firmly in the Clinton column.

Tweets:

The numbers I'm getting now suggest a nationwide turnout that strongly favors Hillary. And if Hillary does well, so will down-ballot Dems.  Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) November 8, 2016

The turnout in Democratic Philadelphia is so high that it's hard to see Trump overcoming it in the rest of the state. #ElectionNight  Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) November 8, 2016

The turnout in Madison and Ann Arbor suggest that Trump is going to have a bad time in Wisconsin and Michigan. #ElectionNight  Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) November 8, 2016

In case I wasn't clear enough from my previous tweets: Hillary Clinton will be the next President of the United States. #ElectionNight  Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) November 8, 2016

Luntzs bad news for the Republicans didnt just stop at the presidential race, however. He also said turnout is so strong for Clinton that it will likely trickle down into key U.S. Senate races and leave Democrats with a majority in the important chamber of Congress.

Tweet:

I'm starting to think Democrats will take the Senate majority tonight.#ElectionNight  Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) November 8, 2016

On an important election night, this is the kind of happy talk that one may expect from Democrats. The fact that a Republican pollster is saying these things probably spells trouble for the Trump campaign.
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The environmental activist group Friends of the Earth are vowing to fight President Elect Donald Trumps agenda every step of the way to protect the planet.

FoE said in a statement:

President-elect Donald Trump threatens our environment and we vow to fight him every step of the way. Like Sen. Bernie Sanders, Trump tapped into a deep resentment about the governing establishment of both the Democratic and Republican Parties. He spoke using fear, suspicion, racism and hate to people who felt the government had left them behind.

The political establishment has ignored the fight for justice and the environment. But we reject the politics of fear utilized by Trump while recognizing that we must address the fundamental issues of equality, race and class that divide this country.

Some things have not changed: we are a nation divided and half of this country is determined to continue the progressive fights it started. The Peoples Revolution, the Standing Rock Sioux, the Movement for Black Lives and Keep it in the Ground activists will not go gentle into the night. We will fight to protect our land, air, water and the people who depend on them for survival.

The next four years will not be easy, but we have fought hostile administrations before. Under President George W. Bush, the environmental community took the battle to the courts and Congress and watchdogged political appointees; we blocked attacks on the environment; we galvanized the public to take action. After the more recent fights to kill the Keystone XL pipeline, ban fracking and shut down coal plants, the environmental movement is stronger than we have ever been.

We will have to harness our new energy, join together, and use every strategy possible to fight against hate and greed and environmental destruction. While I wish we had a different fight before us, we must fight the one presented to us. The future of our country and planet depends it.

The fight is not over. It has just begun. Now more than ever, the causes vital to our country need to be supported. The attitude should not be one of defeat, but of defiance.

The only way that our nation will truly lose is if those who care about our planet and other issues give up the fight.

Donald Trump won an election. He didnt win a country.
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The League Of Women Voters issued a statement on last nights election and the widespread voter suppression and intimidation that took place.

Here is the statement:

The League of Women Voters congratulates the American people for turning out in record numbers to participate in our democracy.

Unfortunately, in too many cases, voters had to overcome significant barriers that were erected by elected officials and other political operatives. These ongoing threats to voters rights are unacceptable.

This is the first presidential election in 50 years without the full protection of the Voting Rights Act. Thousands of eligible voters were purged from the rolls. Onerous voter ID laws prevented eligible voters from casting their ballots. We saw cases of misinformation and intimidation at the polls.

We can and must do better. All year the League has worked in more than 700 communities, in every state, to register and help eligible Americans get ready to vote. In the 2016 election, more than 4 million people used our digital voter resource, VOTE411.org to find the election information they needed.

The League of Women Voters will continue our work to expand participation in the election process and work to give a voice to all Americans.

Tuesdays election was an ugly throwback to an era before the protection of voting rights. Republicans could only win if the nations growing demographic changes were not reflected in the electorate. What voter protection experts witnessed in swing states was a calculated and well thought out plan to suppress and intimidate voters who normally support Democrats.

There is a reason why Democratic turnout dropped to 10-15 million below Obama levels. Part of that reason is that Hillary Clinton is not President Obama. A large and underreported reason is that the Department of Justice had their voter protection toolbox emptied when the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act.

The electorate was smaller in 2016, and that is a problem that Democrats will need to overcome in the future. Donald Trump didnt flip blue states as much as Republicans reshaped the electorate to their advantage through intimidation and suppression.

The biggest challenge for Democrats in the years to come will be to figure out how to make sure everyone can safely exercise their right to vote.
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The following is an editorial by PoliticusUSAs co-publisher and managing editor Sarah Jones.

The same media that trolled Obamacare for six years, never really grasping that peoples lives were on the line, is now telling you that the toxic creation they helped power to the White House is a function of regular people being angry at the elites.

Regular people might be angry at the elites, but let me assure the media that they know nothing about regular people.

These so-called regular people are always Tea Partiers or Republicans in media lingo. Are Democrats not regular people? Democrats are instead Obama voters and Hillary voters  translation so obvious I need not insult your intelligence by writing it.

The concerns of the Obama voters and Hillary voters have never been elevated to the same status as the revered white male who feels left behind.

Here are some of the concerns of the regular people whom I know. I have friends who are people of color and are terrified about what they face now, not only from the man the alt-right and KKK helped to power into the White House but the regular people who supported him, friends who are worried about their marriages being invalidated, friends who are terrified about being deported, friends who are worried that they need to leave the country because they are Muslims, friends who are horrified to have a serial sexual assaulter in the White House, friends who are in interracial relationships and rightfully terrified about the hatred they face, friends who are worried about how they will get insurance for their sick children if Obamacare is indeed repealed, and friends who are disabled and face having no healthcare at all if the Obamacare Medicaid expansion is dismantled.

These are all regular people.

These regular people needed Obamacare like they needed oxygen. The media never understood that. They needed their right to vote. Are they angry because their basic right was deliberately targeted by a desperate Party? Id guess so. And thats a little bigger than being hurt that youre losing your status as White Entitled Grand Wizard.

But now the media intones that Americans are sick of elites and that is why they elected the most economically privileged and elite person they could find.

Heres the truth. The media is the elite. The media is full of people making a lot of money, belonging to unions that offer excellent health insurance, people who are connected with powerful lawyers and politicians and have no real concerns under a Trump presidency other than being sued.

The media hardly gave the need for Obamacare any press, but the sure trolled its failings, many of which were brought on by the Republican obstruction of it.

The media has allowed Republicans to chip away at the constitution by acting as if Hillary Clintons emails were way more important than Republicans refusing to even give a hearing to President Obamas Supreme Court nominee and acting as if those emails were more important than reports  and mind you, the emails were also reports since Clinton was cleared of wrongdoing  that Donald Trump has already been compromised by the Kremlin and has a server that has been communicating with the Russians and possibly a Russian bank.

Yes, the regular people are sick and tired of the elites. And many of those elites are in the media, not just in elected office. A media run by white men who do not understand at all the terror and need gripping those who arent privileged enough to feel safe and taken care of. Those who dont know how their children will get the medical care they need.

Am I angry? You bet I am. I dont live or work in the beltway. I live among regular people for a reason  and that is because I believe my job is to address their concerns and report on politics that impact them, not repeat beltway narratives made up by smug elites living in ivory towers.

My job is to listen to the people, not try to win approval among the cool kids by repeating beltway bullsh*t and lazily intoning with self-righteous ignorance that both sides do it equally.

No, they dont. They dont. Democrats did not elevate a Donald Trump. Democrats gave us Barack Obama  a moral leader, family man, a deep thinker with an even temperament and great reverence for democracy. A man who cares so much about the regular people of this country that he moved heaven and earth to pass a healthcare law to protect them. He was often left alone, even by his own party, in the face of the press carrying water for Republicans and claiming Obamacare was the end of the Democratic Party.

It was not. But the misleading and skewed reporting about Obamacare might well have contributed to the Republican takeover.

The media loves to ingratiate themselves with real Americans by pandering to the only real Americans they recognize, and those real Americans are flyover country white conservatives. Could they be more ridiculous? They should try pandering to the entirety of real Americans  Muslims, African Americans, women, LGBT people  everyone. Not just angry and loud white conservatives.

This Donald Trump presidency was brought to you by many failings a lot of voter suppression, perhaps Democratic complacency, a Democratic Party that relies too much on President Obama, and a lot of anger.

But it was also brought to you by a corporate media that could not be bothered to differentiate between emails and being Putins puppet, and even decided that emails were more important. It was brought to you by a media that repeated that Hillary Clinton was seen as dishonest and untrustworthy even as Donald Trump broke PolitiFact by lying so much.

It was brought to you by a narrative fed by a corporate media smug in their safety, even as Donald Trump threatened reporters. It was brought to you by a media so entitled that they believed a glitch in the Obamacare marketplace system  a system sabotaged by Republicans, by the way  meant that Obamacare would not be needed or wanted. The glitch was the story, not the need. Not the desperate need of regular people.

The media has a lot to answer for, but they wont. They are already busy blaming Hillary Clinton, Democrats, and anger at vague elites.

Elites are people who have power. Media, meet yourselves.

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The nations largest non-partisan voter protection organization, Election Protection, issued a statement detailing the nationwide acts of voter intimidation by Trump and the Republican Party:



Today leading civil rights organizations comprising the Election Protection Coalition worked in tandem to document egregious violations of voting rights and galvanize support to overcome obstacles to voting. As of 8:30 p.m. EST on Election night, over 35,000 phone calls were placed to the coalitions voter assistance hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) on Election Day alone, with over 100,000 calls placed during the 2016 election cycle. There were at least 8,000 Election Protection volunteers working on Election Day 2016.

Calls to the hotline documented unlawful photo ID screening across Pennsylvania, while Florida college students reported that poll workers classified their dormitories as hotels and then issued them provisional ballots. In North Carolina, coalition members filed a lawsuit to keep polls opened later after voters were paper ballots in lieu of malfunctioning equipment.

Election Protection Coalition partners reflected as polling sites closed across the country on this day in voter issues:

Our American electoral system is a work in progress, said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Today, we saw a number of issues involving voter intimidation, long lines outside of polling sites, equipment failures, improper application of voter identification requirements, and other issues. More work remains to be done to ensure full access to our democracy. We will use the information obtained from this election cycle to push for positive reforms and to continue our work to combat ongoing voting discrimination and voter suppression.

The calls coming through our hotline this election cycle proved the critical importance of in-language resources for our growing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) electorate, said Christine Chen, executive director of APIAVote.. Calls came from over forty states, highlighting the expansive geographic diversity of our community, with concerns about language access, navigating the voting process, and more. This year, AAPI voters capitalized on early voting, with high early voter turnout in states like North Carolina, Florida and Georgia, which demonstrates that our community is taking advantage of our in-language resources like the hotline to access the ballot.

There is no excuse in the 21st century for voters to experience long lines because of machine malfunctions, confusion over rules or overt discrimination in voting, said Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause. This election makes clear that Congress and the states must to act immediately to restore the Voting Rights Act and make commonsense reforms to modernize election systems.

Through our 1-888-Ve-Y-Vota hotline, we know Latinos headed to the polls today prepared, informed about their rights and ready to make their voices heard at the ballot box, said Arturo Vargas, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund executive director. While we were concerned by some reports of voter intimidation, long lines and delays in opening of polling locations, we know that Latino voters remained steadfast in their commitment to casting ballots this election. Working together with the community, partners and the Election Protection Coalition, we were able to address problems in real time, helping ensure that eligible Latino voters who wanted to exercise their right to vote were able to do so in Election 2016.

Today, calls to the hotline (1-888-API-VOTE) paint a different picture for the Asian American electorate than in past years as the majority of calls were not about voter intimidation but rather about AAPIs exercising their democratic rights, said Mee Moua, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. Our hotline was a beacon of information for the community  finding polling locations and providing in-language resources for AAPI voters. Though we will continue to monitor the hotline for reports of voter intimidation in the next several weeks, we are encouraged that our efforts were focused on the opportunity to vote and not about those intending to obstruct it.

Trump urged his supporters to engage in voter intimidation. They did, and it worked. There will be years of analysis about the 2016 election, but one of the aspects that are certain to be overlooked is how the loss of the Voting Rights Act impacted the results.

Republicans were free to mislead and intimidate voters, and that is exactly what they did.
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Emanuel AMEs former secretary is suing the church and the Rev. Norvel Goff for ending her employment after she questioned the handling of donations that poured into the church after a gunman killed nine worshippers. Read moreFormer secretary at Emanuel AME sues for unpaid wages
All of us have local and national issues that we worry about: gender-related and race-related issues, education and social welfare issues, pump prices and what to do about Confederate monuments. Thats usually how we vote  whats worrying us at the moment. But older adults, of all people, may be capable of standing back from whats in our face to take a longer perspective on politics. Read moreAging for Amateurs: Elections make us get clear on priorities
The possibility that legislators will further restrict abortions in South Carolina this year narrowed to near-impossible one week before Election Day, as a committee trying to work out a compromise considered bans with no chance of becoming law. Read moreSC legislators remain at impasse over abortion ban days before proposal expires
A man arrested with more than 10 grams of methamphetamine and $1,400 in cash after a short vehicle and foot chase with police has been released from custody after his initial appearance in Olmsted County District Court.

Tyler Benjamin Batson, 31, was charged after the incident with two counts of second-degree controlled substance sale, three counts of third-degree controlled substance crime and one count of fourth-degree controlled substance sale, all felonies.

Unconditional bond was originally set at $200,000; Judge Christina Stevens released Batson on his own recognizance after Tuesday's court appearance, court documents say.

He's due back in court Jan. 10.

Delsie Delight Medrano, 24, was also charged in the incident with one count each of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, aiding an offender to evade arrest, third-degree controlled substance possession and fifth-degree controlled substance possession. All are felonies.

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She's been released in lieu of $2,500 conditional bail and is due in court today.

The incident began about 4 p.m. Oct. 25, when members of the Rochester Police Street Crimes Unit spotted Batson riding in a vehicle near Park Lane and Marion Road Southeast.

They knew he was wanted on a parole violation, said Capt. John Sherwin, and attempted to block in the vehicle. Medrano, who was driving, drove around the officers' cars and fled down Park Lane, the report says.

Authorities lost sight of the vehicle, Sherwin said, but Medrano apparently hit the curb at Marion Road, which flattened a tire and caused the airbags to deploy.

Batson ran from the scene, and was caught near the Homestead Motel. A search of Batson and the car he was riding in allegedly turned up more than 10 grams of methamphetamine; he was also carrying $1,400 in cash.

Batson was sentenced March 18 in Goodhue County District Court to 24 months in prison for felony fifth-degree drug possession. He was given credit for 166 days already served. It's unclear when he was released.
After four races there will be just one new member joining the Rochester City Council in January: political newcomer Annalissa Johnson in Ward 6. Council member Michael Wojcik fended off Scott Hoss and incumbent Mark Bilderback won handily over challenger Nicholas Moucha.

Johnson after Tuesday's general election said she was excited and grateful to have won the Ward 6 race against Patrick Day. Council Member Sandra Means will vacate the seat after 14 years of service.

"I'm excited and surprised  excited about the results and how many people turned up and made their voice matter, and to get started. I have a big learning curve," Johnson said.

Johnson won 53 percent of votes in Ward 6 and about 500 total votes more than Day.

In a message to voters sent out Tuesday night by Johnson's campaign, Johnson said: "It is humbling to have received the support from so many neighbors in Ward 6 who share my vision for an inclusive and compassionate approach. Thank you for believing in the idea of bringing a fresh voice to City Hall."

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In the city's Ward 2, council member Michael Wojcik was elected to a third term. He faced a challenge from Scott Hoss, a Rochester native and Realtor.

When the final vote count was in late Tuesday night, Wojcik said simply: "I'm glad the race is over with."

Tension escalated in the race between Wojcik and Hoss when an outside group injected tens of thousands in independent expenditures to support Hoss; the tone of the race turned bitter when a second organization made independent expenditures in the race supporting Hoss and attacking Wojcik with mailers.

"Even in the face of that, when we were tempted to respond with negativity, we remained overwhelmingly positive," Wojcik said of his campaign team. "I think the community is going to remember that, that we took the high road."

Hoss could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday night.

Wojcik took 54 percent of the vote with 4,864 votes, topping Hoss's 45 percent on 4,051 votes.

The Ward 4 race tipped heavily in favor of Mark Bilderback, who faced a young challenger in entrepreneur Nicholas Moucha.

The incumbent, Bilderback, took 68 percent of the vote, 3,521 in total compared to Moucha's 1,575. Even so, Bilderback said he was not very happy with his campaign and reaching voters. He was humbled by the result.

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Bilderback said he was "very humbled to be able to have the trust of the people to get this kind of turnout. It's very gratifying."

Part of the decision to run for a third term, Bilderback said, was to see through DMC improvements and projects on the city's horizon.

"We have 10 to 12 projects sitting kind of in the pipeline, starting down that road or starting the process.

"Next year will be a very big year for Rochester as far as building and making sure the city grows in the direction that we hope it to, to make sure that it's a great place for the people of Rochester  those who live here and those who visit," Bilderback said.
Minnesota Republicans dominated in legislative races, with the GOP widening its majority in the House and positioned to regain control of the state Senate.

One of the big wins came in House District 21A, where Republican Barb Haley defeated DFLer Lisa Bayley with 55 percent of the vote. The two were battling for the open seat held by Red Wing Republican Rep. Tim Kelly, who decided not to see re-election.

Haley said in a phone interview she was humbled and honored to win.

"It's been an incredible nine months meeting so many people and hearing their stories, and I just feel like I've been listening and learning and now here it is. I'm eager to start the work," Haley said.

Republicans also knocked off two freshman DFL senators in southeast Minnesota. Faribault Mayor John Jasinski defeated Owatonna Sen. Vicki Jensen with 59 percent of the vote. Red Wing Republican Mike Goggin bested DFL Sen. Matt Schmit with 54 percent of the vote.

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Goggin credited his win to hard work and the support of his campaign volunteers.

"I door knocked a lot of doors. I think that was the key. I was able to get out in front of people and get my message across that I have the critical thinking abilities as an engineer and as a project manager," he said.

Sauke beats Bradley

There was a bright spot for Democrats in Rochester, where DFLer Duane Sauke defeated former Republican Rep. Fran Bradley in House District 25B. They were competing for the open seat held by retiring DFL Rep. Kim Norton.

In his concession speech, Bradley, who was seeking a return to the state House after retiring, said he was proud of the campaign and the team that he worked with.

"We did it positive," Bradley said. "We did everything right."

Moments after learning he had won, Sauke said he was in awe of the results. Heading into election night, the retired Realtor said he did not know what to expect.

"I didn't know. I just had no clue," he said.

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Sauke said he is already anticipating heading to the Minnesota Capitol in January.

"There's obviously a whole series of events that have been started, and now I will just walk through them," he said.

Still, area GOP leaders, who had persuaded Bradley to run, said that they were disappointed at an outcome that appeared to validate negative advertising. Political parties and outside groups spent at least $332,000 on the race.

"I don't believe Mr. Sauke had anything to do with a lot of the ads and mailers that were ran," said Olmsted County GOP Chairman Aaron Miller. "The DFL Party really ran a nasty campaign on a good man."

Rochester voters also returned GOP State Sens. Carla Nelson and Dave Senjem to St. Paul. GOP Reps. Nels Pierson and Duane Quam were also returned to the state House. With the state Senate poised to flip to Republican control, Senjem said it was too to talk about running as Senate majority leader but indicated he was open to it.
Republicans ran the table on Election Day.

The GOP retained their hold on the Minnesota House and seized control of the state Senate. Minnesota, a seemingly liberal bastion, went from reliably blue to toss-up purple. And at the national level, the GOP maintained their hold on both the U.S. House and Senate.

But none was bigger or more stunning than the election of GOP nominee and business mogul Donald Trump as president, an outcome that, depending on the polls on a given day, ranged from unlikely to farfetched.

The outcome surprised some, but not others. But whatever the reaction, polling outfits found themselves with mud all over their faces.

"I didn't fall into despair," said Adam Scholten, a Trump volunteer and a Sioux Falls, S.D., resident while watching the results at the Apache Hotel in Rochester. "I didn't believe the national polls."

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Scholten stood at the intersection of Broadway and 16th Street on Election Day, holding a sign that read, "Hilary for Prison." Scholten said passing drivers honked, smiled or waved their approval. Yes, there were a few middle fingers, but positive responses outweighed negative ones three to one, he said.

"I don't think she will be locked up, but she will be forced out of office and maybe out of the country," he said.

Scholten said one reason Trump's election didn't come as a surprise to him was that he relied on Internet news sources outside of mainstream outlets. One was freerepublic.com, a conservative Internet forum. And that was where Scholten learned that a "monster vote" and "massive vote" for Trump was being reported in some counties.

Olmsted County GOP Chairman Aaron Miller said he thought the polls wrong all along. Though he thought the popular vote would be "very close," he had concerns heading into Election Day whether Trump had a path to 270 electoral votes.

"I felt that Brexit last spring was an indication of what was going on here," Miller said, referring to the British referendum in which voters decided to pull out of the European Union. "There were people that went into the ballot box and voted for Trump that didn't tell the pollsters that they were going to vote for Trump."

But Miller said there were indications of a groundswell of support for Trump in Olmsted County. Trump signs were "going out of our building."

"I'm like, 'who are you people,' Miller said. "We've never met them. We went through over a thousand signs. We've never seen that."

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LEWISTON  A California couple was injured Tuesday morning after the SUV they were in left Interstate 90 west of Winona, went into the median and rolled.

Douglas F. Berg, 73, of Castro Valley, Calif., was driving the SUV east, pulling a tandem-axle heavy duty trailer carrying a tractor/blower/bucket, when he lost control going down a hill, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

Berg and his passenger, Elizabeth S. Berg, 69, also of Castro Valley, were both wearing their seat belts, the report says, and sustained injuries that were described as not life-threatening.

The Bergs were taken to Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, Wis. No information about Douglas Berg was available Tuesday afternoon, a hospital spokeswoman said; his wife was treated and released.

Also responding to the scene were personnel from the Winona County Sheriff's Office and the Lewiston Police Department.

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The SUV was totaled in the crash, which was reported at 8:43 a.m.; there was no word on the damage to the tractor or trailer.
A shockwave.

There's no other way to describe the massive change that Americans voted for Tuesday.

In electing Donald Trump to the White House, voters handed the reins to someone whose campaign was premised on an unrelenting challenge to the status quo, distrust in government and dismissal of the politicians from both parties. They chose a man who promised to channel their anger, as much as carry their hopes. He didn't merely promise change, he promised disruption.

Down the ballot and in state races all across America, voters also defied expecations and cast ballots for dramatic change.

In Minnesota, 1st District Congressman Tim Walz won re-election by a razor-thin margin, about 2,500 votes, over Republican challenger Jim Hagedorn, and conservative talk-radio host Jason Lewis surprised DFLer Angie Craig in the 2nd District race. Republicans kept control of the Minnesota House and were poised to take control of the Senate.

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And though Minnesota went for Democrat Hillary Clinton, it wasn't by much -- 46.4 percent to 45 percent for Trump. The state hasn't voted for a GOP presidential candidate since Gerald Ford in 1976, but this year, it was close.

"This is a huge wave election for Donald Trump and the Republicans," said Ken Martin, chair of the state's Democratic party. "This is a new day for American politics."

Now what?

The ramifications of the Trump presidency are difficult to measure. In his ugly, knock-down fight against former Secretary of State Clinton, his personality was a draw more than his policies. The stump speeches that drew thousands to raucous rallies were laced with proposals but powered by his one word political philosophy: "Winning."

But it resonated in a way few expected with white, working-class America, across the Rust Belt and in rural communities, where the scars of the Great Recession endure and winning felt like a long-lost concept. He understood their anxiety about jobs moving overseas and immigrants moving in. He claimed to hate the liberal media as much as they did. He sounded like no politician ever.

This was their uprising, the elevation of a 70-year-old reality-TV and real estate mogul willing to speak their truth, rewrite rules and insult anyone along the way.

It is nothing short of whiplash, for Americans and people around the world who were alarmed by his harsh rhetoric about longtime allies and other cultures.

Trump's victory comes eight years after a coalition of blacks, Hispanics, women and young people elected the first black president and ushered in what many viewed as a new era of progressive dominance in presidential politics. Tuesday's results are a stunning, if confusing, indictment of the policies of President Barack Obama, who nevertheless remains popular.

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"There's nothing like it in our lifetime," said presidential historian Douglas Brinkley, who in the days leading up the election dubbed a Trump win a "social revolution" on par only with Franklin Delano Roosevelt's clubbing of Herbert Hoover for his handling of the Great Depression in 1932.

To many policy experts, economists, military brass, diplomats  the establishment, Trump would say  Trump's proposals are viewed as improbable, impossible, and at times unconstitutional. Democrats and Republicans in Washington recoiled from his proposed ban on Muslims from entering in the U.S. Few think his vow to force Mexico to pay for a wall along the border is workable, at best. And really only Trump knows if his promise to "bomb the s--t out out of" the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria seen is anything more than bluster.

There's mixed evidence on whether Trump's victory is an endorsement of such plans. Voters sent enough Republicans back to the Senate to give the GOP control of both chambers, a clear government mandate.

Opposition vote

But for all the talk about immigration, exit polls showed it was a low priority for most voters. Just 1 in 10 voters said immigration was the most important issue facing the country. More than half of voters opposed Trump's plan for a "big, beautiful wall."

Clearly, what many voters opposed was Clinton.

The former secretary of state and veteran of more than two decades of political battles proved to be a damaged candidate, analysts say. Her historic candidacy, to be the first female president, failed to rouse the enthusiasm or emotion that drove Obama's coalition to the polls. Her disconnect with white, working-class voters appears to have been her downfall.

Her use of a private email server as secretary of state not only dogged her for months  but returned at precisely the wrong moment in late October when FBI Director James Comey notified Congress he was reviewing new emails for evidence that she or her hands mishandled classified information.

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Comey cleared Clinton again Sunday, but in the nine intervening days, as a cloud of suspicion hovered over her, nearly 24 million people cast early ballots. That's a sizeable chunk of all the votes cast for president.

Voter mistrust extended to both presidential candidates in Minnesota, according to exit polling conducted for the Associated Press. Six in 10 Minnesota voters surveyed said Clinton was not trustworthy, while two-thirds said the same of Trump.

Nonetheless, when all the votes are counted, Clinton may have more than Trump -- if so, it will be the fifth time in U.S. history that a candidate has won the popular vote but lost in the Electoral College.

Trump's win made a mockery of all the usual political rules. He had virtually no ground game, his advertising on television didn't come close to matching his rival's. Clinton's campaign raised $513 million  roughly double what Trump raised, including $66 million from his own pocket.

While pollsters and political professionals in both parties dismissed him, he declared he had galvanized long-alienated voters into a movement.

"The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer," Trump declared.
WASHINGTON  At dawn Tuesday in West Quoddy Head, Maine, America's easternmost point, it was certain that by midnight in Cape Wrangell, Alaska, America's westernmost fringe, there would be a loser who deserved to lose and a winner who did not deserve to win. The surprise is that Barack Obama must have immediately seen his legacy, a compound of stylistic and substantive arrogance, disappearing, as though written on water in ink of vapor.

His health care reform has contributed to three Democratic drubbings. The 2010 and 2014 wave elections, like scythes in a wheat field, decapitated a rising generation of potential party leaders. Then came Tuesday's earthquake, which followed shocking increases of Obamacare's prices. This law has been as historic as Obama thinks, but not as he thinks: It might be the last gasp of progressivism's hubris expressed in continentwide social engineering imposed from the continent's Eastern edge. Hillary Clinton's proposed solution to Obamacare's accelerating unraveling was a "public option": intensified government manipulation to correct the consequences of government manipulation of health care's 18 percent of the economy. Her campaign's other defining proposal, "free" tuition in public higher education, insulted the intelligence of voters aware that "free" means "paid for by others, including you."

Obama's foreign policy legacy, aside from mounting chaos worldwide, was the Iran nuclear agreement. By precedent and constitutional norms, this should have been a treaty submitted to the Senate. Instead, disdainfully and characteristically, he produced it as an executive agreement. Because the agreement lacks legitimizing ratification by senators, the president-elect will feel uninhibited concerning his promise to repudiate it.

The simultaneous sickness of both parties surely reveals a crisis of the American regime. The GOP was easily captured, and then quickly normalized, by history's most unpleasant and unprepared candidate, whose campaign was a Niagara of mendacities. And the world's oldest party contrived to nominate someone who lost to him.

To an electorate clamoring for disruptive change, Democrats offered a candidate as familiar as faded wallpaper. The party produced no plausible alternative to her joyless, stained embodiment of arrogant entitlement. And she promised to intensify the progressive mentality. "If you like your health care plan, you can keep it"? Actually, you can't even keep your light bulbs.

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Americans perennially complain about Washington gridlock, but for seven decades they have regularly produced gridlock's prerequisite  divided government. From 1944 through 2016, 22 of 37 elections gave at least one house of Congress to the party not holding the presidency; since 1954, 21 of 32 did; since 1994, eight of 12. Republicans now lack excuses: If 40 Democratic senators block repeal of Obamacare (or Supreme Court nominees), the Republicans' populist base will demand Democratic behavior  revision of Senate rules to make this body more majoritarian.

For constitutional conservatives, the challenge is exactly what it would have been had Clinton won: to strengthen the rule of law by restoring institutional equilibrium. This requires a Republican Congress to claw back from a Republican executive the legislative powers that Congress has ceded to the administrative state, and to overreaching executives like Obama, whose executive unilateralism the president-elect admires.

From Clinton's nastiest aspiration, we are now safe. She promised Supreme Court justices who would reverse Citizens United, thereby eviscerating the First Amendment by empowering the political class to regulate the quantity, content and timing of campaign speech about itself. This will never happen.

Demography need not dictate for Republicans a grim destiny but it soon will, unless they act to counter adverse trends. Republicans should absorb Tim Alberta's data in National Review: Arizona whites have gone from 74 percent to 54 percent of the population in 25 years; minorities will be a majority there by 2022. Texas minorities became a majority in 2004; whites are now 43 percent of the population. Nevada is 52 percent white and projected to be majority-minority in 2020. Georgia is 54 percent white, heading for majority-minority in 2026. Because of inexorably rising minorities, Clinton, an epically untalented candidate, did better than Obama did in 2012 in Georgia, Texas, Arizona and where one in eight Americans lives  California.

The moving finger writes, and having writ moves on, perhaps soon to inscribe this: In 2016, Republicans won a ruinous triumph that convinced them that they can forever prosper by capturing an ever-larger portion of an ever-smaller portion of the electorate.

This kamikaze arithmetic of white nationalism should prompt the president-elect to test his followers' devotion to him by asking their permission to see the national tapestry as it is and should be.

George F. Will is a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Washington Post.
Tuesday's election results offer us a snapshot  of our communities and our nation. It shows us who we are and what policies affect us most and where we want to go as a city, a state and a nation.

Like many family pictures, not everyone depicted is satisfied with the results. Some would prefer a retake, rather than waiting for the next opportunity.

As a community, as a region and as a nation, have taken our pictures. Now, we must move forward.

We will have a ground-breaking president in January who has called for drastic changes in national policy and new elected leaders in a variety of local offices across Southeast Minnesota.

Yet, one thing must remain in focus. We are part of the same region, and we continue to have the same goals and needs as we had before the first vote was counted.

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We are all part of the same picture, and we're more than our political labels and choices in local elections. We must put those labels aside to find common ground in our communities. If we can't do that, how can we expect our elected leaders to seek compromise and move forward?

Campaign rhetoric may have helped Donald Trump get elected, but it won't overcome gridlock if a majority of members in Congress decide they don't support the White House agenda.

Likewise, local officials, whether its Rochester City Council President Randy Staver or new Olmsted County commissioners Mark Thein and Gregg Wright, only have one vote apiece. They will need the support of others on the city council or county board to achieve their goals.

Our new photo shows us that no one was elected and given ultimate power on Tuesday, and few  if any  can claim an overwhelming mandate. Rather, it shows us that we need to work together to keep everyone in the picture.

It's important to remember that candidates who lost had support of some constituents, meaning they touched on key concerns for some voters. The candidates who were elected, whether for the first time or to reclaim a long-held seat, will be well served by taking time to consider those concerns.

Throwing an opponent's ideas to the side serves no one. It simply widens the divide created by political labels and campaign-based assumptions.

We've spent months seeing those divides widen and fractures increase. We need to start finding ways to bridge those gaps and heal those fractures to move forward and move beyond campaigns and yard signs.

We can't let the yard signs that have been posted for months become fences.

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We need to find a unified view as we look at the photos taken on Tuesday.
Dr. B Speaks!

It always seems impossible until it's done. That is the way Nelson Mandela put it. His quote motivates mission-driven people to accomplish d Read moreTeacher assistants help support teachers and students to learn
With Donald Trumps improbable victory last night, the Clinton Crime Family can retire from public life to enjoy its ill-gotten gains. Lady Hillary tastes the fruit of an incredibly bitter and humiliating defeat. Her zombie husband is now free to continue his charitable efforts and pursue other interests unimpeded by the need to keep up appearances.

I pray that Donald Trump will honor the high office he has attained. As Jesse Ventura put it when he proclaimed victory in Minnesotas 1998 gubernatorial election, he has shocked the world. He has much to do and to undo to set our country back on course.

It was a great night for Republicans. Against the odds, they maintain only slightly diminished control of both houses of Congress. They too have much work to do and to undo to set our country back on course.

Mitch McConnell and the Senate Republican caucus have been vindicated in declining to act on the nomination President Obamas nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. Trump will now have the opportunity to name the successor to Justice Scalia. To say the least, the prospect pleases  the prospect that the Supreme Court may not fall indefinitely to the left in the lefts battle to destroy limited constitutional government.

Clinton had the gall to make the reversal of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission a litmus test in her Supreme Court appointments. Intended to protect political speech from control by Congress, the First Amendment would have been turned on its head. Clinton thought she deserved protection from criticism in electioneering communications. In the ancien regime they called it lese-majeste. Its about as at home in the United States as titles of nobility.

Trumps election is unprecedented. Watching the returns come in last night, however, I felt the reverberations of 1980 with the narrow Republican victories in the hotly contested Senate races.

Rob Portmans victory in Ohio was far from narrow; he crushed an opponent in whom Democrats had placed great hopes. Ron Johnson staged a glorious comeback with a little help from his friends and prevailed over the execrable Russ Feingold in Wisconsin. Todd Youngs victory over Evan Bayh in Indiana was particularly sweet. Given his military background, Young has an important contribution to make along with Tom Cotton in the Senate. Young has already made an important contribution to Evan Bayh. Bayh no longer has to keep up the pretense that he is a resident of Indiana.

The schadenfreude we feel in the suffering of the Democrat/Media complex is delicious. Lets enjoy it while we can. To the extent that Trumps election serves as a repudiation of Obama, megadittos. Obama has sunk us in a hole out of which it will take us a long time to climb and formidable obstacles will be arrayed against Trump to the extent he seeks to get us out.

Something was gaining on the Clintons. It finally caught up with them last night. I didnt see it coming and dont understand what it was. Having vehemently expressed the view since he emerged in the primaries that Trump was not a viable general election candidate, I need to fortify my understanding of practical politics at the presidential level.

Im calling a minor penalty on myself for manifest errors of understanding, of prediction and of pessimism over the past year. I intend to refrain from commenting on politics at the presidential level for the next few months and to use the time to deepen my understanding before I let myself climb out of the penalty box, although I ask that you not hold me to this vow too strictly.

PAUL ADDS: The last two paragraphs of this post apply to me, as well, except that I deserve a major penalty for errors of prediction.
Hillary Clinton called Donald Trump around 2:30 (it appears) to concede the election and congratulate the tycoon. Trump then gave his victory speech.

Trump was exceedingly gracious. He spoke highly of Hillary Clinton, not just for her campaign but for her service to the country.

He then thanked a large number of people, though he seemed almost to overlook Mike Pence. I wouldnt make much of what appears to have been an oversight  one he tried to correct at the end.

As for policy, the very first thing Trump mentioned was rebuilding the inner cities. Im not sure how he plans to accomplish this, but it was a good note to strike.

Trump then discussed rebuilding our infrastructure generally. This is a Democratic agenda item, so he may have bipartisan support, and possibly more backing from the Dems than the Republicans, if he is serious.

Trumps third point was helping veterans. This should have broad bipartisan backing.

In tone, the speech was Trump at his best. No shouting, no bluster, only a few asides  none offensive. He pledged to be the president of all Americans, which is standard stuff. However, he also made it a point to reach out to the great many people who opposed him, saying that he will seek their guidance.

It was the best Ive ever heard Trump sound except for the moment in the debate leading up to the Iowa caucuses when he defended New York in response to Ted Cruz.

In a word, Trump sounded presidential tonight.

Can he keep it up? Time will tell.

For now, I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt.
Yesterday, anticipating a victory by Hillary Clinton, I reposted a piece denying that America would be stronger together under Hillary Clinton. Now that Donald Trump has defeated her, its worth asking whether we will be stronger together under his leadership.

I posited four criteria for a strong America:

First, America must have a strong military. Second, America must have a shared belief that it is great, and not just because it is good. Third, America must hold its citizens to high standards of personal conduct. Fourth, America must be a meritocracy and must judge merit without regard to extraneous factors such as race, ethnicity, and gender.

Trump says hes committed to rebuilding our military. If he follows through, he will check that box.

Trump believes that America was great and can be great again. American greatness was a theme of his campaign. Winning was his main criterion for greatness, which makes sense to me.

We will have to start winning again for Trump to inspire a shared belief in our greatness. Where will Trump score conspicuous victories? Perhaps over ISIS (to be fair, President Obama has helped start us down that road).

The economy may prove a tough nut to crack in the short run. We are probably due for a downturn, having gone eight years or more since the last recession. In any event, its very difficult for presidential actions to affect the economy in the short term. Any Trump wins on the economy probably wont become evident in his first few years.

But at least Trump wont go around the world badmouthing America. Unfortunately, he lacks the power to reverse the insidious badmouthing that occurs in the classrooms of America. Maybe we the people can help out.

As a businessman, Trump is about accountability  in other words, high standards. To bring the country together, though, he will have to hold himself to high standards of personal conduct. His demeanor will have to improve. He will have to be less obnoxious.

Lenient sentencing and certain other aspects of criminal justice reform are a threat to standards, in my opinion. Where does Trump stand on this? I dont know. I hope he will listen to Sen. Jeff Sessions.

Im pretty sure Trump will do his best to get the Department of Justice off the backs of local law enforcement agencies and out of the business of monitoring school disciplinary practices. If he succeeds, thats a win for standards and a win for America.

As for meritocracy, giving people the opportunity to prove themselves and demanding quality performance seem to be much of what hes about  or at least its his self-image. However, I dont expect Trump to end our vast system of racial preferences. Hopefully, he will do his best to keep it from expanding.

This analysis has focused on the stronger piece. What about together?

Our nation is probably too divided to come together in the strong sense. We didnt manage it, in my view, under President Reagan, the most successful president of my lifetime  or arguably any president since Eisenhower  so its hard to see it happening under President Trump.

This is especially true because Trump has promised to break up the rigged system. If he follows through, it wont go down well unless he proceeds surgically. It will be difficult to bring the country together if Trump wields a hammer. (Im not taking a position here on whether he should or shouldnt.)

On the other hand, Reagan was an ideological conservative; Trump is not. He is, it seems to me, the least ideological president in decades  maybe in more than a century.

I dont consider this a plus. However, it does hold out the possibility of greater unity than were accustomed to.

In my piece about what I thought was an impending Clinton presidency, I recommended that conservatives maintain a status apart. Hard core leftists will certainly maintain a status apart under Trump.

I dont expect them to leave America, as some prominent ones said they would. I do think they will separate themselves more than ever from ordinary Americans.

But ordinary Americans of a center-left persuasion may take a second look at Trump. If they see compassion, moderation, and self control, they may like what they see. In that case, it may be conservatives who arent together with Trump.

President George W. Bush tried compassionate conservatism. He ended up pleasing few, but the war in Iraq was the major culprit.

It would be ironic if Trump adopted aspects of the Bush approach to governance, and I dont expect him to. Nor am I saying he should (or shouldnt). But if he does, its conceivable that America will be both stronger and somewhat more together.
The Great Liberal Freakout is under way, as weve noted below. Heres my haul.

The head of the Joint Center for Political Studies, which the Washington Post describes as a respected liberal think tank, reacted to Trumps landslide thus: When you consider that in the climate were inrising violence, the Ku Klux Klanit is exceedingly frightening. Castro, still with us, said right before the election: We sometimes have the feeling that we are living in the time preceding the election of Adolf Hitler as Chancellor of Germany. Claremont College professor John Roth wrote: I could not help remembering how economic turmoil had conspired with Nazi nationalism and militarismall intensified by Germanys defeat in World War Ito send the world reeling into catastrophe It is not entirely mistaken to contemplate our post-election state with fear and trembling. Esquire writer Harry Stein says that the voters who supported Trump were like the good Germans in Hitlers Germany. Sociologist Alan Wolfe is up in the New Left Review: The worst nightmares of the American left appear to have come true. And he doubles down in The Nation: [T]he United States has embarked on a course so deeply reactionary, so negative and mean-spirited, so chauvinistic and self-deceptive that our times may soon rival the McCarthy era. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, keeper of the Doomsday Clock that purported to judge the risk of nuclear annihilation, has moved the hands on the clock from seven to four minutes before midnight.

Oh wait, did I say this was the reaction to Trump?? Sorrythese are what the left was saying the day after Ronald Reagans election in 1980. Some things never change.
Ill just throw out some observations, because Im in a state of shock. A welcome state in many ways, but still shock. Im recalling how my mother once told me of the morning after the 1948 electionshe was working in an office downtown LA thenand everyone in that then-Republican city walked around in a state of quiet shock all morning.

 I drove back home from Berkeley to the central coast mid-day today, stopping from time to time to check early exit poll leaks and such. Most of of the early exit poll data looked very bad for Trump. The mid-afternoon Drudge headlineLate Votes Will Determine the Electionwas, I thought, a big tell that Trump was losing. There were reports of joy from the Clinton camp.

The evening newscasts started in that mode. Then votes started trickling in. Trump was locked in a tight race in Florida. Georgia and South Carolina were too close to call. If those states were tough, what chance did Trump have? Looked like Hillary had it in the bag. The early coverage all had the subtext of a solid Hillary win.

Then, at some point I wish I had written down, things tipped. The network decision desks have become very cautious ever since the debacles of 2000, 2002, and 2004, but I suspect they saw data they didnt expect, and passed the word along. Suddenly Trump started looking better. Suddenly, Chris Wallace and Brit Hume started to sayHey, Trump might be our next president. Then you could see the snowball starting to roll downhill. You could even see it on the MSNBC crew.

 One great upside of this will be watching Democrats turn viciously on the Clintons. Long overdue.

 I hear Trump has got Chris Christie to head his transition team. Just what he needs: a real bridge-builder.

 As I write at this late hour waiting for the final state calls, Im guessing Team Hillary is huddling wondering whether they can challenge the results in two or three close states.

UPDATE: So Podesta came out. That speech was lame. He could have emailed that in.

 Pic of the night:

Much more tomorrow. Buckle up: liberals are going to have a total meltdown head explosion. It will last four years, at least.
Ammo Grrrll has filed this special edition of her regular column. She calls this one OH MY GOD!:

By now, everything that could be said about this realignment of the Universe has probably already been said in essays and comments. In a column I wrote during the primaries called D-I-V-O-R-C-E, when almost no Conservative Thought Leader believed Trump had a snowballs chance in Hell to win the General Election, I said (as unseemly as it is to quote oneself): Can Trump win? How many genius prognosticators who say he will get creamed by Hillary also put money on him to fade in the primaries? Of course he can win. Its what he does. Will we be better off? I dont know. And neither do you.

And he has won! I thought all the karma in the world was used up on the Cubs winning the World Series for my dear husband personally. I was mistaken. Its a new day in a strange world!

Trump did not run a perfect campaign. He made several early unforced errors  among which I do not count the purloined tape of silly, decade-old green room boy-talk. I hear ten times more graphic talk every Tuesday at poker and the women give as good as we get. Its fun. We are semi-grownups who drink, compete for double entendres and play cards. If those evenings were taped, not a one of us could ever run for office.

But, all things considered, I think Donald J.Trump ran a courageous, energetic race. I did NOT hold my nose to vote for him. I was proud to back a fighter. I would rather vote for what I want even if I dont get it. And I wanted secure borders, gun rights, support for Israel, and vetted refugees. That would have been Oh-for-four with Hillary.

Trump had never run for office before. Neither have most of us and we would do equally badly. With rare exceptions, it requires a particular and vile skillset, a careful balance of vague promises you have no intention of keeping, and baldfaced lies the media will never fact-check if you are a Democrat. The Clintons have been running for or holding office for their entire lives. They are experts. Campaigning also involves dreary canned speeches with the iron discipline never to go off-message. Thats why Obama used a Teleprompter even at a kindergarten and a rodeo: Hope, Change, good. God, Guns, bad. Blah, blah, blah. Did you notice Im Black? Iron discipline apparently is not one of Donalds long suits.

In the end, Trump was forced to run against an unholy alliance that included unhappy GOP pols, even unhappier conservative pundits, Soros and Hollywood billionaires and stars-for-hire; the media lickspittles (said in years past to be worth at least 15%); noncitizens and felons voting by encouragement of the President; and the bottomless slush fund the Clintons amassed for years. Hillary accumulated this war chest peddling six-figure speeches we cant hear, pay-to-play access to the Secretary of State and operating a fake charity.

In the inevitable what now? analysis, around 2:00 a.m., one queer brown woman (her own description) expressed fear and paranoia. Lady, was ONE Hillary sign or Democrat HQ defaced, fire-bombed or vandalized? Did any Trump supporter set a car with a Hillary bumper sticker on it ablaze? Did the Trump campaign pay people to disrupt at the handful of tiny rallies Hillary tried to cough through? The ones frontloaded with degenerate n-word spewing stars that appeal to her fan base? No. You are perfectly safe to live your life.

After all the fear-and-loathing mongering about the Alt Right, after all the disparaging of the Basket of Deplorables, the only brownshirt activity came, as usual, from the left. It worked and it will continue because it worked. There was violence at the Trump rallies  caused by the terrible rhetoric of meanie Trump. Just ask the craven media. Proven by leaked emails to be from mentally-disturbed hired help? Oh, dear. Nothing to see here; move along briskly.

Trump has not lived his life as a Choir Boy, but Mitt has. And what happened? The oppo researchers had to go all the way back to JUNIOR HIGH  think of that!  to find a 14-year-old kid cutting another kids hair as some kind of bullying prank. Even the family of the victim, conveniently deceased, was appalled at dragging his name into it.

Our beloved country now has a fighting chance to avoid being overrun by all of Central America, unvetted Middle East refugees, thousands more Minnesota men and their 15 children by each of four wives. Hillary promised open borders. And the illegal aliens would have been carefully parceled out into any district that might, possibly, ever be inclined to vote conservative. Somalis, El Salvadoran gang members, and Syrians would not be needed in Malibu, or Cape Cod, perish the thought! Why, consider the property values! Besides, Maliboobs and Cape Codgers reliably vote as they are told to by all the Cool People already.

We were staring down the barrel of 40 years of a far-left Supreme Court, although, barring a Biblical lifespan miracle, I would have been as dead as our First and Second Amendment rights by then. On a very sad note, the Stephenapo-louses will be moving to Australia. Please lets help them pack. Also emigrating are Cher and Miley Cyrus (the Aging Jerk and the Brain-Dead Twerk). The list continues. Threatening (but not promising) to leave are Jon Stewart, Babs Streisand, Al Sharpton, Lena Denham and Whoopi who will no longer be able to grace us with their Deep Thoughts except from afar. Well try to bear up. Venezuela is right up your political alley, kids. Dont forget to pack the Charmin and some Spam.
PR-Inside.com: 2016-11-09 18:05:01

On 8 November 2016 Leasinvest Real Estate has acquired an important retail park in Austria. The Frun retail park in Asten was opened end October 2013 and developed by De Vlier Retail Development, who launched the Frun shopping concept in 2000, in collaboration with Focus Real Estate, specialized in real estate developments and investments. This innovative concept is based upon the construction of a harmonious architectural ensemble surrounding a large, central, free parking area, and uniting a mix of national and international brands. This approach strengthens the commercial efficiency and sustainable development of the park. The roof of the Frun retail park in Asten was also equipped with a photovoltaic installation in order to optimize the sustainability of the park, resulting in an annual on-site production of over 500.000 KWh of green energy and a reduction in CO emission of 400 tons.

CBRE intervened in the realization of this transaction.

Jean-Louis Appelmans, CEO of Leasinvest Real Estate: "The acquisition of this successful retail park in Austria represents a unique opportunity for Leasinvest, within its strategy of focussing on retail and geographical diversification, to enter a new stable European market. The additional rental income, spread across nearly 30 different tenants, will consequently positively influence the results over 2017."





The Frun retail park in Asten is located at 200 km of Vienna and nearby Linz and comprises 18,300 m with 26 shops and 600 parking spaces. It is a recent retail park that was delivered on 30/10/2013 and that is very successful. All shops are let to both international and local retailers such as C&A, Intersport, Spar, Action and Zeeman.

This acquisition represents a fair value of  38 million with an annual rental income of  2.3 million, resulting in an increase of the total fair value of the real estate portfolio of Leasinvest Real Estate (including the participation in Retail Estates) to over  930 million. The direct real estate portfolio (excluding the participation in Retail Estates) is spread across 48% retail, 37% offices and 15% logistics, and is located for 49% in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, 41% in Belgium, 5% in Switzerland and 5% in Austria.

The funding of this acquisition was entirely secured by using undrawn available credit lines. The debt ratio will consequently amount to 57%.

For more information, contact:

Leasinvest Real Estate

Jean-Louis Appelmans

CEO

T: +32 3 238 98 77

E: jeanlouis.appelmans@leasinvest.be

LEASINVEST REAL ESTATE SCA

Public BE-REIT (SIR/GVV) Leasinvest Real Estate SCA mainly invests in high quality and well-located retail buildings and offices in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, in Belgium, in Switzerland and in Austria.

At present the total fair value of the directly held real estate portfolio of Leasinvest amounts to over  857 million spread across the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (49%), Belgium (41%), Switzerland (5%) and Austria (5%). Moreover, Leasinvest is the largest real estate investor in Luxembourg.

The direct real estate portfolio consists of retail (48%), offices (37%) and logistics (15%).

The BE-REIT (SIR/GVV) is listed on Euronext Brussels and has a market capitalization of approximately  533 million (value 8 November 2016).

ON DE VLIER RETAIL DEVELOPMENT N.V.

DE VLIER RETAIL DEVELOPMENT was created by Leo Van Tuyckom in 1979. He is still chairing the group today. Since 1994, management of the group has been entrusted to Peter De Roo.

Since its creation, DE VLIER RETAIL DEVELOPMENT has positioned itself to operate in niche markets in the real estate development sector.

In the early 2000s, DE VLIER RETAIL DEVELOPMENT was the first Belgian contractor to design and implement a new form of commercial complex: the peripheral retailparks, commercial spaces strategically located on the doorstep of cities.

After the successful development of the Hydrion Retail Park in Arlon, a retail park of 34,000 m opened in 2004, DE VLIER RETAIL DEVELOPMENT gave new impetus to the retail park concept by creating the unique concept of Frun Shopping, "When runshopping becomes fun!". Since then, DE VLIER RETAIL DEVELOPMENT retailparks have carried the "FRUN SHOPPING" trademark, in Belgium, France and Austria.

For more information, contact:

Peter De Roo

CEO

DE VLIER RETAIL DEVELOPMENT N.V.

Hamiltonpark 24-26

BE-8000 BRUGES

T. +32 50 311 794

F. +32 50 314 723

Email: peter.deroo@de-vlier.com

Website: www.de-vlier.com

ON FOCUS REAL ESTATE

Focus Real Estate N.V. is a Dutch investor, developing real estate investor and promotor operating in diverse market areas, among which:

 Light industrial and logistics projects

 Retail projects in the Netherlands, Austria and France

Focus Real Estate N.V. has over 30 years of experience and realizes and creates spectacular high-quality projects that add value for its users, occupiers and their environment.

It is our mission to deliver quality to our clients, which is the reason for our statement: "Focus on Quality".

For more information, contact:

Ad van den Berg, CEO

Frans Staals, CEO

FOCUS REAL ESTATE N.V.

Parklaan 48

NL-5613 BG EINDHOVEN

T. +31 40 233 39 20

F. +31 40 213 01 38

E info@focusrealestate.eu

www.focusrealestate.eu



The value agreed upon takes into account the provisions of article 40 1 of the law of 12 May 2014 on BE-REITS (SIR/GVV).



Via the Austrian subsidiaries of its 100% Luxembourg subsidiary Leasinvest Immo Lux SA SICAV-SIF.

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: Leasinvest Real Estate Comm. VA via Globenewswire


PR-Inside.com: 2016-11-09 03:48:02

New Company to Deliver Business-Focused Mobile Computing Solutions and Services to Enterprise, Government, Education and SMB Markets

Toshiba Forms New Company, Confirms Commitment to Mobile Computing in Australia & New Zealand

Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc.

Eric Paulsen, 949-583-3541

eric.paulsen@toshiba.com

Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the creation of a wholly owned Australian subsidiary, in Toshiba Client Solutions ANZ Pty [..] (TCSAN). This new Toshiba subsidiary will focus on delivering business-to-business mobile computing solutions and services to Enterprise, Government, Education and SMB markets in both Australia and New Zealand. The new company will operate out of Sydney, Australia, and Mark Whittard will serve as the companys Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

Transitioning the mobile computing business out from Toshiba (Australia) Pty Ltd and aligning with Toshiba America Information Systems reaffirm Toshibas commitment to maintaining its mobile computing business in Australia and New Zealand, said Mark Whittard, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Toshiba Client Solutions ANZ. This new entity will deliver expanded offerings and improved business efficiencies resulting in best-in-class solutions for our professional customers.

As a mobile-focused organization, TCSAN will provide its customers with expanded access to additional technical resources, an enhanced level of technical support, additional systems configurations, robust build-to-order capabilities with rapid fulfillment schedules, and streamlined operational efficiencies. This new mobile computing-focused organization is part of a global revitalization plan outlined by Toshiba Corporation earlier this year, which also includes the establishment of Client Solutions Division, a new business unit within Toshiba America Information Systems, in the United States, and Toshiba Client Solutions Canada, a wholly owned Canadian subsidiary of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc.

We are confident the formation of Toshiba Client Solutions ANZ affirms our long-term commitment to this region, said Mark Simons, President and Chief Executive Officer, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. The addition of Australia and New Zealand to our footprint in the United States, Latin America and Canada, creates functional synergies, which streamline and strengthen our mobile computing business across all of these regions.

About Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. (TAIS)

Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TAIS is comprised of six business units: Client Solutions Division, Digital Display Division, Branded Storage Division, Imaging Systems Division, Telecommunication Systems Division, and Industrial Solutions & Services Division. Together, these divisions provide digital products, services and solutions, including award-winning notebook computers, tablets, branded storage products, digital display solutions and cloud services; imaging products for the security, medical and manufacturing markets; IP business telephone systems with unified communications, collaboration and mobility applications; and IoT solutions development, data analytics and IT services. TAIS provides sales, marketing and services for its wide range of products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation. For more information on TAIS visit us.toshiba.com.

About Toshiba Corporation

Toshiba Corporation, a Fortune Global 500 company, channels world-class capabilities in advanced electronic and electrical product and systems into three focus business fields: Energy that sustains everyday life, that is cleaner and safer; Infrastructure that sustains quality of life; and Storage that sustains the advanced information society. Guided by the principles of The Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, Committed to People, Committed to the Future, Toshiba promotes global operations and is contributing to the realization of a world where generations to come can live better lives. Founded in Tokyo in 1875, todays Toshiba is at the heart of a global network of 550 consolidated companies employing 188,000 people worldwide, with annual sales surpassing 5.6 trillion yen (US$50 billion). (As of March 31, 2016.) To find out more about Toshiba, visit www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm.

 2016 Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. All product, service and company names are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective owners. Information including without limitation product prices, specifications, availability, content of services, and contact information is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201611080063
It doesnt matter whether youre a New York Times best-selling author or a blogger from Kansasyou have to edit your work.

Every writers goal is to save time while polishing his or her content. When you finish your first draft and its time to edit, use these seven strategies to hit all the right literary notes and end with a perfect final draft.

1. Cut filler words.

Phrases like it takes, here is and there will be detract from a sentences power. These phrases combine with other filler words such as who and when to pad out and weaken sentences.

Look for phrases like these, and train yourself to correct them:

Original: Its fun to blog.

Better: Blogging is fun.

Original: There are many people who blog.

Better: Many people blog.

Original: Here are some ideas for you to try:

Better: Some ideas for you to try are:
Kannywood star actor, Ali Nuhu, was recently hosted by Leicester City forward and Nigerian national team player, Ahmed Musa, at Leicester City training ground.

Musa reportedly gave the actor, who is currently on vacation in the United Kingdom, a first class treatment.

Nuhu also shared a photo of himself and Leicester City players that include Marc Albringhton, Ben Hamer, Andy King, Matty James, Christian Fuchs and Demarai Gray, having fun.

Ready for todays game, the popular actor captioned the photo.

Afterwards, the actor was also on hand to cheer Musa who featured for 67 minutes before being substituted for Demarai Gray during Leicesters match against West Brom on Saturday.

Sadly, Nuhus visit could not inspire the team as they lost to West Brom 2-1.

Still sharing snapshots from his time in the UK, Nuhu made a quick stop over at the Nigerian High Commission in the London before having lunch with the suspended former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin.

On Wednesday, he was a guest on BBC Hausa Service in London

Clearly Kannywoods biggest actor, Nuhu recently featured in a new film titled Zinnariya. It was premiered on November 3 and 4 at the Joburg Film Festival.

Niger Republics talented director, Rahamatou Keita, shot the movie.

Editors Note: The second paragraph has been edited to reflect that Ali Nuhus wife was not on the trip with him.
Democratic Partys Hillary Clinton has telephoned her Republican Party rival, Donald Trump, conceding defeat and congratulating him for winning the election, the CNN is reporting.

She has called him to say she believed he (Trump) will emerge president, a CNN anchor said a while ago.

Mr. Trump already garnered 268 electoral votes to Mrs. Clintons 215.

He is also projected to win Pennsylvania, which has 20 electoral votes.

The New York Times already projects that the controversial businessman would win the election and become the next American president.

READ MORE HERE.
The Olusola Oke Campaign Organization has alleged that there are plots by a clique within the All Progressives Congress to stop its candidate from contesting the November 26 Ondo State governorship election.

Mr. Oke, who is of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, had defected from the APC shortly after his failure to pick the ticket of the party.

The organisation said the plan was to keep him out of the election in order to pave an easy way for the APC candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu.

Addressing a press conference in Akure on Tuesday, the Director General of the Organisation, Bola Ilori, mentioned the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; Governor of Jigawa State and Chairman of the APC Primaries Election Committee in Ondo State, Abubakar Badaru; Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Solid Minerals, Kayode Fayemi; and the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, as those behind the plan.

Their best joker, which has been lent credence to by the popular boasts in town in the past few days by Akeredolu and his minders is the ploy to instigate the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to invite and possibly detain Chief Oke days before the election over phantom allegations, said Mr. Ilori, a former chieftain of the APC.

Chief Olusola Oke has been severally investigated and cleared by the anti-graft agency of any financial impropriety; but of recent, they have been putting a lot of pressure on the Commission to harass him of late with a view to make him look as if he is guilty, a development which is far from the truth.

This plot to stop Chief Oke from contesting the election is simply to clear the way for their protege, Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is also vying for the Ondo State governorship position.

The plan of these people was to prevent Olusola Oke from contesting the election because their candidate, Akeredolu, is not in contention, having lost relevance with the people, thus they have resorted to lots of underhand tactics to stop him.

We want to by this medium, cry out to President Muhammadu Buhari to save Nigerian democracy from a cabal within his government hell bent on stopping our candidate from contesting the election by resorting to underhand methods.

Nigeria is gradually sliding towards a fascist state in the hands of this unscrupulous cabal. We are aware of the pedigree of President Buhari, his uprightness and his zero tolerance for dirty tricks to take advantage of people.

But this cabal is using the paraphernalia of the Federal Government with impunity to get unsavoury advantage thus tainting his good works.

Mr. Ilori accused the APC of instigating the Legal Adviser of the AD to institute a suit against Mr. Oke, with moves to influence the judge to issue an ex parte order to restrain the candidate from participating in the election.

When you accuse judges as being corrupt and you did indeed move against some of them, isnt it an irony that members of the same government are the ones boasting of compromising a judge that would sit on the matter in Court? he submitted.

According to him, the move was a show of desperation which would dent the reputation of the present administration.

Mr. Ilori said it was baffling that the onslaught against Mr. Oke was coming barely two weeks to the election, assuring that his candidate had nothing to fear.

Responding to the allegation, the APC In Ondo State said Mr. Oke is only afraid of his shadows.

The Publicity Secretary of the party, Abayomi Adesanya, said Mr. Oke would not be afraid if he had nothing to hide.

if the EFCC invites him, he should go and explain himself that he did not soil his hands when he was a member of NDDC or when he held any public office, he said.

He should stop dragging the APC into it, because he is not the only one being invited by the commission.

Anyone who has something in his hands would be invited by the EFCC, even the national legal adviser of the party, Banire SAN, was questioned by the commission, and he has to explain his actions.

Meanwhile, the Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, has accused Governor Rauf Aregbesola of funding the governorship campaign of Mr. Oke with the states meagre resources.

A statement by the partys Publicity Secretary, Diran Odeyemi, on Tuesday in Osogbo, alleged Mr. Aregbesola had been spending Osuns allocation on Ondo politics right from the day APC held its governorship primary in Ondo.

Governor Aregbesola is the financial backbone of AD and its candidate using Bola Ilori, his Special Adviser on Environment as the main link, he said.

Mr. Odeyemi recalled that the governor spent Osun resources in 2012 to support the governorship ambition of Mr. Akeredolu when he ran for the office as candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria.

Why should Ondo governorship election be a source of concern to Osun people? he asked.

 Our governor, Ogbeni Aregbesola has made it so by digging deep into the lean coffers of the state all in a bid to install Oke as governor against the wish of his party, APC.

In 2012, Aregbesola wasted millions of state funds to install Akeredolu but failed and the result of such spendthrift attitude is the bankruptcy Osun has been dragged into by its governor at the moment. He is embarking on fresh spending spree this time around to install Oke.

Osun workers have not been paid full salary in one and half years because the treasury has been drained.

The government has embarked on secret retrenchment of civil servants to ease its wage bill, even when only half of their salaries are paid to them.

The PDP called on stakeholders in the affairs of the state to prevail on Mr. Aregbesola to stop his political investment in unstable stock.

Osun is in serious financial mess already and no more burden should be added to its present quagmire, Mr. Odeyemi said.

Semiu Okanlawon, spokesman for the governor, described the allegation as untrue and an effort of the party to score cheap political points.

There is no allegation by PDP that has been proved right, there is none, Mr. Okanlawon said.

He said the allegation was laughable as the PDP in the state now issue statements for the fun of it.

Recently the party issued a statement urging the governor to handover to his deputy for travelling out of the country for two weeks, when the governor was busy at home attending important events, he said.

When I challenged them, mum has been the word. It is convenient for them to make such unfounded allegations.

My response is, let them substantiate the allegations for all to see.
President Muhammadu Buhari and other world leaders have reacted to the surprise election of Donald Trump as the 45th U.S. president.

President Buhari in a statement by a media aide, Femi Adesina, congratulated Mr. Trump, saying he looks forward to working together with President-elect Trump to strengthen the already established friendly relations between both countries, including cooperation on many shared foreign policy priorities, such as the fight against terrorism, peace and security, economic growth, democracy and good governance.

Mr. Trump had, in his victory speech, sent conciliatory signals, pledging to seek common ground with Americas partners.

In his congratulatory message, Russian leader, Vladmir Putin, talked about his countrys sour relations with the U.S.

It is not an easy path but we are ready to ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development, Mr. Putin, for whom Trump expressed admiration during the election campaign, said.

British Prime Minister, Theresa May, congratulated Mr. Trump and said Britain and the U.S. would remain strong and close partners on trade, security and defence.

During the election campaign, Ms. May had criticized Mr. Trumps call for a ban on Muslims from entering the United States, saying it was divisive, unhelpful and wrong.

Egypts president congratulated Donald Trump, saying Cairo wants to see more cooperation and coordination between the two nations to bolster stability and peace in the Middle East.

According to a statement by his office on Wednesday, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi telephoned Mr. Trump to offer his congratulations and invited him to visit Egypt.

Also, Chinese state media said President Xi Jinping had called Mr. Trump to congratulate him on his victory.

I place great importance on the China-US relationship, and look forward to working with you to uphold the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, Mr. Xi was reported to have told Trump.

In his statement, President Jacob Zuma conveyed his best wishes on behalf of the Government and the people of South Africa.

Mr. Zuma said he looked forward to working with President-elect Trump to build on the strong relations that exists between the two countries.

The Prime Minister of Iraq, Haider al-Abadi, also congratulated Mr. Trump and said he was looking forward to continued support in his countrys fight against Islamic State.

In a statement on his website, Mr. al-Abadi said he hopes the world and the United States will continue to support Iraq in fighting terrorism.

Israels Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped to reach new heights in bilateral ties under Mr. Trump.

Also, the Philippine government said it was looking forward to working with Mr. Trump to enhance bilateral ties.

President Rodrigo Duterte congratulated Mr. Trump and hailed the U.S. two-party system that gave the countrys voters freedom of choice based on party platform, not just personalities.

I wish Trump success in the next four years as Chief Executive and commander-in chief of the U.S. military.

Mr. Duterte said he was looking forward to working with the incoming administration for enhanced Philippines-US relations anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit and shared commitment to democratic ideals and the rule of law.

Mr. Duterte, who has been compared to Mr. Trump, has criticised the U.S. in recent statements and vowed to separate the Philippines from the U.S., vowing to chart a foreign policy that does not mimic that of Washingtons.

Some world leaders have, however, expressed worry with Mr. Trumps election.

Trump is the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement. He is also a warning for us, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said in an interview with the Funke newspaper group.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the result was different from what most people in Germany desired. But of course, we have to accept it.

Though French President Francois Hollande congratulated Mr. Trump on his victory, he warned that the election result opened a period of uncertainty.

Mr. Trumps opponent, Hillary Clinton, and President Barack Obama have also congratulated him via telephone conversations.

Mr. Obama also phoned Mrs. Clinton, and expressed admiration for the strong campaign she waged throughout the country, the White House said.

Mr. Trumps victory represents a huge shift in American politics because of his stand on immigration, foreign policy and minority rights.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday called on law enforcement agencies to track down promoters of a questionable investment scheme popularly known as MMM.

The lower chamber also mandated its committees on banking and currency and financial crimes to investigate the scheme.

The MMM is a deposit money scheme that promises a 30 per cent interest on investment per month.

Despite its popularity amongst Nigerians of all classes, critics maintain that the business is a Ponzi scheme because its operators use money from later investors to pay earlier investors.

Those behind the venture are not known to the Nigerian regulatory agencies, including the Central Bank and the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation.

The business is also said not to have been registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, making it difficult to identify its promoters.

Regulatory and anti-corruption agencies had earlier warned Nigerians against participating in the scheme.

But lawmakers said members of a syndicate who conduct seminars to train people on how to invest in the business should be arrested.

The development followed a motion of urgent national importance raised by Akinlade Fijabi from Oyo State, who described MMM as a Rob Peter to Pay Paul Scheme.

Mr. Fijabi said the operators of MMM are exploiting the economic situation of Nigerians that had left them desperate for income through any means without considering the implications.

Another lawmaker from Ondo State, Bode Ayorinde, said lawmakers should be concerned because they will likely be inundated with petitions if the scheme goes burst.

When the business goes burst, it is the same House that people will flood with petitions, Mr. Ayorinde said.

An Enugu lawmaker, Dennis Amadi, said the House should save Nigerians from themselves, because the collapse of MMM could make many commit suicide.

The House will not wait until these crooks defraud Nigerians of billions of naira or until people start committing suicide, Mr. Amadi said.

Speaker Yakubu Dogara ruled that the motion was adopted and urged the committee to expedite its investigation and report back to House within four weeks.
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President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to lead some members of his cabinet to Ondo State on Thursday to flag-off the All Progressives Congress campaign ahead of the November 26 governorship election.

The partys candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu, and his supporters believe that Mr. Buharis presence at the rally will be a game changer for the APC and improve its chances of winning the election.

Mr. Buharis visit was earlier scheduled for November 4, but had to be postponed due to his busy schedules.

The Publicity Secretary of the party, Abayomi Adesanya, in a statement on Wednesday, said apart from Mr. Buhari, other APC leaders expected at the event include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Chairman John Oyegun, Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker Yakubu Dogara and party leader, Bola Tinubu.

Despite the partys statement, PREMIUM TIMES check reveal Mr. Tinubu is not likely to attend the event.

The former Lagos governor was opposed to Mr. Akeredolus candidacy and publicly accused the party of manipulating the primaries. His favoured candidate, Olusegun Abraham, is still challenging the result of the primaries.

An aide to the Lagos politician, who confirmed the latter would not be attending, said Mr. Tinubu was out of Nigeria.

You are aware that he (Tinubu) is presently abroad and may not be back before the event, the source said.

Like the former Lagos governor, another APC leader and Mr. Tinubu ally, Rauf Aregbesola, is also expected to be absent from the event.

Mr. Aregbesola, governor of neighbouring Osun State, is believed to favour another candidate in the election, Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy, AD. Mr. Oke also defected from the APC after the controversial primaries where he came third behind Mr. Akeredolu and Mr. Abraham.

Mr. Aregbesolas aides would not comment if he would attend or not. The PDP in his Osun State had also accused him of funding Mr. Okes campaign, an allegation he denied.

Like Messrs. Tinubu and Aregbesola, all eyes will also be on Vice President Osinbajo and the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode. Both men, loyalists of Mr. Tinubu, have not commented on the Ondo APC crisis since the controversial primaries. Their absence in Thursdays rally would be a confirmation that the party is yet to settle its crisis and Mr. Akeredolu still does not have Mr. Tinubus support.

However, Mr. Adesanya, the Ondo APC spokesperson, said on Wednesday that activities were in top gear to host the president and all expected dignitaries, including Mr, Tinubu, would be part of the rally.

The November 26 election is expected to be a three-horse race between the APC, AD, and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
The National Judicial Council has cleared Justice Okon Abang of any wrongdoing in the June 27 judgement against the Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.

The NJC also said Mr. Abang did no wrong in his June 29 ruling where he endorsed a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, led by former Borno State Governor, Ali Sheriff, as authentic.

In separate letters to four different petitioners who had written against Mr. Abang, the NJC said it found no proof of misconduct against the Federal High Court judge.

One of the petitioners, Ayodele Ibini, a factional secretary of the PDP from Ondo State, had asked the NJC to investigate the judge for alleged judicial misconduct in the June 29 ruling where Mr. Sheriff was recognised as authentic PDP chairman.

Also businessmen Henry Balogun and Emeka Eze, and their counterpart Charles Esonu, all leaders of the PDP from Abia State, petitioned the NJC, alleging that Mr. Abang abused his official privileges in his decision on Abia on June 27.

They demanded investigations into alleged judicial misconduct by the judge.

The council said it dismissed all four petitions for their failure to substantially prove any wrongdoing against Mr. Abang.

The petitioners alleged that Mr. Abang abused his official privileges in his decisions on the Abia and Ondo State crisis.

The NJC, however, said it found no record of misconduct or abuse of judicial powers in the decisions made by Mr. Abang regarding both judgements.

Mr. Abang had sacked Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State after finding him guilty of tax evasion.

The judge ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to issue certificate of return to businessman Samson Ogah, also a member of the party. That decision was nullified by the Appeal Court.

Mr. Abang also nullified the national convention of the PDP that produced Ahmed Makarfi as leader. He said the decision of the PDP to embark on the convention, despite a court order from a Lagos High Court, amounted to impunity.
Speaking to the media at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, venue of the exercise, the Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, disclosed that the essence of such a military drill is the need for Nigeria to be battle ready in the face of terrorism threats as being witnessed on the world stage where terrorists have struck at airports in countries like Turkey and Belgium.

The essence of such an exercise is to prepare the state of alertness of the Nigerian military in the eventuality of a threat in real life situations, as a nation that prepares well in time of peace bleeds less during a period of war, he said.

The counter terrorism simulation dubbed Ex Thunder Bolt  is the second in a series of simulations conducted by the Air Force.

This is the second military simulation that has been carried out by the Air Force in weeks gone by with the initial operation conducted in Abuja. It is hoped that other airports across the country will witness such military operations in months to come, Mr. Abubakar, an air marshal, disclosed.

Tunji Bello, the Secretary to Lagos State Government, who represented the Governor of Lagos State, disclosed the preparedness of the state government to work hand in hand with the military high command to combat any real or perceived threats by terrorist in the state.

The Government of Lagos State is happy such an exercise is taking place in Lagos as it shows the level of preparedness of the military in ensuring people are safe at airports in Lagos and across the country, he said,

Ex Thunder Bolt is set in a fictitious Democratic Republic of Emirana that had its Lawosa International Airport besieged by terrorists. The military was called in to rescue citizens and take back the airport from the terrorists.

During the sting operation, special forces personnel were deployed to neutralize the terrorists and rescue people trapped inside the airport.

The operation saw agencies like National Emergency Management Authority, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Customs, Police, and officers from British Military Advisory Training Team (BMATT) lend their support to making the exercise a successful event.
Nigerian lawmakers on Wednesday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to wade in on the waste of edible food items in the country.

The lawmakers said the rate at which some Nigerians destroy foods had become alarming in recent years, adding that it is deplorable to keep wasting food in harsh economic times.

The concern was raised by a lawmaker from Lagos, Rotimi Agunsoye, during todays plenary at the House of Representatives.

Mr. Agunsoye said the House is very worried that affluent Nigerians are stocking foods at home while the poor continue to die of starvation.

Food wastage thrives with lavish lifestyle of citizens who are well-to-do in the society, Mr. Agunsoye said. They buy what they would not eat, set a table they will not finish and throw more food away than they would ever need.

The lawmaker said Nigerians waste about 1.3 billion tonnes of food annually, which contributes significantly to the global average of 30 per cent waste per year.

Mr. Agunsoye urged lawmakers to prevail on the Buhari administration to embark on a sensitisation campaign to make Nigerians eschew their food-wasting habits.

To further drive the message, the lawmakers urged the president to incorporate campaign against food waste in his Change Begins with Me national orientation policies.

Speaker Yakubu Dogara ruled that the House accepted the motion.
Aisha Alhassan, the Minister of Women Affairs, has said that women were very disappointed over Hilary Clintons failure to win her bid to become Americas first female President.

I am very sad about the outcome of the elections; we women have been robbed again, Mrs. Alhassan told the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Jos.

Mrs. Clinton, former U. S. Secretary of State, who contested on the ticket of the Democratic Party, lost the Tuesday race to her Republican rival, Donald Trump.

She has since called to congratulate the winner and also wish him well.

Mrs. Alhassan expressed optimism that the womenfolk would be luckier next time in their bid for equal opportunities to serve humanity.

Speaking in the same vein, Larai Akawu, a Jos-based activist, expressed shock at the loss which she said was not expected.

Hilary Clinton was doing well and the polls predicted that victory will go her way.

Some of us here were already planning to celebrate the grand arrival of the women folk as leaders at the global stage before we got the shock of our lives, she stated.

Ms. Akawu, however, urged women not to be discouraged by the setback, saying that there was always another chance.

Clinton came so close to winning; it means there is great hope that we shall be there in the near future, she said.

(NAN)
The retiring director of Press, Protocol and Public Relations at the Ministry of Information, Peter Dama, has urged senior civil servants to avoid acts capable of having them indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Mr. Dama gave the charge in Abuja at a reception to mark his retirement.

In a statement by the ministrys chief press secretary, Joseph Mutah, the director urged all workers to avoid fraudulent activities, despite the harsh economic realities.

I pray that all those I left behind will also be able to see their own exit. It is not an exit that you will see yourself in handcuffs or see yourself in EFCC, he said.

Mr. Dama also urged union leaders to avoid strikes as a means of achieving their objectives.

It is better whenever you have challenges to meet your bosses and dialogue together rather than taking the placards or blocking the gates because that will not solve any problem, he said.

He urged workers to be cooperative and devoted in the discharge of their duties.
ABUJA, Nov 9 (Thomson Reuters Foundation)  The 21 Chibok schoolgirls freed by Boko Haram militants last month say they were not abused or raped during two-and-a-half years captivity in northeast Nigeria, a source close to the presidency said on Wednesday.

Many girls kidnapped by the Islamist militant group have been used as sex slaves, fighters and even suicide bombers, according to rights groups including Amnesty International.

But the 21 freed girls said the militants treated them well while they were held captive, according to a confidential report based on their two-week debriefing prepared for President Muhammadu Buhari and seen by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The girls, released last month after Switzerland and the Red Cross brokered a deal, are now being held in a secret location in the capital Abuja for assessment by the Nigerian government.

State health workers confirmed that the girls were not sexually abused while in captivity, adding that they all tested negative for sexually transmitted diseases, the report said.

The girls said the Boko Haram men always assured them that they would eventually go back home to their families, and were careful about what they said around the girls and how they treated them, said the source, who declined to be named.

They had been fed well and regularly, until the military cut off Boko Haram supplies, the government source added.

More than 200 girls were seized from their school in April 2014 in Chibok in Borno state, where Boko Haram has waged a seven-year insurgency aimed at creating an Islamic state, killing thousands and displacing more than 2 million people.

Boko Haram has kidnapped hundreds of men, women and children but the abduction of the Chibok girls  some 200 of whom are still missing  prompted outrage worldwide and their plight was publicised using a Twitter hashtag, #bringbackourgirls.

NO FORCED MARRIAGE, CONVERSION

The daily routine for the girls, who were moved in captivity between the north-eastern town of Gwoza and the Sambisa forest, a Boko Haram stronghold, involved personal time in the morning followed by Quranic teaching and cooking meals, the report said.

Most of the girls said they were held in makeshift dwellings made of zinc sheets in Sambisa, while those who were married lived with their militant husbands in camps across the forest.

The 21 recently released girls said that while the Boko Haram militants advised them to marry and convert to Islam, they were not forced into doing so, according to the report.

The girls said that those of them who did not agree to marry were used as house girls (servants), the source said.

The girls recognised almost all the faces of Boko Haram members on a government most-wanted list, but did not know the militants names and never saw the Islamist groups established figurehead Abubakar Shekau, according to the source.

When shown pictures of 142 of their still missing classmates, the girls said 61 had married Boko Haram militants, eight had died during Nigerian air force strikes, three during childbirth, and one of an unknown cause, the report found.

Another Chibok girl and her 10-month-old son were discovered by troops days ago while they were screening escapees from Boko Harams base in the Sambisa forest.

The first of the Chibok girls to be released by Boko Haram, Amina Ali, was freed in May. Ali has since been held in a house in Abuja for what the state has called a restoration process. She said in August that she just wanted to go home.

Boko Haram controlled a swathe of land around the size of Belgium at the start of 2015, but Nigerias army has recaptured most of the territory. The group still stages suicide bombings in the northeast, as well as in neighbouring Niger and Cameroon.

(The story was first published by Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters that covers humanitarian news, womens rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change).
The Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday approved the direct procurement of 38 patrol SUVs manufactured locally, to enhance the operations of the inspectorate division of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.

This was the high point of the FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari during which the council also ratified the Lake Chad Water Charter.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, and his Water Resources Counterpart, Suleiman Adamu, spoke to journalists on the outcome of the meeting.

According to Mr. Fayemi, the session marked one year in office of the ministers, who used the occasion to review progress made by the administration as well as its challenges.

We are one year in office in two days time; so this is the anniversary cabinet meeting.

And it gave us the opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made as a government, the challenges that we still have to tackle.

We also used the occasion to reiterate our commitment to Mr President for giving all of us the opportunity to serve the nation and to do so in a manner that advances our democracy and the development of our country.

Aside from that, we took on two other memoranda, one from the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and another from the Ministry of Water Resources.

On the Mines and steel Development it was the approval of the direct procurement of Nissan Patrol vehicles for the Mines Inspectorate (division) in our 36 states.

According to the minister, for a decade, the division which oversees artisanal mining has not purchased any vehicle.

He said that the vehicles would be used for surveillance of illegal mining activities and to tackle various field challenges faced by the ministrys workers.

The minister recalled the recent killing of some miners by bandits in Zamfara and the death of two miners in Paiko, Niger State, adding that through proper surveillance, such incidents could be avoided.

Mr. Fayemi said that as part of the ministrys road map, a surveillance task force had been established with the ministries of interior and defence as well as the police and civil defence.

He said that the approval for the purchase of the vehicles was a demonstration of the governments commitment to supporting Made in Nigeria products.

Over the last three months, all the approvals we had for the purchase of vehicles for Mines and Steel, Interior, Immigration and EFCC were procurements authorised to buy vehicles from local assembly plants.

This is so that we can begin to strengthen our automotive industry and the government remains committed to that and this approval is further confirmation of the governments commitment in that direction.

It speaks directly also to our determination to really begin to focus a lot more seriously on the activities of informal or illegal miners, he said.

The minister added that the ministry was eager to define the role it could play in supporting artisanal and small-scale miners in fulfilment of the administrations job creation and revenue generation agenda.

He said the vehicles worth N326.78 million would be bought from local automobile companies and given to each of the states and Abuja with Lagos State being allocated two.

Also speaking, Mr. Adamu added that the second memo considered by FEC was the ratification of the Lake Chad Water Charter.

He said that a treaty was signed by all the Lake Chad Basin Commission countries in 2012 which required the ratification of 95 per cent of the countries before it could come into effect.

It was ratified today and the next stage is for it to go to the National Assembly for an enactment of the law to back it.

The charter seeks to strengthen cooperation between all the member countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and to forge some kind of consensus on issues relating to environment, security and the future of the lake itself.

The lake has been threatened by climate change over the years; it has shrank to less than 10 per cent of its storage capacity 40 years to 50 years ago.

And all efforts are being put in place to ensure that the lake is safe from extinction and to improve the security situation in the region, he added.

Mr. Adamu ascribed the restlessness and insurgency in the north-east partly to the shrinking of the lake and expressed the hope that with other countries ratifying the charter, the security in the region could be guaranteed.

(NAN)
Some members of the Nigerian delegation attending the seventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP7) to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) have accused their colleagues of promoting tobacco industry interests through misleading interpretation of the treaty guidelines, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

The conference is holding in Delhi, India between November 7 and 12.

The Nigerian delegation includes Christiana Ukoli, the leader and a professor from the Federal Ministry of Health; Ihuoma Ofili of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria; Akinbode Oluwafemi, a civil society activist; Malau Toma of the Ministry of Justice; Ededet Eton, an Assistant Comptroller of Customs, and one Mrs. Abimbola from the Ministry of Justice.

This newspaper learnt that within the Nigerian delegation, while Messrs. Ukoli and Oluwafemi were pro-health, Messrs. Ofili and Abimbola were pro-industry.

Mr. Toma, the Tobacco Desk Officer at the Federal Ministry of Health, was unable to attend the conference due to the inability of the ministry to fund her trip, a Nigerian activist attending the conference who preferred not to be named told PREMIUM TIMES.

On Wednesday, representatives of non-governmental organisations criticised Mrs. Ofili, a Tobacco Control Desk officer at SON, for attempting to sow doubt about the addictiveness of tobacco productsa familiar tobacco industry tacticdespite decades-long consensus on the issue.

The delegate also recommended watering down protections against industry interference in tobacco control policymaking. The Nigerian Ministry of Health is underrepresented in this years Nigerian delegation, heightening suspicions of broader industry interference, the groups said in a statement.

Another Nigerian activist at the conference said the countrys delegation was singing discordant tunes at the meeting.

The FCTC recommendations are clear, especially in implementation. Misinterpreting them is the strategy the (tobacco) industry uses to derail implementation, he added.

The CSOs said some members of the Nigerian delegation advanced arguments criticizing the treatys Article 5.3 guidelines limiting parties interaction with the tobacco industry, as well as Articles 9 and 10 which recommend measures to reduce the addictiveness of tobacco products.

It is very disturbing and shocking to civil society and other governments that members of the Nigerian delegation advanced invalid arguments promoted by the tobacco industry, which has a sole aim: raking in profits at the expense of peoples health, said Philip Jakpor, Nigeria spokesperson of Network for Accountability of Tobacco Transnationals (NATT).

Mrs. Ofili could not be reached for comments.

For decades, the tobacco industry has lobbied extensively against tobacco control policies at the national and international levels.

In November 2015, a whistleblower revealed British American Tobaccos bribery of a Burundi delegate in an attempt to water down, weaken, and block progress on tobacco control at the FCTC. Given Big Tobaccos well-documented history of influencing FCTC delegates to promote its agenda, participants at these negotiations raised questions about whether Nigerias comments were influenced by the industry.

Hellen Neima, a tobacco control advocate from Uganda attending the Conference of the Parties said: The Nigerian position was the lowest moment of the discussion yesterday. It came in stark contrast to the applause received by other African governments who stood in firm support for protection against tobacco industry intimidation and bullying.

Members of civil society warned that Nigerias comments may threaten advances to public health, including guidelines around the toxicity of tobacco products. Article 9 proposes guidelines for testing and measuring of the contents and emissions of tobacco products, and regulation of the contents and emissions, while Article 10 requires manufacturers and importers of tobacco products to disclose to governmental authorities information about the contents and emissions of tobacco products. They also urged countries to stay united in their prioritization of public health over the industrys interests.

The global tobacco treaty makes it explicitly clear that tobacco industry interference poses the single greatest threat to tobacco control. The confusing proposition by Nigeria has the potential of rolling back the united position of the African bloc on the underlying issues, said John Stewart, deputy campaigns director with Corporate Accountability International.

Despite the Nigerian delegations objections, a majority of parties to the global tobacco treaty support a suite of public health provisions, including ones that protect public health policymaking from the tobacco industrys influence. According to a WHO report released this week, parties to the treaty recognise the industry as the biggest threat to progress.

The global tobacco treaty negotiations are taking place in Greater Noida, India, from November 7-12. The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is estimated to save more than 200 million lives when fully implemented.

The global tobacco treaty, known formally as the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) entered into force in 2005.

To date, 179 countries and the European Union have become parties to the treaty. It contains the worlds most effective tobacco control and corporate accountability measuresestimated to save more than 200 million lives by 2050 if fully implemented.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday afternoon held a closed-door meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Senate.

The senators at the meeting, held at the Presidents office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, were led by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.

After the meeting with the lawmakers, they exited while Mr. Buhari held a personal meeting with Mr. Saraki.

Wednesdays meeting occurred about a week after the Senate rejected Mr. Buharis request to borrow $29.9 billion from external sources.

The lawmakers, across party divide, rejected the application without debate saying it did not come with relevant information such as purpose, means of repayment and so on.

The debt, if approved, will be Nigerias largest ever borrowing.

Details later
A day after the Senate condemned the planned concession of some major rail lines, railway workers have endorsed the move.

The employees of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, on Wednesday in Lagos endorsed the planned concession of the corporation but called on the Federal Government to pay their entitlements.

The employees, under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Railway Workers (NUR) and the Senior Staff Association (SSA), Nigeria Railway Branch, said that they were in support of the concession of the NRCs asset, if it would make the sub-sector a true hub of the Nigerian transportation system.

They were, however, opposed to what they termed a wholesale transfer of the workers liabilities to the would-be concessionaire.

The workers insisted on full settlement of all labour issues, including payment of a negotiated severance package by the Federal Government, before concluding the concession process and handing over to the concessionaire.

Esan Segun, Secretary-General, NUR, at a rally, said that 10,000 workers would be affected hence, the concession process should be transparent and due diligence followed.

Let it be made abundantly clear that workers are not and will not be against the concession of the Nigerian Railway asset only if it is done with patriotism and due diligence, to make the rail sub-sector a true hub of the transportation system in Nigeria.

We will also not antagonise the process if the Federal Government engages the workers in a dialogue.

We will demand for a genuine and fair labour disengagement policy that guarantees our rights of fair severance benefits from the Federal Government, and that our demands are heard and fully met before conceding the railways asset to a third party, Mr. Esan said.

He said that the workers would also keep their peace if the Federal Government decides today, among other things, to monetise the staff quarters to the workers, as directed by the monetisation policy of 2005.

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, in September confirmed negotiations for the concession of the narrow gauge lines across the country to General Electric.

The agreement was to be signed before January 2017.

However, the Senate on Tuesday raised concerns over the project and called for a probe.

(NAN)
Senators from the South East zone who held a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari said they went to express their concern over issues affecting the region.

Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, led the senators to the meeting with Mr. Buhari in his office in Abuja on Wednesday.

Briefing State House correspondents shortly after the meeting, Mr. Ekweremadu said they especially raised concerns on the state of security and infrastructure in the south-east region.

For us from the South-east, we believe that dialogue is better than any other form of engagement. So we decided to visit the President and present to him some of the concerns of the South East, including the issues of roads, general infrastructure, the rail and airports, he said.

The Deputy Senate President said the delegation discussed the issue of insecurity in the South-east especially with regards to the activities of the Independent Peoples of Biafra, IPOB.

We had a good conversation and he promised to look into the issues, he said.

The Chairman of the South East Caucus in the Senate, Eyinnaya Abaribe, who also spoke with reporters said that the region was the most short-changed in the country.

He said Mr. Buhari promised to look into their complaints.

We know that there are problems everywhere but we also believe that the south-east is the zone that is far more short-changed at this time than other zones.

We also talked about the issue of appointments from the South-east, especially with respect to the National Security Council. The President also told us that governors of the South-east have also engaged him on the same problems, Mr. Abaribe said.

The senator said leaders from the region would continue to engage with the government.

Other senators in the delegation include Sam Egwu, Hope Uzodinma, Andy Uba and Chukwuka Utazi.
The Deputy Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Godiya Akwashiki, on Wednesday announced his defection to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Mr. Akwashiki was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to represent Nasarawa Eggon West constituency at the Assembly.

The lawmakers defection was contained in a letter read on the floor of the assembly by the Speaker, Ibrahim Abdullahi, on Wednesday in Lafia.

The speaker congratulated Mr. Akwashiki for taking the right decision at the right time and assured him of support.

In the letter, Mr. Akwashiki hinged his defection on the ongoing leadership crisis in the PDP at the national level.

The crisis rocking our party at the national level between Sen. Makarfi faction and Sen. Sheriff faction is the reason why I dumped PDP and defected to APC.

After due consultation with my party stakeholders, the people of my constituency and other people in the state, I deem it necessary to dump PDP and to defect to APC, so as to contribute my quota to the development of the state and Nigeria at large, he stated.

In his comment, the speaker welcomed the lawmaker to the APC and assured people of the state of the assemblys determination to enact laws that would improve their lives.

He said the assembly was satisfied with the efforts of Governor Tanko Al-Makura to make positive impact in the state.

A member of the PDP in the Assembly, Ibrahim Muluku, said although Mr. Akwashikis decision was personal, he was deeply touched by the action of the lawmaker.

(NAN)
Gunmen have killed at least one person and injured several others in Kasada Local Government Area of Katsina State.

A witnesses told journalists that the armed bandits numbering about 12 invaded the town on motorcycles at about 3 a.m. on Wednesday.

The witnesses who craved for anonymity, said the hoodlums searched many houses in Makera, Marina, Yara-gabas, Yara-arewa and Kofar-fada areas of the city.

They said the bandits blocked roads linking to those areas and shot sporadically to pave way for their operation.

According to them, the armed men killed the Deputy Imam of Kasada, Badamasi Abdullahi, injured several others and carted away undisclosed sums of money from the residents.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Salisu Agaisa, confirmed the incident.

Mr. Agaisa said that the police had arrested one person in connection with the incident, and had intensified investigations to arrest the rest of the culprits.

He urged the public to assist the police by exposing hideouts and activities of criminals in the state.

(NAN)
Security agencies in Kaduna have arrested 22 suspects for allegedly vandalizing and stealing solar street lights installed by the Kaduna State Government.

Samuel Aruwan, the spokesperson to Governor Nasir El-Rufai disclosed on Wednesday that 19 out of the 22 suspects have been charged to court.

After careful combing of the crime scene, solar batteries and their covers and one iron saw were recovered inside the cemetery along Bashama Road, Tudun Wada area of the metropolis.



The operation which lasted for two days raided all scrap iron vendors, roadside solar battery sellers mentioned in the deal. Items recovered during the raids include solar panels, armoured cables, vehicle spare parts and textile materials suspected to have been stolen, he said.

Mr. Aruwan, who mentioned the names of the suspects, also revealed that the suspects and the items recovered were handed to the police

He reiterated the state governments commitment to prosecute anyone found vandalizing or stealing public property.
The Chairman, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Emmanuel Adesoye, says the Federal Government plans to dredge the Calabar Port to enable large vessels berth and do business.

Mr. Adesoye made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Calabar on Wednesday.

We have seen most of these facilities. They are excellent facilities. They are opportunities waiting to be tapped.

We know that these are areas that can really help Nigeria in terms of incomes, especially foreign currencies, if properly developed.

There are also challenges. For example, the one we see is the draft situation in this area; its a little bit shallow; we need to do a lot of dredging.

We need to make it accessible for big ships that can come here and do business with us.

Mr. Adesoye expressed the hope that the dredging of the Calabar channel would begin as soon as possible.

One of the greatest incentives is to make sure that the draft line is okay for ships to come in here.

That is the greatest, because when is there, there are business people that are willing to trade with us.

We want to trade with the others and we are going to have to do a lot of information sharing so that people will now know that this place is ready for ships to come on board here.

That is one of the things we are going to do and then security wise, I think we are going to work on the security also to make people believe that this area is safe to transact business.

If you read my acceptance speech during the inauguration, I think the passage of that bill is one of the cardinal points we mention in that thing.

That this board will be willing to work with the National Assembly to make the passage of the bill as quickly as possible.

We are going to work on it definitely.

The NPA chair stressed the need to go back to the drawing board as quickly as possible to make the Calabar port more viable economically.

(NAN)
A group in the Niger Delta region, Bakassi Strike Force, BSF, has surrendered some arms to show its desire for peace if the Federal Government addresses its concerns.

Olaolu Daudu, the military spokesperson in the Niger Delta, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Wednesday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Mr. Daudu, a lieutenant colonel, said that the terms of the final surrender were being worked out by the Cross River Command of the State Security Services and the Cross River government.

He said that the militant group had turned in one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) and an AK 47 rifle as a show of good faith towards the proposed peace deal.

Available information from Sector 4 in Cross River State indicates that Bakassi Strike Force (BSF) militants led by one Mr Benjamin Ene have expressed unreserved willingness to lay down their arms.

They have contacted the Department of State Service in Cross River State through the State Governments appointed rappoteur on amnesty to signify their readiness to hold talks on amnesty with the relevant authorities.

To buttress this demonstration of goodwill, BSF turned in one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) and an AK 47 rifle.

The Department of State Service representatives and representatives of the rappoteur have since recovered the arms as talks are ongoing on modalities to surrender their remaining arms, Mr. Daudu said.

The leader of the group, Benjamin Ene, aka Humble Lion G1 had on November 1 expressed the desire to surrender in a video message where he listed conditions for surrendering his stockpile of ammunition..

Mr. Ene said his group was not out to vandalise national asset but focussed on the wellbeing of residents of Bakassi, now ceded to Cameroon.

The leader, who spoke from his camp in the creeks of southern Cross River, said that unlike other militant groups, his had no record of oil installation destruction or molestation of citizens.

Mr. Daudu said that the Acting Commander of the Joint Military Force deployed to the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, Kevin Aligbe, has applauded the move by the militant group to surrender and embrace peace. .

Mr. Aligbe, a brigadier general, maintained that the military has zero tolerance for militancy and related crimes in the joint operations area and urged other aggrieved groups to emulate the BSF by laying down their arms.

He advised the other Niger Delta militants groups to embrace the reconciliatory channels open at both state and federal levels.

The spokesperson also said that troops of Sector 3, following a tip off on Wednesday, swiftly reacted and swooped on suspected sea robbers around Kumfari Community near Idama in Rivers State.

During the encounter, one suspected sea robber was killed, two were wounded and seven others apprehended as one locally made pistol and machete were recovered.

He said that the suspects were undergoing further investigation.
Your Excellency,

I would like to congratulate you on winning the race for the 45th President of the United States, and wish you a very successful term.

The relationship between the Republic of Poland and the United States is the shining example of a strategic partnership based on shared ideas, the core of which is the value of liberty, so dear to Poles, Americans and me personally.

In the last decades not only have we developed a number of initiatives in order to strengthen our ties, including high-level political consultations in the form of Polish-American Strategic Dialogue, but also significantly extended our cooperation in crucial areas, such as security, defense, trade and innovation.

The Polish-American relations have become an important pillar of the European and transatlantic stability. We are particularly pleased that during this years NATO Summit in Warsaw the U.S. decided to increase its military presence in Poland, thereby strengthening the Alliances Eastern flank. We sincerely hope that your leadership will open new opportunities for our cooperation based on mutual commitment.

On a more personal note, I am grateful that you found time to meet with the Polish community during your presidential campaign. Polish Americans appreciated your positive words about my country as well as the role that Americans of Polish descent played in the history of the United States.

I would like again to congratulate and wish you a fruitful presidency. I look forward to the numerous discussions we will have both in bilateral as well as broader international formats.
Many around the world are still reeling after an astonishing win by Republican Candidate Donald Trump, who was named Americas 45th President early Wednesday morning after managing to upset Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House.

Trump flipped multiple states in the Democrats longstanding firewall Tuesday night, including Pennsylvania and Wisconsin  both of which have not gone to a GOP presidential candidate since the 1980s. He also won key battleground states Florida, Ohio and North Carolina, while vote totals in Michigan remain too close to call.

PHOTOS: Dearborn area residents cast their ballots on Election Day

Its no secret that this election has been extremely polarizing for Americans nationwide, and Downriver readers expressed both disappointment and excitement on Facebook in response to Trumps unexpected victory.

*Sue Forgach-Bojanowski: Coming soon to AmericaThe downfall of life as we know it. I see an impeachment in his future.

*Betty Shepherd-Marzano: I just hope this four years goes by fast.

*Angela Raczynski: We will be more divided than ever. He brought this out. He made it OK to be a blatant racist.

However, many Trump supporters say they saw their candidates big win coming, with Trumps notable surge in turnout largely being attributed to his growing support among white, working-class Americans.

* Joe Sieli: We finally broke the chains from the Republican/Democrat establishment after about 30 years and people are upset. We are in a great position now.

* Bia An Vin: Hes got my vote and Im proud of it!

* Bob Ludwick: Hillary abandoned her campaign supporters last night after thousands and thousands came to support her. She couldnt even come out and thank them for their support and humbly concede. I hope her supporters are paying attention, because shes been in if for herself the whole time.

Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta made an announcement to Hillary supporters around 2 a.m., telling them to head home for the night as votes were still being counted. The Associated Press reported Clinton conceded to Trump over the phone within about an hour of Podestas announcement.

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* Trump elected President, upsets Clinton after winning key states

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* Projections show RTA millage losing in Macomb, close in Wayne and Oakland

* Justice Department staffers to monitor Dearborn Heights polls on Election Day

* FBI Director: Email review complete, Clinton should not face charges
Joanna Hoang, 18, has always been obsessed with art since she was a baby.

Even as a toddler, I was whipping out my paints and watercolors  Ive always loved it, she says.

So when the now-Stockton University student realized that her self-portrait won first place for visual art in the New Jersey State Teen Arts Festival earlier this year, she reacted in a way that any teenager would react  with tears of joy.

I was crying my eyes out when I found out I won  because, I dont know ... arts always been really, really important to me, says Hoang, an Atlantic County native who was a senior at Egg Harbor Township High School when she submitted her artwork. Accomplishing something that big  I just started crying and pouring tears.

Hoangs overall winning painting, as well as the winning paintings from the other New Jersey counties, are part of the New Jersey State Teen Arts Festivals Visual Arts Touring Exhibit that will make a stop at the Noyes Arts Garage in Atlantic City from Saturday, Nov. 12, through Nov. 27.

The first Teen Arts Festival was in 1969, its purpose to highlight all art forms: literary, visual and performing arts. Most New Jersey counties have their own competition, the winner of each goes to the state finals with one winner finally chosen among the group. The visual artwork alone is what tours.

Part of the plan is to give students artistic opportunities to express themselves in a public forum, says Harrison Haney, New Jersey Teen Arts Coordinator under the Arts & Education Center in Matawan. Were giving these kids an opportunity to say, Im a professional artist and giving them that brave step to show their work in public.

Hoangs winning colored-pencil self-portrait is titled Muoi Bay, which means 17 in Vietnamese. It is the age she was when she drew herself. It was also when she was at her most joyful moment in time.

How I look in that picture is how I look when Im my happiest. Right before I drew this picture I had this moment of I dont care what people think of me (and) I shaved my head right before I drew it, Hoang says. I had really long hair down to my belly button. And when I shaved it to be different, I was so happy, so it was me at my happiest.

At the festival, Hoang  who is also a muralist with works found at her former high school, her church and around South Jersey  was the recipient of the Geraldine R. Dodge Scholarship, a high achievement considering that there were 3,000 student submissions from Atlantic County teens alone. Her $1,000 scholarship went toward an art class this semester, but her major studies are actually for engineering and physics.

For now I am (giving it up), like, it is a very tricky field to be in. There are not a lot of jobs (in art), but there are always lot of jobs in engineering, Hoang explains. So Im taking a break from art to get a degree in engineering and physics.

But Ill still do art on the side ... and murals ... and more.
Republican U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo led Democratic challenger David Cole 59 percent to 38 percent Tuesday night with 68 percent of the vote counted.

The Associated Press called the race for LoBiondo.

LoBiondo, R-2nd, had a comfortable lead over Cole, who ran on platforms supporting additional gun control measures and support for the Affordable Care Act. This is Coles second bid for Congress after losing the Democratic primary to Bill Hughes Jr. in 2014.

LoBiondo votes Trump after pulling endorsement last month Donald Trump got an unexpected vote in New Jersey Tuesday morning.

LoBiondo was at the North Italy Hall in Vineland, shaking hands and slapping the backs of Republicans hes known for decades.

The hall, the traditional election night gathering spot for Cumberland County Republicans, was filled to capacity. Those in the room dined on everything from meatballs to a roast pig.

But the possibility of LoBiondo winning re-election wasnt the only reason he was in the news Tuesday. A month after pulling his endorsement for Donald Trump, calling him unfit to serve, LoBiondo changed his mind and voted for the Republican candidate, spokesman Jason Galanes said.

Galanes said LoBiondo decided Monday that he would vote for Trump because of the lingering questions surrounding Hillary Clintons emails and use of a private server.

The issue was raised again when FBI Director James Comey wrote a letter to Congress 11 days before the election saying the case had been reopened because of emails found in the investigation of former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y.

Comey announced Sunday that his conclusion to not recommend criminal charges against Clinton had not changed. The case was then closed.

Still, Galanes said Clinton was 100 percent unacceptable, which led to LoBiondo voting for Trump. Galanes said LoBiondo has not changed his views on what Trump has done or said throughout the campaign.

LoBiondo had previously said he would write in Trumps running mate, former Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, for president.

Despite the late switch, voters still came out in support for the incumbent based on his record in office.

I think hes been beneficial to my profession, said Chris Hemberger, an Atlantic City firefighter.

Others, meanwhile, just wanted to see a shakeup.

It does seem LoBiondo has done a great job, said Michele Meeds, 62, of Middle Township. I dont have anything against him.

Meeds said her vote for Cole was to change the direction.

With a Republican Congress, well have more of the same, and Im tired of that, she said.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  Most New Jersey voters say they had their minds made up in the presidential election long before they cast their ballots Tuesday.

About 3 in 4 voters surveyed in an exit poll conducted for The Associated Press and the television networks said they made their decision between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump before September. About 1 in 10 waited until the last few days to decide.

Polls are open in New Jersey until 8 p.m. for voters to decide whether Trump or Clinton gets the state's 14 electoral votes while also choosing U.S. House members from all 12 districts. Voters are also answering two ballot questions and voting on local issues.

The preliminary exit poll of 1,037 voters was conducted for AP and the television networks by Edison Research in a random sample of 25 precincts statewide. Results were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 5 percentage points; it is higher for subgroups.

As voters continued to head to the polls Tuesday night, Secretary of State spokesman Shawn Crisafulli said the state has not seen any red flags and no complaints had been lodged other than issues about long lines. Voters in Jersey City complained of lines that lasted more than three hours.

The most closely watched contests include northern New Jersey's 5th District, where incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett faces a strong challenge from Democrat Josh Gottheimer.

Larry Hirsch, 63, of Wyckoff, an often Republican-leaning suburb about 20 miles northwest of New York, voted around the same times as Gottheimer. Hirsch, who is a doctor, called Hillary Clinton "an extraordinarily well qualified candidate: she was a senator, a secretary of state, a first lady. She's got more experience practically than any other candidate who's ever run for president."

He added, "I also think the other option of Donald Trump is absolutely frightening."

Hirsch said the rhetoric in the presidential campaign has "been disgusting and so unrepresentative of the United States and of the office of the president, and I lay that at the feet of Donald Trump."

In Hamilton, Teresa Durso, 69, a retired store worker, said she had voted for Democrats her whole life until she changed parties in June to become a Republican.

She said she voted for Trump because he's a "non-politician, a businessman" and "that's the type of leader we need today."

She said she couldn't support Clinton because she doesn't trust her, but would support her if she wins "because as Americans, we should support our top leaders, but I don't think she'll be effective."

George Schubert, 70, a retired garment industry worker who lives in Hamilton Township, pointed to an American flag pin on his shirt and said he voted because it's his duty as an American.

He said that he didn't think either candidate was a fit for the nation's top job, but chose Trump because he was less impressed with the third-party candidates and he was the GOP candidate.

"Whoever wins has to do something about the economy, that's the main thing," Schubert said. "If that economic engine ain't turning, the country isn't going to be going anywhere. Get people jobs, they'll be productive and have income to spend, and everyone benefits."

____

Mulvihill reported from Philadelphia. Associated Press writers Josh Cornfield and Michael Catalini in Trenton, and David Porter in Glen Rock contributed to this report.
Atlantic City will maintain its state monopoly on casino gaming after voters Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a plan to allow two casinos in North Jersey.

With 93 percent of the districts reporting, the casino referendum is failing by a 78 percent to 22 percent margin.

We are glad to see the overwhelming support across New Jersey opposing casino expansion, said Bill Cortese, executive director of Trentons Bad Bet, a Newark-based group opposed to the referendum. We attribute our success to a broad coalition of community leaders, unions, small businesses and residents who are convinced that North Jersey casinos would be a detriment to the entire state.

The North Jersey casino question appeared on the ballot 40 years after state voters approved casino gaming in Atlantic City.

We are disappointed, but not surprised, by tonights result, a statement from Our Turn NJ, a nonprofit campaign favoring the expansion of casino gaming, said. We have seen for some time now that the people of New Jersey were unhappy with the lack of details on this issue. We do not view the failure to pass Question #1 as a rejection of gaming expansion but as a rejection of our states current political climate and a failure to have all the facts presented to them.

The question called for the properties to be at least 72 miles from Atlantic City and in different counties.

We live in a struggling area and like to see us thrive, so I dont want to welcome competition in North Jersey for casino, said Melissa Miller, 33, of Galloway Township, as she voted against the question at her polling location in Assumption Regional Catholic School.

Expanding gaming to North Jersey could have forced the closing of three to five casinos in the city, leaving 20,000 to 30,000 more people out of work, Atlantic City casino officials have said.

"Today's vote is an important step for Atlantic City's return to becoming a world class resort. On behalf of the 30,000 employees and their families that rely on the Atlantic City casino industry, we are gratified by the overwhelming defeat of this initiative," said Morris Bailey, owner, Resorts Hotel Casino.

Emily Weary, 23, of Galloway Township, voted no on North Jersey casinos. The local nurse said she had friends and family who have worked and still work in the remaining casinos in Atlantic City.

Its a really big part of the industry down here, she said. When youre from somewhere else, its easy to say, Lets do it. But when you live down here, you see the impact it would have on people, on their jobs, on their lives, and you cant say yes to that.

Independent groups such as Trentons Bad Bet and Our Turn NJ spent more than $24 million in the battle over expanding casino gaming, a state spending record for a single ballot question.

Proponents of the plan said a privately funded casino in the Meadowlands would have generated 43,000 construction and permanent jobs and at least $1 billion in new gaming wins, according to proponents of the plan. Proponents of the idea said the taxes generated from the casino would help pay for the citys transition to a more tourism-based economy.

Jenna Zarella, 24, and her mother, Barbara Zarella, 66, of Ocean City, voted together on Tuesday morning. Both Zarellas voted against North Jersey casinos.

Economically, its going to hurt us down here, Barbara Zarella said. If they put those casinos in (North Jersey), no ones going to come down here.

But Michele Meeds, 62, of Middle Township, had a different view of the issue, which is why she voted yes.

You cant stop competition, she said. It doesnt seem to be a model that has worked for Atlantic City, anyway.
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ATLANTIC CITY  Wounded police Officer Joshlee Vadell returned home from rehab Tuesday, continuing his road to recovery after being shot in the line of duty, police said.

Vadell, 29, of Egg Harbor Township, was shot in the head while responding to an apparent robbery Sept. 3. He was discharged from the Drucker Brain Injury Unit at MossRehab in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.

He was greeted by a crowd of doctors, nurses, police officers and supporters applauding him, police said.

Vadell was released from AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus, Sept. 15 in front of about 200 officers and firefighters.

His family, along with the Atlantic City Police Department, thanked everyone for the ongoing support.

Officials have said he is expected to make a full recovery.

Vadell was shot outside the parking garage of Caesars Atlantic City. His partner returned fire and fatally shot Jerome Damon, 25, of Camden, police said.

Two other suspects, Martel D. Chisolm, 29, of Millville, and Demetris Cross, 28, of Bridgeton, were charged with two counts of attempted murder, three counts of robbery and two counts of conspiracy.

The two Cumberland County men failed to have their bail reduced in Superior Court at the end of September. Both had bail of $750,000 each.
For months theres been a running gag on social media about Earth 2, where the 2016 campaign is a happy, normal thing. For instance, in mid-October, shortly after the release of the Access Hollywood video, I joked on Twitter that, On Earth 2 (the GOP) is 15 points ahead, looking to gain seats in Senate. Dems October surprise on Rubios water bill falls flat.

Many of the quips are expressions of Oh, what might have been dismay from conservative Trump opponents about how horribly this election has gone. Understandably, Trump supporters tend not to find these jokes very funny.

But theres more to the gag than shoulda coulda wouldas; it captures the fact that this whole election has been otherworldly.

There is a conservatism to politics  and I dont mean ideologically. Its an art whose medium is human nature, which is largely permanent. And be-cause of that, the practitioners tend to stick with what works. What is conservatism? Abraham Lincoln once asked. Is it not adherence to the old and tried, against the new and untried?

When something works over and over, it becomes a rule, not necessarily of science or the universe, but as an axiom, a rule of thumb. And this election season seems to have rendered us all thumbless.

Here is just some of what conventional wisdom held on the eve of the GOP primaries:

Republicans dont nominate people without electoral experience unless they successfully invaded Europe. Conservatives are obsessed with character and/or ideological purity. Religious conservatives place an outsized emphasis on a candidates Christian bona fides. During hard times, voters look to successful governors to steer the party and the country. Republicans tend to pick the candidate next in line for the nomination, usually the runner-up in the last primary. The so-called media primary determines which candidates will be taken seriously by the voters.

None of these rules held. Not one.

The oddity of the GOP primaries may have been particularly intense, but the Democratic primaries had their surprises, too. For decades, Democrats took grave offense at being called socialists. But Bernie Sanders embraced the term, and when Debbie Wasserman Schultz was the head of the Democratic Party, she bent over backward to blur the differences.

Our bizarro primaries, naturally enough, yielded a bizarro general campaign.

One of the oldest rules in politics is that voters prefer likable candidates. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump  the two most disliked presidential candidates in the history of polling  have made short work of that. Similarly, Im old enough to remember when gaffes mattered quite a lot. Those were good times.

For generations, pundits thought TV advertising could change voter attitudes; not anymore. According to a Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll, in January, 40 percent of the electorate had a positive opinion of Clinton while only 29 percent had a positive opinion of Trump. In their latest poll, at the end of October, those numbers were unchanged.

It has been a hard rule of the political landscape for 30 years that Democrats have an easier path in the Electoral College. But according to an analysis at FiveThirtyEight.com, there was better than a 1 in 10 chance Clinton would win the popular vote and still lose the Electoral College.

For obvious reasons, Trump plays a major role in any conversation about how strange this election season has been. But I think historians will see him as a symptom. Demographic, economic and technological changes will surely be part of any root causes analysis, while foreign policy wonks might say the story begins with the Iraq War and the political and psychological dislocations it caused.

Others might point to Barack Obama, who broke one of the oldest rules of thumb in politics simply by virtue of being the first black president. But his contributions extend beyond that. He will have left the country more polarized and more distrustful of elites  on both the left and the right  than when he took office.

Regardless of where or why you think things got weird, the salient point here is that the election was just an illustration of the deeper weirdness of American politics  and that did not end when the votes were tallied.
Freedom of the press is well-established in America, and only in exceptional cases such as national security can government censor publication of information in advance. Such prior restraint of First Amendment-protected speech therefore is rare and typically becomes an issue regarding such matters as the reports of wartime correspondents or details about advanced weapons or spy-agency activities.

A New Jersey case toward the end of last month had a more common and ordinary origin  Mercer County family court. The state Attorney Generals Office asked the court to order the Trentonian newspaper not to publish information about a case in which a 5-year-old boy was found to have drugs in school twice within two months. The judge issued the requested gag order against the newspaper.

The U.S. Supreme Court many times has upheld the legal basis and value of an unfettered media.

In one famous example, the court denied Nixon administration attempts to prevent the publication of the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret Defense Department history of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

A rare instance of prior restraint of publication being upheld occurred in 1999 when a federal appellate court agreed that the digital code for breaking movie DVD protections could be permanently suppressed. The court considered the code not just free expression but a means of evading federal copyright protection.

In the Trenton case, the school found the boy in possession of 30 packets of heroin in September, which resulted in charges against his father and an unrelated woman. When the school said it found crack cocaine in his folder on Oct. 24, the Division of Child Protection and Permanency took the boy from his grandmother and placed him in foster care.

The Trentonian hasnt identified the boy and says it will continue to protect his privacy. The information it legally acquired and intended to publish included whose drugs may have been involved and why child-welfare officials let the boy remain with his grandmother after the heroin was found.

The newspaper said it was told by the Attorney Generals Office that the gag order would be allowed to expire if the newspaper would submit for approval the information it intended to publish.

In the Pentagon Papers case, the top court said, the governments power to censor the press was abolished so that the press would remain forever free to censure the government.

The Trentonian case is especially disturbing because it seems to show the state willing to violate the most important press freedom just to protect a state agency from possible criticism of its actions.

The offer by the Attorney Generals Office to approve or disapprove of what the newspaper could publish just adds to the unacceptable chilling of the publics right to know.

The Christie administration needs to address this egregious departure from First Amendment law and make clear that it wont happen again.
Build giant jetty, not dunes

Kudos to the five Margate residents bold enough to speak truth to power. The my-way-or-the-highway tact of the Bridgegate bully has worn thin.

Dunes are a farce that even the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers acknowledges are diminished by storms. The noreaster of 1962 lasted three days.

The Army Corps notion that 24 hours is a reasonable period for water caught between the bulkhead and the dunes to percolate is simply not acceptable. The fetid water backup in the beach block in Ventnor after Hurricane Sandy was due to a lack of outflow pipes and resulted in needless water damage.

The five residents lawsuit also provides Margate a golden opportunity to get a second bite at the apple after squandering $322,000 and getting no concessions or considerations whatsoever. The city can now very inexpensively file a friend-of-the-court brief.

Both parties should once again demand a permanent fix to beach storm erosion  a master jetty. Positioned at the end of Margate or Longport, it would create a superwide beach of several thousand feet just like the Absecon Inlet jetty at the end of Brigantine. This expansive beach is actually one huge underground dune system that wave action must dissipate before ever reaching the bulkheads. The master jetty forever eliminates the need for unsightly and unsanitary dunes that must be routinely replaced at enormous costs.

John Sewell

Margate

A.C. needs noise ordinance

Regarding the Oct. 27 letter: Some A.C. casinos pointlessly blaring ads outside nonstop:

I agree with the letter writers comments about Atlantic City casinos and the noise created by them.

My wife and I just retired and chose to take a walk on the A.C. Boardwalk recently. It was quite the bucolic setting at 11 a.m. Happy people, great weather and largely a very pleasant experience until we walked in front of one casino. They had music blasting so loudly that we could no longer talk as we walked its rather long expanse.

I think that there should be a public noise ordinance in Atlantic City. And if so, when a casino is amping up its many speakers outside, I believe that it would in be in violation of the ordinance. Why take a nice walk and turn it into an ear-shattering din?

John Regina

Northfield

A God-given right to choose

Regarding the Oct. 24 letter, Secular American government vs. the Catholic Church:

First, the Christian Commandment that bears on abortion, mercy killing and assisted suicide is the Fifth Commandment, Thou shalt not kill, not the Sixth Commandment, which does deal with the other moral issues cited.

Second, the writer states, There is an assault today by the secular government against Christianity, to take away religious freedom and to deny us from making decisions according to our consciences. In fact, the very opposite is true; unfortunately, the writer seems to disagree with at least some of the choices freedoms currently provide. Freedom to choose is one of those tenets that should not be endangered or questioned.

I think making decisions according to our consciences is the key phrase here. God himself gives us free will, and the freedom to make choices, albeit ones the writer may not agree with, is a God-given right to which, in many cases, the government aspires.

Helene Schu

Mays Landing
Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump were locked in a tight race Tuesday as an ugly and unpredictable presidential election came to an end.

Trump, the billionaire businessman and former Atlantic City casino mogul, picked up a number of reliably Republican states, while Clinton, a former secretary of state and U.S. senator, won in Democratic territory. But the race was to be determined by fewer than a dozen competitive states where the candidates spent millions of dollars and much of the fall wooing voters.

As of 12:20 p.m. Trump held an electoral college edge, 255 to Clinton's 209 according to most models. Key states including Michigan, Arizona and New Hampshire were still too close to call.

Before Tuesday, Clinton appeared to have multiple paths to triumph, while Trump needed to prevail in most of the battleground states to secure an upset.

Voters in South Jersey favored Trump over Clinton. In the Press of Atlantic City coverage area, which includes Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and southern Ocean counties, Trump had 200,290 votes compared with Clinton's 125,334 as of 9:30 p.m.

However, Clinton was projected to win New Jersey. The state was not considered a battleground, and Democrats have won the state in every presidential election since 1992.

In Atlantic City, Barbara Randolph, 52, was first in line at Uptown School Complex when the polls opened at 6 a.m. She cast her vote for Clinton.

Im excited to come out and to vote and to make that change for women, the lifelong city resident said. I was the first one here in line to vote for the first female for president.

Outside the large Trump sign at South Pomona Road and Duerer Street in Galloway Township, Michael Waszen Sr., of Galloway, was hoping for a Trump presidency.

"I think Mr. Trump will be the best president we'll have for a long time," he said. "I think he'll do a lot for the economy, for the security of the nation.

In Cape May Court House, the polls saw a mix between Clinton and Trump supporters. And one woman, Margery Donchey, even opted out of voting for president.

"I just couldn't bring myself to do it," she said.

The 45th president will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture. The economy has rebounded from the depths of recession, though many Americans have yet to benefit. New terror threats from home and abroad have raised security fears.

Before polls closed, Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in Democratic hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Barack Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his signature health care law.

"I know how much responsibility goes with this," Clinton said after voting Tuesday at her local polling station in Chappaqua, New York, with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at her side. "So many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country, and I will do the very best I can if I'm fortunate enough to win today."

Trump, the New York real estate developer who lives in a gold-plated Manhattan penthouse, forged a striking connection with white, working-class Americans who feel left behind in the changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of many problems plaguing the nation and called for building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"I see so many hopes and so many dreams out there that didn't happen, that could have happened, with leadership, with proper leadership," he said by telephone on Fox News before casting his own ballot in Manhattan. "And people are hurt so badly."

Personal attacks often drowned out the issues throughout the campaign.

Clinton has denounced Trump for calling Mexican immigrants "rapists" and promoting a ban on Muslims entering the U.S., and for his long line of remarks about women that culminated in an audio in which he bragged about grabbing their genitals. Trump called his opponent "Crooked Hillary" for her use of a private email server as secretary of state and her complicated ties to the family's Clinton Foundation.

In the final days, Clinton was buoyed by FBI Director James Comey's weekend declaration that he wouldn't recommend criminal charges against her following a new email review. Comey announced the inquiry late last month, sapping Clinton's surging momentum and threatening Democrats in down-ballot races.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
6:45 p.m.: We live in a struggling area and like to see us thrive so I dont want to welcome completion in North Jersey for casino, said Melissa Miller, 33, Galloway as she voted against the question at Assumption Regional Catholic School.

5:55 p.m.: Voters are overwhelmingly opposed to North Jersey casinos, according to polling from Stockton Universitys William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy.

The poll released Friday found that 71 percent of those surveyed oppose the plan to allow two casinos in northern New Jersey, 24 percent support casino expansion beyond Atlantic City and 5 percent are undecided.

5:20 p.m.:

Vote NO on Question 1, which would deeply hurt Atlantic City by helping billionaires open casinos in North Jersey.  John Wisniewski (@JohnWisniewski) November 8, 2016

4:30 p.m. : Emily Weary, 23, of Galloway Township, voted no to North Jersey casinos at polls Tuesday afternoon. The local nurse said she had friends and family who have worked and still work in the remaining casinos in Atlantic City.

Its a really big part of the industry down here, she said earlier today. When youre from somewhere else, its easy to say, Lets do it, but when you live down here, you see the impact it would have on people, on their jobs, on their lives, and you cant say yes to that.

3:45 p.m.: Officials at Monmouth Park are urging New Jersey voters to cast a yes vote on Question 1 as representatives of the racetrack have reached an agreement with their counterparts at The Meadowlands that would ensure millions of dollars for New Jerseys racing industry.

3 p.m.: No support from Oceanport (Monmouth County) Borough Council President on North Jersey casinos:

North Jersey casino expansion does nothing to help Monmouth Park, NJ horse racing and NJ horse breeding! #VoteNoOnOne #VoteNoOnTwo https://t.co/0p73PC9Caq  Joseph A. Irace (@josephirace) November 7, 2016

2:45 p.m.: Ratwani Kishin, the manager of Devki Jewelers on the boardwalk, said adding more casinos to the state would be disastrous to his family business.

"Right now, 33 percent of our business comes from North Jersey," said Kishin, who voted earlier today. "There is no need for it."

1 p.m.: As Fourth Ward residents in districts 1, 3, 4, and 5 filtered in and out of Our Lady of Good Counsel at 40th Street and Central Avenue in Ocean City Tuesday morning, there wasnt any support for expanding casinos into North Jersey

That would be the end of Atlantic City, said Norma Juzwiak, 63, of Ocean City.

Jenna Zarella, 24, and her mother, Barbara Zarella, 66, of Ocean City voted together on Tuesday morning. Both Zarellas voted against North Jersey casinos.

Economically, its going to hurt us down here, Barbara Zarella said. If they put those casinos in (North Jersey), no ones going to come down here.

Friends Frederick Little, 83, and Philip Toscone, 77, both of Ocean City, were also opposed to the North Jersey casinos

Its bad enough now, Little said, noting the high rate of foreclosures in the area.

It was difficult to find a parking spot at the Seaville Fire Department Social Hall on Route 50 in, the polling place for Upper Township voting districts 5, 9, 10 and 15.

Voters there were also against the idea of competition for Atlantic City.

Being a fireman in Atlantic City, I definitely voted no for that. I think that would be detrimental to the city, said Chris Hemberger, 35, of Upper Township.

Hemberger said that it would result in more lost jobs for the area.

Robert Malkiewicz. 67, of Upper Township voted against North Jersey casinos.

They should remain in Atlantic City, he said. It would devastate (the area). More casinos would close in Atlantic City if they opened two up north.

Glen Rosenberger Jr., 73, of Upper Township was also against North Jersey casinos, but said he thought the state would do what it wanted anyway.

I dont think it matters realistically. Theyre going to open it up anyway. Atlantic Citys has-been, Rosenberger said.

He predicted a 25 percent decline in the local economy and more job loss if North Jersey casinos open.

Red Sky Cafe owner Greta Schwartz, 49, of Upper Township said the local economy couldnt withstand the impact of North Jersey casinos.

I see whats happening around here with the economy, whats going on in Atlantic City and I feel like we need to bring back Atlantic City with a bang, Schwartz said.

Jim Arsenault, 45, of Upper Township, chief legal counsel for Cape May County Board of Freeholders and all other county departments, voted against North Jersey Casinos.

The region would not recover from that type of competition, he said.

About an hour after the polls opened at the Middle Township municipal building on Mechanic Street, the polling place for districts 5 and 6, a steady stream of voters made their way in and out.

Republican Melanie Collins, 46, of Middle Township rejected the notion of North Jersey casinos.

Its going to be more competition for South Jersey, she said.

A former Trump Taj Mahal employee, Collins said she lived in Atlantic City when the casinos opened.

I lived there back then and that city was made a lot of promises, she said. I think they need to focus on Atlantic City and right that ship.

Michele Meeds, 62, of Middle Township said she voted yes to North Jersey casinos.

You cant stop competition, she said. It doesnt seem to be a model that has worked for Atlantic City anyway.

10 a.m.: Red Sky Cafe owner Greta Schwartz voted against North Jersey casinos. "As a local business owner, I see what's happening here with the economy. ... I feel we need to bring back Atlantic City with a bang," she said.

Red Sky Cafe owner Greta Schwartz voted No on North Jersey casinos #acpress #southjerseyvotes #Election2016 pic.twitter.com/D2ifTk8g5t  Claire Lowe (@clairelowe) November 8, 2016

9 a.m.: Several people at South Jersey polling places reported they voted against the North Jersey casino vote.

Most people so far have told me they voted NO on North Jersey casinos, said A.C. needs revenue, not competition. #acpress #Election2016  Nicole Leonard (@ACPressNLeonard) November 8, 2016

Most people I spoke with voted No on North Jersey casinos citing too much competition in a struggling economy #acpress #southjerseyvotes  Claire Lowe (@clairelowe) November 8, 2016

8:45 a.m.: Les Freeman, 42, the second voter of the day at the Uptown School polling place, said he voted against North Jersey casinos because more casinos will foster more competition.

Im really not for moving the casinos to North Jersey, he said, I know people who work at the casinos  you can tell the impact of different casinos in the area, pulling residents away. North Jersey would just do further damage.

Thomas Hill, 66, said he used to work in a casino and voted no on the North Jersey casino question Tuesday morning.

I dont think its going to help New Jersey, look what it did here," he said.

--

Voters will decide Tuesday whether to approve as many as two casinos in the northern part of the state. The ballot question states the new casinos would have to be in separate counties and be at least 72 miles from Atlantic City, where five casinos have closed since 2014.

A recent Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll found more than 70 percent of registered voters opposed expanding casino gambling.

Independent groups such as Trentons Bad Bet and Our Turn NJ have spent more than $24 million in the battle over expanding casino gaming to North Jersey, a state record for a single ballot question.

Follow Press reporters Claire Lowe and Nicholas Huba for coverage all day.
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.




VEGHEL, Netherlands, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The collaboration will enable Actemium and Axians to deliver the most advanced augmented reality-based solutions and services to customers who operate across a broad range of industries.

Actemium and Axians, both brands of VINCI Energies and leaders in industrial and ICT solutions and services, today announced a new collaboration with Fieldbit, a frontrunner in the field of augmented reality (AR) solutions for field services. Customers will benefit from a more streamlined industrial process, with fewer human errors, greater efficiencies, and ultimately, lower costs.

"We believe that AR and smart glasses are set to play an ever-growing role in the maintenance and operation of complex equipment in industry, as well as for training field service teams," said Peter Derks, Brand Director at Actemium NL. "Working with Fieldbit will enable us to offer best-of-breed technologies to industry 4.0 companies."

As part of the collaboration, Fieldbit will supply Actemium and Axians with a software platform for the development of specialized, customized applications that customers can use for optimizing AR capabilities in manufacturing and field services.

"Fieldbit enables installers and service engineers to make their work more effective and efficient, provides them with direct access to documentation, work instructions and even a live audio and video connection with a colleague or helpdesk operator," says Guido van Dinther, Business Unit Manager at Axians.

"We are excited to collaborate with Actemium and Axians," says Evyatar Meiron, CEO of Fieldbit. "Together we will deliver cutting edge technologies to their customers, enabling them to take a giant leap towards industry 4.0 manufacturing standards. As such, we are proud to be at the vanguard of change and innovation in industry."

About Actemium:

Actemium, a key player in the transformation to a smarter industry, is the VINCI Energies brand dedicated to industrial processes. Actemium in the Netherlands is active in the advice on, design, building and maintenance of industrial systems. The network, comprising more than 300 agile business units specialized by market segment, enables a customized approach, presenting multi-technical, multi-site and multi-country solutions. For more information, please visit http://www.actemium.nl.

About Axians:

Axians supports its customers - enterprises, public sector, carriers and service providers - from IT & Infrastructure services to digital transformation.

Axians provides a comprehensive portfolio of solutions: software solutions, cloud-based and managed IT services, data systems and data centres, enterprise networks and digital workspace, telecommunications infrastructures. For more information, please visit http://www.axians.nl.

About VINCI Energies

In a world undergoing constant change, VINCI Energies focuses on connections, performance, energy efficiency and data to fast-track the rollout of new technologies and support two major changes: the digital transformation and the energy transition. With their strong regional roots and agile organisational structure, VINCI Energies' business units boost the reliability, safety and efficiency of energy, transport and communication infrastructure, factories and buildings.

2015: 10 billion revenue // 65,400 employees // 1,600 business units // 51 countries

In the Netherlands: 321 million revenue // >1800 employees // 42 business units

http://www.vinci-energies.nl

About Fieldbit

Founded in 2014, Fieldbit is a leading developer of real-time augmented reality collaboration solutions. Its enterprise class, out-of-the-box, hands-free technology enables on-site service engineers to collaborate seamlessly with experts back in the service center, and to receive all the know-how and guidance they need to solve issues quickly and on the first call. The result is increased uptime and productivity for end users and customers. For more information, please visit http://www.fieldbit.net or email info@fieldbit.net.

CONTACT



Actemium

Peter Derks

peter.derks@actemium.com

+31-88-83-18-999



Axians

Guido van Dinther'

guido.vandinther@axians.com

+31-88-98-89-400



Fieldbit

Maya Gamzu

maya.gamzu@fieldbit.net

+972-54-307-0100



SOURCE Actemium, Axians & Fieldbit
ANCONA, Italy, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Aethra Telecommunications, a leading provider of business class access network devices and integrated voice and data routers, today announced that it has joined the HPE OpenNFV Partner Program.

The HPE OpenNFV Program provides an open standards based Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) reference architecture, so that operators can take advantage of full range of solution that can help them in the migration from a legacy network to a NFV enabled network.

Being part of the HPE OpenNFV ecosystem gives Aethra Telecommunications the ability to test and validate their new NFV product lines in the HPE OpenNFV infrastructure, realizing a fully validated multivendor and open architecture as per the NFV / SDN paradigm.

"Aethra Telecommunications is fully embracing virtualization and NFV as part of its strategic vision to be able to help operators design the future of their networks" says Luca Messina, Aethra Telecommunications CTO "as members of the HPE OpenNFV Partner Program we're looking forward to offering a validated and fully integrated solution."

Aethra Telecommunications NFV solutions and vCPE VNFs offer feature parity and same operating system of the physical CPEs, granting the possibility to easily migrate segments of the network to NFV, simplifying the operators IT work and allowing physical / virtual coexistence scenarios out-of-the-box.

"Aethra Telecommunciations is a great addition to our OpenNFV ecosystem," says Werner Schaefer, vice president & general manager, NFV Business Unit, HPE. With partners like Aethra and our open architectural approach, we are able to offer carriers a flexible, multivendor platform to quickly test and launch new and innovative services."

For more info: www.aethra.com

About Aethra Telecommunications

Aethra Telecommunications is the commercial brand of A TLC S.r.l.

Aethra Telecommunications develops, manufactures and markets high performance network access devices and carrier solutions.

Innovation and research are the core of Aethra Telecommunications' approach to the market. Aethra Telecommunications solutions are entirely designed in Italy and the R&D, engineering and support departments have more than 40 years' experience in telecommunications.

With an installed base of broadband CPEs exceeding 500 thousand units, Aethra Telecommunications product portfolio of VoIP integrated access devices, xDSL access routers and EFM ethernet demarcation devices is designed to provide advanced and cost effective solutions to Small/Medium Enterprises as well as branch offices of large Corporations.

The access network product lines are complemented by a set of solutions targeted to help carriers in deploying NGANs, by offering either copper-based remote powering systems for FTTCab architectures or complete solutions addressing the upcoming FTTdP scenarios.

SOURCE Aethra Telecommunications
Partnerships with industry leaders Informatica and Tableau enhance planning and performance management capabilities with new data integration and visualization options for business users

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Anaplan, the leading planning and performance management platform, today announced a new partnership with data integration specialist Informatica and integration with visual analytics firm Tableau Software. The two agreements were unveiled at Anaplan's Hub16 conference in London.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161014/428852LOGO

Anaplan's open platform already offers a range of options for data integration, including leading data integration tools. The agreement with Informatica, the world's top provider of data management solutions, adds to that flexibility. Anaplan is also developing HyperConnect, a new capability that extends the power of Informatica connectors to Anaplan business users beyond the IT team. Anaplan HyperConnect will enable customers to more easily create and manage integrations via Informatica Cloud's intuitive interface. An affordable cloud subscription will be available directly from Anaplan.

Additionally, Anaplan's integration with Tableau, a global leader in visual analytics, enables the two companies' joint customers to more easily bring data from Anaplan's planning platform into Tableau's data visualization solution for self-service reporting and visualization. This provides users with greater choice in the tools they use to visualize performance data and plan for the future. These new capabilities go beyond the native reporting tools already available within the Anaplan platform.

Legacy enterprise performance management vendors often offer little third-party integration or limit integration to other applications and tools within their own portfolio. This gives customers limited choice in the tools they can use for data integration and visualization, and ultimately restricts the ability of businesses to access and act on information.

Michael Gould, Anaplan's CTO and Founder, commented, "These partnerships represent a more open approach by Anaplan focused on user experience. Whilst we continue to develop and improve our native data management functionality, we want to bring our customers choice to more easily work with other tools together with Anaplan."

"The expanded partnership between Anaplan and Informatica means that organizations can streamline the management of their data and harness more effective planning capabilities across all areas of the business," said Informatica's Ronen Schwartz, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Cloud, Big Data, and Data Integration. "Every organization is looking to make more accurate data-driven decisions in their planning processes, and the combination of cloud-based data management solutions for Anaplan's user base is helping achieve that."

Tableau's Ashley Kramer, Director of Product Management, Cloud Strategy, said, "Our integration with Anaplan is part of Tableau's ongoing efforts to provide more flexibility and choice to customers around the world. Both Tableau and Anaplan recognize the endless opportunities to embed data analytics into every area of the enterprise."

About Anaplan

Anaplan is the leading planning and performance management platform for smart businesses. Anaplan combines an unrivaled planning and modeling engine, predictive analytics, and cloud collaboration into one simple interface for business users. Anaplan is a privately held company based in San Francisco with 16 offices worldwide. To learn more, visit anaplan.com. Follow us on: Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook.

About Informatica

Informatica is 100 percent focused on data because the world runs on data. Organizations need business solutions around data for the cloud, big data, real-time and streaming. Informatica is the world's No. 1 provider of data management solutions, in the cloud, on-premise or in a hybrid environment. More than 7,000 organizations around the world turn to Informatica for data solutions that power their businesses. For more information, call +1 650-385-5000 (1-800-653-3871 in the U.S.), or visit www.informatica.com. Connect with Informatica at https://linkedin.com/company/informatica, https://twitter.com/Informatica and https://facebook.com/InformaticaLLC.

Related Links

http://www.anaplan.com



SOURCE Anaplan
DUBLIN, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Canadian Market Report for Orthopedic Hyaluronic Acid 2016 - MedCore" report to their offering.

One of the market limiters for the Canadian HA market is the reimbursement structure. None of the products are covered under standard healthcare plans and must be purchased directly or through extended healthcare coverage or private insurance. Thus, some patients opt out to receiving cortisone injections; these are reimbursed by standard healthcare and are a more affordable choice.

One of the factors that contributed positively to this market is ever expanding indication. The market originally started with treating osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, since then some products expanded into hip, shoulder, a number of small joints, as well as assisting with post-surgery joint recovery.

As of 2015 the market split between single and three-injection products continues to trend towards single-injection, albeit at a slower pace; single-injection market is currently occupying 57.5% of the total market with the three-injection market accounting for the balance, slightly up from 2012 when single-injection market accounted for 55% share. No device was strictly indicated as a five-injection course only; two brands (Hyalgan and Ostenil) are sold as individually packaged syringes and an immaterial number of their units were found to be used as five-injection solutions. For the purpose of this report, all estimated units for these two brands were accounted for under the three-injection category.

Key Topics Covered:





1. Executive Summary

Canadian Orthopedic Biomaterials Market

Top Canadian Orthopedic Biomaterials Companies

Market Developments



2. Research Methodology



3. Orthopedic Hyaluronic Acid Market

3.1 Market Overview

3.2 Market Analysis And Forecast

3.2.1 Single-Injection Ha Market

3.2.2 Three-Injection Ha Market

3.2.3 Five-Injection Ha Market

3.3 Drivers And Limiters

3.3.1 Market Drivers

3.3.2 Market Limiters

3.4 Competitive Market Share Analysis

Companies Mentioned



Medtronic

Synthes

Wright Medical

Citagenix

Stryker

Canadian Local Tissue Banks

RTI Surgical

Zimmer Biomet

Sanofi

Bioventus

Anika Therapeutics

Ferring Pharma

Aralez Pharma

Bioventus

DJO

IGEA Medical

Fintek Bio-Electric

BTT Melmak

ITO Company

Orthofix



For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/shhq9q/canadian_market



Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com



SOURCE Research and Markets
Customers in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Honduras and Peru chose Canvas to deliver a student centered learning experience

SAO PAULO, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Instructure, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company and creator of the Canvas learning management system (LMS), announced today that customers across Latin America are choosing Canvas. Lars Janer, Director of LATAM for Canvas said of the momentum within the region: "We are seeing how progressive Latin America is when it comes to driving innovation in education and student-centred learning, and Canvas is uniquely placed to facilitate that transition toward a digital teaching model. Here in Brazil, we see continued traction in the market with Unita Educacional, Universidade Veiga de Almeida and UniJorge all choosing Canvas."

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121101/SF04201LOGO

Unita Educacional has been using CanvasLMS across three sites in Brazil. Marcelo Veras, CEO of Unita Educacional explained, "at Unita Educacional our goal is to provide students with the best learning experience possible. We carried out extensive research and evaluation of the LMS market, and decided that Canvas is best suited to help us achieve this goal. Canvas provides a flexible and dynamic learning environment which delivers a wonderful learning experience for the students and represents a new direction in our Education project."

"In addition to the new customers in Brazil, customers in Latin America, including Aden Business School, Colegio Nuevo Cambridge, Ipade, Tecsup and UTH Honduras have selected Canvas as their LMS platform partner of choice to tackle the challenges and opportunities presented by the global education marketplace. We are delighted to be working with them moving forward," Janer said.

Aden Business School, headquartered in Mendoza, Argentina has 26 branches around LATAM and Spain, recently implemented Canvas and currently has 4000 users. Sebastian Maidana, IT Director at Aden said that the business school selected Canvas due to its user experience and ease of implementation. "Canvas has credibility in the LATAM market, used by many Ivy League schools in America, and we felt our students also deserved the best. We had a plan to roll out Canvas starting in July and finishing in February 2017, but such is the ease of implementation and demand from students, we will finish the rollout five months early."

Colegio Nuevo Cambridge headquartered in Bucaramanga, Colombia started working with Canvas early in 2016 and has now rolled out the platform across three sites, Bucaramanga, Cali and Cartagena for 2000 K12 students. "Canvas is the most powerful tool to deliver the flipped classroom experience. We have a number of subjects which are taught virtually, so this capability was critical for us to deliver the best teaching and learning experience for our students," explained Telmo Pena Amaya, headmaster of Colegio Nuevo Cambridge. "Building more parental engagement for our students was also an important factor in our choosing Canvas. We have built courses for parents so that they can experience what their children experience, and parents can use the parent view to see how their children are progressing in their education."

Tanya Lorena Rojas Gutierrez, Directora de Innovacion Academica at Ipade Business School in Mexico explained, "We evaluated a number of LMS options and chose Canvas because the team at Canvas really understood the teaching and learning experience we want to deliver. Canvas is cloud based, which will allow us to grow and gives us the flexibility we need. We can update courses in real time and give more rich content such as tutorials and videos. The platform is so intuitive and user friendly and supports our learning methodology."

Renato Salazar, Director at Tecsup Virtual in Peru says of Canvas, "It wasn't a difficult decision for us to work with Canvas. Since the beginning of the evaluation process, we knew it was the most complete option in the market, and now we are also confirming how easy to adopt it is and how simply it integrates with our corporate systems. We are migrating from a fully home-grown LMS, which helped us start delivering innovative education paths for our students, more than one decade ago. Now Canvas allows us to take a major leap in our innovative education provision to 20,000 students across many areas including MOOCs, undergraduate programmes, and the corporate sector. We are excited about the future of learning with Canvas."

Roger Enrique Valladares Baker, Executive Vice President of Education at University Technical Honduras (UTH) and UTH Florida explained, "We were recommended Canvas by a US Ivy League university for our campus in Florida. The user interface is incredibly intuitive for students to use, which enhances their learning experience. Because Canvas is cloud based we also appreciate how the team adds new features and functionality along the way without us needing to pause for regular upgrades. As we grow Canvas will grow with us."

To keep learning, visit https://www.canvaslms.com/brasil

https://www.canvaslms.com/latam

ABOUT INSTRUCTURE:

Instructure, Inc. is the software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology company that makes software that makes people smarter. With a vision to help maximise the potential of people through technology, Instructure enables organisations everywhere to easily develop, deliver, and manage engaging face-to-face and online learning experiences. To date, Instructure has connected millions of instructors and learners at more than 2,000 educational institutions and corporations throughout the world. Learn more about the Canvas Learning Management System at www.Instructure.com and https://www.canvaslms.com/latam

Instructure, Canvas and the Bridge logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Instructure, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Other brands and names may be claimed as the property of others.

Source: Canvas

Rachel Matthews

+44 7585 977270

rmmatthews@instructure.com

Related Links

http://www.Instructure.com



SOURCE Canvas
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Taipei, Nov. 9 (CNA) The director of the Taipei office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said Wednesday the result of the U.S. presidential election this year will be "consequential" and have a great impact on the United States and the whole world.
BEIJING, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- China unveiled Monday a big data zone being built in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.



The Inner Mongolia zone, centered at the regional capital Hohhot, is one of the seven under construction in China and will focus on analysing data on energy, meteorology and geology to help energy conservation and cooperation.

Xu Shaoshi, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said the commission will draw up policies to bring big data products, industry, and technology to the zone. Businesses, research institutes, and universities are also encouraged to participate.



A number of information industry heavyweights including Alibaba, Baidu, China Telecom and Tencent have offices in the zone.

The authorities aim to make the Inner Mongolia big data zone north China's big data center and a leading global big data base by 2020.



According to a previous estimate, China will account for 20 percent of the world's data capacity by 2020.

SOURCE The People's Government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
CASTRES, France, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

- Binimetinib plus encorafenib meets primary endpoint with statistically significant advantage on median PFS of 14.9 months versus 7.3 months for vemurafenib monotherapy

- Additional PFS, ORR and durability data support primary endpoint result

Detailed safety and drug exposure data presented; combination of binimetinib plus encorafenib demonstrates a favorable tolerability profile -

Pierre Fabre today announced first results from the pivotal Phase 3 COLUMBUS trial of binimetinib plus encorafenib (bini/enco) treatment in BRAF-mutant melanoma patients at the Society for Melanoma Research Annual Congress. The study met its primary endpoint, with the combination of bini/enco significantly improving progression free survival (PFS) compared with vemurafenib, a BRAF inhibitor, alone. The combination of bini/enco was generally well-tolerated and reported adverse events (AEs) were overall consistent with previous published clinical trial results for the bini/enco combination in BRAF-mutant melanoma patients.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161107/436665LOGO )



"The results presented today from the COLUMBUS trial including estimated progression free survival, objective response rate, dose intensity and tolerability of the combination provide a strong and consistent theme across multiple endpoints, underscoring the promise of binimetinib plus encorafenib as a potential, attractive treatment option for patients diagnosed with BRAF-mutant melanoma," said Keith T. Flaherty, M.D., Director of the Termeer Center for Targeted Therapy, Massachusetts General Hospital and Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

In the analysis of the primary endpoint, the median PFS (mPFS) for patients treated with the combination of bini/enco was 14.9 months versus 7.3 months for patients treated with vemurafenib; hazard ratio (HR) 0.54, (95% CI 0.41-0.71, p<0.001). As part of the trial design, the primary analysis was based on a Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR) of patient scans or photographs, while results by local review at the investigative site were also analyzed. The chart below outlines the mPFS results, as determined by both assessments, for the combination of bini/enco versus vemurafenib.

mPFS BICR mPFS Local Review Bini/Enco Vemurafenib Bini/Enco Vemurafenib Bini/Enco vs. 14.9 months 7.3 months 14.8 months 7.3 months Vemurafenib HR (95% CI):0.54 (0.41-0.71); HR (95% CI): 0.49 (0.37-0.64); P<0.001 P<0.001

The combination of bini/enco also demonstrated an improvement in confirmed overall response rate (ORR; complete response plus partial response), as well as favorable median duration of response, high median dose intensity and consistent activity in patients with prior immunotherapy as well as an advantage in terms of maintening quality of life for patients.

Confirmed ORR BICR Confirmed ORR Local Review Bini/Enco 63% (95% CI: 56-70%) 75% (95% CI: 68-81%) Vemurafenib 40% (95% CI: 33-48%) 49% (95% CI: 42-57%)

Median duration of exposure was approximately 51 weeks for patients receiving bini/enco, versus 31 weeks and 27 weeks for the encorafenib and vemurafenib monotherapy arms, respectively.

Median dose intensity for patients treated with bini/enco was 100% (encorafenib) and 99.6% (binimetinib).

5% of bini/enco patients had received prior treatment with check-point inhibitors, including ipilimumab, anti-PD-1 and/or anti-PD-L1 therapies, and the observed clinical activity for these patients was consistent with that of bini/enco patients who had not received prior immunotherapy.

The Quality of Life (QoL) measures (EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Melanoma Scale Score) were consistent between two scales and showed an advantage in terms of maintaining quality of life for patients receiving bini/enco compared to patients treated with either encorafenib or vemurafenib single agent therapy.

The combination of bini/enco was generally well-tolerated and reported AEs were overall consistent with previous bini/enco combination clinical trial results in BRAF-mutant melanoma patients.

Grade 3/4 AEs which occurred in more than 5% of patients receiving bini/enco included increased gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), increased blood creatine phosphokinase (CK), and hypertension.

The incidence of AEs of special interest (toxicities commonly associated with commercially available MEK+BRAF-inhibitor treatments), for patients receiving bini/enco included (% of patients): rash (23%), pyrexia (18%), retinal pigment epithelial detachment (13%) and photosensitivity (5%).

Frederic Duchesne, Chief Executive Officer Pharmaceutical Division, Pierre Fabre remarked, "We are very pleased with the promising results and look forward to the possibility that, if approved, the combination of encorafenib plus binimetinib could offer a new treatment option for patients suffering from this devastating disease."

About the Phase 3 COLUMBUS Study

The COLUMBUS trial, (NCT01909453), is a two-part, international, randomized, open label Phase 3 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of the combination of binimetinib plus encorafenib to vemurafenib and encorafenib monotherapy in 921 patients with locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic melanoma with BRAF V600 mutation. Prior immunotherapy treatment was allowed. Over 200 sites across North America, Europe, South America, Africa, Asia and Australia participated in the study. Patients were randomized into two parts:

In Part 1, 577 patients were randomized 1:1:1 to receive bini/enco of 45mg binimetinib plus 450mg encorafenib, 300mg encorafenib alone, or 960mg vemurafenib alone. The primary endpoint for the COLUMBUS trial was a PFS comparison of bini/enco versus vemurafenib. PFS is determined based on tumor assessment (RECIST version 1.1 criteria) by a Blinded Independent Central Review. Secondary endpoints include a comparison of the PFS of encorafenib monotherapy to that of bini/enco and a comparison of overall survival (OS) for bini/enco to that of vemurafenib alone.

In Part 2, 344 patients were randomized 3:1 to receive 45mg binimetinib plus 300mg encorafenib or 300mg encorafenib alone. Part 2 is designed to provide additional data to help evaluate the contribution of binimetinib to the combination of bini/enco. While formal statistical analysis of Part 2 is only planned if both the comparison of PFS between bini/enco versus vemurafenib and bini/enco versus encorafenib achieve statistical significance in Part 1, data from Part 2 are anticipated in mid 2017 and will be provided to global health authorities as part of planned regulatory submissions in 2017.

Binimetinib and encorafenib are investigational medicines and are not currently approved in any country.

About Binimetinib & Encorafenib

MEK and BRAF are key protein kinases in the MAPK signaling pathway (RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK). Research has shown this pathway regulates several key cellular activities including proliferation, differentiation, survival and angiogenesis. Inappropriate activation of proteins in this pathway has been shown to occur in many cancers, such as melanoma, colorectal and thyroid cancers. Binimetinib is a late-stage small molecule MEK inhibitor and encorafenib is a late-stage small molecule BRAF inhibitor, both of which target key enzymes in this pathway.

Binimetinib and encorafenib are being studied in clinical trials in advanced cancer patients, including the recently initiated Phase 3 BEACON CRC trial that will study encorafenib in combination with cetuximab with or without binimetinib in patients with BRAF V600E-mutant colorectal cancer. In September 2016, the FDA accepted Array BioPharma's New Drug Application (NDA) for binimetinib in NRAS-mutant melanoma with a target action date under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) of June 30, 2017. Also, the binimetinib Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) submitted by Pierre Fabre was validated and is currently under evaluation by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). This file has also been submitted to SwissMedic the 31th of October 2016.

Array BioPharma retains exclusive rights to binimetinib and encorafenib in the U.S., Japan, Canada, Korea and Israel. Pierre Fabre will have exclusive rights to commercialize both products in all other countries, including Europe, Asia and Latin America.

For more information on Array, please go to http://www.arraybiopharma.com/.

To find out more about Pierre Fabre, please go to http://www.pierre-fabre.com

SOURCE Pierre Fabre and Array BioPharma
ROME, Italy, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

FAIRSPECTRUM a leading provider of dynamic spectrum management services today announced that it has received the Collaborative Spectrum Sharing Prize. The award was presented to Dr. Oliver Holland, King's College of London by European Commission Digital Economy & Society Commissioner Gunther H. Oettinger in the Second Global 5G Event in Rome on Nov 9, 2016. Dr. Oliver Holland, leader of the submission, received the prize on behalf of the DISTRIBUTE team, which consists of King's College London, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Fairspectrum, and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

"We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Fairspectrum for its excellent contribution towards the submission. Fairspectrum has carried out pioneering work in realms of spectrum sharing", writes Dr. Oliver Holland, King's College London. Seppo Yrjola, Nokia comments: "I was delighted that the Collaborative Spectrum Sharing award was received by Fairspectrum. Fairspectrum has been a long-term collaboration partner, and it has continuously demonstrated ground-breaking skills in spectrum sharing technology."

The deadline for European Commission Research & Innovation awarded prize of 500 000  to improve the usage of scarce spectrum resources by providing Collaborative Spectrum Sharing, which means alternative and decentralized spectrum management approaches, closed on Dec 17, 2015.

Fairspectrum (http://www.fairspectrum.com) is a Finnish company, founded in 2010. Fairspectrum provides online spectrum management software, services, and related consulting. Fairspectrum was the first White Space Database (WSDB) provider qualified to operate in the United Kingdom and providing WSDB Services. Fairspectrum deploys LSA spectrum management service for the pilot of Radiocommunications Agency Netherlands to coordinate mutual interference of 2.3 GHz wireless camera users in 2016-2017. Fairspectrum piloted Licensed Shared Access (LSA) at Ministry of Economic Development of Italy in Rome in 2015-2016, in Megafon network in Russia in 2016, and in Ylivieska, Finland in 2013-2016. This prize is a significant recognition for Fairspectrum spectrum sharing work. It allows Fairspectrum to invest in growth on international markets. The prize increases the awareness of dynamic spectrum management technology among European decision makers in wireless communications industry, and it strengthens the position of dynamic spectrum management in 5G networks.

Contact:

Heikki Kokkinen

Email: heikki.kokkinen@fairspectrum.com

Mobile: +358 50 483 9510



SOURCE Fairspectrum Oy
Customers worldwide now have access to one of the most comprehensive fluid power seal product and material portfolios

HAMPTON, England, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hallite Seals International, a leading global manufacturer of high-performance hydraulic sealing solutions announces availability of its new Armorlene PTFE product and material portfolio, a high-performance polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) product and material portfolio that encompasses more than 30 product profiles, 26 materials and 18 Armorlene PTFEs.

The new Armorlene PTFE portfolio expands the history and success of Hallite's PTFE products and materials in the German and Chinese markets. Now, customers worldwide have access to one of the most comprehensive PTFE product and material portfolios in the industry. Its breadth and depth includes Hallite's very own material and compound production, a complete range of product profiles and global technical services. These services include consultation and/or development of customized sealing solutions capable of performing in dynamic, hostile environments and in applications where standard elastomeric seals fail.

Armorlene PTFE was developed in response to the increasingly sophisticated sealing needs of original equipment manufacturers (OEMS), distributors, and aftermarket service providers. This unique customer base requires global quality control based on industry-leading standards, regional manufacturing for improved product availability and responsiveness, and a manufacturing partner with proven design, material, and application expertise.

"Since seals play a significant role in the performance and productivity of most machinery and equipment, we are very excited to expand our PTFE offering to our global customers with additional materials and a wider product range," says Fred Brocci, Managing Director of Hallite America. "The new materials complement our global capabilities and ensure we continue to focus on our customers first, allowing us to offer the optimum solution based on customers' project requirements, meeting their cost and performance needs."

Major industries positioned to benefit from the new Hallite Armorlene PTFE product and material portfolio include: chemical processing; construction and forestry; food and beverage; hydro-power; industrial hydraulics; injection molding; machine tools; marine; material handling; mining and mineral extraction; mineral fabrication; mobile hydraulics/off-highway; oil and gas; steel and aluminum processing, and transportation.

"I am pleased to work on establishing the new PTFE business and look forward to introducing new materials to our current and new customers," says UK-based Business Development Director Stuart Moares. "It is extremely important to meet customer needs, and we believe we are now better equipped to do so with this comprehensive portfolio."

For more details about Hallite's Armorlene PTFE material features and applications, visit http://hallite.com/armorlene-ptfe.

About Hallite

Hallite is a leading manufacturer of high performance hydraulic sealing solutions, such as wiper seals and other customer gaskets, rubber and plastics parts. For over 100 years Hallite has manufactured a wide range of products for a variety of markets including mining, off-highway, construction, agriculture and material handling. Engineered in a wide variety of advanced materials, the full range of products are readily accessible through Hallite's global manufacturing presence and a worldwide network of service partners. Hallite is a member of the Fenner PLC Group of companies. For more information about Hallite, visit www.hallite.com.

CONTACT:

Hallite Seals International

Jeffrei Clifton, + 44 (0) 1252.302.298 Shanta Mauney, +1 281.804.8900 Senior Business and Market Strategist PR/Media Relations for Hallite jeffrei.clifton@hallite.com shanta@mauneybizc.com

Related Links

http://www.hallite.com



SOURCE Hallite Seals International
DUBLIN, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Magnetic Field Sensors Market - Global Forecasts to 2022" report to their offering.

The overall magnetic field sensors market was valued at USD 2.25 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach USD 4.16 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 8.87% between 2016 and 2022. The growth of this market is propelled by the rising demands for MEMS-based sensor across industry verticals, surge in the automotive industry, increasing demand for high-quality sensing devices, and continuous growth in consumer electronics applications.



The market is further driven by the role of magnetic field sensor in applications such as navigation. However, factors such as the decreasing cost of components associated with sensors are restricting the interest of new entrants in the market.



Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing market. The APAC market is segmented into India, China, Japan, South Korea, and Rest of APAC. Asia-Pacific is a major market for various sectors such as consumer electronics, automobiles, and healthcare, among others. This region has become a global focal point for large investments and business expansion opportunities.



The APAC market shows significant growth in all sectors and has influenced the market for magnetic field sensors used in consumer electronics and automotive sector. In the automobile sector, this region accounted for a share of more than 50% of the worlds passenger car production in 2015. Moreover, consumer electronics is among the major industries contributing toward the growth of the APAC region.



Companies Mentioned:



AMS AG

Analog Devices, Inc.

Asahi Kasei Corporation

Bartington Instruments Ltd

Honeywell International Inc.

Infineon Technologies AG

MEMSic, Inc.

Melexis NV

Micronas Semiconductor Holdings AG

NXP Semiconductors N.V.

Robert Bosch GmbH

Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.

TE Connectivity Ltd

Key Topics Covered:



1 Introduction



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Premium Insights



5 Market Overview



6 Industry Trends



7 Magnetic Field Sensors Market, By Type



8 Magnetic Field Sensors Market, By Range



9 Major Applications of Magnetic Field Sensors



10 Magnetic Field Sensors Market, By End-User Industry



11 Geographic Analysis



12 Competitive Landscape



13 Company Profiles

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/vj2448/magnetic_field

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com



SOURCE Research and Markets
BIRMINGHAM, England, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The launch of McCoy Contractors in Solihull, Birmingham sees the arrival of a major new groundworks contractor who is already securing high profile contracts across the UK industry.

The Midlands-based groundworking and civil engineering contractor can draw on more than 50 years' experience in the UK construction sector of both their Operations Manager Chris Haughey, founder of one of the midlands fastest growing groundwork contractors, CJ Haughey Construction, and Commercial Manager Carl Richards.

The new company is already working on a number of projects with new contract wins of 1.5 million including the new Allen Ford car dealership in Nuneaton with contractor MCS Group and a new Premier Inn Hotel in Milton Keynes with Bowmer & Kirkland.

Chris Haughey said: "We are very excited by the launch of McCoy Contractors in the marketplace. We are looking forward to providing excellent service to these new clients and hoping to build long and lasting business relationships."

In addition to already employing 40 members of staff, the company is also investing in plant and machinery having taken delivery of the first of many new excavators - a new 13 tonne 360-degree track machine from market leader Hitachi.

McCoy Contractors offers the complete groundworks package to clients across commercial, industrial, housing, highways, education, health, retail and leisure sectors - including bulk earthworks, foundations and drainage on a full labour, plant and materials basis.

To find out more about McCoy Contractors visit the website http://www.mccoycontractors.co.uk

SOURCE McCoy Contractors
Procurex Live: PGi to Help Scottish Public Sector Identify best Collaboration and Conferencing Products for their Organisations

LONDON, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- PGi, the world's largest dedicated provider of collaboration software and services, has been recently confirmed as the successful supplier for the Scottish Government's Digital Conferencing Services framework. This framework is available to Scottish public sector bodies and includes audio, web and video conferencing and webcasting services. The initial period of the framework is for two years with an option to extend for two additional twelve month periods thereafter.

"Following a robust competitive tender process, we are pleased to have PGi as our Digital Conferencing Services supplier allowing Scottish public sector entities to choose from a host of collaboration and conferencing solutions that best suits the needs of teams and individuals, alike," said a Scottish Government spokesman.

PGi's Digital Conferencing solution benefits for the Scottish public sector include:

Reduced needs for travel and subsistence expenses for organisations

Lowering an organisation's carbon emissions by expanded opportunities to telework

Improved user productivity, both in the office and on mobile

Opportunities for greater collaborative, flexible and remote working

"At PGi, we know that better collaboration leads to better results," said John Stone, EVP and managing director, PGi International. "That's why we're so excited to bring our broad portfolio of products to the Scottish public sector and support their end-to-end digital conferencing needs as their Digital Conferencing Services provider. We're pleased that they've chosen to put their trust in us and we look forward to the collaboration ahead."

On November 9, PGi will participate at the 12th national procurement conference, Procurex Live 2016. During the conference, event attendees will be encouraged to stop by PGi's stand to take the company's recently released Collaboration Personality Quiz. With PGi's expansive product offering, the quiz will help public sector personnel not only learn more about their collaboration persona but will also help them make a more informed decision about which collaboration tools best suit their needs based on their individual user habits. Patrons that take the quiz will be entered for a chance to win an iPad.

All trademarks referred to in this release are the property of their respective owners.

About Premiere Global Services, Inc.  PGi

PGi is the world's largest dedicated provider of collaboration software and services. For more than 25 years, our broad portfolio of products has served the end-to-end collaboration needs of enterprises. Accessible anywhere, anytime and on any device, PGi's award-winning collaboration solutions drive productivity and teamwork for approximately 50,000 customers around the world. To learn more, visit us at pgi.com.

Media Contact:

Sara Pilling

PGi, VP of Communications

E sara.pilling@pgi.com | P +1-404-262-8527

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131203/CL27071LOGO

Related Links

http://www.pgi.com



SOURCE PGi
H.E.Mrs. Phan Thi My Linh addressed, "Water and Energy are two important sectors, having direct effect on the development of the economy and community, social security and environment of the country. Especially, in the context of climate change and rising sea levels which are causing negative impact to all countries in the world. The issue of water and energy becomes more imperative due to its huge impact on country's safety and security. Hence, Vietnam Government has put much effort to improve water resources, develop the renewable energy industry as well as increase and attract more investment in these two sectors"

The event gathers 13 international pavilions to showcase cutting-edge technologies, innovations and solutions in water supply, sewerage, wastewater treatment, energy efficiency and new & renewable energy sectors. Mr. M.Gandhi emphasizes, "The exhibition is 30% larger compared to the last edition in 2015. This is clear indication of Vietnam's development progress and the confidence shown by international community towards Vietnam."

Come and register onsite!

Venue: SECC, 799 Nguyen Van Linh, District 7, Ho Chi Minh

Time: 09 - 11 November

Free admission to the exhibition and seminars for all trade visitors!

1st Day Highlight:

The Official Opening Ceremony addressed by H.E. Mrs. Phan Thi My Linh , Vice Minister, Ministry of Construction, Vietnam together with distinguished guests and media representatives.

, Vice Minister, Ministry of Construction, together with distinguished guests and media representatives. VVIP meeting with the participation of Government Officers and leaders from Water and Energy Associations.

Vietwater - Technical Seminar including 10 insightful topics at the Technical Seminar room 1, Ground floor, Hall A2.

RE & EE Vietnam - Technical Seminar at Technical Seminar room 2, Ground floor, Hall A2.

RE & EE Vietnam - Vietnam Energy Forum: "Toward Sustainable Energy Development in Vietnam ".

2nd Day Highlight:

Vietwater - Technical Seminar at the Technical Seminar room 1, Ground floor, Hall A2.

Vietwater - International Conference "Sustainable Water Supply & Sewerage Development Solutions in the context of Climate Change: Water Resource Degradation, Drought, Saline intrusion "

RE & EE Vietnam - Technical Seminar at Technical Seminar room 2, Ground floor, Hall A2.

Vietnam - Australia Workshop on water quality management and technological innovation at meeting room 2, 2nd floor.

GEC Workshop - "Introduction of Advanced Water Treatment Technologies in Japan " at meeting room 4, 3rd floor.

" at meeting room 4, 3rd floor. Seminar: " Vietnam : Challenges, Opportunities & Trends" in Wind and Solar Energies by CJR Wind and EVBN.

3rd Day Highlight:

Vietwater - Technical Seminar at the Technical Seminar room 1, Ground floor, Hall A2.

RE & EE Vietnam - Technical Seminar at Technical Seminar room 2, Ground floor, Hall A2.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121014/HK92339LOGO-d

Notes to Editors:

About UBM Asia (www.ubmasia.com)

Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia is the largest trade show organiser in Asia and the largest commercial organiser in China, India and Malaysia. Established with its headquarters in Hong Kong and subsidiary companies across Asia and in the US, UBM Asia has strong global network of 30 offices and 1,400 staff in 25 major cities. We operate in 21 market sectors with 235 exhibitions and conferences, 28 targeted trade publications, 18 vertical portals for over 1,000,000 quality exhibitors, visitors, conference delegates, advertisers and subscribers from all over the world.

Related Links

http://www.ubmasia.com



SOURCE UBM Asia (Malaysia)
COLUMBUS, Ga., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, the leader in voluntary insurance sales at the worksite in the United States, announced today that the readers have spoken, and Aflac comes out on top. In its annual Readers Choice Survey, the BenefitsPRO publication found that Aflac was the preferred company in seven categories: which carrier is best prepared for PPACA, which third-party administrator offers the most comprehensive service, which carrier offers the best dental coverage, which technology vendor makes your life the easiest, which carrier is easiest to work with, which carrier is best prepared for a defined contribution future and which enrollment company could you not live without. Aflac took second place in the only other category.

"Being the No. 1 insurance carrier among brokers in 7 out of 8 categories is tremendous news," Aflac Chairman and CEO Dan Amos said. "It is a tribute to the hard work of our sales and claims administration teams, who have now set the bar extremely high. Brokers want to work with Aflac because they know that our products, services and workforce are outstanding."

"Once a year, BenefitsPRO Magazine offers benefits professionals a unique chance to let industry giants know how they see the benefits industry," BenefitsPro Magazine Publisher Tamara Patterson said. "Congratulations to Aflac, which our readers selected as one of their top vendors."

According to BenefitsPRO, the Readers Choice Awards are determined by the number of votes a vendor received via an email survey. Voters must be subscribers of BenefitsPRO Magazine, and entries are limited to one vote per subscriber.

In 2015, Aflac introduced its innovative One Day PaySM initiative, which has enabled the company to use its proprietary SmartClaim system to provide benefits to millions of policyholders in a single business day. Since the inception of the program in February 2015, 100 percent of eligible One Day PaySM claims were processed within the one day time frame.

About Aflac

When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For six decades, Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the leader in voluntary insurance sales at the worksite. Through its trailblazing One Day PaySM initiative, Aflac U.S. can receive, process, approve and disburse payment for eligible claims in one business day. In Japan, Aflac is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance and insures 1 in 4 households. Aflac insurance products help provide protection to more than 50 million people worldwide. For 10 consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2016, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America for the 18th consecutive year and included Aflac on its list of Most Admired Companies for the 15th time, ranking the company No. 1 in innovation for the insurance, life and health category for the second consecutive year. In 2015, Aflac's contact centers were recognized by J.D. Power by providing "An Outstanding Customer Service Experience" for the Live Phone Channel. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac and One Day PaySM, visit aflac.com or espanol.aflac.com.

Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.

Media contacts  Jon Sullivan, 706.763.4813 or [email protected]

Analyst and investor contact  Robin Y. Wilkey, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667, FAX: 706.324.6330, or [email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100423/CL92305LOGO



SOURCE Aflac

Related Links

http://www.aflac.com


HORSHAM, Pa., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AAMCO Transmissions, Inc. ("AAMCO"), franchisor of the world's largest branded chain of transmission specialists and an industry leader in total car care services, is pleased to announce the reopening of its former Houston service center located at 5911 Chimney Rock Road. The service center opened to the public on Monday, August 8.

The new owner, Andrew "Beal" Pumphrey, is a seasoned automotive industry professional having owned an auto repair shop in Fort Worth for 11 years. Before joining AAMCO, Pumphrey served as a project coordinator in the energy industry and held multiple leadership roles in the education sector for 15 years. Prior to this time, he worked as a financial advisor.

"I am very proud to reopen the AAMCO in the Bellaire/Houston Communities and look forward to providing a superior customer service experience to local residents," said Pumphrey. "I've always had a passion for cars and knew I wanted to run my own business again one day. As a new business owner, I'm excited to become a part of the Greater Houston area and give back to the community through AAMCO."

The AAMCO franchise on Chimney Rock Road features six bays, including one quick lube bay and is a State of Texas Official Vehicle Inspection Station. The location will serve customers from 8 a.m.  6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m.  1 p.m. on Saturday.

For more than 50 years, AAMCO's network of locally-owned and independently-operated automotive service centers have employed the latest technology. Expert technicians diagnose a repair, fix it right the first time and back it with a nationwide warranty. Known as the world's leading transmission expert, the company has evolved into a total car care brand that provides a variety of services, including brake repair, tune-ups, shocks and struts, routine maintenance and more. AAMCO was recently named to Entrepreneur's 2016 Franchise 500, ranking at the top of the transmission repair category. Based on network size, growth rate and financial strength, the brand also earned a spot on Entrepreneur's "Best of the Best" list.

For more information about the AAMCO of Bellaire/Houston, please visit www.aamcochimneyrock.com or call 713-988-5800.

About AAMCO

AAMCO is the world's largest branded chain of transmission specialists and a leader in total car care services. AAMCO has nearly 700 franchised automotive centers throughout the United States and Canada. Established in 1962, AAMCO-branded centers are proud to have served more than 45 million drivers. For more information, visit: aamcouniversity.com, aamco.com or aamcoblog.com.

Contact:

Claibourne Rogers

Fish Consulting

407-808-2426

[email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150521/217798LOGO

SOURCE AAMCO Transmissions, Inc.

Related Links

http://aamco.com


WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the elections now behind us, we congratulate President-elect Donald Trump, all of the members of the new Congress and state and local officials across the country. Now the real work begins. It's time to put political partisanship and distrust behind us and come together. It's time to bring civility and public discourse back to our democracy. It's time to remember that we can disagree and still find common ground around the big issues that matter so much to the people of this country. It's time to govern. It's time to lead.

If this election has taught us anything, it is the realization that not all of us are experiencing the same America. We have to be willing to step into someone else's shoes in order to have constructive dialogue on some very serious issues facing our country now, and others that are sure to occur in the future.

The late Congresswoman, Barbara Jordan, said that "What Americans want is very simple. They want an America as good as its promise." What is the promise of America? Jefferson defined it as "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Franklin Roosevelt outlined it in four freedoms: "freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear." Ronald Reagan described it as "a shining city on a hill."

One of the great things about our democracy is that every four years we have the opportunity to unite and renew our journey toward the promise of America. While campaigns, by their very nature, focus on the things that divide us, to govern effectively we must focus on achieving the shared goals that unite us. The question is can we unite behind our shared goals and move forward, or will we continue to focus on the issues that divide us?

At AARP, our experience in talking with our members is that they care deeply about important issues facing them and their families. They want our leader to address them.

As a new administration and new Congress prepare to take office in Washington and new legislatures and governors prepare to lead their states, AARP is ready to work with them to help find practical solutions to the issues people 50 and over and their families care about and to do our part in creating an America as good as its promise.

About AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of nearly 38 million that helps people turn their goals and dreams into 'Real Possibilities' by changing the way America defines aging. With staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and promote the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare security, financial security and personal fulfillment. AARP also advocates for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the world's largest circulation magazine, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @aarp and our CEO @JoAnn_Jenkins on Twitter.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20070209/NYF043LOGO

SOURCE AARP

Related Links

http://www.aarp.org


VEGHEL, Netherlands, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The collaboration will enable Actemium and Axians to deliver the most advanced augmented reality-based solutions and services to customers who operate across a broad range of industries.

Actemium and Axians, both brands of VINCI Energies and leaders in industrial and ICT solutions and services, today announced a new collaboration with Fieldbit, a frontrunner in the field of augmented reality (AR) solutions for field services. Customers will benefit from a more streamlined industrial process, with fewer human errors, greater efficiencies, and ultimately, lower costs.

"We believe that AR and smart glasses are set to play an ever-growing role in the maintenance and operation of complex equipment in industry, as well as for training field service teams," said Peter Derks, Brand Director at Actemium NL. "Working with Fieldbit will enable us to offer best-of-breed technologies to industry 4.0 companies."

As part of the collaboration, Fieldbit will supply Actemium and Axians with a software platform for the development of specialized, customized applications that customers can use for optimizing AR capabilities in manufacturing and field services.

"Fieldbit enables installers and service engineers to make their work more effective and efficient, provides them with direct access to documentation, work instructions and even a live audio and video connection with a colleague or helpdesk operator," says Guido van Dinther, Business Unit Manager at Axians.

"We are excited to collaborate with Actemium and Axians," says Evyatar Meiron, CEO of Fieldbit. "Together we will deliver cutting edge technologies to their customers, enabling them to take a giant leap towards industry 4.0 manufacturing standards. As such, we are proud to be at the vanguard of change and innovation in industry."

About Actemium:

Actemium, a key player in the transformation to a smarter industry, is the VINCI Energies brand dedicated to industrial processes. Actemium in the Netherlands is active in the advice on, design, building and maintenance of industrial systems. The network, comprising more than 300 agile business units specialized by market segment, enables a customized approach, presenting multi-technical, multi-site and multi-country solutions. For more information, please visit http://www.actemium.nl.

About Axians:

Axians supports its customers - enterprises, public sector, carriers and service providers - from IT & Infrastructure services to digital transformation.

Axians provides a comprehensive portfolio of solutions: software solutions, cloud-based and managed IT services, data systems and data centres, enterprise networks and digital workspace, telecommunications infrastructures. For more information, please visit http://www.axians.nl.

About VINCI Energies

In a world undergoing constant change, VINCI Energies focuses on connections, performance, energy efficiency and data to fast-track the rollout of new technologies and support two major changes: the digital transformation and the energy transition. With their strong regional roots and agile organisational structure, VINCI Energies' business units boost the reliability, safety and efficiency of energy, transport and communication infrastructure, factories and buildings.

2015: 10 billion revenue // 65,400 employees // 1,600 business units // 51 countries

In the Netherlands: 321 million revenue // >1800 employees // 42 business units

http://www.vinci-energies.nl

About Fieldbit

Founded in 2014, Fieldbit is a leading developer of real-time augmented reality collaboration solutions. Its enterprise class, out-of-the-box, hands-free technology enables on-site service engineers to collaborate seamlessly with experts back in the service center, and to receive all the know-how and guidance they need to solve issues quickly and on the first call. The result is increased uptime and productivity for end users and customers. For more information, please visit http://www.fieldbit.net or email [email protected].

CONTACT



Actemium

Peter Derks

[email protected]

+31-88-83-18-999



Axians

Guido van Dinther'

[email protected]

+31-88-98-89-400



Fieldbit

Maya Gamzu

[email protected]

+972-54-307-0100



SOURCE Actemium, Axians & Fieldbit
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Federation of Government Employees congratulates Catherine Cortez Masto for winning election to the U.S. Senate representing the state of Nevada.

"Catherine Cortez Masto is a dedicated public servant and will make a terrific senator. The daughter of a union member, Catherine knows how important unions are in protecting and growing America's working class. She will be a tireless advocate for our nation's veterans and for all public servants.

"AFGE looks forward to working with Senator-elect Cortez Masto and the rest of the newly elected members of Congress to build a government and an economy that works for everyone."

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131120/MM21150LOGO



SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

Related Links

http://www.afge.org


WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Federation of Government Employees congratulates Chris Van Hollen for winning election to the U.S. Senate representing the state of Maryland.

"Chris Van Hollen is a dedicated public servant and will make a terrific senator. Chris has been a tireless advocate for federal employees and all working families, promoting efforts to increase wages, expand benefits, and protect federal jobs from outsourcing.

"AFGE looks forward to working with Senator-elect Van Hollen and the rest of the newly elected members of Congress to build a government and an economy that works for everyone."

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131120/MM21150LOGO

SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

Related Links

http://www.afge.org


WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Federation of Government Employees congratulates Patrick Leahy for winning re-election to the U.S. Senate representing the state of Vermont.

"Patrick Leahy is a dedicated public servant and a terrific senator. AFGE looks forward to working with Senator Leahy and the rest of the newly elected members of Congress to build a government and an economy that works for everyone."

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131120/MM21150LOGO

SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

Related Links

http://www.afge.org


WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Federation of Government Employees congratulates Richard Blumenthal for winning re-election to the U.S. Senate representing the state of Connecticut.

"Richard Blumenthal is a dedicated public servant and a terrific senator. He has championed legislation to ensure our veterans get the care they need without undermining the due process rights of VA workers, and also has supported criminal justice reform legislation to ease overcrowding at our federal prisons.

"AFGE looks forward to working with Senator Blumenthal and the rest of the newly elected members of Congress to build a government and an economy that works for everyone."

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

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SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

Related Links

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Federation of Government Employees congratulates Tammy Duckworth for winning election to the U.S. Senate representing the state of Illinois.

"Tammy Duckworth is a dedicated public servant, war hero, and veterans advocate. As a U.S. representative, she has fought to ensure our veterans get the care they need without scapegoating frontline workers for management's failures. She has pushed for Congress to lift a workforce cap that prevents the Transportation Security Administration from hiring the staff it needs to secure our nation's airports, and has worked to ensure civilian employees in the Department of Defense have the support they need to serve our warfighters.

"AFGE looks forward to working with Senator-elect Duckworth and the rest of the newly elected members of Congress to build a government and an economy that works for everyone."

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

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SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

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NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC, the global Jewish advocacy organization, congratulates Donald Trump on his election as the 45th President of the United States.

"American democracy has spoken after a long and bitterly-fought campaign," said AJC CEO David Harris. "We wish President-elect Trump well, as he prepares to assume the highest position in the land and the most powerful political position on the planet. And we also extend our best wishes to Secretary Hillary Clinton for her many years of distinguished public service to our nation, the strong campaign she ran, and, I would add, her friendship to AJC."

"Now that the election is over, a first priority should be to address the wounds of an extraordinarily divisive contest. The United States is one country with one destiny, and any expression of bigotry and exclusion, as we've regrettably seen during the extended campaign, must never be allowed to corrode our pluralistic fabric," Harris added.

Smooth post-election transitions are an essential requirement of our political system. In that spirit, AJC looks forward to working with President-elect Trump and his administration, as well as with the new Congress, on the priority policy concerns that AJC has advocated during this campaign, including at the Republican Convention in Cleveland and Democratic Convention in Philadelphia. Among them:

-- America's diversity must be defended against any further attempts to demonize or stigmatize on the basis of ethnicity, race, gender or faith;

-- The United States needs to assert strong global leadership, which only our country is capable of, especially in support of allies and treaty obligations around the world, and in the face of dangerous regional and global state and non-state actors;

-- The unique U.S.-Israel relationship, based on shared democratic values and national interests, should continue to go from strength to strength.

From its birth 110 years ago this month, AJC has cherished American democracy and the unparalleled opportunities and protections that our country's system aspires to offer all its citizens, whatever their background or identity.

"The right to vote is a pillar of democracy, and the nation has spoken. We wish President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence a successful Administration that, we earnestly hope, will take early steps to reach out to every American, including concerned minority communities across the land; reaffirm our links to our friends across the globe; and, in the months and years to come, advance peace, security and prosperity for our nation and the world," said Harris.

AJC, founded 110 years ago this week, is the premier global Jewish advocacy organization, with 22 offices across the United States, 10 posts around the world, and 33 international partnerships. It is a strictly, non-partisan 501(c)(3) agency.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee

Related Links

http://www.ajc.org


LA JOLLA, Calif., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Altegris today announced, with great sadness, the passing of its CEO and Chief Investment Strategist, Jack Rivkin, following a courageous battle with cancer. Mr. Rivkin joined the firm in December 2013, serving as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Strategist since February 2016, and Chief Investment Officer prior to that.

"As a trusted leader, respected spokesman and loyal friend, Jack made invaluable contributions to our firm, setting the foundation for future success," said Matt Osborne, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer at Altegris. "We are honored to have had the opportunity to work with Jack and are thankful for his dedication. He will be greatly missed."

Mr. Rivkin had a long and varied career in the investment industry across private and public equity, investment policy and management. With almost 50 years of investment research and asset class experience, Mr. Rivkin was known as a keen observer of investment and business strategy.

"Jack will be remembered for his unwavering commitment to our firm and industry, and love for his friends and family. Jack leaves an admirable legacy, as his skilled management, research and academic experience have left a lasting mark on our industry," said Steven Spiegel, Co-Founder, Partner, and Principal at Aquiline Capital Management.

Mr. Rivkin was a key representative of Altegris in his role as CEO and Chief Investment Strategist, and member of the firm's Investment Committee. Prior to joining the firm in 2013, Mr. Rivkin held several roles in the investment industry in his extensive career with Neuberger Berman, Citigroup Investments, and PaineWebber. He was the principal subject in a series of one of Harvard Business School's most popular case studies, "Lehman Brothers: Rise of the Equity Research Department," 2006.

Martin Beaulieu will assume the responsibility of CEO in addition to his responsibility as Executive Chairman, effective immediately.

If you would like to share your thoughts, memories and condolences, please email [email protected].

Please contact Maria Gonzalez at 212-279-3115 X 260 or [email protected], or Paul Schaeffer at 415-596-2601 or [email protected], for more information.

About Jack Rivkin

Mr. Rivkin began his investment career as an analyst at Mitchell Hutchins, where he later became Director of Research. He subsequently held several executive positions with PaineWebber, the acquirer of Mitchell Hutchins, including CFO of PaineWebber, CEO of PaineWebber Mitchell Hutchins, Chairman of Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management and President of PaineWebber Capital.

He later served as Director of Global Research and head of the Worldwide Equities Division of Lehman Brothers Inc. Following his time at Lehman Brothers, he was a Vice Chairman and Director of Global Research at Smith Barney (ultimately a subsidiary of Citigroup), and an Executive Vice President with Citigroup Investments making direct investments and leading an investment team. He was Chief Investment Officer and Head of Private Asset Management at Neuberger Berman and subsequently continued as a Trustee of the Neuberger mutual fund complex. Most recently, he was an Executive Adviser with Aquiline Capital Partners.

In addition to his direct experiences in the investment industry, Mr. Rivkin was an adjunct professor at Columbia University, where he taught security analysis. He is also the co-author of Risk & RewardVenture Capital and the Making of America's Great Industries. He served as a director of the New York Society of Security Analysts, the World Policy Institute, LEDA, multiple private companies and, currently, Idealab and Dale Carnegie. He earned his Professional Engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines and his MBA from the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration.

About Altegris

Altegris is an investment research firm, with deep expertise in alternative manager selection, structuring unique solutions, and providing portfolio management and oversight. Beginning with an analysis of the current and anticipated investment environment, our solutions are based on themes that we believe solve the most important client needs.

CONTACT: Maria Gonzalez

Prosek Partners

212-279-3115 X 260

[email protected]

SOURCE Altegris
Similar to an event held for the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election, which drew more than a thousand people over the course of several hours, this year's undertaking included live Q&A sessions and activities to educate guests about the election processes at work when the U.S. selects its newest leaders.

In addition to interacting with other guests and enjoying complimentary refreshments, guests were encouraged to cast their own ballot in predicting the next president, and those who guessed correctly were entered into a "Lucky Draw" for round-trip air tickets to the United States courtesy of Hainan Airlines.

Besides the election party, AmCham South China has hosted hundreds of events of various types for its business community. As a leader in promotion of free trade, the chamber will host the 2017 APCAC Asia Pacific Business Summit from April 19 to 22 in Guangzhou. Representing 22 economies, the APCAC Asia Pacific Business Summit is the largest and most influential annual Business Summit in Asia Pacific.

The 2017 Business Summit will be attended by business and industry leaders in Charge of US$620 billion in annual FDI management and more than US$1 trillion in annual trade, as well as policy experts, media, academia, and top government officials from the U.S., China, and from across the Asia Pacific Region.

An "Economic Powerhouse", the Asia Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce (APCAC) represents 29 American Chambers of Commerce from 22 economies in Asia Pacific, consisting of 15,000 Member Companies, 50,000 Overseas American Executives, and 10 million Employees that generate US$620 billion in annual FDI management, and more than US$1 Trillion in annual trade.

About The American Chamber of Commerce in South China

The American Chamber of Commerce in South China (AmCham South China) is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating bilateral trade between the United States and the People's Republic of China. Certified in 1995 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C., AmCham South China represents more than 2,300 corporate and individual members, is governed by a fully-independent Board of Governors elected from its membership, and provides dynamic, on-the-ground support for American and International companies doing business in South China. In 2015, AmCham South China hosted more than 10,000 business executives and government leaders from around the world at its briefings, seminars, committee meetings and social gatherings. The American Chamber of Commerce in South China is a fully-independent organization accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. All AmChams in China are independently governed and represent member companies in their respective regions.

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SOURCE AmCham South China
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Anaplan, the leading planning and performance management platform, today announced a new partnership with data integration specialist Informatica and integration with visual analytics firm Tableau Software. The two agreements were unveiled at Anaplan's Hub16 conference in London.

Anaplan's open platform already offers a range of options for data integration, including leading data integration tools. The agreement with Informatica, the world's top provider of data management solutions, adds to that flexibility. Anaplan is also developing HyperConnect, a new capability that extends the power of Informatica connectors to Anaplan business users beyond the IT team. Anaplan HyperConnect will enable customers to more easily create and manage integrations via Informatica Cloud's intuitive interface. An affordable cloud subscription will be available directly from Anaplan.

Additionally, Anaplan's integration with Tableau, a global leader in visual analytics, enables the two companies' joint customers to more easily bring data from Anaplan's planning platform into Tableau's data visualization solution for self-service reporting and visualization. This provides users with greater choice in the tools they use to visualize performance data and plan for the future. These new capabilities go beyond the native reporting tools already available within the Anaplan platform.

Legacy enterprise performance management vendors often offer little third-party integration or limit integration to other applications and tools within their own portfolio. This gives customers limited choice in the tools they can use for data integration and visualization, and ultimately restricts the ability of businesses to access and act on information.

Michael Gould, Anaplan's CTO and Founder, commented, "These partnerships represent a more open approach by Anaplan focused on user experience. Whilst we continue to develop and improve our native data management functionality, we want to bring our customers choice to more easily work with other tools together with Anaplan."

"The expanded partnership between Anaplan and Informatica means that organizations can streamline the management of their data and harness more effective planning capabilities across all areas of the business," said Informatica's Ronen Schwartz, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Cloud, Big Data, and Data Integration. "Every organization is looking to make more accurate data-driven decisions in their planning processes, and the combination of cloud-based data management solutions for Anaplan's user base is helping achieve that."

Tableau's Ashley Kramer, Director of Product Management, Cloud Strategy, said, "Our integration with Anaplan is part of Tableau's ongoing efforts to provide more flexibility and choice to customers around the world. Both Tableau and Anaplan recognize the endless opportunities to embed data analytics into every area of the enterprise."

About Anaplan

Anaplan is the leading planning and performance management platform for smart businesses. Anaplan combines an unrivaled planning and modeling engine, predictive analytics, and cloud collaboration into one simple interface for business users. Anaplan is a privately held company based in San Francisco with 16 offices worldwide. To learn more, visit anaplan.com. Follow us on: Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook.

About Informatica

Informatica is 100 percent focused on data because the world runs on data. Organizations need business solutions around data for the cloud, big data, real-time and streaming. Informatica is the world's No. 1 provider of data management solutions, in the cloud, on-premise or in a hybrid environment. More than 7,000 organizations around the world turn to Informatica for data solutions that power their businesses. For more information, call +1 650-385-5000 (1-800-653-3871 in the U.S.), or visit www.informatica.com. Connect with Informatica at https://linkedin.com/company/informatica, https://twitter.com/Informatica and https://facebook.com/InformaticaLLC.

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SOURCE Anaplan

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ATLANTA, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight hundred Atlanta families in need will receive enough food to supplement meals for a week plus daily essentials, thanks to a partnership between PepsiCo and Feed the Children. The event kicks off at 10:30 a.m. at Turner Field in the Gold Lot, 755 Hank Aaron Drive Southeast, Atlanta.

This distribution event is part of a larger initiative between the two organizations to help feed communities in cities throughout the United States. Half of today's recipients are unable to leave their homes due to medical conditions, immobility, or other challenging circumstances, and will have their food and essentials delivered to their door via Frito-Lay's fleet of trucks.

This is the fifth annual event PepsiCo and Feed the Children have hosted in the Atlanta community, where more than 25 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, but the first event to utilize Frito-Lay's trucks for delivery.

The receiving families have been identified and preselected by nonprofit organizations Open Hand Atlanta and African American Association of Georgia.

"Together we can be our brother's keeper by providing food and essentials to those in need," said J.C. Watts, Jr., Feed the Children president and CEO. "With PepsiCo, Open Hand Atlanta, African American Association of Georgia and Walmart's partnership, we can help families in our nation's own backyard."

Each qualifying recipient family will be given:

One 25-pound box of nonperishable food items

One 15-pound box of personal-care items

One box of AVON products

Disney books

One 20-count Frito-Lay Classic Mix snacks

PepsiCo beverages

One 32-ounce Tropicana Orange Juice

Quaker Oats Old Fashioned

Life Cereal

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars

Nut Harvest snacks

Fresh produce provided by Walmart

"We love being part of the Atlanta community and are proud to take part in this event year after year," said Scott Closson, zone sales director, south Georgia zone, PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division. "We wanted to do more this year and reach our friends and neighbors who might often be left out of events like this due to their circumstances or lack of mobility. We're thrilled we can utilize our fleet of trucks to make these deliveries to hundreds of recipients in need who are often underserved."

About Feed the Children

Established in 1979, Feed the Children exists to end child hunger. It is one of the largest U.S.-based charities and serves those in need in the U.S. and in 10 countries around the world. It provides food, education, essentials and disaster relief. Domestically, it operates 5 distribution centers (located in Oklahoma, Indiana, California, Tennessee and Pennsylvania).

In fiscal year 2015, Feed the Children distributed 107 million pounds of food and essentials valued at $302 million to people in the U.S., and internationally, it sponsored nearly 24,500 children, addressing the root causes of poverty through child sponsorship and school sponsorship. It is accredited by GuideStar Exchange, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and is rated by Charity Navigator.

Visit www.feedthechildren.org for more information.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2015, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose  our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com/.

SOURCE PepsiCo

Related Links

http://www.pepsico.com


Remotely piloted by an air vehicle operator (AVO) onboard OCEARCH's vessel, Centaur scanned the mission area with a FLIR 230 infrared sensor to pick up heat signatures and movements in the waters below. The live downlinked imagery from the sensor displayed on Centaur's shipboard ground control station allowed OCEARCH to enhance their mission by widening their search capabilities through the use of this technology offering.

"We are thrilled about our new partnership with OCEARCH and Centaur's ability to expand on the process for identifying sharks," said Aurora Chairman and CEO, John Langford. "The expedition allowed us to demonstrate the technological and operational capabilities of Centaur, and more importantly, the value and benefits of utilizing optionally-piloted aircraft for a variety of missions which now includes maritime."

With a total of five great whites tagged, the three-week expedition was a huge success for OCEARCH and the organization's ongoing scientific research of the North Atlantic White Shark.

"We are so grateful for Aurora Flight Sciences and their donation of a plane with full infrared and video technology," said Chris Fischer, OCEARCH Founding Chairman and Expedition Leader. "They are a socially innovative company that is helping us learn faster so we can create an abundant future for generations to come."

To learn more about Aurora and the capabilities of the Centaur OPA, visit www.aurora.aero.

About Aurora Flight Sciences:

Aurora Flight Sciences is an innovative technology company which strives to create smarter aircraft through the development of versatile and intuitive autonomous systems. Operating at the intersection of technology and robotic aviation, Aurora leverages the power of autonomy to make manned and unmanned flight safer and more efficient. Headquartered in Manassas, Virginia, Aurora operates production plants in Bridgeport, West Virginia and Columbus, Mississippi, has Research and Development Centers in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Dayton, Ohio and Mountain View, California, and a European office, Aurora Swiss Aerospace, located in Luzern, Switzerland. To view recent press releases and more about Aurora please visit our website at www.aurora.aero.

About OCEARCH:

OCEARCH is a recognized world leader in generating critical scientific data related to tracking (telemetry) and biological studies of keystone marine species such as great white and tiger sharks, in conjunction with conservation outreach and education at a measurable global scale. OCEARCH shares real-time migration data through OCEARCH's Global Shark Tracker -- In 2015, OCEARCH open-sourced the data on the Global Shark Tracker to 2.3 million users. Follow the sharks and learn more about their expeditions at www.ocearch.com.

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SOURCE Aurora Flight Sciences

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CHICAGO, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks for the many blessings we have. But Christian author and longtime Bible study innovator David A. Pedersen says one day is not enough. He wants to ensure that people make giving thanks to God a regular part of their daily prayers by adopting an "attitude of gratitude."

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David Pedersen Book Cover

A retired corporate executive, Pedersen is the author of the new book Take Time for God's Word: Remembering God's Word for the Time of Your Life (Prescott and Radcliffe Press, Oct. 2016). His book is anchored on a simple, 15-second memorization technique that links key Scripture verses to the time on a digital clock. His idea is that every time you look at your watch you can be reminded of a meaningful verse or two of Scripture eventually making those verses unforgettable.

The idea of using time as a Scripture memorization tool came to him at 3:16 one morning. He recalls feeling troubled after he had been fired by a longtime employer and taken a new job that proved initially challenging. He says, "It was not uncommon for me to wake up in a sweat in the middle of the night. But this time was different. As I looked at the bright green numbers 3:16 on the digital clock near my bed, I immediately began to mentally recite John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." In the morning he realized he was on to something: linking key Scripture verses to time would help other people keep God in mind throughout their daysno matter how busy their lives were.

Also a perfect interviewee for National Bible Week beginning Nov. 13, Pedersen can talk about:

Why Thanks-giving is a way of living which provides more blessings than you can hold.

How to make your favorite Bible verses indelible in your memory.

About David A. Pedersen

A retired corporate executive, Pedersen is a lay leader at Trinity Lutheran Church in Roselle, Ill. He has served as a youth group leader, Bible camp program director, Sunday School teacher and Bible Study leader. Take Time for God's Word is his first book.

Availability: Chicago, nationwide by arrangement and via telephone

Contact: David A. Pedersen, (630) 408-1079; [email protected]; www.taketimeforgodsword.com; www.facebook.com/taketimeforgodsword/

SOURCE David A. Pedersen

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SAO PAULO, Brazil, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Instructure, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company and creator of the Canvas learning management system (LMS), announced today that customers across Latin America are choosing Canvas. Lars Janer, Director of LATAM for Canvas said of the momentum within the region: "We are seeing how progressive Latin America is when it comes to driving innovation in education and student-centred learning, and Canvas is uniquely placed to facilitate that transition toward a digital teaching model. Here in Brazil, we see continued traction in the market with Unita Educacional, Universidade Veiga de Almeida and UniJorge all choosing Canvas."

Unita Educacional has been using CanvasLMS across three sites in Brazil. Marcelo Veras, CEO of Unita Educacional explained, "at Unita Educacional our goal is to provide students with the best learning experience possible. We carried out extensive research and evaluation of the LMS market, and decided that Canvas is best suited to help us achieve this goal. Canvas provides a flexible and dynamic learning environment which delivers a wonderful learning experience for the students and represents a new direction in our Education project."

"In addition to the new customers in Brazil, customers in Latin America, including Aden Business School, Colegio Nuevo Cambridge, Ipade, Tecsup and UTH Honduras have selected Canvas as their LMS platform partner of choice to tackle the challenges and opportunities presented by the global education marketplace. We are delighted to be working with them moving forward," Janer said.

Aden Business School, headquartered in Mendoza, Argentina has 26 branches around LATAM and Spain, recently implemented Canvas and currently has 4000 users. Sebastian Maidana, IT Director at Aden said that the business school selected Canvas due to its user experience and ease of implementation. "Canvas has credibility in the LATAM market, used by many Ivy League schools in America, and we felt our students also deserved the best. We had a plan to roll out Canvas starting in July and finishing in February 2017, but such is the ease of implementation and demand from students, we will finish the rollout five months early."

Colegio Nuevo Cambridge headquartered in Bucaramanga, Colombia started working with Canvas early in 2016 and has now rolled out the platform across three sites, Bucaramanga, Cali and Cartagena for 2000 K12 students. "Canvas is the most powerful tool to deliver the flipped classroom experience. We have a number of subjects which are taught virtually, so this capability was critical for us to deliver the best teaching and learning experience for our students," explained Telmo Pena Amaya, headmaster of Colegio Nuevo Cambridge. "Building more parental engagement for our students was also an important factor in our choosing Canvas. We have built courses for parents so that they can experience what their children experience, and parents can use the parent view to see how their children are progressing in their education."

Tanya Lorena Rojas Gutierrez, Directora de Innovacion Academica at Ipade Business School in Mexico explained, "We evaluated a number of LMS options and chose Canvas because the team at Canvas really understood the teaching and learning experience we want to deliver. Canvas is cloud based, which will allow us to grow and gives us the flexibility we need. We can update courses in real time and give more rich content such as tutorials and videos. The platform is so intuitive and user friendly and supports our learning methodology."

Renato Salazar, Director at Tecsup Virtual in Peru says of Canvas, "It wasn't a difficult decision for us to work with Canvas. Since the beginning of the evaluation process, we knew it was the most complete option in the market, and now we are also confirming how easy to adopt it is and how simply it integrates with our corporate systems. We are migrating from a fully home-grown LMS, which helped us start delivering innovative education paths for our students, more than one decade ago. Now Canvas allows us to take a major leap in our innovative education provision to 20,000 students across many areas including MOOCs, undergraduate programmes, and the corporate sector. We are excited about the future of learning with Canvas."

Roger Enrique Valladares Baker, Executive Vice President of Education at University Technical Honduras (UTH) and UTH Florida explained, "We were recommended Canvas by a US Ivy League university for our campus in Florida. The user interface is incredibly intuitive for students to use, which enhances their learning experience. Because Canvas is cloud based we also appreciate how the team adds new features and functionality along the way without us needing to pause for regular upgrades. As we grow Canvas will grow with us."

To keep learning, visit https://www.canvaslms.com/brasil

https://www.canvaslms.com/latam

ABOUT INSTRUCTURE:

Instructure, Inc. is the software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology company that makes software that makes people smarter. With a vision to help maximise the potential of people through technology, Instructure enables organisations everywhere to easily develop, deliver, and manage engaging face-to-face and online learning experiences. To date, Instructure has connected millions of instructors and learners at more than 2,000 educational institutions and corporations throughout the world. Learn more about the Canvas Learning Management System at www.Instructure.com and https://www.canvaslms.com/latam

Instructure, Canvas and the Bridge logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Instructure, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Other brands and names may be claimed as the property of others.

Source: Canvas

Rachel Matthews

+44 7585 977270

[email protected]

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SOURCE Canvas

Related Links

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NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Castle Brands Inc. (NYSE MKT: ROX), a developer and international marketer of premium and super-premium branded spirits, today reported financial results for the three and six month periods ended September 30, 2016.

Operating highlights for the quarter ended September 30, 2016:

Net sales increased 5.9% to $19.6 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2017, as compared to $18.5 million for the comparable prior-year period.

for the second quarter of fiscal 2017, as compared to for the comparable prior-year period. Total gross profit increased 9.5% to $7.7 million , as compared to $7.1 million for the comparable prior-year period.

, as compared to for the comparable prior-year period. Continued strong growth of Jefferson's bourbons and the Irish whiskies led to a 19.2% increase in whiskey revenues from the comparable prior-year period.

bourbons and the Irish whiskies led to a 19.2% increase in whiskey revenues from the comparable prior-year period. In addition to continuing its new fill programs, the Company purchased an additional 1,800 barrels of aged bourbon to support the continued growth of Jefferson's .

. Goslings Stormy Ginger Beer case sales increased 10.8% to approximately 360,000 cases from approximately 325,000 in the comparable prior-year period.

"Continued strong growth of our more profitable brands, such as Jefferson's and our Irish whiskeys, resulted in solid revenue growth and even greater growth in gross profit. This allowed us to increase income from operations, reduce net loss and increase EBITDA, as adjusted. We expect these trends of increasing sales and improving financial performance to continue over the balance of the fiscal year and beyond," stated Richard J. Lampen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Castle Brands.

"In the quarter, our additional purchases of aged bourbon reserves, coupled with the continuation of our two long-term new fill programs, put us in a solid position to support continued sales growth of our Jefferson's bourbon portfolio. We plan to expand our wine finishes program and introduce several other new Jefferson's expressions over the balance of the fiscal year. We also increased our Irish whiskey offerings and expanded our barrel program for Knappogue Castle Whiskey," said John Glover, Chief Operating Officer of Castle Brands.

"The growing popularity of ginger beer cocktails, including Goslings' trademarked "Dark 'n Stormy" cocktail, has been an important growth driver of Goslings "Stormy Ginger Beer." Ginger beer sales for the 12 months ended September 30, 2016 exceeded 1.2 million cases, making "Stormy Ginger Beer" the best-selling premium ginger beer in America. We are also increasing the prominence of the Goslings brand through our sponsorship of the 35th America's Cup. The America's Cup has become an extreme sport and millions of viewers are following this very high-profile event. Europe and the United States hosted races in 2015 and 2016 and AC35 will culminate with the Challenger Playoffs and Finals in Bermuda in 2017. Goslings will have far more visibility and global reach than ever before with an enormous audience that goes well beyond the demographics of the sailing world," Mr. Glover added.

For the Three and Six Months Ended September 30, 2016

In the second quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company had net sales of $19.6 million, a 5.9% increase from net sales of $18.5 million in the comparable prior-year period. This sales growth was primarily driven by the U.S. sales growth of Jefferson's bourbons and Goslings Stormy Ginger Beer. Net loss was ($0.5) million in the second quarter of fiscal 2017 compared to a net loss of ($0.7) million in the comparable prior-year period. Net loss attributable to common shareholders was ($0.7) million, or ($0.00) per basic and diluted share, in the second quarter of fiscal 2017, as compared to ($1.0) million, or ($0.01) per basic and diluted share, in the prior-year period.

EBITDA, as adjusted, for the second quarter of fiscal 2017 improved to $1.0 million as compared to $0.9 million for the comparable prior-year period.

For the six months ended September 30, 2016, the Company had net sales of $36.4 million, a 3.8% increase from net sales of $35.0 million in the comparable prior-year period. Net loss was ($1.1) million for the six months ended September 30, 2016, as compared to a net loss of ($1.5) million in the comparable prior-year period. Net loss attributable to common shareholders was ($1.5) million, or ($0.01) per basic and diluted share, for the six months ended September 30, 2016, as compared to ($2.1) million, or ($0.01) per basic and diluted share, in the prior-year period.

EBITDA, as adjusted, for the six months ended September 30, 2016 was $1.5 million and $1.5 million for the comparable prior-year period.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Within the information above, Castle Brands provides information regarding EBITDA, as adjusted, which is not a recognized term under GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and does not purport to be an alternative to income (loss) from operations or net income (loss) as a measure of operating performance. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, adjusted for allowances for doubtful accounts and obsolete inventory, stock-based compensation expense, other expense (income), net, income from equity investment in non-consolidated affiliate, foreign exchange and net income attributable to noncontrolling interests is a key metric the Company uses in evaluating its financial performance on a consistent basis across various periods. EBITDA, as adjusted, is considered a non-GAAP financial measure as defined by Regulation G promulgated by the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Due to the significance of non-cash and non-recurring items, EBITDA, as adjusted, enables the Company's Board of Directors and management to monitor and evaluate the business on a consistent basis. The Company uses EBITDA, as adjusted, as a primary measure, among others, to analyze and evaluate financial and strategic planning decisions regarding future operating investments and allocation of capital resources. The Company believes that EBITDA, as adjusted, eliminates items that are not indicative of its core operating performance or are based on management's estimates, such as allowance accounts, are due to changes in valuation, such as the effects of changes in foreign exchange, or do not involve a cash outlay, such as stock-based compensation expense. EBITDA, as adjusted, should be considered in addition to, rather than as a substitute for, income from operations, net income and cash flows from operating activities. A reconciliation of net loss attributable to common shareholders to EBITDA, as adjusted, is presented below.

About Castle Brands

Castle Brands is a developer and international marketer of premium and super-premium beverage alcohol brands including: Jefferson's, Jefferson's Presidential Select, Jefferson's Reserve, Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Bourbon, Jefferson's Wine Finish Collection and Jefferson's Wood Experiments, Goslings Rums, Knappogue Castle Whiskey, Clontarf Irish Whiskey, Pallini Limoncello, Boru Vodka and Brady's Irish Cream. Additional information concerning the Company is available on the Company's website, www.castlebrandsinc.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes statements of our expectations, intentions, plans and beliefs that constitute "forward looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are intended to come within the safe harbor protection provided by those sections. These statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, relate to the discussion of our business strategies and our expectations concerning future operations, margins, sales, new products and brands, potential joint ventures, potential acquisitions, expenses, profitability, liquidity and capital resources and to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. You can identify these and other forward-looking statements by the use of such words as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "thinks," "estimates," "seeks," "predicts," "could," "projects," "potential" and other similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. These forward looking statements are made based on expectations and beliefs concerning future events affecting us and are subject to uncertainties, risks and factors relating to our operations and business environments, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control, that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those matters expressed or implied by these forward looking statements. These risks include our history of losses and expectation of further losses, our ability to expand our operations in both new and existing markets, our ability to develop or acquire new brands, our relationships with distributors, the success of our marketing activities, the effect of competition in our industry and economic and political conditions generally, including the current economic environment and markets. More information about these and other factors are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in Castle Brands' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2016, as amended, and other reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. When considering these forward looking statements, you should keep in mind the cautionary statements in this press release and the reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and we cannot predict those events or how they may affect us. We assume no obligation to update any forward looking statements after the date of this press release as a result of new information, future events or developments, except as required by the federal securities laws.

CASTLE BRANDS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)



Three months ended September 30,

Six months ended September 30,

2016 2015

2016 2015 Sales, net* $19,627,791 $18,536,509

$36,378,716 $35,049,588 Cost of sales* 11,900,531 11,480,107

21,935,341 21,365,872











Gross profit 7,727,260 7,056,402

14,443,375 13,683,716











Selling expense 5,031,597 4,941,213

9,662,512 9,293,158 General and administrative expense 2,140,659 1,691,332

4,130,894 3,757,423 Depreciation and amortization 253,463 233,069

507,097 461,325











Income from operations 301,541 190,788

142,872 171,810











Other (expense) income, net (27) 600

(333) (221) Income from equity investment in non-consolidated affiliate 18,837 4,513

23,320 4,513 Foreign exchange (loss) gain (3,375) (40,360)

76,488 (89,579) Interest expense, net (328,868) (257,636)

(639,129) (514,800)











Loss before provision for income taxes (11,892) (102,095)

(396,782) (428,277) Income tax expense, net (477,962) (579,962)

(688,775) (1,103,924)











Net loss (489,854) (652,0570

(1,085,557) (1,532,201) Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (210,856) (329,214)

(380,972) (602,732)











Net loss attributable to common shareholders $(700,710) $(1,011,271)

$(1,466,529) $(2,134,933)











Net loss per common share, basic and diluted, attributable to common shareholders $(0.00) $(0.01)

$(0.01) $(0.01)











Weighted average shares used in computation, basic and diluted, attributable to common shareholders 160,698,696 159,774,811

160,610,804 158,661,309

* Sales, net and Cost of sales include excise taxes of $1,912,740 and $1,919,019 for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and $3,628,701 and $3,687,999 for the six months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

CASTLE BRANDS INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES Reconciliation of net loss to EBITDA, as adjusted (Unaudited)



Three months ended September 30,

Six months ended

September 30,

2016 2015

2016 2015 Net loss attributable to common shareholders $(700,710) $(1,011,271)

$(1,466,529) $(2,134,933) Adjustments:









Interest expense, net 328,868 257,636

639,129 514,800 Income tax expense, net 477,962 579,962

688,775 1,103,924 Depreciation and amortization 253,463 233,069

507,097 461,325 EBITDA income (loss) 359,583 59,396

368,472 (54,884) Allowance for doubtful accounts 11,550 9,000

23,100 43,000 Allowance for obsolete inventory 50,000 --

100,000 100,000 Stock-based compensation expense 410,097 458,450

762,497 698,390 Other expense (income), net 27 (600)

333 221 Income from equity investments in non-consolidated affiliate (18,837) (4,513)

(23,320) (4,513) Foreign exchange loss (gain) 3,375 40,360

(76,488) 89,579 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests 210,856 329,214

380,972 602,732 EBITDA, as adjusted 1,026,651 891,307

1,535,566 1,474,525

Castle Brands Inc.

Investor Relations, 646-356-0200

[email protected]

www.castlebrandsinc.com

SOURCE Castle Brands Inc.

Related Links

http://www.castlebrandsinc.com


WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has issued the following statement regarding last night's election of Donald Trump as President-Elect.

Full statement follows.

Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville

President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

WASHINGTON, November 9, 2016  The American people have made their decision on the next President of the United States, members of Congress as well as state and local officials. I congratulate Mr. Trump and everyone elected yesterday. Now is the moment to move toward the responsibility of governing for the common good of all citizens. Let us not see each other in the divisive light of Democrat or Republican or any other political party, but rather, let us see the face of Christ in our neighbors, especially the suffering or those with whom we may disagree.

We, as citizens and our elected representatives, would do well to remember the words of Pope Francis when he addressed the United States Congress last year, "all political activity must serve and promote the good of the human person and be based on respect for his or her dignity." Yesterday, millions of Americans who are struggling to find economic opportunity for their families voted to be heard. Our response should be simple: we hear you. The responsibility to help strengthen families belongs to each of us.

The Bishops Conference looks forward to working with President-elect Trump to protect human life from its most vulnerable beginning to its natural end. We will advocate for policies that offer opportunity to all people, of all faiths, in all walks of life. We are firm in our resolve that our brothers and sisters who are migrants and refugees can be humanely welcomed without sacrificing our security. We will call attention to the violent persecution threatening our fellow Christians and people of other faiths around the world, especially in the Middle East. And we will look for the new administration's commitment to domestic religious liberty, ensuring people of faith remain free to proclaim and shape our lives around the truth about man and woman, and the unique bond of marriage that they can form.

Every election brings a new beginning. Some may wonder whether the country can reconcile, work together and fulfill the promise of a more perfect union. Through the hope Christ offers, I believe God will give us the strength to heal and unite.

Let us pray for leaders in public life that they may rise to the responsibilities entrusted to them with grace and courage. And may all of us as Catholics help each other be faithful and joyful witnesses to the healing love of Jesus.

SOURCE U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Armor has been an integral & strategic element of the force structure of land forces globally since the first realizations, development & advent of Tanks for combat in World War I which followed rapid further developments & subsequent extensive utilization in the World War II. Armor's role in providing mobility, troop protection and lethal firepower was further underscored & demonstrated effectively across the Iraq & Afghanistan war theatres over the first decade of the present century during the allied war operations which witnessed a generational change in threat landscape underscored by the extensive utilization of IEDs, RPGs & ATGMs while combating asymmetric warfare tactics with battlefield boundaries being nebulous at best and non-existent at the worst. This evolution of threat landscape with growing & serious threat to armor survivability from a range of threats has questioned the very raison d'etre of previous generation light & medium armor in the current, completely altered threat landscape, thus, rendering some of the existing platforms, like HMMWVs and M113 APCs, incapable of operating effectively and obsolete, thus, spurring replacement demand ageing vehicle platforms across most key markets globally.

The emerging global market scenario for armored vehicles is likely to witness a spurt in demand over near to medium term driven by a number of drivers & favorable factors, which include, rapidly evolving global geopolitical dynamics & equations with resurgence of conventional state based threats, political instability & ongoing conflict across some regions, a wearing down of the general world order and growing threat from extremism & terrorism. Additionally, an ageing global armored vehicles fleet dating back to the cold war era and technological evolution in the form of development of next generation technologies along with the advent of third generation MBTs & other vehicle platforms featuring significantly enhanced capabilities as well as expansion of operational spectrum, capabilities, level of protection & performance threshold are likely to be the other key demand drivers for armored vehicles over near to medium term.

In the North American market, the rolling out of some key, big ticket scratch up and upgrade programs as of late has already upped the ante for the industry which is gearing up for an upswing after a brief hiatus with the U.S. Army planning a rapid as well as comprehensive upgrade & modernization of its combat vehicle platforms aimed at regaining its technology led overmatch over adversaries having gained useful, practical insights from a decade of actual combat experiences from its war operations with respect to doctrine, strategy as well as capabilities of core assets while facing significant readiness challenges for its BCTs and with a compelling case at hand with respect to Russian resurgence on the world arena altering geopolitical dynamics and threatening NATO allies with its new found military muscle.

Against this backdrop, the report maps out as to how the key industry OEMs are currently positioned and are likely to fit into as well as emerge over near to medium term amid a rapidly evolving market scenario. The scope includes a Comprehensive & Insightful Comparative SWOT framework Analysis and analysis of the Near to Medium Term Strategy Focus for North America's Top 7 armored vehicle manufacturers. The framework analyzes the Strengths & Weaknesses of the OEMs from a standalone as well as relative perspective based on a comprehensive analysis of their Key, Strategic Aspects, which include:

-- Product Portfolio Analysis & its Strategic Positioning across Key Markets & Segments

-- Breadth & Depth of Presence across Key Geographic Markets & Regions

-- Analysis of overall Cost Base, Structure & its Management

--Analysis of Revenue streams, Resource Base & Key Competencies

--Profitability, Key Profit Sources, Growth & Trend Analysis

--Capital & Ownership Structure, Financial Strength

--Key Competitor Analysis across Market Segments & Degree of Competitive Intensity

--Competitive Market Positioning across Key Global Markets & Market Share

--Overall Strategy Orientation & Focus, R&D Strategy, Technological Strength & Capabilities

The framework subsequently analyzes & identifies potentially significant, niche growth opportunities & avenues and imminent as well as emerging threats for each key industry OEM based on their strategic product portfolio & market positioning, core strengths & weaknesses and overall strategy focus & orientation against the backdrop of emerging market dynamics & trends. The report analyzes the overall degree of strategic responsiveness of OEMs to external environmental factors, which include, prevailing industry dynamics & emerging industry trends, issues, challenges & potential risk factors to assess their ability to be able to derive further business growth by capitalizing on potential growth opportunities effectively while negating threats simultaneously over near to medium term.

Relevance & Usefulness: The report will be useful for

-- Inputs for Strategic Planning, Competitive Assessment & Decision-Making Processes -- Analysis of Core Strengths & Weaknesses for each of the 7 Key Industry Players-- Analysis of Near-term Strategy Focus and Insights into Key Strategies & Plans for the industry OEMs-- Identification of & Insights into Potential Growth Opportunities & Avenues -- Analysis of Key & Emerging Market & Technology Trends-- Analysis of Key Issues, Challenges & Potential Risk Factors-- Identifying & highlighting areas for making potential Strategic Changes, Adjustments & Realignment-- Contingency planning for current Strategies & Programs-- Analysis of Forces Driving as well as restraining the Industry & their Overall Dynamics -- Strategic Perspective on the likely Evolution of the Global Armored Vehicle Market over Medium Term -- Near to Medium Term Market Outlook, Inputs on Market Evolution & Demand Growth Projections

For Whom: Key Decision-Makers across Industry Value Chain

The report will be essential for those having strategic interest in the North American Armored Vehicles Market. The report will be extremely useful for Key Decision-Makers, Program Managers, Procurement Managers, Defense Contracting Executives & Departments, Top Management of Industry Players & Other Companies, Industry OEMs, Suppliers, Vendors, Associated Equipment Manufacturers and other Key Players in the Industry Value Chain. The report will also be useful for existing & potential Investors, Industry & Company Analysts, M&A Advisory Firms, Strategy & Management Consulting Firms seeking/working on client projects, PE Firms, Venture Capitalists, PR & Advertising Agencies seeking/working on client projects, Researchers and all those associated with the industry.

Features, Benefits & Reasons to Procure:

--Provides Macro View and Big Picture Quickly--Blend of Quantitative & Qualitative Analysis--Significant Time Savings--Visual Representation enables Easy Comprehension --Meetings & Presentation Ready Format--Superior & Enriched User Experience with Incorporation of Relevant Images

Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04061484-summary/view-report.html

About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

http://www.reportlinker.com

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US:(339) 368 6001

Intl:+1 339 368 6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

http://www.reportlinker.com


NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Armor has been an integral & strategic element of the force structure of land forces globally since the first realizations, development & advent of Tanks for combat in World War I which followed rapid further developments & subsequent extensive utilization in the World War II. Armor's role in providing mobility, troop protection and lethal firepower was further underscored & demonstrated effectively across the Iraq & Afghanistan war theatres over the first decade of the present century during the allied war operations which witnessed a generational change in threat landscape underscored by the extensive utilization of IEDs, RPGs & ATGMs while combating asymmetric warfare tactics with battlefield boundaries being nebulous at best and non-existent at the worst. The operations drove home the stark realization with respect to the limitations & inability of legacy armor to withstand & match up to modern threat landscape while facing a non-state, much less competent adversary. The realization, coupled with evolution of the global geo-political dynamics & equations, have already triggered an armor modernization drive in the overdrive mode across most traditional & emerging markets.

The emerging global market scenario for armored vehicles, thus, is poised to witness a spurt in demand over near to medium term driven by a number of drivers & favorable factors, which include resurgence of conventional state based threats, political instability & ongoing conflict across some regions, a wearing down of the general world order and growing threat from extremism & terrorism. Additionally, technological evolution in the form of development of next generation technologies along with the advent of third generation MBTs & other vehicle platforms featuring significantly enhanced capabilities as well as expansion of operational spectrum, capabilities, level of protection & performance threshold are likely to be the other key demand drivers for armored vehicles over near to medium term.

In the North American market, the rolling out of some key, big ticket scratch up and upgrade programs as of late has already upped the ante for the industry which is gearing up for an upswing after a brief hiatus with the U.S. Army planning a rapid as well as comprehensive upgrade & modernization of its combat vehicle platforms aimed at regaining its technology led overmatch over adversaries having gained useful, practical insights from a decade of actual combat experiences from its war operations with respect to doctrine, strategy as well as capabilities of core assets while facing significant readiness challenges for its BCTs and with a compelling case at hand with respect to Russian resurgence on the world arena altering geopolitical dynamics and threatening NATO allies with its new found military muscle.

The European scenario is no different with the traditional armor stronghold facing a hectic pace of activities with the looming, credulous Russian threat backed by third generation armor as well as related technological advances and increasing Russian activities in Eastern Europe & the Baltics having already driven a significant increase in defense spending across a number of states based in Northern as well as Central Europe, in addition, to the Baltics with a significant focus & emphasis being placed on land forces and armor given the geographic location and proximity of these states to Russia. A number of large, big ticket defense modernization & replacement programs have already been initiated, announced or are in the pipeline stage across a number of European states aimed at replacement of ageing, cold war legacy armor, led by the U.K., France, Poland & a number of other European states. Impending upgrades to traditional heavyweight armor centerpieces, including the Challenger 2 & Leclerc MBTs, too, which had been impending for a long time, are also on the anvil and about to be rolled out now along with a number of new IFV & APC procurement programs being initiated. The numbers are likely to go up further over near to medium term with the NATO's defense spending mandate compliance likely to become a key point of contention.

The Global outlook for armored vehicles over medium term, thus, is bright & promising with the presence of a number of long term demand & growth drivers in the form of ageing existing hardware, strong external threat perception amid evolving geo-political dynamics and availability of next generation technologies, most notably the introduction of third generation MBTs, driving manifold increase in capabilities, mobility, protection and firepower. These strategic factors have collectively driven & are likely to continue to drive significant investments towards land systems with the initiation of a number of new, active as well as planned procurement programs for armored vehicle across most traditional & emerging markets.

Against this backdrop, the report maps out as to how the key industry OEMs are currently positioned and are likely to fit into as well as emerge over near to medium term amid a rapidly evolving market scenario as the industry gears up for demand resurgence after a long hiatus marked by the initiation of a number of new asset recapitalization & modernization programs across most parts of the world. The scope of analysis includes a Comprehensive & Insightful Comparative SWOT framework Analysis and analysis of the Near to Medium Term Strategy Focus for the World's 10 leading Armored Vehicle manufacturers. The framework analyzes the Strengths & Weaknesses of the OEMs from a standalone as well as relative perspective based on a comprehensive analysis of their Key, Strategic Aspects, which include:

-- Product Portfolio Analysis & its Strategic Positioning across Key Markets & Segments

-- Breadth & Depth of Presence across Key Geographic Markets & Regions

-- Analysis of overall Cost Base, Structure & its Management

--Analysis of Revenue streams, Resource Base & Key Competencies

--Profitability, Key Profit Sources, Growth & Trend Analysis

--Capital & Ownership Structure, Financial Strength

--Key Competitor Analysis across Market Segments & Degree of Competitive Intensity

--Competitive Market Positioning across Key Global Markets & Market Share

--Overall Strategy Orientation & Focus, R&D Strategy, Technological Strength & Capabilities

The framework subsequently analyzes & identifies potentially significant, niche growth opportunities & avenues and imminent as well as emerging threats for each key industry OEM based on their strategic product portfolio & market positioning, core strengths & weaknesses and overall strategy focus & orientation against the backdrop of emerging market dynamics & trends. The report analyzes the overall degree of strategic responsiveness of OEMs to external environmental factors, which include, prevailing industry dynamics & emerging industry trends, issues, challenges & potential risk factors to assess their ability to be able to derive further business growth by capitalizing on potential growth opportunities effectively while negating threats simultaneously over near to medium term.

Relevance & Usefulness: The report will be useful for

-- Inputs for Strategic Planning, Competitive Assessment & Decision-Making Processes -- Analysis of Core Strengths & Weaknesses for each of the 10 Key Global Industry Players-- Analysis of Near-term Strategy Focus and Insights into Key Strategies & Plans for the industry OEMs-- Identification of & Insights into Potential Growth Opportunities & Avenues -- Analysis of Key & Emerging Market & Technology Trends-- Analysis of Key Issues, Challenges & Potential Risk Factors-- Identifying & highlighting areas for making potential Strategic Changes, Adjustments & Realignment-- Contingency planning for current Strategies & Programs-- Analysis of Forces Driving as well as restraining the Industry & their Overall Dynamics -- Strategic Perspective on the likely Evolution of the European and Global Armored Vehicle Market over Medium Term -- Near to Medium Term Market Outlook, Inputs on Market Evolution & Demand Growth Projections

For Whom:

The report is essential & a must have for Government, Military & Senior Industry Personnel and all those with strategic interest & stakes in the Global Armored Vehicles Market. The report will be extremely useful for Key Decision-Makers, Program Managers, Global Procurement Managers, Defense Contracting Executives & Departments, Top Management of Industry Players & Other Companies, Industry OEMs, Suppliers, Vendors, MRO Services Providers, Associated Equipment Manufacturers and other Key Players in the Industry Value Chain. The report will also be useful for existing & potential Investors, Industry & Company Analysts, M&A Advisory Firms, Strategy & Management Consulting Firms, PE Firms, Venture Capitalists, Financing & Leasing Companies, Researchers and all those associated with the industry/sector.

Features, Benefits & Reasons to Procure:-

--Provides Macro View and Big Picture Quickly--Blend of Quantitative & Qualitative Analysis--Significant Time Savings--Visual Representation --Meetings & Presentation Ready Format--Superior & Enriched User Experience with Incorporation of Relevant Images

Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04061483-summary/view-report.html

About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

http://www.reportlinker.com

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US:(339) 368 6001

Intl:+1 339 368 6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

http://www.reportlinker.com


JACKSON, Mich., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With the holiday season approaching, Consumers Energy is supporting Michigan nonprofit organizations that provide help to those in need.

The energy provider recently completed lighting upgrades that will help Feeding America West Michigan reduce its yearly energy costs. On top of that, Consumers Energy provided 75,000 high-efficiency LED bulbs to the food bank, which it will distribute to local human service agencies throughout West Michigan.

"We are committed to the Michigan communities we serve," said Tim Sparks, Consumers Energy's vice president of energy supply operations. "Strong nonprofit organizations like Feeding America West Michigan are vital to strong communities, and we are proud to support their mission to help people this winter and throughout the year."

Consumers Energy donated the LED bulbs following its "Buy a Bulb, Give a Bulb" campaign in October, part of the ENERGY STAR Change the World Tour, pledging to make a donation for every LED bulb that customers purchased. In addition, it provided free exterior lighting upgrades to Feeding America West Michigan's Cadillac and Comstock Park distribution centers, which will help the organization save over $3,500 per year.

"By helping us that save money on our utility bills, Consumers Energy is helping us distribute an additional 14,000 to people meals in need in our state," said Feeding America West Michigan CEO Ken Estelle. "That makes a real, measurable difference in our neighbors' lives."

Consumers Energy is helping Michigan nonprofits in other ways. The energy provider offers a discount on electric bills to homeless shelters during the winter months. It also teamed up with five nonprofit organizations statewide to make available up to $12 million in assistance that will help 30,000 households statewide to pay their energy bills this winter.

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.7 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

Media toolkit

ENERGY ASSISTANCE: Consumers Energy and five Michigan nonprofits are helping 30,000 households stay warm this winter: https://www.consumersenergy.com/News.aspx?id=8582&year=2016

'BUY A BULB, GIVE A BULB': Learn more about Consumers Energy's donation of 75,000 LED bulbs: https://www.consumersenergy.com/News.aspx?id=8570&year=2016

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com.

Check out Consumers Energy on Social Media

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/consumersenergymichigan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/consumersenergy

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/consumersenergy

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/consumersenergy/

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160126/326177LOGO

SOURCE Consumers Energy

Related Links

http://www.consumersenergy.com


WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "A few months ago a contractor using federal funds for highway work was fined by the Department of Justice for falsely claiming to be a minority owned business. In this instance the whistleblower received $500,000 for their information. If you work for a company that is falsely claiming to be a minority owned business and getting preferential treatment on any kind of federal contract, please call us anytime at 866-714-6466 for information about how the federal whistleblower reward program works." http://CorporateWhistleblowerCenter.Com

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Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437097LOGO



In May of this year the Department of Justice announced, "The settlement resolved a civil investigation of companies for submitting false claims for payment to the United States Department of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise ("DBE") Program."

DBE is another way of saying a minority owned business-as the Corporate Whistleblower Center would like to explain anytime at 866-714-6466. If a manager or employee can prove their employer is falsely portraying themselves as a minority owned business the reward can be significant. In this instance the contractor was involved in federal highway projects. http://CorporateWhistleblowerCenter.Com

The Corporate Whistleblower Center is especially interested in hearing from the following types of people who can prove a contractor involved in federally funded contracts is portraying themselves as a minority owned business (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise-DBE).

A woman owned business in name only. Either the woman's husband runs the business, or the woman is the owner of the business in name only-she does not participate in the operation of the business.

An African American or Hispanic owned business in name only. In reality-the business is owned and operated by non-minorities and the non-minority operators make all management and financial decisions for the business.

The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "If your employer is involved in any kind of contract with the Department of Defense, the Department of Transportation, Department of Education, HUD, the EPA, or any other federal agency and they are falsely claiming to be a minority owned business please call us anytime at 866-714-6466 so we can get you up to speed on how the federal whistleblower reward program works and the kind of team you will need to get rewarded for your information. In our opinion having this kind of information could be like having a winning lotto ticket as we would like to explain." http://CorporateWhistleblowerCenter.Com

Simple rules for a whistleblower from the Corporate Whistleblower Center: Do not go to the government first if you are a major whistleblower. The Corporate Whistleblower Center says, "Major whistleblowers frequently go to the government thinking they will help. It's a huge mistake. Do not go to the news media with your whistleblower information. Public revelation of a whistleblower's information could destroy any prospect for a reward. Do not try to force a company or individual to come clean on falsely claiming to be a minority owned business. Come to us first, tell us what type of information you have, and if we think it's sufficient, we will help find the right law firms to assist in advancing your information."

The Corporate Whistleblower Center is the premier advocate for whistleblowers in the United States. Unlike any group in the US, they assist potential whistleblowers with packaging their information and providing the whistleblower with access to the most accomplished whistleblower attorneys in the nation. For more information, potential whistleblowers can contact the Corporate Whistleblower Center anytime at 866-714-6466 or visit http://CorporateWhistleblowerCenter.Com.

For attribution for the Department of Justice press release related to a whistleblower reward for a non- minority owned business please refer to the May 2016 press release that discusses this: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdtn/pr/local-construction-company-settles-allegations-fraud-involving-disadvantaged-business-0.

Contact:

Thomas Martin

866-714-6466

[email protected]

SOURCE Corporate Whistleblower Center

Related Links

http://CorporateWhistleblowerCenter.Com


WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With the historic 2016 election cycle complete, and just 36 hours after the polls have closed, CQ Roll Call, an Economist Group business, will take a deep-dive into the outcomes of the Presidential and Congressional elections, and the implications for the months and years ahead, at its 2016 Election Impact Conference on Thursday, November 10th at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill.

For more than 35 years, the Election Impact Conference has been a "must-attend" event of the election season. "Live on C-SPAN 2" will carry the day's events.

This year's conference will feature an impressive roster of experts  along with the editorial teams of CQ, Roll Call and The Economist  who will examine the 2016 election's impact on vital policy areas such as health care, defense, energy, budget and appropriations, cybersecurity and domestic policy. Former U.S. Senators Tom Daschle and Trent Lott will be among the speakers and will sign their book, "Crisis Point: Why We Must  and How We Can  Overcome Our Broken Politics in Washington and Across America".

CQ also will unveil its "Guide to the New Congress" special issue. Produced for associations, advocacy groups and other entities that seek to understand the power shift that has occurred and determine what it means to their respective organizations, the report profiles every new lawmaker with detailed statistics, key dates and insights about evolving agendas and committee structures.

Scheduled speakers include Tom Daschle, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader and CEO of The Daschle Group; Trent Lott, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader and Senior Counsel at Squire Patton Boggs; Eric Cantor, former Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives and Vice Chairman & Managing Director Moelis & Company; Jeff Weaver, former Presidential Campaign Manager for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders; Michelle D. Bernard, Political Analyst & President and CEO of the Bernard Center for Women, Politics & Public Policy; and Barry Jackson, former Chief of Staff for Speaker of the House John Boehner and Managing Director of The Lindsey Group. Event details, the list of speakers and a full agenda are available online.

SOURCE CQ Roll Call
NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- WeissLaw LLP is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the Board of Directors of Datalink Corporation ("DTLK" or the "Company") in connection with the proposed acquisition of the Company by Insight Enterprises Inc. ("Insight"). On November 7, 2016, the Company announced that it had reached a definitive agreement for Insight to acquire all outstanding shares of DTLK for $11.25 in cash per share, implying an equity value of approximately $258 million.

WeissLaw is investigating whether DTLK's Board acted to maximize shareholder value prior to entering into the agreement. Notably, the premium over DTLK's closing price is significantly lower than that of comparable transactions.

Given these facts, WeissLaw is investigating whether DTLK's Board acted in the best interests of DTLK's public shareholders to maximize shareholder value prior to entering into the agreement. If you own DTLK shares and would like more information about your rights or our investigation, or if you have information to share with us, please contact Joshua Rubin by telephone at (888) 593-4771 or by email at [email protected].

WeissLaw LLP has litigated hundreds of stockholder class and derivative actions for violations of corporate and fiduciary duties. We have recovered over a billion dollars for defrauded clients and obtained important corporate governance relief in many of these cases. If you have information or would like legal advice concerning possible corporate wrongdoing (including insider trading, waste of corporate assets, accounting fraud, or materially misleading information), consumer fraud (including false advertising, defective products, or other deceptive business practices), or anti-trust violations, please email us at [email protected] or fill out the form on our website, http://www.weisslawllp.com/datalink-corp/

SOURCE WeissLaw LLP

Related Links

http://www.weisslawllp.com


The DERMA FLASH device features a gentle edge combined with a subtle sonic vibration that painlessly removes dull, dead surface cells and built up debris as well as the peach fuzz on a woman's face. Silky, smooth, radiant skin is immediately revealed after just one treatment.

"I was impressed with DERMAFLASH for its ability to provide exfoliation and hair removal benefits without being irritating or provoking an age-accelerating, inflammatory response, making it an ideal complement for Perricone MD patented sciences," explains Dr. Nicholas Perricone.

The Perricone MD regimen delivers a gentle yet powerful one-two punch: Blue Plasma Cleansing Treatment followed by OVM treatment. Micellar-based Blue Plasma Cleansing Treatment allows skin to best reap the benefits of OVM, an anti-aging treatment designed to address the appearance of volume, cushion and radiance and soothe all skin types, even sensitive.

"Patented science and technology are at the heart of Perricone MD's targeted range of anti-inflammatory skincare," enthuses Mary van Praag, President and CEO of Perricone, MD. "We are excited to partner with DERMAFLASH whose innovative delivery system perfectly aligns with our brand values. This system truly suits the need of our consumers looking for skincare solutions that deliver real results."

DERMAFLASH creates the perfect canvas for both skincare and makeup by removing the barrier to penetration, prepping skin for the ultimate absorption of anti-aging ingredients. With daily use of patented and proven Perricone MD products, this system promotes a more hydrated, firmer-looking, youthful appearance, visibly targeting and diminishing wrinkles.

"I am honored and excited to collaborate with Perricone MD," explains Dara Levy, Founder of DERMAFLASH. "Dr. Perricone is a legendary force in the skincare industry and I have been an avid fan of his skin-saving solutions for years. I've always been in pursuit of perfect skin, and through the coupling of the Perricone MD products with DERMAFLASH, I have achieved the flawless skin I have been searching for my entire life!"

This Limited-Edition Set Features Four Skin-Perfecting Steps:

Step 1: DERMAFLASH Prep: This pre-treatment cleanser removes the oil from skin's surface and prepares the skin for maximum benefits from DERMAFLASH.

Step 2: DERMAFLASH: Clears away dead skin cells and built up debris from the skin's surface while simultaneously removing peach fuzz, unveiling smooth, radiant-looking skin.

Step 3: Perricone MD Blue Plasma Cleansing Treatment: A non-rinse dual-cleansing treatment to purify and hydrate, leaving skin visibly fresh, healthy and glowing.

Step 4: Perricone MD OVM: OVM treatment delivers all the anti-aging benefits of Retinol without inflammation thanks to power of Eggshell Membrane, Vitamin C Ester and Vitamin E. Increased hydration and dramatic results can be attained with no flaking, peeling or irritation.

For maximum benefits, use Perricone MD's Blue Plasma Cleansing Treatment and OVM treatment daily, in-between weekly DERMAFLASH treatments.

The limited-edition Ultimate Exfoliation & Treatment System from DERMAFLASH and Perricone MD retails for $229 (a $286.50 value) and will be available at PerriconeMD.com, Dermaflash.com, Sephora.com, QVC.com, Nordstrom.com and in select Nordstrom stores while supplies last.

About DERMAFLASH

DERMAFLASH is a non-invasive at home exfoliating device, inspired by both the inspa dermaplaning facial treatment and the majesty of the hummingbird. DERMAFLASH uses a subtle sonic vibration that mimics the flutter and vibration of the hummingbird's wings. The hummingbird is agile and glides effortlessly left, right, backwards and upside down, just like DERMAFLASH. @DERMAFLASH #DERMAFLASH www.facebook.com/DERMAFLASH

About Perricone MD

Founded in 1997 by Dr. Nicholas Perricone, Perricone MD features a collection of exclusive, unique and highly efficacious skincare comprised of patented and proprietary technologies that have revolutionized the anti-aging category. These technologies include Nrf2 Antioxidant Complex, DMAE, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamin C Ester, Tocotrienols, Phospholipids and Neuropeptides. The brand also offers Nutriceuticals, which are targeted supplements that work on a cellular level to help achieve health and beauty from the inside out. Perricone MD is Serious About Beauty at its core continually delivering disruptive sciences that set the ultimate standard in holistic beauty.

Perricone MD is a global leader in the prestige professional skincare category. The brand's products are available at the Flagship store in Berkeley, on the website at www.perriconemd.com, as well as through Sephora, Nordstrom, Ulta, Neimanmarcus.com and other leading specialty stores in the US. Perricone MD products are also available in more than 21 countries around the world and sold in prestige venues. @PerriconeMD #PerriconeMD https://www.facebook.com/perriconemd

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437189

SOURCE DERMAFLASH

Related Links

http://www.dermaflash.com


DALLAS, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dickey's Barbecue Pit has been passionate about the art of great barbecue since 1941, and is now looking for passionate artists to portray their great art as a mural at Dickey's original location. To celebrate the barbecue brand's 75th anniversary, Dickey's is calling for artists to submit artwork for consideration to become a permanent feature on the store's external walls as large-scale murals. Two murals will be chosen. Selected artists will win $500 and free barbecue for a year. Located at Knox-Henderson and North Central Expressway, Dickey's first location is one of the oldest, continuously-running restaurants in Dallas.

Submissions will be accepted until November 24, and can be uploaded online via this submission form or mailed as a hard copy to:

Attn: Mural Contest

8150 North Central Expressway, Suite 200

Dallas, TX 75206

Submissions will not be returned.

To join Dickey's Big Yellow Cup Club, click here.

"Dickey's Barbecue Pit is an artisan brand, and we are proud to commission new works of art to feature prominently at our first and original location," says Roland Dickey Jr., CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants Inc. "The mural project will be a lasting symbol of Dickey's 75 years of serving authentic, Texas-style barbecue, and we look forward to many more years of serving communities around the nation and the world."

About Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.

Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the nation's largest barbecue chain was founded in 1941 by Travis Dickey with the goal of authentic slow-smoked barbecue. Today, all meats are still slow smoked on-site in each restaurant living up to the company tagline, "We Speak Barbecue." The Dallas-based family-run barbecue franchise offers a quality selection of signature meats, home style sides, tangy barbecue sauce and free kids' meals every Sunday. The fast-casual concept has expanded to more than 560 locations in 43 states. This year Dickey's won first place on Fast Casual's "Top 100 Movers and Shakers" and ranked in the top ten of Franchise Times' "Fast and Serious." Dickey's Barbecue Pit was recognized for the third year by Nation's Restaurant News as a "Top 10 Growth Chain" and by Technomic as the "Fastest-growing restaurant chain in the country." For more information, visit www.dickeys.com or for barbecue franchise opportunities call 866.340.6188.

Media Contact:

Michelle George / Callie Head

[email protected] / [email protected]

972.248.9899

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140102/LA39739LOGO

SOURCE Dickey's Barbecue

Related Links

http://www.dickeys.com


CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten cultural and arts nonprofit organizations in North Carolina are receiving more than $566,000 in grants from the Duke Energy Foundation to support arts appreciation and educational programs that foster community vitality.

"Arts and cultural programs unite the diverse communities we serve," said David Fountain, Duke Energy North Carolina president. "We are proud to invest in programs expanding access to and fostering appreciation of arts and culture in our state."

The grants, from the Duke Energy Foundation, will help enhance arts, music, cultural and professional development programs, allowing the organizations to continue strengthening and expanding their work within our communities.

"Duke Energy is a true 'triple threat' arts partner through its support for our main stage and educational programming, engaged and proactive volunteers and professional development opportunities for our team," said Lisa Barrie, president and CEO, NC Theatre. "The board and staff of North Carolina Theatre are deeply grateful for the support of Duke Energy, and Raleigh is a stronger community because of its engagement."

The following organizations are receiving grants to strengthen arts and cultural initiatives in North Carolina.

Carolina Ballet  $175,000 for the 2016-17 season and Arts Access Initiative, which allows the ballet company to offer affordable performances and continue providing complimentary and discounted tickets to people who wouldn't otherwise be able to attend performances.

Durham Arts Council  $15,000 for the Creating Community through the Arts initiative, which supports classes, artist residencies and exhibits. The program serves more than 900,000 participants, provides more than 1,000 jobs and has a collective economic impact exceeding $125 million annually.

Jazz Arts Initiative  $10,000 for the Jazz in Schools program, which provides interactive educational assembly programs to Title I Schools with economically disadvantaged K-12 students.

Blumenthal Performing Arts Center  $26,150 for the Duke Energy Ticket Scholarship Fund, which provides 390 tickets to underserved youth and families in partnership with area nonprofit organizations.

North Carolina Opera  $60,000 to support the upcoming season and the Opera In Schools programs, including Opera 101 and Poetry in Song.

North Carolina Symphony  $175,000 for the Statewide Music Education Sustainer, which provides music education to 60,000 school children annually in 31 counties, many of which are rural and under-resourced areas with limited access to the arts.

North Carolina Theatre  $40,000 for Program Excellence and Project Support, which impacts 5,000 young people throughout Wake County with a combination of training, performances and education/outreach activities, including Theatre4Change, a classroom-based peer-to-peer conflict resolution workshop series for underprivileged youth.

PineCone, The Piedmont Council of Traditional Music  $15,000 to support programs for the 2016-17 year. PineCone programs include concerts, festivals, youth music camps and more. More than 90 percent of the programs are offered to the public at no cost.

United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County  $25,000 for the Artists in Schools Program and Development Capacity Growth for Wake Nonprofit Arts Groups. This project helps maintain and increase cultural access for more than 6,000 Wake K-5 students from low-income households. In addition, this project provides first-year participation fees for 10 Wake County arts organizations in a cloud-based software service.

Winston-Salem Arts Council  $25,000 for the Duke Energy Regional Artist Project, which awards seed capital grants to local creative entrepreneurs in addition to connecting startups with a wealth of membership and publicity assets.

Duke Energy Foundation

The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to address the needs of the communities where its customers live and work. In 2015, the foundation provided more than $30 million in charitable gifts. The foundation's education focus spans kindergarten to career, particularly science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), early childhood literacy and workforce development. It also supports the environment and community impact initiatives, including arts and culture.

Duke Energy employees and retirees actively contribute to their communities as volunteers and leaders at a wide variety of nonprofit organizations. Duke Energy is committed to building on its legacy of community service. For more information, visit http://www.duke-energy.com/foundation.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is an S&P 100 Stock Index company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at http://duke-energy.com.

The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online destination for stories about remarkable people, innovations, and community and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into the past and insights into the future of energy.

Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Contact: Meredith Archie

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

Twitter: @DE_MeredithA

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130322/CL81938LOGO

SOURCE Duke Energy

Related Links

http://www.duke-energy.com


WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Zealand Internet Task Force (NZITF) will connect its members through EclecticIQ Platform  a highly secure solution that consolidates cyber threat intelligence from multiple sources to foster in-depth analysis, and enables easier information sharing with trusted partners. EclecticIQ makes extensive use of STIX and TAXII, which are OASIS open-source standards enabling automation of threat intelligence and incident response workflows.

With the agreement between NZITF and EclecticIQ, members of the New Zealand Internet Taskforce will have access to EclecticIQ Platform through an online portal. Through EclecticIQ Platform, NZITF members can share critical information about malware and other online threats among themselves and with New Zealand's wider cyber security community.

New Zealand Internet Task Force Chair Barry Brailey says information sharing is an important part of working to combat cyber threats, and a tactical imperative as the number of global security incidents continues to rise.

"EclecticIQ Platform provides a central hub for us to gather, digest, normalize and de-duplicate intelligence from our member base. We can streamline and funnel information coming from many different places into a single view, giving us instant access to information that we've previously only ever shared via email and face to face," says Brailey.

"Our agreement with EclecticIQ is a step along the road towards more automated data sharing for the Task Force which, ultimately, is a good thing for New Zealand's overall security posture," he says.

EclecticIQ CEO Joep Gommers says the agreement positions the New Zealand Internet Task Force extremely well to make better use of the increasing volume of cyber threat intelligence.

"In helping defend and mitigate cyber-based threats, the Task Force needs to be able to collaborate, and to quickly and easily share information. We're pleased, through this agreement, to be able to help them do this with our Threat Intelligence Platform," says Gommers.

Deployment and support of the EclecticIQ Platform is being performed by Cosive, a specialist in incident response and threat intelligence, and EclecticIQ's local representative.

A presentation on how the New Zealand Internet Task Force plans to make use of EclecticIQ's Threat Intelligence Platform will be given at the upcoming NZITF Conference, being held across two days in mid-November.

About NZITF

The New Zealand Internet Task Force (NZITF) is a non-profit with the mission of improving the cyber security posture of New Zealand. It's a forum based on mutual trust for debate, networking, information sharing, and collaboration on matters relating to the cyber security of New Zealand.

Members encompass security professionals across government, law enforcement, academia, information security, and private sector industries including telecommunications, information technology, and banking.

www.nzitf.org.nz

About EclecticIQ

EclecticIQ works with large enterprises, governments and MSSPs to improve cyber threat detection, prevention and response. Its analyst-centric EclecticIQ Platform boosts effectiveness of Threat Intelligence practices and intelligence-driven SOC and CERT operations.

The EclecticIQ Platform automatically collects intelligence from diverse sources; enables collaborative internal workflows; integrates with enterprise security technologies; and supports secure exchanges with external information-sharing communities.

The company won Deloitte's Technology FAST50 Rising Star Award for "Most Disruptive Innovator". EclecticIQ is a member of OASIS CTI TC and affiliate member of FS-ISAC.

www.eclecticiq.com

About Cosive

Cosive helps Australian and New Zealand organisations make better use of their threat intelligence. Cosive are the local representative for EclecticIQ Platform, as well as providing intelligence feeds, integration and consulting services, bespoke software systems development, STIX/TAXII and CybOX consultancy, and incident response guidance.

www.cosive.com

PRLog ID: www.prlog.org/12600305

SOURCE EclecticIQ

Related Links

http://www.eclecticiq.com


MILWAUKEE, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EnSync, Inc. (NYSE MKT: ESNC), dba EnSync Energy Systems, a leading developer of innovative energy management systems for the utility, commercial, industrial and multi-tenant building markets, announced today that Brad Hansen, Chief Executive Officer, and Fred Vaske, Chief Administrative Officer, will present at the 7th Annual Craig-Hallum Alpha Select Conference on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 8:00am ET. The conference is being held at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel in New York City.

Investors interested in arranging one-on-one meetings should contact your Craig-Hallum representative. Conversely, you may also call Lytham Partners at (602) 889-9700.

Event: 7th Annual Craig-Hallum Alpha Select Conference

Date: November 16, 2016

Time: 8:00 am Eastern Time

Location: Carnegie West Room - Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel in New York City

Webcast: www.ensync.com or http://wsw.com/webcast/ch6/esnc

A webcast replay will be available in the Investor Relations section of the company's website at www.ensync.com for approximately 90 days.

About EnSync Energy Systems

EnSync, Inc. (NYSE MKT: ESNC), dba EnSync Energy Systems, is enabling the future of electricity with advanced energy management systems critical to a global economy becoming increasingly reliant upon the expansion of renewable energy. Whether part of the grid power transmission and distribution network, or behind the meter in commercial, industrial and multi-tenant buildings, EnSync technology brings differentiated power control and energy storage solutions to electricity-challenged environments. Our technologies also serve as the system level intelligence in microgrid applications, by seamlessly integrating multiple generation and storage assets to deliver power in remote and community level environments not served by the grid, or areas electing to use the grid secondary to microgrid assets. In 2015, EnSync incorporated power purchase agreements (PPAs) into its portfolio of offerings, enabling electricity savings for customers and providing a stable financial yield for investors. EnSync is a global corporation, with a joint venture in AnHui, China at Meineng Energy, as well as a strategic partnership with Solar Power, Inc. (SPI). For more information, visit: www.ensync.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements made in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended that are intended to be covered by the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate" or other comparable terms. Forward-looking statements in this press release may address the following subjects among others: our ability to monetize our PPA assets, statements regarding the sufficiency of our capital resources, expected operating losses, expected revenues, expected expenses and our expectations concerning our business strategy. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, as a result of various factors including those risks and uncertainties described in the Risk Factors and in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections of our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and our subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We urge you to consider those risks and uncertainties in evaluating our forward-looking statements. We caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, we disclaim any obligation or undertaking to publicly release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein (or elsewhere) to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Investor Relations Contact:

Lytham Partners, LLC

Robert Blum, Joseph Diaz, or Joe Dorame

(602) 889-9700

EnSync Media Contact:

Michelle Montague

(262) 735-5676

SOURCE EnSync, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.ensync.com


ATLANTA, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Who: Hosted by Cowen and Company Director, Equity Research - Payments & Financial Info Services George Mihalos; featuring Equifax International President John Hartman and Chief Financial Officer John Gamble, along with Senior Vice President Investor Relations Jeff Dodge.



What: The webcast will provide an overview of the International Business Unit at Equifax including its business operations in Latin America, Europe, Asia and Canada as well as emerging markets. Following the presentation, there will also be a moderated Q & A session.



When: Wednesday, November 30th at 10:00 am ET



Where: https://kvgo.com/equifax/InternationalBusinessUnit The link is also available on http://investor.equifax.com/.





For audio only, participants can dial (no passcode needed):





US/Canada: 1-877-675-4753

International: 719-325-4893

About Equifax

Equifax powers the financial future of individuals and organizations around the world. Using the combined strength of unique trusted data, technology and innovative analytics, Equifax has grown from a consumer credit company into a leading provider of insights and knowledge that helps its customers make informed decisions. The company organizes, assimilates and analyzes data on more than 820 million consumers and more than 91 million businesses worldwide, and its databases include employee data contributed from more than 6,600 employers.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. Equifax employs approximately 9,200 employees worldwide.

Some noteworthy achievements for the company include: Ranked 13 on the American Banker FinTech Forward list (2015); named a Top Technology Provider on the FinTech 100 list (2004-2015); named an InformationWeek Elite 100 Winner (2014-2015); named a Top Workplace by Atlanta Journal Constitution (2013-2015); named one of Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies (2011-2015); named one of Forbes' World's 100 Most Innovative Companies (2015). For more information, visit www.equifax.com.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060224/CLF037LOGO

SOURCE Equifax Inc.

Related Links

http://www.equifax.com


ATLANTA, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) today announced that Jeff Dodge, senior vice president of Investor Relations, will meet with investors the week of November 14th in New York City, New York, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Toronto, Canada.

Dodge will:

meet with investors on Monday, November 14 th at the Global Mizuho Investor Conference in New York City , New York .

at the Global Mizuho Investor Conference in , . present and meet with investors on Tuesday, November 15 th at the J.P. Morgan Ultimate Services Investor Conference in New York City , New York .

at the J.P. Morgan Ultimate Services Investor Conference in , . meet with investors on Wednesday, November 16 th in Minneapolis, Minnesota .

in . meet with investors on Thursday, November 17 th in Toronto , Canada.

Dodge will discuss the company's third quarter performance, as well as the strategic outlook for the remainder of 2016.

An archive of the presentation will be available at investor.equifax.com.

About Equifax

Equifax powers the financial future of individuals and organizations around the world. Using the combined strength of unique trusted data, technology and innovative analytics, Equifax has grown from a consumer credit company into a leading provider of insights and knowledge that helps its customers make informed decisions. The company organizes, assimilates and analyzes data on more than 820 million consumers and more than 91 million businesses worldwide, and its databases include employee data contributed from more than 6,600 employers.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. Equifax employs approximately 9,400 employees worldwide.

Some noteworthy achievements for the company include: Ranked 13 on the American Banker FinTech Forward list (2015); named a Top Technology Provider on the FinTech 100 list (2004-2015); named an InformationWeek Elite 100 Winner (2014-2015); named a Top Workplace by Atlanta Journal Constitution (2013-2015); named one of Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies (2011-2015); named one of Forbes' World's 100 Most Innovative Companies (2015). For more information, visit www.equifax.com.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20060224/CLF037LOGO

SOURCE Equifax Inc.

Related Links

http://www.equifax.com


AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ESO Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of healthcare software and interoperability solutions, announced today the hiring of Kenny Schnell as Vice President and General Manager overseeing the company's Electronic Health Record (EHR) business for emergency medical services (EMS).

"Kenny's reputation in the EMS community is exceptionally strong," said Chris Dillie, President and CEO of ESO. "With his expertise in both clinical prehospital care and state-of-the-art EMS operations, coupled with his solid business acumen and leadership skills, he is uniquely qualified to lead our EHR business."

"I'm thrilled to be joining a company that's known as such an innovative leader in EMS, the fire service and healthcare," Schnell stated. "Working in EMS, both in the field and as an administrator, I've had the privilege of seeing firsthand how ESO can help improve clinical and operational efficiencies," he added. "ESO's continued success stems from its unrivaled determination to provide state-of-the-art products that meet the needs of its customers, while pushing the envelope on healthcare software norms. My immediate goal for the future-direction of ESO EHR will be to continue the customer-focused mission of delivering software built to improve patient care through the power of data."

EHR, ESO's 5th-generation electronic patient record system, demonstrates ESO's ongoing commitment to equip prehospital healthcare providers with industry-leading software.

Schnell recently retired from Williamson County EMS (WCEMS), in Georgetown, Texas, after 22 years of service, most recently serving 8 years as Director. Overall, Schnell brings to ESO a wealth of experience in emergency medical services as an EMT, paramedic, flight medic and administrator. As Director of WCEMS, Schnell led his organization in providing excellence in patient care and customer service by collaborating with 15 cities and fire departments, in addition to four major hospital systems. In 2016, WCEMS was named as one of nine Texas agencies to receive prestigious accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS). Schnell was named EMS Administrator of the Year in 2014 for the state of Texas. He also served as chair on various regional boards including the Capital Area Trauma Regional Advisory Council (CATRAC) and Williamson County Systems of Care.

Schnell joins the ESO team at a significant time for growth. In July, the company announced an investment to be used for future acquisitions, expansion of the existing product line, growth of sales and marketing efforts, and improvements to existing products. Schnell will join the team effective December 1, 2016, and will be based at the company's headquarters in Austin, Texas.

About ESO

ESO Solutions, Inc., founded in 2004 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, is dedicated to improving community health through the power of data. Its healthcare, public safety and technology experts provide the most innovative software solutions on the market, including the industry-leading ESO Electronic Health Record (EHR) software, as well as the first-of-its-kind healthcare interoperability platform, ESO Health Data Exchange (HDE). For more information about ESO, visit www.esosolutions.com.

SOURCE ESO Solutions, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.esosolutions.com


FORESTVILLE, Calif., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Farmhouse Inn announces its winter line up of packages and events. They are offering an assortment that includes one night stay and dine and multi-night themed dining packages, special holiday getaways, and a robust Best of Sonoma Napa Wine Country offering. Says owner Catherine Bartolomei, "this year is all about celebrating YOUR way. From one night romantic getaways, to multiple night extravaganzas, we are offering a wide range of opportunities to come and see how beautiful Sonoma Wine Country is over the holidays and all winter long!"

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437274

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437276

One Perfect Night Away-The Farmhouse Inn, Sonoma-Napa Wine Country

Ranked the #1 Hotel in CA by Travel and Leisure

Can't get away for the whole weekend, or maybe it's time to celebrate that very special something and head back home prontoFarmhouse Inn has created a package for a quick getaway. Checking in to the King Deluxe Room a welcome gift awaits (hint: it's usually something gooey and chocolatey), time for a leisurely bath, a glass of wine fireside, and then a divine four course dinner in the Michelin Starred Farmhouse restaurant. Some s'mores and port, under the stars, by the fire pits and a magical night's sleep included.

The package is $995 (excluding taxes and gratuities)- includes a welcome gift, 4 course dinner for two and one night in a King Deluxe Room. Restaurant closed Tuesday/Wednesday (can choose a spa option on those days).

Farmhouse Inn Offers Old World/New World Dinner Series

Michelin starred dining, at Travel & Leisure's #1 Hotel in CA.

The Michelin starred Farmhouse Inn is excited to launch a brand new holiday series. Every Friday and Saturday in December (excluding the holiday weekends), guests will have the opportunity to sample Chef Steve Litke's take on Old World specialties paired with Old World wines on Friday. And Saturday is a visit to all that's new in cuisine and winemaking. Known for his classic techniques paired with a never-ending quest for the new and exciting, this series promises to be not just delicious but a getaway in itself.

Each night is 4 courses (and maybe a bit extra...) featuring a special wine pairing with each course.

Cost is $200 per person plus tax and service.

Old World Dates: December 2nd, 9th and 16th

New World Dates: December 3rd, 10th and 17th

Room Special: If a guest books both dinners and a room for both nights, they get one night at 50% off a daily credit towards breakfast. Room rates starting at $695.

At Farmhouse Inn, Restaurant and Spa, Spend the Holidays Your Way

Farmhouse Inn this Christmas- Travel & Leisure's #1 Hotel in CA.

Why not make some new holiday traditions this year? At Farmhouse Inn: sophisticated decor, twinkling lights, amazing food, endless champagne and kittens.

Includes:

Three nights in a King Deluxe room. Double sided fireplace (Christmas stocking optional), soaking tub with seasonal salts and scrubs to choose from and the comfiest bed you've ever slept in.

Christmas Eve dinner for two in the Michelin starred Farmhouse restaurant- festive atmosphere, fabulous food and a team of very jolly folks

dinner for two in the Michelin starred Farmhouse restaurant- festive atmosphere, fabulous food and a team of very jolly folks Breakfast for two each day. Featuring seasonal favorites with holiday touches

And a picnic for two on Christmas day . Enjoyed on the bed while watching Miracle on 41st Street, out at the beach or where ever it pleases

$2390/couple (that's over $1700 in savings). Available for Thursday, Friday or Saturday check in over the Christmas weekend.

Farmhouse Inn, Sonoma and Meadowood, Napa and Best of Holidays in Wine Country

Enjoy the Best of Both Valleys this holiday season

At Meadowood:

Two nights in a Cottage Room, Lawnview Alcove, Woodland Suite or Hillside Terrace Room

Breakfast each morning in The Grill

A bottle of Napa Valley Sparkling Wine upon arrival to celebrate the holidays

Two places at the Meadowood Holiday Experience of your choice during your stay

A customized Napa Valley wine tasting and/or shopping itinerary and curated by your Guest Services Representative.

At Farmhouse Inn:

Two nights in a King Deluxe Room

A welcome bottle of Lost & Found Pinot Noir (our owners' wine from their family vineyard) to enjoy by your cozy fireplace

Farm Fresh Breakfast in the restaurant each morning featuring holiday-themed pastries and delights

Four course dinner for two at the Farmhouse restaurant

A Sonoma County wine tasting and/or shopping itinerary customized by the concierge team

Four night package- $4000/couple

Subject to hotel availability and minimums. Some restrictions apply.

Call Farmhouse reservationist at 707.887.3300 to book the Best of Both Valleys stay.

Click here for holiday themed images. Click here for a gallery of high-resolution room, property and restaurant images. Click here for video.

Press contact: Meghan Smith, 707-887-3300, [email protected]

About Farmhouse Inn - Nestled in the iconic Russian River Valley near Healdsburg (just an hour north of San Francisco), Farmhouse Inn is a family-owned luxury boutique hotel with just 25 rooms, a Michelin starred restaurant and luxurious spa. The hotel offers guest an intimate wine country experience with richly crafted offers, packages, meals, spa treatments and more. Guests quickly fall in love with the hotel and staff after their first visit, which explains the high praise by Travel and Leisure readers - voting Farmhouse Inn the #1 Best Resort Hotel in California and #12 Best Hotel in the World.

SOURCE Farmhouse Inn
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. today issued the following statement in reaction to the presidential election results:

"The American people have spoken and elected Donald Trump as the next president of the United States. As public servants, federal employees work for the American people and will continue to carry out the missions of their agencies under the Constitution and law.

The American Federation of Government Employees represents 670,000 federal and D.C. government employees nationwide.

"AFGE will continue to fight for workers' rights and for the programs and services government employees deliver for the American people. That never changes no matter who sits in the White House.

"We will work with the Trump administration on areas of common ground, as we have with every administration for generations. AFGE remains the leading advocate on behalf of the federal workforce and the incredible service provided to our nation by the dedicated civil servants we represent."

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161109/437513

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SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

Related Links

http://www.afge.org


NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The ability to tell your brand's story is critical to driving interest in your company and its solutions among prospects, customers and key influencers. Effective branding today involves a multifaceted approach, where PR and marketing efforts work hand in hand and the content generated is more diverse. However, according to research by the Content Marketing Institute, only 38 percent of B2B marketers say their content marketing efforts are effective.[1] Finding innovative ways to reinforce your message across digital, social and offline channels is critical to reaching new audiences and gaining the third party credibility needed for the brand.

Encouraging Awareness: New Tactics & Opportunities for Product Marketing

PR Newswire's guide, Encouraging Awareness: New Tactics & Opportunities for Product Marketing shares five key points for developing a multichannel communications plan to improve brand recognition, including:

Set realistic goals: As your brand develops a stream of outbound communications, setting realistic goals can help make the case for investment in future communications efforts.

As your brand develops a stream of outbound communications, setting realistic goals can help make the case for investment in future communications efforts. Plan for long-term engagement: Don't wait for news to happen to get the conversation started around your brand; create and distribute content on relevant topics weeks or months in advance of a major event.

Don't wait for news to happen to get the conversation started around your brand; create and distribute content on relevant topics weeks or months in advance of a major event. Know where your audience is: With the saturation of mainstream news, niche influencers have become gateway to infiltrating the larger market.

With the saturation of mainstream news, niche influencers have become gateway to infiltrating the larger market. Enlist third-party industry expertise to create value exchange: Much like consumers, the media is more interested in hearing product recommendations from third-party experts than from company executives.

Much like consumers, the media is more interested in hearing product recommendations from third-party experts than from company executives. Analyze campaign results for future recommendations: Certain conditions can affect the results of your campaign. Making a note of these occurrences can help you refine your strategy and improve future results.

The combination of PR with product marketing to create unique content can help set your brand apart. Informed, compelling and well-crafted messages are found by new audiences, shared across peer and professional networks and surfaced in search engine results. Read the full guide today to learn how discoverability sets the stage for earning familiarity among your target audience, which then earns trust and develops relationships in target markets.

About PR Newswire

PR Newswire, a Cision company, is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms and distribution that marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers leverage to engage key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry over 60 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content -- and then distribute and measure results. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire powers the stories of organizations around the world. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific regions.

Cision is a leading media communication technology and analytics company that enables marketers and communicators to effectively manage their earned media programs in coordination with paid and owned channels to drive business impact.

Contact:

Stacey Miller

Director, Communications

(301) 683-6038

[email protected]

[1] http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/2015_B2B_Research.pdf

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437190

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381858LOGO



SOURCE PR Newswire Association LLC
"Artificial intelligence, augmented reality, the Internet of Things.... let it never be said that the world of consumer tech is boring," stated Robin Raskin, founder and president, Living in Digital Times. "This year we'll expand our CES 2017 Marketplace footprint by 30 percent and introduce new conferences and events that address how these innovations are finding their place in our daily lifestyles."

At CES 2017, Living in Digital Times' eight Marketplaces, nine conferences, awards programs, and crowd-pleasers like the FashionWare Runway Show, cover a range of industries from fashion and wearables, to health & fitness, to high-tech education, baby, kids and family tech. The show floor is bursting with action and the conferences feature in-depth discussions and demonstrations of the latest trends.

In the Living in Digital Times area at CES Unveiled New York, attendees will experience a preview of innovative technology ahead of the CES 2017 show floor opening in January:

CogniToys Dino (Elemental Path)  This toy dinosaur is powered by IBM Watson' and Elemental Path's Friendgine technology, providing a personalized, screen-free, speech based learning experience to engage kids through interactive dialogue.

YouCam (Perfect Corp.) - Using augmented reality, Perfect Cam has created a real-time, virtual try-on room for your makeup and hairstyles.

Lose It!  Powered by a vast image database, the new Snap It feature lets you use your mobile device to take a photo of what you're eating and then analyze the calories you're consuming and the nutritional information you've gained.

Quell (NeuroMetrix, Inc.)  Discover the latest in wearable pain relief technology. This new device is 100% drug free and delivers widespread relief from chronic pain. Quell is FDA cleared for 24/7 wear so you can experience pain relief day and night.

JyroBike (Yvolution)  A bicycle that balances itself makes it easy for kids to learn to ride. The bike uses a patented Control Hub in the front wheel featuring gyroscopic technology - a stabilizing force that resists the toppling force of gravity - to keep riders upright and steady, even when they tip or wobble.

CompassXAP (VDO360)  The CompassX camera with auto pilot is a 360-degree camera that has the world's first RTLS (Real Time Location System) tracking system for full motion capture. You'll feel like a broadcast cameraman without the jerky motion, interference from lights or losing the sound when the speaker turns away from the camera.

To learn more about Living in Digital Times and get updates about CES 2017 conferences, Marketplace exhibits and events, sign up at http://livingindigitaltimes.com/. To register for CES 2017, visit CES.tech/register.

CES Unveiled New York

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W 18th St., New York City

2 PM Registration Opens

3-4:30 PM  CTA Trends/Market Research Presentation & CES News Conference (Open to editorial media only)

4:30-5:30 PM  Media Hour Tabletop Exhibition & Networking Reception (Open to editorial media only)

5:30-7:30 PM  Open Hours  Tabletop Exhibition & Networking Reception (Open to all *invited* attendees)

Living in Digital Times Tables 23, 24 and 25

Keep up on the latest news from CES Unveiled by following @LIDTEvents on Twitter. Join the conversation online with hashtag #CES2017.

Tweet this: @LIDTEvents to Preview Cutting-Edge Tech & Digital Lifestyle Trends at CES Unveiled Details: http://bit.ly/1MzXhad #CES2017"

About Living in Digital Times

Founded by veteran technology journalist Robin Raskin, Living in Digital Times brings together the most knowledgeable leaders and the latest innovations impacting both technology and lifestyle. It helps companies identify and act on emerging trends, create compelling company narratives, and do better business through strong network connections. Living in Digital Times produces technology conferences, exhibits and events at CES and other locations throughout the year by lifestyle verticals. Core brands include Digital Health Summit, Digital Money Forum, FitnessTech, BabyTech, [email protected], Family Tech Summit, TransformingEDU, Family Tech TV, Beauty Tech, Wearable Tech and FashionWare runway show, Mobile Apps Showdown, Last Gadget Standing, Robots on the Runway and the KAPi Awards. The company also works with various foundations and manages the Appreneur Scholar awards program for budding mobile entrepreneurs, as well as the 10 Under 20: Young Innovators to Watch awards recognizing student STEAM innovations in New York City. For more information, visit www.LivinginDigitalTimes.com and keep up with our latest news on Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook.

About CES:

CES is the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50 yearsthe global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. As the largest hands-on event of its kind, CES features all aspects of the industry. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the technology trade association representing the $287 billion U.S. consumer technology industry, it attracts the world's business leaders and pioneering thinkers. Check out CES video highlights. Follow CES online at CES.tech and on social.

Media Contact:

Karen Pineman

LKPR, Inc. for Living in Digital Times

[email protected]

917-453-6887 (mobile)

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140918/147059

SOURCE Living in Digital Times

Related Links

http://www.livingindigitaltimes.com


SACRAMENTO, Calif., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- George Zimmer, the founder and CEO of Generation Tux and the founder of Men's Wearhouse, praised California's legalization of adult use of marijuana under Proposition 64, enacted by the voters on November 8, 2016.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161109/437382

"Ending the prohibition against the adult use of marijuana is now the mainstream view. With the passage Proposition 64, I look forward to continuing to advocate for a nationwide end to marijuana prohibition," stated George Zimmer.

For over two decades, George Zimmer, as a business and civic leader, has been in the forefront of the movement to reform in our nation's marijuana laws.

In 1996, George Zimmer contributed the first $500,000 to place Proposition 215 on the California ballot -- a successful voter initiative that legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes.

George Zimmer also assembled a group of CEO business leaders, committed to drug policy reform, whose sustained commitments supported marijuana reform measures nationally during the past twenty years.

Throughout the ensuing years, George Zimmer has provided vocal and financial support to overturn cannabis prohibition, and has spoken out on many occasions regarding the harm caused by prohibition.

Biography of George Zimmer

George Zimmer is Chairman, CEO and Founder of Generation Tux, an online rental platform for tuxedos and suits. He is also the founder and former CEO and Chairman of the Men's Wearhouse - the largest retailer of men's tailored suit and dress casual clothing in the U.S. and Canada. A lifelong advocate of servant leadership as the most effective business management model, he is also an advocate for "conscious capitalism" to address income inequality and excessive CEO pay. He is the father of four children and self-described in his LinkedIn profile as a "Business Warrior Monk who roots for the underdog." George serves on the Board of Directors for the Institute of Noetic Sciences, and the Oakland Zoo.

Contact: John Thiella

Jim Gonzalez & Associates

1-415-793-3339 (cell phone)

[email protected]

SOURCE George Zimmer
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 86 market data Tables and 68 Figures spread through 202 Pages and in-depth TOC on "GFRP Composites Market"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/glass-fiber-reinforced-plastic-composites-market-142751329.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.

The composites market is mainly dominated by the aerospace & defense, wind energy, and transportation applications due to their excellent properties such as stiffness, strength, tenacity, density, thermal & electrical conductivity, fatigue, and corrosion resistance. Also, because of their low weight, composites have witnessed an enormous demand, especially from aerospace and transportation applications.

Rising use of composites in aerospace & defense industry to drive the composites market

The use of composite materials and related core materials in the aerospace & defense industry has gained momentum in the past few decades. The latest Airbus now boasts a 53% usage of composite materials among its long list of new features. This shows the increase in the use of composites, which was hardly 2%-5% in the past few years. One of the main reasons for the rising use of composites in aircraft is the advantages offered by them such as reduction in weight and corrosion resistance. These properties of composites result in low emissions and maintenance costs in comparison to the traditional materials used for manufacturing aircrafts.

Make an Inquiry @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=142751329

Glass fiber composites market, in terms of value, dominates the global composites market

Glass fiber accounts for over 90% of the reinforcements used in composite consumption, globally. Due to their light weight, inherent strength, weather-resistant finish, and variety of surface textures, the glass fiber composites have a huge demand from the aerospace, automotive, wind energy, construction, and other applications. To meet this huge demand, many companies have invested in manufacturing glass fiber composites, especially in China and other emerging countries such as India and Brazil. A major composites manufacturing company, Owens Corning (U.S.), has signed a strategic alliance with two Chinese fiberglass manufacturing companies (Xingtai Jinniu and Taishan Fiberglass) to enhance the supply of customized glass fiber reinforcements in this region. Thus, the growth of fiber glass composites in China is the major driver of glass fiber composites in the global composites market.

Asia-Pacific is the largest market for composites

Asia-Pacific is the biggest and the fastest-growing market for composites. The growing aerospace industry, wind energy development, and transportation industry in the region are the major factors driving the composites market in Asia-Pacific. Besides this, the presence of major carbon fiber manufacturers, growing economy, and rapid urbanization in Asia-Pacific are driving the use of composites in construction and pipe & tank industries. Also, the market for PCB (printed circuited board), one of the key users of glass composites, is growing at a good pace in the region.

The major players in the composites market include:

Hexcel Corporation (U.S.)

Huntsman Corporation (U.S.)

Owens Corning (U.S.)

Toray Industries ( Japan )

) Teijin Limited ( Japan )

MarketsandMarkets broadly segments the composites market on the basis of fiber type, resin type, manufacturing process, application, and region. The study covers more than 25 countries of the five main regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Browse Related Reports:

Composites Market by Type (Carbon Fiber Composites, Glass Fiber Composites and Others), Resin Type (Thermoplastic Composites and Thermosetting Composites), Manufacturing Process, Application and by Region - Global Trends and Forecasts to 2021

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/composite-market-200051282.html

Closed Molding Composites Market by Fiber Type (Carbon, Glass), Application (Aerospace & Defense, Transportation, Construction, Wind, E&E), Process (Vacuum Infusion & Bagging, Compression Molding, Pultrusion, Injection Molding) - Global Forecast to 2021

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/closed-molding-composite-market-146526962.html

Subscribe Reports from Chemicals & Materials Domain: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Knowledgestore.asp

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors.

M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.

We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.

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MarketsandMarkets

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Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/chemical

Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets

SOURCE MarketsandMarkets
DUBLIN, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Starch Derivatives - A Global Market Overview" report to their offering.

The global market for Starch Derivatives is projected to reach US$75.4 billion by 2022 from a forecast US$53 billion in 2016 at a CAGR of 6.1% between 2016 and 2022.

Cornering a share forecast to be 54.4% equating to US$28.8 billion in 2016, Glucose Syrup dominates the global market for Starch Derivatives, which is projected to reach US$41.1 billion by 2022 at a CAGR of 6.1% between the two years. Over the same period, global demand for Maltodextrin is anticipated to record the fastest CAGR of 6.5% and reach a projected US$12.9 billion by 2022 from a forecast US$8.8 billion in 2016.

This global market report analyzes the starch derivatives product segments comprising Cyclodextrins Glucose Syrup, Hydrolysates, Maltodextrin and Modified Starches. The study also analyzes the key application areas of starch derivatives including Food & Feed Applications and Industrial Applications. These application areas further explored for sub-types of Food & Feed applications - Animal Feed, Confectioneries & Beverages and Processed Foods; and Industrial applications - Cosmetics & Personal Care Products, Papermaking, Pharmaceuticals and Other Industrial Applications.

The study reviews, analyses and projects the starch derivatives for the global and regional markets including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Rest of World.

The global market for Starch Derivatives is segmented into aforementioned five major regions. The regional markets further analyzed for 14 independent countries across North America - The United States and Canada; Europe - France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom; Asia-Pacific - Australia, China, India, Japan and South Korea; Latin America - Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. The market for starch derivatives is analyzed in terms of value in USD for each region by key country, product segment and key application areas and sub-types of applications.

This 324 page global market research report includes 248 charts (includes a data table and graphical representation for each chart), supported with meaningful and easy to understand graphical presentation, of market numbers. This report profiles 18 global market players across the globe. The research also provides the listing of the companies engaged in manufacturing and supply of starch derivatives. The global list of companies covers the address, contact numbers and the website addresses of 142 companies.

Key Topics Covered:

Part A: Global

Market Perspective

1. Introduction

2. Key Market Trends

3. Key Global Players

4. Key Business & Product Trends

5. Global Market Overview

Part B: Regional Market Perspective

Regional Market Overview

1. North America

2. Europe

3. Asia-Pacific

4. Latin America

5. Rest of World

Part C: Guide to the Industry

Part D: Annexure

Companies Mentioned

- Agrana Group

- Archer Daniels Midland

- Avebe U.A.

- Beneo GmbH

- Cargill, Inc.

- China Essence Group Ltd.

- Emsland Group

- Emsland Starke GmbH

- Global Bio-Chem Technology Group Company Limited

- Grain Processing Corporation

- Ingredion, Inc.

- Lasenor Emul S.L.

- Lipoid GmbH

- Roquette Freres

- San Soon Seng Food Industry Sdn Bhd

- Stern-Wywiol Gruppe GmbH & Co., KG.

- Tate & Lyle Plc

- Zhucheng Dongxiao Biotechnology Co

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cff9kd/starch

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


ANNAPOLIS, Md., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. ("Hannon Armstrong," or the "Company") (NYSE: HASI) announced today the closing of its public offering of 4,025,000 shares of common stock for total net proceeds of approximately $76.9 million after deducting offering expenses. This amount includes the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase up to 525,000 additional shares of common stock.

BofA Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank Securities, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo Securities, Baird and Roth Capital Partners acted as joint book-running managers for the offering.

A registration statement relating to these securities has been declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The offering was made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. A copy of the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus related to the offering can be obtained, when available, by contacting: BofA Merrill Lynch, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte, North Carolina 28255-0001, Attention: Prospectus Department, or by e-mailing [email protected]; Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., 60 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005, Attention: Prospectus Group, or by emailing [email protected]; Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10014, Attention: Prospectus Department; Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 375 Park Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10152, Attention: Equity Syndicate, or by telephone at 800-326-5897, or by e-mailing [email protected]; Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, Attention: Syndicate Department, 777 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, or by telephone at 800-792-2473 or by e-mailing at [email protected]; or Roth Capital Partners, LLC, 888 San Clemente, Newport Beach, CA 92660, or by telephone at (800) 678-9147.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the offered shares, nor shall there be any sale of such shares in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

About Hannon Armstrong

Hannon Armstrong invests in the energy efficiency, wind and solar markets. The Company focuses on providing preferred or senior level capital to established sponsors and high credit quality obligors for assets that generate long-term, recurring and predictable cash flows. The Company is based in Annapolis, MD.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the information contained in this press release are forward-looking statements and within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. When used in this press release, the words such as "believe," "expect, "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "continue," "intend," "should," "may," or similar expressions, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on such statements. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include those discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" included in the Company's report on Form 10-K that was filed with the SEC, as well as in other reports that the Company files with the SEC.

Forward-looking statements are based on beliefs, assumptions and expectations as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements reflecting new estimates, events or circumstances after the date of this press release.

Contact: Investor/Media Relations

Phone: 410-571-6189

Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.hannonarmstrong.com


The Conservation Tour is bringing together over 50 avitourists from around the world to enjoy more than 750 species of birds found throughout the country. Birdwatching has become an international pastime, totaling around 240 million birdwatchers worldwide. This tour includes participants from the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Africa, among other countries. These avitourists will be able to experience the best Honduras has to offer, while getting an unparalleled glimpse into the rich biodiversity native to Honduras that highlights the nuances in species found in different corners of the country.

The Birdwatching Tour includes three major stops that highlight the beauties of each Honduran region. Beginning in the Mayan city of Copan, birdwatchers can expect to see Naranjas, a type of Nightingale, Red-Throated Parakeets, and Great Swifts, hidden among the city's ancient structures.

Next, the tour will take visitors to the Yojoa Lake, located in the western highlands. Besides being the largest lake in Honduras, with a surface area of 79 km, and a key convergence point for birds from across the hemisphere, this region's verdant mountains that surround the Lake Yojoa provide visitors with perfect sites to observe birds such as the Gray Hawk, Rufous Neck Wren, and Carrao.

Lastly, the tour will take participants to Pico Bonito, situated on the tropical northern coast. Guides will take eager watchers out on an early morning hikes to catch sights of Toucans, Honeycreepers, and Brown Hummingbirds.

Over this trip's nine days, the Birding for Conservation Tour also provides participants with unparalleled access to the country's numerous national parks. Each park visited by the tour offers guided walks with some of the top international birdwatchers, such as Bill Thompson III, Tim Appleton, and Jeff Gordon.

Watchers can expect unique interactions with each of the region's birds as they trek through Parque Nacional Cerro Azul Meambar (PANACAM), Rio Santiago, and Yojoa Lake National Parks. These guided interactions with diverse examples of Honduran wildlife will grant watchers a one-of-a-kind experience into the natural habitats of each park's local ecosystem. The natural backdrop included in each of the country's national parks gives visitors a plethora of opportunities to snap a winning "selfie" with any of Honduras' wildlife, while also introducing foreigners to a lesser known side of this Central American country with the most diverse tourism offering in the region.

"The main point is that Honduras offers world-class birdwatching and I think that what we need is commitment, attitude, and that Hondurans themselves believe that they have a world-class product," explains PANACAM administrator, David Corea. Corea continues, "[This event], which offers a $20,000 prize to the team that observes the highest number of birds, will help position the country in the avitourism industry."

This tour not only highlights the breathtaking biodiversity found throughout Honduras, but also shows a significant step forward for the country. By embracing new opportunities for learning and interaction, participants will be able to see a new side of Honduras: one that embraces its roots, its diversity, and its culture specifically through the eyes of their feathered friends.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161109/437520

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SOURCE Honduras Presidency
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today unveiled the experimental release of Project Intu, a new, system-agnostic platform designed to enable embodied cognition. The new platform allows developers to embed Watson functions into various end-user device form factors, offering a next generation architecture for building cognitive-enabled experiences.

Project Intu, in its experimental form, is now accessible via the Watson Developer Cloud and also available on Intu Gateway and GitHub.

Project Intu simplifies the process for developers wanting to create cognitive experiences in various form factors such as spaces, avatars, robots or other IoT devices, and it extends cognitive technology into the physical world. The platform enables devices to interact more naturally with users, triggering different emotions and behaviors and creating more meaningful and immersive experience for users.

Developers can simplify and integrate Watson services, such as Conversation, Language and Visual Recognition, with the capabilities of the "device" to, in essence, act out the interaction with the user. Instead of a developer needing to program each individual movement of a device or avatar, Project Intu makes it easy to combine movements that are appropriate for performing specific tasks like assisting a customer in a retail setting or greeting a visitor in a hotel in a way that is natural for the end user.

Typically, developers must make architectural decisions about how to integrate different cognitive services into an end-user experience  such as what actions the systems will take and what will trigger a device's particular functionality. Project Intu offers developers a ready-made environment on which to build cognitive experiences running on a wide variety of operating systems  from Raspberry PI to MacOS, Windows to Linux machines, to name a few. As an example, IBM has worked with Nexmo, the Vonage API platform, to demonstrate the ways Intu can be integrated with both Watson and third-party APIs to bring an additional dimension to cognitive interactions via voice-enabled experiences using Nexmo's Voice API's support of websockets.

The growth of cognitive-enabled applications is sharply accelerating. IDC recently estimated that "by 2018, 75 percent of developer teams will include Cognitive/AI functionality in one or more applications/services." * This is a dramatic jump from last year's prediction that 50 percent of developers would leverage cognitive/AI functionality by 2018.

"IBM is taking cognitive technology beyond a physical technology interface like a smartphone or a robot toward an even more natural form of human and machine interaction," said Rob High, IBM Fellow, VP and CTO, IBM Watson. "Project Intu allows users to build embodied systems that reason, learn and interact with humans to create a presence with the people that use them  these cognitive-enabled avatars and devices could transform industries like retail, elder care, and industrial and social robotics."

Project Intu is a continuation of IBM's work in the field of embodied cognition, drawing on advances from IBM Research, as well as the application and use of cognitive and IoT technologies. Making Project Intu available to developers as an experimental offering to experiment with and provide feedback will serve as the basis for further refinements as it moves toward beta.

About IBM Watson: Pioneering a New Era of Computing



Watson represents a new era in computing called cognitive computing, where systems understand the world in a way more similar to humans: through senses, learning, and experience. Watson continuously learns from previous interactions, gaining in value and knowledge over time. With the help of Watson, organizations are harnessing the power of cognitive computing to transform industries, help professionals do their jobs better, and solve important challenges. As part of IBM's strategy to accelerate the growth of cognitive computing, Watson is open to the world, allowing a growing community of developers, students, entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts to easily tap into the most advanced and diverse cognitive computing platform available today. Watson solutions are being built, used and deployed in more than 45 countries and across 20 different industries.

For more information on IBM Watson, visit: ibm.com/Watson and ibm.com/press/watson. Join the conversation at #ibmwatson.

* IDC FutureScape: Worldwide IT Industry 2017 Predictions, Nov 2016, Doc # US41883016

Contact:

Katy Rosati

IBM Media Relations

[email protected]

917-421-7543

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SOURCE IBM

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MANSFIELD, Mass., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IneoQuest Technologies, the global leader in video quality and service assurance solutions, announced today that its virtualized solutions are now fully tested and supported for Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Helion OpenStack as part of the HPE Helion Ready Program for Solution Providers. The company's virtualized products were installed, tested and formally approved on the HPE Helion Ready Sandbox, empowering customers with a new virtual option when deploying IneoQuest video quality assurance solutions.

With the advent of internet-based video distribution models, and the shift of viewers from traditional linear TV to VoD and OTT content, operators require a highly flexible network architecture that can meet the needs of both traditional and online viewing. Virtualized implementations promise rapid, dynamic resource set up and tear down based on real-time demand. As important as the ability to dynamically allocate network resources is, the real-time intelligence to know where resources are strained and what new resources are required will be critical to successful NFV deployments. IneoQuest recognized this need, and responded with virtualized versions of its FoQus Platform quality assurance applications. HPE Helion OpenStack compatibility is the latest step in that evolution.

The HPE Helion Ready Program for OpenStack technology offers hardware vendors and solution providers a way to test and certify their products with HPE Helion OpenStack, and become a part of the rapidly expanding OpenStack ecosystem. This program enables customers to confidently deploy HPE Helion OpenStack in heterogeneous environments with certified and supported IneoQuest solutions.

In addition to receiving HPE Helion Ready status, IneoQuest has also joined the HPE AllianceOne Program, which provides access to HPE technical development support as well as sales and marketing resources to increase business value for customers.

"Being a part of the HPE Helion Ready Program enables our virtualized video analytics solutions to work in conjunction with the HPE Helion OpenStack platform," said Joseph Kushi, Global Channels Director, IneoQuest. "HPE Helion users now have immediate access to comprehensive video analytics that form the essential real-time video feedback needed for today's complex and virtualized video deployments."

IneoQuest will be demonstrating its virtualized solutions at the NAB show in New York City from Nov. 9-10, 2016 in stand 836. For more information visit www.ineoquest.com.

The OpenStack word mark and the Square O Design, together or apart, are trademarks or registered trademarks of OpenStack Foundation in the United States and other countries, and are used with the OpenStack Foundation's permission.

About IneoQuest

IneoQuest provides the world's leading media companies and service providers the critical insight needed to keep viewers engaged on any device, across any network. Recognized as an industry leader and innovator by Deloitte, Red Herring, Inc., Frost & Sullivan, and others, IneoQuest's patented solutions continue to set the standard for measuring video quality and viewer behavior. To learn more about how IneoQuest is redefining the video experience, visit www.ineoquest.com.

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SOURCE IneoQuest Technologies

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NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker Review is a series of posts featuring Innovations, Social and Economic Megatrends to understand the World of Tomorrow. Each post is illustrated with statistics for one industry.

Reportlinker Review in a nutshell

Method of vaccine production needs improved

production needs improved Flu costs $6 billion annually in U.S.

annually in U.S. New flu vaccine developed specifically for seniors

How is the market?

The influenza vaccine and therapeutics market is expected to reach $6.1 billion this year. By 2022, it is projected to reach $10.2 billion, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5%.

Of the two segments, vaccines is the largest, accounting for 80% of the market. Therapeutics, however, is forecasted to grow the fastest, at a CAGR of 11%.

Vaccines are produced by infecting embryos with the flu virus and then harvesting and purifying the virus. The process is slow and would not be able to respond quickly enough to a pandemic. New methods that use other biologics are in development.

The World Health Organization is recommending a change to current flu vaccines. It is updating the component the H1N1 virus is based on because the virus evolved.

The current component comes from the 2009 pandemic. It will be replaced by a component from a 2015 H1N1 patient.

The change is in response to the fact the component is no longer as effective in people from their early 30s through to the end of middle age.

The new version will be available next year.

Annually in the U.S., influenza costs $5.8 billion in medical costs, according to a Health Affairs study.

In 2015, $9 billion in costs was attributed to diseases that could have been prevented with vaccines with $7.1 billion of that amount from unvaccinated individuals.

Less than half of American adults were vaccinated for the flu in 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

After the flu, pneumococcal disease had the highest costs at $1.9 billion.

Medical professions must work to dispel many vaccine myths, including the disproven theory that vaccine ingredients cause autism.

However, increasing the number of those vaccinated won't eliminate all medical costs associated with those diseases. Vaccines are not completely effective.

Senior Vaccine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of the FLUAD vaccine for seniors. It joins Fluzone High-Dose.

The vaccines work by containing four time the usual amount of antigen. The new vaccine also contains an ingredient designed to create a stronger immune response.

ReportLinker Review  Global Influenza Vaccine Market

This year, the vaccines market is expected to reach $32.2 billion . By 2021, the market is forecasted to reach $48 billion , growing at a CAGR of 8.3% (source: MarketsandMarkets)

. By 2021, the market is forecasted to reach , growing at a CAGR of 8.3% (source: MarketsandMarkets) This year, the overall influenza market is expected to be valued at $6.1 billion . By 2022, it is forecasted to reach $10.2 billion . Between 2016 and 2022, this represents a CAGR of 8.5%. (source: Industry Experts)

. By 2022, it is forecasted to reach . Between 2016 and 2022, this represents a CAGR of 8.5%. (source: Industry Experts) The majority of the market, 80%, is vaccines while therapeutics accounts for the remaining. However, therapeutics will be the fastest growing segment with a forecasted CAGR of 11%. (source: Industry Experts)

During the period 2016-2020, the global H1N1 vaccines market is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 4.2%. (source: TechNavio)

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US:(339) 368 6001

Intl:+1 339 368 6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

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PITTSBURGH, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kennametal Inc. (NYSE: KMT) announced today they will attend Global Mizuho Investor Conference on November 14, 2016 in New York City, NY. Kelly Boyer, Vice President, Investor Relations, Sean Reilly, Director, Finance, Infrastructure Business Segment, and Andrew Demosthenous, Investor Relations Analyst will be attending. The presentation slides will be available on the company's website www.kennametal.com, November 14, 2016. Once on the homepage, select "About Us", "Investor Relations" and then "Events".

At the forefront of advanced materials innovation for more than 75 years, Kennametal Inc. is a global industrial technology leader delivering productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Every day approximately 12,000 employees are helping customers in more than 60 countries stay competitive. Kennametal generated nearly $2.1 billion in revenues in fiscal 2016. Learn more at www.kennametal.com

SOURCE Kennametal Inc.

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HONOLULU, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Michael Cruise of Honolulu personal injury law firm Leavitt, Yamane & Soldner recently obtained a $1 million settlement for the estate and surviving sons of 70-year-old Barbara N. Kato, a Honolulu woman who was struck and killed by a garbage truck while crossing the street at a crosswalk. According to court documents, the accident occurred in the early morning hours of February 27, 2014 as she crossed North King Street at Gulick Avenue. The driver of the truck, Denise A. Kekumu, had been attempting to turn left onto Gulick when she struck the pedestrian. Ms. Kato died three hours later.

Kekumu had a history of eight prior avoidable accidents while driving a garbage truck, including hitting walls and parked cars. Because a driver's violations are expunged after two years under a union contract, Kekumu's driving skills never got the attention they needed. According to Cruise, the city "end[s] up with at least some drivers that have pretty bad driving histories and they're not getting retrained ... it's a public safety issue."

The Honolulu City Council unanimously approved the settlement on November 2, 2016, calling the accident a "clear case of negligence." Mr. Cruise, the attorney for Ms. Kato's estate and her sons, Keith and Kevin, said that he hopes that the city will take action to prevent another accident like this from occurring in the future. He pointed out that this accident was the third within 12 months involving a pedestrian struck by a city refuse truck.

Kekumu has been disciplined as a result of the incident.

Leavitt, Yamane & Soldner has proudly served injured people and their families in Hawaii since 1971. With over a century of combined legal experience, we are Hawaii's trusted injury attorneys. We handle the full range of personal injury cases, including car accidents, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, defective products, premises liability, construction accidents, wrongful death, and more. To learn more about the types of cases we handle and to schedule a free evaluation of your potential case, please visit www.lyslaw.com.

SOURCE Leavitt, Yamane & Soldner

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CHICAGO, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- "The police are at school to take my children," the father of three boysages 8, 12 and 17told his attorney, Laura Inns of the Leving legal team, on a recent October Monday night. The father spoke rapidly in a thick Spanish accent as he sped toward downtown Chicago. He was terrified. He was panicked. And he was afraid that his ex-girlfriend of more than 20 years and the mother of his children had figured out a way to take them from him forever.

The mother had been acting unstable since she left him on a previous occasion, and when he arrived home then, he discovered the mother and children were gone. A week later, the mother responded to his calls and let him see the children. He learned they were living in a basement with their mother and her new boyfriend. In August, the younger boys were returned to the father. The mother was unable to care for them. Her new boyfriend beat her. In September, the mother slit her wrists in a suicide attempt. When the mother told the father she planned to hang herself, he convinced her to be hospitalized for mental health treatment. She said she would be back for the younger children. Within two weeks of being released from treatment, the mother was back with her boyfriend.

The father initially consulted attorney James M. Hagler with the Law Offices of Jeffery M. Leving, Ltd., and retained the firm. He needed to protect his children from their allegedly mentally-ill mother. The children needed to stay together in their consistent and stable home. The father knew that if the mother learned he intended to keep the children, she would take them and flee.

Attorney Hagler immediately drafted an emergency petition asking for the court to keep the children with the father while the mother was served with court documents. Attorney Laura Inns appeared in court with the father and won an order giving him immediate possession of the children, all parenting time with them, and all decision-making. The mother had no right to see the children, speak to the children, or make decisions about the children. The father gave copies of the court order to the children's schools and childcare center.

The very next day, the mother went to the childcare center to take the two younger children. The center gave the mother a copy of the order and did not let her see them. Following that, the mother reportedly ambushed the children as they left for school and told them she would get them back. The next day, it was claimed that she stalked the children again, waiting for them to leave for school. The children left through the backdoor. Not seeing them, she then went to their school. This mother would not relent.

That October Monday night, Inns could hear the fear in the father's voice. The center notified him that the mother was there with police to take the children. He was in the distant northwest suburbs. He could not protect his children, but Inns could. Inns immediately contacted the center and coordinated with the police to block the mother from the children.

Relieved, the father wanted to get to his children right away. He was afraid of what could happen next. The mother was likely willing to lie to police to get what she wanted.

The next morning, Inns triumphed by obtaining an emergency order of protection protecting the three boys. The children are now safe with their father.

Laura Inns is always ready for emergencies to safeguard her clients and their children. Her job is protecting children.

About the Leving legal team

Its founder, attorney Jeffery M. Leving, is nationally known as one of the foremost family law lawyers in the country. He is the creator of the concept of Fathers' Rights. Leving's many professional achievements and accomplishments have been recognized by government leaders (including the last three US Presidents and the Illinois House of Representatives), private industry, his peers, and social service and other non-profit agencies. Attorney Leving has dedicated more than 30 years to strengthening families. Leving's latest book, How to be a Good Divorced Dad, received praise from President Barack Obama, and was endorsed by Cardinal Francis George.

Ctc: Jennifer Whiteside

Cell: 312.296.3666

SOURCE Law Offices of Jeffery Leving, Ltd.
CORAL SPRINGS, Florida, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The legal marijuana sector remains hot while continuing to ride the wave of this week's election results, and companies continue leveraging the current climate to expand operations as well as create new and innovative products such as various forms of extraction and more. Marijuana/Cannabis Companies with current developments in the market of note included: Agritek Holdings, Inc. (OTC: AGTK), Puration, Inc. (OTC: PURA), Arcturus Growthstar Technologies Inc. (OTC: AGSTF) (CSE: AGS.CN), Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTC: CBIS) and SinglePoint, Inc. (OTC: SING).

Puration, Inc. (OTC: PURA) and North American Cannabis Holdings, Inc. (USMJ) announced a new office today opened in California near Los Angeles. The announcement comes in conjunction with California passing Proposition 64 and legalizing recreational marijuana. USMJ and PURA have announced restaurant and edible contracts in Colorado where recreational marijuana is already legal. The two Companies work closely together and have been working specifically of late to open a joint business development office in California in anticipation of Proposition 64 passing. California Legal Marijuana Market Projected To Grow From $2 Billion To $8 Billion.

Read the full Puration (PURA) Press Release at: http://marketnewsupdates.com/news/pura.html

A recent Forbes feature includes an estimate that the California marijuana market may grow to over $8 billion from its current $2 billion with the legalization of recreational marijuana. A New York Times article includes an estimate that the overall legal marijuana market in North America may grow from the $7 billion it is today to $22 billion in the next four years as a result of yesterday's legalization votes. USMJ Revenue Growth and PURA New Contracts - USMJ has carved out a base annual revenue of $500k since entering the cannabis sector in 2013. USMJ also developed and spun off the cannabis extraction business that is now the primary operation of Puration (PURA). PURA has recently announced its first two contracts and indicated a third is pending.

In other sector related developments and news in the markets this week:

Agritek Holdings, Inc. (OTC Pink: AGTK), a leader in compassionate care technology and agricultural solutions for the recreational cannabis industry, this week announced that the Company has executed a Letter of Intent and Agreement for the acquisition of one hundred per cent (100%) of the stock and ownership of "Sterling Classic Compassion," a two (2) year old tax reporting non-profit qualifying for the sale of medical marijuana within the state of California. The Company believes that Sterling can qualify for a recreational license within the state of California if Prop 64 were to pass in the general election Tuesday November 8th. Agritek Holdings based on state guidelines to be determined, could participate in the ownership and sale of wellness products within the state similar to rules set up and approved for public companies in Washington State, Nevada and Oregon.

Arcturus Growthstar Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: AGSTF) (AGS.CN) announced this week that it has signed a Letter of Intent ("LOI") to acquire a 10-acre operating greenhouse in Florida, which is in a designated zone to legally cultivate, process and dispense cannabis. The Greenhouse fits Florida's stringent criteria for agricultural farmers looking to manufacture Cannabis which, under the current law, applicants had to have been in business in Florida for at least 30 years and grow a minimum of 400,000 plants at the time they applied. "This is a major milestone for Arcturus and positions us for tremendous growth for years to come," says Mr. William Gildea, Arcturus Growthstar Technologies, Inc.'s CEO and Chairman.

Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTC Pink: CBIS), a U.S. company specializing in the development of cannabis-based medicines, announces that its President, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-Founder, Mr. Raymond C. Dabney, is preparing Company presentation briefing materials, drug development initiatives and accomplishments for corporate initiatives briefing exclusively for Harvard Medical School researchers later this Month. Mr. Dabney will speak at the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC), one of the largest cancer research centers in the world with more than 1,100 cancer researchers and over $600 million in cancer research funding.

SinglePoint, Inc. (OTC Pink: SING) this week provides additional insight into the intention of its SingleSeed subsidiary to provide credit card processing solutions for the cannabis industry. As five new states prepare to vote on ballot initiatives to legalize cannabis for recreational and/or medicinal purposes, SingleSeed is already positioned to become one of the industry's first merchant processors. The market for both medical and recreational marijuana is projected to grow from $7 billion this year to roughly $22 billion by 2020, according to Arcview Research; analysts from financial services firm Cowen and Co. project a $50 billion legal cannabis market in the United States by 2026, with such progression based on federal legislation.

DISCLAIMER: MarketNewsUpdates.com (MNU) is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. MNU is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. MNU and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. MNU's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. MNU is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed MNU expects to be compensated three thousand nine hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press release issued by Puration, Inc. by a non-affiliated third party. MNU HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and MNU undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

Contact Information:

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SOURCE MarketNewsUpdates.com
CLEVELAND, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Shawn M. Riley, who assumed his duties as president of McDonald Hopkins on October 1, announced additional management changes for the firm's Energy Practice Group and Construction Law and Real Estate Litigation Practice Group.

Matthew R. Rechner (Cleveland) becomes co-chair of the firm's Energy Practice Group. Rechner is a member of the firm's Litigation Department and has spent more than 15 years representing natural gas distribution and transmission companies in civil litigation in state and federal courts throughout the United States, including lawsuits involving fires and explosions, natural gas leaks, wrongful death and personal injury claims, real and personal property damages, carbon monoxide claims, and environmental claims. Rechner joins Michael Wise, the Energy Practice Group's other co-chair, in leading one of the region's most active energy practices.

Owen P. Quinn (Chicago) becomes co-chair of the firm's Construction Law and Real Estate Litigation Practice Group. Quinn's experience includes representing general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers in litigation matters involving defective and incomplete work, construction delays, payment disputes, mechanic liens, and construction negligence claims. He has represented mortgage and note purchasers in foreclosure actions involving both commercial and large multi-unit residential properties. He has also defended numerous clients in product liability cases, including alleged asbestos exposure.

Peter D. Welin (Columbus) becomes co-chair of the firm's Construction Law and Real Estate Litigation Practice Group. Welin is also a managing member of McDonald Hopkins' Columbus office. He has focused his practice for the last 25 years on public/private construction contract law, construction contracts, and government procurement law, representing contractors, design professionals, owners, sureties and subcontractors.

"This announcement is part of our strategic and succession planning process," Riley said. "Matt, Owen, and Pete have the experience and leadership skills to help lead our Energy and Construction Law and Real Estate Litigation teams."

The changes in management for the McDonald Hopkins' Energy and Real Estate and Construction Law and Real Estate Litigation Practice Group come in addition to several other leadership and management changes that the firm announced in early October.

About McDonald Hopkins

Founded in 1930, McDonald Hopkins is a business advisory and advocacy law firm with locations in Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Miami, and West Palm Beach. With more than 50 service and industry teams, we have the expertise and knowledge to meet the growing number of legal and business challenges our clients face. For more information about McDonald Hopkins, visit mcdonaldhopkins.com.

CONTACT:

Deborah W. Kelm

McDonald Hopkins LLC

600 Superior Avenue, East, Suite 2100

Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Phone: 216.348.5733

Email: [email protected]

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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Miller Industries, Inc. (NYSE: MLR) (the "Company") today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2016.

For the third quarter of 2016, net sales were $147.6 million, an increase of 17.0%, compared to $126.2 million for the third quarter of 2015. Net income in the third quarter of 2016 was $5.5 million, or $0.49 per diluted share, an increase of 74.3%, compared to net income of $3.2 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, in the prior year period.

Gross profit for the third quarter of 2016 was $17.1 million, or 11.6% of net sales, compared to $12.8 million, or 10.1% of net sales, for the third quarter of 2015. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $8.5 million, or 5.8% of net sales, compared to $7.5 million, or 6.0% of net sales, in the prior year period.

For the nine-month period ended September 30, 2016, net sales were $452.5 million, an increase of 11.9% compared to $404.5 million in the prior year period. The Company reported net income of $15.5 million, or $1.36 per diluted share for the first nine months of 2016, an increase of 27.9% compared to net income of $12.1 million, or $1.07 per diluted share for the first nine months of 2015.

The Company also announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.17 per share, payable December 12, 2016, to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 5, 2016.

Jeffrey I. Badgley, Co-Chief Executive Officer of the Company stated, "We had a strong third quarter, which built upon our success in the first half of the year. We added to the momentum in our business, evidenced by strong financial performance and continued progress on our strategic objectives. We maintained our production levels to continue to stay ahead of our healthy customer demand. In doing so, we once again delivered strong revenue and earnings growth."

"Our pipeline of business and bidding activity remains solid, both domestically and internationally. It is backed up by strong demand levels in our domestic markets, upon which we are capitalizing. The consolidation and expansion of our Pennsylvania manufacturing operations is nearing completion, and the capital projects to enhance our Ooltewah, Tennessee plant and Greeneville, Tennessee facility are underway. To help finance these projects, our company had $20.0 million in borrowings outstanding as of September 30, 2016 under our credit facility."

Mr. Badgley concluded, "We continue to enhance shareholder value by maintaining a healthy balance sheet and productively utilizing our assets. Our business position remains steady as we look forward to a solid close to 2016, and we are very positive about our prospects for next year."

In conjunction with this release, the Company will host a conference call, which will be simultaneously broadcast live over the Internet. Management will host the call, which is scheduled for tomorrow, November 10, 2016, at 10:00 AM ET. Listeners can access the conference call live and archived over the Internet through a link at:

https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/1034/18171

Please allow 15 minutes prior to the call to visit the site, download, and install any necessary audio software. A replay of this call will be available approximately one hour after the live call ends through November 24, 2016. The replay number is 1-844-512-2921, Passcode 1006965.

Miller Industries is The World's Largest Manufacturer of Towing and Recovery Equipment, and markets its towing and recovery equipment under a number of well-recognized brands, including Century, Vulcan, Chevron, Holmes, Challenger, Champion, Jige, Boniface, Titan and Eagle.

Certain statements in this news release may be deemed to be forward-looking statements, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "should," "could," "continue," "future," "potential," "believe," "project," "plan," "intend," "seek," "estimate," "predict," "expect," "anticipate" and similar expressions, or the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements also include the assumptions underlying or relating to any of the foregoing statements. Such forward-looking statements are made based on our management's beliefs as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, our management. Our actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements due to, among other things: the cyclical nature of our industry and changes in consumer confidence; economic and market conditions; our customers' access to capital and credit to fund purchases, including the ability of our customers to secure floor plan financing; our dependence on outside suppliers of raw materials; changes in the cost of aluminum, steel and related raw materials; changes in fuel and other transportation costs, insurance costs and weather conditions; changes in government regulation; various political, economic and other uncertainties relating to our international operations, including restrictive taxation and foreign currency fluctuation; competitors could impede our ability to attract or retain customers; our ability to develop or acquire proprietary products and technology; assertions against us relating to intellectual property rights; problems hiring or retaining skilled labor; a disruption in our information technology systems; the effects of new regulation relating to conflict minerals; the catastrophic loss of one of our manufacturing facilities; environmental and health and safety liabilities and requirements; loss of the services of our key executives; product warranty or product liability claims in excess of our insurance coverage; an inability to acquire insurance at commercially reasonable rates; and those other risks referenced herein, and those risks discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those risks discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2015, as supplemented in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2016, which discussion is incorporated herein by this reference. Such factors are not exclusive. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by, or on behalf of, our Company.

Miller Industries, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (In thousands except per share data) (unaudited)





Three Months Ended

Nine Months Ended

September 30

September 30









%









%

2016

2015

Change

2016

2015

Change NET SALES $147,597

$126,205

17.0%

$452,525

$404,530

11.9%























COSTS OF OPERATIONS 130,481

113,409

15.1%

403,402

362,241

11.4%























GROSS PROFIT 17,116

12,796

33.8%

49,123

42,289

16.2%























OPERATING EXPENSES:





















Selling, General and Administrative Expenses 8,495

7,524

12.9%

24,823

22,612

9.8%























Interest Expense, Net 359

291

23.4%

816

699

16.7%























Other (Income) Expense, Net (238)

(94)

153.2%

(451)

227

298.7%























Total Operating Expenses 8,616

7,721

11.6%

25,188

23,538

7.0%























INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES 8,500

5,075

67.5%

23,935

18,751

27.6%























INCOME TAX PROVISION 2,978

1,907

56.2%

8,466

6,653

27.3%























NET INCOME $ 5,522

$ 3,168

74.3%

$ 15,469

$ 12,098

27.9%















































BASIC INCOME PER COMMON SHARE $ 0.49

$ 0.28

75.0%

$ 1.36

$ 1.07

27.1%























DILUTED INCOME PER COMMON SHARE $ 0.49

$ 0.28

75.0%

$ 1.36

$ 1.07

27.1%























CASH DIVIDENDS DECLARED PER COMMON SHARE $ 0.17

$ 0.16

6.3%

$ 0.51

$ 0.48

6.3%















































WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING:





















BASIC 11,346

11,341

0.0%

11,346

11,329

0.1% DILUTED 11,374

11,368

0.1%

11,374

11,367

0.1%

























SOURCE Miller Industries, Inc.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150630/227348 )



"The voters of Monroe County have clearly spoken. By approving this referendum, they have highlighted the need for new and targeted solutions that will fight against the invasive mosquitoes that carry Zika, dengue and other dangerous viruses," said Oxitec CEO Hadyn Parry.

Earlier this year, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control Board placed two non-binding referendums on the November 2016 ballot, allowing the residents of Key Haven and Monroe County to weigh in on whether they support a trial of Oxitec's technology.

"While we did not win over every community in the Keys, Oxitec appreciates the support received from the community and is prepared to take the next steps with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control Board to trial its environmentally-friendly and non-persisting mosquito control solution," added Mr. Parry.

According to the Florida Department of Health, more than 135 pregnant women and more than 1000 other residents have been infected with the Zika virus. Major tourist areas in Florida remain under health warnings, with more likely to occur in the future. In response to these developments, and in recognition of the critical need to control the vector that spreads disease, many communities across the state and civic groups, such as Chambers of Commerce, have expressed their support for moving forward with the Oxitec solution. Recently more than 60 legislators representing both parties in the Florida House of Representatives signed a letter asking federal health officials for quick action to make this self-limiting mosquito available statewide.

"At Oxitec, we remain strongly committed to helping Florida find viable solutions for vector control. Communities interested in pursuing our vector control solution have been advised by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services to contact Oxitec directly to access the technology - and we are ready right now to work closely with any community that is in need of a new approach."

Oxitec's technology represents a paradigm shift in mosquito control with unparalleled results. In conjunction with independent collaborators, Oxitec has conducted five open field trials of its self-limiting mosquitoes in Brazil, Panama and the Cayman Islands. Each trial led to a greater than 90% reduction of the wild Aedes aegypti population, a level of suppression far in excess of conventional approaches.

This innovative solution is currently being deployed in Piracicaba, Brazil and the Cayman Islands. Notably the public support for these projects has been strong in these areas. Surveys conducted in mid-2016 show that 69% of the residents of Grand Cayman and 88% of Piracicaba's citizens support the use of Oxitec's solution.

About Oxitec

Oxitec is a pioneer in using genetic engineering to control insect pests that spread disease and damage crops, and was founded in 2002 as a spinout from Oxford University (UK). Oxitec is a subsidiary of Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON), which engineers biology to help solve some of the world's biggest problems. Follow us on Twitter at @Oxitec.

Oxitec Contact:

Matthew Warren

Press Officer

Tel: +44-(0)1235-832-393

[email protected]



SOURCE Oxitec Ltd
NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- During this past week Nov. 3-6, Manhattan Spine & Pain Medicine, in conjunction with The New York Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, hosted its annual Pain Medicine Symposium entitled New York and New Jersey Societies of Interventional Pain Physicians Pain Medicine Symposium 2016: Evolving Advanced Pain Therapies. Under the leadership of Course Directors Sudhir Diwan, M.D., and Peter Staats, M.D., a diverse group of thought leaders were brought together to facilitate in-depth discussions about the challenges facing the Pain Management specialty as a whole and enhance doctors ability to care for patients.

Throughout the symposium, there were discussions about educating healthcare professionals to promote the development and practice of safe, high quality, cost effective interventional pain management techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of pain and related disorders, and to ensure patient access to these interventions. In all, over 556 attendees, physicians and administrators, traveled from all over the country to the Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson to participate at this unique event.

Nationally and internationally, Pain Medicine practitioners often gather to discuss clinical areas of interest. The New York and New Jersey Societies have dedicated themselves to understanding both the newest technologies and treatment options for their patients while also anticipating potential barriers in this increasingly complex, dynamic climate.

The New York & New Jersey Societies of Interventional Pain Physicians leadership team appreciates the input and energy invested in this conference by course directors, planning committee, faculty members and staff to make this program informative, dynamic and useful for all those who participated.

Manhattan Spine & Pain Medicine (MSPM) was founded in 2003 by Dr. Sanjay Bakshi. Since then, the practice has continuously grown and Dr. Bakshi and his colleagues continue to be leaders in the pain management specialty. In 2013, MSPM became affiliated with National Spine & Pain Centers, one of the largest pain management practices on the east coast. Call or visit treatingpain.com/mspm to access a list of Manhattan area providers, centers, conditions served, and treatment solutions.

Contact:

Jacob Hayes

P: 301-881-7246 ext: 129

11921 Rockville Pike #505

Rockville, MD 20852

http://www.treatingpain.com/

[email protected]

SOURCE Manhattan Spine & Pain Medicine

Related Links

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LONDON, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- INTRODUCTION

Diabetes, considered to be the most common metabolic disorder in humans, is ranked among the top ten fatal diseases in the US. The increasing incidence, growing prevalence and the progressive nature of the disease has spurred several pharmaceutical companies to develop novel approaches / therapies to provide better treatment options for diabetic patients worldwide. While insulin supplements and insulin based therapies represent a major portion of the anti-diabetic drugs market, non-insulin therapies are first line therapies designed especially for patients suffering from type II diabetes.



Sulfonylureas, biguanides, glinides, TZDs and alpha- glucosidase inhibitors were the first classes of non-insulin therapies to hit the market. Subsequently, incretin based therapies, such as GLP-1 agonists and DPP4 inhibitors, emerged as the standard of care for the treatment of type II diabetes. More recently, SGLT2 inhibitors have also been identified as an effective treatment solution for the same patient population. These three classes have captured a significant portion of the overall anti-diabetes market in a relatively short time span.



GLP-1 agonists and DPP4 inhibitors were introduced in the market over a decade ago while the first SGLT2 inhibitor was approved only in 2012. A number of drugs have emerged as blockbusters; examples include VICTOZA (GLP-1 agonist), JANUVIA / JANUMET (DPP4 inhibitor) and INVOKANA / INVOKAMET (SGLT2 inhibitor).



Several companies, including both big pharmaceutical players and small to mid-sized companies, are active in this area. Companies engaged in developing anti-diabetic drug classes have actively entered into collaborations with other stakeholders to either acquire / develop / commercialize candidate therapies or for technology licensing. For instance, Tobira acquired the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize evogliptin from Dong-A ST in April 2016; Eli Lilly and Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma entered into a sales collaboration agreement for Trulicity in July 2015; Novo Nordisk in-licensed Zosano's technology to develop a transdermal patch formulation of Novo's GLP-1 analogs, including semaglutide in February 2014; Takeda and Sanofi signed a co-promotion agreement for alogliptin in China in April 2013.



Recently issued FDA warnings specifically for DPP4 and SGLT2 inhibitors are likely to impact their adoption. However, new advances in drug development and the introduction of novel technologies are expected to help stakeholders operate within a proper framework and work towards eliminating the current gaps.



SCOPE OF THE REPORT

The "Non-Insulin Therapies for Diabetes: GLP-1 Agonists, DPP4 Inhibitors and SGLT2 Inhibitors, 2016-2026" report provides a comprehensive analysis of the current market landscape of these therapies and an informed opinion on how the market is likely to evolve over the next decade. The anti-diabetic drugs market broadly comprises of insulin and non-insulin therapies. Non-insulin therapies are further classified under various categories based on their respective mechanisms of action. Of the different types of non-insulin therapies, GLP-1 agonists, DPP4 inhibitors and SGLT2 inhibitors have been the most popular in the last few years. As mentioned earlier, these therapeutic classes have captured the attention of a number of pharmaceutical companies and drug developers worldwide. Several companies, including pharmaceutical giants, mid-sized players and start-ups, have come up with innovative technologies and novel formulations of these drug classes. Such advances have generated and sustained significant momentum in this segment of the industry. Specifically, GLP-1 agonists, which have been researched for several years, have a rich pipeline of clinical and preclinical molecules. DPP4 inhibitors currently have a relatively larger market share; however, they are now giving way to other relatively newer and emerging classes such as SGLT2 inhibitors.



During the course of our study, we identified over 80 molecules belonging to these three drugs classes. More than 70% of the candidates are currently under clinical / preclinical development; the efforts are actively being led by several companies. Focused primarily on these three classes of drugs, this report features:

- An overview of the market landscape highlighting important details on each molecule such as key players, current phase of product development, route of administration and dosage regime.

- Detailed profiles of drugs that have been recently approved / marketed or are in the late stages of development.

- A list of key opinion leaders (KOLs) who were involved in the discovery and development of GLP-1 agonists, DPP4 inhibitors and SGLT2 inhibitors.

- An analysis of recently published clinical trial data depicting the prevalent trends and technical developments that have taken place in the industry.

- A discussion on the potential side effects and warnings issued by regulatory authorities suggesting areas of improvement / guidance for future drug development.

- A list of upcoming non-insulin novel therapies that are currently in early stages of development and likely to become a part of the anti-diabetic drugs market in the near future.

The report also provides an estimate of the likely future size of the non-insulin therapies for diabetes. Our forecast model was built based on an understanding of the existing market trends and likely future opportunities for GLP-1 agonists, DPP4 inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitors and other non-insulin anti-diabetic drug classes. We have provided informed estimates of the expected future sales of marketed and late stage product candidates under each category, highlighting their share in the overall market over the next ten years.



The research, analysis and insights presented in this report are backed by a deep understanding of key insights gathered from both secondary and primary research. Actual figures have been sourced and analyzed from publicly available data. Unless otherwise specified, all financial figures are presented in USD.



RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The data presented in this report has been gathered via secondary and primary research. For all our projects, we conduct interviews with experts in the area (academia, industry, medical practice and other associations) to solicit their opinions on emerging trends in the market. This is primarily useful for us to draw out our own opinion on how the market may evolve across different regions and technology segments. Wherever possible, the available data has been checked for accuracy from multiple sources of information.



The secondary sources of information include:

- Annual reports

- Investor presentations

- SEC filings

- Industry databases

- News releases from company websites

- Government policy documents

- Industry analysts' views



While the focus has been on forecasting the market over the coming ten years, the report also provides our independent view on various technological and non-commercial trends emerging in the industry. This opinion is solely based on our knowledge, research and understanding of the relevant market gathered from various secondary and primary sources of information.



CHAPTER OUTLINES

Chapter 2 is an executive summary of the insights captured in our research. The summary offers a high level view on the likely evolution of GLP-1 agonists, DPP4 inhibitors and SGLT2 inhibitors during the coming decade.



Chapter 3 provides a general introduction to diabetes and discusses associated symptoms, available diagnostic methods and tests, and other complications associated with the condition. It also includes a detailed classification of the various therapeutic interventions available for the treatment of diabetes. These include both insulin based and non-insulin therapies. The chapter also provides brief descriptions of their respective mechanisms of action.



Chapter 4 provides a comprehensive overview of the market landscape of GLP-1 agonists, DPP4 inhibitors and SGLT2 inhibitors. It includes information on over 100 different molecules that fall under these classes of drugs. Some of these are already approved and are available in different regions across the globe. The rest are currently in various stages of preclinical / clinical development. The chapter presents analysis of the molecules based on their current phase of development, the various routes of administration being considered for their systemic delivery, dosage frequency, type of molecule and key players involved in developing these molecules.



Chapter 5 contains detailed profiles of recently approved and late stage GLP-1 agonists. Each profile covers information on several aspects of these drugs such as their history of development, clinical trial results, dosage form and regime, recent sales of the product (for marketed drugs), the current status of development, and the collaborations and partnerships that have been inked related to that particular drug / drug candidate.



Chapter 6 contains detailed profiles of recently approved and late stage DPP4 inhibitors. Each profile covers information on several aspects of these drugs such as their history of development, clinical trial results, dosage form and regime, recent sales of the product (for marketed drugs), the current status of development, and the collaborations and partnerships that have been inked related to that particular drug / drug candidate.

Chapter 7 contains detailed profiles of recently approved and late stage SGLT2 inhibitors. Each profile covers information on several aspects of these drugs such as their history of development, clinical trial results, dosage form and regime, recent sales of the product (for marketed drugs), the current status of development, and the collaborations and partnerships that have been inked related to that particular drug / drug candidate.



Chapter 8 focusses on the various side effects reported by patients treated using these drugs. It includes detailed discussions on the potential complications that may arise upon using these drugs, and the warnings issued by the FDA and other regulatory bodies regarding the associated risks. In addition, the chapter lists the various GLP-1 agonists, DPP4 inhibitors and SGLT2 inhibitors that have been terminated during development due to various reasons.



Chapter 9 provides a brief introduction to other novel interventions that are currently being investigated as potential treatment options for diabetes. The chapter also includes an analysis of these novel therapeutic options based on the type of molecule being investigated and phase of development.



Chapter 10 provides a detailed analysis on the likely future size of the non-insulin therapies market over the next decade. It presents comprehensive forecast scenarios for each individual drug class mentioned in the report, namely GLP-1 agonists, DPP4 inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitors and other non-insulin anti-diabetic drugs.



Chapter 11 presents an analysis of the Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) in this domain. It contains schematic representations of world maps highlighting the geographical locations of these eminent scientists / researchers. The chapter presents a detailed 2X2 analysis to assess the relative experience of certain KOLs based on the number of clinical studies they participated in and the highest phase of development they investigated.



Chapter 12 provides a detailed analysis of recently published clinical data on GLP-1 agonists, DPP4 inhibitors and SGLT2 inhibitors. It identifies various aspects of the ongoing research and presents analysis highlighting the active drugs, study focus areas and clinical endpoints (safety / efficacy / tolerability / pharmacodynamics / pharmacokinetics) across the published data.



Chapter 13 is a collection of interview transcripts of the discussions we held with key stakeholders in the industry.



Chapter 14 summarizes the entire report. The chapter presents a list of key takeaways and offers our independent opinion on the current market scenario and evolutionary trends that are likely to determine the future of this segment of the industry.



Chapter 15 is an appendix, which provides tabulated data and numbers for all the figures in the report.



Chapter 16 is an appendix, which contains the list of companies and organizations that have been mentioned in the report.



EXAMPLE HIGHLIGHTS

1. With a current total / combined share of more than 70% in the overall non-insulin market, GLP-1 agonists, DPP4 inhibitors and SGLT2 inhibitors represent the three most prominent anti-diabetic drug classes. In terms of size, currently, the market of GLP-1 agonists, DPP4 inhibitors and SGLT2 inhibitors is worth over USD 4 billion, USD 10 billion and USD 2 billion respectively. Overall, the market is highly fragmented and well distributed across different regions.

2. Combined, the three drug classes have over 20 approved drugs (accounting around 40 different formulations / fixed-dose combinations) for the treatment of type II diabetes. In addition, the clinical / preclinical pipeline is rich and has over 70 molecules in different stages of development. Of the three classes, DPP4 inhibitors currently has the maximum number of marketed drugs (over 10, excluding fixed-dose combinations). On the other hand, GLP-1 agonists represent the most active class of drugs with over 40 molecules under development. SGLT2 inhibitors are also emerging at a rapid pace and already have six marketed drugs across different regions. Semaglutide (Novo Nordisk), ITCA 650 (Intarcia Therapeutics), sotagliflozin (Sanofi / Lexicon Pharmaceuticals), ertugliflozin (Merck / Pfizer), retagliptin (Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine) and gosogliptin (SatRx / Pfizer) are examples of late stage drugs that are likely to receive approval in the near future.

3. Overall we came across over 80 pharmaceutical companies actively engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of non-insulin therapies. Established pharmaceutical players have captured a major share of the non-insulin anti-diabetic drugs market. In fact, AstraZeneca, BMS, Eli Lilly and Sanofi are developing non-insulin therapies across all the three drug classes. Several other companies such as Daiichi Sankyo, Janssen, Merck, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi, Takeda and Zealand Pharma have invested heavily in the development of multiple molecules belonging to these drug classes. A number of start-ups / small companies such as (in alphabetical order) Alteogen, Amunix, ArisGen, C4XD, Diartis Pharmaceuticals, Oramed Pharmaceutical, PegBio, Poxel, Rani Therapeutics, Receptos, SatRx, Sirona Biochem and Spitfire Pharma have entered this space and are also competing to gain a significant share in the overall non-insulin therapies market.

4. In addition to increased competition of such therapies in the major geographies such as the US and EU, some stakeholders have focused on tapping a localized opportunity. Drugs such as teneligliptin (Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma), trelagliptin (Takeda), ipragliflozin (Astellas Pharma/ Kotobuki Pharmaceutical) and luseogliflozin (Taisho Pharmaceutical) have been approved only in Japan. Similarly, retagliptin (Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine) and Uni-E4 (Uni-Bio Science Group) are in Phase III clinical development in China only.

5. With a vision to increase patient compliance, several pharmaceutical companies have introduced fixed-dose formulations of different drugs. Prominent examples include Eucreas / Galvumet / Galvus Met / Icandra / Zomarist (vildagliptin + metformin) (Novartis), INVOKAMET / VOKANAMET (canagliflozin + metformin) (Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies / Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma / Daiichi Sankyo), JANUMET / Velmetia (sitagliptin + metformin) (Merck), Xigdua (dapagliflozin + metformin) (Astra Zeneca / BMS) and Xultophy / IDegLira (liraglutide + insulin degludec) (Novo Nordisk).

6. Technological advancements are amongst the key future growth drivers. Drug developers are investigating new routes of administration using several innovative technology platforms, such as Axcess (Diabetology), Eligen (Emisphere Technologies), PharmFilm Technology (MonoSol Rx) and the Protein Oral Delivery (POD) technology (Oramed Pharmaceuticals), to facilitate the oral administration of GLP-1 agonists. Other innovative technologies such as the Intravail drug delivery platform are attempting to facilitate nasal administration. Companies such as ScinoPharm and Panacea Biotech are developing oral capsule formulations of DPP4 inhibitors. Their molecules, DBPR108 and PBL 1427, respectively, are still in the early stages of clinical development. SGLT2 inhibitors, primarily used to treat type II diabetes, are also being developed for the treatment of type I diabetes. Examples include sotagliflozin (Theracos) and remogliflozin (BHV Pharma).

7. Dual agonist drugs are also being developed to provide more effective treatment options. Examples of molecules that target both the GLP-1 receptor and glucagon receptor include MK-8521 (Merck), TTP401 / LY2944876 (Transition Therapeutics / Eli Lilly), MEDI0382 (AstraZeneca), SAR425899 (Sanofi) and MOD-6030 / MOD-6031 (OPKO Biologics). On the other hand, NN9709 (Novo Nordisk) and SAR438335 (Sanofi) are being developed to act on both GLP-1 and GIP receptors.

8. Several research institutes, companies and organization have made significant contribution to the discovery and overall development of these therapies. During the study, we identified over 400 key opinion leaders who have played critical role in the development of GLP-1 agonists, DPP4 inhibitors and SGLT2 inhibitors. In addition, we identified over 50 articles, published during the 12 months beginning January 2015, which focused on these three drug classes. The design of these studies primarily focussed on evaluating the safety, efficacy, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the drugs.

9. Extensive efforts are being made by pharmaceutical companies to explore new and innovative therapeutic strategies and agents that are safer and more effective than the already available options. Many novel non-insulin therapies are under clinical development. Examples of these new anti-diabetic drug classes include glucokinase activators, GPR119 agonists, GCGR antagonists, 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 inhibitors, glycogen phosphorylase inhibitors and PTP-1B antagonists.

10. It is important to highlight that nearing patent expiries of currently available drugs and the potential health hazards associated with the use of some of these inhibitors are going to negatively impact the market growth. However, our overall outlook is highly promising. We believe that SGLT2 inhibitors are likely to grow at an annualized growth rate of ~17%, followed by GLP-1 agonists (expected growth rate of ~13.4%).

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For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

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NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The North America endoscopic accessories market has been segmented based on product, application, and geography. The product segment includes mouthpieces, biopsy valves, suction polyp trap, quick catch polyp trap, distal attachments, spray catheters, bite blocks, lubrication gels, overtubes, cleaning adaptors to name a few. These endoscopic accessories find applications in fields like laparoscopy, GI endoscopy, arthroscopy, gynecological endoscopy, urology endoscopy, bronchoscopy, otoscopy, laryngoscopy and others. The geographic segment has been divided into the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Endoscopic accessories can help make the procedure easier for the patient as well as the physician. The accessories are of two types, namely, disposable and reusable. Disposable accessories offer lower risks of contamination, and lower cost compared to reusable accessories, which makes it a more preferred choice by both patients and physicians.

Olympus Corporation (Japan), Fujifilm Holdings Corporation (Japan), Stryker (U.S.), Hoya Group (Japan), Karl Storz GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Medovations, Inc. (U.S.), Endo-technik (Germany), Endochoice Holding, Inc. (U.S.), US Endoscopy, ConMed (U.S.), Solos Endoscopy, Inc. (U.S.), and Medivators, Inc. (U.S.) are some of the companies operating in the endoscopic accessories market.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

i. To identify market statistics with detailed classifications, split by revenue

ii. To analyze the North America endoscopic accessories market with focus on the high-growth device types and the fastest-growing market segments

iii. To analyze the impact of the factors that are currently driving and restraining the growth of the North America endoscopic accessories market

iv. To provide detailed segmentation of the North America endoscopic accessories market by product, application, and geography

v. To illustrate the segmentation, analysis, and forecast of the North America endoscopic accessories market

vi. To provide comprehensive competitive landscapes and market share analysis of key market players

vii. To profile the key market players of North America endoscopic accessories market with respect to their product offerings, company financials, and recent developments



Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04047053-summary/view-report.html

About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

http://www.reportlinker.com

__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

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WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following statement was issued today by Dr. Jerry A. Johnson, President & CEO of National Religious Broadcasters.

"The American people have spoken. On behalf of the membership of National Religious Broadcasters, I extend congratulations to President-Elect Donald J. Trump for his remarkable victory. It illustrates the vitality of the American political process. We also congratulate Vice President-Elect Mike Pence, who as a faithful member of Congress was the 2009 recipient of NRB's prestigious Faith & Freedom Award. NRB looks forward to working with the new Trump-Pence Administration on matters of mutual interest and concern.

"NRB commends voters for repudiating the demands of the radical Left. Sadly, that agenda has been aggressively advanced by the Obama Administration. But Americans still value life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is now time to unite in common cause to advance these basic principles, principles that bond citizens across political and demographic lines. Debates over the future of the judicial branch and, indeed, even the fundamental constitutional separation of powers among all the branches, remain in view. And we must counter the onslaught of more and more unprovoked assaults on religious ministries that only seek to aid their communities.

"I'm encouraged that early evidence suggests strong participation by Christian voters in this election. This was NRB's message in our Christians Vote public service announcement campaign  18 PSAs voiced by some of NRB's leading Bible teachers and Christian thinkers, including Jim Daly, Tony Evans, David Jeremiah, John MacArthur, Robert Jeffress, Luis Palau, Dennis Rainey, Charles Stanley, and Chuck Swindoll. These messages were used by NRB-affiliated radio stations and others to encourage evangelicals to fulfill their biblical duty to vote.

"Also, this election demonstrates the wisdom of NRB's recent decision to relocate our headquarters to Capitol Hill. We urge our members to remain vigilantly engaged in our public policy concerns, and we invite other evangelical organizations to join us as we continue to advance biblical truth, promote media excellence, and defend free speech. Now, more than ever, NRB's unique mission is needed in our nation's capital.

"It is well known that evangelical leaders were divided concerning the presidential election. Nevertheless, voters who identify as evangelical made their preference clear. Now it's time for evangelical leaders to come together. Evangelicals face growing challenges to religious liberty, free speech, the sanctity of human life, and other fundamental liberties for which we must stand united in the public square. These liberties are critical to the proclamation of biblical truth, both in our churches and beyond through our members' broadcasting ministries. Nevertheless, more than just for our own sakes, the well-being and the lives of our fellow citizens are at stake in how our government addresses these matters. Because of these convictions, we must and will continue to contend for biblical truth and free speech.

"We also declare the biblical truth that God is sovereign. 'He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings' (Dan. 2:21). Our God does all things well, which is why our trust ultimately is in Him  and Him alone. We also affirm our biblical duty to pray for governmental leaders (1 Tim. 2:1) and urge our fellow evangelicals to take seriously this command from God. So, we especially begin praying today for President-Elect Trump and Vice President-Elect Pence. And to them I wish to say, 'As you prepare for this great task, may God bless you, and may God bless America.'"

About NRB

The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) is a nonpartisan, international association of Christian communicators whose member organizations represent millions of listeners, viewers, and readers. Our mission is to advance biblical truth; to promote media excellence; and to defend free speech. In addition to promoting standards of excellence, integrity, and accountability, NRB provides networking, educational, ministry, and fellowship opportunities for its members. Learn more at www.nrb.org.

Contact: James A. Smith Sr.

Phone: 202-849-8452

Email: [email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160608/377006LOGO

SOURCE National Religious Broadcasters

Related Links

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TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- This Veterans Day, Outback Steakhouse is recognizing military service members and saying thank you with its in-restaurant offerings. On November 11, all active and retired military members can receive a free Bloomin' Onion and beverage; and from November 12 through December 31, Military Mates  which includes military families  can receive 15% off their check. This year, Outback also launched its first ever Challenge Coin program benefitting Folds of Honor, an organization that provides scholarships and assistance to the spouses and children of those military killed or disabled in service to America.

Outback's Challenge Coin program was inspired by the military custom where soldiers produce their Challenge Coin to fellow soldiers, and anyone who cannot immediately present the same coin must buy a round of drinks.

To honor this tradition, Outback Steakhouse and Carrabba's Italian Grill partnered with Folds of Honor to create their own Challenge Coin, which can be purchased online now through December 31, 2016 at www.challengecoin.foldsofhonor.org. One hundred percent of proceeds from the sales go directly to Folds of Honor. As a token of appreciation for the donation, guests who present the Challenge Coin at participating Outback Steakhouse or Carrabba's Italian Grill restaurants can redeem a free Coca-Cola product anytime in 2016.*

"We're proud to support Folds of Honor with the proceeds from our Challenge Coin program and show our deep gratitude for the sacrifices that military service members make," said Gregg Scarlett, President, Outback Steakhouse.

"We are always thankful for Outback and Carrabba's generous support, and tying this year's contribution to the military-inspired Challenge Coin tradition makes it all the more special," said Major Dan Rooney, Founder, Folds of Honor. "I'm excited to add theirs to my personal collection of Challenge Coins."

Outback Steakhouse has supported military service members and their families for more than 25 years, both by feeding troops actively serving abroad and by feeding heroes as they returned home. Over the past five years alone, Outback has donated more than $3 million to aid military families as service members transitioned out of active duty by providing food assistance, auto and home repair, vision care, travel and transportation, moving assistance, essential home items and financial assistance.

For more information on Outback or to find a location near you, please visit www.outback.com/salute, www.facebook.com/outback or follow us on Twitter @Outback. To purchase a Challenge Coin, please visit http://www.challengecoin.foldsofhonor.org/.

*Participation may vary by location.

About Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse starts fresh every day to create the flavors that our mates crave. Best known for grilled steaks, the Bloomin' Onion and a wide variety of chicken and seafood, Outback also offers a wide variety of crisp salads and freshly made soups and sides. New creations and grilled classics, such as Victoria's Filet Mignon and Perfectly Grilled Salmon, are made from scratch daily using only the highest quality ingredients sourced from around the world. Earn up to 50% off every fourth visit by joining Dine Rewards at www.dine-rewards.com.

For more information, please visit www.outback.com or http://www.facebook.com/outback.

About Folds of Honor

Folds of Honor is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to families of military men and women who have fallen or been disabled while on active duty in the United States armed forces. Our educational scholarships support private education tuition and tutoring for children in grades K-12, as well as higher education tuition assistance for spouses and dependents. Founded in 2007 by Major Dan Rooney, an F-16 fighter pilot in the Oklahoma Air National Guard who served three tours of duty in Iraq, Folds of Honor is proud to have awarded more than 10,000 scholarships in all 50 states, as well as Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, including more than 2,500 in 2015 alone. For more information or to donate in support of a Folds of Honor scholarship, visit www.foldsofhonor.org.

Elizabeth Watts Maya Cass Bloomin' Brands Inc. Hunter Public Relations 813-830-4967 212-679-6600 x 275 [email protected] [email protected]

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SOURCE Outback Steakhouse

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NEWINGTON, N.H., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As a company committed to eliminating judgement and intimidation while promoting kindness and acceptance, Planet Fitness is launching a special promotion to continue its fight against bullying  the #1 concern for parents today*.

From November 9 through November 16, Planet Fitness is inviting everyone to join for only a $10 enrollment fee for both the $10 and $19.99 monthly memberships, and the company and its franchisees will donate 100% of the enrollment fees to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and STOMP Out Bullying to benefit its philanthropic initiative, The Judgement Free Generation. Each $10 donation will support The Judgement Free Generation's mission of combatting the judgement and bullying faced by teens through funding programming, training and resources.

Planet Fitness has been a proud champion of encouraging people to be "judgement free," inviting members to come work out as they are, without fear of being criticized or judged. With more than 1,200 locations nationwide, each location's walls provide inspirational messages of encouragement such as "You Belong" and "No Critics."

Planet Fitness launched The Judgement Free Generation in March 2016 with an initial $1.3M commitment to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and STOMP Out Bullying to fund pro-kindness and anti-bullying programs nationwide. Since the program's introduction, anti-bullying tools and resources created by STOMP Out Bullying have been made available to the more than 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs across the country, and trainings have been held for Boys & Girls Clubs' staff to create positive, judgement free environments that will help kids thrive.

According to Chris Rondeau, Planet Fitness' Chief Executive Officer, "Making people feel accepted and respected is something we have always proudly stood behind. With 1 in 4 kids reporting being bullied today** we are truly approaching an epidemic, which is why we have joined this movement to take a stand against bullying and focus on promoting kindness and inclusion. Through the collective work with our two non-profit partners Boys & Girls Clubs of America and STOMP Out Bullying, we have the opportunity to positively impact so many of our nation's kids and teens, and this eight-day national sale is just one of the many ways we're going to continue our support for this cause."

Additionally, to bring its judgement free philosophy into another deserving community, Planet Fitness along with EXTRA host Mario Lopez will unveil a brand new mini Planet Fitness within the Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena, CA. Mario Lopez, who is a Boys & Girls Club alumnus and STOMP Out Bullying Global Ambassador, helped Planet Fitness finish the renovation and reveal the new fitness facility to the Boys & Girls Club kids and teens.

The new mini Judgement Free Zone in the Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena is the second of its kind in the country. Featuring the same motivational and inspirational messages on the walls and the brand's signature purple and yellow colors and branded equipment, the fitness room mirrors Planet Fitness clubs throughout the U.S. Local California Planet Fitness franchisees supported the renovation by donating equipment, and the Company's staff helped transform the room from a storage closet to a bright workout space. The first mini fitness facility was built in the Boys & Girls Club of Manchester, NH in September, and is part of Planet Fitness' and its franchisees' plan to provide safe and welcoming workout environments to local Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the country.

"Our young people face many barriers to leading a life of positive health and wellness, including social challenges like bullying," said Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "Our partnership with Planet Fitness, and the creation of Judgement Free Zones in select Clubs around the country provide critical resources, putting our kids and teens on the path to a great future."

Ross Ellis, founder and CEO of STOMP Out Bullying said, "We are deeply grateful to Planet Fitness for their generosity and for their commitment to sharing our vision of kindness, empathy and no judgment. It is my hope that other companies will follow suit, thereby creating a world of kindness for all youths."

To watch Mario Lopez unveil the new mini Judgement Free Zone at the Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena, tune in to EXTRA on Thursday, November 10. Check local listings.

* The Healing Power of Doing Good

** Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

About Planet Fitness

Founded in 1992 in Dover, N.H., Planet Fitness is one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the United States by number of members and locations. As of September 30, 2016, Planet Fitness had more than 8.6 million members and more than 1,200 stores in 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada and the Dominican Republic. The Company's mission is to enhance people's lives by providing a high-quality fitness experience in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment, which we call the Judgement Free Zone. More than 90% of Planet Fitness stores are owned and operated by independent business men and women.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,200 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at Facebook and Twitter.

About STOMP Out Bullying

STOMP Out Bullying is the leading national anti-bullying and cyberbullying organization for kids and teens in the U.S. Created in 2005, STOMP Out Bullying is recognized as the most influential anti-bullying organization in the country. It focuses on reducing and preventing bullying, cyberbullying, sexting and other digital abuse, educating against homophobia, racism and hatred, decreasing school absenteeism, and deterring violence in schools, online and in communities across the country. It teaches effective solutions on how to respond to all forms of bullying, as well as educating kids and teens in school and online, providing help for those in need and at risk of suicide, raising awareness, peer mentoring programs in schools, public service announcements by noted celebrities, and social media campaigns. Learn more at www.STOMPOutBullying.org, Facebook and Twitter.

Contact

McCall Gosselin

Vice President of PR & Communications

603-957-4650

[email protected]

Becky Zirlen

PR Manager

603-294-0567

[email protected]

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SOURCE Planet Fitness

Related Links

http://www.planetfitness.com


VIENNA, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Plexxi, a pioneer of software-defined data center infrastructure, today announced seamless network integration with the Nutanix Enterprise Cloud Platform. Plexxi, a Nutanix Elevate Partner and Silver Sponsor of the Nutanix .NEXT Conference in Vienna, will demonstrate the power and agility of its Infrastructure Network Fabric to provide Nutanix customers with a single, scalable network that easily integrates with Nutanix Prism. The solution has received Nutanix Ready  Integrated verification, offering Nutanix administrators the network integration and control they need to natively manage their enterprise cloud deployment as a single, integrated system of scalable compute, networking, storage and virtualization.

"The Nutanix Enterprise Cloud Platform natively converges compute, virtualization and storage, giving IT teams freedom to focus on the applications and services that power their business," said Venugopal Pai, Vice President of Alliances and Business Development at Nutanix. "By taking advantage of our simple and open APIs, Plexxi's Nutanix Integration Pack extends our mission to make infrastructure invisible by adding integrated networking, enabling Nutanix customers to monitor their network using Nutanix Prism."

Plexxi's Infrastructure Network Fabric, under software control, fundamentally changes the scalability and economics for customers deploying the latest scale-out applications and infrastructure. With Plexxi, organizations can now deploy a single IP network that supports all workloads. Administrators can define workload policies, allocate path bandwidth, and isolate workload traffic across the Plexxi fabric, eliminating the need to deploy multiple, separate networks. The ability to support multiple, diverse workloads on a single IP network fabric and control them through software is a fundamental requirement that Plexxi clearly understands and uniquely delivers.

"This integration marks a major milestone for the software defined data center," said Rich Napolitano, CEO of Plexxi. "Plexxi's software control is key to enabling networking with today's hyper-converged infrastructures. Our software control plane, programmatic APIs, and pre-built Connect Integration Packs deliver zero-touch integration and dynamic, Nutanix-specific, workload optimizations that simplify ongoing management."

Plexxi Connect Integration Packs eliminate resource intensive, time-consuming system integration and testing efforts, providing off-the-shelf integration between Plexxi and industry-leading applications and infrastructure. Plexxi's Nutanix integration harvests all of the elements of the Enterprise Cloud Platform topology, including: hypervisors (Nutanix AHV or VMware ESXi), and Nutanix Controller Virtual Machine (CVM) information. As the environment evolves, Plexxi Control software dynamically re-provisions the Plexxi network fabric in response to virtual compute and storage events. This ensures the highest performance and service quality for diverse applications workloads, while making optimal use of networking resources. The Plexxi software also builds a graphical representation of the network topology within Nutanix Prism, and displays its state and status for quick and simple analysis of the network. All of this is done automatically through the Plexxi Connect Integration Pack for Nutanix.

Plexxi's software-defined fabric can run on the company's own purpose-built hardware, or on built-to-spec, 3rd-party hardware platforms from OEMs. In either case, software is at the core of these solutions, providing customers with the deployment flexibility and buying preferences that are critical to their business. Together Nutanix and Plexxi truly deliver on the promise of the software defined data center.

For a first-hand, live demonstration of Plexxi's powerful integration capabilities for Nutanix, stop by booth S6 at .NEXT Europe.

About Plexxi Inc.

Plexxi delivers software defined infrastructure building blocks and systems for building software-defined data centers and public / private clouds. Plexxi solutions enable Cloud Builders to harness the power of a single, simple platform to create private/public/hybrid cloud and data center networks. Plexxi's software defined infrastructure solutions provide a comprehensive suite of building blocks, from hardware to management and application integrations that dynamically help applications to perform better at half the capital and operating expense of legacy solutions. Headquartered in Nashua, N.H., Plexxi investors include GV (formerly Google Ventures), Lightspeed Venture Partners, Matrix Partners and North Bridge Venture Partners. For more information, visit www.plexxi.com or follow us on Twitter @PlexxiInc.

Media contact:

Jackie D'Andrea

(781) 966-4143

[email protected]

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SOURCE Plexxi, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.plexxi.com


NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area.

You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network  it's easy and free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/alertswire

EXPERT ALERTS

2016 Ballot Measures Legalizing Marijuana in the U.S.

Legalizing Marijuana Could Mark the End of the Medical Marijuana Market

The Right for Nursing Home Patients to Sue Instead of Being Forced Into Arbitration

Prenuptial Agreements Among Millennials

The Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie Divorce Battle is On

MEDIA JOBS

Senior Mobile Editor  The Wall Street Journal (NY)

Head of Content  Pageant Media (NY)

Reporter  Law360 (D.C.)

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

Peter Thiel Discusses Gawker with National Press Club

How Newsrooms' Beats are Shaping PR

5 Tips for Creating a Successful Social Media Content Calendar

EXPERT ALERTS:

2016 Ballot Measures Legalizing Marijuana in the U.S.

Barney Warf

Professor of Geography

University of Kansas

"Almost 60 percent of Americans support full legalization. Even conservative legislatures have eyed the potential tax revenues from the process. States that will newly legalize cannabis will provide an impetus for yet others to do so in future elections. Now that the floodgates are opening, there is no going back."

Warf is author of "High Points: An Historical Geography of Cannabis," published in the peer-reviewed journal Geographical Review. Warf is based in Lawrence, Kansas.

Website: http://www.news.ku.edu

Expert Contact: [email protected]

PR Contact: Brendan Lynch, [email protected]



Legalizing Marijuana Could Mark the End of the Medical Marijuana Market

Aaron Lachant

Health Care Attorney

Nelson Hardiman

The decriminalization of marijuana will lead to the proliferation of unlicensed marijuana vendors/ drug dealers. If the unauthorized sale of marijuana leads only to a misdemeanor and a $500 fine, what's the risk (as opposed to the current felony conviction and a year in jail)? With a 15 percent sales tax on medicinal (and future recreational) marijuana, customers and businesses will soon grow tired of spending extra money to obtain state-authorized marijuana. And with the gutting of criminal enforcement, the buyer has little fear of buying marijuana from unauthorized dealers. Medicinal marijuana dispensaries will go where the money is and conduct most of its business on the recreational side. Why would they limit themselves to the smaller medicinal market when they can make much more on the recreational side? Doctors who prescribe marijuana -- who once charged a $200 consultation fee have already bottomed out to $30 a visit. They could become all but extinct. Says Lachant: "The green rush of unlicensed marijuana dealers is all but certain and the medicinal marijuana market will slowly crumble."

Lachant is located in Los Angeles

Contact: Olivier Gibbons, [email protected]



The Right for Nursing Home Patients to Sue Instead of Being Forced Into Arbitration

Harry Nelson

Health Care Attorney

Nelson Hardiman

A federal judge just blocked a ban by the government that would have prohibited nursing homes from forcing patients into arbitration. This impacts up to 1.5 million folks. Says Nelson: "This will have a major impact on nursing homes and their patients."

Nelson is located in Los Angeles.

Contact: Olivier Gibbons, [email protected]



Prenuptial Agreements Among Millennials

Peter Walzer

Family Law Specialist

Walzer Melcher

Prenuptial agreements are on the rise for millennials, according to a study by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. And millennials aren't just trying to protect their assets, but future assets as well. They're trying to protect intellectual property, such as songs, films, software technology, even property whose concepts have yet to be executed. Says Walzer: "Millennials are saying my best years are ahead of me and I want to protect my future brand."

Walzer is located in Los Angeles.

Contact: Olivier Gibbons, [email protected]



The Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie Divorce Battle is On

Christopher Melcher

Family Law Specialist

Walzer Melcher

Melcher is available to discuss the children's custody battle and how this is a zero-sum game. His firm represented Katie Holmes in her divorce from Tom Cruise. Says Melcher: "It's time for both sides to get this over with as soon as possible before things really get ugly."

Melcher is located in Los Angeles.

Contact: Olivier Gibbons, [email protected]



MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/

Senior Mobile Editor  The Wall Street Journal (NY)

Head of Content  Pageant Media (NY)

Reporter  Law360 (D.C.)

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [email protected]

PETER THIEL DISCUSSES GAWKER WITH NATIONAL PRESS CLUB. Peter Thiel , known as "The Gawker slayer," recently spoke to a sea of reporters gathered at The National Press Club in Washington, D.C. It was an interesting conversation, which ProfNet's Wes Benter recaps here: http://prn.to/2fixDt8



, known as "The Gawker slayer," recently spoke to a sea of reporters gathered at The National Press Club in It was an interesting conversation, which ProfNet's Wes Benter recaps here: http://prn.to/2fixDt8 HOW NEWSROOMS' BEATS ARE SHAPING PR. Traditionally, newsrooms have largely covered news based on geographic lines. While some organizations continue to operate this way, many are turning away from location-based beats and focusing instead on regional coverage of larger issues: http://prn.to/2f96Ssi



5 TIPS FOR CREATING A SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT CALENDAR. While getting started with a social media strategy may be easy, it must be consistent and well thought out to make it successful. The best way to organize yourself is to create an editorial or content calendar. http://bit.ly/2eD7KmW

PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire.

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SOURCE ProfNet

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NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Synopsis

The report provides detailed market analysis, information and insights based on over 1,800 CIC projects in Asia-Pacific.



The report provides detailed metrics on the region's industrial construction projects (as tracked by CIC) split by country, type and value.



Summary

This report details the investment in large-scale industrial projects in the region, based on the projects tracked by Timetric's Construction Intelligence Center (CIC). The projects are at various stages of development, from announced to execution, and are in five main categories: chemical and pharmaceutical plants, manufacturing plants, metal and material processing plants, metal and material production plants and other industrial buildings.



A total of 11 countries in the region are covered in this report, and the combined value of projects tracked in these countries stood at US$1.1 trillion as of September 2016. The average value of industrial projects for the over 1,820 projects studied is US$604 million. Metal and material production plants dominate, with a combined valued of US$400.6 billion, accounting for 36% of the total. This is largely driven by the many steel, aluminum and cement plants that are being planned.



India heads up the 11 countries in terms of the total value of all industrial construction projects, with a project pipeline valued at US$460.6 billion, with metal and material production plants projects accounting for the majority of this value with US$250.2 billion.



Scope

The report provides analysis based on CIC projects showing value by country and top project listings. Top participants for the sector are also shown.



Reasons To Buy

The report provides insight into the main drivers of activity and forecasts, providing an understanding of key trends, analysis of main project participants by value by sector and enabling clients to target products and services for each type of project.



Analysis of main project participants by value for the sector enables clients to target products and services for each type of project. The report also provides top project data for types of industrial construction projects with location, value, stage and start date.



Key Highlights

The report details investment in industrial construction projects in Asia-Pacific, based on projects tracked by Timetric's Construction Intelligence Center (CIC).



In the 11 countries studied, the CIC is tracking over 1,800 projects at various stages of development, from announcement to execution, and covers five industrial categories: chemical and pharmaceutical plants, manufacturing plants, metal and material processing plants, metal and material production plants and other industrial buildings.



The combined value of the region's industrial construction projects pipeline stands at US$1.1 trillion, with India having the largest pipeline value of US$460.6 billion, followed by China with US$181.0 billion.

Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p02629098-summary/view-report.html



About Reportlinker

Reportlinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



http://www.reportlinker.com





__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

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SINGAPORE, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management and automation, announced today that it has launched "Light It Up", its programme to bring access to electricity to rural communities across the Asia Pacific region. Schneider Electric believes that access to energy is a basic human right, and it is committed to putting safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable energy within reach of a great many households, ensuring Life Is On for everyone, everywhere, and at every moment.

From mid-September to early November this year, Schneider Electric employees will distribute more than 1,800 units of the Mobiya solar lamps to rural communities in 12 countries across the region.

Economic and social development is largely driven by access to energy. However, around 1.3 billion people on this planet still lack access to modern energy today1, while another one billion people have access to only unreliable electricity networks. A significant proportion of the world's energy poor are living in Asia. In countries like Myanmar and Cambodia, the rural electrification rate can be as low as 18 percent2.

Safe and Clean Access to Energy

Schneider Electric's commitment to promoting sustainable development and providing safe and clean access to energy is in its DNA. In the past six years, Schneider Electric has contributed to providing 5 million people with access to energy. The goal is to reach 50 million people within the next 10 years.

With "Light It Up", a corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, Schneider Electric employees, as well as sponsors from Schneider Electric's partners and customers from 17 countries in Asia Pacific have bought and sponsored a total of over 1,800 Mobiya solar lamps. These lamps will be distributed to rural communities across 12 countries: Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, connecting a total of over 1,300 families to electricity and lighting, and helping to improve living conditions for these communities.

"Light It Up" with Innovation at Every Level

"At Schneider, we believe that access to energy is a basic human right and energy should be made available to everyone. I am happy that this project brings many parties together who want to contribute meaningfully in helping remote communities gain access to safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable energy," said Damien Dhellemmes, Senior Vice-President of Global Supply Chain, East Asia, Japan & Pacific at Schneider Electric. "With the Light It Up programme, we look forward to sharing our innovation at every level in energy with the rural and remote communities in this region."

Schneider Innovation at Every Level harnesses the power and promise of the Internet of Things to reshape cities, transform industries and enrich lives through connected products, edge control, and apps, analytics and services.

Here are some of the key 'Light It Up' projects that will take place this year:

162 households in the Kawhmu Village in Myanmar are living in poverty and have no access to the outside world. Upon recommendation from the Department of Rural Development, Government Ministry (DRD), Schneider Electric aims to equip each household with a Mobiya solar lamp to improve the lighting situation for late night studying and increase the safety for night time transportation.

are living in poverty and have no access to the outside world. Upon recommendation from the Department of Rural Development, Government Ministry (DRD), Schneider Electric aims to equip each household with a Mobiya solar lamp to improve the lighting situation for late night studying and increase the safety for night time transportation. 96 low-income households in the suburban area on the hills of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia do not have access to electricity and rely on candles as their main source of light. In collaboration with the French-Mongolian Chamber of Commerce and Ulaanbaatar's Social Welfare and Service department, Schneider Electric aims to provide every household with a Mobiya solar lamp to extend children's study time and adults' productivity.

do not have access to electricity and rely on candles as their main source of light. In collaboration with the French-Mongolian Chamber of Commerce and Ulaanbaatar's Social Welfare and Service department, Schneider Electric aims to provide every household with a Mobiya solar lamp to extend children's study time and adults' productivity. 275 households in Tan Loi Village in the An Giang Province of Vietnam from the Khmer ethnic minority group are living off-grid with no sustainable source of income. In partnership with GreenID (a local NGO) and the Women's Union of Tan Loi , Schneider Electric will be providing 192 Mobiya solar lamps to the village, which will be distributed to the villagers via a sustainable entrepreneurship plan.

from the Khmer ethnic minority group are living off-grid with no sustainable source of income. In partnership with GreenID (a local NGO) and the Women's Union of , Schneider Electric will be providing 192 Mobiya solar lamps to the village, which will be distributed to the villagers via a sustainable entrepreneurship plan. The fishing community in Dreamland Rosario at Cavite in the Philippines is considered one of the poorest districts in the province. The 50 families in the community cannot afford electricity in their homes, and have to rely on kerosene and candles for their lighting needs. Schneider Electric will donate Mobiya solar lamps to the 50 affected families to not only help the families to cut down their spending on kerosene fuel, but also as "fish bait" and safe use on fishing boats.

The Mobiya range of portable products for lighting and mobile charging are award winning energy-efficient and eco-friendly LED lamps that provide up to 48 hours of lighting with one day of solar charge.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider Electric is the global specialist in energy management and automation. With revenues of ~27 billion in FY2015, our 160,000+ employees serve customers in over 100 countries, helping them to manage their energy and process in ways that are safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable. From the simplest of switches to complex operational systems, our technology, software and services improve the way our customers manage and automate their operations. Our connected technologies reshape industries, transform cities and enrich lives. At Schneider Electric, we call this Life Is On.

www.schneider-electric.com

Discover Life is On Innovation At Every Level



Follow us on:

https://twitter.com/SchneiderElec

https://www.facebook.com/SchneiderElectric?brandloc=DISABLE

https://www.linkedin.com/company/schneider-electric

https://plus.google.com/+schneiderelectric

https://www.youtube.com/user/SchneiderCorporate

http://tv.schneider-electric.com/site/schneidertv/index.cfm

http://blog.schneider-electric.com/

Hashtags: #LifeIsOn #LightItUp #InnovationAtEveryLevel

1 Source: IEA, World Energy Outlook 2015

2 Source: IEA, World Energy Outlook 2015

SOURCE Schneider Electric

Related Links

http://www.schneider-electric.com


"This is about delivering an entirely new, interactive interface for remote workers to more effectively and efficiently communicate with experts in real-time, wherever they are," said Scott Montgomerie, CEO and co-founder of Scope AR. "With machinery and equipment becoming increasingly complex, we are excited to partner with Caterpillar to provide the technology tools they need to share expert knowledge more quickly and deliver the remote support needed to get equipment back up and running faster."

"At Caterpillar, we are always looking for innovative ways to enhance our customers' operations and experience with using our equipment," said Lonny Johnson, senior engineering project team leader at Caterpillar. "Through our partnership with Scope AR, our operators and dealers now have access to a superior level of remote support that will dramatically improve comprehension and reduce downtime costs at millions of job sites across the globe."

The new platform is based upon Scope AR's Remote AR technology  an augmented reality-based remote assistance application  and will include advanced features specific to the industries surrounding Cat products. The platform combines augmented reality with live video streaming, voice, live annotation, screen sharing and white-boarding to simulate the effectiveness of having the expert looking over your shoulder guiding you on what to do step-by-step.

About Scope AR

Augmented reality (AR) company Scope AR is the creator of the first-ever true AR smart instructions and live support video calling solutions  WorkLink and Remote AR. The company provides the industry's most comprehensive set of tools to allow users to become their own experts, learning to assemble, repair or troubleshoot problems wherever they are. Whether training, performing complex fieldwork or remote tasks, or any number of assisted activities across vertical industries including industrial equipment manufacturing, aerospace, construction, utilities, oil and gas, automotive, consumer applications and more, Scope AR provides robust solutions for in-field support and performance tracking. The company's partners and users include Epson, Boeing, Toyota, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell and Sealed Air, among others. The company was founded in 2011 and is based in San Francisco with offices in Edmonton, Canada.

For more information go to www.scopear.com.

About Caterpillar

For 91 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. Customers turn to Caterpillar to help them develop infrastructure, energy and natural resource assets. With 2015 sales and revenues of $47.011 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. The company principally operates through its three product segments - Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation - and also provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment. For more information, visit caterpillar.com. To connect with us on social media, visit caterpillar.com/social-media.

Media Contact:

Paul Brady

Carve Communications for Scope AR

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 646-491-2777

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SOURCE Scope AR

Related Links

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LABEGE, France AND KYOTO, Japan, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Strategic partnership to cover the third largest Internet of Things (IoT) market, with 6% of a global IoT revenue that is set to reach no less than 3 trillion USD by 2025 (cf. Machina Research[1])

The 25th country to deploy Sigfox's network, supporting its global ambition to reach 60 countries by 2018.

Today, Sigfox, the world's leading provider of a global communication solution powering the Internet of Things (IoT), and its partner KYOCERA Communication Systems Co., Ltd. (KCCS) announced the nationwide roll-out of the Sigfox network in Japan - the world's third largest IoT market.

The partnership is a strategic move to tap into this fast-growing market which represents 6 per cent of global revenue that is set to reach no less than 3 trillion USD by 2025. With key Japanese corporations investing heavily in the IoT sector, Japan will also be a major contributor to the global IoT ecosystem (cf. Japan Times[2]).

As Sigfox's network operator in Japan, KCCS, a subsidiary of Kyocera Corporation - a leading global supplier of printers, copiers, mobile phones, solar power generating systems, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics - will deploy Sigfox's network nationwide and distribute the service to its customers.

Sigfox connectivity service now spans across 25 countries. This move marks another key milestone of Sigfox's rapid expansion in the Asia Pacific region, following roll-outs in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan earlier this year.

The roll-out of the Sigfox network in Japan will provide main territory coverage in 2018, initially starting in Tokyo in early 2017.

KCCS will target applications across all vertical markets, with a particular focus on public utility, infrastructure, healthcare, logistics, agriculture and manufacturing industries.

Global scalability, cost and energy consumption have been the three greatest barriers to IoT mass adoption. Sigfox entered the global IoT market to break down these barriers. Rather than using existing technologies, Sigfox has taken a unique approach. The company is rolling out the first global IoT network to listen to billions of objects broadcasting data, without the need to establish and maintain network connections. This game-changing shift, that drastically reduce energy consumption and costs, will fuel the IoT mass market deployment.

Rodolphe Baronnet-Fruges, Sigfox Executive Vice President of Networks and Operators, said: "We are proud to be entering a partnership with KCCS to enable the huge potential of Japanese corporations and society. I am confident that the Japanese solutions, powered by Sigfox, will meet the fourth industrial revolution challenge head-on."

Roswell Wolff, President, Sigfox Asia Pacific, said, "As the third largest IoT market in the world, Japan is strategic for Sigfox, both for its significance as a connected market in its own right, and as a key global contributor to the development of smart connected devices fuelling the growth of the internet of things worldwide.

"We expect exponential growth in demand to connect millions of devices over a simple, low cost, low power and long range network. We look forward to a strong partnership with KCCS to drive the expansion of the Japanese IoT market'.

Yoshihito Kurose, President, KYOCERA Communication Systems Co., Ltd., said, "I am delighted with our partnership with Sigfox, to deploy the Sigfox network in Japan. There are already a number of Sigfox use cases in the global market that we can learn from. KYOCERA Communication Systems Co., Ltd., KCCS, will deploy the Sigfox network in Japan as well as create many applications and contribute to the global success of the Sigfox network".

About KCCS

KCCS, a subsidiary of Kyocera Corporation- a leading global supplier of printers, copiers, mobile phones, solar power generating systems, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics-will deploy Sigfox's network nationwide and distribute the service to its customers. For more information, visit http://www.kccs.co.jp/english/

About Sigfox

Sigfox is the world's leading provider of global communication solutions powering the Internet of Things (IoT). Its solutions introduce a game-changing approach for device-to-cloud communications by making it possible for devices to send and receive data over the Internet without the need to manage complex connections or SIM cards, as the Sigfox network and devices simply listen in and capture specifically formatted radio messages from around the globe, needing something as simple as a silicon chip that you find in a remote control. The unique Sigfox solutions enable devices to consume so little energy that soon batteries will become redundant and energy harvesting solutions will power data transmission.

The vision of the company is to "Make Things Come Alive". By giving a voice to the physical world we live in, and connecting it to the Cloud, Sigfox allows objects to play a role in our social and economic development.

Currently present in 25 countries, and on track to reach over 60 by 2018, the Sigfox network today covers a population of 397 million people. Millions of connected objects are already registered on the network across all five continents, enabling companies to accelerate their digital transformation, develop new services and create value.

Founded in 2010 by entrepreneurs Ludovic Le Moan and Christophe Fourtet, the company is headquartered in Labege near Toulouse, France's "IoT Valley". Sigfox also has offices worldwide in Paris, Madrid, Munich, Boston, San Francisco, Dubai and Singapore. For more information, visit http://www.sigfox.com and follow us on Twitter at @SIGFOX.

[1] See here.

[2] See here.

PressContacts

Laurence Collet, Sigfox

[email protected]

+33-7-86-27-36-43

Simon Chan, Edelman for Sigfox

[email protected]

+44-(0)7875-198-091

SOURCE Sigfox
DENVER, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Smashburger, a fast-casual restaurant franchise known for its signature smashed burgers, today announces the appointment of franchise sales and real estate industry veteran Glenn M. Moon as Director of Franchise Sales. Moon joins the franchise sales team, under the direction of Gregg Koffler, Senior Vice President of Franchising, to support the brand as it continues its expansion nationally and abroad.

Moon joins Smashburger following a strategic role at Choice International, where he was responsible for leading the growth of brands such as Sleep Inn, Cambria Hotels & Suites and The Ascend Collection in the Western United States.

"Glenn's many accomplishments in a variety of franchise and real estate ventures will help Smashburger continue to grow and thrive," says Koffler. "Glenn's decade long experience building solid client relationships and constructing strategic sales and development insights make him a valuable addition to our growing team."

Moon holds a Bachelor of Science from Northern Arizona University, and is in route to completing a certification from Cornell University in December of this year in hotel investment and asset management. Moon is also pursuing ongoing education from the Urban Land Institute for best practices in site selection and acquisition.

"Smashburger is an exciting brand that has global brand recognition and appeals to a very expansive audience. The ownership, leadership and offering all align with my personal values, which was extremely attractive to me as I made my decision to join the team," says Moon. "I am looking forward to working with this team to help identify, cultivate and manage new franchise opportunities during this brand's rapid growth phase."

For more information about Smashburger, visit http://smashburger.com.

About Smashburger

Smashburger is a leading fast casual "better burger" restaurant known for its fresh never frozen, 100% Certified Angus Beef burgers that are smashed on the grill to sear in the juices, creating an upscale quality burger packed with flavor and served at a great value. In addition to burgers, Smashburger offers grilled or crispy chicken sandwiches, fresh salads, signature side items such as Haystack onions and Veggie Frites, and hand-spun Haagen-Dazs shakes. On each market menu, Smashburger offers locally inspired items like the regional burger, as well as regional sides and local craft beer. Smashburger began in 2007 with the vision of Rick Schaden and funding by Consumer Capital Partnersthe private equity firm that Rick and his father Richard own. There are currently over 371 corporate and franchise restaurants operating in 34 states and seven countries. Smashburger is actively seeking partnerships with experienced and seasoned franchisees at campus locations across the country and worldwide. For more information, visit Smashburger.com.

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Smashburger

Related Links

http://smashburger.com


HATTIESBURG, Miss., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- South Mississippi Electric today announced that, effective immediately, the company has changed its name to Cooperative Energy. Company leaders say the new name better reflects the Hattiesburg-based cooperative's mission and broader business model in the energy sector.

The name and new logo were revealed to more than 400 employees in attendance at the company's All Employee meeting held at Hattiesburg's Lake Terrace Convention Center. Cooperative Energy is a not-for-profit, member-owned, community-driven generation and transmission cooperative that provides electricity to 11 distribution cooperatives.

"Changing a company name is always a major step, but we are confident this was the right thing for our company, our mission and those we serve," said Cooperative Energy President/CEO Jim Compton. "We have grown our energy resources, we have grown our geographic service area and honestly we outgrew our name. Cooperative Energy is a name that better defines who we are as a company."

The company now operates in 55 of the state's 82 counties, and also owns a generation facility in Batesville in north central Mississippi. The company, started in 1941, has expanded its renewable energy and solar generation focus in recent years adding to an already diverse energy portfolio.

The new logo tells the company's story in a simple, graphic way. Falling inside a state map, a blue field represents the service area of the company's 11 Member cooperatives. It stretches from the Delta to the Coast. A white "swoosh" represents a power line sending energy across the Mississippi landscape. An energy burst salutes the generation and transmission headquarters in Hattiesburg and symbolizes the flow of energy to the 11 distribution cooperatives that serve our members.

The company's website address is www.CooperativeEnergy.com, replacing the previous www.smepa.coop.

"What will remain the same is our focus to deliver affordable, dependable and safe energy," said Compton. "This name change will in no way affect our service to our members. Our company is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and we have been successful by putting our members first. This will remain our focus with our new name for the next 75 years. We are celebrating the past and embracing the future."

Cooperative Energy will continue its mission of working with the Power of 12 (Cooperative Energy and 11 Member electric cooperatives), providing electricity from the Mississippi Delta to the Coast. The 11 distribution cooperatives own and maintain approximately 56,900 miles of distribution lines and provide service to approximately 423,000 homes and businesses throughout 55 counties in Mississippi.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437074LOGO

SOURCE Cooperative Energy

Related Links

http://www.cooperativeenergy.com


AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For years, the automotive industry has been talking about introducing mild hybrid systems based on 48-volt technology. Continental has now begun volume production of the first low-voltage hybrid drive, which will be introduced by French carmaker Renault (model: Renault Scenic Hybrid Assist) by year-end 2016. The first production solution combines an efficient, water-cooled induction motor with an integrated inverter. The electric motor transmits power via a belt drive directly to the crankshaft of the combustion engine  an arrangement referred to by experts as "P0 topology." Further production ramp-ups are soon to be set in motion on the basis of a modular system for 48-volt drives.

"We are proud that we were able to secure Renault as the first customer for our innovative 48-volt drive," said Juergen Wiesenberger, Head of Hybrid Electric Vehicles at Continental North America. "Other production launches for both diesel and gasoline vehicles are in the pipeline for North America, Europe and China." According to Continental, the market for 48-volt drives will experience significant growth in the coming years. "In 2025, approximately one in five new vehicles across the world will be equipped with a 48-volt drive," Wiesenberger added.

48-volt is considered a progressive technology, as the low voltage compared with conventional hybrid vehicles enables considerable savings in fuel consumption in return for moderate additional costs. As a result, Continental anticipates that market penetration will be rapid, with four million vehicles with low-voltage hybrid drives to be produced worldwide in 2020. For 2030, the technology supplier's experts forecast a global market of as many as 25 million new vehicles. During development of the modular system, the engineers at Continental placed great emphasis on achieving a high degree of efficiency for the overall system, simple adaptation to existing vehicle powertrain designs, and highly automated, cost-effective production.

The efficiency of a 48-volt system is largely dependent on the amount of drive and recovery output available in continuous operation. Continental has chosen to employ a water-cooled induction motor that can be connected directly to the engine's cooling circuit. This makes it possible to assemble a machine that, depending on the version, can continuously provide an output of six kilowatts and torque of 60 newton meters, all in the installation space of a conventional starter alternator. By using a belt drive up to 150 newton meters can be transmitted to the crankshaft. Within the modular system, only the length of the motor changes the power. The inverter, based on a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), is integrated in the housing lid, which saves space. The modular system from Continental also includes a DC/DC converter, which enables the 48-volt system to be connected to the vehicle's on-board power supply. This makes it possible to use some of the energy stored in the lithium-ion battery to stabilize the on-board power supply as well.

Simple adaptation to existing powertrain designs is a major benefit of the P0 concept that Continental has pursued. It enables the load point of the combustion engine to be shifted. The fuel savings demonstrated in test vehicles are considerable, with a figure of 13 percent in the New European Driving Cycle. In real-world use  especially in cities  the savings are even higher due to the greater share of driving spent in energy recuperation phases and can reach up to 21 percent. This is helped by the fact that the combustion engine can be switched off when the vehicle approaches traffic lights, starting at speeds below 13 mph. The combustion engine is always started with the 48-volt drive within just 0.2 seconds  a conventional starter needs roughly twice as much time. When the 48-volt drive is combined with a diesel engine as in its first production application, there is an additional effect. This is because the nitrogen oxide emissions produced during acceleration from low engine speeds fall by up to 10 percent, as some of the necessary torque is generated via the electric motor.

To enable cost-effective production at high volumes, Continental has developed new processes for manufacturing the electric motor. For example, the copper wire for the stator is not wound but comprises individual copper rods. Combined with innovative connection technology, this design enables not only highly automated production, but also greater packing density and more output from the same installation space.

Even after the start of production, Continental will continue to develop the 48-volt technology, as well as optimizing all components for the P0 arrangement. The focus will be on another system configuration, the P2 arrangement, where the electric motor is located between the engine and the transmission. It can therefore be operated entirely independently of the combustion engine, which means that electric driving at temporary speeds of up to 31 mph is possible with a 48-volt drive as well. Such a solution, which enables fuel savings of up to 25 percent in concert with additional efficiency-boosting measures, was presented for the first time by Continental and Schaeffler at the 2016 Vienna Motor Symposium.





SOURCE Continental

Related Links

http://www.continental-corporation.com


RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Syngenta has been selected as an ANA (Association of National Advertisers) Genius Awards winner in Analytics Innovation for its exceptionally creative analytical approach taken to solve complex problems in plant breeding and overcome obstacles within the agriculture industry.

Recognized as one of the world's most prestigious accolades for marketing analytics, the awards honor businesses that have made a significant impact in one of four categories: Analytics Adoption, Analytics Impact, Analytics Innovation and Analytics Science. As the Analytics Innovation winner, Syngenta will share the $100,000 prize with other category winners, including The Clorox Company, Hilton Worldwide and Turner, and donate to charities of the companies' choosing. Syngenta donated its $25,000 portion of the prize to the AI for Good Foundation.

"Winning this award demonstrates the excellence and leadership that the use of science in agriculture is bringing to growers across the world," said Joseph Byrum, Ph.D., MBA, PMP and Syngenta Head of Soybean, WOSR & Sunflower SPD at Syngenta. "We are proud that the insights we are bringing to our customers help improve decision-making and, ultimately, crop yield in their fields. It is an honor to be recognized by the ANA as marketing innovators among the world's top brands."

Syngenta strives to address the global food security challenge by improving the process and methods used to develop healthy crops that produce higher yields. Implementing advanced mathematics and new technologies to develop its seeds has helped the company lower its research and development costs and become more predictive for its customers.

"Analytics has let us get predictive, and where we are headed is prescriptive  we are developing technology that will allow us to customize our product for a grower based on his or her needs, fields conditions and weather forecasts in a given year," said Chuck Lee, head of product marketing, North America, Syngenta. "It's making a tremendous difference for our company, and we're proud to bring this new technology to our customers."

Where a successful crop yield has historically been determined by external weather and soil conditions every year, Syngenta has introduced genetic breeding strategies that make the seed development process more efficient and customizable, from creation in the lab to growth and yield in the fields.

David Elser, head of U.S. sales, Seeds for Syngenta, said, "Our analytics-infused approach to agriculture innovation is helping us serve our customers better, which ultimately shapes deeper and more personal relationships with them. This award reflects how the commitment we have to our growers is pushing us to innovate to deliver the best solutions we can to help feed our growing world."

For more information on Syngenta as a Genius Awards winner, and to watch a video about the company's approach to analytics in agriculture, visit http://geniusawards.com/results.

The Genius Awards are presented by Neustar , Inc., a trusted, neutral provider of real-time information services, in conjunction with the ANA. The ANA Genius Award winners were announced at the ANA Masters of Marketing conference in Orlando, Fla. To learn more about the ANA Genius Awards or to find out more about the winners, visit www.GeniusAwards.com.

About Syngenta

Syngenta is a leading agriculture company helping to improve global food security by enabling millions of farmers to make better use of available resources. Through world class science and innovative crop solutions, our 28,000 people in over 90 countries are working to transform how crops are grown. We are committed to rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities. To learn more visit www.syngenta.com and www.goodgrowthplan.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Syngenta and www.twitter.com/SyngentaUS.

Related Links:

Syngenta US

Thrive

Twitter

Facebook

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as 'expect', 'would', 'will', 'potential', 'plans', 'prospects', 'estimated', 'aiming', 'on track' and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. We refer you to Syngenta's publicly available filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for information about these and other risks and uncertainties. Syngenta assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors. This document does not constitute, or form part of, any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer, to purchase or subscribe for any ordinary shares in Syngenta AG, or Syngenta ADSs, nor shall it form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract there for.

2016 Syngenta, 3054 E. Cornwallis Rd., Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. The Syngenta logo is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company. Twitter is a registered trademark of Twitter, Inc.

Tweet: Syngenta wins prestigious ANA Genius Award for Analytics Innovation. http://bit.ly/2dDqKRy #analytics #aginnovation

SOURCE Syngenta

Related Links

http://www.syngenta.com


MALVERN, Pa., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- TELA Bio, Inc., a surgical reconstruction company leading the development and commercialization of Reinforced BioScaffolds (RBSs) for soft tissue repair, today announced that the company will participate in the Canaccord Genuity Medical Technologies & Diagnostics Forum to be held Thursday, November 17, 2016 in New York City.

Antony Koblish, president and CEO of TELA Bio, will present an overview of the company's OviTex portfolio of products for use in ventral hernia repair and abdominal wall reconstruction.

For more information and to register for the webcast, visit http://wsw.com/webcast/canaccord24/tela. The webcast will be archived for 90 days following the presentation.

About TELA Bio, Inc.

TELA Bio, Inc. is a privately owned company focused on bringing innovative, cost-effective, surgical reconstruction solutions to surgeons, hospitals and patients. The company's OviTex Reinforced BioScaffolds (RBSs) products, designed for hernia repair and abdominal wall reconstruction procedures, integrate polymer and biologic materials through engineering design principles. The OviTex portfolio is supported by high-quality, data-driven science and extensive pre-clinical research that has consistently demonstrated the advantages of an RBS over commercially available materials for certain patients and procedures. OviTex is commercially available in the U.S., and TELA Bio plans to launch OviTex in the European Union. The company is collaborating with leading surgeons to drive rapid product development and establish TELA Bio as a leader in surgical reconstruction. To learn more about TELA Bio visit http://www.telabio.com.

Contacts

Adam Daley

Berry & Company Public Relations

212-253-8881

[email protected]

SOURCE TELA Bio, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.telabio.com


H.E.Mrs. Phan Thi My Linh addressed, "Water and Energy are two important sectors, having direct effect on the development of the economy and community, social security and environment of the country. Especially, in the context of climate change and rising sea levels which are caus ing negative i mpact to all countries in the world . T he issue of water and energy becomes more imperative due to its huge impact on country' s safety and security. Hence, Vietnam Government has put m uch effort to improve water resource s , develop the renewable energy industry as well as increase and attract more investment in these two sectors"

The event gathers 13 international pavilions to showcase cutting-edge technologies, innovations and solutions in water supply, sewerage, wastewater treatment, energy efficiency and new & renewable energy sectors. Mr. M.Gandhi emphasizes, "The exhibition is 30% larger compared to the last edition in 2015. This is clear indication of Vietnam's development progress and the confidence shown by international community towards Vietnam."

Come and register onsite!

Venue: SECC, 799 Nguyen Van Linh, District 7, Ho Chi Minh

Time: 09 - 11 November

Free admission to the exhibition and seminars for all trade visitors!

1st Day Highlight:

The Official Opening Ceremony addressed by H.E. Mrs. Phan Thi My Linh , Vice Minister, Ministry of Construction, Vietnam together with distinguished guests and media representatives.

, Vice Minister, Ministry of Construction, together with distinguished guests and media representatives. VVIP meeting with the participation of Government Officers and leaders from Water and Energy Associations.

Vietwater - Technical Seminar including 10 insightful topics at the Technical Seminar room 1, Ground floor, Hall A2.

RE & EE Vietnam - Technical Seminar at Technical Seminar room 2, Ground floor, Hall A2.

RE & EE Vietnam - Vietnam Energy Forum: "Toward Sustainable Energy Development in Vietnam ".

2nd Day Highlight:

Vietwater - Technical Seminar at the Technical Seminar room 1, Ground floor, Hall A2.

Vietwater - International Conference "Sustainable Water Supply & Sewerage Development Solutions in the context of Climate Change: Water Resource Degradation, Drought, Saline intrusion "

RE & EE Vietnam - Technical Seminar at Technical Seminar room 2, Ground floor, Hall A2.

Vietnam - Australia Workshop on water quality management and technological innovation at meeting room 2, 2nd floor.

GEC Workshop - "Introduction of Advanced Water Treatment Technologies in Japan " at meeting room 4, 3rd floor.

" at meeting room 4, 3rd floor. Seminar: " Vietnam : Challenges, Opportunities & Trends" in Wind and Solar Energies by CJR Wind and EVBN.

3rd Day Highlight:

Vietwater - Technical Seminar at the Technical Seminar room 1, Ground floor, Hall A2.

RE & EE Vietnam - Technical Seminar at Technical Seminar room 2, Ground floor, Hall A2.

Notes to Editors:

About UBM Asia (www.ubmasia.com)

Owned by UBM plc listed on the London Stock Exchange, UBM Asia is the largest trade show organiser in Asia and the largest commercial organiser in China, India and Malaysia. Established with its headquarters in Hong Kong and subsidiary companies across Asia and in the US, UBM Asia has strong global network of 30 offices and 1,400 staff in 25 major cities. We operate in 21 market sectors with 235 exhibitions and conferences, 28 targeted trade publications, 18 vertical portals for over 1,000,000 quality exhibitors, visitors, conference delegates, advertisers and subscribers from all over the world.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161109/437372

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121014/HK92339LOGO-d

SOURCE UBM Asia (Malaysia)

Related Links

http://www.ubmasia.com


WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Thycotic, a provider of privileged account management (PAM) solutions for more than 7,500 organizations worldwide, today announced it has completed the acquisition of Virginia-based Cyber Algorithms, provider of network security analytics. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Cyber Algorithms brings Thycotic some of the most intuitive and easy-to-use cyber security analytics in the market allowing security personnel to detect and thwart intrusions that would otherwise go unseen. Cyber Algorithms' innovative methods enable customers to focus immediately on high-risk user profiles and behaviors allowing them to detect and thwart intrusions and insider threats.

"While big data analytics provide a wealth of information, knowing which data-set is important requires specialized skills most organizations don't have," said Jonathan Cogley, CTO and founder at Thycotic. "Cyber Algorithms' technology cuts through the clutter to quickly identify in-progress attacks and enables organizations to reduce the risk of experiencing a cyber breach."

Cyber Algorithms is a graduate of the Mach37 Cybersecurity Accelerator, a leading startup accelerator focused on launching early-stage startups in the cybersecurity industry.

"Mach37 is an example of an incubator that helps good companies accelerate their growth,"said Philip Vorobeychik of Insight Venture Partners. "Insight hopes to see other companies emerge from future programs."

About Thycotic

Thycotic, a global leader in IT security, is the fastest growing provider of Privilege Management solutions that protect an organization's most valuable assets from cyber-attacks and insider threats. Thycotic secures privileged account access for more than 7,500 organizations worldwide, including Fortune 500 enterprises. Thycotic's award winning Privilege Management Security solutions minimize privileged credential risk, limits user privileges and controls applications on endpoints and servers. Thycotic was founded in 1996 with corporate headquarters in Washington, D.C. and global offices in the U.K. and Australia. For more information, please visit www.thycotic.com.

About Cyber Algorithms

Cyber Algorithms is an innovative provider of user behavior analytics solutions that dramatically reduce the time it takes to detect cyber-attacks. Cyber Algorithms increases the productivity and effectiveness of valuable security operations teams by enabling them to cut through the noise of thousands of alerts and focus immediately on high-risk user profiles and behaviors. For more information, please visit www.cyberalgorithms.com.

About Mach37

MACH37 is the premier accelerator for information security entrepreneurs and startups. We go beyond the traditional model of typical business accelerators by bringing our innovators focused mentorship and support from our extensive network of visionaries, practitioners, and successful entrepreneurs in security. Our Spring and Fall sessions are designed to propel graduating companies into the marketplace, equipped with the skills to grow and compete for funding and market share. MACH37 was launched in 2013 by the Center for Innovative Technology, in Herndon, Virginia.

For further information, please contact:

Steve Kahan Jacqueline Velasco Thycotic Lumina Communications T: 202-802-9399 T: 408-680-0564 E: [email protected] E: [email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160211/332560LOGO

SOURCE Thycotic

Related Links

http://www.thycotic.com


Cinnamon Bun Iced Coffee : Iced coffee with frosted cinnamon bun flavor

: Iced coffee with frosted cinnamon bun flavor Gingerbread Brewed Coffee : Our signature original blend coffee with a hint of gingerbread flavor

: Our signature original blend coffee with a hint of gingerbread flavor Gingerbread Iced Capp : Our signature blended frozen coffee beverage with a hint of gingerbread flavor topped with whipped topping and gingerbread spices

: Our signature blended frozen coffee beverage with a hint of gingerbread flavor topped with whipped topping and gingerbread spices Chocolate Mint Filled Cookie : Chocolate cookie filled with mint filling and topped with mint chips

: Chocolate cookie filled with mint filling and topped with mint chips Holiday Vanilla Dip Timbit : Vanilla donut with red frosting and green sprinkles

: Vanilla donut with red frosting and green sprinkles Mint Chip Timbits : Glazed mint chip donut

: Glazed mint chip donut Red Velvet Timbits: Glazed chocolatey red velvet donut hole



The new menu offerings will join Tim Hortons holiday favorites such as Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Powdered Sugar Timbits, Red Velvet Muffin and more. All menu items and winter-themed cups are available in U.S. restaurants through the holiday season or while supplies last.

"We are thrilled to ring in the return of the holidays with our new seasonal cups, coffees and baked goods," said Matthew Bresnahan, Head of US Marketing Tim Hortons. "We look forward to welcoming our guests with their favorite Tim Hortons classics that warm their day and spread cheer in a fun and unique way as they celebrate this wonderful time of the year."

For a cheerful stocking stuffer or affordable gift for anyone on your list, Tim Hortons offers the Tim Card, available in any denomination. Tim Cards are available for purchase at participating Tim Hortons restaurants, or from the comfort of your own home online or on Facebook.

For more information, please go to http://www.timhortons.com/US or follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @TimHortonsUS and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TimHortons.

Tim Hortons Overview

TIM HORTONS, part of Restaurant Brands International, is one of North America's largest restaurant chains operating in the quick service segment. Founded as a single location in Canada in 1964, TIM HORTONS appeals to a broad range of consumer tastes, with a menu that includes premium coffee, hot and cold specialty drinks (including lattes, cappuccinos and espresso shots), specialty teas and fruit smoothies, fresh baked goods, grilled Panini and classic sandwiches, wraps, soups, prepared foods and other food products. As of June 30, 2016, TIM HORTONS had more than 4,400 system wide restaurants located in Canada, the United States and the Middle East. More information about the Company is available at www.timhortons.com.

About Restaurant Brands International

Restaurant Brands International Inc. is one of the world's largest quick service restaurant companies with approximately $23 billion in system sales and over 19,000 restaurants in approximately 100 countries and U.S. territories. Restaurant Brands International owns two of the world's most prominent and iconic quick service restaurant brands  TIM HORTONS and BURGER KING. These independently operated brands have been serving their respective guests, franchisees, and communities for over 50 years. To learn more about Restaurant Brands International, please visit the Company's website at www.rbi.com.

For more information, please contact:

Lauren Bishop

Alison Brod Marketing + Communications

[email protected]

212-230-1800

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437328

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437329LOGO

SOURCE Tim Hortons

Related Links

http://www.timhortons.com


10 AM  12 PM : 500 turkeys distributed at the Salvation Army at 525 N. Alby Street, Alton, IL

 : 500 turkeys distributed at the Salvation Army at 525 N. Alby Street, 10 AM  12 PM : 500 turkeys distributed to the families of laid-off steelworkers (only) at Granite City Township Hall, 2060 Delmar Ave., Granite City, IL

 : 500 turkeys distributed to the families of laid-off steelworkers (only) at Granite City Township Hall, 2060 Delmar Ave., 1 PM  3 PM : 500 turkeys distributed at the Granite City Township Hall, 2060 Delmar Ave., Granite City, IL

According to Debbie Smallie, lifelong Granite City resident and co-organizer of the Granite City effort, "this holiday season will see thousands of Granite City steel mill workers laid off, and the entire Granite City community will likely suffer from that devastating blow. It is important that our community finds a way to keep the holidays a special time for the family, and I am proud to take part in this effort."

Tor Hoerman started the turkey giveaway three years ago when he learned the alarming statistic that over 21% of the children in Madison County live in a "food insecure" home. Hoerman wanted to make sure that residents from these food insecure homes would be able to share in the great American tradition of a Thanksgiving turkey meal.

Hoerman is grateful to be part of a community that supports its neighbors in times of need and is thankful for the generous local families and businesses that came together to provide this important assistance during a time of great need. These friends include GlissonLaw; Schoen, Walton, Telken & Foster; Brook Hollow Financial; CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP; Visionary Wealth Advisors; The Daniel and Henry Co.; Brandt Law; Eudora Global; Signature Bank; TruLAW; the Granite City Police Department; Gateway Family Church; Boy Scout Troop 1899; Tom Buske; BL Logistics, LLC; Laura Buick; the Dacus Family; the Smallie Family; and the Opel Family.

Hoerman acknowledges that while these generous sponsors can't end hunger through a single meal, "bringing awareness to the issue of hunger in our community and maybe helping with a family memory  or, better yet, 1,500 family memories  is a good place to start. I am proud of our staff and all of our generous friends that join us in this initiative, and I look forward to helping not only on November 17 but on many more occasions and in different ways in the future."

Last year, TorHoerman Law and friends gave away 500 turkeys within just a few hours and sadly had to turn some families away. Kristie Stephens, a longtime employee of TorHoerman Law and a resident of Alton, IL, recalls that she felt "awful about turning away needy families. I vowed to find a way to increase the number of turkeys this year, and I am truly grateful to the charitable families and businesses that helped TorHoerman Law triple the number of available turkeys."

If you would like to help TorHoerman Law with the turkey giveaway this year or in the future, please call (618) 656-4400 or email [email protected].

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161109/437469

SOURCE TorHoerman Law

Related Links

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ATLANTA, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Triad Advisors, Inc., the hybrid advisor-focused independent broker-dealer, today announced that respected industry executive Mary Flatley has joined the company as Vice President, Advisory Services. Ms. Flatley will work directly with Triad's independent financial advisors to help them leverage the company's fee-based advisory platform and grow this segment of their business with enhanced efficiency. She will also be responsible for driving continued refinements to the platform based on feedback from financial advisors, among other duties.

Ms. Flatley brings a diverse and extensive background in the financial services industry to her new position. Prior to joining Triad, she served as Director of Partner Development at Lakeview Capital Partners, and before that was Vice President, Institutional Research Sales at The Interstate Group, a division of Morgan Keegan. Previously, she served as Director, Soft Dollar Sales and Vice President, Corporate Syndicate at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey.

Jeff Rosenthal, President and CEO of Triad Advisors, said, "We are very pleased that Mary Flatley has joined Triad Advisors as Vice President, Advisory Services. Triad is committed to providing independent financial advisors with the industry-leading tools and resources they need to expand their fee-based business, both in response to rising client demand and broad industry trends, including regulatory changes. Mary has a demonstrated track record of working successfully with financial advisors and strategic partners alike, and has a profound understanding of advisors' needs, based on her extensive and distinguished career in this industry. We welcome Mary to Triad and look forward to all that she will accomplish as part of our team."

In her new role, Ms. Flatley will provide daily consultative support to Triad advisors to help them grow their fee-based business. She will also serve as a liaison to strategic partners in order to expand advisor access to money managers and other key third parties. In addition, Ms. Flatley will play an essential role in advisor business development by providing support for operational best practices and growth strategies, among other responsibilities.

Ms. Flatley will report directly to Michael Bryan, Senior Vice President of Advisory Services. She fills the position previously held by Kiliaen Ludlow, who has transitioned to the role of Senior Vice President of Relationship Management.

Mary Flatley said, "I am very excited to join Triad Advisors  one of the fastest-growing firms in the independent financial services space and a leader in supporting hybrid advisors  and I am enthusiastic about helping its advisors expand their fee-based business. My experience in the financial services sector has given me a powerful appreciation for what advisors need in order to continue to grow their business, and I look forward to leveraging that expertise to help further refine Triad's fee-based platform and services and serve as a liaison to both our advisors and strategic partners."

About Triad Advisors

Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Triad Advisors, Inc. is a national, independent broker-dealer and multi-custodial SEC-Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) that is an early pioneer and continued leader in the Hybrid RIA marketplace. The company provides a comprehensive platform of products, trading and technology systems, as well as customized wealth management solutions. Recognized as one of the most successful and fastest-growing independent broker-dealers in the industry (including being named the leading broker-dealer for Hybrid RIAs seven years in a row by Investment Advisor Magazine), Triad Advisors is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE MKT: LTS). For more information, please visit www.triad-advisors.com.

Media Contact:

Chris Clemens / Matthew Griffes

Haven Tower Group LLC

424 652 6520 ext. 102 / 424 652 6520 ext. 103

[email protected] or [email protected]

SOURCE Triad Advisors, Inc.

Related Links

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PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) today announced the launch of a new website (http://medicalaffairs.varian.com) for the exchange of clinical information, scientific research, and expert opinion around the management of cancers and other conditions with an emphasis on applications utilizing radiotherapy.

"Varian's new Medical Affairs website is intended as a place for educational and scientific exchange," said Patrick Kupelian, MD, vice president of Clinical Affairs at Varian. "Our goal is to help bridge the knowledge gap by providing clinicians with access to impactful clinical knowledge and topical information. We also welcome input from the clinical community and look forward to interacting with our professional colleagues around the world to help advance the science of radiation oncology for the benefit of patients."

At launch the site is offering video- and audio-taped symposia that Varian has supported or sponsored in the recent past, including a recent self-assessment continuing medical education (SA-CME) accredited webinar, and a selection of bibliographies organized by disease site. In the future the site will house additional resources including webinars with educational credits, information about sponsored/translational research and clinical trials, case studies, and FAQs for the medical professional.

About Varian Medical Systems

Varian Medical Systems, Inc., of Palo Alto, California, focuses energy on saving lives by equipping the world with advanced technology for fighting cancer and for X-ray imaging. The company is the world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiation. The company provides comprehensive solutions for radiotherapy, radiosurgery, proton therapy and brachytherapy. The company supplies informatics software for managing comprehensive cancer clinics, radiotherapy centers and medical oncology practices. Varian is also a premier supplier of X-ray imaging components, including tubes, digital detectors, cables and connectors as well as image processing software and workstations for use in medical and industrial settings, as well as for security and non-destructive testing. Varian Medical Systems employs approximately 7,700 people who are located at manufacturing sites in North America, Europe, and China and sales and support offices around the world. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com or follow us on Twitter.

Press Contact

Mark Plungy

Varian Medical Systems

+1 (650) 424-5630

[email protected]

SOURCE Varian Medical Systems

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STORIES YOU MIGHT LIKE
HACKENSACK, N.J., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Drivers have many companies to choose from when it comes to getting car insurance in Georgia. The Peach State is a great place to live, drive and explore. If someone is going to explore it, they will probably do it by car. So having the best and lowest price on Georgia car insurance is important. It can mean big yearly savings and help people have more money for other critical purchases.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437191

Virtual Car Insurer

But finding the right insurer can be tricky. For residents to get the best choice, they must search through a few of them before they find the one with the perfect combination of price and service. And that can be a time-consuming process.

A new insurance comparison site hopes to transform the buying process for anyone looking to save money on car insurance in Georgia and surrounding states.

Virtual Car Insurer says they've already done all the searching and time-consuming work that's needed. They believe they've found the perfect mix of insurers to help residents lower their insurance bill.

All drivers need to do is apply and compare each quote to one another. And if a person is unfamiliar with the laws and legal requirements in Georgia, their site provides the necessary guidance.

Car insurance buyers in Georgia will learn what the state minimum requirements are and whether they should obtain more than the minimum coverage. It's all broken down in an easy-to-follow web page.

Here's the companies they list as the best in Georgia

The first company they recommend is PeachState insurance. According to VCI, their rates are not only good, but they are a local insurer with many physical locations throughout the state. The site makes it easy to find the needed information and drivers can apply right online. Because they have numerous offices in the state, being able to get ahold of an agent when needed is easier than dealing with a national firm that doesn't have a location close by. For these simple reasons, they currently sit at the top of Virtual Car Insurer's Georgia list.

Drivers can see the list at http://www.virtualcarinsurer.com/blog/auto-insurance-georgia/

Surprisingly, Country Financial was second on their list of Georgia car insurance companies. They've been in operation for over seventy years and based on VCI's research, customers are delighted with their service and rates. It's surprising because they don't seem to be on too many other people's list of top firms in Georgia.

Insurance buyers thinking about making a move to neighboring North Carolina can go to http://www.virtualcarinsurer.com/blog/car-insurance-north-carolina/

Along with the recommendations, Virtual Car Insurer's site shows residents of the state how much insurance they need to be in compliance with local laws.

Their site is an easy to read reference that reveals how drivers can prepare themselves before they get into an accident. It details the importance of finding a car repair shop ahead of time and how to find one that doesn't take car owners to the cleaners.

Their site and guide to car insurance companies in Georgia is constantly being updated with the latest information to help consumers make the right choices.

Contact:

Joe Hanlon

866.220.7654

[email protected]

SOURCE Virtual Car Insurer

Related Links

http://www.virtualcarinsurer.com


The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL) is hosting the Champion's Showdown, a series of matches between four of the world's top-rated chess players, Nov. 10-14, 2016.

The competition features No. 3-rated Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana of the U.S., No. 7-rated GM Hikaru Nakamura of the U.S., No. 8-rated GM Viswanathan Anand of India, and No. 13-rated GM Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria.

The tournament will showcase three different styles of chess - classical, rapid and blitz games  and the players will be competing for $150,000 total in prizes.

For more information or to stream exhibition games live, visit www.uschesschamps.com.
Come and enjoy Read more [...]
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Dharamsala, Nov 8 : Reflecting various hard-hitting and blunt subjects from across the world, a holistic mix of Indian and international features and documentaries -- not necessarily representing Bollywood's glitz and glamour -- from India and countries like the US, Britain, Switzerland and Iran, regaled movie aficionados at the fifth edition of the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF 2016) here.

Showcasing a mixture of various cultures and traditions, DIFF 2016, apart from being a four-day independent film festival, also gave those attending a taste of a variety of Indian dishes.

Held at the scenic locales of McLeod Ganj, DIFF 2016 started with filmmaker Raam Reddy's Kannada drama film "Thithi" on November 3 and went on to feature a bouquet of independent films, documentaries and shorts. These facilitated exchange of thoughts on social and cultural issues between independent filmmakers, aspiring filmmakers, foreign attendees and film enthusiasts.

Be it internationally acclaimed Indian films and documentaries like "Highway", "The Violin Player", "Kammatipaadam", or "That Day After Every Day" or gripping movies of foreign filmmakers like Singapore-based director Boo Junfeng's "Apprentice" and Iranian director Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami's "Sonita" -- the festival gave a clear view of the universal approach that these filmmakers take to make their films appeal globally.

The fest was pioneered by filmmakers Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam to provide a platform for people to come forward and watch independent films.

"We started with the idea of bringing quality cinema to the mountains. The response that we received this year was fantastic and even better from the previous editions. Apart from the local audience, the tourists also had a great time. Most of the films witnessed packed screenings," Sarin told IANS.

Some other movies which struck the right chords with the audience included "A Korean in Paris" (South Korea), "Didi Contractor: Marrying the Earth to the Building" (Switzerland), "Brothers" (Poland), "Victoria" (Germany), "The Last Dalai Lama?" (US) and "What's in the Darkness" (China).

Besides movies, DIFF 2016 also came out as a cultural gathering where audiences from different parts of India and various countries were seen sharing their views. Another interesting aspect was foreign tourists flaunting Indian ethnic attires like sari and salwar suit at the movie gala.

During an interview with IANS, British documentary director Sean McAllister and US-based director Mickey Lemle even expressed their desire to make films on various Indian cuisines.

"I first came to India in 1969. This is my 24th visit to India. It would be great to make film on Indian food. It's my favourite cuisine. When I go out to eat in New York, I have a favourite Indian restaurant there," Lemle said.

DIFF 2016 also included a special children's section where few short and full length films like "At Eye Level" (Germany), "Hum Chitra Banatey Hain" (India), "Amdavad Ma Famous" (India), "Mindenki" (Hungary) were screened.

There were also panel discussions -- 'Cinema India: Voices from the Non-Hindi Mainstream' and 'Invisible People: Questions of Identity and Belonging' -- which were attended by independent Indian filmmakers Umesh Kulkarni, Sanjeev Kumar, Bauddhayan Mukherji, and actors Girish Kulkarni and Chittaranjan Giri.

It also featured foreign filmmakers like Pimpaka Towira, Chow Kwun-Wai, Boo Junfeng, Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami and Tenzin Dasel.

They spoke of how independent cinema is proving its mettle across the globe. Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah and veteran screenwriter and filmmaker Saeed Mirza were also present at the event.

After an electrifying start, the festival chose to give the movie gala a perfect end by screening National Award-winning filmmaker Vetrimaaran's Tamil drama "Visaranai", which is India's official entry for Oscars 2017 in the Foreign Language Film category.

(The writer's trip to Dharamsala was at the invitation of the Dharamshala International Film Festival organisers. Sandeep Sharma can be contacted at sandeep.s@ians.in)
New York, Nov 9 : Kamala Harris made history on Tuesday, becoming the first Indian American elected to the US Senate.

She defeated her fellow-Democrat Loretta Sanchez in California to also become the first Indian American woman elected to Congress.

"Winning of Kamala Harris is another feather on the cap for the Indian American community," Thomas Abraham, Chairman, Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, told IANS.

"Winning Senatorial seat combined with several congressional victories has made the community somewhat reach its goal of political involvement," he added.

This will also help the US and India to come closer as a global partner in trade, investment, education, science and technology, military cooperation and fighting terrorism.

Senators are elected by the entire electorate in their states.

A victory is significant because California is the most populous state in the nation with 18 million voters.

Harris, 52, who traces her family roots to Chennai, is a lawyer by profession and was twice elected Attorney General in 2010 and 2014.

Harris has a dual identity: She is also counted as an African American as her father is a Jamaican of African descent and she follows the Baptist faith.

She would become the second American woman of African descent elected to the Senate and she joins two other African Americans in the Senate.

After her parents divorced, Harris was raised by her mother Shyamals Gopalan, a cancer specialist from Chennai, giving her equal claim to Indian heritage.

She is married to fellow lawyer Douglas Emhoff.

Harris succeeds Democrat Barbara Boxer, a Democrat who is retiring.

The first Indian elected to Congress is Dalip Singh Saund, who won from California in 1956.
New Delhi, Nov 9 : When Mukhtaran Mai, a Pakistani icon of courage, donned a pastel green salwar kameez and smilingly walked down a fashion ramp in Karachi, she appeared least troubled by her harrowing past -- of her gang-rape and being paraded naked in public 14 years ago.

A red carpet reception in Pakistan's largest city, attended by the country's fashion elite, served as the forum for Mukhtaran Mai's fashion "debut" -- something she said she was doing as a symbol of courage and hope for other Pakistani women and to make a bold statement against the culture of shame that often shrouds rape survivors.

"I have fought with society, with my family and also with the Pakistani government. I was thrown out of my house, I was told to die or 'you will be killed'. So, this walk was much easier than that," a confident Mai told IANS in a telephonic conversation from her native village of Meerwala.

On June 22, 2002, at around 2 p.m., Mai was raped by a group of men after being dragged into the house of a Mastoi tribesman in Meerwala in Muzaffargarh district of Punjab province.

She identified 14 men who were put on trial. Six were handed the death sentence. But all of them were eventually released on appeal.

Rather than commit suicide, as many Pakistani women in her position have done, Mai went public and fought the case and against the stigma -- and became an international advocate for women's rights. She founded a charity that sponsors a women's shelter and a girl's school in her rural hometown of Meerwala, winning international renown for her bravery.

"I tried to commit suicide many times after my family -- brothers and uncles -- termed me a shame for the family. But my father and mother stood by me like a rock, which gave me strength," an emotional Mai said.

After rejection by her family and the society, Mai believed the best way to overcome such trauma was to gain better education. She used the compensation money -- Rs 500,000 given to her by the Pakistan government for her ordeal -- to start two schools in her village. One was for boys and the other for girls.

Mai went out of her way to enroll the children of her molesters in her schools to show that she bore no grudges.

"I enrolled their kids in my school, I want to educate them so that they can tell them (the abusers) that they committed a big mistake. That would be the biggest revenge," Mai, whose mother tongue is Seraki, told IANS in Urdu, the language she learnt in the last few years.

Seraki is spoken in southern Punjab and the neighbouring areas of Balochistan.

Mai has worked tirelessly for the cause of women's rights in Pakistan, which ranks at the lowly position of 121 out of 155 countries in the UNDP 2014 Gender Inequality Index.

"I started with four girls. Our Meerwala village had no school till I opened one. After years of struggle and tireless work, today we have over 700 girls enrolled in our school."

Under the banner of Mukhtar Mai Women Organisation, Mai, with the help of donors and well wishers, opened a shelter for helpless women who have nowhere to turn to in a conservative society.

"I want to be the voice of those women who face issues similar to what I did," Mai said.

Her organisation has also started a toll-free women's helpline, through which they rescue women who fear to speak out against their families.

"I ask my sisters to not lose hope in the face of injustice. We will get justice one day for sure," Mai stressed. "My message for my sisters is that we aren't weak. We have a heart and a brain. We also think."

(Aadil Mir can be reached at aadil.hussain@ians.in)
Mumbai, Nov 9 : From megastars Rajinikanth and Amitabh Bachchan to the young crop of actors like Anushka Sharma and Sidharth Malhotra have hailed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of demonetising Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes to to curb black money.

To give effect to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to denotify Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes to counter black money, the central government on late Tuesday notified the changes.

Here's what the celebrities had to say:

Rajinikanth: Hats off Narendra Modiji. New India is born, Jai Hind.

Amitabh Bachchan: The new Rs 2000 note is PINK in colour... the PINK effect!

Rishi Kapoor: PM Modi ji. Ball out of the stadium. Wohaa! Demonetisation is the right answer. Congratulations!

Madhur Bhandarkar: Congratulations to Narendra Modi for this bold move to ban 500 and 1000 notes to counter black money and strengthen our economy.

Karan Johar: This is truly a masterstroke move!!!! Narendra Modi hits it out of the stadium!

Anushka Sharma: A welcome bold and courageous step by PM Modiji towards nation building. Each one of us should co-operate in the larger interest of the nation black money.

Anurag Kashyap: Ballsiest move I have ever seen from any leader. It will cause a lot of heartache, but kudos... Super way to make the black money redundant.

Ajay Devgn: Masterstroke, Narendra Modi.

Hansal Mehta: In 1978, the Janata Party Govt had demonetised 1000, 5000 and 10,000 rupee notes. Great move. History repeating itself? Black Money.

Farhan Akhtar: Super move by Narendra Modi govt in the war against black money... Kudos to the think tank. End corruption.

Arjun Kapoor: Hoping we can all work in harmony to see out this change and it pays dividends to each and every citizen in the future. No more black money!

Emraan Hashmi: Such a brave move by Narendra Modi to fight corruption. Kudos! Modi fights corruption. India fights corruption.

Riteish Deshmukh: Bold move by PM Narendra Modi as the Rs 1000, Rs 500 notes become invalid/redundant. New India.

Sidharth Malhotra: Blockbuster reform! So proud to be an Indian today as we usher into a new era. Thank you Narendra Modi.

Ranvir Shorey: Tonight India be like...Black money, moh maya money.

Aditi Rao Hydari: We stole your thunder USA! Well played Mr Modi... successfully turning black into white in one smooth move. Black money.

Daisy Shah: Narendra Modi that is a brilliant move to put an end to the black money Jai Hind.

Goldie Behl: Brave move by PM Narendra Modi. Rip black money.

Raghu Ram: Very bold move by Modiji. I hope no one had any clue this was going to happen. Well played! Black money.

Abhishek Kapoor: Modi played the TRUMP card. Poori India HILLARY hai (entire country is shaking) black money. Rs 500, Rs 1000.

Vivek Oberoi: America counting votes, India counting notes...masterstroke against corruption by Narendra Modi. Transforming India.
Teacher admits to having sex with students and sending naked selfiesPostmedia NetworkFirst posted: Tuesday, November 08, 2016 02:48 PM EST | Updated: Tuesday, November 08, 2016 02:55 PM ESTKisha Nuckols used the school directory as her own private Tinder for illicit romps with underage students, an Indiana court was told.The 38-year-old blond temptress admitted to sending debauched selfies to the teens and performing sex acts on at least six of them.She used the school directory to pick out the targets of her desire, The Daily Star reportedI never should have had relationships with students. I brought the schools into a dark spotlight, she said after pleading guilty.Nuckols was a substitute teacher at Mt. Vernon High School, in Fortville.One of the boys told cops that she would sneak him into her home and the pair would have sex -- while her husband and four children slept upstairs, The Daily Star reported.The relationship began with flirting on Twitter followed by a flurry of naked selfies.According to the victim, he had sex with Nuckols at least 10 times. Mostly their trysts were at her home but they even used her daughters car, The Daily Star reported.Nuckols testified she used social media to lure in five other boys, some of whom were current students. It was the same M.O.: seduce them on social media, flood them with raunchy photos, then sex.Cops say that Nuckols quickly confessed, admitting the relationships were inappropriate and wrong, The Daily Star reported."I've embarrassed my family, community and schools, she testified.And even after oral sex, one of her victims felt queasy about the situation.She was sentenced to two years home detention followed by two years of probation after she pleaded guilty to child seduction. She must also register as a sex offender."What she did was serious. I think it was reflected in the charges filed, Prosecutor Brent Eaton told The Daily Star.I think it was reflected in the sentence she pled to and she got an aggravated sentence."The school's principal was also charged with not immediately reporting the sexual misconduct.Kisha Nuckols. (Fortville Police photo)
New Delhi, Nov 9 : Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday that the old currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, which are no longer the legal tender, will be fully replaced with the new currency notes in the coming three-four weeks.

"In next three-four weeks, entire exchanged currency will be in the market. We will become a more tax-compliant society," Jaitley told DD News in an interview.

The currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination ceased to be legal tender from Tuesday midnight.

Jaitley said the bold move of the government will put an end to the parallel economy.

"Parallel economy has disadvantages. The government has taken a bold step to help country in the long run. If longer window was given, people would have found ways to evade tax," he said, adding that those who have legitimate money have nothing to worry about.

The move, which is expected to help the economy move towards a cashless society, will also lead to increased deposits in the banks and official transactions will get a boost, he said.

"Cash money supply will go down, obviously. In the long run, direct and indirect taxes both will be affected. Every state will benefit, the revenue kitty will increase," Jaitley said.

He warned that though there is no limit on depositing cash in the bank accounts, if the money is unaccounted, then law will take its course.

"It will have a positive effect on the Indian economy in the long run," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a televised address to the nation on Tuesday evening said that all the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes can be deposited in banks and Post Offices between November 10 and December 30.

They can also be exchanged across the bank counters by showing government-issued ID proof.
Islamabad, Nov 9 : Pakistan on Wednesday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh for the second time in less than 24 hours to lodge a "strong" protest over "unprovoked" ceasefire violations across the Line of Control.

Foreign Officer Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Singh and "strongly" condemned Indian ceasefire violations on Tuesday in the Khuirata and Battal sectors, resulting in the deaths of four civilians, including a 10-year-old girl, a statement said.

The Director General urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire agreement, investigate the continued incidents of ceasefire violations, instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, and stop targeting villages and civilians along the LoC, the statement added.

The statement said that India has so far this year, "committed 222 ceasefire violations out of which 184 have been on the LoC and 38 on the Working Boundary, resulting in shahadat of 26 civilians and injuries to 107 others".

The envoy was summoned on Tuesday over the ceasefire violations that led to the deaths of three people, including a woman, and injuries to four others.

The Indian Deputy High Commissioner has been summoned to the Foreign Office four times in the past weeks, amid rising tensions between the two neighbours.
Beijing, Nov 9 : Within moments of Donald Trump being declared the new US President, China on Wednesday said it looks forward to working with the new US government to promote bilateral relations for the benefit of both countries and the world.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said it expects to make joint efforts with the new US government to maintain sustained, healthy and stable growth of China-US relations, and benefit people of the two countries and the world.

Republican Donald Trump won the US presidential election, defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton in an upset win.
New York/New Delhi, Nov 9 : Politicians across the world reacted differently to the election victory of Donald Trump, set to become the 45th President of the United States. Some congratulated him, while others voiced shock.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on the victory and expressed hope that the two countries will continue collaborative work on international issues.

Trump often praised Putin throughout his campaign, and his relationship with the Russian President was among the highlights of the presidential race.

Putin noted in the message that he hopes to address some "burning issues that are currently on the international agenda, and search for effective responses to the challenges of the global security," RIA Novosti reported.

Putin also expressed confidence that "building a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington, based on principles of equality, mutual respect and each other's positions, meets the interests of the peoples of our countries and of the entire international community."

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Trump and said India looks forward to working with him closely to take bilateral ties to "a new height".

"Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on being elected as the 45th US President," Modi tweeted.

The Prime Minister also appreciated the friendship that Trump had "articulated towards India" during his campaign.

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee also congratulated Trump on his victory.

Japan's Prime Minister Abe also congratulated the Republican on his victory and described the alliance between the two countries as "impregnable".

"With all my heart I hope that Japan and the US will play a leading role in ensuring peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. The Japan-US alliance is impregnable," he stated in the message to Trump.

Abe will be sending his special adviser, Katsuyuki Kawai, to the United States shortly "to build confidence" with the new White House administration, Kyodo news agency reported.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte offered "warm congratulations" to Trump, saying he looks forward to working with him to enhance relations, a Philippine minister was quoted by the Mirror online as saying.

Duterte, who has expressed outrage almost daily with the Obama administration and threatened repeatedly to end one of Washington's most important Asian alliances, hailed the success of US democratic system and the American way of life, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi congratulated Trump on his victory, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

Sisi wished Trump success as the new US president, hoping to enhance Egyptian-US cooperation at all levels.

Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said his nation respects the result of the presidential election in the US, although it was unexpected.

"The victory of Donald Trump is the most important event that will change many things in the world," the minister said, stating that Italy will continue its cooperation with the US.

German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said the US election result was a "huge shock" in comments on German ARD TV. She urged Trump to prevent isolationism, saying, "It's in Europe's interest that the US remains open to the world."

In France, Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has said that the election results must not weaken relations between Europe and the US, and assured that France remains an ally of the US, and will have to see what the new President's policies will be.

French ambassador to the US Gerard Araud caused astonishment with his tweet that the "world is collapsing before our eyes" just as Trump was set to be elected the 45th US President.

Araud, the serving ambassador, tweeted his remarks as the defeat of Democratic Hillary Clinton became evident during counting of US election votes.

The 63-year-old said: "After Brexit and this election, everything is now possible. A world is collapsing before our eyes. Dizziness," the mirror.co.uk reported.

The diplomat later deleted the tweet, the daily reported.

Meanwhile, one of America's top allies in the Pacific, South Korea, said that they would expect the US to go on with the policy of pressuring North Korea.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said he would have preferred to see Hillary Clinton in the White House, but declared his readiness to work with Trump as well.

"I think the election result will make many individuals, as well as the market, worried. At the same time it is a situation to which we are well prepared. I would have preferred Hillary Clinton to win for a number of reasons. However, Sweden will do everything possible to retain good relations with the United States, no matter who is the president," he told SVT channel, noting also his concern at the "prevailing political climate of hate" in the US.
New Delhi, Nov 9 : As equity markets became jittery with Republican Donald Trump being elected the 45th President of the US on Wednesday, investors found safe haven in gold, triggering a spike in prices.

"Gold prices have been fluctuating globally between $1,270-$1,330 per ounce since last evening. Investors' have a negative psyche about Trump winning the elections. They feel Trump will take dynamic decisions that will adversely impact businesses and there will be lot of disturbances. Hence investors feel gold is a safe haven to park their money," Rahul Gupta, Director, P.P. Jewellers and Diamonds, told IANS.

A key Indian equity index, the 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, crashed 1,688 points, or 6.12 per cent, in early trade on Wednesday.

The surprise victory of Trump, 70, defied most predictions. The billionaire thwarted Democrat Hillary Clinton's dream to be the first US female President of America.

Trump won with 288 electoral votes compared to Clinton's 215. The winner needed 270 out of 438 total electoral votes to control the White House.

"It was on expected lines that gold prices will surge if Donald Trump wins. Investors are not too confident about Trump's economic policies," said Bachhraj Bamalwa, Director, All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation.

"To win the hearts of the US people he may come out with certain policies which may impact business, investors feel," Bamalwa told IANS.

Globally, gold price was hovering around $1,268 per ounce around 6 a.m. India time, which then soared to $1,338 per ounce between 11-11.30 a.m.

In India, gold price was hovering around Rs 30,370 per 10 grams.

"Gold is well positioned as a portfolio diversifier in an era of uncertainty. The demand for gold looks positive," Somasundaram P.R., Managing Director India, World Gold Council told IANS.
New York, Nov 9 : Indian Americans made a mark in Congressional politics with one of them becoming the first to be elected to the Senate and four others winning seats in the House of Representatives.

Kamala Harris was elected from California to the Senate defeating fellow-Democrat Loretta Sanchez.

Pramila Jayapal from Washington, Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois and Ro Khanna from California will join Ami Bera, who was re-elected from California, in the House of Representatives.

Tulsi Gabbard, who is a Hindu although not of Indian descent, was re-elected to the House from Hawaii.

All Democrats, they range in age from 35 years to 52 years and represent the emerging class of leaders.

"Winning a Senatorial seat combined with several Congressional victories, has made the community somewhat reach its goal of political involvement," Thomas Abraham, Chairman, Global Organization of People of Indian Origin, told IANS.

"This also help the US and India to come closer as a global partner in trade, investment, education, science and technology, military cooperation and fighting terrorism."

The victory of Harris is significant because senators are elected by the entire electorate in their states and California is the most populous state in the nation with 18 million voters.

The 52-year-old Harris, who traces her family roots to Chennai, is a lawyer by profession and was twice elected Attorney General in 2010 and 2014.

Bera, a 51-year-old doctor, had come under a cloud after his 83-year-old father, Babulal Bera, was found guilty of illegally funding his son's election campaign and sentenced to a year in prison. Prosecutors, however, cleared Ami Bera of involvement in his father's crime and he beat the odds to defeat his Republican rival Scott Jones.

A financial analyst by profession, Jayapal, 51, defeated fellow Democrat, Brady Wilkinshaw. A civil rights activist involved in immigrant and women's rights causes, she was born in India. She received the endorsement of Bernie Sanders, the insurgent socialist who ran against Hillary Clinton in the party primary.

Krishnamoorthi, 43, who had advised President Barack Obama on economic issues when he was a Senator, received a personal endorsement and a promotional video from Obama. He defeated Republican Peter DiCianni in a constituency that comprises Chicago suburbs.

Born in India, he is a technology entrepreneur heading two companies and has also served as Illinois state DeputyTreasurer and an Assistant Attorney General on special assignment to fight corruption.

Khanna, a former federal Deputy Assistant Commerce Secretary, won from the heart of Silicon Valley on his second try. With the endorsement of former President Jimmy Carter, he defeated sitting Congressman Mike Honda in a bitter rematch.

Harris has a dual identity: She is also counted as an African American as her father is a Jamaican of African descent and she follows the Baptist faith.

She would also become the second American woman of African descent elected to the Senate and joins two other African Americans in the Senate.

After her parents divorced, Harris was raised by her mother Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer specialist from Chennai, giving her equal claim to Indian heritage.

Gabbard's Republican rival Angela Kaaihue launched bigoted attack on her with anti-Hindu statements and called her a "pathetic Hindu 1,000 gods leader." Republican Party leaders condemned Kaaihue and withdrew support to her.

The first Indian elected to Congress is Dalip Singh Saund, who won from California in 1956.

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in)
New Delhi, Nov 9 : Rio Olympic champion Carolina Marin of Spain was bagged by Hyderabad Hunters for Rs.61.5 lakh, becoming the costliest buy in the Premier Badminton League (PBL) auction for players held here on Wednesday.

The second highest bid went for South Korean woman shuttler Sung Ji Hyun, with Mumbai Rockets paying Rs.60 lakh for her.

Denmark shuttler Jan 'O' Jorgensen proved to be the third costliest after he was bought for Rs.59 lakh in the auction held here at a city hotel. The Dane went to Delhi Acers.

However, India's Rio Olympic silver medallist P.V. Sindhu went to Chennai Smashers for Rs.39 lakh - way below expectations. Her illustrious compatriot, Saina Nehwal went to Awadhe Warriors for Rs.33 lakh.

Denmark's Viktor Axelsen too got a price of Rs.39 lakh landing up with Bengaluru Blasters, as did Wan Ho Son who was clinched by Delhi.

None of the men's singles badminton "Big Three" players - Chinese duo of Chen Long and Lin Dan and Malaysian superstar Lee Chong Wei -- will play in the PBL.
New Delhi, Nov 9 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday discussed business opportunities in India with a Swedish business delegation that called on him here.

The delegation comprised some of the CEOs from Sweden who are in the city for the Sweden-India Business Leaders Round Table conference.

The Swedish-India Business Leaders Round Table or SIBLERT is a high-level platform for business leaders from Sweden and India to identify joint challenges in the fields of research, innovation, investments, financing, trade, business, industrialisation and regulation.
Marrakech, Nov 9 : British charity Christian Aid on Wednesday warned that any attempts by new US President Donald Trump to bury his head in the sand over climate change will harm American interests and be an act of economic self-sabotage.

The global transition to a zero carbon economy would not be held up by one man, its International Climate Lead Mohamed Adow said in a statement.

Last year's Paris Agreement showed the world was united in its concern about climate change and its commitment to decarbonising the global economy, he said.

"The rest of the world will not risk a global climate catastrophe because of one man's opposition," he said.

"On a practical point, now that the Paris Agreement has come into force no country can easily withdraw for at least three years. Even if the US wanted to do so at that point it would suffer considerably, both a political and diplomatic cost as well as putting itself at the back of the pack on the benefits of clean tech," he said.

"Although the US will certainly suffer from any obstruction of efforts to stop climate change, it also risks the lives of millions of the world's poorest people who have done nothing to cause the problem yet are the most vulnerable to its effects," Adow added.

Trump -- a climate-change sceptic -- during his campaigning has threatened to cancel the Paris deal if he comes to power. This would mean the threshold achieved for the Paris Agreement would be jeopardised as America accounts for 17 per cent of the global emissions, the biggest chunk after China.

The two-week conference, which is seen as the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP22 of action, started at this historic Morocco town on Monday, four days after the landmark Paris Climate Agreement (COP21) entered into force.
New York, Nov 9 : Pramila Jayapal became the first Indian American woman elected to the House of Representatives, winning Tuesday's election from Washington state.

She will join other Indian Americans in the Congress, Kamala Harris, the first Indian American elected to the Senate, and three others in the House of Representatives.

Jayapal, who calls herself a "progressive fighter," was endorsed by Bernie Sanders, the insurgent socialist who challenged Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Party presidential nomination. She defeated fellow Democrat Barry Walkinshaw.

In a tweet after her election, she thanked the voters for "standing up for the values of our country - that welcomed me as a 16-year-old immigrant."

A financial analyst by training, she has worked on Wall Street before turning to political activism that has focused on immigrant and women's rights issues. She was recognised by President Barack Obama in 2013 as a "Champion of Change" for her advocacy of immigrant causes.

The 51-year-old Jayapal, who was born in Chennai, is married to Steve Williamson and has a son and a stepson. She is the author of "Pilgrimage to India: A Woman Revisits Her Homeland."
Election Day - November 4, 1986I was working for KNUU, 970-AM, then an all-news radio station (it's now a religious station) and while I'd covered the campaign of Harry Reid against Jim Santini for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by President Ronald Reagan's close friend Paul Laxalt, my primary assignment that night was the race for the seat in the House of Representatives being vacated by then-Congressman Reid.As Senator Reid is retiring, I thought that a look at all of the candidates from the races that took place on that day 30 years ago might be in order.James "Jim" Santini was the man that lost to Harry Reid. He was the last person to serve as the sole representative of Nevada in the House of Representatives, as the 1982 election where he lost his seat in the House to Harry Reid was the first to take place after the 1980 Census reapportionment gave Nevada two seats in the House. After his defeat he moved to Washington and became a lobbyist. Sadly he died last year.* * *That November saw the incumbent Governor of Nevada, Richard Bryan seeking reelection. In my experiences interacting with politicians as a journalist I would rank Governor Bryan as one of the nicest ever. He won reelection that day and would go on to later serve two terms in the U.S. Senate. He's been an attorney in private practice since choosing not to seek a third term in the Senate.Why do I think the world of him? Here's an example. I walked into the radio station on my day off to pick up my paycheck and the receptionist nearly grabbed me and told me I had to do an interview. I told her I didn't do interviews on my day off and I was going to leave as soon as I got my check out of my in-box. When she told me the governor was calling to do an interview with one of my colleagues and that reporter had been called out of the studio to cover breaking news. So I agreed to take the call. When Governor Bryan got on the phone I apologized and told him I didn't know what was going on and he explained that he was supposed to do an interview about a healthcare program he was trying to institute. I wasn't versed in that program and told him so and he said "don't worry Brian, it will be fine. Let's just do the interview." He was very gracious and very patience with my being completely unprepared for the encounter. It wasn't the only time I found him to be very nice.He ran against a woman named Patty Cafferata, who was the incumbent State Treasurer of Nevada. Her major claim to fame was that her mother was Barbara Vucanovich, member of Congress from Nevada. Ms Vucanovich's first successful campaign for Congress featured the very memorable slogan of "what Congress needs is a tough grandmother."* * *James "Jim" Bilbray ran against Bob Ryan and trounced him in the 1986 race for Nevada's 1st Congressional District. He practiced law after leaving Congressand was named to the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors by President Bush in 2006.What I remember about being at his campaign headquarters on election night was that there wasn't a single phone to be had after his victory speech. With my UNLV intern in tow, I had to go to a little Korean restaurant near the campaign HQ to find a payphone. I had to phone in my story on that phone, silently moving my handheld cassette recorder to the mouthpiece at the point in my story where I needed to include the excerpt of his victory speech. Talk about "low-tech" that was it.* * *Now 30 years later, the last man standing from all of that night's Nevada activities still in the political arena is closing the books on his election history. I'll have more to say about Harry Reid after he officially retires when the new Congress is sworn in, in 2017.
Guwahati/Agartala/Aizawl/Silchar, Nov 9 : The central government's move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination currency notes evoked mixed reactions with the common people generally welcoming it in Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and some other places in northeast India on Wednesday.

Although markets and other businesses in different parts of the state witnessed low-key activity due to the demonetisation, the citizens, particularly the common people, praised it as a step towards freeing the country of black money.

Rattled shopkeepers refused to accept the currency notes of demonetised denominations and wanted only Rs 100 and below.

"It remained a difficult day for people like us. No one accepted Rs 500 notes, not to talk of Rs 1,000 notes in the market. After all, how can one arrange so much of Rs 100 currency and below all of a sudden? I had to buy half the quantity of all the stuff," said Brojen Bora, a resident of Guwahati's Uzan Bazar area.

Bora, however, complimented Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his team for the unique initiative to stop circulation of fake currency as well as black money.

In Tripura, while a section of traders were accepting the demonetised currency notes, a large section of traders declined.

Most jewellers, cooking gas dealers, travel agencies in Tripura were not accepting the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, putting a large number of people to great trouble.

However, most petrol pumps and medicine shops in Tripura were accepting the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

The situation in neighbouring Mizoram and Southern Assam was no different.

Tripura Minister for Finance and Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Bhanulal Saha told IANS: "To my knowledge, the currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 have been scrapped to check black money. People would be put to trouble, though temporarily. The Government of India should take further steps to deal with the situation."

"Don't know whether the step announced by the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) would achieve the desire goal in the long run," he added.

Senior Congress leader Ratan Lal Nath, however, criticised the Prime Minister, saying that without consulting the economists and experts, the Central government all of a sudden and unilaterally banned the high denomination notes, putting the people to trouble.

"We also want the government to act tough against the hoarders and black money holders, but this should not be at the cost of the common people," said Nath, former opposition leader in the Tripura Assembly.

A bank union leader said: "Prime Minister Modi's step would not only have strong impact on black money but also help make the economy stronger by stopping the circulation of fake notes in the market."

The Central government has taken a very bold step to target illegal money and black money holders, he added.

Subhash Das, a former civil servant, said he was unable to purchase many things. "But, I support the step hoping that the negative impact of black money will be checked and circulation of fake currency will be stopped in the near future."

Meanwhile, IndiGo Airlines in a statement said that pursuant to the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the airline would not be accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination currencies for any services, including inflight sales, excess baggage charges or Fast Forward, with the only exception being airline tickets at airport ticket counters till November 11.
New Delhi, Nov 9 : India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Syed Hyder Shah to express its strong concern over the continued violations of ceasefire along the International Border and the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

"Despite calls for restraint, Pakistan forces have committed 16 ceasefire violations since November 3, 2016 alone," the External Affairs Ministry said in a strongly worded statement.

"As a result, there have been three fatal casualties during this period among Indian security forces.

"The government conveyed that such loss of life is unacceptable and is strongly protested. In addition, the injuries to civilians during the shelling by Pakistan forces are deplorable and strongly condemned," it said.

Earlier on Wednesday in Islamabad, Pakistan summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh for the second time in less than 24 hours to lodge a "strong" protest over "unprovoked" ceasefire violations across the Line of Control.

Foreign Officer Director General (South Asia & Saarc) Mohammad Faisal summoned Singh and "strongly" condemned Indian ceasefire violations on Tuesday in the Khuirata and Battal sectors, resulting in the deaths of four civilians, including a 10-year-old girl, a Pakistan Foreign Office statement said.

Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire agreement, investigate the continued incidents of ceasefire violations, instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, and stop targeting villages and civilians along the LoC, the statement added.

While summoning the Pakistani Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi, the Indian External Affairs Ministry also protested the manner in which the photographs of eight officials of the High Commission of India in Islamabad were prominently displayed in newspapers in the wake of factually incorrect allegations by the Pakistan government, and conveyed that this was against basic norms of diplomatic practice and courtesy, besides having the potential to endanger their security and safety.

"It is expected that the Pakistan side will desist from such actions in the future and will ensure the safety and security of all members of the High Commission of India in Islamabad and their families," the statement added.
Kathmandu, Nov 9 : India's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes had its ripple effect in Nepal -- affecting transactions, depressing the share market, creating difficulties for border residents and raising concerns among citizens working in India.

Nepal's central bank, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), issued a directive to all banks, financial institutions and money transfer companies to immediately halt the transactions of Indian currency of these denominations with effect from Wednesday.

The bank, which said it is in touch with its counterpart, the Reserve Bank of India, to resolve the problem, also discussed the issue with government officials.

Reports in Nepali media suggested that people living in bordering areas are facing difficulties following the ban.

Indian currency covers 20 percent of total monetary transactions in Nepal. With the Indian decision, the local share market in Nepal decreased by 27 points.

The NRB may give 15 days time for those holding Indian currency notes of these denominations to exchange them from local financial institutions.

Indian currency is the second-most used after the local Nepali rupee, while more used than the Nepali rupees for trading purpose in southern plains abutting India, due to huge trade dependency with India.

The demonetisation is also bound to directly impact currency market in Nepal, say economic experts.

Nepal had banned use of Indian Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes due to a number of counterfeit cases, and according to an Indian request. The Indian ban on use of its Rs 500 and Rs 1000 was removed in August last year, with Indian citizens allowed to carry such notes up to Rs 25,000 worth.

The Nepalis who go for pilgrimage, study or treatment in India or are engaged in trade will be also affected by the decision, as well as the millions residing or working in India or along the 1,800-km-long border.

While Indians having Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 can deposit the same in their bank and post office accounts between November 10 to December 30, or change it after providing proof of identity, Nepalis working in India do not possess such Indian documents.

The move has also raised questions about Indian currency amounting to billions held by some Nepalis.
Los Angeles, Nov 9 : The makers of Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel starrer "Lion" wish eight-year-old Indian actor Sunny Pawar could join the team for promotions and the premiere in the US. However, the boy reportedly does not have a visa yet.

Pawar was originally supposed to fly from Mumbai to Los Angeles this week with his father, Dilip, to attend the film's screening at American Film Institute. He was then to travel to New York City for the premiere at the Museum of Modern Art.

The Weinstein Co, the studio behind the film, had been trying to arrange his travel to the US, reports variety.com.

"We are devastated that Sunny, an eight-year-old boy who is part of this amazing film and who is garnering such strong reactions from his performance, cannot be here to be a part of this experience," said David Glasser, Weinstein Co President and C hief Operation Officer.

"We are doing everything we can to fight this; we believe it must be the effect of immigration paranoia. He, of course, poses absolutely no threat to anyone. We want him to be a part of the celebration of this film and his performance. We fully intend to go through the proper resources and appeal with the State Department for assistance," Glasser added.

"Lion" is the story of Saroo Brierley, an Australian man who uses Google Earth to find the family that he was separated from in India.

Pawar features widely in the film's first hour, playing Saroo, a five-year-old who gets lost on the streets of Kolkata. The film, which was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival -- which too didn't see Pawar in attendance -- marks his screen debut.

According to variety.com, the Weinstein Co was reaching out to contacts in India to try to see if they can expedite the process, but in order for Pawar to make Friday's screening, he would have been required to be on a plane on Wednesday.

It could not be confirmed when Pawar and his father applied for a visa interview. However, in response to a query regarding the matter, a representative of the US Consulate in Mumbai told IANS in an email: "Our policies prohibit us from commenting on individual visa cases."

"Lion" will get a limited release on November 25.
New Delhi, Nov 9 : The US Embassy here was abuzz with activity since early morning on Wednesday as the close contest between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton during the counting of votes in the US presidential elections surprised many who came visiting.

The lawn of US Ambassador to India Richard Verma's residence at the Roosevelt House, within the embassy precincts in the Chanakyapuri diplomatic enclave here, was decked up with a giant screen providing live updates on the counting of votes cast during the November 8 presidential election.

Both Verma and another US official said that US-India relations were bound to grow, irrespective of who eventually won the close contest.

Staff and guests thronged the venue since early morning hours. As updates continued to pour in, the neck-and-neck race only deepened the suspense over the eventual winner.

Many expressed surprise over the really close contest.

"We expected the competition to be close, but we are a bit surprised how close it (really) is," said Katie Walker, the Programme Director of Indo-Genius.

The lawn was festooned with thousands of balloons of blue, white and red hues, as well as ones with the American flag. Life-sized cutouts of both Clinton and Trump stood at two ends of the lawn, with visitors lining up to click photographs with them.

Interestingly, even as Trump promised during his campaign to impose a 45 per cent tariff on Chinese imports if elected, the caps with red, white and blue colours of the American flag distributed on the occasion were made in China.

As it became clear that Trump was going to pip Clinton to the post, murmurs laced with disappointment as well as gasps of sheer surprise filled the air.

Embassy staff and officials, however, maintained neutrality amid the hum, maintaining they will serve whoever is elected the US President.

While opinion polls had largely forecast Clinton's victory, Deputy Chief Of Mission MaryKay Loss Carlson said many Americans were not ready to tip their cards and hence the opinion polls went wrong.

"I fear opinion polls this time were misleading. Some people may not be able to admit they are against a woman candidate; or some may not admit they are pro-Clinton or pro-Trump," she said.

"Just like Brexit where in opinion polls people did not want to admit they were pro-Brexit," she said in reference to the referendum in the United Kingdom over the country's exit from European Union.

Carlson said the elections were "historic", as it was a first when a woman candidate came so close to being elected the US President.

Strategic expert C. Raja Mohan, present at the embassy, said the US is a complex county.

"The US is a complex country and very diverse like India. This election is important because three ideas of US are being challenged. First, that capitalism will work for everyone... here we had a candidate (Trump) saying the working class will rally behind him. Second is about free trade and open border... Trump is questioning that. And third is about America being the policeman... Trump is questioning that as well," he said.

While Trump's campaign had an anti-globalisation tone, George N. Sibley, Minister Counsellor, Economic, Environment, Science and Technology Affairs at the American Embassy, said a change in the trade policy is expected to be only moderate.

"India and the US have both benefited from an open trade regime. So, I will anticipate only moderate changes," Sibley told IANS.

"In terms of India, there seems to be a broad consensus this is an important, valuable and meaningful relationship for both countries and it should continue and grow," Sibley said.

Ambassador Verma also said the bilateral relations were only going to grow.

"The gains in the US-India relations for decades have been on bi-partisan basis, with Republican as well as Democrat Presidents, and different parties controlling the House and the Senate. I would even say that the US-India relationship is now a non-partisan issue," Verma said.

Verma, an American of Indian origin, also congratulated Kamala Harris, who made history by becoming the first Indian American to be elected to the US Senate.

"We offer special congratulations to Senator Kamala Harris on her election," the US Ambassador said.
New Delhi, Nov 9 : Two persons from West Bengal were arrested by Delhi Police for supplying 21 kg of ganja (cannabis) in Rohini area of north-west Delhi, a police officer said on Wednesday.

The accused, identified as Govinda Berman, 36, and his associate, Hari Kishor, 24, were arrested on Monday evening following a tip off when they came to distribute 21 kg of ganja to their associate in Sector-6 Rohini, police said.

Police have recovered a total of 21 kg of ganja from their possession, the officer said.

"During interrogation, they said they arranged ganja in bulk amount from Siliguri in West Bengal and distributed it in Delhi and other adjoining areas," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) M.N. Tiwari said.
Kolkata, Nov 9 : Entry to historical monuments in India, which are popular on the tourist trails of foreign nationals, should be made free for the time being, a tourism expert said on Wednesday, following the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in the country.

"Many have paid a fortune to visit sites like Taj Mahal in India and they have planned their trips at least six months in advance. How will they pay entry fee and other associated expenses after the demonetisation? For the time being, the fee should be waived to allow tourists to experience what they had come for," Gour Kanjilal, executive director of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) told IANS.

With banks and ATMs being shut during the day, Kanjilal said the tourists would be stranded.

"Foreign exchange counters are not accepting the demonetised currencies and the tourists are unable to exchange their money," he observed.

Stressing that the months of November and December are peak season for tourists, Kanjilal reckoned the move will impact the industry.

"Already tourism has taken a hit due to India's negative image. Issues like pollution and terrorism threat have dented India's image. Now, with the currency factor thrown in, the over-a-lakh travellers who visit India each month, will be affected," he added.

On the other hand, demonetisation could turn out to be a boon for the tourism industry if it makes use of the opportunity to attract those with unaccounted money and disposable income to invest in travelling, said tourism industry expert Saurabh Kumar Dixit.

"North east India, which has very rich tourism wealth, may attempt to exploit the opportunity as now people with unaccounted income will try new avenues to spend that money. Tourism industry as a whole may get the advantage of this situation by enticing individuals with such disposable income by offering attractive packages," Dixit of the Department of Tourism & Hotel Management, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, told IANS.

Welcoming the move, Dixit noted the "sudden announcement" is causing panic among tourists and tourism industry operators.

To tide over the temporary hurdles, Dixit advocated co-operation between travel agents, hotels, tourism information centres and transporters with the tourists.

"Though the government is working quite promptly in releasing this pressure by announcing steps such as temporary exemptions of toll charges, it should also declare short term measures for entry fees for monuments/tourist centres and smooth conduct of foreign currency exchange," Dixit remarked.

"I feel with this decision, more money will be pumped into the Indian economy, which will definitely contribute to the tourism industry in the long run," he added.

Many Indian nationals who are to embark on tours next week onwards expressed anger at the sudden decision on social media.

"I have my friends travelling, they are in trouble. I will be going for a tour next week. What will I do if I am allowed to withdraw only 2000 per day. A taxi driver in a hill station won't accept a cheque or may not be aware of mobile banking or net banking or other alternate methods like paytm. Will Modi ji come and take the pain?" posed Gaurav Chakraborti on Facebook.
New Delhi, Nov 9 : The government's move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes will help curb black money in elections and its impact will be visible in the upcoming assembly polls in five states, say experts, while opposition leaders called it hasty or questioned its effect.

Former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi said the move will definitely have a positive impact on the election system but more steps were needed to tackle the problem of black money in polls.

"It will definitely have some impact on free flow of money in elections but I don't think it will curb the whole menace. We all know that in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab elections, money plays a big role. There will be some control after the decision," Quraishi told IANS.

However, he added that the political parties would find different routes to convert their unaccounted money into accounted money.

Jagdeep Chokkar, founder member of Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), told IANS that the decision will bring about reduction in black money in the country.

"This will absolutely impact the elections, particularly those parties which are gearing up for next year's assembly elections in five states.

"If political parties have organised their money then it will have no impact on them but those who would not have organised, they may find themselves in trouble. Now they will not be able to organise their unaccounted money. This will obviously impact the elections but will take much more time to completely curb the menace," he added.

Sangeet Kumar Ragi, who teaches at Delhi University's Political Science department, said those who use money power in elections will be severely impacted.

"Candidates who rely on wooing voters by using money will find the going difficult," Ragi said, adding that all political parties will be impacted in some way and those opposing it are doing so for petty politics.

While Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said that the measure will lead to election expenses of candidates coming down and "sincere" politicians would be happy with it, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav linked it to the upcoming assembly polls and said it was not a permanent solution.

"It is quite possible that decision might have been taken in view of assembly elections. It seems that the decision has been taken in hurry. They could have discussed it in parliament as the session is likely to begin this month itself," Akhilesh Yadav told reporters in Lucknow.

Apart from Uttar Pradesh, assembly polls are expected to be held early next year in Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, however, said the decision had no connection with elections.

"After this decision, if elections get cheaper, it will be a great service to nation. If elections get cheaper, it will be a good beginning," Jaitley told reporters here.

His predecessor, P. Chidambaram of the Congress, said that his party will fight elections according to rules and regulations.

"I don't know... you must ask people who spend large amounts of money in elections. I don't know if people stash cash three months ahead of elections. I don't know. I know that people pull out money at the time of elections and spend it for elections. I don't know if people put it in gunny bags or suitcases and store it somewhere. I don't know," he said to queries on the impact of the government's decision on political parties.

"Congress party, in anyway, did not have too much money even in the last elections," he said.

Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav told IANS that he supports the decision but it is mainly aimed at checking counterfeit currency notes.

"The Prime Minister has tried to make virtue of this necessity. His party has made grand claims about this decision being a historic game changer in the fight against black money and terror. There is not much to justify this propaganda.

"This decision would not affect much of the black money that has entered the stock market or real estate or has been parked outside the country via dubious financial instruments," he said.
New Delhi, Nov 9 : Railway passengers on Wednesday faced a harrowing time at the ticket counters of New Delhi Railway Station as the demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes left most counters without any change and many passengers were denied tickets.

While the government announced that railway booking counters will accept the 500 and 1,000 rupee notes till the midnight of November 11, passengers at New Delhi Railway Station complained that such notes were not being accepted at the ticket counters despite their standing in queue for hours.

Narrating his ordeal, Sanjay Yadav, 34, senior engineer with Jahjjar Power Limited, who was denied a ticket by railway officials, told IANS: "I had to travel to Allahabad, but I was denied a ticket for Rs 150 as the officials said they didn't have change for the Rs 500 I gave them."

"I waited at the ticket counter for over one and half hours, yet I was unable to get a ticket," he rued.

The government on Tuesday night declared that notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination ceased to be legal tender from midnight in an effort to fight black money.

Yadav also said he was unable to buy any food item from the kiosks at the railway station as the shopkeepers refused to accept Rs 500 notes.

Mohammad Chand, 21, a resident of Agra who was waiting at the ticket counter, told IANS, "I got lucky to get a ticket. I had to change four counters to get a ticket as the three previous counters denied me a ticket due to the problem of change."

Subhash Prasad, who runs a railway cafeteria near the unreserved ticket counter at New Delhi Railway Station, told IANS: "There is a problem of change, but we are providing food items and accepting 500 and 1,000 rupee notes after taking the PNR of the reserved ticket of passengers and ticket numbers of the unreserved tickets with passenger's ID proof and mobile number."

Mohammad Jamshed, Member Traffic of the Indian Railways, told reporters here that the Railways has taken several measures to deal with the impact of the government's demonetization decision.

"After the Prime Minister's announcement, we took all necessary steps to deal with ticketing. The Railways ferries around 2.3 crore passengers every day, and around 13 lakh reserved tickets are sold; of the 13 lakh reserved tickets, around seven lakh are booked through e-ticketing which is not a problem but the rest of the six lakh are tickets sold at counters. We informed all the Railway General Managers and DGMs to ensure that passengers don't face any problems."

He also said that Railways has made arrangements for unreserved tickets.

"To arrange for change to passengers, we kept the cash with us yesterday (Tuesday) instead of depositing in the bank. That money was used by us to deal with the situation," Jamshed added.

He also said the Railways had sought banks' help in providing lower denomination currency to passengers.

"As the banks were closed today (Wednesday), we are in talks with them (banking authorities) to get rupee notes of lower denomination to manage our booking counters," Jamshed added.

"We asked all the catering service providers on the platforms and in the trains to accept the 500 and 1,000 rupee notes," Jamshed said.

The Railway Traffic Member also said that Railways has formed a Special Investigation Team in the ministry to monitor unusual transactions.

"Now passengers who make ticket transactions of over Rs 50,000 have to give their PAN details," he added.

"Apart from this, we are also monitoring the social media to address the complaints that we are receiving," he added.

Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's move, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said the government's decision will benefit the people, society and country in the long run.

(Anand Singh can be reached at anand.s@ians.in)
Rome, Nov 9 : A child cannot automatically be given its father's surname if its parents are married, Italy's constitutional court has ruled.

"Norms which automatically attribute the paternal surname to legitimate children against the parents' wishes are unconstitutional," the court said in its landmark ruling late on Tuesday.

The top court upheld a ruling by an appeals court in the northwest city of Genoa in favour of an Italian-Brazilian couple who wanted to give their child both their surnames.

A bill allowing children have the surnames of both parents has been stalled in the Italian parliament's upper house Senate since 2014.

In 2006, the constitutional court ruled that making parents give children their father's surname was "a remnant of a patriarchal conception of the family" but stopped short of declaring the practice unconstitutional, asking the Italian parliament to legislate on the issue.
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New Delhi, Nov 9 : Ahead of his visit to Japan for the annual India-Japan bilateral summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that the high-speed railway cooperation between the two countries will boost bilateral trade and investment.

"The high-speed railway cooperation between India and Japan is a shining example of the strength of our cooperation," Modi said in a statement ahead of his departure on Thursday.

"It will not only boost our trade and investment ties, but will also create skilled jobs in India, improve our infrastructure and give a boost to our 'Make in India' mission," he said.

During Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to India last year, the east Asian economic superpower committed itself to a high-speed railway line between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

"On November 12, Prime Minister Abe and I will travel to Kobe on the famed Shinkansen - the technology that will be deployed for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed railway.

"Both of us will also visit the Kawasaki Heavy Industries facility in Kobe, where the high speed railway is manufactured."

Stating thaat India-Japan partnership was characterised as a Special Strategic and Global Partnership, Modi said that the two countries "see each other through a prism of shared Buddhist heritage, democratic values, and commitment to an open, inclusive and rules-based global order".

"Today, Japan is one of the top investors in India. But many Japanese companies, which are household names in India, have been committed to the potential of Indian economy for several decades," he said.

The Prime Minuster said that in Tokyo he would have a detailed interaction with top business leaders from India and Japan to look for ways to further strengthen trade and investment ties.

Modi will call on Japanese Emperor Akihito and review the entire spectrum of the bilateral cooperation with Prime Minister Abe in Tokyo on November 11.

This will be Modi's second visit to Japan as Prime Minister.
New Delhi, Nov 9 : There needs to be extensive research on the consequences of adoption of very low nicotine level tobacco on farmers, consumers and the environment, experts said on Wednesday.

The experts also said that the research should precisely try to figure out the economic cost to the nation before the entire project is adopted.

"It is incorrect to target only nicotine as part of harm reduction research as other content like tar and other compounds hold greater importance," said K.D. Singh, former Director, Central Tobacco Research Institute.

"It is possible to manipulate the nicotine content and other compounds by adopting superior processes like organic cultivation and fast curing which are locally more relevant. We need thorough research before considering measures like low nicotine tobacco for Indian farmers," Singh said.

The discussion was held by business chamber Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Wednesday to discuss underlying issues and challenges for Indian tobacco growers.

"In India, the practice is to import technology instead of investing in local R&D (research and development). Indian scientists are fully capable of developing new varieties of tobacco which would be more suitable to Indian farm conditions," said Shashi Kumar Rhode, Scientist, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB).

"India has the capability to be the number one exporter of tobacco by developing new varieties which the world needs, and we should be given the time and opportunity to develop those," Rhode said.

The panel brought together agri-scientists, tobacco experts and growers and included experts with extensive experience in the field of farming, genetic engineering, and biotechnology, members of farmer organisations and industry representatives.

G. Satyanarayana, Member - Tobacco Board, said: "Many of the major tobacco growing countries have not signed WHO FCTC (World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) and will continue to produce high nicotine tobacco. If low nicotine tobacco is forced on Indian farmers, they may suffer huge economic loss in the international market as tobacco from other countries is likely to gain market share."

Before proposing low nicotine tobacco crops, Satyanarayan said that India needs to first conduct extensive research on the full impact of such a move covering the agro-climatic impact, consumer impact, economic impact and social impact.
Kolkata, Nov 9 : As many as 1,300 detonators were seized in Siliguri in West Bengal's Darjeeling district during a follow up investigation from a house from where a large amount of explosives was found two days back, police said on Wednesday.

"The officers of Pradhannagar police station have seized 1,300 detonators while running a raid in a house at Assam road in Siliguri on Tuesday night," police said.

"We have seized total 13 boxes, each containing 100 detonators from the house while looking through the piles of furniture," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Siliguri Commissionerate, Indra Chakrabarty told reporters.

A large quantity of explosives and detonators was seized from the same house in Siliguri last Saturday and three Nepali citizens were arrested during the raid.

"We got the tip-off about more explosives being stashed in the house while interrogating the three accused," DCP Chakrabarty said.
Mumbai, Nov 9 : "Masaan" actress Shweta Tripathi is going to make her web series debut with an entertainer, which also features Lisa Haydon. She will play a bride-to-be on her bachelorette in the show.

A comedy drama, it is a story of four friends from New Delhi who set out on the ultimate bachelorette trip from Delhi to Bangkok. Directed by debutant Lakshya Raj Anand, it is set for a premiere mid-December.

The cast and crew has begun shooting in Shillong for the ten-part series, which will also be shot in Bangkok and Koh Samui.

"This is going to be an incredible journey as I'll be doing two things that I love the most -- travel and acting," Shweta said in a statement.

"With three really talented girls with me, it makes it even more exciting," said the actress, who was first noticed as the lively Zenia Khan in Disney channel's "Kya Mast Hai Life".
New Delhi, Nov 9 : Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday emphasised on introducing industry designed courses within the education curriculum at schools.

While addressing an international symposium on creative education, he also underlined the Delhi government's innovative efforts to make education more student centric.

Sisodia who is also the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, was speaking through video conference at the symposium organised by Council for Creative Education (CCE) at Tampere, Finland.

The three-day symposium focused on current trends in education technologies and expectations from society.

"We have set a deadline of 100 per cent readability for school children by November 14. Our 'Reading Melas' exemplify Delhi government's efforts in shifting education's focus from being curriculum centric to student centric," he said at the symposium.

He added that in the current scenario there is a need to create global citizens and what is required is discontinuation of conventional courses.

"Industry designed courses will link higher education to market demand," Sisodia said.

Besides Sisodia the panel discussion also included representatives and stakeholders, from the education sector from Australia and Finland.

He said that at government schools there are 1,35,000 teachers in Delhi while students in higher education are more than one million and students in technical education more than 50,000.

He said that he was shocked to see the teacher:student ratio more than 1:100 in many cases.

He added the government initiated the construction of 8,000 classrooms to tackle this bad teacher to student ratio.

"Higher education, especially of applied sciences & technology should be directly related to community and market demand," Sisodia said.

Sisodia said that he was quite impressed at a government school in Finland as teachers were using tablets for maintaining the database of students.

"I am planning to send teachers to Finland as well, to interact with and learn from the head of schools there," Sisodia added.
New SC schools rely on hollow-core concrete planks' thermal mass to store heated or cooled air. Designed by SFLA Architects This is the first use of the innovative Canadian system in the U.S., and relies upon the planks mass to store the thermal energy of the heated or cooled air.

Gate Precasts Oxford, NC, facility is producing 400,000 square feet of adapted hollow-core planks to function as smart floors for five schools in Myrtle Beach, S.C., while adapting them to serve as thermal batteries to support the facilities HVAC system.

This is the first use of the innovative Canadian system in the U.S., and relies upon the planks mass to store the thermal energy of the heated or cooled air. Designed by SFLA Architects of Raleigh, NC, the schools include Carolina Forest Middle School, Myrtle Beach Middle School, St. James Middle School, Sayebrook Middle School and Socastee Elementary School.

During the process, Gate is fabricating 10-inch hollow-core planks and utilizing the center three cores (of five) as ducting for the HVAC. The adaptation will allow the schools to use the planks as thermal batteries, reducing the typical daily fluctuations in energy consumption. Subsequently, the schools will purchase more of their energy at off-peak times in order to charge the planks.

The intelligent energy management system balances the supply of energy while relying upon significantly smaller HVAC equipment. They will pump the conditioned air into the cores and then circulate the air back and forth, said Gate Hollow Core Sales Manager Robert Kralowetz. They are basically storing their heat or their cooled air in the planks. That cuts down on the mechanical equipment and the tonnage required to heat and cool the schools.

Gate was instrumental in providing design-assist as early as 1.5 years prior to project bidding. In preparation for the projects stringent design criteria and aggressive schedule, Gate installed three new 378-foot-steel form hollow core beds and purchased a new Ultra-Span Hollow-Core Power Plant and 10 Cassette providing the finest quality hollow-core plank finishes in the market while maintaining production levels to service the aggressive construction schedules. Gate is making critical in-plant modifications to the planks to accommodate the innovative system.

The typical middle schools (Carolina Forest MS, Myrtle Beach MS, and St. James MS) have approximately 750 planks for a total of 85,000 square feet, Kralowetz added. The modified middle school (Sayebrook MS) has approximately 650 planks and 73,000 square feet, and Socastee Elementary School has approximately 500 planks at 64,000 square feet.

More About Gate:

Gate Precast Company is a subsidiary of Gate Petroleum Company, a privately-held diversified corporation headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. Gate Precast has become one of the largest and most diversified precast concrete producers in the United States, with eight manufacturing facilities, and is known for its design-assist collaboration with design teams. Annually, the company is recognized as a top subcontractor by Engineering News-Record Magazine and wins Best-in-Class PCI Design Awards for a wide range of projects. For more information, please visit http://www.gateprecast.com.
Nastel Technologies, a global provider of real-time APM and IT Operations Analytics, is hosting in conjunction with DataInformed a live webinar on November 10th at noon EST (9:00 am Pacific), featuring leading industry analyst, Forbes contributor, and globally recognized expert on agile digital transformation, Jason Bloomberg. He will be joined by Charley Rich, Nastel Technologies VP  Product Management.

With everyone from the C-suite to Ops teams being affected by the mad race to competitive advantage, the webinar will revolve around the meaning of enterprise-grade technologies and how they can make major differences in the ultimate success or failure of the digital transformations affecting thousands of IT organizations.

Today, many enterprises are making the strategic mistake of implementing digital transformation at a superficial level, said Jason Bloomberg. However, true enterprise digital transformation must be fully end-to-end, connecting customer needs to legacy assets. As a result, such organizations must leverage enterprise grade technologies and practices to achieve the long-term benefits of digital transformation.

Bloomberg will review the customer and competitive pressures IT groups are experiencing to quickly adopt many cutting-edge technologies, and what is needed to integrate them into a heterogeneous, middleware-connected, legacy-heavy enterprise environment. Hell examine some of the software tools necessary to keep pace withand remain in control ofthe tide of change sweeping across many industries.

Some of the desirable business outcomes covered will include: more sophisticated and reliable real-time digital business services, greater alignment between IT analytics and business goals, and improved compliance and fraud detection.

Following Bloombergs presentation will be Charley Rich, who will share several real-world customer examples where enterprise-grade transaction tracking and analytics capabilities solved pressing challenges.

Click here to register for the November 10th webinar.

About Jason Bloomberg

Jason Bloomberg is a leading industry analyst and globally recognized expert on agile digital transformation. He writes and speaks on how todays disruptive enterprise technology trends support the digital professional's business transformation goals.

He writes for Forbes, his biweekly newsletter the Cortex, and contributes to several blogs. He also helps technology vendors and service providers communicate their digital transformation stories. His latest book is The Agile Architecture Revolution (Wiley, 2013).

Mr. Bloomberg has published over 900 articles, spoken at over 350 conferences, webinars, and other events, and has been quoted in the press over 1,500 times.

About Charley Rich of Nastel Technologies

Charley Rich, VP  Product Management at Nastel Technologies, has extensive experience in Big Data Analytics, SaaS, UI and APM. He was an important contributor to four highly successful start-ups including: InterWorld, Tivoli, SMARTS and Collation/IBM and holds a patent for Application Performance Monitoring. Prior to Nastel, he was IBMs World-wide Product Manager for the Application Dependency Discovery Manager solution and received the Tivoli General Manager's Award.

Nastel is privately held and headquartered in New York, with offices in the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany and Mexico, with an additional network of partners throughout Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia. For more information, visit nastel.com.
Backstroke Start Device The backstroke start device is such an important tool for training and competition

Colorado Time Systems (CTS), a PlayCore company, was awarded Australian Patent No. 2013382748, titled Start assist device for swimmers with positioning and removal mechanism. The patent covers the automatic retraction of the starting wedge up and out of the water after the swimmer has left the device as well as the ability for the swimmer to adjust and lock the wedge into place before each race.

The patent remains in force through July 31, 2033. Further patent applications for the backstroke start device are pending in the United States, China, Brazil, and Singapore.

The backstroke start device is approved for use in swimming competitions throughout the world and is FINA, NCAA, USA Swimming, and U.S. Masters Swimming compliant.

The backstroke start device is such an important tool for training and competition, said Rick Connell, CTS Vice President and General Manager. We are thrilled to see its expanded use in competition and to have received a patent in Australia, with the others pending.



Colorado Time Systems owns a variety of patents that apply to electronic timing and scoring

The 748 patent raises Colorado Time Systems patent portfolio to 8 issued patents.

About Colorado Time Systems (CTS): Colorado Time Systems, a PlayCore company, has established a reputation for precision and innovation in swim timing equipment. Since 1972, premier aquatic facilities have chosen Colorado Time Systems for platinum quality timing, scoring and display systems. Learn more at http://www.coloradotime.com.

About PlayCore: PlayCore helps build stronger communities around the world by advancing play through research, programs, and partnerships. They infuse this learning into their complete family of brands.

PlayCore combines best in class planning and education programs with the most comprehensive array of recreation products available to create solutions that match the unique needs of each community they serve. Learn more at http://www.playcore.com.
Peter E. Dawson DDS, 2016 recipient of the ADA Distinguished Service Award Peter Dawson is the inspiration for so many top clinicians in our profession. From day one of reading his first book and attending his courses he influenced the destiny of my patient's care as well as my practice. I am forever grateful.

The ADA Board of Trustees presented Dr. Peter E. Dawson, founder of The Dawson Academy, with the Distinguished Service Award for his lifelong, undying devotion to advancing the art and science of dentistry on October 20, 2016 in Denver, Colo.

Dr. Dawson is known around the world for his contributions to the science and art of dentistry, and he has educated thousands of dentists on his signature concept of complete dentistry. With his best-selling textbooks, forward-thinking work on practice management and pioneering research on restorative dentistry, Dr. Dawson is more than worthy of being recognized for his achievements that have benefited the entire world, said Dr. Carol Gomez Summerhays, ADA president and former Dawson Academy student.

Upon receiving the award, Dr. Dawson said, In accepting this award I want you to know how grateful I am for all those that came before me to make my path bright. Theres no way Id be standing here on this occasion without the contribution of generous mentors that opened the doors of opportunity for me during my early practice years. Dawson credited Drs. L.D. Pankey and Sigurd Ramjford as his most influential early mentors.

While much is known about Dr. Dawsons clinical contributions to dentistry, I believe his impact on the lives of dentists is equally important, said Joan Forrest, President and CEO of The Dawson Academy.

Pete is a humble, caring man. He is devoted to his wife, Jodie, their four children and their 8 grandchildren. He is a man of great faith and throughout his amazing career, God and family have always come first. Leading a balanced life is always part of his message to dentists and many have told him how thankful they are for that message, adding that they would never have the wonderful relationships with their spouse and children were it not for Petes generously offered wisdom.

In his acceptance speech Dr. Dawson shared with the audience, I asked two questions about everything dentists had accepted as standard concepts and procedures. Why are we doing it? And is there a better way to do it? With these questions in mind so many years ago, he began to look for answers.

In addition to his many contributions in restorative dentistry and prosthodontics, he brought together a group of specialists to form the first interdisciplinary think tank committed to diagnosing and treating the full spectrum of masticatory system disorders. From within this combined group of specialists, a number of major diagnostic and treatment advancements have emerged, including doppler auscultation and other treatment modalities for orofacial pain and TMJ disorders. He was instrumental in developing simplified instrumentation for analysis and treatment of occlusal problems and also devised new classification systems for occlusal disorders.

Dawson is also credited as one of the first dentists to hire systems analysts to evaluate every phase of his practice, which led to advancements in quality control and development of a block scheduling system for increased productivity.

In addition to numerous awards and special recognitions, Dr. Dawson is the past president and life member of the American Equilibration Society and a past president of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry.

For thousands of dentists, Dr. Dawsons biggest impact was through his lectures and seminars, which he began teaching in 1961 when 35 dentists attended his first course. Through the years, it has evolved from Dr. Dawsons one-man lecture series to a curriculum of both lectures and hands-on courses instructed by a faculty of over 25 dental professionals. The Academys locations have also grown from its original location in Saint Petersburg, Fla. to three additional locations in the United States and six internationally: China, India, Japan, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. With this growth, the Dawson Academy now reaches a worldwide audience of dentists for its curriculum directed at Complete Dentistry

On The Dawson Academy Facebook page past students share their gratitude for Dr. Dawsons work. Peter Dawson is the inspiration for so many top clinicians in our profession.

From day one of reading his first book and attending his courses he influenced the destiny of my patient's care as well as my practice. I am forever grateful, shared Dr. Hugh Flax.

You have always been my hero. I learned your philosophy at your courses early on in my career. You have inspired thousands of restorative dentists with a focus on diagnosis, and this became my center of gravity. Your humility and at the same time a giant in our field is refreshing, thank you! You deserve all honors! shared Dr. Jonathan Levine, another Dawson Academy student.

Dr. John Cranham, Clinical Director and Partner at The Dawson Academy, said he first encountered the work of Dr. Dawson as a dental student three decades ago. As part of his studies, he wanted to do a full-mouth reconstruction on his mother and asked one of his professors for advice. The professor told him to read Dr. Dawsons Evaluation, Diagnosis and Treatment of Occlusal Problems. Cranham did, and 30 years later, his mother, now 88, still has a perfect smile.

There isnt another dentist alive whos had a bigger impact on the profession than Pete, Dr. Cranham said.

In his final words at the 2016 ADA meeting, Dr. Dawson said, I promise this: I wont let it go to my head, but instead it will be a stimulation to live up to the values and expectations that this award represents.

About The Dawson Academy

The Dawson Academy is an international provider of science-based dental continuing education, teaching dentists to comprehensively diagnose and treat dental problems with excellence and integrity. The Academy has taught dental courses to the dental industry for over 35 years and is dedicated to teaching the principles and skills necessary for the successful practice of complete, quality, and predictable dentistry. The Dawson Academys goal is to make good dentists even better. To learn more about The Dawson Academy visit https://thedawsonacademy.com/.

To find a Dawson-Trained Dentist visit https://findadawsondentist.com/.
JourneyEd.com has officially announced the availability of Dropbox Education to help K-12 and higher education schools to more easily and securely share and collaborate data across the organization.

When files get spread across multiple devices and solutions, and teams find themselves working across offices, collaboration suffers. Dropbox Education unites devices, apps, and offices, letting employees easily work with each other and external partners. And advanced features like commenting and the Dropbox badge bring collaboration into the files users work with every day. You can transport data without tight security. To protect file data in transit, Dropbox Education uses SSL/TLS for file transfer, creating a secure tunnel protected by 128-bit or higher AES encryption. Dropbox file data is stored in discrete file blocks that are fragmented and encrypted using 256-bit AES. Additionally, perfect forward secrecy is supported and all authentication cookies are flagged as secure, with HSTS enabled.

Collaborating and sharing information across an institution is a major use case we find across the country, explains Greg Lamkin, CEO of JourneyEd.com, Inc. Dropbox has a proven and secure solution that is already in use by millions of account users.

Employees want the tools that help them stay productive. But too many solutions can make controlling company data difficult for IT. Dropbox Education gives both end users and IT what they need: one centrally managed solution that works with all the apps and devices employees already use.

Managing an education institution takes IT time and resources. Dropbox Education makes scaling easier by giving a schools IT administrator control over all of the institutions accounts. And with a flexible solution in place that helps teams stay both productive and secure, they can retire outdated technologies  which means more efficient operations.

Dropbox allows schools to utilize a proven and secure sharing and collaboration platform that has the nod of approval from their IT team and that ensures its long-term availability. Lamkin stated. We feel that offering this type of technology fits into what schools need today and that aligns with our companys long-term strategic vision.

To learn more about Dropbox Education, how it works and to get a free demo of this solution, contact JourneyEd.com.

About JourneyEd.com, Inc.: JourneyEd.com Inc. is the leading software and technology reseller solely servicing the K-12 and higher education markets, which include millions of students, faculty, staff, educational institutions and public school districts nationwide. More information is available at http://www.JourneyEd.com or by contacting us at 1-800-876-3507.
Rubinstein Laser and Cosmetic Surgery Specialists is excited to share the latest new from Allergan, the maker of Natrelle breast implants. The innovative Natrelle Inspira Cohesive gel breast implant was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September. Ran Y. Rubinstein, MD and Samuel Beran, MD, MBA, FACS are pleased to bring their patients this cutting-edge option for breast augmentation.

Natrelle Inspira is a silicone filled breast implant, designed for women at least 22 years of age. This technologically advanced implant uses a high gel fill ratio and the most cohesive gel available in the United States. The Natrelle Inspira implant is designed to stay in place, while providing optimal upper pole fullness. Natrelle Inspira can be used in a primary breast augmentation to increase breast size, as revision surgery to improve results of previous surgery or as a part of the breast reconstruction process. Natrelle Inspira is not for women with an active infection, existing cancer/pre-cancer or those who are pregnant/nursing.

Dr. Beran is one of the most sought after breast augmentation surgeons in the country today. He has been recognized by New York Magazine as one of the Hot New Docs, and a Best Plastic Surgeon by Westchester Magazine. He explains his style of care, Every person deserves to feel good about themselves and their appearance. Dr. Beran continues, I truly feel what makes me unique is the personalized care, individual attention and natural results I give my patients.

Dr. Beran has more than 20 years of experience. He completed his general surgery training at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, followed by graduation as a plastic surgeon from the prestigious University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas. Dr. Beran is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, where he was honored to act as a guest-examiner. A prolific writer and educator, Dr. Beran is the author of multiple scientific papers, chapters and a highly regarded textbook on liposuction. Currently, Dr. Beran serves on staff at both Northern Westchester Hospital and Lenox Hill.

Dr. Rubinstein is the founder of Rubinstein Laser and Cosmetic Surgery Specialists. He is one of the top facial plastic surgeons in New York. Double board certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Rubinstein has been in both private and academic practice for over 15 years.

On November 16, 2016, Rubinstein Laser and Cosmetic Surgery Specialists will be hosting their annual Open House. As part of the upcoming event, Dr. Rubinstein and Dr. Beran are offering several promotions, including the chance for gel implants at the reduced rate of $5990. This is a special opportunity for those interested in breast augmentation and body contouring procedures.

To find out more about Dr. Ran Y. Rubinstein, Dr. Samuel Beran, or their Newburgh, New York practice, please visit http://www.yourfacemd.com or contact the office at 845-863-1772. Do not hesitate to RSVP for the November Open House, as space is limited.
A total of 7,275 Cass County voters joined in with a total of 135,87 Nebraska ballot casters in giving an overwhelming no to Southeast Community Colleges $369 million bond issue posed in the 2016 election.

Nearly 66 percent of Cass County voted against the bond, even though Plattsmouth just celebrated the opening of SCCs new learning center on Main Street Oct. 26.

Just over 34 percent of county voters cast a ballot for the bond issue, mirroring the states total affirmative votes of 64,401.

SCC officials cited several reasons for needing the funds including preparing graduates for much-needed skilled trade jobs and offering continuing education to senior citizens and older students in general.

Bond funds were also to be used to update the three existing SCC campuses located in Beatrice, Lincoln and Milford. SCC needs to invest in facilities in order to continue to serve its students, said Douglas L. Curry of Lincoln.  Enrollment waiting lists for welding and allied health professions often extend two years or longer.

Curry also noted that the Beatrice and Milford campus facilities are 50 years or older. They were never designed for the programs or technology now used to train todays workers, he said.

State District 1 Sen. Dan Watermeier sent a letter to the editor to The Journal and other newspapers in Southeast Nebraska opposing the bond.

I am well aware of the important role that a community college plays in preparing students for their future career goals, he writes. While I recognize this important role for community colleges, I cannot support the proposed $369 million bond issue.

Watermeier writes that a $369 million bond issue amounts to an estimated $523 million increase in property taxes, when including interest over the life of the bonds.

Cass County voters also joined the majority in the state in reinstating the death penalty. A total of 8,880 Cass County voters, 71.11 percent, cast their ballots to repeal the law ridding the state of the death penalty. Twenty-eight percent, 3,608, voted to retain the law abolishing the death penalty in Nebraska.
Gadberry Group announced today the new release of 2016 datasets for the Magnify US market. This update brings the freshest data available to Gadberrys US GIS software mapping product, Magnify.

Magnify is a cloud based location intelligence product designed to quickly create targeted study areas for accurate and precise location analysis by leveraging detailed demographic data and Google map reports. As part of their Magnify license, existing US clients will automatically receive these new datasets. The Magnify Canadian Edition datasets will be updated in the Spring of 2017.

The following Magnify Datasets have been released for the US market:



Updated Estimates (2016) and Projections (2021)

2016 Boundaries and geographic rosters

Retail Sales Potential

Consumer Potential Detail

Financial Wealth & Assets

Business Summary

Magnify is a powerful, easy to use and economical cloud-based data visualization tool that is designed to address the demands of todays rapidly changing demographic landscape. It merges current and relevant demographic information with contemporary mapping capabilities. Magnify not only delivers accurate geo-demographic insights for the US and Canada, but also saves Gadberrys clients time and money.

"With Magnify I can process several things at once. I started a 15,000-point site file while geocoding a 1,000,000 record customer file and had no slowdown. I also really enjoy that you can leave the program and receive notification when your process is complete. The ability to easily geocode and batch process multiple sites at once is an incredible time saver, says long-time Magnify client Lenne Prussiano, President, Lenneco.

At Gadberry Group, we understand the importance of geospatial demographic changes to your location analysis and are working hard to continually improve our products with the most up-to-date data available, says Janey Pettit, Gadberry Group Director of Product Development. With updated demographic estimates and projections, our customers have a better understanding of opportunities and challenges that are likely to occur in upcoming years.

About Gadberry Group

Gadberry Group combines 25+ years of geospatial data science expertise to provide location-based information data products and services for clients who demand the most current, accurate, and precise geo-demographic data for their location analysis and research. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Gadberry has industry-recognized expertise for combining sophisticated data development, software development and professional services to help clients solve business problems related to site and store selection, marketing campaigns based on specific geographic and demographic targets and geographic-based analytics. Gadberry Groups geo-demographic dataset, MicroBuild, is protected under U.S. Patents No. 8,341,010 and 8,428,999. For additional information, visit Gadberry Group at gadberrygroup.com.

Media Contact:

Janey Pettit, Gadberry Group

janey.pettit(at)gadberrygroup(dot)com

501-907-7100
The new One Vibe by Marimba One "The warmth and resonance are amazing" notes world percussionist Colin Currie who flew to Arcata to play on the One Vibe by Marimba One.

After years of R&D and listening to many vibraphones, Marimba One has released the One Vibe by Marimba One: quality, full projection and warm resonance across the entire keyboard. Designed from the ground up by Ron Samuels and the same team of engineers and master craftsmen that bring the world's most respected marimbas. Marimba One's vibraphones are 100% designed and built in Arcata, California, USA.

"The warmth and resonance are amazing," says world-famous percussionist Colin Currie who flew to Arcata in late October to to play the instrument.

The full-size keyboard is 100% evenly dampened. When using the damper bar, all keys from top to bottom are 100% evenly dampened. Marimba One built a fine adjustment into the damper bar.

The gas spring height adjustment system allows musicians to raise and lower the vibe smoothly and effortlessly. Built-in tape measures insure a preferred keyboard height.

"Because fans always stop in the vertical position, there is no need to adjust the fans," explains Ron Samuels, founder and owner of the company. "The player is guaranteed the full resonance and projection of the vibe every time the motor is turned off."

Importantly for vibe players, the player can adjust the height of the damper pedal. The damper pedal swivels from side to side.

Responding to market demand for a vibraphone that can be easily taken to gigs, Marimba One engineered and built the most rigid frame in the industry, the easiest to assemble, and the lightest weight at 111 pounds (50 kg).

Marimba One is a manufacturer of high quality keyboard percussion instruments including marimbas, vibraphones and mallets. Nested between the Redwoods and the Pacific Ocean on the North Coast of California, Marimba One strives to produce the finest products for musicians.
The highlight of the auction is a 4.5 liter jeroboam (US$30,000-$50,000) and six bottles of Petrus 1924. Our clients have spoken and weve listened, which is why were focusing on the wines with the greatest provenance in the world.  Zachys President Jeff Zacharia

Zachys Wine Auctions is delighted to announce The Holiday Auction on December 2 and 3 at Smith & Wollensky, New York City, a 1962-lot auction expected to realize in excess of US $7,000,000.

Of note in this two-day auction is the Private Cellar of Nath. Johnston & Fils, a Bordeaux negociant founded in 1734 and still owned by the current generation of Johnstons. The Johnstons at one point owned Chateaux Ducru-Beaucaillou and Dauzac and nine percent of Chateau Latour. The wines in this collection were assembled by various generations of Johnstons, were bought on release direct from the Chateaux themselves, and hadnt left Bordeaux prior to being shipped to Zachys for this auction. Without a doubt the highlight of the auction is a 4.5 liter jeroboam (US$30,000-$50,000) and six bottles of Petrus 1924, bottles that were bought on release, and reconditioned at Petrus in the 1980s by Jean-Claude Berrouet, with the approval of the Moueix family. Zachys expects the jeroboam to set a world auction record for the wine. The rest of the offering is just as amazingFirst and Second Growths, Sauternes and even Bordeaux blanc, all dating back to 1916, many with official letters of reconditioning and authenticity direct from the Chateaux.

Zachys is also proud to offer a deep selection of fine wines Direct from the Faiveley Family Cellars. Of particular note in this consignment is 12 Grands Crus of Faiveley, all packaged together and numbered 0001, and two bottles that survived the Nazi invasion of France. As Erwan Faiveley, winemaker and Director, told Zachys, the 1928 and 1933 were both made by Georges Faiveley, my great grandfather. When the Germans invaded France during the Second World War, he loaded a few hundred cases in two lorries and drove them to his vacation house in the middle of the Morvan. It was a beautiful property on a lake, with a small chapel on the shore. Under that chapel was a crypt, and thats where he decided to bury them. Just a few weeks later, the Nazis invaded the Morvan. That house was then confiscated by the Germans to become their headquarters. They stayed there for two years, and never found the wines Those two bottles are survivors! And now they can be yours!

Finally, after the success of a Spotlight on Italy in 2015, Zachys is delighted to offer more wines from Tuscany and Piedmont, including one of the largest selections of Masseto in private hands ever to come to auction, as well as large formats of the 2006 vintage.

Jeff Zacharia, President of Zachys, comments, December 2 and 3 are going to be exciting days at Zachys. Our clients have spoken and weve listened, which is why were focusing on the wines with the greatest provenance in the world, especially three of our highlighted consignments from Nath. Johnston & Fils, Domaine Faiveley, and A Spotlight on Italy. But just to speak out about those would do a disservice to the 1000+ lots from some of our favorite repeat private consignors in this auction! As usual, its the best of the best, and we cant wait to see all of you at Smith & Wollensky for what has become a Zachys tradition: The Holiday Auction. We expect its going to be a record-setting day, and wed like you to be there.

Please contact Zachys at auction[at]zachys[dot]com for more information.
Induced Lightning Generators by OphirEMC

OphirEMC, a new division of OphirRF that specializes in products for making EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) measurements, now proudly carries state-of-the-art Lightning Generators for their customers to meet the stringent Military Standards for Induced Lightning Susceptibility Testing.

OphirEMC already has the impeccable reputation of carrying quality products for their customers including Line Impedance Stabilization Networks (LISNs), Current Probes, Injection Probes, Transient Generators, Transformers, Loops and Coupling/Decoupling Networks (CDNs). By increasing their product line with the Lightning Generators, the company stands alone in the EMC industry. The induced lightning generators are produced by OphirEMC with design input from world renowned EMC testing expert, DNB Engineering, Inc.

To highlight the groundbreaking initiative in carrying the Lightning Generators, OphirEMC, along with DNB Engineering, will be showcasing a seminar regarding Induced Lightning Susceptibility. The event will take place November 17th in Anaheim and Fullerton, California. The full day event will be tightly focused about compliance testing for Indirect Effects Lightning; enabling companies to test to meet the requirements for MIL-STD-461G CS117. Additional information and specifications about the induced lightning generators will also be discussed at the seminar. The cost to attend the exclusive event is $99 until November 14th. After that date, the price will be $119.

For more information about the seminar or to register, please call 1-844-EMC-minj or visit http://www.emcmini.us.

To find more information about OphirEMC and their extensive product line, please call 310-306-5556 or visit http://ophirrf.com

To find more about DNB Engineering and their testing and engineering services, please call 714-870-7781 or visit http://www.dnbenginc.com.

About OphirRF and OphirEMC

Since 1992, OphirRF has been designing and manufacturing high power RF systems for use in compliance testing, communications, electronic warfare, and radar. OphirRF, long known for manufacturing top quality, high power, solid state, broadband and band-specific RF amplifiers for over 20 years has expanded its product line with the creation of its newest division, OphirEMC. OphirEMC specializes in products for making EMI/EMC measurements.

About DNB Engineering, Inc.

DNB Engineering, Inc. a full-service test lab that has been family-owned and operated since 1979. They provide Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), Lightning, High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF), Environmental, Product Safety and Regulatory Test capabilities. With four locations in California, one in Utah and another in Arizona, DNB Engineering has the facilities, certifications and the experienced personnel to meet all testing, qualification, and regulatory compliance specifications. DNB Engineering provides an excellent facility, highly trained and experienced personnel at competitive prices. The companys goal is to provide a facility for companies where they will be able to obtain a qualified unbiased third party product evaluation.
HNA gets bigger and better each year, reflecting ICPIs industry achievements and the growing demand for segmental pavement systems, segmental retaining walls, natural stone, and hardscapes, said Charles McGrath, ICPIs executive director.

More contractors and dealers attended the 10th Annual Hardscape North America (HNA) trade show than ever before.

Attendance for HNA, an Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) event, and GIE+EXPO jumped 11 percent this year, with more than 10,500 landscape and hardscape professionals in attendance. HNA exhibits increased 18.5 percent, including 72 new exhibiting companies. HNA and GIE+EXPO was held at the Kentucky Exposition Center, October 20-22.

HNA gets bigger and better each year, reflecting ICPIs industry achievements and the growing demand for segmental pavement systems, segmental retaining walls, natural stone, and hardscapes, said Charles McGrath, ICPIs executive director. Concrete paver sales increased by 14.5 percent in the U.S. and Canada during 2015 to an estimated 690 million square feet. This surging market is creating expanded opportunities for hardscape contractors and dealers, and HNA is North Americas biggest event of the year for these professionals.

In addition to the trade show floor, HNA featured:



Outdoor hardscape demonstrations in a continuous build format

A keynote address from John Schnatter, founder and CEO, Papa Johns Pizza

Installation and business educational opportunities for contractors, including an Executive Workshop and briefing sessions

A program exclusively geared towards helping dealers and distributors grow their businesses

The Hardscape North America Installer Championships with 24 teams competing from the United States and Canada

The 2016 HNA Hardscape Awards, which honor projects by contractors building residential walkways, patios, driveways, commercial plazas, parking lots, and streets using concrete pavers, clay bricks, segmental retaining walls, and a combination of hardscape products

The 2017 Hardscape North America show is scheduled to take place October 18-20 at the Kentucky Exposition Center.

About Hardscape North America

Hardscape North America (HNA), THE hardscape show for contractors and dealers/distributors, is an ICPI event. Its focus is to bring top-notch education including certification courses, products and technology to contractors, installers, and dealers involved in the segmental pavement and retaining wall industries, as well as to provide networking opportunities. HNA features indoor and outdoor exhibits displaying state-of-the-art tools and products and trade floor demonstrations and offers the latest technology for contractors. Hardscape North America is endorsed by the National Concrete Masonry Association and the Brick Industry Association. To learn more about HNA, visit HardscapeNA.com.

About Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute

ICPI is the trade association representing the growing industry of segmental concrete pavement systems in the United States and Canada. The associations membership includes producers, contractors, suppliers, design professionals, and distributors. ICPI is the authority for concrete pavers, which are universally recognized as the best value for pavement systems. The association delivers education and technical guidance leading to awareness, acceptance and use of segmental concrete pavement systems in the United States and Canada. For more information, visit http://www.icpi.org.
Minnesota Recruiters, one of the nations largest and most active regional recruiting and human resources organizations, announced the advisory board appointment of Josh Rock, Recruiting Specialist with Fairview Health Services.

Rock will lead the online presence and social channels for the community and shared, "I looked forward to expanding engagement with recruiters across the state and sharing valuable information with Human Resources and Recruiting professionals in our great industry. Josh has 13 years of experience in talent acquisition and recruitment marketing partners with Minnesota small businesses & Fortune 500 companies across the US to address recruitment needs. Rock is also an active volunteer leader with the Minnesota Society for Human Resource Management State Council, serving currently as the College Relations Director.

"We are thrilled to have Josh Rock, a seasoned talent acquisition professional, join the Minnesota Recruiters Advisory board, said Jason Buss, President of Minnesota Recruiters and Founder of the Recruiters Network. Josh has been an active member of our community for several years and brings a tremendous amount of experience to the board. Hes a natural fit for this position.

The appointment of Josh Rock comes as current board member, Tiffany Kuehl, closes out her term, Its been a fun and rewarding experience to bring recruiters together to build their networks and expand professionally. I look forward to seeing the organization continue to grow and offer human resources and recruiting professionals in Minnesota more opportunities to learn and develop in the profession.

Over the past 3 years, Tiffany has played an important role to the Minnesota Recruiters advisory board and the entire community. Her leadership and advisement will be missed, said Buss. Kuehl will soon start a new volunteer role as Director of the Minnesota Society for Human Resource Management State Council.

About Minnesota Recruiters

Minnesota Recruiters is one of the nations largest and most active regional networks of recruiting and human resources professionals, focused on providing cost-effective and leading-edge professional development to its 6,000+ members. Minnesota Recruiters provides invaluable peer networking and professional development through its quarterly conferences, connected online community, and website at http://mnrecruiters.com. Minnesota Recruiters is a part of the Recruiters Network. http://recruiters.network
Free People, the lifestyle brand, will open at Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook, Illinois on November 11th, 2016. The store will be 3,990 gross square feet.

The concept for the new location will be centered on the more rugged side of the Free People girl, designed to resemble her studio workshop. Customers will be greeted through custom steel double doors surrounded by white washed wood cladding. The palette throughout the space is light and feminine. Reclaimed wood flooring changes direction throughout the stores multiple shopping areas for easy customer navigation. There are 7 fitting rooms nestled towards the rear of the store. Shoppers will be able to checkout through a 4 POS cash wrap.

Oak Brook will have a varied collection of clothing and accessories. Customers will be able to shop a large selection of dresses varied in multiple fabrications. The new location will have an array of jacket styles from print, wool, vegan leather and more. Free Peoples intimates line, Intimately Free People will be on location as well as a wide selection of different shoe styles. The store will also be stocked with an assortment of bags, jewelry, belts, and socks. Cold weather accessories will be available from hats, gloves, scarves, and earmuffs, just in time for the holidays.

The store will have an opening celebration on Thursday, November 10th. Preview the new space with refreshments and light bites being served.

Each Free People store offers personalized shopping experiences from a team of expert stylists. Free People Oak Brook customers can schedule a one-on-one appointment with their favorite stylist, as well as interact and gain inspiration through the brands online Style Community, FP Me.

Free People at Oakbrook Center will be located at 100 Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook, IL 60523. Store hours are Sunday 11AM-6PM and Monday-Saturday 10AM-9PM.

For more information, images, to request an interview, or to discuss a TV opportunity, please call Katerina Patouhas at 215-454-3871 or email kpatouhas@freepeople.com.

About Free People

Free People is a specialty clothing brand featuring the latest trends and vintage collections for women who live free through fashion, art, music, and travel. The eclectic look consists of quality apparel, shoes, and accessories that invoke attributes of femininity, spirit, and creativity with its design. Free People is distributed globally via direct channels including the Free People Global site, the Free People UK site, and the Free People China site as well as specialty boutiques, top department stores, and the brands free standing retail locations in the U.S. and Canada.
"Applied Behavior Analysis is the science of learning. Research has shown us time again of ABAs incredible power to significantly change the lives of people with a variety of developmental disabilities, including autism."

Autism Learning Partners in collaboration with Daemen College are hosting Myths and Misconceptions About ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) and Autism, an Educational Event on November 15, 2016, from 6:308:30 p.m. at Daemen College Room 120 RIC, 4380 Main Street, Amherst, NY 14226. Admission and Parking are free

Join Autism Learning Partners (ALP) & Daemen College for a Panel Discussion/Question & Answer session led by clinical experts in the field of Autism and related disabilities discussing Autism and the evidenced based practice of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). An impressive lineup of clinical subject matter experts include, Gina T. Chang, PhD, BCBA-D, Licensed Psychologist CA #PSY 26473 and Chief of Clinical Operations, ALP, Rachael Schneider, MA, BCBA Licensed Behavior Analyst, Associate Clinical Director, Buffalo, NY, ALP and Vicki Madaus Knapp, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Licensed Behavior Analyst, Assistant Professor, Daemen College.

This event is designed for Pediatricians, Social Workers, Service Coordinators, Teachers, Speech and Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists and Parents who will learn about the growing epidemic of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that affects 1 in 68 children and is more prevalent in boys (1 in 4). Attendees will learn about ABA, an evidenced based treatment which has proven to be effective in ASD and in other developmental disabilities.

Dr. Gina Chang, emphasizes, Applied Behavior Analysis is the science of learning. Research has shown us time again of ABAs incredible power to significantly change the lives of people with a variety of developmental disabilities, including autism. From teaching communication, critical social attention skills, and a myriad of other daily living skills, ABA when wielded in the right hands, has the capacity to truly set patients on a trajectory to a more independent and fulfilling life.

After attending this event, attendees, will be able to learn about Autism Spectrum Disorder, describe the breadth of ABA therapy, understand myths vs. facts about ABA therapy, understand what ABA therapy looks like in the home setting, skills taught through ABA, and who should seek ABA therapy, recommend an evidenced based treatment (ABA) to patients, clients, or students with a diagnosis of ASD, and recognize the appropriate credentials for professionals overseeing ABA therapy programs. As the local Clinical Director in West Seneca, NY, Rachael Schneider is honored to empower the New York community with awareness of Autism and navigate colleagues and families who work with children with ASD.

To RSVP for this amazing event please visit http://tinyurl.com/zp9c3f9. Space is limited. Early registration is highly encouraged but on-site registration welcomed.

For questions contact the ALP Clinical Director for Buffalo, NY at RSchneider(at)autismlearningpartners(dot)com or call (716) 912-7094. For more information on Autism Learning Partners visit http://www.autismlearningpartners.com.

About ALP:

Autism Learning Partners (ALP) is a leading healthcare organization providing services across the country. ALP is heavily focused on supporting a comprehensive and coordinated approach to care delivery that addresses the whole child. ALP is a leader in the field and for close to 30 years, ALP has been supporting families with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

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Leading online higher education resource provider AffordableCollegesOnline.org has released its list of the Best Online Colleges in Louisiana for 2016-2017. Using a combination of value-based statistics, the site determined 23 schools offer top quality, affordable online education programs, with University of Louisiana at Monroe, Northwestern State University of Louisiana, McNeese State University, Nicholls State University, Southern University A & M College, Bossier Parish Community College, Louisiana State University Eunice and Southern University Shreveport scoring highest.

"The number of local students attending college in Louisiana has decreased since 2008, while the number of out-of-state students enrolled is on the rise said Dan Schuessler, CEO and Founder of AffordableCollegesOnline.org. "With top online learning programs, the schools on our list are not only the most cost-efficient, they are also creating opportunities for both in- and out-of-state students to earn a quality education.

There are several eligibility requirements that must be met for schools to qualify for the Best Online Colleges in Louisiana list. Only schools who hold accreditation and are public or private not-for-profit institutions are eligible. Maximum tuition costs are also set to ensure affordability standards; two-year schools must offer in-state tuition no more than $5,000 per year and four-year schools must offer in-state tuition no more than $25,000 per year. Once basic eligibility is confirmed, all qualifying schools are scored against one another using statistical factors such as financial aid, graduation rates and more.

Louisianas Best Online Colleges are listed alphabetically below. Full ranking and information on the data and methodology used to determine each schools placement can be found at:

http://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/online-colleges/louisiana/

A complete listing of the Best Online Colleges in Louisiana for 2016-2017:

Bossier Parish Community College

Delgado Community College

Fletcher Technical Community College

Grambling State University

Louisiana State University - Alexandria

Louisiana State University - Eunice

Louisiana State University - Shreveport

Louisiana Tech University

McNeese State University

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Nicholls State University

Northshore Technical Community College

Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Our Lady of Holy Cross College

Our Lady of the Lake College

Southeastern Louisiana University

Southern University and A & M College

Southern University at New Orleans

Southern University Shreveport

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

University of Louisiana at Monroe

University of New Orleans

Xavier University of Louisiana

AffordableCollegesOnline.org began in 2011 to provide quality data and information about pursuing an affordable higher education. Our free community resource materials and tools span topics such as financial aid and college savings, opportunities for veterans and people with disabilities, and online learning resources. We feature higher education institutions that have developed online learning environments that include highly trained faculty, new technology and resources, and online support services to help students achieve educational and career success. We have been featured by nearly 1,100 postsecondary institutions and nearly 120 government organizations.
We had a tremendous success and it is our 7th award in 2016.

QA Mentor announced today that it has been included in the list of 20 Most Promising Software Testing Solution Providers 2016 by CIOReview.

We are happy to announce QA Mentor as one among the 20 Most Promising Software Testing Solution Providers 2016, said Jeevan George, Managing Editor of CIOReview. QA Mentors Automation Tool Expert Services mitigate all the risk and help to select and use the correct tool for a company and project without any added overhead due to trial and error.

We are very happy to be recognized by CIOReview magazine for the second year in the row said Ruslan Desyatnikov, Founder and CEO of QA Mentor. We had a tremendous success and it is our 7th award in 2016. We are thankful to all our clients, fans, supporters and employees around the globe. We are continuing our mission of becoming the best Software Testing Provider in the world.

About QA Mentor

QA Mentor is an awardwinning leading global QA services provider headquartered in New York and with eight different offices around the world. Established in 2010 with an aim to help organizations from various sectors improve their QA functions, QA Mentor proudly boasts of having a unique combination of 150+ offshore and onshore resources who work around the clock supporting all time zones. The company supports 250+ clients from startups to Fortune 500 organizations within nine different industries. For more info, visit: http://www.qamentor.com/

About CIOReview

Published from Fremont, California, CIOReview is a print magazine that explores and understands the plethora of ways adopted by firms to execute the smooth functioning of their businesses. A distinguished panel comprising of CEOs, CIOs, IT VPs including CIOReview editorial board finalized the 20 Most Promising Software Testing Solution Providers 2016 in the U.S. and shortlisted the best vendors and consultants. For more info: http://www.cioreview.com/
Just because youve been to Plattsmouth Main Street Associations Victorian Christmas on Main doesnt mean youve seen everything it has to offer youth and adults alike.

This years event, scheduled 6-9 p.m. Nov. 26, will include a Mrs. Claus Tea at the new Plattsmouth Southeast Community College Learning Center at 537 Main St.

Children will have the opportunity to meet and greet Mrs. Claus. They can enjoy a beverage and cookie courtesy of Hy-Vee. Then, they can visit Mrs. Claus Closet where they can shop for Christmas gifts for someone special like their parents, said Sue Shaw, Victorian Christmas on Main chairwoman.

Gifts will be priced very reasonably. No items will be more than two tickets, Shaw said.

Main Street Association hopes to sell tickets in bundles of 25 for $20.

Were trying new and exciting events this year, Shaw said. We are currently looking for volunteers to work with some of the events. Were looking forward to it being one of the best Victorian Christmas on Main events.

Many of the tried and true offerings will return such as a visit from Father Christmas at Cass County Bank, hot cross buns from Stans Bakery, caroling, a tree decorating contest and more.

Guests will be sure to see Victorian-era dressed characters along the streets and in many of the open shops.

Check for more details about the Victorian Christmas on Main in next weeks issue of The Journal.
This pneumonia is a big deal. If I would have known there was something that I could have done to help prevent this, I would have asked my doctor about it.

World Pneumonia DaySaturday, November 12is a yearly reminder that pneumonia, including pneumococcal pneumonia, can strike anywhere and anytime. Through the Who Pneu?TM pneumococcal pneumonia awareness campaign, the American Lung Association, in partnership with Pfizer, shares the seriousness of this potentially life-threatening lung infection.

Pneumonia is primarily caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi that are transmitted from one person to another. The most common type of bacterial pneumonia is pneumococcal pneumonia.1 Adults over 50 years of age are at eight times greater risk of being hospitalized with pneumococcal pneumonia compared to younger adults, with an average hospital stay of six days.

The Who Pneu? campaign shares the real-life story of Pam who was hospitalized with pneumococcal pneumonia. In March of 2015, all of a sudden I just didnt feel right. I started coughing a lot, I got more and more short of breath, I was shaking, recounts Pam, age 51. My symptoms were devastating. I felt like I couldnt breathe.

Common symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia include high fever, excessive sweating, shaking chills, coughing, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and chest pain.1 Certain symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia including cough and fatigue, may last for weeks, or longer.1 Every year, thousands of adults in the United States still suffer serious illness, are hospitalized or even die from diseases for which vaccines are available. Rates of vaccination among U.S. adults remain lowlagging well behind expert recommendations and federal goals.

I was rushed to the hospital and the infectious disease doctor said, Pam, you have pneumococcal pneumonia. If you wouldve waited two more days, you would have died. Pam said, This pneumonia is a big deal. If I would have known there was something that I could have done to help prevent this, I would have asked my doctor about it.

Visit Lung.org/who-pneu to see Pams story and take an online risk assessment, or call 1-800-LUNGUSA for more information about pneumococcal pneumonia.

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About the American Lung Association

The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, through research, education and advocacy. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to improve the air we breathe; to reduce the burden of lung disease on individuals and their families; and to eliminate tobacco use and tobacco-related diseases. For more information about the American Lung Association, a holder of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Guide Seal, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org.

American Lung Association  55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150  Chicago, IL 60601

1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) Lung.org

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pneumococcal disease. In: Hamborsky J, Kroger A, Wolfe C, eds. Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (The Pink Book). 13th ed. Washington DC: Public Health Foundation; 2015:279-296. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/index.html. Accessed June 5, 2015.

2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pneumococcal Disease. Symptoms & Complications. http://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/about/symptoms-complications.html. Updated June 6, 2013. Accessed May 11, 2015.

3 World Health Organization (WHO). Pneumonia fact sheet. Fact sheet N331. Reviewed November 2013. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs331/en/. Updated November 2014. Retrieved September 2015.

4 Jain S, Self WH, Wunderink RG, et al. CDC EPIC Study Team. Community-acquired pneumonia requiring hospitalization among US adults. N Engl J Med 2015;373(5):415-427

5 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Fast stats: pneumonia. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/pneumonia.htm Accessed November 5, 2013.

6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccine Information for Adults. Why Vaccines are Important for You. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/reasons-to-vaccinate.html Updated March 26, 2014. Accessed October 7, 2014

7 Williams WW, Lu PJ, O'Halloran A, et al. Vaccination coverage among adults, excluding influenza vaccination  United States, 2013. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2015;64(4):95-102.
Dipp Metzger Family Photo by Jorge Salgado/El Paso Inc

Brian & Lizzie Dipp Metzger and her family have given back to the El Paso community by sponsoring the Childrens Oncology Unit Playroom at the El Paso Childrens Hospital.

The Dipp Metzger S.A.M. Foundation Oncology Unit Playroom is one of the busiest playrooms in the Children's Hospitals because oncology kids are there the longest. It is the home of the Therapeutic Art Program. It's the home of puzzles and games and story hours.

The Dipp Metzger family will debut their present to the community on November 2, 2016 at a reception at the Childrens Hospital Oncology playroom from 5:30  6:30 pm.

It has always been our dream to be able to create a foundation to help children, says Dipp Metzger. As a teenager, I volunteered at both the Child Crisis Center and Providence Hospital. That experience showed me the impact that we can all make with our time and our money. Helping children has always been important to my family, and we are thrilled to be able to impact many children through the Oncology Playroom.

Mrs. Dipp Metzger is president of Crown Wealth Strategies, a comprehensive wealth strategies firm in El Paso, TX serving clients nationwide. As a Financial Professional, Lizzie provides clients with an integrated retirement and insurance strategy focused on maximizing value over the course of their lifetime. Lizzies focus is physicians, professionals, and business owners in the affluent market. Lizzie provides holistic strategies for retirement, college funding, business planning, and wealth accumulation.

The Family Dipp Metzger have lived in El Paso for 14 years and Lizzie is an El Paso native. They are actively involved in the community serving many organizations including the United Way, Boy Scots and the Paso del Norte Childrens Development Center.
Recognizing the industrys leading wealth managers for their ability to provide unparalleled service to clients, Five Star Professional and Los Angeles magazine have honored The Warren Group Wealth Management, Inc.s President, Daniel J. Warren, with the 2016 Five Star Wealth Manager award for his outstanding service as a professional.

The Five Star Wealth Manager award is given to an elite group of wealth managers in Los Angeles. Candidates are evaluated on client retention rates, client assets administered and a favorable regulatory and compliance history. 2,374 award candidates in the Los Angeles area were considered for the Five Star Wealth Manager award. 298 (approximately 13%) of the award candidates were named 2016 Five Star Wealth Managers.

It is an honor to be recognized for providing quality service, as it is The Warren Group Wealth Managements mission to provide the best personalized service to our clients, said Warren. Our clients confidence is of utmost importance to this firm.

As part of the research process for the 2016 Five Star Wealth Manager program, firms and peers nominate award candidates. Award candidates are evaluated against 10 objective criteria to determine the 2016 Five Star Wealth Managers in more than 40 major markets. Once again this year, Five Star Professional partnered with Los Angeles magazine to feature the winners of the award.

The Warren Group offers securities through Western International Securities, Inc., a member of FINRA and SIPC. Through its clearing agreements with Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions (and broker/dealer National Financial Services LLC) and Wedbush Securities, Western is able to provide its Advisors with the financial services and support they need to grow their business effectively. Established in 1995, the firm is headquartered in Pasadena, CA and maintains offices nationwide.

Fidelity Clearing & Custody Solutions and National Financial Services LLC (a member of NYSE and SIPC) are independent organizations not affiliated with the other parties mentioned above. Wedbush Securities, a member of FINRA, NYSE and SIPC, is the largest subsidiary of holding company WEDBUSH, Inc.

The Warren Group Wealth Management, Inc. is a comprehensive financial services firm, using a holistic approach in helping clients improve their long term financial success. The Warren Group Wealth Management, Inc. focuses on helping its clients attain their current and future financial goals by providing an exceptional level of personalized service and financial advice. The Warren Group is dedicated to offering a meaningful alternative to traditional investment brokerage firms by providing comprehensive planning without the proprietary product bias that has become so prevalent in the financial industry. Their team of Tax and Estate Professionals, collectively have the knowledge and experience to provide customized solutions tailored to their clients unique business or personal needs. The Warren Group Wealth Management, Inc. and Western International Securities, Inc. are separate and unrelated companies.

For more information: http://www.warrengroupwealth.com or 818-817-3111.

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Fidelity Clearing and Custody Solutions provides clearing, custody, or other brokerage services through National Financial Services LLC or Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, Members NYSE, SIPC. 200 Seaport Boulevard Boston, MA 02210.

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STEM Higher Ed Council Logo Higher education institutions must evolve ahead of the curve to meet STEM workforce needs and collaborate with industry and community partners to scale STEM success. Rob Denson, SHEC Chair and President of Des Moines Area Community College

STEMconnector hosts the third annual STEM Higher Education Council (SHEC) National Leaders Summit, titled Scaling STEM Success: The Good News in STEM Higher Education, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC. The Summit convenes high-level thought leaders in the higher education, business, nonprofit and government sectors to address shared challenges and showcase innovative higher education models that strengthen the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) ecosystem. Models include career focused experiential learning, STEM educator development programs, affordability and undergraduate research. These areas of activity drive outcomes that include: college and career ready graduates, broad participation of diverse populations and collaboration between higher education and industry. USA Funds is the lead sponsor of the Summit with myCollegeOptions and Cengage Learning as supporting sponsors.

Rob Denson, SHEC Chair and President of Des Moines Area Community College, Higher education institutions must evolve ahead of the curve to meet STEM workforce needs and collaborate with industry and community partners to scale STEM success.

In addition to dynamic panels, the Summit will feature keynote speakers addressing opportunities to scale STEM success in our education system:

Brandon Busteed, Executive Director, Education and Workforce Development, Gallup

Alison Griffin, Senior Vice President, External and Government Relations, USA Funds

Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, President, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Dr. Martha Kanter, former Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, will provide the charge for higher education and share the implications of the election on higher education as the Summit is held a day after the 2016 presidential election.

We salute the participants of the Scaling STEM Success Summit. The nation must reimagine higher education if we are to meet the needs of 21st century employers and ensure that all have access to good jobs. Collaboration is the key and we are so proud to bring together leaders from both higher education and industry. stated Edie Fraser, CEO of STEMconnector, regarding the mission and purpose of the Summit.

Consistent with our focus on Completion With a Purpose, promoting student success both in college and career, USA Funds supports initiatives that help students explore, prepare for and pursue careers in fast-growing STEM fields. The Scaling STEM Success Summit is a terrific forum for higher education and business leaders to share best practices for building the pipeline of STEM talent, said Bill Hansen, President & CEO, USA Funds.

SHEC members share a commitment to increasing the number and quality of STEM graduates through a collaborative approach. A publication, Scaling STEM Success, was released earlier this year, showcasing SHEC members efforts toward equipping students for the STEM workforce and the impact on job creation SHEC members are having across the country through their STEM programs and boundary breaking partnerships.
Electro Lube was designed to help reduce these interruptions during surgery by preventing instruments from sticking to tissue and tissue from sticking to instruments.

Eagle Surgical Products, LLC today announced it will feature Electro Lube, an anti-stick solution for electrosurgery, at the 45th annual Advancing Minimally Invasive Gynecology Worldwide (AAGL) Global Congress on November 14th-18th in Orlando, Florida. The 2016 conference brings together surgeons from around the world to discuss their research, new technologies, recent findings and medical advancements. This years theme -- Advancing Minimally Invasive Gynecology through Mentorship and Emerging Technology -- focuses on in-depth studies topics such as avoiding complications in surgery, tissue extraction, cosmetogynecology and a multi-disciplinary approach to endometriosis.

Gynecological surgeons often complain about having to stop during surgery to remove eschar buildup from their instrument tips, an especially frustrating and time-consuming issue during minimally invasive procedures when they must stop and disengage their instruments from a port, explained Tim Reese, President of Eagle Surgical Products, LLC, the sale and distribution company for Electro Lube. Electro Lube was designed to help reduce these interruptions during surgery by preventing instruments from sticking to tissue and tissue from sticking to instruments.

Currently, surgeons are utilizing Electro Lube at some of the nations top hospitals including the Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, MD Anderson, the UC Health System and New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell.

Devin Garza, OB/GYN at the Texas Institute for Robotic Surgery  Epicenter Mentor Surgeon Intuitive says this about Electro Lube:

When you are close to vital structures you want to minimize thermal spread, and if you have to keep coagulating bleeders in the same area, you get thermal spread. Electro Lube gives me cleaner seals. Im using it in almost all of my laparoscopic cases, but if Im assisting a colleague and they dont have it, its like night and day. Everyone I know that has used it wants it. Its frustrating without it.

Reese will be at booth #328 to showcase the products effectiveness at minimizes eschar buildup on a variety of instrumentation such as bipolar forceps, and curved hot scissors.

Members of the media interested in speaking with Reese can contact Elizabeth Hilton at ehilton(at)crosswindpr(dot)com. For more information on Electro Lube, please visit http://www.electrolubesurgical.com.

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About Electro Lube

Electro Lube is an anti-stick solution for electrosurgery designed to keep instruments clean. Electro Lube was developed under the premise that a clean surgical instrument is a more predictable instrument. Electro Lube helps minimize the number of interruptions during surgery by keeping tissue from sticking to the instruments and the instruments from sticking to the tissue. To learn more about Electro Lube, visit us at http://www.electrolubesurgical.com or follow us on Twitter at @Electro_Lube.
HelloSign, the easiest way to electronically sign legally binding documents, announces today that it has been named an Innovator in the new 2016 Aragon Research Globe for Digital Transaction Management (DTM). This Aragon report evaluated an exclusive group of 15 DTM providers based on their strategy, performance and reach in the market. HelloSign was chosen as an Innovator in the report for its ease of use, extensive integrations and powerful API.

To view the 2016 Aragon Research Globe report, click here: http://info.hellosign.com/aragon-research-globe-dtm-2016.html

According to the Aragon Globe report, less than 20% of today's business processes are digital, allowing for tremendous opportunity for growth. The inclusion of HelloSign in the Globes Innovator category solidifies its place in the DTM market as a feature-rich solution that is used successfully by both mid-sized and enterprise companies globally.

By utilizing APIs, enterprises benefit from more selection and interoperability, often out of the box. For companies investing in DTM, this implies that critical business processes can be automated more quickly and time to revenue can decrease, stated Jim Lundy, CEO, Lead Analyst, Aragon Research. The unique ability to white label and embed any eSignature workflow with the HelloSign API provides an attractive option for companies who care about owning their brand and customer experience.

Weve taken an innovative approach with our API since the beginning as proven with the release of our industry-first API dashboard, our unrivaled ability to white label, speed of implementation, customizability and clean documentation, said Joseph Walla, CEO and Co-founder of HelloSign. Were proud of our position in the Aragon DTM Globe and are intensely focused on continually innovating to arm businesses with the technology they need to complete their digital transformation.

The HelloSign API is the easiest way for developers to build secure, legally binding eSignatures into applications and is free to test during development. On average, customers integrate the HelloSign API in less than 2.5 days, with 88% of customers completing the integration in less than one work week. Providing maximum flexibility, companies can either use their interface by embedding documents on their own website or have users complete documents in the HelloSign web app. When combined with the HelloFax API, companies can add the ability to send and receive faxes online without the need for a fax machine.

Both the HelloSign and HelloFax APIs are REST-based and offer easy sign up, dedicated support by developers and transparent pricing. All documents signed through HelloSign are legally binding under the 2000 U.S. Electronic Signature in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN), Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) and is compliant with Electronic ID and Trust Services (eIDAS) regulations. Data passed through HelloSign stays secure with SSL encryption and world-class server infrastructure.

About HelloSign

HelloSign, the innovative product leader in the eSignature space, makes it simple for businesses to offer fast, secure, and legally binding eSignatures to their customers through both a user-friendly web application and a developer-focused API. Trusted by millions of users, HelloSign simplifies the tradition of pen and paper signing into a modern, digital and uninterrupted workflow. For more information see http://www.hellosign.com and follow HelloSign on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook.

About Aragon Research

Aragon Research is the newest technology research and advisory firm. Aragon delivers high impact advisory, interactive research and consulting services to provide enterprises the insight they need to help them make better technology and strategy decisions. Aragon Research serves business and IT leaders and has a proven team of veteran analysts. For more information, visit http://www.aragonresearch.com.

Aragon Research does not endorse vendors, or their products or services that are referenced in its research publications, and does not advise users to select those vendors that are rated the highest. Aragon Research publications consist of the opinions of Aragon Research and Advisory Services organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Aragon Research provides its research publications and the information contained in them "AS IS," without warranty of any kind.
2016 has been another challenging year for the Russian economy, but I can see a definite growth in wine consumption

Vinitaly Russia returns to Moscow to support the timid, yet promising recovery of the Russian market

On the 14th of November, Vinitaly International will return for the thirteenth year in a row to Moscow with Vinitaly Russia gathering Italian producers and Russian importers in the exclusive location of Swissotel Krasnye Kholmy in Moscow. The b2b event marks the hopeful beginning of a recovery in a country still divided on the one hand by an exponentially growing wine culture and on the other by an on-going but slowly improving economic crisis.

The financial sanctions imposed by Western countries and embargos for certain products back in 2014 created a difficult economic situation, seen above all in the devaluation of the rouble. During the course of the last couple of years this has inevitably taken a toll on Italian wine imports: on the one hand wine portfolios have had to be realigned with an eye to high-margin and less expensive wines. On the other, producers, and especially medium-to-small sized wineries, have had to agree to suspended payments and offer deeper discounts.

We have been in Russia for almost 20 years and have witnessed the great potential of this market. In order to counteract the rouble depreciation we have developed a double strategy striving on the one hand to maintain our market share for premium wines such as Amarone and Brunello, and on the other to promote medium-priced wines like Valpollicella Ripasso, Primitivo and igt Toscana, explains Pierangelo Tommasi, Owner and Export Manager at Tommasi Wine Estates. We are very proud to be present at Vinitaly Russia 2016 and support Vinitalys strategy to present Italian wines as an unified Made-in-Italy brand. Nowadays individualism is certainly not the key to overcome an economic crisis.

Long-term strategy, structural partnerships, strong promotion and sacrifice are a must for all wineries wishing to maintain their presence in the Russian market. We export to 60 countries around the world and have been in Russia since 2011 says Riccardo Pasqua, CEO at Pasqua Vigneti e Cantine Spa. Our focus has always been a medium to-long-term strategy carried out in cooperation with a well established Russian partner. Even when the rouble was at its lowest our cooperation with a local partner has greatly helped to invest in medium-term actions aimed at covering possible market share losses.

We have become clever at dealing with this on-going crisis, says Ekaterina Kozlakova, Head of the Restaurant Division at OKB, one of Russias top wine importers, but it was indeed necessary to introduce cheaper wines, an effort we asked our Italian producers to make in order to stay in the market.

In January-July 2016 Italian wine has seen a timid yet promising recovery with an increase of +4,5%, against last years -28% for a total value of 28,8 million euro and 27% market share. Wine represents 24% of Italian agribusiness export to Russia, the equivalent of 27,7 million liters, with a 70% represented by still bottled wine and 27% by sparkling wines. (source Italian Food, June 2016: http://www.italianfood.net/blog/2016/06/01/italy-leads-russia-wine-market/)

This favorable trend will be confirmed by the presence at Vinitaly Russia of more than 160 wineries during the traditional afternoon Walk Around Tasting organized in collaboration with some of Russias top Italian wine importers and thanks to the collaboration with Media Partner, Simple Wine News and Technical Partner Nespresso.

Italian wine will be represented North to South, with an impressive one third coming from Veneto, thus confirming the interest of Russian consumers for the regions authentic DOC sparkling wines. Among the most exported grape varieties from the area, Veneto wineries will be showcasing Prosecco DOC, Colli Euganei DOC, Merlot, Cabernet, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio.

Veneto and Verona will also be the protagonists of a Masterclass chaired by Verona Wine Top, the wine competition organised each year by the Chamber of Commerce of Verona.

For the first time VIA Scientific Director, Ian DAgata, will pass the microphone to Italian Wine Ambassadors of the Vinitaly International Academy, Veronica Denisova and Nikolay Chashchinov. I am looking forward to attending Vinitaly Russia says Nikolay, 2016 has been another challenging year for the Russian economy, but I can see a definite growth in wine consumption. On the positive side, many new wine-bars and specialized wine shops have being opening with a more careful wine selection thus representing an interesting target for Italian producers, especially for lesser known Italian wines and grape varieties with better price/quality relationship. The IWAs will be presenting the two VIA seminars Five Italian wine icons from the Countrys leading estates and Learning about Italys many great wines: a panoramic tasting from North to South.

During the afternoon there will also be the announcement of the winner of the new social media contest launched by Vinitaly International on the Vinitaly Russia Facebook event page (https://www.facebook.com/events/1696986207288843/). Participants need to send in a picture of Italian wine paired with a Russian city with the hashtags #onepictovinitaly and #VinitalyRussia. The prize is a trip to Vinitaly 2017. The contest ends on November 11th. For more information please visit http://www.vinitalyinternational.com/events/russia2016.

You can register to Vinitaly Russia by clicking on the following link:

http://www.eventbrite.it/e/vinitaly-russia-2016-tickets-28362284356

For more information: russia(at)vinitalytour.com

About:

Veronafiere is the leading organizer of trade shows in Italy including Vinitaly (http://www.vinitaly.com), the largest wine and spirits fair in the world. During its 49th edition Vinitaly counted some 4.000 exhibitors on a 100.000 square meter area and 150.000 visitors including more than 2.600 journalists from 46 different countries. The next edition of the fair will take place on 10 - 13 April 2016.

The premier event to Vinitaly, OperaWine (http://www.vinitalyinternational.com) Finest Italian Wines: 100 Great Producers, will unite international wine professionals on April 9th in the heart of Verona, offering them the unique opportunity to discover and taste the wines of the 100 Best Italian Producers, as selected by Wine Spectator. Since 1998 Vinitaly International travels to several countries such as Russia, China, USA and Hong Kong thanks to its strategic arm abroad, Vinitaly International. In February 2014 Vinitaly International launched an educational project, the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA) with the aim of divulging and broadcasting the excellence and diversity of Italian wine around the globe. VIA has now also created its very first Certification Course with the aim of creating new Ambassadors of Italian Wine in the World.
Edward Snowden There is no one better than Edward Snowden to comment on how recent world developments like the US election will affect consumer privacy.

What is the future of privacy under newly elected US President Donald Trump? Edward Snowden will address questions like these in a StartPage.com special live post-election event on Thursday, November 10.

The free livestream will be available at https://www.startpage.com/snowden starting at 4:30 PM Eastern time. The feed will be broadcast from the Pathe Tuschinski in Amsterdam where Snowden will be patched in to a live theater audience via satellite transmission from Moscow.

There is no one better than Edward Snowden to comment on how recent world developments like the US election will affect consumer privacy, said StartPage CEO Robert Beens. This will be an historic event, and we are honored he accepted our invitation.

Snowden became world famous after he handed journalists classified documents detailing the global espionage activities of the United States National Security Agency (NSA). His exposure of covert government surveillance put privacy firmly on the map, but also put him at great risk. Snowden was forced to flee the US in 2013 to avoid arrest and currently resides in Russia, where he has been given asylum.

"Edward Snowdens revelations about government spying and mass data collection are of crucial importance to our society, but he had to sacrifice his free life for it," said Robert Beens, CEO of StartPage.com. "We are proud to honor his service and bring his privacy message to the world.

The Freedom of the Press Foundation and Edward Snowdens attorney Ben Wizner of the ACLUs Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project have been instrumental in helping make this historic event possible, Beens said. He also expressed gratitude to Amnesty International and PardonSnowden.org for spearheading a petition drive that calls on US President Barack Obama to pardon Snowden before leaving office in January 2017.

About StartPage.com

The Dutch search engine StartPage.com offers its users search privacy. No IP addresses are stored, no personal data is collected or passed on to third parties, and no identifying cookies are placed. Edward Snowdens 2013 revelations created unprecedented privacy awareness which resulted in people looking for alternatives to Google, Yahoo and Bing. This also led to exponential growth at StartPage.com, where now two billion searches per year are delivered in maximum privacy.

StartPage.com is based in the Netherlands, outside of US jurisdiction, so it is not subject to US laws like the Patriot Act, and cannot be forced to comply with US dragnet surveillance programs, like PRISM.
President-elect Trumps victory, predicted on record in February by Zip - The Question Answer App, comes as no surprise to the company behind the platform. From as early as the initial primaries, Zip was the only source on record accurately predicting the emergence and support for Trumps candidacy (reporting 53% support for Trump in the New Hampshire caucus vs. 47% for Rubio or Cruz as a unit).

In August, Zip made national headlines, including on USA Today and Fox and Friends, by presenting statistically significant data from Zip users, which showed that 64% planned to vote for Trump while only 36% planned to vote for Clinton at that time. The results of the data received from its users have varied throughout the year, but have consistently shown Trump ahead. Zip was the only polling mechanism with statistically accurate data to predict Trumps eventual victory.

Zip is a neutral, 100% free social platform that allows users to give their opinions on a wide variety of categories of interest from relationships and dating to philosophy and trending news. Developed to answer any and all of lifes subjective questions through anonymously-sourced consensus from users across the country, data quickly emerged showing more support for Trump than reported on any other media, public or news-cited polls as early as January of this year. All questions and the corresponding results on Zip that provided the only basis for the aforementioned predictions were user-generated, allowed for only one answer per user and represented an unbiased cross-section of US residents in all 50 states.

Seeing the results of this election unfold, there is no question in my mind that Zip was able to predict the outcome when no other poll was able to because of the shortcomings other polls have failed to address, said Ric Militi, Co-Founder and CEO of San Diego-based Crazy Raccoons: developer of Zip  The Question Answer App.

When answering questions on Zip, users are protected by anonymity and able to share their opinions free from any repercussion or judgment  much like the protection provided by the ballot box. This anonymity coupled with the user experience that makes Zip users feel they are weighing in on fun questions from peers rather than answering a survey ultimately leads to more organic, honest and accurate results. We are far from shocked by the outcome of this election  and now, as the news and conversation evolves beyond the presidential campaigns we look forward to seeing Zip continue to serve as a predictor and pulse on national opinion for every issue America cares about, he said.

Zip is the only question-and-answer app of its kind that enables its users to ask the opinions of large audiences in a nonbiased, completely anonymous context. Zip is revolutionizing the communications industry with its proprietary platform, which allows for interactive two-way communication between media, brands, public figures and national audiences, making it perfect for anything from media to business and education. Zip also offers a software platform for companies, brand managers, executives and others to get a quick pulse on public opinion within their market.

With an astronomical level of user engagement and over one million answers coming in each week from cities across all 50 states, in the space of just over one year Zip has become an authority and the source for public opinion in real time. It is available for download on Apple, Android and Windows phones.

About Zip  The Question Answer App

Zip  The Question Answer App, created by San Diego-based technology think tank Crazy Raccoons, LLC, is a unique and fun social app developed to instantly settle friendly squabbles, arguments, debates and opinion-based questions by gathering responses from users quickly and anonymously. Zip is revolutionizing the communications industry with its proprietary app, which allows for interactive, two-way communication between brands and public figures and their audience while also providing insightful analytics. More information at http://thezipapp.com/.
Waveguide to Coax Adapters Our new waveguide to coax adapters allow us to expand our broad product selection above the 18 GHz range and meet our customers application requirements up to 65 GHz ..., said Brian McCutcheon, Vice President and General Manager at Fairview Microwave

Fairview Microwave Inc., a supplier of on-demand microwave and RF components, has released a new line of 1.85mm, 2.4mm and 2.92mm waveguide to coax adapters with operating ranges up to 65 GHz. These waveguide adapters are ideal for numerous applications requiring a transition from coax to waveguide or vice versa, including SATCOM, wireless communications, industrial, test and measurement and defense systems.

Fairviews ten new waveguide to coax adapters extend the companys large portfolio to include millimeter wave frequency ranges with models in the K-band (18 to 26.5 GHz) up to the V-band (50 to 65 GHz). These coax to waveguide adapters offer excellent VSWR as low as 1.29:1, while also providing insertion loss performance as low as 0.3 dB. Waveguide sizes available for these new models include WR-42, WR-28, WR-22, WR-19 and WR-15.

Fairviews new waveguide to coax adapters feature a right-angle configuration, those with 2.92mm connectors use a UG-style square waveguide flange, 2.4mm and 1.85mm connector versions use a UG-style circular waveguide flange. Both male and female connector options are available in each frequency band.

Our new waveguide to coax adapters allow us to expand our broad product selection above the 18 GHz range and meet our customers application requirements up to 65 GHz with an extensive line of millimeter wave transitions, said Brian McCutcheon, Vice President and General Manager at Fairview Microwave.

All of the new waveguide to coax adapters from Fairview are in-stock and ready to ship now. For more detailed information, please visit https://www.fairviewmicrowave.com/rf-products/waveguide-to-coax-adapters.html. Fairview Microwave can be contacted at +1-972-649-6678.

###

About Fairview Microwave

A leading supplier of on-demand RF and microwave products since 1992, Fairview Microwave offers immediate delivery of RF components including attenuators, adapters, coaxial cable assemblies, connectors, terminations and much more. All products are shipped same-day from the companys ISO 9001:2008 certified production facilities in Allen, Texas.

Press Contact:

Peter McNeil

Fairview Microwave

17792 Fitch

Irvine, CA 92614

(978) 682-6936 x1174
One Plattsmouth City Council member expressed his disappointment in the lack of results from Cass County Nebraska Economic Development Council (CCNEDC).

The previous CCNEDC director, Trista Farrens, resigned last month, leaving the position unfilled.

The recent resignation of the executive director of the Cass County Nebraska Economic Development Council has revealed certain things that need to be addressed, said Councilman Terry Tilson at the end of Mondays meeting.

In so far as I know, we have had zero positive outcomes, in the form of new or prospective business establishments in our community or enhancement of existing businesses as a result of our relationship with the CCNEDC.

Tilson cited a lack of accountability for the former directors whereabouts regarding her obligations to Plattsmouth. We are told she apparently did not make contact with local business or community leaders as would be expected of her position. She never occupied an office provided to her for this purpose, Tilson said.

No regular reports from the CCNEDC were provided to the the council during her year in the position, he noted. Nor have we been provided an explanation for the cause of these deficiencies, Tilson said.

Tilson suggested the city withhold forthcoming payments to the CCNEDC or sever its relationship with entity due to its failure to meet expectations and the terms of the agreement between them. The city pays an annual sum of $15,000 toward the CCNEDC for the position.

City Administrator Erv Portis said he agreed in some respects with Tilsons analysis of the relationship.

Im going to agree with you particularly in the past two years, he said. We hired an executive director who stayed about one year. I think she (Lisa Scheve) attempted to do the right things.

After Scheve resigned, a committee was formed to conduct the hiring process for her replacement. I was part of the selection process, Portis said.

Portis said they hired Farrens as the replacement, but that she, fell short of meeting expectations.

There is no crystal ball but this time there was clearly a crack in the ball, Portis said. The businesses we have here we need to keep.

Portis said Farrens told him and Mayor Paul Lambert that she didnt need Plattsmouth.

She did a poor job of communicating with us, Portis said. We encouraged her to strike a good working relationship with the chamber and Main Street Association. That didnt happen. When she started, she told us she would get to work in establishing relationships with the business community. Nine months later, she finally got around to Main Street businesses in Plattsmouth.

After nine months of her employment, she came to Plattsmouth to tour the town and meet business owners.

Admittedly, Portis said there were some positive aspects of the partnership between CCNEDC and the Greater Omaha Economic Development. Through that relationship through the course of eight years, we have responded to a number of economic development inquiries, some of which put us in a good position for site visits and considered for significant projects. For a whole lot of reasons we were not selected for those projects, he said.

Portis said there are not only other Nebraska towns and communities vying for these projects, but towns and communities in other states want them as well.

There are multiple variables that go into a decision about where a company is going to locate. These arent seen because of their confidentiality by nature, he said. Regardless, were paying for services and we expect, want and need the director to work with the community to achieve its economic development goals. At the very least, what we expect is good dialogue in building relationships to help us achieve success. We havent achieved that.

Portis said he believes with the right board and the right economic development director working under very clear accountable goals the partnership could still have positive results.

We are working with Randy Thelen, director of the Omaha Economic Development Partnership, and our current board chair, Jane McDaniel, to try to find the right way forward. I have confidence in Jane and in Randy. Were looking for the person with the right skill set and who is willing to make a commitment, Portis said.
Lions Clubs International Centennial Silver Dollar Obverse

The United States Mint (Mint) today hosted a ceremonial strike event at its Philadelphia facility for the 2017 Lions Clubs International Centennial Silver Dollar.

The United States Mint is proud to honor one of the most well-known and highly regarded service organizations, said Mint Principal Deputy Director Jeppson. Service is a core value of the Mint, and the Lions Clubs is one of the best examples of service not only here in the United States, but across the world.

Jeppson was joined by James Franklin Moore, III, chairperson of the Lions Clubs International Centennial Committee. Moore, who struck the first proof silver dollar coin during the ceremony, remarked: Lions Clubs International is honored to be among a relatively few organizations to be included in the United States Mint Commemorative Coin program. This is a wonderful way to mark our 100 years of global humanitarian service.

Public Law 112-181 authorizes the Mint to strike and issue up to 400,000 silver dollar coins with designs emblematic of the Lions Clubs International centennial.

The coins obverse (heads) features a portrait of founder Melvin Jones paired with the Lions Clubs International logo. Inscriptions are LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, MELVIN JONES, FOUNDER, and 2017. The obverse was designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program (AIP) Designer Joel Iskowitz and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna.

The reverse (tails) depicts a male and female lion with a lion cub superimposed over a globe. Inscriptions are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, $1, E PLURIBUS UNUM, and CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF SERVICE. The reverse was designed by AIP Designer Patricia Lucas-Morris and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart.

The price of each Lions Clubs International Centennial Silver Dollar will include a $10 surcharge that is authorized to be paid to the Lions Clubs International Foundation to further its programs for the blind and visually impaired in the United States and abroad; invest in adaptive technologies for the disabled; and invest in youth and those affected by a major disaster.

The United States Mint will announce the coins release date and additional pricing information in 2017.

On June 7, 2017, Lions Clubs International will celebrate 100 years of community service to men, women, and children worldwide. Since its founding, it has become one of the world's largest organizations of its kind. Its 1.4 million members in more than 47,000 clubs provide humanitarian services in more than 200 countries.

The United States Mint was created by Congress in 1792 and became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. It is the nation's sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage and is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The United States Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; and silver, gold, and platinum bullion coins. The United States Mint's numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:



Line art of the Lions Clubs Commemorative Coin is available at http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/?action=photo.

Information about the United States Mint is available at http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/.

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United States Mint  Connecting America through Coins
Max Spiker The availability of hydropower from Reclamation facilities is key to the stability of the electric transmission system in the Western United States and supports the development of renewable energy throughout the West.

Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Estevan Lopez announced today the selection of Max Spiker as Senior Advisor for Hydropower and Electric Reliability Officer. Reclamation is the second largest generator of hydropower in the country; its 53 power plants annually generate an average of 40 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to meet the demand of 3.5 million homes.

"The availability of hydropower from Reclamation facilities is key to the stability of the electric transmission system in the Western United States and supports the development of renewable energy throughout the West," Commissioner Lopez said. "Maxs extensive experience from all levels of power operations and management, including working collaboratively with Reclamations customers, stakeholders and industry, will be a great asset to Reclamation as it ensures the reliable generation of clean renewable electricity into the future."

As senior advisor, Spiker will coordinate implementation of corporate partnership efforts involving Reclamation's power functions and serve as the liaison on intergovernmental initiatives associated with hydropower delivery and be responsible for Reclamation's overall compliance with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Mandatory Bulk Electric System Reliability Standards. He will also coordinate activities in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bonneville Power Administration, Western Area Power Administration and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Since 2013 Spiker has been the power resources manager where he worked with Reclamation offices in managing Reclamation's hydropower operation and maintenance program, reliability compliance program and renewable energy program. He joined Reclamation's Power Resources Office in 2010 as the operation and maintenance program manager where he provided policy direction and oversight.

He previously held multiple positions including mechanical journeyman at Hoover Dam, facility manager at Green Mountain Dam, Estes Lake and Marys Lake power plants, facility manager of the Colorado - Big Thompson Project and power manager of the Upper Colorado Region where he managed the power program on the upper Colorado River and its tributaries, including Glen Canyon Dam, Flaming Gorge Dam and the facilities on the Gunnison River.

Spiker has more than 28 years of experience with Reclamation. He graduated from Weber State University in 1988 with an Associate of Science degree in Construction Technology.

He begins his new responsibilities this week.
Marc Vincent is a fresh up-and-coming artist from Weymouth, MA, an area that's just fifteen minutes outside of Boston. His energetic style, truthful lyrics, and incredible beat selection really make him standout from the crowd. Today, Marc Vincent shares with us the latest visuals for his newest single "FACTS." Marc's videographer has worked with artists such as Hypno Carlito, Lil Durk, Quavo and many more. This latest video follows Vincent through his hometown while integrating animation and digital distortion to create a stunningly visual. Marc's energy and charisma make him standout from many other artists considering the fact he still keeps it lyrical and cooks up bangers. The video can currently be viewed in its entirety at the Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes website.

For all the latest news and music from Marc Vincent, be sure to visit his official website.

About Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes:

Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes are the most widely distributed mixtapes in the world, with over 100 million downloads/plays generated by over 300 volumes officially hosted by major artists. Coast 2 Coast has a solid reach in the new music industry with a digital magazine, DJ coalition, industry tips blog, yearly convention, and more. Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes represents a unique opportunity for artists of all urban genres, from major to indie. For more information, visit http://www.coast2coastmixtapes.com.
We were impressed by ADOMANIs penetration into the school bus market and the expertise of Jim Reynolds, and we look forward to partnering with them to increase the deployment of zero emission school buses in North America

ADOMANI Inc. and Lion Bus, a Quebec-based manufacturer of all-electric and traditional school buses and commercial buses, are pleased to announce a new North American dealership relationship. This agreement will allow ADOMANI to add eLion all-electric Type C school buses to its expanding offering of clean fleet options for schools around the country.

ADOMANI and Lion have established an exclusive arrangement to provide the fully-electric eLion buses in the Western states of Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. ADOMANIs distribution abilities and the attributes of the eLion all-electric school bus will help meet the growing demand in the region for zero-emission school transportation solutions and provide school bus fleet managers a compelling product for upgrading their traditional fleets while taking advantage of regional incentives and the further benefits of zero-emission transportation.

Lion is the only company to manufacture an all-electric Type C school bus in North America. The eLion TM4 electric motor provides equal power to the traditional diesel equivalent, and delivers ranges of 50, 75 and 100 miles, depending on the battery configuration. The eLion is equipped with a standard on-board telematics system that provides real-time data to end users and Lions customer service team for optimal product upgrade and support. The eLion buses further share the advantages of the Lion product line  a lifetime corrosion warranty on all exterior body panels, improved driver visibility and a wider passenger entrance and aisle.

With the eLion buses, ADOMANI will be able to provide Western school fleet managers with a solution for unpredictable fuel costs and maintenance issues while enhancing the health of childrenincluding many in disadvantaged communitiesby significantly reducing emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).

School districts across the nation are increasingly looking to replace traditional older diesel-powered school buses with zero emission vehicles (ZEV) that improve air quality, reduce fuel and service costs, and benefit general community health, said Jim Reynolds, CEO of ADOMANI and a 15-year executive in the U.S. school fleet industry. Having the opportunity to scale quickly and provide for increased demand for electric school buses by providing new, purpose-built vehicles from a premier manufacturer like Lion Bus will allow us to give school district managers the opportunity to immediately begin upgrading their fleets.

Lion Bus President Marc Bedard added, We were impressed by ADOMANIs penetration into the school bus market and the expertise of Jim Reynolds, and we look forward to partnering with them to increase the deployment of zero emission school buses in North America.

ADOMANI will take possession of their first eLion bus at the National Association of Pupil Transit Conference and Trade Show this week, and plans to announce their first orders in the coming months.

About ADOMANI, Inc.

California-based ADOMANI, Inc. provides school bus and fleet operators with complete zero emission vehicles and plug-in hybrid solutions. ADOMANI brings together proven electric drivetrain technology, customized products, and trusted service partners to cut total cost of ownership, boost vehicle reliability, and unlock the many benefits of green technology. For more information, visit http://www.adomanielectric.com.

About Lion Bus

Lion Bus eLion is the only purpose built all-electric Type C bus in North America. Lion offers vehicles with outstanding features and smart innovations at a very competitive price, resulting in the best Total Cost of Ownership buses of its categories. The company designs and assembles its purpose-built chassis, body and battery packs at its facility. For more information, visit http://www.lionbuses.com.
Dr. Arthur Keiser and some of the over 200 Keiser University "walkers" in the ADA's Walk to Stop Diabetes Each minute, more than three people will be diagnosed with diabetes, a disease that has reached near epidemic proportions in the United States and we need to act now to change the future of diabetes for our youth and our loved ones. Past News Releases RSS Keiser University Recognizes...

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Dr. Arthur Keiser, Chancellor and CEO of Keiser University, chaired The American Diabetes Associations 2016 Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes. The South Florida walk took place on Saturday, October 22, 2016 at Huizenga Park in downtown Fort Lauderdale with close to 5,000 walkers; more than 200 of whom were from Keiser University.

When asked why this cause was of importance to him he mentioned himself having diabetes and shared, Each minute, more than three people will be diagnosed with diabetes, a disease that has reached near epidemic proportions in the United States and we need to act now to change the future of diabetes for our youth and our loved ones.

Keiser University has been a proud supporter of the mission of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for more than a decade. In the last two years, Keiser University has raised over $70,000 for a cure and added to that total this year by having raised $14,300 for this years Step Out Walk. The University is honored to be a sponsor of the Step Out in 2016 and pledges to continue efforts to stop diabetes. As of 2016, Keiser University has been participating in the Step Out Walk for eight years with this being Dr. Keisers first year to serve as the Chairman.

According to the ADA nearly 29 million Americans are living with diabetes, with Florida being part of what is known as the Diabetes Belt. In South Florida, diabetes impacts more than 700,000 of its residents. Dr. Keiser and other business leaders recognize this translates into a direct impact on the business community. The cost of not preventing diabetes is more costly than fighting it with one of every five health care dollars being spent on care for someone with diagnosed diabetes, stated Dr. Keiser.

The South Florida Chapter of ADA is projecting having raised $375,000 from this years walk.

About Keiser University

Keiser University, co-founded by Dr. Arthur Keiser, Chancellor in 1977, is a private, not-for-profit University serving nearly 20,000 students offering 100 degrees at the doctoral through associate level on 18 Florida campuses, online and internationally, employing 3,800 staff and faculty.

Keiser University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award certificates and degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, masters, specialist, and doctoral levels. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Keiser University.

For additional information regarding Keiser University, visit http://www.keiseruniversity.edu
Greatist, the leading wellness site for millennials, is turning traditional media on its head by bringing a positive voice to health and wellness, instead of the traditional prescriptive tone and unrealistic goal-oriented narrative that exists among traditional health brands.

On a mission to empower everyone, everywhere to live with a healthy attitude, Greatist, announced today the launch of 34 Under 34: The Rising Stars in Health. This cross-platform initiative highlights the next generation of innovators who are transforming the fitness landscape and revolutionizing the way consumers think about health. Through 34 Under 34, Greatist will highlight trendsetters and fitness pros and share their stories, from their challenges to their success, as they work to evolve current society norms. The campaign will run from November 8 to December 31, 2016.

There's been a fundamental shift in the way we think about health and wellness, said Derek Flanzraich, Greatist Founder and CEO. This generation understands the long-term value of taking care of themselves and is doing so on their own terms. Our list of 34 rising stars in health shines the spotlight on innovators leading this movement.

34 Under 34 will dive into various categories across health and wellness such as Activism, Movement, Healthy Tech, and Mental Health. Featured notable entrepreneurs include:

Jessamyn Stanley - a body positive advocate who uses high-energy yoga as a way to move past mental and emotional barriers, and inspire others to do the same.

Chloe Coscarelli - the first-ever vegan chef to win a culinary competition, she encourages people to adopt a vegan lifestyle by making healthy and plant-based dishes available to all through her restaurants and cookbooks.

Sarah Larson Levey - a hesitant yogi who felt intimidated by the traditional yoga scene and its bright lights and fit clientele, she started Y7, a candlelit studio with a beat-bumping, hip-hop vinyasa flow that lets clients practice on their own terms.

To explore the full program go to http://www.greatist.com/34-under-34

ABOUT GREATIST

Greatist is a rapidly growing, award-winning media company on a mission to give everyone a healthy attitude. Founded by CEO Derek Flanzraich, Greatist publishes evidence-backed content with an authentic voice, establishing itself as a deeply trusted lifestyle authority for a loyal community of millions. Greatist empowers its readers, brand partners, and employees to embrace our slogan, and love whats good for you. Launched in 2011, Greatist is headquartered in New York City. Find more at Greatist.com.

For inquiries, please contact press(at)greatist(dot)com.
RAID Incorporated RAID Inc.s strategic partnership with Red Hat allows us to answer the call for our growing number of customers in need of technical computing storage at scale.

RAID Inc., a custom technical computing solutions company, announces a portfolio extension with the qualification and 24x7 concierge support for end-to-end holistic designed open source GlusterFS and Red Hat supported scale-out NAS storage solutions. This platform bolsters RAID Inc.s ability to deliver technical computing guidance by developing and deploying vendor-agnostic solutions to exceed specific enterprise and HPC requirements. The RAID Inc. engineering team will be presenting Gluster Storage reference architectures at the HPC communitys tentpole event, SC16 Conference in Salt Lake City Nov. 14-17, 2016 at booth 809.

RAID Inc. plans to spotlight open source and massively scalable supercomputing storage platforms at the International Conference for High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage. Implementing a tested and vetted six-step holistic process, RAID Inc. looks to leverage its performance-tuning credentials by analyzing IT environments and developing custom solutions targeted towards improving efficiencies and resiliencies of storage on premises; in private, public, or hybrid clouds.

Tweet This: SC16 News: New Red Hat Partner RAID Inc. to deliver Gluster Storage at Scale for the HPC Market

In becoming an ISV Storage Partner for Red Hat Gluster Storage, RAID Inc. seeks to expand its footprint beyond scale-out GlusterFS performance-tuned solutions and enable Gluster customers to experience a complete white-glove consultation and support ecosystem that will benefit administrators in delivering complete solutions faster. GlusterFS and therefore Gluster Storage by Red Hat provides an architecture of open, software-defined file storage that scales out to easily and securely manage large, unstructured, and semi-structured data at a fraction of the cost of monolithic storage.

The integration of Gluster scale-out NAS storage with RAID Inc. performance-tuned Fusion servers and Ability EBOD Series enables technical computing, HPC, and enterprise customers to develop cloud storage ready data center architectures. Gluster empowers enterprises with an SDS platform designed for flexible storage at scale without breaking the bank, bringing deployment ease, advanced data protection and data accessibility. This partnership allows for solution design expertise and support guidance from RAID Inc. with the durable secure Red Hat Gluster Storage for on-premises, cloud, and container deployments.

Cloud computing continues to gain momentum and is reaching all aspects of technical computing. The industry demands a resolution to the growth pain points caused by storage at scale, in order to achieve the promised benefits of cloud efficiency, says Trenton R. Baker, vice president marketing, RAID Inc. Glusters scale-out storage is acutely designed for cloud, Big Data and virtual machine environments, making it an effective solution for addressing the issues of flexibility and manageability. RAID Inc.s strategic partnership with Red Hat allows us to answer the call for our growing number of open source customers in need of technical computing storage at scale.

RAID Inc. massive capacity EBODs drive significant performance writing and retrieval benefits across cloud and on-premises data centers, bringing platform performance-tuning in sync with a scalable NAS storage solution allowing businesses to take advantage of a software-defined architecture. RAID Inc. Gluster storage solutions are ideally designed for containers, Big Data, analytics, rich media, archival storage, and virtualization to achieve the most cost-effective scale-out solutions on the market, ultimately bringing a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for all.

About RAID Incorporated

RAID Inc. was founded in 1994 to deliver end-to-end performance-driven technical computing and storage solutions. The company has earned industry praise for providing platform agnostic technical guidance in high performance computing (HPC), big data, cloud and software-defined data centersin the most efficient, reliable and cost effective manner. The worlds leading research facilities, government, life science, financial, healthcare, energy, and cloud service providers can leverage the RAID Inc. team of engineers extensive academic, research lab and commercial expertise that make RAID Inc. a trusted industry leader. More information found at http://www.RAIDinc.com, call +1 (800)330-7335 or comment via @RAIDinc.
The Hetterich Center will be run similarly to an international foundation and contain initiatives and activities that are regional, national and international in scope, said Madden School Dean Jim Joseph 83.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of F. Paul Hetterich, 84, the Madden School of Business at Le Moyne will name its third and final center of excellence the Hetterich Center for Global Engagement and Impact. The formal dedication and ribbon cutting for the Center at the private college will take place at an event set for Thursday, Nov. 10; immediately following the ceremony, Paul will give the fall 2016 Madden Lecture.

Im grateful to be able to give back to my alma mater and to help support the great things going on at Madden School of Business, said Hetterich, president of the Beer Division at Constellation Brands in Victor, N.Y. and a member of the Madden School Board of Advisors. The outstanding business school education I received and experiences I had while at Le Moyne created a foundation that has helped me throughout my career on both a professional and personal level. I am confident that the centers of excellence will help current and future students across all curricula develop into reflective, effective and innovative leaders.

The Hetterich Center will be run similarly to an international foundation and contain initiatives and activities that are regional, national and international in scope, said Madden School Dean Jim Joseph 83. The Center will play a key role in supporting our efforts as we seek to create 21st-century, world-ready leaders through a wide variety of experiences, most notably our innovative Formation Abroad program. We are profoundly thankful for Pauls support and engagement.

The Center will leverage connections around the world through the global Jesuit network of 188 institutions. Through its activities, initiatives and resources, all Madden School students will have the opportunity to participate in a formation abroad experience where they will work, volunteer, study and become immersed in a culture of their choosing. This will augment current Jesuit college student involvement with formation efforts through Loyola Chennai in India, Iberoamericana in Mexico and Assumption University in Thailand.

The Center will also be involved in numerous initiatives regionally and nationally, examples of which include providing consulting services to businesses and non-profit organizations. Students will have the opportunity to apply their academic learning under the tutelage of skilled professors and participate in research projects.

The Hetterich Center is the third named center within the Madden School. The other two are:

The Donald J. Savage 51 & Family Center for Reflective Leadership, which houses the Global Jesuit Case Series, the Arrupe Program in Social Ethics for Business, and the Madden Lecture Series.

The Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship, which houses the Family Business Center, StartFast, and the Famous Entrepreneur Series, seeks to advance the Central New York economy by utilizing personal enterprise to promote economic development and combat poverty.

Constellation Brands is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits with operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and Italy. Constellation is the number three beer company in the U.S. with high-end, iconic brands including Corona, Modelo, Victoria, Pacifico & Ballast Point. Constellation is also the worlds leader in premium wine and the largest multi-category supplier of beverage alcohol in the United States. As president of the Beer Division, Paul is responsible for leading the sales, marketing and operations functions and guiding the strategy and long term vision of the beer business. He has been at Constellation since 1986 and has held numerous leadership roles including oversight of the mergers and acquisition and corporate strategy functions, running international businesses in Europe, Australia and New Zealand and leading marketing efforts within the companys Wine and Spirits division.

For more information about the Hetterich Center for Global Engagement and Impact, visit http://www.lemoyne.edu or contact the office directly at (315) 445-4100. Interested parties can also visit the Le Moyne College in person at 1419 Salt Springs Rd. in Syracuse, N.Y. 13214.

Le Moyne College, in Syracuse, N.Y., offers a Jesuit education at a private college setting. The college offers more than 30 majors with a 13-to-one student-to-faculty ratio in state-of-the-art facilities. Students at Le Moyne learn leadership through service with a focus on career development through mentoring, internships and student research opportunities.
Hurtigruten Cruises to Antarctica "We are excited to partner with Hurtigruten, selling expedition cruises to Antarctica and South America. Get the best of both worlds when you combine a land based tour package with a cruise." Juergen Keller, SouthAmerica.travel CEO.

SouthAmerica.travel is excited to announce their new partnership with Hurtigruten, selling expedition cruises to Antarctica and South America. This collaboration with Hurtigruten, allows SouthAmerica.travel to offer more options to their clients looking to combine exploration based cruises and land packages around South America and to Antarctica. Hurtigrutens comfortable ships, environmentally conscious principles, unique itineraries and team of experts align with SouthAmerica.travels high standards to provide quality and authentic trips throughout South America.

CEO Juergen Keller states, Combining a land package to see the highlights of South America with an expedition style cruise, is not only a fantastic way to travel, but it is also cost effective. After flying all the way to South America for a cruise, why not continue your travels with a tour to Machu Picchu or Iguassu Falls.

SouthAmerica.travel is excited about Hurtigrutens Antarctica cruises aboard the MS Fram and the MS Midnatsol. These expedition cruises are designed to bring out the inner explorer in every passenger, combining nature and wildlife for an unforgettable journey. Choose anywhere from 13 to 20 day cruises that depart from Ushuaia, Argentina and sail to the southernmost continent, crossing the notorious Drake Passage. Cruise past marine wildlife, impressive glaciers and massive ice fields. Join the Expedition Team on a variety of excursions, including hikes to penguin colonies, kayaking past magical ice fields and a visit to Cape Horn.

For a warmer cruise, consider the Green Coast of Brazil or the Expedition to the Amazon. Relax in the sun and sway to the rhythms of samba from Uruguay to Brazil. Cruise past the lush landscapes, see flora and fauna in the Amazon and venture to picturesque colonial cities on these Hurtigruten voyages.

All of the ships in Hurtigrutens fleet are modern and comfortable, complete with excellent amenities and services. Bring binoculars to the outside deck or admire the changing landscapes from the observation lounge through the panoramic windows. Enjoy delicious cuisine, interesting lectures, on board activities and comfortable suites. There is never a dull moment on a Hurtigruten Expedition cruise.

To book a Hurtigruten cruise around South America or to Antarctica, contact SouthAmerica.travel. SouthAmerica.travel can arrange all the flights, reserve the cruise and create a pre-cruise and post-cruise custom tour package. Seamlessly combine a land package to Machu Picchu, Iguassu Falls, Rio de Janeiro or Buenos Aires with a Hurtigruten cruise for the complete South America experience.

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About Us: SouthAmerica.travel is an online travel agency and tour operator specializing in 4-star and 5-star customized tours to South America. SouthAmerica.travel LLC is a U.S. based travel agency and tour operator with offices in Seattle, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Lima and Stuttgart, Germany. They offer 4-star & 5-star South America tours to Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. Licensed and bonded in the U.S., the company has been sharing its love of South America travel since 1999 and is proud of its A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau and they are members of the ASTA. The company stands by its commitment to offer valuable travel packages, trustworthy sales practices and real-world South America travel expertise.
Cake, coffee and a baskets of rag balls added up to a fun 100th birthday celebration for Plattsmouth Public Library Saturday afternoon.

The celebration began with a Ragtime Social, a historical throwback to fund-raising activities offered at the library between 1885 and 1900 by members of the Young Library Reading Room Association (YLRRA) members.

Guests at the celebration purchased rag balls for $1 each. Hidden in some of the balls were gift certificates to local restaurants and stores.

Those not lucky enough to win the gift certificates found pieces of candy such as Necco candy wafers, caramels, Tootsie Rolls and Mary Janes.

The main highlight of the celebration, in addition to cake, was David Marshs Music of the Plains presentation made possible by Humanities Nebraska, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment and the Plattsmouth Public Library as part of the Humanities Nebraska Speakers Bureau.

Humanities Nebraska provides major funding for this program, Plattsmouth Library Director Karen Mier explained. Humanities Nebraska receives support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Nebraska State Legislature, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment and private donations.

The program focused on pioneers who settled the Plains, traveling from far and wide, yet enduring many similar joys and hardships, states a description of the program on Humanities Nebraska website.

Marsh uses many old-time instruments such as spoons, rib-boned shaped wood, banjo and a hammer dulcimer to accompany him singing old time music favorites.
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Susan Jacobus won the Fremont City Council Ward 2 seat in close race on Tuesday night.

Final unofficial results listed Jacobus with 1,083 votes (51.25 percent) and opponent Dev Sookram with 1,015 (48.04 percent).

I was a little nervous, Jacobus said. It was very close and it stayed close throughout and I think thats a good thing. People got out to vote.

Jacobus said she believes that both she and Sookram were qualified candidates.

She was complimentary of voters.

I appreciate that vote, she said. I appreciate that over 2,000 people in our ward got out and voted. I think thats awesome.

Jacobus is looking ahead to the future.

I look forward to getting on board and being part of the council and the forward movement for Fremont, she said. Weve got some good momentum going right now and theres a lot of good things happening. Im looking forward to being part of helping to keep that going  the growth and everything thats coming our way thats positive.

Results came in later at night and Sookram was not able to be reached for comment.

Prior to Election Day, however, the candidates shared their views on a host of city issues.

Sookram talked about the need to get more police officers and for updated facilities.

Weve been kicking the can down the road with the police department for a long time, he said. We need a real plan in place to get everything up to speed.  Public safety is our first thing as elected officials. Protecting our citizens is No. 1.

He added: We have been looking at a second fire station, because the city is growing and firefighters are getting more calls.

Sookram also spoke of the importance of being fiscally responsible, while accomplishing goals.

Jacobus also addressed the importance of public safety.

She spoke of concerns with the increased population the city will see once Costco is in operation  and of making sure there are more trained personnel such as police and firefighters, and that their needs are addressed as the community continues to grow.

Jacobus stressed the importance of looking at flood plain issues, and a levy that will better protect Fremont and land values. She sees the importance of affordable housing in the 80,000- to 120,000 range and possibly more apartments.

With that available land, there are flood plain concerns, she said, in the northwest and eastern and toward the south of the city.

Both candidates talked about the advantages they see that the Costco/Lincoln Premium Poultry Chicken Processing Plant would bring to the city.

Im a proponent, Jacobus said. I see a very strong exponential, positive effect. This business will lead to other business, but will also enhance existing businesses. I see it as a financial boon for the community of Fremont and the county itself.

Sookram noted: With Costco coming in youre going to get support companies coming in with it, to support Costco and its manufacturing.

Thats going to be something I dont think people are really accounting for, he said.
Lynne Walz claimed the 15th District seat for the Legislature in a close race on Tuesday night.

In final unofficial results, Walz, the challenger, garnered 7,467 votes (51.37 percent), while incumbent Sen. David Schnoor received 7,037 votes (48.41 percent).

Neither candidate was able to be reached for comment late Tuesday night after results were made available.

Earlier in the day, however, voters shared a few thoughts about the candidates.

Colette Garton of Fremont voted for Walz.

I think that Lynne has some great ideas, Garton said. She is big into education and, you know, I think that kids education is very important here in our local area.

Fremonter Kimberly Scheer also cast her vote for Walz.

I know her just from her being a teacher and stuff like that, Scheer said. I admire it when people change their careers and try to pursue something different. It brings something different to the table which I think is important.

Walz has said that one of her priorities is education, noting that Nebraska is 49th in the country in state funding for its schools.

We need to make our children our No. 1 priority, Walz said. We need to spend money on our children now so were not spending money on them as adults and we need to make sure were putting programs into place that are individualized to meet students unique needs.

Walz said her first priority is to get people back to work. She believes theres a misperception that many people just want a handout  something shes not finding.

I think one of the things we need to do is change our government assistance programs, Walz continued. Currently, its an all-or-nothing system, where people who receive assistance can only make so much money a month before their assistance is totally taken away.

Walz said shed like to see a system in place where as people make more money, their assistance is adjusted so theyre not put into crisis situations.

Thats going to encourage people to go to work without being threatened, she said.

Other area residents, like the Rev. Earl Underwood of Fremont, voted Schnoor.

I know him, Underwood said. I dont know the other candidate.

During the campaign, Schnoor said his priorities include personal property taxes, prescriptions and the Castle Doctrine.

Schnoor said he wants to eliminate personal property tax to help the state grow.

If businesses dont have to pay personal property tax, they have more money to invest in their business and, hopefully, grow their business, Schnoor said.

Hell also investigate what hes been told about pharmacists not being able to tell whether a less costly generic version of a drug is available, over a name brand, unless theyre asked by the patient.

I want to research that and find out what we can do about that, he said.

The senator also said hed like to see legislation passed on whats called the Castle Doctrine, something this state doesnt have.

If an intruder comes into your house, your first obligation by law in Nebraska is to flee, Schnoor said. With the Castle Doctrine, you would have the right to defend your family and your property.
Author of more than 40 nonfiction books for young people, Catherine Reef is known for her illuminating biographies, which some critics have noted as being as engrossing as novels. Recently, though, Reef, whose newest book is Florence Nightingale: The Courageous Life of the Legendary Nurse (Clarion), spoke with PW from her home in College Park, Md., about why she doesnt try to write biographies like novels, about setting new challenges for herself with each book, and about what she hopes readers learn from her books.

How did you come to start writing biographies?

I started by writing nonfiction for young people, mostly in the field of social studies and history  these books were focused on events, but I was always most interested in the people, in telling their stories. So my nonfiction books always focused on the people involved. I wrote my first biography on Albert Einstein, for very young readers. That was back in 1991.

How do you choose your subjects?

First, I look for a good story to tell. And I think that the subjects I choose have some characteristics in common. Many of them are creative people, working in the arts. Many of them achieve their goals only after hard struggles. For example, Florence Nightingale had to go against her family and social norms to pursue the life she felt called to live. Noah Webster (Noah Webster: Many of Many Words) worked doggedly at his dictionaries and other writings while enduring nearly constant financial worries. Freud (Sigmund Freud: Pioneer of the Mind) pursued his theories in the face of ridicule and disbelief. And the Bronte sisters (The Bronte Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne) also battled social expectations  as well as illness, which claimed them all too soon.

When Im ready to do a new book, I might think about writers I liked when I was a young person, like e.e. cummings or John Steinbeck. I chose Florence Nightingale, the subject of my latest book, because I had written about the Bronte sisters and wanted to return to that era. When I started reading about Florence Nightingale, I found there were many fine biographies available for younger readers. Most focused, probably rightly, on her major accomplishments during the Crimean War  she brought order, cleanliness and better outcomes to the British military hospitals. She also established nursing as a respectable profession for women.

But there was so much more to her life! When I looked deeper into her story, I saw that there was so much that would appeal to teens  especially the enormous effort she made to live life on her own terms. I think young people so often feel misunderstood by, and at odds with, their families and society just as Nightingale did. I think they frequently believe  again, like Nightingale  that they are destined to live an extraordinary life. So I thought they would understand, and relate to, her. She also had trouble getting along with her sister, which is typical of siblings. And, of course, she went on after the Crimean War to work to improve health for the men of her nations armed forces, and all Britons.

You noted that you often write about people working in the arts  writers, musicians, even visual artists like Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera (Frida & Diego: Art, Love, Life). What draws you to creative people?

Im very interested in the creative process and I have a strong interest in the arts in general. But then, I would include even subjects such as Noah Webster and Sigmund Freud in the writer category. You know, John Irving called Freud a novelist with a scientific background.

When I write about writers like the Brontes or Jane Austen (Jane Austen: A Life Revealed), I try to give my readers a strong background from which they can further explore on their own, not just take my opinion to heart. For example, in the book about Austen, I included Mark Twains comment  and I wish I could remember it exactly because he said it in such a Twain way  but basically he said that he didnt like her work. I thought it was important to include that point of view.

When I was a child I wanted to be a teacher. There were a lot of teachers in my family. I never became a classroom teacher, but I think that, in a way, I actually have become a teacher through my writing. I try to present awareness and appreciation of a persons life in my books.

Your biographies reflect a tremendous amount of research. How do you approach your research?

I start by reading secondary sources to get the overall shape of the story. Then I delve into the primary materials to get the details. The research is ongoing throughout the entire process, all the way through the editing stage, all the way, really, until we cant make any changes at all.

Do you do all your primary research and then begin writing, or do you do the primary research section by section? Research, write, research, write, etc.?

You make me sound much more organized than I am! Each book is a little different, but generally I do a lot of primary research before I even outline so I can understand the whole story.

So you do it even before you propose the book idea?

My editor, Jennifer Greene, and I have worked together for a long time. Weve enjoyed a long productive working relationship, which I value highly. When its time to plan for a new project, we toss ideas back and forth, talking about who or what might be a viable subject. When we find one we both like, I prepare a proposal that consists of an outline, sample chapter and letter describing the book as I envision it. Of course, before I do this, I have to do the necessary background research to be able to put together the proposal  and to decide if I want to spend a lot of time with this person.

Youve written more than 40 books. Has your research/writing process changed over those 40+ books?

I dont even know the exact number! The only thing I can tell you is that its gotten harder. My standards for myself get higher with each book. I think about Japanese craftspeople who spend a lifetime mastering and improving their craft. I like to think of myself in that waythat I am always trying to improve my craft. Earlier in my career, for example, if I encountered controversial or ambiguous issues, I might have tried to avoid them. These days Im ready to tackle anything. I hope I grow with each book.

Theres also a tremendous amount of history in all of your books. Your Noah Webster book is also a history of the formation of our country. How do you decide how much history to incorporate into a biography?

I have to think about who my audience is  what do my readers need to know to understand the persons story? Webster was so influential in the formation of our country that I had to write a lot of that history. Im very lucky to live near Washington, D.C. and the Library of Congress, so I go there about once a week to do primary research. Its an incredible resource. I remember when I was working on one of my early books  the Walt Whitman book that came out in 1995 (Walt Whitman), I went to the Library of Congress and asked for a number of photographs. I just couldnt believe it when they handed me this box with photos that he had inscribed  it was thrilling!

You seem to be producing a book every year. How long does each book take?

I work very hard! I spend roughly two years on a book, though Frida & Diego took longer. I often have two things going on at once  putting the finishing touches on one book and starting to work on another one. At the very least, Im always thinking about the next idea. I think anybody who enjoys their work is always thinking about new ideas.

What are the challenges of focusing on more than one life in a biography, such as the three Bronte sisters or Frieda Kahlo and Diego Rivera? How do you determine the balance between how much you tell of each persons individual life beyond their own relationship?

Im not sure I can quantify it. Its a complicated process, a balancing act. I would say that a novelist employs a similar process  considering the story Im telling, the people who play roles in it, when it makes sense in the narrative to introduce them and what and how much to say about them. Each story requires its own narrative structure. And as I said before, with each book I write I want a challenge, something that forces me to grow as a writer. When I have to write about more than one person, thats a challenge.

In those books, do you write a lot more about each person than you actually end up using? Do you write a lot and then cut material if the book seems unbalanced?

No, I do a lot in my head before I write.

Youve referred a couple of times now to comparisons between novelists and biographers. Do you try to tell your subjects story as though it were a novel?

I think novelists and writers of narrative nonfiction share a number of concerns, such as creating a setting, constructing a logical story line, developing well-rounded, believable characters  which is especially important, of course, in biography!  and producing an aesthetically pleasing work of literature. Today we tend to value fiction as more creative or literary than nonfiction, but this hasnt always been so. For a long time, poetry was considered the highest form of literary art, and novel reading was frowned upon. And lets not forget that some of the finest prose in the English language comes from the nonfiction tradition. Think of Thoreaus Walden, Hersheys Hiroshima, or Carsons The Sea Around Us. We can even go back to 1621 and the publication of Robert Burtons The Anatomy of Melancholy to find an outstanding nonfiction work. So, no, I dont try to write nonfiction books that are like novels. I aim to produce well-crafted books of English prose.

Your early book on Walt Whitman includes many fascinating quotations from Whitman and many others, but no attributions in the back matter. Your later books, however, do include the attributions for direct quotes. When and why did you begin to include the attributions?

Thats the difference between 1995 and today! Nonfiction for young people has become much more scholarly. Little by little, we began to document everything. Biographies for young people have changed a lot since my childhood. Back then they included fictionalized scenes and dialogue  today we wouldnt dream of doing that. Ive never included anything fictionalized in any of my books.

Can you talk about your process of selecting the images? Some are obvious to include, of course, but what about the many images that are not of the subject per se? How and when do you make the selections of those?

I keep the images in mind as Im writing the book. If I see something I think might be good, I photocopy it and file it. I keep a lot of file folders with images. I like to enhance the book with images that enlarge the history being presented. I think biographers, like novelists, have to create a setting, present the time the person lives in, and photos make the story more vivid. I submit all the photos and then while the book is in production, my editor might have ideas for some more.

Do you have a favorite among your biographies?

Usually whatever Im working on at the moment! But I will say that working on the e.e. cummings book (e.e. cummings: A Poets Life) especially enriched my life and stayed with me because it was such a joy to spend so much time with his poetry. He, and Steinbeck (John Steinbeck), as well, are two writers who never grew up entirely; they remained rebellious and I think young people especially relate to and understand their work because of that. And then I got very fond of Noah Webster  you cant help but like him! Even though he had a lot of quirks and difficult relationships with people, he meant well and accomplished a tremendous amount throughout his life.

What have you learned through writing about other peoples lives?

Ive learned about human character. For example, Ralph Abernathy and Martin Luther King  I was so impressed by their courage. These civil rights leaders put their lives at risk for a cause, which certainly offers a lesson in the potential greatness within human beings. Observing human nature, Im always interested and surprised.

But I think a more important question might be what young readers can learn from my subjects. When I talk to schoolchildren whove done units on biography, I often begin by asking who they have read about. Hands go up: they respond J. Robert Oppenheimer, Harriet Tubman, and so on. Then I ask, Did Oppenheimer (or Tubman or whoever) live an easy life? And the answer is always no. So the point is made that everyone faces challenges and one thing we can learn from a biography is how a noteworthy person responded to the ones presented to him or her. Florence Nightingale persevered regardless of the obstacles placed in her path; thats one example. When a devastating accident thwarted Frida Kahlos plan to become a physician, she pursued another path  painting. Thats another. These stories linger in the readers mind and maybe theyre recalled at a time when he or she feels challenged.

What are you working on now?

Im just finishing up a book on Queen Victoria, which will be out in fall 2017. Talk about human character! Its been really fun to work on this book. It involved so many decisions as to what to focus on. You cant tell everything about her 63-year reign. So Im focusing on the important events of those years and how she reacted to them. Then her personal life is so interesting  she had nine children. And then, her relationships with her prime ministers are fascinating. I 0couldnt write about all 10 of them, so I chose the ones with whom she had major relationships, the ones who were most important.

Choosing a focus is an interesting point. When youre writing a biography, do you look for an identifying quality in a persons life to help shape the book  to help you decide what to include and what to leave out?

Absolutely! For Hemingway (Ernest Hemingway: A Writers Life), for example, every chapter includes something about death because he was so drawn to death. I opened the book with him going to Spain to see a bullfight so he could witness violent death. And then, of course, he committed suicide. When I wrote about the Brontes, I opened with a scene of the family coming to the village of Haworth, which was remote and dirty. Its soil lacked nutrients for growing things, and contaminants seeped from privies into the water supply, spreading disease. Charlotte, Emily and Anne lost their mother and two siblings when they were young children. Charlotte and Emily were sent to an abusive school. So they faced lifes harshness early  and more awaited them. I wanted to convey the difficult nature of their lives right from the start, so thats why I opened with that scene  what a life-and-death effort it was for the horses that had to pull their belongings up a steep cobbled road. In a sense, the horses and their travail symbolized the brutality of life.

And since youre almost done with Queen Victoria, have you started something new?

Yes, my next book will be on Mary Shelley.

Did she keep a diary that you can access?

Yes, she kept journals for much of her life, some of them written together with her husband, the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Also, letters she wrote and received  as well as letters her family members and friends write and received  still survive. It wasnt unusual in the past for people to leave written records of at least portions of their lives. Queen Victoria also kept a journal, and she wrote and received many letters, both officially and privately. Much of that material survives in archives.

But, you know, similar records exist for all my biographical subjects. When I was writing the Hemingway book, I went to the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, which houses the Hemingway Collection. Thats a treasure trove of juvenilia, letters, manuscripts, photographs, even medical records. Harvard Universitys Cummings Collection is similar in scope. These were invaluable resources for me. And I have to wonder  now that people write on computers and send emails instead of letters  I dont know what biographers of the future are going to do!

Florence Nightingale: The Courageous Life of the Legendary Nurse by Catherine Reef. Clarion, $18.99 Nov. 8 ISBN 978-0-544-53580-0
Leila Sales at Viking has acquired world rights to Look! What Do You See?, the first children's book by MacArthur Award winner Xu Bing, former v-p of China's Central Academy of Fine Arts. Written in his signature Square Word Calligraphy style, this is an art puzzle book of American and Chinese songs to be decoded, illustrated by Becca Stadtlander. Publication is scheduled for fall 2017; the author represented himself and Alli Brydon of Bright USA represented the illustrator.

Catherine Laudone at Simon & Schuster has bought North American English-language rights to Learning to Breathe and a second YA novel by debut author Janice Lynn Mather in a five-way auction. This contemporary story set in the Caribbean tells of a girl who, after suffering repeated sexual abuse, discovers community and her own self-worth at a yoga retreat. Publication is slated for summer 2018; Rachel Letofsky at the Cooke Agency negotiated the deal.

Alison Weiss at Sky Pony Press has acquired North American rights to debut YA novel The Harper Effect by Taryn Bashford. It's a coming-of-age story set across three continents in the world of international tennis  with high stakes both on and off the court. Publication is planned for 2018; Katelyn Detweiler at Jill Grinberg Literary Management brokered the deal on behalf of Tara Wynne at Curtis Brown Australia.

Margaret Raymo at HMH has bought Miles Away from You, a debut YA novel by A.B. Rutledge. It tells the story of a teenage boy who loses the love of his life and looks for the courage to move on, in an exploration of gender nonconformity and identity, and the transformative power of love, travel, art, and human connection. Publication is scheduled for spring 2018; Moe Ferrara at BookEnds Literary sold world rights.

Kate Sullivan at Delacorte has acquired The Arc of a Bullet by Karen Fortunati, author of The Weight of Zero. In the story, a young woman is at the intersection of her brother's violent mental health breakdown and a police shooting. Book #1 is set for 2018; book #2 is projected for 2019. Sara Megibow of KT Literary sold world English in a two-book deal.

Annie Berger at Sourcebooks Fire has bought debut author Amelinda Berube's Under the Icy Lake, pitched as Black Swan meets Paranormal Activity, a literary ghost story about a former dancer whose grip on sanity starts to slip when she begins to think a dark entity is stalking her and craves her life. Publication is slated for August 2018; Lana Popovic at Chalberg & Sussman negotiated the deal for world English rights.

Emily Thomas Meehan and Laura Schreiber at Disney Publishing Worldwide have acquired four books from Robert Beatty (Serafina and the Black Cloak), including a new middle-grade mystery duology about a 12-year-old nightspirit named Willa. The first book in the Willa of the Wood duology will publish in fall 2018 and will feature cameos of characters from Beatty's Serafina series. The second book in the series is scheduled for late 2019; the deal also covers an unspecified third and fourth book to follow. Bill Contardi of Brandt & Hochman brokered the deal for North American rights.

Eileen Rothschild at St. Martin's/Wednesday Books has acquired The Gilded Wolves, a new trilogy by Roshani Chokshi. Set in a darkly glamorous Paris, the series follows a charismatic but cursed heir of a massive fortune as he plots to steal one of three ancient and powerful artifacts of fate. He and his crew will navigate the elite gatherings of secret occult societies, traveling through Paris's catacombs where they must confront their worst secrets as well as a destiny they never imagined. Publication is set for fall 2018; Thao Le at Sandra Dijkstra negotiated the deal for world English rights.

Alyssa Raymond and William Kiester at Page Street have bought Lynn Slaughter's It Should Have Been You, in which a cyberstalked high-school advice columnist takes matters into her own hands to figure out the secrets behind her twin sister's murder, putting herself in grave danger. Publication is slated for winter 2018; Katie Shea Boutillier at Donald Maass Literary Agency brokered the deal for world rights.

Sara Goodman at St. Martin's/Wednesday Books has acquired Kim Liggett's YA speculative thriller The Grace Year, in a six-figure preempt. Pitched as The Handmaid's Tale meets Lord of the Flies, the story follows a 16-year-old girl whose village banishes all girls her age to the northern forests, where they must survive the wilderness  and themselves  before being allowed to return to society as purified women. Publication is planned for winter 2019; Jaida Temperly of New Leaf Literary & Media sold world English rights.

Cassandra Pelham at Scholastic/Graphix has bought Coral by Jade Feng Lee, a debut middle-grade graphic novel. It follows a second-generation Chinese-American girl as she navigates middle school while trying to reconcile her Chinese heritage with the American expectations of her peers. The story will include elements of fantasy and Chinese folklore, and feature themes of family, friendship, identity, and food as cultural connection. Publication is tentatively scheduled for 2019; the author represented herself in this deal for world rights.

Bethany Buck and Sammy Yuen at Sky Pony Press have acquired world rights to illustrations by Smiljana Coh for Julian Lennon's picture book trilogy, Touch the Earth, written with Bart Davis, the story of a magical plane that takes children all over the world, teaching them how to save the planet. The first book will pub in March 2017; Anne Moore Armstrong at Bright USA represented the illustrator in a three-book deal.

Ken Wright and Joanna Cardenas at Viking have bought an early reader series called Hi, Jack!, written by Mac Barnett (l.) and illustrated by Greg Pizzoli. The books will follow a mischievous monkey named Jack who takes pleasure in bending the rules and blurring the line between right and wrong. The series will launch in spring 2018 with two books, followed by two more in summer 2018. Steven Malk at Writers House did the eight-book deal for world rights.

Nancy Paulsen at Penguin's Nancy Paulsen Books has bought world rights to Katie Hesterman's debut picture book, A Round of Robins, a look at a winged family's joyous and spunky life, to be illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier. Publication is slated for spring 2018; Rick Margolis at Rising Bear Literary Agency represented the author and Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator.

Annie Berger at Sourcebooks has won at auction author-illustrator Monique Bonneau's Seven Bad Cats, a picture book that follows a girl and a band of bad cats who stow away on her boat and wreak havoc on their voyage. Publication is planned for fall 2018; Brent Taylor at the TriadaUS Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.

Kristin Zelazko at Albert Whitman has acquired Once Upon a ZZZZ, written and illustrated by Maddie Frost. This picture book follows an author who falls asleep and an illustrator who takes over telling the story  exactly the way she wants to. Publication is set for fall 2017; Alli Brydon of Bright USA brokered the deal for world rights.
Despite doubts that it would be held at all, this years Comic Arts Brooklyn, an annual indie comics festival held in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, turned in another successful year. Although the show, held November 5 at the Mt. Carmel Church, was scaled down from previous yearsthere were fewer exhibitors, including major publishers, and a day of programming was droppedsales were still strong for those publishers that did exhibit.

The crowd was a bit smaller than in years past, but the fans seemed just as enthusiastic to pick up the latest art comix from their favorite creators.

Earlier this year, Gabe Fowler, owner of the Desert Island Comics bookstore and organizer of Comic Arts Brooklyn, suggested he might take a year off from the show.

Indeed when asked this weekend, Fowler declined to promise there would be a CAB in 2017. However, he was enthusiastic about this years event. We had an unbelievable amount of talent under the same roof this year, and I'm always humbled to see the huge crowds celebrating the lesser-represented work that we champion, he told PW.

Despite a smaller turnout, the show, which is free to attend, was still a success with fans crowding the two floors of exhibitors late into the day on Saturday. I had anticipated that the attendance would be smaller, Nobrow sales and marketing director Tucker Stone told PW. So sales were a bit lower, but it remains one of the most sales-friendly shows in North America."

CAB also survived being held on the same weekend as two other indie comics shows, Seattles Short Run, a similar one day comics fair, and Thought Bubble, a sizable weeklong event in Leeds, England, that drew many publishers and creators from around the world.

Despite the competitionand despite having only a handful of guests from farther than a few hours driveCAB functioned as a vibrant showcase for the areas cartooning talent. Guests included such nationally acclaimed comics artists as Gary Panter and Charles Burns, as well as local creators like Katie Skelly (whose collected My Pretty Vampire is coming out from Fantagraphics next year). Also at the show was Ron Wimberly, who debuted a new expanded, oversized hardcover of his acclaimed Prince of Cats, a Hip-hop influenced recreation of Romeo and Juliet.

Because the show was planned a bit later than usual, there were fewer debut books. Indie mainstays Fantagraphics and Drawn & Quarterly were represented by artists like Drew Friedman and Adrian Tomine, but did not have booths. Nevertheless the books that did make it sold out quickly, including several very limited editions from even smaller publishers, such as the third volume of Connor Willumsens Treasure Island, an experimental comic from Breakdown Press; and Charles Burns Free Shit from French art publisher Le Dernier Cri.

Although the event served to spotlight the number of talented cartoonists who still call New York home, many of the same artists cited the difficulty of maintaining a small press comics scene amid the rising costs and rents of New York City. Its harder to have a scene when everyone is broke and stressed out about money, Skelly observed.

Performance artist/cartoonist Dame Darcy, a former fixture on the pre-gentrified Lower East Side, returned to the show with her retrospective volume, The Meatcake Bible. She extoled the virtues of her new home in Savannah, Georgia.

Real estate is so much cheaper that I can afford to buy my own haunted mansion, she said.
Italian Cat Book Proves a Hit

Rights for the illustrated gift book The Catfulness Method have sold to a number of foreign publishers lately, with deals closing in Germany (Mosaik), England (Quercus), Norway (Font), and Spain (Urano). The conceit of the book is that it is written by cat who is teaching readers how to be happy. The work is structured in seven parts, covering seven weeks, and offers different advice for each week. The book was released at the end of October by Mondadori. Although no author is credited on the book's cover, the text was edited by Paolo Valentino and it is illustrated by Marianna Coppo.

Prize-Winning French Novel Draws Suitors

The Last Of Our Kind by Adelaide de Clermont-Tonnerre, published in France in September, has been picking up sales. The attention has likely been spurred by the fact that the novel, published by Grasset, recently won the prestigious French literary award Le Grand Prix de lAcademie Francaise. So far, U.K. rights sold to Hodder. Susanna Lea Associates, which is handling rights, confirmed that there are offers on the book from houses in Germany, Italy, Spain, and Romania. The novel traces the origins of a man who was adopted and knows nothing about his past. Soon we learn he was born in 1945 during the bombing of Dresden, and that he came to America through a U.S. government-sponsored program called Operation Paperclip, which funneled German scientists to the U.S.

French Book on Brain Power Collects Sales

Published in France last month, Free Your Brain by Idriss Aberkane has now sold to houses in Italy (Grazie), Spain (Planeta), Turkey (Domingo), Korea, and Japan. According to the publisher, the book is about how our brains can be pushed to their maximum potential, and explains our mind's "abilities, its limits, its blind spots, and the known ways it can best be used." The author has multiple doctorate degrees, including one in neuroscience.

'Eight Mountains' Continues to Make Rounds

The Eight Mountains by Paolo Cognetti, which we previously reported on, has now sold in 29 foreign rights deals, making it one of the breakout books of Frankfurt Book Fair. Most recently it sold to Bazar (Finland) and Patakis (Greece). MalaTesta Literary Agency controls all rights, and the novel will be published later this month in the author's home country of Italy by Einaudi. Rakesh Satyal of Atria/Simon & Schuster will publish in the U.S., most likely in early 2018. The book chronicles the friendship between two boys from different backgrounds.

Redondo's 'All This' Picks Up Steam

All This I Will Give You by Dolores Redondo is sparking interest among European houses. The work is a standalone from the author of the bestselling Batzan trilogy (which has sold over 1 million copies in Spanish). Just released by Editorial Planeta in Spain, All This has already sold in nine foreign rights deals and is #1 on the lists of two major book chains: Casa del Libro and FNAC. Pontas Literary and Film Agency controls rights. The book opens with a car accident that leaves a man dead. The victim's husband, rejected by the victim's family, soon learns that the accident may not have been what it appeared. After meeting a retired policeman, the husband learns things about the victim's family, and is given the idea that the accident may have actually been a murder.
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MidCoast Gallery West (1629 2nd Ave., Rock Island) will host a free Friday reception from 6 to 9 p.m. for Margery Franklin, a Coal Valley-based photographer.

She is displaying more than 60 photos (taken in southern Africa), plus scarves with her photos printed on them. The reception includes live music by Roger Carlson, snacks and drinks, plus "Magical Girls" Nikki Gillette and Molly Wilkison will be on hand to read your tarot cards, and massage therapist Pam Kaufman will offer chair massages.

Ms. Franklin (in her artist statement) said she always dreamed of going to South Africa since she married a South African and "had heard tales of the beautiful country the family abandoned..."

In January and February 2015, she took part in a tour group to Johannesburg, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kruger National Park and many other places in South Africa.

Her photos of African penguins were taken at Boulders on the Western Cape, south of Cape Town. The penguin colony moved in, so the bay was designated a sanctuary and humans now pay for the privilege of observing them, Ms. Franklin wrote.

"It was amazing and frankly, sometimes a little unnerving, how close we came to these animals, such as the time I was at the front of the flat-bottomed boat as we approached a bank where a very large (possibly pregnant) crocodile was sleeping," she wrote. "I could only photograph a maximum of 1/3 of her because I was too close to focus otherwise. When she opened her eye as I was looking through the viewfinder, and looked straight at me from a distance of 3 feet, I thought my days were numbered and I may not be returning with the rest of the group.

"Fortunately for me, she was either too full and satisfied, or enjoying her nap so much, or perhaps thought I would be too old to be tasty," Ms. Franklin said. "I was relieved she closed her eyelid slowly over the eye and stayed exactly where she was. There are many other stories to be told."

She has attended photography workshops in Boston, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Portland, Ore., and at the National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C., as well as joined photography tours to Thailand and Peru.

Ms. Franklin has displayed her photos of Norway earlier this year at Midcoasts Center Gallery, and of Colorado, Jordan and Scotland at the Quad City Botanical Center. She's displayed Hawaiian photos at Bucktown and Canary Islands photos at the ARTery.

Earlier this year, Ms. Franklin started designing women's tops and scarves for Vida, an international company that provides courses for its employees to help them establish their own businesses.

Each piece is custom made in Pakistan or Mexico. To see Ms. Franklin's pieces for them, visit shopvida.com/collections/voices/margery-franklin. In addition to her framed and unframed photos, and photo cards, she will have some scarves available for purchase at the MidCoast reception. She used many of the photos from her African trip to design these clothes.

A member of the Geneseo Art League, Ms. Franklin's work can be seen at twinriversphoto.com.
Harrouff, 19, is also facing charges of attempted first-degree murder and burglary of a dwelling with an assault or battery while armed.

On Aug. 15, investigators say Harrouff stabbed Stevens III, 59, and Michelle, 53, to death at the couples home.

After deputies arrived, they saw Harrouff on top of Stevens, biting his face. It took authorities a Taser, several kicks to the head and a police dog to get the Florida State University student off Stevens and into handcuffs and took him to the hospital.

At the hospital, Harrouff spat out what appeared to be a piece of human flesh, according to court documents. Harrouff told deputies he ate something bad.

What did you eat? a sergeant asked.

Humans, Harrouff replied.
Almost 50 Illinois counties have filed lawsuits against Democratic Governor, JB Pritzker, and the ill crafted SAFE-T Act. Introduced in the General Assembly by the Illinois Black Caucus, the Act passed the Democratic-led General Assembly in the wee hours of Jan. 13, 2021. Amongst many of its weaknesses and deficiencies, the Act eliminates cash bail, emboldens criminals, and makes it even more difficult for law enforcement to keep offenders off our streets. Public Safety personnel and States Attorneys across our great State have decried the legislation, noting that it was drafted and written with very little constructive input from Public Safety leadership, from either party; potentially impacting every Illinois community with dangerous consequences. Allowing perpetrators to bail out of jail, based on their good word that they will be glad to return to court is laughable, at best, and both ludicrous and dangerous, at worst. Soon after the SAFE-T Act was passed at the State level, the Republican-led Henry County Board drafted a resolution, requesting that the General Assembly repeal and replace the SAFE-T Act with a new criminal justice bill, this time with input from professional law enforcement, States Attorneys from across the State, and other Public Safety officials. We unanimously passed our resolution on May 19, 2022, and encourage all County Boards in Illinois to follow our lead. Our Republican-led Board in Henry County believes we all, Democrats, Independents, and Republicans, deserve effective and fair law enforcement in our communities.
CALDCs Halloween Celebration A Real Treat! The Central Astoria LDCs 7th annual Batty Over Halloween Celebration held on Sunday, October 23rd was a real treat for everyone who came out. Despite...

Meng Brings NASA Astronaut To Queens On October 17, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) brought NASA astronaut Dr. Jonny Kim to Queens where he met and spoke with students at Francis...

Celebrating Columbus The Federation of Italian-American Organizations of Queens (FIAO) held their annual Columbus Day parade in Astoria, on Saturday, October 8, during Italian Heritage Month. The...
Luxon said he takes no issue with the new telehealth service that has been rolled out nationwide - and will issue no change under a National government.

32 minutes ago
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APT Satellite has been chosen to promote the Great Wall Chinese satellite TV platform overseas by CCTV-run China International Communication Company (CICC).





The GWTV platform, aimed at viewers across the Asia Pacific, comprises 25 Chinese TV channels in Chinese, English or French, and is carried by APTs APSTAR-6 satellite at 134 East and APSTAR-L satellite at 128 East.The agreement comes after a two-month test run on the satellites by Hong Kong-based APT Satellite and CICC, which is wholly owned and operated by China International Television Corporation (CITVC)  a division of China Central TV (CCTV).The Great Wall TV is the only platform with exclusive rights to export TV content from China to the world. The new expansion this time is a strategic move to attract new audience. Though APT Satellite has proved to be our reliable partner since we launched first Great Wall TV platform on APSTAR-5 satellite nearly one decade ago, we are very excited to find new synergy between two companies. APT Satellite has over 20 years experience and an extensive network in this area. We can make best use of these resources, quickly tap into the new markets, said LYU Chunguang, general manager of CICC.Content from Great Wall Asia is available throughout the Asia Pacific region via the APSTAR satellites . The whole package or specific channels can be added to cable TV, direct-to-home (DTH) satellite, or over-the-top (OTT) operators following authorisation.Huang Baozhong, senior vice president, marketing and sales, APT Satellite, added: APT Satellite plays two roles in this cooperation: providing satellite capacity and promoting Chinese TV content landing in ASEAN countries. We are pleased of being awarded the capacity supply contract by CICC for its new endeavour in ASEAN countries. And we are especially proud of being given the opportunity to team up with CICC, explore into the content distribution business arena. APT Satellite is willing to step out of its comfort zone, care for the need of the customers, share our experience with them, and most importantly grow together with them.
Group of seven sentenced for stealing about $6.3 mln from Sberbank clients

MOSCOW, November 9 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul)  Seven men were sentenced for stealing over 400 million rubles ($6.3 million) from bank accounts of Sberbank, Russia's Investigative Committee, the state body that investigates crimes, reported on Wednesday.

Aleksey Lapin, a former employee of the bank, is among those who were found guilty of fraud committed by an organized crime group, illegal getting and disclosure of information constituting a banking secret out of mercenary interest and forgery of documents.

Alexander Gorbachev was sentenced to 9 years in prison. Oleg Shved received a 5.5-year prison term. Other members of the gang were given a 5-year suspended sentence each.

Criminal cases were opened against 11 members of the gang, 3 of them are still at large.

Investigators claim that the gang operated in St. Petersburg and other Russian towns since 2011.

Members of the gang got access to accounts via the Internet and mobile communications. Money were transferred to accounts of firms and individuals controlled by members of the gang and then cashed.

35 criminal episodes were revealed, according to the Investigative Committee.
Russian Central Bank outlines crowdfunding regulation

MOSCOW, November 9 (RAPSI)  Russia's Central Bank said in a statement on its website on Wednesday that a concept of crowdfunding regulation is ready.

The bank envisages the regulation to be carried out along three main avenues: regulation of activities performed by crowdfunding platforms and creation of standards to be met by their owners and managers; development of standards regarding securities issuers (offered at a platform) and borrowers; creation of standards to be met by lenders and investors using a crowdfunding platform.

At the same time, the regulator believes, supervisors, although considering the risks peculiar to this market, should not hinder the development of efficient crowdfunding business models.

The Bank of Russia Service for Protection of Financial Services Consumers and Minority Shareholders responsible for the concept development envisages a phased introduction of crowdfunding regulations via monitoring and voluntary provision of data requested by questionnaires from the platforms, development of standards governing their classification and registration, submission of reports, and the introduction of requirements to financial performance and risk management systems at a later time.

According to the Central Bank, protection of consumer rights has been the priority of the regulations development.

The preparatory work included monitoring of crowdfunding platforms, what permitted to identify both various factors facilitating growth, and main risks the borrowers and investors encountered in this market.

The working group is to discuss the concept and to present its proposals to the regulator; the proposals should be taken into account when developing a road map of transition to crowdfunding market regulation in accordance with the Basic Guidelines for Development of Financial Markets in Russia for years 2016  2018.

At the moment, as the Bank of Russia believes basing on the observed disproportions of different segments and high volatility that this market is only at its forming stage.
On October 2, India became the 62nd country to ratify the Paris Climate Agreement, a compact that includes pledges from a majority of the 200 countries that met last December. Their goal is to develop the first universal, legally binding global climate deal. Instead, two weeks of negotiations culminated in a collection of promises without any effective enforcement mechanism. These Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) spell out how each country plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While the agreements claims of accountability and transparency lack any legal backing, it could have real and damaging consequences for societies across the globe.

By ratifying the agreement, India promised that at least 40 percent of its electricity will be generated from renewable energy sources by 2030. As it stands now, more than 70 percent of the countrys energy is produced using coal. India is the fourth-largest consumer and importer of crude oil and petroleum products.

The global warming debate is characterized by fierce diatribe on both sides of the political aisle. It is one of todays most divisive policy arenas. But choosing a side is irrelevant. The issue with real merit is how the world will choose to proceed. Even those most concerned by climate change must ultimately face the life-harboring promises of reliable electricity and economic development that fossil fuels readily provide.

Two hundred million people  the most in the world - in India live on the edge between subsistence and hunger. Hunger is one of the many consequences of impeded development. In India, inadequate energy infrastructure deteriorates existing electric systems, expanding areas without access to electricity. The countrys fragile power grid, prone to blackouts and vulnerable to monsoons, reflects the systems decline. In 2012, the system failed sensationally. More than 600 million people were catapulted into the worst blackout in global history.

The power sector is too fundamental to economic growth to dismiss pragmatic, cost-effective solutions. Intermittent power from the sun, tides, and wind become uneconomical when they exceed about one-third of a grids supply, proving they cannot consistently generate a systems minimum level of demand, known as baseload requirement. Industrialized regions of the world effortlessly harness baseload power generated by fossil fuels. For them, renewable energy may serve as a marginal source of electricity. But for India and other developing nations, the development of baseload capacity has only just begun.

Wind and solar power may become useful if their lavish subsidies are curtailed. They have not, however, yet demonstrated the reliability and economic efficiency to provide power at scale for large cities and industrial uses. Deploying renewables with the goal of supplanting fossil fuels is a risky luxury unaffordable to low-income households. In 2015, global investment in renewables carried a $286 billion price tag. It only produced seven percent of the worlds electricity. In the words of Jairam Ramesh, Indian author and former environment minister, India cannot abandon coal. It would be suicidal on our part...

Fossil fuels have enabled millions to escape extreme poverty in India. The World Bank identified improved infrastructure, specifically rural electrification, as a driving force behind the decline of Indias poverty rate from 21 percent in 2011 to 12.4 percent in 2015. More reliable electricity would liberate Indians trapped in a cycle of poverty, catalyzing the entrepreneurial spirit that already runs deep and far across the land. For rural villages, it would mean clean water, safe home heating, and dependable lighting. In cities, infrastructure advancement will spur local investment opportunities.

In the wake of the Paris Agreements entering into force on November 4, President Obama hailed this time as a turning point for our planet. While rationale for institutionalized climate policy is well-intentioned, it has become a global fascination with followers who dont pause to ask questions. There is a glaring disconnect between a country that is home to more people than anywhere else on Earth and an aggressive pursuit of renewable energies in the name of unproven results. A friend once put it best: The discussion of green energy comes from a place of privilege, and India is a prime example of where this realization is needed the most.
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Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight

Katie Richelieu and her son, Hayden Richelieu-Owens, 6, put stickers on each other after Katie Richelieu voted Tuesday at Redding Fire Station 5.

SHARE Greg Barnette/Record Searchlight Shasta County poll clerk Sandy Morris checks in voter Jacque Grubbs Tuesday at the Shasta County Veterans Hall in Redding. Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight Rose Marie Hill, left, talks to Cathy Hartman after voting Tuesday at Redding Fire Station 5. Hartman, an election clerk, said she has been working the polls for 50 years and this is her last year.

By Jim Schultz of the Redding Record Searchlight

Voters in most presidential elections usually go to the polls to vote for the candidate they like.

In Tuesday's election, however, voters were going to the polls to vote against the candidate they don't like. At least that's what Shasta County voters were saying.

It was that dislike of both candidates that was seemingly helping to draw what may be a record voter turnout in Tuesday's election as polling sites throughout Shasta County were kept busy.

"Turnout has been marvelous," said Kim Dargel at St. James Lutheran Church in Redding. "It's been non-stop all day."

There were 30 people in line when the polling site's doors opened and the line didn't stop until around 10 a.m., Dargel said.

As of noon, she said. 231 voters had cast their ballot at the precinct, while 127 more votes were cast at a separate precinct in the same church.

It was pretty much the same story at the John Beaudet Community Center in Shasta Lake.

"We have been extremely busy," said Karen Ball, an inspector at one of the two voting precincts there.

The two precincts reported that about 75 voters had cast their ballots during the first hour after the polls opened.

"It's a good turnout, I would say," Ball said.

Polling sites at the First United Methodist and Hillside churches in Redding, as well as the Redding Veterans Memorial Hall on Yuba Street, were also enjoying a high turnout.

Ann Przybyla, a precinct captain at the Yuba Street polling place, which included two separate precincts, said about 80 voters had cast their ballots during the first 90 minutes at her precinct.

About 100 additional voters had cast their ballots at the hall's other precinct.

Przybyla, who was enthusiastic about the turnout, said the line of voters stretched all the way to the street before the doors opened.

"It's a great day in America when you have to stand in line to vote," she said. "It should always be that way."

Over at the polling place at the John Beaudet Community Center, 58-year-old Richard Tubbs of Shasta Lake hunkered down in his voting booth and was the picture of concentration as he voted.

Tubbs said afterward there were two priority issues that prompted him to vote: the presidential race and the ballot measure to approve recreational marijuana.

Tubbs, who said he can't stand Hillary Clinton, said he voted for Donald Trump, even though he acknowledged he's more against Clinton than he is for Trump.

"I'm very much against Hillary," he said, adding he's been waiting all his life to vote for a non-politician. "That's what I like about him."

In contrast, 69-year-old Charlotte Coler of Redding said she voted for Clinton because she can't stand Trump.

Still, she said, she's not all that fond of Clinton, either.

"No, I'm not crazy about her, but she's better than him," she said. "My (ideal) choice would have been neither."

Although voters said they are not exactly enamored with the two presidential candidates, they agree that they've never seen anything quite like the 2016 presidential election.

"Wow, amazing," said Armfield, whose sentiments were echoed by Tim Moore, 61, also of Redding.

"Not in all my years," he said. "That fact alone saddens me."

Moore, who declined to disclose which candidate he preferred, said this election was a first for him in at least one respect.

"I did not want to vote for either one" of the presidential candidates, he said.

Cathy Darling Allen, Shasta County's clerk and registrar of voters, says more than 72,000 mail-in ballots were sent out, and 22,514 had been returned as of the middle of last week, the last official count.

Since then, she said, thousands more had poured in, with elections officials emptying ballot boxes around the county three or four times a day  even on weekends.

Darling Allen said Monday that early returns show that Shasta County turnout may exceed the 84 percent recorded in 2008, the highest ever.
Patrick Amen Jr.

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Plea bargain taken in police shooting

A Redding man who was shot by Redding police officers in July after pointing a pellet gun at one of six officers took a plea bargain Tuesday in Shasta County Superior Court.

Patrick Michael Amen Jr., 24, took the plea deal after a psychologist deemed him to be mentally competent to stand trial, prosecutor Toby Powell said.

Amen, who pleaded out to assault on a police officer and obstruction-resisting an executive officer, is facing three years' probation and up to a year in Shasta County Jail when he's sentenced Dec. 8.

It was last month when the Shasta County District Attorney's Office announced the six Redding police officers who shot and wounded Amen near Lawncrest Cemetery acted in self-defense and in the defense of others.

"Amen's actions toward officers of the Redding Police Department made it necessary for them to use their firearms to protect themselves," the DA's office said in its announcement.

Amen, who suffered multiple wounds and survived, saw the criminal case against him suspended last month after his defense attorney questioned his mental competency.

Coroner IDs man struck by train

A man killed early Monday morning after being struck by a train north of the Eureka Way overpass in Redding has been identified as 35-year-old Theodore Jacob Morris, the Shasta County Coroner's Office reported Tuesday evening.

The coroner's office is asking assistance from the public in locating Morris' next of kin.

Monday's fatality happened around 2:45 a.m.

According to the Union Pacific engineer, the train was going about 40 mph when Morris was struck while walking south on the tracks, police said.

Morris did not attempt to get out of the way and the train's headlights were working and it was sounding its horn, police said.

Investigation probe closes intersection

Redding police closed the intersection of Athens and Cypress avenues Tuesday morning to conduct a follow-up investigation into a death of a pedestrian several weeks ago.

Detours were put in place for drivers.

Martin Joseph Condon, 57, died after being hit by a car on West Cypress Avenue near Athens Avenue on Oct. 18. He was not in a crosswalk.

Klamath River flows to increase

Flows in the Klamath River below Iron Gate Dam will triple starting at 4 p.m. Wednesday to reduce the incidence of fish disease in the river, according to PacifiCorps, which owns the dams.

The flows from the dam will increase from 1,000 cubic-feet per second starting Wednesday afternoon and peak at 3,000 cfs by Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

The flows will remain at 3,000 cfs through most of Thursday and then will be dialed back to 1,000 cfs by late Thursday night.

PacifiCorps officials caution anyone using the river to be aware of the higher flow.
Bill Schappell and Steve Morgan

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Updated at 11:17 p.m.

Steve Morgan said the race for District 4 supervisor is still too close to call with only a few hundred votes separating him and Bill Schappell.

Unofficial votes give Morgan a slight lead in the race to represent northern Shasta County.

With Redding voters not approving Measure D, the proposed sales tax for public safety, Morgan said there need to be alternatives in place to fund those projects laid out, like a sobering center and a mental health crisis center.

As California voters approved recreational marijuana Morgan said Shasta County could view that a potential revenue stream.

"There is a lot of money to be made and since Measure D did not pass, we're going to have to look at it," said Morgan.

Updated at 10:25 p.m.

Approximately 200 votes separated incumbent Bill Schappell from Steve Morgan in the early results for the race in District 4.

Mail-in ballots gave Morgan a slight lead, about 51 percent of the vote, over Schappells 48 percent. By 10:20 p.m. two precincts reported in the unofficial results.

Morgan did not find too much comfort in the difference, but he was thankful nonetheless.

I figure it can change one way or the other, Morgan said. I feel humbled that the percentage of votes went to me and that those people chose me.

Schappell said there is not much to make from a race this close.

Im still positive, Schappell said.

Updated at 8:11 p.m.

Challenger Steve Morgan has a slight lead in early, unofficial results from the Shasta County Clerk's Office.

Morgan has 51 percent over Bill Schappell's 48 percent of the vote. These results are based on mail-in ballots counted yeterday.

Original story

Shasta Lake resident Steve Morgan is challenging incumbent Bill Schappell for the supervisor seat in District 4, which represents the northern part of the county.

Schappell secured a large margin of the vote in the June primaries and Morgan narrowly beat candidate Wally St. Clair for second place. After a four-candidate race in June it was Morgan and Schappell left standing.

The two candidates differ on medical marijuana and its future in Shasta County.

Morgan thinks the revenue generated in the city of Shasta Lake from medical marijuana dispensaries is an important example for the industrys future and how it could be regulated. Schappell said the county grappled with dispensaries in the past and was flooded with one too many in the city of Redding, which led to ordinances prohibiting those types of businesses. He cautions any sales would be outweighed by the criminal element.

I think marijuana is in its infancy stage, Schappell said during the primaries. If it does become legal it would have to be regulated like alcohol and cigarettes with taxes. Im hoping if it does come to that we can opt out as a county.

As a former business owner in his district Schappell said he listens to peoples concerns about dealing with government agencies and continues to be their voice on the board of supervisors.

Morgan said he will listen to constituents and meet with them on a regular basis.

I plan to have office hours as a supervisor to hear people out on their issues, Morgan said.

The mending Morgan has in mind could start with Resource Management Department. Residents and businesses looking to build in Shasta County should feel welcome and not stifled by a slow permitting process, said Morgan.

With homelessness both candidates agree it is a problem for the county and should be addressed, but they are split on how that should be handled.

Schappell has fallen in line with the other supervisors and would focus existing services, like the local Continuum of Care and the housing authority.

Morgan has radically different ideas, including renovating out of business hotels to provide temporary housing while people receive services for substance abuse.

Both candidates agree the county would benefit from more jail space. Schappell voted to add additional jail space to the as-yet-built Adult Rehabilitation Center, which was not favored by the majority of the board of supervisors.

Morgan does not know where the funding for the expansion would come from, because the majority of the funding has already been spoken for in the countys budget.

A possible source could be funding set aside for a failed Shasta County Courthouse plan, which is stalled due to a lack of state funding.

Steve Morgan, whose wife Pam Morgan is a Shasta Lake councilwoman, sat on the Local Area Formation Committee and sits on the Shasta Lake Fire Protection District board.

Both candidates feel water management will play an important role in the countys growth with jobs and tourism.

Schappell has mediated at least one meeting between a group of residents in the Crag View neighborhood and the Department of Public Works. Those residents were placed on strict water rationing during the summer months last year.

Morgan said he would not support raising Shasta Dam to increase water storage for Shasta County. He does favor the Sites Reservoir Project, but that is outside of Shasta County.

Schappell said raising the dam would impact too many local businesses and residents.

Water management is a matter of letting the other parts of the state know Shasta County needs to hold on to water throughout the year, said Schappell.
Melissa Hunt, Susie Baugh, James Yarbrough and Stan Neutze

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It looks like Anderson City Council will get a new councilmember, according to unofficial results from the Shasta County Elections Office.

Challenger Stan Neutze led the four-candidate field with 30 percent of the vote, followed by City Counciwoman Melissa Hunt, with 25 percent, and Mayor Susie Baugh with 24 percent. City Councilman James Yarbrough came in last and lost his seat with 21 percent of the vote.

Challenger Neutze took and held onto an early lead Tuesday night in the race for three seats on the Anderson City Council.

"I just feel very blessed and humbled," Neutze said.

"I was glad to be able to see the results locally," said Hunt, who is leaving Wednesday for a conference of the League of California Cities. She said she is sorry to lose Yarbrough if the results do hold, but looks forward to working with Neutze.

Baugh credited her win to Anderson being on the right track, adding that she looks forward to working with Neutze if the results hold.

"Last election he put his sign on my lawn," she said. She said the improving economy and public safety showed in the election results.

Yarbrough did not return two calls for comment late Tuesday.

All four had identified public safety and the economy as their top priorities to the Record Searchlight early in the election season.

They shared the same standpoint on both issues  Anderson needs more police, though the public safety tax put in place in 2014 has been a game-changer. They also agree the city needs economic growth.

But they differed in some ways on how to go about doing that.

Baugh said shed focus efforts to bring light industry, such as technology or health care, and retail. She went with the city manager to a recent business conference with brochures and materials to network with and convince businesses to consider Anderson.

She doesnt want the heavier industries and the dirty byproducts that come alongside them.

Melissa Hunt praised those efforts but a welcoming and helpful staff also attracts start-ups and others trying to set up in Anderson, she said. But she also sees restaurants and specialty shops, especially in the downtown, as pulling people in from the surrounding areas into Anderson, where they may patronize several businesses.

However, even if a big-box store picked another part of Shasta County for a new store, she pointed out it could employ Anderson residents, so it would still be a win.

Yarbrough said he places his trust in the city staff but the city shouldnt focus on attracting a particular type of business. He said the city needs a mix of businesses besides retail, such as light industry, to grow.

Some residents want to keep the small-town feel of Anderson, but a community needs to grow to stay vibrant, he said.

For Stan Neutze, the city should target its business recruitment efforts toward Southern California businesses. Few business owners would want to expand into California because of taxes and regulations, he said.

To convince them to move to to Northern California and especially Anderson, he suggests strengthening an already augmented police force and pitch Anderson as safe.
Julie Winter, Gary Cadd, Adam McElvain, Lea Tate

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Updated: 11:58 p.m.

Julie Winter and Adam McElvain pulled ahead of their competitors, Lea Tate and incumbent Gary Cadd, early results in the Redding City Council race showed Tuesday night.

Winter leads. She is followed by McElvain. Tate is in third and Cadd is in last, according to 40 of the city's 56 precincts reporting.

The four are running for two seats on the council. Mayor Missy McArthur was not contesting her seat.

The race saw heavy fundraising from all four candidates. Combined, their cash contributions by Oct. 22 totaled $139,438. But of particular note was Winter, who reported raising $54,602. The amount is second only to Brent Weavers record-setting $68,911.73, which he had raised by Oct. 18, 2014.

Winter, McElvain and Tate were at election watch parties, while Cadd had said he planned to watch results from home.

Winter and McElvain, who were thankful to their supporters, said they were hopeful about their prospects.

Well be working to bring jobs and we need to keep doing our part to move forward with solutions to the crime problem, Winter said.

McElvain said voters had responded to his message, and he was ready to get to work on their behalf.

The economy is very important. Weve got to focus on making ready competitive. Weve got to focus on the city being business friendly and drawing in young people and modern businesses, he said. We have a lot of opportunities and take advantage of those.

Earlier, Tate had been upbeat for her candidacy and noted she and McElvain were only a few hundred votes apart.

That could shift, but I will always abide by what the Redding citizens want, Tate said.

Cadd did not return a call for comment.

In a relatively quiet race, public safety and the local economy dominated campaigning.

Tate and Winter, in particular, supported Measures D and E, the half-cent public safety sales tax and a companion advisory stating how the money should be spent.

McElvain emphasized high-speed internet and solar power to transform Redding into a 21st-century city. Cadd, who campaigned against the public safety sales tax, warned of soaring pension costs.

But Tate said the key to Reddings economy is getting a handle on the crime problem. A clinical psychologist, Tate has been an advocate of more mental health resources and was part of the Redding delegation who observed crisis care and substance treatment at the Restoration Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Cadd and McElvain said they would tap the citys surplus reserves to pay for more sworn officers and community service officers but got push-back from city officials who say those reserves already are being used to retain four officers and nine firefighters and meet growing pension pressures.

Winter, meanwhile, has talked about the need to tackle homelessness and threw her support behind Councilwoman Kristen Schreders efforts for better data collection.

Shes also pressed the need for a vision for the city, and to that end, she visited Bend, Oregon. Winter has said she would push to create an economic advisory committee to advise the council on business-related issues.

Updated: 10:30 p.m.

Julie Winter and Adam McElvain continue to lead in the four-way race for Redding City Council.

Results posted by the Shasta County Elections Office show Winter winning more than 30 percent of the vote and McElvain comfortably behind with about 25 percent of the vote. Nine of 56 of the city's precincts are reporting.

If the vote holds, Gary Cadd would be denied a second four-year term. He is in last with 21 percent of the vote and Lea Tate is in third with about 23 percent of the vote.

Winter, McElvain and Tate, who were at election watch parties, said they were thankful to their supporters.

Winter and McElvain said they were hopeful about their prospects.

"We'll be working to bring jobs and we need to keep doing our part to move forward with solutions" to the crime problem, Winter said.

McElvain said voters had responded to his message, and he was ready to get to work on their behalf.

"The economy is very important. We've got to focus on making ready competitive. We've got to focus on the city being business friendly and drawing in young people and modern businesses," he said. "We have a lot of opportunities and take advantage of those."

Earlier, Tate remained upbeat for her candidacy and noted she and McElvain were only a few hundred votes apart.

"That could shift, but I will always abide by what the Redding citizens want," Tate said.

Cadd did not return a call for comment.

Updated: 8:15 p.m.

Julie Winter and Adam McElvain pulled ahead of their competitors, Lea Tate and incumbent Gary Cadd, early results in the Redding City Council race are showing tonight.

The early results released by the Shasta County Elections Office account for mail-in-ballots only. Reporting is still needed from all 56 precincts in the city.

Winter leads. She is followed by McElvain. Tate is in third and Cadd is in last.

Original story

Four candidates are competing for two seats on the Redding City Council.

Incumbent Gary Cadd is fighting to save his seat against three challengers: Lea Tate, Adam McElvain and Julie Winter. Mayor Missy McArthur is not contesting her seat.

The race saw heavy fundraising from all four candidates. Combined, their cash contributions by Oct. 22 totaled $139,438. But of particular note was Winter, who reported raising $54,602. The amount is second only to Brent Weavers record-setting $68,911.73, which he had raised by Oct. 18, 2014.

In a relatively quiet race, public safety and the local economy dominated campaigning.

Tate and Winter, in particular, supported Measures D and E, the half-cent public safety sales tax and a companion advisory stating how the money should be spent.

McElvain emphasized high-speed internet and solar power to transform Redding into a 21st-century city. Cadd, who campaigned against the public safety sales tax, warned of soaring pension costs.

But Tate said the key to Redding's economy is getting a handle on the crime problem. A clinical psychologist, Tate has been an advocate of more mental health resources and was part of the Redding delegation who observed crisis care and substance treatment at the Restoration Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Cadd and McElvain said they would tap the city's surplus reserves to pay for more sworn officers and community service officers but got push-back from city officials who say those reserves already are being used to retain four officers and nine firefighters and meet growing pension pressures.

Winter, meanwhile, has talked about the need to tackle homelessness and threw her support behind Councilwoman Kristen Schreder's efforts for better data collection.

She's also pressed the need for a vision for the city, and to that end, she visited Bend, Oregon. Winter has said she would push to create an economic advisory committee to advise the council on business-related issues.

McElvain held a forum to introduce his idea for a city-owned internet utility. He said it could start in the downtown as a way to attract new business.

He has said City Hall must do a better job cultivating a business-welcoming climate and suggested creating an ombudsman position.
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UPDATE, 8:15 p.m.

Two of three local school bond measures so far are narrowly losing, per initial election results.

All three measures need 55 percent of the vote to pass.

So far, only the Cascade Union Elementary School's bond measure has at least that much of the vote with 62.66 percent.

"Cascade is very thankful to the Anderson community ... and will use the proceeds to make its facilities great for students, employees, and the Andreosn community," Superintendent Jason Provence said in an email.

The Shasta Union High School District, on the other hand, so far has 52.56 percent of the vote, while the Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District has 54.09 percent of the vote in Shasta, Trinity and Tehama counties.

"We're less than two points from the threshold we need, so I'm hopeful, but I have no idea how it's going to turn out," said Shasta College President Joe Wyse. "And I have a feeling I won't know for a couple weeks."

If the college district's Measure H doesn't pass, Wyse said his district will simply have to put off most of the maintenance the money would have covered.

"We could probably do a couple of small things as time passes, but not the bigger projects," he said.

Wyse said he'd also have to rethink what might have led to a failure.

"It may just be too many things on the ballot all at once," he said. "We'd have to decide, do we scale it back a little bit? But we wouldn't be looking to go back out until 2018."

Shasta Union High School District Superintendent Jim Cloney said he and his colleagues are keeping an eye on results and "hoping people voting today will help us get to the 55 % needed to win," he said in an email.

For all three measures, the results so far are based only on mail-in ballots that have already come in.

Original story:

Three school districts are asking voters to approve bonds to repair aging buildings, fix leaky roofs and, in the case of Shasta College, create a center dedicated to military veterans.

The Cascade Union Elementary School, Shasta Union High School and Shasta Community College districts are seeking the bond money that totals over $200 million combined.

The college district's bond is easily the largest at $139 million. Shasta Union's comes in at about $57 million, while Cascade proposes a relatively small $9 million or so.

As is required for school bonds in California, all three measures would require an independent oversight committee to make sure the money is spent properly. By law, it couldn't go to salaries or be taken by the state.

While only estimates, analysts say both Shasta measures, on average, would cost an extra $19 in taxes per $100,000 of property values per year, while the Cascade measure is estimated to cost an extra $30 annually for the same land value.

Cascade's campus in Anderson is 55 years old, officials say, while Shasta College is also over 50 years old and Shasta Union officials say the average building within that district is only a few years newer.

Proponents of school measures generally say they're the best way to fund programs for children in a state with an uncertain economy, but critics tend to argue that the money those programs require must be in the budget somewhere, and a little reorganizing is all that's needed.

The projects each school district wants to tackle with the bond money are nearly identical, though the measure for Cascade -- an elementary school -- has less of a focus on revamped classroom programs than the other two.
Greg Barnette/Record Searchlight Tammy Boone texts her daughter while election results come in Tuesday night at the Shasta County Republican Party's Election Night party at Cattlemen's Restaurant. "I've been a Republican since I was 18 and I told my daughter that even if you don't support the candidate you support the party," she said.

SHARE Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight Shasta County Democrats watch election results Tuesday at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union hall in Redding.

By Alayna Shulman of the Redding Record Searchlight

What "scares the hell out of" one Shasta County resident is another's "hope for a brighter future."

Indeed, local voters on Tuesday mirrored the incredibly polarized opinions much of the country has about this year's presidential candidates, with some cheering what appeared to be a Donald Trump win and others mourning the havoc they believe he'll create for America.

"We feel like there's hope for a brighter future now," Redding resident Candy Balma said of Trump's presumed win as she and her friends watched news coverage of the race at Cattlemens. "We didn't feel that before."

For others, the thought of a Trump presidency gave anything but hope.

"Donald Trump scares the hell out of me," Redding resident Jerry Armfield said after casting his vote for challenger Hillary Clinton at the St. James Lutheran Church polling site. "I think (Russian President) Vladimir Putin would eat him alive."

Armfield said he's not crazy about Clinton either, but she "knows how the system works," and the thought of Trump being in control of nuclear weapons frightened him enough to go with her.

"That's all my country has to offer?" he said.

Dennis Burk, of Anderson, had a similar outlook, though he ended up settling for Trump instead of Clinton.

"I think she's crooked," Burk said of Clinton. "And I think her husband is twice as crooked."

Burk said his views on the two candidates are complicated and not marked by great enthusiasm for either, but he at least appreciates that Trump seems more honest than Clinton.

But in historically red Shasta County, there were plenty others who were thrilled at the Republican offering  Balma and two friends at Cattlemens said they all supported him from the beginning of the race.

"We are absolutely elated" at Trump's early success in the polls, Kay Williams said. "So many are sick of the system."

Balma and Williams said that frustration is what's behind Trump's success, since he brands himself as a politically incorrect businessman-turned-politician, not a career politician.

Lynne Rusch said she's excited Trump will build "the wall," repeal "Obamacare" and put Clinton in prison.

Balma  daughter of legendary Shasta County Sheriff John Balma  said she also supports Trump because of his tough stances on immigration and terror, his plans for job regeneration and his support for law enforcement.

In a nod to Trump's all-business attitude portrayed on "The Apprentice," several "You're fired!" jokes could be overheard at the Cattlemens get-together held by the Shasta County Republican Central Committee once Trump was beginning to look like the winner.

"We thought it would be an exciting night," and it was, said Margaret Dominici, chairwoman of the committee.

Record Searchlight reporter Jim Schultz contributed to this story.
Provided: Marco Soto

The scene of a shooting in Azusa, California near Slauson Middle School.

SHARE A parent picks up her daughter at Slauson Middle School that was on lockdown as Azusa police and other agencies respond to a shooting near Fourth Street and Orange Avenue in Azusa, Calif. on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. The shooting took place near a polling site. Azusa police say arriving officers found multiple victims, came under fire and returned fire themselves. No officers were injured, and no arrests have been made. (Keith Durflinger/San Gabriel Valley Tribune/SCNG via AP) Keith Durflinger, AP

By Christopher Weddle , Barrett Newkirk and Daniela Franco, USA TODAY Network

At least one victim is dead and three are injured after a shooter with an assault rifle opened fire near a home across the street from a polling place in the Los Angeles suburb of Azusa on Tuesday afternoon.

The suspect, an unidentified man, was found dead in the house after a standoff, police said.

Gunfire forced authorities to lock down two polling sites, but the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said the shooting does not appear to have any direct connection to Election Day.

Its too early to know about motive," said Azusa Police Chief Steve Hunt during a press conference.

The suspect, initially described by police as a woman, was last seen entering a house where the shooting occurred, Hunt said. Police have said the shooting is now a "barricade/containment" situation. Officers have closed at least two Interstate 10 exits that lead into Asuza, and a helicopter can be seen shining a spotlight into the neighborhood where the shooting occurred.

Hunt also said the shooting could possibly involve a second suspect.

Several police officers were initially pinned down in a gun battle with the shooter, but they have all been rescued and are unhurt, according to police.

The Azusa Police Department said shots were reported near Memorial Park on Orange Avenue, where voters were casting ballots inside a recreation center, at about 2 p.m. The department said officers who responded to the scene discovered "multiple shooting victims," then were fired upon themselves. Six officers exchanged shots with the shooter.

"They handled themselves tremendously," Hunt said.

In addition to the deceased victim, two others have been transported to a hospital in critical condition. One additional victim is on the ground near the front door of the house but their status is unknown, Hunt said. The critical victims were airlifted to a nearby hospital, according to Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Gustavo Medina.

The shooting led to a lockdown for voters at both the Memorial Park North Recreation Center and nearby Dalton Elementary. School. Voters were urged to go to alternate polling sites to cast their ballots, but anyone who was already inside was trapped until the shooter was contained.

Francisco Vargas, 20, had just started to fill out his ballot.

I was actually voting, when we heard the gun shots, Vargas said. Then we heard more shots, and my hand is shaking  still trying to vote.

Vargas said poll workers peeked out the door of the voting site, spotting cops outside. The building was then put into lockdown, trapping at least 40 people and a dozen preschoolers inside. The children were being given a tour of the polling place when the shooting began.

Soon, the trapped voters could hear a swarm of sirens and helicopters. Many assumed the polling place was under attack, so they began calling their loved ones, just in case they dont speak to them again, Vargas said. After about an hour inside the lockdown, the voters figured out that the polling place wasnt directly involved in the shooting, and the fear began to dissipate.

Vargas said the crowd was evacuated at about 4:30 p.m. A SWAT team surrounded them and walked them out of the building in a single file line.

It was just a really really intense first-time voting, Vargas said. A fitting end to a crazy presidential election.

Schools in the area were also affected. Slauson Middle School and Mountain View Elementary School have been placed on lockdown because of the police activity in the area, according to a statement from Linda Kaminski, superintendent of the Azusa Unified School District.

All students and staff on the campuses are OK, district officials said. The lockdown was done as a precaution.

The district asked that students, parents and staff stay clear of the area until the lockdown is lifted.

Desert Sun staffers Chris Weddle, Daniela Franco, Barrett Newkirk, Brett Kelman, The Associated Press and Cheri Carlson, of the Ventura County Star, contributed to this report.
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Washington just can't stop meddling in agriculture. Its bureaucrats saddle farmers with crushing regulations, while Congress provides wasteful and harmful handouts. All the tampering completely disrespects farmers.

Regulations threaten farmers' ability to engage in even the most basic agricultural practices. The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, for example, have issued a water rule that seeks to regulate almost any body of water _ from man-made ditches to land depressions that may hold water a few days a year.

This rule isn't currently being enforced due to pending litigation. But if the regulators win, farmers will have to spend a lot of time and cash to get many more permits just to work their land. Worse, the rule is so vague and subjective that many farmers will simply give up on working productive fields rather than run the risk of having the EPA lower the boom on their operations.

And then there's the Endangered Species Act. All too often, it puts the burden of protecting species on landowners instead of spreading the costs to all taxpayers. Farmers and ranchers, who are particularly affected by this law, are often restricted in how they can use their land, yet they receive no compensation for the trampling of their property rights.

No good comes of poorly considered regulations _ especially when they make it so hard for farmers and ranchers to produce our food.

Subsidies are just the flip-side of federal meddling. Washington's elite treat farmers as inferior to other business owners. To them, it isn't enough to provide farmers a strong safety net to protect against major crop losses. They also feel they must insulate farmers from low market prices and make sure they get the revenues that they expect.

The Agriculture Department's recent cheese bailouts exemplify this mentality. Due to allegedly low milk prices, the USDA has twice spent $20 million buying up surplus cheese to help raise the price of milk.

But low prices serve a purpose. They signal to producers that they need to reduce production, and if necessary, diversify, innovate, become more efficient, or otherwise adjust their operations.

Excessive handouts insulate farmers from the need to respond to market conditions. This doesn't merely hurt consumers and taxpayers; it also hurts farmers. It makes it impossible for farmers to receive the full benefit of being better managed than their competitors.

Moreover, these massive subsidies and farmers' growing dependence on them  expose farmers to the threat of even greater meddling in their business. For example, nutrition-oriented organizations would like to manipulate subsidies to get farmers to stop planting "unhealthy" crops and plant "healthier" crops instead. Some environmental interests are seeking to further condition the receipt of subsidies on farmers' willingness to adopt the practices that they favor.

Enough is enough. Congress needs to place its faith in farmers, not federal bureaucrats and their pet causes. Lawmakers should reduce the regulatory burden and stop shelling out misguided subsidies.

Farmers are every bit as sophisticated and innovative as other business owners. Like them, they are more than capable of succeeding in the marketplace. Any safety net should catch them when they have fallen due to major crop losses, not because they failed to prepare for the inevitable changes in market conditions, such as low prices.

The next farm bill should be one that promotes freedom and respects farmers. Farmers and ranchers need to be allowed to flourish, not controlled by politicians and bureaucrats in D.C.

Daren Bakst is a research fellow specializing in agricultural policy at The Heritage Foundation.
'The common man in India who doesn't have anything to hide will have to put up with this short period of discomfort.'

'It will not last more than 10 days at the most,'

The prime minister sprung a huge surprise on the nation on Tuesday night by banning Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Though the public is shocked and perplexed, bankers and economists call it a bold decision which will only benefit the nation.

P Balagopala Kurup, a retired general manager of the Indian Overseas Bank, tells Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier why he applauds the decision.

Do you consider this a historic moment which took everybody by surprise?

It is definitely a watermark and I have no doubt about that. Yes, it did take everybody by surprise.

The homework was done very systematically and things were in place when he announced it to the nation.

The confidence he had in the few people who were behind the project is indescribable, and the way he sprung it on the nation, surprising everyone without anybody getting a hint, is commendable.

Do you think the inconvenience the public feel right now is only for a few days and after that, everything will stabilise?

They call it a surgical procedure. Any surgical procedure will create some discomfort for the patient till he gets healed.

I think the common man in India who doesn't have anything to hide or anything to fear will have to put up with this short period of discomfort and it will not last more than 10 days at the most.

In the long run, the implementation of GST (the Goods and Services Tax) and demonetisation together will be good for the Indian economy.

By scrapping Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, will the prime minister be able to ease out black money from the market?

There are two things here. If we go by the hypothesis that most of the black money is in currency and most of it is in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, all of this will have to come to the bank.

There is no other way they can use this money other than by bringing it to the mainstream which is by either crediting into their account or getting them exchanged with the new currency notes.

So, the entire currency will come into the system.

Once it comes into the system and into the accounted part of the Indian banking, then the government can pursue further and find out the source.

The second part, which is also commendable, is that if there are any fake notes, they cannot use them anymore except try to push them to the banks.

The chances of these fake notes getting detected by the bankers is higher.

So the possibility is that the black marketeers will destroy the fake notes or they will try to push them to the banking system.

If both these issues, black money and fake notes, are handled properly, they can be resolved successfully in one shot.

Since the person depositing the notes will have to identify herself/himself and disclose the source, do you think black money will come out into the system, or will they become just useless?

Either way, it serves the purpose.

If they choose to destroy the money, and not use it, it will help the economy as the amount of currency in the market will come down.

Suppose they decide to put into the bank account, the money that was hidden from the eyes of the law will come out into the open.

How will it affect the Indian economy in the short term?

It is going to create inconvenience in the short term for those who are involved in heavily cash involved transactions like marriages and the construction industry.

Yes, they will be inconvenienced right now as most of the transactions are done in cash.

Other than that, there shouldn't be any problem as ATMs will be open after two days. Rs 4,000 per day is a reasonable amount.

In the case of the banking industry, other than the extra work load, there is no other inconvenience. They will have to only burn the midnight oil.

I call this a temporary inconvenience. I go back to the example of surgical procedure. You will have some inconvenience after a surgery, but you will recover well.

Those who were using black money will feel the pinch, definitely.

And in the long term?

Definitely, it will be helpful for the economy in the long term.

Is Rs 2,000 a high denomination for a country like India?

I remember in my early days in the banking industry, we had Rs 1,000, Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 notes, and in 1978 they were demonetised.

In those days, in all our banks (Indian Overseas Bank branches) together in Kerala, there were hardly about 200 to 300 such notes.

Today, people are comfortable using high denomination notes. Even among the lower income groups, they do deal with Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

The advantage of Rs 2,000 is that it is a new denomination and there will not be any exchange of old notes for new notes. That seems to be the idea.

Do you call this a very bold decision?

It is a very bold decision and it will boost the image he has portrayed, as a man who is not hesitant to take bold and necessary steps.

The general picture that we have of political parties is that they do not want to rock the boat and do not want to inconvenience the idle rich who contribute to political party funds.

Definitely, it is going to hurt those people who normally make heavy contribution to political parties.

It shows that the government doesn't mind antagonising them in the larger interest of the country.

I am very happy that the government took such a bold decision taking everyone by surprise.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the charkha before the National MSME Awards at the Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana. Photograph: Press Information Bureau
'Ultimately if your aim is that you need to be able to deal with a security situation, you need to deal with a black money situation, you need to deal with a counterfeiting situation then, to that extent, I think everyone will need to able to tolerate a little bit of inconvenience.'

Best-selling author Ashwin Sanghi, whose latest book 13 Steps To Bloody Good Wealth has just hit the stands, was just as stunned as every other Indian as he heard Prime Minister Narendra Modi launch a surgical strike against black money by demonetising Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

in an interview with Savera R Someshwar/Rediff.com, the author, who has been nominated for the Crossword Book Awards, calls Modi's move a 'win-win' decision.

The prime minister sprang a surprise on the nation. What did you think of his announcement?

I think it is bold. Courageous. Innovative.

Look at it this way. You have, in one shot, taken care of three or four major issues.

One, you have created a situation where people will have to necessarily exchange Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, at which point they would have some explaining to do in terms of the source of the money. To that extent, you are cleaning up the black money economy.

Two, given the fact that there has been a lot of counterfeiting and a lot of this money does end up getting used in terrorist activity, you are hopefully creating a more secure environment for the country.

At a third level, I am told the new Rs 2,000 notes are technologically advanced and embedded with nano chips. Which means that, in the future, you would be able to track where these notes are available in high concentrations.

I think it is a win-win in all directions except for the fact that, obviously, there will be temporary inconvenience for ordinary people like you and me.

The only thing I am not able to understand is the timing of this announcement. For the life of me, I cannot still figure this out the need to announce it today in particular and at this particular time. Was it that he was specifically waiting for the festive season to get over?

Do you think people will support the prime ministers decision?

For years, we have been hearing that a huge amount of counterfeit currency continues to flow in India from the neighbouring countries. At some point in time, the government did need to address this issue.

What really caught all of us by surprise is probably the fact that it was so secret and so sudden. Hats off to government for achieving that because, normally, we are never able to pull off something of this sort without advance leaks happening. The mere fact that it was pulled off in the way it was is remarkable.

If this had been leaked, it would have defeated the very purpose.

You know that old proverb: Three may keep a secret if two of them are dead. It either remains with a very, very select bunch of people otherwise why go through this whole exercise of creating new currency notes because all you need is one person outside the inner circle knowing something like this and you would have had, in the last seven days or 10 days a run on old currency notes. I do not think this was known.

Do you believe this is going to affect the common man more than the rich?

I do not think so. It is not a rich-poor situation.

Those who have large stockpiles of unaccounted cash are stuck in a situation where they are wondering what the hell to do because they have no possible outlet where they can send out that cash.

At some point of time, they could have considered buying gold. But, today, no gold dealer will give you gold against old currency notes because he will have to explain it from where he got it from.

For all practical purposes, if you have large amount of cash, you have to have a clear-cut source from where you have either drawn that cash or from where you have received it. A typical retail establishment would be collecting a certain amount of cash every day. Now, obviously, at the end of the day, there would be a certain amount of cash lying in the cash box. I do not think there is an issue with that, no matter how large amount is the amount of cash may be.

The problem will be faced by individuals holding large amounts of cash which are unaccounted. Thats the long term issue the government seems to be targeting.

Do you think this will affect the real estate transactions?

I believe the amount of cash in real estate had been declining as it is. One has been observing it in terms of the overall sluggishness in the real estate market over the last year or two.

The fact is that real estate transactions were few and far between. When they happened, they werent necessarily happening at the valuations at which they were happening three years and five years ago.

In the short term, there will an impact but I would imagine that every market reacts to such things and essentially self-adjusts.

Look at it this way, ultimately if your aim is that you need to be able to deal with a security situation, you need to deal with a black money situation, you need to deal with a counterfeiting situation then, to that extent, I think everyone will need to able to tolerate a little bit of inconvenience.

Will this scenario play itself out in one of your future books?

(Laughs) Actually, if you remember, in The Sialkot Saga, you will find that there is a particular scene in which Abdul dada is actually sitting on a sack of cash, smoking cigarettes that have been hand-rolled from thousand rupee notes which have just been demonetised.
The humble Rs 100 bill had several takers on an otherwise normal weekday evening across the country on Tuesday night, even as police had to be deployed outside ATMs to control the crowd waiting eagerly to get their hands on the banknote.

There was a beeline to acquire the 'hottest commodity' or dispose-off the high value Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes, which became illegal tender at midnight.

IMAGE: A Kotak Mahindra ATM temporarily unavailable in Andheri, Mumbai. PHOTOGRAPH: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

Mumbai

As citizens in Mumbai went through the process, high drama played out at ATMs, the only operational arms of the banks at that hour, which involved serpentine queues in the hope of landing up the Rs 100 bills and the obvious dejections.

Many guards at the automated teller machines downed their shutters following the surprise announcement by the PM to make Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes invalid, while in

many cases, where machines have the capability to accept cash, anxious customers were keen to deposit the high value notes into the accounts.

Citizens of the metropolis had already made their way home after a tiring day at workplace and the residential neighbourhoods saw the maximum rush of people.

A Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMB) machine in the north east suburb of Mulund was still operational with a long queue of customers keen to deposit cash.

Banking customers in north west suburb of Goregaon wanting to withdraw cash were dejected as ATMs were not dispensing the much in demand Rs 100 bills.

Many of the ATMs in the financial district around the Fort area were closed, while there was a long queue outside a lone operational ATM run by foreign lender Citi.

The unease reached such proportions across the city that police had to take a decision to deploy its personnel outside every operational ATM.

Joint Commissioner of (Law and Order) Deven Bharati issued instructions to police stations to this effect and beat marshalls were deployed for patrolling, officials said.

The beat marshals, who patrol the mean streets to curb any untoward incidents, were proactively telling the citizens not to worry, assuring them that they will be able to withdraw their money from the day after.

Although Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed that emergency services would not be affected and gave medical units up to 72 hours to accept the high value notes of older series, chemists in suburban Mulund were not accepting the notes for the obvious reasons.

There were long queues of motorists outside the fuel stations, which have also been given exemption under the 72 hour window, in the hope of spending the remaining Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bills.

However, in Kamothe node of satellite city of Navi Mumbai, petrol pump owners were seen either rejecting the high value currency or insisting on filling up fuel of Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 without having to return the change in a Rs 100 note.

As the midnight deadline neared, there was uncertainty in the minds of people on how the next day will pan out and the most crucial --- how will they take time off work to ensure that the high value bills are disposed off.

IMAGE: People line up outside an ATM in Mumbai. PHOTOGRAPH: Vedant Kotian/Rediff.com

Delhi

With most ATMs programmed to dish out higher denomination notes of Rs 500 and above, people were resorting to withdrawal of smaller amounts of up to Rs 400 to avoid getting a Rs 500 banknote.

People were even seen trying to deposit banned notes in ATM vending machines.

"As soon as I learnt about the decision, I rushed to the ATM to withdraw some money as I was having only Rs 500 notes. But there was a big queue and I managed to withdraw Rs 2,000 in five instalments," a TCS employee said.

A businessman from New Rajendra Nagar Sanjeev Saxena said: "Its a very good decision. There will be some initial problem."

Delhi University student Vashisht Saxena termed it a good step to curb corruption. "We are ready to face some difficulty," he said.

Another businessman from Chandni Chowk said the sudden move has created a ruckus in the market. "There are big queues at ATMs and people are fighting for their turn to withdraw the money," he said.

IMAGE: People crowd at a petrol pump to fill petrol. PHOTOGRAPH: Hemant Waje/Rediff.com

Chennai

At "e-corners," of large banks including State Bank of India that offer multiple banking services including deposit and withdrawal of cash, people formed serpentine queues.

At the SBI e-corner in Kodambakkam the queue stretched till the main road from the bank premises with anxious people waiting to deposit their five hundred and

thousand rupee notes.

A Kumar, a private sector employee said he deposited whatever "five hundred and thousand rupee notes," he had.

"Luckily, the cash disbursal machine gives out only Rs 100 notes now," he said.

In almost all the ATMs, people could be found making a big beeline.

Although it has been announced that fuel outlets will accept Rs 500, 1000 notes for the next 72 hours, some petrol pump operators sounded apprehensive and declined to accept five hundred and thousand rupee notes from their customers ensuing in arguments.

Though the ban of currencies will take effect only from Tuesday midnight, shopkeepers, restaurants and traders were seen declining to accept Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes.

Everywhere, ranging from tea stalls to bus stations, the demonetisation of the currency was the main topic of discussion.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement about demonetising Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes was hailed as a "bold step" by President Pranab Mukherjee and the BJP, which called it a "surgical strike" on black money, but his rivals denounced it as a "heartless and ill-conceived" decision that would inconvenience people.

Pranab Mukherjee, President: A Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said President Mukherjee welcomed the bold step taken by the government which will help unearth unaccounted money as well as counterfeit currency. Mukherjee called upon people not to panic and to follow the government's guidelines for exchanging currency notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 denomination available with them. He reminded that all currency notes below Rs 500 will continue as legal tender. The President called upon all people to avail upon the opportunity provided by the government to exchange currency notes of Rs 1000 and 500 denomination for new legal tender.

Amit Shah, Bharatiya Janata Party president: "We feel proud of PM Narendra Modiji's surgical strike against black money and corruption. His decision to discontinue Rs 500 and Rs 1000 rupee note will immensely help in eliminating corruption. On behalf of all BJP karyakartas, I compliment the Central government and the PM for taking tough but timely and path-breaking measures.

"We can no longer let corruption and black money slow down our development journey. We must create a prosperous India for future generations. The elimination of black money will help boosting the development with justice. PM Narendra Modi has yet again demonstrated his unwavering commitment to fulfilling the promises he made to people of India."

Manish Tewari, Congress spokesperson: He said the "Tughlaq spirit" has been resurrected, referring to Mughal ruler Mohammed bin Tughlaq's move and wondered if the national capital will also be shifted from Delhi to Daulatabad. "Modern day Tughlak has thrown a nuclear trident at poor people of India. 1000 Rupees of today is what 100 Rupees was 20 yrs back. Insanity!."

"LOL-MOHMAD Bin Tughlak scraps 500/1000 Rupees notesNext capital of India will be shifted from Delhi to Daultabad. Tughlak's spirit resurrects "65 pc of India's population lives of agriculture that is non taxed-cash dependent. No universal banking coverage or credit card penetration."

Chandrababu Naidu, Andhra Pradesh chief minister: "I welcome the Narendra Modi government's historic decision to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. This is a bold step towards eliminating corruption and black money. This ban would change the face of Indian economy."

Randeep Surjewala, Congress spokesperson: The Congress party would always support "meaningful, specific and pointed" steps to unearth black money. He also sought to know if the Prime Minister has brought this scheme without giving much thought just to cover his "failure" to bring black Rs 80 lakh crore black money stashed abroad and deposit Rs 15 lakh in the account of every citizen.

Surjewala suggested that the way the measure had been brought about "without studying" the situation properly could create a host of problems for the common man given the fact that festive and marriage season was on, paddy has been harvested and sent to market, and sowing wheat and other rabi crops was under progress.

He sought to know whether the government had consulted economists and finance experts before implementing the "far-reaching" decision. Surjewala also wondered whether banks have the infrastructure and mechanism to suddenly implement such a major decision.

Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister: "Withdraw this draconian decision. While I'm strongly against black money, corruption, deeply concerned about common people, small traders. How they will buy essentials tomorrow? This is a financial chaos and disaster let loose on the common people of India. The PM could not get back the promised black money from abroad from the rich so a drama to divert (attention from) his failure."

"Heartless and ill-conceived blow on the common people and the middle class in the fake name of anti-corruption (drive). Rs 100 notes not available in banks. Without availability in market how will people, small farmers, all employees, labourers purchase essentials."

Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of Maharashtra, tweets, "Historic and courageous decision on ? 500 & ? 1000 notes to stop corruption and flow of black money. Hats off Hon @narendramodi ji! "People of our nation would support &participate like true soldiers in this war against #blackmoney.This is a milestone in nation's progress."

Mohammed Salim, CPI(M) politburo member: "We are always in support of unearthing black money. But after 2.5 years of silence on the issue, the Centre all of a sudden decided to scarp the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. This is nothing but absurd. This decision will have a drastic impact on small traders and the middle class."

Pradip Bhattacharya, former PCC president and Congress MP: "Tomorrow when people of India will wake up, they will be unable to use the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. What will they do then? This is nothing but an arbitrary decision which will impact small traders, middle class and poor people of the country. Many people of our country still do not have access to banks. What will they do?"
The new hard-to-fake Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 currency notes will be available at bank ATMs when they start operating again from Friday, Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa said on Wednesday.

There are going to be some difficulties which they (people) will face but for their convenience, a number of steps have been taken by the government, there are facilities to withdraw money from ATM and exchange currency at banks, withdraw money from accounts, he said on government withdrawing Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from circulation to crack down on black money and counterfeit currency.

People, he said, do understand the objective behind the move. And Im sure they will cooperate in dealing with the difficulties and inconvenience that they might face. And eventually things will settle down.

Lavasa said people need money for transaction so for replacement that currency is being introduced.

The RBI (Reserve Bank of India) will very strictly monitor it, he said. For doing any transaction there are different ways, the governments intention is to move towards cash less transaction, he said.

The ATMs will open on Friday and at many places they will open on Thursday, he said adding new notes will be available at ATMs.

Asked about the slump in stock market indices, he said, The market would have reacted to several other developments. Lets wait and watch how things pan out.

If there is anything required to be done by them I am sure they will take a look and take appropriate decision at the right time, he said on market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India looking into the crash.

Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian said: I think this is an important step. What the government has taken in the fight against corruption, counterfeiting and black money. So I think over the medium term we will see the benefits probably."

IMAGE: A policeman keeps a watch on people lined-up outside an ATM to withdraw 100 rupee notes and deposite 500 and 1,000 rupee notes in Chennai on Tuesday. Photograph: R Senthil Kumar/PTI Photo
To deal with the chaos at toll plazas arising out of the government's junking Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, the government has suspended fee collection on all booths at National Highways till the midnight of November 11.

"We have issued instructions to suspend collection of fees on all toll plazas on National Highways till November 11 midnight," Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said in New Delhi.

The government, he said, had earlier decided that the withdrawn Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would be accepted at plazas till November 11 midnight but that lead to chaos in the absence of adequate change, causing massive traffic jams.

"We reviewed the situation and decided to suspend the collection of fees," the minister said.

On being asked as to how the government plans to tackle the loss arising out of the non-collection of fee, Gadkari said government will bear it.

As per an official statement, "Instructions in this regard are being issued to all the concessionaires including BOT, OMT operators and other fee collection agencies."

It said, "The decision has been taken in order to avoid difficulties that may be faced by the highway users following instructions by the Ministry of Finance yesterday that currency notes of the denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 will no longer be legal tender from 12.00 am today."

Earlier in the day, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Chairman Raghav Chandra had taken up the matter with the Prime Minister's Office after being flooded by calls from states over the grim situation at toll plazas. It was decided that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes would be accepted at toll plazas till November 11 midnight.

"Several chief secretaries, including chief secretaries of Haryana and Gujarat, besides commuters contacted us about the situation. Many travelers narrated their plights," he said.

The NHAI, he added, was monitoring the situation so that commuters are able to travel without any inconvenience.

Declaring a "decisive" war against black money and corruption, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last night announced the government decision to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes from last midnight.

In his first televised address to the nation two-and-a-half-years after assuming office, he also announced a 50-day window from November 10 to December 30 for those having these notes to deposit them in their bank and post office accounts "without any limit".

Image: Bandra Worli Sea Link. Photographs: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com.
E-commerce companies are struggling to handle cash on delivery orders, following the governments decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, with firms like Amazon and Paytm temporarily halting the facility for customers.

Some companies like Uber and BigBasket have issued advisories urging customers to pay in lower denominations, while others like Flipkart and Snapdeal have set limits to the value of orders that can be delivered through COD.

According to industry estimates, about 70 per cent of the shoppers opt for cash while buying a product.

We have temporarily stopped cash as a payment option for new orders. Customers who had already placed COD orders before midnight 8/11 can pay for their orders using debit or credit cards or currency of valid denominations (at the point of delivery), an Amazon India spokesperson said.

The official added that the company is working on alternatives to make doorstep payments easier for customers by introducing a variety of electronic payment options for future orders.

Flipkart and Snapdeal have capped COD orders to Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 respectively, and asked customers to pay using lower denomination notes.

Shopclues CBO Radhika Aggarwal said the company is accepting COD orders upto Rs 999 in government-approved denominations.

Saurabh Vashishtha, Vice President at Paytm, said the company has also temporarily disabled COD orders to avoid inconvenience to consumers at the time of delivery.

He added that over 98 per cent of items bought on its platform are through wallet and other pre-paid payment instruments.

While customers of Flipkart will be able to pay for their orders in cash, the Bengaluru-based company has set a limit of Rs 1,000 on the same.

We are no longer accepting COD payments in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. In order to enable customers to conserve smaller denomination notes for daily essential use, we are restricting COD on orders below Rs 1,000, the spokesperson added.

They added that customers are being urged to opt for alternative payment modes like internet banking, credit and debit cards, gift cards and PhonePe wallet.

We are also working on a slew of measures to help customers easily transition from cash to digital payments, the spokesperson said.

Snapdeal said it will give its users the option to defer the delivery by a few days till new currency notes become easily available.

Also, as an interim measure, we have restricted new COD orders to Rs 2,000 to make it convenient for the buyers and delivery personnel. The COD limits will get increased gradually over the next few days, a Snapdeal spokesperson said.

Autorickshaw aggregator Jugnoo said post the announcement, it has stopped accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. But since over 70 per cent of its customers prefer cash payment, it has started pushing for other mode of payments to deal with the situation on hand.

According to a consumer research conducted by RedSeer, nearly 70 per cent of customers buying goods online pay through COD mode with maximum mileage coming from tier I and II cities.

Sreedhar Prasad, Partner (E-Commerce and Start-ups) said the decision to discontinue Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes could impact the number of new orders for e-commerce companies from Thursday till the fresh currency is out.

He said many online customers use wallets more because of cashbacks and convenience than for not having another digital mode of payment like cards/online transfer.

He added that over 30 lakh orders in the pipeline to be delivered as COD from Thursday.

Unless an immediate wallet pay on delivery model is devised, many of them may get cancelled, or clog the logistics network with significant delays in delivery. Many customers may still be hesitant to adopt wallets in a short span of time, he added.

Craftsvilla CEO Manoj Gupta agreed. E-commerce companies that see a huge chunk of payments happening through CoD mode will face some challenges in the initial few days. In the long run, this move will only bring about positive changes, he added.

IT industry association Nasscom has said the withdrawal of the old high-denomination notes will accelerate the push towards electronic payments.

This is a welcome move for the e-commerce industry, where a large number of deliveries in India are COD, raising logistics costs and risks, Nasscom said.

While other reasons for use of cash may take longer to alleviate, the present announcement could mitigate a significant factor driving COD -- availability of unaccounted cash, it added.
Hours after the government banned Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, Indians are facing an acute shortage of chutta, reports Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf.

India woke up to Woeful Wednesday after the Narendra Modi government anounced a ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes with immediate effect.

People in different cities were struggling to get chutta, khule or change after a purchase or transaction, and the worst affected were small traders and travellers.

"If you want to have this coconut water, you will need to pay exact change," said Ghanshyam Das, a coconut vendor in the central Mumbai area of Mahim.

"I had no idea about this ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000," Das added. "In the morning, I was surprised to see at least 20 new customers queuing up and buying coconut water. They all gave me Rs 500 notes and I gave them all the change that I had saved. Now, I don't have any change left.

Does he feel cheated? "No, I don't feel cheated because they paid me. It was my mistake that I had no idea about the ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. I will go and deposit the money in the bank tomorrow. But customers are not willing to buy coconut water anymore as I am demanding that they give me chutta (exact change) for coconut water," he said.

After the ban came into effect from midnight, many people who had Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes are waiting for the banks to open so that they can deposit their money.

"I am not worried about depositing the money as much as about withdrawing money," said Neha Sinha, a working woman. "I am told that one cannot withdraw more than Rs 4,000 at a time. I am worried about the coming days as I don't know how to pay for my daily chores as I don't have a credit card or debit card."

Asked if she was happy about the Modi government's move, Sinha said, "Yes, I am, because it will curtail black money. But I am worried now about the big queues in the bank to withdraw money from tomorrow. I don't have time to run to the bank and at the same time go to office."

"The government should have declared a national holiday and let the banks operate so the common man could have gone to the bank to withdraw money," Sinha added.

The worst affected service since Tuesday night was petrol pumps because many people had queued up to fill their tanks and get rid of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

"Petrol pump owners are refusing to give any change back. They are saying either you fill petrol for Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 or you will not get change. There is no Rs 100 and Rs 50 denomination notes in the market that can be returned to customers like us," said Salil Sawant, a car owner who had come to the petrol pump early in the morning.

Ashok Shah, a trader from Jamnagar, had gone to Amritsar and suffered a nightmare on Wednesday morning when he was returning in his car.

"No toll plaza is willing to give chutta (change) on the highways. I have to either not take the change back or forfeit my Rs 500 note for a toll plaza ticket," Shah said.

"I wonder how many toll plazas will I have to forfeit my Rs 500 notes at till I reach home," he said.

People who opted for cash-on-delivery while shopping at online stores are also worried.

"I had ordered two books online. I opted for cash-on-delivery as the mode of payment. The books are going to arrive this week. I hope the courier accepts Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes or else I will have to return my order," said office goer Sunil Prabhu.

IMAGE: People queue up at an ATM to get notes of lower denomination on Tuesday night. Photograph: PTI Photo
Taking the nation by surprise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday night announced demonetisation of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes with effect from midnight, making these notes invalid in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption.

Later in the night, the finance ministry issued a note which said that the government and the RBI's move to take out Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes from circulation will help India towards cash-less economy where most transactions are done electronically and that can be tracked.

The note said: 'With a view to curbing financing of terrorism through the proceeds of Fake Indian Currency Notes and use of such funds for subversive activities such as espionage, smuggling of arms, drugs and other contrabands into India, and for eliminating black money which casts a long shadow of parallel economy on our real economy, it has been decided to cancel the legal tender character of the high denomination bank notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denominations issued by RBI till now.'

'This will take effect from the expiry of November 8, 2016. FICN in circulation in these denominations are comparatively larger as compared to those in other denominations. For a common person, the fake notes look similar to genuine notes.'

'Use of FICN facilitates financing of terrorism and drug trafficking. Use of high denomination notes for storage of unaccounted wealth has been evident from cash recoveries made by law enforcement agencies from time to time.'

'High denomination notes are known to facilitate generation of black money. In this connection, it may be noted that while the total number of bank notes in circulation rose by 40% between 2011 and 2016, the increase in number of notes of Rs 500/- denomination was 76% and

for Rs 1,000/- denomination was 109% during this period. New Series bank notes of Rs 500/- and Rs 2,000/- denominations will be introduced for circulation from November 10, 2016.'

'Infusion of Rs 2,000/- bank notes will be monitored and regulated by RBI. Introduction of new series of banknotes which will be distinctly different from the current ones in terms of look, design, size and colour has been planned.'

Read the full statement issued by the finance ministry HERE
'It will cause problems for people who deal in small amounts of cash.'

'I hope it does not cause law and order problems.'

Mumbaikars were divided over the government's demonitisation decision, discovered Rediff.com's Aslam Hunani.

While Santosh Shetty, Chairman and Managing Director, Sinestar International, felt the move would eliminate black money and the funding of terrorism, businessman Rakesh Chopra felt it would not only affect big businessmen, "but even lower class people will suffer.

Banker Iram Taibani felt the government had taken a "very bold, powerful and decisive step" to curtail the use of black money in the economy, but Dhanraj Amin, who owns bars in Mumbai, was unhappy with the sudden move and felt the government should have given citizens more time rather than outlaw Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from midnight.

"It will cause problems for people who deal in small amounts of cash," Javedbhai, a small time trader in cutlery, pointed out, adding, "I hope it does not cause law and order problems."

"I am really very happy (with the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes being declared illegal)," businessman Savjeet Chheda told Rediff.com's Jahnavi Patel and Hitesh Harisinghani outside an ATM in Andheri, northwest Mumbai.

"We should and must hundred percent support Modi," Chheda said. "We work so hard. We don't even get Rs 5,000."

This move, he felt, would make a huge difference and all the Indians with black money would be exposed.

"Jiske paas goniya bhari hai, vo niklega na bahar abhi (people who have bags full of money, all that will be out now)."

Business Standard's Shine Jacob and Nivedita Mookerji report from New Delhi:

Panic-stricken citizens across cities rushed to ATMs, leaving their favourite TV soaps or post-dinner walk on Tuesday night, as word spread that the Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes in their wallets may not be accepted by shopkeepers anymore.

By 10 pm, long queues could be seen outside ATMs and those waiting for the most prized Rs 100 notes, to survive till banks start replacing high value notes, were anxious as ATMs soon ran out of cash, one by one.

'Out of service' notices greeted many who had caught the news late.

Wherever the cash dispensing machines still worked, citizens played cop, in a reminder of the days when onions had turned the most coveted item in households and nothing more than a kilogram was sold to any customer at one point.

A harassed young professional said, 'people in queues are imposing a cap and nobody could withdraw more than Rs 400 at a time so that everybody had something to take back home.'

If ATMs turned into hottest destinations, petrol pumps gave a close fight in terms of extraordinary footfalls.

A banker said, "I had to get rid of the last thousand rupees note I had and drove to the closest petrol pump to use the money." A petrol pump owner captured the mood saying "Today, nobody wants to pay by card. We have a huge pile up of Rs 500 and 1,000 in less than an hour."

On Delhi roads, Metro trains and social media, where the most trending conversation has been Delhi's thick smog, the talk swiftly turned to money matters.

Medicine shopping at chemists picked up too. Besides petrol pumps, airports and stations, chemists and hospitals have been mandated to take the demonetised notes till November 11, and nobody wanted to miss out on the chance.

Even though neighbourhood corner stores were not part of the government list to accept the demonetised currency, many loyal shoppers were spotted racing to grocery shops to stock up their kitchens.

"I am confused on what to do now. We have several transactions to make in the next two days for purchasing fruits from the market, for which we have already withdrawn money," said Anil Yadav, a fruit shop vendor, while he waited outside an ATM.

Namrata, a college professor, had earlier in the day withdrawn Rs 7,000 and was planning a shopping spree on Wednesday. Now all she was thinking of how to get the currency exchanged from banks.

As people worked their phones incessantly to spread the news around, making mobile service providers richer, the conversation steered from serious to bizarre.

While some discussed how big-time real estate transactions during Diwali were under attack, one of the jokes doing the rounds was, 'whoever owed money were rushing to pay back, using the phased out notes.'

IMAGE: A queue outside an ATM in Andheri, northwest Mumbai. Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com
'For the next three months or so, the market will go down.'

'Traders do not have Rs 100 notes.'

Karan Choudhury/Business Standard reports from New Delhi.

The trading community is worried of the bloodbath that would happen in the market from Wednesday.

According to industry experts, as much as Rs 30,000 crore of black money gets circulated among traders on a daily basis.

"It is a nuclear bomb of a declaration, the markets would be crushed. For the next three months or so the market would go down. Traders do not have Rs 100 notes, there is going to be a cash crunch and big traders might have to shut shop," said a major merchant from a trader body.

But the prime minister's announcement has given a massive boost to digital money in the country. Market experts said credit and debit cards, online payments, Unified Payments Interface and mobile wallets would now play a larger role.

Chanda Kochhar, MD and CEO, ICICI Bank, said: 'I welcome the announcement made by the PM to de-recognise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes. It is perhaps the most significant move ever taken to curtail the parallel economy. This move will give a sharp boost to all formal channels of payment, which in turn will help the formal economy to grow.'

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, the chief of mobile wallet giant Paytm, applauded the PM for the 'most ambitious surgical strike.'

'Welcome to truest digital cash India. Now proud sponsor @narendramodi #PaytmKaro! (sic),' Sharma tweeted. He further tweeted that people should keep money digital.

'The biggest, the boldest and the most ambitious surgical strike by any government in the world. Hats off to our PM for removing Rs 500/1000 notes (sic),' he tweeted.

According to industry estimates, there are around 200 million users of digital wallets in India. Paytm has around 135 million users.

Industry experts said India's retail market transaction was now about $1 trillion, of which around eight per cent was via digital transaction.

Experts, however, said the number of digital wallet users might not go up overnight as the ones who would be affected by the government's move would be people with black money.

Sunil Kulkarni, deputy managing director, Oxigen Services India Private Limited, said: "It is not going to change the genuine cash market as people would still transact in that. However, in a shorter period, we hope to see a rise to 15 per cent in top usage of digital money and wallets, and in the long term it would be around 40 per cent."

Online marketplaces are also hoping to see a significant drop in their cash-on-delivery transactions.

Most marketplaces register almost 60 per cent of transactions in cash, which is a major headache for them as getting back the cash into a company's coffers also requires spending capital.

Kunal Bahl, co-founder and CEO, Snapdeal, said: "With this, the quantum of India's economy moving through the digital pipes will witness a massive growth. Both Snapdeal and FreeCharge are committed to supporting all such initiatives."
Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore spoke with three investment advisors to find out how the government's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will help curb the creation and flow of black money into the Indian economy.

While all three investment advisers said it was a superb move by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will stem the creation of black money in the long run, one of them, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said he was pretty sure that those with dollops of black money would find ingenious ways to launder their money in the 50-day window that the government has provided before the existing series of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes are completely purged from the system.

Read what this sceptic has to say about the demonetisation and its impact on black money:

Impact on the creation of black money

Those who are hoarding piles of cash, I do not know how it will impact them, but this decision will inconvenience small traders, vegetable sellers and shopkeepers with say Rs 30,000, Rs 40,000 cash.

It will take a long time for them to get used to the new system.

Even for Ola and Uber fares we pay Rs 500 and get back the change.

From Churchgate (south Mumbai) to Andheri (northwest Mumbai) it costs Rs 430 and I don't know how people who generally pay fares between Rs 300 to Rs 500 for using these fleet services will cope with the new situation.

I think it would have been better had they banned only Rs 1,000 notes and not Rs 500.

It will turn out to be a big mess immediately, but in the long term it could be good for everybody.

For the next few days there will be absolute chaos and panic.

The bhajiwali from whom we buy vegetables will not be able to understand this decision or may not have a bank account.

If she lands up with a Rs 500 note, what is she going to do about it?

I am sure those with deep black money-pockets will go to the slums and work out a deal by which they will give them their black money and ask the poor slumdwellers to deposit money in their Jan Dhan account, and once the situation gets easier get it back from the poor by paying them a small cut.

They will give these poor people Rs 1,000 for depositing in their Jan Dhan accounts and ask them to pay back only Rs 600, allowing the poor to keep the balance.

Or those with black money will give these poor Rs 2,000 or Rs 4,000 depending on the restrictions, ask them to stand in a bank queue to get the money exchanged and pay them Rs 400 or Rs 200 for this service. Not a bad business at all.

Will it benefit the Indian economy?

I am now very cynical because when I was doing my CA they (the government) introduced a tax audit and said, 'Now with tax audits there will be no black money.'

Then, when I was in school they demonetised the Rs 1,000, Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 notes and said, 'Now there will be no black money'

Now they are saying that they will introduce new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes and, 'Now there will be no black money.'

Once upon a time it was difficult to launder black money, but now it is very easy to convert it or launder it.

All you have to do is say, 'I am doing software exports, go to Dubai, convert it and come back.' This is happening even as we speak.

Obviously, such dubious means can always be used to convert black into white.

As time goes by -- there is time till December 30 -- these deep pockets will start depositing their money with the PSUs in rural areas. These rural PSUs will see a spurt in deposits.

A farmer can legitimately say he got these notes from the mandi (bazaar) by selling his produce.

The agricultural income in this country is going to be fabulously high this year, immaterial if the crop is good or poor or if there is a drought.

See, by one stroke of the pen you can't change social structures.

Indians will continue to like fair/white skin; men will like to have a son and not a daughter; these social mores just don't change just because you make a law.

This (hoarding of unaccounted wealth) has happened in the past and it will happen in the future.

***

Anil Rego, Investment Advisor, Right Horizons

What issues will people face with this ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes?

Most people have these notes in their purse. They may not have a huge hoard, but people like you and I will have at least three to four such notes either in our pockets or at home.

While this decision is aimed at reducing the creation of black money in the system it will also have a huge impact on individuals who are salaried or run small businesses.

One, there will be long queues come Thursday morning outside bank branches to deposit whatever notes they have or exchange them as announced by the prime minister.

Could this decision have been rolled out in a phased manner so that people who are not hoarders of black money would not have faced difficulties like they are going to face from Thursday, albeit temporarily?

There is bound to be chaos from tomorrow, but then people will get used to it in a few days and soon this will be out of our way.

Overall, this is a good measure to stem the creation and flow of black money in the economy.

Definitely, this is a sound measure and one can always say that this could have been done in a smoother manner without inconveniencing the salaried and the small traders and businesses.

Perhaps, this scheme could have been rolled out along with the voluntary disclosure of black money that closed on September 30.

That would have helped the government unearth all of it in one shot. The impact would have been immediate and everything would have been cleaned up.

Ideally, if this was done, the remaining unaccounted money would have got into circulation and could have been used for productive purposes.

Let's say, somebody has huge cash on him. What does one do with it? Sit on it?

That black money is now worthless paper.

***

Harsh Roongta, Investment Advisor, harshroongta.com

Roughly, 82 per cent of the money in value in circulation, as per RBI data, is in terms of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

Now if a large portion of this money were to be deposited in bank accounts, the depositor will have to make disclosures.

If you are depositing Rs 200,000 tomorrow in a bank, in your KYC-verified bank account, you may not be asked for identification or any questions, just because it will now reflect in your bank account and you will pay tax on it this financial year.

Now that the government's voluntary disclosure of unaccounted money scheme is over, those who deposit unaccounted money will be proceeded against for criminality.

The government's move has left those with hoards of unaccounted cash with no option but to sit on it.

There was no point in trying to go after this cash because it was anyways unaccounted money and was not used in the system to produce assets.

But now that this money will turn worthless paper, its ability to drive demand for other stores of value, like gold or real estate, will automatically get muted and one can expect softening of real estate prices in the foreseeable future.

Trump's win in the US election may lead to an increase in the price of gold for other reasons, but one will definitely see a softening of property prices in India.

This is a superb move to curb black money from the system without affecting 90 to 95 per cent of the Indian population.

There would be practical difficulties in the short term in getting a new system in place, but the future is bright for those who pay their taxes honestly.

Within a week or two these difficulties of withdrawals, deposits and getting used to the new currencies will be sorted out.

Kindly note: The lead photograph is published only for representational purposes.
IMAGE: A women's self-help group in Uttaranchal

Sanjeev Nayar offers some ideas on how Indians can help in improving the lives of those living in border areas and in the process help the Indian Army.

Most readers would know that the Indian Army runs schools, women empowerment and vocational training centres in Jammu and Kashmir. Whilst good work is being done, is it appropriate for the army to be so deeply involved in Sadbhavana (goodwill) whose funding comes from the defence budget. Can there be an alternate mechanism which allows the people of India to contribute and be involved in goodwill activities?

Sadbhavana was part of India's counter terrorism strategy in Jammu and Kashmir that started in 1995. It is very focused and worked out between commanders of formations in conjunction locals -- projects in accordance with what the locals want.

The existing framework has inherent shortcomings. One, the schools are not affiliated to CBSE hence students going outside the state suffer from an inferiority complex. Two, there is no mechanism for Indians to co-fund Sadbhavana because of which expense comes out of defence budget. Three, it requires women to visit the army run centres thus homemakers, who could otherwise knit and sew at home are excluded. Ditto for army hospitals who occasionally provide medical facilities in remote areas.

It can be argued that the army is not meant to provide such services. Valid point. The reality is governance in most hill states starting from Ladakh to Arunachal and Manipur leaves a lot to be desired. A disgruntled border population weakens the first line of defence.

This article suggests a broad framework for a Sadbhavana that involves specialists, India Inc and the people of India.

Scope of activities, legal framework and funding

A charitable trust named say 'Sadbhavana Trust' be registered. It is entrusted with undertaking goodwill activities in select border states say J&K, Himachal and Arunachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Manipur. These activities would be undertaken to increase the gross happiness index in border areas.

The activities encompass schools, vocational and women empowerment centres, medical and minor infrastructure facilities and employment to locals in far flung border areas. The last activity is important because state governments usually do not reach interior areas close to the border. As a result men migrate in search of employment, families follow and population falls. It becomes a god-sent opportunity for Chinese grazers to cross over and then claim the land as theirs.

The trust be headed by a chief executive officer (ex-army) who reports to someone senior enough in the army headquarters so Sadbhavana gets the importance it deserves. An overall vision and strategy would be prepared in consultation with the commanding officer of relevant regions. An outline of activities and budgets would be agreed upon.

Initially the defence budget would contribute such sums to the Sadbhavana Trust as are being spent currently. Simultaneously, an all out effort would be made to raise funds from India Inc and the aam aadmi.

For corporates to support this endeavour, contributions should be treated either as CSR (corporate social responsibility) spending under the Companies Act 2013 or eligible under section 80 G of the Income-Tax Act. According to CSR Rules, which came into effect on April 1, 2014, companies with a net worth of Rs 500 crore or more or turnover of Rs 1,000 crore or net profit of Rs 5 crore or more must spend atleast 2 per cent their average profits in the last three years on social development-related activities such as sanitation, education, health-care and poverty alleviation, among others, which are listed in Schedule VII of the Rules.

Note that CSR spending is not a tax deductible expenditure whilst 80-G donors get a deduction from gross total income of 50 per cent of the amount donated subject to certain conditions. Let the company decide which option to chose from.

Corporate contributions could be for specific causes like adopting a school or to corpus. Company has to mention its corporate identity and Permanent Account Numbers whilst making donation. Only Indian companies and limited liability partnerships can donate.

Donations by individuals would go to corpus and get a 50 per cent deduction as stated above. Individuals to give their AADHAR and PAN whilst making donations. Only Indian citizens who are resident Indians can donate. Donations in foreign currency shall not be accepted.

The trust website would have full details of its activities, schools available for sponsorship etc and a payment gateway which accepts donations by credit card, RTGS or net banking. Cheques would be accepted by designated branches of the State Bank of India since they have the widest pan-Indian network. Cash would not be accepted.

By registering a separate trust the army would have access to a huge pool of CSR funding i.e. now available. According to a media report, "Top 91 NSE firms spent Rs 6,033 crore in the second year since CSR Rules came into effect, up from Rs 4,760 crore in 2014-15".

A dedicated fund with a comprehensive website would enhance visibility, make process of support easy and transparent. This has the potential to attract huge funding that would enable the trust to enhance scope of activities and reduce funding from the defence budget.

If managed well this scheme could become a vehicle for nationalist energy to be channelised into something constructive.

How would activities work?

Let us take a few examples.

1. Schools: Identify schools that should be changed to CBSE, the others continue to be affiliated to J&K State Board of School Education. Identify an educational institution that has experience of running CBSE schools in tribal and hilly areas.

The way it could work is -- land provided by army, school constructed by army but funded by Sadbhvana Trust and management of school outsourced. The three parties would enter into a memorandum of understanding to manage the school. A school managing committee consisting of representatives from all parties would function as an advisory body for smooth functioning of the school. Annual budget would be pre-approved. All recurring and non-recurring expenditure is reimbursed by the trust and audited statements of expenditure provided. If this reimbursement of expense attracts service tax it would increase cost of educating the poor.

An example of this model is Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas who, run 36 schools in Arunachal Pradesh, are responsible for day to day management of two CBSE schools owned by North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limitedin Yazali, Lower Subansiri district and Kimi in West Kameng district. All teaching and non-teaching staff are provided by VKV and as per CBSE norms.

This arrangement has multiple benefits. CBSE education is provided to children in backward locations by specialists. Army unit's involvement is reduced. Fall in contribution by defence budget. Scheme inculcates nationalistic spirit in average student. According to an army officer, "involvement of army means much lesser pilferage as compared to the state government."

Once this experiment succeeds more schools can follow this model.

2. Getting more women to knit at women empowerment centres

CHIRAG is a rural development organisation based in the Kumaon region of Uttaranchal. During a 2012 visit the author inquired how they managed to sell a range of woollen products from three outlets without a centralised knitting facility. Here is how they work.

The knitting is done by about five groups with each group consisting of about 20 ladies. Every group is managed by a supervisor. Ladies of a group stay in geographical proximity.

The supervisor trains, gives design inputs and raw wool and checks quality of output. The group meets once a week where new work is distributed, completed work reviewed, feedback given by marketing team and payment made. Each lady earns about Rs 1,000-1,500 per week.

Thus housewives get trained, knit at their convenience and enhance incomes. This way a larger number of women are involved.

3. Mobile Medical Camps

Ramakrishna Mission runs a school in Along Arunachal Pradesh. It also has a dispensary for its 2,000 plus students. After school closes the doctor takes a mobile van and visits a pre-determined village every evening. The schedule is such that a village is covered once every 14 days. Routine illness are dealt with and medicines provided free.

Am sure leading pharmaceutical companies would be happy to sponsor mobile medical vans.

The model for this can vary from region to region.

Organisation of Sadbhvana Trust

While a detailed organisation structure can be designed later here are some broad contours.

It should be a lean organisation with a culture i.e. a blend of the best that the army and the private sector offer. About 60-70 per cent of the team should consist of officer's wives, retired army officers the balance being from the private sector.

Marketing officers would be placed in major commercial cities to share details of projects and source corporate contributions. Most employees would be on contract, the idea being the trust should not be burdened with pension liabilities.

At a ground level it is not intended to duplicate efforts of commanding units. Idea is to take certain activities, scale them up, get corporate funding and create centres of excellence. The roles of existing units and trust need to be clearly laid down so accountability exists.

The new way of working can be implemented in a phased manner starting with Ladakh and Manipur. There might be issues regarding accounting etc. If the benefits are accepted solutions can be found.

Army Welfare Fund Battle Casualties

In response to a large number of requests to help families of soldiers who died in battle for e.g. Siachen avalanche in February, the defence ministry set up a 'Army Welfare Fund Battle Casualties'. The assistance from the fund is meant to be in addition to the existing schemes for relatives of soldiers who die in battle.

However, the existence of this fund and terms of donation are not widely known. The author got to know about the fund through a Whatsapp message.

Since there is a nationalist surge it makes sense to let the fund become part of an independent trust like Sadbhavana so there is one window for those who wish to donate.

How would this work?

The trust site would have a section titled 'Army Welfare Fund Battle Casualties'. For every jawan who made the supreme sacrifice the MOD would give ST jawan name, age when died, number of children. This information would be put up on the site. Every jawan whose name appears on site would be paid an additional amount of say Rs 3 lakh i.e. funded by the people of India. Donors can donate Rs 3 lakhs in full or in part. Restrictions on donating for India Inc and individuals as stated earlier would apply.

These are some ideas on how Indians can help in improving the lives of those living in border areas and show the army 'We Care'.

Sanjeev Nayyar is an independent columnist and chartered accountant. He tweets @sanjeev1927.
'In a future where newspapers are gone, the public will have a severe lack of material to be properly informed.'

'We will be left in a world of journalism that is entirely populated by Arnab and anchors like him, competing on the basis of passion and anger, and by people who pull out their phone and tweet a comment without first hand information,' says Aakar Patel.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

The media itself has been in the news in the last few days.

First, India's most popular English journalist quit his position as anchor of a pathbreaking show. Arnab Goswami decided to end a decade in which he reformed the way journalism in India is done.

He did this not through reporting, but anchoring. The editor of the Indian Express made a terrific speech a few days ago in front of the prime minister in which he referred to 'selfie journalism.'

He described this as journalism with the camera faced towards the journalist rather than the world. Goswami was the pioneer of this style, at least in India, and its best exponent.

His channel had a small viewership as all English channels do. And it was not particularly big commercially because newspapers still generate much more money than news channels do. But it was influential because urban upper classes watched him.

It was because of this that the stories that Arnab spoke most passionately about, such as slogan shouting in Jawaharlal Nehru University, and the murder of a socialite's daughter, could be totally irrelevant for most Indians.

The issues of poverty, illiteracy and hunger did not make his show: His concerns were Pakistani terrorism and surgical strikes.

It is true that his unbalanced harangues damaged his country, but it is also true that he was very good at what he did.

So why did he quit?

Perhaps he was disgusted by what he had done and wanted no more of it. It was reported that he wants to own a channel. If this is true, I hope he recognises that the forum is important for a journalist.

Many people who have been popular in one place have flopped in another. Glenn Beck was one of Fox News Channel's biggest stars before he started his own venture which is failing.

Anyway, good luck to him and I hope he does reporting on the issues which actually affect Indians.

The second story was the government imposing a one day ban on another news channel, NDTV, for reporting some information which the government says was sensitive and threatened national security.

This was concerning an encounter which was being covered live by many channels. Reports suggest that the NDTV coverage was not really as damaging as the government suggests.

The Editors Guild put out a statement comparing the one day ban to Indira Gandhi's Emergency in which media was heavily censored.

We do not yet know how damaging the coverage actually was and viewers know NDTV to be usually a cautious and conservative channel. But I can say that television news coverage in general has become dangerous.

It is reckless because the investment in terms of airtime is not on reporting but on commentary. And the comment begins as soon as a story breaks, meaning before the material has been fully examined and digested.

That is the nature of the TV medium and unfortunately things will not change.

The third thing in the news was a report describing the way in which the Indian Readership Survey is being conducted.

This is a huge exercise in which lakhs of people are polled on which newspapers and magazines they read.

The survey has not been published in the last couple of years after there was a controversy over the numbers.

Many newspapers showed declining or flat readerships, which is, of course, a trend in the west where newspaper readerships and revenues are falling rapidly.

My guess is that the survey, if and when it comes out, is likely to show that the trend has also affected Indian publications. Magazines here are already facing severe pressure and newspapers will follow soon.

To me this is a great tragedy for this country. We have an environment where TV is not interested in serious journalism. And it is not equipped to do reportage as a newspaper is.

Social media to me is not a substitute for what newspapers do. Full time reporters writing about beats with contacts and experience on the field cannot be replaced by millions of people sending out 140 character observations.

In a future where newspapers are gone, the public will have a severe lack of material to be properly informed.

If the transition to a newspaper-less world happens soon, I worry that there will be no proper medium left to pick up the space newspapers are leaving behind.

We will be left in a world of journalism that is entirely populated by Arnab and anchors like him, competing on the basis of passion and anger, and by people who pull out their phone and tweet a comment without first hand information.

It will be a frightening world.

This column was written before the government decided to keep the November 9 blackout of NDTV on hold until the channel re-presented its case.
An army jawan was killed on Wednesday in sniper firing by Pakistani troops at Line of Control in Machhil sector of Kashmir, prompting retaliation by Indian army which targeted Pakistani posts with heavy weapons.

"One soldier was martyred in Pakistan sniping at Machhil Sector today (on Wednesday)," a defence spokesman said in Srinagar.

He said in retaliation, fire assault with heavy weapons was being directed on many Pakistani posts.

On Tuesday, an army jawan was killed and two others were injured in Pakistani shelling in Naushera sector of Rajouri district in Jammu province. One of the injured jawans succumbd to his injuries on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, in Sopore area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district, two unidentified terrorists were on Wednesday killed in an encounter with security forces, police said.

The terrorists, believed to be foreigners, were killed after they were confronted by the security forces during a search operation at village Dursoo near Dangiwacha, 60 km from Srinagar, a police officer said.

He said security forces launched a search operation in the village following specific information about presence of some terrorists.

The militants opened fire on noticing the movement of security forces, triggering an encounter which left both the terrorists dead, the officer said.
Continuing the blame game, India and Pakistan on Wednesday summoned deputy high commissioners of each other to express concern over ceasefire violations even as India protested the manner in which the information of eight of its officials in Islamabad was made public, thereby, endangering their security and safety.

The ministry summoned the deputy high commissioner of Pakistan and conveyed the strong concern of the government of India on the continued violation of ceasefire along the International Border and the Line of Control by Pakistan, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in New Delhi.

Despite calls for restraint, Pakistan forces have committed 16 ceasefire violations since 3 November 2016 alone. As a result, there have been three fatal casualties during this period among Indian security forces.

The Government conveyed that such loss of life is unacceptable and is strongly protested. In addition, the injuries to civilians during the shelling by Pakistan forces are deplorable and strongly condemned, he said.

Swarup said India has also protested the manner in which the photographs of eight officials of the high commission of India in Islamabad were prominently displayed in newspapers in the wake of factually incorrect allegations by Pakistan government, and conveyed that this is against basic norms of diplomatic practice and courtesy, besides having the potential to endanger their security and safety.

It is expected that the Pakistan side will desist from such actions in the future and will ensure the safety and security of all members of the high commission of India in Islamabad and their families, Swarup added.

The Foreign Office said Director General (South Asia and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh to strongly condemn the unprovoked ceasefire violations on November 8 by the Indian Forces on the Line of Control in Khuirata and Battal sectors.

This is the sixth time in over two weeks that the Indian Deputy high commissioner has been summoned to the FO in Islamabad.

The FO said the violation by India resulted in the death of four civilians, including a woman and a 10-year-old girl, besides causing injuries to seven others.

On his part, Singh protested against the unprovoked firing from Pakistani Rangers, saying it was primarily to give cover to infiltrators.

He also said casualties on the Indian side include both civilians and security forces in the ceasefire violations by the Pakistan.

The FO said that the director general urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate the continued incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit, stop targeting the villages and civilians and maintain peace on the LoC.

It claimed that so far, this year, India has committed 222 ceasefire violations out of which 184 have been on the LoC and 38 on the Working Boundary, resulting in killing of 26 civilians and injuries to 107 others.
As Donald Trump marched ahead of his rival Hillary Clinton in the race to the White House, many Americans looked for an escape route through the power of Google.

IMAGE: Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton watch and wait at her election night rally in New York. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

There was an explosion in search traffic on Google for terms such as 'emigrate' and 'how to emigrate to Canada' following the announcement of a series of victories in key swing states for the Republican nominee.

Huge numbers of internet surfers worldwide also began googling the phrase 'end of the world' when the news broke.

IMAGE: Clinton supporters are shocked by the results. Photograph: Lucas Jackson/Reuters

And in Canada, the government's website crashed after it was inundated with visitors apparently researching how to become Canadian citizens.

The results have shocked pollsters, who until now had put his chances of winning at around 10 per cent.

IMAGE: Huge numbers of internet surfers worldwide also began googling the phrase end of the world when the news broke. Photograph: Adrees Latif/Reuters

It is yet to be known whether Canada or the Kiwis want to build a wall or not

-- FULL COVERAGE: US ELECTION 2016
Last updated on: November 09, 2016 12:23 IST

With US counting its votes, here's a look at how Americans are reacting to the news.

Will it be a result they cheer for, or a time for cry? Only time will tell.

A supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton watches and waits at her election night rally in New York. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

A woman reacts to the news over the phone that Donald Trump has won another state in Times Square. Photograph: Michael Reaves/Getty Images

A Hillary Clinton supporter reacts after she was projected to win the state of California in Times Square. Photograph: Michael Reaves/Getty Images

A Democrat dressed as Wonder Woman and her friends celebrate Hillary Clinton winning the state of Vermont. Photograph: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images

A man takes a selfie with a cut-out of Republican nominee Donald Trump during an Election Watch. Photograph: REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

Trump supporters celebrate as they watch election returns come in at Republican US presidential nominee Donald Trump's election night rally in Manhattan. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters

Trump supporters embrace as they watch election returns come in. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters

A guest at an event called the US Presidential Election Watch, holds a cardboard frame after casting a pretend vote for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton or Republican candidate Donald Trump. Photograph: David Gray/Reuters

Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton cheer at her election night rally in New York. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters
Breaking all expectations, Donald Trump has been elected as 45th president of the United States.

While Trump supporters celebrated the win with late night parties, deafening silence prevailed in Hillary Clinton camp.

Here are the contrasting moods from both the camps.

TRUMP

Hurrah! A Trump supporter celebrates as election returns come in at Trump's election night rally in Manhattan, New York. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Trump House: Supporters of Donald Trump rally in front of the White House in Washington. Photograph: Joshua Roberts/Reuters

Hugs are in order: Trump supporters embrace as they watch election returns come in at Trump's election night rally in Manhattan, New York. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters

Trump triumphs! A supporter holds up a sign in support of President-elect Donald Trump during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Clap for winners! Residents celebrate Donald Trump's victory in Melania's hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia. Photograph: Srdjan Zivulovic/Reuters

Top of the world! A man leans out of a Hummer shouting words in support of US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump while driving through Times Square in New York. Photograph: Mark Kauzlarich/Reuters

Party all the night! People cheer as voting results come in at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Accept this! 'Women for Trump': President-elect Donald Trump's female supporters cheer. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Maker America great again! An attendee holds up signs in support of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during the election night event. Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
A right-wing outfit on Wednesday celebrated the victory of Republican Donald Trump in the United States polls, saying his Presidency would "further boost" the Indo-American ties.

"We are very happy on the election results and we have been cheering him (Trump) during the campaign period too. Today, we gathered in the streets and played drums and distributed sweets," said Vishnu Gupta, chief of Hindu Sena group.

Gupta said, his group was confident of the Republican's win in the US polls.

"The victory also means that now, India has one of the biggest friend in the White House. And, now, India and the US would together work for banishing terrorism," he said.



The right-wing outfit had in May conducted a special prayer meeting ('havan') for the victory of Trump and in June celebrated Trump's birthday with cake, posters and balloons.



In a stunning result, the billionaire businessman beat seasoned politician Hillary Clinton in the knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President after starting off as a rank political outsider.

IMAGE: Activists of Hindu Sena celebrate Trump's victory in New Delhi. Photograph: Subhav Shukla/PTI Photo
In an unusual break from custom, former United States president George W Bush and his wife Laura did not vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.

Bush and his wife did not vote for either major-party presidential nominee this year, a spokesman for the former president told the Texas Tribune.

Instead, they voted for Republicans down ballot.

They didnt vote for Hillary; they didnt vote for Trump, spokesman Freddy Ford wrote in an e-mail to The Texas Tribune after radio host Rush Limbaugh suggested that the Bushes had voted for Clinton.

Neither George W Bush nor his father, fellow former President George H W Bush, endorsed their Republican Partys nominee Trump.

Speculation was rife that the Bush senior was planning to vote for Clinton.

-- FULL COVERAGE: US ELECTION 2016

We are not commenting on the presidential race, Jim McGrath, a spokesman for George HW Bush, said in an e-mail.

When asked to react to the news, Trump said, 'I think its sad.

When I see George Bush do that, and look I was very critical of him for getting us into Iraq, which was obviously a horrible decision, and getting out the way Obama got us out was a horrible way to get out too -- the combination.

But Trump was philosophical about the impact of the ex-Presidents vote, adding: I dont think it has any impact, frankly. I think it has no impact.
Indian-American Democrat Raja Krishnamoorthi has won the Congressional election from Illinois, defeating Republican, former Elmhurst Mayor Peter DiCianni.

Krishnamoorthi, 43, won the Chicago-area US House of Representatives seat, the 8th Congressional District, vacated by Tammy Duckworth who won Illinois's US Senate seat.

New Delhi-born Krishnamoorthi, a laboratory executive, has parental roots in Chennai. He was endorsed by US President Barack Obama.

"Thank you! I'm honoured and humbled to be the next Congressman of Illinois's 8th District! #IL08," Krishnamoorthi said in a tweet, and thanked supporters in his victory speech.

He is the second Hindu-American to be elected to the US House of Representatives, after Tulsi Gabbard, who is seeking her third term in US Congress from Hawaii.

Krishnamoorthi and DiCianni were vying to win the seat vacated by Tammy Duckworth who won Illinois's US Senate seat.

Krishnamoorthi had received 81,263 votes against his rivals 54,149 votes when almost 80 per cent of the votes were counted for the eighth Congressional district of Illinois.

Successful in his second attempt, Krishnamoorthi is only the second India-born member of the Congress after Dalip Singh Soundh in 1950.

The two other Indian-Americans elected to the House of Representatives -- Bobby Jindal and Dr Ami Bera -- were born in the US. Bera is seeking his third consecutive term from California.

Krishnamoorthi, who previously was the policy director and a senior advisor for Barack Obama's 2004 US Senate campaign, and served as an advisor to Obama's 2008, served as deputy treasurer of Illinois from 2007-09 under Illinois Treasurer

Alexi Giannoulias, and in 2010 ran for the Democratic nomination for Illinois State Comptroller, losing to David E Miller by less than one per cent of the vote.

Born in New Delhi on July 19, 1973, his parents immigrated to Buffalo, New York, when he was three months old.

Krishnamurthi currently serves as president of Sivananthan Labs and Episolar, Inc, small businesses that develop and sell products in the national security and renewable energy industries.

He is a co-founder of InSPIRE, a non-profit organisation that provides training to Illinois students and veterans in solar technology, and was formerly vice chairman of the Illinois Innovation Council, whose mission is to promote innovative technologies that support economic growth and job creation in Illinois.

The eighth congressional district has quite a lot Asian-Americans along with a sizeable Indian-American population.
"Neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton represent the values and ideals of America.

After long quarrels, it is finally getting close to being over.

George Joseph hears from voters.

IMAGE: A young voter on the East Coast prepares to make her voice heard. Photograph: Mohammed Jaffer/Snapsindia

It is relieving. After long quarrels, it is finally getting close to being over, Sam Kannappan, one of the founders of the Meenakshi Temple in Houston, Texas, told Rediff.com.

Whether a Hillary Clinton supporter or a Donald Trump supporter, voters across the United States were almost unanimous in the consensus that never had they witnessed an election with such unprecedented tension. They also agreed that the end of November 8 would be a relief.

A poll conducted by the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and Odyssey showed how people viewed both candidates.

About a quarter of the millennials polled said they would rather the earth be struck by a meteor than vote for any of the 2016 presidential nominees. The poll had asked 1,247 people between the ages 18-35 to choose between having Clinton for president, Trump for president, Barack Obama appointing himself to a life term, a lottery that chooses a random US citizen to serve as president or a meteor strike that ends human life. About 39 per cent of respondents preferred an Obama life term, 26 per cent opted for a random lottery and 23 per cent favored a meteor strike.

Bhavana Vasudev, an activist in Columbia, South Carolina, and a close friend of the states Indian-American Governor Nikki Haley said she was saddened by the state of politics in America right now, although she acknowledged that it was far superior to that of most other countries.

Neither candidate represents the values and ideals of America, she told Rediff.com. They are equally tainted by their own set of demons.

As a female I would love to see a woman as president, however, I would prefer to see Nikki Haley as the first woman to lead this great nation, she said. Hillary is too tainted by her obligation to various special interest groups. She let an Ambassador of the United States die under her watch and constantly displays her bad judgement with her handling of classified material.

She added, As a woman born in India, raised in America, and a cancer survivor I am not scared of too many things in life. The incompetence of the system and media bias scares me for my children and their future.

Revealing that her house was voting against Hillary, incumbents, career politicians and for the prosperous American dream that brought Indian nationals to American shores, Vasudev noted: My youngest son is 21. He voted for the first time, he cast his ballot for Trump. I am so proud that he made his choice by not what is popular or that he feels intimated by others but that he wants to see a shake up in the system.

The New York Times, in an editorial, noted that the changes brought by this election cycle would not end on November 8 with the election of the new American president.

This election year has been an exhausting parade of ugliness, the Times said. Hate sells. Racism, bigotry and misogyny, Donald Trump has proved, can energize a national campaign. Mr Trump has shown it is feasible to recruit the alt-right, conspiracy theorists, white supremacists and anti-Semites as ferocious allies without alienating reliable Republican voters.

It added, Economic anxiety is high. Americans of all backgrounds --whites, blacks, Latinos, men, women, people in rural and urban communities -- have this in common: They are worried about their economic future But Mr Trump has outdone even Bernie Sanders in tapping this anxiety. While economic worries cut across all demographic lines, he has gotten away with exploiting the real concerns by attacking immigrants and trade agreements, but offering no cogent policies for creating good jobs and lifting wages.

The editorial board also noted, The media enable extreme candidates and the parties are too fragile to stop them In democratizing the media, Twitter and Facebook have also made it possible for Americans to encounter only the messages they want to hear. Desperate for ratings, Fox News, CNN and other networks handed Mr Trump an open mike early in the contest. And having fanned the flames of extreme partisanship for years, Republican leaders were powerless in the primaries to stop Mr Trumps rise, and then were afraid to alienate his supporters by opposing him in the general election.

IMAGE: Sikhs and Muslims have borne the brunt of the ugly electoral narrative. Photographs: Mohammed Jaffer/Snapsindia

Meanwhile, even as Hispanics seemed to throng the polling booths from early morning -- this election has noted a much higher voter turnout from the community that was so maligned by Trump -- fewer than expected Indian-American voters were seen in places where the community has a large presence.

Many of them will come in the evening to vote when they return from work, Dr Aney Paul, Rockland County Legislator in New York, told Rediff.com.

Thampy Chacko, president of the Federation of Kerala Associations in North America, who went to vote in the morning urged every citizen to vote. Whoever wins, it will be historic, he noted.
Indian-American Kamala Harris has scripted history when she emerged victorious in the key election for the United States Senate seat from California, becoming the first black and Asian Senator from the state.

Harris, 52, California's Attorney General, is the first Indian-American to achieve the feat.

She defeated fellow Democrat Loretta Sanchez.

Harris is also the sixth black individual to be elected to the US Senate. US President Barack Obama was the fifth black elected Senator.

She is the first black woman elected to the upper chamber in more than two decades, becoming the first Indian-American to achieve the feat. Harris has become only the second black woman in the nation's history to serve in the US Senate.

California had never before elected a black or Latino politician to the US Senate. By electing her, voters tore down a colour barrier that has stood for as long as California statehood.

Media reports showed Harris, a two-term attorney general, was winning by more than 1.3 million votes.

"Kamala will take the oath of office as California's next Senator on January 3, 2017," said the office of the Senate elect.

Her mother Shyamala Gopalan came to the US from Chennai in 1960 to study science, specifically endocrinology and complex mechanisms of cancer.

Harris' father Donald grew up in Jamaica, where he became a national scholar and earned the opportunity to study economics Kamala was born in Oakland, California.

Harris was also the first woman elected as San Francisco's district attorney and the first woman to be elected as California's attorney general.

She would replace Barbara Boxer who announced her retirement in 2014 after serving more than two decades in the Senate.

Described by Obama as "fearless", Harris, who was born in Oakland, California, may push for strong India-US ties.

Considered to be protege of Obama, she is expected to be a fierce advocate of India US relationship.

She headed into the US Senate election with a considerable lead over fellow Democrat Sanchez, whose plan to coalesce Republicans and Latinos behind her could not materialise.

Photograph: Gary Cameron/Reuters
The 30-year-old Democrat ran a spirited race in the 7th Congressional District in New Jersey, which is a Republican bastion.

George Joseph reports from New Jersey.

Peter Jacob, a young Democrat in New Jersey, ran a spirited campaign against incumbent Republican Congressman Leonard Lance in the 7th District in New Jersey, but lost the race. The 30-year-old Indian American received 78,341 votes (41 per cent) against Lances 105,012 (56 per cent) in the Republican bastion.

Jacob, a Progressive who supported Bernie Sanders in the presidential election and was later endorsed by the Senator from Vermont, had told us at the start of his campaign that he was drawn to politics, not because of power latent in it, but owing to a genuine desire to work for the public.

The Kerala-born Jacob believed that Lance, who came in as a moderate conservative in 2008, has drifted further right with each election, reflecting the general mood of the GOP. He had also claimed that dissatisfaction had grown in the district, with people being unhappy about Lances resolve to block any Supreme Court nominee from Obama, to help repeal the Affordable Care Act, and other laws legislation supported by the Obama administration.

Apart from pointing to pesky potholes, bad bridges, he had also said, Lance is not bringing investment into New Jersey or encouraging green energy in the state.

-- FULL COVERAGE: US ELECTION 2016

Jacob had also addressed the issues of how the real estate market was hit by the high property taxes, and said that, if elected, he would love to partner with state and local governments by getting everyone to pay their fair share of taxes, including the corporations who manage to avoid doing so.

And reflecting his background as a social worker, he had added, Theres too much money in politics. Money has become speech and corporations have become people.

Jacob ran his campaign in the face of racist attacks from right-wing groups, including his house being vandalized with Nazi swastikas.

In the final days of the race, he faced negative advertisements from the Lance campaign. To counter them, Jacob had appealed for funds. He received $140,000 in two days, and his Jacob Peter told Rediff.com, The money came from ordinary people who sent small amounts and not from corporate donors.

-- With inputs from P Rajendran

Image: Kerala-born Peter Jacob had the endorsement of erstwhile Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Photograph Courtesy: Peterjacob2016/Facebook
The New Delhi-born Krishnamoorthi, a lifelong progressive, was always the front-runner in the race against Republican Peter DiCianni. They were vying for the seat vacated by Tammy Duckworth, who won Illinoiss US Senate seat.

Even as America stood on razors edge over the Presidential election, the Indian-American community chalked up a win with Raja Krishnamoorthis successful race to the United States Congress.

Thank you! Im honored and humbled to be the next Congressman of Illinois 8th District, the Democrat from Schaumburg, a suburb of Chicago, declared soon after the Associated Press declared him winner with most precincts reporting.

The New Delhi-born Krishnamoorthi, a lifelong progressive, was always the front-runner in the race against Republican Peter DiCianni. They were vying for the seat vacated by Tammy Duckworth, who won Illinoiss US Senate seat.

He not only led in the polls but also the fundraising -- collecting more than 11 times as much money as DiCianni by the end of September, according to reports -- and the endorsement. On the eve of the election he was confident and buoyed by a second endorsement from President Barack Obama, this time on video, and the conservative Chicago Tribune.

In the video -- which had featured a photo of Obama at Krishnamoorthis home enjoying Indian food -- the US president had said, When I ran for the US Senate, Raja helped me develop ideas for building an economy that works for everyone. Now Rajas plans will help small businesses grow, raise wages, and help families pay for college. The polls are open now, so dont waste a minute. Vote Raja Krishnamoorthi for Congress.

And the Tribunes endorsement of Krishnamoorthi had nicely rounded off his impressive list of endorsements just before November 8. The newspaper had found his resume a good balance of business, government and political experience, with his service as a former deputy treasurer for Illinois and assistant Illinois attorney general, along with his work as a small business leader now running two high-tech businesses in the national security and renewable energy sectors.

I was thrilled, Krishnamoorthi told us. The Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Daily Herald, dont usually agree on much. As you mentioned, the Tribune is a conservative-leaning newspaper, the Sun-Times is a progressive leaning newspaper, and the Daily Herald is an independent-minded newspaper. So, for them to all agree that I am the best candidate and that my agenda of fighting for working class families is the best one to pursue right now, is very heartening. I am thrilled by the endorsements.

The early voting trends had also put Krishnamoorthi ahead. The trends look very good, the would-be Congressman told us last week. There has been heavy voting in my Congressional district and things look very positive. But on the other hand, we do have a week to go and we have to make sure that people continue the trend.

And the trend did continue.

In conversations with us, Krishnamoorthi had also emphasised the importance of Indian Americans participating in the political process.

Voting is like having a seat at the table, and if you dont have a seat at the table, you are not on the menu, he had said, adding, If I am privileged to come out on top, it will be a victory for all of us, not just for one person -- thats for sure.

The road ahead

Krishnamoorthi will bring to the US Congress his experiences as issues director in President Obamas successful US Senate campaign in 2004 when he helped shape policy proposals that Obama embarked on in federal office, as deputy treasurer of Illinois, as special assistant in the Illinois Attorney Generals public integrity unit, and an entrepreneur.

He had put forward a four-point plan for affordable college education for children from working families, while declaring that higher education was the key to the future of these families and the nation. He had said his plan would tear down the barriers that are contributing to our nations increasing income inequality and hurting our economic growth.

Krishnamoorthi had said his plan would be fully paid for by cutting unnecessary military programs, including, but not limited to, littoral combat ships and the Osprey tilt rotor aircraft. He argued that this could free up tens of billions of dollars in the next decade that would be better invested in helping more students attend college.

As the child of immigrants to this country who struggled financially to get by, loans and scholarships enabled me to get a higher education, he had said. Unfortunately, its becoming more and more difficult for families like mine to afford a higher education today. By changing our spending priorities in Washington and providing the right incentives to families and businesses, we can make sure that the next generation of Americans has the tools and knowledge they need to succeed.

With regard to the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare, which is being slammed by Republicans and other critics since the premiums are expected to rise by more than 25 percent, Krishnamoorthi said he would work in Congress to tweak this legislation to make it work better for the millions of Americans who earlier had no health care insurance at all.

I believe it will be a priority for many people because we have to ensure that the Affordable Care Act offers affordably priced premiums for working families, he said. The biggest priority is to make sure that younger, healthier people join the ACA and broaden the risk pool and help to reduce premiums.

But, he argued, That has to be done in a bi-partisan fashion and I sincerely hope that we can work with people across the aisle on this challenge.

And with regard to US-India ties, Krishnamoorthi had said, Obviously, I am a very strong proponent of bolstering these ties. I am excited that India and the US are engaging with each other on multiple levels -- not only from an economic standpoint, but most importantly, from a people-to-people and cultural standpoint.

He had added, You may know this already, but there are only three non-stop direct flights to India from the United States. One is from Newark, New Jersey, and others are from JFK (Airport in New York) and Chicago. Ive spoken with the station chiefs here for that non-stop direct flight, and they say that it is a hot ticket to say the least. Its not just Indian Americans going to India. Apparently, half of the plane-loads are people of other ethnicities and thats a good thing because the more people of the United States and the people of India get to know each other, get to do business with each other, the better off the relationship would be. I am very excited about that, and I am all for encouraging and supporting these people-to-people connections.

With inputs from Aziz Haniffa

Image: Raja Krishnamoorthi after he won the Democratic primary earlier this year. He was always the front runner from the 8th Congressional District of Illinois. Photograph: Courtesy: facebook.com/rajaforcongress
With Ro Khanna defeating eight-term incumbent Mike Honda, for the first time in history the Indian Diaspora has three of its own in the US Congress.

Ritu Jha reports from California.

IMAGE: As a former deputy assistant secretary in the US Department of Commerce under President Barack Obama and for his work as a vice president of Strategic Initiatives at Smart Utility Systems, Ro Khanna is admired by Silicon Valley companies. Photograph: Ritu Jha

Just like the last time Fremont-based attorney Ro Khanna, 40, a Democrat, challenged United States Congressman Mike Honda, also a Democrat, in District 17 of California theirs was one of the most heated Congressional races in the country. What was different this time was that the challenger leaped ahead of the eight-term incumbent.

Khanna won 59.8 percent (85,311) of the votes while Honda secured 40.2 percent (57,378).

Khannas win puts three Indian Americans in the US Congress, a huge leap for a community that has had only three of its own -- always one at a time -- in the Congress since it first arrived on American shores.

If Representative Ami Bera retains his seat in the Congress, the tally will go up to a historic four Indian Americans in the US Congress.

Khanna held a victory party on the night of November 8 at the Royal Palace Banquets in Fremont.

He extended his friendship and respect to Honda, saying, "I acknowledged tonight Congressman Mike Honda long career in public service.

Then pointing to himself and his parents, Khanna said, They must have never imagined it, when they took the oath of citizenship that a son of a school teacher (his mother) and an engineer (father) who came to this country with no money is going to represent the top economic district in the world. They raised us to believe that in America anything is possible.

Soon after his victory speech, Khanna -- surrounded by supporters -- spoke to Rediff.com. My first job now is to bring the country together after a very, very decisive campaign, he said. I think we have to find a common ground in this country.

Among Khannas supporters at the party were his parents, his wife and in-laws.

I am proud of him, Khannas mother Jyotsna told Rediff.com. He worked very hard. I think he will continue working very hard for this district.

His mother-in-law Usha Ahuja said, We are really very happy for Ro. He is a very ambitious young man, and he will be very good for the country.

His father-in-law Monte Ahuja, chairman and CEO, MURA Holdings LLC, added, We are very privileged and excited to see our son-in-law be a US Congressman. We are really, really thrilled. Its a great honour to have one of our own serve this country.

Though he had lost to Honda, an icon in the Asian-American community in 2014, Khanna was confident from the start that he would win comfortably this time.

We are in great shape to win this time, he had told us earlier. Honda is done. Everyone knows it. The ongoing ethics scandal has crippled his candidacy and any hope of re-election. Most of the local endorsers are switching Hes barely trying because even he sees the writing on the wall and most of his money is going into his legal defence.

He had said, We are not just going to win, but win decisively.

Khanna went on to defeat Honda in the primary, but as per Californias election rules the top two candidates -- regardless of the party, and no Republican made the cut -- went to the general elections November 8.

The campaign races turned nastier in September when Honda filed a lawsuit against Khanna, his firm Ro For Congress, Inc, and his campaign manager Brian Parvizshahi, alleging that they had accessed confidential and proprietary documents related to the Congressmans election campaign, which is a violation of federal law.

All this is baseless. He is doing all this because he thinks he has lost, Khanna had said. There is evidence that the lawsuit is very flimsy. I think there should be sanctions against lawyers for this lawsuit. I thought this was his dirty tricks again. But I didnt think he would be stupid and commit perjury I think this is very dangerous for him. I think he has really broken more rules.

He had added, Last cycle he put a dot on my forehead, saying I would ship jobs overseas. This time, he has resorted to the lawsuit and likely perjuring himself. He is desperate and doesnt realize his days are done. This is killing his own legacy.

The rivals, however, arrived at a settlement before the preliminary injunction hearing.

IMAGE: Ro Khanna at his victory party last night with his family. On the right are his parents Jyotsna and Vijay Khanna. From the left are his father-in-law Monte Ahuja, wife Ritu and mother-in-law Usha. Photograph: Ritu Jha

Till the end, the Indian-American community remained split almost in the middle in their support for Khanna and Honda.

Venture capitalist Kamil Hasan, general partner, Granite Hill Capital Partners, LLC, said that Khanna had impressed him when he first ran against Tom Lantos, a Democratic from Californias 12th congressional district. That was about 10 years ago.

Though Khanna lost, I was impressed by his passion, his idealism and by his hard work, he said. I know he will win this time. We need a candidate like him. With the deadlock in Congress in Washington, DC, we need someone like Ro, who is young and dynamic and very hardworking. Who understand the issues very well, who can do a great job for the Silicon Valley as well as for the Indian-American community.

Hasan said he had supported Honda in the past, but now felt that he had been a Congressman for too long: I think he has lost his effectiveness We need a young dynamic leader who has a vision for the country going forward.

Longtime Democratic Party activist and fund-raiser Shekar Narasimhan, founder and chairman of the first ever Asian American Super PAC, the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Victory Fund, like many Indian Americans, however, remained solidly in Hondas corner, saying, Ive known Mike Honda for years and I have supported him.

But, he added, I am also very much in favour of Indian-Americans running and in that race, I am still going to say, its better for that district and for the country, if Mike Honda were to win. But, I will say that Ro has run helluva race and let the California voters and Silicon Valley decide this election.

At Khannas victory party, Hasan told Rediff.com, I am just so happy I just cannot express my happiness. I have been working with Ro for the last 10 years supporting him. It was like one of the biggest projects. I am really so happy that finally this is happening. Its a major achievement for our community and the Silicon Valley.
Hillary Clinton on Wednesday graciously accepted her defeat in the US Presidential election, saying she hopes Donald Trump will be a successful President for all Americans and that the "deeply divided" nation owes him "an open mind and the chance to lead."

IMAGE: Hillary Clinton, accompanied by her husband former President Bill Clinton, concedes the presidential election at the New Yorker Hotel. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

"This is not the outcome we wanted or we worked so hard for. And I'm sorry that we didn't win this election for the values we share and for the vision we hold for our country," Clinton told a large gathering of her supporters in New York in as she took the podium to concede the closely-fought elections.

Her supporters stood up and applauded as Clinton walked in with her husband Bill Clinton, daughter Chelsea and son-in-law Mark, and running mate Tim Kaine. Clinton put up a strong demeanor as she gave her concession speech, occasionally getting emotional and almost holding back tears.

Her campaign staff and supporters were seen hugging each other and holding hands, some visibly emotional and wiping away tears as they waited to hear from their presidential candidate.

IMAGE: Hillary greets running mate Tim Kaine and his wife Anne Holton. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Clinton, 69, apologised for not winning the election and said she will feel the pain of losing the election for long. As her supporters cheered and applauded for Clinton, she said she had congratulated Trump,70, and offered to work with him for the country.

"Last night I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country. I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans," she said.

Clinton said the nation must accept the outcome of the elections and move forward under the leadership of Trump.

IMAGE: Hillary hugs supporters after conceding the presidential election. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

"We must accept this result and look to the future. Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe Trump an open mind and the chance to lead. Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power and we don't just respect that we cherish it," she said.

Clinton's supporters gave her a standing ovation as she walked in to deliver her speech. "I know how disappointed you feel because I feel it too. This is painful and it will be for a long time. But our campaign was never about one person or even one election. it was about the country we love and about building an America thats hopeful inclusive and big-hearted," she said.

Clinton expressed "pride" for her supporters and the American people, saying "you represent the best of America and being your candidate has been one of the greatest honours of my life.

"We have seen our nation is more deeply divided than we thought. Lets do all we can to advance the values we hold dear," she said.

IMAGE: Staffers and supporters react as Hillary concedes the presidential election at the New Yorker Hotel. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Clinton also expressed gratitude to President Barack Obama and Michele Obama, saying the country owes them "an enormous debt of gratitude.

"We thank you for your graceful, determined leadership that has meant so much to people in the country and across the world," she said.
The only Indian-American in Congress won the election in 2012 and re-election in 2014 by wafer-thin margins. His race this year is officially a close contest.

Despite all of the criticism and vitriolic attacks on Dr Amerish Ami Beras credibility, in the wake of his 83-year-old father Babulal Bera being sentenced to prison in August for illegally funnelling money to his sons election campaign, the California Democrat is edging towards a re-election to Congress for his third term.

If elected, he will become the longest-serving Indian American in the US House of Representatives, beating out Dalip Singh Saund, also a Democrat from California, who served two terms in Congress in the 1960s.

With 100 per cent of the precincts in District 7 partially reporting in the wee hours of November 9 -- in a race that was officially termed a close contest -- Ami had 50.6 per cent of the votes as opposed to Scott R Jones, his Republican opponents 49.4 per cent.

A close contest is one which has less than a 2 per cent difference between the first and second place candidates. In these cases it is expected that election results will change throughout the 30-day canvass period (28 days for presidential electors and 30 days for all other contests) as vote-by-mail ballots, provisional ballots, and other ballots are tallied.

-- FULL US ELECTION 2016 COVERAGE

Beras election in 2012 and re-election in 2014 against long-time Republican incumbent and then challenger Doug Ose were also won by wafer-thin margins. But this time he faced what appeared to be his toughest electoral year.

Not only is his opponent a popular law enforcement official, Bera also faced internal dissent from Democrats in his own Sacramento constituency who were unhappy with some of his votes in the US Congress.

Its just some internal folks who were unhappy that I was supporting the Presidents desire to negotiate a trade deal, he had then said, arguing that hes a Democratic President after all.

Pressed if he was concerned about the dissent, considering these were his home town folks and his district constituents, he had reiterated, No. I always ran on the fact that I was going to present the entire district -- Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and thats largely what I am doing. Yet, theres a handful of folks that I think, want to drive the agenda. Ultimately, the agenda is driven by this diverse district that I represent.

The dissent, and even his father pleading guilty to election fraud (the authorities had cleared the Congressman of any wrongdoing) didnt have any impact on him in the primaries, which he won.

Longtime Democratic Party activist and fund-raiser Shekar Narasimhan, the founder and chairman of the first ever Asian American Super PAC, the AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) Victory Fund, gave Bera a 50-50 as he was in a tough race.

Narasimhan said, Ami has been elected twice and has a good ground game, so, I am going to say that Ami will win, over his Republican opponent, Sacramento County Sherrif Scott Jones, although everything depends on the turnout.

-- With inputs from Aziz Haniffa
World leaders are reacting with caution to Donald Trump's jaw-dropping victory in the US presidential election, with some of them reminding him of the democratic values and the global responsibility he carries.

French President Francois Hollande, who had earlier said Trump made him want to retch, expressed his reservations over his victory, saying "opens a period of uncertainty."

"This American election opens a period of uncertainty," he said in a statement that offered only brief congratulations to the controversial billionaire.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that any "close cooperation" between the US and her country must be based on shared democratic values, and reminded him of the global responsibility he carries.

"Germany and America share the values of democracy, freedom, respect for the rule of law and human dignity, regardless of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual

orientation or political belief.

"On the basis of these values, I offer close cooperation to the future president of the United States of America, Donald Trump," she said.

US' close ally and British Prime Minister Theresa May lauded Trump's victory, saying the two countries had an "enduring and special relationship" and would remain "close partners" in trade, security and defence.

"I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next US president following a hard-fought campaign. Britain and the United States have an enduring and

special relationship based on values of freedom, democracy and enterprise," May said in a statement issued by Downing Street.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was accused by Hillary Clinton of closeness to Trump, sent the winner a telegram to congratulate him and said Moscow is "ready to do our part and do everything to return relations to the trajectory of development".

Putin "expressed hope for mutual work on bringing US-Russia relations out of their critical condition as well as on working out outstanding issues on the international agenda" in his congratulatory telegram, the Kremlin said.

China's President Xi Jinping sent congratulations to Trump and said he looked forward to working with him, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

"I highly value China-US relations, and look forward to working together with you, and holding fast to mutual respect and non-conflict, non-confrontation," the channel cited Xi as saying in its nightly national broadcast.

During the campaign, Trump had accused China of snatching the jobs of the Americans. He had earlier claimed that Americans are living through the "greatest jobs theft" in the history of the world, saying US companies were moving out jobs to countries like China, Mexico and Singapore.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said there was "no possibility" of its nuclear deal with world powers being overturned by Trump despite his threat to dismantle it.

"Iran's understanding in the nuclear deal was that the accord was not concluded with one country or government but was approved by a resolution of the UN Security Council and there is no possibility that it can be changed by a single government," state television quoted Rouhani as telling his cabinet.

Saudi King Salman, meanwhile, expressed hope that Trump would bring stability to the Middle East.

"We wish your excellency success in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide," Salman said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also congratulated Trump on his "historic victory", saying his election is "indeed the triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights and free enterprise".

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to work "very closely" with Trump, saying "Canada has no closer friend, partner, and ally than the United States".

"We look forward to working very closely with President-elect Trump, his administration, and with the United States Congress in the years ahead, including on issues such as trade, investment and international peace and security," Trudeau said in a statement.

Turkey also joined other countries in sending congratulatory message to Trump, expressing hopes for a "new page" in relations.

"I congratulate Trump and I wish him success," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in a speech in Ankara. He said that he has urged Trump to extradite as soon as possible the US-based Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of masterminding the July coup bid.

Meanwhile, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt invoked Brexit on Twitter, saying, "looks like this will be the year of the double disaster of the West".

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also greeted Trump on his historic win, taking to the microblogging site to extend their wishes.

"My warm congratulations to US president-elect Donald J Trump on this historic victory," Sirisena tweeted.

"Congratulations to President elect for this historic win. Your path to the White House has indeed been truly remarkable," Wickremesinghe said.

Park Geun-hye, the president of South Korea, said she hopes the United States continues to cooperate with her country after the election of Donald Trump "to address pending issues, including the North Korea issue."

The Government of the Republic of Korea, upon Mr Trump's election, will continue to closely cooperate with the next US administration for the peace and prosperity in the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia region, as well as the world, through further deepening and developing the ROK-US alliance," the statement said.

Czech President Milos Zeman declared on Wednesday he was "very happy" with Donald Trump's election victory, saying he cut through political correctness and addressed key issues like migration.

Zeman, who is head of the NATO and European Union member state but does not steer day-to-day policies, endorsed Trump in September.

"I would like to cordially congratulate Donald Trump. I had, as one of few European politicians, declared public support for this candidate... because I agree with his opinions on migration as well as the fight against Islamic terrorism," Zeman told reporters in a rare press briefing at the Prague Castle.

-- FULL COVERAGE: US ELECTION 2016
India: Foreign Funding Law Used to Harass 25 Groups

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 8 November 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, India: Foreign Funding Law Used to Harass 25 Groups, 8 November 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822e3e24.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

The Indian central government's refusal to renew foreign funding licenses of 25 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) without valid reasons violates their rights to freedom of expression and association, Amnesty International India and Human Rights Watch said today.

On November 5, 2016, media reports quoted unnamed officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs as saying that the NGOs were denied permission under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), which regulates foreign funding for NGOs, because their activities are not in the "national interest". While the government has not published the list of affected groups, it appears to include several human rights organizations.

"The ability to access foreign funding is integral to the rights to free association and expression, which can only be restricted under narrow specified grounds," said Aakar Patel, Executive Director at Amnesty International India. "The Home Ministry's decision to prevent NGOs from receiving foreign funding without sound justification is mystifying. The Ministry has an obligation to show how these restrictions are necessary and proportionate."

On October 29, the Centre for Promotion of Social Concerns, a prominent Indian human rights organization better known by its programme unit People's Watch, said that its request for renewal of its foreign funding license under the FCRA had been denied. The FCRA website said: "On the basis of field agency report, the competent authority has decided to refuse [People's Watch's] application for renewal." No other reasons were given.

The previous central government had also targeted People's Watch in 2012 and 2013, suspending its FCRA three times for a total period of 18 months, and freezing the organization's bank accounts. People's Watch challenged the government's decision, and the Delhi High Court ruled in its favour in March 2014.

On October 21, the Ministry of Home Affairs also denied a request from the Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF), a network of NGOs and people's movements, for renewal of its FCRA license without providing any reasons. An email from the Ministry to INSAF merely said: "Your application has been refused due to following reasons: Your application for renewal is refused." INSAF also had its FCRA license suspended in April 2013, but the Delhi High Court quashed the suspension in September that year.

On October 28, 2016, the Ministry of Home Affairs also sent a one-line email to the NGO Hazards Centre, a unit of the Sanchal Foundation, stating that their application for renewal had been denied "on the basis of field agency report".

On November 3, the Ministry of Home Affairs said it had cancelled the FCRA licenses of 11,319 NGOs that had not applied for renewal of their licenses by the June 30 deadline. It said that the applications of another 1,736 NGOs were "closed due to non-submission of documents or deficient documents." These NGOs have been given a chance to make further submissions by November 8.

Successive governments have used the FCRA as a political tool to harass groups critical of government views and actions, Amnesty International India and Human Rights Watch said.

The law's use of broad and vague terms such as "public interest" and "national interest" have left it open to abuse. In May, the Modi government temporarily suspended the FCRA status of the Lawyers Collective, an organization founded by well-known senior lawyers Anand Grover and Indira Jaising, citing alleged violations under the FCRA. The charges appeared to be politically motivated because of their work in routinely representing people in cases against the current government, including Priya Pillai of Greenpeace India and Teesta Setalvad, an activist who has been seeking justice for victims of the 2002 communal violence in Gujarat.

In cases where organizations challenged the suspension of their FCRA, the courts have generally ruled in their favour. The courts have also repeatedly reminded the government that in a democracy, dissent should not be muzzled. The Delhi High Court, in ruling for Greenpeace India activist Pillai, who had been prevented from traveling to London to raise concerns over a coal plant, said: "Many civil right activists believe that they have the right, as citizens, to bring to the notice of the state the incongruity in the developmental policies of the state. The state may not accept the views of the civil right activists, but that by itself cannot be a good enough reason to do away with dissent."

The rights to freedom of association and expression are laid down in instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which India is a state party. They are also guaranteed under the Indian Constitution. Under international law, restrictions on free association and expression on national security grounds must be strictly construed, and necessary and proportionate to address a legitimate threat. While it is appropriate to regulate and scrutinize the financial affairs of not-for-profit organizations and NGOs to address corruption and legitimate national security concerns, the FCRA is too broad and unnecessarily infringes on the activities of organizations that address social issues in India.

In April 2016, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of assembly and association published a legal analysis asserting that the FCRA did not conform to international law, principles, and standards. In June 2016, the UN Special Rapporteurs on human rights defenders, on freedom of expression, and on freedom of association, called on the Indian government to repeal the FCRA, which they said was "being used more and more to silence organisations involved in advocating civil, political, economic, social, environmental or cultural priorities, which may differ from those backed by the Government."

Even as the authorities use the FCRA to tighten restrictions on nongovernmental groups, in March the government amended the law to retroactively legalize funding by foreign entities to political parties. This amendment is especially ironic given that the FCRA was enacted primarily to prohibit political parties, politicians, and election candidates from accepting foreign support to prevent foreign interests from affecting Indian elections.

The Indian government should repeal the FCRA, or amend it so that it does not interfere with the rights to freedom of expression and association, and cannot be misused for political reasons to restrict the peaceful activities of nongovernmental organizations, Amnesty International India and Human Rights Watch said.

"While India is actively encouraging foreign investment in key industries, it is trying to deny funding for efforts to assist the most vulnerable and marginalized," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director at Human Rights Watch. "The government should engage with those seeking rights reform and empower these groups, instead of treating criticism as a threat to be quashed."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
Emotional family reunions highlight need for psychosocial care for all girls abducted by Boko Haram

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Emotional family reunions highlight need for psychosocial care for all girls abducted by Boko Haram, 19 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822e64e40e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

19 October 2016 - After more than two years of being held hostage by Boko Haram insurgents in north-east Nigeria, the 21 recently-released Chibok girls have finally been reunited with their families, however, their return emphasizes the necessity of urgent and intensive psychosocial care, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Gianfranco Rotigliano, Representative of UNICEF Nigeria, stated that the release of the girls is very good news, and it is nice to see them reunite with their families, however, "we must keep pressing for all the women and children held by Boko Haram to be freed."

He also stressed that those who have been victims of Boko Haram still have a long road to recovery and a difficult process of rebuilding their lives after the trauma they have suffered.

UNICEF estimates that Boko Haram has abducted thousands of women and girls, including more than 200 school girls in Chibok in April 2014. The agency has made efforts to support hundreds of the girls and women who have been released or escaped from Boko Haram.

Many of the girls have been subjected to rape, forced marriages, beatings, and starvation, resulting in a significant number of them returning pregnant or with babies. In addition, those who return to safety are often ill, traumatized, exhausted, and in need of psychological and medical attention.

UNICEF reports that not only is it hard for the women and girls to get back to normal life, upon returning to their families but they are also feared within their communities. People are afraid that these girls have been indoctrinated by Boko Haram and may be used as suicide bombers. Their children, if born as a result of sexual violence, are also very likely to face rejection and abandonment.

UNICEF has partnered up with International Alert, and for the past 10 months has been providing psychological support to the female victims of Boko Haram's violence, as well as promoting acceptance and addressing negative perceptions that these women and girls endure within the affected communities.

The agency's reintegration assistance programme became possible through funding from the Swedish International Development Agency and the United Kingdom Department for International Development, providing an opportunity to help more than 750 women and girls subjected to Boko Haram-related sexual violence.

However, the issue of women and girls facing violence while being held by Boko Haram has not been eliminated yet, and the long-term provision of essential support remains heavily underfunded, according to UNICEF.
In turbulent Middle East, UN envoy warns against 'sleep-walking into another violent conflict'

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, In turbulent Middle East, UN envoy warns against 'sleep-walking into another violent conflict', 19 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822e67940e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

19 October 2016 - As the absence of progress towards a two-state solution has led to growing anger and frustration among Palestinians and profound disillusionment among Israelis, the top United Nations Middle East envoy warned today: "We must all avoid the risk of sleep-walking into another violent conflict at a time when the region as a whole needs moderate forces" to stand up to rising radicalization.

"Allow me to also be abundantly clear to those who build tunnels, fire rockets, smuggle military materiel, profit from the black market or seek to create confrontation: their actions are dangerous and irresponsible," the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, told the Council via videoconference.

Expressing concern at recent violence in East Jerusalem and the ensuing "glorification" of the attack by Hamas and other groups, the Special Coordinator further noted that a long-term solution to the issues in the region could only be reached through negotiations, not violence.

He reported that Israel continues its settlement planning, including recent promotion of an initial 98 out of 300 housing units in Shilo, located deep in the occupied West Bank, noting that if implemented, this plan would "drive a wedge" between north and south in the West Bank and jeopardize the contiguity of a future Palestinian state.

Mr. Mladenov also reiterated the position of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the two-state solution.

The Special Coordinator also expressed concern at postponement of local council elections in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, noting that the resulting political disputes, accusations, legal challenges and counter-challenges have left the people of the two enclaves feeling more apart. He also expressed concern at recent calls by Hamas legislators in Gaza for the Hamas-led government to resume its work in Gaza.

"Such a step would seriously undermine the Palestinian Government of National Consensus and would also make the reconciliation almost impossible," Mr. Mladenov warned.

Further reiterating the joint position of Russia, the United States, the European Union (EU) and the UN Secretary-General, as stated in the recent report issued by the diplomatic Quartet on the Middle East peace process, that the illicit arms build-up and militant activity in Gaza must be terminated, Mr. Mladenov cautioned that such actions increase the risk of a new escalation of hostilities and keep thousands of people on both sides of the border under a constant threat of attack.

Such a step would seriously undermine the Palestinian Government of National Consensus and would also make the reconciliation almost impossible

He further added that the militant threat, however, should not serve as "an excuse" for Israel to indiscriminately harm civilians in Gaza. "In addition to the continuing severely restrictive closures, I am concerned by persistent incursions and the almost daily firing and shelling by Israeli forces into Gaza along the fence and at sea," said the UN official.

He also informed the 15-member body of his recent visit to Gaza and the significant slowdown of reconstruction projects due to import limitations and revoking of projects and urged all parties to the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism to recommit to ensuring its smooth operation. "Failing to do that will put in question the viability of the mechanism and undermine the precarious calm in Gaza today," he said.

Concluding his briefing, Mr. Mladenov reminded the Security Council that Gaza's future is intricately linked to the future of the Palestinian people. He added: "The longer its population continues to suffer under the intolerable weight of Gaza's current dynamics, the further Palestinians are from realizing that objective, and the closer we are to the next major escalation."

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien briefs the Security Council. UN Photo/Kim Haughton

For his part, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien highlighted that humanitarian needs continue to be high and that nearly every resident in the occupied Palestinian territory is recognized as being affected by the protection crisis.

"In Gaza, humanitarian needs stem from nearly 10 years of closures and restrictions imposed by Israel following the military takeover by Hamas," said Mr. O'Brien, adding that the situation has been exasperated by successive rounds of hostilities between Hamas and Israel, internal Palestinian political divisions and Egypt's near complete closure of its border crossing with Gaza.

He added that such events had left half of Gaza's households with severe food insecurity, and lacking clean water and reliable electricity.

The worst sufferers, Mr. O'Brien said, were the children. "A 10-year-old child today has already experienced three rounds of conflict in her short life. Nearly 230,000 children continue to be in need of psychosocial support and an estimated 250,000 children require mine risk awareness, due to the prevalence of explosive remnants of war. Israeli children along the Gaza border have been impacted as well and continue to live in fear."

A 10-year-old child today has already experienced three rounds of conflict in her short life

Recalling his earlier briefing this year to the Council, Mr. O'Brien, also the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and the head of UN humanitarian wing (OCHA), underlined the need for collective action address the humanitarian needs.

"We must move towards decisive action that will reduce humanitarian needs, secure respect for international law and bring to Palestinians and Israelis alike the hope and reality of a stable, peaceful and prosperous future," he said.

Mosul: Though no large-scale displacement, concerns remain for 1.5 million civilians

Further in his briefing, the UN humanitarian chief updated Council members on the humanitarian situation in Iraq, particularly in light of the military operation to recapture Mosul. He reported that military activities remain concentrated in less populated areas, with no large-scale civilian displacement recorded at this stage.

However, he expressed deep concerns over the safety of up to 1.5 million people living in the city as hostilities intensify and progress towards densely populated areas.

"We believe families in Mosul will be at great risk during this operation, of getting caught in cross-fire or directly targeted by snipers as they foraged for food," he said, expressing worry that civilians may be used as human shields or be forcibly expelled and become trapped between front lines.

"The elderly, the disabled, and pregnant women, may be unable to move to safety without assistance and on past evidence the so called Islamic State's practices cause the greatest concern for protection issues," he added.

According to OHCA estimates, some 200,000 people may be displaced over the coming weeks, with up to one million displaced in the course of the operation in a worst-case scenario. Of these, it is estimated that 700,000 will require shelter and emergency assistance.

Shelter has so far been prepared for 60,000 people in camps and emergency sites, and preparation of sites for a further 250,000 people is accelerating. Emergency supplies are being pre-positioned close to displacement sites; mobile clinics, health, and protection teams are prepared; and food trucks are on standby.
UN relief wing and partners ready to rush in aid once pause in Yemen fighting begins

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN relief wing and partners ready to rush in aid once pause in Yemen fighting begins, 19 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822e69840e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

19 October 2016 - Following a month that saw civilians continuing to bear the brunt of the conflict in Yemen, a 72-hour halt to fighting set to take effect later today is welcome, but not nearly enough time, according to a senior United Nations relief official, who appealed for more predictable access to be able deliver aid to hard-to-reach communities caught up in the crisis.

"By having just access for 72 hours you interrupt your planning by diverting attention somewhere else. But if we can have those areas open at all times and we can plan differently and we can supply better," said the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick, speaking to UN Radio by phone from the Yemeni capital, Sana'a.

This past Monday, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, announced a plan for the resumption of a comprehensive cessation of hostilities in the war-torn Gulf nation. According to his Office, the Special Envoy has received assurances from all Yemeni parties of their recommitment to the Terms and Conditions of the Cessation of Hostilities of 10 April 2016, which will re-enter into force at midnight tonight Yemen time, for an initial period of 72 hours, "subject to renewal."

Yemen is one of the poorest countries on earth and the 18-month-old conflict has had a terrible effect on its people, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which estimates that nearly half the population - or just over 12 million people - are now in need of some form of assistance. The UN-facilitated peace talks between a Yemeni Government delegation and a delegation of the General People's Congress and Ansar Allah ended on 6 August.

The pause in the fighting cannot come soon enough for the people of the country and Mr. McGoldrick stressed today that one of the key priorities will be to getting aid to people in the city of Taiz, which has been hard-hit amid clashes between Government forces and Houthi rebels.

Humanitarian aid supplies being unloaded at the port of Hodeidah, Yemen. Photo: UNICEF/Abdulkareem Alayyashi

Some 600,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in the central Yemeni city, the UN says, in a plea for funding from the international community. Other places that need urgent help include Marad and the capital Sana'a, where airstrikes were reported on Wednesday.

Getting that aid into Yemen continues to be a huge challenge, with one of the country's main ports, Hodeidah, still crippled from airstrikes that damaged its huge cranes that used to offload ships.

"What that means is that many ships spend a lot of time trying to offload [] and we've seen reports of goods being kept on the open sea for too long and by the time they get to shore the foodstuffs have actually been spoiled," explained Mr. McGoldrick.

The lack of food coming into Yemen is insufficient to satisfy the needs of the population, and this has led to widespread malnutrition.

According to the UN, nearly three million people - mainly children under five - need food aid and 1.3 million youngsters are acutely malnourished.

To help counter this, the UN has called for $1.63 billion from the international community. To date, this appeal is less than 47 per cent funded.

In addition to the violence, Yemen now faces the threat of cholera, with the country's Health Ministry on 6 October, having confirmed 15 cases - 11 cases in Sana'a and four cases in Al Bayda, according to OCHA.
UN mission in Afghanistan reports 'worrying' rise in child casualties

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN mission in Afghanistan reports 'worrying' rise in child casualties, 19 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822e6d840c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

19 October 2016 - Even though overall conflict-related civilian casualty numbers in Afghanistan fell by one per cent in the first nine months of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015, child casualties saw a marked increase of 15 per cent, the United Nations mission in the country said today.

According to the latest figures released by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), of the total 8,397 casualties (2,562 deaths and 5,835 injured), 29.3 per cent or 2,461 casualties were children (639 deaths and 1,822 injured).

Increased fighting in densely populated areas makes it imperative for parties to take immediate steps to ensure all feasible precautions are being taken to spare civilians from harm, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, Tadamichi Yamamoto, said today in a news release issued by the mission.

Of particular concern, UNAMA noted in the release, was the continued rise in child casualties. In the first nine months of this year, 2,461 child casualties (639 deaths and 1,822 injured) were document, a 15 per cent increase over the same period in 2015. Ground engagements caused more than half of all child casualties in 2016 and some 84 per cent victims of unexploded ordnance were children.

Emphasizing the need to protect children, UNAMA Human Rights Director Danielle Belle stressed: All parties must systematically track, mark and clear unexploded ordinance in order protect current and future generations of children from harm.

The mission also noted a total of 877 women civilian casualties (240 deaths and 637 injured). This number had dropped 12 per cent from last year, primarily due to fewer women casualties from suicide and complex attacks, as well as from improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

In terms of actors causing the casualties, the mission said that anti-Government elements caused about 61 per cent (5,143) of the total casualties, including 1,569 deaths and 3,574 injured. About 23 per cent (1,897; 623 deaths and 1,274 injured) of all casualties were attributed to pro-Government forces. 11 per cent of civilian casualties resulted from ground fighting between anti-Government elements and pro-Government forces where the responsible party could not be identified and unattributed unexploded ordnance caused the majority of the remaining civilian casualties (5 per cent).

While UNAMA noted significant decreases in civilian casualties caused by IEDs (by 22 per cent) and targeted killings (by 30 per cent), it also found that ground engagements between pro-Government forces and anti-Government elements (accounting for 39 per cent of all civilian casualties) had increased by 18 per cent compared to the same period in 2015.

Notwithstanding these decreases, attacks conducted by anti-Government elements directly targeting civilians or in areas with a large civilian presence also continued. One sobering incident was the 23 July suicide attack against a crowd of peaceful demonstrators in Kabul that killed 85 persons and injured more than 400. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Da'esh) had claimed responsibility for the attack.

The mission also documented a number of conflict-related incidents targeting health-care and educational facilities, as well as humanitarian de-miners, polio vaccinators, and those providing humanitarian aid. Since 1 January, there have been 75 such attacks including a suicide attack at the American University of Afghanistan on 24 August, which killed 13 civilians and injured 48.

In the news release today, UNAMA underscored that attacks directly targeting civilians may constitute war crimes and called on all parties to the conflict to abide by international humanitarian law.

During the reporting period, UNAMA also documented 1,897 civilian casualties (623 deaths and 1,274 injured) caused by pro-Government forces, a 42 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2015. The majority of these occurred in the context of ground fighting between pro-Government forces and anti-Government elements.

Furthermore, civilian casualties caused by aerial strikes by pro-Government forces (292 civilian casualties, including 133 deaths and 159 injured) rose by almost 72 per cent. One third of these casualties were caused by international military forces, said the mission.
Mosul: UN mission calls for Iraqi unity behind Government forces fighting ISIL

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 18 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Mosul: UN mission calls for Iraqi unity behind Government forces fighting ISIL, 18 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822e73840d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

18 October 2016 - With the military operations under way to wrest the control of Mosul from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) terrorists, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) today called on the Iraqi people to unite in support of their country's armed forces and is urging "that every step be taken to avoid civilian casualties."

In Bagdad, the UN Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs, Gyorgy Busztin, said that "at this fateful juncture in Iraq's history," all Iraqis should unite behind their armed forces in the battle to free their fellow citizens from the Da'esh terrorists.

"This liberation is an Iraqi operation backed by the entire international community, and the United Nations fully supports the Government of Iraq's efforts to free its land from the terrorists and restore the rule of law over its territory," he added.

Mr. Busztin emphasised that every effort be made to ensure the protection of the civilian population from the effects of armed conflict and violence in accordance with the relevant principles of international human rights and humanitarian law.

"The people of Mosul and Ninewa have already suffered tremendously. We are confident that the suffering and the humiliation of the millions who were forced to live under Da'esh's reign of terror in the country will soon end," he stated.

Mr. Busztin said the liberation must be followed by genuine dialogue leading to an historic compromise among all components of Iraqi society in order to consolidate victory and ensure sustainable peace for the future.

UNAMI is a political mission established by the UN Security Council at the request of the Iraqi Government. It has been on the ground ever since, with its role greatly expanded in 2007.

Headed by the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Iraq who is supported by two deputies, the Mission is mandated to advise and assist the Government and people of Iraq on a number of fronts, including advancing inclusive, political dialogue and national reconciliation, assisting in the electoral process and in the planning for a national census, facilitating regional dialogue between Iraq and its neighbours, and promoting the protection of human rights and judicial and legal reform.

The mandate also tasks UNAMI with working with government partners and civil society to coordinate the humanitarian and development efforts of the UN agencies, funds and programmes. While UNAMI itself does not implement or deliver humanitarian and development programmes, it recognizes the critical importance of supporting the partnership and technical cooperation between the Government and the 20 UN agencies, funds and programmes operating in the country.
UN aid agencies brace for possible displacement 'catastrophe' caused by military offensive in Mosul

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 18 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN aid agencies brace for possible displacement 'catastrophe' caused by military offensive in Mosul, 18 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822e97540e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

18 October 2016 - United Nations humanitarian agencies operating in Iraq are bracing for what could be a displacement catastrophe requiring the largest and most complex global response in 2016, in the wake of the military offensive under way to oust terrorists from Mosul, the country's second-largest city.

"Displacement is expected to start any minute now," Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told reporters in Geneva.

According to OCHA and other agencies, up to one million people may be forced from their homes due to the military operation against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh), of which 700,000 may be in need of shelter assistance and up to 200,000 may be displaced within the first two weeks of the operation.

UN relief officials described the situation as having the potential to be one of the worst-case scenarios requiring the largest and most complex humanitarian operation in the world in 2016, or a catastrophe resulting in one of the largest man-made displacement crises in recent years.

"Protection concerns for all those civilians are at the forefront of the preparations of the humanitarian community, and there are already protection monitoring teams on the ground," Mr. Laerke said.

He explained that preparations for the offensive have been going on for several months, and the UN has focused on preparing shelter in three priority areas south of Mosul, where the first displaced families are expected to be accommodated. More reception sites are under construction. Supplies including food, water and sanitation and household kits have been stockpiled in preparation. All this has been done with the collaboration of non-governmental organizations, he added.

There are real fears that the offensive to retake Mosul "could produce a humanitarian catastrophe resulting in one of the largest manmade displacement crisis in the recent years," according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Credit: UN News Centre

"The UN has prepared as efficiently as possible with the available resources. The preparedness appeal is asking for $367 million, but it is not fully funded," he said.

William Spindler, the spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said the agency is continuing to prepare shelter and other emergency assistance while appealing for more international funding.

There are real fears that the offensive to retake Mosul could produce a humanitarian catastrophe resulting in one of the largest man-made displacement crises in recent years

"There are real fears that the offensive to retake Mosul could produce a humanitarian catastrophe resulting in one of the largest man-made displacement crises in recent years," he said. There are already 3.3 million displaced Iraqis - approximately 10 per cent of the population.

Mr. Spindler said UNHCR has already opened five camps, ready to shelter 45,000 people. There are plans for a total of 11 camps to open in the coming weeks, with a capacity for 120,000 people. UNHCR and partners are ready to establish more camps quickly, but have been constrained by a lack of access to safe and suitable land from the Iraqi authorities and private landowners.

With the rainy season and winter approaching, the issue is becoming even more pressing. In addition, UNHCR will have 50,000 emergency shelter kits available for out of camp populations, covering a total of 300,000 people. There will also be 25,000 tents available for families living outside of camps, covering a further 150,000 people, he added.

If all planned activities are funded and ready, UNHCR will be able to provide shelter support for 570,000 people. So far, $75 million, or 39 per cent, out of UNHCR's response budget of $196.2 million, had been provided.

"The enormity of the potential displacement raises also considerable concerns about the protection of civilian populations," he said. "For example, some could be prevented from fleeing or could face restrictions of movement to safe areas and access to humanitarian assistance, he added.

Moreover, there are also risks of vulnerable populations facing exploitation and abuse, including possible heightened intercommunal and ethnic or religious tensions and conflicts, and family separations and detentions for security screening.

Civilians risk being caught in crossfire

Speaking by phone from Bagdad in Iraq, Thomas Lothar Weiss, the Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the country, said the Mosul campaign, which started yesterday, puts civilians at extreme risk from cross fire, snipers, and artillery barrage.

Tens of thousands of people could be trapped between the fighting lines or held as human shields, for which there have been precedents, in areas which have been recaptured from ISIL in the past weeks and months, he said.

"There is also a fear, based on some evidence, that ISIL might be using chemical weapons," he noted.

"The Mosul situation has the potential to be one of the worst case scenarios and is expected to be the largest and most complex humanitarian operation in the world in 2016," he said.

An IOM engineer tests the soil at an emergency camp site at Haji Ali, Ninewa governorate, Iraq. Photo: IOM

Based on plans by the Government, it is envisaged that a number of the internally displaced persons who make it out of Mosul will be resettled in emergency sites in secure locations in different corridors to the east and south-east of Mosul. Those are sites that can be established quicker than the regular camps and will include some basic services.

IOM has started the process which led to the identification of four emergency sites, which have a potential capacity of up to 150,000 persons, but still far from the 200,000 people who might be displaced during the first week of the military operation.

UNICEF warns of 'extreme risk' for children and families

Christophe Boulierac, spokesperson for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), said that more than half a million children and their families in Mosul would be at extreme risk in the coming weeks.

"Many children and their families could be forcibly displaced and trapped between fighting lines or caught in the cross-fire," he said, adding that UNICEF's major concerns relate to the protection of children during the military operation, the scale and pace of displacement and its impact on the agency's ability to deliver, and the protection of children and their access to services in the aftermath of the conflict.

UNICEF has already prepositioned enough water, showers, latrines and hygiene kits for over 150,000 people immediately, with plans to reach over 350,000 over the next few weeks. Mobile teams are on standby to care for the most critical cases of mental and physical trauma among children. Together with the Ministry of Health, UNICEF also has more than 50 teams on standby to start a vaccination campaign against polio and measles.

Mr. Boulierac stressed that UNICEF has called on all sides involved in the conflict to protect children and respect international humanitarian law so that children and their families can safely get through this intense period of violence. For Mosul specifically, UNICEF is asking for $43 million and has received $30 million so far.

Mobile showers en route to camps for families fleeing Mosul, Iraq. Photo: UNICEF Iraq

Bettina Luescher, spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP), said that the agency has been scaling up its preparations. WFP has over 14,000 tons of family food rations in warehouses near Mosul, enough for a million people for one month, or around 200,000 families.

She said WFP also has immediate response rations for 240,000 people. Those can be used immediately by people who do not have cooking facilities. Once the families go into shelters with cooking facilities, they would get the monthly rations, she added.

Over the past months, WFP has already been helping over 90,000 people fleeing from places liberated from ISIL along the Mosul corridor. "There is no good information about what is happening inside Mosul and WFP is very concerned about it," she said. "Also, despite the preparations that have been underway for months, WFP is worried that the circumstances on the ground can make humanitarian access difficult."
Local communities must 'stand strong to support' recovery of 21 Chibok girls  UN rights experts

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 18 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Local communities must 'stand strong to support' recovery of 21 Chibok girls  UN rights experts, 18 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822e9aa40d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

18 October 2016 - United Nations human rights experts have welcomed the release of 21 Chibok school girls from Boko Haram and called upon Nigerians - particularly their families and local communities - to support their immediate reintegration and rehabilitation.

UN Special Rapporteurs on, respectively, the sale of children, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, slavery, Urmila Bhoola, and the right to health, Dainius Puras, lauded the Nigerian authorities for the success of their negotiations while simultaneously calling upon institutions and communities to ensure that the girls would experience a full recovery and be protected from "stigma, ostracisation, and rejection" in a joint news release from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

They underscored that a full recovery could be challenging and that in order for the girls, to be adequately rehabilitated, they would need solidarity from the Nigerian people.

"The recently released girls may not be able to access the services they need, including sexual and reproductive health services, information on remedies and livelihoods opportunities," the Special Rapporteurs advised in a statement. "We urge all levels of Government to take all the measures needed to provide these services not only to these girls but to all individuals who have been rescued from Boko Haram control."

The experts added that such support is not only a moral obligation, but a fulfilment of women and children's legal rights under international law.

The girls were released last week after Boko Haram abducted them in the middle of the night in April of 2014 from their school dormitory in Chibok. The release was welcomed by UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, who encouraged the international community to support their rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, 197 of the 276 girls who were abducted are still missing. The UN Special Rapporteurs called upon the international and Nigerian communities to not forget that they continue to live in captivity and urged the Nigerian Government to take immediate measures to locate them and ensure their safe return. "Nigeria must," they said, "hold the perpetrators accountable, while respecting international human rights norms."

They called for "a comprehensive approach to addressing challenges in the North East [of Nigeria] provides a good opportunity not only to reintegrate women and children affected by Boko Haram but also to strengthen the health and educational sectors which are crucial for peace, security, and sustainable development in Nigeria."

The Special Rapporteurs also referred to a report that was issued after a joint visit to Nigeria in January of this year and maintained their ongoing assistance and willingness to provide further advice and support in order to ensure that all of the missing girls can return home.

Special Rapporteurs and Independent Experts are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.
Afghanistan: UN report finds July attack on peaceful protests in Kabul 'may amount to a war crime'

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 18 October 2016 Related Document(s) Afghanistan: Human Rights and Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict - Special Report Attack on a Peaceful Demonstration in Kabul, 23 July 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Afghanistan: UN report finds July attack on peaceful protests in Kabul 'may amount to a war crime', 18 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822e9d640c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

18 October 2016 - A new special human rights report released by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has concluded that the 23 July attack on a large, peaceful demonstration in the country's capital, Kabul, not only deliberately targeted civilians but also was a serious violation of international humanitarian law, which may amount to a war crime.

The attack appears, disturbingly, to have deliberately targeted persons belonging to a specific ethnic and religious community, said UNAMA in a news release today, announcing the release of the report Attack on a Peaceful Demonstration in Kabul, 23 July 2016.

The fundamental human rights of all Afghans must be respected, including the rights of religious and ethnic communities, it added.

The UNAMA report reviews the context of the 23 July demonstration, organized by a body known as the Enlightening Movement, the planning and preparedness of Afghan Security Forces, their behaviour during the demonstration and immediate response to the attack and its aftermath. It also raises, where relevant, human rights concerns for authorities.

The attack was the deadliest single civilian casualty incident in the country since UNAMA started its civilian casualties documentation in 2009. 85 civilians were killed and more than four hundred were injured when two suicide bombers detonated their explosives' belts at the end of the demonstration. The second explosive belt misfired and the attacker was shot and killed by security forces.

Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Da'esh) had claimed responsibility for the attack, employing language that advocated religious hatred and violence. Almost all of the casualties in the attack were male and from the Hazara community which is predominantly Shia Muslim, the Mission said.

In the news release today, UNAMA also noted that the report has been released amid mounting concern at an emerging pattern of sectarian violence attributed to ISIL.

On 11 and 12 October, two separate attacks against Shia congregations commemorating Ashura in Kabul and in the northern province of Balkh killed at least 35 civilians and injured more than 100. ISIL issued an online statement claiming responsibility for the attack in Kabul using language similar to that used in the claim for the 23 July attack.

The Mission further said that its new report also offered recommendations on the respect for fundamental human rights of all Afghans, including the rights of religious and ethnic communities, as well as the need for the completion and implement of a strategy to prevent violent extremism.
With people in southern Madagascar 'living on the brink,' UN scales up efforts to avert food crisis

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 20 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, With people in southern Madagascar 'living on the brink,' UN scales up efforts to avert food crisis, 20 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822eb3740e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

20 October 2016 - Following a report that more than half of the population in southern Madagascar - 840,000 people - is experiencing alarming rates of food insecurity, United Nations agencies are responding to the most severe cases of malnutrition and acute hunger to prevent a catastrophe.

The situation follows a third consecutive year of widespread crop failure and scarcity of water. 92 per cent of the country's population lives on less than $2 per day and the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a tool to improve food security analysis that has been used in more than 25 countries, found that food security and nutrition could deteriorate further unless there is a rapid humanitarian response.

United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) regional Director Chris Nikoi expressed his alarm: "These are people living on the very brink - many have nothing but wild fruits to eat. We must act together now to save lives and give hope for the future."

Many families are now begging, selling land or possessions, and eating vital seed stocks just to survive. Parents are taking children out of school so that they may look for income, food, wood and water.

According to Leila Gharagozloo-Pakkala, Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), nearly half of the children in Madagascar are chronically malnourished or stunted. "Stunting," she says, "risks condemning children to lifelong poor health and increased poverty." She added that children in the southern part of the country are already suffering from acute malnutrition.

Vital WFP food assistance reaching people in Tsihombe district in south Madagascar where 80 per cent of the people are severely food insecure. Photo: WFP

"The cost of inaction or further delaying our response is too ghastly to contemplate," said David Phiri, the Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

According to Mr. Phiri, food stocks from the last harvest, which was also poor, ran out in August. The next harvest will not be until March of next year. He estimates that if efforts are not scaled up now, the people of Madagascar will suffer hunger for another year. "This would be a catastrophe for a people who already appear to have virtually no food, no seeds and no discernible income," he warned.

WFP, FAO, and UNICEF are expanding their commitments and resources as quickly as possible.

WFP will augment its ongoing food and cash relief operations in order to meet one million vulnerable people by the end of November. It is expanding its nutrition programme to prevent and treat moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) for more than 200,000 pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children under the age of five. It will also provide hot meals to some 230,000 school children in the southern area of the country in order to encourage families to keep children in school.

Meanwhile, UNICEF is preparing water and sanitation operations to reach an additional 850,000 people. It will offer monthly nutrition screenings for children under five and treat those with severe acute malnutrition (SAM), offer health interventions for those living far away from local centres, and education for 200,000 children to help avoid school drop-outs, child labour, and child marriage - common coping mechanisms under extreme situations such as these.

FAO efforts include assistance for 850,000 people in districts that have been most affected by the crisis. Such assistance includes providing quick-maturing and drought-tolerant seeds and root crops, as well as tools for farmers to replace those that have been lost. The agency will also help feed livestock and ensure animal health.

In order to effectively support the people in Madagascar and avoid a catastrophe, WFP requires an additional $89 million in funding, UNICEF will need $36.5 million, and FAO is short of its financial needs by $18.5 million.
Sri Lanka: UN rights expert urges Government to take concrete steps to protect minorities

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 20 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Sri Lanka: UN rights expert urges Government to take concrete steps to protect minorities, 20 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822eb5340e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

20 October 2016 - In her first information-gathering visit to Sri Lanka, Rita Izsak-Ndiaye, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues, stressed the importance of renewed support for minority rights by the Government, including a plan for specific and urgent measures.

"In order to achieve peaceful co-existence after the long devastating civil war, a comprehensive, well-planned and well-coordinated truth, reconciliation, healing and accountability process must take place, and it cannot be done overnight," Ms. Izsak-Ndiaye said in a news release issued at the end of her trip.

She also encouraged the Government to take urgent measures to demonstrate its commitment to protect "the dignity, identity, equality and right to participation in all walks of life, of Sri Lanka's minorities."

During her visit, Ms. Izsak-Ndiaye spoke to many minorities across the country, including Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Sri Lankan and Up-Country Tamils, Malays, Veddas, and Burghers, stressing that "challenges remain," when referring to ongoing and urgent issues within Tamil and Muslim communities, such as return of occupied land, missing persons, demilitarization, and release of security-related detainees.

Among other challenges, the expert noted poverty, violence and discrimination against women, including in personal laws, and caste-based discrimination, and added that that the country lacks representative institutions in accessing public services, and an inclusive justice system.

Growing rice in terraced fields. Sri Lanka. Photo: World Bank/Simone D. McCourtie

At the same time, she praised the National Unity Government for its crucial efforts to adopt critical laws and provide better protection for minority rights, while also noting that "efforts by the Government to implement good and inclusive governance must include guarantees that minorities become part of decision-making processes and have a place in state- and provincial administration. Consultations with minority groups on issues affecting them should be regular, institutionalized and systematized."

In Ms. Izsak-Ndiaye's opinion, the lives of minorities could be improved by incorporating teaching about diversity as a source of strength, into Sri Lanka's educational curriculum.

The UN Special Rapporteur also stressed the importance of forming a bridge between minority communities and the state, which can be done by creating an independent minority rights body, and providing expertise on policy-making process.

According to the expert, the critical moment for the rights of minorities is embodied in the Constitutional reform process, which minorities see as a path to finally obtain their rights. "Minority NGOs and communities have given their voices to the constitutional consultation process with their numerous submissions," Ms. Izsak-Ndiaye stated. "Their views and aspirations must be taken into proper consideration."

Special Rapporteurs and Independent Experts are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.

A detailed report will be presented to the Council by Ms. Izsak-Ndiaye in March 2017.
UN provides emergency food aid to 8,000 people amid renewed violence in Central African Republic

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 20 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN provides emergency food aid to 8,000 people amid renewed violence in Central African Republic, 20 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822eb8140d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

20 October 2016 - The United Nations food relief agency is providing emergency aid to 8,000 people affected by an upsurge in violence in the north of the Central African Republic (CAR), in addition to regular food and nutrition support for some 120,000 people.

"This seemingly never-ending cycle of violence is extremely worrying. We see formerly displaced people returning to their homes only to be uprooted again, or people simply unable to return as their areas of origin remain unsafe," said the Deputy Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) for the country, Rocco Leone.

According to a news release issued yesterday by WFP, emergency food distributions began on 17 October in Kaga Bandoro region, where fighting has killed or wounded dozens. Initial 15-day rations of rice, pulses, vegetable oil, corn-soya blend and salt have so far been distributed to 5,000 people seeking protection outside the base of the UN peacekeeping mission in Kaga Bandoro town, and to a further 3,000 people in the town of Ganama.

Mr. Leone said that more people in need of urgent assistance have been identified in the areas that have seen severe fighting. Over the next three months, WFP plans to assist an additional 17,000 people with food or food vouchers.

"We are determined to continue providing life-saving assistance - in any way we can and despite limited resources," he said.

In 2016, WFP and its partners plan to assist 1.4 million people in the areas of CAR worst hit by conflict and hunger. But with only 44 per cent of funding needs met, the agency urgently requires $42 million to keep doing so, he added.
UN experts concerned about situation of jailed anti-slavery activists in Mauritania

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN experts concerned about situation of jailed anti-slavery activists in Mauritania, 19 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822ebb040d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

19 October 2016 - Voicing serious concern over recent intensified crackdown by the Mauritanian Government on the imprisoned anti-slavery activists, a group of United Nations human rights experts today urged the authorities to ensure a fair hearing and provide needed medical treatment for the detainees.

The human rights defenders were sentenced in August to prison terms ranging from three to 15 years. Thirteen of them are from the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement (IRA), a leading Mauritanian civil society organization fighting against slavery.

"The Mauritanian Government is hostile to civil society groups that criticize its policies, and is especially hostile to groups like IRA, whose members are drawn from the Haratine minority and advocate for an end to slavery," the experts said in a news release, recalling that the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston, visited Mauritania in May and met with IRA members.

According to the experts, there were credible indications that IRA members were tortured while in detention, family members and supporters of the accused were attacked by the police when they tried to attend the trial and there were procedural irregularities in the court proceedings.

"We are concerned that the IRA has also been targeted by the Government as a reprisal because its members met with the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights during his country visit," said the experts.

The special rapporteurs further pointed out that the conviction of the activists fits a pattern of crackdown on dissent by the ruling party in a country in which one ethnic minority dominates the two other major ethnic groups.

While the date for an appeal will be set later this week by the Appeals Court in Nouadhibou, its procedural irregularities seem to have persisted over the appeal phase.

The jailed IRA members were transferred on 28 September from the capital Nouakchott to a detention centre in Zouerate, about 700 kilometres away and 17 hours by car from Nouadhibou, according to the news release.

"There seems to be no legal basis or justification for the transfer of the detainees," the experts underlined, adding that "this is yet another indication that these legal proceedings are politically motivated and intended to suffocate groups and individuals that promote human rights and oppose Government policies."

Therefore, the experts urged the authorities to ensure that the activists be transferred back to Nouakchott and afforded "a fair hearing by a competent, independent and impartial court in accordance with international human rights law."

Moreover, the experts expressed concern about the serious health conditions of some detainees, reiterating Mauritania's obligation to protect their right to health and provide them with the urgent and adequate medical care needed, regardless of their legal status.

"It is vital to ensure that human rights defenders can exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms free from intimidation or fear of reprisals. Anti-slavery activism cannot be a crime," the experts stressed.

Independent Experts and Special Rapporteurs, are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.
DR Congo: Ban notes conclusion of national dialogue, urges active engagement with all stakeholders

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, DR Congo: Ban notes conclusion of national dialogue, urges active engagement with all stakeholders, 19 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822ebdc40d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

19 October 2016 - Taking note of the wrap-up of the African-Union mediated national dialogue in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged the Government to remain actively engage with all political stakeholders, and called on political actors not involved in the talks to resolve their difference peacefully.

"[The Secretary-General] commends Edem Kodjo, the African Union Facilitator for the dialogue, as well as participants to the talks for their work and commitment towards a peaceful solution to the crisis in the context of the electoral process," said a statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesperson.

According to media reports, the negotiators reached a decision on the holding of elections in 2018.

The statement went on to say the UN chief hopes that the implementation of the agreement will contribute to a more conducive climate for the respect of fundamental rights and freedoms essential to political debate and credible elections.

"He urges the Government to remain actively engaged with all political stakeholders, including through continued confidence-building measures," including, in particular, the further release of political prisoners and respect for the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, the statement said.

Mr. Ban went on to call on political groups who were not part of the national dialogue to seek to resolve their differences peacefully.

"The Secretary-General reiterates the crucial importance of peaceful and credible elections for the stabilization and consolidation of constitutional democracy in the DRC, in keeping with the Constitution and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance," the statement concluded.

Last week, in a briefing to the UN Security Council, Maman Sidikou, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the country, known by the French acronym MONUSCO, expressed deep concern about the impasse in the electoral process and rising political tensions there. He underlined the primary responsibility of the Government and all stakeholders "to preserve the hard-won gains made in recent years."
UN calls for protecting civilians as fighting, though reduced, continues in north-west Myanmar

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN calls for protecting civilians as fighting, though reduced, continues in north-west Myanmar, 19 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822ec0a40c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

19 October 2016 - Even though fighting between security forces and a group, identified by the Government as the Aqa mul moujahideen, in some villages on the outskirts of Maungdaw township in Myanmar's Northern Rakhine province appear to have reduced in severity, an atmosphere of fear and tension continues to grip the local population, a spokesperson for the United Nations said today.

"While deploring the attacks on the security forces and noting their sober response to these attacks, we continue to underline the importance of caution to avoid any loss of innocent lives or damage to properties of the local population from the continuing operations against the attackers," UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told journalists during the daily press briefing at UN Headquarters in New York.

"We also note the strong commitment expressed by the Government in upholding the rule of law, proceeding against the perpetrators in accordance with proper judicial process and guarding against any looting, provocation or hatred among the people or incitement to communal violence," he added.

According to an update issued Monday by the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), border posts in the region were attacked on 9 October resulting in the displacement of several hundred people. Some 1,200 people are confirmed to have taken shelter in a school at Buthidaung (a town located in the far-west of Myanmar, about 25 kilometres from Maungdaw, near the country's border with Bangladesh).

At the briefing, Mr. Dujarric also reported that tight movement restrictions in the "operation zone" continue to be imposed, thereby blocking access to the UN and other international partners as well as for local Muslim villagers.

OCHA too had reported that its response had been hampered by movement restrictions.

Since the day of the attack, almost all humanitarian activities have been suspended and many international non-governmental organizations continue to have national staff members stuck in the affected areas, Mr. Dujarric said.

Bangladesh has also sealed its borders with Myanmar to deny the attackers an easy escape and has handed over two suspects to the Government authorities.

"The UN hopes that this situation can be resolved quickly so that Rakhine state can be restored to normalcy so that its people can move forward towards a peaceful, prosperous and harmonious future," added Mr. Dujarric.
India: UN experts urge release of prominent human rights defender after month-long detention

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 19 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, India: UN experts urge release of prominent human rights defender after month-long detention, 19 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822ece240d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

19 October 2016 - A group of United Nations human rights experts today called on the Government of India to immediately release a prominent human rights defender who was arrested last month while on his way UN human rights meetings in Geneva, and has since remained under preventive detention.

"[Khurram Parvez's] continued detention following his arrest just a few days before his participation in the UN Human Rights Council, suggests a deliberate attempt to obstruct his legitimate human rights activism," the experts said in a news release issued today by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

According to the news release, On 14 September, while on his way to Geneva to attend the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council, Mr. Parvez was prevented from traveling out of India by airport authorities in the national capital, Delhi.

He was then detained on 16 September under sections 107 and 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code, released on 20 September, and detained again the same day.

The human rights defender remains in preventive detention, under the "highly controversial" Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, the release noted.

According to the UN rights experts, Mr. Parvez, who is the coordinator of the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCSS) as well as the chairperson of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), is a well-known and outspoken human rights defender with a longstanding and positive engagement with the UN human rights mechanisms.

The news release further noted that the rights experts conveyed their concerns to the Government of India, but the official information received so far did not provide clear details on the exact nature of the charges against Mr. Parvez, which, the release said "seem to rely mainly on vague accusations of alleged 'anti-India' activities, aimed at disrupting the public order."

"We are concerned at the use of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act against Mr. Parvez, which permits administrative detention without judicial intervention for up to two years," highlighted the experts, adding that they had "received allegations of this law often being arbitrarily applied to target human rights defenders."

They also noted alarm at the lack of clarity as to why Indian authorities deemed it necessary to address this case outside the country's ordinary laws.

The release added that on 13 October, a petition challenging Mr. Parvez's detention under the Public Safety Act was listed before the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, yet the case has only been listed for hearing until 25 October.

"In a democratic society, the open criticism of Government is a legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of expression of every person," the experts stressed.

"We are seriously concerned that the arrest of Mr. Parvez may represent a direct retaliation for his legitimate activities as a human rights defender and the exercise of his fundamental freedoms, including freedoms of expression and association", they concluded.

The UN human rights expressing concern in the statement included:
'Crimes of historic proportions' being committed in Aleppo, UN rights chief warns

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, 'Crimes of historic proportions' being committed in Aleppo, UN rights chief warns, 21 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822edbf40d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

21 October 2016 - Describing the bombardment and crippling siege of Syria's war-ravaged eastern Aleppo as "crimes of historic proportions" the top United Nations rights official today urged the members of the UN Human Rights Council to "speak with one voice" in an effort to end the bloodshed.

"The ancient city of Aleppo, a place of millennial civility and beauty, is today a slaughterhouse - a gruesome locus of pain and fear, where the lifeless bodies of small children are trapped under streets of rubble and pregnant women deliberately bombed," the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein told a special session of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council today as the 47-member body prepared to take up a draft resolution on the issue.

"The collective failure of the international community to protect civilians and halt this bloodshed should haunt every one of us," he noted further, and warned that "its costs will be borne by our children, and future generations."

The UN human rights chief further said the "civil war - now also a proxy conflict fuelled by cynical regional and international interests" - has killed well over 300,000, wounded and traumatized countless others, resulted in the abduction, summary execution or arbitrary detention of tens of thousands and displaced more half the Syrian population.

He further noted that hospitals, schools, marketplaces, water facilities and neighbourhood bakeries had been deliberately and repeatedly attacked and millions have been denied life-saving aid.

Noting that his Office (OHCHR) documented a number violations of international humanitarian law by all parties in Aleppo, High Commissioner Zeid said the attacks that have caused a number of civilian casualties constitute war crimes.

Most Syrians left in Aleppo are too poor to leave and live in the carcasses of apartment blocks. Photo: Tom Westcott/IRIN

"And if knowingly committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against civilians, they constitute crimes against humanity," he added.

Mr. Zeid noted that though the responsibility for halting the Syrian crisis primarily fell to the UN Security Council, the General Assembly may also have a role.

Urging members of the Human Rights Council to set aside political disagreements and focus exclusively on the suffering of women, men and children, he stressed: "No hypothetical advantage in global gamesmanship could possibly outweigh this pain and horror."

He further urged the Security Council to set aside rivalries and act as one, in accordance with international security and peace, and said "Influence must be used to advance a political solution to the conflict. Flows of arms and equipment to the parties to the conflict must cease."

He also underlined the urgency of referring the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court and said that all parties to the conflict "must know that they will be held accountable for the international crimes they commit - all, without selective protection or discrimination."

Calling for an immediate, prolonged and all-encompassing ceasefire to enable humanitarian aid he called on the top UN human rights body to "speak with one voice" for the protection of civilians in what he called was the defining human rights crisis of our era.

The Human Rights Council's special session comes just hours after Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his Special Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, briefed an informal meeting of the General Assembly in New York, during which Mr. Ban said the horrors committed in the Syria conflict may amount to war crimes, calling on Member States "to cooperate and fulfil your collective responsibility to protect."
UN agencies provide shelter, clean water to families displaced amid Iraq's Mosul offensive

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN agencies provide shelter, clean water to families displaced amid Iraq's Mosul offensive, 21 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822ee1c40e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

21 October 2016 - With the military offensive still unfolding in Mosul, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) are rushing to provide shelter, drinking water, and sanitation services for displaced families and children.

"Our focus remains on the intensive and continuing push for more protection and shelter support," Adrian Edwards, a UNHCR spokesperson, told today's press briefing in Geneva.

The agency UNHCR reports modest levels of displacement, with 3,900 people displaced and transported to a nearby reception centre in the village of Al-Hood to receive assistance. Additional 240 people were transferred from Makhmur district to a reception centre (Debaga) yesterday.

According to UNHCR, additional five camps were established to shelter 45,000 people, with 11 camps planned. The agency will be able to provide shelter support for 600,000 people.

In Mosul, UNHCR will soon be ready to send support and emergency assistance to 15,000 individuals, with hopes to eventually accommodate 50,000. In addition, UNHCR has partnered with other UN agencies as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to ensure that proper sanitation, sufficient water supply, health and protections services are available to the people at Al Hol.

The agency was able to reach 48 per cent of its budget goal, stressing that there is still a huge need for further funding, especially when the winter is around the corner, said Mr. Edwards.

Meanwhile, UNICEF is delivering clean water to thousands of families caught up in the conflict in Al Houd, a town south of Mosul that was earlier retaken by Iraqi security forces.

UNICEF and partner WEO unload water and hygiene kits in Al Houd, Ninewa Governorate, located south of Mosul, which was retaken by Iraqi security forces on 17 October 2016. Photo: UNICEF/UN036544/Aree Dilshad/WEO

The UNICEF Country Representative in Iraq stated that the agency has helped 3,000 children and their families who suffered the consequences of Iraqi conflict. "It may seem a small achievement, but it is one that will bring a week of respite for the children and families who have already suffered so much," he said.

"A lot of children are in a state of shock, all they need now is a safe space to play, learn and aspire," said UNICEF's Peter Hawkins.

UNICEF stresses that the displaced and needed families require clean water and sanitation services; they deserve to feel safe and receive basic humanitarian assistance. Many children and families have already gotten sick from drinking unclean water.

Therefore, UNICEF has been providing water and sanitation services, while also having emergency vaccination and psycho-social teams on standby to assist children and families in need.

Despite delivering enough bottled water for 1,500 families for a week, including hygiene kits with buckets, soap and detergent, the organizations has also committed to bringing fresh water every week to people in need.
Security Council welcomes initiative to end political crisis in Guinea-Bissau

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Security Council welcomes initiative to end political crisis in Guinea-Bissau, 21 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822ee4940c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

21 October 2016 - The United Nations Security Council has welcomed a recent inclusive dialogue, convened in Conakry, by Alpha Conde, the President of Guinea, that involved political leaders, civil society and religious communities of Guinea-Bissau as part of a regional efforts to end the political crisis in the country.

In a statement issued late yesterday, the members of the Security Council welcomed the Conakry agreement on the implementation of the ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] road map and invited all stakeholders to spare no effort for its full and timely implementation.

President Conde is the ECOWAS Mediator for Guinea-Bissau and the dialogue was part of a six-point ECOWAS road map, agreed by political leaders last month in its capital, Bissau, to end the political crisis in the west African country.

According to the statement, Council members also expressed their support to the consensus reached on the process for the nomination of a new Prime Minister and for the formation of an inclusive Government in accordance the agreement and encouraged President Jose Mario Vaz of Guinea-Bissau to proceed to the nomination of the consensual Prime Minister as soon as possible.

The members further emphasized that the implementation of the agreement could restore the confidence of partners and enable the international community to fulfil the pledges made during the Brussels Conference in March 2015 of the partners for development of Guinea-Bissau.
Credible political transition remains 'central issue' in ending horrific Syrian conflict, says UN chief

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 20 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Credible political transition remains 'central issue' in ending horrific Syrian conflict, says UN chief, 20 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822ee7840e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

20 October 2016 - Stressing that the Syrian conflict "continues to reach new and awful depths," United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed Russia's latest unilateral announcement of a humanitarian pause to the bombing in war-raved eastern Aleppo, but emphasized that the nationwide ceasefire must be revived.

"I welcome the unilateral pause in the bombing, announced by the Russian Federation, which began today," Mr. Ban told the UN General Assembly during an informal meeting on the situation in Syria, in which his Special Envoy for the country, Staffan de Mistura, addressed Member States via videoconference from Geneva.

"This has helped pave the way for the implementation of the UN's medical evacuation plan," said Mr. Ban, noting that UN agencies and their partners are preparing to carry out urgent medical evacuations and provide emergency medical supplies for hundreds of sick and critically wounded people and their families in eastern Aleppo.

But this is the bare minimum. It is far from enough. We need full humanitarian access to eastern Aleppo.

"This depends on all sides adhering to security assurances and facilitating this urgent, life-saving initiative," the UN chief said. "But this is the bare minimum. It is far from enough. We need full humanitarian access to eastern Aleppo."

According to UN agencies, the offensive being carried out by the Syrian Government in eastern Aleppo since 23 September has been the most sustained and intensive aerial bombardment since the conflict began. Nearly 500 people have been killed and nearly 2,000 injured, with more than a quarter of all deaths being children. No UN convoy has entered eastern Aleppo since 7 July.

"Under these medieval conditions, the vulnerable are suffering the most," Mr. Ban said. "The health sector has been mercilessly pummelled - hundreds of people are in urgent need of medical evacuation," he added.

People across the world are rightly asking how any further destruction can be tolerated, he said, explaining that they are looking for signs that the international community - the UN - has a conscience and a heart, and are asking if the UN has learned anything from Srebrenica and Rwanda [genocides] and when the international community will unite to stop the carnage.

Yet sadly, long-standing and familiar divisions continue to stand in the way, as evidenced in the Security Council's inability to discharge its responsibilities on this issue, regional rivalries that have taken primacy over the needs of the Syrian people, and the Syrian parties' continued faith in rockets, guns and barrel bombs.

"There is no military solution to the Syrian crisis," Mr. Ban stressed. "The nationwide cessation of hostilities must be revived and the Government must agree to ground its air force over Aleppo. Extremist elements must be isolated. This will require robust and credible monitoring and compliance mechanisms."

The central issue is and must remain a credible political transition, he said, stating that this is fundamental to realizing a process by which the Syrian people can achieve a new, peaceful and democratic reality, while protecting their sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence, preserving and reforming their state institutions, and uniting against terrorism.

Mr. Ban recalled that the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) has urged the Syrian parties to agree on a framework for a genuine political transition, which would include a broad, inclusive transitional body with full executive powers. This is also consistent with Security Council resolution 2254 (2015), which endorsed a roadmap for peace in the country, and the 2012 Geneva Communique, he added.

Aerial view of Aleppo, Syria. September 2016. Photo: WHO/A. Kalmykov

His Special Envoy continues to work intensively to re-convene formal intra-Syrian talks, the UN chief said.

The ISSG has established the respective taskforces on humanitarian aid delivery and a wider ceasefire. They have been meeting separately since early this year on a way forward in the crisis. Russia and the United States are the co-chairs of the taskforces and the ISSG, which also comprises the UN, the Arab League, the European Union and 16 other countries.

I call on all of you to cooperate and fulfil your collective responsibility to protect.

Turning to "grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law" committed in Syria, he said that some of these may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. "Some of these may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. I call on all of you to cooperate and fulfil your collective responsibility to protect," said the Secretary-General.

He also recalled that he has established an internal UN Board of Inquiry to investigate the tragedy involving a UN-Syrian Arab Red Crescent relief operation to Urum al-Kubra on 19 September.

"I began by saying we have run out of words to describe the situation in Syria. Let us resolve together to replace all of our words with collective action to finally deliver peace to the people of Syria and uphold our common humanity," he concluded.

UN Special Envoy for Syria

Echoing many of the Secretary-General's concerns, Mr. de Mistura, said that indeed, a litany of human rights abuses has been committed all across the country for five years. "If a way is not found, [] by the international community to unify and stop the ongoing carnage and chart a credible path to a political settlement, this toll will only increase and come to haunt our consciences," he stated.

And while there are "many emergencies" in Syria, it was the destruction of iconic Aleppo and the ongoing dire humanitarian situation in the city's east that are most pressing. While he also welcomed the "unilateral announcement of a pause by Russian and Syrian Air Forces," he expressed the hope that it would last several days.

"That is what we need and it's what we hope," and the pause could be used by the UN in order to evacuate safely seriously wounded or sick people from eastern Aleppo and to provide medical and humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable civilians inside the besieged part of eastern Aleppo.

Yet, Mr. de Mistura said: "This unilateral pause of aerial bombing, let's be frank, is not yet an implementation [the UN's] Aleppo initiative, although as we have learned in Syria all initiatives, always start with a cessation of hostilities." He reiterated his hope that the pause in fighting is more than a temporary initiative, saying that if it is brief, he feared that heavier bombing will occur and eastern Aleppo could be gone before the end of the year. "The world is looking to the UN to not let this happen on our watch," he underscored.

As for the main elements of the UN proposal for Aleppo, he said it called for: an immediate and total halt of the bombing of eastern Aleppo, as well as shelling of western Aleppo and fighting on the frontlines inside the city; evacuation of all Al-Nusra fighters; an immediate lifting of the siege so as to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access to eastern Aleppo; leaving the local and existing independent administration in tact; and guarantees regarding the Government's readiness for a cessation of military activities, safe passage of fighters, and full respect for local administration.

As for the political track, Mr. de Mistura recalled that he had met with the ISSG chairs at the Foreign Minister level and had a productive meeting late last week in Lausanne. Those talks had underscored the importance of the restoration of a nationwide cessation of hostilities.

Mr. de Mistura also recalled that in September, he had underlined to the Security Council that a new round of negotiations should focus on the central issue of a genuine political transition in Syria - "the mother of all issues"- and that he stood ready to present a set of proposals as a starting point for resumed intra-Syrian talks. "I reaffirm that readiness today," he stated.

"But first things first: we must save Aleppo now. And we must get a cessation of hostilities. The alternative is too awful to contemplate," he concluded.
UN human rights expert calls upon Afghan Government to urgently address displacement crisis

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 20 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN human rights expert calls upon Afghan Government to urgently address displacement crisis, 20 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822eec740c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

20 October 2016 - The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) today urged the Government of Afghanistan and the international community to strengthen efforts and collaboration in order to support the increasing number of people who are leaving their homes due to a deteriorating security situation within the country.

Wrapping up a 10-day visit to the crisis-torn country, Chaloka Beyani, said that he met with numerous IDPs to discuss their situations, challenges, and hopes.

"Warnings by humanitarian partners suggest that many more IDPs could be displaced by the end of the year, yet attention and resources allocated to their needs seem to be waning rather than increasing in line with the growing challenges and need for durable solutions," he said.

In addition to this lack of support, the ongoing conflict means that many IDPs throughout the country have chosen not to return home and that families are resorting to coping mechanisms like child labour, early marriage for girls, and other forms of exploitation.

Mr. Beyani noted that more than 323,000 Afghans have been displaced since the start of 2016. That is in addition to the more than 800,000 Afghans - both documented refugees and undocumented deportees - who have returned from Pakistan and Iran this year. Because IDPs tend to go to areas where they have family ties or connections, the Special Rapporteur urged a community-based approach to handle displacement.

In Kunduz, Afghanistan, about 2500 families displaced by conflict, receive humanitarian assistance from various agencies. Photo: OCHA/Mohammad Sadiq Zaheer

He also expressed a concern for the need for clear leadership and accountability in order to avoid political interference in the assessment and distribution of humanitarian assistance and to confront the lack of measures that take gender-based differences into account.

The situation has left many women as heads of households, yet they cannot adequately support their families due to discriminatory laws that prevent them from owning land or property. The Special Rapporteur reported that the women he met expressed a desire for skills training which would allow them to contribute to family income.

Priorities for those displaced include better housing, education for children, healthcare access, water and sanitation, access to livelihoods, and expert services for pregnant women. As winter approaches, safeguards against harsh conditions will be increasingly necessary.

"In September 2016, the UN issued a Flash Appeal for $150 million to meet urgent needs, including winter assistance packages, by the end of the year. I urge the donor community to respond generously and rapidly to that call," said Mr. Beyani.

A further obstacle for many IDPs is that they do not have national identification cards ("tazkira"), which limits their access to social services, justice, and education for their children, a particularly troubling problem given that 56 percent of IDPs are children who are increasingly working to support their impoverished families.

While the Special Rapporteur praised the Afghan Government for its political will in addressing the IDP crisis, he remained concerned that the National IDP policy had yet to be implemented, in part because the national institutions responsible for responding do not have the resources or capacity to fulfil their obligations.

The Special Rapporteur will develop a country visit report that he will then present to the Government of Afghanistan and the United Nations Human Rights Council at its 35th Session in June of next year.
Syria: UN agency condemns killing of four Palestinian refugees at Khan Eshieh camp

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Syria: UN agency condemns killing of four Palestinian refugees at Khan Eshieh camp, 21 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822ef8040e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

21 October 2016 - The United Nations agency tasked with the well-being of Palestine refugees today condemned the killing of four Palestinians in a camp south of the Syrian capital, Damascus, and expressed deep concern that the site faces the real risk of being turned into another camp in the area that has been devastated by years of fighting.

"We are deeply concerned about the situation of Palestine refugees in Khan Eshieh and the real risk of it becoming another Yarmouk," said Chris Gunness, the spokesperson for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Four Palestinians were killed on the night of 18 October as they attempted to leave the Khan Eshieh camp, to which access has been highly restricted.

Mr. Gunness said that Nofeh Mohammed Jarad, who was in her 60's, her daughter Ibaa Saeed al-Nader, 22, their driver and a one-year old baby were all killed when their vehicle was shelled around 10 p.m. The mother of the baby, a Syrian citizen, also died in the incident.

"UNRWA condemns this attack and the killing and wounding of all civilians including Palestine refugees," the spokesperson said, calling on those responsible to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and demanded that the parties to the conflict do their utmost to protect civilian life in accordance with international law.

Tightened security around the area has severely reduced the ability of residents to move safely and readily access humanitarian aid and medical support, and camp residents face grave risks when attempting to leave Khan Eshieh, Mr. Gunness said.

UNRWA renews its call for full humanitarian access to Khan Eshieh to deliver emergency food, cash assistance and medicines. Access to humanitarian assistance has been constrained since 2013 and UNRWA is particularly concerned about a lack of medicines and the impact this will have on children, chronic disease patients and the elderly in Khan Eshieh.

"UNRWA calls on the parties to allow civilians, who wish to leave the area, to do so in safety," he said.

The Khan Eshieh camp, located in a rural area south of Damascus, has experienced intensified armed conflict since 17 May 2016. This has resulted in an increasing number of civilian casualties, including at least 31 Palestine refugees killed.
With ceasefire 'largely holding' in Yemen, UN refugee agency rushes in aid to embattled Taiz city

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, With ceasefire 'largely holding' in Yemen, UN refugee agency rushes in aid to embattled Taiz city, 21 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822ef9a40c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

21 October 2016 - The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, has welcomed the start of the cessation of hostilities that began at midnight, 19 October, while the UN refugee agency took advantage of the pause in fighting to rush desperately needed aid to the embattled south-central city of Taiz.

At the regular press briefing in Geneva, Adrian Edwards, the spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), announced that the agency is delivering emergency supplies to more than 125,000 people in Yemen, including those in Taiz, where fighting has been particularly severe.

Since the beginning of the conflict in March 2015, humanitarian responders have been delivering aid to the country, but with great difficulty, as the fighting intensified. This ongoing aid delivery is not linked to the current cessation of hostilities. However, the agency welcomed the current pause, which will allow those in hard-to-reach conflict zones to receive assistance. UNHCR is delivering tarpaulins, sleeping mats, blankets, kitchen sets and buckets for hygiene and sanitation. There will also be shelter repair kits to support some 25,760 people.

Mr. Edwards said UNHCR hoped the ceasefire would last long enough to lead to resumed peace talks and opportunities to deliver additional aid.

"UNHCR has been advocating with parties to the conflict for regular, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access to those most in need," stated Mr. Edwards. "Humanitarian operations in Yemen are still constrained by the conflict, which has left 21.2 million people - more than 80 per cent of the population - in need of help," he added.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is hoping that the halt in fighting will allow it access to areas it has been unable to reach for some time in Yemen. Photo: OCHA Yemen

In addition to having reached some 12,309 people prior to the ceasefire, the UNHCR will deploy 21 convoys for Taiz and five other governorates - Ibb, Amanat Al Asimah, Amran, Hajjah, and Al Hudaydah - areas that are hosting 1.427 million people, or 65 per cent of Yemen's 2.21 million displaced population.

Yemen's economy is devastated and the country has suffered severe infrastructure destruction. Many are in need of shelter as well as food and drinking water. Over-stretched local communities are hosting 62 per cent of those who have been displaced, where risky makeshift arrangements, such as public or abandoned buildings and informal settlements, offer shelter with little or no protection.

"The majority of those forced to flee their homes have been living in displacement for an average of at least 10 months amid deteriorating conditions," added Mr. Edwards. "Those in informal settlements or collective centres are struggling in under-resourced and overcrowded conditions. Others living in rented premises are at risk of eviction or extortion."

Since the conflict began last year, 2.2 million people have been internally displaced, while 180,500 have fled to neighbouring countries. In addition to Yemeni nationals, there are 278,034 registered refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from Somalia and Ethiopia.

Meanwhile, as Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed welcomed the cessation of hostilities, he urged all parties to work to ensure that the terms are fully respected.

He noted that the cessation of hostilities is "fragile but largely holding" and that it underscores the improvement of the general security situation in Sana'a and several areas in Yemen, despite the reported cases of violations in other areas like Taiz and the borders with Saudi Arabia.

According to a statement from his office, Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed urged the sides to show restraint, avoid further escalation, and strictly adhere to the 72-hour ceasefire.

The statement said that the Special Envoy is liaising with the parties to agree on an extension for the duration of the truce to create a conducive environment for a long lasting peace in the country. He reminded all parties that the terms and conditions for the cessation of hostilities include commitments for the unhindered access for humanitarian supplies and personnel to all parts of Yemen.
DR Congo security forces used 'excessive force' against protesters, UN probe finds

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, DR Congo security forces used 'excessive force' against protesters, UN probe finds, 21 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5822efc5412.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

21 October 2016 - State agents, such as police and armed forces, used excessive - including lethal - force during demonstrations in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), last month, when at least 53 people were killed over two days, 143 injured and more than 299 unlawfully arrested, a United Nations preliminary investigation revealed today.

The probe, carried out by the Joint Human Rights Office of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) documented 422 victims of human rights violations, including of the right to life, to physical integrity, to the liberty and security of the person, peaceful assembly and expression, according to a news release from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

The figures do not reflect the full extent of the violations, as the UN teams were denied access to official records of some morgues and public hospitals as well as various detention facilities, including two key facilities where many of those arrested and many dead bodies were reportedly taken. Investigations are ongoing.

Of the 53 people documented killed, including seven women and two children, at least 48 were killed by State agents, including the National Police (PNC) and soldiers of the Garde Republicaine (GR) and the National armed forces (FARDC). Perpetrators were not identified in the killing of four police officers and one woman.

The vast majority of the victims - 38 of them - were shot dead, according to the preliminary investigation. Many of them were shot in the head, chest and back, including a five-year-old girl who was shot in the back, the report states. Others died after being burned, stabbed, beaten or attacked with machetes. Of the 143 documented as injured, 75 were victims of the excessive use of force by State agents while 68 were injured by unknown perpetrators.

The report documents the harassment, arbitrary arrest and detention of local and international journalists, as well as the destruction and looting of the premises of eight political parties. The report also documents reports of violence by demonstrators. Of the four police officers killed, three were beaten to death and one burned alive.

Special Representative and head of the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) Maman Sidikou (centre) greeting children of Oicha, North Kivu. Photo: MONUSCO/Abel Kavanagh

MONUSCO chief Maman Sidikou urged Congolese authorities to conduct prompt, thorough, independent, credible and impartial investigations into the very serious human rights violations documented in the report.

Widespread impunity

Mr. Sidikou raised deep concerns about the widespread impunity that prevails in the country, highlighting the findings of another UN report released today which reveals that a very low number of State agents, especially senior officers, and leaders and combatants of armed groups, are prosecuted and convicted in the DRC for human rights violations.

"While there has been progress, and some 447 FARDC soldiers and 155 PNC officers have been convicted in relation to human rights violations committed between January 2014 and March 2016, widespread impunity continues," Mr. Sidikou said.

"Strong political will is needed to ensure justice and reparation to all victims of serious violations. This is particularly crucial in this volatile pre-electoral context," he continued, adding that effective justice is a major deterrent for future violations of human rights and the "cornerstone" for peace and stability.

The report on accountability cites the fragile legal framework and the lack of judicial independence and resources as major challenges to the prosecution of perpetrators.

In light of the growing number of human rights violations committed by police officers, particularly in the pre-electoral context, the report calls on the Congolese authorities to urgently develop and implement a strategy to prosecute the perpetrators, and to send a clear "zero tolerance" message to end human rights violations by State agents.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein expressed deep concern at the mounting number of very serious human rights violations by State security officers in recent months. He urged the authorities to prioritise justice and accountability for serious human rights violations and remedy for the victims.

"Impunity for serious human rights violations - including the shooting, hacking and mass arrests of protestors - has been a chronic problem in the DRC for decades now," Mr. Zeid said.

"This is clearly outrageous and serves to fuel an already explosive situation in the country. While the rate of prosecutions appears to be rising, new violations continue to be perpetrated with alarming frequency," he added, urging the Government to urgently take measures to defuse the tensions in the country, particularly by freeing all those detained for exercising their rights to peaceful assembly, association and expression.
Disclaimer

This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
UN rights experts call on US to abolish mandatory detention of migrants

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 24 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN rights experts call on US to abolish mandatory detention of migrants, 24 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823295840c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

24 October 2016 - Members of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention completed a two-week visit to the United States today and called upon the Government to abolish its mandatory detention of migrants, particularly asylum-seekers, after it found serious racial and economic disparities and that many people were being held under punitive conditions.

Members of the Working Group included Seong-Phil Hong, Jose Guevara, and Leigh Toomey, who were accompanied by two members from the Working Group's Secretariat of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva.

The Group conducted its visit from 11 to 24 October, during which time they met with officials from the US Department of State, the Office of the Special Envoy on Guantanamo Closure, the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice, the Bureau of Prisons, Health and Human Services, and authorities in Texas, California, and Illinois.

It extended its gratitude to the US Government for the invitation, while also expressing regret that the group's requests to visit San Ysidro - a major point of entry for immigration in California - and the Homan Square policy facility in Chicago - which has received serious allegations of arbitrary detention and torture - were denied.

"People are being detained under punitive conditions that are often indistinguishable from those applicable to persons subject to criminal punishment," the panel said in a press release.

"Mandatory detention of migrants, especially asylum-seekers, is against international law standards," the experts said.

Their findings stated that "detention for immigration purposes should be the exception rather than the rule. It should be utilized only where strictly necessary after an individualized assessment of the necessity of detention in each case, to prevent flight risk or danger to the community, or to execute a final order of removal after a full hearing in which due process is guaranteed."

Sometimes families are separated, something that the panel urged the Government to address through alternative methods to detention, especially with regards to unaccompanied children.

Other considerations by the Working Group included the deprivation of liberties in the context of criminal justice, health, and Guantanamo Bay. They urged the US Government to improve legal access in both criminal justice and immigration contexts in order to secure legal representation for all.

To determine whether deprivation of liberty is arbitrary, the Working Group considered the following:

The availability of a legal basis to justify deprivation of liberty;

whether the deprivation of liberty results after exercising certain rights guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

whether a right to a fair trial has been seriously violated;

if asylum seekers, immigrants, or refugees have been subjected to prolonged administrative detention without the possibility of an administrative or judicial review or remedy; and

whether the deprivation of liberty has constituted a violation of international law on the grounds of discrimination of any kind.

With regards to its findings on health, the Working Group said: "The necessity of continued hospitalization must be reviewed regularly at reasonable intervals by a court or a competent independent body. The person must be released if the grounds for hospitalization no longer exist."

They also stressed that involuntary treatment or confinement be used only as a last resort for pregnant women suspected of substance abuse - that is, when a woman poses an immediate threat to herself or to others, and only for the shortest possible period of time, with appropriate due process guarantees so as not to jeopardize her liberty.

There has been a significant uptick in the number of people imprisoned with mental health issues and the Working Group recommended that the Government develop specific sets of pre-arrest and pre-trial intervention programmes in order to avoid incarcerating those in need of mental health treatment.

The Working Group also urged the Government to accelerate its closure of Guantanamo Bay, the detention facility that uses prolonged and indefinite pre-trial detention. It also encouraged the U.S. Congress to lift the ban on transfers of Guantanamo Bay detainees to the US.

The Group will present its final report to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2017.
Ban hopes South Africa will 'reconsider' decision to withdraw from International Criminal Court

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 24 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Ban hopes South Africa will 'reconsider' decision to withdraw from International Criminal Court, 24 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823298a40e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

24 October 2016 - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has regretted the decision of the South African Government to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and expressed hope that the country will reconsider its decision before the withdrawal takes effect.

In a statement issued by his office today, the UN chief also recalled the "significant role" played by South Africa in the establishment of the ICC, including as one of the first signatories of the Rome Statute.

According to ICC, the withdrawal will only come into effect one year after notification to the Secretary-General, who is the depositary.

He further expressed his belief that the ICC is central to global efforts to end impunity and prevent conflict as well as his confidence that the UN Member States will continue to further strengthen the Court, thus helping deter future atrocities across the globe.

Further, the statement noted: "[Mr. Ban] also hopes that States that may have concerns regarding the functioning of the Court seek to resolve these matters in the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute."

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the international treaty that founded the Court. Comprising a Preamble and 13 Parts, it establishes the governing framework for the Court.

The Statute sets out the Court's jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and - as of an amendment in 2010 - the crime of aggression. In addition to jurisdiction, it also addresses issues such as admissibility and applicable law, the composition and administration of the Court, investigations and prosecution, trials, penalties, appeal and revision, international cooperation and judicial assistance, and enforcement.

The Rome Statute was adopted at the Rome Conference on 17 July 1998 and entered into force on 1 July 2002.
UN aid chief voices 'deep frustration' as medical evacuation plan for Aleppo scrapped

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 24 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN aid chief voices 'deep frustration' as medical evacuation plan for Aleppo scrapped, 24 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/582329cf40e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

24 October 2016 - The United Nations humanitarian chief said today he is "deeply frustrated and saddened" that the UN and its partners have been forced to abort current plans to evacuate critically injured and sick people from eastern Aleppo, Syria's iconic city being razed by war.

A statement by the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Stephen O'Brien, comes after a three-day lull that followed Russia's latest unilateral announcement of a humanitarian pause to the bombing in eastern Aleppo.

On 20 October, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed Russia's unilateral pause in the bombing, saying that "this has helped pave the way for the implementation of the UN's medical evacuation plan."

"The UN and partners were ready to evacuate critically injured people over the last few days," said Mr. O'Brien, who is also the Emergency Relief Coordinator. "It is deeply regrettable that no patients or accompanying family members could be moved."

He explained that the UN and partners engaged in long and demanding negotiations, and endless rounds of clarifications on conditions and guarantees with all parties. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Syrian medical non-governmental organizations joined in the meticulous planning of the evacuations.

However, the evacuations were obstructed by various factors, including delays in receiving the necessary approvals from local authorities in eastern Aleppo, conditions placed by non-State armed groups and the Government of Syria's objection to allowing medical and other relief supplies into the eastern part of the city, he said.

"After three days of lull, parties to the conflict have still not agreed, military operations have resumed and violence is now escalating. The political and military paths are trumping basic humanity once again in Syria," he stressed.

"I am outraged that the fate of vulnerable civilians [] rests mercilessly in the hands of parties who have consistently and unashamedly failed to put them above narrow political and military interests," he said.

Due to the violence and besiegement, eastern Aleppo has not been reached with humanitarian assistance since early July of this year, he said, urging all parties to the conflict and Member States with influence over them to immediately work towards a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire so that life-saving humanitarian activities, including medical evacuations, can resume.

"As I have said before, we are facing an unparalleled humanitarian catastrophe in eastern Aleppo," he said.
Perception that refugees are more prone to radicalization wrong and dangerous - UN rights expert

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 24 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Perception that refugees are more prone to radicalization wrong and dangerous - UN rights expert, 24 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58232a0240d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

24 October 2016 - Presenting his new report to the General Assembly, the United Nations expert on counter-terrorism and human rights has warned that migration policies which are restrictive or violate fundamental human rights may in fact create conditions conducive to terrorism.

Overly-restrictive migration policies introduced because of terrorism concerns are not justified and may in fact be damaging to state security, the UN Special Rapporteur on promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Ben Emmerson, said in a news release issued today by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

In his briefing to the Assembly's main body dealing with human rights issues (Third Committee), the Special Rapporteur underscored that there is no evidence that migration leads to increased terrorist activity.

The perception that terrorists take advantage of refugee flows to carry out acts of terrorism, or that refugees are somehow more prone to radicalization than others [] is analytically and statistically unfounded, and must change, he added

According to the report, migration policies that lead to restricted access to safe territory and increased covert movements of people, particularly by traffickers, may ultimately assist terrorists and lead to increased terrorist activity.

Instead, the Mr. Emmerson said that policies which respect human rights, justice, and accountability, and that manifest the values on which democracy is founded, are an essential element of effective counterterrorism policies.

In fact, it is in all of our interests to protect refugees and give them the opportunity to create a better future for themselves and their families. It is also the right thing to do, he emphasized.

According to the expert, even with ongoing efforts to reach resolution in the Syrian conflicts, the world is likely to see a continued flow of refugees beyond the current record levels. In 2015, more than 65 million people worldwide were displaced.

The report, presented on 21 October, also recommends that States recognize that the vast majority of people fleeing Syria and other affected regions are victims of terrorism, and should not be stigmatised as potential terrorists themselves.

It further calls on them to respect the fundamental rights of migrants, and warns that push back operations and detention of migrants likely violate human rights and breach their obligations under international refugee law.

The General Assembly's Third Committee is one of its six Main Committees and is the one responsible for social, humanitarian affairs and human rights issues affecting people all over the world.

Independent experts and Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.
Renewed deadly clashes in north-central Somalia send thousands fleeing in October  UN

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 24 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Renewed deadly clashes in north-central Somalia send thousands fleeing in October  UN, 24 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58232a2d40c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

24 October 2016 - Some 18 people have been killed and 60 injured due to ongoing fighting in Gaalkacyo, Somalia, over the past two weeks, according to the United Nations humanitarian wing, which also reported today that more than 75,000 people have been displaced, though local authorities have indicated that the number could be higher as more people continue to flee the violence.

In an update on the situation in Gaalkacyo, which is in the north-central part of the country, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said local authorities estimate that some 20 per cent of the fatalities and injuries are from stray bullets, and 60 per cent of the internally displaced (IDPs) in north Gaalkacyo face secondary displacement.

Approximately 40,000 people have faced secondary displacement, moving to the outskirts of the town.

Almost a year ago, the political leadership at the Federal level and the regional bodies such as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) launched successful efforts towards a cessation of hostilities. They promise to bring peace this time as well.

An assessment conducted by humanitarian agencies and local authorities reported no civilians currently within the fighting perimeter. However, the lack of progress to establish peace in the region has been stressed by the locals. OCHA also reported fresh clashes this morning.

There is also an urgent need for humanitarian aid, as all the resources previously deployed will no longer be enough if people continue to flee their homes.

Humanitarian partners in Somalia are scaling up response to displaced people after violence broke out in Gaalkacyo on 7 October 2016. Photo: OCHA/Guled Isse

Humanitarian partners report 13 IDP settlements in south Gaalkacyo and eight more in the north of the city abandoned. The displaced people are in need of shelters, food, water and sanitation services, and protection, according to the OCHA update.

With the Deyr rainy season under way, many displaced persons - 80 per cent of whom are women, children and elderly - will be effected by potential natural hazards, such as flooding.

There is also little to no access to the port of Bossaso due to the fighting, which has affected Gaalkacyo's livestock and trade. In addition, all schools remain closed due to the violence, which has affected more than 20,000 students.

The danger of the armed conflict and concerns about staff safety have prevented humanitarian agencies from easily moving around the area to assist the population, resulting in a limited movement of humanitarian supplies.
UN aid agencies stepping up assistance for those fleeing Mosul fighting

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 26 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN aid agencies stepping up assistance for those fleeing Mosul fighting, 26 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58232abd40c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

26 October 2016 - As newly-displaced Iraqis are starting to arrive at camps set up by the United Nations for people fleeing the ongoing military offensive to wrest Mosul from terrorists, the Organization's health and refugee agencies have ramped up their own operations to provide assistance and to respond to what has thus far been a 'moderate' influx.

This week, flights from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will be bringing in some 7,200 tents from its emergency warehouse in Dubai, this number is part of agency's effort to secure 50,000 tents and 50,000 emergency shelter kits for families on the move.

Similarly, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has conducted a series of trainings on early warning and response for staff from health facilities established recently to respond to the needs of newly displaced populations in both formal and emergency settlements, as well as the hosting communities.

The first UNHCR flight arrived last night with some 1,515 tents.

"These airlifts are vital and will allow us to respond as soon as displaced Iraqis reach our camps and need shelter," said UNHCR's Representative in Iraq, Bruno Geddo in a news release issued by the agency.

Preparations ongoing but fear is that efforts could be overwhelmed

In an interview with UN Radio Mr. Geddo said that the agency has seen only modest levels of population movement, and has recoded some 10,550 displaced persons since the beginning over military operations in Mosul.

"The interesting thing is that of the people that fled to the south towards Qayyara, where there are no camps, many have already returned home," he said, noting that this is emblematic of a pattern that had "pretty quickly established itself" of people waiting out military operations [in nearby Iraqi towns] and then returning home.

Explaining ongoing preparatory measures in the anticipation of increased displacement, he added: "We are building camps and finalizing preparations at a frantic pace, but the current capacity is still limited to around 60,000 people."

"So if people are displaced from the city in waves, it will be easier to manage. If 150,000 to 200,000 people are displaced at once [] it will become a humanitarian disaster," he cautioned.

Pre-positioning essential medicine stockpiles

In addition to the training and building the capacity of health workers, the UN health agency is also putting in place stockpiles of medicines and medical supplies as well as strengthening the capacity of testing laboratories to support Iraqi health authorities.

"Applying [these] best practices will be important to avert mortality and morbidity from any epidemic of communicable diseases, including cholera," Mr. Musani noted.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OHCA), 200,000 people are estimated to be displaced in first weeks of the offensive. In the worst-case scenario, up to a million people could be displaced.

Funding

UNHCR, in its news release, also noted that with full funding and readiness, it will be able to provide a range of shelter options inside and outside camps for up to 600,000 people.

However, it has only received 48 per cent ($95 million) of funds required for its emergency response in Mosul, costed at $196.2 million, and is appealing to donors for additional help.
'Nigeria faces worst humanitarian crisis on the African continent," warns senior UN relief official

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 26 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, 'Nigeria faces worst humanitarian crisis on the African continent," warns senior UN relief official, 26 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823370540e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

26 October 2016 - With nearly 400,000 children facing starvation in Nigeria, and citizens suffering with little to no protection, security, food or access to clean water, "Nigeria is facing the worst humanitarian crisis on the African continent," Peter Lundberg, the acting United Nations Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator, warned today.

In a news release issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), wrapping up his first few weeks in the position, Mr. Lundberg assured the Nigerian Government of the international community's commitment to working closely with federal and state mechanisms to accelerate a collective response to the situation.

He also welcomed the recent announcement of the of the Inter-Ministerial Task Force and High Level Humanitarian Coordination Group, and the Borno state Humanitarian Response Committee and looked forward to seeing "tangible impact in the coming weeks and months."

According to Mr. Lundberg, humanitarian assistance by the Government and the aid community is being provided to the millions of people in desperate need despite insecurity and access constraints. However, relief agencies should continue to maintain neutrality, impartiality and independence and continue to work where security permits. "Needs are currently higher than the response capacity and we must ensure that we have both access and resources to scale up our humanitarian support in the months to come."

People fleeing Boko Haram construct make-shift shelters in Monguno, Borno State, Nigeria. They need food, water and health services. Photo: UN OCHA Nigeria

Despite some very generous contributions from mechanisms such as the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and donations from the wider donor community, the Nigerian Humanitarian Response Plan for 2016, which requires $484 million for life-saving interventions, has only received one third of the needed funding.

"Without the means to respond, innocent boys, girls, women and men will die. The highest priority requirement for this response remains food security which is just 25 per cent funded," warned Mr. Lundberg.

He went on to note that the attacks on the humanitarian convoy on 28 July and recent suicide bombing in Maiduguri on 12 October serve as stark reminders "that we must not let down our guard in such a high risk environment." Indeed, the security of humanitarian actors remains a top priority for the humanitarian community, he added.

At the end of his statement, Mr. Lundberg affirmed OCHA's commitment to support and assist international organizations with the structures and mechanisms they require to safely carry out their work. He also noted the recent improvements in displaced populations' assessment, calling this development a "springboard' that will improve access to affected populations.
South Sudan: UN human rights chief warns of 'alarming rise' in ethnic hate speech

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 26 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, South Sudan: UN human rights chief warns of 'alarming rise' in ethnic hate speech, 26 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823371940e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

26 October 2016 - An alarming rise in hate speech and incitement to violence against certain ethnic groups in South Sudan has prompted the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, to issue a warning that if the community and political leaders at the highest levels do not rein it in, mass atrocities in the country could erupt.

According to news release yesterday from the High Commissioner's Office (OHCHR), over the past two weeks, letters with graphic warnings of violence against those from the Equatoria region were left outside humanitarian organizations in Aweil West in the north-western part of the country. The letters have been attributed to the Dinka community, and warned Equatorians to either leave or be "eliminated."

The threats included those of violence, mutilation, and murder. Several state officials in the region have reportedly joined the hate speech. An Equatorian staff member of a humanitarian organization was attacked on 16 October in Aweil Town and 104 staff members of humanitarian organizations have been evacuated.

The threats followed the killing of an unconfirmed number of Dinka civilians who were traveling by bus to Juba on 8 October, as well as a separate attack on another three buses two days later. Social media perpetuated rumours about the number of civilians killed and called for revenge against Equatorians.

"Hateful rhetoric in South Sudan - particularly if it is exploited for political purposes - can have devastating consequences for entire communities, quickly spiralling into a cycle of revenge attacks," said High Commissioner Zeid. He urged President Salva Kiir, political and community leaders to "urgently and unambiguously" condemn the incitement to violence as well as to take rapid measures to reduce tensions.

"One important step," he added, "would be to promptly and transparently investigate the violence of 8 and 10 October and to hold perpetrators criminally responsible. Those who are behind these terrible threats to Equatorians must also be held to account."

The Acting Governor of Awil state issued a press release in which he called on all citizens to join the Government in its condemnation of the "alleged threats directed towards our Equatorian brothers and sisters," which Mr. Zeid welcomed.

However, he remained concerned over a statement issued by President Kiir on 19 October in which the President said he would personally lead military operations against the armed groups responsible for the killings in the region. Mr. Zeid said that the statement has been interpreted as ethnically driven.
UN mission 'outraged' at killing of hostages in central Afghanistan

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 26 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN mission 'outraged' at killing of hostages in central Afghanistan, 26 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823376940c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

26 October 2016 - The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has strongly condemned the killing of 26 civilians who were earlier taken hostage by a group of armed men in country's central Ghor province.

"I am outraged by these senseless and brutal killings," the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and the acting head of UNAMA, Pernille Kardel, said in a news release today.

"This is an atrocity and the perpetrators must be held accountable," she added.

According to the Mission, the assailants deliberately shot and killed the civilians - all men - in the Ghalmin area of Chaghcharan district in Ghor, a province in central Afghanistan. Those killed were among a group of individuals who were taken hostage, earlier the same day, while collecting firewood in the Kasi area of Firozokh, also in Ghor province.

Attributing reports, UNAMA said that the killings could have been in retaliation for the death of a commander of that armed group in fighting with Afghan National Security Forces.

The fate of the other hostages remains unknown.

Further in the news release, UNAMA underscored that killing of civilians or taking them hostage are serious violations of international humanitarian law that all parties to an armed conflict, including anti-Government elements are required to uphold.

It called for an unconditional release of any remaining hostages.
Ban condemns outbreak of violence and attacks on UN mission in Central African Republic

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 26 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Ban condemns outbreak of violence and attacks on UN mission in Central African Republic, 26 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823378b40d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

26 October 2016 - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the outbreak of violence, on 24 October, in the Central African Republic's (CAR) capital, Bangui, that killed at least four civilians and injured nine others.

According to a statement issued late yesterday by his office, Mr. Ban also deplored the attacks against the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the CAR (MINUSCA), in which five peacekeepers were injured.

The actions of those seeking to destabilize the Government and harm the country's prospects for peace and stability must not undermine the important work of rebuilding the country's infrastructure, promoting social cohesion, reconciliation and economic recovery, strengthening the rule of law, and creating opportunities for all, the UN chief reiterated in the statement.

The Secretary-General also welcomed the determination of the Government to hold accountable those who perpetrated and instigated the violence.

Reiterating that MINUSCA will take all necessary measures, in line with its mandate to protect civilians and foster stability, Mr. Ban further welcomed the mission's commitment to investigate the events that led to the deaths and injuries.

Also in the statement, Secretary-General Ban welcomed the steps taken by the Government to address the root causes of the conflict through an inclusive political process and to lay the foundations for long-term stability in the country.

He also expressed confidence that an upcoming donors' conference in Brussels, Belgium, on 17 November, will galvanize international support for these key priorities in CAR.
UN chief 'condemns' terrorist attack in Pakistan's restive Baluchistan province

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN chief 'condemns' terrorist attack in Pakistan's restive Baluchistan province, 25 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/582337ae40c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

25 October 2016 - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned a terrorist attack on a police academy in Quetta, Pakistan earlier today that claimed the lives of at-least 60 people and injured more than 100.

In a statement issued by his office, Mr. Ban stressed on the urgency of bringing the perpetrators of "this abhorrent act of violence" to justice.

According to reports, most of the victims were police cadets.

Quetta, the capital of the restive Baluchistan province and situated about 920 kilometres from the national capital Islamabad, has suffered a number of violent attacks.

In August, more than 50 people were killed in a terrorist bombing at the Quetta Civil Hospital where dozens of lawyers had gathered to mourn the killing of a prominent colleague.

A further 15 people were killed and some 25 injured in a suicide attack, in January, targeting a polio eradication centre in the city.

Also, in the statement today, Secretary-General Ban extended his condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Pakistan, and wished for a speedy recovery to those injured.
Vital efforts to protect children 'an entry point' for wider peace in Colombia  UN child rights envoy

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Vital efforts to protect children 'an entry point' for wider peace in Colombia  UN child rights envoy, 25 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/582337d640d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

25 October 2016 - The senior United Nations child rights envoy today said she is heartened by the commitment of the Colombian Government and a the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC) to separate and reintegrate children associated with the armed group, despite the negative results of the recent referendum on the Colombian peace accord.

"[The decision on children] is an important humanitarian trust-building measure and I join the Secretary-General in calling upon all those involved to do their utmost to provide adequate support and care to children and their communities who have suffered too much in this conflict," said the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Leila Zerrougui. Ms. Zerrougui was commenting on the Secretary-General's third report on the situation of children affected by the armed conflict in Colombia, which covers the period from September to June 2016, and highlights the peace talks between the Government and FARC-EP, as well as the agreement on the separation and reintegration of children signed in Havana, Cuba on 15 May 2016.

The historic peace accord, meant to end the Western hemisphere's longest running conflict, that emerged from nearly four years of talks hosted in Havana, Cuba, was defeated last month in a public referendum. Both sides have since agreed to keep pressing ahead with efforts to maintain their agreements.

A naked child holds a broom inside the doorway of his home in Moravia, a poor neighbourhood in Medellin, capital of Antioquia Department, Colombia. Photo: UNICEF/Susan Markisz

Ms. Zerrougui said the report highlighted the importance of pursuing peace and protecting children from the impact of the armed conflict, and to continue the separation of under-18 children associated with the FARC-EP, and assure that their reintegration needs are satisfied.

According to the report, the number of violations against children has decreased and advances were made towards strengthening the legal framework and adapting protection policies.

However, some concerns remain regarding the challenging presence of post-demobilization groups, and the gaps between policy commitments and implementation.

Strengthening of family reunification, gender-sensitive protection and care services, providing socio-economic and psychological support to children were among the efforts that the Secretary-General encouraged the Colombian government to undertake.

The report also welcomed the announcement of a roadmap for the peace talks between the Government and the Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN). With negotiations are scheduled to begin this week in Quito, Ecuador, the Secretary-General inviting the parties to consider including the issue of the protection of children as soon as possible.

According to Ms. Zerrougui, the agreement between the Government and FARC-EP "illustrates how the protection of children, the universal desire to build a better future for our children, can truly serve as an entry point to negotiate peace and it is my hope that what has been accomplished will be emulated in future negotiations in Colombia and elsewhere."
UN receives reports of executions and use of 'human shields' by ISIL in battle for Mosul

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN receives reports of executions and use of 'human shields' by ISIL in battle for Mosul, 25 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823380440c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

25 October 2016 - As Iraqi Government forces close in on Mosul, the United Nations human rights wing said today that it continues to receive reports of grave violations against civilians, including extrajudicial killings and summary executions, by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) extremists.

"We also continue to receive information that reinforces the belief that ISIL are deliberately using civilians as human shields - forcing them to move to sites where ISIL fighters are based, or preventing them from leaving other places for strategic reasons," said Rupert Colville, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) at the regular news briefing at the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG).

Noting the difficulties in verifying all the reports OHCHR is receiving, he citied some "preliminary" though not definitive examples, including, among others, that human rights staff in Iraq have been informed that ISIL killed 15 civilians in Safina, a village around 45 kilometres south of Mosul, and threw their bodies in the river - apparently in an attempt to spread terror among the other residents.

"On the afternoon of 19 October, in the same village, ISIL reportedly tied six civilians to a vehicle by their hands and dragged them around the village, apparently simply because they were related to a particular tribal leader fighting against ISIL alongside Iraqi Government forces," underscored Mr. Colville, adding that the six men were also allegedly beaten with sticks and gun butts. "It is not clear what happened to them subsequently," he affirmed.

The following day, 20 October, Iraqi security forces reportedly discovered the bodies of 70 civilians inside houses in Tuloul Naser Village which is located in the same sub-district, some 35 kilometres south of Mosul City. The bodies had bullet wounds, but it is not known for sure at this point who was responsible for the killings.

The order specifies that if the internally displaced people did not comply, they would be compelled by force to vacate their residences, which would then be demolished. The only option given to those who wish to stay in the Kirkuk area is to move into established camps that are either already full or very close to it.

"We understand that hundreds of families have now been evicted by Kurdish Security Forces, and are worried that if the evictions continue, it could significantly complicate the already alarming situation of mass displacement in the region," lamented Mr. Colville.

While fully understanding the authorities' security concerns in the wake of the murderous ISIL attacks, OHCHR pointed out that such evictions should be reasonable and only carried out as a last resort when no other alternative is available.

The spokesperson emphasized that any such decision should be proportional, and not based on any discriminatory basis.

"Adequate alternatives should be fully in place, with preparations and consultations taking place prior to any such evictions, so that the displaced people - who have already suffered a great deal - are not further victimized because of the actions of ISIL, over whom they obviously have no control or influence whatsoever," concluded Mr. Colville.
UN agency supporting French authorities in transferring refugees from Calais 'Jungle'

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN agency supporting French authorities in transferring refugees from Calais 'Jungle', 25 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823382c40e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

25 October 2016 - The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported today that it is assisting French authorities as they begin to close the refugee camp in Calais known as 'the Jungle," and "environment not fit for human habitation" and which highlights the need for greater responsibility sharing and coordination between European Union member States.

Yesterday, authorities transferred some 1,900 people voluntarily to accommodation centres throughout France. Many lined up in the early morning in order to board buses. UNHCR was present throughout the process to provide information on legal rights and help identify those people with special needs, including hundreds of unaccompanied children. No serious incidents were reported.

UNHCR has long time recommended that France close the camp and replace it with proper accommodation for asylum seekers and migrants. It now urges that special arrangements are made in order to ensure the safety and welfare of hundreds of unaccompanied children.

"This is important so that children don't move on to other destinations and risk becoming exploited by human traffickers or end up living on the streets without support," said William Spindler, spokesperson for UNHCR during today's regular bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.

He added that all efforts, including family tracing, must be made to reunite children with their relatives in Europe so long as it remains in the best interest of the children. 200 unaccompanied children have already left the Calais camp for the United Kingdom.

UNHCR has welcomed the transfer of more than 100 unaccompanied children since 17 October from Calais to the United Kingdom under the Dublin Regulation, which establishes which European Union Member State is responsible for processing an asylum application. Furthermore, the United Kingdom is committed to transferring additional children through the "Dubs Amendment," which allows unaccompanied children safe refuge in the country.

Mr. Spindler urged that procedures and safeguards be put in place to ensure that transfers are in children's best interests and that once in the UK, appropriate care arrangements can be made. But, he warned: "The United Kingdom cannot be the only solution for the unaccompanied children in Calais."

According to French authorities, remaining children will be moved to a site next to "The Jungle" known as the "camp d'accueil provisoire (CAP)," where they will be housed in a safe environment and then interviewed in coming days to determine their best interests.

"The situation in Calais has highlights the need for greater responsibility sharing and coordination between EU Member States to address current gaps in asylum and reception, and increase solidarity measures such as relocation and other legal avenue for people to reach safety," Mr. Spindler stated.

He called for a "collective and far-reaching" European response "based on the principles of humanity, access to protection, solidarity and responsibility-sharing" and reiterated that UNHCR remains ready to assist France, the United Kingdom, and other members of the EU in their quest for practical and comprehensive solutions.
'An entire generation could be crippled by hunger' in Yemen  UN food relief agency

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, 'An entire generation could be crippled by hunger' in Yemen  UN food relief agency, 25 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/582338ff40e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

25 October 2016 - The United Nations food relief agency today said it is increasingly concerned about deteriorating food security and growing rates of child malnutrition in war-plagued Yemen, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.

Hunger is increasing every day and people have exhausted all their survival strategies. Millions of people cannot survive without external assistance, said Muhannad Hadi, the World Food Programme (WFP) Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and East Europe in a news release.

He said the conflict in Yemen was taking a devastating toll, particularly on the most vulnerable, especially women and children.

Hunger is increasing every day and people have exhausted all their survival strategies

WFP aims to treat and help prevent malnutrition among some 700,000 children under five, pregnant women and nursing mothers. This includes nutritional treatment for children under five and preventative interventions for children under two. This work to counter Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM), also known as wasting, is done through local partners in 2,200 health centre in 14 governorates across Yemen.

An entire generation could be crippled by hunger, said WFP Country Director Torben Due. We need to provide a full ration to every family in need, but sadly we have had to reduce the size of the food basket and split assistance between impoverished families to meet growing needs, he added.

Integrated Food Security Phase Classification findings from June 2016 show that 14.1 million people in Yemen are food insecure, including 7 million who are severely food insecure. In some governorates, 70 per cent of the population struggle to feed themselves.

A senior WFP team recently visited impoverished neighbourhoods and spoke to families and local authorities in Hajjah governorate in northeast Yemen and the Red Sea governorate of Hodeidah. They described a very dramatic situation as people struggle daily to secure their food needs.

Half of Yemen's population is living at emergency levels of food insecurity and need urgent relief. Photo: WFP/Abeer Etefa

The team visited hospitals, nutrition and health centres and saw many cases of malnourished children arriving from remote areas.

I borrowed money from my neighbours and family to be able to bring my son from Tuhayta district to the hospital here in Hodeidah to get treatment for malnutrition, said Ihsan, a 26-year-old mother. I am breastfeeding him but he is slipping away from us and losing more weight every day. I hardly have food to feed my children, let alone to eat well.

Even before the latest conflict, Yemen had one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world. In some areas like Hodeidah governorate, Global Acute Malnutrition rates among children under five as high as 31 per cent have been recorded more than double the emergency threshold of 15 per cent. Almost half of the children countrywide are irreversibly stunted.

The economic impact of the conflict is a catastrophe for Yemen, the poorest country in the Middle East. Millions of public sector employees no longer receive their salaries and struggle to make ends meet. Even before the conflict escalated and imports declined dramatically, Yemen imported some 90 per cent of its food needs.

We are only surviving on bread as I have nothing else to feed my children and we are lucky if we have enough bread for everyone, said Fatema, a 45-year-old woman living on the outskirts of Sana'a. Food prices have gone up and my husband is no longer receiving his salary.

Insecurity makes access to some of Yemen's malnutrition hotspots a challenge. During the 72-hour humanitarian pause last week, WFP reached three districts in Taiz governorate, providing food assistance to 155,000 people.

Food distribution in some of areas is ongoing and WFP will also cover another 189,000 people in three other locations that were hard to reach in the last few weeks. WFP needs sustained access to the most impoverished governorates, particularly Ma'rib, Al-Jawf and Taiz.

WFP requires over $257 million to provide vital food assistance until March 2017. It takes four months from the time WFP receives funds until food can be shipped to the country and is in the hands of the families who need it.
Mediterranean death toll in 2016 'worst we have seen'  UN refugee agency

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 25 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Mediterranean death toll in 2016 'worst we have seen'  UN refugee agency, 25 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823391d40e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

25 October 2016 - With just two months left in 2016, and despite a substantial drop in the number of migrants and refugees attempting to cross the Mediterranean, the number of people losing their lives has witnessed a three-fold overall increase this year, and in one particular route by more than five-fold, the United Nations refugee agency said today.

"From one death for every 269 arrivals last year, in 2016 the likelihood of dying has spiralled to one in 88," William Spindler, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told journalists at the regular news briefing at the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG).

"On the Central Mediterranean route between Libya and Italy the likelihood of dying is even higher, at one death for every 47 arrivals," he added.

The grim ratio for this route has worsened by more than 5.7-times.

"This is the worst we have seen," expressed the UNHCR spokesperson.

According to the agency, at least 3,740 lives are reported lost between January and October 2016 - just short of the 3,771 deaths reported for the whole of 2015. This high loss of life comes despite a large overall fall this year in the number of people seeking to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

Last year at least 1,015,078 people made the crossing. This year so far, crossings stand at 327,800.

"About half those who have crossed the Mediterranean so far this year have travelled from North Africa to Italy - a known more perilous route," said Mr. Spindler explaining one of the causes behind the rise.

He further said that other causes include people smugglers using lower-quality "vessels" - no more than flimsy inflatable rafts that often do not last the journey; and the changing tactics of smugglers, with mass embarkations of thousands of people at a time.

Such changes could be used to lower detecting risks but also make the work of rescuers much more difficult, according to UNHCR.

Against this bleak backdrop, the UN agency urged all countries to do more, calling for, among others, greater and urgent attention to means such as enhanced resettlement and humanitarian admissions, family reunification, private sponsorship, and humanitarian, student and work visas for refugees.

UNHCR official also underscored that the high death rate is a reminder of the importance of continuing and robust search and rescue capacities - without which the fatality rates would almost certainly be higher.
General Assembly can take steps to reduce violence against persons with albinism  UN rights expert

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 26 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, General Assembly can take steps to reduce violence against persons with albinism  UN rights expert, 26 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823394840c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

26 October 2016 - United Nations human rights expert Ikponwosa Ero called upon government representatives gathered in New York for the General Assembly to take swift action to end a growing problem of violence and severe discrimination against people with albinism.

Ms. Ero is the first Independent Expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor, report and advise on the situation of those worldwide who have albinism. She urged Governments to address root causes and said: "Given their relative size, cost cannot be an excuse in addressing the dire straits faced by persons with albinism."

Her latest report, reviewed today in the Assembly's main body dealing with human rights issues (Third Committee), identifies root causes of attacks and discrimination against people with albinism and points to concrete legal steps in order to improve the situation. For example, she encourages regulating the practice of witchcraft in all forms, creating long-term and sustained awareness raising campaigns, and policies that support mothers of children with albinism.

"Root causes of attacks are found in traditional and culturally entrenched misbeliefs and misconceptions about albinism such as the myth that persons with albinism are ghosts, that they do not die but they disappear," she said. "This contributes to minimizing the social impact of attacks and justifies alleged disappearances."

One of the most concerning impacts of beliefs such as these is that families and communities abandon children with albinism, and sometimes their mothers as well.

Ms. Ero encourages regulating witchcraft practices that are at the root of such discrimination. For example, it is believed by some "that drinking the blood of persons with albinism gives extra magical power; that the bones of persons with albinism can help discover gold in mines; that their hands are burned to ashes and mixed in a paste to cure strokes; and that the blood of persons with albinism is used to boost vitality and intellectual capacity."

Poverty can also incentivize attacks on members of the population with albinism. Witchcraft practices such as those she identified have given rise to a black market that values their body parts; thus, the potential to make money has led to a strong incentive for attacks.

"Aside from myths, witchcraft practice and poverty, there are also aggravating factors, including the visibility of persons with albinism, particularly in regions where they stand out given their pigmentation, the characterization of persons with albinism in films and literature that perpetuate misconceptions, impunity and weak judicial response to attacks," the human rights expert added.
'Stop draining the blood of Syrians'  UN relief chief's appeal to the Security Council

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 26 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, 'Stop draining the blood of Syrians'  UN relief chief's appeal to the Security Council, 26 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823396940c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

26 October 2016 - In another impassioned plea to the United Nations Security Council urging action to stop the bloodshed in war-ravaged Syria, the top UN humanitarian official stressed that since his last briefing to the body (on 29 September), 400 more Syrians had been killed and close to 2,000 injured in eastern Aleppo.

"These are people just like you and me - not sitting around a table in New York but forced into desperate, pitiless suffering, their future wiped out [] peoples' lives destroyed and Syria itself destroyed," the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien, told the 15-member body today.

Mr. O'Brien further called on the members of the primary UN organ for maintenance of international peace and security to "[do] the right thing to stop the draining of the blood of Syrians."

Reiterating the humanitarian catastrophe in eastern Aleppo, which is besieged by the Syrian Government, has had no UN assistance in nearly four months and faces regular bombing by Syrian and Russian forces, he stressed that the tactics employed on the city are as obvious as they are unconscionable: "Make life intolerable; make death likely. Push people from starvation to despair to surrender. Push people to leave on green buses."

Further illustrating the terror that the civilians in the city face, the UN official pointed to leaflets, dropped from Syrian and Russian aircrafts, that read - "This is your last hope [] Save yourselves. If you do not leave these areas urgently, you will be annihilated."

"And it is clear that the aircraft which drop the bombs, the generals who give the orders and the politicians who have designed the strategy intend to make good on that horrific promise," he added.

Children walk by houses destroyed by on-going fighting after their first day of school in eastern Aleppo, Syria. Photo: UNICEF/Rami Zayat

Also in his is briefing, Mr. O'Brien, also the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs told the Council that on 30 September, the UN Secretary-General established an internal and independent Board of Inquiry to look into the attack targeting a UN-Syrian Arab Red Crescent relief operation to on 19 September.

He added that restrictions by the parties to the conflict continue to prevent effective aid delivery. Notably eastern Aleppo and parts of rural Damascus where the locations where access was denied.

Further reporting that removal of life-saving medicines and medical supplies, such as surgical kits, midwifery kits, and emergency kits, by Syrian authorities continued unabated, the UN humanitarian chief stressed that such restrictions were not only violations of international law and Security Council resolutions, they were also deliberately and cynically designed to inflict suffering on civilians living in besieged and hard-to-reach locations.

Also in his briefing, Mr. O'Brien informed the council of the plight of the children - nearly eight million of whom have lost their parents, their homes, their schools - who have suffered immense emotional and physical traumas.

Urging the Security Council to take action to put a halt to the violence, he said: "It is within your power to do it. If you don't take action, there will be no Syrian peoples or Syria to save - that will be this Council's legacy, our generation's shame."

"It is in your hands today to take the right path, and avert this looming irreversible tragedy of our time," he concluded.
ISIL's 'scorched earth policy' creating environmental and health havoc in Mosul, warns UN

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 27 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, ISIL's 'scorched earth policy' creating environmental and health havoc in Mosul, warns UN, 27 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823588840c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

27 October 2016 - Environmental pollution is adding "complexity and danger" to the humanitarian crisis sparked by the military offensive in Mosul, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said today, warning that fumes from burning stockpiles of sulphur dioxide, and oil wells that have been set ablaze, have led to further suffering for civilians in northern Iraq.

Some civilians are experiencing near-suffocation and respiratory illnesses due to what UNEP calls the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) "scorched earth policy" as they retreat from the Iraqi city.

Armed groups set 19 oil wells on fire near Al Qayyarah, a town just southeast of Mosul. As a result, citizens and armed forces have been exposed to toxic fumes. The burning crude oil is releasing a wide range of pollutants, including soot and gases that cause skin irritation and shortness of breath.

Together with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UNEP connected responders and hazardous materials experts, who provided technical assistance in dealing with the fire.

On 23 October, a chlorine gas leak originated from a water plant affected by the fighting, for which some 100 civilians sought medical treatment.

And, last week, a toxic cloud plume spread for dozens of kilometres after stockpiles of sulphur dioxide stored at the Mishraq Sulphate Factory caught fire. The Directorate of Health, with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), treated more than 1,000 cases of suffocation in Qayyarah, Ijhala, and Makhmour.

A young internally displaced Iraqi girl stands on a dusty path at the edge of Debaga camp, near Mosul in northern Iraq. Smoke from oil fires can be seen in the background. Photo: UNHCR/Ivor Prickett

"This is sadly just the latest episode in what has been the wholesale destruction of Iraq's environment over several decades - from draining of the marshlands to the contamination of land and the collapse of environmental management systems," said UN Environment chief Erik Solheim in a press release.

UNEP is working closely with partners in Iraq such as OCHA, WHO, the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the UN Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT) to respond to the urgency of environmental damage from armed conflict. UNOSAT has provided support in mapping smoke plumes during the offensive, which can help minimize harmful impacts of chemical hazards during the humanitarian response.

But Mr. Solheim warned that "this ongoing ecocide is a recipe for a prolonged disaster. It makes living conditions dangerous and miserable, if not impossible. It will push countless people to join the unprecedented global refugee population. That's why the environment needs to be placed at the centre of crisis response, conflict prevention, and conflict resolution."

In all this, UNEP recalls that UN General Assembly's 1992 resolution on 'Protection of the environment in times of armed conflict' (A/RES/47/37) urges States to take all measures to ensure compliance with existing international law to protect the environment during armed conflict.

Additional resolutions holding Member States accountable are the text that declared International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict (6 November) and the recent resolution adopted by the Environment Assembly, 'Protection of the environment in areas affected by armed conflict', which emphasizes UNEP's role in supporting Member States throughout these challenges.

UNEP will continue to address the environmental health impacts that are part of humanitarian action and crisis responses during the 2017 Environment and Emergencies Forum to take place in Nairobi next June.
Syria: UN education envoy urges International Criminal Court probe into Idlib school attack

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 27 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Syria: UN education envoy urges International Criminal Court probe into Idlib school attack, 27 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/582358bb40c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

27 October 2016 - The United Nations envoy for education today called for an immediate investigation by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) into what he called a war crime in Syria - the latest attacks on a school compound in the western province of Idlib that left at least 20 pupils and teachers dead.

"I am calling on the Security Council to immediately agree that the International Criminal Court Prosecutor conduct an investigation into what I believe is a war crime - with the intention that, if proven, the perpetrators will be hunted down and the case against them prosecuted before the [Court]," the UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown, told a press conference at UN Headquarters in New York, where he also announced that the Education Cannot Wait fund is allocating $15 million to children's education inside Syria.

"The Security Council should meet now," he said, explaining that the 15-member body faces a chance to unanimously act on Syria because Russia, which vetoed a resolution to refer atrocities in Syria to the ICC in 2014, has expressed support for a probe into the attacks in Idlib.

Mr. Brown quoted the Russian Foreign Affairs spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, as saying that 'we demand all international organizations join the investigation without further delay [] we urge maximum attention to this tragedy and its investigation without delay.'

"Now that Russia, for the first time, has urged such 'an immediate investigation,' the Security Council should ask the [ICC] Prosecutor for an investigation into what is happening in Syrian schools and in Syria as a whole," Mr. Brown said. "Or if they cannot accept this, they should conduct their own investigation as a Security Council as they are entitled to do, and have done so previously in other cases."

United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown. UN Photo/JC McIlwaine

"Article 8, Section 2B of the Rome Statute [] states that 'For the purposes of this statute, war crimes,' and what are called 'serious violations,' include 'intentionally directing attacks against buildings dedicated to [] education,'" he explained.

Mr. Brown said that the incident that took place in Haas in the western Syrian province of Idlib is the worst assault on school children among 98 separate attacks on Syrian schools in the last two years.

In a statement issued by his spokesman, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for immediate and impartial investigation of this and other similar attacks against civilians in Syria.

"If such horrific acts persist despite global outrage, it is largely because their authors, whether in corridors of power or in insurgent redoubts, do not fear justice. They must be proved wrong," the statement said.

For his part, the Executive Director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), Anthony Lake, issued a statement, stating that while "we thought we had seen the depths of depravity" after yesterday's attack: "[But] today's reports of attacks on schools in Douma and western Aleppo should deepen our disgust and outrage. This brings the toll to five schools hit since October 11."

Calling such attacks "simply inhuman," Mr. Lake said: "If the perpetrators cannot find their own sense of humanity, they should heed the condemnation of the world."

Education Cannot Wait Fund

At the press conference Mr. Brown also announced a $42 million investment in the Education Cannot Wait Fund that will secure the future of 1.5 million children caught in the crossfire in war-torn countries, including $15 million for Syria, $15 million for Yemen and $10 million for Chad.

"The $42 million should serve as a signal flare of optimism for those giving the most at this moment of greatest need - like the 'white helmets,' the men and women who rush into the rubble and save lives; the brave teachers in Syria's underground schools ensuring hope is unlocked and potential developed; and those providing psychiatric aid helping children cope with distress," he said.

According to UNICEF, there are a total of 11 million displaced and at risk boys and girls in the Middle East and North Africa - a figure Mr. Brown sees growing to include many of 600,000 children being forced onto the streets in Iraq's Mosul.

"While every instance of pain can be countered with a flicker of hope, $42 million is not enough," he said.

"There are times when history's moments of great suffering mark turning points that become wellsprings of hope and eventually of pride. I believe we have to create one such moment," he added.

Mr. Brown also urged the consideration of a new system for financing education in emergencies built on guaranteed funding and a new deal between the UN family, the World Bank Group and aid donors.

"The message has to go out that we cannot begin to achieve our Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as long as we condemn refugees and displaced children - those most in need who have received the least - to a future devoid of hope. For children, 2016 has been the year of fear. If 2017 is not to become another year of fear, we must act now," he said.
Ban urges all parties in Venezuela to reduce polarization and engage sincerely in dialogue process

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Ban urges all parties in Venezuela to reduce polarization and engage sincerely in dialogue process, 28 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823593a40e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

28 October 2016 - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the Vatican's joining of the ongoing initiative by former Heads of State and Government to promote dialogue between the Government of Venezuela and the country's political opposition, under the auspices of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).

According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban also called on all national actors to take tangible measures to reduce polarization and to engage sincerely in the dialogue process.

Underscoring the importance of adhering to the rule of law and the Constitution and ensuring respect for human rights, including freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly, the UN chief further called on all Venezuelans, regardless of their political perspective, to exercise those rights responsibly.

"Above all," noted the statement, "the Secretary-General reiterates his strong conviction that the Government and the opposition should make concerted efforts to focus on the country's current challenges, including to effectively address the socio-economic needs of the country, for the benefit of the Venezuelan people."

In the statement, the Secretary-General also welcomed the expressions of support for the UNASUR initiative from the international community.
Violations of freedom of expression and the media continue in Belarus  UN rights expert

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Violations of freedom of expression and the media continue in Belarus  UN rights expert, 28 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823596240c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

28 October 2016 - Human rights violations are growing worse in Belarus, according to a new report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the country, Miklos Haraszti, which he presented to the UN General Assembly today.

Some of the concerns he listed included Government control of recent elections, a vote count that was "neither honest nor transparent," the lack of a free press, government suppression of peoples' ability to meet, and jailing of a political blogger.

"Unfortunately, I have to report an unchanged legal and administrative system of the restriction of human rights, which by its mere existence cannot be conducive to meaningful elections," said the expert in a press release.

"In a nutshell, nothing has changed in Belarus on the human rights front," he concluded.

The human rights community scrutinized Belarus's presidential elections last October and those for Parliament in September, but found no signs of progress. Experts had hoped that a release of political prisoners on the eve of the presidential election and an absence of violence during the electoral process were indicative of improvements, but they ultimately found that such improvements were "nominal" and had no effect on the Government-controlled elections.

"Belarus is far from breaking away from the standard of the last two decades during which it has been the only nation in Europe with no modicum of pluralism in its Parliament," the expert said, and also expressed concern that the Central Election Commission has retained the same chairperson for 20 years, and that the composition of all electoral bodies is decided by either the president or local state authorities.

Meanwhile, fundamental freedoms of expression and of the media continue to be violated. Belarus remains the only European country with no privately-owned nationwide media. Its state-run media was used as a platform for candidates supported by the Government.

Mr. Haraszti pointed to the case of Eduard Palchys, a political blogger who was held from May to October 2016 "on made-up grounds, but in reality because of the political views expressed in his blog."

Elsewhere, citizens' freedom of association and assembly continue to be violated. Any gathering, political party or association requires State approval, and those partaking in unauthorized activities are charged with breaking the law.

Belarus also continues to use the death sentence, which was used one day after most of the European Union's sanctions against the country were lifted.

Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.
UN expert urges international community to continue to address human rights challenges in Myanmar

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN expert urges international community to continue to address human rights challenges in Myanmar, 28 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235977e6.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

28 October 2016 - The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, called upon the international community today to not forget about ongoing human rights challenges in the country, including continued detention of political prisoners, the constitutional guarantee of 25 per cent of seats in Parliament to the military, and increasing unrest and discrimination against Muslim communities.

In a briefing to the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, which handles social and humanitarian affairs as well as human rights issues, she praised recent progress but urged stakeholders to remember that much remains to be done.

"The international community has a responsibility to continue to encourage the changes needed to ensure that everyone in Myanmar can access their fundamental human rights - regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, socio-economic status or location," Ms. Lee said.

Civilians and children continue to suffer amid the escalating conflict in Shan, Kachin and Kayin states, and humanitarian access to these locations is more difficult than it has been in recent years. Meanwhile, in Rakhine state, the continued discrimination against the Rohingya and other Muslim communities has affected peoples' fundamental rights. She pressed for the removal of all discriminatory orders, policies, and practices, she noted.

The expert expressed alarm over other developments in Rakhine state, including the murder of nine police officers on 9 October. The resulting security operations led to multiple allegations of serious human rights violations, including torture and ill-treatment during interrogations, summary executions, arbitrary arrest and the destruction of mosques and houses in Muslim villages.

Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar Yanghee Lee. UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre

Some 3,000 people from the Rakhine community and up to 12,000 Muslims have fled their homes.

"I am also extremely concerned that humanitarian programmes providing health, food, education, and nutrition assistance have been suspended and access by humanitarian and other groups has not be granted," Ms. Lee remarked.

She welcomed the release of 200 prisoners by the new government, but expressed concern for the remaining 200 still in detention. Both Ms. Lee and her predecessors have advocated for legal reform, but many people continue to be arrested under outdated laws, even under the new Government.

She also pointed to Myanmar's constitution, for which 25 per cent of seats in Parliament and three key ministerial posts are reserved for the military: "Until there is constitutional reform, there is still much to be done for Myanmar to evolve from having a military government to a civilian one," she said.

"Peace will be a pre-requisite for the long-term progress of Myanmar," she added, referring to the talks between the Government and armed groups at the Panglong Conference which was held in August of this year. "Unfortunately, on the ground, peace still feels remote and communities still fear attacks, abductions, and abuses."

Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.
Israel is denying Palestine's right to development, says UN human rights expert

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Israel is denying Palestine's right to development, says UN human rights expert, 28 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/582359a540e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

28 October 2016 - The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Michael Lynk, has declared that Israel is denying Palestine's right to development by creating rampant poverty, "epic" unemployment, and economic stagnation.

The expert iscalling) on Israel to end the nearly 50 years of occupation, referring to the Palestinian situation as an atmosphere of "despair and hopelessness."

In his first report to the UN General Assembly's main body dealing with social, humanitarian and cultural issues (Third Committee), he said: "The Palestinian economy is without parallel in the modern world. Israel's occupation is denying Palestine's right to development and severely hampering its ability to attain even the minimum targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."

The UN Declaration on the Right to Development that was adopted by the General Assembly that was adopted 30 years ago provides that every human being and all peoples have an inalienable right to equitable and just economic and social development that is fully observant of all human rights. This right applies with full force to a territory under occupation.

"Poverty is rising. Unemployment is rising to epic levels. Food insecurity is becoming more acute. The Palestinian economy is becoming more stifled and less viable under the occupation," the expert continued. "Israel's deliberate fragmentation of the [Occupied Palestinian Territory] and lack of development has negatively impacted human rights."

An ILO training initiative gives a group of unemployed men from fishing families in the Gaza Strip a chance to learn new skills and increase their chances of employment in Gaza's sea fishing sector, which is beset by severe restrictions on movement and trade. Photo: ILO

Gaza has a rate of unemployment of 42 per cent, one of the highest in the world. Among young people, that rate is 58 per cent. Since 1999, the rate of unemployment throughout the entire OPT has risen from 12 per cent to 27 per cent.

Mr. Lynk called the occupation, which will be 50 years old next year, "seriously deficient in its respect for the legal principles and obligations embedded within the right to development."

"The deepening of the occupation, the constriction of basic human rights and the utter absence of a political horizon leading to self-determination for the Palestinians have reinforced an atmosphere of despair and hopelessness," he underscored.

During his visit in July of this year to Amman, Jordan, he met with civil society groups, international organizations and Palestinian Government officials, where he received submissions for his report.

Thus far, the Special Rapporteur has not received a response from the Israeli Government for his request to visit the Occupied Palestinian Territory. He pointed out to the General Assembly the fundamental obligation of Member States to cooperate with the UN human rights mechanisms.

He praised human rights groups in the region for their inspirational courage and commitment.

"They face scorn and worse for those invested in the violation of human rights, and yet they remain more committed than ever to their invaluable work," he said the General Assembly, adding praise for their consistent high quality of research and activism.

"If a just and compassionate peace is ever to come to the Middle East, we will owe much to these fearless advocates," he concluded.
Syria: UN chief condemns reported school attack in western Aleppo

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Syria: UN chief condemns reported school attack in western Aleppo, 28 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/582359fc40c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

28 October 2016 - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the reported attack today on a school in the western part of Syria's Aleppo city that killed a number of children.

According to a statement issued by his spokesperson, the Secretary-General condemns the reported attack and reiterates his call on the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.

Such attacks, if deliberate, may amount to war crimes, said the spokesman in the statement. Those responsible for these acts must be brought to justice, he added in the statement.

The attack, which reportedly left several children dead, comes a day after Mr. Ban's spokesperson issued a statement saying the UN chief was appalled by reports of attacks that killed students and teachers in a school complex in Haas village, Idlib governorate, Syria on 26 October. In the statement he called for immediate and impartial investigation of that and other similar attacks against civilians in Syria.
Amid escalating conflict in Yemen, UN-associated migration agency launches 150 million regional appeal

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Amid escalating conflict in Yemen, UN-associated migration agency launches 150 million regional appeal, 28 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235a2440e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

28 October 2016 - Warning that the situation in Yemen is growing more dire every day, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the lead United Nations-affiliated agency on migration issues, launched today a regional appeal for nearly $150 million to help provide desperately needed assistance to the country's people trapped amid the escalating conflict.

"The situation in Yemen continues to further deteriorate daily. Millions are internally displaced and desperately need food, clean water and medicines. Thousands of civilians have been killed or injured," said IOM Director General William Lacy Swing.

Indeed, the agency reported that the ongoing armed conflict has exacerbated an already precarious humanitarian situation, characterized by widespread poverty, waves of violence, human rights violations and open conflict, and recent escalation of the crisis only worsens the situation.

As such, nearly 82 per cent (21.2 million individuals) of the population in Yemen, including 2.2 million internally displaced people (IDPs), are in need of humanitarian assistance.

Mr. Swing urged the international community to provide the vital humanitarian assistance and end suffering of the millions of people who are caught up in the conflict. "I call upon all sides in this conflict and the international community to find a solution urgently to end this deadly conflict," he added further.

Humanitarian aid supplies being unloaded at the port of Hodeidah, Yemen. Photo: UNICEF/Abdulkareem Alayyashi

According to UN, some 10,000 people have been killed over the more than 18 month of conflict deaths as a result of the ongoing conflict, in addition to the issue of internal displacement, with people using abandoned buildings and informal settlements for shelter.

Mr. Swing has underlined the necessity to allow humanitarian access to the hardest-hit areas, where most of the internally displaced are located.

The armed clashes have also affected some of the Yemen neighbours, such as Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Therefore, IOM's revised regional appeal, for $149.96 million covers those countries and seeks to provide a range of humanitarian aid, including medical assistance, protection, water, sanitation, shelter, and livelihoods to the struggling regions.

In addition, the situation on the ground has been complicated by the fact that Yemen has remained a transit country for thousands of migrants in search of better economic opportunities in the Arabian Peninsula. Approximately 10,000 migrants enter Yemen irregularly each month, according to IOM data, only to find themselves trapped in the conflict, exploited, and abused by criminal networks.

Similar to the local population, migrants in Yemen are in need of humanitarian aid. IOM reports that migrants are predominantly men, women, and children escaping political instability, environmental degradation and limited economic prospects.

Djibouti has been at the centre of these migratory flows across the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with most immigrants originating from Ethiopia and Somalia. Approximately 20 percent of the migrants are unaccompanied children, stated IOM, and the rest of them are mainly between the ages of 15 and 30.
UN expert panel cites crimes against humanity committed by Eritrean authorities dating back 25 years

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN expert panel cites crimes against humanity committed by Eritrean authorities dating back 25 years, 28 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235ab840d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

28 October 2016 - Eritrean officials have committed crimes against humanity since 1991, including enslavement, imprisonment, enforced disappearances, torture, other inhumane acts, persecution, rape and murder, a member of the former United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the country reported to UN Member States.

"My plea to you [] is for you to pay heed to voices of victims of crimes against humanity in Eritrea," said Sheila Keetharuth, presenting the panel's final report to the UN General Assembly's main body dealing with social, humanitarian and cultural issues (Third Committee).

The three-member Commission, established by the UN Human Rights Council, ended its mandate in June 2016.

Ms. Keetharuth highlighted the Commission's clear findings that crimes against humanity have been committed since 1991 by Eritrean officials, adding that such a dire assessment left no room for "business as usual" in the international community's engagement with the Government of Eritrea.

"The crimes of enslavement, imprisonment, enforced disappearances, torture, other inhumane acts, persecution, rape and murder have been committed as part of a widespread and systematic campaign against the civilian population," she said. "The aim of the campaign has been to maintain control over the population and perpetuate the leadership's rule in Eritrea."

Children in the town of Embetyo, Eritrea. Photo: OCHA/Gemma Connell

She explained that the Commission has concluded the Government of Eritrea has neither the political will nor the institutional capacity to prosecute the crimes documented, and therefore recommends that the UN Security Council refer the situation in Eritrea to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and that the African Union establish an accountability mechanism.

"There is still no constitution, no parliament where laws are discussed, enacted, and where questions of national importance are debated; indefinite national service persists, with its adverse impacts on individual rights; there is no free press and no [non-governmental organizations], except for Government-sponsored ones," she said.

"The population lives in fear and the Government still controls their daily life, making the enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all Eritreans a remote possibility," she added.

She noted that while several foreign delegations, journalists and others had been invited to visit Eritrea over the past year, the rampant human rights violations taking place in isolated locations and detention facilities were not apparent to the casual visitor.

Ms. Keetharuth noted that Eritreans were among the largest numbers of African nationals seeking asylum in Europe and that the overall recognition rate for Eritrean asylum seekers in European countries remained high.

"The findings of the Commission underscore that it is not safe to forcibly return those who have left Eritrea," she stressed, noting that the Commission's first report documented that individuals forcibly repatriated, with a few exceptions, have been arrested, detained and subjected to ill-treatment and torture.

"I appeal to Member States to grant Eritreans access to their territory and asylum procedures," she said, reiterating her call to protect all Eritrean asylum-seekers from refoulement and to refrain from any forced repatriation to Eritrea or to third countries where they may still be at risk or unwelcomed.

Ms. Keetharuth is also UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea.

Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.
Nearly 8,000 families abducted by ISIL from Mosul vicinity - UN rights office

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Nearly 8,000 families abducted by ISIL from Mosul vicinity - UN rights office, 28 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235ad940c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

28 October 2016 - Credible reports suggest that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) has been forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes in sub-districts around Mosul, including nearly 8,000 families the group abducted, since the operations to restore Iraqi Government control over Mosul began on 17 October, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said today.

ISIL fighters are allegedly killing civilians who refuse to comply with ISIL's instructions or who previously belonged to the Iraqi Security Forces, including 232 civilians who were shot to death last Wednesday, Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told reporters in Geneva.

She said that reports indicate at least 5,370 families were abducted by ISIL from Shura sub-district, another 160 families from al-Qayyarah sub-district, 150 families from Hamam al-Alil sub-district and 2,210 families from Nimrud sub-district of al-Hamdaniya district.

Forced out by gunpoint, or killed if they resist, these people are reportedly being moved to strategic places where ISIL fighters are located, she said noting that, according to information received, 60,000 persons are currently residing in Hamam al-Alil, an ISIL stronghold with a previous population of 23,000.

Of the 232 civilians reportedly shot to death on Wednesday, 190 were former ISF personnel, she said. They were killed at the al-Ghazlani military base in Mosul. The other 42 civilians were reportedly shot in the head at the al-Izza military base after they refused to join ISIL, Ms. Shamdasani added.
'We are not giving up,' despite evacuation failure  UN envoys on Syria

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 27 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, 'We are not giving up,' despite evacuation failure  UN envoys on Syria, 27 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235b4440d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

27 October 2016 - Expressing their disappointment that the sick and wounded were not evacuated from Syria's war-torn eastern Aleppo, the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria and his Senior Advisor today vowed to press on with their efforts to extract those with medical emergencies and get assistance to those with desperate needs inside the city.

"This is a dirty, ugly, horrible war, so we should never be surprised when things go wrong, over lack of trust, or pre-conditions that are put by either side," Staffan de Mistura, the UN Special Envoy on Syria, told the press following a humanitarian taskforce meeting on Syria, in Geneva today.

The International Syria Support Group (ISSG) has established the respective taskforces on humanitarian aid delivery and a wider ceasefire. They have been meeting separately since early this year on a way forward in the crisis. Russia and the United States are the co-chairs of the taskforces and the ISSG, which also comprises the UN, the Arab League, the European Union and 16 other countries.

Underscoring their resolve to continue to push on for the people trapped in the city, Jan Egeland, Senior Advisor to Mr. de Mistura, added: "[] We are not giving up [] You cannot tell Fatima, age eight, that she cannot get treatment outside the besieged area because conditions are not met on many other areas."

Mr. de Mistura also informed the press of the support from the countries at the taskforce meeting as well as their appreciation of the role of the UN humanitarian actors on the ground, including the Humanitarian Coordinator Ali Al-Za'tari.

At the briefing, Mr. Egeland further emphasized that both the evacuations as well as getting food and medical aid into the city are important humanitarian operations and not allowing either of these to proceed is a violation of humanitarian law.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura (right) and UN Senior Advisor, Jan Egeland. UN Photo/Luca Solari

He also reiterated the Special Envoy's message of unanimous support from all countries at the meeting, including from Russia, the United States to try humanitarian again, on all fronts.

Eastern Aleppo has not received humanitarian supplies in large quantities since the end of June.

Mr. Egeland also told the media that there had been some progress in other areas, including reaching over 180,000 people in some besieged areas in Al Waer, Moadamiyeh, Duma, and by air drops Deir-ez-Zor.

But he added that surgical supplies were still not allowed to be delivered.

Mr. Egeland further noted that, meanwhile people's lives continued to be in balance in a "tit-for-tat" between Government and the opposition groups on allowing humanitarian supplies.

"This has also meant that [] 54 patients, 27 in Foah and Kefraya, 27 in Madaya are waiting to be evacuated and they are not. One young person died in Madaya while they are quarrelling on other issues," he said.

Expressing hope the issues holding back a response are resolved, he called on all parties to the conflict to help humanitarian actors alleviate the suffering of the people, particularly given that winter is approaching.

"I fear it will be a very, very cold winter for too many," he said.
As fires burn through Calais 'Jungle,' UNICEF urges protection of children remaining in the camp

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 27 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, As fires burn through Calais 'Jungle,' UNICEF urges protection of children remaining in the camp, 27 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235b5f412.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

27 October 2016 - "Deeply troubled" that last night, while fires burned in parts of the Calais refugee and migrant camp that has become known as "the Jungle" burned, many children were forced to sleep out in the cold, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) today underscored that authorities on the ground must guarantee their protection.

"Reports today from volunteers in Calais that some children have been escorted away by police for not having a wristband are shocking," said a joint statement from the French and United Kingdom National Committees for UNICEF.

With the situation for some children in Calais more dangerous than ever despite promises of the French and UK governments to keep children safe throughout demolition of the camp, UNICEF urged stepped up action to ensure their protection.

"Despite queuing for hours yesterday, dozens of children were reportedly unable to register and get their official wristbands from the authorities before the registration closed. This kind of situation is exactly what exposes children to traffickers and smugglers, and puts them in dangerous situations without food, shelter and any support," UNICEF warned.

In all this, the agency urged the authorities to guarantee the protection and best interests of every child. "After so much progress has been made to bring them to safety, it would be unacceptable for children to now slip through the cracks."
Security Council extends mandate of UN-OPCW body on chemical weapons use in Syria

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Security Council extends mandate of UN-OPCW body on chemical weapons use in Syria, 31 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235ba340d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

31 October 2016 - The UN Security Council today extended by just under three weeks the mandate of the United Nations- Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Joint Investigative Mechanism, the body tasked with identifying those behind chemical weapons attacks in the Syrian civil war.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2314, the 15-member Council also condemned "again in strongest terms" any use of any toxic chemical as a weapon in Syria, and expressed alarm that civilians continued to be killed and injured because of such use in the war-torn country.

The mandate of the Joint Investigative Mechanism has been extended until 18 November 2016, with possibility of further extension before its expiration.

Set up by the Council in 2015, the Mechanism was mandated to identify, to the greatest extent feasible, those involved in the use of toxic chemicals as weapons in Syria. Earlier, a fact-finding mission mandated by the OPCW had determined that a specific incident in the Syrian conflict involved or likely involved the use of toxic chemicals as weapons.

Further in the statement, the Security Council underlined that the use of chemical weapons constituted a serious violation of international law.

It also stressed that individuals, entities, groups or governments responsible for any use of chemical weapons must be held accountable.
Lebanon: Welcoming new president, UN chief encourages formation of government without delay

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Lebanon: Welcoming new president, UN chief encourages formation of government without delay, 31 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235bdd40e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

31 October 2016 - Welcoming the election of Michel Aoun as the new President of Lebanon, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed hope that all parties in the country will continue to work in a spirit of unity and in the national interest, according to his spokesperson.

"The people of Lebanon deserve to have functioning State institutions, in accordance with their constitutional and democratic rights," Mr. Ban's spokesperson added in a statement. "The Secretary-General therefore encourages the formation without delay of a government that can effectively serve the needs of all Lebanese citizens and address the serious challenges facing the country."

The statement noted that Mr. Ban also congratulated Mr. Aoun on assuming the presidency and wished him success as the new Head of State. He also thanked Prime Minister Tamam Salam for his leadership during the challenging period in the country. Lebanon had been functioning without a president for more than two years.

In the statement, the spokesperson added that the UN chief also stressed the need to hold timely parliamentary elections.

The spokesperson also said that the UN looked forward to working with President Aoun and the Lebanese Government, with the support of international partners, to continue to help the country preserve its security and stability and improve its socioeconomic prospects.

The United Nations works on multiple fronts to assist Lebanon in forging a peaceful, stable and democratic future. The world body's efforts there include the Office of the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon (UNSCOL) - the Special Coordinator serves as the Secretary-General's representative to the Lebanese Government, all political parties and the diplomatic community based in the country and carries out good offices work on behalf of the UN chief to assist Lebanese parties to reach peaceful and consensus-based solutions to contentious issues.
'Dawn of peace' could be near if Yemeni actors prioritize national interest  UN envoy tells Security Council

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 31 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, 'Dawn of peace' could be near if Yemeni actors prioritize national interest  UN envoy tells Security Council, 31 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235bf140c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

31 October 2016 - Highlighting that the humanitarian situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate despite the efforts of relief actors, the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen called on all parties to recommit themselves to the promises made earlier and to engage fully and constructively with the UN-mediated peace process.

"After 18 months of horrific fighting, thousands of deaths, injuries and unspeakable human suffering, we all need to ask how long will Yemenis remain hostages to personal and reckless political decisions," Special Envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed told the Security Council today at a briefing on the situation in the country.

"Despite [] calls for the Yemeni parties to fully commit to the peace process, the parties continued to embark on unilateral actions, which risk undermining the prospects for peace," he added.

Yemen has been engulfed in violence for several years now - a confrontation between the country's Houthis (Ansar Allah) and the Government of Yemen in early 2014 led to a Houthi advance on the capital, and an ensuing conflict which has involved support from outside parties. The UN has been heavily involved in efforts to resolve the crisis.

In his briefing, the Special Envoy reported that the military situation continues to worsen a very dire the humanitarian situation and urged for far greater attention from the international community.

Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed briefs the Security Council. UN Photo/Amanda Voisard

Illustrating the severity of the crisis, Mr. Cheikh Ahmed said that only 45 per cent of the country's health facilities remain functional and the medical situation has been further exasperated by the prohibition of commercial flights into Sana'a, meaning many are not able to travel overseas to receive treatment.

He further reported attacks against civilians, including the attack on a gathering of mourners on 8 October that killed more than 140 people and injured 550 as well as the shelling of the Bir Basha district of the city of Taiz which resulted in the death of nine individuals, including three children.

"These incidents are a horrific reminder of the consequences of war that has blighted the country during the last eighteen months of conflict," the Special Envoy noted.

He highlighted that the worsening economic situation could further complicate the humanitarian crisis, and expressed concern over recent attacks on international vessels travelling off the coast of Yemen.

Such incidents, he said, risked a more acute escalation of the conflict, and threaten the security of international maritime movement.

Mr. Cheikh Ahmed further told the Security Council that he will return to the region immediately to start consultations with both parties in Sana'a and in the Saudi capital of Riyadh with the aim of reaching a detailed agreement based on a comprehensive and detailed roadmap, consistent with relevant Council resolutions, to end the conflict.

Calling on Council members for their full support, the Special Envoy said, "The dawn of peace could be near, in case those responsible decide to prioritize national interest and start working on rebuilding a stable state, which guarantees the rights of all of its people without discrimination."

Salvage what is left in Yemen before too late

Also at today's briefing, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien, told the Security Council, over telephone that 80 per cent - 21.2 million - of Yemen's population needed humanitarian assistance and stressed the need for effective and independent investigations into alleged war crimes.

War-torn Taiz governorate district of Al Qahira, Yemen. Photo: WFP

Recalling his recent trip to the country, Mr. O'Brien added: "I saw the desperation, fear, and resignation in the deep-sunken eyes of people I met who have lost all hope - either moved to anger or powerless despair."

He also underscored that international humanitarian law must be respected by all parties to the conflict and called for holding perpetrators on all sides accountable.

Mr. O'Brien, who also heads the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told the 15-member body that the conflict is having a devastating effect on public institutions, which are increasingly unable to provide basic social services.

The country is also "one step away from famine," he noted, adding that over 14 million Yemenis are food insecure, seven million are severely food insecure, and more than two million people are malnourished nationwide, including 370,000 children who are severely malnourished.

The UN relief chief also flagged that humanitarian actors do not have the capacity or the resources to provide services to a population of 26 million Yemenis, and informed the Council that an appeal for funding for the humanitarian response in Yemen is less than half funded.

Concluding his briefing, Mr. O'Brien said that it was "high time" the parties put the Yemeni people first and reached a peaceful agreement to "salvage" what is left of the infrastructure, economy, and social services in the country.

"If disregarded," he said, "the collapse of the country will have menacing consequences not only for the Yemeni people but to the entire region."
UN envoy on Syria 'shocked' and 'appalled' by indiscriminate rocket attack on western Aleppo

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 30 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN envoy on Syria 'shocked' and 'appalled' by indiscriminate rocket attack on western Aleppo, 30 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235c1840c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

30 October 2016 - The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has said that he is appalled and shocked by the high number of rockets indiscriminately launched by armed opposition groups on civilian suburbs of Syria's western Aleppo in the past 48 hours.

Those who argue that this is meant to relieve the siege of eastern Aleppo should be reminded that nothing justifies the use of disproportionate and indiscriminate weapons, including heavy ones, on civilian areas and it could amount to war crimes, Mr. de Mistura said in a statement issued by his office.

Attributing credible reports from the ground, the statement noted that scores of civilians in western Aleppo had been killed, including several children, and hundreds wounded due to relentless and indiscriminate attacks from armed opposition groups.

Further in the statement, the Special Envoy reiterated UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's condemnation of recent attacks on schools, as well as the use of heavy airpower on civilian areas in Aleppo.

The civilians of both sides of Aleppo have suffered enough due to futile but lethal attempts of subduing the city of Aleppo, he said, adding: They now need and deserve a stable ceasefire covering this ancient city of Syria.
UN mission condemns killings and increased violence in the Central African Republic

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 29 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN mission condemns killings and increased violence in the Central African Republic, 29 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235c5a40c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

29 October 2016 - Denouncing recent violence and increasing tensions in parts of the Central African Republic (CAR), in particular the town of Bambari, resulting in the deaths of 25 individuals, the United Nations mission in the country has called for an end to the attacks and reprisals as well as appealed for dialogue to resolve the situation.

In a news release issued today, the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) also called on local population to exercise restraint and to avoid any escalation of violence.

According to the information received by MINUSCA, six security personnel and four civilians were killed yesterday in an ambush on the Bambari-Grimari road. On Thursday, some 15 people were killed and many others wounded in clashes between anti-Balaka and ex-Seleka elements near Bambari, a town located in the central part of the country, about 375 kilometres from Bangui, the country's capital.

Further in the release, MINUSCA also condemned an attack by anti-Balaka fighters against its personnel while they were travelling to the airport in Bambari.

A seven-year-old child was injured in the attack and is being treated by Mauritanian peacekeepers, the mission added.

MINUSCA further noted that it has reinforced its patrols in Bambari town and surrounding areas in response to the situation.

More than three years of civil war and sectarian violence have displaced thousands of people in the CAR amid continuing clashes between the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel coalition and anti-Balaka militia, which are mostly Christian.
Syria: Security Council strongly condemns attacks against schools and shelling of Russian Embassy

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 29 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Syria: Security Council strongly condemns attacks against schools and shelling of Russian Embassy, 29 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235c9540c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

29 October 2016 - The United Nations Security Council has condemned in the strongest terms an attack yesterday on the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Syria's capital Damascus as well as the widely reported recent attacks on schools in the country, according to separate statements issued late yesterday.

In the first statement, condemning the mortar shelling of the Russian Embassy, that caused significant material damage, the Council members recalled the principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises, and the obligations on host Governments to take all appropriate steps to protect these premises against any intrusion or damage, and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of these missions or impairment of their dignity, and to prevent any attack on diplomatic premises, agents and consular officers.

Also yesterday, the 15-member body issued a second statement, condemning the widely reported attacks on a school complex in Haas village, Idlib governorate, on 26October, which killed at least 22 children and teachers, and on a school in the western part of Aleppo on 28 October, which killed a number of children, and called for impartial investigations.

The members of the Security Council expressed outrage at all attacks against civilians and civilian objects, and indiscriminate attacks throughout Syria, noted the statement.

The Council members also recalled all obligations under international humanitarian law must be respected in all circumstances by all parties and in particular, the obligation to distinguish between civilian populations and combatants and the prohibition against indiscriminate attacks and attacks against civilians and civilian objects, the statement added.

Reaffirming the primary responsibility of the Syrian authorities to protect the population, the Council members reiterated that parties to the armed conflict may not make civilians the object of attack or use them as human shields.

They further reiterated that that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed and called on all parties to take measures to avoid harm to civilians.

In the statement, members of the Council also reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the UN Charter and obligations under international law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

The members of the Security Council also reiterated that the only sustainable solution to the current crisis in Syria is through an inclusive and Syrian-led political process with a view to the full implementation of the Geneva Communique, which was adopted after the first international meeting on the issue on 30 June 2012, and since endorsed by the Council.
UN chief set to open next month 'crucial phase' of negotiations on Cyprus

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 28 October 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN chief set to open next month 'crucial phase' of negotiations on Cyprus, 28 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235cb240e.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

28 October 2016 - The Turkish Cypriot leader and the Greek Cypriot leader will head to Switzerland early next month for a meeting that will be opened by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and will kick-off an intensive week of negotiations of the Cyprus talks, a senior UN envoy announced today.

According to the UN Special Adviser on Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, the week of negotiations will be held at Mont Pelerin, Switzerland, and begin on 7 November. The talks will focus on the chapter of territory.

According to a statement issued by the Secretary-General's Good Offices Mission in Cyprus, the dialogue, supported by the Government of Switzerland, is first time that the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mustafa Akinci, and the Greek Cypriot leader, Nicos Anastasiades, are negotiating the issue of territory directly, marking a critical juncture in the current process.

"It is important to recognize the particular sensitivity of this chapter for both sides, which is a key reason why the leaders have agreed to hold the talks outside of Cyprus, and why they want to conduct them interdependently with other relevant chapters," noted the statement.

It added that the two leaders have jointly expressed their hope that the meeting in Switzerland will pave the way for the last phase of the talks, in line with their shared commitment to do their utmost in order to reach a settlement within 2016.

The statement further noted that Mr. Ban has been closely following the Cyprus negotiations throughout his tenure and looks forward to lending his personal support to the work of the two leaders as they are entering this crucial phase of their negotiations.

Mr. Ban's tenure as the UN Secretary-General finishes at the end of this year and he will be replaced by Antonio Guterres of Portugal, who was appointed as the next Secretary-General by the UN General Assembly earlier this month.
UN rights experts urge DR Congo to lift 'unjustified' ban on protests

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 3 November 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN rights experts urge DR Congo to lift 'unjustified' ban on protests, 3 November 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235cf840c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

3 November 2016 - Expressing concern over what they called an unjustified ban on protests in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a group of United Nations human rights experts today called on the authorities to protect the fundamental rights of the people and to revoke the prohibition.

The rights to freedom of expression, and freedom of peaceful assembly and of association are fundamental rights guaranteed by international law. These rights can only be restricted in very specific and narrowly defined circumstances, the experts said in a news release issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

According to the release, the ban was imposed in September amid social discontent over delayed presidential elections which promoted a series of large demonstrations. These protests were brutally supressed by security forces and reportedly leaving dozens of people dead and injured.

This ban is the fourth of its kind in the country since 2015. Two such prohibitions remain in force, affecting Kalemie in Tanganyika province and Lubumbashi in Haut Katang province, it added.

It is clear that the current situation in the DRC does not justify a general ban on demonstrations in several cities. In fact, given that the country is in a hotly disputed election period, people should be given more space, not less, to express their democratic freedoms, the experts added, noting that at least four demonstrations were cancelled since the prohibition took effect on 22 September.

Further in the news release, the experts also raised fears over the National Dialogue agreement which took effect in October, postponing presidential elections beyond the constitutional deadline.

Warning that the agreement could be used to justify new and unacceptable restrictions on the legitimate activities of civil society organizations, the experts said:

The protest ban and the restrictive tone of the National Dialogue agreement are both disturbing signs that democratic space is rapidly dissipating in the DRC, with human rights organizations and opposition parties bearing the brunt of the repression.

They also reminded that the DRC is obligated to facilitate assembly and association rights and to protect people who exercise these rights and underscored the importance of allowing the development of an inclusive and participatory civil society sector at a critical juncture in the development of the country's democracy.

In view of forthcoming demonstrations, in particular those planned for 5 November, we urge the Congolese authorities to revoke its decision to ban demonstrations, the experts noted.

The UN human rights expressing concern included:

Independent experts and Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.
UN envoy calls for concerted efforts to avoid rolling-back of gains in Africa's Great Lakes

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 2 November 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN envoy calls for concerted efforts to avoid rolling-back of gains in Africa's Great Lakes, 2 November 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235d1e40d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

2 November 2016 - The United Nations envoy for the Great Lakes region today highlighted the challenges posed by armed groups which continue to threaten the region's stability and called for concerted efforts to avert any reversal of the commendable gains it has achieved thus far.

Briefing the Security Council on the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)  also known as the Framework Agreement  the UN Special Envoy for Great Lakes Region, Said Djinnit further highlighted efforts to address these challenges, including through joint operations by the DRC's armed forces and the UN stabilization mission in the country (MONUSCO).

He also noted the regional consultations, initiated by the guarantor institutions of the Framework Agreement, in support of the efforts to neutralize Forces democratique de liberation du Rwanda (FDLR) and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and added that work has been undertaken to establish a follow-up mechanism to counter the threat posed by ADF.

The Special Envoy also informed the Council of the high-level meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism, held in Luanda, Angola, on 26 October which reviewed and endorsed the progress report on the implementation of the commitments under the Framework Agreement.

Further in his briefing, Mr. Djinnit also highlighted the progress made in the region, particularly in strengthening judicial cooperation and in investigating and prosecuting violations of human rights, including sexual and gender-based violence, as well as support for women, youth and civil society.

Concluding this briefing, the Special Envoy called on all stakeholders, including those who had rejected the recent round of talks and the resonant agreement, to continue to work and to undertake additional confidence-building measures for the benefit of the region.
Deputy UN chief urges Central African lawmakers to act as 'defenders of dialogue and reconciliation'

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 2 November 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Deputy UN chief urges Central African lawmakers to act as 'defenders of dialogue and reconciliation', 2 November 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235d5e40d.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

2 November 2016 - Addressing the National Assembly of the Central African Republic (CAR) today, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the legislators that the country's people had given them a clear mandate, and as such, he urged them not only to play their traditional role as parliamentarians, "but also as defenders of dialogue and reconciliation."

"Reconciliation should be at the heart of all your efforts. To guide the country on the path of peace, reconciliation and development, it is essential to work together," Mr. Eliasson said on the second day of his visit to the country, where he urged the Assembly to draw on the outcomes of the May 2015 Bangui Forum, a milestone in the country's reconciliation process.

Noting that CAR faced "daunting" challenges - nearly one million Central Africans are displaced; half the population needs humanitarian assistance; and virtually all infrastructure and essential services must be rebuilt - Mr. Eliasson said moving forward would require addressing the root causes of the conflict, end impunity, promoting political openness and fighting against the marginalization of certain groups and certain communities.

"You, as parliamentarians, you play a crucial role. You have the power to enact legislation to ensure equality and the well-being of all Central Africans," he said, adding that the Assembly members have the power to hold the Government to account on its management of the country "and to meet the needs and aspirations of men, women and children that you represent."

More than three years of civil war and sectarian violence have displaced thousands of people in the CAR amid continuing clashes between the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel coalition and anti-Balaka militia, which are mostly Christian.

Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson (right) meets with President Faustin Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic (CAR) during a two day visit to the country. UN Photo/Herve Serefio

The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the country, known by its French acronym, MINUSCA, was set up two years ago to protect civilians and assist with the political transition. The Mission now has a troop strength of nearly 10,000.

In his remarks, Mr. Eliasson said the month of October has been particularly violent, resulting in the tragic deaths of many people, which many injured, including in the capital, Bangui, as well as Bambari or Kaga Bandoro. "We have learned from these painful events and will do everything in our capacity to prevent such atrocities," he said.

Strongly condemning the violence, he assured the Assembly of the determination of the United Nations "to shed light on the unfortunate incident last Monday in Bangui," referring to demonstrations against the Government and the United Nations that were accompanied by violence on 24 October.

"MINUSCA will support any request by the judicial authorities of the Central African Republic to that effect," he continued, and the Mission is "unequivocally here to protect the Central African population and will do so impartially. We respect everyone's right to demonstrate peacefully and protect this right if necessary."

"But I also call on you not to yield to provocative speeches or attempts to destabilize your new democratic institutions by the enemies of peace. We must all [stand] against those who want to prevent the peaceful and resolute march of the country towards more progress and shared prosperity," the UN deputy chief underscored.

Mr. Eliasson went on to reaffirm the deep commitment of the United Nations and the international community to honour fully their partnership with CAR, noting that the UN has provided support in areas such as humanitarian assistance, reconciliation, recovery and development, and through the presence of MINUSCA.

"In fulfilling our mission in your country, we will continue to make the protection of civilians a fundamental concern. In this regard, the Secretary-General and I will continue to require our peacekeepers and our personal exemplary conduct and strict compliance with our zero-tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse," he stated.

In addition, cooperation among the Central African Government, the European Union, the UN and the World Bank, has led to the development of "national plan for recovery." This plan will be presented and discussed at the donor conference in Brussels on 17 November, which, Mr. Eliasson would attend as the head of the UN delegation.

"Together we must build [] a better future for the Central African people. The UN is here, at your side, in this noble and necessary mission," concluded the UN deputy chief.
Afghanistan: International support to Kunduz remains essential, says UN Mission

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 2 November 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Afghanistan: International support to Kunduz remains essential, says UN Mission, 2 November 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235d82412.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

2 November 2016 - The United Nations will do everything in its power to support the people of Kunduz in, the political chief of UN mission in Afghanistan told Government officials, civil society and media professionals in the restive northern province, where the security situation has remained tense since the provincial capital was briefly overtaken by the Taliban in late 2015 and was attacked again in October this year.

"The United Nations stands with the people of Kunduz and is firmly committed to backing all efforts that lead to peace," said Pernille Kardel, the Secretary-General's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and acting head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

"The international community is highly aware of the challenges the people of Kunduz have faced, and remains steadfast in backing the people of Afghanistan in recovering from the violence of the past and moving toward peace," she said.

According to a news release issued yesterday by UNAMA, Ms. Kardel discussed recent security developments and other issues with Governor Haji Asadullah Omarkhel and Kunduz leaders in a daylong visit to the province.

In a separate meeting, Ms. Kardel discussed the latest developments with senior media professionals working in Kunduz. Following the expulsion of the Taliban from Kunduz last October, radio broadcasts and other media programmes in the city resumed in March this year thanks in part to several UN initiatives.

Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and acting head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Pernille Kardel. Photo: UNAMA/Fardin Waezi

Two local radio stations restarted broadcasts in March - Shaeesta Radio, a radio network dedicated to women's issues, and Kaihan Radio, which broadcasts shows geared to young Afghans.

Both stations were looted during the Taliban's attack and takeover of Kunduz between 28 September and 13 October2015, and their staff forced into hiding. But with assistance from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in the country, damaged station equipment has since been replaced.

UNAMA has been supporting Kunduz radio and TV through a combination of technical assistance and outreach activities. Following the end of fighting in the city in October 2015, UNAMA supported the people of Kunduz by backing a series of public information programmes with Kunduz RTA and Independent Radio Kunduz. The broadcasts aired via four local radio and TV channels.

Many other outreach events have taken place in Kunduz this year, including most recently an event to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on 2 November.

More than 20 different UN entities are present in Afghanistan, working to support Afghans through a broad spectrum of development and humanitarian activities, including through support for development planning, resource mobilization, and coordination of international donors and organizations.

UNAMA is mandated to support the Afghan Government and the people of Afghanistan as a political mission that provides good offices; promotes coherent development support by the international community; supports the process of peace and reconciliation; monitors and promotes human rights and the protection of civilians in armed conflict; promotes good governance; and encourages regional cooperation.

'Good offices' are diplomatic measures UN takes publicly and in private, drawing on its independence, impartiality and integrity, to prevent international disputes from arising, escalating or spreading.
Western Saharan refugees face looming food shortage, UN agencies warn in appeal for donor support

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 2 November 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Western Saharan refugees face looming food shortage, UN agencies warn in appeal for donor support, 2 November 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235dbb40c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

2 November 2016 - Three United Nations agencies operating in Algeria appealed today for continued donor support for refugees from Western Sahara, warning that insufficient funding makes imminent a cut in basic food rations.

"For more than 40 years, the Sahrawi refugees have been living under extremely harsh conditions in the Sahara desert in south-western Algeria. Hosted in five camps close to the town of Tindouf, they remain heavily dependent on external humanitarian assistance," the UN World Food Programme (WFP), together with the Office of the UN Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a joint news release.

According to the release, WFP represents the most important source of food in the camps. The UN agencies caution that the halt or reduction of that assistance would have a severe impact on the refugees' food security and nutritional status - especially young children, pregnant and nursing women, the elderly and the sick.

"At the [UN Summit which] recently adopted the New York Declaration, States committed to providing additional and predictable humanitarian funding and development support for refugees," said UNHCR Representative in Algeria Hamdi Bukhari.

"We badly need this for our humanitarian activities in support of the Sahrawis," he continued. "Chronic underfunding has affected the provision of health, shelter, food and water."

In June last year, the three agencies raised the alarm over the lack of funding for food. Today they are elevating their warning that "food assistance is critical."

A telephone centre located at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)'s Confidence Building Measures office allows camp-dwelling refugees in Laayoune, Western Sahara, to contact their families outside the camp with 10-minute phone calls. UN Photo/Martine

The joint statement explained that WFP faces a funding shortfall of $10 million for the next six months.

While the UN food relief agency was forced to suspend part of its assistance in October, November threatens reduced rations by half. Stocks have already been depleted to cover the last few months and the three staple products of wheat flour, vegetable oil, and rice are quickly running out. WFP has informed donors, stakeholders and local partners - including the Algerian and Sahrawi Red Crescent - of possible cuts.

"Cost-cutting measures, such as the replacement of some commodities by cheaper ones, have so far allowed WFP to extend resources to cover requirements," said WFP Representative Romain Sirois.

"However," he continued "if new funding is not available soon, WFP will be forced to reduce food rations. This is bound to hurt the nutritional status of refugees."

On 19 September, WFP, UNHCR, UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as non-governmental organizations providing humanitarian assistance to Sahrawi refugees, called on donors in Algiers for funds to provide food, shelter, health and education in the camps. The appeal will be re-issued soon at a donor meeting in Geneva.

"Sahrawi refugee children living in camps in Tindouf are highly dependent on food distributions, and anxiety among families about further reduction is high," said UNICEF Representative in Algeria Marc Lucet.

"Children's nutritional and health status could be at risk," he continued. "Together with UN agencies working in the camps, we call upon donors to maintain their support to refugees so their basic humanitarian needs continue to be covered."

Since 1986, WFP has been supporting refugees from Western Sahara in Algeria. All of its assistance there is carried out and monitored in collaboration with national and international organizations to make sure the support reaches the people for whom it is intended.

The Sahrawi crisis is the UN's oldest protracted operation and the second longest-running refugee situation worldwide, said the agencies.
Politics prevailed over promises by France and UK in handling of children at Calais 'Jungle'  UN experts

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 2 November 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Politics prevailed over promises by France and UK in handling of children at Calais 'Jungle'  UN experts, 2 November 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235deb324.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

2 November 2016 - The Governments of France and the United Kingdom fell seriously short of their obligations under the international child rights convention by inadequately handling the situation of minors living at the Calais migrant camp in France, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has said.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported that it is assisting France, which decided to close the refugee and migrant camp in Calais, that has become known as 'the Jungle,' as it is "not fit for human habitation."

The people in the camp have been transferred to accommodation centres throughout France, and a number of unaccompanied children left the camp for the United Kingdom, where they have family ties. The refugee agency highlighted the need for greater responsibility sharing and coordination between European Union member States.

According to a news release today from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), France and the UK have some disagreements over who should take responsibility for the majority of unaccompanied children and this situation has led to major violations of these children's rights.

"Hundreds of children have been subjected to inhumane living conditions, left without adequate shelter, food, medical services and psychosocial support, and in some cases exposed to smugglers and traffickers," the experts said.

The dismantling of the Southern part of the "jungle" of Calais in March 2016. Photo: UNICEF/Laurence Geai

The Committee - tasked with monitoring worldwide implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by States Parties - called on the two countries to urgently address the situation of unaccompanied children who had been forced to take shelter in disused shipping containers or sleep outside.

"The events of the past week have shown clearly that political and other considerations prevailed over the initial promises by both Governments that the situation of unaccompanied children would be their priority. The best interests of the child have been completely disregarded," the experts said.

While welcoming the announcement by the French authorities that the children are being relocated to dedicated centres where the next steps concerning their future will be decided, the Committee is of the view that both Governments cannot say they were caught off-guard by the Calais situation.

"When the Committee reviewed France and the UK earlier this year, both States were given precise recommendations regarding the treatment of unaccompanied child migrants, including those in Calais," the release explained.

These recommendations included the need to stop the detention of asylum-seeking and migrant children; the need to conduct age assessments only in cases of serious doubt and when so, through multi-disciplinary and transparent procedures; and the obligation to respect children's right to humane living standards and adequate health care services.

"The failures regarding the situation of children in Calais are not isolated events but highlight the shortcomings of a migration system built on policies that are neither developed nor implemented with child rights in mind," the experts underscored.
As Iraqi military prepares to enter Mosul, ISIL forcibly relocates thousands of civilians near city, UN warns

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 1 November 2016 Cite as UN News Service, As Iraqi military prepares to enter Mosul, ISIL forcibly relocates thousands of civilians near city, UN warns, 1 November 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58235e78c4.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

1 November 2016 - The United Nations human rights wing today received reports that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) is attempting to forcibly transfer tens of thousands of civilians closer to Mosul, including near its own military installations, which could be targets as the Iraqi Government's offensive to retake the city intensifies.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported that early this morning, ISIL attempted the forcible transfer of some 25,000 civilians towards locations in and around Mosul. While coalition flights patrolling the area foiled the effort, some buses did reach Abusaif, 15 kilometres north of Hamam Al-Alil City, south of Mosul.

"We have grave concerns for the safety of these and the tens of thousands of other civilians who have reportedly been forcibly relocated by ISIL in the past two weeks," OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told reporters at the regular bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, explaining that ISIL brought dozens of long trucks and mini-buses to Hamam al-Alil City - most of which were prevented from proceeding towards Mosul by coalition flights.

Responding to questions, she said OHCHR had observed a pattern: ISIL was taking people closer and closer to Mosul city, and putting them close to their offices and to military installations which could be targets.

"That would support the assertion that they are planning to use those people as human shields, and to make sure the area was heavily populated with civilians to frustrate a military operation against them," she said, noting that ISIL is also killing some people that they are abducting, particularly those having formerly belonged to the Iraqi Security Forces.

A young girl stands outside her family home in al Houd, a town outside Mosul, which was retaken by Iraqi security forces. Photo: UNICEF/Sharon Behn

"Using civilians as human shields is a war crime," she explained, citing relevant Articles of the Rome Statute, founding document of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which state, respectively, that taking hostages in a non-international armed conflict is a war crime, and that ordering civilian displacements for reasons non-security or imperative military reasons is also a war crime.

"We urge parties to the conflict to ensure that international law is strictly observed," continued Ms. Shamdasani, "in particular the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution in attack. All feasible precautions must be taken to avoid and minimise the loss of civilian life and injury to civilians."

The OHCHR spokesperson elaborated on further reports of mass killings by ISIL, noting that this past Saturday, 40 former Iraqi Security Force soldiers were killed and their bodies thrown in the Tigris River. The soldiers were reportedly among the civilians who had been abducted earlier from al-Shura sub-district of Mosul and from villages surrounding Hamam al-Alil.

According to Ms. Shamdasani, there have also been reports that ISIL has been threatening relatives of people they suspect are supporting the Iraqi Security Forces.
South Sudan: Ban to put in place measures to improve UN Mission's ability to protect civilians

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 1 November 2016 Cite as UN News Service, South Sudan: Ban to put in place measures to improve UN Mission's ability to protect civilians, 1 November 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5823602040c.html [accessed 2 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

1 November 2016 - In light of the "serious shortcomings" revealed by an independent inquiry into the response of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) after violence broke out in and around its premises in the capital, Juba, in July, Secretary-General Ban Ki moon will introduce a raft of measures to bolster its protection of civilians, including through greater accountability of uniformed and civilian personnel.

According to a statement from Mr. Ban's spokesperson, the UN chief received the report (summarized here) of the Independent Special Investigation, and is "deeply distressed" by its findings, including that UNMISS did not respond effectively to the violence, which erupted in early July, due to an overall lack of leadership, preparedness and integration among the various components of the mission.

Commenting on the report at the daily press briefing at UN Headquarters, Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric announced that in line with the report's recommendations, the Secretary-General has asked for the "immediate replacement" of UNMISS Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Johnson Mogoa Kimani Ondieki.

The incidents occurred during a spate of clashes between rival forces - the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) loyal to President Salva Kiir and the SPLA in Opposition backing First Vice-President Riek Machar - that broke out in and around Juba, on 7 July, close to the fifth anniversary of the country's independence.

UN compounds and UNMISS-managed civilian protection sites were attacked during the fighting and, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, a separate preliminary UN investigation into the violence and its aftermath revealed that Government security forces carried out killings and rapes, and looted and destroyed properties.

Displaced civilians leave the UNMISS (UN Mission in South Sudan) base in UN House, after seeking refuge at the base in the wake of recent fresh clashes in Juba between soldiers of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the SPLA in Opposition (SPLA-IO). UN Photo/Eric Kanalstein

The special investigation commissioned by the Secretary-General, led by a retired UN peacekeeper, Major General Patrick Cammaert, found that "UNMISS did not respond effectively to the violence due to an overall lack of leadership, preparedness and integration among the various components of the mission" and that "command and control arrangements were inadequate, while peacekeepers maintained a risk-averse posture," the statement said.

"These factors," it added, "contributed to the failure of UNMISS to respond to the attack by Government soldiers on the Terrain camp on 11 July and protect civilians under threat."

The special investigation was unable to verify allegations that peacekeepers failed to respond to acts of sexual violence committed directly in front of them on 17 and 18 July, the spokesman said.

Noting that the Secretary-General has studied the recommendations made by the special investigation, the statement highlighted that Mr. Ban "will ensure that the necessary steps are taken to enable UNMISS to protect civilians more effectively, including through greater accountability of the mission's civilian and uniformed leadership."

According to the report, UNMISS faced an extremely challenging set of circumstances and was caught in the crossfire of an active and particularly violent conflict.

The report notes that during the three days of fighting, according to some conservative estimates, at least 73 people were killed, including more than 20 internally displaced persons in the PoC sites. Two peacekeepers were killed and several more were injured. In addition, 182 buildings in the UN House compound were struck by bullets, mortars and rocket propelled grenades.
Morgan County Election Board reviews financial records

The Morgan County Election Board met Friday to review the campaign finance reports of local candidates running for office.
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Luthers Legacy

Last weeks Letter to the Editor credited Martin Luther with major contributions to the development of Western Civilization. Indeed, he was one of many, as properly acknowledged by scholars, philosophers, historians and theologians. However, the how and why and the nitty-gritty details of the serious upheaval in the 16th Century Church were not included in the previous article.

On Oct. 31, 1517, on All Saints Day, when people gathered in churches to offer thanks for the many blessings as well as to honor their ancestors in cemeteries, after hard labor in harvest fields, they now gathered and relaxed enjoying life in taverns and marketplaces.

On that date Martin Luther, local priest and professor of theology at the University of Wittenberg in Saxony, nailed to the Castle Church door his famous 95 Theses requesting Church authorities to debate and rectify perceived wrongs, abuses, even non-Scriptural practices like the sale of papal endorsed indulgences (surplus grace of saints) for salvation, or for release from purgatory.

During this Plenary Indulgence time, Elector Duke Frederick of the Holy Roman Empire displayed his proud collection of 5,000 holy relics, such as splinters of the cross, piece of bread from Last Supper, Jesus diaper, a vial of dried milk from Marys breast, a branch of burning bush seen by Moses, John the Baptists tooth  all encased in jeweled silver reliquaries. If one viewed, touched and prayed before these relics, and contributed a certain prescribed amount, he received a document of absolution.

An emissary from Rome, Johann Tetzel, a Dominican friar fanatically preaching indulgences, set up shop in market square, peddling when the coin in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory springs. Funds were intended for the new reconstructed St. Peters Basilica, as well as to pay off the debts of the Archbishop of Mainz and three other bishoprics he controlled.

Peasants jubilantly clutching parchments shouted Im saved! No suffering in purgatory. Even got mother out. Of course, they paid a high fee for salvation assured by the wealthy, corrupt Medici pope who considered himself infallible, who himself purchased the papacy.

Among Luthers voluminous (some 45) writings are Freedom of the Christian, Babylonian Captivity of Church, and Address to Christian Nobility of the German Nation as well as the Small and Large Catechisms.

Martin Luther, along with his contemporaries Melanchton, Zwingli, Calvin, Knox, Cranmer, Smyth, Simons, Grebel and later the Wesleys, as well as many others who liberated the conscience of the new Western Man from the fetters of the Roman, established and imposed dominion of social order. Yes, conflict and wars followed, but a new nation was born which guarantees faith, dignity, liberty and justice for all.

In gratitude to Martin Luthers Reformation.

Reference: National Geographic October 1983, Luther.

Martin Trautrimas, Prof. Emeritus

Midland University
Kim Jong Un in photo taken on June 30, 2016 and released on July 02, 2016 by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency.

North Korean authorities have figured out a way to double the money shopkeepers pay to the authorities by instituting what is known as the double shift, RFAs Korean Service has learned.

First tried during the Kim Jong Il regime, the double shift was allowed to lapse soon after he died in 2011 because it was deemed unworkable.

In the double shift, one shopkeeper works his stand for three days, and then another shopkeeper takes over for three days. North Korean authorities have deemed Saturday a regular living day when the shops are closed.

North Korean authorities charge each shopkeeper a street tax for their storefronts that comes to about 50 cents a week. The shopkeepers pay the tax on Mondays. Thats a big hit for the average North Korean who makes about $1 a month.

Pyongyang is doubling the number of shopkeepers, but keeping the tax they pay the same. Twice as many shopkeepers means twice as much in street tax goes into the countrys coffers.

The reason Kim Jong Un started the double shift system, which had failed before, is to collect more money from the shopkeepers, a source from North Hamgyong province told RFA. The central authorities assigned two shopkeepers to do business alternatively every three days.

With the double shift, North Korean shopkeepers are being hit by a double whammy. Not only are they running their shops only half of the time, they are still paying the full tax.

The double shift system was proclaimed about the middle of October and has become operative on November 1, said a source from Yanggang province. The double shift system was originally introduced on October, 2011, but it caused confusion and disappeared naturally after Kim Jong Il died two months afterwards.

While shopkeepers may want to take solace on their regular living day, the authorities wont allow them a day off as they are required to attend events designed to further their ideological education, sources tell RFA.

North Korean residents have to attend events for ideology education, such as lectures and study, on Saturdays. but in the past, local markets used to open on Saturdays, and shopkeepers were exempted from attending the ideology sessionswhich had made the residents upset, the source explained.

The local market used to open on Saturdays, which prevented the shopkeepers from attending regular living day events, and its made other residents upset, said the source.





Reported by Sung-hui Moon for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Soo Min Jo. Written in English by Brooks Boliek.
Rohingya Muslims gather for the arrival of a United Nations envoy and foreign diplomats in Ale Than Kyaw village, Maungdaw township, western Myanmar's Rakhine state, Nov. 3, 2016.

Denmarks ambassador to Myanmar visited turbulent Rakhine state on Wednesday to talk to people affected by recent violence there to learn their views about the current situation, as the Nordic country prepares to increase its development aid to the area.

Danish ambassador Peter Lysholt Hansen met with people in the state capital Sittwe and visited Angumaw village in Rathedaung township and Inndin village in Maungdaw township in the northern part of the state.

Coordinated attacks on three border guard posts in Maungdaw and Rathedaung townships on Oct. 9 left nine officers dead and led to clashes between security forces and armed groups of men in the following days. All in all, about 40 people, including soldiers, border guards, and attackers, have been killed.

Some have blamed the violence on a militant group of Rohingya Muslims, a largely repressed ethnic minority group in Myanmar that suffers routine discrimination and lives in the northern part of Rakhine where the attacks occurred.

[Hansen] said everybody condemns this terrorism attack in Maungdaw and feels sorry for the border guard police who were killed in the attacks, said Than Tun said, leader of the civil society organization community in Rakhine state.

Locals told Hansen that the Islamist terrorist organization Aqa Mul Mujahidin was responsible for attacks that occurred near the Bangladesh border, he said.

They also told him that another terrorist organization in Pakistan provided support to the Aqa Mul Mujahidin group, and that the international Muslim community assisted the Pakistani group, he said

Peter Lysholt Hansen asked us what we thought about the master key organization behind the Maungdaw attack, why it carried out the attack, and how we can resolve the problems in Rakhine state, Than Tun told RFAs Myanmar Service.

A good discussion

Hansen told them that international community, including Denmark and United Nations organizations, plans to reduce humanitarian aid to both ethnic Rakhine and Muslim communities in Rakhine state, but will provide more development aid, Than Tun said.

If only Myanmar citizens can get their development aid, then we will welcome it, he said.

A post on the Danish embassys Facebook page said Hansen and those he talked to had a good discussion and agreed that ongoing dialogue with and among all parties is an important element in the harmonious development of Rakhine state.

On Tuesday, Hansen met Rakhine state chief minister Nyi Pu in Sittwe to talk about the situation in Maungdaw and planned Danish support to help poor people from both ethnic Rakhine and Muslim communities sustainably manage fisheries resources, another Facebook post said.

Hansen will visit Rohingya Muslim refugee camps in Sittwe township and meet Muslim leaders on Thursday.

Attack on villagers

The Danish ambassadors visit came just as aid from the U.N. was starting to reach areas affected by the violence. His visit also followed attacks on Monday by assailants who set fire to a home and abducted two villagers in Maungtaw, state-run Global News Light of Myanmar reported.

Local authorities later arrested two people inside a camp for displaced people in Maungdaws Kotankauk village on suspicion of providing aid to the attackers, the report said.

Also on Monday, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of issued a statement that the World Food Programme was granted permission to deliver aid to four villagesthe first time that humanitarian access has been granted to the affected areas of Maungdaw since the attacks occurred.

Last week, U.N. envoy Renata Lok-Dessallien led a two-day mission visit to Maungdaw to survey the situation on the ground and talk to residents and security forces. She called on the Myanmar government to launch an independent investigation of alleged human rights abuses in the northwestern township.

Reported by Min Thein Aung for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Villagers in a boat transport boxes of instant noodles they received as relief aid past flooded homes in a village in Huong Khe district, central Vietnam's Ha Tinh province, Oct. 16, 2016.

Severe flooding in the north and south central coastal regions of Vietnam has caused 15 deaths and more than U.S. $44 million in losses and has imposed humanitarian hardships on residents unable to flee, state media reported Wednesday.

Six people remain missing, and 225 houses have been completely destroyed. More than 42,100 other homes have collapsed, according to the reports.

The flooding has affected the provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Kon Tum, Gia Lai and Dak Lak.

When the flood came, we ran toward the fields, said a female resident of hard-hit Ha Tinh province, who gave her name as Lan. We did not have any means of transportation.

If we had heard the weather forecast sooner, we could have moved our belongings, she told RFAs Vietnamese Service. But this time the flood came too fast, and we couldnt do anything. The water rose fast. We couldnt even move our motorbikes.

Another woman from Ha Tinh province named Loi told RFA that only strong people could move up to higher houses. She also said she received some packages of instant noodles from volunteers but none from the local government.

A man named Tu from Ha Tinh province said residents want the government to help them build homes on higher ground so they dont continue to suffer whenever floods hit the area.

A resident of Phuong My village in the rural district Huong Khe in Ha Tinh province, who declined to give his name, told RFA that his village received most of the relief supplies in Huong Khe district because it lies in the lowest area that has been affected by the flooding.

Most of the relief teams came here, he said, adding that about four or five groups have visited his village on most days.

In general, families have received scores of boxes of instant noodles, tons of rice, and millions of Vietnamese dong, he said.

His family and others in the area have received 32 boxes of instant noodles and about 40 million dong (U.S. $1,800), the man said.

Provincial administrations are soliciting funds from the central government in Hanoi for local relief and repair work.

Khanh Hoa province officials have asked the central government to provide 226 billion dong (U.S. $9.94 million) in flood recovery funds, while authorities in Phu Yen province have requested 105 billion dong (U.S. $4.62 million) for road repairs, media reports said.

Still waiting

Relief teams have been unable to reach some Roman Catholic parishes, including Thinh Lac, Trai Nai, Xuan son, Ky Lac, Ky Son, in Ha Tinh's Huong Khe district, and those in Dien Truong, Tay Son, Quang Hai, and Ba Don in Quang Binh province, locals said.

Whenever floods come, people in this area lose a lot, Nguyen Van Hung, a priest at Dien Truong parish in Quang Binh province, told RFA, adding that a major flood hit in the area in 2010, the year he arrived there.

Water rose as high as some rooftops during another major flood three years ago, he said.

I plan to move people to higher places, Hung said. But whenever there is a flood here, people in the region receive no help because relief teams dont come on account of transportation difficulties, and the media do not pay much attention to us.

The parishioners are hungry, he said.

On Tuesday, the countrys National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned of rising floodwaters along rivers in the central provinces from Nghe An to Quang Binh as well as flash floods and landslides.

Several of the central provinces are still recovering from severe flooding three weeks ago caused by torrential rains that began drenching the region around mid-October, killing about 35 people and displacing thousands of others, according to media reports.

More heavy rain began falling at the end of October causing severe flooding in Ha Tinh, Quang Tri and Quang Binh provinces.



Reported by Kieu Nhi and Cao Viet Hoa for RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
A Russian hacker who was convicted for his leading role in one of the largest data thefts in U.S. history has been released from prison after serving most of his 12-year sentence.

Vladimir Drinkman was released from a Pennsylvania jail on October 28, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons told RFE/RL.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) did not respond to an RFE/RL request for comment on whether Drinkman had been turned over for deportation, a process that can take up to several months. Drinkman's lawyer, Igor Litvak, declined to comment. RFE/RL could not immediately reach Drinkman.

Drinkman was a key member of a criminal hacking group that penetrated major U.S. corporations, including Heartland Payment Systems, which at the time it was breached in 2008 was one of the biggest U.S. payment-processing firms. The Heartland attack -- the largest breach in history at the time -- cost the payment company more than $200 million in losses.

Varonis, a U.S.-based cybersecurity firm, ranks the attack on Heartland among the 10 largest data breaches of all time.

Chuck Brooks, a cybersecurity expert and adjunct professor at Georgetown University, said the Heartland hack was a "wake-up call" for the payments and financial industries to enhance their cyberdefenses.



He said the breach led to stronger security policies, including a better understanding by CEOs and CFOs of the threats to business sustainability and reputation.

"After the breach, many companies added more stringent data and security policies, including encryption, multifactor authentication, and monitoring of systems and networks," Brooks told RFE/RL.

Heartland also later established the Payments Processing Information Sharing Council (PPISC), which serves as a forum for banks and payment processors to share information about breaches and compliance issues, he noted.

In addition to breaking into Heartland, the hacking gang also breached Nasdaq OMX Group, 7-Eleven, JC Penney, JetBlue Airways, and others, according to prosecutors. In total, they stole the data of more than 160 million credit cards, leading to more than $300 million in damages.

Greg Hunter, a Virginia-based lawyer who has represented cybercriminals from the former Soviet Union, said the Heartland case demonstrated the sophisticated evolution of Russian-speaking hackers.

"This was the beginning of specialization," Hunter told RFE/RL. "Rather than an individual hacker spending a lot of time stealing credit card data and then trying to monetize it, you had guys specializing in breaching the security apparatus of a site, others selling the data."

The appearance of hacker forums was critical to the phenomenon of a division of labor, he said.

Hacker sites "allowed these guys to find each other and work together. A guy who breaches banks could just focus on that, knowing he could find others to either help him know what to get and how to use it, or just buy his services outright," Hunter said.

Several of the most commonly used forums where hackers bought and sold stolen credit card data and traded tips included Cardplanet and Direct Connection. A Russian man, Aleksei Burkov, was extradited from Israel to the United States and later pleaded guilty in 2020 to U.S. charges related to his oversight of those forums.

He was deported to Russia last year.

According to U.S. court filings, Drinkman and another co-conspirator, Alexandr Kalinin, specialized in penetrating network security and gaining access to the corporate data systems. Drinkman along with a third man, Roman Kotov, also focused on mining the networks to steal valuable data.

Another Russian man, Dmitry Smilyanets, then sold the stolen credit card information on forums for $10 to $50 each and distributed the proceeds of the scheme to the others, according to prosecutors.

Kalinin and Kotov, both of whom are Russian citizens, are believed to still be in Russia.

Drinkman was arrested in the Netherlands in June 2012 at the request of the United States, along with Smilyanets.

While Smilyanets cooperated with U.S. authorities and arrived in the United States a few months after his arrest, Drinkman fought his extradition for more than a year.

Ultimately, Drinkman pleaded guilty in 2015 and was sentenced to 12 years in prison, including time served since his arrest. It is one of the harshest sentences given to a Russian hacker.

Drinkman served a total of 10 years and four months, or 86 percent of his sentence. U.S. federal prisoners earn credit each year for good behavior and typically serve 85 percent of their sentence.

Smilyanets was sentenced to just time served, or less than six years, and currently resides in the United States, where he works as a cyberthreat intelligence analyst.

He declined to comment when contacted by RFE/RL.
MOSCOW -- As the news of Donald Trump's upset victory in the U.S. presidential election rolled into Russia, there was jubilation among many allies of President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin -- which has demonized Hillary Clinton and seemed to root for the Republican candidate -- while some politicians predicted the stunning result would have little effect on badly strained U.S. ties.



State Duma deputies broke into applause after lawmaker Vyacheslav Nikonov broke the news to the lower parliament house on the morning of November 9: "Colleagues, three minutes ago Hillary Clinton acknowledged her defeat in the U.S. presidential election, and a second ago Trump began his speech as president-elect of the United States."

Trump won a race that had more focus on Russia than any since the Cold War and was very closely watched in Moscow, with the United States accusing Putin's government of stealing and releasing e-mails "to interfere with the U.S. election process" and the Russian state media taking aim at both Clinton and U.S. democracy as a whole.



Trump had praised Putin during the campaign and suggested he would improve relations, while Clinton vowed to be tough on Russia over its assertive actions in Ukraine, Syria, and elsewhere.



Flamboyant ultranationalist lawmaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky -- who recently said a Clinton win would lead to nuclear war -- told the Duma he would be sending Trump a telegram with the message: "Dear Donald, congratulations with this deserved victory, let grandma Hillary get some rest" and saying that "the majority of Russians are for Donald Trump."

Putin congratulated Trump in a telegram shortly after Clinton conceded.

He "expressed hope for joint work to lift Russian-American relations out of a state of crisis, and also to address pressing international issues and search for effective responses to challenges concerning global security," the Kremlin said.

WATCH: Putin Ready To 'Restore' Ties With U.S.



'A New Page'



Prominent pro-Kremlin lawmaker Aleksei Pushkov, a vocal critic of the United States, tweeted that a "reset" of Russia-U.S. relations was "unavoidable."

"Relations with Russia and Putin were a key issue in the election," Pushkov said. "Trump identified himself as anti-Obama. He will not leave everything as it is."

Putin came across as less certain and seemed to place the onus on Trump to take steps to lift ties out of what he called a state of "degradation," saying that "it is not our fault that Russian-American relations have reached such a condition."

Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, praised Trump for a victory speech in which the political novice promised to deal "fairly" with all other countries and "seek common ground, not hostility, partnership, not conflict."



"This is absolutely, phenomenally in line with the basic position that Putin himself holds: that, with the Russian Federation's national interests as the unconditional priority, we seek good relations with all countries that want to have them with us," Peskov said.



Sergei Mironov, who heads the pro-Kremlin Just Russia party and who on November 9 was placed on a European Union sanctions list over Moscow's aggression in Ukraine, was quoted by state radio station Vesti FM as saying that a "new page" in ties with Washington has been turned, and that the Kremlin has traditionally had better relations with the United States when a Republican is in office.



The ruling United Russia party tweeted a press release quoting a senior lawmaker, Sergei Zheleznyak, as saying the U.S. election results "show that people are tired of artificial confrontation."



"Despite all the intrigue and provocations which the current U.S. authorities created for Trump, people supported his intention to seek to resolve the serious problems that have accumulated in America and to move from confrontation to partnership with Russia and the world," Zheleznyak said.

'No Watershed'



But Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov said Trump's election was no watershed, and made clear his party would continue to portray the United States as a global aggressor.



"I assure you that nothing serious will change: the times have changed, the technology, the weather, but the strategy of the Americans has not," he said. "That is: expansion, the assertion of their dominance, and in recent years -- global policies with the aim of subordinating the main strategic resources -- whether raw materials, information, or financial flows -- to themselves."



Russia's Culture Ministry turned to Winnie the Pooh for its assessment of the U.S. election outcome and its potential effect on Russian-U.S. ties, posting a tweet of the Soviet cartoon version of the British children's classic -- Vinny Pukh. It shows Clinton as Eeyore the donkey and Trump, as Piglet, befriending Pooh, the bear symbolizing Russia.



The caption parodies Pooh's song: Instead of tram-param-param, it reads: "Trump-param-param-param-param-pam-pam! The Ministry of Culture has made its choice :)"

The pro-Kremlin tabloid site LifeNews cited lawmaker Vitaly Milonov, who campaigned for antigay laws that U.S. President Barack Obama's administration has criticized, as saying that the United States will no longer be a "global thug."



"Of course, the prospects of an improvement in ties under Trump are much higher. He is a much more pragmatic person. He understands that the States does not gain from being a thug. The gain from normal ties is much higher than militarized ones," Milonov said.



"Often, election campaign rhetoric has nothing in common with reality, but we have to say there are good signs that America will again make itself, as they say, great and not get wound up in all the sorts of adventures that Obama dragged it into."



Kremlin pool journalist Dmitry Smirnov tweeted: "Comrades! The Great American revolution that no one believed in has happened! Now everyone to the disco!"



Smirnov also posted a picture of Trump standing with Russian mixed martial arts champion Fyodor Yemelyanenko, with the caption: "A little something on the secrets of Trump's victory."



In a wry reference to the alleged Kremlin interference in the U.S. campaign, several Twitter users posted a photograph of Putin signing a decree and added the caption: "Appoint Trump Donald Fredovich the authorized envoy to the North American Federal District."



Another tweet played on images of Russia's cavernous spaceflight Mission Control center and a military operations center in Moscow, showing Putin and senior officials watching screens in "the Moscow Mission Control Center for the U.S. elections."

'Political Warrior'



Most opinion polls in the days before the election favored Clinton, and Trump's win was as much of a surprise in Russia as it was for many Americans.



A commentary posted on the website of the pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia at about 8 a.m. Moscow time -- midnight in Washington -- appeared to call the victory for Clinton: It said she had been chosen by the elite as the winner from the very beginning and that Trump's presence was designed to "create the illusion of competition" -- a charge often mounted in the West about Putin's election opponents.

"We're already almost celebrating," pro-Kremlin activist Maria Katasonova -- whose Twitter handle features a banner with Putin, Trump, and Marine Le Pen, the nationalist French politician running for president in April 2017 -- wrote on Twitter as the returns increasingly pointed to a Trump victory.



"I admit I was wrong in my predictions, I didn't believe in a Trump victory. Not because he is weaker but because he went against the System," Konstantin Kosachyov, chairman of the International Relations Committee in the upper parliament house, wrote on Facebook. He added that it was unclear how much change Trump will bring.



"Americans have taught me that the System there is always stronger. And this is the main sensation of the elections -- in its own country, the System didn't deal with the new nonstandard challenges. In exactly the same way thatthe United States of America is not dealing with the new, nonstandard challenges on a global scale," he wrote.



"It's not a fact that Donald Trump's America will turn out to be more successful in this sense -- after all, his main slogan was 'Make America great again.' How?"



Meanwhile, a noticeable theme in pro-Kremlin commentary was the idea -- set out without any evidence -- that Trump's life is now in danger.

An article in the mass-circulation tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda warned that Trump could be assassinated by his opponents, saying "the degree of danger after the election will only grow!"

Igor Korotchenko, an anti-Western military analyst, tweeted: "Trump showed himself a real political warrior. Now the U.S. secret services must provide him reliable security for the next four years."

While many allies of Putin celebrated Trump's win, that response was far from universal.

A photograph posted on Twitter by a Russian journalist showed flowers laid outside the U.S. Embassy in Moscow with the message "Je suis USA," implying that the election of Trump was a tragedy worthy of collective international mourning.
16 Trump speaks at a Tea Party rally in Florida in 2011. During a speech to the ultraconservative faction, he unleashed a strong attack on President Barack Obama. Trump also outlined what he would do if he were president. That year he began a public campaign questioning whether Obama was born in the United States.
BRUSSELS -- The EU's enlargement commissioner, Johannes Hahn, says that a Western Balkans single market can be possible within two or three years if there is political will in the region.

Hahn said that "people have to sense the added value of the European engagement." He added, "I think this is really something where you need political will and then it should be possible within two to three years."

Hahn was speaking ahead of the publication of the annual European Commission enlargement reports that highlight the achievements and shortcomings of countries in the Western Balkans that aim to join the EU.

"Our aim is to stop the brain drain from the region, to give the region a perspective for instance a Balkans single market could be another so to say aim and this would definitely create jobs," Hahn told RFE/RL.

A single market consisting of the free movements of people, goods, services, and capital already exists among the EU's 28 member states but Hahn did not specify how a single market of the EU-aspirant countries of the Balkans would look like.

Montenegro Corruption Criticized

Nonetheless, the European Commission's enlargement report on Montenegro described the country's parliamentary elections in October as "more participatory and transparent" but was critical of Podgorica for its fight against corruption and the state of media freedom in the small Balkan state.

The report said the October 17 election was "held in a competitive environment and characterized by general respect for fundamental freedoms."

Earlier this week, a special prosecutor investigating an alleged plot to sway the vote said that "Russian nationalists" had planned to kill Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic in the run-up to the election. There was no mention of the claims in the EU report.

The EU report stated that "corruption remains prevalent in many areas and continues to be a serious problem" and that the number of convictions in high-profile corruption cases "remains limited."

Podgorica was also strongly criticized in the area of media freedom, with the commission noting that "the number of defamation cases remains high, which points to weak self-regulation mechanisms, as well as to challenges in understanding the role of the media."

Montenegro is the currently the country in the Western Balkans closest to joining the EU.

It has opened 24 out of the 35 negotiating EU accession chapters. The chapters consist of EU legislation in different policy fields which a country must adopt in order to join the club. Montenegro is also expected to join NATO in early 2017.

Belgrade Urged To Normalize Kosovo Ties

The commission's enlargement report on Serbia, meanwhile, urges Belgrade to improve the rule of law and make progress in normalizing ties with Kosovo.

Serbia has made slow progress in the accession process, opening only four out of the 35 EU accession chapters.

The EU's Serbia report said a credible track record in the fight against organized crime "still needs to be established" and that "no progress was made to improve conditions for the full exercise of freedom of expression" in the country.

The report also said that "the quality and efficiency of the judiciary and access to justice remain undermined by an uneven distribution of workload, a burdensome case backlog and the lack of a free legal aid system."

Serbia and Kosovo, a former province that unilaterally declared independence from Belgrade in 2008, have been locked in EU-facilitated talks since 2011 to normalize ties.

The two countries have signed several deals on the free movement of people and Serbian minority representation in northern Kosovo, but implementation of the agreements has been slow.

The report states that "continued efforts are needed to implement the agreements already reached with Kosovo" but notes that progress has been limited this year due to elections in Serbia and political instability in Kosovo.

Concerns Over Kosovo Standoff

The commission's document on Kosovo also raised concerns about an ongoing standoff between the ruling government and the opposition.

The EU report said "normal parliamentary functioning was prevented for parts of the reporting period, including through the use of violent means by opposition members."

The report said "all political parties should show responsibility and re-engage in a constructive dialogue, with parliament as the key forum for political debate."

It also noted that the judiciary was "still vulnerable to undue political influence," corruption remained a "serious problem" and that "enforcement needs to be improved in particular for money laundering, confiscation and seizure of assets, and financial investigation."

Kosovo has generally made slow progress on the accession criteria for joining the EU. But in a boost to accession talks, the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) between Kosovo and the EU entered into force earlier this year. The agreement regulates the political relationship between Brussels and Pristina.

However, five EU member states still do not recognize Kosovos independence from Serbia in 2008, hindering accession talks.

With no country expected to join the EU before 2020, the bloc will be looking into different ways of making the EU more visible in the enlargement countries. The building of infrastructure connecting the countries closer together is one of the ways Brussels is hoping to boost its popularity in the Balkans region.

Macedonia's 'Divisive Political Culture'

On Macedonia, the commission's report raises concerns over the ongoing political crisis in the small Balkan state.

The EU report says that "democracy and rule of law have been constantly challenged, in particular due to state capture affecting the functioning of democratic institutions and key areas of society."

The report added that Macedonia "suffers from a divisive political culture and a lack of capacity for compromise."

Despite the challenges, the EU report offers Skopje a conditional offer of starting EU accession negotiations.

The crisis in Macedonia erupted in February 2015, when the leader of the main opposition party, Zoran Zaev of the Social Democrats, released tapes that appeared to reveal official and widespread wiretapping, including of journalists and politicians.

After several demonstrations and the postponement of elections, the four main parties agreed to hold parliamentary elections on December 11.

The EU report says the holding of "a credible election" and continued reforms in the country are the two conditions necessary for the commission to recommend Skopje start formal negotiations.

The commission has recommended starting negotiations with Macedonia since 2009 but Greece has repeatedly blocked the move due to the ongoing issue over the legal, constitutional name of Macedonia.

Bosnia's 'Significant Steps' Toward EU Membership

Finally, the European Commission's enlargement report says Bosnia-Herzegovina has taken significant steps toward EU membership this year by submitting an application to join the bloc.

The EU report commends reforms taken by Sarajevo, though it notes major structural problems remain in the country.

The report highlights improvements in the coordination between state-level and entity-level assemblies. But it also notes "their role and capacities in the EU integration process need to be further improved."

The report praised the improving business environment but added that the "public sector is inefficient and private sector development is slow."

The EU also said that "politically motivated threats on the judiciary by some politicians in the country continued" and that the declared political commitment to the fight against corruption "did not translate into concrete results."
From plans for a border wall with Mexico to praise for Vladimir Putin, Republican Donald Trumps statements made the 2016 U.S. presidential race a campaign like no other.

Now, his upset victory in the November 8 election has left the world asking what can be expected from a Trump presidency -- and whether his policy proposals will be implemented.

Because of the system of checks and balances created by the U.S. Constitution, much depends on whether the U.S. Congress supports the policies Trump proposes.

Trump will need backing from the legislature or the judiciary if he is to implement campaign promises like cutting taxes on businesses, changing the countrys libel laws, or overturning President Barack Obama's health-care reforms.



But experts say that Trump could implement many of his plans simply by issuing executive orders.



In fact, a transition team that Trump has had in place for months has been identifying about 25 executive orders he could sign immediately after taking office on January 20.

In terms of foreign policy, "The president's powers theoretically are immense," said Dana Allin, a U.S. foreign policy expert at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).



"It's very difficult to see how those would be easily constrained by Congress," Allin said. "The president is in a position to do a lot in this area -- to make decisions about the disposition of troops about whether to take military action. I'm not sure there would be much control over him."



Here are some of the positions Trump has staked out:



Russia And NATO



Trump has said he would rather "have Russia friendly" to the United States than "the way they are right now," contending that warmer ties would mean the two countries "can go and knock out" the Islamic State militant group together. He has also voiced confidence that he could easily reverse the drastic downturn in relations.

He said in September that he "would have a very, very good relationship" with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has also asserted that he would be better at negotiating with Putin than President Barack Obama has been.

Trump's critics question that confidence, noting that Obama sought to improve relations with Russia with his first-term "reset." They also question whether Trump would be willing and able to stand up to aggressive moves by Russia against the United States and its allies.



Trump has shown admiration for Putin, calling him a better leader than Obama. And in March, he called NATO "obsolete," saying he would withhold U.S. support from alliance members unless they increased military spending and "fulfilled their obligations" to the United States.

WATCH: NATO Chief Says Alliance Important To Europe, United States

Henning Riecke, head of the U.S.-Transatlantic Relations program at the German Council on Foreign Relations, says that if the United States "leans more to the Russian side" during Trump's presidency, it could have "direct and very dangerous repercussions for European security."

Trump will face a "reality check" if he tries to renegotiate NATO burden-sharing, Riecke said.

"This is one of the most important bases of American superpower status -- that they promise to protect their allies," he said of the United States, adding that Russia would be likely to exploit any gaps in Western defenses and deterrence.

Moscow is likely to "do whatever it can to weaken" NATO and the European Union in order "to win more influence, especially in...Central Asia and Eastern Europe," Riecke said. "If a U.S. president would do that job for Russia, Putin would be happy about it."

Iran Nuclear Deal



Trump will have the authority to carry out his pledge to try to renegotiate the 2015 deal under which Iran is curbing its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.



But Riecke said that would be "very difficult because it would mean to bring in some of the partners that also were at the table -- among them Russia and also the EU."

Such an attempt would "play into the hands of the hard-liners in Iran, he said, probably scuttling the deal and making it harder to prevent Tehran from seeking nuclear weapons.



Nuclear Nonproliferation



Trump has declined to rule out the use of nuclear weapons against Islamic State militants and has suggested that South Korea and Japan should start work to develop their own nuclear weapons.

Riecke and Allin said Trump's campaign rhetoric could lead to the erosion of nuclear nonproliferation efforts globally. Countries "might really have to consider their security position and whether they need nuclear weapons," Allin said, speaking before November 8.



The Environment



Trump has said that "the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing noncompetitive."

As president, he will have the authority to carry out his promise to pull out of the Paris Agreement that limits the greenhouse-gas emissions linked to global climate change.



Trump, whose energy and environmental policies are widely backed by Republican lawmakers, has also vowed to reduce federal environmental regulations.

Through executive orders, he could potentially reopen oil exploration in protected areas of Alaska and the Arctic Ocean, and allow work to begin again on an oil pipeline from Canada that was suspended by Obama.



Immigration



Trump has promised to round up and deport all of the 11.3 million undocumented immigrants in the United States within two years and has vowed to create a "deportation task force" to implement the plan.



The funding for such a program would require congressional approval, and some Republicans have opposed the idea, which is unpopular with Latino voters and fiscal conservatives.



Analysis by the American Action Forum, a conservative Washington think tank, says fully enforcing Trump's plan in two years would "require an unprecedented expansion in U.S. immigration enforcement personnel and infrastructure."



It also said removing all undocumented immigrants from the United States would lower the country's real gross domestic product by $1.6 trillion -- and that doing so in two years could result in a "sudden and deep recession."

There also are doubts about Trump's plan to build a wall along the southern border of the United States and make Mexico pay for it.

Mexico says it won't pay for the project, which The Washington Post has estimated would cost at least $25 billion.



Trump suggested he could confiscate remittances from undocumented Mexican immigrants under the U.S. Patriot Act, but legal experts have questioned whether a law designed to stop funding for terrorists could be used for the purpose.



Also on immigration, Trump could issue executive orders to implement his controversial proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the country and to suspend refugee programs.



Both moves would probably be challenged in court, but it could take a long time for a court ruling to resolve complaints.



Tax Cuts



Trump has proposed a supply-side economic plan based on the idea that cutting business taxes to 15 percent from the current maximum of 35 percent would create jobs and economic growth by encouraging companies to invest.



Republicans generally support such tax cuts. But there is opposition from independent and bipartisan economic groups as well as some fiscal conservatives.



The Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, estimates that Trump's proposed tax cuts would "reduce federal revenue" by up to $5.9 trillion dollars -- without taking into account increased economic growth  and would mean significantly lower taxes for the wealthiest citizens.



In an October report for the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, New York University Law School Professor Lily Batchelder concluded that Trump's plan would "significantly raise taxes for millions of low- and middle-income families with children."

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a bipartisan public policy think tank in Washington, estimates that Trumps proposed tax cuts would raise the overall U.S. debt to $28.4 trillion by 2026.
WASHINGTON -- Addressing an influential pro-Israel lobbying group in March, Donald Trump said that the landmark nuclear deal signed with Iran was a disaster and that dismantling it would be his "No. 1 priority."

Now, a day after Trump pulled off a stunning victory to capture the U.S. presidency, observers are watching closely for signs that his administration could indeed follow through on this threat when he takes office in January.

That possibility, and the concerns it has triggered, was quickly underscored in Tehran just hours after Trump's victory was announced early on November 9, with Iranian leaders calling on the U.S. president-elect to ensure that the deal, known as the JCPOA, was not undone.

"Iran's understanding in the nuclear deal was that the accord was not concluded with one country or government but was approved by a resolution of the UN Security Council," Iranian President Hassan Rohani said on state television. "There is no possibility that it can be changed by a single government."

The deal, signed in July 2015 and brokered by Washington, Moscow, and several Western states, curtailed Iran's growing nuclear ambitions in exchange for lifting sanctions that had crippled Iran's economy.

President Barack Obama's administration, which engaged in years of back-channel diplomacy to bring the deal to fruition, hailed it an unqualified success and a high point of his foreign-policy agenda.

Many Republicans had grave doubts, saying the deal only delayed Iran's ability to enrich enough uranium to build a nuclear weapon. Those doubts were amplified by the strident rhetoric of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who argued before Congress that the deal "would all but guarantee Iran gets nuclear weapons."

WATCH: Iranians Discuss Trump Victory



One suggestion that Netanyahu's policies toward Iran might get a warmer reception in a Trump administration was the Israeli leader's announcement on November 9 that he had spoken to Trump by telephone, and that Trump had invited him to visit Washington "at the first opportunity."

United Nations inspectors said in May that Iran was keeping its stocks of uranium and heavy water within the deal's limits, something they reaffirmed on November 9 in their latest quarterly reports.

Still, those assurances did little to allay the agreement's critics, and it became an issue on the campaign trail for Trump and other Republican candidates.

Trump later said he would have negotiated a better deal, with more restrictions, but he also suggested that it would be hard to completely rip up the agreement, which was backed by a UN resolution.

Tom Collina, policy director at the Ploughshares Fund, a Washington research organization that has backed the agreement, says that could signal that despite Trump's campaign rhetoric, it seems unlikely he will jettison the deal.

"It really does seem like it's this deal or nothing, and I'll reemphasize: This deal is working. Facts are the facts, which is that the deal has capped and reversed and scaled back Iran's nuclear program in a very important way," Collina tells RFE/RL.

"What would he replace it with it and how it would benefit U.S. security? It's not at all clear to me," he adds.

Agreeing With Khamenei?

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was Tehran's lead negotiator for the JCPOA, echoed Rohani's statement that Trump must remain committed to the deal.

"Every U.S. president has to understand the realities of today's world," Zarif was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.

"The most important thing is that the future U.S. president stick to agreements, to engagements undertaken," he said.

In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on November 9 that the outgoing administration remained committed to the nuclear deal.

"This administration will be committed to implementing those policies through January 20, and we will live up to the commitments that we have made in each of those areas as we do so," he told reporters.

Susan Maloney, a foreign-policy scholar at the Washington-based Brooking Institution, argued that Trump's victory was a benefit to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has been publicly critical of the deal.

"He will have the most cartoonish American enemy, he will exult in thecrash of the American economy, and he will be able to walk away from Iran's obligations under the JCPOA while pinning the responsibility on Washington," she told Reuters.

With reporting by Reuters
Mohammad Nayeb-Zehi was among the hundreds of worshippers who gathered on September 30 at the Great Mosalla, a religious site in Iran's southeastern city of Zahedan, for Friday Prayers.

Just hours later, the 16-year-old's family learned he was dead.

Nayeb-Zehi was among the scores of people gunned down by security forces in a brutal crackdown following anti-government protests in Zahedan, the provincial capital of Sistan-Baluchistan Province, which is home to the country's Baluch minority.

"He was a simple laborer and not political," Nayeb-Zehi's brother, Ahmad, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda in a telephone interview from Zahedan, adding that his sibling had been shot in the heart. "We're in pain, and we cannot accept it."

The crackdown in Zahedan came amid weeks-long nationwide protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who died on September 16, days after she was detained by Iran's morality police.

In Sistan-Baluchistan, public anger at the authorities escalated amid reports that a 15-year-old Baluch girl had been raped by a police official in the province's southern port city of Chabahar.

The violence erupted soon after protesters gathered outside a police station near the central mosque in Zahedan. Members of the crowd chanted anti-government slogans, and some threw rocks. Security forces responded with deadly force by firing on the crowd from the station, according to witnesses.

Security forces also raided the central mosque and the nearby Great Mosalla and opened fire on worshippers using live ammunition, rights groups said, adding that many were shot in the head, heart, neck, or torso, revealing a clear intent to kill or seriously wound.

At least 94 people were killed and 350 wounded on that day, referred to as "Bloody Friday," according to the U.S.-based Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. At least 13 minors were among those killed, including Nayeb-Zehi.

The victims were overwhelmingly Baluch -- a mostly Sunni ethnic group that has long faced disproportionate discrimination at the hands of the Iranian authorities.

"He was martyred inside the Mosalla while holding his prayer mat," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi.

Nayeb-Zehi's family first visited Zahedan's Khatam al-Anbia hospital, hoping he was among the wounded. They later found his body in a seminary at the Great Mosalla.

"We entered a room there and saw about 10 bodies," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi. "[Mohammad] was among them."

He said the authorities prevented the family from filming the scene. "I told them this has to be documented, it has to be published by international media," he said, adding that footage later emerged on social media showing the gruesome scene at the seminary.

The family refused to send Nayeb-Zehi's body to the morgue. Instead, his body lay in the living room for around 24 hours before he was buried.

"We said he was martyred and there was no need for an autopsy," said Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi.

The authorities accused Jaish al-Adl, a Sunni militant group, of attacking the police station. The group is recognized as a terrorist organization by both Iran and the United States and has previously claimed deadly attacks in Sistan-Baluchistan targeting Iranian security forces.

But local and independent sources have rejected the authorities' claims.

The authorities have also reported a much lower number of fatalities, announcing that only 19 people, including several members of the security forces, were killed.

Ahmad Nayeb-Zehi said the authorities were "rubbing salt into the wounds of the people" by claiming "terrorists" were involved.

He said he witnessed a military helicopter shooting at civilians near the Great Mosalla. "I haven't even seen such scenes in Hollywood movies," he said. "A helicopter was shooting at people. A lady was shot in front of my eyes."

RFE/RL could not verify his account. But activists have accused security forces of shooting at protestors from helicopters.

"I don't know what the intention of this crime was," he said. "Our only demand from the establishment is for the murderers of our [family members] to be punished."

The killings have led to widespread anger in Sistan-Baluchistan, one of Iran's poorest provinces.

Anti-establishment protests have been reported in Zahedan since the crackdown, including on October 14 and October 21, when protesters took to the streets after Friday Prayers and chanted "Death to the dictator."

During his Friday Prayers sermon on October 21, influential Sunni cleric Molavi Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi said senior officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were "responsible" for the September 30 killings.

"We are surprised by the silence of the high-ranking officials," he said in his sermon, which was posted on his website.

"Scores were killed here without any reason. I don't have the exact number. Some have reported 90, some say less, some say more," Ismaeelzahi added.

He also said people will not be satisfied until "those who killed the people" are brought to justice.

The Iran Human Rights Documentation Center said the events of September 30 amounted to "a massacre of protesters by security forces."

"The government's total denial of responsibility for the massacring of citizens by its security apparatus is consistent with similar past denials and is evidence that internal calls for investigation of such crimes are insufficient," said the rights group, which documents human rights violations in Iran.
Russian President Vladimir Putin wasted no time in congratulating Donald Trump.

When the results of the U.S. elections were announced in the State Duma, lawmakers there burst into a round of applause.

And Russian state television could barely contain their glee as a Trump victory became evident.

For most of his rule, Putin has been seeking to overturn the post-Cold War international order, gain a free hand in the former Soviet space, and weaken -- if not dismantle -- the NATO alliance.

And with the United States electing the first president since World War II who could reverse the internationalism that has been at the heart of U.S. foreign policy for more than seven decades, the Kremlin leader now appears to have taken a giant leap toward that goal.

Veteran Kremlin-watcher Edward Lucas, author of the book The New Cold War, writes that "a Trump presidency will shake to its foundations a U.S. commitment to European security that dates back to 1941."

The Kremlin has been picking away at the post-Cold War international order for years, exploiting the malaise and antiestablishment mood currently sweeping the West.

It has given moral support to the successful Brexit campaign in the United Kingdom.

It has provided loans to Marine Le Pen's National Front in France and has backed extremists across Europe.

It has launched a massive disinformation campaign aimed at undermining the European Union, NATO, and transatlantic unity.

And according to U.S. intelligence officials, it used a series of cyberattacks to disrupt the U.S. presidential election.

As Peter Pomerantsev, author of the book Nothing Is True And Everything Is Possible, noted in a recent article, Putin has turned himself into the Che Guevara of the xenophobic right in the United States and Europe.

"Imagine, for a moment, you are the leader of an 'antiestablishment' political movement. You thrill your followers by sticking it to the 'liberal elites' and the 'global order.' Theres nothing more 'antiestablishment' than showing two fingers to such elite, aloof projects as NATO or the EU, and giving props to the man who wants to undermine them -- Vladimir Putin," Pomerantsev writes.

"For the 'antiestablishment' right, giving Putin the thumbs-up has become the equivalent of what pulling on a Che T-shirt has long meant for the left."

Putin didn't create the insurgency making its way across Europe and the United States, but he sure is skillfully exploiting it.

And now, as a result, the Kremlin leader will be dealing with a U.S. president who has questioned the need for NATO, suggested he might not defend European allies in the event of Russian aggression, and suggested he would consider recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea.

In an interview with The Atlantic, Thomas Wright, an expert on U.S. foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, said Trump had "a core set of visceral beliefs that he's had for many years and that he's not deviated from," including opposition to alliances, opposition to free trade, and a fondness for authoritarian rulers.

Will he act on those beliefs?

Will Trump upend the post-Cold War security architecture? Will he weaken the NATO alliance? Will he recognize the annexation of Crimea, abandon Ukraine and Georgia, and give Russia a free hand in the former Soviet space?

"Russia has long sought a game changer. It has tested Western resolve with its cyberattack on Estonia in 2007, with the war in Georgia in 2008, and with the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. It stoked division and mistrust in the Atlantic alliance," Lucas wrote.

"It met little penalty for breaking those rules. And now it faces a U.S. president who does not believe in them either. Game and set to Putin. The match is in his grasp, too."

Unless, of course, Trump chooses to focus on the domestic issues that his supporters care most about, and leave foreign policy to the establishment.

In comments posted on his Facebook page, Adrian Karatnycky noted that Trump's foreign-policy team included pro-Russia figures like General Michael Flynn and national security hawks like Senator Jeff Sessions.

"Although he supports a significant arms buildup for the U.S., Trump's inexperience in foreign affairs, and his mercurial views on national security are likely to create initial uncertainty before stabilizing," Karatnycky wrote.

"At first, Trump is likely to pursue accommodation with Russia. At the same time, he is likely to lay down firm markers on Putin's international adventurism. If Putin transgresses these, Trump is likely to respond as a hawk, not as a dove."

Perhaps. At this point we just don't know.
BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz lawmakers have approved a new government in which most ministers from the previous cabinet either keep their positions or are being moved to a different ministerial post.

The vote on November 9 confirmed the proposals made by reappointed Prime Minister Sooronbai Jeenbekov.

The new government includes one person who was not in the previous cabinet -- Cholpon Sultanbekova, who replaces Gulmira Kudaiberdieva as a deputy prime minister.

Kudaiberdieva, meanwhile, has been named education minister.

Five other ministers in the previous government have also been moved to different cabinet posts.

Jeenbekov's previous government resigned on October 26 after Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev's Social Democratic Party's (SPD) withdrew from the ruling coalition.

The SPD quit the alliance after some coalition partners refused to support SPD proposals for constitutional amendments that call for expanding the powers of the prime minister.

The constitution does not allow Atambaev to run for a second presidential term when his term ends in 2017.

The SPD's proposed amendments would allow Atambaev to become a powerful prime minister if he obtains the post after 2017.

Kyrgyzstan will hold a national referendum on December 11 about the proposed constitutional amendments.
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev has started a three-day official visit to South Korea.

The presidential press service said Nazarbaev arrived in Seoul on November 9.

Nazarbaev is scheduled to hold talks with his South Korean counterpart Park Geun-hye.

The two leaders will discuss international issues and bilateral relations.

Nazarbaev is also expected to meet with representatives of South Korean business circles and visit Yonsei University.

Nazarbaev arrived in Seoul from Japan, where he was on an official visit from November 6 to November 9.


Supporters of convicted Russian activist Ildar Dadin were quickly detained by police when they attempted to hold a protest outside the offices of the country's prosecutor general. Authorities detained three of Dadin's supporters on November 9 in the Russian capital, Moscow. The 34-year-old dissident was the first person convicted in Russia for taking part in multiple antigovernment protests. He is currently serving a 2 1/2 year sentence at a penal colony in the northwestern Russian town of Segezha. Dadin said he has been repeatedly tortured and threatened with murder. Human rights groups like Amnesty International have called for Dadins release. (RFE/RL's Russian Service)
An employee of the Russian Consulate in New York was found dead there early on November 8 with a head wound, though police were still trying to determine his exact cause of death.

The man, who was in charge of security at the installation, was found unconscious before 7 a.m. local time inside the consulate in the Upper East Side neighborhood near Central Park, a New York Police Department spokesman said.

He has not yet been identified, though his age was given as 63.

Nikolai Lakhonin, a spokesman for the Russian Embassy in Washington, said preliminary indications are the man died of a heart attack.

The New York consulate said on Facebook that no signs of violent death were found.

Police and embassy officials are awaiting the results of the medical examiner's autopsy to determine a cause of death.

A former aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin was found dead in a Washington hotel last year, prompting wild theories over the murky circumstances of his death.

But prosecutors said last month his sudden death was an accident that occurred after days of heavy drinking and successive falls.

Based on reporting by AFP, TASS, and Interfax
BRUSSELS -- In the months leading up to Donald Trump's victory in the November 8 presidential election in the United States, not a single European diplomat, civil servant, or politician from the EU or NATO that I spoke to welcomed the notion of a Trump presidency.



Perhaps it was simply the easiest option in light of polling and other indications -- dubious, in retrospect -- that the race was gravitating toward the better-known quantity embodied by his rival, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.



But even now that the results from America are in, individuals I talked with in Brussels early on November 9 from various countries and administrations seemed intransigent.



If the Brexit vote in June left EU insiders worried about the future, Trump's win has them shell-shocked.



I have heard old standbys like "That is democracy, we have to respect it" and "We are ready to work with any American administration." But many of those same people also privately expressed concern about the West as a political concept and the course -- or even survival -- of the European Union.





One EU diplomat put it to me this morning: "If Brexit is possible, if Trump is possible, then [French National Front leader Marine] Le Pen is possible." If right-wing populism wins the day in French elections in the spring, the diplomat's thinking goes, the half-century-old European Union is in deep trouble. Britain leaving the EU is one thing; that country was in many ways always a semidetached member of the bloc. But France is a founding EU member and, together with Germany, a driving force in the whole project.



Le Pen could win the first round of voting, but polls predict she would lose the runoff to a likely center-right candidate. But as a NATO official just recently pointed out: "It's clear that polls can't be trusted any longer."

'Little Trumps'



A more senior EU official suggested to me half-jokingly a few days ago that "Europe already have little Trumps in the family." It was an allusion to Hungary's populist and increasingly nationalistic Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Poland's reputed leader behind the scenes, ex-Prime Minister and conservative Law and Justice party Chairman Jaroslaw Kaczynski. "They are a pain," the official added, "but in the end, you can deal with them."



The problem now, in the eyes of such officials in Brussels, is a perceived absence of strong Western leaders to fall back on. With German Chancellor Angela Merkel's popularity seemingly dented by her approach to the migration crisis, Britain ostensibly on its way out of the EU, and France uncertain of its course, their fear is that populists can suddenly roam more free and inflict greater damage on the European ideal.



There are concerns apart from possible existential ones within the EU and NATO architectures.



Trump has criticized the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), negotiated and signed between the EU and United States but not yet ratified, and EU Commission officials said postelection that it is likely dead. A Nordic diplomat worried aloud about major climate deals including the landmark Paris Agreement to curb emissions worldwide. Russia hawks fret that Western sanctions against Moscow over its actions in Ukraine will be allowed to expire even before Trump takes office in January, as doves like Italy and Cyprus press their case with a less forceful counterargument coming from Washington.



However, the biggest shock might have been expressed among envoys in Brussels from the EU's and NATO's easternmost states, who fear -- based on Trump's suggestion that military support for NATO allies could be contingent on their defense payments -- that the Unites States might not come to their aid if Russia decides to meddle in the Baltic states or Poland, as it has done in Ukraine. Some officials suggested that while European defense spending and cooperation might get a boost from Trump's stunning win, that is unlikely to calm officials in Warsaw and Vilnius.

The views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL.
Candidates for the District 15 seat in the Nebraska State Senate expressed gratitude to supporters on Wednesday.

Lynne Walz of Fremont claimed the seat in a fairly close race on Tuesday night.

In final unofficial results, Walz, the challenger, garnered 7,467 votes (51.37 percent), while incumbent Sen. David Schnoor received 7,037 votes (48.41 percent).

Walz shared her appreciation to area residents.

I just want to thank everybody who worked on this campaign. There were a lot of people who worked very hard, knocking on doors and making calls  I want to thank everybody who had a hand in this for their support, she said.

Walz is thankful for the support.

It was really a grassroots effort, Walz said. My campaign manager did an awesome job, my husband, my family, my friends. I had so much support behind me and I am so thankful for that.

Walz is eager to begin her work as a state senator.

Im looking forward to representing all of Dodge County, Walz said. I cant wait to get to Lincoln and start working for everybody who lives here in Dodge County.

Incumbent David Schnoor also conveyed his appreciation for those who worked on his campaign.

Im disappointed with the outcome, but Im very proud of those that helped me and how they conducted themselves, Schnoor said. We chose to take the high road on all of the issues, even when bad things were said about me and Im not sure whether that affected the race, but this is the outcome and I wish Lynne Walz well. I called her this morning and congratulated her and I hope things go well for her in Lincoln.

Schnoor shared his thanks to voters.

I would like to thank all of the voters that voted for me and all of those that supported me, Schnoor said. I had many, many kind words from people and that means more to me than they will ever know.
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald Trump on his election as U.S. president, adding that Moscow was ready to play its part in improving strained relations with Washington. Speaking while meeting new foreign ambassadors in Moscow, Putin said the path to achieving this would be difficult. (AP)
Reaction is coming in from around the globe to news that Donald Trump has been elected president of the United States, with the European Union reacting with caution and the Kremlin welcoming the outcome.



The Republican candidate defeated his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States in an outcome few pundits or polls had predicted.



The result is raising questions about how Trump, a businessman who has never held public office or served in the military, will run the country and what Washington's role in the world will be.



In Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the United States and European Union will continue to work together.



"EU-U.S. ties are deeper than any change in politics. We'll continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe," Mogherini wrote in a tweet.



EU officials and diplomats have said European governments may need to strengthen their own cooperation if a Trump administration pulls back from international commitments.

In London, British Prime Minister Theresa May said the "enduring and special relationship" between Britain and the United States would remain intact.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered Trump "close cooperation" on the basis of shared transatlantic values.

"Germany and America are bound together by values -- democracy, freedom, respecting the rule of law, people's dignity regardless of their origin, the color of their skin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views," Merkel said to reporters in Berlin.

Earlier, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Trumps victory would make the U.S.-German relationship less predictable. He also called for a special meeting of EU foreign ministers.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said the result was a "huge shock," and asked whether the Pax Americana -- the peace among great powers that has been guided by the United States since World War II -- was in jeopardy.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, "U.S. leadership is as important as ever... A strong NATO is good for the United States, and good for Europe."

WATCH: Stoltenberg Says NATO Important To Europe And U.S.

French Foreign Minister Ayrault said France remains an ally of the United States, adding that Paris will have to see what Trump's new policies are.

In Germany, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said the result was a "huge shock," and asked whether the Pax Americana -- the peace among great powers that has been guided by the United States since World War II -- was in jeopardy.

Putin Telegram

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on his victory in a telegram early on November 9, the Kremlin said.



Putin, for whom Trump expressed admiration during the election campaign, later said Moscow was ready to do its part to repair ties with Washington.

"It is not an easy path but we are ready to ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development," Putin said.

Relations between Washington and Moscow have soured over Russian actions in Ukraine -- including the seizure of the Crimean Peninsula -- and military intervention in Syria.

WATCH: Putin Says Ready To 'Restore' Ties With U.S.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he hoped the United States would continue to support Ukraine in its standoff with Russia.



"The President looks forward to a continuation of U.S support in two important areas: Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression ... and also assistance in the realization of major reforms," Poroshenko was quoted as saying in a statement.

News of Trump's election victory was welcomed elsewhere in Europe, mainly among right-wing and far-right leaders.



In Budapest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated Trump, posting "What a great news. Democracy is still alive" on his Facebook page.



Orban said in July that Trump's plans on migration and foreign policy were "vital" for Hungary, whereas those of Clinton were "deadly."



Orban has in the past upset fellow members of the European Union over policy, most recently with his tough stance on Europe's migrant crisis, objecting to EU resettlement plans and having a fence built along Hungary's southern border.

In France, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Front party, congratulated Trump on her Twitter account.

French President Francois Hollande also congratulated the businessman on his election as the next U.S. president. But in a statement in Paris, Hollande said he would approach the relationship with Trump with "vigilance and candor" because of positions Trump took during the campaign. He did not give specific examples.

WATCH: Hollande Says He Will Approach Trump With Vigilance



'Aloof, Sleazy Establishment Punished'

There were also words of congratulation for Trump from Austrian far-right leader Heinz-Christian Strache.



"The political left as well as the aloof and sleazy establishment are being punished by voters and voted out of various decision-making positions," the head of the populist Freedom Party (FPO) wrote on Facebook.



The FPO hopes for its own candidate Norbert Hofer to become the EU's first far-right head of state on December 4.



Elsewhere, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Trump should stay committed to the international nuclear deal with Iran.



"The United States should fulfil its commitments in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [the nuclear deal] as a multilateral international agreement," Zarif was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.



In Turkey, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Trump's victory was an opportunity to further bilateral relations.



In a speech in the capital Ankara on November 9, Yildirim said a "new page" would be opened in U.S.-Turkey relations if Washington extradited Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based cleric Turkey blames for orchestrating a failed coup there on July 15.

The Iraqi government said relations with the United States have a "solid base" and this is not expected to change after Trump's victory.

That message was echoed by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who said in a statement that Washington remains one of Afghanistan's "important strategic and main partners" in the country's development and the fight against terrorism.

With reporting by AP and Reuters


KYIV -- Ukrainians have expressed disbelief and worry after they awoke to discover that a U.S. election outcome many had feared -- a Donald Trump presidency -- had become reality.

"Tell me I'm sleeping and this is a terrible nightmare!" a shocked Daria Kaleniuk, executive director of the Kyiv-based NGO Anticorruption Action Center, wrote on Facebook on November 9.

"Please someone tell me this is not happening..." tweeted civil activist Kateryna Kruk as it became apparent that Republican candidate Trump was closing in on a victory over his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

"It's 5 A.M. in Kyiv, but I am scared to go to bed now. With Trump in the office, Putin can easily turn Syria, Ukraine into his new Chechnyas," tweeted Myroslava Petsa, a Ukrainian journalist at the Poroshenko-owned Kanal 5 news station, referring to places where many thousands of civilians were killed during Russia military operations.

Kyiv considers Washington to be its strongest ally in its fight against a revanchist Russia, and Trump's statements during the campaign have prompted concerns that he may be more accepting of Russia's actions in Ukraine than the current administration.

Many ordinary Ukrainians fear that Trump might end U.S. sanctions against Russia over its interference in Ukraine, formally recognize Russia's 2014 seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, and allow the Kremlin to restore its sphere of influence in Eastern Europe.

Some want specific answers from Trump regarding his position on Ukraine, and they want their leaders to pry them from him.

"Ukraine's [Petro] Poroshenko [and] Pavlo Klimkin must now demand [of] Trump full clarity, explanation of his stance on Ukraine's sovereignty!" wrote Serhiy Kiral, a parliament deputy of the pro-European Samopomich party, referring to the president and foreign minister, respectively.

There have been signs that relations between a Trump White House and Kyiv might not be as warm as relations between Ukraine and the administration of outgoing President Barack Obama have been.

During his campaign, Trump snubbed Poroshenko when the Ukrainian leader visited New York in September, failing to reply to a request for a sit-down on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

As of midday local time in Kyiv, the only message of congratulations from a member of Ukraine's government to Trump had come from a tweet by Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroysman that did not name the president-elect.

"Congratulations to the president of the United States with a victory in the election. I hope that the new administration will continue to support the course of Ukraine," Hroysman wrote.

Poroshenko's statement came in the late afternoon during a meeting with U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch.

In passing on his congratulations to Trump on behalf of Ukraine, the president reiterated to Yovanovitch the importance of keeping U.S. sanctions against Russia in place and said he looked forward to working with the new Trump administration "in our fight against Russian aggression, in our fight for freedom and democracy, and sovereignty and territorial integrity, where the United States remains our reliable partner."

At least one Ukrainian politician appeared to seize on the opportunity to promote his closeness to the U.S. president-elect.

On Facebook, Mikheil Saakashvili, the firebrand former Georgian president who resigned as governor of Ukraine's Odesa region on November 7, shared a photograph of himself with Trump during the opening of Trump Tower in Batumi, Georgia, in 2012, when he was head of state.

"I've known [Trump] for more than 20 years, we are friends. I accurately predicted [his win]," Saakashvili wrote. He added a word of caution as to not place himself too close to the controversial Trump, saying the American businessman turned politician had "a strong personality with unpredictable policy...we must be careful."

Lithuanian-born former Ukrainian Economy Minister Aivaras Abromavicius took an optimistic approach, tweeting: "Life goes on. Everything will be fine."
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe deployed more than 300 observers across the United States to monitor the country's elections. At a Washington D.C. polling station on November 8, the observer mission's chief said that any allegations of rigging must be proven. (AFP)
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WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump has urged Americans to "come together as one united people" after winning a historic U.S. presidential election over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, who conceded defeat and said the nation should give Trump a "chance to lead."

Billionaire Republican nominee Trump said in his victory speech to supporters at his headquarters in a Manhattan hotel ballroom in the early hours of November 9 that he would be a president "for all Americans" and would "not let you down."

Trump said he had spoken by phone to Clinton, who had conceded the election. Clinton, who was on pace to win the nationwide popular vote despite losing the Electoral College, did not address her supporters on election night but delivered a concession speech to her campaign staff and backers in New York shortly before noon on November 9.

In the speech, her first public remarks since her stunning loss, the Democratic candidate said she spoke to Trump following the November 8 election and "offered to work with him on behalf of our country."

"We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead," Clinton said, adding that the peaceful transition of power was critical to U.S. democracy.

"We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought," she said. "But I still believe in America, and I always will. And if you do, then we must accept this result and then look to the future."

WATCH: Defeated Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton called on her supporters to keep an open mind about Donald Trump, and give him a chance to lead the country. (AP)

Most opinion polls ahead of the election showed the former U.S. first lady, senator, and secretary of state likely to defeat Trump, a billionaire real estate mogul and former reality TV star who has never held elected office.

Clinton, 69, and Trump, 70, had savaged one another throughout a campaign that some historians described as having a level of mudslinging and overheated rhetoric unprecedented in modern U.S. history.

But in his victory speech, the president-elect, who at one point in the campaign had suggested Clinton would go to jail for her controversial handling of e-mails as secretary of state, praised his rival for her dedication and service to the nation.

"Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country," he told his jubilant supporters. "I mean that very sincerely."

U.S. President Barack Obama delivered his first public remarks on the election following Clinton's address, saying in Washington that he called Trump early on November 9 to congratulate and invited him to come to the White House the next day to discuss the transition.

Obama said he had instructed his staff to work as hard as possible to ensure a smooth and successful transition of power when Trump is inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States on January 20.

"The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy and over the next few months, we are going to show that to the world," he said, speaking outside the White House.

WATCH: U.S. President Barack Obama promised there would be a smooth transition of power between his administration and that of President-elect Donald Trump. (AP)



Electoral College Vs. Popular Vote

Trump sealed his victory when he was declared the winner in Wisconsin, giving him 276 electoral votes and taking him past the 270 needed to win the election.

Clinton had wins in big states like California, New York, Illinois, and much of the northeast, but she could not overcome surpirse defeats in the Midwestern states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, which often go to the Democratic candidate in presidential elections.

Trump was nearing 300 electoral votes in the afternoon on November 9, though counting in a handful of states continued.

But Clinton was on track to win the popular vote, having captured 47.7 percent compared to 47.5 percent to Trump with almost 125 million votes counted, according to a nearly complete vote count on November 9.

If Clinton holds her nationwide lead, which was at around 236,000 votes, she would become the second U.S. presidential candidate in the last five elections to win the popular vote but lose the White House to an opponent who triumphed in the tally because of the mostly winner-take-all, state-by-state Electoral College.

It is rare but not unprecedented for a candidate to win the required number of Electoral College votes (270) but lose the popular vote, last occurring when Republican George W. Bush beat Democrat Al Gore in 2000.

Exit surveys conducted around the country on Election Day by the AP and the main U.S. TV networks showed more than half of voters cast their ballots with reservations about their candidate or because they disliked the others running.

Trump captured the Republican nomination vowing to upend politics-as-usual in Washington and pushing controversial proposals like "extreme vetting" of Muslims who want to enter the country and building a wall on the southern border to keep out immigrants from Central America.

Clinton had pledged to build on the legacy of outgoing President Obama and touted her decades of public service as qualifying her to lead the nation. She was seeking to become the first female U.S. president.

In her concession speech, Clinton acknowledged that she had not "shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling" and told "all the little girls" watching: "Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every opportunity in the world and chance to pursue your dreams."

VIDEO PROFILE: Donald Trump, America's Next President



Mixed Reactions Globally

Trump's victory triggered a mix of reactions from around the globe amid questions about how the political newcomer, whose campaign platform tilted toward isolationism, will run the country and what Washington's role in the world will be under his administration.

The European Union sounded a cautious note, with EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini saying that Washington and Brussels "will continue to work together" and rediscover "the strength of Europe."

"EU-U.S. ties are deeper than any change in politics," Mogherini wrote on Twitter.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered Trump "close cooperation" on the basis of shared transatlantic values such as "democracy, freedom, respecting the rule of law, people's dignity regardless of their origin, the color of their skin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or political views."

The Kremlin, meanwhile, expressed optimism that Trump's victory could repair U.S.-Russian ties that have been battered over Russia's actions in Ukraine -- including the seizure and illegal annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula -- and over Russia's military support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

President Vladimir Putin, for whom Trump expressed admiration during the election campaign, congratulated Trump on his election in a telegram early on November 9.

"It is not an easy path but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development," Putin said.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he hoped Washington would continue to support Ukraine in its standoff with Russia.

With reporting by AP, NBC, The New York Times, AFP, and Reuters
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said the group's publication of thousands of e-mails and documents linked to U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was not intended to influence the U.S. election.

"In recent months, WikiLeaks and I personally have come under enormous pressure to stop publishing what the Clinton campaign says about itself to itself," Assange said in a statement on November 8.

"This is not due to a personal desire to influence the outcome of the election."

Thousands of e-mails published by Wikileaks were hacked from Clinton campaign manager John Podesta. Assange has never disclosed where he got the leaked e-mails.

But U.S. cybersecurity experts have fingered Russia-backed hackers as the primary suspects. and the FBI is investigating whether Russia was involved as part of its probe of leaked political documents this year.

But Assange denied any Russian connection in his statement.

"The Clinton campaign, when they were not spreading obvious untruths, pointed to unnamed sources or to speculative and vague statements from the intelligence community to suggest a nefarious allegiance with Russia," he said.

"The campaign was unable to invoke evidence about our publications -- because none exists."

Assange said Wikileaks did not publish leaked materials about Republican candidate Donald Trump because it had not obtained inside information about him.

"We cannot publish what we do not have," he said.

"We are seen as domain experts on Clinton archives. So it is natural that Clinton sources come to us," Assange said.

"No-one disputes the public importance of these publications," he added.

"It would be unconscionable for WikiLeaks to withhold such an archive from the public during an election."

Assange said WikiLeaks would continue to publish sensitive information regardless of who wins the U.S. election.

"The Democratic and Republican candidates have both expressed hostility towards whistleblowers," he said.

With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
The CEO of United Kingdom-based insurance company Admiral Group Plc. said Tuesday that he is pleased with the progress of the companys U.S. businesses, Henrico County-based Elephant Insurance Services LLC and Compare.com.

How can you not be pleased with 40 percent growth? said David Stevens, speaking of Elephants revenue growth in 2015 and so far in 2016.

Stevens visited Elephants headquarters Tuesday for the first time since he became CEO in May, when Henry Engelhardt, the companys founding CEO, stepped down from that role after 24 years leading the company.

Stevens also visited the Henrico headquarters of Compare.com, an insurance price-comparison website. Admiral owns a 71 percent stake in that business, which is getting bigger and bigger all the time, Stevens said.

Elephant Insurance was founded in Henrico in 2009 as Admirals first U.S. business. It sells automobile insurance directly to customers by phone and over the internet.

The company now employs more than 600 people at its office on Mayland Drive in western Henrico. It announced in August that it had expanded insurance sales into two additional states  Indiana and Tennessee  bringing to six the number of states where it does business, including Virginia, Maryland, Illinois and Texas.

Those six states have an auto insurance market of about $40 billion, more than twice the size of the entire United Kingdom auto insurance market, Stevens said.

Compare.com, which has an office on East Shore Drive in Henrico, was founded in 2013 and has continued to see growth in visitors to its website, where more than half of the top 25 U.S. insurers now offer quotes.

We have got insurance price comparison businesses all across the world, Stevens said in an interview after meeting with employees. We are looking to open up in China.

Thats because we think the proposition for motorists from price comparison is so strong, he said. Why go to five or six different websites and spend 20 minutes getting five or six different comparisons, when you can go to Compare.com and get 10 comparisons in 20 minutes?

It is just much more efficient, and it means the customer has a much better chance of finding the right insurer at the right price, he said.

Neither Elephant nor Compare.com has turned a profit yet, and the parent company does not expect them to do so soon.

Car insurance is an interesting business because you have to invest up front to get new customers, Stevens said. You are investing in a market where the big guys are spending $6 billion or $7 billion on advertising. You have to spend a bit to make yourself heard.

I think the citizens of Richmond are now well-aware of Elephant, he said, referring to the companys local advertising campaign. We have got to do the same in Dallas and Houston and Indianapolis and Chicago and across the states where we operate, and that does take some money.

We dont expect to make money for the short term. We are investing for the long term. We are creating a bigger and bigger business and, ultimately, our customers will renew with us and we will get a return on our business.

Stevens, 54, previously served as Admirals chief operating officer. He was the third person hired when Engelhardt founded the company in 1992.

Originally from Manchester, England, Stevens started his career working for the U.K.-based confectionery maker Cadbury, where one of his jobs was managing a production line that made diamond-shaped coconut morsels. He later moved into marketing for the company.

Stevens said he met Engelhardt, a native of the Chicago area who remains with the company as manager of its price-comparison businesses, while getting a masters degree in business in France.

Three years later, he called me and asked if I wanted to get involved in a startup insurance business, Stevens said. I have enjoyed an amazing ride for 25 years.

Admiral, which employs more than 8,000 people, has its main insurance business in the U.K. and subsidiary insurance businesses in Spain, Italy, France and the U.S., along with price-comparison websites in the U.K., Spain, France and the U.S.

For 2015, the company reported revenue equivalent to about $2.8 billion and $537 million in profit.

Stevens said he expects the U.S. employment to continue to grow.

We have got ambitious growth plans, he said. As someone who was lucky enough to be in on the beginning of a success story in the U.K., I would say to anyone thinking about careers in the Richmond area that there will be some exciting opportunities over the next few years.
If youre looking to get out of the kitchen this Thanksgiving and let a restaurant do the work for you, youve got more than a few options.

Check out which local restaurants are serving Thanksgiving dinner.

Bistro 27: A three-course prix fixe menu from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. $42.50 adults, $21.25 children ages 7 and younger. Reservations required. 27 W. Broad St., (804) 780-0086. Check out the menu at bistrotwentyseven.com.

Bistro Bobette: This Shockoe Slip spot will present a three-course menu Thanksgiving Day. 5-10 p.m. Adults $62. Reservations recommended. 1209 E. Cary St., (804) 225-9116. Check out the menu at bistrobobette.com.

The Boathouse (all three locations): A Thanksgiving buffet from 1 to 6 p.m. $44 adults, $19 for ages 6-12 and free for ages 5 and younger. Reservations suggested. Sunday Park in Brandermill, 4602 Millridge Parkway, (804) 744-2545; Rocketts Landing, 4708 E. Old Main St., (804) 622-2628; and Short Pump, 11800 W. Broad St., (804) 360-7200. Check out the menu at boathouserva.com.

Old Original Bookbinders: Three-course traditional feast from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. $59 adults, $16.95 for ages 11 and younger. Reservations required. 2306 E. Cary St., (804) 643-6900. Check out the menu at bookbinders richmond.com.

Camdens Dogtown Market: The 4th Annual Orphans Thanksgiving Dinner from 3 to 7 p.m. $22 per person; reservations recommended. Limited to parties of three or fewer. 201 W. Seventh St., (804) 745-6488.

County Seat: Located in Powhatan, the County Seat is serving up a buffet-style Thanksgiving feast from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. $29.95 per person, $9 for ages 10 and younger. Reservations required. 3883 Old Buckingham Road, (804) 598-5000. Check out the menu at www.facebook.com/CountySeatRestaurant GatheringPlace/.

The Dining Room at The Berkeley: A Thanksgiving brunch buffet will be served at this Shockoe Slip spot. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. $39 per person, $16 for ages 5 to 12. Ages 4 and younger eat free. Reservations required. 1200 E. Cary St., (804) 225-5105. Check out the menu at www.berkeley hotel.com.

Half Way House Restaurant: The Half Way House has been a local Thanksgiving staple for generations. From noon to 7 p.m., it will be serving a menu filled with traditional Thanksgiving dishes on an a la carte menu. Reservations recommended. 10301 Jefferson Davis Highway, (804) 275-1760. Check out the menu at halfway houserestaurant.com.

Keagans Richmond: A Thanksgiving buffet served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. $21.99 adults; $10.99 ages 10 and older. Reservations recommended. 2251 Old Brick Road, Glen Allen. (804) 360-9240 or keagans richmond.com.

Lemaire at The Jefferson: Its been booked solid for months (it books six months out). 101 W. Franklin St., (804) 649-4629.

Maple & Pine: The restaurant inside the Quirk Hotel is doing a special three-course menu from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. $65 per person. Reservations required. 201 W. Broad St., (804) 340-6050. Check out the full menu at www.facebook.com/mapleandpine/.

Maxs on Broad: Full menu plus special Thanksgiving turkey dinner from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. $26.95 for special dinner with all the fixins. Reservations recommended. 305 Brook Road, (804) 225-0400. Check out the menu at maxsonbroad.com.

Patrick Henry Pub & Grille: Thanksgiving buffet with seatings at noon, 2, 4 and 6 p.m. $27.95 adults, $13.95 ages 12 and younger in advance; $32.95/$16.50 for walk-ins. Reservations recommended. 2300 E. Broad St., (804) 644-4242. See the menu at www.facebook.com/patrickhenrypub/.

Sam Millers: Three-course prix fixe menu for $45 per person from 1 to 7 p.m. Reservations accepted. 1210 E. Cary St., (804) 644-5465. Check out the menu at sammillers.com.

Strawberry Street Cafe: Four-course prix fixe menu from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for $29.95 per person, $14.95 for ages 6 to 12. Kids 5 and younger eat free. Reservations accepted. 421 N. Strawberry St., (804) 353-6860. See the menu at strawberrystcafe.com.

Shulas Americas Steakhouse: Thanksgiving dinner buffet at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa/Short Pump served from 1 to 7 p.m. $39.95 adults. Reservations recommended. 12042 W. Broad St., (804) 565-7000. Check out the menu at shulas richmond.com.

Tarrants Cafe: This downtown spot will be open for the Thanksgiving holiday and will offer a special turkey dinner plus its regular menu (and the restaurant is offering its regular delivery service). $26.95 for all diners. Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Reservations recommended. 1 W. Broad St. (804) 225-0035 or tarrantscaferva.com.

Tarrants West: Go west for Tarrants special turkey dinner plus its regular menu. $26.95 for all diners. Open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Reservations recommended. 11129 Three Chopt Road. (804) 205-9009 or tarrantswestrva.com.

TJs at The Jefferson: You guessed it, its been booked solid for months. Let this be a reminder that Mothers Day is coming up. 101 W. Franklin St., (804) 649-4672.
In the shifting field for Richmond mayor, Joe Morrisseys biggest opponent was himself.

Possibly setting up a Tuesday-before-Christmas Dec. 20 runoff for the mayoralty between Levar Stoney and Jack Berry, Morrissey placed a distant third Tuesday  a casualty of a long, checkered personal and professional history, most recently allegations that he gave up on a criminal defendants case after she rebuffed his sexual advances.

A week before the election, Morrissey was thrown on the defensive. Though the Henrico County commonwealths attorney said Morrissey would not face charges, her claim that his conduct was unethical reminded voters of his X-rated behavior with a 17-year-old who later would become his wife and previous questions about his professionalism as a lawyer.

Nonetheless, Morrisseys performance in the five-candidate field  in recent days, it had shrunk from seven  showed that the colorful and controversial former prosecutor and legislator had a hard kernel of support from roughly one in five voters, many of them lower-income African-Americans who believed theyve been overlooked by City Hall.

Battling back from the latest scandal, Morrissey  scion of an affluent Northern Virginia family  depicted himself as he always has during three decades in public life: a populist fighter unafraid to take on the white plutocrats who command the economy of a city where minorities control politics.

If there is one, the Stoney-Berry runoff would be a generational contest.

Stoney is an African-American political operative in his 30s. Berry, who is white and a veteran of Richmond-area government, is in his 60s. The contest also could test the citys willingness to put behind it the racial friction that long has shaped municipal affairs.

It was not clear whether a candidate carried the requisite five of nine councilmanic districts  a feature intended to ensure that a mayor has broad support and is not beholden to affluent white, high-turnout neighborhoods.

Without a five-ward winner, the top two finishers are pushed into a runoff. As in the general election, the winner of the runoff must carry five districts.

A runoff is likely to attract fewer voters, making it a mobilization battle between candidates with proven ground games. A harbinger of a Stoney victory: A pre-election poll showed him in second place in all nine wards, suggesting he could assemble a citywide coalition, with many of Morrisseys votes possibly moving his way.

Stoney, who was leading by about 1,000 votes before an estimated 9,000 absentee ballots had been counted, is a newcomer to Richmond politics who never has held elective office. As a protege of Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Stoney worked on campaigns in Virginia and ran the state Democratic Party.

With McAuliffes victory in 2013, Stoney became secretary of the commonwealth  a post from which he dispensed political patronage, such as state jobs, seats on oversight boards, and low-numbered license plates. He also was point man in McAuliffes failed effort to reinstate en masse the voting and civil rights of about 206,000 felons.

Stoneys surge Tuesday likely could be attributed to a late endorsement by Councilman Jon Baliles, who withdrew from the mayoral race last weekend. His backing may have helped drive younger whites to Stoney.

But Stoney, as the Democratic nominee, also got a lift from Hillary Clinton, who easily carried the city.

Berry, who overtook Stoney in fundraising after getting a loan from one of the citys business leaders, is a favorite of the Establishment, having held senior positions in Richmond and Hanover County government before taking over an agency that promotes downtown economic development.

And perhaps Richmond will hear from the man responsible for direct election of its mayor in 2004 after a half-century hiatus of City Council-appointed mayors. Doug Wilder, a former governor who later served as mayor, ducked an endorsement for City Hall, apparently unable to pick a winner from whom he later could exact favors. Now the city faces the intriguing prospect of a mayor capable of winning without his support, leaving Wilder  for the first time  on the outside looking in.
Richmond City Council, which saw only three of nine seats turn over four years ago, will get a slightly bigger infusion of new blood come January.

Four newcomers will replace incumbents who are stepping down, though five veteran council members appear to have kept their seats, according to incomplete and unofficial results from todays election. The following results do not include absentee ballots.

1st District

With all precincts reporting but absentee ballots not yet in, former city management analyst Andreas D. Addison had a roughly 300-vote lead after a neck-and-neck race with former Army attack helicopter pilot and nonprofit consultant Harry H. Warner Jr. for the seat representing the West End. Incumbent Jonathan Baliles vacated the seat to run for mayor before dropping out. Jonathan M. Cruise, an IT consultant was far behind.

2nd District

Two-term Richmond School Board Member Kimberly B. Gray appears to have won a closely-fought contest with A.S. Charlie Diradour, a real estate developer who narrowly lost to incumbent Charles Samuels in 2012, for the seat representing much of the Fan, Scotts Addition, Jackson Ward and other areas. Rebecca Keel, a 24-year-old conflict resolution trainer, was a very distant third. Samuels opted not to seek re-election.

I havent slept for two days, literally. I worked very hard out there, Gray said, who was holding a 1,300-vote lead with all precincts in. Im looking forward to working with everyone in the district and doing my best to make the 2nd District proud.

3rd District

Incumbent Chris A. Hilbert, who has been on the council 12 years, appeared headed for his fifth term to represent the North Side district, with an overwhelming lead over Milondra Coleman, an instructional coordinator and history teacher at Richmond Public Schools who was running in second place. Dorian Daniels, a self-employed convenience store operator and Hassan J. Fountain, an operator for Coca-Cola Bottling Co., trailed well behind. Hilbert is a loan officer at the Virginia Housing Development Authority.

I think folks told me loud and clear that theyre not looking for the next event to come to town, Hilbert said. They really want us to concentrate on sidewalk, streets and potholes and those kinds of things.

4th District

Kristen Larson, who has served one term on the Richmond School Board, appeared to have bested four challengers to replace Kathy Graziano, the four-term councilwoman who opted not to see re-election for the seat representing the neighborhoods of Stratford Hills, Westover Hills and Stony Point, among others. She comfortably led Tim Grimes, Grazianos liaison; Larry A. Olanrewaju, an economics professor; Jeff Thomas, an author; and Johnny Walker, a retired director of telecommunications.

5th District

Parker Agelasto, 40, who won his first term on the council four years ago by unseating incumbent Marty Jewell, held a big lead over two challengers: Montigue Magruder, a worker at an assisted living facility, and Garrett L. Sawyer, a senior recruiter at True Health Diagnostics. One precinct was still out.

6th District

With all precincts in, Ellen Robertson, who has represented the district, which includes parts of North Side, downtown and Manchester, since 2003, held a comfortable lead over Donald Moss, a political and nonprofits consultant who nabbed two high-profile endorsements from groups in the city. Several precincts had not yet reported in the race.

7th District

Cynthia Newbille, a program officer and medical home coordinator at Richmond Memorial Health Foundation, strongly defended her seat representing the East End, fending off a challenge from Josh Williams, a 29-year-old business owner and member of the National Guard, to secure her third term on the council by a wide margin.

8th District

Council veteran Reva M. Trammell appeared headed to her sixth term representing the South Side district, which includes the Jefferson Davis Highway corridor, with a commanding lead over Amelia E. Lightner, a retiree who served as president of two neighborhood civic associations and won the endorsement of the city Democratic committee. Trammell was first elected to the council in 1998, when council members served two-year terms. She hasnt lost an election since 2004.

9th District

Michael J. Jones, a 49-year-old pastor at Village of Faith Church, which has campuses in Sandston and Midlothian, appeared poised to take the seat representing the southwestern Richmond district being vacated by Michelle Mosby, who ran for mayor. With all precincts in, Jones had a large lead in a field that also included Leon Benjamin Sr., another church pastor and bishop; Germika Pegram, a clinician policy consultant; and Marcus Omar Squires, a paralegal and instructional assistant.
A Panamanian national is to appear in federal court today on charges connected to an international cocaine trafficking organization that moved large amounts of cocaine into the U.S. with the intent to distribute it in Virginia and elsewhere.

Humberto Beckford, 36, was named in a recently unsealed indictment alleging he and Tammie Dechell Diggs, 46, whose address was unavailable, conspired with the intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine.

Beckford is also charged with conspiracy to import more than 5 kilograms into the country.

Each charge carries a maximum punishment of life in prison.

The indictment names  but does not charge  Javier King-Ariano, another Panamanian, as a leader of a Panama-based cocaine trafficking organization ... and was responsible for the importation of at least dozens of kilograms of cocaine into the United States.

However, an Oct. 5 document from the Colombian Supreme Court posted online indicates that federal prosecutors in Richmond are seeking King-Arianos extradition from Colombia.

The Sept. 20 Richmond indictment against Beckford refers to him as a drug courier and logistical coordinator for the trafficking organization. Diggs was said to be a drug courier.

Beckford is scheduled to be arraigned before U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson this afternoon.

Records indicate that as of Wednesday morning, Diggs was being held by the Mecklenburg County, N.C., sheriffs office.

The six-page indictment alleges that from August 2015 to last April in the Eastern District of Virginia  stretching from Northern Virginia through Richmond to Hampton Roads  and elsewhere, Beckford and Diggs conspired with others to import cocaine into the U.S.

King-Ariano is named as a leader of the organization that was shipping the cocaine on commercial shipping vessels to the Port of Charleston, S.C.

A gang member traveled from Panama to Charleston in February in order to coordinate the offloading of 20 kilograms of cocaine and distribute it to drug couriers.

Then in March, another 42 kilograms were shipped to Charleston where on March 12 and March 13, Beckford allegedly coordinated the distribution of 23 kilograms of cocaine.

Diggs is accused by the grand jury of picking up 21 kilograms in Charleston on March 14, where she loaded it into her car, and drove away.

Court records show Beckford was arrested in Florida on Oct. 9, and Diggs in North Carolina on Oct. 31.
With nearly all of the votes counted, a multimillion-dollar bond measure in Henrico County that will fund schools, parks, a library, public safety, and road construction and renovation projects cruised to voter approval.

The $419.8 million bond referendum that will pay for 26 capital projects, including a new elementary school, two new firehouses and a replacement library in the Fairfield area garnered overwhelming support during Tuesdays general election.

In a phone interview, County Manager John Vithoulkas expressed thanks to residents as well as county officials and staff who fanned across Henrico to hold meetings about the referendum.

Im humbled and gratified by the confidence of our voters and the countys vision to complete core projects, Vithoulkas said. I want to thank all the folks that were involved in the 115-plus meetings with the community, including members of the School Board, Board of Supervisors and the multiple county teams that provided public information to our residents.

On the ballot, the projects were broken down into five spending categories that were voted on separately.

They were: $272.6 million for school projects; $87.1 million for recreation and park projects; $24 million for library projects; $22.1 million for fire station and facilities projects; and $14 million for road projects.

As of 11:35 p.m., with all but one of the 94 precincts reporting, each category received between 74 and 86 percent of voters support, according to unofficial results on the Virginia Department of Elections website.

Under the referendum, $20 million will go toward constructing a new elementary school in the Brookland area to relieve overcrowding and account for anticipated growth at Elizabeth Holladay, Charles M. Johnson and Dumbarton elementary schools.

Roughly $168.1 million will be directed toward upgrades and renovations at eight schools that were built in the 1950s or 60s, $55 million of which would go toward J.R. Tucker High School.

Two new fire stations  one near Staples Mill Road and Glenside Drive, the other near Nine Mile Road and Laburnum Avenue  will be constructed to accommodate increased calls for service spurred by growth in those areas.
Two incumbents and an open government advocate have prevailed in Hopewells City Council race.

Janice Denton, co-founder of Hopewell Citizens for Good Government, will trade her regular seat from the audience of council meetings to one next to other council members. Voters also handed Mayor Brenda Pelham and Councilwoman Jasmine Gore another term. Seven candidates total vied for three open City Council seats.

Denton prevailed in the most crowded of those races in Hopewells central Ward 5 with more than half of the vote.

I was pleasantly surprised. I had a good feeling, but you just dont ever know in a three-way race. And to me, it is just fantastic to know that they have put their faith and trust in me, Denton said.

Denton, a Realtor with Ingram & Associates, billed herself as the one who would continue outgoing council member Wayne Waltons legacy by seeing through multimillion-dollar public safety buildings and working toward full school accreditation.

Id like to see a little bit more cohesiveness between the council members. Weve got to be more professional, she said.

She beat out two more conservative candidates, Republican Committee Chairman Brandon Howard and former Hopewell deputy sheriff David Silvestro.

Gore easily toppled challenger Steven Bennett. I feel like they reaffirm they still have confidence in me. Ive been focusing on the initiatives that I feel like are important to them, Gore said. My biggest thing would be reforming the local legislative process to make sure Im ... increasing that transparency moving forward.

Pelham also easily prevailed over prekindergarten teacher Robert Beckham. She said she wanted to continue to work to beautify the city, support schools to achieve state standards, and reduce crime.
Controversial former Del. Joe Morrissey acknowledged defeat Tuesday in a hard-fought mayoral race in which he was long considered the front-runner.

With about 70 percent of results reported and Morrissey lagging in third place in the citywide vote, he said he thought he was unlikely to win the five voter districts necessary to win.

"I was pleased to run with some really tough candidates, and I want to congratulate Levar Stoney and Jack Berry, both of them are heading for a runoff," Morrissey said.

"Myrna said she's not quite sure (about conceding), but I am. Both are very talented gentlemen who ran a very rough race. It looks like we won at least three wards, they appear to be the working-class wards in the city of Richmond, and I have always championed myself as someone who fights for the little guy."

Otherwise, as of 11 p.m., the likely outcome remained unclear.

The city chooses its mayor using a mini-Electoral College system, which requires a candidate to win not the popular vote, but in at least five of nine voter districts.

Former Venture Richmond Director Jack Berry and Former Secretary of the Commonwealth Levar Stoney were essentially tied for first place citywide. Berry, however, carried only two districts: the 1st and the 4th.

Stoney, performing better than anticipated, led in two districts, including the 2nd, which covers most of the Fan District and was expected to go to Berry. He also held a lead in the two battle ground districts, the 3rd and the 5th.

If Stoney can take both swing districts and the 6th, where Morrissey had a slight lead with three precincts still outstanding, he could come from polling third place to a surprise win on election night.

If not, a runoff between Berry and Stoney would take place on Dec. 20.

With little to distinguish the candidates in terms of policy, voters at polling places around the city Tuesday described making decisions based primarily on their impressions of the candidates experience and personality.

Sid Simmons, a Shockoe Bottom resident, said he decided to vote for Berry, despite some reservations about his close ties to the citys business community, which he represented as the director of Venture Richmond.

Simmons said Berrys past work as a budget director in Richmond and later the county administrator of Hanover won him over.

I think he has the experience, the knowledge that we need, he said.

Simmons said Stoney made a good overall impression on him, but he was turned off by the fact that Stoney, 34, had never held elective office before and had limited executive experience.

Levar Stoney is a nice young man, and I would love to see somebody pull him into the administration, but hes not ready, Simmons said. Hes too young. He does not have the contacts. He does not have the intimate knowledge of how to run a city.

Stoneys supporters, meanwhile, said they wanted someone who they felt would bring a fresh perspective to City Hall. Likewise, several voters said they were influenced by the fact that the local branch of the Democratic Party had endorsed him.

Its time for us to have some young people running the country, said Grindly Johnson, a Church Hill resident. Im a baby boomer, but Im a millennial at heart.

While many voters described having to choose between Stoney and Berry, Morrisseys supporters said he became their obvious choice the moment he entered the race.

And no, they said, they were not put off by his checkered past, which has prompted many, including vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine, a former Richmond mayor himself, to say Morrisseys election would be an "embarrassment."

Morrissey won reelection to the House of Delegates in 2014 while serving a three-month jail sentence for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. And in the final weeks of the mayoral campaign, a law client accused Morrissey of exposing himself to her. Morrissey denied the allegation but acknowledged exchanging explicit text messages with the woman while he was engaged to his wife, who was carrying their second child at the time.

Legal and personal problems aside, Morrissey is a skilled politician with a knack for connecting with voters on the campaign trail. While he didnt formally enter the race until March, he said he began campaigning door to door in January and estimated personally knocking on 26,000 doors.

He emphasized his work in the House of Delegates pursuing progressive legislation and pledged his administration would focus on education and block all spending on professional sports stadiums  a hot-button issue for years in Richmond.

Hes a good person and thats all I can say, OK? Ronnie Thornton, a resident of Randolph in the citys 5th District, said as he left the polls. I like his politics and Ive been knowing him for years.

For others, however, Morrisseys negatives were overwhelming to the point where he didnt merit consideration.
Earlier this month, Noony Norwood celebrated her 30th birthday. She was gunned down Sunday morning.

Officers were called shortly after 1 a.m. to the 2700 block of Hull Street, where Norwood was found on the ground suffering from gunshot wounds. She was taken to a local hospital, where she died nine hours later.

She was very fun-loving, a lot of energy, and loved to dance, said Zakia McKensey, a longtime friend of Norwoods. She loved family, to eat and cook and she very much loved being in the community with people.

McKensey said whenever she hears house music, shell think of Norwood and her vogue dancing.

Norwood, a transgender woman whose given name was William D. Norwood, was a Richmond native who lived less than a mile from where she was killed.

A lot of people are affected by Noonys passing, McKensey said. A lot of people have been reaching out and are sad. But more so, there is a lot of anger.

Members of the local LGBT community are upset not only that they lost a loved one, but also about how Norwood has been portrayed. When Richmond police released the victims identity from Sundays homicide, they said Norwood was a man dressed in womens clothing.

Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham said in a statement Tuesday that Norwoods mother told detectives to identify her son as a male.

But McKensey, who knew Norwood for more than a decade, said Norwood used feminine pronouns to refer to herself and that her trans identity was not a secret among family and friends.

McKensey is the executive director of Nationz, an educational and outreach organization focused on HIV prevention and cancer awareness, and a transgender community advocate for the Virginia Anti-Violence Project, which works to address and end violence specifically in the LGBT community. A support group for trans women, with advocates available to talk about the slaying and its aftermath, is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Nationz, 1200 Bentley St. in Henrico County.

Misgendering Noony in death is an act of violence on top of what she has already suffered, said Ha Tran, a youth community advocate for the Virginia Anti-Violence Project. Noony has already suffered enough.

Richmond police have a designated LGBT liaison, Capt. Dan Minton. He replaced Capt. Angela Greene, whose brief tenure ended when she left the department for an assistant chief position in Portsmouth.

Before that, Maj. Odetta Johnson held the post for two years and is credited with bridging the gap between police and the LGBT community.

It is not an easy task when dealing with sensitive situations as what has been presented here. We acknowledge and respect the concerns of the LGBTQ community regarding this issue, Durham said in an email. We have to strike a balance in respecting the wishes of the immediate family and those in the community. It is always our intent to treat all persons with dignity and respect.

Police are looking for a man who may have been nearby at the time of the shooting and would like to talk to him about what he might have seen or heard.

He was last seen leaving the area in a dark-colored sedan, possibly a Hyundai Sonata.

He is described as black, between 30 to 40 years old, standing at 6 feet, 2 inches to 6 feet, 4 inches tall and weighing about 290 pounds.

Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to call Major Crimes Detective Anthony Coates at (804) 646-0729 or contact Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000 or www.7801000.com.
Even Levar Stoney's most dedicated supporters weren't expecting him to claim victory in the Richmond mayoral election Tuesday night. Polls headed into the race put him in third place citywide and - at best - winning the city's two swing districts, forcing his way into a runoff election on Dec. 20.

Instead, early results (only absentee ballots have not yet been counted) put him winning on the first ballot with five districts, taking precincts in the city's core from the East End and Manchester to the Museum District and the Fan.

So what happened on Election Day that turned things around?

Morrissey fizzles out

The biggest election-night surprise was the extent to which former Del. Joe Morrissey's expected base of support failed to materialize at the polls.

Stoney was the biggest beneficiary, winning two districts that had been considered Morrissey strongholds.

In one, the 7th, which covers the East End and Church Hill, his campaign anticipated performing well in and possibly winning. The other - the 6th District, which runs from North Richmond to downtown and across the river into Manchester - offered an unexpected victory.

Was the polling in the run-up to the election wrong? It depends on how you look at it.

The last poll, released by ChamberRVA, put Morrissey in the lead with 20 percent citywide. That's about the percentage of the vote he took on Election Day.

But the same poll also said nearly 40 percent of voters were undecided, and it was always assumed at least some of those voters would break for Morrissey.

They didn't, and it appears they instead flocked to Stoney and his nearest opponent in the race, former Venture Richmond Director Jack Berry.

It's unclear whether Morrissey's support had always had a low ceiling or late allegations and the emergence of new lewd text messages hurt him.

On election night, Morrissey said he felt the latter played a role.

Students turnout in droves

Stoney's campaign said it was prepared for the other big surprise of the night: that Stoney won the city's 2nd District, which includes much of the Fan.

Going into Election Day, Berry had said he was confident he would take the 2nd District.

Stoney's people, meanwhile, said they had been expecting a substantial boost from Virginia Commonwealth University students, who strongly favored Stoney and turned out in droves for the presidential election.

In the two precincts with the most students, Stoney took more than twice as many votes as Berry.

Berry, meanwhile, was strongest in wealthy precincts that straddle Monument Avenue.

A good feeling

Headed into the election, Stoney remained optimistic about his chances for an election night victory.

But it's hard to imagine a candidate saying anything else on the eve of an election, and the fact that he declined to name five districts he thought he could win suggested he wasn't particularly optimistic about the surprise districts he ended up winning.

Still, members of Stoney's campaign staff said that in the final weeks of the race, they became increasingly optimistic as internal polls started showing more undecided voters coming over to his side.

Likewise, they said the positive response they were seeing to their get out the vote operation gave them a sense the race was turning their way.
A pair of races for the Richmond City Council and School Board remained extremely close Wednesday night after absentee ballots were counted, but it was unclear if the losing candidates would ask for a recount.

Former city management analyst Andreas D. Addison, 34, clung to his narrow victory over former Army attack helicopter pilot and nonprofit consultant Harry H. Warner Jr., 55, for the seat representing the West End after absentee ballots were counted Wednesday. And Patrick Sapini, a local doctor with four school-age children, led incumbent Mamie Taylor by 153 votes in the race for District 5 School Board seat.

Addison finished with 5,830 votes to Warners 5,604, a margin of just 226 votes, according to complete but unofficial results. A total of 13,163 ballots were cast in the election.

Reached Wednesday night, Warner said he was unsure whether he would seek a recount.

I cant answer that right now, he said. Its certainly something that weve been considering.

Addison said Tuesday night that he was eager to begin work to improve data access and transparency when his four-year term starts in January, including getting down to brass tacks of how money is budgeted and spent

This has been an amazing campaign and I really applaud my opponents, he said. I really appreciate their civility.

When polls closed Tuesday night, Addison held a 5,436-5,130 lead over Warner. Incumbent Jonathan Baliles vacated the seat to run for mayor before dropping out. Jonathan M. Cruise, a 33-year-old IT consultant, was a distant third with 1,475 votes.

The 1st District was also closely contested four years ago, when incumbent Bruce Tyler lost to Baliles. After a recount and subsequent court proceeding, Baliles margin of victory was just 20 votes.

Taylor, 47, did not respond to emails Wednesday asking whether shed ask for a recount or concede in the School Board race. Her voicemail was full and would not accept messages.

Taylor is one of the most controversial members on the citys School Board. She often is at odds with other members. She raises her voice in anger during meetings and has obstructed the process when unhappy with how an issue is proceeding.

First elected in 2012, she has been dogged by controversy throughout her term. She has been accused by a former school system employee and other board members of meddling in affairs outside the boards purview.

Sapini said Wednesday that bringing professionalism to the 5th District seat will be one of his priorities.

He had led Taylor by fewer than 250 votes before the absentee votes were counted. But despite gaining ground, Taylor still trailed 5,478 to 5,325 when all the votes were in. The citys election website showed 111 write-in votes in the race.
Hillary Clinton held on to Virginia on Tuesday to give Democrats their third straight presidential win in the Old Dominion, even as the national contest with Republican Donald Trump turned unexpectedly close.

Clinton was expected to pick up Virginias 13 electoral votes, but the state quickly became a must-win Tuesday night as other battleground states tilted in Trumps favor.

With Trump winning North Carolina and Florida, Virginia was the only Southern state in the Democratic column.

Though Virginias early returns seemed to favor Trump, Clinton pulled ahead late. That served as a bright spot for Democrats on a night that seemed to be turning ominous.

Clinton won by running up big margins in populous and diverse Northern Virginia, overpowering Trumps strength in rural areas.

Late polls had Clinton leading Virginia by about 6 points, but she was ahead of Trump by less than 2 points with more than 96 percent of the vote counted. That margin was expected to grow as the last votes were counted largely in Democratic-leaning localities in the D.C. suburbs.

Late Tuesday, Clinton had 47.8 percent of the vote in Virginia, compared with 46.36 percent for Trump. Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson had 3 percent, independent conservative Evan McMullin had 1.4 percent, and Green Party candidate Jill Stein had 0.7 percent.

Polls showed Clinton with a solid lead in Virginia for much of the campaign, but the race appeared to tighten in the closing week. That prompted Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence to hold separate rallies in Northern Virginia on the final weekend before Election Day.

A poll in mid-October had Clinton up 15 percentage points, but her lead dropped in the campaigns closing days to about 6 points, more in line with margins seen in the last two presidential elections. President Barack Obama carried the state for Democrats twice, winning by 3.8 points in 2012 and 6.3 points in 2008.

In a repeat of Virginias March 1 primary, Trumps strongest region was Southwest Virginia, where the white working class delivered him margins of nearly 80 percent in several counties.

Clinton performed well in large, suburban bellwethers such as Loudoun County, where she led Trump by nearly 17 points; and Henrico County, where she won by about 20 points.

Clinton seemed to underperform Obama in some areas, particularly in heavily African-American cities in the Hampton Roads region and Richmond.

Some speculated that Clintons selection of U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a former Richmond mayor and Virginia governor, would give Clinton a bump in Kaines home state, but its not clear what impact the choice had.

Clinton also had the benefit of a tight relationship with Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a longtime Clinton friend who chaired her 2008 presidential bid.

On several occasions, Trump criticized McAuliffes move to restore voting rights to more than 67,000 felons who had completed their sentences, which Trump and state Republicans criticized as an openly political move to boost Democratic support.
The General Assemblys Joint Commission on Health Care on Wednesday recommended making no changes to the states regulations on possible exemptions, including religious reasons, for otherwise-mandatory school vaccinations.

The decision came after the commission received more than 700 comments on the subject, the majority of which were in favor of taking no action.

The issue was brought before the commission at the bequest of Dels. Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, and Christopher P. Stolle, R-Virginia Beach, who introduced a bill during the most recent General Assembly session that would have removed religious exemptions as a valid reason not to have a child vaccinated.

Filler-Corn and Stolle struck the bill and requested the commission research whether non-medical exemptions should be tightened.

The bill received a great deal of attention from those against mandatory vaccinations, most of whom wore red to Wednesdays meeting, which was held at the General Assembly building in downtown Richmond. Some in red wore T-shirts and hats supporting President-elect Donald Trump.

Most brought their children with them, and one young boy held a sign that said: Vote No to Mandatory Vaccines. When the commission recommended taking no action, the crowd cheered.

The commission was created in 1992 with the purpose of recommending and researching medical decisions to ensure Virginia adopts the most cost-effective and efficacious health care policies, according to the state code.

The body does not make final decisions on legislation, and its decisions are considered recommendations that the General Assembly will take into account during its next session.

Among those in favor of making no changes to immunization exclusions was the Virginia Department of Health, which stated that the low exemption rates and relatively high vaccine coverage rates and low morbidity from vaccine preventable diseases made taking no action on the issue an acceptable option, according to commission documents.

On the other side, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended the commission remove the religious exemption option. Earlier this year, the group updated its official policy to recommend states remove non-medical immunization exemptions.

***

Also on Wednesday, the commission recommended the Department of Health create a page on its website that explains palliative care.

Palliative care is meant for those with severe illnesses to ease their pain and symptoms. It is not hospice care, though the two terms are sometimes confused, the commissions staff explained during a presentation.

The commissions staff found that the information on one website may not match the information on another, and commission members agreed that one definitive explanation of palliative care would be beneficial to Virginians.

Also discussed during Wednesdays meeting was another option to provide the Department of Health with $120,506 to create a Palliative Care and Quality of Life Advisory Council, in addition to a website.

But commission members seemed hesitant to recommend an option that included additional funding.

Virginia lawmakers will have to close a $654 million budget shortfall in the next fiscal year.

Who will carry the budget amendment? commission member Del. John M. OBannon III, R-Henrico, asked, and his comment was met with laughs from other members of the commission.
State Sen. Thomas A. Garrett Jr., R-Buckingham, a former prosecutor who has served in the Virginia Senate for five years, won a hard-fought victory over former Albemarle board Chairwoman Jane Dittmar to fill the open congressional seat in the 5th District.

Garrett will succeed retiring Rep. Robert Hurt, R-5th, in the vast, mostly rural district that extends from Fauquier County south through Charlottesville to the North Carolina line.

This campaign has always been about jobs and the equality of opportunity, Garrett said at Random Row Brewery in Charlottesville. I look forward to working on rolling back the destructive regulatory burdens on our job creators and pursuing creative solutions to replace Obamacare with a more affordable, market-based system.

Further, our legislators need to focus on pushing resources and decision-making away from Washington and back to our localities. I will also make it a priority to fight to secure our borders and protect our nation from threats at home and abroad.

Dittmar said a lot of people in the 5th District are frustrated with government and that her campaign was about sending a message of change in Washington.

Both candidates identified jobs and the economy as primary issues in the sometimes-bitter and hotly contested campaign that featured eight debates and full-fledged ad campaigns.

Hurt served three terms in the Republican-leaning district, which Democrats last won in 2008.

Dittmar, a professional mediator from Albemarle County, said the lack of broadband internet access through much of the district limits its ability to attract business and economic development.

She has called for more workforce training and infrastructure, such as roads.

Garrett identified development along the planned Interstate 73 corridor as an important project for the district. He said the current regulatory climate is destroying jobs and that he would work to restructure corporate taxes.
If his friend, Hillary Clinton, were elected president, with U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., as vice president, Gov. Terry McAuliffe would have a choice to make:

Who would he appoint as Kaines replacement in the U.S. Senate?

But that prospect was anything but certain last night as the clock ticked toward midnight with the presidential race too close to call.

With a Clinton win, the governors decision could determine which party controls the Senate. Were the chamber to be evenly divided, Kaine as vice president would be breaking ties. That could decide whether the Senate confirms her U.S. Supreme Court nominees and whether she could enact her legislative agenda.

McAuliffe said this week that if Clinton won, he would not decide on the Senate seat anytime soon.

Im going to take my time and make the right decision, he said in an interview. Im not rushing  this is a very serious decision. Were going to have a very deliberate process.

That process would extend at least until after Thanksgiving. Next week, the governor embarks on a two-week trade mission to Asia.

McAuliffe said in August that about 20 people had expressed interest in the Kaine Senate seat. As the weeks unfolded and the speculative list whittled, Rep. Robert C. Bobby Scott, D-3rd, seemed to have the most backing.

Scott, who on Tuesday won election to a 13th term, would be Virginias first African-American U.S. senator. He has been taking steps to increase his fundraising and expand his brand.

In July, Scott introduced Kaine on the night of his nominating speech at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. He spent Election Night in Northern Virginia with McAuliffe, far from his redrawn congressional district in Hampton Roads.

There has been a tremendous lobbying effort on his behalf, and not anything like it from any of the others whose names have been mentioned, said Quentin Kidd, a political analyst at Christopher Newport University.

Sources close to McAuliffe said that with a Clinton victory, the governor sees an opportunity to make history by naming the first woman or African-American from Virginia to serve in the Senate.

He also hopes to select the person who best would be able to hold the seat and ensure Senate control for Democrats.

If Kaine became vice president, his successor would have to run in a special election in November 2017 and  if victorious  run again in 2018, the regularly scheduled election for the seat.
Voters on Tuesday rejected a proposal to put provisions of Virginias right-to-work law in the state constitution.

Another proposed constitutional amendment won easy passage. It is meant to aid the families of first responders killed in the line of duty by allowing localities to exempt a surviving spouses real property from taxation.

Virginias right-to-work law says participation in a union may not be a condition for employment in the state.

Supporters of the constitutional amendment said the right-to-work provision is a key factor in maintaining a strong business climate in the state. Opponents termed it an anti-union measure.

Backers said embedding the provision in the constitution would make it harder for a future General Assembly to undo. Opponents said it did not belong in the constitution.

The Virginia AFL-CIO opposed the amendment for a whole slew of reasons but most importantly because it has nothing to do with rights, said Gina Maglionico, the organizations communications director. By design, a constitution is meant to protect the rights of citizens, not stifle them.

Nicole Riley, Virginia state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, had said: If you believe that people should have the freedom to take a job without being required to join a union to get or keep their job, then you want to vote YES on Question 1.

The other proposed amendment will authorize the General Assembly to enact a law that would let a locality exempt from taxation the real property of the living spouse of any law enforcement officer, firefighter, search-and-rescue personnel member, or emergency medical services personnel member killed in the line of duty.

The exemption from taxation would apply to the surviving spouses principal place of residence. It would cease if the surviving spouse remarries.
Rep. Barbara J. Comstock, R-10th, hoped to withstand a big Northern Virginia vote against Donald Trump on Tuesday in her bid to outlast Democrat LuAnn Bennett in one of the nations most hotly contested House races.

As of late Tuesday evening, the race was too close to call.

Virginias marquee House contest, in a district that stretches from Fairfax and Loudoun counties west to Winchester, drew more than $11.6 million in spending by outside groups, mostly for negative ads.

President Barack Obama had weighed in, cutting a digital ad for Bennett in which he called the real estate executive exactly the change we need.

If Comstock prevails in the district, she could become a contender for Tim Kaines U.S. Senate seat if he vacates it to become vice president.

In other Virginia congressional races Tuesday:

2nd District

Del. Scott W. Taylor, R-Virginia Beach, defeated Democrat Shaun Brown, an economist and management consultant, to win an open seat in the 2nd District, based in Virginia Beach.

Rep. Scott Rigell, R-2nd, is retiring after three terms. Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-4th, sought to switch districts in an effort to succeed Rigell. Taylor beat Forbes in the GOP primary.

3rd District

In the redrawn 3rd District, now wholly in Hampton Roads, Rep. Robert C. Bobby Scott, a Democrat, easily turned back Republican Marty Williams, a former police officer who leads the Chesapeake Planning Commission. Scott, who has represented the district since 1993, likely is on Gov. Terry McAuliffes short list to fill Kaines U.S. Senate seat if necessary.

6th District

In the 6th District based in the Shenandoah Valley, Rep. Robert W. Goodlatte, a Republican, defeated Harrisonburg City Councilman Kai Degner, a Democrat.

Goodlatte, who has represented the district since 1993, heads the House Judiciary Committee.

8th District

Rep. Don Beyer, a Democrat, easily fended off Republican Charles Hernick, a consultant, and independent Julio Gracia, a former FBI agent, to win a second term in the 8th District in Northern Virginia that includes Arlington County, Alexandria, Falls Church and part of Fairfax.

9th District

In the 9th District in Southwest Virginia, Rep. Morgan Griffith, a Republican, easily won a fourth term by defeating Democrat Derek Kitts, a U.S. Army veteran, and independent Janice Allen Boyd.

11th District

Rep. Gerald E. Gerry Connolly, D-11th, was unopposed in his district, which includes most of Fairfax and Prince William counties.
Freshman Rep. Dave Brat, R-7th  who made history just over two years ago by defeating House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a GOP primary  won a second term in Congress on Tuesday.

Brat, 52, of Glen Allen, easily defeated Democrat Eileen Bedell in the race for a redrawn but still heavily Republican district that the GOP has held for 45 years.

Brat pledged to continue to drive a hard line against federal spending. Brat has said that in 10 years, at current rates of spending  and barring reforms  all revenues would go toward financing about $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities to entitlement programs.

Everyone says the same words, Washington needs to unite and compromise. The key is around what? When you have $19 trillion in debt, what do you do, compromise up or down? Brat said Tuesday night. The issues are clear. People care about national security, Russia and China rolling us, that education is not competitive with much of the world, the regulatory burden and middle-class wages have been flat.

Redistricting by federal judges modified the 7th. It lost Hanover and New Kent counties and gained Powhatan, Nottoway and Amelia counties.

The district includes western Henrico County and northern Chesterfield County.

Bedell, 44, a lawyer from Bon Air making her first bid for office, hoped to make history on Election Day, as Brat did in June 2014 when he shocked the political establishment by knocking off Cantor.

But she had limited opportunities to engage Brat, who did not debate his opponent, claiming conflicts when offered invitations to exchange views face to face.

Citing the 7ths sizable population of senior citizens, Bedell campaigned on protecting Social Security and Medicare, arguing they should be made sustainable by bringing revenues in line with benefits over the long term.

Brat, a former economics professor at Randolph-Macon College, serves on the House Committee on the Budget, the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the Committee on Small Business.
NEW YORK  The waiting is the hardest part.

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., knows the Tom Petty lyric. But few probably understand what it means to sit on a hotel room sofa in Times Square waiting to find out whether you are the next vice president of the United States.

Outside of campaigns for class president in high school, Kaine has never lost an election. But in running for vice president, he was quick to remind supporters that despite his 8-0 record as an adult, he has never won his elections by many votes.

So with results still being tabulated, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clintons running mate remained in a holding pattern on Tuesday evening in his suite at the InterContinental Hotel.

Just across Midtown Manhattan, Republican Donald Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, were also waiting.

Kaine is trying to make history  not only as part of the first female presidents ticket, but also as the first Virginian elected vice president since John Tyler, another former governor and U.S. senator, in 1840.

If Kaine wins, Virginia will be at the heart of the action for the next four years, said Larry Sabato, head of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. Kaine, said Sabato, would be the fundraiser-in-chief and patron saint of the Virginia (Democratic) Party. Sabato said one concern could be that Virginia Democrats might have a hard time separating themselves from the Clinton administration. But then, in this polarized era, they couldnt have managed that anyway.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe planned to head to New York from his own election night party in Northern Virginia after the Virginia results were known. Kaine, meanwhile was waiting to take the stage at the Jacob Javits Center on Manhattans West Side once the results were finalized.

Fortunately for Kaine, the agony of waiting was buffered by more than the U.S. Secret Service. A squadron of more than a dozen family members  including Kaines parents, Kathy and Al, were with Kaine and his wife, Anne Holton.

Starting in Richmond

The day started in Richmond with Kaine and his wife walking the two blocks from their home in the predawn darkness to the Hermitage Methodist home, the polling precinct at which they have voted for the past 24 years.

It continued with another Kaine routine  Tuesday breakfast with old friends at City Diner. Because it was an unannounced stop, Kaine was largely able to slip into the restaurant without media attention and occupy his usual corner booth with his buddies without forcing the U.S. Secret Service agents constantly at his side to frisk patrons over their eggs and toast.

This time, however, Kaine brought his father, whom he calls Pops. Kaines parents came to Richmond from Kansas City, Kan., on Monday evening to accompany their son on his historic final day of the campaign.

Before departing Richmond for New York, Kaine introduced his parents to staff and members of the traveling press corps.

So when Tim was a young boy, did you ever expect, or imagine, that your son would be here today? Al Kaine was asked.

No  absolutely not, he said, to laughter and smiles. Totally surreal.

What about my prolific Boy Scout fundraising? Kaine said with a smile. That should have told you. ...

Harmonicas for staff

Kaine also took care of his adopted campaign family  more than a dozen Clinton campaign and former U.S. Senate staffers who have logged thousands of miles in his company since July 22, when Clinton invited him to be her running mate.

He gave each of them a bottle of RdV red wine, made in Virginia. The self-taught harmonica player also gave each staff member a signed Hohner harmonica, prompting intermittent toots that could be heard in the cabin of the charter jet on its last campaign flight to New York.

Kaine also gave each staffer a personal note, which he penned on his stationery. Arriving in New York, Kaine, his wife and their daughter, Annella, were greeted by a flood of extended family  in-laws, nieces and nephews.

Just across the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport, two of Trumps campaign airplanes were parked, a reminder that Clinton, Trump and their running mates were convening in the same city .
In 1963, Bernie Cohen, a lawyer in Alexandria, was representing Richard and Mildred Loving, a mixed-race couple from Virginia facing a predicament considered unthinkable today: Theyd been banished from the state for 25 years for violating its prohibition on interracial marriage.

Living in Washington, D.C., where interracial marriage was legal and where they were wed in 1958, the Lovings wanted to return home, to rural Caroline County. To get there would require a long journey through the courts.

Having lost the initial challenge in state court, Cohen consulted with his constitutional law professor at Georgetown University, Chester Antieau. He introduced Cohen to another former student, Phil Hirschkop.

Cohen and Hirschkop were alike: both were Jewish boys from Brooklyn who had settled in segregationist Harry Byrds Virginia. They also were liberals, committed to racial equality and social justice at a time when both could be scarce, especially in the American South.

It was Cohens and Hirschkops different legal backgrounds  the former was a trial lawyer; the latter, a civil rights lawyer  that would bring them together for the successful battle that concluded with a 1967 ruling by a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court voiding Virginias anti-miscegenation statute and those of 15 other states.

The decision allowed the Lovings  he was white; she was black  to openly live out their days in Caroline County.

Ahead of the 50th anniversary of a ruling on marriage equality that would presage the Supreme Court order legalizing same-sex marriage in 2015, a new film by Jeff Nichols, the writer-director, recounts the couples ordeal.

Not as much about a lawsuit as a love affair, Loving is a movie that takes artistic license with the actual story. It is a reminder how political conflict can be shaped by popular culture, especially for succeeding generations.

Thats how you get to people  through the modern press and through telecommunications, Hirschkop, now 80, said from his home in Fairfax County. He drew a parallel with Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee whose capacity for theatrics could divert the publics attention from a disregard for the truth that kept fact-checkers working overtime.

Referring to the 1954 landmark decision by the Supreme Court that outlawed segregated public schools  a ruling that Virginia attempted to defy by closing schools  Hirschkop said, I dont think a lot of people could tell you about Brown v. Board of Education. I dont think a large portion of the population even knows what it says. That would apply to a lot of other issues.

Loving, filmed in Virginia last year, runs 2 hours and three minutes and its exploration  and explanation  of Cohens and Hirschkops roles consumes perhaps 10 minutes.

That historical reality is subordinated to cinematic fantasy doesnt bother the lawyers. As Cohen, a former Democratic state legislator, now 82, and weak with Parkinsons disease, put it, Its a love story. Its not a law story.

For example, the movie shows the Lovings emerging from the Virginia Supreme Court following a hearing. It was not one they attended. The Lovings did travel to Richmond for arguments before a three-judge federal appeals court. But the film does not touch on the federal action that propelled the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Also in Loving is a scene in which Cohen and Hirschkop  played by Nick Kroll and Jon Bass, respectively  visit the Lovings at their house in King and Queen County, where they secretly lived while pursing their appeal. No meeting ever occurred. The lawyers and the couple met face-to-face only a few times, usually communicating by telephone.

Cohen and Hirschkop recall Richard Loving as a quiet, reserved man with little education, and Mildred Loving as articulate and dignified. Neither was comfortable with the controversy that beset them. Mrs. Loving, a high school graduate, often spoke for the couple in letters to their lawyers that Cohen remembered for her impeccable penmanship. The Lovings manners, personalities and appearance are accurately captured by the films stars, Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga, the lawyers said.

It was very touching, said Cohen, who retired to Spotsylvania County. You cant sit through it without it bringing tears to your eyes.

About a month after they wed, the Lovings were arrested at the home of Mildred Lovings parents and charged with violating a 1924 prohibition on interracial marriage. They were indicted in October 1958. The following January, the couple pleaded guilty and were sentenced to a year in jail. The trial judge, Leon Bazile, suspended the sentence because the Lovings agreed to leave Virginia, promising not to return as a couple for 25 years.

In 1963, after Mildred Loving wrote Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, the Lovings contacted the American Civil Liberties Union, which recommended their case to Cohen. Hirschkop joined the case after Cohens initial plea to void the verdict was rejected by Bazile.

Their collaboration set in motion a four-year legal debate that concluded with the June 12, 1967, decision by the Supreme Court in which Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote:

Marriage is one of the basic civil rights of man, fundamental to our very existence and survival. ... Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, a person of another race resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the state. These convictions must be reversed.

The Lovings would remain partners for life.

Richard died in 1975 in a car wreck caused by a drunken driver. Mildred died of pneumonia in 2008. They are buried in St. Stephens Baptist Church Cemetery in Central Point, in Caroline, where both were born about six years apart. A plaque at the county courthouse in Bowling Green commemorates their struggle

The Cohen-Hirschkop partnership lasted about five years.

Cohen was interested in politics and would become a member of the House of Delegates, writing breakthrough consumer-protection and death-with-dignity laws. On leaving the General Assembly, he unsuccessfully sought a seat on the Virginia Supreme Court. Its members then included the justice, Harry Carrico, who wrote the opinion that upheld the anti-miscegenation law but set aside the Lovings conviction.

Reflecting on the Loving litigation a half-century on, Cohen said, It dealt with the seminal issue of why people want to make a distinction between the races. It went to the essence of what people had to live with.

Hirschkop continued his work in civil rights and was active in the anti-war movement, representing Vietnam protesters and negotiating permits with federal authorities for the giant marches on Washington. He also pressed prisoner-rights litigation in Virginia, taking on the administration of Gov. Linwood Holton, a Republican and future father-in-law of a would-be Democratic vice president, Tim Kaine.

As for the Loving case, Hirschkop said it wasnt difficult as a legal exercise. He marvels at the speed with which the nation adjusted to interracial marriage, noting that a black Supreme Court justice, Clarence Thomas, is married to a white lawyer, Ginni.

And they make their home in Virginia.
A nightmare has ended. Another may have just begun. Donald Trump may have pulled off perhaps the most remarkable win in American political history. We are not sure as these words go to press, but he has the easier path to victory. The Times-Dispatch congratulates him and, if his edge prevails, hopes he overcomes himself. A split decision could be in the offing. Tomorrow our congratulations could go to Hillary Clinton. We want all presidents to succeed.

A era of good feelings seems unlikely to resume. The closeness of the count ensures the persistence of bitterness. The rancor of the campaign will not vanish when Trump last cracks, Jail her. He meant what he said. And he won the Republican nomination because he proved the most extreme candidate in the partys field. Conservatism no longer has a soul. William Buckley confessed to weariness as death approached. He passed from the scene before the nadir was reached. The times do not tolerate tolerance. Democrats have lost touch with what used to be their base. The Roosevelt coalition has collapsed. The Kennedys have vanished into the mists. West Virginia has become reliably Republican, for crying out loud.

Congressional Republicans threatened investigations, even impeachment, before Election Day dawned. Democrats in Congress will be no less intense. Battles over Supreme Court nominations will resemble Armageddon. Red and blue do not mix, and never mind that when compared to European politics, few deep differences separate Republicans and Democrats. Both belong to the middle, although the GOP base has strayed further than the Democratic. Forget the rhetoric. The economic system will survive. The United States will continue to grow more diverse.

The campaign and foreign trends prove troubling nevertheless. The post-war consensus gave the world perhaps its best stretch of peace and prosperity ever. The standard of living improved globally. Diseases were cured. The middle class grew in country after country. Voters have turned their back on the foundations. Stagnation seems the probable outcome. Humanitys lot will not improve as rapidly. The primary campaigns in both parties revealed the resentments. Neither ticket offered compelling solutions, particularly regarding national security. We will not pretend to be pleased at what the election wrought. The citizenry does not embrace unfettered markets, thats for sure.

Tim Kaines presence on the Democratic ticket contributed to a relatively tight finish in Chesterfield. Although Trump led Virginia in the early evening, the Chesterfield vote suggested he would fade statewide. The close margin in the Old Dominion was a precursor to the national nail-biter. Virginia still has gone Democratic for three straight presidential elections. One day the GOP will learn the lesson.
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RICHMOND  Microsoft Corp. plans to invest $251.6 million to expand its data center in Mecklenburg County.

The expansion is expected to create 44 jobs and to increase capacity at the data center, state officials said Wednesday.

It is the fifth expansion at the Mecklenburg site since Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft opened the center with a $499 million investment in 2010.

With this latest expansion, Microsoft has invested $1.99 billion and created more than 250 jobs since 2010.

In 2011, the company invested an additional $150 million to expand the site, and in 2013 announced a $348 million expansion. Microsoft invested another $346.7 million, creating 90 new jobs, in June 2014. The company expanded for a fourth time in November 2015, investing $402.4 million and creating 42 jobs.

Virginia competed against other unnamed sites or states in the U.S. for the project, Gov. Terry McAuliffes office said.

With five expansions in six years, this companys success continues to be a testament to Southern Virginias talented workforce and strong IT infrastructure, McAuliffe said in a statement. The commonwealth is emerging as a leader in the data center industry.

Christian Belady, general manager of Microsofts cloud infrastructure operations, said demand for cloud services continues to grow globally. We will continue to invest in growing our capacity to meet the expanding demand of our customers in close collaboration with the Commonwealth of Virginia and the County of Mecklenburg.

McAuliffe approved a $500,000 grant from the Commonwealths Opportunity Fund to assist Mecklenburg County with the project. The Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission approved $970,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds for the project.
RICHMOND  After a tense day of waiting for absentee returns to be counted, Levar Stoney formally became Richmonds mayor-elect Wednesday evening.

Stoney had come out of election night winning the race  an unexpected outcome for the 35-year-old former secretary of the commonwealth and veteran aide to Gov. Terry McAuliffe who had polled in third place heading into the election.

But with as many as 9,000 absentee ballots still outstanding and narrow margins of victory in two districts, it was unclear whether his lead would survive Wednesday.

It did, and Stoney addressed reporters in the lobby of city hall just over 24 hours after polls closed, saying he was as surprised by the overall results as everyone else.

I was confident that we were going to perform well, Stoney said. But I would never have predicted that we would win outright on election night, and we did, because as I said months ago, we were building a broad-based coalition.

Stoney was able to piece together a diverse coalition of voting precincts, with his strongest support coming from areas heavy in millennial and student voters.

He won in five city council districts: the 2nd, the 3rd, the 5th, the 6th, and the 7th. Citywide, he captured 36 percent of the vote, with 35,525 ballots cast for him, according to unofficial numbers.

Former Venture Richmond Director Jack Berry trailed Stoney by 2,078 votes, with 34 percent of the popular vote.

Former Del. Joe Morrissey, the expected front-runner, came in a distant third, with 21 percent of the vote.

The citys voter registrar struggled to count thousands of absentee ballots late Tuesday and Wednesday, meaning that while a Stoney win appeared likely, it was impossible to call the race with certainty.

Richmond chooses its mayor using a mini-Electoral College system, which requires a candidate to win not the popular vote, but in at least five of nine council districts.

If Stoney, who won the 3rd and 6th districts by relatively narrow margins, had lost in either, he would have faced Berry in a runoff election on Dec. 20.

Berry issued a statement Wednesday thanking his supporters and congratulating Stoney.

While the outcome is not what we had hoped for, I know that Richmond will be in good hands, Berry said. Richmond has elected a young, inspiring leader with a vision for the future and immense dedication to our schools and children. I congratulate Levar Stoney on his election as the next mayor of Richmond. I wish him the very best and will be pulling for him and the city.

Stoney said he spoke to Berry on Wednesday evening and the two had a very good conversation about the future of Richmond and the contest we had over the past 6 months.
CULPEPER  A Culpeper grandmother will spend 12 years in the state penitentiary for putting out a hit on relatives after losing custody of her now 5-year-old grandson.

Tammy Smith Kelly, 45, of Stevensburg was sentenced Monday in Culpeper County Circuit Court by Judge Richard Potter after she pleaded guilty in August to four counts of solicitation to commit murder.

Kelly plotted to have the boys maternal grandparents and his uncle and aunt  all of Louisa  killed last November, but police became aware of the plot the week before Thanksgiving last year and set up an undercover operation.

The sting involving the Culpeper County Sheriffs Office and Virginia State Police was caught on tape, which was played Monday in court. Kelly could be heard saying the other grandparents would be leaving their home around 5:30 p.m. to drop off the boy leaving a narrow window for the planned killings to take place.

The maternal grandparents adult children  the boys uncle and aunt  were referred to by the defendant as collateral damage in the foiled plot.

The childs great-grandmother talked about the impact the case has had on the family, saying her daughter, the grandmother, was emotionally unable to face Kelly. Learning of the plot was an unbelievable and horrible nightmare, said Dorthula Johnson, the great grandmother, recalling a phone call from their son revealing the details on the evening of Nov. 19, 2015.

We were in total shock that she had plotted for a hit man to kill them, she said. This cant be real.

Johnson said the pressure of learning of the plot was so intense she had to put her hands on her head because it felt like it was going to explode. Johnson described feeling fearful afterward, always looking outside to see who was driving up or who was hiding in the bushes.

Johnson said she hoped her great-grandson would one day be able to love Kelly, and that the family was learning to forgive her.

My head is still spinning, the great-grandmother said.

Culpeper County Commonwealths Attorney Paul Walther described as heinous the failed attempt on the four individuals lives, saying it was hateful and shockingly evil.

Look at the motive, he said. Look at what was going to be done. How much worse can it get?

Defense attorney David Randle admitted that his client made a terrible mistake but asked the judge to consider it the context of highly emotional domestic issues.

Thankfully, no one was hurt, he said, and the family is willing to forgive her at some point.

A tearful Kelly looked to the Johnson family  sitting in the courtroom  and apologized for her actions saying Monday she deeply regretted what she had done. She said the past year in jail had given her a lot of time to think about how she could have better handled the custody situation.

You think, think, think about what you could have done differently, Kelly said in the courtroom, wearing an orange and white striped prison uniform.

She said she missed being in the church band and seeing her mom, who she said was, wasting away in a nursing home.

I believe I am a good person who made a very bad choice, Kelly said.

In handing down sentencing, Potter weighed Kellys limited criminal record coupled with the plot she initiated, involving actions so devious and dangerous, the judge said. He sentenced her to six years on each of the four counts before suspending half.

Potter ordered Kelly to be on probation for 25 years after her release, to pay court costs, be subjected to random drug screening and have no contact with the family .
Registration is open for a scholarship that offers 30 Iowa high school seniors a chance to receive $2,000 for college while learning important financial literacy skills. In addition, each recipients high school will receive a corresponding $500 award.

High school seniors may register for the Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge: Senior Scholarship at www.IowaStudentLoan.org/SeniorScholarship between now and Feb. 17. Iowa Student Loan will award $2,000 scholarships to 30 students who complete two online financial literacy tutorials and score highest on a related assessment. Registered students also receive emails highlighting financial literacy tips, such as the importance of early career and college planning and ways to reduce student loan indebtedness.

After registering for the scholarship, students receive emailed instructions for completing the three required online components. The two tutorials  Student Loan Game PlanSM and the ROCI Reality Check  were developed by Iowa Student Loan to help students understand the consequences of college borrowing and discover how to maximize their return on college investment, or ROCI.

A related multiple choice assessment will check students understanding of the concepts in the tutorials. The 30 high school seniors who score highest on the assessment test will each receive a $2,000 scholarship that will be sent directly to their colleges in fall 2017. If top-scoring students tie, those students will be asked to write and be judged on a short essay so winners can be determined.

Each scholarship recipients high school will also receive a corresponding $500 award to be used toward scholarship and financial literacy programs.

The Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge: Senior Scholarship is open to legal U.S. citizens who are permanent residents of Iowa; are seniors at an Iowa high school during the 20162017 school year; and attend college in fall 2017. It is a no-purchase-required program, and full rules and details are available at www.IowaStudentLoan.org/SeniorScholarship.
NORTHWOOD  On Monday, Oct. 31, members of the Mitchell County and Worth County Boards of Supervisors met in special session, at the Worth County Courthouse, to discuss the potential engineering costs of a joint natural gas pipeline.

During the meeting, the boards reviewed two engineering proposals, which included the design as well as preliminary work required to make the project shovel ready.

The approximately $16 million-$20 million project would consist of either 6- or 8-inch piping that would begin just south of Joice in Worth County and continue on 400th Street north of Grafton before diverting another mile north and ending in St. Ansgar. The gas line could hook into a Northern Natural Gas line, receiving natural gas from Canada.

However, the initial challenge facing the boards is how the two counties will pay for the estimated $800,000 to complete the needed design and prep work before construction could begin on the proposed gas line.

At the Oct. 31 meeting, a bid of approximately $800,000 was received from Montana-Dakota Utilities, and a bid of approximately $260,000 was received from Black Hills Energy.

At a meeting held in August, David Yexley, of Montana-Dakota Utilities, a division of MDU Resources Group, Inc., laid out the plan the utility company would use to move the counties to shovel ready status. He estimated the preliminary costs at approximately $800,000.

According to Mitchell County Supervisor Stan Walk, a representative of Black Hills Energy attended the August meeting, sending back a much lower bid to the Oct. 31 meeting.

We believe Black Hills Energy left things off the table in order to get the low bid, said Walk. We (the two boards) decided we were not going to take the low bid and then be faced with a bunch of change orders.

Before we know it, the low bid could be higher than the highest bid.

Walk said the boards were going to contact Black Hills to resubmit an all inclusive bid by the next joint board meeting scheduled for Jan. 24, 2017. The boards will also be asking a representative of Montana-Dakota Utilities to appear at the same meeting.

According to Walk, once the bid is let for the project, design and prep work could take seven to 10 months to complete before construction would begin.

I wouldnt expect construction to even begin until 2018, said Walk.

Paying for the cost of the preliminary work would be a 50-50 split between the two counties.

Walk said Mitchell County was still looking at almost $30 million in unutilized tax increment financing, or TIF, funds, which could be used to pay for the countys portion.

He went on to say those funds were anticipated to be available within the next two to three years, before additional monies would be paid by current and/or future wind farm projects in the county.

We could always borrow the money along with the interest, as we did with previous road projects, in anticipation of the funds becoming available through tax payments beginning 2020-2021, from the Turtle Creek Wind Farm Project, said Walk.

Worth County Supervisor Merlin Bartz said his county is also looking at TIF funds for financing its portion of the cost.

In response to concerns raised by ISU Economist and Scientist, Dave Swenson, and the Iowa Farm Bureau, Bartz said both would also be invited to the Jan. 24 meeting to offer their thoughts and suggestions on the project.

No action was taken at the Oct. 31 meeting, however, possible action could take place, including bid letting, at the Jan. 24 meeting.
MASON CITY  A first-term state representative will return to Des Moines after facing a challenge from a familiar opponent.

Rep. Terry Baxter, R-Garner beat Democrat Nancy Huisinga 68.2 percent (10,048) to 31.8 percent (4,680) with all 34 precincts reporting.

Things are looking really positive, Baxter said via phone before the unofficial results were complete. Im excited for the results that are coming in.

Huisinga was not immediately available for comment by phone on Tuesday evening.

Baxter was appointed to fill the seat of former long-time Republican Rep. Henry Rayhons, who resigned from his seat in 2014 after 18 years in the statehouse.

Days after his resignation, Rayhons was charged and later acquitted of third-degree sexual abuse of his cognitively impaired wife, Donna.

Following his appointment, Baxter defeated Huisinga for a full term in November 2014.

Baxter, 59, is the executive director of Global Compassion Network and has led mission teams to disaster-stricken areas of the world to provide humanitarian relief.

He is an ordained pastor with the Evangelical Free Churches of America. He and his wife, Debby, have eight children and 10 grandchildren.

Baxter said he wants to return to the Legislature to continue building relationships with Republicans and across the aisle.

He said he will focus on education, balancing the state budget, water quality and mental health issues.

Huisinga, 61, is a registered nurse and has worked for 32 years in community health nursing and hospice. She has three adult children.

She said her priorities include increasing state aid for rural schools, especially seeking transportation money for larger rural districts.

As a nurse, she would also focus on health care delivery, water quality and a shortage of mental health-designated beds statewide.

District 8 includes all of Hancock and Wright counties and the southern portion of Kossuth County.
AN INSPIRATIONAL young entrepreneur who turned his life around against the odds has won a prestigious award.



Lewis Houghton (26) picked up a gong at the Princes Trust Celebrate Success Awards in Leeds on Tuesday.



Miroslav Ilko (16) and Kirsty Hague (25) were also nominated.



Artist Lewis was nominated for the KCOM Young Ambassador of the Year award after starting his own business as an illustrator.



He also gave a speech at a Princes Trust fund-raising event, despite previously suffering from confidence issues.



Lewis, of Rawmarsh, said: I was shocked to even be nominated so I cant believe Ive actually won, I never win anything  Im just so proud.



Everything the trust has done for me has been invaluable.



My confidence has gone from zero to 100 in such a short space of time.



The trust were the first ones to see me in a positive light and Im excited to be growing my business.



Clifton School pupil Miroslav was shortlisted for the Marriott Educational Achiever of the Year award after turning his life around from being admitted to hospital with drugs misuse and expulsion from school to completing his GCSEs.



He was enrolled onto the trusts XL programme, which helps children who are struggling at school.



Miroslav, of Eastwood, said: My mum and dad didnt know Id got caught up in drugs and when I ended up in hospital, I realised I had to stop.



Clifton School have never let me down. They have supported me when I needed it most.



Cranworth Road  where I did the XL programme  was the light at the end of my tunnel. They were always happy to see me; they had faith in me and never gave up on me, even when I had given up on myself.



Kirsty, of Boston Castle, turned her life around after suffering with depression thanks to help from the trust and was also nominated.



She said: I thought no-one would ever hire me. I had no qualifications and no work experience. I woke up every day feeling frustrated and became anxious about going anywhere on my own.
ROTHERHAM will remember its fallen this weekend with the annual service and wreath-laying ceremony in the town centre.

On Sunday, the annual parade and service of remembrance will take place at Rotherham Minster.

Starting at 9.45am, the church service will be followed by a wreath-laying ceremony and the two minutes silence at 11am at the war memorial in Clifton Park.

Led by the South Yorkshire Police Band, the parade will leave Effingham Street at 9.15am and will include the civic party led by the Mayor of Rotherham, Cllr Lyndsay Pitchley and featuring the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of South Yorkshire, Col C. J. Tattersall, the High Sheriff-in-nomination, Stephen Ingram, the Deputy Mayor, Cllr Eve Rose Keenan, Rotherham Borough Councils chief executive, Sharon Kemp, council leader Cllr Chris Read and MPs John Healey and Sarah Champion.

The parade will also include representatives of the Royal British Legion and other local armed forces organisations, cadets and uniformed services.

The service will be conducted by the Vicar of Rotherham, Canon David Bliss, and will be followed by an 11am service of remembrance and wreath-laying ceremony at the war memorial.

The event will conclude with a march-past of Rotherham Town Hall, with the Mayor and the Deputy Lord Lieutenant taking the salute.

On Armistice Day today, an Act of Remembrance will take place at 11am in All Saints Square, Rotherham, led by Canon Bliss and the Royal British Legion.

The Rotherham branch of the Fellowship of the Services will gather at 10.30am today for a small parade followed by an Act of Remembrance at 11am at the war memorial in Clifton Park.

Pupils from seven primary schools will be present for a wreath-laying, two minutes silence and a service led by Rev Abi Thompson.

There will also be a service of remembrance at Dalton Parish Hall from 3pm on Sunday.

Remembrance events will also take place across the Dearne and Don Valleys.

Parades or services will be held in Mexborough, Swinton, Wath, Conisbrough, Denaby and other villages on Remembrance Sunday.

In Mexborough, the parade will form up on the Mexborough Police Station Car Park, in Adwick Road, to leave at 10.15am along Doncaster Road, towards Castle Hills Park and the war memorial, ready for the service to commence at 10.50am.

Members of the public are asked to be in place well before that time.

The Deputy Lord Lieutenant of South Yorkshire will be present.

Royal British Legion poppy organiser Pam Chambers will be at Mexborough Police Station at 9.30am for people to collect their wreaths for the ceremony.

In Swinton, a service will take place at St Margarets Church at 10am prior to a march towards the nearby war memorial for a minutes silence at 11am.

Kilnhursts commemorations involve a service at St Thomass Church at 10am before a tribute at the nearby memorial at 11am.

Waths parade will form up outside the Burlington Club for a march to begin at 9.30am towards All Saints Church for a service at 10am.

The act of Remembrance will take place at 11am at the side of the church.

Barnsley will mark Armistice Day on Friday with two minutes silence led by the Mayor of Barnsley, Cllr Linda Burgess, at the war memorial in front of the town hall at 11am today.

Members of the Royal British Legion, representatives from service and veterans organisations and children including all pupils of Summer Lane Primary will also attend. The public is welcome to join them.

After a bugler has marked the act of remembrance, the children will lay their own poppy wreaths.

On Sunday, also at the war memorial, the Mayor will lead a service of remembrance, when she will be joined by the Lord-Lieutenant of South Yorkshire, Andrew Coombe, the Freemen and women of the borough, local MPs and other dignitaries.

After the laying of wreaths, there will be a service to commemorate those who gave their lives during the First and Second World Wars.

The service will be led by Canon Reverend Stephen Race, parish priest for St Marys the Virgin Church.

At the conclusion of the service those taking part in the parade, representatives from service organisations, including the Yorkshire Regiment, veterans, cadets, scouts and St John Ambulance Brigade will take part in a march past the town hall, with the Mayor and the Lord-Lieutenant taking the salute.

Denaby Mains commemorations include a church service at All Saints Church tomorrow from 10.15am followed by a wreath-laying service at the war memorial in the flower park.

Conisbroughs Remembrance Sunday service begins at 9.30am at St Peters Church, after which a parade will leave High Street at 10.40am and head to the towns war memorial for two minutes silence and a wreath-laying.
Trans Hex, which has diamond operations in South Africa and Angola recorded a group net profit of R32,5 million ($2,405 million) in the six months to September 30, 2016 compared with a loss of R32,5 million, a year earlier.

It said sales revenue from its South African operations increased by 2,5 percent from R268,7 million ($19,9 million) to R275,3 million ($20,4 million).

The average dollar diamond price increased by 10,4 percent, mainly as a result of firmer global prices and increased demand.

Sales, it said, were positively affected by a 15,4 percent weakening of the Rand against the US dollar, partly offset by a 19,6 percent decline in carats sold.

South African production, however, decreased by 20,6 percent to 18 997 carats compared with 23 940 carats a year earlier, in line with a new operating model which was introduced at the Lower Orange River operations in February 2016 in order to extend the viable life-of-mine of these operations for as long as possible.

Trans Hex said production for the 2017 financial year was expected to be in the order of 80 000 carats, compared to 2016 actual production of 24 930 carats.

In Angola, production at Somiluana Mine, in which Trans Hex holds a 33 percent stake, increased to 91 033 carats from 67 981 carats last year.

The companys sales in Angola reached $32,5 million at an average price of $477 per carat compared with $20,2 million at an average price of $300 per carat in 2015.

South Africas Competition Commission recently approved unconditionally a cash offer made by Cream Magenta and Metcap to acquire the entire ordinary share capital of Trans Hex, other than the ordinary shares already held by the offerors.

The consortium had offered the struggling diamond company a consideration of R3.94 a share, amounting to R117-million.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




Dominion Diamond Corporation announced that, as part of the measures taken to reduce operating costs and support the long-term strength of the Company, the Board of Directors and the Senior Leadership Team have made the decision to relocate the Company's corporate office from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories to Calgary, Alberta.

The move is projected to be completed by the middle of calendar year 2017. The Company expects to realize savings of approximately C$19 million annually.

Dominion Diamond remains committed to continuing its ongoing operations at the Ekati mine without interruption, including the development of the Jay Project.

The relocation of the office will impact approximately 100 employees based in the Northwest Territories. Most of the Company's workforce, including the majority of its northern Aboriginal employees, will continue to be employed in the Northwest Territories. In addition to its workforce at the Ekati mine site, Dominion Diamond will maintain an office in Yellowknife for certain key positions.



Alex Shishlo, Editor of the Rough&Polished European Bureau in Brussels




Rio Tintos spectacular 2016 Pink Diamonds Tender collection of 63 rare pink, red and violet diamonds from its Argyle mine has delivered a record result, reflecting strong global demand for these rare diamonds, says a Press release from the company.

Known as The Chroma Collection, the 2016 Argyle Pink Diamonds Tender comprised high quality, size and colour composition in the Tenders 32 year history, with winners from 10 countries including the US market.

Rio Tinto Diamonds general manager of sales Patrick Coppens said We are delighted with the results of this years historic collection. Argyles pink, red and violet Tender diamonds are in a class of their own in terms of rarity, beauty and provenance. These natural coloured diamonds are truly beyond rare.

The 2.83-carat Argyle Violet was secured by US based coloured diamond specialist, L.J. West Diamonds Inc., whose President Larry West said The Argyle Violet is an incomparable diamond that forms an important addition to our Art of Nature collection of rare gems. It is a truly unique treasure that we are proud to be exhibiting as one of the finest examples of a historic fancy colour diamond.

Argyle Pink Diamonds manager Josephine Johnson said The market fundamentals for pink diamonds - strong demand as a result of extremely limited supply - continue to support their significant value appreciation.

The 2016 Tender was the first to comprise diamonds solely from Argyles underground mine.



Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough & Polished




Mathew Campbell

The Canadian government has allocated CA$34.4 million (US$25.7 million) in funds toward the VIA Rail Toronto Maintenance Centre for infrastructure improvements.

Representatives say the funding will go toward upgrades to mechanical and electrical systems, HVAC, roof repairs, yard track and other initiatives to bolster compliance with regulations and offer efficient operations at VIA Rails Toronto Maintenance Centre.

This investment allows VIA Rails rail corridor infrastructure to remain safe and secure while at the same time improving the passenger experience by making it more accessible and efficient for Canadians, said Canadian Minister of Transport Marc Garneau.

VIA Rail Canada provides an accessible and affordable alternative to cars, and contributes to the creation of a more sustainable transportation system, said Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, president and CEO, VIA Rail Canada. The funds support our objective of making VIA Rail the preferred choice of Canadians for inter-city travel. These enhancements help set the stage for 2017, when we will be continuing our efforts to grow our revenues, passenger base and our presence in the minds of Canadians. We would like to thank the Government of Canada for their continued support in helping VIA Rail to be a smarter way to move people.
British Columbia Ministry of Transport

British Columbia's CA$1.43-billion (US$1.06 billion) Evergreen Line rapid transit extension is set to begin service in less than a month.

Service along the 6.83-mile Evergreen extension to the existing SkyTrain system in Vancouver, B.C., is scheduled to begin Dec. 2, 2016. Representatives say further details on the exact time the stations will open to customers will be available soon.

The government of Canada, the government of British Columbia and TransLink funded the Evergreen Line Project, which has carried a total cost of CA$1.43 billion. The government of Canada provided CA$424 millionCA$350 million from the Building Canada Fund; CA$67 million from the Public Transit Capital Trust Fund; and CA$7 million from the P3 Canada Fund; the government of B.C. contributed CA$586 million, with other partners reportedly contributing CA$21 million. Officials say TransLink is committing the remaining CA$400 million and will manage the system following its Dec. 2 opening.

The government of Canada recognizes that we need a solid partnership with all orders of government to support infrastructure projects that help the middle class grow and prosper now and into the future, said Ron McKinnon, member of Parliament for Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam. The Evergreen extension will help get people where they need to go safely, efficiently and comfortably and I am very pleased that it will be in service in the coming weeks.

The extension is expected to transport 70,000 riders daily by 2021, representatives say, noting the extension as an efficient link between the Tri-Cities communities and downtown Vancouver.

Today marks an exciting milestone in the Evergreen Line Project. Now that construction is complete, we are handing the reins over to TransLink to do their final preparation and staff training in anticipation of opening day, said Todd Stone, British Columbia Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. We are in the home stretch to putting this line into operation, and were looking forward to the opening of this critical addition to the regions transportation network.

With construction completed on the Evergreen extension, TransLink launched its public campaign Nov. 7 to raise awareness of opening day activities and timing for the introduction of new and modified services.

The extension will directly connect to the existing Millennium Line in Burnaby and the regional transit network.

We are thrilled that our customers and neighbors across the Tri-Cities will soon have more transit choices to seamlessly connect to the Metro Vancouver transit network, said Kevin Desmond, CEO of TransLink. We are focused on ensuring a smooth transition for customers and continue to get ready behind the scenes; testing the extension, planning the Community Celebration and preparing for bus integration after Evergreen opens.
Juan Ocampo/LACMTA

Public transportation across the United States came out a winner of the Nov. 8 election as 33 of the 48 local and statewide public transit measures up for a vote were approved; a passage rate of 69 percent, based on unofficial results.

According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the 49 ballot measures totaling nearly $200 billion that were voted on were the largest in history.

Yesterdays success demonstrates that voters have once again continued their legacy of strong support for local investment in transit options. Since 2000, the average success rate of transit measures is 71 percent, the association said in a statement.

The largest measure in the country, Los Angeles Countys Measure M, was passing with 69 percent approval with all precincts reporting. The sales tax increase needed two-thirds majority to pass and is expected to raise $120-billion to help fund Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) projects to connect the Los Angeles International Airport to LACMTAs Green Line, Crenshaw/LAX line and bus service; extend the Purple Line subway to Westwood; extend the Gold Line 11 miles; extend the Crenshaw Line Rail north to West Hollywood; among other transit improvements.

Californias other big transit wins include Measure RR in the San Francisco Bay area, which will authorize $3.5 billion in bonds for Bay Area Rapid Transit rehabilitation and modernization. It required a cumulative two-thirds vote in San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties for passage and received 70 percent approval.

Measure B, which would raise sales tax by a half-cent for 30 years to fund $3 billion in Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority projects, passed with 71 percent approval and required a two-thirds majority to move forward.

One measure that failed to pass was in San Diego where Measure A, an initiative that would have raised $7.5 billion for public transit, did not reach the required two-thirds majority, but did win a 57 percent approval.

In Seattle, Wash., the second largest transit measure being put to voters, $54-billion Sound Transit Proposition 1, also known as Sound Transit 3, passed with 55 percent approval. The measure will up taxes an estimated $14 a month for a typical adult in the Sound Transit district to pay for light-rail, commuter rail and bus extensions.

Atlanta, Ga., voters approved a half-cent sales tax increase to raise $2.5 billion over 40 years to fund rail and bus improvements to Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authoritys system.

Jason Jordan, executive director of the Center for Transportation Excellence, said, Voters nationwide upheld the demonstrated legacy of strong support for transit at the ballot box. Clearly, communities continue to recognize the economic, social, health and environmental benefits transit can provide and are willing to support and invest in its expansion and maintenance.
OSAGE- Republican Jane Bloomingdale defeated her Democrat opponent Tuesday night for the open seat for Iowa House District 51.

She lead Osage High School Principal Tim Hejhal 9,380 to 5,625, or 62.5 percent to 37.5 percent.

Bloomingdale was nearly at a loss for words when asked late Tuesday about the vote totals.

Im excited and overwhelmed, she said. And, I dont even know what to say.

House District 51 includes Worth, Mitchell and Howard counties and part of Winneshiek County.

Bloomingdale, 60, will fill a seat vacated by Rep. Josh Byrnes, R-Osage, who announced in February he would not seek reelection.

This was Bloomingdales and Hejhals first run for state office.

Currently in her second term as mayor of Northwood, Bloomingdale also served more than a decade as a city councilwoman.

Though she is no stranger to running for office, having served Northwood for two decades, Bloomingdale said it was different running for a state-level office.

I thought I had a chance, yes, she said late Tuesday. Am I surprised? Yes. Am I excited? Yes.

In addition to being Northwood mayor, Bloomingdales owned and operated Bloomingdale Tax and Accounting, of Northwood, for 25 years.

As a small business owner, Bloomingdale said she favors fewer restrictions on small businesses and the creation of a competitive tax structure.

Bloomingdale favors bettering the business climate with less restriction and a more competitive tax structure.

She also plans to push for measures that address the high transportation costs facing many of the states rural school districts, as well as giving schools more flexibility to spend state funding.

Currently, schools must spend state money on designated services, programs and projects. Local officials cannot use their own discretion.

Hejhal, 53, is in his eighth year as principal of Osage High School.

He also served 29 years with the 185th Air Refueling Wing of the Iowa National Guard in Sioux City, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.

Iowa House District 51

Votes % % Reporting Winner

Jane Bloomingdale (R) 9,380 63 100 X

Tim Hejhal (D) 5,625 38
Estonia's foreign trade deficit decreased notably in September from a year ago, as exports grew faster than imports, figures from Statistics Estonia showed Wednesday.

The trade deficit fell to EUR 62.3 million in September from EUR 160.8 million in the corresponding month last year.

Moreover, this was the lowest trade deficit in this year so far. In August, the shortfall was EUR 75.3 million.

Exports surged 13.0 percent year-over-year in September and imports rose by 2.0 percent.

The annual gain in exports was mainly driven by a rise in shipments of mineral products, electrical equipment and mechanical appliances.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
Following Donald Trump's surprise victory, the White House announced that President Barack Obama will meet with the President-elect on Thursday.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Obama called Trump early Wednesday morning to congratulate the real estate tycoon and to invite him to the White House on November 10th.

Earnest said the meeting would provide Obama an opportunity to update Trump on the transition planning his team has been working on for nearly a year.

"Ensuring a smooth transition of power is one of the top priorities the President identified at the beginning of the year and a meeting with the President-elect is the next step," Earnest said.

The press secretary said Obama also placed a call to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton to express admiration for the strong campaign she waged throughout the country.

Obama will make a statement at the White House later Wednesday to discuss the election results and what steps the country can take to come together after the hard-fought election season.

While campaigning for Clinton in the weeks leading up to Election Day, Obama bashed Trump as "temperamentally unfit" to serve as commander-in-chief.

(Photo: Michael Vadon)

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Political News
Riding against what he called a biased media and stunning political pundits, Donald Trump has achieved a historical win in the US presidential election. The Republican candidate is heading to reach 300 electoral votes. Trump has so far won 28 states and Clinton has notched up victories in 18 states and the District of Columbia, with results from four states awaited.

The political outsider was trailing in most of the opinion polls in the run-up to the crucial 2016 election that puts to end two consecutive Democratic presidential terms.

A strong performance in battleground states helped the businessman-turned politician gain 289 electoral votes against his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, who has so far won 218 votes.

Trump won the crucial battleground states of Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, while the former Secretary of State has won the traditional Democratic strongholds.

The victories are stunning for the 70-year-old real estate billionaire. A candidate with no background in , who has never held elected office, Trump was long seen as unlikely to win the presidency after the most divisive campaign in the U.S. history.

He is set to become the 45th President of the United States on January 20, next year.

Clinton called Trump to concede defeat, while outgoing President Barack Obama congratulated his would-be successor. Obama has invited Trump to a meeting scheduled on Thursday at the White House to discuss the transition.

In his first speech after victory, the President-elect promised to deal fairly with every other country and seek common ground, not hostility.

There was a fraction of a percent's edge for Clinton in National Popular Vote. After 97.7 percent of votes counted, Clinton received 59,234,904 votes, or 47.6 percent, while Trump got 59,082,799 votes. Other candidates together won 5,999,894 votes, or 4.8 percent.

World leaders congratulated Trump on his victory. They included Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Europe reacted skeptically to the surprise news.

Putin said his Government will work with the new administration to bring the bilateral ties back on track.

Global fell sharply hearing the news of Trump's victory, but later regained some ground.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Political News
Republican Waylon Brown has ousted incumbent Sen. Mary Jo Wilhelm, D-Cresco.

Brown beat Wilhelm 19,127 (62.7 percent) votes to 11,531 (37.6 percent).

Brown, 37, of St. Ansgar, owns and operates a construction company and farm.

Brown told the Mitchell County Press-News that he decided to run for the seat so he could represent the district and feels the area has potential. He and his wife, Julie, have two children, Reece and Elyse, both 8.

I think it is my responsibility to share the successes and struggles of our district and show legislators from our more urban districts why a strong rural Iowa supports growth in their districts, Brown said.

Brown looks to work on water quality and education as well.

My goal in the Legislature is to work across party lines to find a sustainable long-term funding solution to water quality, Brown said.

He believes that over the years the Iowa Legislature has over-promised and under-delivered on education funding. The funding issues have created creating problems for schools balancing budgets, Brown said.

First and foremost, under-delivering on funding promises is extremely detrimental to school budgets and I will do everything in my power to ensure a promise made by the Legislature on funding is a promise we can keep, Brown said. As someone who has had to set and live by a budget, I understand the stress delays in setting supplemental state aid causes school administrators and educators.

Wilhelm, 61, has served for two terms and also works as a residential real estate appraiser. Her and her husband, Michael, have two children, Ben and Alex.

For Brown, the number one issue in the district is increasing job opportunities and encouraging investment.

I want North Iowa to be an area where our kids can find good jobs to live and work here if they choose, Brown said. I love living in this area and I want those same opportunities for our children.
MASON CITY  Several voters at the annual Election Night Swiss steak supper at Grace United Methodist Church in Mason City said they felt like they were voting for the less of two evils for president.

Others were more decided.

I just hope the right person wins and I hope it isnt her, said Mason City resident Bob Ray.

The church was also the polling site for Mason City Ward 2, Precinct 3. Some people voted there before getting in line for the meal. Others voted elsewhere and just came for supper.

The supper is a fundraiser for the mens club at the church. Proceeds are used for scholarships to youth Bible camp and to fund local organizations such as Community Kitchen of North Iowa and Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank.

Arlo Hanson, one of the church members volunteering to help with the supper, said attendance was the highest he has ever seen. The main dining hall was so crowded that an overflow dining room had to be set up.

Early turnout

Cerro Gordo County had nearly a 33 percent voter turnout before anyone went to the polls Tuesday. A total of 9,629 early votes were cast  32 percent of the countys 30,071 voters.

Democrats topped Republicans in early voting by more 600  3,764 registered Democrats participated compared to 3,107 Republicans. Independents (no party affiliation) accounted for 2,728 votes and 30 voted for minor party candidates or write-ins.

Despite all of the attention to this years elections, early voting this year was lower than that of the last presidential election in 2012 when 9,922 voters participated.

Cerro Gordo County Democratic Chairman John Stone was busy Tuesday morning checking voter turnout at various precincts. By my figures, 2,500 people had voted by 11 a.m.  and thats only coming from 15 of the 26 precincts, he said. I think turnout is going to be high.

His predictions were correct in Mason City and Clear Lake.

Steady flow

Plenty of voters trickled into Grace Evangelical Free Church and Trinity Lutheran Church in Mason City, polling sites for Ward 1, Precinct 3 and Ward 1, Precinct 1.

Chairwoman Mary Balk said the amount of voters was steady all day at Grace.

There was a line out the door to start with, Balk said. Very busy. A good sign.

Around 6 p.m., there had been just over 700 ballots submitted.

Balk, who has worked at the polling place for many years, said over 700 was impressive.

The most weve ever had was 900 and some the first time Obama ran (2008), she said.

Lacy Jorgensen, 24, cast her vote for Hillary Clinton at the church. She moved to Mason City over a year ago from Humboldt.

As a young voter myself, I think its really important for my generation to get out there and vote, Jorgenson said. This election that really matters and its good to hear some of my friends getting out to vote for the first time.

At Trinity Lutheran Church, chairwoman Ilene Brown said she thought turnout was decent for the precinct, which is one of the smaller precincts in Mason City.

She said some voters commented they were just happy that this will all end now, all this talking.

Three precincts in Clear Lake also reported a steady flow of voters on Tuesday. All three polling places at Zion Lutheran Church, City Hall and Church of Christ reported between 800 and 916 voters each on Tuesday as of 7:30 p.m.

At Church of Christ, co-chair Roger Walston said lines had been very steady.

Its a different year ... how that affects it, who knows, he said.

Multiple voters interviewed said they chose Donald Trump, because he was a more authentic candidate than Hillary Clinton.

I think he has a better approach, said Derrick Dewaard, 22, an industrial worker. I think he gets to the point and gets things done.

At Clear Lake City Hall, a 15-year-old Pakistani high school exchange student wearing a RAYGUN T-shirt waited for a friend to finish voting. This was her first time watching an election in the U.S., she said.

Im excited to see whos going to win, said Rubab Ali, 15. I was just talking to most people at my school. Its interesting to see how people have different views.

I wouldnt vote for either one of them, she said. I dont want to vote for someone whos careless, or someone whos racist.

North Iowa poll workers said there were many new voter registrations, particularly from younger people. Some 18-year-olds voting for the first time came with their parents. One older woman also was voting for the first time and was excited about it.

Young voters





Poll workers in Mason Citys Ward 2, Precinct 2 noticed an unusually large number of voters in their early 20s casting ballots Tuesday at First Presbyterian Church.

Although she didnt want to guess exactly how many, precinct co-chair Arlene Gaylor said its significantly more than the four or five young voters they normally see on Election Day.

Enough that weve commented that its so nice to see all these young people, Gaylor said.

As of 5 p.m., a total of 605 ballots were cast at the precinct.

A number of voters remarked to Gaylor they were happy to put the long, contentious campaign between front runners Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in the rear view mirror.
DES MOINES  Republicans will control the agenda in the Iowa Capitol for at least the next two years after Tuesdays election flipped control 
A first-of-its-kind journey along India and Pakistan border

What binds the two most talked about nations - India and Pakistan together? What makes the
Several local companies successful in Best of the Best awards
CLEAR LAKE  A fire at a Clear Lake auto salvage created a series of explosions, a tower of flame and thick black smoke that could be seen from the west side of Mason City.

The Clear Lake Fire Deapartment was called about 3:45 p.m. to a report of a vehicle on fire inside a building at B-20 Auto and Salvage, 7600 300th St.

By 4 p.m., a plume of thick black smoke drifted for miles from the salvage yard, which is on B-20 less than a mile west of Interstate 35. The smoke could be seen clearly from the west side of Mason City.

The smoke was so thick it nearly obscured a large metal building that was on fire.

A large fire also burned in front of the building, and a tower of flame occasionally shot straight up into the air, making a hissing or roaring noise that could be heard 200-300 feet away.

The tower burned for several seconds and then disappeared.

Several explosions could be heard from the flames, detonating with dull thuds.

There were no reports of any injuries, said Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Kevin Pals.

Officials closed a stretch of County Road B-20 to allow emergency vehicles access to the yard.

Firefighters from Clear Lake, Fertile, Hanlontown and other crews were joined at the scene by other agencies, including the Iowa State Patrol and Cerro Gordo County Sheriffs Office.

The CLFD fought the fire for four hours. The building and all its contents are a total loss. The fire was reported to have been started by sparks from a grinder igniting nearby flammable materials.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Donald Trump was elected America's 45th president Tuesday, an astonishing victory for a celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalized on voters' economic anxieties, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations on his way to the White House.

His triumph over Hillary Clinton will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House and threatens to undo major achievements of President Barack Obama. He's pledged to act quickly to repeal Obama's landmark health care law, revoke the nuclear agreement with Iran and rewrite important trade deals with other countries, particularly Mexico and Canada.

The Republican blasted through Democrats' longstanding firewall, carrying Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that hadn't voted for a GOP presidential candidate since the 1980s. He needed to win nearly all of the competitive battleground states, and he did just that, claiming Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and others.

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged deeply, reflecting investor alarm over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.

A New York real estate developer who lives in a sparking Manhattan high-rise, Trump forged a striking connection with white, working class Americans who feel left behind in a changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of the problems plaguing many Americans and taped into fears of terrorism emanating at home and abroad.

Trump will take office with Congress expected to be fully under Republican control. GOP Senate candidates fended off Democratic challengers in key states and appeared poised to maintain the majority. Republicans also maintained their grip on the House.

Senate control means Trump will have great leeway in appointing Supreme Court justices, which could mean a major change to the right that would last for decades.

Trump upended years of political convention on his way to the White House, leveling harshly personal insults on his rivals, deeming Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers, and vowing to temporarily suspend Muslim immigration to the U.S. He never released his tax returns, breaking with decades of campaign tradition, and eschewed the kind of robust data and field efforts that helped Obama win two terms in the White House, relying instead on his large, free-wheeling rallies to energize supporters. His campaign was frequently in chaos, and he cycled through three campaign managers this year.

His final campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, touted the team's accomplishments as the final results rolled in, writing on Twitter that "rally crowds matter" and "we expanded the map."

The mood at Clinton's party grew bleak as the night wore out, with some supporters leaving, others crying and hugging each other. Top campaign aides stopped returning calls and texts, as Clinton and her family hunkered down in a luxury hotel watching the returns.

At 2 a.m., Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta told the crowd to head home for the night. "We're still counting votes and every vote should count," he said.

Trump will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture.

Exit polls underscored the fractures: Women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

Doug Ratliff, a 67-year-old businessman from Richlands, Virginia, said Trump's election would be one of the happiest days of his life.

"This county has had no hope," said Ratliff, who owns strip malls in the area badly beaten by the collapse of the coal industry. "You have no idea what it would mean for the people if Trump won. They'll have hope again. Things will change. I know he's not going to be perfect. But he's got a heart. And he gives people hope."

Trump has pledged to usher in a series of sweeping changes to U.S. domestic and foreign policy: repealing Obama's signature health care law, though he has been vague on what he could replace it with; building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border; and suspending immigration from country's with terrorism ties. He's also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoken of building a better relationship with Moscow, worrying some in his own party who fear he'll go easy on Putin's provocations.

The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, a reluctant Trump supporter, called the businessman earlier in the evening to congratulate him, according to a Ryan spokeswoman.

Democrats, as well as some Republicans, expected Trump's unconventional candidacy would damage down-ballot races and even flip some reliably red states in the presidential race. But Trump held on to Republican territory, including in Georgia and Utah, where Clinton's campaign confidently invested resources.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in her party's hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Barack Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his signature health care law.

But she struggled throughout the race with persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. Those troubles flared anew late in the race, when FBI Director James Comey announced a review of new emails from her tenure at the State Department. On Sunday, just two days before Election Day, Comey said there was nothing in the material to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.
Dear Editor,

For those of us here that put some thought and research into what we are told, the news that tourist numbers are significantly up on last year doesnt seem to match the observations and experiences of those that I have spoken with in the tourism sector.

Earlier in the year, we were told that the April tourist figures were up as much as 20% on 2015, which if you can believe the published Bureau of Statistics figures Total Arrivals for April 2016 was indeed up 21.6% on the numbers recorded in April 2015. However if you look at the period January to April, the Total Arrivals only show a 15% increase, a nice use of selected statistics to enhance the story. April 2016 was the highest year to year increase in Total Arrivals since June 2012, so quoting such a statistical abnormality to represent the overall state of the Tourism sector is at best, very misleading.

For the record, in the past 6 months, the formerly detailed spreadsheet that could be downloaded from the Bureau of Statistics has been replaced with PDF reports that do not contain the same level of details as previously, but do include a professional interpretation of the key statistics for easier public consumption, although the loss of detail does make it more difficult to do proper analysis. As a result I have based the following on the January to April figures that were published in great detail and accompanied by such positive PR spin from the relevant authorities.

For those in the Tourism sector, the Total Arrivals are not as relevant as the breakdown of Arrivals by Purpose, with the two major purposes being Tourists on Holiday and those Visiting Friends and Relatives, as defined by the box ticked on the arrival form.

There is also the question of returning Samoans that indicate they are coming on holiday, which they well may be, but for the purposes of Tourism statistics, they really are here Visiting Friends and Relatives, staying with family rather than Hotels or other Tourist accommodation and primarily spending while they are here on family support rather than on typical tourist activities. Observation of the proportion of obvious Tourists to Samoans when you are flying into Samoa would indicate that Tourists make up less than 20% of the passengers, as opposed to the 34.2% reported. In the June 2016 P.D.F. Report, Holiday Tourists are reported as 40.4% and VFRs as 30.8%, however only a few paragraphs later it states The majority of visitors (55.6 percent or 6,525 visitors) reported staying in private accommodation or with families/ relatives... This seems to support my theory that about 30-35% of the true VFR arrivals have indicated that they are here on a Holiday, so the real Tourist numbers are probably only about 60% of what is reported in the statistics, hardly reliable.

Looking at the April figures, the increase is less impressive at 16.9% for Holiday tourists and 13.9% V.F.R.s respectively, however the Jan to April figures show a very impressive increase of 23.8% and 21.3%.

For this purposes to have increased more than the total increase, it means that other purposes must have decreased, so when you delve into the numbers, it is interesting to note that the 7,693 cruise ship arrivals in early 2015 have turned into Zero for the corresponding period in 2016. Either there were no cruise ships arriving in Samoa since February 2015, or the statistics are being compiled differently since then.

Other sources show 6 Cruise Ships visiting Samoa in the first 4 months of 2016, with a total Port Load of 9,442 Passengers and Crew, so I can only assume that those arrivals are now counted in those arriving in Samoa with the purpose of Holiday. The bureau of Statistics figures had 7,693 Cruise Ship arrivals in early 2015. If this is the case, and we are to take the 2016 Cruise Ship figures from the Holiday Arrivals, we end up with a very different outlook on the Tourism sector with a drop of 58.6% for the first four months of 2016.

Now I dont believe this sad scenario for visiting Holiday Tourists is the actual case, but I also dont believe it has grown 23.8% over the past year. As I said in my opening paragraph, observations do not correspond with these published figures.

The amount of budget tourists or backpackers that I came into contact with in 2015 was considerably more than those I saw in 2016. Local beach fale operators that I speak to regularly are all complaining of low numbers through their facilities this year. Why is this so? In talking with backpackers, I always ask them how much they paid for their ticket to Samoa and in 2015, the average seemed to be about NZ$350-400 return from Auckland, while in 2016 nobody I have asked has got a ticket under NZ$400, with most up around the NZ$500 price point. Such a rise in prices would certainly dampen the numbers of budget travelers coming to Samoa, as evidenced by the lower numbers reported by Beach Fale operators in 2016.

This Budget Tourist observation coupled with the increased Holiday Tourist arrivals reported by the authorities would indicate that there are a larger proportion of Standard and Premium Accommodation Holiday arrivals in 2016 compared to 2015. In talking with some of the local hotel and resort operators, they are less unhappy with their occupancy rates in 2016 compared to 2015, so maybe there is something to this, although nobody is saying that they are setting new records or rolling in tourist dollars.

The published statistics dont seem to support this conclusion, as you would expect that a shift from Budget to a more Higher end tourist would also bring along additional spending in the form of Accommodation, Transport, Food and Beverage, etc. According to the Bureau of Statistics, Earnings from Holiday Tourists rose by only 0.6% in January to April 2016 against the corresponding period in 2015, while Average Spending by Holiday Tourists dropped by 15.0% over the same period.

So, how can it be that it looks like the Holiday Tourist arrivals have grown significantly and that there seems to be a shift towards more higher end Tourists, yet the spending per Holiday tourist has gone down equally significantly? The answer can only be that the published figures are wrong and those that benefit from publishing wrong figures either know they are wrong or are not competent enough to understand basic statistical analysis.

Why does this matter? Well, as the Tourism sector is the largest contributor to the Samoan economy, shouldnt we be tracking its performance and making policy decisions and business plans based on real facts and not information that seems to have some fatal flaws. Like the old saying goes, Garbage In, Garbage Out, we are being fed garbage, so the results of this will be garbage policies, plans and decisions for the countrys most important economic sector.

Before the haters launch on this, tell the small Tourism operators that everything is 20% better than last year and the group of Upolu based accommodation providers currently looking for a bailout package from the authorities because they are on the verge of bankruptcy, that they are doing better this year and then put pen to paper.

Stupid Palagi
Re: Trouble at the Police

Their letter says they all signed underneath. Who are they then? They wrote a letter to the whole of Samoa through the newspaper, why hide behind anonymity?

I support for the T.O.S to be armed when called out to dealing with drug dealers.

Too many of these faceless senior management seemed to have been comfortable reaching a accord with the drug dealers: You stay in your area and well leave you alone but if you cross us, well come after you.

Well, sorry that is not how Samoas modern day policing should work.

I support any effort of the Police Commissioner to hunt out drug dealers and plantation owners and drive them into the sea wherever they are. None of this you stay there and we stay here bollocks.

PS Jeffrey
Colgate Palmolive Fiji (C.P.F.) honored its partnership with the Samoa Cancer Society (S.C.S.) through the official handover of their Pinktober support donation yesterday.

The partnership has been going on for four years with plans of continuing well into the future.

Sanjay Kumar, a representative of C.P.F, made the official handover of $3,500 yesterday at the S.C.S. office.

We are here to acknowledge the support of C.P.F. in our recent breast cancer awareness month, October, Executive Officer of S.C.S, Shelly Burich, said as she received the donation.

During the Pinktober month, C.P.F. came onboard for the entire month to help promote breast cancer awareness in Samoa. They did this with a selected Palmolive product here in Samoa where they donated 20sene from every selected product sold. They also provided the breast cancer bookmarks which have the self examination tips and techniques.

They also provided the posters you see around here which helped promote breast cancer awareness in Samoa.

According to Ms. Burich, the partnership has done wonders for S.C.S. and they are grateful for the support they received.

We are really appreciative for C.P.F. coming onboard, she said.

It allowed us to have a partner for the month of October which helped spread out our awareness. By them coming onboard they were able to give us that television exposure through their ads and also throughout their retail stores.

That has really helped us spread this awareness. We are very appreciative of this companys support and like I said, its important for us to have these types of collaboration partnerships. I think they could possibly see the S.C.S. as being a valuable partner for them.

We hope this has been a successful partnership for both partners involved, but most importantly out of all of this, the awareness it has created for all of our people.

I believe Palmolive is willing to carry on the partnership each year and we will possibly talk about the other possible collaborations in the New Year.

In fact, S.C.S. experienced a climb in office visits due to their October awareness program.

Through that month of awareness month we actually saw an increase in people coming to the office, she said.

We would ask them how they found out about the S.C.S. and it was through these types of awareness programs. Its been through the television and newspaper exposure.

Definitely through the collaboration with Palmolive and the use of the media, it has really helped the awareness of this.
Americans based in Samoa turned out in high numbers yesterday to watch the U.S. Presidential Election at the U.S. Embassy at Vailima yesterday.

But the exciting atmosphere that existed in the beginning quickly changed and the crowd was dramatically reduced when Republican Donald Trump started to gain the upper hand.

The gathering started at 2pm and by nightfall when it became quite obvious that Trump was leading, the crowd started leaving, with less than 10 people remaining to continue to follow the election.

It was no secret that most of the supporters were gunning for Hillary Clinton. There was uproar from the crowd when she secured California.

Trump on the other hand wasnt spared a clap as the red marker continuously painted over several states.

Despite the lack of supporters from Trump last night the Charge dAffaires, Angelina Wilkinson, was positive that whoever the citizens of America elect as their new President will do a stellar job in leading their country.

Before the final votes were out last night, Wilkinson said there is a lot of race that is very close like that of Trump and Clinton.

The race is proof that every vote counts especially in a country like America.

There is at some state we have seen 15 votes difference between each candidate, said Wilkinson.

It just illustrates the importance of each individuals vote. We have had other elections that are further apart but its in our history that we have had very close elections.

Wilkinson brushed aside fears that having Trump as a President will mean trouble for Samoa in terms of foreign aid, immigration and climate change.

It wont affect it (aid), she said.

The United States is an old country and weve been supporters of aid overseas to many countries for many years. Big thing to remember is its a democracy.

The president has a lot of say in what happens and so does senate and congress. We are all part of the U.S government and have a very long tradition of working with other countries regardless of our president being democrat or republican.

Wilkinson pointed out that a lot of what we are hearing about human rights issue, women and immigration have been part of U.S. talks for years.

Its going to continue in the future regardless whether its Hillary or Trump.

There are currently 3400 U.S. citizens in Samoa.

More than 60 ballots were dropped off at the U.S. Embassy and sent back through official diplomatic channels.

Others had the chance to mail their own ballot back.
MOSCOW (AP)  World leaders struggled Wednesday to come to grips with a new reality  Donald Trump will be the next U.S. president  and an as yet unanswerable question: How many of his campaign pledges will he actually act on?

The remarkable triumph of the politically untested businessman was welcomed in some countries, such as Russia, while in others it was a major shock.

When Trump takes office in January, world leaders will confront a man whose stated views represent a sharp break with U.S. foreign policy orthodoxy. He has cozied up to Russian President Vladimir Putin, warned stunned NATO allies they will have to pay for their own protection, floated a ban on Muslims entering the U.S. and vowed to make the Mexican government finance a multibillion-dollar border wall.

These changes, and others, have the potential to radically remake U.S. policy  a prospect that has given stability-loving partners a cascading case of the jitters.

Trump's victory was hailed in Russia, which has taken an increasingly aggressive stance toward the West in recent months. Putin sent Trump a congratulatory telegram Wednesday and made a televised statement expressing the hope that frayed U.S.-Russian relations could be put back on track.

"We are aware that it is a difficult path, in view of the unfortunate degradation of relations between the Russian Federation and the United States," the Russian leader said, adding: "It is not our fault that Russian-American relations are in such a state."

Russia became a focal point during the presidential campaign, with government officials and Hillary Clinton supporters suggesting Moscow was involved in hacking her campaign's emails. Trump raised eyebrows when he expressed admiration for Putin and his tough leadership style, and some Clinton backers questioned Trump's business dealings with Russia.

Dmitri Drobnitski, a columnist at the generally pro-Kremlin website LifeNews, asserted Trump's victory will help the world.

"I congratulate the American people with their will and with their democracy and with their strength and with their courage," he told The Associated Press. "So this is not only a victory for the Americans, who defended their democracy against the liberal, global elite no, this is a victory that the American people brought to the whole world."

There is anxiety in Europe among NATO allies are waiting to see if Trump follows through on suggestions the U.S. will look at whether they have paid their proper share in considering whether to come to their defense.

That rhetoric has challenged the strategic underpinning of the NATO alliance  in which an attack on one NATO nation is considered an attack on all  at a time when Russia has been ever more confrontational.

"As a candidate, Trump called into question NATO and trade agreements, and reached out to Moscow," said Daniela Schwarzer, an expert on trans-Atlantic relations at the German Council on Foreign Relations.

"Even if President Trump doesn't implement everything, Germany and Europe can't rely on the trans-Atlantic partnership as usual, and will have to stand up for Western values themselves."

Trump's win also caused trepidation in Mexico, where his remarks calling Mexican immigrants criminals and "rapists" were a deep insult to national pride.

Trump has suggested slapping a 35 percent tax on automobiles and auto parts made by U.S. companies in Mexico, and financial analysts have predicted a Trump win will threaten billions of dollars in cross-border trade.

Trump's victory is "as close to a national emergency as Mexico has faced in many decades," Mexican analyst Alejandro Hope said.

It also caused concern in Cuba, over Trump's threat to roll back President Barack Obama's normalization of relations unless Cuban President Raul Castro agrees to more political freedoms.

"If he reverses it, it hurts us," taxi driver Oriel Iglesias Garcia said. "You know tourism will go down."

Trump's electoral triumph was also felt strongly in the volatile Middle East, where multiple crises are unfolding. One major concern is Trump's vehement opposition to the historic nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers under which Iran has curbed its nuclear program in exchange for a gradual lifting of international sanctions.

In Iran, leaders emphasized the need to keep the agreement on track despite Trump's victory. The deal "cannot be overturned by a single government," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said.

Israel's leader, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, indicated a high comfort level with the next president, hailing Trump as a "true friend of the state of Israel."

Iraq's leader, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, also congratulated Trump and expressed hope the "world and the United States will continue to support Iraq in fighting terrorism."
MASON CITY  Cerro Gordo County voters elected two new supervisors Tuesday night.

Republicans Tim Latham and Chris Watts both defeated Democrat incumbents.

Latham, a Mason City businessman, had previously run for the Mason City Council and ran for supervisor for the first time this election. The outcome was a surprise for Latham.

It didnt expect it to be as good as it was but I was sure hoping, Latham said.

Latham defeated his opponent, Jay Urdahl, 3,644 to 3,220. There were 12 write-in votes.

Urdahl, a Democrat from Mason City and a longtime UPS employee, was first elected in 1988. He previously won nine consecutive elections to the board.

Latham thanked Urdahl for his many years of service.

I look forward to working with Chris Watts and Casey Callahan and continuing to make Cerro Gordo county a great place to live, Latham said.

A voicemail left for Urdahl late Tuesday night was not immediately returned.

Watts, a sales representative for a food company, has attended most every supervisor meeting for many years. This was his third attempt at the supervisor seat.

Im feeling pretty good; its been a long summer, Watts said. This is a new course for Cerro Gordo County.

Dougherty defeated Watts twice before but was unsuccessful this year. Watts defeated Dougherty 3,788 to 3,538. There were 17 write-in votes.

Watts wanted to thank Dougherty for running a clean campaign.

I have nothing but respect for him, Watts said.

Watts looks forward to working with the other supervisors in the future.

Between the three of us, I think we have some pretty good ideas, Watts said.

Dougherty, a Democrat from Dougherty, farmer and former employee of Huber Supply in Mason City, has served on the board since 2000.

Dougherty was not immediately available for comment by phone late Tuesday.

Cerro Gordo County Supervisor District 1

Votes % % Reporting Winner

Tim Latham (R) 3,644 53.0% 100 X

Jay Urdahl (D) 3,220 46.8%

6f36a8f2-a540-11e6-a6c4-00163ec2aa77Cerro Gordo County Supervisor District 3

Votes % % Reporting Winner

Chris Watts (R) 3,788 51.6% 100 X

Phil Dougherty (D) 3,538 48.2%
Local universities continue to feel pressure to provide more student housing in a climate of rising rent and home prices, said school planners at an event Tuesday in downtown San Diego.

But, there could be changes coming because of shifting preferences, opportunities for private builders and new demographics of college students, said experts at the Urban Land Institute talk.



For the record: An earlier version of this article said UC San Diego houses 1,500 students. It is 15,000.

Mark Cunningham, an assistant vice chancellor for housing at UC San Diego, said there is much demand by students to live on campus  theres a 2,500 person waiting list for graduate student housing  largely because they are priced out of the surrounding community of La Jolla and nearby areas.

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Students are lazy and they dont really want to commute, so its a real big challenge, he said to the room of roughly 100 developers, builders and architects at the University Club.

UC San Diego provides housing for 15,000 students, staff and faculty. Cunningham said the undergraduate rooms that are meant to be for two people are jammed with three students, similar to many of the schools in the University of California system.

He said graduate students who cant get on campus end up in communities fighting for housing with everyone else. Graduate students live in the Hillcrest and North Park area because they want expensive IPAs, he said.

While UC San Diego may be struggling to house everyone, San Diego State University is actually trying to increase its on-campus population.

Robert Schulz, associate vice president of real estate, planning and development at SDSU, said the school is considering requiring sophomore students to live on campus, the same as it now does for roughly 4,000 freshmen.

Its not an affordability measure, but as a student achievement measure, he said. We know graduation rates, GPA rates, all improve measurably with that additional year of student housing.

Schulz said the university has a public-private partnership underway that will allow a private developer to build housing and take over its operation after. He said the project can be cheaper because a private developer would not be subject to higher-cost prevailing wage laws.

We probably use every development tool you can imagine in terms of creating beds, he said.

Left to right: Gary Levitt, principal at Sea Breeze Properties; Mark Cunningham, assistant vice chancellor for housing at UC San Diego; Bob Schulz, associate vice president of real estate , planning and development at SDSU; Fred Pierce, CEO of Pierce Education Properties (Phillip Molnar/San Diego Union-Tribune )

The demand for housing around campuses can be a big opportunity for developers, said Fred Pierce, CEO of San Diego-based Pierce Education Properties.

He said his company is one of the 10 largest student housing operators and has 20,000 beds at 20 universities throughout the nation.

Student housing, as a niche sector, has very much come into its own, Pierce said. . . . It has become very viable sector nationwide for both ground-up development and an investment property.

Demand for rental housing is high enough in San Diego County that vacancy is typically not an issue, but school housing is all but guaranteed to fill up.

Private development The Quad San Marcos, across the street from the entrance of CSU San Marcos, has had 95 percent occupancy since it opened in 2012, said Gary Levitt, founder of the private company that developed it, Sea Breeze Properties.

CSU San Marcos operates the 870-bed complex but Sea Breeze retains ownership. It is listed as affiliated campus housing on CSU San Marcos website. Prices start at $7,980 per student for one academic year.

Its a very, very unique situation, Levitt said.

There are already signs parking is becoming less of an issue, and can make housing get built faster and easier.

At UC San Diego, this is the first year freshman cannot have a parking permit and, according to a survey of the 2,500 graduate students living off campus, just 40 percent have a car.

Its a changing market. We have to think about parking  do we need it? How much do we need? Cunningham said.

At San Diego State University, less than 48 percent of on-campus student residents bought a parking permit roughly six years ago, Schulz said. That number is down to 26 percent this year.

Thats a pretty short time frame when you talk about demographic changes, he said.

Its also possible student housing will start to more accurately reflect cost restraints, Levitt said.

He said Sea Breeze had been told for years that students wanted one-bedroom, one-bathroom units because that was what they were used to at home. But, he said that was largely because the reality of the student loan crisis had yet to set in.

(Universities) are not looking to build more apartment-style projects. They are looking to build projects with two people in a room but have a common kitchen, common facilities, he said. So, when you are out of your bedroom you are meeting other people.

Pierce said the operators of student housing will have to contend with changing populations, namely increases in Asian and Latino students who are the first in their family to go to college.

For them, theres an education about what (college) is about, he said. How do they procure housing? How important is it? What are their financial resources?

phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar

ALSO

San Diego home price gains one of biggest in California

UPDATES:

8:32 a.m.: An earlier version of this article said UC San Diego houses 1,500 students, staff and faculty. It is 15,000.
Now that California voters have passed Proposition 64, legalizing marijuana use for adults for recreational purposes, whats next?

Heres a look at seven things that reflect the new landscape in California when it comes to marijuana:

1. You can grow it at home

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Effective immediately, if youre 21 or older, you can possess an ounce of pot and up to six plants in your home legally.

In addition, some sweeping changes to the California criminal code go into effect. For example, law enforcement can no longer use the smell of marijuana or the presence of paraphernalia as a basis for broad searches.

Marijuana is now going to be a legal commodity like alcohol, said Tamar Todd, legal director of Drug Policy Action, the advocacy and political arm of the Drug Policy Alliance, which backed Prop 64. By itself, marijuana itself is not considered contraband so the mere presence of somebody having it is not grounds to stop, search, frisk and detain somebody.

2. The tax money wont come right away

The financial impact of Prop 64 is expected to be big  analysts at the Legislature estimate additional state and local tax revenues ranging from the high hundreds of millions of dollars to over $1 billion annually.

But the lions share of the new law consists of establishing the licensing, sale and tax collection regimes needed to oversee the industry. Licensing and taxation will not begin until January 2018.

The whole process will take time, said Michael Cindrich, a San Diego attorney and the executive director of the countys chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

3. You still cant smoke in public

Smoking pot in public is still against the law and so is driving while impaired by marijuana.

Any potential recreational marijuana shop cannot be within 600 feet of daycare centers, schools and other youth centers. And businesses that sell alcohol or tobacco cannot sell pot.

In an effort to avoid some of the problems seen in Colorado, labels on marijuana edibles will be just as detailed as any food product, including safe portion sizes and warnings about allergens.

The new law also prohibits advertising aimed at minors and requires businesses that sell recreational pot to check IDs to make sure buyers are not underage.

4. Local communities still have a lot of power

Just as in the case of medical marijuana, local governments can ban commercial marijuana transactions by ordinance and if they decide to OK marijuana businesses, the local authorities can regulate them through zoning laws.

Some communities in San Diego County dropped the hammer before Tuesdays election.

Poways city council on Nov. 1 banned the commercial sale and outdoor cultivation of marijuana, joining Santee, San Marcos, Lemon Grove and National City.

But while communities can nix cultivation, they cannot ban the provision allowing up to six plants in a persons home.

They can have regulations to prevent nuisance to neighbors and protect safety and things like that, but they cant ban it across the board, Todd said.

5. You might be able to clean up your legal record

One of the major provisions of the law allows those with prior marijuana convictions to petition the courts to revisit cases that the new law legalizes.

For example, if your conviction was for cultivating less than six plants (in your house), now that six plants is legal, you can have that conviction wiped out, Cindrich said. If (the conviction) was a felony but is now a misdemeanor, you can have your charge and your record changed.

6. The Catch-22  actually getting pot wont be easy

Recreational use of marijuana in California may be legal now, but theres a catch  at least in the short term.

How does someone who wants to use pot legally get it?

Medical dispensaries cannot sell to recreational users. Cultivators cannot legally sell it until they get licensed by the state, which wont happen until January 2018.

And potential customers cannot drive to a state such as Oregon where recreational use is legal and take it back to California because its against the law to take marijuana across state lines.

That is all true, Todd said. There is a need. This is how it played out in other states (that passed recreational pot) as well.

Recreational users will have rely  if they dont want to break the law  on using pot from their plants at home or by getting it from medical marijuana users. But its against the law for a medical marijuana user to sell pot to somebody else; they can only give it away for free.

A person cannot sell it to another adult but they can share it, Todd said.

7. Hemp is now legal

Almost lost in the hoopla surrounding Prop 64 is the provision that allows for the production of industrial hemp by California farmers, which will be regulated by the states Department of Food and Agriculture.

Its a little more under the radar, Todd said, but especially for a state like California, its more significant than it was for states like Washington or Colorado because we have so much agriculture potential for it.

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rob.nikolewski@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1251 Twitter: @robnikolewski

ALSO

San Diego preparing to allow recreational pot shops

Dont expect pot shops to bloom overnight, even if Prop. 64 passes
Oceansides incumbent city treasurer, who died in September, is winning reelection, according to results early Wednesday morning.

With 100 percent of precincts counted, incumbent Gary Ernst had 54 percent of the vote, followed by attorney and community activist Nadine Scott, with 46 percent of the vote.



For the record: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Nadine Scott was endorsed by the California Treasurers Association and the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce. She is a member of those groups.

Ernsts death was announced Sept. 23, but his name remained on the ballot because the deadline for printing had already passed. If he is declared the winner, the Oceanside City Council will have to appoint a replacement, officials said.

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Oceanside Councilman Jerry Kern, who worked to reelect Ernst, said the votes coming in were likely a reflection against Scott, whom he said is not qualified.

People that knew her didnt vote for her, Kern said.

Scott said in an emailed statement that she was feeling very positive. Its early, yet.

During the election, Scott filed an unsuccessful complaint with the state Fair Political Practices Commission alleging the city was promoting Ernst over her.

The city announced Ernsts death in a brief news release on Sept. 23 and in an email newsletter called The Oceanside Tide that was sent to city residents.

The commission declined to investigate saying it found nothing in the complaint to warrant an investigation.

Scott also criticized slate mailers sent in October endorsing Ernst.

Kern said he helped Ernsts campaign by asking people sending out mailers to include his name. He said he also sent out hundreds of emails asking the people vote for him.

The city treasurer oversees an investment portfolio of about $330 million. Kern said the job needs to be done by someone with experience.

Kern said he did not have anyone in mind to replace Ernst. He said the council will elect someone in an open and transparent manner.

Its not the first time the council selects a treasurer.

In 2010, Ernst was chosen from among eight people who applied for the part-time treasurers job, which pays about $24,000 annually, after Gary Felien was elected to the city council.

Felien was also appointed by the council after his predecessor longtime Treasurer Rosemary Jones died in 2009.

Scott has said that she is qualified because she has served as treasurer for the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County.

She was endorsed by Councilwoman Esther Sanchez.

edward.sifuentes@sduniontribune.com

@EdwardSifuentes
The election resulted in no changes to the San Marcos City Council, as unofficial results show the two incumbents have retained their seats.

Councilwomen Rebecca Jones and Sharon Jenkins drew 37.55 and 32.08 percent of the vote, respectively. Challengers Matt Stack and RJ Hernandez had 15.72 percent and 14.65 percent.

I think it shows that residents are very happy with the direction that we are going in, and want to continue, said Jones, who was at an election-results watch party at a San Marcos coffee house with Jenkins.

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The unofficial results, as released by the San Diego County Registrar of Voters about 6:25 a.m. Wednesday, were based on 100 percent of the votes cast.

San Marcos limits council members to three consecutive four-year terms. A win brings a second term for Jenkins, and a third for Jones  although the council limits do not prevent her from running for mayor when the seat comes up in two years.

Stack is a former Marine sergeant who left the military in 2003. Now an account executive at a commercial finance firm, he and his family lived in Oceanside until moving to San Marcos earlier this year.

Hernandez dropped out of the race last month, but his announcement came too late to scratch his name from the ballot.

This election marks the last time San Marcos council members were chosen by voters throughout the whole city.

In 2018, council elections will be done by districts, rather than at-large voting. The mayors seat, however, will continue to be voted on by the entire city.

The city decided earlier this year to make the change after it was threatened with a lawsuit alleging its voting system disenfranchised Latino voters and violated the California Voting Rights Act.

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teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT

ALSO

San Marcos to change to district elections
One incumbent and one challenger appeared to win seats on the Vista City Council in Tuesdays election, based on unofficial results Wednesday morning.

With 100 percent of precincts counted, incumbent Amanda Rigby led the race for two open council seats with 20 percent of the vote, followed by challenger Joe Green with 17.6 percent. Challenger Dale Pilat had 16.2 percent, followed by incumbent Cody Campbell with 16 percent.

Its possible, though unlikely, that the tallies could flip. Green and Pilat are separated by 356 votes, and Campbell is 39 votes behind Pilat, with an unknown number of provisional ballots yet to be counted over the next several days.

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Among the remaining candidates, Erubey Lopez had 12.9 percent of the vote, Tom Fleming had 11.5 percent, and Victoria Waufle had 6 percent.

On Tuesday evening, Rigby said she was happy it appeared she would retain her seat.

Im honored tremendously that the people of Vista have shown their continued trust in me, Rigby said. I have never once in the last four years forgotten that I work for the people of the city of Vista.

Rigby and Campbell have each served one four-year term on the council. During their re-election bids, each pointed to recent city successes such as balanced budgets after years of layoffs and cutbacks; money-saving restructuring of debt; and the redevelopment of the citys downtown, including an overhaul along South Santa Fe Avenue.

Green, a lifelong Vista resident and real estate broker, is well known in the community as the former president of Vista Unifieds district-wide PTA. During his campaign, he said he wanted to see improvements made to traffic flow and street maintenance. He also cited a desire to increase the citys emergency reserves

Reached Wednesday, Green said he still hadnt really digested the apparent win.

I just want to thank everybody that helped me get here  more than anything, my wife and kids who were put through the ringer, Green said, noting that his wife spent hours campaigning for him.

Campbell could not immediately be reached for comment.

He closely trailed the third place finisher: Pilat, an Afghanistan War veteran, said during his campaign that he wanted to see the city further tackle debt by slashing the budgets of departments such as economic development, and going back to the budget levels from about five years ago. The four-year Vista resident also said he supports cutting regulations on businesses.

Housing, traffic and fiscal responsibility had emerged as top issues in election forums. Red light cameras had also come up; the candidates all said they would remove them. But the City Council beat them to it last month, with a vote to turn off the cameras by the end of the year. (No citations will be issued after Nov. 30, a city spokesman said.)

Remaining challengers include immigration attorney Lopez, a Vista native and UCLA law school graduate, who said he wants to ensure local control over growth, and create districts to give residents a bigger decision-making role over projects.

Waufle, a parish ministry assistant at Faith Lutheran Church, said during the campaign that she is keen on keeping the small-town charm of the community and wants to be part of the team that makes the decisions that guide the city of Vista.

Fleming, who like Waufle has been a Vista residents for decades, said has spoken of the need to balance development with traffic and mobility considerations.

Vista voters can be fickle, and the slight change in the council make-up matches recent history  one incumbent has lost a seat in each of the past two elections

Two years ago, newcomer John Franklin edged out first-term Councilman David Cowles by just 132 votes - roughly half a percentage point. In that same election, voters tapped Councilman John Aguilera for a second term.

In the 2012 contest with nine candidates, incumbent Steve Gronke chose not to run for re-election and then-Councilman Frank Lopez landed in fifth place. He was bested by then first-timers Campbell and Rigby.

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teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
Its tempting to call The Dictators one-hit wonders, but theres a catch. This pioneering proto-punk band from New York has been around, off and on, since 1973 and still hasnt had a hit.

Or, as vocalist Handsome Dick Manitoba told a London concert audience this summer: After all these years, were still The Next Big Thing!

His quip alluded to one of the standout songs from his bands 1975 debut album, The Dictators Go Girl Crazy! Entitled, fittingly, The Next Big Thing, it features such choice lines as: Im a fuel injected legend / I dont wanna be a bore / I just wanna live a rich life / And I wanna die poor; and the partly autobiographical couplet: We knocked em dead in Dallas / We didnt pay our dues / We knocked em dead in Dallas / They didnt know we were Jews.

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Manitoba (real name: Richard Blum) is now 62. Together with Dictators lead guitarist Ross The Boss Funicello (real name: Richard Friedman), he co-leads The Dictators NYC, which performs here Sunday at the Casbah.

Manitoba started off as The Dictators proudly inept roadie. But he wreaked so much havoc, including driving the bands van into a storefront, that the other members decided it would be less problematic to put him on stage instead.

Basing his stage name and persona on his love for wrestling, Manitoba was brash, brawny and endearing in his winking embrace of youthful idiocy. Had The Dictators been active in the 1980s, they surely would have been a favorite of MTVs Beavis and Butt-head.

Manitoba looked like John Belushi sporting an Afro. He delivered a Belushi-worthy spoken introduction to The Next Big Thing, which opens the Go Girl Crazy! album, bellowing: This is just a hobby for me! A hobby, you hear?

The albums next song is an initially reverent, if harder rocking, version of the Sonny & Cher hit I Got You Babe. It is made wonderfully irreverent by the absence in The Dictators lineup of any female members, a detail that finds the inordinately macho Manitoba and bassist/keyboardist Andy Shernoff gleefully cooing sweet nothings to each other at songs end.

Manifest Destiny, The Dictators second album, was amusing in places, but less startling. The bands 1978 swan song, Bloodbrothers, was  somewhat to its detriment  less amateurish. It opens with Faster and Louder, which boasts a 1-2-3-4 count-off by none other than Bruce Springsteen.

Unheralded, The Dictators disbanded in 1979 and were largely inactive for most of the 1980s. The on-again/off-again band now has nine albums to its credit, including 2014s Faster ... Louder: The Dictators Best 1975-2001. In 2015, Dictators fan Andrew W.K. did remixes of three of the bands songs for the expanded, 40th anniversary release of The Dictators Go Girl Crazy.

During his down time away from The Dictators, Manitoba has led his own band, Dick Manitobas Wild Kingdom. He also co-authored The Official Punk Rock Book of Lists and sang as part of revamped version of the seminal Detroit band MC5, when it reunited 13 years ago.

A true rock n roll survivor, Manitoba has been alcohol-free for the past 34 years and kicked his debilitating heroin addiction in the 1990s. His cult-hero status was solidified in famed author Elmore Leonard s 1988 novel, Freaky Deaky. In it, one character asks another if they are familiar with Handsome Dick Manitoba and The Dictators. Their admission of ignorance prompts the tart retort: See, you dont know everything, do you?

The Dictators NYCs concerts typically feature fan favorites, including The Next Big Thing and Faster and Louder, along with cover versions of MC5s incendiary Kick Out the Jams and the Flamin Groovies chestut Slow Death. The bands encores usually include Two Tub Man, which includes such wonderfully dumb non sequiturs as: I drink Coca Cola for breakfast / Ive got Jackie Onassis in my pants.

The Dictators NYC, with Motor 66 and The Touchies

When: 9:15 p.m. Sunday

Where: The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Middletown

Tickets: $15 (must be 21 or older to attend)

Phone: (619) 232-4355

Online: casbahmusic.com

Twitter @georgevarga

george.varga@sduniontribune.com
Three decades ago, Larry Kramers The Normal Heart detonated like a grenade on the New York cultural scene.

The 1985 play was (and remains) an angry and provocative work of advocacy bordering on agitprop. And at its center is Kramer himself: The thinly fictionalized story chronicles the efforts of an activist named Ned Weeks (a stand-in for the playwright) to galvanize a response in the early 1980s to a then-nameless but devastating disease that we now know as AIDS.

Times have changed: Treatments for HIV/AIDS have vastly improved since then, and the LBGT community has made major strides in political power and societal acceptance  traceable in part to Kramers work with the Gay Mens Health Crisis and (later) ACT UP.

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One thing that hasnt changed is the potency of the play: The Normal Heart had a Tony Award-winning Broadway revival in 2011 and a major HBO movie adaptation in 2014.

Now Hillcrests Ion Theatre is staging the first professional production here since the 80s, and lead actor, co-director and Ion co-founder Claudio Raygoza says the plays message remains a crucial one.

I think theres this complacency that has evolved (about the disease) in the last few years, says Raygoza, the companys executive artistic director.

The Normal Heart

When: Previews begin Saturday. Opens Nov. 19. 7 p.m. Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays; 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; plus 2 p.m. Nov. 27. (No performances Nov. 23-25.)

Where: Ion Theatres BLKBOX, 3704 Sixth Ave., Hillcrest.

Tickets: $12-$32 (discounts available); $45 opening night (includes catered post-show party with cast and crew). Through Dec. 17.

Phone: (619) 600-5020

Online: iontheatre.com

The perception is that AIDS is not as dangerous anyore, that its not as scary anymore. And yet were still seeing almost 50,000 people a year being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS (worldwide). Its staggering to think that every hour, something like 250 people are infected around the world.

To Raygoza, the question becomes: What are we doing to end it? In the United States, I feel we have a responsibility in being a world leader to find ways to stave it off and maybe eliminate it. Its a play that really speaks to the responsibility we have to carry the torch that was lit by Larry Kramer and Gay Mens Health Crisis.

For Raygoza and fellow Ion co-founder Glenn Paris (the two are a married pair), theres a deeply personal side to the piece as well: Paris brother died of AIDS in 1993, just months before the cocktail of medications now used to fight the disease became available.

So, says Raygoza, its been very important to him and very important to me to embrace this story.

It was Paris (the shows co-director and Ions producing artistic director) who urged Raygoza to consider playing Weeks.

Raygoza admits now that had I seen the show done, I probably wouldve put my foot down and said theres no way in hell! (Weeks) is onstage all the time, theres no time to catch your breath. And hes just full of so much passion.

I think a lot of what hes saying, even if I dont always agree with the way hes delivering the information, is important to hear. Its passion that comes from a place of terror  that everyone he loves is going to vanish.

Ion has reached out even more widely than usual into the community for the project: Among production partners are Christies Place, Mamas Kitchen, the San Diego LGBT Community Center and the UC San Diego AntiViral Research Center/Lead the Way.

The partnerships are incredibly important, Raygoza says. We couldnt pass up the opportunity to really create an outreach and education component to the play.

Its an epic piece, but its also very intimate, he adds. Its still this story of a group of men who are trying to figure out if they have the courage to say something.

Twitter: @jimhebert

jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com
MASON CITY  An 18-year-old Mason City resident was given a 15-year suspended prison sentence last week after having his deferred judgment revoked on felony robbery and gang participation charges.

Rudy Andrew Huerta committed those crimes in 2014 when he was 16, according to Cerro Gordo County District Court records.

After pleading guilty in February 2015 to ongoing criminal conduct, second-degree robbery, assault resulting in injury and criminal gang participation, he was given a deferred judgment and probation.

Huerta also was sentenced to 120 days in jail last week for violating his probation on the ongoing criminal conduct conviction.

That sentence is to be served concurrently with a 120-day sentence he received for an October misdemeanor assault causing injury conviction. In that case, he was accused of rupturing another mans eardrum in a fight in August.

Huerta was one of a group of juveniles from Mason City charged in October 2014 with multiple felony charges related to gang activity.

They were allegedly committing an escalating list of offenses in the Mason City area, primarily upon middle and high school classmates both on and off school property, according to the Mason City Police Department.

Huertas co-defendants were Darrius Rashawn Bolden, Travis John Ulrich and Karl Aaron Karzin. Bolden was 13 at the time of the alleged offenses while Ulrich was 15 and Karzin was 16.

Karzin, who initially was considered an adult offender along with Huerta, had his case transferred to juvenile court.

He pleaded guilty in November 2014 to ongoing criminal conduct, second-degree robbery and criminal gang participation. He was placed at the Eldora Training School, according to court records.

Karzins case was closed in February of this year and his court supervision ceased.

He has a hearing scheduled for July 19, 2018, on whether his juvenile court record should be sealed.

No criminal or juvenile court records for Bolden or Ulrich were found in Cerro Gordo Countys online court records.

A state law that went into effect on July 1 made most juvenile delinquency records confidential. The law applies to proceedings that were pending or arose on or after July 1.
In the annals of American photojournalism, Gordon Parks stands tall as one of the pioneers who shed light on issues many either didnt understand or chose to ignore altogether: civil rights, poverty and African-Americans.

Born in Kansas in 1912, he worked as a waiter and as a musician during the Great Depression. He discovered photography and soon fell in love with the craft. In 1942, he found work with the Farm Security Administration, formed in 1937 to combat American rural property.

It was there at the FSA where the self-taught photographer found his footing. And it was there where one of his most iconic images was born  that of an African-American charwoman, standing in front of an American flag with a broom and a mop. Titled American Gothic, Washington, D.C., the notable photograph is part of a series of images Parks took of Ella Watson, a member of the FSA cleaning crew.

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Before moving to the nations capital, Parks said he had experienced prejudice and discrimination, but it wasnt until he moved to Washington, D.C., that he realized discrimination and bigotry were worse there than any place I had yet seen.

American Gothic, in a way, was an opportunity for Parks to initiate a dialogue about race in America.

A new exhibition of Parks work  presented by the San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art and the Veterans Museum of Balboa Park  is meant to continue that dialogue. The Photography of Gordon Parks, on view from Nov. 12 to Dec. 16, is designed to complement the Veterans Museums expansive Vietnam War retrospective, which opened last year in observance of the 40th anniversary of the fall of Saigon.

Gordon Parks had a unique gift, said Gaidi Finnie, executive director of the San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art and co-curator of the exhibition. He used his photographs to expose the injustice of segregation and racism by putting a human face to it. The juxtaposition of these photos with the reality of African-Americans leaving segregated neighborhoods to fight for democracy halfway around the world in Vietnam is the focus for the exhibit. We are extremely pleased to present Parks brilliant works and pay a tribute to the troops, which is long overdue.

The Photography of Gordon Parks

When: Nov. 12-Dec. 16. Museum hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.

Where: Veterans Museum of Balboa Park, 2115 Park Blvd., San Diego

Tickets: Exhibit is free, but normal museum tickets are $5 general admission, $4 veterans and seniors (65 and older), $2 students with valid I.D., free for members, active duty military and children under 12.

Phone: (619) 239-2300

Online: veteranmuseum.org

Carolyn Smith, a member of the San Diego African American Museum of Fine Arts board of directors and co-curator, said the pairing of the Parks photographs with the Vietnam retrospective was a deliberate marriage of the two concepts: Parks great photos and the irony of African-American troops who had to go do that in the midst of the civil rights movement and coming back to a country where they were still discriminated against.

Finnie said that todays social climate makes the exhibition even more potent.

I want people to realize that Black Lives Matter happened back then, too, he said.

The Parks exhibition  featuring 19 photographs he took for Life magazine  opens Saturday with a screening of The Anderson Platoon, which won the 1967 Academy Award for best documentary. It chronicles the story of an integrated combat unit led by Joseph Anderson. A question-and-answer session featuring Vietnam War veterans will follow the screening.

This entire exhibit and the associated programming give people an opportunity to be in the shoes of the veteran and hear firsthand what happened, how it happened, Smith said. They havent talked about it for over 30 years. For those of us who werent there, its easy to be dismissive of what they went through. Were hoping that we change that view.

Choosing the images for the Parks exhibit, Smith said, was no easy task.

Gordon had an amazing body of work, she said. He used his camera as a weapon against racism, and it was a very powerful weapon. We would have had a hundred photos if we had the budget. In the end, we chose images that helped accomplish what we are trying to do.

And that, Finnie said, is to spread the knowledge about the black experience: Thats the vision for this museum  to expose the region to that experience. Theres less and less of that going on for some reason. We always ask ourselves: Are we choosing the right things, the right programming? Are we on track? Are we creating a conversation?

Smith agreed.

The only way to break down barriers, she said, is through understanding.

Special events

Nov. 12: For the exhibitions opening night, the award-winning film The Anderson Platoon will be screened. Winner of the 1967 Academy Award for best documentary, its about the integrated combat unit led by Lt. Joseph Anderson. A panel featuring Vietnam War veterans will follow the screening, which will be attended by Anderson. Presented as part of opening night festivities from 4-7:30 p.m. Free. Veterans Museum of Balboa Park, 2115 Park Blvd., San Diego. veteranmuseum.org.

Nov. 19: A discussion about the book We Gotta Get out of This Place, The Sound Tract for The Vietnam War, named by Rolling Stone magazine as the No. 1 book on music in 2015. 1 p.m. Free. Alumni Center of San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego.

Dec. 11: An appreciation brunch to say thank you to veterans will be held at Bayview Baptist Church. 1 p.m. Free. 6134 Benson Ave., San Diego. Free and open to the public.

Twitter: @outdoorlivingsd

michael.rocha@sduniontribune.com
Donald Trumps victory in the presidential election sparked protests across the nation Wednesday, with crowds marching through city streets, rallying at college campuses and staging walkouts at schools in an open disavowal of the president-elect.

Students at several Bay Area high schools got up from their seats in the middle of class and filed out. A throng of more than 1,000 young protesters gathered on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall, burning a giant Trump head in effigy and blocking traffic along Spring and 1st streets.

I expected better of my electorate, Vishal Singh, 23, said in downtown L.A. late Wednesday. He said he was reeling in shock over the support for a man he saw as opposed to immigrants and LGBT rights. I thought this country was different.

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Thousands of protesters blocked traffic in downtown Portland, Ore., Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia, with some torching flags. Demonstrators in Oakland smashed windows at five businesses and ignited trash containers and tires, police said.

In New York City, thousands clustered in front of Trumps flagship building, the Trump Tower, and repeated a common refrain: Not My President.

The demonstrators were mostly young, and some said they came out spontaneously, hoping to vent their shock and disappointment at Trumps upset victory over Hillary Clinton.

Ive been sad and angry all day, said Claire Mordowanec, 22, of Brooklyn. If I didnt come out, how would I explain to my kids one day that I didnt stand up for whats right?

The unrest began early Wednesday, soon after Trump delivered his victory speech. Shortly after midnight on UCLAs Westwood campus, an estimated 2,000 people rallied, according to UCLA police Sgt. Miguel Banuelos.

N.J. Omorogieva, 19, said she was heartbroken by the elections result when she spotted the growing crowd.

Of course, I joined in, she said. To give hugs to people who were overcome by devastation.

At Berkeley High School, about 1,500 students  half the entire student body  walked out of class after first period began at 8 a.m., Berkeley Unified School District officials said.

Students tweeted #NotMyPresident and pledged to unify. Others chanted Si, se puede, Spanish for Yes, we can, and waved Mexican flags, according to posts on social media.

Its not the first time weve had a walkout, said Berkeley Unified spokesman Charles Burress. We know what to expect, we know what we need to do.

School officials accompanied students as they marched, and there were no plans to discipline the students, Burress said.

1 / 68 Police arrest an anti-Trump protester in the early morning hours Saturday. The LAPD arrested about 150 people at Grand Park after a night of marching through downtown L.A. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 68 Police arrest about 150 anti-Trump protesters at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles in Saturdays early morning hours. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 68 An anti-Trump protester scales a fence at Grand Park in Los Angeles to avoid being arrested by police in the early morning hours Saturday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 68 LOS ANGELES, CALIF. -- THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016: Anti-Trump protesters on the 101 freeway, in Los Angeles, Calif., on Nov. 10, 2016. ((Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)) 5 / 68 Police prevent anti-Trump protesters from accessing the Harbor Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Friday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 68 On Friday night an estimated 3,000 people marched throughout downtown Los Angeles protesting the election of Donald Trump. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 68 An estimated 3,000 people filled the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Friday night to protest the election of Donald Trump. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 68 LAPD officers circle a protester while he was being arrested during an anti-Trump protest Friday night. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 68 Anti-Trump protesters fill the streets of downtown Los Angeles Friday evening. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 68 A large group of anti-Trump protesters walks over the 4th St. ramp, off the I-110 south freeway on Friday night. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 68 A protester stands in the middle of Spring Street in downtown Los Angeles during an anti-trump march Friday night. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles TImes) 12 / 68 Anti-Trump protesters on 4th steert marching into downtown Los Angeles on Friday night. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles TImes) 13 / 68 Garrett Gage, 28, of Woodland Hills holds an American flag as he protests in downtown Los Angeles on Friday night. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles TImes) 14 / 68 A passenger takes a video of anti-Trump protesters on downtown L.A. streets on Friday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 68 Hundreds of anti-Trump protesters stream down Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles on Friday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 68 Protesters gather on the steps of L.A. City Hall before beginning their march through the streets of downtown on Friday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 68 A protester waves the peace sign to LAPD officers blocking the intersection of Olive Street and Olympic Boulevard during an anti-Trump march through downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 68 A police officer takes aim at demonstrators after cans and bottles were thrown at LAPD officers during an anti-Trump march through downtown Los Angeles (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 68 Protesters chant and wave signs as LAPD officers halt their march through downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 68 Protesters raise their hands as LAPD officers halt their march through downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 68 Police officers stand guard at LA Live as anti-Trump demonstrators hit the streets. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 68 A anti-Trump demonstrator waves a large Mexican flag as protesters on the march snarl traffic in downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 68 Motorists wait it out as anti-Trump protesters on the march snarl traffic in downtown Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 68 A small group of demonstrators blocks traffic at the intersection of Figueroa Street and Chick Hearn Way. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 68 Demonstrators gathers march near LA Live to protest President-elect Donald Trump on Thursdaynight. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 68 A small group of demonstrators march down Second Street in L.A. to protest President-elect Donald Trump. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 68 Demonstrators march down Spring Street in L.A. to protest President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 68 Some motorist join in to cheer on the anti-Trump protesters march up San Pedro street in Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 68 Anti-Trump protesters march down Spring Street in Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 68 Anti-Trump protesters gather outside Los Angeles City Hall chanting, Love Trumps Hate on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 68 Anti-Trump protesters flood the 101 Freeway. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 68 Anti-Trump protesters gather outside of Los Angeles City Hall on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 68 Anti-Trump protesters gather outside of Los Angeles City Hall chanting, Not my president, not my president, in Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 68 There was graffiti tagging along the sidelines of the anti-Trump protest downtown in Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 68 An anti-Trump protester stands in defiance blind folded and holding an American flag in front of police officers, as protesters block up the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 68 Police shout at anti-Trump protesters on the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles on Nov. 10. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 68 A protesters with a Guy Fawkes mask stands aside watching other anti-Trump protesters on the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles on Nov. 10. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 68 Anti-Trump protesters march on the 101 Freeway near downtown Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 68 Protesters flood onto the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 68 Protesters climb out of the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 68 Protesters flood onto the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 68 A police officer watches protesters behind a concrete barrier along the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 68 Police officers form a line to prevent protesters from walking onto the 101 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 68 Police block traffic on the 101 Freeway near downtown L.A. as protesters rally against Donald Trumps election as president. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 68 Anti-Trump protesters on the 101 freeway, in Los Angeles, California. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 68 Anti-Trump protesters march on the 101 Freeway near downtown Los Angeles on Nov. 9. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 68 A driver is stuck in his car while Trump protesters block traffic in downtown Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 68 Protesters stop traffic in downtown Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 68 Anti-Trump protesters clear the road for an emergency vehicle in downtown Los Angeles. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 68 Protesters walk the streets of downtown Los Angeles, rallying against the election of Donald Trump. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 68 Protesters burn an effigy of Donald Trump outside Los Angeles City Hall. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 68 Protesters burn an effigy of Donald Trump outside Los Angeles City Hall on Wednesday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 68 Hundreds of anti-Donald Trump protesters hold a demonstration in Washington Square Park as New Yorkers react to the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) 54 / 68 Hundreds of anti-Donald Trump protesters hold a demonstration in Washington Square Park as New Yorkers react to the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) 55 / 68 Demonstrators block traffic on the 580 Freeway during a march through the streets in protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Oakland, California. (PETER DASILVA / EPA) 56 / 68 A demonstrator faces off with police during a march through the streets in protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Oakland, California. (PETER DASILVA / EPA) 57 / 68 A protester in San Francisco holds up a sign for President Obama in opposition of Donald Trumps presidential election victory. (Jeff Chiu / Associated Press) 58 / 68 Thousands of anti-Trump protesters shut down Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) 59 / 68 Protesters yell in San Francisco. (Jeff Chiu / Associated Press) 60 / 68 Students stage an anti-Trump rally on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 68 Tears are shed at the postelection candlelight vigil outside the White House. (Michael Reynolds / EPA) 62 / 68 Fletcher Jones, 14, joined other students at an anti-Trump rally at L.A. City Hall. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 68 An anti-Trump rally in Seattle. (Karen Ducey / Getty Images) 64 / 68 Emotions run high at the postelection protest at L.A. City Hall. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 68 Approximately 200 students protested President Elect Donald Trump on the steps of city hall (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 68 Anti-Trump protesters in New York City. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images) 67 / 68 Anti-Trump protesters march through downtown L.A. early Wednesday, shortly after the election result was announced. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 68 A postelection vigil outside the White House. (Michael Reynolds / EPA)

In downtown L.A. early Wednesday, a crowd gathered near City Hall and property was defaced, including a fence scrawled with graffiti insulting the incoming commander in chief.

The mood was more buoyant at the president-elects star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, where a small crowd of about 30 Trump supporters gathered early Wednesday to celebrate.

Diane Mendez, 23, a Trump supporter who volunteered at a polling place, said she came to observe what she saw as a turning point.

He said he would bring jobs back to America. We all need jobs, Mendez said. Who doesnt need jobs?

matt.hamilton@latimes.com | @MattHjourno

james.queally@latimes.com | @JamesQueallyLAT

barbara.demick@latimes.com

Demick reported from New York, Hamilton and Queally from Los Angeles. Times staff writers Joseph Serna and Alene Tchekmedyian contributed to this report.

ALSO

Donald Trump sets new tone in election night speech: Partnership, not conflict

Recreational marijuana will effectively become legal in California

Republicans hold the House and Senate, but will that end the Washington gridlock even with President Trump?

Trump won. Tell us how youre feeling

UPDATES:

9 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details on protests taking place across the U.S.

2:40 p.m.: This article was updated with reports of a protest at Los Angeles City Hall.

1:30 p.m.: This article was updated with reports of additional student walkouts in Northern California.

1 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from the Berkeley Unified School District.

10:10 a.m.: This article was updated with details of a student walkout in Berkeley and protests in other states.

7 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details on damage reported in Oakland.

3:20 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details about the demonstration at UCLA.

3 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details about protests in Oakland.

2:30 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details about demonstrations at UCLA and in Oakland.

2:10 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details about demonstrations in the Bay Area and downtown Los Angeles.

1:25 a.m.: This article was updated with a dispatch from a demonstration at Trumps star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

This article was originally published at 12:45 a.m.
MASON CITY | A man accused of shooting another man in downtown Mason City last month has pleaded not guilty to felony attempted murder and possession of a firearm as a felon.

Revell Toney, 19, will be tried Dec. 13 in Cerro Gordo County District Court.

The man he allegedly shot on Oct. 23 initially was in critical condition at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa but has since been released, according to Mason City Police Chief Jeff Brinkley.

The man "hopefully will make a full recovery," he said.

Police say the man was shot in the buttocks and arm about 2 a.m. in the plaza outside the north entrance of Southbridge Mall.

Police have not released the man's name.

-- Mary Pieper
A cocaine-fueled gun fanatic armed himself with an assault rifle and launched a rampage Tuesday in his Azusa neighborhood, killing one man and critically wounding two women before he attempted to ambush responding police officers.

During a furious gun battle in the quiet San Gabriel Valley neighborhood, police shot him dead, and his body was found in a homes entryway.

The gunfire forced authorities to secure the neighborhood and shut down nearby polling places  sending voters scrambling to find alternate locations as police confronted the assailant.

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The motive for the shooting remained under investigation, but Los Angeles County Sheriffs Lt. John Corina said the 45-year-old assailant was on a cocaine binge that had prompted his wife and two children to leave the familys home Monday evening.

He is kind of a gun fanatic, Corina said. He came out in the street and, according to people, he started shooting randomly at people.

Parents evacuate their children after Slauson Middle School was placed on lockdown during a shooting at the intersection of Orange Avenue and Fourth Street in Azusa. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times )

About 2 p.m. Tuesday, the man  who has not been publicly identified  armed himself with handguns, a rifle and shotgun. Clad in black combat gear, he headed for the street.

He opened fire at a woman driving a van, causing her to crash into cars.

When a 77-year-old neighbor left his home to see the commotion, the assailant fatally shot him, Corina said.

A woman making her way down the street was also wounded in the rampage.

Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Ron Singleton said that the women, ages 65 and 59, were airlifted to a hospital. Corina said the women remained in critical condition and have not spoken with detectives.

Responding officers were tending to the victims when they were met with a hail of gunfire by a gunman armed with an assault rifle with a rapid-fire capability, acting Azusa Police Chief Steve Hunt said.

He was hiding when officers came up, Corina said, adding that police had seen the wounded victims in the neighborhood. When they went attend to those people, he opened up fire.

The shooter fired at least 20 rounds at police.

Officers took cover and returned shots at the assailant, who retreated into a home in the 500 block of Fourth Street. No officers were injured.

I heard this boom boom like a rifle or shotgun, and then I heard pop pop back, then boom boom again, said neighbor Hector Serrano, 21.

I came outside and [police] were throwing gas at the house.

Another neighbor saw the same man as he was walking away from the Memorial Park parking lot.

I just ran inside, Fabiola Morena, 47, said after the man stopped to reload his weapon and glanced her way. I secured the door, grabbed my granddaughter and ran into the bathroom, and we locked ourselves there.

Inside the home, she heard police sirens and more gunshots.

I dont know if he shot at the police or they shot at him, but it was several gunshots, said Morena, who spoke to The Times by phone while locked in the room. I was afraid a bullet would come through the walls of the house.

Liberata Collela said she saw a body lying near the front door of the house next door.

Sheriffs officials used a robot with a camera to confirm the gunman was dead.

Inside his home, investigators found hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and family members told authorities he would occasionally binge on cocaine, Corina said.

The man was employed at a public works division in an unidentified Orange County city and was previously in the U.S. military, Corina said.

He collected guns and had at least four weapons, including handguns, a shotgun and a rifle. He had lived in the Azusa home for about five months.

Officials said that an earlier report by authorities that the shooter was a woman was the result of misinformation as the events were unfolding.

The shooting unsettled Azusa  a bedroom community of 50,000 that marks the entrance to the San Gabriel Canyon  on the eve of a contentious election.

The Azusa Unified School District issued a lockdown for Slauson Middle and Mountain View Elementary schools about 2:15 p.m., officials said. A nearby daycare center and preschool were also locked down.

As helicopters droned above, residents attempted to navigate around sheriffs cruisers stationed in multiple intersections, cutting off traffic. Some approached officers outside the citys police headquarters, searching for a place to vote. Residents were told they could cast a provisional ballot anywhere in the county.

Rosa Valdovinos, 62, said she had raced to Memorial Park, where some children who attend nearby schools huddled on a bleacher, and was relieved to learn her grandson had already been picked up by a relative. Still, she was rattled by the violence.

We never have this happen before here in Azusa. Especially with the election? Its weird, Valdovinos said. There are so many crazy people, acting emotionally.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

For breaking news in California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter.

Times staff writers Ruben Vives, Corina Knoll and Matt Hamilton contributed to this report.

ALSO

Prosecutor defends decision to charge woman with selling illegal ceviche

Head of drug ring that moved more than $12 million worth of synthetic marijuana pleads guilty

Women who alleged sexual assault by 2 LAPD officers testify: I didnt really feel like I had a choice

UPDATES:

11:20 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with details on what led to the shooting.

8:10 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with additional details on the circumstances of the shooting and minor editing.

6:25 p.m.: This article was updated with new details that the gunman was found dead.

6:19 p.m.: This article was updated with another witness describing the standoff.

5:55 p.m.: This article was updated with details about a body being removed from a home.

5:30 p.m.: This article was updated with Los Angeles County Fire Department confirmed the deceased was a man in his 70s.

4:52 p.m.: This article was updated with new details by the Azusa Police Chief.

4:42 p.m.: This article was updated with a second witness account.

4:13 p.m.: The article was updated with sourcing from law enforcement.

4:06 p.m.: The article was updated with a witness account.

3:41 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details.

3:35 p.m.: This article was updated with Los Angeles County Fire Department confirming one person was dead on arrival.

3:25 p.m.: This article was updated with a Los Angeles County Sheriffs captain confirming four people were shot and a suspect was heavily armed.

3:10 p.m.: This article was updated with details about the location of the shooting and police urging residents to shelter in place.

This article was originally published at 3 p.m.
A sex offender who was accused of trying to abduct a 14-year-old girl in National City three years ago was acquitted of the felony charge.

Juan Antonio Chavez, 47, faced charges of attempted kidnapping and attempted child molestation, stemming from a January 2013 incident.

A Granger Junior High student told police she was walking home from school along Grove Street about 3:45 p.m. when she saw a man following her in a white BMW. She told police the man motioned for her to walk over to him, and he called out to her.

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She called 911 after being followed two blocks.

Police officers were interviewing the girl when she noticed Chavezs car drive by and she pointed it out. The officers chased after the car and made the arrest.

Chavez, who has previous sex crime convictions, was tried twice in connection with the 2013 incident.

The first ended in a mistrial earlier this year because of juror misconduct. One of the jurors conducted online research about Chavezs criminal record, said Deputy District Attorney Harrison Kennedy.

Jurors are not allowed to use information in their deliberations other than the evidence presented to them in court.

Chavezs retrial began Oct. 12 in Chula Vista Superior Court. On Oct. 27, the jurors revealed they had found him not guilty of the attempted kidnapping charge.

The panel was unable to reach a unanimous decision on the attempted child molestation charge.

Judge Francis Devaney dismissed that count last week.

According to the Megans Law website, Chavez has been accused of previous offenses including rape by force, assault with intent to rape and oral copulation with a minor using force or fear.

When he was 22 years old, he escaped from a San Diego courtroom holding cell by slipping under the door at lunchtime. He had been charged with rape, attempted kidnapping and burglary in a 1990 case, according to a 1991 report in the San Diego Tribune.

The Megans Law database identifies Chavez as a transient.

Breaking News

dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @danalittlefield
A Chula Vista woman who smuggled 26 pounds of fentanyl in her pickup from Mexico was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Graciela Poteciano, 43, was convicted at trial in San Diego federal court in July. On May 24, she drove a Chevy Avalanche through the San Ysidro Port of Entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers found the fentanyl in a spare tire attached to the undercarriage, along with 10 pounds of methamphetamine and 6 pounds of heroin.

The drugs had a combined street value of more than $159,000, according to evidence presented at trial by the U.S. Attorneys Office.

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During the sentencing on Monday, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez noted how dangerous fentanyl is and how it has been linked to several overdoses nationwide, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Fentanyl is an opioid painkiller used in hospitals that can be 25 to 50 times more potent than heroin. When it is produced in illegal laboratories, it can be 100 times stronger than morphine, and even trace amounts can be fatal, prosecutors said. Mexican drug cartels, including the Sinaloa, which controls trafficking routes into Southern California, are producing the drug in labs using precursor chemicals from China, according to prosecutors, citing investigations by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Also Monday, a Tijuana man pleaded guilty to his role smuggling fentanyl in a separate case.

Jose Arturo Acevedo, 35, tried to smuggle 5,857 pills containing fentanyl into the U.S., although the blue pills had the markings of oxycodone. He also brought in 55 pounds of methamphetamine, 24 pounds of cocaine and 12 pounds of heroin.

The 24 packages of drugs were hidden in a speaker box on the floor of his vehicle.

Fentanyl remains an extremely dangerous public safety threat, U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy said in a statement. I continue to be alarmed by the number of fentanyl seizures we are seeing at our borders, which can only mean more tragic deaths if users dont wake up and take these warnings to heart.

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavis
A man who broke into a Mira Mesa business where he used to work and then beat and fatally stabbed an employee there was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without parole.

Leopoldo Pacuan, 51, was convicted in September of first-degree murder and a special-circumstance allegation of murder during a robbery in the death of Raquel Morales, 63.

Morales, who was killed in May 2014, was a supervisor at LBC Express, a cargo and courier service that caters to the Filipino community. She was a married mother of two adult sons.

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Pacuan had worked at the business on Mira Mesa Boulevard before but was on leave at the time of the killing.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Timothy Walsh sentenced Pacuan as prescribed by state law. He noted during the Wednesday morning hearing that he had handled hundreds of cases involving extreme violence throughout his legal career, and that this case ranked among the most brutal.

It was extremely violent, extremely brutal and obviously senseless, the judge said.

According to police and prosecutors, Morales husband called police on May 18, 2014, before 2 a.m., asking them to check on his wife because she had not returned home from work.

Police found Morales body in the back of the business near a floor safe. The body, which was lying in a pool of blood, showed obvious signs of trauma, including stab wounds to the upper chest.

Her watch and wedding ring were missing, along with her purse and cellphone.

Deputy District Attorney Amy Maund said Pacuan went to the business the night of the killing and asked the victim to help him with a transaction  wiring money to the Philippines  after hours.

Maund said Pacuan knew about $18,000 was in the safe, and he was focused on that. The prosecutor argued that Pacuan likely smashed Morales head onto the safe when she refused to open it.

The after-hours transaction was noted on the business bookkeeping records, without Morales signature, which raised suspicion and helped lead police to Pacuan. His DNA was found on part of a latex glove found underneath the body. An examination of his SUV, which was also seen in grainy surveillance video, revealed Morales blood was in the vehicle.

Cellphone records showed he was in the area of LBC Express at the time of the murder, Maund said.

During the sentencing hearing, Morales family members asked the judge to show no mercy to the defendant, whom they called a monster for attacking the victim and leaving her to die alone.

She was my loving wife and best friend for more than 36 years, Rico Morales said. I relive the nightmare of her murder time and time again.

Then, of his family, he said: We hope and pray that God will heal us.

The victims eldest sister, Madonna Nocon, talked about Raquel Morales sense of humor and infectious laugh. The sister said she and other family members still have not told their mother, who is in her 90s, the grisly details of Morales death.

No mother should have to go through that, she said.

dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @danalittlefield
Democrat Mara Elliott was the top vote getter in the race for San Diego City Attorney, defeating Republican Robert Hickey. With 100 percent of precincts counted early Wednesday, Elliott had 56.6 percent of the vote compared to Hickeys 43.3 percent.

Elliott will replace City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, who is termed out of office after eight years in the position.

As of Oct. 22, Elliotts campaign had spent about $353,000, compared to about $512,000 by Hickeys candidate campaign, according to reports posted to the City of San Diego City Clerks Office website.

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Hickey, 47, a county prosecutor, and Elliott, 48, a Goldsmith deputy, both have long track records in public service. The two tangled during the campaign about the stadium ballot measures, handling of sexual abuse cases and who had the best experience to hold the office.

Elliott accused Hickey of hiding his views on the stadium measures. On the stadium initiatives, Measure C and Measure D, Elliott attacked Hickey for not taking a position while she opposes both because they would divert higher hotel taxes away from core city services.

Hickey has said Elliotts comments indicate she might shame sexual abuse victims and she doesnt have the experience as a prosecutor necessary to lead an office with an increasing criminal caseload.

The job of city attorney includes advising the mayor and City Council on various issues, prosecuting misdemeanors and defending the city against lawsuits.

1 / 42 Poll worker Bea Iwig had John Wickenhiser, the first voter to complete a ballot, verify ballot box was empty before sealing it. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 42 Trump supporters erupt in cheer after it was announced the Donald Trump is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 42 Cooper Gabriel, 4, literally bounces off the walls while his mother Kate Gabriel marks her ballot at the polling place at the First Church of the Nazarene, Point Loma. Peggy Peattie (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 42 National City resident Luis Arturo Chapas didnt wait for a voting booth to fill out his ballot, instead standing nearby to them in the produce section at the Foodland Grocery Store and Mercado in National City. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 42 Proposition 64 supporter Dion Markgraaff smokes a joint at a rally supporting the legalization of recreational marijuana use upon hearing the proposition passed Tuesday night. (David Brooks / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 42 Avary Morales, 9, from Santee, cheers as she watches election results showing Donlad Trump in the lead at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 42 Trump supporters Morgan Wonderly, left, and Kendall Depasgal celebrate after it was announced the Donald Trump is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 42 Raul Travesi, 13, right, who says he supports Hillary Clinton, has a worried look on his face as he watches election results on a television monitor as he and other students with the St. John of the Cross Catholic School do a field trip at Golden Hall in San Diego on Tuesday. The couple are Roberts supporters. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 42 Congressman Darrell Issa answers reporters questions at his Oceanside campaign headquarters. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 42 After the announcement that Hillary Clinton will not speak tonight, Jessica Goeldner from Little Italy carries off a souvenir photo cut out of President Barack Obama from the Westin Hotel. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 42 Trump supporter Eileen Sheridan cries tears of joy after it was announced the Donald Trump is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 42 Incumbent Darrel Issa for the 49th Congressional District sits during a television interview at Golden Hall on election night. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 42 Alicia Guerra from Chula Vista wore her partyas hat at the Westin Hotel where many democrats waited to watch results come in from Tuesdayas election. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 42 Early morning voters the polling place inside the Encinitas Boxing and Fitness Center. Howard Lipin (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 42 Voters lined up to cast their ballots in Scripps Ranch. John Gibbins (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 42 County Supervisor candidate Kristin Gaspar at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 42 County Supervisor Dave Roberts walks toward his next interview as County Supervisor candidate Kristin Gaspar, background left, is does an interview at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 18 / 42 Trump supporters cheer as they watch a television monitor showing presidential candidate Donald Trump speaking after it was announced that he is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 19 / 42 Dave Roberts, at right, visits and thanks his volunteers at his Solana Beach campaign headquarters he shares with Doug Applegate. With him are family members, LtoR: son Julian 15, his spouse Wally holding their son Manny, 3, and their daughter Natalie, 8. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 20 / 42 Waiting for the polls to open in Scripps Ranch are, Mark Keiper, John Wickenhiser and Gloria Poliner. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 21 / 42 Avary Morales, 9, from Santee, crosses her fingers as she and her sister Bella Morales, 15, watch election results showing Donlad Trump in the lead at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 42 Ron Ranson, from Encinitas, points out the results that says County Supervisor Dave Roberts is ahead of Kristin Gaspar is ahead to his wife Nicola at Golden Hall in San Diego on Tuesday. The couple are Roberts supporters. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 23 / 42 A voter selects a sticker after casting their ballot in La Jolla Tuesday morning. Peggy Peattie (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 24 / 42 Workers at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters take in the first ballots at 9:30pm on Tuesday nigh after the poles closed in San Diego, California. Ballots will be counted all night long. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 25 / 42 Workers at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters take in the first ballots at 9:30pm on Tuesday nigh after the poles closed in San Diego, California. Ballots will be counted all night long. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 26 / 42 Congressman Darrell Issa, left, confers with volunteer Taylor Strand, right, between calls while they were working the phone bank at his campaign office on election day. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 27 / 42 Donald Trump supporter, Martha Doirom, age-82 from Chula Vista has waited for the past 8-years for the Republicans to return back to the Whitehouse. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 28 / 42 State senate candidate Toni Atkins and Congress Scott Peters, for the 52nd District, speak to each other at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 29 / 42 Poll worker Tad Pinney checked in Mark Keiper, the first voter in line, who got there 20 minutes early to vote. John Gibbins (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 30 / 42 Chargers fans Denise Coulter, left, and Reshawn Langston cheer with other supporters for Measure C, the measure for the downtown San Diego Chargers stadium, at Cali Comfort BBQ in Spring Valley on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 31 / 42 Douglas Applegate running candidate for the 49th Congressional District arrived at Golden Hall Tuesday night but was not ready to claim victory or defeat. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 32 / 42 Tuesday afternoon 49th. Congressional District candidate Doug Applegate speaks to two 14 year olds on their bikes in front of the Carlsbad Fire Station #4 polling place. He spoke to members of the media there earlier and the kids stopped by to see what was going on. Left is Bennett Strick and at right is Cyrus Cerda. He didnt enter the polling place or speak to any voters. He voted earlier in San Clemente. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 33 / 42 Rexie Saldivar, of Scripps Ranch, left, takes a selfie photo with her daughter, Sabrina Saldivar, center, and her son, Michael Saldivar, right, in front of a display of I Voted signs in different languages, at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 34 / 42 Election worker John Mann deposits mail-in ballots dropped off at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office into a secured lock box at the drive-thru lane. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 35 / 42 Sally West, a field service representative from the Registrar of Voters, looks to see that a polling place at the First Church of the Nazarene in Point Loma has everything it needs. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 36 / 42 Candidate for city attorney Robert Hickey, left, and friends Ryley Webb, center, and Ian Clampett waved signs at the intersection of Nimitz and Sunset Cliffs Blvds. Tuesday morning before he went to his polling place near Point Loma Nazarene to cast his vote. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 37 / 42 Supports for Douglas Applegate, running candidate for the 49th Congressional District waited in Golden Hall for their candidate to arrive on election night. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 38 / 42 Jennifer Moore waits for 7:00am on her clock to announce that the polling place inside the Encinitas Boxing and Fitness Center is open for voting. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 39 / 42 San Diego, CA. USA November 8, 2016 | Poll workerDeborah Bunker, a first time poll volunteer, slips a ballot into the box through the secret sleeve at a catholic church in La Jolla Tuesday morning. | Mandatory photo credit: Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 40 / 42 Congressman for the 49th District Darrell Issa leaves one television interview and heads to the next at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 41 / 42 Supporting her Hillary Clinton for president, Deborah Boyd from Poway arrived at Golden Hall on to observe the election. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 42 / 42 Boltman, or Dan Jauregui, fires up supporters for Measure C, the measure for the downtown San Diego Chargers stadium, at Cali Comfort BBQ in Spring Valley on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

The City Attorneys Office prosecutes thousands of misdemeanors each year, but no felonies.

In his nearly two decades as a deputy district attorney, Hickey was the first San Diego prosecutor to use state wiretaps in gang murder investigations. He was behind the successful prosecution of the Dr. Js murders in southeastern San Diego. He holds a law degree from the University of San Diego and lives in Point Loma.

Elliott lives in Scripps Ranch and has a law degree from McGeorge School of Law. Her resume includes work as a senior deputy county counsel, a deputy general counsel at the San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board and an attorney for public school districts.

Elliott was endorsed by her colleagues in the Deputy City Attorneys Association. She wants to cut red tape at City Hall, and wants to expand consumer protection efforts to crack down on fraud and abuse. She also wants to direct more resources to public safety, with office prosecutors taking on gangs, slumlords and others.
Retired educator and appointed incumbent Rick Shea held a slight lead over former state legislator Mark Wyland in the battle for a seat on the San Diego County Board of Education.

Shea had 50.5 percent of the vote to Wylands 49.5 percent, with 100 percent of precincts counted early Wednesday morning. There were 1,240 votes separating the two, with thousands of mail ballots yet to be counted.

Roughly a million dollars in contributions have poured into the race, which has pitted advocates of charter schools against teachers unions. At stake in the election is the balance of power on the five-member board  and influence over everything from the fate of charters to the search for a new county superintendent.

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Shea has the backing of the the American Federation of Teachers, Guild Local 1931, which represents San Diego and Grossmont Cuyamaca Community College faculty. Shea lost his bid for the county board in 2014 but was appointed to the office last year to fill a vacancy.

Wyland has support from the California Charter Schools Associations political arm, which has spent millions on state and local races this election season. Wyland is a former Escondido Union School District board member.

The contest to represent the northwestern swath of the county in District 5 comes as the board is preparing to hire a new superintendent after Randy Ward recently submitted his resignation.

The San Diego County Office of Education provides curriculum support and financial oversight for the regions 42 school districts. It also reviews petitions for countywide charters and votes on appeals from charters rejected by their local districts.

If elected, Wyland would establish a charter-backed majority on the board. Two candidates for the board  Paulette Donnellon and Mark Powell  were elected outright in June with support from the state charter schools advocacy group.

A victory for Shea would maintain a union-backed board majority. Trustee Guadalupe Gonzalez, who was also appointed to office last year, was elected outright in June with help from the American Federation of Teachers.

The states charter association has argued that quality charters were denied their appeals by the county board due to bias. Six of seven charter petitions reviewed in recent years were denied.

Publicly funded and independently operated charters have fallen under intense scrutiny amid a series of unfavorable reports, high-profile incidents of mismanagement and court rulings.
Rep. Scott Peters won a third term easily defeating Republican businesswoman Denise Gitsham on Tuesday.

Peters led with 57 percent to Gitshams 43 percent, with 100 percent of the precincts reporting.

In less competitive races, Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, easily defeated Democratic challenger Patrick Malloy, 64 percent to 35 percent, Rep. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, outpaced Republican Juan Hidalgo 73 percent to 27 percent, and Rep. Susan Davis defeated Republican James Veltmeyer 66 percent to 34 percent.

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These candidates represent districts with lopsided voter registrations where incumbents in the majority party tend to face little or no serious challenge.

Peters, who has been in much closer races before, said he was able to take such a wide early lead because voters have gotten to know him as a representative who fights for civil rights and businesses alike.

Its the third time weve done this and I feel like the voters got to know me and they appreciate my bi partisan problem solving qualities, he said.

Peters, first elected in 2012, ran on his reputation as a business-friendly Democrat. He earned the endorsements of both the local and national chambers of commerce, as well as President Barack Obama.

Gitsham, a former member of George W. Bushs 2000 campaign and later a part of his presidential administration, started a small public relations firm in Southern California after working for a K Street lobbying firm in Washington and Sapphire Energy, the latter of which brought her to San Diego.

Gitsham faced Peters and a field of four other Republicans in the June primary to advance to the general election. Peters finished the primary with 58.8 percent of the vote to Gitshams 16.1 percent.

1 / 42 Poll worker Bea Iwig had John Wickenhiser, the first voter to complete a ballot, verify ballot box was empty before sealing it. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 42 Trump supporters erupt in cheer after it was announced the Donald Trump is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 42 Cooper Gabriel, 4, literally bounces off the walls while his mother Kate Gabriel marks her ballot at the polling place at the First Church of the Nazarene, Point Loma. Peggy Peattie (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 42 National City resident Luis Arturo Chapas didnt wait for a voting booth to fill out his ballot, instead standing nearby to them in the produce section at the Foodland Grocery Store and Mercado in National City. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 42 Proposition 64 supporter Dion Markgraaff smokes a joint at a rally supporting the legalization of recreational marijuana use upon hearing the proposition passed Tuesday night. (David Brooks / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 42 Avary Morales, 9, from Santee, cheers as she watches election results showing Donlad Trump in the lead at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 42 Trump supporters Morgan Wonderly, left, and Kendall Depasgal celebrate after it was announced the Donald Trump is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 42 Raul Travesi, 13, right, who says he supports Hillary Clinton, has a worried look on his face as he watches election results on a television monitor as he and other students with the St. John of the Cross Catholic School do a field trip at Golden Hall in San Diego on Tuesday. The couple are Roberts supporters. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 42 Congressman Darrell Issa answers reporters questions at his Oceanside campaign headquarters. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 42 After the announcement that Hillary Clinton will not speak tonight, Jessica Goeldner from Little Italy carries off a souvenir photo cut out of President Barack Obama from the Westin Hotel. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 42 Trump supporter Eileen Sheridan cries tears of joy after it was announced the Donald Trump is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 42 Incumbent Darrel Issa for the 49th Congressional District sits during a television interview at Golden Hall on election night. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 42 Alicia Guerra from Chula Vista wore her partyas hat at the Westin Hotel where many democrats waited to watch results come in from Tuesdayas election. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 42 Early morning voters the polling place inside the Encinitas Boxing and Fitness Center. Howard Lipin (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 42 Voters lined up to cast their ballots in Scripps Ranch. John Gibbins (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 42 County Supervisor candidate Kristin Gaspar at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 42 County Supervisor Dave Roberts walks toward his next interview as County Supervisor candidate Kristin Gaspar, background left, is does an interview at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 18 / 42 Trump supporters cheer as they watch a television monitor showing presidential candidate Donald Trump speaking after it was announced that he is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 19 / 42 Dave Roberts, at right, visits and thanks his volunteers at his Solana Beach campaign headquarters he shares with Doug Applegate. With him are family members, LtoR: son Julian 15, his spouse Wally holding their son Manny, 3, and their daughter Natalie, 8. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 20 / 42 Waiting for the polls to open in Scripps Ranch are, Mark Keiper, John Wickenhiser and Gloria Poliner. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 21 / 42 Avary Morales, 9, from Santee, crosses her fingers as she and her sister Bella Morales, 15, watch election results showing Donlad Trump in the lead at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 42 Ron Ranson, from Encinitas, points out the results that says County Supervisor Dave Roberts is ahead of Kristin Gaspar is ahead to his wife Nicola at Golden Hall in San Diego on Tuesday. The couple are Roberts supporters. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 23 / 42 A voter selects a sticker after casting their ballot in La Jolla Tuesday morning. Peggy Peattie (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 24 / 42 Workers at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters take in the first ballots at 9:30pm on Tuesday nigh after the poles closed in San Diego, California. Ballots will be counted all night long. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 25 / 42 Workers at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters take in the first ballots at 9:30pm on Tuesday nigh after the poles closed in San Diego, California. Ballots will be counted all night long. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 26 / 42 Congressman Darrell Issa, left, confers with volunteer Taylor Strand, right, between calls while they were working the phone bank at his campaign office on election day. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 27 / 42 Donald Trump supporter, Martha Doirom, age-82 from Chula Vista has waited for the past 8-years for the Republicans to return back to the Whitehouse. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 28 / 42 State senate candidate Toni Atkins and Congress Scott Peters, for the 52nd District, speak to each other at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 29 / 42 Poll worker Tad Pinney checked in Mark Keiper, the first voter in line, who got there 20 minutes early to vote. John Gibbins (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 30 / 42 Chargers fans Denise Coulter, left, and Reshawn Langston cheer with other supporters for Measure C, the measure for the downtown San Diego Chargers stadium, at Cali Comfort BBQ in Spring Valley on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 31 / 42 Douglas Applegate running candidate for the 49th Congressional District arrived at Golden Hall Tuesday night but was not ready to claim victory or defeat. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 32 / 42 Tuesday afternoon 49th. Congressional District candidate Doug Applegate speaks to two 14 year olds on their bikes in front of the Carlsbad Fire Station #4 polling place. He spoke to members of the media there earlier and the kids stopped by to see what was going on. Left is Bennett Strick and at right is Cyrus Cerda. He didnt enter the polling place or speak to any voters. He voted earlier in San Clemente. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 33 / 42 Rexie Saldivar, of Scripps Ranch, left, takes a selfie photo with her daughter, Sabrina Saldivar, center, and her son, Michael Saldivar, right, in front of a display of I Voted signs in different languages, at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 34 / 42 Election worker John Mann deposits mail-in ballots dropped off at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office into a secured lock box at the drive-thru lane. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 35 / 42 Sally West, a field service representative from the Registrar of Voters, looks to see that a polling place at the First Church of the Nazarene in Point Loma has everything it needs. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 36 / 42 Candidate for city attorney Robert Hickey, left, and friends Ryley Webb, center, and Ian Clampett waved signs at the intersection of Nimitz and Sunset Cliffs Blvds. Tuesday morning before he went to his polling place near Point Loma Nazarene to cast his vote. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 37 / 42 Supports for Douglas Applegate, running candidate for the 49th Congressional District waited in Golden Hall for their candidate to arrive on election night. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 38 / 42 Jennifer Moore waits for 7:00am on her clock to announce that the polling place inside the Encinitas Boxing and Fitness Center is open for voting. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 39 / 42 San Diego, CA. USA November 8, 2016 | Poll workerDeborah Bunker, a first time poll volunteer, slips a ballot into the box through the secret sleeve at a catholic church in La Jolla Tuesday morning. | Mandatory photo credit: Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 40 / 42 Congressman for the 49th District Darrell Issa leaves one television interview and heads to the next at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 41 / 42 Supporting her Hillary Clinton for president, Deborah Boyd from Poway arrived at Golden Hall on to observe the election. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 42 / 42 Boltman, or Dan Jauregui, fires up supporters for Measure C, the measure for the downtown San Diego Chargers stadium, at Cali Comfort BBQ in Spring Valley on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Gitsham hammered Peters for his support of the Iran Nuclear Agreement and said that his support helped put in place a deal that not only did too little to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, but also provided money to a government that was a known financier of terrorist organizations.

The challenger, said she, would have liked to have done better, but she is proud that her campaign was able to get people who had never been involved in politics before engaged in this election.

What I think is important is that we had incredible momentum, particular in the last two weeks, she said.

While the candidates were assertive with each other through the campaign, they did not get personal, particularly by the standards of past two races in this district which took sometimes salacious twists.

I made it a point to always make it civil and focus on the votes. Americans are tired of politicians who go tit-for-tat and dont make a difference, Gitsham said.
City of San Diego voters approved a local marijuana tax and a charter amendment easing removal of wayward officials.

Other city measures approved on Tuesday include proposals to boost the power of November elections, allow San Diego High to remain in Balboa Park and guarantee millions in long-term funding for upgrades to Mission Bay Park and other regional parks.

Voters also approved measures that would strengthen review of police practices, allow the city to weed out incompetent contractors, boost retention of deputy city attorneys and increase city eligibility for federal low-income housing subsidies.

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Many of the measures were the result of a long effort to update the citys charter to modernize and streamline the document, which served as a sort of constitution for San Diego.

Councilman Todd Gloria said it was encouraging to see all of those measures succeed.

Gloria, a Democrat, also praised the measures boosting the power of the November electorate, which are expected to help Democrats and hurt Republicans in the short term.

I think this is a huge boon for democracy, he said.

Councilwoman Lorie Zapf, whose district includes Mission Bay Park, said she was pleased voters approved the parks funding measure.

We can put crucial Mission Bay Park projects first for the enjoyment of San Diegans and visitors, Zapf said.

Measure J, which won 71 percent to 29 percent, would secure an estimated $1.5 billion for city of San Diego parks by extending the end date from 2039 to 2069 of a previous ballot measure that directs lease revenue from Mission Bay Park to parks upgrades across the city.

City officials say the extension would allow the city to get $44 million in up-front capital, primarily for upgrades in Balboa Park, by creating a long-term funding stream the city could use to sell bonds.

Measure K, which won 58 percent to 42 percent, and Measure L, which was leading 66 percent to 34 percent, would boost the power of the November electorate.

Measure K would require November runoffs in all elections for City Council and mayor, while Measure L would prohibit votes on initiatives and referendums during June primaries unless the council OKs that.

Supporters say the measures would allow more voters to weigh in on the citys most pressing decisions and make leaders more accountable.

Measure N, which won 68 percent to 32 percent, would establish a local tax on recreational marijuana if Californians voters legalize it by passing Proposition 64, which also was approved.

Supporters say the city tax is a proactive way to deal with an expected increase in local costs if recreational marijuana is legalized, particularly costs for law enforcement.

San Diego leaders have indicated they will allow the sale of recreational marijuana, most likely at the citys eight legal dispensaries that now sell medical marijuana.

Measure E, which won 87 percent to 13 percent, would significantly expand opportunities to remove city officials for wrongdoing or inability to continue serving, changes prompted by struggles to remove Mayor Bob Filner in 2013 during a sexual harassment scandal.

Under current rules, elected officials can only be removed in San Diego if they die, resign or are the subject of a time-consuming recall election that requires signature gathering.

Measure E would amend the city charter to allow removal of elected officials for being convicted or pleading guilty to a felony, being convicted or pleading guilty to a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, or being found civilly liable for misconduct related to an officials job.

Removal could also happen for dereliction of duty, unlawful non-criminal conduct such as racial discrimination, or being declared mentally or physically incompetent by a judge.

Measure I, which won 77 percent to 23 percent, would pave the way for a new San Diego High lease in Balboa Park, ending concerns that the schools 50-year lease is set to expire in 2024.

Measure G, which won 82 percent to 18 percent, aims to increase scrutiny of San Diego police by changing some policies of the Citizens Review Board on Police Practices and giving officials greater discretion to make additional changes.

The panel, which would be renamed the Community Review Board on Police Practices, would be required to review all police-related shootings and all deaths occurring while someone is in police custody.

And possibly more importantly, it would allow the mayor and council to set the parameters of the board going forward, potentially paving the way for changes many critics have sought. One of those could be giving the board the power to subpoena witnesses.

Measure H, which won 77 percent to 23 percent, aims to help the city save money and increase the likelihood city projects get completed on time and as they were envisioned.

It was prompted by recent delays and cost overruns on projects such as Horton Plaza Park and new lifeguard towers in La Jolla and elsewhere.

The measure would amend the charter to eliminate a requirement the city always award construction and purchasing contracts to the lowest bidder.

Measure F, which won 68 percent to 32 percent, would shrink the probationary period for deputy city attorneys from two years to one, giving them civil service protections against getting fired sooner.

Measure M, which won 66 percent to 34 percent, would lift the citys cap for units of subsidized housing reserved for people of lower incomes, which would make the city eligible for more federal subsidies.

See latest state, local results 
San Diego County Supervisor Dave Roberts, a Democrat, appears headed to reelection, holding on to a narrow lead over his Republican challenger Kristin Gaspar.

As of early Wednesday, Roberts led with 51 percent to Gaspars 49 percent, with 100 percent of precincts counted. Countywide, thousands of mail ballots have yet to be counted.

A former Solana Beach councilman and mayor, Roberts won a seat on the board in 2012, becoming the first Democrat to be elected in 20 years.

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While he had the advantage of incumbency this time around, he had to battle back against a scandal that rocked his office last year and continued to dog his campaign throughout the primary and general election.

SEE LATEST LOCAL, STATE ELECTION RESULTS 

Last year, four women abruptly resigned from Roberts office, accusing their boss of having his staff do political work on county time and claiming Roberts had an improper but non-sexual relationship with an employee. Three women filed formal claims that the county eventually settled for $310,000.

Roberts attributed his lead to voters satisfaction with his record over the last four years, including his efforts to keep Palomar Healths Forensic Health Services open and working with his colleagues on the board to preserve more than 5,000 acres of open space in the county.

I think the voters were completely turned off by the continued negativity (by Gaspar) and appreciated me focusing on the issues they cared about, which is preserving and protecting their quality of life and improving their services., Roberts said Tuesday night.

During the campaign, Gaspar, mayor of Encinitas, didnt hesitate to remind voters of the former unrest in the supervisors office

Gaspar said she always expected the race to be a tight one, given the huge challenge of prevailing over an incumbent supervisor.

The scandals in his office are one of the contributing factors to why I entered the race in the first place, she said. Its important we restore respect to District 3, and its a reason why you see anyone coming close to beating an incumbent.

1 / 42 Poll worker Bea Iwig had John Wickenhiser, the first voter to complete a ballot, verify ballot box was empty before sealing it. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 42 Trump supporters erupt in cheer after it was announced the Donald Trump is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 42 Cooper Gabriel, 4, literally bounces off the walls while his mother Kate Gabriel marks her ballot at the polling place at the First Church of the Nazarene, Point Loma. Peggy Peattie (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 42 National City resident Luis Arturo Chapas didnt wait for a voting booth to fill out his ballot, instead standing nearby to them in the produce section at the Foodland Grocery Store and Mercado in National City. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 42 Proposition 64 supporter Dion Markgraaff smokes a joint at a rally supporting the legalization of recreational marijuana use upon hearing the proposition passed Tuesday night. (David Brooks / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 42 Avary Morales, 9, from Santee, cheers as she watches election results showing Donlad Trump in the lead at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 42 Trump supporters Morgan Wonderly, left, and Kendall Depasgal celebrate after it was announced the Donald Trump is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 42 Raul Travesi, 13, right, who says he supports Hillary Clinton, has a worried look on his face as he watches election results on a television monitor as he and other students with the St. John of the Cross Catholic School do a field trip at Golden Hall in San Diego on Tuesday. The couple are Roberts supporters. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 42 Congressman Darrell Issa answers reporters questions at his Oceanside campaign headquarters. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 42 After the announcement that Hillary Clinton will not speak tonight, Jessica Goeldner from Little Italy carries off a souvenir photo cut out of President Barack Obama from the Westin Hotel. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 42 Trump supporter Eileen Sheridan cries tears of joy after it was announced the Donald Trump is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 42 Incumbent Darrel Issa for the 49th Congressional District sits during a television interview at Golden Hall on election night. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 42 Alicia Guerra from Chula Vista wore her partyas hat at the Westin Hotel where many democrats waited to watch results come in from Tuesdayas election. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 42 Early morning voters the polling place inside the Encinitas Boxing and Fitness Center. Howard Lipin (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 42 Voters lined up to cast their ballots in Scripps Ranch. John Gibbins (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 42 County Supervisor candidate Kristin Gaspar at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 42 County Supervisor Dave Roberts walks toward his next interview as County Supervisor candidate Kristin Gaspar, background left, is does an interview at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 18 / 42 Trump supporters cheer as they watch a television monitor showing presidential candidate Donald Trump speaking after it was announced that he is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 19 / 42 Dave Roberts, at right, visits and thanks his volunteers at his Solana Beach campaign headquarters he shares with Doug Applegate. With him are family members, LtoR: son Julian 15, his spouse Wally holding their son Manny, 3, and their daughter Natalie, 8. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 20 / 42 Waiting for the polls to open in Scripps Ranch are, Mark Keiper, John Wickenhiser and Gloria Poliner. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 21 / 42 Avary Morales, 9, from Santee, crosses her fingers as she and her sister Bella Morales, 15, watch election results showing Donlad Trump in the lead at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 42 Ron Ranson, from Encinitas, points out the results that says County Supervisor Dave Roberts is ahead of Kristin Gaspar is ahead to his wife Nicola at Golden Hall in San Diego on Tuesday. The couple are Roberts supporters. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 23 / 42 A voter selects a sticker after casting their ballot in La Jolla Tuesday morning. Peggy Peattie (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 24 / 42 Workers at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters take in the first ballots at 9:30pm on Tuesday nigh after the poles closed in San Diego, California. Ballots will be counted all night long. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 25 / 42 Workers at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters take in the first ballots at 9:30pm on Tuesday nigh after the poles closed in San Diego, California. Ballots will be counted all night long. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 26 / 42 Congressman Darrell Issa, left, confers with volunteer Taylor Strand, right, between calls while they were working the phone bank at his campaign office on election day. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 27 / 42 Donald Trump supporter, Martha Doirom, age-82 from Chula Vista has waited for the past 8-years for the Republicans to return back to the Whitehouse. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 28 / 42 State senate candidate Toni Atkins and Congress Scott Peters, for the 52nd District, speak to each other at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 29 / 42 Poll worker Tad Pinney checked in Mark Keiper, the first voter in line, who got there 20 minutes early to vote. John Gibbins (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 30 / 42 Chargers fans Denise Coulter, left, and Reshawn Langston cheer with other supporters for Measure C, the measure for the downtown San Diego Chargers stadium, at Cali Comfort BBQ in Spring Valley on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 31 / 42 Douglas Applegate running candidate for the 49th Congressional District arrived at Golden Hall Tuesday night but was not ready to claim victory or defeat. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 32 / 42 Tuesday afternoon 49th. Congressional District candidate Doug Applegate speaks to two 14 year olds on their bikes in front of the Carlsbad Fire Station #4 polling place. He spoke to members of the media there earlier and the kids stopped by to see what was going on. Left is Bennett Strick and at right is Cyrus Cerda. He didnt enter the polling place or speak to any voters. He voted earlier in San Clemente. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 33 / 42 Rexie Saldivar, of Scripps Ranch, left, takes a selfie photo with her daughter, Sabrina Saldivar, center, and her son, Michael Saldivar, right, in front of a display of I Voted signs in different languages, at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 34 / 42 Election worker John Mann deposits mail-in ballots dropped off at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office into a secured lock box at the drive-thru lane. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 35 / 42 Sally West, a field service representative from the Registrar of Voters, looks to see that a polling place at the First Church of the Nazarene in Point Loma has everything it needs. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 36 / 42 Candidate for city attorney Robert Hickey, left, and friends Ryley Webb, center, and Ian Clampett waved signs at the intersection of Nimitz and Sunset Cliffs Blvds. Tuesday morning before he went to his polling place near Point Loma Nazarene to cast his vote. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 37 / 42 Supports for Douglas Applegate, running candidate for the 49th Congressional District waited in Golden Hall for their candidate to arrive on election night. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 38 / 42 Jennifer Moore waits for 7:00am on her clock to announce that the polling place inside the Encinitas Boxing and Fitness Center is open for voting. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 39 / 42 San Diego, CA. USA November 8, 2016 | Poll workerDeborah Bunker, a first time poll volunteer, slips a ballot into the box through the secret sleeve at a catholic church in La Jolla Tuesday morning. | Mandatory photo credit: Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 40 / 42 Congressman for the 49th District Darrell Issa leaves one television interview and heads to the next at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 41 / 42 Supporting her Hillary Clinton for president, Deborah Boyd from Poway arrived at Golden Hall on to observe the election. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 42 / 42 Boltman, or Dan Jauregui, fires up supporters for Measure C, the measure for the downtown San Diego Chargers stadium, at Cali Comfort BBQ in Spring Valley on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Throughout the campaign, Roberts touted his collaborative skills, working with other supervisors on such issues as mental health and programs for young people in the justice system, as well as grappling with an influx of offenders in the community from state prisons to local jails.

Gaspar, who helps her husband run a physical therapy firm with multiple North County locations, argued her work experience as chief financial officer gives her the business acumen to help county government run more efficiently.

In the June primary, she finished a strong second behind Roberts, with Escondido Mayor Sam Abed, a Republican, coming in third.

But shes maintained a consistent lead in fundraising, helped along by a special committee formed to support her candidacy and funded by the Chamber of Commerce, the Lincoln Club and developer and construction interests.

District 3 largely covers incorporated areas, spanning Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar, northern San Diego and Escondido.

Election Videos  On Now Banners opposing President Trump hanging nationwide On Now Without evidence, President Trump calls for major voter fraud investigation On Now LA 90: President Trump revives stalled oil pipelines. But will they really get built? On Now Gov. Jerry Brown calls for truth and civility On Now White House spokesman Sean Spicer on EPA media blackout On Now Conservative Colorado judge emerges as a top contender to fill Scalia's Supreme Court seat On Now HUD suspends FHA mortgage insurance rate cut an hour after Trump takes office On Now What Trumps Obamacare executive order does On Now President Trump's Inauguration Speech On Now Obama brings Biden to tears, awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom

UPDATES:

7:57 a.m.: This article was updated with new results from the County Registrar of Voters.
NORTHWOOD  Jane Bloomingdale was nearly at a loss for words after her victory in the Iowa House District 51.

Bloomingdale, R-Northwood, defeated Osage High School Principal Tim Hejhal, 9,380 to 5,625, for the spot vacated by Rep. Josh Byrnes, R-Osage.

Im excited and overwhelmed, she said late Tuesday night after the polls closed. And I dont even know what to say.

Currently in her second term as mayor of Northwood, Bloomingdale also served more than a decade as a city councilwoman.

The House District 51 race was one of several North Iowa contests that were not official until late Tuesday.

Worth Sheriff

The Worth County sheriffs race was one of the largest margins of victory of the night, with former Chief Deputy Dan Fank winning with 70 percent of the vote.

Forest City Police Officer Mark Wubben had 222 votes in unofficial results.

Fank was humbled by the result.

Humbled is the best word I can use, he said, taking a break from pulling campaign signs Wednesday morning. (Im) ready to pay em back for that and get out there and do the job.

Senate 26





Republican challenger Waylon Brown won one of those races, defeating state Sen. Mary Jo Wilhelm, D-Cresco.

The St. Ansgar resident won the race for State Senate District 26, with 19,127 votes to Wilhelms 11,531.

Wilhelm had been in the seat for two terms.

The district includes Mitchell, Floyd, Chickasaw and Howard counties and parts of Cerro Gordo, Winneshiek and Worth counties.

House 52





Rep. Todd Prichard, D-Charles City, fought off a challenge Tuesday to retain his seat in Iowa House District 52.

The Charles City resident defeated Republican Stacie Stokes, 8,153 to 6,841.

House District 52 covers Floyd, Chickasaw and eastern Cerro Gordo counties.

Winnebago Sheriff





In Winnebago County, Sheriff David Peterson withstood a challenge from Winnebago County Sheriffs Deputy Steve Hepperly, but just barely.
Catherine Blakespear will be the next mayor of Encinitas, based on unofficial election results early Wednesday.

With 100 percent of precincts counted, Blakespear had 67.2 percent of the vote compared to Paul Gaspars 32.7 percent.

Im ecstatic and tremendously relieved, said Blakespear, an attorney who is two years into her first term as a councilwoman.

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Gaspar, a physical therapy business owner whose wife became Encinitas first directly elected mayor two years ago, couldnt be reached for comment Tuesday night.

Blakespear said she was equally thrilled by the City Council results, which showed two candidates she supported in the election winning seats. In the council race, with three seats up for grabs, incumbent Tony Kranz had 23.2 percent of the vote, followed by Tasha Boerner Horvath, 21.7 percent and incumbent Mark Muir, with 20.8 percent. Not far behind were Tony Brandenburg with 17.5 percent and Phil Graham with 16.5 percent.

These early returns are very encouraging, Kranz, a printing company account executive, said. Im honored to be leading at this point and to have the confidence of the community to serve another four years.

Boerner Horvath wrote in a text to a reporterthat she hoped the trend continued throughout the night and described herself as both ecstatic and grateful for the initial results.

Election Videos  On Now Banners opposing President Trump hanging nationwide On Now Without evidence, President Trump calls for major voter fraud investigation On Now LA 90: President Trump revives stalled oil pipelines. But will they really get built? On Now Gov. Jerry Brown calls for truth and civility On Now White House spokesman Sean Spicer on EPA media blackout On Now Conservative Colorado judge emerges as a top contender to fill Scalia's Supreme Court seat On Now HUD suspends FHA mortgage insurance rate cut an hour after Trump takes office On Now What Trumps Obamacare executive order does On Now President Trump's Inauguration Speech On Now Obama brings Biden to tears, awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Though municipal elections are officially nonpartisan, Encinitas city politics have often been a battleground between whats typically described as a liberal, pro-environment Democratic group of residents and a conservative, pro-business Republican contingent.

Blakespear, Kranz and Boerner Horvath received the endorsement of the countys Democratic party and supported each other. Gaspar, Muir and Graham were endorsed by the Republican party, and backed each other.

The wild card in the election was Brandenburg, a retired Superior Court judge who serves with Boerner Horvath on the Encinitas Planning Commission. He, along with Blakespear, and incumbent councilmen Kranz and Muir, received the city firefighters associations endorsement, and he was the only Encinitas candidate who opposed Measure T --- a city-sponsored, housing planning plan that also was on Tuesdays ballot.

Control of a majority of the City Council seats has flipped back and forth over the years. The Democratic side --- currently represented by Blakespear, Kranz and Councilwoman Lisa Shaffer, who decided not to seek re-election this year --- currently holds a majority of the council seats. Recent decisions by that council majority, particularly the proposed alignment of a rail trail project in Cardiff, became campaign issues highlighted by their opponents in the final months before the election.

The mayors race was particularly contentious, with both of the candidates contending that the other was unqualified for the job. Blakespear said that Gaspar had no public service experience and his main qualification appeared to be that his wife was the current major, while Gaspar said that Blakespear pushed her own agenda as councilwoman without finding out what the public wanted and was later forced to change her decisions.

Because of the citys recent shift from an appointed mayoral system to an elected mayor, Encinitas voters found themselves in the unusual position Tuesday of picking candidates for four of the citys five elected leadership spots --- the mayors position and three of the four council seats. And, the one council seat thats not on the ballot is currently held by Blakespear.

When voters authorized the city to shift to an elected mayor in 2012, they voted to make it a two-year position, so the mayors spot will be back on the ballot again in 2018.

In order to accommodate the change to an elected mayor system, one of the three council seats up for election this year also will be a two-year post, but only temporarily.

The candidate who receives the least votes among the top three finishers in the council races will be given the two-year position, which will revert back to a four-year post in the next election cycle.
Donald Trumps presidential victory preserves the Supreme Courts narrow conservative majority by clearing the way for the new president to choose a jurist next year to fill the seat of the late Justice Antonin Scalia.

And with Republicans maintaining control of the Senate, Trump will have a free hand in selecting someone with strong conservative credentials, confident his nominee will be confirmed.

The election dashes the hopes of liberals, who lost their best opportunity in more than 40 years to create a majority on the high court.

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It also provided a validation of sorts for the obstruction strategy of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other Republicans, who refused for nearly nine months to consider President Obamas nominee to fill Scalias seat, Merrick Garland, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The future of the Supreme Courts ideological balance proved to be a critical factor for many Republican voters. In exit polls, about 1 in 5 voters said the Supreme Court appointments were the most important factor in their decision, and those voters favored Trump by a 57% to 40% margin, according to ABC News.

Now, the courts ideological balance should remain largely as it has been for the past decade, with Justice Anthony M. Kennedy holding the deciding vote in the courts biggest cases.

Kennedy generally leans to the right on issues such as campaign spending, criminal law, the death penalty, religion, business regulation and gun rights. But he has joined the courts four liberals to uphold gay rights and to protect blacks from housing discrimination.

Court disputes over voting laws often divide justices along party lines 

 In his 15-minute speech, Trump vowed to create jobs and rebuild Americas highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools and hospitals.

Trumps nominee to replace Scalia is not likely to trigger an immediate shift on abortion. In June, Kennedy joined with the liberals to strike down a Texas law that would have forced the closing of most of the states abortion clinics, signaling the Roe vs. Wade decision and the right to abortion retains a majority, at least for now.

But going forward, GOP control of the White House and the Senate means the court could shift strongly to the right in the next four years if Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 83, Kennedy, 80, or Stephen Breyer, 78, were to leave the court.

Filling the Scalia seat is probably a wash. But the odds are very high that in four or eight years, President Trump will have other vacancies to fill, and that will be a different story, said John Malcolm, a legal analyst at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

Ginsburg may find herself in an uncomfortable spotlight. Some leading liberals had urged her to retire two years ago so Obama could have filled her seat with a younger liberal justice. Ginsburg said she saw no reason to retire and suggested she was confident another Democrat would follow Obama in the White House.

If President Trump were to replace Ginsburg or Breyer, it would give the court a dominant conservative bloc with six Republican appointees and no need to rely on Kennedy for some issues, notably abortion and gay rights. Trump said in one debate that he would appoint pro-life justices, and they would overturn Roe vs. Wade.

Trumps nominees also are likely to be strong supporters of the 2nd Amendment and its right to bear arms. If so, the court could stand as a roadblock against city or state gun regulations, including measures that make it hard for gun owners to obtain concealed carry permits.

Should it be legal to have a congressional district only one party can win? 

And with a new appointee, the court could deal a blow to public-sector labor unions. Last year, the conservative justices were prepared to rule in a case involving California teachers concerning whether it is constitutional to require such employees to pay mandatory fees to support their unions. But Scalia died unexpectedly before the opinion could be issued, leaving the court split, 4-4. Now, conservative activists could bring the issue back to the court.

And Trumps victory likely guarantees the end of Obama initiatives on immigration and climate change. Conservative judges and an evenly divided high court had put those measures on hold. The court now will soon have a conservative majority to kill those initiatives, assuming they are not repealed first by the Trump administration.

Liberals are worried about what lies ahead. Longer term, there are real concerns about whether a Supreme Court with two or three Trump-nominated justices would cut back on protections for important fundamental rights and liberties, especially the right of women to meaningfully access abortion, said Elizabeth Wydra, president of the Constitutional Accountability Center. We could see a court more willing to look out for corporate interests at the expense of consumers and workers or to break with the guarantees of equality for LGBTQ Americans.

During the campaign, Trump issued two lists of his potential Supreme Court nominees, including judges from state supreme courts and U.S. appeals courts across the nation. They include Florida Supreme Court Justice Charles Canady, who as a congressman sponsored the federal ban on partial-birth abortions; Michigan Supreme Court Justice Joan Larsen, a former Scalia law clerk; 11th Circuit Court Judge William Pryor from Alabama; 7th Circuit Judge Diane Sykes from Wisconsin and Sen. Mike Lee from Utah.

Notably absent from the list were prominent conservative judges in Washington.

david.savage@latimes.com

On Twitter: DavidGSavage

ALSO:

Supreme Court grants emergency order to block transgender male student in Virginia from using boys restroom

Supreme Court turns down Ohio Democrats bid to restore golden week of early voting

UPDATES:

1:50 p.m.: This article was updated with additional background.

This article was originally published at 9:25 a.m.
A fugitive wanted by Los Angeles police in connection with a double homicide was arrested early Monday at the San Ysidro pedestrian border crossing, authorities said.

Jose Rubio, 23, was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the PedWest inspection lanes about 12:30 a.m.

He had walked up to officers at the inspection facility and provided his valid California ID. A routine search of law enforcement databases showed that Rubio had a warrant out for his arrest in connection with a double killing, customs officials said.

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The felony warrant was issued at the request of the Los Angeles Police Department, with bail set at $3.5 million.

Using his fingerprints, customs officers confirmed Rubios identity. CBP officers took Rubio into custody and turned him over to FBI special agents.

Los Angeles police did not release information about the double homicide.

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez
Hundreds of people took to the streets of downtown San Diego Wednesday night to protest Donald Trumps surprising victory in the U.S. presidential election.

1 / 16 A man holds an American flag upside down as he stands with other protesters against president-elect Donald Trump on Broadway. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 16 Faith Attaguile, from Encinitas, yells chants with other protesters against president-elect Donald Trump as they on the corner of Broadway and Front Street in downtown San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 16 People watch protesters against president-elect Donald Trump from their car while stopped at a stoplight on Broadway. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 16 Around three hundred protesters against president-elect Donald Trump march down Broadway in downtown San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 16 A woman photographs protesters against president-elect Donald Trump from her car while stopped at a stoplight on Broadway. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 16 Abraham Barragan, 18, center, and around three hundred other people protest president-elect Donald Trump as they march down Broadway in downtown San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 16 A San Diego Police officer watches protesters against president-elect Donald Trump march across Broadway as he and other policeman keep the streets clear while the protesters march in downtown San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 16 Around three hundred protesters against president-elect Donald Trump march down Broadway. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 16 People protesting president-elect Donald Trump march down Broadway. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 16 SAN DIEGO, November 9, 2016 | Abraham Barragan, 18, center, and around three hundred other people protest president-elect Donald Trump as they march down Broadway in downtown San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 16 Jocelyn Rodriguez, 20, center, and her sister Michelle Rodriguez, 16, hold hands as they and around 300 other people march down 6th street. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 16 A crowd of around 300 people protesting president-elect Donald Trump march through the Gaslamp District. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 16 A crowd of around 300 people protesting president-elect Donald Trump march in downtown San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 16 San Diego Police officers watch people protesting president-elect Donald Trump in downtown San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 16 People protesting president-elect Donald Trump walk across Market Street. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 16 San Diego Police officers, some with riot helmets, watch people protesting president-elect Donald Trump march on Market Street. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

The hours-long march followed two protests at UC San Diego earlier in the day.

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The downtown protesters yelled: Not my president, Love trumps hate, and This is what democracy looks like, among other chants.

The peaceful rally took a turn later when some protesters voiced anti-police sentiments, drawing a larger presence by San Diego police.

Police declared the protest an unlawful assembly about 9:15 p.m. and asked people to leave. Many dispersed as officers clad in riot gear closed in on Fifth Avenue near Broadway. Still, a smaller crowd marched for two more hours.

Police said 18 people were arrested throughout the night. No specific information about the arrests was released.

The demonstration began with a small crowd standing on two corners of Broadway and Front Street. It quickly swelled to about 500 people and they began moving through the Horton Plaza area and into the Gaslamp Quarter.

Im so disgusted that the country let Donald Trump be president with all he has done and said. Its really sad. And Im here to protest that, said a San Diego resident who only identified herself as Monica.

At her side was her 10-year-old daughter Lola, who followed the election closely and was just as disappointed in Trumps victory, her mother said.

I thought it was important to show her were not alone, Monica said.

Jessica Wohlander said she, too, was distraught that America elected Trump.

Im here because Im completely disappointed in this country for electing this misogynist man. And hes not my president, Jessica Wohlander.

The 30-year-old San Diego resident said she considered the rally her first opportunity to protest a Trump presidency.

While some bystanders taunted the protesters, others cheered as they walked past restaurants, stores and other businesses.

Alisa Stevens, 53, recorded the protesters as they marched past her on Broadway near Sixth Avenue. She said she voted for Hillary Clinton in the election.It is what it is. We have to deal with it, she said of the outcome, adding that she understood peoples need to take their frustration to the streets.

Near the end of the rally, a man holding a flag with an anarchist symbol, trailed by protesters, was rushed and tackled by officers. He was handcuffed and taken away in a police car.

San Diego Police officers, some with riot helmets, watch people protesting president-elect Donald Trump march on Market Street in downtown San Diego on Wednesday. (Hayne Palmour IV/San Diego Union-Tribune )

Earlier in the day, about 50 students sat in front of UC San Diegos Geisel Library in a silent protest to Trumps election win Tuesday night. Nearby was the Silent Tree, a sculpture of a tree with no leaves.

One man with tape across his mouth held a sign that said, He is not my president. SHE is my president! Another students sign criticized the wall Trump had vowed to build on the Mexican border.

We are angry at the outcome of the 2016 election, said student Nasar Issa. We are sickened that America has elected a misogynist, racist human being.

Student Miguel Tapia said people of color would be hurt by Trumps presidency.

At the end of the day, we have to be united in solidarity, and right now the odds are against us, Tapia said.

The group organized through Facebook. A page announcing the demonstration stated it was intended to be a peaceful and safe protest.

This is meant to be an event of comfort, the post read. There will be no name calling, hateful language or any kind of violence tolerated whatsoever.

The protest at the university was the second by students Wednesday. At midnight, shortly after Trump gave his victory speech, about 500 students marched through the La Jolla campus and onto a Interstate 5 freeway on-ramp.

One woman, 18, was hit by a car about 1:40 a.m. and suffered major injuries, a California Highway Patrol officer said. The driver, a 46-year-old man, stopped and was not suspected of drunken driving.

William P. Yeromian sits with tape over his mouth reading Our New America and a sign reading Hes not my president, Shes my president, with other students at UCSD staging a protest Wednesday after the results of the presidential election. (Peggy Peattie/San Diego Union-Tribune )

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Twitter: @LAWinkley

(619) 293-1546

lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com
A La Jolla science institutes dream of creating a thriving branch campus in Orlando so it could spread its brand to the East Coast is turning into a nightmare.

The Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute has become dogged by financial and political problems in Orlando, where it built a center designed to anchor a large health sciences park.

The institute, commonly called SBP, recently tried to turn over the satellite operation to the University of Florida in a face-saving move. But the deal fell through when political support was slow in coming, leaving the institutes Florida operation with debt and a sketchy future.

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The mess has infuriated the state of Florida, which is demanding that SBP repay $77.5 million of the $350 million in government incentives it was awarded a decade ago to establish its presence in Orlando.

The demand came from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, which reminded SBP in an Oct. 28 letter that its required to run the Orlando site for last least 20 years. The letter also said the institute  a national leader in the study of cancer, aging and heart disease  has failed to produce the number of jobs it was expected to generate.

Be assured that the state of Florida will thoroughly investigate and prosecute all available claims against Sanford Burnham Prebys, the letter said.

The letter also said the institute has verbally indicated to the department that it intends in the coming months to cease its Florida operations, leave the state and consolidate all of its operations in (La Jolla).

In a response letter on Oct. 30, the institute told Florida officials that it doesnt plan to close the Orlando campus and that it came very close to generating the 303 jobs that were forecast. The institute also questioned Floridas rationale for demanding a $77.5 million refund.

The SBP letter concedes that the Orlando campus has suffered substantial annual operating financial losses over the past several years. The financial world for independent nonprofit medical research institutions (such as SBP) has become much more challenging  largely as a result of a reduction of (National Institutes of Health) funding and the recession that started in 2008.

The institute didnt mention that it has become a powerhouse in raising private donations to help offset the challenges in securing NIH money, and that some other institutions have fared well in getting NIH funding. For example, the nearby Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla was recently awarded $207 million by the NIH for a national project on customizing medicine to each patient.

In an email Tuesday, SBP officials told The San Diego Union-Tribune theyre not worried about Floridas refund demand. We do not believe there is any legal merit in the states claim, the institute said.

The officials also said they will issue a more formal reply to Florida late this month.

This kind of fight probably didnt seem remotely possible in 2003, when then-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush helped put together a $500 million incentive package to get The Scripps Research Institute to open a satellite campus in Palm Beach County.

Three years later, Bush spearheaded the $350 million incentive deal that convinced SBP (then known as the Burnham Institute) to expand into Orlando.

Bush wanted to make Florida a national leader in the health sciences, and he believed that recruiting two of San Diegos top biomedical institutes would help make that possible.

An exuberant Bush said in a statement at the time: The expansion of the Burnham Institutes world-class biomedical research operations into Florida illustrates the strength of the states international reputation as a hub for cutting-edge biomedical research and development, and were thrilled to welcome them to Florida.

gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com
While the countys voters were busy casting ballots that would decide the outcome of this historic presidential election, the folks at the Donut Bar downtown were conducting one of their own polls. And it was a sweet one.

Santiago Campa, who owns the popular B Street pastry shop, said that he wanted to have some fun so he decided to give away election-themed doughnuts to voters.

The democratic doughnuts, which featured blue donkeys and red elephants, flew off the shelves in equal amount as folks who voted came in to claim their tasty rewards.

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It was a neck and neck race, said Campa. He said that in the first hour, 45 Democrat doughnuts were snapped up while 52 red Republican pastries flew off the shelves.

1 / 42 Poll worker Bea Iwig had John Wickenhiser, the first voter to complete a ballot, verify ballot box was empty before sealing it. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 42 Trump supporters erupt in cheer after it was announced the Donald Trump is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 42 Cooper Gabriel, 4, literally bounces off the walls while his mother Kate Gabriel marks her ballot at the polling place at the First Church of the Nazarene, Point Loma. Peggy Peattie (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 42 National City resident Luis Arturo Chapas didnt wait for a voting booth to fill out his ballot, instead standing nearby to them in the produce section at the Foodland Grocery Store and Mercado in National City. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 42 Proposition 64 supporter Dion Markgraaff smokes a joint at a rally supporting the legalization of recreational marijuana use upon hearing the proposition passed Tuesday night. (David Brooks / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 42 Avary Morales, 9, from Santee, cheers as she watches election results showing Donlad Trump in the lead at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 42 Trump supporters Morgan Wonderly, left, and Kendall Depasgal celebrate after it was announced the Donald Trump is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 42 Raul Travesi, 13, right, who says he supports Hillary Clinton, has a worried look on his face as he watches election results on a television monitor as he and other students with the St. John of the Cross Catholic School do a field trip at Golden Hall in San Diego on Tuesday. The couple are Roberts supporters. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 42 Congressman Darrell Issa answers reporters questions at his Oceanside campaign headquarters. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 42 After the announcement that Hillary Clinton will not speak tonight, Jessica Goeldner from Little Italy carries off a souvenir photo cut out of President Barack Obama from the Westin Hotel. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 42 Trump supporter Eileen Sheridan cries tears of joy after it was announced the Donald Trump is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 42 Incumbent Darrel Issa for the 49th Congressional District sits during a television interview at Golden Hall on election night. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 42 Alicia Guerra from Chula Vista wore her partyas hat at the Westin Hotel where many democrats waited to watch results come in from Tuesdayas election. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 42 Early morning voters the polling place inside the Encinitas Boxing and Fitness Center. Howard Lipin (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 42 Voters lined up to cast their ballots in Scripps Ranch. John Gibbins (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 42 County Supervisor candidate Kristin Gaspar at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 42 County Supervisor Dave Roberts walks toward his next interview as County Supervisor candidate Kristin Gaspar, background left, is does an interview at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 18 / 42 Trump supporters cheer as they watch a television monitor showing presidential candidate Donald Trump speaking after it was announced that he is the projected winner of the 2016 presidential election at the Republican election night headquarters at the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 19 / 42 Dave Roberts, at right, visits and thanks his volunteers at his Solana Beach campaign headquarters he shares with Doug Applegate. With him are family members, LtoR: son Julian 15, his spouse Wally holding their son Manny, 3, and their daughter Natalie, 8. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 20 / 42 Waiting for the polls to open in Scripps Ranch are, Mark Keiper, John Wickenhiser and Gloria Poliner. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 21 / 42 Avary Morales, 9, from Santee, crosses her fingers as she and her sister Bella Morales, 15, watch election results showing Donlad Trump in the lead at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 22 / 42 Ron Ranson, from Encinitas, points out the results that says County Supervisor Dave Roberts is ahead of Kristin Gaspar is ahead to his wife Nicola at Golden Hall in San Diego on Tuesday. The couple are Roberts supporters. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 23 / 42 A voter selects a sticker after casting their ballot in La Jolla Tuesday morning. Peggy Peattie (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 24 / 42 Workers at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters take in the first ballots at 9:30pm on Tuesday nigh after the poles closed in San Diego, California. Ballots will be counted all night long. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 25 / 42 Workers at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters take in the first ballots at 9:30pm on Tuesday nigh after the poles closed in San Diego, California. Ballots will be counted all night long. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune) 26 / 42 Congressman Darrell Issa, left, confers with volunteer Taylor Strand, right, between calls while they were working the phone bank at his campaign office on election day. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 27 / 42 Donald Trump supporter, Martha Doirom, age-82 from Chula Vista has waited for the past 8-years for the Republicans to return back to the Whitehouse. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 28 / 42 State senate candidate Toni Atkins and Congress Scott Peters, for the 52nd District, speak to each other at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 29 / 42 Poll worker Tad Pinney checked in Mark Keiper, the first voter in line, who got there 20 minutes early to vote. John Gibbins (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) 30 / 42 Chargers fans Denise Coulter, left, and Reshawn Langston cheer with other supporters for Measure C, the measure for the downtown San Diego Chargers stadium, at Cali Comfort BBQ in Spring Valley on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 31 / 42 Douglas Applegate running candidate for the 49th Congressional District arrived at Golden Hall Tuesday night but was not ready to claim victory or defeat. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 32 / 42 Tuesday afternoon 49th. Congressional District candidate Doug Applegate speaks to two 14 year olds on their bikes in front of the Carlsbad Fire Station #4 polling place. He spoke to members of the media there earlier and the kids stopped by to see what was going on. Left is Bennett Strick and at right is Cyrus Cerda. He didnt enter the polling place or speak to any voters. He voted earlier in San Clemente. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) 33 / 42 Rexie Saldivar, of Scripps Ranch, left, takes a selfie photo with her daughter, Sabrina Saldivar, center, and her son, Michael Saldivar, right, in front of a display of I Voted signs in different languages, at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 34 / 42 Election worker John Mann deposits mail-in ballots dropped off at the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office into a secured lock box at the drive-thru lane. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 35 / 42 Sally West, a field service representative from the Registrar of Voters, looks to see that a polling place at the First Church of the Nazarene in Point Loma has everything it needs. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 36 / 42 Candidate for city attorney Robert Hickey, left, and friends Ryley Webb, center, and Ian Clampett waved signs at the intersection of Nimitz and Sunset Cliffs Blvds. Tuesday morning before he went to his polling place near Point Loma Nazarene to cast his vote. (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 37 / 42 Supports for Douglas Applegate, running candidate for the 49th Congressional District waited in Golden Hall for their candidate to arrive on election night. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 38 / 42 Jennifer Moore waits for 7:00am on her clock to announce that the polling place inside the Encinitas Boxing and Fitness Center is open for voting. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 39 / 42 San Diego, CA. USA November 8, 2016 | Poll workerDeborah Bunker, a first time poll volunteer, slips a ballot into the box through the secret sleeve at a catholic church in La Jolla Tuesday morning. | Mandatory photo credit: Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune (Peggy Peattie / San Diego Union-Tribune) 40 / 42 Congressman for the 49th District Darrell Issa leaves one television interview and heads to the next at Golden Hall on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 41 / 42 Supporting her Hillary Clinton for president, Deborah Boyd from Poway arrived at Golden Hall on to observe the election. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 42 / 42 Boltman, or Dan Jauregui, fires up supporters for Measure C, the measure for the downtown San Diego Chargers stadium, at Cali Comfort BBQ in Spring Valley on Tuesday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

However, it was the blue donkeys that ultimately prevailed. Campa said he had made 100 each of the election eats and that by 10:15 a.m. the Democrats were gone, while eight of the GOPs were left on the shelves. (Although those soon disappeared too.)

Yesterday, however, when Campa sold doughnuts with likenesses of Trump and Clinton for $3 bucks each, it was the Trumps that were gone first.

Yesterday the vote was totally bought, said Campa with a laugh about the sale at what he called his totally non-partisan store.

He said his customers really loved the offerings. They really embraced it, he said.

He also said he was a bit worried that voters so diametrically opposed might cause some trouble when they declared their doughnut decisions but that in the end, everyone behaved and got along.

I still have faith in humanity, said Campa. It was a lot of fun.

Election Videos  On Now Banners opposing President Trump hanging nationwide On Now Without evidence, President Trump calls for major voter fraud investigation On Now LA 90: President Trump revives stalled oil pipelines. But will they really get built? On Now Gov. Jerry Brown calls for truth and civility On Now White House spokesman Sean Spicer on EPA media blackout On Now Conservative Colorado judge emerges as a top contender to fill Scalia's Supreme Court seat On Now HUD suspends FHA mortgage insurance rate cut an hour after Trump takes office On Now What Trumps Obamacare executive order does On Now President Trump's Inauguration Speech On Now Obama brings Biden to tears, awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom

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Incumbent Todd Prichard, D-Charles City, has been re-elected to the Iowa House 52 seat.

Prichard defeated Stacie Stokes, R-Rockford, 54.3 percent (8,153 votes) to 45.6 percent (6,841 votes).

Prichard, an attorney who was elected to the House in 2013, previously told the Globe Gazette he has more experience than Stokes, who has never run for public office before.

However, Stokes said she has a different perspective because she works in the education field.

Stokes is a former teacher now employed by Area Education Agency 267 as an education consultant.

Both candidates cited education as a top priority.

Prichard has pushed for more state funding for education.

Rural areas have had a struggle to fund their schools and programs are being cut, he said.

Stokes said the key questions are if the schools are receiving an adequate amount of money and are we over regulating them rather than giving them the flexibility they need.

Prichard, a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve who has been deployed overseas four times, including one tour in Iraq, said his experience as a veteran helps in dealing with their issues.

He said he is a bipartisan lawmaker who is good at working with people on both sides of the aisle.

Stokes is involved with the GROW Rockford Association, which focuses on trail development, beautification, fostering a prospering community with productive things to do and safe places for children.

She has done mission work in Haiti and Appalachia.

I have a vast amount of experience working with and serving people in general, Stokes said.
Much of the country was celebrating a Donald Trump election victory Wednesday morning but in California, a different story was playing out.

On Twitter, #Calexit, a call for the succession of California in the same vein as the United Kingdoms exit from the European Union, or Brexit, was a trending topic following Trumps victory.

The state, which has the most electoral votes of any, voted blue. How blue? Hillary Clinton received 61.5 percent of the vote, and Trump tallied 33.2 percent. Los Angeles County voted 71.5 percent in favor of Clinton. San Francisco County? 85.3 percent. In San Diego, Clinton got 56.1 percent of the vote.

RELATED: Calexit: How secession would actually work in California (if it could, which it can't)

A group trying to get California to secede from the United States said the results of the presidential election give their cause new momentum.

There were even scattered protests across the state in rejection of a Trump presidency.

Want more proof that the state isnt having it? Orange County voted for a Democrat for the first time since the Great Depression.

California has now legalized recreational marijuana and elected only the second black woman to the U.S. Senate in history. All of this led to a question Wednesday: Should California be part of a country whose politics differ so much? Thats the question some are asking (some sarcastically, but still) on social media.

There is even already an organization whose mission is trying to make this happen. It existed before the election, and its based in San Diego. Yes California is a nonviolent campaign to establish the country of California using any and all legal and constitutional means to do so.

More information on that effort is available here: yescalifornia.org.

Is this even possible? Maybe ask Silicon Valley venture capitalist Shervin Pishevar who said this just ahead of the results Tuesday night.

Many pointed to the massive size of the population of California as evidence this should happen. Others cited the strength of the states economy.

But really, it was an identity thing, and a pride thing too.

Leadership suggestions were even made.

So would we do it?

Do you want to Calexit?

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin
Marijuana legalization was the clear winner on Election Day even with the certainty about who would wind up in the White House (Donald Trump).

California (Prop. 64), Nevada and Massachusetts all voted to approve the use of recreational marijuana. Maine appeared to be close to making the same choice though not all results were in for the state Tuesday night.

Florida, North Dakota and Arkansas also all voted to approve the use of medical marijuana.

Despite the electoral map being half red and half blue Tuesday, these states should have been green. Or at least covered with a cloud of grey?

So many voters  likely of both major political parties  had at least one thing to celebrate.

But for some it was sort of short lived as they waited to see the presidential election results. With Trump being named president-elect Tuesday, yes, a lot of people made jokes about needing to get high to survive his presidency. On social media, the reactions were both high and low.

At least these people were excited.

Others were not so happy.

Even more people tweeted about the connection between marijuana and the presidential election results.

An effort to legalize it in Arizona did look likely to fail Tuesday, we should note.

Share your thoughts on the marijuana legalization results in the comment section.

Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @abbyhamblin
A Ramona man who drove drunk and caused a fiery head-on collision on state Route 67 that killed a recent graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University was sentenced Friday to 11 years and 8 months in state prison.

Roy Thomas Dunkin, 51, didnt say anything during the 2 hour sentencing in which he received the maximum penalty in the Aug. 20 death of Lucas Makana Riley, 24.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Laura Halgren presided at the sentencing. All 44 courtroom seats were filled and there was an overflow crowd outside with the media sitting in the jury box. Most of the audience was composed of the parents, siblings, and the fiancee and friends of Riley, a sculptor who was a 2014 graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University.

Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright said Dunkins blood/alcohol level was .14, which is nearly twice the legal limit. The judge noted Dunkin ran a red light shortly before his Chevrolet GMC pickup truck struck another car just south of Cloudy Moon Drive after 7 p.m. The other car spun around before the truck collided with the Mini-Cooper Riley was driving.

The Mini-Cooper exploded and Riley died at the scene. His family noted that dental records were used because he was burned beyond recognition.

Dunkin pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence of alcohol with injury to three others on Sept. 2. He has no prior record.

Dunkins daughter, Nicole Dunkin, told the judge her father started drinking after his 26-year-old son committed suicide in January 2014.

My father is so incredibly remorseful, she said. He hates what he has done. I know he will never forgive himself.

He turned to alcohol to cope with the pain. He was completely grief stricken, said Dunkins attorney, Suesan Gerard.

Rileys parents told Dunkin they had forgiven him, and Gerard told them and the other speakers, you show the best of humanity.

He blames no one else. He is wholly sorry, said Gerard. He is going to have to live with himself.

Halgren ordered Dunkin to pay $26,000 in restitution to the victims family and to three other injured motorists. Dunkin received credit for 76 days in jail and was fined $1,294.

He made the decision to drink and drive, said Halgren.

Robert Collins told the judge Dunkin struck his car, causing it to spin out of control.

We were amazed when we stopped spinning that we were still alive, he said, adding that his family has developed anxiety while in a car.

Shawna Wickwire, Rileys fiancee and a PLNU graduate, said she went from the happiest time of her life while engaged to heartbreak beyond belief when he was killed. She recalled the difficult phone call she made to his parents in Hawaii to inform them Riley was dead.

I lost the love of my life, my best friend, said Wickwire. Theres a permanent voidI hope this is an example of why we should not drink and drive.

Rileys sister, Lauren Riley, said her brothers death was the greatest sorrow I have ever known. His brother, Cory Riley, said it has changed all of us.

PLNU Professor David Adey said he was truly one of our best and he hired Lucas Riley to work on a public art project for the County of San Diego in Little Italy.

Mr. Dunkin, you took the life of our son, said Tami Riley, his mother, who added that Lucas would have given him the last life jacket in a sinking boat.

I dont have hatred in my heart. Hate takes you down the road to bitterness and hopelessness, said Tami Riley.

We have forgiven you, Mr. Dunkin, said Mark Riley, the victims father. Let this be a turning point in your life, Mr. Dunkin...with an ability to start over.

Afterward, Mark Riley told reporters: We hope and pray this mans future is different from his past. Were not out for vengeance. Weve forgiven the man.
Newcomer Darshana Patel and incumbent Kimberley Beatty were elected to the Poway Unified School District Board of Education Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, County Supervisor Dave Roberts clung to a lead Wednesday in his bid to remain on board for a second term, but his edge over challenger Kristin Gaspar was narrow. Roberts represents the Third District, which includes Rancho Bernardo.

Rancho Bernardo voters also joined others from across the city to defeat Proposition C, the Chargers stadium initiative, and the related Proposition D. They also elected Democrat Mara Elliott to succeed the termed-out Jan Goldsmith as city attorney, beating Republican Robert Hickey 56.6 percent to 43.4 percent as of Wednesday morning.

With all precincts reporting but more than 620,000 mailed ballots countywide still to be counted, Patel had collected 20.3 percent of the PUSD votes cast, with Beatty receiving 19.4 percent. Patel, a scientist and Rancho Penasquitos resident, will take the seat being vacated by Poway resident Andy Patapow after 20 years. It will be the first time in two decades that no Poway resident will sit on the five-member board.

During my campaigning journey, I met people from diverse backgrounds that provided many insights into the strengths and challenges of our district, Patel said Wednesday. I learned that we have more in common than not and that an overwhelming majority of our community shares my positive outlook for our district. Certainly there are concerns, but when community members have trust and respect for each other, we can collaboratively work to find effective solutions.

Beatty, elected to a second four-year term, said, In this election, I was able to overcome significant obstacles and organized opposition in order to retain my seat on the board of education. I am grateful for all those that supported and stood by me throughout.  The good governance reforms I introduced were repeatedly met with strong opposition from an established power structure reticent to change. My re-election reaffirms the communitys support for structural reform in our school district leadership. We need to make sure that all of our resources are focused on the quality education of our students.

Debra Cooper placed third in the nine-candidate school board race, with 16.1 percent. The other results as of Wednesday morning: Carol Ware, 10.5 percent; Jimmy Karam, 10 percent; Nick Anastasopoulos, 6.1 percent; Terry Norwood, 6.0 percent; John Moriarty, 5.9 percent; and Stan Rodkin, 5.8 percent.

Patel and Beatty were endorsed by the Poway School Employees Association, which represents non-teachers in the district. Patel and Cooper had been backed by the Poway Federation of Teachers.

Voters easily re-elected Democratic Rep. Scott Peters and strongly endorsed Democrat and former Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins for state Senate and the re-election of Republican Assemblyman Brian Maienschein.

Rancho Bernardo voters joined others from across the city to defeat Proposition C, the Chargers stadium initiative, with 56.9 percent no, 43.0 percent yes; and the related Proposition D (59.6 percent no, 40.1 percent yes). They also approved requiring run-off elections for mayor, council and city attorney (58.4 percent support); passed by 68.4 percent a tax on recreational marijuana now that it will be legal in California; and with 76.9 percent voting yes, supported the 134-year-old San Diego High School remaining on Balboa Park land. They also approved a reallocation of Mission Bay Park revenues to support other regional parks.

As of 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, Roberts had 50.9 percent of the vote, compared to 49.1 percent for Gaspar, the Encinitas mayor, according to unofficial results from the San Diego County Registrar of Voters Office. All precincts in the county had reported in, but more than 620,000 mailed ballots remained to be counted.

Roberts survived a scandal over the way he managed his staff to make the runoff election with Gaspar. Last year, the Board of Supervisors agreed to pay $310,000 to settle claims brought by three former staffers who accused Roberts of misusing his powers. Four years ago, he became the first Democrat to win a seat on the board in a couple of decades. Gaspar is the chief financial officer and business manager for Doctors of Physical Therapy, which has six North County offices.

City News Service contributed to this story.

Email: editor@pomeradonews.com
MASON CITY  Sharon Steckman, a Democrat and retired Mason City school teacher, was elected to her fifth term in the Iowa House District 53 Tuesday, defeating Cerro Gordo County GOP Chairwoman Barbara Hovland by a wide margin.

District 53 includes Mason City, Rockwell and central Cerro Gordo County.

With all 16 precincts reporting, unofficial vote totals showed Steckman with 60.4 percent (8,948 votes) compared to Hovlands 39.5 percent (5,851 votes). Hovland was seeking elective office for the first time.

Both women are residents of Mason City.

Steckman said she is grateful for all the support she received, noting she had a broken foot for 11 weeks but lots of people stepped up and knocked on doors for her.

My constituents are my endorsement and the one I prize the most, she said.

The victory was bittersweet for Steckman.

Im sad that some of my fellow Democrats wont be coming back, she said.

Steckman was following other Iowa House races Tuesday night. She said she was hoping the Democrats could get the majority back or at least gain more seats.

Steckman has long been an advocate for increased funding for education. She also opposed Republican Gov. Terry Branstads change in the states Medicaid program, moving it from state control to private control.

Steckman said the change was made too quickly, has not saved the state money has promised and has caused problems for providers and clients alike.

Hovland disagreed. She said if Medicaid was at the rate it was going, it was not sustainable. She also was concerned about fraud.

Steckman also believed the Mason City Council moved to quickly to try to bring the Prestage Foods of Iowa pork processing plant to Mason City and supported opponents who successfully protested against the proposal.

Steckman also believes there should be more local regulation of hog confinement facilities. Hovland disagrees, stating control should remain at the state level.

CAFOs have been around for a long time. We shouldnt take away from other programs to fund water quality, she earlier told the Globe Gazette.

Steckman serves on the House Education, Environmental Protection, Labor and Ways and Means committees and is an assistant minority leader.
NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 08, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until January 5, 2017 to file lead plaintiff applications in securities class action lawsuit against Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited (NYSE:TEVA), if they purchased the Companys American Depositary Shares between February 10, 2015 and November 3, 2016, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.



What You May Do

If you purchased shares of Teva and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com). If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by January 5, 2017.

About the Lawsuit

Teva and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On November 3, 2016, Bloomberg reported that an antitrust investigation by the Justice Department, begun about two years ago, now spans more than a dozen companies, including Teva, and about two dozen drugs. The article further stated that a grand jury probe is examining whether some executives agreed with one another to raise prices, and the first charges could emerge by the end of the year. Additionally, according to Bloomberg, [g]eneric drug companies are also contending with a civil price-fixing investigation by [the] Connecticut Attorney General.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.
An off-color and offhanded remark about Japanese immigrants from a World War I veteran foreshadowed the internment of thousands of U.S. citizens.

A large sign reading "I am an American" placed in the window of a store in Oakland, CA on December 8, the day after Pearl Harbor. The store was closed following orders to persons of Japanese descent to evacuate from certain West Coast areas. The owner, a University of California graduate, will be housed with hundreds of evacuees in War Relocation Authority centers for the duration of the war.

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If we ever have war with Japan, Lail Kane told the Japanese American Citizens League, and I have anything to say about it, the first thing Ill do will be intern every one of you.

At the time Kanes comment appeared in a 1939 Post article by Magner White, it must have sounded ridiculous to many Americans. But Lail Kane, a World War I veteran and a prominent white citizen of San Francisco, spoke for many Americans who hated and feared the Japanese Americans living on the West Coast.

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(Read the entire article, Between Two Flags by Magner White from The Saturday Evening Post, September 30, 1939.)

White learned of Kanes comment when he interviewed Togo Tanaka, editor at the Rafu Shimpo, a Japanese-American newspaper in Los Angeles. When asked about white citizens resentment of Japanese Americans, Tanaka acknowledged anti-Asian racism was a serious problem. Yet he was confident white Americans would eventually accept Japanese Americans as equals. Until that time, he and other children of Japanese immigrants would work to win their approval.

For people like Lail Kane, though, there seemed to be nothing that could reduce their fear and suspicion. He was convinced Japanese Americans were spying for the Imperial Japanese government. The only solution, when war came, was to put every Japanese American in an internment camp, deep in the desert, for as long as necessary.

You get the sense reading the article that Tanaka simply couldnt believe Kanes comment. The idea! Imagine sticking American citizens into internment camps, without trial or right of appeal!

I cant find much information about Lail Kane, but it appears he had some influence with the government. Either that or he happened to share the racist opinions of some powerful people on the West Coast. Because when war came, the government gathered up over 100,000 Japanese Americans and shipped them to camps in remote areas of Western states. Of this number, 80,000 were first- or second-generation Japanese Americans  U.S. citizens. Their parents, born in Japan, were not; American laws made them ineligible for citizenship.

What made Kanes comment so shameful was that first-generation Japanese Americans were doing all they could to prove their loyalty to their country. The leader of the Japanese American Citizens League told White, We are doing our best to educate ourselves for better American citizenship, and then in turn to present ourselves to the American public. No matter what handicaps we have to face, our place is primarily here in the United States and we must prove to America that we are good citizens. We shall simply bide our time and live down the things being said against us.

Anti-Asian racism had a long history on the West Coast. Many white American settlers, themselves newly arrived in California, resented Asian immigrants, many of whom had come to build Americas railroads. The Japanese, and Chinese, were shunned by many American communities and so kept to themselves. The resentment grew, particularly when some white Americans saw Japanese immigrants businesses and farms thriving.

Hatred of the Japanese and their American-born children became mingled with fear in the 1930s, when white Americans worried that Japanese, and their foreign-born parents, were working for the Imperial Japanese government. Learning of the atrocities Japan was inflicting on China, many of these Americans looked accusingly at them.

When the newsreels were showing the Shanghai bombings, White wrote, movie audiences in Los Angeles often showed their feelings. One evening, Fumiye Ruth Tanaka, a svelte, typical compact-carrying, fashionably dressed girl, was in one of these audiences. There flashed a bombing scene. The scene, known today as Bloody Saturday, showed a baby crying near a railroad track amidst the ruins of Shanghais South Railway Station, the lone survivor in a scene of death. The movie crowd began to hiss and boo. A woman next to Tanaka turned on her, noted her features, and demanded, Are you Japanese or Chinese?

Pardon me, Tanaka said politely, Im neither! Im an American!

Tanaka was correct. But her innocence, and citizenship, wouldnt have helped when, three years later, she was forced to leave her home and most of her possessions for a small room in wooden barracks in the middle of the desert.

There was surprisingly little outcry at the internment of Japanese Americans. In the wake of Japans attack on Pearl Harbor, most Americans were too enraged to consider seemingly fine points of law, which fortunately didnt apply to them. Stalwart defenders of civil liberties, like Eleanor Roosevelt, said nothing. The American Civil Liberties Union, which normally would have taken up such a case, chose to remain mute on the matter of internment.

At some level, though, Americans must have recognized the inconsistency of defending freedom while suspending it for their own people. Even Lail Kane, who wanted all Japanese treated as hostile aliens, told White, In case of war, I wouldnt hesitate to intern them. On the other hand, we mustnt forget that they are American citizens and have just as much right to be here as you and I.

As for Togo Tanaka, despite his efforts to prove his loyalty, he was arrested the day after Pearl Harbor and held in jail for 11 days without any charge. He was released, but soon gathered up with the rest of the Japanese Americans and sent to Camp Manzanar in April 1942. His efforts to cooperate with the government authorities during his confinement won him the enmity of other detainees, and he was eventually relocated to another camp to escape reprisals from other detainees. Released in 1943, he moved to Chicago. He passed away in 2009, a successful businessman who finally gained the respect for which he had long worked.

Read the entire article, Between Two Flags by Magner White from The Saturday Evening Post, September 30, 1939.

Step into 1939 with a peek at these pages from The Saturday Evening Post 75 years ago:
Indianapolis, IN -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/09/2016 -- Featuring raw and honest accounts of personal hardships, an Indianapolis author hopes the release of his new book will help others find the light at the end of their own tunnels.



Pain, uncertainty and confusion are all normal feelings when times are tough. But when difficult situations continue for an extended period of time, faith can take a severe blow. It becomes easier to question ones faith when a string of bad luck never seems to end or when the right choices turn out to be wrong.



When there doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel, it can become even easier to stop believing.



Fortunately, difficult situations can be overcome bringing strength and a new lease on life, and more importantly, faith can be restored.



In Giving Up Is Not an Option, author Charles Moorer shares his family's inspirational story of how, even on the verge of losing everything, they kept their faith and pushed through the difficult circumstances in their life.



"My hope is that readers will be inspired, and encouraged to stand firm through the storms that life may unexpectedly bring their way realizing there is still comfort in holding onto their faith in our heavenly father," Moorer said.



Giving Up Is Not an Option is currently available at retailers including Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and through Moorer's website, www.charlesmoorerpraise.com.



Moorer is a dedicated father, husband, pastor, musician and leadership mentor currently based in Indianapolis. Together with his band The Faithful Few, he works diligently and faithfully to inspire people from all walks of life to live with purpose, love and the peace of Christ.



A book signing is planned in early 2017 during a benefit concert for the Indiana Make-A-Wish Foundation.



Moorer and his family received support from the Indiana Make-A-Wish Foundation when his then 16-year-old son Chadwin was battling renal sickle cell carcinoma, a form of cancer that gave him a 10 percent survival rate.



The wish the Foundation provided turned into a celebration of life when Chadwin was miraculously healed. A few years later, Moorer himself was healed of cancer.



"My goal is to use a portion of the proceeds to assist the Indiana Make-A-Wish Foundation with their goal of continuing to be a blessing to children and their families during the trying times they are facing," Moorer said. "I am very thankful, grateful and humbled to use what talent and skills my heavenly father has given me to assist them."



Media Contact:

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Seattle, WA -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/09/2016 -- The report "Phototherapy Equipment Market by Type (Long lamp, CFL, LED, Fiber optic), Application (Skin diseases (psoriasis, vitiligo, eczema), Neonatal Jaundice), End-user, Geography (North America (USA, Canada), Europe, Asia-Pacific) - Global Forecast to 2021", analyzes and studies the major market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW).



Browse 63 market data tables and 41 figures spread through 119 pages and in-depth TOC on "Phototherapy Equipment Market"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/phototherapy-equipment-market-174360683.html



Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.



This report studies the global phototherapy equipment market over the forecast period of 2016 to 2021. The market is expected to reach USD 583.4 Million by 2021, at a CAGR of 4.5% from 2016 to 2021.



A number of factors, such as the rising incidence of neonatal jaundice across developed and developing markets, rising number of people suffering from skin diseases, inflow of technologically advanced products, and rising adoption of LED-based phototherapy equipment are driving the growth of this market. On the other hand, significant use of alternative mode of treatments and stringent regulatory policies for the approval of new devices are limiting the growth of this market.



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Based on the type of equipment, the global phototherapy equipment market is divided into three segments, namely, conventional phototherapy equipment, LED phototherapy equipment, and fiberoptic phototherapy equipment. Based on the type of lamp installed in conventional phototherapy equipment, they are further segmented into equipment with fluorescent lamps and equipment with compact fluorescent lamps. Conventional phototherapy equipment with fluorescent lamps come in two different sizes, namely, full body phototherapy equipment and partial body phototherapy equipment.



On the basis of applications, the global phototherapy equipment market is segmented into skin disease treatment and neonatal jaundice treatment. The skin disease treatment segment is further divided into psoriasis treatment, vitiligo treatment, eczema treatment, and other disease treatment. On the basis of end user, the global phototherapy equipment market is segmented into hospitals & clinics and home users.



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As of 2016, North America held the largest share of the global phototherapy equipment market, followed by Europe. However, the Asia-Pacific market is expected to register the highest CAGR of 6.1% from 2016 to 2021. Factors such as strategic expansions by key market players in emerging Asian countries; growing adoption of low cost phototherapy equipment in India and China; and rising number of people suffering from skin diseases are responsible for the growth of the phototherapy equipment market in the Asia-Pacific region.



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The origins of human have been debated by many. Scientists today investigates on how the Neanderthals influence the genes of the modern day humans.

At about 30,000 years ago, the Neanderthals disappeared from the face of the Earth. But through DNA sequencing, they have lived among us in bits and pieces. As for the Neanderthals, DNA scatters among the modern-day human genes.

However, geneticists conducted a new study at the University of California revealed that slowly, the traces of Neanderthals are being removed by natural selection.

The study senior author from the UC Davis Department of Evolution and Ecology and Center for Population Biology, Professor Graham Coop, said that "On average, there has been weak but widespread selection against Neanderthal genes .That selection seems to be a consequence of a small population of Neanderthals mixing with a much larger population of modern humans."

Now, the genes from Neanderthals left only a few percent in the European ancestry, but scientists found that the genes are most likely common East Asia people, and almost no traces of Neanderthals gene were found in the Africam ancestry, according to Voice of America.

Postdoctoral researchers Simon Aeschbacher and Ivan Juric worked together with Coop. The team created methods to measure the degree of the Neanderthal DNA natural selection in the human genome, according to Phys.Org.

The experts came to a hypothesis. They shared that Neanderthals might quickly become incompatible with the today's human, that the hybrid children are not adaptable to the evolutionary side, in which it is either not fertile or not able to thrive.

In line with this, the scientists also found that instead of revealing strong selection against a few Neanderthal genes, the experts found it to be weak. But widespread selection against many DNA of the Neanderthal sequences, it is slowly fading away from our genome.

Graham Coop concluded that Neanderthals inbreeding in a confined population may have led the genetic variants to remain common given that it is sometimes harmful to a certain degree. Thus, when mixed with an adequate population, natural selection starts to operate those variants and remove them out.
A carbon-dating study reveals that the global illegal ivory trade mostly comes from the recent elephant killings. The elephant population in savannah dwelling declined by 30 percent in the last seven years. Meanwhile, elephants in the forests decreased by 62 percent from 2002 to 2013.

Some people are wondering whether corrupt governments are linked to the ivory trade by selling off old ivory. George Wittemyer, a conservation ecologist and elephant specialist at Colorado State University in Fort Collins said that this puts to rest a speculation, which has been at the back of everyone's mind. He further said that conservationists now can focus their resources on safeguarding elephants from poachers instead of worrying so much about fighting the corrupt government.

The analysis of the research was printed in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers from the Thure Cerling at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City gauged the decay of carbon-14 isotopes in 231 ivory tusks that were confiscated in between 2002 and 2014.

In their analysis, the team identified where the poached elephants lived. They discovered that the elephants in East Africa were killed less than a year ago. Meanwhile, in Central Africa, it was on average more of than two years old, according to Scientific American.

Tom Milliken from the wildlife monitoring network TRAFFIC said that this makes sense as the road network in East Africa is much better than in Central or West Africa. He said that poachers can easily ship the tusks to Asia. He added that this helps them understand the fundamental dynamic in ivory trafficking.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature's latest African Elephant Status Report reveals that with the soaring of poaching for more than the past decade the Africa's elephant population has declined from 526,000 to 415,000 between 2006 and 2015. Milliken said that in Tanzania alone, the elephant's population has dropped to 60 percent in the past three years due to poaching, according to Nature.




A diver accidentally came across what he believes to be a lost nuke from the Cold War. The Canadian Navy will now investigate if the claims are true.

Sean Smyrichinsky, a diver, was almost done diving near Haida Gwaii, it is an archipelago located at the 80 km west of the Britsh Columbia coast. That is where Smyrichinsky came across the remains of what might be the world's broken arrow -- it is the code name that involves American nuclear weapon accidents.

According to CBC News, Sean said in an interview that, "I was just looking for fish for the next day. I figured I would do a little reconnaissance dive looking around and on my dive, I got pretty far from my boat,and then I found something that I had never, ever seen before."

Smyrichinsky described what he had seen as huge that measured, estimated to be 12 feet long. It looked like a bagel slice in half that has bolts on it. He then came out of the water so excited that he told his crew that he found a UFO. He also then drew an outline to describe the object to his crew.

He asked around describing what he had seen and came across an old timer and told him that what he had found could be a bomb. He was referring to the Mark IV, 10-foot blimp-shaped nuclear bomb weighing around five tons. The bomb went missing around the Pacific during the U.S. Air Force B-36 training flight way back Feb. 13, 1950.

Sean Smyrichinsky sent an e-mail describing the object to the Canada's National Defense. In reply, the National Defense said that it is looking at the matter with keen interest.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Armed Forces will deploy the navy ship in the coming weeks to investigate. A spokesperson from the Canadian Armed Forces said that the "Government records indicate that the lost bomb was a dummy and poses little risk of nuclear detonation," according to the Guardian.
Surfers being attacked by a shark have been seen in Hollywood movies. But what happens in Oregon Coast is just not another movie. A surfer wrestled with a shark that bit his leg.

Reports show that the most feared of being bitten by a shark happened on the Oregon Coast. Joe Tanner, 29 yearS old, was paddling his surfboard trying to catch a wave. Suddenly, he felt that something grabbed his leg. When he looked down, there were plenty of teeth coming from a great white shark.

Joe Tanner told Live Science that "I had just gotten out there, paddling in the surf. My feet were dangling in the water. All of a sudden, something grabbed my leg, and kind of took me off my surfboard and under."

Joe Tanner, without a doubt, fought the shark. He was thinking of punching the nose and eyes because those were the most recommended to do. But, it seems that the nose of the shark was a bit far and the eyes are too small. So, what he did was he punched the gills of the shark until the shark released him.

This is shark attack victim Joe Tanner. His brother tells me a chunk of his thigh is missing, but he won't lose his leg pic.twitter.com/An0myD9AwE  Mike Benner (@MikeBennerKGW) October 12, 2016

Associate professor of emergency medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore Dr. Matthew Levy said that "He's obviously incredibly lucky and incredibly cool under pressure. It's one thing to be a lifesaver and save other people's lives as a nurse and health care provider, but another to have the mental discipline and nerves of steel to direct others around him as to what to do," as reported by Yahoo! News.

Amazingly, after the shark released him, he got onto his board and screamed at the top of his lungs to get out of the water because there was a shark present. Tanner was about 180 meters or 200 yards away from the shore.

Other surfers were nearby, and he managed to make it back. As follows, Joe Tanner was thinking that the shark will follow the trail of blood coming from his legs. Upon reaching the shore, people called 911. Tanner could clearly remember that he asked people to tie a torniquet on his right leg using the leash of the surfboard, which was very helpful for his bleeding leg.

LISTEN: 911 call of yesterday's shark attack near Cannon Beach. 29yo Joe Tanner is trauma nurse at Emanuel Hosp. & said to be doing better pic.twitter.com/MFVw7NA2xC  Nina Mehlhaf (@NinaMehlhaf) October 11, 2016



With the help of six people who carried him to the parking lot, the help arrived. A helicopter and police were sent to aid him, he then was flown in by helicopter to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center.
NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 08, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until January 6, 2017 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), if they purchased the Companys securities between February 19, 2016 and October 27, 2016, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.



What You May Do

If you purchased shares of Exxon and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com). If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by January 6, 2017.

About the Lawsuit

Exxon and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (i) Exxons internal reports recognized the environmental risks caused by global warming and climate change; (ii) because of these risks, Exxon would not be able to extract its claimed existing hydrocarbon reserves and, therefore, a material portion should have been written down; and (iii) Exxon employed an inaccurate price of carbon  the cost of regulations such as a carbon tax or cap-and-trade system  in evaluating its future oil and gas prospects to materially overstate the value of its reserves.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.
COLUMBIA, S.C.  Emma Graham, a sophomore at Hartsville High School (HHS), earned a first place ribbon in 2016 South Caroline State Fairs Student Art Competition, and five other Darlington County School District (DCSD) students won awards in their respective contests.

Shayla Walters, a freshman at HHS, earned a second place ribbon in her division. Emily Gainey, a third grader at North Hartsville, took home a third-place award. Jason Hutchinson, second grade, and Kate Dargan, fourth grade, of St. Johns Elementary School earned honorable mentions in their groups. Katrina Turner, a second grader at St. Johns, received a second place award.

Marisa Johnson, DCSDs Arts and Innovative Programs coordinator, praised the students and their teachers for their hard work.

Every school district in the state of South Carolina was represented in this statewide, juried art competition, Johnson said. We are very pleased to have student winners ranging from honorable mention to first place. Our art teachers set high expectations, and our DCSD student artists rise to the occasion creatively.

The winning artwork was displayed during the State Fair this year, and the artists also took home some cash prizes.
WASHINGTON  Donald Trump is elected president of the United States, as voters eager to shake up the nation's political establishment pick the businessman to lead the country. An unexpected Republican nominee, Trump rode a wave of support from voters seeking change and willing to accept a candidate loose with facts and accused of sexual misconduct. In a victory that rattled financial markets worldwide, he upset Democrat Hillary Clinton, who would have become the first woman to serve in the Oval Office.

---

The Latest: Donald Trump elected president

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Latest on Election Day 2016 (all times EST):

2:29 a.m.

Donald Trump has been elected president of the United States.

The Republican nominee won Wednesday after capturing Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes, putting him over the 270 threshold.

Voters eager to shake up the nation's political establishment picked the celebrity businessman to become the nation's 45th president.

Trump rode an astonishing wave of support from voters seeking change and willing to accept a candidate loose with facts and accused of sexual misconduct.

He upset Democrat Hillary Clinton, who would have become the first woman to serve in the Oval Office.

Trump struck a populist tone and placed a hardline immigration stance at his campaign's heart.

Trump rose to political fame after questioning whether President Barack Obama was born in the United States. He will now follow Obama into the White House.

___

2:22 a.m.

Donald Trump has arrived at his election night headquarters after winning the state of Pennsylvania.

Trump's motorcade traveled from nearby Trump Tower to the midtown hotel where thousands of his supporters and hundreds of reporters are gathered.

Trump is expected to address the crowd.

___

2:08 a.m.

Republicans have officially retained control of the U.S. Senate.

It comes as Missouri Republican Roy Blunt and Alaska's Lisa Murkowski won their two races in Tuesday's election.

Republicans have a 51-47 edge in the Senate. Two races remain outstanding: In Louisiana, the seat will head to a runoff election next month. And in New Hampshire, Democrat Maggie Hassan and Republican Kelly Ayotte are locked in a too-close-to-call race.

___

2:05 a.m.

Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman says it has nothing more to say even as votes turn against her.

John Podesta told a crowd in New York early Wednesday that with states still uncalled "we're not going to have anything else to say tonight."

Clinton trails in the Electoral College count and Donald Trump is close to breaking the 270-vote threshold to become president.

Podesta told the crowd Clinton "has done an amazing job" and "is not done yet."

___

1:56 a.m.

Hillary Clinton has won the statewide vote in Maine.

Clinton has won one of the state's congressional districts, giving her three electoral votes. Trump has won one district in the state and wins one electoral vote.

Trump also won the remaining congressional district in Nebraska, which gives him another electoral vote.

Clinton now has 218 electoral votes. Her Republican opponent has 266, just four shy of the threshold needed to be elected president.

___

1:36 a.m.

Donald Trump has won Pennsylvania and its prize of 20 electoral votes.

Trump's stunning victory in the key battleground state gives him 264 electoral votes.

It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, has 215.

Pennsylvania last voted for a Republican for president in 1988. Trump repeatedly campaigned there, believing his populist message would resonate with the state's working-class voters.

Clinton long viewed the state as a key part of her "firewall" and rallied in Philadelphia with President Barack Obama on Monday night. The Democrats also held their nominating convention in the city.

___

1:30 a.m.

House Speaker Paul Ryan has congratulated Donald Trump on "his big night."

A Ryan spokeswoman confirms that the Republican speaker called the Republican presidential nominee Tuesday evening. The spokeswoman, AshLee Strong, says they had "a very good conversation."

She says, "The speaker congratulated Trump on his big night and also spoke with his good friend Gov. Mike Pence."

___

12:42 a.m.

The mood is dark at Hillary Clinton's election night party.

Stony-faced supporters were crying and anxiously staring at the big screens showing election results. Some began leaving as the race wore on into the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Thousands had gathered at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City for Clinton's election night party. The glass-ceilinged building was picked as a nod to what aides expected would be the historic election of the first female U.S. president.

Clinton, her family and close aides have spent hours ensconced in a suite at the Peninsula New York, a luxury hotel in midtown Manhattan.

___

12:30 a.m.

Donald Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway is describing the mood inside Trump Tower as "buoyant."

She tells The Associated Press that the team is hopeful as results continue to roll in.

A Trump victory would represent a stunning upset against his rival Hillary Clinton.

Thousands of his supporters are gathered in a midtown Manhattan hotel ballroom watching the results on Fox.

___

12:25 a.m.

Former Navy SEAL Eric Greitens has won the Missouri governor's race, beating Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster. The contest offered voters a vivid choice between experience and a fresh start.

Greitens, a first-time Republican candidate, has touted himself as an outsider and pledged to tackle corruption in the state Capitol. Koster took the opposite approach, emphasizing that his nearly 22 years in elected office make him qualified to run state government.

Without a voting record, Greitens was running on his time as a Navy SEAL officer and founder of a charity for veterans, The Mission Continues. Greitens' lengthy resume also includes stints as a Rhodes scholar and White House fellow, champion boxer and martial artist, a best-selling author and motivational speaker.

___

12:23 a.m.

Republicans have clinched continued House control for the new Congress. They'll likely lose seats from their current historic high, but they won enough seats to extend their six-year streak of commanding the chamber.

With voting results still being counted early Wednesday, Republicans have won at least 218 House seats. That exceeds the number needed to control the chamber.

Democrats started the year hoping Donald Trump's divisive presidential candidacy would cost Republicans bushels of House seats. His impact on down-ballot candidates proved spotty.

Republicans now control 247 seats in the House. With a smaller GOP majority, dissident hard-right conservatives could have added leverage to press House Speaker Paul Ryan and other party leaders on the budget and other issues.

___

12:21 a.m.

Hillary Clinton has won Nevada and its six electoral votes.

Her victory there in the presidential election brings Clinton's Electoral College total to 215. Republican Donald Trump has 244 votes.

It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

Clinton's win in Nevada is the first time since the 1940s that the Democrats have carried the state in three consecutive elections.

The winner of the U.S. presidential election has failed to carry Nevada only once since 1908.

___

12:05 a.m.

Democrat Jay Inslee has been re-elected governor of Washington, beating challenger Bill Bryant.

Inslee, a former congressman, touted his environmental record throughout the campaign. He said the state is requiring the biggest polluters to reduce emissions and is promoting alternative energy.

Bryant, a former Seattle Port commissioner, sharply criticized Inslee in the months leading up to the November election. He said Inslee had mismanaged state departments, especially the state's mental health system. He also said Inslee had failed to come up with a plan to fund K-12 education, as mandated by the state Supreme Court.

___

12:02 a.m.

Donald Trump has won the battleground state of Iowa.

He was awarded the state's six Electoral College votes early Wednesday.

Trump now has 244 electoral votes. His Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 209.

Iowa had voted for a Republican only once since 1984 but polls remained tight throughout the campaign. Trump proved popular with the state's sizable evangelical population while Clinton and her allies campaigned frequently in its college towns.

__

11:53 p.m.

Donald Trump has won Utah.

The Republican nominee was awarded its six electoral college votes.

He now has 238 electoral votes. His Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 209.

Utah is normally one of the safest states on the map for Republicans. But the presence of independent Evan McMullin changed the calculation this year as polls consistently reflected a tight three-way race. Trump also had struggled with Mormons, who are normally reliably Republican voters.

___

11:44 p.m.

Kate Brown has been re-elected governor of Oregon over Republican newcomer Bud Pierce.

Brown became governor in February 2015 after the resignation of John Kitzhaber over an influence-peddling scandal. Brown was then secretary of state and next in line to succeed him.

Tuesday's gubernatorial vote was a special election to fill the remainder of Kitzhaber's four-year term.

___

11:43 p.m.

Donald Trump's victory in Ohio demonstrates the Republican nominee's ability to energize working-class voters outside of America's largest cities.

Mahoning County stands out as a working-class county where organized labor still maintains political clout. Trump didn't win the county that surrounds Youngstown. But he might as well have.

Hillary Clinton won by just 3 percentage points and less than 3,500 votes. Four years ago, President Barack Obama outpaced Mitt Romney by almost 25,000 votes on his way to a 28-point margin in the county. Clinton fell more than 20,000 votes shy of Obama's total.

Youngstown is represented in Congress by a Democrat who offers some of the same populist appeal to labor as Trump. But those loyalties to Rep. Tim Ryan apparently didn't transfer to Clinton.

___

11:37 p.m.

Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Scott has won election as governor of Vermont.

He defeated Democrat Sue Minter.

The popular construction company executive and part-time race-car driver had served three two-year terms as Vermont's part-time lieutenant governor. He was previously in the state Senate.

Scott takes over in January from Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin, who decided not to seek a fourth two-year term.

___

11:36 p.m.

The crowd at Donald Trump's election watch party is jubilant as returns continue to roll in putting him closer to 270 Electoral College votes.

Supporters packed into a hotel ballroom in midtown Manhattan are breaking into chants of "USA!" and embracing each other in groups.

Others are breaking into song, bellowing "God Bless America" at the top of their lungs.

The screens in the ballroom are turned to Fox News. When the station shows images of Clinton's election headquarters, the room breaks into boos and chants of one of Trump's slogans: "Drain the swamp!"

___

11:33 p.m.

Donald Trump has won Georgia.

The Republican nominee on Tuesday was awarded its 16 electoral votes.

Trump now has 232 electoral votes while his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 209.

The Democrats had some hopes that changing demographics in Georgia could allow then to flip the reliably Republican state but their efforts fell short.
FLORENCE, S.C.  With 96 percent of the precincts tallied in South Carolina, the Associated Press reported that Republican Donald Trump got 56 percent of the presidential vote with 1,040,569 votes while Democrat Hillary Clinton ended up with 40 percent of the vote with 739,007.

In Florence County, there were 87,689 registered voters who cast 56,140 ballots for a turnout of 64 percent, according to scvotes.org. The Trump/Pence ticket got 28,442 votes for 51.11 percent while the Clinton/Kaine ticket got 25,634 votes for 46.06 percent.

Dillon County was closer as voters cast 5,832 votes for Clinton/Kaine, or 49.86 percent. Trump/Pence got 5,637 votes for 48.2 percent. Voter turnout was 58.87 percent with 11,795 ballots cast. Dillon County has 20,037 registered voters.

In Darlington County, which has 44,307 registered voters, 29,862 ballots were cast for a voter turnout of 67.4 percent. The Trump/Pence ticket got 50.2 percent of the votes with 14,973 total while Clinton/Kaine topped out at 46.79 percent with 13,866 votes.

Williamsburg County went overwhelmingly in favor of Clinton as voters cast 15,176 ballots for a 67.01 percent turnout. The Clinton/Kaine ticket got 9,949 votes for 66.11 percent while Trump/Pence garnered 4,863 votes for 32.31 percent. Williamsburg has 22,646 registered voters.

Marion County also went very blue as voters cast 14,356 ballots for a voter turnout of 64.34 percent. Clinton/Kaine got 59.94 percent with 8,522 votes while Trump/Pence got 5,434 votes for 38.22 percent. Marion County has 22,134 registered voters.

As South Carolinians voted to elect Donald Trump as the nations next president, one registered Republican voted for Hillary Clinton.

Steve Srutkowskis fear of Donald Trump outweighed his disdain for the former secretary of state.

I dont like Trump, he said. I dont like her either, but between the two, he scares me. He talks without thinking.

Srutkowski is a native of Long Island, N.Y., and a 68-year-old retired engineer. He voted for the GOP in every contest except for the top spot.

I dont think shes truly honest, he said about 3 p.m. Tuesday outside the Transfiguration of Our Savior Greek Orthodox Church on South Cashua Drive, where he had cast his ballot.

He supported Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, and mused that Sanders would have matched up against Trump more favorably than Clinton.

Wed be better off with him, he said.

Trump, he said, didnt leave a good feeling with me.

Samantha Barber is unabashed about being a young Republican. A 21-year-old intern at ACS Technologies, shes studying political science at Francis Marion University and researched politics in middle school before drawing her own conclusions.

My family is Republican and my values align with the party, she said.

She echoed Trumps refrain that Washington, D.C., is a swamp in need of draining. How the FBI handled Hillary Clintons e-mail was corrupt, she said.

She wrote a thesis in high school about encouraging youth voter turnout and said meeting N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory was amazing.

I voted a straight Republican ticket, she said.

Before heading to work at Walmart, Eddie Mae Cooper, 67, stopped at Mount Zion AME Church to vote a straight Democratic ticket. Her granddaughter Rodaisha Kayte, 12, was along for the ride.

Cooper said she feels more comfortable with Hillary Clintons experience.

With two granddaughters, I want them to learn responsibility and how to support themselves, she said. I always vote Democrat. Im here so they hear my voice.
LYDIA, S.C.  Whenever barbecue is mentioned, a debate is likely to ensue over whether pork or beef is best or which type sauce is preferred. In South Carolina, mustard-based and vinegar-based sauces are popular, as are other special blends.

If you lean toward mustard-based pork barbecue, Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church is somewhat of an authority. The church has been preparing barbecue, the old-fashioned way  slow cooked on locally cut hickory wood ash for 12-14 hours  for 63 years.

Wesley Chapel, located in Lydia, was founded in 1789 and is the oldest Methodist congregation in Darlington County.

The annual barbecue originated in 1954 as a fundraising event with the proceeds used to advance the ministries of the church. This years event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Lydia Community Center. The price is $8 per plate. Eat-in or take-out is available.

The meat is fire-cooked pork loins, butts and hams. It is hand cut and mixed with 100 gallons of locally prepared mustard-based sauce.

We used to cook the whole hog, said Jerry Lane, president of the Mens Club at Wesley Chapel. When we first started, farmers donated their hogs.

Times have changed, he said. There arent as many hog farmers around, so now they purchase the meat. They will cook 1,400 pounds of meat this year.

We cut back from last year because we had some left, Lane said.

We still fire cook, hand cut and use our special sauce, created years ago by one of the old-timers in the church he said. We still follow his recipe. The fire-cooked process is what makes ours different. That and the sauce.

Lane said he has no intention of divulging the sauces ingredients.

Ill tell you that it has mustard in it, he said.

Lane said this year they have collected a lot of wood from yards with downed trees from Hurricane Matthew to use in the cooking.

The annual barbecue is as much a social event as it is a fundraising event, said Johnny Andrews, a church member. He said preparations begin a week in advance with individuals from near and far volunteering their time to make the event a success.

Approximately 75 individuals work on the project, Lane said.

Lane said they have been preparing barbecue for a long time with the help of church members and the community. He said some come from out of the county.

There are not a lot of marriages and friendships that last 63 years, he said.

We have people who are not church members who help year after year. It is as much about getting together as it is about the fundraiser.

The United Methodist Womens Annual Bazaar is held concurrently, with all proceeds going to missions.

The women prepare soups and casseroles, pies and other baked goods. There are also handmade crafts for sale on the day of the barbecue.

Lane said they usually make between $6,000 and $8,000. The profits go toward local missions  to help the needy in the community, expenses for church youth trips and doing good deeds in the community.
NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 08, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, the former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until January 3, 2017 to file lead plaintiff applications in securities class action lawsuits against Allergan plc (NYSE:AGN), if they purchased the Companys securities between February 25, 2014 and November 3, 2016, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Courts for the Central District of California and Southern District of New York.



What You May Do

If you purchased shares of Allergan and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com). If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by January 3, 2017.

About the Lawsuit

Allergan and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On November 3, 2016, Bloomberg reported that an antitrust investigation by the Justice Department, begun about two years ago, now spans more than a dozen companies, including Allergans former generic pharmaceuticals unit Actavis, and about two dozen drugs. The article further stated that a grand jury probe is examining whether some executives agreed with one another to raise prices, and the first charges could emerge by the end of the year. Additionally, according to Bloomberg, [g]eneric drug companies are also contending with a civil price-fixing investigation by [the] Connecticut Attorney General.

About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include the Former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greenwood Hall, Inc. (OTCQB:ELRN), a Los Angeles-based education technology company that helps colleges and universities improve student engagement and outcomes, announced today that Troy University has extended its agreement with the Company for a tenth consecutive year. Troy University and Greenwood Hall initially partnered on student support and financial aid service in 2007. This renewal extends that successful partnership into its tenth year and beyond. The partnership provides Greenwood Hall the opportunity to continue to offer its student success focused support services for Troy and its students through 2017.



Our relationship with Troy has been both long-lasting and rewarding for both parties, said Bill Bradfield, EVP for Business Development at Greenwood Hall. Troy is a demanding and knowledgeable partner with a keen focus on their students success. The quality of the partnership the two organizations have forged is a testament to that focus and Greenwood Halls culture of individually serving one student at a time.

We are both thrilled with and proud of our partnership with Troy University. At a time when so many schools are concerned with student success and retention, Troy has long recognized that high quality student support services are a key driver in increasing student success, said Dr. John Hall, Greenwood Halls Chief Executive Officer. The length and success of our relationship is directly related to the quality and dedication of the people from both organizations working toward a common goal of student success.

About TROY

Troy University is a public institution comprised of a network of campuses throughout Alabama and worldwide. International in scope, Troy University provides a variety of educational programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels for a diverse student body in traditional, non-traditional, and emerging electronic formats. Academic programs are supported by a variety of student services which promote the welfare of the individual student. Troy Universitys dedicated faculty and staff promote discovery and exploration of knowledge and its application of life-long success through effective teaching, service, creative partnerships, scholarship, and research.

For more information, visit www.Troy.edu

About Greenwood Hall, Inc.

Greenwood Hall is an education technology company that helps colleges and universities manage the student journey. Every Greenwood Hall solution is designed to increase revenue and improve student engagement as well as learning outcomes. Since 2006, Greenwood Hall has developed customized turnkey solutions that combine strategy, people, proven processes and robust technology to help schools effectively and efficiently improve student outcomes, as well as increase revenues and expand into new marketing channels, such as online learning. Greenwood Hall has served more than 60 education clients and over 75 degree programs.

For more information, visit http://www.greenwoodhall.com, follow us on Twitter @GreenwoodHall and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GreenwoodandHall.
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Nov. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) today reported financial results for the first quarter ended September 30, 2016 of its fiscal year 2017.



First Quarter % Summary Financial Results

2017 2016 Change Dollars in millions, except per share data Total revenues $ 895 $ 595 51 % Recurring fee revenues 517 393 32 % Operating income 66 59 12 % Operating income margin 7.4 % 9.9 % Adjusted operating income - Non-GAAP 82 68 19 % Adjusted operating income margin - Non-GAAP

9.1 % 11.5 % Diluted EPS $ 0.28 $ 0.28  % Adjusted EPS - Non-GAAP $ 0.36 $ 0.33 9 % Closed sales $ 22 $ 17 26 %

Broadridge delivered a solid first quarter, said Richard J. Daly, Broadridges President and Chief Executive Officer. We reported strong revenue growth, largely driven by the acquisition of NACC, and continued strong momentum in Closed sales. We also took steps to strengthen our leadership position over the medium- and long-term by investing in blockchain technology for our proxy business and by executing on the digital strategy for our Investor Communication Solutions segment.

These efforts, together with other ongoing product initiatives and our strong sales pipeline, give Broadridge multiple paths to drive growth. We are on track to achieve our three year financial objectives and our fiscal 2017 guidance for recurring fee revenue growth of 29% to 31%, Adjusted EPS growth of 12% to 17%, and Closed sales in the range of $140 million to $180 million, Mr. Daly added.

Financial Results for First Quarter Fiscal Year 2017

Revenues

Revenues for the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 increased 51% to $895 million, from $595 million for the prior year period. Revenues from acquisitions contributed $278 million of this total increase, with the revenues of the North American Customer Communications business acquired from DST Systems, Inc. ("NACC") contributing $272 million.

Recurring fee revenues rose 32% to $517 million from $393 million. The increase in recurring fee revenues reflected: contributions from our recent acquisitions (28pts), including $106 million from the acquisition of NACC, and gains from Net New Business (4pts).

Distribution revenues rose $181 million, or 103%, to $357 million, largely driven by the acquisition of NACC. Changes in foreign currency rates lowered Broadridge's total revenue by $4 million as compared to the prior year period.

Operating Income

For the first quarter of fiscal year 2017:

Operating income was $66 million, an increase of $7 million, or 12%, compared to $59 million for the prior year period. Operating income margin decreased to 7.4%, compared to 9.9% for the prior year period.

Adjusted operating income was $82 million, an increase of $13 million, or 19%, compared to $68 million for the prior year period. Adjusted operating income margin decreased to 9.1%, compared to 11.5% for the prior year period.

The increase in Operating income and Adjusted operating income was primarily due to the acquisition of NACC.

Interest Expense and Other Non-operating Expenses

Interest expense, net for the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 was $10 million, an increase of $4 million, or 68%, compared to $6 million for the prior year period. The increase was primarily due to higher interest expense driven by higher indebtedness. Other non-operating expenses, net were $4 million, an increase of $3 million, primarily due to higher foreign currency transaction losses.

Net Earnings and Earnings per Share

For the first quarter of fiscal year 2017:

Net earnings were $34 million for both the current and prior year period.

Adjusted net earnings increased 11% to $44 million, compared to $40 million for the prior year period.

Diluted earnings per share were $0.28, unchanged from the prior year period.

Adjusted earnings per share increased 9% to $0.36 from $0.33 for the prior year period

Segment and Other Results for First Quarter Fiscal Year 2017

Investor Communication Solutions ("ICS")

ICS revenues in the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 increased $294 million, or 68%, to $723 million, compared to $430 million in the prior year period. Revenues from acquisitions contributed $274 million of this total increase, with NACC revenues contributing $272 million.

ICS recurring fee revenues in the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 rose $113 million, or 52%, to $329 million. The increase reflected: (i) contributions from our recent acquisitions (50pts), including (49pts) from the NACC acquisition; and (ii) Net New Business from increases in revenues from Closed sales (3pts); which were partially offset by (iii) negative internal growth as a result of a decline in the volume of processed pieces (-1pt).

ICS distribution revenues rose $181 million, or 103%, to $357 million. Event-driven revenues declined $1 million to $38 million as a result of decreased equity proxy specials and corporate actions communications activity.

Position growth compared to the same period in the prior year, which is a component of internal growth, was 1% for mutual fund interims and 1% for annual equity proxy communications.

ICS earnings before income taxes declined $1 million, or 3%, to $33 million as higher operating expenses, including higher distribution and amortization expenses, more than offset the impact of higher revenues. Pre-tax margins decreased by 3.4 percentage points to 4.5%, this was primarily due to the acquisition of NACC.

Global Technology and Operations ("GTO")

GTO revenues in the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 increased $11 million, or 6%, to $188 million, compared to $177 million in the prior year period. The increase was attributable to higher Net New Business from Closed sales (4pts) and revenue from recent acquisitions (2pts).

GTO earnings before income taxes rose $8 million, or 26%, to $38 million, reflecting robust revenue growth and cost management initiatives. Pre-tax margins increased by 320 basis points to 20.4%.

Other

Other Pre-tax loss increased by $9 million, or 64%, in the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 to $23 million. The biggest driver of the increased loss was higher net interest expense of $4 million.

Additional First Quarter Fiscal Year 2017 Events

Customer Communications Acquisition

On July 1, 2016, Broadridge completed the acquisition of NACC from DST Systems, Inc., expanding our product offerings in our Investor Communication Solutions segment. This business is being integrated into our existing customer communications business, which is now known as Broadridge Customer Communications. The aggregate purchase price was $410 million in cash, subject to customary working capital and other closing adjustments.

Purchase of Intellectual Property

In September 2016, Broadridge acquired intellectual property assets from Inveshare, Inc. ("Inveshare") and, at the same time, entered into a development agreement with an affiliate of Inveshare to use these assets to develop blockchain technology applications for Broadridges proxy business. The purchase price was $95 million to acquire the existing assets, plus an additional deferred payment of $40 million upon delivery of the new blockchain technology applications, which the Company expects to occur by September 2018. Broadridge also granted Inveshare a perpetual license to the acquired technology assets, and Inveshare will remain an independent provider of proxy communication services.

Subsequent Event - M&O Systems Acquisition

On November 4, 2016, Broadridge completed the acquisition of M&O Systems, Inc. (M&O). M&O is a provider of SaaS-based compensation management and related solutions for broker-dealers and registered investment advisors. The aggregate purchase price was $25 million in cash, subject to customary working capital and other closing adjustments.

Fiscal Year 2017 Financial Guidance

The Company reaffirms its fiscal year 2017 guidance:

Recurring fee revenue growth in the range of 29% to 31%

Total revenue growth in the range of 43% to 45%

Adjusted operating income margin of ~15%

Diluted earnings per share growth in the range of 9% to 14%

Adjusted earnings per share growth in the range of 12% to 17%

Free cash flow in the range of $350 million to $400 million

Closed sales in the range of $140 million to $180 million

Earnings Conference Call

An analyst conference call will be held today, Wednesday, November 9, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. ET. A live webcast of the call will be available to the public on a listen-only basis. To listen to the live event and access the slide presentation, visit Broadridges Investor Relations website at www.broadridge-ir.com prior to the start of the webcast. To listen to the call, investors may dial 1-844-348-2805 within the United States and international callers may dial 1-213-785-7185.

A replay of the webcast will be available and can be accessed in the same manner as the live webcast at the Broadridge Investor Relations site. Through November 23, 2016, the recording will also be available by dialing 1-855-859-2056 passcode: 8672496 within the United States or 1-404-537-3406 passcode: 8672496 for international callers.

Explanation and Reconciliation of the Companys Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Companys results in this press release are presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP except where otherwise noted. In certain circumstances, results have been presented that are not generally accepted accounting principles measures (Non-GAAP). These Non-GAAP measures are Adjusted Operating income, Adjusted Operating income margin, Adjusted Net earnings, Adjusted earnings per share, and Free cash flow. These Non-GAAP financial measures should be viewed in addition to, and not as a substitute for, the Companys reported results.

The Company believes our Non-GAAP financial measures help investors understand how management plans, measures and evaluates the Companys business performance. Management believes that Non-GAAP measures provide consistency in its financial reporting and facilitates investors understanding of the Companys operating results and trends by providing an additional basis for comparison. Management uses these Non-GAAP financial measures to, among other things, evaluate our ongoing operations, for internal planning and forecasting purposes and in the calculation of performance-based compensation. In addition, and as a consequence of the importance of these Non-GAAP financial measures in managing our business, the Companys Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors incorporates Non-GAAP financial measures in the evaluation process for determining management compensation.

Adjusted Operating Income, Adjusted Operating Income Margin, Adjusted Net Earnings and Adjusted Earnings per Share

These Non-GAAP measures reflect Operating income, Operating income margin, Net earnings, and Diluted earnings per share, as adjusted to exclude the impact of certain costs, expenses, gains and losses and other specified items that management believes are not indicative of our ongoing operating performance. These adjusted measures exclude the impact of Amortization of Acquired Intangibles and Purchased Intellectual Property, and Acquisition and Integration Costs. Amortization of Acquired Intangibles and Purchased Intellectual Property represents non-cash expenses associated with the Company's acquisition activities. Acquisition and Integration Costs represent certain transaction and integration costs associated with the Companys acquisition activities. We exclude Amortization of Acquired Intangibles and Purchased Intellectual Property, and Acquisition and Integration Costs from these measures because excluding such information provides us with an understanding of the results from the primary operations of our business and these items do not reflect ordinary operations or earnings. Management believes these measures may be useful to an investor in evaluating the underlying operating performance of our business.

Free Cash Flow

In addition to the Non-GAAP financial measures discussed above, we provide Free cash flow information because we consider Free cash flow to be a liquidity measure that provides useful information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated that could be used for dividends, share repurchases, strategic acquisitions and other discretionary investments. Free cash flow is a Non-GAAP financial measure and is defined by the Company as Net cash flows provided by operating activities less Capital expenditures and Software purchases and capitalized internal use software.

Reconciliations of such Non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable financial measures presented in accordance with GAAP can be found in the tables that are part of this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and other written or oral statements made from time to time by representatives of Broadridge may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical in nature, and which may be identified by the use of words such as expects, assumes, projects, anticipates, estimates, we believe, could be and other words of similar meaning, are forward-looking statements. In particular, information appearing in the Fiscal Year 2017 Financial Guidance section are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on managements expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed. These risks and uncertainties include those risk factors discussed in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016 (the 2016 Annual Report), as they may be updated in any future reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed in the 2016 Annual Report.

These risks include: the success of Broadridge in retaining and selling additional services to its existing clients and in obtaining new clients; Broadridges reliance on a relatively small number of clients, the continued financial health of those clients, and the continued use by such clients of Broadridges services with favorable pricing terms; changes in laws and regulations affecting Broadridges clients or the services provided by Broadridge; any material breach of Broadridge security affecting its clients customer information; declines in participation and activity in the securities markets; the failure of Broadridges outsourced data center services provider to provide the anticipated levels of service; a disaster or other significant slowdown or failure of Broadridges systems or error in the performance of Broadridges services; overall market and economic conditions and their impact on the securities markets; Broadridges failure to keep pace with changes in technology and demands of its clients; Broadridges ability to attract and retain key personnel; the impact of new acquisitions and divestitures; and competitive conditions. Broadridge disclaims any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, other than as required by law.

About Broadridge

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) is a leading provider of investor communications and technology-driven solutions for banks, broker-dealers, mutual funds and corporate issuers. Broadridges investor and customer communications, securities processing and managed services solutions help clients reduce their capital investments in operations infrastructure, allowing them to increase their focus on core business activities. With over 50 years of experience, Broadridges infrastructure underpins proxy voting services for over 90% of public companies and mutual funds in North America, and processes on average over $5 trillion in equity and fixed income trades per day. Broadridge employs approximately 10,000 associates in 16 countries. For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com.





Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Earnings (In millions, except per share amounts) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended

September 30, 2016 2015 Revenues $ 895.3 $ 594.7 Operating expenses: Cost of revenues 717.9 438.6 Selling, general and administrative expenses 111.3 97.1 Total operating expenses 829.3 535.7 Operating income 66.0 59.1 Interest expense, net 10.4 6.2 Other non-operating expenses, net 4.2 1.2 Earnings before income taxes 51.5 51.7 Provision for income taxes 17.9 18.1 Net earnings $ 33.7 $ 33.5 Basic earnings per share $ 0.28 $ 0.28 Diluted earnings per share $ 0.28 $ 0.28 Weighted-average shares outstanding: Basic 118.5 118.3 Diluted 121.6 121.7 Dividends declared per common share $ 0.33 $ 0.30 Amounts may not sum due to rounding.





Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (In millions) (Unaudited) September 30,

2016 June 30,

2016 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 227.4 $ 727.7 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $3.0 and $2.3, respectively 499.4 453.4 Other current assets 159.0 108.0 Total current assets 885.8 1,289.1 Property, plant and equipment, net 130.7 112.2 Goodwill 1,239.5 999.3 Intangible assets, net 389.0 210.3 Other non-current assets 297.3 261.8 Total assets $ 2,942.3 $ 2,872.7 Liabilities and Stockholders Equity Current liabilities: Current portion of long-term debt $ 124.9 $ 124.8 Accounts payable 134.1 133.2 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 308.4 352.2 Deferred revenues 74.4 82.7 Total current liabilities 641.8 692.9 Long-term debt, excluding current portion 1,001.0 890.7 Deferred taxes 61.4 61.6 Deferred revenues 69.6 70.3 Other non-current liabilities 117.3 111.8 Total liabilities 1,891.0 1,827.3 Stockholders equity: Common stock, $0.01 par value: 650.0 shares authorized; 154.5 and 154.5 shares issued, respectively; and 119.1 and 118.3 shares outstanding, respectively 1.6 1.6 Additional paid-in capital 936.5 901.2 Retained earnings 1,292.4 1,297.8 Treasury stock, at cost: 35.4 and 36.2 shares, respectively (1,130.2 ) (1,116.9 ) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (48.9 ) (38.2 ) Total stockholders equity 1,051.3 1,045.5 Total liabilities and stockholders equity $ 2,942.3 $ 2,872.7 Amounts may not sum due to rounding.





Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (In millions) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended

September 30, 2016 2015 Cash Flows From Operating Activities Net earnings $ 33.7 $ 33.5 Adjustments to reconcile Net earnings to Net cash flows provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 17.5 12.4 Amortization of acquired intangibles and purchased intellectual property 12.8 8.1 Amortization of other assets 7.4 6.5 Stock-based compensation expense 8.8 9.0 Deferred income taxes (7.8 ) (8.8 ) Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation awards (20.9 ) (1.4 ) Other 2.3 (1.1 ) Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of assets and liabilities acquired: Current assets and liabilities: Decrease in Accounts receivable, net 44.4 36.7 Increase in Other current assets (27.5 ) (5.9 ) Decrease in Accounts payable (7.9 ) (3.5 ) Decrease in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities (118.5 ) (96.0 ) Increase (decrease) in Deferred revenues (11.7 ) 2.2 Non-current assets and liabilities: Increase in Other non-current assets (27.1 ) (14.6 ) Increase (decrease) in Other non-current liabilities 7.3 (1.7 ) Net cash flows used in operating activities (87.4 ) (24.6 ) Cash Flows From Investing Activities Capital expenditures (7.2 ) (14.9 ) Software purchases and capitalized internal use software (7.6 ) (2.9 ) Acquisitions, net of cash acquired (402.0 )  Purchase of intellectual property (90.0 )  Equity method investment (1.6 ) (0.3 ) Net cash flows used in investing activities (508.4 ) (18.1 ) Cash Flows From Financing Activities Proceeds from Long-term debt 110.0 65.0 Repayments on Long-term debt  (20.0 ) Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation awards 20.9 1.4 Dividends paid (35.5 ) (32.0 ) Purchases of Treasury stock (40.0 ) (3.0 ) Proceeds from exercise of stock options 41.4 3.1 Payment of contingent consideration liabilities  (0.8 ) Costs related to issuance of bonds (0.7 )  Net cash flows provided by financing activities 96.1 13.7 Effect of exchange rate changes on Cash and cash equivalents (0.7 ) (8.8 ) Net change in Cash and cash equivalents (500.3 ) (37.8 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 727.7 324.1 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 227.4 $ 286.3 Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Cash payments made for interest $ 8.0 $ 8.5 Cash payments made for income taxes, net of refunds $ 55.0 $ 30.0 Non-cash investing and financing activities: Accrual of unpaid property, plant and equipment and software $ 0.6 $  Obligations related to the purchase of intellectual property $ 5.0 $  Amounts may not sum due to rounding.







Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. Segment Results (In millions) (Unaudited) Segment results: Revenues Three Months Ended

September 30, 2016 2015 (in millions) Investor Communication Solutions $ 723.3 $ 429.7 Global Technology and Operations 187.8 176.8 Foreign currency exchange (15.9 ) (11.7 ) Total $ 895.3 $ 594.7 Earnings (Loss) before Income

Taxes Three Months Ended

September 30, 2016 2015 (in millions) Investor Communication Solutions $ 32.9 $ 33.9 Global Technology and Operations 38.3 30.3 Other (22.8 ) (13.9 ) Foreign currency exchange 3.2 1.3 Total $ 51.5 $ 51.7 Amounts may not sum due to rounding.





Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. Reconciliation of Non-GAAP to GAAP Measures (In millions, except per share amounts) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 (in millions) Operating income (GAAP) $ 66.0 $ 59.1 Adjustments: Amortization of Acquired Intangibles and Purchased Intellectual Property 12.8 8.1 Acquisition and Integration Costs 2.8 1.3 Adjusted Operating income (Non-GAAP) $ 81.6 $ 68.4 Operating income margin (GAAP) 7.4 % 9.9 % Adjusted Operating income margin (Non-GAAP) 9.1 % 11.5 % Three Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 (in millions) Net earnings (GAAP) $ 33.7 $ 33.5 Adjustments: Amortization of Acquired Intangibles and Purchased Intellectual Property 12.8 8.1 Acquisition and Integration Costs 2.8 1.3 Tax impact of adjustments (5.4 ) (3.3 ) Adjusted Net earnings (Non-GAAP) $ 43.9 $ 39.6 Three Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 Diluted earnings per share (GAAP) $ 0.28 $ 0.28 Adjustments: Amortization of Acquired Intangibles and Purchased Intellectual Property 0.11 0.07 Acquisition and Integration Costs 0.02 0.01 Tax impact of adjustments (0.04 ) (0.03 ) Adjusted earnings per share (Non-GAAP) $ 0.36 $ 0.33 Three Months Ended September 30, 2016 2015 (in millions) Net cash flows used in operating activities (GAAP) $ (87.4 ) $ (24.6 ) Capital expenditures and Software purchases and capitalized internal use software (14.7 ) (17.8 ) Free cash flow (Non-GAAP) $ (102.1 ) $ (42.4 ) Note: Amounts may not sum due to rounding.





Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. Reconciliation of Non-GAAP to GAAP Measures Adjusted Earnings Per Share Growth, Adjusted Operating Income Margin and Free Cash Flow Fiscal Year 2017 Guidance (In millions, except per share amounts) (Unaudited) Adjusted Earnings Per Share Growth Rate (1) Diluted earnings per share (GAAP) 9% - 14% growth Adjusted earnings per share (Non-GAAP) 12% - 17% growth Adjusted Operating Income Margin (2) Operating income margin % (GAAP) ~13.6% Adjusted Operating income margin % (Non-GAAP) ~15% Free Cash Flow Net cash flows provided by operating activities (GAAP) $470 - $550 Capital expenditures and Software purchases and capitalized internal use software (120) - (150) Free cash flow (Non-GAAP) $350 - $400

(1) Adjusted EPS growth (Non-GAAP) is adjusted to exclude the projected impact of Amortization of Acquired Intangibles and Purchased Intellectual Property, and Acquisition and Integration Costs, and is calculated using diluted shares outstanding. Fiscal year 2017 Non-GAAP Adjusted EPS guidance estimates exclude estimated Amortization of Acquired Intangibles and Purchased Intellectual Property, and Acquisition and Integration Costs, net of taxes, of approximately $0.40 per share.

(2) Adjusted Operating income margin (Non-GAAP) is adjusted to exclude the projected impact of Amortization of Acquired Intangibles and Purchased Intellectual Property, and Acquisition and Integration Costs. Fiscal year 2017 Non-GAAP Adjusted Operating income margin guidance estimates exclude Amortization of Acquired Intangibles and Purchased Intellectual Property, and Acquisition and Integration Costs of approximately $74 million.
CHICAGO, Nov. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The three busiest airports for Thanksgiving and Christmas are expected to be Chicago O Hare International (ORD), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) and Los Angeles International (LAX), based on the Orbitz Insider Index, which analyzed Orbitz.com flight booking data for the top 50 U.S. airports during the holiday season.



Travelers have come to rely upon the busiest airport rankings from Orbitz.com to better navigate the holiday travel season. This year, weve analyzed data not only for Thanksgiving but also for Christmas in order to arm people with information to help them better prepare for departure, said Jeanenne Tornatore, senior editor at Orbitz.com. Travelers looking to avoid the crowds and long lines should consider flying on off-peak days like Thanksgiving Day or booking airfare to alternative airports in the busiest regions, like John Wayne International in nearby Orange County instead of LAX.

According to the Orbitz.com 2016 holiday survey, 73 percent of Americans plan to travel for either Thanksgiving or Christmas.1 As always during the holiday season, travelers should anticipate long lines and packed flights. In particular, flights from Chicago OHare (ORD) to Los Angeles International (LAX) will likely be the most congested during Thanksgiving. While travel from Chicago OHare (ORD) to Denver International Airport (DEN) will likely be the most crowded during Christmas.

ORBITZ.COM BUSIEST AIRPORTS FOR THANKSGIVING TRAVEL 20162

RANK AIRPORT NAME LOCATION/MARKET AIRPORT CODE 1 Chicago OHare International Chicago, Ill. ORD 2 Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Atlanta, Ga. ATL 3 Los Angeles International Los Angeles, Calif. LAX 4 Denver International Denver, Colo. DEN 5 Dallas-Fort Worth International Dallas, Texas DFW 6 Charlotte-Douglas International Charlotte, N.C. CLT 7 Newark Liberty International Newark, N.J. EWR 8 Houston George Bush Intercontinental Houston, Texas IAH 9 San Francisco International San Francisco, Calif. SFO 10 John F. Kennedy International New York, N.Y. JFK

ORBITZ.COM BUSIEST AIRPORTS FOR CHRISTMAS TRAVEL 20163

RANK AIRPORT NAME LOCATION/MARKET AIRPORT CODE 1 Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Atlanta, Ga. ATL 2 Chicago OHare International Chicago, Ill. ORD 3 Los Angeles International Los Angeles, Calif. LAX 4 Charlotte-Douglas International Charlotte, N.C. CLT 5 Dallas-Fort Worth International Dallas, Texas DFW 6 Denver International Denver, Colo. DEN 7 John F. Kennedy International New York, N.Y. JFK 8 Seattle-Tacoma International Seattle, Wash. SEA 9 Phoenix Sky Harbor International Phoenix, Ariz. PHX 10 Orlando International Orlando, Fla. ORD

For the most up-to-date information on holiday travel and the latest deals visit www.orbitz.com/holidays.

1From the September 2016 Orbitz University of Wisconsin US Traveler Compass study. Orbitz and the University of Wisconsin Business Schools US Traveler Compass Study surveyed 711 adults 18-64 who are leisure travelers about their future travel intent. This study is done using Google Consumer Surveys.

2Busiest airports data based on Orbitz.com standalone air ticket bookings to top 50 airports with arrivals and departures between Nov. 23-26, 2016.

3Busiest airports data based on Orbitz.com standalone air ticket bookings to top 50 airports with arrivals and departures between Dec. 22  28, 2016.

About Orbitz.com

Orbitz.com is a leading travel website where millions of consumers search for and book a broad range of hotels, flights, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages and destination activities. Orbitz.com now offers the groundbreaking Orbitz Rewards loyalty programthe only program where customers can earn rewards immediately on flights, hotels and packages, and redeem instantly on tens of thousands of hotels worldwide. Use the Orbitz Rewards Visa Card to earn even more rewards. Orbitz.com is the #1 way to book travel on mobile devices, be it using our apps (get them at orbitz.com/mobile) or our smartphone-optimized website (m.orbitz.com), both of which are tailored for smartphones and tablets. Follow Orbitz on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and through the Orbitz Travel Blog. Orbitz.com is owned by Expedia, Inc., one of the world's leading travel companies.

2016 Orbitz, LLC. All rights reserved. Orbitz, Orbitz.com, and the Orbitz logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Orbitz, LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. CST# 2063530-50; Hawaii TAR 6881; Iowa 644; Washington 602-108-724
SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J. and CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Molecular diagnostics company, Admera Health announced the official launch of OncoGxSelect while exhibiting at the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) 2016 Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. OncoGxSelect is a Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)-based test for tumor profiling of common cancer types, assaying 12 genes for mutations that align with well-established national guidelines for molecular testing and therapeutic decision making. The panel genes are: ALK, BRAF, EGFR, ERBB2, KIT, KRAS, MAP2K1, MET, NRAS, PIK3CA, RET and ROS1. Mutations in these genes are frequently the underlying driver of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), melanoma, thyroid, gastrointestinal and breast cancers. Results from OncoGxSelect provide targeted therapy recommendations based on gene mutation and tumor type. In addition, relevant, recruiting clinical trials are reported.



OncoGxSelect expands Admeras Oncology Test Portfolio, which also includes OncoGxOne, a comprehensive 64-gene tumor profiling panel, and PGxOne Plus, a pharmacogenomics panel that provides recommendations for over 220 commercial drugs, including cancer, anti-emetic and pain management drugs.

Guanghui Hu, PhD, President and CEO of Admera Health, commented, The OncoGxSelect panel detects clinically actionable mutations that are associated with targeted therapies. Hu went on to elaborate, Although Admera already offered comprehensive tumor profiling, with this product launch we can now provide oncologists with a focused panel that follows well-accepted national clinical guidelines.

Admera Health is exhibiting in Booth #2312 at the AMP 2016 Annual Meeting this week on November 10, 11 and 12.

About Admera Health

Admera Health is a CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited advanced molecular diagnostics company focused on personalized medicine, non-invasive cancer testing, digital health, and providing research use only services. Research and development efforts are dedicated to developing cutting-edge diagnostics that span the continuum of care. Utilizing next generation technology platforms and advanced bioinformatics, Admera Health seeks to redefine disease screening, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and management through its innovative, personalized solutions. It is our mission to deliver transformative, valuable solutions for patients, physicians, and clinical researchers. We are committed to improving the health and well-being of our global community through the direct delivery of personalized, medically actionable results.
BELGRADE, Mont., Nov. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xtant Medical Holdings, Inc. (NYSE MKT:XTNT), a leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of orthopedic products for domestic and international markets, announced today that it has adjusted the subscription price and related pricing information for its previously announced rights offering of up to 15,000,000 units, each consisting of one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock. The subscription price is now $0.75 per unit. The subscription period for the rights commenced on October 31, 2016 and will remain open until 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Monday, November 14, 2016, unless extended by the company. Holders of rights will need to exercise their subscription rights prior to that date and time.



Investors that have subscribed at the previous price will now receive the new adjusted price, and any excess payment amount will be returned to investors following the closing of the offering. If exercising subscription rights through a broker, dealer, bank or other nominee, rights holders should promptly contact their nominee and submit subscription documents and payment for the units subscribed for in accordance with the instructions and within the time period provided by such nominee.The broker, dealer, bank or other nominee may establish a deadline before November 14, 2016 by which instructions to exercise subscription rights, along with the required subscription payment, must be received.

All holders of rights that wish to participate in the rights offering must deliver a properly completed and signed subscription rights statement, together with payment of the subscription price for both basic subscription rights and any over subscription privilege election, by mail or hand or overnight courier to the Subscription Agent, to be received before 5:00 PM Eastern Time on November 14, 2016. The Subscription Agent is:

Corporate Stock Transfer, Inc.

3200 Cherry Creek Drive South, Suite 430

Denver, Colorado 80209

Under the proposed rights offering, the Company has distributed two non-transferable subscription rights for each share of common stock held, or underlying convertible notes held, on the record date. Each subscription right entitles the holder to purchase one unit at the subscription price of $0.75 per unit. Each unit consists of one share of common stock and one warrant, with each warrant exercisable to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.90 for five years from the date of issuance. After the one-year anniversary of issuance, the Company may redeem the warrants for $0.01 per warrant if the volume weighted average price of the Companys common stock is greater than $2.25 for each of 10 consecutive trading days.

Holders who exercise their subscription rights in full will be entitled, if available, to subscribe for additional units that are not purchased by other shareholders or convertible note holders, on a pro rata basis and subject to ownership limitations.

Xtant Medical has engaged Maxim Group LLC as dealer-manager in the offering. The offering may only be made by means of a prospectus. Questions about the rights offering or requests for copies of the prospectus may be directed to:

Maxim Group LLC

405 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10174

Attention: Syndicate Department

Email: syndicate@maximgrp.com

Telephone: (212) 895-3745

The Company's registration statement on Form S-1 was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on October 31, 2016. The prospectus relating to and describing the terms of the rights offering has been filed with the SEC as a part of the registration statement and is available on the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Xtant Medical Holdings

Xtant Medical Holdings, Inc. (NYSE MKT:XTNT) develops, manufactures and markets class-leading regenerative medicine products and medical devices for domestic and international markets. Xtant products serve the specialized needs of orthopedic and neurological surgeons, including orthobiologics for the promotion of bone healing, implants and instrumentation for the treatment of spinal disease, tissue grafts for the treatment of orthopedic disorders, and biologics to promote healing following cranial, and foot and ankle surgeries. With core competencies in both biologic and non-biologic surgical technologies, Xtant can leverage its resources to successfully compete in global neurological and orthopedic surgery markets. For further information, please visit www.xtantmedical.com.

Important Cautions Regarding Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains certain disclosures that may be deemed forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or that include words such as "continue," "efforts," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "projects," "forecasts," "strategy," "will," "goal," "target," "prospects," "potential," "optimistic," "confident," "likely," "probable" or similar expressions or the negative thereof.

Statements of historical fact also may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. We caution that these statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of important factors, including, among others: our ability to integrate the acquisition of X-spine Systems, Inc. and any other business combinations or acquisitions successfully; our ability to remain listed on the NYSE MKT; our ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms; our ability to increase revenue; our ability to comply with the covenants in our credit facility; our ability to maintain sufficient liquidity to fund our operations; the ability of our sales force to achieve expected results; our ability to remain competitive; government regulations; our ability to innovate and develop new products; our ability to obtain donor cadavers for our products; our ability to engage and retain qualified technical personnel and members of our management team; the availability of our facilities; government and third-party coverage and reimbursement for our products; our ability to obtain regulatory approvals; our ability to successfully integrate recent and future business combinations or acquisitions; our ability to use our net operating loss carry-forwards to offset future taxable income; our ability to deduct all or a portion of the interest payments on the notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes; our ability to service our debt; product liability claims and other litigation to which we may be subjected; product recalls and defects; timing and results of clinical studies; our ability to obtain and protect our intellectual property and proprietary rights; infringement and ownership of intellectual property; our ability to remain accredited with the American Association of Tissue Banks; influence by our management; our ability to pay dividends; our ability to issue preferred stock; and other factors.

Additional risk factors are listed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q under the heading "Risk Factors." You should carefully consider the trends, risks and uncertainties described in this document, the Form 10-K and other reports filed with or furnished to the SEC before making any investment decision with respect to our securities. If any of these trends, risks or uncertainties actually occurs or continues, our business, financial condition or operating results could be materially adversely affected, the trading prices of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hybrid Coating Technologies Inc. (OTC Pink:HCTI) is issuing this press release to summarize the key milestones achieved by the company in 2016 and to give a general outlook for 2017.



Coatings in 2016:

Industrial Finishes & Systems (IF), Hybrids U.S. distributor, has made significant progress in distributing Hybrids products in the U.S. with large flooring installations in various parts of the country.

Hybrid is currently working with IF to carry out new independent testing of its products, which will allow it to further distinguish the mechanical and chemical resistance superiority of its products over other products in the market.

Hybrid made significant progress in establishing sales in Europe. The company is now currently working with companies who plan to use Hybrids proprietary zero isocyanate catalysts in Italy, France, Spain and Germany.

The company has also put a significant amount of time and effort into lowering its manufacturing costs. Part of this effort includes the setup of a new toll manufacturer now manufacturing Green Polyurethane for Hybrid in Europe to serve its European based clients.

The company made considerable in-roads in Southeast Asia in 2016. After testing at Chinese state agencies, Hybrids floor coating formulations were found to be far superior to conventional floor coating systems currently on the market. Hybrid now has multiple Chinese companies who have tested its products and who now want to do large scale field trials. The company is also working with five large coatings companies in South Korea and Japan who are interested in Hybrids zero isocyanate polyurethane.

Hybrids Fortune 500 coatings partner used Hybrids zero isocyanate catalyst to develop and launch their own commercial coating product with a second product also expected to be launched.

Foam in 2016:

Hybrid entered into a joint development agreement with a Fortune 500 partner with a potential $20M per year revenue for Hybrid post development and after a reasonable ramp up period.

Hybrid entered into advanced discussions with a Fortune 500 company to jointly develop a foam product with a $10 billion addressable market.

Hybrid also entered into advanced discussions with a company for a joint development agreement for a foam product with a $35 billion addressable market.

2017:

Hybrid expects to start generating consistent revenues as of next year with revenues of approximately $2 million for 2017 comprised of $1.2M from its US coating distributor, as per its distribution agreement, and approximately $800,000 from several European coating manufacturers and distributors. Hybrid is not factoring any revenues from any foam products, however, it is possible that one or more foam products may be ready for commercialization during 2017.

We are very pleased with the key milestones that we have achieved so far this year, said Joseph Kristul, President and CEO, This year was a critical year in the companys development. We have been working diligently to establish a network of commercial partners with which to bring our products to market. With this network successfully in place, we are now on track to experience explosive growth in our coatings products. In addition, we expect to make significant progress on all of our foam developments in 2017 with the possibility of launching a foam product within the next year.

CAUTIONARY DISCLOSURE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this news release other than statements of historical fact are "forward-looking statements" that are based on current expectations and assumptions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements, including, but not limited to, the following: the ability of Hybrid Coating Technologies Inc. to provide for its obligations, to provide working capital needs from operating revenues, to obtain additional financing needed for any future acquisitions, to meet competitive challenges and technological changes, and other risks. Hybrid Coating Technologies Inc undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement(s) and/or to confirm the statement(s) to actual results or changes in Hybrid Coating Technologies Inc. expectations.

About Hybrid Coating Technologies

Hybrid Coating Technologies (HCT) is a San Francisco-based innovator focused on improving the quality and safety of foams, coatings, and adhesives for industrial and commercial customers around the world. We are the exclusive licensee of Green Polyurethane foam, coatings, and adhesives  the worlds first-ever patent protected polyurethane-based foam, coatings, and adhesive products that eliminate toxic isocyanates from the entire production process (licensed by Nanotech Industries, Inc.) and the 2015 recipient of the Presidential Green Chemistry Award.

The Problem of Conventional Foams/Coatings/Paint and Isocyanates

Conventional polyurethane (PU) paint and coatings have many disadvantages: they are porous, permeable and maintain poor hydrolytic stability. This makes the material highly vulnerable to environmental degradation and ultimately leads to their chemical decomposition, especially when in contact with water. Conventional PU foams such as spray foam insulation are applied via a spraying mechanism that sends toxic isocyanates in the air  exposing workers to the dangers of toxic isocyanates. Strict and costly health & safety measures have to be implemented in the manufacture and application of conventional polyurethane due to the toxicity of isocyanates. This is why regulatory bodies around the world are now looking toward phasing out the use of isocyanates.

The Green Polyurethane Solution

Green Polyurethane (also referred to as HNIPU - hybrid non-isocyanate polyurethane) is a hybrid material that combines the high chemical resistance properties of epoxy and advanced durability and wear resistance properties of polyurethane, making it the perfect coating application for sanitary, high traffic and corrosive surface areas. As a hybrid material with superior properties, Green Polyurethane can be applied in one or two coatings, providing a welcome cost-saving substitute to currently used multi-layered coating applications. Its safety features allow it to be applied without the interruption of business due to public exposure, creating an additional 30-60% savings on application costs for customers. As a foam, Green Polyurethane provides high R values up to 6.0, energy savings up to 30% and improved tensile strength over conventional foam without using dangerous isocyanates.

Recent Anti-Isocyanate Regulatory Pressure

US EPA MDI Action Plan: The US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) is taking progressive action to regulate and potentially ban isocyanates and has mentioned Hybrids technology as an alternative to toxic polyurethane in its MDI Action Plan against isocyanates (see page 4 Figovsky and Shapovalov)

http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-09/documents/tdi.pdf

OSHA National Emphasis Program: On June 25, 2013 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a division of the US Department of Labor, initiated a National Emphasis Program to protect workers from the serious health effects from occupational exposure to isocyanates. Isocyanates are found in polyurethane based products. According to OSHA, "Workers exposed to isocyanates can suffer debilitating health problems for months or even years after exposure which could result in death."

Californias Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) on March 13, 2014 selected isocyanates and two others substances from a list of 1,100 toxic components that it will focus on with the goal of potentially banning them altogether within the next two years. The announcement is part of a bigger effort to educate consumers and manufacturers about product safety under the Green-Chemistry Law, which went into effect in California last year. Under the law, the agency has jurisdiction to ban these products altogether after following proper protocol. That process includes workshops, a public comment period and requiring manufacturers that want to sell these products in California to determine whether it would be feasible to use safer ingredients

The US EPA on January 8, 2015 announced that it was taking action to protect consumers from new uses and imports of harmful isocyanates in polyurethane. The EPAs proposed action, a Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), would require manufacturers (including importers) to notify the EPA at least 90 days before starting or resuming new uses of isocyanates in polyurethane based consumer products. The EPA would then have the opportunity to evaluate the intended use of and if necessary, to take action to prohibit or limit all products containing over one tenth of one percent of the chemical including imported products that make their way into the United States

On September 14, 2016 BASF Corporation, Bayer Material Science LLC, Dow Chemical Company and Huntsman International LLC were named in a $90 Billion False Claims Act (FCA) lawsuit brought by New York law firm Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP on behalf of the U.S. government for selling billions of dollars worth of harmful isocyanate chemicals but intentionally concealing their dangers to consumers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the past several decades. In the suit, the law firm said that the defendants manufacture and sell isocyanate chemicals such as methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), polymeric MDI (PMDI) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI). These raw materials make up polyurethane products such as liquid coatings, paints and adhesives; flexible foam used in mattresses and cushions; rigid foam used as insulation; and elastomers used to make automotive interiors.
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) have entered into an agreement with Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) to set up the INR500m ($7.5m) bunkering facility at Jawahar Dweep, also known as Butcher Island.

There is a huge potential for bunkering for the vessels visiting Mumbai port and JNPT (Jawaharlal Nehru port) as well as local vessels, MbPT said in a statement.

The port authority expects the bunkering business in the port areas will grow from 200,000 tonnes to 1.93m tonnes by 2034.

Mumbai port will be modifying the existing second oil berth at Jawahar Dweep to facilitate berthing of bunkering barges. The tankages at Jawahar Dweep will be refurbished by HPCL and BPCL to create storage facility, MbPT said.

MbPT added that the bunker fuel will be supplied by different oil companies, and the facility will bring additional business potential in the form of services such as bunker supply barge operations, maintenance and repairs.

Separately, MbPT has taken up the project to construct a fifth oil berth at Jawahar Dweep. The berth will cater to fully loaded suezmax tankers and partly loaded VLCCs.

The new berth, which cost INR8.11bn, is scheduled to come on stream by March 2019.
DENVER, Nov. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Social Life Network, Inc. (OTC:WDLF), is pleased to report the release of FreeWeedSite.com, a technology platform that targets hundreds of thousands of businesses worldwide. FreeWeedSite.com is an easy-to-use website builder for cannabis and hemp business owners, as well as marketing directors who need to better promote their brands online.



Unlike website builders such as WIX, Wordpress.com and others, FreeWeedSite.com comes without any co-branding and allows business users to select from four separate domain name extensions for free (WeedSite.BIZ, .NET, .ORG and .ME). Or, for just $99 per year, business owners can opt to point their own custom domain name to their own free-to-build website.

We wanted to provide the estimated 200-thousand businesses in the legal cannabis and hemp industry around the globe, that are growing by nearly 100 new companies a day, with a simple and free-to-use website builder for their latest brands, says Shawn Tapp, CEO and co-founder of The WeedLife Network. The increase in businesses entering the cannabis and hemp industry over the last few years alone is staggering.

And with only a handful of truly qualified online marketing firms providing website design for this rapidly growing industry, we identified the opportunity to present them with their own custom website builder, added Tapp. Last nights elections have told us quite clearly that cannabis use is here to stay and that the expansion of this industry is a foregone conclusion.

FreeWeedSite.com is one of 40-plus websites, apps and platforms that the WeedLife Network provides to thousands of businesses; with both free and premium paid digital marketing services. Andy Rodosevich, CFO and co-founder of the WeedLife Network, estimates the FreeWeedSite.com platform will provide more than 50,000 businesses with the go-to website solution in the legal cannabis industry. He also anticipates ten percent of those users upgrading to the premium $99 per year service plan.

About WeedLife 

The WeedLife Network is a wholly-owned property of Social Life Network, Inc. (OTC:WDLF). Social Life Networks, Inc. is a group of free-to-use and subscription-based social websites and marketing apps dedicated to the legal cannabis industry and specifically designed to accelerate the growth of the cannabis industry and shorten the business learning curve for new companies entering the marketplace. More information can be found at http://www.social-life-network.com.

Disclaimer

This news release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and section 21E of the United States Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, with respect to achieving corporate objectives, developing additional project interests, the company's analysis of opportunities in the acquisition and development of various project interests and certain other matters. These statements are made under the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements contained herein.
Ensemble Connector Virtualization Platform and ADVA FSP 150 ProVMe Recognized by Third Network Technology Solutions of the Year Panel

Baltimore, Maryland, USA. November 9, 2016. ADVA Optical Networking announced today that it has won two MEF Excellence Awards. The company was successful in both of the Third Network Technology Solutions Award categories in which it was shortlisted: Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), and Multi-Vendor Technology Solutions. The NFV accolade went to ADVA Ensemble Connector, the software-only virtualization platform for hosting virtual network functions (VNFs) that has already been deployed in a number of real-world networks. The ADVA FSP 150 ProVMe was a winner in the multi-vendor category for its role in a joint NFV orchestration proof of concept (PoC) conducted with InfoVista, Juniper Networks, Oracle and PCCW Global. The honors were presented at the MEF Excellence Awards Dinner at the Hilton Baltimore as part of the MEF16 global networking conference.

"Winning the MEF16 Excellence Award for NFV highlights the value of our bold virtualization strategy. The panel of expert analysts clearly understands how our Ensemble product suite opens the door to multi-service edge hosting. It creates a compelling business case for virtualized services and makes them accessible to a far wider range of customers," said Prayson Pate, CTO, Ensemble Division, ADVA Optical Networking. "What lifted us above the competing solutions was our strategy to give communication service providers (CSPs) a competitive advantage through software-only NFV solutions. And with a number of companies already leveraging our Ensemble portfolio to provide enterprises with dynamic services built with multi-vendor VNFs, the real-world value of Ensemble Connector is plain to see."

The winning multi-vendor project, Enabling Customer-Premises Cloud-Based Services With Lifecycle Service Orchestration, showcased automated end-to-end provisioning of connectivity and value-added services in a realistic network scenario. It was built on the ADVA FSP 150 ProVMe, an edge computing platform combining multi-layer Carrier Ethernet 2.0 and IP demarcation with an internal server that can host virtual network applications. The ADVA FSP 150 ProVMe empowers CSPs to create, operate and manage VNFs in a simple, open and reliable way. With this latest-generation edge device, the project team was able to break new ground by utilizing NFV to provision application-aware distributed customer premises equipment (CPE)-cloud network services, including SD-WAN, and security services. Shifting workloads from traditional data centers to compute on the CPE improves efficiency of resource utilization and creates opportunities for new network services.

"Accepting this major honor for multi-vendor collaboration means a lot to everyone involved in the NFV orchestration PoC. With our project partners, we've created a highly innovative model-driven concept for lifecycle service orchestration. It's an approach that will enable CSPs to offer their customers network-as-a-service and greatly accelerate time to revenue," commented Ulrich Kohn, director, technical marketing, ADVA Optical Networking. "The win also helps to underline ADVA Optical Networking's commitment to openness and interoperability. Success in two prestigious awards categories provides strong independent confirmation of our recent success, our focus on innovation and our thought leadership. It highlights our position as the industry's NFV powerhouse and validates our mission to drive progress and shape the networks of tomorrow."

# # #

About ADVA Optical Networking

At ADVA Optical Networking we're creating new opportunities for tomorrow's networks, a new vision for a connected world. Our intelligent telecommunications hardware, software and services have been deployed by several hundred service providers and thousands of enterprises. Over the past twenty years, our innovative connectivity solutions have helped to drive our customers' networks forward, helped to drive their businesses to new levels of success. We forge close working relationships with all our customers. As your trusted partner we ensure that we're always ready to exceed your networking expectations. For more information on our products and our team, please visit us at: www.advaoptical.com.

Published By:

ADVA Optical Networking SE, Munich, Germany

www.advaoptical.com

For Press:

Gareth Spence

t +44 1904 699 358

public-relations(at)advaoptical.com

For Investors:

Stephan Rettenberger

t +49 89 890 665 854

investor-relations(at)advaoptical.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2016-235

The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged a former movie producer and self-proclaimed private equity executive with defrauding investors in hedge funds and using the money he stole to support his extravagant lifestyle.

According to the SECs complaint, David R. Bergstein of Hidden Hills, California, stole millions from investors in 2011 and 2012 and used the money for purchases with a firearms dealer, an antique watch and jewelry retailer, and a bonsai tree nursery. The SECs complaint alleges that the scheme relied on a series of intricate transactions by Weston Capital Asset Management, then a registered investment adviser, with two of its unregistered hedge funds, Weston Capital Partners Master Fund II Ltd. and the Wimbledon Fund SPC Class TT Segregated Portfolio.

In one transaction, the SEC alleges that Bergstein misappropriated at least $2.3 million of money that was purportedly meant for investments in medical-billing businesses and helped Weston Capital Asset Management conceal the true nature of the transaction from Weston investors. In a second allegedly fraudulent transaction, Bergstein stole more than $3.5 million of funds also purportedly meant, in part, for investments in medical-billing businesses.

The use of elaborate corporate transactions to mask old-fashioned theft of investor monies will not prevent the SEC from enforcing the federal securities laws and protecting investors, said Andrew M. Calamari, Director of the SECs New York Regional Office. Violators will be held to account no matter the artifice used to perpetrate their frauds.

In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York today announced criminal charges against Bergstein and Keith D. Wellner, who was formerly Weston Capital Asset Managements general counsel, chief compliance officer, and chief operating officer. Wellner previously settled SEC charges filed in federal district court in Florida and has been barred from working in the securities industry.

The SECs complaint charges Bergstein with violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act and Rules 10b-5(a) and (c) and aiding and abetting violations by Weston Capital Asset Management of Section 206 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and Rule 206(4)-8. The SEC is seeking injunctions, the return of allegedly ill-gotten gains, and monetary penalties.

The SECs investigation was conducted by Joseph P. Ceglio, John O. Enright, Christopher Ferrante, and Sheldon L. Pollock, and the case was supervised by Lara Shalov Mehraban of the New York office. The litigation will be led by Kevin McGrath, Mr. Enright, and Mr. Ceglio. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service.
Stunned participants at UN climate talks in Marrakesh insisted Wednesday that climate change denier Donald Trump cannot derail the global shift to clean energy, although some called his victory in US presidential elections a "disaster."

Trump "cannot prevent the implementation" of the landmark Paris pact, inked in the French capital last December, said Segolene Royal, France's environment minister and outgoing head of the UN climate forum.

"As I speak, 103 countries representing 70 percent of (greenhouse gas) emissions have ratified it, and he cannot - contrary to his assertions - undo the Paris Agreement," she told French radio station RTL.

Trump has described global warming as a "hoax" perpetrated by the Chinese government, and has said at different times that he would "renegotiate" or "cancel" the 196-nation deal.

RELATED: Donald Trump Wins US Presidency

Royal noted that under the terms of the agreement, the United States must wait at least three years before seeking to withdraw.

UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa congratulated Trump on his victory in a statement.

"We look forward to engaging with his administration to take the climate action agenda forward for the benefit of the peoples of the globe," she said.

Diplomats and business leaders invested in moving the global economy from fossil fuels to renewables hope the gathering momentum of that transition will carry the United States with it, regardless of Trump's views.

"President-elect Donald Trump has been the source of a lot of bluster on climate change over the last year," said Hilda Heine, president of the Marshall Islands, whose nation is slowly disappearing under the waves.

"But now that the election campaign has passed," Heine added in her statement, "I expect he will realise that climate change is a threat to his people and to whole countries which share seas with the US, including my own."

France's top climate negotiator Laurence Tubiana said that Trump could not defy science.

"The laws of physics are the laws of physics, and the reality of climate change is not going to change because of the US elections," she told AFP.

- Back to being a climate villain? - America is the world's second-largest greenhouse gas polluter after China, representing some 13 percent of emissions.

RELATED: Move to Canada? It's Not That Easy

Trump's threats, if carried out, would recast the United States as a climate villain, which is how it was widely perceived after George W. Bush refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol in 2001.

The Obama administration has been an ardent champion of the Paris Agreement, a role Trump's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, had vowed to continue.

Some green groups were far less diplomatic in their reaction to the surprise outcome of the US vote.

"Trump's election is a disaster, but it cannot be the end of the international climate process," said May Boeve, executive director of 350.org, a global group pushing for divestment from fossil fuels.

"Our work becomes much harder now, but it's not impossible, and we refuse to give up hope."

The business community echoed diplomats, suggesting that a Trump administration will stay in line with international efforts as a matter of national interest.

"He wants to make America great again," said We Mean Business, a coalition of several thousand companies and investors.

"Climate action provides the basis for new jobs and enhanced competitiveness in the industries of tomorrow," it said in a statement, noting that the sector employs 2.5 million in the US.

Legal experts consulted by AFP said Trump would have three options if he sought to unwind the US role in the UN climate process.

With one year's notice, he could withdraw the United States from the bedrock 1992 climate convention, and in so doing sever the US tie to the Paris pact.

Secondly, the Paris agreement itself makes provision for parties to withdraw from it, but notice can only be given three years after its entry into force, which came last Friday.

Finally, he could abandon or ignore the US's national emissions reduction targets, which contribute to the overall international effort.

WATCH: Which Countries Already Have Climate Change Refugees?
Pinpointing the location of consciousness was no easy task. But the scientists started with what they knew already - that arousal, the physiological and psychological state of being awoken, and awareness, the ability to know and perceive, play a critical role in consciousness. Previous studies had shown that the brainstem, the part of the brain that links up with the spinal cord, regulated arousal. But what exact location was still unknown.

He and his colleagues published the results of their findings, which have already won several awards , in the journal Neurology .

"Both technologies have been tried on patients with disorders of consciousness with mixed results. Our hope is that imaging studies like this will begin to help us zero in on what brain network we should be targeting," Michael D. Fox told Seeker. Fox, an MD and PhD, is Director of the Laboratory for Brain Network Imaging and Modulation and the Associate Director of the Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

Now it looks as if a few of them have found it - a network of specific regions in the brain that, when working properly, maintain a person's consciousness. Among other things, the findings could improve deep brain and transcranial stimulation therapies used to wake people who are in a vegetative or minimally conscious state.

You're reading this story. You're conscious of the words, the screen, the device, the room, the time, but you take it for granted. Not neuroscientists. They've been vexed for years with a simple question: Where is consciousness?

To find it, the scientists analyzed 36 hospital patients that had some form of brainstem damage. Twelve were in a coma and the other 24 were conscious. After imaging their brains, the scientists zeroed in on a tiny three-dimensional area of the brainstem just 2 millimeters across. Ten out of the 12 unconscious patients had damage in this area; the 24 conscious patients did not.

That gave the scientists a clue as to where the arousal component of consciousness came from. But what about the awareness component?

Again, the scientists had some information to go on, thanks to previous research. They knew that awareness was located somewhere in the brain's outer layer of neural tissue, the cortex. But where?

For an answer, they turned to the Human Connectome project, a highly detailed map of the neural connections in a healthy human brain. The scientists started from the tiny location in the damaged brainstem and followed the connections of neurons from there out into the cortex. The trail led to two areas: an area just under the left temple and a region deep in the brain behind the center of the forehead.

"When we saw this, when we found that these these were the spots that the lesions were connected to, we got pretty excited," said Fox.

It turns out that the two spots - the one under the left temple and the one behind the center of the forehead -had been implicated in other research studies as playing a role in awareness. The both contain large, oddly shaped brain cells called von Economo neurons only seen in mammals with higher order consciousness. Until this study, no one had connected them to the brainstem, where arousal is regulated. The pieces were starting to come together.

RELATED: Could We Upload Our Consciousness To A Computer?

"We knew that this finding could be provocative," Fox said.

For that reason, the scientists wanted to conduct one last investigation to see how the networks between the brainstem and the two areas in the cortex functioned in patients with disorders of consciousness. They turned to Steven Laureys of the Coma Science Group in Belgium and, using a special type of MRI, scanned the brains of 45 people, 26 who were minimally conscious and 19 who were in a vegetative state.

The images revealed that the brain networks were disrupted. Studies conducted on rodents by other researchers had shown the same brain network disruption. All of the evidence suggests that consciousness exists thanks to the networks that extend from the tiny spot on the brainstem to the two areas in the cortex.

That information could be immensely helpful in targeting regions in the brain for stimulation. Fox and other neuroscientists like him already use deep brain stimulation, which involves surgery to attach an electrode to a specific part of the brain, to treat Parkinson's disease. And noninvasive treatments, including transcranial magnetic stimulation, which is used to treat depression.

It follows that stimulation the part of the brain responsible for consciousness might help people wake from a coma. "Doing a brain stimulation therapy requires knowing where it is that you want to stimulate," Fox said.

Thanks to this new study, neuroscientists have a better idea of the regions to target.
Everyone got it wrong.

From Nate Silver's vaunted fivethirtyeight.com predicting a 72 percent chance of victory for Hillary Clinton to University of Virginia's Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball group predicting she would win 322 electoral votes in a landslide, to the polling aggregator site Real Clear Politics that had Clinton with a 3 percent national lead.

But when the real votes were counted Tuesday night, Donald Trump racked up enough states to claim an Electoral College victory. Clinton was slightly ahead in the popular vote as of 9 am Wednesday, and was preparing to give a concession speech in New York.

Some political commentators believe that the polls were wrong because people lied to pollsters about their intentions to vote for Clinton. The thinking is Trump's divisive campaign rhetoric and offensive comments about women, minorities and immigrants made it difficult for people to admit their support for him to strangers.

RELATED: Move to Canada? It's Not That Easy

There's no way to gauge people's truthfulness on the phone, but there may be something else going on, according to David Lublin, professor of government at American University who has written extensively on electoral systems in the United States.

Lublin said polling is as much an art as it is a science. Pollsters have to make decisions about how they put together a representative sample of national or statewide voters, sometimes these decisions are based on judgments with incomplete information.

"The key to the science of polling is if you take a random sample of the population and get their views, and that it is the best predictor of what people are going to do," Lublin said Wednesday.

"The problem has been that getting a random sample is no longer possible because the usefulness of this invention has led to huge mountains of polling for marketing purposes. People don't answer the phone."

It's even worse for two important groups for the Democratic candidate: young people and Latinos.

In 2013, 41 percent of U.S. households had no landline, according to a study by the Pew Research Center.

Consumer protection laws prohibit telemarketers from autodialing cellphones, so it becomes more expensive for pollsters to contact young people.

Lublin also noted that polling Spanish-speaking voters in English gives less accurate results, according to studies.

"If you poll Latinos in English you get radically different answers than using bilingual callers," he said. "The latter is more accurate."

In Pennsylvania, for example, many polls had Clinton leading by 3 to 6 percentage points. The final poll of Pennsylvanians by Muhlenberg College and the Allentown Morning Call had Clinton up by 4 points before the election.

But by the morning, Trump won Pennsylvania by 1 percent, the first Republican to win the Keystone State since 1988.

"We simply didn't accurately project turnout among certain groups," said Christopher Borick, director of the college's Polling Institute. "Those groups are unlikely voters, folks that don't usually vote and that we often in our models will not include. This time they did."

RELATED: Climate Diplomats Call Trump Presidency a 'Disaster'

Borkick says pollsters uses results from online focus groups as well as telephone surveys.

"We have to look at the crowdsourcing models and online models versus probability models and how the various phone methodologies work," Borick said. "This a field that's in a very turbulent moment right now, there are lots of disruptions. This is part of the autopsy that's going to go on.

Borick said the Muhlenberg poll accurately predicted the outcome of Pennsylvania's Senate race that he is optimistic that the next election's polls will be more accurate.

"Trying to deduce what the factors are will take a bit of time and some experimentation," he said. "This is destined for deep analysis."

Photo: Trump supporters in Scranton, Pa. Credit: Reuters WATCH: What's the Science Behind Polls?
The U.S. space program isn't at the top of President-elect Donald Trump's housekeeping list for the country, but it won't be left out of the upcoming overhaul ushered in by the Republican's victory over heavily favored Hillary Clinton to serve as chief executive of the United States.

"Trump understands, as Reagan did before him, that without a strong economy, there can be no strong space program," campaign advisors Bob Walker, a former U.S. congressman, and University of California-Irvine professor Peter Navarro wrote in a column published in Space News last month.

Trump intends to purchase more government space services, particularly for military projects, from the private sector, a policy that bodes well for companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Paul Allen's Stratolaunch Systems, as well as for more established firms, such as United Launch Alliance and Orbital ATK.

"An increased reliance on the private sector will be a cornerstone of Trump space policy," the advisors wrote, adding that the administration would be on the lookout for "private sector solutions that do not necessarily require government investment."

RELATED: Climate Diplomats Call Trump Presidency a 'Disaster'

Relations with SpaceX might be off to an uncomfortable start. SpaceX's head of communications, Dex Torricke-Barton wrote on his personal Twitter account in response to Trump's win: "The horror. The horror," and "Earth has fallen."

In an interview on NBC News, Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said Wednesday that mainstream media, which were united in predicting a Clinton win, failed to see the upsurge of support for the brash, billionaire businessman who was making his first run for public office.

The first to call the race was DrudgeReport.com, which shortly after midnight EST posted the banner headline: "Trump Wins in Historic Uprising." Statistician Nate Silver's fivethirtyeight.com had already reported a shift in computer models calculating election results.

"Ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement, made up of millions of hard-working men and women," Trump said in his first speech as president-elect.

NASA, NOAA and military space programs will be addressed at some point after Trump assumes office on Jan. 20.

"I don't expect NASA to be the top 10 priority of a new administration. At least I hope not. There are too many more critical issues to address as a nation," Dale Ketchum, chief strategist with the Space Florida economic development agency, wrote in an email to Seeker.

RELATED: Is Human Spaceflight Running Out of Time?

"But we should be in the top 25, so I expect to see a new NASA administrator and center directors within the year. Who they are and their marching orders from the Oval Office will be what most of us will be focused on," Ketchum said.

"The biggest upside to the election," he added, "is the likelihood that all federal agencies, not just NASA, will be subject to a more aggressive evaluation of what they're doing and how. It can be healthy for all organizations, not just government, to be subject to course corrections episodically. The consequences of that review will be what's important, and that's still very TBD."

NASA's annual budget is about $19 billion.

"I think we can all be confident that the new Trump Administration and future administrations after that will continue the visionary course on which President Barack Obama has set us," NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden wrote in a memo to employees on Wednesday, NASAWatch.com reported.

According to Walker, the president intends to revive the National Space Council, an interagency space policy steering group that is chaired by the vice president.

The council was last active during the administration of George H.W. Bush, who served as president from 1989 to 1993.

"Subsequent presidents have chosen not to staff or fund the Council, although it still exists in law," wrote Marcia Smith, editor of SpacePolicyOnline.com.

RELATED: Donald Trump Wins US Presidency

"Opinions in the space policy community about the value of such a Council run the gamut," Smith wrote. "Opponents argue it is just one more White House entity that can say 'no' to any idea, but without the clout to say 'yes' and make something happen.

"Supporters insist that a top-level mechanism is needed not only to effectively coordinate government civil and national security space programs, but to bring in the commercial sector and develop a holistic approach to space," she said.

Currently, the White House National Security Council oversees national security space policy. Civil space policy is overseen by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, with input from the White House Office of Management and Budget, Smith added.

Walker told the Federal Aviation Administration's Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee on Oct 26 that Trump's space plan can be "described in four terms: It's visionary, it's disruptive, it's coordinating and it's resilient," reported Space News The goals include human exploration of the solar system by the end of the century and a shift in NASA budgets to deep space exploration rather than Earth science and climate research, the paper reported.
DALLAS, Nov. 9, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the month of October, Associa, the industry's largest community management firm, helped homeowners nation-wide with donations totaling $68,500. Added to its contributions from previous months, Associa has helped out families in need with close to $600,000 in charitable donations in 2016.



The money is distributed through Associa Cares, an organization set up to benefit families across the country that are in need of assistance following a catastrophe at home such as a flood, fire or tornado. Associa Cares dollars are contributed by employees and fundraising events. It relies on volunteers from national and local committees to help identify people in both Associa and non-Associa managed communities affected by tragedies.



Below is a list of the Associa companies that helped families in need in their respective areas of the country in October:



 Salisbury, Maryland - $21,500 provided to multiple families that suffered extreme flood damage. The donation was made possible through Legum & Norman.

 Humble, Texas  $15,000 provided to multiple residents whose homes suffered severe fire damage. The donation was made possible through Principal Management Group of Houston.

 Northern California  $10,000 provided to a families whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the Clayton Wildfires. The donation was made possible through Associa Northern California.

 Darien, Illinois - $8,500 distributed amongst multiple condo residents temporarily evicted by the city. The donation was made possible through Associa Chicagoland.

 Southern California - $8,000 provided to families whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the Blue Cut Wildfires. The donation was made possible through Associa Home Office.

 Round Lake, Illinois - $2,500 provided to a family that lost its home and vehicles in a fire. The donation was made possible through Associa Chicagoland.

 Sparks, Nevada - $2,000  provided to a family whose home was completely destroyed and dog perished in a fire. The donation was made possible through Associa Sierra North.

 Albuquerque, New Mexico - $1,000 provided to a family after their house suffered smoke and water damage following a fire. The donation was made possible through Canyon Gate.



"From wildfires to hurricanes, we saw everything in October and we're proud that our organization could be there to help some of the families who needed it most," said Associa Cares President Andrew Fortin. "We couldn't do this without tremendous support from our employees who contribute throughout the year to this worthwhile cause."



Associa Cares is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization created to assist families and communities in crisis as a result of natural and man-made disasters. Through donations raised from Associa employees and at fundraising events across the country, Associa Cares is able to provide necessary goods and services to the families affected by these types of tragedies. If you know of a family that has been the victim of a natural or man-made disaster, go directly to www.associacares.com to submit a request.



Building and managing successful communities for more than 37 years, Associa is the leader in community management with over 10,000 employees operating more than 180 branch offices in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Based in Dallas, Texas, our industry expertise, financial strength, and innovation meet the unique needs of clients across the world with customized services and solutions designed to help communities achieve their vision. To learn more about Associa and its charitable organization, Associa Cares, go to www.associaonline.com or www.associacares.com.



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Press Release

November 8, 2016 FAILING THE TEST OF HISTORY

PRIVILEGE SPEECH OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON THE SC DECISION ALLOWING THE BURIAL OF MARCOS IN LNMB Mr. President, I rise on a matter of personal and collective privilege. I rise on behalf of Susan Quimpo, a prepubescent girl during the early years of Martial Law, who spent her weekends packing cooked rice for detainees at detention centers holding political prisoners. Five of her siblings were imprisoned during Martial law - all of them student activists belonging to the underground movement. Her brother Nathan, was stripped naked and clubbed several times by his captors. Her brother Jan, and I quote from her book Subversive Lives, "had his head repeatedly immersed in a commode filled with urine, water was injected into his testicles, and his feet were doused then jabbed with live wire." Jan Quimpo joined the ranks of the desaparecidos, and the last conversation Susan had with him was when he asked her to leave some dinner. Another brother, Jun, was shot in Nueva Ecija in 1981. I rise on behalf of Sixto Carlos, now a jolly man in his seventies with ruddy cheeks and an easy laugh. He was arrested with no charges filed in 1978 and put under solitary confinement for two years. He was viciously beaten, had boiling water poured at him, and was hung from the ceiling from his handcuffed hands. In his own words, he said, "I was held on either arm by two men and the third man sat on my lap. The blindfold was removed and replaced by a towel on my face. They commenced to put water over the towel on my face. I had the sensation of drowning." This is what is known as waterboarding, an innocuous name for a torture technique so repulsive and dehumanizing. I rise on behalf of Etta Rosales, former Congresswoman and former Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights, who was repeatedly raped and tortured during Martial Law. She recounts her torture under the hands of her prison guards: "They tried to make me speak by burning me, pouring what felt like hot wax from a burning candle on my arms and legs. When that didn't work, they tore off my clothes, pressed the barrel of a gun against my temple and played Russian roulette." When she was elected Congresswoman of Akbayan in 1998, she met one of her captors who had now become her colleague. "The last time I met you," Etta said, with her trademark candor, "was in the military safehouse where I was tortured." I rise for them, and I rise for all the victims of Martial Law. Ako ay tumatayo sa harap ninyo ngayon alang-alang sa mga natorture, mga pinatay, mga kinulong ng rehimeng Marcos. Ako ay tumatayo alang-alang sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay - mga magulang, asawa at anak na inulila ng diktadura. Para po sa kanila ang resolusyon na ihahain ko sa Senado ngayong hapon. I rise to tell them, during this winter of anxiety and uncertainty, that there are many of us who still remember. I want to tell them that there are mothers like myself, who tell their outspoken millennials that their freedoms in social media did not come for free and that their counterparts in the 70s were being thrown in prison for speaking their mind. Gusto kong ikwento sa kanila yung mga guro sa mga paaralan kung saan ako nagdonate ng librong "Never Again" na nagsasabing sa sarili nilang kusa at pagpupunyagi, binabahagi nila ang kahindik hindik na mga pangyayari sa panahon ng diktadura sa kanilang mga estudyante. I want to tell them about the many young people I have met - so far removed from the stereotype of the uncaring, self-absorbed millennial - who ask me what they can do to fight the forces of historical revisionism that are at work and who assure me that the struggle to preserve our collective memory is a struggle their generation shares with ours. Hindi ko po panghihimasukan ang pasya ng Korte Suprema hinggil sa paglibing ng dating diktador sa Libingan ng mga Bayani. We cannot second-guess its wisdom, even as we cannot imagine how it must be for Sixto Carlos, Etta Rosales and the Quimpo family, who will live with the reality that the architect of their torture and the torture and death of their kin, has now been designated a hero. Habang tinuturo natin sa ating mga kabataan karahasan ng Martial Law dahil yun ang nakalagay sa Republic Act No. 10368, ililibing naman natin sa Libingan ng mga Bayani ang siyang naghasik ng karahasan na ito. Habang tayo ay nagbabayad ng danyos sa mga biktima ng Martial Law at sa kanilang mga pamilya, ililibing natin sa Libingan ng mga Bayani ang dahilan ng pagbayad ng danyos. But we also know that the decision to give the late dictator a heroes' burial lies ultimately in the hands of President Rodrigo Duterte. I call on the President to respond to the challenge of history and reject with finality all plans to give Marcos a hero's burial. The Libingan ng mga Bayani is the designated place for Filipino soldiers, war veterans, and citizens whose contributions to the nation render them fit to be called heroes. Given the long history of the Filipino people with tyranny and oppression, the Libingan has been created to honor the memory of our brave countrymen who fought for freedom and liberty even in the face of superior force, so that the present generation may remember and emulate their legacy. It should be the final resting place of heroes - a symbolism that is not lost on the Marcos family, who has been lobbying feverishly for his burial and, if our President is correct, even funded his campaign to secure this concession. Mr. President, in Germany, Adolf Hitler's grave is now a car park in Berlin. Idi Amin, the Ugandan dictator notorious for maintaining torture chambers in Kampala, is not even buried in his own country. In Serbia, Slobodan Milosevic's party pushed heavily for his burial in the Alley of the Greats, but was rebuffed. He is now buried in his hometown. In Haiti, Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, who brought Haiti to economic ruin, used voodoo legends to control his people and executed his political opponents, was denied a state funeral after his death. His grave in Port Au Prince is now in shambles. Pol Pot, known as The Butcher of Cambodia, was unceremoniously burned in a pile of rubbish. His cremation site in Anlong Veng is now a tourist destination and many Cambodians travel to the site to spit on it. Muammar Gadaffi's body, after being displayed for five days by the new leaders of Libya, was laid to rest in a simple unmarked grave. Ganito po tinatrato ang mga diktador sa ibang bansa, Mr. President. Ang kanilang puntod ay hindi puntod ng parangal. Kung ito man ay bibigyan ng pansin, ito ay para magturo ng leksyon sa mga susunod na henerasyon. Ito ay para sabihin, "wag tularan". Habang dito sa Pilipinas, ang mga diktador ay tinuturing na bayani at binibigyan ng parangal. At ang biktima ng diktador ay pinagdududahan at isinasantabi. But Mr. President, it is not only for the victims of Martial law that I rise, for the generation of my parents and for my generation who have lived with the enduring wounds of martial law. I also rise for our younger generations - those who will only get to listen to the stories of our wounds, and who we hope will see in these stories our deepest truths. I rise for our millennials who will probably never meet Susan and her siblings, or Sixto Carlos, or Etta Rosales, but who we hope will realize that the heroes of Martial Law were young persons like themselves. Ang nagpabagsak sa diktadura ay katulad lang din nila, katulad din ng aking mga anak: masayahin, palabarkada, palatawa, may pangarap sa buhay. Ngunit tumalima noong hinamon ng kasaysayan. Mr. President, nagpasya na ang Korte Suprema. But no tombstone, no grandiose cemetery can change the fact that Ferdinand Marcos was not a hero. He was a plunderer, torturer and a thief with a family now seeking to rewrite history to serve their interests. He coopted institutions - this Senate included -- in order to consolidate all power to himself. It is our duty as Senators, as Filipinos, as students of history, to stand against this travesty and say - as has been said before - never again. Only then can we look back to the past with pride, and to the future with hope. Let us not fail the test of history.
Press Release

November 9, 2016 Transcript of Sen. Grace Poe's Opening Statement

Public Hearing of the Committee on Public Information and Mass Media The committee's main concern in today's hearing are Senate Bill No. 6 filed by Sen. Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and Senate Bill No. 486 filed by Sen. Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV. Both seek to amend Republic Act No. 53, as amended by RA No. 1477, Otherwise Known As "An Act to Exempt the Publisher, Editor or Reporter of Any Publication from Revealing the Source of Published News or Information Obtained in Confidence". Our counterparts in the House of Representatives have already approved the proposals to amend R.A. 53, to include as exemption journalists in broadcast, online, and wire agencies, kasi bago po ito at sobrag tagal na ng batas na ito, from revealing sources of information obtained in confidence. Amendments to RA 53, popularly known as the "Shield Law" or the "Sotto Law" were proposed since the 13th Congress. RA 53 was first amended in 1956 by Sen. Vicente Sotto, who sought to limit the non-disclosure of sources to only when the security of the State will be compromised. During this time, the practice of journalism was mainly confined to print media. Of course we've come a long way since then, it's high time that we make these relevant changes now. The current proposals seek to expand the coverage of those protected by the current law. These bills acknowledge that that journalism has now taken on a multi-media character. Thus, these seek to protect broadcast, radio, and online journalists from divulging their sources, except for certain instances. Having said this, we shall now commence our public hearing.
Recto : Gameplan needed in rebooting PH-US ties under Trump

Here's what Duterte should do in the opening days of the Trump era.

First, send a nice congratulatory letter. And declare a moratorium on cursing. He should stop dropping F-bombs on the White House occupant. Those intercontinental expletives he fires do no good.

Second, tap VP Leni as the Republic's representative to his inaugural. If the No.1 can't make it, then it should be the No. 2. Anyone with a lower rank will convey the message that we are stuck in the Chinese orbit and have downgraded our Washington DC presence. Third, consult advisers on how to reboot PH-US relations taking two new factors into consideration : The ascendancy of Trump and our assumption of an independent foreign policy. Trump's victory opens a new chapter in PH-US relations which we should shape to our advantage.

Whether Duterte will have a 'bromance' with Trump is up to both of them, for as long as the defined national interest is served, and comes ahead of conjoining personal interests.

Trump's victory will only open an uncharted territory in PH-US relations if we do not plan ahead.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kinetica, provider of the fastest, in-memory database accelerated by GPUs, today announced it will host a live webinar with NVIDIA, the pioneer of GPU-accelerated computing, about using GPUs to efficiently and quickly ingest, explore and visualize streaming datasets in new commercial and consumer use cases.



The webinar is entitled, How GPU Computing is Revolutionizing Real-Time Analytics, and will be held on Thursday, November 17th at 10:00 am PST / 1:00 pm EST. Featured speakers will include Kineticas Mark Brooks, principal systems engineer, and NVIDIAs John Barco, senior director of DGX-1 partner solutions.

To register, please visit here.



Join this webinar to hear Mark and John discuss how:

GPUs have evolved from being primarily a consumer-gaming focused component to having new commercial and consumer applications in real-time data analytics

Retailers and manufacturers gain real-time visibility across the supply chain for advanced Transportation Analytics, Real-time Route Planning and Optimization, and Inventory Optimization

Businesses can track huge volumes of moving assets and inventory in real time, enabling faster and more relevant intelligence that can be quickly shared across their supply chain and operations

Kinetica and NVIDIA have partnered together to provide enterprises the fastest and most scalable GPU-accelerated, in-memory database solution thats used to solve real-world business and analytics problems for all types of data in motion. The unique multi-core architecture of GPUs makes it possible to process many computations efficiently and quickly, making it ideal for todays streaming datasets and IoT use cases as well as for optimizing logistics and allocating resources on the fly. NVIDIA offers a range of GPU computing technologies to accelerate Kineticas workloads, including the flagship DGX-1 product line.

Tweet this: Kinetica hosts webinar on #GPU acceleration with @NVIDIA for real-time analysis of streaming #data. #bigdata @NVIDIAAI http://bit.ly/2fBJ7JX

About Kinetica

Kinetica addresses todays data paradigm by bringing Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to the datacenter. Built from the ground up to scale linearly, Kineticas distributed, in-memory database accelerated by GPUs delivers truly real-time actionable intelligence on large, complex and streaming data sets: 100x faster performance at 1/10 of the hardware of traditional databases. Kinetica makes real time a reality. Organizations use Kinetica to simultaneously ingest, explore, analyze and visualize streaming data within milliseconds to make critical decisions and find efficiencies, lower cost, generate new revenue, and improve customer experience. Learn more at kinetica.com.




The stunning upset win of Republican president-elect Donald Trump muted celebrations at marijuana legalization election watching parties in San Francisco and Oakland Tuesday night.

In case you havent noticed, we legalized marijuana in California! shouted Victor Pinho from a bullhorn into the The New Parish club in uptown Oakland. Pinho is the marketing director of the Berkeley Patients Group dispensary and hosted the largest marijuana election night party in the Bay Area. The crowd cheered, but it didnt last.

Proposition 64  the legalization of recreational California marijuana  was declared a victory by the Associated Press just after 8 p.m., when festivities were just beginning in Oakland. The small crowd inside the nightclub cheered, high-fived and fist-bumped, then quickly went back to watching presidential election returns on their phones and on a big screen on the porch. On screen, Trump surged to a victory, taking Florida and Ohio to audible groans and grimaces. Notable attendees included Steve DeAngelo and Andrew DeAngelo from Harborside Health Center in Oakland, and Dale Sky Jones, chancellor of Oaksterdam University.

Longtime legalization supporter George Zimmer, founder of the Mens Warehouse brand, said the legalization win feels good, but a bit bittersweet. It makes you want to go home and smoke a joint.

Out on the New Parish patio, attendees hit joints and pipes half out of celebration and half out of medication for anxiety. Rows and rows of catered food sat out, including munchies. Its depressing, said Dr. Frank Lucido, a cannabis-trained clinician in Berkeley. Trump is bad. But I dont think hes going to be able to roll back California, and Im not sure hed want to.

Ive never been so wrong about a presidential election in my life, said Dale Gieringer, director for California NORML.

DJ JK-47 spun David Bowies Im Afraid of Americans on the sound system, followed by Rage Against the Machine.

Over at the Verso bar on Mission St. in San Franciscos SOMA district, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Ed Lee delivered remarks. Even though Newsoms and Lees camps scored major wins on election night, the room was almost funereal with dread over the Trump win, watchers said.

Back at The New Parish, longtime activists greeted each other with "Happy legalization!" and We did it! Other made jokes about a Trump presidency serving as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana in newly legal Florida. Marijuana measures carried eight of nine races in late returns. Proposition 64 carried California with 55 percent of the voters saying yes, 44 percent no, with 46.7 percent of precincts reporting.

Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

If theres one thing Americans can agree on  its cannabis. Its a big win, said Troy Dayton, a former fundraiser for Marijuana Policy Project and CEO of The ArcView Group, a marijuana angel investment network. Its a dream come true. I thought it would take forever and Im a little surprised now its moved so fast since Colorado. I couldnt have imagined that on one night so many states would pass.

California could do $7.6 billion in legal cannabis sales by 2020, The ArcView Group estimated Tuesday.

Dayton has been working on marijuana law reform since 1995 and said the night felt validating.

It is so validating because for most of my adult life people laughed at me when I told them what I did for a living. And then they would tell me all the reasons why cannabis would never be legal and why it was hopeless. And then a few years ago the same people started telling me why it was inevitable. It wasnt hopeless then and it isnt inevitable now. It takes people who believe in something against the odds and fight for it when its unpopular to get it to this point, Dayton said.

Yes on 64 campaign spokesperson and lawyer Lauren Vazquez said Prop 64 would have an immediate effect on two pending felony pot sales cases on her desk. The alleged crimes are now misdemeanors, she said. I believe we have taken the steam out of the engine of the drug war, she said.

With a Trump win, she said, we certainly have a reason to medicate.

Henry Wykowski, a former U.S. prosecutor turned leading lawyer for the California industry, worried about a Trump win but said, support for cannabis in the U.S. is now so substantial that its too big to just stop.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Trump has said on three occasions that he favors leaving marijuana policy up to the states. With Trump, hes been very clear, Dayton said. He has the same position as Hillary Clinton: Let the states decide. And hes said more positive things about medical than she has. He said, it helps and I know people that it helped.

Sue Taylor, a senior African-American grandmother and owner of a new medical marijuana dispensary set to open in February in Berkeley, said a win for legalization and Trumps electoral gains made the night more bitter than sweet, she said. Ive never seen anything like it or thought it could happen this day and age.

Sean Luse, an executive at Berkeley Patients Group, said the night was more sweet than bitter. He has been working on pot policy reform for 16 years and said, It feels amazing. Progress. Big day in California. Big day for the country. Its a turning point.

Luse said, The Trump presidency is not good for cannabis policy, but I think with the overwhelming wins of the initiatives, I think thats going to drown out conservative regressive tendencies of the Trump Administration.

Overall, a mix of shock at finally legalizing marijuana combined with the reality of a Trump presidency left people dumbstruck most of the night.

Im just stunned, said one attendee. But Bush stunned me too. Were in the Bay Area bubble. Thats why we stay here.

David Downs is The Chronicles cannabis editor. Email: ddowns@sfchronicle.com
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In the Bay Areas marquee congressional race, Fremont Democrat Ro Khanna was holding a strong early lead in his bid to oust Rep. Mike Honda from the South Bay seat the incumbent has owned for the past 16 years.

With 18 percent of precincts reporting, Khanna led his fellow Democrat 58 percent to 42 percent in the bid for the 17th Congressional District seat.

I know its a deeply divided national election and its easy to become cynical these days, but let us remember our democracy is the most open political system in the world, Khanna told a raucous crowd at the Royal Palace Banquet Hall in Fremont about 9:30 p.m.

The gathering for Honda at Justins, a restaurant in Santa Clara, was subdued from the start. The candidates spokesman, Vedant Patel, said shortly before 10 p.m. that the campaign would wait for final vote tallies before making a statement on the race.

The race was a repeat of their 2014 contest, when Honda narrowly won over Khanna. This year, by contrast, the challenger brought momentum into the fall campaign with a first-place finish over Honda in the June primary.

It was an often bitter campaign, with Khanna, a 40-year-old attorney, arguing that the 75-year-old Honda was too old and out of touch to represent a district that includes the heart of Silicon Valley. Honda hit back with ads pointing to his 35 years in political office and accusations that Khannas campaign had illegally hacked into his campaign files.

The Democrats-only contest had limited national appeal. By contrast, both Democrats and Republicans spent big in a half-dozen other hotly contested California races.

Rep. Ami Bera of Elk Grove (Sacramento County) was winning a third term in a battle with Republican Scott Jones, the Sacramento County sheriff. With 56 percent of precincts partially reporting, Bera held a 54 percent to 46 percent lead.

Two years ago, Bera won re-election by fewer than 1,500 votes in the rural Sacramento County district, beating former Rep. Doug Ose 50.4 percent to 49.6 percent.

GOP Rep. Jeff Denham of Turlock (Stanislaus County) was winning his rematch in the 10th Congressional District with Democrat Michael Eggman, an Atwater (Merced County) farmer whom he trounced in 2014. With 53 percent of precincts reporting, Denham had 52 percent of the vote to 48 percent for Eggman.

 In the 21st Congressional District, Republican David Valadao of Hanford (Kings County) was defeating Bakersfield attorney Emilio Huerta, a 58-year-old political novice.

Huerta, the son of Latina labor icon Dolores Huerta, found that his famous name wasnt enough to overcome the popular 39-year-old dairyman, despite the districts strong Democratic and Latino tilt. With 70 percent of precincts reporting, Valadao held a 59 percent to 41 percent lead.

In the Santa Barbara area, Democrat Salud Carbajal held a lead over Republican Justin Fareed in the race to fill the seat of retiring Democratic Rep. Lois Capps. With 47 percent of precincts reporting, Carbajal held a 55 percent to 45 percent lead. Carbajal is a 51-year-old Santa Barbara County supervisor.

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GOP Rep. Steve Knight of Lancaster (Los Angeles County) was fighting off Democrat Bryan Caforio, a Santa Clarita (Los Angeles County) attorney, in his high-profile contest to win a second term in Congress. Knight held a 55 percent to 45 percent lead with 28 percent of precincts reporting.

GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista (San Diego County) took a narrow lead in early returns against San Clemente (Orange County) attorney Doug Applegate in Southern Californias 49th Congressional District.

Issa was ahead 52 percent to 48 percent with 31 percent of precincts reporting.

While on paper, the district should be a safe haven for Republicans, Democrats worked overtime to tie the conservative Issa to GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump and his policies.

Chronicle staff writer Karen de Sa contributed to this report.

John Wildermuth and John King are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com, jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth, @johnkingsfchron
French English

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION TO ANY U.S. PERSON OR IN OR INTO CANADA, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA OR THE UNITED STATES (EACH AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED) OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RELEASE, PUBLISH OR DISTRIBUTE THIS PRESS RELEASE.



Press release - November 9, 2016

IHS Netherlands Holdco B.V. successfully issued $800m in a 5-year bond

Wendel welcomes the excellent refinancing operation of IHS, whom Wendel is largest shareholder owning 26% of its share capital. IHS Netherlands Holdco B.V., which owns 100% of IHS Nigeria Limited ("IHS Nigeria") and IHS Towers NG Limited (formerly known as Helios Towers Nigeria Limited), placed a $800 million bond issue maturing in October 2021 with a non-call period of 2 years from issuance and a coupon of 9.5%.

The bonds were placed with an international high quality investor base which is a reflection of IHS's strong business fundamentals. Moreover, this issue is the largest high yield corporate bond ever issued by an African corporate.

The net proceeds of the issue will be used to refinance $500 million of IHS Nigeria existing debt, IHS Towers NG Limited's repurchase of the outstanding 8.375% $250m bond at IHS Towers Netherlands FinCo NG B.V., and to finance a new towers building program.

Bond issue characteristics:

Total amount of the issue $800 million Maturity October 27; 2021 Coupon 9.50% Issue Rating Ba3 / B+ / B+ (Moody's / S&P / Fitch) Listing Irish Stock Exchange

This transaction will contribute positively to IHS long-term value creation.

Disclaimer

This press release does not constitute an offer of securities in the United States of America. These securities may not be offered or sold in the United States of America unless they are registered or exempt from registration under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

This press release is an advertisement and is not a prospectus as required under Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended by the Directive 2010/73/EU (the "Directive"). A prospectus will be prepared and made available to the public, in compliance with the Directive, as part of admitting the bonds to trading on the Euronext regulated market in Paris.

This press release does not constitute an offer of securities in France or in any other country. The bonds are the subject of a private placement in France with (i) persons providing investment management services to third parties and/or (ii) qualified investors acting for their own account, as defined, and in accordance with Articles L.411-2 and D.411-1 to D.411-3 of the Monetary and Financial Code, and outside France. No prospectus related to the placement of the bonds has been approved by a competent authority of a European Economic Area Member State.

Wendel will undertake no action as part of this placement with a view to making a public offering in France or abroad.

The dissemination of this press release in any country where such dissemination could constitute a violation of applicable legislation is prohibited.

This press release may be sent to persons located in the United Kingdom only under circumstances wherein section 21(1) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 does not apply.

Calendar

12/1/2016

2016 Investor Day / Publication of NAV and trading update (pre-market release)

In London

3/23/2017

2016 full-year earnings / Publication of NAV (pre-market release)

In Paris

5/18/2017

Shareholders' Meeting / Publication of NAV and trading update (before Shareholders' Meeting)

In Paris

9/7/2017

H1 2017 earnings / Publication of NAV (pre-market release)

By conference call

11/30/2017

2017 Investor Day / Publication of NAV and trading update (pre-market release)

About Wendel

Wendel is one of Europe's leading listed investment firms. The Group invests internationally, in companies that are leaders in their field, such as Bureau Veritas, Saint-Gobain, Cromology, Stahl, IHS, Constantia Flexibles and Allied Universal. Wendel plays an active role as industry shareholder in these companies. It implements long-term development strategies, which involve boosting growth and margins of companies so as to enhance their leading market positions. Through Oranje-Nassau Developpement, which brings together opportunities for investment in growth, diversification and innovation, Wendel is also a shareholder of exceet in Germany, Mecatherm in France, Nippon Oil Pump in Japan, Saham Group and SGI Africa in Africa and CSP Technologies in the United States.

Wendel is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris.

Standard & Poor's ratings: Long-term: BBB-, stable outlook - Short-term: A-3 since July 7, 2014. Wendel is the Founding Sponsor of Centre Pompidou-Metz. In recognition of its long-term patronage of the arts, Wendel received the distinction of "Grand Mecene de la Culture" in 2012.



For more information: www.wendelgroup.com

Follow us on Twitter @WendelGroup and@_FLemoine_

IHS Netherlands Holdco B.V's perimeter represents ca. 6,300 tower i.e. the tower business of IHS Nigeria including HTN towers and excluding INT Towers JV's towers.
War will always bring death. But courage will always bring honor.

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year 1918, representatives of France, Britain, the United States, Canada and Germany gathered in Compiegne, France, to sign the armistice to end the conflict that had been called the war to end all wars. For almost 20 years, nations celebrated this day as Armistice Day, a time to recall the ravages of war and the soldiers who sacrificed so that we might have peace.

But that peace did not last, and another world war was fought. When that ended, the Americans chose to rename the day Veterans Day, and the Europeans chose to call it Remembrance Day.

I am reminded of Abraham Lincoln, who traveled to Pennsylvania to consecrate a cemetery on the site of a battlefield named Gettysburg. As he stood before the gravestones he said, We have come to dedicate a portion of that battlefield as a final resting place  but in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.

Let me tell you about one hero. My father, Harold Aloysius Paulson (Hap), was a soldier in World War II. He fought with the 3rd Armored Division under Patton. He landed in Normandy on D-Day. Hap outmaneuvered Panzers in the Battle of the Bulge. He himself shot the lock off the gate of a concentration camp. My father was a hero.

My father brought his courage back to Queens, where he took a job with the phone company, married a nurse and fathered three boys. Hap volunteered as a Scoutmaster, a Pioneer, a Knight of Columbus and for St. Anthony of Padua Church. A few months ago, right before he died, he said to me, Kevin, remember me as a soldier. But also remember me as a man who cherished peace.

My father raised a sailor, a teacher and a peace officer. Ive never served in the armed forces; in fact, my patriotism is different. Ive protested against wars and government, but when I did so, I tried to act with the courage that Hap taught me.

Now that I have sons of my own, I doubt that my accomplishments measure up to Haps. Being captain of the math team at Molloy High School or doing the best Bette Davis impression in the outer, outer, outer Excelsior just doesnt compare.

The year before he died, my father taught me that heroes are not only brave, but kind. In his 90s, Hap suffered from macular degeneration, so he couldnt see very well, and he also had congestive heart failure, but he still flew to California for his youngest grandsons adoption and baptism.

He brought a gift. He had paid his neighbor to thread needles so that he could sew a Christmas stocking for Aidan. This nearly blind man stayed up night after night, piecing together a stocking, as he had done for his wife, for each of his three sons, his other grandchildren and even the dog. He was not going to let his biracial, drug-exposed, fost-adopted grandson feel left out.

Heroes make sacrifices. Hap never went to college himself, but he paid for all three of his sons schooling. He climbed up telephone poles 12 hours a day so that Brother X could have a bicycle, I could have bell bottoms, or Brother Not X could have bail money.

Sitting in his tank, in those rare minutes of peace, Hap wrote verses about the war and, in fact, became the poet laureate of the 3rd Armored Division. On the 15th anniversary of the liberation of Europe, cities in Northern Europe invited Hap and his Army comrades back to see plaques placed in each town. And my father, paraphrasing Lincoln, wrote:

The land was hallowed, dedicated,

By those of our comrades who fell,

And now lie under crosses

In France, and Henri-La-Chappelle.

There can be no greater memorial.

Than those we left behind.

Not sure I ever thanked Hap for losing his hearing under mortar fire or eating chipped beef on toast or watching his best buddy die. Here is the responsibility he left: I must teach my own sons to be brave.

Make this Friday a day of remembrance. More than 2 million veterans live in California, and odds are you know one. Take a moment to thank that hero.
I started writing this column on the morning of election day, with the results still unknown. I was sitting at my desk in the office at Fifth and Mission, the TV tuned to CNN.

Id just looked at Facebook, at images of Susan B. Anthonys grave festooned with I Voted stickers, and I was still basking in the cornball lift Id gotten at the polling place. I like participating in democracy firsthand, in real time. I like standing in line (there were three or four in front voters of me on Tuesday) and concentrating on not exchanging political chitchat. Curiously, the ban on electioneering enforces protection of the right to have ones own opinion.

And I like it that a garage has been turned into a voting place. There, among the stacks of Costco bubble-wrapped-and-strapped soda cans  Coke Zero, so I couldnt tell how this household would vote on the soda tax  was the polling place, shrine of every democracy. As I wrote the first draft of this, the I Voted! sticker was still pressed onto my lapel. I had looked for a place where it would be noticed.

A few hours later, I changed what Id written to include some description of the election day lunch hosted by John Konstin and Willie Brown at Johns Grill. If there was a Trump supporter in the crowd, he or she sure wasnt admitting it.

One TV newswoman, apparently thinking that history would be made when the first woman was sworn in as commander in chief, said shed already bought her plane ticket and made a hotel reservation for the inauguration. My own feminist spirits were only slightly dampened when a retired legislator who was introduced to my companion, pal Mary Ladd, looked at her and proclaimed, Its a good thing that Donald Trump isnt at this party. It was intended to be a compliment, but what it reflected instead was that the first thing he did upon meeting her was rate her sexiness. Its a way of thinking deeply embedded in our culture.

I went home early, leaving my desk available for a reporter whod be covering the election, and made plans to go out later, to parties at Tosca maybe, or ODC or 1300 Fillmore or the Marsh. But those werent going to get started until at least 8 p.m. A few hours later, by the time 8 p.m. rolled around, we were pretty much catatonic in front of the TV screen.

Friends who were in Los Angeles to be with Kamala Harris emailed selfies with her. The San Francisco contingent included Denise Hale, Cissie Swig, Laurene Powell Jobs and Seth Matarasso. We sat at the kitchen table watching TV, and decided not to go out after all.

In David Thomsons Television: a Biography, a book the critic finished writing in March, he wrote that Donald Trump may be ridiculous and irresponsible, but he is not a fool, and he is an inspired, mercurial handler of TV. He is a natural.

Trump played, he wrote (in past tense, knowing that most people would be reading the book after the election) as a deliberate lout. But the nature of television as a technology was more potent, and less resistible, than any individual style or decision. We were having a presidential campaign that grew out of television itself. Trumps acuity was in feeling that slide toward chaos and riding it like a skier in a slalom. It was my estimate that Trump had never anticipated being Mr. President. ... He knew how tedious and impotent that job was. His aim was to be Mr. TV. Thomson will be at the Mechanics Institute in San Francisco on Nov. 18.

Virtuoso violinist Ray Chen, guest concertmaster with the New Century Chamber Orchestra from Thursday to Sunday, Nov. 10-13, is a virtuoso on social media, too. According to press materials, His online presence is pretty much all through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.

The musician spent a chunk of the weekend popping up for solo performances at restaurants (Yank Sing, the Chili House, Chocolate Choir in Japantown) so as to put the resulting video on his Facebook page before the performances. Checking his Facebook page to get a feeling for his posts, I came across his posted advice to young violinists preconcert: Dont forget the fly check, is probably sensible.

Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, (415) 777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @leahgarchik
Demostrations broke out on the streets  and a highway  of Oakland and Berkeley following the election of Donald Trump to the presidency early Wednesday morning, resulting in major injuries to a young protester when she was struck by an SUV.

The 20-year-old woman was among 200 protesters who surged onto Highway 24 at the border of Oakland and Berkeley at 12:10 a.m. when she was struck by a Honda Element in the eastbound lanes near the Claremont Avenue exit.

All I could think of is this is somebodys daughter  and the fact that it came from this action on the freeway, said one of the women who was in the SUV and did not give her name. I just want everybody to be okay. We need to stick together at a time like this.

The CHP momentarily shut down the highway as they tended to the woman, who was rushed to an area hospital with what CHP Sgt. Matt Langford described as major injuries.

The CHP moved the protesters off the freeway and they dispersed throughout the area.

The group was one of several to protest the election of Donald Trump to the White House. Several other groups descended on Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, where at least one fire was lit on the street, prompting BART to shut down 12th Street station.

In Berkeley, meanwhile, dozens of protesters marched along Telegraph chanting, Not my president!

Highway 24 remained shutdown for nearly an hour.

Im perplexed, said Charlie Wright, 45, sitting in his pickup truck stopped on the highway. I wonder how long this is going to take. Im very concerned. Its very possible Im not getting any sleep tonight.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Wright said he didnt vote in the presidential election because he couldnt make a decision. He was headed to Piedmont and needed to be at a construction job at 6 a.m.

Otis Taylor, Evan Sernoffsky and Kevin Fagan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. E-mail: otaylor@sfchronicle.com, esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com and kfagan@sfchronicle.com
The media was sure he won. Well, pretty sure. Actually, um, it was really, really close deep into the night and into the next morning.

The Chronicles front page from Nov. 9, 1960, covers John F. Kennedys victory in the presidential election, though it wasnt a sure thing at press time.

Kennedy early today had the electoral votes necessary for election as the 35th president of the United States, but all was not absolutely certain, the story read. At 2 a.m. (PST), the 43-year-old Massachusetts senator had a popular vote margin over Republican Vice President Richard M. Nixon of less than 51 percent.

And the fate of the eight states  including keys to victory or defeat, California (32 electoral votes), Illinois (27) and Minnesota (11)  remained in doubt. Kennedy led in these three states.

Kennedy would hold on to his lead and become president, of course, but the popular vote margin was thin. By the end of the counting, Nixon trailed the Massachusetts senator by a little more than 12,000 votes nationwide, and captured more states than Kennedy.

This was the first election that showcased the power of television. Kennedy took advantage and had a confident presence on camera. Nixon was uneasy in the televised debates, the first of their kind. The Republican candidate saddled himself with a grueling campaign schedule, and he was also hurt by a sluggish economy. Still, Kennedy faced an uphill battle.

As election night drew to a close, the race remained close, with Kennedys camp declaring their candidate the winner but Nixon refusing to quit.

The Massachusetts senator went to bed without knowing whether he had actually been elected, the story read.

The next afternoon, Nixon would concede and Kennedy would be declared the winner  without question.

See more front pages: Go to SFChronicle.com/covers to search a database of hundreds of Chronicle Covers articles that showcase the newspapers history.

More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond.

Chronicle Covers highlights one classic Chronicle newspaper page from our archive every day for 366 days. Library director Bill Van Niekerken and producers Kimberly Chua, Michelle Devera and Jillian Sullivan contributed to the project. Tim ORourke is the executive producer and editor of SFChronicle.com. Email: torourke@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TimothyORourke

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A sweeping state gun-control initiative designed to clamp down more on ammunition than rifles or pistols themselves was approved by voters Tuesday.

The idea behind Proposition 63 was to cut gun violence by making it harder to obtain ammunition. Authored by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the measure will require background checks for anyone selling or buying ammunition, ban ammo magazines of more than 10 rounds, and make it an infraction for dealers not to report bullet thefts to police within 48 hours.

The initiative will also stiffen penalties for those who dont report stolen guns and intensify tracking of people ineligible to own firearms. It will mandate that California authorities share that information with the FBI for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, data for which vary from state to state.

The proposition was winning 63 percent to 37 percent with about 40 percent of precincts reporting, a lead that would be nearly impossible to reverse.

Prop. 63 built on a flurry of laws signed this year by Gov. Jerry Brown that were written to make it harder to buy ammunition. Some law enforcement groups that opposed those laws, including the California State Sheriffs Association, also opposed Newsoms initiative. They said the measure wouldnt stop criminals or terrorists from getting cartridges, would make it harder for law-abiding citizens to arm themselves and could force small ammunition retailers out of business.

They also called the proposed $50 fee for a license to buy ammunition onerous.

Proposition 63 has very flawed and oppressive provisions that will be challenged in court under various legal theories, including the Second Amendment, said Sean Brady, a lawyer with the Coalition for Civil Liberties, a gun-rights group that fought the initiative. Brady said a potential Donald Trump presidential victory could make the U.S. Supreme Court more amenable to such a legal challenge.

Newsom has been a gun-control advocate since his time as mayor of San Francisco, and attributes much of his passion for the cause to the suicide years ago of his grandfather, who shot himself to death in front of Newsoms mother. He said he doesnt oppose all guns, pointing out that he has enjoyed shooting skeet, but maintains there have to be stiffer limitations to bring down the 33,000 annual firearms deaths in the U.S.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The fact is in California  anyone up until today could sell ammunition, Newsom said in San Francisco on Tuesday night. Those days now are over. California has become the first state in the nation to (regulate) ammunition.

As of Monday, $5,263,881 had been raised in support of Prop. 63 and $871,151 against.

Peter Hartlaub contributed to this report.

Kevin Fagan and Hamed Aleaziz are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com, haleaziz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinChron, @Haleaziz
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A ballot measure to repeal Californias death penalty appeared to be headed for defeat early Wednesday for the second time in four years. A rival measure backed by prosecutors that would retain the death penalty and seek to speed up executions was narrowly leading.

With 55.1 percent of the precincts reporting, Proposition 62, which would reduce the maximum sentence for capital crimes to life in prison without the possibility of parole, had 45.6 percent support.

Proposition 66, which would set strict timelines for state court rulings in capital cases and limit future appeals, had 51.3 percent of the vote.

The voters of California are affirming fairly strongly, once again, that they are in favor of the death penalty, said Contra Costa County District Attorney Gary Peterson, a spokesman for the campaign to defeat Prop. 62 and pass Prop. 66.

Matt Cherry, campaign manager for Prop. 62, wasnt giving up. We always knew it would be very close. We still feel we have a good chance of winning, he said.

The returns indicated a sharp divide between the Bay Area and most of the rest of the state. Prop. 62 was drawing more than two-thirds support in San Francisco and Marin counties and over 60 percent in Alameda County, but was polling in the mid-30s in most of the Central Valley and inland areas.

The vote came even as nationwide opinion polls indicated the lowest level of support for capital punishment in 40 years. Executions in the United States are on a pace to total 20 this year, the lowest number since 1991.

California has nations largest Death Row, with 750 prisoners. But the state has executed only 13 prisoners since enacting its death penalty law in 1977, and none since January 2006.

Executions have been on hold since then because of rulings by a federal judge, who found major flaws in injection procedures and staff training, and by state courts that have set stiff standards for adopting new procedures.

An initiative to repeal the death penalty lost by 4 percentage points in 2012.

Backers of Prop. 62 stressed the death penaltys financial effects in their campaign. The Legislatures nonpartisan fiscal analyst said a repeal would save the state $150 million a year by eliminating penalty-phase trials and appeals and transferring inmates from high-security, single-cell enclosures to the general prison population.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Supporters of Prop. 66 disputed those cost savings and said their measure would save money by speeding up executions and lowering the Death Row population. Death sentence appeals can take more than 20 years to resolve, and the measures backers said they could reduce that substantially by requiring the state Supreme Court to rule on a condemned prisoners direct appeal within five years. Thats half as long as it typically takes a capital case to make its way through the states high court.

The five-year deadline, from the time of sentencing, would also apply to the second-stage appeals known as habeas corpus, which typically involve claims of incompetent legal representation, misconduct by prosecutors or jurors, and other issues that may be uncovered long after trial. Those cases would move from the states high court to the original trial court, and the defense lawyers filing deadline would be reduced from three years to one year.

Prop. 66 would prohibit further appeals except when the defense offers evidence that the defendant was innocent. Another provision seeks to speed up the appointment of defense lawyers, now in short supply, by requiring attorneys to take capital appeals if they already accept court appointments in non-capital cases.

As of Monday, $16,104,181 had been raised in support of Prop. 62 and $12,529,306 against it. For Prop. 66, it was $13,173,990 in support and $17,686,257 against.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
The adult-film industry won big Tuesday when California voters rejected a ballot proposition requiring performers in pornographic videos to use condoms.

Voters shot down Proposition 60, a law touted as a workplace health measure that would have also required adult film producers to pay the costs of performers work-related medical exams. The measure was defeated 54 percent to 46 percent, with 99 percent of votes counted.

Alicia Wagner Calzada / Special to 210SA / Alicia Wagner Calzada / Special to 210SA

Rather than comply with the law, producers in the lucrative adult-film industry  much of which is centered in Southern California  warned they would pack up and leave the state should the measure pass.

Proponents argued the law was necessary to protect performers from sexually-transmitted diseases like HIV and AIDS.

The law would have also required producers to be licensed by state workplace safety regulator Cal/OSHA every two years and to contact regulators whenever they shoot a pornographic film.

Voters in Los Angeles passed a similar measure requiring condom use in adult films in 2012, but proponents of Proposition 60 argued enforcement was lax, and relied on a complaint-based system.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky




Team Tankers International Ltd. will host an earnings call to announce its 3rd quarter 2016 earnings results on 11 November 2016 at 15:00 CET (9:00am ET).





Call-in details will be published in due time on 11 November 2016. Questions should be directed to: Hans Feringa, President and CEO

T: +1 203 341 3600 Kevin Kilcullen, CFO

T: +1 203 341 3600

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
The United States had its Brexit moment on Tuesday. The pollsters didnt see it coming. Most pundits did not see it coming. Democrats who thought they were on the brink of a solid Hillary Clinton victory certainly did not see it coming.

Donald Trump was elected president of the United States.

Let that notion sink in, Americans.

President-elect Donald J. Trump.

It did not matter to his voters that he was so ill-informed on the issues, or so willing to distort the truth, so caustic in his approach to U.S. allies, or so dismissive of the American values of diversity and respect for the rule of law.

The revolt of disaffected Americans that propelled Trump to the Republican nomination against all odds rocked the nation one more time. His campaign, built on anxiety about the economy and anger at the Wall Street and Washington establishment, produced the biggest upset in modern American history.

The president-elect is going to have a monumental task to unite and heal a polarized nation and the divisions he preyed upon from the day he announced his candidacy and sneered at immigrants from Mexico as rapists and criminals.

The Republicans maintained control of the House and Senate, but that will not necessarily assure an easy path for Trump, whose relationship with some of the leading Republicans on Capitol Hill was distant if not frosty. Trump will have the additional burden of repairing trust with the various groups he offended during his campaign: Latinos, women, Muslims, African Americans and people with disabilities.

The optimistic view is that Americans who were disgusted and exhausted by a long and vitriolic campaign will be ready for a new paradigm of healing and collaboration. This nation surely needs it. The great issues of our time demand common purpose: climate change, terrorism, our competitiveness in a global economy.

The closeness of the finish, coming on top of all the bitterness that preceded it, is going to challenge the goodwill and humility of Donald Trump  and all of his fervent supporters. It would be quite a turnabout for a billionaire real estate mogul who seemed inherently incapable of admitting a mistake or treating a political adversary with anything but contempt. This was the candidate who insisted that the election was rigged. This was the candidate who talked about prosecuting a vanquished opponent if he was elected. This was the candidate who boasted that he could force a sovereign neighboring nation to pay for a border wall  as if it were just another subcontractor in his development empire.

He won by division, but he cant govern by division.

Now is the moment for Donald Trump to change his tone to something he never showed during the campaign. In a word: presidential.
Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images

The United States had its Brexit moment on Tuesday. The pollsters didnt see it coming. Most pundits did not see it coming. Democrats who thought they were on the brink of a solid Hillary Clinton victory certainly did not see it coming.

The revolt of disaffected Americans that propelled Donald Trump to the Republican nomination against all odds rocked the nation yet again Tuesday night with returns that showed a race too close to call. His campaign, built on anxiety about the economy and anger at the Wall Street and Washington establishment, brought him to the brink of one of the biggest upsets in modern American history.
Now comes the hard part on curbing climate change. A year after some 200 countries agreed to shift energy policies and stem heat-trapping emissions, its time to work out the critical next steps.

One critical factor: how the next president approaches the issue. The gulf between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was profound, yet the issue garnered virtually no attention during the harshly personalized White House campaign.

Following the feel-good handshakes in Paris last December, the agreement is now legally in place. But there are no sanctions for backsliders nor signs of the $100 billion that rich nations have pledged to help other countries rework their economies. A gathering of signatory countries is under way in Marrakesh, Morocco, this week, in the hope of sorting through the practical problems of solving climate change.

There are still reasons for hope. Prior attempts at global controls, such as the Kyoto and Copenhagen pacts, went nowhere. By comparison, the Paris agreement has support from the biggest polluters, such as the U.S., China, India and the European Union.

Also, there are everyday indications of the surging risks of a hotter, clogged-up atmosphere, ranging from hurricanes in the Caribbean to drought in California and stifling pollution in China. Last year was the hottest since reliable records were first kept in the 19th century. A global public is taking note and demanding action.

There are meaningful efforts already under way. Airline emissions are drawing notice. Countries are agreeing to phase out hydrofluorocarbons, a significant greenhouse gas, from industrial use.

These steps will have to speed up. The Paris goal is to contain the rising curve of global temperatures to no more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit over preindustrial levels.

Along with the presidential vote, the U.S. faces another test. President Obamas major effort at meeting the Paris goals is a sharp reduction in coal-fired power plants. That plan is tied up by a Supreme Court delay, handing the next White House the choice of junking it or fighting to preserve a major initiative to wean the country off fossil fuels.

The worlds nations are uniting around a central threat to human life. That remarkable cooperation needs to take hold on a deeper level and not be rejected.
Let me tell you about my life since Donald Trump won the Republican primary. I voted against Trump in June because of his history as an unreliable conservative and longtime supporter of big government. I voted for Libertarian Gary Johnson in the general election. And yet I have had this dark presence that has shadowed me. Wherever I have gone, I have been put in the position of explaining or defending Trump by people who saw it as my duty to denounce The Donald.

On the radio and speaking appearances, it has fallen to me to explain to Bay Area audiences why someone who is not a complete idiot would vote for Trump. I can only assume that my questioners dont know any Trump voters  other than relatives they must endure over cocktails during holidays.

To mention that Trump is preferable on regulation, Obamacare or the U.S. Supreme Court was to invite scorn. How dare anyone conjure up issues when Trumps rhetoric is so divisive?

Ive watched countless hours of cable news during which reporters grilled Republicans about whether they would vote for Trump in November. Never once did I see a reporter demand that Democrats disclose if they would vote for Clinton even though she set up a home-brew server for State Department emails, then deleted thousands of those emails after they were under subpoena.

All you heard was nagging about Trump,. Trump, Trump.

On panels, it has been my job to watch liberals excoriate Trump as a racist, sexist bigot. It never occurred to these fine fellows that American voters might support him. Sure, they winked, he won the Neanderthal GOP primary, but he could never win the popular vote. His appeal, they knew, was limited to angry white men who didnt go to college.

I was wrong too. I thought Trump likely would lose, and also that he could cost Republicans control of the Senate. I believed the polls.

San Francisco sure believed those polls. How many times did I watch Democrats agree that it would be better if Clinton won big. As Chris Lehane, a former aide to Al Gore and now lobbyist for Airbnb, told the Chronicle editorial board, if Clinton wins big, Republicans would have to face reality. If the election is tight, on the other hand, both sides learn nothing and just go back to their corners.

I did not agree. A big win for Clinton would justify her bad decisions and her grabby ways. As I write this and Trump seems poised to win the electoral college, I dont think many Democrats are hoping that Trump wins really big  for the good of the country.

I remain dubious about whether Trump is up to the job of president. On the other hand, it is possible that winning the White House will humble Trump and make him a better man. Whereas with Clinton, we know that power corrupts.

Heres where the media really got it wrong. Most people in the press never thought Clintons baggage would hurt her chances. Me. I thought Hillary Clinton would be a terrible president. And guess what: So did a huge chunk of American voters.
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The Bay Areas lone Republican state lawmaker was winning her bid to keep her Assembly seat, in a closely watched East Bay race that some saw as a path for Democrats to regain supermajority control of the lower legislative house.

With fewer than half the votes counted, Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, R-San Ramon, had 55 percent of the vote, and Democrat Cheryl Cook-Kallio had 45 percent in the race in Assembly District 16, which stretches from Walnut Creek and Lafayette to Pleasanton and Livermore.

The race is key for Democrats, who are fighting to regain a two-thirds supermajority in each house of the Legislature  power that would allow them to raise taxes and put constitutional amendments on the ballot without a single Republican vote.

Assembly Democrats would reach a supermajority if they keep all their current seats and pick up two currently held by Republicans. In the state Senate, Democrats held 26 seats going into the election and need to gain one more to get a supermajority.

It was too early Tuesday evening to determine whether Democrats were going to pull it off in either house.

The state Democratic Party poured in more than $2 million to support Cook-Kallio, a former Pleasanton City Council member and retired high school government teacher. The money helped her campaign flood mailboxes with ads linking Baker to national Republicans with rock-bottom popularity in the Bay Area such as Donald Trump, Sarah Palin and Sen. Ted Cruz.

The state Republican Party put more than $1 million into Bakers campaign to win a second term.

In early results from two other key races, Democratic newcomer Sabrina Cervantes of Riverside and GOP incumbent Assemblyman Eric Linder of Corona each had 50 percent of the vote in the race for the District 60 seat in Riverside County, and Democrat Al Muratsuchi was out in front of Republican incumbent Assemblyman David Hadley of Manhattan Beach for the District 66 seat in Los Angeles County.

In the Senate, Democrats pinned their hopes on Johnathan Ervin, who was trailing Republican Assemblyman Scott Wilk of Santa Clarita in the Los Angeles County race to replace Republican Sen. Sharon Runner, who died in July at age 62 after an illness.

Senate Democrats also had their eyes on another open Southern California seat, where Democrat Josh Newman trailed Republican Assemblywoman Ling Ling Chang of Diamond Bar (Los Angeles County).

In the East Bay, Nancy Skinner held a sizable lead over Sandre Swanson in the state Senate race in District 9, which extends from San Leandro to Rodeo. The two candidates are veteran Democrats who each served three terms in the Assembly. Skinner beat Swanson in the June primary and raised far more money.

Im really honored that our message of delivering on our progressive values resonated with the voters of District 9, Skinner said. I also want to honor my former colleague Sandre Swanson for his service and his positive campaign.

Melody Gutierrez and Rachel Swan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com, rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez, @rachelswan
SYDNEY, Australia, Nov. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flywire, a leading provider of cross-border payment solutions, has expanded in Australia, opening a new office in Sydney to support its local operations. The move builds on Flywires existing Asia-Pacific presence in Shanghai, China, Singapore and Tokyo, and strong growth worldwide.



In the most recent academic year, ending June 2016, Flywire saw record results in its business as it continued its expansion in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To date, the company has processed over $3 billion in tuition payments and now serves over 1,100 universities and schools worldwide. In Australia, Flywire currently serves more than 30 schools and universities, making fast, easy tuition payment available to international students traveling abroad each year to attend universities and schools in the country.

Australia is the third most popular destination in the world for international education behind only the United States and the United Kingdom. According to the Australian Government Department of Education and Training, over 507,000 international students were enrolled in Australian schools in August 2016, up 12% from August 2015. China (17%), Malaysia (16%), India (11%), South Korea (8%) and Vietnam (3%) are the leading countries of origin. Australia features eight of the top 100 universities in the world according to TopUniversities.com and the Australian government makes A$200 million available every year for international scholarships.

Australia is a very popular and growing destination for international education and a key market in our global expansion, said Mike Massaro, CEO at Flywire. We are pleased to expand our cross-border payment services here to make the tuition payment process as easy, efficient and transparent as possible for the schools and their international students.

About Flywire

Flywire is a leading provider of high-ticket payment solutions, connecting educational and healthcare institutions with consumers on six continents. Introduced five years ago as a way for international students to pay their tuition for studies abroad, Flywire is now welcomed by over 1,100 colleges and universities around the world and hospitals in North America. The company has processed billions in payments from 220 countries and territories, in 70 local currencies. Convenient, fast and secure, Flywires scalable platform accepts bank transfers, online banking, and credit and debit cards  providing currency conversion at exchange rates that can offer significant savings when compared to home-market banks and credit card providers. Committed to a great end-to-end customer experience, the company offers multilingual servicing via phone, email, and chat, as well as 24/7 online payment tracking.

Flywire is headquartered in Boston, MA with international operations in London and Manchester, UK; Shanghai, China; Tokyo, Japan; Singapore; Sydney, Australia; and Valencia, Spain. For more information, visit www.Flywire.com.
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Democrats are asking, How could this have happened?

But to millions of Americans who feel that the system isnt working for them, who havent been part of the nations economic recovery, who think Washington doesnt listen to them, it was something that needed to happen. Their choice was clear: Donald Trump was the imperfect vessel for their frustration.

The message to the elites (of both parties) is, Youre out of touch, said Mo Fiorina, a professor of political science at Stanford University and author of Disconnect: The Breakdown of Representation in American Politics.

If youre leaning toward giving the middle finger to the elites, then a vote for Trump makes sense, he said.

The people who voted for Trump didnt care that he offered slogans instead of plans. They didnt care that independent fact-checkers like Politifact found most of the things he said were factually wrong. They shrugged at Trump outsourcing his signature ties and clothing to overseas workers, just like the factory owners who closed the plants where they used to work.

They cared more that Trump ridiculed bad trade deals supported by both Republicans and Democrats, because he said they were killing the kind of jobs Americans had  or used to have.

And in the process, the gut-level frustration felt by Trumps working-class, white supporters and others sick of Washington gridlock went under the radar of nearly every pollster and pundit with a Twitter handle or a regular gig at MSNBC. Early exit polls showed Trump winning 2 of every 3 voters without college degrees.

They were so motivated that they ignored his boast that he planned to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. They didnt think hed be able do it, but they liked that he said it.

Both parties, Republicans and Democrats, have been neglecting noneducated white voters, said Carson Bruno, assistant dean at the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy.

Nowhere was the Clinton campaigns tone deafness more apparent than across the Rust Belt states like Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin, each of which President Obama won twice.

In Michigan, early exit polls showed college-educated voters supported Hillary Clinton by 50 percent to 44 percent, while those with less than a college degree backed Trump 48 percent to 45 percent.

Clinton consistently underperformed Obama in key areas, like Ashtabula County in northeastern Ohio, which used to be full of union Democrats. Obama won the county twice, with 55 percent of the vote. But the recovery that lifted other parts of the country didnt materialize there. Trump was ahead in a county where 19 percent of people live below the poverty line, only 9 percent of the residents have a college degree, and 90 percent of the residents are white.

And in Wisconsin, though early exit polls showed that 63 percent of voters viewed him unfavorably, 21 percent of the people who didnt like him voted for him nonetheless.

Even when (voters feel) their candidate is flawed, they often don't have a better alternative that will align with them ideologically, said Kelly Dittmar, a professor of political science at Rutgers University and a scholar at its Center for American Women and Politics.

Obama may have touted Clinton  a former senator and secretary of state  as being the best qualified candidate ever for the job, but that was a detriment at a time when people are so mistrustful of the establishment.

A lot of this is about Clinton, too, Bruno said.

If the Democrats had nominated someone like Joe Biden or even a Tim Kaine, we might not be talking about this, he said. Because the Clintons have this aura of being untrustworthy  even if they may not necessarily be  people who dont trust Washington or politicians are less likely to trust someone like them.

Much of Trumps support was also rooted in a visceral hatred of (Clinton) that I believe a lot of that is based on her gender, said Barbara Ann Perry, director of presidential studies and co-chair of the Presidential Oral History Program at the University of Virginia.

We have heard that these two candidates are equally bad, Perry said. But as a political scientist I cant agree with that.

So when Trump called out the system as rigged  as in rigged in favor of wealthy and powerful interests and Washington insiders  many voters felt that the Clintons embodied that. It didnt matter that Trump was one of the powerful, born into the comforts of wealth. To Trumps supporters, it was more important that he wasnt afraid to be politically incorrect  or what others would call offensive and racist.

Four years ago, after being trounced by Latino and African American voters, the Republican National Committee commissioned a deep-dive study that colloquially became known as its autopsy; its official name was the Growth and Opportunity Project. It urged Republicans to reach out to Latinos, women and younger voters  the future face of America in order to survive.

Trumps campaign ignored the autopsy  and shunned the GOP elites who shunned him. His rhetoric focused on winning the noncollege white vote.

His backers overlooked the vile comments he made on the Access Hollywood tape about using his celebrating to force himself on women. He knew that many of his supporters didnt care if he called Mexicans rapists and publicly made fun of a disabled New York Times reporter.

They didnt care that he called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States. They liked that he talked like real people talked and not in Washington code.

Trump was brutally blunt, and said a lot of factually wrong things, Bruno said. But people were convinced that he was being so blunt that he was being honest.

To others, Trumps bluntness encouraged a racist undercurrent that started to surface after Obama was elected. CNN commentator and longtime Bay Area activist Van Jones described Tuesdays results as Welcome to the #Whitelash.

Vanessa Tyson, a professor of political science at Scripps College in Claremont (Los Angeles County), said Trumps approach simultaneously stoked anger toward minorities while telling white voters that they were losing their dominance.

In so doing, with slogans like Make America Great Again he has convinced many Americans that they have reason to be afraid, and that he can better address their fears, said Tyson, author of Twists of Fate: Multiracial Coalitions and Minority Representation in the U.S. House. Thats true whether or not those fears are actually valid.

But on Tuesday, many people felt those fears were valid enough to vote for Trump. The real surprise of Trumps performance on election night was that it was a surprise to so many.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political reporter. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
City Councilman Jesse Arreguin took an early lead Tuesday in the Berkeley mayors race over fellow council members Laurie Capitelli and Kriss Worthington.

The election to replace Mayor Tom Bates, who is retiring after 14 years as mayor, drew nine candidates, including a homeless man and a UC Berkeley graduate student. Arreguin was ahead with 43 percent of the vote, compared with Capitellis 38 percent and Worthingtons 9 percent, early returns showed.

Arreguin was optimistic as the results rolled in. Im so proud of the campaign weve run, he said. If you asked political insiders a year ago if we would be in this position, they would have said no.

But since Berkeley uses a ranked-choice voting system, in which voters list their top three candidates by preference, it may take days to know who the next mayor will be. A candidate wins outright, avoiding the instant runoff, only if he or she receives at least 50 percent of the vote.

Oakland also uses ranked-choice voting, adding uncertainty to the race for the City Councils at-large seat. Incumbent Rebecca Kaplan was on track to win Tuesday night, pulling ahead of four challengers including Peggy Moore, a former top adviser to Mayor Libby Schaaf. Early returns showed Kaplan with a commanding lead: 54 percent of the vote, compared with Moores 19 percent.

Early results also showed incumbent council members Dan Kalb, Lynette Gibson McElhaney, Noel Gallo and Larry Reid ahead in their bids for re-election.

Gallo was beating his challenger, former school board member and planning commissioner Viola Gonzales, 57 percent to 43 percent. Kalb held a solid lead over probate attorney Kevin Corbett, 79 percent to 21 percent. McElhaney was far ahead of rival Noni Session, 61 percent to 38 percent.

Reid led Marcie Hodge, 59 percent to 23 percent. Nehanda Imara, the other candidate vying for Reids East Oakland district seat, was trailing with 18 percent of the vote.

Oakland Ballot Measure LL, which would authorize a citizen-led police commission to oversee the citys troubled department, was well ahead with 81 percent support. Officials at City Hall are still dealing with the fallout from a sexual misconduct scandal that prompted the resignation of Chief Sean Whent in June. Oakland has been without a police chief for four months.

I have great faith in the voters of Oakland, and I think this is going to set the table for some meaningful reform, said Kalb, Measure LLs lead author.

The new seven-member commission would replace Oaklands Citizens Police Review Board, a civilian-run body started in 1980 to probe complaints and recommend disciplinary measures to the chief.

The commission would serve a similar purpose, but with broader duties and powers. It would be entrusted to form a Community Police Review Agency to investigate misconduct complaints, and it would be empowered to fire the police chief for cause if five of its members voted to do so.

Oaklands Measure KK, a $600 million infrastructure bond, was far exceeding the two-thirds majority vote it needs to pass, with 81 percent of voters backing it. Pushed by Schaaf, the bond would direct $350 million toward street and sidewalk repairs, $150 million toward city-owned facilities such as libraries, parks, and police buildings, and $100 million toward affordable housing.

It would add about $60 in annual property taxes for a home assessed at $250,000, which is the median value in Oakland.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
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A state initiative that would allow adults to buy and consume marijuana for fun, while bringing the states famed pot industry fully out of the shadows, won Tuesday amid a national legalization push aimed at harvesting tax revenue and curbing arrests that have consistently diverged along racial lines.

Voters approved Proposition 64, also known as the Adult Use of Marijuana Act , six years after a similar measure fell at the ballot box. It means California will set up an elaborate regulatory system for recreational pot  with a 15 percent excise tax on retail sales  and become the closely watched center of a national cannabis experiment.

The results were met with muted cheers Tuesday night at a gathering of marijuana activists in the uptown Oakland bar The New Parish, where joints and bowls were passed around half in celebration and half in shock over the presidential race.

Twenty years ago we started the job with Proposition 215, and tonight we finished the job, said Dale Gieringer, the California director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana, or NORML.

The measure was pushed hard by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom who walked through a fog of marijuana smoke at Verso, a nightclub on Mission Street, and declared victory.

A few years ago, folks thought this was probably not likely to happen, Newsom said. There are a million people right now  literally one million people in the state of California  whose lives have been profoundly changed.

Under Prop. 64, people 21 and older will be allowed to use and possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow as many as six plants for personal use  though smoking in public will remain illegal. The new market will generate more than $1 billion in annual revenue, according to the measures proponents, money earmarked for research and regulation and programs to protect children and the environment.

The push for decriminalization sparked debate among lawmakers, educators, police and doctors as well as pot smokers and growers. Supporters said marijuana is so ubiquitous that it might as well be legal, allowing the state to control it, tax it and ensure safe joints, extracts and edibles. A drop in arrests, they said, would ease the disparate punishment of people of color for using and selling pot.

But critics claimed that legalization would drive more drug use, fill the roads with pot-addled drivers and give teenagers easier access to the drug.

They vowed to Tuesday to continue fighting to limit advertising, ban home delivery of marijuana products and develop standards for impaired driving.

The real battle will be in the legislature and how the details of the regulations are worked out, said Andrew Acosta, the spokesman for the the No on 64 campaign. The flaws in the initiative are going to need to be fixed.

California was one of nine states voting Tuesday on ballot measures to loosen restrictions on marijuana, and one of five states considering recreational use. Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and the District of Columbia have already legalized adult use of the drug.

The question on many peoples minds was how closely California would follow the leads of Colorado and Washington, which in 2012 became the first states to approve recreational use.

There have been growing pains in Colorado, with critics of legalization citing increased hospital visits related to marijuana and alleged increases in youth smoking and stoned driving. In Washington, lawmakers shut down all medical pot clubs to make way for a tightly controlled roster of tax-paying retail stores, raising fears among those partial to the current medical-marijuana system that the 1,600 dispensaries in California may not survive under Prop. 64.

The California initiative  heavily funded by billionaire tech investor and philanthropist Sean Parker  received $24.7 million from 785 contributions. The opposition raised $1.6 million from 87 contributions. Prop. 64 will allow stores to be licensed as a medical dispensary, a nonmedical retailer, or a hybrid of the two. All customers will pay the 15 percent excise tax, with only recreational customers required to pay sales taxes.

While many dispensary operators saw the potential for huge profits, growers in the Emerald Triangle of Humboldt, Mendocino and Trinity counties made no secret of their concern that the proposed law would favor venture capitalists over small farmers. The issue peaked this summer when high rollers snapped up ranches, logging tracts and forested parcels in Humboldt County, which was the first county in the state to adopt a commercial marijuana land-use ordinance.

Supporters of Prop. 64 countered that it would delay for five years the issuance of licenses to people who plan to grow 22,000 square feet or more of marijuana. Thats not enough, said many residents of the Emerald Triangle, where pot prices have dropped from about $3,200 a pound a decade ago to between $1,200 and $1,600 today. The 600-member California Growers Association was split on whether to endorse Prop. 64.

In law enforcement circles, there was concern about more Californians getting behind the wheel after consuming cannabis. The measure would maintain laws against driving stoned, but says nothing about how officers would detect a high motorist.

A pivotal point of debate was whether legalization would prompt more teenagers to get high.

Prop. 64 prohibits the selling or marketing of marijuana to people under 21 and bans symbols, language, music or cartoon characters known to appeal to young people. Opponents, though, said a free-market system for any product is inherently motivated to build its customer base,and, legal or not, that base would inevitably include teenagers.

Chronicle staff writer Peter Hartlaub contributed to this report.

Peter Fimrite is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite
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San Francisco voters were venting their frustrations over homeless tent encampments in election returns Tuesday, while throughout the Bay Area a flurry of big-bucks ballot measures aimed at creating housing for homeless people was mostly on pace for approval.

The hot-button homelessness issue on the San Francisco ballot was Proposition Q, which would let city workers remove tents from the street with 24 hours notice, provided that the transients in them were offered shelter or a ticket out of town to be reunited with family or friends. The measure, which needed a simple majority, was heading toward victory with 53 percent of the vote, with 100 percent of precincts reporting but an undetermined number of mail and provisional ballots still outstanding.

Advocates for the homeless called the proposal cruel and unnecessary, pointing out that San Francisco doesnt have enough shelter beds to accommodate everyone who sleeps outside and that the city already has the authority to clear camps quickly, though it seldom does.

Although the measure could wind up being largely symbolic, its author said he hoped the citys growing emphasis on housing the homeless would give it teeth.

Win or lose, its critically important that we have a policy conversation about our homeless situation in San Francisco, how we are going to make a real difference for those who are sleeping on our streets, said Supervisor Mark Farrell.

Activists including Jennifer Friedenbach, head of the San Francisco Coalition on Homelessness, said they feared that if the city follows through on the measure, many people will be offered only short shelter stints. She blamed the measure for the defeat of a sales tax measure to fund homeless housing.

They promised housing, not tents in Q, but there was no housing in the measure, Friedenbach said. Making people think there was enough housing, which there isnt, made it difficult for them to invest in a sales tax.

Carrying more potential for real impact was a cluster of measures throughout the region that would collectively generate $3 billion over 25 years to house the homeless.

Propositions K and J in San Francisco, which would have raised $50 million a year to pay for housing and services, returned mixed results  J winning with 66 percent, but K losing resoundingly with 35 percent. Prop. K would have boosted the city sales tax to 9.25 percent to generate the new money  including $100 million annually for transportation  and Prop. J establishes a special fund for spending homelessness allocations.

Similar measures elsewhere to raise money for the homeless and low-income housing were faring well. Much of their funding would go for lifting the down-and-out into intensive supportive housing.

Measure A in Santa Clara County, which would direct $950 million in bond money toward supportive housing, was eking out the two-thirds needed for passage, at 67 percent, with 44 percent of the precincts reporting.

Alameda Countys $580 million Measure A1 bond also needed two-thirds approval and was prevailing at 71 percent, with 34 percent of the precincts in. San Mateo Countys $300 million Measure K half-cent sales tax extension, which required a simple majority, won with 70 percent.
Sure, theres Canada.

Who doesnt love Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver? And of course theres Mexico. There are still plenty of swell, laid-back corners south of the border where the cost of living is low and the quality of life is high.

But if youre one of the millions of U.S. residents who woke up last week and were T-boned by the 18-wheeler gasoline truck that was the election outcome, maybe youre looking to put a little more distance between you and (ahem) your fellow voters. At least for a while.

With that in mind, here a few of the best places, in no particular order, to be an expat (a person residing outside the country of their citizenship). Selections are based on cost and quality of living and, partly, because theyre terrific places with rich cultures.

South Korea: Already is home to more than 100,000 U.S. expats  which means established support networks  in part because of plentiful job opportunities for English speakers. Its one of the fastest-growing economies on the planet, although getting away from the modern, bustling cities is easy to do.

Germany: Consulting firm Mercer put three German cities  Munich, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt  on its 2016 top 10 cities for quality of living rankings, and with the euro still a shell of its former self, the cost of living compares well to a few other spots in Europe.

Taiwan: This country that routinely is misunderstood as solely industrial (blame the Made in Taiwan label) is more than 80 percent green forests and fields, and is home to some of the best food in Asia. The country also appears at the top of an annual Expat Insider survey by online resource InterNations. Taiwan holds first place in the Quality of Life and Personal Finance Indices, the report states, impressing with the quality and affordability of its health care and the enviable financial situation of expats living there.

Thailand: Thailand is the poster child for expat living  bargain-basement cost of living, tropical climate, amazing natural wonders, a friendly tax system and easy access to a lot of other countries and cultures in the region. Tourism and expat populations pretty much ensure that you can use English most places.

Ecuador: Another top pick in InterNations survey, often ranking well for cost of living and the all-important personal happiness category. Live in one of the laid-back colonial cities with plenty of history and culture, as well as great meals for a fraction of the cost in the States. The most relevant downside would be the Zika virus, but you can use the money you save on food and lodging to stock up on bug spray.

Tim Graham

Australia: Sydney often is considered one of the best cities for expats, and the country already has more than 90,000 U.S. transplants, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. While its not quite as affordable as Thailand or Ecuador, theres a high standard of living and they speak English. Well, sort of.

New Zealand: Wellington and Auckland appear often on lists of best cities for expats. Couple that with state-sponsored health care, a rich indigenous culture and an dazzling (and sometimes baffling) landscape that begs to be explored. Theres fierce national pride, but its easy to make friends (tip: buy an All Blacks rugby jersey).

Spud Hilton is the editor of Travel. Email: shilton@sfchronicle.com Twitter and Instagram: @spudhilton
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Jessica Hines was 8 years old when her older brother went to war in Vietnam. He made it home, but not for good. After his suicide, Hines was left with a series of in-country snapshots with the date May 1968 on their edges.

Hines took those pictures to the locations where they were shot and made pictures of the pictures. These blown-up images mark the entrance to Not Alone: Exploring Bonds Between and With Members of the Armed Forces, an ambitious group exhibition that opened Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the War Memorial Veterans Building.
California voters defeated a ballot measure to repeal the states death penalty, while voting to pass a rival measure backed by prosecutors that would seek to speed up executions.

For the second time in four years, voters rejected a law to reduce the maximum sentence for capital crimes to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Proposition 62 was defeated 54 percent to 46 percent.

Proposition 66, which would set strict timelines for state court rulings in capital cases and limit future appeals, won with a narrow 51 percent of the vote, with 99 percent of precincts reporting.

The voters of California are affirming fairly strongly, once again, that they are in favor of the death penalty, said Contra Costa County District Attorney Gary Peterson, a spokesman for the campaign to defeat Prop. 62 and pass Prop. 66.

The results indicated a sharp divide between the Bay Area and most of the rest of the state. Prop. 62 was drawing more than two-thirds support in San Francisco and Marin counties and over 60 percent in Alameda County, but was polling in the mid-30s in most of the Central Valley and inland areas.

The vote came even as nationwide opinion polls indicated the lowest level of support for capital punishment in 40 years. Executions in the United States are on a pace to total 20 this year, the lowest number since 1991.

California has nations largest Death Row, with 750 prisoners. But the state has executed only 13 prisoners since enacting its death penalty law in 1977, and none since January 2006.

Executions have been on hold since then because of rulings by a federal judge, who found major flaws in injection procedures and staff training, and by state courts that have set stiff standards for adopting new procedures.

An initiative to repeal the death penalty lost by 4 percentage points in 2012.

Backers of Prop. 62 stressed the death penaltys financial effects in their campaign. The Legislatures nonpartisan fiscal analyst said a repeal would save the state $150 million a year by eliminating penalty-phase trials and appeals and transferring inmates from high-security, single-cell enclosures to the general prison population.

Supporters of Prop. 66 disputed those cost savings and said their measure would save money by speeding up executions and lowering the Death Row population. Death sentence appeals can take more than 20 years to resolve, and the measures backers said they could reduce that substantially by requiring the state Supreme Court to rule on a condemned prisoners direct appeal within five years. Thats half as long as it typically takes a capital case to make its way through the states high court.

The five-year deadline, from the time of sentencing, would also apply to the second-stage appeals known as habeas corpus, which typically involve claims of incompetent legal representation, misconduct by prosecutors or jurors, and other issues that may be uncovered long after trial. Those cases would move from the states high court to the original trial court, and the defense lawyers filing deadline would be reduced from three years to one year.

Prop. 66 will prohibit further appeals except when the defense offers evidence that the defendant was innocent. Another provision seeks to speed up the appointment of defense lawyers, now in short supply, by requiring attorneys to take capital appeals if they already accept court appointments in non-capital cases.

As of Monday, $16,104,181 had been raised in support of Prop. 62 and $12,529,306 against it. For Prop. 66, it was $13,173,990 in support and $17,686,257 against.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Evan Sernoffsky contributed to this report.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
Holding signs reading Not our president and defiantly chanting Wednesday, thousands of students spilled out of Bay Area high schools, taking to the streets in anti-Donald Trump protests  the latest round of action across the Bay Area following the New York billionaires election to the highest office in the land.

A wave of students rushed out of Berkeley High School around 9 a.m. and met near the schools theater along Allston Way before the throng of young people was joined by several teachers in a march to the UC Berkeley campus.

The protest was one of many across the county as students walked out of classes in Seattle, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, Portland, Ore., and Boulder, Colo. Demonstrations also broke out at the at the University of Texas and the University of Connecticut.

The large group Bay Area students  some waving Mexican flags  marched through Sproul Plaza before heading to the Campanile at the center of campus, where the group stopped and shared thoughts about the election.

Many in the crowd  who organized the demonstration through Instagram  were too young to vote in the election and were angered by the Trump victory.

Were sending a message that this is not a man we want in the White House, said 17-year-old Berkeley junior Jeffrey Blair. The only thing he stands for is bigoted ideas and hate.

Berkeley High Principal Sam Pasarow said that, while he wanted kids to attend class, the school was supportive of the student walkout.

This is a really intense learning experience for the students, Pasarow, who admitted being shocked over the election, said during the march. I dont have the ability to say stop, and Im not sure that I would.

One high schooler hugged a woman on the UC Berkeley campus who was in tears as the young marchers passed by. Several university students, along with students who walked out of Albany High School, later joined the group on the campus.

Im disappointed, ashamed and a little bit terrified, said 14-year-old Berkeley High freshman Queen McDonough, who left math class to join the protest. A lot of people were joking he wasnt going to win. Now that hes won, a lot of my friends are terrified at what he can possibly do.

The election at times turned ugly, with sharp words exchanged from candidates on both sides. Trumps harsh comments  in particular statements about Muslims and Mexican immigrants  antagonized many minorities.

During his announcement of his candidacy for president in June 2015, Trump called Mexicans rapists when speaking about illegal immigration.

Trump later floated the idea of banning all Muslim immigrants from coming into the United States before walking the statement back to suggest the more ambiguous strategy of extreme vetting.

Trump softened his rhetoric during his acceptance speech Tuesday night while reaching out to those who did not support him in an effort to unify our country.

University of California officials, including President Janet Napolitano, addressed student and faculty concerns in a statement Wednesday in wake of Trumps election.

Diversity is central to our mission, UC officials said in the statement. We remain absolutely committed to supporting all members of our community and adhering to UCs Principles Against Intolerance.

About the same time as the Berkeley march, groups of students walked out of classes at high schools in Oakland. Students gathered in front of Oakland Technical and Bishop ODowd high schools, sharing their thoughts and concerns after the divisive election. Students from the Urban School and San Francisco University High School also walked out of class and marched down the sidewalks of Market Street to the Ferry Building before heading back to City Hall.

The walkouts are the latest protest action around the Bay Area after Trumps unlikely victory Tuesday night.

Shortly after he accepted the nomination early Wednesday, groups of protesters in the East Bay took to the streets.

A 20-year-old woman was seriously injured when she was stuck by a sport utility vehicle as she and some 200 others poured onto Highway 24 near Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley early Wednesday.

Other groups gathered at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland where protesters lit a fire in the street, shutting down BART at the 12th Street Station.

Sarah Ravani and Evan Sernoffsky are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani @EvanSernoffsky
A federal judge has handed Airbnb a rebuke in its long-standing dispute with its hometown.

Airbnb and co-plaintiff HomeAway failed to prove that San Franciscos latest attempt to crack down on vacation rentals in private homes violate their rights, U.S. District Judge James Donato said in an 18-page decision issued Tuesday. However, because San Francisco lacks a functional verification system to enforce the law, the judge said the ordinance should remain suspended for now. San Francisco and the companies should try to work out a joint proposal for how to enforce the law before a hearing set for Nov. 17, he said.

After that hearing, the judge will rule on Airbnbs request for a temporary injunction to block San Franciscos law. But since Donato refuted most of Airbnbs arguments in Tuesdays ruling, hes signaled that he is likely to reject Airbnbs request  meaning that San Francisco could begin enforcing the new law, putting Airbnb on the hook for steep fines and penalties.

The ordinance in question calls for marketplaces for short-term rentals to be subject to fines of up to $1,000 a day per listing and criminal penalties if they arrange bookings of properties that flout the citys registration system. Only about 1,700 hosts out of an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 have registered, although the requirement to do so took effect in February 2015. San Francisco wants to curb vacation rentals because it fears that they divert housing from permanent residents.

Airbnb sued San Francisco in June over the citys revision to its vacation rental law that shifted more of the onus to online marketplaces, saying the change violated its rights under the First Amendment and the 1996 Communications Decency Act. Expedias HomeAway later joined forces with Airbnb in seeking a preliminary injunction to block the new provision. San Francisco had agreed to suspend enforcement until Donato ruled.

Donato rejected the companies arguments point by point.

The ordinance does not threaten the liability plaintiffs fear, Donato wrote. It in no way treats plaintiffs as the publishers or speakers of the rental listings provided by hosts. It does not regulate what can or cannot be said or posted in the listings. ... Plaintiffs are perfectly free to publish any listings they get from a host and to collect fees for doing so  whether the unit is lawfully registered or not.

The companies failed to submit evidence showing that the ordinance would force them to monitor, remove or alter hosts content, the ruling said, noting that while they could voluntarily screen listings, the ordinance doesnt compel them to do so.

While we appreciate that the judge has acknowledged our concerns about the inadequacy of the screening obligations in the new law ... we respectfully disagree with the remainder of his ruling, said Airbnb spokesman Christopher Nulty in a statement. No matter what happens in this case, we want to work with the city to fix the broken system long before the legal process runs its course.

CIty Attorney Dennis Herrera applauded the ruling.

I am grateful for Judge Donatos thoughtful ruling recognizing that just because Airbnb and Homeaway conduct their business online, they are not exempt from any regulation of their commercial transactions, he said in a statement. Online businesses dont get a free pass from the types of regulations that apply to other businesses in San Francisco.

Supervisor David Campos, lead sponsor of the amendments in question, saw the ruling as a great victory.

This gives us a great deal of momentum and shows weve always been correct about our right to regulate this industry, he said. It goes beyond San Francisco to make it clear that jurisdictions have the power and authority to regulate companies like Airbnb and Homeaway to protect housing, he said.

Donato appeared skeptical of the companies arguments at a hearing in October. At that hearing, Airbnb said the new provision would force it to jettison thousands of San Francisco listings, including ones that were law-abiding. Donato said technology could be the solution, and questioned attorneys for San Francisco about ways the city could automate checks of property registration numbers.

If the final ruling goes against Airbnb, as seems likely, legal experts say the company is bound to appeal  and Airbnb implied as much with a statement after the October hearing saying cases like this can drag on for years.

Eric Goldman, co-director of Santa Clara Universitys High Tech Law Institute, said the ruling creates a dangerous precedent, allowing regulators to impose liability on online markets based on their getting a cut of transactions. This should be disconcerting to major marketplaces like eBay and Amazon, who historically have been immune from liability for user transactions, he said. Based on the judges logic, these online marketplaces now apparently could be similarly forced to change their business model or face suffocating liability for transactions they cant control.

San Francisco, Airbnbs hometown, was one of the first cities in the world to legalize and regulate vacation rentals in private homes, with a law passed in fall 2014 that Airbnb championed and helped write. However, as many hosts ignored the laws most basic provision  that they register  Airbnb started to say that the registration system was broken and needed streamlining.

Since then, as Airbnb has grown to almost 3 million listings worldwide, cities from Barcelona to Berlin, and from New York to Los Angeles have tried to rein in short-term rentals, often with host registration systems, and Airbnb has become increasingly aggressive in battling regulations.

New York state last month passed a law that would fine hosts $7,500 for posting short-term rentals on sites like Airbnb when they conflict with local housing regulations. Airbnb promptly filed a federal lawsuit saying the law would cause it irreparable harm. The law has been suspended pending the lawsuits outcome. Airbnb and New York are reportedly in discussions about possible resolutions outside of court.

Airbnb also sued Anaheim in July over a new law making websites liable for simply posting listings that lack a city permit. Anaheim subsequently withdrew that provision, and Airbnb dropped its lawsuit.

In court filings, the city said Airbnb makes it difficult to discern whether properties are legally registered. Airbnb puts registration numbers in a section called other things to note. If a host does not enter them in a specific format, Airbnbs software treats them as phone numbers  which the site does not allow to be posted  and replaces them with Xs.

The new law would allow the city to subpoena records from hosting platforms, and would require companies like Airbnb, HomeAway and FlipKey to submit monthly affidavits confirming that all guest stays in San Francisco were in lawfully registered properties.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid
NORTHVALE, N.J., Nov. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Elite Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Elite" or the Company") (OTCBB:ELTP), a specialty pharmaceutical company developing abuse-deterrent opioids and niche generic products, announced results for the six months ended September 30, 2016, the second quarter of its 2017 fiscal year.



Consolidated revenues for the second quarter were $2.7 million, consisting of $2.0 million in manufacturing revenues and $0.7 million in license fees. Consolidated revenues for the quarter decreased by approximately 7% as compared to revenues for the second quarter of the prior year primarily due to timing differences in shipments. On a year-to-date basis, consolidated revenues were $6.0 million for the six months ended September 30, 2016, an increase of approximately 18% over revenues for the comparable period of the prior year. The primary driver of this growth is the continued expansion and establishment of Elites generic product lines in the market.

We delivered solid quarterly performance, commented Nasrat Hakim, Elites President and CEO. Annualized revenues exceed $10 million, and we continue to execute on our growth strategy and the development of our pipeline of future products.



Conference Call Information

Elite's management will host a conference call to discuss the second quarter of fiscal year 2017 financial results and provide an update on recent business developments. Stockholder questions should be summited to the company in advance of the call.

Date: Thursday, November 10, 2016 Time: 1:30 PM EST Dial-in numbers: 1-800-346-7359 (domestic) 1-973-528-0008 (international) Conference number: 98840 Questions: dianne@elitepharma.com by 6:00 PM EST on

Wednesday, September 9, 2016 Audio Replay: http://ir.elitepharma.com/events_presentations

The financial statements can be viewed for Elites Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2017 on Form 10-Q here.



About Elite Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Elite Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company which is developing a pipeline of proprietary pharmacological abuse-deterrent opioid products as well as niche generic products. Elite specializes in oral sustained and controlled release drug products which have high barriers to entry. Elite owns generic and OTC products which have been licensed to TAGI Pharma, Epic Pharma and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International. Elite currently has eight commercial products being sold, additional approved products pending manufacturing site transfer and the NDA for SequestOx, for which it just received the CRL from the FDA. Elites lead pipeline products include abuse-deterrent opioids which utilize the Companys patented proprietary technology and a once-daily opioid. These products include sustained release oral formulations of opioids for the treatment of chronic pain. These formulations are intended to address two major limitations of existing oral opioids: the provision of consistent relief of baseline pain levels and deterrence of potential opioid abuse. Elite also provides contract manufacturing for Ascend Laboratories (a subsidiary of Alkem Laboratories Ltd.). Elite operates a GMP and DEA registered facility for research, development, and manufacturing located in Northvale, NJ. Learn more at www.elitepharma.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Including those related to the effects, if any, on future results, performance or other expectations that may have some correlation to the subject matter of this press release, readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, Elites ability to obtain FDA approval of the transfers of the ANDAs or the timing of such approval process, delays, uncertainties, inability to obtain necessary ingredients and other factors not under the control of Elite, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Elite to be materially different from the results, performance or other expectations that may be implied by these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding the expected timing of approval, if at all, of SequestOx by the FDA, the steps Elite may take as a result of the CRL, the results of an End of Review Meeting and what actions the FDA may require of Elite in order to obtain approval of the NDA. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future action or performance. These risks and other factors, including, without limitation, Elites ability to obtain sufficient funding under the LPC Agreement or from other sources, the timing or results of pending and future clinical trials, regulatory reviews and approvals by the Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory authorities, intellectual property protections and defenses, and the Elites ability to operate as a going concern, are discussed in Elite's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its reports on forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. Elite is under no obligation to update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The latest Google drones have just started taking flight in the real world. But the team behind the technology is slowing down, trimming headcount and shelving initiatives as the experimental unit becomes the latest target of tightening budgets across parent company Alphabet.

Project Wing, a unit of Alphabets X research lab, canceled a partnership with Starbucks, according to people familiar with the decision. After the departure of project leader Dave Vos in October, the unit imposed a hiring freeze and began asking some staff members to seek jobs elsewhere in the company, according to some of the people, who asked not to be identified speaking about private company moves.

The decisions are part of a broader Alphabet effort to rein in spending and try to turn more experimental projects into real businesses. Drones are in a particularly knotty place. Federal regulation does not yet allow for delivery, except in select test zones. However, Alphabets deceleration comes as other companies, including Amazon.com, plow money into drone delivery.

Project Wing has the potential to remove a big chunk of the friction in how physical things are moved around in the world, a spokeswoman for X wrote in an email. What were doing now is developing the next phase of our technology, and as always are thinking in a very broad way about all the potential use cases for delivery by unmanned aerial systems.

In August, Project Wing won approval for test flights, part of a White House effort to encourage unmanned vehicle delivery. In September, Alphabet announced a partnership with Chipotle Mexican Grill to deliver food via drone at Virginia Tech.

Robotic burrito drop-offs are a far cry from Googles initial ambitions. The unit first wanted drones to deliver health care items, such as medicine and heart defibrillators. After those plans were scrapped, the unit moved to food and other perishables.

Alphabet was in advanced talks with Starbucks and had tested delivery with the coffee-chain operator, according to two people familiar with the plans. But the plans were abandoned, largely because of disagreements about access to customer data that Alphabet wanted, according to a former X employee.

A Starbucks representative didnt respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

The unit also was in talks to provide suburban grocery delivery in Ireland, where drone rules are less stringent than in the U.S. The status of Project Wings effort in Ireland is unclear. An X spokeswoman declined to comment on those talks, as well as the Starbucks partnership and hiring decisions.

After Vos left, Alphabet did not name a successor. The project now reports to Astro Teller, the longtime chief of X. Vos did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment on Tuesday.

Mark Bergen is a Bloomberg writer. Email: mbergen10@bloomberg.net
Tweet of the doh

In a move designed to offend cat lovers, lesbian computer shoppers, and people who expect their laptops to have decent battery life, Asus asked its male Twitter followers whether theyd prefer to date a cute girl holding a cat or one with a ZenBook. In another message, it posed a similar question about a hunk. The computer company deleted both tweets after drawing widespread criticism for sexist language: Im a hunk with a cat and I take offense, wrote @mgthabo.

Reign of error

Netflix wrapped the New York Times Wednesday edition with a four-page promotion for The Crown, its new historical drama about Queen Elizabeth II . Just one problem: The Los Gatos video-streaming company seemed to be counting on someone else winning. Her reign begins, the ad proclaimed on the cover, which features Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth. Inside, it continued: We have a new leader: a woman. Let us give her a celebration that is befitting of the wind of change she represents: modern and forward-looking. Netflix did not respond to a request for comment.

Shkreli delivers

President-elect Donald Trumps victory Tuesday has prompted embattled pharmaceutical executive Martin Shkreli to publicly debut some songs off the one-of-a-kind Wu-Tang Clan album he bought for $2 million last year. Shkreli promised last month to release the album if the Republican took the White House. He made good on the plan early Wednesday by playing snippets of the album during a live Periscope video posted on Twitter. The video has since been deleted.

The Daily Briefing is compiled from San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. See more items and links at www.sfgate.com. Twitter: @techbriefing
Toyota Motor Corp. reported Tuesday that its July-September profit sank 36 percent as a stronger yen eroded its overseas earnings.

Lagging sales also pinched the Japanese automakers profit, which fell to $3.8 billion from $5.8 billion a year earlier.

Quarterly sales slipped nearly 9 percent to $62.3 billion.

The manufacturer of the Prius hybrid, Camry sedan and Lexus luxury models expects to sell 10.1 million vehicles worldwide through March 2017, it said.

Toyota has led world vehicle sales in recent years but this year is vying with German automaker Volkswagen AG and General Motors Co., which also expect to sell about 10 million vehicles globally, for the top spot.

CVS misses

expectations

CVS Health missed Wall Streets revenue expectations in the third quarter, despite sales jumping due to acquisitions. The company trimmed its profit forecast for this year, causing a stock sell-off.

The drugstore chain and pharmacy benefits manager also reduced its 2016 profit forecast by a nickel per share, blaming a number of factors including pharmacy network changes expected to reduce the number of prescriptions it fills this year. Those network changes will have a bigger effect in 2017, CVS predicted.

Its shares fell $9.86, or 11.8 percent, to close at $73.53.

The operator of the second-largest U.S. drugstore chain reported a 23.5 percent boost in profit to $1.54 billion ($1.43 per share). Adjusted for one-time gains and costs, earnings were $1.64 per share, topping Wall Street forecasts of $1.57.

Energy

OPEC trims

growth forecast

OPEC has trimmed its forecast for growth in world consumption of crude over the coming decades, but says oil and gas will remain the globes main sources of energy.

The forecast is contained in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries 2016 world outlook.

The 14-nation cartel says total world oil demand will be 109 million barrels a day by 2040. Thats 400,000 barrels a day less than its last annual estimate but still a daily 16 million barrels more than now.

Unions

Southwest pilots OK deal

Southwest Airlines pilots have ratified a new four-year contract that includes higher pay and bonuses.

The carrier said Monday that about 84 percent of Southwest Airlines Pilots Association members who cast ballots voted in favor of the agreement.

The contract includes an immediate 15 percent pay raise.

Contract negotiations began in 2012. Mediated talks started in 2014. Pilots had rejected a contract in November.

The association represents about 8,400 pilots.

Flight attendants last month narrowly ratified a new contract.

Chronicle News Services
The Republican Party's sweeping victory at the polls Tuesday may deal a difficult blow to one of America's most closely watched companies: Tesla, the electric car maker that's trying to revolutionize the auto industry.

Some of the biggest implications for Tesla may come in the form of new U.S. energy policies that favor traditional fuel sources such as oil and coal, said Kathryn Thomson, a former top lawyer for the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation.

"Anybody who advocates for energy-efficient, sustainable solutions should be worried," said Thomson. "On the one hand, Trump is saying, 'Let's look at all the options,' and that's positive. On the other hand, he seems to be pushing more-conventional fuels and technologies. And that's not good for innovation, and that's not good for efficiency and sustainability."

Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump has signaled that he will roll back regulations on fossil fuels, approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline, and boost the coal industry. In May he said that his energy platform would not "pick winners and losers." By default, analysts say, this is likely to benefit oil and gas companies that have dominated the energy sector for decades, whereas without government assistance, newer entrants such as Tesla will face an uphill battle.

Trump's administration would be "clearly in favor of enhanced exploration and production of oil and gas as a tenet of energy, economic and national security policy," Scott Segal, co-head of government relations at the legal and lobbying firm Bracewell, told the Washington Post.

Adoption of electric cars could also be affected by the expiration of tax credits associated with the technology. Under the current rules, consumers can claim up to a $7,500 credit for buying an electric car, so long as the manufacturer that produced it has not reached a federally mandated cutoff. This knocks the price of a Tesla Model 3 from $35,000 to $27,500.

The future of these tax credits may come into question based on Trump's opposition to the government picking winners and losers; once all the credits have been handed out, it would require government action to continue the program.

"Traditionally, Republicans have been less supportive of policies that promote one technology over another, so there could be some austerity measures that could threaten alternative fuel incentives," said John Eichberger, executive director of the Fuels Institute.

That, in turn, could drive up the price of electric vehicles. Developing a low-cost electric car that mainstream consumers can afford has been a principal goal of Tesla's from its earliest days.

"Our long term plan is to build a wide range of models, including affordably priced family cars," wrote Tesla chief executive Elon Musk in a strategy blueprint in 2006. He added that Tesla would attempt to drive down the price "as fast as possible." The tax credits' looming expiration casts a shadow on that approach.

Still, other analysts say that the current pace of innovation in electric vehicle technology will be enough to overcome those hurdles.

"The industry, as a whole, is too far down the path of addressing what consumers want and need from EVs, with brands such as Tesla, GM and Nissan leading the way," said Tony Lim, an analyst at Kelley Blue Book.

Tesla shares opened down nearly 3 percent Wednesday.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  The futuristic city-state of Dubai has announced a deal with Hyperloop One of Los Angeles to study the potential for building a line linking it to the Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi.

The announcement of the deal took place Tuesday atop the Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest building, with a panoramic view of the skyline of this futuristic city-state serving as both a backdrop and a sign of Dubais desire to be the first to rush toward the future.

However, no financial terms were immediately discussed and the technology itself remains under testing, despite the Apple-like product talk given by Hyperloop CEO Rob Lloyd.

This has become a transportation hub and leader in the world, Lloyd said, mentioning long-haul carrier Emirates and the citys driverless metro, the longest in the world. In the Emirates, we believe everything is possible.

A hyperloop has levitating pods powered by electricity and magnetism that hurtle through low-friction pipes at a top speed of 760 mph. Tesla co-founder Elon Musk first proposed the idea in 2013.

Organizers suggest the Dubai-Abu Dhabi travel time by hyperloop would be only 12 minutes  significantly down from the hour-plus journey it now takes by car between the two cities. Hyperloop co-founder Josh Giegel said the cost would be somewhere between the cost of putting a road in and a high-speed rail. He did not elaborate.

In October, Dubai hosted a competition to design a hyperloop track. In that 48-hour project, designers presented ideas for a possible track between Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, Dubai International Airport and Fujairah International Airport. Under their plans, the hyperloop trip of 90 miles over a mountain range would be 10 minutes or less, compared with the current hour and 20 minutes by road.

The deal announced on Tuesday would be far simpler.

There would be several stations in Dubai. The pods would be able to carry passengers and cargo between the cities. Hyperloop officials showed several circular station models for Dubai, including one at Emirates Towers on Dubais main artery.

Already, government-backed port operator DP World has signed an agreement with Hyperloop One to explore the feasibility of using the technology at Dubais sprawling, man-made Jebel Ali Port.

For now though, Hyperloop One continues its tests in the Nevada desert.

Lloyd said building the first hyperloop in the Unted Arab Emirates is our aspiration. We have a lot of work to do.
Ron Chapple/Getty Image

San Francisco police were investigating the death of a man as an apparent homicide after he was found injured in the Polk Gulch neighborhood early Wednesday and later died at a hospital, officials said.

Police found the victim on the 2000 block of Polk Street, near Helen Wills Park and Russian Hill, shortly before 4 a.m. He died after arriving at a hospital, police said.
Bob Luckey Jr./Hearst Connecticut Media

A criminal investigation into an alleged sexual assault that happened in the middle of an East Bay high school water polo game was dropped after the victim and his parents opted not to press charges, police said Wednesday.

Alameda police said Monday that they were investigating an incident that happened Oct. 11 during a match between Berkeley High School and Encinal High School. A male Berkeley High student reportedly touched or grabbed an opponents genital area in an inappropriate way, police said.
A motive in last weeks grisly Oakland slaying of a young woman with aspirations of becoming a police officer remained unclear Tuesday as her two suspected killers were arraigned in court.

The body of Karla Ramirez, 21, was found with multiple stab wounds, blunt force trauma and burn marks Thursday near a creek bed in an East Oakland park. She had volunteered for the Alameda County Sheriffs Office for about four years in a program that often transitions young people into law enforcement careers, though investigators have said the homicide appears to stem from a personal matter.

Laura Rodgers and her boyfriend, Curtys Taylor, were arrested and charged with murder last week. On Tuesday, standing in red jumpsuits behind a glass wall separating inmates from the courtroom, they were arraigned on the charges, but neither entered a plea. Nearly two dozen of their relatives and friends  most of whom declined to comment  came to the Oakland courtroom to support them.

Rodgers, 23, was a friend of the victim and had lured her to the Arroyo Viejo Park, prosecutors said. Taylor, also 23, knew about his girlfriends plan to kill Ramirez, bought the gasoline and helped douse the victim with it before lighting a match, authorities said. Police have not said whether she was burned before or after being killed.

Why would they do that to her? said Jesus Avalos, 21, a friend of the victim. She wouldnt harm anybody.

Avalos, who came to court Tuesday, told reporters he had never met either suspect and wanted to see that they get what they deserve. He and Ramirez went to San Lorenzo High School together and graduated in 2014. In the years since, she had told friends and family she wanted to become a police officer to better her life and fight crime.

That was a big dream of hers  to become part of the law and stop all these crimes and all these killings going on, Avalos said.

The victims parents reported her missing Wednesday night when she didnt come home after dropping off a friend, said Lt. Roland Holmgren of the Oakland Police Departments homicide division.

Alameda County Sheriffs Office

According to an affidavit written by Sgt. Leonel Sanchez of the Police Department, the victim picked up Rodgers and drove her to the park, where Taylor was waiting by the creek with a gas can and box of matches.

After the stabbing and burning, the couple used the victims car to drive to a Days Inn in Hayward and discarded the knife, gas can, and clothing belonging to both Ramirez and Rodgers, according to the affidavit.

Although authorities have yet to explain a motive in the slaying, KTVU reported that, based on conversations with the victims co-workers at an East Bay Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taylor was jealous of a relationship between Ramirez and Rodgers, which may have fueled the killing.

David Bryden, the attorney appointed to represent Taylor, said outside court that a terrible thing happened to that young lady, but emphasized the presumption of his clients innocence and declined to discuss the facts of the case.

A cousin of Taylor, who didnt give her name, said he is a good man with a good heart and that the family is searching for answers. The cousin said she had no idea what led to the slaying or Taylors possible involvement.

What made them do all those cold things to her? Avalos said. Were all going to miss her.

Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov
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Donald Trump pinatas continue to be good business in San Francisco ahead of the final presidential election results on Tuesday.

Romeo G. Osorio, resident pinata master craftsman with Pinata Art Studio & Gallery on Mission Street, said Tuesday that the Trump pinata has been his bestselling piece all year.

"We are a custom made pinata (shop) and that's the most popular I've ever had," Osorio said in a phone interview with SFGATE. "We sell one or two a week, while princesses sell one every two weeks."

Crafted out of wire and crepe paper  and taking four days to make, according to Osorio  these pinatas are among the pricier in town at $80 plus tax, but that hasn't dampened sales. Local blog "Broke-Ass Stuart" even called Osorio's work, the "Trump Taj Mahal" (ahem) of Trump pinatas.

Osorio has custom-made pinatas for 20 years, and said that out of the three he had available for sale this week, he's sold two of them.

Nancy Charraga, owner of Casa Bonampak on Valencia, also sells Trump pinatas. She said that of all her politically-themed pinatas  among them were Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton and Trump over the past year  Trump has by far been the most popular.

Charraga said that the Trump pinata is considered "revenge, Mexican-style."

"Trump has insulted just about everybody at this point, but Mexicans were the first, so we feel 'special.' This is a very classic Mexican sense of humor," said Charraga of the pinatas on Tuesday.

"In mexico politicians are fair game, so we've had all sorts of pinatas, including Hillary pinatas and Bernie pinatas," Charraga continued. "In Mexico, this is our way of how we cope with political corruption and crisis  to make fun and make light of the situation."

Since the start of the election cycle, Charraga guessed that she's sold at least 1,000 pinatas. The products are all fair-trade and made in Mexico, she said.

Other businesses were also trying to get in on the Trump pinata business in the weekend ahead of Election Day. One enterprising business posted flyers around town, advertising Trump pinatas available for "on-demand delivery in SF." (Available via UberRush delivery, of course.)

In what seems to be a fire sale of sorts, the website was promoting pinatas at a discounted $45  down from its original selling price of $88  as of Tuesday afternoon.

The phenomenon of Trump pinatas in San Francisco was covered by Chronicle writer Steve Rubenstein in August 2015, as a number of shops began noticeably selling them in the Mission.

Shafi Mohammad, manager of Discount City at 24th and Mission streets, said then that the politically-themed pinata was a bestseller at its shop.

"I sell a lot," Mohammad said of his Trump pinata supply. "They go fast. Maybe 30 or 40 a week."

San Francisco bars have also gotten in on the Trump pinatas, with a number of them being featured as part of their debate watch parties (and most likely a number of parties on Election Day).

When asked if the Trump pinatas will go on sale Wednesday, Charraga replied, "Everything has already been marked down and we'll see how many we have left.

"I'm holding onto ten rolls of toilet paper for my personal collection," she added.
DENVER, Nov. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Veterans Day, LaMars Donuts will thank our nations veterans and active military with a free donut and 12-ounce coffee. The offer is good for individuals who present any form of personal military ID or are in uniform.



The free donut offer is good at participating locations for any regular donut already available.

LaMars Donuts are made fresh every morning with no artificial preservatives. Every LaMars product is produced by hand from start to finish, beginning with kneading of the dough to the made-from-scratch icing and glazes.

Veterans Day at LaMars Donuts Event Info:

Who: All veterans and active duty military

What: LaMars Donuts will honor veterans and active military with a free donut and 12 oz. coffee.

Where: At participating LaMars Donuts locations (varies by market). Please call your local LaMars store to ensure product availability.

When: 5:00 a.m.  3:00 p.m. Friday, November 11, 2014

About LaMars Donuts  After developing his original donut recipe as a teenager in 1933, Ray Lamar opened the first LaMar's Donuts in 1960 in Kansas City, Missouri. Today the franchised chain has 27 stores in six states. LaMar's has won numerous awards and favorable reviews by such publications as The New Yorker and Gourmet magazine, and was the first donut to be reviewed and acclaimed by Zagat, the world's most trusted guide to restaurants. LaMar's Donuts are proclaimed by many as "simply a better donut."
Don't blame us for Trump's stunning upset victory, say millennials. After all, they solidly supported Hillary Clinton at the polls, while older Americans  especially older white Americans  cast their ballots for the billionaire.

But how blameless are they really?

Some millennials, like Theresa Caney, posted electoral maps on social media that seemed to suggest that if it had been up to voters aged 18 to 34, Clinton, not Trump, would be president-elect.

A more recent SurveyMonkey millennial vote map (below), updated on Election Day, is still largely a sea of blue, with the exceptions in North Dakota, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Indiana and Arkansas. Six other states - Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kentucky and Louisiana  were too close to call at the time.

SurveyMonkey

While many millennials did vote for Clinton, a huge number did not. The key takeaway is that Clinton significantly underperformed with the group compared to Barack Obama in the two previous elections.

In 2012, President Obama won 60 percent of the millennial vote. Mitt Romney tallied 37 percent. Obama did even better in 2008, with 66 percent.

According to exit polls Tuesday, Clinton's numbers were 53 percent of voters aged 25-29 and 56 percent of those 18-24.

Pick whichever reason you want for the reduced margin  millennials' allegiance to Sen. Bernie Sanders, general mistrust of Clinton, a weak job market or the email scandal. Perhaps American millennials were simply gripped by same apathy that affected UK millennials during the Brexit vote when only 36 percent of young people turned out despite polls showing 73 percent of them supported Remain.

While fewer young voters rallied around Clinton, they didn't flock to Trump either. Trump did about as well as Romney and John McCain with millennials.

As millennial Emma Lord wrote for Bustle: "Sure, it was the Baby Boomers' votes that influenced this election  but only because we weren't there to stop them. It is, quite frankly, terrifying that we are looking at Millennial electoral maps like this with 'hope for the future'; if we had all done our civic duty, that future would have been today."

Millennials now number 75.4 million in the U.S., surpassing the 74.9 million Baby Boomers (ages 51-69). They represent the largest share of the electorate today.
If two women can manage voting while in labor  you've just run out of excuses for not making it to your polling location on time.

Sosha Adelstein and Max Brandel were expecting their first child to arrive on Election Day, but instead their daughter had other plans.

Adelstein first began experiencing contractions early Friday morning, according to the Daily Camera in Boulder. When the couple decided to finally head to the hospital, they figured they should make one stop beforehand.

Their stop? The Boulder County Clerk and Recorder's Office ... to drop off their ballots.

"We ran over there and kind of made it just in time, because like shortly after that I was like, 'OK, it's time. We got to get to the hospital,'" Adelstein told broadcast station KMGH.

A spokeswoman with Boulder County told the Daily Camera that Adelstein did come by to vote, adding, "The election judge could tell she was in labor."

Adelstein and Brandel did manage to take a few photos together at the Recorder's Office before zipping off to the hospital. In one photo, you could clearly see Adelstein closing her eyes, most likely in response to labor pains.

The couple later revealed that they voted for Hillary Clinton.

"It's really important for us to bring our girl into a world we are proud of," Brandel said to the Daily Camera. "We hope people realize the risks inherent in this election and get out and vote."

The story also story made its way to Chelsea Clinton, who tweeted, "So touched to learn of this mom who stopped to vote for my mom while in labor & on her way to the hospital!"

On Tuesday, another woman was reported as heading to the polls while having contractions. Jess Leibfried posted to the private pro-Hillary Clinton Facebook group, Pantsuit Nation, writing that she was in labor and still managed to make time to vote for Clinton, according to Elle.

The magazine reported that Liebfried wrote she was "determined" to make it to her polling location and felt she "absolutely had to make it to the polls to cast my vote for Hillary."
I tell my daughter that what we have our voices and that in a democracy that's a lot. So when the time comes, we will go out in the street together to march, to raise our voices and to fight for our rights. Hopefully, we will win. Maybe we won't. But she'll learn the importance of having the strength of your convictions--and what that really means--just as I had to learn during the Reagan administration. It's not a lesson I wanted her to learn like this, but I'm ready to be a warrior with her and for her. Because as Wilma Mankiller says, "The secret of our success is that we never, never give up." Peggy Orenstein, Berkeley mom and author of the New York Times bestsellers Girls & Sex, Cinderella Ate My Daughter and Waiting for Daisy, a memoir.

I don't like this either, in fact I hate it. But democracy is still young and we're still learning. We get it right sometimes and we just got it wrong this time. We are lucky to live in a country when we can change it in 2 years and again in 4. One more thing, the people who voted for Trump aren't your enemy. Everyone has a voice in the USA. Let's get to work. Christopher Louie, S.F. dad

Our family and its inner workings, our traditions, beliefs, morals and those of our peers that we respect and love are more important than anything else. Our family can be our own countrya country made of love and not hate. Cary Cronholm Rose, S.F. mom

This morning, with a heavy heart I explained to my girls: Trump is now the president. But Trump is NOT who we are. We will always choose love over hate, and hope over fear. Fran Cory Sharp, S.F. mom

It turns out a lot of people think Trump will make a good president.

Don't worry nothing will really change. Amanda Harper, S.F. mom

My children are too young to understand our disappointment and upset. They are too young to understand the fear held by their nanny that she could be separated from loved ones and lose her community. My husband and I feel such relief we don't have to explain all of this to them. Where do you find the words? Perhaps a discussion about the democratic process, and that it does not mean that everyone is happy with the outcome. A discussion that it is always important to review the process and look for ways to improve it. A discussion about the popular vote and the electoral college - is it working? A discussion about education and the importance of giving everyone the opportunity to read, write, and think critically. Perhaps these are starting points. Brynna, S.F. mom

I have a 5 and 7 year old who went to bed in tears on election night, concerned that Hillary wouldn't win. They were afraid some of their schoolmates would be deported if Donald won. I thought all night about what to say to them! So in the morning I said I had some bad news, and we snuggled together and I told them Hillary didn't win. I let them feel grief, but then I gave them these points to consider:

- Donald Trump said a lot of things to shock people, but we don't know how he will actually be as a leader and he won't be in charge right away - so their friends are still safe for now and will be at school with them.

- I reminded them of the fables we read, several of which are from other countries and have tsars and kings and rulers, and reminded them we are lucky to have a democracy! And in America more people voted for Trump than Hillary. (I did not mention turnout).

- I said Americans still have a voice and we'll all need to work together to do what Trump's motto is, to "make America great again" Julia Banks, S.F. mom
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3rd i: Gender issues and a celebration of women are a focus of the 14th San Francisco International South Asian Film Festival: Bollywood and Beyond, a.k.a. 3rd i. It begins at 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, with Neeraj Ghaywans Cannes prize-winner Masaan (Fly Away Solo) at the Castro Theatre and ends Sunday, Nov. 13, with a short film program that includes Bay Area filmmakers at New People Cinema in Japantown.

Highlights from the Voices of Women section include the centerpiece presentation at the Castro, Leena Yadavs crowd-pleaser Parched (9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12). Described as a Bollywood Sex and the City, its about four women who rebel against tradition to explore their sensual desires and dreams. But dont miss The World of Goopi and Bagha (3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Castro), Shilpa Ranades animated remake of a Satyajit Ray childrens film.

The festival also will have a day of films in Cupertino on Nov. 19.

At the Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St., S.F. (415) 621-6120; New People Cinema, 1746 Post St., S.F. www.thirdi.org

New Mission Theater anniversary month: The New Mission Theater turned 100 on Saturday, Nov. 5, and next month will turn 1 year old in its new life as the Alamo Drafthouses San Francisco affiliate.

It had been many years since the New Mission had shown movies before the Alamo brought in its unique mix of new films and genre favorites from the past, beginning last December. To celebrate a year in the Mission District, programmers will devote each of their signature weekday retrospective nights (Music Monday, Terror Tuesday, Weird Wednesday, Fist City, Girlie Night) to movies that for the most part played at the old New Mission on their first runs.

And what a rich history it is. Screenings include G.W. Pabsts 1929 silent starring Louise Brooks, Diary of a Lost Girl (7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, with live musical accompaniment by Musical Art Quintet) and Bruce Lees signature film Enter the Dragon (noon Sunday, Nov. 13).

There is also a nice slate of San Francisco-shot films, including the Dirty Harry thriller Magnum Force (7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16), Moonlight director Barry Jenkins Medicine for Melancholy and David Finchers Zodiac (both Nov. 20), Mrs. Doubtfire (Nov. 22), and Wayne Wangs landmark 1982 low-budget indie Chan Is Missing (Nov. 27).

The centerpiece, though, is a one-week run of Bay Area filmmaker Phillip Kaufmans 1979 coming-of-age look at Italian Americans in the Bronx in 1963, The Wanderers. Fully restored, the film stars Ken Wahl, Karen Allen and Olympia Dukakis.

At New Mission Theater, 2550 Mission St., S.F. (415) 549-5959. www.drafthouse.com/sf

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: The Berlin band ALP travels the world to perform live musical accompaniment to German silent films. This weekend, the band hits Northern California for two performances. First up is Robert Wienes 1920 Expressionist horror classic (6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, at Goethe-Institut Auditorium, 530 Bush St., S.F. (415) 263-8760. www.goethe.de/ins/us/en/sta/sfr.html. Then the band travels to Sonoma County to back a screening of Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, at Sonoma States Schroeder Hall, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. (866) 955-6040. www.gmc.sonoma.edu/events-by-presenter).

G. Allen Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ajohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BRfilmsAllen
PHOENIX  Sheriff Joe Arpaio, an enduring symbol of Arizonas unforgiving stance toward illegal immigration, lost his bid for a seventh term Tuesday, effectively ending the career of perhaps the most divisive law enforcement figure in the country.

In the end, Arpaios bid for re-election as sheriff of Maricopa County was undone by Latino voters who responded to his hard-line position on illegal immigration, which included workplace raids, frequent traffic stops and harsh talk.

The people Arpaio targeted decided to target him. He lost his power when undocumented people lost their fear, said Carlos Garcia, executive director of Puente, an advocacy group formed in 2007 to counter the sheriffs embrace of a federal program that allowed his deputies to act as de facto immigration agents.

We knew that losing an election was only a matter of time, Garcia said. For us, what is most important now is to undo the damage and culture of hate that he has brought upon this county.

On Tuesday, Paul Penzone, a Democrat and a former Phoenix police sergeant who lost to Arpaio in 2012, won the rematch, 54.9 to 45.1 percent, and will be the next sheriff of Maricopa County.

The race attracted millions of dollars from outside the state, a testament to the outsize role Arpaio, 84, has played in the national debate over immigration. George Soros, a liberal investor, for example, spent more than $2 million opposing the sheriff.

Arpaio remained combative until the end, thumbing his nose at critics and turning setbacks into lines of attack. He blamed the corrupt Obama Justice Department for trying to influence the race when federal prosecutors announced that they would pursue criminal contempt-of-court charges against him for refusing a judges order to stop discriminating against Latinos.

Im kind of a trophy to the White House, Arpaio told members of a group called Believers for Trump last week.
WASHINGTON  Republicans will command the House for two more years as Donald Trumps astounding White House triumph helped them keep their record-size majority nearly intact. He earned a mandate, said House Speaker Paul Ryan, who now faces working with a president with whom he had a turbulent relationship during the campaign.

Democrats had envisioned that voters repulsed by Trumps comments about women and Latinos could provide potentially big election-day gains in suburban and ethnically diverse areas. Instead, the Democrats suffered a dispiriting day with just modest pickups, a maximum of nine, as the GOP swept to control of both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.

That was well below the 30 seats Democrats needed to capture House control. Republicans currently hold a 247-188 majority, including three vacant seats, the most the GOP has had since their 270 in 1931.

He turned politics on its head, Ryan, R-Wis., told reporters gathered Wednesday in his hometown of Janesville. Ryan credited the president-elect with helping carry Republicans into Congress and promised to work hand-in-hand with him on a GOP agenda.

By Wednesday, Republicans had at least 238 seats  guaranteeing an extension of their six-year run of House control  and just six of their incumbents had lost. The GOP retained seats in Minnesota, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Iowa and Wisconsin that Democrats had coveted.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, said the two parties have a responsibility to come together and find common ground. In a written statement, she suggested cooperating with Trump on infrastructure projects and said she will pray for his success.

It was initially unclear what impact the marginally smaller size of the GOP majority would have on Ryan, whod angered some Republicans by refusing to campaign for Trump.

While one member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus was defeated, several newly elected Republicans could bolster it. That would increase conservatives leverage to demand their way on issues like curbing spending and government regulations.

Both parties candidates and outside groups spent nearly $1.1 billion combined on House campaigns, shy of the $1.2 billion record in 2012, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group. Republicans had only a slight financial edge.

Ryan, 46, has said he wants to be speaker in the new Congress and has expressed confidence in doing so. But he is not immune to ire from the Freedom Caucus, which chased former Speaker John Boehner from Congress last year.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.  Republicans have expanded their power in state capitols to their strongest levels in decades, picking up several previously held Democratic governorships while also claiming control of some key legislative chambers.

Heading into Tuesday, Republicans already controlled more than two-thirds of the nations legislative chambers and 31 of the 50 governors offices. By Wednesday, they were inching toward their historical high of 34 governorships set in 1922, but Democratic challenger Roy Cooper claimed victory early Wednesday over Republican North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory in a close race.
An Alaska man developed gangrenous toes. A Philadelphia woman froze to death on the street. An Illinois woman died emaciated, covered in excrement.

These patients suffered as their government-paid caretakers neglected them, collecting paychecks under a Medicaid program that gives elderly and disabled people nonmedical assistance at home. In some cases, the caretakers convicted of neglect were the victims own family members.

The Personal Care Services program, which exceeded $14.5 billion in fiscal year 2014, is rife with financial scams, some of which threaten patient safety, according to a recent report from the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services.

The OIG has investigated more than 200 cases of fraud and abuse since 2012 in the program, which is paid for by the federal government and administered by each state. These caretakers, often untrained and largely unregulated, are paid an average of $10 per hour to help vulnerable people with daily tasks like bathing, cleaning and cooking.

The report exposes vulnerabilities in a system that more people will rely on as baby boomers age. Demand for personal care assistants is projected to grow by 26 percent over the next 10 years  an increase of roughly half a million workers  according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

This type of industry is ripe for fraud, warned Lynne Keilman-Cruz, a program manager at Alaskas Department of Health and Social Services who has investigated widespread fraud. The risks increase because the care takes place out of view in peoples homes, and because neglected patients may not advocate for their own care.

The OIG report describes a range of rip-offs, some of which involve caretakers caught up in the nations opioid epidemic. In one Illinois case, a woman whose nursing license had been suspended for allegedly stealing drugs at work signed up as a caretaker. She billed Medicaid for $34,000 in care taking services she didnt provide  including charges made while she was on a Caribbean vacation. In Vermont, a caretaker on probation for drug possession split her paychecks with the patients wife  in exchange for stealing the patients prescription painkillers, while he lay in visible discomfort.

In other cases, Medicaid beneficiaries colluded in hoaxes, faking disability so they could hire unneeded help.

In the worst cases, patients got hurt, sometimes fatally.

In Philadelphia, Christina Sankey, a 37-year-old woman with severe autism, froze to death on the street after her caretaker, Hassanatu Wulu, lost her in a crowded Macys five miles away. Wulu, 32, pleaded guilty to neglect.

In some cases, elderly patients were neglected by their own children, who signed up for caretaker payments. In Idaho, a woman was hospitalized for severe dehydration and malnourishment after her son and caretaker, Paul Draine, neglected her.

The inspector generals office urged federal action. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requires no standard training  nor background checks  for care attendants. And many states dont register caretakers, noted the report.
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WASHINGTON  Voters around the country faced long lines, occasional broken machines and some hot tempers Tuesday, but as the polls began closing from east to west, there were no signs of the large-scale fraud, intimidation or hacking some had feared in the run-up to the presidential election.

The scattered problems mostly involved the sort of glitches that arise in every election, including discrepancies in the voter rolls, with no immediate indication of a snag big enough to meaningfully alter the overall vote count.

The biggest surprise is how uneventful things have been with this large a turnout, said Illinois State Board of Elections spokesman Jim Tenuto. Everyone was expecting more problems than this  and nothing.

In Texas, a computer malfunctioned at a polling place in suburban Houston, and voters were briefly sent to another site more than two miles away.

Andrea Patience, a 50-year-old pharmacy technician, was among those standing in line when the computer malfunctioned. She said she waited an hour for it to be fixed. Patience said as many as 100 people were standing in line at the time, and about half of them left.

There were a lot of upset people, Patience said. I dont know if they will come back later or decide not to vote.

In key battleground North Carolina, a computer problem in the Democratic stronghold of Durham County triggered long lines when election officials had to rely on a paper check-in process. Several precincts there extended their closing times up to an hour.

A computer glitch in Colorado forced in-person voters to cast provisional ballots, though there was no evidence the network was hit by hackers. Some people in North Carolina and Virginia complained they were not on the rolls despite registering through the motor vehicle departments.

And in Dover, N.H., polls were staying open for an extra hour because the city mistakenly sent an email to voters with the wrong closing time.

Outside a Florida polling place, a woman campaigning for Donald Trump pepper-sprayed a Hillary Clinton voter.

There were reports of voters waiting for hours to cast their ballots in such states as Missouri and Utah. Some polling places in the Phoenix metropolitan area had more than 100 voters lined up at 6 a.m.

The voting unfolded amid repeated but unsubstantiated claims from Trump that the election would somehow be rigged. His exhortations to followers to watch for fraud at the polls gave rise to fears of vigilantism and harassment. There was also anxiety that hackers might attack voting systems.

Overall, the story that everyone was expecting  mass reports of voter intimidation  hasnt happened, said Wendy Weiser, head of the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York Universitys Law School. Ive definitely seen an uptick in it ... but its not the overriding story of the election, which certainly ought to be a relief to many.

Trump again suggested the election might not be on the up-and-up. His campaign said it was seeking an investigation in the battleground state of Nevada over reports that some voters were allowed to get in line after closing time at some early voting locations.

Fears of voter intimidation and fraud led to a flurry of lawsuits in the run-up to election day, and new voter regulations in more than a dozen states also held the potential to sow confusion at polling places.

In Philadelphia, one of the places Trump had suggested were ripe for fraud, District Attorney Seth Williams said there were no substantiated reports of voter fraud or intimidation, and no walking apocalypse of zombies voting around town.

Meanwhile, state election officials were guarding against any attempt to breach their computer systems.

Forty-eight states accepted cyberhygiene help from the Homeland Security Department to patch their networks and root out problems that could allow hackers in, and the remaining two states hired contractors to do the same, officials said.

With voters casting ballots in 9,000 jurisdictions and more than 185,000 precincts, the decentralized nature of the U.S. voting system was seen as a major protector against a hacker having any sizable effect on the vote.

In the last week, Democrats went to court in seven states seeking to halt what they claim were efforts by Republicans and the Trump campaign to deploy a network of poll watchers hunting for voter fraud. Republicans disputed the claims.
The odds of a California secession is, legally and financially, extremely unlikely. However, after the results of Tuesday night's presidential election came in, the movement to coordinate such an exodus from the Union intensified.

Shervin Pishevar, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist whose company, Sherpa Capital, has invested in massive companies like Uber and Airbnb, announced on Twitter Tuesday that in the event of Trump win, he would be "announcing and funding a legitimate campaign for California to become its own nation."
One person was arrested on Tuesday for attempting to vote twice, according to a tweet by the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office in suburban Houston.

The man, identified by the Associated Press as 62-year-old Phillip Cook, Jr., said he voted for Donald Trump and was "testing the system," according to authorities.
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San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener was leading fellow Supervisor Jane Kim late Tuesday night in a highly contested state Senate race.

For months, Wiener and Kim have been in a dead heat to succeed Democratic state Sen. Mark Leno, who is termed out, and represent San Francisco and northern San Mateo County in the Legislatures upper house.

With 86 percent of precincts reporting, Wiener was leading 52.9 percent to Kims 47.1 percent.

This is a very good early indication, Wiener said Tuesday night. I feel good about where we are right now.

Im really deeply concerned about the presidential election, Weiner added, expressing surprise at how many people could vote for Trump.

The race between the progressive Kim and moderate Wiener for the District 11 seat was perhaps the most contentious citywide election since now-Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom beat progressive Supervisor Matt Gonzalez for mayor in 2003.

It was widely assumed that Wiener would finish first in the June primary, which amounted to a dry run for Tuesdays general election. But when the last primary ballots were counted, Kim was on top by 669 votes, or 0.2 percentage points. Many attributed the bump to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders endorsement of Kim during his Democratic presidential primary run.

Wiener outspent Kim nearly 2-to-1 in the race  $2.1 million since January to her $1.3 million  and received $1.5 million from outside independent expenditure committees, more than five times what Kim got. Still, Kim kept pace throughout the fall, hosting a popular series of town halls and handing out fliers around the city.

People lined up at Slims early Tuesday night to attend Kims watch party. On the menu: Kimhattans and Bevanritas  named for fellow progressive and longtime Kim ally Bevan Dufty, who is running for the BART Board of Directors.

We are feeling really good about the positive energy we got on the street all day, Kim said Tuesday night. This mimicks the primary. We know our voters are day-of voters and we are anticipating the results tonight. Meanwhile, Im very nervous for our country and hopeful Hillary will pull through.

Kim and Wiener had starkly different views on many issues in the race, ranging from their tolerance of homeless tent encampments and tech shuttle buses to what percentage of affordable housing the city should require in new developments.

Kim was more lenient toward the street camps, while Wiener thought they were inhumane. She thought the buses needed more regulation, while Wiener supported them. Kim wanted a quarter of all units in new developments to be listed at below-market prices, and Wiener wanted the city to do more studies before selecting a percentage.

Their differences revealed divides in a city that has rapidly expanded in recent years, with well-paid tech industry workers helping to drive up the cost of housing. Both Kim and Wiener said they were the one fighting for the right for middle- and low-income families to continue living in the Senate district.

Who is this city being built for? Kim said. I have spent the past six years fighting for our city.

We are at risk of losing the soul of our city because of our housing crisis, Wiener said.

The winner will pick up the affordability mantle in Sacramento. But even in a Democratic-controlled Legislature, the new senator will be to the left of most other state lawmakers.

Wendy Lee and Joaquin Palomino contributed to this report.

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn
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City Councilman Jesse Arreguin took an early lead Tuesday in the Berkeley mayors race over fellow council members Laurie Capitelli and Kriss Worthington.

The election to replace Mayor Tom Bates, who is retiring after 14 years as mayor, drew nine candidates, including a homeless man and a UC Berkeley graduate student. Arreguin was ahead with 43 percent of the vote, compared with Capitellis 38 percent and Worthingtons 9 percent, early returns showed.

Arreguin was optimistic as the results rolled in. Im so proud of the campaign weve run, he said. If you asked political insiders a year ago if we would be in this position, they would have said no.

But since Berkeley uses a ranked-choice voting system, in which voters list their top three candidates by preference, it may take days to know who the next mayor will be. A candidate wins outright, avoiding the instant runoff, only if he or she receives at least 50 percent of the vote.

Oakland also uses ranked-choice voting, adding uncertainty to the race for the City Councils at-large seat. Incumbent Rebecca Kaplan was on track to win Tuesday night, pulling ahead of four challengers including Peggy Moore, a former top adviser to Mayor Libby Schaaf. Early returns showed Kaplan with a commanding lead: 54 percent of the vote, compared with Moores 19 percent.

Early results also showed incumbent council members Dan Kalb, Lynette Gibson McElhaney, Noel Gallo and Larry Reid ahead in their bids for re-election.

Gallo was beating his challenger, former school board member and planning commissioner Viola Gonzales, 57 percent to 43 percent. Kalb held a solid lead over probate attorney Kevin Corbett, 79 percent to 21 percent. McElhaney was far ahead of rival Noni Session, 61 percent to 38 percent.

Reid led Marcie Hodge, 59 percent to 23 percent. Nehanda Imara, the other candidate vying for Reids East Oakland district seat, was trailing with 18 percent of the vote.

Oakland Ballot Measure LL, which would authorize a citizen-led police commission to oversee the citys troubled department, was well ahead with 81 percent support. Officials at City Hall are still dealing with the fallout from a sexual misconduct scandal that prompted the resignation of Chief Sean Whent in June. Oakland has been without a police chief for four months.

I have great faith in the voters of Oakland, and I think this is going to set the table for some meaningful reform, said Kalb, Measure LLs lead author.

The new seven-member commission would replace Oaklands Citizens Police Review Board, a civilian-run body started in 1980 to probe complaints and recommend disciplinary measures to the chief.

The commission would serve a similar purpose, but with broader duties and powers. It would be entrusted to form a Community Police Review Agency to investigate misconduct complaints, and it would be empowered to fire the police chief for cause if five of its members voted to do so.

Oaklands Measure KK, a $600 million infrastructure bond, was far exceeding the two-thirds majority vote it needs to pass, with 81 percent of voters backing it. Pushed by Schaaf, the bond would direct $350 million toward street and sidewalk repairs, $150 million toward city-owned facilities such as libraries, parks, and police buildings, and $100 million toward affordable housing.

It would add about $60 in annual property taxes for a home assessed at $250,000, which is the median value in Oakland.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
Measures to restore bilingual education and extend tax increases on wealthy residents have won, while an initiative to trim the price the state pays for prescription drugs was losing as voters slogged through a long list of ballot measures Tuesday.

The measures touched on just about every hot-button issue in the state, from taxes and education to prisons and the environment. The list even included a proposed requirement that actors in pornographic films wear condoms. With more than 38 percent of precincts reporting, here are the results so far:

Proposition 51 would authorize $9 billion in general-obligation bonds for construction of facilities at K-12 schools and community colleges. Gov. Jerry Brown was the main opponent, arguing that the bond was a boondoggle for developers and the construction industry, who put up most of the $10 million to support the measure. Though opponents said the money could be better spent if targeted at low-income communities, supporters argued that schools buildings across the state needed to be upgraded or rebuilt. The measure was winning 53 percent to 47 percent.

Proposition 52 passed, and will permanently extend a 2009 fee now paid by private hospitals to the state for MediCal reimbursement to hospitals and for childrens health programs. It will generate about $3 billion a year in federal matching funds. It had the support of hospital groups and a wide range of California organizations, including the state Chamber of Commerce and the California Teachers Association. Opponents, including a health care workers union, argued that the measure put too many restrictions on the states use of the money. The measure was winning by a substantial margin, 70 percent to 30 percent.

Proposition 53 would require a statewide two-thirds vote for projects that cost more than $2 billion and are paid for by revenue bonds. It was aimed directly at Browns plan for building (and paying for) a system to move water through and around the delta. The more than $4.8 million to support the measure all came from Dean Cortopassi, a Stockton-area farmer. Opponents included unions, the construction industry, the Democratic Party and the governor, who argued that the measure could require a statewide vote on some local and regional projects. The measure was in the balance, 49 percent to 51 percent.

Proposition 54 passed, and will bar the Legislature from passing any bill unless it has been in print and on the Internet for at least 72 hours before the vote. Palo Alto Republican Charles Munger Jr. spent $10.7 million in support of the measure, which was endorsed by the League of Women Voters, the California Chamber of Commerce and California Common Cause. Opponents argued that it would make it harder to pass controversial bills. It was headed to victory with 64 percent approval.

Proposition 55 passed, and will extend the 2012 Proposition 30 tax increases on the wealthiest Californians for another 12 years, raising more than $5 billion a year for the state. Hospital and education groups pushed the measure, spending more than $55 million. Opponents, including taxpayer groups and the state Chamber of Commerce, argued that the original tax was billed as temporary and that extending it would hurt business in the state. Brown, who pushed the original tax, stayed neutral. The measure had a strong showing, with 62 percent to 38 percent approval.

Proposition 57 passed, and will ease parole rules for nonviolent offenders and leave it up to judges rather than prosecutors to decide whether a juvenile should be tried as an adult. Brown, its main backer, said it not only would help rehabilitate low-level offenders, but also would free the state from federal court orders that could require mandatory prisoner releases. Opponents, many in law enforcement, argued that many hard-core criminals could be released. The measure was headed to victory, with 64.5 percent to 35.5 percent approval.

Proposition 58 passed, and will repeal most of 1998s Proposition 227, the English in Public Schools initiative, which largely banned bilingual education in the state and required English immersion programs for students who werent fluent in English. It passed overwhelmingly in 1998. But Democrats have generally hated it, and legislators put the repeal on the ballot this year. Times have changed, and opponents raised little money to block it. The measure had strong support: 73 percent to 27 percent.

Proposition 59 is a strictly advisory measure that would call for state officials to use all their powers to overturn the U.S. Supreme Courts 2010 Citizens United campaign-funding decision. All it requires, though, is for the secretary of state to communicate the results of this election to Congress. The measure was winning, 53 percent to 47 percent.

Proposition 60 would require performers in adult films to wear condoms during filming of sexual intercourse. Proponents insist that they want to close loopholes to laws already on the books, and protect workers who have been victimized. Members of the adult-film industry claim their testing is already stringent enough, and that the initiative would drive business and artists out of the state. The measure was failing, 46 percent to 54 percent.

Proposition 61 would cap what state agencies can pay for prescription drugs at the lowest price paid for the same drug by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs. Because thats about the lowest price anyone pays, the pharmaceutical industry raised more than $100 million to oppose the measure, arguing it could force the industry to raise drug prices for veterans and others in California. The measure was losing, 46 percent to 54 percent.

Proposition 65 would force retail stores that charge customers for bags to put the profits from those sales into a special fund for environmental projects. Retailers, who have been turning a profit on the bag sales, opposed the measure. Prop. 65 would take effect only if Proposition 67, which overturns the states plastic-bag ban, passes but collects fewer votes than this measure. Prop. 65 was failing, 44 percent to 56 percent.

Proposition 67 is a referendum, backed by the plastics industry, that would toss out SB270, the 2014 state ban on plastic bags. A yes vote would uphold the ban, and a no vote would overturn it. It was winning, 52 percent to 48 percent.

John Wildermuth and Jill Tucker are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com, jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth @jilltucker
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Three ballot measures that would strip San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee of key appointment and oversight powers were being soundly beaten on Tuesday.

Progressives on the Board of Supervisors placed Propositions D, H and L on the ballot, characterizing them as good-government measures that would increase accountability and provide a balance to the mayors power. The mayor and his supporters called them a power grab and spent upward of $4 million to defeat them.

Prop. D, which would sharply limit the mayors power to fill vacancies on the Board of Supervisors, was trailing by 47 percent to 53 percent. Nearly all precincts had been counted, but an unknown number of provisional and mail-in ballots remained.

Under the current system, the mayor appoints a replacement supervisor. That person can then run for the seat in the next election, which may be held as much as two years later. Prop. D would require a special election within five months to fill the vacancy. The mayor could appoint someone to fill the seat until the election  but the person would be prohibited from running for that seat in the next election.

The issue is timely because there will be a vacancy on the board in December, when Supervisor Scott Wiener or Supervisor Jane Kim becomes a state senator. The two are running against each other for the office.

Prop. H, which was losing 47 percent to 53 percent, would create the Office of Public Advocate, a position with wide-ranging power and responsibilities. Among them: to review the management and employment practices of city departments, to investigate complaints from the public about city services and programs, and to hold hearings and introduce legislation. The public advocate could also issue subpoenas for any records held by a city department or agency.

Were it to pass, Prop. H would cost the city a minimum of $600,000 and as much as $3.5 million per year, depending on the number of staffers hired, according to the city controller.

Supporters of a public advocate position said those costs would have been offset by the efficiency and accountability the measure would bring to city operations. Critics called the proposal unnecessary and expensive.

Prop. L, even further behind that the other two measures appeared to have lost. It was trailing by 44 percent to 56 percent. It would have had a significant impact on the operations of city government by giving the Board of Supervisors more authority over the Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees parking, taxis and Muni.

The mayor now appoints the agencys seven-member board. Prop. L would have given three of the appointments to the supervisors.

Prop. L would also have given supervisors more say over the agencys budget. The MTA board passes its own budget, which the supervisors must approve or reject in its entirety  unless seven of the 11 supervisors send it back for revision. Prop. L would have lowered that threshold to six votes.

Mayor Lee, speaking at a gathering of local Democrats, said he was gratified by the voters decisions.

Thanks to everyone in this room for the reasonableness they have to reject (these measures), he said.

Dozens of people, mostly somberly watching the national returns, crowded into the Oasis Bar in the South of Market area for the San Francisco Democratic Party Election Night party. Blue and white balloons wafted around the bar. The large screen TVs were supposed to turn to local coverage, but they stayed on network news to follow the presidential election.

Most were too transfixed by the national returns to offer an opinion on the local measures.

Shell-shocked. People are in denial, said Louis Eisenburg, 35, a San Francisco software engineer, when asked to describe the mood at the bar. If things went as expected and Clinton won, people would be paying more attention to local stuff... I dont even care about my job right now.

If Trumps the president, it almost doesnt matter what happens locally, said Cindy Wu, vice-chair of San Franciscos Democratic Central Committee.

Supervisor Aaron Peskin said Lees push to defeat the measures represented misplaced priorities and failed leadership.

The mayor chose to put $2.5 million into defeating these measures (and) walked away from his sales tax (proposition), Peskin said.

Chronicle staff writers Joaquin Palomino and Peter Hartlaub contributed to this story.

Emily Green and Steve Rubenstein are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: egreen@sfchronicle.com and srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @emilytgreen and @SteveRubeSF
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San Francisco voters weighed in on five real-estate-related measures Tuesday, with returns split between propositions that had the backing of state and local real estate groups and those championed by affordable-housing proponents and progressive supervisors.

Three of the measures were aimed at changing how the city decides where affordable housing should be built, who gets to build it and what the maximum income levels should be for those hoping to live there.

With 100 percent of the precincts reporting  there were some provisional ballots outstanding  Proposition M, which would establish a housing commission to oversee responsibilities now handled by the mayors office, was losing 56.4 percent to 43.5 percent. It was supported by progressive Supervisor Aaron Peskin and opposed by Mayor Ed Lee.

Proposition P, which was backed by real estate interests, sought to lower the cost of producing affordable housing by requiring three bids for every publicly subsidized development. It was losing 67.3 percent to 32.7 percent.

Voters also roundly rejected Proposition U, 64.9 percent to 35.1 percent. The measure would have raised income levels for eligibility for affordable units in market-rate developments. The measure was supported by moderate Supervisor Mark Farrell and real estate agents and opposed by the affordable-housing industry.

Meanwhile, voters backed Proposition X, Supervisor Jane Kims measure aimed at requiring builders to replace any arts, nonprofit or PDR (production, distribution, repair) space that is eliminated during development. The measure, an attempt to slow gentrification, was ahead 58.1 percent to 41.8 percent. San Franciscans saw through the money and decided protecting arts, nonprofits, and working-class jobs was important to keep San Francisco vibrant and affordable, Kim said.

Finally, in a slightly closer contest, voters backed Proposition O, which would exempt the Hunters Point Shipyard project from a 1986 measure limiting new office space that can be approved each year to 950,000 square feet. It was ahead 52.5 percent to 47.4 percent. Prop. O will allow the developer FivePoint to win approvals for up to 5.1 million square feet of office space at its Shipyard and Candlestick Point properties without competing against office projects in high-rent downtown districts.

Proponents pitched it as a way to bring jobs to Bayview-Hunters Point, one of the citys poorest neighborhoods. Were just happy to be able to bring some economic vitality back to the Bayview Hunters Point, said Bayview resident and Prop. O advocate Shamann Walton.

J.K. Dineen is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jdineen@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @SFjkdineen
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Amid a broad national movement to make police more accountable, San Francisco voters supported a measure to strengthen the citys civilian police oversight agency, now known as the Office of Citizen Complaints.

But voters knocked down a separate measure that would have mandated that at least 3 percent of the San Francisco police force be assigned to a neighborhood crime unit focused on robberies, burglaries and complaints about the homeless.

Proposition G, which will rebrand the agency that looks into complaints of police misconduct as the Department of Police Accountability, was winning Tuesday, 80 to 20 percent, with nearly all precincts reporting.

Proposition R, the neighborhood crime unit measure, was trailing 54 to 46 percent.

Both measures sought to address public safety issues at a key time for the Police Department, which has been without a permanent chief since May, when Greg Suhr stepped down after a sergeant shot an apparently unarmed woman driving a suspected stolen car. Last month, the Justice Department recommended 272 reforms for the city force to help restore community trust.

Prop. G was authored by Supervisor Malia Cohen, who said the Office of Citizen Complaints needed more autonomy and power. Under the measure, the rebranded oversight agency will have a budget independent of the Police Department and the authority to conduct audits every two years of how police officials are disciplining officers.

The initiative drew little opposition, although some activists argued that civilian oversight should be broadened much more.

Prop. R, pushed by Supervisor Scott Wiener amid his run for state Senate, was a response to a surge of theft in San Francisco  particularly car break-ins  along with rising complaints about homeless encampments on city streets. The measure would have mandated that police create a neighborhood crime unit to focus on offenses including break-ins, bike thefts and blocking sidewalks with tents. The unit would have supported district stations, worked with homeless-outreach workers and communicated with residents.

The ordinance wouldnt have taken effect until the department hired enough officers to meet the City Charters mandate of 1,971, which could happen next year. At that point, at least 3 percent of the force, roughly 60 officers, would have been assigned to the unit.

Prop. R gained the approval of police brass, the officers union and Mayor Ed Lee. Critics called it a play on residents fears that aimed to shift power over crime-fighting strategy to City Hall.

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @vivianho
The clock is ticking, but there's still time to vote.

In California, if you get in line at your polling site by 8 p.m., you can vote.
1 Cambodia politics: A Cambodian court on Tuesday found the countrys exiled opposition leader guilty of defamation for alleging that a senior government official sought to inflate Prime Minister Hun Sens online popularity by buying likes for his Facebook page. The Phnom Penh Municipal Court found Sam Rainsy, president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, guilty and ordered him to pay a fine of $2,500 in addition to $3,750 in compensation. Cambodias courts are widely seen as being under the influence of Hun Sens government and his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party.

2 Asylum seekers: Australia will find another country in which to resettle hundreds of asylum seekers now held on isolated Pacific islands, a minister said Tuesday as his government planned to banish for life refugees who arrive by boat. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton declined to identify countries with which Australia is negotiating to accept almost 1,300 asylum seekers from Africa, the Middle East and Asia who are kept at Australias expense in camps at Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
VIENNA  The U.N. agency monitoring the nuclear pact between Iran and six world powers said Wednesday that Iran is in violation of the deal meant to curb its ability to make atomic arms by storing marginally more heavy water than the agreement allows.

Heavy water is a concern because it is used to cool reactors that can produce substantial amounts of plutonium. That, in turn, can be applied to making the fissile core of nuclear warheads.
The smoke and din of the battle of Mosul have now come within a few miles of the landmark 12th century mosque from which Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the founding of a modern-day caliphate, ushering in a reign of terror in the ancient city on the plains of Nineveh.

Now, in the fourth week of a U.S.-backed alliances pincer-like move to retake the northern Iraqi city, the whereabouts of the Islamic State chieftain are unknown  though a rare audio recording posted online last week by the militant group and attributed to him urged followers to fight to the death.

Al-Baghdadi and his senior lieutenants have been the targets of an intensive manhunt by Iraqi and U.S. forces working from land and air, but experts disagree on how and where Islamic States top leadership might seek to regroup and recoup  if they are still present in the city, and if they manage to survive the battle of Mosul.

Thats a big if on both counts. Mosuls inner precincts, which attacking forces have yet to penetrate, offered ample hideouts even before Islamic State fighters, during nearly 2 years of occupation, constructed an intricate warren of defenses above and below ground, including tunnels, trenches and secret passageways.

U.S. officials, who in late October disclosed the killing of 35 Islamic State commanders in Mosul over the last three months, say al-Baghdadi tops the target list.

If we knew where he was, he would be killed at once, Col. John Dorrian, the spokesman for the American-supported operation to retake the city, told reporters last week.

Al-Baghdadi, believed to be 45, is an Islamic scholar who is considered a prime architect of Islamic States apocalyptic ideology and its code of systematic and gruesome punishments of so-called infidels in areas under the groups control.

He was also personally implicated by escaped captive Yazidi teenagers in the sexual torture of Kayla Mueller, the young American hostage who died last year in Islamic State-held Raqqa, the city that the caliphate calls its capital in Syria. It, too, is now under assault, with Kurdish-led Syrian rebels beginning to close in.

In the 31-minute audio address, al-Baghdadi appeared to paint any setbacks  including the possible fall of Mosul to U.S.-backed Iraqi forces  as part of a larger strategy that would ultimately see Islamic State emerge triumphant.

Few photos of him exist; last weeks audio recording marked the first time in 10 months the Islamic State leader had been heard from.
Atop a hill at Rosario Cemetery, fenced in an enclosure lined with pebbles, lays an inconspicuous marble plaque. As the sun sets on Election Day, purple flowers rest on the stone. And affixed to the top left corner is an oval sticker that says "I Voted."

This is the gravesite of Adelina Otero-Warren, the early 20th century New Mexico figure who became a leader in the local suffragist movement. (She was briefly married to Rawson D Warren, a cavalry officer.)

As state leader for the Congressional Union, the radical advocacy group founded by Alice Paul, Otero lobbied hard for legislation enfranchising women. After years of false starts, on February 19, 1920, New Mexico became the 32nd state to approve a woman's right to vote.

It was a clear victory for Otero, according to her biographer, Charlotte Whaley. "She emerged from the voting rights battle as something of a heroine in Santa Fe an intelligent, resourceful woman with a strong sense of justice," Whaley writes.

Otero, a Republican, also became the first New Mexico woman to run for US Congress. Predictably, she faced some old-timey sexism. A columnist for The Santa Fe New Mexican wrote of the candidate, "Mrs. Warren is attracted by the bright social lights; not to monkey with the tariff, the transit of Venus, or that statemanly stuff." Otero won her primary, but lost the general election.

Outside the realm of electoral politics, Otero worked as superintendent of Santa Fe County public schools, then an elected position, and chair of the state health board.

In 2013, Santa Fe Public Schools opened Nina Otero Community School in her honor.

Throughout Election Day, the first to feature a female presidential candidate, Americans shared photos of the headstone for Susan B Anthony, completely covered in stickers representing a vote.

The bragging rights, they seemed to say, belong to the women who made today possible. We peeled from our pocket our own sticker and added it to Otero's stone.

Santa Fe Reporter
At the beginning of the decade, an interfaith nonprofit converted a former pet store into an emergency homeless shelter that would serve as a one-stop shop for social services. Grab a meal. See a nurse. Go to court.

Santa Fe covered the bill for the building, about $1 million, and continues forking over tens of thousands of dollars a year to keep its lights on and staff paid. Pete's Place, as the facility is known, helped to check a couple boxes in a five-year plan to end homelessness in the city initiated by former mayor David Coss.

But for some in the community, there's still a void to be filled. Pete's Place opens only during the winter for men. (As of May 2016, the shelter is open all year for women.) And with just 6,500 square feet, including parking, there are no permanent or transitional housing options on premises. Tight quarters and limited resources at Pete's seemed to hinder the dream of a "one-stop shop."

Recently, a group of providers led by St. Elizabeth Shelters and La Familia Medical Center's Healthcare for the Homeless started dreaming up a bigger, more comprehensive campus for the city's homeless. Housing would be available, both transitional and permanent. Services, toofrom education programs to substance abuse treatment.

Suby Bowden and Associates, a local architecture firm, started working pro bono on preliminary designs for a "One Door" campus, which would provide space for nonprofits to set up shop. Bowden likens the concept to a mall, wherein organizations would operate independently in a larger center devoted to one mission.

"Pete's Place has the same concept, but they have very limited space," says project coordinator Sunil Sakhalkar of Bowden and Associates. "The main difference that we are trying to do here is create space."

One Door's organizers are eyeing a 15- to 20-acre patch of city land, located in a section known as the Northwest Quadrant, to develop the campus. That's at least 100 times the size of Pete's Place. City government once planned on developing an affordable housing subdivision at the proposed location, north of Highway 599, but that project never got off the ground.

Notably absent from the planning is the group that headlines Pete's Place: Interfaith Community Shelters. Daniel Yohalem, vice chair of its board, says he gathered from meetings that the One Door campus doesn't intend to offer emergency shelter services like those offered at the Cerrillos Road location. He says Interfaith is concerned about the convenience of the proposed location for the campus and whether it would replicate services.

"If the point of that model is that all shelters and services will be collapsed into one campus in Santa Fe, I frankly don't think that's a great idea," he says. "I seriously doubt people will come."

Sakhalkar maintains that the campus would most likely provide emergency shelter, but the One Door organization would not ask providers to move to the location if it's not feasible. Rather, they would offer satellite space for them to deliver services. "We don't want to step on anyone's toes," Sakhalkar says. "We want everybody to work with us."

Deborah Tang, executive director of St. Elizabeth Shelters, tells SFR that was one of the driving ideas behind the project. "Healthcare for the Homeless wants to have all their services, lock, stock and barrel. There's not enough room at Pete's Place even for that, much less all the services that we want," she says.

Homeless people still often cross the city to meet their needs, according to Gaile Herling, co-founder of Adelante, a Santa Fe Public Schools program catering to homeless youth and families. She gives the example of the New Mexico Human Services Department's Income Support Division, the main location for signing up for food stamps and other benefits, which is located about five miles south of Pete's Place, across from The Santa Fe New Mexican's printing press.

"They have to deal with getting a bus out there, the right schedule. If they miss one document, that's it. That's a lost trip," Herling says. "Say you receive a gas voucher. Some people waste their gas money trying to go back and forth because they've put Human Services way out on the edge of town instead of the center of town."

Mayor Javier Gonzales says he encourages any effort to enhance services for the city's hundreds of homeless individuals. But as far as committing city land or dollars to the proposed One Door project, the mayor says a lot of work needs to be done first. "When it comes to some kind of definitive point where the group is ready to propose something unified amongst all the organizations, then we can have the conversation about city resources," Gonzales tells SFR.

One of One Door's biggest influences is a campus-based homeless center in San Antonio called Haven for Hope, where 30 providers deliver services on 22 acres of land downtown. Haven for Hope is sending a delegation to Santa Fe this week for a three-day workshop about the One Door project, including a public event on Nov. 10.

Scott Ackerson, the vice president for strategic relations at Haven for Hope, says he plans to talk about what worked and what didn't in San Antonio, a city of 1.3 million with an estimated homeless population of 2,900. Ackerson tells SFR that the organization switched from a "one-size-fits-all" model to an approach that took more consideration of each client's unique situation. One person's homelessness may be rooted in a history of abuse. Another's may be short-lived, the result of a bad break.

"Homelessness is not a homogenous phenomenon. You can't treat people the same way. There's not one identical service plan," he says.

Ackerson also notes that the organization faced some pushback from neighbors of the campus. A report from the San Antonio Express-News found that 911 calls from a two-mile radius around the center went up by 42 percent two years after it opened.

The One Door group says it plans on applying for grants to fund the proposal, as well as requesting cash from city, county and state sources. About 60 percent of Haven for Hope's financing comes from private donors.



Haven for Hope Lecture

7-8:30 pm Thursday Nov. 10. Free.

Santa Fe Woman's Club,

1616 Old Pecos Trail

Santa Fe Reporter
Carolyn Kastner sees Georgia OKeeffe as a true experimental creative, a radical thinker and artist who may not get all the historical credit she deserves.

"From her earliest years, she was very interested in the cutting edge," Kastner, a curator at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, says. "It's now very calm for us, it's an easy experience to look at abstraction, but when she began to paint in 1916 this was a question, not an answer'Can painting exist without a subject?'"

O'Keeffe knew the answer, and she committed her life to its truth. "It's a very interesting story that really has been forgotten," says Kastner. "This is the problem of history; it's, 'How do you look back?'"

The most iconic images to ever come out of the Southwest are O'Keeffe's. Her landscapes, animal skulls and flowers are synonymous with her name, but the newest exhibit at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museumwhich opened just in time to commemorate what would have been her 129th birthdayshows never-before-seen works from the artist's earliest years, inviting you to look back for yourself.

The works in the exhibit "are done sometime between 1912 and 1914," Kastner tells SFR. "She was a student at the University of Virginia during those years, and this is a student assignment."

The watercolors feature darker tones and starker contrast than the works for which O'Keeffe is better known. The young artist was building herself and her style; experimenting with technique and material; creating navy-toned foliage and amber horizons.

Influential educator Alon Bement taught O'Keeffe as she created these early works. He assigned some pretty avant-garde homework from a book written by his colleague, Arthur Wesley Dow, which is on display in the exhibit. Bement's lessons left an everlasting impression on O'Keeffe.

"The one that I have open that you see in the gallery is, perhaps, the mantra for the rest of her life. It's something like 'framing a landscape, omitting all detail,'" says Kastner.

These experiences birthed O'Keeffe's lifelong venture into abstraction. "It is the moment that she sees an expanded universe," Kastner says. "It was catalytic in creating a career path for her."

About a dozen framed pages from O'Keeffe's homework binder are on display, many painted from the same viewpoint. "This is at the heart of the lesson," Kastner explains. "The view doesn't dictate how you paintyour creative activity is framing the best view." O'Keeffe painted five of these watercolors sitting in the same spot. "It's a very interesting arrangement of views when you start imagining that they are all being generated by her looking in one direction and seeing five different ways she might paint that," Kastner adds.

"She is one of the most important figures in American art history. Why is she?" Kastner posits, "She made two really large contributions to American modernism." Kastner says that O'Keeffe's early and lifelong commitment to abstraction is one of those two great contributions. The other: After O'Keeffe came to the Southwest in 1929, she joined with a half-dozen artists known as the Stieglitz Circle as they set out to create what they referred to as the "great American thing." Kastner says they were seeking "an artwork that would telegraph the idea of being American and being modern. [Something] identifiably American, but not New York City ... not a skyscraper."

And so, this group of progressive painters, photographers and writers traveled around the country to experience it for themselves and create a new American iconography. "They travel to paint grain silos, factories and, in O'Keeffe's case, the landscape, the bones, the flowers, the culturally significant architecture of New Mexico," says Kastner.

The new exhibit is a rare opportunity to peer through a window into the early life and creation of the artist.

"O'Keeffe made herself into the artist she was. She wasn't born that way. It was through hard work, discipline and study, and this is part of that story," Kastner says. "I think if you really look at this as a pivotal moment from someone we think we know so well, it's very exciting."



O'Keeffe at the University of Virginia, 1912-1914:

Through Summer 2017.

The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum,

217 Johnson St.,

946-1000



Santa Fe Reporter
This never would have happened if Hillary Clinton were a man. Time and again, reporting through this election, incredulity emerged over watching a highly qualified female candidate face off against a man with zero political experience in a race in which the jabs and name-calling would plummet to dizzying lows. If the gender roles were reversed, no one would give a second thought to a woman with the dearth of experience Donald Trump brings to the presidential office. So then, how much did the misogynistic backlash against Clinton do to dash her chances for the White House?

With election returns still rolling in late into the night, it appeared Trump edged Clinton on electoral college votes, though it was unclear at presstime who had earned the popular count.

Why has it been so impossible, given that women comprise more than half of the nation's voting-age population and have had the vote for nearly a century, to see a woman secure the presidency or vice presidency?

"It's always harder for a woman," says Imelda Aragon, who spent every morning in the weeks up to the election at the Democratic party headquarters on Cerrillos, calling voters in Santa Fe to talk to them about Clinton.

Women now hold less than a quarter of the seats in the US Senate, US House, statewide executive offices including governor and lieutenant governor, state legislatures and mayoral offices, according to the Center for American Women and Politics. Just six governors, including New Mexico's, are women.

"It's almost mind-boggling to think it's 2016, and we keep expecting better results without having half of our population represented," says Clare Bresnahan, executive director of She Should Run. "How do we expect good policy when half of the population is left out of the decision-making process? We believe adding new women will inject new solutions into these problems."

Women have already held the highest offices in nations like Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom. Of America's 56 presidential elections, 33 of them occurred before women had the right to vote. None before have featured a woman as the nominee from a major political party.

"I think it says something about how far we think we've come," says Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics. "It's about a wakeup call about what we consider acceptable or tolerable."

Part of what stands against women is the perception of an ambitious woman, and it cuts both ways. That women should quietly work in the background toward the success of more charismatic men is an idea shared by men and women alike. Even women have shown reluctance to support a womanof registered female voters contacted for a CBS poll in September, 80 percent of Democrats were glad to see a woman as a major party nominee for president. Thirty-nine percent of Republicans were.

Campaigning for Hillary Clinton, President Barack Obama encouraged men to "look inside" and consider if their objections to her candidacy stemmed from their unfamiliarity with a woman in that role. But there are no doubt more deeply seated issues with women in power.

"When men are ambitious, it's just taken for granted," Obama said on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. "'Well, of course they should be ambitious.' When women are ambitious: 'Why?'"

Research shows that men and women both respond to ambitious women with contempt, anger and disgust, and that men often react aggressively to women in power. Hence, the "Hillary for prison" t-shirts and the "lock her up" chants.

"People don't give up power easily, and you can see that reflected in this election," Walsh says. "That whole notion of 'Make America great again,' it's really a time when white men reigned supreme.  Make America great for who? It's for people who feel they've lost some power. Maybe it's exactly right that that campaign would be the one against a woman nominee."

"Of course, Hillary Clinton is going to have to run against a man who seems both to embody and have attracted the support of everything male, white and angry about the ascension of women and black people in America," Rebecca Traister wrote in New York Magazine in May. "This election is a kind of civil war. It's a referendum on the country's feelings about inclusion, about women, people of color, and their increasing influence, and how it edges out the white men who have long had an exclusive grip on power."

A Century of Small Steps

Jeannette Rankin was the first woman to serve in the US Congress. (Courtesy Library of Congress)

A woman slipped into US Congress before women nationally could even cast ballots. Jeannette Rankin was elected in 1916 to represent the state of Montana, which gave women the right to vote in 1914. She went on to help pass the amendment granting womens suffrage in 1920.

Nearly a century later, we have 84 women in the House and 20 women in the Senate. At that rate, it will take roughly 500 years to see equal representation.

"The march to equality is slow," Barbara Lee, of the Barbara Lee Family Foundation, a nonpartisan research organization on women's races for executive office, wrote in the Boston Globe last year.

Part of why a female president has been so hard to come by is that typically senators and governors become presidents, and the supply of women in those ranks is short. That deficit starts with the few women who run for city councils and state legislatures.

Hillary Clinton herself had to be encouraged multiple times before she agreed to run for Senate in New York state in 1998. For decades, she'd deferred, arguing she wasn't likeable enough to win.

In so many ways, she's lived within the same confines as millions of other American women. When she and a friend from Wellesley sat for the LSAT at Harvard, there were few women in a room full of men, who provoked them for taking a spot from a man. She recounted for New York Magazine: "I remember one young man said, 'If you get into law school and I don't, and I have to go to Vietnam and get killed, it's your fault.'"

She shelved a promising career in Washington DC to join her boyfriend Bill Clinton in Arkansas, where he was teaching law. She's done "cookie bake-off penance" and added Bill's last name to her own when his lost re-election bid was blamed on her independence.

Yet, she's been reluctant to position herself and her victories as symbolic and historically significant.

By some measures, many of her successes have come less through the kind of big-crowd appeal that has worked for her male predecessors, and more through working as women more often do, quietly, patiently and off-center stage. She's slowly built relationships and coalitions, finding allies in unlikely placesremember, she joined the Senate in 2000 to serve among the Republicans who had voted to impeach her husband.

Obama has joked that in 2008, "She was doing everything I was doing, but just like Ginger Rogers, it was backward in heels."

During this presidential race, Trump's suggestions that she "doesn't look presidential," that she's always screaming, calling her a "nasty woman" during a debate, and, of course, saying she lacks the staminaa cut toward her membership of the "weaker sex"are all some of his subtler forms of sexism. Those lines play to the sense of women as ill-equipped to lead, and recruit men made uncomfortable by that prospect.

"Never has a man come this close to the White House who has been so spectacularly unfit for office and so proudly misogynistic. But precisely because Donald Trump is so outlandish and unashamed, we tend to focus on his antics, not on how widespread is the mindset they reveal," Katha Pollitt wrote in The Nation.

"Hillary supporters don't get cover stories because we think we already know all about them," she continues. "But what if they're angrier than we think and readier to do something about itabout rape and rape culture, economic discrimination, abortion rights and the rest of that big deplorable basket of injustice and disrespect women live with? There's a blatant contradiction between the braggart Trump with his vulgar sexual preening and real-life women with their daily struggles for fairness and dignity."

Readying for the Giant Leap

Women spent countless hours making phone calls in Santa Fe to rally support for Clinton. (Anson Stevens-Bollen)

What mystifies Mark Asquino, a retired US ambassador now based in Santa Fe, who spent years working in proximity of Clinton at the State Department, is how one of the most qualified candidates he's seen for presidentever, of any gendercan find herself pitted against a Republican candidate with no political experience.

"What I saw in Hillary was really a strong leader, someone who cares about people and is smart, pragmatic and knows how to get things done," he says.

From his time as an undersecretary in the Department of State (which was not run by a woman until Madeleine Albright took the helm in 1997), he recalls there was no subject, on the agenda or off, on which Clinton was not informed and capable of competently handling, and no person to whom she failed to show respect.

After retiring in January, he took up campaigning for Clinton, phone banking, canvassing and speaking at house parties about working with her. He points to Trump's lack of experience, to Sen. Bernie Sanders' endorsement and the nearly identical voting record between Sanders and Clinton. To those who call her crooked, he points out that she's never been convicted of even the most minor charge of corruption. Then people accuse her of being establishmentmore of the same.

"When people talk about Bill Clinton's failures and try to project them onto Hillary Clinton, that's the essence of sexism," he says.

If the roles were reversed and an unqualified, inexperienced woman with multiple divorces and no demonstrated ability to pay her taxes or keep businesses out of bankruptcy (remember the critiques in the GOP of Carly Fiorina's prowess, or not, as CEO) ran against a man with a solid resume, no one would take her seriously.

New Mexico Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard, who early returns show winning her bid for re-election, often asks herself if the question she faces in her candidacy would be asked of a man running for the same office. The answer was decidedly "no" when, while campaigning in 2012, her opponent asked how she'd raise her two children on top of working as a school teacher and serving in the state House.

"That never would have been asked of my husband if he ranwith the same kids," she says.

Her campaign responded with '50s-style graphics and a message that declared, "Stephanie can do it all." It was just too ridiculous not to call it out.

Her vision to run began with what she wasn't seeing in New Mexico's state Legislature: anyone who looked like her. She still sees women hesitating to run, and struggling to get comfortable fundraising for their campaigns and even with supporting one another once they're in office.

"I know that we need to change the discussion, but we also need to help women understand they're tougher than they think," she says. Of Clinton, she says, "I love that she's just made of steel.  As a candidate, I admire that toughnessand there's nothing masculine about that."

When Anita Hill's testimony to the Senate Judicial Committee over Clarence Thomas's nomination for the Supreme Court was televised, America saw that the committee was entirely white and male; they had no understanding of what it was to be a woman living in a perpetual rain of condescension and sexual harassment. Women got angry at just the right momentlate fall, when they could still register as candidates and recent redistricting putting an unusually high number of seats into play. They seized an opportunity to take a record number of seats in the US House and Senate.

This election could also prove galvanizing, Walsh says: "Perhaps that's what inspires women to get angry and decide, 'We're going to run.'"



Santa Fe Reporter
Judith Nakamura appeared headed for victory in a nip-and-tuck race for a seat on the New Mexico Supreme Court, and if she maintained a narrow lead into the night would be the first Republican woman to win election to the court.

Judith Nakamura

Gov. Susana Martinez appointed Nakamura, 55, to the Supreme Court after Justice Richard Bossons retirement earlier this year.

According to early, unofficial election night results, about 52 percent of voters favored Nakamura over state Appeals Court Chief Judge Michael Vigil.

Nakamura's apparent victory means the historic 3-2 majority for women on the Supreme Court will likely endure. A victory would cement her place on the state's highest court alongside Justice Barbara Vigil, who appeared to easily have won retention, and Justice Petra Jimenez Maes, who was not up for retention this election cycle.

Julie Vargas

Nakamura was elected to the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court bench in 1998 and, in relatively short order, rose to the chief judgeship there. Martinez appointed her to the District Court in 2013. During her years as a judge in Albuquerque, Nakamura has developed a reputation for tough sentencing and a law-and-order approach in the courtroom.

Among the five justices, she has the most recent and extensive experience as a trial judge. Nakamura will earn an annual salary of $133,000.

Meanwhile, Democrat Julie Vargas appeared to have beaten incumbent Republican Stephen French in the lone New Mexico Court of Appeals race with about 53 percent of the vote, according to early, unofficial totals on election night.

French had been appointed to the seat by Gov. Susana Martinez in February. Previously, he worked as a criminal defense attorney for more than two decades and, later in his career, often represented the city of Albuquerque in civil cases as a contract attorney with his own firm.

French had been Martinez' pick for the Appeals Court. She appointed him to the bench in February. Vargas would now begin work on Jan. 1. She will earn $124,000 a year as a judge on the 10-member Appeals Court, and she will be one of three women among the court's current makeup.

Although judicial races include partisan affiliation for candidates in New Mexico, they are largely considered apolitical contests. However, both Nakamura and French hired Jay McCleskey, Martinez's controversial political adviser and bogeyman of state Democrats, to run their campaigns.



Locked up poor? Not anymore:

Bail bond reformamendments sail through

Voters have overwhelmingly chosen to set a bridle on the role of money in judges' decisions about which defendants stay locked up and which go free before trial in New Mexico.

According to early, unofficial election night results, a change to the state constitution aimed at reforming the use of commercial bail had the support of 88 percent of voters.

Since statehood, the New Mexico Constitution has presumed all defendants are "bailable by sufficient sureties," except in certain capital cases. But reformers say that archaic, broad-brush language led to an over-reliance on so-called "cash or surety bonds," where defendants pay a feeusually around 10 percent of the total amountto a bondsman, who puts up the rest to secure a person's release.

That set up two systems of justiceone for those with money and another for those withoutthat has kept too many poor people accused of minor crimes behind bars before their trials and let too many dangerous people back on the streets because they could raise bail.

The constitutional amendment passed by voters allows judges to deny bail to defendants found dangerous at a pretrial hearing. It also bars judges from holding non-dangerous people in jail simply because they don't have money.

New Mexico joins Colorado, Oregon, New Jersey, Kentucky and Illinois in either discarding or reining in the use of commercial bail. The District of Columbia enacted bail reform 20 years ago.

The decisive victory for the measure belied a bruising battle during the January legislative session. Republicans in the state House threatened to strip the poverty protections from the measure until New Mexico bondsmen and their lobbyists won a concession from Sen. Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) and state Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Daniels, two of New Mexico's leading reform advocates.

At the bondsmens' urging, lawmakers added language that would let judges require that defendants prove they are poor before being released on no bond. That's sure to keep dollars in the pockets of the multi-million-dollar bail bonds industry.

Daniels, whose regular presence at the Roundhouse raised eyebrows, was roughed up by legislators and lobbyists who accused him of everything from logrolling to violating the Judicial Code of Conduct by pushing for change.

It was worth it, Daniels said on election night.

"I'd like to think people looked at it and saw that it made sense," he said. "That's refreshing to see in an election, isn't it?  Now the hard work starts: It's going to take changing some antiquated practices and old habits. It's more of a beginning than an end."

Lawmakers have estimated the new system will reduce the statewide pretrial jail population by 10 percent, saving taxpayers about $18 million annually. But the estimate is based other states' experiences. That's because there are no statewide data that show how many people are sitting in New Mexico's 28 county jails just because they can't afford bail.

During fiscal year 2015, two-thirds of the more than 8,000 people booked into the Santa Fe County jail were being held pretrial. How many of those might be freedor jailed until trial without bailwith the constitutional change is unclear.

The amendment enjoyed broad support at first from groups as disparate as the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, the New Mexico District Attorneys' Association and the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico. However, the ACLU and a defense lawyers group dropped their support after the bondsmens' legislative triumph, fearing the amendment could actually lead to more poor people languishing in jail before trial.

State bondsmens' groups agreed not to oppose the constitutional change, but most in the business never believed the system needed change.



Editor's note: An earlier version of this story misidentified Julie Vargas in the photograph.

Santa Fe Reporter
Maggie Toulouse Oliver, the Bernalillo County Clerk, defeated a state representative to capture the Secretary of States seat two years after she lost an election for the same office.

Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat, earned about 58 percent of the unofficial election night vote, picking up strong support from her home county as well as in Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, San Miguel and other points north. Her opponent, Republican Nora Espinoza, a state legislator from Roswell who gave up her House seat to seek statewide office, did well in her hometown and swaths of oil and gas country.

As New Mexico's Secretary of State, Toulouse Oliver will be administering elections, maintaining business records and performing the duties of the governor when she and her lieutenant are out of state.

"Now we begin the work of ensuring integrity and accountability in the Secretary's office and throughout government in New Mexico," Toulouse Oliver writes in a statement issued as she worked to oversee the ballot-counting process in Albuquerque.

Toulouse Oliver promised to make elections more accessible and to strictly enforce campaign finance laws. New Mexico's last elected secretary of state, Dianna Duran, served time at the Santa Fe County lockup after pleading guilty to corruption and embezzlement. Prosecutors found that Duran illegally used campaign funds to fuel a gambling spree.

While the secretary of state usually serves four-year terms before facing re-election, Duran's resignation in 2015 prompted a special race this cycle.

The candidates disagreed starkly on whether New Mexicans should be required to present photo ID when voting. Espinoza, who ran a campaign centered on the issue, portrayed voter fraud as a problem that such laws would prevent, despite scant evidence that the crime occurs on a widespread basis.

Toulouse Oliver opposes voter ID laws, claiming they would disproportionately impact elderly and low-income voters. At the same time, she supports changes to that would ostensibly increase access to the ballot box. She touts policies like allowing all New Mexican citizens to register to vote online and automatically registering voters who apply for a driver's license.

Donors poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into the race, this year's highest-level statewide contest. Toulouse Oliver raised more than twice as much as her opponent, bringing in more than $700,000.

The race sometimes descended into ugliness. Both candidates' parties filed ethics complaints over the opposition's donor reporting, though neither maneuver stuck. In the last few weeks of the election season, Espinoza aired a misleading ad claiming that her opponent once allowed a dog to register to vote. (Toulouse Oliver investigated and struck the canine from the rolls.) The Democrat, for her part, ran television ads tying Espinoza to Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate.



Santa Fe Reporter
Trump Shocks the World

President Barack Obama has invited Donald Trump to the White House after the Republican shocked the world with

Tuesday night. If you went to bed early,

with Trump's victory speech.

Hillary Clinton supporters are

on FBI Director James Comey this morning.

Libertarian Party nominee

and a little more than 8 percent in New Mexico. The impact of all the third party candidates still isnt clear.

All three of New Mexico's congressional incumbents, Steve Pearce, Michelle Lujan Grisham and Ben Ray Lujan,

.

The Quickest State Election Recap...anywhere

New Mexico Democrats

and kept control of the state Senate. Still, longtime Senate leader

, a political newcomer, and wont return to the Roundhouse in January.

KRQE reports, Now that Democrats have the majority in both the State House and Senate, it may seem like the possibility of passing new policy is promising, but



The governors going to still have veto power and shes going to use it very effectively, so I dont expect there to be major shift or change. In fact, youre just going to have more of the same, a lot of gridlock and not a lot of policy thats going to happen, explained KRQE News 13 political analyst and professor Gabe Sanchez.

Justice Judith Nakamura will

after narrowly defeating Michael Vigil.

Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver

as New Mexico Secretary of State on Jan. 1.

SFR reports that Marco Serna, a Democrat who rose to prominence championing diversion programs for addicts, will be the

for Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties. In Dona Ana County, Mark DAntonio

after defeating Republican challenger Brad Cates.

Voters approved a constitutional amendment to allow judges

to the most dangerous defendants.

Until now, the state constitution guaranteed people the opportunity to get out of jail before trial, with the narrow exception of those accused of the most serious felonies. Critics said the system routinely allowed violent defendants out on the streets.

Voters legalized marijuana for

in California, Nevada and Massachusetts, and for

. In Colorado, voters

that will allow physicians to assist a terminally ill person in dying, but defeated a first-in-the-nation universal health care measure.

Santa Fe Reporter
Mainfreight managing director Don Braid says he will take on more trucks and ships in the lead-up to what he expects to be record pre-Christmas volumes in New Zealand because KiwiRail doesn't have enough rolling stock to deliver services he expected as an investor alongside rail.

Mainfreight said today first-half earnings in New Zealand rose 28 percent to $37 million as sales increased 6.1 percent to $288 million. The company says it is winning market share and volumes are rising in New Zealand. But what's expected to be a record freight load in the run-up to Christmas is "necessitating additional road and coastal shipping resource to offset a lack of rail capacity."

"We have invested in rail service land and now we can't get rail services," Braid told BusinessDesk. "Rail is struggling with lack of capacity to take the work we want to give them, particular in regional."

He said there is inadequate capacity on routes south from Hamilton and Tauranga which force Mainfreight to seek alternatives, which was disappointing. "We've invested quite heavily in new facilities with rail, Hamilton being one of them," he said. The fault lay with a lack of rolling stock.

KiwiRail has been funded by the government to build up its fleet and took delivery of its first new rolling stock in decades starting in 2010. In 2016, it invested $254 million in the renewal and upgrade of network, property and rolling stock. In July, the KiwiRail board approved the purchase of 15 additional DL class locomotives from CRRC Corp subsidiary Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stock for delivery in 2018.

"They are in a process of trying to rebuild rail," Braid said. "They go cap in hand for more capital funding to invest both in the network and the rolling stock. I guess we're in a process here where there has been an improvement in their services. We've committed to use rail more often. But they don't necessarily have the capacity to help us."

Alan Piper, KiwiRails group general manager sales and commercial, said New Zealands freight market is experiencing higher demand this year "which is a reflection of a buoyant local economy".

Our priority this year has been meeting service and capacity requirements for our customers particularly in Auckland, Palmerston North and Christchurch," Piper said. "We are, however, also working with our logistics partners such as Mainfreight to create new capacity between Tauranga, Hamilton and the lower North Island and South Island markets, which are key growth areas for KiwiRail.

In April, the government released the December 2014 KiwiRail Commercial Review, which became the basis for its decision to maintain a national rail network, despite it having no prospect of running profitably. KiwiRail got a two-year, $400 million funding package in Budget 2016 and said at the time that the government's investment in the business had allowed the railway to become "a more efficient and reliable supply chain partner" with a corresponding pickup in freight volumes.

Parts of the commercial review were redacted but among the material that was published, KiwiRail noted that its rail freight customer base "is weighted toward a small number of high-revenue customers".

"Many of these customers have invested alongside rail over recent years in a variety of ways including siding contributions, shed development, capital contributions to rolling stock and take or pay agreements," the review said. "This is particularly true in the domestic freight market where modal options, capacity utilisation, price management and operational performance are critical opportunities (and risks)."

It also said that when KiwiRail started in 2008/2009 it owned "a fleet of rolling stock which was weighted towards the end of its economic life and prone to unreliability" while its locomotive fleet had an average age of 45, "resulting in poor reliability and costly and time-consuming maintenance requirements." The review also noted average 5 percent annual growth in domestic freight volumes over the previous five years, which was "a direct result of the investment it has made in rolling stock and improvements to the level of service KiwiRail provides."

Part of its strategy is to reduce the number of classes of rolling stock in its fleet to reap benefits from more standardised equipment.

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Inland Revenue says it's in talks with foreign tax departments including the UK's HM Revenue & Customs as it steps up efforts to recover money owed by overseas-based student loan borrowers.

Kiwis living overseas accounted for more than 90 percent of the $1.07 billion in overdue repayments to the Student Loan Scheme as at June 30. Some $15.34 billion is owed under the scheme by 731,754 borrowers, of which overseas borrowers owe 21 percent, or $3.24 billion by 110,739.

Earlier this month, IRD said an information exchange agreement with the Australian Tax Office (ATO) had identified 10,400 student loan borrowers living across the Tasman, and it would contact them about repaying their loans. At the finance and expenditure select committee this morning, National MP Chris Bishop asked whether that debt collection could be extended to other similar jurisdictions like the UK or Canada.

"We are already working with some of those parties and indeed have debt collection agencies working in those countries," commissioner and chief executive Naomi Ferguson said.

Deputy commissioner Arlene White told the committee the department was talking to the UK's HMCR "right now, and we're looking at a bilateral that we could engage with them and share data with them."

"It's always a matter of them wanting to share with us," she said. "Around 65 percent of overseas-based borrowers are in Australia so we do think we're getting the majority of them, but other jurisdictions are also part of our planning."

In 2014, the government amended the Student Loan Scheme Act to allow for the border arrest of borrowers in default on their loan repayments. The first arrest under this amendment was made in January this year, with two further arrests since.

Ferguson said there had been a 17 percent increase in loan repayments from overseas borrowers in the year to June 30, and IRD had been working to better communicate with borrowers and make it easier for them to repay their debt, but couldn't say whether there had been an increase in the second half of the financial year after the first arrest was publicised in January.

"We certainly have an increased amount of contact from overseas-based borrowers following the arrest at the border, as we continue to grow our social communications," White said.

Green MP James Shaw asked whether the new IT system the IRD is in the process of building would be able to handle a progressive rate of repayments for loan borrowers, as one hypothesis was that a variable rate would encourage low earners to stay and make repayments sooner. Ferguson said the system would be able to do that, but not for the next couple of years.

"The new system has got the ability for us to be more flexible in how we are thinking about tax administration," she said.

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Prime Minister John Key said the government is moving closer to making a decision on how to fund additional infrastructure needed to cater for record tourism inflows.

New Zealand tourism arrivals rose 11 percent to a record 3.4 million in the year through September, and Key, who is also the country's Tourism Minister, told the Tourism Summit Aotearoa at Te Papa in Wellington that more infrastructure spending is needed to cater for the growth.

"I dont think theres much doubt that theres the need for greater investment in infrastructure in tourism," Key told the Summit. Doing nothing wasn't an option because "I don't think you can sustain going to 3 to 4 to 5 million tourists and not be frankly building more toilets and more facilities and all this sort of stuff."

Key noted that there were many "great opportunities" for further development for tourist activities but local councils may not be able to respond to quickly enough or be able to fund them on their own.

Consultancy firm McKinsey & Co is preparing a report for an industry group, spearheaded by Air New Zealand, on infrastructure demands around New Zealand and funding options which is expected to be presented to the government before Christmas. Key said it identified about 50 potential projects and looked at how other countries funded such developments.

The government is likely to take some time to consider the report, which will be publicly available before it makes a call on how to proceed, he said.

"The question then becomes how much money do you need, what would you allow it to be used for, and who would decide, and then the last bit is how would you fund it."

"Around the world as I understand it, there are a range of different models," Key said, noting potential options included the introduction of differential pricing, which could see tourists pay for attractions such as national parks, a departure tax, bed tax, or tourism levy.

He said the decisions were "quite tricky", as some tourism areas requiring infrastructure such as Franz Josef and Fox Glacier could miss out on funding if a bed tax was spent in the area where it's earned, benefiting destinations such as Queenstown. If a departure tax were introduced, how would funding for projects be decided and would it capture everyone or just foreign passport holders, he queried.

Key said such small charges were unlikely to have any great impact on visitor numbers.

Still, some argued that charging extra fees was "too difficult" and the government "should just pony up and put the money in" given it earned nearly $1 billion in GST from tourism, he said. However, he said there was a risk future governments could place less emphasis on tourism and cut back funding. While the government could direct funds to one-off projects, it wasn't fast enough or consistent enough, he said.

Key said international visitors were ambassadors for the country and the sector needed to ensure they had a good experience, as they could communicate broadly and quickly through social media to other potential travellers.

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New Zealand has delayed cracking down on multinational tax avoidance due to private sector concerns over timing and concerns about "scaring away" foreign investment, the Inland Revenue Department says.

Wide-ranging reforms to corporate tax rules proposed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), known as the base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) project, target global tax losses estimated at US$100 billion to US$240 billion a year, or between 4 percent and 10 percent of global corporate tax revenue.

At Parliament's finance and expenditure committee this morning, Labour's finance spokesman Grant Robertson said papers from the IRD released under the Official Information Act indicated the department was working with the government on the introduction of an OECD recommendation of capping tax deductions on interest paid to a maximum of 30 percent of earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation.

The papers indicated that would happen this year and public consultation would finish in September, Robertson said, but public consultation is now due to happen early next year.

David Carrigan, the acting deputy commissioner for policy and strategy, said the IRD needed to do more work on the proposal and they hadn't wanted to overwhelm private sector stakeholders.

"To make these new laws work, we need the full support of the private sector stakeholders, both to provide technical support and also to make sure the laws practically will work," Carrigan said. "It was just trying to manage the workflow for them."

"We've released a very technical document on hybrid mismatch arrangements which they're already trying to absorb, and even for the private sector tax community that's a difficult proposal, so it was really trying to sequence things in a more manageable way."

Hybrid mismatches are one of the main strategies used by multinationals to avoid tax, where companies use hybrid financial instruments to take advantages of misaligned tax treatments in two or more countries to make profits disappear - essentially achieving double non-taxation. IRD released a discussion document on hybrid mismatch arrangements in September.

Robertson said New Zealand seems to be "dragging our feet and asking the turkeys to organise Christmas", but Carrigan assured him it was a priority.

"We think this is a great opportunity to think about ways we can buttress our rules around the ways multinationals stream profits out of New Zealand. I can provide you with that assurance, and we're looking at it early next year," Carrigan said.

Green Party co-leader and finance spokesman James Shaw said Australia and France were moving ahead with implementing the OECD's recommendations, and asked whether this was a bad idea.

IRD commissioner Naomi Ferguson said New Zealand's international and domestic tax rules "are pretty robust" and the department didn't believe there was significant tax at risk.

"We have over many years shown our appetite to look at issues of international tax avoidance and tackle them operationally," Ferguson said. "We believe operating with others is more appropriate for the nature of the New Zealand economy and our international trade and export business - obviously a number are multinationals that operate overseas, and we want to make sure we continue to support them as much as protect the tax base here."

Carrigan said the UK had introduced diverted profit taxes, which the IRD was unconvinced by at this stage.

"We think the better way to go is to take the rules we've already got and strengthen those," he said. "The diverted profit taxes are separated penal taxes outside of the normal treaty system that the UK and Australia go with, and are reasonably radical."

"In some ways, it's better to watch and see how that goes than be the first mover. We're a small open economy, we do require investment, there's a balance between getting the appropriate amount of tax and scaring away foreign investment."

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Mobile health solutions company Vensa Health is offering doctors a free system that allows patients to book their own appointments via the web or mobile following the launch of its new online platform.

The Auckland-based company founded nearly 10 years ago already has 70 percent of GP practices nationwide using its text message-based appointment reminder, TXT2Remind.

Vensa Health chief executive and founder Ahmad Jubbawey said the online booking system will be made available free to GPs whether or not they are existing customers of the text messaging service which operates on a subscription-as-a-service model.

Hes not charging for the new appointment booking service in order to build up user numbers and prove its reliability and ease of use before launching in Australia late next year. We think the market there is ripe for innovation, he said.

Its the first product on the new Vensa.com platform, the result of an 18-month research and development project, supported in part by a Callaghan Innovation growth grant.

Jubbawey wants to slowly pivot the companys business model from software-as-a-service, which has proven to be a slow burn in a cash-strapped health sector, to offering a free product and then charging for value-add services on top. Those new services will be introduced in the second quarter of next year and he said Vensa has a pipeline of other apps that can be added to the platform.

Patients can select their preferred doctor or nurse online and see which appointments are available in real time, any time of the day and then book via the secure website.

The existing text-messaging service will be retained and can be used in conjunction with the booking system. For example, a patient may get a text reminder their baby needs to be immunised that contains a link the parent can click on to make an immediate booking.

Jubbawey said the focus has been on making the set-up simple to encourage GP practices and patients to use the service. Currently, around 180,000 people are using other primary care patient portals that have been set up in recent years which is a poor uptake, he says.

One of the companys key drivers is to improve patient access to healthcare, including men reluctant to visit the doctor.

Mission Bay Doctors in Auckland was one of the GP practices in the software's beta testing programme. Medical director Dr Jamie Shepherd, who also acted Vensa's clinical adviser, said patients have commented they like being able to see what appointments are available and to then book one at a time that suits them quickly and simply.

To date, Jubbawey has mainly boot-strapped the company over the past decade but says hell seek investor capital for next years export push into Australia. A miserable lack of venture capital funding in New Zealand may make that difficult, he said, but he hopes by then the service will have demonstrated a high value to users.

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Fonterra Cooperative Group chief executive Theo Spierings said two startups have been established within the diary giant as a result of its innovation pilot Disrupt.

Speaking at the Future of Food Forum in Auckland today in front of the visiting Dutch royals, Dutch-born Spierings said there was a major opportunity through innovation within the agriculture sector given the challenge to feed the world with a 100 percent increase in food demand by 2050.

Some 700 Fonterra managers and staff from three markets have been involved in Disrupt which is aimed at developing the best of a bunch of internal ideas. Fonterra has said from the original 110 startups ideas submitted from the cooperatives 20,000 staff, 50 submissions were narrowed down to 11 to compete in a hackathon, where teams of programmers and designers work collaboratively over a short period of time to develop an idea. A few were then selected to go into a formal acceleration programme.

Top management made decisions last month on which proposals would be taken further but the company is keeping tight-lipped at this stage on how many, what the ideas have been, or the funding made available to develop them.

Spierings said today the incubator within the company complemented the work of its 350 staff at the Palmerston North-based research and development centre.

His list of innovation opportunities for the dairy sector through to 2050 included smart precision farming to revolutionise on-farm productivity though he said the Netherlands was well ahead of New Zealand in this area.

Other opportunities included 3D printing to transform the food service supply chain, genetic mapping to enable individually tailored medical nutrition, block chain to revolutionise food traceability, and digital and e-commerce.

Spierings also talked about the talent opportunity with the quality of any company based on the quality of its people, and the need to cultivate diversity of age and gender. In a media interview last year he said setting up groups of 20 to 25-year-olds in hubs in different markets to produce new ideas was something he had done in his previous company where they used the same approach to develop a baby food brand.

Fonterras global strategy is based around providing nutrition in a range of circumstances including making it affordable to the poor, he said.

The cooperative's New Zealand farmer shareholders produced 20 billion litres of milk, double the amount of the Netherlands, though production will be down this season due to farmers cutting back on supplementary feeding. Its other milk pools produced 5 billion litres collectively.

Spierings said the strategy was based on matching demand growth to the best source of supply with the New Zealand home market supplemented by five offshore milk pools in South America; in Chile and possibly going to Argentina, the US, Europe, China and Australia.

Food security was another big issue for consumers which is why there was also an opportunity for Fonterra around trust, he said. Last week the cooperative introduced a new global food quality seal  Trusted Goodness  that is being rolled out worldwide, including on Anchor fresh milk sold in New Zealand.

The label also says From Pure New Zealand which plays on Tourism New Zealands 100% Pure branding and follows Fonterra farmers having spent more than $1 billion on environmental initiatives over the past five years, including fencing 97 percent of defined waterways.

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The government has lifted funding for new apprenticeships and is looking at ways to reduce the country's reliance foreign workers as it prepares to adjust immigration policy settings to try to make the workforce better.

Ministers Steven Joyce and Michael Woodhouse today updated the 'Building Skilled and Safe Workplaces' chapter in the government's Business Growth Agenda outlining a series of initiatives to develop the nation's labour market and raise productivity. Among those was an increase in the apprenticeship target to have 50,000 in training by 2020, which attracted an extra $10 million on top of what was announced in the budget to add 1,400 places next year.

The chapter describes a new sector workforce engagement programme where the government has engaged with the building, tourism, dairy, horticulture/viticulture, and transport industries to try and match skilled staff to local employers, with a priority on New Zealanders in lieu of immigration.

At the same time, the chapter signals a government review of immigration policy over the next year will seek to "to improve the long-term labour market contribution of temporary and permanent migration", name-checking temporary work settings to increase incentives for firms to hire and train locals, and skilled migrant settings to give priority to higher-skilled and higher-paid migrants.

Immigration Minister Woodhouse's reduced planning range for residence approvals and higher barriers to skilled migrants announced last month were a precursor to the latest review, and came at a time when the record inflow of net migration was blamed for driving up house prices in Auckland, where there's a shortage of supply, while at the same time keeping a lid on wages due to a larger workforce.

The government also announced two new Auckland jobs and skill hubs with the release of the chapter, which are partnerships with local government, businesses, tertiary and training organisations to provide wraparound services where large projects create job opportunities.

The chapter comes after the opposition Labour Party released the results of its two-year 'Future of Work Commission', which unveiled a raft of policy proposals to deal with the changing nature of the labour market.

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By 2 a.m., most people knew it was over, but a few were still holding outat the Javits Center, Hillary Clinton's campaign chair John Podesta told tearful supporters the race was still too close to call. "We can wait a little longer, can't we?" he asked. Meanwhile, at a watch party in Tampa, Florida hosted by the Hillsborough County Republicans, Donald Trump's most ardent supporters were sick of waiting.

"All you fucking liberal networks are so scared to fucking do it," one man shouted at the television. "Let us celebrate and burn the fucking streets down! What are we waiting for? Seal the fucking deal!"

The energy at the Hideaway bar in Tampa's Channelside district was more than triumphantthe 60 or so people in the bar were ecstatic, but that didn't stop their anger from shining through.

Since 8 p.m., every time a state was called, or even predicted, for Trump, the crowd would erupt into a cheer. Sometimes, the cheer was interrupted by a chant: "USA! USA!", "Drain the swamp!" and "Lock her up!" were the most common.

The bar's patio entrance was full of red and blue balloons, Trump campaign memorabilia, and even a Trump/Pence flag. Inside, supporters were decked out in red, white, and blue. Some wore "Make America Great Again" hats. One man wore a balloon hat twisted into the shape of Donald Trump.

Another woman wore a similar hat, but hers showed a handcuffed Hillary Clinton in prison attire. That woman, another reporter later told me, had referred to refugees as "rape-fugees." She was ecstatic over the prospect of a Trump victory.

Unlike New York's Trump supportersmany of whom are "closeted" and fear being outed or photographedalmost everyone at the Hideaway wanted to get their picture taken. They wanted their victory to be documented.

"I want someone who doesn't apologize for the U.S. being strong. Obama's been doing that for the last eight years," Rosana Celder, 47, told me. Originally from Marlboro, New Jersey, Celder had moved to Tampa 16 years ago. "We shouldn't apologize for being successfulother countries should try to be like us!" she added. "Hillary should not be the first woman president. She's an embarrassment to women. Smart women, we vote for Trump."

"Yeah, Trump!" a woman standing by the bar told Celder. "Sorry to interrupt, but you just made such great points. Smart women vote Trump!" They high-fived.

Amy Schramack, 66, agreed. Schramack said she was a lifelong Democrat but refused to vote for Clinton. "I switched parties to vote for Trump in the primaries," she said. "My husband and I have been married for 48 years, and we had never worked on a campaign until now."

She noticed the "I Voted!" sticker on my chest. I planned to take it off before arriving, but had forgotten.

"Who did you vote for? I hope you didn't vote for Hillary!" she said. "She wants to do so many bad thingsare you worried about our national security? She wants to let more refugees in! And you know, there are a few bad apples in every religionbut only Muslims have sharia law."

Around 11 p.m. they brought out a cake. It was simple; vanilla with white frosting and "Donald Trump 2016" written on it. Schramack and other volunteers handed out plates to anyone within reach.

Hillsborough County's Republicans were celebrating a win that, despite their hopes, was unexpected and unprecedented. The county itselfa bellwether which has predicted all but one presidential election since 1928went blue. But you'd never know that from inside the bar. Projections, polling, and expectations were all proven wrongand Trump and his supporters were finally being validated.

"That part of Florida," a man said while pointing at a shot of the electoral map broken down into counties, "and that little bit of south Texas. The northeast. California. We should just bomb all that shit."
Hours of tense huddling, kneeling, pacing, fist pumping and embracing in front of television monitors across Midtown gave way to tears and loud cheering as Republican nominee Donald Trump secured the presidency of the United States early this morning, defeating Hillary Clinton.

"I'm feeling fucking amazing," Murray Hill resident Jerry Paul Pio, 26, said, as the final votes came in. He stood with a contingent of selfie-taking Trump fans across the street from Trump's Hilton Hotel victory party on Sixth Avenue. "Honestly, I think he's a genius who's been planning this for the last 30 years, and every single fuck-up along the way was a part of the master plan, which worked."

Nearby, two dozen anti-Trump activists gathered just before 1:30 a.m., waving signs and chanting for an end to corporate money in politics. Some in the group wore Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein campaign buttons. Protesters banged drums and relentlessly screamed "Fuck Trump!"

At Rockefeller Center, hundreds of predominantly pro-Clinton New Yorkers expressed worry, disgust and numbness as Pennsylvania, then Wisconsin, were called for Trump. With every new report of Clinton's worsening prospects, a handful of people stood up and walked away: mostly silent, many crying.

Forest Hills resident Mimi Levitan was nervously smiling at 11:20 p.m., but said she had given up all hope by 1:00 a.m. "I'm kind of finding it hard to swallow right now," she said. "Trump scares me as our president. He has run a divisive campaign and he'll run a divisive country."

Trump, the first man without any governmental or military experience to be elected president in the United States, won 276 electoral votes to Clinton's 218. But the race was too close to call for hours after the polls closed, with neck-and-neck returns seesawing battleground states past midnight.

Earlier in the evening, New Yorkers and out-of-town visitors said that Midtown felt quiet, almost eerie. "You can hear a pin drop," said Chris Rioux, a Clinton voter from Chicago, standing in Times Square around 9:30 p.m. "I think there's a palpable nervousness in the air right now."

Pockets of dedicated support for both candidates were established by 7:00 p.m. and grew steadily throughout the night. Hundreds of Trump supporters filled a plaza in front of the News Corporation building on Sixth Avenue between 47th and 48th Streets, crowding the sidewalk by midnight despite police crowd-control efforts. Make America Great Again hats were popular in the front rows. A block west, the standing-room Rockefeller Plaza crowd crammed between two large monitors. Clinton supporters packed the Javits Center.

Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue and the New York Hilton on Sixth were heavily barricaded with police fencing and bumper-to-bumper Sanitation trucks throughout the night. At 8:00 p.m., and again at 10:30 p.m., the sidewalk crowd across the street from Trump Tower was thin, with a few Trump supporters holding signs in a police pen and people fanned out along the sidewalk staring at their phones. After the election was called, a small but euphoric group of young supporters posed for photos and spoke to reporters from outlets around the world. "Finally, something for ussomething that makes us happy!" one young black man shouted as he high-fived a few white Trump supporters.



Clinton supporters watch the final results come in at Rockefeller Center (Scott Heins/Gothamist).

Many of the Trump voters we spoke to on Tuesday night called for stronger national borders. Most were skeptical of Muslims and harbored strong anti-government sentiment, along with a desire to upend the current political system.

Trump's campaign, launched with xenophobic, racist statements about Mexican immigrants and Muslims and the pledge to build a wall along the Mexican border, was punctuated with the candidate's firm dismissal of numerous sexual assault allegations and investigations into his money handling. Voters on both sides questioned the motives of the Democratic establishment, while Clinton denounced Trump's divisiveness and faced a steady stream of inquiries into her private email server.

Gio Zanecchia, an auto mechanic from Point Pleasant, New Jersey, wore a Bernie Sanders hat. "I think the establishment is unwinding and unraveling, and I think a lot of people's jaws are dropping," he said. "I'm here for the United States, and everything it was born from, which was a revolution against the establishment."

"Right now we need good leadership, tough talk, and a guy who won't back down. And that's Donald Trump," added New Jersey Trump voter Winston Hahne. "We need a shake up."

"I don't let the media dictate anything in my life," said 32-year-old Trump supporter Tonye-Dmitrias Vickers. "As a black person coming from the inner city, I was born and raised in Brownsville, one of the most roughest, toughest most dangerous inner cities in New York City. And when he says we have nothing to lose to put trust in him, I say damn right. We have nothing to lose."

Samantha Orlando, 24, wore bright red lipstick and a red blazer to match her MAGA hat. She and her mother Elise had come into Manhattan from Staten Island for the night, and booked a room at the Hilton to "be a part of that."

"I've been pro-Trump since the primaries last year," Orlando said. "He doesn't so much offend me with the things he says and does, because I'm a New Yorker and that's really nothing to me. But what offends me more is, you know, issues of national security."



A Trump Supporter on 6th Avenue refreshed election news on his phone moments before Trump clinched 270 electoral college votes. (Scott Heins/Gothamist)

Clinton supporters expressed fear: for their own safety, and for the safety of friends and loved ones who they felt Trump specifically targeted with his rhetoric.

Sarah Misch, 26, sat on the ground at Rockefeller Center shortly after midnight, hugging her knees to her chest. "I feel like we were in this bubble and I had no idea there was an audience for what Trump is peddling," she said. "At this scale. I didn't know."

Catherine, a Clinton voter from the Bronx, said that she relies on both Medicare and Medicaid to treat her disability and make ends meet. "I'm pretty scared," she said. "As somebody who's poor and does depend on certain government programs, those could be ripped to shreds or cut down and that could seriously affect my life."

"I'm not really scared for me," said Morgan Vandurzen, 22, from Wisconsin. "I'm a straight, white woman. What's really going to happen to me? But I'm scared for minorities and my friends who are gay and disabled."

Earlier in the evening, a group of Irish students said they feared the international ripple effect of a Trump presidency. "There was Brexit, and there could be this [Trump victory], and that could also decide what way France votes [in its upcoming election]," said Gavin Welsh. "Because that's kind of the rise of the right wing. It's very global." Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of France's far-right, anti-immigration National Front party has since tweeted his congratulations.

With Trump's victory all but sealed, Levitan, the Clinton supporter at Rockefeller Center, said she was determined to get more involved in politics.

"If we want to make changes then we need to continue to speak up for it and not let him take charge," she said. "I think that for myself, if Hillary had won I probably would've sat back a little bit more and felt relief. But with Trump in, I'm not gonna sit back. Now we have to do something about it. And pray."

Celebrating his candidate's victory a few blocks away, Brooklyn resident and Trump supporter Chris George said he was concerned about the divisiveness of the election. "I can't say I'm happy about it," he said. "I think it's reality. We're going to have to work through it. I absolutely do want some cooperation across the aisle. However, I'm not predicting it."

Additional reporting by Scott Heins and Dave Colon.
For All U of U Health Patients & Visitors
An old-fashioned musical 45 Minutes From Broadway is this years Cross Town Play, combining talents of 40 drama students from both Capital and Helena High schools.

It opens 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 10, and Friday, Nov.11, at CHS, and then moves across town next week to Helena Middle School at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17 and Friday, Nov. 18.

The musical by George M. Cohan is a charming, patriotic romp, said Laura Brayko, Capital High School drama teacher and assistant director.

It happens to be a favorite of play director and HHS drama teacher Rob Holter, who was looking for a fun play with some big, foot-tapping musical numbers.

It has a great script and is a great musical, Holter said. George M. Cohan is one of the greatest of all American theater icons. And this is the most accessible show of all.

I was looking for a great musical that hasnt been overdone to death.

Its a great piece of music. It has most of the really famous Cohan tunes.

This adapted script by June Walker Rogers, updates the original 1906 Cohan script to more contemporary times, said Holter, all with the blessings of the Cohan estate.

The action follows the handsome young actor-turned-millionaire, Tom Bennett, as he juggles his fiance, his future mother-in-law and a charming maid who catches his eye.

Its a simple charming love story, said Brayko. Theres some fun vaudeville humor. Theres a lot of Abbot Costello kind of humor.

The kids are not only picking up on the jokes, said Holter, but he hears them repeating a lot of them.

I think it is a humor that is most welcome, said Brayko. There are some great one liners.

The music is really catchy, said Holter, and much of it, to the surprise of some students, rather cheeky and racey.

The songs include such hits as Give My Regards to Broadway, Youre a Grand Ol Flag, and Yankee Doodle Dandy.

The musical was immortalized by James Cagney in the 1942 film, Yankee Doodle Dandy, said Brayko.

Once again choral teachers from both high schools, Thomas Baty and Molly Steele, are joining forces on directing the music.

This is the 14th crosstown play and it remains popular with theater students from both schools.

Its a great place for kids from across town to meet each other ... that gets everyone working cooperatively, said Holter. Theres no huge competition here as to whose better. Were all number one -- not one team or another.

Weve got seniors from both sides of town -- theres some really neat senior talent, said Holter.

This is a fun way to get to know the kids from across town, adds Brayko. It continues through the year. When we go the thespian festival in February we cheer each other on, which draws compliments from other districts and festival organizers at the University of Montana. Supposed rivals are the loudest cheering sections for each other.

Tickets are $6 for general seating and are available at the door. On Nov. 11, military members and their families get in for $3 each, in honor of Veterans Day.
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS (AP)  Golden eagles, hawks and falcons zoom over Montana along mountain ridges, taking advantage of powerful updraft winds during their annual fall migration to warmer climates.

"If you're not looking for it, you're not going to notice it," said Steve Hoffman, executive director of Montana Audubon, the bird conservation organization.

One place to see the action is south of Duck Creek Pass in the southern end of the Big Belt Mountains in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, 19 miles west of White Sulphur Springs.

More golden eagles are using the Big Belts flyway during fall migration than any other location in the Lower 48, Hoffman says.

"Damn. You have to love it," Hoffman said at the site recently.

He was peering through a $3,500 pair of binoculars, watching a northern harrier, a type of hawk, swoop overhead. He could have seen the bird with the naked eye it was so close.

By day's end, 70 birds of prey were counted, including 31 golden eagles.

It was a slow day.

Through Sept. 26, 973 birds, including 431 golden eagles, had been counted since Sept. 1.

Migration comes in waves, Hoffman noted.

"It's probably going to be the best golden eagle site in the Lower 48," Hoffman said of the numbers that are being counted in the Big Belts.

And the public can witness the traffic at the rare bird bottleneck because it's not difficult to reach the mountainside location where two observers are counting the birds as part of a golden eagle migration survey.

The accessibility to a major raptor migration route is rare, too, Hoffman said.

"We've had them at 20 yards," Ronan Dugan said.

It's the second year working as a raptor migration observer for Dugan, who is from Scotland. Pay is $50 bucks a day. He lives in a camper with a leaking roof and hikes up the mountain to work each day.

Golden eagles are the most common travelers, but all kinds of raptors fly through, from vultures to osprey to northern goshawks.

"This is our office," said Dugan, his arm gesturing to the sky.

For him, one of the most amazing parts of the job is viewing immature bald eagles, with white still on their wings, that were on the nest just a few months ago in Canada and Alaska.

Dugan and co-worker Jeff Grayum scan the sky with binoculars, or the valley below.

It's their job to count every raptor they see. They also attempt to determine the age and sex.

***

Montana Audubon is partnering with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, the U.S. Forest Service and Last Chance Gulch Audubon, in the migration survey, which began in 2015.

The primary objective is to measure long-term population trends of golden eagles using the Big Belt Mountains flyway.

"Look at that. Oh, boy," says Pat Grantham, a birder from Clancy who drove a four-wheeler up the mountain to spend the day watching birds.

It's a golden eagle.

"Another bird down low," Grayum announces, alerting the others to another raptor that's flown into view.

The bird-watching bivouac is at an elevation of 8,340 feet.

That's high enough that bird-watchers sometimes look down at the birds.

In Montana, 17 species of diurnal raptors, which are active during the day, are known to migrate through the state or spend time here.

Every one has been documented in the Big Belts, but golden eagles are the undisputed stars in the sky because of their size. As adults, they weigh 9 to 14 pounds with wingspans of 6 feet.

Crows that occasionally chase them look like songbirds by comparison.

"We're not talking about pigeons here," Hoffman said.

Golden eagles are considered "charismatic fauna" because of their widespread popular appeal, just like wolves, elk or grizzly bears, Hoffman says.

They can reach speeds of 100 mph when they dive, tucking their wings and falling like rocks to surprise prey such as jackrabbits, ground squirrels and occasionally a wild turkey.

"They're representative of wild places," Hoffman said.

***

For the past 25 years, one of the most important places for monitoring migrating golden eagles in the western United States has been the Bridger Mountains, northeast of Bozeman and 60 miles south-southeast of the Big Belts.

The most significant outcome of the long-term study was a 40 percent decline in counts of migrating golden eagles along the flyway since the late 1990s.

That decline stopped around 2010, Hoffman said, but it's still important to keep an eye on the population because raptors are excellent environmental indicators because they are sensitive to habitat change.

The estimated golden eagle population in North America is 80,000 to 100,000, with most of the birds located in western North America.

In Montana, they are listed as a "species of concern."

"Only in a few places do they migrate through those very narrow corridors," Hoffman said.

The spine of the Rocky Mountains is a general migration corridor for raptors traveling from Alaska and Canada to the southwestern United States and even Mexico, Hoffman said.

Orographic lift occurs along the Rockies. That's when air is forced from a low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain.

"They can just fly hundreds of miles without flapping," Hoffman said.

Lift from the mountain winds allows the birds to conserve energy and reduce their caloric intake during the migration, Hoffman said.

"They're more dependent on ridge lift, strong ridge lift, than any of the raptors," Hoffman says of golden eagles, which expend more energy hunting than smaller, nimbler raptors.

Constriction points are located along the general migration route, and the Big Belts is one of those areas.

Birds follow ridge lines.

And the Big Belt Mountains are a relatively isolated range, oriented along a northwest to southeast axis, with a single, narrow ridge line, as opposed to multiple ridge lines that would give the birds more than one route to travel.

"It leads the birds into a narrow funnel," said Hoffman, comparing the mountain range to an hourglass.

Persistent, strong southwesterly winds, presumably due to a "lake effect" from Canyon Ferry Reservoir, also buffet the mountains.

***

Employees with the Raptor View Research Institute in Missoula first noted the high number of raptors when they were banding some golden eagles south of the Big Belts. They passed along the information to Hoffman.

In 2014, Hoffman, Dan Ellison, a member of the Helena City Commission and an avid birder, and Ellison's wife, Jane Fournier, took a look.

"The birds just kept coming," Ellison said.

In 6 hours, they counted 284 golden eagles. Ellison called it a once-in-a-lifetime day.

Based on that experience, an abbreviated counting season was conducted over 47 days in 2015, and observers saw 4,318 raptors, including 2,630 golden eagles.

It was the highest passage rate for golden eagles of any of the Rocky Mountain migration sites south of Canada, suggesting the Big Belt Mountains flyway would be a prime location for studying the movements and population.

All 17 species of diurnal raptors in the state were observed  in a single day, on Sept. 23.

On Oct. 7, 392 raptors, including 329 golden eagles, were counted.

More golden eagles were counted in the abbreviated 2015 season than the combined number of golden eagles counted at four other locations in Montana where migrating raptors are monitored.

The first full season of counting in the Big Belts was launched this year beginning Sept. 1. It will continue until Nov. 5.

Peak migration will occur over the next few weeks.

On a recent Monday, five people were hunkered down with binoculars and cameras, sun screen slathered on their faces and stocking caps covering their heads on the exposed face of the mountain.

***

Grayum and Dugan are on the job from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

It's not easy to identify some of the quick-moving birds that seem to appear out of nowhere.

"They don't come back for a second look," said Ellison.

Some of the birds are drawn to the spot by a decoy of a great-horned owl posted at the top of a white-bark pine, its head swiveling in the wind.

Even though the raptors are just passing through, they have a strong instinct to chase the owl away because great-horned owls are their No. 1 enemy. At night, owls will pick off raptors on the roost or take their chicks from the nest.

At 2:25 p.m. Hoffman asked for a bird count. Just then, the northern harrier swooped in. Also known as a marsh hawk, it weighs less than a pound and has a 3- to 3-foot wing span. It lives on valley bottoms and marshes. Here it was soaring in through the Montana mountains.
BENGALURU: After the end of Diwali celebrations, Delhi-NCR experienced an extreme rise in the pollution levels and is striving to control it by employing almost every possible technique. In an attempt to avoid further complications and protect employees amidst the emergency-like situation, corporate firms are installing air purifiers in offices. Some companies are also providing masks and asking their employees to work from home. Schools, colleges and construction sites have been shut down temporarily.

We have installed air purifiers across all our offices. We don't want to take any chance with regard to our team's health," states Manish Sharma, President of Panasonic India, to Economic Times (ET).

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder and CEO of Paytm accepts the fact that clean air is important for a healthy life. He also says that the existence of mankind primarily depends on clean air, let alone all other forms of growth and achievements.

Talking about the critical situation, Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Manipal Global Education Services requested the people with young children to leave the city. According to Mohandas, to control the situation, activities such as burning of paddy husks and construction works must be banned for at least 15 days.

Reports from the ET also suggest that American Tower Corporation (ATC) will effectively announce flexible working hours for employees by next week. Furthermore, tech giants such as Google, LG Electronics India, Panasonic and Huawei have already installed air purifiers in their Delhi offices.

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BENGALURU: Google is the most widely used search engine today. Millions of people, from students to scientists use Google search for various reasons, but most of the users may not be using the full potential of this search engine. The Google search engine has numerous tricks up its sleeve that can be used to optimize the search for a most accurate result. Take a look at some of the simple tips for a better Google search.

While searching, if you are not quite sure of the key words, then add one or two potential variations of your search content with | symbol or an or between the search terms. For example, use Rakesh Singh or Gupta if you are not sure of the full name.

When searching for a website on a specific subject, use ~ for a better result. For example, use EMI ~ car loan for better results for car loan EMI calculators. Likewise, when searching for a particular article from a specific website, type the address of the site and then add the keyword.

For a better result when you are not sure of the full keyword, use * symbol for the missing phrase. Similarly, if a significant part of the search keyword is missing, just type the first and last words with AROUND + (approximate number of missing words) at the centre.

While searching for information on events that occurred during a certain period of time, add three dots between the search dates. To search the key words and name of an article, type 'intitle:' before the search term.

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BENGALURU: Zomato, online restaurant discovery and delivery firm is now planning to invest in new businesses such as cloud kitchens. In the past 12 months, the company has managed to boost its revenue and cut down the burn rate. Moving ahead of the feat, the Gurugram-based company is now working towards raising a new funding round.

Reports from two sources familiar with the development process states that Morgan Stanely, the global investment bank is all set to raise the new financial round for Zomato; supporting this new initiative. Although specific details about the investment are still unknown, it can be expected to be greater than the previous $60 million investment raised by the firm in September 2015.

In a recent interview, Deepinder Goyal, CEO of Zomato says, Investor interest in the last 2-3 months has been very high. We were planning to start fundraising in March-April next year, but given the inbound interest, it made sense to start now.

Looking forward, Zomato plans to use half of the investment for the food delivery business, and the other half for the expansion of new business processes such as table reservations and special deals offered by restaurants. The company also plans to launch cloud kitchens for the delivery business. Ignoring fixed costs, the process of cloud kitchen involves leasing space and inviting the restaurants to set up a kitchen.

Considering the current situation, Zomato is processing about 1.5-million orders a month along with a growth of 20 pct every month.

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From the Ebola virus to now president-elect Donald Trump, "The Simpsons" has once again proven to be a predictor of the future.

In the episode "Bart to the Future," which aired in March 2000, newly elected President Lisa Simpson talks about inheriting a debt-ridden country from her predecessor Donald Trump.

"Just seemed like the logical last stop before hitting bottom," episode writer Dan Greaney told The Guardian in March as Trump's presidential run was escalating. "It was pitched because it was consistent with the vision of America going insane."

It wasn't the only time "The Simpsons" nailed it. As YouTube channel MindChop points out, other eerily accurate predicts from the long-running cartoon series include a book called "Curious George and the Ebola Virus" being shown to a sick Bart in 1997. The Ebola outbreak happened in March 2014.

In addition to Trump and Ebola, MindChop makes eight other observations "The Simpsons" may have predicted, ranging from the plausible to the extremely far-fetched.
Bill de Blasio

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks during a news conference, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016, in New York's City Hall.

((AP Photo/Mary Altaffer))

CITY HALL -- Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday pledged to work with President-elect Donald Trump on behalf of New Yorkers who may or may not have voted for him.

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won in all five boroughs except Staten Island, according to unofficial election night returns from the Board of Elections.

De Blasio said he was "deeply disappointed" by her loss but congratulated Trump on his victory and honored Clinton for winning New York City as well as the national popular vote.

"It's no secret that I have profound political disagreements with President-elect Trump," de Blasio said during brief remarks at City Hall. "But now comes the hard part: governing. And I commit to working with the new administration, positively and constructively, to rebuild our infrastructure, create more jobs, protect our residents and preserve the liberties that New Yorkers enjoy."

De Blasio -- a tepid Clinton supporter who ran her 2000 senate run but still waited months to officially endorse -- has called Trump a "racist" and a "blowhard" and criticized many of his policies this cycle. The mayor assailed then-candidate Trump for calling for a "total and complete shutdown" of Muslims who want to enter the United States.

"It's against everything this country is based on, it's as simple as that," de Blasio said last December.

After predicting Clinton's eventual win for weeks, de Blasio on Wednesday sought to reassure New Yorkers worried about a Trump administration in the White House.

"I take solace in the fact that the president-elect is a dyed-in-the-wool New Yorker," he said. "And I hope and trust he will remember the lessons of a life lived in New York City."

De Blasio also hinted at larger fights to come -- particularly with Trump's immigration policies in the so-called "sanctuary city." He said New York City will continue to believe in tolerance, civil rights and religious diversity.

"New York believes in liberty. We stand behind Lady Liberty with open arms to welcome immigrants and refugees," de Blasio said. "We always have and we always will."

De Blasio added, "These are the values that New Yorkers share and these values have never been dependent on any one person or any one office -- they are a part of our identity."

The mayor refused to answer a few shouted questions from reporters after speaking. De Blasio spokesman Eric Phillips said that the mayor didn't take any questions on Wednesday because he was planning to field them on Thursday.

Phillips said City Hall is awaiting more details from Trump's team about specifics of certain policy proposals -- like mass deportations -- to better assess how they would affect New York or be implemented here.

De Blasio is expected to talk to Trump on the phone later on Wednesday.

Trump's New York campaign co-chairman Councilman Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore) said that he helped arrange the call between the president-elect and the mayor. Borelli predicted that Trump's win might work out for de Blasio.

"Politically, it actually helps him with his base in the 2017 election because he gets to be a progressive leader who is up against the Trump machine," he said.

Borelli added that he and other borough Republicans will help de Blasio lobby Trump to get federal funding for infrastructure projects on Staten Island.

"I think overall, Trump winning is good for Staten Island," Borelli said. "Though I can't promise there's going to be a highway to everyone's office built as a result."
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Does a Donald Trump victory make you want to move to Canada? It's not so easy, say Canadian immigration officials. (Associated Press)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Does the reality of a Donald Trump victory make you want to move to Canada?

It's not so easy, say Canadian immigration officials.

There are three main ways to become a Canadian citizen, immigration officials said:

You must show you have a "special skill" or profession.

Have a family member who already lives in Canada.

You can claim "political asylum" and status as a "protected person."

Having a family member in the country is the most popular method of gaining entry to Canada, officials said.

If you claim a "special skill" it must fit into one of several established categories.

Americans can, however, visit Canada and may stay for up to 30 days.

The idea of moving to Canada to escape from a Trump residency took a serious tone when country's immigration and citizenship website crashed earlier this morning, as more people began looking into the possibility.

Canadas Citizenship and Immigration website crashes as Trump leads in election results https://t.co/dKwjQY4OOG #whatishappening  Canadian Politics (@canadianpoli) November 9, 2016

Our Canadian neighbors are feeling our pain over our bitter presidential election,and they want us to know. Last month Canadians launched a social media campaign called "Tell America It's Great".
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Advance spent part of Tuesday night crashing watch parties as Staten Islanders waited (and waited) for the presidential election results to be announced.

One of the watch events doubled as a birthday party for 37-year-old attorney Richard Luthmann.

"All I want for my birthday is for Donald Trump to win tonight," the birthday boy said at Casa Belvedere on Grymes Hill. "The goal is to make America great again and I believe he can."

"I'm really hopeful that Trump can pull out the win tonight," said Casa Belvedere chef Stefano Sena. "I love his ideas on helping the economy and helping to restore America to greatness again."



If Clinton were to win, Sena said he could only hope for more transparency going forward.



"She has to be open and honest," he said. "We can't take anymore shadiness."

"Mr. Democrat" John Sollazzo, the vice chairman of the Staten Island Democratic Committee who is known for his Clinton-decorated van, also attended Luthmann's bash. He said the night means the world to him.



"I've been campaigning for Hillary since the beginning [of her campaign]," he said. "We're hopefully about to witness a historic day for this country."

The Advance's second stop was at the St. George home of Rich and Kim Marin. Rich Marin is the CEO of the New York Wheel.

"This is a very seminal moment for the world," Marin said. "I'm just hoping I'm going to wake up and say, 'Wow, that was close!'"

Check out the gallery above for photos from Tuesday's parties.
Donovan.jpg

Congressman Dan Donovan gives his victory speech at the Excelsior Grand with daughter Aniella Rose and fiance Serena Stonick at his side. November 8, 2016 (Staten Island Advance/Hilton Flores)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Rep. Daniel Donovan won re-election to Congress easily on Tuesday, taking home 62 percent of the vote in the 11th Congressional District against challenger Richard Reichard, who got 36 percent.

The district includes all of Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn. When considering Island votes alone, Donovan won 66 percent of the vote to Reichard's 33 percent.

This will be Donovan's first full two-year term after serving a partial term beginning in May 2015.

As Staten Island's Republicans gathered at Excelsior Grand in New Dorp Tuesday night, they celebrated the popular Republican congressman's win against the mostly unknown challenger.

At the time the congressman gave his victory speech, the New York Times had given Donald Trump a 54 percent chance of winning, creating an optimistic and surprised feeling in the room.

Republicans in the House retained their majority and Donovan took the mic to cheers.

He took office last year in Washington, D.C., "where Congress' approval rating was about the same as Anthony Weiner's is right now," Donovan said to laughs.

He called being in Congress "a remarkable responsibility and an incredible opportunity to do some good."

"Mr. Trump has been saying 'let's make America great again' but there are people who believe no changes are necessary."

National security needs a facelift, there are few jobs, there's high college debt, a poor economy and high taxes, he said.

"And people think this is a country that's going in the right direction," Donovan said.

The congressman said he has a simple way of deciding how he'll vote on legislation.

"Is it good for you? And if it is, I vote yes. If it's bad for you, I vote no. Sometimes the leadership of my party is not happy with that and I don't represent them, I represent you."

About a mile away, Staten Island Democratic Chairman John Gulino addressed a small group of about two dozen Reichard supporters at the party borough headquarters in New Dorp.

"There's always somebody who steps up to the plate," Gulino said before thanking Reichard for running and those who supported him. "He demonstrated that not every campaign has to be divisive."

"He knows what Staten Island is all about and he knows what Staten Islanders need, unfortunately, we live in a media society where money is very important," Gulino added.

Reichard was upbeat when addressed the small group and thanked supporters.

"Am I disappointed? Yes. But, listen, I'm not disappointed in the campaign I ran," he said. "I ran an issues-based campaign, that's what I said I was going to do."

Reichard said there are lessons Democrats can still learn from the race.

"I think the Trump wave overflowed me," he added. "After we see how the Trump did against Hillary Clinton on Staten Island, I think it was very hard to beat. But we worked hard."

Donovan first took office in May 2015 after winning a special election to replace Michael Grimm, who had resigned after pleading guilty in a federal tax evasion case.

In Congress for 18 months, Donovan touted his accomplishments of getting federal aid to fight the heroin and opioid epidemic, extending federal health benefits and payments for 9/11 first responders, pushing through FEMA reform following Hurricane Sandy and more.

The race with Reichard was a relatively muted one, as the congressional seat was deemed "safe red" early on, Reichard was underfunded and lacked the substantial support from local party leaders that recent candidates for Congress have received, with members of his own party admitting early on that a win was a long shot.

Donovan ran on his record and Reichard attempted to sway voters his way by tying the congressman to unpopular actions taken by House Speaker Paul Ryan.

The two candidates squared off in a short and relatively uneventful debate last month sponsored by NY1 and the Advance.

While the incumbent Donovan had the benefit of pulling in tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from political action committees and supporters, Reichard struggled to collect even a fraction of the congressman's funds.

But the Democrat did create a slightly uncomfortable election for his opponent, calling into question the Republican's continued support for Trump amid a constant flow of embarrassing comments and possibly criminal allegations.

While Donovan has said repeatedly that he disagrees with Trump on some immigration policies and lewd comments, he made no apology for continuing to support the nominee, calling the focus on Trump's remarks a "distraction" from important issues.

Anna Sanders contributed to this reporting.

This article has been updated with more current vote tallies.
Incumbent Gov. Steve Bullock, who won re-election Wednesday morning with 50 percent of the vote to Republican challenger Greg Gianforte's 46 percent, called Wednesday on the state's lawmakers to rise above the divisive tone that made this year's election, both at a state and national level, unlike anything seen before.

In a passionate and emotional speech to supporters gathered at the same Helena hotel where many lingered until just after midnight, Bullock said he was humbled, proud, inspired and optimistic after hearing the results. He touched on nature of his campaign against Gianforte, which grew increasingly hostile as it drew to an end.

"It may be a challenging time in this experiment called representative democracy, what with the toxicity, the money, the fear, the lack of civility, the innuendo, the politics at times of personal destruction, but I'm optimistic that our leaders, Democrats and Republicans, still rise above that toxicity to demonstrate to those who we represent that we're individually and we're collectively better than that. That we're elected to inspire the next generation and to be role models."

Bullock on Wednesday had 250,570 votes to Gianforte's 231,895, a difference of 18,675. Libertarian Ted Dunlap had 3 percent of the total with 100 percent of precincts reporting and voter turnout around 73 percent, in unofficial results.

The governor also addressed Republican Donald J. Trump's victory in the presidential election and emphasized that Montana can stand above the increasingly crude nature of politics.

"I'm also optimistic that if some of our leaders fall short, I'm optimistic that our friends and our neighbors, our fellow Montanans, will demand better of them, they'll demand that we act as if our children and our grandchildren are watching, because they are. I'm optimistic that at least here in Montana we can be a shining example of how the political system is supposed to work."

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton lost by 21 percentage points in Montana, yet Bullock was able to win because he's well-liked, said Carroll College associate professor of political science Jeremy Johnson.

"It does show that he was popular that he was able to run so far ahead of the presidential ticket."

Gianforte, a Bozeman businessman who started a software company he later sold to Oracle for almost $2 billion, called Bullock a little after 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Bullock said, to congratulate him and wish him luck in the next four years.

"While this is an incredibly close race, the voters of Montana appear to have spoken," Gianforte said Wednesday morning in a press release. "I knew taking on an incumbent would be a challenge, but I decided to run for office because I believe in the potential of Montana and in all Montanans. Nothing has changed that for me. Even though we did not prevail, you have my commitment that I will continue to work to create better outcomes for all Montanans.

Gianforte also thanked everyone who voted for him and worked on his campaign.

Bullock was the lone bright spot for Montana Democrats, who lost in all the other statewide races. Republican Tim Fox retained his post as attorney general in a race against Democrat Larry Jent, while Republicans Elsie Arntzen, Corey Stapleton and Matt Rosendale beat out, respectively, Democrats Melissa Romano for superintendent of public instruction, Monica Lindeen for secretary of state and Matt Rosendale for state auditor. Early results show Republicans gained a few seats in the state Legislature, which was already mostly Republican in both the House and Senate, as well.

Bullock's success paired with the defeat of other statewide Democrats could either show that Montanans think he's doing a good job or they think the division of power between Republicans and Democrats is good for the state, said University of Montana political researcher and journalism professor Lee Banville.

The governor played down the party divide, saying he expects everyone to work together.

"Each of the other statewides that just got elected, I count on them to help be an example of how to get things done. I expect our leaders to come together and do the right things for Montanans." He said last session the Legislature came together to pass Medicare expansion and sweeping campaign finance reforms, as well as sage grouse legislation and water compacts.

Nationally, Bullock said it's his job to stand up to Trump "to make sure our Montana values, our interests and our needs are being heard. Whoever is president, my job is the same."

Carroll College associate political science professor Jeremy Johnson said Wednesday that with Republican victories across the nation and at the federal level, Bullock will stand alone more than he has in the past.

"He will serve as essentially the only check in Montana to oppose various positions that he might disagree with," Johnson said.

The incumbent is also facing a Legislature with several members who during the election questioned Bullock's ethical compass and called for investigations into his use of the state plane while attending campaign events that coincided with conducting state business, payments of nearly $1 million to former employees and claims of fraud and retaliation against whistle-blowers in the Department of Health and Human Services.

When asked what he expects to come of these calls for investigation, Bullock said "you'd have to talk to (the legislators requesting them) about that."

The intense buzz around the calls for investigations could die down with the end of the election, Banville said. There might not be a payoff for pursuing Bullock now that the session is over.

"The question would be, what's the benefit of that. If you do that you still have to work with the guy if you want to pass anything. You may do it just because you feel that level of outrage, but I think it's much more of a politically risky move."

Key counties that Bullock won include Missoula (65-31), Lewis and Clark (60-37), Cascade (53-43), Silver Bow (70-26) and Gallatin (55-40). While he lost Yellowstone County, the state's most populous, 47 to 48 percent, it was only by 498 votes.

Bullock did 3 percentage points better than in 2012 in Gallatin County and Gianforte did 7 worse that Republican Rick Hill, who lost to Bullock that year. Gallatin County is Gianforte's home county. Banville said the region is becoming more and more critical in the path to victory.

Part of Gianforte's loss could be his emphasis on eastern Montana, which led him to not spend enough time in counties where he needed a stronger showing.

"Pitting one side of the state against the other, saying the more populated side of the state is getting too much stuff, that may have dampened some people's enthusiasm for him," Banville said.

Bullock said he will reach out to that eastern half of the state by passing an infrastructure bill, something that failed in the last two sessions. "I'm going to be asking the Legislature to make that one of the first things we do, not one of the last."

While Gianforte didn't say Wednesday what his future political aspirations are, Banville said he doesn't expect him to disappear, possibly running against U.S. Sen. Jon Tester in four years.

"I would be surprised if we don't see Gianforte again," Banville said. "He spent a lot of money, ran a really intense campaign, almost knocked off a popular incumbent governor. That's no small task."

Bullock on Wednesday said his immediate plans were to get his kids back to school, have lunch with his wife, Lisa, and possibly take a nap after staying up until almost 4:30 a.m. watching results come in.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, was the first to congratulate President-elect Donald Trump on his historic upset. Putin says that Moscow is ready to try to restore good relations with the United States (Alexei Druzhinin/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- World leaders are reacting with cautious congratulations to the upset Presidential victory of Republican Donald Trump.

British Prime Minister Theresa May congratulated Trump on his victory, saying Britain and the US have "an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy" promising that "we are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence (sic)"

Read the PM's statement congratulating @realDonaldTrump on his election as the next President of the United States. https://t.co/RsEJAIY3tv  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) November 9, 2016

French president Francois Hollande said Trump's win "opens up a period of uncertainty". He said the result shows that France must be stronger, and Europe more united.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country would "offer the future president of America, Donald Trump, a close working relationship," adding that Germany's "partnership with the USA remains a basic pillar of German foreign policy in order for us to meet the great challenges of our time."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump, calling him a "true friend of the State of Israel." He said he believes the U.S. and Israel "will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights."

President-elect Trump is a true friend of Israel and I look forward to working with him to advance security, stability & peace in our region  PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) November 9, 2016

Pope Francis did not mention the presidential election during his Wednesday audience, but Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin, offered Trump congratulations in a statement to Vatican Radio that "his government can be truly fruitful" and said the Vatican would offer prayers "that the Lord illuminates and sustains him in service of his country."

Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy, congratulated the new president on his victory and vowed to work to strengthen Spain's relationship with an "indispensable ally" and and "deepen the friendship between our countries and peoples".

And Russian president Vladimir Putin -- whose name figured prominently in the campaign -- was the first world leader to weigh in on the election. Putin sent Trump a telegram to congratulate him, promising to "do everything to return Russian-American relations to stable and sustainable development track."
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- He sold the drugs, now he'll serve the time.

A New Brighton man, who authorities said helped fuel the narcotics trade in his neighborhood, was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison.

Tyshawn Williams, 24, was among 14 suspects arrested earlier this year under a 14-month probe, dubbed "Operation New Blood."

Members of the group had filled the vacuum created by the takedown of a massive drug ring in the summer of 2014, according to District Attorney Michael E. McMahon's office.

New groups of loosely-affiliated individuals living in the area had emerged to replace the organized drug crews that had been arrested in the 2014 sting, called "Operation Jersey Boys," because they were based around Jersey Street in New Brighton, said the D.A.

Williams, an alleged member of the Original Stacks, a crew affiliated with the Bloods street gang, was accused of selling cocaine and heroin stamped "Predator" to undercover officers 10 times between June 23 and Dec. 9 of last year, according to court documents.

Two weeks ago, Williams pleaded guilty in state Supreme Court, St. George, to nine counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.

He also pleaded guilty then in an unrelated case to a felony charge of driving with a suspended license.

Williams was busted on Dec. 17 on Brook Street in Tompkinsville after leading cops on a wild chase from New Brighton, said court papers.

Police said the incident began when Williams drove the wrong way on Taft Avenue in the vicinity of Bismark Avenue.

He sped away when officers tried to pull him over and ran a red light at Jersey Street, said police. Williams then ditched his 2001 blue Infinity and ran away as officers pursued him to Brook Street, several blocks from where the incident began, police said. Williams allegedly had marijuana in his possession at the time of his arrest.

Williams was sentenced to six years in prison and 18 months' post-release supervision in the drug case and to one year in jail and fined $500 in the suspended-license case.

The sentences will run concurrently.

A tall, thin man garbed in a tan sweatshirt and pants, Williams declined to make a statement before being sentenced.

Matthew Blum represented him.

Assistant District Attorney Jane Grinberg prosecuted the cases.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Donald Trump has done what many said was impossible: He has been elected president of the United States, beating Democrat Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night. Many Americans laughed when he got into the race more than a year ago. They're not laughing now. How did Trump pull it off?

He had his finger on the pulse

There was a lot of anti-establishment anger out there, including anger about jobs and trade policy. Trump caught that zeitgeist when others were deaf to it, including those 16 other Republican contenders.

Weakness of Hillary

The email scandal. WikiLeaks. The Clinton Foundation's coziness with the State Department. Anthony Weiner. John Podesta and the Department of Justice. It was all just too much for voters to ignore.

Clinton fatigue

Two-term first lady. U.S. senator. Secretary of state. Two-time presidential candidate. Americans have had enough of Hillary. And of Bill too. The enthusiasm gap was real. It ain't the 1990s anymore.

Obama fatigue

Hillary sold herself as a person who would carry on President Barack Obama's policies and effectively be a third Obama term. The country wasn't looking for more of the same.

Beltway Inc.

The masks are off. The media and the pols are all on the same team. There's no difference between establishment Dems and establishment Republicans. Everyone's in cahoots. A pox on both their houses. It was a powerful message.

The economy, stupid

Not everybody is feeling this so-called great economy that the Obama administration keeps talking about. Maybe it's not such a great economy after all?

Hubris

Clinton ignored Wisconsin, thinking that it was in the bag. It turned out to be one of the most pivotal states of the night. She took it for granted and it cost her.

World, shut your mouth

Countries across the glove begged Americans not to elect Trump president. Americans told them to mind their own business.

The pollsters stink

State polls in particular were woefully off. Nobody even had Wisconsin in play. And what happened to that 12-point Hillary lead? Maybe the pollsters need to stop polling so much in urban areas and college towns?

The media missed it

Sure, Trump was good for ratings, but the major outlets ignored that Trump was tapping into something real out there. They constantly underestimated his appeal and didn't seem to notice those big crowds that Trump drew. The media needs to get out there and meet people.

The singularity of Obama

Turns out Obama's two historic wins didn't remake the electoral map after all, didn't bring about a Democratic realignment. His mojo was not transferable.

The art of the deal

Trump is a businessman. And a salesman. He knows the mantra: Always be closing. Particularly pertinent information for all those out there who believed that Trump didn't really want that White House job.

We're sick of political correctness

Who's more politically incorrect than Trump? It didn't bother as many people as Democrats were certain it would. A body blow for the liberal wave we've been seeing in the country the last few years. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio should take notice.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - America has had its Brexit: Donald J. Trump is the president-elect of the United States. The Associated Press made the call shortly after 2:30 a.m.

Video by Amanda Steen

It was an outcome that the professionals, the pundits and the press completely failed to predict, just like they missed the fact that the U.K. would vote to leave the European Union.

There's something going on out there. And not just in America. Will people finally sit up and take notice?

It was also an outcome that Democrat Hillary Clinton refused to acknowledge in person, conceding by phone call and not addressing supporters who waited all night for her. If it was Trump holding out on Election Night, the outcry would be deafening.

We spent Election Night in a national nail-biter between Trump and Clinton, a race that in the end redrew the electoral map.

It was a see-saw battle, with major states like Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Virginia going back and forth.

In the end, Trump did what he had to do early to win the presidency: He won Ohio, which every Republican who has won the White House has taken. And, in a prolonged battle, Trump also triumphed in Florida. He also took North Carolina and Iowa.

North Carolina, which President Barack Obama visited three times in the campaign's closing days. Ohio, where Hillary partied with Jay Z and Beyonce. Florida, where Clinton expected a big Hispanic vote to carry her.

Clinton, meanwhile, got a needed victory in Virginia after seeing Trump lead in the state all night. Had the commonwealth gone, it would have been an early body blow for the Clinton effort. As it turned out, it was her highlight of the night.

But Pennsylvania was supposedly a bulwark for Clinton, and was tentatively put in her column all night. Then, around midnight, it was suddenly tied. Then Trump went ahead, and finally triumphed, according to the AP. It was a shattering blow. Clinton's so-called blue firewall was in ashes. It was probably the biggest shock in a night of shocks.

Then there were the states that became crucial late into the night that nobody thought would be the deal-makers for Trump: Michigan and Wisconsin.

So much for the contention that Clinton would outclass Trump in the ground game. Trump and the national GOP certainly got their voters out. Hillary did too. Just not in the numbers she needed to. The percentages were there. The raw numbers were not.

Black voters did not come out in the numbers that Clinton needed, despite early voting in numerous states. And while people laughed, it looks like Trump got enough of the black vote to get the job done. Remember, he didn't need much of it. Just enough.

Meanwhile, energized Hispanic voters were not enough to make up for the paucity of the black vote. Otherwise, Hillary would have won Florida. Working-class and rural voters came out for Trump in big numbers. How else did he do so well in the Rust Belt? Jobs, jobs, jobs. Trade, trade, trade. The message resonated.

And here's the part that Dems have to think about: Trump was supposedly the candidate that Team Clinton wanted. He would be the most beatable. Republican leaders thought he was incredibly flawed and ran the other way from him. People dismissed his strong performance in the primaries, the attendance figures at his rallies. Critical errors.

Now it seems that Dems may need to ask themselves if it was Hillary who was too flawed. The email controversy. The coziness between the State Department and the Clinton Foundation. The enthusiasm gap. WikiLeaks. The fractious primary battle with Bernie Sanders when the Democratic National Committee put its thumb on the scale.

The message was clear: People out there are sick of the status quo, as represented by Clinton. It was a rebuke of the Washington establishment, from the politicos to the media. Let Republicans and Democrats beware: The people out there are speaking, both on the left and on the right. And they're not happy.

More proof: Voters refused to give Democrats control of the Senate, meaning that the GOP will control the White House and Congress. So much for U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer's dream of being the new majority leaders. And those Republicans in Congress who very vocally disparaged Trump will now have to call him "Mr. President."

There's going to be a lot of soul-searching out there today. Good thing that California approved marijuana for recreational use.

The ending is also a blow to Obama, who needed a Hillary win to give himself a "third term" and ensure his policies. He campaigned hard for her, but in the end, she was not the transformational candidate he was, even though she was looking to make history as the first woman elected president.

And now it's Obama who's going to have to greet Trump at the White House on Jan. 20, 2017, and ride the route to the U.S. Capitol to watch Trump take the oath of office as the 45th president.

Imagine that.

Travel agents, get ready to answer your phones. Lots of folks said they would leave the country if Trump won. We'll see now if they're as good as their word. Canada better get that immigration website fixed. There are a lot of shaken Americans out there.
Page Content

On Friday November 4th, the parents and a sibling, colleagues and acquaintances along with the Director of the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary in The Hague, Perry Geerlings, member of the Cabinet Kelly Busby and Rose Leerdam, attended a graduation ceremony at the University of Utrecht, where Dr. Ivy Defoe defended her PhD thesis (The Puzzle of Adolescent Risk Taking) with great success.





Dr. Ivy Defoe graduated Cum-Laude from the Developmental Psychology Department of the University of Utrecht and was lauded by the Rector Magnificus, her peers and professors for her great achievements in both her publications and research carried out in the field of adolescent behavioural risks. To name a few of her achievements thus far were her nine 9 literary (research) publications as well as one publication in a heralded Psychology Magazine in the Netherlands.





The Rector Magnificus even mentioned that Dr. Defoes achievements are very rare, but so now and then you come across an exceptional graduate, this is one of those scarce occasions, the Rector said.





Director Geerlings congratulated the doctor on behalf of the Government and the People of Sint Maarten on her achievement in his address to those present and deemed Dr. Defoe a true role model, not only to the people and Government of Sint Maarten, but also to her peers.





The Director, having been playing a part in the research process of Dr. Defoe, further stated that he was more than convinced that Dr. Defoe would be not only a source of inspiration to many, but that the works of here research would be of great value to Sint Maarten.





In particular, where the good doctor after finalizing her research in policies and practices in the field of Psychology at the Penn State University, her findings and approaches will greatly benefit her beloved country Sint Maarten.





As a token of admiration and appreciation for her achievements and contributions thus far, the doctor received from the hands of the Director flowers and a pin with the crest of Sint Maarten.





PHOTO CUTLINE: L to R: Dr. Ivy Defoe and Perry Geerlings.
Paris climate agreement enters into force: international experts respond

Posted on 9 November 2016 by Guest Author

Bill Hare, Visiting scientist, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research; Harald Winkler, Professor and Director of the Energy Research Centre, University of Cape Town; Julia P G Jones, Professor of Conservation Science, Bangor University; Luke Kemp, Lecturer in International Relations and Environmental Policy, Australian National University; Meraz Mostafa, Research officer, International Centre for Climate Change & Development, Independent University, Bangladesh; Pep Canadell, CSIRO Scientist, and Executive Director of the Global Carbon Project, CSIRO, and Stefan Rahmstorf, Professor of Physics of the Oceans, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

The Paris climate agreement, first struck in December 2015, enters into force today. The treaty commits countries worldwide to keep carbon emissions well below 2C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C.

Countries will pursue self-determined emissions targets, agreed upon before the last round of climate talks, from 2020 onwards. The national targets will be reviewed and strengthened every five years.

The agreement also commits richer countries to provide funding to poorer countries, which have done the least to contribute to climate change but will suffer its worst effects.

As the world embarks on its most dedicated effort yet to prevent catastrophic climate change, The Conversation asked a panel of international experts to give their view on the significance of the agreement coming into force.

Bill Hare: A historic turning point

For better or worse, the entry into force of the Paris Agreement is a historic turning point, humanitys most organised response to date to the largest and most far-reaching challenge to the habitability of the planet and viability of its life: human-induced climate change.

To me, this agreement represents our last best chance to come together and take the essential steps to prevent the worst consequences of climate change.

Over the next five to ten years, if we succeed in bending the present upward curve of emissions and ramping up climate action  meaning that by 2025 emissions are well and truly on a downward trajectory  then we will be able say the agreement is working.

In this timeframe CO 2 emissions from coal would need to drop at least 25% below recent levels. We would also need to see a whole range actions towards a sustainable, fully renewable, zero-carbon future by 2050. Such an outcome is not beyond what can be imagined, as the necessary measures bring many benefits, and the technologies to get there are getting cheaper every month.

Make no mistake  we would still be confronting major climate challenges even if we limit global average warming to 1.5C. But without that action our challenges would be immeasurably worse.

Jacky Naegelen/Reuters

Should we not succeed, and emissions continue to increase, the Paris Agreement could come to symbolise all that is wrong with the world, and with the present world order. Such an outcome would be associated with other large-scale societal problems, such as rapidly increasing economic inequity, as well as access to political power and decision-making. Unchecked climate change would exacerbate many of these issues, including the increasing likelihood of climate-induced migration.

Scientists and policy makers are mobilising now to help in the next great stage of implementing the Paris Agreement, which is to increase the level of ambition and action. An IPCC Special Report is being organised for 2018 to assess impact, mitigation, and sustainable development issues surrounding the 1.5C temperature limit.

This report will provide vital input to the 2018 facilitative dialogue, organised by the UNs climate change organisation, which is meant to examine how countries global aggregate level of action stacks up against the required emission pathways in 2025 and 2030. The results of this dialogue will provide guidance to countries as they prepare to submit their updated, and hopefully upgraded, nationally determine contributions by 2020.

Julia Jones: Forest people cannot bear the costs

The loss of tropical forests contributes as much as 10% to global emissions of greenhouse gases. For this reason (and because protecting rainforests has other potential benefits), a UN-negotiated mechanism on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, known as REDD+, is widely promoted as an important pillar in efforts to tackle climate change.

Since the idea that tropical forest nations should be funded to slow deforestation was initially proposed in 2005, many initiatives have sprung up to explore how REDD+ can work in practice. These pilot schemes show that while well-designed projects can deliver emissions reductions, conserve biodiversity and improve local livelihoods, positive outcomes are far from guaranteed. A number of groups advocating for the rights of people who live in forests strongly oppose REDD+, as they believe that it will result in evictions.

Stephane Mahe/Reuters

As of today, efforts to slow climate change by saving rainforests are enshrined in international law via the Paris Agreement. What will this actually mean for tropical forests and its people? Resources available for conservation will increase, which is certainly positive.

However for millions of people, mostly very poor and politically marginalised, these forests are home and the source of their livelihoods. Their needs, views, and knowledge must be taken into account in any conservation actions. It cannot be fair that forest people bear the costs of mitigating climate change.

Luke Kemp: Watch out for Donald Trump

The Paris Agreements entry into force is both impressive and troubling. It could be a sign of renewed international momentum. But its speed is more likely indicative of a lack of substance.

Ratification means few legal obligations for participating countries. Paris entering into force has more symbolic than legal strength.

What does entry into force mean for those nations that have not joined, such as Russia? Not a great deal for now. Arguably, they should be excluded from having a voice and a vote in initial negotiations over the finer details of the agreements implementation.

In practice, diplomats are eager to ensure that Paris remains a truly global effort, and have created a technical workaround so that even countries that are yet to ratify can participate in discussions. The (perhaps naive) assumption is that eventually all parties will join.

In the longer term a lack of ratification is likely to lead to exclusion from discussion under the Paris negotiations, as well as an inability to use elements such as market-based mechanisms under the agreement. Non-ratifying countries will probably also become international pariahs.

However aside from social pressure, the Paris Agreement is extremely weak against countries who choose not to join, or opt to withdraw. It contains no non-party measures to entice participation or punish non-ratifying countries. Such an arrangement looks fine for now, but it could become a fatal flaw if Donald Trump takes power in the US on November 8.

Carlo Allegri/Reuters

Paris was designed to be a universal agreement that appeals to the United States, trading away strong substance in favour of quick approval and universal participation. A rogue superpower could mark the end of the honeymoon.

Meraz Mostafa: New approach to climate policy

With the activation of the Paris Agreement, the issue of loss and damage becomes a central tenet of international climate governance. The UN climate body is now committed to address the impacts of climate change that go beyond adaptation. These include everything from islands sinking in the Pacific Ocean to infrastructure damage during cyclones.

This is somewhat surprising given how contentious the issue of loss and damage has been at climate talks. Arguably, the first reference to the concept was proposed in 1991 by Vanuatu, whose negotiators unsuccessfully argued for an international risk insurance pool to deal with the adverse affects of climate change.

NASA

But it took until 2014 for the UN climate body to establish a separate mechanism, called the Warsaw International Mechanism. This mechanism consists of nine action areas ranging from how best to finance loss and damage to how to deal with the impacts of climate change not easily valued in the market (the loss of home, tradition, culture and so on).

Even with this in place before the Paris negotiations last year, several developed countries, including the US, were uneasy about including loss and damage in the agreement. This is because they were worried this issue would quickly bring up the question of whether developed countries could be held liable and have to compensate for their share of greenhouse gas emissions. A comprise was reached in negotiations where a separate article in the agreement was dedicated to loss and damage, but the notion of compensation and liability were explicitly ruled out.

The article on loss and damage in the Paris Agreement mainly focuses on supporting the Warsaw mechanism. The next round of climate talks in Marrakesh will be important, because it is when the negotiators are expected to come to a decision on a five-year rolling working plan for the mechanism.

This plan is yet to be determined, based on the last meeting of the executive committee of the Warsaw mechanism (made up of an equal number of representatives from developed and developing countries). In particular, separate task-forces will be created to address issues such as migration and non-economic loss and damage. An information hub for comprehensive risk management (that is, microinsurance) will also be established.

The Paris Agreement is significant, because it establishes a new approach to climate policy, whereby climate change-related loss and damage will have to be addressed alongside mitigation and adaptation.

Stefan Rahmstorf: Governments should be in emergency mode

The Paris Agreement is the best we could have expected at this point in history. It is a beacon of hope. Almost all nations on Earth have decided to move towards net zero emissions.

It was high time, and in some respects too late. Paris came almost exactly 50 years after the famous Revelle report from the US presidents scientific advisory panel issued a stark warning of global warming, melting ice caps and rising seas due to our carbon dioxide emissions.

The long delay in confronting this threat is not least a result of a major, still ongoing obfuscation campaign by fossil fuel interests.

The goal of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 2C, or better 1.5C, is necessary. Two degrees of global warming is very likely to spell the end of most coral reefs on Earth. Two degrees would mean a largely ice-free Arctic ocean in summer, right up to the North Pole.

Two degrees would be very likely to destabilise the West Antarctic ice sheet (evidence is mounting that this has already happened). Such an increase might even destabilise the Greenland ice sheet and parts of the East Antarctic ice sheet, locking in more than ten metres of sea-level rise and sealing the fate of coastal cities and island nations.

NASA

Some major impacts of our fossil fuel burning cannot be prevented now, thanks to the fateful delays already mentioned. But every 0.1C of warming we avoid helps contain further massive risks to humanity, including major threats to food security.

Because of all the time that was lost, the remaining emissions budget is very tight: at current rate, we are eating up the budget to stay below 1.5C (with a 50:50 chance) in about ten years. The budget for 2C would allow us to keep emitting for about 30 years. If we ramp down emissions rapidly we can stretch these budgets out to last longer, but the key here is to turn the tide of emissions now or we can give up on staying well below 2C.

If we take the Paris Agreement seriously (and we should), governments around the world should be in emergency mode, taking rapid and decisive measures to get their emissions down.

Pep Canadell: Little time for celebration

By all accounts, the Paris Agreement is an astonishing achievement. However, we should spend little time in celebrating its coming into effect and move swiftly from the broader well-intended rhetoric to specific actions. The next round of climate negotiations, beginning in Marrakesh on November 7 will be the first real test to assess how committed countries are to the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Reuters

Each individual country needs to show how they will specifically implement the very vague National Determined Commitments, and equally important, how they are planning to go beyond those initial commitments, now that we know that the collective effort falls well short of what is required to stay below 2C.

Harald Winkler: Implementation of adaptation and mitigation needed

The Paris Agreement has entered into force. The global significance is the political momentum for climate action continues. From a southern African perspective, the implications for adaptation are at least as important as mitigation  and both will need support. The focus must shift to implementation at the local level.

For Africa, the Paris Agreement gives much greater political visibility to adaptation. Article 7 includes a global goal for adaptation. But also a review to ensure that the adaptation response is adequate. The adaptation goal links the temperature goal  to be held below 2C, and pursuing efforts to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels - with adequacy.

The greater the increase, the worse any negative impact will be, particularly for African countries with low adaptive capacity. International practice on adaptation needs enhancement, this can build on existing methodological work, particularly on information for the adaptation component of Nationally Determined Contributions or other forms of communication.

To take effective adaptation action locally, the adaptation finance gap must be addressed.

Certainly all countries will have to do more on mitigation. The literature is clear that the sum of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions still imply a median warming of 2.63.1 degrees Celsius by 2100. This is often simplified to mean more mitigation, but in many southern African countries, this will mean avoided emissions. The challenge is to follow development pathways  to meet basic developmental needs  without going to high emissions in the first place. Avoiding a high-emissions development pathway is a big ask of African countries.

Support is essential to shift to both low carbon and climate-resilient development pathways.

Carlo Allegri/Reuters

The strength of the Paris Agreement lies in its comprehensive scope that includes finance, technology and capacity building. The success of local action on adaptation and mitigation depends on implementing these provisions. For the first time in global climate governance, developed countries have agreed to communicate indicative support to developing countries every two years ex ante. Access to environmentally sound technology and capacity building will be important to achieve the necessary transitions. Continuous support for the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency is a crucial aspect of transparency; and transparency related capacity.

Finally, local action is needed  and, globally, a multi-lateral rules-based regime, which is what the world set out to achieve in Durban and agreed in Paris. Fully developing the Paris rule book is a key task at the international level. But we dare not wait  each country and all its people need to start to prepare for the impacts, avoid emissions and where emissions are high, reduce them very rapidly indeed.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Hi everyone



I'm new in this forum, it's my first post.



I will be in Paris in January for 2 days and after we going to Val Thorens .



I've got a problem with my snowboard, I'm looking for a service who can transfer my snowboard from the airport Orly to my hotel, it's possible ?



My girlfriend wants to go to Versailles directly the first day.



Do you have a solution ?
Dirk Sandefur carried a double-digit lead early Wednesday, poised to win an open seat on the Montana Supreme Court after a heated contest fueled by a record amount of spending.

Sandefur, a longtime Cascade County district judge, had secured 55 percent of the 396,399 ballots counted by 5:30 a.m. Kristen Juras, a former adjunct professor of law at the University of Montana, received 44 percent. The early-morning tally included at least partial results from most counties, including the state's five most populous where it is critical for candidates to secure big margins because they have more registered voters than the rest of the state. In all but a handful of rural counties, Sandefur held a lead.

Both candidates were hesitant to discuss the results until final, but thanked Montanans for their support.

"We're cautiously optimistic and I think the results so far show that the truth matters. And that if you tell the truth and you stick to your values that goes a long way in Montana still," Sandefur said. "I want to thank Montanans for their support and for paying attention to this important race."

"I absolutely respect the will of the voters," Juras said. "So well wait and see as the votes come in."

Campaign and political fundraising for the race exceeded $1.6 million, more than the previous record set in 2014. The race fits a nationwide increase in spending on judicial races by political and special interest groups. Hundreds of thousands of mailers were sent to Montana voters, and their TVs and Facebook feeds were flooded with video ads. Both sides traded barbs about being bought or having a political agenda in mind for the court despite Montanas race being nonpartisan.

Each year, the seven-member Montana Supreme Court rules on hundreds of civil and criminal appeals that originate primarily in state district courts. The court also has jurisdiction over appeals from the Montana Water Court and the Montana Workers Compensation Court, among other limited duties. Some of the opinions that draw the most public attention are those that decide the constitutionality of state laws.

Sandefur campaigned on the strength of his professional record.The Great Falls native worked as a Havre police officer and Cascade County prosecutor before serving 14 years as a district judge. His credentials and level-headed reputation in many legal circles earned him the support of every living former Supreme Court justice and the Montana Trial Lawyers Association, among others.

He raised more than $500,000 for his campaign. A number of political committees funded primarily by the trial lawyers association and its members collected another $640,000 to support his bid. Taking advantage of a 2014 court ruling that ended the states ban on political party spending in judicial races, the Montana Democratic Party spent $62,000 on mailers and radio ads.

Juras argued that she was the best pick for the states highest court despite criticisms that she had never been a judge. Instead, she said her experience practicing international and business law would bring a fresh perspective to the court. She pointed to her time teaching those legal subjects as an adjunct professor as further proof of her expertise.

She raised nearly $210,000 for her campaign. The StopSetEmFreeSandefur.com Committee spent another $268,000 on her behalf. That group was funded almost entirely by an arm of the Republican State Leadership Committees Judicial Fairness Initiative, whose financing can be traced through IRS records back to big donations by business groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and pharmaceutical companies.

The linked GOP groups bought more than $4.4 million of television ads to attack judicial candidates nationwide. They focused their criticisms of Sandefur on his sentences in cases involving child pornography or child rape, leaving out some relevant details such as the fact those sentences were the result of plea deals when prosecutors did not have a strong enough case to go to trial or they wanted to avoid putting a child on the stand for testimony.

Political ads can have an outsized influence in judicial races about which voters tend to have less information. In states like Montana where candidates cannot carry party affiliations, it can be even tougher for to make a choice.

Numerous studies show that voters are most swayed by graphic crime stories, like those about the sexual assault of a child. Experts say that leads outside groups to develop ads that strike an emotional chord  like the ads against Sandefur  rather than messages that reflect actual priorities, such as reforms to tort or workers compensation law. In Montana, where stream access has drawn heated debate, Sandefur supporters also tried to tie Juras to relatives who fought to limit public acces,s and cited academic analyses she wrote on the issue that cast Montanas rulings as a weakening of property rights.

But even with so much spending to attack or support the candidates, many Montanans cannot make up their minds.

In 2014, two of the courts seven seats were contested. Nearly 374,000 Montanans cast ballots, but 71,464 people did not make a selection between incumbent Justice Jim Rice and Billings attorney David Herbert. And 43,624 people skipped the race between incumbent Justice Mike Wheat and former solicitor general Lawrence VanDyke. The gap of about 30,000 ballots likely can be attributed to the fact that much more money was spent to sway voter decisions in the Wheat-VanDyke contest.
BILLINGS -- Medical marijuana advocates saw big returns Tuesday night and Wednesday morning for ballot initiative 182, which would greatly expand the use of cannabis for medical purposes.

The Associated Press reported Wednesday morning that the measure would pass.

As of 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, voters favored the measure 238,602-183,923, with 422,525 ballots counted. The initiative was passing 56-43 percent at that time.

The initiative got a boost from larger counties that reported partial results early. Missoula, Gallatin and Lewis and Clark counties showed strong leads for the initiative.

The passing of the initiative would reverse provisions of a bill passed by the Montana Legislature in 2011. Earlier this year, the Montana Supreme Court upheld parts of the bill that were challenged in a five-year legal battle.

If passed, I-182 would mean that providers of the drug will not be limited to the number of patients they can serve. The previous restriction imposed a limit of three, which was sharply opposed by patients and providers in the program.

Most medical marijuana patients were left without a registered provider under the restrictions. Since they went into effect, patients have left the program. More than a third of patients registered in September left over the next month  7,785 remained in October, according to the state health department.

I-182 adds post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of eligible conditions, allows for lab testing for marijuana and orders annual health department inspections of providers.

The opposition group to I-182, Safe Montana, was principally funded by Billings businessman Steve Zabawa.

Florida and North Dakota voters passed medical marijuana provisions on Election Day, according to projections at press time. California and Massachusetts recreational marijuana measures were also projected to pass.

Arkansas voters also considered a medical marijuana program. Voters in three other states  Maine, Nevada and Arizona  had legal recreational marijuana on the ballot.

The Independent Record contributed to this report.
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The corporate watchdog is investigating the ACT Brumbies on the advice of police.

ACT Policing referred the rugby union club to ASIC to investigate unidentified potential breaches.

The redevelopment of the former Brumbies' site in Griffith in late 2015. Credit:Melissa Adams

Last year, the Brumbies and the Australian Rugby Union referred to police details of the club's controversial sale of its Griffith headquarters and subsequent move to the University of Canberra after uncovering "anomalies" in transactions.

Former club chief executive Michael Jones had previously ordered KPMG to audit the sale. KPMG's report remains suppressed by the ACT Supreme Court, although some details emerged before the suppression order and afterwards through questions asked in the ACT Parliament by the Liberals.
The national capital has a special love for Love Your Sister's Connie Johnson.

Canberra is her home town. And it's from Canberra that she has battled terminal breast cancer for the last six years and also been the face of the remarkable grassroots organisation Love Your Sister, raising more than $2 million for breast cancer research and awareness, not least with the help of her brother Samuel, who unicycled around Australia.

Samuel Johnson and his sister Connie, who is battling breast cancer and was in the Canberra Hospital this week receiving more treatment. Credit:Facebook

She did that all while raising two boys with her husband.

The more than 350,000 people who follow Love Your Sister's Facebook page were greeted with the message this week that Connie was in the Canberra Hospital, the cancer was affecting her liver and she had started more chemotherapy "to try to buy me some more time with my wonderful friends and family".
"The king remains king."

For a week in 2015, a 26-year-old Canberra man held a woman in his home against her will, repeatedly raped her and then forced her to carve his name into her arm with a knife.

He forced her to cook and clean for him, took control of her phone and money, threatened to chop her head off, and to chop her legs off and throw her body in the sea at Darwin.

The 26-year-old slapped and pinched the immigrant woman, and said it would be easy to kill her because she was in Australia illegally.

"The king remains king," he told her.
Canberra's American community went into voting day ready for it to be over, but it soon became clear the sometimes brutal race to the White House would come down to the wire.

Trump's early lead, taking Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Oklahoma and South Carolina, had those at the Democrats Abroad event at PJ O'Reilly's glued to their screens.

Canberra members of Democrats Abroad watching the results presidential election 2016 at PJ O'Reilly's. Credit:Jay Cronan

Nick Matzke, an American Bio-Geologist who moved to Canberra from Tennessee last year, has been an ardent Hillary Clinton supporter since 2008.

Racism and sexism dominated the campaign and Mr Matzke saw casting his vote for Secretary Clinton as a means to stand up against such rhetoric.
As the dust settles on the US election result, the influx of Americans to Australia has already begun - led by none other than a Collingwood player.

As the news filtered through of Donald Trump's likely US election success, the haven for those US citizens who were unhappy with the outcome looked set to be Canada - right up until the Canadian immigration website crashed.

American Mason Cox (right) was vocal on Twitter after the election victory of Donald Trump. Credit:Getty Images

But that news wouldn't have bothered American big man Mason Cox, who already had a contingency plan in place. He has, in fact, had one for some time - and he let everyone know about it in March this year.
Commonwealth Bank shareholders have revolted over the bank's payments to top executives, slapping the lender with a historic "first strike" against its remuneration report.

During a shareholder meeting that was also briefly interrupted by protesters, the country's biggest bank on Wednesday became the first Big Four lender to incur a vote of more than 25 per cent against its executive pay report since the "two strikes" rule was introduced in 2011.

Proxy votes displayed at the meeting showed 49 per cent of votes received were against the remuneration report.

The final vote count was to be released later on Wednesday, but chairman David Turner flagged the bank would be getting a "strike."
Laws in Australia that prevent whistleblowers speaking out or leave whistleblowers open to retaliation from the companies accused of wrongdoing need to be changed, according to the lawyer running the class action on behalf of Christmas Island detainees.

Maurice Blackburn principal Andrew Watson said he supported bringing in a US-style system that protects whistleblowers from the backlash of their employer and provides anonymity to those speaking out about wrongdoing.

The US system also allows the corporate watchdog the Securities Exchange Commission to pay bounties to whistleblowers if their tip leads to a fine of more than $1 million being issued.

"In the context of a class action on behalf of Christmas Island detainees, Maurice Blackburn has had to obtain orders from the court in order to speak to whistleblowers without the threat of criminal sanctions," Mr Watson told the Maurice Blackburn Fairfax Media Class Action Symposium in Sydney.
With the biggest reality TV event of the year playing out before us with the US Election, some of Australia's biggest - and most controversial - corporations appear to be using the opportunity to "take out the trash".

It is a term used in political circles, describing the practice of dropping out unpopular or contentious news under the cover of a major event that would hopefully soak up the news cycle.

Mining giant Rio Tinto has picked a great day to announce that it has suspended one of its most senior executives.

Rio explained its energy and minerals chief, Alan Davies, had been suspended "with immediate effect" after the discovery of $13.5 million worth of payments to a consultant who worked on the Simandou iron ore project in West Africa.
Cash Converters will refund almost $11 million to payday loan customers after the corporate watchdog caught it failing to check if borrowers could actually afford to pay back the loans.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has also hit Cash Converters with a $1.35 million fine for issuing unsuitable small loans to about 118,000 customers through its website.

The payday lender is forced to refund $10.8 million to customers. Credit:Brendon Thorne

The pawn shop and payday lender incurred 30 infringement notices under the National Credit Act by failing to make reasonable inquiries about, or take reasonable steps to verify, customers' income and expenses, ASIC said in statement released on Wednesday morning.

Instead of looking at a customer's bank statements to establish their expenses, Cash Converters guessed those figures, using an assumed benchmark "that had no relationship to the real expenses of the individual consumer", ASIC said.
The Queensland government has granted the controversial Carmichael mine an 11th-hour exemption to new water laws that could have seen the project subjected to further legal challenges.

The government has introduced laws requiring Queensland mining projects to obtain a water licence, in an effort to reduce the impact on ground water.

The Queensland government added an amendment to the laws that will allow the Adani mine project to avoid court challenges to its water licence. Credit:Rob Homer

But the Palaszczuk government on Wednesday added an amendment to the laws that will allow the Adani mine project, which has already faced significant legal action, to avoid court challenges to its water licence.

Under the amendment, projects that have already finalised proceedings with the Land Court will be able to obtain a licence from the government without being subjected to challenges from the public.
Bushfires might dominate the summertime headlines but storms and flooding pose the biggest disaster risk to Sydney's economy.

Storm damage, hail and flooding caused 70 per cent of all insurance losses in NSW between 1970 and 2013, a report by insurance giant IAG and consultancy firm SGS Economics and Planning shows. Insurance losses from hail damage in that period were nine times more than bushfire losses in the state.

The report warns that Sydney has a "high risk" of floods relative to other regions. That is due mainly to extensive urban development in the flood plains of the Hawkesbury, Georges and Cooks rivers along with their various tributaries.

Storms and flooding regularly cause disruption to urban transport networks, affecting work patterns and economic activity. Heavy rainfall also impacts road networks by reducing travelling speeds and increasing accident rates.
Oil drillers. Gas pipelines. Coal. Banks. Pharmaceuticals. Construction, industrial equipment. The defence industry.

Those are the likely winners of a Trump administration that could take the lid off coal and fracking regulations, begin a massive repair of US roads and bridges, rebuild defence, repeal the Dodd-Frank financial reform act and kill Obamacare.

One big loser? Foreign trade could suffer if the president-elect follows through on his plan to renegotiate trade agreements.

"Without a doubt, the obvious beneficiaries are defence, transportation and energy," said Tim Loughran, a professor of finance at Notre Dame. "If there were more coal companies still on the market, they would be really hot right now. The transportation sector has been hit with excessive regulation. Trump should be able to fix that, too."
America has Brexited. It's an imperfect comparison. The United States can't leave itself. But on Wednesday, with the election of Donald Trump, it withdrew from a number of agreements it long ago entered, some more enduring than others.

The American people have voted to leave behind the late 20th century consensus on free trade and open immigration. Hints of this withdrawal have abounded for decades. The 1992 candidacy of Pat Buchanan was a bellwether for Trump, a call for "America First" paired with a move toward economic protectionism and closed borders.

But Buchanan lost his bid for the Republican nomination, and his ideas were muted, ignored. Not by everyone  not by the populists who carried his banner, who marched sometimes with the Republicans and sometimes with the Democrats and sometimes with third-party candidates like Ross Perot. But the GOP ignored them, and to a lesser extent, the Democrats as well. The parties agreed, more or less, and until tonight, they were comfortable in their agreement.

The American people have likewise voted to leave behind the nation's global dominance and its global partnerships. The Barack Obama years have involved a long unwinding of the neoconservative adventures of the George W Bush years, but the United States has remained a significant force on the world stage, intervening haphazardly in the Middle East, entering trade deals, shoring up alliances.
The Turnbull government has proposed a bill to permanently ban refugees from Australia who sought to enter Australia without a visa from mid-2013. Critics have noted that the bill is harsh, excessive and would ban refugees happily resettled in other countries from ever visiting Australia even for business, tourism or to see friends or family.

The government claims that the bill is consistent with international law. We strongly disagree. The bill would illegally punish refugees for entering Australia by boat. It would also illegally deny refugees their right to reunite with close family members.

Article 31(1) of the Refugee Convention requires Australia not to "impose penalties, on account of  illegal entry" to Australia by refugees who have come "directly" from a place of persecution, as long as they "present themselves without delay to the authorities and show good cause for their illegal entry".

Based on the prevailing legal authorities, the bill's proposed lifetime ban would violate this provision. First, a "penalty" is not limited to criminal sanctions but includes any serious unfavourable treatment. The proposed ban on entering Australia is punitive in this sense, particularly given its severity  a permanent ban on entry, for any purpose, and irrespective of the personal circumstances of individual refugees.
A disaster occurs when a natural hazard overwhelms a social systems capacity to cope and respond. Instead, disasters require many agencies and a coordinated response. Many factors such as vulnerability, resilience and population density influence a how a community copes with hazards. Natural disasters are therefore socially constructed, and this is in Australian legislation on how disasters are declared. What types of disasters are most common in NSW? Using data on local government areas involved in natural disaster declarations we examined three types of sudden hazards  bushfires, floods and storms. We found that LGAs in NSW were involved in disaster declarations on 905 separate occasions. Across the state, 27 LGAs experienced no disaster declarations. All of these were located within the Greater Metropolitan Region around Sydney. The highest numbers of disasters declared were in Clarence Valley (21), Richmond Valley (16), Narrabri (15) and Nambucca (15).

While bushfires were the most commonly occurring type of disaster event, floods affected the highest number of LGAs. Bushfire and storm disasters were most common in 2012-13, and floods in 2010-11. By analysing these data we found a cluster or hotspot in the states north east. LGAs here were much more frequently involved in disaster declarations than elsewhere. Whats causing these disasters?

We found clear differences between the number and type of disaster declarations in different years. We wondered if disasters were linked to El Nino (which can lead to hotter, drier weather in Australia) and La Nina (which can lead to cooler, wetter weather). We did indeed find that bushfires were more common in hot, dry El Ninos, and floods and storms in wetter La Ninas. But the relationship wasnt statistically significant  which is how scientists decide how important a statistical finding is. This suggests that for NSW at least, the strength of El Nino and La Nina is not a good predictor of the number of bushfire, storm or flood disaster declarations that will be made. This might be for two reasons. First, the declaration of a disaster is based on its socioeconomic and human impacts  not the physical size or intensity of the actual event. And second, we only have a good data set of disaster declarations back to 2004, a very short period of time to look for detailed patterns. We also compared disaster declarations to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas data, a dataset that ranks communities on their relative social disadvantage. Research shows that vulnerable, disadvantaged communities are more susceptible to hazards and disasters.

We found that of the most disadvantaged LGAs in NSW, 43 per cent were found in the states disaster hotspot. While we dont know exactly why so many disadvantaged communities are found in the disaster hotspot, this demonstrates the role that social disadvantage plays in influencing susceptibility to disasters. This builds on other recent studies about inequality and disadvantage in Australia. The key message for Australia, and the world, is if we do not deal with the root causes of inequality, injustice, disadvantage and poverty, no amount of spending on disaster risk management will stem ever increasing disaster losses. What can we do? The overlap of disadvantage and disaster declarations presents a challenge to communities, disaster managers and governments. Increased funding to address social disadvantage in these communities may increase resilience to natural hazards, preventing them from becoming disasters.

Even Sydney, where all of the LGAs with no disasters were found, shouldnt become complacent. Areas with less experience of hazards have lower awareness of the risks, and respond less effectively as a result. So even though metropolitan areas are typically better off, if a disaster were to occur, the population here would likely be less prepared to cope with the impacts. Community outreach and education programs may help increase general awareness of the risks and help communities become better prepared. Similarly, more training and deploying emergency services personnel to disasters elsewhere could help gain insight and experiences which can be brought home. The 2011 Queensland floods demonstrated the need for better education, risk communication and community awareness. With flood disasters the most widespread across NSW, it would be prudent to focus on educating communities about floods to increase resilience and help them cope. Increasing resources for the State Emergency Service will also allow for more effective planning, mitigation and response strategies to be developed and implemented. The damage bill from recent flooding across NSW topped A$500 million. The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted an above-average 2016-17 cyclone season. It is an apt time to pause and reflect on what drives peoples understanding of disaster risk and community resilience.
The two-party system will be in chaos for years. The political class clearly needs to reboot so as to represent more accurately the disparate groups who compete to survive in what is often a dog-eat-dog society.

The depth of feeling was so intense among one significant minority  the 40-odd per cent of Americans who are white, not college educated and largely rural-based  that they have begun a process of what Mr Trump called "draining the swamp" and its inhabitants in Washington. In doing so they also gave succour to hatred of immigrants, Muslims, black Americans and even women.

That Mrs Clinton struggled even with heavy support from women and Hispanics says much about the broader electorate's concerns about her in the White House. While many of her backers will blame the intervention of the FBI, she failed to secure the trust of those who doubt her honesty over emails and her reasons for tolerating her husband's misdeeds.

The Democrat lost crucial support among the working class: some unionists, many just families struggling to get by. After eight years of a Democrat White House with the promise of a fairer go for all, not enough felt they shared the benefits of jobs growth and economic recovery. The post mortem must examine how and why the Obama presidency, so persuasive and upbeat in its rhetoric, has not translated into a happier nation. Mrs Clinton and the Democrats must learn, too, from errors like calling Trump supporters "deplorables".

But the Republicans face their own crisis. While their victories in Congress will affect the make-up of the next Supreme Court, many Republicans split with Mr Trump on key issues. As long as he is in public life, he will undermine the Grand Old Party as we knew it. Notably, former president George W. Bush voted for neither Mr Trump nor Mrs Clinton. Of course the Bush dynasty can be partly blamed for the party's declining fortunes: a dynasty of insiders created an environment in which an outsider like Mr Trump could emerge even though he has never served in public office.
Is seems meaningful that from an Australian perspective the US election happened on 9/11. Peter Fyfe Eskineville The spectacle and theatre of the greatest republic on Earth electing a new president must have been just too much for me  I spontaneously broke out into song. "God save our gracious Queen, long live our noble Queen" Ronald Elliott Sandringham (Vic) America, next time how about introducing a system so candidates have to have parliamentary experience before they can be a leader? How about reducing the campaign to weeks rather than years, to reduce the agony (and the cost!)? What about introducing compulsory voting, to get a truly representative outcome? And why not just get a queen, so while the pollies are having their barneys, the country can retain still retain its sense of stability?

Peter Fleming Ryde As I write the result of this election is not yet certainly known, but it seems clear to me that the fact that Donald Trump could even come close to winning is due to the progressive cultural infantilisation of the American electorate brought about, over several decades, by commercial media. In other English-speaking countries there is at least one state-funded institution which is not dependent on delivering what the audience wants. Maturity in the USA is clearly not something to aspire to or to expect in a head of government. Brian Rutnam Marrickville If the Australian media were to give a small part of the attention they routinely devote to events in the US to news and analysis of what is happening in other countries of the world, we would be much better informed. China, India and continental Europe get short shrift, and who hears anything of Brazil, South Africa or Japan except when they host the Olympic Games? David Teather Scotts Head

No matter what the result of the US election there will be a loss of respect for America's electoral system. Uncertainty will breed concerns regarding future trade as well as strategic and military positioning in an apprehensive world. Max Clayton Glenhaven As I watched Bruce Springsteen sing behind the bullet-proof glass required when the Clintons and the Obamas campaigned on the eve of the US election I was reminded of a moment that is, absurdly, one of my proudest as an Australian. When President Obama visited Australia in 2011 the "First Bloke" Tim Mathieson decided to skip the hassles of extra security and traffic after an official event and just walk back from Parliament House to the Lodge. Alone. Remembering that moment highlighted what is one of the remaining differences between our countries. How many decades back past Michelle Obama would we have to go to find a presidential spouse who could just, as Springsteen sang, take a Long Walk Home

Catherine Craddock Hornsby Why did Donald Trump wear a blue tie? Marli Davies Wentworth Falls The result may be in but the main question remains to be answered. Just how does the new president unite the United States? Bob Harris Sawtell

Speed cameras not the only way to curb road deaths Everybody is upset that the road toll keeps rising. However, your editorial endorses extending the point-to-point speed cameras to cars as if that will be a magic fix for the rising road toll ("Gay must change his mind on speed cameras", November 9). I beg to differ. I think there are other things the state government could do that probably would make a difference if it's really serious. For one thing, car inspections are now at best perfunctory. Previously, tests of vehicles included putting the vehicle on the garage hoist and checking everything from wiper blades, windscreen washers, steering joints, oil leaks, headlight alignments  the list goes on. Not any more. You only have to look around the roads to see that the standard of vehicles that have been cleared for use on our public roads is laughable. Old bombs abound and I don't mean well-maintained classic cars. For another thing, we should amend the law so that not just P-plate drivers but all other drivers too should have a zero alcohol blood reading to be in charge of a vehicle, as in planes. Just having an acceptable limit sets the tone that the government thinks some drink driving is OK. It is not.

And a third thing that would make all vehicles more visible, particularly on long and straight roads in country areas, is to make headlights compulsory in the daytime. Cars so lit are visible for kilometres in country areas. These simple changes could make a real dent in what is a national tragedy. Turning on a switch won't do it. Lance Dover Pretty Beach Triggs was correct to call out Turnbull Perhaps Pasquale Vartuli (Letters, November 9) failed to notice that the Coalition politicised discussion of the Human Rights Commission the moment it unleashed its strident attacks on Gillian Triggs.

The Coalition's attacks have been relentless and its language towards and about Gillian Triggs immoderate at best but quite evil in many ways, to the extent of inspiring hate and death tweets. Triggs was absolutely right to correct the perception that Turnbull tried to create. He may have been uninformed, misinformed or even deliberately lying. In any case, his speaking without checking facts was at best ill-considered. Uncorrected, his comments could bring discredit to both Gillian Triggs and the Human Rights Commission. And does anyone truly believe Turnbull would come out and correct his error on the basis of a private exchange of views? No, when we don't stand up to bullies and those who are happy to disseminate misinformation, either deliberately or inadvertently, we are all diminished. Peter Thompson Killara

With the Prime Minister's "misleading" and "misinformed" (what a shame we can't call it what it is) criticism of Professor Triggs, at least we can now lay claim to having our very own Donald Turnbull (or maybe Malcolm Trump). Dan Sutherland Clarendon The shift from offend and insult to vilify would strengthen the laws according to Human Rights Commissioner Gillian Triggs ("Triggs backs review of race hate legislation", November 9). This would also give the commission greater power to have complaints meet a higher threshold. Surely that would lead to greater efficiency and fairness in the process while leaving room for respecting freedom of speech. Gordana Martinovich Dulwich Hill The obvious route

Proposed development along Parramatta Road was also an in-vogue topic back in June 2005 ("Parramatta Road to get 27,000 homes", November 9). In a tongue-in-cheek letter of mine back then I wrote: "A continuous curvilinear strip of flats five stories high and 44-kilometres long? I would like to see that." Clearly, I never envisaged that the truism "be careful of what you wish for" would apply to members of the "lettertariate". Roger Cameron Marrickville A two-headed beast Congratulations to all those involved in the rescue of Tim Cadman of Bellingen (Letters, November 9), bitten by a tiger snake. A heart-warming story. A very happy ending.

But I wonder did anybody check on the condition of the snake? I know if I bit someone from Bellingen, I'd be seeking some urgent medical advice. Kent Mayo Uralla Counting Stars Tony Everett (Letters, November 9) suggests that our cricket teams need "a lad or two" in order to be successful. That will come as news to our wonderful Southern Stars, who have a record that is the envy of their male counterparts, and with nary a lad in sight. It's not lads we need, it's players. Lewis Winders Sheffield (Tas)

Laws of nature are not laws of mathematics Tom Grant's and Mark Speakman's kerfuffle about offsets and loss of biodiversity in land clearing (Letters, November 9) misses a crucial point. Nature does not operate in several "blocks of land" that can be mathematically levelled to "no net loss of biodiversity". Clearing a block of land immediately affects a much wider environment, vandalising nature, which we are dependent upon. We should co-operate with the laws of nature, not work against them. Servaas van Beekum Bondi Beach Minister Spearman does not enlighten us as to how allowing developers, unable to identify or procure any suitable offsets, to stump some cash guarantees no net loss of biodiversity. His government truly has become one that knows the price of everything but the value of nothing. Chris Burns Forestville

Our best bipartisanship I honestly can't see a problem with an associate of Eddie Obeid profiting from the Fish Markets redevelopment (Letters, November 9). Obeid's family companies flourished thanks to previous Labor governments who somehow managed to ignore their activities. What a shining example of bipartisanship. Peter Mahoney Oatley Problems not proportional We lock our doors to prevent the small percentage of population who would take advantage of an open door (Letters, November 9). It's not that hard to conclude that a small percentage can cause big problems.

David Reid Artarmon Co-ed question marks Since Barker took its fledgling first steps in 1890, there has been a positive change within all-boys schools ("Barker school goes fully co-ed after 126 years", November 9). Machismo may have flourished even as recently as a quarter of a century ago but the contemporary boys-only school offers a learning environment far more culturally compatible with the real world. Their leaders and teaching teams are committed to preparing young boys to understand and identify with their own masculinity yet appreciate they will enter an adult world where men and women ideally share equality of opportunity. As a member of the Independent Primary Schools Head's Association for more than 20 years, my observation was that co-education was most successful at the polar ends of the K-12 journey.

Our youngest boys and those on the verge of manhood benefit significantly from the presence of girls, who provide a stabilising equilibrium. The years in between remain a question mark in the mind of this recently retired primary school teacher. Neil Harrison Cremorne Food safety standards The theory that there are quality concerns with SPC products is flatly wrong ("Woolies cans tomato deal", November 9). The reality is SPC has always met or surpassed the standards set by Food Safety Australia New Zealand  the independent body that regulates food production.

Reg Weine managing director, SPC, Richmond (Vic) Third time unlucky as bad omens build I suspect, James Packer, the shade of Barangaroo is sending you a message ("Damaged crane tumbled from Barangaroo tower", November 9). First the fire in the towers, then the arrest in China and now the crane. They are pretty good hints to cut and run. Why not oblige and give us back our foreshore. Nola Tucker Kiama Politicians bend the truth? No surprise here

Two politicians accused of being economical with the truth ("'He's lying': Rudd begs to differ with Turnbull", "Brandis 'misled parliament' on solicitor-general", November 9). Surely the year's biggest non-news stories thus far. Garth Clarke North Sydney If you are unsure about whether to believe Turnbull or Rudd, consider one wants to hang on to power and the other has no such concern. Mustafa Erem Terrigal It's definitely time for Elvis Brandis to leave the building.
Hello, my name is Madonna King, and I was wrong.

I didn't believe, for one moment, that a narcissist as ignorant and vile as Donald Trump would be supported so strongly, across so many different voting groups.

"I didn't think, for a moment, that a man who didn't pay his taxes would be held up as a national role model," writes Madonna King. Credit:New York Times

I didn't think that so many American women, with the knowledge of his treatment of their sisters, would see it appropriate to make him commander-in-chief.

I wrongly thought that Trump's boasts about grabbing women by the pussy, or agreeing his daughter was a "nice piece of ass" or referring to the moment a women turned 35 as being "check-out time" would turn off intelligent voters, male and female.
Donald Trump's election as the 45th president of the United States may have been unthinkable for many, but the reality has already started to sink in for foreign policy and defence strategists around the world.

Trump has been very clear in stating that he will review America's global engagement, including commitments to allies.

It's highly likely the US will retreat from its global commitments, including those in the Asia-Pacific, writes Professor Andrew O'Neil. Credit:James Davies

He has also demonstrated a willingness to cut deals with authoritarian countries, including Russia, and has intimated this may guide his approach to China.

Trump and his core constituents are deeply opposed to multilateral trade deals, including the landmark Trans-Pacific Partnership, and would act quickly to introduce trade barriers to protect struggling US sectors such as manufacturing.
An unusually wet winter has caused wild orchids to bloom in the tens of thousands across Black Mountain, Mount Majura and the Aranda bushland.

The ACT government's senior conservation officer Dr Michael Mulvaney said there were more than 120 species of orchids tucked away in pockets of scrub across the city.

Conservationist Dr Michael Mulvaney, with a green comb spider orchid in Aranda Bushlands. Tens of thousands of wild orchids are flowering around Canberra. Credit:Elesa Kurtz

"It's not hillsides of flowers, it's individual flowers you'll see as you're walking around every 10 metres or so. You have to go and look for them and get your eye in," he said.

If you do venture into the bush though, Dr Mulvaney said you will be rewarded.
Right wing politicians from One Nation to the Turnbull government's own backbench have heralded Donald Trump's electoral victory as a wake up call to mainstream politics and the major parties, predicting a coming democratic shock in Australia.

Coalition backbenchers Cory Bernardi and George Christensen said on Thursday Mr Trump's defeat of Hillary Clinton should serve as a lesson to Australia's political elite and the global establishment.



Speaking from the United Nations in New York, where he is on a three-month secondment, Senator Bernardi said he had foreseen the election of a figure like the combative Republican businessman for years and warned major political parties were wilfully ignoring voters in favour of their own power and self-interest.

He said Mr Trump's victory was "a validation of all I have been warning about for many years".

"The movement against the establishment political parties, who have consistently and willfully ignored the mainstream majority in favour of their own power and self-interest, is moving across the globe."
A split has emerged inside the Human Rights Commission over the latest move to amend section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, with Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane not on board with a proposal backed by commission president Gillian Triggs.

Professor Triggs said the independent body would consider recommendations made by the parliamentary inquiry into free speech, announced on Tuesday, and said a proposal to to remove "offend" and "insult" from the law, replacing them with "vilify", would amount to a strengthening and "could be a very useful thing to do".

Mr Soutphommasane said he would contribute to the inquiry as a matter of course but that it "remains my view that there is no case for changing section 18C of the act".

"Our society must have strong protections against racial abuse and vilification, while guaranteeing freedom of speech," he wrote on his blog.
Dreadfully sorry about any unfortunate misunderstandings in recent times. Bygones be bygones. Good. Glad to get that behind us.

Then prime minister Kevin Rudd and opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull in 2009. Credit:Andrew Meares

Thing is, I'm appealing for your assistance. Urgently.

I wish to lodge a complaint under any section of your remit you might consider fits the offence.

Bullying. Harassment. Intimidation. Behaviour prejudicial to good social order.

As you know so very, very well, it's illegal to say or do anything that's reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate. Yes, yes, I know there's a qualifier about race, colour, or national or ethnic origin. I've got an ethnic origin, too. As I've said several times now, the only people who have been in Australia longer than my family are the Aborigines. As to colour: one of my staff remarked only this morning that I was looking puce.
A recent trip to Europe with my kids, forced me to think about how Australia treats children. In a tapas bar in Madrid one evening the bartender serves us our drinks and a complimentary plate of sweets for my two young boys, both reading at the bar. Back in Sydney a month later, in a city pub, the kids are tolerated in the dining room but then have to do a walk of shame outside of the pub on the footpath and around the front bar, just to use the toilet.

Sorry kids, Australia is really not that into you.

There are a few signs parents can look out for that may indicate your child is bullying. Credit:Stocksy

We're into the idea of you, previous governments even paid us to have you, but once you turn up next to us on a plane, talk too loud in a restaurant, or arrive in a pub we sigh and roll our eyes.

Now, as a former (and occasionally current) child hater myself I get that adults don't want little people in every situation. I am not proposing I have my kids in nightclubs dancing til 3am or throwing bread at you in a three-hatted restaurant on Valentines Day. But I do think we need to end what is a kind of adult and child apartheid in a lot of situations. By which I mean we are either doing a kids' activity  playdate, birthday party or visit to an inane children's park  that makes adults question their life choices or we are doing an adult activity  shopping, working, having dinner parties  that bores the kids rigid while we pacify them with screens.
Earlier this year, 102-year-old Geraldine "Jerry" Emmett made headlines after being named an honorary delegate from the state of Arizona at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, before speaking at various Clinton campaign events. Born in 1914, before women were given the right to vote, the retired-educator said that Hillary's campaign proved just how far politics has come over the past 100 years.

And last Tuesday, the self-proclaimed "Centenarian for Hillary" made her lifelong wish come true when she dropped an early ballot paper alongside her son Jim at her local Arizona polling centre - and wearing a freshly pressed white pantsuit.

Jerry Emmett with Hillary Clinton after she cast her ballot. Credit:Democrats/ Twitter

"It was the greatest thrill of my life; I just wish my mother and dad could see all of this," Emmett told Tucson News Now after submitting her vote for Hillary Clinton.
Planning to have a caesarean before 39 weeks dramatically raises the risk of the baby going on to experience developmental delays in school, Sydney researchers say.

Early planned births were linked to a 26 per cent increased risk of developmental delay for babies born at 37 weeks, found the study of 153,000 babies born after 32 weeks in NSW.

Babies born by planned caesarean at 38 weeks had a 13 per cent increased risk compared to babies born vaginally after a spontaneous birth.

All obstetric interventions were associated with an increased risk of developmental delay, found the study published in the journal Pediatrics.
Supporters of US President-elect Donald Trump were kicked out of an election party at the University of Sydney after they became rowdy and started chanting "grab them by the pussy, that's how we do it".

A few hundred people packed into the United States Studies Centre-hosted event at the university's Manning Bar on Wednesday, as polling stations closed and the shocking results poured in.

When the university was alerted to the "inappropriate behaviour" of emboldened Trump supporters, its security team removed some of them and issued warnings to others, a spokesperson said.
The heartbroken mother of a woman killed crossing the road in Sydney's south says she would do anything to change places with her daughter.

Danielle McGrath, 26, was struck by a truck as she crossed The Kingsway, near the intersection of Port Hacking Road, at Caringbah, at 7:40am on Tuesday while on her daily journey to the local train station.

Helen Kerr McGrath with her daughter Danielle. Credit:Facebook

Ms McGrath, who worked as a business affairs co-ordinator for television production company Endemol Shine Australia, died at the scene. Police believe she was crossing while the pedestrian light was green when she was hit by the truck as it turned right.

The driver of the prime mover, a 59-year-old Illawong man, was taken to Miranda police station and charged with dangerous driving occasioning death.
The final part of the WestConnex motorway project linking the M4 and M5 motorways will be widened from three to four lanes in each direction, and exit and entry ramps at Camperdown in Sydney's inner west ditched, under new design plans.

The Baird government says the designs for stage three of the controversial $16.8 billion project could also allow the new twin tunnels for the M4-M5 Link to be opened in 2022, a year earlier than planned.

Under the new plans for the toll road to be unveiled on Thursday, the tunnel alignment has also been shifted west to make a more direct route between interchanges connecting to the M4 at Rozelle and the M5 at St Peters.

The government said the changed alignment of the tunnels meant Royal Prince Alfred Hospital at Camperdown and its Cyclotron medical facility, and the University of Sydney, would not be impacted.
Crime figure Hamad Assaad was stealing drugs from organised crime gangs with a well-known Hells Angels bikie before he was killed in a hail of bullets outside his south-west Sydney home.

Assaad was well-known in the area's underworld, having been investigated for multiple high-profile shootings in the past.

Police at the scene of Hamad Assaad's shooting in October, 2016. Credit:TNV News

When he walked out of his Georges Hall home on October 25 and was shot repeatedly, he was on the police radar as a suspect in the shooting of Wally Ahmad at Bankstown some six months earlier.

However he had also come under notice for large-scale drug rips, carried out with a Sydney bikie figure he befriended in jail.
A Sydney man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in bushland near Thirroul Beach more than two decades ago has pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of having sex with a minor, the Illawarra Mercury reported.

Prosecutors agreed to drop the rape charge against Paul Caselli in a plea bargain presented to Wollongong District Court on Tuesday.

The man admitted to having sex with the teenage girl at Thirroul Beach. Credit:Sylvia Liber

In an agreed set of facts tendered to the court, Caselli, then 27 and newly married, admitted to having consensual sex with the teen in shrubbery north of the beach on the morning of January 30, 1993 after exposing himself to her and her friends during a brief encounter earlier in the day..

He later bragged about it to a friend, telling him "I picked up a chick at the beach last week.we went into the bushes and had sex".
A Brisbane restaurant adorned with red, white and blue was packed with members of the Australian American Association on Wednesday, all eagerly watching the results for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton come through.

The final countdown has destroyed the prediction of an easy victory for Hillary Clinton, and those who gathered at the Norman Hotel at Woolloongabba said it was a "very hard call for America".

Debra Austin at the US election viewing in Brisbane. Credit:Tammy Law

American Legion Auxiliary president and secretary Joan Burlew, whose husband was an American soldier, was barracking for Trump.

"Trump has really stirred up the whole country, which is a good thing," she said.
With the US election campaign at an end, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has denied that his group has "a nefarious allegiance with Russia" and said he had come under "enormous pressure" to halt publication of a trove of emails pirated from Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

In a statement published on the group's website, Assange said efforts to discredit him by linking him to Russian President Vladimir Putin were reminiscent of the "red scare" tactics used in the 1950s to hunt down communists. He did not explain, however, how he obtained the emails.

US officials have accused Russia of the hack that captured the emails and have said their publication by WikiLeaks was part of a plot to influence the US election. WikiLeaks has published tens of thousands of emails in the past month taken from the Gmail account of John Podesta, the Clinton campaign's chairman. So far, WikiLeaks has released 35 batches of the emails.

"The real victor is the US public which is better informed as a result of our work," Assange wrote. "No one disputes the public importance of these publications. It would be unconscionable for WikiLeaks to withhold such an archive from the public during an election."
Daniel Andrews has lost his third cabinet minister in less than two years in office, after the embattled Steve Herbert resigned over the scandal involving his use of a ministerial car to ferry his two pet dogs around.

Under the cover of the US election Mr Herbert issued a statement on Wednesday morning, declaring he was standing down because the issue was serving as "a distraction from the outstanding work of this government and specifically the excellent work of Premier Andrews".

Mr Herbert is the third minister from Mr Andrews government to leave cabinet in less than two years in office. He follows Adem Somyurek in 2015 and Jane Garrett in June.

Premier Daniel Andrews said Mr Herbert, who was minister for Corrections and Training and Skills, had "admitted an error of judgement and he is paying the price for that error".
Two men remain at large following the bizarre carjacking of a vehicle with a baby in the back on Tuesday afternoon.

A mother watched in horror as a man jumped into her car and sped off with her six-month-old girl, named Amira.

She was standing next to her Mercedes station wagon as she waited to pick up her three eldest children from the Australian International Academy primary school in Coburg.

The car was parked at the corner of Ohea and Ross streets as two men approached, about 3pm.
Geelong Grammar valued its reputation over the welfare of students, according to a blistering submission to the Royal Commission.

"There was a culture at Geelong Grammar which valued the reputation of the school over the welfare of the students," said David Lloyd, counsel assisting the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in findings published on Wednesday.

"The system did not protect and promote the interests of the students."

The prestigious school has been accused of allowing Philippe Trutmann to work as a live-in boarding house assistant from 1985 and 1996, even though school authorities were told about allegations of improper conduct in 1985.
Victoria's railways are vulnerable to cyber attacks that could shut down train services for long periods, inflicting serious economic harm to the state, the auditor-general has warned.

The state's economic watchdog found "significant weaknesses" in the cyber security of Metro's and V/Line's systems, and weak governance and support by Public Transport Victoria.

The "security vulnerabilities" in train IT systems have exposed the backbone of the state's public network to the threat of "extended or complete loss of train services", Victorian Auditor-General Andrew Greaves wrote in a report published on Wednesday.

An attack could do economic damage to Metro, V/Line and the state, cause reputational damage to train operators and see them lose control of commercial or sensitive information, he wrote.
Former US ambassador Kim Beazley has warned a Trump presidency could destroy Australia's alliances and economic stability in the Asian region.

Mr Beazley, a proud West Australian who returned to Australia earlier this year after six-year posting in Washington, told reporters outside the University of WA on Wednesday morning a Trump victory "would be an issue for us".

The former federal Labor leader said Canberra would have to "steer" Mr Trump towards a more sensible foreign policy in the region or risk Australia becoming one of the most destabilised regions in the world.

"If Mr Trump was elected there would be a special task on Australia that we would need to explain to Mr Trump that some of the directions in which he wants to take policy would be immensely damaging in the region to both to the security of our allies and the economic stability in the zone," he said.
Dr Weir says it is unrealistic to expect individual rural residents to construct and maintain extra-large driveways and turning circles for fire trucks. Credit:Emma Young The City of Busselton and Shire of Mundaring, for example, were ordering all property owners, new or old, to create an 'asset protection zone' of 20 metres around houses or face $5000 fines. Despite the new policy indicating the 20-metre asset protection zone could in some cases be created by simply reducing undergrowth and leaf litter fuels and leaving trees alone, he said residents were not really aware of this and would likely assume it was safest to clear everything. Residents risk fines for not complying with the notices. Credit:Emma Young But CSIRO research showed trees were "not the enemy" and could be beneficial close to homes in fire situations, in slowing high-velocity winds and shielding from embers.

The Shire of Jerramungup, where the Bremer Bay fires forced evacuations in 2012, was not only enforcing the 20-metre clearing but also requiring all landowners, within a set period, to build large driveways to set specifications, provide turnarounds for heavy firefighting vehicles, provide a 20,000-litre dedicated water supply and pay to maintain all the above annually, or risk fines. The Bremer Bay area is a high-risk area, with rural homes in extensive coastal heathland and peppermint forest. He said the shire had held community consultations on this policy, but it had ignored community objections and petitions. He said some people might think the measures sounded reasonable given the devastating effect of bushfire, but his practical experience in bushfire-prone design and policy told him this "top-down" approach to enforce these measures was not economically sustainable. He said the top-down approach also undermined the first principle of bushfire risk mitigation, which was to promote people's understanding of their site-specific risk and encourage personal responsibility.

These local applications of the Bushfire Act had not been subject to cost-benefit analysis as the Australian Standards were required to. "It is time-consuming and expensive. People can't afford to do it and they can't practically do it," he said. "It's having direct impact on many landowners in the state, especially in the South West." The state policy also allowed for, and in fact recommended, people to get a professional, site-specific assessment on managing their own asset protection zone instead of following a rote council notice, but this could cost thousands. Processing and monitoring exemptions could also be expensive and problematic. He said the councils wanted uniformity, but uniformity and residential land just did not "go together" and this approach had not worked anywhere in the world; New South Wales' rural fire service, a world leader, did not attempt it.

"The Bushfires Act has historically been used on a plowed agricultural landscape of wheat fields," he said. "Planning conditions for subdivisions in bushfire-prone residential areas are wildly varying. "I am building houses right across WA on land where clearing is actually restricted. People are suddenly finding that they now have opposing requirements and an act of Parliament is being used to force them to do this mitigation. "People need to be aware of the costs in perpetuity, and if they don't seek exemptions or variations or make an effort to challenge their council it will just come in. "What local governments really need is someone doing risk assessments and the ability to embed into their responses information on individual assets and liability. That is the NSW approach. They have more financial resources than these massive shires with big bases and small ratepayer bases, but it would be worth them looking more at what is working."

Jerramungup chief executive Brent Bailey said despite its small rate base and limited finances, the shire had developed the Point Henry Fire Management Strategy following the Bremer Bay fires in 2012, before the new state planning policy was adopted. He said the shire had consulted widely and taken much of Dr Weir's advice into account. It had put a retrospective requirement in place for all development to comply, but was phasing the measures in over six years, acknowledging that people would have to plan for these sorts of works. People could also opt for the professional site-specific assessment. "We work with landholders and offer the opportunity to apply for variations, acknowledging that there is no 'one size fits all' approach," he said.

He said the shire had also just won a federal grant to adopt an innovative reflector network to inform volunteer firefighters which properties had a compliant driveway, turnaround, water source and asset protection zone, which would strengthen how the strategy worked overall. Busselton Planning and Development director Paul Needham said the City appreciated that asset protection zones did not need to be completely cleared. "There is an ability for landowners to apply for variations and the standard requirements of the bush fire notice can also be varied by a site or area specific fire management plan. It is understood that approach is reasonably widespread in WA," he said. "There are a lot of different views on what is necessary and/or acceptable in terms of bushfire risk mitigation. There have been a significant number of enquiries undertaken in recent years in Australia in the aftermath of significant bushfires and certainly those undertaken in WA have recommended that there be a consistent approach to requiring the establishment of asset protection zones around dwellings in bush fire prone areas. The enquiries in WA and generally elsewhere, have involved community and broader consultation." Mundaring chief executive Jonathan Throssell said the shire did not impose prohibitively expensive measures or require blanket clearing.

"New residential buildings within the bushfire hazard special control areas are required to be supported by a bushfire attack level assessment to determine an appropriate mix of construction elements for the building and works to the vegetation, if required," he said. "The Shire's Fire Hazard Inspection Officers and rangers [they support] are eminently qualified and experienced to assess bush fire mitigation measures. "The Shire believes that a comprehensive but simple approach by the department would best allow residents to understand their responsibilities and comply with legislative requirements." The Department of Planning confirmed shires could design local policies provided they met the "intent" of the state policy. The Department had held information and training sessions with shires across WA and subsidised training of shire employees.
Mr Bush said he planned to now "get very active in the grandfather business". As he left the stage, he turned to his wife, Barbara, who reportedly urged him to consider not running this year, and said: "It's over." An exuberant Mr Clinton returned the compliment later in the night when he appeared before a massive crowd in his home town of Little Rock, Arkansas. "I want all of you to join with me tonight," he said, "in expressing our gratitude to President Bush for his lifetime of public service, for the effort he made from the time he was a young soldier in Word War II, to helping bring about an end to the Cold War, to our victory in the Gulf War, to the grace with which he conceded the results of this election tonight in the finest American tradition." In a surprisingly long victory speech, Mr Clinton promised a new era as he prepared to become the first President born after World War II.

"Today, the steelworker and the stenographer, the teacher and the nurse, had as much power in the mystery of our democracy as the President, the billionaire, the Governor," he said. "You all spoke with equal voices for change and tomorrow we will try to give you that." Mr Clinton, who campaigned for more than a year, has told aides that he will not take a holiday for at least another two weeks as he prepares his transition to government. Mr Perot also urged his backers to get behind Mr Clinton, even though his comments drew loud boos from the crowd in his home town of Dallas. "No, no," he said. "Let's give Governor Clinton a big round of applause; he's won." Mr Perot, who ran a nontraditional campaign based on half-hour"info-mercials" on the poor state of the economy, suggested that he may continue in politics in some form or other.

He said it had always been his role in life to be the grain of sand that irritated the oyster to produce the pearl. "It's been an honour to be your grain of sand in this process and we will continue to make pearls in the future," he said. The Cable News Network reported that 102 million people, or 54 per cent of the voting-age population, had voted - the highest turnout since the early 1960s. Exit polls, taken as voters left the ballot booths, showed the depth of concern they felt about the economy and their relative lack of concern about the issues of trust, character and family values that Mr Bush had made the main themes of his campaign. More than a third of voters said their financial situation had declined and two-thirds of them voted for Mr Clinton.

Mr Clinton's winning coalition came from a broad section of voters, ranging from the so-called Reagan-Democrats who kept the Republicans in power over the past 12 years, to blacks, suburban voters and especially the young. The Democrats' domination of Congress is set to continue after the election, but women candidates made important gains, with four of them elected to the Senate. HOW AMERICA VOTED: Electoral college vote CLINTON: (Won) Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, New Hampshire, Maine, Hawaii, Washington DC, Vermont BUSH: (Won) Alaska, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missippi, Alabama, Indiana, South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia
Most new Republican administrations are filled with experienced hands from a previous government - a few governors and members of Congress, a prominent corporate chief executive or two. That's not likely with Donald Trump; look instead for fellow deal-makers, political pals and fervent early supporters.

More than any modern president, Trump doesn't come from the party establishment and owes it nothing. Some conservative think tanks will rush to fill the void, but with limited interest in policy, Trump is likely to continue to rely on instinct.

That's what led to his upset victory and is likely to be the model for assembling an administration.

Trump's children have also been floated for senior roles. Donald Trump Jr is being mooted as a possible Cabinet Secretary, according to London's Telegraph.
President-elect Donald Trump has his new website  greatagain.gov  live and kicking (though the first post was optimistically uploaded on November 2  a good six days before the election).

The website has various policy overviews  yes, he's building the wall but no detail on *how* he'll build it or how much it'll cost. It's bye, bye Obamacare, there's a full section on regulatory reform, and a big emphasis on coal, gas and oil in the energy sector.

"We will end the war on coal, and rescind the coal mining lease moratorium, the excessive Interior Department stream rule, and conduct a top-down review of all anti-coal regulations issued by the Obama Administration," it reads.

"We will ... scrap the $5 trillion dollar Obama-Clinton Climate Action Plan and the Clean Power Plan and prevent these unilateral plans from increasing monthly electric bills by double-digits without any measurable effect on Earth's climate."

Eek.

There's a bio of Trump (no mention of lawsuits, bankruptcies, or groping allegations), plus a section on the future first lady. She has apparently "focused her platform on the problem of cyber bullying".

I'll leave that last one right here.
On Wednesday morning, as they filed into Bobby McGees, an American-themed bar and restaurant in inner-city Melbourne, the guests were pumped.

Poll after poll had called it for Hillary Clinton, after all. Most knew what the day would bring.

Or so they thought.

As time stretched on, the crowd's buoyancy sagged.
Moscow: Donald Trump's victory was an unexpected bonus for the Kremlin, which had used the long, tortured US election campaign to prove the global reach of its disruptive disinformation operations and to cast doubt on the entire Western democratic process.

In some ways the result was less important to President Vladimir Putin than the fact that Moscow could exploit the entire campaign as evidence that the West was in chaotic decline.

Still, given Trump's positive statements toward Russia on crucial issues like its annexation of Crimea and the sense that his lack of foreign policy experience could be exploited, Russian analysts predicted that the Champagne corks would be popping at the Kremlin.

"Trump's presidency will make the US sink into a full-blown crisis, including an economic one," said Vladimir Frolov, a prominent international affairs analyst.
Before the results start to flood in, US election day media coverage is dominated by vision of lengthy voting lines, straw polls and the candidates themselves casting their votes.

Largely out of view of the cameras, though, is the final frenzied - and for one of them, futile - push to get every last voter out to a polling station.

Michael Dukakis with rival Democratic candidate Jesse Jackson in 1988. Credit:AP

Back in 1988, I had my first and only exposure to behind-the-scenes campaigning in the US or anywhere else.

As a volunteer for the Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis, I turned up to work on the second Tuesday of November of that year to be handed a telephone book of towns in western Massachusetts.
As secretary of state, Hillary Clinton was admired as an indefatigable diplomat, one who managed to rebuild America's reputation. Credit:Kevin Lamarque The location was significant. When Clinton lost the 2008 primary against Barack Obama  a race that all thought was hers to lose  she addressed women directly during her concession speech. Though she had failed to shatter that last glass ceiling, together they had made 18,000,000 cracks in it. At 8.55pm Clinton sent out a tweet of her embracing a girl. "This team has so much to proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything." To her supporters, to American women, indeed to women around the world, this sounded horrifyingly like a concession speech.

Before midnight it was clear she had lost Florida and North Carolina and she was behind in the Democratic states of Michigan and Wisconsin, a state she had not bothered campaigning in. She was even trailing in Pennsylvania.



A troubled relationship



Throughout her career of unstinting public service and unyielding ambition, Clinton has had a troubled relationship with the people she so desperately wanted to lead. As first lady of Arkansas she ruffled feathers with her activist presence and her refusal to take her husband's name. She blamed herself for his loss after a single term. She later changed her name and her ways, in public, and helped run his comeback campaign. As first lady she led the administration's efforts to reform America's health system. Not only did the effort fail but it earned her the ire of many in Congress and the public who did not like her consequential role. She retreated to a more traditional role and became an advocate for the rights of women, which she famously declared were human rights. She suffered the humiliation of the partisan investigation of her husband's infidelities and later built her own reputation as a dedicated senator for New York, an effective legislator admired on both sides of the aisle. This was the basis for her first White House bid, but she was blindsided by Obama. He benefited not only from the beauty of his rhetoric, but for his opposition to the war in Iraq, a war she had backed as senator.

Again her baffling resilience showed. She swallowed her pride and served as his secretary of state, never giving up on her dream of serving as the first woman president, further burnishing her resume. She was admired as an indefatigable diplomat, one who managed to rebuild America's reputation, that had been battered by the war she had backed. The bones of her final defeat can now be seen in the tough primary she was forced to fight against Bernie Sanders, another previously unknown senator. He had opposed the war, he opposed free trade. He represented opposition to Wall Street and Washington's elite. She was seen to embody it. Still the Democratic Party maintained its faith in her. When Trump felled 16 professional contenders to become the Republican candidate, Clinton believed she could beat him, but knew it would be an ugly race. She managed to convince a majority of voters he was unqualified for the job. He, and congressional Republicans investigating her use of a private email server as secretary of state, managed to convince as many or more that she was untrustworthy.

And again her campaign was struck by the behaviour of men. FBI director James Comey shocked observers by announcing he would re-open an investigation into the emails, a re-investigation restarted because the estranged husband of her aide, Huma Abedin, had sent explicit messages to a girl on a computer the couple shared. By midnight, at the Javits Centre in New York, many of her supporters were weeping, while others quietly left. The results suggest there was more to it than this though, that Trump was right, that Sanders had been right too, that what people wanted was radical change, a president from the outside. "Drain the swamp," they chanted at Trump's rallies. And more chillingly, "Lock her up." Last year when Clinton launched her campaign in blistering heat on Roosevelt Island in the Hudson River, three women wept with joy as they watched Clinton speak. Many high-school classmates continued to believe in the candidate. "This is her time," Cath Burgess, 68, told Fairfax Media that afternoon. "It is her time."
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PHILIPSBURG:---The House of Parliament will sit in an urgent plenary public session on Wednesday November 9, 2016. The Minister of General Affairs will be present for this meeting. The urgent plenary public meeting is scheduled for 14.00 hrs in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is Discussion on the border issues with the French side in particular at Oyster Pond. Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org.
GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- On Friday November 4th, the parents and a sibling, colleagues and acquaintances along with the Director of the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary in The Hague, Perry Geerlings, member of the Cabinet Kelly Busby and Rose Leerdam, attended a graduation ceremony at the University of Utrecht, where Dr. Ivy Defoe defended her PhD thesis (The Puzzle of Adolescent Risk Taking) with great success.

Dr. Ivy Defoe graduated Cum-Laude from the Developmental Psychology Department of the University of Utrecht and was lauded by the Rector Magnificus, her peers and professors for her great achievements in both her publications and research carried out in the field of adolescent behavioural risks. To name a few of her achievements thus far were her nine 9 literary (research) publications as well as one publication in a heralded Psychology Magazine in the Netherlands.

The Rector Magnificus even mentioned that Dr. Defoes achievements are very rare, but so now and then you come across an exceptional graduate, this is one of those scarce occasions, the Rector said.

Director Geerlings congratulated the doctor on behalf of the Government and the People of Sint Maarten on her achievement in his address to those present and deemed Dr. Defoe a true role model, not only to the people and Government of Sint Maarten, but also to her peers.

The Director, having been playing a part in the research process of Dr. Defoe, further stated that he was more than convinced that Dr. Defoe would be not only a source of inspiration to many, but that the works of here research would be of great value to Sint Maarten.

In particular, where the good doctor after finalizing her research in policies and practices in the field of Psychology at the Penn State University, her findings and approaches will greatly benefit her beloved country Sint Maarten.

As a token of admiration and appreciation for her achievements and contributions thus far, the doctor received from the hands of the Director flowers and a pin with the crest of Sint Maarten.
Prime Minister apologizes for the inconveniences caused by the virus attack.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin offer an apology to the people of St. Maarten for the inconveniences they encountered these past days since the server went down due to a virus attack. Marlin in his opening statement at the weekly press briefing said that several departments such as the Civil Registry, Tax Department, and the Receivers office will be back online by Wednesday afternoon.

Marlin said that the IT department is working diligently in restoring the server, he said that the program at the department of DIV (Central Registration Department) will have their software re-installed which will be done with the vendor that provided the software in collaboration with the IT department of Government. Marlin also said the system known as decade which operates the finance department has to also be reinstalled. He said the government is getting back on track gradually, he made clear that government is as strong as its weakest link, therefore he wants everyone to know that government could have the best system in place and it could still be hacked like other countries who were hacked in the past.

Marlin said one of the things that cause virus attacks are the amount of emails that government receives that sometimes has viruses.

Several civil servants contacted SMN News to complain about the operations of the IT department, and even though they filed a complaint with the IT department managers, nothing is basically done. The civil servants said that they are not even able to update their computers and that everything has to be done from the central which is hardly ever done. Based on email communication to SMN News those affected said that while the IT department has two managers these managers never visited the various departments but instead send the few employees they have to do the work at the various department. The civil servants that are highly affected even suggested that government should start thinking about giving each Ministry their own IT department instead of one general server. Some civil servants that are highly technological said they simply do not know when government IT will improve.

When questioned about this on Wednesday by SMN News, Prime Minister Marlin did not feel that the civil servants should speak or complain to media but instead they should complain to their secretary generals. He also said that several of government employees would use their computers to download things that are not relevant to their work, some workers he said would go on their favorite website, or even shop online while on the job. He also said that he does not believe that individuals should be given the chance to make updates with government computers. Marlin asked if these civil servants dont like the policies in place what they are going to do about it.

Parliament meeting on French and Dutch dispute over Oyster Pond to be discussed in parliament --- Prefete Deleguee responded

The Prime Minister also announced on Wednesday that he received a hard copy letter on Wednesday morning from the Prefete in response to the letter he sent to her regarding the issues at Oyster Pond. While Marlin lashed out last week at the French for arresting someone he said is the owner of Captain Olivers while that person was on the Dutch side doing construction repairs to the marina, he refused to divulge what the Prefete said to him in her response when asked for contents of the response by SMN News.

Marlin said the meeting of parliament is to inform the Members of Parliament of the situation at Oyster Pond and the status quo agreement St. Maarten/St. Martin, The Kingdom and the State of France signed in their quad partite meetings. Marlin said there is an agreement in place that has to be respected and that agreement clearly outline the border at Oyster Pond ever since he knows himself. Further to that, he said that the French already have the bigger part of the island and the most of Simpson Bay lagoon.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation has made an online donation of US $3,650 to Tzu Chi USAs Love Saves Haiti program to assist the many persons who were affected by hurricane Mathew which severely affected that Caribbean nation in early October.

Tzu Chi Commissioner Sandra Cheung said the donation represented $10 per day donation multiplied by the 365 days in the year. The foundation has also recently received donations of US $100 and US $50 to help Tzu Chi's efforts to assist Haiti.

Cheung is encouraging residents who would like to assist Haiti via Tzu Chis USA chapter to donate whatever amounts they would like to Tzu Chi St. Maarten relief account at Windward Islands Bank (WIB) account number# 219322-01. The funds will be transferred to Tzu Chi USA which is executing relief efforts in Haiti.

Cheung said Haiti needs the help of everyone to recover from the devastating effects of Hurricane Matthew.

Haiti had already endured tremendous loss after one of the 10 deadliest earthquakes in history struck in 2010.

Tzu Chi started providing humanitarian aid in Haiti in 1999, and its commitment to the Haitian people remains unbroken, the foundation said.

Tzu Chis Hurricane Matthew disaster assessment led to a plan of action that began in Jeremie and Les Cayes, two of the hardest-hit towns.

Tzu Chi will provide drinking water, hot meals, cholera vaccinations and building supplies to replace roofs torn off by the storm. Tzu Chi will then launch a Cash-For-Relief programme similar to the one that was of great benefit after the Ecuador earthquake this year.

Tzu Chi will assist Haiti now as well as in the long-term as the nation recovers from this latest catastrophe, but to do so, it needs the assistance of everyone.

Tzu Chi said even by contributing just US $1 a day, "your love can save others from suffering.

Persons can join Tzu Chis Love Saves movement by donating to Tzu Chi St. Maarten and the funds will be transferred to Tzu Chi USA, which is directly assisting Haiti.
Claim: Election Day is being split across two separate days this year. Rating: About this rating False

Advertisment:

The example reproduced above is another example of political humor that is updated and recycled every election year, a jape first chronicled back in 2000:

Presidential Election Announcement Due to an anticipated voter turnout much larger than originally expected, the polling facilities may not be able to handle the load all at once. Therefore, Republicans and Independents are requested to vote on Tuesday, November 7. The Democrats will vote on Wednesday, November 8. Please pass this message along and help us to make sure that nobody gets left out and everything will run smoothly with this minor change. Be sure to vote!!! Know where your voting place is near you!! 2000 Presidental Election Commission

The premise is, of course, that tricking supporters of one party into voting on the "second" election day will nullify their ballots, because they will be cast too late to be accepted and counted.

This form of humor moved closer to the "dirty tricks" column than the "funny jokes" column in late October 2008, when it was circulated in Virginia on fliers bearing the name and logo of the Virginia State Board of Elections as well as the logo of the Commonwealth of Virginia:

The "joke" reared its ugly head again in 2016, when Mansfield, George, mayor Jefferson Riley posted it to his Facebook page (with no disclaimer or other indicator it was intended as humor):

Riley's action prompted predictably angry responses:

[Rliey] said it was a joke. Others thought it was out of line. Sorry, Nancy Bush wrote in a Twitter post. May have been meant as a joke but a stupid and irresponsible one. On social media, some slammed Riley, while others defended him. A Georgia mayor giving out incorrect voting info without a disclaimer, Twitter user @onestarr23 wrote. Wooooow. How could you see this as anything other than a joke, user @Logan__Swartz wrote in a post. Riley said he wasnt trying to be ugly. People take things so seriously, he [said]. You cant joke about anything anymore  especially on social media. Also, a group called the Democratic Coalition against Trump said it has filed a complaint with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice over the post. While Mayor Riley seems to think his actions were a joke, it is clear that they were not. As a public official, you have the obligation to provide your constituents with correct information, not with partisan nonsense, said Scott Dworkin, senior director of the group. Attempting to prevent voters from voting by tricking them goes against the Voting Rights Act, plain and simple.

In Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, someone put up flyers on 8 November 2016 with the following, familiar misinformation:

Due to the ending of Daylight Savings Time and the anticipated large voter turnout, the 2016 Election will be split into 2 days. Republicans will be voting on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Democrats will be voting on Wednesday, November 9, 2016. Independents can choose to vote on either day.

The same joke is circulating in advance of the 2020 election. Election Day 2020 is Tuesday, November 3, for everyone. If you haven't already taken advantage of some alternative form of casting your ballot (e.g., voting ahead of Election Day in a locale that allows for early voting, sending in an absentee ballot, voting by mail) and you plan to vote at a polling place, you need to turn out on Election Day  showing up on November 4 won't work. Although this item may seem like a bit of obvious and frivolous election year humor, it's bound to fool or confuse some people, and when it made the rounds of the Internet as far back as 2000, officials started making grumbling noises about seeking prosecutions for voter fraud.

The old Chicago aphorism says to "vote early and vote often." The part about voting early, at least, is good advice: If you haven't already cast a ballot, make sure you show up at the polls on Tuesday, November 3, not some other day  no matter which party you're voting for.
NEW YORK (AP)  Fresh off one of her biggest album launches of her career, Taylor Swift announced a new U.S. stadium tour starting in 2023, with international dates to follow.
Prospective immigrants to Canada from India are likely to increase under Ottawas new forecast of its intake of newcomers to the country in 2017 as targets for categories under which they are mostly admitted have been raised.

The forecasted drop in the intake of refugees means the quotas for the economic and family reunification classes will be enhanced reported the Hindustan Times.

Canadas minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship John McCallum announced the 2017 immigration plan, the first of the Justin Trudeau government, after nationwide consultations. The government expects to welcome 300,000 new immigrants into Canada next year, the same figure as 2016.

In 2016, the target for the economic class  the category most used by Indian immigrants  was at 160,600. This has now been upped to 172,500. The family reunification class has been increased by 4,000 to 84,000.

Leading immigration lawyer Ravi Jain, of Toronto-based Green and Spiegel LLP, said: This new target will benefit Indians as there will be more room to bring in Indian immigrants through both the family class and the economic stream.

I have already seen a decrease in processing time for my Indian clients who are sponsoring spouses and I expect that parental sponsorships will be processed faster as well.

The new plan could also be helpful for students from India, as Jain pointed out, With the higher number of economic class immigrants coming in every year going forward, there will be room for the government to award higher points for Indian international students so that they can once again more smoothly transition to permanent residence.

Data released for 2015 showed India was among the top two source countries for new permanent residents. With 39,530 admitted that year, a slight increase over 2014, Indians only trailed permanent residents from the Philippines.

The announcement comes as McCallum left for a week-long visit to India, during which he will travel to Amritsar, New Delhi and Chandigarh.

McCullum said in a statement, The 2017 levels plan will put Canada in a strong position for the future and support our overall economic and social development as a country.

While there were demands during the consultation process to increase the levels of immigration to 450,000 annually, Macullum settled on a figure that matched the one for 2016, partly due to a record influx of refugees, particularly from Syria.

In his statement introducing the immigration plan, McCallum said, In 2017, economic immigration programs will see an overall increase of 7% over 2016. Immigrants with skills and experience are able to quickly contribute to the Canadian economy and society, improving life for the middle class as they help create jobs, spur innovation and strengthen communities.

While in India, New Delhi is expected to raise with McCallum its concerns over restrictions on the movement of foreign skilled workers for short-term duration work, as these curbs are affecting the Indian IT industry.

Canada, U.K., the U.S, Germany and Switzerland are the top five markets for Indian IT firms. The annual revenue of Indian IT firms from the U.K. and Canadian markets is about $18 billion and $3 billion respectively, according to industry body Nasscoms estimates.

Separate bilateral talks are slated for November 7, with Canada and Britain, on various issues, and workers movement is one among them. McCallum, is slated to meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, and representatives of Nasscom, the IT trade body.

The Indian Commerce Ministry has also been briefed about the IT sectors concerns. Mr. McCallum is likely to be joined by Laura Albanese, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Ontario and Lena Diab, minister of Immigration, Nova Scotia.

The Centre and Nasscom are expected to take up the issue of Canadas plan to introduce a new short-duration work permit exemption for inter- and intra-company transferees and experts, among others, for work up to 30 days annually.

The IT industry feels this 30-day limit does not serve a purpose too short a time frame for the sector.

Nasscom welcomed the Canadian governments plans to bring down visa and work permit processing times to two weeks from 3-4 weeks as part of the Global Skills Strategy to attract foreign talent.

However, it said the processing time in itself was not a major concern.

During November 7 discussions, Nasscom will seek clarity from Canadian government officials on when the new plan will come into effect and whether Canada will be able to incorporate their demands in the Skills Strategy.

Under the specialised knowledge category to avail exemption from Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) in Canada, the employer will have to demonstrate that the employee (foreign worker) has the specialised skill and the requisite proprietary knowledge to carry out a certain task.

However, getting an LMIA exemption is difficult as about 20 per cent of applications are usually rejected.

Gagan Sabharwal, Director, Global Trade Development, Nasscom, said: We feel a lot more needs to be done (by Canada) to realise the full potential by setting clear and objective criteria around specialised knowledge in the LMIA exempt category that has seen the rejection rate rise since these guidelines were introduced a couple of years ago.

According to the Information and Communications Technology Council, Canada will face a shortage of more than 200,000 information, technology and communications workers by 2020.

Tech leaders have pressed the government for months to improve a drawn-out, bureaucratic immigration process that stretched between six months and a year to get skilled foreigners to come to Canada. Those waiting times, they complained, were far too long and their intended hires often accepted competing offers elsewhere instead, reported the Globe and Mail.
Commentary by Bhupinder Liddar

Special to The Post

When about a week ago, Canadas International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland cried in Brussels, her sniffles were heard around the world.

The Times of London carried a story on October 22 headlined, Trade deal failure reduces Canadian minister to tears. The story reported that a tearful Canadian minister declared that the European Union was incapable of reaching an international trade deal after the Canada-European Union free trade agreement floundered, after seven years of negotiations.

The Canadian ministers tearful display was soaked up by both British and Europeans, who were closely monitoring developments as Canada and the EU attempted to rescue the deal. This last-minute hurdle is perhaps instructive in the run up to complex negotiations that will accompany an exit plan for a member state.

The British voted in a referendum in June to leave the 28-country common market of 500 million.

Amidst the swirling British Brexit drama, The Times story also contained a stark warning: The failure to agree the EU-Canada deal  vetoed by a single Belgian region  indicates the pitfalls Britain will face as it attempts to forge a new commercial relationship with the EU.

Parlez-vous Brexit?

In another twist familiar to Canadians, Michel Barnier, the French lead negotiator for the European Commission, suggested that he expects his native tongue to be used at meetings and in documents that will determine Britains future relationship with the EU.

Fortunately, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stepped in to offer a compromise, suggesting there need not be an official language for the talks at all. All of this transpired while British Prime Minister Theresa May was on her first visit to the EU.

Negotiations for Britains exit from the EU will be complex, as it is the first time that a country has decided to leave.

As the British pound tumbles on foreign exchange markets, its economy showing signs of slowing down and financial institutions and international companies looking to leave Britain and relocating their European headquarters, and with no real political strategy to exit, Britain is living in a vacuum.

It was evident to me on a recent visit that the country is engulfed by confusion and uncertainty of unprecedented magnitude, arising from no one really expecting or predicting the British to vote to exit the EU.

Faced with uncertainty and grim economic forecasts for the island-nation economy, the British are getting cold feet and are unsure what to do next. The options appear to be: set in immediate motion a mechanism to leave the EU, try to negotiate terms of departure in the hope of retaining some benefits of a common market, or try to delay the exit for as long as possible. Currently, all three are being tried.

Wanting it all

However, almost four months since the referendum, there is no exit strategy. The Prime Minister, the governing Conservative Party and the political leadership remain clueless. Britain has to invoke Article 50 to start negotiations to leave the EU. This process will take two years.

For instance, Britain wants to restrict free movement of European workers, while wanting to keep intact its tariff-free trade advantages. It is unlikely the Europeans will oblige.

Some want Parliament to vote whether Article 50 should be invoked. But, others argue this will be subverting the will of the people who clearly expressed their desire to leave the EU.

Meanwhile, Scotlands First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has declared her intention to present a Bill to the Scottish Parliament to hold a referendum to separate from the United Kingdom. Scotland will then apply for EU membership.

A majority of Scottish voted to stay in the EU in the June referendum.

The only bright sign is that, with the pound plummeting almost 20 per cent since the Brexit vote, tourists are flocking to London for Christmas bargain shopping. But, that too is temporary.

While Minister Freeland may have shed a tear or two in vain and Canada is going ahead with signing the Canada-EU Trade Agreement, Britain is far from getting such a result. After all the negotiating is done and deals made, what may be left of a United Kingdom or Great Britain may well be just Little England!

Bhupinder S. Liddar is a retired Canadian diplomat and former publisher/editor of Diplomat & International Canada magazine and can be reached at [email protected] or visit www.liddar.ca

This piece was originally appeared in New Canadian Media (newcanadianmedia.ca).
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A comparison of the Moon at perigee (its closest to Earth, at left) and at apogee (its farthest from us). The change in distance makes the full Moon look 14% larger at perigee than at apogee. and nearly 30% brighter.

November's supermoon  the name given to a full moon that occurs when the satellite is at its closest point to Earth during the lunar orbit  will be the biggest supermoon in about 70 years.

Algonquin Native American tribes as well as American colonists called the November full moon the Beaver Moon because "this was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs," according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.

The Slooh Community Observatory will offer a live broadcast for November's full moon on Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. EST (0100 GMT on Nov. 14). You can also watch the supermoon live on Space.com, courtesy of Slooh. [Supermoon November 2016: When, Where & How to See It]

An alternative name for November's full moon is the Frost Moon, which was also coined by Native Americans, according to the Almanac.

A comparison of the Moon at perigee (its closest to Earth, at left) and at apogee (its farthest from us). The change in distance makes the full Moon look 14% larger at perigee than at apogee. and nearly 30% brighter. (Image credit: Sky and Telescope, Laurent Laveder)

November's supermoon will be the largest since 1948, and the full moon will not come this close to Earth again until Nov. 25, 2034, according to NASA. This month is the second in a series of three consecutive supermoons happening late in 2016, with the first taking place in October, and the last in December.

Full moons occur when the moon is on the side of the Earth opposite to the sun, and the three celestial bodies all line up. (Sometimes they perfectly line up, causing a lunar eclipse.) The moon's orbit around the Earth is not a perfect circle, so during each orbit, the moon reaches a minimum distance from the planet (this point is called perigee) and a maximum distance (apogee). When the moon is full, and is also at perigee, it's called a supermoon. The supermoon can look 14 percent larger than it does during apogee, and up to 30 percent brighter, NASA officials have said.

The Slooh Community Observatory is hosting a live broadcast of the November supermoon, starting Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. EST (1200 a.m. GMT Nov. 14). You can watch the live stream here on Space.com, courtesy of Slooh.

Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Republican president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City.

With the presidential election over, the focus in Washington, D.C., can finally turn back to policy and legislation.

Most of the conversations between President-elect Trump and Congress will probably involve immigration, health care, the economy and other similarly high-profile issues. But the nation's future path in space will also be under consideration  and it will probably generate some spirited debate.

One of the hottest topics will likely be the direction of NASA's human-spaceflight program, said Brian Weeden, a technical adviser for the nonprofit Secure World Foundation. [Gallery: 50 Years of Presidential Visions for Space Exploration]

In his first term, President Barack Obama canceled George W. Bush's moon-oriented Constellation program and instructed NASA to get astronauts to a near-Earth asteroid by 2025, then on to the vicinity of Mars by the mid-2030s.

To meet the first part of that directive, NASA devised the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM), which will pluck a boulder off a near-Earth asteroid using a robotic probe. This spacecraft will then haul the boulder to lunar orbit, where it will be visited by astronauts.

But ARM has its share of detractors, and some of them occupy positions of power on Capitol Hill. For example, earlier this year, the House of Representatives' Appropriations Committee proposed denying funding to the mission.

"The Committee believes that neither a robotic nor a crewed mission to an asteroid appreciably contribute[s] to the overarching mission to Mars," committee members wrote in a report. "Instead, NASA is encouraged to develop plans to return to the moon to test capabilities that will be needed for Mars, including habitation modules, lunar prospecting and landing and ascent vehicles."

This asteroid-versus-moon argument isn't likely to end anytime soon, especially since most of the international human-spaceflight community prefers the lunar option, Weeden said.

And that brings up another issue, he added: Just how much international cooperation will there be on NASA's envisioned journey to Mars and other big projects? Who will the partners be? Could China be involved, even though U.S. law currently prohibits NASA from working with China to any significant degree?

"That's a very big civil-space public policy question that the next administration will most definitely be tackling," Weeden said last week during a presentation with NASA's Future In-Space Operations working group. [5 Manned Mission to Mars Ideas]

Artist's illustration of astronauts on the surface of Mars. (Image credit: NASA/JSC)

Also potentially on the docket, he said, will be the further mapping out of NASA's relationship with the private sector.

The George W. Bush and Obama administrations set NASA on a path that hands over many activities in low-Earth orbit (LEO) to private companies, theoretically freeing up the space agency to focus on more ambitious efforts, like getting people to Mars. For example, SpaceX and Orbital ATK currently fly robotic cargo missions to the International Space Station for NASA, and SpaceX and Boeing should start flying American astronauts to and from the orbiting lab in a year or two.

"That raises a bigger question about, Are there activities NASA has historically done that are perhaps better suited for the private sector to do?" Weeden said. "If so, how do you make that transition, and what does that mean for the future of NASA and NASA's workforce, and how NASA is organized?"

As the cancellation of Constellation and the push to scrap ARM show, NASA is often pulled this way and that by the president and Congress  not an ideal situation for an agency that's trying to plan out a crewed Mars mission and other activities 20 or 30 years in the future. So the next administration may investigate ways to ensure more policy stability for NASA, Weeden said.

The NASA administrator is currently nominated by, and serves at the pleasure of, the president. Some people have suggested that the NASA chief should instead be appointed by a panel, and/or serve a fixed term. Such changes would help shield the agency from partisan politics, the idea goes.

There are other important space-policy questions that must be dealt with at some point, Weeden said. For example, which federal agency (or agencies) should regulate the nascent asteroid-mining industry and other near-future space activities, such as private space stations and commercial moon outposts? Should the United States be in charge of cleaning up space junk, or should an international coalition lead this effort?

Then there's the national-security realm. Much of the United States' military might is based on the nation's dominance in space; for example, sharp-eyed spy satellites often give American warfighters a clearer view of the battlefield than their adversaries can get.

But other countries are increasingly contesting this dominance by developing their own advanced spacecraft and, in some cases, anti-satellite capabilities, experts have said.

"There's much more of a case that in future conflicts, there's probably going to be a space element of the conflict," Weeden said.

So the U.S. military is assessing how best to deal with this developing situation, he added.

"There's a discussion about, should the U.S. develop new offensive counterspace capabilities of its own, in part to deter adversaries, or perhaps to counter their own capabilities?" Weeden said. "And related to that: How might the U.S. deter potential adversaries such as Russia and China from kinetic attacks on space [assets] in a future conflict? And then, how best to leverage commercial industries and allies in that mix of resilience and assurance?"

President-elect Trump and Congress will therefore have a lot to talk about when it comes to space. And they may have fewer arguments than we're used to seeing, now that the presidency, House and Senate are all in Republican hands.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
The Reserve Bank of India's new 2000 rupee banknote features the country's first interplanetary spacecraft, Mangalyaan.

Three years (and five days) after it was launched to circle Mars, India's first interplanetary probe is now entering circulation on the back side of the country's new banknote.

The Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday (Nov. 8) revealed the new bill, part of the "Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series" of banknotes, which features an illustration on its reverse of the Indian Space Research Organization's Mangalyaan or Mars Orbiter Mission that was launched on Nov. 5, 2013. The bill has a face value of 2000 rupees (about $30 U.S.), making it India's highest denomination of currency. [India's First Mars Mission in Pictures (Gallery)]

The bill, which enters circulation on Thursday, immediately replaces India's 1000 banknote, which ceased being legal tender on Wednesday in an effort to combat counterfeiting.

"The new denomination has [the] motif of the Mangalyaan on the reverse, depicting the country's first venture into the interplanetary space," the Reserve Bank of India stated in a press release.

"The base color of the note is magenta [and it] has other designs, geometric patterns aligning with the overall color scheme, both at the obverse and reverse," the bank said.

The 6.5 inch by 2.5 inch (16.6 by 6.6 cm) bill features on its front the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement when the country was still under British rule.

Mars Orbiter Mission, or Mangalyaan, image captured in September 2014 from a distance of 46,300 miles (74,500 km) from the surface of Mars. (Image credit: ISRO)

ISRO's Mars Orbiter Mission entered orbit around Mars on Sept. 23, 2014, following a ten-month journey from Earth, making it the 13th spacecraft in history to begin circling the Red Planet.

"India has become the first [country] to have made history by reaching Mars on its maiden attempt," Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, said after the probe was confirmed in orbit. "I congratulate the people of this country."

The $74 million (4.5 billion) mission was mainly intended as a technology demonstrator, designed to show that India could get a spacecraft to Mars. But the probe was outfitted with a camera and four scientific instruments to study the planet's surface and atmosphere.

During its first year in orbit, Mangalyaan returned data and images to comprise a 120-page scientific atlas. In March, the mission's first science results were published based on the measurements obtained of the Martian exosphere.

India has now become the third country to commemorate its success in space on its current paper currency.

In November 2013, the Bank of Canada began circulating a new $5 banknote featuring the Canadarm2 and Dextre, robotic arms and manipulators that were used to build and now maintain the International Space Station.

Two years later, in December 2015, China's Central Bank released a 100-yuan banknote celebrating the country's 45 years launching to space. The bill featured the Shenzhou 9, China's 2012 crewed spacecraft, and Tiangong-1 space lab, as well as Dongfanghong-1, China's first satellite, and Chang'e-1, the country's first lunar orbiter that circled the moon from 2007 to 2009.

See the Reserve Bank of Indias flier promoting the Mangalyaan banknote at collectSPACE.

Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2016 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved.
Larvae from aquatic invasive mussels have been detected in Montana for the first time.

Water samples from Tiber Reservoir east of Shelby tested positive for the larvae of aquatic invasive mussels, with similar tests from Canyon Ferry Reservoir near Helena showing suspect or inconclusive results, according to officials at Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

FWP, along with other state and federal agencies and the Montana Invasive Species Advisory Council (MISAC), are now working to determine whether adult mussels are present in Tiber Reservoir and to get further test results on Canyon Ferry.

This is the first positive test in Montana for the larvae of quagga or zebra mussels, said Eileen Ryce, FWP fisheries division administrator. Although we hoped we would never see these invasive species in Montana waters, weve been preparing for this possibility for some time, and were going to work together to address this threat.

Quagga and zebra mussels are aquatic invasive species not known to be established in Montana. In other parts of the country, such as the Midwest, Southwest and the Great Lakes areas, mussels have impaired hydroelectric, municipal and agricultural water infrastructure. Mussels may also impact fisheries and other aquatic resources and damage recreation facilities.

FWP runs aquatic invasive inspection stations during the warmers months as well as the Clean. Drain. Dry. campaign to discourage unintentionally transporting invasives on watercraft.

Recent site inspections at Tiber and Canyon Ferry did not turn up any established populations of adult mussels, but officials will conduct more extensive inspections with the assistance of dam operators, marina concessionaires and other groups. State agencies are also making arrangements to bring in dogs that may detect mussels at Tiber and Canyon Ferry reservoirs.

FWP regularly tests the states rivers, lakes and reservoirs for aquatic invasive mussels. Water samples from Fresno, Holter and Hauser reservoirs have come back negative, as did samples from Lake Frances, the Marias River and the Milk River. Testing at Fort Peck Reservoir and the entire Missouri River system is ongoing.

The recent test results are definitely bad news, but they do indicate our detection system is working, Ryce said. The results from Tiber Reservoir show the larvae exist at very low densities, which improves our chances for containment."

The coming winter also offers some hope of stifling a potential infestation.

At 50 degrees and below, the larvae are unable to reproduce, said Stephanie Hester, MISAC coordinator. Were in the process of determining what state the larvae are in  so timing-wise were in a pretty good spot."

Thats not to say there isnt concern because theyre just crazy in terms of what theyre able to do and hide and proliferate once adult mussels are established. Were taking this very seriously," she added.

Officials are unsure of when the introduction may have occurred, although Hester suspects the larvae were transported via recreational boat.

A rapid response plan includes assessing the risks, coordinating state and federal agencies and other water users, contacting legislators and looking at possible control measures, she said. Recent work on the council and regionally to address invasive species has given officials a framework for responding, she added.

We have a huge list of people were on the phone with right now letting them know we need their support and help, Hester said. I feel like were in really good shape with the goal to protect the resource and prevent any more issues.

If adult mussels are detected, potential controls include aeration or dissolving potash in an attempt to eradicate them.

Bob Gilbert, executive director for Walleyes Unlimited of Montana, said he is hopeful the Canyon Ferry detection is a false alarm, but encouraged officials to get out ahead of potential infestations as soon as possible.

Our organization is 100 percent behind keeping any invasive species out of Montana and especially these mussels, he said. Theyre not only devastating to fisheries but to just about everyone who uses water in this state.

This latest invasive species detection is much different than the high-profile detection of a fish-killing parasite which caused temporary closures of the Yellowstone River this summer, Ryce said.

The Yellowstone River was much more of an emergency to prevent the spread to other waterbodies and reduce additional stressors on the fish, she said. For this situation its less of an emergency because we have the luxury of having the winter to come up with plans to minimize the spread and containment.

As officials look at strategies, watercraft inspection and mandatory decontamination may be instituted to alleviate concerns of spreading larvae or adult mussels. Boating restrictions are not expected.
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'It Will Only Get Crazier'

Sigmar Gabriel, head of Germany's Social Democrats and Merkel's vice chancellor, was more terse, saying: "Trump is a warning to us as well. He is the harbinger of a new authoritarian and chauvinistic international movement."

German Justice Minister Heiko Maas, of the center-left Social Democrats, took to Twitter, writing: "The world won't end. It will only get crazier."

Cem Ozdemir, co-leader of the German Green Party, said: "This is a break with the tradition that the West stands for liberal values."

Reactions elsewhere in Europe were no more optimistic. Former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta said on Twitter that Trump's victory was "the most significant political development since the fall of the Berlin Wall and a wake-up call for Europe." Gerard Araud, French Ambassador to the US, tweeted: "This is the end of an epoch. After Brexit and this vote anything is possible. The world is crumbling in front of our eyes." He later deleted the tweet.
In a statement issued to The New York Times in July, Trump suggested that aid in the event of an aggression against the Baltic States would be dependent on their financial contributions to the defense alliance -- an act that would violate Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which requires any member to come to the aid of another that NATO declares was attacked. It's no trifling matter in Berlin, either, given that Germany plans to command a new NATO battalion in Lithuania. German fighter jets have long been providing surveillance missions to guard Baltic air space. These deterrents will only work with the help of the United States -- within the NATO alliance.

Other remarks have also raised eyebrows around the world. Earlier in the year, he was even quoted as saying, "It's possible we're going to have to let NATO go. When we're paying and nobody else is paying, a couple of other countries are but nobody else is really paying, you feel like the jerk."

What Is Trump's Position on Nuclear Weapons?

Will the statements Trump has made about foreign and security policy during his campaign really be the course he sets as US president? "A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons," his challenger Hillary Clinton said during the campaign. It's a concern that is also very palpable here in Berlin. During a television appearance in March, Trump said he wouldn't rule out the possibility of using nuclear weapons against terrorists with the Islamic State in the Middle East or even Europe. "Somebody hits us within ISIS -- you wouldn't fight back with a nuke?" Trump asked. "Then why are we making them?" One day later, he added, "Europe is a big place. I'm not going to take cards off the table."

Will He Play Down Climate Change?

Man-made climate change is one of the central issues of German environmental policy, and even Chancellor Merkel explicitly cited the need for "forward-looking climate policies" in her response to Trump's election on Wednesday. Will Trump now intensify the US' already hesitant position in combatting climate change? Before becoming a candidate, in a tweet sent out in 2012, Trump claimed the "concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive." He later claimed he had been kidding. "Obviously, I joke," he said. "I know much about climate change. I'd be (sic) - received environmental awards."

Is Free Trade Dead?

Controversy surrounding TTIP, the free trade agreement currently being negotiated between the European Union and the United States, exists in both the US and Germany, at the right and the left of the political spectrum. Merkel is pushing for the agreement, but negotiations may already be dead. During the campaign, the president-elect stated repeatedly that foreign companies would only use free access to the US market to steal American jobs and flood the country with cheap products. Given that a majority of the (white) working class voted for Trump, it would be surprising if he moved forward with TTIP.
Commenting after its Board meeting on 1 November, NOAH Chair Cat Sayer said:

The UK must continue to be a vibrant and innovative animal health market, providing opportunities for animal medicines businesses to thrive.

We are in a strong position in the UK to be a global centre of excellence for animal medicines, supporting both innovative product developments and a regulatory model to benefit both local and international trade. We need to ensure that our industrys needs and priorities are included in discussions on how the UK exit develops, she said.

Following the UKs exit from the EU, NOAH stresses the need to ensure that measures are in place to facilitate trade and innovation in the animal medicines sector. Future UK regulation of veterinary medicines must incentivise product research and development  an environment where companies are encouraged to do business in the UK.

The health and welfare of British animals, as well as our public health and food safety need to be safeguarded  our vets and animal keepers need to continue to have access to a wide range of appropriate animal medicines.

And we must not forget our people. The animal medicines industry has many highly skilled roles. Businesses will continue to need to be able to recruit the best, said Ms Sayer.

NOAH has formed a Brexit Task Force from members of its Board, covering the breadth of the UK animal medicines sector which is working to identify the risks but also the opportunities offered by the UK post EU Exit for its members. It includes both UK based and global company heads. The Task Force will represent members views and drive policy forward at this crucial time.

NOAH is collaborating with partners across the animal health sector, including veterinary, human health, agricultural and pets and engaging with relevant government departments to ensure that veterinary medicines are included in future government industrial strategy.

In the UK consumers both encourage and expect high standards of animal welfare in food production and pet owners also want prompt and effective care. UK veterinary surgeons and animal owners need access to a full range of medicines and vaccines to protect animal welfare by preventing disease and treating illness effectively, added Cat.

EU Exit Policy Statement

Representing 90% of the UK animal medicines industry, NOAH promotes the benefits of safe, effective, quality medicines for the health and welfare of all animals. The UK animal medicines industry is an innovative, high skills-based sector; our members employ around 2,000 people directly in the UK and indirectly support many thousands in related industries. The sector is valued at approximately 625m of B2B sales every year. NOAH membership includes both global multinationals and companies who produce, import and market products within the UK.

Executive Summary

Exit from the EU offers opportunities for the UK animal medicines industry to benefit from a vibrant and innovative animal health market, providing opportunities for animal medicines businesses to thrive. The UK is in a strong position to be a global centre of excellence for animal medicines, supporting both innovative product developments and a regulatory model that assists both local and international trade. It is vital for the UK economy and society that the EU Exit is achieved in a manner that will allow the opportunities it presents to come to fruition.

Our vision is an environment that delivers a thriving animal medicines sector:

Supporting trade and innovation.

Safeguarding animal health and welfare and public health and food safety; ensuring that UK veterinarians and animal keepers continue to have access to a wide range of appropriate veterinary medicines.

Businesses have access to skilled staff  the right workforce they need.

Product research and development is incentivised within a regulatory system which continues to be one of the most stringent in the world  making the UK a world-leading regulatory authority.

Companies are encouraged to do business in the UK as unnecessary regulatory burdens are recognised and removed.

Transitional arrangements to support business continuity post EU Exit are built, utilising links with specialist EU infrastructure where necessary.

Opportunities

Within future trading relationships, EU Exit may represent an opportunity to develop a new, innovative regulatory system, able to incentivise companies to gain product approval and launch onto the UK market in advance of the EU. In certain circumstances, carrying out UK specific scientific risk assessments on the authorisation of veterinary medicinal products could allow UK vets, farmers and pet owners access to a greater range of medicines, in some cases before the EU.

For example,

(i) Special routes to authorisation in the UK where the disease is different from the EU e.g. emerging disease, or a in species not popular in EU, such as sheep

(ii) Special opportunity to authorise a product when a positive benefit: risk assessment is appropriate for the UK but negative in the EU.

This is also an opportunity to ensure the retention of the UKs POM-VPS and NFA-VPS categories of veterinary medicines: a system with a long track record of ensuring appropriate access to certain medicines for UK farmers and pet owners which NOAH members support. Our ability to communicate to farmers is also under threat from the draft new EU Veterinary Medicines Regulations. Retaining our ability to inform animal keepers, for example about improvements to pain management or vaccination will all help to ensure our high animal welfare standards.

What is needed 1: Regulatory challenges & future regulatory models

Veterinary medicines are, quite rightly, heavily regulated to protect our animals, people and the environment. The UK regulator, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is considered to be a lead regulatory agency across Europe. In 2015 the UK acted as Reference Member State in 43% of EU Mutual Recognition procedures, being the lead regulatory agency for 73 out of 168 applications. The animal medicines industry welcomes this leading role that the VMD plays across Europe and the VMDs expertise is highly respected.
An estimated 180,000 beef cows from 2000 Scottish farmers have enrolled in the new five-year 45 million Rural Development scheme which looks to improve the efficiency, sustainability and quality of the beef herd whilst helping producers increase the genetic value of their stock and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Tissue tagging 20 percent of cattle for genetic evaluation is a crucial element of scheme rules but no tissue tags have yet been received by scheme applicants.

That is frustrating for the many farmers who have already housed and handled their cattle for the winter, with many of those animals now located in overwintering accommodation that is some distance from the home farm.

Because of the ongoing delay, the Union has urged the Scottish Government to update all scheme applicants on progress with BES and, as a priority, let them know when the necessary tags will arrive. Given the delays, farmers must be given as wide a window as possible to return the tissue samples.

NFU Scotlands Livestock Committee chairman Charlie Adam said:

We are now into November and it is unacceptable that those who have applied to the new Beef Efficiency Scheme do not have tissue tags on farms.
When Tesla announced recently that it would make full self-driving capability available on new S and X models for a mere $3,000 extra, optimists hailed the development as a watershed moment for consumer technology.

But embedded in the news release was a little-noted catch: While customers may use the self-driving feature to pick up friends or family members, doing so for revenue purposes will only be permissible on the Tesla Network, details of which will be released next year. If you want to earn some extra money  perhaps to help pay off your robot cars $75,000 price tag  by selling rides to strangers, you wont be allowed to use Uber or Lyft.

On its face, this demand may seem ridiculous. For over a century, buying a car meant that as soon as you left the lot, you could drive it wherever and however you liked as long as you obeyed traffic laws. Yet, because of the way copyright law handles software, Tesla may have wide latitude to control your behavior by conditioning use of the products you presumably own on your willingness to following its (literal) rules of the road.

Tesla is not the first company to use its power over software to restrict what consumers can do with the products they buy. John Deere prohibits farmers who buy its software-enabled tractors from doing their own repairs. General Motors informed the U.S. Copyright Office that motorists who purchase their cars mistakenly conflate ownership of a vehicle with ownership of the underlying computer software in the vehicle  even though, without the software, your GM car is essentially a giant paperweight. Keurig sold coffee makers that deny you your daily fix unless you use its proprietary coffee pods. HP and Lexmark printers are programmed to reject other makers ink cartridges. Even Google, considered by many to be one of the more open tech firms in the country, permanently disabled every single Revolv home automation hub sold by its subsidiary Nest when it unilaterally decided to pull support for the device.

How did we end up in a world where device makers can dictate how we use the products we buy and reasonably believe we own? Starting in the 1980s, software companies began routinely attaching End User License Agreements to their programs without much pushback from regulatory agencies or courts. Since then, EULAs have expanded both in their length and their ubiquity. Today, these catch-all documents are flooded with thousands of words of legalese attempting to minimize corporate liability and limit consumer rights. Whats more, EULAs are no longer confined to standalone software products. Our phones, watches, TVs and even our vehicles come with complex license terms attached.

Although few if any of us ever bother to read these agreements, there is one consistent message in nearly all of them: Software isnt sold to you, it is merely licensed. From your copy of Microsoft Office to the code embedded in your Tesla, SmartTV, or even the latest Barbie doll, these license terms insist that you dont own the copies of code that make your devices work. Youve just been granted temporary permission to use them, even if you paid the same price that you used to pay to own these items outright, and sometimes even more.

As if that werent bad enough, Digital Rights Management technology allows device makers to actually enforce restrictions through code. In the 1990s and early 2000s, DRM was deployed to prohibit everything from having devices read e-books aloud to opening your garage door with a competing remote to using videogame cheats to fast-forwarding through DVD previews.

Fortunately, we have of late seen some attempts to safeguard digital consumers rights. For example, in response to carmakers leveraging their control over software to clamp down on independent repair shops, some states and industry groups fought and won a right to repair for software-enabled cars. But such responses have been few and far between.

Silicon Valley venture capitalist Marc Andreesson once famously wrote that software is eating the world. That statement describes not only new technologies, but also the legal and policy frameworks that enable them. If license terms are allowed to control how we use the digital goods we buy, they may well eat away at the very notions of ownership and personal property.

Aaron Perzanowski is a professor of law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Jason Schultz is a professor of clinical law at New York University and director of NYUs Technology Law and Policy Clinic. They are the authors of The End of Ownership: Personal Property in the Digital Economy. They wrote this for the Los Angeles Times.
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Carlo Leone

Democratic state Sen. Carlo Leone fended off a Republican newcomer Tuesday in District 27 to keep the seat he first won in 2011.

Leone, 53, defeated Dr. Gino Bottino, 65, an oncologist who ran for state Senate out of concern his young-adult children will not be able to succeed in an increasingly unaffordable Connecticut.

Stamford is leading the way. We don't build walls, we break barriers and shatter glass ceilings, Leone said. All of the news has been positive.

With less than half of precincts reporting Wednesday morning, Leone was leading the race with 53 percent of the votes.

Bottino said hes happy with his first run.

I did it because I wanted a chance to talk about the issues with people, and even if all Ive accomplished is getting Carlo Leone to see he needs to deal with these issues in a better way, that would be a win for me, Bottino said. If he gets that message, Im good.

Leone, who is married with one child, has said his strengths are his record of working with legislators from both parties, which helps him get things done for the district.
STAMFORD  A 53-year-old man was beaten during a robbery attempt on Atlantic Street in the citys South End early Tuesday evening.

Sgt. Simon Blanc said the victim was walking home when a man demanded his money on Atlantic Street near Woodland Avenue about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The victim said he ignored the man, but the assailant punched him twice in the face, Blanc said.

The victim said he was dizzy after the punches and did not see which way the robber fled.

The assailant was described as being in his 30s, about 5-foot-7, 180 pounds and was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and dark pants.

The victim was taken to Stamford Hospital for his injuries.

JNICKERSON@SCNI.COM;
SD40

Late returns propelled political newcomer Republican Terry Gauthier to the Montana Senate, representing a district that includes portions of Lewis and Clark and Powell counties.

Gauthier, a Republican, took the lead early Wednesday morning as results from more rural Lewis and Clark and Powell surged him past former Democratic Rep. Hal Jacobson. With final votes tallied, Gauthier held about a 600 vote advantage out of nearly 11,000 cast ballots.

It was a long evening but kind of a joyful evening, he said Wednesday morning. It was spent with good friends, and this would not have been possible without my friends going to doors and listening to people. I think thats what won me this race.

Gauthier congratulated Jacobson on running a clean campaign.

As he looks to his term as a freshman legislator, Gauthier, owner of Helenas McDonalds restaurants, says hes looking forward to improving opportunities for business startups and expansion. Infrastructure is also a major priority.

With late results giving Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock a second term, Gauthier says he has spoken with the governor and is ready to work in a bipartisan fashion to find solutions to the issues facing the district and the state.

SD38

Democrat Edith (Edie) McClafferty won the race for Senate District 38, which includes portions of Jefferson and Silver Bow counties.

Strong support from Silver Bow backed Butte native McClafferty and outpaced the Jefferson County support for her opponent, Republican Glenn J. Rosenbaum of Clancy. She held an advantage of 6,063-5,236 votes with all precincts reporting.

"The main thing I want to say to the voters and my supporters is 'Thank you,'" she said.

A school-teacher and term-limited state representative, McClafferty said she still had a desire to serve. While she formerly represented an urban Butte House district, she says she always considered herself working for the entire state as her senate district crosses county lines.

Seeking an extension on the closing of the Montana Development Center in Boulder is a major priority as she looks to the legislative session.

HD70

Broadwater County rancher Rep. Kelly Flynn, R-Townsend, held a commanding 69-30 percent lead Wednesday morning over Democratic challenger Merlyn Huso of Helena in House District 70.

Flynn, 62, is headed back to the House for his fourth term. He chaired the House Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee last session and says one of his goals in the upcoming session is to improve the popular Block Management Program, which provides access on private land to public hunters.

Im very grateful and humbled and I look forward again to again be going into the Legislature and accomplishing some of the things Ive been working on for three terms, he said.

Flynn said he would be honored to serve on the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Committee again if asked. Additional focuses include a land stewardship bill focused on eliminating noxious weeds and eliminating the business equipment tax.

HD17

Republican Ross H. Fitzgerald of Fairfield will represent House District 17, which includes the northern portion of Lewis and Clark County and parts of Teton and Pondera counties.

The business broker-intermediary and real estate agent ran on a platform of reducing state government and eliminating regulations while preserving private property rights.

Well Im humbled and overwhelmed and pleased with the confidence of the folks in House District 17, Fitzgerald said, as he held a nearly 3-1 advantage over Democrat Barnett G. Sporkin-Morrison.

While freshman legislators cannot get overly ambitious, the district has some important issues that need attention, such as workers compensation for rural firefighters and water and environmental issues faced by area farmers and ranchers.

Ill be looking to establish those relationships and coalitions to resolve partisan issues that block good progress, Fitzgerald said.

HD75

Two-time incumbent Kirk B. Wagoner, R-Clancy, won in House District 75, with 58 percent of the vote over Democratic newcomer Sabrina Steketee with 41 percent. All nine precincts are fully counted.

Wagoner, a computer tech consultant, diver and bomb disposal technician, said hes honored and thankful they re-elected me. Im going to do my best to represent them and take care of Jefferson County."

Two priorities he plans to work on in the Legislature include introducing whistle-blower protection for state employees and resolving the issues around the Montana Developmental Center in Boulder. There are many options -- closure, not closing it or putting the facilities to some other good use.

HD80

In House District 80, Republican Becky Beard of Elliston won her seat with 70 percent of the vote over Elizabeth Cain, a Democrat from Lincoln, with 20 percent. The final vote count came in Wednesday afternoon. Independent Valerie Clague had 8 percent.

Beard, a self-employed contractor, represents a sprawling legislative district that stretches from Elliston to Ovando to Lincoln and Wolf Creek. "There has been a great deal of support and a lot of trust in me for the job at hand," she said.

"I'm going in there because I know we have a large challenge at hand with so many needs and so limited a budget. I would like to see the state continue to support the Second Amendment and high functioning schools, job opportunities and pretty much keep government as limited as possible."

HD83

Political newcomer Democrat Kim Abbott won the House District 83 seat with 54 percent of the vote, against opponent Republican Bob Leach, who had 45 percent, when the final vote was tallied Wednesday afternoon.

Abbott, who is co-director of the Montana Human Rights Network, said, "I'm just really thrilled that the voters trusted me with the responsibility to represent them in the Montana Legislature and I'm excited to work really hard" for them. "I think that we're going to go into this session looking to invest in education and infrastructure and figure out how we make that work budgetarily. I think there is a strong commitment from both parties and the governor, so I'm excited."

HD84

In House District 84, Democratic incumbent Mary Ann Dunwell of Helena won her race with 49 percent of the vote, compared to 47 percent for Republican challenger Steve Gibson of East Helena. Dunwell represents precincts from Helena and East Helena.

"Winning is an opportunity to move forward together working across the aisle as Montanans to improve people's lives through good public policy," she said. She intends to work on such issues as a livable wage and continued access to health and mental health services for Montanans. She's also particularly interested in implementing suicide prevention recommendations made by the state's suicide review team earlier this month.
D rug shares rallied strongly on Wednesday on relief that the next American president will be Donald Trump and not Hillary Clinton.

The Democrat candidate had made threatening noises about targeting drug giants to lower prices  although Trump had also indicated that he wants to shake up the sector.

In London trading, Hikma Pharma was up 6.3% to 1767p, Shire rose 5.75p to 4779p and GlaxoSmithKline was 3% higher at 1598p.

Dr Julie Simmonds, the drug expert at Panmure Gordon, said: Hillary Clinton made it clear that she was gunning for drug companies charges and was looking to expand Obamacare  hence the relief rally from European drug companies this morning.

Clintons healthcare plan was likely to be expensive for drug companies.

A note from fund manager BlackRock also helped the shares. It said in a note to clients that healthcare stocks are likely to outperform the wider markets because of what they expect will be lower levels of regulation under Trump.

However, the incoming president had threatened to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, a source of some uncertainty to the drug sector.

In New York, drug shares are down 15% in the past three months as the prospect of a Clinton victory seemed inevitable. A Republican Congress is likely to be kinder to the industry.
W hen Australian property developer Geoff Bakers great-great-great-grandfather was a convict in a prison hulk on the Thames, waiting to be deported to Sydney for stealing a book, little did he know that 228 years later one of his descendants would return to England, armed with an ambitious 1 billion China on Thames property plan.

Baker is talking about his ancestry as he looks at the winding river from the bar of the Shangri-La Hotel on the 35th floor of the Shard. The burly 60-year-old lawyer is in town to reveal that he is spearheading Sydney-based investment firm ASFs first UK venture, likely to be on a controversial site in Londons Docklands.

The move could mark a significant fillip for Theresa May as she hunts for trade deals in Asia for post-Brexit Britain.

The company, which is listed in Australia, concentrates on property development and is backed by a string of Chinese investors. It wants to create an exhibition centre of more than two million square feet in the capital. About 300 companies, mainly from China, would be able to lease space for offices and showcasing products. It could also feature the first working boatyard to be built in London in generations.

The venture would create somewhere that Chinese companies from the manufacturing, tech and fashion industries can showcase their samples and goods to UK and European potential buyers, explains Baker, who splits his time between Australia, China and Cambridge, where his wife has just completed a PhD.

UK innovators and developers may also want to set up a presence in this trade hub to work co-operatively with Far East manufacturers rather than travel there and be overwhelmed by seeking help and partners in that region, Baker adds.

He refuses to discuss precisely where ASF wants to build, confirming only that it is looking at the Docklands area.

However, it has emerged that the firm is one of three shortlisted to become the Mayor of Londons development partner for the 24.7-acre Albert Island site in east Londons Royal Docks. London & Regional Properties is reportedly also a bidder.

The area in Beckton, overlooking London City Airport, currently comprises a marina, the campus for the University of East London and large areas of scrubland. The land, earmarked for development by former London Mayor Boris Johnson in May last year, is the last remaining part of the jigsaw of regeneration in the Royal Docks. The area was described by City Hall at the time as being within an arc of opportunity running from Stratford down the River Lea to the Thames that has 22 billion of development potential.

Baker still refuses to confirm his master plan is for Albert Island but says he is convinced the planned hub would work well by the Thames, and businesses would flock there. Water is cherished by the Chinese, and the Docklands area is where trade with the East originated, and for centuries it was a critical staging point in the UK for trade with China.

He adds that it would appeal to manufacturers and retailers in Britain and Europe because the hub would be easily accessible by flying into an airport, or getting the Eurostar into London. An extra runway at Heathrow would be an added bonus.

A similar concept to ASFs proposal is coming to Manchester. Hong Kong property firm G-Suite Holdings last year secured planning permission to convert a 200,000 square-foot Grade II listed mill into a hub in which companies from China and other emerging Asian markets can exhibit and sell their goods. The development, to be known as Red Warwick, will also be open to the public.

Bakers move is a shot in the arm for London amid property jitters after the EU vote. Brexit or no Brexit, our investors are convinced our plan is completely suited for London, he says.

Richard Zhang, head of property agent CBREs China Desk in London, is also bullish. This is a continued sign of Chinese investor confidence and their appetite for opportunities in the capital and UK post-referendum, he says.

We expect inward investment into London property to remain strong over the next few years. As London grows eastwards, locations such as the Royal Docks will become increasingly important in meeting the rising demand for commercial and residential space.

Not everyone is happy about more Docklands construction. Progress on the redevelopment of Albert Island is dependent on City Hall resolving a dispute with an existing tenant  the Miller family, which own Gallions Point Marina.

Leigh-Jayne Miller, who has run the marina with her father for a quarter of a century, is fighting eviction. It all boils down to money and property developers again  now theres a surprise, she says wearily.

But with so many property developers desperate to get their hands on such a rare development opportunity in London, it is unlikely the land will remain a blank canvas for long, and it is expected a winning bidder will be selected by the end of the year.

Baker is hoping his vision from the East for east London will get the nod to drop anchor.
R io Tinto on Wednesday admitted it has suspended its head of energy and informed US and UK corporate authorities after discovering $10.5 million payments made to a consultant on a $20 billion project in Africa.

The FTSE 100 mining giant said that on August 29 it became aware of emails from 2011 relating to payments worth $10.5 million to a consultant for advice on its Simandou iron ore project in Guinea.

Over two months later, and on the day of the news-dominating election of Donald Trump as US president, Rio made its discovery public and said it was informing the authorities.

The Australia-focused miner said it had suspended Alan Davies, a 19-year veteran at Rio who was in charge of the Simandou project in 2011, over the payments.

Davies, who was this year promoted to head of energy and is also a board member of Rolls-Royce, was paid more than 2 million last year.

Rio also said its legal boss Debra Valentine, who was last year paid $2.9 million and had planned to retire next May, has stepped down early from her role.

The miner said it had launched an investigation into the matter led by external counsel, and that as a result it today notified the relevant authorities in the UK and US and is in the process of contacting the Australian authorities.

Rio Tinto intends to co-operate fully with any subsequent inquiries from all of the relevant authorities, the miner added.

Rio long pursued plans to develop Simandou, which it called one of the worlds largest untapped high-grade iron ore resources.

It even sued rival Vale over claims it had misappropriated its rights over half the deposits there. The case was dismissed.

But last week Rio agreed to sell its stake in the $20 billion project to Chinas Chinalco for up to $1.3 billion after the collapse in the iron ore price rendered the work uneconomic.
A turbulent trio of airline results flew in from Flybe, Wizz Air and Emirates today as carriers are battered by the bleak economic outlook and security fears.

Only Wizz Air, the eastern European specialist, managed to boost profits, up a strong 39% to 253.3 million for the crucial summer six months, after the airline launched 54 routes.

But beleaguered Flybe, pilotless after chief executive Saad Hammad quit last month, saw profits tumble 70%, mostly because the plunging pound made its dollar loans on aircraft far more expensive.

Simon Laffin, temporarily executive chairman, admitted: The aviation market is tough at the moment, with excess seat capacity in the European short-haul market coupled with a weaker pound, and both business and consumer uncertainty impacting all airlines.

Dubais national carrier Emirates blamed its net profit being knocked 75% to 786 million dirham in its first half on the strong US dollar (which is now in reverse) and a challenging environment for the airline and travel business.

Emirates too said strong competition meant average fares were tumbling, and chief executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum added: the bleak global economic outlook appears to be the new norm, with no immediate resolution in sight.
S o what now? This is no time to panic. But it is no time to sugar-coat reality, either. As electoral upsets go, Donald Trumps triumph eclipses even Harry Trumans defeat of Thomas Dewey in 1948. It is an unambiguous victory for fear, anger and nativist introspection, and one that is already resonating around the world.

The shock lies not in the statistics  remarkable as they are  but in the very complexion of the result. The US has elected as its 45th President a boorish, spectacularly unqualified tycoon and reality TV star with no history of public service, a candidate who, on his march to the White House, traded unashamedly in sexism, racism and lies. Throughout the ugliest campaign in modern times Trump not only spurned what Lincoln called the better angels of our nature; he threatened to shoot them from the heavens.

Even as Americans flocked to voting stations yesterday, the pollsters remained confident that Hillary Clinton would prevail, that a coalition of women, Latinos, African-Americans, and the college-educated would thwart the Trump insurgency.

Yet the Republican nominee has been vindicated in his confidence that popular frustration with globalisation, immigration and the so-called political elite would win the day. As Trump defied Democrat expectations in North Carolina, Florida and Pennsylvania, it became brutally clear that his extraordinary gamble had paid off. His demagoguery made the pundits and the bien pensants deeply squeamish. But it also struck a chord in towns and rural communities from sea to shining sea. Incredibly, his lack of credentials became his principal qualification for office. Perverse as it is, nobody can take that achievement away from him.

May vows UK and US will remain 'close partners' after congratulating Trump

For the nation he will lead from January 20 the future is alarmingly unclear. This may be the greatest protest vote in history but protest is not the same as government. Having picked the scab of Americas anxieties Trump offers no plausible balm. His policies played little part in the campaign, and remain hopelessly opaque  not least, it seems, to the President-elect himself.

He pledges Reaganite tax cuts and deregulation but embraces protectionism to an extent not seen in the US since the notorious Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930. His vision of America (symbolised by the wall he says he will build along the Mexican border) is pinched, inward-looking and isolationist  a grim echo, again, of the Neutrality Acts of the 1930s. He plans to repeal Obamacare but has conspicuously failed to spell out what will replace it. He regards climate change as a hoax. None of this inspires confidence that the US will be well-served in the next four years by its electoral tantrum.

US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win 1 /24 US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win The Washington Post The Washington Post New York Daily News 'House of horrors,' the New York City paper says. The New York Times The New York Times USA Today President Trump, says USA Today. New York Post Colourful front page with the words President Trump from the New York Post. The Daily Telegraph, Sydney 'W.T.F.' says the Australian Daily Telegraph in Sydney. The Miami Herald The Miami Herald in battleground state Florida, which Trump won. The Baltimore Sun The Baltimore Sun Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania, a key swing state where Trump triumphed. Dallas Morning News The Dallas Morning News South Florida Sun Sentinel The Sun Sentinel paper in Florida, a battleground state where Trump won. El Periodica El Periodica, a morning daily newspaper based in Barcelona, Spain, carries the headline: 'God forgives America'. La Razon, Spain Spanish newspaper La Razon splashes with the headline: The Populist States of America Liberation, France 'Trumpocalypse': France's daily newspaper Liberation has a bleak looking front page for its special election edition. The i The i newspaper's 'disunited states' front. The Metro 'It's Trump,' says the Metro. The Daily Telegraph The UK's Daily Telegraph Evening Standard Trump Triumph shock the world Evening Standard

On Monday Trump promised that his victory would be Brexit plus plus plus, and the parallels between Americas choice of President and Britains referendum decision have already cheered those MPs agitating for a swift departure from the EU. Expect much rhetoric about a global uprising against the Establishment, unfettered free trade and mass migration  a movement of rage that will soon have the most powerful man in the world at its helm. The response to such claims should always be: how would you do it differently? What new solutions do you have to the pathologies you identify and exploit?

For Theresa May the challenge is immense  as great a test, in its way, as her negotiation of Brexit. The standard advice to prime ministers is to hug close any President-elect. Naturally, the courtesies of international diplomacy must be observed. But the gulf between Trumps view of the world and Britains global priorities is simply too great to be ignored, or smoothed over with pleasantries.

Round-up of Trump's most infamous comments in the run-up to his presidency

His apparent indifference to Nato is worrying enough, a repudiation of the alliance that won the Cold War and has been the bedrock of Western security for more than 60 years. Worse, his swooning infatuation with President Putin will send a dismal signal to those who still hope that Russia may be contained.

Predictably, much has been made of Trumps promise not to send post-Brexit Britain to the back of the queue as it seeks a new bilateral trade deal. But what sort of deal can we expect from an avowedly protectionist administration, and one that so clearly threatens global economic stability? Of this, at least, we can be sure: when he says America first, he means it.

Round-up: Donald Trump wins US presidential election

Never has there been a greater need for this country to play Athens to the USs Rome. Amid the diplomatic platitudes, and as tactfully as possible, Mrs May should make clear to the new President that all alliances are reciprocal, that no nation (however powerful) can prosper alone, that Britain is not a passive Airstrip One. Given Trumps goldfish attention span and vaulting narcissism, this is a tall order. But the PM  aided, one hopes, by her French and German counterparts  is obliged to try.

Trumps victory marks a crisis of faith in political institutions that will send tremors coursing through the free world. Uninterested in the US Constitution, scornful of the supposedly rigged electoral process (that delivered him victory), contemptuous of the judiciary and the free press when they dare to disagree with him, he has been rewarded by voters who no longer trust these pillars of the democratic system. The forbidding task ahead of those who still believe in this system is to restore that faith.

More than any other nation, America is founded upon an idea: a vigorous openness, a belief in equality of worth, an unquenchable optimism. Today, that idea is dimming before our eyes. America is great because she is good, wrote Alexis de Tocqueville. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great. Rarely has that maxim seemed so poignant, or so true.
T he televised presidential debates were abysmal. Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton spent precious little time discussing policies and failed to provide a clear political vision of how they would lead the US. Instead they traded personal insults and resorted to talking tough on issues such as immigration, the economy and national security.

That brand of politics appeals directly to Trump and his supporters. His policies were light on information and detail but heavy on rhetoric.

During the presidential campaign, his solution to the threat posed by Islamic State was to kick the hell out of them. He barely explained how he would achieve that and whether a military offensive would actually work. No problem. He won the media battle and got his message across.

Trump is unpalatable but said the things many American people wanted to hear. Clintons more presidential, pragmatic and rational response didnt hold much sway with a large section of the electorate. Trump offered action, however irrational and divisive, and by contrast Clinton adopted a more considered response.

It may have surprised some people to see Trump elected but not me. While he might be loathsome, he has successfully dominated the media over the past few weeks. In todays political landscape, that seems to be enough to win an election.

Nicholas Pascal

Whatever your views on Donald Trump, he should be commended for a campaign that appealed to the voters. Even in spite of his rhetoric against the Hispanic and black communities, it has been suggested that more voted for Trump than did for Mitt Romney in 2012.

He promised to Make America Great Again and the American people believed him. Lets hope he stays true to his word.

J Miller

The American nation, and the world for that matter, can feel justified in its fear now that Donald Trump is the President of the United States. It may have been a close call but it seems inexplicable to think this man is leader of the free world.

The election result makes me concerned for our relationship with the US  do we want to be so closely allied with a country run by Trump? I for one was certain that I would wake up today happier than I did when we voted for Brexit. How wrong I was.

Tom Currington

Provocative rhetoric never leads to peace, and under Donald Trumps leadership the United States faces becoming something of a rogue state. I am now genuinely fearful that his election could trigger a nuclear apocalypse with his finger on the nuclear button.

Sebastian Bosley

Donald Trump has been hailed by some people for generating a tremendous amount of interest in American politics. However, during his campaign he has also normalised xenophobia, racism and sexism.

Too many people for my liking have been repeating his lies and incendiary facts.

So while it could be said that Trump has triggered a larger interest among Americans in politics, in the case of there being more Trump supporters, it is not always a good thing.

Ire Dragustinovic

Were still in limbo over Brexit future

I do not agree with Nick Greens assertion that MPs must have the courage to do the right thing, not the populist thing, and stop Brexit completely [Letters, November 7].

It seems we have different views on democracy. He also repeats the tired line that Leavers had been fed lies and hence did not know what they were voting for. This is an arrogant view commonly expressed by those who refuse to accept a legitimate result.

I can say with certainty that I was not lied to. I believed in, and still do believe in, my vote.

Paul Lebby

Considering the badly-drafted Bill, lies peddled by leading Brexiteers and the questionable line that Brexit is the will of the people were all used in a bid to bypass Parliaments right to vote on Article 50, it is only right that its hit the buffers in the courts thanks to some courageous campaigners.

I still find it astonishing that Brexiteers and those Remainers now supporting Brexit can claim 17 million out of the electorate of 46 million  including more than a million British people living in mainland Europe who were denied their vote  is the will of the people.

John Macnab

New evidence goes against Heathrow

During the past few weeks we have seen new evidence that suggests there should be no expansion of Heathrow.

The business aspect of expansion has been shown to have been wildly exaggerated, by more than 80 billion, while air pollution studies based on airborne-sampled pollution measurements by the National Centre for Atmospheric Science suggest Heathrows figures should be at least doubled. Perhaps the period of consultation will prove to be useful in deciding whether we should consider another option for runway expansion in the South-East?

Dr Michael Cross
F reya Coote, 31, had the idea of bringing Burmese food to London three years ago. My dad is from Yangon, and I still have a lot of family there, so I grew up eating delicious curries, and noodles and salads, she says. Id make it for friends and theyd rave about it, so I found it baffling that no one had brought Burmese food to the UK market in the same way as Vietnamese or other Asian cuisines.

Back then, Burma (as it was still known) was a military dictatorship, it had few Western tourists and it was rare to find a Burmese dish on a menu anywhere, as most Burmese people eat at home or at street stalls. Fast-forward to 2016 and Myanmar has its first democratically-elected president in 25 years and Coote is now running the sell-out supper club Yee Cho at The Gun in Homerton.

All the dishes are based on family recipes but Ive put my own spin on it, she says. A little less spicy, a bit more coconut, always served warm instead of at room temperature, which is typical in Burma because its so hot. So far its been a mixed crowd, people who are curious to try something new or have read about the political situation in Myanmar and want to know more.

I recently had a couple who are going to the country on holiday and wanted to experience the food before they went.

Burmese cuisine might already be on your radar. Raved-about Thai restaurant Som Saa in Whitechapel has gaeng hang lay on the menu, a Burmese-style curry of pork belly with pickled garlic and fresh ginger. Meanwhile, chef Ben Chapmans hot new Kiln restaurant in Soho is inspired by the wood-burning roadside clay pots found along the Thailand-Myanmar border.

Yee Cho (pronounced Yay Cho) is just one of several Burmese supper clubs popping up. The Rangoon Sisters are Emily and Amy Chung, who combine their day jobs as doctors with hosting one of them. They describe themselves as the fat Hemsley sisters.

Burmese cuisine feels familiar to Western palates, says food writer MiMi Aye, who founded the supper club Burmese Food and Beyond in 2015. She says: It takes influences from the countries which border it  Thailand, India and China. But there are 138 different ethnic tribes in Myanmar and they all have different ways of combining taste, texture and technique. As a cuisine its very innovative with ingredients  theres a rice dish from the Shan state in the north which uses garlic three ways: as an oil, raw, and crispy garlic as a garnish.

Until recently the only Burmese restaurant in Europe, let alone London, was Mandalay. This Edgware Road institution, set up by the Ally family in 1994, is currently in the process of relocating to Acton because of spiralling rents in central London. My parents actually opened the first proper Burmese restaurant in Yangong in 1962, says Dwight Ally, the general manager. Then the country was nationalised and my family lost everything. When we opened in London we got a lot of regulars because we pride ourselves on being a budget restaurant. The most popular dish on the menu is noodles with chicken in a coconut broth as it suits every palate and you garnish it yourself with lime, an egg, fish sauce. Its very filling and its 8.50. In Burma people eat it for breakfast.

New ideas: Freya Coote

Dan Anton, 32, has been running Lahpet, a Burmese stall at Maltby Street Market in Bermondsey, since January. Hes about to start running supper clubs, and plans to turn Lahpet into a permanent residency. My dad is Burmese so I knew how delicious and delicate the food is, he says. Its still a surprisingly untapped cuisine over here so I saw the potential. Every Sunday Anton does a roaring trade in Shan pork noodles, which he describes as a Burmese bolognese, and lahpet phok, a fermented tea leaf salad which is a staple on the streets of Yangon.

Anton admits, though, that convincing punters to eat pickled tea leaves can be a tough sell. Its a complex flavour and is laden with textures as its eaten with crunchy beans, tomatoes, cabbage, chilli, garlic and rice.

30 must-try dishes in London restaurants 1 /41 30 must-try dishes in London restaurants Bone marrow on toast with parsley salad at St John Not only has this dish kicked off countless wonderful meals over the course of St Johns 25 years, but it also gets credit for putting British cooking back on the global culinary map. Roasted bone marrow, coaxed out onto toast, cut perfectly with salad of parsley, shallots and capers. A nose-to-tail revolution, and utterly divine. Whole turbot at Brat Tomos Parrys talents with a turbot first came to feverish acclaim at Mayfair restaurant Kitty Fishers, but they are now the star attraction at his Michelin-starred solo spot. This whole fish  grilled Basque-style, over hot coals and in a specially designed cage  softens as if it has melted, and is basted at the table in an emulsion made with its own juices. Benjamin McMahon Marinara at 50 Kalo di Ciro Salvo Superlatives should be used in moderation  but heck it, this might just be Londons best pizza. This under-the-radar London iteration of a Naples pizzeria serves an unrivalled marinara: just tomato sauce, oil, garlic and oregano. No need for any more  with a sauce this good and a base so fine and perfectly charred, you can stop mourning your cancelled Italian holiday at first bite. Luciano Furia Clay pot baked pork and crab glass noodles at Kiln When we say Kiln is one of the hottest spots in town, we mean it  hang over the counter at the Thai barbecue and youre not far out of range for the odd flame. Baking in the heart of the swirling heat is this must order: shimmering glass noodles, coated with a silky sauce enriched with fatty slicks of Tamworth pork belly and improbably unctuous crab meat. Lamb chops, Melabes Perhaps because its quietly tucked in among its unassuming neighbours down on the wrong end of High Street Kensington, Melabes is often overlooked by Londons food lovers. An unwarranted shame, as this partly Middle Eastern, partly Mediterranean set-up is really very good; it is somewhere to pick and choose from bits and pieces, and put a meal together yourself. The lamb chops, which come all smokey and burnished from the grill, are perfect; pink as a Vegas sign inside, but the fat all soft and dripping and delicious. A must, whatever the order. Steak tartare imperial at Bob Bob Ricard Theres Press For Champagne buttons, lobster in your mac and cheese and anything that stays still long enough gets gilded  there is no point in going small at Bob Bob Ricard. Steak tartare is a luxurious pick at the best of times, but the Imperial upgrade here comes with a dollop of caviar  even without the finishing touch, the tartare itself is one of the best in the capital. Bacon naan at Dishoom Londoners spent decades believing bacon in a bap with some ketchup (or brown sauce, but lets not have that argument now) couldnt be beaten  and then Dishoom came along. This breakfast sandwich fills a fresh naan with bacon, a slathering of cream cheese, a luxurious tomato and chilli chutney, coriander and an oozing fried egg if you feel so inclined. Hangover be gone. Cacio e pepe at Padella Five years ago, you would have thought anyone queuing for pasta in London to have lost their minds  this dish changed that. The starlet of Padellas much coveted is this plate of pici  hand-rolled fat worms of eggless pasta  with a mirror-shine sauce of parmesan cheese and pasta. Simple but unrivalled  and itll set you back just 6. Jamon croquetas at Barrafina A dish like this should be elusive  it is far too easy to eat seven portions of croquetas in a single sitting, which is why we presume Barrafina makes you queue. Very sensible. As the crunchy coating gives way to the oozing centre, enriched with the flavour of Spanish jamon (the best ham in the business), were already planning our next visit. Biang biang noodles at Xi'an Biang Biang Noodles There are oodles of noodles in the capital, but Guirong Weis triumphant take is one of the finest. First finding followers at her north London restaurant Xian Impression (soon to reopen for dine-in, but not yet), the dish of has inspired a whole spin-off restaurant in Spitalfields. Thick, hand-pulled, chewy noodles soak up all the spice and zing of the special sauce they swim in  very special indeed. Souffle Suissesse, Le Gavroche Le Gavroche  the street urchin  is perhaps not for everyone. It is a Mayfair time machine, a reminder of how things were done once upon a time. Fortunately, it happens that how things were once done was very well indeed, and lunch or supper here is a masterclass in traditional French luxury (and often, happily, includes very large glasses of wine). Staff make the place, anyone who has been gently teased by the twins pretending to be each other will know. A tendency towards the old ways does mean the cooking offers little in the way of evolution or revolution, but new, after all, isnt always better. Michel Roux Jrs cheese souffle, baked on double cream, stuns, so overwhelmingly tasty, utter decadence that clings to the taste buds. Buttermilk Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Around the Cluck / 12:51 James Cochran found his signature dish early on, but its good it should stay with him for the rest of his career. While he has chops, and can do more beyond, theres something special in the way he works with his chicken; hotly spiced, gorgeously crispy, beautifully soft on the inside. A long-standing favourite and, though 12:51 cant operate as it did before, there are tables at his new project Around the Cluck, which is operating out of the same site. Breakfast at Hawksmoor Guildhall Your Full English is not full in comparison to the Hawksmoor breakfast at the steak connoisseurs Guildhall restaurant. The mind-boggling two-person spread swaps bacon rashers for an entire smoked chop, serves its bubble and squeak with short rib, puts trotter meat into its baked beans, and adds grilled bone marrow to all the usual trimmings. Cauliflower shawarma at Berber & Q Its not often that the main event at a barbecue restaurant is the veg, but Berber & Q have achieved just that. The cauliflower shawarma here is cooked on their flaming grill until softened and charred, before being doused liberally in tahini, pomegranate molasses, coriander, pomegranate seeds and a scattering of dried rose petals. BBQ Butter Chicken Wings at Brigadiers Brigadiers is a bold, boisterous sort of place: a labyrinthine City dining room, packed to the rafters with beer and Indian food that is indisputably gutsy. But arguably its finest moment comes in one of its smallest packages  these chicken wings may be diminutive, but are mightily spiced, deftly charred and dripping with ghee-fuelled succulence. Beef brisket bun at Smokestak David Carters Shoreditch restaurant occupies itself by giving the entirety of Kansas City a run for its money on a daily basis. The star turn at this lauded barbecue restaurant is its beef brisket bun  the meat is soft and juicy, riddled with its fats in the centre, while charred and treacle-like on the outside, paired perfectly with pickled chillies. To remember it is to salivate, we assure you. Snails, LEscargot LEscargot is one of Sohos old aristocrats and in its grand, beret red dining room there is always a mischievous sense of fun  perhaps because it is still such a smart, suited, chandeliered place, and people are often drinking themselves rather silly. The clue to good eating is in the name; the snails come still clinging to their shells and submerged in their butter and parsley sauce. Dive in; you will emerge stinking gloriously of garlic. It wont matter a jot; roll on the red wine and settle in for a long, comforting night. Confit potatoes at Quality Chop House Yes, there are some high quality chops on offer at this 150-year-old Clerkenwell restaurant but blimey, leave room for the chips. Fine slices of potato are stacked into architecturally sound wedges, and confited until shatteringly crispy on the outside and devastatingly soft in the centre. They have been much imitated in recent years, but never bettered. Smoked eel sandwich at Quo Vadis Jeremy Lee cooks many things to a legendary level at Quo Vadis  his pies could so easily have also made this list  but he gets the nod here for his unrivalled take on the fancy sandwich. Smoked eel, horseradish cream and Dijon mustard, served with red onion pickle  a combination so popular Lee says he nearly ran out of eel on post-lockdown reopening. Classic bao at Bao London has buns in abundance, but we still bow down to the fluffy superiority of Bao. The Taiwanese restaurant has become a cross-town favourite, thanks to its pleasingly pert rice buns (they are genuinely very pert, no crassness intended) and carefully considered fillings. The classic order comes filled with braised pork, fermented veg, coriander and a dusting of peanut powder. Carol Sachs Potato and roe, Core by Clare Smyth Clare Smyth has a knack that must infuriate other chefs; she is able to take the simplest of ingredients  say, a single carrot and a smattering of lamb mince  do something devilish with it and charge rather a lot for it; so good are the results, though, that few mind. Smyths sorcery is perhaps best witnessed with her signature, the potato and roe. It is simply a potato on a plate in a little sauce, but then it is also perhaps the best potato dish in the world; it has this wonderful salty richness, a certain seaside intenseness. It is glorious; so too is the smoked chicken that tends to come as an amuse bouche. Youll be treated here. Omelette Arnold Bennett Dont worry, no Arnolds were harmed in the making of this dish. Alongside impeccable service and an arguably perfect dining room, you could add another highlight to your breakfast at The Wolseley by ordering this creamy, haddock-filled dish, named for the writer who inspired its creation while staying at the Savoy. Fish pie, J Sheekey Long an actors favourite, J Sheekeys glamour has never lost its lustre. Its kept its regulars and charmed newcomers with a menu that plays the greatest hits of fine dining favourites. Seafood is Sheekeys thing; simply done sole is beautiful here, crab comes three ways, brill brushed in butter has a meatiness thats beyond satisfying. The fish pie is famous though, and rightly so; beneath the flaking pastry is a sea of cream, mustard and white wine, in it bobbing cod, haddock and salmon. It is simple but never fails; it does on its own for lunch, but is a failsafe at supper, too. John Carey The Ari Gold at Patty & Bun Theres a cheeseburger on every high street in the capital  but not all of them are created equal. Patty & Bun has got the classic combination down to a tee with its curiously named Ari Gold burger: a fat, 35-day aged patty is served medium rare, and topped with gooey American cheese, smokey house mayo and tangy pickled red onions. Xiao long bao at Din Tai Fung Few dishes in the capital have been known to cause queues of four hours. Thats exactly what the world-famous xiao long bao dumplings did when top Taiwanese restaurant group Din Tai Fung first opened in Covent Garden. An intricately folded out layer (made by chefs trained for at least 18 months) gives way to succulent meat and a broth you could take on by the bowlful. Pig's trotter, the French House Upstairs in the Soho local, Neil Borthwick is quietly running one of the areas best kitchens. He orders in particularly good oysters, does brilliant things with brill and with his pigs trotter, has a dish that is rich and fatty, but with a beautiful salty cut that makes it madly moreish. The menu tends to change often upstairs in the French, but have this if its on. That little dining room is somewhere to go in early for lunch and stay until late, eventually spilling down into the pub below, to drink pints  they do pints now, not just halfs  all while merrily reliving the joys upstairs. Peter Clark Dover sole with crab butter at Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill There are so many delights at Bentleys, its tricky to pick a single one. This could so easily have been a plate of rigorously sourced oysters, the fish pie, the decadent Royal seafood platter (pictured). It is however, the Dover sole that wins. A sublime piece of fish always, expertly cooked without fail  choose it either filleted with beautiful crab butter, or grilled and whole for a simple pleasure. Over in the City, Corrigan does similarly brilliant things with lobster at Daffodil Mulligan. Ragu, Lina Stores Sohos Lina Stores  the pasta bar, not the longstanding Italian deli it comes from  is the sort of restaurant one longs for; small, fun, friendly, not too pricey. They do small plates of near perfect pasta; their ragu, whether lamb or veal, is a gem. A good ragu is hard to find  too often theres too little meat, or meat not cooked for long enough  but here, they spend the time over it, cooking slowly, carefully. No restaurant can compare with a Nonna, but Lina gets gratifyingly close. Porterhouse steak, the Guinea Grill London is not short of steakhouses, but the Guinea does not number among them. A pub  a proper one  it is tucked down a Mayfair sidestreet, away from everything and yet still perpetually busy. Besides the small bar is a dining room that looks much as it must have done when the likes of Sinatra was in (or Bette Midler, or Kylie, or Regan, or, or, or), where theyve served prime Aberdeen Angus cooked on a smoking hot grill. The Guinea is all about having a good time  pints, red wine, brandies, the lot  but they cook beautifully, and their handling of a good piece of beef is second to none. Puree de pommes de terre, Le Comptoir Robuchon The late Joel Robuchon may have been the most decorated chef of his and perhaps any other era, but his signature stayed humble  mashed potato. Until youve had it, it is hard to believe it could be quite so good; mash, after all, is mash. No matter the scepticism, it will always surprise; it is almost silly that so little could taste of so much. A side, it will match almost everything on the menu; of which, the lamb with aubergine on the menu of classics is extraordinarily good.

At Mandalay, Ally is happy that other Burmese restaurateurs are getting in on the action. Having more of us creates a scene, he says. It would be fantastic if one day going for a Burmese was as run-of-the-mill as having a Chinese or a Thai.

That day might not be so far off.

The next Yee Cho supper club is on December 6 (billetto.co.uk). The next Rangoon Sisters supper club is on November 12 (edibleexperiences.com).Lahpet is at Maltby Street Market on Sundays (lahpet.co.uk). MiMi Aye (@meemalee), is the author of NOODLE! 100 Amazing Authentic Recipes (Absolute Press) and the founder of Burmese Food and Beyond (facebook.com/BurmeseBeyond)

Visit standard.co.uk/restaurants for the latest news and reviews from Londons food scene.

@katewills

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H arry Enfield is pictured here for the first time as megalomaniac film mogul Herman Glogauer in Kaufman and Harts classic comedy Once In A Lifetime.

He stars with Kevin Bishop, Claudie Blakley and John Marquez in the Young Vic production. The play follows three vaudeville actors struggling with the advent of talking pictures.

It runs from November 25 to January 14. Director Richard Jones said: Harry Enfield brings a real sense of the subversive to the role. All our wonderful company are looking forward to bringing a touch of Hollywood magic to the Young Vic.

The Young Vic's season also includes the show Living With the Lights On, a one man show performed by Mark Lockyer about working as an actor whilst experiencing mental health problems. It runs in the theatre's Maria space from December 7-23.

Visit standard.co.uk/theatre for the latest news and reviews from Londons theatre scene.

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I m at the Garrick Theatre to talk to James Graham about the belated transfer of his 2012 National Theatre hit This House, about the hung Parliaments of 1974-79, which Graham mournfully says feels more relevant now than it did two years ago. But first there is a more pressing question. Is Graham, at 34 the countrys most incisive and thoughtful young political playwright, writing a drama about Brexit?

Yeah, I will find a way to do that, he says in his soft Nottinghamshire accent. I think every political play you see in the next five years from anyone will be in some way a Brexit play. It will be informed by the new mood, the new anxieties, and the problems that will come out of that decision  and possibly the opportunities, depending on where you stand on it.

Graham himself voted Remain but says he comes from Leave: his home town of Mansfield and many friends and family members were pro-Brexit. He himself was in New York on June 24, reworking his Donmar hit Privacy for a production starring Daniel Radcliffe, but dashed off a dazzling Yes Minister-style spoof for The Guardian just to say something, anything about a debate where conversations had become very violent and toxic.

There will be a raft of quick, journalistic or verbatim-style responses on stage, he reckons, followed down the line by more considered works that are both specific and universal: Arthur Miller addressing the McCarthy hearings in The Crucible is his ideal model.

The cast of This House / Johan Persson

Graham is talking to TV producers about a Brexit campaign drama along the lines of Coalition, his Channel 4 play about events leading up to the Cameron-Clegg partnership, and enthuses about TVs ability to contain big political narratives and reach a mainstream audience. But you can tell hed rather be writing the big, epic, long-view version.

And in a way, as he says, This House is now a Brexit play, whether I like it or not. Originally penned as a response to the Coalition government, focusing on the party whips in the engine room of Westminster rather than Wilson and Heath, Callaghan and Thatcher, and staged in the Nationals Cottesloe, This House was a huge success, transferring to and selling out the larger Olivier.

It was due to go straight to the Aldwych Theatre but before Graham could get to the starter of his celebratory lunch with the then-boss of the National, Nicholas Hytner, they heard theyd been gazumped by Andrew Lloyd Webbers short-lived musical Stephen Ward.

Never mind: Graham is right that the plays Seventies politics seem more prescient now than then. It covers a time when there was a first European referendum, there was a Scottish referendum, a Labour leadership battle, a Tory leadership battle, he says. Originally it was about compromise and co-operation: Now without having to change a word its become a play about factionalism and party disunity and access to politics. And the constant battle between pragmatism, power and staying true to your principles.

It shows Labour MP Reg Prentiss crossing the floor, fearful that Left-wing elements in the party will deselect him, and describes the Labour Party as like the Mad Hatters bloody tea party. It features a row about breastfeeding in the Commons, which is still, depressingly, going on. Its depiction of the arcane, crumbling and ritual-riddled nature of the Palace of Westminster seems to prefigure  and make a metaphor of  the buildings imminent closure for repairs. Big Ben, for Gods sake, is about to stop ringing for urgent repairs, as happened in 1975. I know, its insane, smiles Graham. Its a gift, really. Although the play is very funny, he expects an undercurrent of anger from audiences this time.

Graham is, famously, a workaholic who penned his first play while manning the stage door at Nottinghams Theatre Royal, and subsidised early works at the Bush (where he met Josie Rourke, now his ardent promoter at the Donmar) and the Finborough with call centre and bar work. When I last met him he was working with Gary Barlow on Harvey Weinsteins musical of Finding Neverland on Broadway until midnight in New York, then spending four hours in a bar writing The Vote, his ground-breaking Donmar play which was broadcast by Channel 4 in real time on election night. I fear the current plethora of material  Ukip, Article 50, Michael Heseltine strangling an Alsatian  may make his head explode.

There is lots to write about, he concedes, but it doesnt exactly make him happy. I used to like to consider myself the eternal optimist about politics and people, this country and the world, and the fundamental hope in effecting change for the good. That has taken some massive knocks over the past few months, not necessarily because of the decisions. I just feel we have declined into such an unhealthy, dangerous and toxic level of conversation in our politics, from the dispatch box down to the pub. The politics of division, the politics of hate, of social media bubbles. I never thought in my lifetime I would witness the murder of an MP and you cant isolate that from this. Language has consequences.

Graham often takes flak for being too even-handed in his plays but the current vicious polarisation of opinion has led him to reject that entirely.

He thinks theatre has a crucial part to play in re-starting the political conversation, because it is one of the last places where we gather in groups to experience other peoples lives and ideas, rather than being sat at a computer trolling and commenting and snarking.

Of course, many who feel excluded from politics may also feel excluded from theatre. A working-class boy from a ruined mining community, who got through on teacherly encouragement and his own drive, Graham argues passionately that greater inclusion, education and diversity in the arts would give one of our few thriving industries access to the biggest range of stories, talent and skill possible. He adds: If Id been born 10 years later I wouldnt be doing an interview with the Evening Standard about my West End play.

Graham lives in Kennington and insists that hes getting better at remembering to sleep and eat, stuff he didnt always take care of in the past. He prefers not to define his politics or his sexuality. Im not a monk, he smiles, but I am not in a long-term relationship, and I am fine with that at the moment. I would love to paint an angsty-writer image of loneliness but I am perfectly content, as much as anyone can be.

Besides, hes got too much on to think of romance. Hes writing a film adaptation of George Orwells 1984 for Paul Greengrass, and another adaptation, of the book Gypsy Boy, for BBC Films. Theres a big play coming about Fleet Street in the Sixties and the birth of the modern tabloid, and another covering 25 years of the Labour Party from a local perspective.

Finding Neverland is due in London next year. I would like to do less but thats my own stupid fault, he says, sheepishly. I just get excited about things when people present them to me.

This House is at the Garrick Theatre, WC2 from Nov 19 until Feb 25

Buy tickets for This House at Evening Standard tickets

Visit standard.co.uk/theatre for the latest news and reviews from Londons theatre scene.

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E very year, we are bombarded with the latest superfood fads that we need to invest in: goji berries, acai, flaxseeds... However, one appears to crop up again and again.

Manuka honey, a special variety produced in New Zealand and parts of Australia, is a superfood whose popularity just won't wane. You'll find it nestled up high on supermarket shelves, not just in corners of health food shops, and it has a wide variety of uses; a spoonful a day could just keep the doctor away.

With no escape from coughs and sneezes, especially on our daily commutes on the packed tube or condensation-laden buses, the best way to tackle getting ill this winter is to try and prevent it in the first place. Manuka honey's uses spread beyond prevention, and can even help once illness has taken grip.

Below, nutritionist Pixie Turner MSc looks at health benefits of Manuka honey.

1. It's antibacterial

People can feel the benefit of Manuka honey almost instantly just by taking just a spoonful of high grade honey (300+ MGO) when they are feeling under the weather. However, it's important to look out for a high quality Manuka honey, as these effects have only been found in Manuka with an MGO score of at least 300 or a UMF score of at least 10+, so make sure to check the label.

2. It's anti- inflammatory

Eating Manuka honey can lower the amount of inflammation in your body. This quality means it is perfect for sore throats.

3. It's an anti-oxidant

Manuka honey comes loaded with anti-oxidants, which benefits your health and boosts your energy levels.

4. It boosts your immune system

Manuka honey encourages activation of certain types of immune cells, which can definitely come in useful in cold and flu season.

Superfood powders - in pictures 1 /8 Superfood powders - in pictures Scroll to see our pick of the best superfood powders... Shutterstock / bitt24 Aduna Baobab Powder The baobab has more antioxidants than any other fruit. It dries on the branch and produces a powder that is naturally rich in vitamin C so is great for strengthening immune system in flu season. 22.99 for box of 30 4.5g sachets, Aduna, Buy it now Arctic Power Berries Blueberry Powder Based on Kingsland Road, Hackney, but run by two Finns, this start-up makes powders from wild Scandinavian berries. They are raw, vegan and have no added sugar. Great for your hair, skin and metabolism. 5.49, Ocado, Buy it now Amazing Grass Superfood Berry Sachet The generous helping of acai and goji berries in this tasty sprinkle helps disguise the fact that its loaded with supergreens including wheatgrass and spirulina. 1.59 for 8g sachet, Roots Fruits & Flowers, Buy it now Pukka Vitalise Swap your morning double espresso for this power-packed powder, blended with 30 energising botanicals including bilberries and ginseng. From 1.45 for 4g sachet, Pukka Herbs, Buy it now Zingology Organic Carrot Juice Powder Raw carrots are dried using wavelengths of natural light rather than freezing or using heat, which can diminish nutrients. One serving is equivalent to the juice of three carrots and you can add to soups and casseroles for intense flavour. 2.95 for 12g tube, Zingology, Buy it now

5. It can banish winter skin

Manuka honey face masks have been used for thousands of years thanks to the hydrating and antibacterial effects, perfect for winter.

Pixie Turner MSc is a nutritionist at plantbased-pixie.com. She recommends Real Health's 100 % pure Australian Manuka honey, which you can buy here.

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L ow cost airline Ryanair has launched a sale to coincide with the US election result, offering flights for just 9.99.

The company launched the bargain flight bonanza with a series of tongue-in-cheek Tweets, designed to mock both US President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Tweets sent out by the airline with the hashtag #VoteLowFares poked fun at Trump with the message Down with high fare, down with high walls.

Another advert for the cut-price flights included the gag even she wouldnt delete our email offers - in reference to Hillary Clintons email scandal, which became the subject of an FBI investigation.

The Irish airline later tweeted No one Trumps Ryanair fares!, in reference to the news that Donald Trump had achieved a shock defeat of rival Clinton to become the next President of the United States.

The billionaire property tycoon and former reality TV star stunned pollsters and analysts by claiming the keys to the White House in one of the most improbable victories in US history.

Included in Ryanairs flash flight sale are cheap tickets to destinations in Ireland and Spain - including Alicante, Cork and Shannon.

But if you want get involved in the deal, youll have to be speedy - as the sale, which is currently available to book on the Ryanair website, ends at midnight tonight.

Lonely Planet's must-visit destinations for 2017 1 /13 Lonely Planet's must-visit destinations for 2017 Choquequirao, Peru Reproduced with permission from Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016,  2016 Lonely Planet Taranaki, New Zealand Reproduced with permission from Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016,  2016 Lonely Planet The Azores, Portugal Reproduced with permission from Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016,  2016 Lonely Planet North Wales, UK Reproduced with permission from Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016,  2016 Lonely Planet South Australia Reproduced with permission from Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016,  2016 Lonely Planet Aysen, Chile Reproduced with permission from Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016,  2016 Lonely Planet The Tuamotus, French Polynesia Reproduced with permission from Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016,  2016 Lonely Planet Coastal Georgia, USA Reproduced with permission from Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016,  2016 Lonely Planet Perak, Malaysia Reproduced with permission from Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016,  2016 Lonely Planet The Skellig Ring, Ireland Reproduced with permission from Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2016,  2016 Lonely Planet

After todays election drama, you'll probably need a long, well-earned holiday.

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A British YouTube star pleaded guilty to vandalism before a US court after claiming he was assaulted in Los Angeles.

Calum McSwiggan, 26, was sentenced to three years of supervised probation and 52 anger management sessions after he vandalised the car of a man he claimed had attacked him in West Hollywood.

McSwiggan, who is from London, said the man and his friends had attacked him and broken his teeth outside the Abbey gay club on June 27.

But Los Angeles authorities said McSwiggan was seen beating himself with a prison payphone.

McSwiggan, who is known to his followers on YouTube for discussing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues, pleaded guilty on Monday to the vandalism charge, according to The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Self-inflicted: McSwiggan admitted he caused the damage to his head / Instagram

After he was charged in June, McSwiggan wrote on Facebook that he had caused the injury that required the stitches to his head but insisted he was attacked by three men.

"Just because there were no visible marks on my face does not mean I was not attacked," he wrote.

"Being accused of being a liar and being called a disgrace to the LGBT+ community, a community I've dedicated my life to, is more painful than any hate crime could ever be."
A teenage boy has been arrested by police over the death of a recruitment consultant who was stabbed to death on Halloween.

Scott Kouebitra, 22, was with his brother and friends in Croydon when he was allegedly attacked by a group wearing masks and balaclavas last Monday.

Detectives investigating the death said they have now arrested a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of his murder.

Officers believe there had been an altercation involving a group of seven men who arrived at the scene in Gloucester Road armed with weapons.

Stabbing: Police at the scene in Gloucester Road, Croydon

Three other friends of Mr Kouebitra were also stabbed in the attack and another injured.

The Met said today the 16-year-old boy who was arrested on Tuesday, November 8, was also being held on suspicion of robbery.

Police had returned to the scene on Monday in a bid to trace more witnesses.

A police forensic tent at the scene of a fatal stabbing in Croydon

DCI Price said there has been lots of speculation concerning this attack and whether it was an antisocial behaviour incident related to Halloween.

"Whilst we are retaining an open mind, we believe that all the victims are known to each other and as a result early indications suggest that this was not a random attack," said DCI Sam Price.

Many of the group we are seeking to trace did wear balaclavas and masks as they fled the scene.

"I would also appeal to friends and family of the suspects to come forward if they have any information into what happened.

"A young man has had his life taken away - your information could be vital to piecing together the events that unfolded that evening."

The teenager remains in custody at a south London police station.
P olice have issued a fresh appeal over the murder of a 19-year-old man at a birthday party in Goodmayes.

Ziggy Worrell-Owusu was stabbed to death outside Basement Shisha Lounge, in Goodmayes Road, on October 27, the night after his 19th birthday.

Officers are now appealing for any of the 100 people at the party to come forward.

Scotland Yard revealed the teenager was trying to break up a fight before being knifed a number of times.

Scene: the victim was reportedly carried out of a shisha bar on a strecther

Mr Worrell-Owusu, who lived on the Jack Dunning Estate, in Hackney, was found at 12.40am and taken to an east London hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

He was pronounced dead an hour later.

A post-mortem examination held on Friday, October 28 at East Ham Mortuary confirmed he died from a stab wound.

Following his death, a friend who attended the Royal Alexandra and Albert School with Mr Owusu, said: He was a funny and caring person. He was always making me laugh.

He was very caring and will be deeply missed.

Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Packer, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, who is leading the investigation, said: It has now been two weeks since Ziggys tragic murder and we are returning to the scene to continue our appeals for anyone with any information to come forward and speak with police.

Goodmayes murder: Police cordoned the road after the stabbing / David Churchill

We know there were a large number of young people inside the Basement Shisha Lounge who would have witnessed this incident and the events that led up to it.

I still need to identify a number of people who were at the party and would encourage anyone with any information to get in touch.

"In addition to our earlier appeals, we continue to appeal to any partygoers who may, wholly innocently, be in possession of digital media or footage from the party to also make contact with police.

Emergency services on the scene of Goodmayes murder

"A popular young man has had his life taken away and your information, no matter how insignificant you think it might be, could be vital to piecing together the events of that evening."

Two 17-year-old boys and a 19-year-old man have been arrested in connection with the investigation.

All three have been released on bail.

Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room on 020 8345 3865 or via 101.

To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org
A teenager who stabbed to death a schoolboy while sorting out gatecrashers at a girls 16th birthday party is facing jail today.

Che Labastide-Wellington, 17, was knifed in the chest as he tried to get away from a small army of youths who had been summoned to the house party in Kenton last November.

Paramedics performed open-heart surgery on the teenager as he lay on the pavement, but he died at the scene less than an hour after being stabbed.

The Old Bailey heard the 16th birthday party had been carefully planned by the girls mother, banning cigarettes, drugs and alcohol, but the details had ended up being posted on Instagram.

Gatecrashers were denied entry because they were not on the guest list, and a group of young men from nearby Wembley were then called in to offer back-up.

In the ensuing clash, Che was fatally stabbed and his 16-year-old friend was also injured but survived.

'A precious gem': Che Wellington, left, was stabbed to death in Kenton / Facebook

Following a trial, Walker Sesay, 19, was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury, who deliberated for more than 42 hours before delivering its verdict this afternoon.

Calvin Tudor, 22, Marlon Tudor, 23 and Rimmel Williams, 18, were found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm against the 16-year-old, while Omar Afrah, 22, and Ola Onafowokan, 23, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit violent disorder.

The six men, as well as co-defendant Ibrahim Mansaray, 18, were all cleared of murdering Che, while a 17-year-old who cannot be named, was found not guilty of organising the attack.

Che was killed on November 8 last year, after attending the house party in Belvedere Way, Kenton, as an invited guest.

Prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC said the mother of the girl throwing the party had made significant efforts to control the event, but despite having bouncers on the door conducting searches there were weapons including knives at the house.

She could not have taken more care: there was to be no alcohol, drugs or cigarettes, said Mr Aylett.

Everyone who came to the party had to know the girl personally, everyone who came through the door had to agree to be searched by the mother and her friends and relatives of hers who had offered to held.

All the same it ended in disaster.

When the gatecrashers arrived, Che went outside to talk to them, unaware that a call had gone out inside the party for reinforcements.

Within 40 minutes or so, a group of thirteen young men had set off on foot from Wembley Park heading for Kenton, said Mr Aylett.

They were there to sort out the youths who had been making life difficult.

Sesay, the Tudor brothers, Williams, Afrah, and Onafowokan were among the gang summoned to the house.

The court heard Che, a business student, pulled out a knife and charged at the group surrounding him, but he was stabbed in the chest, piercing his heart, as he tried to break free.

Judge Stephen Kramer QC adjourned sentencing until December 6 but warned the convicted men they are all likely to go to prison.

Sesay, of Rawlings Crescent, Wembley, Calvin Tudor, of Kelly Close, Neasden, Williams, of Churchill Road, Willsden Green, Marlon Tudor, of no fixed address, Afrah, of Walton Avenue, Wembley, Mansaray, of Cotton Avenue, Acton, and Onafowokan, of Page Avenue on the Chalk Hill Estate in Wembley, were all cleared of murder.

Only Sesay was found guilty of manslaughter, while Calvin Tudor, Marlon Tudor and Williams were convicted of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Afrah and Onafowokan were found guilty of conspiracy to commit violent disorder.

Mansaray and Sesay were acquitted of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, the 15-year-old, Afrah, Onafowokan and Mansatray were cleared of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. Mansaray were also acquitted of conspiracy to commit violent disorder.
T wo escaped fugitives on the run from Pentonville prison are being offered sanctuary by friends, police have claimed.

The Met Polices flying squad and murder detectives have been called-in to join a man-hunt for the men who cut through the bars of their cells and scaled the perimeter wall of the north London jail on Monday.

The pair were named by Scotland Yard as Matthew Baker, 28, and James Whitlock, 31.

Police have issued a warning to Londoners not to approach the men over fears they may become violent.

Baker was locked-up for attempted murder after stabbing a man 25 times with a broken bottle in Dagenham, in March last year, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

Escaped prisoner: James Whitlock is charged with 19 counts of burglary / Met Police

Whitlock was being held on remand charged with 19 counts of conspiracy to burgle from cash machines across the south-east.

The men - understood to be cellmates  are said to have used diamond-tipped cutting equipment to break through bars before scaling a perimeter wall.

It has been claimed that their beds were stuffed with pillows to make it look like they were asleep.

On the run: Matthew Baker was found guilty of attempted murder

Police said on Tuesday that an investigation to find the escaped prisoners is moving at a fast pace.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Heatley revealed it was very likely that they were being assisted by others in order to evade capture.

He said: We have received a positive response to our appeals and the flow of information from the public so far has been very good.

"However, I would continue to encourage anyone with information about the current whereabouts of these two men to contact either the police or Crimestoppers in confidence, as soon as possible.

Two still at large after breaking out of Pentonville Prison

"It is very likely that they are being assisted by others, possibly with somewhere to stay, clothing and money, in order to evade capture.

I would appeal to anyone who is helping that they are potentially committing a crime and would encourage them to contact us so that we can bring this matter to a safe and swift conclusion."

Police are asking the public to call them on 999 should they see either man, and not to approach them as they could become violent.

Alternatively, to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A boss at a food networking firm is calling for best before dates to be banned because, he says, they confuse customers and cause huge wastage.

Steve Haines, whose Neighbourly platform connects supermarkets with food charities via an app, said best before dates were geared towards manufacturers and meant perfectly edible produce was being thrown away.

The best before label does not mean the food is inedible after that date, simply that it is likely to be past its best. A use by date indicates when the food is likely to go off. Mr Haines, 38, Neighbourlys head of community engagement, said: A lot of people confuse best before dates with use by dates. People are chucking good food in the bin when you can eat it right up to midnight on the use by date.

If your bananas gone a bit brown, or your broccolis gone a bit yellow, its still perfectly edible.

In this country about 70 per cent of the food we throw away is perfectly edible but past its best before date. That could go and feed the million hungry kids in this country, especially around school holidays.

The Food Standards Agency ran an event with about 60 manufacturers and charities, and through our work, prompted a consultation about getting rid of best before dates.

The firm, funded by supermarkets subscriptions and investors (charities do not pay), works with Marks & Spencer and other retailers and is looking to sign up others.

It helps 48 organisations in the capital including The Felix Project, the flagship charity of the Evening Standards Food for London campaign, City Harvest and the Dalgarno Trust, as well as 600 nationwide. Supermarket employees upload a list of items ready to be removed from the reduced section and send a text message of what is available to nearby charities.

Mr Haines has also called on supermarkets to help educate people about food. He said: We lost a lot of cooking skills in the Eighties and Nineties, so I think supermarkets should be about food education supermarkets could have cooking stations where young people can learn about food, and a community area with guest chefs or members of the local community teaching.
A hospital boss today moved to reassure patients that a London A&E was not facing imminent closure after concerns over NHS cost-cutting plans.

A new five-year vision for healthcare in east London suggested the unit at King George hospital in Ilford could close overnight from next September.

Work to boost capacity at nearby hospitals, to allow its full closure at a later date, would begin as soon as possible next year, according to the draft sustainability and transformation plan (STP).

This sparked alarm among MPs and campaigners who feared a growing and ageing population would leave the A&Es at Newham, Queens and Whipps Cross hospitals unable to cope.

Matthew Hopkins, head of Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS trust, which runs King George and Queens, in Romford, confirmed a case to centralise its A&E at Queens was being drawn up.

However, he said this would not be finished until March and that the plans would have to be approved by NHS Improvement, the quango that helps fund hospital developments.

This was not expected to happen quickly due to the NHS cash crisis and because Queens is a PFI hospital, meaning leases have to be renegotiated with the landlord.

An urgent care centre would replace the A&E at King George. Mr Hopkins said: Its not a straightforward expansion.

Every area of the country has to draw up a STP to outline proposals on coping with rising demand at a time when the NHS must find 22 billion of savings.

Closure of the A&E at King George was approved in principle by the then health secretary, Andrew Lansley, in 2011.

Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS trust chiefs support the move as it will prevent doctors being stretched across two sites.

Work is said to be under way at Barts Health NHS trust to boost capacity at Whipps Cross in Leytonstone, and Newham, to absorb patients unable to use King George.

Ilford South MP Mike Gapes told the Ilford Recorder it would be an absolute disaster to close King Georges A&E prior to expanding the unit at Queens.

Save King George Hospital campaigner Andy Walker said: How on earth can they be talking about closing a hospital, when their own officials are saying there may be a case for opening one?

The North-East London STP said the changes were meant to ensure only patients who need more concentrated care are admitted to hospital, reducing the demand for hospital beds.

We have been very clear that the decision to make changes to A&E services locally has already been made.
P olice have confirmed the death toll in the Croydon tram crash has risen to seven people as a man was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

The British Transport Police confirmed the updated figure after investigators earlier confirmed five passengers had died.

The tram driver, a 42-year-old man from Beckenham, has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and is in police custody.

British Transport Police said they were investigating whether he fell asleep.

Officers will remain at the scene for the next 24 hours as authorities launch inquiries into the crash.

London Live reports from the scene of the Croydon tram crash

Deputy Chief Constable Adrian Hanstock said: This is a tragic incident and our hearts and thoughts go out to all those affected.

Tragedy: The tram overturned near Sandilands stop / PA

When officers arrived on scene this morning shortly after 6am, they were met with a complex and challenging situation.

Sadiq Khan gives statement at Croydon tram scene

Together with our partners from the other emergency services and with support from London resilience agencies, they have worked through the day, and will continue to work throughout the night, at the scene.

After liaison with the Coroner, we can confirm that at least seven people have lost their lives as a result of this incident.

Fatalities: British Transport Police confirmed at least seven people have now died / PA / Sky News

Our officers will continue to work tirelessly throughout the evening to formally identify them and provide care and support for their families."

Tragedy struck on Wednesday morning when a packed tram overturned when it derailed on a sharp bend near Sandilands station.

Police statement on Croydon tram overturning

Investigators from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch said the tram was travelling at a "significantly higher speed than is permitted" before it careered off the track.

A spokesman said: "Initial indications suggest that the tram was travelling at a significantly higher speed than is permitted."

Concerned: Sadiq Khan visits the scene of a tram crash in Croydon / PA

Transport for London also said it had also launched an inquiry to identify what went "catastrophically wrong".

Londons Transport Commissioner Mike Brown said: I am devastated for the families and friends of those who have lost their lives and those who have been injured.

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn comment on Croydon tram derailment

Clearly something has gone catastrophically wrong and we will work tirelessly and quickly with the emergency services, the tram operator First Group and others to establish a cause.

Croydon Tram derailment 1 /10 Croydon Tram derailment The scene after a tram overturned in Croydon, south London, trapping five people and injuring another 40 Steve Parsons/PA Police officers walk the site where the tram overturned Carl Court/Getty Images Emergency services were called to the scene just after 6am Twitter/@procrastinateur Emergency services close to the location where a tram overturned in Croydon, south London PA Emergency services at Sandilands tram station in Croydon Ben Morgan Witnesses reported seeing victims stretchered from the tram James Long A police cordon is in place on Addiscombe Road Ben Morgan 40 people were injured and five trapped inside the tram Ben Morgan

More than 70 firefighters were sent to the emergency operation as dozens of passengers were rushed to two hospitals in south London.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Croydon MP Gavin Barwell were among those to visit the scene.

Passengers told of "carnage" and "blood everywhere" as they likened the derailment to "something out of a film".

Martin Bamford, 30, from Croydon described the scene as total carnage.

Major response: The crash sparked a huge emergency operation / Carl Court/Getty Images

Speaking outside Croydon University Hospital, where he is being treated for fractured or broken ribs, Mr Bamford said: "It was just terrifying."

"There was a woman that was on top of me. I don't think she made it at all. She wasn't responsive. There was blood everywhere."

Asked about the driver, he said: "I asked him if he was okay. He said 'yeah'. I said to him 'what happened?' He said he thinks he blacked out."

Cordon: Police stand guard near the scene / LBC

Kudirat Okesola, 46, rushed to her husband's side as soon as she heard he had been caught up in the incident.

Taiye Ajibola, who was on his way to work, was "very anxious", Ms Okesola said, adding that there was a lot of blood.

"Even my husband was covered with blood," she said.

Ms Okesola said some people were trapped underneath the tram calling for help.

"People were screaming. People were crying," she said.

Shocked witnesses and local residents told how they heard a "loud crash" before emergency vehicles flooded the area.

Hannah Collier, who lives nearby the tram station, said: "Heard a massive crash outside my window, now emergency services everywhere for the overturned tram, hope everyone is ok."

Police at the scene / Ben Morgan

The 23-year-old added that she had seen people being carried away on stretchers from the scene of the incident.

James Long, who lives metres away from the scene of the incident, told the Standard: "It happened on a sharp bend on the approach to Sandilands tram stop.

"I've never seen so many emergency services attend a scene."

Miguel John, who was on a bus to Bromley when it stopped by Sandilands tram stop, told the Standard: "The road hadn't been shut off yet but emergency services were already at the scene, this would have been around 6.30am.

Scene: Police, ambulances and fire engines were in attendance / James Long

By this point more emergency services were flooding to the scene and a police car shut off the road with vehicles being ushered down Elgin Road towards Addiscombe.

But it was obvious it was very, very serious due to the amount of emergency services at the scene.

At first there would have been roughly between six or 10 [vehicles], as time passed a lot more arrived and continued to arrive.

Visibly from where I was about two fire engines, two to three ambulances, several police cars and then more arrived as time went on.

I think thats how everyone knew it was very serious, especially how quickly they acted to shut off the road.

The crash is believed to be the first tram crash involving fatalities on board since 1959, when two women passengers and the driver died after a tram caught fire in Glasgow, following a collision with a lorry.

London's only tram network operates in the south of the capital, from Wimbledon to Beckenham Junction, Elmers End and New Addington, via Croydon.

More than 27 million passengers used the service in 2015/16. The system uses a combination of on-street and segregated running for the 17 miles (27km) of track.
S adiq Khan said the death toll in the Croydon tram derailment may well increase after he visited the crash scene in south London.

Police confirmed five people have died and more than 50 were injured when a tram overturned as it derailed on a sharp bend near Sandilands station on Wednesday morning.

The London Mayor, who visited the scene on Wednesday, said the number of fatalities may well increase shortly before 4pm.

The tram driver has been arrested.

London Live reports from the scene of the Croydon tram crash

A British Transport Police spokesman said: We can confirm an arrest has been made in connection with the Croydon incident."

Concerned: Sadiq Khan visits the scene of a tram crash in Croydon / PA

Mr Khan earlier posted on Facebook: This morning at 6:13am emergency services were called to a tram derailment near the Sandilands tram stop in Croydon.

A number of people have been taken to hospital with injuries sustained in the incident and sadly there has been some loss of life.

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn comment on Croydon tram derailment

My thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of those who have lost their lives today and everyone involved in this tragic incident.

Emeregncy response: Police vehicles at the scene in Croydon / PA

I am in contact with the emergency services and TfL, who are working extremely hard under very difficult circumstances to get the situation under control and treat those who have been injured.

More than 70 firefighters were sent to the scene by London Fire Brigade and have worked at the scene throughout the day to free trapped passengers.

The injured were taken to two hospitals in Croydon and Tooting.

Dr Nnenna Osuji, medical director of Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, said there has been a "full spectrum" of injuries, from minor to major.

Fatalities: Five people have been confirmed dead / PA / Sky News

Speaking outside Croydon University Hospital, she said 31 people were brought in an ambulance and seven more came on foot.

She said: When you're sitting speaking with relatives there's a sombreness as well as the reality of another serious incident in Croydon and the fact that, for a number of families, lives will be very different as of today.

Dr Osuji added there are no children among the patients at Croydon University Hospital.

Dr Phil Moss, the clinical director of the emergency department at St George's Hospital in Tooting, south east London, said three people were undergoing surgery at the hospital.

Scene: It happened near Sandilands station / James Long

He would not give any detail about the ages or injuries of any of the 20 patients who they treated from the tram incident.

Dr Moss said: "This was a very serious incident and the injuries sustained were very serious. We know there have been some fatalities at the scene today.

"The patients who have gone to the operating theatre will certainly be kept overnight if not for several days or even weeks."

Police statement on Croydon tram overturning

Emergency medical teams at the hospital dealt with four "majorly injured" patients and 16 walking wounded, he said.

Dr Moss said: "Three of those patients are now in the operating theatre and one of the patients who was thought to be seriously injured patients has now fortunately been discharged. The remaining 16 patients are in the process of being discharged.

"We plan for events such as this evening though they are very rare - maybe once in every two years.

"This is clearly a traumatic event. We have psychologists working with us in the emergency department who will speak to patients prior to discharge. We also look to patients to follow up with their GPs."
I nvestigators say the tram which derailed killing at least five people was travelling at a "significantly higher speed than is permitted".

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said the tram derailed as it was negotiating a "sharp, left-hand curve" with a speed limit of 12 mph.

A spokesman said: "Initial indications suggest that the tram was travelling at a significantly higher speed than is permitted."

It comes as tram passengers spoke of their horror after they likened the crash to "something out of a film".

London Live reports from the scene of the Croydon tram crash

Transport for London said it was urgently investigating to identify what went "catastrophically wrong".

"Carnage": Five people are confirmed dead after the tram derailed near Sandilands / BBC/ITN

Londons Transport Commissioner Mike Brown said: I am devastated for the families and friends of those who have lost their lives and those who have been injured.

Sadiq Khan gives statement at Croydon tram scene

Clearly something has gone catastrophically wrong and we will work tirelessly and quickly with the emergency services, the tram operator First Group and others to establish a cause.

Police confirmed five people are dead and more than 50 were injured when the tram overturned near Sandilands station on Wednesday morning.

Crash: The tram derailed in Croydon / PA / Sky News

The tram driver has been arrested.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan raised fears the death toll could further rise after he said the number of fatalities "may well increase".

Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn comment on Croydon tram derailment

Sources at the scene said as many as eight people were feared dead.

A spokeswoman for London Ambulance Service confirmed eight people have serious or life-threatening injuries.

Major incident: Emergency vehicles at the scene / Carl Court/Getty Images

Passengers told of their horror as they were sent flying as they likened the crash to something out of a film".

Martin Bamford, 30, from Croydon described the scene as total carnage.

Speaking outside Croydon University Hospital, where he is being treated for fractured or broken ribs, Mr Bamford said: "It was just terrifying."

"There was a woman that was on top of me. I don't think she made it at all. She wasn't responsive. There was blood everywhere."

Concerned: Sadiq Khan visits the scene of a tram crash in Croydon / PA

Asked about the driver, he said: "I asked him if he was okay. He said 'yeah'. I said to him 'what happened?' He said he thinks he blacked out."

Kudirat Okesola, 46, rushed to her husband's side as soon as she heard he had been caught up in the incident.

Taiye Ajibola, who was on his way to work, was "very anxious", Ms Okesola said, adding that there was a lot of blood.

The tram tipped on its side as it navigated a sharp bend / LBC

"Even my husband was covered with blood," she said.

Ms Okesola said some people were trapped underneath the tram calling for help.

"People were screaming. People were crying," she said.

Police statement on Croydon tram overturning

She said her husband has a "massive" cut on his face.

The Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said the "vast majority" of people have been discharged from the hospital or transferred elsewhere for ongoing care.

Patients were also taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting where three people are undergoing surgery.

Croydon Tram derailment 1 /10 Croydon Tram derailment The scene after a tram overturned in Croydon, south London, trapping five people and injuring another 40 Steve Parsons/PA Police officers walk the site where the tram overturned Carl Court/Getty Images Emergency services were called to the scene just after 6am Twitter/@procrastinateur Emergency services close to the location where a tram overturned in Croydon, south London PA Emergency services at Sandilands tram station in Croydon Ben Morgan Witnesses reported seeing victims stretchered from the tram James Long A police cordon is in place on Addiscombe Road Ben Morgan 40 people were injured and five trapped inside the tram Ben Morgan

Dr Phil Moss, the clinical director of the hospital's emergency department, said: "We plan for events such as this evening though they are very rare - maybe once in every two years.

"This is clearly a traumatic event. We have psychologists working with us in the emergency department who will speak to patients prior to discharge."
P rotests have erupted outside the US embassy in London following Donald Trumps historic election upset.

Hundreds of anti-racism campaigners converged at the Grosvenor Square building from 6pm on Tuesday to stage a protest against Mr Trumps dehumanising politics.

It comes hours after a star-studded bash was held at the embassy as guests including London Mayor Sadiq Khan witnessed Mr Trumps stunning upset over Hillary Clinton.

Protesters arrived armed with placards that read No to Trump and Love trumps hate, a slogan used by Mrs Clinton in her closing campaign rally.

Protesters: Anti-racism demonstrators outside the US embassy / Bridie Pearson-Jones

They also repeatedly chanted Dump the Trump.

Trouble flared briefly when one man wearing an English Defence League jumper defended Mr Trump.

How did America vote? A breakdown by race and gender

He said: "Donald Trump, he is the man, hes telling it how it is. Hes not all about capitalism. Hes not all about stitching up Americans."

"Love trumps hate": One protester stands outside the US embassy / Bridie Pearson-Jones

Another far-right demonstrator then ripped up a placard held by one protester which caused police to intervene.

But Scotland Yard said there were no details of any further trouble.

The protest was organised by anti-racism group Stand Up to Racism.

Message to Washington: The protest came hours after a star-studded bash in Grosvenor Square / Kunal Purohit

It said the demonstration was sparked by Mr Trumps call for a blanket ban on Muslims entering in the US and a string of other racially-charged outbursts.

Sabby Dhalu, co-convener of the Stand up to Racism group, said: "Donald Trump used the oldest trick in the book.

"He stirred up fear and racism in the context of a stagnant economy and the resulting fall in living standards - to mobilise a vote for him.

"The danger now is racists across the globe feel emboldened by Donald Trump's victory and racism and sexism become normalised through the most powerful figure in the world.

"We call on anti-racists and all progressives to join us tonight outside the US Embassy."

Tom Kay, from the Socialist Worker, told London Live: Its important people come out and show we are willing to reject racism.

We are not willing to be divided by this racist and sexist bigot.
A nti-racist campaigners have said they will stage a demonstration outside the US embassy in London to protest against Donald Trumps unexpected victory.

Activists accused Mr Trump, who secured the win on Wednesday morning, of running the most racist election campaign in generations

The organisers of the protest, Stand Up to Racism, wrote on Facebook the protest was over his call for a blanket ban on Muslims entering in the US and a string of other racially-charged outbursts.

Campaigners will gather at the Grosvenor Square building from 6pm on Wednesday, November 9, to come out against his "dehumanising politics".

Round-up of Trump's most infamous comments in the run-up to his presidency

They wrote: He has said 'laziness is a trait in blacks', described Mexican immigrants as 'criminals' and 'rapists', and condoned the beating of a Black Lives Matter activist at one of his rallies.

He has also said women should be "punished" for having abortions, and chillingly sought to downplay the severity of sexual violence, dismissing boasts of sexually assaulting women as 'locker room talk.

Sabby Dhalu, co-convener of the Stand up to Racism group, said: "Donald Trump used the oldest trick in the book.

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"He stirred up fear and racism in the context of a stagnant economy and the resulting fall in living standards - to mobilise a vote for him.

"The danger now is racists across the globe feel emboldened by Donald Trump's victory and racism and sexism become normalised through the most powerful figure in the world.

"We call on anti-racists and all progressives to join us tonight outside the US Embassy."

Donald Trump's victory speech after winning US election

In his victory speech today, Mr Trump appeared to play down the divisive campaign, promising to be a US President "for all Americans".
T HE Londoner was amid the action last night as the capital looked towards America for the election result. The mood was, initially, decidedly anti-Trump. Right-wing commentator Julia Hartley-Brewer tore into the Republican nominee at CNNs party, co-hosted with the Evening Standard, in Marylebone: Donald Trump is not fit to be elected the dog-catcher of a small town in Wisconsin, she told us. Economist Vicky Pryce, meanwhile, planned an escape in the event of a Trump victory. Im finally going to move to Greece, she said, resigning herself to such a fate as the night wore on.

At Mayfair restaurant 34, shoe designer Rupert Sanderson celebrated the launch of his new champagne slipper, but the bubbles went flat at the idea of Melania Trump walking into the White House. I would much rather have someone in bad shoes with a brain than an idiot, he shrugged.

Those who had sought an early night awoke to a warning from Christopher Meyer, former UK Ambassador to the US. If Trump does what he says he wants to do, he will be a revolutionary, destructive force in international affairs, he tweeted. Put on your seat belts. Its going to be a bumpy ride.

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The launch of Lord Ashcrofts book, Victoria Cross Heroes, at the Devonshire Club in Liverpool Street provided an aperitif for an evening of presidential parties.

The Londoner asked Ashcroft to compare it with his previous tome, which contained allegations of a porcine penchant from our former PM. One was championing bravery, he said, and Ill leave you to decide what the other was about.

Its a big evening, isnt it? fizzed Nigel Farage, optimistic that hed be jetting over to the US in the morning. Amid accusations of Russian interference in the election, Farage sought to comfort the worriers. If Trump and Putin have a cordial relationship, I call that a very good thing for the whole world.

Its a topic Lord Ashcroft will surely be exploring in his next book, revealed to be a review of the UKs modern defence capacity. We headed off to the next event with his words ringing in our ears: Life is never about the best of choices. Life is about the least-worst alternative.

Bianca and friends drown their sorrows

The atmosphere at the CNN and Evening Standard-hosted bash was ebullient until 2am or so, when the likelihood of a Trump victory gained traction.

Until then, though, guests downed margaritas and queued to pose in the pop-up Oval Office, before playing themed arcade games such as Hide from Hillary and Build a Wall. Bianca Jagger, with CNNs foreign correspondent Christiane Amanpour, was initially in a great mood. As a woman, as a human rights campaigner, as a Latin-American woman, I was so thrilled to know that Trump could lose because of the Latin-American vote, she told us. I would say that it would be the ultimate justice.

Karma, of course, didnt prevail, but with club king Guy Pelly, the Womens Equality Partys Catherine Mayer and artist Tracey Emin among the guests, we were at least in good company for drowning sorrows.

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Donald Trump fought a bloody election campaign but he may have a softer side. The Londoner bumped into socialite Basia Briggs of Hyde Park Stables this week, and she told us that Trump once spent a pleasant day riding her horses around the park. This was in the mid-Nineties, soon after the unassuming billionaire tycoon had married his second wife Marla Maples. Briggs granted them a free ride. He is a monster, she conceded. But he was very charming! At least someone backed the right horse.

Phoebe's triumph turns to despair

The election is so terrifying in so many ways, cook Jack Monroe declared last night at the Groucho Club, so if youre looking for a nuclear bunker this is a very, very good place to get stuck.

The Londoner obliged, spending the beginning of the evening at the Soho members club for its annual Maverick Awards. Actress and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge was astonished to receive the prize but her comedic wit failed her as the night wore on. I know I am supposed to be funny, she said. But I cannot even comment on the election because its far too serious to be funny.

Nominee Eddie Izzard, meanwhile, was in militant mode. Trump spells separatism, he told us. His words of hate dont work. Perhaps not, but do they win elections.

Russian night for James

Trump, one could claim, is like a Russian doll: full of himself. So no wonder that some Londoners chose to look eastward last night. Actor James Norton started the evening at the Electric Cinema in Notting Hill, where Russian film institution Kino Klassika hosted a screening of The End of St Petersburg, sponsored by Faberge.

I recently pointed out to a friend of mine that we were sponsoring a night of The End of St Petersburg, the brands CEO Sean Gilbertson said. He noted that it might be a better idea to screen the election results live, under the banner of The End of America.

Maybe next time.
S adiq Khan today challenged Donald Trump to heal wounds of the most divisive election campaign in American history.

The Mayor said: Its no secret that Im no fan of Donald Trump or the way he has conducted his campaign, but he has clearly won the US presidential election. The campaign divided America  and the world  and emotions are understandably running high.

I hope Donald Trump will now do everything in his power to unite people and bring divided communities back together. I wish him well.

Early signs indicated Mr Trump would try to build bridges with groups  including Democrats, Hispanics, blacks and women  whom he regularly insulted during the campaign.

Round-up of Trump's most infamous comments in the run-up to his presidency

He and Mr Khan have had a difficult relationship since the tycoon called for Muslims to be banned from the US in December. Mr Khan accused him of making the world less safe and was vocal in his support for Hillary Clinton. But US ambassador Matthew Barzun insisted the relationship between London and Washington  government, the military, intelligence, trade, students and tourists  was incredibly strong. He said: The special relationship lives in each and every one of those strands... this relationship is unbreakable and unshakable.

Donald Trump: The president-elect at his election night rally in Manhattan / REUTERS

Tony Travers, professor of government at LSE, said: This is a result which will shock Londons political class just as much as Washingtons or New Yorks. The real challenge, as with Brexit, will be the months or years of uncertainty that may lie ahead.

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Londoners watching the result unfold at an election party hosted by CNN and the Evening Standard expressed their disappointment as Mr Trump edged closer to victory. David Dimbleby, Justice Secretary Liz Truss and Made In Chelsea stars were among hundreds of guests at Marylebones Seymour Leisure Centre for the event, which featured marching bands and cheerleaders. Comedian Lolly Adefope, 26, star of The Last Leg, said: After Brexit I thought maybe this could happen, but hoped it wouldnt. But you can never predict these things. The world will continue to turn.

Sadiq Khan calls Donald Trump's views on Islam ignorant - Good Morning Britain

Countdown host Nick Hewer said: Surely this is the nadir of a political landscape. Its almost impossible to believe this has happened.

Expats descended on the Stafford hotel in St Jamess, where a cocktail called The Donald was being sold for 100 alongside burgers which guests could Trump up with foie gras or truffle. Christine Ha, 32, a student from San Francisco, said: A lot of people here feel like theyve just been through this and they are watching another Brexit.

Donald Trump offended by Sadiq Khan's comments

About 1,500 American and British guests were at the US Embassy election party. Many spoke of their shock as festivities ended for the night with Mr Trump closing in on victory. Mr Khan, Jeremy Paxman, Robert Peston, Nick Robinson, Ian Hislop, Jimmy Carr and Nick Rhodes were among the guests. BBC 6 Music presenter Katie Puckrik said she was shocked by the result. I guess it shows how much discontentment there has been in America. It was maybe more powerful than anyone imagined and that has manifested itself in a protest vote by people who arent happy, despite the progress we have seen under Obama.

But Malise Sundstrom, chair of Republicans Overseas, said she was incredibly excited about the election. Its a bit like Brexit. Trump has offered a hope, whereby Clinton has stood for things staying the way they are.
L abour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said Donald Trumps surprise victory was driven by public anger and is a wake-up call for the world.

Mr Corbyn said the win represented a rejection of a failed economic consensus that is not working for most people  but that some of the new president-elects policies were wrong.

The Islington MP, who himself fought a fierce campaign to be re-elected leader this year, said "Americans have made their choice" - but added many people would be understandably shocked by the dramatic poll-defying upset.

But at the same time Mr Corbyn said the public anger which had driven Mr Trump to office should be a global wake-up call to the governing elite that change was needed.

Voted in: US President Donald Trump / Getty

"Trump's election is an unmistakable rejection of a political establishment and an economic system that simply isn't working for most people," he said.

"It is one that has delivered escalating inequality and stagnating or falling living standards for the majority, both in the US and Britain.

"This is a rejection of a failed economic consensus and a governing elite that has been seen not to have listened. And the public anger that has propelled Donald Trump to office has been reflected in political upheavals across the world.

US Election: New president Donald Trump in numbers

"After this latest global wake-up call, the need for a real alternative to a failed economic and political system could not be clearer.

"That alternative must be based on working together, social justice and economic renewal, rather than sowing fear and division.

And the solutions we offer have to improve the lives of everyone, not pit one group of people against another."

But Mr Corbyn he said he believed the "decency and common sense" of the American people would prevail and sent his solidarity to "a nation of migrants, innovators and democrats".
A chirpy American braved the cold to try to cheer up Londoners after Donald Trumps shock US presidential victory.

Maximilian Vermilye, 23, stood outside High Street Kensington station waving an American flag and offering free hugs to whoever wanted one.

He held a large sign which read: Free hugs  to those who need one on this day and to all, hug your loved ones and friends.

The charitable act went down reasonably well with busy Londoners during the two hours he stood there, with many taking him up on his offer.

Hugs: Maximilian Vermilye spent two hours in the cold

Mr Vermilye, a mens fashion stylist, told the Standard: I have seen so much negativity with social media and everyone right now needs a hug.

My message is whether you win or lose, if you see someone looking sad then just hug them.

Cheery: the American said he voted for Clinton

Hug your friends, family and let everyone know you are there for them.

He added: This is the first time Ive ever done anything like this.

Kind: he said there was lots of negativity in the wake of Trump's victory

The half Swiss, half American man, who lives in London, said that he voted for Hillary Clinton but wasnt happy with either candidate.

One passer-by impressed by the effort, financial consultant Jim Richards, said it was an act of empathy.

He added: People are p***ed off right now and Trump has not been dignified.

"This guy is doing a decent job by offering a bit of empathy with his hugs."

It comes after Donald Trump beat all the odds to defeat Hillary Clinton and become the next President of the United States.

Just months after the Brexit vote stunned Britain, the billionaire property tycoon and former reality TV star turned every political prediction on its head to claim the keys to the White House in one of the most improbable victories in US history.
T housands of people across the UK reacted to Donald Trumps overnight US election victory as a follow up to Brexit in a nightmare year.

Londoners were among those who took to social media as Britain woke up to the news the billionaire Republican businessman had beaten Democrat Hillary Clinton in the race to the White House.

The phrase First Brexit, now this started to trend on Twitter as tens of thousands of people likened the Republicans surprise win to Junes shock EU referendum result.

Many called Mr Trump's victory as the latest in a string of publicised events which has made 2016 into an unexpected year - including the death of David Bowie and Leicester winning the Premier League.

Others expressed astonishment and exasperation at the news and said they were simply lost for words.

Round-up of Trump's most infamous comments in the run-up to his presidency

Many joked about mass emigration away from the USA - and even further afield - following the result.

Aden Theobald, said on Twitter: Wow. First Brexit and now this. My brain hurts.

Londoner Cosma Papouis wrote: Has the world gone mad? First Brexit now Trump? As the Chinese say. 'These are interesting times' and not in a good way."

Others were more serious and took to social to express anger and frustration at the Republican win.

First Brexit, now Trump," said Jordan Phillipe, from London. "Im lost for words at the stupidity of the majority. What is happening to the world.

Holby City actor Louis Payne, from Islington, said: What is going on in the world first Brexit now trump! What next world war 3 #PresidentialElection

My first thought was "oh America, how could you be so stupid," tweeted Inga Dahl. "Then I remembered Brexit.

Goldsmiths student Georgie Rose Laud said on Twitter: So America now have a racist sexist wotsit running their country. First brexit and now this, what is the world coming too

US Election: New president Donald Trump in numbers

But some British people were pleased with the result.

Twitter user Stuart, from Banstead in Surrey, said: "First Brexit and now this. Shows how many people have had enough. Love it

Lots of people were joking about what might come next after a whirlwind year and whether 2016 has more up its sleeve.

Trump won the presidency in a dramatic upset after almost every major poll had Hillary Clinton as a shoe-in to be voted the next Commander-in-Chief.

The people of the United States turned out to vote in their millions in one of the most divisive and closely-fought election campaigns in history.
T he Queen has unveiled a new portrait, painted by acclaimed Northern Irish artist Colin Davidson, who praised her for helping Anglo-Irish relations.

The painting, revealed at a reception in Crosby Hall, Chelsea, was commissioned by Co-Operation Ireland, of which the monarch is a joint patron.

Since 1979 the charity has worked to foster ties between Northern Ireland communities and people on both sides of the Irish border.

The Queen attended with the Duke of Edinburgh, while the guest list for the event included Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

Belfast born-artist Davidson has painted many significant public figures, including actors Liam Neeson and Brad Pitt, German chancellor Angela Merkel and Nobel Laureate poet Seamus Heaney.

Working with a large 4ft by 5ft canvas, he depicted the Queen wearing a turquoise Karl Ludwig day dress.

The Queen pulled a velvet cloth to reveal the image / Jeff Spicer/PA

He said after the unveiling: "I jested with her she was still talking to me which was good, and she absolutely agreed she still was talking to me - so I took quite a bit of heart from that."

Davidson, who had one 90 minute sitting with the monarch in May, added: "I feel relief and a great deal of privilege I have to say as well.

"I realise the gravity of the event, I realise the symbolism of the event as well from an Anglo-Irish point of view, more than anything else.

"And what I hope is my painting in some way acknowledges the actions she has taken to advance healing in the Anglo-Irish relationship."

The Queen made a historic state visit to Ireland in 2011 when her presence on Irish soil - the first by a British monarch since Ireland gained independence from Britain - heralded a new chapter in Anglo-Irish relations.

The following year another watershed moment came when the Queen and Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness shook hands at a cultural event in Belfast's Lyric Theatre, where Mr Davidson's paintings were on display.
T heresa May has congratulated Donald Trump on his shock election victory and said she looks forward to working with him.

The Prime Minister said Britain and the US "will remain strong and close partners" working together on trade, security and defence.

Mrs May released a statement after the stunning election result left the world reeling.

Polls had predicted a Hillary Clinton victory but throughout a dramatic night it became clear the billionaire businessman had clinched key battleground states.

The Prime Minister released a statement and called it a "hard-fought" campaign.

Donald Trump will be the next US president in a shock election victory. / John Locher/AP

She said: "I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next President of the United States, following a hard-fought campaign.

"Britain and the United States have and enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.

"We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence.

"I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on those ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead."

Donald Trump's victory speech after winning US election

Mrs May faced criticism and Downing Street was ridiculed after Number 10 wished good luck to both candidates on the eve of the election.

A Downing Street spokesman had said: I think the Prime Minister would wish them both good luck", and insisted the Government would not express a preference for the outcome of foreign elections.
A merican Muslims have questioned whether it will still be safe to wear the hijab in America in the wake of Donald Trumps stunning election victory.

Social media was flooded with comments from followers of Islam who were concerned they would be unsafe when the Republican takes office.

Mr Trump  who called for an outright ban on Muslims entering the US  swept to victory in the Presidential election on Wednesday.

Sarah Magdy said: Should we presume that groping women will be legal and wearing Hijab will be criminalized in the #US? #trumpwins.

Another user, tweeting as Ascia AKF, wrote: Okay so which hijabi blogger is going to release the how to make your hijab look like hair for going out in America tutorial?

Round-up of Trump's most infamous comments in the run-up to his presidency

Ehsan Zaffar said: Friend who wears hijab: Im afraid. I feel like there is a target on my head now literally. #ElectionNight is very different for many of us.

Another user said that already during Mr Trumps campaign she had been targeted for wearing a headscarf.

Sohaylalala, said: Ive worn a hijab since 7th grade with no major issues. Then Trump ran for prez and Ive been verbally assaulted 3 x in the past 30 days.

US Election: New president Donald Trump in numbers

Other Muslims remained defiant.

One user, tweeting as Chimmyq, wrote: Best believe my hijab will only be tighter and more visible for all to see when trump becomes president. Black female Muslim and proud af

Another said: Muslim women  dont be afraid to wear your hijab, Allah will protect you, I love you all. #ElectionNight.
P resident Barack Obama is rooting for Donald Trumps success, he told supporters.

Mr Obama urged Americans "not to get cynical following Mr Trumps stunning victory in the presidential election.

He said: I know everybody had a long night. I did as well.

It is no secret that the president-elect and I have some pretty significant differences. But remember that eight years ago, President Bush and I had some pretty significant differences.

Donald Trump: The president-elect at his election night rally in Manhattan / REUTERS

The presidency and vice presidency is bigger than any of us.

We are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading this country. The peaceful transfer of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.

He added that he had spoken to the President-elect at 3.30am (local time), an hour after Mrs Clinton rang the billionaire businessman to admit defeat.

Concession speech: Hillary Clinton was supported by husband Bill as she gave a tearful speech (Getty Images) / Jewel Samad/Getty Images

Encouraging Democrat supporters not to be discouraged by the result, he said: I want you to know, you have to stay encouraged, dont get cynical. Fighting for what is right is important.

"Ive lost elections before () we lick our wounds, we brush ourselves off, we get back in the arena.

We move forward.

Hillary Clinton speaks for the first time following the election result

Speaking of Mrs Clinton, Mr Obama added: I could not be prouder of her. I am proud of her. A lot of Americans look up to her.

Mr Trump stormed to victory earlier today after the tightest race to the White House in history.

As the President-elect won polls in crucial swing states including Florida, Ohio and North Carolina the result began to look bleak for Democratic voters.

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Defying pollsters, analysts and even leaders of his own Republican Party, the outspoken outsider passed the finishing line of 270 electoral college votes needed to become the 45th President of the United States.

Round-up of Trump's most infamous comments in the run-up to his presidency

A Trump win in Pennsylvania gave him 274 votes in the electoral college. With results still being counted in some states, Mr Trump was also winning the popular vote by 1 per cent.

Hillary Clinton v Donald Trump: US Presidential Election 1 /93 Hillary Clinton v Donald Trump: US Presidential Election Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump votes at PS 59 in New York Carlo Allegri/Reuters U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton fills out her ballot at the Douglas Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua, New York Brian Snyder/Reuters Topless protestors cause commotion at the site where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is scheduled to work at PS 59 located at 233 East 56th Street in Manhattan NY Daily News via Getty Images Republician presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives at a polling station in New York to cast his ballot in the presidential election Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrives to vote in the U.S. presidential election at Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua, New York Mike Segar/Reuters A voter looks at a sample ballot as he waits in line at a polling location in Kansas City, Missouri. Whitney Curtis/Getty Images Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton cookies are on sale at the Oakmont Bakery in Oakmont, Pennsylvania Jeff Swensen/Getty Images Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and her husband former President Bill Clinton, leave their polling place in Chappaqua Seth Wenig/AP lay Smith is the first voter to cast the ballot in the US presidential election, in the small village of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire Herb Swanson/EPA Poll workers look on as US President Barack Obama gestures towards the press as he votes early at the Cook County Office Building in Chicago, Illinois Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign event for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at the University of New Hampshire in Durham Elise Amendola/AP Donald Trump takes a break from speaking to compare his face to a mask during a rally at the Sarasota Fairgrounds in Sarasota, Florida Loren Elliott/The Tampa Bay Times via AP Lady Gaga speaks during a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Raleigh Gerry Broome/AP Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and husband, former President Bill Clinton take the stage during a campaign rally in Raleigh Gerry Broome/AP Madonna sings a song as she campaigns for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a surprise performance at Washington Square Park in New York Matt Rourke/AP Musician Bruce Springsteen performs at an election eve rally for Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Spencer Platt/Getty Images Supporters hold signs and a copy of the Bible during a rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Manchester Charles Krupa/AP Republican vice presidential candidate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, speaks to a campaign rally before the arrival of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Manchester Bill Sikes/AP Jon Bon Jovi and Lady Gaga perform during a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Raleigh Gerry Broome/AP Musician Jon Bon Jovi performs at an election eve rally for Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on November in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Spencer Platt/Getty Images Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton boards her plane at Philadelphia International Airport Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Part of a Nov. 6, 2016, letter from FBI director James Comey to Congress is photographed in Washington. Comey tells Congress that a review of new Hillary Clinton emails has "not changed our conclusions" from earlier this year that she should not face charges Jon Elswick/AP Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cheer during a campaign rally in Leesburg Evan Vucci/AP Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump attends a campaign rally in Detroit, Michigan Carlo Allegri/Reuters NBA basketball player Lebron James introduces U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during a campaign rally in Cleveland, Ohio Carlo Allegri/Reuters A member of the audience holds a sign during a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Sterling Heights, , Michigan Paul Sancya/AP President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Kissimmee. Florida John Raoux/AP Secret Service agents rush Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump off the stage during a campaign rally in Reno John Locher/AP Hillary Clinton smiles holding a mask onboard her campaign plane on Halloween Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images Supporters of Donald Trump pose with a Hillary Clinton character during a campaign rally at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas John Gurzinski/AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump holds a rainbow flag given to him by supporter Max Nowak during a campaign rally at the Bank of Colorado Arena on the campus of University of Northern Colorado Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Hillary Clinton speaks during a campaign event at The Manor Complex in Wilton Manors, Florida Getty Images A Donald Trump supporter's pet bulldog is decked out in campaign stickers Jason Connoll/ AFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton joins Jennifer Lopez at a campaign concert in Miami, Florida Brian Snyder/Reuters A Donald Trump mural covering a building in Miami, Florida Rhona WiseAFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton, accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama, greet supporters during a campaign rally in Winston-Salem Chuck Burton/AP A crowd gathers to watch as Donald Trump's vandalised star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is cleaned up Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton delivers birthday cake to reporters on her campaign plane Justin Sullivan/Getty Images A Donald Trump look-a-like walks with bikini-clad women in Times Square. The stunt was organized by artist Alison Jackson Drew Angerer/Getty Images Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump hugs a the American flag as he arrives to speak to a campaign rally in Tampa Evan Vucci/AP Katy Perry speaks at a rally in support of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in Las Vegas AP Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton waves to a member of the audience as she walks off the debate stage as Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump remains at his podium after the conclusion of their third and final 2016 presidential campaign debate at UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada Mike Blake/Reuters NFL fans wear Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton masks during a game between the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals Norm Hall/Getty Images Donald Trump holds a child onstage during a campaign rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Hillary Clinton (Kate McKinnon) and Donald Trump (Alec Baldwin) take on the 'Town Hall Debate Cold Open' on SNL Saturday Night Live Hillary Clinton chats to Ellen DeGeneres during a commercial break during the filming of the Ellen Show Brenan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images A Donald Trump themed fortune telling machine stands on the street in Columbus Circle in New YorK Lucas Jackson/Reuters Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump kisses a "Women for Trump" placard during a rally at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, Florida Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during the town hall debate at Washington University Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Kevin Lake of Jefferson, Iowa, wears a wall outfit in honour of Donald Trump's pledge to build a wall along the Mexico border Scott Morgan/Reuters Donald Trump holds two-year-old Hunter Tirpak, who is dressed as Trump, during a rally at Mohegan Sun Arena Christopher Dolan/The Citizensi Voice via AP Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during the town hall debate at Washington University Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images Ken Bone found himself going viral after his attention-grabbing question during the town hall debate at Washington University Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Donald Trump's daughters-in-law Lara Trump and Vanessa Trump and daughter Tiffany Trump Scott Olson/Getty Images Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump leave the stage after the first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Melania (L) and Ivanka (C) Trump sit next to Republican vice presidential nominee Governor Mike Pence ahead of the first debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Joe Raedle/Pool/Reuters Hillary Clinton shakes hands with husband and former U.S. President Bill Clinton after the first Presidential Debate Joe Raedle/Getty Images Donald Trump with wife Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr.'s wife Vanessa Trump, Eric Trumps wife Lara Yunaska, and Eric Trump Paul J. Richards/AFP US actresses Lena Dunham and America Ferrera speak at the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia Peter Foley/EPA Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live Hillary Clinton attempts to open a pickle jar on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Andy Holmes/ABC Donald Trump greets supporters at a rally at Ladd-Peebles Stadium Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images Denis Leary and James Corden on The Late Late Show CBS Donald Trump reacts to the cries of three-month-old Kellen Campbell, of Denver, right, while holding six-month-old Evelyn Keane, of Castel Rock, Colorado Joe Mahoney/Getty Images Bill Clintonon on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mike Segar/Reuters Alicia Keys performs at he Democratic National Convention Shawn Thew/EPA Meryl Streep at the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center Alex Wong/Getty Images Donald Trump hugs his daughter Ivanka Trump at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Sarah Palin endorses Donald Trump's run for the Republican presidential nomination Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images Donald Trump during a campaign stop on the campus of the University of Central Florida Joe Raedle/Getty Images

In his victory speech, the billionaire businessman paid tribute to the Democratic candidate after months of lambasting her as Crooked Hillary and offered an olive branch to his critics.

He declared: Now its time to bind the wounds of division. Its time for us to come together as one people.
D onald Trump has scored wins in three swing states which are key to unlocking the front door of the White House.

Trump managed to snatch Florida away from the Democrats. It is a crucial victory in the race for him to be President of the United States.

He also scored wins in North Carolina and Ohio.

The Ohio win brought him 18 extra electoral college votes, and the North Carolina win, 15 votes.

US Election: 'It's over' declares Trump's senior advisor

Clinton won California and Hawaii.

An emboldened Trump tweeted a picture of his family and campaign team watching the results come in at Trump Tower in New York.

Bookies had him as 1/4 favourite to be elected US President.

Hillary Clinton's team wrote online: "This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything."

US Election: Donald Trump in profile

Initial results saw a flurry of Trump wins eclipsed as Clinton picked up several states.

As of just before 4am UK time, the results stood at 190 electoral college votes for Clinton and 173 for Trump.

A winner needs 270 to be declared President.

As the first results rolled in, Trump claimed victory in reliably Republican Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia, while Clinton won liberal Vermont.

Trump won Indiana by 63% to 3% and Kentucky by 65% to 31%.

Hillary Clinton v Donald Trump: US Presidential Election 1 /93 Hillary Clinton v Donald Trump: US Presidential Election Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump votes at PS 59 in New York Carlo Allegri/Reuters U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton fills out her ballot at the Douglas Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua, New York Brian Snyder/Reuters Topless protestors cause commotion at the site where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is scheduled to work at PS 59 located at 233 East 56th Street in Manhattan NY Daily News via Getty Images Republician presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives at a polling station in New York to cast his ballot in the presidential election Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrives to vote in the U.S. presidential election at Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua, New York Mike Segar/Reuters A voter looks at a sample ballot as he waits in line at a polling location in Kansas City, Missouri. Whitney Curtis/Getty Images Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton cookies are on sale at the Oakmont Bakery in Oakmont, Pennsylvania Jeff Swensen/Getty Images Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and her husband former President Bill Clinton, leave their polling place in Chappaqua Seth Wenig/AP lay Smith is the first voter to cast the ballot in the US presidential election, in the small village of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire Herb Swanson/EPA Poll workers look on as US President Barack Obama gestures towards the press as he votes early at the Cook County Office Building in Chicago, Illinois Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign event for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at the University of New Hampshire in Durham Elise Amendola/AP Donald Trump takes a break from speaking to compare his face to a mask during a rally at the Sarasota Fairgrounds in Sarasota, Florida Loren Elliott/The Tampa Bay Times via AP Lady Gaga speaks during a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Raleigh Gerry Broome/AP Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and husband, former President Bill Clinton take the stage during a campaign rally in Raleigh Gerry Broome/AP Madonna sings a song as she campaigns for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a surprise performance at Washington Square Park in New York Matt Rourke/AP Musician Bruce Springsteen performs at an election eve rally for Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Spencer Platt/Getty Images Supporters hold signs and a copy of the Bible during a rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Manchester Charles Krupa/AP Republican vice presidential candidate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, speaks to a campaign rally before the arrival of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Manchester Bill Sikes/AP Jon Bon Jovi and Lady Gaga perform during a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Raleigh Gerry Broome/AP Musician Jon Bon Jovi performs at an election eve rally for Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on November in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Spencer Platt/Getty Images Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton boards her plane at Philadelphia International Airport Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Part of a Nov. 6, 2016, letter from FBI director James Comey to Congress is photographed in Washington. Comey tells Congress that a review of new Hillary Clinton emails has "not changed our conclusions" from earlier this year that she should not face charges Jon Elswick/AP Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cheer during a campaign rally in Leesburg Evan Vucci/AP Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump attends a campaign rally in Detroit, Michigan Carlo Allegri/Reuters NBA basketball player Lebron James introduces U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during a campaign rally in Cleveland, Ohio Carlo Allegri/Reuters A member of the audience holds a sign during a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Sterling Heights, , Michigan Paul Sancya/AP President Barack Obama speaks at a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Kissimmee. Florida John Raoux/AP Secret Service agents rush Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump off the stage during a campaign rally in Reno John Locher/AP Hillary Clinton smiles holding a mask onboard her campaign plane on Halloween Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images Supporters of Donald Trump pose with a Hillary Clinton character during a campaign rally at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas John Gurzinski/AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump holds a rainbow flag given to him by supporter Max Nowak during a campaign rally at the Bank of Colorado Arena on the campus of University of Northern Colorado Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Hillary Clinton speaks during a campaign event at The Manor Complex in Wilton Manors, Florida Getty Images A Donald Trump supporter's pet bulldog is decked out in campaign stickers Jason Connoll/ AFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton joins Jennifer Lopez at a campaign concert in Miami, Florida Brian Snyder/Reuters A Donald Trump mural covering a building in Miami, Florida Rhona WiseAFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton, accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama, greet supporters during a campaign rally in Winston-Salem Chuck Burton/AP A crowd gathers to watch as Donald Trump's vandalised star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is cleaned up Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton delivers birthday cake to reporters on her campaign plane Justin Sullivan/Getty Images A Donald Trump look-a-like walks with bikini-clad women in Times Square. The stunt was organized by artist Alison Jackson Drew Angerer/Getty Images Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump hugs a the American flag as he arrives to speak to a campaign rally in Tampa Evan Vucci/AP Katy Perry speaks at a rally in support of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in Las Vegas AP Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton waves to a member of the audience as she walks off the debate stage as Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump remains at his podium after the conclusion of their third and final 2016 presidential campaign debate at UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada Mike Blake/Reuters NFL fans wear Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton masks during a game between the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals Norm Hall/Getty Images Donald Trump holds a child onstage during a campaign rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Hillary Clinton (Kate McKinnon) and Donald Trump (Alec Baldwin) take on the 'Town Hall Debate Cold Open' on SNL Saturday Night Live Hillary Clinton chats to Ellen DeGeneres during a commercial break during the filming of the Ellen Show Brenan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images A Donald Trump themed fortune telling machine stands on the street in Columbus Circle in New YorK Lucas Jackson/Reuters Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump kisses a "Women for Trump" placard during a rally at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, Florida Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during the town hall debate at Washington University Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Kevin Lake of Jefferson, Iowa, wears a wall outfit in honour of Donald Trump's pledge to build a wall along the Mexico border Scott Morgan/Reuters Donald Trump holds two-year-old Hunter Tirpak, who is dressed as Trump, during a rally at Mohegan Sun Arena Christopher Dolan/The Citizensi Voice via AP Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump during the town hall debate at Washington University Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images Ken Bone found himself going viral after his attention-grabbing question during the town hall debate at Washington University Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Donald Trump's daughters-in-law Lara Trump and Vanessa Trump and daughter Tiffany Trump Scott Olson/Getty Images Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump leave the stage after the first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Melania (L) and Ivanka (C) Trump sit next to Republican vice presidential nominee Governor Mike Pence ahead of the first debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Joe Raedle/Pool/Reuters Hillary Clinton shakes hands with husband and former U.S. President Bill Clinton after the first Presidential Debate Joe Raedle/Getty Images Donald Trump with wife Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr.'s wife Vanessa Trump, Eric Trumps wife Lara Yunaska, and Eric Trump Paul J. Richards/AFP US actresses Lena Dunham and America Ferrera speak at the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia Peter Foley/EPA Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live Saturday Night Live Hillary Clinton attempts to open a pickle jar on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Andy Holmes/ABC Donald Trump greets supporters at a rally at Ladd-Peebles Stadium Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images Denis Leary and James Corden on The Late Late Show CBS Donald Trump reacts to the cries of three-month-old Kellen Campbell, of Denver, right, while holding six-month-old Evelyn Keane, of Castel Rock, Colorado Joe Mahoney/Getty Images Bill Clintonon on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mike Segar/Reuters Alicia Keys performs at he Democratic National Convention Shawn Thew/EPA Meryl Streep at the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center Alex Wong/Getty Images Donald Trump hugs his daughter Ivanka Trump at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Sarah Palin endorses Donald Trump's run for the Republican presidential nomination Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images Donald Trump during a campaign stop on the campus of the University of Central Florida Joe Raedle/Getty Images

He won West Virginia by 49% to Clinton's 31%.

But Clinton then came back with a flurry of victories, picking up Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut and the District of Columbia.

Massachusetts and the District of Columbia are two of the nation's safest Democratic strongholds. New Jersey has been a safe Democrat state for 20 years.

Trump also took Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama.

Clinton then took Rhode Island putting her ahead by two Electoral College votes just before 2am UK time.

Trump then surged back into the lead, claiming victory in Wyoming, Louisiana, Nebraska, Arkansas and Texas.

Clinton stormed to victory in New York where both the Democrat candidate and her rival were watching the election results unfold.

The Republican was at Trump Tower with his family, while Clinton was watching from a nearby hotel.

An exit poll suggested a lack of enthusiasm for either candidate with only 42% saying they "strongly favoured" the politician they backed at the ballot box.

Despite repeated claims by the Trump camp that the election was rigged, there were few reports of polling problems apart from the usual machine breakdowns and queues.

In a presidential campaign that has focused more on the character of the candidates than on policy, Clinton and Trump have repeatedly accused each other of being fundamentally unfit to lead the country.

Trump again raised the possibility on Tuesday of not accepting the elections outcome saying he has seen reports of voting irregularities. But he gave few details and reporters have not been able to verify the existence of such problems.
D onald Trump has won the presidency of the United States of America in a dramatic upset which has shocked the world.

Almost every major poll had Hillary Clinton as a shoe-in to be voted the next President of the USA, but Trump defied the odds to storm to a sensational victory.

The people of the United States turned out to vote in their millions in one of the most divisive and closely-fought election campaigns in history.

Mrs Clinton conceded defeat to Mr Trump in a phone call.

In his victory speech in New York, Mr Trump said: "It is time for us to come together as one united people.

Next President: Donald Trump addresses his supporters in New York / Mike Segar/Reuters

Barack Obama will remain in office until President-elect Trump takes over command at his inauguration in January.

Democrat Clinton, a fixture in American politics for decades, had hoped to become the first woman to serve as commander in chief.

First family: Trump and his family on stage following his shock victory / Mary Altaffer/AP

Perhaps sensing defeat early on, at 1.55am Hillary Clinton posted: "This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything."

She faced stiff competition from billionaire businessman Trump, whose campaign targeted downtrodden citizens fed up with the establishment by promising them jobs and a bright outlook for the economy.

The election battle hinged on the swing states of Florida, Ohio and North Carolina, all of which were won by Trump.

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As the first results rolled in, Trump claimed victory in reliably Republican Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia, while Clinton won liberal Vermont.

Clinton then took Delaware, Washington DC, New Jersey, Maryland, and Massachusetts.

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But Trump's victory was sealed as he romped to victory in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Trump watched his victory from the top of his gold-encrusted Trump Tower in New York, where he spent the night with his family and campaign allies.

Clinton spent the evening at a nearby luxury hotel.

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Both buildings were encased in a ring of steel of police protection, with rubbish trucks filled with sand lining the streets to ward off possible terror attacks.

Hillary Clinton supporters in dismay after her defeat 1 /22 Hillary Clinton supporters in dismay after her defeat Donald Trump wins US election A man sits with his head in his hands as he watches the results roll in Michael Clarke American Democratic Party supporters, one in a Wonder Woman costume, react to the news that Donald Trump has won the state of Florida at the Democrats Abroad election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill in London Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images An American Democratic Party supporter sleeps in the corner as another reacts to Donald Trump winning a state at the Democrats Abroad election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill in London Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images Supporters of Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton watch election returns showing Donald Trump winning in Texas at the election night rally in New York Rick Wilking/Reuters Donald Trump wins US election This Hillary supporter, at a party in London, anxiously watches the results Michael Clark Supporters of U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton react at her election night rally in Manhattan, New York Shannon Stapleton/Reuters American Democratic Party supporters react to the news that Donald Trump has won the state of Florida at the Democrats Abroad election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill in London Getty Images A woman reacts to the voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City Win McNamee/Getty Images Donald Trump wins US election A woman holds her head in her hands after another state was taken by Trump Michael Clark Donald Trump wins US election Anxious wait: A nervous looking woman looks up at TV screens Michael Clark Donald Trump wins US election There were tense scenes as Trump appeared to stride out in front Michael Clark An American Democratic Party supporter reacts after Donald Trump wins the state of Florida at the Democrats Abroad election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images Donald Trump wins US election This Hillary supporter watches anxiously as the results come in Michael Clark Donald Trump wins US election Two Hillary supporters wave flags as the count carries on Michael Clark Donald Trump wins US election A woman dressed as Wonder Woman checks her phone as the results come in Michael Clark Donald Trump wins US election Two woman sit in dismay as they watch the TV screens showing US election results Michael Clark People react to the voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City Elsa/Getty Images

Trump inherits an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture. Factors he played on as part of his campaign.T

The New York real estate developer who lives in a gold-plated Manhattan penthouse, had forged a striking connection with white, working-class Americans who feel left behind in the changing economy and diversifying country.

US Election: Presidential results by state - 05:00

He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of many problems plaguing the nation.

Trump had set both parties on edge when he refused to say in the third and final debate whether he would accept the election's results, citing with no evidence the possibility of a rigged outcome.

His statement threatened to undermine a fundamental pillar of American democracy and raised the prospect that his supporters would not view Clinton as a legitimate president if she won.

Asked on Tuesday in an interview with Fox News if he would accept the election results, Trump said: "We're going to see how things play out."

Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

Clinton has denounced Trump for calling Mexican immigrants "rapists" and promoting a ban on Muslims entering the US, and for his long line of remarks about women that culminated in an audio in which he bragged about grabbing their genitals.

Trump called his opponent "Crooked Hillary" for her use of a private email server as secretary of state and her complicated ties to the family's Clinton Foundation.

In the final days of a turbulent campaign, Clinton was buoyed by FBI director James Comey's weekend declaration that he would not recommend criminal charges against her following a new email review.

Trump was born in 1946 in Queens, New York City and is fourth of five children of Fred Trump, a Bronx-born New Yorker and Mary MacLeod Trump.

His father was a builder and real estate developer. Trump worked for his fathers company at the construction sites during the summers and joined the family business the Trump Organisation after graduating college.

Trump attended Fordham University before transferring to the Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania from which he graduated in 1968.

Before entering politics, he built his global property empire through the Trump Organisation with his name splashed across luxury hotels and other real estate developments around the world.

Trump hosted the US version of the popular reality TV gameshow the Apprentice.

He married his first wife Ivana, a fashion model in 1977 and the couple had three children  Donald Trump Jr. Ivanka and Eric  before they split in 1992.

Trump married his second wife Marla Maples in 1993 and the pair had a daughter named Tiffany before splitting in 1999.

He wed his current wife Slovenian-born model Melania in 2005 and they had their only child together Barron a year later.
T here is a road sign just off the bay in Tampa which reads: Turn left for group therapy.

They could be busy in the coming days because this is a state that found itself in the midst of one of the most febrile election campaigns in history.

Donald Trump had to win here to stand any chance.

After all the frenzied speculation as to how he could do it, when he actually did it there were so many seismic shifts going on that it passed with barely a mention on the US networks.

Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Orlando, Florida / Getty Images

But win it he did and, as the local mayor told me last week, the road to the White House drives right through Florida.

Donald Trump knew which route he was taking. Now, somehow, a community so ardently courted by both sides has to get back to normality  albeit a new one  aware its citizens have very different beliefs as to who should govern.

A return to normality will be very welcome after 19 months of love-bombing from two presidential candidates and one president.

US Election: New president Donald Trump in numbers

Even the most hardy politico has to admit the blitz on Florida has been relentless.

Normally no visit to the US is complete without a few minutes a day spent laughing at the pharmaceutical commercials.

They dominate the networks with dreadful and often hilarious examples of the myriad of things that can go wrong with the human body and the perils and side effects of trying to fix them.

But this time there was not a medical ad in sight. Instead it was all about politics  nasty, personal politics at that.

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Ad campaigns with dreadful caricatures of evil in the opposition and vicious language.

The poor people of Florida have endured more than anyone else in America  22,000 political ads in five months. Thats 153 a day, or one every nine and a half minutes.

One of the local mayors the other day told me the blitz had been so bad that his young daughter had burst into tears and asked him to make it go away.

Jubilant Donald Trump supporters 1 /25 Jubilant Donald Trump supporters Jubilation Donald Trump supporters cheer as they watch the election night results at a rally in New York Evan Vucci/AP Heading for the White House Trump supporters gather in Washington Joshua Roberts/Reuters Street party A supporter of Trump cheers near the intersection of West 54th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York Alex Wroblewski/Reuters Joy A Trump supporter reacts to early poll results at the New York Hilton Midtown Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images We did it An attendee holds up a sign in support of Trump Mark Wilson/Getty Images Shock result Trump fans react the the shock result Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images One step closer to victory Trump supporters in North Carolina Jonathan Drake/Reuters Overwhelmed An emotional Trump supporter watches the results in Phoenix, Arizona Laura Segall/AFP/Getty Images Home win Republicans in Trump's hometown of New York Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images United Trump supporters hug as they watch election results in New York Evan Vucci/AP Flying the flag Trump supporters celebrate in New York City Andrew Kelly High five The election results are celebrated in downtown Phoenix, Arizona Laura Segall/AFP/Getty Images Selfie celebration Jubilant Trump supporters in New York Shawn Thew/EPA Waiting for confirmation Donald Trump and his team 'In the "war room" watching the returns!!!' @EricTrump Heading for the White House Chris Christie shakes hands as Trump's team celebrate @AJDelgado13 Unexpected result Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cheer during an election night rally in New York Evan Vucci/AP Republican victory Sarah Palin joins Trump supporters in Manhattan, New York Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Party time Trump's election night rally in New York John Locher/AP Picture perfect The Election Night Party at the US Embassy in Budapest, Hungary Balazs Mohai/EPA

Thats the problem with living in a state where the road leads to the White House. In an election campaign you matter to the politicians even if you dont feel you matter the rest of the time.

Whichever candidate you voted for, America will feel very different for some time to come.

Even so, Floridians will be glad to get back to watching ads reminding you of all the terrible things that can go wrong with the body.

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It is preferable to being constantly reminded of the dreadful things that can go wrong with the country.

Emma Murphy is a correspondent for ITV News.
D onald Trumps election triumph sent shockwaves across the globe as world leaders reacted to his sensational victory.

The Republican candidate pulled off a stunning upset over favourite Hillary Clinton on Tuesday to become the 45th President of the United States.

Some world leaders were quick to congratulate Mr Trump on his win - but others suggested his presidency would create uncertainty and even described it a nightmare.

Prime Minister Theresa May said she looked forward to working with Mr Trump to build a stronger relationship between the countries in the coming years.

May vows UK and US will remain 'close partners' after congratulating Trump

She said: Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who tweeted his support for Mrs Clinton before the election, challenged Mr Trump to heal rifts which had opened up across the Atlantic.

He said: I hope Donald Trump will now do everything in his power to unite people and bring divided communities back together. I wish him well.

Jubilant Donald Trump supporters 1 /25 Jubilant Donald Trump supporters Jubilation Donald Trump supporters cheer as they watch the election night results at a rally in New York Evan Vucci/AP Heading for the White House Trump supporters gather in Washington Joshua Roberts/Reuters Street party A supporter of Trump cheers near the intersection of West 54th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York Alex Wroblewski/Reuters Joy A Trump supporter reacts to early poll results at the New York Hilton Midtown Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images We did it An attendee holds up a sign in support of Trump Mark Wilson/Getty Images Shock result Trump fans react the the shock result Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images One step closer to victory Trump supporters in North Carolina Jonathan Drake/Reuters Overwhelmed An emotional Trump supporter watches the results in Phoenix, Arizona Laura Segall/AFP/Getty Images Home win Republicans in Trump's hometown of New York Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images United Trump supporters hug as they watch election results in New York Evan Vucci/AP Flying the flag Trump supporters celebrate in New York City Andrew Kelly High five The election results are celebrated in downtown Phoenix, Arizona Laura Segall/AFP/Getty Images Selfie celebration Jubilant Trump supporters in New York Shawn Thew/EPA Waiting for confirmation Donald Trump and his team 'In the "war room" watching the returns!!!' @EricTrump Heading for the White House Chris Christie shakes hands as Trump's team celebrate @AJDelgado13 Unexpected result Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cheer during an election night rally in New York Evan Vucci/AP Republican victory Sarah Palin joins Trump supporters in Manhattan, New York Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Party time Trump's election night rally in New York John Locher/AP Picture perfect The Election Night Party at the US Embassy in Budapest, Hungary Balazs Mohai/EPA

In France, president Francois Hollande said Mr Trumps triumph opens a period of uncertainty.

"Good news": French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said she was pleased with Mr Trump's win / AFP PHOTO / Martin BUREAUMARTIN BUREAU/AFP/Getty Images

He said: Certain positions taken by Donald Trump during the American campaign must be confronted with the values and interests we share with the United States.

"What is at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East. It is economic relations and the preservation of the planet."

Meanwhile French far-right leader Marine Le Pen declared the victory good news for the country, tweeting: I dare to repeat here that the election of Donald #Trump is good news for our country."

Support: German Chancellor Angela Merkel gives a statement to the media following the victory by U.S. Republican candidate Donald Trump / Sean Gallup/Getty Images

German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered close co-operation to the president-elect in her congratulatory message.

She said: Germany and America are bound by their values: democracy, freedom, the respect for the law and the dignity of human beings, independent of their origin, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political position.

Putin: Russia ready to restore US relations after Trump win

Russian president Vladimir Putin said he hoped to repair his countrys relations with America. In a brief statement he expressed his hope to work together for removing Russian-American relations from their crisis state".

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the election marks the beginning of a new era in the United States. He said: I hope that the American peoples decision will facilitate audacious steps being taken regarding fundamental rights and liberties and democracy in the world and regional developments.

US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win 1 /24 US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win The Washington Post The Washington Post New York Daily News 'House of horrors,' the New York City paper says. The New York Times The New York Times USA Today President Trump, says USA Today. New York Post Colourful front page with the words President Trump from the New York Post. The Daily Telegraph, Sydney 'W.T.F.' says the Australian Daily Telegraph in Sydney. The Miami Herald The Miami Herald in battleground state Florida, which Trump won. The Baltimore Sun The Baltimore Sun Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania, a key swing state where Trump triumphed. Dallas Morning News The Dallas Morning News South Florida Sun Sentinel The Sun Sentinel paper in Florida, a battleground state where Trump won. El Periodica El Periodica, a morning daily newspaper based in Barcelona, Spain, carries the headline: 'God forgives America'. La Razon, Spain Spanish newspaper La Razon splashes with the headline: The Populist States of America Liberation, France 'Trumpocalypse': France's daily newspaper Liberation has a bleak looking front page for its special election edition. The i The i newspaper's 'disunited states' front. The Metro 'It's Trump,' says the Metro. The Daily Telegraph The UK's Daily Telegraph Evening Standard Trump Triumph shock the world Evening Standard

Chinese president Xi Jinping phoned Mr Trump after his win to congratulate him. He said: I place great importance on the China-U.S. relationship, and look forward to working with you to uphold the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

China's president Xi Jinping also offered his support (AFP/Getty Images) / AFP PHOTO / POOL / JASON LEEJASON LEE/AFP/Getty Images

Meanwhile in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height.

Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted his congratulations to Mr Trump who angered his countrymen by announcing plans to build a wall on the US-Mexico border.

He wrote: I congratulate the USA on its electoral process and I reiterate to Donald Trump our willingness to work together in support of bilateral relations.

Round-up of Trump's most infamous comments in the run-up to his presidency

But in a direct contrast a former Mexican ambassador described Mr Trumps win as a nightmare.

Jorge Guajardo, who was Mexicos ambassador to China from 2007 to 2013, posted: It feels like our nightmare is here in a series of tweets bemoaning the result.
A former refugee has made history in the US becoming the first Somali-American Muslim woman to win a state House race.

Ilhan Omar, 34, who fled war-torn Somalia as a child, claimed a commanding victory in the Minnesota contest.

Ms Omar came to the US aged 12 after fleeing the Somali civil war and spending four years living in a Kenyan refugee camp.

She moved to Minneapolis speaking little English.

Her win came on a day when Donald Trump - who has called for an outright ban on Muslims entering the US - swept to victory in the Presidental election.

Shock win: Donald Trump / Getty Images

Ms Omar, told the local paper StarTribune after her win: Its the beginning of something new. This district has a legacy of making history.

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I am excited for our progressive values and to be able to be on the ground at the Capitol representing the diverse people of my district and being a champion with them and for them.

Ms Omar said she hoped her victory would continue to break down barriers: Throughout this campaign those divisions have started to melt away.

People are starting to see themselves as part of a community.

Round-up of Trump's most infamous comments in the run-up to his presidency

Her victory will be seen as a comfort for those disappointed that 2016 will not be the year a woman becomes US President for the first time.

Donald Trump has been named the next President of the United States in a dramatic shock that pollsters and commentators failed to predict.
I n this overwhelmingly Democratic city, many of the people whod gathered in downtown bars to watch election results grew sullen and angry as the night went on.

How is it close? asked Rachael Smith, a DePaul University student wearing a T-shirt labeled The Future is Female, as she watched the TVs in the historic Millers Pub in the Loop.

Shed expected Hillary Clinton to win easily, but as Donald Trumps victories piled up, she remarked, Im terrified. Standing next to her, fellow DePaul student Siraj Asfahani, a Lebanese citizen whos been in Chicago for a year and half, worried that he may need to leave the U.S. under a Trump presidency.

About a mile north, a man standing on the sidewalk outside the trendy Public House sounded pained as he talked with a friend about Trump. What bothers me more than the racism and the misogyny is that he doesnt know what the f*** he is talking about! he said.

Round-up of Trump's most infamous comments in the run-up to his presidency

CNN cameras were set up inside the crowded Public House, showing live scenes of the crowd to the rest of the world. But as it seemed more likely that Trump would defeat Clinton, who grew up in the Chicago area, the scene turned glum. Ah s***! someone exclaimed. He won Florida. Later, as Clintons narrowing chances increasingly hinged on whether she would carry the neighboring state of Wisconsin, a young woman shouted, Cmon, Wisconsin!

US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win 1 /24 US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win The Washington Post The Washington Post New York Daily News 'House of horrors,' the New York City paper says. The New York Times The New York Times USA Today President Trump, says USA Today. New York Post Colourful front page with the words President Trump from the New York Post. The Daily Telegraph, Sydney 'W.T.F.' says the Australian Daily Telegraph in Sydney. The Miami Herald The Miami Herald in battleground state Florida, which Trump won. The Baltimore Sun The Baltimore Sun Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania, a key swing state where Trump triumphed. Dallas Morning News The Dallas Morning News South Florida Sun Sentinel The Sun Sentinel paper in Florida, a battleground state where Trump won. El Periodica El Periodica, a morning daily newspaper based in Barcelona, Spain, carries the headline: 'God forgives America'. La Razon, Spain Spanish newspaper La Razon splashes with the headline: The Populist States of America Liberation, France 'Trumpocalypse': France's daily newspaper Liberation has a bleak looking front page for its special election edition. The i The i newspaper's 'disunited states' front. The Metro 'It's Trump,' says the Metro. The Daily Telegraph The UK's Daily Telegraph Evening Standard Trump Triumph shock the world Evening Standard

Monica Bhatt and her friends sat slumped in a booth, checking their cellphones and staring at the TV screens. Around 11.30pm, with the final result still uncertain, they got up to leave. No matter what happens, we have a lot of work that needs to be done, Bhatt said, sounding resigned.

Public House turned off the volume on the TVs, and a DJ started playing music. One of the first songs was the hip-hop track FDT by YG featuring Nipsey Hussle. The crowd cheered as the chorus pounded through the speakers: F*** Donald Trump! F*** Donald Trump!

Standing outside Public House around midnight, cabdriver Frank McEntee said he was stunned by how well Trump did in the election  and so were his passengers throughout the night. I didnt realize how racially divided and how racist this country is  and how ignorant, he said. Ill be living in fear of God knows what. Trump is a loose cannon. McEntee had more to say, but he also had a job to do. After complaining for a minute about Uber, he got back into his taxi and drove off. Bars were emptying out, as Chicagoans headed home for the night, wondering what they would wake up to in the morning.
N igel Farage has compared Donald Trump's win in the key swing state of Florida in the US Presidential race to Sunderland's Brexit vote.

The interim Ukip leader said the Republican candidates victory in Florida was similar to when it was announced that 61 per cent of voters in Sunderland opted to leave the EU.

It was considered a pivotal moment on the night of the EU referendum as Leave was only expected to win Sunderland by a small margin.

Mr Farage wrote on Twitter: The @realDonaldTrump win in Florida feels just like the moment.

US Election: Donald Trump supporters celebrate victories in key swing states

Other Twitter users repeated Mr Farages view, although some did not share his enthusiasm.

Danny Matcham tweeted: Getting that same paralysing feeling from the moment the Brexit camp took Sunderland.

Another named Martha said: Trusting that Florida will be the turning point. Sunderland UK was the pivotal moment. It's not over yet.

Mr Farage had offered a final message of support to Trump as Americans headed to the polls to choose their next president.

He had tweeted: Is this Brexit day in the US? I hope so.

Mr Farage has been a vocal supporter of Mr Trump even appearing with him at campaign rally in Jackson, Mississippi.

The Member of the European Parliament has even said that he would like to work for the Republican as his ambassador to the EU.

In his final speech before campaigning closed, Mr Trump had told his supporters the election result would be "Brexit plus plus plus".

In October, Mr Farage defended Mr Trumps remarks about groping women describing them as alpha male boasting.

He also compared Trump to a silverback gorilla and said the Republican candidate had dominated Mrs Clinton in the second US election debate.
O n November 9 1989 the Berlin Wall was brought down, ending 40 years of division and paving the way for freedom and unity.

Exactly 27 years later, Donald Trump has stormed to presidential victory on a promise to build a 1,000 mile-long wall separating the United States from Mexico.

The President-elect defied expectation and stole victory from Hillary Clinton following one of the most bitterly-fought election campaigns in history.

And one of his more controversial pledges, of which there is not a shortage, was to build an "impenetrable, physical, tall, powerful, beautiful, southern border wall" between the two countries to stop people coming across the border.

Round-up of Trump's most infamous comments in the run-up to his presidency

ON THIS DAY - NOVEMBER 9 1812: One of the worst winters on record began - and caused the defeat of Napoleon. Troops endured temperatures as low as minus 37C 1841: Edward VII, eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, was born 1859: Flogging in the British Army was abolished 1922: The SS was formed in Germany 1938: Kristallnacht saw Nazis burn 267 synagogues in Germany and destroy thousands of Jewish homes and businesses 1989: The East German government lifted the Iron Curtain to allow free travel through the Berlin Wall

The irony in these two historic events now falling on the same day is hard to miss.

The Berlin Wall was erected in 1969 to stop people moving from Communist East Germany to West Germany.

It stood for 20 years, during which time at least 171 were killed by border guards as they desperately tried to escape.

East Berlin was finally liberated on this day 27 years ago and thousands of Germans has a huge street party at the wall to celebrate.

Now almost three decades later Americas new President promises to repeat history.

It was at a campaign rally in Arizona that the new president told cheering crowds of his plans to: We will build a great wall along the southern border.

Donald Trump: The president-elect at his election night rally in Manhattan / REUTERS

"With towers, aerial surveillance and manpower to supplement the wall.

He said that the wall would be paid for in full by Mexico.

On November 9 1922 the SS was formed in Germany and on the same day in 1859 flogging was banned from the British army.
D onald Trump demolished Americas traditional political landscape in a few hours of unprecedented drama last night. Here is how it happened:

Midnight (UK time)

The first projected results came in and as expected Mr Trump, 70, won Indiana and Kentucky, while Hillary Clinton gained Vermont.

Half an hour later, West Virginia was called for the Republicans.

The first firm glimmer that the Republican contender could storm to victory also came around 00.30am when it emerged that the two candidates were neck-and-neck in Florida.

Before then the bookies odds remained firmly stacked him.

Donald Trump's victory speech after winning US election

1am

A few minutes after 1am, Mrs Clinton took Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and the District of Columbia, while Mr Trump won in Oklahoma.

He quickly followed this up by seizing South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama by 1.30am.

By then Mr Trump had nudged ahead in Florida, with 60 per cent of precincts counted.

Alarm bells were also started to ring for Democrats in Virginia, where Mr Trump had a surprise nine point lead.

The Democrats won Rhode Island but Mr Trump clinched Mississippi.

2am

Mrs Clinton notched up another win in Barack Obamas home state of Illinois at 2am, though this was followed by Trump victories in Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming and Nebraska.

Mrs Clinton took her home state of New York.

But Mr Trump won Arkansas, where Bill Clinton - husband of the Democratic candidate - was governor for more than a decade before winning the 1992 presidential election.

He was already projected to win 123 electoral votes compared to Mrs Clintons 97, with a thick red Republican stripe already painted down the middle of the US map.

Markets were waking up to the possibility of a Trump win, with the Mexican Peso tumbling and Dow Futures down 300 at around 2.20am.

Trump v Clinton: US Presidential Election Race 2016 - In pictures 1 /50 Trump v Clinton: US Presidential Election Race 2016 - In pictures Republican president-elect Donald Trump embraces his wife Melania Trump during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States Getty Images U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at his election night rally in Manhattan, New York Reuters US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton makes a concession speech after being defeated by Republican President-elect Donald Trump, as former President Bill Clinton looks on in New York Jewel Samad/Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech during his election night rally in New York. John Locher/AP Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, flanked by wife Melania, pumps his fist as he arrives with members of his family for an election night party at the New York Hilton Midtown in New Yor Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Vice-President-elect Mike Pence during his election night rally John Locher/AP Donald Trump and his campaign team wait for the election results in New York @DonaldJTrumpJr Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump rally in front of the White House in Washington Joshua Roberts/Reuters American Democratic Party supporters, one in a Wonder Woman costume, react to the news that Donald Trump has won the state of Florida at the Democrats Abroad election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill in London Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images The Daily Telegraph in Sydney reacts to Donald Trump's win. The Daily Telegraph in Sydney London Evening Standard front page 'Trump triumph shocks the world Evening Standard Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump cheer during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images A man sits with his head in his hands as he watches the results roll in at the Democrats Abroad UK Election Party in London Michael Clarke Jake Krupa colors in an electoral map as states projected for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump or Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at an election watching party in Coconut Grove, Florida Rhona Wise/AFP/Getty Images Mayor of London Sadiq Khan attends the US Embassy's election night party in central London Yui Mok/PA People gather around Times Square to view televised results of the US presidential election in New York Eduardo Munoz/AFP/Getty Images Anti Trump protesters gather outside the White House Andrew Biraj/AFP/Getty Images A Japanese employee of a foreign exchange trading company works next to screens displaying latest US presidential elections' results on TV news channels, and the Japanese yen's exchange rate against the US dollar in Tokyo Behrouz MehriAFP/Getty Images Trump campaign co-chair for Seminole County, Fla., L.A. Key, listens to incumbent Rep. John Mica of Florida's 7th congressional district concede defeat to Democratic challenger Stephanie Murphy, at the election watch rally for the Republican Party of Seminole County in Altamonte Springs, Florida Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP Cheerleaders perform at the CNN party Lucy Young Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump react as they watch the election results during Trump's election night rall in New York John Locher/AP Eric and Lara Lea Trumpo high five whilst Governor Christie shakes hands @AJDelgado13 UKIP's Nigel Farage speaks to the media outside the US presidential election night party at the US Embassy in London Yui Mok/PA A Hillary Clinton supporter anxiously watches the results at the Democrats Abroad UK Election Party in London Michael Clark Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump cheer during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images A man checks out a Trump cake ahead of the rally for Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump in New York City Andrew Kelly/Reuters Two woman sit in dismay as they watch the TV screens showing US election results at the Democrats Abroad UK Election Party in London Michael Clark Guests watch the results come in at a U.S. election night party at the United States Embassy in London Jack Taylor/Getty Images Partygoers at Dinerama in Shoreditch upporters of Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton watch election returns showing Donald Trump winning in Texas at the election night rally in New York, Rick Wilking/Reuters A woman wearing an American patriotic top hat poses for a photograph in the foreground of a cardboard figure depicting Donald Trump, Republican presidential candidate during the Election Night Party at the US Embassy in Budapest, Hungary Balazs Mohai/EPA Supporters of U.S Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton react as a state is called in favour of her opponent, Republican candidate Donald Trump, during a watch party for the U.S. Presidential election, at the University of Sydney in Australia Jason Reed/Reuters wo topless protestors cause commotion at the site where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is scheduled to work at PS 59 located at 233 East 56th Street in Manhattan NY Daily News via Getty Images Sanitation trucks filled with sand act as barricades along Fifth Avenue outside Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York Andrew Kelly/Reuters Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump vote at PS 59 in New York, New York Carlo Allegri/Reuters Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is surrounded by people as she votes at Douglas Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua, New York Justin Sullivan/Getty Images People watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City Getty Images Eric Trump tweets a picture of Donald Trump 'In the "war room" watching the returns!!!' @EricTrump

Market moves suggest Brexit may be happening again, said Ukips interim leader Nigel Farage.

Shortly after 2,30am, the New York Times slashed Mrs Clintons chances of winning the White House to 50 per cent, with Dow Futures down more than 400 by now.

Mrs Clinton also retained Connecticut, with Mr Trump clinching Louisiana.

Sensing results moving in his direction, Mr Trump put out a picture at 2.45am of him - with a thumbs up, and his wife Melania.

Markets in Asia were now falling.

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3am

Shortly after 3am, Montana fell to the billionaire businessman.

New Mexico went to her, but he gained Missouri.

In a dramatic development shortly before 3.30am, Mr Trump was projected to take Ohio, sparking jubilant scenes among his supporters, while Democrats in funereal mood were already drifting away from Mrs Clintons centre, while others sat in tears.

Her route to the White House was now closing fast, with grim news from Wisconsin, Iowa and even Michigan looking close.

She held onto Virginia and won in Colorado where voters could cast their ballot without getting out of their car at one drive-through polling station.

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4am

But Mr Trump was on a roll, picking up Florida shortly before 4am, with wins around the same time in Idaho, North Carolina - considered a battleground state having voted Democrat in 2008 and Republican in 2012 - and then Georgia and Utah.

Mrs Clinton had during this time won California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington state.

5am

After 5am, he took Iowa, but she won Nevada.

6am

Around 6.30am, Mr Trump finally clinches Pennsylvania, another key state, in one of the final blows to the Clinton campaign.

7am

Shortly before 7.30am, AP called Wisconsin for Mr Trump and named him as having been elected president of the United States.

Around ten minutes later, Mrs Clinton is reported to have phoned him to concede and shortly afterwards he emerged on stage with his family having pulled off a victory which shocked the world.
D onald Trump surged to the White House thanks to the backing of older white men, with black Americans coming out for Hillary Clinton, data shows.

Exit poll statistics published by CNN showed 63 per cent of US white males who were asked said they voted for the victorious Republican candidate, compared to just 31 per cent for Mrs Clinton.

Overall, 54 per cent of women voters cast their ballot for the Democrat, who would have become the first ever female President of the USA if she had emerged as the winner.

However, with white women she also trailed the Republican by 43 per cent to 53, according to the data.

Victory: A Trump supporter / Alex Wroblewski/Reuters

Mrs Clinton secured masses of votes from the countrys non-white population, with 88 per cent of black voters and 65 per cent of Asian and Latinos behind her.

It was with white voters where Mr Trumps backing lay, securing 58 per cent compared to Mrs Clintons measly 37 per cent.

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The figures seemed to back-up the view form analysts that Mr Trumps appeal to working-class white voters, and their antipathy towards Mrs Clinton, was a major factor in the race to the White House.

Donald Trump: six hurdles he overcame to become US president

Mr Trump also seemed to appeal more to older Americans, securing 53 per cent of the votes from those aged 45 and over.

Mrs Clinton was far more likely to gain votes from those aged 18 to 44, backed by 55 per cent of voters aged under 29.

College graduates and those on lower incomes were also more likely to vote Democrat, according to the exit polls.

The victorious businessman told whooping supporters in New York after his victory that he wanted the country to unite.
D onald Trump has beaten all the odds to defeat Hillary Clinton and become the next President of the United States.

Coming just months after the Brexit vote stunned Britain, the billionaire property tycoon and former reality TV star turned every political prediction on its head to claim the keys to the White House in one of the most improbable victories in US history.

In his victory speech early today, Mr Trump paid tribute to Mrs Clinton after months of lambasting her as Crooked Hillary and offered an olive branch to his critics, declaring: Now its time to bind the wounds of division. Its time for us to come together as one people. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans."

Mrs Clinton herself was too distraught to appear at a rally to give a concession speech.

Defying pollsters, analysts and even leaders of his own Republican Party, the outspoken outsider won several key battleground states, including Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania to pass the finishing line of 270 electoral college votes needed to beat Mrs Clinton.

Her dream of becoming Americas first woman president dashed, the former First Lady called Mr Trump to concede defeat even before the result was officially confirmed. The 2.30am phone call gave her rival the green light to deliver his victory speech - but Mrs Clinton was too upset to appear in public.

Victorious: Donald Trump promised to be a president "for all Americans" / John Locher/AP

Shed watched the firewall of Democratic-leaning states that were supposed to protect her Election Day hopes crumble and fall to her opponent as her night turned from bad to worse.

Mr Trump, the first person to ever be elected president without serving in the military or any political office, said on the eve of the election that he would win a Brexit plus plus or Brexit times 50 victory.

On stage at the New York Hilton, making a speech very few anticipated on Tuesday morning, he said of the concession call from Mrs Clinton: She congratulated us, and its about us, on our victory and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard fought campaign.

Donald Trump defied the odds to beat Hillary Clinton / AFP/Getty Images

Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time and we owe her a major debit of gratitude.

New faces at the White House: Donald Trump with his family / AFP/Getty Images

Ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement of Americans of all races and backgrounds, he added in a clear attempt to salve some of the fears of minorities offended by some of his remarks over the past 12 months.

The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer, he said, referring to the huge groundswell of support from the American heartland who voted for him in their millions.

America will no longer settle for anything less than the best, he said, flanked by running mate Mike Pence, his wife Melania and members of his family and staff. We must reclaim our countrys destiny and be brave and bold and daring.

In a message to the world community, he said he will treat everyone fairly - but will always put Americas interests first.

'We will seek common ground, not hostility, partnership, not hostility, he added.

US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win 1 /24 US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win The Washington Post The Washington Post New York Daily News 'House of horrors,' the New York City paper says. The New York Times The New York Times USA Today President Trump, says USA Today. New York Post Colourful front page with the words President Trump from the New York Post. The Daily Telegraph, Sydney 'W.T.F.' says the Australian Daily Telegraph in Sydney. The Miami Herald The Miami Herald in battleground state Florida, which Trump won. The Baltimore Sun The Baltimore Sun Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania, a key swing state where Trump triumphed. Dallas Morning News The Dallas Morning News South Florida Sun Sentinel The Sun Sentinel paper in Florida, a battleground state where Trump won. El Periodica El Periodica, a morning daily newspaper based in Barcelona, Spain, carries the headline: 'God forgives America'. La Razon, Spain Spanish newspaper La Razon splashes with the headline: The Populist States of America Liberation, France 'Trumpocalypse': France's daily newspaper Liberation has a bleak looking front page for its special election edition. The i The i newspaper's 'disunited states' front. The Metro 'It's Trump,' says the Metro. The Daily Telegraph The UK's Daily Telegraph Evening Standard Trump Triumph shock the world Evening Standard

After the drama of Election Day, a jubilant Mr Trump woke today knowing also that his term as the 45th president will carry the added weight of a Republican majority in US Congress after the party swept both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The Trump campaign was fast off the blocks as the Republican candidate built an early lead that was rarely challenged as the results poured in. Talk of a Clinton landslide and polls predicting an easy victory were quickly forgotten as the clock ticked towards midnight.

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The big breakthrough came when Mr Trump broke the deadlock in Florida to send the Clinton campaign into virtual free fall. Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina and Wisconsin - all states that had previously been thought as possible wins for Mrs Clinton went to Mr Trump - narrowing the Democrats path to victory until it disappeared.

A Trump win in Pennsylvania gave him 274 votes in the electoral college. With results still being counted in some states, Mr Trump was also winning the popular vote by 1 percent.

This was a primal scream on behalf of a lot of voters, said David Axelrod, a former senior Obama advisor. Theres a reason this is going on all over the world. You see the same kinds of forces in Britain, in Germany, in France.

Van Jones, a political commentator and former Obama administration official, called Mr Trumps unlikely triumph a nightmare and a whitelash.

This was a whitelash against this country; this was a whitelash against a black president, he said on CNN, adding that the Kremlin was laughing over Russias interference in the election, a reference to allegations that the Russians were the source of leaked documents from the Clinton campaign.

The expected backlash from Hispanics angered by Mr Trumps proposal of building a wall at the US border with Mexico never materialised. Mrs Clinton won 65 percent of the Latino vote - but 29 percent voted for her rival, better numbers than Mitt Romney got in 2012.

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Mr Trump also claimed wins in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Meanwhile, Mrs Clintons victories in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and the District of Columbia were simply not enough.

Making his victory speech, Mr Trump was introduced by the new Vice President-Elect Mike Pence, who said: This is a historic night. The American people have spoken and the American people have elected their new champion.

To chants of USA, he added: 'I come to this moment deeply humbled, grateful to God for his amazing grace. I am mostly grateful to our president-elect, whose leadership and vision will make America great again.

The President-Elect - who will move from 5th Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue in January, took the stage to huge applause, saying: Sorry to keep you waiting. Complicated business.

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Trump went on: 'For those who have chosen not to support me in the past  of which there were a few people  I am reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so that we can unify our great country.

'As I have said from the beginning, ours is not a campaign but a great movement, made up of millions of hard-working men and women.'

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'No dream is too big. No challenge is too great. Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach. America will no longer settle for less than the best,' he added.

'I have spent my entire life in business looking at the untapped potential in people and projects all over the world. That is now what I have to do.

We are going to fix our inner cities. We are going to rebuild our infrastructure, which will become, by the way, second to none, and we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it.'
F ew world leaders will welcome the arrival of the Trump presidency more warmly than Vladimir Putin.

During the election campaign Donald Trump expressed his admiration for the Russians strong leadership.

Above all, the Trump White House will give Mr Putin what he wants  chaos in Nato and the broader western alliance.

Probably no successful US presidential candidate has been less committed to supporting Europe through Nato.

President-elect: Donald Trump beat rival Hillary Clinton / Getty Images / Chip Somodevilla / Staff

Mr Trump has hinted he would like America to pull back from its leadership of the body, implying the alliance was a waste of money.

Mr Putin has long depicted what he describes as the aggressive stance of Nato as the biggest threat to peace in what he likes to call the European House.

Donald Trump praises Vladimir Putin's 'leadership'

Now he may take the handover period in Washington as an opportunity for further Russian meddling in Ukraine, or, far more likely, the Baltic states.

Though he has been busy flexing military muscle, with displays of the new Armata tank, the deployment of an aircraft carrier to Syrian shores, and the mounting of new air defence systems in Syria and eastern Europe, he is unlikely to make a grab for new territory.

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He has got too much trouble already in consolidating Crimea and securing the eastern parts of Ukraine.

The Putin Kremlin may use the uncertainty in Washington for a final assault on the rebel-held enclave of eastern Aleppo.

But for Russia there is an obvious danger. The forces of Russias client, Bashar al Assad, are not numerous or strong enough to hold down Syrias largest city.

US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win 1 /24 US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win The Washington Post The Washington Post New York Daily News 'House of horrors,' the New York City paper says. The New York Times The New York Times USA Today President Trump, says USA Today. New York Post Colourful front page with the words President Trump from the New York Post. The Daily Telegraph, Sydney 'W.T.F.' says the Australian Daily Telegraph in Sydney. The Miami Herald The Miami Herald in battleground state Florida, which Trump won. The Baltimore Sun The Baltimore Sun Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania, a key swing state where Trump triumphed. Dallas Morning News The Dallas Morning News South Florida Sun Sentinel The Sun Sentinel paper in Florida, a battleground state where Trump won. El Periodica El Periodica, a morning daily newspaper based in Barcelona, Spain, carries the headline: 'God forgives America'. La Razon, Spain Spanish newspaper La Razon splashes with the headline: The Populist States of America Liberation, France 'Trumpocalypse': France's daily newspaper Liberation has a bleak looking front page for its special election edition. The i The i newspaper's 'disunited states' front. The Metro 'It's Trump,' says the Metro. The Daily Telegraph The UK's Daily Telegraph Evening Standard Trump Triumph shock the world Evening Standard

Russia will not want its ground troops to be involved in a long-term occupation of Aleppo.

The Kremlin must hope that a Trump White House will ease western sanctions, which are having a crippling effect.

US Election: New president Donald Trump in numbers

Much now depends on who Mr Trump appoints to lead his defence and security team. It is a world of which he has no first-hand experience.

He may be surprised that the old hands he turns to in the intelligence agencies and the military will warn him that China is far bigger long-term problem for his presidency than Mr Putins Russia.
B ritish MPs could face an awkward diplomatic relationship with the US after previously debating whether to ban Donald Trump from the country.

The three-hour debate came in January after the business mogul suggested barring Muslims from entering the US and claimed some London areas were so radicalised police were afraid for their own lives.

More than 570,000 people had signed a petition calling on the Government to stop Mr Trump, now on course to become the new US President, coming into the country.

Even Prime Minister at the time David Cameron had called Mr Trumps words divisive, stupid and wrong.

Although MPs decided a ban from the country could boost his cause and one labelled it embarrassing, politicians hit out at the billionaire, calling him a fool and a wazzock.

Americans in London react to Trump victory

Labour MP Tulip Siddiq called the Republican corrosive and poisonous and claimed his words stoked up divisions.

She said: "His words are not comical. His words are not funny.

His words are poisonous. They risk inflaming tension between vulnerable communities.

Donald Trump: One MP called him "a wazzock" / REUTERS

"Hate crime is being inflamed and stoked by the words that Donald Trump is using.

Jack Dromey said: Donald Trump is a fool. He's free to be a fool. He's not free to be a dangerous fool on our shores.

The SNPs Gavin Newlands claimed Trump was an idiot while Tory Victoria Atkins chose the words bonkers and a wazzock.

She said: "His comments regarding Muslims are wrong.

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"His policy to close borders if he is elected president is bonkers.

"If he met one or two of my constituents in one of the many excellent pubs in my constituency then they may well tell him he is a wazzock for dealing with this issue in this way.

Trumps buffoonery should be met with the classic British response of ridicule, Victoria Atkins chimed in.

But the Conservatives Sir Edward Leigh told the Commons: His entire style of politics is to stoke controversy and say outrageous things.

Lavishing him with attention, even if our intent is to condemn or deride, is only falling into the trap he has set us."

And Adam Holloway said the whole discussion could make Britain look totalitarian.

He warned: This motion is actually embarrassing to the UK and makes us look intolerant and totalitarian.

I feel we should almost apologise to the people of the United States. It is for them to decide on Mr Trump's views, not us."
S he is on the verge of becoming one of the most influential women in the world when, come January, her husband is sworn in as President of the United States.

From Slovenian model to First Lady, she is know as a woman who favours traditional gender roles and whose hobbies include reading magazines.

So as America welcomes her to the White House, what is the story of Melania Trump?

Upbringing:

Mrs Trump was born in communist Yugoslavia in 1970 to Viktor and Amalija Knavs  a car mechanic and childrens clothing pattern maker.

Former model: She was signed to a modelling agency at 18-years-old (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images) / Jamie McCarthy/Getty Imagess

The 46-year-old grew up in an apartment in a concrete tower block with her sister, Ines, and she reportedly has an older half-brother whom she has never met because her father does not acknowledge him.

US Election: Donald Trump's wife Melania mirrors Michelle Obama speech from 2008

The former model can speak five languages; Slovenian, English, French, Serbian and German.

And her immigrant status makes her the second ever First Lady to have been born outside the US (Louise Adams, wife of John Quincy Adams, was born in England).

Career:

After attending the Secondary School of Design and Photography, she began modelling at 16-years-old and by 18 was signed to an agency in Milan.

Mrs Trump has graced the front covers of multiple high-profile magazines, including Harpers Bazaar, Vanity Fair and an infamous naked shoot she did for GQ.

She has her own jewellery design company, for which she reportedly draws the designs herself, and a skincare line.

US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win 1 /24 US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win The Washington Post The Washington Post New York Daily News 'House of horrors,' the New York City paper says. The New York Times The New York Times USA Today President Trump, says USA Today. New York Post Colourful front page with the words President Trump from the New York Post. The Daily Telegraph, Sydney 'W.T.F.' says the Australian Daily Telegraph in Sydney. The Miami Herald The Miami Herald in battleground state Florida, which Trump won. The Baltimore Sun The Baltimore Sun Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania, a key swing state where Trump triumphed. Dallas Morning News The Dallas Morning News South Florida Sun Sentinel The Sun Sentinel paper in Florida, a battleground state where Trump won. El Periodica El Periodica, a morning daily newspaper based in Barcelona, Spain, carries the headline: 'God forgives America'. La Razon, Spain Spanish newspaper La Razon splashes with the headline: The Populist States of America Liberation, France 'Trumpocalypse': France's daily newspaper Liberation has a bleak looking front page for its special election edition. The i The i newspaper's 'disunited states' front. The Metro 'It's Trump,' says the Metro. The Daily Telegraph The UK's Daily Telegraph Evening Standard Trump Triumph shock the world Evening Standard

Mrs Trump:

Mr and Mrs Trump met in 1998 at a New York Fashion Week party.

He asked for her number which she refused to give him, because he had arrived with another date, but instead asked for his contact information.

First Lady: Melania kissing her husband (Getty Images) / Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

She once told GQ magazine: If I give him my number, Im just one of the women he calls. I wanted to see what his intention is, it tells you a lot from the man what kind of number he gives you. He gave me all of his numbers.

Five years later they married in Florida, with Mrs Trump wearing a 81,000 Dior wedding dress covered in crystals. Bill and Hillary Clinton were guests at the wedding.

Donald Trump's victory speech after winning US election

In March 2006, she gave birth to their son Barron who, according to his mother, wants to be a businessman, likes wearing suits and is not a sweatpants child.

She has said in the past that she has traditional rules on the roles of a mother and father and did not let her husband change their sons nappies.

Donald Trump: Five female leaders the new president will have to work with

Plans for being first lady:

Melania Trumps most memorable moment during the campaign was when she delivered a speech which matched almost word-for-word one given by Michelle Obama in 2008.

She has developed a reputation for being the "glamorous wife" with little political astuteness.

But Mrs Trump has insisted repeatedly that she does not shy away from giving her husband her opinion on his political policies.

Jubilant Donald Trump supporters 1 /25 Jubilant Donald Trump supporters Jubilation Donald Trump supporters cheer as they watch the election night results at a rally in New York Evan Vucci/AP Heading for the White House Trump supporters gather in Washington Joshua Roberts/Reuters Street party A supporter of Trump cheers near the intersection of West 54th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York Alex Wroblewski/Reuters Joy A Trump supporter reacts to early poll results at the New York Hilton Midtown Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images We did it An attendee holds up a sign in support of Trump Mark Wilson/Getty Images Shock result Trump fans react the the shock result Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images One step closer to victory Trump supporters in North Carolina Jonathan Drake/Reuters Overwhelmed An emotional Trump supporter watches the results in Phoenix, Arizona Laura Segall/AFP/Getty Images Home win Republicans in Trump's hometown of New York Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images United Trump supporters hug as they watch election results in New York Evan Vucci/AP Flying the flag Trump supporters celebrate in New York City Andrew Kelly High five The election results are celebrated in downtown Phoenix, Arizona Laura Segall/AFP/Getty Images Selfie celebration Jubilant Trump supporters in New York Shawn Thew/EPA Waiting for confirmation Donald Trump and his team 'In the "war room" watching the returns!!!' @EricTrump Heading for the White House Chris Christie shakes hands as Trump's team celebrate @AJDelgado13 Unexpected result Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cheer during an election night rally in New York Evan Vucci/AP Republican victory Sarah Palin joins Trump supporters in Manhattan, New York Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Party time Trump's election night rally in New York John Locher/AP Picture perfect The Election Night Party at the US Embassy in Budapest, Hungary Balazs Mohai/EPA

She has outlined plans to use her new-found influence to campaign against cyber-bullying because she believed social media has become too mean and too tough on people because of their looks and intelligence.

She said in a speech leading up to the election: "It is never OK when a 12-year-old girl or boy is mocked, bullied or attacked.

Donald Trump: The President-elect giving his victory speech / Getty Images

It is terrible when it happens on the playground, and it is absolutely unacceptable when it is done by someone with no name hiding on the internet. We have to find a better way to talk to each other.

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"We must find better ways to honour and support the basic goodness of our children, especially in social media. It will be one of the main focuses of my work, if I am privileged enough to become your first lady."

Her pledge was received with shock by many critics of her husband, who pointed out that he is well known for attacking his rivals with comments about appearance.

Who is Mike Pence?

The only other hint she has given about how she will adapt to the new role is in an interview with the New York Times in 2000.

She said if she were ever to be the First Lady, she would be very traditional, like Betty Ford or Jackie Kennedy.
D onald Trump could see the finish line. But as he addressed a crowd of thousands in Michigans Grand Rapids arena hours before polls opened, the Republican businessman transformed from novice presidential candidate into budding Nostradamus.

Michigan stands at the crossroads of history, Trump said on the west side of the state, where his support was tepid.

If we win Michigan, we will win this historic election and then we will truly be able to do all of the things we want to do. And win he did.

Michigan has a history of voting for anti-establishment candidates. Former Alabama Gov. George Wallace won the 1972 Michigan Democratic caucuses.

The Rev Jesse Jackson won the states 1988 Democratic caucuses. And US Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont for one day fulfilled his promise of a political revolution and edged Hillary Clinton in the March 15 Democratic primary.

Donald Trump: six hurdles he overcame to become US president

Add to that list Donald Trump, the man who declared he would shake up Washington DC.

It happened because his campaign spent the final week and a half bombarding the state with two visits from Trump, four visits from running mate Mike Pence and myriad stops from his four grown and TV-savvy children.

Michigan has its share of historic presidential moments. Democrat Michael Dukakis doomed his 1988 run against Vice President George Bush by donning a funny-looking tank helmet on the grounds of a U.S. Army facility in a Detroit suburb.

And Vice President Al Gore was forced in November 2000 to visit Michigan the day before the election, wasting time in a state he would win and less time in Florida, where he would lose by 537 votes and thus the presidency to Republican George W. Bush.

Trump made his own early imprint on Michigan. At a March primary debate in Detroit, Trump decided to address campaign remarks by his rival Marco Rubio about the size of his hands.

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So 10 minutes into an important debate before Michigans March 15 primary, Trump launched into an extensive defence of his digits and, by extension, other parts of his anatomy.

He hit my hands. Nobody has ever hit my hands. Ive never heard of this one, he said.

Look at those hands, are they small hands? Trump continued. And he referred to my hands.  If theyre small, something else must be small. I guarantee you, theres no problem.

The biggest drama was saved for the last week of the general election campaign, when Trump decided to make an all-out effort to win Michigan, something Republican presidential candidates hadnt done for six straight elections.

The alarm bells started going off six days before the election when former President Bill Clinton made an unannounced trip to Detroit and arranged an emergency meeting of politicians and clergy to discuss how to turn out more black voters.

Bill Clinton ended up campaigning in urban areas on Sunday, while the former secretary of state herself made a late stop in the state. President Barack Obama was recruited for a rally at the University of Michigan.

But as Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, a longtime Democrat, told a Detroit News reporter presciently as she rushed into Bill Clintons Wednesday meeting: Weve got to energize people. A lot of people got complacent.

Richard Burr is an assistant city editor at The Detroit News.
N ewspapers around the world have reacted with dramatic headlines after Donald Trump defied the polls in a shocking US election victory.

The White House was branded the "House of Horrors" by one leading US paper while a Spanish front page carried the words "God forgives America".

The UK woke up on Wednesday morning to the news that billionaire businessman Mr Trump had defeated Hillary Clinton in the race to the White House.

Media organisations around the world reported on the election as it unfolded and US newspapers splashed with the result on their front page.

The 'Divided States of America,' the New York Daily News says. / New York Daily News

"Trump triumphs" was a common headline for many but other newspaper front pages held bleaker messages.

Round-up of Trump's most infamous comments in the run-up to his presidency

The New York Daily News, the fourth most circulated newspaper in the US, carried the headline "House of Horrors".

The Daily Telegraph in Sydney reacts to Donald Trump's win. / The Daily Telegraph in Sydney

Their front page read: "Trump seizes Divided States of America.

Donald Trump's victory speech after winning US election

"Wide revulsion signals national nightmare. GOP congressional hold crowns him D.C. king."
R ussian president Vladimir Putin today became the first world leader to congratulate Donald Trump but there was a stunning silence from US allies such as Germany and France.

German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Francois Hollande both ignored diplomatic niceties by failing to quickly welcome Mr Trumps victory. The BBC reported that international reaction was strangely muted and a stunning silence. But far-Right politicians in France and Holland, and former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, swiftly sent congratulations.

Hours before the final result was known, French anti-immigration politician and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen tweeted: American people, free! Her chief strategist from her National Front party, Florian Philippot, wrote: Their world is crumbling. Ours is being built.

Mr Farage compared Mr Trumps election to Brexit, tweeting: I hand over the mantle to @RealDonaldTrump! Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders called his win a revolution.

Friendly relationship: Nigel Farage and Donald Trump / Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

There was applause in Russias lower house of parliament when the result was announced. Minutes later, the Kremlin said President Putin had sent a congratulatory telegram expressing hope for joint work to restore Russian-American relations from their state of crisis, and also to address pressing international issues and search for effective responses to challenges concerning global security.

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As the Mexican peso plummeted, one expert declared the country had effectively declared a national emergency. Its Defcon 2, Mexican analyst Alejandro Hope said. During the presidential race, Mr Trump called Mexican immigrants criminals and rapists and threatened to build a wall between the two countries.

Canadas immigration website crashed as Americans watched Mr Trump take the lead, with a spike in searches for Canada immigration, Canada and move to Canada.

Donald Trump's victory speech after winning US election

Celebrity Clinton supporters Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Cher burst into tears when Trumps victory was confirmed, one TV network reported. Perry had been due to sing at a victory party for Mrs Clinton in New York and was with Cher and Lady Gaga when news of her defeat broke. Cher, who had threatened to move to Jupiter if Trump won, tweeted that the world will never be the same, adding: Sad for the young. Will never be more than the toilet. Lady Gaga called for hope, writing: Say a prayer America. Perry earlier called for unity, telling the party crowd: Tonight, my parents voted for Trump. But you know what? We will still all be sitting at the same table for Thanksgiving.

Round-up of Trump's most infamous comments in the run-up to his presidency

The New York Times, however, said the US was now on a precipice.
D onald Trump has claimed the presidency of the United States of America in one of the most closely-fought election contests in history.

In a shock result, the mogul trounced Hillary Clinton to win the race for the White House.

But it will be 10 weeks before the Republican takes office as Americas 45th president.

What happens after the election result?

The millionaire businessman  now the president-elect  will be sworn in on Friday, January 20 2017, also known as Inauguration Day.

Celebration: Donald Trump celebrate his wins in key swing states / Evan Vucci/AP

The transition

Barack Obama will have the days in between to tick remaining items off his presidential to-do list.

Donald Trump's victory speech after winning US election

Trump will begin the task of preparing to be president including naming his chief of staff, choosing a national security team and filling several other roles including secretaries of state, defence and treasure and the attorney general, which usually happens within days of the result.

Inauguration Day

Under the terms of the 20th Amendment, Obamas second term will end at noon on Inauguration Day on January 20.

The first term of his successor begins upon the swearing-in ceremony at the US Capitol at that time where Trump will put his hand on the bible and take the oath of office.

US Election: New president Donald Trump in numbers

Staff will be frantically moving out the Obama administration's belongings ready for the new First Familys things to move in.

The vice-president is typically sworn in first followed by the new president at exactly noon.

Jubilant Donald Trump supporters 1 /25 Jubilant Donald Trump supporters Jubilation Donald Trump supporters cheer as they watch the election night results at a rally in New York Evan Vucci/AP Heading for the White House Trump supporters gather in Washington Joshua Roberts/Reuters Street party A supporter of Trump cheers near the intersection of West 54th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York Alex Wroblewski/Reuters Joy A Trump supporter reacts to early poll results at the New York Hilton Midtown Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images We did it An attendee holds up a sign in support of Trump Mark Wilson/Getty Images Shock result Trump fans react the the shock result Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images One step closer to victory Trump supporters in North Carolina Jonathan Drake/Reuters Overwhelmed An emotional Trump supporter watches the results in Phoenix, Arizona Laura Segall/AFP/Getty Images Home win Republicans in Trump's hometown of New York Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images United Trump supporters hug as they watch election results in New York Evan Vucci/AP Flying the flag Trump supporters celebrate in New York City Andrew Kelly High five The election results are celebrated in downtown Phoenix, Arizona Laura Segall/AFP/Getty Images Selfie celebration Jubilant Trump supporters in New York Shawn Thew/EPA Waiting for confirmation Donald Trump and his team 'In the "war room" watching the returns!!!' @EricTrump Heading for the White House Chris Christie shakes hands as Trump's team celebrate @AJDelgado13 Unexpected result Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cheer during an election night rally in New York Evan Vucci/AP Republican victory Sarah Palin joins Trump supporters in Manhattan, New York Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Party time Trump's election night rally in New York John Locher/AP Picture perfect The Election Night Party at the US Embassy in Budapest, Hungary Balazs Mohai/EPA

From that point on, the US government is officially in the hands of Trump.

After the ceremony, Trump and vice president Mike Pence will attend a lunch held by Congress, before a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.

The Simpsons predicted President Trump 16 years ago as a warning to America

Trump will attend a series of inaugural balls before finally settling into his new role as President of the United States.
D onald Trump nominated Republican veteran Mike Pence as his vice-president back in July, in an apparent attempt to create unity within the fractious party.

He was considered a safe choice, due to his close ties with the party, but Mr Pence has a history of sparking outrage with his own controversial views.

And the 57-year-old has not been afraid to publicly condemn Mr Trumps comments throughout the campaign.

So who is the man set to be at the right hand of one of the worlds most powerful leaders? Here is everything you need to know:

Election rally: Donald Trump shakes hands with vice presidential nominee, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence / AP

Background:

Mr Pence was born to liberal Irish-Catholic parents in Indiana.

He once said it was liberal icons John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. that inspired him to go into a career in politics.

The born-again Christian said his political views shifted more to the right when he met his future wife Karen at an evangelical church in college.

Before entering politics he worked as a right-wing radio host.

Polling station: Mike Pence, walks with his wife, Karen, and daughter, Charlotte / AP

Political career:

He has been in office for 15 years, first as a member of Congress and then, since 2013, as Indianas governor.

Mr Pence also served as the chair of the House Republican Conference, the third highest-ranking Republican leadership position.

It was hoped that, due to his support in the party, Mr Pence would help to build bridges between the controversial President and Republicans who were against him.

Jubilant Donald Trump supporters 1 /25 Jubilant Donald Trump supporters Jubilation Donald Trump supporters cheer as they watch the election night results at a rally in New York Evan Vucci/AP Heading for the White House Trump supporters gather in Washington Joshua Roberts/Reuters Street party A supporter of Trump cheers near the intersection of West 54th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York Alex Wroblewski/Reuters Joy A Trump supporter reacts to early poll results at the New York Hilton Midtown Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images We did it An attendee holds up a sign in support of Trump Mark Wilson/Getty Images Shock result Trump fans react the the shock result Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images One step closer to victory Trump supporters in North Carolina Jonathan Drake/Reuters Overwhelmed An emotional Trump supporter watches the results in Phoenix, Arizona Laura Segall/AFP/Getty Images Home win Republicans in Trump's hometown of New York Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images United Trump supporters hug as they watch election results in New York Evan Vucci/AP Flying the flag Trump supporters celebrate in New York City Andrew Kelly High five The election results are celebrated in downtown Phoenix, Arizona Laura Segall/AFP/Getty Images Selfie celebration Jubilant Trump supporters in New York Shawn Thew/EPA Waiting for confirmation Donald Trump and his team 'In the "war room" watching the returns!!!' @EricTrump Heading for the White House Chris Christie shakes hands as Trump's team celebrate @AJDelgado13 Unexpected result Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cheer during an election night rally in New York Evan Vucci/AP Republican victory Sarah Palin joins Trump supporters in Manhattan, New York Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Party time Trump's election night rally in New York John Locher/AP Picture perfect The Election Night Party at the US Embassy in Budapest, Hungary Balazs Mohai/EPA

Controversy:

Mr Pence sparked public outcry when he signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which was accused of worsening discrimination against the LGBT community.

The law was criticised for allowing businesses to refuse service over religious beliefs.

Under public pressure, Mr Pence signed an amendment to state it could not discriminate against sexuality.

How did America vote? A breakdown by race and gender

But it was not the first brush with controversy with the LGBT community.

In support of a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as being "between a man and a woman", he said that gay marriage represents the deterioration of family and societal collapse.

He also believes that being gay is a choice and that to prevent gay people from getting married is enforcing Gods idea and not discrimination.

In 2007 he voted against a law banning discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation.

In 2010 he expressed support for the military policy of not allowing soldiers to be openly gay.

And in March he signed in a law banning women in Indiana from having an abortion if her child is born with a disability.

Awkward moment: Trump tries to kiss Mike Pence at a convention / REUTERS

Working with Trump:

Although steadfastly supporting the Presidential campaign, Mr Pence has not been afraid to publically disagree with Mr Trump.

Before he was selected as VP, Mr Pence labelled Mr Trumps comments about banning Muslims as offensive and unconstitutional.

Round-up of Trump's most infamous comments in the run-up to his presidency

And in October he said Mr Trumps leaked remarks about grabbing p**** were offensive and something he could not defend.

Trump v Clinton: US Presidential Election Race 2016 - In pictures 1 /50 Trump v Clinton: US Presidential Election Race 2016 - In pictures Republican president-elect Donald Trump embraces his wife Melania Trump during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States Getty Images U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at his election night rally in Manhattan, New York Reuters US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton makes a concession speech after being defeated by Republican President-elect Donald Trump, as former President Bill Clinton looks on in New York Jewel Samad/Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech during his election night rally in New York. John Locher/AP Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, flanked by wife Melania, pumps his fist as he arrives with members of his family for an election night party at the New York Hilton Midtown in New Yor Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Vice-President-elect Mike Pence during his election night rally John Locher/AP Donald Trump and his campaign team wait for the election results in New York @DonaldJTrumpJr Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump rally in front of the White House in Washington Joshua Roberts/Reuters American Democratic Party supporters, one in a Wonder Woman costume, react to the news that Donald Trump has won the state of Florida at the Democrats Abroad election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill in London Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images The Daily Telegraph in Sydney reacts to Donald Trump's win. The Daily Telegraph in Sydney London Evening Standard front page 'Trump triumph shocks the world Evening Standard Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump cheer during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images A man sits with his head in his hands as he watches the results roll in at the Democrats Abroad UK Election Party in London Michael Clarke Jake Krupa colors in an electoral map as states projected for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump or Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at an election watching party in Coconut Grove, Florida Rhona Wise/AFP/Getty Images Mayor of London Sadiq Khan attends the US Embassy's election night party in central London Yui Mok/PA People gather around Times Square to view televised results of the US presidential election in New York Eduardo Munoz/AFP/Getty Images Anti Trump protesters gather outside the White House Andrew Biraj/AFP/Getty Images A Japanese employee of a foreign exchange trading company works next to screens displaying latest US presidential elections' results on TV news channels, and the Japanese yen's exchange rate against the US dollar in Tokyo Behrouz MehriAFP/Getty Images Trump campaign co-chair for Seminole County, Fla., L.A. Key, listens to incumbent Rep. John Mica of Florida's 7th congressional district concede defeat to Democratic challenger Stephanie Murphy, at the election watch rally for the Republican Party of Seminole County in Altamonte Springs, Florida Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP Cheerleaders perform at the CNN party Lucy Young Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump react as they watch the election results during Trump's election night rall in New York John Locher/AP Eric and Lara Lea Trumpo high five whilst Governor Christie shakes hands @AJDelgado13 UKIP's Nigel Farage speaks to the media outside the US presidential election night party at the US Embassy in London Yui Mok/PA A Hillary Clinton supporter anxiously watches the results at the Democrats Abroad UK Election Party in London Michael Clark Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump cheer during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images A man checks out a Trump cake ahead of the rally for Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump in New York City Andrew Kelly/Reuters Two woman sit in dismay as they watch the TV screens showing US election results at the Democrats Abroad UK Election Party in London Michael Clark Guests watch the results come in at a U.S. election night party at the United States Embassy in London Jack Taylor/Getty Images Partygoers at Dinerama in Shoreditch upporters of Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton watch election returns showing Donald Trump winning in Texas at the election night rally in New York, Rick Wilking/Reuters A woman wearing an American patriotic top hat poses for a photograph in the foreground of a cardboard figure depicting Donald Trump, Republican presidential candidate during the Election Night Party at the US Embassy in Budapest, Hungary Balazs Mohai/EPA Supporters of U.S Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton react as a state is called in favour of her opponent, Republican candidate Donald Trump, during a watch party for the U.S. Presidential election, at the University of Sydney in Australia Jason Reed/Reuters wo topless protestors cause commotion at the site where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is scheduled to work at PS 59 located at 233 East 56th Street in Manhattan NY Daily News via Getty Images Sanitation trucks filled with sand act as barricades along Fifth Avenue outside Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York Andrew Kelly/Reuters Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump vote at PS 59 in New York, New York Carlo Allegri/Reuters Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is surrounded by people as she votes at Douglas Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua, New York Justin Sullivan/Getty Images People watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City Getty Images Eric Trump tweets a picture of Donald Trump 'In the "war room" watching the returns!!!' @EricTrump

But he vehemently denied speculation that he would step down from the campaign, saying the nomination was the greatest honour of my life.
C hristmas is a time for indulging and what better treats to share with your loved ones than some delicious festive biscuits. We select the best for dunking into a steaming hot cuppa in front of the telly.

Biscuiteers Iced Christmas Biscuit Tin

Biscuiteers is popular with foodies for its homemade luxury biscuits, and its easy to see why. Treat your favourite person to the brands stunning Christmas tin filled with up to 16 all-spice biscuits. The festive shapes are each intricately decorated with icing sugar and include snowmen, snowflakes and reindeers. Once theyre all gone, the eye-catching tin can be used to store other treats or trinkets. Also available in chocolate or gluten-free vanilla.

39.50, Biscuiteers, Buy it now

Fortnums Christmas Chocolate Musical Selection

A festive feast wouldnt be the same without the punchy flavours of ginger and cranberry. This delightful spinning musical tin boasts milk or dark chocolate-coated biscuits in Spiced Ginger, Cherry & Cranberry and St Clements flavours. Bite into one of the crunchy treats as the tin plays We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

23.95, Fortnum and Mason, Buy it now

Bettys Lebkuchen Father Christmas Biscuit

Yorkshire-based tea brand, Bettys, has created a delightful German treat that will bring some Christmas cheer to your teatime spread. This delicious Santa is lightly spiced and decorated with royal icing and marzipan. At 18cm high, its generously sized for sharing between friends and also makes the perfect stocking filler.

4.50, Bettys, Buy it now



Crabtree & Evelyn Mini Shortbread Biscuits Musical Tin

A British favourite, these buttery shortbread biscuits are perfect for leaving out for Father Christmas and come presented in a musical tin that plays a traditional festive tune. Each tiny morsel is decorated with a wintry scene.

15, John Lewis, Buy it now

Whittard Christmas Pudding All Butter Biscuits

If you know someone who loves Christmas pudding, treat them to these knobbly biscuits made with dried fruits, winter spice and a hint of citrus. The comforting treats are stacked into a patterned Whittard tin that ought to look impressive on your shelf.

7, Whittard, Buy it now

VERDICT:

The handmade iced treats in the Biscuiteers Iced Christmas Biscuit Tin is an all-round winner. It makes a lovely gift for family or friends, while each biscuit is enough to satisfy stubborn sweet cravings.
D irector Darren Aronofsky tried to persuade young people to vote by offering them Facetime with his girlfriend Jennifer Lawrence.

The US filmmaker, 47, saw the opportunity to make the most of his new relationship with the A-lister and headed to Duke University in Durham, North Carolina to try and get students voting in the US presidential election.

On Tuesday, the Black Swan director was spotted wandering around campus with his 26-year-old on his phone, encouraging people to get out and vote.

Student Ethan Udell posted a picture of the acclaimed filmmaker on Instagram, writing: I just casually FaceTimed with Jennfer Lawrence. Darren Aronofsky is the man.

Another described Aronofskys plan as bribery, with one person writing: When Jennifer Lawrences boyfriend is on campus bribing students to go vote in exchange for a FaceTime with her.

According to reports, the director introduced his other half to as many as 15-20 people during his last minute campaigning day.

Clinton: America is more divided than we thought

North Carolina was considered a swing state in the election and was won by Donald Trump on Tuesday.

Aronofsky, who has a son with actress Rachel Weisz, is thought to have started dating 26-year-old Lawrence just a few months ago.

The pair met while shooting the directors forthcoming film Mother, which co-stars Javier Bardem and Ed Harris.
C harlotte Riley has been lined up to play Kate Middleton in a TV adaptation of King Charles III.

The actress will be taking on the role as Mike Bartletts acclaimed play makes its way to BBC Two.

It's such a unique project, she said.

To be both modern and rich in verse and to play someone who is real but yet totally re-imagined for this story is an exciting prospect for an actor.

Kate Middleton is a really interesting woman, particularly within the context of this play, and it is a challenge I am really looking forward to.

Bartletts work imagines the reign of King Charles following the death of Queen Elizabeth, and was performed in Londons West End in 2014.

The TV version is being adapted by Bartlett himself as a one-off 90-minute drama.

Tim Pigott-Smith, who played Charles on stage, will be reprising his role on TV.

It is a drama about us, now, who we are, and the relevance of our monarchy, he said. Television gives it an important democratic voice.

Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit Manchester 1 /20 Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visit Manchester Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge wave to wellwishers after touring the National Football Museum during their visit to Manchester Chris Jackson/Getty Images The Duchess of Cambridge (left) looks on as the Duke of Cambridge takes a spot-kick in a computer-generated penalty shoot-out game during their visit to the National Football Museum in Manchester Charlotte Graham/Daily Telegraph/PA The Duke of Cambridge sits in a BAC car worth 180,000 at the National Graphene Research Institute during a day of engagements in Manchester Peter Byrne/PA The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Manchester Town Hall, where they laid a wreath before seeing part of the UK government's First Wold War Centenary campaign, during a day of engagements in Manchester Danny Lawson/PA The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Manchester Town Hall, where they laid a wreath before seeing part of the UK government's First Wold War Centenary campaign, during a day of engagements in Manchester Danny Lawson/PA Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge greets wellwishers after touring the National Football Museum during their visit to Manchester Phil Noble/Reuters chool children wear masks as they wait for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the National Football Museum during a day of engagements in Manchester Peter Byrne/PA Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge waves to wellwishers after touring the National Football Museum during their visit to Manchester Chris Jackson/Getty Images Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge wave to wellwishers after touring the National Football Museum during their visit to Manchester Chris Jackson/Getty Images Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge greets wellwishers after touring the National Football Museum during their visit to Manchester Peter Byrne/PA The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the National Football Museum during a day of engagements in Manchester Peter Byrne/PA The Duchess of Cambridge leaves the National Football Museum during a day of engagements in Manchester. Peter Byrne/PA The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at the National Football Museum during a day of engagements in Manchester Peter Byrne/PA Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge greets wellwishers after touring the National Football Museum during their visit to Manchester Peter Byrne/PA

The drama is set to begin shooting very soon in Leeds with director Rupert Goold.

We have an exceptional team, both in front of and behind the camera, said Bartlett. I'm looking forward to bringing this very contemporary royal tragedy to a national television audience.
P iers Morgan has come under fire for his reporting on the US presidential election result.

The British anchor was stationed in New York to present his usual Good Morning Britain slot on ITV with fellow host Susanna Reid.

Morgan has been vocal about his support for Trump, and after the result was called he claimed it was an extraordinary campaign, adding that the Republican pulled off the PR coup of his life.

Mr Trump, if youre listening we congratulate you, he said. Its a remarkable achievement.

Trump v Clinton: US Presidential Election Race 2016 - In pictures 1 /50 Trump v Clinton: US Presidential Election Race 2016 - In pictures Republican president-elect Donald Trump embraces his wife Melania Trump during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States Getty Images U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at his election night rally in Manhattan, New York Reuters US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton makes a concession speech after being defeated by Republican President-elect Donald Trump, as former President Bill Clinton looks on in New York Jewel Samad/Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech during his election night rally in New York. John Locher/AP Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, flanked by wife Melania, pumps his fist as he arrives with members of his family for an election night party at the New York Hilton Midtown in New Yor Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Vice-President-elect Mike Pence during his election night rally John Locher/AP Donald Trump and his campaign team wait for the election results in New York @DonaldJTrumpJr Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump rally in front of the White House in Washington Joshua Roberts/Reuters American Democratic Party supporters, one in a Wonder Woman costume, react to the news that Donald Trump has won the state of Florida at the Democrats Abroad election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill in London Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images The Daily Telegraph in Sydney reacts to Donald Trump's win. The Daily Telegraph in Sydney London Evening Standard front page 'Trump triumph shocks the world Evening Standard Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump cheer during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images A man sits with his head in his hands as he watches the results roll in at the Democrats Abroad UK Election Party in London Michael Clarke Jake Krupa colors in an electoral map as states projected for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump or Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at an election watching party in Coconut Grove, Florida Rhona Wise/AFP/Getty Images Mayor of London Sadiq Khan attends the US Embassy's election night party in central London Yui Mok/PA People gather around Times Square to view televised results of the US presidential election in New York Eduardo Munoz/AFP/Getty Images Anti Trump protesters gather outside the White House Andrew Biraj/AFP/Getty Images A Japanese employee of a foreign exchange trading company works next to screens displaying latest US presidential elections' results on TV news channels, and the Japanese yen's exchange rate against the US dollar in Tokyo Behrouz MehriAFP/Getty Images Trump campaign co-chair for Seminole County, Fla., L.A. Key, listens to incumbent Rep. John Mica of Florida's 7th congressional district concede defeat to Democratic challenger Stephanie Murphy, at the election watch rally for the Republican Party of Seminole County in Altamonte Springs, Florida Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP Cheerleaders perform at the CNN party Lucy Young Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump react as they watch the election results during Trump's election night rall in New York John Locher/AP Eric and Lara Lea Trumpo high five whilst Governor Christie shakes hands @AJDelgado13 UKIP's Nigel Farage speaks to the media outside the US presidential election night party at the US Embassy in London Yui Mok/PA A Hillary Clinton supporter anxiously watches the results at the Democrats Abroad UK Election Party in London Michael Clark Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump cheer during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images A man checks out a Trump cake ahead of the rally for Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump in New York City Andrew Kelly/Reuters Two woman sit in dismay as they watch the TV screens showing US election results at the Democrats Abroad UK Election Party in London Michael Clark Guests watch the results come in at a U.S. election night party at the United States Embassy in London Jack Taylor/Getty Images Partygoers at Dinerama in Shoreditch upporters of Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton watch election returns showing Donald Trump winning in Texas at the election night rally in New York, Rick Wilking/Reuters A woman wearing an American patriotic top hat poses for a photograph in the foreground of a cardboard figure depicting Donald Trump, Republican presidential candidate during the Election Night Party at the US Embassy in Budapest, Hungary Balazs Mohai/EPA Supporters of U.S Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton react as a state is called in favour of her opponent, Republican candidate Donald Trump, during a watch party for the U.S. Presidential election, at the University of Sydney in Australia Jason Reed/Reuters wo topless protestors cause commotion at the site where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is scheduled to work at PS 59 located at 233 East 56th Street in Manhattan NY Daily News via Getty Images Sanitation trucks filled with sand act as barricades along Fifth Avenue outside Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York Andrew Kelly/Reuters Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump vote at PS 59 in New York, New York Carlo Allegri/Reuters Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is surrounded by people as she votes at Douglas Grafflin Elementary School in Chappaqua, New York Justin Sullivan/Getty Images People watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City Getty Images Eric Trump tweets a picture of Donald Trump 'In the "war room" watching the returns!!!' @EricTrump

Some viewers criticised Morgan for his comments, with one saying he should not be covering the election due to his friendship with Trump.

Others criticised Piers for dominating the show, and not allowing Reid to speak.

While Piers has been supporting Trump in the election, one viewer noted that Susanna looked ready to cry at the result.

After Good Morning Britain, Piers spoke on ITVs This Morning to share his view on Trumps win.

Its been a remarkable night, he said. The evening started with Hillary Clinton way ahead and then suddenly, everything changed, and Trump began to surge in many many crucial swing states.

The atmosphere here was electric you couldnt get more contrasting moods today.

Brits can get all high and mighty about it as many did over Brexit, but in the end the people have spoken. The majority has got to be respected.

US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win 1 /24 US election 2016: Newspaper front pages react to Donald Trump win The Washington Post The Washington Post New York Daily News 'House of horrors,' the New York City paper says. The New York Times The New York Times USA Today President Trump, says USA Today. New York Post Colourful front page with the words President Trump from the New York Post. The Daily Telegraph, Sydney 'W.T.F.' says the Australian Daily Telegraph in Sydney. The Miami Herald The Miami Herald in battleground state Florida, which Trump won. The Baltimore Sun The Baltimore Sun Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania Beaver County Times, Pennysylvania, a key swing state where Trump triumphed. Dallas Morning News The Dallas Morning News South Florida Sun Sentinel The Sun Sentinel paper in Florida, a battleground state where Trump won. El Periodica El Periodica, a morning daily newspaper based in Barcelona, Spain, carries the headline: 'God forgives America'. La Razon, Spain Spanish newspaper La Razon splashes with the headline: The Populist States of America Liberation, France 'Trumpocalypse': France's daily newspaper Liberation has a bleak looking front page for its special election edition. The i The i newspaper's 'disunited states' front. The Metro 'It's Trump,' says the Metro. The Daily Telegraph The UK's Daily Telegraph Evening Standard Trump Triumph shock the world Evening Standard

However, he did admit that he wouldnt have personally voted for Donald Trump.

Ive known him a very long time and I have been telling people in Britain do not underestimate this guy, do not bet against Trump, he said.

I was in Florida last week and the Trump train was surging last week, so he clearly has resonated with millions of Americans and now his challenge is to bring America together.

After the result was called, Morgan tweeted: Congratulations to my friend @realDonaldTrump - an astonishing achievement. #President

He later posted: I might have to run for British Prime Minister now so we can properly restore the Special Relationship. #PresidentTrump

ITV, 6am
T he Simpsons creators predicated that Donald Trump would be president 16 years ago, but only as a warning to Americans.

In an episode which aired back in 2000, Lisa becomes President of the United States, talking over from President Trump.

Weve inherited quite a budget crunch from President Trump, she says while sitting in the Oval Office.

Simpsons writer Dan Greaney recently told The Hollywood Reporter that the episode was meant to show a vision of the country going insane.

Donald Trump on The Simpsons (20th Century Fox) / Fox

It was a warning to America, he said. That just seemed like the logical last stop before hitting bottom.

It was pitched because it was consistent with the vision of America going insane.

Donald Trump's victory speech after winning US election

"What we needed was for Lisa to have problems that were beyond her fixing, that everything went as bad as it possibly could, and that's why we had Trump be president before her."

Show creator Matt Groening told The Guardian: We predicted that he would be president back in 2000  but (Trump) was of course the most absurd placeholder joke name that we could think of at the time, and thats still true.

"Its beyond satire."

The world awoke on Wednesday to discover that Groenings insane vision of a future American had in fact become reality as Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton in the US elections to become President of the United States.
As reported by WisPolitics.com, the Joint Finance Committee approved redirecting more than $21 million in bonding to offset rising costs for Milwaukee and Racine counties as they build new facilities for young offenders. Meanwhile, one committee member warned inflation will likely raise the 
DECATUR  It's not every polling place that has people praying just a few feet away.

That was the scene Tuesday at Grace United Methodist Church, where voters in Decatur Precinct 15 were casting their ballots in the lobby while worshipers bowed their heads in a sanctuary visible through the glass.

We're not praying for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, said the Rev. Beth McLaughlin, pastor of the church. We're praying for a spiritual awakening across our nation and for the election, because we're a praying kind of church.

It looked like the prayers were answered, at least as far as the election was concerned, as Macon County Clerk Steve Bean reported no major voting glitches along the way to a near-record turnout.

The unofficial total of votes cast in Tuesday's election was 48,292 in Macon County, or 63.34 percent of registered voters, compared to about 49,000 votes and a turnout of 64.5 percent in the presidential election four years ago.

The modern-day percentage record is 2008, when Barack Obama was first elected president, with 51,524 votes cast or 70 percent of the Macon County's voters, Bean said.

Election judges around the county said they were slammed after the polls opened at 6 a.m., with many starting their day dealing with queues that had formed outside.

Rain that fell most of the morning did not appear to dampen anyone's enthusiasm, and lines that developed were caused not only by large numbers but also by voters who had not registered and/or changed their address before Election Day.

The biggest problem we've had is same-day registration and the strain it's putting on the system, Bean said.

Nostalgia for newly shuttered polling places varied widely with voters and judges saying they preferred the Mount Zion Convention Center over a former Lion's Club building previously used.

There's a lot more room for people to wait inside, and that's important on a day like today, election judge Susan Ferguson said.

Voter Brandie Watrous said she was pleased after casting her ballot. This was very, very easy, she said. I got right in and right out.

In northern Macon County, the soon-to-be home of the Hickory Point Township Hall at 2335 W. Mound Road was handling the influx of voters, much as it did once upon a time when it was home to Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 65.

Kevin Bird, township road commissioner, said parking was sufficient throughout the day despite building renovations taking up some of the spaces.

Oakley voters, meanwhile, were lining up to cast ballots for the first time at Richland Community College, with voters from Whitmore Township, after the Oakley Township Hall was retired as a polling place.

It's about the same distance, and the roads are better, Rodney Morr said after voting.

Geri Van Winkle said she felt a little sad after voting in Oakley for 45 years but knows things change. "You have to go with the flow," she said.
Dear Dr. Roach: My husband, 70 years old, has had five heart attacks in the past 20 years. He has never had open-heart surgery, but he does have four stents. His last heart attack was in October 2013. Of course, he has been on many medications, forever, it seems. In the past few years he had been feeling very sluggish, and his will to live was diminishing. On our own, we decided to cut some of his blood pressure medication. He has not taken any blood pressure medication for almost a year. We have not told his doctor or cardiologist, but at every visit his blood pressure is about 120/80. He still takes his warfarin and metoprolol. He feels great off of the additional blood pressure medications.

We cannot tell the doctors, as we travel a lot and worry that travel insurance would not cover us if they knew he was not taking these meds. What do you think we should do about this situation?

 L.

A: I can't recommend stopping his medications without discussing this with his doctors. Choosing the right medications is a difficult task, requiring extensive knowledge about the person's condition. I would be concerned that you may have mistakenly taken away medication that was doing him more benefit than you realize.

That being said, I certainly have seen cases where people have had lower blood pressure than optimal, causing side effects such as fatigue. In that case, selectively reducing or eliminating medications can improve symptoms, and may even improve his overall prognosis. He is still taking a beta blocker, metoprolol, which almost everybody with a history of heart attacks should be taking. It is sometimes used for blood pressure, but it has many effects, some of which are crucial for its beneficial effects on people with heart disease. Warfarin, which reduces blood clotting, should never be changed by a patient or family member without explicit instructions from the provider, as both too little and too much can be catastrophic.

My advice is to tell his primary care doctor and his cardiologist what medications you stopped and why you stopped them. His doctors want to find the balance between a good quality of life (fewer medicine side effects) and a longer length of life (medicines that reduce risk of another heart attack). It may be that they will agree that you did the right thing; however, doctors can't give you their best without you being honest with them.

Umbilical hernia

Dear Dr. Roach: I am a 93-year-old man. I have a hernia on my belly button. I have had it for a long time, and I was always told to leave it alone. Sometimes, it gets large and uncomfortable.

 L.R.

A: This is called an umbilical hernia. A hernia is a defect in the abdominal wall, through which abdominal contents, especially the intestine, can protrude. Most hernias can be safely watched if they are small and have no symptoms. However, yours is starting to bother you. Although I think a surgeon would be reluctant to operate on a 93-year-old, sometimes these hernias can become incarcerated, meaning that the abdominal contents go through the defect and get stuck there, unable to come back into the abdomen, where they belong. This requires emergency surgery, which is dangerous for a 93-year-old. Only a surgeon can evaluate whether it is worthwhile to repair the hernia and prevent that possibility.
NEW DELHI (AP)  In Nepal, health warnings cover 90 percent of cigarette packs, while Australia requires those packets be wrapped in drab, plain paper. Indonesia's new ban on outdoor advertising brought down tobacco billboards depicting smiling, smoking youths. And India wants scary photos of rotting lungs and mouth tumors covering packets sold in the country.

Still, national drives to discourage smoking and cut back tobacco sales haven't done enough, campaigners say. Smoking-related deaths are still rising worldwide, with 80 percent of them expected to occur in developing country populations by 2030.

"Most people in the United States think tobacco is over and done with, but it's still the largest preventable cause of disease on the planet" killing 6 million people a year, or one person every six seconds, said John Stewart, deputy campaigns director at the Boston-based lobbying group Corporate Accountability International.

Starting Monday, representatives from at least 178 countries are meeting for five days in the Indian capital to discuss how they can further the fight against smoking and push back against tobacco company lobbyists.

Since they set down stiff regulations and guidelines in a landmark 2003 treaty called the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the first and only global treaty dealing with public health, most of the 180 signatories have ratified it and passed laws restricting tobacco advertising or sales.

Still, many governments remain entangled with powerful tobacco companies, while industry lobbyists continue attempts to stymie efforts to implement anti-smoking laws through bribery, misinformation and even suing national governments for lost profits, campaigners say.

"The tobacco industry is definitely feeling the heat," Stewart said. "They've got their back against the wall."

Indian courts are currently grappling with 62 lawsuits filed by tobacco companies or cigarette makers challenging laws requiring that 85 percent of all cigarette packets be covered with photos of medical horrors.

In Japan, a 10-percent hike in taxes on cigarettes has led to a 30-percent decline in smoking. But the country still has some of the lowest tax rates on cigarettes among industrialized nations, while its finance ministry owns 33 percent in Japan Tobacco.

The anti-tobacco campaign has had some success. It is widely accepted, at least among national leaders, that smoking causes cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, along with a host of other harmful health impacts.

That awareness still has not trickled down to national populations, though. And campaigners say tobacco interests have shifted their focus to poorer, less educated populations in the developing world.

India, among the first to ratify the anti-tobacco treaty in 2004, is still considered one of the biggest battlegrounds in the fight against the tobacco industry, public health specialists say.

Despite harsh laws passed more than a decade ago banning smoking in public and sales to children, smoking is still common across the country. A government survey in 2010 showed nearly 35 percent of adults were either smoking or chewing tobacco.

Meanwhile, more than 1 million Indians die each year from tobacco-related diseases that cost the country some $16 billion annually, according to the World Health Organization.
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By MARK EVANS mevans@stegenherald.com Bloomsdale will probably host a major fireworks display. The pyrotechnics will not take place until 2024, however. During the Oct. 12 board of aldermen meeting, Kevin Wehner and city officials again discussed the possibility of a July 4 fireworks display at the youth soccer fields on land leased by the city
Violent storms and torrential rains over the past 24 hours triggered floods, killing three people and causing damages to the power and water supply and closed schools across Albania on Tuesday, the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) informs.

Whole state structures and the Albanian army are on high alert, while Prime Minister Edi Rama called a meeting of the Emergency Operations Office to be briefed on the situation and discuss flood response measures.

The Ministry of Defence has sent troops and other personnel, helicopters, vehicles and small boats to help people in worst-affected areas evacuate to safety. Roads and homes across the country were flooded putting many lives at risk as local rivers have burst their banks.

Ferries and ships have been unable to dock in the country's main ports in Durres and Vlora, keeping hundreds of passengers aboard.

The situation is deteriorating due to landslides, while water discharges from hydro-power plants over Drin River cascade have caused rivers to burst their banks, flooding large swathes of agricultural land in northern parts of the country.

Many roads, including the highway between Tirana and the port city of Durres, have been blocked with water level reaching over 50 cm.

The Ministry of Education ordered that schools be closed, whereas the Minister of Interior ordered all local government authorities and emergency committees to activate their emergency plans.

Areas in Lezha, Shkodra, Gjirokastra and Fushe-Kruja are the worst-hit by the floods. Troops and emergency crews evacuated three families in the town of Fushe-Kruja, while floods have also hit northern towns of Peshkopia and Bulqiza.

Tirana has been also badly affected as the city's drainage system failed to cope with the water flows due to the heavy downpours. Large areas and many houses were inundated in the northern city of Shkodra.

Heavy rain, up to 100 millimeters by midday, is forecast to continue into Wednesday.

The army is on standby to help emergency service workers with evacuation efforts.

agerpres.
President Klaus Iohannis addressed a congratulation letter to the elected President of the United States of America Donald Trump, in which he voiced the entire availability of cooperating with him in promoting the common goals and a strong and dynamic transatlantic relation.

"The Romanian head of state highlighted the solid relation between Romania and the United States of America, under the Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century, a key-element in developing the strategic profile of Romania, as NATO and EU member state," the Presidential Administration shows in a release sent to agerpres.

Klaus Iohannis underscored Romania's firm commitment to strengthen the bilateral cooperation in the security area and to continue to act, as allied state and trustworthy strategic partner of the US, aware of all the implications deriving from this posture.

According to the head of state, the security dimension of the Strategic Partnership with the US, characterised by a continuous and deep cooperation, registered several successes and allowed Romania to act at present as security supplier in the region, in Europe and not only.

"Romania is fully aware of the responsibilities deriving from its capacity as allied state and strategic partner of the US," the message mentions.

President Iohannis also shows that Romania fully understands to contribute to the common efforts meant to promote stability and security in the region and on a global level, and underscores that Romania is prepared and capable to strengthen the bilateral cooperation in the security area.

"President Klaus Iohannis also highlighted the importance of developing the economic dimension of the Strategic Partnership with the US, which provides several opportunities to bring more prosperity to the benefit of both nations," the release reads.

According to the Presidential Administration, the head of state voiced the entire availability of cooperating with the new US President in promoting the common goals and a powerful and dynamic transatlantic relation, showing that the US can count on Romania's firm support in promoting democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
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Updated at 3:24 p.m.

A number of major corporations and business groups reacted Wednesday to Donald Trump's presidential election victory.

 Ford Motor Co, the second largest U.S. automaker that has endured scathing criticism from Donald Trump over its Mexican investments, on Wednesday vowed to work with the new president-elect.

"We agree with Mr. Trump that it is really important to unite the country  and we look forward to working together to support economic growth and jobs," Ford spokeswoman Christin Baker said. Trump repeatedly said during the campaign that if elected he would not allow Ford to open a new plant in Mexico and would slap hefty tariffs taxes on Ford vehicles.

 Big Oil reveled Wednesday in Trump's presidential victory, expecting him to be a strong advocate for more oil and gas output and to cut red tape that has held back billions of dollars of investment in new projects.

Exxon Mobil Corp, the world's largest publicly traded oil producer, said it hoped Trump's administration would use "sound science" on future regulations. "We intend to work constructively with the president-elect and his administration," said Exxon spokesman Alan Jeffers.

ConocoPhillips, the largest U.S. independent oil producer, said it would work with Trump to protect the environment but also produce oil and gas needed to grow the economy. "The American people have spoken and elected Mr. Trump as president and ConocoPhillips respects that choice," spokesman Daren Beaudo said.

 Boeing Co, which is finalizing a deal to sell 100 jetliners to Iran, said Wednesday it looks with Trump and Congress to promote global economic growth and protect workers. Boeing's defense and space businesses could get a boost from an expected increase in military spending under Trump.

"We congratulate President-elect Trump and newly elected members of Congress," Boeing said in a statement. We "look forward to working with them to ensure that U.S. companies can compete, win and grow our economy to provide good jobs to U.S. workers, as well as preserve American leadership in national security."

 The National Association of Manufacturers sent a letter to Trump on Wednesday, signed by more than 1,100 business leaders citing "an urgent need to restore faith in our vital economic and government institutions." Signers included the chief executives of Boeing, Honeywell International Inc, United Technologies Corp, Lockheed Martin Corp, Northrop Grumman Corp and Caterpillar Inc.

U.S. businesses "cannot truly prosper ... in a country that is divided and distrustful," Jay Timmons, chief executive officer of the trade group, wrote in the letter, adding it is "time to mend the divisions in our country."

 General Motors said it looks forward to working with president-elect Donald Trump, new Congress on "policies that support a strong and competitive U.S. manufacturing base."

In a statement, the company said: "GM congratulates both candidates and parties on their hard-fought campaigns. GM looks forward to working with President-elect Donald J. Trump and the new Congress on policies that support a strong and competitive U.S. manufacturing base. GM will continue to do its part to transform the future of mobility and contribute to America's competitive strength."

 U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas J. Donohue vowed to help Trump. "The Chamber and its members stand ready help the new administration and the next Congress unite our country around a mission we believe all Americans can support-to grow our economy, create jobs, and lift incomes for all citizens," the organization, which calls itself the world's biggest business federation, said in an email.

 Business Roundtable President John Engler, in a statement, said the nation's business leaders "are eager to begin working with the new administration and incoming congressional leadership to accelerate economic growth and spur job creation."

President-elect Trump has embraced rebuilding Americas infrastructure, fundamentally reforming the anti-growth U.S. tax structure and bringing common sense to federal regulation. These are key pro-growth policies, critical to new innovation and investment. Americas business leaders fully support these priorities."

The Business Roundtable is an organization of top corporate CEOs, including heads of companies with St. Louis operations, such as Tim Wentworth of Express Scripts, Mark Trudeau of Mallinckrodt, and Glenn Kellow of Peabody Energy.

 JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon called on employees, business leaders and government officials to work together on solutions to the United States' problems on Wednesday, in response to the surprise presidential election results.

In a memo to employees, Dimon cited a "deep desire for change" and a frustration with the economy among the electorate, which voted Republican candidate Donald Trump into office.

"We need to listen to those voices," Dimon wrote, calling on leaders across public, private and nonprofit sectors to come together.

 Bayer Chief Executive Werner Baumann on Wednesday called for strengthening the partnership between Europe and the United States in the wake of Donald Trump's presidential election victory.

Baumann, who is leading the $66 billion takeover of Creve Coeur-based Monsanto Co., said in a statement:

"After an intense election campaign, the new U.S. president is facing important challenges. For example, it is now important to further strengthen the partnership between the U.S. and the EU. The expansion of our trade relations is of crucial importance for prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic.

"Another focus should be to develop the health care system in the U.S. in a way that gives more patients access to new and innovative therapies."
Updated at 4 p.m.

The future of health care policies that have benefited Centene Corp. is now uncertain with the election of Donald Trump  and investors reacted strongly on Wednesday.

Shares of the Clayton-based company fell 19 percent to close at $54.05 on Wednesday. Other health insurers and hospital companies also closed lower.

Trump has said repealing the President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act will be one of his top priorities.

The ACA, signed in 2010, paved the way for millions of Americans to gain access to health insurance regardless of preexisting health conditions.

Centene and its peer Molina Healthcare Inc. have had the most success under the law, according to analyst Michael Baker with Raymond James.

Many states hire managed care providers like Centene to insure its Medicaid members. Medicaid is government-sponsored health insurance for low-income individuals. Under the ACA, the federal government provided funding to allow states to expand their Medicaid programs. (A number of states, including Missouri, declined to participate, leaving thousands of people without coverage.)

In addition to its core Medicaid business, Centene also sells health insurance plans to individuals on the health insurance exchange, or through HealthCare.gov. Unlike many of the nation's largest insurers, which have since scaled back their participation in the exchanges, Centene continued to expand its reach.

Centene CEO Michael Neidorff said Wednesday the market was having a "gross overreaction" to the election, and he expected the company's stock to rebound.

"We are the one company left standing with a very successful exchange product," Neidorff said. "Weve let investors know that and Im sure that plays in their mind."

He also said Centene's expanded Medicaid business  the company won a handful of contracts this year and completed a major acquisition  was likely a factor in the drop in stock price.

Trump has said he may use block grants to fund state Medicaid programs.

Neidorff told the Post-Dispatch Wednesday that he's open to that idea, although with some "guard rails" like establishing thresholds for a specific level of benefits and certain incentives.

John Holahan, a fellow at the Urban Institute, said Centene needs to be "pretty careful about what they wish for."
MOSCOW  For all their mutual praise, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump are likely to disagree on many things.

But Trump's election win could hand Moscow an elusive prize  the lifting or easing of Western sanctions.

Rolling back those sanctions, imposed by the United States and the European Union to punish Moscow for its 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, could spur investment in Russia's flat-lining economy.

That might make it even easier for Putin, who is trying to plug holes in the state budget inflicted by low oil prices and sanctions, to win a fourth presidential term in 2018 by allowing him to show he has returned the economy to growth.

"Clearly the chances of sanctions being lifted on Russia have risen substantially," Charles Robertson, Renaissance Capital's global chief economist, said. "That would improve the investment climate for Russia."

Russia's rouble currency and stocks gained on the Trump election victory. Ukraine's dollar-denominated bonds tumbled to multi-month lows, reflecting pessimism about what a Trump presidency means for the divided and indebted country.

The Kremlin had been bracing for fraught relations if the White House had been won by Hillary Clinton  a politician Putin once accused of stirring up protests against him and who state media portrayed as an anti-Russian warmonger.

Trump was portrayed in a more positive light. Putin described him as "very talented" and in Kremlin-backed media he was cast as a plucky political maverick.

Still, few in Moscow had believed the Republican candidate would win, apart from a group of Trump-supporting nationalists who gathered in a Moscow bar decorated with a triptych of Putin, Trump and French Front National leader Marine Le Pen.

Once it became clear he had won, Russia's parliament erupted in applause and Putin told foreign ambassadors he was ready to fully restore ties with Washington.

State TV ran a clip of a Russian doppelganger of Trump taunting a cowed Clinton lookalike and Margarita Simonyan, the boss of RT, the Kremlin's English-language TV news channel, said she would drive around Moscow with a U.S. flag to celebrate.

But Russian glee was tempered by a recognition that Trump's pre-election promises might be diluted and that deep contradictions between Moscow and Washington would remain, even if Trump and Putin adopt a friendly tone in public.

Easing sanctions

Trump's attempts to ease restrictions on doing business with Russia could also be constrained by Congress, which has shown it has little patience for the Kremlin's military adventures.

Executives with Western firms say the biggest obstacle to deals with Russia is not the sanctions themselves but the prospect that more could be imposed and the zeal with which existing sanctions are enforced.

If a Trump White House were to send a signal to businesses that it was taking a more lax approach, investments could start flowing again with sanctions still in place.

A softer U.S. stance could also weaken European sanctions resolve.

The bloc's measures have already started to look wobbly, with some member states finding ways to circumvent them, others saying it is time to discuss moving on, and some business groups in countries such as Germany lobbying against them.

Until now, Washington has helped stiffen European resolve. When Russia placed a Eurobond in May this year, many European banks decided not to take part because they did not want to fall foul of U.S. financial regulators.

"America was the leader there and amazingly has been able to hold Europe together (on sanctions)," political analyst Masha Lipman told Reuters. "With Donald Trump in the White House I think there may be changes, something that might be beneficial for Russia."

Putin needs sanctions lifted as they risk hurting his re-election prospects.

Russia's central bank is forecasting economic growth of up to 1 percent next year, well below the level Russian households have come to expect. After previous slumps, recoveries have been driven by foreign lending and investment.

There are already some signs that the economy is hurting support for Putin, a trend that is only likely to grow in the 18 months until the Russian presidential election.

Hard bargain

Kremlin-watchers said that, even if U.S.-relations were less antagonistic with Trump in the White House, any deal would involve hard bargaining on both sides.

Russia is seeking formal recognition from the world that Crimea, part of Ukraine, is now Russian territory, something it has only got so far apart from a handful of nations. It also wants Kiev to do more to implement a peace deal covering eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists hold sway.

In Syria, where Russia is helping President Bashar al-Assad fight a war with air strikes and military assistance, Moscow wants the West to drop ideas about changing the government, abandon help for what it says are hardline Islamists, and drop talk of possible no-fly zones.

One possibility is a quid pro quo, with Russia making concessions on Syria in exchange for the United States ceding ground on Ukraine and sanctions.

"For Russia the key point is Ukraine. If Trump says that America does not care about Ukraine, then that is all that Russia wants to hear right now," Georgy Bovt, editor of the Russkiy Mir magazine, told Reuters.

"On Syria it will be easier to reach a deal. I think that on Assad, Russia will be willing to compromise because Ukraine is more important for Russia."

Personalities

Much has been made in Russian and Western media of the perceived similarities and differences between Putin and Trump, who have never met.

Both are fond of tough talking and some Russian politicians have suggested the pair might be able to forge a close working relationship similar to the one the Russian leader enjoyed with former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Trump has said he might even meet Putin before his inauguration. Putin's spokesman said there were currently no plans for such a meeting.

People familiar with both men's leadership styles advised caution however, saying both were relatively thin-skinned when it came to criticism.

Andrey Kortunov, director general of the Russian International Affairs Council, a think-tank close to the Foreign Ministry, told Reuters the fact that Trump was an untested politician would also be a worry for the Kremlin.

"He's a loose cannon and you never know what to expect from him," he said.

There were also concerns the two men might be too alike.

"The problem is that both of them, Putin and Trump, are macho," Sergei Markov, a Kremlin-connected analyst and former pro-Putin lawmaker, told Reuters. "They could try to take the measure of each other. We can't let that happen."

Additional reporting by Polina Devitt, Jack Stubbs, Alexander Winning, Katya Golubkova and Maria Tsvetkova in Moscow and Alessandra Prentice in Kiev.
LOS ANGELES  The last Hanjin Shipping vessel dropping off goods in California has set sail from the Port of Long Beach, finally clearing the many ships left stranded by the companys sudden collapse two months ago. But in its wake, the giant shipping line has left a mess that retailers across the country will be sorting out for weeks.

The South Korean companys bankruptcy is forcing big chains to spend piles of cash to get their goods through ports to warehouses in time for the busy holiday shopping season. Some mom-and-pop shops will have less to offer this year.

And once again, an unexpected disruption has pointed out the intricate links of the supply chain that feeds Americas consumer machine.

Californias ports took a short-term hit. Long Beach, the nations second largest port, reported a 15 percent year-over-year drop in import traffic in September. The port of Oakland saw imports decline by 4.2 percent.

For some wholesalers and retailers, the impact continues.

Ashley Furniture, which supplies couches, beds and dressers to the likes of J.C. Penney, Target and Wal-Mart, had the misfortune of being on the receiving end of 900 containers set to be transported by Hanjin.

For weeks, Hanjin vessels idled as port operators refused to touch the cargo without certainty of how they would be paid.

When the ships finally began to offload containers, Ashley, along with several other retailers, learned that Hanjin had canceled its promised port-to-door delivery.

Ashley executives hustled to fill the gap, hiring trucking companies to haul the wares from ports and contracting with new vessels to bring containers stranded in Singapore. In October, the company asked a New Jersey judge overseeing the shipping lines U.S. bankruptcy proceedings to subtract Ashleys costs from the fees it owes Hanjin.

So far, the company has spent more than $1 million to retrieve stranded containers and get the ones that have arrived in Los Angeles out of the ports. It managed to get clients their furniture on time, but making that happen will dent Ashleys profits.

Its going to affect our bottom line. Its all stuff that is additional bills out of our pocket, said Margaret Pronschinske, vice president of supply chain planning at Ashley.

Normally, when truck drivers drop off containers at Ashley distribution centers, they unload the goods and then take the containers back to the ports to be collected by the shipping line. But Hanjin vessels havent been making return trips to pick up their boxes. So drivers are simply unhooking their big rigs from the chassis, the metal frames used to haul the steel boxes, and leaving the empty containers and chassis behind.

Now, Ashley is desperate to figure out what to do with hundreds of empty containers. It has returned some to port terminals, but it has had to pay Redlands trucking company $125, on top of the normal trucking rate, for each empty box it has transported.

For more than a month, those empty containers and the chassis they were tying up left the port complex in Los Angeles reeling. In all, 6,000 vacant boxes that arrived on Hanjin ships remain in the country, and the vast majority of them are still sitting on chassis.

Idle chassis are the top issue that retailers are worried about, said Jonathan Gold, the vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation.

They need those chassis back on the ports to get the full load of containers back out of the ports, Gold said. The longer this goes on, it continues to be a concern.

The strain is showing across the supply chain, said Noel Hacegaba, the chief commercial officer at the Port of Long Beach. But fixes, he says, are on the way.

Hacegaba helped persuade Hanjin to take more than 2,000 empty containers back on the Hanjin Seattle, the vessel that left Oct. 27. Last week, the Port of Long Beach announced that another Hanjin ship would return to pick up 4,300 containers.

That will be welcome news to some of the biggest names in consumer products.

Samsung had the most cargo on Hanjin ships by a long shot, with more than 8,000 container units of goods stacked on the vessels from August through the end of September, according to Datamyne, which tracks trade data. Other big names included Hanes, J.C. Penney, Microsoft and Kmart.

Most large retailers were able to pay their way around the logjam. For smaller shops, its been harder.

Punch Studio, a gift and stationery supplier outside Los Angeles, has waited weeks for Hanjin to produce 14 containers carrying paper and gift swag that would have sold for up to $1.5 million.

Todd Kirshner, the companys chief executive, says the goods have started to trickle into his warehouse, but the delay will be costly.

Thats seven weeks less of selling time on the floor, so sales are going to be impacted dramatically, Kirshner said. He estimated that his sales could be reduced as much as 20 percent by the delays.

Kirshner also is paying up to $35 per day to a customs broker to keep six chassis and the carcasses of Hanjin containers parked near his office.

He said that Hanjins collapse has been as bad for Punch Studio as the epic congestion produced by labor disputes at the Los Angeles-area ports in 2014 and 2015.

Whether its a bankruptcy or slowdown, it has the same end effect, Kirshner said.

Some suppliers have been able to turn the disruption to their advantage.

JLab Audio, an audio specialist, lucked out. The San Diego-area company had been using Hanjin to import its headphones and speakers from factories in Shenzhen, China. But when Matt Bustamante, the companys 33-year-old vice president of operations, heard about the bankruptcy, he was pleased to find none of his products was on Hanjin vessels.

A competitor wasnt so fortunate. So in late September, Bustamante said, Wal-Mart called to ask whether JLab could fill shelves that were going to go empty. Suddenly, instead of just selling Wal-Mart headphones in the $20 to $50 range, JLab had a chance to supply the giant retailer with one of its most expensive offerings, a pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones that go for around $100.

Bustamante said the company has had to pay a higher freight tab; prices jumped threefold after Hanjins collapse, according to Flexport, a freight forwarding company. Still, the unexpected business was a gift.

It was a detriment to them, but it ended up being a benefit to us, he said.
MARRAKESH, Morocco  Donald Trump's election as U.S. president triggered fears that his view that global warming is a hoax might lead other nations to scale back ambitions under a landmark climate change deal, while renewable energy stocks fell on world markets.

Trump's victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton cast a cloud over delegates attending a 200-nation meeting in Marrakesh to celebrate the start of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming last Friday.

Trump has threatened to tear up the Paris accord for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, worked out in two decades of negotiations by countries as diverse as China, Pacific islands and OPEC oil producers.

Some delegates expressed concern that Trump, who in the past has dismissed climate change as a hoax, could cause other nations to reconsider their position on global warming. Trump has also said climate change was an invention by China and wants instead to promote jobs in the U.S. fossil fuel industry.

"We will have a lot more hurdles," said Ian Fry, head of the delegation from Tuvalu, a Pacific island state which fears rising sea levels. He said Trump's victory could have a "domino effect on other nations."

The Paris Agreement allows all nations to set national targets to slow climate change and some could scale those back. The Marrakesh talks are also meant to start writing a "rule book" to oversee the pact that might be less stringent without the United States. There are no sanctions for non-compliance.

Many nations vowed to push ahead despite Trump with the sweeping plan to phase out net global greenhouse gas emissions between 2050 and 2100 by shifting from coal and oil to cleaner energies such as wind or solar power.

"The world can count on (the) EU to continue to lead on climate and drive the global clean energy transition. We need all our partners on board," European Climate Commissioner Arias Canete wrote in a Tweet.

"No change," Japan's delegation chief in Marrakesh, Shigeru Ushio, told Reuters of Japan's policies. He noted the agreement says it will take four years for any country to pull out of the agreement  the length of Trump's presidential term.

On markets, Trump's victory drove down renewable energy stocks. Shares in Vestas, the world's biggest wind turbine maker, were down 8.6 percent, while Germany's Nordex traded 7.9 percent lower.

By contrast, benchmark coal prices were up 2.3 percent.

'Dark, dark day'

Many delegates expressed hopes Trump as president would accept mainstream scientific findings. A U.N. panel of climate scientists says it is at least 95 percent likely that man-made emissions are the main cause of rising temperatures since 1950.

Average global temperatures this year are set to be the hottest in records dating back to the 19th century, beating 2015. "Even Donald Trump cannot do anything about the laws of physics," said Laurence Tubiana, France's climate ambassador.

She told Reuters she was betting "all countries will stick to the Paris Agreement" as rising temperatures were damaging the global economy with more heatwaves, floods and droughts.

In Marrakesh, some youth campaigners wept at a demonstration against Trump. The United States is the No. 2 greenhouse gas emitter behind China.

"This is a dark, dark day," said Jesse Bragg, of Corporate Accountability International. "My heart is absolutely broken," said Becky Chung of SustainUS.

Among statements about climate change, Trump asked in a January 2014 Tweet amid a cold snap: "Is our country still spending money on the GLOBAL WARMING HOAX?"

Overnight, at one Marrakesh hotel, environmentalists and climate scientists huddled around a television expecting a Clinton victory. Their mood descended into silence as the result became clear.

Other renewable shares were also hit. Spain's Gamesa, which is being merged with Siemens, and Portugal's EDP Renovaveis traded 4.3 and 5.4 percent lower, respectively.

Still, many businesses, cities and investors are on track for greener growth.

Stephanie Pfeifer, CEO of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, a European forum for 128 investors with more than 13 trillion euros of assets, said changes towards greener growth were "irreversible."

"Renewables have already overtaken coal as a global power source, electric vehicles are the growth segment of the auto industry and jobs are being created in clean energy sectors faster than any other," she said.

"Industrial development of renewable energy has reached a stage where it is no longer dependent on political support," echoed Tomas Kaberger, executive board chairman of Japan's Renewable Energy Institute.

"American cities, states, and businesses from Apple to Tesla to Walmart will continue to drive toward the clean energy future. This election cannot change that," said Nathaniel Keohane, of the U.S. Environmental Defense Fund.

Reporting by Alister Doyle and Laurie Goering in Marrakesh, Nina Chestney in London, Aaron Sheldrick in Tokyo.
ST. LOUIS  A Buddhist priest decided Wednesday to help bring healing to a city neighborhood stunned by the election results.

For several hours, Tom Bradshaw stood at the corner of Shaw Boulevard and Klemm Street with a sign offering free hugs to passersby in the left-leaning neighborhood upset by the victory of Republican Donald Trump in the presidential election.

"My wife and I were scared because of the election results," Bradshaw said. "But I realized I can do something. It may not be big, but it's something."

A Buddhist priest since March, Bradshaw said some people's reactions to the election outcome reminds him not to fixate on negative thoughts.

For him that means sometimes focusing on the tasks of the day such as washing dishes. "That way we're attending to what needs to be done," he said.

A lot of people waved from their cars driving by and others honked their car horns. But some people took him up on his offer for a hug with enthusiasm.

"Getting a hug from him was on my to-do list this morning," said Crystal Merritt, who parked her car and crossed the street to receive a hug from Bradshaw.

She said she had seen a post on the Shaw community Facebook page heralding Bradshaw's efforts. Merritt said she made the hug a priority because "Trump triumphed."

Bradshaw said he had gotten the idea to publicly encourage people from another community staple on that corner, David Boger.

Boger spends a couple hours each week holding a "Black Lives Matter" poster near the memorial for VonDerrit Myers Jr., a teen killed by a police officer more than two years ago.

The lack of love in some of President-elect Donald Trump's messages is what is most distressing to Liz Burge, one of Bradshaw's neighbors, who decided to bring Bradshaw a snack while he offered hugs.

"(He was) the candidate who was most hateful and angry," Burge said, adding that she hoped the free hugs would help people.

But not all who stopped for a hug were distressed. One woman, even though a Hillary Clinton voter, said she still had hope.

"Because Trump stands for negativity doesn't mean we shouldn't see brighter days in the future," she said.
If we are going to be ruthlessly honest here, sometimes you have to tell a little white lie.

People who judge contests always say, All of the entries were excellent, and it was hard to pick a winner. Its just something that the judges have to say, even if a cookie is made with Brussels sprouts or chicken is sauteed in transmission fluid. But this time, no lie was needed. All of the entries truly were excellent. And it really was next to impossible to pick a winner.

This year, the Post-Dispatchs annual Thanksgiving contest focused on the best part of the holiday meal (or any meal): pies.

We first selected six finalists from nearly 60 submissions, a difficult enough task in itself. But when the finalists came into our office, each with his or her own pie to sample, that is when the hard work truly began.

For one, the pies were completely different: We had a sugar-free apple tart, with bourbon and just a hint of horseradish in a homemade applesauce. We had a caramel brown butter walnut pie with lovely decorations in crust on the top. We had a sinfully rich Caribbean mud pie. We had a coconut-caramel pie, nicely chilled. We had a gingersnap pumpkin pie with candied pecans. And we had an oatmeal pie that was loaded with coconut.

And they were all delicious. Better than delicious. They were all exceptional.

But a winner must be picked, and that task came down to a panel of three judges  a food writer, a restaurant critic and the former owner of a bakery. Our deliberations were intense but civil, mostly. After more time than it probably should have taken, and definitely more pie than should have been eaten, we had a consensus winner.

Ellen Trovillion of Clayton won for her Caramel Brown Butter Walnut Pie. And what a pie it is. Its basically a pecan pie that is made with walnuts, plus it has a secret ingredient: toasted oatmeal.

I was trying to think of what people want for Thanksgiving, and they want pecan pie or apple pie. I thought Id make something different. Something that was related, but different, said Trovillion, who is 61.

Her inspiration came from a recipe for oatmeal pie, she said. She took out the coconut, added walnuts and changed the proportions of butter and cream. Its not low-cal, she said.

She learned to bake and cook by watching her mother, Marie Witscher. She now bakes every week; not just pies, but also cakes and cookies. And of course she posts pictures of all her best efforts on Instagram.

Many of the items she bakes now go to family and friends  who often ask for specific items or themes.
The clock ticks just past 5 in the afternoon.

Its two hours until the polls close and Attorney General Chris Koster, the Democratic candidate for governor in the state of Missouri, exits his campaign RV for the last time.

Let me out here, he says to his driver, Myron. Ill walk back.

After starting his day at a union hall in Arnold, heading to Jefferson City to vote, and to Columbia and back to St. Louis to rally volunteers, Koster is standing outside the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica.

All day long hes told voters and volunteers that the race is tied and their efforts will make a difference.

Pray for us, he asked them.

Now its his turn. He heads inside for some solitude at the end of a grueling and expensive race with Republican newcomer Eric Greitens, who consistently trailed Koster in polls but cut the lead to next to nothing in the final two weeks.

When the votes are counted, one of two visions of Missouri will emerge.

Thats what Koster told get-out-the-vote volunteers at a union hall in Maryland Heights about an hour earlier, as they took a break from staffing phones and knocking on doors.

There are two different Missouris, the 52-year-old St. Louis native said.

The dichotomy pits reason vs. rage.

Those words came from a private conversation Koster had months ago with former Gov. John Ashcroft, an old-school Missouri Republican who represents a different time in the states history. It was a time when Republicans  and Koster was one then  would raise gas taxes to build new roads. It was a time when Democrats  Greitens was one then  had many rural strongholds in southern and northern parts of the state.

The Missouri that went to the polls Tuesday, much like the two candidates for governor, has changed. Its an angry, divided electorate choosing between a man who wants to blow up the capital city vs. one who wants to work within the system to make it better.

Voters chose rage. Late Tuesday night, Greitens was declared the winner.

He rode the angry coattails of GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump and presented himself to voters as the machine-gun-toting boxer who would blast away with his fists and his guns at anything that got in his way. Never mind the details of how he might put Missouri back together.

This is an inflection point for the state of Missouri, Koster told a group of union grocery store workers in Arnold Tuesday morning. Theyre in a United Food and Commercial Workers hall, preparing to go knock on doors in Jefferson County.

The state will become like Oklahoma, Koster says of the right-to-work state. It will become like Kansas, he says of the tax-cutting state with flailing revenues. And it will be nearly impossible for us to get it back.

Missouri is now a fully red state, with the governors mansion and Capitol in full Republican control.

Its not the party Koster used to belong to, but a new one with an antipathy for government fed by an angry tone. Its one that didnt completely catch Koster by surprise as he traveled the state in what will be his final campaign.

I dont like that rain, Koster said as the RV headed to the capital city, long before the votes were counted. The skies were cloudy, like the electoral forecast.

It was a pessimistic thought from an experienced politician who had never lost a race but prepared for the outcome that came.

The race, he said all day while encouraging volunteers, was tighter than a tick.

Meanwhile, in the privacy of his campaign RV, he mouthed the words he never wanted to say: Governor Greitens.

Tuesday morning, Koster did something he had never done before. He wrote a concession speech. He didnt expect to lose, but he wanted to be prepared. He didnt like the polling trend lines.

Im concerned, Koster said.

He was right to be. His plan to toss Missouris rage into the trash bin of history fell short.

I think a gentleness in demeanor goes a long way, he said, outlining the vision he thought could bring a divided Missouri together. It was a hopeful thought echoing a political era that has passed Missouri by.

2016 wasnt the year of nice. It was the Year of Trump, and Eric Greitens punched his way to victory.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY  Police on Wednesday morning were searching a wooded area for a burglar who exchanged shots with officers in north St. Louis County after taking a gun from a woman trying to defend her home, authorities said.

The burglar apparently entered the home, in the 10400 block of Castle Drive, through a window early Wednesday morning.

An 83-year-old woman in the home reported the break-in to police  and grabbed her gun, police say.

When officers arrived about 1:20 a.m., they heard yelling and one gunshot inside the home. Police Officer Benjamin Granda said that was a shot the woman fired at the burglar. Police aren't sure if he was hit.

"She was using it to try to keep herself safe until we were able to get there," Granda said. "In the course of this burglary, he took (the gun) away from her." The woman wasn't hurt.

Officers forced their way in. The burglar ran out of the back of the house. Police who were outside saw him holding a handgun. He shot at officers, and they returned fire, police say. He fled. No officer was hurt.

Police called in a police helicopter and dogs to help in the search.
St. Louis-area youth wanted Hillary.

As election results revealed on Tuesday night, adults didn't share the same vision for America.

More than 134,000 students  from pre-kindergarteners to high school seniors  across the St. Louis region cast votes in mock elections in their schools in the past several weeks.

About 61 percent of those students  including students from St. Louis Public Schools and all but three St. Louis County school districts  voted for Hillary Clinton, according to results released Tuesday night by the nonpartisan Kids Voting USA organization. About 33 percent voted for Donald Trump.

Students also weighed in on the U.S. Senate and Missouri governor races. Fifty-eight percent of students voted for Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Jason Kander. The votes for governor were a near tie, with 45.3 percent of students voting for Democrat Chris Koster and 45.2 percent voting for Republican Eric Greitens.

The mock elections are part of a national, nonpartisan election education program called Kids Voting USA that St. Louis-area districts have been a part of since 1996.

Despite the abnormally not-kid-friendly nature of this year's election, educators wanted to use the election to teach students about civic duty and the privilege of voting.

The focus is, what are the kids learning? Hopefully they learn how to be nice to people, said Sandy Diamond, the St. Louis coordinator for Kids Voting USA.

This year, Diamond said, students watched the presidential debates and were horrified by the mean things that were being said. She got plenty of calls from parents and teachers.

The kids are learning in the classroom to be nice to people, to respect other people's opinion, and yet what they saw on TV was the opposite of what they were learning, Diamond said. We've never had that issue before.

Still, educators across the region have had students take part in a number of activities to mimic an election in school. That included holding mock debates, having students research not just the state and presidential candidates but state and local ballot measures, and making campaign posters for each party.

Students were also given group activities to learn about barriers to voting like voter ID laws and why not everybody is allowed to vote.

The hope is that, when children learn the importance of voting and how to vote while they're young, they'll be more likely to make voting a habit when they become old enough to vote. Diamond said students may also be more likely to talk about the election with their families.

"They come home and talk to mom and dad. They come home and they'll say well, mom are you registered? Dad are you registered to vote?" Diamond said. "There's a trickle-up effect."

Brentwood, Affton and Hancock Place are the three school districts in St. Louis County that did not participate in the program this year, according to the Kids Voting Missouri website. Francis Howell, Wentzville, Fox, Meramec Valley, Northwest and Elsberry are districts in other counties that did participate.
UPDATED at 7 a.m. with vote percentages

KANSAS CITY  A Republican wave swept across Missouri Tuesday, sending U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt back to Washington.

What a great night for our state, Blunt said. .... The opportunity to move forward in our state just multiplied by a multiple number of times.

Blunts challenger, Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander, conceded the election after midnight. Blunts excited GOP supporters at his watch party at the Ramada Hotel Plaza and Oasis Convention Center in Springfield, Mo., chanted USA as networks projected key battleground states as victories for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

How sweet it is to win, Blunt said. ...Great moment for our state. Great moment for our country.

Blunt, the incumbent Republican senator, was leading Kander 49 percent to 46 percent with most of the returns in from around the state.

In his concession speech, Kander kept his message positive, appealing to millennial supporters as his young staff stood behind him on stage, saying they shouldnt give up hope because of the outcome of one election.

Thats not OK. ... This country is a place youve got to stay invested in, Kander said. This generation isnt going anywhere.

By the time Kander conceded the race, many in the Blunt crowd in Springfield, which at one point numbered several hundred people, had begun filing out. Some remained behind, gathering in small groups and watching the live feed of cable news being played on projectors throughout the room.

Jason Carter, who was wearing a blue Roy sticker, said he was waiting around mainly to see what happened in the presidential race.

Im a little tired, but this has been a really great night, he said. I cant leave until everythings settled.

Kanders gathering at the Uptown Theater in downtown Kansas City was home to a far more somber affair. What began as room of supporters reflecting on their underdog candidates unexpectedly close bid quickly became grim as Trump performed better than pundits and pollsters had expected.

One Democratic supporter kissed his fingers and raised them heavenward before leaving the event. But for Democrats on Missouris statewide ballot, a divine intervention never came, with Republicans winning the races for governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, attorney general and secretary of state.

Even with Blunts steady lead, Kander was reluctant to concede, choosing instead to wait for the results from Kansas City to make a decision.

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II, D-Mo., took the stage around 11:30 p.m. and quoted wisdom from his grandfather to the voters who remained. Dont open your umbrella until it rains, he advised, insisting urban districts could still put both Kander and Clinton over the top.

Whether it involves protecting Second Amendment rights, nominating conservative Supreme Court nominees or supporting Trump in his quest for the presidency, Blunt campaigned as the best person to represent Missouris values.

It was a race that was contentious, expensive, and going into Election Day, too close for comfort on both sides. A longtime fixture in Missouri politics, Blunt, 66, faced a strong challenge from Kander, 33, a relative newcomer without Blunts lengthy record to defend.

Factor in Kanders military service and fundraising prowess, and his early signs of strength heightened the stakes, as national Democrats recognized a chance to unseat Blunt and perhaps win a majority in the Senate. Those chances faded, too, during the night Tuesday.

Missouris Senate race topped $61 million in combined spending by mid-October, with $35 million of it coming from outside groups not directly affiliated with the campaigns themselves. In pivotal Senate races nationally, according to the newspaper The Hill, at least $754 million was spent on advertising in the states that will decide the control of the Senate come January.

In those ads and on campaign stops throughout the state, Blunt pointed to his ability to work with colleagues across the aisle and routinely insisted a vote for Kander was a rubber stamp for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, both of whom are unpopular in Missouri.

But his candidacy was very often defined  sometimes to his frustration  by his support for Trump, who won Missouri handily.

On election eve, Blunt tweeted that hed been endorsed by Trump, significant because Blunt had slightly trailed Trumps performance statewide in the Post-Dispatchs final poll of the race. He was at times critical of his partys nominee, but stood by Trump throughout his own Senate campaign, even as some of his Republican colleagues  such as Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin  flip-flopped or withdrew endorsements altogether.

Post-Dispatch reporter Koran Addo contributed from Springfield, Mo. Reporter Chuck Raasch contributed from Washington D.C.
JEFFERSON CITY  Perhaps fitting on a night defined by Donald Trumps largely self-funded presidential win, Missouri voters overwhelmingly approved a change to the state constitution that will reinstate campaign contribution limits.

In Missouri  known for having some of the most lax campaign finance laws in the country  donors can spend millions to elect their chosen candidates, which some argue leads to those officials being beholden to their financial backers over their constituencies. But that's about to change.

Supporters of the amendment hailed their win Tuesday, saying it will help keep elections from being influenced only by the wealthy. And in Missouri elections without limits, candidates do raise significantly more money, but from fewer donors  indicating their contributors have deep pockets  and raise more money out of state.

But those against the cap argue that it prohibits free speech through political expression, that donors should be able to spend what they like on candidates so long as they disclose their contributions to the Missouri Ethics Commission.

They also contend that limits will actually lead to less transparency, as donors will merely shuffle money through political action committees that will eventually make its way to their chosen campaigns, behind closed doors and without oversight.

Amendment 2, which was approved by 70 percent of Missouri voters on Tuesday, sought to avoid some of those loopholes by not just limiting how much money donors can spend, but by barring money moving between candidate committees and prohibiting donations from out-of-state PACs, donations intended to conceal the source of the money, and direct contributions from corporations or labor unions.

Committees unaffiliated with a party or candidate can still spend freely for or against ballot issues and candidates, as well as received unlimited donations.

While advocates say the amendments victory will allow average voters to take back their government, some experts question how far the amendment will really go to stem the flow of big money into Missouri races.

Money is like water in politics  it will find its way, said Richard Reuben, an expert in campaign finance law at the University of Missouri, who said limits often prevent the appearance of corruption without stopping corruption itself.

There are other vehicles that will enable you to get around them, Reuben said.

More than 63 percent of voters on Tuesday also signed off on a proposal to change the states constitution and mandate voters present photo identification before casting a ballot, making Missouri the 18th state to implement the controversial requirement.

According to the state constitution, ballot initiatives that change the constitution take effect 30 days after the election. In the case of photo IDs for voting, the referendum was tied to a law muscled through in the most recent legislative session by Republican legislators who argue the proposal will prevent voter fraud.

Now that voters have approved the change, the law passed by the legislature will take effect in 2017. That legislation lays out guidelines for the requirement, including a provision that will allow those without photo identification to sign a sworn statement affirming their identity before voting.

Democrats insist rampant voter fraud is a nonexistent problem, and that the requirement disenfranchises certain voters, including senior citizens, the poor and people of color.

Opponents sounded off after its approval Tuesday, saying Republicans pushed for a constitutional change because it would be harder to challenge in court. In September, Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard, R-Joplin, admitted they went the extra mile by putting the policy before voters in November.

Legislators pushed forward the effort to pass a confusing amendment in order to implement a restrictive photo ID law they knew was unconstitutional, said Missouri State Conference of the NAACP President Nimrod Chapel.

Voting rights advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, said they are examining how the law can be challenged. Courts in North Carolina, Wisconsin and Texas have tossed similar laws on the grounds that they unfairly target voters of color.

The cap on contribution limits is also likely to be challenged in court, though the Missouri Supreme Court ruled in September that voters deserved the chance to consider the proposal.
U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a disabled combat veteran in the vanguard of the Democrats push for the U.S. Senate, on Tuesday defeated incumbent Sen. Mark Kirk, who had won President Barack Obamas former seat during the Republican surge of 2010.

Duckworth, 48, a congresswoman in Chicagos western suburbs, was regarded as one of her partys surest bets to pick up a Senate seat. Sensing vulnerability in dark-blue Illinois, Kirk was among the first Republican leaders to break with Donald Trump and was the first GOP senator to meet Obamas long-stalled Supreme Court nominee, Judge Merrick Garland.

Duckworth was an Illinois National Guard helicopter pilot who lost both legs when her Black Hawk was shot down in Iraq in 2004. Obama later appointed her assistant secretary for veterans affairs, and she won election to Congress in 2012.

Kirk, 57, is a former congressman and GOP moderate. In 2010, the year of the Tea Party, he narrowly won the Senate seat that Obama had vacated two years before. Kirk suffered a serious stroke in 2012. Both candidates use wheelchairs.

The big gaffe during their contest was uttered by Kirk during a debate on Oct. 27, when he derided Duckworths Asian heritage during a discussion about ancestors in the military. He quickly apologized, but it was national news for days.

In the battle for Illinois comptroller, Susana Mendoza, the Chicago city clerk, led incumbent Republican Leslie Munger. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner appointed Munger, a cosmetics company executive from a north suburb of Chicago, in January 2015 to fill a vacancy. The Munger-Mendoza contest became an expensive, high-profile proxy fight in the statewide battle between Rauner and legislative Democrats, led by veteran House Speaker Mike Madigan.

Illinois voters easily adopted the Safe Roads Amendment to the state constitution, which will bar state and local governments from diverting road- and vehicle-tax revenue to other purposes. Road contractors and trade unions were the most visible supporters.

In Metro East-area contests for U.S. House of Representatives, one-term Republican Rep. Mike Bost of Murphysboro defeated Democrat C.J. Baricevic of Belleville, son of Chief Circuit Judge John Baricevic. Two years ago, Bost became the first Republican to serve the district since 1945. It now runs from Alton south through East St. Louis and Belleville all the way to Cairo.

Rep. Rodney Taylor, R-Taylorville, turned back Democrat Mark Wicklund of Decatur. The central Illinois district dips into part of Madison County.

Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, had no opponent in his bid for a 10th term. His district covers the eastern reaches of the Metro East.

The elder Baricevic trailed in his court-tested but controversial strategy of sidestepping Illinois retention system for judges, which requires 60 percent voter approval.

He and two other judges submitted resignations to take effect one month from now, then won the Democratic primary. But Baricevic trailed Ronald Duebbert on Tuesday night and fellow Judge Robert LeChein narrowly trailed his Republican challenger, Laninya Cason. Judge Robert Haida had no opponent.

In the only Metro East contest for Illinois Senate, Republican Paul Schimpf of Waterloo defeated former lieutenant governor Sheila Simon, a Democrat and a daughter of the late U.S. Sen. Paul Simon.

The challenges our state faces are real and severe, Schimpf said in his victory statement. Solving them will require humility, hard work and bipartisan cooperation.

He will replace Sen. David Luetchefeld, R-Okawville, who is retiring after 22 years in office. The district includes Cahokia and all of Monroe and Randolph counties, and runs east to Mount Vernon and south to most of Carbondale.

In local races for Illinois House of Representatives, the most vigorous contest  at least in terms of battling broadcast ads  was in the 112th District, where Democratic challenger Katie Stuart of Edwardsville unseated Rep. Dwight Kay, R-Glen Carbon.

Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, breezed past Republican challenger Katherine Ruocco, and Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, defeated Republican Mike Babcock of Bethalto, the Wood River Township supervisor.

Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Raymond and, at 24, Illinois youngest legislator, turned back Democrat Mike Mathis of Gillespie to win a first full term. Her party appointed Bourne, a former campaign worker for Gov. Bruce Rauner and other Republicans, to a vacancy in February 2015. Mathis is a former Gillespie mayor and Macoupin County circuit clerk.

In the areas only contest for an open seat, East St. Louis city councilwoman LaToya Greenwood led Republican Robert Romanik, bombastic radio announcer on local station KQQZ. She would replace Rep. Eddie Lee Jackson, R-East St. Louis, who is retiring after eight years in office.
When Eric Greitens takes the oath of office as Missouris 56th governor in January, Republicans will control the legislative branch and the executive branch for the first time in eight years.

While that could help supporters of the GOP agenda, lawmakers and the new governor will face a number of challenges from both within their partisan ranks and from the everyday pressures on state government.

From his pledge to tighten state ethics rules to passing an anti-union right-to-work law, the political neophyte will be juggling his own agenda at the same time the Legislature pursues its own.

Catherine Hanaway, a former speaker of the Missouri House and one of three Republicans who lost to Greitens in a hard-fought August primary, agreed Wednesday that there could be some tension between the new chief executive and lawmakers.

Take, for instance, his call for a lengthy waiting period for lawmakers who want to become lobbyists. Greitens proposal comes against the backdrop of a new law approved in the spring forcing lawmakers to wait just six months to lobby.

That is something that is going to have to be negotiated. Six months isnt enough, said Hanaway.

But, she and others surveyed by the Post-Dispatch said Greitens and legislative leaders already are preparing to sprint out of the gate.

Theres pent-up demand for having a governor who will sign ethics reform, tort reform and a right-to-work law, Hanaway said.

On Wednesday, Greitens turned down an interview request after his more than yearlong campaign to replace term-limited Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat.

Rather than taking a quick victory lap, however, Greitens spent the day in St. Louis, said spokesman Austin Chambers. Greitens did find time to do an interview with conservative radio talk-show host Mark Reardon of KMOX.

Greitens is expected to be in Jefferson City on Thursday for meetings.

Supporters say his win sends a message similar to that of Republican Donald Trumps victory as president.

People were ready for a change, said Mark Ludwig, a longtime volunteer for Republican campaigns who lives in south St. Louis County. They are sick and tired of the gridlock both in D.C. and in Jeff City, and they wanted a new person.

Greitens, a Maryland Heights native and 1992 graduate of Parkway North High School, had come into the race with no previous political experience. But his lengthy resume as a former Navy SEAL, founder of a charity for veterans and Rhodes scholar helped him cruise past Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster by 163,620 votes for an unofficial margin of victory of 51 percent to 45 percent.

Republican leaders in the Missouri House and Senate also secured another two years of supermajorities, from which they likely will continue their pursuit of right-to-work legislation, which would make it illegal for workers to be required to join a union or to pay dues to a labor organization as a condition of employment.

With Nixon no longer wielding his veto pen, the proposal could be among the first initiatives moving through the Legislature in 2017.

We can expect Governor-elect Greitens to act quickly on some of the biggest problems facing our state and to quickly clear some long-standing roadblocks that have been impeding our growth, said Daniel Mehan, president of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Bringing right-to-work protections to Missouri and ensuring our state courts are fair to all parties are just a few of the first steps he has proposed.

Mike Louis, president of the Missouri AFL-CIO, urged the labor community to stand together in opposition to right-to-work.

With the election of Eric Greitens the security of our livelihoods is being threatened. Good jobs, decent pay, safe work places are all at risk of disappearing, Louis said in a statement issued after the polls closed.

House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, said labor reform was among a handful of top initiatives. People want to see Missouri move in a better direction, Richardson said.

House Republicans said their postelection meeting Wednesday in Jefferson City was a signal that the first 100 days of the 2017 legislative session could be busy.

We want to hit the ground running and get everyone on the same page, said Rep. Robert Cornejo, R-St. Peters.

Cornejo conceded that Greitens may have a tougher time persuading Republican leaders to join him on a crackdown on unethical behavior under the Capitol dome.

He said a longer waiting time for lobbyists wanting to become lobbyists is likely to be a sticking point.

In the House there was a bigger appetite for a longer cooling off period last spring. A lot of the hesitation and holdup came in the Senate, Cornejo said. So, a resolution will come down to how the new governor works with the Senate.

Senate President Ron Richard, R-Joplin, said he is encouraged to work with Greitens.

I congratulate him and his family and all of their hard work over the last few months, and Im looking forward to a successful session next year, Richard said in a statement.

Dave Robertson, a political scientist at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, predicted lawmakers and Greitens would find a politically palatable resolution.

I think there is some common ground that artful diplomacy could produce a package  at least a small package  of reforms, Robertson said.

The new governor also will face challenges when it comes to overseeing state government, ranging from maintaining crumbling roads and bridges and other state facilities to grappling with high turnover among state workers who are the lowest paid in the nation.

In addition, revenues flowing into the state are coming in more slowly than anticipated, potentially requiring more cuts to the $27 billion spending plan before the fiscal year ends in June. Greitens offered few specifics on his budget plans during the campaign.

Greitens also expressed support for altering the way the state appoints and elects judges, which would require a change in the state constitution.

Richardson said he doubted any lawmakers were upset over Greitens near-constant bashing of the culture of Jefferson City or worried about his lack of experience. Rather, the speaker said most members likely were happy to finally have a Republican in the governors office.

I dont think there is any smoothing over needed, Richardson said.

Celeste Bott of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
Missouri voters on Tuesday installed newcomers in four of the states top elected offices as Republican candidates ran the tables in races for secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer and lieutenant governor.

Attorney General-elect Josh Hawley, Secretary of State-elect Jay Ashcroft, Lt. Governor-elect Mike Parson and Treasurer-elect Eric Schmitt almost certainly will be sworn in along with Republican Governor-elect Eric Greitens in January.

Incomplete and unofficial returns late Tuesday showed the four Republicans swamping each of their Democratic opponents by substantial margins.

Hawley defeated Cass County Prosecutor Teresa Hensley in the contest to succeed Chris Koster, the Democrat bested by Greitens on Tuesday.

Ashcroft topped former St. Louis television newscaster Robin Smith in an open race created by incumbent Secretary of State Jason Kanders bid to upend Republican U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt.

Parson, a two-term state senator, will take over the lieutenant governorship from Peter Kinder.

Schmitt, a term-limited state senator, will return to Jefferson City in 2017 as state treasurer, a post vacated by Democrat Clint Zweifel who chose not to seek re-election.

Hawley spokesman Scott Paradise said Hawleys message in the GOP primary about being a political outsider clearly resonated in the general election.

I think for the duration of this campaign his experience and track record has been discussed extensively, and for the second time, Missouri voters have responded in overwhelming fashion, Paradise said.

The 2016 campaign marked Hawleys first foray into elective politics.

A graduate of Yale Law School, he clerked with the 10th U.S. Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court before accepting a position to teach constitutional law at the University of Missouri Law School.

Hensley, the Cass County prosecutor, began her legal career in private practice. She has also served as an alderman in Raymore, in suburban Kansas City.

I felt we stayed on message from the beginning. Focusing on Missouri values and staying on positive message paid off for us, Parson said from a Tuesday night victory party at a Bolivar, Mo., restaurant.

The newly elected lieutenant governor said work will begin immediately on transitioning from the legislative to the executive branch.

Parson listed veterans affairs, tourism and agriculture as top priorities upon taking office.

Missouris next lieutenant governor has served a state Senate district in the southwest corner of the state. A former Polk County sheriff, Parson was an early 2016 candidate for the governorship before setting his sights on the second-in-command post.

Carnahan hails from a family with an entrenched Missouri political lineage. His late father, Mel Carnahan, was governor. Jean Carnahan, his mother, served in the U.S. Senate following her husbands death in a plane crash during the 2000 senatorial campaign. The brother of former Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, Russ Carnahan represented the 1st Missouri Congressional District from 2000-13.

Ashcroft, the son of former U.S. Sen. and Attorney General John Ashcroft, also brought a political pedigree to a 2016 statewide race. The candidate currently shares a law practice with his father, who also is a former Missouri governor and attorney general.

Smith in 2015 ended a 42-year career as a reporter and anchor with stations in the St. Louis television news market. The secretary of state campaign marked her introduction to politics as a candidate.

Schmitt was seeking statewide office after being eased out by term limits following an eight-year stint representing a portion of St. Louis County in the state senate.

A small-business owner, Baker is a former state representative. She ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor in 2012.
ST. LOUIS  Missouri voters on Tuesday gave former Navy SEAL Eric Greitens, a Republican, his newest mission  to be their next governor  elevating a political neophyte who argued that the political system could only be fixed by a conservative outsider.

Greitens victory, along with continued GOP control of the Legislature, virtually guarantees that Missouri soon will join the ranks of so-called right-to-work states, with laws that diminish the power of labor unions.

Despite pre-election polls showing a virtual tie, Greitens held a strong lead Tuesday night with most of the votes counted against Democratic nominee Chris Koster, currently Missouris attorney general.

Tonight begins a new generation of conservative leadership here in Missouri, Greitens told frenzied supporters at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Chesterfield shortly before 11 p.m., after getting Kosters concession. Tonight, we did more than win an election; we restored power to the people and we took our state back!

Koster, facing his first expulsion from elective office in more than two decades, told a far more somber gathering of supporters at the Chase Park Plaza hotel in St. Louis: Im proud of the case we made for the people of Missouri.

Greitens, 42, of St. Louis, will take office as Missouris 56th governor in January, succeeding two-term Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon, who was ousted by term limits.

Greitens, a Maryland Heights native and 1992 graduate of Parkway North High School, becomes Missouris first Jewish governor. He and his wife, Sheena Greitens, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri specializing in East Asian politics, have two young sons.

In Jefferson City, Greitens, a Democrat-turned-Republican, will face a Legislature controlled by his adopted party  but that doesnt necessarily portend a smooth relationship. Greitens core campaign promise to clean up the Legislature with new ethics restrictions hasnt exactly endeared him to its leaders.

Its a promise he repeated to his supporters late Tuesday. Were going to take on the special interests and were going to clean up Jefferson City, he vowed in his speech. He also promised to continue the states resistance to any expansion of Obamacare.

His supporters at the event almost drowned out his speech at times with their enthusiasm.

Im ecstatic, said Catherine Hogan, 59, a veterinarian from Creve Coeur. We need right-to-work in this state, we need people back to jobs, we need to get rid of Obamacare, which is destroying small businesses in this country and sending insurance sky high.

Tuesdays election ends a long, bitter race for governor that began in tragedy almost two years ago.

Missouris gubernatorial slog started in January 2015, with what looked to be a normal fight for the Republican nomination between two experienced mainstream politicians: former state House Speaker Catherine Hanaway and state Auditor Tom Schweich.

But Schweich committed suicide on Feb. 26, 2015, after complaining bitterly about the alleged tactics of his fellow Republicans. The tragedy divided and rocked the party, ultimately setting up a four-way battle involving Hanaway, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, businessman John Brunner and Greitens.

Greitens came into the race with no political experience. But he owned an almost surreal personal resume: former Navy SEAL, decorated combat veteran, humanitarian activist, Rhodes scholar, best-selling author and founder of the Mission Continues, a philanthropic organization for returning veterans who want to serve their communities.

Greitens used that outsider mantle to beat three more politically experienced opponents in the Aug. 2 Republican primary  in part with a nationally attention-getting television ad in which he fired a military-style assault rifle across a field to spark an explosion.

Along the way, Greitens created some friction with the states Republican establishment with his relentless portrayal of the Republican-controlled Legislature as a swamp of bad ethics. His top promise during the campaign was to clean up Jefferson City with a ban on lobbyist gifts to lawmakers and restrictions on revolving-door lobbying contracts for ex-lawmakers.

But Greitens has also stressed his support for right-to-work legislation that would weaken labor unions and, proponents claim, improve the states business climate. Democrats say its anti-worker, and Nixon has blocked the Republican Legislature from getting it into statute. Republicans says its pro-business, and Greitens has vowed to sign it.

Kosters journey to Tuesdays election was as typical as Greitens was unusual  except for the fact that Koster, like Greitens, switched parties along the way. An attorney, former Cass County prosecutor and former state senator representing a region near Kansas City, Koster, 52, was a Republican until switching parties in 2007, prior to winning his first term as attorney general.

Koster supporter Rob Dean from Springfield, Mo., drove to St. Louis expecting a celebration Tuesday night. I think there are a lot of people, like myself, that used to be Republicans who have stopped identifying with the party, Dean said. I dont know that either of our presidential candidates can help put us back together, but Im very, very confident that Chris Koster would have done that here.

Ashley Jost and Jeremy Kohler of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
CLAYTON  A judge appointed a receiver Wednesday to take over the Econo Lodge in Sunset Hills, where the city recently revoked the business license because of allegations of incidents involving prostitution, narcotics and fights.

St. Louis County Circuit Judge Ellen Levy Siwak held the proceedings in private in her chambers in the courthouse in Clayton, as she had done previously. Court Administrator Paul Fox said later that is within her discretion.

Its an informal matter, said Fox. There is no reason for it to be argued on the record.

A Post-Dispatch reporter, Tim ONeil, trying to learn what was happening, was injured when a lawyer for Sunset Hills slammed a conference room door shut on his hand after the hearing.

Clayton police were called to investigate.

Siwaks order appoints Midas Hospitality authority to run operations of the Econo Lodge, as requested by the motels bank, Royal Banks of Missouri. The order gives Midas the power to communicate with Sunset Hills, discuss contracts, records, collect and pay taxes and maintain security.

The judge would not agree to be interviewed.

After the closed hearing, ONeil said, he saw the city lawyer, Robert E. Jones, several city officials and what he believed were several members of the public talking in a hallway. When the reporter approached, they moved into a side room. ONeil said he opened the door to make a case for being included and Jones lunged into the door and slammed it hard.

ONeil added, I was just doing my job, trying to find out whats going on with a supposedly troublesome hotel, and everyones scurrying behind closed doors.

Fox said he didnt know who was involved in the meeting after the hearing but said litigants are entitled to private communications with their attorneys.

The impact sliced off more than a half-inch of ONeils left middle finger. He was taken by ambulance to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis for treatment.

Jones declined to comment on that incident or the judges order.

Last month, the Board of Aldermen revoked the business license for the motel, at 3730 South Lindbergh Boulevard, prompting owner Shaiq Amir to sue.

Amir, who identified himself as a Muslim from Pakistan, alleges the citys action was based, in whole or in part, on the ethnic origin or the religion of the owner 

City Administrator Eric Sterman said police wrote 349 reports on incidents there over a recent 12-month period.
Missourians on Tuesday appear to have overwhelmingly voted to reinstate campaign donation limits and to require photo identification for future elections but snuffed out two proposed cigarette tax increases.

Also passing with the vast majority of precincts counted was a ban on expanding the reach of sales taxes to services such as haircuts or home repairs. Voters also appear to have renewed a long-standing state sales tax which funds the state park system and soil and water conservation programs.

Meanwhile, a property tax increase for services for older adults was ahead late Tuesday in St. Louis. But similar tax measures for senior programs were trailing in St. Louis and St. Charles counties.

The campaign donation proposal, if it withstands an expected court challenge, will cap donations at $2,600 per election for individual candidates for state and local offices and $25,000 for political parties. The measure, Constitutional Amendment 2, also makes it illegal in most cases to shuffle money between committees.

It just resonated with the people, said Todd Jones of the Missouri Campaign Contribution Reform Initiative, speaking of the wide margin late in the evening. They finally want to take back control of their government. They havent had that opportunity when people are writing million-dollar checks to campaigns.

Opponents contended that the current system ensures transparency and that the limits would unfairly restrict political expression.

The amendment still would allow committees unaffiliated with a candidate or party to receive unlimited donations and spend freely to promote or oppose ballot issues and candidates.

The photo-ID proposal, Constitutional Amendment 6, was pushed by the Republican-run Legislature and strongly opposed by Democrats.

With voter ID, youre going to have more reliability in the outcome of your elections because you know they were conducted in a proper manner, said a key legislative backer, state Rep. Justin Alferman, R-Hermann.

Opponents warn that the measure would disenfranchise voters without a photo ID or the means to easily get one. They also say voter impersonation is rare. A court challenge is expected.

One unsuccessful tobacco proposal  Constitutional Amendment 3 would have gradually raised the tax on cigarettes by 60 cents a pack, with the extra revenue earmarked for early childhood education.

That measure also would have created a 67-cents-per-pack fee for wholesalers on some discount-brand cigarettes.

The other cigarette tax plan  Proposition A  would have phased in a 23-cent-per-pack increase over five years, with the proceeds used to repair roads and bridges.

The dueling plans were part of a dispute between large tobacco companies, which bankrolled the campaign for the 60-cent hike, and smaller tobacco companies supporting the 23-cent hike. The squabble is over a loophole that has allowed the smaller firms to avoid making payments to the state from a 1998 court settlement.

Both tax increases were opposed by groups such as the American Cancer Society and American Heart Association, which say neither hike would have been big enough.

The ban on sales taxes on services, Constitutional Amendment 4, was a pre-emptive strike to block the Legislature and local governments from enacting such measures.

The Missouri Association of Realtors pushed the amendment, while the opposing Missouri Municipal League said it would handcuff local governments and possibly lead to higher property taxes.

The tax renewal measure, Constitutional Amendment 1, continues for 10 more years a one-tenth cent sales tax for parks and soil and water conservation that was initially approved by voters in 1984.

The local measures to aid seniors were drafted to hike the property tax by 5 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The revenue would pay for transportation, health, food and other services.
WASHINGTON  Donald Trump's campaign for president was rarely pretty and always implausible - at least that's what the experts said. Trump always believed otherwise and in stunning fashion proved all the experts wrong. But his victory over Hillary Clinton left open the biggest question of all: What kind of president would he be and what kind of country would he lead?

It's impossible to overstate how uncertain the road ahead is at this point. But how will Trump govern, and how effective will he be? His core issues - trade, immigration, and law and order - offer clues but no clear road map for the future. Even in pursuit of the goals he outlined in those three areas, his proposals lack real specificity. But then, his campaign was not about policy white papers. It was instead a thumb in the eye of the establishment, an American version of the populist uprisings against open borders and globalization that have been seen in other Western societies.

Trump always said he smelled an American Brexit in the making - a reference to the unexpected victory in Britain in June by those who wanted to take the country out of the European Union. That vote caught the elites and the establishment totally by surprise. It was an uprising that went unseen until it struck. Trump's victory was by far even more shocking. It was the kind of "can't happen here" event that will go down as one of the great upsets in political history.

What happened Tuesday was a victory powered by an outpouring of voters, overwhelmingly white and many without college degrees, who felt left behind by the economic recovery, ignored by Washington and disdained by the political, cultural and economic elites. In the end, that was enough to topple Clinton and her dream of becoming the first female president in the nation's history. The shock waves will be felt for months and maybe years.

Trump insulted Hispanics, women, a prominent senator who was a former POW, and a disabled reporter. He called for a ban on Muslims entering the country, later modified and softened. Can he make room in the America he now leads for all those who loudly and vigorously opposed his candidacy? Trump suggested he might not accept the outcome of the election if he lost. How will those who oppose him now respond to his victory? Those are far from incidental questions.

At one point in the campaign, Clinton called part of Trump's army "a basket of deplorables." Yet even she acknowledged that what fueled his candidacy, at least in part, was the feeling of alienation and economic anxiety on the part of a wide swath of the population. One Clinton adviser described it as "a quiet rage" that existed in the privacy of living rooms and around kitchen tables, frustration with the political system and the lack of tangible results from government's actions for many hard-working Americans.

Clinton's "deplorables" comment became a rallying cry in the final months of the campaign. Trump attracted an army of loyal followers who saw in him the mechanism to break the hold of those in power and to shake Washington to its core. They also loathed Clinton, no small part of the reason she lost. It was that combination and that power, seen but underestimated during the campaign that produced an Election Night shocker that sent world markets plunging and left the country on edge.

Trump succeeded for many reasons, easier to describe in retrospect than many who view politics through traditional lenses saw throughout the campaign. His mistakes always seemed to overwhelm his attributes. What the experts overlooked was how many people were willing to forgive or discount the most controversial aspects of his candidacy - and what no one can measure is just how many agreed with what he said.

This was an uprising by Americans who had lost faith in institutions. Trump gave them a voice they felt they haven't had in a changing America. Clinton tried to make the campaign all about temperament. As a political strategy, it failed. But that doesn't negate the questions about whether Trump can successfully translate the style of his campaign to the demands of the Oval Office.

So many questions now rise up for answers. How will he govern? Can he forge a true working relationship with Republican congressional leaders whom he belittled as they equivocated about his candidacy?

His foreign policy pronouncements lacked both consistency and coherence. He had no fixed ideology. He leaned right on tax cuts and left on trade. He has operated on instinct and impulse. He said whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. What he showed is that huge numbers of Americans cared little about ideological consistency or political correctness. What they wanted was a send-a-message candidate.

His most important relationship will be with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. At one point Ryan described Trump's insults about U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel as the definition of racism, yet he still voted for him. As Trump offered his agenda, Ryan countered with one of his own. Whose will take precedence?

In the closing weeks of the campaign, Trump went to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where he laid out an agenda that provides some indication of what he might do. It was a speech akin to the 1994 House Republicans' Contract with America, a series of pledges designed, as Trump put it, "to drain the swamp" of privilege and special interests in Washington. Others have promised as much in the past.

This was an election about fundamentals and first principles, bringing to the surface an acrimonious argument about the values and beliefs that provide the underpinnings of any society. It was an election that involved big questions about race, gender, religion and economic inequality, as well as the relationship between the central government and an increasingly distrustful people. It highlighted the gulf between society's elites - political, economic and cultural - and the rest of the population.

Above all it was a campaign about the identity of a nation. The campaign brought to the fore the tensions of a nation in transition and the pull and tug felt on each side of dividing lines that define far more than just our politics. At its best, this can produce a conversation in which different sides bring heartfelt attitudes about what makes America the great nation it was, is and will be. At its worst, it can give voice to racism and misogyny, anti-Semitism and religious bigotry.

The election exposed the rawest edges of a diverse and changing America. The campaign pitted group against group, injected tension into everyday interactions even among friends and neighbors. Social media stoked those tensions and widened the divisions.

Clinton ran a campaign she could never have anticipated. She was thrust into the maelstrom of a Trump-generated cyclone, and she and her campaign tried to adapt on the fly. She represented history in the making, but through much of the campaign the possibility of breaking the gender barrier provided a far more modest lift than Obama received on his way to becoming the nation's first African American president.

Trump did what Clinton could not do, delivering margins in predominantly white areas of battleground states that far eclipsed those of Mitt Romney in 2012. Clinton failed to do what she needed, which was to combine elements of the Obama coalition - Hispanics, African Americans and young voters - and add to them college-educated white voters turned off by Trump's rhetoric. His rallies were always bigger and more passionate than hers, and on Election Day, that energy helped deliver the victory.

Big elections are supposed to help settle some of these disputes, or at least point a direction for the new leader. Yet, as the campaign ended Tuesday, the question remained as to what had been resolved, if anything. No one was prepared to predict what kind of presidency Trump would fashion, only that if it followed the patterns of his campaign, it would continue to divide the country and, at its start, certainly, alarm allies around the world. And yet Trump vowed he could find a way to make it work.

Michael Leavitt, the Republican former governor of Utah, said as the polls were closing: "I think the country is desperate for a jolt of optimism. In their own way, what most people have wanted to find is functionality [in Washington]. Those who support Trump believe the only way you can find functionality is to 'drain the swamp.' "

For months, Americans have been apprehensive as they neared Election Day, never able to turn away from the spectacle that was on their television screens and smartphones. Record numbers watched the debates during the primaries, and the biggest audience ever tuned in for the first of three Clinton-Trump faceoffs this fall.

Everyone knew the campaign was unlike anything they had seen in the past. Everyone wanted it to end. Now it falls to Trump, the unlikely winner of the most traumatic election in memory, to chart the course ahead and try, if he can, to prove that he can lift the whole country out of its morass and make Washington work.
WASHINGTON  A day after Donald Trump, against all odds, won election as America's 45th president, Hillary Clinton on Wednesday lamented that the nation proved to be "more divided than we thought" but told supporters: "We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead."

Standing before a crowd of crestfallen campaign aides and backers, Clinton said, "This is painful and it will be for a long time."

Trump's triumph, declared after midnight, will end eight years of Democratic control of the White House. He'll govern with a Republican-controlled Congress and lead a country deeply divided by his rancorous campaign against Clinton. He faces fractures within his own party, too, given the numerous Republicans who wouldn't back him or only tepidly supported his nomination.

Claiming victory early Wednesday in New York, Trump urged Americans to "come together as one united people." He then spent the day in Trump Tower, whose usually buzzing lobby was closed. It was unclear when he might appear again publicly.

Trump's talk of unity was echoed by GOP House Speaker Paul Ryan, who had been a reluctant Trump supporter. "This needs to be a time of redemption, not a time of recrimination," Ryan said in a news conference, crediting Trump with earning a "mandate" to enact his agenda.

Clinton, hoping to become the first woman to be elected president, conceded defeat in a telephone call to Trump.

With several million votes still to be counted, she held a narrow lead in the nationwide popular vote. Most of the outstanding votes appeared to be in Democratic-leaning states, with the biggest chunk in California, a state Clinton overwhelmingly won. With almost 125 million votes counted, The Associated Press tally had Clinton with 47.7 percent and Trump with 47.5 percent.

Summoning her most magnanimous tone after a bitter race, Clinton said of the man whose victory she declared would be a danger to America and the world: "I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans."

As her supporters waited for her in a New York ballroom, the scene of despair played out for all on live television. Cameras zoomed in on the exhausted and miserable faces of several of her closest aides, some dressed in hoodies or other casual clothing. The familiar campaign music of Bruce Springsteen in the background added to the sense of disappointment.

"We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought," Clinton said in a speech she never hoped to deliver. "But I still believe in America and I always will."

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged early Wednesday, but later recovered. The Dow Jones industrial average was up more than 1 percent in late-day trading in New York.

President Barack Obama congratulated Trump in a phone call and invited him to a meeting at the White House Thursday.

In the Rose Garden Wednesday, Obama said he had significant differences with Trump, as he had with George W. Bush upon taking office eight years ago. But he promised a smooth transition.

"Everybody is sad when their side loses an election," said Obama, who risks seeing much of his legacy reversed in a Trump administration. "The day after, we have to remember we're actually all on one team."

Trump, who spent much of the campaign urging supporters on as they chanted "lock her up," said the nation owed Clinton "a major debt of gratitude" for her years of public service.

A New York real estate developer who lives in a sparkling Manhattan high-rise, Trump forged a connection with white, working class Americans who feel left behind in a changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of problems plaguing many Americans and tapped into fears of terrorism emanating at home and abroad.

GOP Senate candidates fended off Democratic challengers in key states, including North Carolina, Indiana and Wisconsin. Republicans maintained their grip on the House.

Senate control means Trump will have leeway in appointing Supreme Court justices, potentially shifting the bench to the right for decades.

He has pledged to introduce sweeping changes to U.S. foreign policy, including building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and advocated a closer relationship with Moscow, worrying some in his own party who fear he'll go easy on Putin's provocations.

Putin sent Trump a telegram of congratulations.

Upending years of political convention on his way to the White House, Trump repeatedly insulted his rivals, declared Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers, and vowed to suspend Muslim immigration to the U.S. He never released his tax returns and ignored the kind of robust data and field efforts that propelled Obama to two White House terms, relying instead on large, free-wheeling rallies to energize supporters. His campaign often seemed in chaos.

Clinton faced persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. And her troubles flared anew late in the race, when the FBI reviewed new emails from her tenure at the State Department. Just two days before Election Day, the bureau's director said nothing in the material warranted criminal charges.

Women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men significantly backed Trump. Nearly nine in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for Clinton.
Some 27 years ago today, the world was stunned: On the night of Nov. 9, the Berlin Wall, the living symbol of Cold War divisions, was suddenly breached. After an East German official vaguely announced that travel restrictions would be eased, border guards, confused by their orders, did nothing to stop excited East Germans from crossing over. Soon images of Germans ecstatically swarming the wall, chipping away at it with hammers, and hugging long-separated friends and strangers alike, flooded televisions around the world.

Few saw it coming. Yet the sudden implosion of the Communist bloc in eastern Europe and the fall of the wall marked what was widely heralded as a historic milestone in the spread of Western, democratic values.

Now, another surprise moment is playing out, thanks to the stunning victory early Wednesday of Donald Trump, a candidate who began his presidential campaign promising to build a wall on the border with Mexico.

Whether Trump manages to make good on his proposals to erect an unbreathable border fence and deport 11 million undocumented immigrants, of course, remains to be seen. More than a quarter of the 2,000 miles separating Mexico and the United States already has a fence, which cost American taxpayers $7 billion. A wall of concrete covering 1,000 miles, as Trump has proposed, would trespass on private land and could cost $25 billion, according to a study by the Washington Post.

But this has been a year of walls in the West, underscoring the degree to which globalization and economic dislocation have bred resentment, anxiety, and xenophobia. Across Europe, checkpoints and new border security, like a formidable razor wire fence in Hungary, have risen of late, fueled by fears of immigration and terrorism ignited by the Syrian refugee crisis. In June, voters in the United Kingdom chose to leave the European Union rather than risk keeping their borders open. Right-wing parties are gaining steady steam in France, Germany and elsewhere.

Those cheering Trumps promises might recall another GOP president, one who was no fan of strict barriers. Two years before the Berlin Wall finally crumbled, Ronald Reagan threw down his historic challenge to the Soviet premier: Mister Gorbachev, tear down this wall! he said at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

During his campaign for president in 1980, Reagan promoted opening the border with Mexico both ways and issuing more work permits to immigrants so they could pay taxes. Rather than talking about putting up a fence, why dont we work out some recognition of our mutual problems? he said in a primary debate. He didnt live up to that plan, but later signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, which offered a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants in the country  a far cry from Trumps plan to deport them.

On the other hand, another message emblazoned on the East Side Gallery, a remnant of the Berlin Wall thats been preserved as a memorial to freedom, is also starkly prophetic in this year of global turmoil  though not, perhaps, in the way the authors may have intended at the time.

Many small people, who in many small places do many small things, can alter the face of the world, reads the famous slogan painted by artists Muriel Raoux and Kani Alavi on the gallery in 1990.
The Tri-Cities Area Division of United Way of Greater St. Louis recently announced its 2016 campaign goal of $525,000, according to a press release.

The annual fundraising campaign began with a Community United themed kickoff event in September and will end in early November.

The Tri-Cities Area Division of United Way of Greater St. Louis serves the cities of Granite City, Madison, Mitchell, Pontoon Beach and Venice, and helped more than 80,000 people last year. Twenty health and human service organizations are supported by the Tri-Cities Area Divisions annual fundraising campaign.

This year, I had the opportunity to meet with some of the local United Way member agencies and see its tremendous impact in the tri-cities area, said Nancy LeVault, executive director of Southwestern Illinois College  Sam Wolf Granite City Campus and chair of the Tri-Cities Area Divisions 2016 campaign. I know this generous community will come together to help our neighbors live their best possible lives, which is why I am motivated each day to continue this work.

At a St. Louis Cardinals game on Sept. 8, United Way of Greater St. Louis announced its overall 2016 campaign goal is $75 million.

We recognize the work that must be done, both short- and long-term, in order to help people move past the barriers preventing them from educational attainment, good health and economic stability, said Orvin Kimbrough, president and CEO of United Way of Greater St. Louis. Because of the generosity of thousands who support United Way, we can continue to help one in three people live their best possible lives and create a stronger, more thriving St. Louis region or all.

With generous support through individual and corporate donations, United Way is able to invest more than $1 million each week in the community to create a solid foundation for a good quality of life through basic needs, education, financial stability, health and strong communities. Last year, about 150,000 people and 2,400 businesses donated to United Way to collectively raise $74.3 million.

For more information or to pledge a donation, contact United Ways Tri-Cities Area Division at 618-877-6780 or visit HelpingPeople.org.
The Madison School Board allocated an additional $1 million to special education after public outcry for more special education assistants in the district's classrooms.
Yesterday, voters in four states considered ballot measures to hike state tobacco taxes, including on handmade cigars. Voters in North Dakota, Colorado, and Missouri appear rejected the proposed tax hikes, while it California tax increase is passed.

Below are the latest results, which will be updated as votes are tallied. Here are the final percentages for each vote:

North Dakota Measure 4 (Results: 62% Against)



North Dakotas Initiated Measure 4 would increase the tax on cigarettes 400% from 44 cents per pack to $2.20. All other tobacco products, including cigars, e-cigarettes, and vaping products, would see state taxes double from 28% of the wholesale purchase price to 56%.

Colorado Amendment 72 (Results: 54% Against)



In Colorado, anti-tobacco forces are trying to alter the state constitution to include triple taxes on tobacco products. The amendment would increase the tobacco tax by $1.75 per pack of 20 cigarettes, from 84 cents to $2.59, and jack up taxes on other tobacco products, including cigars, by 22% of the wholesale list price (on top of the existing 40% tax already in effect).

Missouri Proposition A (Results: 55% Against)



Missouris Proposition A would more than double taxes on cigarettes from 17 cents per pack to 40 cents, with the increase being phased in through 2021. Taxes on other tobacco products, including cigars, would increase by 5% of the manufacturers invoice price to 15%. Missouri voters are also rejecting Amendment 3, which would hike tobacco taxes 400% from 17 cents to 77 cents, with extra fees being applied to companies not subject to the master agreement settlement with the state.

California Proposition 56 (Results: 63% In Favor)



Anti-tobacco forces in California proposed to increase cigarette taxes $2 per pack, from 87 cents to $2.87. Other tobacco products, a tax category that includes cigars, would face a corresponding 230% increase in a state that already has record-high taxes.

The presidential result and Republican control of the House and (likely) Senate also have important implications for cigar smokers when it comes to FDA regulation, taxes, trade, and Cuban policy. More on that in the coming days.

Patrick S

photo credit: Flickr
THE second care and share forum run by Stratford-upon-Avon-based Heart of England Mencap takes place later this week.

It takes place at Stratford School on Friday, 11th November and carers  paid and unpaid  are welcome to drop in between 5pm and 7pm for a cup of tea and a chat.

The forum is open to all, not just those working for or with loved ones supported by Heart of England Mencap.

It follows the success of the first forum that was held at Tyler House back in June after being instigated by Mencap support worker, Rebecca Newbury.

She said: Whether you care for someone at home, on a full- or part-time basis, or whether you work in the care sector, this is a great opportunity for you to share advice, experience and stories with other carers.

Its a relaxed, informal and non-judgemental forum, giving you the chance to talk frankly with other local people who are experiencing the same challenges, hopes and fears.

Across the UK there are 6.5 million carers, supporting loved ones with disabilities, through illness or in old age. That makes one in eight adults a carer.
RESIDENTS of the Stratford district who pay nothing in council tax look likely to lose this benefit from April next year.

Stratford District Councils ruling cabinet has decided that the maximum reduction in council tax should be 80 per cent of the amount due rather than 100 per cent as it is now.

The decision will need to be ratified by the full council at its meeting on 12th December.

At the moment there are 3,078 working age claims for reductions in council tax, of which 1,582 receive 100 per cent support and pay nothing.

The proposal to cut the benefit follows two separate phases of consultation. In September questionnaires were posted to all 3,078 existing beneficiaries and in addition there was a six-week online consultation which closed on 14th October.

A total of 416 responses were received  283 from the existing recipients and 133 from the online consultation.

The results showed that 62 per cent of the existing recipients did not agree that the support should be restricted to 80 per cent, while 50 per cent of the online consultees considered that 80 per cent was reasonable.

Proposals to alter the arrangements stem from a decision by the council last December, at which it was pointed out that the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme (LCTRS) needed to change for long-term sustainability.

However, papers presented at Mondays meeting of the cabinet stated: A separate additional response was received from Citizens Advice Bureau, who accepted why the council were making the recommendation to introduce the scheme but pointed out that in other areas where similar schemes had been introduced they had seen a significant increase in referrals relating to debt issues.

The papers stated: The changes to the LCTRS will inevitably impact upon a number of current recipients and new claimants from April 2017. And they acknowledged that those most likely to be affected were the ones that currently paid nothing.

To help mitigate the impact upon the most financially vulnerable residents, it is proposed to introduce a council tax reduction hardship fund, they added. This initiative has been implemented by a number of local authorities who have introduced LCTRS changes following the removal of council tax benefit.

The fund would be 100,000 for the year 2017-18. The changes would generate savings of about 59,000 a year. Around 375 claimants are expected to lose entitlement to local council tax reduction.

Its estimated that the county council would receive 540,460 in increased income, the police and crime commissioner 80,740 and town and parish councils 24,290.

During the cabinet meeting Cllr Peter Moorse (Lib Dem, Hathaway), the leader of the main opposition on the council, said he had many concerns about the proposal.

Is it right to get this income from the poorest people in the district? he asked. And he said one resident had told him: Im scared to death because I dont know how Im going to pay.

Cllr Moorse said: The council has reserves of 7.5 million. This council doesnt need the money and doesnt need it anywhere near as much as the people its proposing to take it from.

The leader of the council, Cllr Chris Saint (Cons, Shipston North), responded to Cllr Moorse by saying: I am probably of your view, but I will support this because I dont think the rules are sufficiently flexible for us not to.

He said it was a national measure and Stratford District Council was the only council in Warwickshire that had not introduced it. And he added: Were providing for a hardship fund to help people in real difficulties.
By Marcy Nicholson and Jan Harvey

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - The price of gold turned slightly negative from the sharp gains made earlier on Wednesday, after a conciliatory victory speech from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump also helped the dollar rebound.

Gold had surged by nearly 5 percent to a six-week high of $1,337.40 an ounce as it emerged that the Republican nominee had triumphed over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the presidential election, a surprise for markets which prompted investors to seek refuge in perceived safe-haven assets like gold.

But gold's price later fell below $1,280 an ounce as the dollar turned higher, U.S. stocks rose sharply and U.S. Treasury debt yields touched multi-month highs. [MKTS/GLOB][USD/]

Spot gold was down 0.2 percent at $1,272.40 an ounce by 2:38 p.m. EST (1938 GMT).

U.S. December gold futures settled down 0.1 percent at $1,273.50, with volume surging above 785,000 contracts, the highest for the most-active contract on records going back to 1980.

"Mr Trump managed to sound quite conciliatory and presidential in his victory speech this morning," Mitsubishi analyst Jonathan Butler told the Reuters Global Gold Forum on Wednesday.

"This calmed the markets and helped boost the dollar, eroding gold's gains," he said. "(But) the Trump win is still essentially bullish for gold."

Trump's win threw into question the core assumption in financial markets that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates soon.

"It's too early to predict if Trump will enhance or hurt U.S. growth longer term; however, his policies should pressure U.S. real rates lower, while greater policy uncertainty is gold supportive," said UBS Wealth Management Research in a note, forecasting gold prices at $1,350 in six and twelve months.

Davis Hall, head of forex and precious metals at Indosuez, said gold's retreat suggested upside for the precious metal was limited, but that the metal could still benefit from a Trump victory as the longer-term implications emerged.

"I still think stocks are going to digest this over a 10-day period, and 10 days from now stocks will be lower than they are now," he said.

Meanwhile in India, the world's second-largest gold consumer, the government withdrew 500 and 1,000 rupee notes from circulation.

"The concern for the gold market is that all-important fourth-quarter demand may now decline," said Metals Focus in a note.

Spot silver was up 0.2 percent at $18.38 an ounce, having risen to its highest since Oct. 3 at $18.996 an ounce. Platinum was down 1.3 percent at $989.25, while palladium was up 1.5 percent at $672.75, also off five-week highs for both markets.

(Additional reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr in Manila and Nallur Sethuraman, Apeksha Nair and Koustav Samanta in Bengaluru; Editing by Mark Potter, Greg Mahlich and Alan Crosby)
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has acquired Nashco Consulting Ltd., a Canada-based company that provides consulting, design and implementation services for ServiceNow. The acquisition further strengthens Accentures position as a leader in the ServiceNow partner ecosystem and enhances the companys technology capabilities and deep industry experience in cloud strategy, implementation, integration and management for clients seeking to tap the As-a-Service economy.

Our clients are increasingly seeking to adopt As-a-Service operating models, and this acquisition represents the latest in a series of significant investments in our cloud business to meet the growing demand, said Julie Sweet, Accenture chief executive  North America. Nashcos team of certified ServiceNow professionals in Canada brings a strong track record and exceptional skills that will help our clients meet the challenges of digital transformation. We look forward to welcoming Nashcos talented professionals to our team.

Organizations of all sizes are looking for greater operational agility and rapid time to value of their cloud investments, said Jack Sepple, senior managing director, Accenture Cloud and Accenture Operations group technology officer. The acquisition of Nashco supports our Cloud First agenda, further expands our service cloud capabilities and adds to our capacity to help clients on their journey to the cloud easier and more efficient.

Nashco will become part of Accentures global ServiceNow practice and will significantly bolster the practice certifications in North America. The acquisition will create one of the largest ServiceNow providers in Canada and extend Accentures overall ServiceNow leadership in the industry.

ServiceNow transforms the workplace by automating workflows for IT, security, customer service and HR, said David Schneider, chief revenue officer, ServiceNow. Accentures acquisition of Nashco reinforces their commitment and excellence to transform the way customers get work done using ServiceNow. We are excited to see the depth in ServiceNow skills and the in-region growth this union will create. Together Accenture and ServiceNow are delivering game-changing economics for the enterprise."

Nashco, headquartered in Alberta, Canada, was founded in 1993 and has had an exclusive focus on ServiceNow consulting, design, and implementation services for the ServiceNow IT Service Management Suite since 2008. It has grown to be a leading ServiceNow partner and a leader in the Canadian market.

Since our founding, we have not been afraid to embrace new directions and emerging technologies that continue to re-shape our industry, said Ken Stainsby, Founder and CTO of Nashco. By joining forces with Accenture, our clients will be able to solve their IT business challenges more rapidly by leveraging Accentures deep industry expertise and breadth of solutions that are needed in the ever-evolving cloud services environment.
The Ford logo is seen at their plant in Cuatitlan Izcalli, Mexico October 18, 2016. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - No. 2 U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co (NYSE: F), which has endured scathing criticism from Donald Trump over its Mexican investments, on Wednesday congratulated him on his election victory and vowed to work with the president-elect.

"We agree with Mr. Trump that it is really important to unite the country, and we look forward to working together to support economic growth and jobs," Ford spokeswoman Christin Baker said.

Trump repeatedly said during the campaign that if elected he would not allow Ford to open a new plant in Mexico and would slap hefty tariffs taxes on Ford vehicles.

Ford shares dropped 2.6 percent to $11.18 on Wednesday.

Ford said in April 2015 it planned to invest $2.5 billion to build two new plants in Mexico, adding 3,800 jobs.

At his campaign kickoff speech in June 2015, Trump said he would call Ford Chief Executive Officer Mark Fields to explain the "bad news."

"Let me give you the bad news: Every car, every truck and every part manufactured in this plant that comes across the border, were going to charge you a 35 percent tax," Trump said then.

Earlier this year, Ford said it will invest $1.6 billion in Mexico for small-car production to start in 2018. In September, Ford confirmed that all of the company's small-car production will leave U.S. plants and head to lower-cost Mexico.

In his final speech of the campaign early on Election Day in western Michigan, Trump returned to the theme. "After we win, I'm going to be coming back to Michigan a lot. I'm going to be coming back every time we open a new factory or a new automobile plant ... We're not going to lose your jobs anymore," Trump said. "We are going to bring back the automobile industry to Michigan, bigger and better and stronger than ever before."

Last month, Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford Jr. said he had met with Trump to talk about his extensive criticism of the automaker's investments in Mexico. Ford noted the automaker has hired 26,000 and invested $12 billion in the United States since 2011.

Bill Ford was in India on Wednesday after the company announced it will invest 13 billion rupees ($195 million) over the next five years in a technology and business center in Chennai. Ford said it will hire 3,000 people to staff the facility, which will be operational by early 2019.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jeffrey Benkoe)
Marco Rubio (R) is projected to win Senate race in Florida, which was a very contested race. This will help Republicans hang on to the majority in the Senate.
People wait in line to cast their ballots at the Aynor Town Hall during the U.S. presidential election in Aynor, South Carolina, U.S. November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Randall Hill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some 15 percent of Americans who cast a ballot on Tuesday said it was their first time voting in a presidential election, according to an early reading from the Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day poll, up from 9 percent of voters who said so in 2012.

The poll of nearly 35,000 people also showed that 13 percent of voters had waited until the final week of the presidential race to make up their mind between the candidates, who include Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, up from 9 percent who said so in 2012.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced in late October that it was looking at more emails connected to its investigation of Clintons use of a personal email server while secretary of state. FBI Director James Comey later said that the new trove of emails did not affect his earlier decision to not bring a criminal case against Clinton.

(Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Trump supporters celebrate as election returs come in at Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump's election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

By Jeffrey Hodgson and Charlotte Greenfield

TORONTO/WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Canada's main immigration website remained down on Wednesday and New Zealand reported increased traffic to its website for residency visas from U.S. nationals as Donald Trump surged to victory in the U.S. presidential election.

Americans have often vowed to leave the country if their chosen candidate doesn't win the election, but this time around some are actually preparing to do so after Trump stunningly won the Nov. 8 election.

A spokeswoman for Canada's immigration department said the website crashed "as a result of a significant increase in the volume of traffic" as election results rolled in Tuesday night.

Bonnie Quinn, a New Jersey insurance underwriter planning to move to Canada with her husband said she felt "just downright embarrassed" by the election results.

"I'm not sure in what order we should do things - find jobs first or move," said Quinn, 35, whose Irish grandparents once immigrated to Canada.

In New Zealand, immigration officials said the New Zealand Now website, which deals with residency and student visas, had received 1,593 registrations from United States citizens since Nov. 1  more than 50 percent of a typical month's registrations in just seven days.

Rod Drury, the chief executive of NZ-based global accounting software firm Xero, said the statistics matched up with interest his company has been seeing from prospective U.S. national employees concerned about a Trump win.

Drury said what started as a joke was becoming a reality.

"I've got lots of messages coming through at the moment asking for a job in New Zealand, and we're saying 'Yes you can'," Drury told Reuters by telephone on Wednesday.

In the hours after Trump's victory, Americans were searching for jobs in Canada at 10 times the rate of previous nights, said Jed Kolko, chief economist for job website Indeed.

"It's far too soon to guess how many of these searchers will make a move after the shock wears off. But the jump in searches shows how many Americans were surprised by Trump's victory and are thinking about their options elsewhere," Kolko said in an emailed statement.

In Atlanta, business coach Nancy Chorpenning, 62, said she and her husband are looking to move to Costa Rica sooner than their planned retirement because of the Trump victory.

"I am simply terrified the new administration and Congress may destroy the Social Security we count on when my husband retires," said Chorpenning, who is traveling to Costa Rica next week to scout for condos.

After some Americans, often jokingly, said they would move to Canada if Trump was elected, the idea was taken up by some Canadian communities.

In February, the island of Cape Breton on Canada's Atlantic coast marketed itself as a tranquil refuge for Americans seeking to escape should Trump capture the White House.

On Maple Match, a recently-launched dating website aimed to match Americans fleeing Trump with Canadians, users have more than doubled to about 14,000 overnight, according to chief executive Joe Goldman.

While the pledge to "move to Canada" has been made in elections past, it has rarely played out, although thousands of Americans who opposed the Vietnam War moved to Canada.

Migration data from after Republican George W. Bush's 2000 election and 2004 re-election - other moments when liberal Americans pledged to move to Canada in protest - suggest few followed through on their promises.

While immigration to Canada increased during the years of Bush's elections, the rise was not more than increases in other years, data from the Montreal-based Association for Canadian Studies show.

(Additional reporting by Andrea Hopkins in Ottawa, Catherine Ngai in Vancouver, writing by Jane Wardell in WELLINGTON; Editing by Martin Howell and Alan Crosby)
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SEATTLE, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Avanade, the leading provider of innovative digital and cloud services, business solutions and design-led experiences, announced that Judson Althoff, executive vice president of Microsoft's Worldwide Commercial Business organization, has joined its board of directors.

Althoff leads Microsoft's commercial business strategy, including enterprise, public sector, small and mid-market, services, developers and partners. His organization is responsible for leading digital transformations for Microsoft's commercial customers and partners to realize greater business value through the use of technology. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2013, Althoff spent 14 years at Oracle advancing the company's worldwide alliances and channels ecosystem.

"As the rapid pace of change continues, we are committed to transforming Avanade to provide the best client experience while delivering the latest digital and cloud innovations," said Adam Warby, Avanade CEO. "Judson's breadth of Microsoft ecosystem expertise and strong passion for helping clients realize results will help us deliver on this commitment. We are pleased to welcome Judson to the Avanade Board."

"I have been impressed by Avanade's strong growth and vision over the past 16 years," said Althoff. "Avanade, along with Accenture, is a 12-time winner of Microsoft's Alliance Partner of the Year, which illustrates the company's momentum in the marketplace. I am excited to help continue to drive that trajectory," he added.

The Avanade board members include Paul Daugherty, Accenture chief technology officer; Susan Hauser, Microsoft's corporate vice president of business and corporate responsibility; Sander van 't Noordende, Accenture chief group executive of Products Operating Group; Grant Ireland, Accenture senior managing director of corporate finance planning and strategy; Michael Salvino, former Accenture group chief executive of Accenture Operations; and Adam Warby, Avanade CEO.

About AvanadeAvanade is the leading provider of innovative digital and cloud services, business solutions and design-led experiences delivered through the power of people and the Microsoft ecosystem. Our professionals combine technology, business and industry expertise to build and deploy solutions to realize results for our clients and their customers. Avanade has 29,000 digitally connected people across 23 countries, bringing clients the best thinking through a collaborative culture that honours diversity and reflects the communities in which we operate. Majority owned by Accenture, Avanade was founded in 2000 by Accenture LLP and Microsoft Corporation. Learn more at www.avanade.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:Avanade: Jennifer Grimes DouglasPhone: +1 503-330-6499Email: [email protected]

Golin: Ariel RoopPhone: +1 415-318-4399Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE Avanade
Recipients Recognized for Their Innovative TBM Vision and Leadership at Fourth-Annual TBM Conference

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Technology Business Management (TBM) Council, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and promoting best practices for managing IT like a business, today announced CHRISTUS Health, ExxonMobil, FedEx, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, KeyBank and Royal Bank of Scotland as winners of the fourth-annual TBM Awards. Each organization was recognized during an awards gala of industry peers at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront during TBM Conference 2016. The TBM Awards honor IT and finance leaders for their ingenuity, creativity and contribution to the TBM discipline. These are professionals who have a profound impact on their organizations by driving operational excellence, business innovation, digital transformation, TBM vision and best practices.

"As technology drives dramatic business transformation, it is increasingly important for IT to become a strategic driver of business value, which is no easy task," said Chris Pick, President, TBM Council and CMO, Apptio. "This year's award winners have risen to the challenge, bridging the gap between IT and the rest of their organizations, forging new paths that allow their businesses to be dynamic leaders in their respective industries."

This year's TBM award winners were chosen by a selection committee comprised of industry-leading executives, consultants and academics. As part of this process, the TBM Awards Premier Sponsor KPMG interviewed 30 semi-finalists, delivering comprehensive evaluations to the selection committee who then narrowed the list to 12 finalists for the final vote. The committee selected the winners based on how they leveraged TBM to better understand and communicate IT costs, plan efficiently, optimize investments and transform their IT businesses.

"Each year, the TBM Council's awards program recognizes IT leaders for their success in driving greater business value and transformation," said Steve Bates, KPMG CIO Advisory partner and global TBM Lead, KPMG. "The nominees we interviewed consistently showed greater maturity in areas such as delivering services to the business, reviewing their IT portfolios, managing their data, and building the right teams and executive sponsorship."

Strategy and Planning Excellence Award

Recognizes IT leaders who have found a way to bridge the gap between IT resources and the business goals to ensure IT is planning in accordance with strategic business imperatives.

CHRISTUS Health: Given aggressive asset growth plans for the business, CHRISTUS Health created new levers for cost savings and cost avoidance in order to contain IT spending and improve IT leverage. By modeling and reporting on the TCO of 1,200 applications, they were able to identify spend per service category and applications on a monthly basis. This helped tie a $60 million growth in application spend to increased demand for resources, leading to more productive C-suite conversations about consumption. Strength of transparency and improved relationships with the business positioned the CIO for immediate approval of the IT budget without any of the churn required in past years.

TBM Business Leadership Award

Recognizes CIOs  and their teams  who demonstrate excellence in business-technology leadership.

ExxonMobil: ExxonMobil's sheer size and complexity makes it challenging for the IT team to drive balanced conversations with their business stakeholders. IT must help the businesses they support identify unique technology investments to help EM win in the marketplace. To enable a new conversation inside IT and with their customers, the team focused on providing IT base services TCO and translating this into business processes / capabilities. Today, 14 tower owners are actively using the TBM framework to manage costs, compare themselves against benchmarks, and balance cost and performance. Project managers are able to see the return on investment for the projects they run. By combining data driven analysis with tower insights, the TBM framework was able to generate efficiencies across towers and change the conversation internally within IT to be more balanced.

IT Services Transformation Award

Recognizes IT organizations who have successfully applied technology business data and process to drive transformation in cloud, on-premises and/or hybrid services strategy, design or delivery.

FedEx: In an effort to unite operational silos and manage IT spend across business units, FedEx used cost transparency and application & infrastructure analysis to unveil key drivers behind their multimillion-dollar IT spend. This fueled a shift to fact- versus assumption-based decision-making that enabled redistribution of existing run-the-business spending to change-the business initiatives. Examples include decommissioning tens-of-thousands of servers and all associated costs to yield large savings in the infrastructure budget and a transition from decades-old legacy applications to solutions that support cloud, e-commerce, and new ways to work with customers.

IT Optimization Award

Recognizes the innovative, strategic and bold use of data to drive decisions for infrastructure efficiency, agility, quality, performance and business value.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise: Hewlett Packard Enterprise needed to move away from being an unexplainable tax to the business and toward becoming a true strategic partner. They needed to shift substantial funds used to run the business into changing the business while, at the same time, offering complete cost transparency into technology expenses. With the help of TBM, Hewlett Packard Enterprise is on track to do all this and save $330 million over three years.

CFO of IT Excellence Award

Recognizes today's CFOs of IT that no longer merely account for IT spend, they drive an IT financial strategy and capability that matches the new demands of the IT organization.

Kim Manigault, KeyBank: As EVP and CFO, Technology & Operations at KeyBank, Manigault came to the organization with the idea to elevate the business partnerships across the bank. With TBM-enabled insights into IT consumption and costs, IT, finance, and business unit owners now come together as partners, speaking a common language with aligned business goals to achieve a shared outcome. Now, as equal business partners, the conversations have shifted from costs to value, empowering everyone in the business partnership.

Business Innovation Award

Recognizes technology organizations that have applied technology business data and process to change conversations from cost to value, shape demand, guide investment and drive innovation.

Royal Bank of Scotland: For Royal Bank of Scotland, the TBM team was formed to understand and effectively map technology cost to business consumption of that technology. Today, TBM underpins strategic decision-making and is driving front and center of cost takeout aligned with business objectives. Application rationalization is more effectively considered for all related costs and across the entire stack that supports the application, enabling the business to look at every facet of cost reduction and make decisions about priorities based on complete information. A large, enterprise-wide team is utilizing TBM to problem solve, positioning IT as a strategic partner to the business.

In the last year, the TBM Council has increased its membership base significantly, growing to include more than 3,100 innovative individuals in IT and Finance who are all committed to managing IT with business discipline. TBM Council membership is open to IT, finance or business leader who meets the applicable membership qualifications.

For more information or to join the TBM Council, please visit www.TBMCouncil.org.

About the TBM Council

Founded in 2012 the Technology Business Management (TBM) Council is a nonprofit organization governed by an independent board of business technology leaders from a diverse group of the world's most innovative companies like AIG, Aon, Cisco Systems, DuPont, ExxonMobil, First American, Microsoft, Nike, and more. The Council is focused on developing a definitive framework for managing the business of IT by establishing standards and providing ongoing collaboration and education opportunities.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/christus-health-exxonmobil-fedex-hewlett-packard-enterprise-keybank-and-royal-bank-of-scotland-named-as-2016-technology-business-management-award-winners-300359407.html

SOURCE Technology Business Management (TBM) Council
NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Credit Suisse AG announced today its intention to delist and repurchase the following Exchange Traded Notes (the "ETNs") in whole pursuant to their terms:

ETN Ticker CUSIP Credit Suisse X-Links Cushing MLP Infrastructure ETNs due April 20, 2020 MLPN 22542D852

Credit Suisse AG intends to withdraw the NYSE Arca listing of the ETNs effective on or about November 28, 2016. Upon the effective delisting date, the ETNs will no longer be listed on any national stock exchange.

Credit Suisse AG intends to delist the ETNs in order to repurchase all of the outstanding ETNs. Credit Suisse AG has the right to repurchase the ETNs in whole in the event the ETNs are not currently listed on a national stock exchange. Credit Suisse AG intends to deliver an irrevocable call notice with respect to its repurchase of the ETNs to DTC on or about November 28, 2016. We anticipate that the ETNs will continue to trade on NYSE Arca up to and including November 25, 2016. As described in the pricing supplement relating to the ETNs (the "Pricing Supplement"), investors will receive a cash payment on the repurchase date, expected to be on or about December 2, 2016, in an amount equal to the daily repurchase value, which is based on the closing indicative value of the ETNs on the valuation date, which is expected to be on or about November 29, 2016 (the trading day immediately following the date the irrevocable call notice is delivered to DTC).

Subject to the minimum redemption amount and other conditions, Credit Suisse AG will continue to accept investors' offers for repurchase of the ETNs up to and including November 28, 2016 pursuant to the terms of the ETNs as described in the Pricing Supplement. If you wish to offer your ETNs to Credit Suisse AG for repurchase, you and your broker must follow the procedures set forth in the Pricing Supplement, which can be accessed on the Securities and Exchange Commission website at www.sec.gov as follows:

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1053092/000110465915033763/a15-10499_2424b2.htm

Upon any such repurchase of the ETNs at the investors' option, the terms of the ETNs specify that investors will receive a cash payment equal to the daily repurchase value, which is based on the closing indicative value of the ETNs on the applicable valuation date for such repurchase, all as described in the Pricing Supplement.

Only the Credit Suisse X-Links Cushing MLP Infrastructure ETNs due April 20, 2020 (NYSE Arca: MLPN) are affected by this announcement.

As disclosed in the Risk Factors section of the Pricing Supplement, the market value of the ETNs may be influenced by, among other things, the levels of actual and expected supply and demand for the ETNs in the secondary market. It is possible that the delisting and repurchase of the ETNs, as described above, may influence the market value of the ETNs. Credit Suisse AG cannot predict with certainty what impact, if any, the delisting and repurchase of the ETNS will have on the public trading price of the ETNs. Investors are cautioned that paying a premium purchase price over the indicative value of the ETNs could lead to significant losses in the event the investor sells such ETNs at a time when the premium has declined from the time of purchase or is no longer present in the market place.

As disclosed in the Risk Factors section and the Use of Proceeds and Hedging section of the Pricing Supplement, we or our affiliates may have acquired and may dispose of the securities of one or more MLPs that are included in the index underlying the ETNs (the "Index", and such securities the "Constituent MLPs"), or listed or over-the-counter options contracts in, or other derivatives or synthetic instruments related to, the Index or one or more Constituent MLPs, to hedge our obligations under the ETNs. The price at which such positions may be acquired or disposed of may be a factor in determining the levels of the Index. Although we and our affiliates have no reason to believe that these hedging activities will have a material impact on the level of the Index, there can be no assurance that the level of the Index will not be affected. To the extent that we or our affiliates have a hedge position in the Index or any Constituent MLPs, we or our affiliates may liquidate a portion or all of those holdings on or before the valuation date. This activity may adversely affect the level of the Index and, as a consequence, the value of the ETNs and the amount payable upon repurchase of the ETNs by Credit Suisse AG. Moreover, this hedging activity may result in us or our affiliates receiving a profit, even if the value of the ETNs declines.

Credit Suisse AG Credit Suisse AG is one of the world's leading financial services providers and is part of the Credit Suisse group of companies (referred to here as 'Credit Suisse'). As an integrated bank, Credit Suisse offers clients its combined expertise in the areas of private banking, investment banking and asset management. Credit Suisse provides advisory services, comprehensive solutions and innovative products to companies, institutional clients and high-net-worth private clients globally, as well as to retail clients in Switzerland. Credit Suisse is headquartered in Zurich and operates in over 50 countries worldwide. The group employs approximately 47,690 people. The registered shares (CSGN) of Credit Suisse's parent company, Credit Suisse Group AG, are listed in Switzerland and, in the form of American Depositary Shares (CS), in New York. Further information about Credit Suisse can be found at www.credit-suisse.com.

This document was produced by and the opinions expressed are those of Credit Suisse as of the date of writing and are subject to change.

Copyright  2016, CREDIT SUISSE GROUP AG and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20091204/CSLOGO

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SOURCE Credit Suisse AG
HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GTC Technology has signed an agreement with JG Summit Petrochemical Corp to provide its GT-BTX and GT-DWC licensed technologies for an aromatics extraction unit at JG Summits petrochemical complex in Batangas, the Philippines.

JG Summit currently has approximately 210,000 tonnes/year pyrolysis gasoline (pygas). After the cracker expansion, capacity will increase to approximately 300,000 tonnes/year. The combination of GT-BTX and GT-DWC will be designed to process JG Summits expanded pygas capacity to produce around 170,000 tonnes/year of BTX (benzene-toluene-xylenes). The new BTX unit also will have the flexibility to switch between benzene-toluene extraction only or the full range of benzene-toluene-xylenes extraction.

We are very pleased to work with JG Summit Petrochemicals on their cracker expansion and believe that our GT-BTX and GT-DWC processes will provide great value to them, said Charlie Chou, GTC Global Licensing Manager. The top-notch GT-BTX full-range aromatic extraction combining with GT-DWC dividing wall column process is an innovative and reliable method to serve all kinds of aromatics plants, and further enhance GTCs position in bringing the best value to the aromatics industry.

GTC Technology US, LLC, based in Houston, Texas, is a global licensor of refinery and petrochemical process technologies that offers a variety of approaches for managing aromatics and other high value added molecules in petrochemical complexes. These technologies include the GT-BTX Extractive Distillation process for recovery of aromatics; GT-Styrene Extractive Distillation process for recovery of styrene monomer, GT-C5SM Extractive Distillation process for recovery of isoprene, piperylene and DCPD, hydrodesulfurization, GT-TolAlkSM/GT-TransAlkSM  alkylation/transalkyation of toluene to produce mixed xylenes; and others.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109005809/en/

GTC Technology US, LLC

Chuck Fink

[email protected]

Source: GTC Technology
Voter turnout in the U.S. is dismal compared with the rest of the world. What can be done to change that? How about making Election Day a holiday? ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO
ISSAQUAH, Wash., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Continental Who's Who recognizes Ilene Birkwood as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member in recognition of her contributions to the field of Publishing.

As an Author, she writes both fiction and non-fiction books, and in 2011 became Founder and Director of Ascendant Publishing.

Birkwood has published several mysteries, including What To Do About Emma (2014), Deadly Deception (2004), and her latest release, Hidden Depths (2016). "I love mysteries set in New Zealand," Birkwood said of her work. "Its stunning beauty and laid back charm provide the perfect contrast to tales of murder and intrigue."

She has also published a WWII memoir, The Second Torpedo (2012), presenting a fascinating view of war seen through the eyes of a child.

Prior to entering the writing field in 1990, Birkwood successfully held leadership positions in the technology industry. She was a Vice President of Tandem Computers. Earlier, she was one of the first female managers at Hewlett Packard and served as the Director of Software Engineering in HP Laboratories.

To further her professional development, Birkwood is a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the International Society of Writers, and the National Association of Professional Women, which honored her as a VIP Woman of the Year.

When not working, Birkwood enjoys exercise, reading, theatre, music, and history.

For more information, and to buy Ilene's books visit www.Ilenebirkwood.com.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ilene-birkwood-is-recognized-by-continental-whos-who-300359865.html

SOURCE Continental Who's Who
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks at election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Segar

By Alwyn Scott

SEATTLE (Reuters) - U.S. aerospace companies and lobbying groups embraced Donald Trump's presidential victory on Wednesday, setting aside fears that his policies would depress sales, shatter global alliances and roll back trade agreements.

Defense contractors in particular stand to benefit from a Trump presidency, given his pledges to beef up the U.S. military.

Boeing Co (NYSE: BA), which is finalizing a deal to sell 100 jetliners to Iran, congratulated Trump and members of Congress and said it looked forward to working with them to promote global economic growth and protect workers. Trump has strongly criticized an Iran nuclear deal that made the sale possible.

The warm response from the world's No. 1 plane maker echoed friendly overtures from other U.S. manufacturers such as Ford Motor Co (NYSE: F), which endured sharp criticism from Trump during the campaign for its growing operations in Mexico.

Manufacturers also pressed Trump on issues such as restoring the U.S. Export-Import Bank, increasing defense spending and pouring more investment into airport infrastructure.

Shares of aerospace and defense companies rose on Wednesday. The Dow Jones U.S. aerospace and defense index was up 4 percent in afternoon trading. Boeing shares were up 2 percent at $145.20 on the New York Stock Exchange. Among other major arms makers, Raytheon Co (NYSE: RTN) was up 7.4 percent at $146.56 and Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE: LMT) was up 6 percent at $253.50.

NO "TREATY RIPPING"

Trump had derided trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership as bad deals, and vowed to renegotiate them. He also threatened to upend global security alliances.

But on Wednesday, industry trade groups said Trump had not created as much uncertainty for manufacturers as his rhetoric suggested, and offered policy prescriptions.

"It would be hard for a brand new president to come in and say, 'I'm ripping up this treaty,'" David Melcher, chief executive officer of the Aerospace Industries Association, said in an interview. The organization, founded in 1919, represents more than 300 aerospace and defense companies.

Requiring alliance partners to pay more for defense "is probably a neutral" for U.S. arms sales, he added.

Boeing's defense and space businesses could get a boost from an expected increase in military spending under Trump.

"We congratulate President-elect Trump and newly elected members of Congress," Boeing said in a statement. We "look forward to working with them to ensure that U.S. companies can compete, win and grow our economy to provide good jobs to U.S. workers, as well as preserve American leadership in national security."

There were signs of lingering concern about the negative tone of the campaign. The National Association of Manufacturers sent a letter to Trump on Wednesday, signed by more than 1,100 business leaders citing "an urgent need to restore faith in our vital economic and government institutions."

Signers included the chief executives of Boeing, Honeywell International Inc (NYSE: HON), United Technologies Corp (NYSE: UTX), Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE: LMT), Northrop Grumman Corp (NYSE: NOC) and Caterpillar Inc (NYSE: CAT).

U.S. businesses "cannot truly prosper ... in a country that is divided and distrustful," Jay Timmons, chief executive officer of the trade group, wrote in the letter, adding it is "time to mend the divisions in our country."

(Reporting by Alwyn Scott; Editing by Tom Brown and Alan Crosby)
SEATTLE (Reuters) - World's No. 1 plane maker Boeing Co (NYSE: BA), which is finalizing a deal to sell jetliners to Iran, on Wednesday congratulated President-elect Donald Trump and members of Congress on their election victories and said it looked forward to working with them to promote global economic growth and protect workers.

Boeing's sale of 100 planes to Iran was made possible by a nuclear deal that Trump has strongly criticized. Boeing's defense and space businesses could get a boost from Trump, who has promised to rebuild the U.S. military.

(Reporting by Alwyn Scott; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - The board of Brazilian wireless phone carrier Oi SA has elected a new financial advisor for debt restructuring talks with bondholders and bank creditors, Chief Executive Officer Marco Schroeder said in an interview Wednesday.

Schroeder declined to name the advisor, which will replace PJT Partners (NYSE: PJT), because the contract has not been signed. The unnamed firm, selected at a board meeting on Wednesday, will help Oi restructure about 41.2 billion reais ($12.8 billion) of financial liabilities.

(Reporting by Ana Mano; Editing by Chris Reese)
A logo of Plzensky Prazdroj (Pilsner Urquell) brewery is seen behind empty bottles at the entrance of the beer-producing company in Plzen, Czech Republic, November 12, 2015. REUTERS/David W Cerny

By Pamela Barbaglia, Agnieszka Barteczko and Martinne Geller

LONDON/WARSAW (Reuters) - At least six indicative offers have been submitted by industry players and buyout funds for a group of beer brands being sold by Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: ABI), sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

First-round bids for the brands, which include Pilsner Urquell in the Czech Republic and Tyskie and Lech in Poland, were due on Monday, according to the sources, who declined to be identified as the process is private.

Worth more than 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion), the brands were put up for sale as part of AB InBev's $100 billion-plus takeover of SABMiller, which closed last month.

Japanese brewer Asahi Holdings <2502.T> and Czech investment firm PPF Group have submitted rival bids, while Hungarian energy group Mol has teamed up with Polish juice maker Maspex Wadowice Group and Polish insurer PZU group to table a joint offer, the sources said.

Private equity investors Bain Capital and Europe's Advent, have joined forces, while KKR (NYSE: KKR) has made a joint offer with Mid Europa Partners, the sources said.

Another consortium includes Swiss investment firm Jacobs Holding and Canadian pension fund PSP Investments with additional backing from Czech family office R2G, the sources said.

Polish billionaire Sebastian Kulczyk told Reuters earlier this month that he may use some of the proceeds from the sale of his stake in SABMiller to buy the Central and Eastern European beer brands. The sources mentioned recent talks between Kulczyk and the KKR-led consortium but said the parties have so far failed to reach an agreement.

China Resources, which took full ownership of the Chinese joint venture it had with SABMiller, was also interested in the assets, according to the sources, but it was not immediately clear whether it has tabled a competitive bid.

European private equity firm BC Partners, which initially looked at the business, has dropped out of the process, they added.

AB InBev, PPF, MOL, Jacobs, PSP, R2G, Bain and BC Partners declined to comment, while no one at Asahi, Maspex, PZU, Kulcyk Investment or the other private equity firms was immediately available for comment.

The sources expect second-round bids to be submitted next month.

Shares in AB InBev, the world's largest brewer, were up 1.6 percent at 103.55 euros in Brussels at 1618 GMT.

Asahi has bought SABMiller's Western European brands Peroni and Grolsch and could be interested in expanding its European presence, the sources said, adding that private equity funds were keen to take advantage of the growth in markets such as Poland and Czech Republic, where alcohol consumption remains strong.

Pilsner Urquell, for example, has about a 40 percent share of the Czech beer market, which has the highest per-capita consumption in the world.

AB InBev, maker of Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona beers, agreed to sell SABMiller's European business to help get clearance from competition regulators.

(Additional reporting by Jan Lopatka in Prague, Sophie Sassard in London and Krisztina Than in Budapest; Editing by Mark Potter, Greg Mahlich)
Rumen Radev, presidential candidate of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, casts his vote at a polling station in Sofia, Bulgaria, November 6, 2016. REUTERS/Dimitar Kyosemarliev

SOFIA (Reuters) - Socialist-backed candidate Rumen Radev, who has called for an end to European Union sanctions against Russia, has won the first round of Bulgaria's presidential election, the elections commission said on Tuesday, confirming preliminary results.

With 100 percent of polling stations counted, former air force commander Radev took 25.45 percent of the vote, followed by ruling center-right GERB party candidate Tsetska Tsacheva with 21.97 percent.

The two will now compete in a run-off on Nov. 13 with the 53-year-old Radev remaining favorite to win.

A Radev victory in the run-off could usher in months of political instability, including a possible snap parliamentary ballot, after Prime Minister Boiko Borisov signaled he may quit if his candidate Tsacheva loses.

(Reporting by Angel Krasimirov; Editing by Louise Ireland)
Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha holds an umbrella as he arrives at a weekly cabinet meeting at Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's military government will submit a constitution for royal endorsement on Tuesday, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said, a step that should pave the way for a general election in 2017.

Thailand has been ruled by the military since a May 2014 coup. The junta, formally known as the National Council for Peace and Order, has sought to reassure the country that the death of revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died on Oct. 13, would not upend plans for a return to democratic rule.

Prayuth, who is also junta chief, said that he had signed the constitution, which Thais overwhelmingly approved in a referendum in August, and would send it to the palace on Tuesday.

The junta has said the constitution is aimed at ending a cycle of coups. But critics, including politicians from major political parties, oppose the charter and say it will enshrine the military's influence in politics for years to come.

The junta's roadmap to democracy calls for the passing of an election law and political party laws that will guide the election process once the constitution obtains a royal endorsement, which is considered to be a formality.

Thailand is making preparations for Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn to ascend the throne on Dec. 1. [nL4N1D134G]

Until that happens, Prem Tinsulanonda, the 96-year-old the head of Thailand's royal advisory council, is acting as regent.

By law, the monarch or regent has 90 days to approve the constitution.

"It will proceed according to the steps as determined by the palace and will follow the 90-day protocol," Prayuth told reporters.

Political risk consultant Eurasia Group said in a note that the royal succession process "will likely be smooth and swift."

Amorn Wanichwiwatana, a member of the Constitutional Drafting Committee, told Reuters that the proposed new election and political party laws will be ready as soon as the constitution is approved.

(Reporting by Cod Satrusayang and Aukkarapon Niyomyat; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Simon Cameron-Moore)
An Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter stands with his weapon on the rubble of a destroyed building, north of Raqqa city, Syria. REUTERS/Rodi Said

By Tom Perry and Lisa Barrington

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Donald Trump's election as U.S. president on Wednesday aroused concern among Syrian rebels and a degree of optimism in Damascus, where his victory was seen as a better outcome than a Hillary Clinton win.

Syrian rebels have long been fiercely critical of what they perceive as the Barack Obama administration's inadequate backing for their fight against President Bashar al-Assad, though Washington has been an important sponsor of the uprising.

While some in the Syrian opposition said Trump had yet to articulate a clear Syria policy, his statements, and his more open-minded stance toward Assad's ally Russia, have fueled rebel concern about the stance he may adopt on the war, in which Russia's air force has been bombing insurgents.

"I think things will become difficult because of Trump's statements and his relationship with Putin and Russia. I imagine this is not good for the Syrian issue," Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of an Aleppo-based rebel group, told Reuters.

Trump said in an Oct. 25 interview with Reuters that defeating Islamic State was a higher priority than persuading Assad to step down, and warned that Clinton could drag the United States into a new world war over the Syria conflict.

In one of his debates with Clinton, Trump said he did "not like Assad at all, but Assad is killing ISIS" with Russia and Iran.

RISE OF ISLAMIC STATE

The Syrian civil war, now in its sixth year, has killed hundreds of thousands of people, allowed the rise of Islamic State and created the world's worst refugee crisis.

Russia and Iran have provided direct military support to Assad while countries that want to see him gone from power, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, have provided rebels with backing including military support.

Russia's intervention in support of Assad last year helped Damascus turn the tide against insurgents who had been making steady territorial advances, and gave Moscow decisive influence over diplomacy.

The Syrian opposition says Obama failed to back them adequately after calling for Assad to leave power, failing to enforce his own "red line" against the use of chemical weapons and blocking the delivery of anti-aircraft weapons to rebels.

In Damascus, a member of the Syrian parliament said he was cautiously optimistic that U.S. policy would shift Assad's way under Trump. "We must be optimistic, but cautiously optimistic," Sherif Shehada, the MP, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

He said Gulf Arab states - which have backed the Syrian rebellion - had been depending on a Clinton victory and were now in "a predicament". "The American administration must carry out what it said in the election campaign."

Georges Janbour, the Damascus-based head of the Syrian Association of Political Science, noted Trump's previous suggestion that Russia could be a valuable ally in the fight against Islamic Sate. "I hope that he continues in this line of thinking," he told Reuters.

Clinton was the U.S. secretary of state when the uprising against Assad began in 2011, during a wave of protests against Arab autocrats known as the Arab Spring.

Prominent Syrian opposition politician George Sabra said: "We do not expect much from the new American administration, but we hope that the face of President Donald Trump is totally different to the face of Mr. Donald Trump the candidate."

While some in the opposition expressed concern about Trump's statements, others said a more isolationist approach from Trump could be a good thing for the rebellion by allowing regional powers such as Saudi Arabia to act free of U.S. constraints.

Hadi al-Bahra, former head and current member of the Syrian National Coalition, an opposition political body, told Reuters that potential positive aspects to Trump's presidency included his opposition to Iranian influence and Iran's nuclear deal.

Bassma Kodmani, member and spokeswoman for the Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said Trump's intentions remained largely unclear.

"All we can say is he has called for good relations with Russia," she told Reuters. "On Syria he will have to make difficult decisions. Cooperation with Russia over the last year and a half has not worked ... considerations should be towards a different policy," she said.

Some rebels believe that Trump will make no difference to long-established American policy.

"The Americans were never honest with us. They left us in a quagmire that drowned the Syrians ... Everyone is trading with our blood and suffering," said Abu Hamed, head of the military council of rebel group Liwa al Haq Brigade, speaking from Hama.

(Reporting by Tom Perry and Lisa Barrington in Beirut, Kinda Makieh in Damascus and Suleiman al-Khalidi in Amman; editing by Ralph Boulton)
A flag with the picture of Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan is seen during the Democracy and Martyrs Rally, organized by him and supported by ruling AK Party (AKP), oppositions Republican People's Party (CHP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), to prot

BERLIN (Reuters) - Luxembourg's foreign minister said on Monday that the Turkish government's handling of civil servants dismissed after a failed coup attempt reminded him of methods used by the Nazis, and that sooner or later the EU would have to respond with sanctions.

But Berlin appeared to dismiss the idea, saying it was important to keep channels open to a key partner in fighting terrorism.

More than 110,000 public servants - from soldiers and judges to teachers, politicians and journalists - have been detained, suspended or sacked since the failed military coup in July, in what President Tayyip Erdogan's critics say has turned into a crackdown on all forms of dissent.

Turkish officials say the measures are justified by the threat posed by the coup attempt, in which more than 240 people were killed as rogue soldiers commandeered fighter jets and tanks, bombing parliament and other buildings.

The names of those barred from public service are published in the official government gazette, potentially making it hard for them to find work elsewhere. In addition, their passports are canceled.

Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said people were also being stripped of their university degrees, and that many were being left with no income. Some dismissed teachers who were sole breadwinners have complained of being unable to feed their families.

"To put it bluntly, these are methods that were used during the Nazi era and that's a really, really bad development," Asselborn said.

He suggested imposing economic sanctions, pointing out that 50 percent of NATO member and EU aspirant Turkey's exports go to the EU and 60 percent of investment in Turkey comes from the bloc.

"At a certain point in time, we won't have any choice but to apply it (sanctions) to counteract the unbearable human rights situation."

The German government poured cold water on the proposal.

Interior Minister Thomas De Maiziere said while it was important to criticize the arrests of politicians and the limitation of press freedom, one should also keep in mind that Turkey, bordering Syria and Iraq, was a key ally in the fight against terrorism.

"A differentiated look, also to safeguard our interests, is the right approach," De Maiziere told fellow party members of the conservative bloc.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said Berlin would not get involved in discussion about potential sanctions.

"We have to make it clear to Turkey what impact the repression of the press and the repression of the opposition will have on its relations with the European Union," Steffen Seibert told a regular government news conference.

"That's why it's important to keep the channels of communication open."

Erdogan says Turkey alone can decide how to respond to the coup attempt, which they accuse U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen of orchestrating through a network of supporters. Gulen has condemned the action and denied any involvement.

Turkey's EU Minister Omer Celik said Ankara's actions should be equated to efforts to "protect democracy during the fight against the Nazis".

"The Nazis are like apprentices when compared with Gulenist terror organizations ... We are talking about an organization that has massacred its own people with warplanes, tanks, warships and helicopters. Nobody should think that we will take a step back in our fight against them."

Erdogan said on Sunday he did not care if Europe called him a dictator and accused European nations of abetting terrorism by supporting Kurdish militants.

Turkey has also threatened to cancel a deal with the EU to prevent refugees from the Middle East crossing into Europe in return for an acceleration of its EU membership application and visa-free entry for Turks.

(Reporting by Michelle Martin and Andreas Rinke in Berlin and Tulay Karadeniz in Ankara,; Writing by Michael Nienaber; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less.
The list of wines that awaits you below has 10 bottles, all in a particular wine style that is delicious and usually priced much lower than it is worth  worth meaning what most of us would be willing to pay for wines of such quality. The wines in question are lively, dry white wines from Italy at fair or even bargain prices. Say no more, right?

Truthfully, the rest of the story is not that involved anyway. Were talking about soave, the wine that took a beating in decades past for its lack of  everything but wetness. It was practically odorless, colorless, flavorless liquid. But somehow it kept arriving by the shipload in the United States, and people kept buying it until better options were available.

Its a different story today, qualitywise. Its not as if the entire soave region has transformed itself; there are certainly blah soaves alive and kicking out there. But now, really nice bottles are pretty easy to find.

Soave wines come from the Veneto region in northeastern Italy not far from the enchanting city of Verona, which is a modern Italian wine mecca (host of the famous Vinitaly wine exhibition) in addition to being the home of Romeo and Juliet, among other Shakespeare characters. Some of the nice bottles come from the Soave DOC, but the majority of the areas best wines come from the predominantly hillside Soave Classico region, which features both volcanic and limestone soils, and wine styles that range from angular, steely and citrusy to rounder, more lush, melony and earthy  all with bright and lively acidity.

Look for Soave Classico DOC or Soave Superiore DOCG on the labels to find the areas top bottlings. And dont be surprised that most of them will cost you somewhere in the neighborhood of $15. Some specially designated single vineyard names might also appear on labels. Expect to pay about double for those. Still, youre often topping out at about $30. One has to believe that todays popular pricing is due in part to the wine styles image issues  presently deserved or not.

From light- to medium-bodied, soave is made mostly of the garganega grape variety (the law calls for 70 percent) with a few other grape varieties allowed for blending  trebbiano di soave, chardonnay and pinot bianco among them. These are expressive wines that will wake up your nose and taste buds, and could also match well with appetizers, salads, sushi, other fish dishes, poultry and pastas with vegetables. They are easy to drink and easy to like.

The best part of it all  if you are still even reading  is not that you can return to a wine that you once looked down on, or always avoided because of what you had heard about it. The best part is that you now have a new white to explore, and it wont require you to skip any utility bill payments. Discovering and delving into a wine style that is easily affordable is one of the great joys of anyones wine journey. Sharing your bounty with a fellow wine lover is another.

The following wines were my 10 favorites from a recent tasting. They are listed in ascending order, according to price. Most are 100 percent garganega, but at least three of them (noted below) also used trebbiano di soave in their blends. Their alcohol contents landed within 12 to 13 percent, making them great as stand-up-and-chat aperitifs as well as sit-down-and-eat pairings.

2014 Franchetto Recorbian Soave: Citrusy and mouthwatering, this wine was tempered by a hint of orange zest, minerality and a slight note of spice on the finish. $12

2014 Inama Vin Soave Classico: Minerality, a satisfying earthy character, lemon, spice and fresh minerality made this wine fun and easy to drink on its own or with food. $15

2014 Cantina di Soave Rocca Sveva Soave Classico: Full of pear, this brightly acidic wine offered a suggestion of stone fruit that leads to a clean, refreshing finish. $16

2014 Cantina del Castello Soave Classico: Crushed stone, lime and pear are prominent in this wine, which consists mostly of garganega, blended with some trebbiano di soave. $16

2014 Fattori Danieli Soave: Fermented and aged in stainless steel, this one offered ripe melon aromas that segued to tropical and citrus flavors, ending with a subtle hint of spice. $17

2014 Marcato Monte Tenda Soave Classico: Floral with bursts of lime and lemon plus bright acidity, this vineyard-designated wine combines garganega and trebbiano di soave with great success. $18

2014 Cantina di Monteforte Castellaro Soave Superiore: This DOCG wine, fermented and aged in barrels, had a soft mouthfeel that delivered sweet lemon, peach, a nuttiness and prominent minerality. $18

2015 Pieropan Soave Classico: Bursts of peach aromas and flavors were balanced by minerality and bright acidity in this wine composed of 85 percent garganega and 15 percent trebbiano di soave. $20

2014 Gini La Frosca Soave Classico: Stone fruits and green apple gave way to a subtle midpalate sweetness, and just a touch of spice on the finish. $28

2013 Suavia Monte Carbonare: This layered wine started with minerality and a wave of acidity followed by a pinch of fresh lime that finished with a pleasant crispness. $29
Children approached by a teen male in a van Tuesday afternoon fled the scene after he asked if they wanted to get into his vehicle.

Madison police said the incident happened at about 5:15 p.m. in the 4300 block of Lilac Lane.

The children, whose ages were not given, told an adult a blue minivan pulled up, with the male occupant asking if they wanted to get into the van.

"The children ran home and reported it to an adult," said Lt. Kelly Donahue.

The children also said the same subject may have been in the area a couple of weeks ago.

"On that occasion, the occupant of the vehicle asked the children if they wanted something that he offered them," Donahue said. "The children left the area on that occasion as well."

The suspect was described as a teenage white male with short brown hair. The blue-colored minivan may have some rust on the bottom of the front doors.

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call the non-emergency dispatch number, 255-2345.
A Katikati woman was trapped in a car for some time after it crashed into a power pole.

The 18-year-old woman was the front seat passenger of the vehicle, which crash near Waihi Beach around 5am yesterday.

The Tauranga-based Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to the scene to airlift the injured teenager to hospital.

Pilot and base manager Liam Brettkelly says the woman received pelvic and back injuries as a result of the crash.

The Waihi Fire Brigade cut the woman free from the vehicle and she was stabilised by St John medics before being flown to Tauranga Hospital in a serious condition.

The driver of the car received minor head injuries in the crash and also flown to Tauranga hospital (on the same flight).

The helicopter was called because of the serious nature of the crash and the distance to hospital.
Leading kapa haka practitioners will gather in Whakatane on Friday for a one-day forum on Maori performing arts.

The symposium Te Rautoki a Toi is being held at the Whakatane campus of Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi, and is expected to attract more than 200 people.

The symposium is being organised by Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi and follows on from the inaugural national kapa haka forum in Rotorua in November 2012.

Co-ordinator Sheree Spooner, who leads the Bachelor of Maori Performing Arts (BMPA) programme at Awanuiarangi, and academic advisor Junior Tana say the symposium facilitates a national forum of skilled and knowledgeable artists to discuss kapa haka issues in an academic arena.

There are limited opportunities for kapa haka experts to gather to discuss cutting edge developments in a national context, says Sheree.

The symposium provides the opportunity for Maori performing arts practitioners to learn first-hand from the leading artists of the day.

Junior says the symposium would wrestle with contentious issues of the time and hear perspectives from the vast network of Maori performing arts exponents around the country.

A line-up of performing arts experts will speak and participate in panel and breakout sessions.

Topics include the evolution of Te Reo Maori in composition and haka development processes (From a Thought to the Stage), and there will be performances by BMPA students and Te Ahorangi.

Vicki Kingi, and Chris and Teen Winitana are the keynote speakers, and other guests include Tamati Waaka, Otene Hopa and Te Taepa Kameta.

A dinner and a performance by Rob Ruha will cap off the event.

Please click here to view the symposium programme.
Yes, we need to keep it under control

No, we need to learn to live with it
Voters in Madison resoundingly approved a plan to exceed school revenue limits by up to $26 million a year, while in the Dane County suburbs, huge building proposals were approved in Sun Prairie, McFarland and Belleville.

Historically, Madison school referendums pass more often than not, and Tuesday's proposal eased through with a roughly 3-to-1 victory margin.

"I'm really grateful to community members for expressing once again their strong support of Madison public schools," said School Board member Ed Hughes. "I hope that at some level, this is a vote of confidence in what we're doing. We take that seriously, and we'll redouble our efforts to show that the faith in us is warranted."

The Madison vote will permanently raise the district's state-imposed revenue limit by up to $26 million annually, though the increase will be phased in over four years. School Board members say the additional operating revenue will stave off what could have been draconian cuts in the years ahead.

"The benefit of this is that we get to continue the things that are working," said board member Dean Loumos, noting gains in early literacy and in narrowing achievement gaps. He said board members will be good stewards of the money, using only the tax levy authority needed each budget cycle.

"This just gives us the room to do what we need to do, and we will always be reasonable about that," Loumos said.

The way the referendum is structured, the first $5 million will be levied this year, though not spent until the 2017-18 budget. The levy authority will increase another $5 million the following year, to $10 million. The third year, the increase will be an additional $8 million, to $18 million. The fourth year, the amount will go up yet another $8 million, to the full $26 million.

The additional levy authority of up to $26 million would then continue annually as a recurring cost. District officials say the cost to the owner of an average-priced home  currently $254,548  will average out over the four years to $35.76 annually.

Suburbs approve plans

In Sun Prairie, the approval of an $89.5 million proposal to build two elementary schools and purchase land for future building projects comes just six years after the district opened a $96 million high school on the city's east side.

The referendum will help ease crowding at lower grade levels with the construction of elementary schools and lays the groundwork for a second referendum in 2018 for the construction of a second high school in one of the state's fastest growing communities.

Six of the district's seven elementary schools are over capacity, and more than 1,600 students could be added over the next decade in a city whose population has swelled 57 percent since 2000 to more than 32,000 people.

"When you have the right engagement and the right discourse and you shape the direction of the school around that input, these results reflect that effort," said Superintendent Brad Saron. "This represents the first steps in shaping the school district that reflects the community's expectations for education."

Under the plan approved Tuesday, elementary schools would be built on the northwest and southwest sides of the city, each with a capacity for 500 students.

In the McFarland School District, voters overwhelmingly approved a $65.1 million plan to improve and expand several facilities. The projects will include a two-story classroom addition and expanding the gymnasium at Indian Mound Middle School and major improvements to Waubesa Intermediate School.

"It's a reflection of what we had heard when we were talking to folks. This community supports its schools, and this is a clear reflection of that support," said Cody Lundquist, a sixth-grade teacher in the district who headed up a community group to promote the referendum's passage. "I'm very excited for our district to have the opportunity to grow and to continue to be competitive in Dane County. I'm just thrilled."

The high school's swimming pool and auditorium, both constructed in 1978, will also be replaced with larger, more modern facilities and would open in time for the 2020-21 school year.

"The School Board listened closely to input from the community to develop a well-thought-out, fiscally responsible plan," said Superintendent Andrew Briddell. "The referendum results are a tremendous step forward in our community-driven planning process."

In Belleville, another suburban district anchored by a village of 2,500 people, a $20.7 million plan that includes additions and improvements at the middle and high school buildings was overwhelming approved.

The plans also include new classrooms, a cafeteria and larger library at the intermediate school; special services space for occupational, physical and speech therapy and maintenance work that includes plumbing, heating and cooling systems, technology wiring and roofs, windows and doors.

Large building plan fails in Milton

In Milton, voters approved exceeding the revenue limit by $2.5 million for five years but turned down an $87 million bid to build a new high school and swimming pool, expand an elementary school and make various renovations.

"The community does value the programming we offer, and they do not want to see that lessen," Superintendent Tim Schigur said of the operational referendum that was approved.

But Jon Cruzan, School Board president, said the facility needs remain, and the board will have to figure out how to meet them.

"They aren't going away, and they will continue to be more expensive for our taxpayers to address in the future," Cruzan said.

He said this was the right time to put the issue before voters.
Police would like to identify the two men responsible for an armed robbery at Tauranga tavern, where a woman was forced to the floor and had her hands tied behind her back.

Shortly after closing on Tuesday, around 1am, two men forced their way into Cheers Tavern by breaking through a front window.

The sole worker in the bar at the time was forced at gunpoint across the tavern and onto the floor beside the bar where she was bound with her hands behind her back, says Tauranga CIB Detective Sergeant Craig Rawlinson.

The offenders then took a sum of cash before running from the bar, leaving the worker still bound on the floor.

They ran across a disused industrial area, crossed State Highway 29A, and headed in the direction of Truman Lane, beside Baypark Stadium.

This was a terrifying encounter for the victim, being led with a firearm against the back of her head and bound with her hands behind her back, says Craig.

Both the men in the CCTV images provided were disguised during the robberies with balaclavas over their faces.

The first man is of medium build and wore dark jeans and a black hooded top.

The second man is taller than the first, of a heavy build and was wearing dark pants and a blue t-shirt over a grey hooded top.

If seen, these two men should not be approached, says Craig.

Police ask that anyone who may be able to identify these men, or saw anything suspicious in the area at that time, contact Tauranga Police immediately on 07 577 4300.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service has broken through the $1 million mark in fundraising for a new world-class, multi-use base.

The iconic surf lifesaving club has served the Mount community for 86 years, but the current building, which was last updated more than 25 years ago, is in urgent need of repair.

Club chairman Paul Treanor says the latest confirmed grant - $100,000 from the Grassroots Trust - has the project near the halfway mark and hes hopeful of more good news to come.

We should know the result of our application to the Lottery Grants Board by the end of the month and, if that is successful, well be on the home straight.

Weve been delighted with the support weve received so far in a tough fundraising climate, with our standing in the community giving us a definite advantage.

The club provides lifeguarding services throughout summer, not only to a 6km stretch of coastline but also on and around Mauao and in Pilot Bay.

The search for Jack Dixon, who was washed off rocks near the Mauao base track in 2014, highlighted the need for an operations base able to handle large-scale emergency responses with the likes of Police and Search and Rescue.

Major contributors to the new building fund include $400k from the Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust, $200k each from New Zealand Community Trust and Tauranga City Council, and $100k from both MacKay Strathnaver Trust and Grassroots Trust.

Taurangas population has meant far more people are using the beaches and on Mauao, with lifeguard numbers increasing as a result.

Paul explains the club needs more space for training and performing core lifeguarding roles, with a community function centre generates cash-flow to fund services and maintenance.

Our stated aim is to provide world-class lifesaving services and we want to lead the way, not only on the beach environment but also in our integration with other emergency services. Our building project has that firmly in mind and will help us keep the public safe for generations to come.

MMLS general manager Glenn Bradley says the club has made a strong start to the patrolling season, making use of the Zespri-funded Eastern Region lifeguard education and adopting several innovative training approaches.

The club has taken its lifeguard theory refresher tests online for the first time, allowing more time to be spent on brushing up practical skills including CPR and simulated rescues, while professional ATV and 4WD driver training clinics are also being held.

The 4WD training in particular has been hugely beneficial. A large portion of our first aid incidents are on Mauao, so our club members need to be trained and confident at driving up to the summit, either to provide assistance ourselves or to take other emergency services to the scene.

Thats why you may spot our club truck on Mauao next weekend, with another training clinic scheduled for Saturday, November 19.

Planning for the building project will also continue, with the club hoping to move into community fundraising early in the New Year and construction set to start in May.

The aim is to have the new building ready for the 2017-18 season.

A still from a video featuring senior lifeguard and legend Kent Jarman explaining what makes the Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service so unique and extraordinary. Photo: Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key is offering is his congratulations to the new American president-elect, Donald Trump.

I congratulate Mr Trump on his victory after a long campaign, says John.

I will be writing to Mr Trump to offer my personal congratulations.

Our two countries share a strong relationship and I look forward to that continuing. Over the coming months we will be looking to build close ties with the incoming Trump Administration.

John also paid tribute to the outgoing administration, led by former president Barack Obama.

I have had a close and constructive relationship with President Obama and I wish him all the best for his future.

There have been mixed emotions and some controversy since news broke of Americas new president-elect.

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is in some hot water after posting a picture of his ballot ticket on Twitter.

The post showed he had written himself in as a candidate and was accompanied with the line; Ill just leave this right here. #MakeAmericaWoooooAgain.

Back in New Zealand, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters thought Donald Trump would always win the US presidential election

His victory results from the establishment treating ordinary Americans with contempt, and they are fighting back with their vote. Leading up to the election 72 per cent had no trust in Washington politicians, Winston says in a statement released last night.

This is yet again a dramatic lesson for the commentariat, pollsters and the political establishment.

The greatest message for the elite is that the ordinary people in the Western world are not going to go on being ignored.

The pollsters and media got it wrong because they refused to see what is happening in America and this is not a Republican victory over the Democrats, this is a rejection of neo-liberalism or, in plain words, the elite enriching themselves at the expense of the hard working, law abiding middle-class and workers.

Emotions are mixed on social media with one person posting: My thoughts? Im scared and disgusted!! He is a man full of hate, racism, discrimination. He has no clue about politics or the world. This has got to be one of the worst days in history, ever. We are all screwed.

Another person posted; Best news of 2016, if you despise Trump due to the constant lies being told by the mainstream media congrats you are officially brainwashed.
A slaughterman who received home detention over the abuse of bobby calves has had his sentence replaced with a two year prison term following an appeal by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Noel Erickson, 39, was sentenced to 10 months home detention and 200 hours of community work when he appeared in the Huntly District Court in July this year.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to 10 charges over the abuse of 111 bobby calves at a Te Kauwhata pet food processing plant in August last year.

The charges included wilfully ill-treating a calf and representative charges of recklessly ill-treating calves, ill-treating calves, and using blunt force trauma.

Penalties for the offences ranged from a maximum five years imprisonment or maximum fine of $100,000 (or both), to charges carrying a maximum penalty of 12 months imprisonment or a maximum fine of $50,000 (or both).

The Crown lodged an appeal over Ericksons sentence on behalf of the Ministry for Primary Industries in August.

MPI Compliance operations manager Gary Orr welcomes the decision.

Ericksons offending involved a significant number of calves who were treated with extreme cruelty.

There was clear evidence of abuse including of Erickson throwing and dropping calves onto the ground, kicking and hitting them, and dragging some under a gate.

Justice Patricia Courtney has quashed the sentence of home detention and community work and substituted it with a sentence of two years imprisonment.

MPI takes animal abuse very seriously. When we get information about the mistreatment of animals, we conduct thorough investigations. When there is offending, we take action and people are held to account, says Gary.

MPI introduced new regulations governing the welfare and management of bobby calves in August this year. Since then, we have been actively reinforcing the new regulations with warning letters and infringement notices.

The new regulations, combined with a comprehensive education programme targeted at farmers, transport operators and processors, are part of a suite of initiatives designed to ensure we see significant improvements.

Im very pleased to note that this season, we have seen a material improvement in the condition of calves that end up in processing facilities. The reality is, were not going to see problems fixed overnight but with continued and ongoing education and the introduction of new, strengthened regulations we would expect fewer incidents of this nature.

Gary says MPI has a number of active investigations underway related to this bobby calf season.

In addition, the investigation initiated last year that resulted in the Erickson conviction is ongoing, and another related case is currently before the courts.
Republican Donald Trump won a stunning upset victory Tuesday in Wisconsin  part of a series of Rust Belt victories that propelled him to the White House.

The Associated Press called Wisconsin for Trump just after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, immediately triggering a projection that Trump would win the national election after he was already declared the winner in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Former four-term Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, who ran for president in 2008 and Senate in 2012, said he called Trump briefly Tuesday afternoon and told him that he had a good feeling about the Badger State.

"It is the most incredible election I've ever been involved in," Thompson said. "The results are so overwhelmingly for Donald Trump and the Republicans that it is a smashing, smashing victory that is utterly incredible."

Based on polling, Democrat Hillary Clinton was positioned to win the state's 10 electoral votes despite becoming the first major-party nominee since 1972 not to set foot in the state. She held a six-point lead in the final Marquette School Law Poll conducted just over a week ago.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin said Tuesday afternoon she saw no signs that Clinton's absence created an enthusiasm gap among Democrats heading into Election Day.

"I can't tell you how many women my age, maybe older than me, whisper to me, 'I think we're going to make history tonight and start to tear up,'" Baldwin said.

UW-Madison political science professor Barry Burden said Clinton's decision not to visit or invest heavily in the state proved to be a mistake.

"This is one of the only states where the Trump ads outnumbered the Clinton ads," Burden said. "This may have been the only state where her ads were drowned out by his."

Trump faced a steep climb to become the first GOP presidential candidate since 1984 to win Wisconsin, a feat that became even loftier after he lost the state's primary to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Several top Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, initially kept the brash billionaire at arm's length, though they eventually came around to backing him.

Thompson, who embraced Trump shortly after he secured the GOP nomination, said Trump's win will put Ryan in the driver's seat if he wins re-election as House speaker  an outcome that seemed boosted by Republicans retaining a strong majority in the House.

"Trump doesn't have the policies, Paul Ryan does," Thompson said. "You've got Wisconsin in the catbird seat with Paul Ryan."

Thompson also said Trump's success Tuesday was a big win for Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, of Kenosha, who was the architect of Trump's ground game in many states, including Wisconsin.

Thompson also predicted Trump could call on Gov. Scott Walker to serve in his cabinet. Walker has previously indicated he isn't interested in serving in a Republican administration.

"The best thing Republicans can do is get out there and govern, and govern correctly," Thompson said. "If you do, you could become the majority party in the United States for a long time."

Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, an early anti-Trump Republican in the state, credited Trump "for bringing a heck of a lot of new people into the process."

"It's obvious the pollsters missed it, everybody missed it," Steineke said. "A whole bunch of people in the country have felt disenfranchised over the years. They saw something in him that they could latch on to. The important thing now is we learn something from it and be responsible with the powers we (Republicans) have been given."

Trump campaigned hard in the state, making five visits over the past three months. In the final month his campaign spent nearly $2 million on advertising in the state. Clinton topped that amount in ad spending here in the final week, dropping nearly $3 million, according to figures compiled by The Associated Press.

And yet, unlike the past several presidential cycles, Wisconsin played second fiddle to other battleground states in the waning days of the campaign.

In 2012, President Barack Obama held a campaign rally with Bruce Springsteen in Madison on the day before the election. This year both campaigns sent their vice presidential nominees in the final weekend. The Clinton campaign's top surrogate to the state was Vice President Joe Biden.

Trump canceled an event originally scheduled Sunday during a Green Bay Packers game, the second time his campaign canceled a visit to southeast Wisconsin, the region that appeared to be the candidate's Kryptonite.

The final Marquette poll showed Trump tied with Clinton in the region surrounding Milwaukee, an area 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney won by nearly 20 points.

But election night results showed Trump improving on Romney's performance in every county in the state.

Sue Lynch, of La Crosse, past president of the National Federation of Republican Women, said in conversations with other GOP women around the country she kept hearing about the number of people coming out to Trump rallies and new people coming to headquarters and getting involved.
Olivia

Heather Olivia, 28, of Clay, went missing Tuesday night.

(Onondaga County Sheriff's Office)

Deputies say Heather Olivia drives a gray 2004 Honda Accord like the car pictured in this photograph. Her New York license plate number is GKK3922.

CLAY, N.Y. -- Onondaga County Sheriff's Office deputies have asked the public for help finding a missing Clay woman who suffers from depression.

Heather Olivia, 28, was last seen leaving her family's Gaskin Road home around 11:15 p.m. Tuesday, said Sgt. Jon Seeber, a spokesman of the sheriff's office. She has depression and is considered endangered, he said.

"Olivia's family is concerned for her emotional and physical welfare," Seeber said.

Olivia drives a gray 2004 Honda accord with four doors, Seeber said. Her New York license plate number is GKK3922.

The missing woman is 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs about 100 pounds, Seeber said. She has blonde hair and blue eyes.

Deputies asked anyone with information about where Olivia is to call 911.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A parolee has been charged with robbing two banks in Onondaga County, Syracuse police said.

Ronald J. Bisnett

Ronald J. Bisnett, 46, was charged with two counts of third-degree robbery.

On Oct. 31 a man entered the M&T Bank at 3640 James St. in Eastwood and demanded money from a teller. The man left on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. No weapon was used and no one was hurt. Police got a detailed description of the suspect.

Police said detectives identified Bisnett as the bank robbery suspect and on Tuesday morning got a tip that Bisnett, who is homeless, was in Scriba. He was arrested there.

After talking with investigators in Solvay, Bisnett was also charged with robbing a Solvay Bank on Oct. 24, police said.

Records from the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision show Bisnett has been on parole since August.

In 2014 he was charged with robbing the Bank of America in Eastwood and the Key Bank on West Genesee Street in Syracuse within days of each other. He had been on parole at the time for a prior robbery conviction.

Bisnett was held at the Onondaga County jail without bail.
Manlius car burglary (6)

The Manlius Police Department has released surveillance photos of a car they believe was driven by the man responsible for recent car break-ins at a YMCA. Police said the car is a red Toyota RAV4.

(Manlius Police Department)

MANLIUS, N.Y. -- Thieves are targeting cars in a YMCA parking lot again with the latest break-ins reported at the YMCA in the village of Manlius.

Within the last year, car break-ins have been reported at YMCAs in Lysander, Skaneateles and Auburn.

The Manlius Police Department received two reports early Monday morning of cars being broken into while parked at the YMCA at 140 W. Seneca St., police said.

Video surveillance footage showed an unidentified man breaking into the cars left at the parking lot near Mezzy Lane. He smashed out the windows of the vehicles and took things from inside, police said.

Police identified his vehicle as a red Toyota RAV4.

These break-ins come nearly two months after 27 cars were broken into while left at a Lysander YMCA. This past January 10 cars were broken into at the Skaneateles YMCA.

Only two weeks before the Skaneateles incident, Auburn's YMCA also had cars broken into.

The Manlius Police Department was previously investigating car burglaries from late October when vehicles parked at a Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics at 8016 E. Genesee Turnpike were broken into.

While the vehicle captured on surveillance footage for the dentist break-ins was described as a red SUV, Sgt. Joe Peters said police are treating them as separate incidents.

The Manlius Police Department is asking anyone with information to call 315-682-2212, or to leave anonymous tips at 315-682-8673.

Reporter Kira Maddox covers crime and safety for Syracuse.com. She can be reached anytime: Email | Facebook | Twitter
Fatal I-481 accident (4)

A three-vehicle accident caused by an elderly person driving the wrong way on Route I-481 in Oswego County left three people dead and two other hospitalized. (Provided by Rick Grosvent)

(Rick Grosvent)

SCHROEPPEL, N.Y. -- A trooper was in Clay Monday morning when he heard that a driver was traveling the wrong-way on Route 481 south.

The trooper jumped on the call and drove to Route 481. As he pulled onto the highway just south of Route 31, the officer saw the vehicle coming toward him in what's normally the passing lane of the southbound lanes, said Trooper Jack Keller, a spokesman for the New York State Police.

The trooper parked in the left lane -- stopping in the driver's path, Keller said. He then stepped out of his car and tried to get the driver to stop.

Bruce Drury, the driver going north in the southbound lanes, ignored the officer and did not stop.

Drury instead swerved around the trooper's vehicle and kept driving his 2004 Toyota Corolla north on Route 481 south, Keller said. The trooper did a U-turn, pulled onto Route 481 north and raced to try get ahead of Drury, he said.

But by the time the trooper caught up with Drury, the driver had crashed into two other vehicles just before the Route 57A exit in Schroeppel, Oswego County, Keller said.

Drury, 68, of Syracuse, and twin sisters, 69, riding in the first car he crashed into, were killed.

Drury had driven seven miles going the wrong way in the southbound lanes, forcing cars to pull over so they wouldn't be hit by his vehicle. If Drury was going 60 mph, he was going the wrong way for seven minutes; police have not said how fast he was driving.

The seven-mile wrong-way drive started with an accident, troopers said.

Drury was driving on Route 481 north around 11 a.m. when he drove across the median and into oncoming traffic, troopers said. He then drove across Route 481 south and crashed into bushes on the side of the highway just past the northbound Caughdenoy Road exit ramp.

Witnesses who saw Drury's car drive into the bushes stopped to see if he was OK, Keller said. When Drury backed up onto the highway and started to drive north in the southbound lanes, witnesses started to call 911, he said.

Karen Florczykowski, of Cicero, told Syracuse.com she had just driven under the Henry Clay Boulevard Bridge on Route 481 south when she realized a car was in her lane.

Florczykowski said she was able to pull into the other lane and out of the oncoming driver's way. As she drove by the man, Florczykowski said she got a chance to look at his face.

"He had both hands on the wheel and was staring straight ahead," she said. "He was as focused as could be and kept going straight."

Mark Falso, of Liverpool, told Syracuse.com he had just driven by the Soule Road on-ramp on Route 481 south when he saw a patrol vehicle with its lights flashing stopped in the left lane. Falso pulled into the right lane to give the trooper room.

After passing the trooper, Falso said he returned to the left lane, not knowing there was a car coming up the wrong way on the highway in that lane.

He suddenly saw the headlights of an on-coming car.

Falso quickly changed lanes, braking behind three other stopped cars. He said the air was filled with smoke and dust -- signs that the drivers, like Falso, had been forced to quickly brake.

A few miles away, Ron Porter, 70, of Fulton was driving south with his wife and her twin sister.

Family members said Porter was taking his wife, Louise Porter, and her twin, Linda Robillard, to the Salina area for a Christmas shopping trip. Porter was trying to pass a slower vehicle when Drury's 2004 Toyota Corolla crashed head-on into Porter's 2008 Dodge Avenger.

Drury's car then spun into the path of an oncoming 2006 Chrysler Town & Country minivan, troopers said.

The 69-year-old sisters were pronounced dead at the scene. Drury was also killed.

Porter was treated at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse for internal injuries. The driver of the minivan, Mark S. Visconti, 55, of Elmira, was treated at the scene.

The fatal crash was reported at 11:10 a.m., an Oswego County 911 dispatcher said. Keller said he did not know exactly what time callers started to report the wrong-way driver or how many people called 911.

As they work to determine what caused the crash, Keller said troopers are considering "all possibilities."

Although troopers have found no information that indicates Drury was suicidal, Keller said that is still part of the investigation. Troopers are also waiting on the results of toxicology tests, he said.

On Monday, Keller said it did not appear Drury had suffered a medical emergency.

When 911 started to receive calls about the wrong-way driver, Keller said available troopers were dispatched to the highway. He did not immediately know how many troopers responded.

During the minutes-long incident, Keller said troopers wanted to intercept Drury. Pointing out that troopers did not know where Drury was headed, Keller said troopers did not set up a roadblock.

Keller referred questions about how troopers are trained to respond to wrong-way drivers to state police officials in Albany.
Blog_2016-10-15_ss_Crunch_28.JPG

Cory Conacher has eight points in seven games for the Syracuse Crunch this season.

(Scott Schild | sschild@nyup.com)

Syracuse, N.Y.  The Tampa Bay Lightning have returned forward Cory Conacher to Syracuse just a couple days after bringing him up from the Crunch in the first place.

Conacher, 26, was recalled from the Crunch on Sunday but did not play against Florida on Monday.

In seven games with the Crunch this season, Conacher has posted three goals and eight points to go along with eight penalty minutes.

Conacher leads Syracuse for assists with five, is tied for the team lead for points and is tied for third for goals.
Trump.jpg

President-elect Donald Trump

(Associated Press)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Donald Trump's election as president already has some Syracusans worried about losing their Obamacare health insurance.

Trump has vowed to repeal and replace Obamacare once he's in the White House.

ACR Health, a Syracuse agency that enrolls people in health plans through the state's health insurance exchange, is getting lots of calls from consumers. "The message I'm giving people is, 'It's business as usual,'" said Steve Wood, ACR's director of insurance programs. "It's not over."

More than 78,000 people in Central New York and 2.8 million statewide have enrolled in health plans over the past three years through the state exchange. The exchange was created to comply with the federal Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. About 15 percent of New Yorkers get health coverage through the exchange. Most New Yorkers with health insurance are covered through employer sponsored plans.

The New York Health Plan Association, a group representing the state's health insurers, does not expect immediate changes to Obamacare once Trump takes office.

"We believe the impact on New York's exchange will be smaller than some might predict or expect," said Leslie Moran, the association's senior vice president.

About 10 percent of people enrolled through the exchange are in private plans. The rest are in Medicaid and other government health plans. More than half the people enrolled in private plans are getting federal subsidies to lower their monthly premium costs. Those subsidies could be affected if Trump kills or overhauls Obamare, Moran said.

Trump has talked about replacing subsidies with tax breaks for people who buy insurance.

Any changes Trump makes could have a major impact on the Essential Plan, a low-cost government-funded health plan that debuted on the New York exchange last year, according to Moran. The plan is designed for the working poor whose incomes are too high to qualify for Medicaid. Members pay either $20 a month or nothing depending on their income.

The Essential Plan signed up 379,559 members during its first year, while the number of people buying private coverage on the exchange dropped by 143,388, more than one-third. The Empire Center, a conservative Albany research group, has said the new plan is undercutting competition from private health plans and could undermine the state exchange.

The Essential Plan is saving the state money. That's because the state has to pay the full cost of Medicaid coverage for immigrants who are ineligible for federal matching funds. By switching some of them to the Essential Plan, the federal government picks up 85 percent of the cost, saving the state about $645 million annually,

Another big change will happen if Trump and Congress change federal law so insurers can offer less generous health benefits at a lower cost to consumers, Moran said. Under Obamacare, insurers are required to offer 10 categories of services such as mental health, prescription drugs and preventive services like annual physicals.

During his campaign Trump said people should be able to buy affordable coverage outside Obamacare exchanges. He would let people open tax-free health savings accounts to help pay for health costs and let people deduct the cost of premiums on their income tax returns. He also wants to let health insurers sell policies across state lines to foster more competition.

"Obamacare is a disaster," Trump said during one of the presidential debates. "It is very bad, very bad health insurance. Far too expensive, and not only expensive for the person that has it, unbelievably expensive for our country."

Contact James T. Mulder anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-470-2245
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney and her supporters are gathering tonight for a small election party at the Hotel Syracuse, the same hotel where local Democrats are partying a few floors away in a ballroom.

Meanwhile, Mahoney's fellow Republicans are watching election results across town at the Sheraton University Hotel.

Mahoney, who expressed strong misgivings about the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump, is attending a small party with friends, said Ben Dublin, Mahoney's former chief of staff who is now a senior vice president with Mercury Public Affairs.

Onondaga County Democrats are holding their party in the hotel's Grand Ballroom, nine floors above Mahoney's gathering.

In a videotaped interview at her party, Mahoney said it is time for both parties to rally around who ever wins the presidential election.

In an October radio interview, Mahoney said Trump has espoused offensive, anti-woman rhetoric that is damaging to the Republican Party. She said she hopes the "pendulum swings back" toward a more moderate message following the election.

Besides Dublin, early arrivals at the Mahoney party included Syracuse Common Councilor Joseph Carni, the city council's lone Republican.
I-81 common features2.jpg

Interstate 81 plans northern segment of common features.

(New York State Department of Transportation)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Fifty years ago, construction of Interstate 81 tore through a once-vibrant Syracuse neighborhood on Syracuse's South Side.

Now neighbors on the city's North Side fear plans to modernize the highway will threaten to cut off their bustling neighborhood just like the South Side was cut off years ago.

About 100 residents and business owners met with Syracuse common councilors Wednesday at city hall to add their voices to those calling on the New York State Department of Transportation to rethink its plans to build new highway ramps, add lanes to I-81 and realign the Butternut Street bridge.

"We're in danger of committing the same 'classic blunder' that created I-81," said John King, who owns Mission Landing in Franklin Square and is a partner in a law firm located there.

The changes that affect the North Side are part of DOT's plans to modernize I-81 in Syracuse. This summer, Gov. Andrew Cuomo called building the highway through the city a "classic planning blunder."

The DOT is considering two plans to replace the aging highway:

A $1.7 billion plan would build a taller, wider version of the highway keeping in place the same footprint that isolated a South Side neighborhood from the city.

A $1.3 billion plan would demolish the highway, send "through" traffic around the city on Interstate 481 and allow city streets to handle vehicles with destinations in Syracuse.

As a part of the I-81 plans, the DOT has developed a set of "common features" that would be built no matter which alternative is chosen. In the North Side those features include building new ramps to connect Interstate 690 with I-81, adding additional lanes to I-81 and realigning the Butternut Street bridge.

Critics argue that the highway and the streets around it do an adequate job of handling traffic and there's no need to rebuild it.

Neighbors believe the construction will isolate a community that is enjoying a renaissance as old industrial buildings are converted to condos, apartments, offices, shops and restaurants. The proposed construction would make the neighborhood less desirable, cause property values to fall and hurt businesses, critics said.

The Butternut Street bridge is a vital link between the North Side, Little Italy and Armory Square, changing it would isolate the neighborhood, George Angeloro told councilors. "We feel that's a critical economic link," he said.

The bridge is also a vital link for students walking to Fowler High School, said Pat Body. Cutting it off for a reconstruction could discourage students from walking to class, she said.

Laura McCord of Mission Landing told councilors that allowing the DOT to create a "forest" of concrete pillars for new elevated connections between Interstate 690 and I-81 would create dead zones where families would no longer walk and no number of pretty planters would make anyone feel safe.

Those dead zones would metastasize like a cancer throughout the rest of the community, she told councilors.

The DOT is taking comments on the two proposals to replace I-81 as part of the huge project that affects in some way nearly every neighborhood in the city and its outlying suburbs. The agency expects to narrow its choices for replacing the highway down to one next year.

Public comments may be made by emailing I81Opportunities@dot.ny.gov, by letter at NYSDOT Region 3, I-81 Viaduct Project, 333 E. Washington St., Syracuse, NY 13202, or by calling the hotline at 855-481-8255.

Contact Charley Hannagan anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-2161.
Voter to Trump: Prove to me I made the wrong choice

To the Editor:

A message to President-elect Donald Trump:

Now that the election is over and you have a Republican Congress behind you, I trust you will be able to "Make America Great Again" by ending poverty and achieving social justice for all Americans regardless of race or creed; fixing our broken immigration policy; encouraging economic growth and reducing income inequality; providing affordable and comprehensive healthcare for all Americans, protecting our environment; rebuilding our infrastructure and achieving peace throughout the world.

Once you have achieved these goals, I will recognize I made the wrong choice on Election Day.

Joan F. Johnson

Camillus

Help is on the way for our impoverished Syracuse

To the Editor:

As a lifetime resident of the City of Syracuse, I was disheartened to see that I live on a little island of Democratic control, especially when it has been determined that my city is one of the poorest in the country. The local Democratic Party machine continues to have a stronghold over our residences.

I firmly believe if, through the help of our only watchdog, The Post-Standard, we become less partisan and keep a open mind to change, help will be arriving within the next few years. Lets accept it with a positive attitude.

Jim Stelter

Syracuse

Will Trump lead forward or backward on climate?

To the Editor:

The voters have spoken and have chosen Donald Trump as the next president. Unfortunately, it is not voters who will have the last word when it comes to the consequences of climate change. While Donald Trump and many of his supporters may be climate change deniers, it will be an injustice to Americans, and the world community with which we share a planet, to pull in the reins of actions which can help to mitigate many of the adverse impacts of global warming from greenhouse gas emissions.

The next president will have the opportunity to make America's energy infrastructure great again, reduce America's carbon footprint, create good-paying jobs, increase the security of the electric grid, and reduce the rising international security threat from refugees of climate ravaged areas all at the same time. The question is: Will Trump lead forward or backward to appease a fossil fuel industry whose waste products choke the planet?

The rest of the world looks to America to provide leadership; I challenge the next administration to live up to America's potential as the world leader it aspires to be and to provide the leadership required.

John Przepiora

Syracuse

The writer was formerly city engineer and commissioner of water for the city of Syracuse. He is president of the not-for-profit GreeningUSA Inc.

Media failed to find the pulse of the people

To the Editor:

Our nation has come far afield from its ideals. When crass, overtly misogynistic, uninformed buffoonery triumphs, we need to put our integrity under a microscope. And the media? It needs to find the pulse of the people and know how to interpret it accurately.

A wall has been built, and it is not on our border.

Kathryn Okun

Fayetteville

Moving? He'll lend a hand

To the Editor:

If anyone reading this knows someone who said they would move if Donald Trump won, please tell them I am available to help them pack.

Dick Corrente

Syracuse

Find common humanity with Trump voters

To the Editor:

I am wearing all black -- for every individual and group whom Donald Trump mocked, mimed and dismissed; for those who have put their trust in one man, as we did with Kennedy.

Our country may not survive in its revolutionary and unifying vision. I want to find our common humanity in his voters; they are hurting and believe they've found a savior.

If they've been deceived, let's not mock or dismiss them.

It's time to heal the wounds left by this dreadful campaign: We can do better.

Nancy Sullivan Murray

Syracuse

March on Albany to demand nonpartisan redistricting

To the Editor:

New York state has a corrupt system of redistricting which is determined by the state Legislature, whose only interest is to ensure their recurring re-election by gerrymandering and ignoring the voices of the electorate. I call upon you, the voter, to urge Albany to adopt Iowa's nonpartisan redistricting system, and if necessary, march on Albany to force this change.

Paul R. Davis

Camillus
Republicans held their majorities in the state Senate and Assembly on Tuesday and were on the path to pick up new seats in both houses  gains that would give them among their largest majorities in decades.

Among those facing a serious challenge was Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, a La Crosse Democrat, but the race was not called as of press time early Wednesday.

The 18th Senate District, once thought to be the Democrats' best shot at diminishing the 19-14 GOP majority in the Legislature, instead went to Fond du Lac County Republican Party chairman Dan Feyen.

Feyen defeated Winnebago County Executive Mark Harris, a Democrat, to represent the district that covers Dodge, Fond du Lac and Winnebago counties.

The seat was previously held by Fond du Lac Republican Rick Gudex, who decided not to seek re-election and died earlier this year of an apparent suicide.

Republican incumbent Luther Olsen of Ripon also secured his seat for another term in the 14th Senate District over Democratic challenger Waupaca Mayor Brian Smith.

Democrats thought they could defeat Olsen, who was criticized by Democrats for skipping a visit to a state-run nursing home for military veterans amid allegations of neglect of vets who were living there.

Outside groups spent heavily in support of Democrats seeking to pick up at least two seats in the state Senate and in support of Republicans looking to keep the seats in their column.

More than $4 million in outside spending poured into the Senate races in the 14th and 18th districts.

According to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which tracks campaign spending, outside groups spent more than $3.2 million on the race between Feyen and Harris while groups spent about $1.9 million on the race between Olsen and Smith.

Shilling, D-La Crosse, is seen by some as a possible gubernatorial candidate for Democrats in 2018. Late Tuesday, with about 97 percent of precincts reporting, she led Republican challenger Dan Kapanke, a prominent La Crosse businessman and former state senator whom Shilling beat in a recall election in 2011, by a few dozen votes.

And incumbent Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, was trailing Republican challenger Patrick Testin, chairman of the Portage County Republican Party, with 92 percent of precincts reporting late Tuesday.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said his decision to quickly back GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump despite significant opposition from other Wisconsin conservatives and Republicans paid off in rural parts of the state where Trump was popular.

"The Trump stuff turned out exactly as I hoped," said Fitzgerald.

In the Assembly, Republican incumbents targeted by Democrats kept their seats, including Reps. Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville; Kathleen Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls; Ed Brooks, R-Reedsburg; Keith Ripp, R-Lodi; Romaine Quinn, R-Chetek; Scott Krug, R-Nekoosa; Mary Czaja, R-Irma; and Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay.

Democratic incumbent Rep. Chris Danou, D-Trempealeau, lost his seat to Mondovi Mayor Treig Pronschinske, a Republican.

Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said late Tuesday the GOP victories are "a reminder that what we're doing in Wisconsin is working."

He said he looks forward to "coming back with a stronger conservative majority."

The strong showing by the GOP in down-ballot races were, in part, a result of Trump's message "really resonating" with voters in Wisconsin, Vos said.

Shilling didn't return a call for comment. Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, was not available late Tuesday, a spokeswoman said.
Chuck Schumer

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY., speaks during the second day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia , Tuesday, July 26, 2016. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

(J. Scott Applewhite)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- New York Sen. Chuck Schumer has won re-election to the U.S. Senate.

Schumer easily beat out Republican challenger Wendy Long, according to The New York Times and Associated Press. The senior senator from New York could become the next majority leader if the Democratic Party recaptures the Senate.

Long now becomes the first person in New York history to lose to both sitting U.S. senators. Long unsuccessfully ran against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in 2012. Gillibrand won 72 percent of the vote in that race.

Schumer was first elected to the Senate in 1998. He last won re-election in 2010 when he beat Republican candidate Jay Townsend with 65.4 percent of the vote.

It's not yet clear how wide of a margin Schumer won. The full tally of votes in New York have not yet been counted.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Claudia Tenney and son

22nd Congressional District candidate Claudia Tenney hugs her son, Trey, before the two voted together, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016.

(Chris Baker | cbaker@syracuse.com)

NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. -- Claudia Tenney voted alongside her 25-year-old son for the first time today.

The Republican candidate for Congress in New York's 22nd district, Tenney voted for herself this afternoon and cast a ballot for Donald Trump atop the ticket.

Tenney's son, Trey, is a U.S. Marine stationed in North Carolina. He is registered in his hometown and has, in the past, voted by absentee ballot, he said today. This year, he came home to spend a week with his mother during the election.

As an enlisted military member, Trey said he hasn't spent time on the campaign trail. Active military are allowed to express personal political opinions, but are not allowed to make political appearances as representatives of the armed forces. Still, he's home to support his mom.

Tonight the pair cast votes together at St. George Orthodox Church, with Tenney on the ticket.

"It's pretty cool," she said. "It was fun. It's exciting. Win or lose it's an honor to run for this position and it's been a great day."

Tenney is running in a tight race against Democrat Kim Myers and independent Martin Babinec.

Myers voted for Hillary Clinton, whom she has supported throughout the race. A representative for Babinec said he would keep his choice private.

The 22nd district covers eight counties and includes the cities of Binghamton, Utica and Cortland. Polls close tonight at 9 p.m.
Suben and Perfetti.JPG

Cortland County District Attorney Mark Suben, left, and challenger Patrick Perfetti.

(Provided photos)

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- A military veteran was leading in the race for Cortland County district attorney tonight over an incumbent who lied before he was elected four years ago about his porn movie past.

Patrick Perfetti, a Republican challenger, appeared to defeat incumbent Democrat Mark Suben, 50.42 percent to 49.49 percent, according to unofficial results.

Perfetti got 9,018 votes to Suben's 8,851.

Registered Republicans barely outnumber registered Democrats in Cortland County, 10,850 to 10,032. The county has 12,205 registered voters who are not enrolled in a party.

Perfetti declared victory, but Suben has not conceded.

"We've won," Perfetti said early Wednesday morning. If Suben contests the results, absentee ballots will be counted.

Suben said early Wednesday that the race was too close to concede, and that the absentee ballots would have to be counted.

Perfetti thanked the voters, and thanked Suben for his eight years as DA.

"As your new district attorney, I will work hard every day to ensure that justice is served fairly and with integrity, and I will do everything I can to make Cortland County a safer and better place to live, work, raise a family and retire," said Perfetti, who had never run for public office before.

Perfetti's campaign outspent Suben's this year, $40,107 to $15,699, according to state elections records.

Perfetti, 52, aired television ads attacking Suben for lying to reporters before the 2012 election, when he denied ever appearing in pornographic movies.

Ten days after that election, Suben held a news conference to announce that he'd lied and that he had been a porn movie actor in his 20s and 30s.

Before today's election, Suben refused to answer a reporter's questions about whether the 2012 issue had come up in this year's campaign.

Perfetti is a former Navy Reserve commander who served two tours in the Iraq war from 2005 to 2007, and prosecuted cases in the military. He's managing partner of Perfetti Law Offices and president of the Cortland County Bar Association.
OSHKOSH  Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Oshkosh won re-election Tuesday in a come-from-behind victory that mirrored the unexpectedly strong showing by GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Democrat Russ Feingold conceded the race to Johnson shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday, a Feingold campaign official confirmed.

While Johnson pledged he and his party would "save this country," Feingold warned his supporters the nation was facing one of its darkest hours, an apparent reference to Trump's surprising surge in nearly all swing states, including Wisconsin.

Johnson's victory, his second over Feingold in the last six years, is one of the biggest Wisconsin political upsets in decades. It was aided by the stunningly strong showing from Trump  who, like Johnson, was on track to drastically out-perform his standing in polls of the Badger State  and by millions of dollars in last-minute campaign ads.

The result helped ensure Republicans will likely retain control of the U.S. Senate in 2017  an outcome that could influence the legislative agenda and makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court, among many other key issues.

"It's a big night for Wisconsin, it's a great night for America," Johnson told a crowd of cheering supporters in Oshkosh. "We're going to put America on the right path."

"We're going to save this country," he said.

Johnson said his top priority is the economy; he called for strengthening it through measures such as reducing regulations on businesses. Johnson also declared his next six-year term would be his last.

Feingold had a different view of Tuesday's outcome and what it meant for the nation.

"I'm sorry we didn't get the job done," Feingold said. "Obviously, something is happening to this country tonight. I don't understand it completely. I don't think anybody does."

Feingold struck a grim tone and portrayed the nation's future as uncertain. At the same time, he urged his supporters to stay calm.

"I urge you to be restrained as you can be as the next steps occur. We don't know exactly what they're going to be, but this could be one of the most challenging times in the history of our country," Feingold said.

Strong showing in Fox Valley

As in the presidential race, Tuesday's results diverged widely from the most recent polls. Johnson held a comfortable margin early Wednesday with 96 percent of precincts reporting.

The most recent Marquette Law School Poll showed Feingold, D-Middleton, getting 45 percent support and Johnson, R-Oshkosh, 44 percent. Most other public polls showed Feingold leading by greater margins.

Roger F. Wicker, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said Johnson's campaign "just set a new standard for how to thrive in an unpredictable environment."

Johnson's win appears to have been powered by a stronger-than-expected showing in rural Wisconsin and the Fox Valley, including areas that typically are tightly contested between the two major parties.

It is the second time Johnson has defeated Feingold in a U. S. Senate race  the last time coming in 2010 when Feingold was seeking a fourth term.

In this rematch, Johnson's win may have been even more improbable. He trailed Feingold by significant margins in polls conducted throughout the campaign, causing many national observers  even some Wisconsin Republicans  to write Johnson off.

Johnson becomes the first Republican since Bob Kasten in 1980 to win a U.S. Senate race in Wisconsin in a presidential election year, when the state typically tilts toward Democrats.

He also may have dealt the finishing blow to the political career of Feingold, an iconic figure to Wisconsin Democrats with a big national standing among liberal activists.

Feingold's loss is yet another crushing defeat for Badger State Democrats, who've been battered in recent years by a string of setbacks in the state Capitol.

Increasingly personal race

During the campaign, Feingold hammered Johnson for his positions on the minimum wage, student debt and senior programs such as Social Security and Medicare. He cast himself as the candidate more attuned to the concerns of Wisconsinites, while portraying Johnson as an out-of-touch CEO who took a $10 million payout from the manufacturing company he co-founded, Pacur.

Feingold sharply criticized Johnson for refusing to disavow support for Trump, as did some Republican U.S. Senate candidates in other states.

Johnson criticized Trump for various controversial remarks the GOP nominee made throughout the campaign, but maintained support for his party's standard-bearer.

From a purely political standpoint, that decision appears to have been vindicated by Tuesday's results.

Johnson frequently criticized Feingold as a hypocrite who had changed from the independent, bipartisan figure who had been broadly popular in Wisconsin for much of his 18 years in Washington, D.C. He criticized Feingold, whose name is closely tied to the bipartisan campaign-finance overhaul he cosponsored with GOP Sen. John McCain, for launching his own political action committee after leaving the Senate in 2011.

The race became increasingly personal in its closing weeks as Johnson declared Feingold a "phony" and said he didn't respect him.

A series of TV ads run by the Johnson campaign that emphasized the candidate's family and charity work was widely credited with giving him a boost in the campaign's final weeks.

In polls conducted earlier in the campaign, many voters said they didn't know enough about Johnson to say whether they viewed him favorably.

The Johnson campaign responded with a string of TV ads that featured Johnson changing his grandson's diaper and detailing his charitable work helping African-American men in inner-city Milwaukee find work.
Green Bay Republican Mike Gallagher won election Tuesday to Congress in the 8th District, the most closely watched congressional race in Wisconsin.

Gallagher was facing Outagamie County executive Tom Nelson, a Democrat, in the states lone open congressional seat. He defeated Nelson for the open northeastern Wisconsin seat, keeping the swing district in GOP hands for two more years.

The 8th Congressional District includes Appleton, Green Bay, Door County, the Menominee Indian reservation and rural swaths of Marinette, Oconto, Shawano and Waupaca counties.

Republican Reid Ribble had held the seat since 2011 but announced in January he wouldnt seek a fourth term.

Gallagher, of Green Bay, is a former Marine captain who holds a doctorate in international relations. He served as national security adviser for Gov. Scott Walkers short-lived presidential campaign last year and promised on the campaign trail to bolster the U.S. military.

Nelson, the Outagamie County executive, worked to tie Gallagher to Republican presidential nominee Trump, but the strategy failed.

Gallagher said in a telephone interview that his common-sense, conservative message resonated with people. Nelson issued a statement congratulating Gallagher.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Janesville Republican, also was re-elected by a wide margin, as expected. He beat Democrat Ryan Solen for the 1st District seat in southeastern Wisconsin.

Because of his leadership position, Ryan had been involved in the hotly contested presidential race, which The Associated Press early Wednesday said was won by Republican candidate Donald Trump. A Ryan spokeswoman confirmed that the speaker called Trump to congratulate him on Tuesday evening. The spokeswoman, AshLee Strong, says they had a very good conversation.

The speaker congratulated Trump on his big night and also spoke with his good friend Gov. Mike Pence, Strong said.

Pocan, other incumbents re-elected

Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat from Black Earth, was also re-elected Tuesday, along with Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner, a Republican from Menomonee Falls, Gwen Moore, a Milwaukee Democrat, Sean Duffy, a Weston Republican, and Ron Kind, a La Crosse Democrat.

Pocan easily put off perennial Republican challenger Peter Theron, winning by more than a two-to-one margin in the district that includes Madison. Pocan was first elected to Congress in 2012 after spending 14 years in the state Assembly.

Kind won his 11th term in the House of Representatives without ballot opposition. Kind beat Myron Buchholz of Eau Claire, a supporter of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, in the 3rd Congressional District primary in August.
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A priest, a minister, and a rabbi walk into a neighborhood coffee shop  not as the set-up for a humorous story, but rather for a serious conversation about the paramount importance of preserving community.

The issue that brings our three clergy together is whether after this election and the angst leading up to the end of the presidential campaign, the people of south-central Wisconsin will be able to resemble the congenial civility of these coffee shop customers.

The clergy sit and observe. They see the coffee shop with its diverse group of customers: black, brown and white; old and young; straight and gay; and people of varying religious and political beliefs. Everyone has congregated for different purposes. They all sound friendly at their tables. All are comfortable in this community of communities.

Our clergy team sees this coffee shop, its atmosphere and customers as a metaphor for the potential of restoring civil relationships in Dane County after the election. Despite the political and ideological differences of the people of this region, the clergy hope our community unites in acceptance, and not merely tolerance, of peoples differences.

Primary among their concerns is the apparent acceptance of objectionable language in our public discourse and social media. They reflect on the teaching found in the biblical book of Proverbs: A word properly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Appropriate language is a prerequisite for treating others with respect.

Further, they pray for a universal intention to preserve our community despite political or partisan divides. They hope we will not only accept the democratic outcome of elections with their winners and losers, but that we will come to respect one another when confronted with ideological disagreement, as we surely will be.

Lastly, they reflect on the effect of human speech on society. Along with our constitutional right of freedom of speech come civic obligations. Hurtful words and emotions that people have lobbed at one another need to cease for our community to flourish.

They believe free speech should lead to responsible speech, that responsible speech should lead to empathic speech, and that empathic speech should lead to honest, courteous and agreeable human discourse. We become a mature society when we pledge to use our speech wisely and sensitively.

These clergy people from diverse backgrounds invite all of Dane County to have a cup of coffee with them at their local coffee shop, to share the vision of an accepting and civil society, appreciating and apprehending the microcosm of diversity that could exist in life all around us in south-central Wisconsin.
Googles Pixel smartphone, which made its debut last month, has gathered some high praise from reviewers.

The Google Pixel is now the best Android smartphone you can buy, wrote Joanna Stern in The Wall Street Journal.

The other leading contender was disqualified due to spontaneous combustion, she added, referring to Samsungs doomed Galaxy Note7, which was recalled for safety reasons.

Stern was impressed with Pixels display; its high pixel count made the blacks in photos appear deeper, colors more vibrant, and everything sharper.

The AMOLED display makes photos look better  even ones taken on an iPhone, she wrote.

Keep Your Pixels Dry

Pixel offers the look and competence of an iPhone with a truly great camera and loads of innovative software and services, David Pierce noted in a review for Wired.

It changes my answer to the question I hear most often: What phone should you get? You should get a Pixel, he wrote.

The immediate joke everyone, including me, made on Twitter after the Pixel launch was that Google made an iPhone, Pierce added. Well, thats true. As it turns out, an iPhone running Android is exactly what Ive been waiting for.

Pixel is a standout compared to other heavyweights in the market, according to Lisa Eadicicco, who reviewed it for Time.

All told, the Pixel is Googles first smartphone that can go toe-to-toe with Apples iPhone and Samsungs Galaxy flagship, she wrote. Its on equal footing with those phones in most of the areas that really matter, although its lack of water resistance is a setback. Still, Android fans who pick up the Pixel should be pleased, so long as they keep it dry.

Smooth Performance

Google hit a home run with its first branded smartphone, said Cnet reviewer Lynn La.

With Pixel, Google stepped up to bat, called its shot and knocked it out of the park, she wrote.

Its a departure from Googles earlier Nexus smartphones, because you dont have to be an Android enthusiast to appreciate what Google has accomplished with the Pixel.

The only thing youll have to be enthusiastic about is owning a phone thats beautiful, takes awesome photos, and has smooth performance, La wrote. If you are, the Pixels for you.

The Pixels performance was won kudos from Jason Cross, writing for PC World.

Android fans often complain about phones (especially Samsungs) that lead benchmark charts, but still somehow seem to stutter, chop, and sputter when you use them, he explained.

The Pixel XL does none of that, he wrote. At every turn it is smooth, fast, and most of all, responsive.

Indeed, this may be the smoothest and most responsive Android phone Ive ever used, he added.

Rain on Pixels Parade

Some reviewers were unimpressed by Googles smartphone offering.

The absence of a major competing Android device works out especially well for Google because the Pixel is, relatively speaking, mediocre, Brian X. Chen wrote for The New York Times.

It is slower than Apples iPhone 7 and the Galaxy S7, Samsungs smaller flagship phone, he noted.

Photos shot with Pixels camera dont look as good as the iPhones, Chen continued. And Googles built-in artificially intelligent virtual assistant, called Assistant, is still fairly dumb.

Pricing may be an issue with the Pixel models, noted David McQueen, research director for consumer devices and strategic technology at ABI Research.

The Pixel is priced at US$650 and the larger Pixel XL is selling for $770.

This is quite expensive for what youre getting, and the build quality isnt as good as other flagship phones in the market, McQueen told TechNewsWorld. Its going to be a bit problematic for Google to create differentiation for the hardware at that price point.

Googles Hardware Future

However, baking Google Assistant into Pixels hardware could do that, McQueen continued.

Since its the first device to carry Google Assistant, that will be a differentiator in an Android market where its very difficult to make any sort of differentiation on the hardware, he said.

Indeed, Google Assistant may not only be Pixels prime asset, but also a key component of Googles hardware future.

The Pixels greatest strength is really not anything in the hardware side, said Mark Hung, a research vice president at Gartner.

Its Google Assistant, which is only available on Pixel, he pointed out.

Its the future of not only Pixel, but of the Google hardware ecosystem, Hung told TechNewsWorld. Google is looking to make artificial intelligence the next platform after mobile and social.

Gunning for Apple

Reviewers taking the measure of Pixel never failed to mention the iPhone. Theres a simple reason for that.

Theyre going after iPhone customers and other high-end phone buyers, said Ross Rubin, principal analyst at Reticle Research.

It may be difficult for Pixel to make headway in that target market, though.

In developed markets, were seeing a lot of saturation, Rubin noted. Its a pretty late time to be a newcomer to the space, even if you have all the advantages that Google has.

iPhone users were Pixels target market, but the product also will benefit from the recall of the Samsung Note7, pbserved Kevin Krewell, a principal analyst at Tirias Research.

The Pixel will be the major alternative to the Note7, he told TechNewsWorld, even though it lacks the Samsung products stylus and wider carrier distribution.
You'll find that many companies avoid saying sorry. They may apologize for not communicating better, as HP did for blocking third-party ink cartridges, or maybe they'll be 'sorry' that some people found their words or actions offensive, but it's very rare that you'll get a full-on, groveling, "we're incredibly sorry." But in Samsung's case, it wants everyone to know just how sorry it really is.

The Galaxy Note 7 disaster has done a huge a amount of harm to the company, both financially and in terms of its reputation. Not only did the exploding handsets cause damage to property, but there were also reports of users suffering burns.

In an attempt to stop once-loyal customers from abandoning Samsung's products for other brands, the Korean firm has taken out full-page ads in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and the Washington Post, offering its most heartfelt apology for the entire Note 7 debacle.

"An important tenet of our mission is to offer best-in-class safety and quality. Recently, we fell short on this promise. For this we are truly sorry," reads the ad, which is signed by Samsung Electronics North America CEO Gregory Lee.

The Note 7 isn't the only Samsung product to cause injuries to consumers; the ad mentions the company's recall of 2.8 million of its US washing machines. There has been over 700 cases of the top of the machine detaching and flying off - in one instance the section broke someone's jaw when it hit them in the face.

85 percent of US Note 7s have been returned to Samsung, while the remaining 15 percent left in the wild will have their batteries capped at 60 percent (via an update), which will hopefully stop them catching fire.

Even after several months of examinations and tests, Samsung still doesn't know what caused the overheating issues in the Note 7, but it promises that it will find out - eventually. "We will re-examine every aspect of the device, including all hardware, software, manufacturing and the overall battery structure. We will move as quickly as possible, but will take the time needed to get the right answers."

Exactly how much the ad will help restore consumer confidence in Samsung is unclear. We'll likely have to wait until the Galaxy S8 - with its all-new virtual assistant - is released next year to find out how many people have been put off the brand by its exploding products.
Tesla on Tuesday said it has entered into an agreement to purchase Grohmann Engineering, an automated manufacturing systems company based out of Prum, Germany. Financial terms of the deal, which CEO Elon Musk described as the first significant acquisition in Tesla's history, were not disclosed.

Grohmann Engineering isn't just another production facility for Tesla to use to directly manufacture its vehicles. Instead, the firm will be responsible for designing and producing critical elements of Tesla's automated manufacturing systems that'll lead to exponential improvements in the speed and quality of production while simultaneously lowering the production cost of each vehicle.

In a call with journalists Tuesday morning, Musk said that because automation is such a vital part of the future of Tesla, the phrase that he's used before is that it's about building the machine that's building the machine. That aspect actually becomes more important than the machine itself as the volume increases, he says, adding that it's important for Tesla to bring in world-class engineering talent.

Tesla highlighted in a blog post that they've increased the production rate at their Fremont factory by 400 percent in four years. They've also increased their target output to 500,000 vehicles by 2018 with a goal of doubling that to one million by 2020. The acquisition is expected to generate more than 1,000 jobs in Germany over the next two years on top of the 700 employees currently working for Grohmann Engineering.

Tesla said it aims to close on the deal in early 2017 pending customary regulatory approval.

Image courtesy Brian Vance, Motor Trend
Chinese display manufacturer AOC has unveiled a massive 35-inch monitor squarely aimed at PC gaming enthusiasts.

The AOC AGON AG352QCX features a 35-inch curved MVA panel sporting a resolution of 2,560 x 1,080 (21:9 aspect ratio) pixels with a maximum refresh rate of 200Hz.

The resolution immediately stands out as being humdrum on a screen of this size although it may appeal to gamers willing to sacrifice pixel density in the name of higher frame rates. Those accustomed to high-resolution 4K screens, however, will likely be disappointed with the lack of pixels.

The monitor, which utilizes an "optimal curve radius" of 2,000mm, also supports Adaptive-Sync technology (and FreeSync) to eliminate screen tearing issues. As for inputs, buyers will get one VGA port, a DVI port, an HDMI port and a DisplayPort as well as two USB 3.0 ports and audio jacks.

Brightness tops out at 300 cd/m2 with a contrast ratio that can reach 2,000:1, viewing angles of 178 / 178 degrees and a response time of 4ms. The monitor offers swivel, tilt and height adjustments but there's no option to pivot. Included with each purchase is a VGA cable, HDMI cable, DisplayPort cable, audio cables and of course, a power cable.

The AOC AG352QCX goes on sale in Europe next month for 699 (around $865 USD).
2016 already looked to be the worst year in Samsung's history. But in addition to selling exploding smartphones and washing machines that can break a customer's jaw, the Korean firm is now facing another crisis after prosecutors raided its Seoul headquarters as part of an anti-corruption investigation.

The incident follows media reports that Samsung made illegal payments to foundations run by a close civilian friend of Korean President Park Geun-hye.

It's claimed that Samsung executives were asked by Park to provide donations of 3.5 billion won ($3 million) to a company run by Choi Soon-sil, who has previously been accused of exploiting her friendship with the President, to fund equestrian training in Germany for Choi's daughter.

It's also claimed that Choi, who is now in detention, used her closeness to Park to pressure some of the country's top organizations, including Lotte, Hyundai Motors, and SK, into donating millions of won to her foundations.

"If prosecutors find hard evidence proving Samsung provided a huge amount of money to Choi Soon-sil and her daughter, it would be a serious blow to Samsung," Park Ju-geun, head of corporate watchdog CEO Score, told the Financial Times. "Legal action from shareholders could follow and Samsung would suffer from a crisis of consumer confidence."

Earlier this week, Samsung took out a full-page ad in three national newspapers to issue a public apology for the Note 7 debacle, which has done a huge amount of harm to the company's reputation and finances.

Samsung hasn't just been dealing with the fallout from its exploding smartphones; the company recalled 2.8 million of its US washing machines recently, following over 700 reported cases of the top of the machines detaching and flying off.

Samsung has declined to comment due to the ongoing investigation.
Things have apparently gone from bad to worse for Alphabet's Project Wing drone initiative in the wake of project leader Dave Vos' departure last month.

People familiar with the matter tell Bloomberg that since his departure, the X research lab has frozen hiring and even asked some staff to seek jobs elsewhere in the company as part of a larger initiative to curb spending and turn more experimental projects into real businesses.

As the publication correctly highlights, the research unit initially wanted to use drones to deliver health-related items like heart defibrillators and medicine. Once those plans were nixed, the X lab looked to food and other perishable items.

Just a couple of months ago, Project Wing teamed up with Chipotle Mexican Grill to experiment with delivering food on college campuses. The unit was also apparently in advanced stage talks with Starbucks but the deal eventually fell apart as the two sides couldn't come to terms regarding access to customer data.

Project Wing isn't the only Alphabet division to come under financial scrutiny as of late. Roughly two weeks ago, Google pushed pause on plans to roll out fiber Internet service in new cities. Craig Barratt, CEO of Alphabet's Access division running Google Fiber, said its subscriber base and revenue are growing quickly. His explanation for the paused rollout? A shifting strategy.

Drones may very well be the next big thing in technology but there are plenty of hurdles that must be overcome for that to become true - chief among them being regulatory hurdles. The US government has made progress in the area of commercial drone usage yet even still, some companies have turned to other countries where regulations are less restrictive to further develop and test their drones.
I am Kerry Burgess. This is what I think.
Samsung has yet to announce the Galaxy S8, but already rumors are ripe and on fire. The latest rumors suggest Samsung is on the verge of making some massive hardware changes to the new device, but only time will tell if the information is accurate to the core.

It would make sense for Samsung to put a lot of work into the Galaxy S8 seeing as things did not go according to plan with the release of the Galaxy Note 7. The device exploded and caused bodily harm to several individuals before it was completely put to rest.

Galaxy S8 Specs And Features Rumors

Here's what we know: the Galaxy S8 might come with a huge 2K display, and could turn out to be the best mobile display ever conceived. However, it would seem that Samsung isn't planning on stopping there. The company might decide to remove the home button from the handset, which means the fingerprint sensor would be manufactured into the phone itself.

Now, according to a report from PhoneArena, it's possible the home button might stick around because making it happen and attaching the sensor directly into the handset is proving to be quite difficult. However, Samsung wants to prove itself again so don't be too surprised if everything is as expected when the Galaxy S8 is announced.

Things get even more interesting when we learn of a possible plan to ditch the physical power button for a touch-based one. It wouldn't be the first phone to do this, but knowing Samsung, the company might want to place its own unique touch to the idea.

Galaxy S8 Wireless Charging, Anyone?

Ever heard of 3-coil wireless charging? That's something a report from SamMobile claims Samsung might add to the device. We understand this technology should allow for faster wireless charging within a wider area, so it's no longer relevant to place the device dead center on the charging pad.

If these rumors are true, then Samsung has a powerful smartphone on its hands, and we bet the company can't wait to reveal it. However, Samsung might need to keep an eye on the OnePlus 4, because rumors give the impression it could be the most powerful and impressive smartphone of 2017.

The Chinese company doesn't have much to lose when compared to Samsung, which means it has more room to try interesting things.

Then again, recent reports claim the Galaxy S8 is set to come with its own intelligent AI assistant, so that's something to look forward to come 2017.

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Google is bringing a number of improvements to its Gmail app for iOS, namely: major cosmetic touch-ups, speed improvements and new features requested by many iOS users for some time now. Collectively, these improvements bring it a notch closer to the Gmail app for Android.

It's been almost four years since Google has brought any significant overhauls for the iOS version of Gmail and the most recent update brings a lot of features to iOS that Android users were once privy to.

"With the new app, getting things done on the go is a lot easier  whether you're trying to find a message your colleague sent you last month, or trying to get through your work inbox on a Monday morning," writes Matthew Izatt, product manager for google, in a blog post.

Here are the biggest improvements to Gmail for iOS.

Gmail For iOS Has A Fresh New Look

According to the blog post, the new app will now feature sleeker transitions overall, a nice visual touch that will make Gmail perform like a sophisticated migration of Gmail's main web version instead of an underpowered and hiccupy offspring.

The app is still predominantly themed red, so there aren't any major redesigns in terms of color schemes, but the new cosmetic touch-ups are anchored greatly for improved user experience alongside snappy and fluid elements that don't feel clumsy at all compared with previous versions of the app for iOS.

You Can Now Undo Send, Swipe To Delete And More In Gmail For iOS

Several features from the Android app have now made its way to the iOS version of Gmail.

You can now set the swiping gesture to either delete or archive an email to quickly get rid of messages that clutter your inbox.

Google is also bringing its "Undo Send" feature from Inbox by Gmail to Gmail for iOS. After sending an email, Google will give you a tiny window during which you may undo the message, which is extremely useful to reverse that furiously half-hearted note to someone in your past or a typo-laden corporate email that will be fodder for future embarrassments.

Sorting through your emails has also gotten quicker with an improved search function that brings instant results and spelling suggestions.

While the new app boasts hefty improvements, Google still hasn't given its support for a unified inbox to display all of your messages from various emails, so that might be a drawback for some. But for iOS users who have long waited for a major update, this comes as a welcome refresh.

You can download the new Gmail app for iOS on the App Store now.

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Another case of an exploding Samsung smartphone is tainting the company's reputation once again shortly after the messy affair it had to iron out with its exploding Galaxy Note 7 devices.

The maelstrom of Note 7 devices catching fire led to a series of recall programs, a federal violation and Samsung's eventual production halt for the devices, which all amounted to a disastrous operating profit dip for the company in Q3.

As Samsung hatches and pulls strings to keep customers eyeing its smartphones in light of its dented consumer loyalty, the company's exploding smartphone problem may be far from over.

An Exploding Samsung Galaxy J5

A woman's Galaxy J5 has reportedly exploded this past weekend in Pau, France, Associated Press reports.

Lamya Bouyirdane told the news agency that on Sunday, she noticed her phone was very hot after asking her 4-year-old son to pass the device over. Upon noticing that the device had unusually swollen up and was emitting smoke, she flung the phone away. Upon landing, the Galaxy J5 caught fire and its back panel blew off. Fortunately, her partner was there to extinguish the fire.

Bouyirdane's case marks the first time that a different Samsung smartphone behaved in such a way. She claimed that she purchased the Galaxy J5 from the internet in June. She said that she will sue Samsung for the incident.

"We are unable to comment on this specific incident until we obtain and thoroughly examine the device," a Samsung spokesperson told CNET, adding that safety remains the biggest priority for the company's consumers and it is prepared to work with any customer who experiences issues with a Samsung product.

The Continuation Of The Galaxy Note 7 Fiasco?

Unarguably, another exploding Samsung smartphone adds insult to the company's already appalling injury. It still hasn't quite recovered from the onslaught of bad press because of exploding Note 7 devices and now, if Bouyirdane's case is indicative of problematic Galaxy J5 devices, the company could position itself in dire straits once again.

Samsung is still on an ongoing attempt to recall Note 7 devices, offering a fairly reasonable refund and exchange program along with it.

Back in October, it's been reported that Samsung is ramping up production of its other flagship, the Galaxy S7, to offset the blow caused by Note 7's production halt. Does it have an imminent problem biding on the fringe? Can Samsung really handle another debacle after the Note 7, especially considering that it's already busy working on its next flagship and new smartphone chips?

Time will tell if the Galaxy J5 explosion was simply a freak case, but if it isn't, Samsung has another potentially huge problem on its hands.

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November will see the release of the first of the six next-generation CubeSats NASA will be launching as part of its Earth-observing missions.

Developed with the aim of demonstrating new approaches to study the changing planet, the small satellites will range in size, going from as small as a loaf of bread to about the size of a small washing machine. The differences in size also mean differences in weight, with the heaviest reaching 400 pounds.

Advantages Of CubeSats

Because they are small, CubeSats help keep launch and development costs down. For starters, they can hitch rides on rockets made for other missions as secondary payloads.

The small satellites also let NASA test out new ideas in space technologies while broadening the involvement of researchers and students in various projects of the space agency, according to Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

As they are cheaper and easier to build, CubeSats allow for more risks to be taken, opening up more chances for discovery and improvement.

"These small satellites are changing the way we think about making instruments and measurements. The cube has inspired us to think more outside the box," said Pamela Millar, flight validation lead for NASA's Earth Science Technology Office.

CubeSat Launch Schedule

NASA will be launching the Radiometer Assessment using Vertically Aligned Nanotubes, or RAVAN, this November. The CubeSat's goal is to test new technology designed to detect slight changes in the energy budget of the planet at the top of the atmosphere, which will aid in better understanding how greenhouse gas emissions affect the climate.

Early in 2017, the Microwave Radiometer Technology Acceleration or MiRaTA CubeSat will be following suit. It will be launched into space alongside the Joint Polar Satellite System-1 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Though just as big as a shoe box, MiRaTA will be packing together a lot of the capabilities that large weather satellites boast of.

Come spring 2017, it will be the IceCube and Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter or HARP CubeSats' turn for a launch. IceCube is a high-frequency microwave radiometer for measuring cloud ice while HARP is made for measuring airborne particles and cloud droplet size distribution.

Thanks to CubeSats, NASA was able to come up with two science missions, one of which will be launching in December. Called Cyclone, Global Navigation Satellite System, it will be the space agency's first Earth science satellite constellation, fitted with eight identical satellites flying in formation to take measurements of wind intensity over oceans to better understand tropical cyclones.

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Voters across the United States are practicing direct democracy as they head to the polls and tackle important issues, such as legalizing marijuana, implementing the death penalty and regulating firearms.

Proposals cover at least 150 measures that appeared on ballots for Election Day 2016 for individual states.

California was on top with 17 ballot questions; one of which requires porn movie actors to wear condoms when filming scenes involving sexual intercourse. Other polls include the ban on plastic grocery bags that are used only once.

Here are some of the pressing issues that voters will decide on:

Marijuana

Maine, Arizona, Massachusetts, Nevada and California are voting on whether to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Meanwhile, North Dakota, Arkansas and Florida will decide on whether to allow marijuana for medical purposes. Montana will be voting on easing restrictions in its existing medical marijuana law.

Gun Control

Four states including California, which currently has some of the toughest gun laws in the U.S., will tackle gun control. Proposition 63 will prohibit the possession of large quantities of ammo magazines and will require permits to purchase such ammunition. It will extend California's power to allow authorities to confiscate firearms from owners who legally buy guns but are not allowed to use them.

In Nevada and Maine, a petition to include background checks on almost all types of gun transactions and sales is part of the ballot. Washington will decide on whether to allow judges to hand out orders for firearm seizure against individuals deemed as threats.

Death Penalty

California is among three states voting on the death penalty, proposing two different measures through the ballot. One aims to abolish capital punishment; another to hasten appeals to execute convicted murderers.

Voters from Nebraska will determine whether to reinstate the death penalty, which was repealed by the legislature last year. Residents from Oklahoma will vote on whether to make it difficult to rescind capital punishment.

Minimum Wage

Colorado, Maine and Arizona are considering a $12 minimum hourly wage by 2020. Washington voters will also cover raising the minimum wage from $9.47 per hour to $13.50 by 2020. The federal minimum hourly wage is currently at $7.25.

Health Care

Colorado is proposing to set up the country's first universal health care system. This will create a $25 billion health care system annual fund financed by payroll taxes. It aims to replace the system of paying private health insurance companies for such care, and opt out of federal health care law.

Aid In Dying

Colorado residents will also decide if terminally ill patients will be allowed to seek assistance from physicians. A physician-assisted euthanasia law is currently in place in Oregon, Washington, Vermont and California. Montana has also ruled that general practitioners can use a terminally ill patient's request for euthanasia as a defense against criminal charges.

Taxes

Maine is looking to approve a 3 percent tax on workers earning at least $200,000 yearly to finance an educational fund for students and teachers. Oregon will vote on imposing a 2.5 percent tax on corporate sales exceeding $25 million with its revenue earmarked for health, senior and education services. Washington, on the other hand, is promoting cleaner energy by entailing a $25 tax per metric ton of carbon emissions from gasoline, natural gas, coal and other fossil fuels.

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NASA astronauts who work at the International Space Station (ISS) may be away from planet Earth during election time, but this does not mean they can't participate in the elections.

Rule 81.35

A bill passed by Texas legislature in 1997 has made it possible for astronauts stationed at the ISS to cast their ballot from space. The law put in place the technical procedures involved so astronauts get the chance to cast their vote even if they are working in orbit.

Rule 81.35 was born after former Texas State Senator Mike Jackson expressed his disappointment that there is no way for astronauts to vote while they are working in space. The senator's district included NASA's Johnson Space Center. Jackson stressed the importance of one person's vote, citing that he won his first election by only seven votes.

The first American astronaut who benefited from this rule was David Wolf, who voted from the Russian Mir space station in 1997.

NASA Astronauts Vote For US Presidential Election 2016

The latest American astronaut to cast his ballot from space is Shane Kimbrough. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins, who has already returned from her space mission, also filed a ballot before she returned to Earth, a cautious move in case her trip back to Earth would get delayed.

How Voting From Space Works

Voting from space is done through an absentee ballot that is transmitted to and from the orbiting laboratory via a secure electronic connection. The address on the ballots of astronauts voting from space reads "low Earth orbit."

"For astronauts, the voting process starts a year before launch, when astronauts are able to select which elections (local/state/federal) that they want to participate in while in space," NASA explained. "Then, six months before the election, astronauts are provided with a standard form: the 'Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request - Federal Post Card Application.'"

Kimbrough voted from space sometime over the last few days after the U.S. space agency beamed a digital copy of a Texas absentee ballot to the ISS. The filled-up ballot is then sent to election officials in Houston.

Clinton, Trump And The Future Of US Space Program

The votes of astronauts are particularly important because of the two presidential candidates' different views on the country's space program.

Donald Trump has said that he would support joint projects between NASA and private space companies. Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, also supports private companies but thinks that the future of cosmological discovery still lies in the hands of NASA.

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Lenovo is dropping its namesake on future smartphones and will instead opt for a "Moto" branding, reports say.

The carry-over stands as a course correction for Lenovo's $2.9 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility smartphone business early 2014, which, by the looks of things, hasn't been smooth-sailing. Suggestive of this notion is Lenovo's past struggle to integrate Motorola into its core business.

The name change also brings an organizational restructuring for the company's smartphone business in China.

Lenovo's Mobile Business Group Restructuring

Xudong Chen, co-president and Senior VP of Lenovo's Mobile Business Group, is leaving his position to be occupied by Gina Qiao, Senior VP of Human Resources, according to reports.

Yang Yuanqing, Lenovo's chairman and chief executive, has spoken highly of Qiao's leadership, depositing confidence for the now former HR senior VP. Besides her HR title, Qiao also headed the company's marketing in China and has been Lenovo's chief strategy officer for several years. According to Yuanqing, these notches in Qiao's career make her fit to lead the company's mobile business.

In addition to Qiao's new position, three new executives are entering Lenovo: Intel's Kirk Skaugen as the executive VP and president of the company's Data Center Group; Alcatel's Laura Quatela as senior VP and chief legal officer; and Microsoft's Yong Rui as senior VP and chief technology officer.

Lenovo's sales of both Motor-branded and Lenovo-branded smartphones for Q2 2016 totaled $2 billion, down 12 percent year-over-year, in an earnings results announced on Thursday.

Yang explained that the shake-up and name change is an effort enhance the capacity of the company's marketing inroads in China, where Lenovo's smartphone arm is less successful than overseas. In comparison with India and Asia Pacific, shipments of Lenovo's mobile product lines increased, with a recorded 15 percent uptick in the Indian market.

More notably, the "Moto" smartphones increased shipments of almost 40 percent from the previous quarter, a figure propelled by the Moto G and successful launch of Moto Z and Moto Mods accessories.

What This Means For Lenovo Smartphones

Lenovo won't dissolve its smartphone arm, it will simply now borrow Motorola's branding in the future. Though, that aspect alone still remains a question  how the company will properly implement that integration.

Lenovo has visibly struggled to corner a significant market in the United States with its self-branded smartphones; however, the Moto line may help propel it forward in bigger shores, the same one Apple, Samsung and big name manufacturers occupy.

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After numerous rumors coupled with Samsung's official promise and a recent GFXBench sighting, it looks like Android Nougat may finally be coming to the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge.

An XDA user and Galaxy S7 edge owner reported noticing an app in the Galaxy Apps store called "Galaxy Beta Program" some days ago, much to the excitement of Galaxy S7 and S7 edge users. The app was speculated to finally bring the much-awaited Nougat update for the smartphones.

Now, despite lack of official word from Samsung about an Android Nougat update, new information about the company's forthcoming Galaxy Beta program has surfaced. Beginning Nov. 9, owners of either the Galaxy S7 or S7 edge in the United States, UK, South Korea and China will be allowed to enroll in the beta program.

The beta program will allow owners in those participating countries to try out an Android 7.0 build for the handsets, upon which they may send the engineers feedback on the user experience. It looks like the beta will last until mid-December, but users can still use the beta software past the end date, as listed in Samsung's FAQ.

How To Join The Galaxy Beta Program

For owners of either the Galaxy S7 or S7 edge under a Sprint, T-Mobile or a Verizon contract, you may head over to the Galaxy Apps store and download the Galaxy Beta Program app.

Upon installation, submit a beta program application form via the registration menu on the topmost part of the app. It helps if you already have a Samsung account. If you meet the criteria, you may now wait to be selected.

After finishing the registration process, you can install the beta software by heading to Settings, then Device information, then tapping on "download updates." Keep in mind that Samsung will not grant access to every beta program application, so make sure you meet all the criteria during the registration.

Additionally, it appears that unlocked Galaxy S7 or S7 edge variants won't be included in the beta program, as well as the Galaxy S7 edge Olympic Games and Batman Injustice Edition, according to a report by Android Police. So for those who have these variants, you're out of luck.

For those eager to try Android 7.0 Nougat beta on their Galaxy S7 or S7 edge devices, it's important to note that the current build is not intended to be the final version of the software. In fact, it's quite the opposite, since Samsung wants users to actively report errors or snags they might encounter as they continuously use the beta version. So don't expect a smooth and seamless Android N experience right off the bat.

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Citizens in California voted for the approval of marijuana for recreational use on Tuesday. Also called Proposition 64, it will have an impact on 40 million people living in California, where marijuana will be regulated like alcohol, rather than treated like a criminal enterprise.

Colorado and Washington state have legalized marijuana four years ago. Since then, Alaska, Oregon and Washington D.C. have joined their group. The approval of this proposition will also help expand the legal marijuana industry and boost its positive image, which will be also used by representatives of its industry to encourage a further, bigger change in this respect.

A 15 percent excise tax will be imposed on all retail marijuana in the attempt to regulate the sales and fund the regulatory scheme that will be necessary in the context of its legalization. This measure would also impact the youth substance abuse and education programs, the training of law enforcement officers and the environmental consequences of this measure.

The Implementation of Proposition 64

"This vote will dramatically accelerate the end of federal marijuana prohibition," Tom Angell, chairman of drug policy reform group Marijuana Majority, told The Huffington Post.

However, the support concerning the measure of legalization is also rising. A number of public health experts raises questions about the possible long-term side effects of the drug, for which no relevant studies were conducted. The lack of tests and protocols to check whether drivers who have consumed marijuana before stepping into their cars could also have some negative impacts on the screening process and identification of those who have consumed the drug.

However, the marijuana supporters in California address the issue from another perspective. From their point of view, the legalization is a social justice measure, as they deny any possible long-term harms that the drug could produce. Consequently, the passing of this proposition also represents a positive measure in terms of criminal justice, as many of the consumers had been arrested and convicted in the past for using the drug; most of them were minorities, according to the supporters.

Approximately $23 billion were raised as of Nov. 6, by the pro-legalization committees, according to the statements of the California secretary of state's office. From tech entrepreneurs to marijuana companies, the proposition had a lot of traction among the U.S. citizens of California, among whom a former Facebook president, who donated the largest amount of money as part of this campaign. According to the same source, the anti-legalization in California had spent no more than $2 million.

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California CIO Amy Tong and Deputy CIO Chris Cruz have a collective vision for improving both the state's procurement process and its overall relationship with the vendor community.During the State of Technology - California Industry Forum* event held Tuesday, Nov. 8., Tong said extra effort has been made to unify and simplify technology services within the state. And a major and reoccurring theme in the state procurement arena is one of lengthy contract terms and conditions that pose unnecessary barriers to vendors.Though Tong said the clauses are designed to limit the states exposure to risk, it has created impediments to timely contracting and procurement.Were hoping to do much more in transformation in working with departments such as General Services to enter into what we call IT procurement reform, said Tong, who took on the CIO role just six month ago . The No. 1 hurdle we heard was those terms and conditions, its those lengthy procurement processes.To alleviate some of what Tong called pent-up demand, Cruz said a working group has been established to address issues with contract vehicles. This effort, in addition to other pertinent departments, includes a collection of vendor advisers.What we committed to doing is working with our partners at the Department of General Services, bringing in the legal team, bringing in the advisory board of vendors to make recommendations on how we could streamline our contract vehicles, Cruz said. We think streamlining those services will be a benefit not only to government, but to the vendor community on how we move forward to create those efficiencies and really develop a procurement road map moving forward.Another area where Department of Technology (CDT) duo said they see room for improvement is presenting a unified front for their state customers  the new iteration of CDT will focus more on coordination and less on delivering the same messages multiple times.When we are speaking as the Department of Technology, its a single voice, its a single entity, Tong said. Now that we are here at the Department of Technology, to better serve our customers, the state entities, and be a good partner with them, we want that single voice, that simplicity approach The CIO also hopes to better establish the agency as a trusted resource for those that look to it for assistance. Rather than have state departments doing the legwork that comes with many technology projects, Tong and Cruz said they would like to see their internal partners leveraging CDT expertise.Departments are established to focus on those business needs. Those business needs have a heavy reliance on technology as an enabler, Tong said. And looking at the mission of the Department of Technology, we really wanted to position ourselves and continue to strive to [reach] a level where state entities looking to the Department of Technology as a trusted technical adviser.This more organized approach comes with many potential benefits, Cruz said, the least of which is better bargaining power for the state.Really, tactically in the state, we want to drive to similar price standards. Thats really important in this discussion, ensuring that policies are aligned, that they are aligned with the security framework  and that we are driving tactical solutions. And obviously, volume also drives down costs, the deputy CIO said. We can be more efficient and effective in establishing a return on investment. Were all fiscal stewards for the things that we do, so its very important that we lay out not only a strategic plan, but a tactical plan of how to get there."




Bethany Lutheran Videos at Each Live Worship Service

Such is the contrast between the Bible of the old and the Bible of the new theologies. That there are compromise systems between the twoor at any rate attempts at a compromise  is certainly true; but it is impossible to effect a compromise between systems fundamentally and essentially at variance. This is a case of either  or, Delitzsch was right when he maintained that a deep chasm existed between the old and the new theology, and this chasm exists because there is a chasm between the Bible of the old and the Bible of the new theologies. In one word, the Scriptures of the one is the Bible without God; the Scriptures of the other is the Bible of and with God.

The Bible Of The Old And The Bible Of The New Theology. By Rev. Professor George H. Schodde, Ph. D., Columbus, O. in Loy, ed. The Columbus Theological Magazine. Vol. 18, 1898. LutheranLibrary.org
Lenovo Smartphones to use Moto branding for all of its future smartphones

Chinese PC giant Lenovo will no longer market phones under its own brand name. In an announcement made on Tuesday at the launch of Moto M in China, the company said that as part of larger restructuring at Lenovo, all the future smartphones developed by the company will now be branded as Moto phones, according to a report by Campaign Asia.

In other words, this means that there will be no unique identity of Moto brand in itself. Now, all smartphones designed and manufactured by Lenovo will carry the Moto brand. The news comes in light of the companys no-so-good financial results.

The announcement also comes as part of a larger shift in leadership at Lenovo, which involves replacement of current Co-President and SVP of the companys Mobile Business Group Xudong Chen with Gina Qiao, formerly SVP of Human Resources. Gina who previously worked in marketing and strategy in the company is expected to bring the required skill set to manage the mobile business.

Until now, Lenovo has struggled to make proper use of the Moto brand in its Q2 report. Lenovo has said that it has earned $2 billion by selling Moto and Lenovo branded phones, which is down 12 percent year-over-year.

The change at the helm of the smartphone arm is also meant to improve capacity in marketing within the mainland, explained Yang, who added that Lenovos overseas smartphone performance has been better than Chinas.

The company has also made several senior hires from Intel, Alcatel-Lucent, and Microsoft, in the hope that the company will slowly transition from a hardware company into a customer-oriented company focusing on devices with artificial intelligence and cloud services.

Just a few days earlier, the company released its latest quarterly financial statement, saying that it had sold just over one million units of its recently launched Moto Z phones in its first three months.

Our mobile business had good quarter-to-quarter volume growth (20%) and margin improvement, Yang said, even if smartphone sales showed only modest growth. But PCs are still the core of Lenovos business, which makes up about 70% of the companys revenue every year.

Lenovo has yet to make an official confirmation on the shift to Moto branding. So, keep watching this space for more updated information on the decision.

Source: India Today
The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, and his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, are meeting in Caracas to address the work agenda established by both governments in the framework... | Read More
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO -- Zachary Rotary Club President Brandon Noel, fourth from left, welcomed on Nov. 3, from left, Teresa and Daran Rehmeyer, of the Mabane Rotary Club in Swaziland, Africa; Cheri McDaniel, of the Baton Rouge Capital City Rotary Club; Lea Hebert, District 6200 assistant governor and member of the Morgan City Rotary Club; and Vernon Willis, of the Baton Rouge Capital City Rotary Club.
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LIVONIA  Pointe Coupee Parish officials say they're hopeful the state can cobble together the money to create safer turning options to reduce fatal crashes along a stretch of U.S. 190.

Juror Kurt Jarreau said parish officials met with Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Shawn Wilson recently on the issue. He said they learned that the state is considering building two turnarounds along the portion of U.S. 190 within the city limits as the state department this month prepares to install new guardrails from La. 1 to Krotz Springs.

If the turnarounds are built, that would be a few years ahead of the timeline DOTD had previously announced for those modifications to U.S. 190.

But the state's ability to do it depends on whether DOTD can afford to amend the guardrail project for the highway, which had already been bid out to a contractor.

Jarreau said DOTD has also proposed closing off several of the dangerous turning points already situated along U.S. 190 in Livonia  one of which has been the scene of multiple fatal crashes in the past several years.

"It will all depend on how much money they'll be able to get," Jarreau said Tuesday.

Police Chief Brad Joffrion said town officials expect to meet with DOTD again later this week on the proposed measures.

Joffrion and other elected officials in Livonia for years have begged the state to install dedicated turning lanes in the town's limits where U.S. 190 narrows a bit into a four-lane highway with a skimpy, and battered, wooden guardrail presently separating the east and west traffic flow.

There have been frequent accidents along that stretch, many of them fatal, when drivers attempt turns at the intersection of U.S. 190 and Isabel Street. The most recent crash happened Oct. 14 when a five-vehicle crash killed one man and sent four others to the hospital.

That was the second time in two years a person was killed while trying to make a left turn on to Isabel Street while traveling east on U.S. 190 in Livonia. Joffrion said previously the Oct. 14 crash was the fourth his department has investigated within a six-month period at the same location.

Parish officials believe turning lanes  or dedicated turnarounds  are safer options than what motorists currently must do, which is stop in the left passing lane along U.S. 190 to make turns into the businesses and homes positioned down the highway. Nearly every accident was caused when the driver making the turn was rear-ended by speeding vehicles who pushed victims into the oncoming traffic in the opposite direction.

"They may add a turn lane outside the city limits; not necessarily at the wreck site," Jarreau said Tuesday. "It may become a situation where (drivers) will have to go past the spot, safely turn around somewhere ahead and then come back."
Jordan Gasperecz-McMills exits the booth after voting, as election commissioner Owen Cope, right, looks on during voting at Lasalle Elementary School on Nov. 8, 2016.
The unveiling of the I VOTED sticker coincides with an exhibit at Rodrigue Studio New Orleans, which opened Oct. 6, that marks the 20th anniversary of Rodriguess landmark Blue Dog for President exhibition held at Union Station in Washington D.C. during the 1996 Presidential Election. The Rodrigue family has recreated that exhibit sharing patriotic works spanning 40 years, including Rodrigues strong red, white and blue designs from his Blue Dog Series his original paintings following 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina and his iconic portraits of Louisiana Governors Huey Long and Earl Long, as well as portraits of U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Also on view is his Washington Blue Dog, featuring the U.S. Capitol and the White House.
President Barack Obama signs a presidential memorandum on paid leave, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. The presidential memorandum is to direct federal agencies to advance six weeks of paid sick leave that federal workers could use as paid family leave. Workers would have to pay back the sick leave over time. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Advocate staff photo by MATTHEW HINTON--Cheryl Coleman helps her uncle, Arthur Joseph, vote during early voting at New Orleans City Hall on Monday, Oct. 27, 2014. Early voting ends tomorrow, Tuesday, with voting in Orleans Parish at City Hall, the Algiers Courthouse, Lake Vista Community Center, and the Chef Menteur Voting Machine Warehouse Site.
For the rest of the country, the fact that there could soon be another Senator Kennedy is bound to be a curiosity, at least.
Keep your shirt on. The world as we know it may be ending, but if so it won't be for a while. And maybe things won't change as much as feared.

Yesterday the experts were confidently predicting Hillary Clinton would be president. Today they are predicting Donald Trump's presidency will be a disaster with equal confidence. How do they know?

I find it hard to imagine Trump's ascendancy won't end up being bad for our economy, for the rest of the world and the Americans themselves.

But that's a long way down the track and lots of unexpected things could happen between now and then. Maybe even a few good things.
It isn't often you get a successful chief executive regretting the announcement of their own retirement.

But it was a rather costly announcement for Aristocrat Leisure boss, Jamie Ronald Odell.

Shares in Aristocrat leisure dropped as much as 12 per cent, wiping more than $1 billion from the value of the company. Credit:Bloomberg

The poker machine maker's shares dropped as much as 12 per cent, wiping around $2 million off the value of his own stock pot  and more than $1 billion from the value of the company.

The stock closed 6 per cent lower at $14.30.
Robyn Vincent , McKellar Defence of Abbott I would like to see Tony Abbott promoted to the frontbench. I consider he could make a wonderful contribution as Minister for Defence. Mr Putin is still in need of shirt-fronting. Serious consideration should also be given to Tony Abbott's elevation to Minister for Sport, as Team Australia is at present in total disarray. After due consideration, I recommend a slower elevation to the cabinet; initially appointing him as parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Primary Industries. His sole responsibility would be to ensure that onion futures don't go belly up. In order for him to accept these onerous duties, he would have to agree to donate his collection of white ants to Bill Shorten. John Galvin, Weston

Facts and acts Lies and misinformation appear to be the stock in trade of those who wish to alter the Racial Discrimination Act. Malcolm Turnbull ("PM deeply misleading says Triggs", November8, p4) and Bill Deane (Letters, November8) demonstrate their ignorance in their criticisms of the Human Rights Commission following the Federal Court ruling about the Brisbane UTS case. Virtually any public servant in Canberra could tell you that Commonwealth agencies do not conduct legal cases  that is done by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Also, the policy of the DPP is not to proceed with cases for which there is little prospect of success. So it is clear that the DPP had a different opinion about the merits of the case from the opinion expressed by the Federal Court judge. Moreover it is clear, as Professor Triggs has pointed out, that such a case would only have gone to the DPP when all efforts of the Human Rights Commission to secure mediation had failed. It will be interesting to see whether the DPP considers it will appeal the judgment.

Contrary to the arguments of that comedy duo, Turnbull and Deane, this case is not a demonstration that the act needs amending; it is a demonstration that the act cannot be misused to shore up bigotry and racism, which is precisely what it was intended to do. But then, facts are rarely the strong suit of the ignorant. Ric Innes, Weetangera Animals growl and snarl to rev themselves up for a fight. We humans do the same by using offensive language, insults, humiliating words and intimidation, which can readily tip over into violence. Hence the importance of section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. The Human Rights Commission does the vital job of encouraging those emitting these human snarls and growls to move towards conciliation. In the very few cases where conciliation fails, the courts can arbitrate. The overall intention is to keep moving us in a civilised direction. It would be reassuring if our federal government supported this idea. Rosemary Walters, Palmerston

Brexit permission I see no reason why British Prime Minister Theresa May is unhappy about the High Court's decision that the government does not have the power to take Britain out of the European Union without the approval of the Parliament ("High Court blow to PM's Brexit plan", November5,p24). Surely, it was with the approval of the Parliament, not through a referendum, that Britain became a member of theEU. There can be little doubt that those who sought to leave the EU recently are regretting their thoughtless decision  principally because their quality of life is likely to be affected as a result of the decline of the pound and the anticipated damage to the country's economy. Sam Nona, Burradoo, NSW

Indefensible campaign I agree with Neil James (Letters, November1) and also David Roth (Letters, November2) that we all have a responsibility for defence matters, or at least should have our opinions heard on such matters. But the only reason I think that the ads would be aimed at us ordinary citizens is that it creates a military culture for our society  a culture where war is an ongoing option and increased defence spending goes largely unquestioned. Our defence budget of $32.4billion for this financial year is almost equivalent to the federal education budget, but what do we get? We're giving the United States $17billion for 72 F35s while Canada has cancelled its order, no doubt because of all the question marks over the F35's viability. And the government wants to increase defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP  what a high moral aim! What have we got for our illegal involvement in the war on Iraq and the billions spent on that? More war and terrorism. Will we ever learn? And we're shaping up with the US in an extremely dangerous brinkmanship with China and Russia. The airport management could stop being complicit in this cultural brainwashing and get other, more attractive ads for its important space at our national capital's airport. Kathryn Kelly, Chifley

Speed bumps Like Jim Derrick (Letters, November8), I agree that sometimes the speed limit signs around roadworks are displayed at unnecessary times, but I will go one further, and suggest that another problem area is at school zones. Too often, the 40km/h signs are left displayed long after the 4pm end time, and also left open for the first few days and up to a week after school holidays have begun. Surely it can't be too hard for someone at the school to go out and close these sign up at 4pm so drivers know what speed they are legally allowed to do. This problem is compounded by the fact that we here in the ACT have a different time schedule to NSW, so drivers from over the border may be confused by the time differential for these limits. The solution must be to introduce automated flashing lights for school areas and align our times for their enforcement with NSW. after all, our decision makers here keep telling us that they try to make things happen the same as in NSW so that we are aligned with our across-the-border neighbours to keep things simple. G. Evans, Kaleen Snakes in the grass

Further to Zafar Ahmad's encounter with a brown snake (Letters, November8), our dog has killed two large brown snakes (and been bitten by one, though that's another story) and one black snake in the past couple of weeks. A friend saw a dozen browns in one day in the mountains southwest of Canberra. Whether the recent rains are responsible for this plethora of snakes is a matter for conjecture; the important point is that people should be careful, especially where grass is unmowed. Jenny Goldie, Michelago, NSW No, Zafar Ahmad, you are incorrect on two points. Canberra Connect is correct in its advice regarding snake rescue. It's your issue in choosing to assimilate with wildlife, especially by a reserve. Don't assume to take your issue to a presumed authority. Put your shovel down. When your next encounter occurs, which it will, contact canberrasnakerescue.com.au.

These people, to my knowledge, are the first and only licensed snake rescuers in the ACT. I have utilised their service on two occasions successfully. Rangers do assist householders if a snake enters a house. Your perception of "lack of help" by ACT Rangers does not put lives at risk. Phil O'Mara, Pialligo Pet hates named I totally agree with Derek Bulpitt (Letters, November7) on the "grab" word. The other thing I hate is when you are asked by a customer service person, "And what was your name?", as though it might have changed! I recently said to one of these questioners that my name was the same it had always been, and they were totally thrown by my answer, and started to write something down! Along the same lines, we get "Let's take a listen" from television reporters crossing to what witnesses might have seen, etc.

And don't get me started on everyone being labelled "guys". My wife tells me that it's just the way it is, and I have to accept it. But I don't want to. Gordon Bezear, Gowrie On the money While I agree with Robert Willson (Letters, November8) that the number of children entering high school who are illiterate or can't do simple arithmetic is concerning, all is not doom and gloom. In the past couple of weeks, while counting reasonably large sums of money from a fundraising event, I have had the help of my 11-year-old grandson who is very quick at counting and adding up amounts of money.

Michael Perry, Chisholm Denton unbalanced It seems likely that, in his recent address to the National Press Club, Andrew Denton was locking in support for his views on euthanasia from people like Rob Westcott (Letters, October26) who are already hostile to the Catholic point of view. Rob goes so far as to question the sanity of the Catholic right and condemns the history of formal religion. Andrew Denton appeared at first to have researched his subject thoroughly, including detail of Catholic action concerning euthanasia. When questioned, however, he admitted he had not consulted leaders of other faiths.

This omission is significant and suggests a deliberate attempt to present an unbalanced picture of community views. Eric French, Higgins TO THE POINT REFERENCE CHECKS Memo to Pauline Hanson and others: Ever heard of reference-checking? Here we go again. It beggars belief in this day and age of access to information that questionable individuals infiltrate organisations without due diligence.

Linus Cole, Palmerston PRINCIPLES MIRAGE The media has it wrong about Malcolm Turnbull being forced by Lib right-wingers to betray his "principles". Turnbull spruiks Abbott policies with such gusto that I suspect his "principles" never actually existed but were miraged by leather-jacketed bonhomie. Dr Vacy Vlazna, Collaroy, NSW CONSCIENCE VOTE

Malcolm Turnbull should realise a plebiscite would have the same result as a conscience vote in the Parliament ("Same-sex marriage plebiscite defeated in late night Senate vote", canberratimes.com.au, November 8). If he had any spine he would bring on a conscience vote and save the nearly $200million a plebiscite would have cost. Robyn Lewis, Raglan, NSW RIDGY DIDGE I have it on good advice that the sounds/vibrations emitted by a didgeridoo will move on a snake scoping for territory, mates, or otherwise involved in other snaky business. Zafar Ahmad (Letters, November5) could try this. Matt Ford, Crookwell, NSW

APPLEBY'S APTNESS Your editorial, "Freedom of speech inquiry is welcome" (November9, p14) is all well and good, but we should remember Sir Humphrey Appleby's sage advice, "Never hold an inquiry unless you know the outcome". Since this inquiry is clearly a political move with, no doubt, a Coalition majority on the committee, what are the odds that Sir Humphrey's cynicism will, as always, prove to be well founded? Eric Hunter, Cook PM'S RELIGION

I would like to see Josh Frydenberg or Ed Husic become prime minister. If Jakarta can have a Christian mayor, why can't Australia have a Jewish or a Muslim prime minister? Michael McCarthy, Deakin CORRECTION A letter to the the editor published on Tuesday suggesting Alexander Downer was on the Australian board of Huawei was incorrect. Mr Downer was a Huawei board member, but resigned in June 2014 after his appointment as Australia's high commissioner in London. The article referred to in the letter omitted mention of Mr Downer's resignation. Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message eld, not as an attached le. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610.
Will politics ever be the same again? As the early results from the US election began to roll in on Wednesday morning our time, it fast became apparent that this race would be far tighter than expected. Despite overwhelming predictions of a comfortable victory for Hillary Clinton, the prospect of a Donald Trump victory, until then unimaginable for many, suddenly became very real. This election has revealed a shocking level of anger and resentment festering in sections of the US. That Mr Trump got as far as becoming the Republican candidate for the presidency has many lessons for both sides of politics in the US, that he has won the White House has lessons for all of us. From our comfortable distance, the US election campaign was treated by many as a sick joke. What on earth would the thrice married reality TV star with the super-sized ego say or do next? A wall to keep Mexicans out, forcing allies to pay for US support, tearing up trade agreements? The campaign was a gaudy circus with stadium crowds, rock stars, crass insults and scant policy detail. When hard evidence emerged of Mr Trump's vile misogynist words and actions towards women, the joke wasn't funny on any level. But like the Republicans who let him steamroll into the nomination, we all should have been taking Mr Trump seriously a lot earlier.

Campaigning this week with former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage, Mr Trump labelled himself "Mr Brexit", and there is some truth in this typically egocentric claim. Just as many dismissed the idea of Britain leaving the European Union as a foolish joke, far too many people have been laughing at the idea of Mr Trump generating any serious support when it counts. Before Brexit, most commentators missed the level of disenchantment with European politics and the extent of anger directed at a supposed political and wealthy ruling elite. Likewise in the US election, there has been a gross underestimation of the resentment and disengagement that was ripe for exploitation by the Trump brand. While a thorough analysis of the US election will take many weeks and months yet, we know Mr Trump's biggest support base was among uneducated white men, people who did not feel heard by what they perceived as Washington elitists. We know too that many Americans were angry with both sides of politics. What this result will mean for US relations with the rest of the world is a deeply troubling prospect. We can only hope there is truth in the claims of those Republicans who argued that Mr Trump would surround himself with more experienced political minds. For women, the result cannot be good. What message does it send, when US voters choose a man who has repeatedly and publicly denigrated women, who has admitted to assaulting women? To go from being on the brink of electing the first US woman president to having foul-mouthed Donald Trump in the White House is like a time warp back to the 1950s. Similarly, migrants in the US have cause to be worried about the turn that country's policies may take.
Is it possible that Mr Turnbull is trying to appease Andrew Bolt with his change of tune about Section 18C? Bolt has been particularly angry with the PM for the past few months and Malcolm might think that it's time to rack up a few brownie points. Russell Brown, Great Western The man who wasn't there "Last night I saw upon a stair, A little man who wasn't there, He wasn't there again today. Oh, how I wish he'd go away." How could William Hughes Means have written a poem in 1899 that aptly describes the performance Malcolm Turnbull as PM of Australia? Beth Muller, Glenorchy, Tasmania

Reputation of Rhodes scholars at stake The esteem in which Rhodes scholarship holders are held has suffered a severe fall following the behaviour of successive Liberal prime ministers. Sure a royal commission into the plummeting ethical standards of beneficiaries is urgently required. Paul Harkins, Middle Park THE FORUM Pathway for populists

Brexit, One Nation, Donald Trump  the fate of sensible debate about politics has been overrun with posturing and personality politics. Having two major parties, each with a balance of egalitarian and elitist elements, in perpetual disagreement with one another provides the pathway for populists to gain control. The only barrier to this humiliating charade continuing is for the moderate elements of both parties to unite. Maintaining the status quo will allow simplistic solutions to Australia's problems to take the centre stage. Where are the real political heroes we can all follow? Leo Holt, Templestowe Lower World just feels worse Now we have seen exactly how many people agree with Trump and what he stands for. The world is not a worse place today than it was yesterday  it just feels like it. Carmel Murphy, Wantirna South

Elite so out of touch What we have learned from another election where the media and all the commentators were wrong is that the consensus of the elite is substantially disconnected from reality. Time to stop talking and start listening. Brenton Carbins, Williamstown Old theories out of date Thanks, Ross Gittins (Comment, 9/11), for wisely questioning the traditional assumptions of economists. Most "experts" have been useless in anticipating major developments  from the GFC to Brexit; eBay to Uber. To understand the times, we need to look at what people are actually doing, rather than simply lean on old theories. In my house, we all work part time, consume little, anticipate a post-carbon economy and enjoy much leisure time. Either we are freaks, or we represent a phenomenon that is yet to be recognised by economists.

Ben Moore, Northcote State goes to the dogs ... According to the Premier, a minister (for "corrections", of all things) has "apologised" for "mistakenly" having his dogs ferried at taxpayers' expense from Parkdale to his country estate at Trentham once  or maybe twice. Steve Herbert's memory fails him on the precise number of times, and alas, no documentation of the trips is available. In any case, he thought it was within his parliamentary entitlements  though he now has some doubts. Moreover, Herbert has generously shelled out $192.80 (plus a $1000 donation to an animal shelter) from his own pocket as recompense for his error. But he has been made to suffer further the indignity of resigning his portfolio over this trivial mistake. As a further loss to the community he will not make himself available for election in the next round in 2018. It really looks like our state government is going to the dogs. Max Nankervis, Middle Park ... but not without fight

Steve Herbert has resigned, but not without a fight. His position was unsustainable and likely to undermine the work the Andrews government has achieved. Unfortunately, he is of the same political ilk as former Speaker Bronwyn Bishop and Sam Dastyari, who both needed a big shove for them to see the light. Alan Inchley, Frankston Keep it civil, Nick Like many others, I lament the level of political discourse in much of the world, especially the populist and inflammatory language politicians use to gain attention. In responding to concerns about recent cases of hoax callers to air traffic control, Nick Xenophon labelled the perpetrators "scum". While there is no dispute that such action is criminal, the need to resort to such low-level language infuriates me. Throughout the US election campaign we have seen where such language takes us. Do we really want to continue down this slippery slope of hyperbole and vitriol? Craig Matthews, Ormond

Local figurehead David Carlyon (Letters, 9/11), the Australian Republic Movement has never argued for a US presidential system of government. It has always wanted to retain our Westminster system but with an Australian, not someone born to an aristocratic UK family, as our figurehead. Peter Kay, Carlton North Great deal from church Having used the suffering of abuse victims to segue into her real contention, the tax exemption status of some religions, Wendy Squires then sets about ridiculing core Catholic beliefs (Comment, 8/11). The Catholic Church is supportive of the mooted federal compensation scheme for abuse victims and is also a leading provider of support across most welfare sectors across the country. The church is involved in everything from advocacy, material and pastoral support, healthcare, and education to counselling and, well, any area of welfare that can be imagined. The community sees a great deal of return for whatever concessions are afforded the church. It is a great deal indeed.

Allan Ansell, Belmont Words cause pain Amanda Vanstone (Comment, 6/11) requests that people who quietly think homosexuality wrong not be lumped in with "homophobes". But if saying that in an ideal world I would not exist is not enough to justify the label homophobic, then what is? If someone shouted that opinion at me, rather than saying it politely? Or do I have to wait until someone physically hits me for my pain to be valid? If you have a problem with someone being called a homophobe, but not with the opinions they express that lead to that outcome, then that means you know discrimination is wrong and hurtful, but don't want to actually be told when your actions cause pain. Jemimah Hamilton, Canterbury

Think again, VicRoads Another poorly thought-out VicRoads traffic management plan. Sure, limit trucks to 90km/h on sections of the Monash Freeway. But by not first restricting these trucks to a dedicated lane, it means trucks are doing 90km/h in every lane, effectively limiting the entire section of freeway to that speed for all vehicles. Andrew Townsend, Moorabbin Drug prices vary wildly I had a prescription filled at a pharmacy at a local shopping strip yesterday for some medication I take regularly. The price was almost three times that of a major pharmacy chain in an adjacent suburb  almost $20 extra per month for the same medicine. I have found prices can vary by 50-300 per cent. For many people, particularly the elderly, pharmacy medicines comprise a considerable portion of their monthly budget. We are conditioned to trust the advice of a pharmacist, and this "trust" naturally extends to pricing. When I queried the price discrepancy, the pharmacist explained the larger chains are able to source product more cheaply by buying in bulk. So why aren't large retailers like supermarkets allowed to dispense medicines under the supervision of qualified pharmacists?

Elisa Curry, Surrey Hills SPC banks on quality There are absolutely no quality concerns with SPC products ("Woolies cans tomato deal", 8/11). SPC has always met or surpassed the standards set by Food Safety Australia New Zealand, the independent body that regulates food production. Reg Weine, managing director, SPCA, Richmond Reliable settlement

With more than 1.6 million paper land titles historically in bank files, a bank occasionally lost or misplaced a paper title, putting property settlements at risk. However, a bank cannot lose an electronic title. While the cost of using the electronic settlement system (typically $107.80) is higher, it is more reliable, saves the cost of bank cheques, enables BPay payments of outstanding rates and reduces the cost of lodgement of the transfer and new mortgage at Land Victoria. Some conveyancing practices ardently support electronic settlement. It reduces our workload and we share its cost with clients. Andrew Rothfield, Northcote Shut out of local news A 40-year resident of the City of Manningham, I am always interested in local elections. However, the local papers do not provide election results any more. Councillors control large amounts of ratepayers' money and have the power to affect the local environment and our lifestyle. The Manningham News gives just a third of a page to the results, includes no figures, and includes non-relevant details, such as the unsuccessful bid in another council of a candidate's husband. The dumbing down of society continues, as does the destruction of our suburbs due to decisions made by councillors who remain, by and large, unknown. Ron Reynolds, Templestowe
As an alternative name for Trump voters, how about the "expendables"? These voters are the Americans who are on low or minimum wages and who do not see a bright future for themselves, or their families. These are the working poor, those little thought about and frequently ignored. Expendables are scared about losing their jobs, fearful about terrorism, and do not see "business as usual" America where the rich just get richer as doing much to help them.

Putting aside the despicable US presidential campaign and the deplorable Trump, a much better way to describe many of the more than 50 million or so Americans who voted for The Donald is needed. Whatever Clinton or anyone else thinks, it is very hard to accept that over half of American voters are truly deplorable.

In her own words just two months ago, Clinton described half of Trump's supporters as "deplorables" who are "racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic". While Trump himself, condemned by his own words, could be accused of all of these "nasties", it seems that there were enough Americans who were angry enough with "business as usual" to vote for change, even if this made them deplorable in the eyes of Hillary Clinton and the elites.

The vote is in and over the next four years President-elect Donald Trump will "Make America Great Again". Or will he? The irony of ironies is that it is Hillary Clinton's own words, not Trump's over-the-top insults that may well have contributed to his victory, and her loss.

The expendables include Clinton voters, especially African-Americans and Hispanics. The expendables who voted for Trump did so because they understood the key messages behind his rhetoric. Trump said, "We will build a great wall along the southern border" and they heard Trump will stop illegal immigration to protect our wages. Trump said, "They're [Muslims] not coming to this country if I'm president" and they heard Trump will protect us from Islamic terrorists. And when Trump said, "Clinton meets in secret with international banks to plot the destruction of US sovereignty in order to enrich these global financial powers, her special interest friends and her donors" they heard that Hillary only cares about Wall Street.

Many of the expendables who voted for Trump would have disliked his over-the-top insults, his demagoguery and his "locker room talk", but they also understood his key messages. More than anything, they wanted change. While many of the better off and more educated are in shock at Trump's victory, many expendables will want, expect and demand something different to business as usual. Many of the expendables feel like they live in a rigged economic system and they want Trump to fix it for them. In their view of the world, they have taken a bet on a coin toss, with the person tossing it declaring "heads I win, tails you lose" while it is still in the air. They want a different system and, thus, have gambled on someone who they think will "shake up" the system.

The world view of the expendable was, no doubt, shared by many Brexiters who have similarly been accused of being idiots or racists. But many of those who voted for Britain to leave the EU did not do so because they are deplorable, but because they wanted change in an economy that wasn't delivering for them. They wanted a voice, and to be listened to, and because they believed that Brexit will curtail immigration and, thus, in their view, give them a brighter future with higher wages and better job prospects.

Every country has its expendables  the forgotten poor or the older and often less well educated. Many expendables do not believe that they will ever be part of the "knowledge economy". In July, almost 600,000 Australians gave their first preference votes for Pauline Hanson's One Nation  a party that supports zero net migration to Australia and whose leader has expressed hostile views towards Asian and Muslim migration. One Nation's vote was highest in poorer electorates, and was three times higher in the most disadvantaged places than it was in the least disadvantaged places. No doubt, some One Nation voters are deplorable, but many more are simply the expendables. These expendables feel left behind by a world that is increasingly competitive and knowledge-driven, and they do not see business as usual, or even an innovation agenda, as speaking to them or their problems.

To those in the elites who stand in shock at Trump's victory, and who have correctly judged that he is unfit for high office, think about the expendables and the "worm that has turned". It is the failure of the elites to listen or even care that has led to Trump, against all odds, beating the establishment candidate. These expendables are the people that many political leaders couldn't give a toss about, who Hillary mocked, and who Trump courted.
The medal is presented every two years by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science to recognise mid-career achievements in biomedical science and human health advancement.

Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology professor Mark Kendall will be handed the award along with $25,000 in Canberra on Wednesday evening.

A silicon wafer of Nanopatches.

Professor Kendall was awarded the medal in relation to his work on the Nanopatch, a small silicon square with 20,000 microscopic spikes that delivers a dry vaccine when the patch is pressed onto the skin for a few minutes.

He said he first came up with the idea for a Nanopatch in 2003 after realising his "rocket gene gun", which fired micro particles into the skin, was too complicated and expensive for worldwide vaccination.

"I was encouraged by immunologists to start thinking about it from the biological point of view," he said.

"I studied immunology and mapped the skin's immune system and looked at it and I thought, OK, forget about all of the approaches that people use now, what would be the ultimate way of getting the vaccine to those cells?"
The search for the skipper of a capsized prawn trawler off Fraser Island has ended on Wednesday evening.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) called off the search for the missing 53-year-old Yeppoon man, following the capsize of the 17-metre prawn trawler Seabring about eight kilometres south-east of Indian Head at Fraser Island, in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The decision to end the search was based on medical advice that the missing man could not have survived past Wednesday.

The two-day search for the missing skipper included planes, helicopters and vessels and covered more than 100 square kilometres.
A woman who pleaded guilty to kicking a teenager after his head had been stomped on in a Chinatown alley has been slapped and kicked by the victim's mother in extraordinary scenes in a Melbourne court.

The victim's parents were thrown out of the courtroom at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday after they separately lashed out at two defendants. They were later allowed to return.

The teenager got into a fight in La Trobe Place, just off Chinatown's Little Bourke Street. Credit:Leigh Henningham

The couple's son, 19, was fatally bashed on La Trobe Place in central Melbourne on April 15, as bystanders watched on.

CCTV footage of the attack, in which the Chinese high school student was repeatedly punched and stomped on, was played to the court.
The family of Wayne Fowlie, who died at a Goldfields mine site in 2014, has lost their fight to have his life insurance paid out after a payroll error by his employer caused his policy to be cancelled just weeks before his death.

Mr Fowlie died at Central Norseman Gold's Harlequin mine on February 15, 2014 when he was fatally crushed in an underground rock fall.

Wayne Fowlie with his wife Raewyn, and family members. Credit:Facebook

The father-of-three had been working in Australia to save up a "nest egg" to return to his hometown in New Zealand.

On Thursday last week Perth District Court Judge, Anthony Derrick, decided against ordering Central Norseman Gold to pay out the 59-year-old's life insurance after it failed to pay his superannuation contributions for nearly a year before his death.
Washington: India will withdraw high-denomination banknotes overnight in the nation's biggest crackdown against unaccounted wealth and corruption in almost four decades.

Five hundred rupee ($9.70) and 1000 rupee notes will cease to be legal tender from Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an unscheduled address to the nation. The notes in circulation will have to be deposited in banks by the end of December, he said in a late evening message. This is the first time since 1978 the government has withdrawn money from circulation, according to the central bank's website.

The step by Modi, who is approaching the half-way mark of his term, is an attempt to fulfil his election promise of curbing tax evasion and recovering illegal income, locally known as black money, stashed overseas. Modi's unprecedented move follows a similar step taken by the European Central Bank, which is discontinuing the use of 500-euro notes to stop their use in "illicit activities".

Modi is "changing the narrative at a time when everyone was saying this government's moves on black money were mainly hype," said Milan Vaishnav, a senior associate with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington. At the same time "the average Indian waking up to this is going to think 'what is going on'," he said.
A Las Vegas judge refused to go along with Donald Trump's move to slap a county registrar of voters with a court order to set aside ballots cast by people who spent Friday night at the polls as early voting in the state wound to a close.

"I'm not going to issue any order," Judge Gloria Sturman told the Trump campaign's lawyer in a hearing broadcast live over the internet. "I'm just not going to do it."

Donald Trump sued Clark County registrar of voters Joe Gloria on Monday, claiming a polling station at one market stayed open until 10pm in the hotly contested state. Sturman said in court on Tuesday that the campaign had "jumped a step" by coming to her for a court order before taking its concern to county officials.
In a post on his blog that is undated, but published well before the election, he wrote , "I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I gave it to you straight last summer when I told you that Donald Trump would be the Republican nominee for president. And now I have even more awful, depressing news for you: Donald J. Trump is going to win in November."

One man got it spectacularly right, predicting not only that Clinton would lose, but where she would lose, among which voters she would lose, and why: the left wing documentary maker Michael Moore.

New York: The media got it wrong. The public pollsters got it wrong, so did the private ones. The Democratic Party got wrong. The Republican Party was wrong too. Five living presidents got it wrong. The betting markets got it wrong. The markets got it wrong. By many accounts even President-elect Donald Trump got it wrong.

"This wretched, ignorant, dangerous part-time clown and full time sociopath is going to be our next president. President Trump. Go ahead and say the words, 'cause you'll be saying them for the next four years: 'PRESIDENT TRUMP.'"

Donald Trump: loved in Pennsylvania. Credit:The Tribune-Democrat via AP

Moore's thesis, which he laid out in detail and which has now proved to be spectacularly correct, was that Donald Trump would win four rustbelt states that Democrats believed they could not lose.

"And this is where the math comes in. In 2012, Mitt Romney lost by 64 electoral votes," wrote Moore. "Add up the electoral votes cast by Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. It's 64. All Trump needs to do to win is to carry, as he's expected to do, the swath of traditional red states from Idaho to Georgia (states that'll never vote for Hillary Clinton), and then he just needs these four rust belt states. He doesn't need Florida. He doesn't need Colorado or Virginia. Just Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. And that will put him over the top. This is how it will happen in November."

He argued that men, spooked that "a male-dominated, 240-year run of the USA is coming to an end" would be driven to the polls to keep a woman out of office, and that white men, already embittered by eight years of an Obama presidency, would turn out to block her rise. He speculated that Bernie Sanders supporters would not turn out to support Clinton once she won the primary, and he was right about that too.
LOS ANGELESA maniac armed with an assault rifle strolled up a residential block near a polling station at a gymnasium in Azusa and unloaded. A score of voters queued outside fled for their lives.

The male assailant shot three people, one fatally, authorities confirmed, before barricading himself inside a house where he has been confirmed by the L.A. Sheriffs Department to be deceased after an almost four-hour standoff with SWAT team and police.

Hector Campos lives next door to the house on West Fourth Street and spoke to The Daily Beast two hours after gunfire erupted next door.

Campos was 50 yards away and noticed about 25 people waiting in line to cast their ballots on Election Day when he saw them all dispersed and taking cover at around 2 p.m. when the shooter fired 10 shots from an assault rifle with rapid fire capability, according to police.

The next door neighbor said he skipped breaths when the assailant fired.

I could hear the shots that went like boom-boom, boom-boom, boom-boom, boom-boom with breaks in between, he said.

Then came the screams.

It was so scary when a woman outside there was screaming so loud, he said.

Campos says he managed to direct a young girl and her mother to take cover while they apparently were frozen during the gunfire outside.

I went outside and saw a little girl with her mom and told them Go back inside. Its not safe out here, he said.

Within more than five minutes Campos says he witnessed a group of police arrive in armor and proceed to engage in a shootout with the gunman who had taken shelter in a home.

They fired maybe 10 rounds at the house, he said of the police, who Campos witnessed returning fire with powerful rifles.

Then the cops yelled, Everybody go back inside, the 57-year-old retired supervisor said he was told and complied. He said a SWAT team arrived shortly after and all has been quiet since.

Azusa Police Chief Steve Hunt held a press conference confirming that there are seven tactical units on-scene and that the arriving five Azusa officers and another from Irwindale were pinned down for a period of time before backup arrived and engaged in gunfire with the suspect.

The shooter remains holed up in a house.

The shooter was believed to be holed up in a house until around after 6 p.m. when authorities confirmed he was neutralized.

Two survivors, believed to be female, were rushed to area hospitals where Azusa cops say their condition remains unknown at this time. Chief Hunt noted that that they also believe there is another person down at the front door but that persons condition was also unknown.

Meanwhile, the next door neighbor is grieving the loss of the man who police have identified as 67-year-old Roberto Chavez.

Chavez was apparently sitting on his porch before the fusillade was fired by the unknown shooter.

Campos, who has lived on the block near Memorial Park for more than two decades said Chavez was a longtime neighbor as well and they shared a common affliction together.

I saw him this weekend while I was barbecuing, Campos said. We talked about Parkinsons Disease. I have Parkinsons and he had it longer than me.

His Parkinsons was worse, Campos said. Its very invisible compared to mine is; I can still walk pretty good and drive sometimes.

He said Chavez also was fighting a bout with diabetes, but lived happily with his wife after retiring as a welder years back.

Not him, it cant be, Campos said. Im really surprised.
One night after he warned Americans that electing Donald Trump would mean empowering the Ku Klux Klan, it started to hit Trevor Noah that the scariest shit hes ever imagined in his life might actually be happening. And it happened on live television.

The mood on The Daily Shows live election night special was a bit more on edge than they may have anticipated. When Noah went live at 11 p.m. ET, Trump had already won North Carolina, was about to win Florida, and looked poised to barrel through Hillary Clintons firewall. No one, including the host, was remotely in the mood for comedy.

This is it, the end of the presidential race, and feels like the end of the world, Noah said. You know, Im not going to lie, I dont know if youve come to the right place for jokes tonight, because this is the first time throughout this entire race where Im officially shitting my pants.

I genuinely do not understand how America can be this disorganized or this hateful, he added. I dont know which one it is.

When Noah did attempt to tell some jokes, they were of the depressingly dark variety. Donald Trump is going much better than expected. Hes doing so much winning that Im tired of winning, he said. I cannot believe I finally get what that means. He warned us about it. Noting that the Mexican peso is currently crashing on news of Trumps success, Noah joked that means if Trump does win, Mexico cant afford to pay for that wall.

After running through a pre-planned bit about the photos of Trump and his son Eric peeking over at their wives ballots, Noah told viewers that he and his team would continue to make jokes tonight, but added, I cant front: I am very much afraid.
Trump on the verge of presidency, world in shock, Alex Jones read to his viewers on YouTube. It was a headline from The Drudge Report. In a stunning upset, the presidency was about to be called for Donald Trump.

Minutes beforehand, as Fox News called Wisconsin for Donald Trump, Jones was in the midst of an elongated commercial break for supplements that promised to make him more crazed and gave him more energy.

Jones and his website, Infowars, spent the days before the election posting articles with headlines like Hillary Regularly Attended Witchs Church and subheadlines like Hillary linked to child sex ring, emails suggest.

But on Tuesday night, by 11 p.m., flanked by Trump political operative Roger Stone on his webcast, Jones and his fellow alt-right leaders were claiming total victory.

For me, its better ecstasy than bagging the prom queen. Its so ethereal I cant believe that Trump is tuned into reality, he said. Trumps tuned into America. His sons are tuned into America. Theyre retweeting us every day.

David Duke, the former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, claimed the victory on behalf of Americas white supremacists. This is one of the most exciting nights of my life - make no mistake about it, our people have played a HUGE role in electing Trump! he wrote on Twitter. GOD BLESS DONALD TRUMP! Its time to do the right thing, its time to TAKE AMERICA BACK!!!

Richard B. Spencer, a white nationalist who refers to himself as the Karl Marx of the alt-right and has called for peaceful ethnic cleansing for a white homeland, rejoiced on Twitter shortly after midnight.

The Alt-Right has been declared the winner. The Alt-Right is more deeply connected to Trumpian populism than the conservative movement, he tweeted. Were the establishment now.

Shortly after the AP called Pennsylvania for Donald Trump at 1:40 Wednesday morning, the top post on all of Redditthe eighth-most-visited website in the United Stateswas a submission from Trumps subreddit.

IMMINENT VICTORY THREAD, it read. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO WIN THIS. SJWs (social justice warriors), SUCK OUR DICK.

As results poured in on Infowars early YouTube telecast, the conversation tended to the standard gripes of Infowars talkersabout a government so intrusive, as one host said, it gives us anal exams at the airport.

But over the course of the night, the mood became slightly jubilant, if unsurprised. Stone, as he said repeatedly, knew Trump would win all along.

At about 1 a.m., Stone and Jones began commenting on pool footage of disappointed Hillary Clinton fans at the Democratic nominees Election Night party, waiting for the candidates concession speech.

Right now, youve gotta start thinking Bills thinking about what prisons gonna be like, said Stone.

Stone and Jones began drafting up a Cabinet. Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions will be a great secretary of defense, Stone said.

They admit [Trump] doesnt listen to many people. He admits: He listens to you [Stone], he listened to me a few times, said Jones. He listens to us. Why does that scare them?
Just before midnight on the east coast Tuesday night, Donald Trump finally stopped being hilarious.

Judd Apatow summed it up best on Twitter. While there is sometimes a feeling among comedians that comedy can heal all wounds, there was nothing funny about what had just happened in America.

Most of the late-night shows had the luxury of taking election night off, but there was The Daily Shows shellshocked young host Trevor Noah, live on Comedy Central telling anyone who might have tuned in looking to laugh that they had come to the wrong place. I genuinely do not understand how America can be this disorganized or this hateful, he said. The pre-written jokes that followed mostly fell flat.

Over on Showtime, Stephen Colbert hosted a live, profanity-filled election night special of his own. But the proceedings lacked the urgently jubilant nature of his election eve show, which featured both Jon Stewart and the lead of Broadways Hamilton urging viewers to go out and vote to prevent that angry tax- and draft-dodging little orange groundhog from becoming president.

By the end of his hour Tuesday night, the jokes were over and Colbert was reduced to nervously pacing behind his desk and ranting philosophically about the poisonous nature of our politics. As planned, he concluded with a silly bit about the things all Americans should be able to agree on. You cannot laugh and be afraid at the same time, he said. And the devil cannot stand mockery. But for many of those on the losing side, it just felt too soon to laugh.

It wasnt supposed to be this way. If there was any upside to Trump defeating Clinton it was that his sheer ridiculousness would be a boon to comedy. Like President Obama, Hillary Clinton has not been the easiest figure to make fun ofthough Saturday Night Lives Kate McKinnon did achieve something magical with an impression that we are unlikely to see any more of after this week.

But Trump has been a goldmine for late-night television, from John Olivers most-watched-ever #MakeAmericaDrumpfAgain takedown to Seth Meyerss nightly closer looks at Trumps horrific behavior to Samantha Bees too-convincing conspiracy theory that #TrumpCantRead. In every case, the jokes were funny because we all knew this man would never actually be president right?

His ultimately doomed quest for legitimacy was also the cornerstone of President Obamas most searing jokes about Trump, from the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner speech that many believe drove him to run to his #phonedrop moment on Jimmy Kimmel Live just a few weeks ago. In response to a mean tweet from Trump about Obama being perhaps the worst president in the history of the United States, the president replied, Really? Well, @realDonaldTrump, at least I will go down as a president.

See what I mean? Not so funny anymore.

It is also notable that while SNL was one of the only comedy shows that found a way to make Hillary Clinton funny, they never quite managed to do the same with Donald Trump. The type of satire that show trades in works when there is something to heighten, whether its Dana Carveys manic George H.W. Bush or Will Ferrells dimwitted George W. Bush. But over time, as our real-life politicians have moved closer to parody, their job has gotten more difficult. Tina Feys Sarah Palin impression was really only funny because of how accurate it was. The same can be said for Alec Baldwins Donald Trump.

Hes the head writer of his own comedy routine, Baldwin said of Trump on Election Day in his first interview about the SNL portrayal with WNYCs Brian Lehrer. When we sit down and think about what to say, and the writers write down what to say, Trump is supplying them all the material that they need.

But as we learned after the novelty of Baldwins technically accurate impression wore off, there was nothing inherently funny about hearing him elaborate on Trumps grab them by the pussy rhetoric. Even Baldwin grew weary of embodying Trump, breaking character in what he thought would be his final appearance as the candidate this past Saturday to apologize to McKinnon for being so awful toward her this whole time. Dont you guys just feel gross all the time about this? he asked.

Now, SNL has to decide how to handle President Trump. They got rid of Taran Killam, who briefly played Trump last year before he was replaced by Darrell Hammond, who was in turn cast aside in favor of Baldwin. In his interview with Lehrer, Baldwin said he hoped his run as Trump was over, indicating that if Clinton won, he would be done, but if she lost, he would likely be back for just one more episode. I want my weekends back so I can go be with my kids, he said, wearily.

Perhaps SNL can just do what they did in September of 2015 and have Donald Trump play Donald Trump from now on.

Of course, all of these aforementioned shows, and others that are bound to pop up in opposition to himlooking at you female, Latino, and Muslim comedianswill find a way to make Trump funny again. But will a man who has praised authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin tolerate being the target of satire?

Trump once sued Bill Maher for joking that his father was a orangutan. Four months ago, Trevor Noah told me that if Trump were to become president the future of The Daily Show could be in jeopardy. I mean, this is the same man who says he wants to open up the libel laws, he said, change them so that people like you and me can be sued if he feels that what were saying about him is damagingeven if its based in fact.

The night before the election, Samantha Bee aired the second part of her series from Moscow, which highlighted the parallels between Trump and Putin, who has all but eliminated satire from Russia. The only worse thing for a dictator than being criticized, is being laughed at, one pro-democracy Russian journalist told her.

But that could never happen here, Bee said, optimistically, before revealing Trumps calls for SNL to be canceled after he took issue with Baldwins harsh portrayal of him.

Let me preface this next statement by saying that I do not equate the election of Donald Trump to the highest office in the land with the killing of thousands of innocent Americans. But there was something about the way we started to see late-night hosts grapple with President-elect Trumpand will see several more do so tonightthat was reminiscent of those first few comedy shows after the 9/11 attacks.

Something has happened in this country that doesnt feel remotely funny and yet there are comedians who are tasked with going on television and trying to navigate their way through the abyss. Dont be surprised if the late-night shows are at a loss for comedy once again tonight.

On September 20th, 2001, Jon Stewart sat behind his desk at The Daily Show and choked back tears as he said, This show in general, we feel like is a privilege. Just even the idea that we can sit in the back of the country and make wise cracks, which is really what we do. We sit in the back and we throw spitballs, but never forgetting the fact that it is a luxury in this country that allows us to do that. A country that allows for open satire, and I know that sounds basic and it sounds as though it goes without sayingbut thats really what this whole situation is about.

We can only hope at this point that Americas new president will come to see it the same way.
It was the most painful moment in Hillary Clinton  s political life.

After the most shocking presidential campaign upset in the history of the United States, Clinton took the stage at the New Yorker Hotel and conceded the unthinkable: Donald Trumpa man who has called for her to be imprisoned, who has been accused of sexually assaulting numerous women, and who has built a campaign on an ethno-nationalist bigoted stancewould be the duly elected president.

Last night, I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country. I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans, Clinton said, resiliently. Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead.

She was joined onstage by her husband Bill Clinton and her running mate Tim Kaine, who graciously thanked her for the opportunity to be on the ticket before Clinton spoke. In a moment of attempted hopefulness, Kaine referenced the author William Faulkner and said They killed us but they ain't whooped us yet.

While Clinton later tried to project an image of dignified composure, the speech felt like a wake; not only for her but maybe for the entire Democratic Party establishment as well.

Clinton acknowledged, just hours after leaving fans crying underneath an un-shattered glass ceiling at the Javits Center in New York, that this loss is devastating.

This is painful and it will be for a long time, Clinton said, adding she tried to remain optimistic as the reality of the situation took hold.

This loss hurts but never stop believing that fighting for whats right is worth it.

The Clinton campaign was not ready for this loss. At about 1:45 a.m. or so, the TV monitors hanging over the crowd stopped playing the news. (A few minutes later the Associated Press called Pennsylvania for Trump.) It was understandable; all the news was bad. So instead, the monitors showed live shots of the attendees who had decided to stick it out for Hillary, airing jumbotron-style close-ups of the happiest Clinton supporters while blasting Aint No Mountain High Enough and Dont Stop Believing.

It was late, so many attendees phones were dead, and many others had terrible service. Turning off the news meant they didnt know that Clinton had definitely lost, and that that highest, hardest glass ceiling would live to gleam another day. It also meant attendees who waited for hours in hopes of cheering Clinton wouldnt learn until the last minute that she would not be making an appearance at Javits. The Clinton campaign didnt respond to a request for comment on whether or not this was intentional. But intentional or not, her most loyal backers lived for a few moments in a fragile, transient alternate reality, where Hillary Clinton still had a shot at being president and they still had a shot at seeing her.

That alternate reality didnt last. When a disembodied male voice announced over the loudspeakers that campaign chairman John Podesta would address the crowd, a young woman in the crowd looked at me flatly.

Motherfucker, she said.

But for most of the attendees who spoke to The Daily Beast, grief crowded out any anger. A few refrains were common: The Russians stole the election, this country was more sexist than they realized, their hearts ached for Hillary.

Eric Zaccar, a screenwriter from New York, said Obama should refuse to step down from the presidency. I asked him if he was serious, and he said he was.

I think Obama should declare absolute rule the same way Trump is going to, he said. Im not kidding. Its either Obama or its Trump and either way its the last president.

Pat Caesar, a stand-up comedian, blamed the media for Clintons loss.

I think that Chuck Todd, I think that Joe Scarborough, I think that Chris Matthewsevery one of them crucified Hillary, she said. I honestly believe that. And they made Trump, because they only cared about the ratings.

Caesar may take heart in the fact that the Clinton campaign treated the media quite poorly the next morning. The campaign sent out a media blast announcing that Clinton would finally make public remarks at 10:30 a.m. at a midtown hotel. Doors at 9:30, the advisory promised, and remarks an hour later.

Instead, hundreds of reporters stood outside in chilly weather for hours waiting for Clintons arrival and remarks. Bedraggled campaign stafferssome of whom wore commemorative Election Night fleecesfiled into the hotel over the course of about two hours. And finally, at about 11:15 a.m., Clinton herself arrived.

Shortly afterwards, a NYPD officer broke the news to reporters: They wouldnt be able to get into the hotel, so they might as well just go do something else. A line of Clinton supporters on the other side of the building got similar treatmentlong waits, no dice.

But the people who waited in line for Clinton seemed far more grieved than angry. Matt Osterhaus, who stood in line, said he just wanted to be in solidarity with other disappointed Clinton supporters.

I feel like its important to be here with people and support them in this, he said.

And Pam Hoberman said even though she wouldnt be able to hear Clintons speech, she hoped to just see her for a moment.

We heard that its filled to capacity, which Im glad to hear, she said. Even to get a glimpse of hershes someone who inspires me, she maybe didnt crack the ceiling this time, but shes still paving the way.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, a woman stood in between a row of satellite trucks and a concrete wall outside the Javits Center in New York Citythe Hillary Clintons victory partysobbing and screaming into her cellphone, How are we losing?!

The answer on the other end was received by a wail.

And later that morning, the world learned that despite all the polling, all the momentum, and a second-to-none campaign operation, Hillary Clinton lost to a flaxen-haired maybe-billionaire best known for starring in an NBC reality-television show.

The Clinton campaign had hoped that the glass ceiling of the Javits Center would become the nights enduring symbol. But instead, its basement cafeteria became a microcosm of the Clinton campaign.

Late into the night, grim Clinton supporters huddled around televisions on folding chairs, watching with blank faces as cable news commentators delivered blow after blow. And when Kelly Clarksons What Doesnt Kill You Makes You Stronger anthem played over the speakers, it sounded more like a taunt than a battlecry. Many supporters didnt want to talk. Instead, they hunched over their iPhones and beers.

Lani Brandon, an environmental attorney from Attica, New York, drank Barefoot cabernet sauvignon from a tiny plastic bottle as the results rolled in. She volunteered on Clintons 2008 presidential campaign, and recalled her response to that loss with admiration.

Even when she was conceding, she did it with class and elegance, Brandon said. This election alone, with him running, it has createdor maybe made people aware ofthe hatred that already existed.

Many were visibly misty-eyed.

Youve gotta make it quick, said New Yorker Frank Capalbo when approached, because Im about to break out in tears.

He loved Clinton for her brain, her guts, and her effectiveness, he said. His thoughts on a Trump win?

A descent into fascism, he said, and America going over the precipice once and for all. And it scares the living daylights out of me.

Clintons loss to Donald Trump marks the end of a decidedly tumultuous campaign season for Clinton, who faced a host of setbacks, many of her own making. Early exit polls from CNN showed 58 percent of the white vote went to Trump. White men and women voted for Trump 63 and 53 percent, respectively. He won whites with college degrees (49 percent) and without (67 percent).

There was trouble before she even entered the race when The New York Times ran a front-page story on March 2, 2015, reporting that she used a personal email server for State Department business as secretary of State.

Emailsboth those released through Freedom of Information Act requests and the hacked emails belonging to campaign chairman John Podesta throughout the electiondogged her through the campaign.

As shown by emails that WikiLeaks published, Clintons team immediately knew this was a disasterand that she was handling it horribly. In an exchange shortly after the story was published, top Clinton ally Neera Tanden bemoaned the situation.

This is a cheryl special, Tanden wrote, referring to Clintons longtime attorney, Cheryl Mills. Know you love her, but this stuff is like her Achilles heel. Or kryptonite. she just cant say no to this shit. Why didnt they get this stuff out like 18 months ago? So crazy.

Unbelievable, John Podesta, now Clintons campaign chairman, replied.

I guess i know the answer, Tanden wrote back. they wanted to get away with it

But they didnt. And the email scandal metastasized over the course of the campaign, damaging independent voters view of her trustworthiness and highlighting her penchant for secrecy.

Controversies surrounding the Clinton Foundation also didnt do her any favors. The fact that the organization took contributions from foreign governments while Clinton was secretary of Stateviolating its own commitment, as well as State Department protocolfueled the perception that big corporations could influence Clintons decisions at State by giving to the group. And though evidence of direct quid pro quos never emerged, there were plenty of examples of corporations finding favor with the State Department after giving to the foundation.

Those liabilities became nuclear when WikiLeaks, the hacking group, started releasing troves of emails it says it hacked from Podestas Gmail account. The Clinton campaign never confirmed or denied the validity of those emails. And the emails revealed that Chelsea Clinton worried the Clinton Foundation had made serious ethical missteps, and that Doug Banda top aide to Bill Clintonthought the former president himself had conflicts of interest involving the foundations corporate backers.

The fact that the FBI investigated Clintons email set-up didnt help. But on July 5, FBI Director James Comey announced that he wouldnt recommend the Department of Justice press charges against Clinton. So the Clinton campaign was out of the woodsthat is, until Oct. 28, when Comey wrote a letter to members of Congress who oversee the FBI announcing that the bureau had reopened its investigation of Clinton. Finally, on Nov. 6, Comey announced that the second round of investigating also hadnt turned up anything.

But the damage was done.

And things could get worse. Trump promised on the campaign trail that he would appoint an attorney general who will try to find a way to convict and incarcerate Clinton. And crowds at his rallies have been chanting Lock her up! for months. In the second presidential debate, Trump even promised that if he were president, Clinton would be in jail.

His win would be viewed in some quarters as a mandate for more investigation of her foundation and email use.

It seems impossible that Clinton, after being cleared of wrongdoing, would be jailed.

But then again, Trumps rise seemed improbable as well and theres no clear picture of what he will do to deliver on his promise to Make America Great Again.

with additional reporting by Jackie Kucinich
In 1960, after John F. Kennedy narrowly defeated Richard Nixon, staunch Hollywood conservative John Wayne declared, I didnt vote for him, but hes my president and I hope he does a good job.

In 2008, after President Obama was elected, right-wing talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh declared, I hope he fails.

At The Daily Beast, we count ourselves in the John Wayne camp.

We were early, principled, and unapologetic opponents of Donald Trumps divisive and demagogic campaign.

But if he is our next president, we will not question his legitimacy or hope he fails.

Instead, we will count ourselves members of the loyal oppositionloyal to the United States of America and opposed to the policies proposed by the president-elect during his campaign. And we will reflect on what has led so many of our fellow Americans to embrace such a messenger.

Its possible, as Trump and his defenders have sometimes suggested, that Donald the dealmaker will emerge in the Oval Officethat his campaign positions were just reality-TV theater and the office itself will ennoble, inspiring him to act on his airy promises to make America great once again. These Trump-rationalizers believe that his past positionsas a pro-choice, pro-business Democratwill re-emerge.

Perhaps. But history shows that candidates who take power generally mean what they said.

Thats why well stand against any efforts to deport by force 11 million undocumented Mexican immigrants, tearing families apart. Well oppose a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants from vast regions of the world. Well resist any efforts to weaken NATO or encourage Asian allies to develop nuclear weapons.

We will hold him to account for any lies that he tells and any attempts to intimidate his opponents. We will push back on appeals to white identity politics that try to divide our nation and demean our essential diversity. The Daily Beast will always call out bullies, bigots, and hypocrites.

The policies candidate Trump has proposed represent an existential challenge to our civic fabric, liberal values, and world order. And that is a challenge that citizens and journalists will have to confront unflinchingly in our duty to remain active and engaged while speaking our conscience.

We will not shimmy or seek to suck up to those in power. We will remain steadfast in our belief that the difference between patriotism and nationalism is at the heart of American exceptionalism.

Fifty-eight percent of voters in ABC Newss exit poll said they would be concerned or scared by a President Trump. Seventy-one percent said they were bothered by his treatment of women, and 28 percent of his own voters dont think hes honest or trustworthy. They voted for a candidate who, in Bill Clintons old formulation, is strong and wrong.

Thats comforting, in its way. We dont for a moment think that every Trump voter shares his darkest views or instincts, only that they were willing to accept them as a way of casting a vote against the system, as theyve seen it. Now, their candidate is the system, and well be there to hold him to account for how he runs it.

The next four years wont be boring. But whats good for ratings might be brutally bad for our republic.

We have survived terrible presidents before. We will survive a President Trump. We will do it by keeping faith in the democratic process and our deeper values. We will do it by remaining committed to vigorous citizenship and a free press.
Democrats looking for a silver lining after Tuesday nights election have a hard search ahead of them.

After Hillary Clinton conceded to Donald Trump on Wednesday morning, Democrats found themselves facing a Republican-held White House, House, and Senate. But in a few races and initiatives, liberals saw historic wins, a possible balm for an otherwise blistering night of losses.

In Arizona, one of Trumps most reviled backers lost his long-held office.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona lost his reelection bid by 10 points, after a Latino-led movement to oust him. Arpaio, who has held office for six terms, led one of the countrys worst racial profiling campaigns and boasted of keeping inmates in degrading and inhumane conditions. The sheriff ran what he openly described as a concentration camp for inmates, which consisted of a tent city where temperatures spanned dangerous extremes and meals were restricted. His 24-year reign of terror will end when Democratic challenger Paul Penzone, a 21-year veteran of the Phoenix police force takes over.

While Republicans retained control of the House and Senate, Democratic challengers were able to unseat incumbents in a few closely watched races. In Illinois, Democrat Rep. Tammy Duckworth defeated Republican Sen, Mark Kirk. Kirk, who has served in the Senate since 2010, appeared to mock Duckworths Thai heritage during a late-October debate.

"I'm a daughter of the American Revolution," Duckworth, a National Guard veteran who was wounded in action said during the debate. "I've bled for this nation.""I had forgotten that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington," Kirk answered sarcastically. Duckworth descends from an American military family, members of which fought in the Revolutionary War.

Tuesday night also saw the first Latina woman elected to the Senate. Nevada Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto won retiring Senator Harry Reids seat. The senator-elect tweeted that she plans to use her seat to fight for diversity.

Meanwhile, Delaware elected its first black woman to Congress. Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester succeeded outgoing Democrat John Carney for a seat in the House of Representatives.

In Oregon, voters elected an openly LGBT governor for the first time. Openly bisexual Gov. Kate Brown was an incumbent, but had previously taken office after her predecessor resigned over an influence-trading scandal.

Marijuana also moved toward widespread legalization. California, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Maine voted to legalize recreational marijuana, while a similar measure in Arizona lost by a narrow 2-point margin. Florida, North Dakota, Arkansas, and Montana voted to expand medical marijuana laws, making the drug more readily available for patients suffering from PTSD, cancer, epilepsy, and other ailments.
The GOP Civil War was over before a single shot was fired.

There will be no great Republican Civil War or purging from the party of the most hateful, bigoted political excesses of American culture. There is no reason for any long-awaited soul-searching or another autopsy on the part of the Party of Lincoln or the conservative movement in America.

At least, not for the foreseeable future.

This is the most incredible political feat I have seen in my lifetime, Paul Ryan gushed on Wednesday morning. Donald Trump held a voice out in this country that no one else heard now Donald Trump will lead a unified Republican government. And we will work hand in hand on a positive agenda to tackle this countrys big challenges.

In a brutal presidential campaign, defined by Donald Trumps bigotry, raging sexism, racist outbursts, sexual-assault apologia, casual talk of war crimes, white-supremacist supporters, conspiracy-theorizing, and all the rest of it, the Republican Partyas iscompletely cleaned the clock of its Democratic rivals.

No rebuilding of the party is likely to occur, at least not during Trumpisms first full year, wherein Trumps party will control the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives, and will nominate to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court.

Indeed, the party is firmly built, to the point wherewithout having to play nice with Latino voters, Muslim-Americans, black activists, or Asian votersthe Republicans managed to achieve a level of election-year victory that dramatically increases the chances of obliterating the Obama legacy.

And regardless of the staunch opposition from the small #NeverTrump conservative movement, the erasure of the Obama years is a goal that the alt-right and the GOP establishment have long shared.

A planned speech for Thursday by Gov. John Kasich, who refused to support Trump until the end, was abruptly cancelled. It was presumed to be a speech about the future of the Republican Party following a Trump defeatsomething rendered moot by the results on Wednesday morning.

Over the past year, columnists and reportersboth on the left and on the righthave written about the need for the Republican Party to rebuild post-2016, as if a Hillary Clinton presidency was all but inevitable. Conservative intellectuals and liberal pundits alike agreed that the party simply could not win a presidential election ever again if it relied so heavily on white voters and antagonism towards minority groups.

The Republican Party has to have a serious reckoning about its future: whether it wants to be narrow, exclusive, angry party of nationalists and anti-immigrants, or whether it wants to return to its Reaganist roots as a party of opportunity and inclusiveness and personal responsibility and individual liberty, and it cant be both, said Andrew Weinstein, a former spokesman for Newt Gingrich when he was House Speaker and the organizer of a Never Trump watch party in Washington, D.C., before the election results came in.

But as election night showed, Trump smothered any dissent with a convincing win.

If anyone was expecting even a whiff of opposition from the religious right to Trump (a serial cheater, thrice-married with a recent reputation for being a sex-obsessed and allegedly sexual-assault-prone party-boy, who clearly knows nothing about the Bible and has until recently publicly lavished praise upon Planned Parenthood), then youd be holding your breath until at least the next election.

Ralph Reed, who heads the Faith & Freedom Coalition and has been aboard the Trump Train for a while now, visited the National Press Club (just a couple blocks away from the White House) on Wednesday afternoon to take a victory lap for the evangelical and conservative-Christian get-out-the-vote campaign.

When asked about Reed and his groups past support for immigration reform, and if Trumps victory would mean legislative death for it, Reed responded with a shrug.

There is [actually] nothing in Donald Trumps position on the need to fix our broken immigration system that is at odds with the principles we laid down in February 2013, he told The Daily Beast.

When asked about Trumps proposals regarding a deportation force and how such action would likely tear apart millions of the very families for whom Reed has alleged sympathy, the Christian-right activist dodged.

I have not talked to [Trump] about a quote-unquote deportation force but as he moved through the campaign and had meetings with Hispanic leaders my recollection is that he revised and extended those remarks, and made it clear that he wasnt talking about some special force.

If you thought that defense hawks in the Republican senate would stand up to Trump, the prospects are fading fast. Trump dissed Sen. John McCain as someone he didnt respect because he was captured during the Vietnam War; and he publicly doxxed Sen. Lindsey Grahams cell phone number during the GOP primaries. Both said Wednesday that they looked forward to working with him.

To the extent that I can help President-elect Trump, I will do so, pledged Graham.

Conservative Jews might also have had reason to oppose Trump, considering the anti-Semitic dog whistles in his campaign and the frightening mass of anti-Jewish rhetoric used by some of his online supporters. But the Republican Jewish Coalition shook off such concerns after the election.

I know that there has been much made about dog-whistles, and secret messages and subtle anti-Semitism throughout the course of this campaign. Theres also been overt anti-Semitism by crazy supporters. But those crazy supporters are not endemic just to Donald Trump. Every candidate typically has supporters who say things and do things who are outside of the pale, said RJC executive director Matt Brooks.

The Anti-Defamation League had suggested there was anti-Semitic imagery in the Trump campaigns closing advertisement, something Brooks dismissed. Trump has a Jewish daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren, Brooks continued, meaning that the notion that he would engage in anti-Semitic messaging is a bridge too far.

And if you thought Wall Street conservativeswho thrive on stability and seem allergic to the kind of unpredictability a Trump White House would bringwould line up against The Donald, then you were probably surprised by the stock markets warm welcome to the president-elect on Wednesday. (All those traders shouting Lock Her Up! the day after the election wouldnt have provided much comfort, either.)

After all of this, and all the ink spilled over how large a corrective the GOP needed in order to survive, the much-discussed political soul-searching will now fall squarely and exclusively (again, at least for the foreseeable future) on the shoulders of the Democratic Party. Its a party establishment that was too often dismissive or outright disdainful of its own insurgent elements during the 2016 primary.

After the long, tough election slog, it is the Democrats that Trump has sent into the wilderness, not his own party or its leaders, who are now busy making a wish-list of what to accomplish in his first 100 days in office.

There are, in fact, elements within Trumps own party that have refused to yield throughout the primary, and during the general election. Yet none of them have the ability at the moment to do much of anything about it except opine on cable news, or find new, if temporary, friends on the center-left. #NeverTrump hasnt the energy nor the resources to launch a civil war. And in many ways, they already tried to do so several times over the past 12 months, before and after the nominating convention in Cleveland. They failed miserably each and every time. (Evan McMullin did not stop Trump in Utah, as he had hoped.)

Come January 2017, its Trumps America, politically dominated by a Republican Party that Donald Trump has managed to remake in his own, demagogic image.

The civil conflict is, by all accounts, indefinitely postponed.
The chyron that repeated throughout Ed Schultzs broadcast on RT, the Kremlins English-language television network, was The End Is Near. How right he was.

Donald Trump will be the 45th president of the United States. Vladimir Putin became one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump but bizarrely, the one network that ought to be crowing about it, rubbing it in our faces, was remarkably restrained in its coverage, devoting the bulk of its coverage to ho-hum Electoral College counts and progressive talking points.

RT, which has claimed in the past that the Republic of Georgia was guilty of genocide, that the CIA invented the Ebola virus as a form of biological warfare, that the Catholic pope is a member of a second species, that the global events require an Illuminati correspondentwas almost the picture of sang-froid in its presentation of what was arguably the greatest proxy victory of the government that finances the channel. Most of the evening was devoted to what the other networks specialized in: calculated percentages and electoral votes.

And yet, there were signs that RT (nee Russia Today) hadnt quite abandoned its foundational remit of being a water-carrier for Vladimir Putins Kremlin.

A recurring segment threw cold water on the allegation that Russian intelligence hacked the Democratic National Committee. It makes a concerted case for denying that there is any connection between WikiLeaks and RT, but then quoted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to assert that Clinton lied when she said 17 U.S. intel agencies said Russia hacked the DNC. This segment was repeated throughout Election Day and featured clips of Ivan Dragoyes, Dolph Lundgrens I must break you character of Rocky IV famebeing presented as a stand-in for Russophobic Cold War symbolism and a confident exoneration of Russian intelligence agencies of the crime of trying to sway the U.S. presidential election. Blaming Russia is the new parlor game and favorite media pastime, we are told. No evidence of Russias hacking of the DNC was ever offered, the presenter adds, despite considerable technical and circumstantial evidence to the contrary.

The fact-checking websites Politifact found that Clintons accusation was True based on the assessment offered by the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who heads up the self-same 17 intelligence agencies. Meaning that Julian Assange is either mistaken or a liar.

At one point, an RT correspondent called Trinity Chavez dutifully read from her cue cards, and relayed the essential news of the night that Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate, would not be the next commander in chief.

Jesse The Mind Ventura, whose son Tyler is a roving correspondent for RT, and who has alternated between 9/11 and chemtrails conspiracy theories, has become an accidentally astute observer of what the anti-establishment voter was galvanized by. The original Bernie voter and the original Trump voter were two ends of a horseshoe, what Ventura called the far left and the far right of the political spectrum. I suppose were meant to appreciate this confluence. Yet for Ventura, the Clinton campaign platform was a disingenuous one of blame the Russians. The messenger and not the message was the fixation. Ed Schultz, who used to call Donald Trump a racist, is now reconciled to the anti-establishment candidate being the next occupant of the White House. Its not going to be the end of the world if Donald Trump is going to be president, Schultz said, as it looked increasingly likely that Trump would sweep the Electoral College.

Meanwhile, Tabitha Wallace, the RT correspondent at the Clinton campaign headquarters in Brooklyn, went from remarking upon the commendable atmosphere of bonhomie, even as bad news started to trickle in earlier in the night, to saying that supporters of the Democratic nominee had begun to depart the venue in tears as the poll results indicated that a Clinton victory was becoming increasingly remote.

A ponytailed, green-tied commentator said, This is the end of the Clinton era that began in 1992, he said, adding that the rot at the heart of American politics was Jay Z, Beyonce, and hot sauce.

RT spoke openly of a Trump administration before the Republican had reached 270 electoral votes.

Schultz averred that this was a chance for the progressive movement in America to go back what Bernie Sanders was talking about. The election, he said, was bought and paid for for months in advance to recapture the national zeitgeist. This is a chance for the Clintons to go off into the shadows."

Earlier, Schultz lamented, It should be pointed out that the Clinton campaign has refused interviews on RT America. This is manufactured news by the Clinton campaign to vilify Donald Trump and connect him to Vladimir Putin, and thats their strategy to win the election.
President-elect Donald Trump will wrestle with a Republican-controlled Senateone that is swimming with anti-Trump senators and sentiment, which could act as a solid check on his agenda.

Buoyed by early wins in critical swing states, the GOP cemented its control of both houses of Congress for at least the next two years. Just after 1 a.m. EST, Republican Sen. Pat Toomey was declared the winner in Pennsylvanias contest over Democratic challenger Katie McGinty, cementing the GOPs majority in the upper chamber.

When Trump takes office in January, he will find the makeup of the Senate adversarial. He will face resistance from members of his party who have opposed his nomination from the start, such as Sens. Ben Sasse and Mike Lee. And Republican control across the legislative and executive branches may not give Trump the same leeway President Obama received when Democrats swept into control of Congress in 2008.

Sasse developed a national reputation for opposing Trump and branding himself as a member of the upper chamber who objected most to the businessmans candidacy, while Lee made waves by trying to prevent Trump from claiming the nomination at the Republican National Convention.

Indeed, many of the Republican members reelected to the Senate on Tuesday evening have also voiced criticism of Trump. Toomey, whose re-election sealed the deal for the GOP Senate, for weeks refused to say whether he would vote for Trump. But late Tuesday, he confirmed that he did pull the lever for his partys nominee.

Sen. John McCain, a former presidential nominee who was declared the winner of the Arizona Senate race at 10:46 p.m. EST, has been a vocal critic of Trumps words and deeds throughout the presidential campaign.

When Trump went on a days-long crusade against the parents of Capt. Humayun Khan, who was killed in Iraq in 2004, McCain strongly rebuked the nominee. It is time for Donald Trump to set the example for our country and the future of the Republican Party, he said in a statement at the time.

Sen. Marco Rubio, who fended off Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy in the Florida Senate race, has repeatedly opposed Trumps campaign, although he ultimately endorsed the Republican nominee.

Donald Trump will never be the nominee of the party of Lincoln and Reagan, Rubio tweeted in February, when he was locked in a bitter primary battle with Trump, adding the hashtag #NeverTrump.

Sen. Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio, said in October that he could no longer support Trump after video emerged of the nominee talking about using his celebrity status to grope women without consent. Portman also won re-election Tuesday evening, easily defeating his Democratic challenger, former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland.

After the tape was released last month, Portman, like many other Republicans, distanced himself from the remarks and said he could no longer support Trump as a result, declaring he would vote instead for Mike Pence.

Republicans were able to hang on to critical seats Tuesday night, sending members to the Senate who were less opposed to Trump. In Indiana, Rep. Todd Young defeated Evan Bayh, who represented Indiana in the Senate from 1999 to 2011. Young will replace GOP Sen. Dan Coats, who did not seek re-election. And just after 10 p.m., North Carolinas seat stayed in the GOP column when Richard Burr defeated his Democratic challenger, Deborah Ross.

Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, who has been largely supportive of Trump, defeated Democrat Jason Kander to retain his seat from the conservative state.

Democrats chances of retaking the Senate quickly faded after Burr was called as the winner in North Carolina.

There were some glimpses of light for the left, however. Democrats had their first pickup of the night when Rep. Tammy Duckworth defeated Sen. Mark Kirk in Illinois. Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democratic candidate for Senate in Nevada, defeated Republican Joe Heck, and will succeed Harry Reid, keeping the seat blue.

Tuesday nights outcome means that Trump will be taking office with a legislative branch controlled entirely by the party he joined only in the last few years. He joined the GOP in 2009, left in 2011, then joined again in 2012.

Trumps policy agenda will be at odds with many of the Republicans who have been elected alongside him. Hawks like Rubio and McCain will oppose Trumps efforts to step back from the NATO alliance and key allies in Asia. Trump also opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership and has lamented the effects of past trade agreements, including the North American Free Trade Agreementsomething that most Republican lawmakers have supported for a generation.

Tuesday nights outcome all but ensures that Merrick Garland will not be a Supreme Court justice. The lame-duck Congress will continue to block Garland, Obamas Supreme Court nominee, in anticipation of a pick by Trump that will likely come during his first weeks in the Oval Office.

Before the end of the year, Congress will also need to reach an agreement on government funding, extending a stop-gap bill that will expire in early December.

Leading the Republican front in the House will be Speaker Paul Ryan, who has been hobbled by dissent within his conference and his own vocal disagreements with Trump. The House Freedom Caucus, a group of Tea Party hardliners, does not have the sway to proactively pass legislationbut it does have the ability to block Trumps initiatives.

These initiatives will include building a wall across the nations southern border, something that Congress would need to approve funding for and which would face stiff Democratic opposition.

It is now time for all Americans to pull together and realize the challenges we face can only be overcome by working together, said Sen. Lindsey Graham, who voted for conservative independent candidate Evan McMullin. The strength of our nation is in the goodness of its people. As long as that is the caseand I believe that is the casethen Americas best days still lie ahead.

Trump and his party will control both Capitol Hill and the White House, but deep dissent remains within the Republican Party, which has been dragged kicking and screaming into Trumpism. With so many conservative lawmakers in both houses of Congress opposed to the fundamentals of his ideology, a struggle for the heart of the Republican Party will continue.
What began as a lark ended up as a wakeor, even less jolly, a grim and gritty burial for commonly accepted notions of American democracy.

Stephen Colberts live Election Night Showtime specialpresented on the premium cable network because CBS Newss coverage of Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton had preempted his regular Late Showinitially offered plenty of jokes.

You dont need to stand for me. You dont need to chant for me. America doesnt have dictatorsyet, he quipped to an audience at the Ed Sullivan Theater, including this writer, that had greeted him with shouts of Stephen! Stephen!

The show opened with what seemed in the momentand certainly in retrospect, given the astonishing developments of Tuesday night and Wednesday morninga savage animated satire of President Obamas ruthless mockery of Trump at the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner. The cartoon comically portrayed Trumps late real estate-magnate father, Fred, as an ogre who psychically abused his son as a loser, prompting Donald to redeem his self-esteem by running for president of the United States.

One shudders at Trumps reaction when, as and if, he ever sees it; with any luck, he wont have time.

But the festivities took a deadly serious turn around midway through, when John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, the Siskel and Ebert of U.S. politics as hosts of the weekly Showtime campaign series The Circus, came on to chat about the vote totals.

Let me ask you a technical question, Colbert asked Halperin as he offered both men plastic cups containing what he described as strongly mixed Old Fashioneds. What the fuck is happening?

(The late-night host made liberal use of the sort of four-letter words allowed on cable but bleeped on CBS. After all, the title of his special was Democracys Series Finale: Whos Going to Clean Up This Shit? At one point a stark-naked young man with the washboard abs of a Chippendale dancer marched onstage bearing an index card covering his genitalsit announced the Florida election victory of Republican Sen. Marco Rubio. And the host introduced himself to the crowd as Stephen Fucking Colbert.)

Heres how Halperin answered Colberts technical question, an answer that cast an instant pall over the proceedings: My sense is that this audience will not particularly like this, but hes [meaning Trump] is now the frontrunner He has more paths now to 270 electoral votes than she does.

When I came in here, Florida had not been called, Colbert noted.

It still has not been called, Heilemann agreed, but it looks like the lead that he has is going to be too much for her to surmount.

Mentioning the nominally blue states of Wisconsin and Michigan, where Clinton had been expected to run the table, Halperin declared: Hes ahead in both. If he wins them both, hes president.

The response was a collective moan, mixed with gasps, from an audience largely composed of Columbia University studentsthe sort of millennials whod fervently supported Bernie Sanders and confronted the prospect of President Hillary Clinton with nose-holding gestures of disgust and disdain.

A few minutes later, as the Republican nominee was indeed in the process of bagging Florida and then, later, the glittering prize of Pennsylvaniawhich was supposed to be Clintons firewall, placing the former reality-show star within striking distance of the Oval Office and the nuclear codesactor Jeff Goldblum, whod been campaigning for Clinton, sat himself in the guest chair beside Colberts desk.

Im very frightened. Im very alarmed. Im sobered and upset, he acknowledged. Pulling fretfully at his left ear, Goldblum added: I cant believe it. Im in shock. Im in shock! But Im trying my best to navigate. Look. Horrible things will happen to me. To all of us.

Sure! Exactly! Colbert chimed in, to rising laughter. Thats the happiest thought I can think of! Perhaps something worse than this will happen to me one day!

In due course stagehands brought in an election anchor desk for what was surely intended by Colberts writers and producers as a lighthearted satirical take on the day, a la CNNs revolving panel of campaign surrogates and talking heads.

But radio host Lenard McKelvey, who performs under the moniker Charlemagne Tha God, quickly subverted that concept.

Congratulations, America! You fucked this one up! he shouted.

When Colbert asked stand-up comic Jena Friedman how she was feelingbecause I dont think thoughts are very helpful right now, he explainedshe told him: I feel as if Im about to give birth to a baby thats already dead.

As much stunned as amused, Colbert said over nervous laughter, Thats the panel discussion you can have only on Showtime!

Heilemann, a third panelist, announced that The New York Times, which had been assigning odds throughout the evening to Trumps becoming the next president, had just upped the likelihood of that eventuality to 95 percent.

Friedman, meanwhile, acknowledged: No ones laughing. This is so sad and scary This feels like an asteroid has just smacked into our democracy. Its so sad and scary and heartbreaking. I wish I could be funny. Get your abortions now, because were going to have to live with it.

At which Colbert laughingly pointed out that the Showtime special would be re-aired in broadcast-friendly form as a Late Show installment this Friday on CBS. Im not sure which parts will be edited out, but Ive got some idea, he joked.

As the show ran past its allotted one-hour, Colbert stood behind his desk and delivered an impassioned sermon about the divisive nature of American politics, his formative exposure growing up as a kid to the damaging cynicism of Vietnam and Watergate, and the wish of his late Republican mother in South Carolina to see Hillary Clinton elected before she died at age 92a dream she, nor anyone else, would ever realize.

So how did our politics get so poisonous? Colbert asked. I think its because we overdosedespecially this year. We drank too much of the poison. You take a little bit of it so you can hate the other side. And it tastes kinda good and you like how it feels. And theres a gentle high to the condemnation, and you know youre right.

A few hours later, in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, Donald Trump addressed his raucous supporters in his victory speech as the president-elect.
President-elect Donald Trump is scrambling to line up senior officials to run the governments sprawling intelligence and homeland security bureaucracy.

Team Trump is struggling to fill numerous key slots or even attract many candidates because hundreds have either sworn theyd never work in a Trump administration or have directly turned down requests to join, multiple current and former U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the transition efforts told The Daily Beast.

Team Trump didnt expect to win until the campaigns internal polling a month before the election signaled a possible victory. Thats when senior Trump officials went into overdrive, trying to build a bench of experienced national security candidates with top secret clearances willing to work for a Trump presidencyand they met resistance across the landscape of experienced GOP national security professionals.

One person who met last month with Trumps national security and homeland security transition team leader said that she confessed that many candidates had flatly rejected attempts to recruit them, believing that Trump was unfit to hold the office of commander in chief.

She said that it was going to be very difficult to fill positions in that space because everybody that had experience was a never-Trumper, this person said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

She wasnt even sure that she was going to be able to fill a transition team, much less find people to serve in government positions, this person said.

In theory, 20 people are supposed to parachute into the Department of Homeland Security [during the transition between administrations]. And I dont think they have anybody to do it.

A second individual, also speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed this persons account that there are a large number of vacancies to fill without a clear plan of how that will happen. Since Trumps improbable win, Team Trump has been aggressively reaching out to possible candidates with a flurry of meetings in New York and Washington, D.C.

Two career U.S. officials, currently serving in the government, also said they were unsure whether they would continue in their positions, which are slated to last into the next administration.

On Monday morning, a group of officials working on a range of national security issues including the resettlement of refugees and methods for countering terrorists violent rhetoric met to discuss their progress. But it wasnt at all clear whether a President Trump would even continue those initiatives, one participant said. Trump has promised to ban Muslims from certain countries from entering the United States and has claimed he knows better how to combat terrorists than military generals and intelligence officials.

But before he can take the axe to Obama-era programs, Trump has to staff up his own administration. It wont be easy.

It was clear the Trump team would have trouble staffing their national security bench nine months ago, when more than 100 Republican national security leaders signed an open letter vowing not to support him as the GOP nominee and working energetically to prevent the election of someone so utterly unfitted to the office.

Everybody who has signed a never-Trump letter or indicated an anti-Trump attitude is not going to get a job. And thats most of the Republican foreign policy, national security, intelligence, homeland security, and Department of Justice experience, Paul Rosenzweig, who held a senior position at the Department of Homeland Security in the George W. Bush administration, told The Daily Beast. (Bush told reporters on Tuesday that neither he nor his wife, Laura, cast a vote for president.)

Rosenzweig predicted that Trump would be able to fill positions at the Cabinet level, the secretaries and administrators who lead agencies and departments. But the people below them, from the deputy level on down, are the ones who actually run the government day-to-day, and there are few takers for those jobs, he said.

The problem is going to be finding the deputy secretary, and the head of customs, and the general counsel, which are the jobs that fundamentally matter, Rosenzweig said.

Since the public letter in March, more people who served in key positions in Republican administrations have stepped forward to disavow Trump and take themselves out of the running for jobs in his administration.

Last week, former CIA and NSA Director Michael Hayden went so far as to accuse Trump of being a tool of the Russian government.

Trump had consistently refused to agree with the U.S. intelligence community's unanimous assessment that Russia was responsible for a campaign of cyber attacks and leaks against the Democratic Party, which officials said was intended to interfere with Tuesdays election.

Rejecting a fact-based intelligence assessmentnot because of compelling contrarian data, but because it is inconsistent with a preexisting worldviewthats the stuff of ideological authoritarianism, not pragmatic democracy. And it is frightening, Hayden wrote.

The likely pool of Trump administration officials now will come from a second-tier of younger and less experienced people, Stewart Baker, the former general counsel of the National Security Agency, told The Daily Beast.

Baker, who also served in a senior position in the Department of Homeland Security during the Bush administration, said these less-experienced candidates werent necessarily without talent, but he acknowledged that more seasoned people like himself were not likely to be joining the new administration.

Trump will take over an intelligence community that is already in his cross-hairs, after he said in the third presidential debate that he doubted its assessment on the Russian hacks. Trump has also talked openly about information that was relayed to him in classified briefings given to him and Clinton, and current and former officials have said they worried that Trump wouldnt be able to keep confidential information secret.

The intelligence community has had presidents before who were deeply skeptical about their role, their product, and their value, Baker said. The intelligence community, I predict, will work very hard to demonstrate its value to the new president. Because if they don't have support from the White House, they dont really have much influence in the interagency debate.

As the dust settled on a historic election, the plans for a would-be Clinton administration also became clearer, and they appeared much farther along than Trumps.

Clinton had planned to launch onto the world stage with a series of international summits in the Mideast, Europe and beyond, to reassure fretful allies weary of the global retrenchment of the Obama administration, according to senior advisors to the Clinton campaign interviewed in the run-up to the stunning election upset.

The muscular reassertion of American power was to include a stepped-up campaign against militants in Syria and Iraq, and a pushback against Russian expansionism and Iranian meddling in the Middle East.

Yet Clinton pulled her punches on that message during her campaign, so as not to alienate the Obamas and their supporters who were seen as key to clinching the election.

No roles had been assigned in a Clinton war cabinet nor specific policies chosen, the senior advisors said, but the Clinton transition team had been staffed since early this year with experienced policy wonks and former senior administration and military officials, like former National Counterterrorism Center Director Matt Olsen and former deputy director of the CIA Michael Morell.

Those officials chewed over many of the toughest foreign policy issues. And in least one case, an answer was emerging from those discussions that might be music to Trumps ears.

Most involved in the early Clinton transition discussions agreed that few good options remained in Syria, because of Russias backing of President Bashar al-Assad. Establishing a no-fly zone would have inevitably meant shooting down a Russian jet, because they would test us as soon as we established it, one adviser said.

So negotiating via Russia was emerging still as one of the best optionsand teaming up with Putin in the Middle East was something Trump repeatedly promised to do.
AMARILLO, Texas  Texas is censoring prison mail in an attempt to stop the nationwide prison strike that has enveloped detention centers across the country.

The strike is against the slave labor guaranteed by the Thirteenth Amendment. The demonstration began in early September to mark the anniversary of the iconic Attica prison riot.

There was an initial bevy of interviews with prisoners across the country, explaining their positions. Then, not much.

Jerry Stein knows why.

Stein is a retired priest who has been writing prisoners for over 40 years. Back in May, an inmate serving time near Houston requested information on a prison strike taking place in California. Stein sent a news article about the strike to his incarcerated pen pal.

Then he received a notice showing that his mail was intercepted and destroyed. By the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, in an attempt to preempt the strike.

The mail was intercepted and destroyed because it advocates work stoppage within TDCJ, according to a document Stein provided to The Daily Beast.

I was very careful to include only news clippings. It wasnt instructions on how to strike, Stein explained, saying he felt the letters destruction was a bit much.

In a certain sense it would encourage work stoppage, but only in the sense that it might seem like the right thing to do, he said. Its the first time Ive ever seen anything like it.

What worries him, as both a former priest and a concerned citizen, is what he views as a blackout on human rights for those in the criminal justice system.

Hes not the only one complaining. In Texas, two prominent members of the New Afrikan Black Panther Party-Prison Chapter (NABPPPC), a leftist organization inside prisons that teaches inmates about the law, politics, labor movements and history, have complained of censorship and other punitive measures for their involvement in the strike.

Keith Malik Washington, an NABPPPC spokesperson housed at a prison in New Boston, Texas, has repeatedly written of social media bans, denial of media visits, reading of privileged media mail and even solitary confinement for his efforts to recruit new prisoners to the strike.

Kevin Rashid Johnson, housed in the Clements Unit near Amarillo, Texas, has said the same. On his website, Johnson said that officials were illegally opening and reading privileged legal and media mail  obviously focused on discovering, scrutinizing, and blocking any information coming into the prison about the work stoppage/strike planned for prisons across the U.S. Texas and Florida are the only two states to guarantee privileged media mail for inmates.

The Daily Beast requested a media interview with Johnson to discuss these matters. The request was denied.

Jason Clark, TDCJ director of public information, explained that they will not process interview requests for those who are actively recruiting other incarcerated persons to cause a work stoppage which could disrupt the safety and security of the unit and cause serious operational problems.

It seems prisoner labor is very important.

Paul Wright, the editor of the Prison Legal News (PLN) told The Daily Beast that inmate labor is integral to all prisons across the U.S.

Every single prison system relies on slave labor for the mundane things, Wright began.

While many focus on the private corporations using labor inside prisons to produce goodsincluding Whole Foods, Walmart, Victoria Secret and many othersthis is only a small part of the picture.

Everything being done in the prisonsjanitors, cooks, laundry workersif prisoners werent doing that, theyd have to hire someone to do it and theyd have to be paying them at least minimum wage, Wright explained. It wouldnt be possible, economically.

Wright has intimate knowledge of U.S. prisons. He served 17 years for murder in a Washington state prison. In 1990, he began PLN behind bars.

The publication is sent out to prisoners across the country. It serves as a source of news concerning prison law and advocates for human rights protections for the incarcerated. It also challenges censorship of prison mail in courts across the country.

When asked what rights to expression and union organizing prisoners have, Wright succinctly replied: None.

Andrea Armstrong, a professor at the Loyola University Law School in New Orleans that focuses on the study of prisoners right to protest and how that intersects with race, told The Daily Beast that the legal decisions surrounding the issue are peculiar.

The decision from the 1966 case Adderley v. Florida concerned civil rights activists protesting outside against segregated facilities such as jails, movie theaters, police brutality and the arrest of fellow civil rights activists.

The civil rights movement was deliberately getting arrested and they were deliberately protesting in jails, Armstrong said. There were supporters on the outside of the jail demonstrating with them. These included Harriet Louise Adderley and a group of roughly 200 more.

The protesters ignored orders to leave the jail, leading to their arrest. They were charged with trespass with a malicious and mischievous intent, which they appealed all the way to the Supreme Court.

They lost. Their convictions were upheld and prisons were deemed non-public forums devoid of free speech. The decision has been used as a precedent in the years since to stop prison protests both inside and out.

The other is Jones v. North Carolina Prisoners Labor Union, decided in 1977. If you couldnt tell from the name, this is the decision that decided inmates dont have the right to join labor unions.

The North Carolina Prisoners Labor Union (NCPLU) grew out of the Black Power movement. It aimed to improve conditions and address grievances of inmates.

The North Carolina Department of Corrections prohibited soliciting other inmates to join the union, prohibited meetings, and restricted bulk mailings related to the NCPLU. A lower trial court ruled it was an infringement of the First Amendment, but the Court employed Adderley and a related decision to do away with that idea.

These two cases greatly limit prisoners ability to protest inside facilities, Armstrong said.

Beyond that, the Loyola law professor examines what happens if prisoners do decide to protest or organizes in spite of these limits.

Correction officers and prison officials have an amazing amount of discretion when it comes to how to deal with protests, Armstrong said.

These include a variety of attitudinal charges that have vague parameters, such as insubordination. Armstrong gave the example of being accused of inciting a riot inside a correctional facility, even when the riot is a nonviolent protest.

When asked for her view on how free labor inside prisons and lack of freedom of expression affect the country at large, Armstrong concluded: We are creating, in many ways, a subordinate class. One of them is through labor, another is through repressing freedom of speech and critical thought. Those are two things, I think, that are essential to human dignity.
Nobody among the supporters at the Trump victory party was more surprised than the few New Yorkers among them.

Its not Hitler, one announced. Its Springtime for Hitler! Its The Producers!

He was referring to the Mel Brooks comedy where a couple of hustlers produce a Broadway musical that they never expect to be a hit. This New Yorker had known Trump for years and had worked with him on at least one major project. He suspects that Trump himself entered the presidential race with no real expectation he would win.

Trump may have begun to imagine otherwise when he discovered the incendiary potential of Twitter, using tweets as lit matches to commit a level of social arson our politics has never seen, stoking fear and prejudice and hatred against reason.

He spoke lies to power.

His hometown is a city of immigrants that thrums with diversity and had long known him as a con man.

But he won over millions of supporters beyond the Hudson River, where reality-television such as The Apprentice is so often confused with reality. He convinced them that he was going to shake things up and Make America Great Again, just like it said on the red hats that folks were wearing in the VIP section at what was billed an Election Night Victory Party at the New York Hilton before almost anybody believed he would win.

These were all new hats, for the VIPs were not the disaffected Rust Belt workers or riled-up coal miners that had been sporting them for months. These were prosperous-looking people in suits and ties.

I think he was just playing to a certain audience, a health-care industry executive from Greenwich, Connecticut, said when asked how he countenanced some of Trumps more extreme statements.

Some of the VIPs did prove to have a bit of the Trump rally in them as one state after another was declared for their man.

USA! USA! USA!

Drain the swamp!

But in between, they fell to happy chattering with each other, seeming amazed that they had actually won. A guy who had been recorded bragging about grabbing womens genitals had been elected the next president of the United States. The shouts erupted again when word came that Hillary Clinton was not yet prepared to concede.

Lock her up! Lock her up! Lock her up!

By then, Election Night had ticked into the next day, November 9, making it exactly 15 years since this same Hilton hotel ballroom had filled with the family and comrades of FDNY Captain Patrick J. Brown, following his memorial at Saint Patricks Cathedral just down Fifth Avenue from Trump Tower.

As had been noted during the eulogies, Brown had been one of the most decorated firefighters in the citys history, routinely risking all to save strangers of whatever race or creed or gender from what he sometimes called the red devil. He had died on 9/11 while ascending the North Tower.

Climbing up flight after flight to meet the very devil himself, one of the eulogists had said.

The eulogist had gone on to say that Brown had not just been defying death. He had been affirming life.

He always knew that the devil is not just fire, the eulogist said. The devil is also indifference and callousness and materialism and disrespect and anything else that hardens the heart.

Brown was not one to countenance bigotry or bullying. He had seen heavy combat as a Marine in Vietnam and would not have tolerated denigrating a former POW or a Gold Star mother and father. And, as someone who sometimes sported bruises from teaching karate for the blind, he would have dismissed anybody who mocked the disabled.

So, it was particularly disheartening to see another of the eulogists from Browns memorial in prominent attendance at the Trump gathering in this same cavernous room on Election Night.

When he took the cathedral podium at the memorial back in 2001, Giulianis eyes had welled with tears as he spoke of a fallen warrior and a great patriot a legend in the life of the Fire Department. Giuliani had observed one other attribute that Brown shared with all true greats.

He kept his feet on the ground, Giuliani had told the mourners. He was humble despite all he accomplished."

Fifteen years later, the once tear-filled eyes had gone shiny with a zany zealotry as Giuliani embraced a man who was the very opposite. Giuliani had championed Trump against all reason even defending The Donalds lies about giving to the victims of 9/11.

Every time New York City suffered a tragedy, Donald Trump was there to help, Giuliani said. Hes not going to like my telling you this, but he did it anonymously.

But an audit of Giulianis own Twin Towers Fund showed no such anonymous donations. Giuliani seemed to have joined Trump in a realm where the truth was whatever The Donald pronounced it to be.

As the campaigning neared an end, video clearly showed Obama defending the right of an elderly veteran to voice support for Trump. That had not stopped Trump from telling a rally that Obama had been yelling horribly at the veteran Trump supporter!

If I acted like Obama did, Id be called unhinged! Trump declared.

Such things had caused Trump to be more unpopular in his hometown than any presidential candidate in memory, perhaps ever. His supporters would not likely fare well sporting those red hats in the subway.

But for a few hours on Election Night leading into November 9, a hotel ballroom in Manhattan was as much Trump country as deepest Georgia.

Around 2:30 a.m., word spread that Trump had made the short journey from Trump Tower to the hotel by motorcade. The future vice-president, Mike Pence, descended with his family from a balcony and took the stage.

The American people have spoken and the American people have elected their new champion, Pence said.

Then, a man who is both the most unpopular guy in New York and the candidate just elected president of the United States, appeared on the balcony wearing his usual red tie. He silently mouthed the words Thank you.

USA! USA! USA! the crowd chanted again.

Trump was joined not just by his family but by the likes of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who serves as his transition chief and may yet get indicted in the Bridgegate scandal.

Trump informed the crowd that he had just received a concession call from Hillary Clinton.

And I complimented her and her family on a very hard fought campaign, Trump said. We owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service for our country. Now is the time to bind the wounds.

The man who had divided the country as never before announced that we must now come together. He who had targeted Mexicans and Muslims and women with his invective pledged to represent all citizens.

Working together, we will begin the important task of rebuilding our country, his said. Its going to be a beautiful thing.

He seemed to be saying that every ugly thing he had done and said, all the lies he had told, all the poison he had spread could just be forgotten because he had now had secured the prize that had inspired all those lies.

This political stuff is nasty and its tough, he said, as if it had all been just the nature of things and just a way to win.

Trump then said that he wanted to acknowledged somebody in particular.

I wanted to give very special thanks to our former Mayor Giuliani.

Giuliani came up on the stage.

Rudy! Rudy! a voice shouted.

The eyes that had filled with tears 15 years before now gleamed anew. He appeared to believe this was an honorable victorysomething a true devil-fighter like Patrick Brown might have applauded.

The memorial back in 2001 had been held on November 9th because it had been Browns 49th birthday. He would have turned 64 on the day that Trumpthe arsonistbecame our next president.
Van Joness longtime CNN sparring partner Jeffrey Lord marveled over the miracle that was Donald Trumps unexpected success in the polls Tuesday. But Jones himself was seemingly living through a full-on nightmare.

Close to 1 a.m. on the East Coast, early Wednesday morning, with several states that were believed to be part of Hillary Clintons Midwestern firewall too close to call, Jones brought himself to congratulate Lord on his candidates impressive showing. But, as he said, theres another side to this.

People have talked about a miracle. Im hearing about a nightmare, Jones said. Its hard to be a parent tonight for a lot of us. You tell your kids, dont be a bully. You tell your kids, dont be a bigot. You tell your kids, do your homework and be prepared. Then you have this outcome and you have people putting children to bed tonight. Theyre afraid of breakfast. Theyre afraid of, how do I explain this to my children?

Jones appeared to be on the verge of tears as he talked about Muslim friends who texted him tonight to ask if they should leave the country, immigrants who are terrified of what might happen to them under President Trump.

This was a rebellion against the elites, true. It was a complete reinvention of politics and polls, its true, Jones said. But it was also something else. Turning to the issue of race, he said, This was a whitelash.

This was a whitelash against a changing country, Jones continued. It was a whitelash against a black president in part, and thats the part where the pain comes. And Donald Trump has a responsibility tonight to come out and reassure people that he is going to be the president of all the people who he insulted and offended and brushed aside.

He added, This is a deeply painful moment tonight. I know it's not just about race. There's more going on than that, but race is here too and we have to talk about it.
I woke up Wednesday morning from a nightmare and did not recognize my country.

My children overslept but their father and I decided to let them sleep. How to send them out into a country that hates them? And my kids are grownteenagers and one young adult. How will small brown and black and Asian and Muslim and Jewish children go to school today, knowing that the epithet that mean kids use to taunt themTrumpnow is the name of the next president of the United States? That they will have to learn his name alongside that of our first black president, Barack Obama? What does that horrifying fact say to children of color?

Take our country back. Its a phrase meant to convey the desire of some white Americans to return the country to the 1950s, before civil rights and womens rights set the stage for a modern America.

But its worse than that. In the 1950s, the black men and women and their white allies who fought for civil rights and basic human dignity could look to the federal government. If the racist sheriff and his troops beat them with batons or sprayed them and their children with water cannons, the attorney general would act. The National Guard would come. The national media would communicate the outrage, and white men and women of good will would see the images of brutality and horror and sympathize and demand change. The Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department would defend their right to vote.

Not anymore.

In the coming years, the worst impulses of the racist cop will have the full backing of the federal government. The Trumpists wont just be the local police officer with a badge and a gun and a license to kill. It will be the attorney generalRudy Giuliani, maybe? He delighted in defending the unleashing of violent police hell on black bodies when he was mayor of New York. How much more damage might this man  who compared Trump favorably to the genocidal Andrew Jacksondo with federal power? The New York FBI, revealed to be a bastion of Trumpism, could well come under Giulianis control.

And what of our other federal institutions? James Comey, the benighted FBI director, will be just another lackey to the authoritarian that he, through his unprecedented intervention in an American election, helped elevate to power, as will the speaker of the House, and every member of the Republican Party. Everything from the economy to the Supreme Court will be shaped by a man whose vaunted business career is festooned with extravagant failure, who is in untold debt to foreign banks, and who is surrounded by the rejected and scorned fringes of the GOP.

The state legislature that seeks to disenfranchise people of color will be in perfect communion with the Trump Justice Department. There will, for all intents and purposes, be no civil rights division. Perhaps Clarence Thomas and John Roberts will finally achieve their mutual dream of repealing the entire Voting Rights Act. It is as good as gone. There will be no federal protection for your right to vote.

And the men and women of good will? They saw the images. They saw the beatings and the tear gassings and the brutality, and they didnt sympathize. They voted for law and order.

They heard the Republican candidate boast on tape, about assaulting and degrading women, and they chose him, over a woman no less, to lead the country. That includes a majority of white women, who voted against themselves.

They think theyre getting their steel factory jobs back, from a real estate developer who never utilized American steel? They will wait and wait and wait. No revived manufacturing industry will come. No wall will be strung across the Southern border. The browning of America will continue. All that will change is the permanent fraying of any sense that we are one country; one culture. We are not. We will stare at each other across a gulf of mutual and permanent suspicion.

And the media? We have covered ourselves in inglory. By first treating Trump as an amusement, then as an opportunity, then as an impossibility, my profession normalized the American nightmare. By treating Hillary Clinton as merely the other side of a bad coin, and her bland political indiscretions as tantamount to criminality, we dragged down an eminently qualified woman to the level of an historically unqualified man. And then we were shockedI was shocked, and shatteredwhen he defied all political logic and won.

Last night, Old America and New America held an election. And Old America prevailed. And while Hillary Clinton and her supporters can take some cold comfort in her winning the popular vote, the fact remains that a majority of white men and women, college educated and not, rural and urban, Southern and Northern, Rust Belt and exurban, said yes to white nationalism, yes to anti-Muslim bigotry and the naked anti-Semitism of the alt-right; yes to hatred of immigrants; yes to the degradation and assault of women, and yes even to the elevation of Russia to global leadership. They made Vladimir Putin the leader of the free world. They made America the worlds laughingstock. They handed an unstable narcissist and authoritarian the nuclear codes, along with the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, the IRS and the drones. They made a mockery of the nation that elected Barack Obama.

We arent going back to the 1950s. Were going back to the turn of the 20th century.
For weeks before the shocking election that vaulted Donald Trump to the highest job in the land over Hillary Clinton, pollsters had warned that American Catholics, who make up 25 percent of the electorate, were strictly divided.

Some, they said, favored Trump for his anti-abortion comments. Others said Catholics would side with Clinton out of respect for Pope Francis who famously dissed Trump for his comments about building walls. Building walls instead of bridges is not Christian, he said on the flight back to Rome from Mexico earlier this year. This is not in the Gospel.

One Catholic poll even predicted that 46 percent of the voters would side with Clinton and just 40 percent with Trump.

The pollsters were clearly wrong.

Instead, exit data suggests that more than 52 percent of Catholics voted for Trump, with just 45 percent backing Clinton, which is remarkable since Catholics overwhelmingly voted for Barack Obama in the last two elections.

Catholics, unlike the pollsters, knew the sands were shifting. For weeks, Catholic pulse takers like Crux had started making their own predictions that Trump was prevailing, pushed in part by the U.S. Bishops Conference which has been in a long battle with the Obama government about his affordable health care act that pays for birth control, one of the biggest taboos in Catholicism.

Writing in National Catholic Register ahead of the contest, Matthew Archbold, fanned the growing fire when he identified five ways a Trump win helps the conservative cause. Strict Catholics, he said, might consider Trump as a guarantor for an abortion-foe in the Supreme Court. He argued that Trump might also end the transgender school mandate, work for increased Christian religious liberty, and fulfill his staple promise to throw out the Obamacare program that currently allows for paid contraception. These, he said, were issues that Catholics on the fence might consider in the ballot box.

Archbold also noted a Trump win could lead to the shuttering of Planned Parenthood. With a Republican House and Senate and a Republican in the presidency, pro-lifers have every reason to expect that Planned Parenthood will be defunded in short order, he says. Yesterday, while voting was just getting underway, Planned Parenthood retweeted a tweet saying, Terrified. Hopeful. But truly terrified. There was good reason for Planned Parenthood to be terrified...Now, the Republican party will be under heavy pressure to defund the abortion giant on the federal level.

Trump aside, Clinton was not innately seen as a Catholic-friendly choice. Never mind the Churchs continuing stance on blocking women from serving in high-ranking positions. The more likely reason for the church mens disapproval was her pro-choice stance and LGBT-friendly views on same-sex marriage. Surely her decision to anoint Catholic Tim Kaine as her running mate was an attempt to nod to the importance of American Catholics, which number more than 72 million. But raising Kaine to her running mate on the ticket didnt help, not least because of his apparent disregard to Catholic teaching on abortion, same-sex marriage and the death penalty in order to side with Secretary Clinton.

Catholics were also clearly offended after a slew of emails to her campaign chair John Podesta were leaked to the press. In one, Democratic strategist John Halpin criticized Rupert Murdoch and an editor at the Wall Street Journal for raising their kids Catholic, calling it an amazing bastardization of the faith.

Halpin didnt stop there. In the email, which was copied to Podesta, he wrote, They must be attracted to the systematic thought and severely backwards gender relations and must be totally unaware of Christian democracy.

In another leaked email, Sandy Newman, with Voices for Progress, wrote Podesta to suggest the Catholic core needs a shake-up. There needs to be a Catholic Spring, in which Catholics themselves demand the end of a middle ages dictatorship and the beginning of a little democracy and respect for gender equality in the Catholic Church, he wrote. I have not thought at all about how one would plant the seeds of the revolution, or who would plant them.

Many of the more conservative Catholics went to extremes to make their point about Clintons stance on abortion. Frank Pavone, a priest in Amarillo Texas and member of the group Priests for Life used an aborted fetus that had been entrusted to him to prove his point. He posted the whole morbid event on Facebook. Here before me lies a baby killed by abortion in the second trimester of pregnancy, he says on the video as he shows the dead fetus on a white cloth on the altar. We are going to let this babys body bear witness to our nation as we begin the process to elect our next president.

Michael Matt, editor of ultra-conservative Catholic rag The Remnant, put it like this: These wretched human beings spend 24/7 ramming their pro-sodomy, pro-abortion, pro-perversion agenda down the throats of the American people, he wrote when Trumps now-famous tour bus locker room banter tape was released.

And now here they are pretending to faint away in horror over Donald Trumps potty-mouthed locker-room banter eleven years ago. These same charlatans screaming for Donald Trumps head today, spent the last year demanding that men be given the right to use girls showers and restrooms all over America. This moral indignation coming from the morally bankrupt is just a wee bit over the top. And its all about one thing, of course: Getting Grandma Clinton back in the White House.

Now, it will be a waiting game to see if the Trump gamble pays off for Catholics or if they wished they would have stayed with the devil they know rather than the one they dont.
As someone who had, just 24 hours earlier, asserted that Latino voters would turn out in droves for Hillary Clinton and help save the republic from Donald Trump, I spent Election Night with huevos rancheros on my face.

I was wrong. Actually, I was right but I was wrong.

I was right that Latinos did turn out big, at least in early voting. According to The Washington Post, Latinos accounted for a larger percentage of early voters than they did four years ago. This was especially true in critical battleground states like Colorado, Arizona, Florida, and Nevada. It was a slightly different story on Election Day when, according to CNNs early exit polls, the overall electorate was about 11 percent Latino. That was almost identical to the 2012 figure, when Latinos accounted for 10 percent of the electorate.

And once they turned out, Latinos did throw most of their support to Clintonabout 71 percent, according to CNN.

But I was wrong that Latino voters would save the country by helping to elect Clinton and defeat Trump. Obviously that didnt happen. The Republican nominee had a firewall of his own.

Election 2016 boiled down to a brutish tug-of-war between Latinos in the battleground states of the West such as Colorado and Nevada and working-class whites in the Rust Belt states like Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. And, in the end, Trump found enough white voters to offset losses with Latinos.

Never mind the country. Now that Trump has been elected the nations 45th president, it is Latinos who may soon need saving.

After all, its not enough to say that the relationship between the president-elect and Americas largest minority is tense or awkward. Its downright poisonous. If Latinos have any hesitance about Trump, its only because many of them cant figure out if they merely hate him or downright loathe the man.

Thats what happens when someone kicks off his presidential campaign by calling your Mexican grandfather a criminal and rapist, doubles down by implying that a U.S.-born federal judge whose parents were born in Mexico isnt a full-blooded American, adds a threat to create a deportation force, and finishes up by allegedly calling a Latina beauty queen Miss Housekeeping.

Given the bad blood between Trump and Latinos, one of the biggest surprises on Election Night was that so many Latinos ended up voting for their tormentor. According to CNNs exit polls, about 27 percent of Latinos voted for Trump. Exit polls from The New York Times put the figure at 29 percent.

This means that Trump did better with Hispanics than Bob Dole in 1996 (21 percent), and wound up comparable to Mitt Romney in 2012 (27 percent).

Que paso? I myself, on this page, have compared the concept of Latinos for Trump to the absurd idea of Chickens for Colonel Sanders. And yet here we are. What makes these people tick?

And what will a Trump presidency mean for the group of Americans that he first targeted, the group that hates him the most but which also seems to have given him a slight openingsay about 27 to 29 percent worthto start a conversation?

As for Trumps Latino support, I was shocked that it was so high. But, for months, Ive been predicting that Trump would get about 20 percent of the Latino votewhich is a lot higher than many of his Latino critics thought possible.

To understand the concept of Latinos for Trump, the first thing you have to do is to accept that Latino voters arent monolithic, one-dimensional, or single-issue oriented. Like the Boston Irish of the 20th century, some of us may define ourselves first by our ethnicity while others just see ourselves as Americans. Period.

In my travels over the last 18 months, Ive run across more than my share of Latino Trumpers. Here are a half-dozen things Ive picked up about how they wound up in Trumps column:

*They didnt trust Hillary Clinton, and they couldnt relate to her in any way.

*They were just as fed up with the establishment as other Americans, and just as easily seduced by an outsider like Trump.

*They were sick of politicians who dont offend anyone because they dont say or do anything consequential.

*They agreed with many of Trumps ideas and policy proposals, and they were willing to overlook the wacky ones.

*When Trump portrayed Mexican immigrants as violent criminals, they werent bothered because they just assumed he wasnt talking about them

*Many are ambivalent about undocumented immigrants anyway, and, in fact, some look fondly on concrete walls, tighter borders, and more deportations.

As for what a Trump presidency would mean to Latinos, the answer depends on whether both sides agree to bury the hatchet and work together on problems that plague this community. After a year and a half of fighting, Latinos might be in the mood for a little reconciliation. And it would go a long way toward establishing Trump as a leader who knew how to listen and adapt.

If he wanted to be really bold, Trump could pull a Nixon goes to China and propose the kind of immigration-reform package that activists will probably never get from Democratic politicians. That party is too beholden to organized labor, whose leaders and rank-in-file arent on the same page when it comes to offering legal status to undocumented immigrants. Of course, if Trump took on this issue, he would instantly run the risk of driving away the same working-class whites in Rust Belt states who put him in the White House. So hell probably tread lightly.

At this point, there are no obvious answers as to what this relationship between Trump and Latinos will look like over the next four years. This telenovela is still in development.

But whatever happens, dont expect my community to fall to pieces. Perusing social-media sites on Election Night, I noticed a common theme in many postings. Simply put: Life goes on. Well endure. Well work through this together. This storm will pass.

Thats the Catholic fatalism in us. We dont look to the political system for salvation, and so while election outcomes sometimes disappoint usor even worry usthey never bring us to our knees. We just keep our head down and keep working.

Which brings me to a favorite family story. Its the end of World War IIV-J Dayand my fathers aunt, Lupe, is overjoyed and excitedly running into the fields where my grandparents and their children are working. She calls out to my grandfather, in Spanish: Roman! Want are you doing? Are you crazy? Havent you heard? The war is over! Barely looking up from the row, my grandfather responds: Yes, Lupe. I know. But, for the poor, the war never ends. His war was for the survival of himself and his family, and he was focused on winning it.

And so it was poetic that, on election night, my 9-year-old son should call his grandfather, my dad, to ask if he was watching the results. My fatherwho, along with my mother, had voted for Hillary Clintonsaid that he was. Then he tried to reassure the boy that, even with a President Trump, life will go on. He said, Just study hard in school, and youll be able to do whatever you want in life. Change is good. And, youll see, this will be ok. Well be fine.

These are the things that Latinos already know. We endure. The war never ends. Change is good. And well be fine.
DNA Under Fingernails Nails Suspect in Vicious Vegas Murder

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

Paul Nuttall, 64, was arrested for the murder of Sandra DiFelice, who was 25 when she was raped and killed.
How big of a turkey should I buy? And other Thanksgiving FAQs.

Thanksgiving is all about tradition, so it's only natural that we field a lot of the same questions each year about the same things.

But it's okay. These things come up again and again for a reason! We've gathered some of the most common questions here for your easy perusal.

- How big of a turkey should I buy? The Agriculture Department suggests one pound of turkey per person. We've previously suggested about 1 1/2 pounds for each diner to allow for leftovers.

- When to buy and how to store your turkey. When you buy the bird depends on whether you're going with fresh or frozen. A raw, fresh turkey should be stored for no longer than two days in the refrigerator. In theory, a frozen turkey can last indefinitely. But for the best quality, use it within a year. Of course, if you have yet to buy one for this year, you have nothing to worry about in terms of storage time.

- Should I brine the turkey? Brining helps poultry stay moist and tasty. (Kosher or self-basting birds should not be brined.) Some people choose to dry brine their turkey - rub it with salt, basically. In that situation, salt draws the meat's juices to the surface of the bird. The juices then mix with the salt, forming a brine that is then reabsorbed by the meat. A few years ago, deputy Post Food editor Bonnie S. Benwick tried both methods and decided she preferred a wet brine, which required less effort and resulted in more uniformly moist and seasoned meat. When you remove the turkey from the brine, make sure you pat it thoroughly dry to get crisp skin. But consider this: You can also achieve a moist, flavorful turkey without brining at all.

- Why a turkey breast? Even dark-meat fans can appreciate the moist, tender yield of a bone-in turkey breast. The key is in choosing a cooking method that will do it justice. A turkey breast can be just the ticket for a small group, as well as an alternative to roasting a second bird when you're planning to feed a crowd. A real selling point: It can be done in advance.

- Should I roast a turkey breast for two people? Size-wise, a turkey breast is definitely a good fit for a small crowd, though for a pair, you'll probably want to aim for something close to six pounds. Even then, you'll have some extra for subsequent meals. To satisfy those who go for dark meat, consider getting a small whole turkey. You might have especially good luck with a local farmer. If the ideas of a white-meat-only breast or too-big whole turkey don't appeal to you, there are other options. You might consider a duck, which is smaller, with rich, gamy flavor. Or go the ultimate route for single- or small-serving poultry and cook Cornish hens.

- How can I make gravy in advance? Roast extra turkey wings until deeply browned and crisped. Toss them into a pot of at least four cups of broth with your favorite aromatics: celery, onion, fresh herbs, a bay leaf, whole black peppercorns. For interest, add 1/2 cup of dry red wine or Madeira or unsweetened apple cider. Cook, strain, and discard the solids. Then you can melt eight tablespoons of unsalted butter in a separate saucepan and whisk in 1/2 cup of low-protein flour, like Wondra or pastry flour, to form a smooth roux; it needs to be cooked over medium heat for a few minutes to lose its floury taste. Whisk in your enriched stock and cook until thickened, which should take more than 20 minutes. Season, cool, refrigerate or freeze. Once the bird comes out of the oven, you might want to whisk strained pan drippings into the reheated gravy, then season with salt and pepper.

- How do I make a perfect pie crust? A few pointers: Keep things cool. Rotate the crust 90 degrees periodically as you're rolling it. Make your crusts in advance. And if something does go wrong, roll with it. Do your best, and call it a day. Smile, because, hey, you're going to be eating pie!

- What can I make ahead?

Cranberry sauce. Most cranberry relishes can be refrigerated for up to a week.

Gravy. You can make your gravy (or most of it, minus the drippings) a few days early.

Bread. Bake your bread or rolls a day or two in advance.

Pies. Most pies can be made two or more days in advance.

Turkey. Start brining the day before.

Stuffing. Advance work depends on the recipe. Some stuffings can be made wholly in advance; others should be made up to the point of adding the liquid. Reheat or finish baking on Thursday.

- What can I do with leftovers?

Send home extras with your friends and family.

Make a Thanksgiving hash.

Blend vegetables into puree for soup.

Layer other dishes into a type of terrine.

Turn bread into croutons or bread crumbs.

Mash pies into ramekins for a kind of custard.

---

holiday-qanda

Washington Post News Service (DC)

11/8/2016 1:35:26 PM Central Standard Time
Thank you for the community support for all our veterans

Happy Veteran's Week! Once again, I am taking the opportunity to say that this is the best place to live in the world if you are still in uniform or a veteran.

The fact that our daily paper printed a guest editorial (Eagle, Nov. 8) from the national commander of the American Legion is a clear indication of the support our vets get from the media. Our local radio stations and television stations continue to be veteran's number one fans and we are grateful for their coverage.

Take advantage of all the free activities in and around the Brazos Valley this week saluting our servicemen and women. There is a job fair on Thursday at the Brazos Valley Council of Governments in the Carter Creek Shopping Center at the intersection of East 29th Street and Carter Creek Parkway at 10 a.m., the community wide ceremony on Friday at 11 a.m. at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 794 N. Harvey Mitchell Parkway in Bryan and the traditional dedication ceremony at Veteran's Park the same afternoon.

Thank you to all our shops and vendors who offer free deals this week to those who served and, as always, God bless America and our veterans.

GERRY MAY HINCE

Bryan

We need Scouting more than ever in the Brazos Valley

The mission of the Boy Scouts is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetime by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. These values can be summed up in one word: service.

This is beautifully illustrated by the 563 adult volunteers in the Brazos Valley who selflessly give their time, talents, and treasure to make Scouting successful. They are living stones in our community's foundation of public service, executing the aims of Scouting every day, without thought of thanks or recognition. Through their work we have realized, for the first time in six years, a gain in the number of scouts in our local community. I'm proud to have been a part of this work, and look forward to even more growth in the coming years.

This week, I will step down as chairman of the Arrowmoon District of the Boy Scouts of America. I want to thank all 1,168 scouts in the Brazos Valley and their families for participating in Scouting, but more importantly, for embracing the values of Scouting: duty to God and country, duty to others, duty to self. It has been an honor to serve over the past two years. Thank you for the opportunity.

The values and aims of Scouting are sorely needed in our communities, now more than ever before. If you believe in these ideals, consider becoming a volunteer or giving a monetary gift to help local Scouting. For more information, send inquiries to Mary Welch, P.O. Box 10324, College Station, Texas 77845.

Recently, I heard astronaut Michael Fossum (an Eagle Scout and Aggie) remark, "Leadership is not rocket science. Everything I needed to know about leadership, I learned from the Boy Scouts." What a testament to what we can do together.

DAVID SWEENEY, district chairman

Arrowmoon District

Sam Houston Area Council

Boy Scouts of America

There's much more to the Armenia-Azerbaijan story

Samir Huseynov (Eagle, Nov. 2) is being completely disingenuous when he asks Armenia to withdraw from "Azerbaijani territory." He deliberately omits information on this conflict's background in an attempt to deceive. The facts are as follows:

In 1921, Soviet Leader Stalin arbitrarily changed the internal boundaries of the USSR between two provinces of the Soviet Union, bringing the majority ethnic Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh region from the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic to the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic.

 When the Soviet Union fell in 1991, Soviet law became null and void, invalidating the Azerbaijani boundaries, allowing Azerbaijan and Armenia to declare independence. However, sovereignty only can be declared over lands and people who the central authority controls. As can be seen by Azerbaijan's 1994 defeat in the war, Azerbaijan did not exercise full control over these lands to assert sovereignty.

 Against the background of centuries of murderous genocide and prejudice that sought to exterminate indigenous Christians, it was entirely understandable that Nagorno-Karabakh's people voted and fought for their own independence.

 Today, 108 nations recognize Kosovo's self-determined independence after Yugoslavia's collapse, including Turkey and Azerbaijan (because Kosovo is 95 percent Muslim). Why is Nagorno-Karabakh's situation any different?

In summary, Azerbaijan had no automatic sovereign rights to Nagorno-Karabakh, as the former Soviet Union's provincial boundary changes had no sovereign meaning. Huseynov can refer to the 1993 U.N. Security Council Resolution, but every right-minded American knows that body is just a political forum, with little connection to truth and humanity.

There is no doubt that Azerbaijani as well as ethnic Armenians suffered, and continue to suffer from this centuries-old conflict, but Americans must not be fooled by the biased views of Huseynov. He represents a corrupt, undemocratic and oppressive nation ranking 163 out of 179 on Reporters Without Borders Freedom Index (rsf.org/en/ranking).

ROBERT SWAIN

College Station
The earth has been shifting under our feet for a while, but all liberals want to do is desperately cling to the status quo like a life-raft.

Middle-class Britons are still hyperventiliating about Brexit, and now middle-class America is trembling at the prospect of Donald Trump in the White House.

And, of course, middle-class Americans are blaming everyone but themselves.

Typifying this blinkered self-righteousness was a column yesterday, written before news of Trump's success, from Guardian journalist Jonathan Freedland, Britain's unofficial stenographer to power and Washington fanboy. He blamed everyone but Hillary Clinton for her difficult path to what he then assumed was the White House.

Well, here is some news for Freedland and American liberals. The reason Trump is heading to the Oval Office is because the Democratic party rigged the primaries to ensure that a candidate who could have beaten Trump, Bernie Sanders, did not get on the ticket. You want to blame someone, blame Clinton and the rotten-to-the-core Democratic party leadership.

But no, liberals won't be listening because they are too busy blaming Julian Assange and Wikileaks for exposing the truth about the Democratic leadership set out in the Clinton campaign emails - and Russia for supposedly stealing them.

Obama: no hope, no change

Blame lies squarely too with Barack Obama, the great black hope who spent eight years proving how wedded he was to neoliberal orthodoxy at home and a neoconservative agenda abroad.

While liberals praised him to the heavens, he poured the last US treasure into propping up a failed banking system, bankrupting the country to fill the pockets of a tiny, already fabulously wealthy elite. The plutocrats then recycled vast sums to lobbyists and representatives in Congress to buy control there and make sure the voice of ordinary Americans counted for even less than it did before.

Obama also continued the futile 'war on terror', turning the world into one giant battlefield that made every day a payday for the arms industry. The US has been dropping bombs on jihadists and civilians alike, while supplying the very same jihadists with arms to kill yet more civilians.

And all the while, have liberals been campaigning against the military-industrial complex that stole their political system? No, of course not. They have been worrying about the mass migrations of refugees - those fleeing the very resource wars their leaders stoked.

Then there is the liberal media that served as a loyal chorus to Clinton, trying to persuade us that she would make a model president, and to ignore what was in plain sight: that Clinton is even more in the pocket of the bankers and arms dealers than Obama (if that were possible) and would wage more, not less war.
SA Unions secretary Joe Szakacs said Premier Jay Weatherill must now "stand up for SA, and not be hoodwinked into becoming the fall-guy for the multinational nuclear industry. Everyday South Australians have concluded that the argument in favour of storing the world's nuclear waste is flawed, and a bad deal for our state.

"The magnitude of opposition from the jury shows just how politically damaging this could be for the Premier. People know a dud deal when then see it, and that's exactly what this is."

Premier Weatherill said: "There's no doubt that there's a massive issue of trust in government, I could sense that, that's why we started the whole citizen's jury process because there is no way forward unless we overcome those issues." The "massive issue of trust in government" will of course become all the more massive if Weatherill rejects the clear verdict of the Citizens' Jury.

South Australia's only mass circulation newspaper, The Advertiser, a Murdoch tabloid, has been heavily promoting the nuclear dump plan but there was no attempt to spin the Citizens' Jury's rejection of the plan. Advertiser journalist Daniel Wills wrote:

"This 'bold' idea looks to have just gone up in a giant mushroom cloud. When Premier Jay Weatherill formed the citizens' jury to review the findings of a Royal Commission that recommended that SA set up a lucrative nuclear storage industry, he professed confidence that a well-informed cross-section of the state would make a wise judgment.

"Late Sunday, it handed down a stunning and overwhelming rejection of the proposal. Brutally, jurors cited a lack of trust even in what they had been asked to do and their concerns that consent was being manufactured. Others skewered the Government's basic competency to get things done, doubting that it could pursue the industry safely and deliver the dump on-budget.

"It seems almost impossible now to see a way through for those in Cabinet and the broader Labor Party who have quietly crossed their fingers and backed the idea of taking the world's nuclear waste.

Aboriginal Traditional Owners

Friends of the Earth Australia said: "The Premier said he will respect the views of Aboriginal Traditional Owners and it is clear that an overwhelming majority of Traditional Owners are opposed to the high-level nuclear waste dump plan. The Citizens' Jury should be congratulated for showing respect to Traditional Owners and the Premier must now do the same by abandoning the plan."

"Jay's jury has said no", said Tauto Sansbury, chairperson of the Aboriginal Congress of South Australia. "The Premier should now listen to the people and respect this clear decision."

Karina Lester, chairperson of Yankunytjatjara Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, said: "This is a strong decision from randomly selected and very diverse group of South Australians who have had the benefit of studying the Royal Commission Report and hearing information from experts in various aspects of the proposal. It was positive to hear the jurors acknowledging the need for Traditional Owners' voices to be heard. I thank the clear majority of Jurors for this decision."

The Citizens' Jury report said: "There is a lack of Aboriginal consent. We believe that the government should accept that the Elders have said NO and stop ignoring their opinions. The Aboriginal people of South Australia (and Australia) continue to be neglected and ignored by all levels of government instead of respected and treated as equals.

"Many Aboriginal communities have made it clear they strongly oppose the issue and it is morally wrong to ignore their wishes. ... Jay Weatherill said that without the consent of traditional owners of the land 'it wouldn't happen'. It is unethical to backtrack on this statement without losing authenticity in the engagement process."

Bias exposed

The Citizens' Jury produced a raft of evidence to justify its distrust of government. The SA government's handling of the current nuclear waste debate is a case in point. The government repeatedly said it wanted a balanced, mature debate on the issue.

But the government chose a nuclear advocate to head the Royal Commission, and the Royal Commissioner stacked his Expert Advisory Committee with three nuclear advocates and just one critic.

The Royal Commission relied on just one economic report, written by Jacobs MCM, a consultancy with deep links to the nuclear industry. The lead authors of the report were Charles McCombie and Neil Chapman from ARIUS, the Association for Regional and International Underground Storage.

ARIUS is a lobby group promoting nuclear waste dumps (which it calls 'multinational facilities') and nuclear power. As the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) noted, ARIUS's motto is: "The world needs nuclear power - nuclear power needs multinational facilities."

ARIUS is the successor to the infamous Pangea Resources, an international consortium that secretly developed plans to build an international high-level nuclear waste dump in Australia. Pangea's existence wasn't known until a corporate video was leaked to Friends of the Earth in 1998. Pangea set up an office in Australia but gave up in 2002 - A$600 million poorer - in the face of overwhelming public and political opposition.

Charles McCombie, co-author of the Jacobs MCM report, was heavily involved in Pangea Resources. Likewise, former Pangea chief Jim Voss is heavily involved in the current push for SA to accept foreign nuclear waste, as an 'Honorary Reader' at UCL Australia and a member of UCL Australia's Nuclear Working Group.

In the late 1990s, Voss denied meeting with federal government ministers when he had in fact met at least one minister - Wilson 'Ironbar' Tuckey ('ironbar' because he once assaulted an Aboriginal man with a steel cable). A Pangea spokesperson said at the time: "We would not like to be lying ... we very much regret getting off on the wrong foot."

Nuclear advocates employed as 'independent consultants'

Needless to say, the conflicted economic report produced by Jacobs MCM predicted that South Australia would become filthy rich if the state agrees to import vast amounts of nuclear waste. The farcical and dishonest engineering of a positive economic case to proceed with the nuclear waste plan was neatly exposed by ABC journalist Stephen Long on November 8:

"Would you believe me if I told you the report that the commission has solely relied on was co-authored by the president and vice president of an advocacy group for the development of international nuclear waste facilities? Charles McCombie and Neil Chapman of the consultants MCM head the advocacy group ARIUS - the Association for Regional and International Underground Storage.

"They prepared the report in conjunction with Jacobs, a global engineering and consulting firm which has a lucrative nuclear arm and boasts of its 'more than 50 years of experience across the complete nuclear asset cycle'.

"When I interviewed the royal commissioner last week, he initially denied that the consultants who prepared the modelling - that is the sole basis of the commission's recommendation in favour of a nuclear waste dump - faced any conflict of interest.

"He then said there would have been a conflict of interest had it been the only material the commission had relied upon, but said it was 'reviewed by our team of experts and found to be an appropriate estimation of what the costs, risks and benefits might be if we were involved in the storage of waste.'

"That is the same 'team of experts' who, apparently, recommended the consultants in the first place."

Economic projections based on 'unsubstantiated assumptions'

The Citizens' Jury was deeply unimpressed by the economic propaganda produced by Jacobs MCM and promoted by the Royal Commission and the SA government. The Jury's report said:

"It is impossible to provide an informed response to the issue of economics because the findings in the RCR [Royal Commission report] are based on unsubstantiated assumptions. This has caused the forecast estimates to provide inaccurate, optimistic, unrealistic economic projections."

South Australian economist Prof. Richard Blandy said: "I congratulate the Second Citizens' Jury on their overwhelming decision against the proposed nuclear dump. They have shown courage and common sense. A large majority could see that the bonanza that the dump was supposed to bring to the State was based on very flimsy evidence.

"They saw that the real path to a better economic future for our State is based on our skills, innovative capabilities and capacity for hard work, not a bizarre gamble based on guesses. I am proud of my fellow South Australians on the Jury - including those who were in the minority. I would like to thank them all for their efforts on behalf of their fellow South Australians."

Dr Jim Green is the national nuclear campaigner with Friends of the Earth Australia and editor of the Nuclear Monitor newsletter, where this article was originally published. Nuclear Monitor, published 20 times a year, has been publishing deeply researched, often critical articles on all aspects of the nuclear cycle since 1978. A must-read for all those who work on this issue!
Making a return to our two favourite summer locations, Mount Maunganui and Nelson in early January 2023, we've got whiff of the first release lineup and me oh my, yes boy
Hugging the rim of the New River Gorge for about 2 miles, the Endless Wall Trail in West Virginia provides hikers with breathtaking vistas by way of its many rocky overlooks and steep cliffs...













My son & I's latest hiking adventures brought us to to the New River Gorge area of West Virginia. Hiking the Endless Wall Trail was actually my son's idea as he first heard about it when he went white water rafting on the New River with his dad

earlier this fall. He came home from his weekend of zip lining and rafting all excited about the hiking trails he had also been told about in the area. We finally made the drive down on a beautiful Sunday morning a couple of weeks ago once his high school cross country season had officially ended.





The Endless Wall Trail is about 2 1/2 miles long total if you do the entire loop. But some hikers opt to make it into a moderate in and out 2 mile hike from the Fern Creek or Nutall Trailhead parking lots to the Diamond Point Overlook and back. This is what my son and I opted to do even though we went off the main marked trail a handful of times making our total hike closer to the 3 mile mark.

If you choose to access the Endless Wall Trail by way of the Nuttall Trailhead parking lot, you will first walk through a thick grove of rhododendrons before starting a gradual ascension towards the various rock faces and steep cliffs of the trail.

















Random Hiking Tip: When you are hiking with a buddy, carry each other's water bottles in an outside pocket of your backpacks for easy access. This was my son's idea for this most recent hike, and I have no clue how we hadn't thought of this before! So much easier than trying to reach behind yourself to get to your water bottle. ;)

















Not only is the Endless Wall Trail used by hikers, but it is also frequented by rock climbers for easier access to the steep cliffs and rock faces that line the trail for the 2 miles or so of the trail that follows the New River about 1000 feet below. There are a handful of secondary trails off from the main trail that are marked specifically for climbing access. Hikers are definitely welcome to explore these trails, but be on the outlook for rock climbers below.

















You are surrounded by beautiful vistas all around on the Endless Wall Trail, but watch for the cliff edges. This is not an area where you want to make a misstep or lose your footing, folks!









The main trail actually steers clear of the cliffs and rock face edges, but there are several foot paths that go off from the main trail that lead to rocky overlooks. Some of these overlooks are quite large while others are only a few feet wide. None of the overlooks or cliffs on the Endless Wall Trail have railings, so again be careful when exploring the smaller foot paths or when leaving the main trail.

















You cannot dangle your feet over the side of a 1,000 foot cliff without taking the obligatory photo , right? ;)









As you get closer to the Diamond Point Overlook, you will be met with another small path that leads off from the main trail to another climbing access point. This one actually has ladders that will take you down to where rock climbers can access the rock faces and cliffs close to and at Diamond Point. My son and I saw a few hikers climbing up the ladder, but we opted to not be as adventurous this time. Maybe we will brave the ladders on our next visit to the Endless Wall. ;)









And speaking of the Endless Wall, the photo above probably best depicts how this trail got it's name. The cliffs and rock faces that peak out near the top of the gorge form a rocky wall that never seems to end.









Once we reached Diamond Point, we were greeted by a group of adventurers who had ran a zip line between two cliffs at the overlook. We didn't actually witness them doing much zipping, but there was plenty of hanging around. ;)

















The Diamond Point Overlook arguably gives you the best views of the New River and its white water rapids below. Though the overlook was by far the most trafficked part of the trail during our hike, it is definitely worth stopping at and spending a little time exploring. On the other side of the overlook, you can see the New River Gorge Bridge in the near distance as it spans over 3,000 feet across the New River below.









My Top Tips for Hiking the Endless Wall Trail:

This trail was a moderately easy hike with very little elevation gain since the trail pretty much starts just below the ridge of the gorge. However, it isn't for those who are faint of heights. Hiking poles are not really necessary for this trail unless you plan to hike off the main trail quite a bit.

The Endless Wall Trail is used pretty heavily by rock climbers who could be climbing below you at any point and time. Translation: Do NOT throw anything over the cliff edges or rock faces! You could hit a climber below.

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend bringing small children on this trail mainly because of the numerous open cliffs and steep drop-offs. There are not fences or railings at the various vistas and overlooks to prevent falls.

The Endless Wall Trail can be accessed at different two points- from the Fern Creek Trailhead about 1 mile down Lansing Road from Route 19 and then from the Nuttall Trailhead a half mile further down. Fern Creek seems to be the most popular way to access the Endless Wall, but my son and I opted for the Nutall Trailhead. The trail is well marked, but it seemed to be less heavily trafficked. If you are willing to walk the 1/2 mile along the road between the two parking lots, you can do the entire loop of the trail.











Have you hiked the Endless Wall Trail or visited the New River Gorge area of West Virginia before?











If you loved this post, you might also like my...











Want to follow along with all my travel & hiking adventures?
Podcast: Who comes out ahead in the Charlie Jones vs. Iowa football reunion?

Iowa Football
Despite this, I spent some of my time during the day calling for the Trump campaign in to Michigan and I thought he had a good chance there because of the focus on this But I was worried about Florida and without Florida any victory path for trump would get problematic. So, as I got together with my family to watch the results, it was one of tempered optimism. If this holds, it will mean a comfortable victory in the Electoral College with around 310 electoral votes for Trump.

But I have to say that during the day, I should have kept the cable channels off. The mood just seemed that Trump would perform well but that ultimately would fall short. I must have heard the term Ground Game about two dozen times form various pundits. And knowing that in a normal election cycle such an organization makes a difference, this was quite depressing.

What a rollercoaster of a day! I took a Personal Day off from school to help with some local campaigns and do some calling for the Trump campaign from home. In to the very early morning I put signs out for GOP candidates in Maine township. I always get a little excited and positive when I do this sort of thing.

But as was noted by many other pundits and even myself over the course of this election, this was a change election. As I write this, Donald Trump has won Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio along with the traditional Republican red states. And he has also broken through the Blue Wall by taking Iowa and most importantly Wisconsin! Arizona looks good and Alaska is a most likely win. Michigan and Pennsylvania appear are leaning towards Trump and the odds indicate they will end up that way. And even Minnesota looks like a possible victory as well. If this holds, it will mean a comfortable victory in the Electoral College with around 310 electoral votes for Trump.

Winston Churchill once quipped that you could always count on the Americans to do the right thing after having tried everything else. The American heartland has been in economic decline since the early 90s. To fix this, the country tried the New Democratic triangulation of Bill Clinton. They then tried the Compassionate Conservatism of George W. Bush. This was followed by the most fraudulent scam of them all  the Hope and Change of Barack Obama. From a historical perspective, given the dynamism of the American political system, it was unlikely that the American people would continue down this same path by choosing Hillary Clinton, the consummate insider and agent of the status quo. The right choice, Donald Trumps message of economic nationalism and non-interventionism, will now be tried and, given historical precedents from the 19th century, the Harding and Coolidge Presidencies, and the immediate post-war era, will be successful and lead to an American renewal.

The Blue Wall has finally been breached. The Democratic Citadel has fallen and the elitist cabal in charge of our decline no longer has the Mandate of Heaven. Thank God!
WESTPORT  A small fire at Greens Farms Elementary school disrupted morning voting.

At 9:17 a.m. Westport fire responded to Greens Farms Elementary School at 17 Morningside Drive South for the reported fire on the outside of the building. First arriving fire department units found a fire on the exterior of the building in the area of the natural gas service and requested the additional units to assist.

Although school was not in session the school was open as a polling station for Tuesdays presidential election and the building was evacuated by firefighters with the assistance of Westport Police Department.

The fire was quickly extinguished with damage being limited to a plastic fence and the surrounding landscape and the building was quickly reoccupied so that voting could continue. An investigation into the cause of the fire found that the cause was improperly disposed of smoking material.

The Westport Fire Department would like to remind everyone to use care when discarding any smoking material, read a statement released by the fire department. With the ongoing drought the ground and landscape has dried out enough that brush and forest fires have become a concern.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has set the forest fire danger at moderate and given the upcoming forecast the landscape and forests will continue to dry.
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NORWALK  Voters on Tuesday returned state Rep. Christopher R. Perone to Hartford for a seventh term representing the 137th State House District.

Perone led Republican Darline Perpignan 6,138 votes to 3022, based upon preliminary returns tallied by Democrats gathered at the Norwalk Inn & Conference Center on Tuesday evening.

We have to go forward as a city together, Perone told cheering supporters. We work better as a city when were working together.

Perone said he looked forward to continuing to work with State Senate Majority Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, and state Rep. Bruce V. Morris, D-Norwalk, in Hartford. They also were re-elected.

The 137th District includes central Norwalk.

In the weeks before Election Day, Perone described his re-election bid as a performance review of his record as a lawmaker and focused upon his work on the General Assemblys Commerce Committee. He cited his work implementing Connecticuts Small Business Express and Angel Investor Tax Credit programs to incentivize investment in green and innovative technologies.

My job is to keep pushing for a tax climate that makes us competitive, Perone said.

Perpignan, a substitute teacher, motivational speaker, youth advocate, womens activist and outreach specialist, attributed her candidacy to what she described as her compassion for people and her community. Born in Haiti, Perpignan came to the United States at age 12 with her mother and sister.

The Norwalk Republican spent much of her day outside Marvin Elementary School in East Norwalk, chatting up voters and repeating her campaign message.

Its been wonderful meeting voters and shaking hands, Perpignan said Tuesday afternoon. Im just reiterating the message that is my platform: lower taxes and curbing spending in Hartford and also try to get Norwalk more ECS funding.

Perpignan vowed, if elected, to help make Connecticut business-friendly by incentivizing companies of all sizes to come to and remain in the state. Shed promised to expand such incentives and reduce mandates and regulations that apply to businesses.

She cited overcrowding at Jefferson Elementary School as among the reasons to change the states Education Cost Sharing formula and bring more money to Norwalk Public Schools.
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NORWALK  Police are seeking witnesses in the 1996 death of a 28-year-old man whose body was found behind a Connecticut Avenue restaurant following a dispute with his roommate.

On Nov. 9, 1996 the owner of Swanky Franks at 182 Connecticut Ave. arrived at the business and went to the rear building on the second floor for some supplies when he discovered the battered body of Angelo Garcia at 10 a.m. and called 911.

Garcia had done odd jobs for the owner and had been staying in the office/storage area for the past few days. Investigators learned that Garcia had been staying with several other males at an apartment on Van Zant Street until they put him and another male out for not paying their share of the rent.

The police investigation developed a suspect, Edgardo Chicletsa Moreno-Miramon of Acaxtlahuacan, Puebla, Mexico, based upon circumstantial evidence. It was determined that Moreno was also staying in the office area with Garcia the night before his murder.

Investigators were able to produce a photo of Moreno and he was positively identified as being thrown out of the Van Zant Street apartment with Garcia days earlier.

In 2004, Detective Art Weisgerber assumed the investigation and began to conduct interviews of persons on phone documents and the former roommates of Garcia.

During these interviews, two former roommates admitted that around 4 p.m. on Nov. 9, 1996, Moreno-Miramon arrived at his former apartment and told one individual that he needed money to get to New York because he killed Garcia.

A second individual stated that he overheard the conversation between Moreno and the first individual and that Moreno stated in Spanish that he broke Garcia. The second individual also stated he was in Mexico in 2002 and Moreno threatened to kill him if he spoke with the police about Garcias death.

In 2007, Weisgerber submitted an arrest warrant application charging Moreno-Miramon with the murder of Garcia. During the review process, it was requested that the two witnesses be located for an interview by the States Attorneys Office prior to a warrant being issued.

At that time, it was learned that the first individual who had the conversation with Moreno had moved to Chicago and passed away due to medical issues. The second individual was not located at that time either. Subsequently, the arrest warrant was not issued.

Police are asking for any of the former roommates of Garcia in 1996 to come forward with any information that they may have and for anybody that knows the current location of Moreno-Miramon.

Anybody with information is asked to contact Lt. Art Weisgerber of the Cold Case Unit at 203-854-3028, or aweisgerber@norwalkct.org

Anonymous Internet tips can be sent through the Norwalk police website at www.norwalkpd.com.

Anonymous text tips can be submitted by typing NPD into the text field, followed by the message and sending it to CRIMES (274637).

llake@hearstmediact.com
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The recipe calls for a tablespoon of ground cinnamon, which seems pretty straightforward  unless you're shopping at Penzeys Spices on Westport Avenue. There they have five different types: each with a subtle difference, each bound to be someone's favorite, each just the right accent for a particular recipe.

In November and December were cooking like crazy! Holiday celebrations and entertaining are packed into these months like no other. Its the time for traditional menus and seasonal favorites. When you peek behind the curtain of gift-giving, entertaining, and religious celebration, youll find that food is at the center of the hubbub.

Holiday recipes demand the best possible ingredients. From our collective heritage  traditional favorites or recent innovations of cross-cultural creativity  food is prepared with extra care. More than any other time of year, that means spices, too.

Dont you love to walk into a house during holiday baking? The air is filled with the fragrant combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in pumpkin pies, pumpkin bread, and muffins. Called pumpkin pie spice, this aromatic blend has moved into the larger world, flavoring our coffee, beer, donuts, and even candles.

Ginger is popular for cookies, spice cakes, and gingerbread. Exotic cardamom and star anise are great for poaching fruit. Nutmeg (Connecticut is the nutmeg state, after all) adds creamy warmth to cakes, custards, and soups like butternut squash and apple bisque. Mix up your favorite spice blend for mulling cider or wine.

Sage is an all-important flavor for turkey stuffing. Cracked peppercorns season the crust of a holiday roast. Chili peppers add zing, mysterious heat, or incendiary fire to a wide range of holiday dishes. Its tough to find a slow simmered recipe without bay leaves.

Im sure Ive missed some favorite holiday flavors, but you get the idea.

Penzeys has what you need to stock up for the holidays. Fresh is best, and that goes for spices, too. Traditionally spices were dried so they would travel well and keep for the long journey over the Silk Road by caravan or around the Horn on sailing ships. Because flavor is at its peak when packaged and slowly fades over time, Penzeys recommends refreshing your supplies after about a year.

If, like me, youve got a few spice containers in the cupboard of uncertain vintage, ditch them and start over. I aspire to live in a place with a rosemary bush by the front door and a bay tree shading the patio. In the meantime, store-bought will be just fine.

The variety on the shelves at Penzeys is mind-boggling. Fortunately, the knowledgeable staff is eager to help - explaining the differences and suggesting choices based on your planned use. Cinnamon, ground from tree barks with subtle differences, comes from four countries: China, Indonesia, Ceylon, and Vietnam. Theres also Penzeys popular blend of all four to cover general use.

Pepper, too, comes in a surprising array of shades and flavors: Black (Tellicherry or Malabar), White (Sarawak or Muntok), Green, and Pink. Penzeys also mixes them and adds other seasonings for ready-to-use blends.

Useful ginger comes in six different preparations: minced, powdered, bits, crystallized, sliced, and cracked  each with a particular purpose.

At Penzeys, you can adventure far into the world of spice and discover new flavors, get ideas for new ways to add spice, and understand the nuance, subtlety, and differences of unfamiliar varieties. I learn something every time I go in.

By the way, they have gift boxes of selected spices, perfect for hostess gifts, stocking stuffers, or under the tree. Cant get to the store? Visit Penzeys.com.

If you want to go even further along the spice road, check out these two new books published by New York City spice purveyors. The Spice Companion by Lior Lev Sercarz of La Boite is a glossy, beautifully photographed book with recipes, spicing ideas, and spice lore. The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs by Padma Lakshmi and Kalustyans Specialty Food Store covers the world of spices from A to Z. Either book is a great reference or a welcome gift.

The spices that are all important to our holiday season have been prized throughout history. The Silk Road was also the Spice Road, a long and arduous path from the far east to the Mediterranean connecting Europe to China, India, and the island nations of the Indian Ocean.

European seafaring nations searched for an ocean route to bring the highly desired peppercorns, cinnamon bark, ginger, and nutmeg home. Along the way, they created empires, got rich, and brought home the exotic flavors that spiced up the cooking of their world.

Frank Whitmans Not Bread Alone column runs every Thursday in The Hour. Frank can be reached at notbreadalonefw@gmail.com.
Is it too soon to appraise the revolutions of 1989? That year represented the end of an era whose passing few people would be disposed to mourn. On the other hand, history affords no clean breaks.

Nine months after the Berlin Wall had been breached, my wife and I found ourselves living in Gottingen, an hours drive from the newly opened border between the two German states:

Families strolled beside the border fortifications, the children clambering up watchtowers, their windows smashed, that had been abandoned months before the frontier between the German Democratic Republic and the Federal Republic officially disappeared. One father was standing atop a van alongside the fence, its twelve-foot-high concrete piers webbed with heavy steel mesh, unbolting sections of the latter and handing them down to his sons. Everybody was trying, one sensed, to convince himself that the changes, swift and sweeping, of what had for so long seemed immutable were indeed real.

That the Soviet imperium had warped the nations of the East into shapes remote from their natural bent was plain to anyone with eyes to see, but not many people realized just how brittle the satellite regimes were, and nobody anticipated the manner or timing of communisms demise. As that quintessential insider Robert Gates put it in his 1997 book From the Shadows, I know of no one in or outside of government who predicted early in 1989 that before the next presidential election Eastern Europe would be free, Germany united in NATO, and the Soviet Union an artifact of history.

Now we have a slew of studies to help us understand the events of 1989. Jeffrey Engels collection, The Fall of the Berlin Wall, focuses on great power politics and the grand strategists rather than on the crowd scenes one remembers from the news. The mass demonstrations mattered, to be sure, but the decisive move had taken place earlier when, as Engel relates, Gorbachev told his socialist counterparts that the Kremlin would never again crush Eastern European reformers with force. The Brezhnev doctrine? Revoked! Just how different the course of events in Central and Eastern Europe might have been had there been no Gorbachev one can infer from the May 1989 crackdown in Tiananmen Square. The enormous irony here is that the Chinese communist state endured, while the Soviet Union, despiteor perhaps in part because ofits leaders readiness to bend, did not.

In the chapter he contributes to the Engel volume, on the role the European Community played in transforming the eastern moiety of the continent, James J. Sheehan recounts Gorbachevs developing interest in the West, especially the varieties of democratic socialism represented by such figures as Willy Brandt and Olof Palme. Sheehan notes also Gorbachevs affinity with Margaret Thatcher, who in turn facilitated his relationship with Ronald Reagan. At the heart of the Soviet leaders reform agenda was his rejection of war as a political instrument and his belief in the gradual transformation of social and political life through economic growth. The end of this process was to be his countrys finding its place in a common European home stretching from the Atlantic to the Urals. This was an aspiration not shared by Western leaders, some of whom were suspicious of Gorbachevs motives, and virtually all of whom doubted his staying power. There was indeed a common European home, concludes Sheehan, but there was no room in it for the Soviet Union.

In their essay, William Taubman and Svetlana Savranskaya stress the distance Gorbachev traveled between 1985 and 1989: from detente to ending the Cold War, from attempts to repair a broken system to a push to transform the Soviet Union into a modern democratic society. On November 10, 1989, the day after the Wall fell, Gorbachevs chief foreign policy adviser, Anatoly Chernyaev, wrote in his diary: This is the end of Yalta.[Gorbachev] has indeed turned out to be a great leader. He has sensed the pace of history and helped history find a natural channel. While many people in the West might be inclined to second Chernyaevs judgment, many Russians would not. For them 1989 was, as Taubman and Savranskaya point out, the time when the Soviet Union lost Eastern Europe, along with other fruits of the Great Patriotic War, without getting anything in returnno massive economic package, no Marshall Plan, no integration with Western Europe.

In the concluding chapter of the Engel collection, Melvyn P. Leffler explores the implications of 1989 for American foreign policy. For the first nine months of the year, while the administration of George H.W. Bush sought to find its footing, the U.S. had relatively little influence on events in Central and Eastern Europe, although the new president did welcome, in an address in Mainz that May, the prospect of a Europe whole and free. Once the revolutionary tide had crested, the Americans had to determine how best to engage the new geopolitical reality. Toward what ends should the U.S. as the sole remaining superpowera phrase repeated endlessly in those daysexercise its hegemony? Bush, in ordinary circumstances a capable manager, was famously not master of what he called the vision thing. He spoke of a new world order but offered little in the way of specifics. The administration was understandably wary of becoming ensnared in intractable situations. Even its most notable intervention, taking Kuwait back from Saddam Hussein, testified to that. We are not going to Baghdad, declared Defense Secretary Cheney in April 1991. Our military objectives [do] not include changing the Iraqi government. Obviously the Dick Cheney of a dozen years later had altered his opinion. How much of that shift, Leffler asks, emanated from rhetorical tropes and manufactured memories that associated the end of the Cold War with Berliners traversing the Walldancing for joy, dancing for historyfrom the assumption, that is, that all dictatorships are at their core hollow, just waiting for the push that will send their people into the streets, ready to greet their liberators with roses?

The Western partners accomplished a great deal in the course of a year. In addition to unifying Germany, they extended the EC and NATO to the east, laying the groundwork for the eventual enlargement of those institutions to the very borders of Russia, and in the process assured the all but universal dominance of market economics. The price they paid was letting slip a chance to foster enduring cooperation with an unusually willing Russian leadershipa chance that, as Sarotte wistfully observes, will not reappear soon.

In 1972, Richard Nixon is reputed to have asked Chou En-lai about the historic impact of the French Revolution of 1789. The Chinese premier is said to have replied: It is too early to tell. Is it too soon to appraise the revolutions of 1989? That year represented the end of an era whose passing few people would be disposed to mourn. On the other hand, history affords no clean breaks and there remain the effects of a half century of communism, preceded by a dozen years of fascism, and several derelict empires before that. The events of 1989 made possible an expansion of the European Union from the twelve members that composed it then to its current total of twenty-seven. Problems of political and economic integration continue to dog the continent, the leading issue as I write being the lack of adequate coordination in the eurozone between fiscal and monetary policy.

A shorthand way of answering the question of what we should make of 1989 might be to take a stroll through Berlin Mitte, the epicenter of the Cold War and the place that more than any other figured forth its close. If one walks westward along Unter den Linden in what used to be East Berlin, past the statue of Frederick the Great, the Deutsche Staatsoper, and the buildings of Humboldt University, one comes to the Brandenburg Gate. Two decades ago the Wall, with its guard towers and death strip, rose just beyond the Gate. On November 9, 1989, the Brandenburg Gate, for so many years the arch-emblem of impasse and division, becameliterally overnightthe symbol of openness and reconciliation. The intervening decades have seen this part of Berlin transformed from a no-mans-land into the pivot of a world city. A little to the north is the splendidly refurbished Reichstag building, once again the parliamentary seat of a united Germany after a lapse of sixty-six years, while to its south is the striking new Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, dedicated precisely sixty years after the end of World War II. How many capitals have a penitential site at their heart? Where then do matters stand twenty years on? There are of course problems enough to go around, but also ample grounds for satisfaction and hope.

Republished with gracious permission from The Intercollegiate Review (Fall 2014).

The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politicswe approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now.

The featured image is a photograph taken by Stefan Richteris of the partly destructed Berlin Wall with border police, view from west, Brandenburg Gate in the background, November 1989. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
For the many Nebraskans concerned that outdated criminal justice laws are endangering public safety and ruining peoples lives, its heartening that Congress has indicated that it hopes to take up the issue during the coming weeks. But it remains unclear whether any legislation will make it to the presidents desk.

Thats why the roughly 39,000 employers that call Nebraska home should consider voluntarily taking action themselves.

Businesses have a powerful role to play in giving individuals with criminal records a second chance. The easiest step they can take is to ban the box.

Right now, most employers require jobseekers to check a box on an application if they have any criminal record. Too often, this can function as an automatic application denied for individuals who have any blemish in their past.

Nationwide, some 650,000 incarcerated individuals rejoin society every year, and they desperately need jobs to help them transition back into society and to provide for themselves and their families. But the criminal record box often shuts them out of the job market before they can get a foot in the door. A 2009 study by Harvard and Princeton researchers showed individuals who checked the box reduced their chances of a callback by 50 percent, with blacks hurt twice as much as whites.

Sure enough, unemployment among those with a criminal record remains staggeringly high: A third of men without jobs between the ages of 25 and 54 have a criminal record. And the lack of employment is one of the key reasons why over two-thirds are re-arrested, over half are re-convicted, and two out of five are re-incarcerated within three years of release.

Ex-offender unemployment not only holds back individuals working to improve their lives, it also stifles our economy. A 2010 study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research estimated the annual lost economic value at between $57 billion and $65 billion.

These are a few of the reasons why my employer, Koch Industries, officially banned the box on our job application last year, including for applicants in Nebraska. Now we delay the question until later in the hiring process. This allows us to consider a candidates past record in the context of their other life experiences.

Companies big and small have made the same choice because it makes sense from a business perspective. With an estimated one in three adults in the U.S. having some sort of criminal record, its shortsighted for an employer to potentially eliminate one-third of the available applicant pool. We should seek the best talent periodwith or without a record.

Over the years at Koch, individuals hired with a past record have been dedicated employees who have succeeded at the company. They are valuable contributors, and more importantly, they are on a path towards a productive and fulfilling life.

We recognize that banning the box may not make sense for every business, which is why a government mandate isnt the solution. Each employer needs to make its own decision on this issue. If the roughly 39,000 employers in Nebraska voluntarily considered banning the box, the social and economic landscape could be defined by more opportunity and prosperity, especially for the least fortunate.

Thousands of Nebraskans with criminal records try to rejoin society every year, and they want to contribute to their communities and improve their lives. Nebraska businesses can help them by breaking down barriers that stand in their way. No one should be judged forever based on what they did on their worst dayand everyone deserves a second chance.

Mark Holden is general counsel and senior vice president at Koch Industries, which employs 1,800 people in Nebraska.
The latest World Series ever? What rainout means for Astros, Phillies

If this feels like a never-ending season, well, you're not imagining it!
Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons held on to defeat Republican challenger Ron Williams, but Madison County Board Chairman Alan Dunstan was defeated Tuesday by Treasurer Kurt Prenzler.

Dunstan has been County Board Chairman since 2002. He won election for the position two years later after it was changed to an elected position.

On Tuesday, he was seeking his fourth term as Madison County Board Chairman. When the final precinct was counted and the results were finalized by the County Clerks office, Prenzler had won, 62,499 to 61,993.

Prenzler, a Republican, issued a brief statement late Tuesday night.

I embrace the change that Madison County voters have just made, he said. I will try to live up to the great honor and trust voters have placed in me. I look forward to working with my opponent, Alan Dunstan, to have a smooth transition.

Prenzler said Dunstan had called earlier in the evening to congratulate him, shortly after the results were in.

I appreciate that very much, Prenzler said. He offered his full help in making the transition. I appreciate his energy.

Dunstan said he really enjoyed his past 14 years as Madison County Board Chairman. I really want to thank the voters for allowing me to do that, he said by phone. Today when I hand the keys over to Mr. Prenzler the county is in the best financial shape of any county in the state of Illinois.

I wish Madison County the best. I hope they succeed. I hold my head up because I think we did a good job. I hold my head up knowing that I did the best I could.

Dunstan has said that his biggest accomplishment has been reducing the countys levy for the past three years. Madison Countys levy has been $1.6 million less than the previous year.

Im leaving knowing I did the best I could, he continued. You win some, you lose some. Sometimes life throws you a curve. When you get pushed down, you just have to get back up. Im 59 years old. Life goes on. I wish the best for Kurt Prenzler and the new Republican majority that comes to the County Board on Dec. 1.

Gibbons defeated Williams by a margin of 65,798 to 57,013.

Im really happy about the results and just grateful to the citizens of Madison County for placing their trust in me to continue with my work as States Attorney and to continue making sure that we get justice done for the citizens of Madison County.

Gibbons has said that his departments Violent Crimes Unit has a 100 percent conviction rate at murder trials. Williams is a former public defender and a former U.S. Army veteran. He has defended more than 2,500 felony cases.
Take a journey back in time to an early 19th century Christmas celebration. The 1820 Col. Benjamin Stephenson House ushers in the holiday season with the Christmas Candlelight Tours, November 25 & 26 from 6-9 p.m.

A variety of activities are planned to immerse visitors in a truly interactive historical experience. Self-guided tours allow guests to enjoy a leisurely visit of the traditionally decorated rooms while historical interpreters discuss the history of the house and Christmas customs of the 1820s. The dining room transforms into a dance floor offering an opportunity to learn a simple country dance. A storyteller delights children of all ages with tales of Christmas past along with a reading of the famous 1822 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas (also known as Twas the Night before Christmas). Music from the restored 1820 pianoforte encourages guests to sing along to many of their favorite holiday carols. Take a seat at the gaming table to play a hand in a popular 19th century card game known as Whist. Rupert, once again, thrills with his mischievous antics as he finds out whos been naughty or nice. And, after the tour, enjoy a cup of hot wassail and a tasty treat served in the detached kitchen.
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Linkedin Tasa Nugraza Barley (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

The rise of Donald Trump, a New York City-based property billionaire and celebrity, has left the world aghast. People around the world keep asking this same question: How did the country hailed as the beacon of democracy and freedom end up with a presidential nominee like Donald Trump with such an out-of-the ordinary and narcissistic profile?

But this is actually not an exclusive case. Whether or not Trump will win the election, the emergence of Trump as a presidential nominee is a result of ongoing social and cultural anxiety in the US, something that is also happening in other parts of the world. The recent victory of the Brexit camp in the UK and the increasing popularity of populist politics are other good examples. What is unique about this phenomenon is that it is taking place in many developed countries with years of political stability.

Around the world, people complain that politics has become an exclusive domain, reserved to only a small group of elites. While democracy, the worlds most embraced political system, may promise an equal opportunity to everyone to actively participate in the system of the government  to elect and to be elected that is  often the reality is a much different situation. Using democracy as a tool to legitimize their power, oftentimes the old political establishment and the incumbents work hand in hand to ensure the system remains complex so that it is difficult for average people to enter the political arena.

A similar condition is also occurring in Indonesia, where our political hemisphere is excessively controlled by the political parties, consistently blocking political access for independent candidates and neglecting the ongoing expansion of political dynasties throughout the country.

The Its the economy, stupid! phrase, popularized during the US 1992 presidential campaign, perfectly summarizes how important economic welfare is in the eyes of the voters.

While capitalism, which if it was human would be one of democracys best friends, may have reduced poverty around the world, it is now blamed by many as the cause of todays global economic sluggishness and, most importantly, the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

It is easy to be misled, but the economic gap is not just a textbook theory, it is really happening. A recent report from Oxfam, an antipoverty organization, revealed that the richest 1 percent are wealthier than the rest of the worlds population combined. The same report also pointed out how the 62 richest people, a short list which includes Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and the likes, have the same amount of wealth as the poorest 3.5 billion people.

Early this year the Indonesian government announced that the nations Gini ratio improved by 0.01 to 0.4. As with many other emerging countries with a large population, wealth distribution poses a serious challenge for Indonesia. There are around 28 million people, or around 10 percent of Indonesias total population, who live under the poverty line, according to the latest data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Economist Joseph Stiglitz, a former winner of the Nobel Prize for economics, is among the few experts who consistently complain about the malfunctioning of todays capitalism-driven global economic system.

Among other things, he blames government policies that are created based on the trickle-down economic mind-set, a long-time held economic argument that believes giving economic privileges, such as tax breaks to big corporations, investors and the wealthy entrepreneurs will help stimulate economic growth and eventually will benefit all members of the society. The global 2008 financial crisis proved that wrong.

And it is the close ties between politicians and businesspeople that have exacerbated the anxiety of people around the world. Many in the US, for instance, will not forget and forgive their governments decision to hand out a US$700 billion bailout to help ailing banks who were entangled in the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis. Around the world, it is no public secret that deep-pocketed corporations heavily use the help of lobbyists to influence lawmakers and governments to pass laws and regulations that correspond to their business interests.

The information technology boom has made exchanging information become so easy, knowing no borders and no limits. Any trend happening in one country can be easily mirrored by people in other countries. It will not be a surprise if extreme changes in the political landscapes of the US or in Europe initiate something similar in many other parts of the world.

In Indonesia we actually already had our anti-political-establishment moment in 2014, when Joko Jokowi Widodo won the presidential election. Little known in the national political landscape, Jokowi suddenly emerged as a political heavyweight when he was elected governor of Jakarta two years earlier. When he contested, with his down-to-earth communication skills and his trademark impromptu visits to meet ordinary people, he was pictured by the people as the antithesis of old, boring politicians, which the people were getting tired of.

As our country is approaching next years simultaneous elections for regional heads, the cases in the US and other countries should become a reminder to our politicians and government officials that they must abandon old, political tricks, full of lies and deception.

Also, note that public demands are dynamic, as well as the challenges people face. To make themselves relevant, politicians and governments must be able to produce good policies that will improve peoples lives in concrete ways.

And remember, todays voters are smart and they are equipped with much more advanced communication tools that previous generations. When they have had enough, be assured that they will punish you.

***

The writer holds a master of business administration (MBA) in business and finance from Strayer University, Washington, DC.

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
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Linkedin Nanang Chalid (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

The campaign team of incumbent pair Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama and Djarot Saiful Hidayat has decided to take measures against the recent backlash received by the pair by filing a report with law enforcement and election authorities in an effort to end the campaign disruptions.

The team will submit the report to the Jakarta Police, the Jakarta Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) and the Jakarta General Elections Commission (KPU Jakarta), campaign team chief Prasetio Edi Marsudi said on Tuesday.

The campaign team feels bothered by the campaign disruptions, Edi said, adding that representatives of the team will file a report to the Jakarta Police on Wednesday.

Ahok was the target of an angry mob last week during a campaign stop in Rawa Belong, West Jakarta. Police had to rescue him in a public minivan.

The attack occurred prior to massive protests by around 100,000 Muslims initiated by the hard-line organization, the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), on Nov. 4 in Central Jakarta. They demanded that the outspoken governor be prosecuted over his allegedly blasphemous remarks in which he cited a verse in the Quran.

Djarot also faced protests when he visited a fisherfolks village in Cilincing, North Jakarta, last week on the back of protests of the eviction programs planned by the city administration.

Such experiences prompted a new campaign scheme for Ahok and Djarots teams, which decided to no longer share schedules of the two with journalists. The teams instead arranged meeting points for the journalists to gather and then depart to the campaign locations together with Ahok and Djarot.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Awi Setiyono said amid recent developments, the Jakarta Police had decided to deploy more security forces to ensure safety in campaign locations set to be visited by Ahok and Djarot.

The number of personnel, however, will depend on how violent-prone the areas are.

We will examine the possible threats first before we deploy the forces, Awi told The Jakarta Post.

The Jakarta Police had provided each pair competing in the race with 13 police officers from the polices Security Intelligence division, Mobile Brigade division, traffic division and public order Sabhara squad.

Still, for reports of potential disturbances, the police will first coordinate with Bawaslu. The agency will decide if the reports made by the candidates are about criminal offenses.

He said that although the police found it difficult to prevent provocative speech, the force would likely arrest anyone injuring the candidates.

Meanwhile, Bawaslu head Mimah Susanti said the agency would monitor potential disturbances throughout the campaign process.

Bawaslu also planned to take down any provocative posters or banners found in the capital and planned to impose sanctions on those who put them there. As reported, several areas had anti-Ahok banners with insulting remarks.

Mimah called on the public to take part in monitoring the campaign and election periods.

We want the public to report any violations to us so that we will be able to realize a transparent and fair election, she said, adding that the agency welcomed any reports made by the candidates.

The campaigning trail for the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election runs from Oct. 28 to Feb. 11 next year, before voting day on Feb. 15. Mass protests involving hundreds of thousands of Muslims in several big cities across the country, including the biggest one in Jakarta, demanding the police immediately investigate Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnamas alleged blasphemy last week resulted in several resolutions after representatives of the protesters met government officials, such as Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

However, the case is not closed yet. In the coming two weeks, we will see the story continue as many arguments  supporting and rejecting the blasphemy accusation against Ahok  are still circulating in both conversation and social media.

The most important lesson we can take from the issue, in my view, is about leadership communication. As human beings, what makes leaders effective in achieving their goals is how they translate their intent into impact through communicating with others.

Although in the study of leadership ethics, some schools of thought believe that good intent (or goodwill) is sufficient as argued by Kantian scholar Joanne B. Ciulla: Goodwill is good, not because of what it effects or accomplishes, nor because its fitness to attain some proposed ends; it is good only through willingness; hence it is good in itself.

Communicating good intent well so that it leads to actions and results is definitely the only acceptable norm in our current world where issues are massive, and solutions are demanded everywhere.

This is why leadership communication becomes critical: because leaders can only deliver results through others.

The higher a leader is in the hierarchy of an organization, the more people he or she needs to engage and inspire to make things happen on a larger scale.

Now, let us reflect on the case of Ahoks speech, on Sept. 27, which triggered the mass rallies from this intent to impact perspective.

If anyone would care enough to read the news about Ahoks visit to Pramuka Island off Jakarta, and watch the 22-minute original video of Ahoks speech, it was all full of good intent.

He proposed fisheries reform, in which instead of relying on extractive fishing, fishermen could actually start to farm fish in the ocean, and stimulated the creation of such an economic ecosystem by proposing a scheme where after all operational costs are taken out, 80 percent of the profits of the fish-farming is given to individual fishermen themselves.

And to ensure everyone was on board, he tried to anticipate peoples concerns that his reform ideas might be at risk because of the upcoming election, he stressed that the program would run until October 2017 as the official end of his term. This is important: it is not mandatory that you choose me as governor in 2017, yet I guarantee that all of the program will be implemented, he said.

It was afterward, that he asked everyone to vote as per their individual preference: Dont trust people who are trying to lie to you, using the likes of Al-Maidah verse 51  and we know how the story continued afterward.

No one will remember the good intent by now. Instead of the brilliant and courageous idea of fisheries reform, most people talk about and remember only the Quranic verse.

That several seconds of the speech amount to the only gaffe of a leadership speech Ahok made that day, yet it was that gaffe that triggered hundreds of thousands of Muslims to join the march to defend the Quran and may now put his chances of winning the election at risk.

A leader who wants to send a message needs to think that every minute of his or her communication counts. Every choice of word made matters.

There is a simple principle in leadership communication called audience-centricity. This principle simply states that it is not what you say, it is what people hear that matters.

The most ideal leadership communication would be if intent is equal to impact. As an example, The late US president John F. Kennedys intent was to inspire all American citizens to participate in a movement he wished to create.

Hence, he selected certain words to ensure he landed the intent impactfully in his inaugural speech on Jan. 20, 1961  famous for the quotation: Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.

Although it is probably unfair to compare him with Kennedy, Ahoks intent was to inspire Pramuka Island residents to march toward the fishery reform he initiated, yet the impact was a march coming toward him due to his last few words. In his case, Ahok failed to deliver his intent, as it instead created the totally wrong impact.

Furthermore, in an Indonesian context, the intent and impact equation is also happening in what Edward Hall has described as the high-context society. Not only are social interactions filled with unspoken rules and non-verbal cues (i.e. saying Yes may mean that you have heard; it may not be an indication of agreement), even gestures are regarded as a statement.

This is why when President Joko Jokowi Widodo did not meet representatives of the protesters, it was perceived by some as a statement of rejection, resistance and cowardice.

To include other characteristics of Indonesian culture like group orientation (where identity is defined by group, family or work team), harmony and saving face are the most important factors for any trust and relationship building.

These come before problem solving, and the importance of rank and status is strictly observed. Playing the role of leader in Indonesia requires multiple intelligences to collaborate at the same time: intellectual, emotional and verbal.

Another reason why leadership communication is important is because all leaders have now become part of an interconnected world of media. With the rise of social media, any individual can now participate in shaping the image of public figures.

Impact has now become a multitude and multi-interpretation result that requires leaders to be even more effective in ensuring their engagement with their audience is done with rigor and care, but is still as inspiring, moving and as authentic as possible.

Once a word or a gesture is out in the air (both through verbal speech, or social media statements such as tweets or posts), it stays out there no matter how brilliant ones public relations advisor is.

To summarize, the Nov. 4 event is a good opportunity for all leaders to think about how effective their leadership communication is.

Have they delivered their good intent well enough to their team, audience, constituents or public? How can each leader start to improve their leadership communication going forward?

***

The writer is a human resources director with 12 years experience, specializing in talent management and leadership development.

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We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
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Linkedin Hanny Chrysolite, Gita Syahrani and Arief Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

When more than 80 countries, Indonesia included, joined the Paris Agreement at surprising speed, it showed that climate change is not to be underestimated.

Despite lacking enforcement means, the Paris Agreement represents a united effort to curb global carbon emissions and signifies a historical momentum, when China and the US, the two biggest carbon emitters globally, agreed to set aside their disputes and join the climate cooperation.

This month, the parties to the agreement will convene in Morocco for the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

To achieve the nation-by-nation target of cutting carbon emissions, countries have issued their national climate strategies or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), but the bigger question is what will it take to achieve the NDCs?

(Read also: INSIGHT: Paris Agreement to test Jakartas commitment on carbon emissions)

To support developing countries in achieving their NDCs, developed countries have pledged to give up to US$100 billion annually, but developing countries such as Indonesia must step up climate finance readiness to be able to manage the funds.

Elevating Indonesias climate finance readiness requires the country to have an effective funding mechanism to distribute funds at the national and subnational levels.

Some efforts have been established, including the Indonesia Climate Change Trust Fund, the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) funding instrument design for performance-based payment and the plan to construct a specific fund for environmental activities.

These funds, however, have yet to gain international recognition to receive and manage global climate finance. The lack of mitigation and adaptation pipeline information, monitoring mechanisms and long delays in disbursement have often led to limited international support for Indonesia.

One way to address this limitation is to set up pioneering national institutions ready to be accredited for global climate finance such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF). As the largest international climate fund, the GCF is designated as a finance mechanism to support the Paris Agreement and to manage resources from developed countries for NDC implementation.

Another problem with Indonesias climate finance is that presently, a bulk of the international climate flow still goes to central government ministries and agencies (97 percent per a CPI report), with a small remaining proportion going to local administrations, even though numerous climate actions are implemented at the local level.

There should be a stronger synergy between the central government and local administrations  with policy decided at the national level and outcomes achieved and monitored locally. Climate mitigation needs to make sense for subnational administrations to accelerate implementation.

Looking at Indonesias funding transfer mechanism, we can explore several alternatives. Overall, local administrations awareness of climate financing is still limited to the utilization of the main regional budgets (APBD) and Special Allocation Grants (DAK) for environmental issues and measures.

Another possible option to accelerate global finance at the subnational level is an on-granting or on-lending framework, which is channeled through the Finance Ministry based on references of relevant line ministries and approved by the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas).

In combination, the Finance Ministry can also utilize its budgettagging exercise as a monitoring effort for fund transfer. The Low Emission Budget Tagging and Scoring System (LESS), established for tracking climate mitigation expenditure in Indonesia, could identify the total amount of budget allocations and actual expenditure on climate mitigation and assess the contribution of per-unit budgets to achieve emission reduction targets.

(Read also: Indonesia's true cost of coal: Devastating environment)

In addition to climate finance, Indonesia needs a robust pipeline to implement its NDC. The country has yet to identify the specific actions and to quantitatively clarify how it intends to achieve the 29 percent unconditional or 41 percent conditional reduction target specified in the NDC.

Indonesia will need to align the existing National Action Plan on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions (RAN-GRK) with the NDC and specify reduction targets for each province to translate into the Local Action Plan for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions (RADGRK).

The scheme to implement the NDC also needs to ensure that climate change action, as a cross-sectoral issue, is mainstreamed into the development planning document.

Finally, Indonesia needs to have a reliable verification mechanism to assess actual emissions reduction. This verification mechanism should be part of the national measuring, reporting and verification (MRV) system that monitors and reports greenhouse gas emissions abatement resulting from climate actions.

The verified emissions reduction would trigger financial compensation flowing to the country as an incentive for reducing the emissions. The MRV system should link to the funding instrument to make sure the disbursement of the financial incentive is accountable and transparent.

With the recently launched National Registry on Climate Change Oversight, Indonesia is aiming toward a single national database for systematically collating comparable mitigation activities from the all-inclusive actors, across sectors and across provinces.

This coordinated registry system is crucial to avoid the risk of double counting for carbon finance flows. For example, donors should not disburse double payments for the same REDD+ project activity reported by subnational and national governments or, similarly, carbon reduction from an industry process reported by the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry and the Industry Ministry should not receive double payments.

This shows how the connection between a mitigation actions registry platform, national MRV system and funding instruments is important to ensure the effective recording of climate actions and the resulting carbon emissions reductions, and to shore up procedures in carbon payment disbursement.

With COP 22 just around the corner, this is the time to showcase Indonesias commitment to implementing its NDC. With the Paris Agreement ratified and international support on the table, reforming our readiness is a crucial priority for Indonesia, before and after Marrakesh.

***

Hanny Chrysolite, Gita Syahrani and Arief Wijaya The authors are the forest and climate program officer, sustainable commodity and business manager, and the climate and forests senior manager, respectively, at the World Resources Institute Indonesia.

---------------

We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

Following its reveal at the annual developer conference Google I/O in May, the tech giant has released a new update for Android Auto, which enables users to navigate through destinations directly on their smartphone without having to connect to their car's dashboard system. A phone-holder mount will now be sufficient to offer drivers a better navigating system.

(Read also: BlackBerry introduces 'most secure Android smartphone')

As reported by dailysocial.id, Android Auto features an optimized on-screen display for better directive capabilities. It also provides users the versatility of using third-party apps along with Android Auto simultaneously. Furthermore, it comes with a new voice command available for use in a future update. For the time being, users will have to access the app through manual configurations.

Smartphone users will need to install the Android 5.0. operating system for app compatibility. Unfortunately, Android Auto is not yet available for the Indonesian market. (fmn/kes)
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Linkedin Julie Pace and Robert Furlow (Associated Press) Washington  Wed, November 9, 2016

America's ugly and unpredictable presidential election entered its final hours Tuesday, with voters flocking to polls to choose between Democrat Hillary Clinton, hoping to become the first woman to serve as commander in chief, and Republican Donald Trump, the billionaire businessman who tapped into a searing strain of economic populism.

Clinton appeared to have multiple paths to triumph, while Trump needed to prevail in most of the battleground states to secure an upset. Control of the Senate was also at stake, with Democrats needing to net four seats if Clinton wins the White House.

The 45th president will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture. The economy has rebounded from the depths of recession, though many Americans have yet to benefit. New terror threats from home and abroad have raised security fears.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in Democratic hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Barack Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his signature health care law.

"I know how much responsibility goes with this," Clinton said after voting Tuesday at her local polling station in Chappaqua, New York, with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at her side. "So many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country, and I will do the very best I can if I'm fortunate enough to win today."

Trump, the New York real estate developer who lives in a gold-plated Manhattan penthouse, forged a striking connection with white, working-class Americans who feel left behind in the changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of many problems plaguing the nation and called for building a wall along the US-Mexico border.

"I see so many hopes and so many dreams out there that didn't happen, that could have happened, with leadership, with proper leadership," he said by telephone on Fox News before casting his own ballot in Manhattan. "And people are hurt so badly."

Seven in 10 Americans who went to the polls Tuesday said immigrants now in the country illegally should be allowed to stay, while just a quarter said they should be deported. More than half oppose building a border wall, according to preliminary results from the exit poll conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.

The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

Trump set both parties on edge when he refused to say in the third and final debate whether he would accept the election's results, citing with no evidence the possibility of a rigged outcome. His statement threatened to undermine a fundamental pillar of American democracy and raised the prospect that his fervent supporters would not view Clinton as a legitimate president if she won.

Asked Tuesday in an interview with Fox News if he would accept the election results, Trump continued to demur, saying "We're going to see how things play out."

According to the preliminary exit polls, most Americans who voted had at least a moderate amount of confidence that election ballots would be counted accurately.

Most problems that did pop up at polling places Tuesday appeared to be routine  the kinds of snags that come every four years, including long lines, machines not working properly and issues with ballots or voter rolls.

Even before Tuesday, almost 45 million people had cast ballots for president. Many expressed relief the end was in sight after an election season in which personal attacks often drowned out the issues.

"I'm tired of the mudslinging," said Laura Schmitt, a 54-year-old Republican from Woodbury, Minnesota, who was voting for Trump. Emetric Whittington, a 51-year-old Democratic mother of three on Chicago's violence-plagued South Side, agreed: "I can't wait for this night to be over."

Clinton has denounced Trump for calling Mexican immigrants "rapists" and promoting a ban on Muslims entering the US, and for his long line of remarks about women that culminated in an audio in which he bragged about grabbing their genitals. Trump called his opponent "Crooked Hillary" for her use of a private email server as secretary of state and her complicated ties to the family's Clinton Foundation.

"I can't vote for somebody who's so morally reprehensible," said Lisa Moore, a 48-year-old Republican from Glen Rock, New Jersey, who picked Clinton. Democrat Charles Ikner of Cross Lanes, West Virginia, opted for Trump, saying it was time for "fresh blood" in the White House.

In the final days, Clinton was buoyed by FBI Director James Comey's weekend declaration that he wouldn't recommend criminal charges against her following a new email review. Comey announced the inquiry late last month, sapping Clinton's surging momentum and threatening Democrats in down-ballot races.

___

Associated Press writers Bradley Klapper, Vivian Salama, Hope Yen, Jill Colvin and Lisa Lerer and AP Polling Director Emily Swanson contributed to this report.

___

Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC (**)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, November 8 2016

Acting Governor Sumarsono expressed his appreciation to the organizers of Fridays rally for requiring the participants to collect trash following the protest, which involved more than 100,000 people from Jakarta and other regions.

He said it set a good precedent that should inspire organizers of future demonstrations. I think it is a commendable move because the neatness of the city is our mutual responsibility and not only the city administrations, Sumarsono said in Jakarta on Monday, as reported by kompas.com.

The citys sanitation agency said it had collected some 70 tons of garbage discarded during the demonstration, with agency head Isnawa Adji adding that about 500 workers, 31 road sweepers, seven compactors and 15 garbage trucks had been deployed to handle the trash.

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Linkedin Nancy Benac and Emily Swanson (Associated Press) Washington  Wed, November 9, 2016

Americans emphatically declared their anger at government Tuesday as they elected a political outsider who failed to generate much excitement but offered the prospect of change.

Exit polls recorded the simmering discontent of the American electorate.

Four in 10 voters said they were hungry for change, and those voters overwhelmingly favored Republican Donald Trump. Smaller voting blocs who were seeking a candidate with good judgment, experience or who cared about them favored vanquished Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton.

Nearly 7 in 10 voters said they were unhappy with the way the government is working, including a quarter who said they were outright angry, according to preliminary results of exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.

Three-fourths of those angry voters backed Trump. Six in 10 voters said the country is on the wrong track.

Other findings from the exit poll:

TRUMP'S WORKING-CLASS WHITES TRUMP CLINTON'S COALITION

Trump won by dominating among white voters, especially non-college-educated men, trumping Clinton's coalition of women, minorities and young people.

Trump, who once famously declared that he loved the uneducated, got plenty of love back from white voters who never graduated from college: He got 7 in 10 votes from non-college-educated white men and 6 in 10 votes from non-college-educated white women.

The advantage Trump had among whites without a college degree compared with whites who graduated from college was the largest seen in exit polls for a Republican since the surveys started in 1972.

Clinton, meanwhile, got the support of less than a quarter of white men without a college degree; Barack Obama, by contrast, drew about a third of their votes four years ago.

Clinton did make some inroads with college-educated white women. Just over half supported her, while four years ago just over half of that group had backed Republican Mitt Romney in 2012.

TIMES TWO

What kind of impact did third-party candidates Gary Johnson and Jill Stein have on the race? They siphoned more votes from Clinton than from Trump.

A quarter of Johnson and Stein voters said they would have backed Clinton if they had to pick between the two major-party candidates. About 15 percent would have backed Trump.

But most Johnson and Stein voters said they would have just stayed home if their only choices were Clinton and Trump.

RACIAL SPLIT

Even with his tough talk about Mexican immigrants, Trump held on to roughly the same share of Hispanic voters as Romney had claimed four years ago. Likewise, he was drawing about the same levels of support from black voters as Romney won.

The Republican was drawing about a quarter of Hispanic voters and about less than 1 in 10 black voters.

Clinton did better with Hispanic voters who were naturalized citizens, getting about 8 in 10 of their votes. She got about 6 in 10 Hispanic voters who were born US citizens.

Trump was winning more than half of white voters, who made up 70 percent of the electorate.

TO BE HONEST ...

Neither Trump nor Clinton gets bragging rights when it comes to honesty.

About 6 out of 10 voters said they don't view Trump as honest and about the same share felt the same way about Clinton.

Opinions were more mixed on the question of temperament.

Only about a third of Americans said Trump had the temperament to be president, while more than half felt Clinton did.

THE GENDER GAP

It was Trump's working-class white men who helped to produce a gender gap with a capital "G'' for Clinton.

Tuesday's election was on track to produce the largest gender gap since the exit poll began: The gender gap for Clinton  the difference between the number of men who voted for her and the number of women who voted for her  hit 13 percentage points.

Clinton's support among women was roughly even with the support that women gave Obama in 2008 and 2012. The bigger factor in this year's wide gender gap: less-educated white men, who favored Trump far more heavily than they did Romney in 2012 or GOP nominee John McCain in 2008.

The only presidential candidate that came close to Clinton's gender gap this year was Democrat Al Gore, who had a 12-point gender gap in 2000.

MILLENNIALS VS. ELDERS

Clinton largely managed to hang on to the millennials who were such a big part of Obama's winning coalition.

Young people age 18-29 supported Clinton over Trump by nearly as strong a margin as their support of Obama over Romney in 2012.

Those between 30 and 44 also were much more likely to support Clinton than Trump. Trump won the favor of those 45 and over.

PESSIMISM AND ANGER

There were grim strains woven into voter sentiments as they cast their ballots.

Nearly 7 in 10 voters said they were unhappy with the way the government is working, including a quarter who were outright angry.

Six in 10 voters said the country is seriously on the wrong track and about the same number said the economy was either not good or poor.

Two-thirds saw their personal financial situation as either worse or the same as it was four years ago. One in three voters said they expect life to be worse for the next generation.

HOLDING THEIR NOSES

Americans held their noses as they picked between the candidates: More than half of voters cast their ballots with reservations about their candidate or because they disliked the others running.

That was true both for those backing Trump and those supporting Clinton, the exit polls showed

After a long, hard-fought campaign, just 4 out of 10 voters strongly favored their candidate.

The prospect of a Trump victory was downright scary to plenty of voters: Seven in 10 Clinton voters said they'd feel scared by Trump victory.

WOMEN'S ISSUES VS. EMAIL ISSUES

After all of the sound and fury over Trump's treatment of women, it turned out the issue bothered half of all voters a lot  and women were more concerned about it than men.

About 6 in 10 women were bothered a lot, compared to about 4 in 10 men, the exit poll found.

It turned out voters were somewhat less concerned about Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state.

That issue mattered a lot to about four in 10 voters, including about 9 in 10 Trump voters.

___

The survey was conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research with 23,583 voters as they left their polling places at 350 randomly selected sites throughout the United States supplemented by 4,404 telephone interviews with mail, early and absentee voters. The results among all those voting have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

___

Associated Press Writer Bill Barrow contributed to this report.
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Linkedin (Associated Press) Mexico City, United States  Wed, November 9, 2016

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says at this stage, it would appear that Donald Trump is most likely to claim the presidency.

Bishop told reporters in Canberra, Australia's capital, that her government is ready to work with whomever the American people, "in their wisdom," choose to be their president.

She says a US presidential election is always a momentous occasion, and in this instance, "it has been a particularly bruising, divisive and hard-fought campaign."

She also says the new administration will face a number of challenges, including in Asia-Pacific, and Australia wants to work constructively with the new administration to ensure the continued presence and leadership of the United States in the region.

She calls the U.S. "our major security ally" and the largest foreign direct investor and the second-largest trading partner.

She says: "The United States is also the guarantor and defender of the rules-based international order that has underpinned so much of our economic and security issues. And interests."
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Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung  Wed, November 9 2016

Frustrated with the high crime rate in the West Java provincial capital of Bandung, mayor Ridwan Kamil has announced plans to install more CCTV cameras across the city while also intensifying public order patrols.

Crimes always happen. We curb crimes in one area, but then they emerge in other areas, Ridwan lamented.

Ridwans statement comes after residents of the tourism city were shocked by a case of violent muggers who attacked two Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) students in the Dago area.

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Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Denpasar  Wed, November 9, 2016

The Denpasar District Court of Bali started on Wednesday the trial of a British man, David James Taylor, 34, and his Australian girlfriend, Sara Connor, 46, who have been charged with assaulting and murdering a policeman.

Prosecutor Anak Agung Ngurah Jayalantara claimed the defendants, who have been in detention for two months, killed a local police officer, I Wayan Sudarsa, whose body was found with severe wounds on Kuta Beach on Aug. 17 this year.

"The couple intentionally deprived another person of his life," Jayalantara told the court.

In the indictment, the prosecutor charged the couple with three alternative articles: Article 338 of criminal code on murder, or Article 170 on a collective assault that causes people to die, or Article 351 on assault that causes people to die, which carries a maximum punishment of 15 years in jail.

In the trial, which is being presided over by judge Made Pasek, Sara Connor emphasized that she was not guilty. "I am innocent. I am innocent. Please," she said emotionally.

Connor's lawyer, Erwin Siregar, told the court that her legal team will object to the prosecutor's indictment next week. "The prosecutor's indictment was not clear and is incomplete," Erwin said. Connor's trial will be continued next Wednesday. (jun)
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Linkedin A. Kurniawan Ulung (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta  Wed, November 9 2016

Expression counts: Deaf Art Community members are seen on stage during their first art performance on Dec. 28, 2004 in Yogyakarta.

The community started from a simple art performance for a charity program, but the spirit of its members has taken them to events abroad.

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Linkedin Michael Weissenstein (Associated Press) Havana  Wed, November 9, 2016

Cuba on Wednesday announced the launch of five days of nationwide military exercises to prepare troops to confront what the government calls "a range of enemy actions."

The government did not link the exercises to Donald Trump's US presidential victory but the announcement of maneuvers and tactical exercises across the country came nearly simultaneously with Trump's surprise win.

It is the seventh time Cuba has held what it calls the Bastion Strategic Exercise, often in response to points of high tension with the United States.

The first exercise was launched in 1980 after the election of Ronald Reagan as US president, according to an official history.

Trump has promised to reverse President Barack Obama's reestablishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba and the ongoing normalization of the relationship between the two countries.

An announcement by Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces in red ink across the top of the front page of the country's main newspaper said the army, Interior Ministry and other forces would be conducting maneuvers and different types of tactical exercises from the 16th to the 20th of November.

It warned citizens that the exercises would include "movements of troops and war materiel, overflights and explosions in the cases where they're required."

News of Trump's victory hit hard among ordinary people and experts in US relations with Cuba, which has spent the last two years negotiating normalization after more than 50 years of Cold War hostility.

Normalization has set off a tourism boom and visits by hundreds of executives from the US and dozens of other nations newly interested in doing business on the island. Trump has promised to reverse Obama's opening unless President Raul Castro agrees to more political freedom on the island, a concession considered a virtual impossibility.

Speaking of Cuba's leaders, Communist Party member and noted economist and political scientist Esteban Morales told the Telesur network: "They must be worried because I think this represents a new chapter."

Carlos Alzugaray, a political scientist and retired Cuban diplomat, said a Trump victory could please some hard-liners in the Cuban leadership who worried that Cuba was moving too close to the United States too quickly.

"There's been a lot of rejection of what's been done with Obama," Alzugaray said. "Many Cubans think that a situation of confrontation is better for the revolution."

Many Cubans said they feared that a Trump victory would mean losing the few improvements they had seen in their lives thanks to the post-detente tourism boom.

"The little we've advanced, if he reverses it, it hurts us," taxi driver Oriel Iglesias Garcia said. "You know tourism will go down. If Donald Trump wins and turns everything back it's really bad for us."
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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

Despite slowing economic growth, Indonesia remains an attractive market for the EU as it plans on investing more, especially in the food and agriculture sector.



In his remarks, EU commissioner for agriculture and rural development Phil Hogan said that expanding the agriculture and food market in the archipelago had caught the blocs attention.



The market had risen by 57 percent from 2011 to 2015, and the EU expects food and beverage-related spending to account for almost half of annual household spending by 2030.



There is a growing consumer population here, estimated at 45 million Indonesians today, which is expected to rise to 135 million by 2030. These people are looking for diverse, high-quality products to feed their families, Hogan said during the 6th EU-Indonesia Business Dialogue on Tuesday.



This presented European agri-food businesses with opportunities, he said, adding that Indonesian producers could obtain wider access to the European market.



Household consumption is Indonesias most important economy driver.



Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that household consumption has traditionally contributed to more than half of the economic growth, with its latest contribution standing at 55.3 percent in the third quarter.



Agriculture  along with forestry and fishery  also played an important role as it became the second business sector that posted the highest quarterly growth after transportation and warehousing.



Hogan claimed he had the support of 38 representatives of EU agri-food businesses active in sectors with large potential in Indonesia. While some represent large companies, others come from small enterprises.



Many of these businesses are interested in investing in Indonesia, he said.



The food industry and food crop and plantation industry are among the top 10 preferred foreign direct investment (FDI) sectors, according to the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).



No data was immediately available regarding the investment made by EU companies in the two industries, but the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) reports that FDI from the bloc has amounted to US$14.7 billion for the past five years.



However, despite the flourishing outlook, Hogan said the companies were hoping to see improved market access conditions, including in transparency and business certainty.



The Indonesian government itself has made a friendlier business climate as one of its goals. It has issued 13 economic policy packages so far, and they have helped boost Indonesias position to 91st place in World Banks Ease of Doing Business Index this year from 106th place last year.



Hogan also specifically highlighted the halal legislation, claiming that it was a concern for EU operators. The EU proposes that mandatory labeling of halal and non-halal should be made optional.



Meanwhile, Kadin vice chairman for international relations Shinta Kamdani acknowledged that the halal law had faced many objections from local and foreign companies as it required certification from

the upstream industry all the way down to manufacturers, raising business costs.



Kadin has recommended a revision of the law to the government. The law had been approved in 2014, but implementation is pending due to many constraints.

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Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9 2016

The government is making preparations to avoid cash-in-hand payments in the distribution of social assistance in a bid to increase efficiency and oversight in President Joko Jokowi Widodos signature welfare program.

The non-cash scheme under the Office of the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister would be tested in 44 cities across the country in January 2017, where the social assistance would be transferred through four state-owned banks, Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Puan Maharani said on Tuesday.

Her office is in the final stage of preparing a presidential regulation on the program set to be completed before the end of the year. The regulation will form the legal basis for the government to stop using cash in benefit payments to holders of the Prosperous Family Card (KKS).

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Linkedin (Associated Press) Azusa, Calif., United States  Wed, November 9, 2016

A gunman with an assault rifle killed a man and critically wounded two women Tuesday in a California neighborhood near two polling sites that were shut down before the attacker was found dead inside a nearby home, authorities said.

One polling place was reopened hours after a gunbattle involving the gunman and Azusa police.

The shooting "had nothing to do with the ballot or voting," Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. John Corina said. "It just happened to be across the street from the park where the voting was taking place and also an elementary school" that was being used as a polling site.

"Nobody was shooting at those locations," Corina said.

County election officials advised voters to visit other polling places where they could cast provisional ballots.

Police responding to reports of afternoon gunfire exchanged shots with the suspect before taking cover in the park, Azusa police Chief Steve Hunt said. No officers were hurt.

A SWAT team sealed off the area and hours later entered the nearby home, where they found the gunman dead, authorities said.

Investigators didn't know whether the gunman died by police bullets or killed himself, Corina said.

Two women in their mid-50s were wounded and hospitalized in critical condition, Corina said.

The motive of the shooting was unknown and it was unclear whether the attacker knew his victims, Corina said.

The names of the gunman and victims were not immediately released.
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Linkedin Indra Budiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9 2016

The Association of Muslim Students (HMI), the nations largest student organization, is under fire after five of its members were charged with instigating a riot in front of the State Palace during a massive rally by Muslim groups against the Jakarta governor on Friday.

The Jakarta Police apprehended the five HMI members in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The arrests strengthen earlier media reports claiming that it was members of the student organization, and not the hard-line Islam Defenders Front (FPI), who were allegedly responsible for Fridays clash between security officers and protesters.

One protester was killed and several police officers were injured in the clash.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

Indonesia has to prepare for possible changes in international policies under the US administration of president-elect Donald Trump, a political scientist said on Wednesday.

International policy expert Alexius Jemadu, who is also the dean of the faculty of social and political sciences at Jakarta-based Pelita Harapan University (UPH), said Trump had made obvious hints that he loathed cross-border trade partnerships.

"There will be something entirely new, and Indonesia has to be ready to face the uncertainty," he said at the sidelines of an event held by the US Embassy in Jakarta to watch the presidential election.

Trump, nominated by the Republican Party, frequently claimed during his presidential bid that trade partnerships brought more harm than good to the US. The prevailing negative sentiment might spell the end of the Indonesian-US trade partnership under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, Aleksius said.

Meanwhile, political scientist Daniel Cooper from Lone Star College in Houston, US, said the US's stance under Trump was still full of mystery, as he had not shown any specific program and often conveyed contradictory ideas through his remarks.

"He's definitely shown anti-Muslim sentiment, and Indonesia is the most populous Muslim-majority country, but it's not clear whether Trump will take any action [regarding Muslims] or just ignore them," Cooper said. (fac/jun)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

Indonesia is planning to open up state-owned run infrastructure, such as toll roads, to private investors in an effort to generate fresh funding for new projects.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said on Wednesday that he would ask some state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to sell their concessions in major toll roads, such as the Jagorawi toll road in East Jakarta, to private investors.

Jagorawi, which connects Jakarta to Bogor and Ciawi in West Java, is the countrys oldest toll road and is currently managed by state-owned toll road operator Jasa Marga.

"For Jasa Marga and [state construction firm] Waskita Karya, which own many toll roads, your job is to build a toll road, not to own it," the President said on Wednesday in Jakarta, during the 2016 Indonesia Infrastructure Week.

Not many investors, he added, wanted to invest in greenfield infrastructure projects, which refers to fresh projects, and instead preferred to put their money in brownfield projects, which refers to projects that are already operating and generating cash flow.

National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) head Bambang Brodjonegoro, meanwhile, said it was possible for SOEs to offer a concession-sharing scheme to private investors. The SOEs, for example, could sell shares of their subsidiaries that are in charge of toll-road management.

"They can sell some [portion of shares], like 30 to 40 percent. The SOEs will still own the main concession [for the toll road]," he said. (hwa)
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Linkedin Farida Susanty (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9 2016

Indonesia holds the key to the future of ASEANs physical connectivity as the 10-member association looks to finance major infrastructure projects that are located in this country.

Under the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 seeks to establish sustainable infrastructure, digital innovation, seamless logistics, regulatory excellence and people mobility.

On Tuesday, as many as nine ASEAN infrastructure projects, worth between Rp 600 trillion (US$45.84 billion) and Rp 700 trillion, were presented to potential investors during the ASEAN G2B Infrastructure Investment Forum in an attempt to find someone to finance them.

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Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Nusa Dua  Wed, November 9 2016

The wide-spread and increasingly sophisticated cybercrimes across the globe have prompted International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) member countries to reach an agreement to ease the process of sharing intelligence.

This was considered an important outcome reached during the second day of the 85th Interpol General Assembly in Nusa Dua, Bali.

The forum acknowledged cybercrimes had continued to become more advanced with internet criminals improving their skills very quickly, posing major challenges to law enforcement agencies around the world.

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Linkedin Prima Wirayani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

The Jakarta Composite Index (JCI), the benchmark of the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), fell by more than 2 percent as of the end of the first trading session on Wednesday amid a jittery global market in response to the anticipated victory of Republican Party candidate Donald Trump in the US presidential election.

The index, gaining the most of its value compared with its peers so far this year, ended the first session at 5,358, down 2.06 percent from Tuesdays close.

The mining sector hurt the most as it fell 2.8 percent during the session, followed by infrastructure and miscellaneous industry, according to IDX data.

The rupiahs value against the US dollar fell 1.27 percent to Rp 13,250 per dollar, a level unseen since July.

Panicked traders rushed on Wednesday to unwind bets they piled into over the last two days amid predictions that Democratic Party's Hillary Clinton would sweep to an easy victory in the election, Bloomberg reported.

Futures on the S&P 500 plunged more than 4 percent, while Mexicos peso -- a barometer for investors perceptions of the American vote -- sank by the most in eight years. Safe-haven demand pushed the yen and gold up by more than 2 percent. Yields on 10-year treasuries slid to a two-week low.

During his campaign, Trump strongly highlighted his protectionist stance, pledging to withdraw the US from global trade alliances, including by quitting the North American Free Trade Agreement if it is not renegotiated and killing the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

Alvin Liew, a senior economist at United Overseas Bank Ltd. in Singapore, said a Trump win would likely create immediate uncertainty in financial markets, in particular put equity markets under pressure. He also predicted there would likely be a rush into safe-haven assets, US treasury bonds, gold, Japanese yen and the Swiss franc.

Questions will also center on the appointments of key roles, such as the chiefs of defense, treasury and chair of the Federal Reserve [in 2018], he said in a message sent to The Jakarta Post.

Bahana Securities research head Harry Su, meanwhile, shared a more optimistic view, as he believes many of Trumps policies will be too difficult to implement.

Yes, the market will fall and is falling, but the stock market will rebound with trading opportunities abound, he said. (hwa, est)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

President Joko Jokowi Widodo congratulated US president-elect Donald J. Trump on Wednesday a few hours after the full results of the US election confirmed Trump as the 45th president of the US.

On behalf of the Indonesian government and all the people, I convey my congratulations to president-elect Donald J. Trump, Jokowi said in a statement made available on Wednesday evening.

Jokowi said Indonesia was ready to continue mutual cooperation with the US. I invite the US president-elect to continue our diplomatic relationship to create peace and welfare in the world, Jokowi said. (evi)
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Linkedin Ina Parlina and Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

President Joko Jokowi Widodo should have been on a state visit to Australia this week, but instead spent the past two days visiting the countrys armed forces and major Islamic organizations in a bid to maintain stability in the country amid public outrage involving blasphemy allegations made against the Jakarta governor.



After visiting the headquarters of the Indonesian Army and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the nations largest Muslim organization, on Monday, Jokowi on Tuesday paid a visit to the Police Higher Education College (PTIK) in South Jakarta and the headquarters of Muhammadiyah, the second largest Muslim group in the country after NU, in Menteng, Central Jakarta.



In a speech before the polices top brass at PTIK, Jokowi asked the force to remain steadfast against pressure from any group.



The National Police is a big institution with 430,000 personnel. Therefore, do not hesitate to sternly carry out law enforcement, Jokowi said. A big institution like the police must not be doubtful and discouraged when dealing with small groups, any organizations or any individuals, he added.



The President was forced to postpone his visit to Canberra, scheduled for Nov. 6 to 8, after more than 100,000 people took to the streets in Jakarta to demand the prosecution of Jakarta Governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama for allegedly insulting the Quran.



The Islam Defenders Front (FPI), which strongly opposes Ahoks bid to extend his term through the upcoming Jakarta election, spearheaded the rally, which was supported by various Islamic groups, including the Muslim Students Association (HMI).



The rally, which initially ran peacefully, turned violent after dark, leaving one protester dead and several police officers injured.



Five HMI activists, including its secretary-general, have been charged with instigating the violence.



In the past two days, the President has been scrambling to maintain national stability after the Friday rally.



When addressing 2,000 military personnel on Monday, Jokowi reminded them that he was the highest military commander and, therefore, they should follow his orders to not tolerate any provocations aimed at dividing the nation.



Jokowi said that during the closed-door meeting with Muhammadiyah leaders he told them he would not tamper with the ongoing police investigation into Ahoks case.



Id like to underline that I will not protect Basuki Tjahaja Purnama since there is already an ongoing legal process [over blasphemy allegations]; the public needs to know this, Jokowi said.



The President has instructed the National Police to run a fair and transparent investigation into Ahok, but rumors that another large rally would take place in the capital in the next two weeks were already rife on Tuesday. The protesters have said they would continue their protests until Ahok is jailed.



The police had promised to decide whether to charge Ahok with blasphemy within two weeks of the rally.



Jokowi has several times sought support from Muhammadiyah and NU for different reasons, including when he was accused of not being Muslim during his presidential campaign in 2014 and also when he was severely criticized for his tough stance on drug convicts.



After assuming office, the President granted a number of positions to figures affiliated with the two organizations, including seats on the Presidential Advisory Board, known as Wantimpres, and in his Cabinet.



On Tuesday, Jokowi reiterated his claim that political actors had exploited the Nov. 4 rally, saying that their identities would be revealed after a thorough investigation by police.



National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said there was strong information about the suspected political actors who allegedly took advantage of the rally. There needs to be [sufficient] evidence. Once there is and it proves a clear violation occurred, we will enforce the law, said Tito.

____________________________



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Linkedin Rizal Harahap (The Jakarta Post) Pekanbaru  Wed, November 9 2016

Citing legal technicalities, the Pekanbaru District Court turned down a lawsuit filed by a local resident demanding a pretrial hearing against a controversial warrant (SP3) issued by Riau Police to terminate investigations into 15 companies suspected to have been involved in several forest fires and illegal land clearings in the province last year.

The court did not touch on the substance of the lawsuit, which included the contention that the police did not have a strong reason to drop the case. Instead, judge Sorta Ria Neva focused her ruling on procedural matters.

The judge concluded that Ferry Sapta, as plaintiff, did not meet the legal requirements to file a civil lawsuit (CLS) on behalf of other citizens.

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Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan, North Sumatra  Wed, November 9, 2016

Government officials, students, academicians, NGO activists and businesspeople in Medan, North Sumatra, followed the 2016 US presidential election voting day on Tuesday evening, or Wednesday morning local time, at a joint viewing event, known locally as nobar.

Several consuls of foreign countries in Medan also attended the event, which was held at the official residence of the US Consul in Medan from 9 a.m. local time through Wednesday noon.

A youth leader, who introduced himself as Beldi, said he was very happy to attend the live broadcast via television of the election day at the house of US Consul in Medan Juha P. Salin.

Beldi said this years election was much more tense compared to the previous election because the voting suggested a tight race between the two presidential candidates, Donald Trump of the Republican Party and Hillary Clinton of the Democratic Party.

Although Im not a US citizen, I also felt tense watching this years US presidential election voting. The race was really tough, Beldo told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

After months of a tough campaign, Trump shocked the world by beating Clinton in the race for the White House -- a victory that ends eight years of Democratic rule.

Salin said he was very happy to see the enthusiasm of Medan residents. He said the US government held the public viewing event to share the democracy experience.

We invited Indonesian people to watch directly the US presidential election today as a form of our commitment as a country, which upholds a democratic process, he said. (ebf)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9 2016

Former Regional Representatives Council (DPD) speaker Irman Gusman stood trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rp 100 million (US$7,64) in exchange for manipulating an import quota in West Sumatra.

Prosecutor Ahmad Burhanudin said there was sufficient evidence to prove that Irman accepted a bribe from CV Semesta Berjaya, owned by Memi and Xaveriandy Sutanto, who are also defendants in the case, in order to award the latter a sugar import quota.

Defendant Irman Gusman has abused his power to lobby the State Logistics Agency [Bulog] to allocate an import quota to CV Semesta Berjaya, said the Corruption Eradication Commissions (KPK) Ahmad.

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Linkedin Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9 2016

Victim: Roima, played by Bayu Dharmawan Saleh, recites a soliloquy over the death of Julini, played by Joind Bayuwinanda.

Thirty-one years ago, the ticket windows at arts and cultural Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta, were smashed by people who couldnt get in to watch Opera Kecoa (Cockroach Opera) by Teater Koma.



Seats had sold out a week earlier, forcing the troupe to add three more nights to the plays season.



The hype surrounding the play loaded with social and political criticism was not only appealing to the public at that time, but also grabbed the attention of the authorities. As a result, the next show in neighboring Bandung, West Java, was stopped following a bomb threat that turned out to be a hoax.



In 1989, the theater company released a different play, Suksesi (Succession), which had never before seen the light of the day as it was banned from public stages. The following year, Opera Kecoa was banned from the Jakarta Playhouse although the play had been chosen by the Japan Foundation to travel to four Japanese cities and was performed at the Belvoir Theatre in Sydney, Australia, in 1992.



The controversial play finally made it to the stage in 2003, five years after the Reform Era, which changed the regime following a bleak period of economic crises in the region.



This week, Opera Kecoa will again greet the public from Nov. 10 to 20 at Graha Bhakti Budaya Theater in Taman Ismail Marzuki but with similar anxiety clouding the freedom of expression, like decades ago.



If in the past the restrictions on performing came from the authorities, this time around the general public can exercise their power to do so based on likes or dislikes, Teater Koma manager and producer Ratna Riantiarno said recently at the troupes workshop in Bintaro, Tangerang.



In the past few years, a number of performances and exhibitions at Taman Ismail Marzuki have been stopped by the authorities due to protests from certain organizations that believed the events would promote pornography or communism in society.



Previously the Jakarta Arts Council as the management of the arts and cultural center was responsible for requesting permits from the police before holding a public event inside the complex. Now the organizers are required to undergo the process themselves.



We have to explain ourselves to the police now. But I believe the authorities, in this case the police, will uphold freedom of expression in the arts, said Nobertus Nano Riantiarno, the scriptwriter and director of the play.



Opera Kecoa tells the story of people living on the street as thugs, beggars and sex workers, facing persecution and even death. The story revolves around Roima, a petty criminal, and his girlfriend, transgender sex worker Julini. Meanwhile, another character Tuminah, the prettiest female prostitute, dreams of quitting and marrying Roima.



Other characters in the play are Tarsih, who runs a brothel for poor sex workers; Tuminahs brother Tibal; thug boss Kumis; Kumis minion Bleki; a local official who is a regular guest of Tuminah; and Tukang Sulap (The Magician) who lures people to buy cockroach repellent from him before they take over the world.



As the story progresses, the slum where the characters live burns to the ground, leaving many questions about how the fire started.



There is violence in the story. In the overture, Roima (Bayu Dharmawan Saleh) carries Julini (Joind Bayuwinanda), who died from a ricocheting bullet and was left in the gutter for days.



Nano said the play would be the original version, with music composed by the late Harry Roesli and rearranged by Fero Aldiansya Stefanus.



The play is inspired by real events at that time and it can be a past portrait of the future, said Nano.



What happened in the past was violent and we really hope it wont repeat itself in the future. People should always be able to express themselves with freedom.

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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

The National Police has questioned more than 30 witnesses in their investigation into the blasphemy allegations against inactive Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, a police official has said.

National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Agus Rianto said on Wednesday the witnesses the police had interrogated comprised eye witnesses and expert witnesses, which included religious, linguistic and criminal law experts.

Today, we are scheduled to question several more people who have denounced Ahok. We will probe them at the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) office," Agus told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

As reported earlier, Bareskrim has received 11 reports on Ahoks alleged blasphemy filed by civil society groups, Muslim organizations and individuals.

On Tuesday, the police questioned several people accusing Ahok of committing blasphemy. They included representatives of Pemuda Muhammadiyah, the youth wing of Indonesias second largest Islamic organization, the Anti-Religious Blasphemy Forum (FAPA) and Irena Handono, an ustadzah (female Islamic teacher).

The police have also promised to investigate the case transparently by, among others things, live broadcasting of Ahok's case screening next week.

If we allow everyone to see the progress of the polices investigation into the case, people will be able to see that the matter [is free of] interference, Agus said.

A case screening is one of several phases in a criminal investigation, during which the police will decide whether a case is solid enough for them to name someone a suspect, or whether they should drop the case and clear the accused party from all charges. (ebf)
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Linkedin Hanny Chrysolite, Gita Syahrani and Arief Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9 2016

When more than 80 countries, Indonesia included, joined the Paris Agreement at surprising speed, it showed that climate change is not to be underestimated.

Despite lacking enforcement means, the Paris Agreement represents a united effort to curb global carbon emissions and signifies a historical momentum, when China and the US, the two biggest carbon emitters globally, agreed to set aside their disputes and join the climate cooperation.

This month, the parties to the agreement will convene in Morocco for the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

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Linkedin Suherdjoko (The Jakarta Post) Semarang, Central Java  Wed, November 9, 2016

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo has called on all regional head candidates in the province to carry out ethical and well-behaved campaigns, during which they should avoid issues relating to religion and race.

All campaign team members also must pay close attention to proper etiquette during campaigning. Lets maintain the solidity of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia, put forward our work programs and restrain ourselves from using dirty words, Ganjar said, Tuesday.

He was speaking during a coordinating meeting with political experts focused on the 2017 regional elections, held by the Central Java Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) in Semarang.

Ganjar said it was hoped all candidates could highlight issues related to infrastructure development in their respective regions during their campaign. They should also hold clean campaigns, adhere to good governance, and promote womens and child protection, as well as poverty reduction, he said.

If they dont highlight such concerns, I hope General Elections Commission [KPU] officials ask them to elaborate on those issues during candidate debates, said Ganjar.

The governor also reminded all civil servants in the Central Java administration to remain neutral in the elections.

According to data, 6,439,931 voters from 13,834 polling stations will exercise their democratic rights during simultaneous elections in seven regencies and municipalities across Central Java on Feb. 15. Seventeen candidate pairs will run for regional heads in the elections.

The candidates in the running comprise four pairs in Batang, three pairs each in Banjarnegara and Cilacap, whereas Brebes, Jepara and Salatiga have two pairs, respectively. Meanwhile in Pati, only one candidate pair had put up their hands for election. (ebf)
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Linkedin Erica Werner (Associated Press) Washington  Wed, November 9, 2016

Democrats grabbed a Republican-held seat in Illinois on Tuesday as they fought to retake control of the Senate from the GOP. But Republicans held onto seats in Indiana and Florida, and several other key races were too close to call.

In Illinois, GOP Sen. Mark Kirk had long been considered the most endangered Republican incumbent, as he faced a strong challenger in a state that favors Democrats in presidential election years. His opponent, Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth, is a double-amputee Iraq war veteran with a compelling personal story.

In Indiana, GOP Rep. Todd Young beat former Democratic senator and governor Evan Bayh, who mounted a much-ballyhooed comeback bid, but wilted under scrutiny.

And in Florida, GOP Sen. Marco Rubio beat Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy, giving Rubio a platform from which he could mount another bid for president in 2020. The outcome was not unexpected since Murphy had been abandoned by his own party in the final weeks of the campaign, but polls had tightened heading into Election Day.

But with several other races too close to call, control of the Senate depended on outcomes in North Carolina, Missouri, New Hampshire and elsewhere as the night wore on.

In New York, meanwhile, Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democrats' leader-in-waiting for a new Congress, easily won re-election. Results elsewhere would tell if Schumer leads a Democratic majority in the Senate next year, or a minority when he replaces retiring Nevada Sen. Harry Reid in the leader's role.

The outcomes came as GOP incumbents around the country faced energized Democratic challengers trying to oust them in costly and caustic battles shadowed every step of the way by the polarizing presidential race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.

In GOP-held North Carolina, Missouri and New Hampshire, it looked like it could go either way as voting progressed. The races were also close in Pennsylvania and Nevada, the one Democratic-held seat that was hotly contested this election.

Republicans hold a 54-46 majority in the Senate, including two independent senators who caucus with the Democrats. That means Democrats need to pick up just four seats to take the majority if Clinton wins the White House and can send her vice president to cast tie-breaking votes in a 50-50 Senate. Democrats would need to pick up five seats if Trump wins.

The GOP retook the majority just two years ago. And even though control of the Senate is likely to be razor-thin whichever party ends up on top, the advantages of being in the majority are significant. The controlling party holds the committee chairmanships, sets the legislative agenda and runs investigations. First up is likely to be a nominee to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court.

Democrats were counting on two likely pick-ups in Wisconsin and Illinois, though in Wisconsin polls tightened in recent weeks in favor of GOP Sen. Ron Johnson.

Reid was retiring after five terms and trying to engineer a Democratic successor. Democrats were optimistic that a strong Latino vote, and Republican hopeful Rep. Joe Heck's stumbles with Trump, would keep Nevada in their column.

North Carolina and Missouri, on the other hand, were two GOP-friendly states that turned unexpectedly competitive as incumbent Republican Sens. Richard Burr and Roy Blunt seemed caught unawares by the nation's restless mood.

Throughout the campaign the Senate races provided moments of drama, not least as GOP candidates grappled with sharing a ticket with Trump. That tripped up Sen. Kelly Ayotte in New Hampshire after she asserted at one point that Trump could "absolutely" be a role model for the nation's youth.

In Nevada, Heck un-endorsed Trump to boos after the groping audio, but later seemed to backtrack. He ended the campaign refusing to say whether or not he'd vote for Trump. Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Pat Toomey, too, kept voters in suspense until the 11th hour before disclosing late Tuesday that he voted for Trump.

There were poignant moments, too.

Arizona GOP Sen. John McCain, at age 80, was seeking his sixth term in quite possibly his final campaign. The 2008 GOP presidential nominee, expected to be re-elected without much difficulty despite early predictions of a competitive race, struck a reflective note in a final pre-election rally.

"While as Yogi Berra said, 'I hate to make predictions, especially about the future,' I'm not sure how many more I have in me," McCain said.

Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the longest-serving sitting senator, was re-elected easily to an eighth term. Democrats held onto an open seat in Maryland, where Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen will replace the longest-serving female senator, Democrat Barbara Mikulski, who retired.

___

Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
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Linkedin Julie Pace and Robert Furlow (Associated Press) Washington  Wed, November 9, 2016

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump battled fiercely in a handful of exceptionally tight battleground states across the country Tuesday night, as an ugly and unpredictable presidential election lurched to an uncertain finish.

The contest in Florida, the night's biggest swing state prize, was especially close. In North Carolina and Virginia, Clinton's campaign was banking on a surge in major urban areas where the vote count was still trickling in.

The uncertainty sent markets tumbling across Asia, reflecting investor concern over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.

Clinton, a fixture in American politics for decades, was hoping to become the first woman to serve as commander in chief. She faced stiff competition from Trump, the billionaire businessman who tapped into a searing strain of economic populism.

Trump picked up a number of reliably Republican states, while Clinton won in Democratic territory. But the race was to be determined by fewer than a dozen competitive states where the candidates spent millions of dollars and much of the fall wooing voters.

Exit polls underscored the deep divisions that have defined the 2016 contest. Women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

Control of the Senate was also at stake, with Democrats needing to net four states if Clinton wins the White House. In Illinois, Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth defeated the Republican incumbent, but in neighboring Indiana, GOP Rep. Todd Young snatched away a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats.

The 45th president will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture. The economy has rebounded from the depths of recession, though many Americans have yet to benefit. New terror threats from home and abroad have raised security fears.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in her party's hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Barack Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his signature health care law.

"I know how much responsibility goes with this," Clinton said after voting Tuesday at her local polling station in Chappaqua, New York, with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at her side. "So many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country, and I will do the very best I can if I'm fortunate enough to win today."

Trump, the New York real estate developer who lives in a gold-plated Manhattan penthouse, forged a striking connection with white, working-class Americans who feel left behind in the changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of many problems plaguing the nation and called for building a wall along the US-Mexico border.

"I see so many hopes and so many dreams out there that didn't happen, that could have happened, with leadership, with proper leadership," he said by telephone on Fox News before casting his own ballot in Manhattan. "And people are hurt so badly."

Seven in 10 Americans who went to the polls Tuesday said immigrants now in the country illegally should be allowed to stay, while just a quarter said they should be deported. More than half oppose building a border wall, according to the exit polls, which were conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.

The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

Trump set both parties on edge when he refused to say in the third and final debate whether he would accept the election's results, citing with no evidence the possibility of a rigged outcome. His statement threatened to undermine a fundamental pillar of American democracy and raised the prospect that his fervent supporters would not view Clinton as a legitimate president if she won.

Asked Tuesday in an interview with Fox News if he would accept the election results, Trump continued to demur, saying "We're going to see how things play out."

Most problems that did pop up at polling places Tuesday appeared to be routine  the kinds of snags that come every four years, including long lines, machines not working properly and issues with ballots or voter rolls.

Even before Tuesday, almost 45 million people had cast ballots for president. Many expressed relief the end was in sight after an election season in which personal attacks often drowned out the issues.

Clinton has denounced Trump for calling Mexican immigrants "rapists" and promoting a ban on Muslims entering the US, and for his long line of remarks about women that culminated in an audio in which he bragged about grabbing their genitals. Her campaign was hoping high turnout among Hispanics push her over the top in states like Florida and Nevada.

"I grew up in a Hispanic family, and the way that Donald Trump has referred to illegal immigrants  being from illegal immigrants, I took that to heart," said Angel Salazar, a 22-year-old sanitation associate from Oklahoma City. "I don't like anything that he said. I don't like his views. So I voted for Hillary Clinton because she supports us."

Trump called his opponent "Crooked Hillary" for her use of a private email server as secretary of state and her complicated ties to the family's Clinton Foundation.

___

Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey, Bradley Klapper, Vivian Salama, Hope Yen, Jill Colvin and Lisa Lerer and AP Polling Director Emily Swanson contributed to this report.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

Tobacco farmers in Indonesia are worried the countrys tobacco exports will drop if the World Trade Organization (WTO) finds in favor of Australia in its plain packaging policy for cigarettes.

The Indonesian Tobacco Farmers Association (APTI) told The Jakarta Post that although Australia was not the main trader for Indonesian tobacco, other countries may apply similar policies if it managed to reduce the number of smokers in the land down under.

The policys provision will decrease our tobacco exports as antitobacco movements had emerged in other countries even before the WTO settlement, APTI head Wisnu Brata said on Wednesday.

In December 2012, Australia became the first country to fully require the removal of all company branding from cigarette packs, permitting manufacturers to print only the brand name in a mandated size, font and color. The country believes plain packaging will psychologically discourage youth from smoking.

Indonesia, together with Cuba, Honduras and the Dominican Republic, is challenging Australias policy at the WTO. The tobacco-producing countries expect panelists to announce the dispute settlement result in the first quarter of 2017.

Australias move has been followed by the UK and France, which from May this year regulated that all cigarette packages manufactured for them must be plain. It will become illegal to sell non-plain packaging from January in France and May 2017 in the UK.

The Central Statistics Agency showed that Indonesia exported about 17,000 metric tons of tobacco in 2014. In 2015, the Industry Ministry said Indonesia needed 300,000 tons of tobacco but production reached only 190,000 tons. (adt/evi)
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Linkedin (Associated Press) Washington  Wed, November 9, 2016

Donald Trump has pledged to be a president "for all Americans."

The president-elect, addressing supporters at his victory party in New York City, asked that the nation to come together, and promised to "represent every citizen of our land."

He added that it was "time for America to bind the wounds of division" and "time for us to come together as one."

He also declared his administration will be a time of "national growth and renewal."

Trump said "America will no longer settle for anything but the best" and said that the nation will "dream big and bold and daring."
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

As the US welcomes president- elect Donald Trump, a US representative to Indonesia has pledged that the worlds largest democracy will maintain its established relationship with Southeast Asias largest economy.

Following a tough presidential campaign between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Jakarta, Brian McFeeters, said he believed that regardless of who would come out as the winner, the result of the US presidential election would not hamper well-maintained relations between Indonesia and the US.

We are quite sure that no matter what the result of this presidential election, there would be broad continuity of a very well developed US-Indonesia relationship," he said at @america, the US Embassy's cultural center in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Republican Trump amazed people across the world by defeating Clinton of the Democratic Party in the race for the White House in what will end eight years of Democratic rule.

McFeeters said the US was committed to continuing its strategic partnership with Indonesia. That covered a wide array of aspects, including education, culture, defense and cooperation on counterterrorism efforts.

He highlighted Indonesia's growing role on the global stage, such as in the G20, which he believed would be crucial to fix a global economic slowdown.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla previously expressed his concern over protectionist policies Trump announced during his campaign, which he said would hamper the trade partnership between the two countries. In June, he criticized Trump following the latters plan to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the US, saying that could spark retaliatory policies from other countries. (fac/ebf)
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Linkedin Joseph Ciolli (Bloomberg) New York, United States  Wed, November 9, 2016

US stock futures plunged as investors rushed to price in a potential victory by Donald Trump in the US presidential race, as rising odds of victory for the Republican in a succession of key swing stakes shocked investors into a near-panic and threw global markets into disarray.

December contracts on the S&P 500 Index lost 4.3 percent to 2,044 at 11:23 p.m. in New York, extending losses as Trump held slim leads in numerous must-win states for Clinton. Key battlegrounds of Michigan and New Hampshire are among other states where polls have closed and results have been too close to call, but show Trump leading over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Ohio went to Trump.

The marketplace at least has upgraded dramatically Trumps chances of pulling this off -- clearly the market is pretty nervous, said David Joy, the Boston-based chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial Inc., which oversees US$796 billion. Its across-the-board and theres this general reaction, which just shows you how jittery the market is about this.

S&P 500 futures erased the rally that began Sunday night on word the FBI had resolved its investigation of Clintons e-mails. The benchmark gained 2.6 percent on Monday and Tuesday, its third biggest gain ever in the two days before a presidential election.

A Trump victory, buttressed by electoral gains from Florida to North Carolina, had been portrayed by analysts as having the potential to unhinge markets that had banked on a continuation of policies that coincided with the second-longest bull market in S&P 500 history.

The stock market has shown itself more comfortable with the Democrat taking over the White House as Trump is considered less predictable after his policy positions have not been consistent during the race. At stake is leadership of the worlds largest economy at a time when America is divided over immigration, trade and the countrys role in the wider world.

Traders are especially on edge after the UKs vote to leave the European Union was largely not predicted by polls and betting markets. Declines in futures that night triggered the Chicago Mercantile Exchanges limit down price curbs. The rules come into effect when S&P 500 contracts decline 5 percent from a reference price that is calculated in the last 30 seconds of trading on the previous day.

E-mini futures on the benchmark gauge settled Tuesday at 2,135.12, implying a trigger at around 2,029. The curb means the contract cannot trade at a lower price for the remainder of the overnight session.

Everything thing weve been reading suggested youd see a Clinton win and that Republicans take take control of the House. Every incremental vote that makes that outcome more difficult, thats a vote towards a lower market, said Mike Bailey, director of research at FBB Capital Partners, which oversees $900 million. As the race looks more competitive, thats going to weigh on equity prices as we head into tomorrow.

Swaps traders trimmed wagers on tighter US monetary policy. The market-implied chance of a December rate hike by the Federal Reserve plunged below 50 percent, based on US overnight indexed swaps that trade 24 hours a day, compared to 82 percent at 5 p.m. The OIS-derived probability tends to be a few percentage points lower compared to calculations based on fed funds futures.

About 700,000 e-minis contracts expiring in December have changed hands since the futures market started trading at 6 p.m. New York time, 22 times the average volume at this time of the day over the past month, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

The S&P 500 Index advanced 0.4 percent Tuesday to cap its biggest two-day rally since June. The index sits at the highest in two weeks after rebounding from a nine-day rout that was the longest slump in 36 years.

Final voter polls taken before voting began Tuesday showed Democrat Hillary Clinton with a narrow lead over Republican Donald Trump. The two have spent the past days campaigning in key states as polls showed the race had tightened. State-by-state surveys indicate a narrow lead for the Democratic candidate, while websites that take bets on the presidential victor show her odds of winning the White House are generally about 80 percent.

The walloping in stocks will test the reliability of hedges built up over the last month as the election neared. Some of the biggest were tied to swings in the CBOE Volatility Index, the options-derived gauge of market stress which saw its longest streak of gains ever last week. Volume in VIX futures have been at or close to records in past weeks, a sign institutional investors took steps to mitigate a potential plunge.

Hedges are pretty tricky when its such a binary outcome of results, meaning that the initial reaction for a Trump victory was clearly going to create some volatility around the equity market, aid Mark Heppenstall, chief investment officer of Penn Mutual Asset Management which oversees $20 billion. Its always hard to have effective hedges when there are expected outcomes.

Regardless of how equity prices react on Nov. 9, next-day moves in the S&P 500 are useless in telling what comes after, as gains or losses over the first 24 hours predict the markets direction 12 months later less than half the time.

In the 22 elections going back to 1928, the S&P 500 has fallen 15 times the day after polls close, for an average loss of 1.8 percent. Stocks reversed course and moved higher over the next 12 months in nine of those instances, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

PT Iwatani Industrial Gas Indonesia, a local subsidiary of Japanese energy firm Iwatani Corporation, in cooperation with the Indonesian Welding Society (IWS), announced on Wednesday the winners of their joint welding contest, which aimed to improve the skills of local welders.

We want to give a contribution to support the development of the welding industry in Indonesia, Ueha Hisato, Iwatani Corporations vice president director, said during the welding contest award ceremony in Jakarta.

A total of 123 participants representing 61 companies joined the 1st Welding Contest, held last month in West Java and Banten. They represented various industries specializing in areas such as automobiles, heavy equipment and ship building.

Samsul Arif of Komatsu Indonesia was crowned the contest's first ever winner, followed by Wiwin Indra Purnama, also of Komatsu, and Aat Puji Lestari of Dharma Polimetal. The three winners received trophies and were granted a training trip to Japan.

The judging method for the welding projects was based on a scoring system that used visual inspection criteria by taking into account dimensional accuracy, whether the finished welds fit the required size and a visual examination. The final grade was the total combined score of the welding test and written assignment test.

From the competition, I found out that many participants still did not know the right welding techniques. Many things still need to be improved, said Yudi Bakti, a judge from the IWS. (win/hwa)
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Linkedin (Associated Press) Nicosia, Cyprus  Thu, November 10, 2016

Cyprus authorities say they are towing a boat crammed with as many as 150 people believed to by Syrian migrants to a harbor.

A statement from Cyprus' Joint Rescue Coordination Center said rough seas are making the rescue effort difficult. The boat is expected to reach the Latsi harbor before midnight Wednesday.

The boat is believed to have set off from Mersin, Turkey.

Cyprus lies around 100 miles (160 kilometers) off Syria's Mediterranean coast but has not had the large of inflow of refugees that Greece has.

Last month another boat that departed from Mersin with 83 Syrian migrants aboard was towed to safety. (bbn)
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Linkedin Josh Boak, David McHugh, and Joe McDonnals (Associated Press) Washington  Thu, November 10, 2016

Donald Trump's promise to put America first helped propel him to the US presidency. But he also unleashed uncertainty on the global economy by skewering trading partners and offering few specifics that might calm allies or businesses.

Financial markets reacted quickly and negatively to the unknowns of a Trump stewardship of the world's largest economy. By Wednesday afternoon, though, stocks had rebounded, especially those involving drug companies, defense contractors and firms that rebuild infrastructure, which could benefit from a Trump administration.

Many analysts asked: Will  or can Trump shed his aggressive rhetoric?

"We simply can't know what type of President Trump will be," said Paul Ashworth, chief US economist for Capital Economics.

Trump had campaigned by vowing to rip up trade deals he deems unfavorable. He promised penalties for US companies that offshore factory jobs. He would label China a currency manipulator. He would repeal President Barack Obama's health care law.

He staked his credibility on erecting a wall along the Mexican border and limiting immigration  ideas that connected with a mainly white working class that's felt abandoned by political leaders.

The president-elect has promised to spur growth with a roughly $6 billion tax cut over the next decade. It's a policy that could help the US economy but also cause its national debt to jump, according to economists. Trump would also use tax credits to fund infrastructure projects, saying he could deliver $1 trillion in investment over 10 years.

"Mr. Trump has proposed tax cuts and deregulation," said Brian Wesbury, chief economist at First Trust Portfolios. "That's not a bad start. We have never seen a tax cut we don't appreciate."

Analysts at Credit Suisse noted that Trump "will learn quickly the power of his new pulpit" as the markets respond to his pronouncements.

"This morning's rally in infrastructure-related investments has demonstrated that the market will react to any specifics it hears," analysts at the Swiss bank concluded.

Yet Trump has provided so few fleshed-out policy details that he fostered the impression of a White House that would be run largely on his instincts. For some investors and analysts, that approach has left a sense of unease about the possible direction of the U.S. economy under his watch.

Among other things, Trump has floated the idea of neglecting the national debt to negotiate for better terms. He argued that he can boost growth by cutting taxes for the wealthy, slashing regulations and reducing the country's dependence on imports.

The flip side, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, is that Trump's plans would raise the national debt by $5.3 trillion over 10 years. This would be on top of the $9 trillion that the national debt is already projected to rise by the Congressional Budget Office. The increase in debt risks making it more expensive for the United States to borrow.

Trump has insisted that the US economy can grow nearly 4 percent a year  roughly double its current pace. The Federal Reserve has estimated that growth will average below 2 percent. (During his campaign, Trump attacked the US central bank as a pawn of Obama.)

Even his tax plans have raised questions about whether single parents might face a higher tax burden while the wealthy enjoy sizable savings. The top 1 percent of earners would receive, on average, a tax cut of $214,690 in 2017, according to the Tax Policy Center. Those in the top 0.1 percent would enjoy a tax cut of more than $1 million.

"Taking Trump's campaign rhetoric at face value, there is reason to believe that the policies he supports could push the US into a recession and could create wider contagion," said Megan Greene, chief economist at Manulife Asset Management.

The one certainty is that Trump "will face fewer obstacles in pushing through his agenda" because of the Republican majorities in both the House and Senate, Greene said.

Uncertainty itself carries risks to the global economy and has been one factor in slowing growth since the 2008 financial crisis and Great Recession. It can make businesses and government postpone spending on new plants, infrastructure and jobs.

Key trading partners appear nervous, though their anxieties might appear to be vindication for Trump voters who oppose globalization.

Ulrich Grillo, head of the Federation of German Industries, said that "Donald Trump would be well-advised not to seal off the U.S. economy from the world. Otherwise, the lack of clarity about the future course will lead to significant negative effects for the world economy."

The United States is a major market for German companies like BMW and Daimler. By one estimate, 1.5 million jobs depend on exports to the United States, the country's biggest trading partner.

US. import barriers could especially hurt economies such as China and South Korea as they grapple with slowing growth. World trade in merchandise will grow this year by only 1.7 percent, the slowest pace since the financial crisis of 2008-9, according to the World Trade Organization.

In his victory speech, Trump adopted a softer tone but pledged to put US interests first.

"I want to tell the world community that while we will always put America's interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone," Trump said. "We will seek common ground, not hostility. Partnership, not conflict."

An analysis in June by Moody's Analytics said that if Trump's proposals on taxes, trade, immigration and government spending were fully adopted, it would slash U.S. economic output and eliminate 3.5 million jobs, leaving the US economy "isolated and diminished." (bbn)

Boak reported from Washington, McDonald from Beijing and McHugh from Berlin. Youkyung Lee in Seoul, Danica Kirka in London and Annabelle Liang in Singapore also contributed to this report.
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Linkedin (Associated Press) Mexico City, United States  Wed, November 9, 2016

Cambodia's long-serving authoritarian prime minister Hun Sen has congratulated Donald Trump on his US presidential election victory.

On his official Facebook page, Hun Sen called Trump "your excellency" and pointed out that he'd announced his support for the Republican candidate several days earlier.

He says "American voters have shown their choice to elect your excellency ... My support for your candidacy is not wrong either."

Hun Sen has kept a tight grip on Cambodian politics for three decades by silencing critics with lawsuits, intimidation and other tactics.
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Linkedin Nestor Corrales (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) Kuala Lumpur  Wed, November 9, 2016

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday congratulated US President-elect Donald Trump, as he looked forward to an enhanced Philippines-US relations anchored on mutual respect.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte wishes to extend his warm congratulations to Donald Trump on his recent electoral victory as president of the US, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.

The US presidential election is a testament to the enduring traditions of its democratic system and the US way of life. The two-party system gives US voters the freedom of choice based on party platforms and not just on personalities, he said.

Andanar said Duterte wished Trump success for his four-year term as the US chief executive.

[Duterte] looks forward to working with the incoming administration for enhanced Philippines-US relations anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit and shared commitment to democratic ideals and the rule of law, he said.

Duterte is currently in Thailand to condole with the royal family and the Thai people amid the recent death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

He is expected to arrive here on Wednesday afternoon as he embarks on his eighth Asian trip.

This article appeared on the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
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Linkedin (The Star) Petaling Jaya, Malaysia  Wed, November 9, 2016

Donald Trump's presidency will not result in a complete departure in United States foreign policy towards Malaysia, an expert says.

Malaysian Association for American Studies (MAAS) president K.S. Nathan told The Star Online on Wednesday that while Trump might pay more attention to domestic priorities as previously outlined in his campaign, it does not mean that the United States will neglect foreign policy.

"I think America cannot afford to be isolationist.

"Internationally, America will be engaged and has to be engaged. There is no choice. He [Trump] cannot pull back from all the commitments that the United States has made and as a world power, it will remain engaged," said Nathan.

Nathan added that although Trump himself might not know about South-East Asian politics "with the same amount of interest and significance as the Obama administration", he can still benefit from his advisers.

He said that pulling out of the region would only be to the advantage of competing powers such as China.

Nathan said that the Obama administration's engagement with Asia and the strategic partnership it shares with Malaysian will likely continue.

"In foreign policy, whether it is a Clinton or Trump presidency, the basic contours of American foreign policy do not change as they are heavily institutionalized.

"The president only implements the national interest of the United States which is not formulated entirely by him but also by the political institutions of the United States," said Nathan.

He warned against expecting a complete departure from previous US foreign policy, adding that "American foreign policy is quite predictable".
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Linkedin (Associated Press) Manila  Wed, November 9, 2016

Philippine defense officials say President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the continuation of joint military exercises with US forces, but the number of drills will be reduced and will exclude mock assaults.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Wednesday that Duterte also allowed the government to proceed with a 2014 defense agreement with Washington permitting US forces to be stationed temporarily at five designated Philippine military camps, along with their warships and planes.

Duterte had previously threatened to end military exercises with the United States.

Lorenzana said he and other security officials explained to the president at a Cabinet meeting on Monday how the Philippines benefits from the annual maneuvers.

Defense Department public affairs chief Arsenio Andolong said the changes will be discussed with US military officials at a Nov. 22 meeting.
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Linkedin Masajeng Rahmiasri (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, November 9, 2016

After announcing that it would relocate to a new office in 2014, budget carrier AirAsia finally moved into its new space in Sepang, Malaysia, on Monday.

The office, dubbed RedQuarters, is located on an 18,000-square-meter plot beside Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2). It is reportedly set to house 2,000 AirAsia employees.

(Read also: Bucket list trip to Bora Bora: It's not just for celebrities)

With features like indoor grass and colorful, stylish furniture, the huge open-plan office breaks away from conventional office stereotypes. AirAsia told The Edge Markets that the design was intended to reflect the companys determination to become Malaysia and the regions best airline, while incorporating elements showcasing the professional, fun and friendly attitudes.

The company threw a celebratory opening party at the new headquarters featuring local entertainers SonaOne and Joe Flizzow. (kes)
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Linkedin Jennifer McDermott (Associated Press) Bora Bora, French Polynesia  Wed, November 9, 2016

Somehow I convinced my husband that the fifth wedding anniversary is the Tahitian anniversary. The traditional gift, actually, is wood.

For years, I had dreamed of going to Bora Bora in French Polynesia. The lagoon's glimmering turquoise, jade and cobalt blue waters, the overwater bungalows, the seclusion for me, it was the ultimate bucket list destination.

Some of the world's most famous celebrities vacation in Bora Bora. Jennifer Aniston honeymooned there. Pictures of Justin Bieber swimming naked in Bora Bora circulated far and wide online last year. Usain Bolt celebrated his Olympic victories there in September.

That doesn't mean normal couples can't go too  if they can afford it, of course. Our trip for a week, including flights and our hotel stay (with breakfast), cost just under $10,000.

My husband and I spent a week lounging on the deck of our bungalow at Le Meridien Bora Bora. We woke early to catch brilliant orange and pink sunrises. We got up close and personal with sea creatures, from moray eels and trumpetfish to sea turtles, sharks and stingrays. We discovered that the saying heard in pearl shops, "You don't choose the pearl, the pearl chooses you" is surprisingly true. Most of all, we tried to relax and take it all in.

Bora Bora, located about 160 miles (260 kilometers) northwest of Tahiti, was formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. Mount Otemanu, a remnant of the volcano, rises nearly 2,400 feet (730 meters) on the island and serves as the backdrop of many photos.

(Read also: Island-hopping in Indonesia: Visiting a few from thousands)

In this Nov. 2, 2015 photo courtesy of Jennifer McDermott, Associated Press writer Jennifer McDermott holds an older, docile stingray with help from a tour guide in Bora Bora. (AP/Jennifer McDermott)

About 9,000 people live in Bora Bora. The temperature is a relatively consistent 80 F (27 C).

The island is set in a lagoon and surrounded by a string of motus, or small islets, where luxury resorts are located. The colors are stunning. A friend said my photo looked like a watercolor painting.

We flew to Los Angeles, where many U.S. flights to Tahiti converge. From Los Angeles, it's about an eight-hour overnight flight to Papeete, Tahiti. It's less than an hour by plane from there to Bora Bora. Then it's a short boat ride to the main city, Vaitape, or to one of the luxury resorts. We didn't need vaccinations or a visa.

Our overwater bungalow faced outward to the lagoon, which we requested when booking. Others are turned in, toward the resort. It featured a glass floor for fish watching and a spiral staircase for climbing into the lagoon.

We splurged on massages early in the week, before our pale skin turned a reddish hue, and we fed baby sea turtles at the Turtle Center established at Le Meridien. We took the hotel's boat to The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort to dine at the exclusive Lagoon restaurant by acclaimed French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and to check out the lavish bungalows with private swimming pools over the lagoon.

We tried paddle boarding. Then we tried snorkeling to find the sunglasses we lost while paddle boarding. Adventurous couples buzzed around the island on jet skis.

Feeling adventurous ourselves, we signed up for a snorkeling trip to swim with stingrays and sharks. There are so many stingrays there, you feel their slick, rubbery bodies hitting your legs. One is an older, docile stingray the guides call "grandma." Our guide from Teiva Tours lifted grandma and kissed it on the mouth!

(Read also: 5 fun activities for holidaymakers to do on Gili islands)

In this Nov. 1, 2016 photo a couple strolls along the sidewalk next to the beach at Le Meridien resort in Bora Bora.(AP/Jennifer McDermott)

But when the guides started "chumming" the waters with fish parts to draw blacktip sharks, we climbed back into the boat. The sharks were much more interested in the fish than in us, but we weren't taking any chances of a misdirected chomp. In deeper waters, we snorkeled at the surface as 9-foot (3-meter) lemon sharks glided along the bottom.

We also spent a day in Vaitape. There's a center where locals sell their crafts, a small marketplace to stock up on sunscreen, juice and inexpensive French wine, and a cafe. The mountainside is home to cannons left behind by U.S. forces during World War II.

The main thing we did though, was shop for Tahitian pearls. We were leaving one of the stores when I caught a glimpse of a pair of green pearl earrings. I walked away but no other pearl could compare, so we returned at the end of the day to buy the pearl that chose me.

There's a must-visit spot along the coastline, about 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the city center: Bloody Mary's, a funky restaurant known for its seafood and celebrity visits. I enjoyed the restaurant's signature plate of teriyaki wahoo and the house drink, a Bloody Mary of course, while my husband loved trying meka, a broadbill swordfish found in the South Pacific. By the entrance there's a long list of famous people who have dined there.

At the hotel, we ended the week as we began. We lounged on the deck, telling each other how unbelievable it was that we got to see such beauty in person and check Bora Bora off the bucket list.
Following the election of Mr. Donald Trump and Governor Mike Pence to the Presidency and Vice Presidency of the United States, Rabbi David Zwiebel, Agudath Israels executive vice president, issued the following statement of congratulations:

Agudath Israel of America congratulates Mr. Trump and Governor Pence on their historic victory in yesterdays election. We offer them our most sincere wishes and heartfelt prayers for success.

We have always enjoyed close working relationships with the White House, irrespective of which political party happens to be its occupant, and we similarly look forward to working closely with President Trump and his Administration in the weeks and years ahead.

[TLS]
Reaction is starting to come in from local elected officials regarding last nights stunning result in the presidential election. Heres a statement we just received from City Council member Margaret Chin:

Many of us are hurting today. But in the midst of bitter disappointment and diminished hopes, I will always be proud of Secretary Clinton and what she was able to accomplish in this historic election. She may not have broken the final glass ceiling, but she took down barriers that future generations of young women will be able to walk through with greater ease and success. Today we are faced with the reality of a Trump Presidency. I know that many of my constituents, in the Lower East Side, in Chinatown, and across my district in Lower Manhattan, are afraid about what comes next. I share that fear, but I am determined to press on with our Citys progressive goals and to defend the gains made on behalf of all New Yorkers  like a living wage, affordable healthcare, and LGBT rights. First and foremost, we as a City must prepare to protect our people from any deportation force that has long been promised by the Trump campaign. I do not want to demonize any particular political party or group. Instead, I believe this election has shown that we need to have more conversations with Americans about the role immigrants, people of color and members of the LGBT community play in our democracy. We need to start those conversations now  because I still have faith in the American people. I have faith that, in the end, love will trump hate.

State Sen. Daniel Squadron, who won re-election last night, also sent out an email this morning:

After a very difficult night for many of us, I wanted to thank the 320,000 people of the 26th Senate District for giving me the opportunity to serve another term. Working for you continues to be humbling, and a great honor. Yesterday was an urgent reminder that civic engagement does not, and cannot, stop at the ballot box.

Squadron is encouraging people in the community to attend his upcoming town hall meetings. He said the meetings will be an opportunity to discuss what yesterdays election means for all. The first town hall takes place in Brooklyn tomorrow night. There will be a second session next Tuesday, Nov. 15, at the DCTV-Firehouse Building, 87 Lafayette St. More info here.
After the polls close tonight at 9 p.m. (or maybe before the polls close), youre obviously going to need a stiff drink. It could be a long, tense night waiting for the future of the nation to be decided. Here are a few suggestions in case youre looking for an election night party on the Lower East Side.

Our friends at Donnybrook, 35 Clinton St., will be hosting an election returns watching party (sound up all night). Dont worry, those guys you see in the photo will be partying uptown. But we understand two local political clubs  Downtown Independent Democrats and Coalition for a District Alternative (CoDA)  will be hanging out at Donnybrook as the results come rolling in.

LES Enfants de Boheme, 177 Henry St., will start the party rolling early (at 6:30 p.m.) The festivities are co-hosted by Josh Lucas, whos a part owner of the restaurant. Not much question where these guys stand. Drink offerings include the #NastyWoman (American Whisky, muddled lemon, sugar and mint with prickly pear and tabasco.

Clandestino, the neighborhood bar at 35 Canal St., will get the party started at around 8 p.m. Theyre bringing in a television for the big occasion.

Schillers Liquor Bar, 131 Rivington St., will pull down the big screen for tonights television coverage.

Rochelles, 205 Chrystie St., will give you a free whiskey shot if you show the bartender one of those, I Voted stickers. By the way, Rochelles is celebrating its third anniversary this week.

If youd prefer to become drunk on culture, White Box, the art space at 329 Broome St., is hosting a special election night show called, Acts of Sedition. See the full lineup here.
While were still reeling from last nights shocker in the presidential election, the results in local races were a lot more predictable. Yuh-Line Niou was elected to serve the Lower East Side in Albany. She will succeed Sheldon Silver in the 65th Assembly District, after winning the Democratic Primary in September.

According to the State Board of Elections, Niou was the choice of 67% of those voting yesterday in Lower Manhattan. She collected 27,679 votes, while Republican Bryan Jung was the choice of 13%. He pulled in 5411 votes. The 65AD seat is currently held by Alice Cancel, who won a special election in April but lost the primary election earlier this fall. Cancel ran yesterday on the Womens Equality Party line, attracting just under 5% (2031 votes). Manny Cavaco of the Green Party picked up 3%, or 1273 votes.

Niou is a resident of the Financial District and formerly served as chief of staff to Assemblyman Ron Kim of Queens. Her election is precedent-setting. Niou will join her former boss (Kim is a Korean American) as only the second person of Asian descent in the New York State Legislature. Silver, convicted last year on federal corruption charges, served the Lower East Side in Albany since 1976.

Niou celebrated her victory last night with supporters at Hotel Chantelle, the Ludlow Street night club.

In other political news, Daniel Squadron coasted to victory last night in the 26th Senate District (he ran unopposed). Squadron represents Lower Manhattan and sections of Brooklyn. Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh easily defeated his Republican challenger, pulling in 74% of the vote.

At the federal level, Congresswomen Nydia Velazquez and Carolyn Maloney were easily re-elected.
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Bridled dolphin found washed up on Phuket beach

PHUKET: A bridled dolphin was found washed up at Kamala Beach by local fisherman this morning (Nov 9).

animalsmarine

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

Wednesday 9 November 2016, 01:32PM

Volunteers help bring the stranded dolphin to shore. Photo: Niruj Phuket

After locals and tourists were unsuccessful in their attempt to pull the dolphin back out to the sea, staff from Kamala Sub-district Administrative Organisation contacted officials from the Phuket Marine Biological Centre (PMBC) and requested assistance.

The dolphin was transferred to the PMBC at 11 am.

Dr Kongkret Kitiwattanawong, Chief of the Phuket Marine Endangered Species Unit, said, We were informed about the dolphin this morning. I believe it may have an infection, however, we are waiting for blood test results to confirm the dolphins condition.

This dolphin is a bridled dolphin, but we dont know its dolphins age just yet as we havent carried out a full check.

I want the dolphin to rest for a while as it has just been given medication, he said.
Crazed Belorussian man hospitalised in Phuket

PHUKET: A Belorussian man was taken to hospital yesterday (Nov 8) after he became frantic and disappeared into a rubber plantation claiming to see dead people. He was later found walking down a street naked.

healthlandpolice

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Wednesday 9 November 2016, 04:01PM

Rescue workers assist the crazed Belorussian man, 34-year-old Kirill Belov. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

At 7pm yesterday Thalang Police Capt Norot Boonsiri sent police officers and rescue workers to search for a crazed foreign man who was reported to have gone crazy and taken off his clothes before running into the rubber plantation across from the Shell gasoline station on Thepkrassattri Rd in Thalang.

The man was later named by police as 34-year-old Kirill Belov from Belarus.

While searching for the man in the plantation, police were notified by local resident, Mr Mongkonpat Poopanna, 34, that he had spotted a naked foreigner walking down the road not far from the area where he was last seen.

Mr Mongkonpat told police that he tried to ask the man if he needed help but the man seemed delusional so he called police.

Police arrived to find Mr Belov in a trance-like state, they managed to calm him down before taking him to Thalang Hospital where doctors were to give him a health examination including a check of his mental state. They were also to test him for drugs.

A friend of the man, Mr Aliaksandr Siarheyeu, 34, also from Belarus, told police that the two of them came from Chalong on a motorbike and were heading to Thalang when Mr Belov started talking and acting strangely so he stopped the vehicle.

Police were told that Mr Belov ran off screaming that he could see dead people, both good and bad. He then took off his clothes and ran into the rubber plantation (at Baan Prusompan Moo 4 Thepkrassattri).

Mr Siarheyeu also told police that Mr Belov started acting strangely after he (Mr Belov) came back from Koh Samui last week, but it was not anywhere near as bad as yesterdays incident.
Donald Trump wins US presidency in stunning upset

UNITED STATES: Donald Trump has stunned America and the world, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States.

politicsreligion

By AFP

Wednesday 9 November 2016, 03:34PM

Republican president-elect Donald Trump acknowledges the crowd during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours today (Nov 9). Photo: AFP

The Republican mogul defeated his Democratic rival, plunging global markets into turmoil and casting the long-standing global political order, which hinges on Washingtons leadership, into doubt.

Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division, Trump told a crowd of jubilant supporters in the early hours of today (Nov 9) in New York.

I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans.

During a bitter two-year campaign that tugged at Americas democratic fabric, the bombastic tycoon pledged to deport illegal immigrants, ban Muslims from the country and tear up free trade deals.

His message appears to have been embraced by much of Americas white majority, disgruntled by the breath and scope of social change and economic change in the last eight years under their first black president, Barack Obama.

Trump openly courted Russian leader Vladimir Putin, called US support for NATO allies in Europe into question and suggested that South Korea and Japan should develop their own nuclear weapons.

The businessman turned TV star turned-politico  who has never before held elected office  will become commander-in-chief of the worlds sole true superpower on January 20.

The results prompted a global market sell-off, with stocks plunging across Asia and Europe and billions being wiped off the value of investments.

Although he has no government experience and in recent years has spent as much time running beauty pageants and starring in reality television as he had building his property empire, Trump at 70 will be the oldest man to ever become president.

Yet, during his improbable rise, Trump has constantly proved the pundits and received political wisdom wrong.

Opposed by the entire senior hierarchy of his own Republican Party, he trounced more than a dozen better-funded and more experienced rivals in the party primary.

During the race, he was forced to ride out allegations of sexual assault and was embarrassed but apparently not shamed to have been caught on tape boasting about groping women.

And, unique in modern US political history, he refused to release his tax returns.

But the biggest upset came yesterday (Nov 8), as he swept to victory through a series of hard-fought wins in battleground states from Florida to Ohio.

Clinton had been widely assumed to be on course to enter the history books as the first woman to become president in America's 240-year existence.

Americans have repudiated her call for unity amid the United States wide cultural and racial diversity, opting instead for a leader who insisted the country is broken and that I alone can fix it.

If early results hold out, Trumps party will have full control of Congress and he will be able to appoint a ninth Supreme Court justice to a vacant seat on the bench, deciding the balance of the body.

So great was the shock that Clinton did not come out to her supporters poll-watching party to concede defeat, but instead called Trump and sent her campaign chairman to insist in vain the result was too close to call.

I want every person in this hall to know, and I want every person across the country who supported Hillary to know that your voices and your enthusiasm mean so much to her and to him and to all of us. We are so proud of you. And we are so proud of her, chairman John Podesta told shell-shocked supporters.

Shes done an amazing job, and she is not done yet, he insisted.

The election result was also a brutal humiliation for the White House incumbent, Obama, who for eight years has repeated the credo that there is no black or white America, only the United States of America.

On the eve of the election, he told tens of thousands of people in Philadelphia that he was betting on the decency of the American people.

Im betting that tomorrow, most moms and dads across America wont cast their vote for someone who denigrates their daughters, Obama said.

Im betting that tomorrow, true conservatives wont cast their vote for somebody with no regard for the Constitution, he added.

His bet appears to have been flat out wrong, and Americas first black president will be succeeded by a candidate who received the endorsement  albeit unsought and unacknowledged  of the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan.

Trumps shock victory is just the latest evidence that globalisation has eroded faith in liberal political leadership.

From Britains vote to leave the European Union to the rise of far right populists and nationalists in continental Europe, opposition to open trade and social and racial tensions are on the rise.
Russian family rescued from sea after Phuket speedboat sinks

PHUKET: A Russian family, including an 8-year-old girl, were rescued from the sea after the tour speedboat they were travelling sank near Koh Hong in Krabi yesterday (Nov 8).

Russiantourismmarineaccidentstransport

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Wednesday 9 November 2016, 12:24PM

The Russian family, speedboat captain and Thai tour guide were all safely rescued about five nautical miles south of Koh Hong. Photo: Jampen Phomphakdee

All eight survivors were recovered with no reports of injuries, officials confirmed.

Local park chief Jampen Phomphakdee and his team recovered the family about five nautical miles south of Koh Hong after receiving a mayday call from the speedboat captain Ekkachai Rachakan.

We took two dinghies and one longtail boat to search for them, Chief Jampen reported.

We rescued five Russians and the Thai guide and the captain, he added,

All tourists were wearing life jackets and holding onto floats. All seven were safe and were taken to Koh Hong where they could recover, he explained.

Tour guide Manasaya Hirano, 35, told The Phuket News, We picked up a Russian couple and their three daughters from Phuket and visited Koh Hong then Koh Gai (Chicken Island).

We left (Koh Gai) at 4pm and started heading to Koh Yao. We were about four kilometres (sic) from Koh Hong when we noticed water coming in at the back of the boat. Then our boat started to sink, she said.

Our captain Ekkachai called park officials for help. Ms Manasaya added.

Chief Jampen confirmed to The Phuket News that all seven were safely returned to Phuket by 6pm.
Scheduled blackout in parts of Kamala on Friday

PHUKET: Electricity supply will be temporarily shut down in some parts of Kamala on Friday (Nov 11) so workers can upgrade high-voltage lines, the Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) announced today (Nov 9).



By Yutthawat Lekmak

Wednesday 9 November 2016, 06:31PM

The scheduled blackout will affect parts of Kamala on Friday (Nov 11). Photo: The Phuket News / file

The scheduled blackout will affect areas from in front of the Muslim Cemetery to the the top of the hills toward Patong, said the notice. The affected areas include Soi Kamala, Soi Kamala Police Station, Muslim Cemetery, Thiwa Ratri, Soi Kamala Beach, Baan Huakwan, Soi Nai Boat, Soi Tohkhiad, Soi Kokyang, in front of Kamala Municipality, Baan Neua, Baan Bangwan, Soi Namtok, Soi Jawa, in front of Big C and Baan Naka. Electricity supply to these areas will be affected 9am to 4:30pm. The PEA apologised for any inconvenience while the work is carried out. For more info call the PEA at 076-319173 or 082-7901634.
Search for missing Russian at Similans enters Day 9

PHUKET: Rescue teams and Marine Police from Phang Nga today are continuing their search for missing Russian national Alexey Stashkov, who disappeared after going for a swim from a friends yacht moored off the Similan Islands last week.

Wednesday 9 November 2016, 11:19AM

The search from missing Russian national Alexey Stashkov enters its ninth day today (Nov 9). Photo: Similan National Park:

Mr Stashkov disappeared on Oct 31 after he was caught in a fast-moving current while swimming from a friends yacht moored close to a small island, about one mile east of Koh Payan.

Attempts by Mikhail Kolmogorov, his friend and the captain of the yacht Revolution, failed to recover him. (See story here.)

We have not found Mr Stashkov yet, but rescue teams, Marine Police from Phang Nga and Similan National Park officials have joined forces to search for him, Lt Kwanjai Kerwan, the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command public liaison in Phuket, told The Phuket News today (Nov 9).

The search is being carried out on water and land, Lt Kwanjai said, with search teams landing on small islands in the area to check whether Mr Stashkov made it ashore alive.

Navy officers are using navy vessel Tor229 only to assist with the search. We are not using a helicopter. The boat can cover 20 nautical miles a day and rescue navy officials use rubber dinghys to get to the beaches, he explained.

The search on land is as important as the search on water, Lt Kwanjai noted.

There are many small islands in the search area. Park officers regularly patrol their own islands, which they know well, and they are now specifically searching for Mr Stashkov and checking with indigenous people in the area, he said.

If we find him, we will let the public know immediately, Lt Kwanjai added.
Here we go again. All those expats/experts with their sandcastle diploma are on it again. Yawn !...(Read More)
Thousands of Phuket college students honour the late HM King Bhumibol

PHUKET: More than 3,000 Phuket Vocational College students gathered at Surakul Stadium this morning (Nov 9) to honour and pay their respects to the late HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who passed away on Oct 13.

culture

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

Wednesday 9 November 2016, 12:43PM

Starting at 8am, the thousands of students gathered on the field and formed the Thai numeral for the number 9 featured inside a heart, in honour of the late HM King Bhumibol, who was the ninth monarch of the Chakri Dynasty.

In total, 3,649 people took part in the activity, including 3,320 students and faculty staff from six colleges in Phuket.

Together they took a pledge led by Phuket Governor Chokchai Dejamornthan to promote harmony among students from the many different colleges on the island to honour the late HM King Bhumibol.

Testament to their pledge, the students this afternoon to stage cleanups in public areas and even manually clear canals of debris.
SD Secretary of State office says Smith remedied campaign finance mistake

Rep. Jamie Smith's campaign originally did not include the mailing addresses of his donors in violation of campaign finance law.
As part of John Abbott Colleges recent Open House held October 22nd, students from Nursing, Pre-Hospital Emergency Care and Police Technology took part in a car accident scenario that unfolded in real time.


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Election Day has arrived at last, and Americans are heading to the polls to have their say i
National Geographic's famed green-eyed "Afghan Girl" Sharbat Gulla poses for a photo during a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, at the Presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, Nov. 9, 2016. Afghanistan's president on Wednesday welcomed home Gulla who was deported from Pakistan after a court had convicted her on charges of carrying a forged Pakistani ID card and staying in the country illegally. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)
People hold placards as they take part in an anti-racism protest against President-elect Donald Trump winning the American election, outside the U.S. embassy in London, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton conceded her defeat to Republican Donald Trump after the hard-fought presidential election. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
A man stops at a newsstand to pick up copies of the New York Post newspaper featuring president-elect Donald Trump's victory, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016 in New York. Trump claimed his place Wednesday as America's 45th president, an astonishing victory for the celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalized on voters' economic anxieties, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations on his way to the White House. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
With foreign dance forms like salsa and hip hop making their way into Indian films and dance reality shows, Kathak exponent Pandit Birju Maharaj feels western dance and music is "polluting" Indian culture.

According to him, climbing up a rope and jumping on the ground or getting on top of another person is not dance but "tamasha".

"The mixing of western music with Indian music has polluted our culture. Indian dance and music is a form of meditation. We spend hours to learn a mere mudra, but for these dance forms, all you need is a few classes," he said.

Maharaj, who is the scion of the Lucknow Gharana of Kathak dance, refused to acknowledge anything devoid of "depth" as dance.

"Climbing on a rope, jumping back, getting on top of another personthey are calling that dance, but that is circus. Do it. Show it. Just don't call it dance. Call it by some other namecircus, drama, tamashabut how can you call it dance?"

"I do not consider hopping around to be dance. It is something that does not have any depth," he said.

The artiste, who also has an excellent command over Hindustani classical music, said barring the classical western instruments like a piano or a violin, most musical intruments from the other side of the globe produce nothing but "noise".

"Most of the western instruments create noise and not music that is supposed to calm and sooth one's soul. Their classical music is great, but hip-hop and all is not music!" he says.
With the Centre's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes days ahead of the byelections in three constituencies in Tamil Nadu, which of the two Dravidian parties would feel the major pinch?

In May 2016, a few days before Tamil Nadu went for Assembly elections, the nook and corners of small lanes and streets in the capital city of Chennai were bustling with activities. Coupons with holograms for Rs 1,000 were distributed by children in the street corners to the voters to avoid visible cash distribution. The exchange took place in the dark and mostly at secret locations. Bribing people for votes was so brazen that more than Rs 100 crore were seized by election officers across the state and it was the biggest haul of cash seized in a state going for elections.

Of course Tamil Nadu is known to be much notorious when it comes to money distribution and bribing voters during elections. This is more brazen during every byelection.

Bribing for votes in the state can be traced back to 2003. It was when Sathankulam constituency near Tirunelveli in south Tamil Nadu went for bypolls that bribing voters first began. Though it was not cash, it was in-kind. In 2005, came the Gummidipoondi and Kancheepuram byelections, where Laddus were distributed to the voters, but with a gold nose stud in it.

The practice became more obvious between 2006 and 2011 during which 11 constituencies in the state went for byelections. This was time when the notorious Thirumangalam formula to distribute cash and other materials to the voters came into existence. Not only that, 2011 saw the most embarrassing time when Pudukottai went for byelections. People from one of the streets in Pudukottai staged a road roko saying they did not get cash for votes that was allegedly given to their neighbours in the next street.

In May 2016, when all the 234 constituencies went to vote, elections in two constituenciesAravakurichi and Thanjavurwere suspended for the first time in the history of India, with the reason being the seizure of money close to Rs 105 cores meant for distribution in these two constituencies.

Now the candidates of the ruling AIADMK and the DMK who are contesting the bypolls to Aravakurichi, Thanjavur and Thiruparankunram (which is going to vote due to the death of its elected MLA Seenivel) are in a fix. The three constituencies are going for byelections on November 19. The candidates are said to have been prepared to distribute cash and in-kind for purchasing votes, but the announcement withdrawing high denomination notes have put them in a catch 22 situation.

While the opposition DMK has welcomed Centre's decision, saying it would help tap the blackmoney, the ruling AIADMK is silent. While AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa is still recuperating in the hospital, none of its second line leaders have come out to opine on the demonetisation move.

It may be noted that in the last two decades, every byelection in the state has been won by the ruling party, be it the DMK or the AIADMK. This time too, the three constituencies, say the political observers, will be added to the existing numbers in the treasury benches.
In a direct threat to Microsoft-owned LinkedIn, social networking giant Facebook is experimenting with a job opening tab on its business pages.

A Facebook spokesperson told TechCrunch: "Based on behaviour we've seen on Facebook, where many small businesses post about their job openings on their page, we're running a test for page admins to create job postings and receive applications from candidates."

The new feature is not only a threat to LinkedIn but developers like Workable and Jobscore that build 'Jobs' tab applications that businesses can embedded in their Facebook pages.

The new feature may help companies drive traffic to their Facebook page beyond marketing their products in the news feed, the report added.

The job postings will also show up in a 'Jobs' tab of the page, creating a place where companies can send job seekers.

Job postings will include an 'Apply Now' button, helping job seekers to quickly apply for multiple jobs without typing in redundant information.

Submitted applications will be received by the page as a Facebook Message.

LinkedIn has 467 million members compared to 1.79 billion Facebook users.
Donald Trump's surprise election as US president has Pakistanis wary that he may accelerate what they see as a shift in American policy to favour arch-foe India in the long rivalry between nuclear-armed neighbours, analysts said on Wednesday.

Historical allies in the region, Islamabad and Washington have seen relations sour over U.S. accusations that Pakistan shelters Islamist militants, a charge Pakistan denies.

They hit new lows in May when a US drone killed the leader of the Afghan Taliban movement on Pakistani territory.

At the same time, Pakistan's ties with traditional rival India have also deteriorated this year, with India saying Pakistan-based militants killed 19 of its soldiers in a September attack on an army base in the disputed Kashmir region.

To many Pakistanis, Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoriche once proposed banning Muslims entering the United Statesand business ties to India are signs that his administration could shift further toward New Delhi.

"America will not abandon Pakistan, but definitely, Trump will be a tougher president than Hillary Clinton for Pakistan," said Hasan Askari Rizvi, Lahore-based foreign policy analyst.

"I think India will have a better and smoother interaction compared to Pakistan.

"Trump has yet to lay out a detailed policy for South Asia, although he recently offered to mediate between India and Pakistan in their dispute over the divided territory of Kashmir.

He also told Fox News in May he would favour keeping nearly 10,000 US troops in Afghanistan "because it's adjacent and right next to Pakistan which has nuclear weapons."

Congratulations, assurances

On Wednesday, a US diplomat in Pakistan sought to assure the country that Trump's election did not signal a drastic policy change.

"Our foreign policy is based on national interest and they don't change when the government changes," Grace Shelton, US Consul General in Karachi, told Geo News television.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated Trump.

"Your election is indeed the triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights and free enterprise," Sharif said in a statement.

Still, the uncertainty of a Trump presidency has many Pakistanis on edge, even if the country has leaned towards China in recent years for investment and diplomatic support.

"Trump is a bit of a wild card," said Sherry Rehman, a Pakistani senator and former ambassador to the United States.

"Pakistan obviously cannot rule out engaging with whomever America elects, but his anti-Muslim rhetoric may cast a shadow on relations in times of uncertainty."

India hopeful

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Trump on Wednesday.

"We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height," Modi said in a tweet.

Trump has partnered with Indian businessmen on a handful of real estate ventures, but apart from courting the Indian-American vote he has not articulated how he would develop the bilateral relationship.

India-US ties have flourished under President Barack Obama and Modi, who came to power in 2014, with the two countries striking key defence agreements this year.

Modi's government has also waged a campaign to isolate Pakistan diplomatically.

Shaurya Doval, director of the India Foundation, a think-tank close to Modi's government, called Trump's election "a very positive development", but added that India and the United States would have continued to grow closer under a Hillary Clinton presidency as well.

"My sense is that India-US relations are not dependent on individualsthere are strong institutions and processes there," he said.

One fringe Hindu nationalist group in India held a victory gathering at New Delhi's speakers' corner on Wednesday.

"He's an American nationalist. We are Indian nationalists. Only he can understand us," Rashmi Gupta of the Hindu Sena, or Hindu Army, told Reuters. "We expect him to support us when it comes to terrorist attacks on India from Pakistan."

Afghanistan war

Trump will also have to decide whether to maintain the number of US troops in Afghanistan or change the scope of the mission, 15 years after a US-led campaign toppled the hardline Islamist Taliban government.

The United States has spent some $115 billion in aid for Afghanistan since 2002, but the country is still caught in conflict, with a third of the country out of government control and thousands of Afghan civilians, soldiers and police dying every year.

Afghan officials have voiced concern that the conflict is being forgotten in Washington, and warned privately that the West will pay a huge price if that continues.

"The people of Afghanistan are tired of war. We want (Trump) to invest heavily in bringing peace to war-torn Afghanistan and stabilize our region," said Umer Daudzai, former Afghan minister of interior.

Obama's original aim of pulling out of Afghanistan entirely has been put on hold in the face of mounting gains by Taliban militants, with U.S. air power and special forces still regularly involved in combat.

As recently as last week, two US Green Berets were killed near the northern city of Kunduz.

Although Afghan security forces have been fighting largely alone since the end of the main NATO-led combat mission in 2014, their performance has been patchy and they continue to rely heavily on US air power.

The Taliban on Wednesday urged Trump to withdraw all US troops.

"They should not cause damage to their economy and their military in this failed war," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said of the American government in a statement.
The presidential elections for the top job in the US generated huge activity on the social media site Facebook, with 289 million people around the world expressing an interest in the contest on the online platform.

As per data provided by Facebook, between March 23, 2015 and November one, 2016, Facebook saw 289 million people generating 10 billion likes, posts, comments and shares related to the presidential election.

It was on March 23 that Republican Ted Cruz announced his candidacy for president, becoming the first candidate to do so.

Substantial interest was generated India too. In the fight for the US presidency between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, users from the country accounted for over 9.3 million logs in election-related activities. The Indian users of Facebook generated over 40 million likes, posts, comments and shares related to the US election.

In 2015 also, the most talked-about topic on Facebook was the US presidential election. It generated more activity compared to the terror attacks in Paris in November last year. Even a year before the elections, the contest was a huge point of global conversation. From campaign announcements to debate performances, the candidates made headlines throughout the year.

Facebook became a platform where people came to talk about issues, find news and information, and also engage with the politicians vying for presidency.

The top ten moments from the campaign on Facebook included the second presidential debate on October nine, the release of the Access Hollywood tape, the first presidential debate on September 26, the third presidential debate on October 19 and the democratic convention.

With regard to Clinton, the `Im with her campaign generated the highest activity on Facebook. Trump's FB page also proved to be one with the biggest attention-grabbing contents.
[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Police continue to apprehend Arabs responsible for firebomb, rock-throwing and other acts of terror and disturbances in the Jerusalem area and seamline. This includes mistaken gunfire into northern Jerusalem neighborhoods such as Pisgat Zeev.

Police on the night on 7 Cheshvan (Monday night to Tuesday) operated in the Shuafat refugee camp, Aladiya refugee camp, Ras el-Amud and Issawiya areas of the capital, arresting nine suspects. The accompanying video taken in Shuafat shows a bit of what the operation entailed.

Police insist that uniformed and undercover units continue to operate in many areas, including sharpshooters who are placed in strategic areas if the operational reality requires them.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Video Credit: Police Spokesman Unit)
The Netanyahu administration has been openly working to prevent the PA (Palestinian Authority) from another success in the international arena, namely a PA request to enter Interpol. The PA request is viewed by Israel and a continuation of its effort to become an integral accepted member of the international community.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday, 7 Cheshvan, that Israels efforts have been successful. He made his comments speaking to reporters at a ceremony for a new rail system in the Jezreel Valley.

Mr. Netanyahu spoke of the significance of Israels victory as entry to the Interpol family would have created a new reality vis-a-vis working with Interpol and its ongoing challenge in the face of international crime and terrorism.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Members of the Knesset Interior Committee on Tuesday morning 7 Cheshvan visited the Kosel and were given and explanation regarding the egalitarian prayer area and the position of the new area vis-a-vis the Kosel men and womens sections. Committee chair, MK (Likud) David Amsellem called to abolish the arrangement that was approved by the cabinet.

About six months ago, the cabinet gave its approval for a separate area at the Kosel for egalitarian prayer, a move that was supported by the chareidi parties in the hope of keeping the Reform and Conservative followers away from the Kosel. However, following the approval the chareidim had a change of heart and have been opposing the arrangement since, warning it may lead to a coalition crisis. Minister of Religious Services (Shas) David Azoulai has since refused to sign on the necessary papers to implement the plan.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu then handed the matter to a special committee to make its recommendations. Mr. Netanyahu still awaits the committees recommendations.

The Reform and Conservative Movements along with the Women of the Wall (WoW) organization have stepped up their provocations, as was seen at the Kosel this past Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan when Sifrei Torah were brought into the Ezras Noshim.

Chareidi MKs did not take part in the Tuesday Kosel tour since delegates from the Reform Movement took part in the event. Taking part in the visit to the Kosel were MK Michal Rozen (Meretz), who expressed her dissatisfaction and anger after being told she may not enter the mens section.

She told the press This morning during an official visit, we, elected officials, were held outside of the Kosel while MKs were permitted inside to daven. This is the same way the Government of Israel is driving out millions including Diaspora Jewry and Free Judaism in Israel. We are Jewish enough for the cabinet to lobby for Israel in the Diaspora but not enough to feel like Jews at home in the State of Israel in the national homeland for all Jews.

From the Kosel the committee members headed to Knesset for a session during which MK (Machane Tzioni) Nachman Shai said Today is Election Day in the United States. The first to come to Israels assistance towards building the bridge with the new administration will be the Jews of the US, the Reform and Conservative, which represent two-thirds of the Jews in the USA. America has always stood at our side in the most difficult diplomatic, economic and security matters. They have always been and will be there. All they ask is that Israel stand behind its decisions. We must go back and implement the [egalitarian] arrangement [at the Kosel].

MK (Yahadut Hatorah) Yisrael Eichler told Rozen A group of Reform does not represent America Jewry. They are the Reform sikrikim who work against Israel. This is not a battle over the Kosel, but against Yiddishkheit in the public space, which they wish to ban. The founders of the Reform Movement said     .

The biggest surprise however came from Amsellem, the chair of the committee, who called to abolish the arrangement that would lead to the egalitarian prayer area.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Wow. Who would have thought it?

It looks like it will be a take all for the Republicans. Trump has the lead in both the electoral votes as well as the popular vote. He leads in the popular vote by some 2.3 million votes. And even though Hillary won California, she is still behind.

The Republicans have a majority in the House 180-120. It looks like they have the senate 47  46. It looks like they have a majority of Republican governors 30 to 12, and even the New York Times is saying that there is a 67% chance that Trump will win the presidency.

The only thing that remains in Democrat hands is, well, the media.

Although the senate win will only be by a slim majority it means that the chairmanships of all the committees will go to the Republicans.

As of 11:19 PM, it seems that Trump will win 285 electoral votes, putting him well inside the White House.

The headlines will read, Trump Trumps! Or, Trump Trumps Hillary!

It is a shocking turnabout.

The question now is when will she concede.
With the news of the election success of Donald Trump as the 45th President-elect, Israels right-wing is optimistic and already signaling to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to end the construction freeze.

Bayit Yehudi party head Minister Naftali Bennett did not waste any time, announcing the era of a Palestinian state is over, explaining the victory of the republican candidate in the presidential elections provides a new opportunity for Israel to pull away from the concept of the creation of a Palestinian state. Bennett has always been an outspoken opponent to the so-called two-state solution, which Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has endorsed openly.

Bennett is hoping the freeze on settlement construction will be halted with the ushering in of a new US administration, clearing the way for the construction of thousands of new housing units.

(YWN  Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone with President-elect Donald Trump, who invited Netanyahu to the United States for a meeting at the first opportunity available.

Prime Minister Netanyahu congratulated Trump and reiterated that the United States has no better ally than Israel.
Following the election of Mr. Donald Trump and Governor Mike Pence to the Presidency and Vice Presidency of the United States, Rabbi David Zwiebel, Agudath Israels executive vice president, issued the following statement of congratulations:

Agudath Israel of America congratulates Mr. Trump and Governor Pence on their historic victory in yesterdays election. We offer them our most sincere wishes and heartfelt prayers for success.

We have always enjoyed close working relationships with the White House, irrespective of which political party happens to be its occupant, and we similarly look forward to working closely with President Trump and his Administration in the weeks and years ahead.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Ministers have been accused of turning a blind eye as banks, airlines, travel agents and local councils impose exorbitant fees on customers who pay by credit card.

A crackdown on excessive charges was introduced in the UK last December. Card firms can charge retailers no more than 0.3 per cent for every credit card transaction they process.

But customers who use credit cards to book holidays, go to the cinema or even pay council tax are being charged up to 3 per cent each time.

Rip off fees: A crackdown on excessive charges was introduced in the UK last December

Consumer group Fairer Finance found dozens of firms and local councils had not cut their fees since December.

Budget airlines Monarch and Flybe charge 3 per cent, while Ryanair charges 2 per cent and British Airways charges 5 per person.

Other airlines such as Wizzair and United Airlines don't charge for credit card payments.

Local councils, including Ealing, West Dorset and South Cambridgeshire, charge residents up to 2.5 per cent to pay tax bills by credit card.

The companies and councils claim they do not make a profit on fees.

Chris Leslie, Labour MP and former shadow chancellor, says: 'These back door tactics of creaming off fees from customers has got to stop.

'It's unfair and it's against the rules. We need action from ministers to protect long- suffering consumers.'

So-called interchange fees are paid by the retailers' bank to the bank of the customer who made the card payment.

Before the cap was introduced, banks charged up to 1.85 per cent of the purchase price and an average 0.7 per cent.

Even with other costs, such as charges for renting payment terminals, the total adds up to less than 1 per cent, according to experts.

James Daley, director of Fairer Finance, says: 'Ministers are turning a blind eye to a problem that is costing consumers tens of millions of pounds every year. They need to step in to hold companies to account.'

A Treasury spokesman says: 'Any retailer that makes a profit is breaking the law and we expect Trading Standards to investigate complaints thoroughly.'
Was Tesco Bank hit by a clever hacker who got to the heart of its main- frame computer?

Or did a gang of cyber criminals harvest the log in details for 40,000 customers and effectively walk through the front door of its website?

It is a poor reflection on the supermarket that it is refusing to spell out what happened on Saturday.

Spell it out: Tesco Bank customers deserve to know what happened to their accounts

Around 9,000 accounts were raided in an unprecedented banking security breach and the public deserves to know exactly how the money was siphoned off.

If Tesco's customers unwittingly handed the account keys to crooks by divulging passwords in so-called phishing emails the safeguards on pages 48 and 49 of Money Mail today will help.

But if Tesco's security system itself was at fault for being too feeble, customers will want to switch to a safer firm. Late last night all Tesco Bank would say is that customers' personal details were not 'compromised' - but wouldn't explain what that meant.

We at least know when the money started to go missing, thanks to the scores of victims.

The timing was hardly surprising. Criminals know that bank fraud teams are much diminished at weekends.

Even when staff are manning the phones, the managers who make decisions are at home with their families - so little investigating gets done until the Monday.

Fraudsters are cashing in on this weak spot so regularly that the phrase Friday afternoon fraud - seen as the ideal moment to strike - is widely used.

Whether this was an inside job, a plot by the Russians (as Tory MP Chris Philp suggested) or a cyber gang in Brazil, the Bahamas or plain old Basildon, every bank can do more to protect customers.

No wonder I keep hearing from family, colleagues (including the Mail's City Editor Alex Brummer) and Money Mail readers who refuse to try internet banking.

If banks want to close branches and force us all online, they must make it safe first.

If that means employing more fraud experts, spending extra on security software and paying staff for Saturday and Sunday shifts, then so be it.

Tesco Bank has spent millions of pounds luring customers to its current account by offering 3 per cent interest.

But I would rather know the cash in my current account is protected than earn a return on it. Until these giant firms prove they are spending their profits wisely (bumper executive bonuses and gimmicky phone apps don't count), they should be barred from shutting branches in towns where only one is left.

Every financial firm must also learn from Tesco Bank's disastrous handling of last weekend's attack.

Customers were left hanging on the phone when their bank cards stopped working.

Yesterday, the bank was still blocking online shopping transactions and refunding customers. Its response should have been quicker, clearer and more helpful.

All banks need a foolproof emergency plan that includes extra staff manning phones, keeping branches open (or, for Tesco, offering in-store banking), ensuring customers' lives aren't disrupted and telling the truth about what happened.

Is it really so much to ask for that before we're all forced to pay our bills via a mobile phone app?

Rogue traders

Last week, Money Mail warned of the rise of so-called binary options trading - a highly dubious type of investing being flogged to pensioners.

It's a complete con. Don't go near binary websites with a bargepole. I certainly wouldn't.

While the tiny Central American nation of Belize has banned binary options firms, they are still luring in British savers in the UK. How do they get away with it?

Over the past week, I've held my own inquiries with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), our City watchdog. The FCA says, along with the Gambling Commission and police, it has issued warnings about being 'scammed' by binary firms.

It insists that, until the Treasury gives it the power to regulate the industry, it can't do more.

It declined to answer my questions on whether it had asked for these vital extra powers or investigated the scale of the rip-off. Savers haven't got time to be passed between different government departments and regulators who can't decide who is responsible for their safety.

Will anyone other than Money Mail and campaign groups stand up for the vulnerable?

Fraud is not treated as a serious enough crime in Britain. As we have revealed before, you can get pick-pocketed on the street and police will help. But report a fraud to Action Fraud and you have around a one in 500 chance of it being investigated.

Binary trading is just one of hundreds of different scams being carried out daily. It's time for a proper crackdown.

Spam critters

While shopping on London's Oxford Street last week, I walked into a strange phenomenon in Selfridges.

As the sales assistant sold me a scarf, he asked for my email address. When I refused, he looked baffled. 'But we won't send you spam,' he pleaded.

Perhaps his idea of spam differs to mine, but I can do without incessant marketing messages from Selfridges.

And I'm suspicious about who else might get hold of the personal information and email accounts I give to shopkeepers.

The assistant gave in but, judging by his reaction, I fear retailers might soon demand this type of information as standard. If you've had a similar experience, let me know.

Get cover copied

Here are two more terrific home cover tips following our warning that insurers refuse burglary payouts if you don't have receipts or photographs of stolen valuables.

First, a Mr Haslem emails to say: 'Your item regarding cover photos omitted one very important warning! Do NOT store your photos on your mobile phone.'

Good point: back them up on another device or even a hard copy.

The second is from Holly Black, the Mail's markets reporter, who says she needed to show photos of only a few pieces of jewellery to get a payout on everything stolen - useful to know if your insurer drags its feet.
On January 16, I received a letter from a firm called Robinson Way asking if I had ever lived at an address in Essex.

I replied that I had lived at my home in South-East London since February 1946 and had never resided in Essex.

On February 3, I received a further letter from Robinson Way showing that a supposed 2,000 debt owed to Santander had been sold to Hoist Portfolio Holding.

I contacted my local Santander branch, but was informed that, as the account had been closed and sold to a debt collector two years earlier, they could not help. I stressed to them that I had never had an account or loan with Santander.

Debt doubt: One reader is concerned he may be being targetted by scammers posing as debt collectors

I contacted the police, who passed me on to Action Fraud. They also told me not to contact or reply to Robinson Way until my case had been investigated.

I am very suspicious about the whole affair. I do not understand why the letters I received from Robinson Way simply contained two copies of letters supposedly from Santander.

Also, the letters have its name printed in black and grey, whereas online it is black and purple.

I feel I am being harassed by Robinson Way and fear a county court judgment could be lodged against me without my knowledge.

A. B., London.

With the number of scams we hear about every day, you are right to be on your guard. Your first response to Robinson Way should have been the end of the matter. Instead, it continued to write to you and phone you.

Meanwhile, your attempts to have the issue investigated by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau via Action Fraud yielded no fruit: other than a holding letter on March 25, you heard nothing.

I put the issue to Santander, which triggered the debt, and Hoist Finance, which bought the debt and owns Robinson Way, and it seems you are a victim of identity fraud. Santander says someone opened an account in your name.

A spokesman admits the issue should have been resolved when you contacted the branch. The bank has now recalled the debt and confirmed that the error will not have an impact on your credit file.

In addition, the issue has been discussed internally with the relevant teams to ensure it does not happen again. Santander has apologised to you and offered 500 for the distress and inconvenience.

Robinson Way says it contacted you in good faith based on information gleaned from credit reference agencies, but it says it did not receive your reply.

It has now ceased all activity on your account, but strongly advises you to contact the credit reference agencies to make sure that you are no longer incorrectly linked to the address concerned.

Experian, one of the agencies involved, says that it provides potential new addresses based on other matches, such as names and date of birth.

But it stresses that, under its terms of use, the debt collector is obliged to confirm that match is correct before commencing any collection activities.

The match to your name and address was correct because the root reason was identity fraud.

Experian is contacting you to ensure your credit file is correct, but I have given you details of other main agencies so you can be sure.

My advice to anyone who receives an inquiry letter from a debt collector is to send your reply by signed-for delivery. This costs 1.65 for a small, second-class letter and means the recipient must sign to confirm delivery  providing you with vital evidence.

Keep a copy to present to the Financial Ombudsman if the debt collector chooses to pursue you and you do not owe the money.

YOU HAVE YOUR SAY - INSURANCE FIRMS NOT PAYING OUT Every week, Money Mail receives hundreds of your letters and emails about our stories. Here are some of the best from our recent story about what home insurance companies won't cover . . . This happened to me in January and I'm still fighting the insurance company. I sent pictures of myself wearing the jewellery I was claiming for, but this wasn't enough. The insurance firm said it could not determine from what I sent whether the pieces contained real diamonds. It seems that, no matter what you do, they will find a reason to avoid paying out. M. M., Truro, Cornwall. Why aren't insurers upfront with customers about what they'll need to show to prove they owned an item? There's no point in hiding it in the small print  their advisers should be making this clear when the policy is taken out. M. H., Anglesey. This sort of situation could be avoided if insurers asked for receipts and photographs when the policy is taken out. Y. G., Crete. It's tragic but, if there are no photos or receipts, then there is no way of proving you owned the items  or that they even existed. Working in insurance, I often see people try to claim for things they have never owned. B. T., Cannock, W. Mids. I worked in the insurance industry for 30 years. In cases such as this, we used to adhere to the phrase 'utmost good faith', meaning we had to take the word of the customer and pay out. What has happened to this? J. O., Manchester. If you own valuable items, then you should get them appraised by a reputable firm. That's the only real way to prove you own the item and to make sure the insurer pays out. S. P., Norwich. My engagement and wedding rings were stolen along with my laptop. My insurance company told me to provide a photo of my engagement ring because we no longer had the original receipts. Yet now, its loss adjusters say one picture might not be enough to prove I owned the jewellery. M. C., Manchester. Since the demise of insurance brokers, there is no one to advise policyholders. Sharp practice has increased exponentially as a result. You're better off spending your cash on improved security. S. D., Northampton.

I have a Legal & General lifestyle policy which covers sickness, accident and unemployment.

My employer terminated my contract, but L&G is refusing to pay out because I registered a company in 2003. This firm has never traded, but L&G claims that, as I have more than 25 pc shareholding, I am classed as self-employed.

When I took out the policy, I was not asked if I had a shareholding in any company, dormant or active. My chances of finding a similar level job in my late 50s are slim.

Our home will have to be sold to ensure we can live between now and retirement. This leads me to believe that L&G is selling a policy that is not fit for purpose.

G. B., Huntingdon, Cambs.

L&G says it has not declined the claim. And you have not provided me with all the facts.

It tells me that you made your claim on April 30. Your former employer confirmed that you were receiving payment in lieu of notice (pilon) until September 30.

You have disputed this and say that the pilon payment only ran for three months and the rest of the money is compensation.

Your former employer has referred the case to its solicitor and L&G is waiting for clarification.

You chose a policy that does not pay out for the first 90 days. Currently, this would run from September 29, so the claim would be payable from December 30.

Under the terms of the policy, you need to be registered as unemployed with a Jobcentre.

And if you were self-employed, you need to have ceased to trade. Your company is noted on Companies House as active. But if you have never used it, why not wind it up?

L&G says it has not rejected your claim, but that it does need the eligibility criteria to be met  and this includes confirmation that your company has ceased to trade.

I also tackled L&G about potential mis-selling. It argues that the policy is suitable for the self-employed who are working at least 16 hours a week and fit other terms  which, it seems, you do.

So the key thing is for you to contact Companies House.

STRAIGHT TO THE POINT I recently cancelled my Vodafone pay-as-you-go phone deal. But the firm has refused to return the 24 credit on my phone and staff were rude to me when I complained. H. G., Leeds. Vodafone says its terms and conditions state that pay-as-you-go customers are not entitled to refunds on outstanding credit when they cancel. However, it apologises for the poor level of service you received and has offered you 50 as a goodwill gesture. My son is a self-employed hair stylist. He needs surgery on his back and has been told he won't be able to work for three months. Can he claim any benefits? He has always paid National Insurance and income tax. B. R., Stevenage, Herts. Look into Employment and Support Allowance. How much your son will get depends on how much National Insurance he has paid and his income. He may also qualify for help with his mortgage repayments (or, if he pays rent, Housing Benefit) and council tax. Visit gov.uk for advice. There are calculators to work out how much he can claim. I am 74 and have 58,000 in a five-year account because it pays 3 pc interest a year. The taxman charges me 348 a year on the interest. Can I reduce my tax bill? J. F., Worcester. The new personal savings allowance allows up to 1,000 of interest tax-free for basic-rate taxpayers and up to 500 for higher-rate taxpayers. You appear to be a basic-rate taxpayer. If the 1,740 income from the bond is your only income, you will be taxed on just 740 this year, reducing your tax bill to 148.

A couple of weeks ago, insurer More Than took 375.34 from my bank account, even though I had cancelled my policy with them. Lloyds rectified the matter.

I then received a letter from More Than which said it would refund the money it had accidentally taken. As it was a second refund, I had to arrange for the money to be withdrawn and returned.

Lloyds has been most helpful but, as I do not own a computer, I have had to waste a lot of time on the phone and travelling into town to sort out this mistake.

G. D., Preston, Lancs.

Mistakes happen, and this is a good example of how the direct debit guarantee works.

This promises that, if there is a mistake with a direct debit, then your bank will sort it out.

However, given that you had correctly cancelled your cover and then had to go to some effort to sort out the mistakes, I felt that a little compensation was due.

More Than agrees. It has apologised and sent you 100.
Rumours that Premier Oil's financing arrangements are on the brink of collapse sent its shares spiralling yesterday.

The troubled North Sea oil firm put out an announcement to address speculation after it was reported that some of Premier's lenders were trying to sell on around 200million of its debt.

Premier Oil has been hit hard by the collapse in the price of Brent Crude.

Its 2.1billion debt pile now dwarfs its market capitalisation, which currently stands at around 305million.

The North Sea oil company has seen around 80 per cent off its value wiped away since the oil price collapsed.

Share plunge: Premier Oil put out an announcement to address speculation after it was that reported that some of Premier's lenders were trying to sell on around 200m of its debt

Premier had been expected to announce a full finance restructuring by the end of September.

However, the deal is still being thrashed out.

It needs to get this deal sorted so it can develop its Catcher Oil Project, which is due to start producing the black stuff next year.

But dragging out the process is the fact that its loans are syndicated. That means it has multiple lenders working together to provide financing.

Getting them all to agree on new terms is proving a complex operation. In a note aiming to reassure the market, Premier said it had received assurances that 'none of its senior lenders have exited or are proposing to exit their loan position at this time'.

The firm, which wants to extend the maturity dates of its loans, said talks were progressing and it still has access to money, which goes some way to explain the lack of urgency to finalise a deal.

It will provide more details in its next trading update on November 17. Shares plunged 11.4 per cent, or 6.75p, to 52.25p.

STOCK WATCH - SCOTGOLD RESOURCES In August, miner Scotgold Resources poured the first gold at its Cononish site in Scotland's Grampian Highlands, where it uses clean extraction methods that don't contaminate local rivers. Yesterday, it announced plans to auction the first rounds of gold to be mined there. Scotgold will auction off ten limited-edition, 1oz rounds of gold (which look like coins), stamped with the Scottish gold mark of a stag's head, with a certificate of authenticity. Shares were flat at 0.62p.

The FTSE 100 was treading water yesterday, waiting for results to trickle in from the presidential election across the pond, and it finished up just 0.5 per cent, or 36.23 points, at 6843.13.

Primark-owner Associated British Foods was the highest riser of the day as it reported at a return to like-for-like sales growth at its value fashion chain. Shares gained 5.8 per cent, or 114p, rising to 2633p.

Meanwhile Marks & Spencer tumbled as it revealed drastic turnaround plans to shut stores and cut back on clothing. It was down 5.2 per cent, or 18p, at 331p.

BBA Aviation finished marginally higher after announcing the acquisition of avionics (aircraft electronics, to the uninitiated) products from GE Aviation.

BBA's support business Ontic has paid 49.6million for the portfolio of products from GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric.

BBA said the acquisition should add around 6m a year to operating profit. In an update, it said revenue was up 27 per cent year-on-year and trading was in line with expectations. Shares climbed 0.1 per cent, or 0.2p, to 247.3p.

Digital payments provider Paysafe took the opportunity to reiterate its revenue forecast for the year.

Adjusted earnings are expected to be between 231million and 240million. It advanced 2.8 per cent, or 12p, to 418.2p. CloudTag plunged as it revealed it had secured 4.1million of funding from an overseas institutional investor.

The firm, which makes wearable fitness monitoring devices, said it wants to use the proceeds for 'general working capital purposes'.

Some experts said the move was little more than a veiled profit warning from the company.

CloudTag had agreed a deal with a company called Second Chance back in January for SC to purchase a minimum number of CloudTag's products, worth around 4.2million, by the end of the year.

Thus far, however, no firm purchase orders have been received from SC and those figures agreed in January are now unlikely to be achieved.

CloudTag yesterday said it had recently received a non- binding purchase order from SC which, if finalised, would be worth 880,000.
Imperial Brands has raised its annual dividend by 10 per cent for the eighth year in a row despite reporting a sharp fall in profits.

The company, whose brands include Davidoff, Gauloises, Lambert & Butler, Golden Virginia and Romeo Y Julieta, said it will pay investors 155.2p a share.

The higher dividend comes despite profits falling 48 per cent to 907million for the year to the end of September.

But revenues jumped 9 per cent to 27.6billion and Imperial Brands said the fall in the pound following the Brexit vote will boost earnings by 14 per cent this year.

Imperial Brands include Davidoff, Gauloises, Lambert & Butler, Golden Virginia and Romeo Y Julieta, said it will pay investors 155.2p a share

The figures came as arch rival British American Tobacco announced plans to test a new electronic cigarette in Japan that heats rather than burns tobacco.

The 'glo' device, which heats tobacco enough to create an inhalable vapour which BAT claims is far cleaner than cigarette smoke, will be launched next month.

The tobacco industry is pouring cash into developing alternative cigarettes as the number of smokers in large Western markets such as the US and Europe declines.

Imperial Brands chief executive Alison Cooper outlined her plans for 'the next decade of growth', including 750million of spending over the next three years to make the business more streamlined and efficient.

The 50-year-old, who is married with two daughters and smokes cigars, dismissed suggestions the firm needs to secure a mega-deal following BAT's proposed 38billion takeover of US rival Reynolds.

Imperial Brands is already benefiting from its 5.6billion purchase of some Reynolds product lines last year, increasing its exposure to the lucrative US market.

Cooper said further consolidation in the industry is 'not impossible but extremely difficult' and added: 'We delivered another strong performance this year with great results from our expanded US business, and we further improved the quality of our growth. I don't see anything that has changed particularly given the BAT move.'

Imperial Brands, which has already cut its range from around 250 to 184, has set itself a target of getting down to 125.

But Cooper said it could 'go even further' as the company focuses on its biggest names, which also include JPS, Winston, Parker & Simpson, Drum, Montecristo and Rizla.

Like its rivals such as Lucky Strike and Rothmans owner BAT and Philip Morris, which owns Marlboro, Imperial Brands is now expanding in a new wave of tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes.

It is focused on cracking the four biggest 'vaping' markets  the US, UK, France and Italy, which account for 70 per cent of the global e-vapour market  through its blu e-cigarette brand.
Furious small business owners have accused the City watchdog of a whitewash after it cleared Royal Bank of Scotland of deliberately destroying their companies.

The Financial Conduct Authority dismissed claims that bailed-out lender RBS sank small firms so it could seize their assets to shore up its ailing balance sheet.

However, it did find the bank was guilty of poor communication, shoddy procedures and unfair complaints-handling when struggling businesses fell into its turnaround unit.

RBS has finally bowed to pressure to compensate entrepreneurs whose livelihoods were destroyed after their firms dropped into the infamous global restructuring group (GRG).

The Financial Conduct Authority dismissed claims that bailed-out lender RBS sank small firms so it could seize their assets to shore up its ailing balance sheet

But campaigners dismissed the FCA's findings as a stitch-up and said the 400million compensation on offer was not enough.

They have vowed to pursue RBS through the courts for an estimated 2billion.

Jeremy Roe, of the activist group Bully-Banks, said: 'I'm frustrated and disappointed with the FCA.

'It's more interested in protecting the bank than providing justice. This is yet another whitewash. The 400million figure is a joke.'

The seeds of the scandal were sown in 2009 as the financial crisis took hold and small companies struggled to pay back their loans.

Bankers vowed to 'take the keys' of businesses that were unable to settle bills  and Derek Sach, head of the GRG, said he would look at companies' 'underlying viability' if they were at risk of collapse.

Firms which passed into the hands of the unit were told it would help them improve their finances and battle back to health.

But instead, many claim they were ordered to pay more than they could afford as the bank's influence on their operations grew.

When companies' finances collapsed, administrators were called in and RBS took control of their land and assets.

Many entrepreneurs lost their homes and saw their marriages destroyed as a result. Norwich architect Andrew Gibbs, who lost his company after taking out a 1.3million loan with RBS in 2008, called on FCA boss Andrew Bailey to do more.

He said: 'The turnaround division was a turnover division and RBS are just bullies all the way.

'Andrew Bailey needs to concentrate on the damaged lives and real losses created by RBS.'

The watchdog's report was produced by consultant Promontory Financial Group and accountant Mazars after lengthy delays.

Only a summary was published yesterday, and the full findings are not expected to be released before Christmas.

The RBS compensation scheme will give the 12,000 companies that were in the GRG between 2008 and 2013 an automatic refund of any complex fees charged at the time.

RBS chief executive Ross McEwan said: 'Today we are rectifying our mistakes. Serious failings have been identified, and let me be in no doubt that they make for very uncomfortable reading. We deeply regret the failings.'
It is one of the most iconic names in the world  made famous by generations of outlaws and lawmen both in the American West and in the movies.

But Smith & Wesson, whose guns were used by real life villain Jesse James as well as Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry, is now looking to change its name to American Outdoor Brands Corporation.

It comes at a time that US gun manufacturers are under pressure from politicians over a series of shootings in the country.

Feeling lucky? Smith & Wesson guns were used by Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry

The move marks a dramatic departure from the past for the company, which was founded in 1852 by Horace Smith and Daniel B Wesson.

The Massachusetts-based manufacturer, which supplies guns to police forces and armed forces around the world as well as to shooting enthusiasts, will seek approval to change its name at a shareholder meeting next month.

At one point Smith & Wesson was once owned by British firm Tomkins, but sold it for 100million in 2010.

'We believe the name 'American Outdoor Brands Corporation' will better reflect our family of brands, our broad range of product offerings, and our plan to continue building upon our portfolio of strong American brands,' said chief executive James Debney.
They probably never realised at the time, but when the Marks & Spencer in Rugby, Warwickshire, closed last autumn, shoppers were witnessing the beginning of the end for this type of store.

The town centre M&S had become an embarrassment for the business. So the company shut it down and moved the shop to a retail park on the edge of town, creating 60 jobs.

Yesterday this move was held up as an example of what other outdated M&S stores can expect. They'll be shut or transformed into food businesses.

Institution: But the town centre M&S had become an embarrassment for the business

The bold promise formed part of a dramatic restructure by Marks & Spencer's boss Steve Rowe, the 49-year-old who worked his way up from the shop floor in Croydon.

Since being appointed on April 2, Rowe has acknowledged the battle he has to face in convincing shoppers that M&S is a retailer for the future which can see off its rivals on the High Street and the internet.

In his six months in charge, 1.1billion has been wiped off the M&S share price.

It is the worst start of any of the past six bosses. The stock price dipped another 5.2 per cent yesterday as Rowe's sweeping reforms were unveiled.

He is to shut 30 shops and transform another 45 department stores into to food outlets. A total of 100 of its 304 UK department stores will be affected over the next five years.

On top of this, 53 foreign shops will be shut, at the cost of 2,100 jobs.

But although M&S has come clean on the changes, one question remains for its customers  what will this mean for local shops?

GOING BACK TO ITS ROOTS Within hours of Steve Rowe's announcement, his staff were already busy clearing the rails and consigning three of its own-label collections to history. Gone are two of its ailing menswear lines  North Coast, which promises pieces perfect for 'everyday downtime' but is merely exceptionally dull, and Collezioni, which is billed as 'suave and stylish and inspired by all things Italian' but features the sort of tired separates you'd have expected to see on an accountants' away-day 20 years ago. Over in womenswear, Rowe has killed off the Indigo line  and not before time. Launched in 2009, Indigo was billed as the 'casual yet stylish' offering for women over 30. But after straying into stonewashed denim blousons and bodycon 'cold shoulder' tops, it was anything but appealing to core M&S customers. Rowe's decision to cut back on the ranges on offer at M&S makes perfect sense. He has finally realised that if you walk in wanting to buy a jumper, you should be directed to the jumper section, not forced to scour the rails in each one of the ranges dotted through the store. After suffering a steady slide in fashion sales over the past decade, it's encouraging to see that Rowe is making an effort to return Marks to its roots.

Fusty fashions chopped

M&S has sought to move away from its reputation as a one-stop shop for sensible knickers and tights. It has enrolled celebrities such as Alexa Chung to design collections, and appointed model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as the face of its lingerie range.

However, M&S has revealed a U-turn and is rolling back its younger Indigo range, along with Collezioni and North Coast. Top-sellers such as Per Una and Autograph will remain.

In a bid to change the layout of stores, clothes will be grouped together in product categories rather than in branded departments.

By ditching the poorer-selling brands, the retailer will expand its M&S Collection range, with more 'wardrobe essentials' in a greater range of colours.

Rowe said: 'We now have a colour palette that is cleaner, simpler and, frankly, more sophisticated.'

Other initiatives include introducing a bra-fitting service for women and suit advice events for men.

Feeling blue: Myleene Klass, the former face of M&S, models items from its Indigo range

Old stores in peril

Rowe would not reveal which UK stores are to be closed. But those most likely to get the chop will be largely older, smaller High Street shops that focus on clothing.

Even if stores stay open, those with only a small food section will get a much bigger range.

More certain is the future of the overseas business. Expanding overseas was the dream of former boss Marc Bolland. Two years ago he unveiled the ambitious plan to open 250 shops outside the UK.

Its flagship French store in Paris's Champs-Elysees was launched in 2012. M&S has built up 198 wholly-owned stores in 15 countries. The problem was that its fashions didn't sell in many of these nations.

While Hong Kong, the Czech Republic and Ireland are a success, sales in these countries were not enough to stop M&S losing 45million from its overseas operations in the past six months.

Yesterday, it revealed plans to close 53 stores as it pulled out of ten loss-making countries.

Even the store in the tourist hub of France's main city was not profitable enough to stay open.

M&S is not pulling out of its international business altogether. Its franchise arm made 87.3million in profit last year on 267 stores, and joint ventures in Ireland and Greece will remain. French shoppers will still be able to buy M&S food in its franchised outlets.

End to era of sales

Like many retailers M&S has used sales and promotions to shift clothes. Ranges that have not sold well during a season are sold at a fraction of the price at the end.

Retailers such as M&S with lots of shops have struggled to compete with online retailers that offer tens of thousands of different styles.

It means they're forced to cut costs and offer sales to get more customers in stores. This is not an efficient way to do business.

Testament to this is that sales in stores that have been open longer than a year are down 3 per cent.

But part of Rowe's strategy is to reduce the amount of cut-price selling, and sell more products at full price. Clearance sales will be held just four times a year.

Why food is critical

While fashion and homeware have been failing, food  the division Rowe used to run  has been soaring.

So given this success and Rowe's background, it's hardly surprising to see food becoming more dominant.

It will soon make up 50 per cent of all sales. Some 200 Simply Food outlets will be opened by the end of next year as M&S seeks to cash in on a trend for convenience shopping  buying little and often.
Addressing fire safety Living in San Diego County, the threat of fires is constant, that is why I have made fire safety one...

Supporting animals As a trained Project Wildlife Native Songbird Rehabilitator, my experience raising orphaned and injured songbirds and returning them to the...
White signifies purity, but it's also come to be known as a colour associated with women's rights.

By India Today Web Desk: Though white is usually associated with purity, it has also come to be known as a symbol of women's strength.

On November 9, 2016, the hashtags #WearWhite and #WearWhiteToVote started trending when America went to vote for its presidential candidates.

A lot of women, Hillary Clinton supporters mainly, wore white to the voting stations, to signify much more than solidarity with the democratic presidential candidate.

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On November 10, 1917, a group of 41 women were arrested in front of the White House for campaigning over the right to vote (which they won three years later). On November 10, 2016, America was supposed to have its first female president. And what do these two instances have in common? The colour white.

Today I take part in the long march of history. #WearWhiteToVote pic.twitter.com/SAIB9x24bv Chrissy Horansky (@MissMillennial) November 8, 2016

In honor of the women who helped us secure our right to vote... tomorrow, we wear white! #WearWhiteToVote pic.twitter.com/lmlDoFFOZV Molly DeWolf Swenson (@mollydewolf) November 8, 2016

In the 20th century, women wore white to march for Equal Rights Amendment (which ultimately failed). Former New York congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro also wore white when she became the first vice-presidential nominee of a major party at the 1984 Democratic National Convention.

The #WearWhitetoVote movement was sparked after the October 20 debate, when Hillary Clinton berated Donald Trump in an all-white Ralph Lauren pantsuit. It has since gained increasing traction on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram as a symbol of power-dressing--and a mark of how far women in American politics have come, reports Telegraph.

Very proud & emotional to stand with dozens of women young & old honoring women before us who fought for our right to vote. #wearwhitetovote pic.twitter.com/Swspm36NtJ Danielle Ruth Ray (@DrayRuth) October 26, 2016

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Dalbir Singh Suhag also took stock of the infrastructural development in the region and interacted with the Army troops at various locations.

By Manjeet Negi: Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag visited the forward areas of Uttarakhand today where he took stock of the operational preparedness of his own forces and infrastructural development in the region. On his arrival, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) was received by the formation commanders and later given a detailed brief on the operational and administrative preparedness of his own forces. Suhag also interacted with the troops at various locations he visited and enquired into their well-being.

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General Dalbir Singh expressed satisfaction over the efforts being made to ensure capability enhancement and operational effectiveness to meet all contemporary and emerging challenges in the forward areas along the LAC.

Also read: Defence Minister and Army Chief review security in Kashmir - meet forward troops

7 INDIAN SOLDIERS KILLED SINCE SURGICAL STRIKES



The Army has been facing serious challenges along the border. Seven Indian soldiers have been martyred since India's cross-LoC surgical strikes took place, killing many terrorists and those patronising them. This year itself, Pakistan has violated ceasefire 151 times at the Line of Control, out of which 110 violations have happened in the past two months.

Yesterday, PM Modi convened a review meeting with the three service chiefs to assess India's defence preparedness. This was the first meeting after the Indian Army's attack on Pakistani posts across the border.

REVIEW MEETING CAME BEFORE MODI'S JAPAN VISIT



Modi has chaired the review meeting prior to his Japan visit at a time when ceasefire violations by Pakistan have increased both in frequency and intensity. The border situation is likely to remain tense.

Also read: Is Pakistan planning an attack? Security of top ministers, Army chief tightens



As per an RTI reply by the Army recently, 4675 Indian Armymen have been martyred in ceasefire violations by Pakistan since 2001.

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By Gina Martinez

In Flushing polling sites frequented by Asian-American voters few problems emerged.

A poll worker at PS 22 on Sanford Avenue said there was a constant flow of voters throughout the day and there were no issues. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund had various workers posted at sites to ensure there would be no discrimination or obstacles due to language barriers.

Judson, an Asian Flushing resident, said there should be no fear of voting problems for Asians in Queens despite GOP candidate Donald Trumps warning about a possible rigged election.

It just wouldnt happen in New York City, he said.  I dont know about outside the city. Were such a melting pot. In these diverse urban areas minorities are the norm. But I could imagine poll monitoring would be necessary in other parts of the country.

PS 20 on Barclay Avenue in Flushing had longer lines and more voters crowded into the gym, but people were patient. Poll workers again said everything was running smoothly and that language was not a barrier.

At nearby JHS 189 on Barclay Avenue there was a quieter scene, with no reported issues and all the voters in and out in less than a few minutes.



Gina Martinez

TimesLedger reporter
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By Mark Hallum

Poll workers could not catch a break on Election Day with the persistent flow of voters to PS 193 in Whitestone. By 5:40 p.m. 4,300 had made it out, and the crowd kept coming.

Scanner Inspector Mitchell Krever has been working at the site for the past eight years and said the only time it compared to Tuesdays turnout was the election following Hurricane Sandy, which not only displaced residents but their usual polling places.

Its never slowed down, Krever said about Tuesdays pace. This is democracy in action.

Donna M said she was taking the good with the bad in voting for Republican nominee Donald Trump and her immigrant heritage played a surprising role in that decision.

The sticking points for me are work, safety, and taking care of our borders, she said. Im first generation here, my parents are from Italy. There was no press one for Italian They had to learn. [My father] had the broken English, he worked two jobs and hes a millionaire today.

But she veered from the Republican ticket to support state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside)

Sharon Roberts said she is a registered Republican, but as a special eduction teacher no longer sees voting for the GOP as beneficial to her purpose in life. She voted Democrat across all levels of government, for congressional candidate Tom Suozzi and U.S. Rep. Charles Schumer (D-NY).

You cant afford to vote Republican, she said. Theyre getting too far off the mark.

Jamie Roberts, a publicist who works in news, said she drew the line as the GOP candidates statements went further and further from the truth.

I know whats real and whats fake thats being said out there and I know whats spin, Roberts said. Theres so much wrong with this Trump campaign.



Mark Hallum

TimesLedger reporter
Looking for deals at annual Pittsburgh airport auction

More than 800 appeared and about 700 participated in annual event last month.
Banks are also closed today for cash balancing and stocking up of lower denomination Rs 50 and Rs 100 notes and high security new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes.

A notice board is seen outside an ICICI Bank ATM kiosk in Mumbai. Photo: Reuters

By Press Trust of India: All ATMs will remain shut today and tomorrow as banks replace the now declared invalid Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes with new currency papers.

Last night, after the government's announcement of withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, people rushed to ATMs to withdraw lower denomination valid currency notes.

However, banks closed ATM operations past mid-night.

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Banks are also closed today for cash balancing and stocking up of lower denomination Rs 50 and Rs 100 notes and high security new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes.

WHAT CUSTOMERS CAN DO



Customers can deposit their old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in their bank accounts tomorrow, and also exchange it with lower denomination or the new security feature Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes but with a limit of Rs 20,000 a week.

The new high security feature Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes will initially be available at branches from tomorrow and at ATMs from November 11.Also read:

What the FAQ! All your questions about Rs 500-1000 notes answered



Since most of the cash deposit machines are inside the branches, people can deposit their old currencies only tomorrow when the branches open.

Also read:

Banks closed, ATMs shut. Your Rs 500 & Rs 1000 notes are invalid. Good morning, here's the deal



Meanwhile, the government has cautioned people that since cash deposit in a account above certain limit will be monitored by Financial Intelligence Unit and tax authorities so one should refrain from someone else money.

Besides, depositing money in bank accounts, the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes can also be exchanged with lower denomination currency notes at designated banks and post offices on production of valid government identity cards like PAN, Aadhaar and Election Card from November 10 to November 24 with a daily limit of Rs 4,000.Also read:

Modi, Donald trump the market, Sensex crashes 1,600 points

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After an early career spate of dramas in his native language, French Canadian director Denis Villeneuve has spent the last few years subverting seemingly every film genre he can get his hands on.

There was his spin on the child-abduction thriller ("Prisoners"). The new take on the Jekyll-and-Hyde trope ("Enemy"). A fresh look at the drug-cartel action flick (last year's "Sicario").

Villeneuve has most recently been seeking out a new world. Or, more accurately, a new universe.

The director's "Arrival," out from Paramount on Friday after its Toronto International Film Festival premiere, finds him tackling the global alien-invasion thriller, but in the cerebral and intimate way fans have come to expect from what might be called Villeneuvalia.

More Information At a glance "Arrival" Stars: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker Director: Denis Villeneuve Opens: Friday See More Collapse

"It's not about choosing a specific genre; that's not how I go about deciding what movies to make," the director said, with a kind of verbal shrug when asked why he was ripping through established categories like a 2019-era Spinner.

Then, as if reconsidering the role that factor might play, he added, "But nothing is more fun than breaking the rules."

"Arrival" welcomes those rules, indulges them and then casually leaves them behind. Written by Eric Heisserer from a short story by decorated sci-fi author Ted Chiang, the movie sets up a premise we've had close encounters with many times before: Beings from outer space land on Earth and quickly prompt chaos with their unknown motives.

Into the picture comes Louise (Amy Adams), a skilled linguist dealing with the death of her daughter. She's called by the U.S. government to Montana, one of the dozen sites around the world where the galactic creatures have docked. (Well, sort of docked  they remain in their craft, just above the ground.) Joining her is a theoretical physicist named Ian (Jeremy Renner), the two forming a kind of scientific yin and yang that will try to communicate with the aliens amid the larger military mobilization.

The aliens, it turns out, do speak  or at least communicate  with the help of a symbolic language. And that's where the film takes a detour from the usual genre stops. It infuses quiet moments of Louise and Ian trying to decode the aliens' hidden meanings into the larger global panic prompted by such ambiguities  "a beautiful dance that Louise gets to do between time and space," as Adams put it at a news conference here.

Although some of the more esoteric details will mainly reward fans of high-level linguistics, the questions resonate on a broader level, too. What would we actually say to aliens if we could? And if they just sort of hovered, literally and figuratively, would we react with fear or hope?

"Arrival" is also interested in more personal arcs, particularly Louise's, for whom an ability to communicate has done little to help her connect with her fractured self.

"When we started, we knew it was a profound, poetic story," Villeneuve said by phone from Hungary, where he's shooting the "Blade Runner" sequel. "It was a challenge to bring that to the screen, because it was a science fiction movie we're not so used to seeing  the science fiction film that says something about reality."

The balance between sci-fi ambition and human feeling wasn't easy, he said.

"It's a very delicate movie  you have to make sure the intellectual aspects do not block the emotional ones," he said.

That more than anything may be the theme of Villeneuve's current career phase  the notion of raising political and psychological issues in an oblique and genre-packaged way. "Arrival" is really about societal response to fear, much the way "Prisoners" was essentially about the CIA-torture debate. "Arrival" also contains a premise given a more direct timeliness by the recent discovery of an unknown galactic signal, even if said signal was soon not what it seemed.

Renner said he was similarly moved by big ideas in making the film.

"Thematically, it's about what unites us and what divides us," he said during a break at the festival. "Like religion, language does that more than almost anything else. That's what makes Denis who he is: He's asking these questions in this really entertaining story."

Since its premiere, "Arrival" has engendered comparisons to Christopher Nolan works  the movie conjures obvious reference points like "Interstellar" and "Insomnia" as well as some less expected ones. The film's ending also has provoked discussion as it manages the tricky outcome of narrative satisfaction and feverish inquiry.

If "Arrival" will elicit an intense fan debate about its enigmas, the film is also a marketing puzzle for the studio. "Arrival" has an eminently sellable alien-invasion conceit, but its slower and more philosophical moments could confound a certain portion of the mainstream audience. In the days of "Contact" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," this would, of course, not be an issue; in the days of "Transformers and "The Avengers," it might.

Villeneuve said he believed his film could attract a wide audience, though he did call it an "experiment" for a major studio.

Then again, as a director who's next putting the man-vs.-machine subgenre in his sightlines, he's always been happy to fiddle.

"I know that some people are excited and some are angry," he said of the "Blade Runner" sequel. "It's like working off a novel. You try to keep the essence, you try to keep the poetry alive, which is what I'm trying to do with Ridley (Scott). But it's also obvious to everyone that I'm a very different filmmaker."

He continued by offering a general philosophy, a lens through which one can view the career choices that took him to "Prisoners," "Sicario," "Arrival" and those films yet to come.

"I guess I like (the) notion of risk. That drives my activity. It's always been my spark, and it's maybe led me to create a little dangerously."
By Siraj Qureshi: As soon as PM Modi announced his decision to demonetize Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes from midnight of November 8, it created a panic across all sections of the society, but the middle-class was hurt the most, as with the approaching wedding season, many had taken out huge quantities of high-value currency notes from banks and were storing them in at home for wedding expenditures.

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Tourists arriving in Agra too were affected by this sudden step as many had to turn back without viewing the Taj Mahal after the ASI ticket staff refused to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from the tourists.

The tourism industry expressed mixed feelings about this decision in their reactions. While they welcomed this move to phase out black money completely from the economy, they also raised the issue of difficulties being faced by the tourists at various points, including at the Taj Mahal, where there were long lines at the gates with tourists offering the old currency to buy tickets and the ticket clerks refusing to accept them.

Also read: New Rs 500, Rs 2000 notes: All you need to know



CATALYST TO NEW PROBLEMS

Agra Tourist Welfare Chamber secretary Vishal Sharma said that the PM took a very courageous step to immediately kill the flow of black money in the country, but this has created an entirely new set of problems for the foreign and domestic tourists who are carrying high-value currency with them for their expenses and have no way to go to the banks to get them exchanged for the new currency.

Rupee revamp has created an entirely new set of problems for the foreign and domestic tourists.

Sharma said that this step needed a better homework at the lower levels of governance as reports of non-compliance to the PM's instructions by a lot of agencies were coming in since morning. He said that there were a lot of heated arguments at the Taj Mahal's ticket windows, where the staff refused to accept high-value currency from tourists and even closed the ticket windows, which was a spectacle that could have been avoided if a little homework had been done by the government agencies beforehand.

Also read: Operation Black Money: Here is the inside story of Modi's bold move



Meanwhile, with these currency notes being reduced to scraps of paper, this wedding season is expected to be seriously hit and this fact alone is earning them Modi the most disrepute. Although people are also appreciating this step, which they believe will end the cycle of black money in the Indian economy.



MIDDLE CLASS WORST HIT

However, apart from complaining about some immediate difficulties, the middle class is also saying that Modi should have given some time before implementing this scheme. A local BJP leader told India Today that this step will seriously affect the electoral process in UP and four other states that go for elections in February as with black money suddenly taken out of the equation, the polling process will become highly sanitized.

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Also read: How scrapping 500, 1000 notes and bringing in 2000 notes will check black money: Congress



From candidates buying tickets for crores of rupees to the illegally distributed Rs 500 notes to voters to buy votes, each and every electoral crime was committed using black money and now it will come to an abrupt halt, which will definitely affect the politics of UP, where the black money game was a major component of the elections.

Also read: Will change the way people spend, keep their money: Arun Jaitley



"There are dozens of weddings scheduled in Agra on November 10 and with 86 per cent of currency notes being declared invalid and banks closed, those who are getting married on this date are in a fix as they will have to make payments worth lakhs on that date, which was not possible with the old currency, which was no longer considered a legal tender," said social activist Mohd. Kamran.

Also read: What the FAQ just happened! All your questions about Rs 500-1000 notes answered



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"This step will end the parallel economy as well as curb terrorist funding. He accepted that the initial days of this transition will be difficult, especially during the peak wedding season, but appealed that in the interest of the entire nation's economy, people should bear with these difficulties and support this move," said Agra Vyapar Mandal President, TN Agrawal who welcomed the demonetisation.

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Of the many movies the civil rights era has inspired, few have placed a woman at their center. But it is a quietly powerful black Virginia wife and mother played by Irish-Ethiopian actress Ruth Negga who takes the lead in changing history in writer-director Jeff Nichols' new fact-based drama, "Loving."

"Loving" stars Negga and Australian actor Joel Edgerton as Mildred and Richard Loving, an interracial couple arrested for violating Virginia's anti-miscegenation laws in 1958, whose marriage led to the landmark 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision Loving vs. Virginia. Jailed while pregnant with their child and forced to live out of state, Mildred wrote a letter to Attorney General Robert Kennedy, setting in motion the case that would affect the lives of generations of interracial and same-sex couples.

"I was moved by the Lovings' story because of my own background as a mixed-race person," said Negga, who was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to an Ethiopian father and Irish mother and moved to Limerick, Ireland, when she was 3. "I was also drawn to this great love story that has never been told."

Negga's nuanced performance in "Loving," which premiered to strong reviews at the Cannes Film Festival last spring, has put her in the spotlight in a breakout year. This year the 34-year-old actress has also played a gun-toting vigilante in AMC's supernatural hit "Preacher" and a monarch in the big-budget film adaptation of the video game "Warcraft."

More Information At a glance "Loving" Stars: Ruth Negga, Joel Edgerton, Will Dalton Director: Jeff Nichols Opens: Friday See More Collapse

Early on in his planning for the film, Nichols auditioned Negga at the urging of casting director Francine Maisler. In preparation, the actress, who was in Los Angeles to shoot a recurring role on Marvel's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D," had been studying archival footage of the Lovings from the 2011 HBO documentary "The Loving Story."

"Ruth had the voice, she had the posture, the facial expressions," Nichols said. "It wasn't until after we were done and I started to speak with her that I realized she had an Irish accent. By then the die was already cast. She was Mildred. When she left the room I turned to (producer) Sarah Green and Francine and said, 'Well, do we really have to see anyone else?'"

In an interview in Los Angeles in October, Negga, her high heels tossed on the floor beside her, elbows propped on her knees, carried herself with a casual tomboyishness.

"Mildred would never sit like this," Negga said, gesturing at her open knees, before standing and demonstrating her character's more upright affect. The actress said she absorbed Mildred's more formal mannerisms from studying the documentary, and during production she fell asleep at night listening to audio of Mildred's voice.

"In the documentary, Mildred's looking for shorts and shoes to put on her daughter," Negga said. "And she bends over into the wardrobe from the top down, she just bends."

During preproduction, Negga met Peggy Loving, the only daughter and survivor of the Lovings' three children. "I spent most of that meeting just silently crying," Negga said. "We both cried. And she said, 'You have a good spirit to play my mom.'"

Nichols shot on location, including a Virginia courthouse where the couple faced a judge and the jail where Mildred was confined while pregnant, for a scene she considers a turning point in her character's awakening.

"Mildred was the spine of the couple," Negga said. "She saw what maybe Richard didn't want to see, that they weren't going to get out of this by running away or putting their heads in the sand. She was a very astute woman. After those five days in jail, she realized that the fairy tale was over."

Mildred didn't set out to make history, Negga said, but in penning the letter to Kennedy and speaking to journalists about her marriage, she engaged in a form of sober defiance.

"Black women then had a lot of resilience, a lot of tenacity and a lot of fight in them," Negga said. "It's not the fight of being loud or big, because that kind of fight could get you killed. It's the innate knowledge that something isn't right."

Much of Nichols' movie focuses on the Lovings' daily life  his work as a bricklayer, her trips to the market, a relaxed moment laughing together in front of the television set.

Some of the scenes are re-creations of still photos taken by Life magazine photographer Grey Villet, played in the movie by Michael Shannon, and they paint a portrait of a couple that was happy, despite the outside world telling them they shouldn't be.

"In the archive footage of this couple, there is this energy between them that is so beautiful and so alive," Negga said. "Joel and I wanted to re-create that out of a respect for the pair, but also because it looked like fun, because they actually giggle and just look like such a really lovely relationship."

Negga's own parents had a different kind of relationship, she said. They met at an Addis Ababa hospital where he worked as a doctor, she as a nurse. When Negga's mother brought her daughter back to Ireland, Negga's father stayed behind in Ethiopia, dying in a car crash when his daughter was 7.

Raised among her 20-odd Irish cousins in Limerick, with a detour to London, Negga developed a facility for accents, an ability to adapt her surroundings and a love of the weekend trip to the video store.

Though she worked steadily over the last decade, 2016 is the year of Negga's breakout as a lead in the United States.

That she is making that leap in such a personal and timely film suits the actress wholly.

"We're living in a very tumultuous time," Negga said. "People are looking for integrity somewhere, for a direction to take. The Lovings' story isn't over."
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Fueled by campaign spending of about four times more than his rival, state Sen. George Amedore defeated Montgomery County Democrat Sara Niccoli. Longtime Assemblyman Jim Tedisco becomes the first person in 40 years not named Hugh Farley to occupy the 49th Senate District seat.

In Tuesday's local state Legislature results:

43rd Senate

Republican Sen. Kathy Marchione fended off a challenge by Democrat Shaun Francis.

Marchione, who has held office for four years, has seen popularity in her home county and town, respectively, of Saratoga and Halfmoon. She was buoyed by campaign contributions from limited liability companies and super PACs.

Francis who works for the Office of Professional Employees International (part of the AFL-CIO).

"I feel very grateful that the people of the 43rd have continued to put their trust in me," said Marchione.

44th Senate

Democrat Neil Breslin, first elected to the Senate in 1996, easily beat Republican Christopher Davis and the Green Party's Deyva Arthur. The district includes Bethlehem, Colonie, Albany, Cohoes, Watervliet, Green Island, Rensselaer and part of Troy.

46th Senate

In a race of statewide interest, homebuilder incumbent George Amedore defeated Palatine Town Supervisor Sara Niccoli. Spending by the two campaigns will likely top $1 million, mostly on Amedore's side.

"It's about serving the people, putting the needs of others above yourself," Amedore said.

He said he will continue to fight to keep taxes down and "being able to afford New York" and getting small businesses thriving.

Amedore called for term limits and restoring faith in government after recent scandals and "unethical characters."

Niccoli praised her volunteers' work. "You believed in me. You believed in our democracy. It does not end here," she said.

Niccoli urged them to lobby for reforms they fought for in the campaign.

She said the battle for the presidency impacted races down the ballot.

49th Senate

Jim Tedisco parlayed his recognition and popularity as a longtime assemblyman into an easy victory for the Senate seat held since 1977 by fellow Republican Hugh Farley.

His victory came over Democratic Deputy Schenectady City Clerk Chad Putman.

The win shows his constituents value his experience, Tedisco said.

"They want a guy who's a fighter. They want a guy who stood up to the most powerful elements in state government and won't back down," Tedisco said.

111th Assembly

Incumbent Democrat Angelo Santabarbara won re-election in a rematch of 2014's contest with Canajoharie Republican Pete Vroman.

During the campaign Vroman, a retired deputy U.S. marshal, said he was a political outsider and the contest pitted his public service against the Rotterdam Democrat's politics.

Santabarbara, a civil engineer by trade, disagreed, saying he's part of the reform state politics is seeing.

112th Assembly

Mary Beth Walsh keeps the seat that Tedisco will leave after 34 years for the Senate in Republican hands with her defeat of Democrat Michael Godlewski.

Both candidates are lawyers. Godlewski, 33, of Glenville is deputy Schenectady attorney; Walsh, 50, of Ballston is in a private practice.

Walsh ran on keeping taxes low and repealing Common Core learning standards and the Safe Act.

She has said, "I want to find common ground and common sense solutions."

113th Assembly

Democrat Carrie Woerner won her first re-election bid, defeating Republican Chris Boyark.

In the run-up to the election, Woerner said her approach is quietly working across the aisle to get things done. Boyark, who cast himself as a conservative, said he believes in a more impassioned approach. The district runs from northern Saratoga County into southern Washington County.

Other races

A number of Assembly races offered little in the way of drama or surprise. In the 109th, Democrat Patricia Fahy defeated Republican Jesse Calhoun. In the 110th, Democrat Phil Steck won re-election over Republican Tom Murphy and in the 114th Republican Daniel Stec defeated Green Party candidate Robin Barkenhegen.

Unopposed for re-election were Republicans Peter Lopez and Steve McLaughlin and Democrat John McDonald.

Contributing: Wendy Liberatore, Paul Nelson, Kenneth C. Crowe II
Schenectady County Family Court Judge Mark L. Powers held a narrow lead over Clinton County Family Court Judge Timothy Lawliss in the race for state Supreme Court justice.

With 100 percent of election districts reporting, Powers, a Democrat, had 160,479 votes to the Republican Lawliss' 159,065, according to unofficial results from the state Board of Elections.

That means Powers held a 1,415-vote lead in the sprawling district that stretches from the western end of the Capital Region to the Canadian border and incudes Clintokn, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Schenectady, St. Lawrence, Warren and Washington counties.

It was unclear how many absentee ballots remain to be counted.

Powers won heavy in voter-rich Schenectady County and held a lead in Saratoga County. Lawliss chipped away at the lead with wins in the smaller, rural counties that comprise the rest of the district.
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WASHINGTON, D.C.  Sen. Charles Schumer's race against GOP challenger Wendy Long was over by 9 p.m., but the Senate races most important to him  the ones that could put him in the driver's seat  were not going his way.

After voting at PS 320 near his Brooklyn home and sampling the bake-sale cupcakes, Schumer went to what was expected to be an over-the-top victory celebration for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Instead, Schumer acted as a cheerleader of sorts in a speech outside the center, imploring the crowd to chant "I believe that she will win"  even as results were suggesting a victory might be by the thinnest of margins, if at all.

Schumer had been hoping for a coronation of his own as Senate Majority Leader, replacing Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., who is retiring.

But by 11 p.m. with polls closing in the Western states, the odds of a Democratic Senate victory were fast evaporating.

Democrats succeeded in winning only one seat from Republicans, with Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a veteran who lost both her legs in Iraq, defeating incumbent Republican Mark Kirk in Illinois. Democratic challenger Katie McGinty was ahead of incumbent Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, but the networks deemed the race too close to call.

Democrats needed four turnovers of Republican seats to win the Senate  if Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton won.

If she didn't, they would need to win five Republican-held seats.

But former GOP presidential contender Sen. Marco Rubio, D-Fla., retained his seat. And in Indiana, Republican Todd Young defeated former Indiana governor and Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh. Republican incumbents in North Carolina, Wisconsin and Ohio also won.

Republican victories presented a nearly insurmountable blockade to Democratic hopes or regaining the control they lost in 2014.

Outside the Javits Center, Schumer read his speech through half-glasses riding low on his nose, expressing hope American voters "would bless us with a Democratic majority in the Senate" that could achieve Democratic goals such as college affordability, action on climate change, immigration reform and a full complement of nine Supreme Court justices.

But the string of Republican victories dashed Schumer's hopes. The 65-year-old native of E. 27th Street in Brooklyn apparently will have to settle for the less-robust power of Senate minority leader.

"I'm sure he's disappointed," said Julie Novkov, chair of the political science department at the University at Albany. "The polls were looking good and Democratic strategists were looking to Latino voters to turn the corner, but it looks like that's not the case."

In New York, Long never stood a chance against the financial machine of Schumer, who gave away over $6 million to Democrats in close Senate races.

Schumer, who prides himself in visiting all New York's 62 counties at least once a year, swamped Long with over three-quarters of the vote.

State GOP chairman Edward Cox praised Long for "a hard-fought race traveling across the state echoing the message of our presidential nominee Donald Trump."

Long already enjoyed the dubious distinction of having lost to New York's junior U.S. Senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, in 2012 by a historically large margin (46 percent). This time, Long cast herself as a Trump acolyte and anti-elite candidate  a persona that tended to clash with her pedigree as a graduate of Dartmouth College and Northwestern University law school. The two held one debate.

No matter which party wins the Senate or the White House, neither side will dominate Washington.

"There's not going to be a mandate for either side," said Novkov. "Whoever wins is going to have a tough time."

dan@hearstdc.com
Albany

For 15 months, the family of slain Colonie barber Jacquelyn Porreca grieved quietly without confronting the knife-wielding robber who murdered her or the man who drove the getaway car.

That ended Wednesday when a judge sentenced the stabber, Michael Chmielewski, 24, of Colonie, to 22 years to life in prison and gave the driver, Sean Moreland, 33, of Colonie, 2 to 6 years in prison for hindering the prosecution. Moreland's sentence will run concurrent with an 8-year term for an unrelated burglary he committed in July 2015.

It marked the end of a case that became symbolic of the region's devastating heroin problem; both defendants were admitted heroin users whom police said targeted the Recycled Hair Salon in West Albany on the afternoon of Aug. 21, 2015, to fuel their addictions. But in castigating both defendants. Porreca's loved ones made it clear they did not believe the deadly opioid had any impact on the crime.

"This murder was not because of drugs. This murder was because of evil," Porreca's sister, Gio Mariah, told the defendants and state Supreme Court Justice Thomas Breslin. "The behavior of these men are identical to the behavior of Charles Manson."

Porreca, 32, was stabbed twice in the neck during the robbery.

"A drug addiction did not make them bring a knife into the salon that day and brandish it," said Janeah Rosecrans, another of Porreca's sisters. "It did not make them attack and murder her. It did not make them hide the evidence. It takes a certain kind of evil to do these things."

Porreca's mother, Elizabeth Zuckoff, detailed the pain she has endured in losing a daughter whose "heart and soul was so huge that no one could ignore the light that she carried with her and shared with others," she said.

"There has not been a day since Jacquelyn died that I don't wake up in terror due to the way she was murdered," the mother said. "A constant repeat of that horrible day that my daughter was stabbed at work and left to die in a pool of blood. I do not believe I will ever get over this, nor my family, her friends, and her clients. Our lives are forever changed and we will continue to suffer for a long time to come. I pray for closure for all of us but at this present time I see no rescue in sight."

She, too, dismissed the notion that her daughter was killed because of heroin.

"I do not believe their drug excuses, and why they chose Jacquelyn instead of robbing elsewhere," the mother told the judge. "There were many places to chose from in that busy area 3:30 in the afternoon."

Porreca's sister, Lucia Falciano said her sister was a "pure soul" who helped those her around her and had found the love of her life in fiance Mickey Myers, who expressed his own pain.

"I will never get another 'good morning' text, which I still check my phone from time to time waiting for it to come through," he said. "I will never again hear her laughter fill our home that we created. I will never again see her walk in our front door, with her beautiful smile and hear her say 'hi.' The morning kiss before leaving for work is no longer there. I now blow a kiss to an empty bed, to the spot where she used to sleep. I am left with having to look at pictures of us to see her smile."

Chmielewski pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on Sept. 6. When offered a chance speak Wednesday, Chmielewski paused several times and took deep breaths beside his attorney, Kurt Haas, who was filling in for his primary lawyer, Cheryl Coleman.

"I'm so sorry ... ,." Chmielewski told before the judge, adding, "It's not enough."

Moreland, represented by Paul DerOhannesian and Danielle Smith, pleaded guilty Sept. 8. On Wednesday, DerOhannesian said a probation officer conducting a pre-sentencing interview of his client said there was "no direct evidence" Moreland had knowledge of Chmielewski's planned to rob Porreca.

Moreland apologized to the family and said he wished he had come forward sooner.

Assistant District Attorney Steven Sharp and Chief Assistant District Attorney David Rossi prosecuted the case. Previously, District Attorney David Soares said the case against Moreland was "pretty much gutted" by a decision by Breslin on Aug. 29 that blocked Moreland's potentially incriminating statements from being used at trial. That's because police continued to question Moreland on Nov. 3, 2015, after he invoked his right to a lawyer.

The arrests were made in November 2015 when Colonie police connected Chmielewski to a "person of interest" seen near the salon around the time of the robbery. The admitted murderer first claimed he was home all day but told a police informant later that he was involved in the murder.

Chmielewski showed police where he said he tossed the knife into a lake in Washington Park. The weapon was never found.

Before he imposed sentence, the judge said he agreed with the sentiment of Porreca's family.

"Drugs may have made these men desperate for money," Breslin said, "but it did not make them killers."

rgavin@timesunion.com  518-434-2403  @RobertGavinTU
On Warrant Wednesday, the State Police issued the following notices of outstanding arrest warrants. Among them was a Capital Region man State Police said did not appear in court to answer charges after he was found with heroin.

 Michael P. Dean, 28, is wanted on a bench warrant from the Town of Clifton Park Court issued on Oct. 1 for failure to appear on the charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance. During a traffic stop on Interstate 87, Dean was found with heroin. His last known address is in Glens Falls.

 Elizabeth Martinez, 27, is wanted by State Police in Dover on charges of grand larceny and reckless endangerment. State Police said Martinez and an acquaintance were arrested in July 2014 after stealing a car from a Dover gas station. Troopers said the duo led police on a chase that ended when the car crashed with a State Police vehicle.

 Ruben Ortiz, 33, is wanted by the State Police in Batavia and the Town of Alabama Court on an active arrest warrant. Ortiz menaced a victim and threatened to kill him over money on May 2. Ortiz may be in Brooklyn, NY.

 Richard A. Christy, 21, is wanted by the State Police in Canton and the Town of Pierrepont Court on criminal contempt and criminal mischief charges stemming from a domestic dispute. Christy violated an order of protection and damaged the victim's property. He violated the terms of his probation following his arrest.

 Tykisha Brown, 23, is wanted on forgery and identity theft charges after she stole credit cards from a fellow employee and was captured on surveillance camera making unauthorized charges in department stores in New York and New Jersey. Brown was arrested and failed to return to court to answer the charges. A bench warrant was issued for her arrest from the Town of Wallkill Court. She is also wanted by the City of Middletown.

 Tedurella A. Williams, 24, is wanted on a Town of Lyons Court warrant for burglary. Williams' last known address was on Oneida Street in Rochester.

 Paul E. Steinbiss, 43, is wanted by State Police in Kirkwood for failing to show at court dates after being arrested for driving while intoxicated and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in 2010. The Town of Kirkwood Court issued a bench warrant for his arrest, also in 2010.

 Marlon Cantillano, 26, is wanted by State Police in Farmingdale and Nassau County First District Court for aggravated DWI, endangering the welfare of a child and traffic violations. Cantillano was stopped for a traffic violation on the Southern State Parkway in 2015 and arrested. He was operating a black Toyota at the time of his arrest. The defendant's last known address was in Hempstead.

 Luis M. Badilla Alvarado, 35, is wanted by State Police in Tarrytown on a bench warrant for driving while intoxicated. On Nov. 16, 2005, Badilla Alvarado was traveling on the Thruway when he was stopped by State Police for a traffic violation. During the course of the investigation. it was determined that Badilla Alvarado was intoxicated.
Azusa, Calif.

A gunman with a high-powered rifle was found dead inside a home in a suburb of Los Angeles on Tuesday after shooting at police officers who responded to a report of gunfire and found one person fatally shot and two others critically injured, the authorities said.

It was not clear if the gunman  a man whose identity was not immediately known  died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound or had been shot by the police, Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said at a news conference.

"We're in the process of trying to figure out why this happened and who this person is and what exactly made him snap," he said.

The victim who was fatally shot was a man, but no details were immediately available about him. The two other victims, women ages 65 and 59, were in "really critical" condition, Corina said. "We don't know what's going to happen to them," he said.

The episode, which unfolded around 2 p.m. in Azusa, a city about 25 miles east of Los Angeles, took several confusing and conflicting turns as the authorities tried to sort out what happened and to whom.

The acting chief of the Azusa Police Department, Steve Hunt, had said at a news conference earlier on Tuesday that the person who did the shooting was a woman armed with a high-powered rifle and that the dead victim was also a woman.

Asked about the inconsistencies with earlier accounts, Corina said, "With something like this there are a lot of rumors flying around and a lot of misinformation going out."

He added that "so far we have found no evidence" of an accomplice in the shooting but emphasized that the police were searching door-to-door for anyone else who might be injured, dead or hiding.

The shooting unfolded as five Azusa police officers and one from nearby Irwindale responded to a report of gunfire on Fourth Street.

Hunt said that officers found "multiple victims" and that as they were tending to them, the officers came under fire. They had to be extracted by armored vehicles. All of the officers who were pinned down by gunfire were "accounted for, safe and rescued," the department said on Twitter.

The gunman went back into a home and was barricaded there until tactical units entered the house and found him dead. Corina said that the police were obtaining a search warrant to look through the house.

The victim who was fatally shot was lying in a doorway outside the home.

What set off the shooting remained a mystery.
By PTI: New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) A Bangladesh court has given four more weeks to Robi Axiata for registering the Airtel Bangladesh amalgamation scheme with before the Registry of Joint Stock Companies (RJSC).

"Robi has today received the extension from the High Court for registration of the Scheme with RJSC of four weeks from 9 November 2016," Bharti Airtel said in a BSE filing today.

advertisement

Bharti Airtel and Malaysia-based Axiata Group are in process of merging their operations in Bangladesh to create the second-largest operator in that country.

The High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh has approved the scheme of amalgamation of Airtel Bangladesh with Robi.

In its order dated September 21, the High Court had directed both the companies, Airtel Bangladesh and Robi, to register the Scheme with Registry of Joint Stock Companies (RJSC) within four weeks from the date of order. However, the deadline was missed by Robi and the court further granted extension for the registering the scheme.

Airtel Bangladesh has a customer base over 9 million and Robi Axiata Limited has approximately 28 million users. The combined entity will make it the second-largest telecom service provider in that country in terms of subscribers.

Airtel entered Bangladesh by acquiring 70 per cent stake in Warid Telecom in 2010; while in 2013, it picked up the remaining 30 per cent too. PTI PRS MR

--- ENDS ---
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Republican John Faso declared victory in the race for the the 19th Congressional District seat Tuesday night as he led Democrat Zephyr Teachout by 6 points shortly before 11 p.m.

For months, polling has shown the advantage to be swinging from one candidate to the other, with almost every lead falling within the margin of error. It wasn't until Sunday's Time Warner Cable News/Siena College poll that Faso was shown to have opened a comparatively cushy six-point advantage with just days before voters went to the polls.

Certainly the district's politics have something to do with the tightness of the contest. Voter enrollment essentially is split into thirds among Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated voters.

With results from 284 of 615 elections districts in, Faso had 53 percent of the vote and Teachout has 47 percent.

The district comprises all of Columbia, Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster counties as well as part of Broome, Dutchesss, Montgomery and Rensselaer counties.

Gibson, who weighed a run for governor in 2018, declined to seek a forth, two-year term. He later opted against a gubernatorial bid in favor of a professorship at Williams College in western Massachusetts.

The race between Faso and Teachout has been tight with a poll two weeks ago showing Teachout with a 3-point lead and one last week showing Faso with a 6-point lead.

Teachout and Faso sharply disagreed on a number of issues including trade, Faso saying he supports fast-track authority with congressional oversight on trade deals and Teachout saying she does not support such authority for any president.

The topic of large financial institutions also was contentious. Faso said Wall Street is strictly regulated and should be more closely regulated, but he would not support a burdensome stock transfer tax.

"This is what the left elites want: They want super bureaucracies to control every aspect of the economy, and that's perfectly acceptable to Ms. Teachout," Faso said. "But it doesn't work. ... (The financial crisis occurred) not because we didn't have enough regulation, it's because we had bad regulation and bad oversight."

Teachout, as she has done before, evoked Teddy Roosevelt's trust-busting attitude. "I tend to favor a rules approach instead of a regulation approach that focuses on making sure the big banks don't get so powerful in the first place," she said.
Washington

Campaign 2016 came down to Donald Trump's following among white voters, especially non-college-educated men vs Hillary Clinton's support among women, minorities and young people.

The race produced a gender gap with a capital "G" for Clinton  but it was the working-class white men flocking to Trump who had a lot to do with it, preliminary results from exit polls showed.

Tuesday's election was on track to produce one of the largest gender gaps since 1972, when the first national exit poll was taken. The gender gap for Clinton  the difference between the number of men who voted for her and the number of women who voted for her  hit 13 percentage points in preliminary results of exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.

Clinton's support among women was roughly even with the support that women gave Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012. The bigger factor in this year's wide gender gap: less-educated white men, who favored Trump far more heavily than they did Republican Mitt Romney in 2012 or GOP nominee John McCain in 2008.

Trump, who once famously declared that he loved the uneducated, got plenty of love from white voters who never graduated from college: He got 7 in 10 votes from non-college-educated white men and 6 in 10 votes from non-college-educated white women.

Clinton, meanwhile, got the support of less than a quarter of white men without a college degree; Obama, by contrast, drew about a third of their votes four years ago. Clinton did make some inroads with college-educated white women. Just over half supported her, while four years ago just over half of that group had backed Romney. The only presidential candidate that came close to Clinton's apparent gender gap this year was Democrat Al Gore, who had a 12-point gender gap in 2000.

Other findings from the exit poll:

Racial split

Even with his tough talk about Mexican immigrants, Trump held on to roughly the same share of Hispanic voters as Romney had claimed four years ago. Likewise, he was drawing about the same levels of support from black voters as Romney won.

The Republican was drawing about a quarter of Hispanic voters and about less than 1 in 10 black voters.

Clinton did better with Hispanic voters who were naturalized citizens, getting about 8 in 10 of their votes. She got about 6 in 10 Hispanic voters who were born U.S. citizens.

Trump was winning more than half of white voters, who made up 70 percent of the electorate.

Millennial magic

Clinton managed to hang on to the millennials who were such a big part of Obama's winning coalition.

Young people age 18-29 supported Clinton over Trump by nearly as strong a margin as their support of Obama over Romney in 2012. Those between 30 and 44 also were much more likely to support Clinton than Trump. Trump won the favor of those 45 and over.

Holding their noses

Americans held their noses as they picked between Clinton and Trump: More than half of voters cast their ballots with reservations about their candidate or because they disliked the others running.

That was true both for those backing Democrat Hillary Clinton and those supporting Republican Donald Trump, the exit polls showed

After a long, hard-fought campaign, just 4 out of 10 voters strongly favored their candidate. That's a marked shift from 2012, when about two-thirds of voters said they were voting because they strongly favored their candidate.

The prospect of a Clinton or Trump victory was downright scary to plenty of voters: Seven in 10 Clinton voters said they'd feel scared by Trump victory; 6 in 10 Trump voters felt the same about a Clinton win.

Women's issues vs. email issues

After all of the sound and fury over Trump's treatment of women, it turned out the issue bothered half of all voters a lot  and women were more concerned about it than men.

About 6 in 10 women were bothered a lot, compared to about 4 in 10 men, the exit poll found.

The partisan divide on the issue was stark: More than 8 in 10 Clinton voters were bothered a lot by the GOP candidate's treatment of women, compared to about 1 in 10 Trump voters.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, the Amsterdam resident with decades of time in government, was pulling away to a strong victory over Republican Joe Vitollo of Coeymans.

With 403 of 605 election districts reporting, Tonko had 67 percent of the vote and Vitollo had 33 percent of the vote.

The contrast between the two could not be more stark. Tonko, who served almost a quarter-century in the state Assembly before winning his current seat in 2008, says he remains in touch with the communities he serves and has developed the kind of relationship with residents that enables him to represent the heart of the Capital Region (Albany and Schenectady counties and parts of Montgomery, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties lie within the 20ths borders) with passion and intellect.

He drills down on two subjects in particular: infrastructure, a major concern in upstate cities like Albany contending with crumbling water systems, and energy.

"As an engineer, I want to be able to address that energy planning policy," said Tonko, who studied mechanical and industrial engineering at Clarkson University and briefly served as president and CEO of the state Energy Research and Development Authority before his first run for Congress. "I want to address the clean drinking water policy. I want to address efforts to clean our air and clean our water so that as we pass our environment over ... to the next generation, it'll be all the cleaner."

Vitollo though sees Tonko as a rubber stamp for the Obama administration. He decries Obamacare, relying on anecdotes from his time as an emergency room nurse about those he treated who couldn't afford co-pays on their medication because of the insurance they were required to obtain.

He wants to see the nation institute a flat tax after cutting away the hunks of fat from a bloated federal budget. Like Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, he proudly embraces nationalism.

"I care about people, but I care about Americans first," he said after lighting into Tonko's support of Syrian refugees entering the country. "We definitely should help people; I'm not against helping people. But I am in favor of helping America first, and that's what we need to start thinking about. We need to start thinking about (how) charity begins at home."
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Washington

A deeply divided America counted votes on Tuesday in the bitter presidential race, as Hillary Clinton racked up large majorities in the nation's diverse urban regions, while Donald Trump exceeded previous Republican margins in rural, whiter parts of the country.

As polls closed from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rocky Mountains, state after state, from North Carolina to New Hampshire and west to Michigan were too close to call for hours, defying predictions by most polls and strategists in both parties that Clinton would win an early victory.

By late in the evening, the result appeared likely to turn on two states of the upper Midwest, Michigan and Wisconsin, with Clinton probably needing to win both of them.

With Republicans also beating the odds in close Senate races, the party stood on the verge of having a united government. Clinton, by contrast, would probably face a unified Republican Congress if she succeeded in eking out a presidential victory.

Amid unusually high turnout in several keenly contested states, Clinton received strong support from minority voters, especially Latinos, and did much better among college-educated white voters than any previous Democratic nominee.

Trump, however, countered by piling up huge majorities among the non-college-educated, blue-collar whites that have long been the mainstay of his support.

The result was a series of tight races in battleground states as the red swaths of the nation's political map became much redder, even as many of the blue areas became bluer.

Clinton won Virginia and Colorado, according to exit polls and nearly compete returns. Both were swing states in which her campaign had long expressed confidence. But Trump countered with apparent victories in Ohio and Florida, where his Election Day turnout wiped out a big Clinton early-vote lead.

As financial markets absorbed the possibility that Trump might win the presidency, futures dropped, as did the Mexican peso. Markets had risen significantly in recent days as most polls showed Clinton's position strengthening.

The voting came at the close of a tumultuous campaign in which Clinton sought not only to become the first woman elected president but also to win a third term for her party in the White House  a difficult task last accomplished by George H.W. Bush more than a generation ago.

The campaign repeatedly upset expectations: Clinton, despite her quest to break a glass ceiling that has persisted throughout American history, was cast as the candidate of the status quo. Trump, despite his vast wealth and political connections, successfully took the role of outsider, expressing the grievances and anger of much of the nation's white working class.

After a campaign as divisive as any in modern American history, dawn broke Tuesday to the sight of long lines of voters waiting patiently outside polling places, as if those people long ignored as the candidates squabbled had stepped in to protect the nation's tradition of peaceful transitions.

Nationally, there were few reported difficulties beyond the usual snafus in a smattering of districts.

The generally smooth Election Day provided a counterpoint to a campaign that repeatedly brought to the surface deep division along lines of race, gender and class.

Time and again, the campaign swayed under the weight of the candidates' weaknesses, with much of the worst damage to both being self-inflicted.

For Clinton, the most prominent drama centered on her use of a private email server to handle sensitive information during her tenure as secretary of State. The issue dogged her from the campaign's opening days until its end, erupting once again less than two weeks before the election when FBI Director James B. Comey announced his agents were looking at a fresh batch of emails to ascertain their relevance.

Comey's move stunned and angered Democrats. Then, in a final twist, he announced on Sunday that the FBI had completed its work and found that most of the newly discovered messages were duplicates of ones already reviewed.

For Trump, the problems centered on scores of insults directed at women, Latinos, blacks, Muslims and the disabled.

The final stages of his campaign were convulsed by the release last month of a 2005 video in which he bragged of being able to get away with kissing women against their will and grabbing their genitals.

Within days, a dozen women had accused Trump of unwanted advances. He denied all the accusations.

Trump, the Manhattan real estate heir and billionaire, rode populist rage that reflected discomfort with the nation's changing demographics and discontent about the disappearance of jobs that once had helped lift them into the middle class.

He was the outsider braying at the nation's establishment, in every sphere, accusing those in charge of colluding in corruption even as he bragged that he was once a willing participant in the system that he decried.

Clinton represented an ample target for his attacks. She came to national note as the wife of the Arkansas governor who upended politics in 1992 by defeating President Bush.

After Bill Clinton's tumultuous, impeachment-marked presidency  in which Hillary Clinton delved into policy by way of an unsuccessful healthcare program  she won a U.S. Senate seat in New York that proved to be a stepping stone to her unsuccessful 2008 run for the Democratic presidential nomination.

She served as secretary of State to the man who defeated her, a move that rebounded in her favor this year as the popular president campaigned in battleground states for her.

Her decades-long presence on the political stage helped her seize the nomination, but in the general election, she ran up against the inevitable desire of voters to change the party in the White House after two successive terms.

The irony of Clinton's historic reach to become the first female president is that it played only a minor role in a campaign suffused with a soap opera's worth of scandals.

Although both candidates made a stab at talking about policy proposals  Clinton with far more depth than Trump  the general election revolved instead around issues of character. Throughout, it was dominated by Trump's larger-than-life persona.

Trump openly dismissed President Barack Obama, U.S. trade negotiators and military leaders as "stupid" and "losers." He mocked Sen. John McCain of Arizona for being captured during the Vietnam War.

He criticized women in coarse terms. He physically mimicked a disabled New York Times reporter and, later, a pneumonia-stricken Clinton.

He refused to adhere to the most basic traditions of political candidates, never releasing copies of his income tax returns as every serious contender had done for decades and giving only cursory information about his health.
Bethlehem

A 78-year-old distinguished math professor died last week in a climbing accident in the Shawangunk Mountains, a famous climbing area known as the "Gunks."

Edward S. Thomas Jr. began teaching at the University at Albany in 1969 and still taught there three days a week.

"He had three loves in his life," said his wife, Harriet Thomas. "He loved his family, he loved his teaching and he loved his rock climbing, and he had all three of them wrapped up."

Thomas and a friend often climbed together on Tuesdays, one of his free days.

During their trip to the New Paltz climbing area on Nov. 1, Thomas said her husband was climbing the face of a cliff when he took a bad fall. He was roped in and his partner lowered him to the ground. Park employees tried to resuscitate Thomas, and he was taken by helicopter to Westchester Medical Center but he did not survive the fall.

"He was extremely careful. What happened this time, who knows," Harriet Thomas said.

Thomas, who lived in Delmar, received UAlbany's Excellence in Teaching Award and had been promoted to Distinguished Teaching Professorship, a rank above professor that few hold.

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Thomas specialized in topology, which Harriet Thomas said she still doesn't comprehend even though he tried to explain it. Harriet Thomas, who played viola for the Albany Symphony orchestra for 40 years, said she tried to teach her husband viola but it didn't take.

They decided their marriage was more important, so they left their specialities to each other and focused on their family.

The couple had two daughters, Elizabeth of Berne, who owns 333 Cafe in Delmar, and Rebecca, who lives in Austin, Texas.

A memorial service for Thomas will be at 2 p.m. on Dec. 10 in Lecture Center Room 18 in the mathematics department at UAlbany.
Banks will remain open for public on Saturday, November 12 and Sunday, November 13, 2016 and new Rs 500, Rs 2000 notes will be available in ATMs from Friday.

By India Today Web Desk: The Reserve Bank of India has decided to keep the banks open for public this weekend to help people monetise their old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes into new Rs 500 and Rs 2000 ones, a move brought in by the government to check the menace of black money.

"Banks will remain open for public on Saturday, November 12 and Sunday, November 13, 2016,": the RBI said in a statement.

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As per data available with the RBI, Rs 17,54,000 crore worth of currency is in circulation in India, out of which 45 per cent is accounted for by Rs 500 notes and 39 per cent by Rs 1,000 notes.

In other words, Rs 6,32,000 crore worth of currency stands demonetised.

READ| How scrapping 500, 1000 notes and bringing in 2000 notes will check black money: Congress



New notes in ATMs from Friday

Also, amid confusion over ATMs being able to disburse large amounts of Rs 100 notes when they reopen on Friday, Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa clarified on Wednesday that new currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 value will also be available for people to withdraw.

People wait to withdraw and deposit their money at an ATM kiosk. (Photo: Reuters)

The confusion arose after the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, following which people found it hard to get hold of Rs 100 notes for transactions.

"There will not be any problem as it (Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes) will be available from Nov 11 in all ATMs," Lavasa said.

The government had already announced on Tuesday that while ATMs will be shut for two days, once they reopen on Friday, a person can withdraw up to Rs 2,000 per day through a single card till November 18.

Thereafter, the limit will be increased to Rs 4,000 per day.

Also Read:

Operation Black Money: Here is the inside story of Modi's bold move

Rupee revamp: AIIMS exempts out-patient clinical charges below Rs 500

New Rs 500, Rs 2000 notes: All you need to know

What the FAQ just happened! All your questions about Rs 500-1000 notes answered



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THE ISSUE:

A bitter election ends, but America's deep divisions remain.

THE STAKES:

How do we, out of so many, become one?

More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse

We tasked ourselves this week with a challenge  to craft a post-election editorial that would stand regardless of who won  or even if, given the closeness of the polls, it was unclear Tuesday who had won at all.

It was no small challenge, given the election's potential for some radically different outcomes, not to mention our own views. As one of the many American newspapers that endorsed Hillary Clinton, we'd applaud voters should they elect her  America's first woman president. Conversely, we'd be concerned if the election went to Donald Trump. We'd be glad to see more moderates elected to the House of Representatives, disheartened if the ranks of the extreme, often intransigent right only grew in the House. We'd be encouraged if voters told Republicans in the U.S. Senate they were fed up with their partisan stonewalling; discouraged if it looked like America voted for more of the same.

But those are battles of the moment. After an election so many wanted to be over for so long, we wondered how we  all of us  might transcend the strife that seems quite likely to continue no matter who wins, and to pose a grave threat to our nation.

We start with this: We need, as a people, to win well, and to lose well.

Remember when we were young, and opposing teams in school or a local league or summer camp shook hands after a game? Why did our parents teach us that  why do we teach it to our children  if it is not a lesson for life?

We need, in victory, to not act like conquerers suddenly empowered to impose our will upon the vanquished, who are, after all, our fellow citizens.

We need, in defeat, to not be disheartened, nor imagine that all that's left for us is to grab our muskets, figuratively or otherwise.

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Yes, elections have consequences. At their best, they're battles of ideas. The winners get to try their ideas out for a time  hopefully, with the best of intentions, and for the good of all.

But when a populace is as evenly divided as our seems to be, the winners cannot claim a mandate. They must remember that nearly half of the country did not support them or their ideas. So the next president and Congress need to find common ground. This is democracy, not subjugation.

We hardly expect some kumbaya moment anytime soon. We will have principled differences, as this nation has had from the start.

Our leaders must, however, relearn the art of compromise, and resist extreme ideologues who see it as a sin, not a virtue. One place to start is the partisan impasse over a Supreme Court nominee to replace the late Antonin Scalia.

Elections are sort of mini-revolutions, uprisings we schedule every two to four years. Fervent yet peaceful reenactments of America's founding. Once they're done, however, we, the people, are faced with the same fundamental challenge our nation's founders confronted once their freedom was won: to form a more perfect union. It was a task they embraced with all the passion of revolution, a task they knew they had no choice but to accomplish together. As the heirs of their legacy, it falls to us today to take up that challenge, remembering that we are either one nation, or none at all.
By PTI: Ranchi, Nov 9 (PTI) BJP MP Ravindra Kumar Rai today said what the BJP had promised during the Lok Sabha elections was delivered with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking several steps in the interest of the country.

He said the Modi government had promised to work for national security and strengthening economy - after the surgical strike against terrorists across the border and the demonetising of Rs 500/Rs 1,000 notes was a historic step and was another surgical attack.

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People would remember November 8, he said adding, the Modi government got congratulations from patriotic people and blessings from the honest.

The former Jharkhand unit president said in press release that the step would herald a new economic dawn for villages, the poor, farmers, mazdoor and unemployed youth. PTI PVR DKB

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[November 08, 2016] Eight FinTech Innovation Lab Asia-Pacific Startups Featured at Investor Day in Cyberport

A select group of leading-edge financial services technology (fintech) companies demonstrated their products and services to dozens of top bank, venture capital and technology executives today at the third annual FinTech Innovation Lab Asia-Pacific Investor Day. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161108005009/en/ APAC Fintech Financing Activities (Graphic: Business Wire) Launched by Accenture (News - Alert) (NYSE:ACN) in June 2014, the FinTech Innovation Lab is a 12-week mentoring program to enhance fintech innovation and drive high-tech job growth in Asia-Pacific by connecting startups with decision makers at some of the world's leading financial institutions. This year's Investor Day was held at Cyberport in Hong Kong. "Investor Day is always an exciting event in Hong Kong as it underscores best practice: the financial services industry working together with Accenture and the government to nurture startups that offer innovative solutions to challenges facing the industry," said Nicholas Yang, the Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. "We are pleased to be spearheading this cooperative mentorship at a time when fintech is on the rise across Asia-Pacific." In the first three quarters of 2016, fintech investments in Asia-Pacific reached nearly $10.5 billion, the bulk of it driven by investments involving Greater China companies. This is more than Europe, which attracted $2 billion in investments, and more than the US, which attracted $6 billion in investments in the same period. "We are increasingly seeing a willingness from financial institutions in the region to work with fintech startups to help address new challenges ranging from how best to adopt blockchain technology to how to maximize IT efficiency," said Jon Allaway, senior managing director, Financial Services at Accenture, and the executive sponsor of the FinTech Innovation Lab Asia-Pacific. "The startups that we are seeing typically have banking experience and understand the perspective of the banks or are passionate about a customer experience that they believe needs to be fixed, but it's their enthusiasm and laser-sharp focus on a specific area that gives them deep-dive expertise that makes them so valuable to financial services companies." The eight companies in this year's lab were selected by senior technology executives from participating financial institutions and have spent the past 12 weeks receiving intensive mentoring, product and business-development advice, and exposure to senior financial industry, technology and venture capital executives. The twelve principal financial institutions are: Bank of America Merrill Lynch, BNP Paribas, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Credit Suisse, Generali, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, J.P. Morgan, Maybank, Morgan Stanley, Sun Life Financial and UBS. In addition, supporting banks include: China CITIC Bank International, China Construction Bank (Asia), Macquarie, Nomura, Standard Chartered, Siam Commercial Bank, Societe Generale, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG). The startups have developed a range of innovations - from wealth management solutions that are precisely oriented to customers' investment intents, know your customer (KYC) services that leverage blockchain technology and a fraud prevention program using algorithms based in Chinese-characters to help financial institutions flag risk. They include: ChartIQ - provides securities-specific financial chart and data visualization products in HML5. The Charlottesville, Virginia-based startup, which has offices in New York, London, and Cyprus, has more than 125 customers around the world. Its time-series based charting solutions provide charting and data visualization that can help investment banks, brokerages, trading platforms, and financial portals move from legacy technologies to the future of HTML5.

- provides securities-specific financial chart and data visualization products in HML5. The Charlottesville, Virginia-based startup, which has offices in New York, London, and Cyprus, has more than 125 customers around the world. Its time-series based charting solutions provide charting and data visualization that can help investment banks, brokerages, trading platforms, and financial portals move from legacy technologies to the future of HTML5. HedgeSPA - is a predictive investment analytics platform that enables investment professionals to tap the internet to improve their performance. With offices in Singapore and California, HedgeSPA applies big data techniques to asset selection. It combines forward-looking market scenarios to reduce portfolio drawdown by as much as 75% and automates day-to-day portfolio management tasks. Users can gain competitive access to cloud-based investment analytics that were previously exclusive and cost prohibitive.

- is a predictive investment analytics platform that enables investment professionals to tap the internet to improve their performance. With offices in Singapore and California, HedgeSPA applies big data techniques to asset selection. It combines forward-looking market scenarios to reduce portfolio drawdown by as much as 75% and automates day-to-day portfolio management tasks. Users can gain competitive access to cloud-based investment analytics that were previously exclusive and cost prohibitive. KYC-Chain - uses biometrics, emerging technologies and distributed ledger (blockchain) tech to streamline onboarding processes and provide consensus on identity. This enables front line sales and compliance officers to cost-effectively onboard and continuously interact with retail clients and other financial institutions in a secure, consumer-centric encrypted environment. The Singapore-based company's platform is live and in production at several banks.

- uses biometrics, emerging technologies and distributed ledger (blockchain) tech to streamline onboarding processes and provide consensus on identity. This enables front line sales and compliance officers to cost-effectively onboard and continuously interact with retail clients and other financial institutions in a secure, consumer-centric encrypted environment. The Singapore-based company's platform is live and in production at several banks. Lattice - has developed portfolio support software for investors, portfolio managers, risk managers and traders. This Hong Kong-based startup's platform contains a view-driven portfolio optimizer and flexible portfolio analytics to help clarify investors' rationale for precise and quick decisions and implementation. It helps to discover and precisely manipulate intentional or unintentional exposures, to commodities, currencies, sectors or even countries. Once a genuine investment objective is established, Lattice EPD delivers "one-click" balanced portfolio.

- has developed portfolio support software for investors, portfolio managers, risk managers and traders. This Hong Kong-based startup's platform contains a view-driven portfolio optimizer and flexible portfolio analytics to help clarify investors' rationale for precise and quick decisions and implementation. It helps to discover and precisely manipulate intentional or unintentional exposures, to commodities, currencies, sectors or even countries. Once a genuine investment objective is established, Lattice EPD delivers "one-click" balanced portfolio. Prive Managers - is a completely integrated and comprehensive wealth and asset management platform powered by a proprietary bionic advisory engine. The Hong Kong-based startup's platform is already being used by several global financial institutions in Asia and Europe. Its modular-based approach meets the diverse needs of financial intermediaries and advisors to more efficiently grow their assets, while reducing costs through technology solutions.

- is a completely integrated and comprehensive wealth and asset management platform powered by a proprietary bionic advisory engine. The Hong Kong-based startup's platform is already being used by several global financial institutions in Asia and Europe. Its modular-based approach meets the diverse needs of financial intermediaries and advisors to more efficiently grow their assets, while reducing costs through technology solutions. Seerene - provides insights, actionable analytics and transparency to improve efficiency and streamline costs. Berlin-based, with offices in Hong Kong and New York, Seerene connects to existing data sources within an enterprise, aggregates the information and offers what it calls "an x-ray vision," viewable on a dashboard. Seerene monitors various dollar-effects of technical debt, digital transformation as well as change across all software stacks, teams and technologies. The aim is to help chief information officers and IT executives improve efficiency and streamline costs.

- provides insights, actionable analytics and transparency to improve efficiency and streamline costs. Berlin-based, with offices in Hong Kong and New York, Seerene connects to existing data sources within an enterprise, aggregates the information and offers what it calls "an x-ray vision," viewable on a dashboard. Seerene monitors various dollar-effects of technical debt, digital transformation as well as change across all software stacks, teams and technologies. The aim is to help chief information officers and IT executives improve efficiency and streamline costs. SIORK - helps financial institutions evaluate customer data and detect criminal activities such as fraud and money laundering in both developed and emerging markets. This Tokyo-based startup, with offices in Taiwan and the U.S. has a product that automatically learns customer behaviors, identifies suspicious events and provides a real-time transaction blocking mechanism to the customer for crime prevention. What makes the product unique is its comprehensive Chinese-character fuzzy matching algorithm with artificial intelligence learning ability that enables global financial institutions to analyze Chinese-character based raw data, such as customer names, and unstructured message information.

- helps financial institutions evaluate customer data and detect criminal activities such as fraud and money laundering in both developed and emerging markets. This Tokyo-based startup, with offices in Taiwan and the U.S. has a product that automatically learns customer behaviors, identifies suspicious events and provides a real-time transaction blocking mechanism to the customer for crime prevention. What makes the product unique is its comprehensive Chinese-character fuzzy matching algorithm with artificial intelligence learning ability that enables global financial institutions to analyze Chinese-character based raw data, such as customer names, and unstructured message information. TNG Wallet - offers an e-wallet for payment to merchants, person-to-person fund transfer, global bill payments, SIM card top-ups, foreign exchange transactions, and year-round cash withdrawal. It has 370,000 downloads with top-up points via convenience stores, ATM terminals, credit card and a variety of online banking platforms. It gives merchants access to an affordable non-cash payment option with low handling fees, improvement in their cash flow through TNG's fast settlement of transactions with merchants, and a customer relationship management tool that allows merchants to further engage with customers. TNG has extended its eWallet across 12 countries in Asia.



"Cyberport has collaborated with Accenture since 2014 to foster a mentorship program for fintech startups," said Lam. "This year we unveiled an entire new section, solely dedicated to fintech, in our Cyberport facilities, underscoring our ongoing and growing commitment to fintech in the Greater China region. We are committed to taking a leadership position in facilitating new business development in Hong Kong."

The FinTech Innovation Lab Asia-Pacific is modelled on a similar program that Accenture co-founded in 2010 with the Partnership Fund for New York City, the US$150 million investment arm of the Partnership for New York City (www.pfnyc.org). In 2012, Accenture and a dozen major banks in London launched the FinTech Innovation Lab London, with support from the city's mayor and other government bodies. In 2014, Accenture launched FinTech Innovation Labs in Asia-Pacific and Dublin, Ireland. Globally, the Labs' alumni companies have raised more than US$386 million in financing after participating in the program. Four companies from the New York FinTech Innovation Lab have been acquired, two in 2015 alone, including Standard Treasury and BillGuard. About Accenture Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions - underpinned by the world's largest delivery network - Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With approximately 384,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161108005009/en/

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[November 09, 2016] Poxel Announces Participation in Two Upcoming Investor Conferences

POXEL SA (Euronext - POXEL - FR0012432516), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative treatments for type 2 diabetes, today announced that it will be featured as a presenting company at the Jefferies 2016 London Healthcare Conference and will be available for meetings at the Oppenheimer 2016 Life Sciences Summit. The Jefferies 2016 London Healthcare Conference is being held from November 16-17th at The Waldorf Hilton Hotel in London and the Oppenheimer 2016 Life Sciences Summit will be held on November 29th at the Sofitel Hotel in New York City. Thomas Kuhn, CEO of Poxel, will provide an overview of the Company's business at the Jefferies 2016 London Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, November 16th at 1:20 pm GMT and will be available to participate in one-on-one meetings with investors. The Company's management team will also be available for one-on-one meetings at the Oppenheimer 2016 Life Sciences Summit on November 29th.



The presentation will be webcast live. To access the webcast, please visit the following link http://wsw.com/webcast/jeff100/poxel.pa. The webcast replay will remain available for 90 days following the live presentation. About Poxel SA

Poxel uses its development expertise in metabolism to advance a pipeline of drug candidates focused on the treatment of type 2 diabetes. We have successfully completed our Phase 2 trials for our first-in-class lead product, Imeglimin, which targets mitochondrial dysfunction, in the U.S. and EU and have fully enrolled a Phase 2b clinical study in Japan. Our second program, PXL770, a direct AMPK activator, is in Phase 1 development. We intend to generate further growth through strategic partnerships and pipeline development. (Euronext: POXEL, www.poxel.com) View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161108005796/en/

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RGA and AXA France Announce Signing of Longevity Transaction

Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE: RGA) and AXA France today announced that they have entered into a reinsurance agreement covering more than 15,000 annuitants and related commitments of nearly 1.3 billion.

"Through this transaction, RGA again demonstrates its ability to implement effective solutions that mitigate longevity risk under changing regulatory environments," said John Laughlin, Executive Vice President, Global Financial Solutions, RGA.

"With this second swap, AXA France continues to secure its obligations associated with longevity, and reinforces its lead as the only insrance player in France to enter into such transactions," said Jacques de Peretti, Chief Executive Officer, AXA France.







About RGA: Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE: RGA) is among the leading global providers of life reinsurance and financial solutions, with operations in 26 countries and assets of $54.8 billion as of September 30, 2016. Founded in 1973, RGA today is recognized for its deep technical expertise in risk and capital management, innovative solutions, and commitment to serving its clients. To learn more about RGA and its businesses, visit the company's website at http://www.rgare.com/.

About AXA France / AXA Epargne Retraite Entreprise: The AXA Group is a worldwide leader in insurance and asset management. In France 34,000 people are providing services and support to 9 million customers. AXA Corporate Retirement Savings specializes in implementing long term retirement savings plans for corporate clients. It is the leading provider in France with a 20% market share based on assets under management and also has international business outside of France.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161108006319/en/
[November 09, 2016] New Wave of Cable Operators Initiate Ultra HD Trials with SES

SES (News - Alert) S.A. (Euronext Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) today announced that four more US cable operators are testing 4K content delivery across SES's fully-managed Ultra HD platform, in advance of breakthrough Ultra HD subscriber trials set to begin later this year. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161108005956/en/ New Wave of Cable Operators Initiate Ultra HD Trials with SES (Photo: Business Wire) SES has struck new Ultra HD trial agreements with Marquette-Adams in Wisconsin, Buckeye Broadband in Ohio and Southeast Michigan, Service Electric Cable TV in Pennsylvania, and enTouch Systems in Texas, and now has eight operators currently assessing the satellite-based UHD solution aimed at accelerating 4K delivery to homes across America. The first wave of trials kicked off this past summer with Cable America in Missouri, Golden West Telecommunications in South Dakota, MTC Cable in New York, and Sjoberg's Cable TV in Minnesota. The SES Ultra HD solution leverages the scalability of satellite and delivery options, using either managed IP multicast DOCSIS 3.0 streams (versus over-the-top Internet connections) or traditional digital QAM transport streams. With its pre-packaged Ultra HD platform, SES combines Ultra HD channels, 4K set top boxes and reception gear in a cost-effective service, which is enabling small and medium tier cable operators to be among the first in North America to provide linear and live Ultra HD to subscriber homes. SES's managed Ultra HD solution is delivered over dedicated bandwidth, providing a much higher quality viewer experience compared to current Internet-delivered 4K offerings susceptible to buffering and network congestion. SES is not only fast-tracking Ultra HD home delivery. The world's leading satellite operator also has the largest global Ultra HD channel line-up, with 30 Ultra HD channels worldwide. These include seven channels hosted aboard two SES satellites (SES-1, SES-3) at the centre of the orbital arc, serving nearly 100 million homes across North America. "Cable operators participating in the trials have been impressed with how easy it is to implement Ultra HD across their networks with SES's pre-packaged solution. Ultra HD TV sales and demand for 4K content are both reaching unprecedented levels, and SES is leveraging the scalability and reliability of satellite to accelerate the elivery of Ultra HD to homes throughout North America," explained Steve Corda, Vice President of Business Development in North America for SES. "SES has developed a fully-managed Ultra HD platform capable of quenching the increasingly insatiable appetite for Ultra HD. We are the leader in Ultra HD across North America and the world with the largest bouquet of UHD programming, and our UHD multiplex and neighbourhood has become the UHD destination of choice."



"Ultra HD is on the verge of becoming an exciting reality for our subscribers, who are buying new Ultra HD TVs in anticipation of the best viewing experience available today," noted Danny White, Director of Product Management, enTouch Systems. "enTouch is well positioned to provide game-changing 4K content quickly and cost effectively to our customers across the Greater Houston area, thanks to our collaboration with SES and its breakthrough Ultra HD solution." "We will soon be testing a great mix of 4K movies, cutting-edge TV shows, news and sporting event coverage from SES's growing, satellite-based Ultra HD platform, with plans to deliver Ultra HD to subscriber homes on the horizon," said Brad Mefferd, Chief Administrative Officer, Buckeye Broadband. "The fact that the SES solution works over existing, high-capacity DOCSIS 3.0 cable networks and traditional digital QAM will enable us to be flexible in how we distribute Ultra HD content in our markets."

"Ultra HD has arrived in Wisconsin and we're just days away from delivering compelling 4K content to our subscriber homes," said Shane McCann, Network Engineer for Marquette- Adams. "SES's innovative and simplified platform solution has really allowed us to leap ahead to reliable and scalable technologies that have made the transition to Ultra HD much faster and more efficient." Follow us on: Twitter (News - Alert): https://twitter.com/SES_Satellites Facebook (News - Alert): https://www.facebook.com/SES.YourSatelliteCompany YouTube (News - Alert): http://www.youtube.com/SESVideoChannel Blog: http://www.ses.com/blog SES Pictures are available under http://www.ses.com/21472913/Our_Pictures SES White papers are available under http://www.ses.com/18681915/white-papers About SES SES (Euronext Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG) is the world-leading satellite operator, with more than 50 geostationary satellites (GEO) and, through its subsidiary O3b Networks, 12 medium Earth orbit satellites (MEO). Focusing on value-added, end-to-end solutions in four key market verticals (Video, Enterprise, Mobility and Government), SES provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, and mobile and fixed network operators, as well as business and governmental organisations worldwide. SES's fleet includes the ASTRA satellite system, which has the largest Direct-to-Home (DTH) reach in Europe. Through its ownership of O3b Networks, SES significantly enhances existing data capabilities, and is the first satellite provider to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide. Another SES subsidiary, MX1, is a leading media service provider and offers a full suite of innovative digital video and media services. Further information available at: www.ses.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161108005956/en/

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[November 09, 2016] Photometrics and QImaging Launch 95% QE Scientific CMOS Camera for BioMedical Instrumentation at SPIE Photonics West

TUCSON, Ariz., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Photometrics and QImaging, leading designers of scientific imaging solutions announce the QI400BSI Scientific CMOS camera for biomedical instrumentation manufacturers. Featuring the first scientific-grade backside illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor, the QI400BSI offers the highest quantum efficiency (QE) available on the market today. For biomedical applications the extreme QE attained from BSI technology will deliver new depths of sensitivity to any imaging or detection application. The companies will unveil the camera in booth 2340 at SPIE Photonics West in San Francisco in January. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437132LOGO

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437131LOGO "Scientific CMOS cameras are rapidly gaining popularity due to the substantially improved performance and image quality they provide," said Steve Smith, product manager at QImaging. "Sensitivity is always extremely important to our customers and the QI400BSI delivers unprecedented EMCCD-like performance in a CMOS camera." The QI400BSI Scientific CMOS camera offers a combination of extreme sensitivity, low noise and high frame rates, making it an ideal solution for low-light imaging. Its near-perfect QE allows the ability to collect nearly all available light, maximizing the measurable signal from the experiment or assay while minimizing cellular photo damage. The camera acquires 41 frames per second with 16-bit images and 82fps with 12-bit images. In 2015, Photometrics and QImaging jointly launched an online OEM product development website at www.oemimaging.com for customers engaged in biomedical instrumentation design. This portal combines the best imaging products and services from QImaging, known for cost effective design, and Photometrics, known for high performance imaging. Customers are invited to visit booth 2340 to learn more at SPIE Photonics West in San Francisco, January 28  February 2, 2017. Additional information is available at www.oemimaging.com. About Photometrics

Photometrics designs and manufactures high-performance CMOS, EMCCD and CCD cameras for life sciences. The original architect of the world's first scientific-grade microscopy EMCCD camera, Photometrics continues to lead the industry with state-of-the-art imaging instrumentation for the scientific community. The company offers comprehensive OEM support, including fully characterized, cost-efficient imaging systems and components. Photometrics is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona and additional information is available at www.photometrics.com. About QImaging

QImaging has supported OEM customers since 1999 with its ability to design compact, versatile and cost-efficient scientific cameras and is an OEM camera supplier for biomedical instrumentation. The company has established alliances with numerous third-party software, sensor companies and system integrators to consistently deliver application specific imaging solutions and software that support a broad range of bioscience and industrial applications. QImaging is headquartered in Surrey, British Columbia and is a registered ISO 9001:2008 company. Additional information is available at www.qimaging.com.  Copyright 2016, Photometrics. All rights reserved. Photometrics and the Photometrics logo are registered trademarks of Photometrics. QImaging and the QImaging logo are registered trademarks, and QI400BSI is a trademark of QImaging. All other product and service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. Press Contacts:







Press Contact: Cyndy Nawrocki

Marketing Communications Director

Photometrics

[email protected] +1.520.547.2745 office

+1.520.889.9933 main Product Management Contact:

Steven Smith

Product Manager

QImaging

[email protected] +1.520.547.2585 office

+1.520.889.9933 main

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/photometrics-and-qimaging-launch-95-qe-scientific-cmos-camera-for-biomedical-instrumentation-at-spie-photonics-west-300359280.html SOURCE Photometrics

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[November 09, 2016] Sitecore Announces Launch of the Sitecore Experience Awards for 2016

SAUSALITO, Calif., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sitecore  , the global leader in customer experience management, today announced the official launch of the Sitecore Experience Awards 2016. Sitecore Experience Awards honor Sitecore customers and their partners who submit award applications that clearly demonstrate how their Sitecore solution is delivering an outstanding experience for customers and their own organization. These awards are open to end-user customers, marketers, and business users or developers working at a Sitecore solution partner. Both customers and partners can nominate a website, built on Sitecore, for an award. This year's awards feature a new set of categories: Best Content Strategy: The Best Content Strategy award winner will showcase a digital content marketing strategy that has transformed an organization's website from company-centric to customer-centric. Winning entries will illustrate a persona-led content strategy, the research and planning processes that led to persona and content creation, and how content is being delivered through relevant channels. Award entries should also demonstrate any results and metrics to prove the success of the content strategy.

The Best Content Strategy award winner will showcase a digital content marketing strategy that has transformed an organization's website from company-centric to customer-centric. Winning entries will illustrate a persona-led content strategy, the research and planning processes that led to persona and content creation, and how content is being delivered through relevant channels. Award entries should also demonstrate any results and metrics to prove the success of the content strategy. Marketing Agility: The Marketing Agility award recognizes marketing teams that have made significant, measurable gains in productivity and marketing ROI through the Sitecore platform. Strong entries will outline clear before and after scenarios for team output and content publishing times as well as any associated organizational or team advantages, as a result of time/resource savings (e.g., ability to focus on content creation or campaign optimization).

The Marketing Agility award recognizes marketing teams that have made significant, measurable gains in productivity and marketing ROI through the Sitecore platform. Strong entries will outline clear before and after scenarios for team output and content publishing times as well as any associated organizational or team advantages, as a result of time/resource savings (e.g., ability to focus on content creation or campaign optimization). Real-time Engagement: The Real-time Engagement award recognizes marketing teams that are successfully delivering relevant, personalized, omnichannel content, in context and at the moment of engagement. The winning entry will illustrate the customer journey, examples of content tailored to the customer and the channel, delivered in context. Judges will also expect to see evidence of engagement scoring, multi-variant testing, and other marketing automation functionalities in play.

The Real-time Engagement award recognizes marketing teams that are successfully delivering relevant, personalized, omnichannel content, in context and at the moment of engagement. The winning entry will illustrate the customer journey, examples of content tailored to the customer and the channel, delivered in context. Judges will also expect to see evidence of engagement scoring, multi-variant testing, and other marketing automation functionalities in play. Best E-commerce Experience: The Best E-commerce Experience award recognizes organizations that are delivering a seamless, integrated ecommerce experience that makes the online browsing, selection, purchasing and post-purchasing process seamless, helpful and relevant. Strong entries will showcase personalized product suggestions, evidence of cross-selling and up-selling metrics, n omni-device shopping experience, and optimization strategies to improve shopping cart conversions. Eligibility for this award requires that it be a Sitecore Commerce website.

The Best E-commerce Experience award recognizes organizations that are delivering a seamless, integrated ecommerce experience that makes the online browsing, selection, purchasing and post-purchasing process seamless, helpful and relevant. Strong entries will showcase personalized product suggestions, evidence of cross-selling and up-selling metrics, n omni-device shopping experience, and optimization strategies to improve shopping cart conversions. Eligibility for this award requires that it be a Sitecore Commerce website. Digital Innovation: The Digital Innovation award will showcase marketing teams that have built a truly customer-centric online environment on the Sitecore Experience Platform. Digital Innovation entrants will include organizations that have pushed the boundaries of what's possible online; delivered something truly unique and useful; and designed for how their customers interact online. Judges will look favorably upon entries that can outline the research involved in planning and designing the project as well as any Sitecore functionality that was considered instrumental to the project's success.

The Digital Innovation award will showcase marketing teams that have built a truly customer-centric online environment on the Sitecore Experience Platform. Digital Innovation entrants will include organizations that have pushed the boundaries of what's possible online; delivered something truly unique and useful; and designed for how their customers interact online. Judges will look favorably upon entries that can outline the research involved in planning and designing the project as well as any Sitecore functionality that was considered instrumental to the project's success. Best Data-driven Website: The Best Data-driven Website award entrants will be able to showcase how they are using the Sitecore Experience Database to track and analyze customer interactions, gain insights that influence future marketing decisions and automating the delivery of personalized marketing messages in real time. Eligible entrants must be using the Sitecore Experience Database.

The Best Data-driven Website award entrants will be able to showcase how they are using the Sitecore Experience Database to track and analyze customer interactions, gain insights that influence future marketing decisions and automating the delivery of personalized marketing messages in real time. Eligible entrants must be using the Sitecore Experience Database. Global People's Choice: The Global People's Choice award puts projects in the limelight and up for the public vote. The three entries with the most votes on Facebook will be put forward to the Sitecore judging panel and an overall winner chosen, based on the quality of their associated award-entry submission. All entrants are eligible to enter the people's choice award, in addition to any other award entries.

The Global People's Choice award puts projects in the limelight and up for the public vote. The three entries with the most votes on Facebook will be put forward to the Sitecore judging panel and an overall winner chosen, based on the quality of their associated award-entry submission. All entrants are eligible to enter the people's choice award, in addition to any other award entries. The Ultimate Experience: The Ultimate Experience award winner is living the context marketing dream and can evidence, in detail, how they deliver the right content, to the right customer at the right timeevery time. Strong entries will outline how their website makes optimal use of content management, omnichannel marketing, and contextual intelligence. Eligible entrants must be using Sitecore xDB and evidence use of marketing automation and personalization functionality. Entrants must also demonstrate before and after metrics of an improved customer experience.



Scott Anderson , CMO, Sitecore. "We are excited to kick off this year's awards for sites built during the 2016 calendar year." Award submissions close by January 31, 2017 and award winners will be announced March 7, 2017. Sitecore will have six category awards (two per pillar: CMS, Omnichannel and Contextual Intelligence) and regional Ultimate Experience awards for North America, ANZ, Asia and Europe which will then roll up to a global winner. In addition, the Global People's Choice award winner will be voted on via Facebook.

About the Experience Awards

The Sitecore Experience Awards is an international competition held on an annual basis. Winners are selected in several categories within each region. The nominations list is based on input from partners, customers, the press, analysts, and colleagues. Nominees are asked to submit an application outlining how they are using Sitecore to generate amazing experiences that feel personal to every customer and create a powerful brand halo across every channel that delivers real business results. Winners demonstrate creativity in presentation, integration with rich data sources and applications, an ability to educate, inform and motivate to action, and a compelling overall user experience. Visit www.sitecore.net/Sitecore-experience-awards to learn more about the awards and how to enter. About Sitecore

Sitecore is the global leader in experience management software that enables context marketing. The Sitecore Experience Platform manages content, supplies contextual intelligence, automates communications, and enables personalized commerce, at scale. It empowers marketers to deliver content in context of how customers have engaged with their brand, across every channel, in real timebefore, during, and after a sale. More than 4,600 customersincluding American Express, Carnival Cruise Lines, EasyJet, and L'Orealtrust Sitecore for context marketing to deliver the personalized interactions that delight audiences, build loyalty, and drive revenue. Media contact:

Hotwire PR for Sitecore

Veronica Herico

415.820.4168

[email protected] Sitecore and Own the Experience are registered trademarks of Sitecore Corporation A/S in the USA and other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Sitecore reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice.  2016 Sitecore Corporation A/S. All rights reserved. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140227/SF73524LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sitecore-announces-launch-of-the-sitecore-experience-awards-for-2016-300359312.html SOURCE Sitecore

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[November 09, 2016] Mortgage Companies Meeting CFPB Consumer-Education Mandate with Content

BELLINGHAM, Wash., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to client demand for Facebook-ready video assets, Fast Forward Stories today released a download-ready library of 26 mortgage explainer videos on TRID, at ffwd.video/trid. Mortgage companies, banks and credit unions can brand and download the full library in under a minute, gaining long-term assets for marketing and consumer education. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437184 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437183 "A senior mortgage-industry insider told us 'The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau is very focused on consumer education. We think video content is a great solution," noted Matthew Dunn, CEO of Fast Forward. "Of course, there are many forms of content, but we concur; there's overwhelming evidence that consumers prefer video.



The TRID video library explains key consumer milestones in home financing and closing with short, visual stories. Sample documents from the CFPB are frequently utilized as visual assets, bringing the agency's extensive documentation to life in short, bite-size pieces of content. "Customers prefer video 4 to 1 over text," notes Dunn. "Better still, they are nearly 8 times as likely to retain information from the combination of visuals and language used in these videos. We agree with the CFPB  an educated consumer is a better customer."

Included captions ensure that Spanish speakers and hearing-impaired consumers can also benefit from the video series, and helps financial institutions, title companies and others prepare for upcoming ADA deadlines. The DOJ is scheduled to roll out official ADA compliance guidelines for online resources in 2018, including textual access to video for the visually impaired. All 26 of the videos in the TRID series are available in both hosted and non-hosted (download) versions, with integration to a wide range of marketing platforms including HubSpot and Salesforce. In addition to the TRID series and the recently-released Reverse Mortgage library, Fast Forward offers hundreds of other explainer videos for mortgage businesses, with an enterprise option for larger organizations. TRID library branding & download is available at http://ffwd.video/trid Contact:

Matthew Dunn

Fast Forward Stories

(888) 618-9088

11 Star View

Bellingham, WA 98229

[email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mortgage-companies-meeting-cfpb-consumer-education-mandate-with-content-300359404.html SOURCE Fast Forward Stories

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[November 09, 2016] Azul Systems Announces General Availability of Release 16.10 of Zing Runtime for Java

QCon San Francisco -- Azul Systems (Azul), the award-winning leader in Java runtime solutions, today announced the immediate general availability of release 16.10 of the company's Zing runtime for Java. The new release meets the needs of Java-based enterprises who need consistent application performance coupled with low average and peak latencies.







Zing 16.10 feature Key Enterprise Benefit New low-latency profile options More consistent application performance for both average and peak response time and latency, fewer missed opportunities in transaction-intensive environments, greatly improved application throughput, better use of existing system capacity Reduced runtime memory "footprint" per JVM instance Reduction in server resources needed to run Java applications with Zing while maintaining pauseless operation. Operations teams can now configure and specify smaller AWS machine images, saving on operating expenses in Cloud deployments Zing is now a supported JVM for Elasticsearch Elastic, the company behind the Elastic Stack (Elasticsearch, Kibana, Beats, Logstash) now supports customers running on Azul Zing for version 5.0+ Ubuntu (News - Alert) and Oracle Linux support added to Zing Self-Service Trial program Extends the ability of developers and devops teams to download and test Zing in their environment using their preferred Linux distro

"With Zing 16.10 we are delivering enhanced performance for Java applications with low-latency requirements, better use of runtime memory resources, and a supported JVM for Elasticsearch," said Scott Sellers, Azul Systems (News - Alert) president and CEO. "Azul continues to invest heavily in our engineering capabilities, and our consistent cadence of Zing releases ensures that Zing is and remains the best JVM for enterprise Java applications where performance and consistency are paramount." Pricing and Availability Zing 16.10 is available immediately from the Azul website and the Amazon Web Services Marketplace. The single license annual subscription price for Zing is $3,500 USD per physical server, with significantly lower prices for higher volumes and longer-term subscriptions. Special pricing is available for start-ups and companies with $25 million or less in annual revenue, and for ISVs and manufacturers looking to embed or integrate Zing with their products. For additional information about the Zing runtime for Java visit www.azul.com/zing. Free Zing trial downloads are available from www.azul.com/zing. Users of Amazon Web Services (News - Alert) can find Zing AMIs in the AWS Marketplace. About Azul Systems @azulsystems Azul Systems, the industry's only company exclusively focused on Java and the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), builds fully supported, certified standards-compliant Java runtime solutions that bring the power of Java to the enterprise, the embedded community and the IoT. Zing is a JVM designed for enterprise Java applications and workloads that require any combination of low-latency, high-transaction rates, large working memory, and/or consistent response times. Zulu is Azul's certified, freely available open source build of OpenJDK. Cost-effective Zulu Enterprise subscriptions extend OpenJDK support to Java-based businesses who prefer open source solutions. Zulu Embedded is Azul's 100% open source build of OpenJDK for Intel, ARM (News - Alert), and PowerPC -based designs that require custom configurations and long support life cycles. For additional information, visit www.azul.com. Azul Systems, the Azul Systems logo, Zulu, Zing and ReadyNow! are registered trademarks. Java and OpenJDK are trademarks of Oracle (News - Alert) Corporation and/or its affiliated companies in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109005867/en/

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[November 09, 2016] QBE North America Expands Suite of Commercial Products to Protect Against Information Security Exposures

NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- QBE North America, an operating division of global insurer QBE Insurance Group Limited, announced the launch of CyberOne and Data Compromise, as it expands its suite of products and services designed to help protect small to medium-sized commercial organizations from the growing threat of information security exposures. Computer viruses and other cyber attacks can result in lost income and increased expenses to restore systems and recover data. With businesses at significant risk of losing critical information that is essential for daily operations, damaging their reputation and potentially exposing them to costly litigation, more companies are purchasing cyber insurance. CyberOne provides broad coverage to help protect the risks typical small organizations may face. It helps policyholders recover from damage to systems caused by a computer attack and also provides defense and liability coverage for certain lawsuits that allege third-party damage resulting from a failure by the insured to adequately secure its own computer system. Data Compromise helps a business respond to the loss or theft of the information they keep on customers, employees and others, including related expenses and legal defense and liability costs. This product is designed to help small and medium-sized businesses investigate a data breach, notify impacted individuals, and provide credit monitoring, case management ad other services that help prevent identity theft and fraud.



The risk of a data breach is increasing and forty-seven states now require a company to notify individuals when their information is exposed, with potential significant costs to respond. The damage to a company's sales and reputation is dependent upon how they respond when an attack occurs. QBE's Data Compromise insurance provides a professional response to a data breach, with personal services that consumers have come to expect, and can help defend a business or institution against lawsuits that result from the loss of information under its control. Since the coverage is included as part of a commercial property-casualty insurance policy, it's simpler and more affordable.

QBE's Commercial Insurance business offers a suite of products for mid-sized business customers, including a variety of property, casualty, and workers' compensation products. These products can also be integrated with a broad range of QBE Specialty solutions, such as Accident & Health, Aviation, Inland Marine, Management Liability & Professional Lines, Trade Credit and Cyber. QBE's Specialty Cyber product is a solution for stand-alone professional liability, offering up to $10 million in coverage. About QBE

QBE North America is part of QBE Insurance Group Limited, one of the largest insurers and reinsurers worldwide. QBE NA reported Gross Written Premiums in 2015 of $4.6 billion. QBE Insurance Group's 2015 results can be found at www.qbena.com. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, QBE operates out of 37 countries around the globe, with a presence in every key insurance market. The North America division, headquartered in New York, conducts business through its property and casualty insurance subsidiaries. QBE insurance companies are rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best and "A+" by Standard & Poor's. Additional information can be found at www.qbena.com, or follow QBE North America on Twitter. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/qbe-north-america-expands-suite-of-commercial-products-to-protect-against-information-security-exposures-300359938.html SOURCE QBE

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[November 09, 2016] Canada is becoming a global leader in the digital space and a new crop of digital players were recognized at the 2016 Canadian Online Publishing Awards (COPAs)

TORONTO, Nov 9, 2016 /CNW/ - The Canadian Online Publishing Awards (COPAs) were held on November 7, 2016 in the Mandarin Room at the Double Tree Hilton hotel in Toronto to a sold out audience that celebrated digital publishing excellence in Canada. The big winners of the night were the Toronto Star and The Huffington Post with 3 gold and 2 silver, followed by the National Observer with 3 gold and 1 silver and tied in 3rd place were Planete F Magazine and the University of British Columbia with 2 gold and 2 silver each. This year saw Quebec based brands win 2 out 3 Best of Canada awards as the Le Huffington Post Quebec won gold for Best Digital Content and Chez Soi for Best Digital Solution. The National Observer based in Vancouver won the Indepenent Publisher of the year. Some other new winners this year as part of new wave of emerging media brands in Canada included Vice Canada for Best Continuing Coverage and Indie88 a Toronto based radio station for Best Radio Website.



The State of Digital Seminar was held as part of this year's event festivities that had speakers from Google, Nielsen, Indie88 and Calexis Advertising. Programmatic online buying was explained to the audience and the growing use of this in the marketplace by advertisers. Paul Moran from Indie88 stated the importance of designing for the each digital channel and the need for transparency and trust with the reader. Barry Milavsky from Calexis Advertising stated "As digital continues to grow, marketers continue to look for ways of connecting digital activity with sales. Sales, after all, is where the real revenue is coming from." Mary Rizza from Calexis showed the scale and performance of programmatic media buys and campaign data that demonstrated the synergy when conventional and digital media are combined. Dale King of Nielsen had this to say about the future of digital in Canada. "As digital becomes increasingly entrenched in marketers' media mix, there is more demand for greater accountability and cross platform measurement that uses independent, comprehensive and comparable metrics." The insights from the panel showed that Canada is becoming an emerging leader in the digital marketplace on the world stage.

Website: http://www.canadianonlinepublishingawards.com/ SOURCE Canadian Online Publishing Awards (COPA)

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By Gaurav C Sawant: Pakistan's multi crore fake Indian currency network (FICN) has been dealt a body blow by prime minister Narendra Modi's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, according to top officials dealing with curbing the cancer of FICN.

Pakistan was printing fake Indian currency at its government press in Punjab and Balochistan province. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Research and Analysis Wing and other intelligence agencies had exposed Pakistan government acquiring ink and paper far in excess of requirement to print Pakistani currency. Yet little was done to effectively nail Pakistan earlier, sources said.

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"Nobody had the guts and moral courage to nail the widespread fake Indian currency racket since the abyss of corruption was very deep. PM Modi has taken the bull by the horns and by demonetizing big currency notes all anti-India forces lose,'' Vikram Singh, former Director General of Uttar Pradesh Police told India Today.

Intelligence agencies have documented Pakistan acquiring the printing press illegally and then purchasing ink in excess from Frankfurt in Germany and from Switzerland. Pakistan also procured currency printing paper far in excess of its requirement to print fake Indian currency. "In fact Pakistan is printing more (fake) Indian currency than its own currency,'' Dr Nirmal Singh, deputy chief minister of J&K said complimenting the prime minister for his bold decision.

"Our investigations revealed Habib Bank of Pakistan used branches of a local bank in Nepal along the India-Nepal border to push illegally printed currency into India. A local Indian bank also came under investigations but repeated investigations into its operations were detailed,'' sources added. This indicated the depth to which corruption had seeped.

READ| What happens after 500, 1000 rupee notes scrapped: 10 things you must know



"But the prime minister's move has crippled this entire nexus. The currency notes they may be holding is now not even worth its weight in paper. The hawala operations have also been crippled. Similarly now all the large denomination Indian currency separatists, terrorists and over ground workers of terrorist organizations are holding - is worthless. Their money power has been destroyed,'' sources added.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had put the fake currency through forensic tests and in a report to the MHA submitted that: " The forensic examination of samples by Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited concludes that FICN were manufactured at regular currency making machines owned by a sovereign government. And observed that some of the pivotal parameters of the FICN and Pakistan currency notes bear similar value.. the forensic evidence coupled with field investigation establishes the role of Pakistan in the manufacture of FICN.''

READ| Operation Black Money: India Today tracks inside story of how Govt took the big step



Pakistan used a complex web of couriers, banks and even diplomatic courier to flood the Indian market with fake currency. "Pakistan realised it could not destabilise an economy India's size but it used fake currency to fund terror in Jammu and Kashmir and Indian Mujahideen modules in several parts of the country including Maharashtra and Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Bengal and Bihar. Money was routed through Nepal, Bangladesh, Dubai, Thailand and recently even parts of China. By demonetizing the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes the entire network has been destroyed,'' sources added.

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Also Read:

Operation Black Money: Here is the inside story of Modi's bold move

We are not happy: How operation black money is drawing flak from people

How scrapping 500, 1000 notes and bringing in 2000 notes will check black money: Congress

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[November 09, 2016] CWCI Report Looks at Implications of Legalized Marijuana on California Workers' Comp

The California Workers' Compensation Institute (CWCI) has published a white paper that examines the implications of the passage of Proposition 64, which legalized recreational use of marijuana in California, on employers, workers' compensation insurers, and the state's work force. Twenty years ago, California led the nation in legalizing medical marijuana, but with voters approving Proposition 64 this week, the state has joined a growing number of jurisdictions that have relaxed their laws to allow recreational use of marijuana by adults. At the same time, passage of the initiative has raised a number of questions and concerns among employers and insurers because the DEA still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug, its use is prohibited by federal law, and under current California law insurers cannot be required to pay for it even if it has been recommended for medical purposes. The Institute white paper, authored by CWCI General Counsel Ellen Sims Langille, examines th intersection of workers' compensation with medical and recreational marijuana laws in California, in other states, and at the federal level. Among the issues discussed are the developing trend toward compelled compensation in various jurisdictions; questions surrounding the compensability of work injuries suffered by medicinal and recreational marijuana users; the applicability and enforcement of drug-free workplace policies; and the potential for retaliation and discrimination claims. The report also reviews the ongoing debate over the medical efficacy of marijuana; the use of marijuana and its derivatives as an alternative to more powerful opioids; obstacles such as the lack of uniform dosage levels, standardized delivery methods, and FDA oversight; and the question of how medical marijuana may fit with an insurer's obligation to provide injured workers with reasonable and necessary medical treatment to cure and relieve the effects of their work injury.



The Institute has released the white paper as a CWCI Report to the Industry, "Working Through the Haze: Implications of Legalized Marijuana for California Workers' Compensation System," which is available for free to the public in the Research section of the CWCI website, www.cwci.org/research.html.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109005946/en/

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[November 09, 2016] A.M. Best Affirms Credit Ratings of The Bahrain National Insurance Company BSC (c)

A.M. Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of "bbb+" of The Bahrain National Insurance Company BSC (c) (BNI) (Bahrain). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. The ratings reflect BNI's solid risk-adjusted capitalisation, track record of good operating profitability, and strong position within its domestic insurance market. An offsetting rating factor is the company's concentration in the Bahraini market. The company's risk-adjusted capitalisation remains strong, despite a gradual decline in recent years stemming from high dividend distributions and net premium growth. Capital consumption is weighted towards asset risk, given the company's equity exposure. However, the investment portfolio is well-managed and benefits from good diversification in terms of asset class, industry and geographical location. Counterparty credit risk arising from significant reinsurance cessions on commercial business is mitigated by a well-rated reinsurance panel. Prospective risk-adjusted capitalisation is expected to remain supportive of the ratings, despite an onerous dividend policy limiting internal capital generation. BNI has a track record of solid operating and technical profitability, illustrated by a five-year average return on equity of 14%. Whilst competitive market pressures in Bahrain have caused underwriting profits to drop 11% in 2015 to BHD 1.3 million (USD 3.4 million), the company's combined ratio of 89% is considered strong. Operating profits were further supported by a net investmen income of BHD 2.4 million (USD 6.3 million) during 2015, translating into a solid investment yield of 8%. Interim results for the first half of 2016 indicate that the company has continued to generate strong technical earnings. However, these have been softened by adverse fair value movements on local equity investments leading to an 18% decline in net profits to BHD 1.5 million (USD 3.9 million), compared with BHD 1.8 million (USD 4.8 million) in the first half of 2015.



BNI has an excellent profile in its domestic insurance market, particularly within the motor line of business where it holds a market-leading position. BNI's gross written premium grew by 3% in 2015 to BHD 22 million (USD 57 million), in line with its five-year average of 4%, which enabled the company to maintain a market share of approximately 15%. Offsetting rating factors are the intense domestic competition prevailing in BNI's core market and the elevated levels of economic, political and financial system risks associated with Bahrain which, when coupled with depressed oil prices, could impact growth opportunities for the company.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on A.M. Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see A.M. Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Understanding Best's Credit Ratings. A.M. Best is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright  2016 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109005986/en/

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[November 09, 2016] EclecticIQ boosts information sharing for New Zealand Internet Task Force

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Zealand Internet Task Force (NZITF) will connect its members through EclecticIQ Platform  a highly secure solution that consolidates cyber threat intelligence from multiple sources to foster in-depth analysis, and enables easier information sharing with trusted partners. EclecticIQ makes extensive use of STIX and TAXII, which are OASIS open-source standards enabling automation of threat intelligence and incident response workflows. With the agreement between NZITF and EclecticIQ, members of the New Zealand Internet Taskforce will have access to EclecticIQ Platform through an online portal. Through EclecticIQ Platform, NZITF members can share critical information about malware and other online threats among themselves and with New Zealand's wider cyber security community. New Zealand Internet Task Force Chair Barry Brailey says information sharing is an important part of working to combat cyber threats, and a tactical imperative as the number of global security incidents continues to rise. "EclecticIQ Platform provides a central hub for us to gather, digest, normalize and de-duplicate intelligence from our member base. We can streamline and funnel information coming from many different places into a single view, giving us instant access to information that we've previously only ever shared via email and face to face," says Brailey. "Our agreement with EclecticIQ is a step along the road towards more automated data sharing for the Task Force which, ultimately, is a good thing for New Zealand's overall security posture," he says.



EclecticIQ CEO Joep Gommers says the agreement positions the New Zealand Internet Task Force extremely well to make better use of the increasing volume of cyber threat intelligence. "In helping defend and mitigate cyber-based threats, the Task Force needs to be able to collaborate, and to quickly and easily share information. We're pleased, through this agreement, to be able to help them do this with our Threat Intelligence Platform," says Gommers.

Deployment and support of the EclecticIQ Platform is being performed by Cosive, a specialist in incident response and threat intelligence, and EclecticIQ's local representative. A presentation on how the New Zealand Internet Task Force plans to make use of EclecticIQ's Threat Intelligence Platform will be given at the upcoming NZITF Conference, being held across two days in mid-November. About NZITF The New Zealand Internet Task Force (NZITF) is a non-profit with the mission of improving the cyber security posture of New Zealand. It's a forum based on mutual trust for debate, networking, information sharing, and collaboration on matters relating to the cyber security of New Zealand. Members encompass security professionals across government, law enforcement, academia, information security, and private sector industries including telecommunications, information technology, and banking. www.nzitf.org.nz About EclecticIQ EclecticIQ works with large enterprises, governments and MSSPs to improve cyber threat detection, prevention and response. Its analyst-centric EclecticIQ Platform boosts effectiveness of Threat Intelligence practices and intelligence-driven SOC and CERT operations. The EclecticIQ Platform automatically collects intelligence from diverse sources; enables collaborative internal workflows; integrates with enterprise security technologies; and supports secure exchanges with external information-sharing communities. The company won Deloitte's Technology FAST50 Rising Star Award for "Most Disruptive Innovator". EclecticIQ is a member of OASIS CTI TC and affiliate member of FS-ISAC. www.eclecticiq.com About Cosive Cosive helps Australian and New Zealand organisations make better use of their threat intelligence. Cosive are the local representative for EclecticIQ Platform, as well as providing intelligence feeds, integration and consulting services, bespoke software systems development, STIX/TAXII and CybOX consultancy, and incident response guidance. www.cosive.com PRLog ID: www.prlog.org/12600305 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eclecticiq-boosts-information-sharing-for-new-zealand-internet-task-force-300359869.html SOURCE EclecticIQ

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[November 09, 2016] WOW! Announces Preliminary Results for the Third Quarter Ended September 30, 2016

WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone (News - Alert) ("WOW!"), a leading, fully integrated provider of residential and commercial high-speed data, video and telephony services to customers in the United States, announced preliminary summary financial results and subscriber information for the third quarter ended September 30, 2016, as part of a presentation today at the Morgan Stanley Global High Yield Conference. For the third quarter ended September 30, 2016, WOW! announced that it will report Total Revenue of $311.2 million, Net Loss of ($12.4) million and Adjusted EBITDA of $115.7 million(1) (2) (3). WOW! is also pleased to be able to report improvement in customer and subscriber metrics during the third quarter ended September 30, 2016. Specifically, the Company added approximately 2,700 HSD RGUs (before the results of NuLink are included). Subscriber information as of September 30, 2016, is as follows (3):







WOW! Formerly NuLink Consolidated Total Customers 785,700 15,100 800,800 HSD RGUs 728,400 13,600 742,000 Video RGUs 505,200 9,700 514,900 Telephony RGUs 263,800 3,600 267,400 Total RGUs 1,497,400 26,900 1,524,300

______________________

(1) Refer to "Definitions of Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Operating Metrics" in this release for definitions and information related to Adjusted EBITDA and financial, operating and customer information.

(2) The Company has not yet filed its Form 10-Q quarterly report for the period ended September 30, 2016, therefore, financial results and other information presented in this press release related to the three months ended September 30, 2016, could differ materially from the information contained in the Company's Form 10-Q quarterly report when such report is ultimately furnished to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC (News - Alert)").

(3) NuLink was acquired on September 9, 2016, therefore, financial results for the period September 9, 2016 through September 30, 2016, and customer information at September 30, 2016, are included in Consolidated September 30, 2016, results. About WOW! WOW! is one of the nation's leading providers of high-speed Internet, cable TV, and phone serving communities in the U.S. Our operating philosophy is to deliver an employee and customer experience that lives up to its name. WOW! is privately owned by Avista Capital Partners and Crestview Partners. (www.wowway.com) About Avista Capital Partners Avista Capital Partners is a leading private equity firm with approximately $6 billion under management and offices in New York, Houston and London. Founded in 2005, Avista makes controlling or influential minority investments in growth-oriented healthcare, industrial and communications businesses. Through its team of seasoned investment professionals and industry experts, Avista seeks to partner with exceptional management teams to invest in and add value to well-positioned businesses. (www.avistacap.com) About Crestview Founded in 2004, Crestview Partners is a value-oriented private equity firm focused on the middle market. The firm is based in New York and manages funds with over $7 billion of aggregate capital commitments. The firm is led by a group of partners who have complementary experience and distinguished backgrounds in private equity, finance, operations and management. Crestview's senior investment professionals primarily focus on sourcing and managing investments in each of the specialty areas of the firm: media, energy, financial services, healthcare and industrials. (www.crestview.com) Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this release that address activities, events or developments that we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and we caution you not to place undue reliance on such statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of the words "may," "will," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," "project," "continue," or the negative of these words, or other similar words or terms. The forward-looking statements included in this release are made as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, even if new information becomes available in the future. Actual results may differ materially from those expected because of various risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. You should review our filings with the SEC, including the section titled "Risk Factors" contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 17, 2016. Furthermore, we have not yet filed the Company's Form 10-Q Quarterly Report for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, with the SEC. When the Company ultimately files such report with the SEC, actual results and financial information related to the quarter ended September 30, 2016, could differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of a variety of factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future developments. Definitions of Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Operating Metrics We have included certain non-GAAP financial measures in this press release including Adjusted EBITDA. We believe that these non-GAAP measures enhance an investor's understanding of our financial performance. We believe that these non-GAAP measures are useful financial metrics to assess our operating performance from period to period by excluding certain items that we believe are not representative of our core business. We believe that these non-GAAP measures provide investors with useful information for assessing the comparability between periods of our ability to generate cash from operations sufficient to pay taxes, to service debt and to undertake capital expenditures. We use these non-GAAP measures for business planning purposes and in measuring our performance relative to that of our competitors. We believe these non-GAAP measures are measures commonly used by investors to evaluate our performance and that of our competitors. Adjusted EBITDA is defined by WOW! as net income (loss) before net interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization (including impairments), gains (losses) realized and unrealized on derivative instruments, management fees to related parties, the write-up or write-off/disposal of any asset, debt modification expenses, loss on extinguishment of debt, integration and restructuring expenses and all non-cash charges and expenses (including equity based compensation expense) and certain other income and expenses, as further defined in our credit facilities. Adjusted EBITDA is not a presentation made in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("GAAP") and our use of the term Adjusted EBITDA varies from others in our industry. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss), operating income or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP as measures of operating performance or operating cash flows, or as measures of liquidity. Adjusted EBITDA has important limitations as an analytical tool and you should not consider it in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. For example, Adjusted EBITDA: excludes certain tax payments that may represent a reduction in cash available to us;

does not reflect any cash capital expenditure requirements for the assets being depreciated and amortized that may have to be replaced in the future;

does not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs; and

does not reflect the significant interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments on our debt. In addition, we use the following operating and customer metrics in this release: Homes Passed - We report homes passed as the number of residential units, such as single residence homes, apartments and condominium units, passed by our broadband network and listed in our database excluding those we believe are covered by exclusive arrangements with other providers of competing services.

- We report homes passed as the number of residential units, such as single residence homes, apartments and condominium units, passed by our broadband network and listed in our database excluding those we believe are covered by exclusive arrangements with other providers of competing services. Total Customers and RGUs - Because we deliver multiple services to our customers, we report the total number of customers ("Total Customers") as those who subscribe to at least one of our high-speed data ("HSD"), video ("Video") or telephony ("Telephony") services without regard to which or how many of those services they subscribe. We report Video subscribers as the number of basic cable subscribers and do not include customers who only subscribe to HSD or Telephony services in this total. Each of the individual Video, HSD and Telephony subscribers is referred to as a Revenue Generating Unit ("RGU"). Subscriber information for acquired entities is preliminary and subject to adjustment until we have completed our review of such information and determined that it is presented in accordance with our policies. Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP Measures to Non-GAAP Measures The following table provides an unaudited reconciliation of our net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter ended September 30, 2016: WideOpenWest (News - Alert) Finance, LLC

Reconciliation of GAAP Measures to Non-GAAP Measures (Unaudited)

Three Months Ended

($ in millions) Sep. 30, 2016 Net income (loss) (1) $ (12.4 ) Depreciation and amortization 49.6 Management fee to related party 0.4 Interest expense 52.9 Loss on extinguishment of debt 28.1 Non-recurring prof. fees, M&A integration and restr. exp. 3.8 Non-cash stock compensation 0.4 Other expense (income), net (1.9 ) Income tax (benefit) expense (5.2 ) Adjusted EBITDA $ 115.7 (1) The Company has not yet filed its Form 10-Q quarterly report for the period ended September 30, 2016, therefore, financial results and other information presented in this press release related to the three months ended September 30, 2016, could differ materially from the information contained in the Company's Form 10-Q quarterly report when such report is ultimately furnished to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109006004/en/

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[November 09, 2016] NOTICE TO EXXON CURRENT AND FORMER EMPLOYEES: Zamansky LLC Investigates the Exxon Savings Plan for Possible ERISA Violations

Zamansky LLC announces that it has commenced an investigation of Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM)("Exxon") on behalf of its current and former employees over the Exxon Savings Plan (the "Plan") for potential violations of the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act ("ERISA"). ERISA imposes fiduciary duties to prudently manage and invest plan assets. We are investigating whether these duties were violated by the continued offering of the Exxon stock from January 2016 through October 2016 as an investment option for employees under the Plan. On November 7, 2016, a securities class action lawsuit was filed against Exxon and its CEO and CFO. The lawsuit alleges that Exxon fraudulently overstated its oil and gas reserves, their value and the costs of extraction, in view of internal reports it had on the impact of global climate change. The lawsuit alleges that the misrepresentations were material, and that they artificially inflated Exxon's stock price before it fell as news came out. According to employee stock ad investment fraud attorney, Jake Zamansky, current or former Exxon employees who purchased and held Exxon stock through the Plan from January 2016 through October 2016 may have had their retirement savings damaged. The allegations about Exxon's reserves reporting fraud raise serious issues whether the Plan's fiduciaries properly executed their duties under ERISA, he states. ERISA is designed to protect employees' retirement savings from imprudent and inappropriate investments, Zamansky states.



What Current and Former Exxon Employees Can Do If you are an existing or former Exxon employee who purchased and held Exxon stock from January 2016 through October 2016 through the Exxon Savings Plan, please contact our firm for an evaluation of your rights. You can contact Jake Zamansky by telephone at (212) 742-1414 or by email at [email protected].

About Zamansky LLC Zamansky LLC is a leading stock law firm specializing in securities fraud, ERISA and employment class actions. We are investment fraud attorneys who represent both individual and institutional investors. Our practice is nationally recognized for our ability to aggressively prosecute cases and recover investment losses. To learn more about Zamansky LLC, please visit our website, http://www.zamansky.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109006084/en/

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[November 09, 2016] From Augmented Reality to Voice Recognition to Wearable Tech, Living in Digital Times Previews Cutting-Edge Lifestyle Technologies at CES Unveiled New York

NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With eight weeks until the launch of thousands of new devices at CES 2017, Living in Digital Times is offering a sneak peek at some of the products and trends that best exemplify the high-tech consumer lifestyle. Now in its 12th year, CES Unveiled New York is a mecca for more than 250 media, industry attendees and dozens of exhibitors to preview the hottest technologies that will take the stage at CES in January. "Artificial intelligence, augmented reality, the Internet of Things.... let it never be said that the world of consumer tech is boring," stated Robin Raskin, founder and president, Living in Digital Times. "This year we'll expand our CES 2017 Marketplace footprint by 30 percent and introduce new conferences and events that address how these innovations are finding their place in our daily lifestyles." At CES 2017, Living in Digital Times' eight Marketplaces, nine conferences, awards programs, and crowd-pleasers like the FashionWare Runway Show, cover a range of industries from fashion and wearables, to health & fitness, to high-tech education, baby, kids and family tech. The show floor is bursting with action and the conferences feature in-depth discussions and demonstrations of the latest trends. In the Living in Digital Times area at CES Unveiled New York, attendees will experience a preview of innovative technology ahead of the CES 2017 show floor opening in January: CogniToys Dino (Elemental Path)  This toy dinosaur is powered by IBM Watson' and Elemental Path's Friendgine technology, providing a personalized, screen-free, speech based learning experience to engage kids through interactive dialogue. YouCam (Perfect Corp.) - Using augmented reality, Perfect Cam has created a real-time, virtual try-on room for your makeup and hairstyles. Lose It!  Powered by a vast image database, the new Snap It feature lets you use your mobile device to take a photo of what you're eating and then analyze the calories you're consuming and the nutritional information you've gained. Quell (NeuroMetrix, Inc.)  Discover the latest in wearable pain elief technology. This new device is 100% drug free and delivers widespread relief from chronic pain. Quell is FDA cleared for 24/7 wear so you can experience pain relief day and night.



JyroBike (Yvolution)  A bicycle that balances itself makes it easy for kids to learn to ride. The bike uses a patented Control Hub in the front wheel featuring gyroscopic technology - a stabilizing force that resists the toppling force of gravity - to keep riders upright and steady, even when they tip or wobble. CompassXAP (VDO360)  The CompassX camera with auto pilot is a 360-degree camera that has the world's first RTLS (Real Time Location System) tracking system for full motion capture. You'll feel like a broadcast cameraman without the jerky motion, interference from lights or losing the sound when the speaker turns away from the camera.

To learn more about Living in Digital Times and get updates about CES 2017 conferences, Marketplace exhibits and events, sign up at http://livingindigitaltimes.com/. To register for CES 2017, visit CES.tech/register. CES Unveiled New York

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W 18th St., New York City

2 PM Registration Opens

3-4:30 PM  CTA Trends/Market Research Presentation & CES News Conference (Open to editorial media only)

4:30-5:30 PM  Media Hour Tabletop Exhibition & Networking Reception (Open to editorial media only)

5:30-7:30 PM  Open Hours  Tabletop Exhibition & Networking Reception (Open to all *invited* attendees)

Living in Digital Times Tables 23, 24 and 25 Keep up on the latest news from CES Unveiled by following @LIDTEvents on Twitter. Join the conversation online with hashtag #CES2017. Tweet this: @LIDTEvents to Preview Cutting-Edge Tech & Digital Lifestyle Trends at CES Unveiled Details: http://bit.ly/1MzXhad #CES2017" About Living in Digital Times

Founded by veteran technology journalist Robin Raskin, Living in Digital Times brings together the most knowledgeable leaders and the latest innovations impacting both technology and lifestyle. It helps companies identify and act on emerging trends, create compelling company narratives, and do better business through strong network connections. Living in Digital Times produces technology conferences, exhibits and events at CES and other locations throughout the year by lifestyle verticals. Core brands include Digital Health Summit, Digital Money Forum, FitnessTech, BabyTech, [email protected], Family Tech Summit, TransformingEDU, Family Tech TV, Beauty Tech, Wearable Tech and FashionWare runway show, Mobile Apps Showdown, Last Gadget Standing, Robots on the Runway and the KAPi Awards. The company also works with various foundations and manages the Appreneur Scholar awards program for budding mobile entrepreneurs, as well as the 10 Under 20: Young Innovators to Watch awards recognizing student STEAM innovations in New York City. For more information, visit www.LivinginDigitalTimes.com and keep up with our latest news on Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook. About CES:

CES is the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50 yearsthe global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. As the largest hands-on event of its kind, CES features all aspects of the industry. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the technology trade association representing the $287 billion U.S. consumer technology industry, it attracts the world's business leaders and pioneering thinkers. Check out CES video highlights. Follow CES online at CES.tech and on social. Media Contact:

Karen Pineman

LKPR, Inc. for Living in Digital Times

[email protected]

917-453-6887 (mobile) Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140918/147059 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/from-augmented-reality-to-voice-recognition-to-wearable-tech-living-in-digital-times-previews-cutting-edge-lifestyle-technologies-at-ces-unveiled-new-york-300359946.html SOURCE Living in Digital Times

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[November 09, 2016] Evolent Health Partners with Banner Health Network to Enhance Care Delivery in Arizona

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Evolent Health (NYSE: EVH), a company providing an integrated value-based care platform to the nation's leading health systems and physician organizations, announced today its long-term partnership with Banner Health Network (BHN). Under the partnership, Evolent will work with BHN's leadership and physician teams to provide software tools and data resources to help physicians better understand the health and risk of their Medicare Advantage patient panels in an effort to improve health and achieve clinical and financial quality targets. "This partnership will help us provide additional tracking tools and administrative resources to the physicians within Banner Health Network that serve Medicare Advantage populations, supporting the quality of care their patients receive," said Lisa Stevens Anderson, CEO, Banner Health Network. BHN Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert Groves commented, "We look forward to the opportunity to integrate Evolent's tools into our Medicare Advantage provider practices. They will allow us to recognize and define health risks and drive population health while lowering costs and improving the care experience for patients and providers alike." Evolent and BHN will also implement Identifi?, Evolent's value-based care performance management platform, to enable providers across the state to access and share data for improved care coordination. Identifi is designed to complement electronic medical record (EMR) technology to identify at-risk patients and opportunities for intervention. In partnership with Advisory Board, Evolent will also provide BH with point-of-care workflow integration and support for day-to-day operations including education, coding and filing.



"By collaborating with our partners at Advisory Board, Evolent and Banner Health Network will look to accelerate the pace of change and rate of adoption for value-based care programs and tools in Arizona," said Evolent Health CEO Frank Williams. "We are excited to formalize this partnership with Banner Health with the objective of delivering higher quality, lower cost care for patients across Arizona." Evolent Health West Regional Market President Claire Shoen commented, "We admire Banner Health Network's proactive approach to care innovation and care delivery. The teams at both BHN and Evolent are truly aligned in the mutual goal of emphasizing prevention and minimizing illness whenever possible."

About Evolent Health

Evolent Health partners with leading health systems to drive value-based care transformation. By providing clinical, analytical and financial capabilities, Evolent helps physicians and health systems achieve superior quality and cost results. Evolent's approach breaks down barriers, aligns incentives and powers a new model of care delivery resulting in meaningful alignment between providers, payers, physicians and patients. For more information, visit www.evolenthealth.com. About Banner Health Network

Banner Health Network (BHN) is an accountable care organization that joins Arizona's largest health care provider, Banner Health, and an extensive network of primary care and specialty physicians to provide Arizona's most comprehensive health care solutions. BHN works collaboratively with payers and employers to keep members in optimal health, while reducing costs. Quality health care can be affordable with a design that engages the provider, patient, employer and payer in seeking the best care and health outcomes. BHN is comprised of more than 4,000 Banner Health-affiliated providers, 15 Banner Health hospitals, and a wide variety of other clinical services. To learn more, go to BannerHealthNetwork.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150723/240961LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evolent-health-partners-with-banner-health-network-to-enhance-care-delivery-in-arizona-300359978.html SOURCE Evolent Health, Inc.

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[November 09, 2016] Owlet Raises $15 Million in New Funding

LEHI, Utah, Nov. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Owlet Baby Care, a Techstars company and creator of the Owlet Smart Sock, raised an additional $15 million through venture funding, bringing its total raised to $25 million. Investors in this round include previous round participants Eclipse and Eniac, as well as new investors Trilogy Equity Partners, the Amazon Alexa Fund, RTP-HC, Capital Integral and Broadway Angels. "This new round of funding provides Owlet with the backing to expand our reach into retail and international distribution, launch two new product lines and kickoff the largest infant health study ever conducted," said Kurt Workman, Owlet Co-Founder and CEO. "We are very grateful for the continued support of our investors, and we're excited to welcome Trilogy Equity Partners, the Alexa Fund, RTP-HC, Capital Integral and Broadway Angels who help make achieving our big vision and mission possible."



Utah seed fund Peak Ventures and TOMS Social Entrepreneurship Fund, among other funds and investors. In October, Forbes included Owlet on its list of projected Next Billion-Dollar Startup companies. "Owlet is a key component for the connected nursery and we are excited about supporting the company with an investment that helps propel it forward and support its mission," said Steve Rabuchin, Vice President of Amazon Alexa. "We look forward to the future opportunities to integrate Owlet with Alexa, empowering parents with the incredible data and information provided by Owlet."

Owlet will launch an IRB-approved clinical study in 2017, which will focus on collecting the largest set of infant health data. Owlet believes the data collected through the Smart Sock can provide clinicians and researchers better insights into an infant's health and wellbeing. Also in 2017, Owlet will release a connected care feature giving users greater access to their data and the ability to share that data with pediatricians. Owlet envisions a safer, healthier future for infants and is committed to releasing the best products in infant health monitoring. ABOUT OWLET BABY CARE

Owlet Baby Care was founded in 2013 by a team of passionate parents who wanted to bring themselves and other parents around the globe peace of mind and assurance by developing a monitor that tracks a baby's oxygen and heart rate. Using pulse oximetry, the same proven technology used in hospitals, the Owlet Smart Sock is designed to send notifications to the Base Station and via Wi-Fi to a smartphone, if baby's heart rate or oxygen fall outside a preset range. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161102/435541LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/owlet-raises-15-million-in-new-funding-300360116.html SOURCE Owlet Baby Care

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Two candidates seeking NLCS Board District 2 seat

In this year's general election, two candidates are seeking election to the district two seat on the NLCS board: Adam Parsley and Michael Patton.
On the last day of her three-day India visit, British PM Theresay May slayed it in a saree.

By India Today Web Desk: British Prime Minister, Theresa May, visited India for three days to discuss post-Brexit Britain's relations with India, and the way forward. On the final day of her visit, while in Bangalore, May visited the century-old Sri Someshwara Temple clad gracefully in a saree.

Taking time off her hectic engagements in the city, May, accompanied by two priests went around the temple at Halasuru, donning a gold and green saree.

The British PM at the Sri Someshwara Temple in Bengaluru. Picture courtesy: Reuters

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According to NDTV, May took her temple visit with Hindu priests, who presented her with fruit, a flower garland and a piece of silk, to give as an offering to Lord Shiva.

When in Bengaluru, May was accompanied by a delegation of around three dozen business leaders. She also met local entrepreneurs and visited the factory of Dynamatic Technologies, which operates two facilities in Britain.

British PM May with a priest at the Sri Someshwara Temple in Bengaluru. Picture courtesy: Reuters

Earlier in the day, May met hundreds of children at a primary school in Bengaluru and watched a flypast organised by the Indian Air Force.

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By PTI: New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) BJP today said the common man is "happy" with the Modi governments decision to demonetise high value notes even as party president Amit Shah cancelled his visit to Uttar Pradesh, to get in touch with organisation leaders to receive feedback on the demonetisation move.

Shah cancelled his visit to Balia in Uttar Pradesh, where he was to launch the fourth and last phase of Parivartan Yatra as part of the partys Uttar Pradesh poll campaign, to get in touch with party organisation leaders on the governments demonetisation move.

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Party sources said Shah received feedback from leaders over the decision to demonetise Rs 1000 and Rs 500 denomination notes and also also issued them instructions.

BJP also hit back at critics saying the common man is "happy" with the governments move but opposition parties like Congress are upset because they have lost "votes as well as notes".

Black money, corruption and fake currency are an obstacle between the common man and development and the Centres decision will help remove it, BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said.

"The masses are happy but the Congress and its allies are upset. They have lost votes as well as notes (money). A party whose vice president (Rahul Gandhi) is out on bail in a corruption case has no right to speak over it," Sharma said, referring to the National Herald case.

Calling the decision historic, he said it will also clean the electoral system by removing the use of black money.

"It has boosted the morale of honest tax payers. It will bring a change for better in the life of the common man," he said. PTI KR RG

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Chief electoral officer of Tamil Nadu Rajesh Lakhoni confirmed that the money was seized and said it belongs to the Bank of Baroda.

By Akshaya Nath: The Election commission today seized a mini van with currency worth Rs 7.5 crore in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. The money seized contained the new Rs 2000 notes, which are to be released on Thursday.

Chief electoral officer of Tamil Nadu Rajesh Lakhoni confirmed that the money was seized and said, "The money belongs to the Bank of Baroda. The vehicle in which it was transported in did not match the vehicle number in the papers and hence they are enquiring about it." But he assured that the money isn't related to the elections.

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Thanjavur will be going for by-elections on November 19. For the first time polls were cancelled in Aravakurichi and Thanjavur during the May 2016 general elections when money was allegedly splurged for influencing voters.

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Community radio music coordinators often have an encyclopedic knowledge of local music and an insatiable thirst to keep their ears ahead of the curve. So in this Tone Deaf series, the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (Amrap) invites music coordinators to highlight new Aussie tunes that you might have missed.

In this edition, Chris Cobcroft and Nick Rodwell from 4ZZZ in Brisbane contribute with a selection of tracks currently making their way to community radio through Amraps music distribution service AirIt.

Check out Chris and Nicks selections below and if youre a musician you can apply here to have your music distributed for free to community radio on Amraps AirIt.

Frida  Everything (Is You)

Nick: Big waves of big dream-pop out of Melbourne. This single affects you like twilight anaesthesia, overwhelming washes of euphoria with only minimal recognition for more pressing matters. The chorus is positively soaring. Its almost as if this lot is trying to portray infatuation and succeeding, vividly.

Obscura Hail  Qualia

Chris: Sean Conrans folk music is sometimes more immediate (like Elliott Smith) and sometimes, like now, reserved, channeling the elegance and thoughtfulness of artists like Sun Kil Moon or The Books. His approach trades in raw emotional power and gets back artisanal beauty in his philosophical journey towards understanding of self, others and an attempt at a personal cosmology. Few would attempt such an all-consuming project and still fewer would achieve it with such grace and poise.

Moreton  Johana

Nick: This has such a seductive sense of drama that youd be happily duped into thinking it was the wise Marianne Faithfull. Brisbanes Moreton are steeped in some seriously sonorous alt-rock that is bound soothe many.

Sampology  Natural Selections

Chris: Sam unloads African thumb pianos, flute chirps, synth horns and robot voices blatting away toward a big climax before plateauing into a funky afro-pop, the sort of thing that youd be ready for if youd been listening to a producer like Ribongia, lately. One of the few voices really trying to say something different in Australian beats right now and never saying it in a way thats anything less than infectious.

Adele Pickvance  Treasure

Nick: Adele Pickvance (former Go Betweens bassist) has released an EP of explorations true to her roots. Its a light offering of jangly pop buffed with electronica that gives credence to her as a songsmith in her own right.

Teeth & Tongue  Turn Turn Turn

Chris: Over the course of an EP and a few albums Jess Cornelius and her performing guise, Teeth & Tongue, have been consistently producing music as full of snarling intensity and thorny concepts as sweetly melodic hooks. However, the manner in which shes delivered it has just about as consistently transformed, flipping from a PJ Harvey channeling artrock into a new-wave electro-pop, guitars and drums making way for synthesisers and pads.

On her latest full-length, Give Up On Your Health, Jess has continued that progression. Turn Turn Turn is like the album in microcosm: the most anthemic pop of her career and it works like a seasoned operator in the discotechque, but if you listen closer, theres an intellectual depth and lots of Jess trademark uncomfortable truths to mull over in your mind. Whatever level you take it at: an impressive bit of work.

Shutup Shutup Shutup  My Friends

Nick: The latest incarnation of energy from the lads that brought you Release The Hounds is Shutup Shutup Shutup. With the irreverence of Future Of The Left smashed together with the hard hits of The Bronx, My Friends is the kind of anti-bullshit firebrand that is most welcome.

Thigh Master  Canned Opening

Nick: Another Thigh Master single dropped in the lead up to the excellent album Early Times. Canned Opening steps back from the rush of previous single Bad Company, and also from the messy melange of indie-rock that they have pumped out in the past. There is a sweetness to its humility that makes the band even more relatable and just as welcoming as ever.
More problems for the local jail system and the important effort for local authorities to clean up the ongoing mess.Here's the statement . . .Deets . . .A Kansas City, MO, Police Department detention officer has been charged with one count of misdemeanor theft for allegedly taking money from a prisoner, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.The officers faces one misdemeanor count of Theft/Stealing.*According to court documents filed today, the suspect was in charge of inventory of a man who had been placed under arrest and was being processed at South Patrol Division Detention Facility. A review of video showed the defendant conducting a money count and placing bills into his left pocket. He later told police questioning him he stole a $100 bill from the prisoner, although a reported money count by the defendant showed the loss was $1800.00.############Developing . . .
Kansas City Question #3 was defeated soundly . . .





60% NO

40% Yes

"Chastain, who has used initiative petitions to get several light-rail proposals on ballots during the past 20-plus years, outlined his latest during a public forum Monday that attracted a crowd of only 10 people to a meeting room at the Kansas City Public Library's Country Club Plaza branch. "If they vote for it, we're going for it," Chastain said. "But if it's voted down, I'll consider the light-rail issue in Kansas City dead."

Once again light rail activist Clay Chastain suffered defeat at the ballot box with a big voter rejection of his effort.It's worth considering that Clay had 68k people agree with him despite every politico and every media outlet arguing against his plan.Still, he has made that promise before . . . Let's see if he keeps it or what he says this time around.Developing . . .
The Guardian And Author of "What's The Matter With Kansas" seyz: Donald Trump is moving to the White House, and liberals put him there

HILLARY CLINTON-STYLE GIRL POWER IDENTITY POLITICS KILLED THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND NOT PROGRESSIVE VALUES!!!

In the aftermath of historic defeat, Democratic Party loyalists are searching for someone to blame for the historic implosion of so many of their candidates and abandonment by their former constituents.Some of the very smartest people online are passing around this article and calling for a more Conservative Democratic Party platform:Humbly, these people are missing the point.Here's the real aftermath that's far too politically incorrect for any mainstream pundit to put forward:Face it . . . It has been a long time since 1977 and "equal rights" for privileged white ladies is a rallying cry that (understandably) doesn't even excite other women.Hillary Clinton "girl power" emasculated the Democratic Party to the point where politicos were forced to abandon almost any declarative sentence for fear of "triggering" their own constituency.Hillary Clinton "girl power" was old school, ugly, divisive, arrogant and entitled.None of this is to say there aren't strong women in politics who have provided vital leadership but look closely and they aren't playing gender games to win . . . Instead they serve a far more broad constituency instead of a constituency of broads.Locally, no lady politico in Kansas City represents Hillary Clinton style girl-power and gender identity politics more perfectly thanHer participation in the local political scene has been almost completely comprised of mean-spirited whisper campaigns against her opponents, wild allegations at social occasions and non-stop gender antipathy directed toward any male politico in her vicinity without preference for party or affiliation.Put simply . . . It's Hillary Clinton & Crystal Williams gender identity war that turned off so many white men and turned them toward the Republicans and Trump in spite of faux media outrage at "grab them by the pussy" comments.In the final analysis, it's not that people in Missouri, Kansas City and across this great nation don't value the struggle of the working people or even the plight of minorities . . . "Bernie Bros" were a far more enthusiastic contingent of the Democratic Party this year than their lady counterparts on Hillary's side.In the end, the demise of the Democratic Party in KCMO and the US Of A should be blamed on tragic gender identity politics and neither Hillary nor Crystal is sexy enough to get people out and vote.You decide . . .
LIKE IT OR NOT, THE THREAT OF ANTI-TRUMP PROTEST AND VIOLENCE CONFRONTS KANSAS CITY AS WELL!!!

After years of Democratic Party control and indoctrination, the voters of Kansas City were unprepared to confront the wave of discontent which propelled Donald Trump to the Presidency.Only our. . .And now that day has arrived.There's a lot of talk about continued fighting, politicking and persistence from local progressive activists.But the reality is that Kansas City Democratic Party denizens are outnumbered throughout the state and the region. Moreover, Missouri and the nation have profoundly rejected progressive ideals on diversity, gender equality, immigration, international trade and women's reproductive rights.Now Kansas City stands nearly alone as a progressive beacon in state, region and country that seeks a far more conservative approach to politics and culture.So far the reaction has beenalong withOn a more practical level, so many our political leaders were closely aligned with the current Obama Administration and now seem out of the loop as Democratic Party denizens across the nation have been removed from power by the electorate. Mayor Sly and some of our elected officials probably won't recieve the same cordial welcome from a Trump White House as they did during Prez Obama's tenure.Tonight there's. But even a heartfelt call to understanding seems contrary to the message sent by Trump voters last night.There's anbut this vote seems more about turning back the clock than regulating international currency exchanges or any of the longstanding grudges held by Eurotrash of all sorts.Americans turning toward Trump are not only rejecting America's First Black President but also have used their vote as a slap in the face to media, Wall Street even the GOP establishment.While there's no clear policy agenda, goals or benchmarks for Trump success; what's clear is that Kansas City's place in the politics of our nation has now become more precarious and marginalized as voter mandates to "take back" the nation in order to "Make America Great Again" come by way of diminishing the influence and power of so many local political players.Developing . . .
The crisis within the National Bank of Greece, in relation to the appointment of a new president, appears to have been resolved, following a last-minute intervention of the ECBs Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) and the Bank of Greece, in order to protect the stability of the banking system.

As such, Leonidas Frangiadakis will stay on as Managing Director of the National Bank, while Panagiotis Thomopoulos will be appointed as the new Non-executive Chairman. The prospect of Mr. Frangiadakis stepping down, which would leave the bank headless, caused major concern within the SSM.

The board of the National Bank is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, which is expected to appoint Mr. Thomopoulos as new president. Banking sources commented that any administrative changes within the bank will take place, if at all, after the regular shareholder meeting in the next spring.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report




By PTI: New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) Delhi Government will soon send a team of teachers from its schools to Finland to observe and assess the education system there and suggest measures for implementation of same in the national capital, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said today.

Sisodia, who is also the Education Minister of Delhi, made the comments while addressing through video conferencing, the Fourth International Symposium on Creative Education being held in Finland.

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"I went to Finland for a visit and I realised teacher-training is one area where we (Delhi) do not focus at all. I am planning to send few teachers to Finland who will visit schools and assess the best measures adopted in their education system. They will interact with and learn from the head of schools there," Sisodia said.

"I was quite impressed at a Govt. school in Finland. Teachers were using tablets for maintaining the database of students. When I asked if I can take a picture of the student, she checked in her tablet if the parents had given the permission or not.

"I was impressed with that idea. I came back and had a discussion with my officers if we can do similarly in Delhi," he further said.

Sisodia, had visited Finland in September this year study the schooling system. He had visited various schools, universities during the visit and interacted with education experts and officials.

"Another thing I observed in Finland was the teacher-parent engagement which I tried to implement in Delhi by organising mega PTMs as festivals.

"The classroom teaching methodology was very poor in government schools. It wasnt centered on student but on curriculum. There is a huge gap between the market demand and the higher education. Conventional courses are being continued," Sisodia said. PTI GJS UZM

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Cyprus talks are set to enter into the territory issue in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland on Wednesday

Cyprus talks are set to enter into the territory issue in Mont Pelerin, Switzerland on Wednesday, reports said.

In light of the meeting on Wednesday at 10 am Cyprus time, President Nicos Anastasiades held a meeting with his negotiating team on Tuesday night.

Sources had said on Tuesday that a document was drawn up on the Greek Cypriot proposals territorial adjustments.

Deputy government spokesperson Victoras Papadopoulos said in a Twitter post on Wednesday morning that both sides are preparing to enter deeper into the territory issue.

Reports have said that a top priority for the Greek Cypriot is to set a criteria for the number of refugees to be returned to a Greek Cypriot administered state, and then setting the criteria for territorial adjustment.

Sources added that the Greek Cypriot side will not allow the territory issue to be tied to the issue of security.

Territorial adjustments

According to Turkish Cypriot sources attending the meetings in Mont Pelerin, today and tomorrow a discussion will begin on the criteria that will create the base for the territorial adjustments, and state boundaries of the two states that will arise.

The same sources said that if there is agreement on these basic values than the process on this chapter can move to the final phase.

Turkish Cypriot sources mentioned that if a date is set for a five-party conference, in which the two sides, and the guarantor powers: Greece, Turkey, and the UK will take part, a map will be place on the table for the first time.

However, the same sources said that if a date for a five-party conference is not set, than an agreement reached in Cyprus that was given to the two leaders by the UN will fall apart.

On Tuesday, there was a crash test conducted on the territory issue in the morning, while in the afternoon progress was noted at Anaastasiades meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report




Athens is planning to build another migrant camp on Chios island in an order to tackle the overcrowding of reception facilities on the five Aegean islands receiving the majority of the flow from Turkey

Athens is planning to build another migrant camp on Chios island in an order to tackle the overcrowding of reception facilities on the five Aegean islands receiving the majority of the flow from Turkey.

In an emergency meeting chaired by State Minister Alekos Flambouraris on Tuesday, it was decided that a new migrant facility is necessary on Chios. Migration authorities fear that the European Union-Turkey deal might collapse, bringing dozens of thousands of migrants from the neighboring country.

The new migrant hot spot will be located in a former landfill. It will serve as a hospitality center, as opposed to the current hot spot in the Souda area that will be serving only as a registration center after the new camp is completed.

Currently there are 4,211 migrants at the Souda facility, a camp with a maximum capacity of 1,100. It should be noted that the inflow from Turkey continues, sometimes with more than 100 arriving in one day. The local community has initially reacted to the government plans.

According to migration authorities, a total of 15,955 migrants are currently staying at reception facilities on Aegean islands. Lesvos is hosting 6,124, Chios is hosting 4,211, Samos 2,760, Kos 1,990 and 870 stay on Leros.

Overall, there are more than 62,000 registered refugees and migrants currently in Greece.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
World leaders and government ministers have shared their reaction to Donald Trumps shock US Presidential election win over Hillary Clinton on Wednesday morning

World leaders and government ministers have shared their reaction to Donald Trumps shock US Presidential election win over Hillary Clinton on Wednesday morning.

President-elect Trump will become America's 45th President.

EUROPEAN UNION

European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker congratulated Trump via a joint letter.

It is more important than ever to strengthen transatlantic relations, read the letter.

Only by cooperating closely can the EU and the US continue to make a difference when dealing with unprecedented challenges such as Da'esh [Arabic acronym for so-called Islamic State], the threats to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, climate change and migration.

Included within the joint letter was also an invitation to Europe for Trump for an EU-US Summit at your earliest convenience.

Juncker and Tusk added: This conversation would allow for us to chart the course of our relations for the next four years.

The EUs Foreign Policy chief, Federica Mogherini, tweeted: EU - #US ties are deeper than any change in politics. We'll continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe.

European Parliament President Martin Schulz, tweeted: The US electorate has spoken #USElections2016 Donald #Trump win is unequivocal. I congratulate him for victory, wish America well.

NATO

NATOs chief Jens Stoltenberg outlined that the Organisation had a solemn commitment to defend each other and the alliance was "important" for the US.

NATOs security guarantee is a treaty commitment. This is something which is unconditional and absolute, said Stoltenberg.

CYPRUS

Cyprus Government Spokesperson, Nikos Christodoulides, told state radio on Wednesday morning that the Cypriot government does not expect the US position on the Cyprus Problem to change.

TURKEY

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan expressed his hope that Trump's election would lead to good steps for basic rights and freedoms, democracy and the future of our region.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim congratulated Trump on his win, while also urging him to extradite exiled Pennsylvania-based cleric Fetullah Gulen, Turkeys number one suspect for the failed July 15 coup attempt.

Yildirim noted that a new page would be opened in US-Turkey relations if Gulen was to be extradited.

Turkeys Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, tweeted: We congratulate [Donald Trump], President-elect of the USA. We desire to reinforce with the USA our strategic cooperation based on trust.

Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag told Anadolu Agency that US voters had refused to have their national will dictated.

"Nobody can win an election through newspaper headlines, surveys, [and] television. Ultimately, people are voting, added Bozdag.

UK

British Prime Minister Theresa May led UK political congratulations for Trump after his election victory over Clinton.

In a statement issued by Downing Street, May - who has previously criticised some Trump - said: "Britain and the US have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.

"We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence.

"I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead."

RUSSIA

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on his victory, announced the Kremlin.

"Putin expressed hope for joint work to restore Russian-American relations from their state of crisis, and also to address pressing international issues and search for effective responses to challenges concerning global security, read the statement.

Putin also said he was sure a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington would serve the interests of both countries.

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report




US-based pioneering mobility company Hyperloop One has signed an agreement with Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to study high-speed routes that will reduce travel time between Abu Dhabi and Dubai to 12 minutes from the present two-hour drive.



With this deal, the UAE is one step closer to being the worlds first location for a new form of high-speed transport, and the emirates could see a Hyperloop within next five years, said a statement from the Los Angeles-based company.



Taking a major step on its path to defining the future of transportation, Hyperloop One said it will work with McKinsey & Company and the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) on a detailed feasibility study being sponsored by the RTA.



The agreement moves the company into its next stage of progress in Dubai, following a successful engagement in the Dubai Future Accelerators, which culminated in a presentation of Hyperloop One's value proposition to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.



Under this pact, both will jointly explore routes for a transport system between Abu Dhabi and Dubai which will reduce journey times for people and goods between the two emirates to just 12 minutes.



The Los Angeles-based company said it is reinventing transportation by developing the world's first hyperloop, an integrated structure to move passengers and cargo between two points immediately, safely, efficiently, and sustainably.



Additionally, Hyperloop One unveiled an original concept for autonomous transportation in the UAE, including designs for the world's first Hyperloop One Portals (the equivalent of a station or airport) and Hyperloop One Pods that can take passengers from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in 12 minutes, compared to a two-hour drive.



The work is the result of deep collaboration between Hyperloop One and BIG's amazing team of architects and engineers. Both announcements were revealed at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.



"Technology is evolving and transforming how we live, yet we lack real innovation in mass transportation and the current system has stagnated. Hyperloop One is focused on transport that's far more efficient, fast and clean. It will change the dynamics of how we move goods and people," remarked Shervin Pishevar, the executive chairman, Hyperloop One.



"Dubai makes perfect sense for Hyperloop One because this is the 21st century's global transport hub and its leaders understand that Hyperloop One is ushering in the next era of transportation," he stated.



Under the terms the agreement, Hyperloop One will work with McKinsey and BIG to evaluate the implementation of a passenger Hyperloop in Dubai. This announcement is the second partner agreement Hyperloop One has signed in Dubai and the sixth worldwide.



The company announced a deal in August to pursue a cargo Hyperloop One system with ports operator DP World at its deepwater Jebel Ali port in Dubai. Its growing presence on the ground in the UAE underscores the demand for Hyperloop One technology for passengers and freight in the country.



RTA chairman Mattar Al Tayer said: "This is an opportunity to help transform the UAE from a technology consumer to a technology creator, incubating expertise for a new global industry, in line with the UAE's Vision 2021. With Hyperloop One, we will create a new means of transportation, keeping our region at the forefront of transportation technology and innovation."



The engineers, architects and designers from Hyperloop One and BIG have collaborated intensively for six months to produce a comprehensive human experience for Hyperloop travel.



The US company is showcasing the first-ever routes from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, several Portal sites throughout Dubai and the conceptual interiors and exteriors of the individual passenger Pods.



The work is based on a detailed study of how an urban and inter-city transport network should integrate with the existing infrastructure. It's autonomous, point-to-point and vastly simplifies the experience of getting from your front door to your destination, it stated.



"We're going to create a seamless experience that starts the moment you think about being somewhere - not going somewhere," remarked Josh Giegel, the president of Engineering, Hyperloop One.



"We don't sell cars, boats, trains, or planes. We sell time. This puts an end to us being a 'pod-in-a-tube' or 'fast train from SF to LA' company," he said.



"With Hyperloop One we have given form to a mobility ecosystem of pods and portals, where the waiting hall has vanished along with waiting itself," observed Bjarke Ingels, founder, BIG.



"Collective commuting with individual freedom at near supersonic speed. We are heading for a future where our mental map of the city is completely reconfigured, as our habitual understanding of distance and proximity - time and space - is warped by this virgin form of travel."



In less than two years, Hyperloop One has raised more than $160 million, assembled a team of more than 200 world-class experts, and built a campus in Downtown LA, a test and safety site in the Nevada desert, and a 100,000-sq-ft machine and tooling shop in North Las Vegas.



In addition, the company has established a global partner network with industry leaders such as GE, SNCF, DP World, AECOM, Arup, Systra, Ramboll, and KPMG.



"The momentum is global and accelerating," said Hyperloop One CEO Rob Lloyd. "The world will see the test of the first full-scale Hyperloop system in early 2017 at our test and safety site in Nevada and we will have multiple operational Hyperloop systems within five years," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
A Chinese company is planning to invest $400 million in an Iranian petrochemical catalyst production project, a senior official said in a report.



China is the top purchaser and the best market for Iranian petrochemical products, Majidreza Hariri, vice president of Iran-China Joint Chamber of Commerce, was quoted as saying in an Iran Daily News report.



He pointed out that there is no impediment to Chinese partnership in the catalyst project.



Based on a deal signed between Iran and China, bilateral transactions will reach $60 billion in the next 10 years, added the report.
UK-based Plant Integrity Management (PIM), in conjunction with its Saudi Arabian partner DroobTech, has been awarded a contract by Maaden Phosphate Company (MPC) to implement a process piping corrosion loop.



MPC is a joint venture between Maaden and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic). Phosphate concentrates are sent by rail from Jalamid to Ras Al-Khair (RAK) for the production of phosphate fertilisers. RAK is in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and is home to an integrated plant for the production of fertilisers and chemicals.



PIM will implement a process piping corrosion loop using appropriate API Codes (581, 570) at MPCs Ras Al-Khair site. RAK is the second biggest ammonia plant facility in the world, said a statement from the company.



The work will focus on managing the integrity of the process pipework at RAK and PIM will have a corrosion specialist located onsite throughout the duration of the project, it said.



The scope of work includes a review of MPCs pipework inspection strategies at RAK and the adoption of piping corrosion loops to manage piping inspection. The work is expected to take a toal of three months to complete, it added.



Manuel Araneda, director of RBI services at PIM, said: PIM has an established track record for the delivery of RBI services in the oil and gas industry in the Middle East as well as in the North Sea.



This contract award from Maaden Phosphate Company will see us apply the same principles to the petrochemical refining industry. As a result, the inspection schemes at RAK will be optimised, cost effective and robust, he added.



We see our working relationship with our local partner, DroobTech, going from strength to strength with further opportunities developing in the local area, Araneda added.



DroobTech is well known and respected for bringing new inspection/maintenance/engineering based technologies to the oil/gas and petrochemical sectors in Saudi Arabia, he concluded.



Thani Al-Anizi, chief executive officer of DroobTech, said: Our vision is to support local industries with precise and appropriate expertise. Mining is an important new industry for the country and we are delighted to win this project with our specialist partner, PIM.



The service we are providing, alongside PIM, will enhance and optimise the operation of such industries and will increase their efficiencies hence positively impact their profitability by minimising their maintenance costs. Together, we plan to bring these services to more companies in Saudi Arabia and thereby play a role in the Kingdom vision of 2030, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
The South Oil Company (SOC) of Iraq is expected to invite international companies to execute its sea water desalination project.



Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar Ali Al-Luaibi has directed the company to invite foreign firms to undertake the project, said an Iraq Business News report.



The Common Seawater Supply Facility (CSSF) is considered vital to maintain the production volumes at Iraqs oil fields, added the report.



The project is to be implemented in two stages, with 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) capacity at each stage, it added.
Rising pollution levels will keep foreigners away, as they are too particular about weather and climate, including their safety.

By Shashank Shekhar: As Delhi gets the tag of "most polluted city" in the world, international tourists may avoid the national Capital, fear industry experts. Even Delhi tourism minister Kapil Mishra termed poor air quality as the "worst-ever setback" for tourism and claimed that major image makeover campaign will be started only after finding a solution.

Last week, hazy pictures of India Gate, Humayun tomb and Taj Mahal went viral on social media as they were blanketed in thick smog. Hazardous air quality in Delhi after Diwali has been making headlines globally, which has impacted international tourists.

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READ | For non-smokers, Delhi's toxic air equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes, will lead to cancer in a month

TOURISM TO SUFFER AS PEAK MONTHS ARRIVE



According to tour operators, international tourists are quite particular about their health and safety and with such negative developments Delhi is bound to drop off from the map of international tourists who will pick 'cleaner' South Asian destination. November and December are the peak months for foreign travellers to visit India, as majority of them opt for the Golden Triangle tourist circuit -- Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. But rising air pollution level has created a huge negative impact.

Delhi tourism minister Mishra believes that poor air quality will severely affect tourism and image of the city. "This will have a huge negative impact on tourism of Delhi and will hit the image of the city. The residents are already facing problems and international tourists will definitely avoid Delhi," Mishra told Mail Today. Mishra claimed that he along with other departments of the Delhi government are looking for effective measures to control pollution which will be used in future to gain trust of tourists.

READ | A day after Diwali, smog blankets Delhi

"GOVT WORKING ON AN ACTION PLAN"



"I have stared reaching out to the people and industry experts, seeking advice on curbing pollution. Even the government has drawn an action plan and is working on it. But we can only attract tourist once we set things right. Once we improve the situation on ground, we can organise awareness campaign and set it as an example to attract international tourists," Mishra said.

Even ASSOCHAM has found that the ongoing tourism season could get hit due to pollution. ASSOCHAM's feedback from tour operators and hoteliers clearly point out a deep concern over the negative impact the pollution can cause to the economy. "Even domestic tourists are avoiding Delhi. In comparison, international tourists are more sensitive about green tourism. India's loss will be neighbouring countries' gain. We may expect a dip in inbound tourists in Delhi during the peak tourist season. But if it continues for long then it will be a major concern," said Ajay Prakash, president of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPTT)-India. However, a section of operators believe that other metro and cosmopolitan cities will gain from Delhi's loss as they will be used for transit.

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"Rising pollution levels will keep foreigners away, as they are too particular about weather and climate, including their safety. Currently no major cancellation has been recorded as money is paid in advance. But during the peak tourist season, foreigners who are still in the planning stage will become sceptical about visiting Delhi," said Sunil Kumar, president of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI).

READ | Kejriwal's artificial rain idea to tackle Delhi smog dreamy, impractical: Experts



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Phoenician Tourism Route, a programme to promote Phoenician heritage and cultural tourism, was launched at the World Travel Market in London yesterday.



An integral component of Mediterranean trade and culture, the Phoenicians Route links 18 countries with a common heritage.



With the aim of revitalizing this itinerary as a tourism route, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Ministry of Tourism of Lebanon and Council of Europe launched the Phoenicians Route Cultural Tourism Programme, which integrates public and private sector, at World Travel Market in London.



During the event, participants discussed the development and marketing of three pilot cultural tourism itineraries along the Phoenicians Route. The itineraries will connect three continents, 18 countries and more than 80 towns.



They cover the various periods of Phoenician heritage: the Origin (Lebanon, Cyprus and Greece); the Punics and the Sea (Italy, Malta and Tunisia) and the Expansion (France and Spain).



Nothing is better for bringing understanding to the region than having people travel this route. The capacity of tourism to link different cultures, traditions and faiths is immense, particularly in the Mediterranean, one of the most diverse areas of the world, said UNWTO secretary-general Taleb Rifai.



The Phoenicians heritage is still largely unknown. We trust this project will bring this heritage to life and show us how much we all have in common. This is especially important in these times that are in such need of dialogue among civilisations, said Minister of Tourism of Lebanon Michel Pharaon.



This is a great opportunity to provide Europe with a tool to enhance its tourism offer and strengthen ties among countries and people, said Stefano Dominioni, Executive-Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement for Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe and Director of the European Institute of Cultural Routes.



Issues of transport, connectivity, visa facilitation, branding and product development of this new route were discussed with tour operators present at the event.



The Phoenicians Route is the network of the nautical trade courses that Phoenicians used since the twelfth century BC in the Mediterranean Sea. These routes became an integral part of the essence of the Mediterranean culture. The potential of the Phoenicians Route to provide economic opportunities, intercultural exchange and cultural revival has been recognized by the Council of Europe. - TradeArabia News Service
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Travelling is always a good thing. You learn to be independent and be exposed to different cultures and norms. There are lots of things that needs to be considered in travelling. One important thing you need to consider is how you'll survive throughout your trip. Since technology has a lot to offer these days, bringing along gadgets when you travel is essential. Here are some of the gadgets you should bring when you travel according to The Inquirer and Royal Caribbean.

Camera- Everybody wants to take pictures when they travel. It is one of the best souvenirs you could have. There are many types of cameras you can bring when you travel. The new and popular mirrorless cameras are perfect for travelling. They produce high-quality photos and they are light and easy to bring anywhere. Action cameras could also be useful for travelling. It is usually small and has wide angle lens. It is great for adventurous trips and even for beaches.

Smartphone- Smartphones have lots of uses. You can use them as cameras, GPS, communication and much more. You can connect to the internet and gather information about the place you are in.

Powerbank- Since we know how important smartphones are for travelling, we need to bring extra power to it. Bringing along a power bank will keep your smartphone charged without using a socket. You can bring it along anywhere, anytime.

Earphones/ Headphones- Long travel times usually gets boring. Bringing along headphones or earphones can help kill boredom. You can entertain yourself with some music or you can watch a movie while you wait.

Waterproof case- If you travel to places with bodies of water, you will need waterproof cases for your smartphones especially when you use your smartphones as cameras. In order to keep your phone away from possible dangers, you should use waterproof cases. These are some of the gadgets you will need to bring to get the most out of your travel experience. Here are more important gadgets you need to know about when you travel:

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Once known as Melania Knavs, the supermodel turned wife of businessman and presidential candidate Donald Trump used to drive around Ljubljana on a metallic blue Vespa. Once a sleepy town in Slovenia's capital, the city is now filled with tourists and nightclubs, with foreigners eager to know how Melania spent her earlier years. Here are the best things to do in Ljubljana to be able to relive Melania Trump's childhood experiences.

1. Ljubljana Castle

The ultimate symbol of the city, the castle is located on a small hill at the city center. The insides of the castle contain the Chapel of St. George, built in the Baroque style. According to Wow Travel, this is one place many citizens and tourists come during the day to relax and go for a walk. It is believed Melania rode her Vespa and saw this castle everyday.

2. Congress Square

Surrounded by old historic buildings and leafy trees, the square also fronts the University of Ljubljana where Melania studied at the Faculty of Architecture. According to Big Story, a classmate, Rok Bogataj said that Melania regularly attended lectures but did not finish the course. One day, Bogataj and his peers just found out that she had gone to Milan to become a fashion model.

3. Lake Bled

Although northwest of the city, this lake features emerald-green waters and a spectacular array of trees on a tiny island. Surrounded by the Julian Alps, a church tower peeks over the tops of the evergreens in this lakeside town.

At the Grand Hotel Toplice, Bled, Melania first introduced Donald Trump to her parents in July 2002, which was two years before their official engagement. It is also believed that this was the last time since now that Melania visited Slovenia.

4. The Horse's Tail Cafe

Located near Tromostovje, a triple stone bridge famous in the city for its small dragon-like statues, this cafe was Melania's favorite in Ljublajana. The former model might be disappointed to know, however, that she can't ride her scooter to the cafe anymore, as the city's heart has been closed to traffic. The walking-only system allows citizens and tourists to enjoy Ljubljana's sights on foot.

5. Piran and Potoroz

Located near Bled and Ljubljana are these seaside towns, known as the "Venice of Slovenia" and a French-Riviera style resort with luxurious hotels. In 1992, Melania first got her big modeling break in Potoroz, modeling for a Slovenian women's magazine. It was here that she was invited to go to Milan and start her career in modeling.

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If you think there's not much to do in Hai Phong, these scenic spots might make you want to think again. Here is a list of places in Hai Phong that will take you to another place away from the bustling crowd of the city.

1. Cat Ba Island

The largest of the 367 islands comprising Ha Long Bay, Cat Ba offers a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking and kayaking, as well as cove beaches. Explore its National Park which is protected from private establishments because of the surge of tourists visiting the island.

2. Do Son Beach

One of the most famous beaches in Northern Vietnam, Do Son Beach is rich of accommodations for tourists. Encircling the beach are pine trees, restaurants, hostels, resorts, and bars.

3. Bao Dai Villa

Reserved for the royalties in the distant past, Bao Dai Villa is available now for the common masses. It is said to be the summer villa of Vietnam's last emperor, Emperor Bao Dai. The rooms offer a great view of the mountains and lush greenery

4. Tam Bac Lake

Go for a stride at Tam Bac Lake, which is located at the center of Hai Phong. Activities here include fishing and taking a look at the statue of Le Chan, the founder of Hai Phong. Visit the near flower market, commonly known as Quan Hoa, which is established in 1941 by the French.

5. Du Hang Pagoda

Founded in the Tien Le Dynasty in the 17th century, Du Hang Pagoda offers beautiful architecture that reflects the Nguyen Dynasty. You will find intricate carvings of dragons and guradians that decorate the roof and the interior of the pagoda. Various statues of Buddha, warriors, birds, and flowers adorn every nook and cranny of the place.

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Advocates Jamshed Mistry and Jabbar had moved the Bombay High Court, requesting that it take into account the inconvenience citizens were having to face due to the demonetisation.

By Vidya : Bombay High Court today turned down the plea of two advocates, who had appealed to it to suo moto take up the issue of the inconvenience citizens are facing after the demonetisation of 500 and 1,000 rupee currency notes.

The prime minister in his speech yesterday evening said that post midnight, notes of 500 and 1,000 denominations would not be legal tender.

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Also read: Will change the way people spend, keep their money: Arun Jaitley



Advocate Jamshed Mistry and advocate Jabbar had filed a plea, requesting that the court take into account the inconvenience citizens were having to face. However Justice MS Karnik, before whom the plea was filed, directed that the lawyers plead their case before a regular bench of the court as "there were several questions of law involved". The court is currently on a vacation and thus only a vacation bench hears the urgent cases put forth on alternate days.

MISTRY QUESTIONS PROCEDURES FOR DENOTIFICATION



Mistry questioned as to why the procedures laid down for the denotification of currency notes were not being followed, "just as was done in 1948 and 1978?", he asked. He also questioned whether the 15-day timeline, stipulated for the pilot project, had expired.

On November 2, a notification by the Reserve Bank of India to all nationalised banks said, "As part of a 'pilot project', all banks must ensure that within the next 15 days, at least 10 per cent of their authorised ATM machines should dispense currency notes of Rs 100 denomination."

Also read: Operation Black Money: India Today tracks the inside story of how Government arrived at the big decision



According to Mistry, the government should have come out with an ordinance and then an Act before such a move.



GOVT'S ANNOUNCEMENT AT SHORT NOTICE HAMPERED BUSINESS



Mistry also said that other countries too go in for a change in currency notes, but it is never done in a way that inconveniences the general public at large. He added that one's right to life and right to conduct business were severely affected with the Government's announcement at such short notice. He added that now with the court rejecting to look at it suo moto, a proper petition would be filed by Monday for a division bench to hear the case.

--- ENDS ---
Projected to be finished in late 2018, new images and renderings were released for actor and Academy Award Winner Leonardo DiCaprio's Blackadore Caye Resort located on the Atlantic Coast of Belize. The lead design architect hired by DiCaprio for this stunning island paradise is Jean-Michel Gathy, who has worked on luxurious resorts such as One&Only in Aman.

The architect unveiled the renders last November 4 and says that he incorporated minimalist designs while being inspired by ancient Mayan ruins found in Belize. According to Stuff NZ, the design was a subtle nod to Central America's pyramids, while merging the design with beach-style thatched roofs and natural materials like reclaimed wood and Italian marble.

The island, being over 104 acres will have 36 residential estate homes and 36 bungalows travelers can book for the weekend. Sustainability is also a main keyword for the celebrity's resort, known for his climate change documentary "Before the Flood". Trendy overwater bungalows have supposedly been scrapped according to Bloomberg, after furor from environmentalists saying that it could affect local people and the island's biodiversity.

In terms of Sustainability, eco tech and design features in each house and bungalow was also developed to improve air quality, water and light which goes with the resort's slogan of "better nutrition, mental acuity". Circadian lighting is installed in each room, which modifies color and light throughout the day to adjust to people's natural sleep and wake cycles. In addition, a no chemical and no fossil fuels policy has been put into place for the development.

The whole development is retrofitted with solar panels, and on-site wastewater and rainwater treatment facilities. For the island DiCaprio and Blackadore group has hired specialist ecologists, marine biologists, and zoologists to help develop the property and oversee its rehabilitation, with development being done alongside tree-planting, fish breeding and coral reef restoration.

It is projected that the resort can generate up to $200 million in the next 20 years and 400 permanent jobs, ranging from hotel staff, as well as organic farms in the vicinity. Fans and travelers have to be patient and wait until the lot and per-night room rates are announced.



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With its variety of different cultures, languages and traditions, backpacking around Asia is every traveler's dream. Comprising about 30 percent of the Earth's total land area, more than 4.4 billion of the world's population lives in this continent, with many of them living in multicultural cities with a mix of different religions, governments, history and cultures. Here are the top five cheapest cities in Asia you can travel to at $20 a day, or less.

1. Pokhara, Nepal

Although most people flock Kathmandu (also just $19.71 / day), Pokhara is a beautiful tourist destination that costs only $15.75 per day, according to Bernard the Traveller. Despite being the cheapest Asian city on the list, it is less hectic than Kathmandu's hustle and bustle and offers opportunities for hiking and trekking. In addition, coming during off-peak season could land you rates at just half the cost.

2. Saigon, Vietnam and Hanoi, Vietnam

These two Vietnamese cities cost only $18.30 / day and $17.20 / day. With Vietnam's efficient cross-province train system, one can go a train adventure across the Southeast Asian country and enjoy the old French Colonial city of the capital of Hanoi, or the amazing food and nightlife of Saigon. Free Walking Tours are also common in this nation, and is organized by tourism students in its universities.

3. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Thailand's "Capital of the North" is known not nly for its great travel bargains at just $18.47 / day. According to Price of Travel, the city is filled with ancient temples and is surrounded by stone walls and a moat. Being less crowded than Bangkok, many expats live in this city known for its creative artistry and handicrafts.

4. Goa, India

Despite being one of India's richest states, one can enjoy the amazing beaches, churches and temples in this city for only $18.50/day. This beautiful seaside region has long been connected to the hippie culture and is known to have electronic music dance parties.

5. Vientiane, Laos

Cheaper than the known and overdeveloped tourist destination of Luang Prabang ($22.78/day), Laos' capital is landlocked and gets fewer visitors. However, Vientiane still has a great taste of local culture and sits on the banks of a river. Given that there are fewer noisy tourists here, Vientiane feels like a river town resort where you can kick back, relax, and enjoy the local scenery.

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Amadeus, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Ministry of Tourism of Kenya have signed an agreement to provide youth and women of underprivileged communities with access to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in travel and tourism.

The pilot programme, to be launched in Kenya before the end of 2017, will include training for local communities through Amadeus customers. The initiative is expected to be replicated in countries around the world.

Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General, said: With 1,186 million international tourist arrivals in 2015, tourism is not only a catalyst for development but also for inclusion. Though in most regions women make up the majority of the tourism workforce, they tend to be concentrated in the lowest paid and lowest status jobs, and perform a large amount of unpaid work in family tourism businesses. We thus need to work together to ensure women can access better jobs in tourism".

H.E. Mr. Najib Balala, Kenyas Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, explained: Tourism is a key backbone to the regions economic development, with a projected growth of 16% by the end of 2016. This initiative enables us to empower women and our youth whilst building our local tourism and travel industry.

Svend Leirvaag, Vice President Industry Affairs, Amadeus IT Group, added: Technology can help to enhance skill levels, professionalism, and also the commitment of the workforce. At Amadeus, we are equipping local communities with new technologies in line with our commitment to sustainable development. However, to really make a difference, this has to be an industry-wide effort.

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 2022 Travel Industry Wire
Decision to demonetise 500 and 1000 rupee notes taken by the Central government is a bold step but may create significant short-term impact at the grassroot level, says top commerce body.

By Manogya Loiwal : Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes has evoked mixed reactions in the market. While several in the industry have overwhelmingly welcomed the ban to curb unaccounted money, some feel that the decision has only led to panic within the working class and enterprises at the grassroot level.

Addressing the media, Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Kolkata said the decision to demonetise 500 and 1000 rupee notes taken by the Central government is a bold step but may create significant short-term impact at the grassroot level.

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"The Indian chamber feels this move may hamper and bring in some chaos in the short run. It is going to have a significant short impact on traders and on the working class who deal with liquid cash daily," Aditya Agarwal, ICC President echoed the thought of the chambers.

This came after daily exchange of cash and purchase on Wednesday suffered a blow when small traders and retailers refused to accept Rs 500 and 1000 notes. Markets witnessed a dip in sales and most customers either returned empty-handed or chose to make an online purchase instead.

Mohammad Gyasuddin, Managing Director, Hitech Mobiles, said, "The retail market has been severely hit due to the demonetisation policy. In rural market, most people pay for smart phones and feature phones via liquid cash. People have now stopped buying phones due to scarcity of liquid cash. The impact on our business will be visible and will be assessed in a day or two.

'DEMONETISATION A TEMPORARY SOLUTION'

Suppliers refused to accept the higher denomination currency, forcing several retailers to purchase on credit.

"Demonetisation is a great initiative by the government to stop black money marketers. But I feel it is a temporary solution for the same. The government needs to implement some permanent corrective method to stop illegal practices which is only weakening the economy," explained Rais Qureshi, Managing Director, Sky Led.

Stating that the gap between the supply and demand for liquid cash should be bridged, Aditya Agarwal said, "The government should take immediate prudent steps to ensure that consumers, the working class and small traders and entrepreneurs are given access to the new Rs 2000 notes as quickly as possible for making this transition smooth."

Meanwhile, lauding the Prime Minister's initiative, industrialists said the move will only boost the economy in the longer term by fighting corruption and injecting efficiency into the system.

"This is a very brave and bold move by the government. This step will only help to curb black money; more importantly, it will check the counterfeits which have grown immensely in the last few years. It is a proud day for tax-paying citizens and businessmen who follow a clean way of doing business," expressed Rahul Todi, Managing Director, Shrachi Group.

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'A CLEAN-UP ACT FOR ECONOMY'

The woman power however seems to be extremely enthusiastic and optimistic about the decision.

"I feel it is one of the best things our prime minister has done. It is a game changer for the Indian economy. Markets are based on sentiments and may get affected in the short term but India's long term story is intact," said Anjana Jalan, an entrepreneur dealing in telecommunication devices.

"It is a very good step taken by the government, which I think is a good preparation for GST. This is a clean-up act for the growth of our economy," states Rachna Prasad, Vice-President, Millenium Mams'.

--- ENDS ---
Malaysia Airlines Press Release



(TRAVPR.COM) UNITED KINGDOM - November 9th, 2016

Malaysia Airlines, has today launched a year end sale, with flights to the Far East, Australia and New Zealand.

Between now and midnight on 30 November 2016, travellers can book flights with return fares starting at 479 (economy) and 1799 (business class) to selected destinations across the airlines network.

Malaysia Airlines offers great gateways to the bustling city of Kuala Lumpur, the tropical paradise of Bali, or the hidden treasures of Bangkok. The more adventurous traveller can head to Sydneys Bondi Beach to surf the waves.

The journey begins at London Heathrow airport onboard one of our twice daily Superjumbo A380s to Kuala Lumpur, from where a convenient and seamless connection will take you to any of our other exciting destinations around Malaysia, across Asia and Australasia.

To enjoy this promotion, customers can book now at www.malaysiaairlines.com or via their local travel agent.

-ENDS-

Example sale fares:

Destination Economy Class Return from (GBP) Business Class Return from (GBP) Kuala Lumpur 479 2159 Bangkok 499 1799 Singapore 499 1829 Bali - Denpasar 499 1919 Koh Samui 569 2099 Sydney 639 2499 Aukland 749 2829

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By PTI: Mumbai, Nov 8 (PTI) Onions from Maharashtra will find their way to Pakistan despite a ban by Islamabad on its export from India as the vegetable will travel to the neighbouring nation via Bangladesh through the West Bengal route, a state minister said today.

West Bengal market is the biggest exporter of onions, sourced from Maharashtra, to Bangladesh and European nations. Pakistan imports onions from Bangladesh.

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Maharashtra Minister of State for Agriculture Sadabhau Khot is on six-day visit to West Bengal and Assam where he will promote the States agri products.

Khot started his tour today and is scheduled to meet Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) members in the two States.

"As West Bengal is the biggest importer of onions from Maharashtra and exports it to Bangladesh, eastern countries and Europe, farmers from the State will get benefit if we tie-up with new traders there," Khot said here before leaving for the tour.

Maharashtra produced 67.67 lakh metric tonnes of onions during 2015-16 season, a rise of more than 20 lakh MT as compared to the previous year, he said. "More than 50 per cent onions exported to West Bengal is from Maharashtra and out of these Nashik contributes 80 per cent."

He said due to a bumper production in the State this year, rates of onions have dropped in the local market and hence foreign markets are needed to sell them.

Asked whether a ban by Pakistan on import of Indian cotton and onions will affect the domestic market, Khot said, "Pakistan will purchase onions from Bangladesh. Our trade will not be affected even though Pakistan has banned import from India. We have another route through Bangladesh."

He said Assam and West Bengal are not producers of onions, but the latter has a big port through which most of the produce reaches other nations.

"We will showcase our produce including grapes, pomegranate, mandarin orange, sweet orange, banana, cashew nut, cabbage, capsicum, Alphonso etc to traders and others in Assam and West Bengal," Khot said. PTI MM RSY IKA

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: From Lalit K Jha and Yoshita Singh

New York, Nov 9 (PTI) As voting in the US elections came to a close in some states, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps campaign today rued that it did not had the full support of the partys infrastructure.

"The things that would worry me, I guess just that we didnt have the full support of the Republican infrastructure," Trump Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway told MSNBC in an interview.

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"When I say worry, its just that it would really be too bad if we win narrowly and its not because of the Democrats or this, that, or the other, its because didnt have, we have former presidents not voting for us, we have former nominees not voting for us," she said.

Former Republican president George W Bush did not vote for Trump, same was the case with the former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and Senator John McCain, reports said.

The column on the ballot was left blank, Bushs spokesman said.

"Thats got to hurt. When you talk about growing the party, the idea was growing it, but having that base together and I think it very unfortunate," she said in response to a question.

Conway asserted that Trump has six or seven paths to victory.

"The guys a winner. He has been an incredibly self-made success story, real American success story. Then on the other hand, when he has had set backs in his business, he had taken chances, that he always come out on top. I think this is somebody who is nimble, is resilient," she said.

"Youve seen that in this very campaign, where you know, folks at your networks and others were counting us out a number of times and wondering if wed even stay in the race. And here we are competitive on election night, and we feel good about our prospects," she added.

She said Trump is a man who left the race the way he began.

"On his own terms, just taking that case to the people getting oxygen from these unbelievable crowds, and feeling like he had elevated a number of issues, like trade and immigration and patriotism, that otherwise may have been left on the table," Conway said. PTI LKJ/YAS ASV

--- ENDS ---
The Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday afternoon it was still following the results, speaking minutes before he was declared the president-elect by the Associated Press, but added that it hoped "the new US government will work with China and work together to ensure steady and sound development of ties".

By Ananth Krishnan: In a guarded reaction to Donald Trump's surprise electoral success, Beijing said on Wednesday it was ready to work with the new government in Washington to ensure relations remained "steady".

The Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday afternoon it was still following the results, speaking minutes before he was declared the president-elect by the Associated Press, but added that it hoped "the new US government will work with China and work together to ensure steady and sound development of ties".

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Also read:

Donald Trump elected 45th US President, says it's time to renew the American dream



Chinese State media commentaries have hinted that a Trump victory would be more preferable for Beijing despite strong concerns on his unpredictability. His tough talk on trade has also caused alarm.

Hillary Clinton hasn't been viewed favourably. A commentary published by the official Xinhua news agency on Tuesday hinted at Beijing's concerns on a Clinton administration that would be "interventionist". Her past stand on human rights and on pushing the U.S. "pivot" to Asia had made her unpopular in Beijing, although her predictability in comparison to Trump was seen as a plus.

On Trump's anti-China trade rhetoric, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said China hoped "relations can be mutually beneficial". "On remarks coming out of the election process, I want to say China-U.S. trade cooperation has benefited U.S. people instead of hurting their interests".

Also read:

Oh my God! Craziest things Donald Trump has ever said



Trump's talk on reviewing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal as well as American military alliances with Japan and South Korea were, unsurprisingly, welcomed by Chinese strategists who wish to see a diluted American military and economic presence in the region.

Beyond the two candidates, the bitter election has also been somewhat of a propaganda gift for the Communist Party, which has repeatedly highlighted the "chaos" of democratic processes in the wake of the rise of Trump and Brexit.

Not to miss an opportunity this week, Xinhua said on Tuesday the election had shown the "darkest side of the political system Washington intends to impose on the rest of the globe".

--- ENDS ---
Donald Trump had a frosty relationship with the press during his campaign.

By India Today Web Desk: Donald Trump today beat the odds to overcome Hillary Clinton to be named the President elect of the United States of America. Trump, who was largely written off by most pollsters, completed a stunning come from behind victory to leave Hillary's supporters shocked.

Most of the mainstream American publications had declared their opposition to the republican nominee and endorsed his rival Clinton going into the election. The result shocked much of the electorate and sent twitter into a frenzy.

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Here's how the American media reacted to Trump's victory:

The New York Times and the Boston Globe both described how Trump's victory "shocked" the whole country.

Click here to Enlarge New York Times

Click here to Enlarge Boston Globe

Daily News termed the victory as an "overthrow of the Washington establishment" while USA today confessed to be "stunned"





Daily News Click here to Enlarge Daily News

Click here to Enlarge USA Today

The Wall Street Journal went one step further and explained the victory as Trump's "deplorables" rising up to reshape America.





Click here to Enlarge Wall Street Journal

Meanwhile, the Washington Post labelled the campaign as "traumatic"

Click here to Enlarge Washington Post

USA Today called it an 'election stunner'.

After the win, Washington Post called it 'Trump triumphs'.

And defying polls, this is what LA Times has to say.

The Wall Street Journal went with this.

Donald Trump had a frosty relationship with the press during the entire campaign and it remains to be seen if his time in office will be any different.



--- ENDS ---
Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 9

After a late night rush at jewellery shops, a contrasting scene was witnessed today. While people were seen thronging some jewellery shops till 4 am today, the shops wore a deserted look later in the day. Some major shops in Sector 22, Chandigarh, were closed temporarily.

Jewellers said they did not get the gold price update today. Flaying the demonetisation of the notes, they said no business was transacted due to it today.

Today, we did not get the current price of gold due to which we did not sell jewellery. We had to keep our our shops open till 4 am today as people kept pouring in. Some people came in shorts carrying bags with cash up to Rs 20 lakh, said Malati, a sales head at Nikamal Babu Ram Jewellers in Sector 22.

Sahil, a manager at Gitanjali Jewels, said, We did not know about the demonetisation of the notes and closed our shop around 8.30 pm yesterday. Today, we are not selling gold as there is no fixed rate yet but diamonds are available.

Vinod Talwar, president of the Jewellers Association of Chandigarh, said, Hardly any business could be transacted today as jewellers did not accept the demonetised currency. Though the shops remained opened as online transaction was available, losses were suffered by jewellers.

Some shops such as PP Jewellers, Sector 22, Chandigarh, remained closed.

Residents rush for jewellery in Mohali

Mohali: While most of the shops in local city markets wore a deserted look, Mohali residents thronged jewellery shops today.

Most of the jewellers were seen accepting demonetised currency notes from their regular customers. The people with large cash reserves found buying gold items easy, said Sarabjit Singh Paras, an office-bearer of the Mohali Jewellers Association. He added that after the government move, the jewellers in the tricity had an extra sale of Rs 30 to 40 crores till last midnight. Several big jewellers kept their shops open even after midnight yesterday and sold jewellery much above the actual rate, he said.
Rajinder Nagarkoti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 9

Pooran Singh, a resident of Sector 20, visited the e-Sampark Centre at Sector 21 to pay his electricity and water bills, but failed to do so. Reason: The UT Administration had issued orders not to accept cash today at e-Sampark centres as banks were closed.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the government sector would collect Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, the UT Administration did not accept the currency notes of any denomination.

SB Deepak Kumar, Secretary, Information Technology, Chandigarh Administration, said the orders were only for today as the banks were closed. Everyday, bank staff collect the remittances twice a day from the e-Sampark centres. As the banks were closed today and holding cash in e-Sampark centres was neither advisable nor secure, the decision was taken, he said.

The e-Sampark centres would started collecting cash from tomorrow as the banks will open, Kumar said.

The e-Sampark staff all across the city were only collecting payments made through cheque/demand draft, debit card and credit card. A notice in this regard was pasted at the entrance of all e-Sampark centres.

In many centres, heated arguments were exchanged between the staff and the public.
America has a new President. Call him Donald the Trump. He has inflicted a comprehensive defeat on the Democratic Partys candidate, Hillary Clinton. The presidency of the United States is the very first political office he will hold. Never before have the American voters put their faith and trust in a man, so untested and so untried in public responsibilities, that too for the most powerful and most consequential office in the world. It may be a while before the Americans  and the world  come to terms with the sound and consonance of the words, President Trump of the United States, but this often disagreeable man has legitimately crowbarred his way into the White House, upending the familiar assumptions and attitudes. He won in a closely fought battle, that too against a very formidable candidate in an open and democratic process.

Donald Trump has carved out a victory after a vicious and divisive campaign. That campaign was defined more by bitterness and bigotry than by political civility and good manners. However, since the Republicans have also retained their control of the Senate and the House of Representatives it is possible to assume that the structural deadlock that has marred most of the Obama years will stand dismantled and Washington will be able to produce coherence and purpose in its policy-making. Yet there will be no getting away from the fact that America is a deeply divided nation, and the presidential campaign has only aggravated those divisions. The President-elect has promised to heal those divisions but that will take some doing. He will have to reinvent himself.

Donald Trumps campaign leitmotif was America first. His rhetoric was intended to incite the Americans against the rest of the world, and to blame China, India and the NATO for Americas frustrations. He was willfully hateful towards the immigrants. As President, Donald Trump will have to work hard to win the confidence and respect of the allies and friends, before the adversaries learn to respect him and do business with him. The new Presidents unpredictability and eccentricities will not, hopefully, become the cause for new strains and conflicts in the international order.
Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, November 9

The CPM has rejected the Union Governments decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes stating it would not yield the desired results.

In a statement issued here today, Surender Singh, the state secretary of the CPM, maintained, The claim that demonetisation will check black money, fake currency, corruption and terrorism lacks substance. By the Prime Ministers own admission, the bulk of black-money generation and storage is in off-shore accounts in foreign currency. The announcement of new notes of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 will not prevent counterfeit circulation in future. Its an established fact that terrorist funds flow through electronic transfers and not through currency transactions.

The CPM leader observed this would result in a total disruption of the payments and settlements that are part of daily life of our economy.

The state chapter of the party demanded the government should make public the names of the persons holding bank-deposits and accounts in tax-havens and those refusing to return loans from nationalised banks estimated at Rs 11 lakh crore.
Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 9

The standoff between the IAS and the IPS lobby in Haryana over the notification of the Haryana Police Rules under the Haryana Police Act, 2007, is set to intensify even as the Home Department prepares to notify these partially in a bid to tide over the contempt case which comes up for hearing in the High Court on November 11.

Sources in the Home Department said that in response to the contempt case pertaining to notification of the Haryana Police Service Rules, the government was set to submit only the service rules which were merely its truncated version while shelving the notification of the rest for the time being.

The court had directed the Haryana Government to frame the rules in the light of a case pertaining to lack of promotional avenues for a certain section of employees. Since the contempt essentially deals with service issues, we are notifying only the Service Rules for the time being. The court will be informed of this on the next date of hearing, sources in the Home Department said. Sources said that till the finalisation of the Police Rules, the Home Department planned to continue with the British legacy on efficiency, budgetary provisions and reforms.

For the notification of rules on the various other aspects of policing, the Home Department maintains that a call will be taken later. If we go by the draft police rules as recommended by the Police Department, Haryana will become a police state where they will be the challaning and compounding authority. The police, further, want all financial powers independently without being accountable to the state government. We will hold thorough consultation on that, a senior officer said.

However, this inordinate delay in the notification of the Police Rules does not seems to have gone down well with the Police Department which feels that the notifying of the service rules and the shelving of the remaining rules defeats the entire purpose of the Supreme Court-mandated police reforms.

In a letter to the Home Department, Director General of Police KP Singh states, The rules cannot revolt against the enacted provisions of law. The subordinate legislation cannot replace the parent Act. When contacted, the DGP said that the finalisation of rules was the jurisdiction of the Home Department.

Sources in the police said that the move of keeping the finalisation of rules in abeyance was in direct contravention of the Supreme Courts 2006 verdict in the Prakash Singh case, pertaining to police reforms as also the recommendations of the National Police Commission, the Soli Sarabjee Committee among others.
Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 9

Chief Secretary DS Dhesi today directed officials to ensure necessary arrangements for the convenience of general public after demonitisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.

He directed officials to coordinate with banks to ensure supply of small denomination notes. The government ordered to cancel leave of all police personnel with immediate effect. All Home Guards would be called for duty so that people do not face inconvenience at public places.

Dhesi said currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations would be accepted at all petrol pumps operating under the authorisation of public oil marketing companies from November 9 to 11.

As per the notification, these currency notes could be used at government hospitals, to purchase of medicines with doctors prescription, railway station, ticket counters of government or public sector undertaking buses, air ticketing counters at airports, consumer cooperative stores, government milk booths and payments at cremation and burial grounds from November 9 to 11.

He directed all deputy commissioners to ensure compliance of these instructions in their respective areas for the convenience of general public.

Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu said the decision would help in containing black money, adding, the decision would benefit common man in times to come.

The state power utilities have also decided to extend the last date for payment of electricity bills.
Tribune News Service

Solan, November 9

With the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, transportation work in the states industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) was badly hit.

Housing Asias largest truck union having more than 10,000 registered vehicles, transporters said they were unable to send any cargo from the BBN area as neither the investors nor the drivers had ample cash with them. Demanding some relaxation for the transport sector, Vidya Rattan, president, Nalagarh Truck Operators Union, said they should be treated on a par with emergency services and granted some relief at the earliest. He said on an average about 2,500 trucks from the BBN headed to various destinations across the nation and it came to a halt today. Drivers who travelled to as far as Chennai carried Rs 65,000 with them for fuel, food, toll and meeting other exigencies and they usually carried Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

Since these notes were de-monetised today drivers in Indore, Kolkata, etc., were facing problems in even eating food as these notes were not being accepted at dhabas. He said even the limit of exchanging Rs 4,000 per day would fail to yield much relief as drivers had to carry Rs 50,000 to Rs 65,000 while travelling to distant places. He said transportation work would suffer till the situation became normal.

Insurance companies were trying to capitalise on this situation by offering backdated policies to all and sundry. Mohan Singh, a marketing executive in Solan, said he received a call from an insurance agent from Reliance who offered him a backdated policy. Jeweller shops in Solan, Baddi and Nalagarh wore a deserted look as few turned up to purchase jewellery as Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were no longer being accepted there. Sunil Kumar, who works in a local jewellery shop, said there were hardly any customers despite the wedding season and sales had taken a sharp dip though the gold price had hit an all-time high.

With the marriage season under way, shoppers failed to buy any clothing, jewellery or other such items as no shop accepted the two denomination notes. People in the real estate sector, which was already reeling under recession, said this transformation would adversely hit about 40 per cent of their sales. They said no sale inquiries had been received by them.
Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, November 9

The ban on Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes has left foreign tourists in trouble. Tina Mayor, a tourist from Australia in McLeodganj, could not believe when the hotel owner refused to accept the currencies from her today.

How can you refuse to accept the currency from me, she said, arguing with the owner of the hotel where she was staying. The hotel owner had a hard time trying to convince her that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes had been banned by the government.

Tina said, Only yesterday, she had got Australian dollar exchanged for Indian currency. Now I have got about Rs 30,000 in Indian currency. I have plans to go around various places in India, but do not know what to do with this currency.

Like Tina, many other foreign tourists are feeling harassed. Some of them are flying back to their country but are told by money exchangers that Indian currency available with them will not be exchanged now. Foreign tourists said since they did not have bank accounts in India, the money they had in Indian currency was likely to go waste.

Hoteliers are also a worried lot. Hotel association of upper Dharamsala held a meeting here today to discuss the scenario. General secretary of the association Sanjeev Gandhi said the move was likely to hit the tourism industry for a few months. Already they had started receiving cancellations of booking from metro cities. Most of the business in the Dharamsala tourism industry was cash-driven and the decision of the government would affect the hotels and restaurants. The government should have implemented the decision in a phased manner, he said.

Akshay, a antiques and handicraft merchant from McLeodganj, said his business had come to a halt. Most customers were foreign or Indian tourists. Today nobody had cash to buy high price items.

Rajesh Kumar, a money exchanger from McLeodganj, also said he had Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes that were exchanged in foreign currencies from tourists. However, now he could not do any business till the new currency was circulated in the market.

Ajay Verma, a jeweller from Kangra, said, since the marriage season had begun, they did not have any customer today. People did not have money to buy gold. He said there were rumours that people were buying gold. However, why would jewellers sell gold for currency that had been declared invalid. He also said since most of the trade in gold was in cash, the move of the government would hit their trade.
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 9

Barring stray clashes between protesters and the police resulting in injuries to nearly 10 protesters, the overall situation remained peaceful on day 124 of the current unrest across the Kashmir valley today.

There were reports of clashes from the Tahab and Litter areas of Pulwama district in south Kashmir while the police foiled a protest march against the detention of a youth in the Gund area of Ganderbal district in central Kashmir. At least six persons were injured in the clashes between protesters and police in Tahab village of Pulwama district after a protest march was foiled by the police. At least three other persons were injured in the clashes when the police foiled a march to Litter in Pulwama.

Elsewhere, the situation remained peaceful even as the life continued to remain affected due to the shutdown called by separatists, which has been continuing since the trouble started following the killing militant Burhan Wani on July 8.

Amid restrictions in Srinagar and towns, deployment of police and CRPF personnel was made in sensitive areas of the Valley.

There was a semblance of normalcy in the summer capital and other major towns with the beginning of the relaxation period of 15 hours at 4 pm.
The United Nations will count on Trump's administration to combat climate change, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. Trump has made no secret of his disregard for the UN, which he has described as ineffective and a waste of taxpayers' money.

Trump reached out to his rivals, saying he will be 'everybody's President' and vowed to bring America together. (Photo: Agencies/ Instagram)

By Daily Mail: Donald Trump marked his world-shaking victory over Hillary Clinton with a dramatic peace-making gesture for the rival he had called 'crooked' before promising that America would 'come together as never before'.

After he sensationally won the White House race, Clinton phoned him at 2.30am to concede she had lost and in the first words of his victory speech he said: "We owe her a debt of gratitude and I mean that very sincerely." She made the private call shortly after sending her campaign chairman to give her supporters exactly the opposite message, that it was not over - a humiliating and bizarre end to a political career which had put her on the verge of being the first female president.

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READ| What President Donald Trump could mean for Modi and India



Instead a jubilant Trump Election Night headquarters party erupted in cheers as the news broke. Trump accepted the mantle of leadership with uncharacteristic humility nearly three hours after Election Day was over.

"I WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN"



"Now it's time for America to bind the wounds of division," he began his victory speech just before 3 am. "I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans - and this is so important to me. For those who have chosen not to support me in the past - of which there were a few people - I'm reaching out to you for your guidance and your help, so we can work together and unify our great country." "I promise you that I will not let you down," he said. He thanked his parents, saying they were 'wonderful in every regard'. He thanked his sisters, brothers, wife and children 'for putting up with all of those hours. ... This political stuff was nasty and it was tough'. He even thanked the U.S. Secret Service.

READ | Trump elected 45th US President, says it's time to renew American dream

READ | We want America with bridges, not with walls, says Hillary Clinton

And in a twist nearly as bizarre as the sum of Campaign 2016, he thanked Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who had called him minutes earlier to concede the presidential race after declining to do it from the stage of what was to be her own victory party. Instead of bluster about her classified emails, Trump brought a gracious acknowledgement of her decades of government service.



"WE OWE HILLARY A MAJOR DEBT OF GRATITUDE"



"She congratulated us - it's about us - on our victory," he said. "And I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign over a very long period of time. We owe her a debt of gratitude and I mean that very sincerely." "I mean, she fought very hard. Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country."

READ | Hillary Clinton delivers a presidential speech, says Trump will be our president



No one yelled 'Lock her up!' -an aggressive rallying cry from Trump's hundreds of rallies and the Republican National Convention in July. Clinton has yet to concede the race publicly. Her campaign chairman John Podesta mad the trek from a Manhattan hotel to the convention center where confetti cannons were at the ready.

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"Several states are too close to call,' he said at the time, 'so we're not going to have anything more to say tonight. Everybody should head home," Podesta told a ballroom brimming with thousands of hopeful Democrats. "You should get some sleep. We'll have more to say tomorrow."

READ| Hillary concedes defeat, bid for 'herstory' as first woman US President fails



Bringing all his family members and key staff on stage with him, Trump thanked his senior aides one by one.

--- ENDS ---
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 9

A soldier was killed in firing by Pakistan in the Machil sector of Kupwara district on Wednesday.

The Army said the soldier was killed in a Pakistani sniper fire in the Sector 3.

In retaliation, fire assault with heavy weapons was directed at many Pakistani posts, Srinagar defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said. The identity of the slain soldier could not be established immediately.

Meanwhile, two militants were killed in a gunfight at Drusu in Kupwara district, nearly 75 km from Srinagar. A joint operation was launched by the Special Operations Group of the J&K Police and 22 Rashtriya Rifles after an input about the presence of militants in the village this afternoon.

The militants belong to the Lashkar-e-Toiba and have been identified as Abu Maaz and Abu Rafi, both residents of Pakistan, the police said.

As the searches were underway, the militants tried to break the cordon and fired at the forces. In a gunfight that followed, two militants were killed in an open field, a security officer said.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Sopore, Harmeet Singh said the two militants were foreigners. We also recovered two rifles from the encounter site and the combing operation is underway, he said.
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 9

A soldier was killed in Pak firing in Machil sector of north Kashmir Kupwara district on Wednesday, while two unidentified militants were gunned down in an encounter with security forces in north Kashmir's Baramulla district.

Army said the soldier was killed in Pak firing in the sector. In retaliation fire assault with heavy weapons being directed on many Pakistani posts," army said. The identity of the slain soldier could not be established immediately.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

There have been frequent ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in the Machil sector following the surgical strikes.

On October 28, a soldier was killed and his body was mutilated and apparently beheaded, in an encounter close to the LoC in the sector. A militant was also killed in the gunfight that was followed by the ceasefire violation in the sector in which a BSF jawan was killed.

Meanwhile, two unidentified militants were killed in a gunfight in Drusu Watergam in north Kashmir when joint team of Special Operation Group of J&K Police and armys 22 Rashtriya Rifles battalion launched an operation.

The identity of the slain militants could not be established, but they are apparently foreigners," Senior Superintendent of Police, Sopore, Harmeet Singh said.
Beijing, November 9

India may suffer "great losses" in bilateral trade if it joins Japan during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to ask China to abide by an international tribunal's ruling quashing Beijing's claims over disputed South China Sea (SCS), Chinese media warned today.

"India should beware of the possibility that by becoming embroiled in the disputes, it might end up being a pawn of the US and suffer great losses, especially in terms of business and trade, from China," an oped article in state-run Global Times said.

Citing media reports that India is seeking support from Tokyo during Modi's visit to Japan this week to issue a joint statement asking China to abide by July ruling of the tribunal on the SCS, it said, "India and China should put more efforts into resolving problems like the imbalance of their trade ties".

"India won't benefit much by balancing China through Japan. It will only lead to more mistrust between New Delhi and Beijing," it said.

"India's proposal to make new waves in the SCS first came to Singapore last month, but Singapore, a master of the rebalancing strategy, snubbed it. The rejection shows India lacks legitimacy and leadership in making new waves in the SCS," the article said.

It also pointed out that with the recent visit to China of Rodrigo Duterte, the new President of Philippines, the country that filed arbitration case against Beijing, the SCS dispute "passed pinnacle of tensions".

"India should realise that the SCS disputes have passed the pinnacle of tensions after the announcement of the arbitration result, and some involved parties have begun to reflect on their old way of addressing the disputes - creating conflicts without seeking productive bilateral negotiations.

The Philippines, once a major aggressive claimant against China, has restored its relationship with China," it said.

The article which comes in the backdrop of recent meeting at Hyderabad between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi said India wants to scale up its stand on the SCS in retaliation to Beijing blocking India's bid to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

"India knows that it is not yet qualified for membership in the NSG, according to the organisation's rules. China's decision was simply a fulfillment of its international duties.

It is preposterous for Indian media and government to scapegoat China as a troublemaker, and seek revenge by making more troubles," it said.

"As a non-claimant to the South China Sea and an outsider that has no traditional influence on the region, India has been paying keen attention to any activity, because the country has adopted a 'Look East' foreign policy since Modi took office," the article said.

"India, however, seems to have overestimated its leverage in the region. Although China's major rivals in the dispute, such as the US and Japan, have been trying to draw India into their camp, the country will be likely regarded as having a token role," it said. PTI
New Delhi, November 9

With Home Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval meeting Meng Jianzhu, Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China, India asked the visiting leader to support international effort to designate Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a terrorist under a UN resolution, help nab ULFA chief Paresh Barua and lend helping hand in curbing fake Indian currency notes.

While the Home Minister met the visiting Chinese leader yesterday over dinner, and the NSA today held security-related deliberations with him, sources in the government said, adding that Singh conveyed Indias concerns to Jianzhu.

Raising Indias concerns on terrorism, Singh appealed to the Chinese leader to support the international communitys efforts to designate JeM chief Masood Azhar as a dreaded terrorist under the UN Resolution 1267.  TNS
Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 9

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday questioned the Government's move to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes saying it was against the interests of ordinary people.

"Once again Mr Modi shows how little he cares about ordinary people of this country. Farmers, small shopkeepers, housewives-have all been thrown into utter chaos," Rahul Gandhi said on the development.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

The heir apparent of the Congress also said the move would do little to curb black money and asked why the prime minister decided to replace Rs 1,000 notes with Rs 2,000 denomination.

"One question for the PM, how replacing Rs 1,000 notes with Rs 2,000 notes going to make black money hoarding a lot harder? Modilogic?" Rahul Gandhi asked sarcastically.

He added that the real culprits sit tight on their black money stashed away abroad or in bullion and real estate, signing off with a taunt on the PM: "Well done Mr Modi."
R Sedhuraman

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, November 9

The Supreme Court will give its opinion tomorrow on the validity of the controversial Punjab Termination of Agreements Act 2004 under which Punjab had cancelled its pacts with neighbours, particularly Haryana, for sharing Ravi-Beas waters.

A five-member Constitution Bench headed by Justice Anil R Dave will deliver the ruling at 3.30 pm. The other members on the Bench are Justices PC Ghose, SK Singh, AK Goel and Amitava Roy.

The Bench concluded hearing arguments on May 12 on the issue referred by the UPA government through the President following objections by Haryana and other riparian states to the law enacted by the Punjab Assembly on July 12, 2004, for unilaterally cancelling its commitments.

Unlike in regular cases in which the SC delivers its judgments, the court only answers the issues raised in the Presidential reference made under Article 143(1) of the Constitution.

In its arguments, Punjab pleaded with the Bench to return the reference without giving its opinion as the apex court was not bound to answer all references. Even if the apex court gave its opinion on the validity of the law, it would not be binding on the parties involved, it contended.

The case pertains to sharing of the Ravi-Beas waters between Punjab and Haryana besides Rajasthan, Delhi, Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir and Chandigarh.

Haryana pleaded that the 2004 law was aimed at nullifying the apex court judgments, directing Punjab to complete the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal. Haryana had completed the canal in its territory to draw its share of the Ravi-Beas waters but Punjab had backed out.

Punjab passed another law on March 14 this year for returning to the farmers the land acquired from them for the SYL. Within hours, Haryana moved the SC protesting against the law as part of the hearing on the Presidential reference following which the apex court passed a status quo order on March 17.

Haryana pleaded that Punjab had enacted the 2004 Act to nullify the SC verdicts for the completion of the SYL canal and to deny it a share in the Ravi-Beas waters while the 2016 Act was meant to render the Presidential reference irrelevant.

Punjab, however, pleaded that since the SC verdicts on the SYL were no longer valid in view of the 2004 Act, the 2016 legislation for the return of SYL land did not violate any SC order.

During the hearing, the Centre had told the Constitution Bench that it was taking a neutral stand. It, however, maintained that Punjab could not defend its 2004 Act as well as seek a fresh tribunal. Declaring the Act valid would render meaningless the two SC judgements for completion of the SYL canal as well as Punjabs plea for a fresh tribunal.

Punjab clarified that despite the 2004 Act it had honoured and would continue to honour its commitments to upper riparian states of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh besides Chandigarh.

Delhi maintained that it had nothing to do with the dispute and only wanted an assurance that the city would continue to get its share of riverwaters.

Haryana has requested the Bench to keep alive its status quo order on the SYL land even after giving its opinion on the Presidential reference. The state has filed another application for this purpose, pleading that this should be taken up immediately after the reference was answered.

Punjab wants a fresh tribunal to ascertain the present flow of waters and decide the entitlement of each state on the basis of the rights of riparian and non-riparian states under national and international law.

Demand for royalty illogical, says Capt

Chandigarh: Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh said CM Parkash Singh Badal had clearly become senile by asserting that he would demand royalty from the riparian states for using Punjabs river waters. He has lost it. What else can explain such a senseless, illogical and irrational statement on his part? the PPCC president said, pointing out that Punjab does not have its own rivers to stake claim to. Both Sutlej and Beas, which feed the state, originate outside Punjab, which has absolutely no claim to them, Capt Amarinder said. tns
Ajay Ramola

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, November 9

The Central Governments decision to declare Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes as invalid has come as a shocker for tourists in Mussoorie.

Tourists say though the Central Government intends to curb black money and corruption, this move has inconvenienced them as no shopkeeper is accepting the aforesaid currency. Besides, banks and ATMs are closed, much to their chagrin.

Most of the people, mostly tourists, have run out of cash as people, nowadays, prefer not to carry cash.

Sumita, a tourist from Delhi, said, I usually carry limited cash while travelling. I went to withdraw cash today morning to pay for breakfast and shopping, but ATMs were closed. So I had to borrow money from owner of the hotel where I have checked in.

Tourists, who wanted to spend more days in Mussoorie, have changed their mind, fearing shortage of cash in hand. They fear that they wouldnt be able to purchase fuel amid the temporary crisis.

Meanwhile, several shopkeepers refused to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Shalabh, a tourist from Karnal, said he had the denominations of only Rs 500. The abrupt decision of the Central Government has left us in the lurch. We cant buy even a cup of coffee now, he added.

Tourists also complained that fuel stations werent giving them fuel. Ankit, who owns a petrol pump at Kingcraig, said, We are trying to help every customer. We are facing shortage of change as customers pay only Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. We are giving slips with a mention of remaining balance to two-wheeler-borne customers so that they may get these redeemed later.
Ajay Ramola

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, November 9

As Uttarakhand celebrates its 16th foundation day, residents feel the pace of development, though boasted by the state government, has remained at a snails pace for the past 16 years. Theres a need to look back at what the state has gained since its formation, people say.

The projection of the government that everything is well in the state is in stark contrast to the reality wherein migration has led to the vacation of around 3,000 villages in hill areas.

Bijendar Pundir, a Mussoorie-based scribe, says, Its a bitter truth that more than 3,000 villages are now empty due to migration. It belies the claims of development in the hill state.

People who left villages have not returned due to the discriminatory attitude of the successive governments. Thousands of crores have been spent in the past two to three decades in the name of development, even then migration hasnt been curbed. We are yet to link over 5,000 villages with roads. More than 2,000 primary schools are on the verge of closure and the same number of school buildings are in a dilapidated state that can collapse anytime. Around 10 lakh youth are still unemployed, says Pundir.

Social activist Amit Gupta is of the view that the health services are in shambles as over 2,000 posts, out of 3,000, are lying vacant. Patients are left at the mercy of quacks, who have mushroomed in the state.

This doesnt affect politicians. They lure voters by serving liquor and a mixed dose of caste-based politics to ensure their victory in the Assembly elections. It means that people, who have no vision, are at the helm of affairs much to the delight of the learnt and smart bureaucracy that can twist the ears of such politicians at any given moment to serve its own aspirations, says Gupta.

However, Jot Singh Bisht, vice-president of the state Congress, is of the view that Uttarakhand, in comparison to Uttar Pradesh, has certainly made progress with creation of job opportunities, especially in teaching and the police departments. But theres a room for more development.

The sectors, such as tourism, organic farming, agriculture and horticulture, if taken up, can help in improving the economic condition of people. The need of bringing the technical education to the appropriate level and in tune with the skills required in the country is being felt. We need to think big and chalk out a development policy for the people, he said.

The five-year plan, as propagated by Nehru, should be followed for the continuous development. We have reached the symptomatic stage vis-a-vis development. Now, theres a need to diagnose the weak areas. Thats what Harish Rawat government is doing, he added.
Tribune News Service

Dehradun, November 9

Chief Minister Harish Rawat today said there was a little of scope left for the state government to provide government jobs in near future as he had already provided employment to as many as 54,000 youth in the past two years.

He addressed the gathering at the 16th State Foundation Day celebrations here today. He said it was difficult to ensure government jobs for each and every unemployed. Youngsters should also make efforts to become entrepreneurs.

Rawat said it was important to focus on tourism, horticulture and allied sectors. These sectors should be strengthened to create job opportunities and strengthening the economy, he pointed out. Rawat also asserted that the Forest Department was no more a department of objections but rather partners in development.

The government is promoting indigenous crops like Mandua and Ramdana in a big way and have provided adequate bonus to both growers and purchasers of such crops. As a result, there has been 10 to 12 per cent increase in the production of Mandua and Ramdana in Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat pointed out.

Rawat asserted that he, if elected again, would ensure health cards for livestock.

Meanwhile, he presented Uttarakhand Ratna Awards that has been set up for the first time in the state to nine personalities. They include freedom fighter Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali, Sridev Suman, Indermani Badoni, Jaynand Bharti, Gaura Devi, Badridutt Pandey, Mata Mangla Devi, Mahant Ghanshyam Giri and veteran politician ND Tiwari. Except ND Tiwari, all other awards were posthumous. Kin turned up at the function to accept the award. Even Tiwari was absent.

Harish Rawat also presented awards to sportspersons, forest officials, folk artists and other people, who have excelled in other spheres of life. He also handed over ownership rights certificates to various slum dwellers.
Dehradun, November 9

Chief Minister today reached the state agitation martyrs memorial and garlanded the portraits of the martyrs on the occasion of 16th State Foundation Day. He unveiled statues of the agitation martyrs. Rawat said the government was sensitive towards the concerns of statehood agitators.

A large number of statehood agitators gathered at the martyrs memorial to pay tributes. Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli called upon people to work towards making Uttarakhand a state of martyrs dreams.

Leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt and UKD leader Kashi Singh Airy were also present.  TNS
The Huffington Post will drop the editor's note they carried for months now that called the newly elected President of the United States Donald Trump racist, misogynist, and a serial liar.

By India Today Web Desk: "Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims - 1.6 billion members of an entire religion - from entering the US."



For months now, The Huffington Post has been carrying the Editor's Note given above and included this at the bottom of all their articles about the Republican party candidate and the newly elected President of the Unites States, Donald Trump.

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Politico reported that a note from Huffpost's Washington Bureau Chief Ryan Grim said that the decision to drop the note was to treat Trump with a clean slate.

Politico, that obtained Grim's note, reported that he wrote, "The thinking is that (assuming he wins) that he's now president and we're going to start with a clean slate. If he governs in a racist, misogynistic way, we reserve the right to add it back on. This would be giving respect to the office of the presidency which Trump and his backers never did."

It is also being said that removing the note post the election results was part of the publication's plan all along.

Trump trumps here as well.



--- ENDS ---
Tribune News Service

Dehradun , November 9

Governor KK Paul has said that all services for the public must be made sensitive, disciplined and transparent to ensure development of the state according to peoples aspirations.

He was speaking on the occasion of state foundation day after reviewing the ceremonial parade in which he took salute today at the Police Lines. Congratulating the police force, the Governor said the parade was extremely disciplined and of a high standard. He said the state police should work to maintain the feeling of security among simple people of Uttarakhand. Paul hoped the police would, besides maintaining law and order, also play its role with great strength and determination in the overall development of the state. Peace and security will boost investments in the state.

The Governor said the state would become developed only if the poorest person would be able to live a respectable life. He said basic infrastructure like roads must be strengthened in order to help tourism development in the state. The natural disasters need to be tackled through proper strategy and planning so that local people, tourists and pilgrims did not face problems due to disasters.

He said advances in education were a must as education was a strong medium for progress and development .It was a challenge to provide good education in remote areas of the state as there were not adequate teachers in those areas. Substantial planning and a strong will power are required to meet this challenge. Special focus is needed towards higher, technical education and employment-oriented courses.

The Governor honoured police personnel for their excellent services on the occasion. These were Presidents medal winner Ganesh Chandra Pant (IG-Police Comunications, Headquarters, Dehradun), Shakuntla Hotiyal and Chandramohan, (retired sub-inspectors). He gave away awards for appreciable service to US Bisht, Jagdish Chandra Yadav, Shekhar Chandra Joshi, Urmila Kazi, Kulwan Singh Rawat and Rajendra Prasad. Vipin Chandra Pant and Vikram Singh Rawat were also honoured for their excellent services.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat, Mayor Vinod Chamoli, Chief Secretary Shatrughan Singh, Commissioner (Garhwal) Vinod Sharma, Principal Secretary Umakant Panwar and DGP MA Ganapathy were present.
London, November 9

World leaders reacted to Donald Trumps victory in the US presidential election with offers to work with him tinged with anxiety over how he would deal with a host of problems, from the Middle East to an assertive Russia.

Several authoritarian and right-wing leaders commended the billionaire businessman and reality TV star who against the odds won the leadership of the worlds most powerful country.

Trump, who has no previous political or military experience, sent conciliatory signals after his upset of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, pledging to seek common ground, not conflict, with the United States allies.

During his election campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defence burden. Putin was among the first to send congratulations after Trump declared victory.

Ties between Washington and Moscow have become strained over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and allegations of Russian cyber attacks featured in the US election campaign. We heard the campaign statements of the future US presidential candidate about the restoration of relations between Russia and the United States, Putin said. It is not an easy path, but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development.

Among other issues causing concern among allies are Trumps vows to undo a global agreement on climate change, ditch trade deals he says have been bad for US workers and renegotiate the nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers which has led to an easing of sanctions on Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif urged Trump to stay committed to the Iran deal. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the election result would have no effect on Tehrans policies and the nuclear accord with six world powers could not be dismissed by one government.

Elsewhere in the Middle East, Israels Benjamin Netanyahu, who had a poor relationship with President Barack Obama, said he hoped to reach new heights in bilateral ties under Trump. Obama and Netanyahu sparred over the issue of Israeli settlements, while Trump has said they should expand. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also congratulated Trump, but analysts said his rule may be profoundly negative for Palestinian aspirations.

And despite Trumps negative rhetoric about Muslims during his campaign, including threats to ban them from the United States, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said he hoped the business magnates election would breathe new life into US-Egyptian ties.

In Britain, where Trumps victory had echoes of last Junes referendum in which voters showed dissatisfaction with the political establishment by voting to leave European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May said the enduring and special relationship between the two countries would remain intact.

Nigel Farage, a leader of the Brexit campaign who spoke at a Trump rally during the election campaign, tweeted: I hand over the mantle to @RealDonaldTrump! Many congratulations. You have fought a brave campaign.

But some European officials took the unusual step of denouncing the outcome, calling it a worrying signal for liberal democracy and tolerance in the world. Trump is the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement. He is also a warning for us, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel told Funke newspaper group. Some leaders are smarting from insults that Trump doled out in the past few months, such as calling German Chancellor Angela Merkel insane for allowing more than 1 million migrants into the country last year. Were realising now that we have no idea what this American president will do, Norbert Roettgen, a conservative ally of Merkel said.

President Francois Hollande said France wanted to begin talks with Trump immediately to clarify his stance on international affairs. This American election opens a period of uncertainty, Hollande said. French officials had openly endorsed Clinton and warned that Trumps confused foreign policy objectives were alarming for the rest of the world. The US is a vital partner for France and whats at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, economic relations and the preservation of the planet, Hollande said.

But like-minded right-wing European parties that are hoping to make inroads of their own in 2017, a year in which Germany, France and the Netherlands hold elections, and Italy and Britain could also do so-hailed Trumps victory.

In Asia, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message with a conciliatory tone, telling Trump that Beijing and Washington shared responsibility for promoting global development and prosperity. South Korea expressed the hope that Trump would maintain current US policy of pressuring North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests. Seoul was concerned Trump may make unpredictable proposals to North Korea, a ruling party official said, quoting top national security officials.

A Japanese government official, speaking before Trump clinched the election, urged him to send a message as soon as possible to reassure the world of the United States commitment to its allies. We are certainly concerned about the comments (Trump) has made to date about the alliance and the US role in the Pacific, particularly Japan, the Japanese official said.  Reuters

Quotes

I look forward to working with him

Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise. We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence. I look forward to working with Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead.  Theresa May British Prime Minister

Ready to do our part

We heard the campaign statements of the future US presidential candidate about the restoration of relations between Russia and the US. It is not an easy path, but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development. This would be good for both the Russian and American people and have a positive impact on the climate of world affairs.  Vladimir Putin Russian President

He is a true friend of Israel

President-elect Trump is a true friend of the State of Israel, and I look forward to working with him to advance security, stability and peace in our region. I am confident that President-elect Trump and I will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights.  Benjamin Netanyahu Israel Prime Minister

We are bound together by values

Germany and America are bound together by values - democracy, freedom, respecting the rule of law, peoples dignity regardless of their origin, the colour of their skin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views. On the basis of these values, I am offering to work closely with the future President of the US.  Angela Merkel German Chancellor

US is a vital partner for France

The US is a vital partner for France and whats at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, economic relations and the preservation of the planet. On all these levels, I will begin immediately discussions with the new American administration, but I will do it with vigilance and frankness.  Francois Hollande French President

Ready for win-win cooperation

I place great importance on the China-US relationship, and look forward to working with you to uphold the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.  Xi Jinping Chinese President
Washington, November 9

Hillary Clinton came closer than any other woman to winning the White House on Tuesday but fell short for a second time, a bitter disappointment for a pioneering but polarising American political figure.

Seeking to win election to the office her husband Bill Clinton held from 1993 to 2001, Clinton, 69, lost her battle for the Democratic presidential nomination to Barack Obama in 2008 and lost on Tuesday to Republican Donald Trump, 70.

In 2000, Clinton became the only First Lady to win elected office, as a US senator from New York. In 2009, she became the third female secretary of state. In July, she became the first woman to claim a major US partys presidential nomination.

The presidency turned out to be a bridge too far. Accepting her partys nomination in July, she embraced the historic nature of her candidacy, saying that when any barrier falls in America it clears the way for everyone. After all, when there are no ceilings, the skys the limit. So lets keep going.

Lets keep going until every one of the 161 million women and girls across America has the opportunity she deserves to have. During four decades in public life, Clinton withstood such controversies as an FBI investigation of her use of a private email server as secretary of state, probes into past business dealings, her husbands infidelity and an unsuccessful Republican effort to remove him from office.

Two American women, Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 and Sarah Palin in 2008, were nominated by major parties as their vice presidential nominees, but fell short in the general election. After losing to Obama in the 2008 race, Clinton deferred her White House ambitions, and served as his secretary of state from 2009 to 2013.

When she entered the race last year for the Democratic presidential nomination, she was considered such a prohibitive favourite that others in her party shied away from challenging her. But she was an establishment figure and a Washington insider at a time when voters were smitten with outsiders. She secured the Democratic nomination in July only after beating back a surprisingly stout challenge from US Senator Bernie Sanders, but finally lost to Trump.  Reuters
New York, November 9

California's Attorney General Kamala Harris today scripted history as she won the US Senate seat from the state, becoming the first Indian-American to achieve the feat.

Harris, 51, who defeated fellow Democrat Loretta Sanchez, is also the sixth black individual to be elected to the US Senate. US President Barack Obama was the fifth black elected Senator.

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She is the first black woman elected to the upper chamber in more than two decades.

Her mother Shyamala Gopalan came to the US from Chennai to study science, specifically endocrinology and complex mechanisms of cancer.

Her father Donald grew up in Jamaica, where he became a national scholar and earned the opportunity to study economics Kamala was born in Oakland, California.

A two-term Attorney General of California, Harris defeated L Sancez from her own party.

She would replace Barbara Boxer who announced her retirement in 2014 after serving more than two decades in the Senate. PTI
New York, November 9

With her husband Donald Trump triumphing in the US presidential polls, Melania Trump was set to become the first foreign-born First Lady of the US in almost two centuries. Melania (46) will be the first foreign-born First Lady since Louisa Adams, the wife of John Quincy Adams, the sixth US president (1825-29).

Louisa was born in London to an English mother and an American father who served as US consul, according to the White House. Till date, Louisa was the only First Lady to be born outside the United States.

Melania, a Slovenian former model, was born in 1970 in communist Yugoslavia. She is the daughter of Viktor Knavs, a car and motorcycle dealer and a member of the Slovenian Communist Party, and Amalija Knvas, according to media reports.

Melania began her modeling career when she was 16, and at the age of 18 signed with a modeling agency in Milan, Italy. Melania has her own jewellery and skin care line and speaks five languages-Slovenian, Serbian, English, French and German.

She met Trump at a Fashion Week party in New York in September 1998, when he was separated from his second wife Marla Marples. They were engaged in 2004, and were married in a church ceremony in Florida the following year. In March 2006, she gave birth to their son Barron.

Melania got her Green Card in 2001 after moving to the US five years earlier and became a US citizen in 2006, a year after her marriage. She has insisted that she is not shy about giving her husband political advice, despite avoiding the limelight for much of the presidential campaign.

In an interview with CNN, she said, I give him my opinions, many, many times. I dont agree with everything he says, but, you know, that is normal. Im my own person, I tell him what I think. And I think thats very important in a relationship, she said.

Melania had made headlines in July after she was accused of plagiarising parts of a speech made by Michelle Obama in 2008.

She had stood by Trump after video footage emerged of his boasting about groping women.  PTI
Washington, November 9

An unprecedented 'desi' wave hit the US general elections as a record number of five Indian- Americans were all set to be elected to the US Congress today.

Indian-American women put up a good show in the 2016 elections, with Kamala Harris, 51, a two-term attorney general from California, creating history by winning the US Senate seat from the state.

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Pramila Jayapal, 51, won the Congressional seat from Seattle to enter the House of Representatives, the first Indian-American woman to accomplish this feat

Jayapal would be joined in the House of Representatives by Raja Krishnamoorthi, who made it to the highest citadel of democracy in their second attempt.

Ro Khanna and Ami Bera were leading in the race for the House of Representatives from their districts in California.

With 56 per cent of the votes counted in California's Silicon Valley, Democratic Congressman Bera was leading with 54 per cent votes at 47,427, ahead of his Republican party rival Scott Jones who got 46 per cent votes.

If elected for the third successive term, Bera would become the longest serving Indian-American Congressman ever.

Khanna, the democratic party candidate from California's 17th District, was leading with 58 per cent votes at 50,952 after 72 per cent of the votes were counted.

His closest rival Mike Honda, also of the Democratic Party, had so far garnered 42 per cent of the votes.

Interestingly, the outgoing US President Barack Obama had endorsed Harris, Krishnamoorthi and Bera.

Senator Bernie Sanders and former US President Jimmy Carter had endorsed Jayapal.

Harris, who was born in Oakland, California, is the daughter of an Indian mother who emigrated from Chennai in 1960 and a Jamaican American father.

California Democrats had overwhelmingly endorsed Harris for US Senate, solidifying her front-runner status in the race to become California's next Senator.

Endorsing Harris, Obama had said "Kamala Harris fights for us. Thats why I am so proud to endorse her for United States Senator. And if you send her to the Senate, she'll be a fearless fighter for the people of California, all the people of California, every single day."

Jayapal entered the US Congress on her maiden try.

Born in Chennai, she left India at the age of five for Indonesia, Singapore and eventually for the US.

Jayapal says her life transformed for the better after she spent some time in India when she returned to the country after a gap of 25 years in April 1995.

Her book-- "Pilgrimage to India: A Woman Revisits Her Homeland" was published in 2000. PTI
November 9

Majority control of the US Senate was up for grabs in Tuesday's election, with 27 out of 34 results called by major TV networks, including one pickup by the Democrats in Illinois.

A handful of extremely tight Senate races remained too close to call, while the networks declared that Republicans, as expected, retained their majority in the House of Representatives.

The outcomes in both chambers will help determine how hard it will be for either Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump to get things done as president.

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The following are facts on the stakes and races to watch: U.S. Senate, 100 seats.

Senators serve six-year terms. A third of the Senate is up for re-election every two years. Procedural rules in the Senate mean 60 votes are needed to advance major initiatives.

Republicans entered the election with 54 seats, led by Kentucky's Mitch McConnell, versus the Democrats' 44 seats and two independent seats. The Democrats' leader in the next Senate is expected to be New York's Chuck Schumer.

The Republicans this year were defending 24 seats; the Democrats, 10 U.S. House, 435 seats

Members of the House serve two-year terms and all are up for re-election every two years.

To advance most bills in the House, 218 votes or more are needed. Republicans went into the elections holding 246 seats to the Democrats' 186. There were three vacancies.

The Republican leader is Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin; the Democrats' leader is Nancy Pelosi of California.

To win a majority, Democrats needed to gain 30 seats. Senate races, with projected results where available:

Alabama - Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, as expected, won a sixth term, defeating Democrat Ron Crumpton.

Arizona - Veteran Republican Senator John McCain, 80, defeated Democratic U.S. Representative Ann Kirkpatrick, 66.

Arkansas - Republican Senator John Boozman beat Democrat Conner Eldridge.

California - State Attorney General Kamala Harris, a Democrat, won the seat held by retiring Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer. Harris defeated fellow Democrat Loretta Sanchez.

Colorado - Democratic Senator Michael Bennet won a third term, turning back a challenge from Republican Darryl Glenn.

Connecticut - Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal won a second term, defeating Republican Dan Carter.

Florida - Incumbent Republican Marco Rubio, the failed presidential contender, defeated Democratic Representative Patrick Murphy.

Georgia - Republican Senator Johnny Isakson won his race against Democrat Jim Barksdale.

Idaho: Republican Senator Mike Crapo defeated Democrat Jerry Sturgill.

Indiana - Democrat Evan Bayh, 60, failed in his bid to recapture his Senate seat, defeated by Republican Representative Todd Young, 44.

Illinois - Democratic Representative Tammy Duckworth unseated Republican Senator Mark Kirk. Duckworth, 48, is a double-amputee Iraq War veteran. Kirk, 57, suffered a stroke that sidelined him for much of 2012.

Iowa - Republican Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, 83, won a seventh term, defeating Democrat Patty Judge.

Kansas - Republican Senator Jerry Moran won a second term, defeating Democrat Patrick Wiesner.

Kentucky - Republican Senator Rand Paul won a second term against Democrat Jim Gray. Paul unsuccessfully ran for president earlier this year.

Louisiana - Republican Senator David Vitter is retiring, opening the door to a crowd of would-be successors. Two dozen candidates from both parties are on Tuesday's ballot. If no candidate gets at least 50 per cent of the vote, a runoff election between the top two will be held on December 10.

Maryland - Democratic Representative Chris Van Hollen will replace retiring Senator Barbara Mikulski. Van Hollen defeated Republican Kathy Szeliga.

Missouri - Republican Senator Roy Blunt, 66, faces a stiff challenge from Democrat Jason Kander, 35, a veteran of the Afghanistan war who is now Missouri's secretary of state.

Nevada - Republican Representative Joe Heck, 55, and Catherine Cortez Masto, 52, a former Democratic state attorney general, are fighting to replace retiring Senator Harry Reid.

New Hampshire - Democratic Governor Maggie Hassan, 58, is trying to oust Senator Kelly Ayotte, a 48-year-old Republican.

New York - Senator Chuck Schumer, who is expected to become the next Senate Democratic leader, defeated Republican Wendy Long in the heavily Democratic state.

North Carolina - Republican Senator Richard Burr, 60, won re-election against Democrat Deborah Ross, 53, a former state legislator.

North Dakota - Republican Senator John Hoeven won a second term, defeating Democrat Eliot Glassheim.

Ohio - Republican Rob Portman, 60, defeated Democratic challenger Ted Strickland, 75, a former governor. Portman initially endorsed Trump, but later withdrew that and pointedly refused to appear with Trump or talk about him.

Oklahoma - Senator James Lankford won a second term, defeating Democrat Mike Workman in this overwhelmingly Republican state.

Oregon - Senator Ron Wyden, the senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, defeated Republican Mark Callahan.

Pennsylvania - Republican Senator Patrick Toomey, 54, faces Democrat Katie McGinty, 53, in the most expensive U.S. Senate contest in the country. Toomey has refused to take a position on Trump. An Oct. 30-Nov. 4 poll by the Allentown Morning Call and Muhlenberg College had Toomey with a small lead, 43 percent to 42 per cent.

South Carolina - Senator Tim Scott, the only African-American Republican in the Senate, beat Democrat Thomas Dixon.

South Dakota - Senator John Thune, a member of the Senate Republican leadership, won a third term, defeating Democrat Jay Williams.

Utah: Conservative Republican Senator Mike Lee, in this heavily Republican state, won against Democrat Misty Snow.

Vermont - Senator Patrick Leahy, the longest-serving Democrat in the Senate, beat Republican Scott Milne.

Washington - As expected, Senator Patty Murray, a member of Senate Democratic leadership, defeated Republican Chris Vance.

Wisconsin - Democrat Russ Feingold, 63, failed to oust Republican Ron Johnson, 61, according to projections. Johnson unseated Feingold in 2010 and was seen as one of the most vulnerable Republicans going into the 2016 campaign.

Reuters
November 9

After Republican Donald Trump stunned the world by defeating heavily favoured Hillary Clinton in Tuesdays presidential election, US President Barack Obama called the President-elect to congratulate him and invited him to the White House on Wednesday.

A wealthy real-estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger towards Washington insiders to win the White House race against Clinton, the Democratic candidate whose gold-plated establishment resume included stints as a first lady, US senator and secretary of state.

Worried a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors were in full flight from risky assets such as stocks, and the US dollar sank. US stock futures dived 5 per cent at one point, worse than the sell-off caused by the British vote to leave the European Union in June that wiped trillions of dollars off world markets.

Trump collected enough of the 270 state-by-state electoral votes needed to win a four-year term that starts on January 20, taking battleground states where presidential elections are traditionally decided, US television networks projected.

Trump, appearing with his family before cheering supporters in a New York hotel ballroom, said it was time to heal the divisions caused by the campaign and find common ground after a campaign that exposed deep differences among Americans.

It is time for us to come together as one united people, Trump said. I will be president for all Americans. He said he had received a call from Clinton to congratulate him on the win and praised her for her service and for a hard-fought campaign.

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His comments were an abrupt departure from his campaign trail rhetoric in which he repeatedly slammed Clinton as crooked amid supporters chants of lock her up. At Clintons election event at the Javits conference centre a mile away from Trumps event, an electric atmosphere among supporters expecting a Clinton win slowly grew grim as her losses piled up.

Clinton opted not to appear at her event, instead sending campaign chairman John Podesta out to tell her supporters to go home. Were not going to have anything more to say tonight, he said.

Clinton was expected to speak on Wednesday morning, an aide said.

Victorious in a cliffhanger race that opinion polls had forecast was Clintons to win, Trump won avid support among a core base of white non-college educated workers with his promise to be the greatest jobs president that God ever created.

In his victory speech, he said he had a great economic plan, would embark on a project to rebuild American infrastructure and would double US economic growth.

His win raises a host of questions for the United States at home and abroad. He campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist America First path. He has vowed to impose a 35 per cent tariff on goods exported to the United States by US companies that went abroad.

Trump, who at 70 will be the oldest first-term US president, came out on top after a bitter and divisive campaign that focused largely on the character of the candidates and whether they could be trusted to serve as the countrys 45th president.

The presidency will be Trumps first elected office, and it remains to be seen how he will work with Congress, even though Republicans were set to retain control of both chambers. During the campaign Trump was the target of sharp disapproval, not just from Democrats but from many in his own party.

Television networks projected Republicans would retain control of the US House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs. In the US Senate, the party also put up an unexpectedly tough fight to protect its majority in the US Senate.

Clintons weaknesses

Trump entered the race 17 months ago and survived a series of seemingly crippling blows, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologised but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, the allegations he denied. He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Clinton.

A Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day poll offered some clues to the outcome. It found Clinton underperformed expectations with women, winning their vote by only about 7 per cent, similar to President Barack Obama when he won re-election in 2012.

And while she won Hispanics, black and millennial voters, Clinton did not win those groups by greater margins than Obama did in 2012. Younger blacks did not support Clinton like they did Obama, as she won eight of 10 black voters between the ages of 35 and 54. Obama won almost 100 per cent of those voters in 2012.

Touts his business acumen

During the campaign, Trump said he would make America great again through the force of his personality, negotiating skill and business acumen. He proposed refusing entry to the United States of people from war-torn Middle Eastern countries, a modified version of an earlier proposed ban on Muslims.

His volatile nature, frequent insults and unorthodox proposals led to campaign feuds with a long list of people, including Muslims, the disabled, Republican US Senator John McCain, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, the family of a slain Muslim-American soldier, a Miss Universe winner and a federal judge of Mexican heritage.

A largely anti-Trump crowd of about 400 to 500 people gathered outside the White House after his victory, many visibly in shock or tears. Some carried signs that read stand up to racism and love trumps hate.

The election was unprecedented in the way it turned Americans against each other, according to dozens of interviews in rural United States and across some of the most politically charged battleground states.

Throughout his campaign--and especially in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in July--Trump described a dark America that had been knocked to its knees by China, Mexico, Russia and Islamic State. The American dream was dead, he said, smothered by malevolent business interests and corrupt politicians, and he alone could revive it.

He has vowed to win economic concessions from China and to build a wall on the southern US border with Mexico to keep out undocumented immigrants.

As financial markets absorbed the prospect of Trumps win during Tuesday evening and into the early hours of Wednesday, the Mexican peso plunged to its lowest-ever levels. The peso had become a touchstone for sentiment on the election as Trump threatened to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico.

His triumph was a rebuke to Obama, a Democrat who spent weeks flying around the country to campaign against him, repeatedly casting doubt on his suitability for the White House.

Obama will hand over the office to Trump after serving the maximum eight years allowed by law.

Trump promises to push Congress to repeal Obamas troubled health care plan and to reverse his Clean Power Plan. He plans to create jobs by relying on US fossil fuels such as oil and gas.

Clintons failed second bid

Trumps victory marked a frustrating end to the presidential aspirations of Clinton, 69, who failed for the second time to be elected the first woman US president.

In a posting on Twitter during Tuesday evening, she acknowledged a battle that was unexpectedly tight given her edge in opinion polls going into Election Day.

This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything, she tweeted.

The wife of former President Bill Clinton and herself a former US senator, she held a steady lead in many opinion polls for months. Voters perceived in her a cautious and calculating candidate and an inability to personally connect with them.

Even though the FBI found no grounds for criminal charges after a probe into her use of a private email server rather than a government system while she was secretary of state, the issue allowed critics to raise doubts about her integrity. Hacked emails also showed a cozy relationship between her State Department and donors to her familys Clinton Foundation charity.

Trump seized on the emails to charge that Clinton represented a corrupt political system in Washington that had to be swept clean.

Trumps national security ideas, opposed by most of the elite voices across the political spectrum, have simultaneously included promises to build up the US military while at the same time avoiding foreign military entanglements.

He wants to rewrite international trade deals to reduce trade deficits. He has taken positions that raise the possibility of damaging relations with Americas most trusted allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

He has promised to warm relations with Russia that have chilled under Obama over Russian President Vladimir Putins intervention in the Syrian civil war and his seizure of Ukraines Crimea region.

Putin sent Trump a congratulatory note on Wednesday, saying he hoped they could get the US-Russian relationship out of crisis.

Other governments reacted with stunned disbelief.

German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, an ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, described the result as a huge shock and questioned whether it meant the end of Pax Americana, the state of relative peace overseen by Washington that has governed international relations since World War II. Reuters
When Trump takes oath as the President of United States of America in the new year, he will have a Republican Senate and a Republican House that will support him in tough decision-making.

By India Today Web Desk: As America voted for Donald Trump to become its 45th president, he could be the most powerful one in years.

When Trump takes oath as the President of United States of America in the new year, he will have a Republican Senate and a Republican House that will support him in tough decision-making.



It is a crushing blow for the Democrats who will now have little voice in the running of the government.

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ALSO READ: US Election Results: Republicans defend US House majority, Senate on razor's edge



THE TWO POWER CENTRES



The Republicans have controlled the 100-seat Senate since 2015, but they had to defend far more seats this year than did the Democrats. The Senate has 100 seats and only 51 are necessary to win a majority. Thirty-one seats were up for grabs in this election.



The US House of Representatives also remained under Republican control for the sixth consecutive year. The House has 435 members, each state sending members in proportion to its population. For a majority, a party needs to win 218 seats. On Tuesday, 30 seats were up for grabs and Democrats are expected to win just a fraction of it.

ALSO WATCH



ALSO READ: Modi congratulates Trump, here's what his win could mean for India



The House holds the might when it comes to passing federal legislation. Once passed, it goes to the Senate and then goes to the President for the final seal.



The Senate's nod is a must for appointments of federal judges, other federal executive officials and ambassadors.

ALSO READ: Donald trumps Hillary Clinton. Says he will be President of all Americans, rebuild



HOW OBAMA HAD A TOUGH TIME



With the Senate and Congress set to be dominated by the Republicans, Trump may get support on passing key legislation. His predecessor Democrat Barack Obama had a tough time dealing with the Senate. Despite his best efforts, Obama could not ensure minor amendments to the gun control policy after opposition from the Republicans in the Senate.

ALSO READ: Hillary concedes defeat, bid for 'herstory' as first woman US President fails



During his campaign, Trump has been a vociferous supporter of less restrictions on gun control. He called himself the best Second Amendment advocate ever. In short, the 2004 ban on assault weapons is not coming back even if the Democrats wanted it to.



Given that Trump supports stronger immigration laws to bring back the jobs to American, he may not face much opposition on it from either the House or the Senate.

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ALSO READ: US Election Results: Investors see no let up to market bloodbath if Trump wins presidency



IS IT STILL AN EASY RIDE FOR TRUMP?



In the run-up to the presidential campaign, several Republican senators had opposed Trump or condemned his remarks. According to a Fox News story, at least 16 senators were withholding their support to Trump during the election.



Senator John McCain had said he would write in the name of "some good conservative Republican" who is qualified to be the president.

ALSO READ: Beijing welcomes Trump rise despite tough trade talk



House Speaker Paul Ryan had also announced that he would not campaign with Trump. However, on Tuesday, Ryan was the among the first to call up Trump and congratulate him.



In the coming months, it will be interesting to watch if Trump manages to win over the senators who had opposed his candidature, or if like his predecessors Trump too will have a tough time getting key bill passed.

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ALSO READ: World in shock as Donald Trump wins US election



(with inputs from agencies)



--- ENDS ---
(By Tsem Rinpoche, Pastor David and Pastor Niral)

The Jewish people have been persecuted throughout recorded history, from their beginnings in the Middle East, through Europe during the Middle Ages, the Holocaust of the World Wars and into the modern era due to their race and religion. This persecution of a community has been sustained due to religious discrimination. We wanted to provide all of you with just a quick overview of what the Jewish people have been through. We hope you can learn from this, and understand the atrocities that religious persecution can lead to.

It is not only the Jewish people that have been persecuted. Many other people of various backgrounds have also been persecuted throughout history. They have been hated for being who they are or for something that cannot be changed. In this article we are highlighting the persecution faced by the Jews, however the Jewish people here are actually representative of all people persecuted because of their race, culture, religion, economic status or views. This article has been written to highlight how during the time of persecution, many thought it was right. It was only later on that people realised this was wrong. In hindsight, the persecution of any human being is wrong, especially when based on differences in race, culture, religion, economic status or views. May this article contribute to the understanding that people of all nations, backgrounds and religions should be accepted. May we all be able to live together in peace and harmony.

For those who have suffered persecution like the Jews, and in fact many other people too numerous to mention, we offer our humblest and profoundest condolences. It is our wish to share with people this particular example of persecution in order to highlight the causes and conditions of all forms of discrimination. With such knowledge, may we sow the seeds of peace, harmony and religious plurality so such terrible discrimination will never occur again.

Pastor David Lai and Pastor Niral Patel

Introduction

Most of us around the world have heard the word Jew and we may know a little about the religion or may even have family or friends who are Jewish. But how many of us really know what being Jewish means? The term Jewish is applied to an ethno-religious group of people that practise Judaism. This means that it encompasses both an ethnicity (belonging to a particular social group that has common cultural traditions) and a religion at the same time.

The Jewish people trace their ancestry, either through blood or religion (in the case of those who have converted to Judaism) back to the Israelite tribes of the ancient Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah. The word Jew itself traces back to the Hebrew word Yehudim, which was a term used to describe a member of the tribe of Judah or the Kingdom of Judah.

Judaism is a monotheistic religion meaning that they believe in one supreme God. Their central religious text is known as the Torah, although they have many other texts that supplement the Torah. Among these are the Midrash and the Talmud. The Jewish religion plays an important part of everyday life, permeating every aspect of living. They have strong beliefs and practices that ensure a good life by following the commands of God as expounded in their religious texts. Judaism is one of the largest Abrahamic religions (meaning that they can be traced back to the ancient figure Abraham) in the world today, together with Christianity and Islam.

Jews

The Jewish people trace back their ethno-religious origins to patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the matriarchs Sarah, Rebecca, Leah and Rachel. According to Jewish narrative, these figures lived in Canaan, what is now known as the Middle East, and it was Jacob who moved his family to Ancient Egypt. According to the scriptures, the descendants of these figures eventually became enslaved by the Egyptian population. It was the prophet Moses, who having previously been raised as a prince, led the Jewish people out of bondage in Egypt, releasing 10 plagues sent by God in the process and parting the Red Sea for his people to cross. On the other side of the Red Sea, on Mount Sinai, he received the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets, which have become central to the Judaic faith.

After wandering for 40 years they arrived at the land promised to them by God. They settled there, founding the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah, until they split apart. The Kingdom of Israel was eventually conquered by the Assyrian Empire, while the Kingdom of Judah was later conquered by the Seleucid Empire. Since that time there have been waves of Jews migrating all over the world, especially to the Germanic and Spanish regions of Europe.

In the modern era, Jews can be found all over the world and cannot be identified by race, only by their ethno-religious practices, which they have maintained even in the most distant parts of the world. The largest populations of Jews can be found in Israel (the worlds only Jewish state), the United States of America and all throughout Europe. However, there are lesser-known communities all over the world

Ashkenazim and Sephardim

The majority of the Jewish population around the world descend from two distinct groups coming from Europe. The first is known as the Ashkenazim, or Germanic Jews. Ashkenaz is the old Hebrew word for Germany; as such this group stems from Central and Eastern Europe. The Jews have lived in this part of the world since the time of the Holy Roman Empire and it was during the Middle Ages that the population in this region grew. Towards the end of the Middle Ages the Ashkenazi population began to shift further east, to countries that are now known as Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine and Belarus. The Ashkenazim made great contributions to European society, including in areas such as art, music, science and philosophy. During the Nazi genocide of Jews during World War II, commonly called the Holocaust, the Ashkenazi population was severely decimated. This horrendous mass killing is said to have effected almost every Ashkenazi Jewish family living in these areas of Europe. This is the largest group of Jewish people around the world today.

The Sephardim on the other hand come from the Iberian Peninsula (modern day Spain, Portugal and a small part of France). The word Sephardim comes from the Hebrew word Sepharad, which was a location in the Hebrew scriptures that became identified with Spain. To this day Sepharad refers to Spain in Modern Hebrew. They are known to have established strong communities in the peninsula from 1000 CE. During the late 15th Century, this community was brought to an end, with the enforcement of the Spanish Inquisition, discussed below. This led to a huge migration internally within Spain and externally, drastic mass conversions of Jews to Christianity and the brutal killing of those that did not conform to the decree. Today Sephardim refers to a person, of any ethnic background, who practices the customs and traditions that evolved in this community. In a broader sense of the term, the word Sephardim can also be used to describe all Jewish groups not belonging to Ashkenazi descent. It was these two groups of Jewish people that travelled and prospered in the United States of America where they have strong communities, keeping the Judaic religion alive and well, despite millennia of persecution.

Kaifeng Jews

This community of Jewish people live in Kaifeng, Henan Province in China. Though they have integrated into Chinese society, they still preserve their socio-religious Judaic heritage. It is believed that this community has existed in China from the Northern Song Dynasty (960  1127 CE), although some scholars suggest they lived in Kaifeng from a much earlier date. They most likely arrived in China along the Silk Road trading route from either Persia or India. Some even claim that they are one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel who had travelled eastward from the ancient city of Babylon. Despite this, no one can be certain of the exact date that the Jewish people arrived in China. They built their first synagogue (Jewish temple) in Kaifeng in 1163 CE. Though there are other Jewish communities in China, the Jews of Kaifeng remain the most well-known.

It is popularly believed that they spoke a New Persian dialect at first and made a living in producing cotton fabrics. During this time, China was only just introducing cotton products due to a silk shortage, brought on by an increasing population. Given their specialty in producing cotton fabrics and the increase in demand, the Kaifeng Jews were mostly like prosperous in the surrounding areas. In 1489, descendants of the Jews that arrived in Kaifeng inscribed the words of the Northern Song Dynasty Emperor that established their community onto a stone tablet that was placed in the courtyard of their synagogue. The inscription read:

You have come to China. Honour and observe the customs of your ancestors.

This inscription, now housed in the Municipal Museum of Kaifeng, also listed 17 clans that had settled in Kaifeng. However at a later period this dwindled to only eight clans. Subsequently the Jews in Kaifeng became known as The Eight Clans with the Seven Surnames since the surname Li covered two distinct clans. From that time, the Kaifeng Jews were completely integrated into Chinese culture while maintaining their Jewish heritage.

The synagogue was destroyed during heavy flooding in the area and then rebuilt it 1653 by a Kaifeng Jew named Chao Ying Chen. He also replaced the holy Torah scrolls in the synagogue after they were destroyed in the floods. Over time the synagogue came into disrepair, most likely due to isolation from other strong Jewish communities.

In 1957, 700 inhabitants of Kaifeng still acknowledged their Jewish descent. Over the years, due to intermarriage with local Chinese and Muslims in the area, the community of practicing Jews dwindled. In recent times, with the establishment of the State of Israel some of the existing Kaifeng Jews have migrated to live there.

Indian Jews

Jewish communities in India are the 4th largest population of Asian Jews after Israel, Asian Russia and Iran. These communities have not faced the level of persecution that other communities around the world have. In fact due to the religious pluralism prevalent in India, the Jewish population have lived in relative peace and harmony, allowing the adherence to their faith without much opposition.

The most notable of these communities include: the Cochin Jews; the Chennai Jews of Sephardim origin; the Bene Israel of Karachi who fled to Mumbai after the partition of India in 1947, fearing religious persecution in Pakistan; Iraqi Jews who settled in and around Kolkata; the Bnei Menashe who are converts from the Mizo and Kuki tribes in the Manipur and Mizoram areas; and the Bene Ephraim who are also known as the Telegu Jews.

The Cochin Jews settled in the Kingdom of Cochin, in what is now part of the state of Kerala. They are also sometimes referred to as the Malabar Jews. Following the Spanish Inquisition, some Sephardic Jewish families travelled to Cochin and established their community there, developing a distinct dialect known as Judeo-Malayalam and came to be known as Paradesi Jews, or Foreign Jews. Late in the 19th century some Iraqi Jews, hearing of the strong community of Cochin Jews, immigrated there to join their community. After the establishment of the State of Israel, the majority of Cochin Jews immigrated there. Most Cochin Jew synagogues have since fallen into disrepair or have been sold. The Paradesi synagogue located in Kochi, Kerala, still retains a strong congregation and has also become a tourist site in recent years.

Black Jews

The term black Jews covers a diverse group of Jews from African or African-American heritage. One of the many communities of Jewish people that stem from Africa are known as the Beta Israel or Ethiopian Jews. This group of people lived mainly in the Kingdom of Axum and the Ethiopian Empire.

This group established the Kingdom of Beta Israel following a revolt against Emperor Ezana of Axum, who was crowned in 325 CE. The Emperor had declared Christianity the state religion and expected all his citizens to convert. Their capital city was named Gondar and their first king was Phineas, who was a descendant of a Jewish High Priest named Zadok. The Jewish High Priest was the religious leader of all Jewish peoples and belonged to one of the Jewish priestly families. The tradition of having a High Priest ended in 2nd century BCE.

In the early 17th century, Emperor Susenyos I of the Ethiopian Empire, invaded the lands of the Beta Israel and began a campaign to eradicate Jewish practice, through forced baptism to Christianity, burning of Jewish books and the ban on all Jewish practice. Despite this, the community still flourished, being employed by the succeeding emperors as carpenters, masons and craftsman. During the Zemene Mesafint, a period of history during which the Ethiopian Empire crumbled, the Beta Israel lost their position in society, often being exploited by local rulers.

Following World War II, many Beta Israel have since immigrated to Israel, after the country declared that they were recognised as Jewish according to Israeli law in 1977 and therefore eligible for citizenship. When civil war broke out in Ethiopia, the Israeli government began a series of covert military operations to rescue many of the Beta Israel population from the struggle. These took place between 1980 and early 1901. Since that time many of those that remained in Ethiopia have since migrated as well. As of 2008, there was an estimated 119,000 citizens of Ethiopian descent living in Israel.

There are other communities of Jews living in the African Subcontinent. These include the Jews that live in the Maghreb region and those that live in South Africa. Another group of black Jews include those of African-American descent, belonging to various American Jewish denominations.

A Long History of Persecution

Jewish communities around the world have had to suffer terrible persecution throughout history. This persecution of Jews is not based on race but on religion, which is also ingrained in their societal practices. The most well-known cases of this persecution occurred in Europe and the Middle East. From the Seleucid Empire, when the Kingdom of Judea fell, through to the highly anti-Semitic Middle Ages in Europe and the Holocaust of the World Wars, Jews have suffered greatly due to their religious beliefs. Below is a brief overview of one such period of persecution, other than the Holocaust.

Spanish Inquisition

One of the most horrific examples of Jewish persecution occurred during the Spanish Inquisition of the 15th century. It stemmed from what was officially known as the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition, which was established in 1480 CE by the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile.

An earlier Inquisition was originally created by Pope Lucius III to combat various heretical movements in the south of France during the 12th century. An Inquisition is basically the formation of groups of tribunals within the Catholic Church in order to counter heretical movements. Inquisitors were friars (mendicants) mostly appointed from within the Dominican order to head the tribunals. Following the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation in the late Middle Ages, the Inquisition had expanded to include various European countries. This expansion culminated in the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions, which eventually spread to various colonies in Asia, Africa and the Americas.

In Spain, the Inquisition was primarily set up to consolidate Christian orthodoxy, especially amongst those who had converted from Judaism and Islam. The Inquisition intensified after the Spanish royal decrees of 1492 and 1502 that demanded Jews and Muslims to convert to Christianity or leave Spain. Spain at that time had just been unified after the surrender of the last Muslim stronghold in the city-state of Granada to the new Christian monarchy. Muslim Spain was called Al-Andalus and was a prosperous period during which the Jews were tolerated as they were considered al-dhimma or non-Muslims under the protection of the Islamic state. Hence, southern Spain became a safe haven for Jews emigrating from other countries that persecuted them.

Under Christian rule, Alonso de Hojeda, a Dominican friar from Seville had approached and convinced Queen Isabella of the existence of Andalusian conversos (Jewish converts) that were secretly practicing their faith during her stay in Seville between 1477 and 1478. In a report by Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza, Archbishop of Seville, and another by the Segovian Dominican Tomas de Torquemada, Alonso de Hojedas claims were confirmed. In 1480, a plot to overthrow the government of Seville in an armed revolt led by Don Diego de Susona, who is a wealthy merchant converso was uncovered and quickly suppressed.

Hence in 1478, the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella requested a papal decree to establish an Inquisition in Spain in response to the conversos returning to the practice of Judaism. In response, Pope Sixtus IV granted a decree to allow the Spanish monarchs to appoint their own inquisitors. In 1483, Ferdinand and Isabella established a state council to administer the Inquisition with the Dominican Friar Tomas de Torquemada acting as its president.

At that time, Pope Sixtus IV protested the activities of the Inquisition in Aragon and its treatment of the convicted. The monarchs threatened to separate from the Church and the Inquisition when the pope wanted to investigate these abuses. In order to appease the enraged Spanish monarchs, Torquemada was given the title of Inquisitor-General by the pope and the Inquisition continued in earnest. The pope could have done more to address the gross abuses inherent within the Spanish Inquisition but didnt want to lose his control of Spain. Hence, the pope quickly caved in to the demands of the Spanish monarchs. Without any further objections from the pope, the Spanish Inquisition would go on to become the largest and deadliest inquisition in medieval Europe, inflicting inhuman torture and death on thousands.

Subsequently, Torquemada quickly established procedures for the Inquisition. A new court was announced with a thirty-day grace period for confessions of conversos who relapsed back to the Jewish faith and the gathering of accusations by neighbours. Those who still practiced Judaism despite the ban are called crypto-Jews, meaning that they were Jewish but publically adhered to another faith. Evidence that was used in court to identify a converso who relapsed back to Judaism included the absence of smoke from chimneys on Saturdays, which was a sign the family might secretly be observing the Jewish Sabbath; buying of huge amounts of vegetables before Passover; or even the purchase of meat from a converted butcher. The Inquisition employed physical torture in order to extract confessions. Crypto-Jews were allowed to confess and engage in penance, although those who relapsed again were horrifically burned at the stake.

In 1484, Pope Innocent VIII received news of abuses and allowed appeals to be channeled to Rome. In response King Ferdinand decreed in December 1484 and again in 1509, the death and confiscation of the estates of anyone who attempted to make an appeal without royal permission. The Inquisition became the only institution that held authority across all of the Iberian Peninsula and it was a useful tool for the Christian monarchy to persecute the Jews and increase the royal coffers.

If a converso was deemed guilty, the condemned had to undergo a ceremony known as autos-da-fe, which literally meant an act of faith. The ceremony was meant to celebrate the return of the condemned to the Church (in lighter cases), or as a punishment if the condemned was branded an impenitent heretic. The autos-da-fe could be either a private or a public spectacle. It could last up to a whole day and involved a Catholic Mass, prayer, a public procession of those found guilty, and a reading of their sentences.

According to surviving records, the Spanish Inquisition charged an estimated 150,000 people with crimes and roughly 3,000 were executed or burnt on the stake. The arrival of the Age of Enlightenment in Spain marked the decline of the Inquisition. The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement, which swept through Europe in the 18th century, sparked by a range of new ideas centred on reason as the primary source of authority and legitimacy, as well as a slew of scientific discoveries.

Finally, on July 15, 1834, the Spanish Inquisition was formally abolished by a Royal Decree signed by Regent Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies, Ferdinand VIIs liberal widow, with the approval of the President of the Cabinet Francisco Martinez de la Rosa. With centuries of torture, bloodshed and death at the stake, the Inquisition had decimated the Jewish population in Spain. For those who could not leave Spain, they were either forced to abandon the spiritual traditions of their forefathers, go underground with their Jewish practices, or end up losing their lives. Unfortunately, the Inquisition was brutally efficient in uprooting those who kept to their old Jewish ways. Hence, the Spanish Inquisition brought about an exodus of Jews that identified themselves as Sephardim or the Jews of Spain. Thus the 400 year history of persecution against Jews by religious authorities on the Iberian Peninsula came to an end with the royal decree.

Comparison Between the Jews and Dorje Shugden Practitioners

Here is a brief list of how Jews have been persecuted and discriminated against. Studying these methods, we have also drawn a comparison to the discrimination against Dorje Shugden practitioners. While not nearly at the same level of persecution that was faced by the Jewish populace in Europe, the methods of religious discrimination do have very striking similarities. Through this we hope to highlight the fact that religious persecution in whatever form it takes is wrong. Instead we should focus on harmony and peace within all cultures and across all religions.

The Jewish People Dorje Shugden Practitioners Jews were forcibly expelled from the country or converted to Christianity by royal decree in 15th Century Spain during the reign of King Ferdinand II of Aragorn and Queen Isabella I of Castile. Conversos or converts who were found to have reverted back to Judaism were tried under a tribunal formed by what is known as the Spanish Inquisition. Converts found to have repeated offences were burnt at the stake. The Spanish Inquisition was known to be one of the worst persecutions of the Jews in Europe prior to the modern era and the Holocaust. Dorje Shugden practitioners were forced to give up the practice of Dorje Shugden, especially in monasteries situated in Tibetan settlements of South India. Monks had to swear out from the practice or face expulsion in the late 1990s. A large group of Dorje Shugden monks from Pomra Khangtsen of Sera Mey Monastery were eventually expelled and had to establish Serpom Monastery in 2008, in order to continue practising their faith. Being forced to establish their own monastery represents the fact that religious discrimination existed, otherwise there would have been no need to set up their own monastery. Another group of Dorje Shugden practitioners from Dokhang Khangtsen of Gaden Shartse Monastery were expelled in 2008 and they formed Shar Gaden Monastery. Contrary to what some people say, the very existence of these two monasteries does not represent religious freedom. In fact the Tibetan leadership continues to enforce a policy of the purity of Buddhism that led to these monks being forcibly expelled from their main monasteries. In actuality, these two monasteries are living proof of the existence of the ban. Jews were demonised in Nazi Germanys anti-Semitic propaganda between 1933 and 1945 in order to indoctrinate hatred and encourage discrimination. Prior to the Nazis, the Jews were already disliked by various indigenous ethnic groups in Europe due to a variety of reasons but mainly due to envy and discontentment. This was because many Jewish people were considerably wealthier and held prominent positions in society. Hence, Nazi propaganda sought to fan discrimination and hatred by popularising the view that the Jews became wealthy through the exploitation of the Aryan race. This was done in order to gather the peoples support for their ruthless pogroms (organised massacres) to exterminate the Jews. Dorje Shugden practitioners, lamas and in particular, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso are demonised in anti-Shugden rhetoric on the internet. The basis of the entire Dorje Shugden issue stems from the fact that Dorje Shugden is wrongly viewed to be a powerful and malevolent spirit or demon. Hence, lamas and practitioners are demonised to be spirit worshipers. This inevitably evokes hatred and discrimination, especially amongst lay Tibetans or misinformed foreign Buddhist practitioners. Both of these groups may not know enough about the issue, so may simply follow common perceptions surrounding the issue. This was done to gather popular support for the implementation of the Dorje Shugden ban across the world. As a result, Dorje Shugden practitioners across the world have been shunned within their own Buddhist communities due to such propaganda. Jewish businesses in Nazi Germany were boycotted through Nazi propaganda posters while German businesses had signs that prohibited Jews from entering or being served. This was done in the earlier stages as part of Nazi propaganda in order to incite popular hatred and discrimination against the Jews. Later, when the Nazis began to intensify their attempts to exterminate the Jews, there was little resistance although most Germans at that time were aware of what was happening. Dorje Shugden practitioners are not allowed in monasteries, shops, schools, clinics, hospitals and other CTA (Central Tibetan Administration) institutions in India. This can clearly be seen in many signs that prohibit practitioners from entering these institutions and is part of the CTAs Dorje Shugden ban that has instigated hatred and discrimination against the ordinary Dorje Shugden practitioner. Due to this atmosphere of discrimination there is little resistance from foreign Buddhists who also adopt this discrimination against Dorje Shugden practitioners. The discrimination and persecution of Jews was institutionalised and sanctioned under the rule of Nazi Germany. Hence, the breadth and scale of the pogroms were extensive and included effort put into covering up the atrocities. Much of what is now known of the suffering faced by the Jews was only made known after the fall of Nazi Germany. The discrimination and persecution of Dorje Shugden practitioners was institutionalised and sanctioned under the CTAs mandate within the Tibetan communities in India. Hence, few people outside the Tibetan communities would fully understand the problems and issues faced by Tibetan Dorje Shugden practitioners. They are mostly silenced by lynch mobs and death threats. To watch videos on the persecution of Dorje Shugden practitioners, click here. Jews were driven from their homes and had to flee Germany to other parts of Europe in order to escape the atrocities inflicted on them by the Nazi SS soldiers. Many Jews attempted to escape death by fleeing across Europe but ruthless Nazi SS soldiers hunted them down. It was due to the success of Nazi propaganda that even locals in other European countries would collaborate with the Nazis to reveal fugitive Jews. Dorje Shugden practitioners were driven from their homes due to lynch mobs, stoning and death threats because the identities of Dorje Shugden practitioners was made publicly known by the Tibetan leadership. In addition, personal information of practitioners is made available to incite hatred and violence against Dorje Shugden practitioners. Many practitioners, especially prominent Dorje Shugden Lamas like Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and so forth, received death threats and had their ladrangs or homes stoned by the public. Jews were segregated from German society and placed in one of several concentration camps situated away from ordinary society, where they faced terrible conditions and many millions were killed. Despite many denials, the ordinary Germans knew what was happening but did nothing to resist this systematic genocide. This bears testament to the success of the Nazi propaganda against the Jews. Dorje Shugden monasteries like Shar Gaden and Serpom were formed because monks were expelled from their mother monasteries. In addition to that, a wall was built between Shar Gaden, the Dorje Shugden monastery and Gaden Monastery, the original monastery, in order to segregate those who practise Dorje Shugden. There are people who are aware of the existence of these monasteries and claim that there never was a Dorje Shugden ban. They do not realise that these monks have friends and family they can never meet due to the ban. In fact, the very reason for the existence of these monasteries bears testament to the existence of the Dorje Shugden ban. Hitler indoctrinated the German public with the philosophy of the pure Aryan race that encouraged segregation and persecution of what they considered impure races like the Jews. Just because the masses adhered to this view in Germany does not make it a morally correct one. This propaganda allowed the Nazis to come to power and inflict unspeakable horrors on the Jews. The same propaganda was used to legitimise the genocidal pogroms against the Jews. The Tibetan leadership (the CTA) proclaimed Dorje Shugden to be a spirit and encouraged the public not to worship him. Just because many adhere to this view does not make it a correct view. The CTA are adhering to the ideal of a pure Buddhist which leads to the persecution of those who do not confirm. This ideal seems strikingly similar to the Nazi idea of the pure Aryan race. This wrong view counters the traditional teachings by lineage lamas like Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and Kyabje Zong Rinpoche. These highly attained lamas all said he is an emanation of Manjushri and his practice has tremendous benefit for practitioners. The basis of the 15th Century Spanish Inquisition of the Jews is based on the ruling of the Catholic Church. However, the torture and persecution of the Jews is actually antithetical to the teachings of Jesus Christ, which include love, compassion and acceptance. It is because the Inquisition was sanctioned by the church that the people of the 15th Century readily accepted the horrors of torture and the execution of the Jews. The basis of the Dorje Shugden ban rests on the view that Dorje Shugden is a spirit and that it is antithetical to Buddhist refuge. However, the segregation, discrimination and persecution of Dorje Shugden practitioners contradicts the Buddhas teachings on compassion, selflessness and the acceptance of all. Hence, it is strange that when Buddhist centres organise initiations and teachings, Dorje Shugden practitioners are not allowed to come or participate when the centres accept people of other faiths. Doesnt this contradict the teachings of the Buddha on compassion, acceptance and love for all beings?

(Left) The Alhambra Decree, also known as the Edict of Expulsion, ordering all Jews to be expelled from Spain, signed by King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella. (Right) An official letter from the Department of Religion and Culture of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, stating that all monks who practise Dorje Shugden should be expelled from Ganden Shartse monastery. Click to enlarge

This is an anti-Shugden sign outside a Gelugpa Monastery. The sign says, Those who propitiate Dorje Shugden or have association with followers of Shugden may not attend or explore the territory of the on going teaching program. Click to enlarge.

The persecution of the Jews throughout history and that of Dorje Shugden practitioners are worlds apart. Both of these are from cultures and spiritual traditions that have virtually no connection whatsoever and yet, they share many similar traits. This is not because there is a link between the Jews and Dorje Shugden practitioners but the attitude in which ignorance, bigotry and discrimination have taken shape against people throughout history. In the case of Nazi Germany, they were defeated by the Allied Forces in 1945 due to the cracking of the Enigma Code that allowed Allied Forces the ability to intercept Nazi messages and the location of their armies. As for Dorje Shugden practitioners, they are still struggling with the ban and the prevalent discrimination from the Buddhist community at large. Their only defence is the truth and it is hoped that with articles such as this one, that enough light will be shed upon this issue. As more and more people realise the truth, the world may be able to put an end to all forms of religious persecution, including the Dorje Shugden ban and the discrimination against practitioners.

The methods of persecution against a group of people remain as timeless as shown above, leading to physical and mental harm. It is always about a pure race, pure religion pure doctrine, pure philosophy or pure politics. In their search for purity, people use this as an excuse to highlight or espouse their hatred, greed, jealousy, or whatever human failings that they have. So people will be jealous or be biased against a group of people simply because they are different. That is the real basis for any type of persecution. Therefore persecution is in the name of something pure, but actually comes from the human failings of what we have mentioned.

Living in a modern age, we need to address our human failings and come to terms with people who are different, or those who practice a religion different that ours. When we come to terms with this, persecution will end as we will never use this difference as an excuse to hurt anyone again. With respect to the Jews, we use this example to highlight that everybody in history has been persecuted in one way or another due to human failings. No matter the race, religion or culture a person is from, they should not be persecuted because of this. From the many examples throughout history and what is occurring in the present, we should strive our hardest to live in peace and harmony with each other. Now is the time to give peace a change, and love each other.

Disclaimer: In writing this article we mean no offence to the various Jewish communities around the world. We simply wanted to highlight the level of persecution against Jews and compare this same type of persecution towards Dorje Shugden practitioners, simply based on religious practice. All people around the world should be able to live without the fear of persecution. No one should be persecuted, and so this article may have highlighted the plight of the Jewish people but it is representative of the plight of all people who have been persecuted, in an attempt to educate people against the dangers of discrimination.

Videos of Persecution Against Dorje Shugden Practitioners

Gaden Monastery Attacked

Or view the video on the server at:

https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/GadenMonasteryAttacked.mp4

Since the inception of the Dorje Shugden ban 20 years ago, the CTA (Central Tibetan Administration) continues to organize a hateful campaign against Dorje Shugden practitioners. In doing so, the Tibetan leadership has gone against the very core teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on compassion and tolerance and thereby, misled the world over the nature of their activities. The Tibetan leadership pursues huge sponsorship and financial aid from the West in order to run its operations but they actually channel these funds towards campaigns that suppresses religious freedom within the Tibetan communities through various means to instigate violent suppression against Dorje Shugden practitioners.

This video footage shows clearly how Dorje Shugden practitioners have lived their lives in fear for the last 20 years due to the ban on Dorje Shugden. Although the Tibetan leadership and supporters have continued to use various violent and underhanded means to segregate and discriminate Dorje Shugden practitioners, the practitioners themselves have not fought back. Instead, they continue to uphold their peaceful reliance on their Dorje Shugden lineage lamas and especially the practices and teachings they have received in relations to the protector deity. The main part of the video was filmed in 2000 and it shows 3,000 lay and ordained Tibetans heading towards Gaden Shartse Monastery in South India in order to riot against a group of Dorje Shugden practitioners.

Dendus Story

Or view the video on the server at:

https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/DenduStory.mp4

The discrimination against Dorje Shugden practitioners is not only faced by those living in the Tibetan settlements in India or in Tibet itself, but also by those living in other countries. In this video interview we meet 18 year old Dendu, who was born in Tibet and went to live in the United States when he was 11.

Dendu and his family continue to face discrimination and violence due to the fact they practice Dorje Shugden, despite the fact that the United States constitution guarantees religious freedom, worship and practice. In this interview, he bravely speaks up about the persecution that he and his family have had to face.

Conflict in the Tibetan Community

Or view the video on the server at:

https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/ConflictTibetanCommunity.mp4

This interview highlights the conflict and rift caused by the persecution and discrimination of Dorje Shugden practitioners. It was filmed on August 25th, 2014 at a protest organised by the International Shugden Community and Tibetan Buddhist practitioners opposed to the treatment they have received. Here we see a young woman who talks about the difficulties her family has had to face simply because of their religious practice.

Tibetan Public Talk  Interview with Ama Tsekye

Or view the video on the server at:

https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/TibetanPublicTalkAmaTsekye.mp4

Dorje Shugden practitioners from all walks of life have suffered discrimination and even physical violence due to their religious beliefs. In this interview we meet Ama Tsekye, an elderly woman who has been persecuted due to her practice of Dorje Shugden. She faced difficulties arranging the funeral of her late husband and is now estranged with her own children because of her religious views. This was due to the intolerance and hatred directed at Dorje Shugden practitioners by those who do not believe in religious freedom within the Tibetan community.

Tibetan Public Talk  The True Facts  Part 1

Or view the video on the server at:

https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/TibetanPublicTalkTheTrueFactsPart1.mp4

In this video, Tibetan Dorje Shugden practitioners give an account of the suppression and discrimination they had to endure because of the ban on Dorje Shugden which was enforced by the Tibetan leadership on the Tibetan community.

Tibetan Public Talk  The True Facts  Part 2

Or view the video on the server at:

https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/TibetanPublicTalkTheTrueFactsPart2.mp4

In this video, Tibetan Dorje Shugden practitioners give an account of the suppression and discrimination they had to endure because of the ban on Dorje Shugden which was enforced by the Tibetan leadership on the Tibetan community.

Disclaimer: These videos belong to a third party(s). Permission was granted for us to upload here. These video are not being used for any commercial purposes, it is being used for educational purposes only.



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With Donald Trump securing the mandate, it is time to know who are likely to be in his cabinet of ministers.

By India Today Web Desk: For starters he does not have a dedicated cadre of insiders and donors to fashion his cabinet from. Probably to counter it, over a period of months he has been quietly building up his choice of activists and industry giants that would form the core of his Presidential cabinet. Some of the choices are obvious and others will be controversial.

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POTENTIAL CANDIDATES



Forest Lucas of Lucas Oil or big donor Steven Mnuchin, staunch supporters Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani, Sen. Cocker and Sen. Jeff Sessions may be in the running for a cabinet berth.

The top job of Secretary of State may go to Newt Gingrich which will be a positive news for India. The heavily pro-Indian Gingrich is also the honorary chairman of the Hindu Republican Coalition. He has been one of PM Modi's vociferous supporters and had at one point of time said that Modi and Trump are a natural fit.

Senator Bob Corker is another one in contention for the top job. He is the current chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He had some strong words on India's trafficking scene ahead of Modi's last visit to the USA.

Steven Munuchin is the future POTUS favourite for the Treasury Secretary's job. This Goldman Sachs veteran of 17 years is a major Trump campaign donor and supporter.

The Secretary of Defense portfolio could go to former NSA Stephen Hadley, Sen. Jeff Sessions and former senator Jim Talent may be in the running too. Top confidante Lt. Gen Mike Flynn (retd) would need a Congressional waiver to get the portfolio as military officers need to wait seven years to accept post at pentagon - by law. He may end up as NSA for now.

Former New York mayor Rudy Guiliani is said to be in the running for the post of Attorney General. Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi may be in contention too.

Forrest Lucas could get the post of Interior Secretary. So could venture capitalist Robert Grady. A surprise choice could be Sarah Palin.

The controversial Sid Miller, the current secretary of agriculture in Texas could be in the running for the post of Agricultural Secretary. So could a bevy of names like former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman, Chuck Connor, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.

Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross and former Texas Governor Rick Perry is thought to be in the running for the post of Commerce Secretary.

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Victoria Lipnic, the Commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission since 2010 could be Trump's choice for Labour Secretary. Incidentally Lipnic was considered for the same job by the Mitt Romney transition team in 2012.

Trump's friend for long, Harold Hamm is seen as the frontrunner for the Energy Secretary's job. It is a job some experts see as Hamm's to pass. Ex neurosurgeon and competitor turned endorser Ben Carson leads the list of speculation for the Education Secretary's job. Veterans' Affairs Chairman Jeff Miller is tipped for the Veterans Affairs Secretary and David Clarke - the Sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wis. Is a favourite for the Homeland Security Secretary's post.

POTUS elect trump had earlier called for eliminating the Environment Protection Agency but rather changed his stance. Now either Myron Ebell, sometimes termed a climate skeptic or venture capitalist Robert Grady will be the next Environmental Protection Agency administrator.

Names making the round for the post of Health and Human Services secretary are Newt Gingrich, Ben Carson and Florida Gov. Rick Scott. Former GOP candidate Carson seems to be the current favourite.

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The Turkish Foreign Ministry has said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini's statements concerning Turkey were "unacceptable".

In a statement released Tuesday afternoon, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said the EU "had lost credibility among Turkish people" concerning the fight against terrorism.

The European Union issued a statement Tuesday, calling on Turkey to "safeguard its parliamentary democracy, including the respect for human rights, the rule of law, fundamental freedoms and the right of everyone to a fair trial, also in conformity with its commitments as a candidate country."

The statement issued by Mogherini said the recent events in Turkey were "extremely worrying".

Turkey "should pursue" the PKK as a terrorist group but the arrest of lawmakers from "a legal Kurdish party was polarizing society," the statement said.

"A return to a credible political process and to a genuine political dialogue is essential for the country's democracy and stability in the region," it added.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry, in its statement, responded: "The EU -- which did not give us the support we expected from them after the July 15 coup attempt and adopted a prejudiced attitude -- unfortunately insists on not understanding Turkey's sensitivities regarding the fight against terrorism."

The co-chairs and several other deputies of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) have been remanded in custody since Friday for failing to answer summons linked to a counter-terrorism investigation before public prosecutors.

The lawmakers face prosecution under anti-terrorism laws after their parliamentary immunity was lifted earlier this year.

Anadolu Agency
The build-up of tanks and armored vehicles in the border town of Silopi will prevent PKK terrorists from securing a base in northern Iraqs Sinjar region, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Tuesday.

Reiterating earlier comments by Turkeys defense minister and president, Cavusoglu warned that Turkey would not stand by while the PKK expanded their influence across the region.

We have taken our measures especially against the PKK, which is trying to turn Sinjar, under the guise of protecting Ezidis, into Qandil, he said, referring to the PKKs main base on the Iraq-Iran border.

One of the purposes of sending a certain number of troops and our armed forces lately is this. We will never allow such things. We will not.

Armored columns headed into Silopi, which lies on the Turkish border with Iraq and Syria, last week.

The operation to liberate Mosul from Daesh has seen the PKK move into Sinjar, an area heavily populated by Ezidis that lies around 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Mosul and around 100 km (62 miles) southwest of the Turkish border.

The PKK and its Syrian offshoot the PYD are listed as terror groups by Turkey although the U.S. and EU only view the PKK as a terrorist organization.

Cavusoglu was speaking at a parliamentary planning and budget commission in capital Ankara.

Last week, Defense Minister Fikri Isik said Turkey was not obliged to wait behind its borders if PKK terrorists moved into Sinjar. Previously, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had warned that the terror group was already in the area.

Cavusoglu said Ankara had warned the governments in Baghdad and Erbil, capital of the Kurdish autonomous region in northern Iraq, as well as coalition officials against allowing a PKK foothold in the region.

It will be very difficult to manage possible disasters and crisis later on, he said. The speakers of the PKK have been making constant statements and talking about involvement in the Mosul operation [and] entering Tal Afar.

Tal Afar lies between Sinjar and Mosul. It is the route fleeing Daesh terrorists are expected to take if they are forced out of Mosul and head to their remaining stronghold Raqqah in Syria.

Turning to the Turkish camp in Bashiqa, to the northeast of Mosul, where troops have trained Kurdish and Iraqi fighters, Cavusoglu said Turkey aimed to take the camp into coalition and work with Iraq.

Baghdad has complained that the camps existence is an infringement of Iraqi sovereignty.

Anadolu Agency
If you found over Five Thousand dollars in cash, what would you do? Would you return it? Wel
Donald John Trump is the 45th President of the United States. Here's a look at what Trump's opinion on India has been so far.

By India Today Web Desk: Minutes after winning one of the most closely-contested elections in the history of America, President-elect Donald Trump was congratulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Modi took to Twitter to appreciate "the friendship" articulated by Trump during his campaign, and hoped the two countries would take their bilateral relationship to "new heights".

Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on being elected as the 45th US President. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

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Let's first look at what Trump's opinion on India has been so far.

ALSO READ: Hillary concedes defeat, bid for 'herstory' as first woman US President fails



TRUMP's OPINION ON INDIA



Riding on a strong anti-establishment vote and stunning poll pundits and the media, the Republican nominee scored dramatic wins in key states on his controversial path to US Presidency, stunning rival Hillary Clinton's camp.



In the run-up to one of the most bitterly-contested elections in US history, we saw Trump attending a Hindu Republican Coalition in New Jersey where he famously said, "I have great respect for Hindus. I have so many friends that are Hindu. They are great people, amazing entrepreneurs."

ALSO READ: Beijing welcomes Trump rise despite tough trade talk



While Trump can be forgiven for mistaking every Indian as Hindu, it does point towards the kind of identity politics that worked for the Republicans this year - not dissimilar to how the BJP woos Hindus in this country. We have already seen a fringe-group like the Hindu Sena celebrating Donald Trump as its hero, or Mumbai's Vishnudham temple performing a 'yagna' for the controversial billionaire's victory in the US.



We also saw a huge interest among right-wing political commentators, celebrities and social media trolls in India for Trump, who evoked the kind of awe not dissimilar to Modi's appeal in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha election.



The question is: what does Donald Trump as the US President mean for India?

ALSO READ: US Election Results: Investors see no let up to market bloodbath if Trump wins presidency



WHAT INDIA LOSES



But beyond the optics of majoritarianism and racism lies the cold world of business and economy or a more complex world of international and strategic relations.



Which is where the India-US relations have the most stake under Trump. And Trump has been vocal about some of the issues he has with how that relation has panned out, especially in the last two dacades after India opened its markets in early 1990s.

ALSO READ: US Election Results: Republicans defend US House majority, Senate on razor's edge



Trump belongs to the more conservative strand of the American thought which believes that free trade - and many of its accompaniments like immigration, outsourcing or treaties with countries - must be renegogiated on American terms.



"I know the outer world exists... But at what point do you say, 'Hey, we have to take care of ourselves?'" Trump had told The Washington Post.



His hawkish slogans like 'America First' and 'Make America Great Again' means we can expect a rethink on the H1B visa issued to thousands of Indian professionals, mainly from the Information Technolgy sector, every year. Indian software giants like Infosys and TCS are likely to be hurt.

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ALSO READ: California's Kamala Harris first Indian-American to win a US Senate seat



Trump, a businessman, contends that excessive federal regulations are stifling economic growth and sapping entrepreneurial energy. The New York real estate developer has vowed to cut taxes for everyone in the US, stop spending billions of dollars on UN climate programs and shift the money to domestic spending.



With a promise to reduce the US corporate tax from 35 to 15 per cent, we can also expect American corporates head back to the US, upsetting Modi's 'Make in India' programme.



WHAT INDIA GAINS



When it comes to Pakistan, the Modi government may find one of its biggest allies in Trump who once called India's neighbour "probably the most dangerous country in the world". His assessment was similar to that of outgoing President Barack Obama, who once called Pakistan a "dangerously dysfunctional" country.

ALSO READ: World in shock as Donald Trump wins US election



The sentiment is, of course, consistent with India's position too. Modi recently called Pakistan "a safe haven of terrorists" while the Indian diplomat at the UN said the country is the Ivy League of terrorism.



As India moves to isolate Pakistan globally following the Uri terror attack and the Army's subsequent surgical strikes remains high, the Modi government may look forward to Trump in the White House.



Also, Trump's open disdain for China, reflected in him calling it one of the main adversaries of the US, could put India at an advantage. The Republican's plans to label China a "currency manipulator" and impose more taxes if Beijing fails to renegotiate trade deals might be a boost for the Indian economy.

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ALSO READ: US Election Results: Voters talk of decisions and tensions

ALSO READ: Trump's Wall Street fans cheer as markets churn



--- ENDS ---
Foxtel and AFTRS have announced a new Screenwriting scholarship of $20,000 with a focus on diversity.

The FOXTEL Screenwriting Scholarship will be awarded to an emerging screenwriter to enable them to complete the AFTRS Master of Arts Screen: Screenwriting.

The successful applicant may also have the opportunity to undertake a work attachment at Foxtel.

It will be awarded over the next three years.

Bruce Meagher, Foxtels Group Director  Corporate Affairs said: At Foxtel we work to create a positive future for Australian media, arts and film and we invest in and empower the next generation of Australians working to enter our industry. Our long-standing relationship with AFTRS allows us to support talented screenwriters through this new annual scholarship. We look forward to building a relationship with the recipient of the 2016 scholarship over the course of their Masters.

AFTRS CEO Neil Peplow said: AFTRS values Foxtels commitment to nurturing exceptional new talent in our industry and we are delighted to extend our partnership with this new scholarship initiative. AFTRS and Foxtel are both committed to encouraging the development of diverse Australian stories and so a preference will be given to scholarship applicants from diverse backgrounds.

The purpose of this scholarship is to expand and enrich AFTRS student community by recognising and supporting an outstanding Master of Arts Screen: Screenwriting student, selected on the basis of merit from eligible students from diverse cultural, ethnic or socio-economic backgrounds, or from otherwise underrepresented minority groups.

Students offered a place can apply for the Foxtel Screenwriting Scholarship from Monday 19 December. The scholarship will support living expenses while studying, FEE Help is also available to cover course fees.

Applications close on November 18.

Disclaimer: AFTRS advertises at TV Tonight.
Foxtels decision to close down Presto has resulted in a quarterly loss of $21 million (AU$27 million), News Corp has announced.

Foxtels net income in the three months ended September 30, 2016 included a $21 million loss resulting from Foxtel managements decision to cease Presto operations in January 2017, News Corp said in its financial results report.

Foxtels net income of $16 million decreased from $42 million in the prior year period, News Corp added.

Presto had approximately 130,000 paying subscribers as of September 30, 2016, who will be invited to transition to the new Foxtel Play packages.

Mumbrella reports Foxtel is shown in the results as having an US$11m loss for the quarter, which includes write-downs by News in the value of finite-lived tangible assets of the company. However, that number applies only to News half of the business, which it co-owns with Telstra.

Overall, Foxtels net income increased 1% on the year before due to higher subscribers, with the company claiming 2.9m subscribers as of September 30. However, it does not state whether that includes the 130,000 named Presto subscribers.

Source: ZDNet
His triumph over Hillary Clinton ends eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House and threatens to undo Barack Obama's achievements.

Voters line up in voting booths to cast their ballots at Robious Elementary School in Richmond, Virginia. The 30-ft. x 12-ft. image in the background was painted by 3rd and 4th graders at the school in preparation for Veterans Day. AP photo

By AP: Donald Trump was elected America's 45th president, an astonishing victory for a celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalized on voters' economic anxieties, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations on his way to the White House. HOW IT HAPPENED: MINUTE BY MINUTE



His triumph over Hillary Clinton will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House and threatens to undo major achievements of President Barack Obama. He's pledged to act quickly to repeal Obama's landmark health care law, revoke the nuclear agreement with Iran and rewrite important trade deals with other countries, particularly Mexico and Canada.

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The Republican blasted through Democrats' longstanding firewall, carrying Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that hadn't voted for a GOP presidential candidate since the 1980s. He needed to win nearly all of the competitive battleground states, and he did just that, claiming Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and others.



Also read: Hillary Clinton concedes defeat, bid for 'herstory' as first woman US President fails



Also Read: World in shock as Donald Trump wins US election



Global stock markets and US stock futures plunged deeply, reflecting investor alarm over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.

A New York real estate developer who lives in a sparking Manhattan high-rise, Trump forged a striking connection with white, working class Americans who feel left behind in a changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of the problems plaguing many Americans and taped into fears of terrorism emanating at home and abroad.

READ: What President Donald Trump could mean for Modi and India



Trump will take office with Congress expected to be fully under Republican control. GOP Senate candidates fended off Democratic challengers in key states and appeared poised to maintain the majority. Republicans also maintained their grip on the House.

Senate control means Trump will have great leeway in appointing Supreme Court justices, which could mean a major change to the right that would last for decades.

US President-elect Donald Trump, along with his family and running mate Mike Pence, addresses supporters during his election night rally in Manhattan, New York, US. Reuters

Trump upended years of political convention on his way to the White House, leveling harshly personal insults on his rivals, deeming Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers, and vowing to temporarily suspend Muslim immigration to the US He never released his tax returns, breaking with decades of campaign tradition, and eschewed the kind of robust data and field efforts that helped Obama win two terms in the White House, relying instead on his large, free-wheeling rallies to energize supporters. His campaign was frequently in chaos, and he cycled through three campaign managers this year.

His final campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, touted the team's accomplishments as the final results rolled in, writing on Twitter that "rally crowds matter" and "we expanded the map."

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Read: Oh my God! America will have a president who said such things



The mood at Clinton's party grew bleak as the night wore out, with some supporters leaving, others crying and hugging each other. Top campaign aides stopped returning calls and texts, as Clinton and her family hunkered down in a luxury hotel watching the returns.

At 2 am, Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta told the crowd to head home for the night. "We're still counting votes and every vote should count," he said.

Trump will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture.

Hello President Trump, here's what Twitter feels about your win



Exit polls underscored the fractures: Women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

Read: Beijing welcomes Trump rise despite tough trade talk



US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives to speak at his election night rally with his son Barron and Melania in Manhattan, New York. Reuters

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Doug Ratliff, a 67-year-old businessman from Richlands, Virginia, said Trump's election would be one of the happiest days of his life.

"This county has had no hope," said Ratliff, who owns strip malls in the area badly beaten by the collapse of the coal industry. "You have no idea what it would mean for the people if Trump won. They'll have hope again. Things will change. I know he's not going to be perfect. But he's got a heart. And he gives people hope."

Trump has pledged to usher in a series of sweeping changes to US domestic and foreign policy: repealing Obama's signature health care law, though he has been vague on what he could replace it with; building a wall along the US-Mexico border; and suspending immigration from country's with terrorism ties. He's also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoken of building a better relationship with Moscow, worrying some in his own party who fear he'll go easy on Putin's provocations.

First Lady of the US Melania Trump steals the show in a jumpsuit, at President Donald Trump's victory speech



The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

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House Speaker Paul Ryan, a reluctant Trump supporter, called the businessman earlier in the evening to congratulate him, according to a Ryan spokeswoman.

Democrats, as well as some Republicans, expected Trump's unconventional candidacy would damage down-ballot races and even flip some reliably red states in the presidential race. But Trump held on to Republican territory, including in Georgia and Utah, where Clinton's campaign confidently invested resources.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in her party's hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Barack Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his signature health care law.

But she struggled throughout the race with persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. Those troubles flared anew late in the race, when FBI Director James Comey announced a review of new emails from her tenure at the State Department. On Sunday, just two days before Election Day, Comey said there was nothing in the material to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.





--- ENDS ---
Russian-backed militants launched 54 attacks on positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Donbas over the past day.

This is reported by the ATO Headquarters press center.

In particular, the militants launched 32 attacks on ATO troops in Mariupol direction. Ukrainian positions near Pavlopol (30 km northeast of Mariupol), Novotroitske (32km south of Donetsk), Marinka (35 km south-west of Donetsk) were shelled from small arms and grenade launchers.

Six ceasefire violations by militants were recorded in Donetsk direction. The terrorists shelled Ukrainian positions in Pisky (12km north-west of Donetsk), using grenade launchers, and in Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk), using machine guns and 82mm mortars. ATO troops in Avdiyivka (18km north of Donetsk) came under 82mm and 120mm mortar, grenade launcher, machine gun, small arm fire.

In Luhansk direction, the enemy launched 16 attacks on Ukrainian positions. In particular, the enemy used machine guns, grenade launchers, and small arms to shell Novozvanivka (70km west of Luhansk) and Novooleksandrivka (65km west of Luhansk).

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No Ukrainian soldier was killed, but three servicemen were wounded in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone in eastern Ukraine over the last day, Ukrainian Defense Ministrys Spokesperson for ATO issues Colonel Andriy Lysenko stated.

No Ukrainian soldier was killed, but three our servicemen were wounded as a result of combat actions over the past day, Lysenko said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. iy
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov held a meeting with Ambassador of Great Britain to Ukraine Judith Gough.

During the meeting, the interlocutors discussed the topical issues of cooperation between Ukraine and Great Britain, the situation in the East of Ukraine, and the systematic violations of the Minsk agreements by the Russian-terrorist groupings, the NSDC press service reported.

Secretary of the NSDC of Ukraine stressed the importance of strengthening the partnership relations between our countries, including in the military-technical sphere.

In turn, Judith Gough emphasized that Great Britain supported and will continue to support Ukraine "in matters of protecting its territorial integrity and on its way of implementing reforms and European integration".

The interlocutors acknowledged the need to prolong sanctions against the Russian Federation for curbing Russia's aggressive militaristic actions, which pose a threat to peace in Europe.

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US policy regarding support for Ukraines territorial integrity and Ukrainian democracy will remain unchanged after the elections.

US Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Ukraine Marie L. Yovanovitch said this to journalists on the occasion of the presidential elections in the United States, which took place at the American House in Kyiv on Wednesday morning, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The US policy towards Ukraine has been very clear over the past 25 years. There is a bipartisan consensus in support of the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine and the Ukrainian democracy. And I think it will be remain unchanged in the future," the US diplomat said.

According to her, the US wants to see Ukraine as a democratic, peaceful, secure, and prosperous country, and it is interested in a strong bilateral partnership.

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President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has expressed gratitude to the EU Council for the introduction of additional personal sanctions in connection with the illegal "parliamentary elections" in annexed Crimea.

The Head of State wrote this on Twitter.

"I welcome the European Council decision to introduce additional personal sanctions in connection with the illegal "parliamentary elections" in Crimea," reads a statement.

The President also thanked the EU "for the preservation of policy of non-recognition of illegal annexation of Crimea and strengthening of sanction pressure on the Russian aggressor."

ish
On November 10, 2016, Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman will pay a working trip to Kherson region.

This has been reported by Governments portal.

The agenda of the PMs visit includes familiarizing with the program of attraction of investments and prospects of development of the Kherson International Airport.

Groysman will also visit Kherson State Maritime Academy, where he is to get acquainted with the education process, innovations in modern education and training facilities, meet with cadets and faculty members.

The program also contains visiting of Institute of Irrigation Farming, Ukrainian Academy of Agrarian Sciences, where Volodymyr Groysman is to get familiarized with modern scientific approaches to agriculture on irrigated and rainfed lands in the southern regions of Ukraine and to hold a workshop with agricultural producers in Kherson region.

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President Petro Poroshenko has congratulated Donald Trump on winning the presidential elections in the United States that took place on November 8.

This has been reported by the press service of the Head of State.

My sincere congratulations to Donald Trump on being elected President of the United States and to the friendly American nation on democratic expression of will. This is a symbol of true democracy when nobody knew the results of the elections until the very last moment, the Head of State said at the meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.

Petro Poroshenko emphasized that winning the highest office in the state, the new President of the United States also assumed responsibility for the global leadership of the United States in the democratic world.

The President is hopeful that the U.S. would continue to provide that support in two important spheres - struggle of Ukrainians against Russian aggression, for freedom and independence, restoration of sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as in the implementation of large-scale reforms in various spheres, starting from the fight against corruption, implementation of constitutional amendments on justice, reformation of public procurement system, security and defense etc.

The President invited newly elected President of the United States Donald Trump to visit Ukraine.

ish
PM Narendra Modi said he looked forward to working with newly elected US President Donald Trump closely to take India-US bilateral ties to new heights.

By Kumar Shakti Shekhar: Soon after results for the US presidential election were announced, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Republican candidate Donald Trump on being elected as the 45th US President. In a series of three tweets, Narendra Modi said he appreciated the friendship Donald Trump had articulated towards India during his campaign.

PM Modi said he looked forward to working with Trump closely to take India-US bilateral ties to new heights.

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PM Narendra Modi's expectations may not be misplaced because of the similarities between him and Donald Trump. Though there are differences too but the same qualities will hopefully draw them closer.

READ: Here's how the American media reacted to Trump's victory





1. NOMINATION DESPITE INTERNAL RESISTANCE

PM Narendra Modi faced immense internal opposition to his elevation as BJP's prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. A faction led by BJP patriarch LK Advani and consisting of senior party leaders like Sushma Swaraj, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Raman Singh respectively, was part of the effort to stall Modi's prospects as party's PM face.

Advani had refused to attend BJP's National Council meeting in Goa in June 2013 when the party elevated Narendra Modi, the then Gujarat Chief Minister, as its chief of election campaign committee. On September 13 the same year, Advani didn't just boycott the BJP's meeting to declare Narendra Modi its prime ministerial candidate but also wrote an angry letter protesting the working of the party under the then party president Rajnath Singh, the present Union Home Minister.

Despite this opposition from a strong faction, Narendra Modi succeeded in getting projected as the party's prime ministerial candidate.

Similarly, this is the first time since 1964 that the Grand Old Party (GOP) of the USA nominated a candidate who was openly opposed by its establishment. In fact, Donald Trump was disliked by his own party's establishment. The GOP brass held him in low regard. Despite this, Donald Trump managed to get nominated as the Presidential candidate, eventually winning the election.

READ: World in shock as Donald Trump wins US election



2. THE OUTSIDER

As far as administrative experience is concerned, Narendra Modi had never been elected to Parliament. In his first election as an MP, he became the Prime Minister. However, he had a long stint as Chief Minister of Gujarat. Interestingly, he had never been an MLA before becoming the CM.

Similarly, in the case of Donald Trump, this is for the first time since 1940 that a candidate nominated a presidential candidate lacks any governmental or military experience. While Donald Trump is a millionaire, the last presidential nominee without political or military experience was Wendell Willkie. The GOP nominated Willkie based on his strong record as a business executive.

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READ: Donald Trump elected 45th US President, says it's time to renew the American dream

3. ANTI-MUSLIM IMAGE

Due to the 2002 Gujarat riots, Congress and the Left-Liberals have labelled Narendra Modi as anti-Muslim. Congress president Sonia Gandhi had gone to the extent of calling Narendra Modi, the then Gujarat Chief Minister, a "maut ka saudagar" (merchant of death). Though investigative agencies and the courts gave him a clean chit, a section of the Indian population has held him guilty of massacre of Muslims in the riots which followed the burning of Godhra train.

Unlike Narendra Modi, who has not said anything openly against the Muslims, Donald Trump has been vocal. He has spoken against Islam and even proposed a ban on the entry of Muslims into the US.

Also Read:

Beijing welcomes Trump rise despite tough trade talk

What President Donald Trump could mean for Modi and India

Hillary Clinton concedes defeat, bid for 'herstory' as first woman US President fails



--- ENDS ---
President Petro Poroshenko held a phone conversation with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

This has been reported by the press service of the Head of State.

The President congratulated the leader of Azerbaijan on the Day of National Flag celebrated on November 9.

The parties expressed contentment with the fulfillment of the agreements following the Fifth session of the Council of Presidents held in Baku on July 14.

The President of Ukraine thanked Ilham Aliyev for consistent and unwavering support of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The parties discussed coordination of actions and mutual support within the UN and other international organizations.

Petro Poroshenko invited the President of Azerbaijan to make an official visit to Ukraine and the invitation was gratefully accepted.

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Published November 9, 2016

MONROE, La.  During the month of October, three University of Louisiana Monroe faculty from the Health Studies program presented at national conferences.

Associate professors of health studies, Dr. Paula Griswold and Dr. Jessica Dolecheck, presented a poster presentation at the 2016 Assessment Institute held in Indianapolis, Ind. on Oct. 16-18.

The Assessment Institute in Indianapolis is the nations oldest and largest event focused exclusively on outcomes assessment in higher education. This years event focused on outcomes assessment in higher education with approximately 1,500 in attendance.

Griswold and Dolechecks poster presentation was titled Assessment Strategies Used in an Undergraduate Community-Based Healthcare Practicum at ULM. It provided valuable information to other educators on how to design a practicum, develop community partnerships and assess student outcomes.

The Health Studies Practicum has grown significantly over the years with now 92 contracts in Louisiana and beyond, said Dolecheck. I am amazed at how this has evolved and the impact this has on job placement for our students and with our healthcare agencies in the region.

The practicum experience is a wonderful opportunity for our students to receive real-world healthcare experiences with our community partners while still in an academic setting, said Griswold, who serves as the practicum coordinator for the health studies program.

Other relevant topics at the Institute included ePortfolios, faculty development, graduate education, and high impact practices.

Kim Theodos, assistant professor of health studies, attended and presented at the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) National Convention in Baltimore, Md. on Oct. 16-19.

Founded in 1928, AHIMA is the premier association of health information management (HIM) professionals worldwide. This years convention brought approximately 4,500 people.

Theodos presentation was titled "Electronic Discovery Challenges and Solutions."

She also served as an elected delegate for the state of Louisiana HIM Association (LHIMA) at the AHIMA House of Delegates meeting held in conjunction with the National Convention. She was a past Chair of this National Convention Planning committee which planned the educational sessions for the entire conference.
Here's what Hollywood celebrities are saying about the new President of the United States.

By India Today Web Desk: In an unexpected win, Donald Trump crushed opponent Hillary Clinton in the presidential election, against all odds, polls, and projections. While supporters cheered him on, Hollywood doesn't seem too happy.

ALSO READ: Bollywood reacts to Donald Trump's win, says the end is near

ALSO READ: Hello President Trump, here's what Twitter feels about your win



This is an embarrassing night for America. We've let a hatemonger lead our great nation. We've let a bully set our course. I'm devastated.

Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) November 9, 2016





Tonight I'm numb like when my father died or when I watched the towers fall in NY advertisement I know it's not the same but the sadness & uncertainty is Billy Baldwin (@BillyBaldwin) November 9, 2016





well this is utterly terrifying Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) November 9, 2016





?? A photo posted by Kate Hudson (@katehudson) on Nov 8, 2016 at 8:40pm PST





No matter what happens tonight, hate will never win. I believe in our capacity to love. We will fight to protect it. Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) November 9, 2016

Trump's win comes as a blow to many Hollywood celebrities who were vocal about their support for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Clinton was the Presidential candidate of choice to Madonna, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Meryl Streep, among others.

WATCH DONALD TRUMP'S VICTORY SPEECH HERE:

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German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, an ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, described the result as a "huge shock" and questioned whether it meant the end of "Pax Americana."

By Reuters: Governments from Asia to Europe reacted with stunned disbelief on Wednesday to the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election, while populists hailed the result as a triumph of the people over a failed political establishment.

German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, an ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, described the result as a "huge shock" and questioned whether it meant the end of "Pax Americana", the state of relative peace overseen by Washington that has governed international relations since World War Two.

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French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault pledged to work with Trump but said his personality "raised questions" and he admitted to being unsure what a Trump presidency would mean for key foreign policy challenges, from climate change and the West's nuclear deal with Iran to the war in Syria.

Also read:

Donald Trump elected 45th US President, says it's time to renew the American dream



"Looks like this will be the year of the double disaster of the West," former Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt said on Twitter, pointing to Britain's vote in June to leave the European Union. "Fasten seat belts," he said.

Meanwhile, right-wing populists from Australia to France cheered the result as a body blow for the political establishment.

"Their world is falling apart. Ours is being built," Florian Philippot, a senior figure in France's National Front (FN), tweeted. Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of the party and father of its leader Marine, said: "Today the United States, tomorrow France!"

Also read:

Beijing welcomes Trump rise despite tough trade talk



Beatrix von Storch, deputy leader of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, said: "Donald Trump's victory is a sign that citizens of the western world want a clear change in policy."

During the US election campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested that Japan and South Korea should be allowed to develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defence burden.

He has vowed to undo a global deal on climate change struck by world powers in Paris last year and renegotiate the deal between Tehran and the West which eased sanctions against the Islamic Republic in exchange for allowing close monitoring of its nuclear programme.

Also read:

What President Donald Trump could mean for Modi and India



But many western governments are unsure whether Trump, a real estate mogul and former reality TV star with no government experience, will follow through on his campaign pledges, some of which would turn the post-war order on its head.

"We're realising now that we have no idea what this American president will do if the voice of anger enters office and the voice of anger becomes the most powerful man in the world," Norbert Roettgen, a conservative ally of Merkel and head of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee, told German radio. "Geopolitically we are in a very uncertain situation."

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Prominent historian Simon Schama described a Trump victory and Republican control of both the Senate and U.S. House of Representatives as a "genuinely frightening prospect".

Also read:

Hillary Clinton concedes defeat, bid for 'herstory' as first woman US President fails



"NATO will be under pressure to disintegrate, the Russians will make trouble, 20 million people will lose their health insurance, climate change (policies) will be reversed, bank regulation will be liquidated. Do you want me to go on?," Schama told the BBC.

"Of course it's not Hitler. There are many varieties of fascism. I didn't say he was a Nazi although neo-Nazis are celebrating."

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Here is a look at Donald Trump's tweets and statements on Pakistan.

By India Today Web Desk: What can be called as one of the most excruciating presidential elections has finally concluded with the victory of Republican candidate Donald Trump.

From sweeping statements to vilification of his critics and opponents, Trump's campaign grabbed eyeballs with every step. Trump at a recent event had admitted his love for 'Hindu' and how much he admired India, he never minced words to express his thoughts on the neighbouring Pakistan.

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Just as President-elect Republican Donald Trump reels in his new-found victory, here is a look at some of his tweets targeting Pakistan.

Trump has been critical of Pakistan ever since Osama Bin Laden was killed by United States Navy Seal in Pakistan. In a tweet from 2012, the real estate-mogul-turned-politician expressed his displeasure with Pakistan for providing a haven to terror mastermind Laden.

When will Pakistan apologize to us for providing safe sanctuary to Osama Bin Laden for 6 years?! Some "ally." Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 5, 2012



In an earlier tweet from January 2012, Trump stated that Pakistan was not a friend of the United States.

Get it straight: Pakistan is not our friend. Weve given them billions and billions of dollars, and what (cont) http://t.co/O5S4cQV3 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2012

The president-elect was vocal about his displeasure with radical Islamic attack in Pakistan. In one of his tweets he has condemned an attack that claimed the lives of 67 Christian children and women.

Another radical Islamic attack, this time in Pakistan, targeting Christian women & children. At least 67 dead,400 injured. I alone can solve Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 27, 2016



The real estate mogul had in the recent past even termed Pakistan a "vital problem". "They have a thing called nuclear weapons," he said adding that "They have to get better hold of the situation."

After the Lahore suicide blast in March this year, the Republican candidate not only condemned the attack but also stated that he alone can save the issue of radicalism.

Meanwhile, several leaders from Pakistan including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has congratulated Trumps decisive victory.

"On behalf of the government and people of Pakistan, and on my own behalf, I wish to extend to you and the people of the United States, our most sincere felicitations on your election as the 45th President of the United States," Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said.

Also read: 2 sides of same coin? Here's what Donald Trump and PM Modi have in common



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"Most importantly, your momentous success is a testimony to the confidence that the people of the United States have reposed in your leadership, vision and commitment to serve your great country," Sharif added.



Political figures like Parvez Musharraf and Bilawal Bhutto to tweeted to congratulate Trump.

I congratulate President-Elect Donald Trump on his historic election as the President of the United States. I... https://t.co/0WO4Gbpfg6 Pervez Musharraf (@P_Musharraf) November 9, 2016

Also read:

Congrats President elect Donald Trump: Barack Obama makes the call, they meet tomorrow



Donald trumps Hillary Clinton. Says he will be President of all Americans, rebuild

Donald Trump tweets: Such a beautiful evening, will come together as never before



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Huawei, now the world's third-largest smartphone maker, aims to beat Apple Inc. in its own game and plans to do it soon.

Richard Yu, chief executive of Huawei's consumer business group, told Reuters that China's Huawei Technologies is aims to nab the second spot from Apple in a matter of two years. In addition to his expectations of improving Huawei's current position in the technology world, Yu said they are going to take Apple step-by-step, innovation-by-innovation to reach the goal.

Yu claimed that it can be done by winning the trust and loyalty of the consumers. He said that the business is all about trust and loyalty.

Where did Huawei get such assertiveness? Huawei's records in the industry over the past few years will lead us to that much coveted answer.

Huawei became known as a builder of telecommunications networks, but in just a few years after deciding they wanted to sell phones, the company reached the third spot in the smartphone making industry. By 2015, it has beaten Xiaomi and has become China's fastest-growing smartphone manufacturer.

It has successfully shipped more than 33.6 million devices with 9 percent of market share. Since then, Huawei bagged the status of third-biggest maker of a smartphone in the third quarter of this year, according to Strategy Analytics research firm.

Meanwhile, Apple has shipped 45.5 million devices and covered 12 percent share of the smartphone market.

With their outstanding record, referring to Huawei as confident is an understatement. Huawei's chief executive thinks that they can be number one in five years.

According to Chron, China can get past Apple by setting its sight on the current number one. Samsung had a separate line of smartphone products.

Now on the lead, Samsung boasts a galaxy phone line that they offer in developed markets and a low/mid-range offered in a developing market. This strategy helped Samsung get to the top.

Huawei has began its its efforts to beat Apple. They have been reaching out to price-sensitive markets like India and China. With their affordable handsets in these markets, they had already increased their market share.
Pangu has remained tight-lipped about iOS 10 jailbreak tool, thus, netizens speculate that the Chinese developer team has given up to the enhanced security features of Apple operating system. However, aside from Pangu, there is a group of hacker who discover new ways how to jailbreak iPhone, iPod and iPad. Check it out!

Pangu's Silence Means One Thing

Pangu normally releases a jailbreak tool two to three weeks after Apple released its newest beta. But this time, things have been slower from Pangu's end because it's been a month and no iOS 10 jailbreak tool has been released from the team.

For this reason, netizens started to speculate that the notorious hacker Pangu has already raised the white flag and had stop looking for ways to deliver an iOS 10 jailbreak tool. According to Neurogadget, the newly released iOS 10.0.2 has brought some improvements and bug fixes and this might be the cause of the delay of iOS 10 jailbreak from Pangu.

Hackers Discover New iOS 10 Jailbreak Tool

Despite Pangu's silence, another group of hackers have been constantly working around into breaking in the Apple iOS 10. According to Mobipicker, the team named themselves as Unlock-Jailbreak team and claimed that their newly developed iOS 10 jailbreak tool works even better compared to the ones developed by Pangu.

Furthermore, the team also claimed that their iOS 10 jailbreak tool is safe and will not do any harm to the device. But knowing the risks of jailbreaking, users are advised to take precautionary steps especially those who are not technically well-equipped before the jailbreak attempt.

Aside from the alleged working iOS 10 jailbreak from Unlock-Jailbreak team, another hacker named Luca Todesco has reported to have successfully jailbreak the running iOS 10.1.1 in iPhone 7. However, this claim has not been verified and Todesco has not released any jailbreak tool even before, thus, it is concluded that the claim is not true.
There has been news of Nokia's possible return to the smartphone markets, with rumors circulating that it will release two to three models in 2017. Now, the leaked image renders of the Nokia D1C Android Smartphone have cemented these speculations.

These new images from Weibo features the upcoming phone's design and specification details, Gadgets 360 reported. The new phone will come in black, white, and gold color variants. The gold color model will feature a fingerprint scanner located under the Home Button. The other models will have capacitive buttons, which are located at the front. All of these models have their power and volume buttons on the phone's right edge.

The phone will have a 2k display and it will have a 3.5mm headphone jack on its top edge, Phone Radar reported. The bottom part of the phone will have the ports for the speakers and the micro USB. The camera sensor is at the back of the phone, where the company branding is also placed. The SIM card slot is on the side. One obvious aspect of its design is that it has a rectangular shape, but it has rounded metal edges. These renders can't be concrete evidence of how the phones are going to look like though. Fans of the phone must wait for further evidences to be sure.

There were leaked images in the past showing that the Nokia D1C was supposed to have a 2K resolution display. It was also expected to be IP68 dust and water resistant. The past leaks also show that the phone may have a Snapdragon 430 or Snapdragon 820 processor that comes with 3 GB of RAM. The phone is also expected to have a 13-megapixel rear camera, while its front camera may have an 8-megapixel resolution. Just recently, the giant tech company announced that it partnered up with HMD Global to develop new Android-based products.
The students of University of Edinburgh are ready for the Hyperloop challenge. Elon Musk's challenge to the world to create a transportation system that can carry people from point A to point B at a short period of time is taking the scientific world by storm. Will these students from U of Edinburgh be able to carry a passenger through a propulsing capsule down a long tube in vacuum state at the, or near the speed of sound?

And a team at the University of Edinburgh is making a design that could travel 300 meters per second. Their Hyperloop pod design is planned to carry individuals from point A to point B at 1200 km/hr inside the frictionless Hyperloop tube.

The team teases that their dream of making the ride from London to Edinburgh is going to be possible in just 40 minutes, cites Student News Paper. This team calls themselves HypED. HypED is an interdisciplinary group of students from Edinburgh who got together last year to work on SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's Hyperloop design challenge.

SpaceX has awarded HypED at Texas, USA for their passenger friendly design. The pod interior is something that other competitors have not even thought of. The team designed a comfortable reclining chair and the chair slides the passenger into the pod.

Hyperloop One, the long tube that will house the pods, is already out at the United Arab Emirates. Elon Musk himself is working on Hyperloop One, along with his friends at Tesla and SpaceX. Its earlier version was showcased at the Nevada desert using a metal sled. Next year, Hyperloop is going to become the most technologically advanced mode of transport designed to move its subjects rapidly to any point in the world.

The team is hoping to reach the final Hyperloop round and would be able to test their prototype. Like many universities and colleges, U of Edinburgh needs funding for their dream to become a reality.
Given the controversies and rallies and everything in between, this year's presidential election seemed to have gone out of this world. Well, in a way it has because American democracy knows no boundaries and it cannot deny its citizens their basic rights despite a 259 mile distance. Yes, NASA's astronauts cast their votes from space.

Shane Kimbrough left Earth last month to head Expedition 50 to the International Space Station (ISS) and will not be back until February. Kimbrough, told reporters that astronauts are mostly apolitical and will welcome whoever becomes the 45th president, can proudly say, "I voted from space."

Fellow astronaut Kate Rubins who was onboard the ISS also cast her vote from space last month since there was a chance that she might be coming home later than planned.

This ultimate absentee voting is made possible by a 19-year-old Texas law that allows astronauts to vote while they are off the planet. This Texas legislature known as Rule 81.35 came into being to give astronauts the chance to vote while they are on a mission since most American astronauts live in Texas.

Astronauts are asked a yead in advance which election they would want to participate in while they are on space. They they are given standard forms: the voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request - Federal Post Card Application."

When its time for them to vote, mission control will send the absentee ballot to the space station for the astronauts to fill out then its returned using a secure connection and stamped with the address "low Earth orbit"

David Wolf was the first astronaut to vote in space while he was on a mission in 1997. Wolf was on board the Russian Mir space station at the time.

Well, those miles away from the polling stations made an effort to keep up with NASA's motto of "Vote while you float." There's no reason for us not to do it here.
With the rising cost of tuition, there are some who believe that a college education is no longer necessary. There are those, though, who continue to persevere.

American families are being burdened by the high price they need to pay for university. First-generation students encounter more challenges as they make their way from college freshmen to graduates.

U.S. News reported that first-generation students are most often unaware of the various financial, social and educational resources that can help them with their college education. Data from the government found that students who are the first in their families to go to college are less likely to graduate within six years.

Experts noted that these first-gen students struggle with feelings of inadequacy as well as other social and psychological issues like imposter syndrome. These contribute to making the transition to college more difficult.

In order to thrive in college, first-generation students would need adequate financial and educational resources. They would also need a strong support system and good time management skills.

The publication spoke with Michelle Carter-Bailey, senior associate admissions adviser at Stony Brook University in New York, and Yolanda Norman, CEO and founder of FirstGenCollege Consulting in Texas, to talk about how first-generation students can survive and thrive in college.

First, knowing how to manage finances is a must. Students should talk to financial aid advisers and learn more about money management. On-campus jobs can give them the flexibility in terms of schedule to work and keep up with their studies.

Yolanda Norman also urged students to speak up in class especially when they don't understand a concept. "Don't be afraid to say, 'Can you explain that differently for me?' and don't be afraid once that class is over to say, 'I didn't really get it,'" she said.

Feeling out of place is common for first-generation students. Norman added that the counseling office is a great resource for students who are struggling.
The U.S. Election Day 2016 has generated a lot of excitement. There is a close fight between Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican bet Donald Trump.

Several media outlets have shared their predictions on who will become the next president of the United States. ABC News predicted that Hillary Clinton may actually win the elections if she is able to carry North Carolina, which would give her a huge boost.

According to USA Today, London-based technology startup Qriously also predicted that Hillary Clinton would win. This is the same company that was able to correctly predict Brexit.

"However, Trump's narrow path to victory through Pennsylvania and North Carolina should worry Democrats," the startup noted. "Clinton hasn't won yet, and winning both toss-ups is still a realistic possibility for Trump."

In a report by The Washington Post, students also weighed in on the U.S. Election Day 2016 results. The data was collected by the American Statistical Association from over 450 high school and college students from more than 30 institutions in nearly 20 states.

It was revealed that 97 percent of the participants believe that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will become the next president. The median projection showed that Clinton is expected to win 49.3 percent of the popular vote, with 332 electoral votes. Trump, on the other hand, is expected to get 43.3 percent of the popular vote with 204 electoral votes.

Participants came from various colleges and universities. The list included Georgetown University, California State University, Indiana University, Florida State College, Oklahoma State University, Purdue University, St. Lawrence University, Texas Tech University and University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign, among others.

It was previously reported that Republican 2016 U.S. presidential elections nominee Donald Trump is losing the vote of college degree-holders. This may be caused by his vague stance on higher education, as opposed to Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton who is vocal in her support for free college.
By PTI: Ahmedabad, Nov 9 (PTI) Police today seized 1,177.76 kg of ganja having a market value of Rs 1.17 crore and arrested six persons in Gujarats Mahisagar district.

The seized cannabis was being grown by cotton farmers at their farms near Santrampur, around 135 km from here, a police official said.

"We seized 1,177.76 kg of ganja that was being cultivated by farmers on the periphery of cotton farms near Santrampur," Mahisagar Superintendent of Police N K Amin said.

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Six persons were arrested in this connection under various sections of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act.

Amin said yesterday Mahisagar Police had seized marijuana worth Rs 47 lakh from Kothamba.

"We are witnessing a new trend of farmers cultivating ganja in their farm stealthily, with the terrain of the region aiding them in the activity. We have launched a crackdown on such illegal cultivations," he said. PTI KA PD RSY DIP SRE

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March 24 2014

Cube Housing Association has submitted plans to build 52 flats at Kelvindale Place, Glasgow , incorporating a mixture of homes for social rent and supported accommodation.Designed by Mast Architects the scheme will replace a number of interwar tenements which are scheduled for demolition with new build brick-clad buildings which seek to provide a modern interpretation of Glasgow tenements.Commenting on the scheme mast noted in their design statement: The design incorporates a layered approach to the elevations building in depth to the facade that typically tenements have in the stone detailing, bay windows and corbelling. The pre-cast bands which are prominent to the design reflect the historical banding and respond to the adjacent tenement balcony features. The recessed brick panels continue the rhythm of opportunities along Kelvindale Road.This design ethos is continued within the development on the supported accommodation building. The access decks are defined with a precast horizontal band light weight metal handrail and features infill panels/louvers to create verticality to the block.Feature built in seating is incorporated into the building elevation to utilise the south facing aspect and encourage communal interaction.
Published: November 09, 2016

Sykes College of Business to Host Banking Panel Discussion Nov. 16

On Wednesday, Nov. 16, The University of Tampas Sykes College of Business will host a panel discussion and networking reception with community banking professionals and College of Business faculty. The event begins at 6 p.m. in Plant Hall, Fletcher Lounge and is free and open to the public.



Panelists will include Justin Allbright, Bank United (corporate lending/relationship management); Jason Alpert, Wells Fargo Bank (workout/trouble loans); Robert Horne, Wells Fargo Bank (middle market/CRE lending); and Tyler Niermann, Wells Fargo Bank (credit approver). The panel will be moderated by Ted Long of Raymond James Financial.



Admission is complimentary and refreshments will be provided. To register, go to www.utbankingpanel.eventbrite.com.



For more information, contact Jessica Luce at jluce@ut.edu.
Researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington are launching a Massive Open Online Course to help online instructors of college and university courses replicate the sense of connectedness and community that helps engage and retain classroom-based students within an online environment.

Cornell University and Princess Nora University of Saudi Arabia are also participating in the project.

One of the problems that online learning creates is that it removes the face-to-face component that is so crucial for forming rapport and social presence, said Matt Crosslin, learning innovation coordinator for the Learning Innovation and Networked Knowledge Research Lab or LINK Lab. The research-based concepts that we will look at in this course are based on techniques designed to bring that human element back into the online learning environment.

Humanizing Online Instruction: Building a Community of Inquiry or the HumanMOOC is a 4-week micro-MOOC made available on the Canvas Open Network. The MOOC is scheduled to launch Nov. 14 and continue with active instruction through Dec. 19 and is open to all those who are interested. The course also is free and does not require a textbook. Enrollment is already open at that site.

Prerequisite knowledge for this course is familiarity with online teaching and learning, willingness to interact and learn using a variety of technologies such as VoiceThread and YellowDig, and a desire to understand how multimedia might supplement instruction. Potential students should plan to spend approximately three hours per week completing activities and interacting with other participants.

The methodology of the course is based on the well-respected Pennsylvania State University study, The Identification of Competencies for Online Teaching Success, which examines the teaching behaviors, attitudes and beliefs that reflect potential competencies for online teaching success.

The competencies that are aligned with this course include:

attending to the unique challenges of distance learning where learners are separated by time and geographic proximity and interactions are primarily asynchronous in nature,

providing detailed feedback on assignments and exams,

communicating with students about course progress and changes,

promoting and encouraging a learning environment that is safe, inviting and mutually respectful,

monitoring and managing student progress,

communicating course goals and outcomes,

providing evidence to students of their presence in the course on a regular basis,

effectively using course communication systems,

communicating expectations of student course behavior.

The course instructors are: Crosslin; higher education consultant Whitney Kilgore; Maha al-Freih from Princess Nora University in Saudi Arabia; and Patrice Prusko from Cornell University in New York.

The HumanMOOC is the latest installment in various MOOCs connected with UTA and its commitment to online learning. Since 2013, UTA has launched more than five MOOCs covering various topics and skill sets to benefit student, faculty and staff on subjects such as introductory engineering, programming and data analytics.

MOOCs provide UTA students and faculty with a wealth of valueparticipants can build or expand their knowledge in an academic area, explore their interests in new fields, and MOOCS also can share UTA faculty teaching with a truly global audience as well, said Pete Smith, UTAs chief analytics officer.

MOOCs set UTA apart as a world-class university that draw from the global learning community, while teaching to that same community at the same time, he added.

UTA recently launched a MOOC to train educators on the practical application of emerging technologies like social media in K-12 teaching and learning. More than 3,100 participants from 139 countries participated in the course, What Now? Emerging Technologies and Their Practical Application in K-12 Teaching and Learning, which continues to be available for self-guided learners at the following link.

About The University of Texas at Arlington

The University of Texas at Arlington is a Carnegie highest research activity institution of more than 55,000 students in campus-based and online degree programs and is the second-largest institution in The University of Texas System. The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked UTA as one of the 20 fastest-growing public research universities in the nation in 2014. U.S. News & World Report ranks UTA fifth in the nation for undergraduate diversity. The University is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is ranked as the top four-year college in Texas for veterans on Military Times 2016 Best for Vets list. Visit http://www.uta.edu/uta/to learn more, and find UTA rankings and recognition at http://www.uta.edu/uta/about/rankings.php.

For more on the UTA Strategic Plan 2020: Bold Solutions | Global Impact, see www.uta/edu/strategicplan/.
Economic and Environmental Demands in Wyoming Topic of UW Television Program

How Wyoming might adapt to changing economic and environmental demands, and the future of pipeline expansion for transporting oil and natural gas will be topics on the University of Wyoming news and information program Wyoming Signatures Sunday, Nov. 13, at 5:30 p.m. on Wyoming Public Television.

Mark Northam, UW School of Energy Resources executive director, will explain how Wyoming might adapt to changing economic and environmental demands.

In another segment, Chuck Mason, the H.A. Dave True Jr. Chair in Petroleum and Natural Gas Economics in the UW Department of Economics and Finance, will discuss the future of pipeline expansion for transporting oil and natural gas, and what that might mean for Wyoming.

He also will discuss the Dakota Access Pipeline, a $4 billion project that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is protesting and has taken legal action to keep it off its land.

Also, in a lighter segment, brothers Alan and Pete Simpson gave what may have been their last public performance a few weeks ago at UW. This comedy team of native Cowboy State sons told tales from their youth, and many years in public service and politics.

In this excerpt of that performance, they joke about local politics and one of Al Simpsons more famous moments as U.S senator on the Ted Koppel show.

The show will be rebroadcast Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 11:30 p.m.

Wyoming Signatures is produced by UWTV of the UW Outreach School. Wyoming PBS can be seen over the air and via cable or satellite in communities throughout Wyoming. A complete list of channels can be found at www.wyomingpbs.org/coverage.php.
UW Religion Today: Religion in American History

By Paul V.M. Flesher

In a recent survey, college seniors were asked questions from a high school-level test on American history. Over 75 percent scored a D or below!

While the disappointment expressed by history professors, politicians and the media over the students performance is certainly justified, it was the questions on the test that I found most disappointing. Despite this countrys proud religious heritage and the influence of religion at nearly every stage of our history, none of the questions asked about religion. It was as if religion had been dropped from the curriculum. So, although the survey showed that students have forgotten the names, dates and places of American history, they were never expected to know the importance of religion in shaping our country.

How did our education system arrive in this situation? It all boils down to the separation of church and state. In the early part of the 20th century, the boundaries between church and state were not clearly defined with regard to schools. All across America, school systems had a variety of relationships to local churches and religious practice. Aspects of American religious history were taught in various degrees of detail.

Then, following the end of World War II, uncertainties began to arise concerning the appropriateness of the intertwining of churches and schools. The doubts continued into the 1960s when the Supreme Court ruled that schools were permitted to teach ABOUT religion(s), but they were not permitted to teach religion, i.e., to indoctrinate. Thus, the court approved teaching of the role of religion in American history.

So, it would seem that the matter had been resolved. But, not so. The Supreme Courts ruling that banned teacher-led school prayer ushered in an era of litigation over religion in schools, which has continued to this day. Although the controversy focuses on religious prayer, it has spilled over into instruction about religion. The fear of legal action has led schools to sanitize their curriculum, to take mention of religion out of the curriculum. This has not been from any fear of religion, but from the fear of being sued and the tremendous costs that suits entail. School district budgets are stretched as it is, without having to find several million dollars for legal expenses. The victory granting the ability to teach students about this countrys religious heritage has thus been squandered by the political controversy over school prayer.

So, what kinds of questions should high school students, college students and we lifelong learners be able to answer about religion in our countrys past? Here are three true/false questions you can test yourself on:

1. The Puritans believed that everyone in America should have the freedom to follow any religion and to worship in any way they chose.

2. At the time of the American Revolution and the founding of the American republic, Baptists strongly supported the separation of church and state.

3. In the slavery debate preceding the Civil War, the Bibles explicit statements about slaves supported the pro-slavery position best.

Check the answers below, and see if you dont agree that religions role in shaping American culture and history needs more emphasis at all levels of learning, from our elementary schools to our senior citizens.

Answers:

1. False -- Puritans were interested in freedom of religion for themselves only. It was Roger Williams, Rhode Islands founder, who promoted religious freedom for all.

2. True -- Historically, Baptists have been some of the strongest believers in the separation of church and state.

3. True -- The Bible never explicitly condemns slavery; its statements assume that slavery is a normal part of society.

Flesher is a professor in UWs Department of Religious Studies. Past columns and more information about the program can be found on the web at www.uwyo.edu/RelStds. To comment on this column, visit http://religion-today.blogspot.com.
Hillary Clinton, appearing at midday after a bruising election loss to the New York real estate magnate, urged supporters to keep an open mind on Donald Trump and give him a chance to lead.

By AP: Hillary Clinton told supporters today that they owed Donald Trump "an open mind and a chance to lead," urging acceptance of the celebrity businessman's stunning win after a campaign that appeared poised until Election Day to make her the first woman elected U.S. president.

Addressing stricken staff and voters at a New York City hotel, Clinton said she had offered to work with Trump on behalf of a country that she acknowledged was "more deeply divided than we thought."

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Her voice vibrated with emotion at times, especially as she acknowledged that she had not "shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling."

Flanked by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and daughter, Chelsea Clinton Mezvinsky, Clinton then made a direct plea to "all the little girls" watching: "Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every opportunity in the world and chance to pursue your dreams."



READ| Hillary concedes defeat, bid for 'herstory' as first woman US President fails



The speech followed a dramatic election night in which Trump captured battleground states like Florida, North Carolina and Ohio and demolished a longstanding "blue wall" of states in the Upper Midwest that had backed every Democratic presidential candidate since Clinton's husband won the presidency in 1992.



Democrats - starting with Clinton's campaign staff and the White House - were left wondering how they had misread their country so completely. Mournful Clinton backers gathered outside the hotel Wednesday.

"I was devastated. Shocked. Still am," said Shirley Ritenour, 64, a musician from Brooklyn. "When I came in on the subway this morning there were a lot of people crying. A lot of people are very upset."

The results were startling to Clinton and her aides, who had ended their campaign with a whirlwind tour of battleground states and had projected optimism that she would maintain the diverse coalition assembled by President Barack Obama in the past two elections.

On the final day of the campaign, Clinton literally followed Obama to stand behind a podium with a presidential seal at a massive rally outside Independence Hall in Philadelphia. As she walked up to the lectern, the president bent down to pull out a small stool so the shorter Clinton could address the tens of thousands gathered on the mall. Before leaving the stage, Obama leaned over to whisper a message in Clinton's ear: "We'll have to make this permanent."

Clinton's stunning loss was certain to open painful soul-searching within the party, which had endured a lengthy primary between Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who drew strong support among liberals amid an electorate calling for change.



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READ| What President Donald Trump could mean for Modi and India



"The mistake that we made is that we ignored the powerful part of Trump's message because we hated so much of the rest of his message. The mistake we made is that people would ignore that part and just focus on the negative," said Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis, who was not affiliated with the campaign.



The tumultuous presidential cycle bequeathed a series of political gifts for Clinton's GOP rival: An FBI investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server, questions of pay-for-play involving her family's charitable foundation, Sanders' primary challenge, Clinton's health scare at a Sept. 11 memorial ceremony and FBI Director James Comey's late October announcement that investigators had uncovered emails potentially relevant to her email case.

Yet her team spent the bulk of their time focused on attacking Trump, while failing to adequately address Clinton's deep liabilities - or the wave of frustration roiling the nation.

Every time the race focused on Clinton, her numbers dropped, eventually making her one of the least liked presidential nominees in history. And she offered an anxious electorate a message of breaking barriers and the strength of diversity - hardly a rallying cry - leaving her advisers debating the central point of her candidacy late into the primary race.

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Clinton's campaign was infuriated by a late October announcement by Comey that investigators had uncovered emails that may have been pertinent to the dormant investigation into Clinton's use of private emails while secretary of state. On the Sunday before the election, Comey told lawmakers that the bureau had found no evidence in its hurried review of the newly discovered emails to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.

But the announcement may have damaged Clinton while her campaign tried to generate support in early voting in battleground states like Florida and North Carolina. In the nine days between Comey's initial statement and his "all clear" announcement, nearly 24 million people cast early ballots. That was about 18 percent of the expected total votes for president.

Also Read:

Trump elected 45th US President, says it's time to renew American dream

We want America with bridges, not with walls, says Hillary Clinton

While you can't toke up in India, here's how America voted for Trump and ganja

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Lesser known Donald Trump facts: At 13, parents wanted him to behave

Donald trumps Hillary Clinton. Says he will be President of all Americans, rebuild

Congrats President elect Donald Trump: Barack Obama makes the call, they meet tomorrow

Melania Trump: A look back at her journey from her modelling days to becoming FLOTUS



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By PTI: New Delhi/Islamabad, Nov 9 (PTI) Continuing the blame game, India and Pakistan today summoned Deputy High Commissioners of each other to express concern over ceasefire violations even as India protested the manner in which the information of eight of its officials in Islamabad was made public, thereby, endangering their security and safety.

The Ministry summoned the Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan and conveyed the strong concern of the Government of India on the continued violation of ceasefire along the International Border and the Line of Control by Pakistan, MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in New Delhi.

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"Despite calls for restraint, Pakistan forces have committed 16 ceasefire violations since 3 November 2016 alone. As a result, there have been three fatal casualties during this period among Indian security forces.

"The Government conveyed that such loss of life is unacceptable and is strongly protested. In addition, the injuries to civilians during the shelling by Pakistan forces are deplorable and strongly condemned," he said.

Swarup said India has also protested the manner in which the photographs of eight officials of the High Commission of India in Islamabad were prominently displayed in newspapers in the wake of factually incorrect allegations by Pakistan government, and conveyed that this is against basic norms of diplomatic practice and courtesy, besides having the potential to endanger their security and safety.

"It is expected that the Pakistan side will desist from such actions in the future and will ensure the safety and security of all members of the High Commission of India in Islamabad and their families," Swarup added.

Earlier, in Islamabad, Foreign Office (FO) said Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh to "strongly condemn the unprovoked ceasefire violations on November 8 by the Indian Forces on the Line of Control (LoC) in Khuirata and Battal sectors".

This is the sixth time in over two weeks that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner was summoned to the FO.

The FO said the violation by India resulted in the death of four civilians, including a woman and a 10-year-old girl, besides causing injuries to seven others.

On his part, Singh protested against the unprovoked firing from Pakistani Rangers, saying it was primarily to give cover to infiltrators.

He also said casualties on the Indian side include both civilians and security forces in the ceasefire violations by the Pakistan. PTI PYK RT

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By PTI: Kolkata, Nov 9 (PTI) China today said India should respect its position on the proposed visit of exiled Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh early next year.

"The Chinese government is against the proposed visit of Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh. We hope that the Indian government will respect Chinas position in the regard," Consulate General of China in Kolkata, Ma Zhanwu told PTI.

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"For China, Arunachal Pradesh is the southern part of Tibet which we call as Zang Nan. We hope that the Indian government will act in accordance with the agreement with China where India recognises Tibet as a part of China," he said.

Zhanwu said, "India and China have shared interests and the friendship between the two countries was 2,000 years old, despite the conflict of 1962."

"We hope that both the countries would handle the differences properly to make the bilateral relations one of the best in the world," the envoy said.

The Chinese government had been irked by the news of the Dalai Lamas visit to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. But India was of the view that since Dalai Lama was a "revered guest", he was free to move anywhere in the country.

The Chinese consulate general office today handed over computers to underprivileged children in south Kolkata. PTI DC KK DIP

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By PTI: New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) Leaning on US President-elect Donald Trumps business credentials, the Indian IT sector is hopeful of the new administration taking a "balanced approach" to outsourcing and visas for high-skilled jobs given Indias crucial role in keeping America competitive.

Trump, who during his high-decibel campaign, had advocated tightening of visa norms for skilled workers and bringing jobs back to America, today beat rival Hillary Clinton in the race to be the 45th US President.

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Putting up a brave face to Trumps victory, captains of the USD 110 billion IT industry contended that the Republican -- himself a businessman -- will be "pro-business".

BPO industry stalwart Raman Roy said no immediate impact is expected on the sector given the commercial and business considerations and highlighted the "integral" role played by Indian IT companies in scripting the economic growth story of American enterprises.

"I have no hesitation in saying there will be no issues. He (Trump) cannot produce a million people overnight to do the job. He cannot say they will shut off the switch... there is commerce that is going to happen... card queries, insurance and mortgage queries that have to be answered that are being done from here (India)," Roy added.

Many had feared that Trumps coming to power could lead to job losses for Indians and a protectionist approach by the US, a market that accounts for about 70 per cent of the Indian IT industrys revenue.

Industry watchers also played down the apprehensions of adverse impact on software and outsourcing jobs saying it may not be "as dramatic as anticipated".

IT doyen NR Narayana Murthy said the US had a chance to create history by electing Hillary Clinton but added that Trump will do what is best for his country.

Murthy said he did not expect Trumps election as President to impact Indian companies and that the challenge for outsourcers here would be to become more valuable to their customers. Former Nasscom Chairman BVR Mohan Reddy said Indian IT companies have helped US firms develop new technologies, significantly benefiting clients as well creating jobs.

"We hope that as the rhetoric of the US presidential contest fades into the past, the Trump administration will make mutually beneficial trade with India a high priority, and will take a balanced approach to high-skilled visas and the contribution of Indias IT sector to the US economy," he added.

However, the stock markets belied the confidence exuded by the industry as the BSE IT index lost 3.28 per cent. Shares of TCS plunged 4.93 per cent, while Infosys and Wipro lost 2.74 per cent and 1.27 per cent, respectively on BSE. More PTI SR MBI MR

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INAX brand has a 90-year history of successful development and is one of the leading sanitary ware producers in the Japanese market. INAX has been presented in the Vietnamese market since 1996, and in January 1998, the first factory in Vietnam began operation. So far, INAX has scaled up to seven porcelain factories, a faucet factory and an exterior brick factory, with 8,000 stores throughout the country.

"According to our assessment, the sanitary ware market in Vietnam is worth more than $200 million per year and will continue to increase since the real estate market is recovering, said Masahiko Hiramoto, LIXIL Vietnams genral director. As the No. 1 brand in the market, INAX will always pioneer in the introduction of new technology, new designs as well as products with Japanese quality. On the other hand, we always strive to improve service quality and brand image at our sales system in order to deliver best customer experience".

To remark its 20th anniversary in Vietnam, INAX officially launched its Aqua Ceramic technology  a new stain-resistant ceramic technology that promises a clean toilet that lasts a century. The Aqua Ceramic toilet is the first in the world to address the four main issues relating to cleanliness in toilets: scuffing and scratching, marks from waste, stains from hard water, and the build-up of bacteria.

"Our Aqua Ceramic technology brings outstanding advantages to our products. Firstly, the new technology features super-hydrophilicity performance, which allows the rinse water to penetrate beneath any waste that may have attached to the ceramic, lift it with the power of water, and flush it away. Secondly, Aqua Ceramic utilises products' structure to prevent Silica in the rinse water from ceramics surface. This stops the formation of hard water stains. Finally, super-hydrophilicity material integrates with the ceramic surface, enabling toilets to retain their shine for 100 years, said Tadashi Arishiro, CEO of LIXIL Water Technology Japan.

INAX has been working for years to develop Aqua Ceramic which has been applied in its mainstay household-use toilet series in Japan in April 2016. The products with Aqua Ceramic have just achieved Japans Good Design Gold Award 2016.
A hoax caller pretending to be air traffic control tapped into restricted radio frequencies and forced a Virgin Australia flight to pull up just before landing at Melbourne's Tullamarine airport. (Photos: AFP/Peter Parks)

Virgin Australia Flight 740 from Gold Coast to Melbourne on Oct 27 received instructions from the prankster as it approached the runway at Melbourne's main airport at Tullamarine, with flight data showing it then climbed to 3,800 feet and circled over the state capital, The Age newspaper reported.

The unknown caller later that day called air traffic control and pretended to be a light aircraft pilot with engine trouble, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Federal police were now investigating 15 incidents of unauthorised radio transmissions with aircraft at Melbourne and Avalon Airports, they said in a joint statement with Airservices Australia and communications body ACMA Monday.

"As a result of the unlawful interference with air traffic control broadcasts over several weeks, the AFP (Australian Federal Police) has today issued a call for public help for any information that will result in the identification and arrest of the person responsible."

Virgin Australia was not immediately available for comment, but its pilots' association warned of the potential dangers.

"Unauthorised radio transmissions is a very rare event," John Lyons, the president of Virgin Independent Pilots Association, which represents Virgin pilots in Australia and New Zealand, said Tuesday.

"It's obviously someone who's been able to acquire probably a handheld transceiver which operates on the same frequencies, and clearly from the evidence that is available someone must have been in close proximity to the airport," Lyons said.

Lyons said the alleged manoeuvre in which the aircraft was asked to "go around", where a landing approach is aborted, was not dangerous in itself.

"It's where (the plane) goes after that," he said.

"He (the pilot) could go around and it may well be that there is another aircraft which has just been cleared to take off on another runway, in which case you could go into an unprotected area and you could get two aircraft in close proximity to one another, and that would be a dangerous situation."

The federal police's acting Assistant Commissioner Chris Sheehan said the government agencies were "treating this matter extremely seriously".

"The airlines have been briefed to ensure the advice has been passed on to their pilots and to ensure appropriate measures are in place." Airservices Australia said safety was not affected by the hoax calls.
Climate change has made deadly heatwaves and hurricanes more frequent and more intense in recent years, the UN says. (Photo: AFP/Jewel Samad)

More than 50 per cent of major extreme weather events from 2011 to 2015 showed the tell-tale fingerprint of human-induced global warming, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported on the sidelines of the United Nations climate talks in Marrakesh.

The last half-decade was the warmest five-year stretch on record, with 2014 and 2015 being the hottest of all. These unprecedented temperatures were coupled with rising seas, adding to the destructive power of storms already amped up by warmer, moister air, the report said.

Climate change "has increased the risks of extreme events such as heatwaves, drought, record rainfall and damaging floods," WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said in a statement. About 300,000 people perished in climate-boosted catastrophes during the 2011-2015 period, the WMO calculated.

The vast majority of excess deaths - those attributed to the added impact of climate change - occurred during the 2010-2012 drought in East Africa. Other big killers included Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013, and the 2015 heatwaves in India and Pakistan.

Economic damage has mounted too, led by flooding in Southeast Asia in 2011 and Hurricane Sandy the following year, which together caused more than US$100 billion (90 billion euros) in damage. The gathering pace of warming has been visible since about 1980, but has accelerated as humanity dumps even more heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, mainly by burning coal, oil and gas.

SIGNAL OF HUMAN IMPACT

Climate scientists have long struggled - when assessing a single extreme event - to tease apart natural weather patterns from the influence of climate change. But rapidly accumulating data makes it easier to match actual trends against the predicted impact of manmade warming.

Looking over a five-year time scale also smooths out year-to-year variations, revealing more clearly the climate impact. The match is strongest for extreme high temperatures, which have become up to 10 times more likely in some places, according to the report.

The Mediterranean basin, for example, is projected to be hit especially hard by climate extremes.

By mid-century, according to a recent study, pockets of southern Europe will face at least one severe climate hazard every year of the scale now occurring only once a century. And by 2100, Europe's entire Mediterranean seaboard could be confronted annually with extreme droughts, coastal floods or heatwaves.

The "signal" of human influence is somewhat less strong for precipitation, whether more or less rain or snow. The pace of sea level rise has also picked up, nearly doubling in the 25 years since 1993 as compared to a reference period of 1900 to 2010.

Ocean rising is due in part to the fact that water expands as it warms. But most of the increase comes from melting ice sheets, sitting atop Greenland and West Antarctica.

2015 set a number of dubious climate records, the WMO noted. It was the first year in which the average global surface temperature - across land and sea - was a full degree above the pre-industrial era benchmark.

An authoritative report on climate change and extreme weather by the UN's top science body published in 2011 included data only through 2010, so the new report is the first major overview of trends since then.

The Paris Agreement, the world's first universal climate pact, vows to cap global warming below 2.0 C (3.6F), and 1.5C (2.7F) if possible. The UN talks in Marrakesh are tasked with implementing the accord, which entered into force last week.
The ranking, announced on November 8 is the result of the Programme on Benchmarking and Ranking the Most Sustainable Companies in Vietnam carried out by the two agencies.

This is the first time VCCI and VBCSD have compiled the Corporate Sustainability Index, which was developed based on sustainability indicators in economic, environmental and social areas of a business. The programme is expected to be a driver for businesses to continuously improve their sustainability in aspects of economic, environmental protection and social issues.

Dekalb Vietnam, a wholly-owned entity of Monsanto Company, has been in Vietnam for over two decades, working together with the government and farmers to address agricultural challenges, helping farmers to improve lives via improving agriculture.

At Dekalb Vietnam, we are proud to work with our collaborators and partners to cultivate meaningful change as we continue to take decisive action to further embed sustainability into our business, said Aruna Rachakonda, CEO of Dekalb Vietnam.

We are pleased to see that Vietnam has made remarkable achievement in sustainable development and grateful for the opportunity to share the positive progress we are making toward our commitments in Vietnam via this Top 100 Corporate Sustainability Index, she said.

As part of Dekalb Vietnams sustainable development efforts, over 200,000 farmers have received the companys training on agronomic practices and hybrid selection knowledge. Dekalb Vietnams Hi-Pop practice has also been cited as the core factor helping farmers in Son La, Phu Tho, Dong Nai, An Giang and Ba Ria  Vung Tau provinces increase their corn yields by at least 30 per cent.

Vietnam is taking a public-private partnership (PPP) approach on the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)s Rice-to-Corn Rotation Initiative in the Mekong Delta in partnership with farmers, local departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the feed industry. This programme enables better seed, practices and market linkages that helped 8,800 farmers in Mekong Delta earn over $1 million incremental income and saved 80 per cent time, cost and labour from 2,200 hectares in 2013-14.

During 2015 and 2016, Monsanto expanded this project to the north of Vietnam and helped farmers earned $230 incremental per hectare in comparison by using our corn seeds with insect management and weed control traits.

We are committed to extending this partnership in 2016 and beyond in line with Vietnams goals, said Rachakonda.

To realise its commitment in improving lives of the farming communities, from 2010 to 2015, Dekalb Vietnam has signed three signature partnerships to improve lives and education for rural communities via the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company  the Monsanto Fund.

In the 2010-2013 period, two partnerships were launched which aimed to improve lives of 2,000 rural households in the northern province of Hoa Binh and enabled alternative sources of income via agriculture and livestock tools in 2010-11.

In 2014 and 2015, Monsanto Fund partnered with NGO Room to Read to support secondary education and literacy enhancement of over 90 thousand children in the rural communities in Vietnam. Besides community programmes, Dekalb Vietnam also collaborated with partners to develop young talents in agri-biotech through the Monsanto-Vietnam National University of Agriculture scholarship.
Hai Phong fish noodle soup

A typical bowl of Hai Phong fish noodle soup has yellow color of fried fish and fish balls; green color of crunchy and chewy Doc Mung; red color of tomato; white color of noodles together with raw vegetables. The

broth of soup has sour and fragrant flavor because it is mixed with tamarind juice, not normal vinegar.

To enjoy a tasty and fragrant bowl of fish noodle soup, you can visit famous Hanoi eateries on Xa Dan street, Ton That Tung street, Tran Huy Lieu, and Nguyen Khanh Toan streetwith prices of VND30,000-VND45,000/bowl.

This cuisine comes from the northern port city of Hai Phong.

Quynh Coi fish soup

According to old documents, in 17th century, fish soup was a rustic dish in Quynh Coi town of Thai Binh province.

The specialty is made from rustic materials of countryside such as fish, vegetable, and ricebut is skillfully processed to create a tasty and fragrant dish.

If you have a chance to visit Quynh Coi, do not forget to enjoy a bowl of fish soup to feel the countryside flavor that is rustic and familiar but delicious and subtle.

However, you can go to a famous restaurant on Tue Tinh Street in Hanoi to enjoy this dish.

Bac Ninh fish gruel

Bac Ninh is not only famous for folk songs and wife-husband cake, but also for fish gruel.

Carp fish is chosen for this dish. It must have firm meat, few bones. Chefs will boil them and remove meat from bone, then marinate fish with spices and pour it into gruel pot.

A bowl of fish gruel has white congee and pieces of fish, green onions, herbs and cabbage, eggs and red pepper.

You can enjoy this dish on Chua Lang Street, Hanoi for VND30,000/a bowl.
Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump celebrate during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown (AFP Photo/Jim Watson)

The Republican mogul defeated his Democratic rival, plunging global markets into turmoil and casting the long-standing global political order, which hinges on Washington's leadership, into doubt.

"Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division," Trump told a crowd of jubilant supporters in the early hours of Wednesday in New York.

"I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans."

During a bitter two-year campaign that tugged at America's democratic fabric, the bombastic tycoon pledged to deport illegal immigrants, ban Muslims from the country and tear up free trade deals.

His message appears to have been embraced by much of America's white majority, disgruntled by the breath and scope of social change and economic change in the last eight years under their first black president, Barack Obama.

Trump openly courted Russian leader Vladimir Putin, called US support for NATO allies in Europe into question and suggested that South Korea and Japan should develop their own nuclear weapons.

The businessman turned TV star turned-politico -- who has never before held elected office -- will become commander-in-chief of the world's sole true superpower on January 20.

The results prompted a global market sell-off, with stocks plunging across Asia and Europe and billions being wiped off the value of investments.

Although he has no government experience and in recent years has spent as much time running beauty pageants and starring in reality television as he had building his property empire, Trump at 70 will be the oldest man to ever become president.

Yet, during his improbable rise, Trump has constantly proved the pundits and received political wisdom wrong.

Opposed by the entire senior hierarchy of his own Republican Party, he trounced more than a dozen better-funded and more experienced rivals in the party primary.

During the race, he was forced to ride out allegations of sexual assault and was embarrassed but apparently not shamed to have been caught on tape boasting about groping women.

And, unique in modern US political history, he refused to release his tax returns.

But the biggest upset came on Tuesday, as he swept to victory through a series of hard-fought wins in battleground states from Florida to Ohio.

- Legacy of ashes -

Clinton had been widely assumed to be on course to enter the history books as the first woman to become president in America's 240-year existence.

Americans have repudiated her call for unity amid the United States' wide cultural and racial diversity, opting instead for a leader who insisted the country is broken and that "I alone can fix it."

If early results hold out, Trump's party will have full control of Congress and he will be able to appoint a ninth Supreme Court justice to a vacant seat on the bench, deciding the balance of the body.

So great was the shock that Clinton did not come out to her supporters' poll-watching party to concede defeat, but instead called Trump and sent her campaign chairman to insist in vain the result was too close to call.

"I want every person in this hall to know, and I want every person across the country who supported Hillary to know that your voices and your enthusiasm mean so much to her and to him and to all of us. We are so proud of you. And we are so proud of her," chairman John Podesta told shell-shocked supporters.

"She's done an amazing job, and she is not done yet," he insisted.

The election result was also a brutal humiliation for the White House incumbent, Obama, who for eight years has repeated the credo that there is no black or white America, only the United States of America.

On the eve of the election, he told tens of thousands of people in Philadelphia that he was betting on the decency of the American people.

"I'm betting that tomorrow, most moms and dads across America won't cast their vote for someone who denigrates their daughters," Obama said.

"I'm betting that tomorrow, true conservatives won't cast their vote for somebody with no regard for the Constitution," he added.

His bet appears to have been flat out wrong, and America's first black president will be succeeded by a candidate who received the endorsement -- albeit unsought and unacknowledged -- of the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan.

Trump's shock victory is just the latest evidence that globalization has eroded faith in liberal political leadership.

From Britain's vote to leave the European Union to the rise of far right populists and nationalists in continental Europe, opposition to open trade and social and racial tensions are on the rise.
In Vietnam, the company aims to help solve industrial water treatment challenges as well as address an increasing demand for safe residential drinking water. Presenting at the VietWater 2016 Show for the first time in Ho Chi Minh City, Dow showcased products that demonstrate its global leadership in reserve osmosis (RO), ultrafiltration and ion exchange resins technologies.

The Vietnamese economy has achieved a high growth rate over the last ten years. Currently, the challenges Vietnam is facing are sustainable development and environmental protection issues, said Sasama Tomoyuki, general director of Dow Vietnam. By bringing the best Dow water technologies to Vietnam, we hope to help local economy grow sustainably and help more people gain access to clean and safe drinking water. 

Key products that are making their debut at the show include DOW FILMTEC LCLE 4040 - an energy saving solution that provides high rejection results at low pressure under harsh water conditions; DOW FILMTEC BW 30-400 - an ideal product for use in large-scale industrial and municipal water treatment systems as it enables users to increase productivity and reduce costs. It is a brackish water RO element that provides consistently high performance and long element life when treating difficult industrial water.

Others are a series of residential RO membranes that allow household water purifier to produce clean and safe drinking water, including DOW AQUALAST 1812 Element. Dows latest innovation, this product allows home owners to save up to 67 per cent in water usage compared to purifiers using conventional RO technology. This means savings from water bills and lesser environmental footprint.

Dow has been supporting the Vietnam market for more than a decade. Our FILMTEC RO membranes for home water purifiers have been well received by the consumers, said Alan Chan, Asia Pacific commercial director for DW&PS. Our presence at the VietWater 2016 truly demonstrates our strong commitment to further participating in the sustainable development journey of Vietnam. We look forward to working with more local partners and customers to bring our innovative solutions that address the water-related challenges in the market, residential and industrial.

An integral part of Dows presence in Vietnam is the companys water-related corporate citizenship activities. Dow has donated more than 30 water purification devices to schools and hospitals in Vietnam, providing safe drinking water to thousands of pupilspatients and people in need. In addition, Dow donated an emergency water purification mobile unit to the Vietnam Red Cross. Most recently on September 17, 2016, Dow participated in an initiative to clean up lakes in Hanoi. More than 1,200 volunteers participated in the programme to help conserve water resources and protect the environment of the capital.
On-year FDI numbers are expected to rebound by years end, due to new power plant licensing Photo: Le Toan

The country attracted over $17.61 billion in newly-registered and expanded foreign direct investment (FDI) capital in the year to October 20, down 8.7 per cent on-year, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).

This was the second time in 2016 that Vietnam reported a fall in FDI attraction. In September, the country also witnessed a slight on-year drop of 4.2 per cent in new and added FDI pledges.

This slight fall was blamed on the fact that some power projects were still waiting to complete procedures to get licences, Dang Xuan Quang, deputy director of MPIs Foreign Investment Agency (FIA), told VIR. Meanwhile, in the same period in 2015, the country licensed some big power projects, including the $2.4 billion Duyen Hai 2 thermal power plant, thus increasing its total newly-registered and expanded FDI to $19.29 billion.

The FDI attraction is forecast to have a brighter outlook in the remaining months, as the country is expected to license two power projects worth billions of US dollars. In addition, the cities directly under the governments management are seeking investment licences for projects worth over $2 billion in total, he added.

Quang predicted that  besides traditionally attractive sectors such as the processing and manufacturing industry and realty  energy, agro-forestry, and seafood processing will be among the targeted areas for FDI in the next few months.

The FIA aims to attract $13 billion worth of FDI in the second half of 2016, up 15 per cent from the first half, thus bringing the countrys total committed FDI to $24.5 billion this year, up 6.5 per cent on-year.

The agency also aims to have nearly $8 billion worth of FDI disbursed between July and December, up 10 per cent from the first half, increasing the countrys total FDI disbursement to $15 billion.

This years 10-month FDI disbursement is estimated to be $12.7 billion, up 7.6 per cent year-on-year.

The FDI attraction goal for 2016 can only be achieved if the country licenses several projects worth billions of dollars in the last two months of the year, said Nguyen Mai, president of the Vietnam Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises.

Mai added that Vietnams business climate has improved. This will be a driving force for the country to attract more FDI in the near future.

The FDI sector earned $102.7 billion from exports (including crude oil) during January-October, up 8.1 per cent year-on-year. This accounts for 71.2 per cent of the countrys total export turnover which was estimated at $144.1 billion, up 7.2 per cent.

The country enjoyed a trade surplus of $3.52 billion, while foreign invested firms gained a trade surplus of $19.48 billion.

The total export turnover of mobile phones and their spare parts during the period was estimated to reach $28.3 billion, up 10.3 per cent year-on-year. Most of this sum came from Samsung.

Nguyen Bich Lam, head of the General Statistics Office, said the Galaxy Note 7 incident reduced Samsung Vietnams profit but did not have a significant impact on the export turnover of the firms smartphones. Export of this product does not occupy a big share of Samsung Vietnams smartphone exports.

It is reported that the withdrawal of the Galaxy Note 7 worldwide due to battery incidents caused a $1.1 billion dent in Vietnams export turnover in September.

Mai said, Samsung has boosted exports of other types of phones, compensating for the loss of the Galaxy Note 7. This has made the giant company remain a significant contributor to Vietnams 10-month exports.

Employing over 110,000 local employers and having invested nearly $7 billion in Vietnam, Samsung will likely account for nearly 20 per cent of Vietnams total export turnover this year  an expected $175 billion.

It is expected that Samsung will reach an export turnover of $34.7 billion this year, up from over $30 billion last year.

Mai noted that the FDI sector is currently the key driver of the economys growth and exports. The sector is performing very well, with hundreds of our associations member companies like Samsung reaping high profits in Vietnam.

The World Banks Doing Business 2017 report, released in late October, showed that Vietnam ranked 82nd among 190 economies in terms of ease of doing business, up nine notches against the previous year.

Infrastructure, high-tech, high-tech agriculture, and real estate will be the most attractive sectors to foreign investors in the near future, Mai predicted.
South Koreas KovinaNet Company last week signed a co-operation deal with the Nghe An Peoples Committee for the construction of an $80 million industrial park (IP) in the central provinces Hoang Mai town.

The companys president Son Jae Sell said this project will cover 30 to 90 hectares of land. After construction is completed, KovinaNet will call for investments from 30-40 South Korean firms operating in the sectors of electronics, auto spare parts, and lighting. Currently, eight South Korean firms have expressed their interest to locate their plants in the upcoming IP.

A group of nearly 20 Taiwanese IP developers have worked with the Ministry of Planning and Investments (MPI) Economic Zone Management Department on the possibilities of implementing multi-million dollar IP and urban areas projects in Vietnam.

Among these developers, WUS Printed Circuit Co.s president Hsu Huan Chung said his firm is about to develop a large IP in Vietnam.

We are selecting locations, either in the north or south of Vietnam, he said.

Meanwhile, Hua Tsai Paints Co. wants to implement a multi-million dollar project consisting of an IP, urban areas, and infrastructure development in the country. The firms president Yu Wen Hua said Vietnam needs tens of billions of US dollars for developing high-quality IPs and urban areas.

We will work with Vietnams authorised agencies on planning our project, Hua said.

Also, Chao Chien Min, deputy director general of the Export Processing Zone Administration under Taiwans Ministry of Economic Affairs, told MPIs Economic Zone Management Department that his administration wishes to co-operate with Vietnam in planning, designing, and constructing smart IPs and urban areas throughout the country.

We want MPI to introduce Vietnamese partners to us so we can co-operate with them as soon as possible, Min said.

One of the reasons Taiwanese firms wish to implement their projects in Vietnam, Min noted, is that a great deal of foreign direct investment (FDI) has poured into the country, most of which is going into IPs and economic zones.

Investing in IP development in Vietnam can bring promising profits, Chung of WUS Printed Circuit said.

In the year to October 20, 2016, Vietnam licensed 2,061 new FDI projects, registered at over $12.26 billion  up 24.4 per cent in number of projects and down 1.3 per cent in registered capital  compared to 2015.

In addition, another 967 already-licensed projects received capital infusions of $5.35 billion. As a result, the total newly-registered and newly-added capital since early this year reached over $17.6 billion. The 10-month FDI disbursement is estimated to be $12.7 billion, up 7.6 per cent year-on-year.

Vu Quoc Huy, head of MPIs Economic Zone Management Department, said that since the beginning of this year, many foreign firms came to Vietnam to seek investment opportunities in IP and urban area development. Many of them have been licensed.

Amata Vietnam, a subsidiary of Thailands industrial estate developer Amata Corporation, is reportedly planning to build a $200 million project named Amata City Long Thanh during the next two years in the southern province of Dong Nai.

This project is expected to cover 3,200 acres of land. Forty per cent will be industrial land while 60 per cent will be taken up by accommodations and other commercial buildings. The industrial estate will be developed first, while the accommodations will be built in 2019, after Vietnams government completes the construction of an expressway running near the Amata City Long Thanh project.

Amata Vietnam, one of the top three foreign-owned industrial estate developers in the country, invested in its first project  Amata City Bien Hoa  about 22 years ago. So far, it has injected around $800 million into development in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung recently discussed with the Singaporean government the possibility to open an eighth Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) in the central province of Quang Tri.

VSIP is a joint venture between Becamex IDC Corporation and a Singaporean consortium led by Sembcorp Development. Since the inception of the first VSIP 20 years ago, there are now seven VSIPs nationwide.
By PTI: New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) JK Tyre and Industries today reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 110.15 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2016 on account of growth in sales of passenger radials and agri tyres.

The company had posted a net profit of Rs 115.84 crore in the July-September quarter a year-ago, it said in a statement.

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Its consolidated net sales during the period under review stood at Rs 1,957.34 crore compared to Rs 1,947.87 crore in the corresponding quarter previous fiscal.

Total expenses was at Rs 1,753.67 crore versus Rs 1,708.16 crore earlier.

JK Tyre Chairman and Managing Director Raghupati Singhania said: "JK Tyre continues to surge ahead in the Indian market with higher sales in volume terms. The company continues to maintain its leadership in truck bus radials and has recorded higher operating profit for the second quarter on a consolidated basis."

He further said: "Passenger radials and agri tyres have recorded double digit growth. With good monsoon coupled with renewed focus of the government on roads and infrastructure and marginally cheaper consumer financing, commercial vehicle sale is expected to show good growth in the coming period."

Since the financial results also include that of Cavendish Industries Ltd (CIL), which the company had acquired in middle of April, the figures are not comparable, it added.

In the first half of 2016-17, JK Tyres consolidated net profit was at Rs 200.41 crore. It was Rs 232.91 crore in the year-ago period.

Net sales in the first half of the current fiscal stood at Rs 3,832.19 crore. It was Rs 3,868.17 crore in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, in a separate filing, JK Tyre said its board in a meeting held today approved to raise Rs 1,000 crore through non-convertible debentures (NCDs).

"The board at its meeting held today... approved the issues of NCDs, inter alia, on private placement basis upto an amount of Rs 1,000 crore in one or more tranches, within the borrowing limits approved by the members," it said.

The company added that it would obtain approval from its members regarding the proposal through postal ballot.

The company also expressed concern over the import of cheap Chinese tyres in the domestic market. The tyre industry had taken up this matter with the government 18 months ago and requested it to impose anti-dumping duty and is waiting for an outcome.

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"Import of cheaper Chinese tyres continues unabatedly in the truck/bus radial segment which is causing serious injury to the Indian tyre industry," said Singhania.

Shares of JK Tyre and Industries today settled at Rs 137.80 on BSE, down 3.13 per cent. PTI KRH ABM

--- ENDS ---
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc witnesses the signing for co-operation between the Viet Nam Association for Business Culture Development and the Viet Nam Association for Women Entrepreneurs. - VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

"This is one of the tasks for Viet Nam's government and its business community. It is part of the effort to turn the country into a start-up nation," the PM said at an event in Ha Noi where he launched a campaign to build corporate culture in Viet Nam. The campaign aims to raise public awareness, shake up trade and production and boost the role of state agencies.



The government will pay special attention to business ethics with the core values of transparency, creativity, competency and sustainability, Phuc said.



At the event, the campaign's organising board announced the PM's decision to observe November 10 as Viet Nam Corporate Culture Day. The purpose of the day will be to promote the building of a favourable business climate in the country, where the law, business ethics, social responsibilities and healthy competition are respected.



The Viet Nam Association for Business Culture Development, the Viet Nam Association for Women Entrepreneurs and the Voice of Viet Nam signed co-operation pacts to conduct the campaign.
Shock was the dominant reaction, rather than anger at what was meant to be Hillary Clinton's presidential victory party

The billionaire property mogul had not yet won the White House but for many, it was only a question of time.

No one was expecting such a violent slap in the face. Some were saying it would be close, and many Democrats said they were nervous as they arrived at Clinton's event at the Javits Center on the west side of Midtown Manhattan.

But no one imagined the night would turn into a political funeral.

At the food court, located underneath the hall where Clinton had been expected to write her name in the history books, two young women sobbed, and the alcohol was free-flowing.

At a table, two other women stared blankly, their hands on their heads.

"It is surreal," said one government employee who gave her first name Margarita, a beer in front of her.

She says she fears a new era in America -- not just in terms of politics, but also from those who voted for the 70-year-old Trump.

"Our lives are not safe -- as queer women, as brown women," she told AFP, struggling to put her feelings into words.

Many spoke about what they felt was total ignorance among Trump supporters.

"I think these people probably flunked out of school -- they don't know history, they don't understand the world," said Elmy Bermejo, who traveled to the Big Apple from San Francisco for the occasion.

But Bermejo tried to see the bright side on a dark night.

"After I have a stiff drink of tequila, I'm going to get up, and since I'm a hopeful person, then I'll do whatever I can to make sure we vote him out of office, because that's what democracy is about," she said.

- 'We knew it would be close' -

Shock was the dominant reaction, rather than anger at what looked like a stunning loss. New York is a Democratic bastion, one that voted for Clinton -- and seems far from Trump's America that disdains Washington insiders.

"We definitely knew it was close -- not this close," said 22-year-old Evynn Stengel, who started drinking before the disheartening results started trickling in.

"We feel like we live in a bubble -- voting for Trump to me is so shocking."

Next to Stengel, 25-year-old Yanni Trittas, a local elected official, said: "They're people who hold on to racism and xenophobia," an intolerance that stems from what he said the Republican Party had "ensured by underinvesting in education."

- 'We need a miracle' -

Faces once bright with the hope of seeing America's first female president elected started growing longer and longer at about 9:00 pm, when the results appeared to be leaning Trump's way.

"Not great," said Joan Divenuti, a retired rail worker who came from Massachusetts. "Florida was always a problem," she said, shaking her head.

It was not long before the US television networks called the Sunshine State for Trump.

Then the Clinton supporters -- initially quite talkative about the prospects for a Clinton presidency and many of them dressed in Clinton garb -- clammed up as the hundreds of journalists on the scene began documenting the palpable anxiety.

Heads were shaking in front of the giant screens beaming the results to the crowd, and the voices of reporters echoed in the huge hall, which was otherwise silent.

Supporters manically refreshed their smartphones in search of better news.

But The New York Times only had bad news for them, with their forecast for Trump's chances of winning rising as the night wore on.

In a desperate bid to motivate the crowd, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said: "We believe that Hillary Clinton is going to be the next president of the United States."

At 10:44 pm, the Times gave Trump a 93 percent chance of winning.

Team Clinton vanished, avoiding reporters like the plague. She, her husband Bill and her entourage were holed up at a hotel not far from the venue.

After midnight, when The Times put Trump's chance of winning at 95 percent, some started to leave the party-turned-funeral.

A few brave campaign volunteers kept reporters from going into a large hall where several thousand dejected supporters were gathered.

"I am praying -- and I am not religious," said Anabel Evora, a 51-year-old from Tennessee who works at a non-profit organization.

"We need a miracle. I am sad. I'm about to cry."
Republican Donald Trump held slight leads in the vital battleground states of Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio on Tuesday, clinging to a narrow advantage over Democrat Hillary Clinton in key states that could decide their race for the White House.

With voting completed in more than two-thirds of the 50 U.S. states, the race was too close to call in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Virginia, leaving the race for the White House on a knife's edge.

Both candidates scored victories in states where they were expected to win. Trump captured conservative states in the South and Midwest, while Clinton swept several states on the East Coast and Illinois in the Midwest.

But Trump's slight edge in Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio gave him an early advantage in the state-by-state fight for 270 Electoral College votes needed to win.

Clinton had more options to reach 270, with Trump needing a virtual sweep of about six toss-up states to win. But a Trump win in those four states would make it nearly impossible for Clinton to clinch the White House.

With 94 percent of the vote counted in Florida, Trump led Clinton by about 140,000 votes out of 9 million cast. In Virginia, with 76 percent counted, Trump led by 60,000 votes out of 2.9 million cast. With 55 percent of the vote counted in Ohio, Trump led by about 275,000 votes out of 3 million cast.

As of 9:30 p.m. EST (02:30 GMT on Wednesday), Trump had 133 electoral votes to Clinton's 104, with U.S. television networks projecting the winner in 25 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Clinton is seen by financial markets as more likely to ensure financial and political stability and as the early election results showed a close battle, the U.S. dollar skidded in wild Asian trade on Wednesday.

Much of the action was in currencies where the Mexican peso has become a touchstone for sentiment on the election, as Trump's trade policies are seen as damaging to Mexico's export-heavy economy.

Going into Election Day, Clinton led Trump, 44 percent to 39 percent in the last Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll. A Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation poll gave her a 90 percent chance of defeating Trump and becoming the first woman elected U.S. president.

Also at stake on Tuesday was control of Congress. Television networks projected Republicans would retain control of the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs.

In the Senate, where Republicans were defending a slim four-seat majority, Democrats scored their first breakthrough in Illinois when Republican Senator Mark Kirk lost re-election. But Republicans Rob Portman in Ohio and Marco Rubio in Florida won high-profile Senate re-election fights.

In a presidential campaign that focused more on the character of the candidates than on policy, Clinton, 69, a former U.S. secretary of state, and Trump, 70, a New York businessman, accused each other of being fundamentally unfit to lead the country.

Trump again raised the possibility on Tuesday of not accepting the election's outcome, saying he had seen reports of voting irregularities. He gave few details and Reuters could not immediately verify the existence of such problems.
Republican Donald Trump scored a series of shocking wins in battleground U.S. states including Florida and Ohio on Tuesday, opening a path to the White House for the political outsider and rattling world markets that had counted on a win by Democrat Hillary Clinton.

With investors worried a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, the U.S. dollar sank and stock markets plumetted in wild Asian trading. Opinion polls before Election Day had given Clinton a slim lead.

Mexico's peso plunged to its lowest-ever levels as Trump's chances of winning the presidency increased. Concerns of a Trump victory have weighed heavily on the peso for months because of his threats to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico and tax money sent home by migrants to pay to build a wall on the southern U.S. border.

Trump surged to wins in Florida, Ohio, Iowa and North Carolina, and Fox News projected a win for him in Wisconsin. With voting completed in 49 of the 50 U.S. states, he also narrowly led in Michigan and New Hampshire, edging him closer to 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the state-by-state fight for the White House.

Shortly after Fox called Wisconsin for Trump, supporters at his election evening rally in New York began to chant "Lock her up" - a common refrain on the campaign trail for the former U.S. secretary of state repeatedly dubbed "Crooked Hillary" by Trump.

Clinton still had ways to reach 270 electoral votes, but she would have to sweep the remaining battleground states including Pennsylvania, Michigan and Nevada, and pull off an upset win in Arizona.

Trump captured conservative states in the South and Midwest, while Clinton swept several states on the East Coast and Illinois in the Midwest.

After running close throughout the night in Virginia, Clinton pulled out the swing state that is home to her running mate, Senator Tim Kaine.

At 8:55 p.m. EST (01:55 GMT on Wednesday), Clinton acknowledged a battle that was unexpectedly tight given her edge in opinion polls going into Election Day.

She tweeted: "This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything."

As of 11:40 p.m. EST (04:40 GMT on Wednesday), Trump had 244 electoral votes to Clinton's 209, with U.S. television networks projecting the winner in 41 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Supporters of U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton react at her election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 8, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Shannon Stapleton

A wealthy real-estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to challenge Clinton, whose gold-plated establishment resume includes stints as a first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state.

Unpopular candidates

Both candidates had historically low popularity ratings, although Trump's were worse than Clinton's, in an election that many voters characterized as a choice between two unpleasant alternatives.

Before Tuesday's voting, Clinton led Trump, 44 percent to 39 percent in the last Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll. A Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation poll gave her a 90 percent chance of defeating Trump and becoming the first woman elected U.S. president.

Also at stake on Tuesday was control of Congress. Television networks projected Republicans would retain control of the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs.

In the Senate, where Republicans were defending a slim four-seat majority, Democrats scored their first breakthrough in Illinois when Republican Senator Mark Kirk lost re-election. But Republicans Rob Portman in Ohio and Marco Rubio in Florida won high-profile Senate re-election fights.

In a presidential campaign that focused more on the character of the candidates than on policy, Clinton, 69, and Trump, 70, accused each other of being fundamentally unfit to lead the country.

Trump entered the race 17 months ago and survived a series of seemingly crippling blows, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologized but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, allegations he denied.

He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Clinton and she led him by varying margins for months in opinion polls.

Trump won avid support among a core base of white non-college educated workers with his promise to be the "greatest jobs president that God ever created." He has vowed to impose a 35 percent tariff on goods exported to the United States by U.S. companies that went abroad.

His volatile nature and unorthodox proposals led to campaign feuds with a long list of people, including Muslims, the disabled, Republican U.S. Senator John McCain, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, the family of a slain Muslim-American soldier, a Miss Universe winner and a federal judge of Mexican heritage.
According to the Centre, the park spans some 120 hectares. It offers production, legal and logistics support services and as well as space for showrooms, workshops, office spaces, residential apartments and other facilities.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Nguyen Thanh Son was among the hundreds of government officials and business leaders from both Russia and Vietnam that attended the launch ceremony.

Ambassador Son commended the efforts to develop a project for light industries, asserting that the development is a step forward in quality offerings and it provides Vietnamese manufacturers with many promising business opportunities.
Ten contracts and memoranda of understanding worth nearly VND1 billion (US$44,800) have been signed between Vietnamese and South Korean businesses at an industry-trade-tourism fair which concluded on Monday.- VNS Photo

The five-day fair themed "Viet Nam-South Korea Cooperation for Mutual Development" was held in the southernprovinceofBa Ria-Vung Tau.

Truong Van Thoi, director of the provincial Trade Promotion Centre, said the event attracted some 40,000 visitors who spent over VND6.5 billion. Wooden furniture businesses earned the highest revenue totalling VND1.7 billion, followed by firms in textile, garments and the retail sector. Meanwhile, South Korean companies posted total revenue of some VND1.1 billion.

The fair facilitated local enterprises and businesses of both sides to foster their trade promotion activities, share market information and exchange experiences, helping them find suitable partners.

The event featured 348 booths showcasing products of 194 firms, including 84 from Ba Ria-Vung Tau and 35 from outhKorea.

Participants brought to the fair various items, including wooden products, handicrafts, interior decor and garments, as well as seafood, plant varieties, cosmetics and other consumer goods.
Indian-American Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic candidate, won the election to the US House of Representatives from Illinois.

By India Today Web Desk: Kamala Harris scripted history in the US today by being the first Indian-American politician to win a Senate seat. Harris, a Democrat, won from California by defeating her Republican rival Loretta Sanchez.

52-year-old Harris has already won two state-wide elections for Attorney General in 2010 and 2014, which added to her edge in the Senate race.

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In a historic day for Indian-Americans, Democratic candidate Raja Krishnamoorthi won the election to the US House of Representatives from Illinois.

He defeated Republican Peter DiCianni in the traditionally Democratic constituency. At the Democratic Party Convention in July, the party leadership presented him as a "New Leader of Tomorrow".



ALSO READ: US Presidential Election Results: Republicans defend US House majority, Senate on razor's edge

Dual identity of Harris



Harris has a dual identity: She is also counted as an African American as her father is a Jamaican of African descent and she follows the Baptist faith.

ALSO READ: US Presidential Election Results: Donald Trump has slight edge on Clinton in several battleground states



She has also become the second American woman of African descent elected to the Senate and join the two other African Americans there. She derives her equal claim to Indian heritage from her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a cancer specialist from Chennai.

ALSO READ: Modi, Donald trump the market, Sensex crashes 1,600 points

Indian American Peter Jacob loses Congress race

Another Indian American Democrat Peter Jacob lost his bid for the House of Representatives from New Jersey.

The Kerala-born social worker lost by a margin of a 15 percent of the votes in the Seventh Congressional District in the middle of the state, which does not cover any of the areas with heavy Indian American presence.

Congressman Leonard Lance won re-election from the traditionally Republican constituency. But his votes were reduced from 59.25 per cent to 55 per cent.

Indian Americans make a mark in Election 2016

Indian Americans also appear to be heading for a breakthrough in the House of Representatives, where more of them are expected to join the sole Indian American, Ami Bera from California.

At least two candidates for the House, Pramila Jayapal of Washington State, and Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, have near-certain chances of winning, while Bera has shown a strong lead in the primary and that could see him re-elected.

ALSO READ: US Presidential Election Results: Steady crowd marks Election Day at Susan B. Anthony's grave

Another candidate, Ro Khanna, who is running to represent the Silicon Valley, is reported to have a slim lead over the veteran incumbent Mike Honda.

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All these candidates are Democrats and since the election of Republican Bobby Jindal to the House in 2004, no viable Indian American candidate for Congress has emerged in that party, although Nikki Haley, the current governor of South Carolina, belongs to it.

ALSO READ: US Presidential Election Results: Voters talk of decisions and tensions



Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, 35, is the only Hindu ever elected to Congress although she is a not of Indian descent, and she appears set for re-election.



ALSO READ: US Presidential Election Results: Long lines, machine snags, but major voting problems scant



ALSO READ: US Presidential Election Results: Trump takes Indiana, Kentucky; Clinton Vermont

ALSO READ: US votes to elect its next President: All you need to know



--- ENDS ---
Remembering Uncle Ernie and other veterans who need our help
Photo by ASSOCIATED PRESS

Guests react as they watch a television broadcast of U.S. presidential election in Hong Kong today. Republican presidential nominee was leading Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at the polls early this morning.
Mindful Eating: Slower Consumption for Better Health

With tight schedules and busy lives, sitting down to a meal free of distraction can be more of a luxury than the norm. Mindful eating gets pushed aside for many reasons. Taking a break to satisfy your hunger may also seem like the perfect opportunity to catch up on social
The United Kingdoms trade envoy to Cambodia, Lord David Puttnam, has reassured Phnom Penh that the UKs likely exit from the European Union will not damage trade relations between the two countries.

On a visit to Phnom Penh this week, Puttnam met with Foreign Minister Prak Sokhon.



According to ministry spokesman Chum Sounry, Puttnam told Sokhon that the changed situation in the UK will not adversely affect bilateral relations or trade cooperation between the two countries.



Sounry added that Puttnam had praised Cambodias high growth levels in recent years.



Puttnam declined to speak to the media after the meeting.



The UK held a non-binding referendum on its membership of the European Union in February, which saw those voting to leave the union come out on top.



However, last week a UK court ruled that a decision to trigger Article 50 of the EUs Lisbon Treaty, which would initiate Britains departure, would need to be put to a vote in parliament.



Soeng Sophary, Commerce Ministry spokesman, said while having to negotiate seperately with the UK after it left the EU would be an additional burden, it would not have a lasting impact.



However, Teng Delux, an economist, speculated that trade would be more costly to Cambodia when if it had to deal bilaterally with the UK because of Cambodias easy access to EU markets.



But when the British leave the EU, it will demand new conditions or taxation or tax exemptions, but there will be certain limits, it will certainly affect [trade], he said.



According to data from the Ministry of Commerce, bilateral trade between Cambodia and the United Kingdom has increased steadily in recent years, up from $700 million in 2013 to $800 million in 2014 and about $1 billion US dollars in 2015.
From Kapil Sharma to Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya; here is what TV celebs think of the Rs 500/1000 notes ban

By India Today Web Desk: The world of Indian television has been taken by a storm. Yes, we are talking about the same storm that hit everyone last night after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in his speech that all Rs 500/1000 notes will be considered invalid as currency notes.

Indian television stars immediately took to social media to express their own opinion on the subject.

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Also read--Kapil Sharma illegal construction case: Entire building where the comedian lives, illegal?



Comedy genius Kapil Sharma, who had not been active on Twitter ever since the illegal construction controversy, tweeted last night applauding the Prime Minister's move.

Have never seen such long lines in front of ATM machines before.. we r very proud of u sir @narendramodi #saynotoblackmoney pic.twitter.com/XugLNiMKVJ KAPIL (@KapilSharmaK9) November 8, 2016

"Have never seen such long lines in front of ATM machines before?we r very proud of u sir @narendramodi #saynotoblackmoney."

Pardes Mein Hai Mera Dil actor Arjun Bijlani also took to the social networking site to applaud Modi government's decision. Here's what he wrote:

Salute to u @narendramodi sir.check mate .ache din aa Gaye.#welovemodi .let this hash tag trend. Arjun Bijlani (@Thearjunbijlani) November 8, 2016

"Salute to u @narendramodi sir. Check mate. Ache din aa gaye. #welovemodi. Let this hash tag trend."

Yeh Hai Mohabbatein actress Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya also seemed quite positive about the 'change'.

While #India is stressed out counting 500s and 1000s... I say, #AcchheDin aane wale hain. #KeepCalm and #EnjoyTheChange. A photo posted by Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya (@divyankatripathidahiya) on Nov 8, 2016 at 10:45am PST

She posted a picture of herself on Instagram and wrote, "While #India is stressed out counting 500s and 1000s... I say #AcchheDin aane wale hain. #KeepCalm and #EnjoyTheChange."

Well, looks like Indian television stars are quite happy about the Rs 500/1000 notes ban.



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Islamic State is losing ground in Iraq, but the group is putting up fierce resistance as Iraqi government troops and Kurdish peshmerga fighters approach Mosul. Terrorists are using various tactics to block the encroaching groups, including suicide bomber attacks, smoke screens, barricades, and human shields. Civilians fleeing the area and those the liberating troops find at home tell stories of terror experienced under Islamic State.
Feelings about Donald Trumps U.S. election win are mixed in Africa.

In Kenya, where President Barack Obama has familial roots, many were hoping Hillary Clinton could carry on his legacy, but were prepared for disappointment.



"Personally, I think it [Trumps win] was expected because I don't think America was ready for a female president just yet," said Jamila Wafula, a student at Jomo Kenyatta University near Nairobi. "We were really hoping that Clinton would win, but it was expected for Trump to win.



Sara Asafu-Adjaye, a Ghanaian social activist, says she would have loved to have seen the first female U.S. president.



Not only is it that she is a woman. Shes a competent woman, said Asafu-Adjaye. And the fact that millions, over 48 percent of Americans believe that shes not the better person for the job, it scares me.

Charles Eboune, an international relations expert in Cameroon, was dismayed Clinton's decades of experience in Washington was not enough to carry her to victory.

"[If] you look at the caliber of the lady who was in front of him in the election and all those who backed her, it was another translation that [the] majority is not always right, said Eboune.

Change in style



Now, Africans have to adjust to the fact that a president with a very different style and priorities from both Obama and Clinton is going to take office.

More than a few Africans are worried about the policy changes Trump may implement.

It might slow down immigration, probably from African countries toward the U.S.," said Francis Kouame in Ivory Coast. "It is going to make it more difficult. Really, Im not happy that he won.





A Congolese newspaper reported the election results as The Trump Surprise, while a popular Senegalese website displayed a photo of Trump, with a headline playing on the president-elects last name and the French verb se tromper, to make a mistake.

But an administrative worker in Dakar tries to remain optimistic about Americas choice of president.



I am a little disappointed, because I supported Hillary Clinton, but I see that the people of the United States have chosen their president, said Moussa Traore. Donald Trump is not bad. The essential is that the people are a little unhappy to hear this, but maybe there will be change.

Keith Benon Robe was active in Ugandas opposition during his countrys presidential elections earlier this year. He says he is excited because he believes Trump will stand up to Africas dictators.



I jumped off my feet in celebration. I was so joyous and I'm still, it's just unbelievable, said Robe. I'm sure the economy will be better, better than it is right now. And I trust him because he's a businessman; he's going to change everything. But the main point is he's going to help us change this regime, which we're tired of.

A good example



The fact that Trump was legitimately elected was not lost on some Africans, who have seen many rigged or suspect elections in their time.

Stanley, a history teacher at the Institut Superieur Pedagogique de la Gombe in Kinshasa who preferred not to give his last name, says that regardless of winner, the American election cycle sets a good example for other countries.



The lessons which I draw as a Congolese citizen, as an African, is that its a handover of power, clear and clean, without problem. Mrs. Clinton has even called Trump to congratulate him, said Stanley.

African leaders and politicians in Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia, to name a few, have already sent or tweeted messages to Trump, congratulating him on his victory. Malik Obama, President Obamas half-brother, has also congratulated Trump.
Amnesty International is urging Donald Trump to commit to human rights issues.

Although criticizing Trumps poisonous rhetoric, the organization said Wednesday the president-elect must reaffirm and abide by the United States obligations on human rights, at home and abroad."

President-elect Trump must publicly commit to upholding the human rights of all without discrimination, Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International USA, said in a statement.

From internment camps to the use of torture, we have seen disastrous results when those we elect to represent us flout the Unites States' obligations to uphold human rights, Huang said.

During an almost two-year campaign, Trump vowed to build a wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico and attempt to make Mexico City pay for it to thwart more illegal immigration into the United States, and has called for a ban on Muslim immigrants coming into the county.

This rhetoric cannot and must not become government policy. The xenophobic, sexist and other hateful remarks made by Trump have no place in government, Huang said.

Trump, 70, takes office on January 20 to become the first U.S. commander in chief who has never before been elected to public office.
The election of Donald Trump as the United States' next president not only raises huge questions about Americas relations with the worlds second largest economy, China, but traditional allies in the region as well, analysts say.

On the campaign trail, Trump routinely attacked China over its trade policies and practices, pledged to designate Beijing a currency manipulator on his first day in office and levy punishing import tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump was also very critical of the United States military allies in the region.

WATCH: Trump's Win Sends Shockwaves Around the World



Good, bad news



Trumps election is both good news and bad news for China, said Ethan Cramer-Flood, an associate director for The Conference Board's China Center and Asia Programs in Beijing.

"The good news for China is that a Trump presidency will most likely mean the end of the Trans Pacific Partnership, a regional free trade grouping that Beijing was excluded from and has yet to be finalized," he said. "China sees the grouping as a threat to its own regional trade ambitions."



The bad news on Trumps rhetoric and trade globalization is that it was directed at China, he added.

Trump argues that international trade deals have hurt U.S. workers and the countrys competitiveness. He also says that he will renegotiate or scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement, the 1994 free-trade deal with Mexico and Canada.



One of president-elect Trumps toughest pledges regarding China was to impose a 45 percent tariff on Chinese imports.





Cramer-Flood says that while the pledge could be used as a bargaining chip with China to renegociate a new trade relationship with Beijing, its implementation raises the risk of a possible trade war and driving both economies into a recession.



Trumps pledge to withdraw from the TPP would please China, it would be a serious blow to the other 11 regional signatories of the trade pact, analysts say.



"There's a whole range of relatively outlandish statements that Trump said during his campaign that if they were to come to pass could create some pretty dramatic business and economic consequences for the region," Cramer-Flood said.



Chinas Foreign Ministry says it looks forward to working together with the new U.S. administration to, as it puts it, push forward a consistent, healthy and stable China-U.S. relations.



Chinese analysts on state media, however, were less certain about where the direction of the relationship was heading. They say the United States' withdrawal from the TPP would be an opportunity for Chinas One Belt, One Road project, which seeks to grow sea and land trade links from China, but noted the uncertainty of a Trump presidency would last much longer than it usually does.



Trump is not a typical Republican, they say.



Shi Yinhong, a political scientist at Beijings Renmin University, said Trumps election will have a very negative impact on both the worlds political and economic situation and that even harder economic times could be on the horizon.



In this context, China will face very severe financial and economic difficulties, Shi said.



Pay for friendship



During the U.S. presidential campaign Trump was very critical of Americas military allies South Korea and Japan, accusing them of not bearing enough of the financial burden for forces stationed in their countries.





Trump suggested he would pull troops and allow allies in the region to develop their own nuclear weapons if they did not agree to pay the U.S. more for protection.



He also denounced the U.S./South Korea free trade agreement as unfair to American companies and workers.



There was not a pro-Trump supporter to be found among Koreans attending a U.S. Embassy election watch party in Seoul.



Many of the of the 400 Korean college students and professors who attended the U.S. Embassy watch party in Seoul described themselves as opposing Trumps disruptive positions on the close U.S. / South Korea alliance, rather than favoring Clinton who promised to maintain the status quo.



Trumps surprising election victory shocked and concerned many Koreans who were following the results.



This result is not what I expected [and not] what I want. I dont want my country to be affected by American politics, by any changes of American politics. Thats why I am against Donald Trump, said Han Seung-hee.



Alliance reassurances



U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert tried to reassure Koreans that the 60-year-old alliance will remain strong.



It's been through ups and downs, he said, but it will always get stronger. I am confident that that trajectory will continue.





The South Korean presidential office at the Blue House also called a meeting of the National Security Council on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the potential impact of the U.S. presidential election, according to officials in Seoul.



While meeting with members of Parliament, South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said on Wednesday that he believed Donald Trump would maintain the current U.S. policy of pressuring North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests.



"Trump has indicated that the greatest problem facing the world is the nuclear threat and members of his national security team hold the position that favors applying strong pressure against the North," Yun said.



Asia re-pivot pivot



In China, analysts note that many of the hawks and nationalists are excited about a Trump presidency because of what they see as isolationist global view. They also see Trumps pay for friendship approach to relations with Japan, South Korea and the Philippines as benefiting Beijings own ambitions in the region.



Some in China feel that they will have an opportunity to come and fill in those spaces as the Trump team sort of withdraws or creates new tension points, said Cramer-Flood.



But he believes that view is a bit speculative of a view at this point.



"I wouldn't expect that Donald Trump on day one is going to sort of disengage America from Asia or just withdraw geopolitically, but you might see less, he said. You know, you might see a semi-disengagement. Less interest in the South China Sea for instance."



Renmin Universitys Shi Yinhong said that while some believe Trump could alienate U.S. allies in the region, benefiting China, he thinks that is likely to only be temporary.



Japan perceives that it faces a China threat and South Korea faces the North Korean threat. They have no other way, they have to pay money, Shi said. After their payment, Trump will be very pleased to further strengthen military alliances with South Korea and especially Japan.
Russia, by all indications, got the outcome in the U.S. presidential election it desired.

The Russians were accused of attempting to influence the election in favor of the winner, Donald Trump, and were formally blamed by the United States for a political hacking attack. President Vladimir Putin recently denied both accusations.

In a morning-after telegram to Trump, the Russian leader said he hopes to work together to lift the bilateral relationship out of its current crisis, resolve other international issues, and find effective responses to global security challenges.

Key to that will be the team the president-elect assembles for national security and foreign policy.

Some of those said to be under consideration, such as U.S. senators Jeff Sessions and Bob Corker, both Republicans, have a history of favoring a confrontational stance with Moscow.

I dont think theres a danger of putting people who are soft or naive into such positions as secretary of defense or secretary of state, said Rutgers University history professor David Foglesong.

Still, he noted that Sessions and Corker have changed their tune a bit since joining Trumps national security advisory team and began following Trumps line about the desirability of working together with Russia.

It is unknown whether Trump, with no political, diplomatic or military experience, has any intention of listening to such advisers, who were largely ignored during the campaign.

Whether that will change or not once he becomes president we really have no way of knowing at this point, said James Goldgeier, dean of the School of International Service at American University.

Foglesong, speaking to VOA on Wednesday, recommends the new administration break with the Obama White Houses approach of vilifying Putin and engage Moscow while appointing pragmatists, not ideologues, to key foreign policy posts. He agrees with Goldgeier that the biggest unknown for the bilateral relationship is the president-elect himself, who has scant knowledge about Putin.

Trump is personally so ignorant about Russia that he might be surprised about ways Russia and American interests are not going to align on everything around the world, Goldgeier told VOA.

If Trump decides to relax sanctions and doesnt reassure Americas European allies, Putin may get all the things hes always hoped for from United States  which is a United States thats less of a leader in Europe and leaves Russia more free to dominate its immediate neighborhood, added Goldgeier, a former director for Russian affairs on the National Security Council staff.

The chances of reconciliation with Russia, however, probably would have been less likely if the election had been won by Secretary Clinton, whose rhetoric over the years about Putin included her saying he doesnt have a soul.

Russian state media accused Clinton and her supporters of engaging in scare tactics about Russia to get her elected. A correspondent on the RT channel said her camp had gone so far that some wonder if it could prepare the ground for a major confrontation between Russia and the United States."

During Clintons term as Secretary of State relations with Moscow vastly improved for a brief period (the much-touted 2009 reset) but spiraled downward following Putins re-election as president in 2012 following a four-year hiatus.

Russia watchers note historically there have been quick and dramatic shifts in Washington-Moscow relations.

Repulsion in the United States during the early 20th century about brutal Soviet dictator Josef Stalin quickly softened after World War Two began and the U.S. and Soviet Union allied to defeat the Axis powers. However, ties chilled again in the Cold War era.

A vigorous presidential leadership on a new course in Russian-American relations could bring along much of the national security establishment and much of the major American mainstream mass media, noted Rutgers Foglesong, who has authored several books about the history of the relationship.
Hillary Clinton was the obvious choice for the Democratic Party before it began nominating its candidate for president.

In the days before Tuesday's election, a wide range of national polls gave her a slight edge over Donald Trump. She had the type of political experience that historically has been a path to the White House.

When voters had their chance to have their say at the polls, Clinton lost in her bid to become the first woman elected president of the United States.

Clinton's campaign chief John Podesta told supporters at her rally in New York City to go home at 2 a.m. Wednesday, before the race had been officially called, saying votes were still being counted and that there would be more to say later in the day.

'So proud of you'

"I want every person in this hall to know and every person across the country who supported Hillary to know that your voices and your enthusiasm mean so much to her and to [running mate Tim Kaine] and to all of us. We are so proud of you and we are so proud of her," Podesta said.

Clinton was not there.

The rally was at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, a venue that featured the imagery of its vast glass ceiling and what a Clinton win would symbolize.

Clinton supporters went from jubilant Tuesday evening after the playing of the national anthem to slowly accepting the reality of what was happening as the night went on.

VOA's Ramon Taylor said there were glimmers of hope from the crowd during the night, such as when the state of Virginia was called for Clinton, but that those died out quickly, even as the thumping, upbeat soundtrack of Katy Perry and Bruno Mars played on.

After midnight, with the math for a possible Clinton win looking more and more difficult, some people started filing out and none were in the mood to talk to reporters.

'I'm with her!'

A similar scene unfolded at a bar in Philadelphia, where Clinton supporters chanted "I'm with her!" early on and became silent as more and more states went to Trump.

VOA's Katherine Gypson said the crowd appeared stunned as the restaurant closed for the night.

Clinton's campaign massively outspent Trump's and had a big advantage when it came to workers and volunteers mobilized to convince voters in states across the country, both of which helped fuel the predictions that she would defeat Trump.

But Clinton also dealt with widespread unpopularity among voters, with polls showing that a majority did not find her trustworthy. Questions about her use of a private email system when she was secretary of state never went away, persisting in debates, Trump's rallies and media reports through the final week of campaigning.

Couldn't dispel concerns

Irfan Nooruddin, a professor of politics at Georgetown University, said Clinton and her team tried to dispel those concerns, but ultimately could not.

"I think what we've seen tonight is that for a lot of voters, that baggage of Clinton was just too much to overcome," Nooruddin told VOA.

He said animosity toward Clinton pushed white, rural voters to vote in ways unseen before, and that she was less successful than she had hoped in carrying the young people and African Americans who helped elect President Barack Obama.

Clinton served as secretary of state during Obama's first term, and Republicans, including Trump, often portrayed her candidacy as a run for a third term of the Obama administration.

David Schultz, a political science professor at Hamline University, said the 2016 vote reminded him of the 1980 election in which a lot of voters who made up their minds in the final days of the race voted for challenger Ronald Reagan over incumbent President Jimmy Carter.

"Here I sort of think of Clinton as the incumbent, that is same party as Obama, and there seems to be evidence voters are breaking away from the incumbent towards the challenger because they dont like the direction that the country is going," Schultz said.

Support of women

Clinton had an advantage when it came to support from female voters, but Trump always had more support among men throughout the race, particularly whites.

Schultz said sexism is part of the story of this election.

"There is I think still a large percentage of our population that won't vote for a woman for president of the United States. Exactly what it is, I don't know. I don't think the polls are reflecting that either," he said.

In Photos: Hillary Clinton through the years
When he takes office as president, Donald Trump will work shoulder to shoulder with leaders of NATO's top member states, who are women. During the campaign, Trump was accused of having a disrespectful attitude toward women. The concern adds to questions of whether he will sustain the U.S. commitment to defend members of the world's most powerful alliance. VOA Europe Correspondent Luis Ramirez reports.
Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States.

The billionaire businessman, who was widely underestimated and even mocked by the political and media class throughout his campaign, pulled off a stunning and decisive win Tuesday over his rival, ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

I pledge to every citizen of our land to be a president for all Americans, said an exuberant Trump, surrounded by his family and top aides at a victory party in New York City early Wednesday.



President Barack Obama congratulated Trump over the phone and invited the president-elect to meet with him at the White House on Thursday.



"Ensuring a smooth transition of power is one of the top priorities the President identified at the beginning of the year and a meeting with the President-elect is the next step," Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.



First elective office

It is an improbable victory for a candidate who has never held elected office and who ran one of the most unorthodox campaigns in U.S. history. It also brings to an end one of the most contentious and divisive presidential campaigns in recent memory.

Trump, a Republican, captured at least 288 electoral votes compared with 215 for the Democrat Clinton, according to figures early Wednesday. Despite his strong electoral vote tally, Trump appeared to be headed for a narrow loss in the popular vote. It would be just the fourth time in U.S. history that the presidential winner has lost the popular vote.

At Trump headquarters, the scene was jubilant, though remnants of a divisive campaign were still evident. Even as it became clear that Trump would win, his supporters repeatedly broke out in chants of lock her up, referring to the Democratic nominee.

WATCH: Political correspondent Jim Malone on significance of victory

There was tremendous excitement among Trump supporters to begin with, and it grew and grew as results started coming in, says White House correspondent Mary Alice Salinas, who was at the Trump victory party. Many Trump supporters say they arent surprised at the win  they knew the polls were better for Trump than many had expected.

Investors reacted less positively, with global markets and U.S. stock futures sent into turmoil as it became clear Trump would win.

Polling failure

Trumps victory amounts to a massive failure for opinion polls, which showed Clinton with a seemingly safe 3-4 point lead in the final days of the campaign. Many respected pollsters had put her odds of winning at more than 90 percent.

Clearly they blew it, and they blew it quite spectacularly, said Irfan Nooruddin, professor of politics at Georgetown University. The pollsters clearly have a lot of homework to do.

Trump had for weeks shrugged off the significance of opinion polls, saying they were products of a system that was rigged against him and insisting that the size and passion of his rallies were a better indicator of public sentiment.

According to exit polls, Trump benefited from a larger than expected turnout among his base of white rural voters, many of whom feel left behind in a changing economy and were attracted to Trumps anti-trade, anti-immigration stands.

In the end, that was enough to offset Trumps lack of support among minorities. Exit polls show that nearly 9 in 10 African Americans and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for Clinton.

Divided party, but in control

Trump will take office with a Congress fully under Republican control, after the party Tuesday not only protected its majority in the Senate, but solidified its control of the House. That means Republicans will be able to fill vacancies on the Supreme Court, likely resulting in a shift to the right that could last a generation.

But still, the Republican Party faces massive challenges, having been largely divided over Trumps candidacy. Over the course of his campaign, Trump has lashed out at mainstream Republicans and has rejected many aspects of traditional conservatism.

Were in unchartered waters now in terms of what comes next, says Republican political strategist Ron Bonjean. This is an unprecedented victory by an outsider who took control of the Republican Party and shook the establishment to its core and is now coming to Washington with a wrecking ball.

In Photos: Reaction to the vote
When he takes office as U.S. president, Donald Trump will work shoulder to shoulder with leaders of NATO's top member states, who happen to be women, and observers are expecting some awkward moments.

During the presidential campaign, Trump was accused of having a disrespectful attitude toward women. The concern adds to questions of whether he will sustain the U.S. commitment to defend members of the world's most powerful alliance.

Trump stunned NATO and defense analysts when he told The New York Times during his campaign that the United States would defend NATO members against Russian aggression only if they paid their bills and made fair contributions to the alliance.

"Donald Trump and what he represents with respect to NATO, in particular, is dangerous," said Christine Cheng, a professor in the Department of War Studies at King's College London. "He is going straight at the heart of the alliance and even the idea of calling that into dispute, I think, terrifies a lot of [countries], particularly the eastern European countries."

Analysts like Cheng say it is not only his stance on NATO that gets the president-elect off to a shaky start with alliance members. Distasteful remarks about women revealed during the campaign could present challenges when dealing with influential leaders, who include British Prime Minister Theresa May and Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"I think that Mrs. May and Mrs. Merkel will be extremely professional and cordial," Cheng said. "Having said that, it is difficult to imagine, as a woman, how one could overlook the things he has said and the things that he has done."

There is general agreement that Trump, May, and Merkel have one thing in common: They are all business when it matters.

"I think Mrs. Merkel, who in some ways I think is much more of a European than Theresa May is, I think she's going to regard Mr. Trump as a kind of United States phenomenon, in a way which just says this country, this extraordinarily rich and vital country, produces all kinds of ideas and people who are extraordinary in European terms," said Mary Evans, a professor at the London School of Economics' Gender Institute.

In congratulating Trump on his victory, Merkel, according to some observers, appeared to lay out a few conditions for her future interactions with him.

She said Germany and America are bound together by a long list of values that include respecting people's dignity regardless of gender.

"On the basis of these values," Merkel said, "I am offering to work closely with the future president of the United States, Donald Trump."
The futuristic city-state of Dubai announced a deal Tuesday with Los Angeles-based Hyperloop One to study the potential for building a line linking it to the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi.

The announcement of the deal took place atop the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, with a panoramic view of the skyline of this futuristic city-state serving as both a backdrop and a sign of Dubai's desire to be the first to rush toward the future.

However, no financial terms were immediately discussed, and the technology itself remains under testing, despite the Apple-like product talk given by Hyperloop CEO Rob Lloyd.

"This has become a transportation hub and leader in the world," Lloyd said, mentioning long-haul carrier Emirates and the city's driverless metro, the longest in the world. "In the Emirates, we believe everything is possible."

A hyperloop has levitating pods powered by electricity and magnetism that hurtle through low-friction pipes at a top speed of 1,220 kph (760 mph). Tesla co-founder Elon Musk first proposed the idea in 2013.

Organizers suggest the Dubai-Abu Dhabi travel time by hyperloop would be only 12 minutes  significantly down from the hour-plus journey it now takes by car between the two cities. Later asked about the cost, Hyperloop co-founder Josh Giegel told The Associated Press the cost would be "somewhere between the cost of putting a road in and a high-speed rail." He did not elaborate.

Design competition

In October, Dubai hosted a competition to design a hyperloop track. In that 48-hour project, designers presented ideas for a possible track between Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, Dubai International Airport and Fujairah International Airport. Under their plans, the hyperloop trip of some 145 kilometers (90 miles) over a mountain range would be 10 minutes or less, compared with the current hour and 20 minutes by road.

The deal announced Tuesday would be far simpler.

There would be several stations throughout Dubai connecting the hyperloop system to Abu Dhabi. The pods would then be able to carry passengers and cargo between the cities. At the event Tuesday, Hyperloop officials showed several circular station models for Dubai, including one at Emirates Towers on Dubai's main artery, Sheikh Zayed Road.

Already, government-backed port operator DP World has signed an agreement with Hyperloop One to explore the feasibility of the using the technology at Dubai's sprawling, man-made Jebel Ali Port.

DP World CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem attended Tuesday's event with Mattar al-Tayer, the head of Dubai's Roads & Transportation Agency.

"Dubai is a city that understands global change and seizes the opportunity to pioneer," al-Tayer said.

For now though, Hyperloop One continues its tests in the Nevada desert.

"We do aspire to build the world's first hyperloop here in the United Arab Emirates," Lloyd said. "That is our aspiration. We have a lot of work to do."
By PTI: projects: Naidu

New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) India and Sweden should have frequent bilateral meetings to explore possibility of cooperation in urban development, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu today said as he underlined that lot of opportunities are available for investment in Smart City projects.

During a meeting with a Swedish Business delegation led by Enterprise and Innovation Minister Mikael Damberg, Naidu stressed that a joint working group had already been set up between the two countries and "it is time to move forward".

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"There should be frequent bilateral meetings/ dialogue between the two countries which can explore the possibility of cooperation in urban development," he said.

Naidu highlighted the importance of PPP model, Special Purpose Vehicle, credit rating of cities and said that there are lot of opportunities available for Sweden to invest in Smart Cities.

Appreciating the reforms being undertaken by Indian Government, Damberg said that he expects the relation between the two countries to go to a "next level".

He said that Sweden can contribute in Smart Cities, in terms of connectivity, transport and solid waste management. PTI MP RG

--- ENDS ---
Despite winning the U.S. presidential election, Donald Trump appears to be on track to lose the popular vote to Hillary Clinton, becoming the second straight Republican president to do so.

As vote counting continued across the country, Clinton held a narrow lead in the popular vote, according to unofficial results tallied by The Associated Press. With nearly 125 million votes counted, Clinton had 47.7 percent of the vote and Trump had 47.5 percent.

That's a lead of about 236,000 votes.

Just two days before Election Day, Trump tweeted: "The Electoral College is a disaster for a democracy.'' And yet, without the Electoral College, the brash businessman would not be headed to the White House.

Last happened in 2000

The last time a presidential candidate lost the election despite getting more votes was in 2000, when Democrat Al Gore lost to Republican George W. Bush.

The biggest chunk of uncounted votes is in California. Washington State, New York, Oregon and Maryland also have large numbers of uncounted votes. Clinton won all those states, and if the trends continue, she will pad her lead by more than 1 million votes.



There also are votes to be counted in Arizona and Alaska, two Republican-leaning states. But they are far outnumbered by uncounted votes in Democratic states.

Takes 270 votes to win

Under the Electoral College system, each state gets one vote for each member of Congress representing the state. California has the most, with 55. Seven states have only three. The District of Columbia has three, even though the nation's capital has no vote in Congress.

It takes 270 Electoral College votes to win the presidency. Trump's total stands at 279, with races in Michigan, New Hampshire and Arizona too close to call. Clinton has 228.
Many elections experts are trying to decipher Donald Trump's surprising presidential victory that defied most poll projections as he chalked up wins in states that have favored Democrats in past elections.

"He did extremely well in small towns and rural areas, Emory University political expert Alan Abramowitz told VOA, and just generally was able to capitalize on this anger and frustration out there among a pretty large segment of the electorate, mainly white voters without a college degree, who felt they've been ignored and perhaps also who resent that they see immigrants and minorities taking their jobs or getting advantages they don't get.

Trump's strong performance in rural America was enough to offset the heavy turnout among urban voters who cast ballots for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

And although Abramowitz remains skeptical, he said preliminary data suggest Trump fared relatively well among minorities.

"According to the exit polls, he actually did a little bit better with African-Americans and even Latinos than Mitt Romney did four years ago," he said.

Abramowitz said the polls in key swing states the Republican presidential candidate won  such as Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan  were particularly inaccurate, while polls in Florida were "pretty close."

The American Association for Public Opinion Research, which represents polling professionals, is at a loss over how most polls miscalculated the election results.

"It looks like a fairly serious miss on the part of the industry and nobody's really sure yet what happened," said association President Roger Tourangeau in an interview with VOA.

Most pollsters underestimated the nationwide vote, and in the swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio by 2 to 4 percentage points, according to Pennsylvania State University polling expert Eric Plutzer. He said those polling results appear to be outside the traditional bounds of margin of error.

"The error is magnified by the fact that Trump won the Electoral College by a comfortable margin, even though he has apparently lost the popular vote, Plutzer told VOA.

The American Association for Public Opinion Research said it will study the election results and issue an official report on its findings early next year.

Association president Tourangeau told VOA it will determine whether there are systemic biases in who is selected to participate in surveys, confirm suspected systemic differences in the modes used to conduct polls (i.e., live telephone interviews, automated phone calls or online panels), and find out whether voters were underreporting their support for Trump.

"A lot of people have been speculating about shy Trump supporters, claiming they vote for Clinton but were in fact voting for Trump," Tourangeau said.

Whatever the conclusions are in the association's upcoming report, Plutzer said future demand for polling is expected to remain as strong as ever.

"The public's insatiable demand for polls, there were over 1,000 national horse-race polls in this election, is unlikely to disappear," he said.

But Plutzer added the polling industry will be forced to develop innovative polls that try to understand how ordinary voters think rather than just trying to determine where candidates stand in their efforts to win elections.
Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. election has prompted a scramble by foreign leaders and analysts to understand what his presidency might mean for their countries. And no more so than in the Mideast, which reacted angrily when he first proposed last year to impose a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States and declared Islam hates us.

In Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, politicians say they could get no access to the Trump campaign to try to work out what his thoughts are on Kurdistan independence or how the war against the Islamic State terror group would change.

What is Trumps secret, foolproof plan to beat Daesh militants? asked a senior official with close links to Kurdistan Regional Government President Masoud Barzani. He says the Islamic States days would be numbered, but they are anyway, we are making good progress in the campaign to defeat Daesh. What would he alter? he added, using the Arab acronym for IS.

While Trump hasnt specified what he would do in Iraq, he has spoken frequently about working more closely with the Kurds, and for Irbil those remarks are a source of some comfort.

Figuring out Trump

There is a guessing game going on in Iraq about the meaning of Trump.

Some regional Arab politicians have found encouragement from a promise he made in February to be sort of a neutral guy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a remark that alarmed Israel and many American Jews.



But in March he said that as president he would move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, something that would delight Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

More recently top Trump aides told The Times of Israel he doesn't see a two-state solution as a priority and he would pursue warmer relations with Tel Aviv, following eight difficult years in U.S.-Israel relations under President Barack Obama.

But his inconsistent campaign speeches and off-the-cuff remarks have prompted nervous head-scratching and bewilderment.

Hillary Clinton was a known figure. She had a known foreign policy team and the people she would have likely appointed to key jobs at the State Department would have come from the old familiars, as an adviser to the Saudi royal family put it.

Theres nothing familiar about the property mogul and celebrity TV personality when it comes to foreign policy and national security. He didn't have an established foreign-policy team during the campaign and most of the "old familiars" in the Republican foreign-policy establishment shied away or openly opposed him.

Iran deal

Trump didn't help answer the questions in the minds of Mideast leaders with his victory speech in which he said he would deal fairly with foreign countries and seek common ground not hostility, partnership not conflict.

On the campaign trail, Trump reserved some of his sharpest criticism for Tehran and the nuclear deal the West struck with it, describing the agreement as one of the worst deals ever made by any country in history.

In reaction to Trumps win, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is visiting Romania, said, The U.S. president must fully understand the realities of todays world.



Considering that Iran and the U.S. dont have formal political relations, whats important is that the future U.S. president complies to the commitments of the multilateral nuclear deal.

Ankara offers congratulations

All governments in the region were quick Wednesday to congratulate President-elect Trump and to start maneuvering quickly to get access to advisers around him.



Ankara was among the first to offer congratulations. It took the opportunity to press for the extradition of the U.S.-based exiled cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who it accuses of masterminding the failed coup attempt of July 15.

Syrian rebels who have been battling to oust President Bashar al-Assad for nearly six years, appear among the most anxious about what a Trump presidency might entail.

Trump has said although he didnt like the Assad regime, he would side with it and its patron Russia in the battle against IS.
About 100 Kenyan soldiers who were serving in South Sudan returned home Wednesday, as Kenya began to withdraw forces from the U.N. peacekeeping mission.

The Kenyan government has said it will withdraw its 1,000 troops from South Sudan in response to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's firing of the Kenyan commander of the mission, Lieutenant General Johnson Mogoa Kimani Ondieki.

The first batch of soldiers were flown to Nairobi on Wednesday.

"We have started our withdrawal from South Sudan following the directive given by his excellency the president and commander in chief of the Kenya Defense Forces last week, Major General Benjamin Biwott of the Kenya Defense Forces told reporters.

A U.N. inquiry accused the fired Kenyan commander of failing to protect civilians during heavy fighting in the South Sudan capital of Juba in July. Investigators said a lack of leadership led to a chaotic and ineffective response.

Some 300 people were killed in several days of fighting between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his rival, former vice president Riek Machar. The fighting was a major setback to a 2015 peace treaty intended to end South Sudan's civil war.

General Biwott said Kenyan forces have taken part in more than 40 peacekeeping missions over the years, and that the country is still committed to peacekeeping operations as long as they are deeply rooted in professionalism.
Although Somali Americans saw their preferred presidential candidate lose a close race Tuesday, they can still exult in a history-making victory.

Former refugee IIhan Omar, 34, was elected to the Minnesota state legislature, making her the country's first Somali-American lawmaker.

Omar, who proudly wears the hijab in public, told supporters late Tuesday that the victory is not just for her. "My success is not only for me but for every Somali, Muslim and minority, particularly the young girls in the Dadab refugee camp where I lived before coming to the U.S.," she said.

Omar's family came to United States when she was 12, after four years living in Dadab, the world's largest refugee camp in Kenya. She now lives in Minneapolis.

Clinton supporters

Omar will represent the 60th district, located in Minneapolis, near the University of Minnesota. She was almost guaranteed to win the seat in the heavily Democratic district after winning the primary earlier this year.

Minnesota is home to the United States' largest concentration of Somali refugees and immigrants. Most of the Somalis who spoke to VOA's Somali service ahead of the election said they were backing Hillary Clinton for president because of rhetoric from Trump they considered anti-Somali.

"Here in Minnesota, you've seen firsthand the problems caused with faulty refugee vetting, with large numbers of Somali refugees coming into your state without your knowledge, without your support or approval, and with some of them then joining ISIS and spreading their extremist views all over our country and all over the world," said Trump during a campaign rally in a Minneapolis airline hangar on Sunday.

Shocked by Trump win

"We are shocked that Trump is president but we got relief that Ilhan will be representing us at our state House of Representatives," said voter Asha Ahmed. "For me, America is my country, it is where my future and dreams always depended on and the only home for my children... (Omars) success means a lot to me and my family, three children and husband."

"It is like an anti-pain relief for the Somalis, who voted against Trump because of Trump's anti-Somali rhetoric that continued even to the last days of the election campaign," said Jibril Mohamed, a lecturer at Ohio State University.

Ahmed Hirsi, Omar's husband, told VOA that his family endured a long struggle and campaign to witness this day.

"It is a big historic day for us and Ilhan, a symbol and role model for many Somali refugee girls. It is a success that came through hard work and the support of our Minnesota people," he said.
History repeats itself, the saying goes, but it was always hard to prove because it would involve analyzing a huge amount of data.

However, by reviewing 87 years of U.S. and British newspapers, as well as postings on Twitter and visits to Wikipedia, researchers at the University of Bristol found proof of strong periodic patterns in peoples collective behavior.

For instance, it turns out that the amount of time people devote to work or leisure depends on the weather and seasons, which was always suspected although difficult to prove. Cases of measles rise sharply in late March and early April.

But other patterns that were not so readily noticeable also emerged, such as the correlation between seasons and mental health.

Studying statistics of sentiments expressed by large numbers of people on Twitter, as well as how many times certain pages of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia were visited, researchers found that negative feelings were more prominent in winter, especially in November. Anxiety and anger are expressed more between September and April than during other periods of the year. The number of visits to pages describing panic disorder peaks in April.

Scientists say the data shows that patterns of collective behavior affect people globally but are most pronounced in the northern hemisphere.
Pakistan officials said on Wednesday that the Afghan woman known for a famous National Geographic magazine cover, was deported to her native country.

The green-eyed Afghan girl, Sharbat Gulla, who became a symbol of her countrys war because of a 1985 cover photo, was found guilty on charges of using fraudulent identity papers.

Officials say she and her four children crossed the border around 2:30 a.m. after being discharged from a hospital where she was treated for Hepatitis C.

Fayaz Khan, a local government official, said Gulla was unhappy, adding that she looked back to Pakistani territory and hoped for good wishes to the people living in Pakistan.

Afghanistan is only my birthplace, but Pakistan was my homeland and I always considered it as my own country, she told AFP last week, adding she was heartbroken by the courts decision.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani welcomed the woman and said the government would provide Gulla with a furnished apartment to ensure she "lives with dignity and security in her homeland".

"I welcome her back to the bosom of her motherland," Ghani said with Gulla standing beside him during a small welcoming ceremony in Kabul.

"I've said repeatedly, and I like to repeat it again, that our country is incomplete until we absorb all of our refugees."

Gulla, however, did not comment after the presidents remarks.

Arrested for phony documents

She was arrested in October on charges of carrying phony documents while living in Pakistan.

For many years, Gulla was an unnamed figure that was immortalized after her photo was featured on National Geographic and became the symbol of Afghanistan's suffering during the 1980s Soviet occupation and U.S.-backed mujahadeen insurgency against it.

"The woman who stands next to me became an iconic figure representing Afghan deprivation, Afghan hope and Afghan aspirations," Ghani said. "All of us are inspired by her courage and determination."
The doors of the Carnegie Library in Herne Hill, a leafy south London suburb, shut for the last time seven months ago after the cash-strapped local city government decided the building had not been used to its full potential.

To the dismay of locals, the 100-year-old listed building might now be turned into "healthy living center," including a gym and a self-service library. Or, if campaigners' worst fears materialize, it will be sold and turned into apartments in the sought-after area.

The library was built with money from 19th-century Scottish-American steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, one of 3,000 public libraries he funded in Britain, the United States, Canada and other English-speaking countries.

Like Carnegie at the turn of the 20th century, philanthropists around the world are pouring money into a global drive to make cities more livable and sustainable for their citizens.

"If you look at history, you see that philanthropy is a largely, though not exclusively, urban phenomenon," Bradford Smith, president of the U.S.-based Foundation Center, a nonprofit that gathers and analyzes data about philanthropy, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Decisions like the one to close Herne Hill's Carnegie Library illustrate where philanthropic foundations can step in to ensure local services are being kept alive when government budgets are tight.

While city government decisions are often driven by political or financial pressures, philanthropic foundations can operate without or with less of those constraints, said Smith.

They also often bring decades of local knowledge about their communities to the table and invest in the "soft infrastructure" of cities, such as arts, culture and education.

Community needs

Leong Cheung, executive director of charities and communities at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, said through its more than 130-year history the club has built a strong relationship with the city and a deep understanding of community needs.

A large share of losing bets contributes directly to the welfare of Hong Kong's society through charitable contributions by the club, making it the world's sixth-largest charitable foundation, according to the World Charity Index 2015.

In the past year, the nonprofit invested almost HK$3.9 billion ($503 million) by supporting more than 200 charities and community projects working on arts and culture, elderly and family services, medical and health services, and sports, recreation and youth.

"We seek out the root causes of social issues, and collaborate with a strong network of partners  including government, nongovernmental organizations, academia and businesses. ... The ultimate goal is to create social impact," Cheung told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The number of philanthropic foundations is growing around the world, most notably in the United States, home to more than 86,000 foundations with $715 billion in assets, compared with 4,000 in 1960, according to Foundation Center data.

They gave $52 billion to good causes in 2012, but there are no exact data on how much philanthropic money has been spent on cities, either in the United States or elsewhere.

Experts said that because of a lack of data and the small number of networks that link philanthropic funders working on cities, there is a risk that funding does not always go where it has the most impact or that money is spent on a small selection of needs.

"Within the broader landscape of giving ... we still have a significant evolution to make in terms of how we connect philanthropic money to the best possible places to deploy it," said Robert Rosen, director of philanthropic partnerships at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Money for cities, issues

The magnitude of funds received over the past decade to tackle urban challenges and a strategic focus on issues such as climate change and good governance is unprecedented, experts said.

The Rockefeller Foundation has spent $100 million on its 100 Resilient Cities initiative to help cities globally to build strategies against climate change and other shocks.

Set up in 2013, it provides funding to cities to build a resilience strategy and appoint a chief resilience officer. It also provides a network of member cities who can learn from each others' experiences.

"One of the benefits of building a network is that we're able to aggregate the needs, challenges and gaps that we're seeing across cities  and help spur innovation through sharing knowledge," Michael Berkowitz, president of 100 Resilient Cities, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Among other leading city philanthropists is former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has channeled millions into helping cities to improve the ways urban government works and supporting mayors to improve city life and address climate change.

Philanthropy stepped up big time during Detroit's 2013 bankruptcy, when major contributions from organizations such as the Kresge Foundation, Ford Foundation and Community Foundation helped to save the Detroit Institute of Arts and stave off draconian cuts to pensions of municipal retirees.
Poll watcher Eddie Hu of the citizen group Asian Americans Advancing Justice  Los Angeles is stationed on Election Day at a busy polling station in the San Gabriel Valley, a community east of Los Angeles with a heavy Asian population.

Los Angeles County provides voter assistance in Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Spanish and Tagalog  in addition to English  and volunteer poll watchers are stationed in neighborhoods where specific language skills are needed, from L.A.'s Chinatown to heavily Spanish-speaking East Los Angeles.

"Many of the new immigrants and the elderly are not proficient in English," Hu explained to VOA, speaking Mandarin. "We want to make sure there aren't any barriers or [that] language is not an obstacle for voters."

California has the greatest number of eligible voters in the nation who are not fully English-proficient, numbering more than 2.6 million, according to the civil rights group.

Chinese American Jeff Chang, 70, is not one of them. He is bilingual and reads voter guides in both English and Mandarin. He prefers the English version, which he says is clearer.

For him, the global economy is the overriding election issue. He says the presidency is a position of leadership in the world, and "we have to be very careful to choose the right person." He voted for Hillary Clinton.

Raymond Lee, 52, is a reluctant Clinton supporter who is not excited by either candidate. Lee is also fluent in Mandarin and English, and says he follows the news closely and considers Donald Trump a demagogue. He thinks this election an embarrassment.

"People in China, Middle East [are] all laughing at us," he said. "They have no respect for us anymore," he added. He adds that "America is at a crossroads now there's so much divisions in society," and complains that voters are too easily manipulated.

"One-third of all Asian Americans have some difficulty speaking English," said Deanna Kitamura, who directs the Voting Right Project for Asian Americans Advancing Justice  Los Angeles, "and so that's why we know that language assistance at the polling place is so important."

By mid-day, Eddie Hu said things were going smoothly at his polling station in the San Gabriel Valley, and officials were reporting a solid turnout throughout California, where more than 19 million people are on the voter rolls, many with limited skills in English.
By PTI: Kasaragod (Ker), Nov 9 (PTI) A Judicial Magistrate, who was recently suspended after being booked for allegedly assaulting an auto driver and policemen in Karnataka, today allegedly committed suicide by hanging at his official residence here, police said.

Kasaragod First Class Judicial Magistrate V K Unnikrishnan allegedly took the extreme step after sending his relative, whowas staying with him, for getting tea, police said.

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On returning, the relative found the room locked from inside following which he alerted neighbours and the 48-year-old magistrates colleagues.

Police broke open the door and found his body hanging in his room.He was immediately rushed to a private hospital where doctors pronounced him brought dead, police said.

Two cases were registered against him for allegedly assaulting an autorickshaw driver and policemen in an alleged inebriated state at Sullia near Mangaluru in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnatakaon November 6, following which the Kerala High Court had suspended him.

Unnikrishnan is survived by wife and two children, police said. PTI COR KV BN DIP

--- ENDS ---
Democrat Hillary Clinton conceded the U.S. presidential election Wednesday to Republican Donald Trump, saying she hopes he "will be a successful president for all Americans."

But Clinton, a former U.S. secretary of state who was looking to become the country's first female president, acknowledged the depth of her disappointment in losing. She told cheering supporters in New York, "This is painful and it will be for a long time."

WATCH: Hillary Clinton on "painful" election loss

She said the country was "more deeply divided than we thought," but she said the losing Democrats "owe him an open mind and a chance to lead." Clinton urged her supporters to "please never stop believing that fighting for what's right is worth it."



Obama reacts to election results

U.S. President Barack Obama campaigned hard for Clinton's election, but at the White House he said of Trump, "We are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country."

Obama said that despite the rancor of the long campaign and deep political divide in the U.S., "We are all Americans first." He invited Trump to the White House on Thursday to discuss his transition to power on January 20.

WATCH: Obama on peaceful transition of power



Obama congratulated Trump over the phone early Wednesday.

Hours after his election triumph, Trump vowed to never forget the working class Americans who launched him to the biggest upset win in American political history.

"The forgotten man and woman will never be forgotten again," the Republican Trump said on his Twitter account hours after winning the presidency over Clinton. " We will all come together as never before."

When he takes office January 20, Trump, a blunt-spoken billionaire real estate mogul, will become the first U.S. commander in chief who has never before been elected to public office, served in the military or in a high-level government position. At 70, he also will be the oldest U.S. president as he takes over the White House for a four-year term.

He was widely underestimated and even mocked by the political and media class throughout his campaign, but he pulled off a stunning and decisive win over Clinton, who was looking to become the country's first female president. She called Trump to congratulate him in the early hours of Wednesday after the outcome became apparent and planned to talk about it later.

"I pledge to every citizen of our land to be a president for all Americans," said an exuberant Trump, surrounded by his family and top aides at a victory party in New York.



WATCH: Trump promises to be president of all Americans

Improbable victory



It was an improbable victory for Trump, who right up to Election Day narrowly trailed Clinton in pre-election surveys, most of which proved to be massively wrong in predicting a Clinton win.

Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, told television interviewers Wednesday that Clinton had more campaign money, but that his campaign "outworked them, and frankly, we outsmarted them and outclassed them in some cases."

"Take it to the bank, candidates matter," Conway said. "There's no substitute for a great candidate."

Trump's victory brought to an end one of the most contentious and divisive presidential campaigns ever. At rally after rally, both Clinton and Trump routinely derided each other as unfit to become the country's leader.



Trump captured at least 279 electoral votes compared to just 228 for Clinton, according to figures early Wednesday, amassing more than the 270 majority in the 538-vote Electoral College, where U.S. presidential elections are decided based on the election results in each of the 50 states and the national capital, Washington. Results in a few states were still unclear but won't change the outcome.

Despite his strong electoral vote win, Trump appeared to be headed for a narrow loss in the popular vote.

It would be just the fourth time in U.S. history that the presidential winner has lost the national vote, but the second time in 16 years it has occurred, with a Republican winning both times.

Jubilation



At Trump headquarters the scene was jubilant, though remnants of a divisive campaign were still evident. Even as it became clear that Trump would win, his supporters repeatedly broke out in chants of "lock her up," referring to the Democratic nominee's controversial handling of national security material on her email accounts while she was the country's top diplomat during Obama's first term in the White House.

Trump had vowed during the campaign to name a special prosecutor to further investigate Clinton, but Trump campaign manager Conway said Wednesday, "We have not discussed that at all."

Stock Market



Stock exchanges in Asia and Europe fell on news of the unexpected Trump victory, but recovered somewhat from their lowest points as U.S. vote counts through Tuesday evening showed the increasing likelihood that he would win.

Trump had for weeks shrugged off the significance of opinion polls, saying they were products of a system that was "rigged" against him and insisting that the size and passion of his rallies were a better indicator of public sentiment.

According to exit polls, Trump benefited from a larger than expected turnout among his base of white rural voters, men and those without a college degree. Many of them feel left behind in a changing, global economy and were attracted to Trump's anti-trade, anti-immigration stances, such as his vow to build a wall along the U.S. southern border with Mexico and attempt to make Mexico City pay for it to thwart more illegal immigration into the U.S.

In the end, that was enough to offset Trump's lack of support among minorities, women and more educated voters who favored Clinton. Exit polls showed that nearly 9 in 10 African Americans and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for Clinton.

Republicans control congress



Trump will take office with a Congress fully under control by Republicans, after the party on Tuesday not only protected its majority in the Senate, but also left it in control of the House. That means Republicans will be able to fill vacancies at the Supreme Court, likely resulting in a shift to the right that could last a generation.

But still, the Republican Party faces massive challenges, having been largely divided over Trump's candidacy. Over the course of his campaign, Trump has lashed out at mainstream Republicans, and has rejected many aspects of traditional conservatism.

"We're in unchartered waters now in terms of what comes next," says Republican political strategist Ron Bonjean. "This is an unprecedented victory by an outsider who took control of the Republican Party and shook the establishment to its core and is now coming to Washington with a wrecking ball."



In Photos: Republicans, Democrats React to Vote
Russia warmly welcomed the presidential election victory of Donald Trump with officials, analysts, and ordinary citizens cautiously hoping it could turn a new page in relations between Russia and the United States.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on his win, saying he hoped to work together with the next American president to lift relations out of the current crisis, resolve international issues, and respond to global security challenges.

At an election watch breakfast at the residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Russia, John Tefft, various foreign and Russian dignitaries mingled as the results came in and took interviews with Russian and international media.

Trumps victory, defying polls that predicted Hilltary Clinton would win, came a surprise to most present.

Some analysts questioned how much of Trumps campaign rhetoric would translate into policy and whether, as president, he can improve U.S.-Russia relations.

Too early to say, says Moscow-based political analyst and author on Putin, Maria Lipman. Trump will be president effective end of January. He still has got to deal with the American congress. The American congress is not a crowd of Russia lovers, to say the least. It will depend on Russia as well, adds Lipman, whether Russia will try and take advantage of this unexpected result of the election.

They will welcome a chance to sit down early on with President Trump and discuss the relationship, says director of the Carnegie Moscow Center Dmitri Trenin.

But he was cautious about any dramatic improvement, after more than two years of frosty relations with the West over Russias actions in Ukraine and Syria. We are still in dangerous waters. I dont think that a change of president in the United States would mean a fundamental change of interests, clearly not. Change of policies or a correction of policies, probably yes. Which direction, we dont know.

While Clintons positions on Russia are known, Trenin noted there were still many unkowns about Trumps policy toward Russia. We dont know enough about Mr. Trump. We dont know anything about the Trump administration, we dont know anything about Trump policies, including his foreign policy.

On the streets of Moscow, Trumps victory was overwhelmingly welcomed by most Russians.

"Well, I think that was the best option for Russia than any other ( politician), says student Irina. Because they say he is not so critical about Russia.

Pensioner Elena voiced a rare dissenting opinion on Trump, saying while bilateral relations may improve under Trump, she thought him too emotional. I have no confidence that he (Trump) is a person who is capable to manage the country in a stable way.

During the election campaign, Trump and Putin exchanged compliments and expressed interest in improving relations. On the thorny issues of Russias military actions in Ukraine and Syria, Trump leaned to Moscows positions more than his own Republican Party.

Ukraines President Petro Poroshenko congratulated Trump on his victory, but also said he hoped Trump would continue the Republican Partys policy of supporting Ukraine.

Leaders of other former Soviet states, such as Moldova, expressed simliar hopes that bilateral relations with Washington remain unchanged under Trump.

Russian state media clearly favored Trump in its reporting, criticism of Hillary Clinton was much more common. But Russian analysts say the attacks were more about disparaging Clinton, who was tougher on Russia, than necessarily wanting or believing that Trump could win.

I think for some people (in the Kremlin) it was disbelief, says Trenin. Some people have always maintained that if Trump looked like he was going to win, his victory would be stolen by the American elite. Now this has not happened. And that sends a message, including to the Kremlin, that democracy works in America.
Taiwan's independence-leaning ruling party urged Beijing's leaders Wednesday to listen to the democratic aspirations of people in Hong Kong and to respect the rights of pro-independence representatives.

The comments by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are sure to rile Beijing, which deems Taiwan a wayward province that is part of China to be taken back by force if necessary.

Beijing has stopped official communication with self-ruled Taiwan because DPP leader and President Tsai Ing-wen refuses to acknowledge this "one China" principle.

On Monday, China's parliament issued an interpretation of Hong Kong's mini-constitution, or Basic Law, which effectively barred two pro-independence lawmakers from taking their oaths of office.

The move marked Beijing's most direct intervention in the city's legal and political system since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

"The government of Beijing and Hong Kong should listen to the aspirations of the people of Hong Kong eager to practice democracy," DPP spokesman Yang Chia-liang said in a statement.

Yang said the DPP and the people of Taiwan were paying close attention to how Beijing handled "the problem in Hong Kong" and supported the right of Hong Kong people to choose their representatives by democratic means.

Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule under a "one country, two systems" agreement that ensured its freedoms, including a separate legal system. Beijing, however, has ultimate control, and some Hong Kong people fear it is increasingly interfering to head off dissent.
Thousands of Kosovo opposition supporters marched through Pristina on Tuesday, blaming the government for the death of an imprisoned activist suspected of being involved in a grenade attack on the parliament building.

Astrit Dehari, 26, and five other members of the hard-line nationalist Vetevendosje political party were arrested in September on suspicion of being behind the rocket-propelled grenade attack.

The attack came when the parliament was due to vote on a border deal with neighboring Montenegro, a prerequisite for closer ties with the European Union, including visa-free travel. Vetevendosje, the largest opposition party, opposes the deal.

Dehari was found dead in his prison cell Saturday, and authorities are investigating. His party suspects he was murdered and blames the government for not providing sufficient security in jail.

"The regime in Kosovo has the direct responsibility for the death of Astrit," Vetevendosje leader Visar Ymeri said.

Increasing friction

Tension has been rising over the past year among political parties. Opposition MPs have released tear gas inside parliament several times to protest against an accord with Serbia giving more autonomy to Serb-held areas of Kosovo and the border deal with Montenegro.

Opposition supporters clashed with the police several times during the same period.

Opposition parties reject the border agreement, which lawmakers have yet to pass, saying it hands over 8,000 hectares of Kosovo territory to Montenegro.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and is still not recognized by Belgrade. It has signed a trade and political pact with the EU, but five member states  Spain, Cyprus, Romania, Greece and Slovakia  still do not recognize it.
Throngs of demonstrators marched in cities across the United States on Wednesday to protest Republican Donald Trump's surprise victory in the U.S. presidential election, blasting his controversial campaign rhetoric about immigrants, Muslims and other groups.

In New York, thousands of protesters filled streets in midtown Manhattan as they made their way to Trump Tower, Trump's gilded home on Fifth Avenue, while hundreds of others gathered at a Manhattan park and shouted "Not my president."

In downtown Chicago, an estimated 1,800 people gathered outside the Trump International Hotel and Tower, chanting phrases like "No Trump! No KKK! No racist USA."

Chicago police closed roads in the area, impeding the demonstrators' path. There were no immediate reports of arrests or violence.

"I'm just really terrified about what is happening in this country," said 22-year-old Adriana Rizzo in Chicago, who was holding a sign that read: "Enjoy your rights while you can."

Protesters railed against Trump's campaign pledge to build a wall along the border with Mexico to keep immigrants from entering the country illegally.

Hundreds also gathered in Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle and Portland, Oregon, on Wednesday evening, and organizers planned rallies in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Oakland, California.

In Austin, the Texas capital, about 400 people marched through the streets, police said.

A representative of the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the protests. In his victory speech, Trump said he would be president for all Americans, saying: "It is time for us to come together as one united people."

Earlier this month, his campaign rejected the support of a Ku Klux Klan newspaper and said that "Mr. Trump and his campaign denounces hate in any form."

'Dreamers' fear deportation

Earlier on Wednesday, some 1,500 students and teachers rallied in the courtyard of Berkeley High School, in Berkeley, a San Francisco Bay Area city known for its liberal politics, before marching toward the campus of the University of California, Berkeley.

Hundreds of high school and college students also walked out in protest in Seattle, Phoenix, Los Angeles and three other Bay Area cities, Oakland, Richmond and El Cerrito.

A predominantly Latino group of about 300 high school students walked out of classes on Wednesday morning in Los Angeles and marched to the steps of City Hall, where they held a brief but boisterous rally.

Chanting in Spanish: "The people united will never be defeated," the group held signs with slogans such as "Not Supporting Racism, Not My President" and "Immigrants Make America Great."

Many of those students were members of the "Dreamers" generation, children whose parents entered the United States with them illegally, school officials said, and who fear deportation under a Trump administration.

"A child should not live in fear that they will be deported," said Stephanie Hipolito, one of the student organizers of the walkout. She said her parents were U.S. citizens.

There were no immediate reports of arrests or violence.

Wednesday's demonstrations followed a night of protests in the San Francisco area and elsewhere in the country in response to Trump's victory against heavily favored Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Demonstrators smashed storefront windows and set garbage and tires ablaze late on Tuesday in downtown Oakland. A few miles away, students at the University of California, Berkeley protested on campus.
Turkey has cautiously welcomed Donald Trumps presidential victory.

The election marks the beginning of a new era in the United States, declared President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a meeting of businessmen in Istanbul. Personally and on behalf of the nation, I wish to consider this decision by the American people a positive sign and wish them a successful future."



The warm words are in stark contrast to Erdogan describing Trump as an Islamophobe, in response to Trumps call to ban Muslims visiting or immigrating to the United States. Members of Erdogans ruling AK Party had even called for Istanbuls Trump Tower to be renamed. The Turkish president, a devout Muslim, likes to portray himself as a defender of Muslims throughout the world.



On the surface, it appears the two leaders have little in common but observers in Turkey point out both view themselves as strong men who are outside the establishment, with a common touch, and who care little about making waves with provocative statements.

They seem to share similar traits and they [are] both riding the wave of popularism - there is no doubt about that, observes political columnist Semih Idiz of Turkeys Hurriyet Daily News and Al Monitor website. Trump has also signaled that it's not up to America to interfere in other countries and tell them that their democracy is good or bad.

Issues won't disappear overnight

A new approach from Washington on human rights will likely be welcomed in Ankara. U.S. President Barack Obamas administration made little secret of its growing concerns over human rights in Turkey, exacerbated by an ongoing crackdown following Julys coup attempt. Relations have markedly deteriorated, with Erdogans chief international relations adviser, Ayse Sozen Usluer, describing ties, diplomatically, as going through "turbulence."

Awaiting Trump are disputes and tensions between the two NATO allies. Issues that existed under the Obama administration won't disappear overnight, warns columnist Idiz. Starting with the Fethullah Gulen problem and then the Syrian Kurds, which Turkey describes as terrorists and which America is allied at the moment.

Officials in Turkey blame U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen for Julys failed military takeover. Ankara has made little secret of its anger over Washingtons insistence that any extradition of Gulen will be subject to judicial process.

Sources close to Erdogan suggest that Trumps businesslike approach could offer its best chance of having Gulen sent back to Turkey, Ankaras No. 1 diplomatic priority. In congratulating Trump on his victory, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim wasted little time in sending a message to the president-elect. I am openly calling on the new president from here about the urgent extradition of Fethullah Gulen, Yildirim said, adding that a new beginning in bilateral relations was in the offing.
A Turkish judge for a U.N. war crimes panel has been arrested in Turkey in connection with the failed coup in July, in violation of his diplomatic immunity.

The president of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals, Theodor Meron, said Judge Aydin Sedaf Akay was detained in September in relation to allegations connected to the events of July 2016 directed against the constitutional order of Turkey.

Speaking to the U.N. General Assembly, Meron added Turkey had refused his requests to visit Akay and called for his immediate release.

The court tries crimes from the Yugoslav wars and the Rwandan genocide.

More than 30,000 people have been arrested since July in connection with the failed coup, most of them from the military, the education system and the judiciary.
Unrest in Myanmars northwest is taking a terrible toll on children, the U.N. childrens agency UNICEF said and called for full humanitarian access to the Muslim-majority north of Rakhine state.

Tens of thousands of people have been cut off from food and other aid normally provided by international agencies since the Oct. 9 deadly attacks on police guard posts along the border with Bangladesh.

While some aid has been delivered in recent days, UNICEF calls for full resumption of essential services and the urgent lifting of all restrictions of movement of health and other professionals so they can safely reach children and families, UNICEF said in a statement from New York Tuesday.

Troops have poured into the region in response to the attacks, in which assailants believed to be from the mostly stateless Rohingya group killed nine policemen. The army declared the area an operation zone, blocked aid and barred foreign journalists and observers from the Maungdaw area. Residents and human rights monitors say extra-judicial killings, rape and arbitrary arrests have taken place.

Security forces have killed 33 alleged attackers, while five soldiers and one policeman have been killed, according to state-run media.

On Tuesday, the World Food Programme said it had begun the first deliveries of food aid in Maungdaw in more than a month, reaching about 6,500 people in four villages affected by the violence. WFP said its assistance would normally reach 152,000 people in northern Rakhine.

The majority in the area are Rohingya Muslims, a 1.1 million strong group in Rakhine who face restrictions on their movements and access to services. The malnutrition rate is 19 percent among children younger than 5 in Maungdaw, according to U.N. statistics.

The limited access came after a request from diplomats and the U.N.s top official in Myanmar, who visited Maungdaw over two days last week. The delegation called for an independent investigation into alleged rights abuses and for aid programs to be allowed to resume.

U.N. officials and diplomats from Western countries privately expressed concern at the public response to the crisis from the government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, which has flatly denied allegations of abuses committed by the military.

State-run newspapers have said last weeks visit by diplomats  who stressed they were not able to verify claims of rights abuses  revealed that the allegations were baseless. A key official spokesman singled out a journalist reporting allegations and said the claims were concocted by people with links to insurgents.


The United States has set up a panel at the World Trade Organization to settle a dispute with China over Chinese tariffs on exports of 11 key raw materials. They include copper, graphite, lead and tin.

Washington says Chinese duties and quotas on such U.S. exports are unfair and discriminatory and make American products appear too expensive on the world market.

We will aggressively pursue this challenge on behalf of U.S. steelworkers, auto workers, aerospace workers, and the many Americans whose businesses, jobs, and livelihoods depend on the strength of these and other industries, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said Tuesday.

Froman's office says China is also a major producer of these raw materials and that its high tariffs on those produced by foreign nations are part of a continuing troubling industrial policy aimed at giving the Chinese a competitive advantage at others' expense.

The U.S. and China failed to resolve the dispute during a series of meetings in July.
Besides voting for president Tuesday, voters in 35 American states were deciding more than 150 policy issues that included legalizing recreational use of marijuana and restricting access to guns and ammunition. Voters also were deciding whether to mandate higher minimum wages and require performers in Californias pornography industry to use condoms.

Marijuana Use:

Florida voters Tuesday legalized medical marijuana, making theirs the 26th state to permit cannabis use for certain medical conditions. Voters in North Dakota and Arkansas did the same. Votes in Montana on the same initiative are still being counted.

California and Massachusetts voted to legalize recreational marijuana use for those older than 21, and Maine appeared to be headed for an approval. Votes were still being counted in Nevada and Arizona.

Gun Control

Ownership requirements: California, which has some of the nations toughest gun-related laws, has approved a measure that will outlaw possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines, require permits to buy ammunition and extend Californias unique program that allows authorities to seize firearms from owners who bought guns legally but are no longer allowed to own them.

In Maine and Nevada, a group founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent millions promoting ballot measures that would require background checks on nearly all gun sales and transfers. Both contests were too close to call early Wednesday.

Protection order: In Washington state, voters approved a ballot initiative that would allow someone to get a court order that would temporarily ban people who show signs of mental illness or violence or another behavior that might indicate that they could harm themselves or others from possessing firearms.

Minimum wage

Increase: Arizona and Colorado voters approved measures phasing in a $12 minimum hourly wages by 2020. Maine voters appeared likely to approve a similar measure. In Washington state, where the minimum wage is $9.47 an hour, voters weighed raising that to $13.50 an hour by 2020. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.

Decrease: South Dakota lowers the minimum wage for those younger than 18 from $8.55 per hour to $7.50 per hour.

Death penalty

California: Early results show that Californians are rejecting a measure to repeal the death penalty. Voters appear to be endorsing a measure that would revise the death penalty rules would make changes designed to speed up the appeals and petitions process.

Reinstate: Nebraska voted to reinstate the death penalty that was banned last year. Nebraska has not executed an inmate since 1997; 10 men currently sit on death row.

Method of execution: Oklahoma residents approved a measure to make it harder to abolish capital punishment. It seeks to ensure the state has a way to execute prisoners even if a given method is blocked.

Education

Bilingual education: California voters have repealed a nearly two-decade-old mandate that students be taught almost exclusively in English in school.

Failing schools: Voters in Georgia overwhelmingly rejected an initiative that would have allowed the state to take over perennially failing schools.

Unusual measures

Safe sex: California rejected a measure that would require people in adult films to use condoms during sex scenes.

Doctor-assisted death: Colorado voted to allow adults diagnosed with terminal illnesses and facing imminent death to end their life with prescription medication. The measure will require three health professionals to confirm the prognosis of death and also confirm that the patient is making a voluntary and informed decision.

Statehood: Voters in the District of Columbia overwhelmingly approved a referendum to make the U.S. capital its 51st state, with poll goers saying they hope the vote puts pressure on the next Congress and president to address D.C.s lack of representation in Congress.
By PTI: Mumbai, Nov 8 (PTI) A senior police officer has alleged that he was being mentally harassed by state Director General of Police (DGP) Satish Mathur to such an extent that he intended to end his life, an allegation dismissed by the top cop as "wrong and unfortunate".

In the messages purportedly attributed to him, which are doing rounds on social media, Inspector General of police (IGP), Amravati range, Vithal Jadhav has alleged that he was being targeted by Mathur for being a Maratha.

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Reacting to the charge, Mathur today said he disapproved of police officers evoking caste to put forth their grievances.

"No police officer should evoke caste while airing their grievances. If an officer of rank of Inspector General of Police claims that he is being harassed because he is a Maratha, its totally wrong. I have also asked IGP Jadhav to come to the office and put his grievance in writing," Mathur told PTI here. He was reacting to reports that Jadhav has also accused him of targeting him over his caste.

Seeking to debunk the charge of harassment, the DGP said, "In recent meeting, I had asked questions to Jadhav about law and order in his range. I also asked the same set of questions to police commissioners of Pune, Thane, Navi Mumbai and IG, Nashik.

"We are working for the people. We are accountable to them. For that matter, its my duty to ask questions to my officers. If anybody claims that this is harassment then its wrong and unfortunate," the DGP said.

Mathur said Jadhav had sent these messages on the night of October 6.

"(But) He did not send a single message to me. I had tried calling him, but his phone was not reachable. Then, I sent CP Amaravati to see what was going on. The report which he has submitted is shocking," Mathur said.

The DGP met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis but Jadhavs issue did not figure in their talks.

Amid speculation over an imminent show-cause notice to Jadhav seeking an explanation for his action, Mathur said, "I will be submitting a report (on Jadhav issue) to government, which will take a call with this regard."

Jadhav, a state cadre police officer of 1998 batch, reportedly accused Mathur of mental harassment to such an extent that he intended to end his life.

The IGP is apparently irked with Mathur who had reprimanded him up for not maintaining law and order during the Ganesh idol immersion at Umarkhed in Yavatmal district, in which some police personnel and devotees were injured in stone pelting. (More) PTI DC VT NSK RG

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People across the globe woke up to a different world Wednesday on news American voters have elected Donald Trump as the next U.S. president.

It is being called the Earths most watched election since World War Two, one that will transform American policy and Americas position in the world.

Analysts said the New York billionaires victory amounts to a seismic shift at a time when Washingtons relations with Russia are difficult, conflicts in Syria and Ukraine are still raging, the war on Islamic State militants is ongoing, Chinas behavior is growing increasingly defiant and nationalistic, and hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees are on the move.

WATCH: Trump's Win Sending Shockwaves Around the World

Many world leaders made no secret of their preference for Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton, who as Secretary of State was to many of them a known entity. What some U.S. voters interpreted as a lack of vision or new ideas, foreign leaders saw as continuation of existing policies and no surprises.

For Londoners, the shocking news was reminiscent of that morning back in June when they learned, despite poll predictions, Britain had voted to leave the European Union.

British Prime Minister Theresa May, who abstained from giving an opinion on the president-elect during the campaign, was among those congratulating Trump Wednesday. May said she looked forward to working with him to continue the enduring relationship between Britain and America, including a strong and close partnership on trade, security, and defense.

Germanys Angela Merkel, who was also careful not to state preferences during the U.S. presidential race, made an oblique reference to inflammatory remarks Trump made about Muslims, Mexicans, and others during his campaign.

"Germany and America are bound together by values  democracy, freedom, respecting the rule of law, people's dignity regardless of their origin, the color of their skin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views," Merkel said. "On the basis of these values, I am offering to work closely with the future president of the United States, Donald Trump," she said.

At the United Nations, Secretary General Ban Ki Moon congratulated Trump while stressing the importance of the U.S. role in the U.N. "As a founding member of the United Nations and security council members permanent members of the security council, the United States is an essential actor across the international agenda," he said.

Where now?

A leap into the unknown is how leaders across the world see Trumps election. The next U.S. leader has said he will tear up trade agreements and offer no guarantees to members of NATO who do not pay their share.

Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator at the Financial Times, said what NATO members see now "is one candidate who seems to stand for a completely different view of Americas role in the world.

"I mean completely different," he stressed, saying this is a person "who repudiates rather specifically the alliance framework, the NATO framework in particular, who has repudiated Americas commitment to the liberal trade system that America created, the sort of open globalization America promoted, that seems to be in some ways more sympathetic to Americas historic enemies, like Russia, than it is to Europe."

During his campaign, Trump targeted Beijings trade practices, threatening to slap 45-percent tariffs on Chinese imports.

"There's a whole range of relatively outlandish statements that Trump said during his campaign that if they were to come to pass, could create some pretty dramatic business and economic consequences for the region," Ethan Cramer-Flood, associate director of the Conference Boards China Center for Economics and Business, said in Beijing.

Trump won on an America first platform. For Africa, analysts say that means expectations are realistic, and tempered.

I think that what Africa needs to do, is to prepare for the worst case scenario, which would mean ... Donald Trump would focus first on American national interest and not necessarily on global interest, and not necessarily, therefore on African interests, said Adams Oloo, a University of Nairobi politics professor. And if there was a time that Africa should start thinking of African solutions to African problems, the time is now, he said.

Nervously watched election

French President Francois Hollande had publicly criticized Trump during the campaign. Hollande congratulated the president-elect, but said the U.S. election result opens up a period of uncertainty in U.S.-French relations. Hollandes Socialist party faces a serious challenge from an anti-immigrant, right-wing surge spearheaded by Marine Le Pen, a Trump sympathizer, in general elections next year.

Hollande and other European leaders, including Italys Matteo Renzi, made little secret of their hope Hillary Clinton would be elected. This is a time of great uncertainty and great change and what they hope for is a bit of certainty, a bit of predictability, said Shanker Singham, an analyst at the Legatum Institute in London.

Singham and other observers say the question is what role a more inward looking America is going to play in the world. "Is the U.S. going to disengage or is the U.S. going to reengage with the world? he asked.

WATCH: Donald Trump's Victory Speech

In his victory speech Wednesday, Donald Trump said his administration will deal fairly with the world, and seek common ground, not hostility. With the uncertainty also comes the hope a dramatic departure from the established world order could bring new opportunities and maybe some good surprises.
Zimbabwe's government is hoping for better relations with the government of President-Elect Donald Trump, who defeated Hillary Clinton of the Democratic Party, in Tuesday's general elections.

The message, conveyed through a statement issued by Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Chris Mushohwe, Tuesday, stated that the "it was Governments hope that the new Trump regime would restore the sound relations that existed between Harare and Washington."

The statement further quoted Mushohwe saying that Zimbabwe respects the wishes of the people of America. The American people have spoken and that is their wish and as Zimbabwe, we respect their wish. We can only hope that the new regime will foster a relationship that we always had with the USA.

Zimbabwe has never had any quarrel with America and does not need to have any quarrel with America. The new government will restore our long time relationship that we have enjoyed with the American people. We can only be happy for the people of America who have made a choice and their choice is their democratic and constitutional choice, which we must respect.

As a Government, we are quite happy listening Mr Trumps acceptance speech. It was quite encouraging that he was talking about the need for America to cooperate and work with every nation that wants to work and relate with the American government,

Indeed, Zimbabwe has never been an enemy of America. You know, of course, some people might say, oh, you know when you are campaigning (people), they say this and that but you must understand that when you campaign, it is part of politics. When you come into power, it becomes policy and what guides countries are policies and not politics.

We are quite encouraged that the new regime is prepared to work and cooperate with any nation that needs to work with America. We can only wish them well. During campaign, you could see that he was even saying that he was going to take his rival (Hillary) Clinton to prison but this morning he was praising Clinton and Clinton in return was one of the first people to congratulate Mr Trump. That is what is good politics is all about and that is a demonstration of democracy at play.

As Zimbabwe, we cannot pre-judge the new Government. It could actually be a better government than the previous government.
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Gib International Jazz Festival 2016  One Night Only......The Jazz Club

As part of this years Gibraltar International Jazz Festival 2016 week long events, The Ministry of Culture is pleased to announce that on the 24th November at the Central Hall we will be organising a One Night Only......The Jazz Club, a night hosted by local Jazz musicians featuring The Soulmates, Paul Riley New Orleans Jazz Band, Surianne, Kind Of Blue (Feat Angela Jenkins & Ed Mayo) plus many more local musicians.

The event starts at 20.00 and is free entry. The idea behind this is to promote local Jazz. The venue, the Central Hall will be transformed into a Jazz Club feel.

The Ministry is very pleased with the response it has received from the general public for this years Jazz Festival events. The finale concert at St Michaels Cave featuring Jose Feliciano was sold out in less than two weeks.

The Ministry wishes to remind the general public that those wishing to take part in the Jazz Workshops should contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to subscribe.
Photo: Paramount Pictures

When considering the fringe benefits of belonging to the clergy, first-look movie screenings probably arent in the top ten reasons you devote your life to service of the Lord. But according to Deadline, director Martin Scorsese has decided to treat 400 Jesuit priests to a very special night out with an advance screening of his new movie, Silence, in Rome at the end of November. The movie is based on the 1966 Shusaku Endo novel of the same name, which is about a young Jesuit priest who travels to Japan in the 17th century and endures persecution as he helps at the church presided over by his mentor (who might have committed apostasy). Scorseses screen adaptation of the story will follow a pair of priests played by Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver who encounter violence and persecution as they search for their mentor  so, a lot of persecution in both cases. But Silence should be looked upon kindly by the church, as a U.S.-based Jesuit priest named Rev. James J. Martin (characterized as a preeminent force in the Society of Jesus by Deadline) was closely involved with the film as a consultant to ensure it was as authentic to the Jesuit priest experience as possible. The movie could also serve as a sort of olive branch between Scorsese and the church, for anyone whos still miffed about his adaptation of The Last Temptation of Christ.
Michael Moore. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival

Back in July, when a large swath of the country probably thought he was being alarmist, documentary filmmaker and progressive firebrand Michael Moore wrote an essay on his website entitled 5 Reasons Why Trump Will Win. The essay is particularly prescient after Donald Trump won the Electoral College (not, it should be pointed out, the popular vote), as he homes in on the Electoral College and what he calls Our Rust Belt Brexit. Moore writes, I believe Trump is going to focus much of his attention on the four blue states in the rust belt of the upper Great Lakes  Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. He continues:

In 2012, Mitt Romney lost by 64 electoral votes. Add up the electoral votes cast by Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Its 64. All Trump needs to do to win is to carry, as hes expected to do, the swath of traditional red states from Idaho to Georgia (states thatll never vote for Hillary Clinton), and then he just needs these four rust belt states. He doesnt need Florida. He doesnt need Colorado or Virginia. Just Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. And that will put him over the top. This is how it will happen in November.

On election night, thats exactly what happened as those four states, some of which were considered likely Clinton wins, voted for Trump. Additionally, Moore gets into some other reasons why he believes Trump would win, calling reason number two The Last Stand of the Angry White Man, which echoes CBC commentator Danielle Moodie-Millss comment that this election was white supremacys last stand.



Some other factors that will (and did) contribute to a Trump victory that Moore discussed included the fact that there wasnt a candidate to get excited around  meaning, yes, Hillary Clinton. He warned that there would be a depressed vote around Sanders supporters, meaning that the problem wasnt that Sanders supporters wouldnt actually vote for Clinton (well, except for Susan Sarandon), but that the voter doesnt bring five people to vote with her. Moore adds that Clinton gave young, millennial voters nothing to get excited about by picking Tim Kaine as her running mate. Having two women on the ticket  that was an exciting idea, Moore writes. But then Hillary got scared and has decided to play it safe. This is just one example of how she is killing the youth vote.

Finally, in perhaps the most sobering and nihilist argument, Moore writes that there would be a Jesse Ventura Effect referring, of course, to the pro wrestler turned Minnesota governor. Moore writes, Millions are going to vote for Trump not because they agree with him, not because they like his bigotry or ego, but just because they can.



You can read the entire essay here.


Hoping to discover the full story behind the Donald TrumpVladimir Putin bromance, Samantha Bee traveled to Russia where she learned about some important connections between Trump and the Russian leadership. First off, Putin might be a bit of a mean girl leading Trump on via fuzzy translations of the word colorful, and second, theres a politician over the pond who is an even more extreme version of the Donald. During her web exclusive interview with this disgusting buffoon, he says, Its psychologically hard for a woman to make the right decisions, and complains about the number of people of color living in New York City. Also, he tends to like to punch other politicians who dont agree with him, which is one tactic we hope Trump doesnt catch on to.
By PTI: Surat, Nov 7 (PTI) Mahatma Gandhis grandson Kanubhai Gandhi today passed away at a private hospital here, where he was admitted about two weeks back following a heart attack.

He was 87.

Kanubhai, the son of Mahatmas third son Ramdas Gandhi, along with his wife Shivalaxmi, had been living at an accommodation at the Radha Krishna temple run by Punjabi Samaj here for the last three months.

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He was admitted to the hospital on October 22 after he suffered a heart attack. He was put on life support as he had also suffered a paralysis attack.

"Kanubhai died at 8.30 pm today at a Surat hospital," his close friend Dhimant Badhiya said.

"Doctors had said that he had also suffered a lung failure in the last few days," Kanubhais caretaker and a member of Punjabi Samaj, Kailash Chhabra, told PTI.

Kanubhai, a former NASA scientist who was famously captured in a photograph pulling Mahatma Gandhis walking stick as he led the Salt Satyagraha at Dandi in Gujarat, had come back to India in 2014 after living in the US for over four decades.

A graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Kanubhai also worked with the US Defense Department on the wing structure of fighter aircraft. He had decided to spend the rest of his life in India, along with his wife.

"After staying in the US for over four decades, Kanubhai wanted to spend his last days in his own country, which is why he came here, along with his wife, as he had no child. He stayed at different places in Delhi, Wardha and Nagpur, before coming to Surat three months back," Badhiya said.

He lived at various places in Gujarat, then moved to an old age home in New Delhi. He recently moved back to Surat where he was provided an accommodation by the Punjabi Samaj trust.

During Kanubhais stay in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had interacted with him after reports of him staying in an old age home was published in the media in May. Modi had also sent Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Mahesh Sharma to pay a visit to Kanubhai.

Expressing grief over his death, the prime minister tweeted, "Pained by the demise of Kanubhai Gandhi, the grandson of Gandhi Ji. Remembering my various interactions with him. May his soul rest in peace."

Members of the Punjabi Samaj trust said Kanubhais last rites will be performed tomorrow afternoon at a local crematorium. PTI KA PD NP RC

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This Saturday Night Live promo for Dave Chappelles impending hosting gig this weekend feels insubstantial on the surface. Its just 15 seconds following the comedian as he walks, but as we stare down a highly uncertain future, it seems strangely perfect. What is Dave walking toward? Is it hope? Is it catharsis? Is it frustration? Is it a monologue that just consists of him sitting on the edge of the stage and crying? That last bit might be projecting, but Chappelle hosting SNL is a grand public appearance for a comedian whos been mostly scarce on TV since he walked away from his own hit show in the middle of its third season a decade ago. Chappelle only recently was tossed into the election fray when he had to shut down criticism suggesting that hes a Trump supporter. According to Page Six, hes been testing out new Trump material during his stand-up sets around New York; well have to wait until Saturday night to find out how hes coping with this major political twist.
By PTI: Sonebhadra(UP), Nov 8 (PTI) With the Narendra Modi government facing flak over its stand on triple talaq, BJP President Amit Shah today asked the partymen to make respect of women, besides development, an issue in the 2017 Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

Flagging off the third Parivartan yatra from here, Shah said "There is another question to which people of Uttar Pradesh will have to give their verdict (in the coming Assembly polls).

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"Should women in the country not get equal rights? SP, BSP and Congress will not speak on (triple talaq) but we do not have any fear. I want to say from this platform that in the coming polls, besides development and eradication of goondas, respect of women should be made a poll issue," Shah said

He also asked the three parties to submit their affidavit on whether they back triple talaq or not.

Asking whether the Centres stand before the Supreme Court upholding the dignity and honour of the women and doing away with the triple talaq should have been taken or not, Shah said every single party worker will make women aware that Modi government is committed for their development, honour and rights.

Slamming Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Shah alleged that with his stand on the surgical strike, he has made a mockery of the bravery and sacrifice of army jawans.

"People of the country are proud of the army and the will power of Narendra Modi for carrying out surgical strikes in Pakistani soil and saving the borders," he added. PTI SAB SMI SMJ

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The video of a man making egg curry using 300 has gone viral--and how!

By India Today Web Desk: There's normal egg curry. And then there's egg curry made of 300 eggs.

While the first seems like a realistic, reasonable choice the second is without a doubt the more fascinating one! And a recent YouTube video has managed to translate the second choice into a reality--much to the surprise of several netizens.

Also Read: This new food joint in Delhi is all set to produce 10,000 momos an hour. Seriously!

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Uploaded by YouTube channel, Village Food Factory, the video features an elderly man--believed to be the uploader's father--seated in the company of several eggs.

He then proceeds to boil the eggs and add them to the prepared gravy. Sounds quite normal and simple--right? Now picture this with 300 eggs.

The video has taken the internet by storm with 19,74,978 views and counting.



Watch it right here.

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A free opening reception for Works on Paper, an exhibit featuring the works of Katherine Makowsky, former artist in residence at The Art Center of Waco, will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Art Center Waco, 1300 College Drive.

The exhibit will be on display through Jan. 7.

For more information, call 752-4371 or visit www.artcenterwaco.org/future-exhibits.

Veterans job fair

The Texas Workforce Commission is having its fifth annual Hiring Red, White & You statewide hiring event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at the Waco Convention Center, 100 Washington Ave.

Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas will host the event, which connects veterans and their spouses with employers who have job openings and wish to hire veterans to fill those jobs.

For more information, call Rene Clayton at 296-5388.

MCC dance show

McLennan Theatre will present a Fall and Recover 2016 Dance Concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday at McLennan Community Colleges Ball Performing Arts Center.

The dance performance will feature a variety of styles, including jazz, contemporary, tap and Indian.

Tickets cost $10 for adults and $8 for seniors or students.

For ticket information, call 299-8200 or email boxoffice@mclennan.edu.

MCHC meeting

The McLennan County Historical Commission will meet at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the South Waco Library, 2737 S. 18th St.

Agenda items include securing a replacement historical marker for Eichelberger Crossing and constructing an entrance to the historic Cobbs-Walker Cemetery on Hillcrest Drive.

For more information, call Van Massirer at 486-2366 or email vmassirer@yahoo.com.

Boil notice lifted

The city of Lorena lifted a boil-water notice Tuesday for its water customers who reside east of Interstate 35 and south of Rosenthal Parkway.

The order was issued Sunday after a water main broke.

For more information, call 857-4641 or 857-4606.

Submit items for Briefly in printed or typed form to Briefly, P.O. Box 2588, Waco 76702-2588; fax to 757-0302; or email to goingson@wacotrib.com at least one week before an event.
A McLennan County grand jury has cleared a security officer in the Aug. 3 shooting death of a Waco man killed during a struggle with the officer outside a Waco bingo hall.

Jimmy Parker, who was working for Pro Security Group, was no-billed in the death of Juan Marcus Howard, 35, who was shot and killed near the Buckeye Bingo hall, 2423 Cole Ave., after police say he reached for Parkers gun during a struggle.

As Parker wrestled with Howard and tried to push him away, Parker shot himself in the left hand. That shot exited his hand and struck Howard in the chest. Parker then shot Howard again in the chest, according to records filed in the case.

Several bones were shattered in Parkers hand, according to an official from the Security Officers Brotherhood. He also suffered other injuries, the official said.

Howard, who was dressed in black gloves and a black hoodie, was well known to local police, Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton said in August. His criminal history includes bank robbery, assault, injury to a child and criminal trespass.

Anytime you try to grab an officers gun, we can assume you are going to try to kill us with it, Swanton said the day after the shooting.
The stormy presidential campaign of 2016 that seemed to have no end ended on a rainy Tuesday with near-record voter turnout in McLennan County.

But in interviews at the polls, many voters seemed more exhausted than enthusiastic about their candidates.

Republican Donald Trump carried the night in the county, with 48,245 votes, or 60.58 percent. Democrat Hillary Clinton got 27,046 votes, or 33.96 percent, while Libertarian Gary Johnson captured 2,491 votes, or 3.13 percent.

Overall, 80,507 McLennan County residents voted, just shy of the 81,000 in 2008 and nearly 5,000 more than the 75,690 county residents who voted in 2012. With 136,036 registered voters, the turnout was 59.05 percent.

Still, many interviewed at the polls Tuesday framed their votes as against rather than for a candidate.

At the Waco Convention Center, Brent Voss, 27, a maintenance worker, described his Trump vote as an anti-Clinton vote.

Ive heard a lot of people dont vote because they dont agree with one candidate or the other, Voss said. I dont either, but Im going to vote. Im going to take the chance and vote for someone who isnt necessarily a politician, whos with the people . . . and not the politicians who arent getting it done.

On the other side was Bill Hackathorn, 63, who was voting at the Bellmead Civic Center.

I voted for the only candidate that I could vote for and not have to go home and take a shower  Hillary Clinton, Hackathorn said. They have trumped up everything they could, and none of it has really stuck.

At the First Assembly of God Church vote center at 6701 Bosque Blvd., Jessica Rebber, 32, a nurse, described voting for Trump as the last chance to head off the prospect of a Clinton presidency.

Im nervous about the direction our country is going, that its going to be a lot worse off than it already is, said Rebber, holding her toddler, Dusty, in her arms after standing in a line about 60 deep.

Im voting for Donald Trump, she said. Hes very pro-American. He feels this is a great country. He wants to turn it around for the people and bring everyone together.

McLennan Community College history professor Ashley Cruseturner, a longtime political observer, said it is curious to see such high voter turnout combined with lack of passion about the candidates.

Among MCC students, I havent seen that many people who were adamantly advocating for either candidate, he said. I guess that tracks with other national polling that says 85 percent just want it to be over. . . . I think its harder to be unabashedly for either candidate.

Ive been involved in elections since I was in fifth grade and Gerald Ford was running against Ronald Reagan. But this has even got me fatigued.

Consistent with national trends, Clinton appeared to get her strongest local support from black and Hispanic voters, based on the sample interviewed unsystematically Tuesday at the polls.

Trumps comments describing immigrants as rapists and criminals and disparaging a Hispanic judges neutrality have drawn criticism even from his fellow Republicans.

Fatima Rodriguez, 26, a secretary, hasnt forgotten those comments, which she called racist. Rodriguez entered the voting booth Tuesday at Cesar Chavez Middle School with her 6-day-old infant in her arms and spun the dial for Clinton.

He has so much anger, she said of Trump. What he said pushed me more toward Hillary.

Rodriguez herself is a born citizen, but some family members are undocumented immigrants, and she thought Clinton would provide them a path to legalization.

At the same vote center, Roberta Garza, 30, followed suit.

Hillary Clinton has more experience, Garza said in Spanish. Donald Trump gets very mad and says things that dont make any sense.

A naturalized citizen with a Mexican-born mother and American father, Garza said she was offended by Trumps anti-immigrant rhetoric and hoped Clinton would help undocumented immigrants who are already here get legal status.

Not all of them are bad, she said. People come here because their economy is not good and they cant get a job. Theyre not stealing jobs from Americans.

Meanwhile, some Republican voters said they were voting for the platform more than the candidate.

At First Assembly of God, Grace McGlauflin, 50, a lab tech, said she initially had some reservations about Trump.

In the beginning there was, but I had to go with my heartfelt conviction, McGlauflin said. Im pro-life and pro-gun. . . . I dont agree with all his policies. I thought some of his comments were a little unprofessional. However, I had to discount that and vote my personal beliefs.

In the same poll line, Baylor University history professor Barry Hankins took a different view. Hankins said he would have considered a Republican such as Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio, but Trumps rhetoric appalled him.

I voted for Hillary Clinton, he said. I would have preferred someone other than Clinton at the head of the Democratic Party, too, but to say shes not optimal is not to say theyre equal. Trump is outside the bounds of civic endeavors.

Cruseturner, the MCC professor, said he was skeptical about speculation that anti-Trump sentiments could help Democrats in downballot races in Texas. But he said Trumps candidacy has widened the gender gap between the parties and hastened the exodus of Hispanics from the Republican Party, which could have long-term consequences.

Republicans came out of 2012 with a game plan to stanch the bleeding of the Hispanic vote, Cruseturner said. Then everything goes out the door . . . with a nominee that would be the absolute worst to appeal to Hispanics.

Cruseturner said he fears partisan rancor wont dim with the end of the election.

Whichever candidate gets elected faces a wall of gloom, he said. But sometimes low expectations can be helpful.

Tribune-Herald staff writier Kristin Hoppa contributed to this story.
West residents returned three incumbent city council members to office Tuesday and approved a proposal to establish an economic development fund.

Four candidates were seeking three open council slots, including those held by incumbents Cheryl Marak, Brian Muska and Steve Vanek. The three outdistanced challenger Jack Barber, a Vietnam veteran who has lived in West since 1989.

Muska was the top vote-getter with 563 votes, while Vanek received 497 and Marak got 457. Barber trailed the field with 331 votes.

West voters also overwhelmingly gave the green light to a plan to set aside a portion of the city sales tax to create an economic development fund, approving the proposal by almost 75 percent, 554-185.

West Mayor Tommy Muska said he is pleased the economic development plan passed.

I think it is a very positive move on the citizens part. It shows they are for the city to move forward with economic development and that they want to keep the city moving forward, Tommy Muska said.

With voter approval, the city will set aside an eighth of a cent from sales tax revenues to create a fund to promote city development, beautification and growth.

Marak, 58; Brian Muska, 36; and Vanek, 59, were on the council when the West Fertilizer Plant exploded in April 2013 and were instrumental in leading the city back through its reconstruction.

Brian Muska, a West native, could not be reached Tuesday night. He has been on the city council since November 2012 and maintains the citys website. He also has served as promotions director for Westfest for 12 years.

He said he supported the economic development proposition because it will help the city broadly by funding streets and attracting new businesses to town.

Vanek has been on the city council since November 2010 and has been mayor pro tem for the past five years. He is a self-employed glass installer and has been a member of the Knights of Columbus for 40 years. He retired in May after serving 23 years on the West Volunteer Fire Department.

He also supported the proposition.

It makes me feel good because evidently, what I am doing, the people like it and evidently, they want me to keep doing it for two more years, Vanek said Tuesday night. It feels good that they have confidence in me and appreciate all the hard work we did after the blast and that they want us to keep on going.

Marak, a real estate broker, has been on the council since November 2012 and has lived in West more than 50 years. She said she was opposed to the economic development proposition because she thinks it eventually will increase the sales tax.

Barber, 68, said he doesnt have an issue or problems with how the city is being operated. He said he just thought he could help the city.

Tommy Muska said now that the new fund has been approved, the city will create an economic development committee with seven to nine members that will oversee the newly created fund. He said he hopes to have a committee appointed in December.

The committees first point of action will be to come up with a direction and a plan, short-term and long-term, toward economic development, he said previously. They will actually run the fund as a separate entity from the city. They make suggestions to spend the money, be it for beautification, to attract businesses to come to West, but the city council has the ultimate decision on how that money is spent.

The fund is expected to raise about $35,000 a year, Tommy Muska said.
A man who police say robbed a downtown pharmacy of prescription pills, then led police on a low-speed pursuit while taking some of the pills, was indicted Wednesday.

A McLennan County grand jury indicted Justin Lee Chaney, 29, of Wortham, on a first-degree felony aggravated robbery charge in the Sept. 4 robbery at CVS Pharmacy, 820 S. Fifth St.

Waco police say Chaney walked into the pharmacy, pulled a gun and asked for prescription painkillers and anxiety medication.

After the arrest, police said Chaneys attire, which included a dress, makeup and a wig, helped an officer identify him quickly.

The suspect, dressed as a woman, wig and all, had a gun, or what looked like a gun, Waco police Sgt. Gary Greene said. It turned out to be a BB gun, but it looked like a real gun.

A police officer spotted him leaving and had a low-speed pursuit. He was seen opening bottles (of the prescription medication) and taking them before he got him stopped.

Officers stopped the man, later identified as Chaney, near the intersection of South 11th Street and Webster Avenue, where he was taken into custody.

Greene said officers recovered the BB gun.

Chaney also was indicted for evading arrest in a vehicle, a second-degree felony.

In another robbery case, the grand jury indicted Ernest Earl Washington Jr., 25, in an Aug. 18 robbery of the Subway restaurant at 5530 Bosque Blvd.

According to reports filed in the case, Washington walked into the restaurant about midnight and told employees there he missed working with them.

Police say Washington then pulled a pistol, told the employees, Back up, Ill pop you, and demanded cash from the register.

Employees recognized Washington as a former employee of the restaurant and picked him out of a police photo array, reports state.

He was arrested at his home in the 3800 block of Frederick Avenue by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Service Task Force.
California was by far the largest of five states with ballot measures seeking to legalise the use of marijuana for the sheer pleasure of its intoxicating effects, and approval there extends legalisation to the entire US Pacific Coast.

Volunteer Charlie Kirchheimer, 25, displays jars of dried cannabis buds at the La Brea Collective medical marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles, California. (Photo: Reuters)

By Reuters: A ballot measure to make recreational marijuana legal for adults was approved in California, opening the most populous US state to a burgeoning commercial cannabis market in a major victory for supporters of liberalised drug laws.

Proposition 64 passed easily as statewide returns from the election showed nearly 56 percent of voters favoring the measure and 44 percent opposed, according to results today morning reported from more than 90 percent of precincts.

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California was by far the largest of five states with ballot measures seeking to legalise the use of marijuana for the sheer pleasure of its intoxicating effects, and approval there extends legalisation to the entire US Pacific Coast.

READ| Lesser known Donald Trump facts: At 13, parents wanted him to behave



INDIA STILL SAYS NO

While this new drug law vindicates the reservations expressed by India 50 years ago to a global prohibition on hard as well as soft drugs, the debate is still an ongoing one in many countries on whether to legalise cannabis.

Cannabis is also known as pot, weed, grass, ganja, marijuana, bhang and Mary Jane on the street.

While marijuana has many medical uses like it is used for nausea and vomiting, anorexia, spasms, neural disorders, epilepsy, asthma, psychiatric syndromes, and a series of other issues, it is still illegal in India by law.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, made it illegal for a person to produce, manufacture, cultivate, possess, sell, purchase, transport, store, and/or consume marijuana.

READ| Modi congratulates Trump, here's what his win could mean for India



BIG VICTORY IN US

Recreational marijuana was first approved in 2012 by Washington state and Colorado, and later by voters in Oregon, Alaska and the District of Columbia.

Victory also was declared on Tuesday by supporters of a similar measure in Massachusetts, giving legalised recreational pot its first toehold in New England.

Nevada voters also backed legalisation for recreational purposes, but neighboring Arizona rejected a similar proposal. In the fifth state, Maine, the result was too close to call on Wednesday morning.

Marijuana on the ballot (Photo: Reuters)

The Marijuana Policy Project, the nation's leading organisation supporting liberalisation of cannabis laws, likewise projected passage of measures permitting medical use of marijuana in Florida, Arkansas, North Dakota and Montana.

READ| Donald trumps Hillary Clinton. Says he will be President of all Americans, rebuild

Before Tuesday, 25 states had already legalised cannabis in some way, whether for medical or recreational uses, or both.

Approval in California alone, home to 39 million people, means that almost a fifth of all Americans live in states where recreational marijuana is legal, according to US Census figures.

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California was the first US state to legalise medical marijuana, doing so in 1996.

BEING LIKE BEER

The new measure, spearheaded by a coalition of supporters that included Democratic Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and billionaire high-tech entrepreneur Sean Parker, allows adults to possess and use up to an ounce of pot for private, recreational use. It also permits personal cultivation of as many as six cannabis plants.

Moreover, it would establish a system to license, regulate and tax sales of marijuana, while allowing city governments to exercise local control over commercial distribution within their borders.

California voters defeated a similar initiative in 2010, but public opinion polls show attitudes have since shifted.

Opponents of liberalised marijuana laws have argued that such measures carry major public safety risks and would make pot more accessible to youngsters.

READ| Congrats President elect Donald Trump: Barack Obama makes the call, they meet tomorrow



Experts say the latest initiatives include more sophisticated regulatory mechanisms aimed at keeping cannabis away from children and banning the involvement of criminal gangs and drug cartels.

They also point to the potential for hundreds of millions in additional state tax revenue from pot sales and billions in economic activity.

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Investors new to the sector said they are eager for a piece of a recreational marijuana market that by some estimates will reach $50 billion over the next decade.

"It's changed in the minds of these voters from being like cocaine to being like beer," said University of Southern California political scientist John Matsusaka.

Civil rights groups have also embraced legalisation, arguing that current marijuana laws have led to a disproportionate number of minorities being incarcerated for minor drug offenses.

Also Read:



Hillary Clinton concedes defeat, bid for 'herstory' as first woman US President fails

Melania Trump: A look back at her journey from her modelling days to becoming FLOTUS

US Elections 2016: Bollywood reacts to Donald Trump's win, says the end is near

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WAHOO  Anticipating high voter turnout Nov. 8, poll workers received instruction from Saunders County Election Commissioner Patti Lindgren on how to run the polls and deal with what she anticipates to be an increase in numbers.

Its going to be busy, Lindgren told the poll workers last Thursday.

Looking at potentially 75 percent voter turnout, Lindgren said peak hours at the polls normally run during lunch, after work and a late rush to the finish.

Nobody should be gone from 11 to one, after work or during the last rush between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., Lindgren said to the nearly 20 poll workers from across the county.

Of the group of poll workers, only two at the training had not done it in the past, and the average age of poll workers for Saunders County is between 65 and 70 years old.

Your bodies dont move as fast as they used to, but your brains are ok, Lindgren said.

The experienced workers usually provide for an efficient election day, she said.

In addition to ensuring a full staff at peak voting hours, Lindgren said the other goal of last weeks training was to reduce chaos in regard to selfies.

Voters taking selfies of themselves and their ballots was now allowed at the polls.

We just want to make sure the polls run smoothly and dont want to make a potentially bad situation worse, she said.

Lindgren said poll workers were to engage those they see taking selfies that might be capturing more than what is allowed.

Selfie sticks were not allowed, Lindgren said.

Lindgren also said poll workers were to engage voters to prohibit electioneering.

She said poll workers had to have voters remove hats, coats, buttons or anything that might be considered electioneering, and that they ask voters to turn their shirts inside out or cover anything that might also be considered electioneering.

Overall, Nebraska has a good system in place, Lindgren said.

Electronic machines were not used, as even the Automark machines use paper ballots, not electronic ballots, she said.

This prohibits any electronic tampering with votes, she said.

She said there were ways to double check the rumored possibility of voters going from one county to another.

Any of those rumors out there, nip it in the bud. It doesnt happen here in Nebraska, Lindgren said.
The Lancaster County commissioner's office released unofficial final results at around 11 p.m. Election night.

Voters select Hilgers for District 21

It appears Mike Hilgers will join the Nebraska Legislature after a majority of voters cast their ballots for him in the General Election.

Hilgers took 56 percent of the vote, edging out opponent Larry Scherer.

Earlier this year Hilgers said he would focus on helping return more money to taxpayers if elected.

I decided to run because we need leaders who are focused on the issues that will make a real difference in the lives of Nebraskans  cutting taxes, strengthening our economic foundation, and improving our community, he said. I have built a small business and created jobs in Nebraska and believe my background and experience will best serve the families and small businesses of District 21.

Geist takes District 25 seat

District 25 voters selected a new member of the Nebraska Legislature on Election Day.

Suzanne Geist took 55 percent of the vote according to the unofficial final results, besting opponent Jim Gordon in the race for a spot in the Unicameral.

Geist said earlier this year that she would plan to listen to constituents and work for their benefit.

One of the main issues Ive heard while visiting with voters at their front doors is that they are tired of electing someone who says they will represent the voters values, then they legislate in a completely different way, she said prior to the primary election. I am the person who I represent, and I am committed to being that person as a Legislator. I will serve with openness and honesty, hard work and dedication.

County commissioner race could be headed for recount

Voters made their voices heard last night in the race for the Lancaster County Board of Commissioner District 2 seat, giving most of their votes Democrat Jennifer Brinkman according to the unofficial final results.

Brinkman won a close race, inching ahead of opponent Jim Ballard with 49.99 percent of the vote. Only 33 votes separated the two candidates.

With provisional ballots still being counted, an official recount may be triggered, said Lancaster County Election Commissioner David Shively. More will be known on that in the next week.

Johnson wins District 145 Ward 2 seat, Breitkreutz wins Raymond Central Ward 1 spot

After hitting the polls today, voters have chosen Tiffany Johnson to take over the District 145 Board of Education Ward 2 seat.

She edged out opponent Tom Erlandson with 76 percent of the vote.

Johnson said earlier this year that she would focus on improving the education experience for all students.

My focus will be on the quality of education for our children, the equity of the curriculum and the fiscal responsibility of the administration, she said. I will ensure our limited resources are invested wisely. I will work collaboratively with administration and other board members to increase accountability at all levels. I will ask the tough questions and demand thorough, transparent answers.

Andy Grosshans retained the Ward 4 seat, and Cheryl Landon retained the Ward 6 spot. Both were running unopposed.

Brad Breitkreutz took the Raymond Central Board of Educations Ward 1 seat, besting Cindi Wolfe with 60 percent of the vote.

Breitkreutz said earlier this year that he if elected he would continue the work the existing board has done.

Im proud of them for doing that, he said. And I just want to be a part of that and keep that momentum going.

Scott Black retained the Ward 3 seat. He was running unopposed.

Raymond and Davey village boards

Jaimes Kaiser, Duane Edstrom and Mark Fredrickson all won a spot on the Davey Board of Trustees. Jonna Sipp, Terry Brown and Zachariah Brown won seats on the Raymond Village Board of Trustees.
Outside lights that illuminate the State Capitol will be covered with green gels from dusk on Thursday, November 10 through dawn on Saturday, November 12.

John Hilgert, Director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs and DHHS Director of the Division of Veterans Homes, said while this project is a year-round observance, it is especially important on Veterans Day.

This is our chance as a state to show support for those American heroes who have fought for our freedom, and draw attention to this significant day, he said in a press release. Hilgert also encouraged Nebraskans to display green lights in their homes and communities across the state as well.

According to the Greenlight a Vet project, Americas veterans are some of our nations bravest, hardest-working men and women. However, its hard to show them the appreciation they deserve when, back home and out of uniform, theyre more camouflaged than ever. Greenlight A Vet is a campaign to establish visible national support for our veterans by changing one light to green.

You can find out more information about the Greenlight project at http://www.greenlightavet.com/.
The body of one of the Kannada actors, who was involved in the helicopter tragedy, has been found.

By Rohini Swamy: Two days ago, a stunt on the sets of Kannada film Masthigudi went terribly wrong when three actors jumped into a lake from a helicopter without any safety measures. While one actor survived, the other two drowned during the shooting of the film.

ALSO READ: What went wrong with Masthigudi helicopter stunt

ALSO READ: Helicopter stunt goes horribly wrong during Kannada film shoot, 2 actors dead



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And soon enough, the rescue teams went on a search mission as the bodies of the two actors - Raghav Anil and Uday could not be found even hours after the accident.

But it has reported that the body of Uday has been found by the search party. However, the body of Anil is yet to be found.

On November 7, the climax scene of Masthigudi turned into a tragedy when two actors lost their lives while shooting the film. Actors Duniya Vijay, Raghav Uday and Anil jumped into the Thippagondanahalli Reservoir, 35km west of Bengaluru, from a helicopter. But the lapses on the part of the film crew as well as the actors led to their death.

Interestingly, Uday and Anil did not know swimming. "I will go for this shot with all faith in God," Vijay told reporters before Monday's stunt scene.

Response from what appeared to be a rescue boat on a standby appeared too late to pull out two of the actors, Raghav Uday and Anil, who struggled in the waters below.

Police have lodged a criminal case against Masthigudi makers. The Superintendent of Police of Ramanagara, Karnataka, reportedly said that a suo moto case is being filed against the film team.

Masthigudi, which is supposedly based on the life of actor Duniya Vijay, saw the actor joining hands with Nagashekar. The script of the film is said to be inspired from Duniya Vijay's attitude towards life.

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By PTI: New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appreciated the progress achieved in Nepal in resolving outstanding Constitutional issues and hoped that the process will be completed at the earliest in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration.

He made the comments while receiving former Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba here yesterday.

"The Prime Minister appreciated the progress achieved in resolving outstanding Constitutional issues in Nepal, and expressed hope that all such issues would be resolved at the earliest in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration," a PMO statement said today.

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Modi also told Deuba that India is fully committed to supporting Nepal in the post-earthquake reconstruction effort.

Today, a Swedish business delegation called on the Prime Minister.

Long term business opportunities for Swedish manufacturers, including in defence manufacturing and solar energy, came up for discussion during the meeting, the PMO said. PTI AKK AKK

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By PTI: From Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Nov 9 (PTI) Nepals former premier Sher Bahadur Deuba today said the Nepalese government and his party Nepali Congress are "firm" on the "one-China" policy, denying reports that he met Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in India.

Deuba, who returned to Nepal after concluding a three-day visit to India, said this after his arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu from New Delhi.

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"Tibet is an integral part of Peoples Republic of China and personally I am firm on one-China policy," Deuba said.

The Nepali Congress president expressed his displeasure at media reports in Nepal for "disseminating false reports" about his remarks at an event in Goa organised by India Foundation, a research body focussed on the issues and challenges of the Indian polity.

Some of the Nepalese media had reported that he met the Tibetan exiled leader Dalai Lama during his visit to India.

Deuba claimed that he "had no such meeting with any person that would breach the one-China policy" pursued by Nepal.

The local media had also reported that China was miffed at Deuba following reports that he attended a programme where the exiled Tibetan leader was present.

Nepals Ministry of Foreign Affairs too has denied the reports in a statementyesterday.

During his India visit, Deuba met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders and officials. He told reporters that his meeting with Modi focused on consolidating bilateral ties and on Nepals ongoing post-quake rebuilding efforts.

He said he felt the Indian Prime Minister has a "high goodwill" towards Nepal.

This is Deubas first official visit to India after he was elected Nepali Congress chief in March. The visit came at a time when political parties in Nepal have been working to register a Constitution Amendment motion in Parliament to address the demands of Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, seeking more representation in Nepalese politics.

Beijing views

the Dalai Lama as separatist and aiming to split Tibet from China. It is also opposed to any foreign leaders meeting the Dalai Lama. PTI SBP ABH AKJ ABH

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By PTI: From Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Nov 9 (PTI) Nepal government is planning to table a proposal in the parliament by mid-November seeking an amendment to the Constitution to meet the long-pending demands of the agitating parties, including the Madhesis, Deputy Prime Minister Bimalendra Nidhi said today.

Amending the Constitution and conducting the election are the present needs of the country and the government is mainly focused on these agenda, said Nidhi, who is also the Minister for Home Affairs.

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"The government is planning to table a proposal before the House seeking an amendment to the constitution by mid- November," he told reporters.

The disputed issues relating to the citizenship, provincial boundaries and formation of the National Assembly need to be sorted out through consensus while amending the statute, he said.

Re-demarcation of the provincial boundary and citizenship issue are the two major demands put forth by the agitating Madhesi parties.

The minority, mostly of Indian-origin, has led months- long violent protest seeking better representation in the Parliament and the federal structure of the Constitution that divides their ancestral homeland.

The government is expected to seek the ground for addressing the citizenship issue to be based on the interim constitution, Nidhi said while addressing a meeting organised by Nepal Press Union in Dhading district in central Nepal. PTI SBP SAI AKJ SAI

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Westpac chief Brian Hartzer was paid $6.7 million last financial year, his first full year in the job running Australia's second largest bank, its annual report showed.

The pay packet, which compared with $5.7 million in statutory remuneration for 2015, came as the bank's most senior executives missed out on some long-term bonuses because targets for shareholder returns were not hit.

In the year to September, Westpac's top 12 executives were paid total remuneration packages worth a combined $38 million, an average of several million dollars per executive.

Mr Hartzer was the highest-paid, followed by deputy chief executive Phil Coffey on $3.6 million, and the head of consumer banking George Frazis on $3.5 million.
You hear a lot of stories when you spend the week selling badges for Remembrance Day, but none more touching than one I heard today from an Eritrean refugee. He was very keen to buy a badge from me, which I found intriguing, as he was only a recent arrival. Why did buying a badge mean so much to him?



His answer was simple: without the soldiers who fought for us, he said, Australia wouldn't be the country it was, and he wouldn't have wanted to come here.



Of course, Eritrea is but one of the scores of places that have been scarred by civil war in the last 20 or so years. It is a reminder there are many countries where soldiers are a source of fear, not comfort. These are countries where the military commits atrocities on civilians instead of protecting them.



But fighting for others often comes at a terrible toll. By the 11th of November 1918, 61,530 Australians had died in the course of the First World War. Another 39,652 would die in the Second World War. The total of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for Australia is now 102,824.



So what should we remember on Remembrance Day?



Another of the stories I heard was told to me by the grandson of one of those who died. In December, 1943 a Sydney policeman, Spencer Walklate, made the fateful decision to join the Army and defend his country.



Walklate, a popular St George prop forward and a surf lifesaver, was soon chosen to serve in the elite Z Special Unit. These men went behind enemy lines to gather vital intelligence, or to run incredibly brave guerrilla campaigns against the Japanese occupiers.



Walklate was one of eight men sent to Muschu Island on the northern coast of New Guinea in April 1945 to scout for the presence of Japanese coastal guns which could jeopardise the planned invasion of Wewak. The mission was a disaster. Their boats foundered before they got to the shore, and their radio was wrecked. The Japanese soon became aware of the presence of the Australians, and the entire garrison on the island began a deadly hunt for the men.



Spencer Walklate was one of those who was captured. Japanese records show that he was brutally tortured for six hours but refused to give his captors any information. He refused to betray his mates.



Eventually the Japanese tired of his bravery so he and his comrade, Ron Eagleton, were callously killed. They weren't accorded a military burial; instead their bodies were discarded in a Japanese medical dump. There they were to lie for 68 years before their bodies were discovered and identified.



A search of his file at the National Archives of Australia reveals his photo at the bottom of a page which records him as missing in action.



Walklate's grandson, Todd Walklate, related this to me with humble and matter-of-fact pride. His was not a story of bravado, but of sacrifice. It is a story Todd and his family will never forget. In fact, there were there at Bomana Cemetery when his grandfather was finally accorded the respect he had long deserved.



There are 102,823 other Australian tales just like this. Some are recalled to this day, while others have passed into the mists of time.



Every Remembrance Day we pause to remember their sacrifice. Unlike on ANZAC Day, we do not recall the bravery of the past but the sacrifice. The men and women whom we recognise on Friday gave their tomorrows for our today. Let us never forget.




The decision is a big blow to those who earn and stash black money and its implications run far and wide.

By Rahul Kanwal: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced demonetisation of the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes to curb black money.

The decision is a big blow to those who earn and stash black money and its implications run far and wide.

"Black money and corruption are the biggest obstacles in eradicating poverty," said PM Modi during his address to the nation late on Tuesday evening.

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India Today brings you the inside story of how this crucial decision was taken.



OPERATION BLACK MONEY



Last Thursday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley met RBI Directors from all the states. During the meeting, Jaitley made a presentation to the RBI Directors and asked for their views on banning the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes.

Also read:

Banks closed, ATMs shut. Your Rs 500 & Rs 1000 notes are invalid. Good morning, here's the deal

Though some RBI representatives opposed the government's move fearing inconvenience to citizens, they were asked to maintain total secrecy around the discussion.

On Friday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Arun Jaitley after Thursday's meeting to follow up the discussion on the government's plan. Modi also met Finance Ministry officials to discuss the implications of the decision.

Also read:

Arun Jaitley on currency revamp: This is a bold step in right direction



Soon after, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officials received an email from the Finance Ministry regarding the bold move.

"Rs 100 notes not to be sent to ATM machines. Only Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes to be sent to ATM machines from next day," the email read.

On Tuesday morning, a fax was sent from the Finance Ministry to the RBI's regional offices directing the banks to not accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from the next day.

Also read:

Modi, Donald trump the market: Sensex crashes 1,600 points, investors lose Rs 7 lakh crore



Another fax was sent to the RBI offices in the evening. This fax mentioned PM Modi's order stating that from midnight Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will not be accepted as legal tender.

The RBI governor then forwarded the email to all the concerned banks and departments.

Also read:

What the FAQ just happened! All your questions about Rs 500-1000 notes answered



The third and last message from the government to the RBI office warned of the possibility of a 10 fold increase in the amount of deposits at bank branches.

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At the same time, the message asked the RBI head office to increase security at all its branches.

Also read:

New currency notes to be available at ATMs from Friday





--- ENDS ---
Now none of this is to say Trump will be a great or even good President but it does signal that Donald Trump won't be as bad as you think, writes Douglas Murray. [The Spectator] Donald Trump swept to power in dramatic fashion on Wednesday. Credit:AP Gone were the "Crooked Hillary" taunts in his victory speech, an almost emotionally fatigued Trump spoke of wanting to bind the nation together. He followed it up with a conciliatory tweet on the morning after. But after threatening to jail his opponent and spending months cheering on his supporters as they chanted "lock her up," Trump has a mammoth task ahead of him if he is sincere in wanting to heal the divide.

2. Clinton concedes with gracious speech Hillary Clinton speaking in New York just now. Credit:AP Hillary Clinton was a no-show on election night. Her campaign chairman John Podesta addressed supporters in the early hours of the morning to tell them to go home, get some sleep and come back the next day when she might still have a chance of winning. Shortly after that Trump headed to his victory party and within the hour, Clinton had phoned him to concede and the networks began calling it for the reality tv star. Clinton left it until nearly midday local time on Wednesday to finally address her supporters and give her concession speech. As Trump supporters were pointing out online, imagine if Trump, as he had threatened, had refused to face the music for that long. When she finally spoke, Clinton delivered one of the best speeches I've ever seen her give. Human, gracious and authentic, she urged her supporters to give Trump an "open mind and chance to lead" but noted America was more divided than thought. The loss was painful and would hurt for a long time, she acknowledged. [Nick O'Malley/Fairfax]

She said she accepted the outcome, noted Americans cherish their peaceful transfer of power but also values like the freedom to worship. On gender she said she hoped that hardest and highest glass ceiling might be shattered sooner than we might think today. President Barack Obama speaks about the election in the Rose Garden of the White House. Credit:AP Shortly after President Obama showed his trademark pragmatism as noted his "significant differences" with Trump but pledged to follow George W. Bush's example in ensuring a smooth transition of power. He urged Americans to remember they are "patriots first" and :all on the same team: and welcomed Trump's new tone set on election night saying he was "rooting" for success in uniting the country. [ABC News America] 3. GOP responds

House Speaker Paul Ryan. Credit:PAUL SANCYA After assiduously avoiding Trump during the campaign Ryan congratulated Trump for pulling off "the most incredible political feat I have seen in my lifetime" and said a unified Republican party would deliver Trump's mandate - including repealing Obamacare. [CNN] Previous GOP Trump critics including John Kasich and George W Bush (who abstained from voting for Trump) also issued their congratulations. 4. World reacts to Trump

Mexico says it won't pay for the wall. [Reuters] Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a telegram, yes a telegram, to congratulate Trump. The champagne corks would have been popping in the Kremlin, analysts say. [Fairfax] The strongest reaction has been from far-right populists, especially in Europe. [Fairfax] 5. Australia reacts There's the Daily Telegraph's version:

Pauline Hanson and fellow One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts celebrate Donald Trump's success. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen One government MP in Canberra told me this week that a voter recently told him: "I can't wait for the next election so we can put an independent in." There's a reason why the people popping corks yesterday (literally) were One Nation and the far-right in Cory Bernardi and the Nationals MP George Christensen. These self-annointed champions of so-called "commonsense" and change see hope for their movements and prove just how especially tone-deaf Turnbull's "never been a more exciting time" schtick really was. Bernardi has long dismissed rumours that he's planning a breakaway movement but this tweet is sure to set off a fresh round of scuttlebutt.

Christensen says expect to see Trumpism rise in Australia. [Sky News] For his part, the PM was spot on to identify the need for the right to continue prosecuting for free markets as a hedge against the populist backlash. [Michael Koziol/Fairfax] A refreshing change from the common "shock, horror, disbelief" response is from former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

To the commentators: Peter Hartcher: Trump's America is not democracy but despotism. [The Sydney Morning Herald] Peter Martin: A Trump win will be disastrous for Australia. [The Age] John Kehoe: Donald Trump has shocked the world, perhaps even his egotistical self. [Financial Review] Niki Savva: No matter how low politics has sunk in Australia we have a long way to go before we match what we have seen in the US. [The Australian]

Paul Kelly: It is the great American political shock of the past century. [The Australian] Michelle Grattan: Bill Shorten won't be apologising for calling Trump "barking mad." [The Coversation] Miranda Devine: It's the revenge of the deplorables. [Daily Telegraph] 6. The Fourth Turning
Sydney will host the world's biggest gathering of space scientists in 2020, at the start of the decade when humans are planning to travel to Mars.

Dubbed the "Space Olympics", the world assembly of the Committee on Space Research, or COSPAR, will convene in Sydney's new billion-dollar convention centre in Darling Harbour.

"This is a ringing endorsement of our people, infrastructure and high regard in the global space community," Science Minister Greg Hunt said.

The successful bid defeated a field of cities including Shanghai, Valencia, Prague and Lausanne.
Despite more than 3000 residents this year pleading for better drug treatment and mental health services, help for Esperance seems far away: 400 kilometres away, in fact.

Improvements to services in Kalgoorlie have proved little relief for residents who have said all along Esperance is crippled by its isolation from Kalgoorlie's major health services.

Sharn Campbell doesn't want to lose any more loved ones to drugs. Credit:Esperance Express

Earlier this year local providers rallied behind retired mental health nurse Deleine Congreve, who brought stories of increasing suicides and drug problems to the government's attention, with petitions for better services.

More recently, 20-year-old Sharn Campbell collected more than 1300 signatures with a similar plea, blaming ice for friends' suicides and calling Esperance a 'trap' for addicts who had to leave home for rehab, and who viewed staying away for good as their best chance to stay clean.
An alleged Rebels gang member faced court on Wednesday over the "brutal bashing" of a man at a Subiaco bar during Melbourne Cup celebrations on November 1.

Peter D'Abreu, accused of being part of a group of bikie gang members who beat a man unconscious at Voyeur Bar, was refused bail after Magistrate Edward de Vries watched CCTV footage of the incident.

The man phoned triple-0 from his bathroom and said Rebels bikies were in his living room, a court was told. Credit:Rohan Thomson

The victim was allegedly punched in the face as he walked towards the bar and then repeatedly punched until he fell to the ground unconscious.

Once on the ground, the accused and two others allegedly kicked and stomped on the man's head repeatedly, as a fourth man blocked bystanders from breaking up the attack, or helping the injured man.
Los Angeles: Two F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets have collided over the Pacific Ocean near San Diego while flying a training mission from the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar.

One of the pilots was able to land safely at the Naval Air Station North Island following the collision at 11.43am local time, the base said in a statement posted on Twitter.

The second pilot ejected safely from his aircraft and rescue crews were en route to recover him, it said.

The cause of the crash was under investigation.
Washington: Republicans are were defending a slim four-seat majority to hold onto key Senate seats in Indiana and Florida as the other important results on US election day roll in.

With Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton locked in a close battle for the White House, television networks said Republicans, as widely projected in opinion polls, would keep control of the House.

Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio wins a second term in office. Credit:AP

Winners had been declared so far in 21 Senate races, with Democrats making a net gain of only a single seat so far, with a handful of additional opportunities for them remaining undecided. Some key races were seen as too close to call.

Party dominance in Congress will be a crucial determinant of the policy-making outlook for the next president. The House has been in Republican hands since 2011 and has been a bastion of resistance to Democratic President Barack Obama's agenda.
Nitish's support to PM Modi comes at a time when Congress, which is alliance partner in the Bihar government is criticizing the centre's move to scarp 500, 1000 rupee notes.

By Rohit Kumar Singh: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received support from an unexpected quarter over his government's decision to abolish 500, 1000 rupee notes. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar welcomed the move on crackdown of black money and said he fully supported PM's decision on the issue.

Also read:

Banks closed, ATMs shut. Your Rs 500 & Rs 1000 notes are invalid. Good morning, here's the deal



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Speaking exclusively to India Today, before embarking on his "Nishchay Yatra" where he will be touring all the 38 districts in the state to get a feedback on the development work going on in the rural parts, Nitish said that he welcomed and supported PM Modi's bold move. Nitish's support to PM Modi comes at a time when the Congress party, which is alliance partner in the Bihar government is criticizing the centre's move to scarp 500, 1000 rupee notes.

Also read:

Nitish Kumar to kickstart Nischay Yatra from tomorrow, BJP plans protests

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala though in principle supported the move to fight the menace of black money but raised questions over the timing of the decision taken by the Modi government. The Congress believed that in the agrarian period, the farmers would be left without cash in the market.

Also read:

What the FAQ! All your questions about Rs 500-1000 notes answered

Modi, Donald trump the market, Sensex crashes 1,600 points

--- ENDS ---
The deceased jawan, identified as Naik Harindra Kumar Yadav, is survived by his wife and three children.

By Ashwini Kumar: A jawan, who had to be rushed to the hospital after being critically wounded in unprovoked firing from Pakistan in Nowshera sector along the LoC yesterday, has succumbed to his injuries. The victim, identified as Naik Harindra Kumar Yadav is survived by his wife and three children.

Pakistan Army had violated the ceasefire in Nowshera sector by firing at Indian Army posts along the Line of Control. Naik Prem Singh, an Army Non Commissioned Officer, was martyred yesterday.

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INDIAN ARMY RETALIATES



The Indian Army has responded appropriately to the unprovoked firing by the Pakistan Army.

Also read: Pakistan violates ceasefire in Nowshera, 1 Army jawan martyred



Defence spokesman Lt. Col Munash Mehta said that Singh,26, is survived by his wife Raina. He was a resident of Shahar village of Rajasthan's Barmer district. The other martyr Harindra Kumar Yadav,30, hailed from Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh.

The last rites of Naik Prem Singh will be performed at his native village in Barmer tomorrow.



(WITH INPUTS FROM UPHAR PANDEY)



--- ENDS ---
The 7th Annual Meeting of Capacity Building Contact Points for the West and Central Africa (WCA) region was held in Bamako (Mali) from 24 to 28 October 2016. It gave participants an opportunity to discuss a number of topics relating to the development of Customs reform and modernization strategies in their respective administrations and the challenges facing the countries represented. A mid-term evaluation of the roadmaps managed by the Regional Office for Capacity Building was also carried out, over and above sharing of experience in Customs areas of mutual interest. Generally speaking, participants focused on four key challenges for which they are seeking greater support: leadership, human resource management, regaining ownership of responsibilities outsourced to inspection companies, and the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. Participants expressed their gratitude to the WCO for its assistance and support efforts in these and other domains, stressing the need to continue this work.

A detailed report was presented on the capacity building activities carried out by the WCO Secretariat since the last Contact Point meeting in October 2015.

The quality of the presentations and the depth of the discussions, together with the sharing of experience and best practice, enabled the Contact Points to build a clearer picture of progress with Customs reform and modernization strategies in the WCA region and to pinpoint the major constraints faced by Customs administrations.
By Rohini Swamy: Pramila Jayapal has become one of the first Indian-American women to be elected to the US House of Representatives as she won the Washington State Senate seat leaving behind her rival Brady Walkinshaw. Jayapal polled 57 per cent of the votes from Washington State while Brady Walkinshaw secured 43 per cent votes.



Jayapal's agenda to bring social justice and also her progressive ideologies gave her the lead in the Washington State Senate seat. She was also endorsed by former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

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India Today exclusively spoke to Pramila's mother, Maya Jayapal and she was absolutely thrilled about her daughter's success. She spoke on her how Pramila entered politics and what is expected of her now that she has been elected into the US senate.

Also read: Record 5 Indian-Americans set to be elected to US Congress



Q. We need to ask the inevitable question, how did it feel?



A. It feels great, I am so happy for her that this will help her in whatever she wants to do in regard to social justice because that is what she is interested in. I think it is remarkable and we don't know what to say. Both my husband and I are very proud of her.



Q. How did she foray into politics?



A. No. She started her own NGO called Hate Free Zone after 9/11. It then went into immigration reforms. She was always interested in matters relating to social justice but I don't think either she or us were interested in politics. After 9/11, America got very frightened about what is happening when a Sikh gentleman was attacked and so on. So she took care of all those things. Then the name of the NGO changed and it was called One America.

Also read: Hillary Clinton delivers a presidential speech, says Trump will be our president



Q.When did she move to the United States?



A.She was 16 when she went to America to study and she was there and got married there. Now she is 51 so she has been there for 35 years.



Q.Had you ever imagined her dabbling in politics?



A.No, we never imagined. We are not a politically inclined family. She is the first one to enter politics in our family. When she decided to run for the seat and she told us about it, we were happy and told her to go ahead with it. We knew there was a lot of hard work and she had go give up a lot of things to do this.

Also read: Hillary Clinton concedes defeat, bid for 'herstory' as first woman US President fails



Q.Do you think she would have entered Indian politics if she was here?



A.No. It is very difficult to answer that question. She has entered politics there but I dont know about India.

Q. What did she tell you when she made that call after winning the election?



A. My granddaughter was in touch with me constantly and she said "Ammamma, she has won.'' I was so excited I couldn't talk and I kept saying I am so excited so excited and I congratulated her.

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Also read: Donald trumps Hillary Clinton. Says he will be President of all Americans, rebuild



Q. What would you advise her as a mother?



A. I don't know but all I want is her to be happy and do her job well. Both my daughters are independent. Both my husband and I are convinced that whatever b0th of them choose to do, they will do well.

--- ENDS ---
Im really excited to share the Peace of Art online auction with you. Peace of Art is a biennial online auction, curated and hosted by Fenton & Fenton. It features a diverse collection of works from coveted and emerging Australian artists and goes live at 10am today, 10 November.

If youve been considering purchasing a piece of Australian art, this a great opportunity. What makes this collection different  apart from the amazing talent of the 100+ artists  is that 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Schools a Gift.

Schools a Gift is an Australian not for profit organisation thats helping children in deprived areas of Ethiopia attend school. Founder Georgina Fenton, along with the help of her sister Lucy, tells us that so far the charity has managed to help over 2,000 children access primary and secondary education, with over half of them being girls. Our last Peace of Art Event in 2014 exceeded expectations and raised $100,000, which built the first secondary school for the Esha Amba community; contributing to improved livelihoods and the empowerment of so many young adults, particularly girls, who are usually the most disadvantaged.

Over 100 artists have each donated a piece of art, including paintings, illustrations, sculptures, wall hangings and more. The stellar line-up of artists includes Dion Horstmans, Kristen Daniels, Natalie Miller, Maryanne Moodie, Carly Williams, Michael Bond, Armelle Habib, Kara Rosenlund, Jai Vasicek, Kate Banazi, Antoinette Ferwerda and 4 times Archibald prize finalist, Carla Fletcher. You can see the full list of artists at the bottom of this post.

Bidding starts online today  Thursday 10th November 2016 at 10am  and all work will be displayed in store at Fenton & Fenton in Melbourne until 24th November. There will be a live auction and party on Thursday, 24th November 6:00  8.30 pm.

Photos courtesy of Fenton & Fenton. Photography by Armelle Habib, styling by Heather Nette King.

I cant think of a better time and way to buy Australian art  and from so many collectible artists too. Thanks to the generosity of the Australian art community, we aim to raise over $100,000 this year to further develop schools and help more children receive educational opportunities in these remote communities. The money raised will be used to rebuild a primary school that has deteriorated to the point that it is unusable, many of the children have been forced to drop out, whilst those remaining are taking classes under a tree, said Lucy Fenton.

View all the artworks in Peace of Art 2016 and place your online bids at Fenton & Fenton here.

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The US majority got Donald Trump on his way to the White House. Does his victory mean that people forgave him for all the nasty things he ever said, or that they agree with him?

By Shreya Biswas: Growing up, if we are fortunate enough to get proper education, we learn that racism, bullying, xenophobia, sexism, and discrimination in any form is wrong. We learn and unlearn things over the years.

And then when you see people go and elect Donald Trump for the President of United States of America, you wonder at the futility of it all.

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Also read: Hello President Trump, here's what Twitter feels about your win

While campaigning for the presidential elections and before, Trump has said things that made the ears of people ring worldwide: his comments ranged from insulting women, Hispanics and Muslims to verbally assaulting his rival, Hillary Clinton.

His comments offended people en masse. But let's face the truth, he impressed a majority of Americans.

Of course, the law wouldn't stand by and watch people grab women by their vaginas. But did Trump, in the minds of his supporters, normalise such acts with his "locker room talk"?

The US majority wanted Trump in the Oval Office. And they got him there. Does this victory of Trump's mean that people forgave him for all the nasty things he ever said, or does that mean they agree with him?

Also read: This South Indian astrologer predicted Trump will win





GRAB WOMEN BY THEIR P****?

A tape recording from 2005, in which US President-elect Donald Trump can be heard boasting about how he 'scored' with women, went viral a few months ago. Here's what he said:

"When you're a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the p****. You can do anything," Trump can be heard saying in the tape.



BUILD A WALL ALONG MEXICO?

Announcing his candidacy on June 16, 2015, Trump promised to deport 11 million undocumented migrants and build a wall along the US-Mexico border if he came to power.

"I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I'll build them very inexpensively...I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall."

Why? Because...

"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending the best...They're bringing drugs. They're bring crime. They're rapists."



JUSTIFY GLOBAL WARMING?

Leonardo DiCaprio wants you to be worried about climate change. But according to Trump:

It's freezing and snowing in New York--we need global warming! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 7. november 2012

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JUSTIFY SEXUAL ASSAULTS?

In May 2013, Donald Trump tweeted this:



26,000 unreported sexual assults in the military-only 238 convictions. What did these geniuses expect when they put men & women together? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 7, 2013



Earlier this September, when he was questioned about it during an NBC-hosted forum, he stood by his comment adding that a "court system" should be put in order to deal with the "massive problem."



SHUT OUT MUSLIMS?

Everybody heard when Trump asked for Muslims to be banned in America, after the San Bernardino mass shooting in December 2015.

"Donald J Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on," the Trump campaign said in a press release.

Later on, he stood by his comment: "Look, we have to stop with political correctness. We have to get down to creating a country that's not going to have the kind of problems that we've had with people flying planes into the World Trade Centers, with the - with the shootings in California, with all the problems all over the world...We have to find out what's going on."

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Also read: Oh my God! America will have a president who said such things



PUNISH WOMEN FOR ABORTIONS?

In an MSNBC interview in March 2016, the anchor asked Trump if he thinks women who obtain abortions should be punished. Trump replied, "There has to be some form of punishment." When the anchor asked, "For the woman?" Trumped replied, "Yeah, there has to be some form,".

Trump later released a statement saying: "If Congress were to pass legislation making abortion illegal and the federal courts upheld this legislation, or any state were permitted to ban abortion under state and federal law, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman."

In both ways, he pitched against women's right to choice.



So, does most of America support Trump's views? Or are they expecting him to rise above and be a better man as the next President of the United States?

--- ENDS ---
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by John Hedden

Following from the first part of my discourse I would take the opportunity to examine the input of the government of the Bahamas to developing an agricultural sector since independence in 1973.

Up to the time of independence the Hatchet bay company owned and operated by an American industrialist (Levy), which operated out of Alice Town in Eleuthera, was providing dairy products as well as chicken to the Bahamian public through its outlets in Nassau. However the operation was bought out by the government and managed by the newly incorporated (quasi government) Bahamas agricultural and industrial corporation (BAIC) under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. In a few short years the whole concern went bankrupt and was subsequently closed.

However BAIC was charged with developing and assisting commercial agricultural projects for the benefit of the Bahamian population and entrepreneur. At the same time the then Minister of Agriculture had determined that the Bahamas would be self sufficient in food production within 10 years. Unfortunately no successful projects were developed, and by 1985 the farming population in the country had seriously declined and local production was at a very low ebb. Since then the number of farmers has continued to decline to the state it is in today, with less than 1000 farmers active in the country providing much less than 1% of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP).

Successive governments have all laid out in their election manifestos the importance of renovating the agricultural sector as an important instrument in feeding ourselves. To date none have put any serious commitment into developing a programme with long reaching planning and commitment.

The most catastrophic situation occurred when the US government handed over the BARTAD project to the Bahamian government in the late 1970's as a fully functional research and farmer training facility. Due to lack of Bahamian financial and management input the project collapsed.

Ironically the new government impetus to self sufficiency initiated the BAMSI institute on the same site as the defunct BARTAD project. This project seems to be shrouded in secrecy and any positive press releases are purely 'in house' with no independent verification of what is really going on. To top the whole BAMSI matter the minister of agriculture last month declared erroneously and unconvincingly to the public that this operation had already injected $100 million of local production into the consumer's bread basket.

Considering the injection of many millions of taxpayers dollars into this project why have encouraging results not been seen at this time.

As is so often the case the public has been inundated with political jargon about self sufficiency, but farmers on the ground have seen no progress in farming assistance through extension (education) services, veterinary services for animal husbandry, and fisheries assistance.

If we compare ourselves to the United States and Europe we fail miserably. These countries place a real value on agricultural production and its importance to their national economies. To this end they have developed extremely efficient outreach programmes, and invested heavily in subsistence support and guarantees in the form of farm aid. In short they have created a favourable environment to maintain and further develop the sector.

To a similar end for Bahamian agriculture the government needs to address some serious shortfalls, listed below.

Lack of genuine access to public land through non existent lease programmes, which at least should layout conditions and commitments for both the landlord and the lessee.

No real concessions to ventures, which should naturally occur through a now highly manipulated and cannibalised encouragement act. All inputs should become duty free automatically.

A non existent educational and extension service from a ministry that functions only to farm paper by shuffling documents to and fro internally.

Lack of realistic assistance with storage, marketing, and processing logistics. And at the other end no assistance with farm inputs, varities, growout conditions and requirements.

A dearth of assistance with setting up businesses through the supposed SMBE programme.

No creation of a favourable environment to encourage local entrepreneurs to venture into any agricultural enterprise.

No agricultural development plan applicable to the farmer.

No research, breeding and evaluation trials.

No tapping of the wealth of Bahamian expertise that already exists outside of government in the private sector.

In short to date the government has made no genuine input into developing a viable agricultural sector. But of course it is much simpler and easier to bring in foreign enterprises and governments to develop in their own interests, and not the interests of the Bahamas. Where are the rules and regulations to protect our own natural resources whether terrestrial or marine?

Abaco, Bahamas

November 7, 2016
By India Today Web Desk: The nation felt the tremors following the landmark scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, however, surprisingly businesses in Bengaluru remained unaffected. Small business owners and tea stall owners told India Today said that they were unfazed by Prime Minister's unexpected announcement.

'No tension at all, business is going on well today. There are no changes and I am not facing any problems,' said Mahesh, a local tea and snacks shop owner in the central business district of Bengaluru. He was reacting to the government's move to make 500 and 1000 currency notes in the words of PM Modi 'mere paper' from November 9, 2016.

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Mahesh added that people were adjusting slowly but his business today has not been affected. His claim was substantiated by the flow of customers.Techies and many other customers flocked to this shop as usual to buy their cup of tea and snacks.

Also read: Operation Black Money: Here is the inside story of Modi's bold move



At a petrol bunk, though long queues were the order of the day, it was only bikers who complained but not the car owners. While petrol bunk staff was more than willing to fill fuel for Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 which car owners did, they were not so willing to do the same for bikers who just wanted to fill their tanks for Rs. 100. 'We will face problems for 2-3 days but we must go through this,' said a car owner.

HOSPITALS COMPLY WITH CENTRE'S DIRECTIVE

Both private and government hospitals complied with the directive by Central government to accept the scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes for a few days.

Also read: How scrapping 500, 1000 notes and bringing in 2000 notes will check black money: Congress



Incidentally, the Sita Bhateja Speciality hospital staff was struggling to dish out change to their customers.

"We are accepting all types of notes. We are mostly asking our customers to use their cards but it is difficult. We will manage with whatever change we have for the day,' said Revathi, chief accountant at the hospital.

It was a similar situation at the government-run Bowring hospital which was finding it hard to give change.

Also read: New Rs 500, Rs 2000 notes: All you need to know



Suhail who had brought his father for treatment told India Today that for very small amounts, the cashier requested them to provide proper change but for amounts such as Rs. 50, they were ready to accept even Rs. 500 notes.



MIXED REACTIONS

However, reactions varied among common folks.

"We do not have change. Once the banks open, we will need to head over there but I do have little change and will somehow manage with that," said Kripa.

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Also read: What the FAQ just happened! All your questions about Rs 500-1000 notes answered



On the other hand, another resident Krishnamurthy was all praise for this move. "It is a historical decision taken by the government. I fully appreciate this move. It is not really difficult and we need to manage for only two days," he said.

--- ENDS ---
Some parties in the Opposition called the move a gimmick, some others said it will break the back of black money dealers.

By India Today Web Desk: Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes invalid on Tuesday, reactions have been pouring from all corners, some hailing it, others railing against it.

NO MONEY TO BUY ATTA, CHAWAL

Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called it a "draconian decision". In a series of tweets, she lashed out at the government for causing inconvenience to the comman man.



WITHDRAW THIS DRACONIAN DECISION Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 8, 2016

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"I want to know from the PM how my poorest brothers, sisters who've received their week's hard earned wage in one Rs 500 note will buy atta, chaal, tomorrow?," she tweeted.



Rs100 notes not available in banks. Without availability in market how will people,small farmrs,all employees,labourers purchase essentials Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 8, 2016

ALSO READ: Operation Black Money: Here is the inside story of Modi's bold move

ALSO WATCH



DOES IT HELP

Congress was also critical of the government's surprise move to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi said the decision shows how little Modi cares about ordinary people.





Once again MrModi shows hw little he cares abt ordinary ppl of this country-farmers,small shopkeepers,housewives-all thrown into utter chaos Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) November 9, 2016

"While Modi ji withdraws Rs 1000 note, he introduces Rs 2000 note on the other side? Does it not defeat his own argument," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked.



One Q for the PM: How is replacing 1000 rs notes with 2000 rs notes going to make black money hoarding a lot harder? #Modilogic Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) November 9, 2016



Surjewala said his party has always supported any step against black money, but added that the sudden announcement will hit average Indians badly. "Paddy has already been cut and wheat and Rabi rops being sown, the farmer going to the market today needs money," he said.

ALSO READ: Bihar CM Nitish supports PM Modi's decision to scrap Rs 500, 1000 notes

Congress leader Manish Tewari termed the move a "nuclear trident at poor people of India" and described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "modern day Tughlak."

JUST A GIMMICK

CPI(M)General Secretary Sitaram Yechury also did not appreciate the government's drastic step to tackle black money menace and called it "poorly planned and not thought through".

ALSO READ: RBI Governor lauds PM Modi's bold step, says high denomination misused for financing terror

"To uncover the illicit money trail, we demand that the govt release the name of Top 100 defaulters of bank loans," Yechury tweeted.



This demonetisation is attempted as a gimmick to divert attention from serious social and political failures of this govt in past 2.5 years. Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) November 9, 2016

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In a series of tweets, Yechury attacked the government. "This demonetisation is attempted as a gimmick to divert attention from serious social and political failures of this govt in past 2.5 years," read one of his tweets.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, however, maintained a stoic silence on the issue. He chose to merely retweet Yechury's tweet.

ALSO READ: Modi's decision is a joke, calamity and a brake on Indian economy: Kerala Finance Minister

A WELCOME MOVE

However, not everyone was critical of the decision.

President Pranab Mukherjee supported the decision to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. "The bold step of Government of India will help unearth unaccounted money & counterfeit currency," the President tweeted.



#PresidentMukherjee welcomed bold step of Government of India which will help unearth unaccounted money & counterfeit currency President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) November 8, 2016

Former Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav welcomed the decision. "Positive move against counterfeit currency. Govt overplaying impact on black money. Opposition overplaying transitional problems," Yadav said on Twitter.



Positive move against counterfeit currency.

Govt overplaying impact on black money.

Opposition overplaying transitional problems. Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) November 8, 2016

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BJP's friend-turned-for Janata Dal (United) also supported Prime Minister's move. It said the governments move would break the back of terror funding and those who generate black money.

ASSIST THE PEOPLE

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said the government must take all possible steps to minimise inconvenience to common people. "Central government must set-up special banking counters in villages and district centres to assist the public, villagers and farmers," Yadav said.

Some like Andra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu welcomed the bold step taken by the Central government. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief, however, said that re-introduction of large denomination currency should be revisited and the government should try to look for alternatives.

ALSO READ: 8 steps of PM Modi's surgical strike against black money

ALSO READ: PM Modi's currency revamp: Govt to keep check on individuals who exchange more than 2 lakh



--- ENDS ---
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Nov. 08, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 08, 2016 | 06:21 PM | PADUCAH, KY

A Salem woman was arrested Tuesday on drug charges after a traffic stop.



The McCracken County Sheriff's Department says a deputy pulled over a vehicle shortly before 3:00 pm for having an obstructed windshield. As the investigation continued, it was revealed that two of the passengers had previous drug charges. Deputies said that when they were questioned about the previous drug charges, both occupants became very nervous and suspicious.



A search of the vehicle reportedly revealed marijuana and a glass pipe that tested positive for methamphetamine residue. Deputies said the owner of the vehicle, 45-year-old Vicky Shull of Salem told them she was aware of the drug paraphernalia in her vehicle.



Shull was booked into the McCracken County Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance, Possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. She also has pending charges for complicity to trafficking in a controlled substance.
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By Bill Hughes

Nov. 08, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY

By Bill Hughes Nov. 08, 2016 | 10:37 PM | PADUCAH, KY

Democratic State Representative Gerald Watkins said he's humbled and thrilled to be re-elected, especially on a night when many of his party's colleagues lost in the Commonwealth.



Watkins won a third term Tuesday, and received 9,869 votes for 55.4 percent, with challenger Joni Hogancamp getting 7,958 votes, or 44.6 percent.



Saying he knew Donald Trump would win Kentucky, Watkins wasn't expecting Trump's coat-tails to be so long. Watkins said the real bloodshed was in Eastern Kentucky, and it made for a tough night.



Watkins said, "I think President Obama has made it very difficult to be a Democrat in the south, and then I think Hillary Clinton's remarks on coal just really killed the Democrats' chances, particularly in coal country in eastern Kentucky. I think that was probably the deciding factor. It might have probably flipped, anyway, but I think that sure speeded it up in a lot of races that the Democrats thought were safe seats."



Watkins spoke to Greg Dunker and Bill Bartleman on WKYX Tuesday night. He was asked if his conservative position might lead him to switch parties and stay in the majority.



Watkins said, "I'm a conservative Democrat, the people support me down here, and I'll be working with the Republican majority, and I think it will be easy for me, but as far as switching parties, I don't think that I would want to do that."



He said his problem in previous sessions getting a nuclear moratorium passed was a lopsided Energy Committee, but its make-up will likely be affected by the new majority.



"It depends on who all wants on that committee, there will be a lot of changes, that's for sure. But it's make-up and the influence of the eastern Kentucky coal operators - they really are kinda driving the ship on that bill," Watkins said. "I've tried to convince them that coal is benefited by also having nuclear power in Kentucky, because it lessens the carbon footprint. If we can convince the eastern Kentucky lawmakers of that, then we can get that bill passed."
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Nov. 09, 2016 | CHICAGO, IL

By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 09, 2016 | 11:50 AM | CHICAGO, IL

Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth is promising to fight for the middle class and recalling her own victories over adversity as she becomes the second woman to represent Illinois in the U.S. Senate.



Duckworth unseated Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk on Tuesday.



Democrats counted on a win in Illinois as they tried to retake control of the Senate. But Democrats saw their odds of gaining the majority slipping away early Wednesday with losses in other key states.



Duckworth spoke at a party in Chicago on Tuesday about the day the helicopter she was co-piloting in Iraq was shot down.



She lost both legs but survived, and said that because of that, she wakes up every morning trying "to be worthy of this miraculous second chance."
By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 09, 2016 | 08:28 AM | FRANKFORT, KY

Governor Matt Bevin is very pleased with Tuesday's election results. For the first time since 1920, Kentucky's House of Representatives will be under Republican control. Bevin tells West Kentucky Star that he is excited to finally get the ball rolling on reforms across multiple things within the state government. In fact, he's looking so forward to it, that he may call a special session of the state legislature."We will probably have to do that after the upcoming session to accomplish many of these things. Many of these things we'll be able to get done," says Bevin.But Governor Bevin says any changes passed will definitely be organized and well thought out."We're not going to overstretch, we're not going to bite off more than we chew. We're going to do these things methodically. We will focus on those that have the most profound impact. We will listen to what the people want and we will get these things done. But absolutely, if need be after the 30 days (after the pre-planned 30 day legislative session coming up), if we need to accomplish some of these things in the form of a special session, and maybe true comprehensive tax reform would be a example of something that might need that, then that's what we'll do."Bevin says Kentuckians have been demanding change in many things. Bevin is promising to make Kentucky an "economic boom town" now that both legislative bodies are under Republican control. He says the legislative and executive branch can now create opportunities that the business community and residents have been "begging for". He says they will be eliminating red tape, restructure the tax system, save the state's pension system, and pass school choice to the school system, and tort reform among others.Bevin says the state has to move in this direction to compete with other states that already have many of these policies in place. He says the competitive policies in other states have been "eating our lunch" in Kentucky. He says the new direction for the state will "catapult" Kentucky into the 21st century workforce.

On the Net:
By The Associated Press Nov. 08, 2016 | 09:40 PM | FRANKFORT, KY

Republicans have won a majority in the Kentucky House of Representatives, the last legislative chamber in the South that was still controlled by Democrats.

Democrats held a 53-47 majority heading into Election Day, but Republicans picked up enough seats to give them their first majority since 1920.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo was among the Democratic incumbents to be unseated.

The victory gives Republicans control of every Southern state legislature. Democrats dominated the South for decades, relying on the votes of working-class whites. But that began to change following the civil rights movement.

Kentucky Democrats were able to resist the trend for years because of their strength in the state's mountainous coal region and the large population of union workers. But Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's popularity in Kentucky, particularly in coal communities, was too much for Democrats to overcome.
By The Associated Press Nov. 08, 2016 | 06:14 PM | FRANKFORT, KY

Rand Paul will return to the U.S. Senate following a failed presidential campaign that changed the way Kentuckians vote for the country's highest office.

Paul defeated Lexington Mayor Jim Gray to win a second six-year term on Tuesday. The Republican from Bowling Green was known nationally for his once-favored presidential bid, but could not muster enough support to challenge eventual nominee Donald Trump.

Paul ran for president and re-election at the same time, even donating $250,000 to the state Republican Party to hold a presidential caucus so Paul would avoid a state law banning candidates from appearing on the ballot twice in the same election.

Gray was trying to become Kentucky's first openly gay U.S. senator. He said Paul was more concerned about being president than solving Kentucky's problems
By The Associated Press Nov. 08, 2016 | 07:04 PM | LEXINGTON, KY

Republican James Comer has won a seat in Congress one year after narrowly losing a chance to become Kentucky's governor.

The former state agriculture commissioner defeated Democrat Samuel Gaskins in Kentucky's 1st Congressional District on Tuesday. He will replace former U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield, who resigned in September after a 22-year career in Washington.

Comer was on the ballot twice on Tuesday, once for a full, two-year term and once to fulfill the remainder of Whitfield's term. As a result, Comer will be sworn into office later this week.

In 2015, Comer was a front-runner for the Republican nomination for governor. But he lost to Matt Bevin by 83 votes. Bevin would go on to defeat Democrat Jack Conway.
By Bill Hughes Nov. 08, 2016 | 03:21 PM | PADUCAH, KY





Ever since 2000, I've heard people say we need to get rid of the Electoral College and just use popular vote to choose our nation's President. They point out that Al Gore won the popular vote, but George W. Bush won the Electoral vote, so he "stole" the election (I know, lots of other issues loomed over Florida that year, but they are not part of this discussion). I'd like to present my argument that the Electoral College was a brilliant idea by our founding fathers, because it doesn't allow some parts of the country to be alienated from the process.Remember, those men only had to deal with 13 colonies, and couldn't have imagined Alaska or Montana as part of our country - vast expanses of land, far from the Capitol, with much fewer proportions of residents - which makes the idea even more brilliant.The last 10-year census determines the number of U.S. Representatives in Congress for each state (and the District of Columbia), as a ratio of the state's population to the national census total. However, every state gets an equal number of Senators - two. This keeps representation equal in one body but allows for population advantages in the other. Why does this matter in the election? Because the Electoral College assigns one vote for every legislator in the state. Kentucky has 6 representatives and 2 senators, so 8 electoral votes.Each state's popular vote determines a winner, and the candidate gets all of that state's Electoral votes (only Maine and Nebraska award them proportionally). A candidate has to get 270 Electoral votes to win the election, and that has failed to happen only one time (1824, and you can partially thank a Kentuckian for that).With the Electoral College, a candidate must win most of the 51 individual elections instead of winning several heavily populated areas and not worrying about the rest of the country.In 2012, figures I found show 129,085,410 U.S. citizens voted, compared to 1,797,212 Kentuckians who cast ballots. Figures below obviously only show totals for candidates from the two biggest parties, but I thought they were interesting:New York City Obama 1,995,241 Kentucky Romney 1,087,190Romney -436,889 Obama -679,370Difference 1,558,352 Difference 407,820If popular vote is used, this one large city would overwhelm the ballots cast by an entire state! I'm sure several other cities could, as well. Did you know that 23 states have FEWER electoral votes than Kentucky? With only a popular vote, they would have even less impact than the Bluegrass. But when you look at their electoral votes instead, it's much easier for the smaller states to combine and gain ground on the more populated ones. States that chose the same candidate - by 1 percent margin or 30 percent margin - combine for a greater impact. Geographic appeal by a candidate in an area of several states also has a greater swing, regardless of how densely populated they are. That is the genius of the system - a more level playing field.While NYC does not necessarily carry the entire state, if we continue to use Democrats in New York and Kentucky Republicans an example, the Empire State has not voted Republican since Ronald Reagan, and has carried around 60 percent Democratic vote since the turn of the century, while Kentucky has had a 57-61 percent Republican advantage during the same period. Carrying this idea forward, it means that without the Electoral College, candidates would not have to spend time or energy coming to Kentucky or any state with a low number of people. In spite of the percentages, they could look at the number of votes and decide to ignore us, only concentrating on Chicago, New York, Los Angeles - I think you get it. They would know our votes would be "eaten" by those cities. As it is now, Chicago can dominate Illinois, but ONLY Illinois.Imagine 100 years ago - before 24-hour news and instant communication. Without this system for choosing a leader, candidates wouldn't need to come to low-population states, and citizens would have very little information about candidates (even less than they had back then). Honestly, it probably wouldn't matter how much they knew.Legislation has been introduced before to get rid of this system, and I'm sure it will be brought up again. But to me, the only people who should like that idea would be the ones who would benefit the most from it: New York, California, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, etc. They could easily gain an advantage for generations to come.Just so you'll know, my example of the Bush-Gore election and New York City vs. Kentucky might imply that I favor a certain party. That is not my intent, they were useful examples, one that most folks remember and one that is easy to grasp. This process, I'm sure, has benefitted parties that no longer exist, along with both parties that dominate the current political climate.So I will stand up and defend the Electoral College with my voice every time someone wants to get rid of it. Without it, my voice and the voices of future generations of Kentuckians will not be as strong.
By The Associated Press Nov. 09, 2016 | 05:12 AM | LOUISVILLE, KY

Republican Gov. Matt Bevin emerges as a clear winner in Tuesday's election, even though he wasn't on the Kentucky ballot.

The historic election saw the GOP seize control of the state House of Representatives for the first time in nearly a century.

Three months after declaring the election would be a referendum on Bevin and his policies, combative House Speaker Greg Stumbo was one of at least 16 incumbents to lose on Tuesday as the "Trump tide" swept across the state.

The victory means Republicans now control all Southern state legislatures, and it clears the path for Bevin to continue his aggressive overhaul of state government.
Ballot proposal asks Kentucky voters whether there's a right to an abortion
Kanchi Singh aka Gayu of Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai is missing her boyfriend and BB10 celeb contestant Rohan Mehra. A LOT.

By India Today Web Desk: Bigg Boss celeb contestant Rohan Mehra has been creating a lot of waves lately, thanks to his antics on the popular reality show.

But before Rohan was Rohan, he was Naksh of Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, and his then co-star, and girlfriend Kanchi Singh, popularly known by her screen name Gayu, has always supported the young actor in his career choices.

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Also read:Exclusive: I'm dating Kanchi Singh; not looking for love in the Bigg Boss house, says Rohan Mehra



But that doesn't take away from the fact that the pretty actress misses having him around all the time.

#majormissing A photo posted by Kanchi Singh (@kanchisingh09) on Nov 8, 2016 at 5:48am PST

Kanchi recently posted an adorable picture of the two of them together on her personal Instagram account.

She captioned the picture as "#Majormissing."

Now isn't that the sweetest thing ever?

Kanchi had also posted Rohan's picture on her Insta account after he was nominated for eviction in the first week of the show.

Itz time to show ur love guys!!! Vote for Rohan to save him this week!! Type ROH n send it to 56882 A photo posted by Kanchi Singh (@kanchisingh09) on Oct 24, 2016 at 11:16am PDT

She had written, "Itz time to show ur love guys!!! Vote for Rohan to save him this week!! Type ROH n send it to 56882."

Now that is called commitment.



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National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued instructions to all the operators and other fee collection agencies in this regard, according to an official press statement.

By India Today Web Desk: The Central Government has permitted fee collectors at toll plazas on highways to accept currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denominations till the midnight of November 11.

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued instructions to all the operators and other fee collection agencies in this regard, according to an official press statement.

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It said the orders have been issued in order to avoid difficulties that may be faced by the highway users following instructions by the Ministry of Finance yesterday that currency notes of the denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 will no longer be legal tender from today.

Also read:

Operation Black Money: Here is the inside story of Modi's bold move

New Rs 500, Rs 2000 notes: All you need to know





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Henderson Oil Company awarded a total of $8,000 in ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grants to 16 Henderson County Public Schools on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016 , supplying elementary, middle and high school principals with extra funds for literacy and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teaching materials and programming.

Atkinson Elementary, Bruce Drysdale Elementary, Clear Creek Elementary, Dana Elementary, Glenn C. Marlow Elementary, Hillandale Elementary, Edneyville Elementary, Mills River Elementary, Upward Elementary, Flat Rock Middle, Hendersonville Middle, Rugby Middle, East Henderson High, Hendersonville High, North Henderson High, and West Henderson High each received $500 to fund school-specific local programs.

Mills River Elementary and Hillandale Elementary will put the funds toward participation in the 5th grade outdoor education program, Muddy Sneakers. Atkinson Elementary, Dana Elementary Flat Rock Middle, Hendersonville Middle, East Henderson High will use their $500 checks to update math and science materials and lab equipment. Upward Elementary and North Henderson plan to use their funds for math fluency programs while Bruce Drysdale Elementary will use its $500 on its literacy fluency program. West Henderson High will use its funds to continue the schools Science Olympiad team and program, while Clear Creek Elementary will spend the $500 on an interactive family science night and Glenn C. Marlow Elementary will jumpstart its new STEM Club with the funds. Edneyville Elementarys $500 grant will supplement its robotics team, and Rugby Middle School plans to use the funds in its Project Lead the Way program.

Awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, 4,300 ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grants totaling $2.15 million were awarded to schools across the country this year in a matter of 75 minutes. Although the grant application window opened at the height of the gas pipeline break in mid-September, ExxonMobil Territory Manager Pablo Salmon helped Henderson Oil Company secure 31 of these $500 grants for a total of $15,500  more than half of which were granted to HCPS.

Salmon said he knows Henderson Oil Companys President Bill McKibbin, Vice President Barry Edwards, Vice President & Controller Paul Jordan, and Administrative Assistant Connie Edwards are very active in the Henderson County community and look forward to distributing the grants each year.

Superintendent Bo Caldwell thanked Henderson Oil Company and ExxonMobil, stating, This is what makes Henderson County so great: the school system and the community coming together.

Since 2000, Henderson Oil Company and ExxonMobil have provided $203,750 in education grants to North Carolina, South Carolina and east Tennessee. Of that number, $103,250 has been awarded to schools in Henderson County.
By PTI: New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) Supreme Court today appointed a two-member lawyers panel to inspect the facilities at the flat of Minister of State Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore in Parsvnath Developers Exotica project in Gurgaon, after he claimed it was "uninhabitable".

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Amitava Roy formed the lawyers committee after Rathores counsel complained that the flat, which the apex court had earlier directed the real estate firm to be handed over to him, was "uninhabitable".

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The court directed the committee to submit its report in two weeks and look into the allegations made by the MoS for Information and Broadcasting.

The counsel for Rathore said the flat which was allotted to him did not have access to common facilities of the project as was shown in the site map at the time of booking.

While the tower in which the flat is located had a kachcha access road which opened into a slum cluster, there was no parking facility provided and the tower did not have an occupancy certificate, he said.

The counsel for the builder said if Rathore had so much problems, he could take a refund, adding that the flat was in a good condition and work at the project site was going on.

Rathores counsel said they did not want refund as they have contested for so long to get the flat and urged the court that another flat be given to him in the tower which has the occupancy certificate.

The court, however, said it cannot be done as Rathore had booked a flat of his own choice.

"The members of the committee will go and inspect what is the shortest and longest route to common facilities which everyone is getting. It will also look into the allegations of parking facilities, kachcha road etc," the bench said.

The bench asked Rathore to first occupy the flat and get a roof for himself, after which it will look into the aspect of compensation.

The court appointed advocates Gaurav Aggarwal and Shankar Narayan as members of the committee, directing them to submit the report in two weeks and posted the matter for November 29. It also asked the parties to cooperate with the committee.

Rathore had booked a flat in Parsvnaths Exotica project in Gurgaon in 2006 and paid around Rs 70 lakh for it. The firm was to deliver the flat in 2008-09. In January this year, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission had directed the builder to refund the principal amount with interest and compensation to Rathore. (more) PTI MNL SJK RKS AG ARC

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Chidambaram also accused the government of harassing ordinary people by the sudden move, calling the definition of black money under this programme flawed.

By India Today Web Desk: The Congress today hit out at the Narendra Modi government for declaring Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes illegal, questioning how it could check black money when new Rs 2000 notes have been introduced. The party also accused the government of harassing ordinary people by the sudden move.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi today, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram wondered if the cost involved in the demonetisation of the old currency and replacing them with new ones will be less than the black money checked in the process.

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SEE NO POINT IN INTRODUCING RS 2000 NOTES: CONG



"I don't understand why Rs 2000 notes have been introduced when Rs 500 and Rs 1000 have been demonetised," Chidambaram asked. He said a similar move by the Janata Party government in 1978 had failed.

Also read: Intolerant society will hold back India's growth: Chidambaram



Chidambaram said that though the Congress supported the decision on Tuesday, it will see if the objectives are achieved.

"The introduction of new series of notes is estimated to cost between Rs 15000-20000 crore, hence the economic gains of demonetisation should be at least equal to that amount," he said.

GOVT'S DEFINITION OF BLACK MONEY FLAWED: CHIDAMBARAM



Chidambaram said the definition of black money under this programme is flawed. "I don't encourage or support unaccounted wealth or income, but there's a non-monetised economy. You can't call it black money. The bulk of this money is legitimate money," he said.

The Congress leader said that the amount the Government mentioned was being used for financing terrorist activities was exaggerated.



Terrorist financing is exaggerated,small proportion of money may be used for terror activities but figures are exaggerated: P Chidambaram pic.twitter.com/lyk73XipUB ANI (@ANI_news) November 9, 2016

"Empirical evidence tells us that unaccounted wealth is largely stashed away in construction, jewellery etc. We don't know how much is in hard cash," he said.

Also read: Operation Black Money: Here is the inside story of Modi's bold move



The Congress leader reiterated his vice-president Rahul Gandhi's concern that ordinary people should not be harassed. "The government and banks owe a duty to people to exchange their money quickly... If the RBI form is mandatory for housewives, small traders and so on, then it will be a pure and simple harassment. The Congress will condemn it," Chidambaram said.

In remarks laced with sarcasm, Rahul today targeted Modi for declaring Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes invalid to check black money. "While the real culprits sit tight on their black money stashed away abroad or in bullion/ real estate. Well done Mr Modi," the Congress vice-president tweeted.

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By India Today Web Desk: They may have made their debuts together nine years ago, but Sonam Kapoor and Deepika Padukone aren't exactly best friends. Dippy went off to Hollywood in search of greener pastures, and will make her Hollywood debut opposite Vin Diesel in xXx: Return of Xander Cage.

ALSO READ | Sonam has never had sex with her co-stars. A dig at Deepika again?

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ALSO READ | Why is Sonam Kapoor upset with Shah Rukh Khan?

ALSO READ | Deepika on cold war with Priyanka: I was in school when she won Miss World!

Sonam soon followed Deepika's footsteps and signed up with the Los Angeles-based United Talent Agency, hoping to bag a Hollywood film like her contemporary. According to a report on Bollywood Life, Sonam took a subtle dig at DP when she was asked about her Hollywood dreams. "If there is something that excites me, and if there is a good opportunity, then why not? I am in Los Angeles, to gauge the possibilities. I am not going to hide it (trying to bag a film in the West) from anybody, and then suddenly announce that I have signed a (Hollywood) film. I am trying my best to sign good films. I am doing the same in Mumbai as well. But I have to see what I enjoy doing, and who I can work with or what I can work on," she said.

Her remark about being secretive about a Hollywood debut and then suddenly announcing it seems to apply to Deepika, who kept the news under wraps. After building up the suspense for a while and teasing her fans with a snap of her hugging Vin Diesel while looking at the camera mysteriously, Deepika confirmed the news.

Sonam had seemingly taken a dig at Deepika last month when she said on Neha Dhupia's podcast that she has good chemistry with her co-stars because she has never had sex with them. Deepika was last seen in Bajirao Mastani opposite boyfriend Ranveer Singh, and she did Tamasha before that with ex-boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor. \

ALSO WATCH:

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By PTI: New Delhi, Nov 8 (PTI) Government should hold talks with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir including separatists at the earliest besides taking other measures including ban on use of pellet guns and rehabilitation package for those injured in the unrest, a report by a group of private citizens led by BJP leader Yashwant Sinha recommends.

The delegation, which comprised intellectuals, released the report today to the media and spoke about the nature of meetings it held with separatist leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani and other mainstream politicians.

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The report was released by Programme Director of Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation Sushobha Barve, who was part of the delegation. It said Geelani and Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq "talked of being prepared for an unconditional dialogue" and it was not within the competence of the group of citizens to suggest "when or if such a dialogue process should be started".

"However, what we would like to emphasise is that we noted an overwhelming sentiment amongst the Kashmiris we interacted with for setting up a permanent process of dialogue with New Delhi.

"One of the reasons why so many doors were opened for us by the separatists and ordinary Kashmiris alike was because they saw our visit as a beginning of engagement with ordinary Indians," the report said, adding the agenda of alliance of the BJP-PDP coalition government also commits to a dialogue with all the stakeholders.

"We recommend that such a dialogue is initiated at the earliest," it said.

The group also recommended starting of the process of reopening schools, release forthwith all first time offender school children and minors arrested under Public Safety Act.

It was also recommended that that repeat offenders among minors be shifted out of adult jails and put up in temporarily designated juvenile detention centres and given psychological counselling.

"Compensation must be announced for the next of kin of the civilians killed and for those wounded in police or action by the other security forces. This money may be transferred as Direct Bank Transfer to designated accounts to prevent extortion and rent-seeking from the suffering families by the state bureaucracy. (More) PTI SKL ZMN

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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 06/11/2016 (2186 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO  After returning from Rwanda, retired lieutenant-general Romeo Dallaire avoided Remembrance Day like the plague.

The prospect of donning his uniform for a public ceremony, or even watching a televised parade, was too much after witnessing countless atrocities during that failed peacekeeping mission.

I had lost soldiers under my command, I had seen soldiers grievously injured under my command, I had seen soldiers lose their mind under my command. And I avoided that day like the plague. At best  at best  I might watch it on TV, says Dallaire, who was dismissed from service after that mission because of resulting depression, anger and suicidal thoughts.

Senator Romeo Dallaire announces he will retire from the Senate during a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 28, 2014. After returning from Rwanda, retired lieutenant-general Romeo Dallaire avoided Remembrance Day "like the plague." THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

One year, the CBC in French had me do a play-by-play and I said, Ill never do that again. It was just so tormenting.

For most Canadians, Remembrance Day is a time for gratitude, reflection and expressions of national pride. But for many soldiers and veterans scarred by trauma, its a time of anxiety, stress and unwelcome triggers.

Those experienced with treating mental health issues stemming from military service say they often see these anxieties in those who have not adjusted well to life after a tour of duty. Their ability to handle Nov. 11 generally corresponds to the experiences they had with the military, how much support they receive from friends and family, and what, if any, treatment they are offered upon return.

Dr. Ruth Lanius notes the day can be especially difficult for those battling post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition marked by recurrent memories of a stressful event, nightmares, and severe emotional distress or physical reactions to any reminders of war-time trauma.

Even though well-meaning citizens organize these events to recognize sacrifice and offer gratitude, a damaged soldier might find the hoopla only increases their survivors guilt, or highlights their perceived failures.

Ive seen veterans who its taken years for them to be able to attend a Remembrance Day ceremony because it triggers them so much and it brings back their own memories, says Lanius, speaking from London, Ont.

How to handle that stress varies from person to person, she adds. While it might be important for some service members to work through that anxiety and learn to embrace Remembrance Day, that might be too overwhelming for others.

In some cases it can also be experienced as a tremendous relief because it makes them feel closer to some of their buddies that theyve lost in war, she says.

I met one man last year who hadnt been able to attend in years and this was the first time hed been able to attend. Even though I think it caused a lot of emotional distress for him, I think it really also led him to experience a sense of mastery for having been able to attend after such a long period of time.

Dallaire recalls how his own soldier father, who commanded an infantry regiment in the Second World War, would grudgingly participate in the Remembrance Day parade.

And he hated it. Because if theres a time when those that you saw suffer, those that you saw die or injured come back to life in a haunting way, it is that day, during those ceremonies, says Dallaire, who outlines his battle with PTSD in Waiting for First Light: My Ongoing Battle with PTSD, co-written by Jessica Dee Humphreys and published by Random House Canada.

They would wash that down with gallons of beer and so on afterwards at the legions.

Dallaire says his own feelings about the day have swung widely from both extremes. Early on, he joined the parades with pride  but this was before he had suffered any casualties under his command.

I was a peacetime soldier and so it was a great ceremony, commemoration, and we looked at the vets, we listened to their stories and we got pissed with them and had a great time, he says.

Things were different after serving in Rwanda, where he was a helpless witness to a horrifying genocide that slaughtered hundreds of thousands of people.

All those people you lost and all your buddies  they all come back to life, he says of Remembrance Day.

Its digitally clear. Its slow motion. Theyre alive. Theyre there with you. The orders you gave to send soldiers to their death, thats there and real.

Still, he encouraged the Canadian public to participate in the annual ceremonies, especially politicians and public servants.

And he urged citizens to acknowledge soldier sacrifices and express thanks directly to any military member they might encounter. All of that matters, he says.

It is a fundamental duty of the citizenry to feel that pride. And to express it. To express it by being there, to express it by buying the poppy, to express it by shaking the hands of a vet or a serving soldier. Actually stopping somebody in uniform on the street and thanking them, says Dallaire.

 With files from Sheryl Ubelacker
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 08/11/2016 (2184 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

MANCHESTER, N.H.  A well-known former Republican Senator from New Hampshire stirred things up in the election campaigns final hours in his home state with a video release saying he is voting for Hillary Clinton.

Gordon Humphrey, who represented New Hampshire in the United States Senate as a Republican between 1979 and 1990, filmed a video released by the Clinton campaign Monday.

On Tuesday, millions of lifelong Republicans will vote against Donald Trump, Humphrey said on the video. Im one of them. Trumps attacks on women, the disabled, war heroes and minorities are disgusting. A normal person doesnt do that.

MIA RABSON / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Democratic Party volunteers Karen and Eric at a polling station in Manchester hope New Hampshire will also be 'with her' today.

But Trump is not normal. Hes cruel. Hes shameless. Hes a bully. And it gets worse. Trump is simply unfit to be president. Do we want a commander-in-chief whos temperamental, belligerent, unhinged? he asked.

Humphrey is the latest Republican to turn against his partys nominee. Many, like New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, have chosen to write in another name. Several posts on social media had Republicans saying today was the first time in their lives they had not voted for the Republican nominee for president.

It is a phenomenon New Hampshire Democrat Terry Shumaker hopes will help make the difference for Clinton in his home state. A friend and longtime adviser to both Hillary and Bill Clinton, Shumaker said he has heard from many friends who are Republicans who will not support their nominee this time around.

They arent making a lot of noise about it but they are voting for Clinton, he said.

On the flip side, Republicans are hoping polls may not have captured a cohort of voters who have been lured into politics by Trump for the first time.

Basically youve got an underlying group of people who dont talk to the pollsters or arent even in the databases, said Stephen Stepanek, Trumps New Hampshire campaign co-chair. A significant number of our supporters havent voted for decades.

Stepanek said he recently had a woman come up to him in the local supermarket and say she recognized him from a photo he was in with Trump.

Tell Mr. Trump my husband and I are voting for him because finally there is someone who is not afraid to say things as they are, Stepanek said. My husband hasnt voted for anyone since Ronald Reagan.

The last time Reagan was on a ballot was in 1984.

Ive heard that story hundreds of times, said Stepanek.

Biggest turnout theyve ever had

New Hampshire only has four votes in the electoral college but in this tight race those four votes could decide the winner. Voters here seem to be answering the call.

At the noon hour at a polling station just east of downtown Manchester, a steady stream of voters headed in and out of an elementary school polling station.

This is the biggest turnout theyve had ever at this location, said Dawn, a Democratic party volunteer, holding signs in support of her local candidates outside the school. Its even bigger than for (Barack) Obama in 08.

Dawn said in another ward, people told her there was a lineup before 6 a.m.

Eric who, like Dawn, declined to give his last name, said in his small town of Dunbarton, just northwest of Manchester, turnout was through the roof.

There were 250 people lined up 25 minutes before the polls opened, he said. This is in a town of 1,900.

MIA RABSON / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS John Haran drove two hours from his home in Massachussetts to help get out the vote for Donald Trump in Manchester Tuesday. He says if Clinton wins he will lose his livelihood in fishing though Trump hasnt yet made any specific commitments to fishers.

Eric said for him its a scary election and he believes turnout is a sign people know there are big changes resting on who wins.

John Haran, a 66-year-old from Dartmouth, Mass, drove two hours to stand outside a polling station in Manchester for six hours holding signs in support of Donald Trump. His home state is firmly in Clintons corner, so he came to New Hampshire, the only state in New England where the results are still up in the air.

Haran, who works in the fishing industry, believes Trump is the only candidate who will listen and change the regulations he says are killing his business.

Im very optimistic, he said. I just hope the good people in New Hampshire are smarter than the people in Massachusetts. Its a once in a lifetime for us. If we lose we will never catch back up.

Haran said whatever the results are he is going to accept them, shrugging off Trumps continued suggestion he wont accept the results until he is certain there was no election rigging going on. There were irregularities reported in several locations, including electronic voting systems that were failing in North Carolina.

Shumaker said he wasnt concerned there would be any polling-day shenanigans or a post-electoral war if Trump doesnt win.

We have such a long history of peaceful transfer of power in this country, said Shumaker. I hope there isnt any violence at the polls but if that happens it will be very isolated.

Manchester police were parked outside some polling stations during the day keeping an eye on things, but there were no reports of any incidents.

New Hampshire is also home to the famous first in the nation vote as voters in the tiny hamlet of Dixville-Notch cast their ballots at midnight. The results? Clinton took four votes, Trump took two, and Libertarian Gary Johnson got one. Mitt Romney, who was the Republican nominee four years ago, also garnered a vote on one ballot.

Two other early voting locations in New Hampshire ultimately gave the very early lead in the state to Trump, with 32 votes to Clintons 25.

Polls close between 7 and 8 p.m. in New Hampshire.

Mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca
By PTI: Kathmandu, Nov 9 (PTI) Nepals central bank today asked banking and other financial institutions in the country to immediately stop transacting in Indian currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations, a day after India demonetised them.

The Nepal Rashtra Bank (NRB) in a written directive to the financial institutions as well as currency exchange offices said all business transactions in Indian currency notes having the denominations should be stopped with immediate effect.

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NRB further decided to write to the Reserve Bank of India for the management of the banknotes with higher denominations in Nepal, the Himalayan Times reported.

A limited use of Rs 500 Indian currency notes was allowed in Nepal in August 2015, after being prohibited since 2002. The ban was imposed after several reports of counterfeiting.

Indias ban on the currency notes yesterday is likely to trouble traders in the border areas, who relied heavily on Indian currency because of their businesses and imports from India through the "open borders".

Indian currency is widely used in Nepal for day-to-day transactions, especially in the border areas.

Also, a large number of Nepalese citizens working in India send remittances to their family in Nepal in higher denomination notes.

Nepal, a landlocked country, depends on India for trade and supplies. PTI ABH AKJ ABH

--- ENDS ---
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This article was published 08/11/2016 (2184 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For the most part, Jennifer Carpenter was just happy the U.S. Presidential election was coming to a close.

Im feeling excited, anxious and, really, a little bit tired, she said on Tuesday night. Its been a long, gruelling campaign and Im just glad its almost over.

Carpenter is the acting chair of the Manitoba chapter of Democrats Abroad, a collection of Democratic-leaning American expatriates who gathered at the Confusion Corner Bar and Grill to watch coverage of the U.S. Presidential election results.

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS US ELECTION WPG - Left to right, Bill Beitzel, Carol Beitzel, Jennifer Carpenter (, Rod Friesen, and Brenda Siemens-Russell. Carpenter came to the table of US election followers to chat about the results. Confusion Corner Bar and Grill hosted this US election night party. Nov 8, 2016

Democrats Abroad have chapters in 190 countries. There are an estimated 670,000 eligible U.S. voters residing in Canada and total of 6.7 million around the globe.

The organization isnt just for social purposes, but to help recruit and register Americans (about 1,000 in Manitoba alone) to vote in federal elections. For Democrats, of course.

So while locals in the bar area were watching the Winnipeg Jets host the Dallas Stars on the big screen TV, the Americans like Carpenter were glued to CNN on several screens in the restaurant area.

And they were clearly on board with Team Clinton. Or at least, anti-Donald Trump, the Republican challenger.

Chris Tillman and Rebecca Wardell, a married couple from New York now both teaching at the University of Manitoba, couldnt hide their apprehension as the vote tallies rolled in.

Im confident (of a Clinton victory), Tillman said. But in the event that youre wrong its the end of the world, so theres that.

Tillman and Wardell arent big fans of Clinton, either, as they are wary of her ties to Wall Street, but they are strongly apprehensive that Trump would bring a level of instability to the Presidency that would reverberate around the world.

I have more anxiety with this election than ever before, Wardell said, because the results could be so worrisome.

Tillman said Trump has all of the phobics and half of the ists', referring to the real estate magnets platform that called for restrictions on immigration and the deportation of undocumented Mexican immigrants now in the U.S.

Asked why Trump had, despite his critics, still not only won the Republican nomination, but was running neck-and-neck with Clinton as election day approached, Tillman said he was dumbfounded.

Bill Beitzel, who moved to Canada from Ohio over 45 years ago, said many Republican voters are still looking for retaliation for the back-to-back elections of Democrat Barack Obama.

Trumps success, Beitzel added, has largely been from pitting people against each other.

Carpenter acknowledged Trump has tapped into the angst and frustration of millions of Americans who feel theyre are losing control of their nation and the ability to prosper in a changing economy.

This election will be felt throughout the world, she said. This has really brought to light a lot of issues and divides in the United States right now. Its such an historic election.

But if many of Manitobas Democrats were nervous when the night began, their mood wasnt getting any lighter as the night progressed. As 9 p.m. approached, and Clinton in danger of losing Florida and Ohio  two critical bellweather states  Carpenter was growing concerned.

Im shocked, she said, staring at the TV screen. I think the rest of the world is shocked.

But the night had a long way to go.

Carpenter said regardless of who wins the presidency, the citizens of the U.S. will still be polarized  and half of them will be upset at the election result.

We have to repair, she said. We have to heal. I dont know how we do that.

randy.turner@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @randyturner15
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Governor General David Johnston is coming to Winnipeg Tuesday to present awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case to six recipients from across the country.

The ceremony, usually held in Ottawa, will be conducted this year in the chamber of the Manitoba Legislative Building to mark the 100th anniversary of Manitoba women receiving the right to vote.

It will be only the second time in the history of the awards that the ceremony will be held outside of the national capital region. In 1999, it took place in Calgary to mark the installation of the Famous Five Statue.

PHIL HOSSACK / FREE PRESS FILES Diane Redsky is 'a visionary thinker and community leader who has dedicated her life to advancing gender equality, particularly for indigenous women'.

The 2016 laureates include one Manitoban  Ma Mawi Wi Ch Itata Centre executive director Diane Redsky.

According to a statement from the office of the secretary to the Governor General, Redsky is a visionary thinker and community leader who has dedicated her life to advancing gender equality, particularly for Indigenous women.

Others being honoured include:

 Cecilia Benoit of Victoria, known for her work in advancing the rights of women and girls through her research and writing, as well as her work in midwifery and maternal care, Indigenous womens health and health inequalities facing vulnerable populations.

 Anna-Louise Crago of Toronto, for her dedication to building gender equality in Canada and abroad through her studies in anthropology and her groundbreaking human rights initiatives.

 Lucia Lorenzi of Port Coquitlam, B.C., who advocates for gender equality as a prominent voice on issues of rape culture, harassment, misogyny and campus violence.

 Pascale Navarro of Montreal, a journalist and author dedicated to advancing womens contributions and participation in politics and decision making.

 Norma Jean Profitt of Yarmouth, N.S., for relentlessly pursuing the interconnected goals of advancing equality for women and girls and ending gender-based violence.

The event will be live-streamed at www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/index.html.

The Persons Case was a landmark battle in Canada for women. In 1929, five women from Alberta won a landmark case to be recognized as persons, making them eligible for appointment to the Canadian Senate.

The Governor Generals Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case were established in 1979 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the historic decision.

The awards highlight Canadian contributions to the advancement of womens equality and celebrate Canadas evolution as an inclusive society, according to the statement from the Governor Generals office

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca
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If Coun. John Orlikow gets his way, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries will locate its downtown headquarters in the former Canada Post building at 266 Graham Ave.

Orlikow (River HeightsFort Garry) told reporters he would like to see provincial and federal government departments or agencies lease space in the building, with Liquor & Lotteries as the principal tenant.

Orlikow chairs the citys property and development committee, which unanimously endorsed an exclusive arrangement with Shelter Canadian Properties Tuesday, giving the local firm up to 11 months to deliver a plan for the building. Council must still consider and approve the arrangement, which will likely occur at its Nov. 16 meeting.

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The Northwest corner of the newly renovated PSB building at Smith Street and Graham Avenue, formerly the Canada Post offices.

The city purchased the building and adjoining warehouse in 2010 for $29 million in a plan to convert the warehouse into a new home for the Winnipeg Police Service and sell the tower for $18 million.

The project turned into a massive headache for politicians and the administration as the cost of the warehouse conversion ballooned to $214 million.The city later learned the building needed $20 million in renovations and shared infrastructure would make a sale difficult.

RCMP are investigating alleged fraudulent billing after cost overruns on the warehouse conversion.

Despite Orlikows wishful thinking, there is no indication Liquor & Lotteries is still interested in consolidating its head office staff into a single location. The Crown corporation had planned to move its operations into the former Medical Arts building on Kennedy Street, which it had purchased for $7.9 million and spent an additional $2.6 million on.

Last springs change in government resulted in boardroom changes, and chairwoman Polly Craik declared Liquor & Lotteries wasnt interested in being a landlord, pulled the plug on the project and said the building would be sold.

A report from city administration states Shelter beat out five other firms on the Graham Avenue project based on criteria that included experience, financial capability, development concept and the proponents background.

The arrangement will give Shelter exclusive access to the building for 150 days. After that period, Shelter has up to another 180 days to submit its final report to the city.

Orlikow said the $20-million cost of repairs to the building was offered by city staff as an early estimate and the cost could be significantly higher, adding its likely the building will need asbestos abatement.

The building will likely be developed as a multi-use project, combining office and retail, he added. There will be no residential component, based on security concerns raised by the Winnipeg Police Service, which occupies the adjoining main floor and converted warehouse space.

Planning director John Kiernan said Shelters final plans will be brought back to council for consideration with a recommendation from the administration.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca
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Gary Doer

Former Manitoba premier, former Canadian ambassador to the United States

JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS Former Canadian ambassador to the United States, Gary Doer

There will be more hard hats and less Hollywood in the White House now that Donald Trump has won the presidency, Doer said.

Speaking to a luncheon audience convened by the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, he said the culture of federal politics in the U.S. will be much different. It is widely believed that Trump won on the strength of his support among white working-class voters.

Trumps populist coalition, which brought a lot of people formerly estranged from politics back into the equation, could be positive, he said.

Hard hats will have a much bigger voice in U.S. policy decision-making, and that can never be a bad thing.

Brian Pallister

Manitoba premier

BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Premier Brian Pallister

Pallister congratulated the president-elect on his victory, while denouncing the nasty tone of the campaign.

I decry the kind of politics that I saw and we have seen over the years  not exclusively from Mr. Trump, either  in many United States election campaigns  senatorial, congressional and presidential, he said. But this one takes the cake. I didnt particularly like it. I dont think Manitobans subscribe to those kinds of politics.

Trump has said he would renegotiate international trade deals, which could hurt Manitoba exporters.

Pallister said he hopes the U.S. respects these agreements, but his government is already taking steps to reduce the provinces reliance on American markets.

Manitoba is attempting to forge a closer trade relationship with the countrys three western-most provinces, while working nationally to ease trade restrictions within Canada, he said.

I would encourage Americans who have been proud supporters of openness and competition, at the very least, to recognize that were ready here in Manitoba to compete with them on a fair and level playing field and it wouldnt be wise for them to admit defeat by locking the doors on us.

Brian Bowman

Winnipeg mayor

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman

Bowman said his biggest concern with Trumps victory is how it will affect trade.

A number of (Winnipeg) businesses rely on access to the U.S. market We all watched during the campaign his comments on (the North American Free Trade Agreement). We are a trading nation and a community that trades heavily with the U.S. more than any other nation in the world. We will be watching with great interest and great concern about how our trading relationships might be affected by the change in administration. Time will tell.

Bowman invited Trump to visit the Canadian Museum for Human Rights last December, after the candidate made his threat to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. Bowman said the invitation remains open and thinks the president-elect should visit.

I think the comments he made during the campaign underscored the need and opportunity he has to learn more about human rights the obligation for any political leader is to do your best to bring people together.

Jim Carr

Canadas Natural Resources minister, Winnipeg South Centre MP

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Natural Resources minister Jim Carr

This is a day to congratulate the president-elect of the United States. This is our closest relationship. We will work to ensure that Canada and the United States continue to enjoy the warmth of a relationship that really is a model to the world. So this is a day to pause and reflect and to congratulate not only the president-elect but all of those for hard-fought election campaigns. We will work with the administration and with the Congress.

Chuck Davidson

President and CEO of the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce

Bruce Bumstead/Brandon Sun files Chuck Davidson, president of the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce

The head of Manitobas largest business organization said one of the biggest concerns for the local business community is the uncertainty Trumps victory has created with respect to future trade with the United States and how the Canadian economy could be negatively impacted by the change in government.

He said the U.S. market accounts for 78 per cent of Manitobas yearly export trade, and Trumps victory underscores the need to Manitoba exporters to more aggressively pursue trade opportunities in other foreign markets, such as Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

I would suggest that if the rhetoric were hearing comes to fruition, Canadian companies are going to have to get extremely serious in a hurry, he said.

Another big concern is that companies here could be placed at a competitive disadvantage if Canada and Manitoba go ahead with plans to introduce carbon taxes and other climate-change measures and the United States does not, he said.

That doesnt seem to be the path that Trump is on, so that could put us on an even more uncompetitive standpoint.

Loren Remillard

President and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce

Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press files Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce President Loren Remillard

The Republican party controlling the White House and both the House of Representatives and the Senate in Congress is worrisome, Remillard said.

One of the things a lot of people were counting on to some degree, regardless of who won the presidency, was the U.S. check-and-balance system (that) balance may not necessarily be there for the first two years (until mid-term elections are held in 2018), he said.

But he also pointed out that NAFTA was a negotiated deal; changes would have to be negotiated, not imposed.

Ultimately the president and the U.S. will require partners, no matter how isolationist they may want to be, and Canada remains their No. 1 partner and ally. So to turn completely on Canada is unlikely because the know they cant operate as an island unto themselves.

Ron Koslowsky

Manitoba vice-president of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Ron Koslowsky, vice president of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Manitoba

Koslowsky was searching for a silver lining Wednesday, suggesting that while Trump pledged during the campaign to pull out of long-standing trade agreements and to slap double-digit tariffs on goods from Mexico and China, his stance could soften once hes in the Oval Office. Either that, or saner heads within government and the Republican party will prevail.

I dont think youre going to see a wall with Mexico and I dont think youre going to see (NAFTA) scrapped, he said. In small ways, trade could be frustrated a bit, but I dont think well see massive change there.

Even if some Manitoba exporters are forced to shift some of their production south of the border in order to maintain access to the U.S. market, Koslowsky noted some have already done that but have been able to keep head offices and other value-added operations, such as research and development, in Manitoba.

So its not always a bad thing, he said.

Paul Soubry

President and CEO of New Flyer Industries Inc.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Paul Soubry, president and CEO of New Flyer

With annual sales of about $2 billion and manufacturing, parts distribution and service centres throughout Canada and the U.S., the Winnipeg-based bus maker is a true NAFTA entity.

Not only that, but since most of its sales are to American municipal transit authorities that rely on federal funds to buy buses, the company already operates under strictly regulated U.S. content regulations.

Soubry said the company has no intention of altering its strategy under Trumps administration and does not believe it will need to do so.

We have more people in the U.S. than in Canada now, he said. We comply with Buy America we are going to keep working on our business and focusing on our competitiveness

We like our product, we like our market and we like our market position.

Gerry Price

Chairman and CEO of Price Industries Ltd.

FREE PRESS FILES Gerry Price

Price Industries makes registers, grills and a host of other heating, ventilation and air conditioning supplies and is one of the most successful Winnipeg companies in establishing a sustainable U.S. presence.

Gerry Price has built five factories in the U.S. along with the seven it has in Canada, including three in Winnipeg.

His U.S. customers drive the company now. His headquarters and manufacturing operations in Winnipeg employ more than 1,100 people and close to three-quarters of the production here is destined for customers south of the border, which is where the majority of his 3,000 employees are located.

He believes the hand-wringing going on in Canada in the aftermath of Tuesdays vote is mostly uninformed. Canadians likely dont have a very good understanding of the issues that the American voters were dealing with, he said.

And he doesnt believe his company will have to break stride.

We absolutely depend on (the U.S. market) and we absolutely see no issue (with a Trump presidency),he said. We have factories on both sides of the border. We have product that flows across the borders from factories in both countries to customers in both countries.

He points out that both countries are each others largest trading partner.

Each country totally depends on the other on all kinds of fronts. Its almost an invisible border, he said. I honestly dont see any risk in any material change to our relationship with America.

Sean McCormick

CEO, Manitobah Mukluks

Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press FILES Sean McCormick

The Winnipeg-based, aboriginal-owned moccasin and mukluk companys sales have grown more than 200 per cent in the last five years and its because of the companys ability to sell internationally.

McCormick recently took part in a trade summit with other indigenous business owners.

A common theme was that we are traders from a long time ago, he said. It is not a foreign concept to us in the indigenous community, nor is it something we are fearful of.

With offshore production operations and annual sales approaching $20 million  close to 15 per cent of that in the U.S.  McCormick is attuned to workers rights and balancing access to global markets while maintaining democratic principles.

If Trump follows through on his protectionist agenda, that could have an impact on us, he said. But I do not necessarily believe he will follow through on everything he has said. So its kind of wait and see.
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The Manitoba Museum will display the Victoria Cross of a Winnipeg war hero to commemorate Remembrance Day, the museum said in an announcement Wednesday .

Corporal Frederick George Coppins was a member of the 8th Infantry Battalion in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the First World War.

His platoon was pinned under machine-gun fire in an open field at Amiens, France in 1918.

Facing certain death, he and four comrades stormed the machine-gunners. The four men with him died, but Coppins killed four enemy soldiers and captured four others, the museum said Wednesday.

By doing so he saved the rest of his platoon and allowed them to continue their advance. For this act of outstanding valour he was awarded the British Empires highest military honour  the Victoria Cross,  the museum said.

The medal is on display in the Museum Foyer and visitors can see it free of charge between Nov. 8 and Dec. 4, 2016.

The medal is on loan from the Royal Winnipeg Rifles Regimental Museum. It is accompanied by recently discovered footage of Coppins himself, filmed during the First World War.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca
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A plaque will be installed in the legislative building Hall of Honour to pay tribute to war hero Sgt. Thomas Tommy Prince.

On Tuesday, in recognition of Aboriginal Veterans Day, a ceremony was held to unveil the plaque.

Among those in attendance at the legislature were Tommy Prince Jr., Premier Brian Pallister, former premier Greg Selinger, Indigenous and Municipal Affairs Minister Eileen Clarke and several other cabinet ministers, MLAs and veterans.

LARRY KUSCH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS From left: Liberal MLA Judy Klassen, Tommy Prince Jr., Premier Brian Pallister and Indigenous and Municipal Affairs Minister Eileen Clarke participate in the unveiling of a plaque honouring war hero Sgt. Tommy Prince that will be installed in the Legislative Building Hall of Honour.

Sgt. Prince of the Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry was born in 1915 in Scanterbury, Man., and was a member of Brokenhead Ojibway Nation. He became one of the most decorated First Nations veterans in Canadian history, serving in both the Second World War and Korean War.

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to all the members of our Canadian Armed Forces who have served our nation in times of war and peace, Clarke said. Over 12,000 First Nations people served in the First and Second World Wars and also in the Korean War. Today we remember a soldier whose remarkable bravery and courage saw him honoured by King George VI at Buckingham Palace when he received the Military Medal. The citation he received from the king said, Sgt. Princes courage and utter disregard for personal safety were an inspiration to his fellows and a marked credit to his unit.

Prince was also honoured by the United States government with the Silver Star medal and was one of only three soldiers in the Second World War to receive both the Military Medal and the Silver Star. Prince also received nine service medals throughout his service.

Prince, who died in November 1977, is buried in Brookside Cemetery in Winnipeg.
Opinion

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This article was published 09/11/2016 (2183 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There were moments Tuesday night, as results from the most divisive and controversial presidential election in United States history were flowing in, when I couldnt stop thinking about the animated movie, Antz.

A family favourite, it is a story about how a colony of ants ultimately breaks free from the cruel, ruthless domination of a much smaller group of grasshoppers. The ants are forced to collect food for the grasshoppers, often putting the survival of their own colony at risk to placate their evil overlords. Ultimately, the ants realize that with their superior numbers, they no longer need to submit to the grasshoppers, which are vanquished with a violent but child-appropriate flourish.

It may seem that the moral of the story  that unity among a strong, silent majority can triumph over a much smaller group of evil doers  has little direct parallel with the presidential election. But imagine that the leader of the ants is a bug with xenophobic tendencies who also has been repeatedly accused of sexually harassing female ants and who united his colony by promising to force the grasshoppers to build a wall to keep themselves and other predators out.

John Locher / The Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump waves as he arrives at his election night rally, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in New York.

In this election, Donald Trump captured the White House by uniting a broadly based colony of disaffected, angry Americans who had been mostly ignored by the electoral process. His own strategists called it the new coalition, a patchwork of constituencies motivated by fear and frustration and disgust of politics as usual. Trump capitalized on the fact this coalition had long ago stopped following current events or public policy, and created for them new, alternative narratives about who and what was wrong with American society. His reality often defied empirical evidence and common sense but proved very compelling for millions of Americans.

Trump attacked traditional politicians and the political elites that prop them up, and activated the muscle of millions of disaffected Americans that had long ago disavowed any interest in politics, government and traditional media. Like the ant leader, Trump told his supporters that by virtue of their theoretically superior numbers, they could take back by electoral force the government that had been stolen from them by the privileged and wealthy.

Trumps campaign also attracted, perhaps by accident, support from unabashed xenophobes, white supremacists and anti-Semites, all of whom were emboldened to come out into the harsh glare of media attention to join the disaffected and estranged. The Trump bandwagon did not judge those who sought to join the fight; anyone espousing almost any ideology who was committed to stopping another in a long list of political elites from capturing the White House was welcome.

The Trump campaign broke all the rules. Women were angered when he boasted about how often he sexually harassed or assaulted other women. He created potent enemies in the Latino community with his suggestion Mexican immigrants were rapists and drug dealers. He encouraged Russia to hack into Democratic email servers. He was awkward and ineffective in any attempt to curry favour among African-Americans. Throughout the campaign many credible pundits declared it to be impossible for a candidate such as Trump to win an election without some or all of those constituencies.

What kind of effect will this have on politics and elections in a country such as Canada? As is the case in so many other areas, the seismic shifts in Americas socioeconomic and political fabric tend to send shockwaves through many other countries.

When U.S. President Barack Obama and the Democratic Party demonstrated the power of social media to mobilize estranged younger voters and minorities, it became a best practice in democracies all over the world. In Canada, political operatives travelled south to learn the hard-fought lessons of the Obama elections, and figure out ways of tailoring those lessons to a domestic context. Many of the methods and strategy cultivated by Democrats were applied in Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus dramatic come-from-behind victory in the 2015 federal election.

So it is with the most recent presidential election. Although this time, it is not the Obama politics of hope that will permeate the politics of other countries. It will be the cold, calculating and devastatingly effective divide-to-conquer strategies employed by the Trump campaign. The strategy is risky, but the reward is likely too great to resist  the promise that an election can be won by ignoring standard political constituencies and catering to those who either rarely vote or have never voted or who lost all passion for politics after a lifetime of voting for politicians and parties that promised a lot and delivered very little.

You can see elements of the Trump strategy in the Conservative party leadership, where some of the potential candidates are showing little respect for the conventions and traditions of Canadian politics. Candidates such as Kelly Leitch, Lisa Raitt and Brad Trost have floated all sorts of controversial ideas about abortion laws, immigration and same-sex marriage. These politicians seem unconcerned that their party was trounced in the last federal election in large part because of ill-advised forays into identity politics. Perhaps these candidates, as they campaign to be the leader of the official Opposition, know something the rest of us dont.

It is difficult to say with any certainty that the Trump strategy can be imported, in whole or in part, to a country such as Canada. And yet, it would be naive to believe there arent just as many disengaged, estranged and disaffected Canadians looking for someone to give them a radical and alternative narrative about how to govern the nation. People who support someone who is different and controversial, rather than the same-old, same-old.

This election is a cautionary tale for many western democracies, proof that people who dont read the news, and rarely vote, can still have a say in the outcome of a major election. All they needed was a leader to remind them they could change the course of history by acting together. Now, politicians will ignore the will of the disaffected at their own risk.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

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CLEVELAND, OHIO  History was made Tuesday night. Its not the history-making many were hoping for. There is no first woman heading into the White House as president.

Instead, it is Donald Trump who won despite the fact he was never supposed to win the primary. The White House is Red again, and Trump has a considerable mess to clean up.

For one, Trump enters the presidency with an approval rating just barely above 50 per cent. Thats also the historical moment in the 2016 election. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Trump both had historically low popularity. Clinton was seen as too wooden. Her husbands presidency and impeachment were hard to spin. Her use of a private email server while secretary of state. And the list goes on.

Michael Conroy / The Associated Press If Trump does win the White House, it remains to be seen how he will be received by the GOP and how he will work with the Senate and Congress. Some strategists predict he will face impeachment almost immediately.

Trump was viewed as dangerous, a misogynist with a temper. A bad businessman who was fiscally incompetent and had a loose grasp of foreign policy  or any policy for that matter.

The race was a tight one, although some cynics suggest that in the last week the only reason why it was portrayed that way was so television stations could eke the last bit of drama out of a contest that was a ratings winner for various cable news networks.

There are some political strategists in Ohio who say Trump already has a target on his back and predict he will face impeachment almost immediately.

Trump is lucky in that he does have a Republican majority in Senate and Congress.

However, its no secret he is viewed with considerable suspicion by GOP elites. It remains to be seen how he will work with them.

But theres much more to this election than figuring out what needs to happen in the first 100 days in office. Both parties need to have a serious discussion about next steps.

For the Republicans, much needs to be done. First, there needs to be an attempt to get those who voted for Clinton despite their affiliation back into the GOP. One of those supporters, Barbara Sanderson in Cleveland, says no one represents her right now in the Republican party: shes pro-choice, anti-gun, an atheist, pro-LGBT and pro-health care. She feels her party needs to be less rigid on those types of social issues in order to keep her in the fold. For her, Trump was simply too anti-woman to get her vote.

Ryan Brown, the president of the John Carroll University Student Republicans says he, too, couldnt vote for Trump despite his position as a student leader.

Brown is pro-trade and pro-immigration, two issues that Trump came out against. For that reason, Brown supported Clinton at the presidential level and then the Republican candidates down-ticket. That was a common response from many Republicans who couldnt vote for Trump but did for those at other levels.

But its more than just that. Some suggest Trump relied on classic demagoguery to get elected. He highlighted a few main political talking points: abortion, immigration, trade, the Middle East to ignite voters and in doing so, hoped that one of those resonated enough to get the voters support, regardless of how they felt about his other stances.

In the end, the United States got themselves a president who could make the Daisy commercial a reality. (The commercial painted presidential candidate Barry Goldwater as threatening world peace. It ran during the 1964 election that Lyndon Johnson eventually won.)

Those who voted for Trump were anti-establishment. This was a trait shared with those who supported Bernie Sanders. The political appeal of Trump was that he was so wealthy, he didnt need the campaign donations (yes, I agree, the logic there is hard to get your head around, but at some visceral level, it makes sense). Clinton was viewed as being part of that cabal and its another reason why she lost the White House.

This campaign cost the two presidential candidates about $1.6 billion. Just outside Cleveland, the relatively low level position of commissioner saw the incumbent spend $150,000 to run his campaign. Thats more than what your local MP spent in the 2015 federal election. There are many I have talked to while visiting the United States these last 10 days who say the first step to fixing the problem is putting a limit on campaign spending.

Clearly, Trump was not an aberration. Many of the Americans I talked to said they felt he pulled off the mask of a segment of society which is tired of political correctness, tired of people who are different and tired of seeing an erosion of the quality of life in the United States. Its been fuelled by the relative anonymity of the social media. It is not likely to go away soon unless the economy improves.

This was a historic election. It wasnt really an election about hope or rebuilding. As just about everyone I talked to in Louisiana, Ohio and D.C. told me  be they cab drivers, academics, journalists, university students or pundits  this wasnt a normal election. This one was for the history books.

And while history was made Tuesday night, the cleanup now begins.

Shannon Sampert is the Free Press perspectives and politics editor. She toured the United States during the past 10 days as part of the State Departments international visitor leadership program.

shannon.sampert@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @paulysigh
By PTI: Washington/London, Nov 9 (PTI) As the world was today stunned by Donald Trumps jaw-dropping victory in the US presidential election, world leaders were guarded in their reaction to the development while allies congratulated him.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was accused by Hillary Clinton of closeness to Trump, sent the winner a telegram to congratulate him and said Moscow is "ready to do our part and do everything to return relations to the trajectory of development".

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Putin "expressed hope for mutual work on bringing US- Russia relations out of their critical condition as well as on working out outstanding issues on the international agenda" in his congratulatory telegram, the Kremlin said.

Congratulating Trump, British Prime Minister Theresa May saying the UK and US had an "enduring and special relationship" and would remain "close partners" on trade, security and defence.

Chinas President Xi Jinping sent congratulations to Trump and said he looked forward to working with him, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

"I highly value China-US relations, and look forward to working together with you, and holding fast to mutual respect and non-conflict, non-confrontation," the channel cited Xi as saying in its nightly national broadcast.

During the campaign, Trump had accused China of snatching the jobs of the Americans. He had earlier claimed that Americans are living through the "greatest jobs theft" in the history of the world, saying US companies were moving out jobs to countries like China, Mexico and Singapore.

French President Francois Hollande, who had earlier said Trump made him want to retch, warned his victory "opens a period of uncertainty."

"This American election opens a period of uncertainty," he said in a statement that offered only brief congratulations to the controversial billionaire.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said there was "no possibility" of its nuclear deal with world powers being overturned by Trump despite his threat to dismantle it.

"Irans understanding in the nuclear deal was that the accord was not concluded with one country or government but was approved by a resolution of the UN Security Council and there is no possibility that it can be changed by a single government," state television quoted Rouhani as telling his cabinet.

Saudi King Salman, meanwhile, expressed hope that Trump would bring stability to the Middle East.

"We wish your excellency success in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide," Salman said. (MORE) PTI SAI AKJ SAI

--- ENDS ---
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/11/2016 (2183 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

HALIFAX, N.S.  Food politics is usually a game of nuances. But in the battle between Walmart and Visa, nuances are few and far between.

Visa is offering $10 to anyone in Manitoba who buys groceries using their Visa card. Walmart stopped accepting Visa as of Oct. 24 in the province. So the credit card company wants to hit the retail giant where it hurts most: food retailing.

Walmart intends to become the No. 1 food retailer in Canada, as it is in the U.S., but the Canadian food distribution landscape is much different. Just three major companies feed most Canadians: Loblaws, Sobeys and Metro. So this may take a while.

RYAN REMIORZ / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Visa is attempting to lure grocery customers away from Walmart in the wake of the retailer's refusal to accept Visa at its stores.

Walmart and Costco have made great strides in the marketplace in recent years. The companies have a combined market share of nearly 20 per cent. Walmart capitalized on Targets abrupt retreat from Canada to strengthen itself, particularly in Quebec and British Columbia.

Nurturing food shopping habits is at the core of Walmarts insurgence. In fact, its successfully converting same-store sales into more food purchases.

Walmart works because it uses analytics to support its impressive logistical capacity, making margins much easier to control. Thats where Visa comes in.

Earlier this year, Walmart vowed to stop accepting Visa at its more than 400 Canadian outlets because it believed Visas transaction fees were too high.

At last report, however, Walmart has only implemented its Visa ban in Manitoba and Thunder Bay, Ont., and sales results in the wake of the ban have been discouraging.

Nevertheless, Walmart apparently intends to continue to bully the credit card company.

Visa, meanwhile, is casting itself as a protector of consumers and is encouraging them to support retailers who accept Visa. It doesnt mention Walmart in its Manitoba campaign, but we all know what this is about.

And Visa picked food, of all products, as its campaign focus. Thats telling.

Visa, too, is a data-driven enterprise. And it needs the vast market information from card use at Walmart stores to get a comprehensive sense of the marketplace. Walmarts boycott of Visa hurts the credit card companys bottom line and denies it access to massive market data thats critical to its ability to operate.

Walmart has enough power to re-channel how consumers use credit to buy almost anything. But converting consumers to other credit sources will take time, so Walmart is going slow in pushing Visa out of its stores.

Banks, which are heavily invested in the credit card business, stand to lose millions if these two companies part ways. Thats not a scenario Visa wants to think about. Worse, if Walmart wins and gets to pay lower transaction fees to credit card suppliers, Loblaws, Sobeys and Metro will likely ask for similar fee reductions. Other smaller retailers will follow suit.

So its not surprising to see how Visa has responded to Walmarts boycott, since the stakes are huge.

Food industry battles arent new. But Visa bribing consumers so they make food purchases anywhere but at Walmart is likely a first in Canada.

And certainly Walmart is not without fault. But the company has been successful because it understands the data game.

The end result could be a change in how credit is used to buy food and how grocers support customers looking for more loyalty rewards.

Walmart is making the normally obscure credit world very public.

And Visa is making a political statement. Consumers who use credit cards to purchase food either want extra goodies beyond what retailers provide or, regrettably, lack other financial options. Visa is desperately trying to use both circumstances to its advantage.

Certainly the battle lacks subtlety. That probably means the company with the most clout  Walmart  will be the winner.

Sylvain Charlebois is dean of the faculty of management and a professor in the faculty of agriculture at Dalhousie University.

 Troy Media
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/11/2016 (2183 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FARGO, North Dakota  Many Americans love Justin Trudeau, though they dont necessarily know much about him. Some know that he once met Syrian refugees at the airport, so evidently that photo op travelled. Thats how they picture him.

On a doorstep in north Fargo on Tuesday, before she knew the results of Americas own election, one voter praised Canadas president. She knows that he is comparatively young, and that he is handsome: easy on the eyes, is how she put it.

Canada has issues, you begin to reply, and Trudeaus government does too. Then you realize: it doesnt matter. The Fargo voter is content with her image of the prime minister, this distant view. Maybe, facing the same problems, you would be too.

Evan Vucci / The Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump smiles as he arrives to speak at an election night rally, Wednesday, in New York.

I am alone in a hotel room in Fargo. Its a few hours before dawn. The sprawling highway outside my window is empty, Donald Trump is president-elect of the United States, and all I want is to come home. To be home. To rejoin the place that I know.

Instead, I am awake and on Twitter, and thinking about forgiveness. We are so quick to extend it to people who win.

For Trump, forgiveness started to roll in by 2:30 a.m., after he made his victory speech. He called for the country to come together in unity. Pundits declared the speech, which Trump almost certainly did not write, to be classy and hopeful.

Maybe, they mused, Trump was showing another side of himself. A gentler one, less abrasive, more inclusive and humane.

In the wee hours of the morning, former high-profile Trump foes began their predictable capitulations. Billionaire Mark Cuban, who once praised Trump before he condemned him, Tweeted that the nation needs to give President-Elect Trump a chance.

This came after a harrowing and sometimes explicitly violent campaign. It came on a day where a man with a handgun and sign that read FAGGOTS VOTE DEMOCRAT sat outside a polling station in Spring, Texas, until police led him away.

It came a week after someone lit an African-American church in Mississippi ablaze, and spraypainted VOTE TRUMP on the wall. It came barely a month after everyone heard Trump brag about grabbing women by the genitals without asking.

Above all, it came after Trump rode a surging tide of xenophobia, racist and anti-Semitic dogwhistles and outright white nationalism to the countrys top office. David Duke, white supremacist, declared it among the most exciting nights of his life.

Make no mistake about it, he wrote on Twitter. Our people have played a HUGE role in electing Trump!

All night, journalist Peter Beinart shared anti-Semitic Tweets he received from some Trump supporters. They were graphic and violent. They called him a parasite, and ordered him to get out of their country. This has been happening for months.

There is no other side of a man who courted that kind of bigotry, at least not one that matters. White supremacists do not flock at random. They hear their whistle, and answer it; when Trump pledged to ban Muslims and build a wall, they came.

Maybe he will change. But offering an olive branch at the easiest possible time  in the glow after the win, when no power is yet vested and no responsibility has set in  is not a sign of magnanimity. It is just a sign about who is not in the firing line.

On Tuesday night, roughly half of America learned just how many of their compatriots either actively hate them, or tolerate a voting alliance with those that do. Suddenly, it is considered unfashionable to say that. It doesnt make it any less true.

Over the course of three days in Fargo, voters here spoke of trauma. They were not all Clinton voters; some were in her camp only reluctantly. Others supported Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, or else left their preference unstated.

But one by one, they described the campaign the same way people speak about trauma. They spoke of retreating from the race. Several mentioned feeling an innate need to protect themselves from their countrys own exercise of democracy.

When that is the dominant feeling for a significant swath of the electorate  even those who did not support Clinton directly  there is a problem. Elections can be divisive, and exhausting. They should not yield pain, and they should never be scary.

How the U.S. will move forward, I dont know. There will be months to agonize over that question, to decide how to heal a nation so irreparably divided and broken. It cannot start with asking targets of abuse to forgive the man that emboldened it.

Soon, the sun will rise over Fargo. The road between here and Winnipeg feels longer than it did on Sunday, when I drove in. At the border, the guard paused before returning my passport. Do you write your articles with a political bias? he asked.

There didnt seem to be a good answer to that question. I was sent here to watch this moment pass, and describe what I see; but how to explain that my work is by nature an extension of me? Man, Im just coming to see what it looks like, I said.

The guard shrugged. Well, have fun, he said.

This is the nation of my parents birth. As a child, I doodled American flags in the margins of my binder. I learned all the words to the Star Spangled Banner, and then to Lee Greenwoods God Bless The U.S.A. I dreamed of moving here someday.

Now, I am awake at 6 a.m., mind drifting through all that happened. Thinking of the voter in north Fargo, who was happy to tell me she loved Canadas president. My legs feel like stone. There is an invisible string tied to my guts, tugging me home.

Oh Canada, this is what I hope that we do: I hope we stay true on the path that weve chosen. It is far from perfect, but we have not been so fully consumed by the dark nationalism that marches all over the world. Right now, that feels like hope.

There is much more to say, but it will have to wait. Keep a light on. Its time for me to come home.

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/11/2016 (2183 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prince Edward Islands plebiscite on electoral reform produced an inconclusive result this week. Despite abundant opportunities to vote online or by telephone or at traditional polling places, only 36 per cent of the eligible voters cast ballots. This matched the voter turnout in P.E.I.s 2005 electoral reform plebiscite.

Among the five voting systems offered on the ballot, a system called mixed member proportional representation garnered 19,418 votes or 52 per cent of the 37,040 votes cast, after redistribution of the preferential ballots. Thus the winning system was supported by 19 per cent of the eligible voters, though it was the first choice of fewer than that. P.E.I. Premier Wade MacLauchlan and his Liberal government now have to decide what to make of this result.

Islanders were invited to vote electronically during an eight-day period that ran from noon on Oct. 29 to Monday evening this week. People aged 16 and up were eligible to vote. Though Islanders typically turn out to vote in the 70- to 80-per-cent range for elections, they let the electoral reform plebiscite slip by.

JAMES WEST / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Prince Edward Island Premier Wade MacLauchlan

The result suggests there is no consensus on the island in support of a new voting system. It does not give the government a mandate to make any particular change. It really leaves the government and the assembly on their own to figure out how P.E.I. elections should be conducted.

Electoral reform does not lend itself to decision through a referendum. The P.E.I. exercise shows why: it is not a clear choice between up or down, between this or that. Its more like shopping in the supermarket, where plenty of good options are available, but the whole community has to pick one.

The P.E.I. plebiscite related to provincial elections on the island, but the lesson is applicable to the electoral reform exercise launched by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government in Ottawa.

The Liberals arrived in office a year ago saying the present first-past-the-post system would be scrapped. Maryam Monsef, minister of democratic institutions, has been holding meetings across the country to find out what voting system the public wants. A Commons committee is supposed to figure out what the political parties want and report by Dec. 1.

Minor parties in the Commons  Greens, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois  are keen on electoral reforms that would give them more seats. The ruling Liberals seem less eager than they were in their opposition years. The Conservative party says there should be no change without a referendum, which is a roundabout way of saying there should be no change.

The P.E.I. exercise shows why the Conservative demand for a referendum makes no sense. The turnout was too small, and the range of options on the table was too wide.

That was true in P.E.I., and it will be true in the whole country. No specific plan has so captured the public mind as to squeeze all others out of contention. In these conditions, the politicians need to do the hard work they were elected to do and advance the discussion a great deal further before they could have a meaningful question to put to the public.

The Tories should drop their demand for a referendum, which is a lazy pretext for ducking honest debate about Canadas voting system. They should roll up their sleeves and join in the work of improving Canadas elections.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/11/2016 (2183 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FARGO, North Dakota  Graphs and polls are not musical notes, but they create something akin to sheet music. A medley of data, a composition of numbers; months before America voted, pollsters began to write guides about how it might sound.

There would be a crash, they predicted, and then a tinkling. The sound of a Hillary Clinton win over Donald Trump, who had a fervent base of support but consistently lagged in most polls. It would be the sound of the last shattered glass ceiling.

Well, that was not what it sounded like. Election night in America sounded like a lot of things, but not like that at all.

DAVE KOLPACK / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Kathryn Helgaas, left, the fiancee of North Dakota Republican governor candidate Doug Burgum, centre, check in at a polling place in south Fargo, N.D., on Tuesday. Burgum won against Democrat Marvin Nelson and Libertarian Marty Riske.

The real sound echoed in a different way, depending on who you are and where you heard it. It sounded like a thunderous cheer, or a terrified scream, or a heavy hurting sigh. Everyone heard the loudest cry, though. It ripped straight through the nation.

If the polls had been correct, which they werent, this would have been a story about the moment the United States elected its first female president, and how that was overshadowed by a race that lurched between surreal and traumatic. That was the plan.

Instead, this is a story about stunned silences, and whispers, and about a roomful of people wondering what happens next.

Downtown Fargo. Third floor of the Radisson Hotel. In a brightly-lit ballroom, North Dakotas Democrats gathered. They hoped to cheer state-level results, where they were focused on several spirited races.

Most of all, they also expected to cheer Clintons win. Then the results started trickling in.

By the time the party started at 8 p.m., Clintons numbers were already bleak. Attendees stared at the CNN screen, and shook their heads in disbelief. They knew North Dakota would turn red at the top of the ballot; that was never in question.

They didnt think swing states would follow. I literally cannot believe whats happening right now, Tammi Kromenaker said, as the electoral map turned blood-red. Im just speechless. Florida. North Carolina. Michigan. Its absolutely unbelievable.

On Tuesday, Kromenaker woke up with a buzzing energy. She went to work as director of the Red River Womens Clinic, the only abortion provider in North Dakota. She checked her Facebook, and teared up to see mothers voting with their daughters.

In a city where visible support for either presidential candidate was muted, she strolled through downtown resplendent in Clinton colours. She wore a t-shirt emblazoned with the phrase Nasty Woman, a reference to Trumps barb at Clinton.

On the lapel of her blazer, she wore a big, round Clinton button. Then there were her nails, freshly manicured in glossy Democrat blue. On the index finger of each hand, the nail was embellished with miniature Clinton campaign logos.

The date of the inauguration, Jan. 20, will be Kromenakers 45th birthday. On Tuesday afternoon, chatting in the clinics waiting room, she imagined how emotional it would be to celebrate it with Clintons oath of the presidency.

Still, she could taste the bittersweet way that it would have happened. Imagine, Kromenaker said, if another Republican candidate had captured the nomination, like Jeb Bush or Ted Cruz. The tenor of the race would have been very different.

We never got to that point, because it was grab her by the pussy, and nasty woman, and we never had a real rigorous debate on the policies and the issues, she said. And I feel bad, because I feel like were the laughingstock of the world.

Seven hours later, Kromenaker stood at the back of the Radisson ballroom. She tried to find the words to describe what was unfolding, but the words didnt come. Shes long fought for reproductive rights in North Dakota; now, it could all be undone.

This is, after all, a president-elect who once promised some form of punishment for women who sought abortions, though he later waffled on exactly what that would mean. His running mate, Mike Pence, has consistently pushed to restrict access.

If Trump is our president, I do not know what the state of abortion rights are, Kromenaker said. I dont know. Im just completely, absolutely feeling ill. Im beyond terrified, and this is not feeling like the America I thought I knew.

Though its no surprise that Fargo broke for Trump, its deeper numbers echo the nationwide story of this election. On Tuesday, Trump took 50.4 per cent of the vote in surrounding Cass County, a decisive lead over Clintons 39.7.

Meanwhile, Libertarian candidate and former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson collected 7.7 per cent of the vote.

But four years ago, Barack Obama had a closer race in Cass County, taking 47 per cent to Mitt Romneys 49.9. That year, Johnson only drew 1.78 per cent of the vote. Evidently, his surge here this year was directed not against Trump, but Clinton.

Debbie Richman might have predicted that. On Tuesday afternoon, she marched towards her north Fargo polling station on a mission. An avowed independent, she planned to cast her ballot for Johnson: I am not a party person, she declared.

Yet Richman thought back to 2008. Today, she is not an Obama supporter; as she put it, the nation survived eight years of his administration. But on the night he was first elected, she remembers being excited for the first black president.

Even as Clinton was poised to potentially make history the same way, Richman saw no such silver lining.

Im excited about a female, but Im not excited about Hillary, she said. I feel like Im voting against her as much as I can. As far as having a female in there, yeah I would love to see a female in there. But not her.

In contrast to Brooklyn, where voting lines stretched for blocks, or Spring, Texas, where a man set up shop outside a polling station with a handgun and a sign that read FAGGOTS VOTE DEMOCRAT, Fargos voting booths held little drama.

At the public library downtown, the atmosphere was friendly. Students in corn-yellow North Dakota State University sweatshirts marched in to vote; 15 minutes later, they sauntered back out. All right, lets go drink beer, one student called.

On a bench near the voting booths, a women held her granddaughter on her lap. The toddler stuck an I Voted sticker to her lips and giggled. In that moment, the dark and conspiratorial tone that defined this race seemed very far away.

But in the hallway outside the voting booths, there was a man with a long beard and a cap that read Iraq War Veteran. He stood near the door, and wandered up to people coming out. One by one, he told them about something he read online.

Did you hear about the supercomputer that always predicts the election? he said, with a pregnant pause. Trump.

Two students shuffled awkwardly. Oh yeah? one said. I hear a lot of stuff like that. Well see.

As darkness fell that night, the prediction came true. At the Radisson, the happy buzz of the Democratic party faded to gloom.

Around 11 p.m., the crowd burst into a brief standing ovation. Democrats lost several state races they hoped to win, but for the first time, they had swept all three state-level seats in North Dakotas 44th district, knocking out two longtime incumbents.

Soon, the room emptied out. It was occupied now only by a handful of stalwarts, determined to see the night through. They debated last-ditch hopes for salvation: maybe neither Clinton or Trump would reach 270 electoral college votes, they mused.

Even then, they knew it was over. America had chosen, and it had collectively chosen a man who variously pledged to build walls and ban Muslims, to weaken laws protecting journalists and to consider first-strike use of nuclear weapons.

At a table in the corner, a woman wearing a Clinton button asked a friend what went wrong. He spoke to the worst angels of their soul, the man said. There will be more painful analysis to come, but at the end of a long night, that was enough.

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca
Winona

Tuesday 11:09 a.m.  A red Miracle 5-Star bicycle was reported missing from a residence on the 1700 block of West Fifth Street.

Wednesday

1:20 a.m.  Paul Damone Willard, 28, Chicago, was cited for fourth-degree drunken driving after a traffic stop near West Sanborn and Sioux streets. His blood-alcohol level was 0.13 percent.

Winona County

Tuesday

9:22 p.m.  A 24-year-old Winona woman was injured when she lost control of her vehicle and went into the ditch on County Road 17. No citation was issued in the crash.
The poll booths were up, the tables covered in red, white and blue covered cloths, and red, white and blue pencils. On the wall behind each booth a red, white and blue sign indicating which booth each grade vote at in Winona Senior High Schools cafeteria during the three lunch periods.

Students walked by during passing hours  some commented on the setup, others went to their respective grades booth and cast their ballot in the schools mock election.

Social studies teacher Sarah Dixen organized the effort and said they hope to get the students excited and involved when it comes to elections, even if a majority of high school students arent old enough to actually vote.

A lot of the students have been following politics in the news, she said. We want to make them feel like they are actually voting by recreating the voting atmosphere.

Dixen said the school holds a mock election for each presidential election as well as mid-term elections, all in an effort to encourage their students to engage in politics before they are of legal voting age.

The ballots include the presidential candidates from four parties, one U.S. Representative race, one Minnesota Senate race, and Winonas mayoral candidates.

In the mock election, students favored Hillary Clinton with 46 percent of the vote, against Donald Trumps 37 percent. Incumbent mayor Mark Peterson beat Connie Tropple, 73 to 27 percent.

The school announces the results at the end of the day and also keeps track of voter turnout. Dixen said she hopes the schools mock election turnout falls in the relative vicinity of Minnesotas overall voter turnout rate of around 70 percent.

Minnesota is known for having one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country, I hope that we can match that with our mock election, she said.

Brogan Reutzel, a senior at WSHS, helped man the ninth graders voting booth during first lunch period Tuesday. He said hes participated in past mock elections and likes that WSHS gives students a chance to participate in the cornerstone of American democracy despite not being of voting age.

I like that we get to get a feel for how the voting process works, he said. I think its important that students can feel like theyre part of the process.

Sophomores Caitlyn Scharmer and Maggie Donahue were among the first students to cast their mock ballot during first lunch period.

For them, they said, its important for younger students to participate because they get experience in a voting atmosphere.

It makes me feel like I have a part in all this, Donahue said. (Election Day) is always an important day and its nice to be able to participate.

Some high schools dont have mock elections, Scharmer said, its nice that we have it here ... its good experience.
There will be two new faces and two returning faces to the Winona Area Public Schools board.

In the 2nd District, Karen Coleman beat Allen Hillery with 2,001 votes to Hillerys 595 with all precincts reporting.

In the 3rd district, Allison Quam beat Keith Larson 1,803 to 1,237.

In the 4th District, incumbent Jeanne Nelson, after a tight race, narrowly beat challenger Karl Sonneman with 2,106 votes to 1,988.

The 5th Districts incumbent, Tina Lehnertz, running against Ken Kersting, beat Kersting 2,190 to 959.

2nd District

Coleman, a Baltimore native, moved to Winona in 2012 after spending time in Italy, New York and Texas. She teaches sociology at Winona State and is the treasurer of Madisons Spanish Language Immersion Program Association.

This is the first small-town city she has lived in and enjoys the sense of community and level of involvement from its citizens.

She said she hopes to improve the communication between the parties involved in decisions regarding the school district  administration, the school board, faculty and staff, and community members.

3rd District

Quam, an 11-year resident of Winona and librarian at Winona State, said she decided to get involved after the discussions surrounding the facilities issue heated up. She said she ran because she was interested in participating and being a part of positive change, and dedicating herself to improving local public education.

Quams focus, she said, is on researching and gathering data on issues like facilities to make sure the best decisions are made for students and the larger Winona community. She said she will also seek to improve the districts vision and strategic planning, particularly in how its communicated to the public.

Quams primary research interest is in early-childhood education. She said its important the board and community support as many families as possible and provide their children with the best educational opportunities.

4th District

Nelson is a retired educator of 30 years who received her masters in education from Winona State and has been a school board member since 2012. She currently lives in Homer with her husband.

She said her main focus is the students, and she tries to look at things from the perspective of what the children need. That includes a push to implement Title I programming in the district, in part to address the achievement gap. She said she has been appreciative of the efforts that district superintendent Stephen West and others have done to address the gap, and sees the programming as an important next step.

Providing choices for parents and students, including the STEM school at Jefferson and Spanish Language Immersion Program (SLIP) at Madison, also holds high importance to Nelson.

5th District

Lehnertz owns and operates a farm with her husband outside Rollingstone. Shes served as the boards 5th District representative since 2013 and is heading to her second term on the board. She has also served as president of the Parent Teacher Association for six years. She also graduated from the Winona Area Public School system.

She said she wants to be a voice for the students and make the best choices for them based on the available and collected information on issues like facilities. Shes running for a second term in part because of all the work shes put into and expertise shes collected on the ongoing facilities issue, and wants to see it through to completion.
State Sen. Matt Schmit, DFL-Red Wing,was upset by first-time candidate Republican Mike Goggin in Tuesday's races for Winona-area state Senate and House races, while to Winona's south long-time Rep. Greg Davids was for a time locked in a close battle with DFLer Thomas Trehus before pulling away to apparent victory.

Meanwhile, incumbent Reps. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona, and Steve Drazkowski, DFL-Mazeppa, won easy victories, and Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, was appearing to beat DFL challenger Jon Pieper.

HOUSE 28B

Long-time representative Greg Davids beat back a fierce campaign from Thomas Trehus, in a race that drew more than $600,000 in outside funding and captured state attention as House DFLers fought to reclaim a majority.

With all precincts reporting, Davids had received 55 percent of the votes, 11,618 votes, to Trehuss 45 percent with 9,6565 votes.

Davids will return for his 13th term, and has held the seat with little competition for two decades, outside of losing it in 2006 to Ken Tschumper, and then winning it back two years later.

Senate 21

Matt Schmit, DFL-Red Wing, lost to Mike Goggin after trailing significantly throughout the night. With all precincts reporting, Schmit had 19,282 votes by the last count to Goggin's 22,901.

Schmit was hoping to return for his second term in the Senate District 21 seat, which covers south from Red Wing and Goodhue County and includes a portion of Winona County, including the cities of Goodview, St. Charles, Elba and Altura. One of his largest focuses at the Legislature has been advocating for broadband funding and expansion across the state.

Goggin, who works for Xcel Energy's nuclear plant in Red Wing, presented himself as a no-nonsense businessman adept at building teams around seeking solutions, and said he would work to limit government expansion and take on tax issues, among other initiatives.

Senate 28: Miller

State Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, who has served six years in the state Senate, won big following a spirited challenge from Lanesboro business owner Jon Pieper.

Miller received 25,221 votes to Pieper's 14,797, with all precincts reporting, and will return for his third term in Senate District 28, representing Winona, Houston and Fillmore counties.

Miller, in his service, has a list of work that includes the Super Gav act, which expanded newborn screenings, as well as capital projects like the Fillmore County veterans' cemetery and advocating for Winona's new interstate bridge.

Pieper, who previously ran against Rep. Greg Davids in 2014 for the House 28B seat, focused his strategy on attempting to knock on every door in the district. He was focused primarily on issues facing the district's small towns, including economic development.

House 21B: Drazkowski

Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, won easily to his longtime spot as representative for House District 21B.

With all precincts reporting, Drazkowski had 65 percent of the vote to first-time Democratic candidate Elise Diesslins 35 percent.

Drazkowski has been consistent in his opposition to tax increases and spending during his tenure as a representative, and chaired the Houses Property Tax and Local Government Finance subcommittee. He has also been critical of the Affordable Care Act and MNsure, and said that MNsure in particular needs to be scrapped to fix high premiums and healthcare costs for consumers.

House 28A: Pelowski

Pelowski, DFL-Winona, was elected for a 16th term over an all-but-incognito opponent in Adam Pace, who did not respond publicly to any interview or information requests over the course of several months since he filed for candidacy, and did not appear to be actively campaigning. He had also run against Pelowski in 2012.

Pelowski has been a champion of a number of issues during his time at the Legislature, most notably tackling higher-education funding and fighting for reforms to the way the House does business, in an attempt to bring an end to the late-night chaos that tends to consume the Capitol at the end of sessions.
Flawless Look

STUDIO SWANK

We all know what it takes to bring out the best in you for those wedding pictures that you will look at long after the event is over. So, one of the first few things to have in place, after the groom of course, is the right make-up artist. One of the best known bridal studios in the city, Studio Swank was started seven years ago by Vijetha Anand, 43, who has now become somewhat of a household name.

Having started out in the industry over 13 years ago, Anand was doing fashion and ad shoots before she found her true calling. It was ten years ago that she got into the business of making brides look photo-ready on their important days. Altogether, she and the team at Studio Swank boast of having worked on over 4,000 brides. "My forte is to make brides look flawless. Our team is friendly and pay attention to what the bride is looking for, while making her feel at ease," explains Anand.



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Studio Swank caters to all brides of all ethnicities and visits venues too, often working on as many as 10 brides during the wedding season. They also offer pre-wedding bridal packages for both men and women. The studio has a dedicated bridal room done up in shades of gold and is designed to make a bride feel good on her special day. They offer free make-up trials too. At #551, 1st Floor, 2nd Cross, BDA Complex Road, Above South Indian Bank, Next, to Cafe Coffee Day, 2nd Block, RT Nagar Price Rs 15,000 onwards Tel 23531518



Dress Wise

TAMANNA AND MYSORE SAREE UDYOG

When planning a wedding in town, a trip to one of these shops is mandatory. Right from the wedding trousseau to other fabric knick-knacks, between the two places you've got yourself covered. Started in 1997, Tamanna opened in the days when designer wear in the country had just started gaining popularity and was often too expensive.



"The only choices people had were either exorbitant or run-of-the-mill. There were silk saree shops but nothing specifically for youngsters. We wanted to bridge the gap and started a designer store where we worked with young designers," explains Dhanya Pandya, 46, Marketing and Operations. Since then, Tamanna has been successful in giving young brides what they want. The store is stacked from floor to roof with not just traditional Benarasi silks, embroidered lehengas, kurtis but also the latest crop tops and skirts. Bridal trousseau can also be customised for size and design, and there is a lot on offer for other family members as well. Tamanna also caters to different budgets in the segment.

A wedding to-do-list often begins and ends with Mysore Saree Udyog and once you enter the store you'll know why. Yards and yards of fabric across three floors and crowds you might have to jostle through, are the two things to expect. What started as a wholesale shop back in 1932 grew to dominate the city's shopping hub in the early 90s. "We have new products coming in throughout the year and you can find everything from unstitched fabric to designer lehengas here," says Sanjay Singh, 39, Store Manager. For men, there are fabrics for sherwanis, silk shirts, ties and dhotis. At Tamanna, #1, Narayan Pillai Street, Near Commercial Street and Mysore Saree Udyog, Mahavirr Mall, 316, Kamaraj Road Price Rs 1,000 onwards



Picture Perfect

MAHESH SHANTARAM

A pioneer in candid wedding photography in the country, Mahesh Shanataram, 39, gave up his cubicle for the camera ten years ago. A diploma in photojournalism and some free time landed him at a wedding in his wife's family. "That's how I started shooting weddings. I shot it like a photojournalist and at that time, nobody was doing it," he explains.



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He put up his pictures on Facebook and soon enough, received a lot of attention and calls for assignments from as far away as the USA. Shantaram has since been touring the country and the world to shoot weddings. "I stopped counting at 150. There was a time when I would do 20 weddings a year, now I limit it to four or five," he says. His specialities include mixed marriages and small town ones, and he believes nobody experiences India more than a wedding photographer. As such, he has many anecdotes to share.

He speaks of one at a village near Perambur, Tamil Nadu that he shot six years ago of the granddaughter of a man who started the first school in the village. He later started a college that became a university. "Most IAS, IPS and other officers in the Trichy district had passed through the halls of one of those institutions at some point in time. There were lakhs of people at the wedding and every hoarding in town was congratulating the couple. These are the kind of things I want to share with the world," he says. Website indiacomestogether.co Price Rs 1.5 lakh onwards



Fancy Feasts

ONE FULL MEALS

Two women-one chef and one stylist, came together to create a catering service that not just serves up some exotic food but also makes sure the table you are eating at looks amazing too. Karuna Reddy and Malvika Poddar, both 31, co-owners, were discussing their plans at Nagarjuna over lunch one afternoon, when the chatter around at meal time resulted in the company that is now called One Full Meals.



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Poddar went to the Culinary School of America and worked at a two Michelin star restaurant before returning to the country, and Reddy worked as a freelance stylist. They started this venture a year ago and have since been catering small intimate events with finely crafted meals. Not to be limited by cuisine, they do everything from Indian to Thai, Mediterranean to Mexican dishes. They also do their fair share of experimentation with the likes of 'Pav Bhaji Masala Fried Chicken', but it all depends on the theme.

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Typically, they craft a menu for your needs or let you choose from a pre-set one. This is followed by a tasting session of the same. The styling too is done based on the kind of get-together and the theme of the wedding. "We've done everything from a barbecue setup to a DIY cocktail table and an entire bitesized menu," says Poddar.

Styling Diva

WITH LOVE NILMA

Whether you know exactly what your wedding must look like or if you have absolutely no idea of where to start, With Love Nilma is just for you. Nilma Dileepan, 28, started Yellow Umbrella Productions, after she styled a few friend's weddings and baby showers and got a lot of appreciation for her work.



She soon realised that this was a good career opportunity waiting to happen. Thus, With Love Nilma was born to take care of all your event styling needs-from seating to stationery to flowers and centrepieces. "We get all kinds of requests-from traditional ones to quirky ones where somebody wants a 'truck' bar or Pintrest-inspired DIY dcor. We can make anything happen," she says. "We recently received a request to design a wedding proposal too," she adds. The company believes in doing everything from scratch.

"We understand spaces and work on enhancing them, keeping away from anything too garish or contrived," she explains talking about a 'no-flowers' wedding they did recently where the entire venue was decorated with herbs instead of flowers. So, once your venue is fixed, give them a shout out to help bring to the event that touch of warmth and personalisation you have been looking for. Tel 9986259226 Price Rs 10,000 onwards

Dream Venue

THE TAMARIND TREE

Every dream wedding has one thing in common-a stunning venue. So if traditional mandapams and lavish hotels seem passe, look around the outskirts of the city and you will find gorgeous venues that don't come with the limitation of indoor spaces only. One such venue is The Tamarind Tree on Kanakpura Road. Once a private property, the event venue has been managed by the Machani Group for the last three years.



An antique lover's paradise, the well-maintained property can house a crowd of 1,000 guests. Two suites and a bungalow with four rooms done up tastefully with antique four-poster beds and intricate wooden chests are available for stay for close family members. The central stone structure is perfect for a pretty mandap set-up, while the partly covered hall is great for the reception do and the small pond can work as an eclectic day-time mehendi venue. "Though there are these structures at the property, we let our guests re-imagine the venue the way they would like to use it. We have had a wedding where the courtyard was the mandap and the actual mandap space hosted a band," says Nishi Palnitkar, 29, Business Development, Machani Group.

And all this is surrounded by a grand canopy of trees, stone idols and cobbled stone and grass paths. The flexibility doesn't end there, The Tamarind Tree allows you to bring in your own caterers, wedding planners and event organisers. However, if you don't have all that figured out yet, they also help you with a list of preferred vendors to put things together for you. At 88, Kanakapura Road, JP Nagar 9th Phase, Anjanapura Post, Avalahalli Price Rs 3 lakh onwards Tel 7676004488

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Five-term U.S. Rep. Tim Walz held against an unexpectedly strong challenge from Jim Hagedorn to win a sixth term in Congress, winning with just a hair more than 2,500 votes.

Walz, who ran against Hagedorn in 2014, had 50.34 percent of the vote to Hagedorns 49.5850 percent with all 697 precincts reporting in the moderately conservative district that spans southern Minnesota. The totals stood at 169,075 votes for Walz to Hagedorns 166,528.

The margin, while razor-thin, does not fall in the half-percent range that triggers an automatic recount.

Hagedorn, a Blue Earth businessman, had said this years election had caught up to the issues hes been running on since 2014, namely supporting the farm economy, repealing the Affordable Care Act, and concerns about refugees and terrorism.

Walz had been continuing to campaign around similar issues, and said that creating a functioning Legislature will still be the number-one priority for him.

He said he would continue highlighting his record as a bipartisan representative while looking for ways to create a farm bill and fix healthcare legislation, by avoiding the idea that its all or nothing.

Other issues Walz said would likely be at the forefront in the next term are tax reform, immigration reform and addressing student debt.

Hagedorn, a Blue Earth businessman, first ran in 2014, after an upset over the GOP-endorsed candidate. Walz beat Hagedorn by a comfortable margin then, taking 54 percent of the vote to Hagedorns 46 percent in the politically moderate district.
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"He should withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan, should not praise defeated generals as previous administrations have done, and also should refrain from harming American's dignity, economy or soldiers any further in this fight."
Incumbent Rep. Dave Considine will represent Wisconsins 81st Assembly District for another two years, the Associated Press projects.

Just before 11:30 p.m., the AP called the race in Considines favor, with 88 percent of precincts reporting. The incomplete results showed Considine had received 59 percent of the vote to 41 percent for his Republican challenger, David Moore of Wisconsin Dells.

Im excited, Considine said after learning of the projection. Im sad that I dont have more friends coming back to help me. But Im excited to carry on and represent this district.

He said he was glad that the two candidates had run positive campaigns, and encouraged people in the district to reach out to him over the next two years when in need of support.

Considine is a farmer and retired educator who worked as a special education teacher in the Baraboo School District. He was first elected in 2014 after he defeated Republican Baraboo attorney Ashton Kirsch by a vote of 12,934 to 10,892.

Moore is a pastor at Keystone Baptist Church in Wisconsin Dells. He also is a county supervisor who was first elected to the Sauk County Board in April 2014. He also vied for the 81st Assembly seat in 2014, but was defeated in the primary by Kirsch.

The numbers just werent there, Moore said when reached by phone Tuesday night.

Moore said he was optimistic about Republican support throughout the rest of the state and the country. He encouraged people in the 81st District to hold their representatives feet to the fire and encourage them to get things done.

I think what youre seeing is not so much people saying Republicans can save us or Democrats have failed us, Moore said. I think what youre seeing is the electorate saying, Look, what weve been doing isnt working.'

Considine raised significantly more money for his campaign than Moore, ending the latest financial reporting period with $14,000 cash on hand as compared to Moores $1,500.

During a forum last month at the University of Wisconsin-Baraboo/Sauk County campus, Considine listed his main priority as funding for the mental health treatment of young students. He was critical of Republican cuts to the University of Wisconsin System.

Moore said his main focus was on fixing Wisconsins troubled transportation fund. He said he would look to prioritize spending on county and town roads, and remain open to innovative solutions, including unpopular ones like toll roads.

Moore said he supported state Republicans effort to give more public funds to parents who wish to send their children to private schools. Considine criticized the voucher school program, and said state taxes should only support public schools.
MAYVILLE  The Mayville Board of Education voted Monday to reduce the 2016-2017 tax levy by $241,460.

That decision that will reduce the mill rate from $9.24 to $8.81. The total general fund tax levy is now set at $4.9 million.

The district previously approved the budget and tax levy at the Oct. 17 meeting. At that time the tax levy was set at $5.1 million. Since then a clerical error in the 2015-2016 levy was brought to the boards attention. The decision made Monday corrects the error.

In the 2015-2016 fiscal year ending June 2016, the district made its final payment on referendum-approved debt and currently only has non-referendum debt. After the final debt payment was made, there was a fund balance of $241,549. District staff presumed it was interest earned over the life of the debt service fund.

In November 2015, the district contacted the Department of Public Instruction for a directive on how to handle the funds. The department indicated that if the amount left in the fund was interest, according to Wisconsin debt service state statute the district was authorized to transfer the residual dollars into its general fund. This transfer was completed and reviewed by the districts independent auditor, Erickson & Associates S.C.

In August 2016, new superintendent Scott Sabol and new director of business services Janel DeZarn reported on the residual transfer at the district annual meeting and budget hearing. They also recommended, and the board approved, a fund transfer of $250,000 from the general fund into a long-term capital improvement trust fund for future needs.

This approach allowed the district to use presumed interest earnings on future needs in alignment with the original intent of the referendum. During October 2016, the district received an inquiry regarding the transfer. On Oct. 31, Sabol and DeZarn launched an internal audit of the fund with the support of Bob Soldner, director of finance with the Department of Instruction.

During this audit DeZarn reviewed the activity of the fund from 1986 to present.

I compared data from the district independent audits, annual reports submitted to the Department of Public Instruction, debt service schedules and approved tax levies going back 30 years, said DeZarn. I found that between 1992 and 2016, the fund earned $159,057, and in turn the district was able to give the taxpayers a break by tapping into the interest and levying less for the annual principle and debt payments.

DeZarn also noted that the debt service fund earned $11,555 in other revenue primarily from a residual transfer from a capital improvement fund in 1993. The audit also identified that in the 2015-2016 school year the district over-levied by $70,299 due to a clerical error.

DeZarn and Sabol presented the audit data to Soldner on Nov. 3, which included an offer to reduce the general fund levy by $70,299 to make the taxpayers whole. Soldner and the Department of Public Instruction school finance team reviewed the information and provided a directive that the district should move forward with reducing the general fund levy by that amount, and may keep the difference of the original $241,549 residual in the general fund. DeZarn consulted with Robert W. Baird and Co. Inc. regarding the legality of keeping the difference in the general fund, and the district was advised it is legal and appropriate according to debt service state statutes.

After consulting with the Department of Instruction and Baird, the district chose to go beyond the directive and reduced the tax levy by the full $241,549.

We understand it is legal for the district to keep the residual from the debt service fund, but it is important to us as a district to do what is best for the taxpayers, said Sabol.

The decision reduces the overall revenue the district will receive for the year, and will increase the budgets deficit. However, the reduction is one-time only, and the district will retain its levy authority in the 2017-2018 year.

The Department of Instruction has acknowledged that the current guidance for debt service fund management isnt sufficient.

The state is going to be modifying its practices in auditing and providing guidance to districts with debt service funds, Soldner said. This situation at the Mayville district is helping the department create guidance and directives for all districts with debt service funds and independent auditors who review school district financials.

Mayville administration is grateful for the opportunity to correct the error. We truly appreciate the taxpayers who are interested and involved in their local schools and brought this question to our attention, said Sabol.
More than 68 percent of the voters Tuesday approved the need for $48.9 million in renovations at Beaver Dam High School and other district schools.

The Beaver Dam Unified School District expresses its most heartfelt thank you to the community for supporting the referendum. The community has a long tradition of supporting our schools, said superintendent Steve Vessey. On Tuesday the community again demonstrated its commitment to guiding students and empowering futures. We are excited to be moving forward with these projects.

Of the 10,146 people who voted for the referendum, 6,944 voted in favor of it.

Megan Miller, who voted at Faith Community Christian Reformed Church Tuesday, said, I have a child who will be going to BDUSD. So any upgrades to the school, Im definitely for it.

The results are on track with a survey the district sent out to households last summer.

In a concept design for the high school, core classes are arranged on the outside of the school to maximize the amount of natural light students are exposed to throughout the day. In addition, the concept positions the students who focus their work in career and technical areas for success.

Sarah Heyer voted at Faith Community Christian Reformed Church as well and voted against the referendum.

I thought the school was fine, Heyer said, who graduated from the high school in 2010. How much could it change in six years.

The referendum asked for $48.9 million in improvements for the district, including a complete remodel inside Beaver Dam High School, except for the science wing that was recently remodeled. In addition there will be modern safe entrances added to all the schools in the district.

The mill rate will increase by $1.68 per $1,000 of assessed property value. This means $168 for every $100,000 of assessed property values for the duration of the 20-year bond.

The cost to taxpayers will not go into effect until the district finances the project. However Vessey said it would still be below the state average and bellow what taxpayers paid in 2011, when the mill rate was $9.95.

The board of education would like to thank the people of Beaver Dam for supporting the referendum for our school district. We spent a lot of time researching the needs of our facilities and believe that the referendum brought forward what is in the best interest of our students. We are very excited about the future of our district. We will remain vigilant about communicating the progress of our projects with the community, said board of education president Joanne Tyjeski.

The phasing of the project work is planned heavily for the summer months over the next few years to minimize disruptions to class time, school events and normal operations, Vessey said. The work areas will be separated from the student areas to maximize safety and security for the students and staff. Project updates will be shared with staff, parents, and the broader community on a regular basis.

The Beaver Dam Unified School District board of education will discuss the referendum during its meeting on Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Educational Service Center, 705 McKinley St.
While the packaging size remains the same, the new version has huge gaps between the famous triangles of the chocolate bar.

The new version of Toblerone comes with gaps that te public just can't handle. Picture courtesy: Instagram/folhadespaolo

By Shreya Goswami: If there's one chocolate bar that's really popular worldwide, it's Toblerone. From people passing through airports, to the ones buying it from there local store--everyone wants a bite of Toblerone.

But the makers of this triangle-shaped chocolate have recently announced tat the bars will get a makeover. The new bars will remain the same size, but it will weigh considerably less, and have big gaps between each bar.

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The new Toblerone has already hit the market, and people are less than pleased about it.

According to a BBC report, the makers have claimed that making these changes was necessary because of a rise in the cost of the ingredients. The two options they had were to change the look and weight of the bar, or raise the price; they went with the former. The weight of the 400g bars have been reduced to 360g, and the bars weighing 170g have gone down to 150g.

Consumers are not appy with the new look of the chocolate bar. Picture courtesy: Instagram/star_chocs

So while the company changed the look of the chocolate bars to continue selling them at an affordable rate, consumers aren't exactly getting the same value for money, or enjoying a bite of the closely-spaced out bars.

Also read: Not Belgium or Switzerland, you can now indulge in luxury chocolates #MadeInIndia



Many have called this decision into question, and wondering why the makers didn't just reduce the size and keep the look the very same. Some have also said that this is the direct result of Brexit. The company has commented that the exchange rate is definitely not favourable for the production of the bar, but the changes weren't put into effect because of Brexit.

Consumers and fans of Toblerone have, however, taken to social media to grieve the loss of their favourite chocolate bar. Some have commented that the gaps will come in handy as a toast rack, while others are claiming that the changes might continue to get worse over the years. Take a look:

Can the new Toblerone serve as a toast rack? This consumer thinks so. Picture courtesy: Twitter/wgsfoster

Will other chocolate bars go the same way as Toblerone? Picture courtesy: Twitter/Davemanin

Some consumers are afraid that Toblerone might look like this in a few years' time. Picture courtesy: Twitter/biscuitahoy

While it's not clear yet if the new Toblerone will hit stores across the world or just in the UK, we in India hope that we sill get to buy and indulge in the old-style Toblerone for at least a while longer.



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Dodge Countys District Attorney Kurt Klomberg announced Wednesday that the officer shooting of James Quealy on Aug. 5 in Beaver Dam was legally justified.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice has completed its investigation and the Dodge County District Attorneys Office made a determination that Sgt. Joseph Nicholas was justified in his legal and appropriate use of deadly force in the incident, according to a press release issued by Klomberg.

Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt said that as a result Sgt. Nicholas has been restored to full duty with the Dodge County Sheriffs Office.

Sgt. Nicholas is a valued member of the sheriffs office who was forced to make a very difficult decision to protect himself, his fellow law enforcement officers, and the community as a whole, Schmidt said. The Dodge County Sheriffs Office would like to once again convey its deepest sympathies to the family of James Quealy.

On Aug. 5 the Beaver Dam Police Department was dispatched to Quealys apartment at 215 Woodland Drive. Officers were told that Quealy had sent text messages to friends indicating that he was contemplating harming himself and referencing a firearm.

According to Klomberg, the friends contacted local law enforcement out of concern for Quealys safety and the police went to his residence to check on his well-being.

Officers Meagan Scott and Jessie Shilts, along with Sgt. Craig Retzlaff and Lt. Scott Bahr, were dispatched to the scene and arrived nearly simultaneously. Officers Scott and Shilts went to Quealys second floor apartment door while Retzlaff provided back-up at the top of the stairs. Lt. Bahr remained inside the entry door on the first floor for additional security. Officers knocked on the door and received no answer.

According to Klomberg, Quealy eventually opened the door, but would not comply with orders to show his hands, keeping his left hand out of view behind his thigh. According to the release, officer Scott indicated she was positive Quealy was holding a firearm as she could see his fist was clenched.

Officers drew their weapons and officers reported Quealy said, Have you ever heard of suicide by cop?

Quealy then slammed the door in the officers faces and they retreated down the stairs for safety.

Lt. Bahr retrieved his bean bag shotgun and officers evacuated the apartment building of its residents. Lt. Bahr verbally engaged Quealy while standing on the ground floor of the building with Quealy on the balcony above. The release said Quealy was very emotional and distraught, asking the officers several times to kill him.

Nicholas of the Dodge County Sheriffs Department responded to the scene. After providing some initial assistance, Bahr asked Nicholas to take up an observation position to the north of the building. Nicholas positioned himself on the rooftop of a apartment complex garage approximately 70 yards to the north-east of the balcony where Quealy was standing.

According to Klomberg, Nicholass position gave him significant concealment from Quealys view. Bahr continued to attempt to negotiate with Quealy to convince him to disarm and to accept the help of the officers.

The police department and sheriffs office made the decision to page the SWAT team to provide assistance. About 25 to 35 minutes after Nicholas took a position on the roof, the SWAT team arrived.

Deputy Justin Kontny and Deputy Taylor Nehls were the first additional members to arrive at the scene and they were tasked with forming a shield team to assist in resolving the situation.

Nicholas became concerned, as it got dark, that his position would be given up to Quealy due to where his vehicle was parked. The squad had automatic headlamps that come on when the light levels fell to a certain point and Nicholas feared that if they were to illuminate, his position would be revealed. Deputies Kontny and Nehls deactivated the headlamps.

At 8:43 p.m., Nicholas warned officers that Quealy had pointed his firearm into the residence and appeared to be about to fire into the residence. Quealy did not fire his weapon into the apartment. At 8:45 p.m. the call entry indicated that the shield team was proceeding to Sgt. Nicholass position. At 8:46 p.m. Nicholas fatally shot Quealy.

Nicholas reported that he saw Quealy turning toward him and leveling his firearm in his direction. Nicholas said he saw the flash from the pistol and heard the shot, at which time he shot Quealy in the right side of his face, killing him instantly.

Officers entered the apartment and found Quealys deceased body on the balcony. A Ruger .357 revolver was located by his body. Inspection of the gun showed that the six chambers were loaded with .357 cartridges, one of which had been discharged. A bullet hole was discovered in the siding of a home to the north and east of Nicholass position. The bullet was recovered from the occupied home, embedded in a piece of furniture.

The bullet was analyzed by the Wisconsin Crime Lab which found that it was fired from the gun found with Quealys remains.

Klomberg notes that the bullet trajectory from Quealys gun did not pass directly over the position of Nicholas. It was as much as 12 degrees or more north of the position. However, Klomberg writes, This does not necessarily indicate that Quealy was not firing at Sgt. Nicholas. However, it is possible that Quealy was shooting at a different point than Sgt. Nicholas.

A scene view was conducted on Oct. 21 by DCI agents and Klomberg. Examination of Quealys body provided additional support for the proposition that Quealy fired first. Quealys right forearm had a graze wound, consistent with Quealy having had his right arm extended in a shooting stance, aiming his gun at the time he was shot. Nicholass bullet grazed the top of the forearm prior to entering Quealys head.

Quealys blood also had .165 grams per 100 ml blood alcohol content, corroborating the observation of the officers who witnessed Quealy drinking heavily from a large bottle of alcohol during the incident.

A search of Quealys apartment revealed two letters written in anticipation of suicide. The first was to his next of kin, describing how he wanted his property distributed. The second was written to the police, in an envelope labeled Police. The letter contained contact information for people Quealy felt should be given notification of his death. The letters were found in plain view immediately inside the entry of the residence.

Klomberg concludes, Bringing all this information together unequivocally demonstrates that Quealy posed, not only a perceived threat of death or great bodily harm to Sgt. Nicholas and others, but also demonstrates that he was actually a lethal threat to others. Sgt. Nicholas was justified in his use of deadly force at the time of the shooting. Quealy wanted to commit suicide, desired that it be suicide by cop, and took aggressive action to reach that end.

The medical examiner ruled Quealys death a homicide, but Klomberg said this is not a suggestion about motive.

This was a tragic situation, and it is unlikely we will ever know what pushed Quealy to the end that resulted here, Klomberg wrote.

Klomberg also said that the six squad cars had video running in them at some point during the incident, but in all cases the video cameras stopped recording prior to the actual moment of the shooting. He notes that the cameras would not have captured video of the shooting but should have captured the sounds surrounding the shooting and all the cameras were turned off prior to the critical moment. However, Klomberg says investigation of this anomaly determined that there was some sort of common malfunction that occurred in several or all of the cameras that caused the cameras to shut themselves off.

Klomberg writes, This is an unacceptable situation. In this case, there was ample evidence to demonstrate the justifiably of the police action. However, a situation involving a use of force may occur in the future that does not have the kind of physical evidence found here. Then the cameras shutting themselves off will at best be fodder for conspiracy theories and at worst deprive the decision makers of critical evidence necessary to evaluate the police action. This situation must be thoroughly investigated by the Beaver Dam Police Department and corrected forthwith.
Republican President-elect Donald Trump secured a victory of less than 1 percentage point in Wisconsin on Tuesday in part because Democrat Hillary Clinton received nearly a quarter-million fewer votes than President Barack Obama in 2012.

Overall turnout was 66.2 percent of eligible voters, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, the lowest level in a Wisconsin presidential election since 1996.

A little more than 2.94 million votes were cast for president in Wisconsin, not counting write-ins, according to preliminary results tallied by The Associated Press. That's almost 124,000 fewer than in 2012.

Trump was able to win a close 27,000-vote victory in the state  a margin of 0.9 percent, 47.8746.94  by picking up about 1,500 more votes than Romney, while Clinton received nearly 239,000 fewer votes than Obama.

Third-party candidates received more than 150,000 votes.

Trump improved on Romney's vote total in 63 counties while Clinton improved on Obama's total in just three counties: Dane, Waukesha and Ozaukee.

Trump won 59 of the state's 72 counties, compared with Obama's 35 counties in 2012.

Republican political strategist Brandon Scholz, a Trump critic throughout the campaign, said nobody, including Republicans, saw Trump's victory coming.

"It was seismic because it's bigger than just a wave election," Scholz said. "It defied all polling, all pundits, all gut reactions.  It is about ground game and I think the Republican Party and (party executive director) Mike Duffey and those guys proved they have a better ground game."

Milwaukee Democratic strategist Sachin Chheda said Trump's win in Wisconsin resulted from a confluence of factors, including changes in election law that he said dampened minority and low-income voter turnout in Milwaukee and other urban, traditionally Democratic strongholds such as Racine and Kenosha counties, both of which Trump won.

Chheda mentioned the voter ID law, gerrymandered political districts that reduced the number of competitive local races and a state law that no longer allows third parties to vouch for someone's residence, which in past elections allowed homeless shelter coordinators to vouch for homeless voters.

He also said there may have been less voter enthusiasm among black voters because President Barack Obama was no longer on the ballot. There were about 62,000 fewer votes cast for the top two candidates in Milwaukee County this year than in 2012, including almost 40,000 fewer for Clinton compared with Obama and 23,000 fewer for Trump compared with Romney.

"There is a quote out there: 'When an airliner crashes, 17 things have to go wrong,' " Chheda said, adding it may take time to assess all of the reasons a GOP presidential candidate won Wisconsin for the first time since 1984. "What we're going to find here is a bunch of things added up and that's what made the difference in the end."

Democratic strategist Patrick Guarasci said the Clinton campaign may have put too much focus on ground game and not enough on TV ads. Clinton spent nearly $3 million in the final two weeks of the campaign, topping Trump's $2 million over the final four weeks.

"I think that's too late," Guarasci said, referring to when Clinton started ads in Wisconsin.

He added that the Trump campaign may have been able to get Clinton voters to stay home by amplifying Clinton's negative qualities in ads.

"I think a number of voters were turned off by all of that and believed she was not someone who was on their side," Guarasci said. "Clearly there were people in Wisconsin who were feeling like they connected with Trump who should have connected with Hillary, but did not."

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said Clinton was incredibly unpopular, part of the bureaucracy for a long time and had a bad record as secretary of state.

"I think all of those things coming together suppressed her own turnout," Vos said. "The reality is if you look all around the state, Hillary Clinton was a truly uninspiring candidate. She had an awful lot of problems going into this election that a lot of people chose to overlook."

Ryan: 'Most incredible feat'

House Speaker Paul Ryan, talking to reporters in Janesville on Tuesday, called Trump's nationwide victory "the most incredible political feat I have seen in my lifetime."

"Many of our citizens feel alienated and have lost their faith in our core institutions," Ryan said. "Donald Trump heard a voice out in this country that no one else heard. He connected with people in ways no one else did. He turned politics on its head."

Ryan said Tuesday morning he spoke with Trump twice in the last 18 hours and "will work hand in hand on a positive agenda to help tackle this country's challenges."

Ryan plans to run for House speaker, though he has faced some dissent among tea party members of his own party. He sparred with Trump throughout the campaign and the two never campaigned together.

Gov. Scott Walker said Trump and running mate Mike Pence, the Indiana governor, have hinted over the past few months about inviting him to join the new administration in Washington. But Walker, speaking on WTMJ-AM Wednesday, said he told them he can best serve the Trump administration as the new chairman of the Republican Governors Association.

Walker said as chairman of the association he can help ensure the Republican governors, the House, the Senate and the president work together.

Walker said he plans to finish out his term as governor. He said the only race he's eyeing himself is a potential third term as Wisconsin's chief executive.

One of 16 Republican candidates for president Trump bested during a hard-fought primary, Walker was critical of Trump during the presidential campaign but ultimately embraced him.

There was speculation Wednesday that Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus of Kenosha would serve as chief of staff in a Trump administration. RNC member Steve King, who will be one of Wisconsin's 10 electoral college voters next month, said he's not sure what Priebus will do next, though it's possible with a young family he would look to more financially lucrative options in the private sector.

"He's got some pretty interesting and exciting potential options," King said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Horicon man died Tuesday evening following a motorcycle crash on Highway 33 near the town of Pacific.

Anton A. Salaks Sr., 76, was reportedly driving eastbound on Highway 33 when, at about 3 p.m. his motorcycle struck a deer crossing the road at Saddle Ridge. Salaks was thrown from the motorcycle and was found unconscious and seriously injured without a helmet.

Columbia County Sheriffs deputies were on the scene within four minutes, with Divine Savior Healthcare paramedics soon on the scene. Salaks was taken from the scene by MedFlight to University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison.

The Columbia County Sheriffs Office was assisted by the Portage Fire Department, Columbia County Medical Examiners Office and Blystones Towing.

Injuries and fatalities resulting from vehicle-deer crashes have been on an overall decline, according to Wisconsin Department of Transportation records between 2003 and 2013. In 2013 there were 410 injuries and fatalities, compared with 847 in 1999, which marked the top of an upward trend starting in 1979.

The DOT warns drivers that vehicle-deer collisions spike between October and November during hunting and deer mating seasons.
Phil Rygiewicz and JoAnne Kaup had different picks for president but nevertheless shared a similar view among Portage voters who wanted to see more  or better  choices for president Tuesday.

I think Im voting against Hillary (Clinton), Rygiewicz said of his vote for Donald Trump. There are so many reasons for that, you cant name them all.

I just didnt like Trump, Kaup said of her vote for Hillary Clinton. The way he talks  the way hes treated women. Maybe we need a woman (president). We need a change.

Rygiewiczs vote for Trump, he said outside the Portage Municipal Building, was a selection of the lesser of two evils. He cited the controversy surrounding Clinton emails and her role in Benghazi as the big reasons he couldnt support the Democratic candidate, while Kaups vote for Clinton, she said, boiled down to wanting to see someone smart in the White House.

Kayce Dervetski was one in a long line of voters who want more choices but werent seeing them.

Im still undecided, Dervetski said only minutes before voting, and thats scary.

Dervetski had decided she wouldnt vote for Clinton, but her dilemma was she didnt like Trump either. It just seems like if you vote for one side, youre taking votes from the other, she said of a two-party system. So whats really important for Americans, Dervetski added, is who youre putting in your local offices.

Thats who really decides things, Dervetski said. And people arent educated enough on them.

3 choices in Lewiston

Lewiston Elementary students voting for president Tuesday had a bigger pool of candidates to choose from, ones likely carrying less baggage: Grace, Otto or Duck. Student decisions were based on whose book they liked best.

(Students) get to see how the voting process works, Administrative Assistant Bobbie Greiner said of Election Day activity at the school. Lewiston is one of the few schools left in the area that still serves as a polling place, she added.

I think its good for them to see the community.

The school held its annual Election BBQ and Bake Sale fundraisers, the proceeds going to fifth-grade Safety Patrol students who will travel to Milwaukees Discovery World in May. Lewiston students learned about voting  both in the gym, where voting was held, and in their classrooms, where teachers talked about democracy.

They get really excited for this, Greiner said. They learn its really important that your vote matters, to come down and voice your opinion.

Conversations matter

Millennial voter Jason Prescher of Portage said being a Democrat or Republican doesnt mean much to him these days, but he voted for the Republican Trump because he wants new blood in the oval office. The biggest reason Prescher voted for Democratic state Assembly candidate Dave Considine, he added, was because he came to my front door.

I feel like him taking that time was really important, Prescher said of his 15-minute encounter with Considine. Prescher discovered that day he agreed with many of Considines views, hoping to bring more jobs and tourism to small communities.

There are so many more important issues than guns and abortion, Prescher said.

Prescher, like Dervetski, believed local offices deserve much more attention from voters.

Dan Lutz echoed Preschers distaste for the national conversation surrounding the presidency  a big reason why Lutz chose to write in an unspecified candidate for president, this being an election he would have otherwise voted Democrat all the way.

If (elections) were still truly for we the people there would be a comment section on the ballot, Lutz said.

It feels like were left without a choice, and nothings going to change unless were strong enough to vote for a third line.

Seeking change

Nicole Kukla of Portage voted for third-party candidate Jill Stein of the Green Party because Kukla sought different and better ideas from her president.

I just think there could be more than two options, she said. Hopefully that will change quickly.

One issue that had Kukla feeling pessimistic about the long-term prospects of her country was Trumps ridiculous idea of building a wall to keep out illegal immigrants. She hopes that idea is short-lived.

Conversely, Bob Viking felt a vote for Trump represented maybe the only opportunity to change the government.

I dont know if this will ever happen again, Viking said of his choice for president. Viking believed Trump was the first major-party candidate in a long while who wouldnt be rubber-stamping whatever their party says. But Vikings choice for president wasnt affected by party, noting he chose Democrat Russ Feingold for US. senator  and that hes not alone in that regard.

This might be the last election where most people arent voting ticket, said Viking, a supporter of Feingold because Feingold didnt get married into big corporations like his opponent, Ron Johnson.

I dont want to see the same candidates year after year, said Robert Harper, keeping his vote a secret, while admitting he voted for X because he didnt want to see Y.

We need to have a third party, thats the reason nothing changes.

In a presidential election that seemed overrun with voters who felt more strongly against one candidate than for the other, Portage resident Jo Ellen Flees wasnt afraid of either one winning office.

Most importantly, Flees said, the next president will need to kick partisanship to the curb.

Whoever wins is going to have to find a compromise, Flees said. There has to be a middle ground somewhere.
It was three hours before the polls were due to close, and Marlo Gustason and Anne Zydowsky high-fived each other.

Seventy-seven percent! exclaimed Gustafson, the town of Pacific clerk, to Zydowsky, a poll worker.

There were about 1,800 registered voters in the town of Pacific when the poll books were compiled for Tuesdays election, and as of 5 p.m., 1,458 voters had cast ballots -- including more than 470 whose absentee ballots had been tabulated during the few slack times during the 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. polling hours.

What was even more remarkable than the turnout, Gustafson said, was the decorous, neighborly behavior of the town of Pacific voters. Despite a long and rancorous national campaign, Gustafson said, she saw nothing that could be construed as electioneering -- not even a small campaign button.

In the village of Wyocena, poll workers on Tuesday afternoon told the story of an early-morning voter who showed up to the polls wearing a T-shirt touting Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

He was surprised, but cooperative, when poll workers told him to cover the shirt by zipping up his jacket.

He was so proud of that shirt, said poll worker Marilyn Schultz. He said his daughter got it for him. I told him, I dont care who you vote for, but he cant show that shirt at the polls.

In the village of Pardeeville, voters were greeted not only by poll workers, but also by a phalanx of patriotic-themed Beanie Babies.

Laurie Knitt had brought them in -- mostly red, white and blue bears, but there was one donkey and one elephant, too.

In Doylestown -- Columbia Countys smallest village, with just 166 registered voters -- 76 voters had cast ballots as of 4 p.m.

One of them was 18-year-old Kelson Rohloff, who told poll workers that he wanted to make sure he had filled out the ballot correctly, and inserted it correctly into the tabulator.

It was my first time voting, and I really wanted to do it right, he said. It makes me feel like Im a part of something big.

An even younger participant in the election, 5-year-old Sawyer Linde, assisted her father, Josh Linde, as he used a machine in the village of Rio that automatically marks ballots -- a machine that can be used by voters with visual impairments.

Push the button, just once, Josh said, and Sawyer did.

Then she asked whether she could stay up late to watch the election returns on TV.

Josh Linde said little Sawyer is particularly interested in the election because she has an aunt with the same first name as one of the presidential candidates -- Hillary Clinton.

Yes, that was who Josh said he voted for.

Shes the lesser of two evils in my eyes, unfortunately, he said. But I think it was her commercials that persuaded me -- the children are listening. I would not let Sawyer hear the things Trump said. Thats just not acceptable."
Rep. Ed Brooks will serve a fifth term in the Wisconsin State Assembly.

Brooks was declared the winner in the 50th Assembly District race against challenger Art Shrader on Nov. 8. Brooks, a Republican, and Shrader, a Democrat, both are from Reedsburg.

Brooks received 58 percent of the votes to Shraders 42 percent. The Associated Press called the contest in Brooks favor just after midnight Nov. 9 when more than 88 percent of the precincts had been counted.

Final results show Brooks won 14,894 votes; Shrader had 10,826 votes, according to the Associated Press.

Brooks said hes grateful to district residents for their vote of confidence. He takes pride in representing the region, which includes a wide range of industries varying from farming to contracting to health care.

I truly believe it is the best district, he said.

Brooks added that he will strive to represent everyone, not just Republicans.

Hes also relieved and pleased the election is over. It was a hard-fought campaign and both he and Shrader did a lot of outreach.

When reached by the Times-Press, a spokesperson for the Art Shrader campaign offered no comment regarding the outcome of the election at that time.

The 50th Assembly District encompasses all of Juneau County and segments of Sauk, Monroe, Vernon and Richland counties.

Brooks and his supporters had gathered at the VFW in Reedsburg to watch the election results. Shraders team did likewise at the Corner Pub in downtown Reedsburg.

Turnout

Reedsburg Deputy Clerk-Treasurer Julie Strutz said voter turnout was 61 percent. There were 4,154 ballots cast on Nov. 8. Absentee ballots totaled 1,309.

She said there were 703 new voter registrations.

Reedsburg City staff anticipated a busy night but everything went smoothly. About 50 trained polls workers were on duty during the day and evening so wait times were usually short. City Clerk-Treasurer Jacob Crosetto said no one waited longer than 20 or 30 minutes although many voters finished in less time.

He added that no one knew quite what to expect during an election where tensions were high across the country. Reedsburg, however, didnt see any protesters, fights or disruptive behavior on Election Day.

Move to Amend

A symbolic effort to overturn Citizens United passed on the Reedsburg ballot. Strutz said Move to Amend received 3,007 yes votes and 488 no votes.

Move to Amend seeks to encourage lawmakers to change the U.S. Constitution to clarify that only people have human rights and money is not free speech. The movement began in response to the Citizens United ruling, which stated that campaign spending by independent corporations and groups counts as free speech. Critics have lambasted the ruling, saying it allows for too much money in politics.
By PTI: Raipur, Nov 9 (PTI) Chhattisgarh Police today transferred to the CID, the case of tribal mans murder in Sukma district, in which two women professors - one from Delhi University and other from JNU - have been booked along with Maoists and other activists.

"We have transferred the case to the state CID following a recommendation made by Bastar police (in this regard)," Chhattisgarh Director General of Police A N Upadhyay told PTI.

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Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range), S R P Kalluri, in a letter to the DGP today recommended Crime Investigation Department probe into the murder of Shamnath Baghel, who was allegedly killed by armed Maoists at his native village Nama on the night of November 4.

A case was registered against DU Professor Nandini Sundar, JNU Professor Archana Prasad, CPI (Marxist) Chhattisgarh Secretary Sanjay Parate, Vineet Tiwari of Delhis Joshi Adhikari Institute of Social Studies, and others along with Maoists in the case based on the complaint lodged by the victims wife.

In the letter written to the DGP, Kalluri said, "Since DU Professor Nandini Sundar has been levelling personal allegations against me via several media reports, I recommend to hand over the case to CID for a transparent investigation."

The IGs recommendation for CID probe comes after a letter was written by Sukma SP Indira Kalyan Elesela earlier in the day, requesting him for a CID probe in the case.

The SP had also claimed that Sundar in her statement to media was making "false allegations" against the police and trying to malign the image of the department.

"It would be appropriate that the case be transferred to CID for further investigation to maintain transparency," the SP said in the letter.

Thereafter, Kalluri wrote to the DGP requesting him for the CID probe.

Meanwhile, Elesela told PTI that teams have been formed and sent to Delhi for further investigation into the case.

"Investigation teams have been constituted and dispatched to Delhi. Its a very sensitive issue and we will explore all the angles into it," Elesela said.

The accused in the case have been booked under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 302 (murder), 450 (house trespass in order to commit offence), 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy); and relevant sections of the Arms Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. PTI TKP NP DIP

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Ltd., Marazzi Middle East FZ LLC, Marazzi Schweiz S.A.G.L., Marazzi UK Ltd., Mohawk Assurance Services Inc., Mohawk Australia Pty Ltd, Mohawk Canada Corporation, Mohawk Capital Finance S.A., Mohawk Capital Luxembourg SA, Mohawk Carpet Distribution Inc., Mohawk Carpet Foundation Inc., Mohawk Carpet LLC, Mohawk Carpet Transportation Of Georgia LLC, Mohawk Commercial Inc., Mohawk ESV Inc., Mohawk Europe BVBA, Mohawk Factoring II Inc., Mohawk Factoring LLC, Mohawk Finance S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Acquisitions S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Funding S.a.r.l, Mohawk Foreign Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Investments Inc., Mohawk Global Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Holdings International B.V., Mohawk Industries Inc., Mohawk International (Europe) S.a r.l., Mohawk International (Hong Kong) Limited, Mohawk International Capital N.V., Mohawk International Financing S.a.r.l, Mohawk International Holdings (DE) LLC, Mohawk International Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk International Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk International Netherlands B.V., Mohawk International Services BVBA, Mohawk KAI Luxembourg Holding S.a r.l., Mohawk KAI Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Capital S.A., Mohawk Luxembourg Financing S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Pacific S.a r.l., Mohawk Marazzi International BV, Mohawk Marazzi Russia BV, Mohawk New Zealand Limited, Mohawk Operaciones Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Mohawk Operations Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Pacific Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Resources LLC, Mohawk Servicing LLC, Mohawk Singapore Private Limited, Mohawk Trading (Shanghai) Co. 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SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit entities in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions. This segment also offers residential mortgage products in the secondary market. The Wholesale segment provides capital markets solutions, including advisory, capital raising, and financial risk management; asset-based financing solutions, such as securitizations, asset-based lending, equipment financing, and structured real estate arrangements; cash management services and auto dealer financing solutions; investment banking solutions; and credit and deposit, fee-based product offering, multi-family agency lending, advisory, commercial mortgage brokerage, and tailored financing and equity investment solutions. This segment also offers treasury and payment solutions, such as operating various electronic and paper payment types, which comprise card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, check, and cash; and provides services clients to manage their accounts online. The company offers its products and services through a network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, mobile, and telephone banking channels. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 1,218 full-service banking offices located in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. SunTrust Banks, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
The following companies are subsidiares of Molina Healthcare: Aetna & Humana - Medicare Advantage, Affinity Health Plan, AmericanWork Inc., Better Health Network, Camelot Care Centers Inc, Children's Behavioral Health Inc., Choices Group Inc., College Community Services, Dockside Services Inc, Family Preservation Services Inc., Family Preservation Services of Florida Inc., Family Preservation Services of North Carolina Inc., Family Preservation Services of Washington D.C. Inc., Family Preservation Services of West Virginia Inc., Florida NetPASS LLC, Hclb Inc., Magellan Complete Care, Maple Star Nevada Inc., Maple Star Oregon Inc., Mercy CarePlus, Molina Clinical Services LLC, Molina Healthcare Data Center Inc., Molina Healthcare of Arizona Inc., Molina Healthcare of California, Molina Healthcare of Florida Inc., Molina Healthcare of Georgia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Illinois Inc., Molina Healthcare of Iowa Inc., Molina Healthcare of Louisiana Inc., Molina Healthcare of Maryland Inc., Molina Healthcare of Michigan Inc., Molina Healthcare of Mississippi Inc., Molina Healthcare of Nevada Inc., Molina Healthcare of New Mexico Inc., Molina Healthcare of New York Inc., Molina Healthcare of North Carolina Inc., Molina Healthcare of Ohio Inc., Molina Healthcare of Oklahoma Inc., Molina Healthcare of Pennsylvania Inc., Molina Healthcare of Puerto Rico Inc., Molina Healthcare of South Carolina LLC, Molina Healthcare of Texas Inc., Molina Healthcare of Texas Insurance Company, Molina Healthcare of Utah Inc., Molina Healthcare of Virginia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Washington Inc., Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin Inc., Molina Holdings Corporation, Molina Hospital Management LLC, Molina Information Systems LLC dba Molina Medicaid Solutions, Molina Medical Management Inc., Molina Pathways LLC, Molina Pathways of Texas Inc., Molina Youth Academy, NextLevel Health Illinois, Pathways Community Corrections Inc., Pathways Community Services LLC, Pathways Community Support of Texas Inc., Pathways Health and Community Support LLC, Pathways Human Services LLC., Pathways of Arizona Inc., Pathways of Delaware Inc., Pathways of Idaho LLC, Pathways of Maine Inc., Pathways of Massachusetts LLC, Pathways of Oklahoma Inc., Pathways of Washington Inc., Providence Community Services, Providence Human Services, Raystown Developmental Services Inc., The Game of Work LLC, The RedCo Group Inc., Total Care Medicaid plan, Transitional Family Services Inc., Unisys -Health Information Management, and YourCare Health Plan.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Archer-Daniels-Midland: 3 Grain Elevators, ACT Exportacao Ltda., ADGENE LABORATOIRE, ADM (Dalian) Animal Health & Nutrition Co. Ltd., ADM (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., ADM (Thailand) Ltd., ADM AGRO S.R.L., ADM Ag Holding Limited, ADM Agri Services Greece MEPE, ADM Agri-Industries Company, ADM Agricultural Commodities Trading (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., ADM Agriculture Limited, ADM Agro Iberica S.L.U., ADM Agro Industries India Private Limited, ADM Agro Industries Kota & Akola Private Limited, ADM Agro Industries Latur & Vizag Private Limited, ADM Agroinvestimentos Ltda., ADM Alliance Nutrition of Puerto Rico LLC, ADM Americas S. de R.L., ADM Andina Peru S.R.L., ADM Animal Health & Nutrition (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., ADM Animal Nutrition (Cambodia) Co. Ltd., ADM Animal Nutrition (Xiangtan) Co. Ltd., ADM Animal Nutrition (Zhangzhou) Co. Ltd., ADM Antwerp NV, ADM Arkady Ireland Limited, ADM Armazens Gerais Ltda., ADM Asia-Pacific Trading Pte. Ltd., ADM Australia Holdings I PTY Limited, ADM Australia Pty. Limited, ADM Bazancourt SASU, ADM Besin ve Tarim Anonim Sirketi, ADM Bio-Productos S.A. de C.V., ADM Bio-Science & Technology (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., ADM Bulgaria Trading EOOD, ADM CARIBBEAN INC., ADM Chile Comercial Limitada, ADM Clinton BioProcessing Inc., ADM Czernin S.A., ADM DO BRASIL LTDA., ADM Direct Polska Sp. z o.o., ADM Dominican Holdings Inc., ADM Dominicana S.A., ADM EMEA Corporate Services GmbH, ADM Edible Bean Specialties Inc., ADM Egypt LLC, ADM El Salvador Ltda. de C.V., ADM Europe Holdco S.L., ADM European Management Holding B.V. & Co. KG, ADM Expatriate Services Inc., ADM Export Co., ADM Food Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ADM Food Technology (Pinghu) Co. Ltd., ADM France, ADM Fuels Company, ADM German Holdings B.V., ADM Germany GmbH, ADM Grain Costa Rica S.R.L., ADM Grain River System Inc., ADM Grain de Venezuela C.A., ADM Guatemala Limitada, ADM Hamburg Aktiengesellschaft, ADM Holding (Thailand) Ltd., ADM Holdings LLC, ADM Honduras S.de R.L., ADM INGREDIENTS S.R.L., ADM Inca S.A.C., ADM Industries Centers Ltd, ADM International Holdings Inc., ADM International Sarl, ADM Investments Limited, ADM Investor Services Inc., ADM Investor Services International Limited, ADM Ireland Receivables Company Limited, ADM Israel, ADM Italia S.r.l., ADM Japan Ltd., ADM Latin America Inc., ADM Logistics Inc., ADM MANAGEMENT LTD., ADM MOROCCO S.A., ADM Mainz GMBH, ADM Malbork S.A., ADM Medsofts Sarl, ADM Mexico Inc., ADM Mexico S.A. de C.V., ADM Milling Co., ADM Milling Limited, ADM Myanmar Company Limited, ADM New Zealand Limited, ADM Nicaragua SA, ADM Nutrition Holding d.o.o. Beograd, ADM Olomouc S.R.O., ADM PORTUGAL SA, ADM Panama S. De R.L., ADM Paraguay S.R.L., ADM Participacoes Ltda., ADM Poland Sp. z o.o., ADM Protexin Inc., ADM Protexin Limited, ADM Pura Limited, ADM Razgrad EAD, ADM Receivables LLC, ADM Rice Inc., ADM Ringaskiddy Unlimited Company, ADM SERVICIOS S.A. DE C.V., ADM STF DMCC, ADM STF Pte. Ltd., ADM STF Switzerland Sarl, ADM Services B.V., ADM Slovakia s.r.o., ADM Specialty Ingredients (Europe) B.V., ADM Spyck GMBH, ADM Sweden AB, ADM Szamotuly Sp. z o.o., ADM Trading (UK) Limited, ADM Trading Australia Pty. Ltd., ADM Trading Company, ADM Trading Cote D'Ivoire, ADM Transportation Company, ADM Trucking Inc., ADM Unterstutzungskasse GmbH, ADM Uruguay SCA, ADM Ventures Investment Corp., ADM WILD Europe GmbH & Co. KG, ADM WILD Nauen GmbH, ADM WILD Netherlands B.V., ADM WILD SEE Kft, ADM WILD Valencia SAU, ADM Wild Gida Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, ADM Wild UK Limited, ADM Worldwide Holdings L.P., ADMEcuador CIA. Ltda., ADMIS Holding Company Inc., ADMIS Hong Kong Limited, ADMIS SINGAPORE PTE. LIMITED, AGRANIX, AIC Seguros SRL, AMT West LLC, AOR, AT Holdings II Company, Agri Port Services Brasil Ltda., Agri Port Services Investments Ltd., Agri Port Services LLC, Agricolas Madagascar SARLU, Agrinational Insurance Company, Agriserve, Agrograin Ltd., Agrograin Ltd. Sucursal Uruguay, Alfrebro LLC, Alfred C. Toepfer International Exportacao e Importacao Ltda., Alfred C. Toepfer International Netherlands B.V., Alimenta USA, Alimentos Texo SA de CV, American River Transportation Co. LLC, Ameriseed, Anco Animal Nutrition Competence GmbH, Archer Daniels Midland (UK) Limited, Archer Daniels Midland Asia-Pacific Limited, Archer Daniels Midland Company South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Archer Daniels Midland Erith Limited, Archer Daniels Midland Europe B.V., Archer Daniels Midland Europoort B.V., Archer Daniels Midland Korea LLC, Archer Daniels Midland Nederland B.V., Archer Daniels Midland Singapore Pte. Ltd., Archer Daniels Midland Vietnam Company Limited, Archer Daniels Midland Wild Nigeria Ltd., Archer Financial Services Inc., Archer-Daniels-Midland Philippines Inc., Arinos Unlimited, Aston Foods & Food Ingredients, BIOPOLIS S.L., BQ Railroad Company, BTECH Tecnologias Agropecuarias e Comercio Ltda., Balanceados Nova S.A. Balnova, Balto Holdco LLC, Barbados Mills Limited, Bela Vista Bio Etanol Participacoes Ltda., Belize Mills Limited, Belwood Company S.A., Benson-Quinn Commodities Inc., Bern Aqua, Bifodan Inc., Biopolis, CONTROLADORA ADM S.A. DE C.V., Campa Sued GmbH & Co KG, Caribbean Agro-Industries Limited, Casablancas sweetener plant, Cattleman's Choice Loomix LLC, Chamtor, Ci ADM Colombia Ltda., Columbia & Willamette Maritime Services Inc., Comhan, Compania ADM S.A. de C.V., Crosswind Petfoods Inc., DE Holdings LLC, DP Holdings LLC, Daavision B.V., Deerland Europe ApS, Deerland Holdings Inc., Deerland Ireland R&D Limited, Deerland Probiotics & Enzymes, Deerland Probiotics & Enzymes A/S, Deerland Probiotics & Enzymes Inc., Eaststarch, Eatem Corporation, Eatem Foods, Elstar Oils, Empresa de Transporte La Estrella S.R.L., English River Pellets Inc., Epicore BioNetworks Inc., Epicore Ecuador S.A., Epicore Networks (U.S.A.) Inc., Erich Ziegler GmbH, Evialis (Shandong) Co. Ltd., Evialis France, Evialis Galicia S.A., Evialis India Limited, FINANCIERE FRANCO MAGYAR POUR LA NUTRITION ANIMALE - FFMNA, FISA Andina S.A.S., FISA Aromas S.A.S., Fasco Mills Co., Federation Sahanala Vanille, Filozoo SRL, Flavor Infusion, Flavor Infusion International S.A., Florida Chemical, Florida Chemical Company LLC, Flotek Flavor & Fragrance LLC, GLOBAL COCOA HOLDINGS LTD., GP Blanching Inc., GPC Trucking Inc., GROUPE PILARDIERE, GUYOKRMA spol. s.r.o., Golden Farm Production & Commerce Company Limited, Golden Peanut Company, Golden Peanut Company LLC, Golden Peanut and Tree Nut Seed SA (Pty) Ltd., Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts S.A., Green Bison Soy Processing LLC, Group Lysac, Guyomarc'h - VCN Company Limited, Guyomarc'h Vietnam Co. Ltd., Guyovital PT, HFR Shipping Company Ltd., HI-NUTRIENTS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, HRA Shipping Company Ltd., HTI Shipping Company Ltd., Harvest Innovations, Hilltop Grain and Feed, Holding P & A Asia Company Limited, Hubei Meiweiyuan Biotechnology, Ilitchevskiy Maslo Extractionniy Zavod (IMEZ), Industries Centers EOD Trade 2005 Ltd., Invivo NSA Algerie, Invivo NSA Sanpo (Tianjin) Pet Products Co. Ltd, JDS Sarl, Jamaica Flour Mills Limited, Jamaica Rice Milling Company Limited, LANCENTER S.C.A., Liquid Feed Commodities, Logus Bar Ashdod Port Ltd., Malta Industries S.A. de C.V., Malta Texo De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Maniobras Y Servicios Del Interior S.A. de C.V., Master Mix of Trinidad Unlimited, Medsofts Company LLC, Medsofts for Import Co., Medsofts for Investment LLC, Medsofts for Trade LLC (Medsofts Trading), Mepla Comercio e Navegacao Ltda., Mezclas Biomix S.A.S., Monti Foods (Pty) Ltd., Mundo Logistics S.R.L., NEC Facilities LLC, National Enzyme Company LLC, Naviera Chaco S.R.L., Neovia, Neovia Algerie SPA, Neovia Nutricao e Saude Animal Ltda., Neovia Philippines Inc., North Star Shipping S.R.L., NutraDine, NutraDine LLC, NutriMix Feed Company Inc., Nutrilac, Olenex C.V., Olsen's Mill Inc. Four Grain Storage Elevators, P & A Marketing SA, PANCOSMA FRANCE S.A.S, PJSC ADM Illichivsk, PT ADM Indonesia Trading and Logistics, Pancosma & Associates Marketing (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Pancosma (Jiangsu) Feed Additive Co. Ltd., Pancosma (Shanghai) Feed Additives Co. Ltd., Pancosma Canada Inc., Pancosma Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pancosma North America Inc., Pancosma SA, Pedigree Ovens, Pedigree Ovens LLC, PetDine, PetDine LLC, Prairie Pride - Biodiesel Production Plant, Premiere Agri Technologies Asia Inc., Premiere Agri Technologies of Mexico Inc., Proservicios Potencial Humano S.A. de C.V., Provit Sp. z o.o., Pura Foods Limited, Rodelle Inc., SANICOOPA, SDJ Sarl, SORA Laboratories LLC, Sartco Ltda., Schokinag-Schokolade-Industrie Herrmann, Sermix, Servad S.R.L, Setna Nutricion S.A., Silo P. Kruse Betriebs-GmbH & Co. KG, Silo-Betriebsgesellschaft mbH, Societe Industrielle des Oleagineux-SIO, SojaProtein d.o.o. Becej, Sojaprotein, Southern Cellulose Products Inc., Soy Investors LLC, Specialty Commodities, Specialty Commodities LLC, Sul Mineira Alimentos Ltda., Syngenta - Dry Bean Business, Szabadegyhazai Szolgaltato es Vagyonkezeklo KFT, Terminal Stevedores Inc., Terminales De Cargas Especializadas S.A. De C.V., The Pound Bakery, The Pound Bakery LLC, Toepfer International, Toepfer International Trading (Shanghai) Co. LTD., UPSCIENCE ITALIA S.R.L., Upscience, VIA CHEM GROUP a.s. Oilseed Processing Plant, Vantage Corn Processors LLC, WILD Flavors, Wild Amazon Flavors Concentrados e Corantes para Bebidas Ltda., Wild Flavors (Canada) Inc., Wild Flavors Austria GmbH, Wild Flavors Inc., Wild Flavors International GmbH, Wild Flavors Kenya Limited, Wild Flavors Middle East FZE, Wild Flavors Polska Sp. z o.o., Wild Flavors S.A. de C.V., Wild Intermare GmbH, Wild Polska Sp. z o.o., Wild Russia LLC, Wild Tunesia Sarl, Wisium SA (Pty) Ltd., World's Finest Chocolate - New Cocoa Powder Line, and Yerbalatina Ltda..

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By PTI: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said there was "no

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said there was "no possibility" of its nuclear deal with world powers being overturned by Trump despite his threat to dismantle it.

"Irans understanding in the nuclear deal was that the accord was not concluded with one country or government but was approved by a resolution of the UN Security Council and there is no possibility that it can be changed by a single government," state television quoted Rouhani as telling his cabinet.

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Saudi King Salman, meanwhile, expressed hope that Trump would bring stability to the Middle East.

"We wish your excellency success in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide," Salman said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also congratulated Trump on his "historic victory", saying his election is "indeed the triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights and free enterprise".

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to work "very closely" with Trump, saying "Canada has no closer friend, partner, and ally than the United States".

"We look forward to working very closely with President-elect Trump, his administration, and with the United States Congress in the years ahead, including on issues such as trade, investment and international peace and security," Trudeau said in a statement.

Turkey also joined other countries in sending congratulatory message to Trump, expressing hopes for a "new page" in relations.

"I congratulate Mr Trump and I wish him success," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in a speech in Ankara. He said that he has urged Trump to extradite as soon as possible the US-based Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of masterminding the July coup bid.

Meanwhile, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt invoked Brexit on Twitter, saying, "looks like this will be the year of the double disaster of the West".

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also greeted Trump on his historic win, taking to the microblogging site to extend their wishes.

"My warm congratulations to US president-elect Donald J Trump on this historic victory," Sirisena tweeted.

"Congratulations to President elect for this historic win. Your path to the White House has indeed been truly remarkable," Wickremesinghe said. PTI SAI AKJ SAI

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This is a current list of the top 250 companies by market capitalization on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). Learn more .

Many investors understand the reasons for having a diversified portfolio. One way to accomplish this is to diversify within an asset class. For equity investors in the United States this can mean investing in both growth and value stocks.

It can also mean investing in international stocks. And when investors want to do this, they need look no further than our neighbor to the north. Canada has a range of stocks for investors to consider. This article will focus on strategies that investors can use when looking to invest in Canadian stocks.

Why Buy Canadian Stocks?

There are a few reasons for investors to consider Canadian stocks as part of their diversification strategy:

A Large Natural Resources Sector  The sheer size of the country and its location lets investors know that it is an area rich in natural resources. This also means that the country has a source of current and future wealth.

An Advanced Skills-Based Economy  In this regard, Canada is similar to other western nations. The difference is that it is not as common to find these skill-based professions in a country with so many natural resources.

Stability  Canada is not exempt from any problems that impact the global economy. However, the country is known for stable financial and business policies that have kept the economy relatively stable. This Goldilocks economy has meant that many Canadian stocks havent enjoyed the outsized growth of some U.S. equities. However, it also comes with a bit of protection against downside risk.

How Have Canadian Stocks Performed?

According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, there was a time when U.S. stocks and Canadian stocks performed nearly identically. Heres a graph that shows the performance of the S&P 500 Index vs. the TSX Index



Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence

You can see that with a couple of exceptions, the two indexes performed remarkably similar. That all changed around 2012 and Canadian stocks became less attractive.

Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence

This disparity is widely due to one sector, technology. However, Canadian technology stocks have been on the rise. And in 2022, the country is benefiting from renewed interest in materials stocks as well as a spike in commodity prices.

What Are the Best Sectors of Canadian Stocks?

For different reasons finance, materials, and energy stocks are among the best performing stocks as of September 2022. Heres a brief overview of each sector and some of the top names for investors to consider.

Financial  Similar to the United States, Canada has a strong banking industry. Many Canadian banks have a track record of solid performance that can provide long-term value to a portfolio. And several of these stocks pay dividends with attractive yields for investors.

This sector makes up the largest percentage of the TSX at roughly 30%. And the Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY)is the top-weighted constituent in the TSX. Beyond the Royal Bank of Canada some of the other top-performing Canadian financial stocks include:

Materials and Mining  Canadian stocks can be an ideal choice for investors looking to diversify into gold and precious metals without owning the physical metal. Canada has a large natural resources sector. So, its not surprising that there are a number of gold mining companies with Canadian origins. This sector also gives investors exposure to other components in the mining and agriculture sectors. This sector makes up approximately 11.5% of the TSX. Some of the top Canadian materials and mining stocks include:

Energy  Canadian stocks offer both traditional fossil fuel-based energy stocks as well as some renewable energy stocks. This sector makes up approximately 18.5% of the TSX. Some of the top Canadian energy stocks include:

Technology  As mentioned earlier, technology stocks have largely been the domain of the United States. As evidence of this, information technology stocks make up only about 5.5% of the TSX. However, there are a few Canadian companies that have become stars in the new economy being created. Some of the more popular names include:

What Are the Risks of Investing in Canadian Stocks?

One concern about investing in Canadian stocks is that they can be heavily weighted towards cyclical industries. For example, as of February 2022 financials (33.5%), energy (14.8%) and industrials (11.7%) made up nearly 60% of the index. That may be too much for some investors particularly because those sectors all tend to correlate roughly the same way as the economic cycle. But as a long-term play, Canadian stocks are worth considering with a small part of your portfolio.

How to Buy Canadian Stocks

Buy Individual Stocks on a Stock Exchange

Hundreds of Canadian stocks have dual listings on either the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the NASDAQ. This is the most convenient way to get exposure to Canadian stocks because there are no barriers to stock ownership. These shares can be purchased in U.S. dollars directly from the exchange just like purchasing a U.S. stock.

However, for a full list of the best Canadian stocks, investors should look at the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). The TSX is one of the oldest stock exchanges having been founded in 1852. Its also the third largest stock exchange in North America in terms of market capitalization.

The Toronto Stock Exchange includes approximately 1,500 companies. It allows investors to trade stocks, investment trusts, exchange-traded products, bonds, commodities, futures, options, and other derivative products. All transactions on the TSX are executed in Canadian dollars.

Invest in a Mutual Fund or ETF

There are many mutual funds and exchange-traded funds that supply exposure to Canadian stocks. Some funds supply exposure to both U.S. and Canadian stocks. Other funds hold just Canadian stocks. Some examples of those include:

BMO S&P/TSX Capped Composite Index ETF

Horizons S&P/TSX 60 Index ETF

Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap ETF

As with investing in any asset class, investors need to consider their investment objective, time horizon and risk tolerance before choosing a fund that fits their needs. Investors will also want to pay attention to the funds fee structure to ensure youre making the most efficient use of your capital.

The Final Word on Investing in Canadian Stocks

Investing in Canadian stocks is one way for investors to add diversification to their portfolio. MarketBeat provides a list of the top Canadian stocks that trade on the TSX. This is Canadas version of the NYSE or NASDAQ in the United States and includes many of the same stocks.

Thats one advantage of investing in Canadian stocks is that many have a dual listing which removes many of the obstacles that can come with investing in international stocks.

However, investors should be aware that many of the best Canadian stocks are in highly cyclical industries which can lead to underperformance when those sectors are out of favor. Still, due to their relative stability and in some cases an impressive dividend, Canadian stocks may have a place in an investors portfolio.
Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the electric utility, banking, and renewable/sustainable infrastructure investment businesses in the state of Hawaii. It operates in three segments: Electric Utility, Bank, and Other. The Electric Utility segment engages in the production, purchase, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity in the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, and Molokai. Its renewable energy sources and potential sources include wind, solar, photovoltaic, geothermal, wave, hydroelectric, municipal waste, and other biofuels. This segment serves suburban communities, resorts, the United States armed forces installations, and agricultural operations. The Bank segment operates a community bank that offers banking and other financial services to consumers and businesses, including savings and checking accounts; and loans comprising residential and commercial real estate, residential mortgage, construction and development, multifamily residential and commercial real estate, consumer, and commercial loans. This segment operates 42 branches, including 29 branches in Oahu, 6 branches in Maui, 4 branches in Hawaii, 2 branches in Kauai, and 1 branch in Molokai. The Other segment invests in non-regulated renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure in the State of Hawaii. Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. was incorporated in 1891 and is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen France SAS, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Suzhou Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel Ireland Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Brooks Instrument Shanghai Co. Ltd, Buell Industries Inc., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS Australia Pty Limited, CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures Australasia S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Coeur Shanghai Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Denison Mayes Group Limited, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., E2M Production B.V.., E2M Technologies B.V.., E2M Technologies Inc.., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO Holding AG, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, Exhibit 21, FEG Investments L.L.C., Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Filtertek SAS, GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech Taicang Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Belgium B.V., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart International Singapore Pte. Ltd., Hobart Japan K.K., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components Chongqing Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components Langfang Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium B.V., ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS UK Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW China Investment Company Limited, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Construction Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Services Manila Inc., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Contamination Control Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Deutschland GmbH, ITW Diagraph GmbH, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW EU Holdings Ltd., ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.L., ITW European Finance Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Thailand Ltd., ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France Luxembourg S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW Materials Technology Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Ningbo Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology China Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion Shenzhen Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Illinois Tool Works Chile Limitada, Illinois Tool Works ITW Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, Instron Shanghai Ltd., Instron Thailand Limited, International Leasing Company LLC, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., Itw Spraytec, KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems Canada Inc., Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MTS 2 LLC., MTS 3 LLC., MTS China Holdings LLC, MTS Europe Holdings LLC, MTS Holdings France S.a.r.l., MTS Japan Ltd.., MTS Korea Inc.., MTS Systems China Co. Ltd., MTS Systems Corporation, MTS Systems Danmark ApS., MTS Systems Europe B.V., MTS Systems Finance C.V.., MTS Systems Germany GmbH, MTS Systems Holding B.V.., MTS Systems Hong Kong Incorporated, MTS Systems Limited, MTS Systems Norden Aktiebolag, MTS Systems S.r.l, MTS Systems., MTS Systems.., MTS Sytems Do Brazil, MTS Testing Solutions India Private Limited., MTS Testing Systems Canada Ltd., Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology Suzhou Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited Enping, Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners Shanghai Co. 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Ltd, Simco Japan Inc., Simco Nederland B.V., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques  SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes B.V., Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Hong Kong Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Shanghai Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stokvis Tapes Taiwan Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Tianjin Co. Ltd., Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Subsidiaries, Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek China Limited, Teknek Japan Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Kunshan Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta Global Limited, Vesta Guangzhou Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil South Africa Pty Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, and Zip-Pak International B.V..

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KAR Auction Services, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides used vehicle auctions and related vehicle remarketing services for the automotive industry in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. The company operates through two segments, ADESA Auctions and AFC. The ADESA Auctions segment offers whole car auctions and related services to the vehicle remarketing industry through online auctions and auction facilities. It also provides value-added services, such as auction related, transportation, reconditioning, inspection, title and repossession administration and remarketing, vehicle research, and analytical services, as well as data as a service. This segment sells its products and services through vehicle manufacturers, fleet companies, rental car companies, finance companies, and others. As of December 31, 2021, this segment had a network of approximately 70 vehicle logistics center locations in North America. The AFC segment offers floorplan financing, a short-term inventory-secured financing to independent used vehicle dealers; and sells vehicle service contracts. The company provides wheel repair and hail catastrophe response services. It serves vehicle manufacturers, vehicle rental companies, financial institutions, commercial fleets and fleet management companies, and dealer customers. The company was formerly known as KAR Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to KAR Auction Services, Inc. in November 2009. KAR Auction Services, Inc. was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana.
By PTI: From Aditi Khanna

London, Nov 9 (PTI) British Prime Minister Theresa May congratulated Donald Trump on his victory today in the US presidential election, saying Britain and America had an "enduring and special relationship".

"I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next US president following a hard-fought campaign. Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on values of freedom, democracy and enterprise," May said in a statement issued by Downing Street.

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"We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence. I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead," she said.

She has in the past, as UK home secretary, criticised Republican Trumps call for a ban on Muslims entering the US as "divisive, unhelpful and wrong".

"I just think it shows he does not understand the UK and what happens in the UK," she had said in reference to his claims that police in London feared entering some parts of the city due to ghettoisation.

Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn described the US election result as an "unmistakable rejection of a political establishment".

"This is a rejection of a failed economic consensus and a governing elite that has been seen as not to have listened. And the public anger that has propelled Donald Trump to office has been reflected in political upheavals across the world," he said in his statement.

He, however, stressed that he did not agree with all of Trumps views.

"But some of Trumps answers to the big questions facing America, and the divisive rhetoric around them, are clearly wrong. I have no doubt, however, that the decency and common sense of the American people will prevail, and we send our solidarity to a nation of migrants, innovators and democrats," he added.

Other leading figures from the UK also reacted to the news that the American billionaire will take over as the 45th President of the US.

"I believe passionately in the importance of the UK-US relationship and am confident we can take it forward together," said Boris Johnson, UK foreign secretary.

Some others were more candid in their shock withCaroline Lucas, the UKs Green Party co-leader, describing the win as a "dark day".

She said, "On this dark day we extend the hand of friendship to people in the USA who wake up in fear ? we know that you are not defined by the hatred espoused by your new president".

"But its at times like this when we need to unite, learn, resist and hope more than ever before. Today, in whatever ways we can, lets light a candle rather than curse the darkness". PTI AK KUN

--- ENDS ---

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By PTI: New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) Indo-US ties "go beyond" the friendship of the American President and the Indian Prime Minister, US envoy Richard Verma today said after Republican Donald Trumps election as the 45th President of the United States.

Verma, who has Indian roots, stressed that the ties that bind the two countries are built on shared democratic values and go beyond the economic and people-to-people ties. It is "bipartisan", he emphasised.

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Verma, appointed by the Obama administration in 2014, had worked closely with Trumps Democratic contender Hillary Clinton, when she was serving as the Secretary of State.

"The ties that bind our two countries together are built on our shared democratic values, and go beyond the friendship of the American President and the Indian Prime Minister. They go beyond the economic and people-to-people ties.

"The US-India relationship is vitally important, it is bipartisan, and it is only growing stronger. Heres to another four years of robust US-India dosti (friendship)," Verma said in a statement.

Earlier, when Trumps victory was all but a foregone conclusion, Verma expressed confidence that "standing up to terrorism", particularly when it comes to India, would continue to be a priority of the next President.

"I would even say that the US India relationship is now a non-partisan issue, it is such an important foreign policy priority that it is in the top tier. Be confident, whatever the result, US-India relationship will continue to grow and prosper in the coming four years," he said.

He was speaking at the Election Breakfast event in the US embassy premises, attended by US citizens in India, diplomats from several countries, senior journalists and celebrities. MORE PTI SBR PYK RT

--- ENDS ---
W&M alumna becomes 1st Vietnamese-American congresswoman

William & Mary alumna Stephanie Murphy 00 has become the first Vietnamese-American woman elected to Congress, according to an NBC News article.

Murphy, a Democrat, won Floridas 7th Congressional District in Tuesdays election, beating 23-year incumbent John Mica.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you Florida for the faith you have placed in me. I'm incredibly honored, and I will make you proud, Murphy tweeted Tuesday evening.

The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Murphy was the first woman in her family to attend college, according to the NBC News article. She earned a bachelors degree in economics at William & Mary and a masters in foreign service at Georgetown University.

According to her campaign website , Murphy is an instructor at Rollins College and an executive with Sungate Capital in charge of investment efforts and government affairs initiatives. She previously worked as a national security specialist in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense and, before that, as a strategy consultant with Deloitte Consulting.
Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton face the judgement of the voters today as millions of Americans turn out to pick the next US President.

Trump, the New York real estate developer who lives in a gold-plated Manhattan penthouse, forged a striking connection with white, working-class Americans who feel left behind in the changing economy and diversifying country.

By AP: America's ugly and unpredictable presidential election neared the finish Tuesday, with voters finally deciding between Democrat Hillary Clinton, hoping to become the first woman to serve as commander in chief, and Republican Donald Trump, the billionaire businessman who tapped into a searing strain of economic populism. FULL COVERAGE

Clinton appeared to have multiple paths to triumph, while Trump needed to prevail in most of the close, battleground states to secure an upset. Control of the Senate was also at stake, with Democrats needing to net four seats if Clinton wins the White House.

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ALSO READ | Clinton far ahead of Trump on betting exchanges and online markets



As the first results rolled in, Trump claimed victory in reliably Republican Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia, while Clinton won liberal Vermont. Polls also closed in North Carolina and Ohio, each expected to be among the night's most competitive races, but it was too early to call a winner.

Vast divides in race and gender were keeping the contest close in Virginia and Georgia, another pair of hard-fought races. About 9 in 10 black voters and two-thirds of Hispanics in each state were backing Clinton, while most whites supported Trump, according to exit polls. Women in both states were far more likely than men to support Clinton.

KEEP WHITE HOUSE IN DEMOCRATIC HANDS: CLINTON



Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in Democratic hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Barack Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his signature health care law.

"I know how much responsibility goes with this," Clinton said after voting Tuesday at her local polling station in Chappaqua, New York, with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at her side. "So many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country, and I will do the very best I can if I'm fortunate enough to win today."

Trump, the New York real estate developer who lives in a gold-plated Manhattan penthouse, forged a striking connection with white, working-class Americans who feel left behind in the changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of many problems plaguing the nation and called for building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"I see so many hopes and so many dreams out there that didn't happen, that could have happened, with leadership, with proper leadership," he said by telephone on Fox News before casting his own ballot in Manhattan. "And people are hurt so badly."

Seven in 10 Americans who went to the polls Tuesday said immigrants now in the country illegally should be allowed to stay, while just a quarter said they should be deported. More than half oppose building a border wall, according to the exit polls, which were conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.

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FORMER PRESIDENT W.BUSH WON'T BACK TRUMP

The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

Trump set both parties on edge when he refused to say in the third and final debate whether he would accept the election's results, citing with no evidence the possibility of a rigged outcome. His statement threatened to undermine a fundamental pillar of American democracy and raised the prospect that his fervent supporters would not view Clinton as a legitimate president if she won.

Asked Tuesday in an interview with Fox News if he would accept the election results, Trump continued to demur, saying "We're going to see how things play out."

Most problems that did pop up at polling places Tuesday appeared to be routine - the kinds of snags that come every four years, including long lines, machines not working properly and issues with ballots or voter rolls.

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Even before Tuesday, almost 45 million people had cast ballots for president. Many expressed relief the end was in sight after an election season in which personal attacks often drowned out the issues.

Clinton has denounced Trump for calling Mexican immigrants "rapists" and promoting a ban on Muslims entering the U.S., and for his long line of remarks about women that culminated in an audio in which he bragged about grabbing their genitals. Her campaign was hoping high turnout among Hispanics push her over the top in states like Florida and Nevada.

"I grew up in a Hispanic family, and the way that Donald Trump has referred to illegal immigrants - being from illegal immigrants, I took that to heart," said Angel Salazar, a 22-year-old sanitation associate from Oklahoma City. "I don't like anything that he said. I don't like his views. So I voted for Hillary Clinton because she supports us."



TRUMP CALLS RIVAL CROOKED HILLARY

Trump called his opponent "Crooked Hillary" for her use of a private email server as secretary of state and her complicated ties to the family's Clinton Foundation.

In the final days, Clinton was buoyed by FBI Director James Comey's weekend declaration that he wouldn't recommend criminal charges against her following a new email review. Comey announced the inquiry late last month, sapping Clinton's surging momentum and threatening Democrats in down-ballot races.

--- ENDS ---

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Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump fighting for Florida, North Carolina and Ohio, three of the nation's most competitive states.

By AP: America's ugly and unpredictable presidential election barreled toward the finish Tuesday night, with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump fighting for Florida, North Carolina and Ohio, three of the nation's most competitive states.FULL COVERAGE

Clinton, a fixture in American politics for decades, was hoping to become the first woman to serve as commander in chief. She faced stiff competition from Trump, the billionaire businessman who tapped into a searing strain of economic populism.

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Trump picked up a number of reliably Republican states, while Clinton won in Democratic territory. But the race was expected to be determined by fewer than a dozen competitive states where the candidates spent millions of dollars and much of the fall wooing voters.

It was too early to call the contests in several where polls had closed: Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

Control of the Senate was also at stake, with Democrats needing to net four states if Clinton wins the White House. Republican Rep. Todd Young won the Senate seat in Indiana, once seen as a prime pickup opportunity for Democrats. Republican Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Rob Portman of Ohio also won their re-election bids.

The 45th president will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture. The economy has rebounded from the depths of recession, though many Americans have yet to benefit. New terror threats from home and abroad have raised security fears.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in her party's hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Barack Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his signature health care law.

"I know how much responsibility goes with this," Clinton said after voting Tuesday at her local polling station in Chappaqua, New York, with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at her side. "So many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country, and I will do the very best I can if I'm fortunate enough to win today."

Trump, the New York real estate developer who lives in a gold-plated Manhattan penthouse, forged a striking connection with white, working-class Americans who feel left behind in the changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of many problems plaguing the nation and called for building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"I see so many hopes and so many dreams out there that didn't happen, that could have happened, with leadership, with proper leadership," he said by telephone on Fox News before casting his own ballot in Manhattan. "And people are hurt so badly."

advertisement

Seven in 10 Americans who went to the polls Tuesday said immigrants now in the country illegally should be allowed to stay, while just a quarter said they should be deported. More than half oppose building a border wall, according to the exit polls, which were conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.

The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

Trump set both parties on edge when he refused to say in the third and final debate whether he would accept the election's results, citing with no evidence the possibility of a rigged outcome. His statement threatened to undermine a fundamental pillar of American democracy and raised the prospect that his fervent supporters would not view Clinton as a legitimate president if she won.

Asked Tuesday in an interview with Fox News if he would accept the election results, Trump continued to demur, saying "We're going to see how things play out."

Most problems that did pop up at polling places Tuesday appeared to be routine - the kinds of snags that come every four years, including long lines, machines not working properly and issues with ballots or voter rolls.

advertisement

Even before Tuesday, almost 45 million people had cast ballots for president. Many expressed relief the end was in sight after an election season in which personal attacks often drowned out the issues.

Clinton has denounced Trump for calling Mexican immigrants "rapists" and promoting a ban on Muslims entering the U.S., and for his long line of remarks about women that culminated in an audio in which he bragged about grabbing their genitals. Her campaign was hoping high turnout among Hispanics push her over the top in states like Florida and Nevada.

"I grew up in a Hispanic family, and the way that Donald Trump has referred to illegal immigrants - being from illegal immigrants, I took that to heart," said Angel Salazar, a 22-year-old sanitation associate from Oklahoma City. "I don't like anything that he said. I don't like his views. So I voted for Hillary Clinton because she supports us."

advertisement

Trump called his opponent "Crooked Hillary" for her use of a private email server as secretary of state and her complicated ties to the family's Clinton Foundation.

In the final days, Clinton was buoyed by FBI Director James Comey's weekend declaration that he wouldn't recommend criminal charges against her following a new email review. Comey announced the inquiry late last month, sapping Clinton's surging momentum and threatening Democrats in down-ballot races.

--- ENDS ---
Religion continues to play a critical role in the development of Ghana. Religion influences almost everything in the daily lives of the Ghanaian from family life, economic activities, education, to any facet of life. Christianity is the main religion in Ghana with 72% of the population being members of the various Christian denominations in the country. Islam is the secondary religion in the country with a following of about 17.6% of the population. Religious tolerance is very high in Ghana. However, there are no major links between ethnicity and religion in the country. The major religions in Ghana include;

Religious beliefs

Christianity

Christianity is the largest and the most popular religion in Ghana with approximately 72% of the population identifying with it. The number of Christians has risen steadily from 43% in the 1960s to the current 72%. Christianity was brought into Ghana by the Europeans who arrived on the Gold Coast in the 15th Century during the exploration of West Africa. However, the Presbyterians and the Methodist missionaries are ones who laid the foundation for Christian churches in Ghana in the 19th century. The Christian activities increased rapidly during the colonial period which also the establishment of social amenities including mission schools and other church-related institutions. Pentecostal Protestant forms the Christian majority and the dominating religion in Ghana with a following of 28.3% of the population. The Pentecostals believe in salvation and the working of the Holy Spirit. 18.4% of Ghanaians are non-Pentecostal protestant Anglicans, Presbyterians, and Methodists. Catholic Christian form 13.1% of the population while other Christian denominations including Latter Days Saints, Seventh Day Adventists, Baptists, and Lutherans have a following of 11.4% of the population.

Islam

Islam is the second most popular religion in Ghana after Christianity with a following of 17.6% of the population. The majority of Muslims in Ghana are Sunni with only 8% of the Muslims belonging to the Shia branch. Islam entered into the Northern territory of Ghana in the 15th century as a result of trading activities between the native Muslims and the Sahelian tribe of West Africa. The Muslim population in Ghana is concentrated in the Northern Ghana and among the communities of Zongo who are scattered across the country. The Sunni Muslims in Ghana follow the Maliki School and Sufism which embraces brotherhood for purification. The Ahmaddiya Muslim community is the oldest in Ghana who have managed to convert several Christians to Islam. The culture and religious practices of Muslims in Ghana are similar to those of other Muslims around the world. They believe in Quran and the five pillars of Islam and also observe the Islamic holidays.

Traditional African Belief

Traditional African Belief continues to have a significant influence in Ghana because of the intimate relation to local mores and family loyalties. People express their belief in Supreme Being locally referred to as Nyogmo, Mawu, and Nyame. There are also lesser gods who live in streams, rivers, mountains, and forests and as such these places are regarded as sacred. Traditionally, ancestors and the spirit of the dead are also recognized in the cosmological order and the spirit world considered real. The ancestors are the immediate link between the living and the spiritual world.

Religious Tolerance In Ghana

Despite the rivalry between Muslims and Christian, especially in the Middle East, the major religious groups have an excellent relationship. Major Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter are recognized as a national holiday. Muslims in Ghana are also allowed to celebrate their holidays and festivals including Ramadan. Traditional religious festivals such as Apoo are also celebrated freely in the country. Other religious groups such as Buddhists, Hinduism, and the irreligion or atheist have the freedom to exercise their beliefs.
Buddhist stupas are sacred Buddhist sites that attract a large number of tourists due to their architectural beauty.The stupas are significant both in the development of the Buddhist religion throughout the centuries as well as in the preservation of the heritage of the religion. The stupas are found in Different countries of Asia where Buddhism is widespread

12. What Is A Stupa? -

A stupa is a Buddhist monument usually built to commemorate certain events in a Buddhas life, to keep important sacred relics, and for burying the remains of monks and other saintly personalities related to Buddhism. The construction of stupas dates back to the 2nd or 3rd century when they were mainly mounds of earth used for burying the Buddha. A majority of these stupas wore out over time. More durable stupas were first constructed during the 4th century. Basically, there are five types of stupas based on the functions they are created to serve. The relic stupas serve as Buddha and the disciples burial place, the object stupas which house the objects of sacred importance to Buddhism that belonged to the Buddha or his disciples. The commemorative stupas are built in memory of the important events of a Buddhas life or that of his disciples, symbolic stupas symbolise various religious components of Buddhist theology, and votive stupas which are built in sites of the most visited stupas.

11. The Great Stupa At Sanchi -

The Great Stupa is the oldest known Stupa built in the 3rd century BCE. The stupa is made from stone with a cylindrical bottom and a solid hemispherical dome. The stupa has some inscriptions and symbols, the statue of a Buddha and a variety of sacred decorations. The stupa is surrounded by elaborately decorated gateways (four) and a railing. The stupa was built over Buddhas relics. The stupa went through a series of improvements and additions from the time it was first constructed in the 12th century. During the early Sunga period, the stupa is said to have been demolished but was later reconstructed by the emperors son. The stupa was rediscovered in 1818 by a British historian. The conditions of the stupa and the surrounding monuments were restored after years of archaeological exploration during the 19th century. The Stupa and its monuments were named the UNESCO world cultural heritage sites in 1989.

10. Boudhanath Stupa In Kathmandu -

The Boudhanath Stupa is located in Nepal and is one of the largest stupas in the world built around 590-604CE by King Sivadeca. The stupa is surrounded by myths about its construction among them the Padmasambhvana Buddhism, the myths of the Holy Stupa and the Tibetan Buddhist mythology. The stupa housed the remains of Buddha Kassapa after his death. The stupa has a height of 36m, a hemispherical dome, a broad mandala, two Buddha eyes above the dome and a series of thirteen steps above which is an umbrella and the pinnacle. It is believed that circumambulations around the stupa after a sin give one another chance to atone for their sins. The stupa was famous to Tibetan traders and other Buddhists who rested there to make prayers. The Tibetans have constructed about 50 monasteries around the stupa. The stupa acquired the UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1979. The stupa had to be repaired in 2015 after the strong earthquake that hit Nepal in 2015 which destroyed the structure above the dome.

9. The Great Stupa At Amaravathi -

The stupa is located in Amaravathi, India and was first built in the 3rd century BCE. Its ruins were discovered by a British archaeologist in 1797 after which more archaeological excavations led to the destruction of the remaining section of the stupa. The bricks that had formerly been used in the construction were used by local people to construct their houses. Major Colin Mackenzie, the archaeologist who discovered the Amaravathi ruins started the recovery process in 1816 by first sketching the plan of how the stupa looked like before its damage. Sculptures and other valuable artifacts were taken from the site and kept in the Madras Museum, and others moved to the British Library. The site is placed in the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India.

8. The Swayambhunath Stupa Of Kathmandu Valley -

The Buddhist stupa in Kathmandu valley is an ancient religious site founded around the 5th century CE. The stupa has a dome above which is a cubical structure with Buddhas all-seeing eyes facing all directions. The stupa is home to a large number of artifacts. At the base of the stupa are several Buddha statues and five Buddha carvings at each of the four corners. Most Buddhists and Hindu pilgrims revere the stupa and have to make circumambulations every morning in a clockwise direction. Around the stupa are some shrines and temples some of which are centuries old. The stupa has undergone some renovations with the latest being in 2015 after the Nepal earthquake.

7. Dhamek Stupa Of Sarnath -

The Dhamek stupa was initially built for burying penitents in a seated position. Buddhas ashes were cremated and buried under eight separate mounds and two others for the embers and the urn. The Dhamek Stupa was built in 500CE to commemorate Buddhas activities in the region. The stupa was built as a large circular mound surrounded by large stones. The Dhamek Stupa is the place where the Buddha, after he became enlightened, first preached to his five disciples. Though the stupa has been enlarged severally, the upper parts remain unfinished.

6. The Phra Pathommachedi Stupa Of Thailand -

The Phra Pathommachedi stupa is the tallest in the world at the height of 395ft and circumference of about 236m. The stupa is a temple that was built around 193BCE. Archaeologists date the stupa to around the fourth century though its first mention in the Buddhist scriptures was in 675. There are several legends surrounding the construction of the stupa among them the legend of Phya Gong and Phaya Phan. The ruins of the Stupa were discovered by a monk in 1831who was denied permission to restore the Stupa. The Stupa was later rebuilt in 1832 in a Sri Lankan style, and a new temple was also built.

5. Bharhut Stupa Of Satna -

The stupa was constructed by King Ashok in the third century although artifacts started being kept in the stupa during the Shunga period in the second century. The stupa has been extensively destroyed with only the founding pillars left standing. Parts of the stupas railings and the gateways are preserved in the Indian Museum at Calcutta. The site was excavated by Alexander Cunningham recording the work in the form of photographs.

4. Shingardar Stupa Of Swat valley -

The stupa was built between the 3rd and 4th centuries. The original dome of the stupa has never been destroyed unlike most of the other stupas. The stupa was built by a king of Swat to store his relics of Buddha. The monument is one of the remains of the monuments from the Buddhist era which number up to a thousand.

3. One Hundred And Eight Stupas Of Ningxia, China -

The array of these Buddhist stupas was constructed by the Western Xia. The stupas are arranged in twelve rows, each with an odd number of stupas.The number 108 and the odd numbers are significant in Buddhism. These stupas have undergone a series of renovations over the centuries thus they have lost some of their original characteristics except the location and organization; the height, width, and form have changed. The area surrounding the stupas has been made a tourist site with reception facilities as well as an exhibition which has documented the history of the stupas.

2. Borobudur Stupa Of Magelang -

Borobudur stupa was built in the 9th century as a Buddhist temple during the Sailedera Dynasty. The temple has more than 200 relief panels and about 500 statues of the Buddha. The monument serves as both a shrine for the Buddha as well as a pilgrimage place for the Buddhists. Borobudur is the largest Buddhist monument and temple in the world. Several renovations throughout the centuries have been important in the preservation of the monument with the most extensive renovation in the late 20th century. The monument has been identified as a UNESCO world heritage site making it a major tourist attraction.

1. Ruwanwelisaya Stupa Of Sri Lanka -

The stupa was built by King Dutugemunu in around 140BC. The stupa is one of the largest monuments in the world at 103m with a circumference of 290m. The stupa is sacred among the Buddhists in the world. The monument existed as a ruin during the 19th century and was renovated in the 20th century.
Students at several Des Moines area high schools staged walkouts Wednesday morning to protest Donald Trump's election victory.

Valley High School vice principal David Maxwell said students were given about 15 minutes to protest before they had to return to class. He said some returned, others didn't.

Des Moines Central students gathered outside chanting Dump Trump along with other anti-Trump slogans. They also held up signs that read #NotMyPresident and Lead w/ Love.

The Des Moines School District noted that the majority of students are minorities and said the presidential campaign rhetoric raised "concerns and divisions" among students, their friends and families. The district says it won't "stand in the way of our students peacefully expressing their concerns."

Student walkouts were also reported in Seattle and Berkeley, California.
Trump held slight leads in the vital battleground states of Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio on Tuesday.

By Reuters: Republican Donald Trump held slight leads in the vital battleground states of Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio on Tuesday, clinging to a narrow advantage over Democrat Hillary Clinton in key states that could decide their race for the White House.

With voting completed in more than two-thirds of the 50 U.S. states, the race was too close to call in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Virginia, leaving the race for the White House on a knife's edge.

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ALSO READ | US Presidential Election Results: Republicans defend US House majority, Senate on razor's edge



Both candidates scored victories in states where they were expected to win. Trump captured conservative states in the South and Midwest, while Clinton swept several states on the East Coast and Illinois in the Midwest.

But Trump's slight edge in Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio gave him an early advantage in the state-by-state fight for 270 Electoral College votes needed to win.

Clinton had more options to reach 270, with Trump needing a virtual sweep of about six toss-up states to win. But a Trump win in those four states would make it nearly impossible for Clinton to clinch the White House.

With 94 percent of the vote counted in Florida, Trump led Clinton by about 140,000 votes out of 9 million cast. In Virginia, with 76 percent counted, Trump led by 60,000 votes out of 2.9 million cast. With 55 percent of the vote counted in Ohio, Trump led by about 275,000 votes out of 3 million cast.

As of 9:30 p.m. EST (0230 GMT on Wednesday), Trump had 133 electoral votes to Clinton's 104, with U.S. television networks projecting the winner in 25 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Clinton is seen by financial markets as more likely to ensure financial and political stability and as the early election results showed a close battle, the U.S. dollar skidded in wild Asian trade on Wednesday.

Much of the action was in currencies where the Mexican peso has become a touchstone for sentiment on the election, as Trump's trade policies are seen as damaging to Mexico's export-heavy economy.

Going into Election Day, Clinton led Trump, 44 percent to 39 percent in the last Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll. A Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation poll gave her a 90 per cent chance of defeating Trump and becoming the first woman elected U.S. president.

Also at stake on Tuesday was control of Congress. Television networks projected Republicans would retain control of the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs.

In the Senate, where Republicans were defending a slim four-seat majority, Democrats scored their first breakthrough in Illinois when Republican Senator Mark Kirk lost re-election. But Republicans Rob Portman in Ohio and Marco Rubio in Florida won high-profile Senate re-election fights.

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In a presidential campaign that focused more on the character of the candidates than on policy, Clinton, 69, a former U.S. secretary of state, and Trump, 70, a New York businessman, accused each other of being fundamentally unfit to lead the country.

Trump again raised the possibility on Tuesday of not accepting the election's outcome, saying he had seen reports of voting irregularities. He gave few details and Reuters could not immediately verify the existence of such problems.



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With voting completed in 44 of the 50 U.S. states, the race was tight in Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, leaving the race for the White House on a knife's edge.

By Reuters: Republican Donald Trump won the key battleground state of Ohio on Tuesday and led Democrat Hillary Clinton in a series of other states that were too close to call, including Florida and North Carolina, in a surprisingly close race for the White House.

STOCK MARKETS SLAMS INTO REVERSE IN WILD ASIAN TRADE



The U.S. dollar sank and stock markets slammed into reverse in wild Asian trade on Wednesday as early results pointed to a nail-biter and investors stampeded to safe-haven assets.

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ALSO READ | That sinking feeling: Dollar plunges as markets fear shock win



Sovereign bonds and gold shot higher while the Mexican peso went into near free-fall as investors faced the possibility of a Trump win. Investors worry a victory by the New York businessman could cause economic and global uncertainty.

RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE ON KNIFE'S EDGE



With voting completed in 44 of the 50 U.S. states, the race was tight in Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, leaving the race for the White House on a knife's edge.

Trump's win in Ohio, with 18 electoral votes, and his edge in Florida and North Carolina gave him an early advantage in the state-by-state fight for 270 Electoral College votes needed to win.

ALSO READ | US Presidential Election Results: Republicans defend US House majority, Senate on razor's edge



Clinton had more options to reach 270, with Trump needing a virtual sweep of about six toss-up states to win. But a Trump win in all those three states would leave Clinton needing to win the remaining battlegrounds including Pennsylvania, Michigan and either Nevada or New Hampshire.

Both candidates scored victories in states where they were expected to win. Trump captured conservative states in the South and Midwest, while Clinton swept several states on the East Coast and Illinois in the Midwest.

After running close throughout the night in Virginia, Clinton pulled out the swing state that is home to her running mate, Senator Tim Kaine.

At 8:55 p.m. EST (0155 GMT on Wednesday), Clinton acknowledged a battle that was unexpectedly tight given her edge in opinion polls going into Election Day.

HILLARY CLINTON ON MICRO-BLOGGING SITE TWITTER



She tweeted: "This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything."

With 95 per cent of the vote counted in Florida, Trump led Clinton by about 130,000 votes out of 9 million cast. In North Carolina, Trump led by about 100,00 votes out of 3.9 million cast.

As of 10:35 p.m. EST (0335 GMT on Wednesday), Trump had 167 electoral votes to Clinton's 131, with U.S. television networks projecting the winner in 31 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

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Before Tuesday's election, Clinton led Trump, 44 per cent to 39 per cent in the last Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll. A Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation poll gave her a 90 percent chance of defeating Trump and becoming the first woman elected U.S president.

Also at stake on Tuesday was control of Congress. Television networks projected Republicans would retain control of the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs.

In the Senate, where Republicans were defending a slim four-seat majority, Democrats scored their first breakthrough in Illinois when Republican Senator Mark Kirk lost re-election. But Republicans Rob Portman in Ohio and Marco Rubio in Florida won high-profile Senate re-election fights.

In a presidential campaign that focused more on the character of the candidates than on policy, Clinton, 69, a former U.S. secretary of state, and Trump, 70, accused each other of being fundamentally unfit to lead the country.

Trump again raised the possibility on Tuesday of not accepting the election's outcome, saying he had seen reports of voting irregularities. He gave few details and Reuters could not immediately verify the existence of such problems.



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--- ENDS ---
On Saturday, Chicago police fatally shot 25-year-old Joshua Beal in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood on the citys far southwest side. Beal was visiting Chicago to attend the funeral of his cousin when he was killed by an off-duty police officer. Beal is African-American, while the policemen involved in the incident are white.



The shooting occurred at the intersection of 110th street and South Troy Saturday afternoon. Accounts by witnesses and police differ about the nature of the altercation, which began in the midst of the funeral procession.



Police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said that an off-duty firefighter got into an argument with one of the motorists moving along 110th street. The firefighter told the driver to move the car as it was blocking the fire station on 110th; the firefighter himself was not assigned to that station.



The situation escalated into a larger argument involving multiple people. An off-duty police officer who was in a nearby barber shop jumped into the altercation. The off-duty officer drew his weapon at the crowd, inflaming the situation even further. Another off-duty police sergeant in uniform who was driving to work stopped and joined the off-duty cop. According to witness cellphone videos, it appears that Joshua Beal pulled out a gun at this point and within a few seconds multiple shots can be heard and the crowd flees. Its not clear if Beal was shot by one or both officers.



Beal, who was from Indianapolis, was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead, according to the Chicago Tribune. Chicago police gunned my baby down like a vicious animal, Tiffaney Boxley, Beals mother told the press. They shot him twice in the back and three times in his front.



Chicago Police Department (CPD) Superintendent Eddie Johnson on Monday claimed he did not see any clear violations of department policy after watching cellphone videos of the incident. Police spokesman Guglielmi added that what was reviewed today was inconclusive to determine whether there were any training violations, and that the widely discredited Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) would look into the case further.



Witness accounts differ sharply from the CPD statements. They claim that the altercation began before the fire station on 110th. Courtney Boxley, Beals sister, told the Tribune that her 17-year-old sister was cut off by the off-duty police officers unmarked vehicle. He just came out of nowhere cut me off, and was behind my little sister and tried to run her off the road, Boxley said.



The officer then pulled out the gun and kept pointing at it at Beals sister and the crowd while shouting obscenities. Beals cousin, Casey Fischer, corroborated with a similar story. His sister and the police officer was having words but he didnt say he was a police officer or anything, Fisher told WGN-TV. He was plain clothes and called her a bitch and things like that. She got out of the car. They were arguing. He put a gun to her head. Fischer claimed that the officer also shot at Beal after he was shot initially and continued to shoot.



Cellphone videos from the incident reveal a chaotic situation. The off-duty officer in a red shirt is seen pointing his gun at an angry crowd. Shortly after, Joshua Beal is also seen pulling out what appears to be a gun. Within a few seconds, multiple shots can be heard on the video, but it is not clear what is happening anymore apart from the panicked sounds of a dispersing crowd.



Beals family claimed that he was licensed to carry a weapon in Indiana, while CPD has stated that he was not allowed to in Chicago. While it is not clear if Beal discharged his weapon, witnesses suggest he did not. After the shooting, Beals 28-year old brother, Michael Beal, tackled the off-duty officer to the ground. He was subsequently arrested for attacking an officer and putting him in a chokehold and for aggravated battery of a police officer.



Whatever the exact nature of the shooting in the mayhem that rapidly ensued, it is quite clear that CPD officers inflamed the incident further without attempting to de-escalate a street argument. An off-duty officer in plain clothes very clearly was pointing his gun at a crowd, which in any situation would be terrifying to ordinary bystanders.



Police officers increasingly resort to deadly force all over the country for minor incidents. This year alone over 970 people have been killed by police, according to the Guardian, and thousands are killed every year. Since the events at Ferguson, and the police murder of Michael Brown, little has changed despite mass opposition to police brutality. Under the Obama administration, the police forces have been armed to the teeth with high-grade military weaponspreviously used in Iraq and Afghanistanto crack down on anti-police protests and working class opposition to attacks on democratic rights.



In late September, the Democratic mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, announced a dramatic increase of the police force. Emanuel said he plans to hire nearly 1,000 police officers, detectives and supervisors over the next two years as a part of a so-called crime-fighting initiative. Supported by all layers of the political establishment, this is part of an aggressive campaign by the Democratic Party to ramp up the powers of the state in response to the broader social crisis.



The plan was announced in a widely touted speech Emanuel delivered at Malcolm X College. In his speech, Emanuel called for more policing, blamed workers for lack of mentorship of youth, blamed young people for their poor choices, and blustered about new programs to mentor teenagers and provide further opportunities. It offered no accountability for the repeatedly criminal behavior of the CPD and political establishment, most recently in the cover-up of 17-year-old Laquan McDonalds murder by the police.



Emanuels speech served as damage control, and covered over the diversion of public funds to the police and to corporate interests. Under his tenure, social polarization in Chicago has become more and more acute, as tax incentives and giveaways lure major corporations to downtown real estate, and prompt developers to pour billions into developing luxury housing within a limited downtown radius, while vast expanses of the city, particularly in the South and West side, receive pitifully small amounts of funding.



The rise of violence in Chicago is a product of the overall social crisis in the cityafter decades of deindustrialization and the decimation of good-paying jobs for workers and young people. Instead of providing jobs or good education opportunities for young people, the political establishment, including figures such as Emanuel and others, see the need for greater policing to deal with social opposition to come. Indeed, CPD Superintendent Johnson recently made an appeal to activists in Black Lives Matter to join the police force instead of protesting police violence.



Emanuel and the Democratic Party in Chicago and across the United States are ramping up the forces of the state, while promising cosmetic reform that does little to stop the ongoing reign of police violence. The police killing of Joshua Beal only further demonstrates the hollow character of such claims.

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Directed by Sonia Kennebeck

The US drone assassination program epitomizes the criminality of the Barack Obama administration and the American military-intelligence machinery.

Launched under George W. Bush in 2002, drone warfare is part of the explosion of American militarism aimed at establishing US global hegemony. That drone strikes constitute war crimes under international law has not slowed their pace. Far from it. The British human rights organization, Reprieve, currently estimates the US has used drones to execute without trial some 4,700 peoplethat we know of.

The new documentary by Sonia Kennebeck, National Bird, takes on Americas use of lethal drones. The films title points to the fact that the drone, and not the bald eagle (chosen in the midst of the American Revolutionary War in 1782), should now be identified as the national emblem.

Produced by filmmakers Wim Wenders and Errol Morris, the movie brings to light the story of three whistleblowers who speak about their experiences in the drone program. The New York-based Kennebeck (born in Malaysia), also traveled to Afghanistan to interview civilian victims of US attacks.

The documentary presents a wealth of significant material. Its most serious limitation is the failure to challenge head-on the legitimacy of the war on terror. The latter is the justification for the US drone strikes that have killed thousands in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia and terrorized far broader sections of the populations in those nations. All of this has been done behind the backs of the American people.

The production notes for National Bird explain that aerial combat drones are the tip of the spear in a secret war waged remotely by thousands of service members, men and women, who are bound to silence. Many missions are highly classified, and the official tally of civilian (non-combatant) deaths, first reported in July 2016, has been criticized by many NGOs as misleadingly low. But U.S. government officials, including President Obama, are adamant in their assurances that combat drones are precise and effective weapons that kill verified enemies and minimize military casualties, while preventing unnecessary civilian deaths.

The notes continue: Heavily armed Reaper or Predator drones fly miles above the ground and use their cameras to track human targets for days or even weeks, like invisible stalkers. This image is heavily promoted by the military. One U.S. Air Force recruitment commercial begins with what looks like a combat scene from a video game: U.S. soldiers march through a desert, anticipating an enemy attack. A military drone, operated by pilots in a control room somewhere in the U.S., is supporting the ground troops from the air, and targets hostile snipers. The slogan Its not science fiction, punctuates the scene.

National Bird reveals that drone pilots and analysts are eyewitnesses to the fatal blows delivered by their strikes. They further observe the horror of the victims families as they collect the remains of their loved ones. As a result, many of the pilots themselves suffer acute psychological trauma, exacerbated by the fact that due to the secret nature of their work, they cannot discuss the details of these experiences, either with professionals or even with family members.

Kennebeck began her research three years ago by speaking to veterans organizations and activists. She subsequently familiarized herself with the drone program through declassified military and investigative reports on drone strikes. The three main human subjects in her film are Heather, Daniel and Lisa.

Heather grew up in Pennsylvania and was recruited by the US Air Force at age 18 while attending community college. Stationed in the US, she worked with drones that flew over Afghanistan and Iraq, participating in her first mission when she was 20 years old.

Daniel, from rural Tennessee, was a private contractor and former signals intelligence analyst. Unable to pay for his college tuition, he was homeless when he enlisted in the Air Force. He was deployed to Afghanistan, where he was assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to track down targets for drone attacks.

Lisa joined the military as an army medic and nurse. She was transferred to an intelligence squadron and eventually worked on a weapons system that found and killed targets. Each of the three had a top-secret clearance.

Also featured is Jesselyn Radack, an attorney in the US who has represented a number of the most prominent national security and intelligence community whistleblowers, including Edward Snowden.

Heather, Kennebecks film shows us, is a tormented soul. She can hardly get through an interview segment without unraveling emotionally. She suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. She is in constant pain and absolute despair. An experience like no other, Heather explains, is watching someone in their dying moments, a nightmare for which she is responsible. I dont know how many people Ive killed  the drone program is wrong, she asserts, adding that surgical strikes are not possible. She was one of the first analysts to publicly criticize the use of drones.

Daniel joined the military out of desperation. He was homelesson my last legs. In addition to his war trauma, Daniel faces prosecution under the Espionage Act for speaking out. He describes an FBI raid in which 30 to 50 agents broke into his apartment. Attorney Radack explains that since 1917, only 12 people have been prosecuted under the Espionage Act. Daniel is in danger of becoming the 13th.

The interview and other footage is interspersed with aerial cinematography meant to convey the presence of an omnipresent spying apparatus. Kennebeck comments in the films press notes that we are turning the camera around to make our audience understand what it feels like to live under constant surveillance.

What makes National Bird unusual is that it concerns itself not just with US imperialisms American victims, but also its overseas victims. While the film contains many moving segments, the footage from Afghanistan is some of the most devastating.

To her considerable credit, Kennebeck chose to find and interview survivors of a February 2010 US drone strike in which 23 family members were killed. One woman weeps over the deaths of two children, four and six years old. Others are missing limbs. All have suffered horrific consequences from the bombing.

As the documentarian states in an interview: We took our time with the Afghan protagonists to get to know them before we set up the main interviews. We wanted to be sensitive and also give them the same attention that we gave our U.S. protagonists, as much as it was possible in a warzone. The filming circumstances were difficult but my director of photography was incredibly respectful and his cinematography reflects that. When we spoke to the Afghan survivors it became immediately clear that they wanted to tell their stories and wanted their voices to be heard by the world community.

The filmmaker also has actors portray the Predator crew as they prepared and launched the murderous February 2010 assault. The callous, heartless dialogue is taken from the actual transcript.

A deeply disturbing movie, National Bird, however, as noted above, has definite and identifiable limitations. It removes the drone program from the quarter century of almost perpetual war conducted by the US government, military and intelligence. It would seem reasonable to ask: why has the drone program, which has earned the hatred of tens of millions around the world, been implemented? What is the desperate, geopolitical purpose? Kennebecks film is silent on these larger issues.

In the films production notes, the director remarks that she wants to enliven the public debate and enrich the existing discourse. But what public debate is she referring to? What existing discourse? During the 2016 presidential campaign, there was not one word said about the drone program by the Democratic and Republican candidates. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump fully agreed on the need to continue these bloody attacks.

Kennebeck therefore is reduced to clutching at straws. She turns, for example, to retired US Army general Stanley McChrystal for assistance. Her decision to present the latter in a positive light apparently stems from his investigation into the above-mentioned February 2010 drone bombing.

McChrystal occasionally postures as a populist and a maverick, but his hands are soaked with blood from his time as commander of US and international forces in Afghanistan. The retired general is now pushing for an obligatory year of national service for American youth, which would only be the prelude to the introduction of conscription. That would result in vast numbers of new Heathers, Daniels and Lisas. It is an indication of the current political vacuum that McChrystal could possibly be depicted as a human rights sympathizer.

That being said, National Bird is a remarkable film for its concentration on one of the principal deadly tools in the prosecution of Americas endless wars.
On November 5, the Socialist Equality Party and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality held a conference, Socialism vs. Capitalism and War, at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

Andre Damon, IYSSE national secretary, gave the first report to the conference: The Global Crisis and the Danger of World War. The report examined the past quarter century of unending war, including 15 years of the war on terror in the Middle East and Central Asia.

Damon reviewed the moves by the United States to militarily encircle Russia and China and the discussions taking place behind closed doors on the need to prepare for a war involving large nation-states that will entail a level of violence and killing not seen since the Korean War.
The German elites are using the US presidential election and the dirtiest election campaign of modern times (Der Spiegel) as an excuse to promote the return of German militarism.

In the past week, the World Socialist Web Site commented on a paper of the German government-connected think tank Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), titled Even without Trump much will change. It calls for a more aggressive German and European foreign policy that is ready, whatever the election result to pursue economic and geopolitical aims independently of the United States and, if necessary, against Washington.

Just before the election, a column on Spiegel Online provided a taste of what this means. Under the title, How Trump could force Germany to rearm, a certain Henrik Muller forecasts: Should Donald Trump be elected US president on Tuesday, Germany will face a great debate regarding rearming. It could become the decisive theme of the [German] federal elections in 2017an intense controversy with the potential to divide the country.

But also if Hillary Clinton wins, Germany would face high costs. Germany would not be able to continue as before, neither politically nor economically. The US elections were a turning point. With a win for Trump, the post-war era, when Americas nuclear shield and its European military presence initially provided protection for the West and later the Central European countries, ... is finally over. Europe would have to provide its own security and in particular, Germany, the continents largest economy.

This will be expensive, states Muller, a professor of journalism who teaches at the University of Dortmund and has a doctorate from the University of the Bundeswehr [Armed Forces] Hamburg. Until now, Germany spent comparatively little for the military: just 1.19 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). That lies well below the NATO limit of 2 per cent, to which the members of the military alliance had agreed in 2002. Britain spends twice as much on arms and soldiers in relation to GDP, the United States three times as much.

The scenario outlined by Muller recalls the German armaments madness on the eve of the First and Second World Wars: it ranges from the doubling of the military budget to the acquisition of nuclear weapons! Instead of the current 37 billion euros per year, in future Germany must spend 80 billion, perhaps even more, writes Muller. In the event of NATO breaking apart and the complete elimination of the American security guarantee, a new arms race could be the result, as is happening elsewhere in the world already. Even a debate on Germanys own nuclear weapons would be conceivable.

Although this was not desirable, warns Muller, Military instability and economic inefficiency would be the consequences. For Europe, it would be much better and cheaper if the United States remained involved. But, Given the isolationist mood across the Atlantic, one must be mentally prepared for such a scenario.

Another reason for the armaments offensive cited by Muller is the deep crisis of the European Union. He writes: Germany would be better prepared for the new situation if the EU was united and strong. But there can be no question of this. Europe is divided and threatened by decay. Accordingly, we must prepare ourselves for Germany facing high costs. One way or another.

While the rearmament plans postulated by Muller are presented as being externally imposed by the deep crises in the US and the EU, in fact, they correspond to official government policy. At the 2014 Munich Security Conference, the Social Democratic Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, speaking for the entire ruling class, said, Germany must be ready for earlier, more decisive and more substantive engagement in the foreign and security policy sphere. It was simply too big merely to comment on world affairs from the sidelines.

At the time, the PSG warned in its resolution The return of German militarism that the post-war order had resolved none of the problems that had led to war. The economic power of the US made possible a temporary stabilisation and the post-war boom. The Cold War not only kept the Soviet Union at bay, but also kept Germany under control. But with the reunification of Germany and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the period in which German business could conduct its affairs in the wake of the US and the German army could restrict itself to national defence was irrevocably over.

It continued: The revival of militarism is the response of the ruling class to the explosive social tensions, the deepening economic crisis and the growing conflicts between European powers. Its aim is the conquest of new spheres of influence, markets and raw materials upon which the export-dependent German economy relies; the prevention of a social explosion by deflecting social tensions onto an external enemy; and the militarization of society as a whole, including the development of an all embracing national surveillance apparatus, the suppression of social and political opposition, and the bringing into line of the media.

This analysis has now been confirmed. But there is a social force that is capable of halting the return of German militarism and the risk of renewed war between the great powers: the international working class. Following the US elections, the struggle waged by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) for the establishment of an international anti-war movement of the working class against imperialism and capitalism takes on even greater urgency.
As the US polls began closing from east to west, there were no signs of large-scale fraud.

By AP: Voters around the country faced long lines, occasional broken machines and some hot tempers on Tuesday, but as the polls began closing from east to west, there were no signs of the large-scale fraud, intimidation or hacking some had feared in the run-up to the presidential election.

The scattered reports of problems mostly involved the sort that arise in every election, including discrepancies in the voter rolls, with no immediate indication of a snag big enough to meaningfully alter the overall vote count.

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ALSO READ | Clinton far ahead of Trump on betting exchanges and online markets



"The biggest surprise is how uneventful things have been with this large a turnout," said Illinois State Board of Elections spokesman Jim Tenuto. "Everyone was expecting more problems than this - and nothing." FULL COVERAGE

In Texas, a computer malfunctioned at a polling place in suburban Houston, and voters were briefly sent to another site more than two miles away. In key battleground North Carolina, a computer problem in the Democratic stronghold of Durham County triggered long lines when election officials had to rely on a paper check-in process. Several precincts there extended their closing times up to an hour.

VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM DOWN



Colorado's voter registration system was down for nearly 30 minutes, though the state said there was no evidence it was hit by hackers. Outside a Florida polling place, a woman campaigning for Donald Trump pepper-sprayed a Hillary Clinton voter.

Some people in North Carolina and Virginia complained they were not on the rolls despite registering through the motor vehicle departments.

The absence of widespread trouble was notable given that the voting unfolded amid repeated but unsubstantiated claims from Republican Donald Trump that the election would somehow be rigged. His exhortations to followers to watch for fraud at the polls gave rise to fears of vigilantism and harassment. There was also anxiety that hackers might attack voting systems.

"Overall, the story that everyone was expecting - mass reports of voter intimidation - hasn't happened," said Wendy Weiser, head of the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU's Law School. "I've definitely seen an uptick in it ... but it's not the overriding story of the election, which certainly ought to be a relief to many."

ELECTION MIGHT NOT BE ON THE UP AND UP



Despite little evidence to support his claims, Trump again suggested that the election might not be on the up-and-up. His campaign announced that it was seeking an investigation in the battleground state of Nevada over reports that some early voting locations had allowed people to get in line after poll closing times.

In an interview on Fox News, Trump would not commit to accepting the outcome of the election.

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"We're going to see how things play out today and hopefully they will play out well and hopefully we won't have to worry about it," he said. Later in the interview, he said, "It's largely a rigged system."

Fears of voter intimidation and fraud led to a flurry of lawsuits in the run-up to Election Day, and new voter regulations in more than a dozen states also held the potential to sow confusion at polling places.

In Philadelphia, one of the places Trump had suggested were ripe for fraud, District Attorney Seth Williams said that as of the afternoon, there were no substantiated reports of voter fraud or intimidation, and "no walking apocalypse of zombies voting around town."

Meanwhile, state election officials were guarding against any attempt to breach their computer systems.

Forty-eight states accepted "cyberhygiene" help from the Homeland Security Department to patch their networks and make them more difficult for hackers to penetrate, and the remaining two states had contracted such services, officials said.

Cybersecurity experts said it was highly unlikely the official vote counts would be affected by hackers.



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Over the past weekend, workers at the Momentive Performance Materials plant in Waterford, New York, north of Albany, and a smaller facility in Willoughby, Ohio, near Cleveland, voted overwhelmingly against a proposed three-year contract backed by the union. The vote on the deal negotiated by the Communications Workers of America-International Union of Electrical Workers (CWA-IUE) was not even close with 476 or 71 percent voting against and only 190 or 29 percent in favor.

Workers had previously rejected the companys initial offer by an even larger margin with 86 percent voting against. The terms of the latest proposed contract were reportedly even worse than the previous offer.

The workers have been on strike, manning picket lines, since November 2. Their principal concerns are the companys demands to cut medical and retirement benefits beyond what had already been lost in previous union-negotiated contracts. Strong sentiment was expressed against any further reductions when the proposed agreement was initially announced on Friday. (See: Momentive workers strongly oppose tentative agreement)

Momentive is part of a huge hedge fund conglomerate, Apollo Global Management, which is seeking to maximize profit by decimating workers benefits in order to remain competitive. It wants to shift employees to a high-deductible medical insurance plan in line with the general pattern established by Obamacare. Furthermore, the company wants to end all health and welfare benefits for workers who retire beginning at the start of the new year.

Other reductions in the second proposal included a lowering of the signing bonus from $3,500 to $2,750, an increase in health care costs, and the elimination of a proposed health savings account.

One worker told the Times-Union, This vote speaks clearly. This contract was worth less than the one we already voted down. This is not fair bargaining.

Dom Patrignani, president of IUE-CWA Local 81359, provided no explanation as to why, after five months of negotiations, the union had presented a contract which was so roundly rejected by its members, saying only, Our people have spoken.

In order to finance its 2006 purchase of Momentive from General Electric, Apollo Global Management borrowed $3.8 billion, which it now must pay back by extracting super-profits from its workforce. This began in 2008, when 400 workers at the Waterford plant had their pay drastically cut, some by up to half. The union went to court and won back pay, but the cuts were reinstated in the 2010 contract. The company is currently implementing a $35 million cost cutting plan.

Clearly Momentive, which began preparations before the strike by hiring scabs, who are now being bussed into the Waterford plant each day under police protection, is determined to impose its attacks on the workers. A public statement by the company indicated that, We continue to implement our comprehensive contingency plans, and both our Waterford and Willoughby sites areand will remainopen for business despite the work stoppage. There is no indication that contract negotiations will resume.

On the other hand, the union has no intention, let alone any strategy, to seriously combat this mega corporation. Indeed, as shown by its agreement to present an even worse second proposal to rank-and-file workers, the union bureaucrats are determined to keep the workers isolated and wear them down until they are finally beaten into submission. This pattern has been repeated by unions time and time again ever since the isolation and defeat of the PATCO strike in 1981. Among recent examples is the defeat of the oil refinery workers last year after five months on strike (see: Union shuts down last remaining oil refinery strike in the US) and the CWAs betrayal of the Verizon strike earlier this year.

The utterly bankrupt union perspective is typified by the local AFL-CIO web site, which urges workers to send a message to CEO Jack Boss, Momentive Performance Materials to urge him to bargain in good faith for a fair contract! as if Momentive could be urged to treat their workers fairly. This perspective is designed to leave workers disoriented and disarmed.

Workers at Momentive should elect a rank-and-file committee to organize the fight for the broadest mobilization of the working class to defend their jobs, pensions, health care and other social rights. This can only be accomplished through a rebellion against the corporate-controlled unions and the rejection of their support for the big business Democrats. The working class needs to build a mass political partyindependent of the two capitalist partiesthat will fight for a socialist program, including the transformation of giant companies and Wall Street firms into publicly owned enterprises collectively owned and democratically controlled by the working class.
Nicaraguan president and ex-guerilla leader Daniel Ortega and his Sandinista Front for National Liberation (FLSN) were reelected for a third consecutive five-year term, amid deepening inequality and increasingly autocratic methods of rule. Although they ran under their old slogan, Nicaragua: Christian, Socialist, in Solidarity, he and his wife, Rosario Murillo, who will be his vice-president, plan to deepen their pro-business and reactionary agenda.

The Supreme Electoral Council reported on Monday that out of 2.6 million ballots cast, a 68 percent voter turnout, the FSLN received 72.5 percent, followed by the Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC) with 15 percent and the Liberal Independent Party with 4.5 percent. Congress will be split similarly.

The main opposition front, the National Coalition for Democracy, did not participate, and called on voters to abstain or cast blank ballots. Even so, the turnout was only slightly lower than previous elections, and only 3.5 percent of votes were cast blank. Back in June, the Supreme Court had removed the Coalitions top leader, Eduardo Montealegre, from his position in the party, leading to the invalidation of the Coalitions candidates. This allowed Ortega to run without any significant opposition, but it still doesnt explain the huge margin of victory.

The second-tier right-wing opposition parties offer no alternative to the masses of Nicaraguans concerned about reduced social spending and the widening gulf between the countrys rich and poor. As for the ruling elite, they offer no viable means of quelling an upsurge in the class struggle.

The absence of an independent party of the working class, along with popular disdain for the right-wing opposition, chiefly explain the FSLNs huge margin of victory.

Back in June, Ortega had announced that he would not accept any international observers, but given mounting international and national condemnation, he invited the Organization of American States (OAS) to send a delegation. The OAS accepted an invitation to be present throughout the elections and to start a dialogue, but it did not act as an official observer. The US ambassador to Nicaragua and the US State Department embraced this decision.

Ortegas tightened grip over national politics, however, has given fodder to the international press and the US government to pressure the FSLN. Most significantly, the US House of Representatives passed a bill in September, the Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act or Nica Act, which would place a hold on economic aid from the World Bank and other credit agencies until Ortega adopts reforms that promote democracy.

On Monday, US State Department spokesperson Mark Toner reacted to the elections, declaring: The United States is deeply concerned by the flawed presidential and legislative electoral process in Nicaragua, which precluded the possibility of a free and fair election.

Back in an August opinion piece, the Wall Street Journal called upon the Obama administration to act as it did in the US-backed 2009 coup in Honduras. The Journal stated: He [Daniel Ortega] is believed to be one of the richest men in the country. Many in the business community went along with his gradual accretions of power, and now it may be too late to prevent a full-fledged dictatorship.

After he cast his ballot right before poll stations closed on Sunday, Ortega gave what amounted to a victory speech. Referring to the US occupations during the 1920s, he remarked, Now, we Nicaraguans have become the organizers of the electoral power.  It will not be the American troops taming our fatherland, but Nicaraguans.

Thank God that elections here dont need hate, confrontation, and death. This is a vote for peace, concluded Ortega.

Rosario Murillo then repeated exactly what Ortega said, adding that they won in the name of Jesus, and stressed the importance of conserving the alliance ruling the country. Ever since its assumption of power, the FSLN has combined liberation theology, Marxist rhetoric and pro-business policies to consolidateparticularly after regaining the presidency in 2006a reactionary coalition between the national business elite, the Church, the state and the unions.

The Ortega family, along with several other Sandinista leaders and prominent businesspeople, have built a powerful business conglomerate, including large land holdings and media outlets.

Competing for a larger share of the profits from the exploitation of Nicaraguan workers and peasants, Ortegas bourgeois nationalist clique and US and European imperialism are entering into a deeper conflict, particularly because global economic stagnation is eroding the economic basis to strengthen their relative power and curb class tensions.

Since 2007, Ortegas government has depended on Venezuelan oil and $4.8 billion of out-of-budget loans and investments from the Venezuelan government to pay for social programs and establish generous concessions to local business groups. Ortega has desperately sought to increase its trade and economic and military assistance from a variety of other sourcesincluding Venezuela, Brazil, the European Union, China, and Russiato lessen its dependence on the US.

However, his government is increasingly finding itself facing a blind alley. Nicaraguas $214 per capita social spending is already one of the lowest in the region, so the drawing down of Venezuelan aid and the yearly $250 million of assistance and loans now threatened by the Nica Act (19 percent of Nicaraguas total social spending) are making Ortegas short levers get even shorter.

During the 1980s, the Sandinista government was spending about 60 percent of its budget to fight the war against the CIA-backed contras, and the US embargo placed an enormous pressure on the economy. According to Mexican economic historian Mario Trujillo, The choices taken by the Sandinista government were promoting the mixed economy, sustaining the free market, and seeking loans (mainly small and limited); and particularly, by February 1988, it resorted to the orthodox program of economic stabilization that adjusted itself to the norms proposed by the IMF for the Latin American countries to confront the economic recession and the foreign debt payments throughout the eighties. (Nicaragua: Elections and perspectives of a neo-social-democratic government, 1990)

Once the Stalinist bureaucracy in the Soviet Union stopped sending economic aid, the country fell into a decade-long crisis that kept 75 percent of the population under the poverty line. This led to the Sandinistas electoral defeat in 1990 and their even further lurch to the right and, although with some rhetorical resistance, into the sphere of US imperialism. This process continues today, even through the so-called left turn of Latin American bourgeois governments that began in the early 2000s.

Ortega is still credited by the Western media with having maintained pro-business policies and, over the course of his two administrations, having reduced the official poverty rate by over 15 percent. While many of Nicaraguas poor have partially benefited, the largest benefits have gone to the national bourgeoisie and its imperialist partners. According to data from the National Information Development Institute (INIDE), the Gini inequality index is almost the same as in 2007, and 62 percent of families still cannot afford the basic basket of goods and services.

At the same time, Oxfam reports that Nicaraguas 254 multimillionaires have an average annual income more than 12,000 times that of someone in the poorest quintile.

While the IMF had closed its offices in Nicaragua this year in recognition of Nicaraguas fiscal obedience, the governments timely payments still amount to on the order of 35 percent of its public budget, a pressure that, under increasingly unfavorable economic conditions, will require deeper austerity measures. To prepare for this scenario and the intensification of the class struggle, Ortega and US imperialism both ultimately support more-autocratic forms of rule, including a strengthened military and police, both of which has been under expansion and modernization since 2013.

Washington is pressuring Ortega to move forward with unpopular economic and political measures and to distance himself from China and Russia in support of Obamas pivot to Asia and increasing confrontation with Moscow.

As a sign of cooperation and of acknowledging its anticipated electoral victory, the FSLN government and the Central Bank presented in October their economic plan for 2017-2021, Lets Grow Together! The document upholds the free trade agreements with the US (CAFTA) and with the European Union and notes the desire to join the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership. In terms of financing, it calls for the emission of sovereign debt titles to international markets and developing Public-Private association investments.

The World Bank representative at the plans presentation, Luis Constantino, declared that, It seems to me like a very good planning process and we like it very much.

Most of the governments projects for this period are in transport and telecommunications, while no health programs are mentioned, and only two unfinanced education programs are included regarding didactic technologies. Suggestively, the $50 billion interoceanic canal that the government granted a Chinese firm a concession to build is not even mentioned, and, in spite of claims of having all the financing needed, the beginning of construction on the project continues to be postponed.
In a debacle for federal prosecutors, a jury acquitted seven right-wing extremists who had participated in an armed provocation at a visitors center in a wildlife refuge in Oregon. In a decision reached on October 27, the jury found that the government had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt against Ammon Bundy, Ryan Bundy, Shawna Cox, Jeff Banta, Kenneth Medenbach, David Lee Fry and Neil Wampler.

In January of this year, around two dozen militia members brandishing assault rifles and other military accoutrements occupied the visitors center at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. The rag-tag group was led by Ammon Bundy, the son of Cliven D. Bundy, who had staged a similar confrontation in Nevada in March 2014.

The refuge in question was created in 1908 under the administration of President Theodore Roosevelt to protect waterfowl and migratory birds. Harney County, the remote and sparsely-populated corner of Oregon where the confrontation took place, has a ratio of 14 cattle per person.

Once they had ensconced themselves at the refuge, the group was treated by the American media to extensive and generally favorable coverage. Notwithstanding the backward sentiments, racism, and often plain incoherence expressed by the militia members, they were almost universally depicted in the media as patriotic ranchers from the American West. For the first few weeks, the authorities permitted the militia members to come and go from the refuge as they pleased.

This treatment contrasts with the virtual media blackout and brutal police repression with respect to the recent anti-oil pipeline protests in North Dakota. (See: Popular support grows for anti-oil pipeline protesters in North Dakota)

At the refuge in Oregon, the reactionary militia raised a jumble of demands, most of which purported to be based on the grievances of local ranchers. These included demands that the lands comprising the federal bird sanctuary be turned over the state or divided among local residents. The actual local ranchers sought to dissociate themselves from the militias actions. The militia members staged various provocations, including vandalizing the site and breaking into a locked storage room containing Native American artifacts.

During the occupation, the militia members christened themselves the Citizens For Constitutional Freedom. This group, later also known as People For Constitutional Freedom (P4CF), advances a number of pseudo-legal and historically false conceptions associated with the so-called sovereign citizen movement. Echoing the positions of the Confederacy, this tendency claims that the federal government has no legal right to exist and that all authority therefore belongs to the states. Terry Nichols, a conspirator in the 1995 bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building that resulted in the deaths of 168 people, also adhered to the sovereign citizen notions.

The militia that occupied the bird refuge numbered from a handful of individuals to a few dozen. An ad-hoc combination of extremely backward and far-right elements, some of the militia members had already been traveling in extremist circles. During the standoff, the militia members posted videos of themselves and solicited support online.

Most were not even ranchers, as was claimed in the press. At least two members were former Marines. Ammon Bundy, a celebrity in far-right circles following a similar 2014 provocation in Nevada, was a valet car fleet manager. Another rancher turned out to be a talk radio host, another a computer repair shop owner, another a tattoo artist.

Expressing the political attitudes that predominate in such circles, Cliven D. Bundy wondered out loud in a 2014 interview whether African Americans were better off as slaves, picking cotton and having a family life and doing things.

On January 27, the authorities decided to arrest a group of the leaders as they traveled in a convoy. One militia member, LaVoy Finicum, was shot and killed after he nearly ran over an officer while attempting to flee, challenged officers to shoot him, and reached into his pocket for his loaded handgun. Finicums family has questioned the official account of the shooting, claiming that he was executed.

The authorities ultimately brought criminal charges against 26 individuals in connection with the standoff, including charges based on improper use of firearms, theft of government property, and conspiracy to impede federal employees. Eleven of those indicted have already pled guilty. The trial of the remaining defendants is set to begin in February 2017.

The prosecutions case suffered a major setback when it was revealed that the government had sent as many as nine informants into the Bundy camp during the standoff, out of 15 confidential informants the FBI apparently employed in connection with the incident. The government emphatically sought to prevent this information from coming to light. One informant, who used the name John Killman, provided military training to the group.

Given the tiny size of the militia involved, which never numbered more than a few dozen individuals, defense attorneys questioned whether the informants did not, in fact, play a substantial role in the progress and outcome of the confrontation. The defense lawyers questioned how the government could prove the existence of a conspiracy while it sought to conceal the fact that as many as nine of the conspirators were government agents.

Central to the prosecutions case was the charge that the defendants had conspired to prevent federal employees from performing their dutiesa vague charge with a long history of use against left-wing and environmental protesters. According to one of the jurors who emailed the press anonymously, the jury felt that the prosecution had failed to prove that any of the defendants had actually come to an agreement with respect to any specific illegal objective, especially in light of the presence of so many informants.

The juror stressed that the verdict was not an expression of political support for the defendants or a finding that they were innocent. Indeed, the juror expressed concern that the verdict would encourage similar actions by others. However, in the final analysis, the juror felt that the government failed to prove its case.

Responding to critics of the verdict, the juror wrote, Several questions immediately percolate in my mind: do these folks even know what it took to arrive at a verdict on any one of these counts? How could 12 diverse people find such agreement unless there was a colossal failure on the part of the prosecution? Dont they know that not guilty does not mean innocent? The juror also criticized the arrogant triumphalism of the federal prosecutors given the absence of evidence to support their case.

For their part, Bundy and his supporters turned the trial into a retrograde political circus. Bundy spent 10 hours on the stand discussing his political views, his Mormon religious faith, and his own tendentious and absurd interpretations of the US Constitution. At one point his attorneys filed a motion to permit him to wear cowboy attire in court (which was denied). After the acquittal, Bundys attorney began shouting at the judge and refused to stop, following which the courtroom had to be cleared and, in a bizarre spectacle, the attorney was restrained and tasered.

The verdict was clearly a surprise to the authorities, who had apparently believed they had an open-and-shut case. It cannot be denied that the verdict will encourage and embolden far-right elements whose methods include armed provocations. David Fry, one of the acquitted defendants, happily declared that there are more federal buildings to occupy.

A 2014 standoff perpetrated by Ammon Bundys father was initially supported by leading figures in the Republican Party and the right-wing media, many of whom later sought to distance themselves from the family once media interviews exposed the extremist, racist, and often unbalanced dispositions of the individuals involved.

The presence of government informants in the Bundy camp raises a number of questions with respect to the extent of their involvement in encouraging, organizing, or shaping the confrontation. Who were the informants? When did they become involved? What were their respective roles in the confrontation? What information did they provide to the authorities? What instructions did they receive?

Such questions are entirely appropriate under the circumstances. In Germany, recently disclosed documents have demonstrated close connections between the domestic intelligence agencies, the police, and a neo-Nazi terrorist group that perpetrated ten murders, bomb attacks and a series of bank robberies. (See: Further evidence of ties between German neo-Nazi group and domestic intelligence agency).

While he was acquitted with respect to his actions in Oregon, Ammon Bundy is still awaiting trial based on the similar 2014 standoff at his fathers ranch in Bunkerville, Nevada.
The victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election is a political earthquake that has exposed before the entire world the terminal crisis of American democracy. Such is the degeneration of bourgeois rule that it has elevated an obscene charlatan and billionaire demagogue to the highest office in the land.

Whatever conciliatory phrases he may issue in the coming days, a president Trump will lead a government of class war, national chauvinism, militarism and police state violence. In addition to the executive branch, all the major political institutions in the United Statesincluding both houses of Congress and the Supreme Courtwill be in the hands of the far right.

Under Trump, America will not be made great again. It will be driven into the dirt.

Media commentators, none of whom foresaw this outcome, fell back on now routine explanations focused on the voting patterns of various racial and identity groups. They all ignored the fact that the election became a referendum on the devastating social crisis and decay in the United States, which Trump was able to channel and direct to the right.

Who and what is responsible for the victory of Trump? First, the Clinton campaign and the Democratic Party, which were unwilling and incapable of presenting a program that could attract any significant popular support.

Clinton waged her campaign on the lowest and most reactionary level. She combined claims that Trump was an agent of Putinaimed at creating the framework for aggression against Russiawith denunciations of the working class as racist and privileged.

Second, the administration of Barack Obama, elected eight years ago on pledges of hope and change. Obama won the support of large sections of the working class, including white workers, bitterly opposed to social inequality and the Bush administrations policies of war and social reaction.

During two full terms in office, Obama presided over unending war, a historic transfer of wealth to the ruling class, and the continued erosion of the living standards of the vast majority of the population.

Obamas signature domestic program, the Affordable Care Act, was an assault on health care packaged as a reform. In the final weeks of the election, millions of workers discovered that they are facing double-digit increases in health care costs. This was likely far more important in affecting the outcome of the election than the actions of FBI director James Comey in reviving the Clinton email scandal.

Third, the trade unions, which for the past four decades of increasing social inequality have worked systematically to suppress the class struggle and maintain the political stranglehold of the Democratic Party. They have as well assiduously promoted reactionary economic nationalism, which is in line with Trumps own platform.

Fourth, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and those organizations that promoted him. Sanders craven capitulation to Clintonthe logical outcome of his strategy of channeling opposition into the Democratic Partyensured that opposition to the status quo would be monopolized by the political right. The most significant Trump upsets came in states where Sanders had defeated Clinton by large margins in the Democratic Party primaries.

Behind all of this was the central ideological role of identity politics and the systematic effort to conceal the real social divisions within society. The relentless and obsessive focus on race and gender over the past four decades has been used to give the Democratic Party a left cover for a thoroughly right-wing political agenda at home and abroad. At the same time, it articulates the interests of the most privileged sections of the upper-middle class.

The notion that the basic divisions in society are along the lines of race and gender is not only politically reactionary, it is fundamentally false. The Democrats and Clinton were hoisted on their own petard. They not only lost in regions that are predominantly poor and white, but also suffered from a decline in voter turnout in majority black regions, as African-American workers and youth saw no reason to back the candidate of the status quo.

The coming period will be one of shock, outrage and increasingly bitter struggles. It will not take long for workers, including those who voted for him, to realize what they have in a President Trump. At the same time, the explosive divisions within the state apparatus expressed in the election will emerge in new and more violent forms.

Definite conclusions must be drawn from the experiences of these elections.

In the 2016 elections, the Socialist Equality Party and its candidates, Jerry White and Niles Niemuth, warned of the disastrous consequences of the subordination of the working class to the Democratic Party and the promotion of identity politics. We insisted that the interests of the working classin the fight against war, social inequality and dictatorshipcould be advanced only through the fight to unify workers of all races, ethnicities and nationalities in a common struggle against the capitalist system.

These warnings have been confirmed. The basic and urgent task that now arises out of the elections is the need to build a revolutionary socialist leadershipthe Socialist Equality Party.
The Socialist Equality Partys candidates, Jerry White for US president and Niles Niemuth for vice president, campaigned and spoke to workers at the polls in Michigan on Election Day. The candidates spoke with workers about their thoughts on the candidates and what is to come after the elections.

White campaigned in Warren, Michigan. Darlene, a health care worker, said, The rise in health care insurance is not fair for the working class. Were busting our butts and everything is going up except our wages. The stock market keeps going up but it doesnt help us.

Asked about the endless wars being pursued by the US around the world, Darlene said, Whats it for? Instead of spending trillions on war, what about helping the homeless, the children or the vets who are living under bridges? Dont people need that more than nuclear war?

Shannon and Tommy came to the polling station at a school in Warren, not to vote but to visit the vice principal. Were not voting but we are concerned about what will happen after these elections, said Shannon, a health care worker. I wish there was a none of the above you could vote for on the ballot. Maybe if enough people didnt vote they would take notice.

This is the worst election I can ever remember, said Tommy, who was injured while working at a recreational vehicle sales and repair company. They are insulting each other, but not talking about the real issues. Were going to have to pay a fortune for our two boys to go to college and when they get out of school theyre going to have to pay a fortune for their loans.

And what about the costs of insurance going up and up? Shannon added, Were supposed to be middle class but were not. We work paycheck to paycheck. We moved to Warren after he was hurt. While we were fighting for his disability check, we lost our home. I worked at an auto parts plantBeckerthat was bought by Collins & Aikman and closed. Then I worked in the billing department at a hospital. If I were to lose my job wed lose our house again, Shannon said, as she held back her tears.

She said if she were going to vote it would have been for Trump, because he was talking about jobs. Trump is ridiculous, I know, with this whole wall with Mexico issue. I know hes got businesses overseas too. Tommy said he was against Trump, but not for Clinton either. Its ridiculous that Trump boasts that he hasnt paid income taxes. He should donate some of his billions to pay for schools and other things.

Shannon said she was sick of the way Clinton was saying the major problem was racism. Thats ridiculous, we had a black president for eight years.

The SEP candidate said both Clinton and Trump were trying to use racial and nationalist appeals in order to divide the working class. The rich want black, white, immigrant and native born workers to fight each other, while they laugh all the way to the bank, White said. We have to unite workers of every race and nationality to fight inequality and to stop wars.

Shannon said she agreed. She said both Clinton and Trump were for warand she was against it. Why are people still being killed for these wars and why are we paying for it? That money should be used for the people instead.

Johnny Briscoe, a retiree, was at the polling station in Warren. He said he voted for Clinton out of a lot of reluctance.

Its the lesser of two evils, stated Briscoe, Neither one of them are very good choices.

My thing is that I felt I had to vote because a lot of people died for the right to vote. I couldnt just ignore that.

During the primary I voted for Sanders. He spoke to the situation facing a lot of working people. With Clinton and Trump I feel that the election is all twisted up. You dont know which way to go because neither one of them are good choices.

Jerry White said, You know, both Trump and Clinton are supporting wars in the Middle East and are preparing more wars. No matter who wins they are going to escalate the attacks on the working class.

In Detroit, White spoke to workers at a voting location in the Northwest side of the city.

Darrell Flournoy said, I dont like either of them. Its like which would you prefer, the knife or poison? I was pressured by my Mom to go and vote. I said all right. But I was thinking I would just go into the booth, close my eyes and press something.

Darrell said he voted for Bernie Sanders and was disappointed when he dropped out of the race.

I dont know who Im going to vote for. When Sanders dropped out of the race I felt that I dont have a dog in this race. Both of them are really messed up.

Asked what he thought about the social conditions in the US, Darrell made it clear that he thought things were bad. More than anything Im concerned about jobs. I think the trade agreement that Clintons husband signed was bad.

Darrell started working at Ford Motor Company a year ago and was hired in at the lower-tiered wage. I hate it, he said. I hate doing the same work at half the wage. I feel that everyone should be getting the same wage.

Also, I dont like the policies of the UAW. A lot of the time you cant reach them. They arent doing anything for the workers.

SEP candidate for US vice president, Niles Niemuth, visited polling locations in Southwest Detroit and the suburb of Dearborn.

Southwest Detroit is home to many immigrant workers and a former center of auto production, which has been devastated by the social crisis.

WSWS reporters found widespread disgust with both major party candidates. The first voter approached said of the election, It is Tweedledee and Tweedledum. I had a hard time deciding.

A retired steelworker, Carson, who described himself as a Democrat and a born again Christian, said, I dont think either one of them is fit to be president. I am going into the voting booth and I still havent made up my mind.

If you vote for Trump or Hillary, there is going to be a war. Trump is like a time bomb.

Asked about the record of the Obama administration, he replied, We have had only two Social Security raises in eight years. In January we will only be getting another $5 a month. That is ridiculous.

David Llamas, a worker at the Ford Flat Rock auto factory, and his wife Kathy stopped to speak to the WSWS at some length. David told the WSWS that he had voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein.

David said, The main issue for me is war. Why are we invading other countries for profits, for oil?

Asked about the war in Syria he replied, Russia is backing [Syrian President] Assad to fight the rebels funded by the United States. We are creating another bogeyman, like in Iraq, that we will have to get rid of later.

David said he had backed Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary and was disgusted by his subsequent endorsement of Clinton. He is going to get something if Clinton wins. He will probably get an appointment to head the Treasury committee in the Senate.

Kathy added, I think they [Clinton and Trump] are both garbage. I am a woman, but I will be damned if I am voting for this woman. She is going to get us all killed.

Compared to Clinton, Trump is a lesser evil if you ask me. I am all for womens empowerment, but Clinton does everything to profit herself.

They were both interested to learn that the SEP was running candidates in the presidential election. Niles Niemuth explained that the SEP was intervening in the elections to provide a socialist alternative to the multimillionaire Clinton and the billionaire Trump. Both David and Kathy eagerly took campaign literature about the SEP campaign and said they would consider the SEP program.

The WSWS also spoke to workers and young people in the working class community of Dearborn, outside of Detroit, home to a large Arab-American population.

Several workers told the WSWS that were having a hard time deciding who to choose. Its crazy, one worker told the WSWS, I am walking in there and I still dont know who I am voting for.

A student from the University of Michigan told the WSWS that this was her first election and that she had voted for Clinton. However, she indicated that the issue that motivated her more than anything was animosity toward Trump, I dont like how Trump talked about women, she said.

While she said that student loan debt was one of her biggest concerns, she expressed no confidence that either candidate, if elected, would address this issue.

Mary, an older worker, told the WSWS that while she had voted for Clinton, she had been put off by the election campaign. I think they were more into talking about each other. You didnt hear what they stand for.

Marys biggest concern was war. I had many friends killed in Vietnam. For what? I can see that happening again.

We put some leader in power, and the next thing that happens we are fighting him. There doesnt ever seem to be an end to it.

As far as the war in Syria she said, That stuff needs to stop. She did not favor the US stoking a confrontation with nuclear armed Russia. I dont think Russia is that big of a threat. They are not as strong as they used to be.
Latin America

Nationwide strikes and protests in Chile against privatized pension system

Tens of thousands of workers and retirees held protest actions throughout Chile on November 4 against the nations privatized pension system. The mobilizations, which included strikes, barricades, demonstrations and cacerolazos (banging of pots and pans), were called by a coalition of unions and social organizations called No+AFP for No More AFP, referring to the acronym for Administradoras de Fondos de Pensiones (Pension Fund Administrators), which manages US$178 billion in individual capitalization assets.

The AFP was imposed on the Chilean working class in 1981 during the brutal military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Right-wing economists and politicians hailed it as a model of a market-based approach to retirement funding, claiming that it would cover 70 percent of workers wages once they had left the workforce. Over three decades later, 90 percent of retirees receive less than 154,000 pesos (US$233) monthly, less than half the minimum wage.



Chilean workers have protested numerous times against the AFP, and despite President Michelle Bachelets professed commitment, following mass protests in August, to a grand national agreement to improve pensions, the promise has not been acted on.



According to the Interior Ministry, 10,000 protesters in the capital Santiago rallied at the Plaza de Armas and around 58,000 held protests in other cities. In Santiago, protesters barricaded streets, some burning tires, and a few hooded individuals set fire to buses. No+AFP disavowed the bus burnings and the media and government used them to characterize the protests as violent. About 70 protesters were reported arrested nationwide.

Peruvian judicial workers strike for 48 hours over salary, budget demands

Employees in Perus judicial sector struck nationwide November 3 and 4 to press their demands. The striking workers want a wage increase and the leveling of the pay of employees covered by the Administrative Services Contract, or CAS. The CAS is the result of a legislative decree governing benefits and obligations of judicial sector workers.



In addition, the striking workers are demanding that the national government budget 3 billion soles (US$888 million) for 2017. Congress cut back the judicial budget. Union head Marco Antonio Panduro Flores told reporters, The strike is an agreement at the base; we need a large budget for judicial reform, also we demand the payment of our outstanding accruals and other benefits that we earned over many years, but the state keeps denying us.



The judicial workers resolved to hold another strike for 72 hours if they did not get an acceptable response to their demands.

Guatemalan cargo truckers end strike over restrictions on deliveries

Negotiators for Guatemalas Heavy Transport Union reached an agreement with the government November 4, ending a national strike begun October 27 against restrictions on heavy cargo truck movement in Guatemala City, the nations capital and largest city. Over 21,000 heavy cargo truckers had participated in the job action, according to the union.



The municipal government had passed an ordinance expanding the times that truckers could not transport heavy cargo through the city in the morning and afternoon, as well as on Saturday. Demanding that the new measures be completely repealed, truckers periodically blocked traffic into and out of the city and halted or slowed movement at some customs houses and ports.



National Police units moved in to escort trucks carrying fuel into the city, and the Chamber of Agriculture issued a statement condemning violent acts that they claimed were committed by striking drivers. The statement concluded: We denounce publicly and demand that the Public Ministry investigate the possible existence of criminal structures which may be operating in an organized manner behind the strikes at some ports and customs offices, threatening national security. President Jimmy Morales alleged that some people were taking advantage of the situation, alarming the citizenry, and that three persons had been arrested.



The union and the national and municipal governments held talks during the strike. The union dropped its original demand to completely repeal the ordinance, with union secretary general Rony Mendoza announcing that the parties would sit at a dialog table to find alternatives to the restrictions, which were still slated to go into effect on November 7.

Trinidadian youth training workers protest working conditions

About 90 workers at the Youth Training & Employment Partnership Programme (YTEPP) in Chaguanas, Trinidad held a protest on November 3 in front of its head office. The workers complain that conditions at the YTEPP are unsafe and unsanitary.



The YTEPP is, according to its web site, an intervention strategy aimed at addressing the issue of escalating unemployment, particularly among young persons between the ages of 15 and 35. It recently moved to the Woodford Lodge in Chaguanas, Trinidads largest borough, although the conversion of the building had not been completed.



One worker told a Newsday reporter about a number of problems: This building and the environment is unsafe.  Raw sewage is running into the drains and offices and the strong stench is unbearable as employees are also getting sick. When staff are having their meals, there are rodents and roaches crawling around. In addition to that, when you are eating you get the smell from the sewer which is overpowering. Another worker complained of having to jump over drains to get to and from another department. The workers have vowed to continue their protests until the conditions are rectified.

The United States

Ohio amusement park workers strike

Over 100 workers at the Cedar Point and Cedar Fair amusement parks in Sandusky, Ohio struck Friday after voting down a management offer. It was the second contract rejection vote by the workers, whose contract expired October 1.



The union at the park, Laborers Local 480, covers a number of different job classifications. Other divisions also involved in the walkout include carpenters, plumbers, electricians and painters.



The contract rejection centered on economic questions, including health care costs and pensions. Local officials pointed to booming profits for the amusement park and high levels of executive compensation as reasons for the multiple rejection votes.



Management said that it was making plans to continue operations during the strike. It has called the strike unlawful and plans to file a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.

Canada

Professors strike at University of Manitoba

Twelve hundred faculty at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg went on strike last week after working without a contract since March of this year.



The University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) is reportedly asking for a 6.9 percent increase in wages in the first year of a new contract and the university is offering a 7 percent increase over four years. In addition the two sides are far apart on job security for some instructors and on the issue of workload protection. UMFA has accused the provincial Conservative government of illegitimate interference in the bargaining process for asking that all contracts be extended for a year with no wage increase.



Conciliated talks began last week and school administrators have said that classes will continue throughout the strike and that the academic year will not be jeopardized.

B.C. bus drivers to strike

Bus drivers employed by First Canada in the Central Okanagan region of southern British Columbia could be on strike this week after issuing strike notice last week with negotiations taking place throughout last weekend.



The 217 drivers are represented by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU). Union negotiators say the main issue in the dispute is a demand that drivers be paid the same as they are in other jurisdictions, regardless of the type or size of vehicle they drive. First Canada has so far refused to negotiate on the matter, saying that it would cost the company 1.4 percent to meet the unions demand.
According to early projections, Republicans will maintain their six-year control over the US. House of Representatives.

Party dominance in Congress will be a crucial determinant of the policy-making outlook for the next president, whether it is Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump.

By Reuters: Republicans will maintain their six-year control over the U.S. House of Representatives, according to early network projections on Tuesday night, as the party also put up an unexpectedly tough fight to protect its majority in the U.S. Senate. FULL COVERAGE

The ABC and NBC television networks said Republicans, as widely projected in opinion polls, would keep control of the House, which has been in their hands since 2011.

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ALSO READ | US Presidential Election Results: Voters talk of decisions and tensions



Winners had been declared so far in 16 Senate races, with Democrats making a net gain of only a single seat so far, but some other opportunities for them remained undecided. Several key races were seen as too close to call.

Party dominance in Congress will be a crucial determinant of the policy-making outlook for the next president, whether it is Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump.

Democrats picked up their first Senate seat from Republicans as Representative Tammy Duckworth, as expected, defeated Senator Mark Kirk in Illinois, according to the major TV networks.

Duckworth is a double-amputee Iraq war veteran. With her victory, Democrats need to pick up four more seats from Republicans in order to win a majority in the Senate.

ALSO READ | US Presidential Election Results: Will Florida, NC and Ohio decide?



The networks projected that in Indiana, former Senator Evan Bayh failed in his bid to return to the Senate, losing to Republican Representative Todd Young. The two candidates had been vying to replace Republican Dan Coats, who retired. Bayh's loss was a missed opportunity for Democrats to gain a seat.

In Florida, incumbent Senator Marco Rubio, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination earlier this year, was declared the winner and re-elected.

PORTMAN RE-ELECTED IN OHIO

Major TV networks said Republican Senator Rob Portman, who refused to campaign with Trump, was re-elected in Ohio.

Also projected as winners by the networks, as expected, were Republican Senators Rand Paul in Kentucky, Tim Scott in South Carolina, James Lankford in Oklahoma, Richard Shelby in Alabama, John McCain in Arizona, John Hoeven in North Dakota, Jerry Moran in Kansas and John Thune in South Dakota.

Democrats Patrick Leahy in Vermont, Chris Van Hollen in Maryland, Richard Blumenthal in Connecticut and Chuck Schumer in New York were declared winners.

Continued Republican dominance in Congress could stymie any legislative agenda pursued by Clinton, if she is elected. A Trump victory, with a Republican Congress, could spell a swift demise for Democratic President Barack Obama's health reforms.

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Republicans have controlled the 100-seat Senate since 2015, but they had to defend far more seats this year than did the Democrats. Some analysts had raised the possibility of the 2016 election season ending with a 50-50 split in the Senate.

In such an outcome, the new U.S. vice president - either Democrat Tim Kaine or Republican Mike Pence - would be the tiebreaker in the Senate and determine control of that chamber.

To win Senate control, Democrats would have to score a net, five-seat gain. Republicans hold 54 Senate seats to 44 Democratic seats and two independents who align with Democrats.



--- ENDS ---
On Tuesday, millions of Americans marked the end of a bitterly divisive presidential campaign.

On Tuesday, millions of Americans marked the end of a bitterly divisive presidential campaign.

By AP: Soon after Roy Brook voted Tuesday at a community center in Bessemer, Alabama, he grabbed an American flag and set out to convince others to do the same.

"I'm not telling anyone what to do," said Brook, 67, who resumed the place alongside local roads he has occupied for much of the last year, with a sign urging passersby to vote. "The idea is to reach as many people as I can with the message of America...If you're here, love it, be a part of it."

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ALSO READ | What if Donald Trump wins the presidential race? Here is how he will make history



On Tuesday, millions of Americans marked the end of a bitterly divisive presidential campaign by joining him to do just that. They expressed both strong support and deep dislike for Brook's candidate, Republican Donald Trump, as well as for Democrat Hillary Clinton. But if they agreed on one thing it was that, after a presidential campaign laced with vitriol, they would at least have the final word.

"I'm excited to be here and have it matter so much," said Gabby Formica, 24, a graduate student who cast a ballot for Clinton Tuesday in South Philadelphia, noting that Pennsylvania was a swing state.

ALSO READ | US Presidential Election Results: Trump takes Indiana, Kentucky; Clinton Vermont



Voters' determination to be counted was evident from the moment the first polls opened in the darkness of midnight in northern New Hampshire, and dawn elsewhere. Throughout the day, long lines and passionate opinions confirmed the stakes.

They waited outside churches and synagogues, community centers and schools, often with snacks and children in tow.

In Los Angeles, they voted alongside the lap lanes of the Echo Park Pool and in Chicago, they cast ballots in a bowling alley over the racket of downed pins.

They voted at a county fairgrounds in Moscow, Idaho, a strip mall recently swamped by 10-foot floodwaters in Denham Springs, Louisiana, a Buddhist temple in Long Beach, California, and on the run in Colorado, Oregon and elsewhere where special drop boxes accepted ballots from joggers and motorists.

Some celebrated their votes, confident of the outcome.

"We're the United States of America. We can overcome anything," said Melanie Draheim of Houston, after casting her vote for Trump.

Others described the election as an albatross weighing on them.

"I've been really stressed out about this election," said Belinda Hedrick, 62, of Mission, Kansas, who came straight from a spin class, and was still sweating, when she cast a vote for Clinton. "It's the first time I've ever woke up at night worrying about stuff."

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In Indianapolis, biologist Scott Salmon, 32, said he, too, woke up anxious, before biking to the polls.

"We have a bottle of champagne if Hillary wins and a bottle of rum if Trump wins - that kind of anxious," he said.

Many voting Tuesday hewed to their established politics. But some said the accusations of the campaign had pushed them across party lines.

Lisa Moore, a Republican from Glen Rock, New Jersey, said she voted for Clinton. "I think the Republican party has gone way right of the majority of at least the residents of this section of the country," said Moore, an exercise instructor.

"As a woman, in good conscience, and as the mother of a daughter, I can't vote for somebody who's so morally reprehensible" as Trump," she said.

Meanwhile, Democrat Jim Eul, 61, a retired plumbing inspector for the city of Chicago, said his intense dislike for Clinton had persuaded him to vote for Trump. He said he couldn't bear sitting out the election, but expressed disappointment in the choices. "You've got two big political organizations and these are the only two they can come up with?"

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Regardless of party, voters agreed the stakes of the election were tremendous.

In Anchorage, Alaska, Jeanette O'Brien, 72, said she voted for Trump because he is capable of rebuilding schools and cities that she blames President Barack Obama for letting decay. But whoever wins, she expects unrest, even a possible civil war.

"Millions of Americans will stand up to take the country back if they have to," she said.

A fellow Alaskan, Warren Urda, explained his vote for Clinton was also about long-term consequences. "I believe that person will select the next four Supreme Court justices and that will affect us for the next 50 years, not just for the next four years," said Urda, a retired dentist.

COUNTING OF VOTES WON'T HEAL COUNTRY DIVIDE



Many voters expressed worries that merely counting the votes will not heal the country's divide.

On Tuesday, Elizabeth Gil, a law student in Miami Lakes, Florida, would not say who she voted for, but expressed hope for what comes next.

"I think people want to move forward," said Gil, who avoided early voting because she treasures the experience of going to the polls on Election Day. "There's too much division. If we're going to work with one another, to hear each other's different points of views, that is how we can move forward together as a country."

--- ENDS ---

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida voters have approved a state constitutional amendment on legalizing medical marijuana.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

11/8/2016 8:26:49 PM (GMT -5:00)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Police have arrested a former school counselor, who was accused of inappropriately touching a child in an apartment complex pool.

28-year-old Kathgret Rentz was arrested on Nov. 4 for having an inappropriate relationship with a child under 16 years old who went to the same school she worked at.

Since Rentz was first accused in August, the Tallahassee Police Department has been investigating the case.

On Aug. 3, police received a report of inappropriate behavior between an adult female and a child. The two were at an apartment complex pool on the 800 block South Blairstone Road.

Witnesses told officers that they saw Rentz, hugging and intimately kissing a child under the age of 16.

Officers said that there were at least 7 witnesses to the event.

After she was reported, police got a warrant to search her home and found marker boards and papers alluding to a relationship with someone. A few days later, another witness came forward and told police what she saw when Rentz and the child were in the pool.

They also found evidence of the relationship through texts and images of the two kissing on Rentz phone as well.

The former school counselor was charged with lewd and lascivious conduct, though after the investigation, police have found that there may be enough evidence to prompt a second charge.
SUWANNEE COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Troopers said a Minnesota man has been killed in a crash on Interstate 10 in Suwannee County.

The Florida Highway Patrol said that 65-year-old Don Rimpler's car was traveling east on I-10 when his car traveled into the grass median.

His car drove through the shrubbery and ended up crashing into two different trees.

Rimpler was pronounced dead on the scene.
Raja Krishnamoorthi has become the first Indian-origin candidate to be elected to the House by Illinois.

By India Today Web Desk: Indian-American businessman Raja Krishnamoorthi has won the Chicago-area US House seat defeating Republican and former Elmhurst Mayor Peter DiCianni.

American President Barack Obama had appeared in a campaign advertisement video vouching for 43-year-old Moorthi. He won election to the US House of Representatives from the state of Illinois.

Krishnamoorthi thanked his supporters in a victory speech, but said this campaign season has been "difficult" and "disheartening". He said that everyone should work together and that all what unites people far outweighs what divides them. Also read: Snippets from US election night: Peeking Trump, California shooting



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The eighth congressional district has a sizeable Indian-American population, and many considerable number of Asians.

Who is Raja Krishnamoorthi?



Born in New Delhi on July 19, 1973, Krishnamoorthi's parents immigrated to Buffalo, New York when he was just three months old and was raised in Peoria.

There was a time when his family, for a few years in the mid-1970s, had to rely on food stamps and live in public housing. He has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Princeton University and graduated with honors from Harvard Law School.

Also read: From cemeteries to restaurants: Here are some weird places where Americans voted



Krishnamoorthi is the first Indian-origin candidate that Illinois elected to the House, says the Biographical Directory of the US Congress.

Currently, he serves as the president of Sivananthan Labs and Episolar, Inc- small businesses that develop and sell products in the national security and renewable energy industries.'

He also co-founded InSPIRE, a non-profit organisation that provides training to Illinois students and veterans in solar technology, and was formerly Vice-Chairman of the Illinois Innovation Council, whose mission is to promote innovative technologies that support economic growth and job creation in Illinois.

Political career



Krishnamoorthi, has been trying for office since 2010, ran in primaries for Congress and state comptroller, but remained unsuccessful till yesterday.

Also read: What if Donald Trump wins the presidential race? Here is how he will make history



He made an unsuccessful congressional bid in 2012 and narrowly lost the 2010 Democratic primary for Illinois comptroller.

Campaigning Process

Krishnamoorthi advocated policies to help working families by including equal pay for equal work, paid sick and maternity leave, raising the federal minimum wage, and making college more affordable.

He also defended and campaigned for women's reproductive freedom, reports the Times of India.

Also read: This South Indian astrologer predicted Trump will win



Krishnamoorthi said a strong tie between India and America is crucial and was of the opinion that India-America relationship has become "stronger and deeper."

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"I hope to be a positive force in developing the relationship between the world's oldest democracy and the world's largest democracy," he said.

--- ENDS ---
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By PTI: New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) A draft decision of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) has urged nations to monitor waterpipe tobacco through their respective national surveillance systems and also ban the use of flavourings in such products.

"Concerned about the growing use of flavoured waterpipe tobacco among youth and the increasing influence of the tobacco industry over waterpipe regulation and production, we invite parties (nations) to continue to monitor waterpipe tobacco use through national surveillance systems to cover all age groups and all policy aspects in an integrated approach, and submit the findings to the COP through the reporting instrument of WHO FCTC," the draft said.

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It also stressed on the need for inter country and regional coordination in sharing of experiences and knowledge to prevent and control waterpipe tobacco use.

The draft decision also asked the nations to include perils of waterpipe use under the ban of tobacco use in public places as per Article 8 of the convention and its guidelines.

A study conducted earlier in the year had warned that even light-use hookah or waterpipe smokers may develop lung function abnormalities, including marked changes in cells lining the airways.

A senior WHO FCTC official said that the draft decision was being discussed and the final decision may come out soon.

The seventh session of Conference of Parties (CoP7) of the World Health Organizations Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) is being hosted by India for the first time. PTI TDS SRY

--- ENDS ---
President Obama is a danger to settlements, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told representatives of settlers from Ofra and Amona. This statement is nothing more than part of the ongoing attempts to turn the Obama administration into a sort of demon haunting Israel, which reemerges every time Netanyahu feels he has an internal political interest which justifies attacking the Obama administrationone of the friendliest administrations Israel has ever known.

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Some may click their tongues at the statement that the Obama administration is friendly towards Israel, but this is something that is repeated time and again by the prime minister himself. Netanyahu, who takes pride in the aid agreement, the greatest military aid package the United States has ever given any country, is the same Netanyahu who on other occasions doesnt miss an opportunity to attack that same most generous administration ever.

Obama and Hillary Clinton. An administration which really and truly has Israels interest at heart (Photo: AFP)

But the truth is that we are really talking about an administration led by people who care about Israel, an administration which really and truly has Israels interest at heart. But this administration does not see Israels best interest as the Netanyahu governments policythe continuation of the occupation and controlling another people, turning Israel into a country which practices a different system of rights for different people, a country which invests huge sums in sustaining isolated settlements in the heart of a Palestinian population.

The United States has a clear stance that the settlements represent an obstacle to peace and that Israel and the Palestinians must pursue a diplomatic agreement based on the two-states concept. This stance, which is shared by the majority of the Israeli public, outlines the American administrations policy and prompts it to try to get the parties to return to the negotiating table. This policy does not endanger, harm or weaken Israel. On the contrary, this policy will eventually strengthen the State of Israel and turn it into a country which does not have to constantly fight for its position, which can outline a moral and ethical path.

Our job, as the Jewish and Zionist public in the United States, is to strengthen those who want to help Israel and the Palestinians make progress towards a diplomatic solution, to strengthen those interested in peace and calm, rather than those who sell themselves as Israel supporters but are actually dragging the country deeper into the conflict, instead of looking for a way out of it together with Israel.

In his attacks on the American administration, Netanyahu is trying to get US Jews to choose between supporting President Obama and supporting Israel. But the Jewish public does not have to enter the corner Netanyahu is trying to lead it to, as the American administration led by President Obama has proved its commitment to Israel, to its security and to its prosperity, even if the way it believes in is not the Netanyahu governments way.

The entire public, both in the United States and in Israel, should be able to read beyond the simplistic slogans with which it is fed, and realize that real concern for the State of Israel is not just reciting the slogans expounded by thos on the Israeli right.

Israels citizens should not be afraid of the Obama administrations initiatives, but hope for them. Hope for an active administration, which does not sit and watch the sides quarrel, but tries to make them stop quarreling and start talking. This was the Obama administrations policy, and would likely have continued if, as the polls predicted, Hillary Clinton had won the elections.
WASHINGTON  Despite Donald Trump's continued skepticism that the election was on the up and up, few voters who went to the polls Tuesday encountered problemsand even then, most issues involved the usual machine breakdowns and long lines.

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The run-up to the vote was fraught, with unsupported claims by the Republican presidential candidate of a rigged election and fears that hackers might attack voting systems. He reiterated his claims on Election Day, after his campaign announced it was seeking an investigation in the battleground state of Nevada over reports that some early voting locations had allowed people to join lines to vote after polls were scheduled to close.

Later in the day, the Trump campaign announced that Trump was suing the registrar of voters in Clark County, Nevada, over a polling place in Las Vegas that had been allowed to remain open late last week to accommodate people who were lined up to vote.

Americans wait to vote ()

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Nevada is one of several states that permits early voting and Las Vegas is viewed as a base of support for Clinton. Nevada state law says voters who are in line at 8 pm, when the polls close, must be allowed to cast their ballots. Trump's lawsuit, filed in a Nevada state court on Monday, said election officials violated state law because they allowed people to join the line after 8 pm at a polling location at a Latino market. However, later still on Tuesday a judge rejected Trump's request for an immediate order in his lawsuit. Voting in the US (Photo: AFP) Trump, who said last month that he might not accept the outcome of the national election if he thinks it is unfair, asked in the lawsuit that the ballots from the Latino market be kept separate from other votes, pending any legal challenges to the state's results. "We have to keep the system honest," Trump said on Fox News. Clark County spokesman Dan Kulin said the lawsuit asks the county to preserve records, "which is already required by law for us to do that." Representatives for the Clinton campaign could not be reached immediately for comment on the lawsuit.

Asked on Fox News if he would accept Tuesday's results, Trump continued to demur.

"We're going to see how things play out," Trump said. "I want to see everything honest."

New York Synagogue converted to a polling place (Photo: AFP)

But at least in the early going, most of the problems were routinethe kinds of snags that come every four years, like the lines, machines not working properly, and issues with ballots or voter rolls. One New Jersey voter reported waiting three hours because there were too few voting machines at her polling place in Jersey City.

In Texas, a computer used by election clerks malfunctioned at a polling place inside a high school in suburban Houston, forcing officials to briefly divert voters to another polling place more than two miles away. Fort Bend County Elections Administrator John Oldham said the malfunctioning console was later replaced with a backup and voting resumed.

Andrea Patience, a 50-year-old pharmacy technician, was among those standing in line when the computer malfunctioned. She said she waited an hour for it to be fixed. Patience said as many as 100 people were standing in line at the time, and about half of them left.

Voters in Ohio (Photo: EPA)

"There were a lot of upset people," Patience said. "I don't know if they will come back later or decide not to vote."

Election officials in Utah said voting machine problems in the southern part of the state forced poll workers early in the day to use paper ballots. A computer problem in Durham County, North Carolinaa Democratic stronghold in a state that has been a key battleground in the presidential racetriggered long lines when election officials had to rely on a paper check-in process.





Waiting to vote in North Carolina (Photo: AFP)

There were also sporadic reports of people in North Carolina who said they were not put on the voter rolls despite registering to vote through the Division of Motor Vehicles.

The question this year was whether problems would be widespread and indicate a pattern of fraud or voter intimidation.

New York Synagogue converted to a polling place (Photo: AFP)

Trump had suggested that Philadelphia was among those places ripe for voter fraud. The city's district attorney, Seth Williams, said in mid-afternoon that his office had investigated 68 complaints about voter intimidation, broken machines or other problems, a number consistent with the past three presidential elections. He said all had proven unfounded.

In the last week alone, Democrats went to court in seven states seeking to halt what they claim were efforts by Republicans and the Trump campaign to deploy a network of poll watchers hunting for voter fraud. Republicans have disputed claims they are planning to intimidate voters, and judges largely found no evidence of efforts to suppress voters.





Lines in Florida (Photo: Reuters)

This is the first presidential election in which a key enforcement provision of the Voting Rights Act was not in place. A 2013 US Supreme Court decision struck down a portion of the law that had required certain states and jurisdictions with a history of discrimination to receive pre-approval from the US Department of Justice for any election law change. This allowed a number of states, most led by Republican legislatures and governors, to enact strict voter ID laws and reduce early voting.

Voters wait in Washington (Photo: AFP)

Legal challenges to some of those voter ID laws have led to a multitude of court rulings in recent months that blocked or struck down some provisions while upholding or reinstating others. That triggered concerns of misinformation among voters, election officials and poll workers.

The Supreme Court ruling also prompted the Justice Department to send fewer trained election observers to polling places around the country than in previous years, with the reduction likely to diminish the department's ability to detect voter intimidation and other potential problems.

Meanwhile, state election officials were guarding against any attempt to breach their systems. Previously, some 33 states accepted an offer from the federal government to check their voter databases and reporting systems for vulnerabilities after hackers attempted to access systems in two states over the summer.
The presidential election in the United States has reached its climax and the Arab worlda central topic in both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's campaignsis closely watching the developments.

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When Barack Obama entered the White House, many in the Arab world expected him to repair the rift between the West and Islam. Now, eight years later, the Muslim world looks at the two candidates to replace him with no hope.

"Uncle Sam or Aunt Sam?"

Trump launched his campaign with a call to ban Muslims from entering the United States and then dropped another bombshell when he suggested registering Muslims in the US as part of the war on terror, but his opponent Clinton is not viewed as ideal in the Arab world either.

Criticism against Trump and Clinton can be seen in the Arab media and in political cartoons. A look at Arab press shows that regardless of who is elected, there is a belief in the Middle East that both candidates will lead the region to a third world war. Arab media also put an emphasis on the sexual harassment allegations against Trump, Clinton's email scandal, and the fact both candidates are pro-Israel and fight over who loves the Jewish state more.

The Egyptians, for example, prefer Trump given Cairo's bitter experience with Clinton when she served as the secretary of state.

The Saudis were also extremely disappointed with Obama and as such feel very invested in the American elections. On the one hand, they are not overly excited with Clinton, but on the other hand, Trump is also not seen as an good option.

Clinton is not very loved in Iran, but the conservatives in Tehran tend to favor Trump.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah uses Trump as evidence that the US is the one that created ISIS.
About 9 in 10 black voters and two-thirds of Hispanics backed Clinton in both Virginia and Georgia, while most whites backed Trump, according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research for national media outlets.

In Georgia, large majorities of whites with and without college degrees backed Trump. In Virginia those two groups diverged. Whites without a college degree backed Trump by a large margin, while those with a degree split their votes between the two major-party candidates.

Women in both states were far more likely than men to back Clinton. Majorities of women in both states said Trump's treatment of women bothers them a lot.
North Carolina has extended voting times in eight Durham County precincts after problems with electronic voting rolls there earlier in the day, the state election board said on Twitter.

Advocates including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People had urged the state to extend voting time in Durham County until 9pm, an hour and a half past normal closing time.

However, the state board extended voting time by an hour in two precincts, and less than that in six others.

The Reverend William Barber, president of the NAACP in North Carolina, told members of the State Board of Elections on their conference call Tuesday evening that their refusal to extend voting hours as long as requested by local elections officials was "deeply concerning."

At one precinct where voting was extended for 60 minutes, election officials reported there had been up to a two-hour window earlier in the day where no voting took place due to problems.
Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams said Tuesday he has found no evidence of fraud or intimidation at the city's polls despite Republican candidate Donald Trump's warnings about voter fraud.

Williams said no major problems have emerged among the 68 complaints his office investigated during the first half of Election Day.

Meantime, several Pennsylvania counties reported a handful of complaints about touchscreen machines switching votes. They said the machines are quickly being re-calibrated to fix the problem.

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro Cortes said the GOP reported problems with about 25 machines, out of nearly 24,000 deployed statewide. He said in all cases votes ended up being recorded correctly.

State GOP Chairman Rob Gleason said he doesn't see anything "nefarious" in the apparent vote switching on older machines.
LISBON - Police from Portugal's National Anti-Terrorism Unit arrested 20 ultra-nationalists on Tuesday in an operation that involved searches across the country as part of an investigation into attempted murder and other hate crimes.

The Lisbon District Prosecutor's office said in a statement those detained were part of the Hammerskin Nation, a neo-Nazi skinhead group based in the US city of Dallas. "In our country they seek, among other things, to expel and prevent the entry of all ethnic minorities to Portugal," it said.

The crimes being investigated took place between 2013 and 2015 and include at least one attempted murder, robbery, and religious and sexual discrimination, prosecutors said.

Police said some of those detained were suspected of involvement in an attack on a group of anti-fascist communist activists in September 2015 following an anti-immigration rally in downtown Lisbon staged by ultra-nationalist groups.
An election watchdog said Tuesday some voters were denied provisional ballots at several polling stations in Atlanta.

Georgia Election Protection coalition spokesman Harold Franklin said poll mangers refused to provide provisional ballots to voters. He said the group received reports that voters were given no reason for being refused.

Franklin claimed voters who are eligible or entitled to a provisional ballot were denied. He did not know the number of voters who were refused, but said the bulk occurred in Fulton County.

Franklin said he spoke with Fulton County election officials, who he said told polling managers to provide voters with ballots. The Fulton County elections office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Election Protection is organized by the Lawyers Committee for Civils Rights Under Law.
Iraqi military forces have discovered a mass grave left by retreating ISIS fighters containing about 100 bodies, many of them decapitated, officials said.

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Investigators on Tuesday began their probe of the site, located near an agricultural school in the town of Hamam al-Alil.

ISIS

The gruesome discovery by troops advancing on militant-held Mosul fits a pattern in territory retaken from ISIS. The extremist group killed hundreds as it swept across northern and central parts of Iraq in 2014 and is believed to have carried out a brutal crackdown since the Oct. 17 start of an offensive to recapture the country's second-largest city.

"Investigators flew in this morning," said Haider Majeed, a Cabinet official in charge of mass grave inquiries. "They're conducting examinations to determine the cause of death."

It was unclear who the victims were, although the discovery of a stuffed animal raised the harrowing possibility that children may be among the dead.

In Geneva, the UN human rights office said it was investigating if the site was connected to reports about the alleged killing of police in the same area.

"We had reports that 50 former Iraqi police officers had been killed in a building outside Mosul," spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said.

"This building was actually the same agricultural facility, agricultural college, that has been cited right now as the site of these mass graves."

Photo: Reuters

She also said the UN had received information alleging that ISIS last week abducted at least 295 former security forces personnel from villages around the northwestern town of Tal Afar, as well as the western part of the village of Mawaly. The fate of the men is unknown.

About 30 sheikhs also reportedly were taken from the Sinjar district, with one report saying more than half of them were killed. The militants are alleged to have forcibly moved about 1,500 families to Mosul's airport from Hamam al-Alil, she added.

Iraqi troops and Kurdish peshmerga forces are converging on Mosul, although their deepest advance into an eastern sliver has stalled after militants counterattacked from populated areas.

To the northeast, about 13 kilometers from the city, the peshmerga continued their push on the town of Bashiqa, believed to be largely deserted except for dozens of ISIS fighters.

Mortar fire, automatic weapons and explosions echoed through the morning as a thick plume of smoke hung over parts of the town, obscuring the view of warplanes from the US-led coalition.

Photo: AP

More than 34,000 people have been displaced from Mosul, the UN said, with about three-fourths of them settled in camps; the rest are in host communities.

Food, water and medicine have been distributed to more than 41,000 displaced people and vulnerable residents who have fled the fighting, the UN reported.

Since the battle for Mosul reached the city itself Nov. 4, about 11,000 people have fled to the east, while some electricity and water supplies have been cut in eastern neighborhoods.

ISIS extremists have rounded up thousands of civilians in and around Mosul and drawn them back into the dense, urban quarters of the city for use as human shields, the army and human rights groups alleged.

The militants have killed hundreds of Iraqis, mainly former members of the security forces, as they ready a fight to the death in the warrens of Mosul's residential streets and alleyways.

The ISIS group has boasted of using mass killings to terrify opponents, often posting grisly photos and video of them online. As the fight intensifies, the militants are believed to be cracking down on anyone who could rise up against them, focusing on men with military training or past links to the security forces.
WASHINGTON/PHILADELPHIA - Voters and civil rights groups reported long lines, isolated cases of malfunctioning equipment and some harassment at polling places in Tuesday's US presidential election but fears of widespread violence at the polls did not materialize.

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Nationwide, civil rights groups logged unusual levels of voter intimidation complaints, receiving about 35,000 calls through a national voter complaint hotline as of Tuesday evening. Democratic Party officials, however, said they did not see systemic voter suppression efforts.

Civil rights groups, who have enlisted 7,000 volunteers, said 40 percent of the calls they had received through the telephone hotline by early afternoon were from African-American and Latino voters.

Voting in California (Photo: AFP)

Complaints of voter intimidation were especially prevalent in Florida, Georgia, Ohio and Arizona with a disproportionate share coming from minority voters.

"We are hearing more complaints about voter intimidation than we have in presidential cycles from prior years," said Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Polling station in Kansas (Photo: EPA)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has repeatedly said the election would be "rigged" and called on his supporters to watch for signs of fraud in urban areas, raising fears they could clash with minority voters. Numerous studies have found that voter fraud is exceedingly rare in the United States.

Voter intimidation

Absent on Tuesday were reports of the kind of hostile political displays, vandalism and violence that have cropped up regularly throughout the campaign. A polling station was locked down in Southern California after one person was killed and three wounded by gunfire but police saw no immediate indication the incident was linked to Election Day.

But isolated reports of voter intimidation and harassment flooded the voter complaint hotline run by a coalition of civil rights groups throughout the day.

An African-American voter called the hotline from Alabama's Shelby County to report that a white poll worker had indicated she would have to wash her hands after handling the voter's photo identification card.

Voting in California (Photo: AFP)

Shelby County lawyers persuaded the US Supreme Court in 2013 to strike down a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act requiring states with a history of voter discrimination to get federal clearance for changes to their election laws.

Clarke said many voter complaints to the hotline came from states formerly covered by that provision.

Some voters in Florida reported a heavy, unexplained police presence at several polling sites around the state. A group of students in the state were told their votes would not count because their college dormitory was considered a hotel.

Voting booths in California (Photo: AFP)

In Ohio's Franklin County, the hotline received complaints that Somali-American voters were told they would have to vote provisionally because their addresses did not match their identification cards - and then were told that the polling site had run out of provisional ballots.

In Georgia's DeKalb County, a group calling itself Defenders of Democracy was pressuring voters in line to fill out sample ballots and sign pledges that they would cast the same votes on the real ballot, according to reports received by the hotline.

A polling station in Salt Lake City, UT (Photo: AP)

The federal government reduced its election monitoring program in the wake of a 2013 US Supreme Court decision that weakened federal oversight of states with a history of racial discrimination. Revised voting laws and lengthy court battles in many states also have left voters uncertain about when and where they can cast their ballot and whether they will need to present photo identification.

A Nevada judge on Tuesday rejected a request from Trump for records from a Las Vegas polling place that his campaign said had improperly remained open last week to accommodate people who were lined up to vote. The judge agreed with a county attorney who argued that election officials already preserve records.

Machine glitches

Malfunctioning machines dominated voter complaints out of Pennsylvania, Arizona, New York, North Carolina and Virginia.

Trump cited reports that polling machines were switching votes for Republican candidates to votes for Democrats as cause for concern that the election outcome might not be valid, once again warning of a rigged system.

Voting in Kansas (Photo: EPA)

Speaking to Fox News, Trump provided no evidence to support the allegations or say where polling machines were breaking down, although there were some problems in Pennsylvania.

Voters in at least four Pennsylvania counties said touch-screen voting machines were mistakenly switching votes. State officials, however, said they did not believe any ballots had been wrongly counted as a result of the machine malfunctions.

Voting in Oklahoma (Photo: EPA)

Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states that relies on electronic voting machines without a paper backup that would allow officials to double-check the outcome if it is challenged.

The machines can record votes incorrectly if they are not calibrated properly, a problem that is magnified as the screens degrade with age.

Voting in Kansas (Photo: EPA)

But ES&S, the company that makes the machines, said voters have a chance to confirm their choices before they cast their ballot, making it impossible for the machine to flip a vote from one candidate to another. Local officials test machines to make sure they are calibrated properly before each election.

The Philadelphia district attorney's office, which monitors voting in the state's largest city, said on Twitter it was not receiving any complaints out of the ordinary.

Voting in Chesterfield, VA (Photo: AP)

Electronic voting rolls in Durham County, North Carolina, malfunctioned early on Tuesday, prompting the county to ask the state board of elections to extend voting hours in eight precincts until 9pm, an hour and a half later than they were supposed to be open.

The state elections board on Tuesday evening agreed to extend voting hours in the precincts by between 20 and 60 minutes.
SYDNEY - The US dollar sank and stocks plummeted as mayhem came to world markets on Wednesday as investors faced the possibility of a shock win by Republican Donald Trump that could upend the global political order.

Every new TV network projection in the US presidential election showed the race to be far closer than anyone had thought, sending investors stampeding to safe-haven assets.

Sovereign bonds and gold shot higher while the Mexican peso went into near free-fall as AP gave Florida to Trump.

US stock futures recoiled more than 4 percent, a loss reminiscent of the carnage that followed the British vote to leave the European Union in June.
Chinese state media outlets are casting the US election as the embodiment of America's democracy in crisis in contrast to China's perceived stability under authoritarian rule.

The state-run Xinhua News Agency says the campaign has highlighted that, in its words, "the majority of Americans are rebelling against the US's political class and financial elites."

The official Communist Party newspaper People's Daily says in a commentary that the presidential election reveals an "ill democracy."

On Tuesday, the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV ran man-on-the-street interviews with unidentified American voters in which they expressed disgust with the system and dissatisfaction with both candidates.
New Zealand immigration officials told Reuters on the eve of the US presidential vote that New Zealand Now website, which deals with residency and student visas, had received 1,593 registrations from United States citizens since Nov. 1 - more than 50 percent of a typical month's registrations in just seven days.

Visits to New Zealand Now from the United States were up almost 80 percent to 41,000 from 7 Oct to 7 November, compared to the same period last year.

Rod Drury, the chief executive of NZ-based global accounting software firm Xero, said the statistics matched up with interest his company has been seeing from prospective US national employees concerned about a Trump win.
Despite an expected Democratic win in the Senate, the Republican Party retained control of both houses of Congress on Tuesday.

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At the Senate race, Democrats grabbed a Republican-held seat in Illinois, but the outcome in Wisconsin was a surprise as both parties had expected it to flip for the Democrats. Wisconsin GOP Sen. Ron Johnson's victory over former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold forecast a grim night for the Democrats, who will be consigned to minority status on Capitol Hill for years to come.

Races in GOP-held New Hampshire and Missouri remained too close to call as Republicans defended a slim 54-46 majority in an unpredictable election year.





Republican Senator Marco Rubio won re-election in Florida. (Photo: AP)

As the night wore on Democratic operatives struggled to explain why their optimistic assessments of retaking Senate control were so mistaken. Some were blaming FBI Director James Comey's bombshell announcement that he was reviewing a new batch of emails connected with Clinton for breathing life into GOP campaigns.

Senate Republicans, too, had feared they would have a bad night Tuesday, and some were taken by surprise as they racked up win after win.

In North Carolina, Democrats had high hopes of unseating entrenched GOP incumbent Sen. Richard Burr, who infuriated even his own party with his laidback campaign style. But in the end he had little trouble holding off a challenge from Democrat Deborah Ross, a former state legislator and director of the North Carolina ACLU.

In Indiana, GOP Rep. Todd Young beat former Democratic senator and governor Evan Bayh, who mounted a much-ballyhooed comeback bid, but wilted under scrutiny.

And in Florida, GOP Sen. Marco Rubio beat Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy, giving Rubio a platform from which he could mount another bid for president in 2020. The outcome was not unexpected since Murphy had been abandoned by his own party in the final weeks of the campaign, but polls had tightened heading into Election Day.

In Arizona, meanwhile, GOP Sen. John McCain, at age 80, won his sixth term in quite possibly his final campaign. The 2008 GOP presidential nominee was re-elected without much difficulty despite early predictions of a competitive race, and struck a reflective note ahead of the outcome.

"While as Yogi Berra said, 'I hate to make predictions, especially about the future,' I'm not sure how many more I have in me," McCain said.

Democrats' only pick-up so far came in Illinois, where GOP Sen. Mark Kirk had long been considered the most endangered Republican incumbent. Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a double-amputee Iraq war veteran, ousted Kirk.

In New York, Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democrats' leader-in-waiting for a new Congress, easily won re-election. But the results suggested he would be leading a Senate minority when he replaces retiring Nevada Sen. Harry Reid in the leader's role.

Democratic NY Senator Chuck Shumer hoped to lead the Senate. (Photo: AFP)

Nonetheless Schumer struck an optimistic note addressing supporters in Manhattan. "I hope the voters of America will bless us with a Democratic majority in the Senate," he said.

GOP incumbents around the country had faced energized Democratic challengers trying to oust them in costly and caustic battles shadowed every step of the way by the polarizing presidential race between Republican Donald Trump and Clinton.

The GOP retook the majority just two years ago. And even though control of the Senate is likely to be razor-thin whichever party ends up on top, the advantages of being in the majority are significant. The controlling party holds the committee chairmanships, sets the legislative agenda and runs investigations. First up is likely to be a nominee to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court.

Reid was retiring after five terms and trying to engineer a Democratic successor in Nevada. Democrats were optimistic that a strong Latino vote, and Republican hopeful Rep. Joe Heck's stumbles with Trump, would keep Nevada in their column.

Missouri, like North Carolina, was a GOP-friendly state that turned unexpectedly competitive as incumbent Republican Sen. Roy Blunt seemed caught unawares by the nation's restless mood.

Throughout the campaign the Senate races provided moments of drama, not least as GOP candidates grappled with sharing a ticket with Trump. That tripped up Sen. Kelly Ayotte in New Hampshire after she asserted at one point that Trump could "absolutely" be a role model for the nation's youth.

In Nevada, Heck ended the campaign refusing to say whether or not he'd vote for Trump. Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Pat Toomey, too, kept voters in suspense until the eleventh hour before disclosing late Tuesday that he voted for Trump.

Republicans defend House majority

Republicans will maintain their six-year control over the US House of Representatives, major TV networks projected on Tuesday night.

With Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic rival Hillary Clinton locked in a close battle for the White House, television networks said Republicans, as widely projected in opinion polls, would keep control of the House.

Winners had been declared so far in 21 Senate races, with Democrats making a net gain of only a single seat so far, with a handful of additional opportunities for them remaining undecided. Some key races were seen as too close to call.

Party dominance in Congress will be a crucial determinant of the policy-making outlook for the next president. The House has been in Republican hands since 2011 and has been a bastion of resistance to Democratic President Barack Obama's agenda.
An attempted stabbing attack was carried out early Wednesday morning in Huwara, a Palestinian town located in the Nablus Governorate of the northern West Bank.

The terrorist was said to have been neutralized on the scene after trying to stab his victim with a screwdriver. No other injuries were immediately reported.
An attempted stabbing attack was carried out early Wednesday morning in Huwara, before being neutralized by security forces. No other injures were reported.

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The attacker approached security forces guarding the Palestinian town located in the Nablus Governorate of the northern West Bank and

attempted to stab an IDF soldier using a screwdriver. No injurieswere sustained by the soldier due to the bulletproof vest he was wearing.

Illustration photo of Huwara (Photo: TPS)

Responding to the attack, the security personnel immediately opened fire, managing to wound and neutralize the terrorist who was then evacuated to hospital.

The attack is the first to have taken place since last Thursday, when a terrorist also attempted to carry out a stabbing attack at the Ofra Interchange before being shot and killed by security personnel stationed nearby.
SPRINGFIELD -- A Massachusetts evangelist will ask a federal judge to reject a lawsuit that accuses him of waging a long campaign to persecute gays in Uganda.

An East African gay advocacy group filed the lawsuit in 2012 against minister Scott Lively under a statute that allows non-citizens to file US court actions for violations of international law.

Lively's Springfield church is known as Redemption Gate Mission Society. He has called the lawsuit "absurd" and "completely frivolous."

Lively says he has preached against homosexuality, but advised therapy, not punishment.

The New York-based group Center for Constitutional Rights filed the suit on behalf of Sexual Minorities Uganda.

A hearing will be held Wednesday in US District Court in Springfield on Lively's request for summary judgment to keep the case from going to trial.
SEOUL - South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said on Wednesday that he believed Donald Trump would maintain the current US policy of pressuring North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests, if he wins the presidential election.

"Candidate Trump has expressed his clear position by saying after North Korea's nuclear test that such provocation by the North is a direct threat to the United States," Yun said.

He made the comments in a meeting with members of parliament scheduled to discuss the results of the US presidential election. The North conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests in January and September, drawing widespread international condemnation.
PARIS - France would need to clarify with the United States key issues such as the conflict in Syria, Iran's nuclear deal and climate change, if Donald Trump became the US President, the country's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Jean-Marc Ayrault also told France 2 Television that he thought Trump's personality raised "questions".

Asked about Trump's personality he said: "It makes you think, it asks questions. It has certainly provoked reactions."

Ayrault said it looked likely Trump had won power, adding, "and France is an ally of the United States. We are therefore a key partner, and we need to work together for stability and peace in the world, and for a world which tackles the key issues facing it."

"We are going to need to understand what the new president will want to do," he added.

"What is going to happen to the Paris climate change deal? On the Iran nuclear deal? These are key questions that we are already asking ourselves."
As I write these words, the American president has yet to be elected, but the readers already know who he is. Proper disclosure: my preferred candidate was Donald Trump, due to a single issuethe question which of the two is better for the Jews and their country.

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But even if Clinton was elected, which wouldn't have guarantee an easy life for any Israeli leader trying to protect the national interest in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria, todays Israel is strong enough, and there would be no need to panic.

Trump was surrounded by pro-Israel advisors with a right-wing orientation, while the Democratic Party increasingly skewed to the left (Photo: AFP)

While it is difficult to forget Clintons brutal and insulting pressure on Netanyahu, which forced him to freeze planning and construction in Jerusalem, she did it in the capacity of secretary of state on behalf of the Obama administrationand Obama is leaving. Hillary is not Israels friend, and Arab states have likely donated to the Clinton Foundation more than Israel has donated, if at all. She does not, however, possess the mental identification with the Arabs that characterizes Obama.

If we use this timeout to assess our power and ability to endure American pressure, we will realize that we are a country with a population as big as Switzerland, Austria and almost Sweden. All of these countries have solved its water and energy problems on its own and unlike most of the Western world, is enjoying demographic prosperity and has an economy that has not been affected by the global crisis. In addition, Israel is not seeking Americas defense against a Soviet threat. Its relations with Russia are excellent.

Moreover, in todays Middle East hell the American world power itself needs the safe anchorage provided by Israel and its strength, which provides critical backing to the pro-Western regimes around it. This last point is so true that Obama provided Israel with massive aid, which went to serve the entire Wests interest. With such an awareness of our position and abilities, free of feelings of inferiority, the Israeli prime minister will be able to meet any American president without budging an inch from our national interests.

And why did I support Trump? In order to take a little rest, for a change, from the eternal nevertheless and dream about an Uncle Sam who provides unconditional support and friendship, without any pressure. Trump promised to recognize Jerusalem as Israels eternal and undivided capital and to move the American Embassy to the city, not to harass us with the two-state solution, to oppose any agreement forced by the United Nations Security Council, to keep the settlement enterprise complete, to support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus policy on Iran and to fight Islamic terrorism.

The Republican Party as a whole has already changed its platform, erasing, among other examples, its support for the establishment of a Palestinian state. Trump himself was surrounded by pro-Israel advisors with a right-wing orientation, while the Democratic Party increasingly skewed to the left. Clintons promises to Israel during the campaign were anemic at best.

Trumps promises were too small for the institutionalized media in Israel and were therefore hardly covered. The media found it difficult to conceal their ideological leaning towards Hillary. Politicians promises are usually taken lightly, and I am not naive, either. But the division between left and right, here and there, is a fact, and its practical consequenceson us, wellare a reality.

What will this reality look like? As I write these words, I can only guess. But their reader may already knows.
A mortar shell fell inside Israeli territory in the Golan Heights region Wednesday morning, according to the IDF Spokesperson's unit. No one was harmed in the explosion, and no property damage was reported.

It's origins have not been confirmed, but the IDF has stated that fighting in Syria - on the other side of the border  continues.
Expressions of congratulations and praise from world leaders began flowing in almost immediately following Donald Trumps resounding victory in the Presidential elections over Hillary Clinton.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed confidence that he and Trump can work together to bring US-Israeli relations to "new heights".

In a statement congratulating the Republican candidate, Netanyahu said: "President-elect Trump is a true friend of the State of Israel, and I look forward to working with him to advance security, stability and peace in our region."

Donald Trump's avowed support of Israel

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"I am confident that President-elect Trump and I will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights," said Netanyahu, who has had a rocky relationship with outgoing Democratic President Barack Obama.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Donald Trump (Photo: Kobi Gidon/GPO)

President Reuven Rivlin also welcomed Trumps victory. I would like to congratulates the president-elect, Donald Trump, his family, and the American people as a whole, who have once again proven to the entire world the meaning of being the greatest democracy in the world.

Warning the president-elect that many domestic and global challenges stand at your doorstep, Rivlin assured him that "Israel, the United States' strongest ally, stands by our friend and partner in any challenge that may come our way, and I have no doubt that the connections between the countries will continue and strengthen during Trump's presidency as well."

President Reuven Rivlin (Photo: Yaron Brener)

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat also praised praised Trump as a devoted supporter of Jerusalem, adding that he expected the new administration to move the US embassy to the capital.

I am full of hope for your support for our activities for building in and developing Jerusalem for all her residents, and I invite you to visit the capital of Israel, Barkat wrote.

On a number of occasions, Trump has proposed moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, even though the US has not recognized Israel's sovereignty over the eastern half of the city.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, to whom Trump repeatedly made overtures of cooperation during his campaign, was among the first to send a telegram expressing his hope that the two countries would move closer together despite the current Syrian conflict which has wrenched them ever further apart.

President Putin (Photo: AFP)

In a brief statement Wednesday, the Kremlin said Putin expressed "his hope to work together for removing Russian-American relations from their crisis state."

Putin also said he has "confidence that building a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington that is based on principles of equality, mutual respect and a real accounting for each other's positions, is in the interests of our peoples and the world community."

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi also sent his congratulations to Trump, saying that he hoped that his inauguration would bring with it a new climate in the relations between Egypt and the United States and lead to greater cooperation and coordination in accordance with the interests of the Egyptian and the American nation.

The Egyptian president also said he hoped a Trump administration would strengthen peace, stability and development in the Middle East especially in light of the challenges which remain in the region

Egyptian President al-Sisi (Photo: AFP)

British Prime Minister Theresa May congratulated Trump on his hard-fought campaign saying that she wanted the special relationship between the two countries to endure and that Britain and the United States would remain "strong and close partners on trade, security and defence".

The statement was more conciliatory than those previously made by May who before being appointed prime minister, criticised Trump's call for a ban on Muslims from entering the United States, saying it was divisive, unhelpful and wrong.

She also called his suggestion that parts of London were so radicalised that the police dare not enter them "nonsense", saying: "I think it shows that he doesn't understand the United Kingdom and what happens in the United Kingdom."

Prime Minister Theresa May (Photo: Gettyimages)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement that he "congratulates the elected American president, Donald Trump, and hopes that peace will be achieved during his term."

An Abbas aide, Saeb Erekat, added that he doesn't expect US positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to change under Trump.

Erekat added that the Republican and Democratic parties are both committed to a two-state solution of the conflict and "I think this will not change with the coming administration."

Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: Ofer Meir)

Statements from Iran implored Trump to remain committed to the international nuclear deal with Iran, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency on Wednesday.

Throughout his campaign, Trump consistently attacked the deal signed by President Obama and essentially pledged to cast it aside.

"The United States should fulfil its commitments in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the nuclear deal) as a multilateral international agreement," Zarif was quoted as saying while on a visit to Romania.

A host of other nations such as Turkey and Canada wished Trump congratulations but tensions between Mexico and the Trump camp, which had been heightened as a result of persistent invective during the latters campaign, were calmed by Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto who said that the US and his country were friends and that they should continue to work together.

The warm wishes were not only forthcoming abroad. Democratic President Barack Obama called Trump and invited him to the White House on Thursday to discuss the transition of power, the White House said.

Obama has a 'very warm conversation' with Trump (Photo: AP, AFP)

"Ensuring a smooth transition of power is one of the top priorities the president identified at the beginning of the year and a meeting with the president-elect is the next step," the White House press secretary said in a statement.

According to Trumps campaign manager Kellyanne Conway the two had a very warm conversation. She told NBCs Today program that "He was congratulated, and I think they resolved to work together."

Obama, who also called unsuccessful Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, will make a statement on Wednesday to discuss the election results.

Conway also said Clinton's top aide, Huma Abedin, called her late Wednesday and connected Clinton with Trump. She said Clinton "congratulated him for his victory," and he told Clinton that she is "very smart, very tough" and had "waged a tremendous campaign."
A mortar shell from Syria landed inside Israeli territory in the Golan Heights region, the IDF reported Wednesday morning. No one was harmed by the mortar, and no property damage was reported.

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The landing was likely the result of a stray shell fired during the fighting in the war-ridden country.

Golan Heights (Archive Photo: Avihu Shapira)

In response, the IDF attacked an artillery battery belonging to the Syrian regime in the northern Golan Heights.

As IDF soldiers work to identify the precise spot in which the mortar fell, it was confirmed that it hit an orchard on the Israeli side of the border. Moreover, while none of the northern residents' lives were directly impacted, sources in the Golan Heights report that fighting on the Syrian side of the border has begun once more.

In response to the mortar shell, the IDF issued a statement saying, "The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israel's sovereignty and the security of its citizens. The IDF holds the Syrian regime responsible for what happens in its territory."

During the months of August and September the IDF responded to several instances spillover from the Syrian side with airstrikes.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he hoped the United States would continue to support Ukraine in its stand-off with Russia following the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election.

"The President looks forward to a continuation of US support in two important areas: Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression ... and also assistance in the realisation of major reforms," Poroshenko was quoted as saying in a statement on Wednesday.
While the billionaire businessman's triumph was welcomed in some countries, others saw it as a big shock, as governments will now have to deal with a man who has cozied up to Russian President Vladimir Putin, told NATO allies they would have to pay for their own protection and vowed to make the Mexican government pay for a multibillion-dollar border wall.

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Leaders were not sure what to expect after a US campaign in which Trump upended foreign policy orthodoxy on numerous fronts, including the international movement to contain the spread of nuclear weapons.

Donald Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (Photo: Reuters)

Putin sent Trump a congratulatory telegram Wednesday morning and made a televised statement expressing the hope that frayed US-Russian relations could be put back on track. He said Moscow is ready to try to restore good relations.

"We are aware that it is a difficult path, in view of the unfortunate degradation of relations between the Russian Federation and the United States," he said, adding that "it is not our fault that Russian-American relations are in such a state."

Russia was at times a focal point during the US campaign, with government officials and the Hillary Clinton campaign team suggesting the Russian government was involved in hacking her campaign's emails. Trump expressed admiration for Putin and his tough leadership style, and some Clinton surrogates questioned Trump's business dealings with Russia.

Dmitri Drobnitski, a columnist at the popular, generally pro-Kremlin website LifeNews, said Trump's victory will help the entire world.

"I congratulate the American people with their will and with their democracy and with their strength and with their courage," he said. "So this is not only a victory for the Americans, who defended their democracy against the liberal, global eliteno, this is a victory that the American people brought to the whole world."

US President-elect Donald Trump (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (Photo: AP)

Trump's win caused trepidation in Mexico, where his remarks calling Mexican immigrants criminals and "rapists" were a deep insult to national pride. He has suggested slapping a 35 percent tax on automobiles and auto parts made by US companies in Mexico. Financial analysts have predicted a Trump win would threaten billions of dollars in cross-border trade, and government officials say they have drawn up a contingency plan.

"It's DEFCON 2," Mexican analyst Alejandro Hope said. "Probably something as close to a national emergency as Mexico has faced in many decades."

Trump's electoral triumph is also being felt strongly in the volatile Middle East, where multiple crises are unfolding.

In Iran, leaders emphasized the need to keep the historic nuclear deal between Iran and world powers on track despite Trump's harsh criticism of it during the campaign.

Referring to the agreement in light of Trump's win, Iranian president Ali Khamenei said the deal "cannot be overturned by a single government." This despite the fact that Trump has suggested he would try to renegotiate the agreement under which Iran curbs its nuclear program in exchange for a gradual lifting of international sanctions.

Trump and Netanyahu (Photo: Kobi Gideon GPO)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that he hopes "peace will be achieved" during Trump's term.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi congratulated Trump. In a statement on his website, al-Abadi said he hopes the "world and the United States will continue to support Iraq in fighting terrorism."

The Taliban called for the withdrawal of all US forces from Afghanistan once Trump takes office.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said a Trump administration "should allow Afghans to become a free nation and have relationships with other countries based on non-interference in each other's affairs."

In Europe, NATO allies will wait to see if Trump follows through on suggestions that the US will look at whether they have paid their proper share in considering whether to come to their defense.

US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter with NATO forces (Photo: AP)

Trump's rhetoric has challenged the strategic underpinning of the NATO alliance, rattling its leaders at a time when Russia has been increasingly aggressive.

"As a candidate, Trump called into question NATO and trade agreements, and reached out to Moscow," said Daniela Schwarzer, an expert on trans-Atlantic relations at the German Council on Foreign Relations.

"His campaign of discrimination, lies and aggression harmed the principles of liberal democracy. Even if President Trump doesn't implement everything, Germany and Europe can't rely on the trans-Atlantic partnership as usual and have to stand up for Western values themselves."

Trump's victory pleased leaders of the nationalist Alternative for Germany party, which has campaigned strongly against Chancellor Angela Merkel's policy of letting hundreds of thousands of migrants into the country.

"It was high time that people disenfranchised by the political establishment get their voices back in the United States of America too," party co-leader Frauke Petry said.

The French populist, anti-immigrant politician Marine Le Pen congratulated Trump even before the final results were known, tweeting her support to the "American people, free!"

Trump's victory was viewed with shock in Ireland, a country fearful of Trump's campaign pledge to confront US companies using Ireland as a tax shelter. Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole wrote Wednesday: "The republic of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt is now the United Hates of America."

Photo: AP

In Asia, security issues and trade will top the agenda for the new administration, from North Korea and the South China Sea to the contentious and yet-unratified Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

China is seen as favoring Trump because he appears less willing to confront China's newly robust foreign policy, particularly in the South China Sea.

Clinton, by contrast, was disliked in Beijing for having steered the US "pivot" to Asia aimed at strengthening US engagement with the region, particularly in the military sphere. Scholar Mei Xinyu wrote in the Communist Party newspaper Global Times that China would find it easier to cope with a Trump presidency.

"Trump has always insisted on abandoning ideological division and minimizing the risks that unnecessary conflicts with other countries may bring to the US," Mei wrote.

News of Trump's victory hit hard in Cuba, which has spent the last two years negotiating normalization with the United States after more than 50 years of Cold War hostility. Trump has promised to roll back Obama's opening with Cuba unless President Raul Castro agrees to more political freedoms.

"If he reverses it, it hurts us," taxi driver Oriel Iglesias Garcia said. "You know tourism will go down."
THE HAGUE -- A Turkish judge assigned to a United Nations war crimes panel has been detained by Turkish authorities in the aftermath of a failed coup in July, despite having diplomatic immunity.

The president of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals, Theodor Meron, told the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday that Judge Aydin Sefa Akay was detained around Sept. 21 "in relation to allegations connected to the events of July 2016 directed against the constitutional order of Turkey."

The mechanism is an organization that was established to deal with residual legal issues and appeals stemming from cases before the UN tribunals dealing with atrocities in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.

Meron has used his speech at the UN to call on Turkey to immediately release Akay, who remains in custody.
After congratulating the US president-elected with a video message, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also called Donald Trump on Wednesday.

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Calling Trump a "true friend of the State of Israel," Netanyahu told Trump that the United States has no better ally than Israel, while the newly elected American president invited the Israeli leader to Washington for a meeting at the earliest opportunity.

Netanyahu said that he believes the two leaders "will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights."

Trump and Netanyahu in their meeting in New York in September (Photo: GPO)

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said the conversation between the two leaders, who know each other for many years, was warm and friendly, and that the two also discussed regional issues.

In a video the prime minister posted earlier in the day, he congratulated Trump for his victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton

Netanyahu congratulates President-elect Trump ()

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"President-elect Trump, my friend, congratulations on being elected president of the United States of America," Netanyahu began. "You are a great friend of Israel. Over the years, you've expressed your support consistently, and I deeply appreciate it."

"I look forward to working with you to advance security, prosperity and peace," the prime minister continued. "Israel is grateful for the broad support it enjoys among the American people. I am confident that the two of us, working closely together, will bring the great alliance between our two countries to even greater heights."

Israel's President Reuven Rivlin also joined the chorus of congratulations on Wednesday.

I want to congratulate President elect Donald Trump, his family, and all the American people who have once again showed the world it is the greatest democracy, Rivlin said in a statement.

There are many challenges that lie before you as president - at home and around the world. Israel, your greatest ally, stands by you as your friend and partner in turning those challenges into opportunities, the Israeli president added.

I hope together Israelis and Americans can grow our innovation and cooperation, which are the fruits of liberty, and equality. God bless you Mr. President, Rivlin concluded.
Following news of Donald Trump's presidential victory, protests from Pennsylvania to California, Oregon and Washington sent hundreds of people to the streets to voice their opposition to Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton.

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Police said at least 500 people swarmed on streets in and around UCLA, some shouting anti-Trump expletives and others chanting "Not my president!"

Protests in Oakland following Trump's victory (Photo: AP)

There were no immediate arrests.

Smaller demonstrators were held at University of California campuses and neighborhoods in Berkeley, Irvine and Davis and at San Jose State.

Photo: AP

Photo: Reuters

In Oakland, more than 100 protesters took to downtown streets. Local news stations reported that protesters burned Trump in effigy, smashed windows of the Oakland Tribune newsroom and set tires and trash on fire. Police said they issued one citation, but no one was arrested.

The California Highway Patrol reported that a woman was struck by a car during the protest and severely injured.

Photo: AP

Photo: AP

In Oregon, dozens of people blocked traffic in downtown Portland and forced a delay for trains on two light rail lines. Media reports say the crowd grew to about 300 people, including some who sat in the middle of the road to block traffic. The crowd of anti-Trump protesters burned American flags and chanted "That's not my president."

Photo: Reuters

Photo: Reuters

In Seattle, a group of about 100 protesters gathered in the Capital Hill neighborhood, blocked roads and set a trash bin on fire.

In Pennsylvania, hundreds of University of Pittsburgh students marched through the streets, with some in the crowd calling for unity. The student-run campus newspaper, the Pitt News, tweeted about an event later Wednesday titled "Emergency Meeting: Let's Unite to Stop President Trump."
The future leader of the Middle East's top foreign ally is, in the words of a Saudi prince, an anti-Muslim "disgrace", openly disdainful of Arab security partnerships, who believes Saudi Arabia would cease to exist without the United States.

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Donald Trump's presidential election victory means he is the man Washington's Arab allies must deal with after his January inauguration, as they seek US help to end wars from Syria to Mosul, manage humanitarian crises and provide jobs for their populations at a time of low oil prices.

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz (Photo: MCT)

Trump's campaign tirades against Muslim migrantsthe target of Prince Alwaleed bin Talal's comments on Twitterand against Arab allies who don't "pay" for US support suggest the relationship could be delicate.

How far Trump the president will differ from Trump the polarising election candidate is not clear.

Brief, congratulatory messages flowed quickly from Arab allies, including one from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, who wished Trump success in "achieving security and stability in the Middle East and the wider world".

But underneath the protocol, for many Arab rulers and royals Trumps victory is a source of anxiety. They now face a new America led by Trump who, they fear, could upend a regional order that has prevailed for decades.

Some Arabs like Trump's no-nonsense style, and praise what they see as his capacity for tough leadership.

"A strong leader ... that is what is needed here in the Middle East and all across the world," said Ali al-Muhannadi, 57, a Qatari owner of an electrical company, filling his car up at a petrol station in Doha on Wednesday.

Muhannadi saw Trump as a useful ally in confronting the jihadist threat, saying he is "very frank and not like a politician. Islamist radicals are bad for the West and for us too".

But privately there are concerns about a lack of clarity in Trump's policies for the world's most combustible region as it struggles to break free from war while trying to safeguard the free flow of its oil exports.

Disaffected Arab youth

In particular there are worries that Trump's hostile rhetoric towards Muslim migrants will play into the hands of ISIS and al Qaeda, which are eager to recruit disaffected young Arabs to wage war on the regional governments they despise as stooges of Washington.

Gulf Arab leaders want a US president who understands their concerns after eight years of what they regard as diffidence under US President Barack Obama, someone who did not provide the kind of personal contact they value.

In particular they want help to push back against Iran, their main rival. But they fear Trump's public praise for Vladimir Putin will encourage Russia to expand its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Iran and an enemy of most Gulf Arab states.

Russian Minister of Defense Shoigu meets with Assad

Apart from a commitment to Israel's security, a constant in US foreign policy, and an isolationist tone to his comments, much in Trump's statements about the region remains vague and poorly thought out, diplomats and analysts say.

Opinion is divided about whether Trump's remarks on the campaign trail will be enacted when in office. Among these is his comment that he would consider halting US purchases of Saudi oil unless Riyadh provides troops to fight Islamic State.

Faisal Al Yafai, a commentator at The National newspaper, said many people thought Trump had used his extravagant comments to win votes and once in office he would mellow.

"I am unconvinced. I think he actually believes his rhetoric. It's quite worrying that he doesnt seem to understand how global politics works," he said. "For example you dont go around saying 'if our allies were threatened we wouldn't intervene, why can't they build their own nuclear weapons?'"

"That sort of stuff doesnt help confidence. That collapse of confidence between the US and its allies has a knock-on impact on the economies and in the decisions those countries take on a political level."

Yafai, whose newspaper is based in the United Arab Emirates, noted Iraqis were putting their lives on the line to regain Mosul, ISIS's main stronghold in the country. "That is not just a war for the region, it is a war for the world," he said.

Others are more sanguine.

A senior Turkish official predicted continued strong relations with the United States and argued that "Comments in an election period always have a harder and more hawkish tone than is necessary. But they remain peculiar to the election period."

Saudis 'ready to take a risk'

Trump's remarks have been combative, and eye-catching. He has said the United States should be reimbursed by the countries it provides protection for.

Without America, "Saudi Arabia wouldn't exist for very long," Trump told the New York Times in March.

Trump's win drew a cautious welcome in Syria, which has entered its fifth year of war between rebels and Assad's forces.

In Damascus, Syrian member of parliament Sherif Shehada said US policy could shift Assad's way. "We must be optimistic, but cautiously optimistic," Shehada said.

Saudi naval exercises utilizing US weapons

Trump's statements on Syria, and his more open-minded stance towards Assad's ally Russia, have fuelled rebel concern about the policy he may adopt on the conflict, in which the Russian air force has been bombing insurgents.

But beyond all that, many officials and observers see another ominous consequence.

Trumps win has not only delighted Western right-wingers but also jihadists who told supporters the election had revealed the true position of the United States towards Muslims.

"The masks have slipped," one supporter said on Islamic State websites. "(Trump's) moronic declarations alone serve us even if his decisions will be under the supervision of the Senate...," wrote another.
TORONTO -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed Wednesday to work "very closely" with President-elect Donald Trump.

The Liberal prime minister told students at an event in Ottawa that he will work with Trump not just for Canadians "but for the whole world." He earlier offered his congratulations in a statement and said Canada has no closer ally and partner than the United States.

Trudeau told the students he sees a message in the election. Trump awakened a movement of angry working-class voters.

"The fact is, we've heard clearly from Canadians and from Americans that people want a shared shot at success," Trudeau said. "We share a purpose, our two countries, where we want to build places where the middle class and those working hard to join it have a chance."
Despite dwelling values moving out of reach for many as the housing market broadly approaches four-and-a-half years of growth, perceptions around whether now is a good time to be purchasing property have improved over the past year.

Sentiments varied depending on the region. The surveywhich polled 2,442 Australian residentsshowed that in Sydney, a majority of respondents were pessimistic about buying a property right now. This isnt surprising since the median house price in Sydney hit $1,068,303 in September, according to Domain Group.

However, in regions where dwelling values have peaked and entered a downturn, respondents expressed the most confidence about buying conditions. Ninety-percent of respondents in the Northern Territory and 80% of respondents in Perth think now is a good time to be purchasing a property or home.

Perceptions around selling a home have weakened over the past twelve months, which is likely attributable to slower housing market conditions across many markets, said Tim Lawless, head of research at CoreLogic.

CoreLogic data shows that transaction numbers have been moderating across most capital cities. However, auction clearance rates are close to record highs and newly advertised listing numbers are tracking lower than a year ago nationally.

Unsurprisingly, considering the growing demand and strong median house prices in Sydney and Melbourne, the survey revealed that residents in these two cities were more optimistic about selling conditions. Seventy-four percent of respondents in Sydney indicated they think now is a good time to sell, and 70% of respondents in Melbourne expressed the same sentiment.

The weaker housing markets had the most pessimistic survey responses. Only 20% of respondents in Perth (WA) and the Northern Territory think now is a good time to sell, highlighting the weaker housing market conditions in these regions.

Somewhat counterintuitively, 67% of respondents indicated they thought the Australian housing market was vulnerable to a significant correction in dwelling values. A significant proportion of respondents who were concerned about a major drop in dwelling values were based in areas where home values have already moved much lower.

Ninety-percent of respondents from the Northern Territory thought the market was vulnerable to a significant correction, and more than 70% of regional South Australia, as well as regional Victoria and Perth, were concerned about the possibility of a significant correction.

Related stories:

Price Growth Set To Cool: HSBC

'Two Speed Property Market' Continues In September
Park Trent was appealing the judgement acting Justice Ronald Sackville had handed down in October last year, which ruled that the group has been unlawfully carrying on a financial services business for more than five years. Park Trent allegedly advised clients to purchase investment properties through a self-managed super fund (SMSF).

When handing down his original judgement last year, Justice Sackville observed that Park Trents business model was highly dependent on persuading relatively unsophisticated investors of the virtues of using their superannuation accounts to purchase investment properties and to establish SMSFsInvestors were influenced to make important decisions concerning their superannuation strategy with little or no genuine consideration of whether the decision took proper account of their individual financial circumstances. Many suffered significant financial losses as a result.

In a unanimous decision delivered by Justice Mark Leeming on November 3, the court found that no error had been made by the trial judge in refusing an application by Park Trent to amend its defence on the sixth day of the nine-day trial.

Even if the requested amendment had been permitted, the regulation on which Park Trent sought to rely on would not have applied to the advice of Park Trent, which was the subject of the proceedings.

ASIC commissioner Greg Tanzer said the governing body favoured the dismissal of the appeal. ASICs action against Park Trent has highlighted there are serious consequences for property spruikers who break the law by providing unlicensed financial product advice, he said.

ASIC originally launched legal proceedings against Park Trent in November 2014. By the time the case went to trial in June 2015, Park Trent had advised more than 860 members of the public to establish and switch funds into an SMSF.

Related stories:

NSW Supreme Court Bans Spruiker From Providing Unlicensed SMSF Advice
As a homeowner, you probably already know that you should be working to maintain your home. But, chances are, you Read More
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Washington, DC - A window is broken. A home is burglarized. Investigators identify a suspect and find a sliver of what appears to be glass embedded in his shoe. In the forensics lab, examiners determine, using advanced microscopy and chemical analysis, that the characteristics of that sliver match those of the broken glass in the burgled home.

Pretty strong evidence, right?

Not so fast, says Shannan Williams, who manages the trace evidence research program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). If those characteristics are common, that sliver of glass might match half the windows in town. But if theyre rare, the evidence can be extremely powerful.

Thats why one of the most important tools available to trace evidence examiners is not a microscope or a chemical reagent, but a database. Besides glass, trace evidence includes hair and fibers, fire debris, metal, paint, adhesives, and explosives, to name just a few. Large databases that describe these materialsand the variability among themmake individual pieces of trace evidence far more powerful than they would be alone.

Unfortunately, much data on trace evidence is scattered in databases at forensic labs and research departments where they are unavailable to the wider forensic community. But Williams and many others are working to change that.

Many of those individuals attended a workshop at NIST on July 19-20, 2016, where experts discussed trace evidence databases and the steps needed to make them more useful and widely available.

During his presentation, Claude Roux of the Centre for Forensic Science at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia, said that trace evidence faces an uncertain future as an investigative tool, in part because, unlike DNA evidence, it does not have the power to directly identify suspects. Roux argued that this emphasis on identification can lead people to undervalue trace evidence, which can be used to generate leads, eliminate suspects, reconstruct sequences of events, and identify links in serial crimes.

Sandra Koch, who sits on the Materials Subcommittee of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science, presented findings that also pointed to an uncertain future for trace evidence. Koch surveyed trace evidence lab managers, with many reporting that trace evidence is often perceived as a junk science with little or no value. An increasing number also face shrinking budgets.

In the face of these uncertainties, workshop participants discussed ways to increase the power of trace evidence through expanded access to trace evidence databases. In addition, experts from NIST, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National Institute of Justice gave presentations on databases that their agencies make available to the forensic science community.

Workshop participants also discussed ways to make other trace evidence databases and collectionsmany compiled by individual forensic laboratories during years of casework, others created by manufacturing companiesmore widely accessible to the forensic community.

Williams hopes that these efforts will help ensure that trace evidence remains a vital tool for crime fighters. Trace evidence databases are force multipliers, Williams said. They make every lab that uses them more effective.

Stay tuned for other outputs from the conference, which over the next several months will include a roadmap for prioritizing data expansion efforts for specific trace evidence types, and a database of databases that will list over 500 publicly available, online databases relevant to forensic investigations.
Spanish Health

Somerton, Arizona - On Tuesday, November 22nd, Alzheimer Grupo de Apoyo (Alzheimers Caregiver Support Group) will meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Somerton Library. Caring for someone with Alzheimer's can be challenging, but a support group can give you the reassurance you need. Connect with other caregivers and share tips, advice, and support.

There is no charge to attend.



Please note, this is a Spanish-language group.



The Somerton Library is located at 240 Canal Street in Somerton, AZ. For more information, call (928) 627-2149.
The heinous serpent of terrorism bit into the fabric of peace as the world witnessed the Lahore terror attacks claim numerous souls. Every bullet that pierced through the fragile veil of life killed a little something inside all of us. One thing that hit me after the initial haze of distress, anger and then debate was the fact that the entire sub-continent has borne the brunt of a few dehumanised people and one of the aspects that has been fractured time and again is the realm of cricket. <br><br> I take up the cause of cricket because it is more than just a game in this part of a world, it is an extension of our life and any dastardly act of terrorism in our region is bound to affect the sport. We have grown up living with the spirit of cricket and a lot of things that we think and orate emanate from our love for the game which is a part of our day to day routine. What the perpetrators of the attacks managed to do was to cast a bleak shadow of terror on our lives, the repercussions of which were for all to see with major tournaments being either postponed or cancelled. <br><br> Last year, the Mumbai terror attacks also generated apprehensions but the Indian government did all that was necessary to beef up the security measures and tackle the problem head on. Sadly, this had not been the case with Pakistan. The nation still burns with the sadist hatred of the terrorists there and the authorities have just not been able to hold the menace. <br><br> The major ramifications of the incident not only include the possible alienation of Pakistan from ICCs World Cup scheme, it also puts in jeopardy the entire cricketing fabric of Pakistan. Who would like to even invite players from such a hostile territoryIt might result in the infiltration of terrorists in their own land. <br><br> In Indias case, the English team flew back to their homeland only to realise that it is not just a regional problem and almost every nation is infested with the disease of terrorism in some way or the other and the best way to tackle it would be by refusing to give into fear. Shakespeare rightly said that the show must go on and in these times of widespread hatred, it is the spirit of sport that can be a good deterrent to those who wish to cast lives with trepidation. <br><br> The moment the Champions League was postponed, ICL World Series called off and the England squad flew back to their homeland, we could see that the attackers had managed to strike us where it hurts the most. <br><br> The sub-continent prides itself when it comes to achieving feats in cricket and the very fact that the sport is suffering a backlash comes as a victory for the extremists. <br><br> India has constantly progressed as a powerhouse in cricket over the years. Not just the T20 World Cup, overseas victories and the home series clean sweep affirm this fact; even the money generated from the game is huge. A lot of employment comes out from staging events here and it would all fade away if we fail to provide a secure ground for the players. <br><br> It is believed by many that money is a major magnet for foreign teams to come and play here but there comes a time when no amount of money can lure someone to risk his life. <br><br> I heard a few people talking the other day and they were of the opinion that Indian cricket team should not tour Pakistan (as if our country is very safe!) and even went to the lengths to assert that since some of the terrorists might be from that region, it would be right not to play against them. <br><br> The one thing missing from their mode of thinking was the fact that it is not just us and them, but the entire sub-continent is plagued by this phenomenon and other countries would not tour any one of us if the situation persists. We must never forget that violence begets violence and we shall reap hatred if we sow it. <br><br> Cricket would definitely be affected by the recent unfolding of events and we will take sometime to return to normalcy, but the swift decision by the ECB shows that we can keep faith in our security men and also sends a positive signal to the world. <br><br> I can visualise matches that are set in the backdrop of guards and guns to protect us and the situation will gradually crawl back to where it was, at least for the cricketing world. The point when we seem to be headed back to normalcy is the point when we must be on our best guard. <br><br> There have been an array of terrorist acts in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh that have left the countries scarred and battered, but just like the previous occasions, we have learnt to carry forward our progress and start afresh. If we give into the desires of a handful of mercenaries garbed in the mask of fundamentalism or other hollow claims, what good is freedom to us as we are displaying an inefficiency to maintain it? <br><br> We need to show the world that the sub-continent is void of any fear when it comes to facing a few cowards calling themselves avengers of injustice and trying to envelope their hollow sadism with the claim. <br><br> Cancelling a tour in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh will not serve any purpose, what needs to be done is to host the events just as we would normally do and ensure that they are carried out successfully with jam packed stadiums and let it be a symbol of our solidarity to the ones filled with hatred. <br><br> It is true that the safety of our sportspersons and the ones visiting us is paramount and any untoward incident is just not worth a game, however we can turn the situation on its head by taking it as a challenge to come out with solutions from our understanding of the situation amalgamated with the love of the sport. Shifting venues seems to be a possible solution right now and I have heard people debating endlessly that a neutral venue is a good option. <br><br> What we forget is that right now the terrorists are targeting security in venues as varied as the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai to the Galle Stadium in Sri Lanka. For how long will we run away from these demons? <br><br> We must join together beyond boundaries and keep vigil, forget petty acrimonies and help the governments to tackle the problem. We can shift the venues till a point in time when they arent safe anywhere, we can cancel tournaments till the game fades away or we can simply take concrete steps to make sure that all are safe and set an example to all that if the world is falling in an abyss of terrorism, the cricket field is the utopia. Double up as not only a mere spectator but as a guard of humanity too. Keep watch active at a sub-conscious level yet enjoy the match as well. <br><br> It is not all that impractical especially when multi-tasking is a thing that all understand and follow!! <br><br> Working in tandem with the authorities and devising new ways to combat the handful of enemies would be the right method to emerge victors in this war of humanity. We would be able to come out with the right anecdote to the poison of terrorism only when we stop blaming the other for everything and take the onus upon us. <br><br> We have always used cricket as our therapy to lifes brunt and who says that we cant use it as a method to counter terror. <br><br> It is simply selfish on our part to blame the government or the intelligence agencies (they have to get their act together at least now anyways!) as it becomes the duty of you and I to do whatever we can to root out this evil that has emerged as a painful reality of our times. We have to ask ourselves this questionAre we willing to hide in our homes and let the homeland be burnt to ashes or do we have the courage to go out and drive the terrorists out of our soil by our unity and practical thinking. When the ways of a terrorist can be unexpected and unthought-of, why cant the solutions be unique and effective from our end as well? <br><br> There will be apprehensions in the beginning and we might see tours being called off in panic but all that needs to be done is to beef up the security on a mass as well as a personal level. Its just a matter of realising that the problem is as much as ours as it is for the ones in power and all of us need to do our bit in the endeavour to terminate any form of terrorism on our soils, be it Karachi or Hyderabad.
The report poses the question: What makes the people sell their children?

Selling organs or blood on the black market is not a new phenomenon. Faced with their daily struggles, people in Iran have tried selling parts of their body or blood. Whats different today though is the open nature of such advertising, with many people putting up posters in the streets across cities in Iran to offer up their body parts.

Wombs for rent offers are also becoming more wide-spread. The Noavaran newspaper recently published a report stating that in the countrys economic and social mess and among strange, uncomfortable ads on selling kidneys and other things seen on the corner of the streets, hospitals, and clinics, there has also been a new, more exotic ad in recent years and that is selling fetus in the womb.

Unfortunately, posters like newborn baby sale or children sale are not new either, however, they are receiving more and more media attention as they are discovered more frequently. Abbas Zareh (Iranian Ministry of Health) revealed in an interview with the Mehr News Agency that selling newborn babies is not a new phenomenon, even though its gained more public attention thanks to social media and the internet.

I do not say that people were not aware of such incident before and only the social media channels released them, he said. Rather, I say that these cases were also available in the past, though they were rare.

Many pregnant women choose to sell their unborn babies as a last resort of getting someone to take care of them. A hand-written note in Tehran, stuck on a wall on the Azari street reads: One fetus to be born in twenty days will be sold since there is not a proper condition to be taken care of. Urgent!

Takers cant always be found, leading women who have just given birth, to abandon their babies in the streets. Recently there a picture received widespread attention across social media channels worldwide. It showed a newborn baby girl abandoned with no clothes or supplies in the 24-Metri Street of Ahvaz.

Other stories that have been circulated across social media channels reveal bitter tales of horror  another baby was found in among the garbage, where finding fetuses in the garbage bags is a normal occurrence.

Baby-sale advertisements have also been circulated across the internet, and can be found on banners on different websites. One such banner reads: I am a 32-year-old woman and 4 months pregnant. Those who do not have children and want the custody of a child please let me know. Thus they will also get a baby. I am also a single woman with no source of income and I cannot raise a child.

Forced with dire economic struggles, people choose to sell their unborn babies. Whats more shocking, though, is that some parents opt for putting up their own children for sale. Recently a 6-year-old girl was put up for sale. The advertisement explained that the father needs money to give his wife a dowry because they have been divorced.

While acts like these cant be justified, they can be understood from an economic and social point of view. The reason for the misery that the Iranian people are facing is because of the fraudulent acts that the Iranian officials are undertaking, leaving their own people in poverty, who are forced to resort to dire means to fight for their existence.
Beijing: Chinese greeted Donald Trump`s victory with a mix of optimism and bemusement Wednesday, unsure how the US president-elect who demonised their country on the campaign trail would approach it once in office.

Communist-ruled China does not hold competitive elections of its own, and while most of Beijing went about its daily business, a few small groups of die-hard political fans gathered to watch the results come in.

Many started off expecting a win for Trump`s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and were surprised to see the businessman take an early lead in polling.

At an event hosted by the US Embassy, two rooms full of people cheered excitedly when CNN announced Clinton had won California.

"That was expected," a moderator, tasked with explaining the intricacies of the US election system, tersely informed them.

But as Trump`s victory looked assured, many in the room argued that the former reality TV star`s experience in business meant he would prioritise economic relations over thorny questions about security and human rights that they associated with Clinton`s time as secretary of state.

Despite Trump`s campaign promises to hit Chinese-made goods with a 45 percent tariff, teacher Zhang Meiyang said she thought "he will have some very friendly foreign policies towards China".

Graduate student Ren Hong, 36, told AFP she found Trump "friendly, but also aggressive".

He "might be a good president" domestically, she said, but was less sure how his presidency would affect her country.

"I think that he must take some actions that are not beneficial for China... but I think it`s a good chance for both China and America to build a new relationship," she said.

Under Barack Obama, China and the United States have been at loggerheads over a wide range of issues including the South China Sea, cybersecurity and the Asian giant`s trade policies.

Solutions for massive global issues, such as climate change, will be unreachable without cooperation between the world`s two largest economies.

At the Bridge Cafe in Beijing`s student district of Wudaokou, not far from the campuses of China`s two most prestigious universities, students ate paninis and plates of bacon and eggs as they watched a live-stream of the election results.

"You don`t really know who to trust, so I`m just treating it as a kind of show and am just enjoying the process without caring about the result," said Ariel Zhang, 30, flipping through photos on social media comparing Trump`s golden bouffant hairdo to the wisps on a corn cob.

Piano student Liu Xiaofan, 24, questioned whether Trump voters had really thought through their decision.

"They keep saying that Trump will usher in a new era but many people don`t understand," she said, adding: "They just hear what he says at his speeches and then it`s like their brain lights up, and they just follow whatever he says."

Near Shanghai`s Jing An Temple, resident Dai Liyan predicted the election result would devastate the economy.

It "will mainly affect the market," she said.

"With a president with a bad image, the US dollar could weaken, this kind of thing. I have a friend who bought gold to hedge the risk."

But many online users felt the change of leadership boded well for their country`s future -- after newly elected Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte visited Beijing he reoriented his foreign policy towards China.

"I have to say, China`s national luck is really good!" said one user on the popular microblogging site Weibo.
Washington: Donald Trump`s campaign manager on Wednesday did not rule out the possibility of a special prosecutor for Hillary Clinton, saying she had not discussed it recently with the Republican president-elect but that the conversation would come "all in due time."

Trump and vice president-elect Mike Pence are "looking to unify the country, but we haven`t discussed that in recent days, and I think that it`s all in due time," campaign manager Kellyanne Conway told MSNBC in an interview.

Conway, also speaking on ABC, added that Trump did not discuss the issue with Clinton in his telephone conversation with his Democratic rival overnight.
Washington: Republican Donald Trump held slight leads in the vital battleground states of Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio on Tuesday, clinging to a narrow advantage over Democrat Hillary Clinton in key states that could decide their race for the White House.

With voting completed in more than two-thirds of the 50 US states, the race was too close to call in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Virginia, leaving the race for the White House on a knife`s edge.

Both candidates scored victories in states where they were expected to win. Trump captured conservative states in the South and Midwest, while Clinton swept several states on the East Coast and Illinois in the Midwest.

But Trump`s slight edge in Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio gave him an early advantage in the state-by-state fight for 270 Electoral College votes needed to win.

Clinton had more options to reach 270, with Trump needing a virtual sweep of about six toss-up states to win. But a Trump win in those four states would make it nearly impossible for Clinton to clinch the White House.

With 94 percent of the vote counted in Florida, Trump led Clinton by about 140,000 votes out of 9 million cast. In Virginia, with 76 percent counted, Trump led by 60,000 votes out of 2.9 million cast. With 55 percent of the vote counted in Ohio, Trump led by about 275,000 votes out of 3 million cast.

As of 9:30 p.m. EST (0230 GMT on Wednesday), Trump had 133 electoral votes to Clintons 104, with U.S. television networks projecting the winner in 25 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Clinton is seen by financial markets as more likely to ensure financial and political stability and as the early election results showed a close battle, the U.S. dollar skidded in wild Asian trade on Wednesday.

Much of the action was in currencies where the Mexican peso has become a touchstone for sentiment on the election, as Trump`s trade policies are seen as damaging to Mexico`s export-heavy economy.

Going into Election Day, Clinton led Trump, 44 percent to 39 percent in the last Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll. A Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation poll gave her a 90 percent chance of defeating Trump and becoming the first woman elected U.S. president.

Also at stake on Tuesday was control of Congress. Television networks projected Republicans would retain control of the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs.

In the Senate, where Republicans were defending a slim four-seat majority, Democrats scored their first breakthrough in Illinois when Republican Senator Mark Kirk lost re-election. But Republicans Rob Portman in Ohio and Marco Rubio in Florida won high-profile Senate re-election fights.

In a presidential campaign that focused more on the character of the candidates than on policy, Clinton, 69, a former U.S. secretary of state, and Trump, 70, a New York businessman, accused each other of being fundamentally unfit to lead the country.

Also Read - US Elections 2016 Results LIVE: Donald Trump shoots ahead

Trump again raised the possibility on Tuesday of not accepting the election`s outcome, saying he had seen reports of voting irregularities. He gave few details and Reuters could not immediately verify the existence of such problems.
Washington: Republican Donald Trump stunned America and the world on Tuesday by winning the race to become the 45th president of the United States, sweeping a series of key battleground states and rattling world markets that had expected Democrat Hillary Clinton to defeat the political outsider.

Riding a wave of populist resentment, the Republican mogul defeated his Democratic rival, plunging global markets into turmoil and casting the long-standing global political order, which hinges on Washington`s leadership, into doubt.

Trump shattered the dreams of Hillary to become the first woman president in a bitter and divisive White House race after capturing Ohio, Florida, and other big states.

Trump has at least 290 Electoral College votes, more than the figure of 270 needed to win the state-by-state fight for the White House.

Shortly after networks called Wisconsin for Trump on Tuesday evening, celebrating supporters at his election night rally in New York began to chant "lock her up" - a common refrain on the campaign trail for the former US secretary of state repeatedly branded "Crooked Hillary" by the volatile Trump.

A packed crowd in the lobby of Trump`s new hotel in Washington, DC, also broke into chants of "lock her up" and "USA, USA, USA" as state after state was called for Trump.

A wealthy real-estate developer and former reality TV host, the 70-year-old Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to challenge Hillary, whose gold-plated establishment resume includes stints as a first lady, US senator and secretary of state.

His win raises a host of questions for the United States at home and abroad. He campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist "America First" path.

In a presidential campaign that focused more on the character of the candidates than on policy, both Hillary and Trump accused each other of being fundamentally unfit to lead the country.

Trump entered the race 17 months ago and defeated a field of some 16 rival Republican candidates in the primary contests to win his party`s presidential nomination.

He survived a series of seemingly crippling blows, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologised but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, allegations he denied.

He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Hillary and she led him by varying margins for months in opinion polls.

Trump won avid support among a core base of white non-college educated workers with his promise to be the "greatest jobs president that God ever created. He has vowed to impose a 35 percent tariff on goods exported to the United States by US companies that went abroad.

His unpredictable nature, frequent insults and unorthodox proposals led to campaign feuds with a long list of people, including Muslims, the disabled, Republican US Senator John McCain, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, the family of a slain Muslim-American soldier, a Miss Universe winner and a federal judge of Mexican heritage.

At 70, Trump will be the oldest first-term US president. The presidency will be his first elected office, and it remains to be seen how he will work with Congress. During the campaign, Trump was the target of sharp disapproval, not just from Democrats but from many in his own party.

Throughout his campaign - and especially in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in July - Trump described a dark America that had been knocked to its knees by China, Mexico, Russia and Islamic State. The American dream was dead, he said, smothered by malevolent business interests and corrupt politicians, and he alone could revive it.

He offered vague plans to win economic concessions from China, to build a wall on the southern US border with Mexico to keep out undocumented immigrants and to pay for it with tax money sent home by migrants.

Trump`s national security ideas, opposed by most of the elite voices across the political spectrum, have simultaneously included promises to build up the US military while at the same time avoiding foreign military entanglements.

He wants to rewrite international trade deals to reduce trade deficits. He has taken positions that raise the possibility of damaging relations with America`s most trusted allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

He has promised to warm relations with Russia that have chilled under Obama over Russian President Vladimir Putin`s intervention in the Syrian civil war and his seizure of Ukraine`s Crimea region.

His triumph was a rebuke to President Barack Obama, a Democrat who spent weeks flying around the country to campaign against him. Obama will hand over the office to Trump after serving the maximum eight years allowed by law.

Trump promises to push Congress to repeal Obama`s troubled healthcare plan and to reverse his Clean Power Plan. He plans to create jobs by relying on US fossil fuels such as oil and gas.

Trump`s victory marked a frustrating end to the presidential aspirations of Hillary, 69, who for the second time failed in her drive to be elected the first woman US president.

(With Agency inputs)
State of New York: Where Donald Trump is brash and tough-talking, Mike Pence is deft and disciplined.

And as the billionaire and political novice takes the reins at the White House from Barack Obama come January, Pence will bring precious Washington experience to the table as the new vice president.

The 57-year-old governor of Indiana knows his way around the US capital: He held a seat in the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013 and served as chairman of the House Republican Conference -- the party`s third most important position on Capitol Hill -- from 2009 to 2011.

Seen as disciplined and relatively discreet, the Christian conservative is a lawyer by training and former radio talk show host with strong communication skills.

Pence`s qualities and connections could help ease tensions with a Republican Party that had a hard time digesting Trump`s maverick bid for the White House.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, whose relations with Trump are delicate, says he considers Pence a friend.

On the campaign trail, Pence made a methodical and level-headed case for a Republican administration, reassuring core conservatives nervous about how Trump would govern in the White House.

He became expert at deflecting attacks on Trump, instead redirecting them into critiques of Obama`s administration and Hillary Clinton`s record as secretary of state.

And he notably outshone his vice presidential rival Tim Kaine during their only debate.

Yet Pence`s quiet, low-profile personality, shaped in large part by his Christian faith, poses little threat of overshadowing that of Trump, who values loyalty in the people who work with him.Throughout the campaign, Pence was seen as helping Trump boost support among traditional conservatives and especially evangelical Christians wary of Trump, and perhaps even with voters in the Rust Belt -- the former industrial area that includes Indiana, neighboring Ohio and parts of Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Trump and Pence did not know each other particularly well until joining forces.

While they formed an effective duo on the campaign trail, the pair have marked differences of opinion on everything from immigration to trade.

While Trump campaigned on a protectionist platform, Pence adheres to the laissez-faire economic views that are more conventionally Republican. Before joining Trump`s team, he publicly backed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the sweeping trade deal that the candidate repeatedly blasted as bad for US jobs.

He had also denounced Trump`s proposal to close US borders to Muslims as "unconstitutional" -- although as running mate, he defended his call for a wall on Mexican border.

Pence did break with Trump over an explosive video that caught the president-elect making lewd remarks about groping women, saying: "I do not condone his remarks and cannot defend them."

Pence is a conservative defender of family values, against abortion and gay marriage, and opposed to the idea of the United States taking in Syrian refugees.

He has described himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order."

Before joining the Trump ticket, he was facing a tough re-election battle in Indiana where as governor he signed bills making it harder for women to have abortions, making Indiana the second US state to prohibit ending a pregnancy because the fetus suffers abnormalities.

He has also drawn criticism for a law that critics say discriminates against the LGBT community.
Cairo: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi spoke to Donald Trump on the telephone on Wednesday, congratulating him on his victory in the US presidential election and seeking to foster closer diplomatic ties, an Egyptian presidency statement said.

"The U.S. President-elect Donald Trump expressed his utmost appreciation to the president, pointing out that his was the first international call he had received to congratulate him on winning the election," the statement said.

"President Trump said he looked forward to meeting the president (again) soon."
California: US voters on Tuesday weighed in on a slew of ballot measures, including several related to marijuana, gun control and the death penalty.

Here`s a look at how Americans voted on some of these hot-button issues:

Voters in California, the nation`s most populous state, handed a major victory to backers of marijuana legalization by approving recreational use of the drug.

The vote will give momentum to efforts to end federal prohibition of marijuana and treat it in a way similar to how alcohol is regulated.

Arizona, Massachusetts and Nevada also approved the use of recreational marijuana and voters in Maine were considering a similar measure.

In Florida, voters overwhelmingly approved a measure allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Arkansas and North Dakota were also deciding on a similar measure.

In Montana, voters were deciding on whether to ease restrictions in an existing medical marijuana law.

Voters in four states were asked to decide on measures linked to gun control.

In California, one of the states with the toughest gun control laws, partial results indicated voters were set to approve Proposition 63, which prohibits the possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines and requires certain people to pass background checks in order to purchase ammunition.

Nevada voted to require universal background checks for weapons sales, including private handgun transactions. Voters in Maine appeared set to reject a similar measure.

Washington state voters approved a measure allowing judges to prevent dangerous people from possessing guns.

In California, which houses about 25 percent of the country`s death-row inmates, early results showed that voters had rejected a measure that would have abolished the death penalty and replaced it with life without parole.

They approved however Proposition 66 which would overhaul the appeals process to quicken the pace of executions passed.

In Oklahoma, voters overwhelmingly approved a measure affirming the death penalty in the state.

The ballot measure allows the legislature to approve any method of execution not prohibited by the US Constitution.

In Nebraska, a conservative state, voters reinstated the death penalty after state lawmakers abolished it last year.

California voters rejected a measure that would have required adult-film actors to wear condoms during sex scenes.

California became the first US state to do away with single-use shopping bags after the controversial measure was approved by voters.

Colorado voters approved a proposition that makes it legal for terminally ill patients to end their lives with the assistance of a physician.

The state joins five others, including California, that allow assisted suicide.
New York: Hillary Clinton today called her Republican rival Donald Trump in the wee hours to concede defeat after the veteran Democrat lost out to the political outsider in the bitter US presidential elections.

The 69-year-old former secretary of state and the First lady, who was aiming to break the highest glass ceiling in the US by becoming the first woman president in the country's history, will give her concession speech later today, her aide said.

Clinton's call to Trump came after her Campaign Chairman John Podesta told her supporters gathered at an arena in New York for victory celebrations that they would wait till all the votes are counted.

"We're still counting votes. And every vote should count. Several states are too close to call. So we're not going to have anything more to say tonight," Podesta said.

"We are so proud of her. She's done an amazing job. And she is not done yet. So thank you for being with her. She has always been with you. I have to say this tonight. Good night. We will be back. We will have more to say. Let's get those votes counted and let's bring this home.

"Thank you so much for all that you've done," Podesta said in his brief remarks.

"I want every person in this hall to know and I want every person across the country who supported Hillary to know, that your voices and your enthusiasm means so much to her and to Tim (Kaine, Clinton's running mate) and to all of us," he said.

There has been no official word from Clinton herself but her aide said she will deliver concession speech later today.

In his victory speech, Trump said he also congratulated Clinton and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign.

"I mean, she fought very hard," he said. "Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very sincerely."
New York: The Indian-Americans have expressed their delight on the election of Republican candidate Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States."Satisfied and happy that outcome of all the efforts was good," said Shalab Kumar, Indian-American industrialist.

Talking about the relationship between India and the United States post Trump`s victory, Kumar said the first effort should be to remove trade barriers so that both nations benefit.Former Miss India Manasvi Mamgai, who campaigned for Trump, said: "Happy that our efforts have finally paid off, we cannot be happier.

Trump was today elected as the 45th president of the United States. Trump`s surprising performance at the polls ended Hillary Clinton`s quest to make history as the first female president of the United States.

Trump, a 70-year-old celebrity businessman who had never before run for office, is poised to become the oldest President ever elected to a first term, reports the Washington Post.
New York: Some 15 percent of Americans who cast a ballot on Tuesday said it was their first time voting in a presidential election, according to an early reading from the Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day poll, up from 9 percent of voters who said so in 2012.

The poll of nearly 35,000 people also showed that 13 percent of voters had waited until the final week of the presidential race to make up their mind between the candidates, who include Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, up from 9 percent who said so in 2012.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced in late October that it was looking at more emails connected to its investigation of Clintons use of a personal email server while secretary of state.

FBI Director James Comey later said that the new trove of emails did not affect his earlier decision to not bring a criminal case against Clinton.
Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today congratulated Donald Trump on being elected as the US President, saying he looks forward to working with him closely as strong bilateral ties is critical for regional peace and security.

"On behalf of the government and people of Pakistan, and on my own behalf, I wish to extend to you and the people of the US, our most sincere felicitations on your election as the 45th President of the US," Sharif said in his message.

"Your election is indeed the triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights and free enterprise. Most importantly, your momentous success is a testimony to the confidence that the people of the US have reposed in your leadership, vision and commitment to serve your great country," he said.

Sharif also said that strong relationship between Pakistan and the US was critical for regional peace and security.

"Over the past seven decades, Pakistan and the US have enjoyed a strategic partnership, rooted in the shared ideals of freedom, democracy, mutual respect and commonality of interests.

"Our deep seated conviction that a strong partnership between the two countries remains critical to promoting and sustaining peace, security and stability in the wider region, continue to underpin the resilience in Pak-US ties," he said.

Sharif expressed desire to expand relations with the US under Trump.

"I wish to re-affirm my government's commitment to further strengthening and deepening our relations, in a manner truly reflective of the aspirations of our two nations. I am looking forward to closely working with you, to bring our two countries closer and making our partnership an important vehicle for the realisation of peace, security and prosperity in the region and beyond," he said.

Trump today beat seasoned politician Hillary Clinton in the knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President.
New Delhi: A right-wing outfit on Wednesday celebrated the victory of Republican Donald Trump in the US polls, saying his Presidency would "further boost" the Indo-American ties.

"We are very happy on the election results and we have been cheering him (Trump) during the campaign period too. Today, we gathered in the streets and played drums and distributed sweets," said Vishnu Gupta, chief of Hindu Sena group.

Gupta said, his group was confident of the Republican's win in the US polls.

"The victory also means that now, India has one of the biggest friends in the White House. And, now, India and the US would together work for banishing terrorism," he said.

The right-wing outfit had in May conducted a special prayer meeting ('havan') for the victory of Trump and in June celebrated Trump's birthday with cake, posters and balloons.

In a stunning result, the billionaire businessman today beat seasoned politician Hillary Clinton in the knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President after starting off as a rank political outsider.
Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said Moscow is ready to contribute to rebuilding relations with the United States with Donald Trump as president.

"We have heard the pre-election statements by then-candidate (Trump), which were directed at rebuilding relations between Russia and the US," Putin said during a speech before several ambassadors in the Kremlin.

"We understand that this will not be an easy path considering the unfortunate degradation of relations," he said. "But Russia is ready and wants to restore full-fledged relations with the US."

"We are ready to do our part and do everything to return (US-Russian) relations to the trajectory of development," he said.

"This would be in the interest of Russian and American people and would positively affect the general climate in international relations, considering the special responsibility of Russia and the US for ensuring global stability and security."

Putin earlier became one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump via a telegram for his surprise triumph over Hillary Clinton.

Putin has tacitly supported Trump during the campaign, while Trump repeatedly flattered and praised the Russian leader and said he was willing to work with him.

Russia`s Parliament on Wednesday broke into applause upon learning of Trump`s win, and Russian markets climbed up, against the global slump on the news.
Kabul: The Afghan Taliban on Wednesday called on US president-elect Donald Trump to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan.

"Our message is that the Americans should draft a policy not to take away the independence and sovereignty of other nations. Most importantly they should withdraw all their troops from Afghanistan," the Taliban said in a statement in reaction to Trump`s surprise election win.
Washington: Donald Trump, elected U.S. president on Tuesday, will enjoy Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress when he takes office in January and an early Capitol Hill honeymoon is likely on several issues, but a long-term romance may be more challenging.

Under normal circumstances, a president whose party controls both the Senate and House of Representatives can count on getting things done fairly quickly and Trump likely will not be an exception, but he will start with unusual handicaps.

Many fellow Republicans in Congress only backed Trump after he became the nominee. Some never did fall in line. He offended and attacked some of them in the campaign, including House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

On top of that, the New York real estate businessman and former reality television celebrity, who will head the world`s most powerful government and largest economy, has no governing experience.

"Speaker Ryan called Donald Trump earlier this evening, and the two had a very good conversation. The speaker congratulated Trump," Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong said.

Trump and the Republican leadership in Congress agree on at least one major policy: They want to repeal Democratic President Barack Obama`s landmark healthcare law, known as Obamacare, enacted in 2010.

"Our top priority is to repeal Obamacare in the first 100 days," New York Republican Representative Chris Collins, a leading Trump ally in Congress, told CNN on Wednesday.

Collins also predicted that the new president would move quickly to scrap trade deals and to build a wall along the 1,989-mile (3,200 km) U.S.- Mexico border. Some Republicans are skeptical about both of those campaign pledges.

Repealing Obamacare would shake the U.S. healthcare and insurance industries, which have broadly called for measured reforms, although not for its full-scale elimination.

Americas Health Insurance Plans, or AHIP, a trade association that represents insurers such as Anthem Inc and Cigna Corp in Washington, said late on Tuesday that it would work with any new administration on the issue.

"We will work across the aisle  with every policymaker and the new administration  to find solutions," AHIP said in a statement.

Aetna Inc, the No. 3. U.S. health insurer, said in August it was reducing its involvement in Obamacare. That decision followed similar moves by UnitedHealth Group Inc and Humana Inc.

Trump has called Obamacare a "disaster" and vowed to repeal and replace it. House Republicans have already voted more than 50 times to repeal all or part of the law.

Senate Democrats were certain to fight an Obamacare rollback, but could be outmaneuvered by Republicans at the procedural level with Trump`s cooperation.

Repealing the healthcare law could trigger a public backlash in 2018`s congressional elections from millions of Americans who would lose their health insurance coverage.

Before the election, analysts said that both Clinton and Trump would arrive in the White House with some of the weakest approval ratings of any newly elected president.

TAXES, EXECUTIVE ACTIONS

Trump and congressional Republicans will find common ground on taxes. Trump generally sees eye to eye with Republicans in Congress in calling for major tax cuts, including those for the wealthy, although details of their plans are not an exact match.

Trump has called for cutting the U.S. corporate income tax rate to 15 percent from the current level of 35 percent; Ryan`s tax plan proposes going to 20 percent.

Trump and Ryan both back reducing the current number of tax brackets to three from seven. Trump supports lowering the top individual income tax rate to 25 percent from 39.6 percent, while Ryan wants it to go to 33 percent.

Congressional Republicans likely would welcome a move by Trump to rescind some of Obama`s executive actions on immigration, labor rights, the environment and global warming.

Virginia Republican Representative Dave Brat said one thing he expected Trump to do early as president would be taking a pen to all of Obamas executive overreach. ... Thats a quick, easy fix to get the regulatory burden down."

Many of Trump`s other proposals have been thin on details. Some of them, such as spending hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure, do not easily square with Republican ideological orthodoxy, which embraces free trade and resists deficit-busting spending.

In addition, Trump has said he wants to do some things as president, such as ban Muslims from the country and allow torture in the fight against terrorism, that some experts say are legally questionable.

"If Trump oversteps his constitutional bounds, I think Congress will work to restrain his power ... they will be much more willing to stand up to him when they think he`s wrong," said John Feehery, who was spokesman for former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Republican.

"Congress will make sure that he doesn`t do things that he can`t do," Feehery said.

RYAN AND MCCONNELL

Trump has switched party affiliation more than once and donated to Democrats, as well as Republicans. He is not overly familiar with Washington`s Republican establishment. With some leaders, such as Ryan, Trump`s relationships are already sour.

Ryan, 46, is a generation younger than Trump. He is a clean-cut Midwestern budget and policy wonk who has been in Congress since 1999. He criticized many of Trump`s utterances, such as his proposed ban on Muslims and his comments about groping women, and Ryan did not campaign with Trump at all.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, has been in Washington even longer than Ryan. McConnell also held Trump at arm`s length, saying little about him in the campaign.

McConnell said in June that if Trump were elected president, he would not change the views of the Republican Party, suggesting instead that the party would likely change Trump.

Republican strategist Ron Bonjean said Trump would be smart to reach out to Ryan and McConnell and heal the wounds. "There`s no real choice for Ryan and McConnell," Bonjean added. "They will have to show several earnest attempts to work with him."

Another crucial issue will be the need to fill a Supreme Court vacancy.

Whatever happens, it unlikely to be boring. "On Trump, the unpredictability factor is significant," said Bruce Josten, chief lobbyist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Istanbul: Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election, saying it was an opportunity to further bilateral relations.

In a speech in the capital Ankara, Yildirim said a "new page" would be opened in US - Turkey relations if Washington extradited the U.S.-based cleric Turkey blames for orchestrating the July 15 failed coup.

"An area of opportunity has been created for the new president to advance relations with policies taking into account Turkey`s fight against terror," Yildirim said.
Los Angeles: Two polling stations in California were placed on lockdown following a nearby shooting that killed one person and wounded three, the authorities have said.

The shooting took place in early afternoon yesterday in the city of Azusa, 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, Vanessa Lozano, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, told AFP.

Officers arriving at the scene found "multiple shooting victims" and came under fire, Azusa police tweeted.

Three people were transported to a hospital with gunshot wounds and one was dead on arrival, Lozano said.

Details about the incident, which happened in a residential neighborhood, were sketchy.

Two polling stations in the area were placed on lockdown along with nearby schools, according to local officials.

Azusa police advised residents to stay clear of the area and shelter in place as officers combed the neighborhood for at least one suspect believed to be heavily armed.

Local government official Dean Logan advised voters to find other polling sites to cast their ballots.

"Voters should avoid the area and, if necessary, cast a ballot at an alternate polling location," he tweeted.

A woman inside one of the affected polling stations said she heard shots ring out before officials placed the area on lockdown. Some 30 people were inside when the incident unfolded, she said.

Also Read - US Elections 2016 Results LIVE: Hillary Clinton takes early lead over Donald Trump

"At first, I thought it was construction but people came running into the room saying they see a guy with a bulletproof vest and a white shirt," she told CNN. "As of right now, they just have us in the voting room and are trying to keep us calm."
New York: Raja Krishnamoorthi won a seat in the House of Representatives from Ilinois on Tuesday, becoming the fourth Indian-American elected to Congress.

Democrat Krishnamoorthi was elected from the Illinois Eighth Congressional District that covers some of the suburbs around Chicago.

He defeated Republican Peter DiCianni in the traditionally Democratic constituency.

The 43-year-old Krishnamoorthi represents the class of upcoming young political leaders. At the Democratic Party Convention in July, the party leadership presented him as a "New Leader of Tomorrow".

President Barack Obama gave him a strong endorsement and recorded a video urging voters to elect his "good friend", who helped him "develop ideas for building an economy that works for everyone".

Krishnamoorthi follows Dalip Singh Saund, who became in 1956 the first Indian American elected to Congress, Bobby Jindal elected in 2004 and Ami Bera in 2014.

Born in New Delhi, he is a lawyer by profession and has served as a state assistant attorney general on a special assignment to fight corruption and as a state deputy treasurer.

He has since become a technology entrepreneur heading two companies.

Krishnamoorthi has a mechanical engineering degree from Princeton University and a law degree from Harvard.

In an interview with IANS at the party convention, he joked that he probably had a "mutant gene" that made him turn to politics in a community that focuses on careers in medicine, technology and education.

He said his family was in "dire economic straits" and had a difficult time when he was a baby, but the "generosity" of the US helped them come out of it.

"Ever since then, I have been wanting to make sure that others have a shot at the American dream" like his family, he said.

His father is a professor of engineering at Bradley University in Peoria.

Krishnamoorthi is married to a doctor, Priya, and they have two sons and a daughter.
Columbia: The 2016 presidential campaign has been a roller coaster ride with twists and turns that left voters alternately elated, distraught and in the end, just downright exhausted.

Donald Trump is headed to the White House after defeating Hillary Clinton in a shock upset, concluding a bruising 18-month campaign unlike any other in modern American history.

As America and the world look back on a campaign fraught with insults and surprises, here`s a snapshot of some of the most memorable moments: Clinton thought a controversy over her use of a private server to send email while secretary of state had been put to rest in July, when FBI chief James Comey recommended no criminal charges against her.

All that changed in late October, just 11 days before the election, when Comey surprised Americans by announcing the discovery of new, potentially relevant emails without giving further details.

The news was a boon for Trump, who repeatedly called the revelations "the biggest political scandal since Watergate." He saw a bump in the polls.

The 69-year-old former first lady once again apologized for using the private server, which her opponents said put classified information at risk, calling it "a mistake."

Comey closed the case again just two days before the election, saying the new review had not changed the FBI`s conclusions from July.

It was welcome news for the Democrat but certainly played a role in deflating her momentum in the sprint to the finish line.

Trump attracted plenty of flak for his demeaning remarks about women, but a video made public on October 7 marked a new low that opened the candidate up to accusations of sexual assault.

In the 2005 clip, Trump is apparently unaware his microphone is on when he describes groping and forcing himself on women in vulgar, predatory language.

"When you`re a star, they let you do it. Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything," Trump is heard bragging.

Following the video`s release, around a dozen women came forward to accuse the 70-year-old real estate mogul of unwanted sexual advances in the past.

"He has said that the video doesn`t represent who he is," Clinton said during an October 9 debate.

"But I think it`s clear to anyone who heard it that it represents exactly who he is, because we`ve seen this throughout the campaign."

Trump dismissed the comments as "just words" and "locker room talk," and denied the sexual assault allegations, threatening to sue his accusers after the election.Trump refused to release his income tax returns, defying a four-decade tradition among candidates for the White House.

During a September 26 debate, Clinton offered several hypotheses as to why Trump might decline to make that information public, musing "maybe he doesn`t want the American people, all of you watching tonight, to know that he`s paid nothing in federal taxes."

Trump seemed to imply the accusation was correct, responding only: "That makes me smart."

On October 1, The New York Times reported that it had obtained three pages of Trump`s 1995 tax returns from an anonymous source.

The documents showed that the businessman had declared a loss that year of nearly $1 billion, allowing him to legally avoid paying taxes for almost two decades.

Trump launched an unprecedented assault on American political convention at the final debate, when he refused to say that he would respect a Clinton victory on Election Day.

For weeks, he lambasted the political system, saying the vote was "rigged."

When asked whether he would commit to recognizing the result of the vote no matter what, the reality television star said: "I`ll tell you at the time. I`ll keep you in suspense, OK?"

Clinton declared herself "appalled" by what she said was an attack on 240 years of US democracy.Clinton endured Trump`s taunts about her "stamina" and questions about her health in September after abruptly leaving a 9/11 memorial ceremony at Ground Zero in Manhattan.

Feeling unwell, the former secretary of state left 90 minutes into the ceremony. A passerby filmed her legs giving out, prompting two Secret Service officers to support her as she climbed into a minivan.

Clinton`s doctors later said she was suffering from pneumonia, and needed to take a break from the campaign.

Clinton ignited a firestorm of criticism after she denigrated Trump voters on September 9 at a fundraiser in New York.

"To just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump`s supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables," she said.

Republicans immediately seized on the phrase "basket of deplorables" to drive a wedge between Clinton and white, working-class voters.

"INSULTING," Trump tweeted.

Clinton later said she regretted the comment.Trump became locked in a war of words in July with the parents of a Muslim American soldier killed in a suicide bombing in Iraq in 2004.

In a speech before the Democratic National Convention, the soldier`s father, a Pakistani immigrant named Khizr Khan, charged that Trump had "sacrificed nothing" for the country.

The Republican shot back on ABC News that he has made "a lot of sacrifices," then raised the stakes by tweeting: "Mr Khan, who does not know me, viciously attacked me from the stage of the DNC."

The remarks, and Trump`s refusal to apologize for suggesting that Khan`s wife stood silently at his side at the convention because she was not allowed to speak, triggered an uproar within his party.
New York: A stony silence cast a pall early Wednesday over what was meant to be Hillary Clinton`s presidential victory party as, one by one, states turned Republican red for Donald Trump.

The billionaire property mogul had not yet won the White House but for many, it was only a question of time.

No one was expecting such a violent slap in the face. Some were saying it would be close, and many Democrats said they were nervous as they arrived at Clinton`s event at the Javits Center on the west side of Midtown Manhattan.

But no one imagined the night would turn into a political funeral.

At the food court, located underneath the hall where Clinton had been expected to write her name in the history books, two young women sobbed, and the alcohol was free-flowing.

At a table, two other women stared blankly, their hands on their heads.

"It is surreal," said one government employee who gave her first name Margarita, a beer in front of her.

She says she fears a new era in America -- not just in terms of politics, but also from those who voted for the 70-year-old Trump.

"Our lives are not safe -- as queer women, as brown women," she told AFP, struggling to put her feelings into words.

Many spoke about what they felt was total ignorance among Trump supporters.

"I think these people probably flunked out of school -- they don`t know history, they don`t understand the world," said Elmy Bermejo, who traveled to the Big Apple from San Francisco for the occasion.

But Bermejo tried to see the bright side on a dark night.

"After I have a stiff drink of tequila, I`m going to get up, and since I`m a hopeful person, then I`ll do whatever I can to make sure we vote him out of office, because that`s what democracy is about," she said.Shock was the dominant reaction, rather than anger at what looked like a stunning loss. New York is a Democratic bastion, one that voted for Clinton -- and seems far from Trump`s America that disdains Washington insiders.

"We definitely knew it was close -- not this close," said 22-year-old Evynn Stengel, who started drinking before the disheartening results started trickling in.

"We feel like we live in a bubble -- voting for Trump to me is so shocking."

Next to Stengel, 25-year-old Yanni Trittas, a local elected official, said: "They`re people who hold on to racism and xenophobia," an intolerance that stems from what he said the Republican Party had "ensured by underinvesting in education."Faces once bright with the hope of seeing America`s first female president elected started growing longer and longer at about 9:00 pm, when the results appeared to be leaning Trump`s way.

"Not great," said Joan Divenuti, a retired rail worker who came from Massachusetts. "Florida was always a problem," she said, shaking her head.

It was not long before the US television networks called the Sunshine State for Trump.

Then the Clinton supporters -- initially quite talkative about the prospects for a Clinton presidency and many of them dressed in Clinton garb -- clammed up as the hundreds of journalists on the scene began documenting the palpable anxiety.

Heads were shaking in front of the giant screens beaming the results to the crowd, and the voices of reporters echoed in the huge hall, which was otherwise silent.

Supporters manically refreshed their smartphones in search of better news.

But The New York Times only had bad news for them, with their forecast for Trump`s chances of winning rising as the night wore on.

In a desperate bid to motivate the crowd, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said: "We believe that Hillary Clinton is going to be the next president of the United States."

At 10:44 pm, the Times gave Trump a 93 percent chance of winning.

Team Clinton vanished, avoiding reporters like the plague. She, her husband Bill and her entourage were holed up at a hotel not far from the venue.

After midnight, when The Times put Trump`s chance of winning at 95 percent, some started to leave the party-turned-funeral.

A few brave campaign volunteers kept reporters from going into a large hall where several thousand dejected supporters were gathered.

"I am praying -- and I am not religious," said Anabel Evora, a 51-year-old from Tennessee who works at a non-profit organization.

"We need a miracle. I am sad. I`m about to cry."
Washington: US presidency under Donald Trump, a confessed big fan of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is most likely to boost Indo-US strategic relationship with a special emphasis on defence ties and counter-terrorism cooperation.

Trump, 70, had recently described India as "a key, and key strategic ally" and looks forward to deepening the diplomatic and military cooperation that is the shared interest of both countries.

The billionaire businessman who has lauded economic policies of Modi had said he wants to work with him.

At an event in New Jersey less than a month from now, Trump had promised to the Indian-American community in him India would find a true friend at the White House.

"I am a big fan of Hindu and I am a big fan of India. If I am elected president, the Indian and Hindu community would have a true friend at the White House," he had said at an event organised by the Hindu Republican Coalition.

Trump said he appreciated "great friend India in the fight against radical Islamic terrorism."

India has experienced firsthand "brutality of terror" in the past "including the mayhem in Mumbai," he said and described the 2008 Mumbai terror attack and that on Indian Parliament in 2001 as "absolutely outrageous" and terrible.

"We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism. We will stand soldier-to-soldier in this fight. This is so important in the age of ISIS," he said.

"India's is the world's largest democracy and is a natural ally of the US. Under a Trump Administration, we are going to become even better friends. In fact, I will take the word even out because we are going to be best friends. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Modi, who has been very energetic in reforming the economy and bureaucracy. Great man. I applaud him," he said.

"I look forward to doing some serious bureaucratic trimming right here in the US, believe me we need it most," Trump said.

"Your great Prime Minister has been a pro-growth leader for India. He has simplified the tax code, cut the taxes and the economy is strong growing at 7 per cent year. Excellent," he said.

On the eve of the November 8 general elections, a key military advisor to the Trump said that India will have an important role to play in the Trump Administration?s Asia Pacific policy of "peace through strength."

"This is a country that shares our values, this is a country that shares a lot of geo-political interest and I think, his (Trump?s) work is going to be continuing the tradition of Bush Administration which made a lot of progress in that regard," Alexander Gray, a military advisor and author of several of the ambitious defence policies of Trump, said.

"We (a Trump Administration) would be looking to strengthen not just the cultural and economic aspect, but also on the defence side there is so much common ground with India. At a time when India?s foreign policy is changing because of China and Pakistan, because of Islamic terrorism, we need to be there to greet them with open arms. I think, the Trump Administration is ready to do that," Gray said.
Geneva: The head of the World Trade Organization said Wednesday he stood ready to work with Donald Trump`s administration following a US election campaign that saw the former reality TV star rail against global trade.

"Congratulations to President-elect @realDonaldTrump on his victory. The WTO stands ready to work with the new administration," Roberto Azevedo, director general of the Geneva-based WTO said on Twitter.

Azevedo, a Brazilian national, said "US leadership in the global economy and the multilateral trading system remains vital."

Earlier this year, Trump called the WTO "a disaster" and repeatedly blasted global trade pacts throughout his campaign, claiming they had led to American job losses.

Without referring to Trump`s campaign, Azevedo said "it`s clear many feel trade isn`t working for them. We must address this and ensure trade delivers the widest benefit to the most people," he added in a series of tweets.
Kabul: Afghan president on Wednesday welcomed back Sharbat Gula, the green-eyed "Afghan Girl" whose 1985 photo in National Geographic became a symbol of her country`s wars, offering her a furnished apartment after she was deported by Pakistan.

Pakistan security officials escorted Gula overnight from a Peshawar hospital, where she had been staying since her arrest last month for living illegally in Pakistan, and handed her over to Afghan authorities at the Torkham border.

Gula`s deportation comes amid Pakistani pressure to send 2.5 million Afghan refugees back home even though Afghanistan is facing a bloody Taliban insurgency and would struggle to look after so many returnees.

"I welcome her back to the bosom of her motherland," President Ashraf Ghani said with an expressionless Gula standing beside him during a small welcome-back ceremony at the palace in Kabul.

"I`ve said repeatedly, and I like to repeat it again, that our country is incomplete until we absorb all of our refugees."

Ghani promised to provide Gula with a furnished apartment to ensure she "lives with dignity and security in her homeland".

Gula, wearing a blue burqa that was pulled back to show her face, did not comment during the ceremony, which her children also attended.

Gula was for years an unnamed celebrity after an image of her as a teenage Afghan refugee was featured on National Geographic magazine`s cover in 1985, her striking green eyes peering out from a headscarf with a mixture of ferocity and pain.

The image became a symbol of Afghanistan`s suffering during the 1980s Soviet occupation and U.S.-backed mujahadeen insurgency against it.

The Soviet withdrawal in 1989 led to the collapse of the Kabul government and years of civil war until the Islamist Taliban movement seized power in the mid-1990s.

After the Taliban regime fell to the U.S.-backed military action in 2001, National Geographic sent photographer Steve McCurry to find the girl in the photo, eventually identified as Gula.

"The woman who stands next to me became an iconic figure representing Afghan deprivation, Afghan hope and Afghan aspirations," Ghani said. "All of us are inspired by her courage and determination."

Gula had been living in Pakistan`s northwestern city of Peshawar for years with her children and husband, who died five years ago.
Patna: Government's decision of scrapping the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes to tackle the issue of black money and corruption is causing some problems for the common man.

Though, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that for 72 hours, till midnight on 11th November, railway ticket booking counters will continue to accept the high denomination notes, but passengers at Patna Railway Station complained that the officials were not giving them tickets after they gave them Rs 1000 note.

Narrating his ordeal, a young passenger at the Patna station said, I am facing immense difficulty as I was turned away from the ticket counter, after I presented them a Rs 1000 note.

He blamed the railway officials of not having a backup plan. The Centre yesterday announced that railway ticket booking counters, ticket counters of government buses and airline ticket counters at airports will accept the old notes for purchase of tickets, but officials here don't have enough change and are refusing to give money, the passenger claimed.

Another passenger who wished to travel by train shared the same experience.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday declared a "decisive" war against black money and corruption while disclosing a raft of steps to assure commoners that their money is safe.

High denomination notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 are no longer a legal tender from Tuesday midnight.

Persons holding old notes of five hundred or one thousand rupees can deposit these notes in their bank or post office accounts from 10th November till close of banking hours on 30th December 2016 without any limit.
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal, who is otherwise known to condemn Prime Minister Narendra Modi in whatever decision the latter usually takes, surprisingly this time has maintained his silence over the notes demonetisation decision.

What came as even more surprising that even upon being prodded for a reaction, the Delhi CM's only respond was a retweet of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's tweet.

"WITHDRAW THIS DRACONIAN DECISION," Mamata tweeted today.

WITHDRAW THIS DRACONIAN DECISION  Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 8, 2016

Mamata has likened the Centre's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes to an 'all-India unannounced strike' and appealed to the government to withdraw the 'hasty' decision.

"Please save people from this disaster. Roads are closed, markets shut, patients not being admitted to private hospitals, millions affected. Chaos everywhere. This is like an all-India unannounced strike," the Chief Minister said on Twitter.

The Trinamool Congress supremo said, "those who hoard large amounts of black money will be protected".

Meanwhile, Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had termed the central government's demonetisation of notes as a 'Tughlaki farman' - (Tughlak's diktat) and said "the move was made to save big businessmen who hold black money".

"Prime Minister Modi's directive on demonetization is a blow to the farmers and poor," AAP leader Sanjay Singh said.

"This step has been taken to save big businessmen who hold black money," he said.
London: At least one person was killed today when a London tram derailed and tipped onto its side, trapping five people and injuring more than 50 others, some seriously.

The incident happened at around 6:10 am (1140 IST) at a junction in south London.

"A number of people have been taken to hospital with injuries and sadly we can say that there has been some loss of life," said Robin Smith from the British Transport Police.

"It is too early for us to confirm numbers but we are working hard to assess the ongoing incident and are continuing to focus on our recovery efforts."

Investigations were under way as to what caused the fatal derailment.

Liam Lehane, from the London Ambulance Service, said over 50 people had been taken to hospital.

"Most of those patients were walking wounded. But there are, however, a number of patients with serious injuries."

London Fire Brigade said five people had been trapped, of whom three had been freed.

London's only tram system, which opened in 2000, links several south London suburbs along 28 kilometres of track.

More than 27 million passengers used the service in 2015-16.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the emergency services were "working extremely hard to get the situation under control and treat those who have been injured".
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today "welcomed and supported" Centre's decision to withdraw Rs 1000 and Rs 500 currency notes saying it would help country's economy in the long run.

Replying to a question on Centre's decision to take out Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes from the market, Kumar "welcomed and supported" the decision.

"In the beginning people might face some inconvenience but taking everything into account, it would yield positive results," Kumar, who is also JD(U) National President, said.

He was talking to mediapersons at Patna airport before leaving for Bettiah, district headquarters of West Champaran, from where he is starting his "Nishchay yatra" from today.

Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav and senior Congress minister Madan Mohan Jha accompanied the CM to the launch of "Nishchay yatra" which is aimed at taking feedback from people on implementation of prohibition and start of "seven resolves" which has been adopted by the grand secular alliance ministry in the state as policy of governance for next five year.

"I think the country's economy will benefit from this decision. That's why I am welcoming and supporting the decision of withdrawing Rs 1000 and Rs 500," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night announced decision to demonetise Rs 1000 and Rs 500 currency notes from midnight last night as a step to fight menace of black money in the country.
New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's move to demonetise the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

Criticising PM Modi, the Congress leader said, the Prime Minister has once again proved that he doesnt cares for the ordinary people.

The Gandhi scion also had a question for the PM saying, How would replacing Rs 1000 notes with Rs 2000 notes curb the menace of black money.

How is replacing 1000 rs notes with 2000 rs notes going to make black money hoarding a lot harder? #Modilogic, he tweeted.

Rahul accused the Modi governmnet of throwing the farmers, small shopkeepers and housewives into utter chaos.

Once again MrModi shows hw little he cares abt ordinary ppl of this country-farmers,small shopkeepers,housewives-all thrown into utter chaos, he tweeted.

While, President Pranab Mukherjee has termed Modi's masterstroke as a bold step, but his rivals denounced it as a "heartless and ill-conceived" decision that would inconvenience people.

The Congress has termed the decision as only "a ploy to cover the failure of his promise" to get back black money stashed abroad and deposit 15 lakh into every account of common people of India.

Congress spokesman Manish Tewari went a step ahead, terming the decision as "insane" and taken by "modern day Tughlak".

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called it "heartless and ill conceived" decision which will lead to financial chaos and demanded its immediate withdrawal.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist said the government decision to axe Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will not unearth black money and "is more like political posturing".

However, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar "welcomed and supported" Centre's decision to withdraw Rs 1000 and Rs 500 currency notes saying it would help country's economy in the long run.
New Delhi: Continuing the blame game, India and Pakistan today summoned Deputy High Commissioners of each other to express concern over ceasefire violations even as India protested the manner in which the information of eight of its officials in Islamabad was made public, thereby, endangering their security and safety.

The Ministry summoned the Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan and conveyed the strong concern of the Government of India on the continued violation of ceasefire along the International Border and the Line of Control by Pakistan, MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in New Delhi.

"Despite calls for restraint, Pakistan forces have committed 16 ceasefire violations since 3 November 2016 alone. As a result, there have been three fatal casualties during this period among Indian security forces."

"The Government conveyed that such loss of life is unacceptable and is strongly protested. In addition, the injuries to civilians during the shelling by Pakistan forces are deplorable and strongly condemned," he said.

Swarup said India has also protested the manner in which the photographs of eight officials of the High Commission of India in Islamabad were prominently displayed in newspapers in the wake of factually incorrect allegations by Pakistan government, and conveyed that this is against basic norms of diplomatic practice and courtesy, besides having the potential to endanger their security and safety.

"It is expected that the Pakistan side will desist from such actions in the future and will ensure the safety and security of all members of the High Commission of India in Islamabad and their families," Swarup added.

Earlier, in Islamabad, Foreign Office (FO) said Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh to "strongly condemn the unprovoked ceasefire violations on November 8 by the Indian Forces on the Line of Control (LoC) in Khuirata and Battal sectors".

This is the sixth time in over two weeks that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner was summoned to the FO.

The FO said the violation by India resulted in the death of four civilians, including a woman and a 10-year-old girl, besides causing injuries to seven others.

On his part, Singh protested against the unprovoked firing from Pakistani Rangers, saying it was primarily to give cover to infiltrators.

He also said casualties on the Indian side include both civilians and security forces in the ceasefire violations by the Pakistan.

New Delhi: Continuing the blame game, India and Pakistan today summoned Deputy High Commissioners of each other to express concern over ceasefire violations even as India protested the manner in which the information of eight of its officials in Islamabad was made public, thereby, endangering their security and safety.

The Ministry summoned the Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan and conveyed the strong concern of the Government of India on the continued violation of ceasefire along the International Border and the Line of Control by Pakistan, MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in New Delhi.

"Despite calls for restraint, Pakistan forces have committed 16 ceasefire violations since 3 November 2016 alone. As a result, there have been three fatal casualties during this period among Indian security forces."

"The Government conveyed that such loss of life is unacceptable and is strongly protested. In addition, the injuries to civilians during the shelling by Pakistan forces are deplorable and strongly condemned," he said.

Swarup said India has also protested the manner in which the photographs of eight officials of the High Commission of India in Islamabad were prominently displayed in newspapers in the wake of factually incorrect allegations by Pakistan government, and conveyed that this is against basic norms of diplomatic practice and courtesy, besides having the potential to endanger their security and safety.

"It is expected that the Pakistan side will desist from such actions in the future and will ensure the safety and security of all members of the High Commission of India in Islamabad and their families," Swarup added.

Earlier, in Islamabad, Foreign Office (FO) said Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh to "strongly condemn the unprovoked ceasefire violations on November 8 by the Indian Forces on the Line of Control (LoC) in Khuirata and Battal sectors".

This is the sixth time in over two weeks that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner was summoned to the FO.

The FO said the violation by India resulted in the death of four civilians, including a woman and a 10-year-old girl, besides causing injuries to seven others.

On his part, Singh protested against the unprovoked firing from Pakistani Rangers, saying it was primarily to give cover to infiltrators.

He also said casualties on the Indian side include both civilians and security forces in the ceasefire violations by the Pakistan.
New York: California's Attorney General Kamala Harris on Wednesday scripted history as she won the US Senate seat from the state, becoming the first Indian-American to reach the feat.

Harris, 51, who defeated fellow Democrat Loretta Sanchez, is also the sixth black individual to be elected to the US Senate. US President Barack Obama was the fifth black elected Senator.

She is the first black woman elected to the upper chamber in more than two decades.

Her mother Shyamala Gopalan came to the US from Chennai to study science, specifically endocrinology and complex mechanisms of cancer.

Her father Donald grew up in Jamaica, where he became a national scholar and earned the opportunity to study economics Kamala was born in Oakland, California.

A two-term Attorney General of California, Harris defeated L Sancez from her own party.

She would replace Barbara Boxer who announced her retirement in 2014 after serving more than two decades in the Senate.
Kolkata: An automobile engineer, who went to Saudi Arabia for better job opportunities, has allegedly been "sold" to a Saudi national as a slave to work in his camel farm.

The family members of Jayanta Biswas have approached the Ministry of External Affairs for help in bringing him back from Saudi Arabia. However, they are yet to receive a word from the ministry.

"We appeal to the Indian government to initiate action in order to bring my brother back. We are at our wit's end," Gouri Biswas, elder sister of Jayanta, said.

According to Gouri, earlier this year Jayanta got in touch with agents in New Delhi and Mumbai, who had taken Rs one lakh from him to help him get a plum job in the automobile sector in Saudi Arabia.

"The agents had put Jayanta on a plane to Riyadh on a tourist visa. They had promised that he would get a work visa after staying there for three months and find a job at an automobile service centre. On their assurance, Jayanta reached Riyadh on May 15. He was conned by the agents," she alleged.

She said that after he reached Riyadh, he was sold to a Saudi national to work in his camel farm.

"He was forced to work as a labourer in the farm and was given food only once. The person who bought him also tried to sexually abuse him. Jayanta once tried to flee his master's house but failed and was severely beaten up," Gouri claimed.

Later, however, he managed to escape and sought help from the Indian Embassy in Riyadh which recorded his statement and sent him to an NGO in the Saudi capital.

Infuriated over Jayanta's escape, his master lodged a police complaint accusing him of stealing 10,000 Riyals, following which he was put behind bars, she claimed.

"From the prison, he managed to get in touch with us and this is how we got to know about his ordeal. When we got in touch with the agents, they demanded Rs 35,000 for my brother's release. We paid the amount and he was released from prison on October 27," Gouri said.

However, though he is now out of jail, the family is clueless about his return. His father, Rabindranath Biswas, wrote to the External Affair Ministry seeking their help in ensuring Jayanta's return.

"We have written to MEA and Union Minister Sushma Swaraj. But our pleas are yet to be heard. We want the MEA to take swift action," Gouri said.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated Donald Trump on being elected as US President, saying he looks forward to working with him closely to take Indo-US ties to a new height.

"Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on being elected as the 45th US President," Modi said in a tweet.

He said the country looks forward to working closely with Trump to strengthen bilateral ties.

"We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height," the Prime Minister said.

"We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign, @realDonaldTrump," he said.

Trump today beat seasoned politician Hillary Clinton in the knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Japan tomorrow for a three-day visit which is expected to see the signing of civil nuclear deal between the two countries besides discussions on ways to step up cooperation in the areas like economy and security.

Modi will be holding the annual Summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and have an audience with the Emperor of Japan.

During the visit, the two countries are expected to sign civil nuclear cooperation agreement which will facilitate leading US-based atomic companies to set up plants in India.

The two countries had sealed a broad agreement during Abe's visit here last December but the final deal was yet to be signed as certain technical and legal issues were to be thrashed out.

Both the countries have completed the internal procedures including legal and technical aspects of the text of the pact, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said last week.

When specifically asked whether the pact will be signed during Modi's visit, he only said, "I cannot pre-judge outcome of the talks."

Negotiations for the nuclear deal between the two countries have been going on for a number of years but the progress on these was halted because of political resistance in Japan after the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.

Japan, the only country to have been hit by atom bombs, has immense sensitivity on the issue and a nuclear deal with India will be significant since it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Japan is a major player in the nuclear energy market and an atomic deal with it will make it easier for US-based nuclear plant makers Westinghouse Electric Corporation and GE Energy Inc to set up plants in India as both these conglomerates have Japanese investments.

Cooperation in the fields of economy and security, particularly in the context of continuing cross-border terrorism in India from Pakistan, are also expected to come up for discussions between Modi and Abe.
New Delhi: With Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes banned from Tuesday midnight, here are slew of steps which need to be taken care of.

High denomination notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 will no longer be legal tender, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced as he declared a "decisive" war against black money and corruption while disclosing a raft of steps to assure commoners that their money is safe.

There is no restriction of any kind on non-cash payments by cheques, demand drafts, debit or credit cards and electronic fund transfer.

Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes can be used for making payments in government hospitals, pharmacies in government hospitals, at railway ticketing counters, ticket counters of government or public sector undertakings buses and airline ticketing counters at airports for purchase of tickets.

Persons holding old notes of five hundred or one thousand rupees can deposit these notes in their bank or post office accounts from 10th November till close of banking hours on 30th December 2016 without any limit. After depositing your money in your account, you can draw it when you need it.

Keeping in mind the supply of new notes, in the first few days, there will be a limit of ten thousand rupees per day and twenty thousand rupees per week. This limit will be increased in the coming days.

There will be a limit on withdrawal from banks and post offices to Rs 10,000 a day, and Rs 20,000 a week. The limit will be raised in the coming days.

You can exchange Rs 500/Rs 1,000 notes at any bank, post office or sub post office, showing ID proof, till November 24, 2016. The limit for this is Rs 4,000.

ATMs will not work on November 9 (Wednesday), and in some places on November 10.

Withdrawals from ATMS will be limited to Rs 2,000/day per card. This will be raised to Rs 4,000 later

For 72 hours, till midnight on 11th November, Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes can be used for purchases at consumer cooperative stores operated under authorisation of central or state governments; for purchase at milk booths operating under authorisation of the central or state governments; for purchase of petrol, diesel and gas at the stations operating under the authorisation of public sector oil marketing companies; for payments at crematoria and burial grounds.
New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to denotify Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 note to combating corruption, terrorism and black money.

The firebrand BJP MP congratulated PM Modi for taking the drastic step.

I congratulate Namo for doing what national security required--to disable the ISI money power through fake rupee notes. Terror in disarray, Swamy tweeted.

However, the BJP leader said, This is just a step forward to tackle black money and not to resolve the entire issue, we have to go long way.

"This decision is a death blow to terror funding network. This step was necessary for national security," BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said.

The ISI smuggles Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICNs) into India via Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. Smugglers are sold the FICNs in 2:1 ratio  two fake notes for the value of one original. And all this money was pumped into India to fund terrorist activities.

Addressing the nation, PM Modi on Tuesday said, To break the grip of corruption and black money, we have decided that the five hundred rupee and thousand rupee currency notes presently in use will no longer be legal tender from midnight tonight, that is 8th November 2016. This means that these notes will not be acceptable for transactions from midnight onwards. The five hundred and thousand rupee notes hoarded by anti-national and anti-social elements will become just worthless pieces of paper. The rights and the interests of honest, hard-working people will be fully protected.
New Delhi: Hailing the Centre's sudden announcement of demonetising Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 currency notes, Justice (retd) MB Shah, Chairman of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on black money, said this kind of a surprise was necessary to catch black money hoarders unaware.



"This surprise element was necessary. Otherwise, people having black money may have got time to manage it. You know what happens. They just get away by hook or crook," Mr Shah told Press Trust of India.

"This is a very good step by the government. It will help unearth any money which was not declared until now. Though the government gave them chance to disclose their unaccounted for money, many people did not come forward," Mr Shah said.

Mr Shah referred to the one-time compliance window, also called the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS) that ended on September 30. At least Rs. 65,250 crore of undisclosed assets were declared under that scheme.

"Now, they are left with no other option but to convert it into white," Mr Shah added.

Commenting on the last minute rush of people to jewellery shops in order to convert their black money into gold, Mr Shah asserted that the government must have monitored them as well.

"I am sure that government must have kept an eye on such people who purchased gold. People associated with real estate business are also under scanner," Mr Shah said.

The SIT on black money that Mr Shah is heading had been notified by the government on the directions of the Supreme Court in 2014.
Jammu: One jawan was martyred on Wednesday in Kupwara district as Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling targetting Indian posts and civilian areas along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

"One soldier martyred in Pak sniping at Machhal Sect .In retaliation fire assault with heavy weapons being directed on many Pak posts," Army's Northern Command tweeted.

One soldier martyred in Pak sniping at Machhal Sect .In retaliation fire assault with heavy weapons being directed on many Pak posts @adgpi  NorthernComd.IA (@NorthernComd_IA) November 9, 2016

The jawan was killed in firing from across the border in Machal sector in Kupwara district today.

The Army has been retaliating strongly to unprovoked provocation from across the border and inflicted heavy damage to three Pakistan posts.

Meanwhile, an army soldier, who was wounded in Pak firing along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kahsmir, died today.

"Naik Harindra Kumar Yadav sustained grievous injuries on Tuesday after Pakistan Army initiated indiscriminate and unprovoked firing," army spokesperson Manish Mehta said.

"In the ensuing unprovoked shelling, a non-commissioned officer, Naik Prem Singh, was martyred on Tuesday. Yadav succumbed to injuries today (Wednesday)," Mehta said.

While Naik Prem Singh, 26, hailed from Shahar village of Barmer district in Rajasthan, and is survived by his wife; Naik Yadav, 30, is survived by his wife and three young children. He hailed from Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh.

In another development, two Lashkar-e Toiba terrorists were killed in an encounter that broke out between security forces and terrorists in Watergam area of Baramulla district today.

The terrorists were killed in an encounter that broke out between security forces and terrorists in Watergam area of Baramulla district. Two weapons were recovered from their possession.

"#JKOps encounter at Darsu, North #Kashmir. Two terrorists killed two weapons recovered. Ops in progress @adgpi," Army's Northern Command tweeted today.

#JKOps encounter at Darsu, North #Kashmir. Two terrorists killed two weapons recovered. Ops in progress @adgpi  NorthernComd.IA (@NorthernComd_IA) November 9, 2016

It may be recalled that Pakistani troops had violated ceasefire and resorted to firing in Mankote and Balakote areas of Mendhar Sector in Poonch district of the state yesterday.

In another case of ceasefire violation, Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling in Krishna Ghati Sector of Poonch district from around 1:45 pm today.

An Indian Army official said that Pakistani troops were using 120 mm mortars and automatic weapons to target Indian posts. Befitting reply is being given to them without any casualty on the Indian side, the official added.
New Delhi: Karnataka unit of BJP on Wednesday sought a probe by NIA into killing of 17 party workers and activists of different Hindu organisations and appealed to the government to keep a tab on activities of jihadi elements during celebration of Tipu Sultan Jayanti scheduled on Thursday.

Accusing the Congress-led Karnataka government of playing 'vote bank' politics, the party said its workers will stage a protest wearing black band at the event.

This was conveyed to Home Minister Rajnath Singh by a delegation of Karnataka BJP leaders led by State President B S Yeddurappa and Union Minister Ananth Kumar here.

"Over 17 party workers and activists from various Hindu organisations have been killed in the last one year. Some were killed during the Tipu Sultan Jayanti held at Madikeri last year. It is repeating this year as well. We have requested the Home Minister to initiate NIA probe into the killings," Yeddurappa told reporters after the meeting.

BJP worker Sunil Dongre from Bidar district is the 17th and latest murderous attack been perpetrated by jihadi forces in Karnataka. Besides, there have been six attempts to murder BJP and RSS activists, he said.

The party is the of firm view that all these murders were perpetrated by workers belonging to Popular Front of India (PFI), Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) and Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI), he alleged.

In a representation made to the Home Minister, Yeddurappa claimed that the state government's move to organise Tipu Sultan Jayanti is "beginning of communalisation" in the state.

Stating that violence had erupted during the same event held at Madikeri last year, he said: "But a year elapsed, no probe has come out with the truth, either about the presence of large number of Muslim at Madikeri having come from Kerala or about the motive behind all 17 murders and six attempts to murder."

Seeking the central government's help to check activities of jihadi forces this time at the event, Yeddurappa said, "I have learnt from reliable sources that a very large number of Muslim youths in their mid-20s have entered Karnataka a few days back from Kerala and are stationed in different parts of the state ...

Their conduct and behavior evokes suspicion."

"These dubious elements need to be apprehended immediately before they carry out their sinister design and nefarious activities on November 10," he said.

He also alleged that the Congress government has made all preparations to "engineer riots" during Tipu Jayanti and blame BJP and Sangh Pariwar.

On Monday, the Karnataka government had sought 1,600 central paramilitary personnel for deployment during Tipu Sultan Jayanti, which is expected to face protests from some organisations.
Hyderabad: National Commission for Women (NCW) has termed as a "very good move" the Kerala government's stand to allow entry of women of all age groups in famous Sabarimala shrine.

"That is a good thing. I think it is a good (decision) ... How long can you hold out. They (LDF government in LDF government in Kerala) have said women from all ages can now come (in temple)," NCW chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam told PTI here.Lalitha Kumaramangalam told PTI here.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that it favoured the entry of women of all age groups in the historic Sabarimala temple in the southern state.LDF) government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that it favoured the entry of women of all age groups in the historic Sabarimala temple in the southern state.

"Others should also allow ... Most temples women are allowed ... I think there is some gender bias, but that is slowly going now. That (the stand taken by LDF) is a very good move," said Kumaramangalam, who is also a member of the BJP's national executive.
Baghdad: Nearly 42,000 people have fled their homes since last month's start of the operation to recapture Mosul from the Islamic State group, the International Organization for Migration said on Wednesday.

Aid organisations have warned that more than a million people could be displaced in the battle for Mosul, and while it has not yet reached that scale, the numbers are growing.

The IOM said on its displacement tracking web page that 41,988 people have been "displaced as a result of the ongoing Mosul operations which began on 17 October 2016."

That was an increase of more than 7,000 from the figure the IOM gave the previous day, but it was unclear when the spike in displacement occurred.

The vast majority of those displaced are from Nineveh province, of which Mosul is the capital, but the IOM has also included people from several other provinces in the Mosul operation figures.

While the worst-case scenario has not materialised so far, Iraqi forces have yet to push deep into the city, and the number of people fleeing the area could increase dramatically when that occurs.

Both Mosul residents and the United Nations have reported that IS has forcibly gathered civilians for possible use as human shields.

IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes have since regained significant ground from the jihadists, and Mosul is now the last IS-held city in the country.
Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner for the sixth time in over two weeks to protest against alleged ceasefire violations on the LoC by Indian troops.

Foreign Office (FO) said that the Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned J P Singh to "strongly condemn the unprovoked ceasefire violations on November 8 by the Indian Forces on the Line of Control (LoC) in Khuirata and Battal sectors".

This is the sixth time in over two weeks that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner has been summoned to the FO here.

The FO said the violation by India resulted in the death of four civilians, including a woman and a 10-year-old girl, besides injuries to seven others.

The Director General urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate the continued incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit, stop targeting the villages and civilians and maintain peace on the LoC, it said.

It claimed that so far, this year, India has committed 222 ceasefire violations out of which 184 have been on the LoC and 38 on the Working Boundary, resulting in killing of 26 civilians and injuries to 107 others.
Donald Trump put aside the celebrations and began planning his 73-day transition to the White House on Wednesday as rival Hillary Clinton promised to bury the bitterness of their long presidential race and work to unify a divided country.

After the Republican Trump`s stunning upset of the heavily favored Clinton, Democratic President Barack Obama and leading figures in the Republican Party who had struggled to make peace with Trump all vowed to move past the ugliness of an angry and sometimes personal campaign to seek common ground.

"Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead," Clinton, the Democratic nominee, said in a concession speech in New York before noon on Wednesday, joined by her husband, former President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea.

With a row of American flags in the background, she told supporters her loss was painful "and it will be for a long time," and that she had offered to work with Trump as he prepares to begin his four-year term on Jan. 20.

A wealthy real estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to win Tuesday`s election against Clinton, whose gold-plated establishment resume included stints as a first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state.

Trump`s victory marked a crushing end to Clinton`s second quest to become the first woman president. She also failed in a White House bid in 2008.

Obama, who campaigned hard against Trump, invited him to the White House for a meeting on Thursday after a brutal night for his Democratic Party, which also fell short of recapturing majorities in both chambers of Congress.

"We are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country," Obama said at the White House, adding he and his staff would work with Trump to ensure a successful transition. "We are not Democrats first, we are not Republicans first, we are Americans first."

Trump and his senior aides were meeting at Trump Tower in New York on Wednesday to begin the transition. Trump will enjoy Republican majorities in both chambers of the U.S. Congress that could help him implement his legislative agenda.

"He just earned a mandate and we now just have a unified Republican government," House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, who had a strained relationship with Trump, told reporters in Wisconsin, saying Congress would "hit the ground running" in January.

TRUMP PRIORITIES

In an Oct. 25 Reuters interview, Trump said his top priorities when he takes office would be building stronger borders, repealing Obama`s national healthcare plan, aiding military veterans and working to create more jobs.

In his victory speech early on Wednesday, he also promised to embark on a project to rebuild American infrastructure and to double U.S. economic growth.

Worried that a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors initially fled stocks worldwide but Wall Street bounced back from the dramatic overnight sell-off and the U.S. dollar hit its highest level against the Japanese yen in nearly four months.

The Mexican peso recouped some losses after falling to a record low. The currency has been vulnerable to Trump`s threats to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico and to tax money sent home by migrants to pay to build a border wall.

Joined by his family, Trump spoke to cheering supporters in a New York hotel ballroom, saying it was time to heal divisions and find common ground after a campaign that exposed deep differences among Americans.

"It is time for us to come together as one united people," Trump said. "I will be president for all Americans."

His comments were an abrupt departure from his campaign trail rhetoric in which he repeatedly branded Clinton as "Crooked Hillary" amid supporters` chants of "lock her up."

Trump`s campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, on Wednesday nonetheless did not rule out the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton`s past conduct, a threat Trump made in an election debate last month.

Despite losing the state-by-state electoral battle that determines the U.S. presidency, Clinton narrowly led Trump in the nationwide popular vote, according to U.S. media tallies.

Prevailing in a race that opinion polls had clearly favored Clinton, Trump won avid support among white non-college educated workers.

While Clinton, 69, won Hispanics, black and young voters, she did not win those groups by greater margins than Obama did in 2012. Younger blacks did not support Clinton like they did Obama. She won eight of 10 black voters between the ages of 35 and 54. Obama won almost 100 percent of those voters in 2012.

At 70, Trump will be the oldest first-term U.S. president. The presidency will be Trump`s first elected office, and it remains to be seen how he will work with Congress. During the campaign Trump was the target of sharp disapproval, not just from Democrats but also from many in his own party.

GOOD NEWS FOR RUSSIA

Foreign leaders pledged to work with Trump but some officials expressed alarm that the vote could mark the end of an era in which Washington promoted democratic values and was seen by its allies as a guarantor of peace.

During the campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested that Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defense burden.

Russia and Putin appeared to be winners from Trump`s victory. Defying years of U.S. foreign policy orthodoxy, the Republican had promised much warmer relations with Moscow, despite Russia`s intervention in the Syrian civil war and its seizure of Ukraine`s Crimea region.

Russia`s parliament erupted in applause after a lawmaker announced that Trump had been elected, and Putin told foreign ambassadors he was ready to fully restore ties with Washington.

"It is not an easy path but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development," Putin said.

Russia is hoping that improved relations could yield an elusive prize: the lifting or easing of sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union to punish Moscow for its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped to reach "new heights" in bilateral ties under Trump. Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing and Washington shared responsibility for promoting global development and prosperity.

Iran urged Trump to stay committed to the nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers. Several authoritarian and right-wing leaders hailed Trump`s victory.

Other officials abroad, some with senior roles in government, took the unusual step of denouncing the outcome, calling it a worrying signal for liberal democracy and tolerance in the world.

"Trump is the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement. He is also a warning for us," German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said in an interview with the Funke newspaper group.

U.S. neighbor Mexico was pitched into deep uncertainty by the victory for Trump, who has often accused it of stealing U.S. jobs and sending criminals across the U.S. border.

Trump campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist "America First" path.

He wants to rewrite international trade deals to reduce trade deficits and has taken positions that raise the possibility of damaging relations with America`s most trusted allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Trump survived a series of blows on the campaign, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologized but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, allegations he denied. He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Clinton.

A Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day poll offered some clues to the outcome. It found Clinton badly underperformed expectations with women, winning their vote by only about 2 percentage points.
Havana: Cuba on Wednesday announced a week of pre-scheduled nationwide military exercises to prepare for "enemy actions," the day after the United States elected Donald Trump, who has threatened to unravel the U.S.-Cuban detente, as president.

The Communist-ruled island did not directly link the exercises, which will include troop movements and explosions from Nov. 16 to Nov. 20, to Trump`s victory.

The government has not issued any official reaction to the U.S. election outcome.

Cuba has held what it calls the "Bastion Strategic Exercise" every few years since 1980, often in response to moments of tension with its northern neighbor.

"The aim is to... raise the country`s ability for defense and the troops` and people`s preparation to confront different enemy actions," according to the announcement in the ruling Communist Party newspaper Granma.

Trump has threatened to reverse outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama`s moves to open relations with Cuba and end decades of hostility that began soon after the island`s 1959 revolution that overthrew a U.S.-backed dictator.

In the last two years, Obama has restored diplomatic relations with Cuba and eased trade and travel restrictions.

In Havana, many Cubans said their hopes for the detente to continue, bringing their country out of isolation, had been extinguished with Trump`s victory.

"Brace for what`s coming," said Tomas Gonzalez, a 39-year old engineer on his way to work. "With Trump, I reckon we are headed back to the era of George Bush."

Cafe waitress Adriana Perez, 30, said she saw no end in sight to the U.S. embargo that inflicted so much suffering on the Cuban people. "The embargo continues and our lives go from bad to worse," she said.

Cubans are weary of what some describe as relations with the United States taking two steps forward and one step back. U.S.-Cuban relations deteriorated sharply during the Bush administration, which tightened the U.S. embargo on the island.

"With both the White House and Congress in Republican hands, there is nothing to stop Trump from keeping his pledge to resurrect the Cold War-era policy of hostility, despite opinion polls showing broad public support for engagement," said William LeoGrande, a professor of government at American University.

The embargo on Cuba, which only Congress can lift, will unlikely be ended any time soon, political analysts say.

Still, they note that Trump`s stance on Cuba had flip-flopped over the years. Newsweek reported earlier this year that a hotel and casino company controlled by Trump had secretly conducted business with Cuba in the 1990s.

"His most recent statements indicate that he may not immediately reverse commercial, economic and political engagement, but may increase conditionality as a cost of expansion," said John Kavulich, head of the New York-based U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council Inc.

In a mid-October interview with CBS in Miami, Trump said he would do anything necessary "to get a strong agreement" with Cuba`s government, without providing specifics.
Brussels: The EU warned Turkey on Wednesday that "backsliding" on rights after a coup attempt was putting its membership bid at risk and urged Ankara to decide whether or not to commit.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan however hit back at the "shameless" European Union and challenged it in return to make a final choice on Turkey's long-stalled application for a place in the bloc.

"Turkey has apparently chosen to move away from Europe," EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn said as he unveiled an annual report on EU candidate countries.

"The ball is clearly in Turkey's court now. Turkey's leadership must tell us what they want."

Hahn told European lawmakers the 28-nation union had "serious concerns" about the crackdown launched by Erdogan in the wake of the deadly attempt by part of the military to oust his government in July.

"Turkey as a candidate country must fulfil the highest standards to which it committed itself and on which there cannot be any compromise. In this year's report we therefore stress Turkey's backsliding in the area of rule of law and fundamental rights," Hahn said.

Ankara's moves to reinstate the death penalty were also "incompatible with Turkey's official desire to become a member of the European Union", he said.

The EU report however hailed Turkey's efforts to cut the number of migrants crossing to the Greek islands and its efforts to meet the criteria needed to begin visa-free travel to the bloc for Turkish nationals.

Turkey has been seeking to join the EU since the 1960s with formal accession talks opening in 2005.

The process was meant to be accelerated after the EU and Turkey agreed in March on a deal to tackle the migrant crisis. But the process has been close to collapse since the crackdown in response to the coup.

Tensions have flared further in recent days, with Turkey slamming fresh EU criticism of its crackdown and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker warning that Turkey is moving away from the EU "each day".

Speaking an hour before the release of today's EU report, Erdogan said: "They shamelessly say that Turkey's EU negotiations should be reviewed. You are late. Review it as soon as possible.

"But do not just review, make your final decision."

Following the release of the report Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin warned against halting the accession process.
Kinshasa: Five students were shot and seriously hurt and 18 others injured Wednesday during clashes with police in DR Congo`s capital Kinshasa during protests over tuition fees, a doctor said.

The protests at the Higher Institute of Applied Technology (ISTA) university came after administrators decided to alter the exchange rate applied to student fee payments, significantly increasing costs -- a decision that has now been reversed.

"We received 23 injured students of whom five had serious gunshot wounds and were transferred to the Kokolo military hospital," said a doctor at the university`s medical centre.

An AFP correspondent saw seven students -- including a woman who had lost consciousness -- under observation at the university medical centre.

More than 100 police officers surrounded the university site and fired teargas at classrooms.

"We are protesting against the application of an increased (exchange) rate decided by the academic authorities," said Patrick Makonzo, vice-president of ISTA`s student union.

Administrators had moved to change the Congolese franc exchange rate applied to student fee payments, which are fixed at $300 for the year, and would have resulted in a real-terms fee increase of around 16 percent.

"In the interests of social harmony at ISTA we have decided to revise the exchange rate (back)," said ISTA director general Kasengedia Mutumbe.

Anger at the university`s initial decision led to several incidents including the burning of two vehicles and attacks on some nearby shopfronts.

"The police were called to re-establish order, disturbed by the students," said the officer in charge of the operation.
Brussels: The jihadist cell that launched deadly attacks on Paris and Brussels received its orders from "very high" in the Islamic State group command, Belgium`s federal prosecutor said Wednesday.

"We know that the orders came from the Islamic State zone... We know that it went very high in the command," prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw said in an interview with AFP.
Jerusalem: Israeli forces attacked a Syrian military position on Wednesday, hours after a rocket from Syria hit the Israeli-held Golan Heights, the Army said.

"In response to the projectile which hit Israel earlier today, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) targeted an artillery position of the Syrian regime in the northern Syrian Golan Heights," a statement said.

The rocket was believed to be stray fire from fighting between the Syrian government forces and rebels.

It caused no casualties, the army said, and was "most likely a result of the internal fighting in Syria."

Israel has sought to avoid being drawn into the conflict, but has attacked Syrian military targets when fire spills over the demarcation line.

The Israeli Army holds the Syrian government accountable for any fire from its territory, regardless of the source.

Israel seized 1,200 square kilometres (460 square miles) of the Golan from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the international community.
New Delhi: Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will visit India from November 14 to 21 at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee, it was announced on Wednesday.

This follows the visit of Mukherjee to Israel in October last year, the first ever presidential visit from India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold bilateral discussions with Rivlin on November 15 and President Mukherjee will host a banquet in his honour.

Vice President Hamid Ansari and External Affairs Sushma Swaraj will also call on the Israeli leader.

Sushma Swaraj visited Israel in January this year.

According to the External Affairs Ministry, President Rivlin is expected to meet business leaders of both India and Israel during his visit.

He will also visit the Centre of Excellence in Agriculture in Karnal in Haryana and will take part in Agro Tech 2016 organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry in Chandigarh.

"India and Israel enjoy excellent relations marked by strong ties in the areas of economy and commerce, science and technology, research and innovation, culture and tourism, education etc," the ministry said.

"Rivlin`s visit is an important event which signifies the growing and sustainable relations between our two countries," Israeli Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon said.

"It is part of a historical process, and the next chapter is enhancing cooperation on agriculture, water and education; from defence and security to food security," he added.

According to the embassy, Rivlin will head business and academic delegations including 15 heads of Israeli universities as well as companies, some of which are active and successful in India.

"The visit will focus on strengthening the ever growing economic ties between India and Israel in agriculture and water, and promoting academic cooperation pursuing the MoU signed by President Mukherjee in Israel in 2015," it stated.

Rivlin will also visit the Taj Mahal in Agra and the adjacent Israeli water treatment plant "Aqwise".

This will be the first Israeli Presidential visit to India in nearly 20 years since Ezer Weizman came in January 1997.
Beijing: Within moments of Donald Trump being declared the new US President, China on Wednesday said it looks forward to working with the new US government to promote bilateral relations for the benefit of both countries and the world.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said it expects to make joint efforts with the new US government to maintain sustained, healthy and stable growth of China-US relations, and benefit people of the two countries and the world.

Republican Donald Trump won the US presidential election, defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton in an upset win.


Washington: US President Barack Obama today telephoned Donald Trump to congratulate him on his stunning victory and invited the President-elect to meet him at the White House tomorrow.

Obama called Trump from his residence in the White House early today to congratulate him, White House spokesman said.

The spokesman said President Obama invited Trump to White House on Thursday to discuss the presidential transition.

Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway also said Obama called Trump while he was speaking to his supporters in New York, and so Trump called him back after he left the stage.

She said the two leaders had a "very nice talk."

Conway said they would meet possibly tomorrow.

The official said Obama will make a statement from the White House to discuss the election results and what steps to take as a country to come together.

Obama also called former secretary of state and Trump's rival Hillary Clinton to express his admiration for the strong campaign she waged.

In a stunning result, billionaire businessman Trump beat seasoned politician Clinton in the knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President after starting off as a rank political outsider.
Seoul: South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said on Wednesday that he believed Donald Trump would maintain the current US policy of pressuring North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests, if he wins the presidential election.

"Candidate Trump has expressed his clear position by saying after North Korea`s nuclear test that such provocation by the North is a direct threat to the United States," Yun said.

He made the comments in a meeting with members of parliament scheduled to discuss the results of the US presidential election. The North conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests in January and September, drawing widespread international condemnation.
Seoul: The deployment in South Korea of the US military`s THAAD system, designed to counter North Korea`s missile threat, will go ahead as planned under a Trump administration, the South`s ruling party chief said on Wednesday, citing the defence minister.



Saenuri Party policy chief Kim Gwang-lim said plans for the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence anti-missile system were near complete.

Kim was briefing the media after a meeting by senior party members with national security ministers, including Defence Minister Han Min-koo, to discuss the U.S. presidential election, won by Republican Donald Trump.

"THAAD is all but confirmed so it`ll go ahead," Kim quoted Han as saying.

But the South Korean government was concerned Trump may make unpredictable proposals to North Korea over the isolated country`s nuclear weapons programme, a ruling party official said, quoting top national security officials.

A Trump spokesman said in September that North Korea`s most recent nuclear test was an example of the "catastrophic failures" of his Democratic rival, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Washington and Seoul agreed to deploy the THAAD system in South Korea to protect against North Korean threats.

China, North Korea`s lone major ally, was angered by the decision as it feats the system`s powerful radar will be able to see into its territory.

The commander of U.S. forces in South Korea said on Friday the system would be deployed to South Korea within eight to 10 months, according to an official from the U.S. forces in South Korea.
ANKARA: Turkish prosecutors ordered the detention of 55 more air force pilots on Wednesday, broadcaster NTV and other media reported, as part of an ongoing crackdown following a failed coup in July.

Authorities previously detained more than 300 pilots, most of them at an air base in Konya, as part of the unprecedented crackdown in which more than 110,000 people - from soldiers and judges to teachers and journalists - have been detained or suspended, and 37,000 formally arrested.

The latest operation targeting supporters of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for orchestrating the putsch, was carried out in eight provinces but centered in Konya, NTV said.

Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999, has denied the charges and condemned the coup.

The extent of the purges has worried rights groups and some of Turkey`s Western allies, who fear that President Tayyip Erdogan is using the failed coup as a pretext to curtain dissent.

The government says the actions are justified by the gravity of the threat to the state from July 15, when rogue soldiers commandeered tanks and fighters jets, killing more than 240 people.

The government has said it was working on projects to cover the shortage in air force pilots since the attempted coup, and will seek to draw back pilots from civil aviation.
ISTANBUL: Turkey wants U.S. policy under Donald Trump to recognise the strategic importance of Turkey and its main priority is an effective fight against terrorism, President Tayyip Erdogan`s spokesman said on Wednesday.

Speaking on Turkish broadcaster A Haber, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin also described as positive Trump`s comments in the aftermath of a failed military coup on July 15.
Washington: US House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, who sparred with Donald Trump at times during his presidential campaign, pledged on Wednesday to work closely with the president-elect to forge an aggressive Republican legislative agenda from the outset of 2017.

At a news conference in his hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin, Ryan said he and Trump are arranging a meeting to discuss the transition to a new Congress and administration, as well as the Republican agenda for the lame-duck session of Congress that begins on Monday.

Tuesday`s election results will give the Republicans simultaneous control of the White House, Senate and House for the first time since early 2007.

"He just earned a mandate and we now just have a unified Republican government," Ryan said of Trump. "The opportunity is now here. And the opportunity is to go big, to go bold and to get things done."

Ryan said he expected his six-point "A Better Way" blueprint to provide a framework for future action. The plan, which House Republicans used an election platform, calls for initiatives that include repealing and replacing Obamacare, reforming the U.S. tax code and scaling back federal regulations on industry.

Ryan had been slow to endorse Trump for president and clashed with the wealthy businessman over his incendiary campaign rhetoric, accusing him of making comment that was "the textbook definition of racism" about a judge of Mexican heritage. Last month Trump described Ryan as "a very weak and ineffective leader."

But on Wednesday Ryan said he and Trump had held two "fantastic conversations" in the past 18 hours. Ryan`s aim is to "make sure that when his hand comes off the Bible, when he is sworn in as president, we are hitting the ground running."

Ryan said Republicans in Congress also would coordinate with Trump on the upcoming lame duck session on what can be achieved.

The speaker also said it was time for "redemption, not recrimination" and dismissed concerns about civil liberties created by Trump campaign talk.

"Donald Trump heard a voice out in this country that no one else heard. He connected in ways with people no one else did. He turned politics on its head," Ryan said.

"Donald Trump provided the kind of coattails that got a lot of people over the finish line so that we could maintain our strong House and Senate majorities."

There had been speculation Ryan would not run for the speaker job in January but last week his staff said he would run for re-election to the post.
Vatican City: The Catholic Church`s highest-ranking diplomat wished US President-elect Donald Trump well on Wednesday, saying he would pray for the new incumbent to be "enlightened".

"We wish the new president well, that he may have a truly fruitful government," Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin told the papal state`s radio station.

"We pledge to pray that God enlightens him and supports him in the service of his country of course, but also in the service of wellbeing and peace in the world. I think today everyone needs to work to change the global situation, which is one of deep laceration and serious conflict."

Earlier this year, Pope Francis suggested Donald Trump was "not Christian" because of his stance on immigration. A papal spokesman later said this was not a personal attack on the Republican party candidate.
[November 08, 2016] AppGuard from Blue Ridge Networks is 2016 AST Platinum Winner for Best Cyber Anti-Malware Solution

CHANTILLY, Va., Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AppGuard from Blue Ridge Networks has won the 2016 American Security Today (AST) Platinum Award for Best Cyber Anti-Malware solution. American Security Today's comprehensive Homeland Security Awards Program was organized to recognize the most distinguished vendors of physical, IT, port security, law enforcement, and first responders, in acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to 'Keep our Nation Secure, One City at a Time.' Blue Ridge's AppGuard Breach Prevention system offers the marketplace the most effective protection to defeat undetectable cybersecurity attacks. Gartner, a well-known industry analyst firm, has estimated that up to 85% of breaches go undetected for weeks, even months. The escalation of undetectable malware, phishing attacks, targeted attacks, and other forms of cybersecurity attacks specifically designed to defeat conventional protection methods has placed even the most diligent enterprises at the risk of costly breaches. AppGuard represents the breakthrough needed by the marketplace to effectively mitigate this critical persistent risk of harmful breaches. "Th recent success of ransomware attacks has motivated criminal groups to intensify their attacks targeted to small and midsize businesses," explains Mike Fumai, President and COO of Blue Ridge. "We are committed to delivering effective and affordable cybersecurity solutions that protect our customers against harmful hacks potentially catastrophic to their business.



Users can rest easier knowing they are protected on and offline with AppGuard: Blocks viruses, zero-day malware, and many other undetectable threats without scanning or updating

Protects applications, processes, and system resources for Windows systems

Extends protection to documents, attachments, downloads, social network apps, and thumb drives

Operates in the background without slowing down or interrupting the user experience

Works in conjunction with legacy antivirus software and other system tools

Compatible with all current Windows operating systems, including XP, effectively addressing any support gaps for both current and legacy systems About Blue Ridge Networks

Blue Ridge Networks provides effective cybersecurity solutions to government, commercial enterprises and consumers. The company offers an unmatched suite of field proven, reliable, scalable, certified, easy-to-use, and affordable cybersecurity solutions that "just work."

About American Security Today

American Security Today (AST) focuses on New and Evolving Homeland Security Threats at All Levels, which have Law Enforcement, First Responders and Public Safety personnel on the front lines of protecting our communities, cities and nation. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/appguard-from-blue-ridge-networks-is-2016-ast-platinum-winner-for-best-cyber-anti-malware-solution-300359377.html SOURCE Blue Ridge Networks

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Donald Tusk says the EU and US have no option except to co-operate with US President-elect Donald Trump

The EU's top leaders on Wednesday invited US President-elect Donald Trump to a summit as soon as possible as they warned of uncertainty in relations and a need to respect democratic values.

"I do not believe that any country today can be great in isolation," European Council chief Donald Tusk told reporters in Brussels, referring to Trump's campaign slogan of "Make America Great Again".

"Europe and the United States simply have no option but to cooperate as closely as possible."

Tusk and European Commission boss Jean-Claude Juncker said in a letter that they wanted to discuss "unprecedented challenges" including the Islamic State jihadist group, the conflict in Ukraine, and a troubled EU-US trade deal under negotiation.

"We would take this opportunity to invite you to visit Europe for an EU-US summit at your earliest convenience. This conversation would allow for us to chart the course of our relations for the next four years," they said in a letter of congratulations to Trump.

But former Polish prime minister Tusk struck a more sober tone in a statement to journalists at the 28-nation European Union's headquarters as he recalled that "Italians, Irish, Poles, Germans, Spanish" had helped build America.

"While respecting the democratic choice of the American people, we are at the same time aware of the new challenges that these results bring. One of them is this moment of uncertainty over the future of our transatlantic relations," he said.

With the EU still reeling from the shock of Britain's recent vote to leave, Tusk added: "The events of the last months and days should be treated as a warning sign for all who believe in liberal democracy."

Juncker later said in a speech in Berlin that the EU should not "upend its relations with the United States" out of "annoyance" with the shock outcome of the presidential election.

"We remain partners because the world needs the United States and the European continent working side-by-side. That is why I strongly urge us to seek common ground," he said.

Story continues

Following Trump's victory, EU foreign ministers will hold a special meeting in Brussels on Sunday at the invitation of the bloc's foreign policy supremo Federica Mogherini.

They will have an "informal dinner to exchange views on the way forward in EU-US relations following the US elections," a spokeswoman for Mogherini said.

Separately Martin Schulz, the head of the European Parliament, urged Trump to show "responsibility" after a divisive campaign, adding that he had "managed to become the standard-bearer of the angst and fears of millions of Americans."
This is what you need to do to move to Canada

If you're thinking of fleeing the country ahead of President-elect Donald Trump 's inauguration next year, well, it's not going to be that easy.

"If so-and-so wins the election, I'm moving to Canada" was a common refrain throughout the election, but as results began pouring in Tuesday pointing to a Trump win, some Americans seemed to be making a more serious assessment of their options.

Early Wednesday, searches for "canada imigration [sic]" and "canada citizenship" were up 4,800 percent and 4,550 percent, respectively, over the past 24 hours, according to Google Trends. Other popular searches included "immigrate to canada," "how to move to canada from us" and "how do i move to canada."

Canada's immigration website was inaccessible for several hours overnight. The outage was "a result of a significant increase in the volume of traffic," a spokeswoman for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada confirmed to CNBC.

Moving to our neighbor to the north isn't so easily  or cheaply  accomplished, however, especially if you're not heading there as a student or with a job offer in hand. Nor will it accomplish much in avoiding a new president's policies, if you want to retain American citizenship.

Consider these six financial hoops would-be expats may encounter.

Considering that 66 million Americans have zero dollars saved for a rainy day, according to a recent Bankrate.com survey, just kicking off the process of legally moving to Canada may be out of reach. Application fees for the skilled worker "Express Entry" program run $412 in U.S. dollars for the worker and a spouse, plus another $112 per dependent.

Hiring an attorney to navigate the process can add anywhere from $400 to $7,500 to the tab depending on whom you hire, the size of your family and what kind of immigration status you're seeking.

The bigger hitch, however, may be the wait time to see if the Canadian government rolls out the welcome mat. According to the Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship's mid-October estimates, once a completed application is received, the average processing time for someone applying for entry as a skilled worker was six to 12 months; a live-in caregiver, 51 months; and a self-employed person, 95 months  by which point Trump could have completed two full terms in office and be on his way out of the White House.

Story continues

No wonder there's a dating site offering to match up Americans with Canadian partners. But marrying a Canadian doesn't automatically make you one. Processing times to have a spouse sponsor you as a permanent resident are a mere 14 months.

Moving abroad won't save you from an incoming president's tax changes, and it can make filing more complex and expensive.

"The U.S. has a worldwide income approach," said Tim Gagnon, associate professor of accounting at Northeastern University. "Whatever you earn, wherever you are, we tax it."

Canada has a treaty with the U.S. to avoid double taxation, and expats have some breaks to reduce their U.S. bill, including a foreign-earned income exclusion and a credit for qualifying foreign taxes paid. But policy gaps can still generate U.S. tax bills  for example, freelancers typically owe self-employment tax, he said.

The Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts and the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act generate extra filing requirements on investments and bank accounts.

"I'd love to say these are simple forms to fill out, but they take a lot of time," Gagnon said.

The complexities can push expats' U.S. tax preparation fees above $1,000, he said.

Even renouncing your U.S. citizenship can have tax implications, in the form of an exit tax .

A bright spot for would-be expats: In 2014, the median income for Canadian families was CA$78,870, or US$59,114 at current exchange rates. The U.S. median household income was $54,657 that year.

That is, if you can find suitable employment. Canada's unemployment rate was 7 percent in September,compared with 5 percent in the U.S.

Getting credentials takes time. Would-be employers generally must submit Labour Market Impact Assessment paperwork and receive a favorable ruling  a process the Canadian government reports is typically completed within six months. Would-be employees will need to apply for a work permit, for a fee of US$116. Processing times for such a permit are currently nine weeks, according to mid-October estimates.

Whatever effect a Trump presidency has on the markets , investors are unlikely to escape it by moving abroad. Fleeing might actually generate more turmoil for your investments.

"There are some investments U.S. citizens living abroad really shouldn't invest in," said Andrea Blackwelder, a certified financial planner with Wisdom Wealth Strategies in Denver.

In particular, she said, passive foreign investment companies can create harsh tax implications. (Remember, as mentioned in the "taxes" slide, you're detailing those financial holdings with annual filings.)

"A lot of them are Canadian-based mutual funds," Blackwelder said. "You wouldn't encounter them here, but could easily there."

Expats may also need to reassess how they invest for retirement. Foreign income and housing exclusions reducing earned income may limit your ability to contribute to an IRA; assets in a Canadian retirement plan may be subject to U.S. tax unless you elect to defer taxation until receiving distributions.

A strong U.S. dollar may make Canada an affordable international vacation  US$1 currently buys CA$1.34  but it's by no means cheap to live there (where, presumably, you'll earn and spend in local currency, shelling out exchange fees to convert U.S.-based savings.)

A 2015 Deutsche Bank analysis estimated Canada's cost of living was 1.7 percentage points cheaper. In 2014, Canadian prices were 12.8 percentage points pricier.

One of your biggest expenses: housing. Excluding the red-hot Toronto and Vancouver markets, the average home price nationwide in July was US$286,076, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association  15.5 percent higher than the U.S. median of $247,700. Including those cities, it's 55 percent higher.

Don't expect free health care to help balance your budget. Canada's public health care is for citizens and permanent residents; temporary residents will need to obtain coverage through an employer or on their own.

"Canada does not pay for hospital or medical services for visitors," notes the government's Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. "You should get health insurance to cover any medical costs before you come to Canada."

Getting all your worldly possessions to Canada won't be easy or cheap.

Depending on weight and distance, moving the contents of a 5,000-square-foot home to Canada could cost US$20,000 to $30,000, said Jack Griffin, president and chief operating officer of Atlas World Group, which conducts thousands of moves between the U.S. and Canada each year. (Nearly all of those are corporate-sponsored relocations where the employer pays the tab.)

Shipments of household goods must be cleared at the border, and again at the customs location nearest your destination.

"Canadian customs will want to see the visa, proof of identification, where you will reside," he said. "It's a rigorous process."

If you don't have that visa and other paperwork, it's going to be tough to find a pro mover, and a DIY move might find your stuff impounded at the border or denied entry altogether, among other possible consequences.
[November 09, 2016] Pure Storage Receives CRN Enterprise App Award

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Pure Storage (NYSE: PSTG), the market's leading independent solid-state array vendor, announced today that it has received a coveted 2016 CRN Enterprise App Award for its Pure On The Go application in the Network/Device Management category from The Channel Company. The CRN "Appys" recognize outstanding achievement by developers of enterprise mobile apps. Awards were given in categories including business intelligence/big data, business management, communication, network/device management, productivity and Editors' Choice. Winners are selected by a CRN editorial panel on the basis of a combination of critical factors, including functionality; suitability to task; innovation; and potential value to solution providers, their customers and the market in general. The Pure On The Go app provides channel partners with the ability to configure the amount of storage needed for a customer's environment, provide the price for the technology and quote the cost of the product and services for the customer. This capability is available at the partners' fingertips from anywhere at anytime and is a game changer for partners who want to accelerate deals. Additionally, Pure Storage can also pass sales leads to partners via the app and partners can accept and register the deals. The Pure On The Go provides partners access to sales and marketing materials, such as data sheets and resource templates and provides direct access to the partner portal. "Tools that make a vendor easyto work with, allow the partner to deliver an exceptional customer experience," said Steve Johnson, President, Corus360. "Pure On The Go is convenient and allows us to quote and close deals quickly, which is good for our business as well as Pure's."



"Pure Storage technology is known for simplicity and ease of management, which is a huge benefit to our customers and partners; we want our sales assets and process to be just as simple with Pure On The Go," said Michael Sotnick, VP of Global Channel and Alliances, Pure Storage. "The Pure On The Go app provides all the tools partners need to start and close a deal with the convenient configure, price, quote feature in the app." The Enterprise App Awards can be viewed online at crn.com/appys.

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@TheChannelCo awards @PureStorage a 2016 CRN Enterprise App Award #CRNAppys crn.com/appys About Pure Storage

Pure Storage (NYSE:PSTG) helps companies push the boundaries of what's possible. The company's all-flash based technology, combined with its customer-friendly business model, drives business and IT transformation with Smart Storage that is effortless, efficient and evergreen. Pure Storage offers two flagship products: FlashArray//m, optimized for structured workloads, and FlashBlade, ideal for unstructured data. With Pure's industry leading Satmetrix-certified NPS score of 83.5, Pure customers are some of the happiest in the world, and includes organizations of all sizes, across an ever-expanding range of industries. Connect with Pure Storage:

Read the blog

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Follow on LinkedIn The Pure Storage and "P" logo marks are trademarks of Pure Storage, Inc. All other trademarks or names referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners. About the Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437301 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150127/171513LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pure-storage-receives-crn-enterprise-app-award-300359546.html SOURCE Pure Storage

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The Paris agreement on fighting climate change came into force this month

The United Nations will count on Donald Trump's new US administration to help combat climate change and advance human rights worldwide, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday.

Ban congratulated the US president-elect on his victory and said people everywhere look to the United States to work for the common good.

Trump has made no secret of his disregard for the United Nations, which he has described as ineffective and a waste of taxpayer money, and has pledged to withdraw from the Paris climate deal.

Describing the United States as an "essential actor across the international agenda", Ban made a plea for continued US engagement in the world.

"The United Nations will count on the new administration to strengthen the bonds of international cooperation as we strive together to uphold shared ideals, combat climate change, advance human rights," Ban told reporters at UN headquarters.

"People everywhere look to the United States to use its remarkable power to help lift humanity up and to work for the common good."

Ban championed the climate deal cafter the United States, China and other big polluters joined the international agreement.

"Today's global challenges demand concerted global action and joint solutions," he said.

Trump, who has no experience in government, has expressed his distrust of international organizations like the United Nations and NATO.

"Where do you ever see the United Nations?" Trump told the New York Times in an interview in April.

"Do they ever settle anything? It's just like a political game. The United Nations ? I mean the money we spend on the United Nations."

The United States is the biggest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, providing some 29 percent of the nearly $ 8 billion budget for UN missions worldwide.

The UN chief also expressed his "deep appreciation" to defeated candidate Hillary Clinton, saying she was a "powerful global symbol of women's empowerment".

He praised her "lifetime commitment to peace, the advancement of women and the well-being of children."
While I was working on the personal project on Kyrgyzstan I applied for a residency at Fabrica. When I was in high-school I got interested in the magazine Colors. It was a magazine that was published by Benetton and was well known in the 1990s. Fabrica, which is based in Italy, actually produced Colors, so it was through them that I got interested in applying for a year-long residency. I applied when the magazine was in its last issue.

Instead of me working in Italy for a year, they offered for me to spend that money on travel. I took one three-month trip for the series. It was a great opportunity. Id travelled to Kyrgyzstan quite a bit, as most of my family still lives in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, but never Central Asia as a whole.
Victory: Donald Trump speaks at Trump Tower in New York after winning the election (Picture: AP)

Political leaders across the globe are reacting to the news that Donald Trump is the next President elect of America, after recording a historic victory over Hillary Clinton.

In Germany, government officials described the result as a big shock, but Russia welcomed Trumps victory as a triumph by the better candidate of the two.

Heres what the world had to say.

Britain

In a short statement, Prime Minister Theresa May congratulated Mr Trump on his victory, and said that the UK will remain close partners with the US.

I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next president of the United States, following a hard-fought campaign, she said.

Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.

We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence.

I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead.

Trump's election as US President is a rejection of a failed economic consensus but his answers to the big questions facing America are wrong pic.twitter.com/CbiADRZo0S  Jeremy Corbyn MP (@jeremycorbyn) November 9, 2016

Posting on Twitter, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said that the result was a rejection of a failed economic consensus and a governing elite that has been seen not to have listened.

China

Chinese state media casted the US election as the very embodiment of American democracy in crisis.

State run Xinhua News Agency claimed that the campaign had highlighted that the majority of Americans are rebelling against the USs political class and financial elites.

But some participants at a US Embassy event in Beijing welcomed the news  with blogger Wang Yiming claiming that the Republican Party had been more willing to demonstrated global leadership.

Story continues

Russia

Russian leaders were quick to hail the victory, after leader Vladimir Putin previously revealed his admiration for Trump.

In a brief statement, the Kremlin said Mr Putin expressed his hope to work together for removing Russian-American relations from their crisis state.

Mr Putin also spoke of his confidence in building a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington that is based on principles of equality, mutual respect and a real accounting of each others positions, in the interests of our peoples and the world community.

Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the leader of the nationalist Liberal Democratic party, said: We of course regard with satisfaction that the better candidate of the two presented to the American voters was victorious.

He also spoke of his hope that US ambassador John Teftt would depart Moscow, because he hates Russia.

Mexico

Mexican analyst Alejandro Hope described Trumps election as DEFCON 2, the second highest level on a scale used by the United States Armed Forced to gauge the severity of a national crisis.

Probably something as close to a national emergency as Mexico has faced in many decades, Hope said.

It depends if he means what he says and if he can do what he claims he wants to do. A massive deportation campaign could really put some stress on Mexican border communities. A renegotiation of Nafta (North American Free Trade Agreement) could seriously hobble the Mexican economy. It could create a lot of uncertainty. Financial markets could suffer.

India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a long time fan of Trump, congratulated him on Twitter. He wrote: We appreciate the friendship you have articulated toward India during your campaign.

We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height.

France

Marine Le Pen hailed the news (Picture: Getty)

Far right National Front leader Marine Le Pen, who is hoping to win Frances upcoming Presidential elections on a strong anti-immigration sentiment, hailed Trumps victory.

Felicitations au nouveau president des Etats-Unis Donald Trump et au peuple americain, libre ! MLP  Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) November 9, 2016

She wrote on Twitter: American people, free!

But French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault expressed concern, and said that he did not want a world where egoism triumphs.

Germany

Crowds gather at an election party in Germany (Picture: AP

German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen described Trumps victory as a big shock and a vote against Washington, against the establishment.

Cuba

Communist Party member and noted political scientist Esteban Morales told the Telesur network that Cubans should be worried because I think this represents a new chapter.

But while Trump has promised to reverse Barack Obamas opening with Cuba unless President Raul Castro agrees to more political freedom, its thought that his victory could please hard-liners in the Cuban leadership who became worried that the country was moving too close to the United States too quickly.
putin

Rising tensions with Russia mean that up to 300,000 Nato troops will be put on high alert, said Natos secretary-general.

The move is a response to Russian weapons tests and aggression against neighbours, said Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of Nato.

The troops will come from nations across Nato, including the UK.

Mr Stoltenberg said, We have seen Russia being much more active in many different ways.

We have seen a more assertive Russia implementing a substantial military build-up over many years  tripling defence spending since 2000 in real terms; developing new military capabilities; exercising their forces and using military force against neighbours.

We have also seen Russia using propaganda in Europe among Nato allies and that is exactly the reason why Nato is responding. We are responding with the biggest reinforcement of our collective defence since the end of the Cold War.

Britains outgoing Nato representative Sir Adam Thompson said the number of troops being put on alert was likely to be 300,000.
U.S. ambassador to Canada is 'excited' for election night

After two years of name-calling, insults, and sometimes outright lies, Americans will elect a president Tuesday night.

And people are excited about it.

"I didn't sleep as well last night because of adrenaline and excitement for the day and for our country," said Bruce Heyman, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada, said in an interview with CBC's Metro Morning.

Heyman says despite the crass rhetoric of the campaign, he is proud to be an American.

Free speech trumps election vitriol

"I come from a country that values free speech," Heyman said. "During election time it's a time when people's emotions get piqued."

"It's during these windows of time when some of the most extreme comments actually come out."

But the payoff is worth it, he says.

"I would never want to sacrifice the freedoms that we have  just to get a point of view off the table."

Economy a priority for ambassador

By law, the ambassador isn't allowed to take a stand for one candidate or another, but there are particular issues Heyman says he's focused on. Trade is one, and economic growth.

"There are a very large group of Americans that feel that they're not part of the recovery process that has been taking place since this great recession in 2008, 2009," said Heyman.

"The next president is going to have to take very seriously into account what kind of policies they're going to help implement to continue to lift up the middle class."

At the end of the day, Heyman says this election will not change the relationship between the Unites States and Canada.

"We'll still be the strongest of allies, the largest of trading partners, the deepest of friends."
[November 09, 2016] Finalists Announced within 19 Categories for UBM's 2016 Annual Creativity in Electronics (ACE) Awards

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- UBM has announced the finalists for the 2016 Annual Creativity in Electronics (ACE) Awards. The awards, presented in partnership with EE Times and EDN, showcase the best in today's electronics industry, including the hottest new products, start-up companies, design teams, executives and more. This year's winners will be announced during an awards ceremony held Wednesday, December 7, alongside the Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) Silicon Valley at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, CA. To learn more about the ACE Awards and to purchase tickets for the awards ceremony, please visit: ubm.io/ACE16 This year's finalists by category are: Company of the Year Advanced Micro Devices

Aquantia

ON Semiconductor Executive of the Year Cees Links  Qorvo

 Qorvo Steve Sanghi  Microchip Technology Inc.

 Microchip Technology Inc. Ward Williams  Prolabs Design Team of the Year CDNN2 Design Team  CEVA, Inc.

MAX9286 Automotive Design Team  Maxim Integrated

Palladium Z1 Enterprise Emulation Platform Design Team  Cadence Design Systems, Inc. Innovator of the Year David Hall  Velodyne LiDAR

 Velodyne LiDAR Bobby Littrell  Vesper

 Vesper Desmond Wong  TransSiP, Inc. Marketing Team of the Year Big Ass Marketing Team  Big Ass Solutions

Peregrine Semiconductor/ The Townsend Team  Peregrine Semiconductor

Rambus Team  Rambus Internet of Things Product of the Year Battery Powered Mobile IoT Nursing Workstation  Onyx Healthcare USA , Inc.

, Inc. Cassia Hub Bluetooth Router  Cassia Networks

Valor IoT Manufacturing Solution  Mentor Graphics Corporation Start Up of the Year Barefoot Networks Inc.

Gowin Semiconductor Corp

SiFive Inc. Analog ICs AD9371  Analog Devices, Inc.

MAX9286 Quad GMSL Deserializer  Maxim Integrated

Super-TCXO  SiTime Development Kits Jetson TX1 Developer Kit  NVIDIA

Microchip LoRa Technology Evaluation Kit  Microchip Technology Inc.

TI DLP NIRscan Nano Evaluation Module (EVM)  Texas Instruments LEDs and Lighting Arctic Sand ARC1C0608 IC  Arctic Sand Technologies

Fairchild FL77944 Direct AC Drive (DACD)  Fairchild Semiconductor

ICL8105  Infineon Technologies Logic / Interface / Memory IRMCK099 Motion Control IC  Infineon Technologies

Marvell Alaska 88E2010/40 Ethernet Transceivers  Marvell Technology Group

88E2010/40 Ethernet Transceivers  Marvell Technology Group Samsung PM1633a Solid State Drive  Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. Passives, Interconnects, and Electromechanical Precise 800  Orbotech

Series 84 Halo Compact  EAO Corporation

T58 vPlyTan Solid Tantalum Surface Mount Chip Capacitors  Vishay Intertechnology



Power 48V Direct to POL Datacenter  Vicor

K2 3-vold (3V), 3,000-Farad Ultracapacitor Cell  Maxwell Technologies

Solution LT3042  Linear Technology Processors (FPGAs, MCUs, Microprocessors)

EFLX Embedded FPGA IP Cores  Flex Logix Technologies, Inc.

Sitara AM57x Processors  Texas Instruments

Stratix 10 MX SiP  Intel Corporation Reference Designs CYALKIT-E02 Solar-Powered BLE Sensor Beacon Reference Design Kit  Cypress Semiconductor Corp.

MAXREFDES82# Smart Force Sensor Reference Design  Maxim Integrated

UDX10 for 4K60 Up/Down/Cross Conversion  Intel Corporation Sensors PGA411-Q1 Resolver Sensor Interface - Texas Instruments

ULTRA Puck VLP-32A - Velodyne LiDAR

VM1000  Vesper Software Altium Designer 16  Altium

Ultrahaptics Software Development Kit Version 2 - Ultrahaptics North America Incorporated

Xilinx SDSoC Development Environment  Xilinx Test and Measurement Systems and Boards Keithley DMM7510  Tektronix

Mentor Graphics MicReD Power Tester 600A - Mentor Graphics Corporation

PicoScope 2000B Series Ultra Compact Oscilloscopes - Pico Technology Wireless / RF Ezairo 7150 SL  ON Semiconductor

SimpleLink Sub-1 GHz CC1310 wireless MCU Texas Instruments

WiPry 5x  Oscium "Year after year the ACE Awards pay tribute to new talent and innovation, as well as those who have offered their skills and expertise for the growth and development of the industry " said Nina Brown, VP Events, UBM Americas. "This year's finalists are true leaders  the combination of their hard work and dedication are undoubtedly advancing the electronics space, and we're thrilled to welcome them as finalists for these prestigious awards." UBM is also pleased to announce joint winners of this year's ACE Lifetime Achievement Award: Dave Patterson and John Hennessey, who co-wrote the seminal text in RISC processor architectures. Through their exceptional careers, Patterson further invested RAID and helped launch the open-source hardware movement around RISC-V, and Hennessey went on to co-found MIPS Computer Systems. Additionally, Ransom Stephens, physicist, engineer, author and 2016 ESC Silicon Valley Keynote presenter, will receive the 2016 Jim Williams Contributor of the Year ACE Award, sponsored by Linear Technology, for his highly regarded contributions to EDN in the areas of test & measurement. The 2016 ACE Awards are judged by the following industry thought leaders, and EE Times and EDN editors: Erach Desai , Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

, Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Michael Dunn , Technical Editor, EDN

, Technical Editor, EDN Gene Frantz , Professor, Rice University

, Professor, Jessica MacNeil , Senior Editor, EDN

, Senior Editor, EDN John Mashey , Consultant, TechViser

, Consultant, TechViser Lucio Lanza , Managing Director, Lanza Tech Ventures

, Managing Director, Lanza Tech Ventures Max Maxfield , Content Chief, Embedded.com

, Content Chief, Embedded.com Hailey McKeefry , Editor-in-Chief, EBN

, Editor-in-Chief, EBN Rick Merritt , Silicon Valley Bureau Chief, EE Times

, Silicon Valley Bureau Chief, EE Times Rich Quinnell , Senior Technical Editor, EDN, EE Times

, Senior Technical Editor, EDN, EE Times Susan Rambo , Executive Editor, EE Times

, Executive Editor, EE Times Martin Rowe , Senior Technical Editor, EDN, EE Times

, Senior Technical Editor, EDN, EE Times William Tai , General Partner, Charles River Ventures

, General Partner, Charles River Ventures Steve Taranovich , Senior Technical Editor, EDN, EE Times, Planet Analog

, Senior Technical Editor, EDN, EE Times, Planet Analog Junko Yoshida , Chief International Correspondent, EE Times Follow the ACE Awards on Twitter at #ACEawards

Follow @ESC_Conf on Twitter for the latest on the Embedded Systems Conference About the Embedded Systems Conference

The Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) is where the global design engineering community gathers to learn, collaborate, and celebrate innovation. Held in Silicon Valley, Boston, and Minneapolis, ESC empowers the design engineering community with hundreds of essential technical training classes and accreditation opportunities. For more information and to register for ESC, visit: www.embeddedconf.com. ESC is organized by UBM Americas, a part of UBM plc (UBM.L), an Events First marketing and communication services business. For more information, visit ubmamericas.com. About Advanced Manufacturing Expos & Conferences

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Akron, Nov. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jeff Scott, owner and Chief Executive Officer of Lamont and Scott Marketing, was crowned Rookie Manager of 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Scott opened his doors in August of 2015 in Akron, Ohio. In just a little over a year he made a significant impact in the marketing industry. He has expanded his business not only throughout the Akron market, but into three additional markets as well.



When asked about his recent success, Scott claimed his success was owed to his mentality. I noticed the more I told myself what I wanted to achieve, the more those things started happening. Before I won this award, I envisioned myself winning from the day I opened the doors to Lamont and Scott Marketing. By holding himself accountable, he was able to have the same expectations for his team. His main goal for the year was to maintain that high demand of success from his team as well as helping his them hit their goals. In return, he was able to hit his personal goals for the company and take home Rookie Manager of the Year.

Scott marks winning Rookie Manager of 2016 as his greatest achievement yet. The award was something that he set out to achieve and was able to accomplish with great determination. After winning that award, it solidified my self-identity and purpose, because I couldn't cheat to earn it, theres no shortcuts to success. My next goal, is to demand more from myself and keep making big goals for the organization. He plans to use this moment his organization has built over the course 2016 to reach new goals. These goals include opening up seven more markets across the North Eastern region, gross a minimum of a half a million dollars in new acquisitions, and to branch out into other markets within the Midwest and South Eastern Regions. Scott and his team are more than ready to take on these new challenges in 2017.




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BLOOMINGTON -- The Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program and the IAA Foundation, along with the Illinois Farm Bureau have released the names of the 2016-2017 Teacher Grant Winners.

Eddie Williams of Mattoon Middle School in Mattoon has been awarded a grant for the project: A Cross-Curricular Study # Just My Luck and Pam Evans of Jefferson Elementary School in Charleston has been awarded a book grant.

The mission of the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program is to bring accurate and authentic agricultural information to the student in grades PreK-12 across Illinois.

Each year our teacher grant program is very competitive, and our judging panel is amazed at the unique programs teachers use to infuse agriculture into their curriculum, said Kevin Daugherty, Education Director, Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom.

Susan Moore, director of the IAA Foundation, added, We are so pleased to support Illinois educators with funds to implement more ag-related lessons, and always look forward to seeing what a positive impression these special activities have in classrooms across the state.

Partner organizations of the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom program include Illinois Farm Bureau, Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education (FCAE), University of Illinois Extension, Illinois Beef Association, Illinois Corn Growers, Illinois Pork Producers, Illinois Soybean Association, Midwest Dairy Association, Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

In addition, annual donors include many agribusiness partners and event participants with an interest in supporting the future of agriculture. More information on the IAA Foundation can be found at www.iaafoundation.org

The IAA Foundation, Illinois Farm Bureaus charitable arm, funds the work of IAITC through generous contributions. More information about IAITC can be found at www.agintheclassroom.org, and information on how to contribute can be found at www.iaafoundation.org.
MATTOON -- The Lumpkin Family Foundation has announced the recipients of its fall grant-making cycle in East Central Illinois. The Lumpkin Family Foundation works toward a long-term vision of holistically healthy communities as captured by the theme, land, health, community.

The foundation welcomes grant proposals from organizations working in communities across East Central Illinois that:

Promote personal health through widespread availability and consumption of healthy, affordable food;

Grow the local agricultural economy, sustaining and creating new, viable farm and farm-related businesses;

Develop, promote and scale innovative green practices that add productive value to farms while protecting the land for future generations; and,

Encourage community engagement and collaboration, policy development and research around agriculture and rural development.

As Lumpkin Family Foundation Executive Director Bruce Karmazin noted: We were delighted by the response to land, health, community and believe these projects can make a meaningful difference in the rural communities where these grantees work.

Fall 2016 grant recipients include:

Illinois Environmental Council Education Fund: $17,000 to influence existing and locate new supporters of local and sustainable food in East Central Illinois, specifically farmers and local food business owners.

Illinois Stewardship Alliance: $30,000 to continue increasing consumption of healthy, local fruits and vegetables and other farm fresh products in Central Illinois through farmers, community organizations, retailers, restaurants, distributors, and consumers.

The Land Connection: $15,000 to create a stronger local food system by increasing access to resources that help farm businesses be resilient and viable for a regional sustainable agricultural economy.

Prairie Rivers Network: $60,000 to develop the Regenerate Illinois Consortium connecting farmers in East Central Illinois with researchers, educators, local businesses, and nonprofits who can advance new and innovative farm practices around the region.

University of Illinois Extension Unit 18: $5,000 to inform residents in Christian, Jersey, Macoupin, and Montgomery County to support the local economy through growing, purchasing, preserving, and eating food produced within the four county region.

The Lumpkin Family Foundation will begin its spring 2017 grant-making cycle in January by accepting Letters of Inquiry.

For more information, visit www.lumpkinfoundation.org.
CHARLESTON -- It looks like the third times a charm for the supporters of the Coles County School Facility Occupation Tax.

A larger voter turnout in this years general election was able to shift the tide of support to lean in favor of the sales tax referendum, according to unofficial election results. Coles County voters voted to impose the 1-percent sale tax exclusively meant for school facilities improvement and repair purposes.

The referendum allows schools the ability to pull from another revenue source of which they had not been able to pull from before. However, according to state statute, the sales tax referendum could only be used for school facility purposes.

According to unofficial election results, the tables were flipped in comparison to previous attempts with 54 percent of citizens voting for the tax. About 71 percent of registered voters voted on this particular question.

In the February 2010 primary when the vote was originally presented, the countys unofficial vote on the Illinois County School Facility Tax was 4,966 opposed and 3,865 in favor, 56 percent of no votes on the issue.

Four years later in the March 2014 primaries, results on the question showed 5,085 "no" votes, about 55 percent of the total.

After the issue was defeated twice before, the public might have now seen a greater need for the sales tax money, Charleston school district Assistant Superintendent Todd Vilardo said.

"The public is more aware of the financial difficulties that the state of Illinois has put public schools in," he said.

He added that there could have been more support for the sales tax with a larger voter turnout. The past two votes on the issue took place during primary elections, which draw fewer voters than general elections.

Vilardo also noted the support of a citizens committee and its work on the referendum. Larry Lilly, Mattoon superintendent, said volunteers and the work they put in to get the word out about the referendum worked toward getting a "yes" vote. Lilly also mentioned that the larger turnout played a big factor in the referendums success.

Kirk Swenson of Citizens for Coles County Schools, a support group for the tax, attributed much of the success of the turnout to education on what the tax did. He said people actually looked into and found out what it could and could not do.

Coles Citizens for Progress Committee, an opposition to the tax, was not pleased with the turnout, according to a press release.

Hopefully Coles County voters and taxpayers will wake up to (the committee)s message when the nearly predictable financial crisis comes for our three school districts, the release states. The fallout from the serious blow to our business/agriculture will be felt community-wide.

The Charleston district continues to plan to use a "pay-as-we-go plan" and work on projects as the sales tax money comes in, Vilardo also said. District officials will soon review projects for possible use for the sales tax revenue to "set a more solid" list of priorities, he added.

The revenue could also be used to pay off bonds or other obligations issued.

Lilly reaffirmed what Tom Sherman, Mattoon assistant superintendent for business, said at previous Mattoon school board meeting. Lilly said the district will now choose not to levy or ask for property tax money as normal to pay off the districts existing bond payments lowering the school portion of property taxes for those in Mattoon.

Instead, as detailed in a non-binding resolution approved by the school board, the money generated from the 1-percent tax would be used to make those bond payments for Riddle Elementary and Williams Elementary schools, as well as new roofing at the high school and middle school.

The money received from the tax will be dispersed based on student enrollment. According to the school districts, Mattoon schools would get an estimated $2.5 million in sales tax revenue annually; Charleston schools, an estimated $2.05 million; and Oakland schools, an estimated $118,252.

However, the school districts will get a little less than that in the first year enacted. The sales tax will not go into effect until July 1, the start of the state fiscal year, and will be a roughly four-month lag until the schools start seeing money trickle in, Lilly said.

Because it will be pooling money from sales taxes, approximately 30 percent of the funding would come from visitors outside the county, Lilly said.
CHARLESTON -- Coles County voters went to the polls in numbers higher this year than they did for the last presidential election, with the turnout nearing that of the last time the country elected a new president.

Just less than 72 percent of the county's 30,778 registered voters voted in the race that culminated Tuesday with Republican Donald Trump's election as president.

The county's turnout was about 67 percent in 2012 and about 71 percent eight years ago when President Barack Obama was first elected.

Contributing to the volume of voters was a first-time voting option that started this year and allowed registration on Election Day.

Voters who registered at the Coles County Clerk's Office Tuesday then also had to cast their ballots there at that time.

County Clerk Sue Rennels said a total of 543 people visited the courthouse to register and vote on Election Day. That's a voter total higher than what many of the county's regular polling places drew Tuesday.

"I was not surprised," Rennels said of the reaction to the same-day registration and voting. "It was very consistent throughout the day."

She said there was a good indication of the interest in the voting method because of how many people used it in the March primary election.

Though Eastern Illinois University was on spring break, 268 people registered and voted at the clerk's office on the day of the primary, and Rennels said most of them were EIU students.

She also said it appeared that most who registered and voted at the courthouse Tuesday were also university students.

Rennels said she felt the turnout helped justify her decision to close her office to non-election services on Monday in order to prepare for Tuesday, when her office was the only one open in the courthouse.

There was an hour-long wait to vote at one point at an early voting polling place at the Eastern Illinois University union on Monday, Rennels also said.

There were some brief waits at the polls Tuesday but nothing lengthy, and there were no problems reported with the county's voting equipment, she added.

Overall, 6,975 people voted early or at the courthouse on Tuesday, Rennels said.

Early voting had to take place at the courthouse, the EIU union or Mattoon City Hall, so the total meant more than 20 percent of the county's voters didn't cast their ballots at their neighborhood polling places, Rennels noted.

Traditionally a Republican-voting county, Coles County went that direction again on Tuesday. If anything, it was a more solid path than in the past, as well.

Tuesday's victory by Republican Rick Shook over incumbent Democrat Dan Lawrence in County Board District 8 means there will be no Democrats on the board in at least five decades.

Board records show at least one Democratic member on the board since 1974, but that will end when the board's new term starts Dec. 1.

And while Democrat Hillary Clinton won Illinois in the presidential race, Trump was by far the favorite in Coles County. He received 12,985 votes, or about 60 percent, to Clinton's 7,285.

Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson took 1,023 votes in the county while Green Party candidate Jill Stein received 287.

Coles County also went the opposite way of the state in the U.S. Senate election, in which Democrat Tammy Duckworth ousted incumbent Republican Mark Kirk.

Kirk's vote total in the county was 12,537, just more than 58 percent, while Duckworth's was 7,493.

The same was true with the race for Illinois comptroller, in which Democrat Susana Mendoza defeated current Republican Comptroller Leslie Munger to finish the late Judy Baar Topinka's term.

Munger's Coles County vote total was 12,877 and Mendoza's was 7,014.
Eugene Robinson

Eugene Robinson is an Associate Editor and twice-weekly columnist for The Washington Post. His column appears on Tuesdays and Fridays. In a 25-year career at The Post, Robinson has been city hall reporter, city editor, foreign correspondent in Buenos Aires and London, foreign editor, and assistant managing editor in charge of the paper's award-winning Style section. In 2005, he started writing a column for the Op-Ed page. He is the author of "Coal to Cream: A Black Man's Journey Beyond Color to an Affirmation of Race" (1999) and "Last Dance in Havana" (2004). Robinson is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and has received numerous journalism awards.
Sweden to reach NATO's defense spending goal of 2% of GDP by 2026

Lebanon raises electricity price for first time since 1990s

Lavrov and Cavusoglu discuss situation over 'grain deal'

Turkey not satisfied with Sweden's promises

Azerbaijan claims to have 'exposed' Azerbaijanis who acted 'under control of Iranian secret service'

Taliban sets up female Interior Ministry unit in Afghanistan to disperse protests

U.S. concerned about Iran's 'threats' against Saudi Arabia

Lebanon is facing a power vacuum, left without a president

Gas exports from Iran to Armenia to double

In first 9 months about $1.7 billion is transferred to Armenia

Baerbock and Scholz disagree on China

Delegations of Ukraine, Turkey and UN temporarily suspend movement of ships in framework of Black Sea grain deal

Qatar Energy Minister calls EU proposal to limit gas prices hypocritical

Jamshidi: Any capturing of further territories is occupation

Putin: Kiev must give real guarantees of strict compliance with the Istanbul agreements

Putin and Erdogan discuss results of meeting of Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders in Sochi

Blinken goes to Germany to meet with G-7 colleagues

Iranist: Cooperation between Yerevan and Tehran will prevent further Turkish activism

U.S. military conducts field weapons inspections in Ukraine

Defense Ministers of Russia and Turkey once again discuss suspension of 'grain deal'

Armenian President and ICRC representatives discuss Armenian captives held in Azerbaijan

Aliyev's aide visits Nakhchivan

Berlin urges Serbia to choose between EU and Russia

Armenian Deputy Prime Minister and USAID representatives discuss bilateral cooperation

Erdogan: Turkey continues to make necessary initiatives on grain deal

Macron promises Ukraine to survive winter and strengthen air defense

The Collins British Dictionary chooses main word of 2022

Medvedev: Western countries are pushing the world into a global war

Deputy Minister: 50,5 bln AMD will be allocated to North-South transport corridor construction in 2023

Georgia begins preparations for multinational exercise Agile Spirit 2023

Armenia and Iran discuss bilateral energy cooperation

Paruyr Hovhannisyan receives Erin Elizabeth McKee

Dollar, euro drop in Armenia

Erdogan plans talks with Putin and Zelenskyy in coming days

Head of Armenian State Revenue Committee: In 2022, the state budget will lack about AMD 84.8 billion

Russia's richest billionaires will become $83.4 billion richer in 2022

Expert: expansion of relations between Tehran, Yerevan may prevent corridor creation

Governor of Armenias Gegharkunik briefs EU mission on condition of settlements affected by Azerbaijan shelling (PHOTOS)

Russia and Iran to sign deal on free trade zone with EEU

Armenia National Assembly opposition factions representatives meet with visiting European Parliament members

Hearings on South Caucasus to be held in US Senate

Central Bank chief: High activity in Armenia economy is maintained in third quarter of 2022

OPEC Secretary General: Europe and U.S. are heading for economic recession

Pashinyan briefs Raisi about talks in Sochi and their results

Ardshinbank and Mastercard offer to pay with Apple Pay and get cashback

Nine people arrested in India after mass deaths in bridge collapse

CSTO meeting on Armenia-Azerbaijan border situation to be held on November 23 in Yerevan

Zas: CSTO working towards proposals regarding situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

Clinton sues Trump to recover $1 million from him

Lukashenko: Armenia turned down proposed settlement plan

Raisi: Iran-Armenia trade can be increased to $3bn

Zas discusses Baku-Yerevan conflict in Minsk

Raisi: Foreigners interference will deepen problems of Caucasus

State Security Service conducts operation in Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture

Iran expands sanctions on U.S.

Cavusoglu discusses relations with Azerbaijan with his Iranian counterpart

European gas price falls to $1,246 per 1,000 cubic meters in October

Legislature vice-speaker thanks visiting European Parliament lawmakers for supporting Armenia

Armenia revenue committee chief: No initiative to ban import of Turkish goods

Economy minister: Authorities plan to increase number of tourists in Armenia to 2.5mn annually by 2026

Armenia official: Our border checkpoints are ready to receive Azerbaijanis

Flight restrictions extended at 11 airports in south and center of Russia until November 9

Sergey Kopirkin: Unblocking of communications must be based on respect for countries sovereignty

Storm Nalgae in the Philippines leaves 110 people killed

Lukashenko on Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict: Why did they engage EU? Why are they engaging CSTO there?

Ambassador: Russia justifies itself as Armenias ally

Kopirkin: September battles between Armenia, Azerbaijan were stopped by Russia militarys efforts

Gold price remains stable

Death toll in Seoul stampede rises to 156

Armenian PM and Iranian President hold talks in Tehran

Kopirkin: Karabakh status issue should be left to next generations

14 people injured in Chicago Halloween night shooting

Armenias Pashinyan arrives in Iran

Armenia economy minister: Government predicts 7% economic growth in 2023

Turkish and Ukraine defense ministers discuss situation with grain deal

Copper prices are rising

Russia envoy to Armenia: Many common paradigms being broken in South Caucasus

Israel holds fifth parliamentary elections since 2019

Lavrov: Over past decades we managed to lay solid foundations for strategic partnership, alliance with Armenia

Oil goes up in price

Primakov Readings international forum kicks off in Yerevan

One person killed in Toronto shooting

Armenias Pashinyan heads for Iran

Newspaper: Armenia premier sends intelligence to Artsakh on day of rally

Putin on choosing Turkey as Russia natural gas supply junction: Erdogan is man of his word

Russia, Turkey FMs discuss South Caucasus

Kremlin: Armenia, Azerbaijan confirmed their interest in Russia mediation

Armenia PM concludes visit to Russias Sochi

Putin: Europe will not be able to exclude Russia from Yerevan-Baku relations normalization process

Putin on extending mandate of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh: It will depend on other matters

Putin: No Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty yet

IMF forecasts $1 trillion unforeseen profit for oil exporter

Lavrov and Cavusoglu discuss recent developments in Caucasus

Seoul and Warsaw sign key agreements on nuclear energy development in Poland

Statement by leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on results of meeting in Sochi

Saudi Arabia and UAE defend OPEC decision

Putin: Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan agree on joint statement

U.S. wants EU to impose export restrictions against China

Thunberg calls UN conference place for lies and fraud
STEPANAKERT.  The adversary violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between the Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces more than 40 times, from late Tuesday night to early Wednesday morning.

During this time the Azerbaijani armed forces fired around 670 shots toward the Armenian position-holders, and by way of various caliber weapons, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh) Defense Army informed Armenian News-NEWS.am

In addition, the adversary fired a shell from a rocket-propelled grenade, in a northeasterly (Talish village) direction of the line of contact.

But the NKR Defense Army vanguard units are in full control over the frontline, and they continue confidently carrying out the military task set before them.
STEPANAKERT.  In accordance with the arrangement reached with the authorities of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Mission will conduct a planned monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed forces of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

The monitoring will be held on Thursday, in the eastern direction of Talish village of NKR Martakert Region, the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

From the positions of the NKR Defense Army, the monitoring will be conducted by Khristo Khristov (Bulgaria) and Jiri Aberle (Czech Republic), field assistants of the Personal Representative to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office.

The Artsakh authorities have expressed their readiness to assist in holding the monitoring and to ensure the safety of the OSCE Mission members.
YEREVAN.  The Government of Armenia and the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) on Wednesday signed a framework agreement, at the Ministry of Finance of Armenia.

Finance Minister Vardan Aramyan and CEO Magnus Rystedt signed this document on behalf of Armenia and NEFCO, respectively, the ministry informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

NEFCO is an international finance institution established in 1990 by the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. It primarily funds, by way of loans, the projects to reduce substances that are harmful for the environment.

Unlike other international financial institutions operating in Armenia, however, the NEFCO funding threshold is not high.

With the signing of this framework agreement, a platform will be established for the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation activities in Armenia.
YEREVAN.  An apparent development in Armenia-US relations is not expected after Donald Trumps election as President of the United States.

Giro Manoyan, head of the Political Affairs Bureau and the Armenian Cause Office of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun Party, on Wednesday told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

In his words, the development in Armenia-US relations also depends to some extent on the development of US-Russia, US-Turkey, and US-Azerbaijan relations.

Manoyan noted that even though the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) supported none of the two US presidential candidatesi.e. Trump (Republican Party), and Hillary Clinton (Democratic Party)in the election campaign, it will continue cooperating with the new US administration.

The ARF official noted, however, that Donald Trumps victory was a surprise for him.

His triumph actually bespeaks that more than half of the voters in America was dissatisfied with the existing system, Giro Manoyan added.
YEREVAN.  The Government of Armenia and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday signed a loan agreement for the project toward carrying out repairs to the highway leading from Vanadzor town to the border with Georgia.

The loan will be provided in euros equivalent to $50 million; that is, about 44 million.

Finance Minister Vardan Aramyan, and ADB Country Director for Armenia, Shane Rosenthal, signed this loan agreement on behalf of the two parties.

To note, the European Investment Bank already has provided a 51 million-loan, as co-funding for this project.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg congratulated the billionaire Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential elections, NATO website reported.

I congratulate Donald Trump on his election as the next President of the United States. And I look forward to working with President-elect Trump, he noted.

Stoltenberg also said that the U.S. leadership is as important as ever.

I look forward to meeting Mr. Trump soon, and welcoming him to Brussels for the NATO Summit next year to discuss the way forward, he said.
YEREVAN.  Significant developments in the US foreign policy are not expected with the election of a new president of this country.

Armenias opposition Free Democrats Party Chairman, MP Khachatur Kokobelyan, on Wednesday told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am, with respect to the results of the US presidential election.

With [Donald] Trump being elected President, significant changes are not expected in Armenia-US, Russia-US, [and] Turkey-US relations, said Kokobelyan. I believe that the development of Armenia-US relations will continue with a much better course, which has nothing to do with the election of the [US] president, since () changes in the US dont depend on persons, but on the US interests.

The Free Democrats Party leader noted that democracy has prevailed in the US.

There is a saying: the political process in the US is always highly predictable, whereas the resultsno, added Khachatur Kokobelyan. [But] its just the opposite in the former Soviet Union expanse.
YEREVAN.  The President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, on Wednesday sent a congratulatory message to President-Elect Donald Trump of the United States of America.

Honorable Mr. Trump,

Please accept my warmest congratulations on your election as the President of the United States.

The American people has enthusiastically voted in support of your outstanding leadership qualities, your experience and vision, thus entrusting you with the honorable responsibility to lead the nation. I have no doubt, that under your able leadership the United States will achieve further progress and advancement in the years to come.

As the United States and Armenia prepare to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. I seize this opportunity to express my gratitude for the substantial support extended by the United States, over the last quarter of a century, to help Armenia build democratic institutions and strengthen its economy.

In Armenia, we highly value the important role played by the United States, in its capacity as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk group, in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

I am confident that under your presidency, the Armenia-US close partnership would continue to develop dynamically  expanding and reaching new heights in diverse areas. I also believe that we can continue to count on the active engagement of the Armenian-American community - a strong bridge between our nations.

As you embark upon your new responsibilities, I would like to assure you and the people of the United States of our continued friendship and sympathy and wish you utmost success in leading your country and the American people to progress and prosperity.

Please accept, Honorable Mr. Trump, the assurances of my highest consideration, the Armenian Presidents message reads.
YEREVAN.  The Minister of Agriculture of Armenia, Ignati Arakelyan, on Wednesday met with newly appointed Georgian Ambassador Giorgi Saganelidze.

The minister expressed satisfaction with the high level of the Armenian-Georgian relations, and expressed the hope that they will be continued, the Ministry of Agriculture informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

There are ample opportunities and still-unused great potential between the two countries in agriculture sector, noted Arakelyan. And measures need to be taken toward further enhancing bilateral cooperation.

Stressing that the Georgian market is always open to Armenian agricultural products, Ambassador Saganelidze, for his part, assured that he will do his utmostduring his tenureto deepen bilateral relations in this domain, and to expand and strengthen Armenian-Georgian business ties.

At the ensuing talk, the diplomat invited Ignati Arakelyan to visit Georgia, to get familiarized on location with the agriculture sector of the neighboring country.

In response, the agriculture minister of Armenia asked the ambassador to convey his Georgian counterpart his invitation to visit Armenia.
YEREVAN. - Armenian human rights lawyers have applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on the sidelines of the death of Karen Petrosyan, who died in the Azerbaijani captivity in 2014.

Human rights lawyer Artak Zeynalyan told the aforementioned to Armenian News  NEWS.am.

In his words, the ground for the application is the violation of the right to life. Zeynalyan promised to inform later under which circumstances Petrosyan died and how he was treated in captivity.

Karen Petrosyan, the resident of Chinari village of Armenias Tavush province, was captured on 7 August 2014. On 8 August, the Azerbaijani side disseminated information on the death of the captive, allegedly as a result of cardiac failure. On 10 October the Azerbaijani authorities handed Karen Petrosyans body to Armenia.

The mans body was repatriated only two months after his death, following repeated reminders from the representatives of international authorities on the unacceptability of such treatment by the Azerbaijani authorities.

The National Security Service of Armenia launched a criminal case into the incident.
Turkey remains a second class country for the West, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a business forum in Istanbul on Wednesday, RIA Novosti reports.

No matter what progress we achieve, in the eyes of the West we always remain a second class country. We realized this bitter truth in the process of Turkeys integration to the EU, which lasts for half a century, he said, Anadolu reports.

In Erdogans words, many people in the West associate the East with primitive customs and narrow outlook.

The scale of values of the East, which is the cradle of the majority of civilizations, has no place for such a treatment. Some representatives of the West ruthlessly claim that it is necessary to review the negotiation process between Turkey and EU. I think they are even late with this call. Review this process faster, but dont stop on this and take a final decision, he noted.
Oregon OSHA Fines Excavation Company in Fatal Trench Collapse

The agency cited the company for two willful violations, each with the legal maximum penalty of $70,000, for failing to provide an adequate system to protect employees from cave-ins and failing to provide a ladder or other safe means to leave the trench.

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) recently announced it has fined TC Excavating LLC $142,800 for five violations, including two willful violations, after investigating a May 2016 trench collapse that killed an employee. It occurred May 5, 2016, during the installation of a sewer line for a house in southwest Portland.

The agency's news release said its investigation found two employees were working in an improperly shored trench about 10 feet deep. "The excavation was incorrectly braced because two pieces of shoring were spaced too far apart to handle unstable soil. One of the employees was on his hands and knees working between the two pieces of shoring  spaced 15 feet apart  when the unprotected wall collapsed. The collapse buried and killed the employee. During the investigation, the company's owner, who was on site, said he was negligent in allowing his employees to work in such a situation. He said he saw that the shoring was set up about 15 feet apart and that he knew it was not set up correctly," the Nov. 1 release stated.

"There is absolutely no good reason for an employer to disregard clear and time-tested excavation rules that protect workers from such tragedies," said Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood. "This is a time to pause and remember that a young man died, leaving behind family and friends and co-workers. And it is a time to remind ourselves that this was not some sort of 'freak accident.' It was predictable and it was preventable."

The agency cited the company for two willful violations, each with the legal maximum penalty of $70,000, for failing to provide an adequate system to protect employees from cave-ins and failing to provide a ladder or other safe means to leave the trench. Oregon OSHA rules require an excavation that has a depth of 4 feet or more to have a ladder, stairway, or ramp within 25 feet of employee.
An Australian theme park Wednesday said it will demolish a water ride that killed four people, and ordered an independent safety review of all its attractions. Two women and two men died when rafts on the Thunder River Rapids ride at the hugely popular Dreamworld tourist attraction on the Gold Coast collided on October 25. Ardent Leisure, which owns the theme park and came in for heavy criticism for the way it handled the tragedy, said the ride would be shut down. "Out of respect for the memories of Cindy Low, Roozbeh Araghi, Kate Goodchild and Luke Dorsett, and their deeply affected families, the ride will be permanently decommissioned," said chief executive Deborah Thomas. "The closure of the ride is the only respectful and appropriate course of action." She added that a permanent memorial was planned, with input from the families of the dead. Police wrapped up their investigations earlier this week and handed back control of the park to management, but Dreamworld is yet to announce when it will reopen. In the aftermath of the accident, the Australian Workers Union said it had voiced concerns about the operation and maintenance of some equipment at Dreamworld last year, while media reported alleged safety mishaps. Dreamworld is conducting its own internal review of what went wrong and Tuesday announced a fully independent external probe of all its rides and operating systems by a mechanical engineering firm. Management said it was also working with workplace health and safety officials and no ride would operate until all reviews were complete. The park, Australia's biggest, has hosted 30 million people since opening in 1981 and last month's disaster was its first fatal accident.
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte congratulated Donald Trump on his election win and said on Wednesday he now wishes to stop quarrelling with the United States, recalling his anger at the Obama administration for criticising him. The maverick leader, dubbed "Trump of the East" for his unrestrained rants and occasional lewd remarks, has repeatedly hit out at Washington in recent months, threatening to cut defence pacts and end military joint drills. "I would like to congratulate Mr. Donald Trump. Long live," Duterte said in a speech to the Filipino community during a visit to Malaysia. "We are both making curses. Even with trivial matters we curse. I was supposed to stop because Trump is there. I don't want to quarrel anymore, because Trump has won." Duterte won a May election by a huge margin and is often compared with Trump, having himself been the alternative candidate from outside of national politics. He campaigned on a populist, anti-establishment platform and struck a chord among ordinary Filipinos with his promises to fix what he called a broken country. But the biggest surprise of Duterte's presidency so far has been his hostility toward the United States, shown during near-daily eruptions of anger over its concerns about human rights abuses during his deadly war on drugs. He has also threatened repeatedly to severe a military relationship that has been a key element of Washington's "pivot" to Asia. Duterte on Wednesday told Filipinos how angry he had been at Washington, saying it had threatened to cut off aid and had treated the Philippines like a dog tied to a post. "They talk as if we are still the colonies," he said. "You do not give us the aid, shit, to hell with you," he said, recalling comments he had directed at Obama. Last month Trump told Reuters that the Philippines was a very important strategic location and that Duterte's comments about removing foreign troops showed "a lack of respect for our country." Teddy Locsin Jr, Duterte's incoming ambassador to the United Nations, said there were a few parallels between Trump, who stunned the world by defeating rival Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's presidential election, and Duterte. "I remember Trump in the middle of one of his statements, he said 'I will not talk like this after I become president'," Locsin said on TV. "I remember someone who also said the same thing." (Reporting by Rozanna Latif; additional reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Alex Richardson and Lisa Shumaker)
CHARLESTON -- Reggie Phillips, R-Charleston, will be continuing his tenure as the 110th District state representative for the next two years, according to unofficial election results.

Phillips beat out his Democratic competitor Dennis Malak at the polls Tuesday in every county with closer margins specifically in Coles County.

According to unofficial election results, Coles County saw 56 percent of voters choose Phillips over Malak. The county is home to Eastern Illinois University, one of many state universities across the state that lingered while state lawmakers, including Phillips, were at a budget stalemate.

Phillips won by a wide margin in the other counties in the unofficial election results. In Edgar County, Phillips nabbed 73 percent of the vote. In Cumberland County, Phillips an almost identical lead with 73 percent of the vote.

In Lawrence County, Phillips saw a smaller lead with 67 percent of the vote with 1,572 votes compared to Malaks 759. Phillips got a 71 percent lead in the vote in Crawford County.

Phillips said he was thrilled by the turnout and the majority lead he had in most of the district. He said he was surprised, but happy, by how much his message resonated with voters. People just want to see jobs, he said.

Phillips said he was glad people shared his vision to bring Illinois out of a quagmire it is in.

His focuses moving forward will be the same as they have been, he said.

Phillips has said a focus for him will be getting Eastern full funding, a claim made by many candidates in the state seeking to nab or maintain a spot in the state legislature.

Most recently, the Illinois General Assembly, including Phillips, backed a couple of stopgap funding bills to get the universities through to next year.

This funding is only expected to take the universities to December, though, and Phillips said he plans to make sure Eastern has the money to make it through that date moving forward.

He noted it is important that the next slate of funding to universities is not stopgap funding, but full appropriation support for the rest of the year. Although should there be no other way, he said he would make sure to get stopgap funding for Eastern at least.

Aside from the university, Phillips said he is focused on ensuring Illinois is business friendly through structural reforms, which he said has not been the case for years.

These reforms include tort law, workers' compensation, pension and prevailing wage reform in the state.

Many of these reforms have been sticking points for Gov. Bruce Rauner and other Republican leaders in the state over the past year. Phillips has said he is in support of many of Rauners reforms.

For Phillips, should the state need additional revenue, he would consider increases to taxes, specifically the corporate income tax, but only if state legislators take a hard look at some of those reforms.

At the state level Phillips has said other than calling for term limits and redistricting as he has rallied for in the state, he is also calling for a biennial budget cycle in order for it to avoid election cycles as well as ensure that should a budget not be in place, legislators are not paid.

While not a primary focus, he said he would also like to see longer budget cycles, potentially four-year budget cycles, for higher education instead of the current annual system so that when a student is enrolled at a university he or she knows that university will have money for his or her entire time there with no hiccups.

Malak said he was proud of the campaign he ran no matter the results. According to Malak, he got a better turnout from voters than in his last attempt at the position. Despite losing the race, Malak said the district has not seen the last of him.

I am still going to be an advocate for working families and the university, he said. This is a great community...I will keep fighting for it.

Malak added this did not dissuade the potential to run again in the future.

(Running) is not out of the question, Malak said.
Brighten up a bleak Wednesday morning with some sun drenched Barcelona ripping courtesy of DCCTV, whose On One edit sees George Rea, Kelley Dawson, Luke McManus, Alexis Lacroix and Kevin Bessett making the most of a three week holiday by skating as many spots as they can dig out. Its nearly the traditional time to get sick of the weather and visit the Catalan hot spot, get your inspiration right here

El Patin heads out on to the Catalan streets to capture the elusive but tangible Barcelona vibe, with the help of lensman Mario Cano. Featuring Javier Menende,...

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What is the best state in which to incorporate your business?

Many questions invariably arise throughout the process of incorporating or forming an LLC for your business. By far, one of the most common questions iswhere? And more often than not, the question is framed as, Should I incorporate in Delaware or Nevada?

These two states are hot choices for incorporation, and for good reason. Many larger corporations choose Delaware because it offers some of the most developed, flexible and pro-business statutes in the country. And Nevada is increasingly becoming a popular choice for businesses due to its low filing fees, as well as the lack of state corporate income, franchise and personal income taxes.

However, as a general rule of thumb, if your corporation or LLC will have fewer than five shareholders or members (a condition which applies to the bulk of small businesses), its best to incorporate or form an LLC in the state where your business has a physical presence. This means the state where your business is physically located, where any property owned is located, where your employees reside and where the shareholders reside.

In other words, unless your business has a physical office in Delaware or Nevada, its much easier and less expensive in the long run to incorporate or form an LLC in your home state.

Heres one example that highlights the situation. Suppose Susan owns a soap-making business in Maryland and is considering incorporating in Delaware. However, what Susan doesnt realize is that Maryland has rather strong rules pertaining to bank accounts. As an out of state business, she would need to get permission in order to open a business bank account in Maryland (even though she lives right down the road from the bank). And opening a bank account in Delaware wont be so easy, either, without any kind of physical address in the state.

Thats just one particular (albeit very common) logistical challenge. There are countless other potential hurdles, not to mention added fees.

For example, when a business incorporates Out of State (for instance, in Delaware), there may be additional filings and fees in both the state of incorporation as well as the state where the entrepreneur lives and runs the business. These can include:

For the state where a business incorporates:

Appointing a Registered Agent in that state

Paying filing fees in that state

Filing annual reports in that state

And then, for the state of residence (where the business is physically located):

Appointing a Registered Agent in this state

Paying filing fees in this state

Filing annual reports in this state

Qualifying as a Foreign Corporation in this state

Paying taxes in this state

I cant overemphasize that last point, as it is a common misconception among many small business owners that I talk to. When youre just starting out, the tax burden can seem overwhelming. Its only natural to be concerned about your taxes, and certainly those tax laws in Nevada are incredibly appealing.

However, just because you incorporate your business in Nevada does not mean those are the only state tax laws that apply to your business. While Nevada may not charge state income taxes for your corporation, the state where your business is physically located will come after you for those taxes sooner or later. Adding insult to injury, your tax liability may actually increase because youre viewed as a foreign entity operating in the state.

Pretty soon, any benefits from incorporating in Delaware or Nevada are diluted when you add in all the extra fees and paperwork of operating out of state. Dont fall prey to the hype over these business-friendly states. The benefits are really limited to larger businesses (ones with more than five shareholders).

As a small business owner, youre already contending with enough paperwork and fees as it is. Dont add more to your workload by trying to operate out of state. In this case, the simplest route of incorporating in your home state turns out to be best.

CorpNet offers business formations, filings, state tax registrations, and corporate compliance services in all 50 states. Express and 24 hour rush filing services available upon request. Click here to learn more.
As a small business owner, you are always on the lookout for affordable ways to spread the good word about your business to potential customers. More importantly, you want to connect and maintain healthy relationships with customers, as this is how you guarantee good business referrals and word of mouth.

If you find social media confusing, youre not alone. Lots of entrepreneurs havent figured it out yet, and its also time consuming if not properly monitored. Traditional advertising methods are effective, but are sometimes too costly for small business owners to engage consistently in.

So, which avenue do you utilize that wont stress your budget, and is easy enough to invest time in when marketing your business?

Email marketing is your answer, and is a measurable and very effective way to keep in touch with current customers while attracting new ones.

I asked Chris Brogan what he felt was his main meal in social media after he tweeted, Facebook is the potato chips of my social platform. His response was email.

Email marketing requires a small time investment of your resources, and allows you to send personalized messages.

How Do You Get Started?

Know Your Audience

When marketing your business, your email marketing campaign wont make sense if you dont know who your target audience is. Research on who your customers are (and who you want to attract) is very important, as it enables you to send targeted messages. Come up with a game plan that outlines who you want to target, the messages you want to send, and the goals you want to achieve.

Once you have a plan figured out, its time to segment your audience. The introductory email you send to potential clients differs from the product updates you send to established clients. Segmenting your email list allows you to craft specific content for specific people, so that you increase the chances of recipients actually clicking and reading through your email.

Your email campaign messages can take many forms, including newsletters, tips, posters, coupons, promotional material, and updates.

Study Success Stories

To find ways and ideas to make your email campaign much more successful when marketing your business, find the success stories of companies and entrepreneurs that have made email work for them. With such success stories, find out the frequency of their email messages, the type of templates they used, the time of day that they found recipients to be more receptive, and so on. Such information is gold for your campaign, and will help as you craft an email marketing game plan.

Focus on Quality Content

For most forms of online marketing, quality content is king. There really is no way to keep audiences interested other than by providing quality and informative content, period. A lot of email marketers make the mistake of focusing too much on the salesy stuff. Audiences will quickly tune off if they dont see your content as valuable and helpful to them. Always aim to provide updates, tips, insights, and content that is of real value and helps audiences solve their problems.

The 80/20 or 70/30 are good rules of thumb to follow when it comes to creating email content, with the higher number denoting the percentage of valuable information your email should contain, and the smaller number the percentage of salesy stuff.

How Email Benefits You

Email offers the highest return on investment when compared to other online marketing techniques such as social media and online ads when marketing your business. Constant Contact, an email marketing services provider, puts the return on investment (ROI) of email at about $40 for every $1 invested. Thats some good money.

More to the ROI benefits, almost two-thirds of internet users check their email everyday, which means that if you come up with a great email, your (target) audience is likely to check out your information. Email is also easy to access, much less confusing, and its customization allows you to custom-craft messages that keep the relationship between you and clients stronger.

When utilized effectively, email marketing can spur word of mouth marketing, brand awareness, customer loyalty, and referral for your business, all at low costs. You really have no reason not to implement an email marketing campaign now, not with all its benefits.

Republished by permission. Original here.
Change is coming  to Toblerone candy bars, that is.

The iconic Swiss chocolate bars in the U.K. are getting a makeover due to the rising cost of ingredients. So instead of passing along that cost to customers, Toblerone decided to add longer gaps between those triangles of chocolate, honey and almond nougat.

But loyal U.K. customers arent happy. Some think the company should just keep the original design but make the bars shorter. And others have even started blaming Brexit for the rising cost of ingredients, though the company has said that wasnt a factor.

Iconic brands like Toblerone that offer cornerstone products consumers have come to know and love are faced with difficult decisions when they have to cut costs. Not only do they have to choose between cutting down on the product or raising the cost. They also have to deal with those customers who arent going to be happy with any kind of change.

Consider How Changes Will Clash with the Expectations of Loyal Customers

Having loyal customers certainly isnt a bad thing for businesses. But it does come with expectations. You may have to make changes in your business. But if so, try to find a way to keep at least most of those loyal customers happy.
As an employer, its easy to feel like theres a bit of a division between you and your employees. Sure, they smile when you walk past them and answer the questions you pose, but they tend to be more hesitant when it comes to engaging in frank conversation. How can you, as the boss, develop deeper relationships that encourage them to open up?

Bridging the Divide

As people, we tend to segregate and divide based on a number of factors. In everyday life, things like race, gender, looks, age, location, and personal interests contribute heavily. People flock to other people who are familiar, which leaves huge schisms in society. Its no different in the workplace.

In the workplace, people are often divided based on departmental obligations, office location, and, of course, seniority. The latter is especially evident when you look at employers, the top rung of the seniority ladder, and employees, those clearly on the lower rungs.

While there is healthy division in the workplace, employees shouldnt feel like they are your equals  too much division can lead to hostile relationships and unnecessary friction. In order to avoid excess division, you must work hard to build trust with your employees and forge some sort of relationships with them.

Four Ways to Get to Know Your Employees

The first step in forming healthy relationships is simply to get to know them better. A quick hello when passing in the hallway wont do. You need to invest a little more time and effort.

Here are some strategies, tips, and ideas.

1. Have an Open Door Policy

Youve heard of the term open door policy before, but is it something you make a priority? There are many benefits to leaving your door open and allowing employees to shuffle in and out as they feel necessary, but one of the more important is accessibility.

Managers who demonstrate high levels of accessibility are more apt to have employees who feel comfortable stopping by for a quick chat to bring difficult issues, situations or ideas to the attention of their manager, Forbes contributor Lisa Quast says. This gives open door managers a better understanding and pulse on what is happening in the department or company on a daily basis.

Having an open door policy involves more than physically leaving your door open. Employees need to feel like they can come in your office without guilt or obstruction. If you leave your door open but employees dont welcome, that defeats the whole purpose.

2. Spend Time Together Outside of Work

Have you ever spent time with your employees outside of work? (Running into an employee at the mall doesnt count.) The best way to develop deeper ties with them is by fostering bonding opportunities outside of the confines of the office. This is where memories are made and invisible walls are torn down. Here are a handful of unique suggestions:

Go whale watching. Sometimes the best experiences are those which transcend everyday life, simply because unique experiences are more memorable and lasting. So, why not do something like take a whale watching excursion? As Expedia says, Whales have a way of connecting us to nature, to each other, to the bigger picture. When you look into the eye of a whale, feel the cool mist of its plume or see it leaping from the waters and slowly turning in joy we are transformed. We are reminded that its not just about us.

Build a house together. No house building experience? No problem. Get your team to volunteer on a Habitat for Humanity house-building project. Theres something about stretching your team outside of its comfort zone and tangibly taking a project from start to finish that feels good and allows you to see your employees for who they really are (and vice versa).

Form a sports team. Competition brings out everyones true identity. Some people are aggressive and relentless, while others are more calm and calculated. And while there are tastes of competition in the office setting, you cant get a totally accurate gauge unless you remove people from work. What better way to do this than by forming a team in a local rec sports league?

This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of other ways you could spend time with your employees outside of work and begin to form healthier relationships that are full of trust and mutual respect.

3. Recognize Achievements

How often do you recognize your employees for the good they do in your business? Chances are, you dont do it nearly enough. While a simple thank you is good enough some of the time, its important that you take it a step further and recognize achievements when you get the chance.

Formal recognition leads to employees who feel more appreciated. Plus, as HR expert Susan Heathfield says, People who feel appreciated are more positive about themselves and their ability to contribute. People with positive self-esteem are potentially your best employees.

4. Support Them With Clients

Finally, make sure youre supporting your employees when they go to battle for your company. Employees put themselves on the line for your reputation every day and need to know that you have their back.

For example, lets say that one of your employees has a conversation with a client and the client berates them for something that wasnt within their control. Instead of getting frustrated with your employee for making the client angry, you should come to the rescue of your employee. Personally call the client back, let the employee know that you appreciate them, and even sever ties with the client if necessary.

Make Employees a Priority

If you want to get to know your employees better, you have to make them a priority. You cant fake a genuine care for your employees and will need to invest a little bit of time and effort into developing stronger, healthier relationships. Start with the methods outlined in this article and see what you think. Every employer-employee dynamic is different, so youll have to adjust.

Once you find a method that works, though, dont stop. Healthy relationships take time to develop and youre in it for the long-haul!
Content marketing is a must for a lot of businesses. It can even help businesses that might not appear to be very interesting on the surface. In fact, thats exactly the type of business that SPROUT Content specializes in helping.

You can learn more about SPROUT Content and its offerings in this weeks Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Providing inbound marketing services for businesses in unglamorous industries.

CCO Debbie Williams told Small Business Trends, We help a range of clients in different verticals, from start-ups to enterprise-level companies. But our sweet spot is working with small-to-mid-size businesses in typically unglamorous industries that are often stuck behind the scenes and are ready to shine in the forefront.

Business Niche

Creating high-performance content.

Williams says, Many other agencies in the industry outsource content development to freelancers or use impersonal writing agencies that dont really know the clients or their strategy. Our whole team has a content writing background at the core. Even our business development manager has a MA in writing. While the strategy and distribution are essential, the actual content is the customer-facing voice of your company and should not be treated as an after thought.

How the Business Got Started

After finding a gap in the market.

Williams says, We planted the seeds for the agency in 2009. At the time, we were working with web design agencies to deliver SEO site content, but knew there was more potential for great writing than being project or freelance focused. We met Joe Pulizzi, founder of Content Marketing Institute, at a meetup in Atlanta and started using his matchmaking service called Junta42 to find companies looking for good content. The term content marketing was just becoming a hot topic, and through our work with Joe we identified a great need in the market for truly excellent content based on strategy and that delivered results. We followed our instincts that the industry was going in that direction and started SPROUT Content as a content marketing agency.

Biggest Risk

Hiring a business development manager.

Williams says, In 2013, we took the risk to hire a business development manager. We risked spending the funds on a non billable employee, but in time it certainly paid off. It was one of the best decisions weve ever made.

Lesson Learned

Take risks.

Williams explains, We should have taken the risk to hire sooner, especially someone in business development. Having help in that area was transformative for us, and it allowed us to focus on client growth and results instead of trying to do it all.

How Theyd Spend an Extra $100,000

Hiring.

Williams says, As a service business, our product is our talent, team and the work we deliver for clients. Extra funds would allow us to hire for some more specialty niche positions that would free up everyones time, and develop even more comprehensive service offerings in certain areas.

Communication Strategy

Constant communication.

Williams says, Our team is remote from 3 locations and in 3 timezones. We are in CO, FL (central) and NC. We communicate all day via a messaging tool and work in an agile marketing process, so we talk every morning for a team meeting.

Favorite Quote

Be yourself, because everyone else is already taken.  Oscar Wilde

* * * * *

See Also: Why Small Businesses Should Focus on Scaling Their Content Marketing

Find out more about the Small Biz Spotlight program
You probably know Vistaprint for its print marketing products, such as business cards and brochures. But a few years ago, the company launched a digital marketing division, Vistaprint Digital, to help small and micro businesses get and be found online.

Products that make up the digital solutions lineup include a completely redesigned website builder, email marketing, local directory listings, social media marketing and more. You could say its a one-stop shop for just about every product a small business would need to conduct marketing campaigns online.

Scott Bowen runs Vistaprint Digital as its vice president and general manager. He spoke with Small Business Trends via telephone to share the rationale behind the companys decision to extend its core product base to include digital.

Digital a Natural Analog to Print

Bowen sees digital as a natural analog for most of the physical products.

Business cards equate to a domain name and website in the online world, and a marketing brochure becomes a social media or email marketing campaign, he said. We bring the complement in the online world to the core physical marketing products that Vistaprint is best known for.

According to Bowen, the companys vision is to provide the worlds only omnichannel marketing platform for small business.

We believe there is a valuable intersection between print and digital that, when done in thoughtful, compelling ways, provides unique value for small and micro businesses and helps them purport themselves in a more professional manner, he said.

Bowen cited two statistics that added fuel to the Vistaprint print-digital integration fire:

There are more than 45 million micro businesses worldwide (those that have between one and ten employees), 27 million of which are in the U.S., and 70 percent of those market both in print and online, he said.

Redesigned Website Builder

The premier player in Vistaprints digital solutions lineup is a newly-redesigned fourth generation website builder that enables users to create a site that integrates seamlessly with Vistaprints print products.

We recently found that one-third of consumers discover small businesses for the first time online, but 45 percent are unlikely to shop at one with a poorly designed website, Bowen told Small Business Trends.

To stand out in a crowded market, the business owners we serve need a professional online presence today. They need to be able to easily create a professional, consistent brand across print and digital, and only Vistaprint can help them achieve that.

Bowen described the website builder as having two distinguishing characteristics: seamless design matching between print and digital and a page construction system that relies on blocks.

Since most of the people who use the website builder are already Vistaprint customers, we can expose and integrate print assets, such as the logo, flourishes and accents found in their print products with the website, he said. We can also make other print assets  brochures, photos, artwork  available via the shared file manager.

Regarding web page construction, Bowen said that most DIY-website builders use a blank canvas paradigm. That was also the case in previous iterations of Vistaprints platform. The new version, however, utilizes a building block style design architecture.

We use blocks to assemble the website, he said. Users simply drag-and-drop content blocks to build a page and then string the pages together to create the site. There are blocks for events, calendars, photo and video galleries, ecommerce and more. To update media and text inside a given block, users just point and click.

In addition to arranging blocks, users can also change fonts, headers, footers and colors universally with a single click.

The website builder comes with an array of professionally-designed templates that match the users industry and goals. Also, the templates are fully responsive, making sites useful on mobile devices.

Another feature  custom domain names that remain free for as long as the user stays with Vistaprint Digital.

See Also: Secrets for Using Digital Marketing to Drive More Inbound Sales Calls

Bowen said Vistaprint designed the builder so that even a non-technical novice could create a site in an hour from start to finish.

Pricing ranges from $5 to $25 per month, with free custom domains included in two of the packages.

Aside from the website builder, other digital marketing solutions that complement the companys traditional print offerings include local listings, social media marketing, email marketing, business email, custom design services and more.

Not a Marketing Automation Solution  Yet

While all these features add value and make life easier for the small and micro business owner, it would be nice if Vistaprint could offer a fully-integrated marketing automation platform, similar to enterprise solutions such as Marketo and Hubspot. However, the company is not there yet, said Bowen.

Some very specific elements are integrated  social and website, and contact and email  but there is more to be done on the integration side, he said.

Currently, Vistaprint offers digital products bundled in different combinations and a la carte. Most products cost $10 per month each, but all come with a 30-day free trial.

Visit Vistaprint Digital for more information about all of Vistaprints digital solutions.
Assessment

Boston Schools Partners with Formative Assessment Provider

Boston Public Schools has selected a new partner to provide formative assessment resources in an effort to better support student instruction.

The district selected Measured Progress to provide customized assessments paced to curriculum for students in grades 3-12 and focused on English language arts and mathematics. The district will also gain access to the company's Formative Content Bank and its STEM Gauge formative assessment resources for science.

"Boston leaders have already started using Measured Progress content, as the initial test administrations commenced in late October," according to a news release. "Future 2017 test dates are being determined now. Boston education officials will be able to use the insights gained from these assessments to inform curriculum decisions and support continued formative assessment feedback for teachers and students."

"We're pleased to partner with Boston Public Schools and help educators gather meaningful evidence of student learning," said Deborah Farrington, senior product manager for assessment services at Measured Progress, in a prepared statement. "The assessment development process will be a collaborative effort between our organizations to ensure the assessments meet the unique formative needs of the district. The customized assessments will align with the district's rigorous curriculum and the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Data from the assessments will provide insights about student understanding, based on what was recently taught, and will be used to inform ongoing instruction."
"A little fill here and there may seem to be nothing to become excited about. But one fill, though comparatively inconsequential, may lead to another, and another, and before long a great body may be eaten away until it may no longer exist.

Our navigable waters are a precious natural heritage, once gone, they disappear forever," wrote the Wisconsin Supreme Court in its 1960 opinion resolving Hixon v. PSC and buttressing The Public Trust Doctrine, Article IX of the Wisconsin State Constitution.
Chemonics International is a leading international development consulting firm based in Washington, D.C. with more than 35 years of experience implementing development programs around the world. By promoting meaningful change around the world, we help people live healthier, more productive, more independent lives. Chemonics currently seeks experienced professionals for an anticipated multi-year U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Regional Innovation Mechanism program in the lower Mekong sub-region.

The anticipated program will establish a service mechanism which will help interested USAID Missions across Asia more readily implement open innovation programming (prizes and challenges), work with entrepreneurs and innovators, and address other Mission objectives related to innovation. Interested Missions will be able to advance their own objectives in these areas by utilizing this support mechanism.

Long and Short Term Specialists
* Clinton had been seen more likely to rein in drug costs

* California drug pricing initiative heading for defeat

* Hospital shares crushed on Obamacare rollback worries (Adds background on biotechs, analyst comment, updates share moves)

By Lewis Krauskopf and Ben Hirschler

NEW YORK/LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Pharmaceutical and biotechnology shares soared on Wednesday as Republican Donald Trump's U.S. presidential election calmed investor fears of tough action on drug pricing that has pressured the sector for more than a year.

Hospital shares tumbled as a Republican sweep of Congress raised prospects for a rollback of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which expanded the number of patients in government health plans.

Fears of a win by Hillary Clinton and Democrats gaining power in Congress had clouded the outlook for biotech and pharma shares and contributed to general underperformance for the U.S. healthcare sector this year.

On Wednesday, the stocks also were fueled by the defeat of a Californian ballot proposal aimed at reining in rising prices for prescription drugs.

Clinton "not being in the White House removes the notion of some sort of price controls off the table," said Tony Butler, an analyst at Guggenheim Securities in New York. "From the perspective of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, generic (drug) stocks, (the election) went about as well as could be expected."

Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) of drugmaker Pfizer (NYSE: PFE - news) rose 8.5 percent and biotech Celgene (Swiss: CELG-USD.SW - news) jumped 10.4 percent, while specialty drugmaker Mallinckrodt (Berlin: MCD.BE - news) surged 10 percent.

European drug stocks also gained, with Switzerland's Roche and France's Sanofi (LSE: 0O59.L - news) both rising more than 5 percent.

The Nasdaq Biotechnology index advanced 9 percent and was on track for its biggest single-day gain in more than eight years.

Biotech sentiment was also lifted by the prospect of Republican-led legislation to free up cash currently held overseas for tax reasons by large U.S. pharmaceutical companies. Analysts said that could pave the way for acquisitions in the sector.

Story continues

Biotech and pharmaceutical investors have been on edge since September 2015, when Clinton tweeted about specialty drug "price gouging." Over that time, Nasdaq (Frankfurt: 813516 - news) -listed biotech shares had lost more than one-fourth of their value through Tuesday.

Trump has said less on the topic. But he has suggested support for importation of cheaper drugs and advocated increased scrutiny over drug price increases and a bigger role for negotiating down the cost of medicines.

Some Republican lawmakers have also seized on high drug prices in the past year, including for Mylan (Hamburg: 27249935.HM - news) 's EpiPen emergency allergy treatment, suggesting the issue may not go away.

Even (Taiwan OTC: 6436.TWO - news) with a Trump administration, "we do believe there is an overall shift towards greater pricing scrutiny that will continue to reduce potential revenue growth purely from price increases," Jefferies analyst Brian Abrahams said in a research note.

Shares of hospital chains Tenet Healthcare (NYSE: THC - news) and HCA Holdings tumbled 25 percent and 12 percent, respectively, while health insurer Centene (NYSE: CNC - news) , which specializes in the government's Medicaid health program that was expanded under the healthcare law, dropped 17.3 percent.

"We see extreme risk of ACA repeal/replace, loss of the Medicaid expansion, a primary driver of results for both hospitals and health plans," Mizuho Securities analyst Sheryl Skolnick said in a research note. (Additional reporting by Deena Beasley in Los Angeles, John Miller in Zurich and Annabella Pultz Nielsen in Copenhagen; Editing by Pravin Char and Jeffrey Benkoe)
Canada immigration website

The website to tell people how to emigrate to Canada is crashing as Americans come to terms with a possible Donald Trump presidency.

Results are still coming in but Trump is currently the favourite to become the next U.S. President after a swathe of good results, including in the key swing states of Florida and North Carolina.

However, it appears that not everyone in America is happy with that possibility and are seemingly looking to see how they can up sticks and move across the border to Canada.

Error: People trying to find out how to emigrate to Canada were unable to get onto the website (Grab)

Error: People trying to find out how to emigrate to Canada were unable to get onto the website (Grab)

An apparent surge in traffic to the countrys Citizenship and Immigration Canada website  giving information on how to become a citizen  has caused people to be met with a string of error messages.

For this who cant access the page, you have to apply to get permanent residency in the country, usually through work or to live with family.



Shock: Donald Trump is looking likely to be the next U.S. President (Rex)

Shock: Donald Trump is looking likely to be the next U.S. President (Rex)

There has also been a surge of searches for the word emigrate in America over the past few hours, according to The Telegraph.

The election is still not over but Trump has outperformed what polls suggested, making him the odds on favourite to win.

Top pic: Grab
View of Anheuser-Busch InBev logo outside the brewery headquarters in Leuven, Belgium August 12, 2010. REUTERS/Jan Van De Vel/File Photo

By Pamela Barbaglia, Agnieszka Barteczko and Martinne Geller

LONDON/WARSAW (Reuters) - At least six indicative offers have been submitted by industry players and buyout funds for a group of beer brands being sold by Anheuser-Busch InBev, sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

First-round bids for the brands, which include Pilsner Urquell in the Czech Republic and Tyskie and Lech in Poland, were due on Monday, according to the sources, who declined to be identified as the process is private.

Worth more than 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion), the brands were put up for sale as part of AB InBev's $100 billion-plus takeover of SABMiller, which closed last month.

Japanese brewer Asahi Holdings and Czech investment firm PPF Group have submitted rival bids, while Hungarian energy group Mol has teamed up with Polish juice maker Maspex Wadowice Group and Polish insurer PZU group to table a joint offer, the sources said.

Private equity investors Bain Capital and Europe's Advent, have joined forces, while KKR has made a joint offer with Mid Europa Partners, the sources said.

Another consortium includes Swiss investment firm Jacobs Holding and Canadian pension fund PSP Investments with additional backing from Czech family office R2G, the sources said.

Polish billionaire Sebastian Kulczyk told Reuters earlier this month that he may use some of the proceeds from the sale of his stake in SABMiller to buy the Central and Eastern European beer brands. The sources mentioned recent talks between Kulczyk and the KKR-led consortium but said the parties have so far failed to reach an agreement.

China Resources, which took full ownership of the Chinese joint venture it had with SABMiller, was also interested in the assets, according to the sources, but it was not immediately clear whether it has tabled a competitive bid.

European private equity firm BC Partners, which initially looked at the business, has dropped out of the process, they added.

Story continues

AB InBev, PPF, MOL, Jacobs, PSP, R2G, Bain and BC Partners declined to comment, while no one at Asahi, Maspex, PZU, Kulcyk Investment or the other private equity firms was immediately available for comment.

The sources expect second-round bids to be submitted next month.

Shares in AB InBev, the world's largest brewer, were up 1.6 percent at 103.55 euros in Brussels at 1618 GMT.

Asahi has bought SABMiller's Western European brands Peroni and Grolsch and could be interested in expanding its European presence, the sources said, adding that private equity funds were keen to take advantage of the growth in markets such as Poland and Czech Republic, where alcohol consumption remains strong.

Pilsner Urquell, for example, has about a 40 percent share of the Czech beer market, which has the highest per-capita consumption in the world.

AB InBev, maker of Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona beers, agreed to sell SABMiller's European business to help get clearance from competition regulators.

(Additional reporting by Jan Lopatka in Prague, Sophie Sassard in London and Krisztina Than in Budapest; Editing by Mark Potter, Greg Mahlich)
PARIS (Reuters) - Former French economy minister Emmanuel Macron will decide by Dec. 10 whether to stand in next year's presidential election, a spokesman said on Tuesday, a likely independent candidate who could split voters in both right-wing and left-wing camps. One of France's most popular politicians, Macron joined the Socialist government in 2014, quit his ministry this year and has sharply criticised President Francois Hollande's administration since. He is not a member of the party. "He is in the process of finalising his decision. If he decides to be a candidate, he will announce it between now and a big rally on December 10," Sylvain Fort told Reuters. "At this stage, he has not yet made a decision," Fort said. Aides have said the 38-year-old former investment banker will not take part in the Socialist primaries that are due to take place in January amid party infighting and abysmal approval ratings for Hollande himself. The election is in April and May. Macron has instead launched his own political movement called "En Marche" or "Forward" and so would probably stand as an independent. Hollande has yet to confirm his own candidacy, but polls show no leftist candidate has much of a chance in 2017 anyway. Macron is seen as a potential threat to candidates from the right as well as the left, including front runner Alain Juppe, who is targeting the same centre ground, and who will fight it out with former president Nicolas Sarkozy in November for the centre-right nomination. Business daily Les Echos, which had first reported Macron's plans to resign this summer, said in an unsourced report late on Tuesday the former investment banker could officially announce a run on Nov. 16 in order to unsettle Juppe just days before the primary. Macron was credited with as much as 18 percent of first-round presidential votes in a Kantar Sofres OnePoint poll published last month in Le Figaro newspaper, but would fail to reach the second round runoff with that score. (Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry and Michel Rose; Writing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Andrew Callus; Editing by John Irish)
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel's government will hammer out the final details of a delayed climate plan in the coming days so it can be presented at global climate talks in Morocco next week, her spokesman said on Wednesday. Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel, leader of the Social Democrats (SPD) who share power with Merkel's conservatives, blocked a deal late on Tuesday on the plan that aims to reduce the country's CO2 emissions by 55 percent by 2030. "It was jointly agreed that in the next few days a deal should be reached," said Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert. The plan sets out how Europe's biggest economy expects to move away from fossil fuels and meet its objective of cutting CO2 emissions by 95 percent by 2050. It would implement pledges made by Germany as part of a global climate treaty agreed in Paris in September. Gabriel's unexpected veto came after concerns were raised about the planned exit from brown coal in Europe's biggest economy expressed by a mining union. An economy ministry spokeswoman said it was important to Gabriel to achieve ambitious climate and energy policies that also took into account modernisation, economic growth and job security. Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks is due to take part in global climate talks in Marrakesh next week. German trade union IG BCE, with the support of the large BDI industry group, raised concerns about a commission included in the plans that was to focus on Germany's exit from brown coal. Calls have grown for Germany to set out a timetable for a withdrawal from coal in power production. A draft seen by Reuters did not include a timetable for phasing out the production of brown coal but Gabriel has said he expects it to remain in use through 2040. (Reporting by Markus Wacket; Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Michelle Martin and Tom Heneghan)
HOUSTON  Police have identified a 19-year-old Houston CAN Academy student who was fatally shot during an argument in the school parking lot.

Houston police on Tuesday said no one has been arrested in the gunfire that claimed the life of Adrian Castillo and left another student wounded.

Investigators havent released a possible motive for the shootings Monday afternoon.

A police statement says witnesses told officers that Castillo and another male were in a pickup truck in the parking lot when they were blocked by an SUV. Several suspects got out of the SUV, opened fire on Castillo and the other student and then fled.

Police say the victims drove to a medical facility a few miles away, but Castillo died. The wounded student was hospitalized in stable condition.
MEXICO CITY  The latest on world reaction to the U.S. election (all times EST):

11:45 p.m.

Watching the results of the U.S. election at a New Zealand bar, 22-year-old student Sarah Pereira says she is looking forward to working as an intern in the U.S. Congress, but dreads the prospect of Donald Trump winning the presidency.

Pereira, a masters student in strategic studies, says she will leave for Washington this weekend after winning a scholarship to work for Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks.

She predicts the effects of a Trump on international relationships would be catastrophic.

Pereira commented while attending an event hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Wellington.

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11:20 p.m.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has told an aide that the competition is closer than expected in the U.S. election.

Aide Tateo Kawamura tells Japans Kyodo News service that Abe is following the vote count in his office.

The Japanese government has remained neutral in public statements, but analysts on both sides of the Pacific have talked about a possible change in U.S. policy toward Japan and the rest of Asia if Republican candidate Donald Trump should win.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga is reaffirming his governments commitment to the U.S.-Japan security alliance. He tells reporters that whoever is the next president, the Japan-U.S. alliance will remain the cornerstone of Japan-U.S. diplomacy.

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11 p.m.

Chinese state media outlets are casting the U.S. election as the embodiment of Americas democracy in crisis in contrast to Chinas perceived stability under authoritarian rule.

The state-run Xinhua News Agency says the campaign has highlighted that, in its words, the majority of Americans are rebelling against the U.S.s political class and financial elites.

The official Communist Party newspaper Peoples Daily says in a commentary that the presidential election reveals an ill democracy.

On Tuesday, the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV ran man-on-the-street interviews with unidentified American voters in which they expressed disgust with the system and dissatisfaction with both candidates.

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10:45 p.m.

The Mexican peso has fallen sharply against the U.S. dollar as early returns show a tight race for the White House.

Financial research firm FactSet says the currency is currently trading at 20.45 to the dollar. The Bank of Mexicos interbank rate stood at 18.42 at the end of Tuesdays trading day.

The peso has closely tracked the U.S. presidential race during the campaign, hardening when Clintons chances are seen as bullish and weakening when Donald Trump is seen as rising.

Financial analyst Gabriela Siller of Banco BASE issued a forecast Tuesday that a Trump victory could cause the peso to fall to 24 to the dollar next year and lead to a 3 percent economic contraction in Mexico.

Trump has threatened to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and vows to build a wall along the United States southern border and force Mexico to pay for it.

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10:30 p.m.

Caroline Kennedy, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, says this could be a historic U.S. election comparable to her father John F. Kennedy breaking a religious barrier in 1960 as the first Catholic president and Barack Obama become the first African American one in 2008.

That will be true if Hillary Clinton wins the race and becomes the first female U.S. president. In Kennedys words, This year is another chance to break a barrier with a woman on the top of a major party ticket for the first time.

Kennedy supported Obama in 2008 and, while she didnt support Clinton by name, she made clear that the Democratic candidate is her preference. She added: I think were going to get the president we deserve, she concluded.

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10:10 p.m.

U.S. Ambassador to China Max Baucus says the worlds most important relationship between Beijing and Washington will remain stable regardless of the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.

Asked by a Chinese reporter about Trumps proposal for a 45 percent tariff on Chinese goods imported in the U.S., Baucus says that people say a lot of things in the heat of a campaign that are not quite as feasible as they think when theyre elected.

Trump has also pledged to withdraw U.S. support for the Paris climate change agreement that was reached largely through hard negotiating with China.

Baucus says he doesnt believe the two countries would stop collaborating on issues already agreed to, including climate change, containing North Koreas nuclear ambitions and reaching a political settlement in Afghanistan.

In his words, The issues are the same, the good faith is the same.

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10 p.m.

Chinese state media and government-backed commentators are continuing to signal Beijings preference for a Donald Trump win in the U.S. presidential election.

Like Russia, China is seen as favoring Trump because he appears less willing to confront Chinas newly robust foreign policy, particularly in the South China Sea. Clinton, by contrast, is disliked in Beijing for having steered the U.S. pivot to Asia aimed at strengthening U.S. engagement with the region, particularly in the military sphere.

Writing in the Communist Party newspaper Global Times, scholar Mei Xinyu says: From a comprehensive view, it would make it easier for China to cope if Trump is elected. This is because under the policy line advocated by Obama and Clinton, the political and military frictions between China and the U.S. will be more frequent.

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9:45 p.m.

Japanese are tweeting about their interest in the U.S. election, and retweeting developments, though not everyone is happy. One Twitter user complains: The U.S. presidential election is the only thing I can see on any channel!

Several major television stations have suspended their regular morning programming to cover the vote, with a running tally of results and explanations of the U.S. electoral vote system.

A dramatic sinkhole in Fukuoka city eclipsed the U.S. election on the front pages of Japans major newspapers, but online editions and media such as Yahoo! Japan have launched special election pages.

The Nikkei economic newspaper calls it an unprecedentedly heated U.S. presidential election.

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8:20 p.m.

New Jersey-born Heather Bennett, 40, and sons Stirling, 11 months, and Macquarie, 30 months, were among dozens of Americans and Australians who gathered at P.J. OReillys Irish Pub in Canberra to watch the count on TV.

Married to an Australian and living in Canberra, Australias capital, Bennett said watching the U.S. election from afar gave her a different view of American politics.

Its interesting because you get a different perspective. I think thats pretty cool, she said. Usually in the U.S. you feel like youre in your own little bubble. You dont get to see the reactions of other people around the world in the U.S.

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5:15 p.m.

More than 100 people have gathered at the U.S. Ambassador to Senegals residence in Dakar to discuss the American presidential election.

University students and professionals posed next to life-size cutouts of the two main candidates and mingled, holding glasses of ginger, bissap and baobab juice in the residences gardens.

In a mock vote cast throughout the evening, the overwhelming majority voted for Hillary Clinton over Republican candidate Donald Trump.

Matel Bocoum, a 37-year-old journalist for Senegals Le Soleil Business, said shed vote for Clinton.

Never did we think a black man would become the head of the United States, and now, we have the same hopes for a woman. And if a woman becomes the head of the United States, its a beautiful lesson for women all over, she said.

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5:05 p.m.

A senior Australian government minister says he thinks Hillary Clinton will win the election easily, which would be the best outcome for Australia.

Minister for Defense Industry Christopher Pyne said the Democratic candidate was better on free trade and U.S. engagement in the Asian-Pacific region than Donald Trump.

I think Hillary will win and win easily and I think that would be the best outcome for Australia because she does support free trade, she does support the United States being deeply engaged in our Asian region which is critical to us, Pyne told Ten Network television late Tuesday.

Australian government leaders generally avoid commenting on U.S. politics, saying they are prepared to work with whoever occupies the White House

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4:25 p.m.

Some Mexicans are already preparing to celebrate a possible loss by Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election.

A Facebook invite is asking people to gather at Mexico Citys iconic Angel of Independence statue Tuesday night for a celebration if the Republican candidate loses. At least 5,000 people have already RSVPed that they would come.

Trump is unpopular in Mexico for suggesting that many Mexican immigrants are criminals or rapists, and for promising to build a border wall between the countries.

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3 p.m.

Few countries have more riding on the U.S. election than Cuba. Republican candidate Donald Trump has promised to reverse Barack Obamas normalization of relations with the communist-run island. Clinton has pledged to continue the process. Normalization with the U.S. is almost universally popular in Cuba, where people said they were rooting for Clinton and a future of better relations.

We have to respect whatever decision Trump would take but we dont want him to be president, Havana resident Lina Osorio said. We need relations between the two countries.

Fellow Havana resident Rangel Galindo said simply: I want it to be her, not him.

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1:30 p.m.

Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra says a win by Republican Donald Trump in the U.S. election would stall recent moves to improve relations between the countries.

Malcorra told Argentine television channel Todo Noticias that the conservative government of President Maurico Macri had opened a new phase of cooperation and trade with Washington after years of strained relations under former President Cristina Fernandez.

But she said Monday night that there might be a big stop in this process if Trump wins, and depending on the results, there might be big changes in U.S.-Argentine relations.

The Argentine foreign minister said the more closed, isolationist and xenophobic model represented by the Republican candidate would have a major impact on the world and relations with Latin America.

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12:40 p.m.

Germanys foreign minister says the bitter U.S. election campaign will leave a difficult legacy for the next president because it has deepened the countrys divisions.

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says both Germans and many Americans are glad that this special election campaign is coming to an end.

He says the campaign has left a more or less divided country and it will be difficult for the incoming president to bridge the differences.

Steinmeier has been sharply critical of Republican contender Donald Trump. He brushed aside suggestions that relations between Europe and the U.S. would also become more complicated under Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton  saying that he knows Clinton and doesnt fear that.

He spoke in Berlin on Tuesday.

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12:30 p.m.

Kenyans in President Barack Obamas ancestral hometown have held their own version of the U.S. presidential election, leaning heavily toward Obamas own favorite in the race: Hillary Clinton.

Tuesdays mock poll was held in Nyangoma-Kogelo, the birthplace of Obamas father. Kenyan comedian Laurence Oyange was an organizer. He says its a way Kenyans can connect to America.

Oyange said the poll was boycotted by Malik Obama, the presidents half brother who has said he supports Trump.

There were 105 voters and 78 percent of them favored Clinton. Eleven percent went for Donald Trump. Other ballots were spoiled or disqualified.

Oyange says the community also held mock U.S. elections during Obamas elections.

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12:15 p.m.

Italian Premier Matteo Renzi is offering an Election Day swansong honor to Barack Obama, saying the first black American president wrote an indelible page of history that should inspire generations to come.

Renzi pointed to U.S. job creation, investment in energy and health care as some of Obamas domestic victories. Renzi cited the Cuba detente and the Iran nuclear deal as international achievements for the Obama administration.

Renzi writes in his weekly e-newsletter that Obama was a point of reference for those who still believe in the American dream, for those who believe in the Democratic Party, for those who believe in politics.

Renzi is the leader of Italys Democratic Party and has said he hopes Hillary Clinton wins.

Renzi writes that Obama will continue to be a source of inspiration and encounter for the new generation.

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12:05 p.m.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says a victory for Hillary Clinton in the U.S. presidential election would be a step toward gender balance among world leaders.

Merkel says shes awaiting the election result with suspense, while declining to comment directly on Clinton or rival Donald Trump.

But asked Tuesday about the possibility of a woman winning the White House, she said: Then wed come a little bit closer to a balance of women and men in leading positions.

Germanys first female leader was speaking alongside Erna Solberg, Norways second female prime minister. Solberg said it may be inspiring for many young women to see politics not just as something that belongs to men.

But she added: There isnt some kind of global girlfriends network that wants to rule the world.

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12:00 p.m.

Polands foreign minister says Eastern Europe is closely watching the U.S. elections but will reserve judgment on who would be a better president.

Witold Waszczykowski declined to say whether Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump would better serve the regions security and political interests.

He says a future U.S. president would be judged after selecting prominent figures to run foreign policy and the military sector.

Nine senior diplomats and foreign ministers of NATOs eastern flank members met in Bucharest Tuesday to discuss Russia, regional security and the U.S. election.

Waszczykowski says he doesnt think the words and ideas expressed during the campaign are necessarily a guide for a future president.
Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office detectives arrested a pediatric surgeon on charges of distributing and possessing child pornography Tuesday.

And when detectives executed a search warrant on 63-year-old Guy Rosenscheins northeast Albuquerque home there was a 16-year-old boy in his bedroom wearing only his underwear, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.

Rosenschein said the boy is a former patient, and he lets him to stay at his house because hes not in school. He said he has been staying with him from time to time for the past few years, but denied that their relationship is sexual.

He stated that he owns two airplanes and a helicopter, and has flown the boy to Florida, Arkansas and Nevada in the past to go on vacation, the detective wrote in the complaint.

Rosenschein also told detectives there is another boy he hangs out with who was a patient of his at Presbyterian Hospital. He said he has lived in Albuquerque for three years.

According to a statement from Presbyterian Health Services Rosenschein is no longer practicing at the facilities, but a spokeswoman didnt respond to an emailed question about when he stopped practicing there.

We are devastated by these allegations and are doing everything we can to assist the law enforcement agencies that are investigating this case, according to the statement.

BCSO spokeswoman Felicia Romero said detectives are still looking to contact any juveniles or adults who know Rosenschein outside of work.

According to the complaint, detectives first became aware of Rosenscheins activities in July when a user on a chatroom uploaded child pornography to share with another user. The username was traced to Rosenscheins IP address.

When detectives interviewed Rosenschein, he said he trades naked images of people in the chatroom, but he denied sending pictures of children engaged in sex acts.

Detectives found a flash drive on his key chain that showed at least a dozen images of child pornography, according to the complaint.

He was booked into the county jail.
PHOENIX  The Latest on Election Day activity around Arizona (all times local):

1 a.m.

Arizona voters have rejected legalized recreational marijuana following a multimillion-dollar campaign to defeat it.

Proposition 205 failed Wednesday after opponents poured millions into fighting recreational pot for adults in the conservative state on the border with Mexico.

The measure drew donations from local businesses and out-of-state magnates such as casino owner Sheldon Adelson, who contributed $500,000.

Supporters of legal pot said it would have eliminated black markets, freed up police and raised money for K-12 schools.

Opponents said legalization would increase drug trafficking because growers in Arizona can sell to states where its illegal. They warned of an increase in teen use and deadly car crashes tied to marijuana.

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12:50 a.m.

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery has survived a barrage of negative advertising from an out-of-state political group to keep his job as the top prosecutor in metro Phoenix.

The Republican beat Diego Rodriguez, a former prosecutor in Pima County.

Montgomery went into the election thinking he was facing only token opposition in his bid for a second full term. A political organization with ties to liberal billionaire donor George Soros then plowed vast amounts of money into the race and repeatedly blasted Montgomery in attack ads.

The ads connected him to Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who lost Tuesday, and ripped the prosecutor for botching a case that allowed a sheriffs deputy with ties to a drug cartel walk free.

Montgomery said the $1.3 million from the Soros-backed group was the worst investment you ever made.

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12:45 a.m.

Two Republicans have won seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission in a race that produced record spending and became a battle between the solar and traditional utility industry.

Andy Tobin will join re-elected incumbent Bob Burns on the commission regulating electricity and water companies that hold state-issued monopolies. With one other seat to fill, a third Republican, Boyd Dunn, was barely ahead of Democrats Tom Chabin and Bill Mundell early Wednesday.

The parent of Arizona Public Service pumped nearly $4 million into the election in the last two weeks. APS supported the Republicans, despite Burns pushing for the utility to reveal if it secretly spent $2.4 million in the 2014 commission race.

SolarCity spent about $2.4 million to back Burns and Mundell.

APS is seeking a big rate increase and major changes to how rooftop-solar customers are compensated for power they send back to the grid. The solar industry strongly opposes changes in so-called net metering rules.

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10:35 p.m.

Democrats have held on to the Arizona congressional seat that Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick vacated to run for Senate.

Tom OHalleran defeated Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu on Tuesday in the 1st Congressional District.

Babeu had scant support from national Republicans in the Democratic-leaning district spanning Flagstaff to the Tucson suburbs.

He was dogged by allegations that he oversaw a Massachusetts boarding school where students were abused. He also faced fallout from the 2012 congressional race he quit after scantily clad pictures he posted on a dating website surfaced and a former lover accused him of threats. Babeu was cleared of the threat allegations.

OHalleran had his own issues to overcome. He was a Republican in the state Legislature from 2001 to 2009, ran for House as an independent in 2014 and registered as a Democrat last year.

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10:25 p.m.

Joe Arpaio has conceded defeat to Democrat Paul Penzone in a race that has brought an end to his tenure as Americas Toughest Sheriff.

Arpaio released a statement saying he was disappointed with the results and looking forward to working with Penzone on a seamless transition.

Arpaio became a nationally known political figure with his immigration raids but he ran afoul of the federal courts after he was found to have racially profiled Latinos. He was charged with criminal contempt of court less than a month before the election for defying a judges orders in the case.

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10:15 p.m.

Former Phoenix police Sgt. Paul Penzone is the new sheriff in town.

In his victory speech Tuesday night, he declared that the people of Phoenix will no longer stand for the things weve seen. Penzone easily defeated longtime Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who became a national political star with his immigration patrols.

But he was bogged down by legal troubles that culminated with a contempt-of-court charge filed against him two weeks before Election Day.

Penzone lost to Arpaio in 2012 but returned this year as Arpaios legal woes mounted. In his speech, he compared his comeback to the Rocky movies, where Sylvester Stallones character lost in the first movie but won in the sequel.

He then turned to his wife and said, We did it.

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10 p.m.

U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona says shes congratulated Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain for his win and pointed to some key victories for Democrats in the conservative state.

Kirkpatrick represented McCains strongest challenge in years, but his prolific fundraising and name recognition proved too difficult to overcome Tuesday. Kirkpatricks candidacy never gained the traction it needed.

She told her supporters that they had made progress, highlighting the passage of a statewide minimum wage increase and the loss of longtime Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Kirkpatrick tells The Associated Press that she thanked McCain for a civil campaign that never sunk to personal attacks.

Meanwhile, hundreds of cheering McCain supporters chanted the senators name at this victory party. He thanked them while acknowledging the acrimony of this years election.

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9:50 p.m.

Republican Rep. Martha McSally has been re-elected to a second term representing southern Arizonas 2nd Congressional District.

The retired Air Force pilot beat Democrat Matt Heinz on Tuesday. It comes two years after McSally barely bested incumbent Democratic Rep. Ron Barber to win the seat once held by Gabrielle Giffords.

Giffords stepped down in early 2012, more than a year after she and Barber, her aide, were wounded in a mass shooting at a Tucson grocery store. Barber then won her seat.

McSally worked to solidify the GOP hold over the swing district by focusing on military affairs, border security and constituent services.

Heinz is a former state lawmaker and physician who worked to tie McSally to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

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9:05 p.m.

Voters have booted Sheriff Joe Arpaio from office in his bid for a seventh term after his legal problems in a racial profiling case culminated in a criminal charge two weeks before Election Day.

Arpaio, an 84-year-old Republican who became a national figure by cracking down on illegal immigration and forcing jail inmates to wear pink underwear, lost to Democrat Paul Penzone.

The race became a referendum on Arpaios legal woes. Federal prosecutors brought a contempt-of-court charge stemming from his defiance of a judges order to stop carrying out patrols targeting Latinos.

Arpaio has faced criminal investigations in the past without being charged or losing his seat. That changed Tuesday despite a devoted base of supporters and strong fundraising, mainly from out-of-state donors.

He still faces the possibility of jail time.

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8:50 p.m.

Arizona voters have passed an initiative to raise the minimum wage and require most employers to provide paid sick time.

Proposition 206 was approved Tuesday and will increase the base wage incrementally from $8.05 to $12 an hour. It would rise to $10 next year, then increase every year until 2020.

The measure also allows workers to earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, depending on the size of the business. It also broadens the conditions that allow for sick time to include mental or physical illness or needing to care for a family member.

The nonpartisan Joint Legislative Budget Committee said it would be hard to determine the effect of a minimum wage increase, although many believe it will result in higher labor costs for businesses.

The federal minimum is $7.25 per hour.

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8:50 p.m.

Arizona Sen. John McCain has won a sixth term, defeating Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick in a hard-fought race.

Kirkpatrick represented McCains strongest challenge in years, but his prolific fundraising and name recognition proved difficult to overcome Tuesday.

In his victory speech, McCain thanked my employers, the people of Arizona.

The 2008 Republican presidential nominee was dogged by his support for Donald Trump. He withdrew it in early October after a 2005 recording emerged in which the billionaire businessman boasted about groping women.

McCain had said he wanted to support his partys nominee despite Trumps personal attacks, including saying the senator was no hero because he was captured in war.

But the 80-year-old ran a strong campaign and displayed increasing confidence as Election Day neared.

___

8:40 p.m.

Arizona Senate President Andy Biggs has won a seat in Congress after he pulled out a 27-vote victory in the GOP primary.

Biggs on Tuesday easily won the seat in the heavily Republican district in suburban Phoenix that retiring Rep. Matt Salmon vacated.

It is one of nine congressional seats being decided in Arizona. Six incumbents all coasted to re-election. In the other easy-win districts, Democrats Kyrsten Sinema, Ruben Gallego and Raul Grijalva won re-election, as did Republicans Paul Gosar, David Schweikert and Trent Franks.

The two others  the 1st and 2nd Congressional Districts  are considered toss-ups.

Biggs barely advanced to the general election. He eked out a victory over former dot-com executive Christine Jones in a race that prompted a recount.

___

7:20 p.m.

About 100 people were in line as polls closed at a location in the Maryvale section of Phoenix, a heavily Hispanic neighborhood where Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine delivered a speech in Spanish last week.

As polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday, a worker informed voters who were still waiting that they could still cast a ballot.

Jasmine Lopez, 28, got there at 4 p.m. and waited 2 hours. She was told that computers kept freezing up.

She says she wanted to vote and wanted to make a difference.

Lines were reported in Bisbee, Yuma and other Phoenix-area polling places.

___

7:05 p.m.

Polls have closed across Arizona after an Election Day that saw glitches and some long lines but no major problems.

Lines backed up at some polling spots, but anyone still in line at the 7 p.m. poll closing is being allowed to vote. A last-minute lawsuit filed by the Arizona Democratic Party seeking to extend voting by two hours in Maricopa County was rejected by a judge.

Maricopa County saw some balky electronic voter registration lists at the polls but most were quickly sorted out. Other counties also saw some problems with the e-poll books.

Lines were reported for voting in Bisbee, Yuma and at some metro Phoenix polling places.

___

6:20 p.m.

A Maricopa County judge has rejected a request from the Arizona Democratic Party to extend voting by two hours in the county.

Judge Randall Warner ruled after a hearing Tuesday evening. Polls will close at 7 p.m. as planned in Maricopa County and across the state.

The county Recorders Office opposed the Democrats request.

Democratic Party spokeswoman Barb Lubin says complications with voting early in the morning prompted the lawsuit. She says electronic books containing voter registration information were problematic and there were long lines and a record number of voters in the county.

Recorders spokeswoman Elizabeth Bartholomew says there were some balky e-poll books when polls opened but problems were mainly cleared up by mid-morning. She says lines are to be expected in a hotly contested presidential election year.

State law requires a 7 p.m. closing. Anyone already in line will be allowed to vote without court intervention.

___

5:40 p.m.

The Arizona Democratic Party is asking a judge to keep the polls in Maricopa County open for an extra two hours.

The filing just hours before Tuesdays planned 7 p.m. poll closing is opposed by the county recorder.

Democratic Party spokeswoman Barb Lubin says complications with voting early in the morning prompted the lawsuit. She says e-poll books containing voter registration information were problematic and there were long lines and a record number of voters in the county.

Recorders spokeswoman Elizabeth Bartholomew says county lawyers were in court arguing against the request at about 5:30 p.m. She says state law requires a 7 p.m. closing and anyone already in line will be allowed to vote without court intervention.
For live results of New Mexicos 2016 election, click here.

The race for Supreme Court  one of the closest races in the state during campaigning  remained very close throughout vote counting, stretching long past most other closely contested races in the state and ending with a history-making win for Republican Judith Nakamura.

Its rare in New Mexico for a Republican to gain traction in the race for a seat on the court, let alone win.

Im pretty excited. And I am pleasantly surprised. I worked really hard. A lot of people in New Mexico worked really hard, Nakamura said, before claiming victory Tuesday night.

She said she is most looking forward to a chance to serve our state and improve the efficiency of the judiciary. I am really excited to be given this opportunity.

The long-time Republican judge bested her Democratic challenger, Court of Appeals Chief Judge Michael Vigil. Vigil plans to retain his seat on the Court of Appeals.

Nakamuras win makes history.

She is the first female Republican elected to the court.

And she continues contributing to the courts first female majority.

Journal and historical archives show the last Republican majority court was in 1929. Victors in races for a seat on the court since then have been consistently Democratic, except a blip in 1980.

That year, William Riordan, an Albuquerque attorney, defeated a Democratic justice to fill out an unexpired term, said Journal pollster Brian Sanderoff, president of Research & Polling Inc.

Nakamuras background as both a longtime Metro Court judge and a District Court judge in Albuquerque gave her inroads in and around Bernalillo County during the campaign, Sanderoff said. Nakamura was appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Susana Martinez in November 2015.

Im proud that, along with my opponent, we ran a really positive campaign, Nakamura said, of Vigil.

Vigil, a Santa Fe native who is the chief judge on the state Court of Appeals, received strong support from Albuquerque-area voters, Journal polls found. In addition, he held an edge in the Las Cruces area and a strong lead in northern New Mexico during the campaign.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, cruised into the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, winning his bid to succeed five-term powerhouse Barbara A. Mikulski and allowing Maryland Democrats  for one night at least  to forget the humiliating loss of the governors mansion two years ago.

His victory over Del. Kathy Szeliga (R)  by more than 20 points  makes him the states first senator from the District of Columbia suburbs in a century. It was part of a big blue night in the deeply Democratic state, where Hillary Clinton easily beat Republican Donald Trump to claim the states 10 electoral votes.

The party kept its hold on seven of Marylands eight congressional districts, adding two new faces on a day when balloting was marred by lengthy waits and technical issues. Long lines in Baltimore City kept the polls there open well past the scheduled 8 p.m. closing time, delaying reporting of statewide results on the Board of Elections website.

State Sen. Jamie Raskin (D) claimed Van Hollens District 8 congressional seat, beating Republican Dan Cox by about 25 points. Former lieutenant governor Anthony Brown revived a political career that appeared over after his 2014 gubernatorial loss, defeating Republican George McDermott by a better than 2-to-1 margin to capture the seat being vacated by Rep. Donna Edwards.

Isnt it great to be back? Brown said to a crowd of Democrats at a victory party in Silver Spring. Together weve had our successes, and weve had our shortcomings.

In the 6th Congressional District, which stretches from Montgomery County through western Maryland, Rep. John Delaney (D) turned back a well-financed challenge from defense consultant Amie Hoeber to win a third term, winning by double digits.

Marylands five other incumbent House members  Rep. Andy Harris (R), and Democrats C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Steny H. Hoyer and Elijah Cummings  all won reelection.

State Sen. Catherine Pugh (D) will succeed outgoing Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake (D), despite a last-minute write-in effort by former mayor Sheila Dixon (D).

Van Hollen, 57, a consummate insider and policy wonk who rose quickly in House leadership ranks over his seven terms, campaigned hard this fall after a bruising primary against Edwards. He presented himself as a negotiator comfortable working across the aisle and highlighted his roles in Wall Street reform and passage of the Affordable Care Act.

Szeliga, 55, the minority whip in Marylands House, played down a staunchly conservative voting record that included opposition to stricter gun control, same-sex marriage and an increased state minimum wage. She tried to gain traction by focusing on Van Hollens support for President Barack Obamas administrations Iran nuclear deal  and his support of Clinton.

Mafiz Chowdhury, a Democrat who lives in Potomac, said Tuesday he voted for Van Hollen after meeting him a couple of times. Chowdhury said liked that Van Hollen, who lives in Kensington, was upfront and honest during his time in the House.

Hes a very people-oriented person, Chowdhury, 51, said after voting at Cold Spring Elementary School in Potomac. He seems to have the intention to help people, and I fell for that.

Van Hollen also won votes from Trump supporters in more conservative parts of the state. In Edgemere, a blue-collar town just east of Baltimore, Shannon Nelson voted for the billionaire but backed Van Hollen over Szeliga because of the Democrats experience and union endorsements.

Im concerned about keeping my job and providing for my children through college, the 32-year-old Republican longshoreman said.

At the Democrats victory party in Silver Spring on Tuesday night, Van Hollen took the stage at about 10:30 p.m. and announced he had received a call from Szeliga and thanked her.

I am truly humbled, and it is time for all of us to get to work, he told the crowd at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center.

Szeliga, a state delegate representing Baltimore County, took the stage at the BWI Marriott with a beaming smile, flanked mostly by family.

There is a movement for change, and Im going to continue to fight for you, she said. Im going to continue to carry the banner for us and for our ideas.

Van Hollen was the choice of the Democratic establishment in the Democratic primary, which exposed racial and gender fissures within the party.

Edwards, a former community activist and a single mother, was a standard-bearer for the partys progressive wing as she sought to become Marylands first African-American senator. She attacked Van Hollen as a creature of Beltway culture whose ties to Wall Street and past support for free-trade agreements put him out of touch with struggling voters.

Tensions rose when the super PAC funded by Emilys List, the abortion rights group that supports women candidates, threw more than $2 million behind Edwards despite Van Hollens steadfast voting record on reproductive rights. But her insurgency faltered in the final weeks.

The defeats of Szeliga and Hoeber, and the pending departures of Mikulski and Edwards, both Democrats, leaves Maryland with an all-male congressional delegation for the first time in more than 40 years.

Jennifer Lawless, an American University professor and director of the schools Women & Politics Institute, said the immediate impact should be minimal because Van Hollen, Raskin and Brown are card-carrying progressives.

Its not a setback, Lawless said. I dont think we take any hits in terms of feminist agenda or policy. She noted that Edwards, District 8 candidate Kathleen Matthews and District 4 contender Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk, all of whom lost in the Democratic primary in April, ran strong races.

Longer-term, Lawless said, the 2016 elections underscore the importance of encouraging and cultivating women to run at the local, state and national levels. While Hillary Clintons candidacy shattered a historic glass ceiling, research shows that further down the ballot, the number of women running for Senate and House seats has remained more or less flat in recent years.

Brown, 54, beat out a crowded Democratic primary field that included Pena-Melnyk and former Prince Georges states attorney Glenn Ivey, immediately becoming the overwhelming favorite to succeed Edwards in Congress. During the campaign, Brown shed his political handlers and invested $400,000 of his own money to tell voters a more personal story about his role as a father and husband.

Sometimes in life youre going to get knocked down, Brown said after casting his ballot Tuesday morning. And if you believe in what you are doing, you pick yourself up, your brush yourself off and you and you stay in the fight.

Raskin, 53, a Takoma Park law professor, enjoyed the backing of virtually every major Democratic interest group in the state. He survived a nine-way primary that featured the heaviest self-funded congressional candidate ever, Potomac wine magnate David Trone. Trone spent $13.4 million of his own money to finish second, slightly ahead of former Marriott executive and news anchor Kathleen Matthews.

In both the primary and the general election campaigns, Raskin promised to pursue the kind of liberal agenda he set in Annapolis, including prison reform, a ban on assault weapons and an increased minimum wage.

It is not my job to be in the political center; it is my job to be in the moral center, Raskin told supporters Tuesday night. When they call me a progressive, I say darn right, because at the heart of that word is progress, and if we arent making progress, what are we doing in politics?

Delaney, a financial services entrepreneur listed as the third-wealthiest member of Congress in some surveys, was aiming for a strong win over Hoeber after nearly losing his seat in 2014 to conservative talk radio host Dan Bongino. Political professionals in the state said he needed an impressive victory to keep his options open for a possible challenge to Hogan in 2018.

Rebecca Lipscomb, a special-education consultant who describes herself as a Libertarian, said she voted for Delaney because Hoebers positions aligned more with that of Trumps.

I cant support any candidate who is that discriminatory toward that many people, the 35-year-old from Gaithersburg said.

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Voters in California and Massachusetts approved recreational marijuana initiatives today, and several other states passed medical marijuana provisions in what is turning out to be the biggest electoral victory for marijuana reform since 2012, when Colorado and Washington first approved recreational marijuana.

Of the five recreational marijuana initiatives on the ballot today, two have passed and two more  in Nevada and Maine  are currently leading in preliminary vote totals. A similar measure in Arizona is currently trailing with 53 percent of votes counted so far.

On the medical side, voters in Florida, North Dakota and Arkansas have approved medical marijuana initiatives. A separate measure in Montana that would loosen restrictions on an existing medical pot law is currently leading with only 9 percent of votes counted so far.

Reformers were jubilant. This represents a monumental victory for the marijuana reform movement, said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, in a statement. With Californias leadership now, the end of marijuana prohibition nationally, and even internationally, is fast approaching.

California has long been seen as a bellwether by both supporters and opponents of marijuana reform. The state is home to about 12 percent of the U.S. population. Given the size of the states economy and the economic impact of the marijuana industry there, Californias adoption of legal marijuana could prompt federal authorities to rethink their decades-long prohibition on the use of marijuana for any purposes.

In a recent interview with Bill Maher, President Barack Obama said that legalization in California could make the current federal approach to the drug untenable.

Still, the likelihood of a Trump White House leaves a lot of uncertainty about the fate of marijuana measures in the next four years. Under Obama, federal authorities largely took a hands-off approach to state-level legalization efforts. But an incoming administration more skeptical of drug reform could easily reverse that approach.

The prospect of Rudy Giuliani or Chris Christie as attorney general does not bode well, the Drug Policy Alliances Nadelmann said in an interview. There are various ways in which a hostile White House could trip things up.

Still, Nadelmann pointed to the success of marijuana measures in the midst of an evident Republican wave as a sign that support for legalization now cuts deeply across party lines. And citing Trumps often contradictory statements on marijuana and drug use in the past, Nadelmann added that Donald Trump personally could probably go any which way on this.

With todays votes, legal marijuana is also making significant inroads in the northeast. Marijuana legalization has arrived on the East Coast, said Tom Angell of the marijuana reform group Marijuana Majority in an email. What Colorado and other states have already done is generating revenue, creating jobs and reducing crime, so its not surprising that voters in more places are eager to end prohibition.

Votes on medical marijuana in Florida and North Dakota were decisive. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, the Associated Press has declared that Floridas Amendment 2 has passed with 71 percent support. In North Dakota, the AP reports that 64 percent of voters currently approve of the medical marijuana measure with 71 percent of precincts reporting.

Two years ago a medical marijuana measure in Florida earned 58 percent of the vote, just shy of the 60 percent threshold needed for passage. Then, as now, opposition to the measure was fueled by multi-million dollar donations from Sheldon Adelson, the Las Vegas casino magnate and GOP donor. In 2014 Adelson spent $5.5 million to defeat the measure. This year hes spent $1.5 million in Florida, and several million more to defeat recreational marijuana measures in other states.

This is a major tipping point, said Tom Angell of Floridas vote. With Floridas decision, a majority of states in the U.S. now have laws allowing patients to find relief with medical marijuana, and these protections and programs are no longer concentrated in certain regions of the country like the West and Northeast.

The victory in North Dakota is something of a surprise as no polling was done on the measure.

The Florida amendment has the potential to be one of the more permissive medical marijuana regimes in the nation. In addition to diseases like HIV, cancer and PTSD, the measure also allows doctors to recommend medical pot for other debilitating medical conditions of the same kind or class as or comparable to those enumerated, and for which a physician believes that the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the potential health risks for a patient. While the 2014 measure allowed doctors to prescribe marijuana for any illness they believed it would be useful for, the new measure requires they show the illness is severe  though the wording gives physicians considerable leeway in determining which conditions would meet those criteria.

The medical pot measure in North Dakota allows doctors to recommend the drug for a number of severe medical conditions.

With the passage of Amendment 2, Florida will become the first southern state to enact a robust medical marijuana regime. Medical marijuana is already legal in 25 other states and the District.

Better late than never, said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the drug reform group Drug Policy Alliance, in a statement. Most states outside the South already have legal medical marijuana, but the overwhelming victory today in Florida is likely to accelerate the momentum for reform throughout the region.

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AUSTIN, Texas  As Republicans rolled nationally, Texas stayed as fiercely conservative as ever Tuesday  with Donald Trump easily locking up its 38 presidential electoral votes, a GOP incumbent winning the lone competitive congressional race and a party-switching judge losing his re-election bid to ensure that a Democrat still hasnt captured statewide office in a worst-in-the-nation 22 years and counting.

Trump took Texas by about 10 percentage points  a relatively narrow win considering that every GOP White House nominee since 2000 had coasted to double-digit romps in Americas largest red state. But the race also wasnt as close as some polling last month, which suggested Hillary Clinton could stay competitive and perhaps even get within striking distance.

The decisive results answered lingering questions about whether traditional Texas Republicans would embrace such a bombastic and nontraditional candidate. Even former President and Texas Gov. George W. Bush and his wife Laura declined to vote for Trump, choosing none of the above on early ballots they cast two weeks ago, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

Trump wasnt my first, second, third, fourth or fifth choice. He was the one who survived the primaries, said Lyndon Joslin, a 60-year-old who cast his ballot at a southwest Houston elementary school. This is just like another deal hes trying to strike. Being somebody whos been on reality television, this is almost like another showbiz turn for him.

Befitting Trumps affinity for the word huge, though, his win came on a record-shattering night for Texas. The state exceeded 15.1 million registered voters for the first time, while overall turnout appeared on pace to break 2008s record of just over 8 million. The billionaire businessmans win also means the state still hasnt supported a Democrat for president since Jimmy Carter 40 years ago.

Clinton had hoped to pull off an upset after Trumps repeated insults of Latinos, his promises to build a towering wall along the entire 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border and his harsh immigration rhetoric. Texas 10.2 million Hispanics represent 39 percent of the states population, but only about 5 million are eligible to vote as U.S. citizens 18 or older and fewer than that were expected to register. Associated Press exit polling showed that roughly six in 10 Texas Hispanic voters were backing Clinton Tuesday  but it wasnt enough.

Meanwhile, not all Texas Hispanics favored the Democratic candidate. Lubbock truck driver Clemente Ruiz agreed with Trump on many hot-button topics: Im 100 percent for the border, for the fence, and Im for militarizing the border.

Democrats looked for a potential bright spot in a West Texas congressional district sprawling from San Antonio to suburban El Paso and encompassing 800-plus miles of the largely sparsely populated U.S.-Mexico border. But there, former Democratic congressman Pete Gallego lost narrowly to Republican U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, who unseated him two years ago.

A former CIA agent and one of just three black Republicans in Congress, Hurd made sure that a district thats nearly 70 percent Hispanic and had flipped between parties three straight cycles stayed Republican. He ultimately wasnt hurt by urging Trump to abandon the Republican presidential nomination after the release of a 2005 recording in which the New Yorker bragged of grabbing and kissing women without permission.

Texas other 35 congressional races werent competitive. All Texas House seats and 16 state Senate seats were also on the ballot  though both chambers will remain comfortably Republican-controlled when the Legislature reconvenes in January.

Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and other top statewide officials arent up for re-election until 2018.

On the Court of Criminal Appeals, however, Lawrence Meyers is the senior justice and was first elected as a Republican in 1992. He switched parties in 2013 and lost his re-election bid on Texas highest criminal court as a Democrat on Tuesday to Harris County Republican District Judge Mary Lou Keel.

Keels win means the Republicans again control all 23 of Texas statewide offices and ensures that a Democratic statewide electoral losing streak dating back to 1994 will continue for at least two more years.

Texas was once as loyally Democratic as it is now Republican. Thomas Perry, a 31-year-old Clinton supporter and studio technician in Dallas, said he can imagine the state one day switching back.

This is my first time seeing this many Democrats, Perry said of watching people cast ballots opposing Trump on Tuesday. Asked if he thinks Democrats will ever break the statewide losing streak, Perry replied: I think its really possible.

___

Associated Press writers Juan Lozano in Houston, Jamie Stengle in Dallas and Betsy Blaney in Lubbock contributed to this report.
Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver, a Democrat, defeated Republican state Rep. Nora Espinoza for secretary of state and promised to restore integrity and accountability to the scandal-scarred office.

Toulouse Oliver will fill out the final two years of the term of Republican Dianna Duran, who resigned last year as she pleaded guilty to misusing her campaign funds to feed a gambling habit.

Theres a lot of reform that needs to be implemented  and Im so ready for it, said Toulouse Oliver, who has been clerk in the states most populous county for the past decade.

It was the second go-round for the Democrat, who lost to Duran in 2014 when Duran ran for re-election. Duran was the first Republican to hold the seat in 80 years when she was elected in 2010.

The race between Toulouse Oliver and Espinoza was hard-fought, illustrating the philosophical gulf between the candidates.

Espinoza, of Roswell, focused her campaign on voter fraud, promising to push for photo voter identification to ensure honest elections. She criticized Toulouse Olivers tenure as clerk and said the Democrats proposals to make voting more accessible would invite voter fraud.

Toulouse Oliver said she would advocate for a statewide ethics commission and restore the straight-ticket voting option Duran did away with, if she were elected.

The candidates, who labeled each other as too extreme, raised more than $1 million between them and had spent nearly that much as of last week, with Toulouse Oliver outspending Espinoza 2-to-1.

Toulouse Oliver also had the advantage of name recognition as well as statewide voter registration, which tilts to Democrats.

Espinoza called Toulouse Oliver to congratulate her, and they had a brief and very gracious conversation, according to Espinozas campaign manager, former state Sen. Rod Adair.

The current secretary of state, Brad Winter  a Republican appointed last year by Gov. Susana Martinez  didnt run for the job this year.

Journal staff writer Charles Brunt contributed to this report.
New Mexico voters on Tuesday sent all three of their congressional representatives back to Washington.

Democrats Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, as well as Republican Rep. Steve Pearce, won their seats in the House of Representatives, based on unofficial results.

In the 1st Congressional District that includes Albuquerque, Lujan Grisham locked in a third term after defeating Republican candidate Richard Priem.

Im honored, she said. It feels really good to have my constituents and voters here say that Im doing a good job and theyre sending me back (to Washington, D.C.).

In the 2nd Congressional District, Pearce appeared to prevail over Democrat challenger Merrie Lee Soules. The Hobbs Republican represents southern New Mexico  the states largest congressional district and one of the largest in the nation, geographically. He returns to Washington for a seventh term.

As results tallied in his favor, Pearce said he felt really humbled.

The biggest thing that is on peoples minds is jobs, the economic security of this state, he said. And they know I fight to prevent our jobs being outsourced to other countries. Im conservative, but I work on the issues. I dont go up and try to grind some philosophical ax.

Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, a Nambe resident and chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, won a fifth term representing the 3rd Congressional District in northern New Mexico, defeating Republican challenger Michael Romero. Lujan sits on House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Saying he felt truly honored, he added, Day in and day out, I strivet make New Mexico a better place. I take this responsibility very seriously.

For live election results, click here.
Democrats watch the incoming election results Tuesday night. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Democrats watch the incoming election results Tuesday night. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Stasia Ruskie looks at election results nervously with other Democrats at Hotel Andaluz. (Roberto E. Rosales/ Journal) Democrats watch the incoming election results Tuesday night. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Prev 1 of 5 Next

The national presidential election shaped up to be a nail-biter, but New Mexicans voted overwhelmingly for Democrat Hillary Clinton.

At 11 p.m., Clinton had 48 percent of the vote in the state, compared with 40 percent for Donald Trump.

Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, the former New Mexico governor, was finishing a distant third in New Mexico, with 9.4 percent.

Hillary Clinton ran a very strong campaign here, said Sen. Tom Udall, who was at the state Democratic Partys gathering at Hotel Andaluz in Albuquerque. Her strong suit is focusing on women and working families. Thats been her focus her whole life, and thats why I believe she won in New Mexico.

Udalls comments came even as Clinton trailed Trump in the projected Electoral College results as more states slipped into the Trump column nationally around midnight EST.

And despite Clintons local victory, a somber mood later fell over the gathering of Democratic Party leaders in Downtown Albuquerque as Trump won Florida.

Brian Sanderoff, the Journals pollster, said Clinton won New Mexico with an overwhelming showing in Albuquerque and Bernalillo County, the states largest population center.

Despite Trumps impressive victories in many battleground states, he was not able to catch up in the traditionally blue state of New Mexico, Sanderoff said. The cities of Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Santa Fe came through for Clinton by very strong margins, making it impossible for Trump to win in New Mexico.

Clinton was widely expected to win New Mexico but Trump made a strong push at the end of the campaign marked by back-to-back visits to the state by himself and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

They were here five times (during the campaign), and the other side didnt bother coming, said Rep. Steve Pearce, the New Mexico congressional delegations lone Republican.

But Pearce also said Trumps disparaging remarks about Mexican immigrants  calling some of them rapists and criminals  ultimately sealed his loss in New Mexico.

I think they needed to do a little more on their discussion with Hispanics, Pearce said, noting that he had asked the Trump campaign to step up their Hispanic outreach in the state.

Her win gave Clinton New Mexicos five Electoral College votes.

Clinton received near-universal backing from prominent party leaders, along with an endorsement from the Navajo Nations president.

Meanwhile, Trump sowed divisions among state Republicans, and he never won the backing of GOP Gov. Susana Martinez, chairwoman of the Republican Governors Association.

Earlier Tuesday, Johnson joined sign-waving supporters on the streets of Santa Fe, saying his campaign marks the start of a new current in U.S. politics, regardless of the winner.

The movement is underway, he said. I hope that its a leaps-and-bounds growth situation.

Clinton had a clear edge among female and Hispanic voters in New Mexico, while Trump led among white voters, according to data from preliminary exit polling conducted in the state for The Associated Press.

While Clinton won big in Bernalillo and Santa Fe counties, Trump won big in rural counties such as Eddy, Chaves, Curry and San Juan.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This years race for Supreme Court, a contest that is usually a slam dunk for the Democratic candidate, was one of the closest  if not the closest  contests in the state.

Republican Judith Nakamura was neck and neck with Democrat Michael Vigil throughout the campaign.

In a Sept. 27 Journal poll, the two each had 40 percent of voter support with 20 percent undecided voters.

In a Nov. 1 Journal poll, the two had each secured 45 percent of voter support with fewer undecided voters.

The race has consistently been a given for the Democratic candidate, and its rare for a Republican to gain traction, let alone win, a seat on the states highest court.

Journal and historical archives show the last Republican majority court was in 1929. Elections for the court since then have been consistently Democratic, except a blip in 1980.

That year, William Riordan, an Albuquerque attorney, defeated a Democrat justice to fill out an unexpired term, said Journal pollster Brian Sanderoff, president of Research & Polling Inc.

If Nakamura wins, she will upend these decades of Democratic saturation of the court.

She would be the first female Republican elected.

And she would also continue contributing to the courts first female majority.

Her background as both a longtime Metro Court judge and a District Court judge in Albuquerque gave Nakamura inroads in and around Bernalillo County during the campaign, which generally favors Democratic candidates, Sanderoff said.

But Vigil, a Santa Fe native who is the chief judge on the state Court of Appeals, received strong support from Albuquerque-area voters, the Journal polls found. In addition, he held an edge in the Las Cruces area and a strong lead in northern New Mexico during the campaign.

As polls closed Tuesday, Vigil joined other Democrats at the party headquarters gathering at Hotel Andaluz.

Nakamura set up watch at a Downtown Albuquerque hotel separate from the Republican Partys gathering at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

Journal Capitol Bureau Chief Dan Boyd contributed to this report.
Breaking Bad actor Steven Michael Quezada survived a harsh campaign to seize a critical seat on the County Commission late Tuesday  one of three Democrats who swept the contested races for Bernalillo County office, according to partial, unofficial returns.

Nancy Bearce, a neighborhood leader from the International District, won the treasurers race, and Linda Stover, a businesswoman, claimed the clerks office.

All three are newcomers to Bernalillo County government. Quezada is finishing up a term on the Albuquerque school board, and Stover served on the metropolitan flood-control board in the 1990s. Bearce hasnt held an elected office before.

Im just grateful for the people who stood behind me throughout this campaign, Quezada said. It was brutal.

Bernalillo County voters also approved $36 million in bonds to fund road construction and other projects, and they adopted a home-rule charter that grants the county government expanded powers, on par with a municipality.

Voters within city limits, meanwhile, overwhelmingly said they support scheduling a future election on the Albuquerque Rapid Transit project. The results, however, arent binding, and construction of the project is already underway.

County Commission

Quezada defeated Republican Patricia Paiz, a retired police officer, to win the County Commission seat that covers the South Valley and Southwest Mesa.

It was a particularly harsh race. Opponents of Quezada reminded voters that hed been arrested for drunken driving three times, most recently in 2002.

Quezada acknowledged the DWI charges in a Journal questionnaire and said: I am not that guy anymore and I thank my wife and children for changing my life.

Quezada will replace Democrat Art De La Cruz, who was a swing vote of sorts on the commission, where Democrats hold a 3-2 edge.

Two incumbents  Democrat Maggie Hart Stebbins and Republican Lonnie Talbert  won re-election unopposed.

Clerk

The county clerks race featured two women who touted their experience running businesses  Stover, a Democrat, and Maryellen Ortega-Saenz, a Republican.

Stover will succeed County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver, also a Democrat, who won the race for New Mexico secretary of state.

Its a dream come true, Stover said Tuesday.

Treasurer

Bearce defeated Republican Kim Hillard to win the treasurers race. She will seek to restore confidence in an office rocked by investments losses.

Bearce defeated incumbent Treasurer Manny Ortiz in a four-way race in the June primary.

Im looking forward to really making sure that processes and investments are transparent and accountable to the people of Bernalillo County, Bearce said.

ART

City voters resoundingly called for a future election on the Albuquerque Rapid Transit project. The outcome is largely symbolic, however, as the results arent binding and construction began last month.

Mayor Richard Berry was undeterred. With contracts and federal commitments in place and construction activities in full swing, mayoral spokeswoman Rhiannon Samuel said, it does not make sense to do anything but move forward with this transformational opportunity for the future of our city.

Bonds

Bernalillo County voters approved about $36 million in bonds to finance road construction, parks, the purchase of library materials and other capital projects. The package includes $1.5 million to build a county animal shelter for homeless pets  the last piece of funding needed for the project.

Urban charter

Voters adopted a home-rule charter that grants Bernalillo County government the same power as a municipality. Supporters say the charter gives the county more flexibility to address local problems.
Former Albuquerque Public Schools deputy superintendent Jason Martinez pleaded guilty to assaulting two men in downtown Denver, wrapping up a string of legal issues that roiled APS.

Martinez, 51, entered his plea on third-degree assault Oct. 28 in Denver District Court. He will receive probation at his sentencing on Jan. 6, according to Lynn Kimbrough, spokeswoman for the Denver district attorney.

Its the final hurdle for the embattled curriculum expert.

In June, Martinez was found innocent of sexually assaulting two young boys, both relatives, after two trials. The first trial in that case, which is separate from the assault, ended with a hung jury, leading to the retrial.

Martinezs attorney could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

A former administrator at Denver Public Schools and publishing giant Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Martinez was out on bail on the child sexual assault charges when he was arrested Jan. 25, 2015, for reportedly hitting his 26-year-old boyfriend and a 55-year-old man.

The second victim also said Martinez struck him with his cars side-view mirror during an attack motivated by jealousy.

Martinez hid all his legal problems when he was hired as APS deputy superintendent in summer 2015. He worked for the district for several months  earning a $160,000 annual salary  but dodged a mandatory criminal background check despite repeated requests from human resources.

The assault and child sex assault charges came to light in August 2015. Martinez stepped down shortly afterward, followed by his boss, then-Superintendent Luis Valentino. Valentino received an $80,000 contract buyout and a positive reference letter from the APS Board of Education.
DENVER  A 25-year-old man has been charged with strangling his girlfriend, who had a restraining order against him at the time of her death.

The Denver Post reports (http://dpo.st/2eKzbi2 ) the Denver District Attorneys Office charged Jose Vallejo-Cano with murder Tuesday.

Twenty-three-year-old Araceli Esparza Miranda was found dead inside an SUV on Oct. 29. Court documents say Vallejo-Cano was found at the scene hiding behind a trash bin.

The victims mother had called police to report that the suspect removed the monitored ankle bracelet he was required to wear after his release from jail in a separate domestic violence case.

Vallejo-Cano was arrested earlier this month after being accused of choking Miranda.

He was released from jail on $30,000 bail and a court order was put in place to prevent him from having contact with Miranda.

___

Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com
WASHINGTON  President Obama should focus on three foreign policy challenges, post-election, to finish fights that began on his watch.

These include setting rules for cyber behavior with Russia and other nations, pressing on toward Raqqa and the destruction of the Islamic State, and a Hail Mary effort to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal during the lame-duck session of Congress.

The most delicate challenge during the transition involves Russia, whose pre-election hacking of Democratic Party websites was the most destabilizing and potentially dangerous great-power confrontation in decades. The next president will have to decide how to rebalance the U.S.-Russia relationship on a longer-term basis, but Obama can help shape the rules for cyberspace.

Obama personally discussed cyber issues with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a private meeting during the G-20 summit meeting in China in early September. He confirmed at a news conference later that they talked about cybersecurity, generally, but he wouldnt comment on specific investigations that are still live and active.

Obama set the right agenda at that news conference when he said, What we cannot do is have a situation in which suddenly this becomes the Wild, Wild West, where countries that have significant cyber capacity start engaging in competition  unhealthy competition or conflict through these means.

Obama should continue this delicate process of establishing a framework for mutual cyber deterrence with Russia. Theres no higher priority in his remaining time in office.

Delivering on the promise to degrade and ultimately destroy the Islamic State may be impossible before Obama leaves office Jan. 20. But U.S. commanders said last weekend that they are pressing ahead with the battle to take Raqqa, the Islamic States self-declared capital, despite disagreements among U.S. coalition partners about the composition of the force that will clear and hold the city.

Obama appears to have followed the advice of Gen. Joseph Votel, the CENTCOM commander, to go with what works, by relying on a Kurdish-dominated umbrella group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces in the squeeze on Raqqa, despite opposition from Turkey. This is an expedient decision: Roughly 25,000 SDF fighters are ready, while a Free Syrian Army Force supported by both Turkey and the U.S. is said to need more months of training.

U.S. officials think the Raqqa timetable is urgent, and not just to make progress by Inauguration Day. This is a war of momentum, and commanders say its crucial to continue the recent progress made in Mosul. As long as Raqqa remains in Islamic State control, it could be the launching pad for deadly terror attacks.

Obama will leave a messy problem for his successor if he cant diminish tension with Turkey. One approach was suggested Sunday by a senior representative of Iraqi Kurdistan and its Turkish-backed leader, President Masoud Barzani. This official said in a telephone interview that Turkish fears about the Raqqa campaign would be eased by the participation of a Barzani-trained Syrian Kurdish militia known as the Rojava Peshmerga, or Roj Pesh, which might operate under overall U.S. command.

Obamas final post-election challenge is to somehow pass the TPP, the 11-nation pact thats the symbolic centerpiece of his once-ballyhooed pivot to Asia.

Obama has told Asian leaders that he thinks he can muster the votes, if the Republican leadership cooperates. Failure to get the deal passed would be a huge strategic win for China, the White House rightly argues.

Obamas presidency is almost history, after Tuesdays vote. But he could still accomplish three big things that would shape the world in 2017 and beyond.

Email: davidignatius@washpost.com. Copyright, Washington Post Writers Group
If PE stands for physical education, it makes sense that the class include components to boost fitness and get the heart moving.

So a fitness movement based on CrossFit-style training has spread across the country, and now some school districts are adding versions of it to their physical education classes.

CrossFit Inc. certifies trainers and licenses gyms, and its regimen features high-intensity workouts involving weightlifting, calisthenics and cardio exercise. Some doctors and health professionals, however, worry that inexperienced students might suffer injuries, a perception that CrossFit is fighting in court.

A healthy dose of jumping jacks or a few laps around the gym would probably benefit most kids, especially in a state with uncomfortably high rates of overweight and obese children. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the combined overweight/obesity rate for New Mexico kindergarteners in 2015 was 25.6 percent and for third-graders was 34.4 percent.

In a good sign, the obesity rate has steadily declined in recent years, although it may be leveling off. According to the New Mexico Department of Health, the obesity-only rate for third-graders has declined from 22.6 percent in 2010 to 18.9 percent in 2015.

Either way you look at it, New Mexico children, like so many adults, should get up and get moving. Perhaps a regular dose of good old-fashioned exercise at school will result in healthier children.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
An increase in the numbers of people entering the United States illegally through our border with Mexico, but who arent from that country raises serious concerns about national security and, again, points to the need for comprehensive immigration reform that includes a secure border.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, more than 8,000 illegal border-crossers from India, China, Romania, Bangladesh and Nepal were arrested attempting to enter the United States from Mexico between October 2015 and the end of August.

A recent Associated Press story suggests the trend may be attributed to visas being harder to obtain. That provides a reason for people from countries worldwide to find a way to get into Mexico  often by entering South American countries and crossing through Central America. Then its a hop, skip and jump into the United States through our own porous border.

India and China are among the top 10 countries of origin for people caught trying to enter the U.S. via the Mexican border.

Among non-Mexican illegal immigrants who entered through Mexico are several thousand Haitians, but they are not finding the welcome mat out. In September, DHS said it would restart deporting undocumented Haitians. Deportations had stopped after a devastating 2010 earthquake and again after Hurricane Matthew ploughed over Haiti in October. More than 2,700 Haitians are being detained, including 130 men being held in Otero County.

Meanwhile, the numbers of Mexican nationals crossing the border into the U.S. have been dropping in recent years, and overall illegal immigration along the entire Southwestern border has declined over the past 15 years  dropping to about 331,000 apprehensions last fiscal year from more than 1.6 million in 2000. However, apprehensions along the New Mexico border have risen in the past year. The U.S. Border Patrol in New Mexico apprehended 18,500 people in the 11 months through August, compared with 11,216 in all of fiscal 2015. Many are from Central America.

Add to the mix of these far-flung border-crossers the uncertainty caused by the global migration of millions of refugees fleeing Middle Eastern religious conflict and war.

While many of the illegal crossers likely are taking a dangerous and uncertain route to living in the United States simply to achieve the kind of income and status that would be unreachable in their own countries, there is ample reason to be concerned that included among those people sneaking into the United States are some with evil intentions against American citizens.

Congress in the past few years has stubbornly refused to address the longtime need for comprehensive immigration reform. But as more people try to enter the country illegally for whatever reason, the time is long past for action.

This should be a top priority of the new administration and Congress if our borders and our nation are to remain safe and strong.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
Church bells rang and sirens howled across Albuquerque the day Sarita Maria Baca came into this world.

She was the first of nine babies born to Eleutaria and Tranquilino Baca in the small ranching town of Magdalena some 100 miles south. Though her birth 96 years ago was a joyous event, the celebration in Albuquerque commemorated something else  the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

Ninety-six years later, women are still voting. This time, their votes, including Saritas, became a force to be reckoned with.

And maybe thats why this time, the heartache felt by so many women hurt that much more. After coming so close to breaking that highest, hardest glass ceiling, Hillary Clinton, the woman they had pinned their hopes upon, had come up short, leaving some to wonder when the chance would come again and who would step up to take it.

It had seemed so possible. Even those who had largely stayed quiet through this dirtiest and angriest of elections had shown up proudly to the polls Tuesday donning pantsuits  the trademark attire of their standard bearer  or suffragette white. They slyly adopted the nickname Nasty Woman, which Clintons opponent had meant as disparaging. They flashed their women cards. They danced. They cheered.

They embraced the history of the moment and, if they were lucky, they embraced their mothers and their grandmothers, and all those women in their lives who had got them this far. And when the votes started going the other way, hour by hour, state by state, they embraced each other, dazed and sobbing, and wondering what comes next.

One of those daughters is Susana Villalobos, whose mother is Sarita, now known as Sarah Griggs, her married name. It was Villalobos who discovered that her mothers birthday on Aug. 28, 1920, had been the day the bells pealed and the sirens sang for the 19th Amendment.

Sympathizers will swell the sound and join the celebration which at that minute will be going on all over the United States, read an article on the suffrage celebration that she found in the Journal archives. Flags will be hung down town and women are asked to hang flags at their homes, and to wear small flags pinned upon their coats. The committee of the National Suffrage association wish to remind the women of Albuquerque to show today their pleasure in the victory won after so many years of struggling for the ballot.

New Mexico had been the 32nd state to ratify the 19th Amendment on Feb. 19, 1920, some 70 years after brave women like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony began the fight for that right. It took six months more for the last four states required to sign on. Ten days after that, on Aug. 28, 1920, New Mexico celebrated along with the rest of the country  and Griggs own story began.

She had known nothing of the historical date of her birth. After marrying her husband, Benjamin Griggs, an Air Force man, the couple moved to Albuquerque and raised a family. She was a stay-at-home mom who volunteered at the church and the Catholic school her three children attended. Come election time, she served as a poll worker. She cried when President Kennedy  a good Catholic, she says  was assassinated. She continued voting long after her husband passed away.

But she knows, she said. He would have voted for Clinton, too.

If a woman can take care of a home and her children, why cant she take care of the country? she said. I believe a woman can do anything.

Her story is like the stories of many women over the years who have continued to move us forward in varying increments, in fits and starts, to get us to this place in history.

It is the story of New Mexico Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham, who, at age 57, knows the struggle of finding her footing in a world that has not always been kind to women.

I am still in that age group of women who know that, even if you were a professional in the office, you were still expected to bring the coffee, Grisham said. Even after I had a college degree, a law degree, I spent a lot of time getting coffee for the men in my office. All of that has been changing, but now, here, its like an explosion.

It is the story of Madison Schaeffer, a University of New Mexico graduate student and epidemiologist who imagined the letter she hoped to write to her future daughter.

Before you were born, I walked into a polling place one cold morning in October and I filled out a ballot, she wrote. And into that ballot I put all the love for the women in my life.  I poured all my hopes and dreams for what it might mean if we took the leap of rebuilding a democracy in an image that included women as something far more than property.

It is the story of Mariana Pedroza, an 8-year-old Albuquerque girl who dreams that maybe someday she will be the one to break that highest, hardest glass ceiling.

What I think is that Hillary Clinton will inspire girls all around to be the first to do something, and I think its really cool because all of our presidents have been boys, she said. I think its good we can change that.

It is the story of mothers and daughters and granddaughters  and those men who love them  who voted not just for one woman but for women who have been told all their lives that they needed to smile more, that they were too ugly or too fat or too emotional or too stupid, that all they needed was a good man, that all they needed was to get over their sexual assault, that they should have no control over their own bodies. It is the story of women who have always known somewhere deep inside that they are a force to be reckoned with, who may not have succeeded this time, but know that, one fine day, someday, that glass ceiling will not hold.

The story continues.

UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Joline at 823-3603, jkrueger@abqjournal.com or follow her on Twitter @jolinegkg. Go to www.abqjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor.
Judges can deny bail to the most dangerous defendants under a constitutional amendment approved Tuesday by New Mexico voters.

Until now, the state Constitution guaranteed people the opportunity to get out of jail before trial, with the narrow exception of those accused of the most serious felonies. Critics said the system routinely allowed violent defendants out on the streets.

Voters also gave the OK to four bond issues on the statewide ballot. They will provide a total of $186 million for projects including construction at universities  $34.5 million for the University of New Mexico  and senior centers, as well as improvements at school and local libraries, a State Police crime lab and other public safety upgrades.

In February, lawmakers cleared the way for the bail amendment to appear on the ballot after they reached a compromise aimed at addressing concerns of the bail bond industry.

Aside from keeping the most dangerous defendants locked up, the amendment would allow judges to grant pretrial release to cash-strapped suspects of nonviolent crimes who lack the money to make bail. Those defendants would have to file a motion showing they cannot pay their bail.

The reforms are part of a national movement away from cash bail and toward risk-based decisions.

Federal judges and courts in a number of other states already have been granted such authority. Congress first authorized detention of dangerous defendants in the District of Columbia in 1970, and the U.S. Supreme Court has held that the U.S. Constitution permits detention before trial if someone is proven to be dangerous.

The New Mexico amendment had bipartisan support, and top leaders from Gov. Susana Martinez to Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Daniels urged voters to approve it.

As we have seen all too often, the ability of a dangerous defendant to post a bail bond does nothing to protect victims, witnesses, police officers or anyone else from injury or death, Daniels said, in a commentary in support of the amendment.

Daniels toured the state this summer, speaking to groups about the changes. He said nothing he has done during his time on the court would represent a more important improvement in justice than getting the amendment passed.

Judges and other supporters have argued that the states bail provisions  described by some as antiquated  make it impossible to balance the protection of communities from dangerous defendants and the constitutional rights of nonviolent suspects.

Legislative analysts determined that jailing significantly fewer non-dangerous defendants could save taxpayers $19 million per year, while detaining dangerous defendants for longer periods could cost about $967,000.

The Albuquerque Journal contributed to this report.
It appears Sandoval County voters rejected a proposed eight-year extension of a 4.25 mill levy to support Presbyterian Rust Medical Center and UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center, according to unofficial results Tuesday night.

Results posted on the New Mexico Secretary of States website about 11:30 p.m. showed 51.2 percent of the voters disapproved of the extension, with 48.8 percent in favor.

Obviously, the voters looked at their pocketbooks and with everything that was on the ballot said, Hey, I can support this and I cant support that, said Sandoval County Commissioner Don Chapman, who supported the renewal.

Voters initially approved the levy in 2008, several years before the hospitals were built. It has been generating about $13.5 million annually, which has been almost evenly apportioned between the two hospitals to support operations. The owner of a home with an assessed valuation of about $200,000 has been paying about $282 a year.

Opponents argued that, by now, the hospitals should be positioned to pay their own way. Some argued that many voters who supported the levy in 2008 thought it would be for no more than eight years, as the ballot language at the time suggested.

Advocates for the tax argued that the hospitals have provided high quality, close to home medical care for county residents, hundreds of new jobs and spin-off economic development. By not renewing the tax, they contended, the hospitals would be forced to curtail or limit the services they offer.
 Click for New Mexico 2016 election results

Republican Donald Trump pulled off a shocking upset of Democrat Hillary Clinton in the race for president of the United States, although the Clinton campaign didnt publicly concede the election early Wednesday morning.

However, the former first lady, secretary of state and first woman to run as a major party candidate for president, called Trump to congratulate him.

Trump took the stage at his New York campaign headquarters at 12:50 a.m. to chants of USA, USA.

Trump said he congratulated Clinton and her family for their hard work and said, We owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country.

Combative on the campaign trail, Trump was conciliatory in his speech.

I say it is time for us to come together as one united people, he said. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans.

The New York real estate tycoon and Republican Party outsider racked up victory after victory in key battleground states through the evening and The Associated Press declared him the winner at 12:29 a.m. MST with an Electoral College tally of 276  six more than the magic number of 270. Fox News followed soon thereafter in declaring Trump the victor.

The other major networks had not yet made that call, but all said Trump appeared on the verge of reaching 270 even before AP called Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes for the former reality TV star shortly before midnight MST.

Arizona, expected to fall into the Trump column, was still counting votes adding to what appeared to be a Trump triumph that included shattering Clintons so-called blue wall that included Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Republicans also maintained control of the House and it appears the GOP would hold its majority in the U.S. Senate.

Clinton, aiming to become the nations first female president, didnt get enough Democrats to the polls to offset Trumps populist appeal in a list of crucial battlegrounds including Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and North Carolina  all of which Trump won. Trump also took Texas and Georgia, where some Democrats had hoped for an upset.

Clintons campaign chairman, John Podesta, refused to concede the election shortly after midnight.

They are still counting votes, and every vote should count, Podesta said from Clintons election night headquarters in New York City. Several states are too close to call, so were not going to have anything more to say tonight. He told the downbeat crowd to go home and get some sleep.

Gary Johnson, the Libertarian candidate and former New Mexico governor, was a distant third in the presidential race.

New Mexico was an easy win for Clinton despite Trumps late push here.

Tired of status quo

A large segment of American voters are obviously ready for a major change and they are tired of the status quo, said Brian Sanderoff, the Journals pollster and a longtime political analyst. It appears they have responded by supporting the candidate they viewed as the change agent.

The 45th president will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by views on the economy and educational opportunities, race and culture. The economy has rebounded from the depths of recession, though many Americans have yet to benefit and millions are out of the workforce. New terror threats from home and abroad have raised security fears.

Clinton on Tuesday asked voters to keep the White House in Democratic hands for a third straight term. She pledged to carry President Barack Obamas agenda into her first term, including fixing the Affordable Care Act, tightening gun laws and launching a renewed push for immigration reform.

But Trump, who was initially considered a long shot to even win the GOP nomination, forged a striking connection with white, working-class Americans who feel left behind in the changing economy and diversifying country. Trump cast trade deals and immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of many problems plaguing the nation. He has repeatedly promised to build a wall along the Mexican border.

He also constantly hammered at the Clinton private e-mail server scandal and Clinton Foundation controversies, dubbing the Democratic nominee Crooked Hillary.

Local cheers

A jubilant crowd at the GOP election night party greeted every state announced for Trump with loud cheers. The crowd of several hundred celebrated when successful state Sen.-elect Greg Baca entered the room to make a brief acceptance speech after upending longtime Democratic Senate boss Michael Sanchez, D-Belen.

Rep. Steve Pearce, the lone Republican in New Mexicos congressional delegation, said Trump was exceeding expectations in part because of recent news that health insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act  or Obamacare  would rise an average of 25 percent.

People are very alarmed by the whole Obamacare premium hike issue, and theyre also worried about their jobs, and Trump said hed bring back these manufacturing jobs, Pearce said. I also think that Obama way overreached and he hasnt performed internationally as well as people hoped.

Earlier in the evening, Sen. Tom Udall, the Democratic dean of New Mexicos congressional delegation, said he was still holding out hope for a Clinton victory despite very narrow odds as the clock approached midnight.

Im still thinking that she can win, Udall said. Im not as optimistic as I was earlier in the evening, but I think theres still a narrow path. So Im holding out and keeping my fingers crossed that when we get up in the morning that Hillary Clinton is president.

In New Mexico, where Clinton was widely expected to win, she delivered an early victory with more than 50 percent of the vote. Clintons strong performances in the states major cities  Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Santa Fe  propelled her to victory in the state.

Clinton managed to eke out wins in a couple of key states including Colorado and Virginia.

GOP night

Meanwhile, CNN also projected Republicans would retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives and were close to holding their Senate majority.

An estimated 350 people attending the Democratic Party of New Mexico watch party at Hotel Andaluz in downtown Albuquerque had little to cheer about throughout the night as they watched Trump rack up Electoral College votes.

Shortly after 9 p.m. when CNN announced that Clinton had won California and pulled ahead of Trump, the crowd erupted in cheers that drowned out the big-screen television inside the packed ballroom.

Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Olivers victory speech as the apparent winner of the state Secretary of States office was short lived as votes for Trump rolled in unabated.

There was a possible silver lining for Johnsons Libertarian party. If Johnson finished with at least 5 percent of the presidential vote in New Mexico, it would vault the Libertarian Party to major-party status in the state, which would give party candidates easier access to the ballot in future races. Libertarians in general favor limited government and liberal social policies.

Johnson said his second run for president was designed to end the two-party system and give Americans another choice.

The hope was to get into the presidential debates, but that didnt happen, said Johnson, who gathered with supporters at Hotel Albuquerque on election night. But if we get 5 percent of the vote nationwide, ballot access issues go away (for the Libertarian Party).
SANDOVAL COUNTY

The incumbent Sandoval County treasurer and District 2 county commissioner were locked in races too close to call shortly before 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Unofficial results posted on the New Mexico Secretary of State website showed county Treasurer Laura Montoya, a Democrat, leading Republican challenger Leroy Lovato, who had 49.8 percent of the vote to Montoyas 50.2.

In the District 2 commission race, Republican Jay Block had 50.5 percent of the votes to incumbent Democrat Nora Scherzingers 49.4 percent.

In the District 4 county commission race, Republican Dave Heil appeared to be the winner over Democrat Alexis Jimenez. Heil had 55 percent of the vote.

Incumbent County Clerk Eileen Garbagni, a Democrat, was leading Republican Donald Lemm with 52 percent of the vote to Lemms 48 percent.

Voters soundly approved a $21 million bond issue to fund projects proposed by the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority, with about 62 percent in favor of the measure.

Incumbent SSCAFCA board members James Fahey Jr. and Steve House appeared to retain their seats, being the top vote-getters for the two positions up for election with 32 and 41 percent of the vote, respectively. David Stoliker had 25 percent.

TORRANCE COUNTY

Voters in southern Torrance County were going to get a new commissioner no matter who won the election on Tuesday.

In a tight three-way race, though, voters in Commission District 3 chose Democrat Javier Sanchez to represent them for the next four years.

In unofficial results, Republican Edwina George Hewett garnered just over 41 percent of the vote compared with Sanchezs 44 percent. The question mark in the election was independent Fred Sanchez, who was able to attract about 14 percent of the vote.

On Tuesday night, Javier Sanchez didnt want to comment on the election.

Sanchez will take office on Jan. 1. He will replace Leroy Candelaria on the Commission. Candelaria was defeated in the Republican primary by Hewett.

In the Treasurers race, Republican Tracy Sedillo soundly beat Democrat Margarita Hibbs, 70 percent to 30 percent.

VALENCIA COUNTY

Valencia County Commission District II

Democrat incumbent Alicia Aguilar, a retired realtor, lost her second-term re-election bid in a tight race Tuesday against Republican challenger Billy Ray Martinez in County Commission District II. Aguilar received 49 percent of the vote Tuesday, compared with Martinezs 51 percent, according to unofficial results.

In District IV, Charles Eaton, the Democratic incumbent and retired fire chief, won re-election Tuesday with 99.78 percent of the votes. His Republican challenger, Paulette Kaminski, a write-in candidate, had .22 percent.

For the District V seat, Jhonathan Aragon, the Republican incumbent and veterinary assistant, took home 50.36 percent of Tuesdays votes and squeaked out a win against Democrat Christian Garcia, owner/president of CGs Concrete Inc., who had 49.64 percent.

Republican incumbent Peggy Carabajal will serve a second term as Valencia Countys clerk. She took home 56 percent of the votes, compared with Democratic challenger Lucy Tapia Gonzales, an office manager at Coldwell Banker Legacy Real Estate, who had 44 percent of the votes.

Republican Deseri Ann Sichler, owner and broker of Real Estate Masters, won the majority of votes in the treasurers race against Democrat Kendra Kaneshiro, a Valencia County bookkeeping administrator.

Sichler won 51 percent of the votes compared with Kaneshiros 49 percent.

SANTA FE COUNTY

Santa Fe County voters approved four property tax supported bond issues totaling $35 million for roads, water projects, open space and public safety facilities.

On a nonbinding advisory question, a majority of county voters expressed support for 0.125 percent increase in gross receipts taxes to support behavioral health services.

There were no contested county offices.
SHIPROCK  Duane Chili Yazzie will continue his service as Shiprock Chapter president after a challenge this campaign season from Dan Smith.

Yazzie received 1,198 votes while Smith received 990 votes out of 2,218 cast ballots, according to unofficial results from the Navajo Election Administration.

Smith said in a statement to The Daily Times that more than 900 people know change is needed in Shiprock, but he congratulated Yazzie on the win.

I still will work with our chapter to continue to help the people, Smith said.

Yazzie could not be reached for comment this evening.

Earlier in the day, Election Day activities filled the Shiprock Chapter house parking lot today, where a number of candidates for tribal and state offices visited with community members.

Among those partaking in the activities was Jason Smith, 55, of Shiprock.

I feel confident they will continue to do a good job for us, Smith said about his candidate selection, which included voting for Yazzie.

He added: Hes trying to do some changes, but other offices are holding him down, but hopefully he will continue to proceed forward.

Sandra Begay, 36, of Shiprock, cast ballots in both the tribal and national elections. Her reason for voting was to basically see whos going to stand up for the reservation. Whos willing to take the lead.

Begay said she supported Smith for chapter president because of his platform.

I feel like hes willing to make changes, Begay said.

Roy Lee Hosteen traveled from Upper Fruitland to cast his ballot in the tribal election in Shiprock, where he is a registered voter.

I get to hire who I want to work for me and the community.  Its hiring an individual to work for us, he said about what Election Day means to him.

In Upper Fruitland Chapter, resident Garrett Ignacio displayed a I voted sticker on his shirt.

It gives me a chance as an American to exercise my right to vote, regardless of party, he said.

There are 20 chapters in the Navajo Nations Northern Agency, and each chapter precinct in the agency opened at 6 a.m. and closed at 7 p.m.

The president positions for Nenahnezad, San Juan, Beclabito, Newcomb and Toadlena-Two Grey Hills chapters were uncontested.

Norman Cudei Begaye received 415 votes out of 510 cast ballots in Nenahnezad Chapter.

Rick Nez received 230 votes out of 272 cast ballots in San Juan Chapter.

Raymond H. Charley received 285 votes out of 331 cast ballots in Beclabito Chapter.

David Randolph Sr. received 257 votes out of 274 cast ballots in Newcomb Chapter.

Stanley Hardy received 398 votes out of 438 cast ballots for the president seat in Toadlena-Two Grey Hills Chapter.

The president race for Tooh Haltsooi Chapter showed Brian T. Yazzie receiving 238 votes and Tommy L. Sandman receiving 125 votes. There were 367 cast ballots.

Incumbent Perry J. Begay Sr. received 198 votes to retain his position as Tiis Tsoh Sikaad Chapter. Challenger Eliolieta M. Holtsoi received 89 votes. There were 299 cast ballots for the chapter.

In Upper Fruitland Chapter, Lynlaria R. Williams-Dickson received 430 votes and Robert Allen received 357 votes out of 805 cast ballots.

James Pioche received 270 votes and Charlie T. Jones Jr. received 337 votes in the Tse Daa Kaan Chapter president race. There were 619 cast ballots.

In Gadiiahi-Tokoi Chapter president race, Carol Etcitty-Roger received 119 votes and Harry Descheene Jr. received 187 votes out of 311 cast ballots.

There were three agency at-large positions to determine seats for service on the Navajo Board of Election Supervisors, Navajo Preparatory School board and Shiprock Associated Schools Inc. board.

Incumbent Sammy Ahkeah received 5,516 votes and challenger Wilbert Y. Mark received 5,025 votes for the Navajo Board of Election Supervisors.

For the Navajo Preparatory School board, Matthew D. Tso received 5,331 votes and Jennifer D. Laughter received 5,006 votes.

In the race for the Shiprock Associated Schools Inc. board, Pete Ken Atcitty received 5,273 votes and Faye BlueEyes received 5,121 votes.

There will be a special election on Dec. 13 to determine the position for Tse Alnaoztii Chapter President. The race was postponed after Frank Smith challenged a decision by the Navajo Election Administration in August to remove him as a candidate and from the Aug. 30 primary election ballot.

On Oct. 7, a hearing officer with the tribes Office of Hearings and Appeals reversed a decision in September that removed Smith as a candidate.

Noel Lyn Smith covers the Navajo Nation for The Daily Times. She can be reached at 505-564-4636.



2016 The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.)

Visit The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) at www.daily-times.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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LAS CRUCES  Las Cruces police arrested a man suspected of holding his girlfriend against her will and stabbing her with an ice pick.

Eligio Soto, 37, of the 9000 block of Horace Lane, is charged with one first-degree felony count of kidnapping and one count of aggravated battery against a household member, a third-degree felony.

Shortly after 10 p.m. on Oct. 24, police officers were dispatched to the 5400 block of Sunny Acres Drive, responding to a report of a kidnapping and battery that was alleged to have taken place within city limits.

According to a Las Cruces Police Department news release, detectives learned that Soto and his 46-year-old girlfriend got into an argument at an apartment on south Telshor Boulevard. Detectives were told the argument escalated and Soto punched his girlfriend, and then pulled out an ice pick and used it to force the woman into her car.

Soto allegedly threatened to kill the woman as he forced her to drive to a home on the East Mesa. At some point, the woman tried to escape at which point Soto allegedly stabbed her three times with the ice pick. Her injuries were not life-threatening, police said.

Soto was arrested Monday, Nov. 7, and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where hes being held on a $50,000 cash-only bond.



2016 the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.)

Visit the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.) at www.lcsun-news.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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WASHINGTON  The political earthquake that hit Tuesday night has enormous consequences for the future of the Supreme Court, swallowing up Judge Merrick Garlands ill-fated nomination and dismantling Democratic hopes for a liberal majority on the high court for the first time in nearly half a century.

In the short term, Republican Donald Trumps victory means that at some point next year, the nine-member court will be restored to full capacity with a majority of Republican-appointed justices, just as it has been for decades.

Trumps upset victory likely changes the courts docket, as well: With a stroke of the pen, the new president could cancel President Barack Obamas regulations regarding the environment, immigrants and the provision of contraceptives under the Affordable Care Act, all issues that have preoccupied the justices in recent terms.

The long-term question will be Trumps ultimate impact on the courts membership and further down the line on the rest of the federal courts, where numerous openings on the bench await nominations.

Besides replacing Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February, Trump may get the chance to replace liberal justices and move the court to the right for generations.

Two of the courts liberals, Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer, are 83 and 78, respectively. Moderate conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy is 80.

As long as those three stay, the courts rulings on sensitive social issues  protecting abortion rights, affirmative action and gay rights, for instance  are secure. But replacing any one of them could tilt the table.

That is why on Wednesday, many liberals were ruing a lost opportunity.

As Election Day dawned, said Elizabeth Wydra, president of the liberal Constitutional Accountability Center, I was hoping wed be looking forward to a progressive Supreme Court for the first time in my lifetime.

Richard Hasen, a law professor at the University of California at Irvine, wrote of similar feelings on his blog.

The future of the Supreme Court was on the line last night, and Democrats, who had the first chance in over 40 years to have a progressive Supreme Court, blew it, he wrote.

The court is now likely to be conservative for the next generation, and the results are going to be felt in every aspect of American life.

Tuesdays election ensures that Kennedy will remain the courts pivotal justice, for now. Trump has said he will draw his Supreme Court nominee from a list of 20 judges and one senator: Mike Lee (R) of Utah. All appear to be more conservative than Kennedy, the courts longest-serving justice.

Kennedy is the member of the current court most likely to be in the majority when the court splits 5 to 4 in its most controversial decisions. Most of the time, he sides with Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and the courts other remaining conservatives: Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito Jr.

But on some social issues, Kennedy sides with the liberals: Ginsburg, Breyer and Obamas two choices for the court, Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.

He joined them and wrote the majority opinion finding that gay couples have a constitutional right to marry; in fact, Kennedy has written all of the courts cases protecting gay rights.

Last term, he wrote the decision approving the limited use of race in college admission decisions and voted to strike down a Texas law that the court said imposed unnecessary burdens on a womans right to obtain an abortion.

But three of the five justices supporting those issues are the oldest on the court. Abortion rights advocates immediately sounded an alarm.

President-elect Trump has publicly pledged to overturn Roe and promised punishment for the one in three American women who will have an abortion in her lifetime, said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights. She was referring to Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision assuring a womans right to an abortion.

While the attention has been on Ginsburg and Breyer, replacing Kennedy with a more stalwart conservative would immediately affect the courts dynamics. He has given no indication about how long he intends to serve on the court.

Ginsburg has said she will serve as long as she is up to the job. She would likely be loath to allow Trump to pick her successor; she caused an uproar this summer when, in media interviews, she called him a faker and said she feared for the court and the country if he were elected. Courtroom sketch artist Arthur Lien said that on Wednesday, Ginsburg was wearing the jabot she sometimes saves for days she dissents from opinions

Ginsburg turned aside calls from some liberals that she retire years ago so Obama could name her replacement. She said it was unclear whether the Senate would confirm her successor. And she told The Washington Post that there was no rush: She felt it was likely that another Democrat would be elected after Obama.

Garland, a moderate liberal who is chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, would likely have replaced Kennedy as the justice in the middle. Obama nominated him in March in part because in the past, Republicans have said he was the most likely Democratic nominee to win confirmation.

But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, declared on the night of Scalias death that Republicans would not act on any Obama nominee. The move brought charges that McConnell had politicized the process, but the gambit worked: It will now be a Republican president making the lifetime appointment to replace Scalia.

On Wednesday, McConnell told reporters that his decision caused a hail of controversy but that he thought it best if the American people decided this appointment . . . And so, the American people have spoken and President Trump will send us a nominee, I assume, early next year.

Give Mitch McConnell a lot of credit, said John Malcolm, a legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He took a principled position and stuck with it.

And, he adds, its not just the Supreme Court thats the issue.

When Obama took office, only one of the 13 federal courts of appeal had a majority of Democratic appointees. Now, nine of them do. And Malcolm points out that while the Supreme Court hears about 70 cases a year, the appeals courts decide about 55,000.

Democrats complain that Senate Republicans have refused to move quickly enough on Obamas nominees. When Trump takes office, there will likely be at least 100 vacancies on the federal bench.

For the Supreme Court, Trump has said his nominee will come from the list compiled with the help of Heritage and the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group. His nominee will be like Scalia in seeking to overturn Roe and be a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, Trump has said.

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WASHINGTON  The Latest on the U.S. election. (All times EST):

11 p.m.

Vice President Joe Biden says Donald Trumps election victory should have little effect on U.S.-Israel relations.

Biden was receiving an award from the World Jewish Congress at New Yorks Pierre Hotel on Wednesday night.

He says he has no doubt, none whatsoever, that in a Trump administration there will be no diminution of support for Israel.

Biden says that even if the new administration was inclined to reduce support, Congress would never let it happen, the American people would never let it happen.

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who presented Bidens award, admitted he expected the outcome of Tuesdays election to be the opposite of what happened.

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6:50 p.m.

Bernie Sanders says hes prepared to work with Donald Trump to help the working class, but will vigorously oppose other policies promised by the president-elect.

The independent Vermont senator has released a statement noting Trump tapped into the anger of a declining middle class that is sick and tired of establishment economics, establishment politics and the establishment media.

He says that if Trump is serious about pursuing policies that improve the lives of working families in this country, I and other progressives are prepared to work with him.

But Sanders adds that if Trump pursues racist, sexist, xenophobic and anti-environment policies, we will vigorously oppose him.

Sanders ran against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, and supported her candidacy after she won that race.

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6:40 p.m.

The White House says Melania Trump will meet with first lady Michelle Obama on Thursday morning.

President Barack Obama has invited Donald Trump to the White House as the two leaders prepare for the transition of power following a bruising, often nasty presidential election.

Obamas meeting with the president-elect will take place in the Oval Office, while the first lady and Mrs. Trump will meet in the residence of the White House.

Obama says former President George W. Bush could not have been more gracious after his 2008 election victory and he has instructed his team to follow that example in preparing the way for Trump.

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6:30 p.m.

Kansas secretary of state says hes serving on President-elect Donald Trumps transition team.

Kris Kobach, a conservative Republican, told various Kansas media outlets Wednesday he has no expectation of a role in Trumps eventual administration. But he says hes open to working for Trump, if offered.

Kobach will help advise Trump on policy matters leading up to his January inauguration.

He advised Trump on immigration policy during the campaign, adding to the Republican Partys platform Trumps plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Kobach also served as counsel to Attorney General John Ashcroft during the President George W. Bushs administration.

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5:31 p.m.

Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan has captured a New Hampshire Senate seat, defeating first-term Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte.

The Associated Press called the race for Hassan on Wednesday.

Ayotte says in a statement that she has contacted Hassan to concede the close race and offer her congratulations. She is thanking the people of New Hampshire for their support.

Democrats have picked up two Republican-held Senate seats  one in Illinois, the other in New Hampshire. They had been far more optimistic about capturing GOP seats on Election Day, but lost in Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri and North Carolina.

Republicans are expected to hold the Senate seat in Louisiana in next months contest after a Republican and Democrat advanced to the runoff.

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5:25 p.m.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he has no interest in at least one agenda item preferred by President-elect Donald Trump: term limits for members of Congress.

Trump praised the idea during the campaign, but McConnell said Wednesday the issue is going nowhere in the Senate.

The Kentucky Republican tells reporters: I would say we have term limits now. Theyre called elections. And it will not be on the agenda in the Senate.

McConnell also says he hopes Vice President-elect Mike Pence follows former Vice President Dick Cheney in attending the Senate GOPs weekly luncheons.

McConnell says Cheney, a former congressman, served almost as Senate liaison for President George W. Bush. He says he hopes Pence, a former Indiana congressman, will do the same for Trump.

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5:09 p.m.

Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire has conceded and congratulated her Democratic rival Gov. Maggie Hassan.

In a statement late Wednesday, Ayotte said the voters have spoken and now its time for all of us to come together to get things done for the people of New Hampshire.

Ayotte, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and leader on defense issues, said it was a tremendous privilege to serve one term. She thanked her family and supporters.

The Associated Press had not called the race because Hassan had a lead of just 0.1 percent.

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5:05 p.m.

Organizers of a comedy benefit featuring performances by John Oliver, George Lopez and others have canceled Wednesdays red carpet arrivals.

A spokeswoman for the Natural Resources Defense Councils Night of Comedy benefit in New York said Wednesday afternoon that in light of current events, we will no longer be having the red carpet.

Seth Meyers is hosting the comedy benefit, where Mike Birbiglia and Hasan Minhaj are also performing.

The event was originally billed as the place to be the night after the presidential election.

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4:38 p.m.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi has spoken to President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his upset victory over Hillary Clinton Tuesday night.

A spokesman says the California Democrat told Trump that she hoped to find common ground where possible, including an infrastructure bill that could create jobs.

Each of the top four leaders in Congress  the top Democrat and Republicans in both House and Senate  has spoken with Trump since the election.

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4:20 p.m.

The FAA has imposed temporary flight restrictions over Donald Trumps high-rise home as a safety measure in response to his presidential victory.

A notice dated Wednesday bars aircraft from flying below 2,999 feet in midtown Manhattan, where Trump Tower is located, and in parts of Brooklyn and Queens. It says military aircraft supporting the Secret Service are exempt, along with police and emergency aircraft.

The FAA generally issues temporary restrictions when theres a special event or hazardous condition.

The notice says the New York City air space restrictions are needed because of VIP movement. They expire Jan. 21.

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3:25 p.m.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is proposing that she and President-elect Donald Trump put aside our differences and work together to rebuild the American economy for working people.

A favorite of liberals, Warren has waged a bitter war of words with Trump. Shes called him a pathetic coward and worse on Twitter. Hes nicknamed her Pocahontas  a reference to claims she made about being part Native American.

As recently as Monday, Trump called Warren a terrible person, a terrible human being and a terrible senator.

In a statement Wednesday, Warren said the integrity of U.S. democracy is more important than an individual election. She said she hopes Trump will fulfill the role of president with respect and concern for every single person in this country, no matter who they are.

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3:15 p.m.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest says President Barack Obama has congratulated the Senates top Republican about his partys success in maintaining its majority in the Senate.

Earnest said Obama and Mitch McConnell discussed priorities that should be taken up as lawmakers meet before a new Congress takes office. They spoke Wednesday, the day after the election.

While he did not have details about the issues discussed, Earnest said Obama will continue to encourage Republican leaders to take up a massive trade agreement called the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He said the president believes the trade pact will benefit the U.S. economy. President-elect Donald Trump strongly opposes the deal.

Earnest says the president also hopes to talk with House Speaker Paul Ryan.

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3:05 p.m.

The White House says the Presidents Daily Brief and other intelligence materials are now being made available to President-elect Donald Trump, Vice President-elect Mike Pence and other members of Trumps transition team.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said its a courtesy that former President George W. Bush extended to President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and a few aides as they were preparing to take office.

The Presidents Daily Brief is a classified document delivered to the president each morning. Until his victory Tuesday, Trump had received some classified briefings but not as extensive as what hell now be receiving.

Earnest says its part of Obamas efforts to ensure a smooth transition.

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3 p.m.

The Senates top Republican isnt interested in rehashing contentious comments President-elect Donald Trump made about Hispanics during the campaign.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky wouldnt say whether he thought Trumps remarks have caused lasting damage to the Republican Party with an important demographic group. Trump has called some Mexicans rapists and criminals and had claimed that a judge might be biased against him because of the judges Mexican heritage.

Several months ago, McConnell publicly worried that Trump could push Hispanics from the party as Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater had done with blacks in the 1964 election.

McConnell said: We should look forward and not backward and rehash and re-litigate the various debates we had both internally and with the Democrats over the past year.

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2:45 p.m.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest is disputing the notion that Thursdays meeting between President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump will have an air of insincerity about it given the harsh things theyve said about each other.

Earnest said Im not saying its going to be an easy meeting. But he said the president is sincere about fulfilling a basic responsibility he has to ensure a smooth transition of power.

Earnest said the success of Americas democracy depends on all citizens setting aside their partisan affiliations and political preferences, and rooting for the success of the American president.

During the campaign, Obama had called Trump unfit and unqualified.

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2:25 p.m.

Donald Trump is spending the day after winning the presidency holed up in Trump Tower, where sleep-deprived aides appear jubilant as they come and go.

The usually buzzing lobby of Trumps residence and campaign headquarters is currently closed to the general public, though an impersonator of the famous Naked Cowboy wearing a robe  was at one point spotted strolling through.

The scene outside is chaotic, with protesters and a mass of press gathered in penned-off area. Curious onlookers are clogging foot traffic as they pause to take in the scene.

The east side of Manhattans busy Fifth Avenue between 56th and 57th is also closed to the public with dump trucks filled with dirt forming a protective barrier outside the buildings lobby.

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1:58 p.m.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest says President Barack Obamas top priority following Tuesdays election is not his legacy.

Earnest says the president is focused on the 20 million people who gained health insurance after the Affordable Care Act went into effect.

Earnest is taking questions from reporters about how the election results will affect Obamas legacy on issues such as health care and climate change.

Earnest says the president is also concerned about the prospect of protections being stripped from millions of Americans who benefit because health insurers are not allowed to discriminate based on pre-existing health conditions or impose a lifetime cap on expenses.

Earnest says the tearing away those protections would negatively affect a lot of people, and thats something Republicans will have to consider moving forward.
NEW YORK  President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly railed against Wall Street, complaining that hedge fund managers get away with murder under the current tax code. He once called JPMorgan Chase Chief Executive Jamie Dimon the worst banker in the United States and often said his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton was too cozy with the financial industry.

But his surprise victory could be a major win for the big banks he has criticized. Republicans, who retained control of the House and Senate, could repeal major parts of Dodd Frank regulatory reform, which attempted to rein in big banks after the 2008 financial crisis, and weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, industry analysts said.

Republicans, who have railed against the CFPB for five years, will try to strip much of its authority, Ian Katz, an analyst at Capital Alpha Partners said in a note to investors. One of the key questions is how far Republicans will go to gut Dodd-Frank.

Major banks stocks jumped in early trading Wednesday. Goldman Sachs was up more than 2 percent, while JPMorgan Chase was up more than 3 percent.

Wall Street insiders had been preparing for a tough year under a Clinton administration, including a push by Democrats to institute a financial transaction tax, which would require high-frequency traders to pay a fee every time they buy or sell a stock or bond. That all now appears to be off the table.

We have no reason to believe President-elect Trump is in favor of anything but the cost-effective, efficient markets we have in America today. We dont need to make our markets great again. Theyre already great, Bill Harts, president of Modern Markets Initiative, which represents high-frequency traders.

Trumps relationship with Wall Street is complicated by decades of name-calling, lawsuits and big debts. He has sued Deutsche Bank, blaming the megabank for the financial crisis, but continued to rely on it to finance major projects. When his companies filed for bankruptcy, he bragged, it was the big banks that endured big losses  not him.

But when he put together his economic team, he tapped several high-profile Wall Street figures, including hedge fund billionaire John Paulson. Steven Mnuchin, Trumps national finance director, is chief executive of the hedge fund Dune Capital Management and previously worked at Goldman Sachs.

And while Trump has said he would eliminate the so-called carried interest loophole that allowed financiers to pay a lower tax rate on their income, tax experts say his proposals could leave private equity and hedge fund managers paying even less.

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As Donald Trumps campaign progressed, Britains June 23 vote to leave the European Union was clearly on his mind.

They will soon be calling me MR. BREXIT! Trump tweeted in August, prompting a somewhat confused response. He soon upped the ante  telling supporters at rallies in October that the U.S. presidential election would be Brexit plus and Brexit times five.

It was certainly possible to see the similarities in the two campaigns. Both Trump fans and Brexiters tended to be people who scorned the status quo and held negative views about globalization, immigration and political correctness. Often they wanted to upend the system and evinced a desire to bring their respective countries back to greatness.

The American businessman seemed to be implying that he was being underestimated in much the same way that the Brexit campaign had been by Britains political establishment. And there were certainly some who agreed.

The greatest parallel between the Brexit vote and to what may happen on Nov. 8 is that Brexit mobilized a large number of nonvoters  indeed, some people who had never voted in their lives, Nigel Farage, the former leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party and a key architect of the Brexit push, said in an article for The Washington Post in September.

However, when Trump first made his comments about Brexit, he was widely mocked. Many suggested that he was misinterpreting the Brexit vote, which was a referendum on a single issue rather than a vote for a specific political candidate.

Although Britains vote to leave the E.U. caused shock, it wasnt entirely unexpected  at least two major pollsters predicted a victory for the leave camp, with others saying it would be an extremely tight race. In the U.S. contest, Trump was given far worse odds. Polls had shown him trailing Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for months  the last Post-ABC tracking poll had Trump trailing Clinton 43 percent to 47.

Even forecasters who had correctly predicted the Brexit vote outcome didnt think Trump would win, giving him, on average, a 30 percent chance of winning, according to one survey.

Yet Tuesday, the unexpected happened. Trump won. With a projected 276 electoral votes, the political novice is expected to be the next U.S. president, though he may well have a smaller share of the total vote. Whats more, his Republicans allies have held on to both the Senate and the House, giving Trump even more of a mandate.

Brexit times five? Suddenly that statement doesnt seem so unreasonable. Trump had beaten expectations by a far wider margin than Brexiters had in their campaign.

For Britons watching Tuesdays election, there was a sense of deja vu as the results first came in. The Clinton camps swing from confidence to uncertainty to despair and denial reminded many of the wild emotional ride that remain supporters had taken during Britains referendum. And as Trump began to rack up unlikely wins in formerly Democratic strongholds, Farage took to Twitter to note the similarities with Britains vote. His September prediction seemed to be coming true.

The @realDonaldTrump win in Florida feels just like the Sunderland moment.

By Wednesday morning, Brexit and Trump began to trend on Twitter in the United Kingdom. While there were some celebratory tweets, often the messages expressed despair, with many users raking over the path to the twin defeats to ask: What went wrong? Familiar fingers were pointed at elitist politicians, out-of-touch journalists and inaccurate pollsters.

Right now, however, a full postmortem may be premature. As anyone watching the situation in Britain over the past few months will tell you, Brexit is far from a done deal: A recent court decision suggested that a hard exit from the EU may be politically difficult, if not impossible. Even in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote, leave campaigners were accused of walking back their biggest promises, and there were reports of regret among those who voted in favor of Britain exiting the EU.

Similarly, it remains to be seen what kind of president Trump will be and whether the grand vision he pitched to his supporters  including remarkable ideas such as building a wall on the border with Mexico or a 45 percent tariff on Chinese imports  is actually implementable. Even for the pro-Brexit camp, theres unpredictability here: How will Mr. Brexit deal with a post-Brexit Britain, a country where politicians until recently were insulting him and debating whether to ban his entry?

Right now, an uncertainty about the future is what really ties together the future of Trump and Brexit. And the world may soon get more uncertainty. France will have its own general election next year  and far-right leader Marine Le Pen is looking more confident than ever.

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Afghanistan president, Ashraf Ghani, has welcomed her after Pakistani officials transported Sharbat Gula from a Peshawar hospital and handed her over to Afghan authorities at the state border, Joinfo.com reports.

During a welcome ceremony in the palace in Kabul, Ghani promised to provide Gula with an apartment in her homeland.

The American photographer Steve McCurry made a portrait of Sharbat in 1984 in a refugee camp near Peshawar in northern Pakistan, when she was twelve years old. That picture on the National Geographic magazine cover became iconic and a symbol of the suffering of the Afghan people after the invasion of the Soviet Red Army.
DENVER  The Latest on the Colorado election (all times local):

7:20 p.m.

A southern Colorado community has voted to keep a burgeoning marijuana industry in a vote seen as an indication of whether communities with pot shops consider them good neighbors.

Voters in the city and county of Pueblo rejected measures to close some 100 recreational marijuana businesses including dispensaries, cultivation facilities and businesses that make edible marijuana. One measure would have applied to the city, and the other would have applied to Pueblo County.

The votes came despite calls from prominent city business leaders and the local newspaper and hospital to kick out pot businesses.

Marijuana critics argued that the pot industry has hurt the community. Voters disagreed, meaning Pueblo will remain a major producer of recreational marijuana grown in the state.

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3:40 p.m.

Boulder is poised to become the first city in Colorado to pass a tax on sugar-sweetened drinks.

Ballots were still being counted Wednesday but the proposal to add a 2-cent tax for every ounce of sugary beverage appeared headed to victory there.

Mexico and France have both imposed tax surcharges on sugar-sweetened drinks  measures aimed at reducing obesity. Voters in Berkeley, California, became the first Americans to implement such a tax on sugary drinks in 2014.

Boulders version does not apply to diet sodas or 100-percent fruit juice.

The campaign to pass it was the most expensive local ballot campaign in the citys history.

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2:20 p.m.

Republican state Sen. Laura Woods has conceded to Democrat Rachel Zenzinger in a hard-fought rematch in Denvers western suburbs.

Unofficial results indicate another tight race between them two years after Woods ousted Zenzinger by a few hundred votes. But Woods tells The Associated Press she called Zenzinger to congratulate her after determining there were not enough outstanding votes to overcome a slight deficit.

Woods says that she has no regrets and that its the nature of a swing district that swung. The silver lining is that the GOP keeps control of the state Senate.

Zenzinger served as a state senator in the district before narrowly losing to Woods in 2014. She says affordable housing and reining in college student debt are her priorities.

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12:40 p.m.

Republican state Sen. Laura Woods has conceded to Democrat Rachel Zenzinger in a hard-fought rematch in Denvers western suburbs.

Unofficial results indicate another tight race between them two years after Woods ousted Zenzinger by a few hundred votes. But Woods tells The Associated Press she called Zenzinger to congratulate her after determining there were not enough outstanding votes to overcome a slight deficit.

Woods says that she has no regrets and that its the nature of a swing district that swung. The silver lining is that the GOP keeps control of the state Senate.

Zenzinger served as a state senator in the district before narrowly losing to Woods in 2014. She says affordable housing and reining in college student debt are her priorities.

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9:50 a.m.

Colorados state Legislature will stay split, with Republicans maintaining control of the Senate and Democrats retaining their House majority.

Republican Kevin Priola defeated Democrat Jenise May in an Adams County Senate district currently held by Democrat Mary Hodge, who didnt seek re-election.

Priolas win ensures Republicans will retain at least a one-seat majority in the 35-seat Senate.

Democrats have retained their advantage in the state House. Democrats picked up a seat in Adams County when Dafna Michaelson Jenet defeated incumbent Republican Rep. JoAnn Windholz.

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9:10 a.m.

Republican U.S. Senate challenger Darryl Glenn has formally conceded to incumbent Democrat Michael Bennet.

Glenn, an El Paso County commissioner, ran a strong race against Bennet, who was re-elected to a second full term. Glenn won more than 1 million votes and trailed Bennet by only 3 percentage points, according to unofficial results.

In a statement released Wednesday, Glenn says that though we were successful in starting a movement, we fell short in winning the race.

He congratulated Bennet on his win and said he hopes that Bennet will work with Republican lawmakers to preserve Colorados freedoms and western way of life.

Bennet claimed victory Tuesday. But Glenn refused to concede, saying too many votes remained uncounted.

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7:40 a.m.

The vote on whether to amend the Colorado Constitution to remove a reference to slavery as a punishment for a criminal conviction is tight. But not all counties have reported their results yet.

The constitution currently prohibits slavery or involuntary servitude except as punishment for a crime  wording proponents of the amendment say is outdated. They say the amendment is a symbolic statement, and removing the reference to slavery reflects fundamental values of freedom and equality.

Those against the amendment argued it could cause legal uncertainty involving Colorados prison work programs.

But backers of Amendment T note that 25 other states that do not reference slavery in there constitutions also have prison work and community service programs for inmates.

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This story has been corrected Sen. Woods first name to Laura, not Rachel.
One thing is certain in the presumptive era of President Trump. Journalists are going to have to be better  stronger, more courageous, stiffer-spined  than theyve ever been.

Donald Trump made hatred of the media the centerpiece of his campaign. Journalists were just cogs in a corporate machine, part of the rigged system. If many Americans distrusted us in the past, they came to actively hate us.

His threats to change the laws that protect the press resonated with people who felt that the media is a protected class that gets away with far too much  those who cheered at Gawker being put out of business.

What we cant do is buckle. What we cant do is slink off and hope someone else will take care of it.

We have to keep doing our jobs of truth-telling, challenging power and holding those in power accountable  as the best journalists did during the campaign itself.

We have to be willing to fight back.

More than ever, we will need fearless and deep journalism, Dan Gillmor, a journalist who teaches at Arizona State University, tweeted. Do we have news media that even want to deliver it, apart from a few?

I dont know the answer to that, and I worry whether journalistic organizations  including this one  will continue to challenge a man who has shown how little taste he has for anything except adulation.

Trump may turn out to be accessible to the press  he loves the exposure, after all. Even after banning The Washington Post from his rallies, he sat for 20 hours with two Post reporters writing a book about him.

But that desire to feed his ego shouldnt be confused with being a friend of the press. The Committee to Protect Journalists was right when it warned about the dangers a Trump presidency would pose. Somehow it seemed hypothetical when they did so a few weeks ago.

In a couple of months, all of those warnings will move into the realm of reality. Its scary. But its time to toughen up and be as good as we can be, all of us.

Stop saying youre going to move to Canada. What youve got here is worth defending, Jameel Jaffer, director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, wrote on Twitter.

Were about to find out just how sturdy a document the U.S. Constitution is and whether its crucial First Amendment is any kind of defense against executive power run amok.

I deeply hope that journalists wont normalize Trumps behavior, as we started to see in the Well, I guess Americans just wanted change narrative on cable news networks as the states started to pile up for him. In fact, as it turned out, his followers wanted to throw the entire government and its values on the bonfire.

I hope, too, that owners of news organizations are willing to finance court battles, because that seems very likely to be necessary in the months and years ahead. Trump is nothing if not litigious.

Fighting back will be far more difficult in an environment in which newspaper companies are seeing their traditional sources of revenue dropping precipitously.

Its also going to be more difficult in a world in which people wear T-shirts that read: Tree. Rope. Journalist. (Some assembly required.) Thats been seen at Trump rallies and heartily approved on social media.

Theres one other thing Im sure of.

If January 2017 isnt going to herald disaster for press rights  and the citizens served by a free and independent press  were going to need some help. Were going to need some heroes.

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NEW YORK  Hillary Clinton saw a rancorous campaign through to its bitter end on Wednesday, conceding the presidency to a man she had called unfit for the office and a threat to the fabric of the country.

In defeat, Clinton turned one of her central attacks on Donald Trump into a charge for the presidency she was denied, urging the next president and her disheartened supporters to respect the peaceful transfer of power.

We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought, Clinton said hours after losing a presidential election she had been widely seen as sure to win. But I still believe in America, and I always will. And if you do, then we must accept this result and then look to the future.

Speaking to a hastily assembled group of campaign staff, volunteers and supporters, Clinton went on: Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.

She grew misty-eyed but maintained her composure even as her supporters could not throughout a speech she never imagined giving, in a hotel ballroom farther in feel than in distance from the exquisitely planned celebration she did not have on Tuesday night.

Hours earlier, Clinton had also planned to speak of the promise of an America thats hopeful, inclusive and big-hearted. She had planned to call for unity and healing, with her own history-making election as the first female president a galvanizing example.

That dream started to unravel about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, when roughly half the states had voted and results showed a Trump lead that Clintons confident, data-driven campaign had not foreseen.

Clintons second unsuccessful run for the White House relied heavily on a complex computer algorithm that the campaign was prepared to publicly unveil after the election.

As election results rolled in Tuesday, Clinton watched from a suite in the Peninsula Hotel in Manhattan as her would-be electoral advantage disappeared. The gulf opened and never closed as Trump performed more strongly than expected in several upper-Midwestern states that had voted for Democrats for a generation.

Earlier in the night, top Clinton aides bounced around the room doing media interviews and chatting with reporters, projecting optimism that Clintons voters would come through with record turnout.

But by 9 p.m., the early warning signs had become dire. Virginia, a state that they thought would be an easy win, was looking like a squeaker. Florida had begun to appear out of reach. And Trumps victories in Iowa and Ohio, which were expected, became the leading edge of a Trump wave that swamped Clinton.

Not only did Trump capture big margins in battleground states, outperforming expectations for a divisive and damaged candidate, but he outperformed 2012 nominee Mitt Romney in some categories. Meanwhile, Clinton underperformed with the groups she needed most  minorities and younger voters  showing that she could neither recreate the much-admired Obama coalition nor assemble what her aides had begun to call her own Hillary coalition.

One by one, Clinton aides began disappearing from the main hall and not answering their phones. They retreated to a nearby war room, which was cordoned off and guarded, and never returned. The mood outside the room turned from confusion to disbelief, anger and dejection.

Back at the Peninsula, campaign aides who were not part of Clintons small core of intimate friends and advisers gradually peeled away and came to the Javits Center in ones and twos. Eventually it was only Clinton, her family and the closest advisers including Huma Abedin and Cheryl Mills making the decision first to put off a concession speech and then to concede by phone.

Mills smiled softly and shook her head when asked Wednesday what those hours were like.

Its too raw, she said as she talked with Clinton supporters outside the New Yorker Hotel, where Clinton, flanked by running mate Sen. Tim Kaine, Va., and her husband and daughter, had said goodbye.

Clinton did not dwell Wednesday on what other friends said was an agonizing reckoning in that hotel room, but the mood was akin to the funeral for a sudden death  shocking, mystifying and starkly real. It was clear that no one  not Clinton, not her husband, not her supporters, not the core team of her campaign  had seen it coming.

I know how disappointed you feel because I feel it too, and so do tens of millions of Americans who invested their hopes and dreams in this effort, Clinton said. This is painful, and it will be for a long time.

Time and time again, Clinton and the team seemed to miss the magnitude of the forces that would overtake her in the Democratic primary and later against Trump.

It wasnt until Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont showed surprising strength in Iowa that the Clinton campaign put real stock in the strength of his populist economic message. The same forces helped Trump win on Tuesday.

Clinton would need voters to choose her over her opponents because of how she would handle the economy and relate to the middle class, her campaign manager Robby Mook wrote in an email to close advisers in March 2014.

But more often, the effort to disqualify Trump based on his temperament took precedence over an economic focus.

Clintons aides knew that there were soft spots in the Obama voting coalition that could pose problems for Clintons bid. Her support among young voters was fragile, and in early voting, African American turnout and enthusiasm lagged.

In the end, Clintons inability to bring out Democratic voters in the election was a dramatic failure that left her more than 5 million votes shy of Obamas total in 2012, according to preliminary results. Trump was ultimately able to claim victory having earned fewer votes than Romney did in 2012.

Latino voters did turn out in 2016, but many more than expected were willing to give Trump a shot at the White House. Among nonwhite voters, Clinton led Trump by 54 points  a whopping advantage but less than Obamas 61-point lead four years ago.

These miscalculations probably cost Clinton key states that Obama won four years ago: Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida and Pennsylvania. Clinton walked away having won the popular vote but having lost badly to Trump in the electoral college.

While her reliance on analytics became well known, the particulars of Ada the algorithms work were kept under tight wraps, according to aides. The algorithm operated on a separate server than the rest of the Clinton operation as a security precaution, and only a few senior aides had access.

According to aides, a raft of polling numbers, public and private, were fed into the algorithm, as well as ground-level voter data collected by the campaign. Once early voting began, those numbers were factored in, too.

With that, aides said, Ada ran 400,000 simulations a day of what the race against Trump might look like. It spat out a report giving campaign manager Mook and others a detailed picture of which battleground states were most likely to tip the race in one direction or another  and guiding decisions about where to spend time and deploy resources.

But was it the right guidance? It appears that the importance of some states Clinton would lose  including Michigan and Wisconsin  never became fully apparent or that it was too late once it did.

Clinton made several visits to Michigan during the general election, but it wasnt until the final days that she, Obama and her husband made a concerted effort.

As for Wisconsin, Clinton didnt make any general-election appearances there at all.

Said Mook, in a wee-hours thank-you note to campaign workers: Campaigns are incredibly hard, and sometimes the results dont reflect the merit, work and commitment that goes into them. This is one of those times.



The Washington Posts John Wagner in Washington contributed to this report.



VIDEO:

Hillary Clinton spoke to supporters, Nov. 9, offering a message of thanks, apology and hope. Here are the key moments from that fervent address. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

URL: http://wapo.st/2fSBWAw

Embed:

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CHICAGO  The raw divisions exposed by the presidential race were on full display across America on Wednesday, as protesters flooded city streets to condemn Donald Trumps election in demonstrations that police said were mostly peaceful.

From New England to heartland cities like Kansas City and along the West Coast, many thousands of demonstrators carried flags and anti-Trump signs, disrupting traffic and declaring that they refused to accept Trumps triumph.

In Chicago, where thousands had recently poured into the streets to celebrate the Chicago Cubs first World Series victory in over a century, several thousand people marched through the Loop. They gathered outside Trump Tower, chanting Not my president!

Chicago resident Michael Burke said he believes the president-elect will divide the country and stir up hatred. He added there was a constitutional duty not to accept that outcome.

A similar protest in Manhattan drew about 1,000 people. Outside Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in midtown, police installed barricades to keep the demonstrators at bay.

Hundreds of protesters gathered near Philadelphias City Hall despite chilly, wet weather. Participants  who included both supporters of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who lost to Clinton in the primary  expressed anger at both Republicans and Democrats over the elections outcome.

In Boston, thousands of anti-Trump protesters streamed through downtown, chanting Trumps a racist and carrying signs that said Impeach Trump and Abolish Electoral College. Clinton appears to be on pace to win the popular vote, despite losing the electoral count that decides the presidential race.

The protesters gathered on Boston Common before marching toward the Massachusetts Statehouse, with beefed-up security including extra police officers.

A protest that began at the Minnesota State Capitol Tuesday night with about 100 people swelled at is moved into downtown St. Paul, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. Protesters blocked downtown streets and traveled west on University Avenue where they shouted expletives about Trump in English and Spanish.

There were other Midwest protest marches in Omaha, Nebraska, and Kansas City, Missouri.

In Des Moines, Iowa, hundreds of students walked out of area high schools at 10:30 a.m. to protest Trumps victory, the Des Moines Register reported. The protests, which were coordinated on social media, lasted 15 to 45 minutes.

Marchers protesting Trumps election chanted and carried signs in front of the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Media outlets broadcast video Wednesday night showing a peaceful crowd in front of the new downtown hotel. Many chanted No racist USA, no Trump, no KKK.

Another group stood outside the White House. They held candles, listened to speeches and sang songs.

Dallas activists gathered by the dozens outside the citys sports arena, the American Airlines Center.

In Oregon, dozens of people blocked traffic in downtown Portland, burned American flags and forced a delay for trains on two light-rail lines. Earlier, the protest in downtown drew several Trump supporters, who taunted the demonstrators with signs. A lone Trump supporter was chased across Pioneer Courthouse Square and hit in the back with a skateboard before others intervened.

Several thousand chanting, sign-waving people gathered in Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, California. A night earlier, in the hours after Trump won the election, Oakland demonstrators broke windows and did other damage.

In San Francisco, hundreds are marching along Market Avenue, one of the citys main avenues, to join a vigil in the Castro District, a predominantly gay neighborhood.

In Los Angeles, protesters on the steps of City Hall burned a giant papier mache Trump head in protest, later, in the streets they whacked a Trump pinata.

Hundreds massed in downtown Seattle streets.

Many held anti-Trump and Black Lives Matter signs and chanted slogans, including Misogyny has to go, and The people united, will never be defeated.

Five people were shot and injured in an area near the protest, but police said the shootings and the demonstration were unrelated.

Back in New York, several groups of protesters caused massive gridlock as police mobilized to contain them under a light rain.

They held signs that read Trump Makes America Hate and chanted hey, hey, ho, ho Donald Trump has got to go. and Impeach Trump.
Reviewing the presidential election results, many commentators note that Donald Trump  like several previous Republican presidential candidates  prevailed in the electoral college without winning the popular vote. This is true, but its also irrelevant. Its irrelevant legally, of course, because the Constitution provides for the election of a president through the electoral college. But its also irrelevant in terms of the democratic legitimacy of the result.

In the election concluded Tuesday, Hillary Clinton received more popular votes than Trump. This does not mean, however, that Clinton would necessarily have prevailed in an election that was determined solely by the popular vote. This is because the popular vote total is itself a product of the electoral college system. As a consequence, we do not know what the result would have been under a popular vote system, let alone whether Clinton would have prevailed.

The reason for this is because the electoral college system encourages the campaigns (and their surrogates and allies) to concentrate their efforts on swing states  those states in which the electoral votes are up for grabs  at the expense of those states in which one party or the other has no meaningful chance to prevail. The presidential campaigns make no meaningful effort to turn out votes in populous, but non-competitive states such as California, New York and Texas. There is no advantage to running up the score in a state that is solidly in one camp, nor is there much benefit in trying to drive up turnout in pursuit of a hopeless cause. So, for instance, a GOP campaign would invest little in trying to drive up the vote total in Texas or reducing the margin by which its candidate loses in New York or California, and ditto the Democratic campaign in reverse. Under a popular-vote system, on the other hand, every vote in every state would count equally, and campaigns would be likely to devote substantial resources driving up turnout in these same states. We dont have any particularly reliable guide as to what vote tallies such efforts would produce. Voter knowledge as to whether they are in a competitive state may also effect voter behavior, such as the willingness to support a third-party candidate or to cast a protest vote, further altering the result we would see under a different system.

What all this means is that when the popular vote is reasonably close  as it was this year, as it was in 2000 and 2004  we cannot say with confidence that the candidate who won the popular vote under the electoral college system would also have won the popular vote under a popular-vote system. Its possible, but anything but certain. So while its true that Clinton won the majority of popular votes cast, we dont know that she was actually the candidate voters would have picked were we to rely on the popular vote.

  

Adler teaches courses in constitutional, administrative, and environmental law at the Case Western University School of Law, where he is the inaugural Johan Verheij Memorial Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Business Law and Regulation. For other commentary from The Volokh Conspiracy, an independent blog anchored by a group of law professors from universities around the country, see www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/

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Coral reefs around the globe already are facing unprecedented damage due to warmer and more acidic oceans. Its hardly a problem that just affects the marine life that depends on them or deep-sea divers who visit them.

If carbon dioxide emissions continue to fuel the planets rising temperature, the widespread loss of coral reefs by 2050 could have devastating consequences for tens of millions of people, according to new research published Wednesday in the scientific journal PLOS.

To better understand where those losses would hit hardest, an international group of researchers mapped places where people most need reefs for their livelihoods, particularly for fishing and tourism, as well as for shoreline protection. They combined those maps with others showing where coral reefs are most under stress from warming seas and ocean acidification.

Countries in Southeast Asia such as Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines would bear the brunt of the damage, the scientists found. So would coastal communities in western Mexico and parts of Australia, Japan and Saudi Arabia. The problem would affect countries as massive as China and as small as the tiny island nation of Nauru in the South Pacific.

In many places, the loss of coral reefs would amount to an economic disaster, depriving fishermen of their main source of income, forcing people to find more expensive forms of protein and undermining the tourism industry.

It means jobs for lots of people, said Linwood Pendleton, the studys lead author and an international chair at the European Institute of Marine Studies.

In addition, many countries depend on coral reefs as a key barrier to guard against incoming storms and mitigate the damage done by surging seas. Without healthy reefs, you lose what is essentially a moving, undersea sea wall, said Pendleton, who estimated that about 62 million people live less than 33 feet above sea level and less than two miles from a coral reef. The waves just come into shore full force. That can cause loss of life. It can cause loss of property.

Some of the countries most dependent on coral reefs are also among the largest polluters.

Some of the places that have the most to lose. . .are also among the biggest carbon emitters, Pendleton said. They really have it in their power to bring down the levels of carbon they emit into the atmosphere.

Other countries that rely heavily on reefs, such as Fiji or Papua New Guinea, have relatively small carbon footprints. Still, Pendleton said they can take other measures  including not overfishing and avoiding pollution  to prevent putting further pressure on already stressed reefs.

The researchers acknowledged more study is needed to more fully understand both what is happening to coral reefs around the globe and how that will affect humans. But it can be difficult, they noted, because carrying out science and data collection in many of the coral reef regions most at risk of global environmental change is a challenge. Many regions lack the capacity to do routine data collection, and scientists often have trouble getting permission to sample in coastal areas or where maritime jurisdictions are disputed.

While coral reefs traditionally have been resilient in the face of environmental pressures, mounting evidence suggests their ability to bounce back is limited.

This fall, scientists reported that substantial swaths of the Great Barrier Reef  the worlds largest coral reef system, located off Australia  might have died in the wake of a historic coral-bleaching event.

The mortality is really devastating, Andrew Hoey, a senior research fellow with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University in Queensland, told the Post last month as scientists worked to catalog the damage. Its a lot higher than we had hoped.

Earlier this spring, researchers discovered that parts of Floridas coral reef tract  the largest reef in the continental United States and the third-largest barrier reef ecosystem in the world  are actually dissolving into the water, likely because of the effects of ocean acidification.

Meanwhile, reefs around the U.S. territory of Guam and other nearby islands, in what is known as the Marianas archipelago, have suffered from coral-bleaching events every year since 2013.

And theres been no sign of a break this summer. After a recent dive in Guams Tumon Bay, coral ecologist Laurie Raymundo took to Facebook to describe her shock at the devastation.

I consider myself to be fairly objective and logical about science, wrote Raymundo, of the University of Guam. But sometimes that approach fails me. Today, for the first time in the 50 years Ive been in the water, I cried for an hour, right into my mask, as I witnessed the extent to which our lovely Tumon Bay corals were bleaching and dying.

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The future of the historic nuclear agreement with Iran is in the air with the prospect that a Donald Trump administration could take steps that would cause Iran to abandon its commitments, experts said Wednesday.

Some characterized Trumps election as a death knell for the deal, which was reached in 2014 and put into effect in January. It imposes limits on Irans nuclear program and its ability to build atomic weapons for at least 10 years in exchange for lifting most international sanctions.

I think its basically the end game for the deal, said Richard Nephew, a Columbia University professor who was the lead sanctions expert on the U.S. negotiating team.

Its very hard for me to see, based on the rhetoric, letting it stand as is, or not doing something that forces the Iranians to walk away.

Though it has been applauded by allies that negotiated alongside the United States  Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and the European Union  the agreement has been heavily criticized in Congress. Republican lawmakers in particular say it has rewarded Iran for taking U.S. citizens prisoner and enabled the countrys aggression in regional conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

My number one priority is to dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran, Trump said in a speech to the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC during the campaign. He later said he would try to renegotiate the agreement and increase U.S. sanctions against Iran.

Iran is concerned enough about what Trump may do that senior officials on Wednesday urged a Trump administration to live up to commitments made by the United States.

President Hassan Rouhani, a relative pragmatist who pushed for the deal hoping to open Iranians reclusive society to the international economy, said Trump cannot change the agreement.

Irans understanding of the nuclear deal was that the accord was not concluded with one country or government but was approved by a resolution of the U.N. Security Council, and there is no possibility that it can be changed by a single government, he said on Iran state television Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who negotiated the agreement on behalf of Iran, said the United States must stick to the agreed-upon details.

Every U.S. president has to understand the realities of todays world, he said Wednesday, as reported by the Tehran Times. The most important thing is that the future U.S. president sticks to agreements, to engagements undertaken.

Uncertainty in Tehran is not necessarily a bad thing, said Mark Dubowitz, head of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies who has testified frequently in Congress opposing the deal.

I could see a Trump administration beginning to threaten the use of American power, and put the Iranians to a choice between severe sanctions and potential military action, or going back to renegotiate some key elements of the deal, he said, citing sunset provisions that gradually begin to lift some limitations after seven to 15 years.

Dubowitz added: Theres always the risk the United States ends up isolated, as the Europeans, Chinese and Russians scramble to cut side deals with the Iranians. But one should never underestimate the power of U.S. secondary sanctions and the fear that creates in the marketplace  a fear that has now been intensified as a result of a President Trump.

Trumps statements have at times been contradictory, adding a further element of confusion into the predictions. But he will probably not act solely on his own instincts.

He will be able to call upon a considerable body of effort on the part if all those mobilized trying to block the deal last year, aimed at looking for ways to undermine its provisions, to toughen the measures put in place and to force our negotiating partners to go along with a much harsher stance, said Suzanne Maloney, deputy director of the foreign policy program at the Brookings Institution.

To my mind, thats highly unrealistic, she added. This isnt the sole issue a Trump administration is going to be at odds with our primary diplomatic partners over. It will already be a fraught relationship.

The path forward should become clearer once Trump names his foreign policy team.

To what extent will the Never Trump faction, which was wide in the policy community, begin to walk back on its absolutism in refusing to serve in his administration? Maloney said. I suspect some will.

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TransCanada said it hopes to persuade a new Trump administration to revive the controversial Keystone XL crude oil pipeline that President Obama rejected on Nov. 6, 2015.

Taking advantage of President-elect Trumps vow to launch a series of major infrastructure programs, Calgary-based TransCanada said it was evaluating ways to convince the new administration on the benefits, the jobs and the tax revenues this project brings to the table.

TransCanada remains fully committed to building Keystone XL, the company said.

TransCanadas seven-year effort to obtain a permit from the State Department needed to cross an international border was one of the central environmental battles of the Obama administration. Environmental groups count the rejection of the pipeline as one of their main achievements after Obama rejected the permit shortly before the international climate accord was signed in Paris.

Though the southern half of the pipeline was approved and completed years ago, the northern segment drew more intense opposition from a combination of farmers, ranchers and environmentalists. The pipeline would have carried up to 730,000 barrels a day of crude oil from Canadas oil sands to a small town in southern Nebraska, where it could have connected with other TransCanada lines leading to the Texas gulf coast.

Climate activists opposed the pipeline because of the large amount of energy needed to extract the crude. Farmers and ranchers feared damage to water supplies in the event of a leak and opposed the use of eminent domain to take land for a project that would have no direct benefit for them.

TransCanada, as it did earlier, argued that the Keystone XL line would mean tens of millions of dollars in annual property taxes to counties along the route and a $3 billion boost to the U.S. economy. The companys figures for job creation are widely disputed.

This year, on June 24, TransCanada filed an arbitration request with the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Negotiations have so far been unsuccessful. As a result, a panel of three arbitrators will determine whether TransCanada was treated unfairly under continent-wide fair trade rules. There is also a separate constitutional challenge to Obamas decision that is working its way through a federal court in Houston.

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Donald Trump introduced Sen. Jeff Sessions as a supporter to thundering applause in an Alabama stadium in February, surprising many observers as Sessions donned a Make America Great Again hat and praised Trumps political movement. Now, Sessions finds himself in a once unlikely position: the potential next chief of the Pentagon.

As one of Trumps first supporters on Capitol Hill, Sessions, R-Ala., has positioned himself for a leading role in the president-elects administration. Since March, he has led Trumps national-security committee, relying on both his experience as an Army officer in the 1970s and his time on the Senate Armed Services Committee more recently.

Sessions is a guy who is going to be able to have his pick of what he wants to do, said Joe Kasper, a Trump supporter and chief of staff for Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who also endorsed the next president. Look, its a short bench. If youre looking at early endorsers who also understand the complexities of national defense, there arent many, and thats okay.

The situation has prompted some officials to question whether some national-security experts who have expressed strong opposition to Trump may soften their view and offer to serve in his administration. Others who have been supportive are seen as likely contenders for a job.

Kasper said Hunter and his father, former congressman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., also would consider potential defense spots in a Trump administration. The elder Hunter served as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee during the administration of George W. Bush before stepping aside. The younger Hunter served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Marine Corps officer and succeeded his father in Congress in 2009.

Other candidates discussed include retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, a strong supporter of Trumps with a background in intelligence, and Stephen J. Hadley, who served as national-security adviser to George W. Bush. Hadley did not endorse Trump, but he refrained from signing a letter in which 90 prominent Republicans with foreign-policy experience rebuked him in March. Federal law states that any nominee for secretary of defense must be out of uniform for at least seven years, eliminating Flynn from contention for that job.

Theres also the possibility that complete outsiders may be tapped for important jobs, in keeping with Trumps call for change, said retired Army Lt. Gen. Thomas Spoehr, the director of the Center for National Defense at the conservative Heritage Foundation. Whoever serves as a defense official for Trump should focus on how badly the U.S. militarys readiness levels and equipment have deteriorated under the Obama administration, he said.

Its a function of damage control, Spoehr said. All of the services havent even begun to climb out of the depths of the readiness crisis that has been created.

Sessions, 69, was an active-duty officer for three years at the tail end of the Vietnam War, and he stayed in the Army Reserve as a captain through 1986. He has pressed for a strong defense on Capitol Hill, raising concerns about cuts the Obama administration made to the defense budget and how the countrys national debt could affect national security.

I am uneasy and very troubled by the fact, it seems to me, that the Defense Department has disproportionately taken reductions, he said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in 2014. Im worried about where we are. Im worried on what kind of damage this may do to the military.

Most prominently, Sessions has pressed for a crackdown on immigration, saying he is opposed to any path for legal citizenship for undocumented immigrants and is in favor of Trumps plan to build a wall on the Southern border.

Sessions also fought unsuccessfully in 2013 to restore about $6 billion in funding to military pensions, offering an amendment that would have instead eliminated money for an Internal Revenue Service credit that undocumented immigrants claimed. The move was blocked by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., but the military pension funding was restored a few months later.

Sessions grew up outside Selma, Ala., and rose to prominence in his home state as a prosecutor. His career has been marked by both service to country and allegations of racism. In 1986, he was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to serve as a federal-district court judge, but a bipartisan panel of Judiciary Committee senators declined to send his nomination to the Senate floor amid allegations that he had said the NAACP was un-American and Communist-inspired and that a white civil rights lawyer was a disgrace to his race. Sessions vigorously denied the allegations.

I am not the Jeff Sessions my detractors have tried to create, he said. I am not a racist. I am not insensitive to blacks. I have supported civil rights activities in my state. I have done my job with integrity, equality and fairness for all.

Sessions recovered politically well enough to be elected as the attorney general in Alabama in 1994 and was elected to the Senate in 1996. He was been reelected three times since, running unopposed in his last election. He is generally considered one of the most conservative senators in the upper chamber.

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Donald Trumps presidential election victory has already been cheered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a constellation of right-wing European populists, a former Ku Klux Klan leader and a Middle Eastern strongman. But theres another curious constituency that seems to be happy about the new American president-elect.

Shortly after Trump was declared the victor, a number of prominent Salafist ideologues linked to jihadist outfits in the Middle East took to social media to cheer the prospect of a Trump presidency.

The remarks signaled the militants apparent belief that the victory of a candidate like Trump, who has suggested potentially unconstitutional blocks on Muslim immigration and advocated torture, undermines the United States moral standing in the world.

Social-media sites associated with both the Islamic State and al-Qaeda also hailed Trumps success as the beginning of dark times for the United States, marked by domestic unrest and new foreign military campaigns would sap the strength of the American superpower.

Rejoice with support from Allah, and find glad tidings in the imminent demise of America at the hands of Trump, said the Islamic State-affiliated al-Minbar Jihadi Media network, one of several jihadi forums to post commentaries on the results of the U.S. election.

Trumps win of the American presidency will bring hostility of Muslims against America as a result of his reckless actions, which show the overt and hidden hatred against them, continued the essay, provided by the SITE Intelligence group, a private organization that monitors jihadists web sites.

Al-Minbar is among several jihadist-lined online publications that sought to capitalize on Trumps controversial statements about Muslim during the election campaign, saying that the alienation of ordinary Muslims is key to their recruitment of foreign fighters. Dabiq, the Islamic States English-language magazine, said its terrorist campaign in Europe was intended to spark an anti-Muslim backlash by Western governments that would force European Muslims to choose sides.

A pro-a-Qaida al-Maqalaat Twitter account predicted that Trump would make the U.S. Enemy No. 1 again in the Muslim Middle East.

Trump will serve as the perfect straw man for the next four years, like Bush did before him, it said.

Now News, a Lebanese English-language website, aggregated a series of other comments from noted Salafist ideologues.

Trumps victory is a powerful slap to those promoting the benefits of democratic mechanisms, tweeted Hamza al-Karibi, a media spokesman for Syrian jihadist group Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, which was formerly affiliated with al-Qaida before rebranding itself this year in a bid to avoid being targeted by both Russian and American airstrikes.

Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, a jihadist ideologue linked to al-Qaida who has close to 60,000 followers on Twitter, gloated about Trumps victory, suggesting that it may be the beginning of Americas fragmentation and the era of its breakup. In a second tweet, he said that Trump reveals the true mentality of the Americans, and their racism toward Muslims and Arabs and everything. He reveals what his predecessors used to conceal. So his victory further exposes America and its appendages.

Have you seen how pleasant a society it is! tweeted another Salafist-jihadist mainstay, Abu Qatada al-Filastini, who was deported from Britain in 2014, to tens of thousands of followers. This is the American society that [supposedly] opposes its leaders policies by not hating or disdaining the world, and then it votes by the millions for Trump!

The reaction of these extremists is the reverse of some of the consternation aired in the United States by Trumps critics, who see in his demagogic rise the unraveling of the American republic and the collapse of the myth of American exceptionalism.

Farther east, in Afghanistan, a spokesman for the Taliban used language not out of place among the ultra-nationalist, populist movements in Europe that aligned themselves with Trumps campaign, oppose immigration and, sometimes, agitate against intervening in conflicts elsewhere.

Our message is that the Americans should draft a policy not to take away the independence and sovereignty of other nations, the militant group said in a statement Wednesday. Most importantly, they should withdraw all their troops from Afghanistan.



With reporting from Joby Warrick in Washington

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Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts on Wednesday announced plans to create a working demonstration farm in China.

The farm, to be called the Nebraska (Yangling) Agricultural Sci-tech Park, is a collaboration between the state, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Yangling Agriculture Hi-tech Demonstration Zone located in Chinas Shaanxi Province.

The nearly 200-acre farm will be managed by a subsidiary of Chinese company Roffar Holdings. Nebraska manufacturers will provide equipment and technical expertise while UNL will provide technical and agronomic advice and assist with farm planning. This will give Nebraska companies a platform to advertise and demonstrate to potential customers and partners.

Ricketts said the farm will assist Nebraska agricultural manufacturers in entering and expanding Chinese markets by demonstrating Nebraska products and technology in a way that will also help improve Chinese agricultural methods.

The promise of this demonstration farm is a big win for our states top two industries, agriculture and manufacturing," Ricketts said in a news release. "The farm gives Nebraskas ag tech manufacturers increased access to Chinese ag producers who are looking for ways to make their operations more productive.

Ricketts is in China on an international trade mission. He arrived Monday and will be in China until Nov. 16.
When she dropped out of the Democratic presidential race in 2008, Hillary Clinton uttered these now-famous words: Although we werent able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, its got about 18 million cracks in it, and the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time.

Its hard to imagine that on that day Clinton thought she would be the one treading the path the next time. After all, she was 61 years old and had watched her frontrunning campaign collapse when faced with the natural political talent of Barack Obama. But, six years later, as Obamas term entered its final turn and Democrats began seriously thinking about the 2016 election, there was Clinton. Again.

At the time, Clintons status as the lone serious Democratic candidate in the 2016 field was touted as a virtue by party insiders. No primary! And shes by far our best candidate anyway, they argued.

The truth  as exposed by Clintons stunning loss to Donald Trump on Tuesday night  was that the Democratic bench was (and is) remarkably thin, a sign of both the relative ill health of the party downballot and the isolated appeal of Obama.

Think about it: Why was Clinton essentially handed the nomination in early 2015? After all, she had failed once already as a frontrunner in 2008. And, she represented a political theory  Clintonism  that was clearly running out of gas in an increasingly tribal and polarized political world. Not to mention that she would be 68 years old on election day 2016, not exactly the next generation of leadership for the party.

The reason for the Clinton or bust strategy was simple: There simply wasnt anyone else. Vice President Joe Biden was a possibility but the death of his oldest son, Beau, in May 2015 effectively sidelined him. (And, at 73 years old, Biden isnt exactly a spring chicken.) Beyond Biden and Clinton, name someone else who looked ready to make a serious run at a national nomination. There isnt anyone. (Trust me, I have thought about virtually every possibility.)

Contrast that to what the Republican field looked like as the 2016 election shaped up: A dozen and a half candidates including a handful of 40-something rising stars (Scott Walker, Marco Rubio, Bobby Jindal, Ted Cruz) as well as a number of other prominent voices (Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, John Kasich) within the national party who had deep and impressive resumes. And a true outsider who was making his first run for president.

That Trump beat all of them is the lasting takeaway for most people. But, in retrospect, the size of the GOP field  for which the party was relentlessly mocked  was also a sign of the partys health up and down the ballot. Democrats heading into 2016 simply didnt have the depth of political talent to put 10 or 12 serious candidates forward. And so they lined up behind Clinton.

Clintons loss exposes the thinness of the Democratic bench. But it doesnt solve the problem.

As it became increasingly clear Clinton would lose on Tuesday night, names began to bubble up as potential 2020 Democratic candidates. Michelle Obama, who has never held or run for office, was the name I heard most. Kamala Harris, who won a California Senate seat Tuesday night(!), was also mentioned. So, too, was Cory Booker, who has been in the Senate for just three years. The other names  Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota  are intriguing candidates but almost entirely unknown even among Democrats nationally.

One of the untold stories of the Obama presidency is how singular his victory was. Yes, Obama won over 330 electoral votes twice. But his success at the ballot box was never transferrable. Democrats lost badly in the Senate and House in 2010 and 2014. And the damage done even further down the ballot was more grave; Democrats lost more than 900 state legislative seats in those two elections.

The result of Obamas lonely victories  coupled with a VP pick in Biden who was not an obvious successor given his age  was a defaulting to Clinton in 2016. And, in the wake of her stunning loss Tuesday night, theres a remarkable paucity of obvious 2020 candidates waiting on the Democratic bench. Thats a major problem for the party which now finds itself out of the White House for the next four years.

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PHOENIX  The federal government had just stripped Sheriff Joe Arpaio of his power to arrest immigrants in the country illegally when the defiant metro Phoenix lawman put his bravado to the test at a 2009 rally.

He stepped to a podium to announce the launch of an immigration crackdown. Protesters howled into megaphones in hopes of drowning out his speech, and federal lawyers investigating him on discrimination allegations milled in the crowd.

We dont have to be controlled by Washington, said the self-proclaimed Americas Toughest Sheriff, only months removed from an unopposed re-election victory.

Arpaios political invincibility ended Tuesday when a little-known retired Phoenix police sergeant unseated him after 24 years in office. It marked a stunning fall for a lawman whose reputation as an immigration enforcer made him wildly popular among conservatives nationwide.

Arpaio attached himself to Donald Trump, but the alliance could not overshadow what became a repudiation of his mounting legal woes and costs to taxpayers stemming from his patrols targeting immigrants.

The election also provided more evidence that Arizona voters care little about immigration. Exit polls showed that only about 1 in 10 voters named immigration as the most important issue, and three-quarters said they supported a path to legal status for immigrants.

The 84-year-old sheriff didnt make any public appearances on Election Night, issuing a statement saying he was disappointed by the results but congratulated the winner, Paul Penzone.

My thanks and appreciation to the people of Maricopa County for the faith and trust they put in me over the years, Arpaio said.

His downfall proved partly tied to a criminal contempt-of-court charge for his acknowledged defiance of a judges order in a racial profiling case stemming from his immigration patrols. He also cost taxpayers $130 million to defend him in lawsuits over his tenure.

Federal prosecutors brought the misdemeanor charge two weeks before Election Day. He is set for a Dec. 6 trial and could face up to six months in jail if convicted.

The sheriff represented the last vestige of a movement started a decade ago by Arizona politicians who advocated for local police to crack down on illegal immigration.

Members of the movement saw Arpaio as the stalwart who could be counted on to vigorously enforce state laws aimed at curbing immigrant smuggling and employers who hire people in the country illegally.

The movement gradually lost steam after immigrant smuggling in Arizona declined and the courts threw out the states most stringent immigration laws.

Arpaio didnt start out as an immigration enforcer.

Shortly after his first election, the retired federal drug agent won high marks from voters for jailing inmates in tents in Phoenixs summer heat, dressing them in pink underwear and denying them coffee and cigarettes. He served them bologna sandwiches on dry bread.

The sheriff bragged over the years that his tough jail conditions were the source of his popularity.

I can get elected on pink underwear, Arpaio told The Associated Press in 2010.

His tactics appealed to voters who believed, as he did, that jail should not be comfortable. But his jail management drew a steady stream of lawsuits.

Arpaio initially was slow to get into the border battle he came to be known for. He said an Army reservist who detained immigrants at gunpoint in 2005 broke the law by taking it into his own hands.

But months later, Arpaio wholeheartedly jumped into immigration enforcement after Arizona passed a law banning immigrant smuggling. He said his officers would target smugglers, not people who come to the country illegally merely to work.

In the end, his officers went after mostly immigrants and few smugglers and employers. They arrested 700 immigrants on charges of using fraudulent IDs to get jobs. He also launched patrols known as sweeps, in which deputies flooded part of a city  sometimes heavily Latino areas  to seek out traffic violators and other offenders.

Arpaio harnessed his reputation for fundraising before the courts and federal government forced him out of immigration enforcement two years ago.

Mostly out-of-state donors gave $12.3 million to his last campaign, with many saying they liked that Arpaio arrested immigrants. Candidates nationwide, including GOP presidential hopefuls, sought his endorsement to bolster their immigration credentials.

His image as a crime fighter was tarnished when his office failed to adequately investigate more than 400 sex-crimes cases, including dozens of allegations of child molestation, over a three-year period ending in 2007.

Years later, Arpaio apologized for botching the cases but complained bitterly to news reporters about the lasting negative impressions. Though he managed to win re-election after the scandal, Arpaio was slowly dragged down by the racial profiling case.

Taxpayers who have already paid $48 million in legal costs in the case will be feeling the financial pain for years. The costs are expected to reach $72 million, due in large part to court-ordered changes in the agency.

___

Follow Jacques Billeaud at twitter.com/jacquesbilleaud. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/jacques-billeaud.
PHOENIX  A Phoenix man who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the 2014 stabbing death of his roommate has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Maricopa County Superior Court officials say Mykel Cooper also was sentenced Wednesday to five years of supervised probation.

The 25-year-old Cooper also pleaded guilty to burglary last month in the case.

He originally had been charged with first-degree murder in the December 2014 killing of 29-year-old Steven Horkovy.

The victims body was found in his room in their apartment after Cooper told staff at a behavioral health facility that hed done something bad to his roommate.

Police had taken Cooper to the facility after they were called to a restaurant where Cooper said he didnt have any money to pay for his meal.
This fall, after Iranian naval vessels veered dangerously close to American ships in the Middle East, then-candidate Donald Trump promised a swift response.

With Iran, when they circle our beautiful destroyers with their little boats, and they make gestures at our people that they shouldnt be allowed to make, they will be shot out of the water, the Republican presidential nominee told supporters in September.

Trumps vow to escalate a standoff with a significant military power stood in contrast to the Obama administrations calibrated response to the naval confrontations with Iran, which included using loudspeakers to wave off approaching ships and firing warning shots into the water.

It also raises questions about what the nation can expect from a commander in chief who, as a candidate, vowed to upend many of the fundamentals of U.S. defense policy and transform the use of the worlds most powerful military.

Hes got a fundamental decision now about whether hes going to continue in the same vein as president, said Michael OHanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. If you literally implement his [campaigns] security policy, youre probably risking war in multiple theaters simultaneously.

During a speech on security policy in September, Trump promised his dealings with the world would be based on diplomacy, not destruction. But many of his sometimes contradictory statements on foreign policy have suggested the opposite, leaving defense experts scrambling after his surprise election victory over Hillary Clinton to evaluate how Trump would shape the United States military posture.

Brian Katulis, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank, said that Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence had expressed a range of positions but never offered a full blueprint on security issues. America is in uncharted territory on defense policy, he said.

Some of the statements that have created the most consternation among current and former officials included suggestions that the United States could withdraw from NATO, statements of support for allowing new nuclear nations, and a proposal to take out families of suspected terrorists. He also said that he would resume imprisonment of terrorist suspects at Guantanamo Bay, which President Obama has struggled for eight years to close, and renew the use of torture during prisoner interrogations.

As a candidate, Trump has suggested in some cases a more muscular response to events overseas, possibly including to Chinas land reclamation activities in the South China Sea. The candidate also promised a harder line on the Islamic State but has provided little detail about how he would do so.

Trump could take office with two major U.S.-backed offensives underway in the Syrian city of Raqqa and the Iraqi city of Mosul, providing allied forces an opportunity to deliver a major blow against Islamic State militants and offering the next president a chance to claim a tactical victory.

In other areas, Trump has suggested a more conciliatory approach to U.S. adversaries. Those include Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite his annexation of Crimea in Ukraine, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, despite the countrys spiraling civilian death toll. Trump also signaled less appetite for foreign interventions than his competitor might have favored.

Trump supporters have suggested the president-elect wont deliver on his most inflammatory statements and say that they expect continuity on many central defense issues: commitments to defend NATO members, alliances with South Korea and Japan, even something close to the uneasy status quo with Russia.

Some of Trumps proposals may encounter resistance from military leaders, including a suggestion that he would broaden military cooperation with Russia in Syria. A similar Obama administration proposal earlier this year generated intense Pentagon opposition, as military officials worried about giving Russia valuable insight into their operations.

Other proposals from Trump will sit well with the military leadership. He has promised to eliminate congressionally mandated spending caps, for example, and restore cuts to personnel and equipment that he said have left the military dangerously unprepared. If he can succeed in getting NATO nations to contribute more to shared defense without rupturing the alliance, it would also be a popular move.

OHanlon said Trump could find a way to find a kinder, gentler way to pressure the allies to burden share, and he need not withdraw commitments or he need not do it immediately.

No matter what, Trump may find it harder to execute his defense plans once in office than expected.

I think he will discover what Mitt Romney would have discovered in 2012, which is that the money has to come from somewhere to pay for defense priorities, said Christopher Preble, a scholar at the libertarian Cato Institute. While Trump has promised to pay for military spending increases with government savings, a major boost could run afoul of Congress if it required new borrowing or a tax increase.

The defense bureaucracy could prove difficult to tame in other ways if, as has taken place in the past, Pentagon leaders push back against the White House during the policymaking process or publicize information that can sway public opinion about pressing defense issues.

Uniformed leaders, in keeping with the law and military tradition, are certain to fall in line with presidential mandates. The exception would be if those orders break the law, as his proposals to permit torture or intentionally attack civilians would probably do.

The sheer volume of defense issues facing the next president means that President Trump will need to delegate to his staff.

While little is known about the campaigns personnel plans, retired Maj. Gen. Joseph Keith Kellogg Jr., who commanded the storied 82nd Airborne Division in the late 1990s, is one senior adviser expected to steer the military transition. While Trump has distanced himself from the traditional Republican foreign policy establishment, some veterans of the George W. Bush administration are expected to flock to government again. Several Republican leaders, including Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., have been named as a potential defense secretary pick.



Julie Tate and Adam Entous contributed to this report.

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WASHINGTON  District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser conceded Wednesday that the referendum she pushed to make the nations capital the 51st state would likely go nowhere in the wake of the election of Donald Trump.

The mayors acknowledgment  before District officials had even finished counting ballots  laid bare the stark political consequences for the nations capital stemming from the Republicans upset win.

Obviously, part of our strategy was to be ready for when we had like-minded people elected in the White House and in the Congress Bowser said. We are, you know, ready for that day  when it comes.

During eight years under President Barack Obama, District leaders had not only loosened marijuana laws and fought to maintain strict gun-control policies. They also had begun to dream of full-fledged statehood for the federal territory, which has a population larger than Vermont or Wyoming.

Bowser and statehood advocates crafted a referendum to push the issue with Congress, and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton had heightened expectations, saying that if elected, she would champion the cause. On Tuesday, 79 percent of voters approved a draft constitution for a 51st state.

But faced the next day with the reality that D.C. will soon begin preparations for a Trump inauguration, Bowser said her hope for full equality and a vote in Congress for the District would have to wait, again, for a better political environment.

Michael Brown, one of the Districts non-voting shadow Senators, put it simply.

We need to move on to Plan B, Brown said. He advocated a multimillion-dollar national advertising campaign to keep the issue alive.

But the mayor and many council members said they would consider that idea later. First, they were girding for attacks on city policies ranging from gun-control to protections for transgender people to the District law that has legalized recreational use of marijuana.

My concern is, what does an unchecked hostile Congress look like? said Ward 1 Council member Brianne Nadeau (D). Weve been dealing with a hostile Congress for years now, but we had a protective backstop in President Obama. We will not have a protective backstop in President Trump.

Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, who has tried repeatedly to restrict open carry of firearms in the nations capital, said he didnt want to draw attention to gun-control measures that Republicans might target.

The challenge is on us to work with the new federal government, Mendelson said. Instead of assuming we have friends, we are going to have to work to win friends and minimize the possibility we draw enemies.

A first challenge could come early in the year when Congress must pass a federal spending measure to keep the government running. The District has taken steps this year to assert more financial autonomy, spending money more like a state than a federal agency. But the authority could be stripped away with a single sentence inserted in a new federal spending bill.

Bowser said her first concern surrounds costs the District might incur if Congress repeals Obamas Affordable Care Act. Theres no answer for how wed fund that, she said.

Although not optimistic, the mayor promised to keep pressing the case for statehood. Bowser, in fact, said she was bound by the outcome of the referendum to still petition the next Congress in January.

The mayor said officials need to study whether it could also afford a public relations campaign.

It is clear that we need to spend a lot more time educating other states and we need to figure out what were willing to pay to do that, she said.

Under the referendum, the District would split into a new state for its residential areas and leave a smaller, federal district containing government buildings and monuments.

Bowser and statehood advocates crafted the referendum in hopes of emulating the way residents in Tennessee petitioned Congress to join the Union in 1796.

Congress said it would grant statehood to Tennessee, a federal territory at the time, if residents there approved a constitution and committed to a republican form of government.

But partisan politics have long made D.C. statehood a non-starter with Republicans in Congress.

D.C. has a population of more than 672,000 and its residents pay more in federal taxes than those in 22 states. But Democrats outnumber Republicans in the District by a margin of more than 2 to 1.

That means if it were allowed to become a state, the District would likely elect two Democratic senators and a Democratic member of the House, a prospect that disturbs most Republicans in Congress.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the powerful House oversight committee, said in an interview this year that D.C. statehood would never happen on his watch.

He and other Republicans also believe statehood violates the Constitution, which they say gives Congress supreme authority over what happens in the capital city.

Council member Elissa Silverman, I-At large, said District leaders need to focus on protecting progressive policies in the era of Trump.

Statehood is off the table. We have a Republican-controlled House and Senate, and a Republican president, she said. To be honest with you, I havent unpacked what really happened last night.

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Scientists have developed a set of wireless brain and spinal cord implants that helped monkeys with severed spinal cords regain control over their paralyzed limbs and walk again.

The device, reported Wednesday in the journal Nature, is the first to give a paralyzed primate the ability to control its limbs with its brain.

Were actually taking brain signals and putting them back into the nervous system at the spinal cord level to activate locomotion, said David Borton, a neuroengineer at Brown University and co-author of the study. That hasnt been done before.

The achievement is the latest in a series of rapid advances in the field of neuroprosthetics, with engineers and neuroscientists using tiny implants to decode signals from the brain and relay them to other parts of the body.

Earlier this year, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center demonstrated that an electrode smaller than a grain of sand could be implanted in the brain of a paralyzed man to allow him to experience the sense of touch with a mind-controlled robotic arm. Another project restored a quadriplegic mans control over his via a brain implant and electronic sleeve.

But neither of those studies involved a wireless device  something that will be essential if scientists hope to help paralyzed humans walk again, according to co-author Gregoire Courtine, a neuroscientist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

The monkeys can just walk around freely, he said.

One half of the device is a small electrode, no larger than the tip of a pinkie finger, that was inserted into the motor center of each monkeys brain. The electrode picked up signals related to leg motion and beamed the patterns to a nearby computer, which interpreted what they meant.

Each of these steps represented a scientific breakthrough: Researchers had to develop an implant capable of tracing signals through the brain at the neural level. The implant needed to be able to communicate wirelessly with a computer outside the body. And the computer required software that understood what each electrical signal meant  stop, go, bend knee, plant foot, tilt forward, etc.

The computer then relayed its interpretation of the signal to a second implant located along the monkeys spinal cord below the injury site. Before the implant, this part of the nervous system was cut off from the brain. The circuits were silent. Each monkey was unable to move one of its hind legs.

But Courtine and his colleagues engineered the implant to stimulate the spinal cord according to one of two patterns dictated by the monkeys own brain. One pattern of electric pulses would instigate the swing phase of locomotion, the other prompted the stance phase.

The series of signals, when applied correctly, tapped into spinal cord circuits related to locomotion that had previously been dormant. From there, the signal traveled to muscles in the monkeys paralyzed leg, moving it as though the message had come directly from the monkeys brain.

The primates gait was not quite normal, and this technology is still a long way from being implemented in people. If and when it does become available for human patients, its unlikely that it will completely restore lost abilities. The goal is to improve rehabilitation by strengthening neural circuits on both sides of the injury.

 Neurons that fire together tend to wire together, Borton said. If we think about the possibilities for rehabilitation, one of the big goals for this project is to leverage the intrinsic learning capabilities of the body to help strengthen remaining connections that may be in the spinal cord even after an injury.

Courtine has previously used neuroprosthetics to restore the ability to walk, run and navigate stairs in lab rats. This experiment was performed on two rhesus monkeys that had one of their legs paralyzed by a surgery that partially transected their spinal cords.

Such animal research is controversial, but Borton said its essential to test these tools on primates  whose sophisticated nervous systems are much closer to ours than rats systems are  if scientists ever want to apply them to humans.

Chad Bouton, director of the Center for Bioelectronic Medicine at Feinstein Institute in New York, called the study an important step forward for neuroprosthetics  no pun intended.

It does continue to show that this idea of rerouting signals from the brain to paralyzed muscles is very promising for treating paralysis and neurological injuries, said Bouton, the lead author of an April study on the project that used an implant and electronic sleeve to give a quadriplegic man control of his hand.

In contrast with that experiment, which used brain signals to directly stimulate the muscles of the hand, the authors of the Nature study opted to direct motion via the spinal cord, Bouton noted. They were able to do this because they had recorded the spinal cords stimulation patterns related to locomotion before performing the surgery that would paralyze the monkeys. This was helpful for lab research, he said, but it wouldnt be feasible when treating a human patient.

Borton acknowledged that this technology still has a long way to go. When asked how long before it might help a human walk again, he declined to even speculate  thats just asking to be proven wrong, he said.

But he thinks researchers are on the right track. Watching the video of the monkey taking its first steps is powerful from a very internal part of our bodies, he said. To see something move that didnt move before.



Video: Brain implant helps paralyzed monkeys regain the ability to walk

URL: http://wapo.st/2fEjfLK

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PHOENIX  Immigrants who rejoiced at the ousting of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio have someone else to worry about  President-Elect Donald Trump, whose anti-immigrant sentiment helped propel his candidacy.

Immigrant activists in Phoenix said Wednesday theyre worried about their status and hope a Trump presidency will unite people in the same way they came together to beat Arpaio.

The defeat came 24 years after Arpaio first took office in Arizonas most populous county. He was handily beaten Tuesday by Democrat Paul Penzone.

Arpaio is known for his immigration patrols and many Hispanics in the county despise him.

Trump launched his candidacy for president by calling Mexican immigrants rapists and vowing to ban Muslims from entering the country. His victory speech, however, called for unity.

About a dozen activists who gathered outside Arpaios headquarters acknowledged their mix of emotions involving Arpaio and Trump, who says he plans to slow legal and illegal immigration.

It seems Trump has backed off previous threats to deport the estimated 11 million immigrants in the U.S. who lack legal status, but he has held on to other hard-line stances on immigration.

Michael Nazario, an activist with Living United for Change in Arizona, one of the organizations behind the effort to unseat the sheriff, said it felt great to see him lose.

But soon we began seeing the votes coming in for the states and we realized this might be an uphill battle, he said about the election of Trump.

Nazario was brought to the country illegally as a child and has deferred action status, which means he cant be deported and can legally work under an Obama administration program. Hes on a path to get permanent residency through his wife, an American citizen, but still worries for his parents, who lack legal status.

I didnt expect Donald Trump to win in this election but it just comes to show that there is this hate lingering across the nation, Nazario said.

The disappointment with Trumps victory extended to hundreds of high school students who staged walk-out protests on Wednesday, marching to the statehouse with megaphones and chanting Trump is not their president. Hundreds of students also protested on Tuesday in the Phoenix neighborhood of Maryvale.

Arpaio opponents say they hope a Trump presidency will unite Latinos and immigrants.

I believe (Arpaio) has taken my fear and I think its time to unite and its time to organize ourselves and Im not afraid, Maria Rodriguez of Phoenix said during a news conference held by Bazta Arpaio, a grassroots movement that helped oust the sheriff.

Rodriguez, 40, was deported and stayed in Mexico for three years. Her U.S.-born daughter and naturalized citizen son, who were in high school and middle school at the time, stayed in Arizona. Shes back in the U.S. with a humanitarian visa and is awaiting an immigrant court case.

My family was separated. I dont want other families to be separated, she said.

Tania Unzueta, 32, said she is worried about her status as an immigrant with deferred action status but confident that immigrants will fight against any policies that hurt them.

I also think we have lived the last eight years under the president whos deported the most people in the history of the United States and that there are undocumented people who have shown a lot of strength and the power of organizing and what it means to be unafraid, Unzueta said.
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Bern, 09.11.2016 - Federal Councillor and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Didier Burkhalter, received today his Kosovar counterpart Enver Hoxhaj in Bern as part of an official visit. The two ministers addressed a number of questions related to the close bilateral relations between Switzerland and Kosovo, specifically from the perspective of the two countries' mutual interests in migration and development cooperation. The agenda also featured both the regional context  relations with neighbouring states and the normalisation of relations with Serbia  and international and multilateral issues.

At his meeting with his Kosovar counterpart, which took place on Wednesday in the 'Salon du President' in the Federal Palace, Mr Burkhalter emphasised how Switzerland values the warm relations that it enjoys with Kosovo. These are characterised in particular by strong human ties, expressed in the numerous common interests with regard to social, economic and political issues. The latter were also discussed by the two ministers. Mr Burkhalter, for example, raised the partnership on migration, which benefits both countries, and saluted the regular exchanges and positive working relationship between the Swiss and Kosovar authorities, especially where the readmission of nationals is concerned.

The two ministers also addressed the challenges that Kosovo still faces eight years after becoming independent. Didier Burkhalter emphasised the need to strengthen democratic institutions and political dialogue in order to ensure lasting stability. Switzerland has been engaged in Kosovo since 1998 and is one of the country's principal partners and donors on the ground. In view of the mutual interest in this commitment, it values the fact that the Kosovar authorities are stepping up their efforts in the current programme of reforms, as well as in the establishment of a constitutional state. Mr Burkhalter assured Mr Hoxhaj of Switzerland's willingness to maintain its support for Kosovo's endeavours towards good governance. To achieve both the regional and European integration of Kosovo, Switzerland stands alongside the international community as an active player in the country, providing support for projects promoting economic development and vocational training, water systems and health. Switzerland welcomes the progress that has been achieved in these areas, specifically the greater access that young people now have to vocational training, as well as the availability of mains water to those living in rural areas.

Mr Burkhalter also talked with Mr Hoxhaj about the situation in the region. Here, too, he underlined the importance of stability, pointing out that Switzerland's participation in the international Kosovo Force (KFOR) peace mission represents the country's largest military engagement abroad. Relations between Kosovo and its neighbouring countries, including Serbia, also featured on the agenda for the meeting. Mr Burkhalter learned from Mr Hoxhaj about how Kosovo sees the situation, in particular the delicate question of certain borders, and the possibility of a breakthrough. They also discussed the initial stages of the process of normalising relations between Belgrade and Pristina.

Mr Burkhalter and Mr Hoxhaj concluded their meeting by discussing international and multilateral issues. These included the European outlook on Kosovo, as well as the rapprochement between Kosovo and certain international organisations and European institutions, such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the Council of Europe.

There are some 200,000 to 250,000 Kosovars currently living in Switzerland and providing significant financial support to their young state. Trade between Switzerland and Kosovo remains nonetheless modest, and the transition of the country to a functioning and competitive market economy remains an enormous challenge.

Address for enquiries

FDFA Communication

Federal Palace West Wing

CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland

Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53

Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55

E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch

Twitter: @SwissMFA

Publisher

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html




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Gale A. Totten, 95, Lincoln, passed away November 3, 2016. Born February 8, 1921, in Rock Township, Kan., to George and Etta (Graham) Totten. Vice president of engineering with May Broadcasting, subsequently assistant director of engineering for Nebraska Educational Television (NETV).

Family members include his wife, Betty; children, Gary (Kathy) Totten, Linda (Jon) Vanderhoof, Sandi Hogan, Pam Webb, Patti Larson and Terry (Michaela) Totten; 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by his parents; three brothers and two sisters.

Graveside service: 2 p.m. Friday, November 11, Voss -Mohr Cemetery, 138nd and Harrison, Omaha. Following the graveside service, a celebration of his life will be at the Montclair Community Center, 2304 S. 135th Ave., Omaha. Condolences online at Roperandsons.com `
A Cass County grand jury will convene in March to investigate the killing of Austin M. Baier by a sheriffs deputy during a Sept. 21 traffic stop, District Judge Paul Korslund said in a news release Tuesday.

Nebraska State Patrol investigators believe the 23-year-old Louisville man got out of his car and charged Cass County Deputy Sheriff Tyler Reiff as he got out of his cruiser in Louisville that evening.

Reiff ordered Baier to stop and shot at him five times when he didn't comply, according to the patrol. Baier was not armed.

A pathologist determined Baier bled to death after a bullet hit his pulmonary artery, Cass County Attorney Nathan Cox said in a news release Tuesday.

The grand jury will determine whether formal charges should be filed in his death, Korslund said. State law requires a grand jury be called within 30 days after a death is certified as happening in police custody or while being apprehended.

The Cass County grand jury will convene March 22 at 9 a.m. Korslund said the court's busy schedule prevents the jury from being impaneled sooner.

Reiff, 25, was placed on administrative leave during the investigation; it wasn't clear Tuesday whether he has returned to duty.

He said he stopped Baier on suspicion of reckless driving after someone reported a car was spinning around in circles in the front lawn of a home east of town.

Patrol investigators found a hunting knife on the dashboard of Baier's car but nothing on him.
Twenty-two people are under investigation for suspected tax evasion following an examination of the Panama Papers by a UK Government taskforce, Philip Hammond has said.

The Chancellor also told MPs the taskforce has identified nine "potential professional enablers of economic crime" with links to known criminals, and found "a number of leads" relevant to a Financial Conduct Authority-led operation into insider trading.

Links to eight ongoing Serious Fraud Office investigations have been established, 43 wealthy people are under "special review" while their links to Panama are further investigated, and 64 firms have been contacted to determine their links with Mossack Fonseca, Mr Hammond added.

He said other matters identified by the taskforce include referring 26 offshore companies to the National Crime Agency (NCA) for "potentially suspicious" financial activity, with the firms having previously "concealed" beneficial ownership of UK property.

Mr Hammond said other people have also come forward to "settle their affairs in advance of taskforce partners taking action".

Further investigation into areas including links to organised crime will take place in the coming months, the Cabinet minister added.

The 10 million taskforce, led by HM Revenue and Customs and the NCA, was established by former prime minister David Cameron to investigate allegations of tax-dodging linked to the leak of millions of documents from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca.

Mr Cameron's personal finances came under scrutiny and he later admitted he handled the row over his profits from an offshore fund badly.

But he added the way the fund was set up offshore by his father Ian Cameron amounted to "entirely standard practice" and was not to avoid tax.

MPs have voiced concerns about the taskforce being unable to get its hands on the relevant documents from journalists, with the Government previously noting it faced "logistical barriers".

In a written statement to MPs, Mr Hammond said: "In its short existence, the taskforce has added greatly to the UK's understanding of the ever more complex and contrived structures that are being developed to mask offshore tax evasion and economic crime.

"This intelligence will ensure that the UK remains uniquely placed to contribute to the international effort to uncover, and take action on, wrongdoing, regardless of how deeply hidden the arrangements are, as well as identify those jurisdictions where regulatory oversight requires improvement.

"We can today report that the taskforce has opened civil and criminal investigations into 22 individuals for suspected tax evasion."

Mr Hammond listed the further work, telling MPs: "The taskforce's respective partners will engage the relevant prosecuting authorities to bring any identified wrongdoing before the courts."

He added: "Taskforce members are present in Panama, using established relationships with the Panamanian authorities, and working with diplomatic colleagues, to offer support to analyse all the available data."

Shadow treasury minister Rebecca Long-Bailey said: "The fact that the Government has sneaked this out in a written statement just before recess probably says all you need to know about how seriously they are really taking the issue of tackling tax avoidance.

"And you can see why they are trying to hide this statement, when you consider that back in April they claimed they were looking into 700 leads but today they are saying they're only investigating 22 individuals - that is a 3% rate of following down these leads."
It was announced this month that Compar AG will establish an Engineering Development and Sales Centre in Waterford with the creation of 15 highly skilled jobs over the next few years.



The company is a privately held image processing (machine vision) and robotics solutions provider, headquartered in Pfaffikon, Switzerland. Compar AG is a market leader in machine vision systems and robotics in Switzerland and designs, develops, integrates and installs sophisticated automated visions systems to inspect and authenticate both products and packaging during the manufacturing process.

Additionally, Compar AG is the exclusive distributor in Switzerland for Epson Industrial Robots, and a platinum partner with Cognex for smart cameras. There client base is spread across a number of industries including Lifesciences, Automotive, Packaging and Electronics.

Compar has selected Waterford as its Irish base due to the high level of engineering skills available, proximity to 3rd level institutions, as well as the proximity to several large players in the medical and pharmaceutical industry based there.



The roles created at their new facility in Waterford will focus across a range of professions including mechanical and electrical engineering, finance, sales, marketing and support functions.



CEO of Compar, Tobias Lussi said, "Our business in the medical and pharmaceutical market in Ireland is growing strongly. To be successful, we must be close to our customers. I look forward to our success in Ireland and I would like to thank the Irish Government and IDA Ireland for their support."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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Low-price alternatives can be good, but the features can be slim pickins

Just like nearly everything else, customer satisfaction with wireless services is trending down. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Wireless Phone Service and Cell Phone Study 2021-2022, that segment retreated 1.4% to a score of 73 (out of 100).

But there is a silver lining to that cloud. Satisfaction with value mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) like Boost Mobile, Consumer Cellular, and Mint, which buy minutes from the mobile big boys like...
We adamantly oppose this pipeline going through our farm, says a letter signed by Francis and Janice Goebel, as there are no guarantees it will never have leaks or other environmental problems. This only benefits ETP, or Energy Transfer Partners, the company behind the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline, and not me, my wife or any public purpose.

Before the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota began its months-long, public standoff with Energy Transfer Partners and the Morton County Sheriffs department over the Dakota Access Pipeline, saying that the project put their water supply at risk and that they weren't properly consulted, landowners, environmental scientists, and agricultural experts in Iowa voiced similar concerns about the project.

The Goebel family, like other Iowa landowners in the path of the Dakota Access Pipeline, wrote letters to the Iowa Utilities Board in July 2015 urging the agency to reject necessary permits there for the project. Our century-plus-old farm was taken care of for four generations and I will do my best to keep it that way, they wrote in their objection.

Some of the landowners describe being threatened by Energy Transfer Partners with eminent domain, even before the Iowa Utilities Board granted its approval for the pipeline. The piece of land on my farm which Bakken wishes to condemn has been in our family for over 80 years, Herman Rook wrote to the Iowa Utilities Board.

Iowas soil is an irreplaceable resource that should not be subject to irreversible damage from the construction of a pipeline and potential spills after the pipeline would be in use...Use of eminent domain for a pipeline is unfair, says another letter, signed by Catherine Scott. And Iowan farmers Sandra Renegar and Candace Chesney, whose land is also in the path of the pipeline, wrote to the state utility agency that they had been given no information about the project and wouldnt have unless we had shown initiative to seek it ourselves.

Researchers and scientists give warning

Several months later, in October 2015, the Iowa Utilities Board held a hearing to determine whether they should grant the permits to Energy Transfer Partners. Testimony from experts in land and the environment suggests that the local farmers' concerns werent unfounded.

Dr. Erwin Klaas, an ecology professor at Iowa State University who used to work for the United States Department of Interior and then served on his countys soil conversation district, told the Iowa Utilities Board that pipeline construction will immediately and directly affect more than 6,200 acres of land in Iowa, most of it prime agricultural land.

Klaas also told the board, according to hearing transcripts, that construction will remove three soil horizons that will be impossible to restore to its original productivity." The temperature of the oil in the pipeline may prevent farmers' soil from freezing, he added,which would subject the land to erosion.

Dr. James Hansen, the prominent climate scientist formerly at NASA and currently at Columbia University, who once described the Keystone Pipeline XL Pipeline as game over for the planet, testified in his home state that the impacts of this pipeline would spread much further than the borders of Iowa.

While Hansens research has already suggested that humans have pumped too much carbon into the atmosphere to prevent climate change, he testified to the Iowa Utilities Board that much of the damage can still be stopped: Restoration of our climate system, and thus, protection of our childrens future, is still possible if we act with reason, courage, and no further delay."

Short on details

The immediate environmental impacts of the pipeline construction on Iowan land, according to the experts who testified against it last year, are also unclear because Energy Transfer Partners studies were short on details, they said. Dr. John Doershuk, Iowas State Archaeologist, said that Energy Transfer Partners never consulted with him before seeking permits for the project, and he described their archeological investigations on the route as woefully inadequate.

Doershuk, as well as Hansen, Klaas and six other experts provided their testimony against the Dakota Access Pipeline on behalf of Sierra Clubs Iowa chapter, which unsuccessfully organized a campaign to stop the project.

In June of this year, despite the objections from landowners and experts, the Iowa Utilities Board gave Energy Transfer Partners the go-ahead to begin pipeline construction on all state land outside the jurisdiction of the US Army Corps of Engineers, which regulates most of the pipeline's route and has already granted approval for much of the project. The utilities board was not swayed by the expert opinions testifying on Sierra Clubs behalf. No, just the opposite, Wily Taylor, the Chair of Sierra Clubs Iowa chapter, tells ConsumerAffairs.

Pipeline gains ground

By September, Energy Transfer Partners announced that the entire Dakota Access Pipeline project was already 60 percent complete. The 1,172 mile pipeline is supposed to transfer crude oil from North Dakotas Bakken oil fields to Illinois, and is crossing South Dakota and Iowa along the way.

I am proud of our work on Dakota Access, CEO Kelcy Warren said in a letter to shareholders at the time, as controversies at the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota began attracting national attention. We have designed the state-of-the-art Dakota Access pipeline as a safer and more efficient method of transporting crude oil than the alternatives being used today, namely rail and truck. (Spokespeople for the Energy Transfer Partners have not returned a recent interview request).

To be sure, reports and studies do suggest that transporting crude oil via pipeline is safer than rail or truck, where accidents can create lethal explosions. But environmentalists say that pipeline leaks are not uncommon and have more long-lasting consequences.

Although an explosion from a rail car is more dramatic, the damage is much less severe and is more restrictive in terms of area, Pam Mackey-Taylor of Sierra Club Iowa tells ConsumerAffairs. Regardless, Sierra Club's goal is to curb fossil fuel dependency all-together, they say, rather than propose alternative methods to transport oil.

Feds threaten protesters with eviction

On December 4, military veterans plan to arrive at the protest camps in North Dakota to defend the water protectors, as the protesters on the reservation call themselves. The Army Corps of Engineers, coincidentally or not, announced last week that they would evacuate the main protest camp on December 5 and set up a free speech zone further from the construction area.

But the federal agencies that have allowed the pipeline to cross through four states have also lent some timid approval to the protesters in recent months. The Corps of Engineers announced on November 14 that they would temporarily halt planned pipeline construction under Lake Oahe, a source of water for the Sioux and now the site of intense protests.

That follows an announcement President Barack Obama made this year that he would ask Energy Transfer Partners to "voluntarily" halt construction on federal land near Lake Oahe, which connects to the Missouri River through the Oahe Dam.

Whether Energy Transfer Partners has followed that request is unclear. The Corps only says that they expect the pipeline company to follow all federal laws. The pipeline company has not been granted the easement that is required before any horizontal drilling beneath USACE [United States Army Corps of Engineers]-managed federal lands at Lake Oahe can begin, Corps spokesperson Moira Kelley tells ConsumerAffairs via email.

The easement necessary for the pipeline to cross USACE-managed federal land at Lake Oahe is currently under review. We expect all parties involved to adhere to federal law. There is no timeline for this review period. A determination is expected in the near future.
Republican Donald Trump has prevailed over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the race for the presidency, winning the White House as Republicans also maintained their majorities in both the House and Senate.

Final counts vary depending on where they are reported, but CNN shows the electoral vote count at 289 Trump, 218 Clinton. Senate races so far appear to have wound up with 51 Republicans, 47 Democrats; House races with 235 Republicans, 191 Democrats.

A Republican-led Senate paves the way for Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, to step up to be next years Senate Banking Committee chairman. Crapo has a history of supporting regulatory relief, a key pursuit of NAFCUs in its efforts to ensure a positive regulatory environment for the nations member-owned credit unions.

Projections last night also had Republican Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Richard Burr of North Carolina holding onto their seats for another term; and Democrat Josh Gottheimer defeating incumbent Rep. Scott Garrett, R-N.J.
NATO Cyberwar: Establishing Rules Of Engagement

Counter-measures are operations that would otherwise be unlawful but can be used if the purpose is to stop another state from violating the law.

In a red brick building on a 19th-century Russian czarist military compound in Tallinn, Estonia, a team of cyber experts is analyzing the hacking of the Democratic National Committee and how a Western democracy can legally respond.

Inside, the building is cutting-edge high-tech. These military officers, lawyers and cyber techies are part of NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, carrying out research, training and exercises. One of their biggest challenges: When it comes to cyber, so far, there is no agreed-upon international law of war.

"The international community is extraordinarily interested in this," said Michael N. Schmitt, chairman of the US Naval War College's international law department. "They're struggling with questions like, when the Russians hack into the DNC database and then release it, is that a violation of international law? What doors does that open with respect to our responses?"

Three years ago, Schmitt and his team at the NATO Cyber Centre wrote the book, literally, on international law and the use of cyber in warfare, the "Tallinn Manual." Applying principles of the international law of war, they provided answers to questions like: "In war, how can you use cyber and how can you not use it? If you operate against civilians, is that prohibited?"

They're now completing the "Tallinn Manual 2.0," examining how international law applies to cyber-attacks that don't cross the line into armed conflict by one state against another or by a terrorist group that kills civilians, what's called "below the threshold" operations.

The DNC hacks and the release of emails are "below the threshold" operations and, although Russia denies it did the hacking, the US government has been extraordinarily clear in accusing Moscow, citing 17 US government agencies that have concluded Russia was behind it.

"This, in my opinion, has reached a specific threshold in the audacity and impact of the attack," said the Cyber Defence Centre's Strategy Branch Chief Matthijs Veenendaal, a Dutch citizen. "This is still very much an attack on civilian infrastructure and government infrastructures and not an armed attack."

If that's the case, did Russia violate international law? Schmitt has no doubt. "In my mind, it is crystal clear that the Russians have violated international law in this particular case." But here is where it gets less clear: Schmitt and other experts say Russia and cyber-savvy countries like China are "playing the margins."

"They're operating within the space where there is some degree of uncertainty," he explained. If Russia had destroyed America's cyber infrastructure, that would be a use of force and hence a violation. If Russia is simply engaging in low-level espionage, that's a violation of domestic US law, but probably not a violation of international law.

Schmitt, however, called the DNC hack a "prohibited intervention into the internal affairs of the United States," affairs that include running elections, and that means it is a violation of international law.

It may also be a violation of US sovereignty, he said. If Russia is simply "infiltrating" data, or stealing it but not doing anything with it, that's not a violation, but if there is proof it is using data and manipulating election results, that would be a violation.

As Schmitt sees it, the DNC hacks are not a game-changer, but a major disruption of the US economy would be. "My personal view is that would constitute moving over the threshold and allow us to take off the gloves."

"But," he added, "that view is not universally held."

Vice President Joe Biden has indicated the US will retaliate against the hack of the DNC and other Democratic Party entities, warning that the administration will be "sending a message" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin, he said, "will know it, and it will be at the time of our choosing, and under the circumstances that have the greatest impact."

But under international law, does President Barack Obama have the legal right to retaliate? Schmitt of the Naval War College maintains that Obama "unambiguously" does have the right to respond, but Schmitt would not use the term "retaliate."

"In international law, we don't do tit for tat," he said. "What we may do is engage in what is called, and this is a legal term, 'counter measures.' "

Counter-measures are operations that would otherwise be unlawful but can be used if the purpose is to stop another state from violating the law. So the US could hack back against the Russians? The answer is yes, Schmitt said, as long as Washington reasonably believes Moscow is going to continue to hack it.

Counter-measures don't have to be cyber-related. The US, for example, could prevent Russian ships from transiting its territorial waters until Russia stops its cyber breaches. The response, however, must be "proportionate." Shutting down a Russian electric grid would only be permissible if it didn't cause more harm to Russia than its hacking caused the US, a tricky thing to measure.

As the US considers itself a law-abiding country, it most often tries to follow accepted international law of war principles. It could, however, ignore those internationally accepted principles or interpret them in its favor. "I know some in America have called for that (retaliation), and I can see where the urge comes from, because you want Russia to stop it," said the Cyber Defence Centre's Veenendaal, but going on a path of escalation with the Russians is a "recipe for disaster."

"Responding to an escalation with your own escalation will lead to further escalation, which -- in cyber space -- is extremely hard to contain and monitor, especially for Western democracies," he warned.

The cyber world presents unique challenges, like the ability for actors to maintain "plausible deniability," which makes it devilishly hard to define who is behind an attack.

"You can always just plausibly state that this was just a 19-year-old hacker working in someone's basement in Belarus," said Kadri Kaska, an Estonian researcher at the NATO center.

Pointing the finger at the perpetrators, "attribution", also is not that simple. If an intelligence agency says it knows who did it, it could be challenged to reveal sources and methods of how it collects intelligence data.

"Probably in the US National Security Agency there are a lot of discussions ongoing, like, 'How far should we go in publicly attributing these attacks to these guys in St. Petersburg? We know who their girlfriends are, we know who they talk to. We're deep in their systems, we're deep in any Russian system you can think of. And we want to stay there,' " according to Veenendaal.

The US has responded to hacks by China by "naming and shaming" specific officials in the Chinese military whom it holds responsible for attacks, then entering discussions with Beijing to deter further economic espionage. "But against the Russians," he said, "no, we haven't been effective."

Veenendaal and other cyber experts say the Chinese, in an effort not to jeopardize their economic relations with the US, have quietly pulled back some of their hacking. With Russia, however, there is little economic incentive.

In July, NATO included cyber as a domain of its military operations, along with land, sea, air and space. That means if there is an armed attack through cyberspace, NATO members can call on their allies for collective defense.

But intrusions, like the DNC hacks, that fall short of armed attacks still lie in a gray zone, exploited by nations clever enough not to cross the line that would trigger an armed response. They are the cyber equivalent of the "little green men" that Russia used in Crimea: Russian armed forces without insignia whose existence Putin, at first, denied.

The West, so far, has no common strategy to deter "little green hackers." The DNC hacks may be their first major operation against the US, but they almost surely won't be their last.

Ein News: Russian General Brags About Cyberwar Successes: NATO Tools Up For Cybewar:
A Lincoln man got two years in prison Tuesday for getting caught with meth and a bomb.

Dustin Robbins' attorney, Steffanie Kotik, said her client's mind was clouded by meth when the explosive was made and he didn't intend to hurt anyone.

"He understands it was a stupid thing to do," she said.

On Dec. 30, members of the Metro Area Fugitive Task Force looking for Robbins on misdemeanor warrants found him hiding in a closet at a home at 877 N. 26th St. He was wanted on misdemeanor warrants.

On the kitchen counter, they spotted a modified firework covered in shrapnel with a time-delay switch.

On March 18, the same task force searched a house at 1310 N. 25th St. and found Robbins in a bathroom with a mirror with meth residue on it.

Robbins later pleaded no contest to possession of a destructive device and possession of methamphetamine.

At sentencing, Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Janice Lipovsky said Robbins could've caused serious injury or death if he'd set the device off as planned on New Year's Eve.

Lancaster County District Judge Darla Ideus sentenced him to prison, plus two years of supervised release. He has served nearly a half year already.
Was North Korea Behind The IoT DDoS Attack?

Early in the morning on Oct. 21, multiple big-name sites, including Twitter, Spotify and GitHub, experienced slowdowns as an attack against Domain Name System (DNS) services took shape.

DNS (Domain Name System) is the weakest part of the Internet because it doesn't have much redundancy at the top level and therefore cannot respond to an overwhelming purposeful traffic attack.

In many ways, the internet attack is a wakeup call for organisations to configure DNS for optimal resiliency. More specifically, that means using two (or more) DNS providers and listing multiple name-servers for added resiliency. It's also yet another wakeup for IoT security as the risk of default passwords and unsecured devices is no longer a theoretical one.

Whenever a major security incident takes place in the tech world, you can be certain that US intelligence official, John McAfee, will weigh in with his opinion. The anti-virus pioneer has just revealed who he believes was behind the recent attacks on popular DNS provider Dyn.

A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is an attempt to make an online service unavailable by overwhelming it with traffic from multiple sources.

A senior US intelligence official told CNBC that the attacks did not appear to be state-sponsored, but a classic case of internet vandalism. McAfees sources disagree. A spokesman told CSO online that the Dark Web is rife with speculation that North Korea is responsible for the Dyn hack. Specifically, he claims Bureau 21, the countrys cyber-warfare agency that reportedly consists of over 2000 hackers, launched the assaults.

McAfee added that if Bureau 21 really was responsible, the forensic analysis would point to either China, Russia, or a US group being behind the DDoS attacks. The one-time presidential candidate told social media week that the North Korean group left a false trail pointing toward US DDoS protection company BackConnect Inc. If all evidence points to this American company [BackConnect], then, with 100% certainty, it is not them, he said.

Bloomberg reports that Dyns director of Internet analysis, Doug Madory, gave a presentation about BackConnects alleged questionable practices, such as BGP hijacking, the day before the attacks took place.

One computer security firm claims last weeks attacks involved Mirai, the malware used in the record-breaking 620 Gbps attack on researcher Brian Krebs website last month. Mirais source code was subsequently posted on hacking community Hackforums, which Krebs said virtually guarantees the internet will be flooded with attacks from many new botnets powered by insecure routers, IP cameras, digital video recorders and other easily hackable devices. Looks as if he was right.

Krebs, incidentally, helped Madory with his research into BackConnect.

As large as the attacks were, McAfee believes those responsible have merely been probing the defenses before launching a much bigger assault.

While McAfee has fabricated claims in the past for no other reason than publicity, he admitted his team of super-hackers that could break into the San Bernardino iPhone was made up, North Korea will probably be one of the prime suspects in this case.

These attacks have escalated

Unfortunately, such attacks have escalated dramatically over time. The problem started with unsecured computers. Many people (almost certainly including readers of this article) are bad at keeping their computer operating systems updated, with the result that their computers have been quietly subverted and made part of botnets made up of thousands of enslaved machines. These computers can then be turned against a target system, repeatedly bombarding it with demands until it is effectively taken off the Internet. Criminals have herded botnets to blackmail the owners of gambling websites by threatening to keep them offline with DDoS attacks until a ransom is paid.

Recently, however, the stakes have escalated. Whats called the Internet of Things, the many consumer products connected to the Internet, has created opportunities for botnet herders because these products tend to be badly secured and are usually never updated.

The US attack used the same Mirai system, which was recently released into the wild so that anyone with moderate technical skills could use it to compromise and set up their own network of devices.

And unless the perpetrators are found, more attacks do seem likely.

TechSpot: eWeek: MatthewWaid.com: Hackers 'weaponised' Malware To Mount Massive Assault:






Access Free Oil Trading Guide from DailyFX Analysts HERE !

Talking Points:

Crude Oil Technical Strategy: 200-DMA Continues To Support Price at $43.67

President-Elect Trump Coming Into Office Will Likely Shake Up Current Energy Policies

U.S. Crude Inventories Rose 2.43M, Largest 2-Week Gain Since March 2015

The Oil market has a lot to digest, and it may have reasons to be Bullish as Donald Trump was elected to the 45th U.S. President over Hillary Clinton. In short, the free-trade that made Oil abundant and aggressively supplied may face some friction as we begin to get a glimpse of the likely pivot from clean-energy policies toward a revival of U.S. Fossil Fuels to revive job growth. Therefore, we might not have enough impetus to turn bearish on Crude Oil.

Interested In a Quick Guide about OPEC, Click Here

Given the surprise of the U.S. Presidential Election, it will be important to watch if there is a change of tone in OPEC negotiations. Recently, weve seen OPEC talks break down as many producers seek exemptions from the production cut. However, in anticipation of Trade Deals getting redrawn under President Trump, its possible that OPEC producers are now more encouraged to take less absolute revenue in hopes of becoming more powerful together.

Wednesdays EIA report showed the Crude Oil inventories rose by 2.4m bbl last week, which was the largest 2-week gain in DoE crude inventories since Q1 2015. The report seemed to do little to price given many are looking beyond and toward how new policies will affect supply and demand.

On the Monday Macro webinar (free attendance with registration,) we discussed a few positive developments that were arising from Russia that could signal theyre willing to help support Oil prices by joining in on the OPEC production cut. Russias government-owned Oil company, Rosneft, has decided to sell a stake of equity valued at ~$11B that may help offset the drop in revenue from lower oil prices as well as cutting production under the new accord that is expected to be either approved or formally rejected in Vienna on November 30.

D1Crude Oil Price Chart: The 200-DMA Remains Pivotal For USOIL

Chart Created by Tyler Yell, CMT Courtesy of TradingView

The chart above displays the ~15% drop in Crude as doubts grew about whether or not OPEC would reach an agreement to cut production. The move lower has taken us toward the base of the Ichimoku Cloud and the 200-DMA. It remains difficult to be bearish above both of these indicators that sit near $44.15/44.37 per bbl.

As long as price remains above the 200-DMA and the Cloud, well hold off discussions of a double top at $51/bbl. One technical development worth watch is what appears like a three-wave move higher that was initially anticipated to be a strong move higher could be a corrective move higher. If there has been a definitive corrective move higher, we will anticipate an impulsive decline, which could take us aggressively lower toward the August low of $39/bbl and possibly a good deal lower. However, an inability to break below support mentioned above would show there is not enough downside pressure to hit these bearish levels.

A specific level on the chart worth watching that is below the 200-DMA is $42/71, which was the September low. A break below this level in addition to the 200-DMA and Ichimoku Cloud would favor an impulsive decline against the corrective move higher that would also bring into discussion the double top downside targets.

One component that had not shown up as the price of Oil trades at the 200-DMA is a strong US Dollar. After the election of Donald Trump, we should be on the watch for continued Dollar strength that tends to align with Oil weakness like we say in H2 2014. While the recent bearish move in Oil has been on reliant on the breakdown in OPEC negotiations, a resumption of USD strength that we saw in late October could keep price pressured near the 200-DMA until more clarity is gained.

Key Levels Over the Next 48-hrs of Trading As of Wednesday, November 9, 2016

T.Y.

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MINNEAPOLIS - A new study suggests probable scientific misconduct in at least some of 33 bone health trials published in various medical journals. The study used statistical methods to detect scientific misconduct or research fraud and calls into question the validity of a body of research work led mainly by one researcher in Japan. The study is published in the November 9, 2016, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"Our use of statistical methods to examine the integrity of the data in 33 randomized controlled trials raises serious concerns about the reported results in those trials," said study author Mark J. Bolland, MBChB, PhD, of the University of Auckland in New Zealand.

Bolland and his team analyzed the 33 studies, three of which were published in Neurology and retracted this summer after the author, Yoshihiro Sato, MD, of Mitate Hospital in Tagawa, Japan, admitted to scientific misconduct. Sato accepted full responsibility, admitting fabrication of the fraudulent Neurology papers, which reported on the effects of therapies to reduce hip fractures both after stroke and in Parkinson's disease patients. Sato stated that none of the coauthors participated in any misconduct and were named as authors on an honorary basis only. Sato requested retraction of the three studies.

For the analysis of the 33 trials, 26 of which Sato was lead author, Bolland's team conducted a rigorous review and found reported results that differed markedly from what could be expected statistically; further, the results were remarkably positive.

The characteristics of the groups of people chosen to participate in the trials were much more similar than would have happened by chance. The trials reported large reductions in hip fractures, no matter what treatment was used, that were much greater than those reported in similar trials from other research groups. Overall in the 33 trials, the people receiving the therapy were 78 percent less likely to break a hip than the control group, while several meta-analyses of other trials found either no benefit of the treatments or a benefit of less than 40 percent.

Bolland's team also found multiple examples of inconsistencies between and within trials, errors in reported data, misleading text, duplicated data and text as well as uncertainties about ethical oversight.

"The researchers were remarkably productive, conducting 33 randomized controlled trials within 15 years, the outcomes of each being remarkably positive," said Bolland. "Our analysis suggests that the results of at least some of these trials are not reliable. In addition, results from these trials were not consistent with results found in similar studies by other researchers."

"This statistical analysis demonstrates probable scientific misconduct on a large scale," said Robert A. Gross, MD, PhD, of Rochester, N.Y., Editor-in-Chief of Neurology and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, who wrote a corresponding editorial. "Fraud in an individual paper may be difficult to detect. One cannot conclude that any one study in the analysis is, or is not, fraudulent. As part of our due process, we have notified other editors of journals that published papers by Sato and colleagues, communicated with Sato's institution, and published retractions of the three papers and a letter published in Neurology."

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The analysis was supported by the Health Research Council of New Zealand and the Health and Social Care Directorate of the Scottish Government.

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In the world of chimpanzees, being the alpha male definitely has its benefits and, as with humans, it's good to have powerful friends.

A new study by primatologists at Arizona State University reveals that male chimpanzees that befriended the top-ranking male were more successful at mating with preferred females when in the alpha male's presence.

One benefit of being at the top of the dominance hierarchy is first priority to preferred mates. This typically translates into a greater number of offspring, and therefore, a greater chance of passing on one's genes.

Although alpha males almost always acquire more than their fair share of matings, they do not have complete control over access to preferred mates. This is because there are typically many male competitors and often several sexually receptive females. This study supported this finding, but also found evidence for another explanation for why alpha males do not completely monopolize matings.

"Alpha males may concede matings to subordinates in exchange for social favors, such as support in fights against other males," says Joel Bray, a graduate student in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University and lead author on the study.

Subordinate males can benefit by having a chance to sire offspring in the short-term, whereas alpha males gain long-term benefits by staying at the top of the dominance hierarchy with help from the subordinates.

"Social exchanges are thus a win-win," says Bray.

This work was conducted with coauthor Ian Gilby, research affiliate with the ASU Institute of Human Origins and assistant professor in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change. Along with coauthor Anne Pusey of Duke University, Gilby is the codirector of the Gombe Chimpanzee Database, a repository of detailed demographic and behavioral data on chimpanzees at Gombe National Park in Tanzania. Pusey and Gilby have studied this population since 1970 and 1997, respectively.

The authors analyzed several thousand matings over the course of 36 years and eight alpha male tenures, which can last as long as eight or nine years. This dataset is the largest of its kind.

The researchers found that subordinate males that groomed most frequently with the alpha were also more successful at mating with preferred females when the alpha male was nearby, suggesting that the alpha male tolerated the subordinates' mating attempts.

"These results are very exciting," says Bray, "because they demonstrate one potential function of social bonds. Especially for subordinate males, it gives them an opportunity to mate successfully even if they are not of high rank, as long as they befriend the chimp at the top."

Although not examined in the current study, these findings are also consistent with a short-term exchange, where alpha males tolerate mating attempts by males who have recently groomed them.

"The next step," says Gilby, "is to investigate these relationships in more detail. Is grooming evenly distributed? Are alpha males more tolerant if they have recently had attention from the lower ranking male?"

"In the future, we also want to look at whether alpha males vary in the degree to which they concede matings," says Gilby. "Large males that are firmly in control may have little to gain, whereas smaller alphas with a more tenuous hold on their dominance position may benefit by offering favors to subordinates to placate them or earn their support in fights."

Ultimately, this study shows that not just the brawny are successful in chimpanzee groups. Instead, it pays to be a good friend.

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UPTON, NY--Robert McGraw, head of the Aerosol Chemistry and Microphysics Group within the Environmental and Climate Sciences Department at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, has received the 2016 Aerosol Science and Technology (AS&T) Outstanding Publication Award from the American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR). Established in 2015, this award is given annually to one paper published in the journal AS&T that has had a significant impact on the field of aerosol research, without regard to publication date.

McGraw--who is also an adjunct professor of chemical and environmental engineering at Yale University--is being recognized for his 1997 paper, "Description of Aerosol Dynamics by the Quadrature Method of Moments." In this paper, McGraw described a new way to mathematically characterize how the distribution of aerosols--tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere that are generated from industrial emissions, vegetation, oceans, desert dust, and other sources--evolves over time.

"It has been really gratifying to see this method, originally presented as a way to solve the equations describing aerosol evolution, now being used in so many different areas. But even more important than the award itself is the acknowledgment by my scientific colleagues at Brookhaven and elsewhere who made it happen," said McGraw.

To understand how aerosols are impacting climate, scientists need to measure the distributions of particle concentrations and sizes--which affect aerosols' atmospheric lifetimes, their physical and chemical properties, and their influences on clouds and solar radiation--and to incorporate these influences in climate models. Representing the distributions through computer models is challenging because of the large number of variables involved (numbers of particles in each size range as a function of location and time) and the significant changes in distribution that can occur as aerosols interact with gases and other aerosol species in the atmosphere. For example, aerosol particles can grow in size by taking up condensable gases or by colliding and combining with other particles.

McGraw's method solves this challenge of describing aerosol dynamics through characterizing the distribution by the number of particles in a given space, the sum of the radii of those particles, the total area and volume of those particles, and other related quantities called "moments." The change in these moments is a very efficient way of representing the change in the size distribution of the particles. Uptake of condensable gases by the particles increases their radii, area, and volume, but the total number of particles stays the same. Collision and combination among particles decreases the total number of particles (also their radii and area), but the volume of the particles does not change.

Knowing just a few of these moments, researchers can calculate aerosol properties such as the light-scattering coefficient, which determines how much sunlight aerosols are scattering in the atmosphere. The effects of aerosols on climate can be more accurately represented with this information.

"This method is characteristic of Bob's work: identify a problem and look for an alternative approach to solve it, rather than a brute-force extension of prior approaches," said Brookhaven senior scientist Stephen Schwartz, who previously served as chief scientist of DOE's Atmospheric Science Program. "His method applies the same idea as the one that guides statistical mechanics and thermodynamics: you don't need (or want) to know the location and velocity of every gas molecule. It is sufficient to know the concentration and mean velocity of the molecules to determine what you really want to know, such as the energy, temperature, and pressure of the gas."

McGraw's method has seen widespread use not only in describing aerosol dynamics but also in describing the evolution of distributions in polymers, bubbles, and precipitates in liquid and solid solutions. His technique is compatible with three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics modeling of systems ranging from small-scale engineering systems, such as high-pressure turbulent combustors for jet aircraft, to global-scale atmospheric systems like hurricanes and tornadoes. In fact, several of the nearly 500 papers that cite McGraw's work are on topics outside aerosol science, including supersonic combustion, biodegradable stent coatings, and nanomaterial synthesis.

"I was thrilled to hear that Bob's novel solution to a vexing problem, published years ago, is now being recognized by AAAR. His award is well deserved!" said Alice Cialella, chair of Brookhaven Lab's Environmental and Climate Sciences Department.

Currently, McGraw co-leads Brookhaven's Scientific Focus Area for the DOE Atmospheric System Research Program, Influences of Aerosols and Clouds on Climate and Climate Forcing. His research interests include atmospheric particle formation, aerosol dynamics, the microphysics of drizzle formation, thermodynamics, and statistical physics.

McGraw began his Brookhaven career in the early 1980s and returned to Brookhaven in 1993 after working at Rockwell Science Center for nine years. At Rockwell, he researched statistical physics and computational models of light propagation and scattering in materials for nonlinear optics applications. During this time, he served as program manager and principal investigator on a contract led by the U.S. Air Force Phillips Laboratory and for several North American Aviation Division research programs. He holds a PhD in physical chemistry and an MS in chemistry from the University of Chicago and a BS in chemistry from Drexel University.

McGraw was presented with his award at the 2016 AAAR Annual Conference that was held October 17 through 21 in Portland, Oregon. He received $2000 and a plaque, and will be featured in an AS&T announcement.

The American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) is a nonprofit professional organization for scientists and engineers who wish to promote and communicate technical advances in the field of aerosol research. AAAR fosters the exchange of information among members and with other disciplines through conferences, symposia, and publication of a professional journal, Aerosol Science and Technology (AS&T).

Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.

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Despite steady progress in detection and treatment in recent decades, cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the United States, cutting short the lives of approximately 500,000 people each year.

To better understand and combat this disease, medical researchers rely on cancer registry programs--a national network of organizations that systematically collect demographic and clinical information related to the diagnosis, treatment, and history of cancer incidence in the United States. The surveillance effort, coordinated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, enables researchers and clinicians to monitor cancer cases at the national, state, and local levels.

Much of this data is drawn from electronic, text-based clinical reports that must be manually curated--a time-intensive process--before it can be used in research. For example, cancer pathology reports, text documents that describe cancerous tissue in detail, must be individually read and annotated by experts before becoming part of a cancer registry. With millions of new reports being produced each year, the information burden continues to grow.

"The manual model is not scalable," said Georgia Tourassi, director of the Health Data Sciences Institute at the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). "We need to develop new tools that can automate the information-extraction process and truly modernize cancer surveillance in the United States."

Since 2014 Tourassi has led a team focused on creating software that can quickly identify valuable information in cancer reports, an ability that would not only save time and worker hours but also potentially reveal overlooked avenues in cancer research. After experimenting with conventional natural-language-processing software, the team's most recent progress has emerged via deep learning, a machine-learning technique that employs algorithms, big data, and the computing power of GPUs to emulate human learning and intelligence.

Using the Titan supercomputer at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility, a DOE Office of Science User Facility located at ORNL, Tourassi's team applied deep learning to extract useful information from cancer pathology reports, a foundational element of cancer surveillance. Working with modest datasets, the team obtained preliminary findings that demonstrate deep learning's potential for cancer surveillance.

The continued development and maturation of automated data tools, among the objectives outlined in the White House's Cancer Moonshot initiative, would give medical researchers and policymakers an unprecedented view of the US cancer population at a level of detail typically obtained only for clinical trial patients, historically less than 5 percent of the overall cancer population.

"Today we're making decisions about the effectiveness of treatment based on a very small percentage of cancer patients, who may not be representative of the whole patient population," Tourassi said. "Our work shows deep learning's potential for creating resources that can capture the effectiveness of cancer treatments and diagnostic procedures and give the cancer community a greater understanding of how they perform in real life."

Beauty of the black box

Creating software that can understand not only the meaning of words but also the contextual relationships between them is no simple task. Humans develop these skills through years of back-and-forth interaction and training. For specific tasks, deep learning compresses this process into a matter of hours.

Typically, this context-building is achieved through the training of a neural network, a web of weighted calculations designed to produce informed guesses on how to correctly carry out tasks, such as identifying an image or processing a verbal command. Data fed to a neural network, called inputs, and select feedback give the software a foundation to make decisions based on new data. This algorithmic decision-making process is largely opaque to the programmer, a dynamic akin to a teacher with little direct knowledge of her students' perception of a lesson.

"With deep learning you just throw the document in and say, 'Figure it out,'" Tourassi said. "It's more like a black box, but that's the beauty. We do not impose our own constraints."

GPUs, such as those in Titan, can accelerate this training process by quickly executing many deep-learning calculations simultaneously. In two recent studies, Tourassi's team used accelerators to tune multiple algorithms, comparing results to more traditional methods. Using a dataset composed of 1,976 pathology reports provided by NCI's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, Tourassi's team trained a deep-learning algorithm to carry out two different but closely related information-extraction tasks. In the first task the algorithm scanned each report to identify the primary location of the cancer. In the second task the algorithm identified the cancer site's laterality--or on which side of the body the cancer was located.

By setting up a neural network designed to exploit the related information shared by the two tasks, an arrangement known as multitask learning, the team found the algorithm performed substantially better than competing methods.

"Intuitively this makes sense because carrying out the more difficult objective is where learning the context of related tasks becomes beneficial," Tourassi said. "Humans can do this type of learning because we understand the contextual relationships between words. This is what we're trying to implement with deep learning."

Another study carried out by Tourassi's team used 946 SEER reports on breast and lung cancer to tackle an even more complex challenge: using deep learning to match the cancer's origin to a corresponding topological code, a classification that's even more specific than a cancer's primary site or laterality, with 12 possible answers.

The team tackled this problem by building a convolutional neural network, a deep-learning approach traditionally used for image recognition, and feeding it language from a variety of sources. Text inputs ranged from general (e.g., Google search results) to domain-specific (e.g., medical literature) to highly specialized (e.g., cancer pathology reports). The algorithm then took these inputs and created a mathematical model that drew connections between words, including words shared between unrelated texts.

Comparing this approach to more traditional classifiers, such as a vector space model, the team observed incremental improvement in performance as the network absorbed more cancer-specific text. These preliminary results will help guide Tourassi's team as they scale up deep-learning algorithms to tackle larger datasets and move toward less supervision, meaning the algorithms will make informed decisions with less human intervention.

In 2016 Tourassi's team learned its cancer surveillance project will be developed as part of DOE's Exascale Computing Project, an initiative to develop a computing ecosystem that can support an exascale supercomputer--a machine that can execute a billion billion calculations per second. Though the team has made considerable progress in leveraging deep learning for cancer research, the biggest gains are still to come.

"Focusing on clinical text alone, the value would be tremendous," Tourassi said.

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Related publications

Hong-Jun Yoon, Arvind Ramanathan, and Georgia Tourassi, "Multi-Task Deep Neural Networks for Automated Extraction of Primary Site and Laterality Information from Cancer Pathology Reports." International Neural Network Society Conference on Big Data. Springer International Publishing, 2016. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-47898-2_21.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is supported by the US Department of Energy's Office of Science. The single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, the Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.
DURHAM, N.C. -- As atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels rise, very few coral reef ecosystems will be spared the impacts of ocean acidification or sea surface temperature rise, according to a new analysis. The damage will cause the most immediate and serious threats where human dependence on reefs is highest.

A new analysis in the journal Plos One, led by Duke University and the Universite de Bretagne Occidentale, suggests that by 2050, Western Mexico, Micronesia, Indonesia, parts of Australia and Southeast Asia will bear the brunt of rising temperatures. Reef damage will result in lost fish habitats and shoreline protection, jeopardizing the lives and economic prosperity of people who depend on reefs for tourism and food.

"Some scientists have held out hope that there would be reef areas that could escape the harm of climate change, but we find that most reefs will be affected by either warmer seas or more acidic oceans," said Linwood Pendleton, the study's lead author, a senior scholar at Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and an International Chair of Excellence at the European Institute of Marine Studies. "2016 has been one of the worst years in memory for coral bleaching. This fact is demonstrated by this year's bleaching event that affected nearly all of the Great Barrier Reef."

The study builds on previous analyses to identify exactly how people and coral reefs are affected by a high-CO2 future and suggests pathways to help deal with changes. The authors mapped human dependence at the country level, scoring for two indicators: shoreline protection and coral reef fisheries. Simultaneously, the authors mapped the largely unavoidable impacts of increased sea surface temperature and ocean acidification.

Using data from the maps, the study predicts that the countries of Oceania will be among the first to face the greatest environmental stresses from climate change and ocean acidification, followed by the Coral Triangle countries of Southeast Asia and other parts of Australia -- all areas with high dependence on coral reefs.

Countries most likely to experience severe ocean acidification are generally different from those that will experience the earliest onset of coral bleaching. Acidification is projected to be worse for Baja California (Mexico), Japan, China, and southern Australia because they are at the upper and lower latitudinal bounds of coral reef distribution and thus generally in cooler waters that naturally carry more CO2.

"The response of non-governmental organizations, nonprofits, and labor and trade organizations will be critical in mounting a response to the threats posed by warming and acidification because these organizations represent the people that will be most severely impacted by the failure of coral reef fisheries," said Chris Langdon, a professor in the Department of Marine Biology and Fisheries at the University of Miami. "These groups must speak up for the individuals they represent so that their local, regional and national government agencies see that action is needed."

The authors say policy action to combat the threats of ocean acidification and surface temperature rise must be informed by data and science, but the research community is still doing a poor job of collecting this information where these threats are most substantial for people. Many of the countries most dependent upon coral reefs are also the countries for which we have the least robust data on ocean acidification, especially the South China Sea, an area of high human dependence and equally high political tensions.

"Because sea temperature and ocean acidification is largely beyond the control of the communities that depend on coral reefs, it is critical that we constantly monitor conditions there," said Adrien Comte, a Ph.D. candidate at the Universite de Bretagne Occidentale. "Better environmental management can help delay the impacts on corals, and stepwise actions to improve monitoring and plan for adaptation should be funded."

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View a summary of the findings and interactive maps http://arcg.is/2cJqsep. The article will be available online at 2 p.m. ET, November 9: https://nicholasinstitute.duke.edu/ocean/publications/coral-reefs-and-people-high-co2-world-where-can-science-make-difference-people.

This work was supported with grant funding from the National Social Environmental Synthesis Center, the Prince Albert II Foundation, the "Laboratoire d'Excellence" LabexMER (ANR-10-LABX-19), and the French government under the program "Investissements d'Avenir" and the Region of Brittany.

CITATION: L. Pendleton, A. Comte, C. Langdon, et. al. 2016. "Coral Reefs and People in a High CO2 World: Where Can Science Make a Difference to People?" PLOS ONE: DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164699.
Three teams of astronomers have made use of SPHERE, an advanced exoplanet-hunting instrument on the Very Large Telescope (VLT - http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal/) at ESO's Paranal Observatory, in order to shed light on the enigmatic evolution of fledgling planetary systems. The explosion in the number of known exoplanets in recent years has made the study of them one of the most dynamic fields in modern astronomy.

Today it is known that planets form from vast discs of gas and dust encircling newborn stars, known as protoplanetary discs. These can extend for thousands of millions of kilometres. Over time, the particles in these protoplanetary discs collide, combine and eventually build up into planet-sized bodies. However, the finer details of the evolution of these planet-forming discs remain mysterious.

SPHERE is a recent addition to the VLT's array of instruments and with its combination of novel technologies, it provides a powerful method to directly image the fine details of protoplanetary discs [1]. The interaction between protoplanetary discs and growing planets can shape the discs into various forms: vast rings, spiral arms or shadowed voids. These are of special interest as an unambiguous link between these structures and the sculpting planets is yet to be found; a mystery astronomers are keen to solve. Fortunately, SPHERE's specialised capabilities make it possible for research teams to observe these striking features of protoplanetary discs directly.

For example, RX J1615 is a young star, which lies in the constellation of Scorpius, 600 light-years from Earth. A team led by the Jos de Boer, of Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands, found a complex system of concentric rings surrounding the young star, forming a shape resembling a titanic version of the rings that encircle Saturn. Such an intricate sculpting of rings in a protoplanetary disc has only been imaged a handful of times before, and even more excitingly, the entire system seems to be only 1.8 million years old. The disc shows hints of being shaped by planets still in the process of formation.

The age of the newly detected protoplanetary disc makes RX J1615 an outstanding system, as most other examples of protoplanetary discs detected so far are relatively old or evolved. De Boer's unexpected result was quickly echoed by the findings of a team led by Christian Ginski, also of Leiden Observatory. They observed the young star HD 97048, located in the constellation of Chamaeleon, about 500 light-years from Earth. Through painstaking analysis, they found that the juvenile disc around this star has also formed into concentric rings. The symmetry of these two systems is a surprising result, as most protoplanetary systems contain a multitude of asymmetrical spiral arms, voids and vortexes. These discoveries significantly raise the number of known systems with multiple highly symmetrical rings.

A particularly spectacular example of the more common asymmetric disc was captured by a group of astronomers led by Tomas Stolker of the Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy, the Netherlands. This disc surrounds the star HD 135344B, about 450 light-years away. Although this star has been well-studied in the past, SPHERE allowed the team to see the star's protoplanetary disc in more detail than ever before. The large central cavity and two prominent spiral arm-like structures are thought to have been created by one or multiple massive protoplanets, destined to become Jupiter-like worlds.

In addition, four dark streaks, apparently shadows thrown by the movement of material within HD 135344B's disc, were observed. Remarkably, one of the streaks noticeably changed in the months between observing periods: a rare example of observing planetary evolution occur in real time, hinting at changes occurring in the inner disc regions that can not be directly detected by SPHERE. As well as producing beautiful images, these flickering shadows provide a unique way of probing the dynamics of innermost disc regions.

As with the concentric rings found by de Boer and Ginski, these observations by Stolker's team prove that the complex and changing environment of the discs surrounding young stars are still capable of producing surprising new discoveries. By building an impressive body of knowledge about these protoplanetary discs, these teams are stepping closer to understanding how planets shape the discs that form them -- and therefore understanding planet formation itself.

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Notes

[1] SPHERE had first light in June 2014. The instrument uses advanced adaptive optics SPHERE had first light in June 2014 to remove atmospheric distortion, a coronagraph to block most of the light from the central star and a combination of differential imaging and polarimetry to isolate the light from features in the disc.

More information

The research of de Boer, Ginski and Stolker and their colleagues in the SPHERE consortium is now accepted for publication in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. Their papers are entitled: "Direct detection of scattered light gaps in the transitional disk around HD 97048 with VLT/SPHERE"; "Shadows cast on the transition disk of HD 135344B: Multi-wavelength VLT/SPHERE polarimetric differential imaging", and "Multiple rings in the transition disk and companion candidates around RX J1615.3-3255: High contrast imaging with VLT/SPHERE". All three of papers have been created in the framework of the SPHERE GTO program, led by Carsten Dominik, University of Amsterdam.

ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the world's most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory and two survey telescopes. VISTA works in the infrared and is the world's largest survey telescope and the VLT Survey Telescope is the largest telescope designed to exclusively survey the skies in visible light. ESO is a major partner in ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre European Extremely Large Telescope, the E-ELT, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky".

Links

* Research paper by Jos de Boer et al. - http://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso1640/eso1640a.pdf

* Research paper by Christian Ginski et al. - http://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso1640/eso1640b.pdf

* Research paper by Tomas Stolker et al. - http://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso1640/eso1640c.pdf

Contacts

Tomas Stolker

Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy

Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Tel: +3120525 8152

Email: T.Stolker@uva.nl

Jos de Boer

Leiden University

Leiden, the Netherlands

Tel: +31715278139

Email: deboer@strw.leidenuniv.nl

Christian Ginski

Leiden University

Leiden, the Netherlands

Tel: +31715278139

Email: ginski@strw.leidenuniv.nl

Richard Hook

ESO Public Information Officer

Garching bei Munchen, Germany

Tel: +49 89 3200 6655

Cell: +49 151 1537 3591

Email: rhook@eso.org
WASHINGTON (Nov. 8, 2016)--New research suggests that male chimpanzees are more invested in protecting their own offspring than previously thought. Researchers found male chimpanzees spend time with non-mating female chimpanzees that are caring for their offspring. This finding is unexpected since the species is highly promiscuous and researchers previously questioned whether male chimpanzees could recognize their offspring.

Because males spending time with nursing mothers did not increase the likelihood that they would be the father of that mother's next infant, the findings support the paternal effort hypothesis, in which males associate more with mothers in order to protect their offspring, rather than curry favor with the female. The research contributes to the broader anthropological question of why human fathers invest so much in offspring.

The authors of the paper, "Chimpanzee Fathers Bias Their Behavior Toward Their Offspring," conducted their research based on long-term data from Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania where long-term data collection is supported by the Jane Goodall Institute. Using more than 25 years of behavioral data digitized at the University of Minnesota, Duke University, the Lincoln Park Zoo, Franklin & Marshall College and The George Washington University, the researchers examined patterns based on 17 father chimpanzees and 49 mother-infant pairs to see if the males could recognize their offspring and if the male's behavior was different around them. The researchers found the males associated with mothers of their offspring early in infancy and interacted with their infants more than expected.

"As anthropologists, we want to understand what patterns could have existed early in human evolution that help explain how human behavior evolved," said Carson Murray, assistant professor of anthropology at the George Washington University and lead author of the paper. "This research suggests that males may sometimes prioritize relationships with their offspring rather than with potential mates. For a species without pair-bonds where it was assumed fathers didn't know which infants were their own, this is an important finding."

The significance of the finding lies in the evidence that chimpanzees, one of human's closest living relatives, not only have paternal recognition but also invested in offspring rather than only focusing on future mating effort. The researchers found the males would spend time grooming and caring for their offspring.

"Our findings are not only further evidence that chimpanzee fathers recognize their offspring in a promiscuous species, but also that fathers behave differently around their offspring," said Margaret Stanton, postdoctoral scientist at GW's Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology and co-author of the paper.

The scientists stress that while the study is an important piece of research, it does not answer the overall question of how human paternal behavior evolved and is instead one piece of the anthropological puzzle.

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The research was published in Royal Society Open Science on Wednesday.

This work was supported by federal grants from the National Institutes of Health (R00HD057992, R01-AI058715), and the National Science Foundation (DBS-9021946, SBR-9319909, BCS-0452315, IIS-0431141, BSC-0648481 and IOS LTREB-1052693).
A gene that regulates bone growth and muscle metabolism in mammals may take on an additional role as a promoter of brain maturation, cognition and learning in human and nonhuman prim ates, according to a new study led by neurobiologists at Harvard Medical School.

Describing their findings in the Nov. 10 issue of Nature, researchers say their work provides a dramatic illustration of evolutionary economizing and creative gene retooling--mechanisms that contribute to the vast variability across species that share nearly identical set of genes yet differ profoundly in their physiology.

The research reveals that osteocrin--a gene found in the skeletal muscles of all mammals and well-known for its role in bone growth and muscle function--is completely turned off in rodent brains yet highly active in the brains of nonhuman primates and humans.

Notably, osteocrin was found predominantly in cells of the neocortex--the most evolved part of the primate brain, which regulates sensory perception, spatial reasoning and higher-level thinking and language in humans.

The gene's marked presence in an area of the brain responsible for higher-level function and thought, the researchers said, suggests a possible role in the development of cognition, a cardinal feature that distinguishes the brains of human and nonhuman primates from those of other mammals.

Brain development in humans and other primates is profoundly affected by sensory experience and social interactions. Scientists have long sought to unravel genes in the brain that are turned on and off by experiences to fuel the rise of brain functions unique to such complex species.

The HMS team's findings--part of an ongoing quest to elucidate the mechanisms that underlie human brain development, function and disease--reveal that osteocrin is precisely one such gene, activated by sensory stimulation. Furthermore, the team added, this is the first illustration of evolutionary gene repurposing in the brain.

"We have uncovered what we believe is a critical clue into the evolution of the human brain, one that gives us a glimpse into the genetic mechanisms that may account for differences in cognition between mice and humans," said senior investigator Michael Greenberg, the Nathan Marsh Pusey Professor of Neurobiology and chair of the HMS Department of Neurobiology.

For their experiments, the team analyzed RNA levels--the molecular footprints of gene activity--in the brain cells of mice, rats and humans. Although many of the same genes were activated in both mouse and human brain cells, the scientists observed, a small subset of genes was activated solely in human brain cells. Much to the scientists' surprise, the bone gene osteocrin was most highly expressed in the human brain, yet completely shut off in the brain cells of mice.

Going a step further, the scientists placed brain cells from all three species in lab dishes and chemically re-created conditions that mimic sensory stimulation. Chemical stimulation activated osteocrin selectively in excitatory neurons, so called for their role in stimulating rather than dampening nerve signaling. But researchers noted something even more intriguing: The activity of the gene was most intense in neurons of the neocortex, the topmost layer of cells covering the brain and responsible for higher-level cognition, such as long-term memory, thought and language. At the same time, osteocrin was noticeably absent from other parts of the brain responsible for noncognitive functions such as spatial navigation, balance, breathing, heart rate and temperature control.

When researchers compared osteocrin levels to levels of another brain protein, BDNF, well known for its role in neuronal growth and repair, they noticed another striking difference. While BDNF was present throughout the brain, osteocrin was restricted to the neocortex and, to a lesser extent, the amygdala, an area of the brain thought to play a role in memory formation, decision making and emotional responses. Osteocrin was also markedly expressed in cells of the temporal lobe, which houses functions such as learning, memory and audio-visual processing--and the occipital lobe, which houses the visual cortex, the area of the brain responsible for the processing of visual information.

Further analysis revealed that in the primate brain, sensory stimulation appears to switch on osteocrin through a previously unknown DNA enhancer. Enhancers--snippets of DNA that act as the genome's regulators--are the "handles" that turn on some genes while shutting off others. In doing so, enhancers can profoundly alter genetic expression, fueling dramatic differences between organisms with nearly identical DNA. The rodent versions of osteocrin lacked the stimulation-activated DNA enhancer, the analysis showed.

In yet another critical observation, researchers found the osteocrin enhancer was, in turn, switched on by a protein called MEF2. Mutations in MEF2 are a well-established cause of intellectual disability and neurodevelopmental disorders, so the link between the two begs further study, the researchers said, as it may portend a role for osteocrin in such developmental anomalies.

"Humans share many genes with rodents and as much as 90 percent of their DNA in some parts of the genome," says co-first author Gabriella Boulting, a neurobiologist at HMS. "In this case we see how turning up the expression of the same gene in a different location may precipitate dramatic differences in the function of brain cells."

Further analysis revealed that osteocrin's activation curbed the growth of neuronal dendrites--branchlike projections responsible for transmitting signals from one brain cell to the next.

"Restricting dendritic growth is a precision-enhancing mechanism, essential to ensuring that neuronal wires don't get crossed and compromise signal transmission from one cell to the next," says study first co-author Bulent Ataman, a neurobiologist at HMS.

This observation, Ataman added, suggests that osteocrin's activity may help enhance nerve cell agility and proper signal transmission to ensure robust communication across neurons.

To confirm that the activity-induced gene expression observed in nerve cells in the lab also occurred in the functioning, intact brain, researchers temporarily blocked vision in one eye of a macaque, a common technique to study activity-triggered brain plasticity and visually-induced gene activation in the visual cortex. This proof-of-concept experiment, they surmised, would reveal whether osteocrin is, indeed, awakened by visual stimulation and shut off by its absence. A day later, the researchers observed that osteocrin expression was markedly higher in cells from the visually intact parts of the macaque brain, compared with cells in vision-deprived areas.

The findings illustrate a foundational principle in neurobiology--abnormal visual experiences can interfere with the development and function of brain cells in the visual cortex, a phenomenon first described more than 50 years ago by David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel, two of the founding members of the Department of Neurobiology at HMS. The two shared the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries on visual information processing in the brain.

"Nature and nurture interact to wire up the brain, and abnormal vision can alter that wiring," said Margaret Livingstone, the Takeda Professor of Neurobiology at HMS. "Our observations reveal the molecular basis for what Hubel and Wiesel observed more than half a century ago."

Researchers say their findings have sparked more questions, including exactly how osteocrin interacts with neurons, precisely what factors regulate its expression and, most importantly, how it can alter brain physiology in disease and health.

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The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health grants RC2MH089952 and P50MH106933 with additional support from the Ellen R. and Melvin J. Gordon Center for the Cure and Treatment of Paralysis at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and by the NIH's Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award 5F32NS086270.

Co-investigators included David Harmin, Marty Yang, Mollie Baker-Salisbury, Ee-Lynn Yap, Athar Malik, Kevin Mei, Alex Rubin, Ivo Spiegel, Ershela Durresi, Nikhil Sharma, Linda Hu, Mihovil Pletikos, Eric Griffith, Jennifer Partlow, Christine Stevens, Mazhar Adli, Maria Chahrour, Nenad Sestan, Christopher Walsh, and Vladimir Berezovskii.

Harvard Medical School has more than 9,500 full-time faculty working in 10 academic departments located at the School's Boston campus or in hospital-based clinical departments at 15 Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals and research institutes: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Cambridge Health Alliance, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Hebrew SeniorLife, Joslin Diabetes Center, Judge Baker Children's Center, Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Schepens Eye Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, McLean Hospital, Mount Auburn Hospital, Spaulding Rehabilitation Network and VA Boston Healthcare System.
A 52-year-old woman was arrested after hitting a road construction worker with her van and driving off, Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner said Wednesday.

A paving crew was working in the 1700 block of West Burr Oaks Drive just southwest of Lincoln when the woman, later identified as Angela Love, hit the 27-year-old worker, Wagner said.

Love lives in the area and drove back by the construction site. Other employees recognized the van and called the sheriff's office.

She was found and arrested on suspicion of leaving the scene of an injury accident, driving while under the influence and refusal of a chemical test.

Wagner said the worker suffered minor injuries.
A new model developed by Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) shows how an electricity system mainly based on solar and wind works in all regions of the world. It shows the functioning of an electricity system that fulfils the targets set by the Paris agreement by using only renewable energy sources.

The global Internet of Energy Model visualizes a 100 percent renewable energy system (100%RE) for the electricity sector for 2030. It can do this for the entire world which, in the model, has been structured into 145 regions, which are all visualised, and aggregated to 9 major world regions.

"With the simulation, anyone can explore what a renewable electricity system would look like. This is the first time scientists have been able to do this on a global scale." says Christian Breyer, LUT Solar Economy Professor and a leading scientist behind the model.

The model is designed to find the most economical solution for a renewable electricity system. The model shows how the supply of electricity can be organised to cover the electricity demand for all hours of the year. This means that best mix of renewable energy generation, storage and transmission components can be found to cover the electricity demand, leading to total electricity cost roughly between 55 and 70 euros per megawatt-hour for all 9 major regions in the world.

But the story does not end here. The researchers have ambitious goals to develop the model further. Future upgrades will go from looking only at the electricity sector to showing the full energy sector, including heat and mobility sectors. The model will also describe how to transition from the current energy system towards a fully sustainable one.

According to the researchers the model debunks myths about what renewables can and cannot achieve. One of the myths is that a fully renewable energy system cannot possibly run stable for all hours of the year, due to the intermittent character of solar and wind energy. Another myth is the idea that without large base load generation capacities, such as coal or nuclear plants, an electricity system cannot work. According to the researchers, both of these are incorrect and the facts can be checked from the model.

"My hope is that we can finally stop debating about these myths. The visualisation shows exactly how a fully renewable electricity system operates. So let's just build it," emphasizes Pasi Vainikka, Principal Scientist from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.

Transparency of the data and research is very important for the researchers. Anyone can download the result data for further inspection. The publications based on the data are available online.

"We want the model to give every citizen the chance to familiarise themselves with a renewable energy system. Increased knowledge usually lowers the resistance towards new developments," says Vainikka.

Researchers hope that this can facilitate fact-based discourse on global energy transition.

"Every country in the world has to find pathways to achieve the Paris agreement targets and to avoid stranded assets. This model can provide the help for policy-makers, industrial decision-makers and societal stakeholders to do that," emphasizes Breyer.

Professor Breyer will present the simulation for the first time on Friday the 4th at the World Clean Energy Conference (WCEC) hosted by the United Nations in Geneva.

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The model was done as part of the Neo-Carbon Energy research, which is funded by the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation, Tekes, and is carried out collaboratively by Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT), VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd and University of Turku, Finland Futures Research Centre.

Further information:

Christian Breyer, Professor of Solar Economy, LUT, christian.breyer@lut.fi, +358 50 443 1929

Pasi Vainikka, Principal Scientist, VTT, pasi.vainikka@vtt.fi, +358 40 582 5987

Simulation: http://neocarbonenergy.fi/internetofenergy/

Photos: http://lut.pictures.fi/kuvat/LUT+Press+Images/Neo-Carbon+Energy/
New research from North Carolina State University shows that a 75-million-year-old Mongolian oviraptor, preserved while brooding its eggs, also preserved the original keratinous claw sheath that covered its digits. The work adds to the body of evidence that original organic materials can preserve over time.

Citipati osmolskae was an emu-sized dinosaur that lived in what is now Mongolia during the Cretaceous period. In 1995, a particularly well-preserved specimen of Citipati was recovered from the Djadokhta formation. The specimen was found in a brooding position on a nest of eggs. Paleontologists theorized that it was rapidly buried by a sand dune, which explained its excellent preservation.

During preparation of the specimen, the scientists noticed that there was a thin lens of white material extending beyond one of the bony claws on a forelimb that differed in texture and color from both the sediment and the bone. It was also located where a claw sheath would be.

In modern birds, claw sheaths cover the claw at the end of a digit much like fingernails in humans and serve a number of functions - aiding them in defense, movement, or catching and holding prey. The sheaths in modern birds are composed of two types of keratin: alpha-keratin, the softer form found on the interior of the sheath; and beta-keratin, a harder and more durable keratin that comprises the sheath's exterior.

Alison Moyer, former Ph.D. student at NC State who is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Drexel University and lead author of a paper describing the research, wanted to find out if the material from Citipati was a claw sheath and if so, whether any original beta-keratin had preserved.

Moyer and her NC State colleagues first used scanning and transmission electron microscopy to get microscopic details of both the tissue's surface and its internal structure. The results showed that the sample was structurally similar to claw sheaths from modern birds, so the team decided to proceed with immunohistochemical (IHC) testing.

IHC testing utilizes antibodies that react against a particular protein. If the protein is present, the antibodies bind to small regions of the protein and indicate where the protein is located in the tissue. Moyer used beta-keratin antibodies derived from modern bird feathers. In initial IHC testing, results were inconclusive, which led Moyer to look more closely at the specimen. She found an unusually high concentration of calcium in the fossil claw - much higher than would be found in claws from the living birds used in comparison or from the sediment surrounding the fossil. Theorizing that the calcium might be affecting results, Moyer removed the calcium and did further IHC testing on the claw sheath material.

After the calcium was removed, the antibodies reacted much more strongly, indicating the presence of beta-keratin and preservation of original molecules.

"It's probable the incorporation of calcium in the tissue helped preserve it," says Moyer, "but that same calcium had to be removed in order to see the underlying molecular composition. Because this study used multiple, well-tested methods, it not only supports the longevity of proteins in the rock record, it reveals a lot about how these might be preserved."

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The research appears in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, and was funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the NSF INSPIRE program (EAR-1344198), and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (DGE-1252376). NC State professor of biological sciences Mary Schweitzer and research assistant Wenxia Zheng contributed to the work.

Note to editors: An abstract of the paper follows

"Microscopic and immunohistochemical analyses of the claw of the nesting dinosaur, Citipati osmolskae"

DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1997

Authors: Alison Moyer, NC State University and Drexel University; Mary Schweitzer, Wenxia Zheng, NC State University Published: Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Abstract:

One of the most well-recognized Cretaceous fossils is Citipati osmolskae (MPC-D 100/979), an oviraptorid dinosaur discovered in brooding position on a nest of unhatched eggs. The original description refers to a thin lens of white material extending from a manus ungual, which was proposed to represent original keratinous claw sheath that, in life, would have covered it. Here, we test the hypothesis that this exceptional morphological preservation extends to the molecular level. Fossil sheath was compared with that of extant birds, revealing similar morphology and microstructural organization. In living birds, claw sheath consists primarily of two structural proteins; alphakeratin, expressed in all vertebrates, and beta-keratin, found only in reptiles and birds (sauropsids).We employed antibodies raised against avian feathers, which comprises almost entirely of beta-keratin, to demonstrate that fossil tissues respond with the same specificity, though less intensity, as those from living birds. Furthermore, we show that calcium chelation greatly increased antibody reactivity, suggesting a role for calcium in the preservation of this fossil material.
Rising CO2 levels may affect most of the world's coral reefs and the populations which depend on them by 2050, according to a study published November 9, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Linwood Pendleton and Adrien Comte from the Universite de Bretagne Occidentale, France, and colleagues.

The effects of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels include ocean acidification and rising sea surface temperatures, which put shallow warm-water coral reefs at risk. This could also affect the people who depend on the reefs for their livelihoods for fishing, tourism, or as natural barriers that protect shorelines.

The authors of the present study used an indicator approach to identify countries where coral reef-dependent people were most likely to be affected by 2050. They scored and mapped two indicators of CO2-driven coral reef stress, ocean acidification and rising sea surface temperatures, along with two indicators of human dependence on coral reefs. Combining these maps of indicator scores allowed the researchers to identify regions where humans were most likely to be affected by increasing atmospheric CO2 levels.

The authors found that most of the world's coral reefs were likely to be affected by either warmer seas or more acidic oceans. They predicted that countries in Oceania would be amongst the first affected by CO2-driven coral reef stress, followed by Southeast Asian countries in the Coral Triangle such as Indonesia, which are highly dependent on coral reefs. Countries predicted to be most likely to experience severe ocean acidification are generally different from those predicted to experience the earliest onset of coral bleaching, with acidification projected to be worse for countries at the upper and lower latitudinal bounds of coral reef distribution such as Baja California (Mexico), Japan, China, and southern Australia.

Unfortunately, many of the countries that are most dependent upon coral reefs are also the countries for which data are least robust, and the authors note that international and regional efforts will be needed to overcome obstacles to obtaining good data globally.

"Our study finds areas of high human dependence on coral reefs also facing high combined threats from future stresses due to climate change (bleaching) and ocean acidification. By 2050, coastal communities in Western Mexico, Micronesia, Indonesia, parts of Australia and Southeast Asia will bear the brunt of damage to coral reefs caused by rising temperatures and ocean acidification," said Linwood Pendleton, the study's lead author, a senior scholar at Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and an International Chair of Excellence at the European Institute of Marine Studies.

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In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164699

Citation: Pendleton L, Comte A, Langdon C, Ekstrom JA, Cooley SR, Suatoni L, et al. (2016) Coral Reefs and People in a High-CO2 World: Where Can Science Make a Difference to People? PLoS ONE 11(11): e0164699. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0164699

Funding: This work was supported by the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) under funding received from the National Science Foundation DBI-1052875, a grant from the Prince Albert II Foundation, and research effort for LP and AC was supported by the "Laboratoire d'Excellence" LabexMER (ANR-10-LABX-19), co-funded by a grant from the French government under the program "Investissements 'Avenir" and the Region of Brittany. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Superhydrophobic surfaces have attracted global attention due to their water-repellant characteristics and myriad number and variety of applications. A team of researchers with the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), led by Professor Dong Sung Kim and comprised of Research Professor Donghwi Choi and 4th year undergraduate student Jaewon Yoo, has found an elegant, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly method of applying a superhydrophobic layer to objects by using commercially available salt particles, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and water.

In nature, one can observe such ultrahydrophobicity on a Lotus leaf. The leaf has microscopic protrusions on its surface which minimizes adhesion. As a result, water droplets along with any dirt particles on the surface simply roll right off the leaf. This effect is appropriately referred to the "lotus effect."

There have been numerous research into applying the "lotus effect" to other surfaces via simulating similar micro- and nanoscopic surface architectures. Anti-icing, anti-sticking, and self-cleaning characteristics are but a few of the many real-world applications of superhydrophobic surfaces. However, while the idea of a stain repellent fabric or a self-cleaning building is revolutionary, existing methods of applying a superhydrophobic layer required complicated procedures with exorbitant equipment costs and/or harsh chemicals.

Prof. Kim's research team has successfully overcome these barriers by utilizing a salt-dissolution-assisted etching process. Taking advantage of the fact that salt readily dissolves in water, the team exposed a salt-particle-embedded PDMS surface to an aqueous environment. The remaining PDMS surface becomes roughened with micro/nano-hierarchical topography which satisfy the standards of superhydrophobic surfaces. Furthermore, this elegant process can readily be applied to large or three-dimensional surfaces.

This remarkable result was recently published in Applied Surface Science -- the preeminent SCI level academic journal in the field. What is even more remarkable is the fact that Mr. Yoo, an undergraduate student, was one of the two main authors of this work.

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Professor Kim, who supervised Dr. Choi and Mr. Yoo, anticipates that the salt-dissolution-assisted etching process will be utilized in various fields for numerous applications thanks to its malleable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly process. He also expressed delight in the fact that the findings were the result of collaborative efforts between an undergraduate student and a research professor and remarked highly of both Dr. Choi and Mr. Yoo.

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP).
Superconductivity is like an Eldorado for electrons, as they flow without resistance through a conductor. However, it only occurs below a very low critical temperature. Physicists now believe they can enhance superconductivity - the idea is to externally drive its underlying physical phenomena by changing how ions vibrating in the crystal lattice of the conductor material, called phonons, interact with electron flowing in the material. Andreas Komnik from the University of Heidelberg and Michael Thorwart from the University of Hamburg, Germany, adapted the simplest theory of superconductivity to reflect the consequences of externally driving the occurrence of phonons. Their main result, published in EPJ B, is a simple formula explaining how it is theoretically possible to raise the critical temperature using phonon driving.

The authors studied the all-important autocorrelation function of phonons in the superconductivity BCS theory, named after John Bardeen, Leon Cooper and John Robert Schrieffer. Superconductivity is induced by phonons cooperating to bring the electrons together in the so-called Cooper pairs -- against their spontaneous tendancy to repel each other. In this work, the authors focused on the scenario of an X-ray light field rattling the phonons. They realised that a kind of driving, which controls the frequency of vibration of the lattice sites, can profoundly change the pairing of the electrons.

However, electrons and phonons do not follow the same internal clock. This means that change at what is perceived as a normal pace for phonons comes across as extremely slow to electrons. To eliminate this discrepancy, the author devised a solution based on bringing a clever time-averaging procedure into the BCS equations. This theoretical approach, the authors found, reveals the controlled elevation of the critical temperature. They thus managed to integrate the external phonon drive into the standard BCS theory. The advantge is that the critical temperature can be computed from this simple formula and can, in theory, be considerably elevated using the driving procedure. Suprisingly, the critical temperature was even higher up when further refinment to the equations accounted for phonon-phonon interactions.

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Reference:

A. Komnik and M. Thorwart (2016), BCS theory of driven superconductivity, Eur. Phys. J. B 89:244, DOI: 10.1140/epjb/e2016-70528-1
JUPITER, FL, November 8, 2016 - The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W. Farris Foundation has made a $1.135 million gift to The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) to create the Farris Foundation Endowed Graduate Fellowship on the Jupiter, Florida campus.

"I want to thank the Farris Foundation for its generous gift to support our graduate program," said TSRI President Peter Schultz. "Gifts like this will help train the next generation of scientists who are critical to the future of biomedical research--and to build a lasting legacy of scientific excellence."

The new Farris Foundation Endowed Graduate Fellowship will provide annual support for doctoral students at Scripps Florida in perpetuity.

"Our gift is an investment in the continued strength of biomedical research at Scripps Florida," said Christine Koehn, executive director of the Farris Foundation, "so that young scholars will be able to reach their full potential as world-class scientists."

TSRI's graduate program is consistently rated by U.S. News and World Report as in the top 10 of its kind in the nation for chemistry and biology. Scripps Florida established a branch of the graduate program in 2005; the campus has since graduated 28 PhDs, and 49 doctoral students are currently enrolled.

The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W. Farris Foundation, created in 1986 by a merger of the Victor W. Farris Foundation and the Celia Lipton Farris Foundation, seeks to support projects that provide the structure, encouragement and incentive that enable people to help themselves lead more successful, inspired and fulfilling lives.

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More information on The Celia Lipton Farris and Victor W. Farris Foundation and TSRI's graduate program is available on their respective websites.

About The Scripps Research Institute

The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) is one of the world's largest independent, not-for-profit organizations focusing on research in the biomedical sciences. TSRI is internationally recognized for its contributions to science and health, including its role in laying the foundation for new treatments for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, and other diseases. An institution that evolved from the Scripps Metabolic Clinic founded by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps in 1924, the institute now employs more than 2,500 people on its campuses in La Jolla, CA, and Jupiter, FL, where its renowned scientists--including two Nobel laureates and 20 members of the National Academy of Science, Engineering or Medicine--work toward their next discoveries. The institute's graduate program, which awards PhD degrees in biology and chemistry, ranks among the top ten of its kind in the nation. For more information, see http://www.scripps.edu.
CLEVELAND, Ohio (Nov. 9, 2016)--Although many of us don't want to think about grandma still "getting it on," multiple studies show that older women are still sexually active beyond their seventh decade of life. A new study published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), suggests, however, that at least one in seven women aged 65 to 79 years has hypoactive sexual desire dysfunction (HSDD).

In the questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study, more than 1,500 Australian women were assessed for sexual function and sexual distress as defined by the Female Sexual Function Index and the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised. The group consisted of 52.6% partnered women, with a mean age of 71 years. Within this group, 88% were found to have low sexual desire, 15.5% had sexually related personal distress, and 13.6% had HSDD, which is defined as the presence of both low sexual desire and sexually related personal distress. This percentage was higher than what had previously been reported for women in this age group and similar to the prevalence reported for younger women.

Although HSDD was found to be more common in women with partners, the study confirmed that unpartnered older women are still sexually active and may be distressed by low sexual desire. Independent factors included vaginal dryness during intercourse in the past month, having moderate to severe depressive symptoms, and having symptomatic pelvic floor dysfunction.

"This study demonstrates that healthcare providers need to have honest and open discussions with their patients as they age with regard to desire, mood, vaginal dryness, and pelvic floor issues to determine whether these factors are affecting a woman's desire or ability to be sexual," says Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, NAMS executive director.

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Founded in 1989, The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) is North America's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the health and quality of life of all women during midlife and beyond through an understanding of menopause and healthy aging. Its multidisciplinary membership of 2,000 leaders in the field--including clinical and basic science experts from medicine, nursing, sociology, psychology, nutrition, anthropology, epidemiology, pharmacy, and education--makes NAMS uniquely qualified to serve as the definitive resource for health professionals and the public for accurate, unbiased information about menopause and healthy aging. To learn more about NAMS, visit http://www.menopause.org.
MIAMI -- A new study by University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science researchers found that the Indian Ocean's Agulhas Current is getting wider rather than strengthening. The findings, which have important implications for global climate change, suggest that intensifying winds in the region may be increasing the turbulence of the current, rather than increasing its flow rate.

Using measurements collected during three scientific cruises to the Agulhas Current, the Indian Ocean's version of the Gulf Stream, researchers estimated the long-term transport of the current leveraging 22 years of satellite data. They found the Agulhas Current has broadened, not strengthened, since the early 1990s, due to more turbulence from increased eddying and meandering.

One of the strongest currents in the world, the Agulhas Current flows along the east coast of South Africa, transporting warm, salty water away from the tropics toward the poles. The Agulhas, which is hundreds of kilometers long and over 2,000-meters deep, transports large amounts of ocean heat and is considered to have an influence not only on the regional climate of Africa, but on global climate as part of the ocean's global overturning circulation.

"Changes in western boundary currents could exacerbate or mitigate future climate change," said Lisa Beal, a UM Rosenstiel School professor of ocean sciences and lead author of the study. "Currently, western boundary current regions are warming at three times the rate of the rest of the world ocean and our research suggests this may be related to a broadening of these current systems."

Previous studies have suggested that accelerated warming rates observed over western boundary current regions, together with ongoing strengthening and expansion of the global wind systems predicted by climate models relate to an intensification and pole-ward shift of western boundary currents as a result of man-made climate change.

"To find decades of broadening, rather than intensification, profoundly impacts our understanding of the Agulhas Current and its future role in climate change," said study co-author Shane Elipot, a UM Rosenstiel School associate scientist. "Increased eddying and meandering could act to decrease poleward heat transport, while increasing coastal upwelling and the exchange of pollutants and larvae across the current from the coast to the open ocean."

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This paper analyzed data collected during the "Agulhas Current Times-Series" experiment, led by Beal and funded by the National Science Foundation. The experiment produced continuous measurements of the Agulhas Current to better understand how the oceans are changing due to climate change.

The study, titled "Broadening not strengthening of the Agulhas Current since the early 1990s," was published November 9, in the Advance Online Publication of the journal Nature. The authors of the study are Beal and Elipot. DOI: 10.1038/nature19853. Funding was provided the US National Science Foundation, grant OCE-085089.

Video: https://youtu.be/lHaJ8uVO2jA

About the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School

The University of Miami is one of the largest private research institutions in the southeastern United States. The University's mission is to provide quality education, attract and retain outstanding students, support the faculty and their research, and build an endowment for University initiatives. Founded in the 1940's, the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science has grown into one of the world's premier marine and atmospheric research institutions. Offering dynamic interdisciplinary academics, the Rosenstiel School is dedicated to helping communities to better understand the planet, participating in the establishment of environmental policies, and aiding in the improvement of society and quality of life. For more information, visit: http://www.rsmas.miami.edu. Visit the University of Miami's report on climate change http://www.climate.miami.edu.
KNOXVILLE-- When most people think of animals moving at high speed, they envision cheetahs or swiftly diving raptors. They can now add the Brazilian free-tailed bat -- a tiny nocturnal mammal -- to the list.

A new study from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, shows that the Brazilian free-tailed bat can achieve flight speeds faster than those previously documented for any bat or bird. They are achieving short bursts of ground speeds of up to 100 miles per hour.

The research was published today in the journal Royal Society Open Science. The study's lead author is Gary McCracken, UT professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and one of the world's leading experts on bats.

Other collaborators include researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology and the University of Konstanz, both in Germany, and from Boston University and Brown University.

Much of the current literature has indicated that birds fly faster and bats are slower and more maneuverable. The new study demonstrates otherwise.

The researchers conducted the study in southwestern Texas using a novel airplane tracking method. They caught seven Brazilian free-tailed bats, each weighing 11 to 12 grams, as they emerged from the entrance of the Frio Cave at night. They then attached 0.5-gram radio transmitters to their backs using surgical glue.

Until now, the fastest bird records were collected during short flight segments using tracking radar and high-speed video. McCracken and his collaborators used an airplane to follow the complete flight track of the bats. They followed one bat per night.

The researchers' models indicate that tail winds did not assist the bats' flight speed. They observed that the bats did exactly what airplanes and birds do, depending on wind conditions.

"When they have a headwind, they fly faster. When they have a tailwind, they slow up," he said. "This is exactly what has been demonstrated in other flight machines, from airplanes to birds."

The study results suggest a reevaluation of the performance abilities and capabilities of bats, McCracken said, noting that their flight performance has been underappreciated.

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CONTACT:

Lola Alapo (865-974-3993, lalapo@utk.edu)
Scientists are gaining an insider's look behind the notorious infectivity of Francisella tularensis. This bacterium is an equal opportunity pathogen. It causes the disease tularemia in humans, rabbits and rodents, among others.

Also called rabbit fever, the disease doesn't seem to spread from person to person. Instead, people contract it from contact with infected animals, from the bite of ticks or deerfly, or from contaminated water or soil. Untreated, tularemia can be lethal; however, it generally responds to antibiotics.

"Francisella tularensis is very pathogenic. Disease can occur even when fewer than 10 bacteria get introduced into the lungs. We don't study the human pathogenic bacterium in our lab, but use a less pathogenic surrogate called Francisella novicida," explained Dr. Aria Eshraghi, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

The low dose required for infectivity and the severity of the disease it causes had led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to classify F. tularensis as a Category A bioterrorism agent, and to track tularemia cases nationwide, according to Dr. Brook Peterson, a senior scientist at the UW School of Medicine who also participated in the study.

Despite years of study, the means by which these microbes cause such severe disease remain mysterious.

Eshraghi, Peterson and colleagues are among those working to unlock how Francisella tularensis overcomes the body's defenses. The latest findings, resulting from a multi-institutional effort, will be published Nov. 9 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe.

The bacteria have a genome distinguished by a cluster of genes called the Francisella Pathogenicity Island. Some of the genes in this region encode toxins. This region also contains the plans for the machinery that delivers these toxins to animal cells in order to cause disease.

Scientists had thought the Francisella Pathogenicity Island contained all the toxin genes, but the research group then discovered a sort of outside contractor -- infection-enhancing proteins not accounted for in the pathogenicity island instructions.

These proteins share features with toxins found in some other pathogens, like the bacterium that causes Legionnaires' disease. The researchers found evidence that these proteins promote the growth of Francisella within macrophages, white blood cells that usually ingest and digest pathogens.

"Francisella novicida must actively commandeer its host to avoid cellular defenses," the researchers noted.

The authors said that, until recently, it had been difficult to find new toxins related to tularemia virulence. The reported progress was possible, said project researcher David Veesler, UW assistant professor of biochemistry, because of improved technologies and techniques to capture, describe and catalog bacterial proteins.

A number of these experimental procedures were performed by their colleagues collaborating on this project. These include more sensitive mass spectrometry for detecting, identifying and quantifying protein molecules, electron microscopy for visualizing an assortment of components of the nano-machine that transports toxins, and fluorescence confocal microscopy, which can label proteins with light emitting dyes.

"We have discovered some of Francisella's toxins, but still to be determined is how they act on the cells the bacteria infect. That knowledge will be a big advance in our understanding of tularemia," said senior author Dr. Joseph Mougous, associate professor of microbiology at the UW School of Medicine.

###

Participating in the project with the UW Medicine microbiologists were researchers in the UW Department of Biochemistry, the University of Maryland, Boston Children's Hospital and the Paul Allen School for Global Animal Health at Washington State University, which has a researcher, Dr. Jean Celli, with a longstanding interest in tularemia.

The research was supported by training and research funding from the National Institutes of Health, including grants AI081693 and AI080609, and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. Support was also provided by the University of Maryland Baltimore School of Pharmacy Mass Spectrometry Center. Mougous is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and holds an Investigator in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease Award from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.
Democrat Jennifer Brinkman won a narrow victory in the Lancaster County District 2 board race with less than a single percentage point separating her from Republican Jim Ballard, according to unofficial election night results.

Brinkman assumed there would be a recount saying the race was still too close to call. Meanwhile Ballard said he wanted to sleep on the issue before deciding his next move.

Wow. Its been an up and down long night. It came down to 33 votes. Thats incredible, Ballard said.

At stake is a four-year term on the County Board. The winner will replace Commissioner Larry Hudkins, who chose not to run for re-election after having served nine terms.

Brinkman said whomever ends up sitting before the board will need to address Lancaster Countys aging infrastructure, a major local campaign issue. A dozen rural bridges have been closed indefinitely due to safety concerns forcing rural residents and farmers in harvest equipment to drive miles out of their way to reach their destinations.

The director of communications for real estate company Tetrad Property Group, Brinkman campaigned on three key issues: economic development, expanding access to health and safety services in the county and bringing together a task force to address aging roads and bridges.

The co-owner of James Arthur Vineyards in Raymond and the From Nebraska Gift Shop in the Haymarket, Ballard said he wanted to give back to the community and campaigned on a promise to focus on public safety, job creation and supporting small business.

Two seats on the five-member board were up for election this year. Roma Amundson ran unopposed in District 4.
Winter and spring beans are the favourite replacement crops for oilseed rape struck down by drought and pest attacks across south-east England.

More than 10% of the UK rapeseed crop is estimated to have been pulled up after failing to establish and many growers have drilled or plan to drill beans.

The driest October since 1972 and cabbage stem flea beetle attacks have hit oilseed rape crops, with a survey showing 70,000ha has been wiped out in the main English rapeseed-growing area.

See also: Winter beans are an option to replace failing oilseed rape

Essex grower Nick Cousins has pulled up 46ha of his oilseed rape after only 10% of plants germinated in one of the driest autumns for 30 years.

With little rain since June and none forecast, the hybrid rapeseed variety, which seed cost 90/ha  was abandoned and replaced with winter beans.

Winter wheat is also struggling and crop emergence has been variable at Mr Cousins 280ha Dagnets Farm, near Braintree. He delayed drilling because of fears pre-emergence herbicides would not work well in such dry conditions.

Much of what we planted in October is still sitting there waiting to emerge. We know how to deal with wet conditions, but I have never seen an autumn like this, he adds.

Only 60% of the farms winter wheat was planted up to last weekend, but drilling has restarted again this week.

Beans in Kent

Kent grower Mark Izard says drought forced a halt to oilseed rape drilling in the summer and he has since opted for winter beans.

Only 36ha of his intended 100ha oilseed rape went into the ground due to drought and then that crop failed on his flinty clay soils at Waddenhall Farm, near Canterbury.

We took the decision not to drill anymore, it was going in so dry and just not germinating. We couldnt plough and we were just wearing out metal like no tomorrow, he says.

Of the rapeseed area that failed, Mr Izard redrilled 34ha with winter beans and the remaining 2ha with winter oats.

Stan Harrison, agronomist with distributor Zantra, says 80% of the 800ha of oilseed rape he manages across Essex and Kent has been written off by drought. He believes beans will be a likely replacement.

Winter and spring beans or peas will be popular choices. Spring barley is a potential default choice for a lot of farms, although it isnt a break from cereals and carries a take-all risk, he says.

Oats options

Winter oats could be a cereal option for those wanting to avoid problems with take-all, while fallow could give a chance to get good weed control.

In East Anglia, agronomist Andrew Blazey believes spring cropping may be the only option for growers in the worst-affected areas.

Mr Blazey estimates about 1,400ha of oilseed rape has been lost in the parts of Essex, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk which he covers.

For growers who have spare combine capacity, spring barley is the most popular option as it is a familiar crop to grow, he says.

Pulses can be difficult to justify financially and a limited choice of herbicides may mean it could be easier to control weeds growing spring barley.
Over 137,000 smuggled cigarettes have been seized in raids at Dublin Airport and Ferry Port.

28,700 Marlboro Gold were discovered at Dublin Port on Sunday morning during a routine examination of a refrigerated truck arriving from Lithuania.
We have until the weekend to close the budget, give or take some days, said finance minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen.

Prime minister Lars Lokke Rasmussens Liberal Party needs the support of politicians from three smaller parties to push the budget through parliament.

However, disagreements over tax cuts, which the government proposed in August as part of a 2025 fiscal plan, have delayed the process.

The budget needs to be nailed down by the middle of November to get the legislation in place by the start of next year.

Completing it on time may still be feasible, but one potential sticking point is represented by demands by the Danish Peoples Party for tighter immigration rules.

Mr Rasmussen also needs to close a deal with the Liberal Alliance, which is demanding an agreement on future tax cuts by the end of the year.

The government was to meet its partners for another round of budget talks late yesterday after weekend negotiations failed to produce a breakthrough.

The risks of a government collapse and snap election being called in Denmark by late 2016 have risen significantly following a dispute over tax policy, BMI Research, which is owned by Fitch, wrote earlier this month.

Six Danish governments have fallen during the Christmas period due to major disagreements over fiscal policy since 1945.

Mr Rasmussen has been caught in the crossfire of his political allies since August, when he first proposed a 5% cut to topskat, a 15% supplementary income tax levied on about 450,000 residents whose annual incomes exceed 459,200 kroner (61,416).

Amid only limited public support, he stopped short of extending the cut to the approximately 50,000 taxpayers who earn more than one million kroner a year, angering the free-market, libertarian Liberal Alliance.

Its leader, Anders Samuelson, has said that he is prepared to bring down the government unless the tax cut is extended to the countrys top earners.

Mr Rasmussen is having to play a difficult balancing act as his biggest coalition partner, the anti-immigration Danish Peoples Party, is refusing to back the Liberal Alliances requests. Instead, it wants more welfare spending.

One way out of the impasse is to separate the tax talks from the budget negotiations, Danish Peoples Party leader Kristian Thulesen Dahl told reporters last week.
Chief executive Noel Ebbs told the Irish Examiner that the industrys big worry was that it faces a huge hike in insurance premiums over which it has no control.

In 2013, premiums for Dublin and Cork taxi drivers jumped from 600 to 800 for existing and highly experienced drivers to 1,000, and subsequently leapt to 1,500, Mr Ebbs said.

Insurance premiums for existing drivers can cost as much as 2,000, he said.

It is worse for new entrants, including professional drivers who have made no claims of three years, whose current insurance costs can be as high as 8,000.

Mr Ebbs said that legitimate drivers entering the industry can barely make a living.

Regulated by the National Transport Authority, Mr Ebbs said that fare prices which are being reviewed this year will have to take into account the huge surge in insurance costs.

We would prefer to see  rather than hiking up fares again  to have some sort of control over the costs because it [insurance] is a compulsory purchase whether you are driving a taxi or a domestic car, said Mr Ebbs.

There is absolutely no monitoring of awards of premiums. We cant see the premium profitability [in the insurance industry]. The insurance industry is closed to us. It is very difficult to establish what premium profits are.

Certainly the costs will be passed on. The industry doesnt want to pass the costs on. We want to control these costs. The problem at the moment is 50% of the industry is in the legitimate industry and 50% is not in the legitimate industry, the casual drivers.

In its second year, Mr Ebbs owns and developed Lynk software to run the app, and is on course to generate sales of 12m this year, he said. It charges taxi companies a license fee, and does not bill drivers directly.

With 2,500 drivers in Dublin, it plans following a soft Christmas launch to expand into Cork, with two taxi firms, in the new year.

His separate app company, now called Riide, which he owns with nine other investors, is on standby to launch with 15,000 drivers in the UK, where he hopes to be the No. 2 in the market with adapted software to meet British regulations.

Following a trade show in Phoenix, Riide is going into US and Canada, with another 15,000 drivers. Here, Lynks rivals include the UKs Hailo and US giant Uber.
Yesterday saw the real beginning of Web Summit, the massive tech conference which stretches out over 21 separate stages and themes, drawing more than 50,000 people to the Portuguese capital of Lisbon for discussions, pitches and, hopefully, investment.

The value to the local economy of the event is estimated at 200m, a figure echoed in one of the announcements made in the conferences early stages.

Facebook CTO Mike Schroepfer delivers a speech during the the Web Summit at Parque das Nacoes in Lisbon yesterday. Picture: Getty

Portugals prime minister, Antonio Costa, was one of the keynote speakers at the opening ceremony and attendees have made much of his announcement of a 200m fund for innovative technology companies, with some of the reputed 3,000-plus Irish visitors drawing harsh comparisons with their own governments failure to hold on to the conference.

With so many visitors, so many start-ups and so many stages featuring speakers it can be hard to pin down central themes, but yesterday it emerged that start-up companies specialising in financial technology are among the most sought after by investors looking for promising companies.

In that environment, its hardly surprising, then, that European Commissioner Carlos Moedas, who has responsibility for Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, and launched the call for applications for his Pan-European VC Fund-of-Funds at the Summit.

Prime Minister of Portugal Antonio Costa and Lisbon mayor Fernando Medina at the summit in Lisbon, Portugal

Moedas said: Theres far less venture capital in Europe than in the US, and funds dont have the scale or geographic scope to grow companies from early stage to mid-cap and from mid-cap to global players. The Pan-European VC Fund-of-Funds initiative tackles this problem head-on. It will lead to higher levels of investment in new generations of highly innovative European firms.

The EU will provide cornerstone investments of up to 300m in one or more independently managed venture capital Fund-of-Funds; the objectives of the initiative are to increase the size of venture capital funds in Europe: to increase private investment in venture capital; and to overcome fragmentation, as most venture capital funds now only operate in one member state.

Irish tech firms are well represented at the Summit, with Stripe, Intercom and VoxPro in attendance as well as Bizimply and Cork-based Teamwork.

Participants near the BMW stand during Web Summit yesterday in Lisbon, Portugal. Picture: Getty

Away from the world of official announcements, the temperate Lisbon setting drew favourable comments from those more familiar with Ballsbridge in November, where the conference was held up to last year.

General impressions of the technology conference have been positive overall, particularly compared to the traffic jams and hysterical hotel prices of the last couple of years in Dublin.

The picturesque stroll along the Lisbon waterfront to the setting had to be a selling point to veterans of those wintry Irish mornings.

A participant uses a virtual reality pair of goggles during the 2016 Web Summit. Picture: Getty

The roomy barns of the Royal Dublin Society have been replaced by the spacious surroundings of the Feira Internacional de Lisboa and Meo Arena, which has enabled a far better flow of people in and out of the venues. The sense of humour is a little lighter, too: the media centre is located next to a building whose name, roughly translated, is House of Beer.

There are other selling points, such as the narrow streets and inviting hostelries of the Barrio Alto (one of the latter had Tech Nerds Welcome at the door last evening) where the crowds have gone to unwind after a busy day.

All told a fair change from Dublin, and in honesty a fair improvement as well.
Counsel Conor Kearney told the court that since siblings Christian Preston, aged 16, Nathan Preston, aged 10, and Macey Preston, aged 6, moved out of their home at Carlton Hall, Shelmartin Avenue, Marino, Dublin, in September last year, their respiratory problems have improved.

Mr Kearney said the damp in the apartment had become apparent in 2011 and after the childrens mother, Danielle Preston, made several complaints, Dublin City Council inspected the property and installed dehumidifiers.

The court heard that some items which had been destroyed with damp had needed to be replaced by the local authority.

Mr Kearney said the Prestons ultimately abandoned the property and had been relocated at Clanmahon Rd, Donnycarney, Dublin.

Mr Justice Raymond Groarke heard that the Preston children had attended their GP on various occasions during 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2014 for treatment for respiratory illness.

Through their mother, the children sued Dublin City Council for negligence and breach of contract. They alleged that the apartment had been unfit for human habitation.

Mr Kearney said the local authority had made settlement offers of 3,000 for each of the Preston children.

Counsel said that although he found the offers to be low, there may be an issue regarding liability if the cases proceeded to a full hearing. The court heard the damp condition of the apartment may have exacerbated existing respiratory conditions.

Mr Kearney said that it was part of the agreement between the parties that the Prestons would remain in the Donnycarney property rather than returning to their former apartment, where works had been carried out.

Judge Groarke approved the offer.
Nancy Hicks Reporter Nancy Hicks reports on Lincoln city government, but shes been following the leaders of local and state government for more than 40 years. Follow Nancy Hicks Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

The proposed expansion of the Childrens Zoo will require City Council approval -- lots of council approval -- including waiving the rule that all new parking lots in the city must be hard-surfaced.

Monday's council agenda includes 12 separate issues related to expanding the Childrens Zoo in the Antelope Triangle. That's the area generally bounded by 27th Street, A Street and Normal Boulevard.

Mayor Chris Beutler announced the latest plan in mid-September, with most of the parking adjacent to the zoo. He rejected a previous plan which shifted most of the parking across A Street and would have required building a pedestrian overpass or requiring families to cross the busy street.

The new plan means the city Parks and Recreation Department offices will have to move to the Health Department building at the edge of Woods Park, requiring additional Woods Park land to be used for parking.

About three weeks ago the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and a neighborhood association criticized the plan, saying they had no input and asked for reconsideration. Those pleas were unsuccessful.

The nonprofit Children's Zoo will pay for the $16 million expansion, with no direct city funding required.

The zoo-related issues before the council are based on the Beutler-approved plan. A public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 21, with a vote likely on Dec. 5.

The issues include waiving a city rule that all parking lots in the city be paved, either using asphalt or concrete. Plans call for a small zoo parking lot across A Street, for about 42 cars, to be gravel for two years, under a waiver from the council. A larger lot for about 100 cars planned as part of the expansion will be paved.

While private companies are almost always required to pave new parking lots, the city often allows nonprofits and churches to put off paving a parking lot for four years, according to Planning Department staff.

The decision on this lot is dependent on final construction costs and available funding, according to Nicole Fleck-Tooze, with the city.

The other zoo-related issues on the council agenda include the following:

* Updating the master plan for Woods Park to expand parking, since Parks and Recreation Department employees will be moving into vacant space at the Health Department building.

* Approving a 50-year lease agreement between the city and the Childrens Zoo, allowing the expansion, and agreeing to a $1.25 million payment to cover the cost of relocating Parks and Recreation Department staff and purchasing replacement park land.

* Approving a real estate purchase agreement for city-owned land on the south side of A Street that will become a small parking lot.

* Allow a parking lot in a residential area by special permit.

* Change zoning.

* Adding historic designation to the Ager Building.

Experimenting with a zipper



The zipper merge is a new highway dance.

Rather than everyone merging into one lane long before reaching the merger point, this plan asks drivers to remain in their lane -- filling up both lanes -- until vehicles take turns moving into a single lane at the merger point. Like a zipper.

The zipper merge is what state Department of Roads District 2 Engineer Tim Weander has planned for construction north of the Platte River bridge on U.S. 75 near Plattsmouth.

Its a spot where 20,000 cars and trucks pass each day, and officials say traffic backs up for a mile or more under traditional merger practices.

Weander is hoping to shorten that distance by having traffic back up in two lanes, then merge.

He anticipates the change could actually speed up the merger process. Traffic should keep moving steadily, rather than stop and start, he says.

Research indicates the zipper merge reduces accidents.

The zipper merge, in place for northbound traffic, was not very successful on Monday, its first day. Traffic signals before the merge point were not coordinated, and cars still lined up for a mile.

Weander is hoping to resolve those issues this week.

A successful zipper merge requires some education, because it is a change for most drivers.

People are used to merging into a single line early, with "the bad, rude guys" racing ahead in the second lane and hoping someone will let them in.

Asking people to stay in both lanes until the merger point is a new concept.

The zipper merge also requires drivers to cooperate, be nice and take turns moving into the single lane at the merger point.

In that way, its like a four-way stop, said Tom Goodbarn, Lincolns District 1 Engineer.

No projects encouraging use of the zipper merge are currently being planned for the Lincoln area. But Goodbarn says he would try it out if the situation warrants.

Anniversary of ambulance vote

Fifteen years ago Lincoln voters agreed that all emergency ambulance service should be handled by the citys Fire Department.

Actually voters rejected a charter amendment that would have assured privatization of emergency ambulance service. The vote followed several years of debate over which would be best, which would be least expensive, and whether city taxpayers would end up subsidizing city-run emergency medical services.

Taxpayers are not currently subsidizing the service, which gets high marks for quality, particularly for handling people with heart attacks.

Lincoln likely has the highest survivor rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the country, says Dr. Jason Kruger, the department's emergency medical services medical director.

Lincoln has tripled its survivor rate for shockable cardiac arrests in the past three years and now has a 75 percent survival rate. The overall survival rate for all types of cardiac arrest is 20 percent, while the national average is 8 percent.

Today, medical calls make up the bulk of Fire and Rescue Department's business, 80 percent of total calls. There have been almost 16,000 medical calls this year.

The department has 72 licensed paramedics, representing about 24 percent of total staff. The goal is to provide a paramedic on all ambulances and all fire engines and trucks, according to Fire Chief Micheal Despain.

The medical services fund, with an almost $6.6 million budget this year, runs in the black and uses no tax dollars.

Whether the city-run ambulance service costs more or less than private emergency medical service is an unanswered question.
Independents4Change TD Joan Collins, as of last night, had received the backing of at least 94 TDs, after Fianna Fail at a party meeting also agreed to support her bill.

Housing Minister Simon Coveney is set to reveal this evening that the Government will accept the bill, but refer it to a committee for more scrutiny over technical issues.

Government figures say there is already legislation to ensure that any future move to take Irish Water out of public ownership would require a plebiscite, a public vote but one that does not bind a government.

Fianna Fail held its weekly frontbench meeting yesterday at which it was agreed to support Ms Collins bill, which will come before the Dail this evening.

The move took government figures by surprise, who considered the matter covered between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail by the confidence and supply agreement.

This states that both sides, for the Government support deal, agree that Irish Water will be retained as a single national utility in public ownership.

Government sources say that a referendum on public ownership will cost 20m and the idea of a referendum was never agreed as part of the confidence and supply agreement.

The Cabinet took no position on Ms Collins bill yesterday at their weekly meeting, but it was agreed that Mr Coveney would discuss the issue with other parties.

Ms Collins last night said she had the support of TDs with Sinn Fein (23), PBP/AAA (6), Independents4-Change (4), Labour (7), the Social Democrats (2), the Green Party (2).

A number of other Independents will also support it, including Stephen Donnelly, Michael Fitzmaurice, and Seamus Healy. Fianna Fails support brings the number of TDs to 94.

Ms Collins said pressure had been put on TDs from the Right2Water campaign, who had issued some 50,000 emails to politicians among others in recent weeks.

This is coming from a huge grassroots movement and proves you can make changes, she said.

Mr Coveneys department says the bill could proceed to the Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Local Government within weeks.

The acceptance of the bill and effectively an agreement to have a referendum on keeping water services in public ownership will raise questions about what other issues the minority Fine Gael-led government is willing to agree to put to a vote.

There is already pressure for Irelands restrictive laws on abortion to put to a referendum.

Fianna Fail says there were a number of issues in the bill that must be addressed, including how private wells and group water schemes would be treated under any changes.

Housing spokesman Barry Cowen said: Weve always been open to strengthening the existing legislation. It means we are prepared to scrutinise and investigate a referendum rather than give fuel to the fire of our opponents.
Industrial action that has seen nearly 200,000 students receive no classes since before the mid-term break was the subject of an invitation yesterday to talks. It was issued by Teachers Conciliation Council chair Anna Perry, and accepted last night by the ASTI and by Education Minister Richard Brutons officials.

While the move by no means guarantees a resolution to their complicated disputes on a number of fronts, the unions 23-member standing committee agreed to suspend their one-day strikes and withdrawal of their 17,500 members from supervision and substitution duties. That will remain the case as long as the talks with Ms Perry continue, a process that could go on until the end of this month.

The official strike at over 500 schools yesterday, in pursuit of equal pay for recently qualified teachers, was the second by ASTI members in 11 days. But they faced considerable further losses of pay into the future as long as most of those schools remained closed because of the separate action that saw them refuse to do supervision and substitution work.

Meanwhile, hospitals are set to be brought to a stand-still within weeks after the largest nurses union has become the latest to threaten Government with imminent strike action.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) announced the plan last night as general secretary Liam Doran warned the Lansdowne Road deal is no longer tenable and members will now be balloted on strike action.

The INMO confirmed the winter of discontent is now set to spread to vital hospital services.

It comes as senior Cabinet ministers yesterday claimed that Government has been torpedoed and totally let down by the Labour Courts pay deal for gardai .

The phasing out of USC is now in doubt as the Government will have to find an extra 40 million each year to fund the Garda pay deal.

Minister for Public Expenditure an Reform Paschal Donohoe said the deal would have significant consequences and could not rule out cuts to frontline services.

Any change of agreement that we have in relation to the Lansdowne Road Agreement has consequences for everything else that Government wants to do, he said.

Several ministers speaking to the Irish Examiner said they have been left in an invidious position, either to abandon the Lansdowne Road Agreement or undermine the Labour Court.

It has serious implications for the future so Paschal and his team are going to talk to ICTU and other bodies and try and address those issues. The Labour Court has brought forward a lot of things and while it is technically within Lansdowne Road but it has made serious difficulties for ministers and that was reflected around the Cabinet table, one senior Government source has said.

Nobody is happy that the Labour Court has torpedoed the Lansdowne Road Agreement, but what is the alternative? The Labour Court has let the Government down, the source added.

It is understood many Fine Gael ministers vented their anger at a meeting of their partys Cabinet team earlier in the day.

Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar didnt open his mouth at the Cabinet meeting, despite speaking out in the media in recent days as to his unwillingness to sacrifice any of his budget to pay for the Garda deal.

Despite the anger of some ministers at the Labour Court at Cabinet, what wasnt discussed is how it will be paid for, the source added. That discussion has to happen very soon, one minister said.

Announcing the decision to ballot its members, the INMO said a key element of the demand is accelerated restoration of pay.

Nurses will be balloted on November 24 on whether to agree to industrial action including work-to-rule measures and the option of one-day stoppages, with the results to be made known on December 15 and strike measures beginning three weeks later.

Health Minister Simon Harris stressed while he wants to meet with the INMO next week, nurses have already received a 1,000 incremental credit, unstated extra funds for taking on some duties and permanent contract guarantees for new graduates.

However, Mr Doran  who insisted his union has not jumped on the bandwagon of industrial action  warned Government it will not wriggle out of this.
Nov. 9, 2016 - First Majestic Silver Corp. (TSX:FR / NYSE:AG) (the "Company" or "First Majestic") is pleased to announce the unaudited interim consolidated financial results of the Company for the third quarter ended September 30, 2016. The full version of the financial statements and the management discussion and analysis can be viewed on the Company's web site at www.firstmajestic.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless stated otherwise.

THIRD QUARTER 2016 HIGHLIGHTS

(compared to Third Quarter 2015)

Silver equivalent production increased 27% to 4.5 million ounces

Silver production increased 20% to 3.1 million ounces - a new quarterly record

All-in sustaining costs ("AISC") decreased 27% to $10.52 per payable silver ounce

Revenues increased 78% to $79.3 million

Realized average silver price increased 30% to $19.72 per ounce

Mine operating earnings increased 656% to $20.0 million

Net earnings increased 556% to $8.1 million (Basic EPS of $0.05)

Adjusted earnings, excluding non-cash and non-recurring items, increased 254% to $11.7 million (Adjusted EPS of $0.07)

Operating cash flows before working capital and taxes increased 319% to $35.4 million or $0.22 per share (non-GAAP)

Cash costs decreased 33% to $5.84 per payable silver ounce (net of by-product credits)

Cash and cash equivalents totaled $122.5 million at the end of the quarter, representing a $14.3 million increase compared to the previous quarter

"Cash generation accelerated during the quarter due to our ongoing disciplined cost management and higher silver prices," stated Keith Neumeyer, President and CEO of First Majestic. "Our third quarter AISC came in well below guidance at $10.52 per ounce. The reduction in costs were driven primarily by renegotiated smelting and refining agreements, the continued weakness in the Mexican Peso, and record production of silver. In addition, the Company realized an average silver price of $19.72 per ounce, which is the highest price achieved in the past 10 quarters. We have already achieved 80% of our annual production guidance and continue to make great progress towards achieving our financial and strategic objectives for the year."

OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Key Performance Metrics Q3-2016 Q2-2016 Change Q3-2015 Change 2016-YTD Operational Ore Processed / Tonnes Milled 838,233 798,182 5 % 675,032 24 % 2,426,007 Silver Ounces Produced 3,114,627 2,844,930 9 % 2,593,309 20 % 9,033,731 Silver Equivalent Ounces Produced 4,524,619 4,681,608 (3 %) 3,558,035 27 % 14,289,323 Cash Costs per Ounce (1) $5.84 $6.41 (9 %) $8.77 (33 %) $5.73 All-in Sustaining Cost per Ounce (1) $10.52 $10.97 (4 %) $14.41 (27 %) $10.11 Total Production Cost per Tonne (1) $43.11 $44.97 (4 %) $41.81 3 % $43.60 Average Realized Silver Price per Ounce ($/eq. oz.) (1) $19.72 $17.01 16 % $15.16 30 % $17.18 Financial (in $millions) Revenues $79.3 $66.1 20 % $44.7 78 % $211.9 Mine Operating Earnings (Loss) (2) $20.0 $9.9 101 % ($3.6 ) 656 % $39.3 Earnings (loss) before Income Taxes $13.4 $9.2 45 % ($6.6 ) 301 % $24.0 Net Earnings (Loss) $8.1 $6.1 33 % ($1.8 ) 556 % $6.8 Operating Cash Flows before Working Capital and Taxes (2) $35.4 $23.5 51 % $8.4 319 % $83.8 Cash and Cash Equivalents $122.5 $108.2 13 % $26.1 369 % $122.5 Working Capital (Deficit) (1) $143.8 $119.1 21 % ($13.0 ) 1,206 % $143.8 Shareholders Earnings (Loss) per Share ("EPS") - Basic $0.05 $0.04 29 % ($0.01 ) 440 % $0.04 Adjusted EPS (1) $0.07 $0.03 139 % ($0.06 ) 215 % $0.13 Cash Flow per Share (1) $0.22 $0.15 47 % $0.07 213 % $0.53

(1) The Company reports non-GAAP measures which include cash costs per ounce, all-in sustaining cost per ounce, total production cost per ounce, total production cost per tonne, average realized silver price per ounce, working capital, adjusted EPS and cash flow per share. These measures are widely used in the mining industry as a benchmark for performance, but do not have a standardized meaning and may differ from methods used by other companies with similar descriptions. (2) The Company reports additional GAAP measures which include mine operating earnings and operating cash flows before movements in working capital and income taxes. These additional financial measures are intended to provide additional information and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The Company realized an average silver price of $19.72 per ounce during the third quarter of 2016, representing a 30% increase compared with the third quarter of 2015 and a 16% increase compared to $17.01 in the prior quarter.

Revenues generated in the third quarter totaled $79.3 million, an increase of $34.6 million or 78% compared to $44.7 million in the third quarter of 2015. The increase in revenue was primarily due to a 30% increase in average realized silver price and a 30% increase in silver equivalent ounces sold as a result of production from the Santa Elena mine, which was acquired in October 2015.

Mine operating earnings were $20.0 million in the quarter compared to a loss of $3.6 million in the third quarter of 2015. The increase in mine operating earnings was primarily driven by a 27% increase in production and a 30% increase in silver prices.

Cash flow from operations before movements in working capital and income taxes was $35.4 million ($0.22 per share) during the quarter, representing a 319% increase compared to $8.4 million ($0.07 per share) in the third quarter of 2015.

The Company generated net earnings of $8.1 million (earnings per share of $0.05) in the third quarter compared to net loss of $1.8 million (loss per share of $0.01) in the third quarter of 2015. Excluding all non-cash and non-recurring items, the Company generated adjusted earnings of $11.7 million ($0.07 per share) during the quarter.

The Company's treasury increased 13% to $122.5 million by the end of the quarter, reflecting a $14.3 million increase compared to the prior quarter. Additionally, the Company's working capital position increased 21% to $143.8 million compared to $119.1 million at the end of the prior quarter.

On July 12, 2016, the Company entered into a debt settlement agreement with First Mining Finance Corp. ("First Mining") to settle $1.2 million in loan receivables. Pursuant to the agreement, First Mining settled $0.5 million of the debt through issuance of 820,440 of its common shares at a deemed price of CAD$0.80 per share. The remaining balance of $0.7 million will be paid in cash in twelve equal monthly cash payments, of which $0.2 million has been received.

OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

The table below represents the quarterly operating and cost parameters at each of the Company's six producing silver mines.

Third Quarter Production Summary Santa Elena La Encantada La Parrilla Del Toro San Martin La Guitarra Consolidated Ore Processed / Tonnes Milled 241,996 247,858 147,414 86,646 75,228 39,092 838,233 Silver Ounces Produced 671,423 685,478 547,913 446,137 500,441 263,235 3,114,627 Silver Equivalent Ounces Produced 1,430,506 687,841 739,026 707,524 562,096 397,627 4,524,619 Cash Costs per Ounce ($0.81 ) $11.20 $7.70 $3.41 $7.05 $6.93 $5.84 All-in Sustaining Cost per Ounce $1.82 $12.81 $10.65 $6.01 $9.92 $13.60 $10.52 Total Production Cost per Tonne $44.75 $30.18 $41.20 $48.15 $59.39 $79.68 $43.11

Total production for the quarter was 4.5 million silver equivalent ounces consisting of 3.1 million ounces of silver, 14,452 ounces of gold, 8.0 million pounds of lead and 1.5 million pounds of zinc. Compared to the previous quarter, total production decreased by 3% primarily due to lower by-product production at the La Parrilla and Santa Elena mines due to planned mine sequencing, as well as a decline in the silver equivalent conversion ratio as a result of the price of silver outperforming other metals during the quarter.

COSTS AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

Cash cost per ounce (after by-product credits) for the quarter was $5.84 per payable ounce of silver, representing a 9% decrease compared to the prior quarter. The decrease in cash cost per ounce was primarily the result of the increase in silver production, as well as renegotiated smelting and refining agreements that were effective on July 1, 2016, which contributed to a 34% decrease in smelting and refining costs, which were partially offset by a 10% increase in electricity cost from the national power grid. Compared to the same quarter of 2015, cash cost per ounce decreased 33% from $8.77 per ounce. The decrease in cash cost per ounce was primarily the result of the foreign exchange effect of the weaker Mexican Peso, as well as ongoing company-wide cost reduction efforts and a focus on producing only profitable ounces, which resulted in significant cost savings in contractor, haulage, energy and reagents. Santa Elena, the Company's recently acquired mine, had a negative cash cost of $0.81 per ounce, which also contributed to the significant reduction in the Company's consolidated cash cost.

Consolidated AISC for the quarter was $10.52 per ounce, representing a 4% decrease compared to the previous quarter and well below the Company's guidance of $11.50 to $12.35 per ounce. The decrease in AISC was primarily attributed to a $0.57 decrease in cash cost per ounce in the third quarter, even though sustaining capital expenditures increased by $0.26 per ounce to catch up with increased underground development and exploration program targets. Compared to the same quarter of the prior year, AISC decreased by 27% or $3.89 per ounce compared to $14.41 per ounce. AISC decreased significantly due to a $2.93 reduction in cash costs per ounce, as well as a $1.00 per ounce decrease in sustaining capital expenditures. AISC was also lower due to the recent addition of the Santa Elena mine, which had an AISC of $1.82 per ounce in the quarter.

Total capital expenditures in the third quarter were $20.7 million, an increase of 108% compared to the prior quarter, primarily consisting of $4.9 million at Santa Elena, $2.7 million at La Encantada, $3.3 million at La Parrilla, $5.3 million at Del Toro, $2.0 million at San Martin and $2.5 million at La Guitarra. The increase in capital expenditures is the result of the Company's plan to expand its underground development and exploration budgets in the second half of 2016.

ABOUT FIRST MAJESTIC

First Majestic is a mining company focused on silver production in Mexico and is aggressively pursuing the development of its existing mineral property assets and the pursuit through acquisition of additional mineral assets which contribute to the Company achieving its corporate growth objectives.

Source: First Majestic Silver
London, England (FSCwire) - Gabriel Resources Ltd. (Gabriel or the Company) announces the publication of its Third Quarter Financial Statements and Managements Discussion and Analysis Report for the period ended September 30, 2016.

Summary

On July 14, 2016, the Company completed a non-brokered private placement financing to raise $40.625 million (Private Placement) and subsequently appointed Mr. David Kay, a representative of Tenor International & Commercial Arbitration Fund (Tenor), to the Board on July 29, 2016.

The Romanian State continues to block the permitting and implementation of the Rosia Montana gold and silver project (Project) without due process or compensation. Accordingly, the Companys core focus is the progression of its arbitration case against Romania before the World Banks International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) under applicable treaties for the promotion and protection of foreign investment to which Romania is a party (ICSID Arbitration).

The tribunal appointed to hear and determine the ICSID Arbitration (Tribunal) met in first session with all parties on August 12, 2016. A subsequent in-person hearing was held on September 23, 2016 to consider various requests for provisional measures made by the Company.

On September 27, 2016 the Company reported that the value added tax assessment (VAT Assessment) levied on Gabriels Romanian subsidiary, Rosia Montana Gold Corporation S.A. (RMGC), amounting to approximately RON 27 million (approximately $8.6 million), had been partially quashed and, together with associated interest and penalties in the amount of RON 15.9 million ($5.1m), was no longer due for payment. However, such decision directed the fiscal authorities to rerun the VAT inspection for the same period using a new inspection team. In the interim period, debt enforcement actions against RMGC have been withdrawn. The new VAT inspection commenced on October 12, 2016.

RMGC remains subject to an investigation by the Romanian National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) which Gabriel considers is abusive in nature and has been initiated by the Romanian authorities in retaliation to the filing of the ICSID Arbitration.

During Q3 2016, the Group sold a gyratory crusher, originally procured for the Project between 2007 and 2009, for gross proceeds of approximately $2.6 million and continues, through its agents, to procure the sale of additional long lead-time equipment.

As at September 30, 2016, the Company held $66.7 million of cash and cash equivalents.

The Q3 2016 financial statements reflect an operating loss for the period of $7.4 million (Q2 2016 $3.9 million) which, together with debt financing costs and a one-off, non-cash, loss recognition of $34.4 million to comply with technical accounting rules in respect of the Private Placement, resulted in a loss for the period of $42.0 million (Q2 2016 ($8.9 million).

Jonathan Henry, Gabriels President and Chief Executive Officer, stated:

The failure of Romania to engage in the development of a world class mining project at Rosia Montana continues to disappoint Gabriel. The Company has been left with no alternative but to deploy significant resources to pursue the ICSID Arbitration claim against Romania. Despite the abusive and unlawful VAT Assessment levied against RMGC being overturned and rather than address the positive impact that the mine can deliver for Romania, the Romanian State, through its agencies and authorities, is continuing to commit discriminatory, abusive and arbitrary acts against the Company and its investments. The Company remains fully financed to safeguard its rights and investments in Romania and is thus concentrating its efforts on the progression of the ICSID Arbitration.

Further information and commentary on the operations and results in the third quarter of 2016 is given below. The Company has filed its Unaudited Condensed Interim Consolidated Financial Statements and Managements Discussion & Analysis on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and each is available for review on the Companys website at www.gabrielresources.com.

Further Information

Status of the ICSID Arbitration

The ICSID Arbitration seeks compensation for all of the loss and damage suffered by the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Gabriel Resources (Jersey) Ltd. (together Claimants), resulting from the Romanian States wrongful conduct and its breaches of certain bilateral investment treaties which the Romanian Government has entered into.

The Tribunal held its first session by teleconference on August 12, 2016 and, on August 26, the Tribunal issued Procedural Order No.1 establishing certain timelines and procedural rules to be followed during the course of the ICSID Arbitration; this included the position of the Tribunal that all hearings would be held in Washington, D.C. The Tribunal is still to issue a final procedural calendar with specific dates for the filing of submissions by the parties and other necessary procedural matters.

On September 23, 2016, the Tribunal held a hearing to consider requests for certain provisional measures submitted to the Tribunal by the Claimants (the PM Hearing). The provisional measures requests related to (i) the use by the Claimants, their counsel and the Tribunal, among others, of certain categories of documents and information considered classified and/or confidential under Romanian law; (ii) various aspects of the VAT Assessment levied against RMGC; and (iii) certain investigations of RMGC being undertaken by ANAF, a Romanian government agency operating under the Ministry of Public Finance, a government department which is also charged with organizing and overseeing Romanias defense of the ICSID Arbitration, as further described below. The Tribunal did not indicate a timeframe for the issuance of its pending decisions in regard to the matters addressed during the PM Hearing.

Despite the initiation of the ICSID Arbitration, the Company continues to remain open to engagement with the Romanian authorities in order to achieve an amicable resolution of the dispute. Notwithstanding, Gabriel will continue to protect its rights and investments in Romania, including support to RMGC in respect of any abusive, illegal, or retaliatory conduct by the Romanian authorities and, so far as reasonably practical and desirable, ensuring that existing licenses and permits remain in good standing.

RMGC Investigations

As previously announced by the Company, ANAF raised the VAT Assessment against RMGC in July 2016 demanding the repayment of VAT deductions claimed by RMGC in the period 2011 to 2016.

In mid-September 2016, ANAF issued a further demand against RMGC in respect of interest and penalties payable on the VAT Assessment in the amount of RON 15.9 million ($5.1m). RMGC challenged the VAT Assessment and immediately prior to the PM Hearing the Claimants were notified that ANAF had decided to partially quash the VAT Assessment. Pursuant to this decision, the Company is advised that neither the VAT Assessment nor the associated interest and penalties are due for payment by RMGC, and that the VAT inspection will be re-run for the same period but using a new inspection team. The debt recovery actions against RMGC that had been initiated by ANAF have accordingly been withdrawn. As of October 12, 2016 a new VAT inspection had commenced.

In parallel with the VAT Assessment, a separate directorate of ANAF has continued to pursue an ad hoc investigation of a broad range of operational activities and transactions of RMGC over an extensive period spanning 1997 to 2016 (the ANAF Investigation). For over twelve months, ANAF has demanded that RMGC provide voluminous amounts of information and explanations in respect of, amongst other matters, transactions with its suppliers and financing transactions of RMGC. Although RMGC is cooperating in good faith with the ANAF Investigation, Gabriel believes that there is no justification for the ANAF Investigation, that the breadth and depth of ANAFs demands are intentionally abusive, and that it has been initiated in an attempt to harm RMGC and the Claimants in view of the dispute with the Romanian State and the Claimants filing of the ICSID Arbitration. Accordingly, the Claimants have brought this matter to the attention of the Tribunal as Gabriel continues to consider that such actions further evidence the discriminatory acts and bad faith conduct of the Romanian authorities with regard to the Companys investment in Romania.

Long Lead-Time Equipment

Long lead-time equipment comprised of crushing and milling equipment was originally procured by the Group between 2007 and 2009. Since delivery, the long lead-time equipment has been stored in various warehouse locations which, with non-material exceptions, are outside of Romania and are held in accordance with both the original manufacturers and current insurers recommended storage requirements.

Due to the combined status of the Project permitting and the ICSID Arbitration the Company recognized an impairment of the long lead-time equipment of $33.0 million at December 31, 2015, with the remaining book value transferred to assets held for sale.

During Q3 2016, the Group sold a gyratory crusher for gross proceeds of US$2.0 million (approx. $2.6 million) and, after sales commission, recorded a net gain on disposal of $0.6 million. The Company continues, through its agents, to procure the sale of the additional long lead-time equipment.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity

Excluding cash flows from fundraising activities and those from the sale of long lead-time equipment, the Companys average monthly cash usage during Q3 2016 was $1.3 million, including costs in respect of the ICSID Arbitration (Q2 2016 monthly average: $2.0 million, Q1 2016 monthly average: $1.5 million). At the third quarter end, accruals for costs in respect of the ICSID Arbitration amounted to $3.4 million (Q2 2016 $1.0 million)

Capital Resources

Cash and cash equivalents at September 30, 2016 amounted to $66.7 million, including the $40.625 million raised from the Private Placement.

Financial Performance

The net loss for the third quarter of 2016 was $42.0 million, significantly impacted by a one-off, non-cash, loss recognition of $34.4 million recorded in compliance with technical accounting rules applied to the Private Placement. This charge arises as sizeable increases in the price of gold and global gold/mining indices were reflected in the Companys share price, which increased significantly during the documentation, finalization and closing period for the Private Placement, and resulted in the equity components (the warrants and convertible notes) being in-the-money on the date that the transaction closed (July 14, 2016) relative to the pricing negotiated with the investors and determined in accordance with price protection rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Project Development (including Permitting and Litigation)

The annual meeting of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) took place in Paris on October 24 to 26, 2016 where it was confirmed that the Rosia Montana Mining Cultural Landscape, an area that includes the Project footprint, had been added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site tentative list. Neither Gabriel nor RMGC have been notified of, or consulted on, such matter.

In the context of the above disclosures concerning the ICSID Arbitration, the lack of Romanian Government engagement on the Project and the change in core focus of the Company, readers are advised to refer to the Annual Information Form of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2015 (AIF) published on March 29, 2016, for information relating to the status of the Project, the exploitation license (License) relating thereto, the Companys exploration and development activities in Romania, the Project approval and permitting process, legal proceedings concerning the Project and reported gold and silver resources and reserves. Except as disclosed in the Companys public filings thereafter, there has been no material change in that information from the date of publication of the AIF to the date of this press release. The Company has filed its AIF and 2016 quarterly Managements Discussion & Analysis on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and each is available for review on the Companys website at www.gabrielresources.com.

About Gabriel

Gabriel is a Toronto Stock Exchange listed Canadian resource company. The Companys principal focus has been the exploration and development of the Rosia Montana gold and silver project in Romania. The Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Europe, is situated in the South Apuseni Mountains of Transylvania, Romania, an historic and prolific mining district that since pre-Roman times has been mined intermittently for over 2,000 years. The License for the Project is held by Rosia Montana Gold Corporation S.A., a Romanian company in which Gabriel owns an 80.69% equity interest, with the 19.31% balance held by Minvest Rosia Montana S.A., a Romanian state-owned mining company. It is anticipated that the Project would bring over US$24 billion (at US$1,200/oz gold) to Romania as potential direct and indirect contribution to GDP and generate thousands of employment opportunities.

Since the grant of the License in June 1999, the Company has focused substantially all of its management and financial resources on the exploration, feasibility and subsequent development of the Project. Despite the Companys fulfilment of its legal obligations and its development of the Project as a high-quality, sustainable and environmentally-responsible mining project, using best available techniques, Romania has blocked and prevented implementation of the Project without due process and without compensation.Accordingly, the Companys current core focus is the ICSID Arbitration.

For more information please visit the Companys website at www.gabrielresources.com.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Nov. 9, 2016) - Kaizen Discovery Inc. (TSX VENTURE:KZD) announced today that its subsidiary, Kaizen Discovery Peru, has signed all land access agreements with the community of Pinaya and individual private landholders. These agreements provide the company with access rights to conduct its planned exploration program at the Pinaya Project for a two-year period. Kaizen also signed two separate agreements with the community outlining social development and employment commitments.

In addition, Kaizen received its water-use authorization for the Pinaya exploration camp on November 2, 2016. In conjunction with the granting of access rights, Kaizen now has satisfied all necessary requirements to trigger ITOCHU Corporation's second-stage investment of C$625,000 in the project. Upon receipt of ITOCHU's investment, ITOCHU's interest in Kaizen Peru Holdings - the indirect holder of the Pinaya Project - will increase from 5% to 10%.

Kaizen plans to commence fieldwork at Pinaya this month with an initial exploration program including re-logging of existing drill core, a detailed mapping program and regional-scale stream sampling of areas where no previous, systematic exploration was carried out.

Eric Finlayson, Kaizen's Interim Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the community of Pinaya, which allows us to conduct our exploration and development activities for the next two years, while also providing a framework through which the community can benefit from our activities."

Under the terms of the strategic financing agreement between Kaizen and ITOCHU for the Pinaya Project, which were outlined in Kaizen's April 1, 2016 news release, ITOCHU's third payment of C$1.25 million, to bring ITOCHU's aggregate interest in Kaizen Peru Holdings to 20%, is conditional on Kaizen obtaining the necessary environmental, archaeological and water authorizations required to conduct exploration drilling on the Pinaya Project. In this regard, Kaizen filed the Pinaya Declaration of Environmental Impact (DIA) application on October 11, 2016. Upon approval of the DIA, related permits and authorization to initiate activities, Kaizen will have met the requirements for the third installment of the ITOCHU investment.

Kaizen has agreed to match ITOCHU's exploration funding for the Pinaya Project, bringing the total funding to C$5 million for the planned first phase of exploration at Pinaya. The initial C$1.25 million of Kaizen's C$2.5 million funding is due on or before the earlier of (i) April 18, 2017, one year after the date of ITOCHU's initial C$625,000 investment; or (ii) completion of ITOCHU's third-tranche payment. Kaizen's second C$1.25 million is due on or before April 18, 2018, two years after the date of completion of ITOCHU's initial C$625,000 investment.

Katty Vargas (center), Kaizen Discovery Peru's General Manager, with representatives of the Pinaya community at the land access agreement signing ceremony.

More information on Kaizen is available at www.kaizendiscovery.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements in this news release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in both Kaizen's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "believe", "will", "could", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "potential", "should," and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Information provided in this document is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information.

Although Kaizen has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and Kaizen disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and Kaizen does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company herein.
TORONTO, ONTARIO and VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Nov. 9, 2016) - Kirkland Lake Gold Inc. ("Kirkland Lake Gold") (TSX:KLG) and Newmarket Gold Inc. ("Newmarket") (TSX:NMI)(OTCQX:NMKTF) are pleased to announce Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. ("ISS"), the leading independent proxy advisory firm that provides voting recommendations to institutional investors, has recommended that shareholders of each company vote in favour of the proposed plan of arrangement dated September 29th, 2016 to merge the two companies ("Business Combination").

ISS has recommended that both Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket shareholders vote FOR the respective resolutions relating to the plan of arrangement for a number of reasons, including the fact "the arrangement makes strategic sense" for both companies "as it will result in the creation of a larger, more diversified company with a portfolio of high-quality assets, while the Combined Company will have a stronger financial position and greater cash resources" than Kirkland Lake Gold or Newmarket alone.

In connection with the Business Combination, shareholders of Kirkland Lake Gold will receive 2.1053 Newmarket shares (on a pre-consolidated basis) for each Kirkland Lake Gold share held which will be approximately one Newmarket share on a post-consolidation basis. Pursuant to the consolidation, shareholders of Newmarket will receive 0.475 of a post-consolidation share for every one pre-consolidation share of Newmarket held.

Existing Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket shareholders will own approximately 57% and 43% of the combined company, respectively, on a fully-diluted in-the-money basis. Management of both companies believes that the Business Combination will provide shareholders with significant benefits to each that would not be available if each company remained as a standalone entity.

Shareholders of Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket are encouraged to read the Joint Management Information Circular, a copy of which is available under their respective profiles on the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com).

How To Vote

Shareholders must vote their proxy before 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time) on November 23, 2016.

Kirkland Lake Gold shareholders with questions or who need help voting are encouraged to contact Kingsdale Shareholder Services at 1-877-659-1824 toll-free within North America, or 1-416-867-2272 (for collect calls outside North America), or e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Newmarket shareholders with questions or who require assistance with voting, should contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group, at 1-877-452-7184 toll-free, or 1-416-304-0211 (for collect calls outside North America) or by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

About Kirkland Lake Gold

Kirkland Lake Gold is an intermediate gold producer with assets in the historic Kirkland Lake gold camp, and east of the Timmins gold camp along the Porcupine-Destor Fault Zone, both in northeastern Ontario. Kirkland Lake Gold is currently targeting annual gold production of between 280,000 to 290,000 ounces from its cornerstone asset, the Macassa Mine Complex and the Holt Mine Complex which includes the Holt, Holloway and Taylor mines.

Kirkland Lake Gold is committed to building a sustainable mining company that is recognized as a safe and responsible gold producer with quality assets in safe mining jurisdictions.

About Newmarket

Newmarket is a Canadian listed gold producer with three 100% owned underground operating mines in Australia. The flagship operation, Fosterville Gold Mine, and the Stawell Gold Mine are located in the state of Victoria, and the Cosmo Gold Mine is located in the Northern Territory. In addition, Newmarket has a pipeline of growth projects within Australia, including The Maud Creek Gold Project in the Northern Territory and the Big Hill Gold Project in the state of Victoria. Newmarket is based on a strong foundation of quality gold production from its three Australian mines, producing over 220,000 ounces of gold annually. Newmarket is dedicated to the development of its resources, targeted exploration, and prudent cost management practices, while continuing to generate free cash flow and maintaining a large resource base with reserve upside. Newmarket strives to enhance shareholder value through a disciplined approach to growth, focused on organic exploration success on near mine targets and accretive acquisition opportunities in stable mining jurisdictions.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has neither reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions and include information regarding: (i) expectations regarding whether the proposed transaction will be consummated, including whether conditions to the consummation of the transaction will be satisfied, or the timing for completing the transaction, (ii) expectations for the effects of the transaction or the ability of the combined company to successfully achieve business objectives, including integrating the companies or the effects of unexpected costs, liabilities or delays, (iii) the potential benefits and synergies of the transaction and (iv) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect Kirkland Lake Gold's and Newmarket's respective management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the combined company. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: the ability to consummate the transaction; the ability to obtain requisite regulatory and shareholder approvals and the satisfaction of other conditions to the consummation of the transaction on the proposed terms and schedule; the ability of Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket to successfully integrate their respective operations and employees and realize synergies and cost savings at the times, and to the extent, anticipated; the potential impact on exploration activities; the potential impact of the announcement or consummation of the transaction on relationships, including with regulatory bodies, employees, suppliers, customers and competitors; the re-rating potential following the consummation of the transaction; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; changes in applicable laws; compliance with extensive government regulation; and the diversion of management time on the transaction. This forward-looking information may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket and market conditions. This information is qualified in its entirety by cautionary statements and risk factor disclosure contained in filings made by Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket with the Canadian securities regulators, including the Joint Management Information Circular and Kirkland Lake Gold's and Newmarket's respective annual information form, financial statements and related MD&A for the financial year ended December 31, 2015 and their interim financial reports and related MD&A for the period ended September 30, 2016 filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedar.com.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket have attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.
By Lee Ying-yuan





Global warming and the El Nino phenomenon have contributed to record-breaking temperatures and extreme weather events around the world. In July this year, the global average temperatures taken over land and ocean surfaces were the highest for any month in 137 years of record-keeping. In June, the temperature in Taipei reached 38.7 degrees Celsius, the highest in a century. Another recent anomaly is a marked decline in the frequency of steady rainfall. Instead, we were hit with a series of torrential downpours that caused many flash floods, significantly damaging our infrastructure, ecosystem and crops. More and more evidence is showing that climate change is already happening. If we don't take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions now, we will end up paying much more later on.

Unbounded economic growth and excessive emissions have led to climate change which threatens human survival. Governments around the world realize this, and that's why the landmark Paris Agreement was adopted in December 2015, bringing all nations together under a common cause that drives global mitigation actions with long-term goals. Climate change is arguably the single most important issue that puts the future of humanity at stake. As a member of the international community, Taiwan cannot be a mere spectator to this problem and must come up with feasible solutions to live up to the name of Formosa, "beautiful island."

We enacted the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act in July last year, setting our long-term target to reduce our emissions by at least 50 percent below 2005 levels by the year 2050. Taiwan is among only a few countries in the world that have written into law a target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, we've come to realize the need to further increase our energy efficiency and promote energy conservation, transform our industrial structure, as well as diversify our energy supply by tapping into renewable energies, such as solar, wind, biogas production using pig farm waste based on the concept of circular economy. We anticipate that by 2025, 20 percent of our energy will come from renewable energy. We have also established under the Executive Yuan the Office of Energy and Carbon Reduction whose main task is to plan overall national energy policy and promote conversion to newer forms of energy as well as GHG reduction. The office coordinates efforts among government agencies and also establishes partnerships between the central and local governments to reduce carbon and develop clean energy.

In her inaugural address in May, President Tsai Ing-wen made it clear that Taiwan will not be absent from the global efforts to mitigate climate change and that her government will regularly review goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement. With this ambition, we enacted the Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act, with periodic five-year regulatory goals that help enhance climate-change-response capacity building and promote efficient management in reducing greenhouse gas emissions across government agencies. This approach is in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement which encourages all countries to strengthen their determination to reduce emissions with the aim to achieve the long-term goal by the year 2050.

We only have one Earth and there is only one Taiwan. Therefore, we cannot take the issue of climate change lightly as we proactively respond to and support global initiatives. Climate change is a global issue that transcends national boundaries. The actions we take today could have profound impacts on the lives of future generations. Climate change requires not only national but global solutions. That is why governments cannot do this alone. I sincerely urge the international community to recognize and support Taiwan's determination to gain meaningful participation in the UNFCCC and become part of the global climate network. We are willing to share our environmental protection experiences and contribute to international efforts. Together with friendly nations, we will join hands to safeguard a sustainable earth.

The writer is the minister of Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration.
An outbreak of fighting in the Central African Republic between rival Christian and Muslim militias, in the presence in the country of some 12,000 United Nations and French peacekeeping forces, is further evidence of inefficacy of that measure in conflicts.



The trouble last week in Bambari, a city in the CAR, constitutes a return to the fighting in that tormented country that has been a problem since 2013. Twenty-five deaths are reported this time. France and the United Nations have, in principle, cooperated to put government and law and order back on track there over the past few years. A president, Faustin Archange Touadera, was elected in February and relative peace has prevailed until now.



In spite of scandals, including sexual abuse of Central Africans by peacekeepers, the presence of international forces is considered to have been a positive influence in the security situation there. How they missed preventing the battle in Bambari is not clear. Such forces have at their disposal airlift capacity, which could have been used to quickly move troops to the provincial town to stand between the two militias.



The Bambari failure comes on top of a report released Tuesday by U.N.-appointed investigators that chronicles the failure in July of U.N. peacekeepers from China, Ethiopia, India and Nepal in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, to intervene - in spite of having been asked repeatedly and urgently to do so - in a rampage of looting and rape by government soldiers there. The victims in this case included employees of international humanitarian organizations and U.N. staff.



In Haiti, of course, U.N. forces are believed to have introduced a cholera epidemic there, following the 2010 earthquake.



It's too late now for outgoing U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to deal with the problem of useless, even malevolent peacekeepers, but the dilemma is surely a matter that should be at the top of the agenda of the new head of the organization, Antonio Guterres, when he takes office in January.



There is an important role for international peacekeepers, but they aren't playing it well. The United States pays $2.4 billion, 28 percent of the cost of the U.N.'s peacekeeping function.





This editorial appeared on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.




Electoral vote projection: Trump 276, Clinton 228

WASHINGTON  Donald Trump claimed his place Wednesday as America's 45th president, an astonishing victory for the celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalized on voters' economic anxieties, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations on his way to the White House.

Trump's triumph over Hillary Clinton, not declared until well after midnight, will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House. He'll govern with Congress fully under Republican control and lead a country deeply divided by his rancorous campaign against Clinton. He faces fractures within his own party, too, given the numerous Republicans who either tepidly supported his nomination or never backed him at all.

As he claimed victory, Trump urged Americans to "come together as one united people."

Clinton, who hoped to become the nation's first female president, called her Republican rival to concede but did not plan to speak publicly until Wednesday morning. Trump, who spent much of the campaign urging his supporters on as they chanted "lock her up," said the nation owed Clinton "a major debt of gratitude" for her years of public service. President Barack Obama called Trump early Wednesday to congratulate him on the victory and had "a very nice talk," Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said. She said Trump would possibly meet with Obama on Thursday.

The Republican blasted through Democrats' longstanding firewall, carrying Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that hadn't voted for a GOP presidential candidate since the 1980s. He needed to win nearly all of the competitive battleground states, and he did just that, including Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and others.

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged, reflecting investor concern over what a Trump presidency might mean for the U.S. and world economies and trade.

A New York real estate developer who lives in a sparkling Manhattan high-rise, Trump forged a striking connection with white, working class Americans who feel left behind in a changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of the problems plaguing many Americans and tapped into fears of terrorism emanating at home and abroad.

GOP Senate candidates fended off Democratic challengers in key states, including North Carolina, Indiana and Wisconsin. Republicans also maintained their grip on the House.

Senate control means Trump will have great leeway in appointing Supreme Court justices, which could mean a shift to the right that would last for decades.

Trump has pledged to usher in sweeping changes to U.S. foreign policy, including building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and suspending immigration from countries with terrorism ties. He's also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoken of building a better relationship with Moscow, worrying some in his own party who fear he'll go easy on Putin's provocations.

Putin sent him a telegram of congratulations early Wednesday.

Trump upended years of political convention on his way to the White House, leveling harshly personal insults against his rivals, deeming Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers, and vowing to temporarily suspend Muslim immigration to the U.S. He never released his tax returns, breaking with decades of campaign tradition, and eschewed the kind of robust data and field efforts that helped Obama win two terms in the White House, relying instead on his large, free-wheeling rallies to energize supporters. His campaign was frequently in chaos, and he cycled through three campaign managers.

Conway, his final campaign manager, touted the team's accomplishments as the final results rolled in, writing on Twitter that "rally crowds matter" and "we expanded the map."

Clinton spent months warning voters that Trump was unfit and unqualified to be president. But the former senator and secretary of state struggled to articulate a clear rationale for her own candidacy.

She faced persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. Those troubles flared anew late in the race, when FBI Director James Comey announced a review of new emails from her tenure at the State Department. On Sunday, just two days before Election Day, Comey said there was nothing in the material to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.

Trump will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture.

Exit polls underscored the fractures: Women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

Doug Ratliff, a 67-year-old businessman from Richlands, Virginia, said Trump's election was one of the happiest days of his life.

"This county has had no hope," said Ratliff, who owns strip malls in an area badly beaten by the collapse of the coal industry. "Things will change. I know he's not going to be perfect. But he's got a heart. And he gives people hope."

The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, a reluctant Trump supporter, called the businessman earlier in the evening to congratulate him, according to a Ryan spokeswoman. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the American people "have chosen a new direction for our nation."

Obama, who campaigned vigorously for Clinton throughout the fall and hoped his own rising popularity would lift her candidacy, was silent on Trump's victory, but he is expected to invite him to the White House this week. It will be a potentially awkward meeting with the man who pushed false rumors that the president might have been born outside the United States.
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Gospel musician Cwesi Oteng has expressed his admiration for renowned actor Majid Michel on his evangelical works.

The musician surprised the celebrated actor by coming into the studios of Hitz FM, instead of an initial arrangement to grant a phone interview, during the This is Gospel show with Franky 5.

For some time now, Majid Michel has been spotted at several churches ministering. Recently, he visited the Zoe Chapel International at Tabora in Accra to preach to the congregation.

In his submission, Cwesi Oteng said, I cant imagine what he will do in the next five years, it will be amazing. We have a leader. Somebody who will transform the status quo, how people think, what people can achieve, what young people can do and it has begun and its just amazing.

The kind of stuff Ive heard him talk about is a revolutionary achievement, a wake-up call for young people to be able to direct their talent, direct their mind, direct their goals and where to put their lives.

"Its just amazing to have Majid and its not just about his talking. Its about praying and also moving in the power of God, he said.

He also described Majid as a Jesus look-alike who yearns to see change amongst the youth.

Its a real transformation and you know he also looks like Jesus, he observed.
Marrakesh (Morocco) (AFP) - Stunned but defiant participants at UN climate talks in Marrakesh said Wednesday that climate change denier Donald Trump can't derail the global shift to clean energy, and that the United States would get left behind if he tried.

The US president-elect "cannot prevent the implementation" of the landmark Paris pact, inked in the French capital last December, said Segolene Royal, France's environment minister and outgoing head of the UN climate forum.

"As I speak, 103 countries representing 70 percent of (greenhouse gas) emissions have ratified it, and he cannot -- contrary to his assertions -- undo the Paris Agreement," she told French radio station RTL.

Trump has described global warming as a "hoax" perpetrated by the Chinese government, and has said at different times that he would "renegotiate" or "cancel" the 196-nation deal.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon congratulated Trump on his victory and said people everywhere looked to the United States to work for the common good.

"Today's global challenges demand concerted global action and joint solutions," he told journalists at the UN headquarters in New York.

Leaders and diplomats invested in decarbonising the global economy predicted the gathering momentum of that transition -- and the rising danger of global warming -- would carry the United States with it, regardless of Trump's views.

Record high for global greenhouse gas emissions

"The election campaign has passed," said Hilda Heine, president of the Marshall Islands, whose nation is slowly disappearing under the waves.

"I expect [President-elect Donald Trump] will realise that climate change is a threat to his people and to whole countries which share seas with the US, including my own," she said in a statement.

Business leaders advanced a similar argument.

"He wants to make America great again," said We Mean Business, a coalition of several thousand companies and investors.

"Climate action provides the basis for new jobs and enhanced competitiveness in the industries of tomorrow," it said in a statement, noting that the sector employs 2.5 million in the US.

Trump has vowed to "bring back coal" and peel back greenhouse gas reduction emissions measures put in place by Barack Obama, saying they choke business growth.

France's top climate negotiator Laurence Tubiana said this "would be a disaster for the US economy."

"If the US wants to go back to coal production, to 19th century industry, fine, but I don't see the future for US industry in this."

"Ask Google, Microsoft, Apple, Walmart - even General Motors. I don't think they agree."

America is the world's second-largest greenhouse gas polluter after China, representing some 13 percent of emissions.

"Trump's election is a disaster," says a group pushing for divestment from fossil fuels

Trump's threats, if carried out, would recast the United States as a climate villain, which is how it was widely perceived after George W. Bush refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol in 2001.

The Obama administration has been an ardent champion of the Paris Agreement, a role Trump's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, had vowed to continue.

Veteran climate analysts said a Trump White House would pay a heavy price if they simply abandoned the UN talks, today tasked with implementing last year's historic pact.

"If the US pulls out and is seen as going as a rogue nation on climate change, that will have implications for everything else on President Trump's agenda when he want to deal with foreign leaders," said Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a Washington-based thinktank.

Delegates at the COP22 climate talks in Marrakesh on November 7, 2016

The election, he added, was certain to put US negotiators in Marrakesh in an awkward position as they defend US policy positions.

"They won't have the ability to ensure their negotiating partners that these will be the positions of the US in three months."

Climate scientists who inform political decisions also expressed alarm, with one noting that Trump's campaign rhetoric on global warming had "strolled into a fact-free zone."

"It is now to be seen how the disinformation and climate change denialism will pan out in actual decisions, actions and appointments," said Joeri Rogelj, a scientist and modeller at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, in Laxenburg, Austria.
The Ghana Registered Nurses & Midwives Association (GRNMA) yesterday began the second phase of the roadmap towards their planned industrial action by withdrawing out-patients services (OPD) at the various public health facilities nationwide.

The action follows the wearing of red bands by the health officers last week to signal their resolve to see their demands met by authorities or withdraw all services by November 14, 2016.

The nurses, yesterday morning, although at post refused to offer services to patients at the OPD.

The Adabraka Polyclinic, La General Hospital, Ridge Regional Hospital, were some of the health facilities that turned away patients who went there for healthcare.

The Princess Marie Louise Children's Hospital in Accra was also affected by the strike, leaving parents who had taken their children to the health facility for care stranded.

Douglas Adu-Fokou, GRNMA Greater Accra Region, Public Relations Officer, said the nurses had withdrawn all OPD services, including family planning and child health services.

He said the association has been engaging the health authorities, however, as at noon yesterday, our resolution had not been addressed yet. For instance, on the issue of nurses at the psychiatric hospitals, the association's demand of logistics that would see the place running again has not been fully met.

The cash and medicines the Ministry of Health presented could only last the health facility a few weeks, Mr Adu-Fokou added.

He further stated that other issues like the fees charged for promotional interview and intention for studies have been discussed by the authorities in charge, but the association has so far not seen their implementation.

They said letters have been circulated to various institutions to stop charging promotion interview fees but we don't see their implementation. So, for now, we are going by our roadmap and if nothing is heard by Sunday 13th we will withdraw all our services on November 14, 2016, he indicated.

Kwaku Asante-Krobea, President of GRNMA, two weeks ago while addressing a press conference on the issues affecting the nurses, lamented the manner in which concerns raised by nurses are dealt with in the country.

Listing a few of the challenges that the nursing profession face during the said meeting, the GRNMA president said government has failed to solve pertinent issues of unpaid salary arrears, posting of graduate nurses and midwives, charging of promotional fees, sale of upgrading forms, inadequate logistics to government health facilities and allowances of student nurses and midwives, among others.

However, the association is yet to see any tangible solutions to their demands after weeks of waiting for government to address their issues.

By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri


Accra, Nov. 8, GNA - Appolonia, an urban development near Accra, has held discussions with John D. Macomber, a visiting faculty member of Harvard Business School, on the real estate landscape in Ghana and Africa.

A statement signed by Madam Josephine Agyeman-Prempeh, Marketing and Communications Department, Appolonia, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said Macomber, who lectures on Real Estate Management at Harvard, met with leading executives in Ghana's real estate and business community.

It said they deliberated on solutions to Ghana's urban development and the potential for the private sector to capitalise on the rapid urbanisation experience.

'The Accra real estate industry is very well defined and reasonably mature,' Macomber said adding that 'we see an industry that provides a range of solutions for the market and professionals that add value, ensuring that developments are not just successful but also sustainable.'

Mr Holger Adam, Country Head of Rendeavour, Appolonia's developer, said 'the forum is for our industry to interact and discuss issues which relate to the real estate market in Ghana and Africa as a whole.'

He said 'with an increasing urban growth, the strain on existing urban infrastructure, together with the shortage of housing stock in Accra, these discussions can help bring solutions to bridge the gaps.'

In September this year, Appolonia held the first edition of the discussions, with an open house event for members of the public who sought to acquaint themselves with real estate finance and urban planning.

Appolonia City is a 2,325-acre (941ha) mixed-use and mixed-income urban development in the Accra Metropolitan area and the project is being developed for residential properties, retail and commercial centres, schools, healthcare and other social infrastructure.

All local and national regulatory approvals have been met and a full land title certificate has been granted. Infrastructure is being implemented to include water, electricity, tarred roads with storm water drains.

Residential sales are underway with the option of purchasing a plot to build your own house in Nova Ridge or an existing house at the Oxford development. Commercial developments currently include Ghana Home Loans and Total Filing Station with the Golden Pride School constructing the area's first private school.

GNA
A record number of Nebraska voters took part in Tuesday's election.

More than 831,000 people cast ballots, the most in the state's history, said Secretary of State John Gale. That's up from about 812,000 in 2008.

Still, Gale said Wednesday, "It wasn't as many as we were anticipating."

His office expected up to 850,000 voters this year, based on the state's massive increase in registered voters.

As a result, turnout as a percentage of registered voters was actually lower than eight years ago, when President Barack Obama won his first term. Statewide turnout was 68.64 percent this year, compared with 70.15 percent in 2008.

Lancaster County also set a record for total voters completing ballots, with 135,327, exceeding local projections by a couple thousand, said Lancaster County Election Commissioner Dave Shively. Turnout here was 71 percent.

Shively cited a galvanizing presidential race and some hot-button local issues, including a referendum on the death penalty, the $369 million Southeast Community College bond request, and open races for three legislative seats, a spot on the State Board of Education and County Commissioner District 2.

State and local officials said problems on Election Day were limited.

Only two Lancaster County precincts still had lines of people waiting to vote Tuesday when polls were scheduled to close at 8 p.m.

In Omaha, problems with a ballot-counting machine at the Douglas County Election Commission kept those races undecided until early Wednesday, Gale said.

Some possible areas of concern on Gale's checklist never materialized. Those included widespread issues related to computer hacking of election systems, confrontations over voter challenges or observers at the polls, and confusion about a new state law allowing voters to take "ballot selfies," or photographs with their completed ballots.

The biggest surprise at the Lancaster County Election Commissioners office was how quickly the record number of ballots cast in the county got counted.

If I was surprised at anything, I was surprised we were done and had our final report at 11 oclock. Because I thought we would be here until midnight or 1, Shively said.

Shively, who had about 1,400 volunteers and staff helping out Tuesday, said poll workers delivered ballots quickly after polls closed and the countys five ballot-scanning machines hummed without interruption all night.

I have a good team here. I have a good team of people that come in and help us on election night, that run the scanners, help us get everything processed after the polls closed, he said.
By Kwabia Owusu-Mensah GNA

Afrancho, (Ash), Nov 08, GNA - The Electoral Commission (EC), the nation's election management board, has been reminded to get its act together, to remove needless suspicion and tension ahead on the next month's polls.

Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, Afigya-Kwabre South Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said its missteps were worrying and should not continue.

He said he found it deeply troubling the ripples of controversy and hysteria, generated by decisions of the EC.

Addressing his party's supporters at an election rally in Afrancho, he called for all peace loving Ghanaians to speak up and to insist that things were done transparently.

He pleaded with the National Peace Council, the Christian Council of Ghana and the Ghana Muslim Mission to deepen the conversation with Commission - to help it to step back from doing anything to create doubts and confusion about its' intentions in the minds of the people.

Odeneho Appiah said it was not enough to talk about peace and send out peace messages but that that key actors in the election must accept to show good faith and to play it fair.

He urged members and supporters of the NPP to remain eternally vigilant to make sure that the verdict delivered by the people at the ballot was respected and not stolen.

He told them to overcome complacency and work hard to reach out to every voter with the party's message of change.

They must knock on doors to get all qualified voters to go out to vote, he added.

Odeneho Appiah said the December 07 polls was an opportunity for Ghanaians to restore hope to the troubled economy and end the widespread suffering.

He gave the assurance that a government of the NPP led by Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, would efficiently and transparently manage the nation's resources to create wealth and jobs for the people.

GNA
By GNA Reporter

Accra, Nov.8, GNA - The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) says it has released funds to qualified Licensed Buying Companies (LBC) to purchase cocoa for the 2016/2017 cocoa season.

A statement by COCOBOD, and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the seed funds were released to the LBCs for cocoa purchases on revolving basis.

This means that the LBCs are given specific amount based on their bank guarantees, and that it is only after they have purchased and delivered quality cocoa equivalent to the amount released that additional funds are disbursed for cocoa purchases.

According to COCOBOD the rumour being speculated within the cocoa fraternity, especially among the farmers, that funds for cocoa purchase are unavailable was false.

The company said in September COCOBOD secured $ 1.8 billion loan for cocoa purchase for the 2016/2017 season.

It said the producer price announced by Government on October 1 for the 2016/2017 crop season still stood at GHa 475.00 per bag.

The amount, which includes bonus of GHa 5.00 per bag, represents 77.45 per cent of the net Free on Board (FOB).

Farmers are advised to insist at the point of sale that they are paid GHa 475.00 per bag of 64kg gross weight.

'Cocoa Board is committed to advancing the case of farmers by ensuring that they receive quick payment for their produce, and we will continue to implement strategic measures to make cocoa farming a profitable venture and improve livelihood of all farmers,'' it added.

GNA
By Edmund Quaynor, GNA

Amanokrom (E/R), Nov 08, GNA - An independent parliamentary candidate in the Akropong Constituency, Mr Asiedu Offei, has renovated a market and constructed a concrete bridge over the Oboansa stream in Amanokrom.

The two projects cost GH18,000.00 to complete and bring to 72, the number of projects, he had undertaken with his own resources in the area over the last seven months.

Handing over the bridge and market to the chiefs and people of the town in a ceremony, he said, it was a foretaste of the good things to happen.

He said he was in the race to represent the people in parliament to bring development to the constituency - this had been the motivation.

Nana Ama Serwaa Dzawan II, Akyinsihemaa of Amanokrom, applauded Mr. Offei for his intervention.

She said it was now become safer for school children to cross the stream, adding that, they would eternally remain grateful.

Nana Serwaa Dzawam informed the candidate that the community had a serious water supply problem and appealed to him to help sink a borehole for them. GNA
The Tema Regional office of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has, between January and September this year, recovered about GH2.4 million of stolen power.

The amount was part of GH2.8 million worth of power some customers in the Region consumed illegally.

Acting Regional Commercial Manager of ECG, Emmanuel Seidu, revealed this to the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of a media engagement with management of the Tema Regional ECG office.

Mr Seidu stated that 37,482 customers were visited during an operation and billed after it was detected that they stole power.

He cautioned customers against the stealing of power as they would be detected and billed with it.

He said mass installation pre-paid metres in four out of the seven districts in the Region was on going.

The Tema South District, he said, has completed 95 per cent of the installation, while the Nungua, Afienya and Prampram districts have done 70, 60, and 50 per cents installations respectively.

He indicated that customers currently not receiving bills for power used under the Self Help Electrification Project (SHEP) would be billed with all the power used when transferred onto the pre-paid metres.

Mr Seidu however noted that the company has decided to spread the payment of the compiled bills over a period of three months to reduce the burden on customers.

Mr Mark Asomani-Wiafe, ECG Tema Regional Engineer, said Tema had one of the best operation systems in the country as the region used overhead lines making it easy for engineers to identify faults.

Mr Asomani-Wiafe added that his outfit had also adopted the preventive maintenance approach as against the corrective maintenance system it used to run.

Mr Jones Ofori-Addo, Tema Regional ECG General Manager, said the engagement was to deepen relations between management and media practitioners as well as to address issues of concern to customers.

Mr Ofori-Addo gave the assurance that there were no sub-standard metres in Ghana as the Ghana Standard Authority had certified all meters before installation.

He however said metres could be faulty and such faults should be reported at their offices.
Tafoughalt (Morocco) (AFP) - In the arid mountains of eastern Morocco, people know the value of water all too well.

"Every drop is like gold. It should almost be measured by the carat," said local activist Najib Bachiri.

Eight hundred kilometres away in bustling Marrakesh, negotiators are this week thrashing out the details of a landmark global agreement designed to stave off disastrous climate change.

But in Tafoughalt, a little village deep in the mountains of Morocco's Berkane province, that impact is being felt already. Rising temperatures are among the factors making the rains increasingly unpredictable.

As a consequence, life for the residents of Tafoughalt -- who largely survive on subsistence farming -- is becoming harder than ever.

"Here, the farmers work on small plots that are barely enough to feed their families," says Bachiri, head of campaign group Homme et Environnement ("Man and Environment").

The group is working to reverse an exodus from the mountains as people seek easier lives elsewhere.

Bachiri says local problems feed into each other; isolation makes life difficult, which encourages people to quit the countryside. Abandoned fields lead to land erosion, which in turn also spurs on the exodus.

And in the background, there is the constant shortage of water.

Smuggling crackdown

"For their fields, in the absence of electricity farmers rely either on rainwater or on pumping groundwater with diesel-powered generators," says Bachiri.

Until recently, fuel for the generators was at least available cheaply thanks to rampant smuggling from across the nearby Algerian border.

But Algerian authorities have cracked down on the illicit trade since 2013, leading to a tripling in prices -- from 10 euros ($11) for a 30-litre (eight-gallon) can to 30 euros.

An agricultural crisis in rural Morocco has seen many people leave the region, while those that remain have embraced modern technology

And to make matters even worse for the fuel-reliant farmers, the Moroccan government has called a halt to diesel subsidies.

"Small-scale farmers here have not been able keep up, which has aggravated the agricultural crisis in these isolated villages and encouraged people to leave," says Bachiri.

But a simple solution is making a big difference: using the sun from above to draw up what's underground.

Cheaper and cleaner

With the help of local funds and international donors, Bachiri's group has installed two solar water pumps in the mountains of Tafoughalt.

Two rows of black solar panels, two metres (2.2 yards) across and 10 metres long, are connected to a generator which feeds a pump extracting water from underground.

The equipment is durable and low-maintenance. The sunlight is unlimited in supply, but carries none of diesel's downsides in terms of pollution and ill-health.

"Solar energy is so much better," says 60-year-old local farmer Mahta Allal.

Climate talks take place in Marrakesh on November 7, 2016, to implement the landmark Paris climate pact

"The pumping is weaker in winter or when it's cloudy. But it's good for us when the sun is there -- it can double the pumping and irrigation."

Siddiq, who has guarded the local well for 17 years and as such is in charge of the community's water-sharing arrangements, said the new system was far more convenient.

"Before, you had to go and collect fuel from very far away," he said. "It was very tiring -- and then there was the noise, the fumes, mechanical problems. Today it's much better with the clean solar energy."

The price of an hour's irrigation has gone down by 75 percent, from 50 dirhams ($5) to 12.5 dirhams.

"It encourages agriculture," says Siddiq. "Even if you don't have a lot of land, at least you'll be guaranteed a harvest to eat."

Solar energy alone won't be enough to solve Tafoughalt's perennial water shortage. "That's why we've installed tanks to collect river water, and we're also working on installing technology to make the use of water more efficient," said Bachiri.

But he said 450 farmers were already using the two solar pumps to water 100 hectares (250 acres) of crops.

"Some farmers are coming back to the village to work the soil again -- it's a good sign," he said.
For over six months market women at Tetrem in the Ashanti Region say they have recorded very poor sales, a situation they blame on the rape of a teenager on the bare floor of the market.

The market women want traditional authorities to pacify the offended gods to lift the repercussions of the indecent act  which is considered a taboo  in order to resurrect the market.

The 13-year-old girl who was defiled at the market is said to have been caught up in a web of constant sexual abuse at the hands of her aunts husband, known only as Koo Fori.

The teenage girl lived a normal life with her parents until five years ago when the icy hands of death snatched them away.

Her aunt offered to take care of her, but any comfort she may have anticipated from her aunt remained a wish, as the woman subjected her physical and verbal abuse.

She would always accuse the innocent girl of being a bad cook.

The teenager's anguish in her aunts house worsened when the woman traveled to Accra. Her husband, Koo Fori, took advantage of her absence to defile and turned the teenager into a sex object.

The traumatic experience compelled a poor girl to seek refuge with her grandmother, Maame Ampomaa.

The teenager's grand mother, Ampomaa

Even there her aunties husband followed up and sexually abused the teenage girl. On one occasion, he is said to have taken the girl at knifepoint on the bare floor of the market square.

Threats from Koo Fori forced the girl to keep her ordeal to herself until she was found to be pregnant, apparently from the violent sexual encounters.

Community leaders covered up for Koo Fori, who confessed to raping her. With the assistance of the local chief, the case was treated as a family matter.

Though Koo Fori has accepted to take care of the baby upon delivery, he has turned deaf ears to the requests for the upkeep of the pregnant girl, forcing her grandmother to cater for her with her meager resources. She remains out of school while the man responsible for her woes walks free.
Donald Trump took a significant step toward the White House Tuesday with crucial battleground victories in Florida, North Carolina and Ohio.

The Ohio victory is especially important for Trump as no Republican has won the White House without taking the Buckeye State. North Carolina is a serious blow to Clinton, who fought hard for the state and held the final rally of her campaign there in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

An election season that has defied expectations from the very beginning is staying true to form to the very end. Trump has an increasingly viable path to the 270 electoral votes needed to win. And even if Hillary Clinton were to win, it would likely be by the slimmest of margins.

Clinton pulled out desperately needed wins in Virginia and Colorado. Still, she faces a much stronger than expected challenge from Trump in Michigan and Wisconsin. Those Midwestern states form the bedrock of her Democratic firewall.

But the race is so close across the country that Maine and Nebraska, which split their electoral votes by congressional districts, could become important in deciding the outcome of the election.

The prospect of a Trump win quickly sent global markets tumbling, amid fears his vow to ditch global trade deals and brand China a currency manipulator would spark global economic shocks. Dow futures plummeted Tuesday night. Major indexes in Asia are also down.

So far, Trump has won 24 states, including Texas. Clinton has come out on top in New York and 15 other states along with the District of Columbia. Trump has 238 electoral votes compared to 209 electoral votes for Clinton.

Regardless of who prevails, history will be made as Americans elect either their first woman president or side with the ultimate political outsider.

Both candidates argue the election presents an unusually significant choice for a divided nation. Democrats warn that Trump, with his rhetoric on race, gender and immigration, would represent a rejection of core American values. Trump insists his campaign represents Americas last chance to drive out a corrupt political establishment that has turned its back on hard-working Americans.

New York is the center of the political universe this Election Day. This is the first campaign since 1944 in which both candidates are from the Empire State. And their victory parties are being held a mile and a half apart in Manhattan.

Clinton is counting on minority voters and highly-educated white women to take her to victory. Trump is banking on a huge turnout from his less well-educated, less diverse coalition will defy pollsters who give Clinton a small but steady lead nationally and are projecting tight races in some swing states.

At her last rally, past midnight in North Carolina, Clinton capped her campaign with the words Love trumps hate.

Trump took to Fox News on Tuesday morning to declare his confidence in the outcome.

Were going to win a lot of states. Who knows what happens, ultimately, but were going to win, he said. The GOP nominee also took aim at polls showing that Clinton has the advantage.

I think a lot of polls are purposely wrong. The media is extremely dishonest and I think a lot of polls are phony. I dont think they interview people. I think they put out phony numbers, Trump said on Fox & Friends.

Trump also appeared to be laying the groundwork for a legal challenge in the event of a close race. In Nevada, his campaign sued Clark County officials over an alleged decision to keep early voting polling stations open two extra hours. The lawsuit targets the greater Las Vegas area, which has large minority precincts.

A judge later denied Trumps request.

The GOP nominee sent conflicting signals about his willingness to accept the result if he loses, telling News Radio 610 WTVN in Ohio that he would see what happens.

You hear so many horrible stories and you see so many things that are wrong. So well take a look. Certainly, I love this country and I believe in the system, you understand that, he said.


Disqualified presidential aspirants will know by close of day Wednesday if they have made it onto the ballot as the Electoral Commission readies to publish a final list of presidential candidates.

Eight out of 13 disqualified presidential candidates on Tuesday re-submitted their nomination forms following a Supreme Court order to EC to allow them to correct errors on their nomination forms that formed the basis for their disqualification.

Chairperson of the Commission, Charlotte Osei, explained at the time that the disqualified aspirants did not meet the criteria for filing as president.

She cited administrative and criminal infractions on the forms, some of which include instances where two forms have been endorsed by one person in contravention of CI 94, the law regulating electoral processes in Ghana.

The ruling followed an application filed at the Supreme Court by the EC to challenge an Accra High Court ruling that overturned the disqualification of the Progressive People's Party (PPP's) Presidential Candidate, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom.

However, the Supreme Court also upheld the ruling of the lower court, directing the EC to re-open date for nomination on Monday and Tuesday for candidates to correct the mistakes on their forms.

However, in an unexpected twist, errors the EC cited on the forms of the disqualified aspirants increased. The EC found 104 more errors on the nomination of the PPP, an outcome that has angered political pundits and the PPP camp.

The candidates have accused the Commission of deliberately refusing to point their errors for the correction to be made on the forms.

Presidential aspirants for the PPP, National Democratic Party (NDP), All Peoples Congress (APC), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), United Progressive Party (UPP), the United Front Party (UFP), Peoples National Convention (PNC), and an independent candidate, Asiedu Walker are among the 8 candidates who will be waiting for a favourable response from the EC.

They will be hoping to join the presidential candidates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP) the Convention People's Party (CPP) and an independent candidate, Jacob Yeboah.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected]
A former Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Justice Emile Short, has urged the Electoral Commission to ensure that the electoral process, particularly the time-table, is not disrupted by the several disagreements arising from the decision to disqualify some presidential aspirants.

According to him, the EC must expedite action on the processes of reviewing all submitted forms, to ensure that the country holds the general elections on December 7th, as mandated by the constitution.

Speaking in an interview with Citi News on Tuesday [November 8], on the sidelines of the launch of an interactive voter education platform, 'Voter Match' in Accra, Justice Short said, the EC should ensure that this whole process of scrutiny of the nomination forms and taking a decision as to who qualifies and who does not qualify, should be brought back so that candidates will know at an early stage whether they are qualified to stand in the elections or not, he said.

He added that, doing so will help ensure that they [nominees] don't spend time and resources doing campaign only to be told later that they don' qualify; so I think it will be prudent to look at the calendar and to make sure that this whole process is done at a reasonable time before the election date itself, he said.

He further called on the Commission to adopt a participatory approach in dealing with political parties to ensure fairness in the process.

EC urged to stop the delay tactics

Meanwhile, a senior Research fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Ghana, Dr Kojo Asante has told Ghana's Electoral Commission (EC) to cease employing measures that will unduly delay the electoral process.

He said the Electoral Commission's (EC) reaction to court challenges of its decision to disqualify some presidential aspirants has been 'unprecedented'.

He said the EC could have avoided dragging the election issues further following a Supreme Court order on Monday [November 7] which was supposed to bring finality to the entire challenges rather than announcing the discoveries of new errors on the nomination forms of some presidential nominees.

The Supreme Court ordered the EC to allow the disqualified aspirants up to the close of day Tuesday, November 8 to correct the errors on their nomination forms and resubmit them.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Nana Ntaboah Prah IV, Chief of the Prestea Traditional Area in the Western Region, has joined the list of chiefs blatantly endorsing presidential candidates of the two main parties in this years polls, the NDC and the NPP, by publicly endorsing the second term bid of President John Mahama.

The young chief, said the government had done enough to deserve a second term in office, and thus John Mahama, must be allowed to continue [toaso] his good works.

Nana Prah also urged his people to vote for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the upcoming December 7 general elections.

The Prestea chief made the endorsement when Vice President K. B Amissah-Arthur, paid a courtesy call on him at his palace to start his four-day campaign tour of the Western region.

Nana Ntaboah Prah IV, expressed confidence in President Mahama to make Ghana better place for all, if re-elected, after a sterling performance in his first term.

He said, President Mahama if re-elected, will take Ghana to the promised land.

I am assuring President Mahama of my total commitment and support; and we will not disappoint him in the upcoming December 7 elections. I will also entreat my people to come out in their numbers and vote to enable him continue his good works, the Chief said.



By: Richard Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
There will be four new faces on the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District Board in the wake of Tuesday's election.

While more than half of the 21-member boards seats were up for election, only a few were contested.

Directors are tasked with oversight of a district that covers 1,600 square miles of Southeast Nebraska and has more than 40 employees and a $26 million budget. The NRD deals with a wide range of conservation issues, including water quality and quantity, soil erosion, wildlife habitat, wetland protection, flood control, recreational lakes and trails and environmental education.

Sarah Wilson of Waverly defeated James Nygren of Ashland by earning 57 percent of Subdistrict 2 votes. She will replace Daryl Bohac of Waverly, who wasnt on the ballot for re-election.

In Subdistrict 3, incumbent Mike DeKalb earned 64 percent of votes cast compared to challenger James JJ Johnsons 36 percent. Both men are from Lincoln.

Challenger Gary Aldridge of Lincoln got nearly 53 percent of the vote in Subdistrict 4, defeating incumbent Joe Skopp of Lincoln.

Incumbent Larry Hall got 52 percent of the vote in Subdistrict 8, defeating challenger Paul Morrison. Both are from Lincoln.

Incumbents who ran unopposed included: Don Jacobson of Lincoln (Subdistrict 1), Greg Osborn of Lincoln (Subdistrict 5), Jeremie Kerkman of Lincoln (Subdistrict 6), Milt Schmidt of Lincoln (Subdistrict 9) and Ray Stevens Jr. of Lincoln (Subdistrict 10).

Newcomer Gary Hellerich of Valparaiso won his race as the only candidate on the ballot to fill the two remaining years of the Subdistrict 1 seat vacated earlier this year by David Potter.

Another new face, Chelsea Johnson, ran unopposed in Subdistrict 7 and will replace outgoing board member Ann Bleed.

Bruce Johnson of Lincoln, who was appointed to the board last year, ran unopposed to fill the remaining two years of a vacated Subdistrict 5 seat.
09.11.2016 LISTEN

The late Atta Mills campaigned for, and won the Presidency riding on theme Adze pa wo fie a oye, which translates A good homegrown is always better. The Fantis heeded the call and massively voted Atta Mills and his NDC party into power (with the help of Voltarians and Northerners). According to a Fanti adage, If you have a squirrel for a relative, you are NEVER in want for a nut. So it was a shock to find that Uncle Atta Mills had LOADED his government machinery  Cabinet posts, Corporate and Institutional heads, Boards, etc. with Voltarians and Northerners. Fantis, ABOUT 38% (or AKANS, about 68%) OF THE TOTAL POPULATION, occupied LESS THAN 1% OF THESE POSITIONS!!.

We all noticed how Rawlings, in his 19-year rule populated the top echelon of ALL our institutions with EWES, or how Kuffour in his 8 years did almost the same  about 60% Ashantis. John Mahama in his 2 YEARS as Vice President, and 6 years as President has surpassed Rawlings with his Northern and Ewe appointees. Remember his campaign to the Northerners  I am one of you, Vote for me, and you will enjoy the benefits of my presidency? True to his word, almost every scandal of financial malfeasance during his tenure Gyeeda, Sada, NSA, Police recruitment, etc. has led to a Northerner. Almost ALL institutions in Central Region (Fantiland) including their schools are headed by either Northerners or Ewes. Can you EVER picture the reverse  a Fanti heading a school in the Volta or Northern regions?

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It is therefore no surprise that the expected improvement of living standards for Fantis DID NOT HAPPEN!! In fact, it has deteriorated, and continues its downward slide almost to the bottom. We do not have any relatives up the fruit trees to throw down some to us

Do you remember the Kenkey war between presidential candidates Atta-Mills and Akufo-Addo; when the latter lamented that under Atta-Mills first term, the price of Fanti kenkey had doubled to Ghc 1.00; and Mills toured selected Kenkey sellers to point out it was still 50 pesewas? Unfortunately, the Fanti Kenkey manufacturers/ sellers immediately started loading their ball of kenkey with PLENTY LEAVES, just to deceive the buying FANTI public. From Cape Coast through Yamoransa (the Kenkey capital), Winneba Junction into Accra, the fanti kenkey, a staple food for mostly Fantis, swelled up with tons of leaves. One now has to peel away a mountain of leaves to get to a small morsel of the actual food. Its a lie that the small meal has to be NOW cushioned with extra leaves to prevent spillage. A headmaster of a Boarding school lamented that they had to stop offering Fanti kenkey because the actual meal left inside the wad of leaves was not enough for the student.

And now the fonfom and epitsi manufacturers/sellers have also joined the bandwagon of deceiving their own Fanti buying public. Our clergy and politicians have NOT pointed out how sinful and absurd it is for FANTI manufacturers/sellers of Fanti staples to deceive their own with mounds of LEAVES. One wonders HOW and WHERE this practice started, AND right at the start of Mills term. Did our own Non-Schooled kenkey manufacturers dream of boosting sales with this deceit, or was it some hotshot marketing PhD who dreamed up this deceitful gimmick? The absurdity of this whole deceit in the name of extra sales and profit is that these manufacturers have to actually SOURCE AND PAY PLENTY FOR THE PADDING LEAVES, THEREBY MINIMIZING THE PROFITS.

Central Region has been rated as the second poorest region in the country. This is despite its enormous contribution to the nations GDP. Yet still, to listen to Madam Faustina Nelson or Mr. Allotey Jacobs or Chief Biney on radio DEFEND President Mahamas NDC government, one would think either they are Northerners or Ewes; unless of course they have benefited from all the loot that has gone around since 2009. Mahamas NDC government is rumoured to have borrowed US$27 BILLION supposedly for national developments. Mr. Allotey Jacobs was once BOASTING on radio of the NDC government investing US$57 MILLION, (A MERE 0.21% (ZERO-POINT-TWO PERCENT) OF THE US$27 BILLION) in the Central Region. I am tempted to think Allotey missed the HUGE difference between a Million and a BILLION or 1000 Millions. Of course he was referring, as always, to the Kotokuraba market, the open grassed field labelled Stadium, the Komenda sugar factory, and a few asphalted VERY SHORT streets in Elmina and Cape Coast.

Just as it was during the Slave Trade 500 years ago, when the Fantis (in power) sold their own kith and kin to FOREIGNERS for beads and schnapps, so it continues today. As long as our politicians, chiefs and people of power get their crumbs they cheerfully campaign for the OTHER tribe. It is a known fact that Fantis, unlike other tribes, are not known to help their own If we did NOT see VICE President Mahamas intentions for the Akans/Fantis during President Atta Mills 2-year rule, PRESIDENT Mahamas 6 years rule after Mills ought to have taught us a lesson of things to come. Most Cabinet positions, and Institutional Heads are occupied by Northerners and Ewes in spite of their minority positions in the nations ethnic map. Ghanas plight may not have been this dire if the COMPETENT ones among them had been selected instead of this Teams C and D. We now know who is CHOPPING the nations wealth  again, Northerners and Ewes. Sadly, the bulk of Ghanas wealth comes from the Akan and Ga belts.

March 6, 2016 marked Ghanas 59 years of self-government. ONLY 19 (21 if Mills/Mahamas 2 years are included) out of those 59 years have been under Akan civilian leadership. Ghanas socio-economic development can be attributed to ONLY those 19/21 years under (Nkrumah, Busia, Kuffour and Mills). It is worth notice that the most inclusive (of all tribes) govt. of Dr. Nkrumah achieved the most of our development. The rest of the remaining years, (at least 40/38 years) have been wasted on useless slogans and tribalistic witch-hunting and LOOTING. Revenues for those years, mostly from the Akan and Ga belts, have been used for personal enrichment by cronies, families, ethnic brothers/sisters, and party supporters of the minority tribes.

The arrogance of Ayariga and Moses Asaga, Woyome, etc regarding respectively the AFCON budget and the NPAs stand on fuel prices (after paying US$ 63,000 per month for rent), fraudulent judgement payments, speaks volumes of how entrenched these people feel in their positions and power. And why not? The majority Akans and Gas do not seem perturbed about our poor conditions; we gladly campaign to keep the Mahamas, Ayarigas, Asagas, Woyomes, and their corrupt kinfolks in Gyeeda, Sada, Masloc, NHIA, NS, YES, etc. in power so that they can continue to lord over us, loot our coffers, and leave us impoverished.

Recently Cape Coast youths openly criticized the two fortunate Fanti Govt. appointees - The Vice President, and the 2nd Deputy Speaker for NOT DOING ENOUGH towards job opportunities in the Central Region. To counter that perception, President John Mahamas govt, has now seen the need for ASPHALTING a few streets in Elmina and Cape Coast, to support their mantra WEVE SPENT ALL YOUR HEFTY TAX INCREASES, OIL MONEY AND BORROWED BILLIONS FOR INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENTS. SO VOTE FOR ME AND NDC. He and his NDC are so sure the Fantis will once again fall for it, and vote for them. After all, in the last 2 elections the Fantis fell for buckets, bags of rice, match boxes stuffed with ONE FIFTY cedi note; and voted Mahama and NDC back into power. Our Fantis in the NDC hierarchy are getting their crumbs (compared to what the others are stashing away in offshore accounts, etc); and therefore dont care that the Akan youths do not have jobs. Mahamas NDC know they need the Fanti votes, and believe by launching their campaign in Cape Coast, and distributing a few wheasambos, outboard motors and sewing machines, the Fantis will once again forget all their pain and suffering over the past 8 years, and vote for him.

Only a few Akans may have the opportunity to read this on web media. It is therefore up to Educated Fantis/Akans to enlighten our kith and kin NOT TO VOTE Mahamas NDC govt. back into power; NOT EVEN with their cheap giveaways. WE MUST EDUCATE OUR AKAN BROTHERS/SISTERS, MOTHERS/FATHERS TO REMEMBER OUR DESTITUTION OVER THE PAST 8 YEARS, and THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR FEW SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS INHERITED BY MAHAMAS NDC GOVT., AND VOTE THEM OUT.

(Part 2 follows)
The struggle against the evil extremist Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria suffered a terrible setback last week with the matyrdom of Lt Col Abu Ali. The fallen Colonel was described as a fearless and gallant officer who together with his team recaptured several towns and villages from the extremist Boko Haram terrorists. The sense of pessimism that has engulfed the masses after last week's incident is not only peculiar to the locals in the affected areas but also amongst some senior military officers who openly expressed this during the burial service for the officers.

This brings to the fore the issue of commitment and willingness by the International community to the fight against violent extremism in Sub Saharan Africa. The Boko Haram menace has ceased to being a local or regional problem to being one with International ramifications since they (Boko Haram) pledged allegiance to ISIS which is a recognized global threat.

Contrary to expectation, the International community appears to have abandoned this responsiblity of collectively fighting to exterminate this evil Boko Haram group and its harms on the society. The World super powers have, instead, concentrated all their arsenals to fighting a proxy war, whose end is not in near sight, in Syria. Each of the super powers takes full responsibilty in partaking physically in the war as well as supplying their proxy factions with all the necessary millitary logistics.

Can we imagine what the status quo of the war against Boko Haram would be if the Nigerian army had received a fraction of the logistics and support given to the differing factions in Syria? I dare say the war would have been over by now. The battle in Nigeria is much more defined than in Syria or Iraq. The battle lines are clearly drawn with little fears for civilian casualties. With a fraction of the Air Support logistics and ground forces given to each of the factions in Syria, the Boko Haram menace would have been over.

However, the super powers who describe themselves as 'World Police' look unconcerned or in their show of generosity give a paltry amount of assistance which cannot not cause a significant effect. They spend their resources fighting a proxy war with much more civilian casualties daily and no clearly defined lines and no end in sight to the expense of a war that can be easily won. This is how they have always reacted to situations in Sub-Saharan Africa only to come later after the damage has been done to provide so-called humanitarian aid.

This is a serious problem and it is time the African Union and/or West African countries pull resources together to support Nigeria in this all important battle because the consequence of lack of immediate action is more of an International nature than local and devastating.

Dr. Issah Imoro

( [email protected] )
In November, Witness has a bumper lineup of acclaimed documentaries fresh off the international film festival circuit. These include Syria-set The Father, The Son and the Jihad, which screened at Hot Docs and IDFA; Piano: Ukraines Uprising, which won Best Documentary at Mediawave and a Special Mention at the Krakow Film Festival; and Rio-set In The Shadow of the Hill, which won the Australian documentary competition at the Sydney Film Festival.

The Father, The Son and The Jihad

The Father, The Son and The Jihadis the unique story of the Ayachis, a French-Syrian Muslim family who trade their peaceful lives in Europe for revolution in Syria.

The Ayachis are no ordinary Jihadists; their path and ideas couldnt be further from the cliches. The father, exiled to France in the 70s, is a descendant from an old and prestigious family of the Syrian Sunni aristocracy. His family was hailed as a model of Muslim integration in France in the 80s, notably in a televised documentary.

The first hour of this two-part special follows the story of the son, who was a brilliant university student and established a small computer business. He then became a famous warlord in Syria fighting against Assad and ISIL. The second hour of this two-part special follows the fathers return to Syria to continue his sons work.

As POV Magazine wrote after its North American premiere at Hot Docs earlier this year, this documentary is perilous and action-packed, taking the viewer deep inside the militant Islamist world and its complexities. This two-hour epic has got it all: fascinating characters, narrative turns that knock your socks off, vivid cinematography, fluid editing rhythms, and a throbbing middle-eastern inflected score. The doc pulls you in right off the top and never lets go until its poignant finale.

Part one premieres on 9 November 2016 at 2000GMT / 2100 WAT / 2200 CAT / 2300 EAT, with part two premiering a week later on 16 November 2016. The Father, The Son and the Jihad will be available to stream from http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/ after the first episode airs.

Watch and embed the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPqYXTxTV9o.

Piano: Ukraine's Uprising

They put a piano in the middle of the Maidan Square protests. You wont believe what happened next

During the Euromaidan protests in Ukraine in 2014, an old blue and yellow piano was rescued from just becoming part of the barricades. Perched on top of a burnt out truck, it soon became a focal point in the midst of violent demonstrations against the pro-Russian government.

Music student, Antuanetta Mishchenko, played the piano every day and night as a gesture of peace and defiance against police aggression. As the crowds grew in Maidan Square, a host of protesters joined Antuanetta and played the piano. Their music provided a backdrop to the revolution and a welcome reminder of the freedom for which they were fighting.

Piano: Ukraine's Uprising won Best Documentary at Mediawave and a Special Mention at the Krakow Film Festival for its poetic and original view of the Ukrainian revolution. The documentary premieres on 20 November at 2230 GMT/2330 WAT, with a repeat screening on 23 November 2016 at 1830 CAT/1930 EAT. Piano: Ukraines Uprising will be available to stream from http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/ after it airs.

Watch and embed the trailer: https://vimeo.com/140033641.

In the Shadow of the Hill

In November 2011 military police took control of the Rio de Janeiros largest favela, Rocinha, forcing out armed gangs of drug traffickers without a single shot fired, in a government initiative to pacify the slums. Shortly afterwards, reports began to emerge of widespread police abuse, which culminated in the disappearance of local bricklayer Amarildo de Souza. He was last seen being taken into the police station for questioning but never came home. His family believed that he had been tortured and murdered by the police, with impunity, like many other innocent civilians in the city. In the face of brutal oppression, local residents started a protest movement, 'Where is Amarildo?' that shook the Brazilian establishment to the core.

Variety wrote, This resonant social-justice documentary exposes failed efforts to forcefully clean up Rio de Janeiro's largest slum.... There is a tangible intimacy to the film as the poor but proud participants stake a rousing claim for equality as a pushback to the criminalization of their poverty.

In The Shadow of the Hill won the Australian documentary competition at the Sydney Film Festival, screened at HotDocs and AFI Docs, and is currently nominated for five Australian Academy Awards, among other prizes. The documentary will have its world premiere broadcast on 30 November 2016 at 2000GMT/2100WAT/2200CAT/2300EAT. In The Shadow of the Hill will be available to stream from http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/ after it airs.

Watch and embed the trailer:



About Witness

Witness is Al Jazeera English's flagship documentary strand and features unique hour-long and half-hour documentaries each week. These acclaimed observational films bring personal perspectives to global stories from across the world. For more information, visit http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/ or follow @AJWitness on social media.
The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Monday November 7, launched a mobile clinic dubbed Dr. Dr. NDC for free health screening in all constituencies of the Northern region.

The Deputy National Women Organiser, Dr. Catherine Deynu,who launched the mobile clinic said the introduction of the free health screening was to prove that the NDC as a family truly cares about the wellbeing of Ghanaians, especially the underprivileged.

It is all about the health of our people. You know, our president, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, is so much concerned about the health of Ghanaians that he vowed to build regional hospitals in all the ten regions, and he did. And down to the district level, he built polyclinics. He didnt end there. He went further to the various communities to build CHPS compounds for them.

He didnt end there. He brought the Onuador Van that would go to places where there is none immediately to be taking care of the people before the CHPS compounds would be opened at those other places as well," Dr. Deynu, who is also the founder of the Dr. Dr. NDC, said.

According to her, the launched of, Dr. Dr. NDC" is part of the Changing Lives, Transforming Ghana agenda, adding , "We are following the footsteps of our father, President John Dramani Mahama, to make sure this agenda is achieved. "

"You know, of late, you would realise people at the age of 40, 30, 35, they are no more. Some, maybe out of ignorance, they have hypertension, or there is just an avoidable cause that would lead them to death. So, we check it; we identify those things; we advise them on what to do.

Whilst admitting that, the initiative will fetch a good number of votes for the NDC at the December 7 polls, Dr Deynu said, the focus is to offer free medical services to those people who turned out for the opportunity would embrace it.

And even before detractors, particularly the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), may heckle at the innovation as a gimmick only meant to boost the NDCs electoral chances, Dr. Deynu has given an assurance that the programme has come to stay.

She however tasked all the constituency coordinators of the programme in the region to keep their focus on ensuring that the recipients of the services get value in return for the time spent and the trust invested.

Mr Antoh Kofi Abraham, member of the Dr. Dr. NDC Health Screening team in charge of operations said the exercise is not just about organising a screening in one big community but to offer real opportunity for the deprived persons to benefit healthcare.

"People really need to get the value of whatever we are doing. With the screening Ive been doing over the years, I can say over 46% of the screening I did so far are identified cases of hypertension. I kept wondering and Ive been asking myself why. It kept rising and that of blood sugar level, too.

Its not just about screening people but, then, we advise them. Many are very thankful today for this exercise because they got to know they were hypertensive. I do take their numbers personally, call them on phone and ask -how are you faring, have you gone for medication? That is what gives value to what we are doing now, she emphasised.

He explained that taking free health service to the doorsteps of deprived folks in rural communities is nothing new in Ghana. And this is not the first time the Upper East Region has received an attention from the Dr. Dr. NDC team. Members of the team were in the Talensi Constituency close to the 2015 by-election in that area. But this is the first time the team is extending its helping hand across the entire region.

As Antoh Kofi Abraham, a leading member of the team in charge of operations, himself cited, there was ever a time the construction of the Akosombo Dam left some communities cut off from the rest of the country by excess water. Those communities became what some fishing neighbourhoods surrounded by water already were called in those days- the island communities.

The Rawlings government introduced a ferry named Onipanua, meaning Human companion, to deliver health screening services to the inhabitants of those island communities. But the ferry sank in 2000. President Mahama provided 6 vehicles branded Onuador Vans to offer similar mobile services to areas without fixed health facilities. The Dr. Dr. NDC outreach programme, Mr. Antoh emphasised, is a clone of the mobile health assistance for which the NDC has remained well known since the onset of time.

We have regional coordinators in all the regions. When we get to a region, we meet the team- that is, the nurses and the clinicians from all the constituencies- at a point. We brief them on what to do. Then, we go and set about two or three constituencies; well set up a screening centre there; well screen the people for free and refer those that we need to refer to the hospitals.

We will get a doctor who will prescribe for the nurses to dispense. That is how we do it. Then, we would now meet the Regional Minister, the MMDCEs, the MPs and the parliamentary candidates. Then, we hand over the team to the team leader and we move to another region to continue with the activities. So, any constituency that is ready for the screening will set the date, the venue and do the public announcement. The team leader will go to the constituency with the team to set a screening centre and work, Mr. Antoh explained.

The team, immediately after the launch, visited three constituencies, where hundreds of constituents turned up to be screened.

Some residents observed that the exercise in the region would be a momentous success in the records of Dr. Dr. NDC. The team is expected to continue to the rest of the country with the screening exercise.
Launched in 2014, on the occasion of COP20 in Lima and entrusted to Hakima El Haite and Laurence Tubiana, the climate champions for Morocco and France, respectively, the Global Action Agenda was officially launched on the 8th November, the second day of the 22nd Conference of Parties (COP22) at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Global Action Agenda allows for further actions from the states to give roles to the official non-governmental players (civil society organizations, private companies, cities, regions and investors) and their initiatives.

During the COP22, the Global Action Agenda is putting together a programme of 9 theme days: forests, water, industry and business, resilience in cities, buildings, energy, transport, oceans and agriculture.

More than 20 sectorial conferences are also scheduled with more than 150 high-level speakers. Every day there is a showcase and debate on a specific theme, to show concrete initiatives already launched by the non-governmental sector, to identify challenges and solutions, and to formulate political recommendations to raise the level of ambition in each sector.

The non-governmental parties are involved in more than 12 500 initiatives.

The 17th November, the two champions are organizing for the first time a High Level event on Climate Change. On this occasion, Laurence Tubiana and Hakima El Haite will present their recommendations for their role.

"We need everybody. No government, no city, can act alone. Our message today is as follows: we have to act now. We can't wait until 2020", declared Laurence Tubiana at the launch of The Global Action Agenda. From his side, the champion Hakima El Haite celebrated "the extraordinary mobilization of civil society" within the framework of the Agenda.

On the platform, Non-State Actors Zone Climate Action (NAZCA), more than 12 500 actions have been registered, with more than 2500 from cities and a little over 2 100 on the part of companies. All the actions can be found on the site of the platform NAZCA
Dear "Alhaji" Said Sinare,

As a concern Ghanaian,a Dagomba boy in a "Zongo", I humbly write to you through this platform to congratulate you for your disgraceful and unfortunate but fortunate comments about your recent jabs at the wife of the Vice-presidential candidate of the biggest opposition political party in Ghana. Fortunate because it tells us the caliber of person you are.

"I can't think far" since I read your statements some days ago but I was suddenly reminded about "publicity" looking at the only title attached to your name; "Alhaji", an arabic word for "stranger or visitor". In the context of this letter, I prefer using "stranger". It's funny your name is never heard in Ghana politics though you've been an "active" politician for years and to revive your image in the NDC, you've stooped down to rain insults at a lady who may have a better educational qualifications than you and morally good than you because your recent utterances shows you are morally bankrupt.

"Alhaji", to bastardized an individual who you know so well even if not personally shows your level of ignorance. For politics in Ghana being so cheap, people like you are able to join politics and your only contributions to it is your level of ignorance. "Alhaji", sorry for being personal but it's necessary since your attacks were personal too. Samira Bawumia, daughter of the Ramadan family said the president is "useless" with a reason but you on the other hand have no proof of her being a "bastard" which makes your level of integrity questionable.

"Monkey no fine but en mother like am", who will actually point is home with the left hand if not a fool? There's no day you will actually choose her, Samira over your wife and there's no day Dr. Bawumia will choose your wife over Samira even if the riches of the world are offered, that I can assure you.

Said Sinare, per my investigation, your jabs are often weak since it lacks merit. You attacked the personality of Dr. Bawumia and called him a LIAR to the world because of his revelations about challenges facing Ghana. Please, can you tell the world what you know about basic economics?

"Alhaji" Said Sinare, the US just elected a new President and I need to actually listen to his address to his country and world at large. I will write to you again sometime in the future and until then, my piece of advice to you is; you don't belong to the "zongos" for people from such communities are morally upright. Thank you.

Yours sincerely

The Dagomba Boy from Tamale

Tiyumba.

Sent from my iPhone
09.11.2016 LISTEN

Students, small to medium scale business owners, and first-time phone users have been offered yet another opportunity to own a range of affordable high performance phones by the CIMG Telecom Company of the year, Tigo.

The company launched its new campaign called Ma gye me de3 Smartphones, which literally means, Ive got my smartphones.

The promotion gives customers iTel phones with a free Tigo SIM card loaded with 9GB of data for 6 months  for the first month customers get 3GB of data and subsequently 1GB every month for WhatsApp and YouTube. Customers also have the option to choose a Fero handset which comes with 100 minutes of calls to all Tigo numbers, 100 text messages to Tigo numbers and 100MB data for 30 days which is valid for 3 months.

Following the resounding success of our 2014 Christmas Campaign, Drop that Yam we are launching this as our way of encouraging Ghanaians to switch to smartphones and enjoy the benefits of digital connection, said the Chief Commercial Officer for Tigo, Tara Squire.

The promotion is available in all Tigo stores across that country and will end on January 31, 2017.
A prominent feature in the election season is the massive outdoor campaigns by the various political parties.

This is because outdoor campaigns are inevitable for any well meaning political party seeking power.

In a bid to get their messages across, the political parties also spend huge monies on such activities.

As part of Citi Business News' series, the Business of Elections, it is emerging that businesses are cashing in on the increased demand this time round.

Checks by Citi Business News also reveal that the political parties spend about 40 percent of their budgets, on outdoor campaigns.

For an ideal campaign in a community park, a political party will have to cough up as much as 15,000 cedis.

This will cater for a platform, sound as well as lighting.

But in case there is the need for a standby generator, the cost is likely to shoot up to about 20,000 cedis.

The Managing Director of Exhibit Limited, an outdoor event organizing company, JB Allotey explained, business has been fruitful this time round compared to the last election period in 2012.

This year has been much more fruitful as to the number of times that our equipment have been hired; many of the political parties are now inclined towards getting quality due to some unfortunate incidences that some of them encountered due to inferior equipment used in the last election, he stated.

On the average we are able to attend to at least two clients every week especially during the last quarter for the year, he added.

Click the link below to listen to full audio report

Interestingly, the rate of discounts has equally increased this time round compared to the last election season.

The apparent reason is the chorus that prices have gone up than anticipated hence increasing the cost of campaigns.

They claim there isn't any money in the system so it becomes very difficult for them to pay for the equipment we provide for hiring which is one of the reasons they ask for discounts, some have approached us, we've given them the price quotations; some have shunned and never returned but others have gone ahead to engage our services. These complaints however cut across all the political parties, JB Allotey observed.

For Parliamentary candidates, an outdoor campaign will cost between 5000 and 8000 cedis.

This will comprise of rental space, paraphernalia, platforms as well as cost of transporting supporters to the campaign grounds.

It also emerged that the candidates will usually conduct at least three of such outdoor campaigns which will translate into about 15,000 to 24,000 cedis.

We embark on three campaigns; usually at the commencement or launch, then two others halfway and few days to election. Since outdoor campaigns are events on their own, we spend about 35% of our campaign budget on outdoor campaigns, Ben Kweku Asare, Research Assistant to Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency, Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko, told Citi Business News.

But outdoor campaigns conducted at large centres like the stadia and Trade Fair sites will require that the parties dole out as much as 150,000 cedis to meet the need for a quality stage or platform, sound system, security as well as reliable and alternative power supply.



By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama has congratulated President-elect of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump.

He posted on facebook soon after the news broke that Mr Trump had beaten Hilary Clinton in the election early Wednesday.

In an opposite of what was widely predicted by the media, polls and analysts before the election, Donald Trump won swing states to take a commanding lead over Hilary Clinton.

Mr Trump has so far won 28 US states, smashing into Mrs Clinton's vaunted electoral firewall in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that have not supported a Republican presidential candidate since 1988 and 1984 respectively.

The BBC reports Mr Trump who will soon be sworn in as the 45th US president also won Iowa, which has not elected a Republican since 2004.

Mr Trump will also take office with Congress fully under Republican control as Democrats were unable to wrest control of the Senate.

Below is the post by President John Mahama.



Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com | AA with files from BBC
On November 7, 2016, a national orientation ceremony was held on the occasion of departure of 65 Nigerian scholars for studies in Russia. The senior executives of the Nigerian Ministry of Education and representatives of the Russian Embassy took part in the event at the main auditorium of the National Universities Commission.

In the address to students the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan highly assessed the Russian-Nigerian cooperation in the field of education. She noted that Russia traditionally allocated to Nigeria the largest number of governmental scholarships among all countries.

The special attention was payed to the efficiency of the selection system based on personal interviews conducted by the joint commission with the participation of representatives of the Embassy, the Nigerian Ministry of Education, the Association of Nigerian graduates of the Soviet/Russian universities and the Association of Russian compatriots in Nigeria.
Democrats and Republicans in Lincoln held onto hope their candidate would pull out a presidential win as results showed a narrowing race Tuesday night.

Coming into the night, the sentiment among local Democrats seemed certain that America would have its first female president come January.

But late Tuesday Hillary Clinton supporters at the Single Barrel grew anxious.

Im shocked at whats happening, this is obviously not the outcome I wouldve wanted but Im trying to think about how we go forward from here if this is how the outcome is going to be, said Janeen Ward at the Lancaster County Democratic watch party as Trumps electoral votes eased higher.

At the Lancaster County GOP's election party at Chez Hay, a crowd of around 100 Republicans cheered as national media reported battleground victories for Donald Trump in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina.

As much as people want to say its about anger, Trump supporter Jordan Janssen said, its about disappointment.

In his white Make America Great Again hat, Janssen said he boarded the Trump train after his early speeches signaled he'd be a man who would shake up Washington.

More than 697,000 Nebraskans voted according to results available by midnight, as state election officials were expecting 70 percent turnout following record voter registration. Turnout was 71 percent in Lancaster County.

Democrat Rolf Shasteen, 68, says hes worried about the outcome of the election but held out hope Clinton would win.

Chair of the Lancaster County Democratic Party Jane Egan remained positive, saying a Hillary Clinton election is a moment shes waited for.

Im glad that Ive lived long enough to see it, she said. I thought perhaps Id see it before now, but Im glad to be alive today.

Dave Vrbas wore his Obama says knock you out shirt to the watch party.

His 6-year-old and 3-year-old daughters were late to school Tuesday morning because he felt it was important for them to watch their dad vote for the first female president of the United States, he said.

Vrbas said he doesnt understand the allure in voting for Trump, who has drawn scorn for his comments about women and minorities.

"Im just like, 'How are you voting for this? he said.
The Secretary-General condemns todays attack against peacekeepers of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

An improvised explosive device explosion in Kyeshero, in Goma, North Kivu, resulted in the death of one Congolese girl and the injury of two Congolese civilians as well as 32 peacekeepers, including five who were seriously wounded.

The Secretary-General extends his sincere condolences to the family of the civilian killed and the Congolese people and wishes a speedy and full recovery to the injured peacekeepers and civilians. He calls for swift action to bring the perpetrators of this attack to justice.
A 56-year-old man who reportedly hit the head of his 40-year-old wife with a hoe, killing her instantly, has appeared before an Accra Central Magistrate Court for murder.

The accused, Thomas Kofi Owusu, is said to have killed his wife, one Fustina Esinu Owusu and injuring stepson Benedict Agboada, at about 8:30 pm on October, 30 this year.

According to the prosecutor, DSP Mawunyo Nanegbe, Benedict who was found lying in a pool of blood beside the deceased, was rushed to the Amasaman Government Hospital in Accra, but later referred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where he is currently on admission.

Owusu has provisionally been charged for murder and causing harm to the two at Danchira, near Amanfrom in the Greater Accra Region.

Before trial Magistrate Worlanyo Kotoku, the plea of Kofi Owusu was not taken.

Narrating the series of events leading to the arrest of Owusu, DSP Nanegbe stated that immediately after Owusu's purported act had been reported to the police, he was arrested and escorted to his house where the wife was found lying in a pool of blood in the living room.

He said Benedict was also found lying in a pool of blood with severe wounds on the head gasping for breath.

The prosecutor stated that the body of Faustina was initially conveyed to the Police Hospital mortuary for preservation but later transferred to KorleBu for autopsy.

DSP Nanegbe said Owusu admitted the offence in his investigation caution statement as having killed Faustina and caused harm to his stepson.

By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson

[email protected]


Following the reported attempt by Johnson Kombian to escape from the Nsawam Medium Security Prison, DAILY GUIDE has learnt that authorities of the Ghana Prisons Service are investigating the circumstances surrounding the attempted jail break.

Johnson Kombian, a notorious jail breaker, who is serving his sentence at the Nsawam Prison, reportedly attempted breaking jail again in the early hours of Monday.

However, he was not lucky as he was grabbed in the process.

A source at the prison said Kombian  who is currently on a death sentence for killing two police officers on October 17, 2010  moved from his 'condemned cell' to the main prison yard together with his two cell mates around midnight.

The source claimed that a vigilant prison warden who was making his night rounds spotted Kombian and the two others  whose identities are not yet known  about to escape from the prison, but were immediately grabbed.

According to the source, authorities at the prison have been alarmed by the jail break attempt by the convict who once escaped from a Tamale prison.

No one knows how they came out of their condemned cell to the main prison yard around midnight Sunday. The key to their cell was not broken either. This is the first time. the source disclosed.

Another inside source said Kombian might have been assisted by some wardens to cut the chains around his legs before escaping from the cells.

According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) at the Prison, DSP Courage Atsem, investigation is ongoing to establish the circumstances leading to the attempted escape.

Johnson Kombian, alias Garkum, is a farmer and businessman, whom the police have described as a notorious armed robber and jail breaker.

He allegedly conspired with one Kofi Naaman, known as Accra Boy, to rob Djato Mathias and then attempted to kill him.

He was arrested, tried and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by the Tamale Circuit Court, but he escaped while serving his jail term. Kombian was later re-arrested.

He reportedly fled to his hometown, Nakpanduri, in the Bunkprugu Yunyoo District of the Northern Region, where he purportedly sought refuge.

According to the prosecutors, Kombian and his accomplices on October 17, 2010, received information that the police were closing in on them following which they laid ambush and attacked three police officers, killing two of them.

The prosecutors indicated that Kombian and his accomplices fired gunshots at the police officers who were on a motorbike, causing them to fall into a 10-metre deep valley.

They continued firing into the valley where the officers landed but they (officers) also returned fire.

The gangsters fled the scene and later Kombian crossed to neighbouring Togo.

However, on November 19, 2010, he was arrested through the efforts of INTERPOL when he reportedly crossed the border at Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo District to visit his girlfriend.

Kombian was on August 19, 2015 sentenced to death by hanging on two counts of murder by a seven-member jury.

He is also serving a 30-year jail term for conspiracy.

From Daniel Bampoe, Nsawam


New Patriotic Party's rising star on the campaign trail Samira Bawumia has expressed disappointment in the governing NDC's reaction to criticism, observing that it leaves much to be desired.

Samira Bawumia who is wife of the 2016 NPP Vice-Presidential candidate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia says government officials must learn to graciously accept criticism because 'we pay for their luxury'.

Her comments were in reaction to vitriolic attacks from a government appointee Alhaji Saeed Sinari who is Ghanas ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Expect updates....

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|[email protected]
09.11.2016 LISTEN

Dear Presidential Candidate,

We deem it a privilege to have this opportunity to forward to your outfit this petition of global Ghanaian interest.

Sir/Madam, we esteem that the Ghanaian diaspora has not been given enough recognition for a long time, especially in matters that circulate the political terrain in Ghana; even though Governments and the diasporans have made several efforts to avert the situation.

Through this petition, OGHA, the Organisation of Ghanaians Abroad is seeking the implementation of Ghana's Diasporas' voting rights and a proper mutual beneficial integration of the pool of Talented, Skilled and Patriotic Ghanaian generations lost to Foreign Lands.

The year 2002 marked the emergence of Ghanaian diasporans in national affairs when the dual citizenship act was passed. In February 2006, Ghana passed the Representation of the People`s Amendment Law (ROPAL) extending voting rights to Ghanaians living outside the country. This was a giant step to enhance the nation's democratic credentials and its diasporans' commitment.

Today, the world has become a global competitive village and we in the diaspora have become key strategic agents of development. We esteem that the implementation of ROPAL will bridge the political gap between the diaspora and our homeland Ghana.

Over the past few years the only diaspora phase which seems to have been acknowledged is the financial remittances that the diasporans transfer to the country. We are emphasizing that the diaspora upon the implementation of ROPAL could contribute to democratic governance in the same way as we are currently contributing to the economic welfare of Ghana through our remittances and numerous homeland projects. The Ghanaian Diaspora cares about Ghana, just as we care about ourselves and the well being of Ghanaians.

Challenges are paramount, however, we believe Ghana is matured enough to shoulder the expected challenges and those of us in the diaspora are ready to contribute our quota.

The result of these objectives when achieved and effected shall glaringly enhance the legitimacy of the democratic process of Ghana and annex its diaspora as the 11th region of Ghana.

To this end, we are petitioning all Presidential Candidates to include in their projects the creation of a Ministry of Ghanaians Abroad manned by Ghanaians in the Diaspora. ''The diaspora today has become the key strategic agent making the nexus between migration and development, a reality. Without their strategic intervention, the crystallisation of nexus between the two fields would not be possible'' -Mr. Awil. This quotation says it all.

We the Ghanaian Diaspora, have become the nation's greatest offshore asset and Ghana needs to harness our full participation in the nation's building process. The wish of many Ghanaians in the diaspora is that Government pays heed to this call, not only to make our dream to vote in elections materialize, but also to review the commitment, Government needs to attach to the great pool of Talented, Skilled and Patriotic Ghanaian generations lost to Foreign lands. Ghana cannot afford to lose these rich human resources for its development.

We stand behind our unflinching patriotism and hope to obtain satisfaction from your good office.

Signed for :

OGHA, Organisation of Ghanaians Abroad,

FEGHADE, the Federation of Ghanaian Diaspora in Europe and

GHACIF the Ghanaian Community in France Council.

Osei Mensah Michael
This year's Engineering Excellence Awards has been slated for Saturday, November 12, 2016 at the Engineers Centre, Roman Ridge, Accra.

The awards ceremony is expected to attract all the stakeholders in the engineering community, including council members, past presidents and members of the Institution and members of the Ghana Engineering Council.

Officials from all the four branches of government, members of allied professional bodies, engineering students from the universities and selected high school students are expected to attend the event.

The prestigious awards being organized by the GhIE is to recognize and honour outstanding contributions of individuals and organizations in the engineering industry.

The President of the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE), Ing. Dr. Kwame Boakye said, This third edition of the awards has seen expansion in the number and areas of awards and also classification of the award categories into four main thematic areas: Engineering Practice; Advancing Engineering Knowledge; Promoting the Future of Engineering and Application and Advocacy of Engineering.

Chairman of the 2016 Awards Committee, Ing. Simon Kwasi Adobasom also indicated that entry to this year's awards is free of charge for all engineers.
The National Democratic Party (NDP) says the Electoral Commission (EC), headed by Charlotte Osei, is adhering to its roadmap to hand over the presidency of the country to a selected candidate.

The posture of the EC confirms that the Commission is not actuated and driven by a desire to deliver a world-class election in Ghana but to hand over the presidency to a selected candidate, according to the party.

It would be recalled that the Supreme Court on Monday in a unanimous decision ordered the EC to allow the 12 disqualified presidential candidates, including Nana Konadu, the presidential candidate of the party, to correct errors on their nomination forms ahead of the December polls.

But Mohammed Frimpong, Secretary of the party, in a statement issued in Accra, yesterday stated that it was surprised the EC had found 33 new irregularities instead of the one the Commission had already complained about.

He said the Commission highlighted the new errors without any forensic proof that those signatures could not have been signed by the same people.

The statement noted that our officers strongly challenged this absurdity but EC is insisting that between now and 5pm, we should produce 33 persons from almost every region in the country to verify their signatures before the EC.

The NDP secretary argued that the Commission was threatening to disqualify the party due to this new and never mentioned ground.

It said we dare the EC to show Ghanaians that none of the jack-in-the box issues it is raising suddenly and belatedly about our nomination do not exist on the nomination forms of the parties and candidates that it claims to have passed to stand for the elections.

The EC has not been fair to and candid with us, its actions have been arbitrarily, capricious and bias based on resentment, prejudice and personal dislike: its acts are not in accordance withy due process of law.

Mr. Frimpong commented: We are calling on the EC to immediately desist from its oppressive tactics and with immediate effect reverse this illegal demand of us else we would have no option but to return to court. The EC should note that in our case in court, there is still a pending interlocutory injunction application.

By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson

[email protected]
The crowd at the campaign launch. INSET: Nana Akuof-Addo and Kwesi Bonzoh

Kwesi Bonzoh, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Ellembelle Constituency in the Western Region, has indicated that he will work hard to capture the seat from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the first time in the December 7 parliamentary election.

I want to assure my party supporters and sympathizers that come December 7, I will wrestle the parliamentary seat from the NDC and the incumbent MP, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, he stressed.

He debunked claims by the incumbent MP that he had constructed all the roads in the Ellembelle Constituency and made the area a no-go area for the NPP.

Armah-Buah is bragging in Accra and other areas that he has constructed all the roads in Ellembelle but we can all testify that that assertion is not true because most of the roads, including the Nkroful roads, are very bad. I assure all residents that I will win Ellembelle for NPP and make the area one of the strongholds of the NPP, he added.

He, however, admonished the teeming NPP supporters in the constituency not to be complacent but work hard to achieve their aim.

Kwesi Bonzoh, popular called 'Bonzo K' of '34 Kaywa,' disclosed this while addressing thousands of NPP supporters at the launch of his campaign in the Ellembelle Constituency last Sunday at Nkroful in the Western Region.

The event was attended by the flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the party's acting National Chairman, Freddie Blay, who is also a former MP for the area, as well as other bigwigs of the NPP at the national and regional levels.

Nkrumah Education Fund

He indicated that he would prioritize the revival of the defunct Kwame Nkrumah Education Fund to assist Nzema students.

According to him, the Education Fund, which was officially launched in 2003 by the then President John Agyekum Kufour, was to help brilliant but needy students in the three Nzema Constituencies  Ellembelle, Evalue-Gwira and Jomoro.

He said that most parents and guardians in the Nzema area are not able to help their children further their education because of financial constraints.

Some friends and I mooted the idea of creating the Kwame Nkrumah Education Fund in the year 2000 when we were in the University of Ghana.

Later, the then President, John Kufour officially inaugurated the fund and an amount of one billion old cedis was raised as seed money but surprisingly, as time went on, the initiative collapsed but we ought to revive it.

He also told the people that when given the nod, he would impress upon the various oil and gas companies in the area to set aside an amount of $50 million as part of their corporate social responsibility to create an endowment fund that would be invested and used to fund the education of the youth.

By so doing, all the people, particularly, the youth of Ellembelle, would benefit from the money accrued from the sale of the country's oil from the Jubilee oilfield located in the Western Region, he pointed out.

Nkroful Chief

The chief of Nkroful, Nana Kwesi Ketewa, indicated that he believed the first President of Ghana, who hailed from the area, was turning in his grave because of the lack of development in Nkroful.

Even though Nkroful is the district capital, there is nothing to show. The road from Esiama to Nkroful is very bad. We need a district hospital to be named after Kwame Nkrumah, he added.

He appealed to the NPP flagbearer to implement the 1-district-1-factory policy in the area to create jobs for the youth and also appoint Nzemas as ministers of state when voted to power.

He complained about the bad nature of roads in the area and poor state of Nkroful Agriculture Senior High School (SHS) which lacks a fence wall and classrooms.

Nana Addo

The presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo, assured the indigenes of the constituency that the NPP government would give a facelift to Nkroful, the hometown of Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

He promised that his government would involve some key figures in the three Nzema Districts in the region to fast track development in the area.

Nana Addo promised to assist the small-scale miners in the area to obtain the needed legal documents to operate.

Nana Addo, who was in the region for three-day campaign tour, also addressed rallies at Axim and Tikobo No.1 in the Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira and Jomoro constituencies respectively.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Nkroful
Prof Edward Akuffo

In a conversation with some friends on November 7, 2016, I argued that Donald Trump will win the presidency of the United States of America and that should not be surprising at all.

To the majority of people, Hilarys win was largely written on the wall. Yet, the outcome of the elections is ONE BIG DECEPTION for these people. Keen observers, however, are not surprised.

Here are the reasons I assigned to my prediction which also shed light on what appears to be one big deception in the recent political history of the United States:

1. Trump's rejection by key movers and shakers within the Republican establishment is only hypocritical facade' just to save their own political careers, and protect their interests. Unbeknownst to Trump skeptics, there is calculated deception in what is going on with the denial of Donald Trump. It appears that the powerful in the Republican Party like 'weak presidents' who 'talk tough' but are malleable behind the scene. President George W. Bush, and to some extent President Reagan are excellent examples. The Hawks in the Republican Party, to a large extent, got what they wanted with these former presidents, especially in projecting Americas military superiority around globe. Mr. Trump appears not to be different from President George W. Bush, however, Trump is more interested in the economy than projecting military superiority of the United States. In any case US military superiority is given. These factors partly explain why Mr. Trump had more votes in the primaries than any candidate in the history of the Republican Party. He has the base to succeed!

2. Trump's economic plan is racially-neutral. It is not anti-Black American or anti-Hispanic, although his social policy on immigration appears to be racially-charged. When Trump talks about rebuilding the American economy for Americans, he is only following the dictates of the principle of state sovereignty and the obligation of the US government to protect the economic interest of its citizens. I think Americans care more about their material condition than moral or ethical arguments on immigration that appear to favour non-nationals. American voters are political realists. They make prudent decisions. They will choose Trump!

3. Recent polls in Western countries have been off the mark, in some cases, by wide margins. Those who trust poll results do so at their own peril. Recent polls are only reliable when their predictions come true.

4. The media has won and Hilary has lost! The media appear to skew their reporting in favor of Hilary. Trumps positive story is not popularized. In other words, Hilary has won the media war and Trump will win what matters, the votes. The media hasn't helped Hilary.

5. On foreign and defense policy Trump's knowledge is excellent given that he is not your usual politician. For example, the re-emergence of Russia in Eastern Europe (Ukraine) and Middle East (Syria) requires a balancing act from the United States and its Allies. Trump appears to understand this security challenge, as well as non-conventional threats such as international terrorism. That is a big plus for Trump that Hilary Clinton has to contend with at the polling stations. In the prevailing new-world disorder an outsider politician who understands the issues at stake is what America needs than a politician who would be path-dependent. America requires new-policy-thinking and new action. Trump has the urge over Hilary.

6. Using gender lens (I am not talking about biology and sex but rather the social construction of masculinity and femininity), Americans will chose weak Trump than strong Hilary. To be sure, in a turbulent world, prudent leadership is not usually found in those who are loved by the public. You need leaders who love to take tough decisions even when they appear to be mimicking the voice of a few powerful people behind the scenes. Trump is the choice!

Now let us turn to the verdict by American voters!

As the CNNs exit polls suggest, American voters believe that Trump can solve the trio challenges of terrorism, immigration, and trade.

Trump has won the presidency! The Republican Party seems to have found its voice again after eight years in hibernation.

Let those who are shocked or scared by Trump Presidency rather worry about the behavior of other major powers and the intensification of non-conventional security threats around the world.

To be sure, Donald Trumps presidency would mark the beginning of a new world order that would be defined by United States global economic dominance. That is why President Trump cannot afford to act erratically if he is to succeed in reordering American domestic and foreign policy to achieve this important goal. On international security, selected-bilateralism and multilateralism especially through NATO would likely be the main foreign policy strategy of the Donald Trumps Administration. It is more likely that his Administration will refrain from unilateralism and would sparely use pre-emptive attacks like President Bush. Let us be Trump Optimists!

What Ghana needs is smart leadership who can read and understand what is going in the most powerful country in the world and align Ghanas foreign policy accordingly.

Edward Akuffo is an associate professor of international security and international relations at the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada.
The Accra Psychiatric hospital indicate that activities there are back to normal after striking nurses returned to work yesterday [Tuesday].

Authorities there have also confirmed that there are enough medical supplies to work with.

The Secretary of the Psychiatric Nurses Group (PNG) Philemon Anto Ennin, said to Citi News, We are back to work. Nurses have responded positively. They believe in the PNG so whatever information the send out to them, they respond in due time and appropriately, so we are all back to work as expected.

He also stated that the nurses were content with the logisitcal intervention put in place.

Yesterday we had the opportunity of meeting management so they took as to the Central Medical stores to ascertain for ourselves about them procuring those logistics and I can confidently tell you that everything is in full even for logistics like the gloves. They can even last us till next year [2017] may. There are about 2000 boxes of such logistics around.

Background

Nurses at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital called off their strike on November 7 after negotiations with the Health Ministry, the Mental Health Authority and the Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA).

The nurses withdrew their services over government's failure to provide them with basic logistics and essential medicines which they said worsened the conditions of some of the mental patients.

They were also making a demand for better conditions of service. Government has also released some funds for the facility to offset some of its debt and to also run the place. Government is expected to release more funds for the facility in the coming weeks.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifonline.com/Ghana
The Minister for the Public Service and Administration, Adv Ngoako Ramatlhodi will host the fourth annual National Batho Pele Excellence Awards (NBPEA) this Friday, 11 November 2016 at the Birchwood Hotel, Boksburg in Ekurhuleni.

The National Batho Pele Excellence Awards are part of a concerted effort by the Ministry for Public Service and Administration to intensify the move towards creating a strong and capable state. The Awards serve to recognise public servants who are selfless, dedicated, committed and who go the extra mile in servicing the citizens.

These Awards continue to inculcate and institutionalise a culture of servitude, characterised by a sense of belonging, caring when serving citizens. They represent a serious and committed move by the Government towards transforming and professionalising the Public Service, improving service delivery as well as putting into operation some of the building blocks towards the realisation of a capable and developmental state in line with the National Development Plan (NDP).

The NDP complements the constitutional imperative to create a public administration that is professional, responsive, capable and responsible to the needs of citizens, says Minister Ramatlhodi.

Eligible to public servants across the three spheres of government, the awards seek to entrench the transformation and professionalization of the public service. They reward excellent service delivery and recognise the contribution by public servants across government in their service delivery improvement initiatives.

The theme for the awards is Batho Pele, putting People first, a reaffirmation of governments position in putting citizens in the forefront of service delivery improvement initiatives, in line with the MPSAs vision.

The nominees will be awarded under the following 11 categories:

Best Frontline Public Service Employee

Best Public Service Leader

Outstanding Public Servant

Best Batho Pele Team

Best National Director- General

Best Provincial Head of Department

Best Functioning National Department

Best Functioning Provincial Department

Best Ethical and Professional Department

Best Implemented Project

Public Service Lifetime Achievers

Members of the media are invited to the 4th NBPEA 2016 as follows:

Date: Friday, 11 November 2016

Time: 18h00

Venue: Birchwood Hotel, Boksburg

RSVPs: Ms Wisane Mavasa on 0828061351/ [email protected]

Enquires: Dumisani Nkwamba on 082 885 9448 /[email protected]
The third Senior Experts Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation and the African Transformation Agenda (SED 2016) ended in Pretoria with experts agreeing African governments need to do more to support innovation, especially by the youth in their respective countries.

The SED 2016, attended by experts from 21 African countries, including representatives from universities, Member States and cities, sought, among other things, to help African countries identify the main opportunities and challenges at different policy and organizational levels for leveraging and maximizing the rapid rise of cities, including the rise of mega-cities on the continent to drive innovation and invention.

Chief, Kasirim Nwuke, of the New Technologies and Innovation Section in the Economic Commission for Africas Special Initiatives Division, said he was impressed by the level of debate during the 2-4 November meeting which ended with participants visiting several hubs of innovation in Johannesburg, Soweto and Pretoria, among them the IBM Research Lab at the Witwatersrand University, the Resolution Circle at the Johannesburg University and the Jozi SME hub in the Soweto Empowerment Zone.

We have learnt a lot over the past few days and we shall write a report on the outcome of the meeting and send to you all, Mr. Nwuke told the participants. This dialogue is important for our continent and we thank you for participating. I benefited from this dialogue and I hope you did too.

The 2016 SED was held under the theme Cities as Innovation Hubs for Africas Transformation.

The three-day meeting, hosted by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Republic of South Africa, identified key elements and issues, based on local as well as international experience, that African governments, along with their international development partners, can take into account in formulating action plans to turn their cities from manufacturing and trade hubs into innovation hubs and centres.

Ms. Zukiswa Ncunyana, Strategic Eexcutive Director for Research and Innovation in the office of the Executive Mayor of the City of Tswane in South Africa, said African cities were already innovative but sad the sad thing was that governments were still unable to close the gap between what they spend on research and development and the new innovations that can addresses some of the problems facing Africas cities.

For me, one of the major outcomes of the meeting has been that innovations needs to be needs-driven, the grassroot level needs to be consulted, she said. Meaning local authorities and the central governments cannot just come up with policies without consulting us the people. All players are needed.

Innovation, she added, should drive growth of the African cities, adding she was impressed by case studies presented during the meeting, in particular innovation hubs in Nigeria and how they have changed the lives of the ordinary people for the better.

Theres a lot that is happening in Africa so we should not be hard on ourselves. We need to work together and scale-up on what is already happening, she said.

Mr. Nwuke said a policymakers guide and recommendations for consideration and adoption by African governments, their development partners and the private sector, a research and analytical report on "Cities as hubs of Innovation in Africa" and policy briefs and working papers on STI on the continent, will be produced from the meeting.

The SED is an initiative of the ECA designed to support member States to leverage STI to drive the structural transformation of their economies.
On December 7, 2016 Ghanaians will be called upon once again to make a decision to elect a President for the nation. In essence the decision would revolve around a choice between an Akuffo Addo/Bawumia leadership and a John Mahama/Amissah Arthur leadership for Ghana going forward since they lead the majority parties in Ghana. The decision for Ghanaians is a practical one which should be based on the ability and capacity of either ticket to manage, govern provide solutions and essentially deliver progress beyond where the country has reached now. The issues that should impact this decision for Ghanaians are essentially as follows:

Against the background of issues of governance and development that have to be addressed by the next government which of the competing tickets offer Ghanaians the best prospects for attaining their hopes and aspirations? Is it an Akuffo Addo/ Bawumia government or a John Mahama/ Amissah Arthur government?

Between an Akuffo Addo/ Bawumia leadership and a John Mahama/ Amissah Arthur leadership, which meets the capacity and capability criteria of leadership that is on offer on December 7, 2016? In essence, considering the profile of the two tickets under consideration, which of them is capable of delivering solutions to issues of governance that confront Ghanaians daily be it on the economy, foreign affairs, security, education, health corruption or job creation?

What is the current state of Ghana as regards the issues in focus? Is it largely comatose as the Nana Akuffo Addo/ Bawumia ticket would want Ghanaians to believe, or fairly healthy and upbeat as the John Mahama/Amissah Arthur ticket is proclaiming? If it is comatose what leadership is required to resurrect it going forward? On the other hand if the status of Ghana is healthy and upbeat, what leadership does it require to keep the momentum going?

Lets assume we agree with the position of the Akuffo Addo/ Bawumia camp that the state of the nation Ghana is largely comatose, which of the two competing camps offer Ghanaians the best prospects of resurrecting a comatose country? On the contrary lets assume we agree with the position of the Mahama/ Amissah Arthur ticket that the state of the nation Ghana is fairly healthy and upbeat, which of the two prospective leadership camps offer Ghanaians the best option to successfully manage the country to ensure that its positive momentum is sustained going forward?

The answer to these pertinent questions obviously leads us to the profiles and capabilities of the two leadership camps that are on offer to the Ghanaian electorate come December 7, 2016. The profile of the Akuffo Addo/Bawumia ticket can be examined from their background that transcends their years in governance and politics. Akuffo Addo has been involved in Ghanas politics and governance for quite sometime, and thus has a background that is not new to the average Ghanaian. His profile spans many years of political activism and participation in governance at the level of Member of Parliament for twelve years, as a prominent member of the Kuffour administration for eight years, and as flag bearer of the NPP since 2007. His ability to solve national problems and manage governance issues should therefore be examined from these periods that he had the opportunity to demonstrate his so called spectacular leadership and visionary qualities to Ghanaians.

It is a known fact that as a Member of Parliament for Abuakwa and Minister in the Kuffour administration, he failed to demonstrate any superior leadership qualities that renders him capable of resurrecting a comatose country as he would want Ghanaians to believe. Besides his leadership qualities have been put to real test recently since becoming the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party in 2007. Under his watch as leader of NPP, the party has been transformed from a once healthy and upbeat NPP left by Kuffour into a party that is fractured and limping on one leg going into election 2016. With this profile and background, Akuffo Addo obviously lacks the capability to resurrect a comatose country or manage the fairly healthy and upbeat country that John Mahama has nurtured.

In a related context, the profile of Bawumia, his running mate is largely based on his stint as deputy Governor of Bank of Ghana which was highlighted by his deep involvement in Ghanas controversial currency redenomination exercise. Indeed not only is the true cost of the redenomination exercise that he championed under scrutiny, but more importantly Bawumia has failed to explain to Ghanaians what the true value and benefit of the whole exercise was to the Ghanaian economy. What were the true economic fundamentals that underpinned merely removing zeros from Ghanas currency denominations?

Furthermore Bawumias penchant for spewing untruths-as demonstrated in his unsubstantiated claim that Togolese nationals have saturated Ghanas voters register -has dented his credibility, and likewise dented the credibility of the Akuffo Addo ticket. His agenda to aggressively urge his northern kinsmen to replace their sitting President for a government in which the highest position for northerners would be a Vice President is real food for thought for northern voters in election 2016.

Juxtapose the above profile of the Akuffo Addo/Bawumia team with that of the Mahama Amissah Arthur team, and what you get on the other side is John Mahama who has a rich background and experience in governance that Ghanaians can count on to either resurrect a comatose country or progress a fairly healthy one. An experience that transcends his period as a Member of Parliament, Deputy Minister, Minister, Vice President and President of Ghana. A background and experience nurtured and invested in by Ghana, that is much better suited to either resurrect a comatose country or progress further a fairly healthy and upbeat rising star of Africa (Ghana).

President Mahamas leadership qualities and ability to solve problems are tried and tested with flying colours as evidenced by his superlative performance in government. This is evidenced in numerous positive benchmarks achieved in Ghana by the Mahama/Amissah Arthur government in the last four years, be it in education, health, security, the economy, governance, foreign affairs, energy, agriculture, roads and highways and job creation. His leadership qualities have been further demonstrated in his relationship with his party the NDC, which is like day and night when compared to Akuffo Addos handling of NPP affairs.

The Akuffo Addo /Bawumia tickets has equally been tried and tested under various circumstances in Ghana. However the Akuffo Addo/Bawumia team has no significant history and record of providing solutions to problems in governance when offered the opportunity. The Mahama/Amissah Arthur team on the contrary has a demonstrated profile and history of problem solving qualities in governance, be it as regards the energy crises, Ebola crises, foreign affairs, gender affairs, the economy, corruption, education, compassionate leadership you name it.

The choice for majority of Ghanaians going forward should therefore be an easy one.

After identifying problems facing the country - which is the easy part - selecting the right leadership capable of solving the problems as identified would be the key decision that Ghanaians would have to make.

An ability to rehash perceived problems facing Ghanaians is certainly no guarantee of a capability to solve problems as identified in the country. It is the profiles and capabilities of the two competing leadership camps that would determine which of them is capable of delivering the goods for Ghana going forward.

Does Akuffo Addo have the leadership pedigree that President Mahama possesses and has extensively demonstrated within the last four years in governance? Certainly not. He is yet to demonstrate to Ghanaians any serious management and leadership qualities despite being offered the opportunity in various situations over the years.

The issues confronting Ghanaians going forward require leadership of a very high caliber and quality. The choice between President Mahama and Akuffo Addo is therefore clear and obvious. Ghana requires leadership that is focused, sincere, honest, tolerant, disciplined, visionary, tried and tested and compassionate going forward. Leadership that has a true grasp of the current state of the nation Ghana, and has the capability to carry on from the undeniable positive foundation that has been achieved at this stage in the nations history is what Ghanaians require.

An ability to reharsh problems confronting the nation and preach doom and gloom is certainly not what is required to move Ghana forward at this stage. The leadership capabilities required for Ghana going forward makes President Mahama the obvious choice over Akuffo Addo come December 7, 2016, and Ghanaians would definitely re-elect him rather than gamble with their destiny come December 7, 2016.

God richly bless our Homeland Ghana.

Mensah Dekportor (Hamburg - Germany)

Email: [email protected]
President John Mahama has congratulated the President-elect of the United States of America, Donald Trump.

Mr Trump of the Republican Party beat his main contender Hillary Clinton of the Democratic Party in a keenly contested presidential election on Tuesday [November 8].

Hours after the announcement of Donald Trump as President-elect, President Mahama tweeted; Congratulations President-elect Donald J. Trump.

President Mahama who is also seeking an extension of his presidential mandate in the upcoming elections in Ghana, had not made any statement concerning the US Presidential elections until Mr Trump's victory.



Ill rebuild America again

Meanwhile, the Donald Trump has promised to work in earnest to rebuild the country and renew the American dream. He was speaking to party faithful in New York after beating Hilary Clinton in an election many political watchers have described as shocking. Mr Trump described the momentum leading to his victory as a movement.

Ghana  United States relations

Ghana and the United States have had a peaceful and generally friendly relationship over the past five (5) decades.

Both countries have established close ties in areas that include security, governance, trade and education.

In 2009, US President Barack Obama, visited Ghana on his first visit to Africa where he commended Ghana's for its growing democracy.

Other Presidents such as Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have also visited Ghana while serving as US Presidents.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana


The Women's Ministry of International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) Yahweh Temple at East Legon in Accra has presented assorted items worth GH30,000 to female inmates of the Nsawam Medium Security Prison as part of its 5th anniversary celebrations.

The items, which included medical supplies, sanitary towels, toilet rolls, bags of rice, vegetable oil, blankets and detergents, were received by Superintendent Janet Asabea and DSP Esi Gomado on behalf of the inmates.

The President of the Women's Ministry, Josephine Ismaila Awudu, presented the items on behalf of the group to the officers as part of their efforts to share the Word of God and contribute their widow's mite to the sustenance of vulnerable members of society.

At Yahweh Temple, one of our core values is to give hope to people we interact with daily, especially persons who have had bad experience, she indicated.

ASP Janet Asabea lauded the women for making life comfortable for the inmates through the donation.

Reformation of prisoners is a shared responsibility for religious and other organized groups who visit from time to time to make donations and provide counseling and skills development, among others, according to her.

She appealed to members of society not to stigmatize and alienate prisoners who complete their sentences, adding that the old perception about prisoners should be ignored.

Rev. Ismaila Awudu, Head Pastor of the Yahweh Temple, in an interview, said the church was doing a lot through skills training to help vulnerable members of society.

He lauded members of the Precious Vessels of Virtue (PVV) for donating a truck load of cement to facilitate the construction of the church building.

By Solomon Ofori


Drama unfolded at Odumase Krobo in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality of the Eastern region over the weekend when the award-winning farmers expressed dissatisfaction with their prizes which included Joy Twedie Ginger.

The Overall Best Eastern regional farmer claimed the prizes of the first runner-up should be given to him at this year's event, which was hosted by the Lower Manya-Krobo Municipal Assembly at the Oklemekuku Memorial Park, Laasi, Odumase-Krobo.

Items, which were presented to Daniel Osei Asumeni included tricycle, double door refrigerator, microwave, roofing sheets, four knapsack spraying machines, 32-inche LED television, 7 pairs of Wellington boot, shovel, 10 cutlasses, standing fan, rechargeable lamp, steam iron, four-burner gas cooker, watering can, boxes of Joy Dadi bitters, boxes of Joy Twedie Ginger and boxes of joy lime.

Joy Industries Limited sponsored the purchase of items presented to Mr Asumeni.

Sampson Amanor, a Krobo from Nuaso New Town, who emerged the overall regional best farmer, received half of the items sponsored by a different company.

Mr Amanor has a 75-acre Mango plantation at Akuse and also cultivates cereals and grains and rears livestock.

He could not start the tricycle given to him by the organizers at the venue.

Mr Amanor received a tricycle, spraying machines, double door fridge, flat-screen television, a cash prize of GH1,000 from the management of Joy Industries Limited.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Mavis Ama Frimpong, also promised to extend electricity to the warehouse on his farm.

The award-wining farmers also criticized the Agriculture Ministry and organizers of the prizes for presenting a lot of alcoholic beverage from Joy Industries Limited, producers of popular Joy Dadi Bitters to them.

Last year, the award winners in the New Juaben Municipality in the region expressed concern about the presentation of several alcoholic beverages such as Joy Dadi Bitters to them.

DAILY GUIDE learnt that even though the farmers were not satisfied with their prizes, they expressed gratitude to Joy Industries for assisting the organizers.

The National Farmers' Day was celebrated across the country under the theme, 'Agriculture: A Business Response to Economic Growth' to motivate farmers to work hard.

From Daniel Bampoe, Koforidua
Naba Sigri Bewong, the immediate-past President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of the Sakote Traditional Area has added his voice to calls for the establishment of a sheanut board in the Northern Savanna Ecological Zone to ensure the development of the sheanut industry.

If there is a board in place, it will be responsible just for the sheanut and will be mandated to see to the growth and protection of the trees. The indigenous people involved in the marketing and processing of sheanut deserve more than they are getting.

Sheanut is still under the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and definitely doesn't get the full attention of the Board nor the care required to make the sheanut industry vibrant.

Naba Sigiri Bewong made this call at a National Forum held in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region on the transformation of the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone.

Naba Sigri Bewong at the event proposed that the sheanut industry should quickly be separated from the COCOBOD and resourced to manage the industry effectively.

We want the sheanut industry to stand on its own. We don't want the sheanut industry to be lumped together with the Ghana Cocoa board. We want government to do this to help the industry to grow faster.

Naba Bewong alleged that two years ago, the sheanut industry in Damango in the Northern Region was deprived of some funds allocated through the Ghana Cocoa Board.

According to Naba Bewong, he and his colleagues in the Upper West and Northern Regional Houses of Chiefs initiated a process to get the government to give the sheanut industry an autonomous board.

We have raised this issue with the President that the sheanut industry should be separated from the Cocoa Board and have its own board with its head office in any part of the three Northern Regions. In the North, many households depend on sheanut. Developing the sheanut industry will therefore lead to wealth creation and reduce the poverty across the three Northern regions, he stated.

From Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga




THE REGIONAL branch of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in Tema has between January and August this year retrieved an amount of GH2.4 million out of a total of GH2.8 million owed the company by consumers through power theft.

According to ECG, the company is in the process of recovering an outstanding balance of GH400, 000 from its customers after their prosecution at court.

Speaking at a press soiree in Tema, Emmanuel Seidu, the Revenue Manager of the region who represented the Regional Commercial Manager explained that the amount was recovered from people in residential, commercial and industrial areas who had engaged in what he termed 'illegal connection' and were arrested.

He said stern efforts were being made to retrieve every pesewa stolen from the company.

The Revenue Manager seized the opportunity to caution power consumers who engage in illegal connections to desist from that nefarious act since they will not be left unpunished when caught.

He said ECG, with the support of the Ministry of Power, was doing everything possible to recover all debts to reinvest in the sector to sustain and make it more efficient.

For his part, the Tema Regional Manager of ECG, Engineer Jones Ofori-Addo indicated that apart from power theft, another challenge facing the power distribution company was the indiscriminate and uncoordinated distribution of pre-paid meters.

Notwithstanding the headache, Mr. Ofori-Addo said, the company has plans of extending the pre-paid meters to areas like Gbetsile, New Jerusalem, Katamansu among others before the close of next year.

According to him, the Self Help Electrification Project (SHEP) metering given out to some communities by some politicians without the knowledge of ECG was a challenge the company had to deal with.

He added that steps were being taken to replace all those meters or put them in the system. This, to him, would help the company improve upon its revenue generation.

From Vincent Kubi, Tema




The New Patriotic Party (NPP) says the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has pooh-poohed plans by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to increase its parliamentary seats in the Ashanti Region from four to 13.

The main opposition party believes members of the NDC are in dreamland and have lost touch with reality.

Simon Osei Mensah, NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Bosomtwi, who doubles as the party's Ashanti Regional Campaign Coordinator, said the NDC has the right to fantasize.

He made the disclosure in reaction to President John Dramani Mahama's declaration that the NDC was poised to increase its parliamentary seats to 13 from four in the stronghold of the NPP during his campaign tour of the Ashanti Region.

The NDC leader confidently told his party's sympathizers at New Edubiase in the Adansi South District last Saturday that his disclosure was based on scientific research findings by opinion polls experts.

But the NPP Ashanti Regional Campaign Coordinator asserted in an interview with Hello Fm that the declaration was a mere campaign joke.

According to Mr Osei Mensah, the NPP has campaigned vigorously to annex all seats in the Ashanti Region to enable the next NPP administration under Nana Addo implement the party's programmes in order to improve the lives of the people.

He alleged that NDC had bused supporters from different regions to give President Mahama a rousing welcome during his tour of the Ashanti Region.

Mr. Mensah indicated that unlike the NDC, the NPP has decided to allow its true members in the various communities and constituencies to meet Nana Addo.

He reiterated the party's commitment to working assiduously to ensure victory for the flagbearer and other parliamentary candidates.

From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi
The Acting National Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Freddie Blay has charged Ghanaian electorates to emulate the American voters to vote out the incumbent National Democratic Congress government in December. According to the NPP scribe, that is the only way Ghanaians can get the desired change the are yearning for.

The Acting National Chairman who was speaking on the Victory of the Republican Candidate Donald Trump, told Nana Yaw Opare on Onua Fm morning show that Americans needed change, they called for it and they got it. That shows that people were tired of the 8 years rule of Obama and his administration that is why I am also calling on Ghanaians to reject NDC and John Mahama. The wind of change is blowing and what happened in America will definitely replicate in Ghana

He noted that the issues that had informed the decision of the American voters were not different from that of the Ghanaian voters. Issues such as hardship impose by the current government, economic breakdown, joblessness, unstable power supply etc, are some of the major issues confronting the Ghanaian electorate. Promising that the flag bearer of the party Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo when given the nod, will make the country work again

The Acting National Chairman however said he disagree with Donald Trump on policies such as his stance against the Muslims, describing it as myopic as well as his decision to renegotiate deals sign by the Obama administration with American Allies. Maintaining that if those policies are implemented to the letter, soon America will start falling out with its closest allies, which could have dire consequences on the American economy.

I believe he has won base on human centered messages he preached but in the same way I disagree with Donald on some dangerous policies he wishes to implement

Back home in Ghana, government keeps saying he is putting the people first and doing infrastructure but if there are no jobs to do, no money in peoples pocket and parents dont have money to pay their wards fees, what has become of the schools that you build in the bush. Change must come and Nana will save Ghana he concluded.
Preparations are in high gear for the participation of a delegation from the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) at the 22th session of the Conference of Parties (COP22) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), taking place in Marrakesh, Morocco from 7 to 18 November 2016.

Africa, whose economies are less resilient than those of developed countries, is presently one of the continents the most threatened by climate change. African policymakers will need to secure the necessary means of implementation to support low carbon and climate resilient development, says Abdalla Hamdok, Acting Executive Secretary of the ECA and head of the delegation. He notes that African countriesalso need to ensure the Paris agreement is implemented in coordination with the continents main development frameworks: the United Nations 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development (SDGs) and Agenda 2063 for Africas transformation.

Dubbed, the COP of action, COP22 is being held shortly after the entry into force of the Paris Agreement last Friday, 4 November 2016.

Mr. Hamdok explains that COP22 will be an opportunity to implement the decisions taken in the framework of the Paris Agreement, in areas such as adaptation, financing, transparency, technology transfer, mitigation, capacity building or compensation for loss and damage.

Adaptation and resilience to climate change will be at the heart of discussions in the Africa Pavilion where more than 85 meetings are planned on the sidelines of the COP. Located in the blue zone of the COP22 village, the Africa Pavilion is the result of a joint initiative by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Union Commission (AUC), ECA and the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD). At COP21 in 2015, the Africa Pavilion was at the heart of the launch of two key initiatives: the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) and the African Adaptation Initiative (AAI).
On behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Seychelles, President Danny Faure has sent a congratulatory message to President-elect of the United States of America, Mr Donald J. Trump following his win in the country's general election.

In his message, President Faure wished Mr Trump every success as he prepares to discharge the important duties which lay ahead as the United States of America's 45th President.

"Our two countries enjoy a long history of deep rooted ties and friendly relations. Over the years this esteemed partnership has been invigorated by mutual values such as social progress, justice, freedom and equality, which have served to support and reinforce the foundations from which we draw our common perspectives," said President Faure.

In addition, President Faure also said that Seychelles and the United States of America have realised an excellent and steady progression in cooperation, which has diversified from prominence in the military sector, to the development of new fields of interest, such as environment, education and culture.

President Faure, reiterated his best wishes for President-elect Donald J Trump, for continued good health and for the well being of the people of the United States of America.
Social media can either make or mar businesses, individuals and even celebrities. This is why these individuals and institutions have guidelines to strictly follow when sharing engaging contents on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram among other social media platforms.

But since its humans manage the accounts, they are prone to mistakes. Making social media mistakes can be forgiven but the way it is handled is what is key here. So, what do you do if your organization shares a wrong or divisive social media content? Jumia travel gathers 5 things you can do to overcome a social media crisis.

Dont hide mistakes

One way to exacerbate a social media mistake is by hiding it and act as if there was no mistake at all. In other words, your social media manager ignores it. Damage control should be the ultimate after such an error. You can do this by apologizing or admitting your mistake. Importantly, ensure you correct the mistakes in another post or tweet.

Review automated post

Most brand line up social media contents for it to be posted in the future. Sometimes, the content of these posts may not be relevant to the current situation. And it is already live. To prevent this tragedy from happening again, it is advisable to always or intermittently review automated posts.

Rebuild your image

Social media can damage your image and at the same time rebuild your image. So, dont neglect your image after a social media disaster. You can float a campaign whereby your followers will win gifts or amazing discounts. This may take time but it actually works.

Establish a social media policy

If you dont a social media policy and if you just suffered a social media disaster, you should introduce it in your organization. The policy will ensure that your organization is flawlessly represented online. In addition, the policy will spell the rules and regulations for posting content.

Avoid thoughtless reaction

A thoughtless reaction will ultimately worsen your social media mistake. It is better to just keep quiet if you have knee-jerk response. But if you are serious about resolving the crisis, ensure that you have a response that is crisp, impeccable and straight to the point!
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, HE Dr. Dlamini Zuma congratulates African and Diaspora writers  past and present - on the occasion of the 23rd Anniversary of International African Writers Day, 7 November 2016. She recalls that the day coincides with the birth of the Pan African Writers Association, an organization dedicated to promoting African classic works, and encouraging publishing and the culture of writing and reading on the continent.

The AU Commission notes that African writers, throughout the ages gave expression to the diversity of African voices, telling the many African stories, and celebrating the unity of the Pan African narrative. Writers and other artists, musicians, poets, dancers, painters, through their different mediums express our feelings, values and ideas. They are critical to the realization of the African Renaissance and Agenda 2063.

During the 26th Ordinary session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government in January 2016, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma paid tribute to the role of writers and others artists and cultural workers, when she said:

..it is often said about Africans: when we mourn we sing; when we celebrate, we sing; when we mobilise, we sing. We therefore know that when our artists compose songs, when our poets put it to verses, and when our painters express on canvasses, it is a matter that touches our souls and hearts. African people compose, perform, write, recite and sing in over a thousand languages. Our priests and imams, rabbis and pastors, pray for Africa, mindful of our common humanity. They tell the stories of our ancient civilizations and heritage: the obelix of Axum, the pyramids of Egypt and Sudan; the stone churches of Lalibela; the historic sites of Great Zimbabwe, the MZab Valley, Mapungubwe, Ribeira Grande, Medina, the Stone Town of Zanzibar and the old town of Djenne, the universities and libraries of Timbuktu and Alexandria; and sing praises to the ancient kingdoms of Songai, Mali, Ghana, and Dahome.

The developments on the continent, and our determination to defeat underdevelopment, poverty, ignorance and disease, are key to the mission of current generations. The myriads of writing works  poetry, fiction and non-fiction  published over the last two decades speak to this renewal and transformation agenda.

Indeed, new technologies, especially e-publishing and blogs, make it possible for greater numbers of writers, young and old, men and women, urban and rural, to find a market and readerships for their work. The Pan African Writers Association must encourage this development, and continue to nurture talent across the continent, and in all languages.

The African Union Commission is mindful about the incredible contribution that the creative arts can make towards social and economic development. As a sector, it can generate jobs and economic opportunities. The Union and our governments must therefore create the necessary policy environments to ensure that the creative industries flourish. The Commission looks forward to continue to exchange ideas with organisations such as the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA) on how to achieve this, and to strengthen the culture of writing and reading in Africa.

The Commission therefore assures PAWA and the writers of its continued solidarity and keen interest in their work.
Samira Bawumia, the wife of the vice presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has urged President John Mahama to be humble and accept criticism.

Speaking on Wednesday in an interview with Joy FM, she said Ghanaians are suffering and desperate for better living conditions and that it was only proper that the presidents failings are pointed out to him and the only way that could be done is through criticisms.

I go round and meet people, I meet families hurting, I see pain, I see suffering, I am a mother, I'm a woman, I tune into that. So when I speak of the hardships, when I speak of what Ghanaians are going through, I think that the government should be gracious to accept criticism from the people, she said.

She continued: We paid for their luxuries. We gave them what they have. The People pay for government, So when people speak they should have the humility to listen and not to insult us Ghanaians for complaining.

Reacting to the flak she received in the aftermath of her when I see you, I see incompetence, I see corruption comments targeted at Mahama, Mrs. Bawumia said her comments were a summation of the concerns of Ghanaians.

Her comments drew huge criticisms and attacks on her person from surrogates of the NDC including Ghana's ambassador to the Saudi Arabia.

But according to her she is not perturbed and that the attacks on her are unwarranted, stating that If there are genuine answers to what we asking, they should give to us. But, this idea of attacking people because they question what government is doing, for me is undermining democracy.

If you asked for people's mandate and they gave it to you. You ought to account to the people and that starts from answering questions that people have, she added.

According to her, she wants to see government affecting people positively but unfortunately in a lot of cases it is not. She thus called on Ghanaians to vote for the NPP for the needed change.

I go to villages and I'm wondering am I in Ghana? I'm passionate with what I'm doing and I believe that we have a lot of answers and solutions to many of the problems, she stated.

-Starrfmonline
I join many across the world in extending my warmest congratulations to the President-Elect of the United States of America, Donald Trump, on his victory in the November 8 election.

His competitor, Secretary Hillary Clinton, is also to be applauded for graciously conceding defeat.

The result of the election, which has resulted in a change in government after 8-years of the Obama-led Democratic government, has strengthened even further the status of the United States of America as a bastion of democracy in the modern world.

I commend the Republican Party, the sister party of the New Patriotic Party and a fellow member of the International Democrat Union (IDU), for maintaining control of the Senate, thereby presenting the President-Elect a minimum of two years of a unified government.

It is my sincere hope that President-Elect Trump's tenure of office will be marked by the economic empowerment of the American people, as well as the delivery of unity, security, progress and prosperity to all Americans.

It is also my overriding hope that Ghanaian-American relations will grow from strength to strength under his Presidency, which have, over the years, been based on a shared agenda of freedom, development, progress and prosperity.

Warm congratulations once again to President-Elect Donald Trump and the people of the United States of America. God bless him and the American people, and best wishes for his and the country's continued success.

signed

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

2016 NPP Presidential Candidate, Ghana.
Ghanas President John Dramani Mahama has congratulated President-elect of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump.

He posted on facebook soon after the news broke that Mr Trump had beaten Hilary Clinton in the election early Wednesday.

In an opposite of what was widely predicted by the media, polls and analysts before the election, Donald Trump won swing states to take a commanding lead over Hilary Clinton.

Mr Trump has so far won 28 US states, smashing into Mrs Clintons vaunted electoral firewall in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that have not supported a Republican presidential candidate since 1988 and 1984 respectively.

The BBC reports Mr Trump who will soon be sworn in as the 45th US president also won Iowa, which has not elected a Republican since 2004.

Mr Trump will also take office with Congress fully under Republican control as Democrats were unable to wrest control of the Senate.

Below is the post by President John Mahama.



-Myjoyonline
09.11.2016 LISTEN

Mr. Kobina Tahir Hammond, Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, says he has nothing to fear from the discredited National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its uninformed General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, as he prepares to defend his seat in the 2016 parliamentary election.

Mr. Asiedu-Nketiah has been making ugly noises about the NDC retiring the veteran Asokwa MP from Parliament when the people go to the polls on December 7, to pave the way for putting Mr. Hammond before court and jailing him over the drill ship affair.

But the MP says the NDC General Secretary's statement gives General Mosquito away as an ignoramus on constitutional issues.

It is absolutely clear that Asiedu-Nketiah does not understand what is written in the Constitution. He better get a literate person to interpret the Constitution to him. The Constitution is a far cry from his palm wine tapping adventures. It needs a scholarly mind to unravel, and not the mumblings of a man who does not know his left from right.

Mr. Hammond advised the NDC scribe to take a closer look at the findings of the Justice Appau Committee on the drill ship before visiting his ignorance on Ghanaians. If there is anybody waiting to go to prison, it is certainly Asiedu Nketia. He has a conflict of interest case waiting for him over the infamous blocks for the Bui Dam Construction. Mr. Asiedu Nketiah should take note. He has a few things to answer from the courts, not least, how he came to manufacture blocks for a company he is supposed to lead as Chairman of the Board. Of course, I am referring to the Bui Sam project, Mr. Hammond told The Chronicle.

The Asokwa MP, an accomplished lawyer, shot at the NDC General Secretary: That is not all, Mr. Asiedu Nketiah would have to tell Ghanaians how a political party that could not even pay utility bills for its headquarters while in opposition, suddenly amassed a staggering US$20 million to construct its new head office complex. It is a serious issue that should interest all Ghanaians.

He said, as the sitting Member of Parliament, he was not worried about NDC machinations, using the candidate rejected by the New Patriotic Party. According to Mr. Hammond, he is aware of dirty NDC machinations in his constituency, using the candidate thrown out at the highest decision making body of the party.

Politics is about numbers. But, Richard Oduro Anokye is not one who would add or subtract anything from my votes in the Adansi Asokwa Constituency. Everybody should check whether the NDC has done anything of worth in the Constituency, and for that matter, the whole of Adansi.

He said it was not for nothing that the chiefs and opinion leaders made him Nkosuohene (Development Chief) of the whole Adansi Traditional Area. Every single town or village in the Adansi area has light. The NDC and Asiedu-Nketia should find out how the light came about. I have paid my dues to Adansiman, and I know for sure that the people would repay me for my contribution towards the development of the area.

He said he had also campaigned hard. Anytime, Nana Akufo-Addo touches base in the Ashanti Region, he comes to my constituency. The people know that the New Patriotic Party stands for development. We deliver them. We do not make noise and make false claims like our opponents, said Mr. Hammond.
The flagbearer of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Akwasi Addai Odike has withdrawn his nomination from the December 7 polls few days to the election.

The decision comes a day after his party reminded the Electoral Commission of a pending case in court challenging the eligibility of Mr. Odike to contest in the race.

Some executives of the UPP dragged Mr. Odike to court in September 2016 to prevent him from filing his nomination forms.

But speaking to the media on Wednesday, Mr. Odike said his reasons from withdrawing from the race are personal.

A separate letter to the EC by Mr. Odike's lawyers stated that we regret to notify you of his decision to withdraw his nomination filing on October 29, 2016 to contest the impending presidential elections.

More soon



By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
The United States Ambassador to Ghana says the current relationship between his country and Ghana would not be altered because of a change in government.

Robert Jackson said the victory of Republicans Donald Trump would not change the existing relationship between the US and African countries.

Speaking to Joy News Joseph Ackah-Blay few hours after the historic win of the Republican nominee, the Ambassador said he expects Mr Trump to continue with policies of the President Barrack Obama administration.

Our African policies have changed very little of last several decades. I expect that our assistance programmes would continue pretty much as they are, he said.

Donald Trump on Wednesday defied the odds to become the 45th President of the United States, despite expert predictions to the contrary.

Mr Trump contested former First Lady, Hillary Clinton who garnered the support of more than 240 editorial boards. He received only 19 endorsements.

Polls conducted by mainstream media houses and research centers in the US pointed to a straight win for Mrs Clinton. The results had proved the Republican nominee trailing Mrs Clinton by four points.

She was in the margins of 48-9 while Mr Trump was hovering around 43-44.

Many blamed the policies of the Republic nominee and his no-nonsense speeches for his poor showing. He has promised to build a wall to separate the US and Mexico as well as end the rate of immigration in the country.

The lead of Mrs Clinton was narrowed after US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reopened a case in which the former First Lady was investigated for using her private mail to attend to classified documents.

The development was described as a November surprise by many anti-Clinton analysts.

Within the spate of a day after the FBIs announcement, Mr Trumps performance in states considered the reserve of Democrats swung to the Republican.

As poll counting went late into the night, Mr Trump shocked the world by polling 270 out of 538 electoral college votes needed to win the White House.

Delivering his victory speech, the President-elect promised to heal the wounds of division that the campaign for the White House had caused.

"I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be President for Americans and this is so important to me," he said, reaching out to persons who did not support his presidential bid.

"I am reaching out to you for your guidance and help so that we can work together and unify our great country," he told them.

Many people fear the victory of Mr Trump would mark an end to the "friendly" relationship their countries have with the US, considering the President-elect was accused of being an ally of Vladmir Putin, President of Russia.

But Mr Jackson speaking on behalf of the US government said his country's arrangement with African countries would not be affected.

He said the Young African Initiative, which brings young African leaders together, has been funded for the coming years and hoped it would not be truncated.

"I would like to see more relationships and I have no doubt we will be hearing more about the relationship with NATO," he said.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brakopowers | Email: [email protected]
Prepare for an influx of fresh faces at the Capitol.

It appears 17 new lawmakers will join the Nebraska Legislature next year, including five challengers who were poised to unseat incumbent senators as of early Wednesday.

Ballots were still being counted in some parts of the state, but sitting Sens. Tommy Garrett of Bellevue, David Schnoor of Scribner, Jerry Johnson of Wahoo, Les Seiler of Hastings and Al Davis of Hyannis were losing in unofficial results.

Barring major swings, Democrats were expected to flip five districts in their favor in the officially nonpartisan Legislature. Republicans were likely to flip two. And at least four conservatives led in districts currently represented by more moderate Republicans.

"Right now, it looks like the people of the United States are wanting a government that listens to the people," said Suzanne Geist, who claimed victory in District 25, which includes east Lincoln and Lancaster County. "And I think the average citizen has risen up and said they're tired of politics as usual, and it's time to do this differently.

"I think this is going to be the beginning of a new era."

Geist, a Republican, defeated Democrat Jim Gordon in one of two hotly contested Lincoln-area races. In the other, Republican Mike Hilgers defeated Democrat Larry Scherer to represent District 21.

"I'm very humbled by the results," said Hilgers. "People in northwest Lincoln and Lancaster County just wanted a voice, and I'm honored that they chose me to be their voice."

Geist and Hilgers will replace Sens. Kathy Campbell and Ken Haar, who are leaving the Legislature due to term limits.

In other Lincoln-area races, Democrat Anna Wishart repeated her overwhelming primary performance to claim victory over Republican Dick Clark in District 27, west Lincoln and Lancaster County. Incumbent Sen. Kate Bolz, whose only opponent suspended her campaign after the primary, sailed to victory in central Lincoln's District 29.

"I feel great," Wishart said. "It's just been an incredibly positive experience for the past almost two years of campaigning."

Challengers who appeared to defeat incumbent senators included Democrats Carol Blood of Bellevue (Garrett) and Lynne Walz of Fremont (Schnoor), and Republicans Bruce Bostelman of Brainard (Johnson), Steve Halloran of Hastings (Seiler) and Tom Brewer of Gordon (Davis).

Johnson, Seiler and Davis were each targeted by conservatives due to their moderate records. And Bostelman and Halloran were among the 14 legislative candidates who received financial backing from Gov. Pete Ricketts.

Ricketts, whose family owns the World Series-winning Chicago Cubs baseball team, batted .500 himself in legislative races where he contributed money to a candidate.

Hilgers, Geist, Bostelman and Halloran each received campaign cash from the governor, as did apparent winners Joni Albrecht of Thurston, John S. Lowe Sr. of Kearney and Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn.

Based on unofficial results, Ricketts' losing picks appeared to be Schnoor, Clark, Ian Swanson of Omaha, Michael Cook of Bellevue, Karl Elmshaeuser of Ogallala and Gregg Neuhaus of Grand Island, in addition to Sen. Nicole Fox of Omaha, who lost in the primary.

At least one legislative race was almost certainly bound for a recount. Dan Quick held a lead of less than 1 percent over Neuhaus in unofficial results for Grand Island-area District 35.

"That was really close, huh?" Quick said over the phone.

He thanked his wife and expressed optimism about the recount process.

"We're pleased. We just worked really hard on this campaign."

Brewer was still waiting on results from the Alliance area in his race against incumbent Sen. Davis in Sandhills-based District 43.

However, Brewer said, "I'd rather be in my shoes right now than his."
The flagbearer of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Akwasi Addai Odike has withdrawn his nomination from the December 7 polls few days to the election.

The decision comes a day after his party reminded the Electoral Commission of a pending case in court challenging the eligibility of Mr. Odike to contest in the race. Some executives of the UPP dragged Mr. Odike to court in September 2016 to prevent him from filing his nomination forms.

But speaking to the media on Wednesday, Mr. Odike said his reasons from withdrawing from the race are personal.

A separate letter to the EC by Mr. Odike's lawyers stated that we regret to notify you of his decision to withdraw his nomination filing on October 29, 2016 to contest the impending presidential elections.

-Citifmonline
A former Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Justice Emile Short, has urged the Electoral Commission to ensure that the electoral process, particularly the time-table, is not disrupted by the several disagreements arising from the decision to disqualify some presidential aspirants.

According to him, the EC must expedite action on the processes of reviewing all submitted forms, to ensure that the country holds the general elections on December 7th, as mandated by the constitution.

Speaking in an interview with Citi News on Tuesday [November 8], on the sidelines of the launch of an interactive voter education platform, 'Voter Match' in Accra, Justice Short said, the EC should ensure that this whole process of scrutiny of the nomination forms and taking a decision as to who qualifies and who does not qualify, should be brought back so that candidates will know at an early stage whether they are qualified to stand in the elections or not, he said.

He added that, doing so will help ensure that they [nominees] don't spend time and resources doing campaign only to be told later that they don' qualify; so I think it will be prudent to look at the calendar and to make sure that this whole process is done at a reasonable time before the election date itself, he said.

He further called on the Commission to adopt a participatory approach in dealing with political parties to ensure fairness in the process.

'EC urged to stop the delay tactics'

Meanwhile, a senior Research fellow at the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Ghana, Dr Kojo Asante has told Ghana's Electoral Commission (EC) to cease employing measures that will unduly delay the electoral process.

He said the Electoral Commission's (EC) reaction to court challenges of its decision to disqualify some presidential aspirants has been 'unprecedented'.

He said the EC could have avoided dragging the election issues further following a Supreme Court order on Monday [November 7] which was supposed to bring finality to the entire challenges rather than announcing the discoveries of new errors on the nomination forms of some presidential nominees.

The Supreme Court ordered the EC to allow the disqualified aspirants up to the close of day Tuesday, November 8 to correct the errors on their nomination forms and resubmit them.

-Citifmonline
09.11.2016 LISTEN

The National Democratic Party (NDP) has threatened it will return to court if the Electoral Commission (EC) does not stop its oppressive tactics with immediate effect.

The NDP described as 'oppressive and illegal', moves by the Electoral Commission surrounding the filing of nomination forms of its (NDP) presidential candidate, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings.

The NDP said in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Mohammed Frimpong, that the problem with the party's nomination form, as the EC stated, was that a subscriber had done double subscription, thus the disqualification, but to their surprise, the EC told them (NDP) on Monday in a letter, having waited for about five hours at the commission's office, that it had identified 33 new errors on the forms after the SC had ordered it to give the eaffected parties the chance for any amendments.

This is not right. This cannot be legal. This is a clear violation of our human rights, the statement said, adding, We reject this trick of the EC. We reject this clear attempt at victimisation by the EC.

According to the NDP, the EC has shown its hand, that it is actuated and driven, not by a desire to deliver a world class election in Ghana, but simply to hand the presidency to a selected candidate.

The party, however, called on the EC to immediately desist [from] its oppressive tactics, and, with immediate effect, reverse this illegal demand of use, else we (NDP) would have no option but to return to court, it warned.

Meanwhile, the NDP, which was disqualified in an attempt to contest the presidency in 2012, claims the EC, in a letter issued to it Monday, introduced 33 new concerns and discrepancies, which have been labelled as irregularities.

But the party, in a statement, described the new 'discovery' by the EC as absurd, and an agenda to disqualify the party's nominee from contesting in the December 7 elections.

This alleged new discovery has been made without forensic proof  that those signatures could not have been signed by the same people. We are sickened by this turn of events. On the 10th October 2016, the EC claimed that our nomination paper was rejected for one reason, and one reason alone. It was, therefore, on that basis that we challenged the disqualification in court. After fighting the matter in court for all this while, the EC has suddenly and unexpectedly shifted the goal posts, in a manner that shows that all the EC wants to do is to disqualify us (NDP) participating in the coming presidential election, by any means possible.

We dare the EC to show to Ghanaians that the 'jack-in-the-box issues it is raising suddenly, and belatedly, about our nominations, do not exist in the nominations of the parties/candidates that it claims to have passed to stand for the elections. The EC has not been fair to and candid with us. Its (EC) actions have been arbitrary, capricious and biased, based on resentment, prejudice and personal dislike. Definitely, its acts are not in accordance with the due process of law.

By Maxwell Ofori

[email protected]
Campaign coordinator of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) says Hilary Clinton's defeat in the US presidential elections should offer useful lessons to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

According to Kofi Adams, the clear lesson is that "you can't force your way into power".

He explained to Joy News Wednesday that Clinton's victory in the Democratic Party primaries did not reflect the true aspirations of the grassroots.

Hillary Clinton in June 2016 became the first woman to capture the presidential nomination of a major party in the U.S after beating Bernie Sanders.

A Forbes publication said, "Bernie Sanders lost the Democratic Primary -- but won the Democratic Party".

Mr Adams endorsed this view saying the former first lady's fierce opponent Bernie Sanders won the hearts of the people adding, "Clinton should have known that she was not the true choice of her party hence Trump's victory was a signal to the Democratic party that they got their choice wrong."

Extrapolating the political events of the US which is 9,898km from Ghana, Mr Adams suggested Nana Akufo-Addo is not the true choice of the NPP despite a 98 percent victory margin in the NPP presidential primaries.

"...the system worked against Bernie Sanders to get her elected as was done here in Ghana to get Akufo-Addo elected. When you force your way to power, Ghanaians will not accept you," he noted.

The trend in Ghanaian politics is that a Republican victory results in an NPP victory while a Democratic party's victory is seen as a sign of an NDC victory.

US President George W Bush and Ghanas President John Agyekum Kufuor in 2008.

President Bill Clinton and his wife, Hilary on a state visit in March 1998

President Obama and President Mahama joined by their wives Lordina Mahama and Michelle Obama in August 2016.

NPP and the Republican Party share the same symbol of the Elephant and they both came to power in 2000 and exited power in 2008.

By this extrapolation, some interpret the Republican victory as signs of an impending defeat for the NDC in the December polls.

The NDC win power anytime a Democrat wins and it was in this spirit that the NDC General Secretary, Asiedu Nketia, endorsed Hilary Clinton.

But in the wake of Clinton's defeat, Kofi Adams pointed out that earlier, the Deputy NDC General Secretary, Koku Anyidoho, had linked Donald Trump to Mahama.

Mr Anyidoho believes that despite the strange linkages between the US and Ghana politics hovering around the 2016 elections, President Mahama will win the 2016 presidential elections.

"President Mahama and Donald Trump are not in the same [situation]" he told Joy News' Francis Abban.

This is because while Donald Trump is an outside seeking political office, President Mahama is a sitting president seeking re-elections and American's have never rejected any sitting president.

He said just as Americans re-elected Clinton in 1996, George Bush in 2004 and Barack Obama in 2012, Ghanaians will also give Mahama a second-term.

" This will not reject a sitting president and Ghana will not do that", he predicted.

Ghanaians go to the polls on December 7.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|[email protected]
09.11.2016 LISTEN







IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF JUDICATURE IN THE SUPREME COURT ACCRA  A.D. 2016 CIVIL MOTION NO. J5/7/2017

CORAM: ADINYIRA (MRS) JSC (PRESIDING) ANIN YEBOAH JSC BAFFOE- BONNIE JSC AKOTO-BAMFO (MRS) JSC BENIN JSC APPAU JSC PWAMANG JSC

THE REPUBLIC VRS HIGH COURT, (COMMERCIAL DIVISION)  RESPONDENTS ACCRA,

EX-PARTE ELECTORAL COMMISSION  APPLICANT PAPA KWESI NDUOM  INTERESTED PARTY

RULING

SOPHIA ADINYIRA (MRS.) JSC (PRESIDING):

The application before this Court invokes the supervisory jurisdiction of the Court against the High Court (Commercial Division), Accra praying this Court for an order of certiorari to bring up into this Court for purposes of being quashed the ruling of His Lordship Justice Eric Kyei Baffour dated the 28th day of October, 2016 upon the facts deposed to in the accompanying affidavit.

The grounds for the application are as follows:

i. Error of law on the face of the record.

ii. Wrongful assumption of jurisdiction by the High Court (Commercial Division), Accra.

iii. Excess of jurisdiction.

The brief facts of the case are as follows:

The Applicant is the Electoral Commission constitutionally mandated to organize presidential and parliamentary elections including receiving nominations of candidates. Apart from the Constitution 1992, there are other pieces of legislation such as the Representation of the Peoples Act (PNDCL284) and the Public Elections Regulations, 2016 (C.I 94), which set up the legal regulatory framework for the conduct of general elections in Ghana.

The Interested Party is the Presidential Candidate for the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) for the 2016 elections.

For the 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections, the Applicant opened nominations on 13th September 2016 and invited candidates to go for nomination forms. At an IPAC meeting held on the 8th day of September 2016, the Applicant announced to the various Political Parties that the nomination days shall be the 29th and 30th of September 2016, when all nomination papers would be received by returning officers for both the presidential and parliamentary candidates throughout Ghana. The dates were confirmed in a Press Release issued by the Chairperson of the Applicant. Meanwhile, the Public Elections Regulations, 2016 C.I 94, regulation 9(1)-(3) imposed a duty on the Applicant, to ensure that Returning Officers having received the forms and found any anomalies to give the candidates opportunity to either amend or alter the anomaly within the stipulated nomination period as stated in regulation 9(2) of C I 94.

In the case of the Interested Party, his nomination form was sent by the Chairman of the PPP to the Chairperson of the Applicant and was told that he would hear from the Applicant Commission. On the 10th day of October 2016, when the Applicant n announced that certain presidential candidates including the Interested Party herein had been disqualified for several reasons.

It is the case of the Interested Party that the Applicant breached their own regulations 9(2)-(4) when they failed to give him and other disqualified candidates the opportunity to amend or alter whatever was found not to be proper with their forms, a conduct the Interested Party considered to be a breach of the rules of natural justice. And therefore for the two grounds of error of law apparent on the face of the record as well as for the breach of the rules of natural justice, the Interested Party applied to the High Court for judicial review by way of Certiorari and Prohibition.

On the 28th day of October 2016, the High Court presided over by his Lordship Mr. Justice Eric Kyei Baffour granted the said application in part, namely, breach of the rules of natural justice audi alteram partem and quashed the decision and made a further order directed against the Applicant and its Chairperson to afford opportunity to the Interested Party to make the necessary alteration or amendments to its nomination paper for it to receive same and then proceed to determine whether the Interested Party had met all the criteria laid down by the laws of the Republic in line with his duty laid down by C.I. 94. Being dissatisfied with the ruling of the High Court, the Applicant has applied to the court for an order of certiorari to quash the said ruling.

Submissions by parties

Error on the Face of the record

Counsel for Applicant submits that the Trial Judge's holding that the Applicant failed to afford opportunity to the Interested Party within the nomination period because it did not have such a period cannot be correct in the light of Interested Party's averment in paragraph 8 of his affidavit in support (filed before the High Court on 14 October 2016) and exhibited and attached to her affidavit in support and marked ''CO1'' by the Applicant as that the E C opened nominations between the period of 8th and 30th September 2016. Counsel submits further that in view of the said averment, the nomination period was not in issue because it had fixed a nomination period so the Judge relied on facts which have not been recorded as evidence and this led him to come to the conclusion that the Applicant breached the rules of natural justice because it equally failed to set the nomination period. Counsel concludes that:

Our submission is that having regard to the overwhelming evidence and which the parties are ad idem on regarding the fact that Applicant had fixed the nomination period and which was well known by the interested party, the High Court committed an error of law clearly on the face of the record when it held that Applicant did not fix a nomination period

Counsel then proceeded to cite authorities such as Ababio II v. Akro & Co [1963] 1GLR 195; Barko v Mustapha [1964] GLR 78, Rep. v High Court, Kumasi: Ex-parte Bank of Ghana (Sefa & Asiedu  Interested Parties) (No. 1.) , Rep. v High Court, Kumasi: Ex-parte Bank of Ghana & Ors (Gyamfi & Others  Interested Parties) [2013-14] 1SCGLR 477; Rep. v. Court of Appeal Ex parte Tsatsu Tsikata [2005-2006] SCGLR 612, Rep. v. High Court Ex-parte Industrialization Fund for Developing Countries & Anor [2003 2004] SCGLR 348, Rep v. Michael Konduah Ex-parte George Supi Asmah (Unreported Judgment) of the Supreme Court in Civil Appeal No.J4/28/2012 dated 15th August 2013, Rep. v High Court (Commercial Division), Accra Ex-parte  The Trust Bank Ltd (Ampoma Photolab Ltd & 3 Ors  Interested Parties) [2009] SCGLR 164 in support of his position.

Counsel for the Interested Parties responds that in view of the duty cast on the EC to afford candidates the opportunity to effect amendments or alterations within the stipulated nomination period that duty cannot be performed if the EC fails to set a clear nomination period, within which period there can be nomination day or days.

Consideration of the issue whether there was error on the face of the record

This court recalls our firm holding in the plethora of cases referred to by counsel for the Applicant that in order for the Supreme Court to exercise its supervisory jurisdiction against the decision of the High Court, the High court must have made an error patent on the face of the record which either goes to jurisdiction or are so plain as to make the impugned decision a nullity. In the case of Republic v Court of Appeal, ex-parte Tsatsu Tsikata [2005-2006] SCGLR 612 this Court held thus: The clear thinking of this court is that, our supervisory jurisdiction under article 132 of the 1992 constitution, should be exercised only in those manifestly plain and obvious cases, where there are patent errors of law on the face of the record, which errors either go to jurisdiction or are so plain as to make the impugned decision a complete nullity.

In the ex-parte Tsatsu Tsikata case Wood JSC (as she then was) explained further that:

It stands to reason then that the error(s) of law as alleged must be fundamental, substantial, material, grave or so serious as to go to the root of the matter. A minor, trifling, inconsequential or unimportant error which does not go to the core or root of the decision complained of; or, stated differently, on which the decision does not turn would not attract the courts supervisory jurisdiction  We agree with Counsel for the Applicant that by the averments made by the Interested Party in his affidavit in opposition, (which he now claims before us that it was made out of a mistake); the nomination period was fixed from 8th September to 30 September 2016. Even if the judge erred by his findings that the Applicant did not set a nomination period, in view of the averments, we do not think the error goes to the core or root of the decision complained of; as the decision did not turn on the nomination period; it rather turned on the failure by the Applicant to afford the Interested Party the right to be heard before being disqualified.

Counsel for the Applicant submitted that the nomination period played a crucial role in so far as the ruling of the court was concerned, as any anomaly that the [Applicant] detected on the Interested Party's nomination paper was to be corrected within the nomination period. We do not see any error of law in that finding as it is reasonable to expect or contemplate that the nomination period would extend beyond the nomination day(s) in order for the Applicant to assess the nomination forms and to offer opportunity to the candidate to make any amendment or alteration necessary to his nomination forms within the nomination period, as prescribed in rule 9 (2) of C.I. 94 Indeed we find no error on the face of the record in so far as the decision quashing the disqualification of the interested party was made as a result of the finding by the learned judge of a breach of the rules of natural justice.

The application based on this ground fails.

Wrongful assumption of jurisdiction by the High Court

The second ground for the application as couched by the Applicant is that the High Court (Commercial Division) Accra wrongfully assumed jurisdiction. We will not spend much time on this ground as the Interested Party invoked the supervisory jurisdiction of the court by way of judicial review of a procedural impropriety and was not challenging the grounds of his disqualification which by virtue of rule 9.5 of C.I. 94 ought to be by an election petition and to be commenced after the election. This ground for the application is dismissed.

Excess of Jurisdiction

The last ground for this application is Excess of Jurisdiction. The High Court after quashing the decision of the Applicant disqualifying the interested party as a candidate made the following consequential orders: [And] order that the [Applicant] afford opportunity to the [Interested Party] to make the necessary alteration or amendment to its nomination paper for it to receive same and then proceed to determine whether the [Interested Party] had met all the criteria laid down by the laws of the Republic, in line with its duties laid down by C.I. 94. EC has no basis to complain that nomination period has closed when they did not set one. They only set nomination date under regulation 7 but not nomination period under regulation 9(2) as I have already found. The time frame to afford the [Interested Party] is entirely within the discretion of the [Applicant] being mindful of the limited available time for the election of December 7, 2016.

Submission by Parties



The Applicant complains that the consequential orders made by the High Court effectively extended the nomination period for the Interested Party which has very serious consequences for the electoral calendar.

For purposes of clarity; we will set out the relevant portions of paragraphs 21, 22, and 23 of the Applicant's affidavit in support of her application.

21. That accordingly I have been advised by Applicant's lawyers and verily believe same to be true that the High Court wrongly assumed jurisdiction over Applicant's case and indeed exceeded its jurisdiction when it ordered that Applicant allow the interested party to make amendments to his nomination paper regardless of the nature of the non-compliance, the High Court unlike this Court having no powers under article 2 of the 1992 constitution.

22. That Applicant's lawyers have advised me and I verily believe same to be true that the High Court exceeded its jurisdiction when it ordered Applicant to permit the interested party to make the alterations and amendments necessary to correct the duplicate subscription to his nomination paper when the nomination period had expired.

23. That Applicant's lawyers further advise me and I verily believe same to be true that the High Court also exceeded its jurisdiction when it ordered Applicant to permit the interested party make the alterations and amendments necessary to correct the double subscription to his nomination paper the reason being that the said ordered interfered with Applicant's constitutional mandate in electoral matters.

Counsel stated further in his statement of case at 4.2 that: The High Court's decision effectively extending the period of nomination has very serious consequences for the electoral calendar. It has been held that public policy and national interest is a good reason to refuse an application for judicial review.

Consideration of the issue of whether there was excess of jurisdiction

In as much as we agree with Counsel's submission that the High Court's decision effectively extending the period of nomination has very serious consequences for the electoral calendar, we do not think it is sufficient reason to hold that the High Court has exceeded its jurisdiction.

However, since the complaint of the Interested Party was that the Applicant failed to give him a hearing before being disqualified the most appropriate consequential order in the circumstances is to order the Applicant to give the Interested Party a hearing. In that respect we can say the High Court exceeded its jurisdiction by ordering the Applicant to permit the Interested Party make the alterations and amendments necessary to correct the double subscription to his nomination paper.

We will therefore proceed to quash the consequential order and order the Applicant to give the Interested Party a hearing that he deserves.

Other Reliefs

Counsel for the Applicant in his concluding statement of case stated: We accordingly pray the Court to grant whatever relief is appropriate in the present circumstances especially where there can be no doubt that the High Court committed an error apparent on the face of the record.

Counsel for the Interested Party opposed this by stating:  Counsel for the Applicant appeared to be appealing to this Court to make any orders and give such directions as would ensure fairness or ensure that justice, equity and fairness prevail. I invite the Court to decline the invitation, since the conduct of the Applicant is rather not calculated to ensure fairness and equity and it is likely to rather endanger the electoral calendar. This Court must dismiss the application and order the Applicant go ahead and comply with the orders of the High Court simpliciter.

This view held by Counsel for the Interested Party is with due respect misplaced. It is trite law that the supervisory jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under Article 132 is not limited to the issuance of conventional prerogative writs but also to issue orders and such directions as will ensure prevalence of justice, equity and fairness. See British Airways v Attorney-General [1996-97] SCGLR 547, Republic v. High Court Accra(Fast Track Division), Ex-parte Electoral Commission (Mettle Nunoo & Others  Interested Parties) [2005-2006] SCGLR 514; Republic v. High Court Kumasi (Fast Track Division), Ex parte Bank of Ghana & Ors ( Sefa &Asiedu Interested Parties) (No1); Republic v. High Court Kumasi (Fast Track Division), Ex parte Bank of Ghana & Ors (Gyamfi &Others Interested Parties) (No1) (Consolidated) [2013-2014] 1SCGLR 477 at 509 to 510.

The Supreme Court, mindful of the importance that nominations should be concluded according to time schedule fixed by regulation 4(2)(b) of C.I. 94 and the limited time available for the Applicant to complete processes, prior to the printing of presidential ballot papers and collation sheets etc before December 7, 2016; and while taking judicial notice of the plethora of cases pending in various High Courts with similar claims, and primarily to ensure prevalence of justice, equity and fairness in the election process; we find it prudent to exercise our supervisory jurisdiction under Article 132 of the

Constitution 1992 to give directives to the Applicant on how to proceed to obey the order of the Court.

This Court hereby orders the Electoral Commission

1. The Applicant extends the nomination period from today Monday 7th November 2016 to the close of working day of Tuesday 8th November 2016.

2. The Applicant should invite the Interested Party and all the presidential candidates who were able to submit their nomination papers by the close of the nomination day on 30th September 2016 and were disqualified without a hearing and give them hearing within the extended period.

3. In appropriate cases, to afford candidates, the opportunity to comply with regulation 9 (2) of the Public Elections Regulations, 2016 (C.I.94).

4. CONSEQUENT to the above directives, we find it necessary and expedient to make a further order to stay all court proceedings pending in the various High Courts against the Applicant by some of the disqualified presidential candidates on the same issue of having been denied a hearing to enable the EC to carry out its mandate in line with these orders.

WHEREFORE we accordingly stay all such proceedings in the High Courts.

(SGD) S.O.A ADINYIRA (MRS) JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT

(SGD) ANIN YEBOAH JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT

(SGD) P. BAFFOE BONNIE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT

(SGD) V. AKOTO-BAMFO (MRS) JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT

(SGD) A. A BENIN JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT

(SGD) Y. APPAU JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT (SGD) G. PWAMANG JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT

COUNSEL


Accra, November 9, 2016  Officials of the Economic Office and the Commercial Service of the United States Embassy in Ghana have paid a familiarization visit to West Africas only solar manufacturing plant, owned by Strategic Power Solutions (SPS). The visit among other things was to familiarize themselves with the operations of the manufacturing plant and to discuss areas of collaboration between the Economic Office and the Management of SPS.

The delegation from the Economic Office comprised Mr. Jimmy Mauldin, Chief Economic Officer and Mr. Benjamin Burnes, Economic Officer and Mr. Frank Ansong, Senior Commercial Specialist from the Commercial Service.

The Chief Executive Officer, of Strategic Security Systems International Limited (3SiL, parent company of SPS Nana Oheneba Ofori Boateng who took the officials round explained that through SPS, the company had contributed immensely to improving the lives of rural dwellers especially in cocoa and sheanut producing areas. Mr. Boateng added that SPS rural electrification project has provided about 1.2 million solar torch lights to farmers across cocoa, sheanut and coffee growing areas in Ghana. In addition to this, SPS has installed approximately 29,000 solar street light units so far across all cocoa and sheanut growing districts in the catchment areas of Northern Ghana.

Nana Oheneba Ofori Boateng informed the delegation about SPS plans to improve national electricity supply by partnering with the Bui Power Authority to build a 50MW hybrid plant. The delegation was further informed that since the Bui Dam was a peaking plant, it was necessary to have a hybrid system consisting of solar and hydro to enable solar power generation during the day and hydro power generation at night. The company also used the opportunity to announce an upcoming 50,000 solar street light initiative in Sierra Leone.

The Chief Operating Officer of 3SiL, Mr. Joseph Otoo explained the various components of the solar panel manufacturing process and indicated that all solar panels are produced in strict accordance with certified international standards. The visit by the delegation follows the launch and gradual implementation of a Power Africa Initiative and the passing of the Electrifying Africa Act by the United States Congress.

With Ghanas national access to electricity currently estimated at 80%, the United States Embassy lists the power and electrical supply sector as a viable sector for investment by US companies. It is believed that the visit would pave the way for capacity building, investment opportunities, provision of technical and other opportunities for SPS and its activities.
The Australian High Commission in Abuja, in partnership with the Nigerian Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, is hosting a policy and capacity building workshop on the mining sector, in Abuja. The two day workshop on 14-15 November 2016 will provide information on leading practice from Western Australia on building a sustainable mining sector.

The aim of the workshop is to build the Nigerian Solid Mineral sectors capacity to deliver enhanced mineral exploration and mining regimes and promote ongoing education and training in mineral policy governance. It will also foster partnerships for knowledge sharing and skills transfer to ensure leading practice in Nigeria.

The workshop will be delivered by two senior officials from the Western Australian Government Department of Mines and Petroleum. Speakers at the workshop will include representatives from the Nigerian Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.

Australia is one of the world's leading mineral resources nations. We are the world's largest refiner of bauxite, fourth largest producer of primary aluminium, the largest producer of gem and industrial diamonds, lead and tantalum, and the mineral sands rutile and zircon; and the third largest producer of gold and iron ore. As such, we have a wealth of knowledge to share with Nigeria to assist its economic diversification drive. We are delighted to be able to host this workshop in close partnership with the Nigerian Ministry of Mines and Steel Development says the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, HE Paul Lehmann.

The workshop program will also include an evening reception hosted by His Excellency. Senior officials from the Nigerian Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and Australias Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will be in attendance alongside other mining Alumni and media.
09.11.2016 LISTEN

Accra, Nov 9, GNA - The 2016 World State Report has called for investment in girl's education, health, and leadership skills to enable them to fully realise their potential to harness the nation's demographic dividend.

The report shows how 10-year-old girls, numbering about 60 million worldwide, are the face of the future and a starting point for achieving the globally agreed 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union's Agenda 2063.

The State of World Population Report 2016 with the theme 'How Our Future Depends on a Girl at this Decisive age of 10'' launched by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Accra says investments in health and education, especially for adolescents and youth, are powerful vehicles for promoting growth and human well-being.

On an annual basis, UNFPA compiles a report on the state of the world's population with critical areas identified to guide development planning.

The report states that when a girl reaches age 10, her world changes. A number of life-changing events pulls her in many directions. Where she ultimately ends up depends on the support she receives and the power she has to shape her own future.

It states that in some part of the world, a 10-year-old girl on the verge of adolescence sees limitless possibilities ahead and begins making choices that will influence her education, choice of work and her life outcomes.

But in other parts of the world, a 10-year-old girl's horizons are limited. As she reaches puberty, a combination of social and cultural norms, institutions and discrimination laws inhibit her progress.

The report says the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its accompanying 17 Sustainable Development Goals aim at equitable, inclusive development that leaves no one behind.

This 15-year plan promises to help transform the futures of millions of 10-year-old girls who have traditionally been left behind hence many of the Sustainable Development Goals may only be achieved if everyone's potential, including that of all 10-year-old girls, are realised.

Dr Babatunde Ahonsi, UNFPA Representative, Ghana, said the report had given 10 essential actions that are required for the 10 year old girl to realize her human rights and unleash her potential.

He said these actions addressed six key areas that underpinned development, laws, service, policy, investments, data and norms.

Dr Ahonsi said the law stipulated legal equality for girls, backed by consistent legal practice and to ban all harmful practices (FGM, child marriage) against girls, and make 18 the minimum marriage age.

He said service, policy, investments, data and norms called for high quality education for girls, institute a rigorous and systematic focus on inclusion, track and close investment gaps in young adolescent girls and engage girls, boys and all the people around them in challenging and changing gender discriminatory norms.

Dr William Ahadzie, Chairman, National Population Council, said an estimated 322,560 girls turned 10 years of age in Ghana this year, while an additional 32,757 girls would turn 10 next year.

This indicates that more girls would attain this decisive age annually in view of the country's largely youthful population.

'Investing in these girls is therefore a must in order to reap the demographic dividend. This is because any country having a large youthful population which over 50 per cent are girls could potentially see its economy soar, provided there are heavy investments in their education, health and protection of their rights,'' he said.

GNA
09.11.2016 LISTEN

By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA

Accra, Nov. 9, GNA - Forewin Ghana Limited in collaboration with Kawasho JFE Foods Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, producers of the Geisha Brand, as part of its annual corporate social responsibility programme donated items to some schools.

The items include 250 dual-desks, 6,000 Geisha branded notebooks and 100 cartons of the Geisha mackerel.

The beneficiary schools were: Papase Saint Peter and Paul R/C School, AkufoKrodua R/C School and Bawjiase Sutaniya Islamic School, all in the Central Region and the Whindo MA School in Takoradi in the Western Region.

Mr Sam Zacca, the Corporate Affairs Director of the Forewin Group, presenting the items to the schools, underscored the important role education played towards accelerating Ghana's economic growth and development.

He said the donation formed part of the company's social compact to promoting access to quality education in Ghana.

'The world over, no nation has developed without building its human resource base, making huge investment in education is one of the surest ways this can be achieved,' he added.

He, therefore, said management believed undertaken this annual donation exercise was their contribution towards empowering the vulnerable in society through access to quality education.

Mr Zacca cautioned the students to attach all seriousness to their studies, and to make learning their priority to securing for themselves a better future.

Mr Yuji Goto, General Manager at Kawasho JFE Foods Corporation, Tokyo took the opportunity to thank the Ghanaian community for sustaining the Geisha Mackerel Brand in the market.

He said with Geisha products being the market leader in Ghana, his company giving back to the society came in handy.

Miss Margaret Buabeng, Headmistress of Whindo MA School expressed her schools' appreciation and commended the donors for the gesture.

GNA
By Florence Afriyie Mensah, GNA

Kumasi, Nov 09, GNA - The Ashanti Regional Director of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Mrs. Mercy Larbi, has called for concerted effort to give more protection to children - shield them from abuse and forced marriage.

She said their fundamental rights could not continue to be violated with impunity.

Speaking at the launch of a Girl Child Advocacy Project in Kumasi, she condemned the pervasiveness of child marriage in the society, something that was affecting the health and education of many a young girl.

The five-year project, spearheaded by the Defence for Children International, Ghana (DCI) - a child rights advocacy organization, aims at helping girls and young women to have better understanding of their fundamental rights and how to safeguard these.

It is being piloted in Ashanti Region and present at the official launch were chiefs, religious leaders, security agencies, teachers, students and civil society organizations.

Mrs. Larbi called on everybody to be bold to report those who abused children to the appropriate state institutions for swift action.

She underlined the resolve of the Commission to work with passion to make sure that abuse victims received justice.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Susanna Dery, Ashanti Regional Deputy Commander of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), said through the collaboration with DCI, the police had been able to rescue about 50 teenage girls from the commercial sex trade.

She spoke of the need to strengthen inter-ministerial coordination - to dialogue on issues of child marriage, sexual violence and abuse, and ways to enhance the implementation of child protection laws.

Dr. George Oppong, the DCI Director, said his organization was working to complement the government's effort towards protecting the rights of the Ghanaian child.

He called on traditional leaders to scrap outmoded customs that were unhelpful to the growth and development of the girl-child.

GNA
Donald Trump squeezed out a win in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District to claim all five of the state's presidential electoral votes.

Swimming against a Republican tide in red-state Nebraska, Hillary Clinton battled head-to-head with Trump for the 2nd District vote before falling behind shortly before midnight.

As the national contest between Trump and Clinton swung back and forth with a surprising upheaval of the electoral map, that single Nebraska vote had the potential of dancing close to destiny before Trump topped 270 electoral votes shortly after 1:30 a.m.

President Barack Obama won the electoral vote in 2008, marking the first time Nebraska had awarded a presidential electoral vote to a Democrat since 1964.

The 2nd District battle essentially evolved into a struggle between Douglas County Democrats and Republicans in Sarpy County, the dependable GOP firewall in that congressional district.

Trump won eastern Nebraska's 1st District vote by a comfortable margin and swept western and central Nebraska's 3rd District.

Trump and Clinton both campaigned in Nebraska briefly, along with Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who had been Clinton's chief Democratic challenger.

Former President Bill Clinton and Sanders campaigned in Lincoln prior to Nebraska's Democratic presidential caucus in March.

Although Sanders won that caucus, Clinton won Nebraska's Democratic presidential primary election in May. Trump won the GOP primary election days after he knocked out challenger Ted Cruz in the Indiana primary.

The Clinton campaign targeted the 2nd District with voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts, with considerable emphasis on African American wards in North Omaha and Latino wards in South Omaha.

Sanders showed up on the final weekend to appeal to the millennials who had supported him.

Those efforts represented a microcosm of the Clinton campaign's national get-out-the-vote focus.

Trump made an appearance in Omaha days before the May primary vote with Gov. Pete Ricketts greeting him with an endorsement. Clinton showed up days after she was nominated at the Democratic national convention with billionaire Omaha investor Warren Buffett at her side.

Despite Trump's sweep of the five electoral votes, the 2017 Legislature is likely to consider another effort to repeal the congressional district electoral vote provision and return Nebraska to a winner-take-all state in which the statewide winner garners all five electoral votes.
09.11.2016 LISTEN

Accra, Nov. 9, GNA - SEND-Ghana has entreated the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the District Development Facility (DDF) to accelerate the disbursement of funds to district assemblies to ensure full implementation of the District Assemblies' Medium Term Development Plan.

It also requested that the Ministry treated with utmost urgency the need to hasten the Functional Organisational Assessment Tool, a performance-based assessment that serves as a determinant for district assemblies to access the District Development Facility Fund.

This formed part of a report which followed a research conducted by the organisation to examine the flow of the District Development Facility funds and its subsequent utilisation by district assemblies.

Among others, the report recommended that all district assemblies increased their monitoring of contractors to ensure timely completion of projects and where necessary enforce sanctions on contractors who fail to comply with terms of their appointment.

Launching the report, Mr Adamu Mukaila, a Civil Society Advisor, said there was the need for government to review assessment indicators to include direct feedback from citizens.

He said the FOAT should have sections which would solicit feedback from citizens on their involvement in decision making and project implementation.

SEND-Ghana also recommended that the law on ensuring that public facilities are disability friendly should be continually enforced by government and DDF secretariats in the implementation of DDF projects.

It said this should be one of the primary indicators in assessing district assemblies.

Per the fiscal decentralisation policy of the Government, district assemblies, through the District Assemblies Common Fund, receive financial resources to execute local development policies.

The Common Fund, however, has not been very adequate to cover the financial needs of district assemblies hence a significant development gap has resulted and is being compounded with the irregular releases of the fund.

Despite the challenge of late disbursement of the fund, its utilisation by the district assemblies also poses a constant source of worry as irregularities are often cited in reports by the Auditor General.

In efforts to remedy the problem and increase the fund as well as improve efficiency in its utilisation, the Government and its development partners instituted the performance-based grant labelled the District Development Facility in 2006.

GNA
Accra, Nov. 8, GNA - Pupils of La Wireless Cluster of Schools, in the La Dadekotopon Municipality, who have signed up to learn coding and programming, have been asked to use the knowledge and skills garnered to solve challenges in their communities.

Mrs Lucy Quist, the Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Ghana, said this at the launch of a coding club for the school under the company's Evolve with STEM initiative in partnership with the Ghana Code Club.

This was contained in a statement issued in Accra by Mr Richard Ahiagble, the Head of Corporate Communications and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

Thirty pupils from the school who have signed up for the club were being introduced to coding for the first time. They were taken through examples of technology solutions birthed through coding and programming.

Introducing young people to STEM, Mrs Quist said 'Empowering young people through STEM is one of the surest ways to guarantee a better future for them, our country and continent.

It said STEM inspires curiosity in young people and empowers them to be problem solvers and innovators. These skill sets are critical for success in any profession.

At Airtel, we believe in empowering young people to fully realise their potential. This initiative, as part of our wider CSR programme, continues to shape minds and build the confidence of our future leaders to think outside the box and to question the status quo'.

She shared examples of young Ghanaians who have developed solutions, through coding, to solve the challenges that confront the country. She made references to Car Care, Bisa and Passco, all of which are mobile based applications.

She encouraged the pupils to believe in themselves and take inspiration from these examples as they progress in their coding and programming course.

The coding session was led by Ms. Ernestina Appiah from Ghana Code Club, a non-profit organization committed to exposing all elementary school kids especially girls to computer science activities in Ghana.

Children between the ages of 8-16 gain basic computing skills while learning to make their own games, animations and build their own websites.

Airtel Ghana recently commissioned a multipurpose state of the art Library and ICT centre which will be used for the coding and programming lessons for the La Wireless Cluster of Schools.

The facility was sponsored under the company's 'School Adoption Programme.

In September 2016 the Centre for CSR West Africa recognized Lucy Quist for her dedication, commitment and leadership in driving an integrated and strategic CSR agenda for Airtel Ghana.

Airtel Ghana has won multiple awards for its CSR programme including recently being adjudged the 'Best Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative' at the Africa Carrier Awards held in Kampala, Uganda during the annual Capacity Conference.

GNA
Prestea (W/R), Nov. 9, GNA - Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has called on Ghanaians to renew the mandate of President John Mahama to continue with his transformation programme for the country.

He said the second of term of President John Mahama would be focused on job creation for the youth.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur made the statement when he paid a courtesy call on Nana Nteboa Prah IV, a divisional Chief of Prestea Himan.

The Vice President, who is on a four-day campaign tour of the Western Region, also addressed hundreds of NDC supporters at Prestea. This is his first campaign tour of the Region in the last few weeks.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur is being accompanied on the campaign tour by Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, the Western Regional Minister, Mr Armah Kofi Buah, Minister, Ms Barbara Serwah Asamoah, the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, National Vice Chairman of the NDC, Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, former National Organiser of the NDC among others.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur also assured the people of the government's commitment to rehabilitate the Prestea town roads and revive the underground mine to create jobs for the people in the area.

He urged the electorate in the area not to vote 'shirt and blouse' since President Mahama would have to work with an NDC member of Parliament to bring development to the people.

He said though NDC has provided a lot of infrastructural development to the people, there were still a lot of work to be done in the country.

He, therefore, charged the electorate to go out in their numbers to vote to retain President Mahama for him to continue with his good works.

Nana Nteboa Prah on his part commended the NDC government for the provision of various development projects in the area.

He also thanked President Mahama for reviving the underground mine in Prestea which he said would provide lots of jobs for the people in the area.

He urged the electorate in the area to give President Mahama another term in office to continue with his transformation agenda for the country.

Nana Nteboa Prah also appealed to the government to force the contractor working on the Prestea town roads to resume work on the project or change him entirely.

He urged the government to setup a special development initiative like the SADA for mining communities to address the particular development needs of the people in those areas.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur also addressed NDC supporters at mini rallies in Huni Valley, Wassa Abosso and Tarkwa

He also introduced Mr Robert Wisdom Cudjoe and Mr Seth Kwame Dzokoto, the NDC Parliamentary candidates for Prestea/Huni Valley and Tarkwa Nsuem constituencies respectively to the people.

GNA
By Comfort Sena Fetrie, GNA

Tamale, Nov. 9, GNA - Twelve students from Community Development Vocational Training Institute in Tamale have graduated with self-employable skills.

The event was on the theme: 'Eradicating poverty by empowering the youth with employable skills to be self-reliant.'

Mrs Agnes Adagblenyah, the Principal of the Community Development Vocational Training Institute in an interview with Ghana News Agency said some of the challenges the school was facing include inadequate teaching and learning aids and the decline of academic activities due to lack of a fence wall.

She therefore urged stakeholders to support the School to address these challenges.

She also advised the graduates to put into practice all what they have learnt by establishing small businesses to support themselves.

Mrs Adagblenyah indicated that the public school was establish in October 4, 1966 by the Department of Community Development under the auspices of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to cater for the Vocational and Technical needs of young girls and boys.

GNA
By Stephen Asante, GNA

Kumasi, Nov. 9, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama has affirmed the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) determination to win 13 constituencies in the Ashanti Region in the December 7 General Election.

The Party's belief, he said, was borne out of the government's massive investment in the socio-economic development in the Region, citing improvement in road networks, execution of educational, health, agricultural and economic-related projects.

The NDC currently has four constituencies in the Region, including Asawasi.

Addressing a rally of the NDC at Asawasi in Kumasi, he indicated that these projects had brought improvement in the living conditions of the people and urged the electorate to retain the Party in power for sustainable socio-economic growth.

The rally formed part of the President's four-day tour of the Region to canvas for votes to brighten the Party's chances in the polls.

President Mahama said the NDC was also optimistic to garner one million votes in the presidential elections in the Region, and entreated the rank and file of the Party to work harder to achieve the objective.

He described the NDC as 'the most united political party in the country', noting that for now, 'it is the most prepared party to govern Ghana based on its track record'.

'I am advising the citizenry to take stock of the good job done in the last four years and resolve to renew our mandate since we have what it takes to transform the lives of the people,' he noted.

President Mahama cautioned the electorate to be wary of what he described as a vile campaign by the largest opposition party, the New Patriotic Party to discredit the NDC for its good works.

'The pro-poor projects and programmes we have executed to alleviate the plight of the people speak for themselves, and nobody can throw dust into the eyes of the electorate,' he said.

Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, Member of Parliament for Asawasi, lauded the President for his visionary leadership and mission to alleviate poverty in the country, and appealed to the people to endeavour to renew the Party's mandate for the benefit of the people.

GNA
Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has congratulated Donald Trump for his impressive win in the just ended elections in the United States of America.

In a statement, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Trumps win has strengthened even further the status of the United States of America as a bastion of democracy in the modern world.

Below is a copy of the full statement

I join many across the world in extending my warmest congratulations to the President-Elect of the United States of America, Donald Trump, on his victory in the November 8 election. His competitor, Secretary Hillary Clinton, is also to be applauded for graciously conceding defeat.

The result of the election, which has resulted in a change in government after 8-years of the Obama-led Democratic government, has strengthened even further the status of the United States of America as a bastion of democracy in the modern world.

I commend the Republican Party, the sister party of the New Patriotic Party and a fellow member of the International Democrat Union (IDU), for maintaining control of the Senate, thereby presenting the President-Elect a minimum of two years of a "unified" government.

It is my sincere hope that President-Elect Trumps tenure of office will be marked by the economic empowerment of the American people, as well as the delivery of unity, security, progress and prosperity to all Americans.

It is also my overriding hope that Ghanaian-American relations will grow from strength to strength under his Presidency, which have, over the years, been based on a shared agenda of freedom, development, progress and prosperity.

Warm congratulations once again to President-Elect Donald Trump and the people of the United States of America. God bless him and the American people, and best wishes for his and the countrys continued success.

Signed

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

2016 NPP Presidential Candidate, Ghana.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
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Dedication  To Samuel Quansah, my good friend in UCC and a big fan of Donald Trump.

I am one of the happiest folks on planet Earth at the moment. You probably know why, don't you? Alright, Donald J. Trump, one of my topmost role models in the world, is now the president-elect of USA. Mr. Trump, as the Republican presidential candidate, beat his archrival Hillary Clinton with a 276 electoral college votes against Hillary's 218 electoral college votes. The 2016 US presidential election was a fierce competition between Trump, a so called racist and Clinton, an acclaimed feminist. Interestingly, I always knew that Donald Trump would win the election; I never doubted if for a second. Therefore, let me congratulate him on his frightening electoral victory.

Moreover, let me reveal a few things about my affinity for the Trump brand. I really, really, really love the Donald. He even deserves four or five really's! Firstly, I love him as a bestselling author; secondly, I love him as a successful entrepreneur; thirdly, I love him as an outlandish politician. In fact, I have unconsciously emulated certain personality traits of Donald Trump. I usually hype my persona and business in my writings, I am fond of blunt and controversial assertions etc. I learnt these from the Real Donald Trump, the great man I look up to in writing and entrepreneurship.

Here are the 5 success lessons we can learn from Donald Trump's US presidential election victory.

(1) It pays to be a maverick:

Who is a maverick? A maverick is an unorthodox and independent-minded person. And of course, Trump is simply a maverick. His main opponent, Mrs. Clinton, was just trying to comply with the conventions. As an orthodox politician, she campaigned in ways that pleased the American people. However, Trump was so unconventional; he gave freakish yet drastic and pragmatic opinions on delicate national issues. The vast majority of Americans knew in their hearts that his blunt remarks were actually painful truths, and they apparently perceived him as an entirely different politician. No wonder he eventually emerged victorious.

(2) Without balls or guts, you are powerless:

Show me any truly mighty person in world history who had no or even less balls or guts, and I will abruptly retire from my writing profession. Donald Trump has got incredible balls or guts, no doubt about it. The American and global media were largely against him, and many people around the world opposed his presidential candidacy. The fact that he had not held any political position could be a great demotivating factor to him. But he was crazily courageous to believe he would definitely win the election, which he just did, in spite of troubles to the dismay of most people.

(3) Let your detractors be your biggest motivation and not threat:

Donald Trump is obviously one of the world renowned personalities with a large chunk of detractors. A multitude of people  especially Blacks, Latinos, Muslims and women  defamed him with sheer hatred, claiming that he is a racist to the bone. He however reacted to the bad publicity about him in a satirical and sometimes angry manner. Most importantly, he allowed the insulting noise of his haters, critics, enemies and detractors to inspire him as he pressed ahead with his presidential ambition. Above all, he feared not his detractors, so he kept on annoying them, directly and indirectly.

(4) Forget the rules; your game plan matters most:

Concerning every dream that you have, you will be faced with rules which dominate that arena. However, you have only two options to choose from: follow the rules, or break the rules. You also have to understand that the rules are really influential in that field, yet they are about 10% of what it takes to succeed in that area. The remaining 90% is all about your own game plan. Surprisingly, political analysts and even ordinary folks predicted that the Real Donald Trump would be defeated. They believed he would lose since he was seen as a crackpot, too old, and an inexperienced politician. Besides, Trump had a rare plan of action which was undermined by many people.

(5) Exude optimism:

Donald Trump won the US presidential election due to the preceding lessons explained, but a key reason why he emerged triumphant is his extreme optimism. He was more than hopeful; he was really optimistic. I believe optimism is greater than hope. Optimism is mere hope for success with unbelievable certainty. If I as a fan was so optimistic that Trump would win, I knew that the man himself was overwhelmingly optimistic. Nothing could convince the Donald that he would lose. Yes, he had optimism of massive proportions. That is a cardinal factor in his electoral success.

Source: sirarticle.blogspot.com
The Progressive People's Party (PPP) presidential candidate, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom has finally been cleared by the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana to contest in the upcoming Presidential elections.

The Electoral Commission on Wednesday approved of the party's resubmitted presidential nomination forms after reviewing it. The others also cleared to contest the upcoming polls include the National Democratic Party's (NDP), Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings and the People's National Congress' (PNC), Dr Edward Mahama.

The three candidates had earlier been disqualified together with 9 others by the Electoral Commission (EC), for inappropriately filling their nomination form. Following a legal tussle that resulted in a Supreme Court order that the EC allowed the affected candidates correct the errors and resubmit their forms, the three candidates were subsequently found to have amended the errors on their forms hence given the nod to represent their parties in the elections.

-Citifmonline
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Running Mate to Nana Akufo-Addo, has said that the people of Ghana should accept the various goodies the NDC will bring them ahead of the December Election as such goodies are from the billions the NDC has stolen from the people of Ghana in the last 8 years.

Dr. Bawumia however urged Ghanaians to nonetheless vote out the NDC as another four years under the NDC will mean more corruption, incompetence and suffering.

The NPP Running Mate made these comments at Manbabga in the Bunkpurugu constituency of the Northern Region on Monday.

Because the NDC has not done any work, you will see that they don't have a message. And so when we leave, in a few days or a few weeks' time, the NDC will also come but they will come with propaganda and most importantly, they will come with goodies. They will come with sewing machines, motor bikes, money etc. My advice to you is that when they come collect the motor bikes, sewing machines and money and spend it well, well because this is your own money, he said

Continuing, Dr. Bawumia explained that the goodies of the NDC is obviously from money they should have used to make the lives of the people better but which were corruptly kept through various schemes and said that it was only right that the people enjoy what was denied them in the way of development.

This is the money they should have used for your development so collect it, it is your money, it is coming, you wait, you will see them bringing it in articulators. Collect it because it is yours. That is the money they should have used for our roads, for our hospitals and the money that should have been used to subsidize fertiliser for you. They did not do that, they took the money and they are now trying to come to us with that same money to bribe us for us to vote for them. Collect it, it is your money, spend it well but vote for Solomon Boar and Nana Akufo-Addo, he said.

The NPP Difference

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia explained that unlike the NDC, the NPP will not corruptly hijack funds belonging to the people but ensure through prudent policies like the $1million per constituency a year programme that the money goes directly into projects that will make the lives of the people better.

For the first time, we will ensure that money from the capital budget is directly brought to you so you also have your fair share of development. With this money, which will come every year to every constituency, we can fix the little problems that our villages have whether it is water, schools, markets, health facilities etc, he explained.

Dr. Bawumia is on the second leg of his tour of the Northern Region and has so far been to the Yunyoo and Bunkpurugu Constituencies. He is scheduled to also be in the Nalerigu-Gambaga, Walewale and Yagaba-Kubore Constituencies on this leg.

-Peacefmonline
The chances of the presidential candidates of the All Peoples Congress (APC), Dr Hassan Ayariga and six others previously disqualified to partake in the December polls has been quashed as Ghanas electoral body has rejected their nominations forms again.

Electoral Commission (EC) Chairperson Charlotte Osei explained to the media the disqualified candidates nomination forms fell short of the requirement stated in the C.I.94, the law governing the December polls.

The aspiring presidential candidates who have been disqualified include the United Front Party (UFP), Ward Brew and independent candidate, All People's Congress (APC) and Independent People's Party (IPP).

The others are candidates of the Great Consolidate Popular Party (GCPP), the United Development System Party (UDSP) and Kwame Asiedu Walker, an independent candidate.

Those who have been given the green light to contest include candidates of the Progressive People's Party (PPP), National Democratic Party (NDP) and People's National Convention (PNC).

Also, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP), Convention People's Party (CPP), as well as an independent candidate will be on the ballot come December 7.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
Ghanas first lady, Lordina Mahama has said President Mahama is already implementing promises made by President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump in Ghana.

Donald Trump had assured Americans of building infrastructure including roads, schools, hospitals, airports, highways, bridges, and creating jobs to make America great again.

But in a congratulatory message to Donald Trump via her Facebook page on Wednesday, Lordina Mahama said the President is already delivering what he [Donald Trump] is promising .

It seems he [Donald Trump] has been listening to, or watching His Excellency John Mahama of Ghana, she added.

The American businessman, Donald Trump of the Republican Party beat his closest contender, Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, in what many described as a tough election with an unexpected result.

'I am doing what Hillary Clinton is promising Americans'

Meanwhile, President John Mahama at a rally in Asamankese in the Eastern Region earlier this month said his government has already invested heavily in socioeconomic infrastructure , a promise he claimed the Democratic presidential candidate in the US, Hillary Clinton had made.

According to the President, the magnitude of infrastructure development Ghana has witnessed under his reign puts the country on a firm foundation for livelihood empowerment in his second term.

If you look at Hilary Clinton's economic plan, she's promising to invest 250 billion dollars in economic and social infrastructure. She is now coming to invest this amount when elected. Ghana has already started investing in socioeconomic infrastructure already. This is because socioeconomic infrastructure is the foundation of every development.

'Mahama congratulates Donald Trump'

President Mahama earlier this morning [Wednesday, November 9] congratulated the president-elect Donald Trump in a tweet, hours after his victory was announced.



By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
09.11.2016 LISTEN

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for the Yendi constituency in the Northern Region, Alhaji Mohammed Habib Tijani has as usual donated a large quantity of assorted items for the upkeep of inmates of the Yendi Prisons.

The items included several pockets of tooth paste, detergents and toiletries which he handed over to the Prison authorities.

The gesture was a follow up to a previous television set, mattresses and other goodies he donated during his tenure as Yendi Municipal Chief Executive.

Alhaji Mohammed Habib Tijani at the presentation encouraged the inmates not to lose hope in life.

According to him, their temporary stay there was meant to reorient their psyche and to prepare them for better assignments after serving their jail terms.

He advised them to concentrate on the manpower and skills training provided by professionals of the Ghana Prisons Service.

Hon. Alhaji Mohammed Habib Tijani regretted that a structure meant to be the Municipal Court complex started by his administration has been abandoned.

He also accused government of collapsing the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Alhaji Mohammed Habib Tijani nonetheless assured the Prisoners that the next NPP administration led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo will improve their living conditions.

He therefore inspired them to renew his mandate as their MP and overwhelmingly vote for Nana Akufo Addo on December 7.

Assistant Chief Officer, Samuel Akoi received the donation and commended the Yendi MP for his frequent support.

He appealed to the Yendi Legislator to assist them with drugs, plastic chairs and erect a shed inside the premises for the inmates' relaxation.

Another officer, Sergeant Nashiru Ali Bogobiri appealed to other benevolent organizations to support the Yendi Prison inmates.

By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/ghelections.com/Ghana
The Independent Peoples Party (IPP) Presidential Candidate says his re-disqualification by the Electoral Commission (EC) from the upcoming presidential race was deliberate.

Kofi Akpaloo said he did not deserve the treatment meted to him by the Commission because he paid due diligence in the refilling of his nomination form.

They have made their mind not to include me. I didnt do anything wrong, he told Raymond Acquah, host of Joy FMs Top Story programme, Wednesday.

Refresh the page for more...

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brakopowers | Email: [email protected]
President Jacob Zuma has returned to South Africa after concluding a successful Working Visit to Addis Ababa, in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia where he attended the African Union (AU) High Level Committee on Libya meeting to review and discuss the peace and security situation in Libya.

President Zuma has characterized the meeting as very productive and positive, as it discussed and agreed on a number of issues that would help find a lasting solution on challenges facing the people of Libya.

"As the African Union we want to see peace and stability in Libya and the committee agreed that as Africa we need to extensively persuade all involved parties in Libya to find an African solution to the problems facing the country," said President Zuma.

"We have a strong common view that the security situation in Libya requires the AU to be more involved and that no amount of military action will address the current challenges in that country but only political dialogue and cooperation between the affected parties to ensure lasting stability, peace and security in the country and the region," the President added.

President Zuma further said the committee also received a report on the situation in Libya from the AU Envoy to Libya, former President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and agreed that the AU will work closely with all stakeholders involved in the peace process, to ensure that Libyans are provided a necessary support to find an urgent solution that would end the the current humanitarian, social and security challanges in the country.

The efforts of the AU High-Level Committee in Libya are supplemented by those of other international organisations, in particular the League of Arab States, United Nations and Libya's neighbouring countries who are as affected by the instability in Libya.

The members of the AU High Level Committee of Heads of States and Government on the Situation in Libya comprises of Algeria, Egypt, Mauritania, Niger, South Africa and Uganda as well as the Republic of Congo who was elected as new Chairperson of the High Level Committee.

President Zuma also participated in the Second Extraordinary Summit of the Volunteering Nations of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC). The aim of this Summit was to discuss the status of the ACIRC Force following the conduct of the UTULIVU AFRICA I and II Command Post Exercises (CPX) and the verification of the pledged capabilities from May 2014 to April 2015.

President Zuma also noted the success of that summit, as leaders of the volunteering countries discussed various issues that would enhance the work of the ACIRC.

"We have agreed that whilst discussions were underway to operationalise the African Standby Force (ASF), it was important that Africa capacitate the ACIRC to ensure that we have a capability to intervene rapidly in situations where there is conflict. Volunteering countries to the ACIRC, which include South Africa, resolved to take a lead in bringing about African solutions for African challenges without the intervention of external forces," the President said.

The ACIRC, which was established in 2013, consists of the following volunteering nations: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Chad, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

It was introduced as an interim measure, pending the full operational capability of the African Standby Force (ASF), to provide the AU with a rapid military response capability with the specific objective of preventing emerging genocides, crimes against humanity and war crimes

President Zuma was accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane; Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and Minister of State Security, Mr David Mahlobo.
09.11.2016 LISTEN

Mr. Richard Aisuebeogun, Former Managing Director of Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FANN), has called for the commercialisation of airports in Africa to support the Aviation industry.

He said until countries see this as a commercial entity, the growth of the industry would remain stunting.

Mr. Aisuebeogun was speaking at the 12th Edition of Akwaaba African Market Tourism Conference, on the topic: State of Aviation in Africa and Why Airlines Fail, in Lagos, Nigeria.

The three-day event was aimed at transferring knowledge covering travel, hospitality and aviation sectors from globally rated experts.

He said African Airports had evolved overtime from the use of old archaic state of infrastructure to a much more modern state of the art buildings and structures.

He said the performance of the African aviation industry was lagging behind those of the rest of the world, at less than three per cent of global revenue passenger kilometres.

He said the growth was heavily constrained by the high industry costs, inadequate infrastructure at a number of airports, slow implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision, lack of a single traffic rights negotiating body with respect to third parties like the EU.

He said, nonetheless, demand for air transport has increased steadily over the past years with passenger numbers and freight traffic growing significantly.

Over the period from 2010 to 2015, Africa has become one of the fastest growing regions in the world, in terms of international traffic, with an average growth rate of 6.1 per cent, compared to the global average of 5.8 per cent.

However, African aviation needs to grow at double digit rates to be a significant player in the global industry.

He noted that many Airlines had failed or were barely surviving in Africa due to many factors such as Management Business Plan, Safety Regulation, Economic Regulation, Low cost Airlines, Multi-Hub Strategy, Service Excellence, which he grouped as internal.

Others are external, namely: Cost of operating environment, Economic Diversification, Political Environment, improved airport infrastructure, Airports supports, Improved Air navigation infrastructure and unfair competition.

The economic benefits of airlines are enormous and increasing, because airlines are not just part of the economy but a key economic catalyst recognised as vital to the growth and achievement of National, Regional and Global economic goals, he said.

Source: GNA


09.11.2016 LISTEN

Mr. Ibrahim Baidoo, the Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive, has said government would continue to put in place right policies to ensure that the agriculture sector grows.

He said by so doing, the government would be raising productive income and create more jobs for the teeming youthful population.

Mr. Baidoo gave the assurance when he addressed the Farmers Day celebration at Ashaiman, organised by the Municipal Assembly.

This year's event was held under the theme: Agriculture, A Business Response to Economic Growth.

Farmers Day is a national day set aside yearly to give recognition to farmers and fishermen, to motivate and support them and share relevant information on appropriate technologies for a sustainable food production and security.

Mr. Abdul Malik Yaba was the Overall Best Winner of the Ashaiman Municipality for the 2016 Award. His business includes cattle, sheep, guinea fowl and donkeys rearing and this is besides the cultivation of maize and a mango plantation at located at Kordiabe in the Shai-Osudoku District.

He was presented with a pair of Wellington boot, four cutlasses, four bags, a double-door fridge, a flat-screen television, a Knapsack sprayer and a piece of wax print.

Mr. Baidoo said it is important appropriate measures are taken to ensure that the agriculture sector becomes attractive to the youth.

Over the years, it is agriculture which has managed to sustain the country's economy. But the sector has been left in the hands of the old and aged. Most of the youth today do not want to go into agriculture, he noted.

The MCE said the theme for this year underscores the importance of commercial agriculture as a critical factor in the country's development agenda and there is a strong need for sustainable and responsible investment.

Madam Selina Mensah, a Government Appointee at the Assembly, suggested that the landowners should reserve some of the farmlands for the future generation rather than giving them out to estate developers.

Nii Annan Adzor, the Regent of Ashaiman and the Chairman for the occasion, expressed gratitude to the farmers for their hard work and in ensuring they produce to meet the needs of the nation.

Source: GNA


Accra Nov. 9, GNA - The Supreme Court has fixed Monday November 14 to deliver judgement in the case in which the Electoral Commission (EC) was being compelled to announce results of Special Voting on the same day it was held.

The date was announced after parties in the matter namely the Electoral Commission, the Attorney and Dr Kwame Amoaku-Tuffuor and two others had filed their memorandum of issues agreed on.

Meanwhile the seven-member panel have registered their displeasure over the absence of any of the six commissioners in court.

The court noted their non-appearance connoted a 'share gross disrespect' to the apex court, adding that if any of them were present, they would have assisted the court with answers relating to the matter.

The Court presided over by Justice William Atuguba wanted to know whether there were countries that had practiced earlier, special or advance voting and whether or not the counting had been done the same day votes were cast or suspended until polls were closed.

Other members on the panel were Justice Anin Yeboah, Justice Jones Victor Dotse, Justice Ampah Benin, Justice Yaw Appau and Justice Gabriel Pwamang.

The also wanted to know how and where these ballot were kept adding the Attorney General did not conduct elections and would therefore not know all issues relating to elections.

According to the court in the case of Abu Ramadan verses the EC, some of the commissioners were in court and when they needed clarification, Mr Thaddeus Sory who represented the EC consulted the Commissioners and matters were resolved.

The SC also sought for clarity as to whether the venues for the Special Voting were part of the 29,000 voting centres and whether ballots cast at these centres were added to those in the various constituencies that voting took place.

The court indicated that countries like Sweden, Australia and USA embarked on advanced voting but wanted the commissioners to throw more light on how counting were done.

It recounted some discrepancies in the media concerning some of its recent judgements and rulings adding if any of the commissioners were around they would have been informed about those issues.

Mr Egbert Faibille, told the court that his clients relied on the processes filed before the court recalling that the Special Voting would be held on December 1, 2016.

According to him although during the special voting there were the presence of polling agents, counting could not be done.

Mr Faibille in response to the Supreme Court question, indicated that his clients were not challenging the constitutionality of Special Voting.

He said he was aware that South Africa embarked on Special Voting but after a search on a website, there were no clues as to how counting was done.

Mr Sean Opoku, who represented the EC was unable to answer some of questions put up by the Supreme Court and apologised for nonappearance of any of the commissioners.

Mrs Dorothy Afriyie, Chief State Attorney who represented the AG relied on their processes filed adding she was aware that in some countries, special voting were sealed and posted and received through post offices.

Dr. Kwame Amoako-Tuffuor, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and two others proceeded to the highest Court of the land to seek an order to compel the Commission to announce results of special voting on the same day it was held.

Dr Amoako-Tuffuor and the other plaintiffs, Benjamin Arthur and Adreba Abrefa Damoa contended that security operatives and persons who would usually be working on the Election Day partakes in the special voting.

The Plaintiffs are of the belief that people who wanted to take part in the special voting should not be made to wait until the total results on actual polling were to be declared and that the results should be declared immediately after the polls have closed.

They argued that section 23 of C.I. 94; the law which regulated the conduct of the Polls, was inconsistent with Article 49 of the 1992 constitution.

According to them per the C.I. 94, the Returning Officer shall at the end of the special voting: ensure that the ballot boxes used in the special election are kept in safe custody after the poll has closed. Also, the Officer is to ensure that the ballot boxes are sealed with the seals of the EC and any candidates or party who wish to add their seal.

The EC also arranges for the ballot boxes to be opened at the time of the counting of the votes cast on the polling day and the ballot papers shall be counted in the same manner as those contained in the ballot boxes used on the main polling day.

The plaintiffs are seeking a true and proper interpretation of Article 49 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992, as against special voting' in CI.94.

The plaintiffs are also seeking a true and proper interpretation of Article 49 of the Constitution 'and Section 13 of the Representation of the People Law, 1992I PNDCL 284.'

The Plaintiffs said that presidential and parliamentary elections ought to be counted and announced there and then on the date(s) of the special voting by the Presiding Officers and the results at each polling station before communicating same to the Returning Officer.

They are further seeking a declaration that Regulation 23(11) of Public Elections Regulations, 2016I CI.94 is inconsistent with Article 49 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

In addition, they are seeking an order striking down Regulation 23(11) of Public Elections Regulations, 2016I CI.94 as being inconsistent with Article 49(2), (3)(a) and (b) of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992 and Section 13 of the Representation of the People Law, 1992I PNDCL 284.

GNA
By Afedzi Abdullah, GNA

Cape Coast, Nov 9, GNA - Participants at a gender capacity building workshop for political parties have stressed the need for the various political parties to make affirmative action a provision in their respective constitutions.

The participants, majority of whom were women politicians, also called on the political parties to establish an empowerment fund to support women to run for members of parliaments and other key positions in the parties.

They said the issue of gender mainstreaming was extremely low in political party activities, while for the past years manifestos of political parties during elections had been silent on issues relating to women and gender with few promises which were often not fulfilled.

There was therefore the need for the political parties to be gender sensitive and mainstream gender issues in all their activities, the participants said.

The call was contained in a communiquA issued at the end of the two-day workshop in Cape Coast for political party executives of the five major political parties in the country.

They comprised the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Progressive People's Party (PPP), the Convention People's Party (CPP) and the People's National Convention (PNC).

The workshop, organised by the Gender Centre for Empowering Development (GenCED) with sponsorship from the National Endowment for Democracy, brought together participants from the Greater Accra, Western, Volta and Central Regions.

Issues discussed included, commitment made by the various political parties in the lead up to the 2012 general elections and its aftermath, the Global view of gender mainstreaming, Governance framework and structure and how to advocate and negotiate to reach a deal.

The participants further called for a cross party network for women politicians of different political parties to interact and discuss issues that mitigated against the progress of women in the society.

They said women were largely used by political parties and that they contributed significantly to their development and as such must be given the needed recognition to be able to do more for their respective parties.

According to them, political parties were important institutions that played critical roles and that it was time they realised their important roles and act accordingly.

'The political parties must begin to see the important role they play because they are not ordinary institutions but the biggest and highest institutions we have.

"They form government and governments make all the decisions and sign treaties on behalf of the country. So when we have the political parties understanding gender issues and having it as a working tool, some of the issue we are fighting about now would not be a concern,' They said.

Speaking at the workshop, Ms Esther Tawiah, Executive Director of GenCED said the training formed part of its electoral project to build the capacity of political party executives to understand gender related issues.

She explained that GenCED was targeting political parties to make them understand issues of gender because they formed government and therefore their attitudes would bring out what exactly was in them when they were in government.

GNA
By Afedzi Abdullah, GNA

Cape Coast, Nov.9, GNA - The Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM), a human rights and environmental mining advocacy Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has urged government to internalise the provisions of the ECOWAS directives on mining in Ghana.

It said the 'Free Prior and Informed Consent Principle and the Polluter Pays Principle', which were provisions of the ECOWAS directives when internalised in the country's laws, would compel mining companies to respect community rights and improve the management of natural resources.

Mrs Hannah Owusu Koranteng, Associate Executive Director of WACAM, made the appeal at a sensitisation workshop on the sample mining bill developed by a consortium of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

The workshop, organised by the Centre for Environmental Impact Analysis (CEIA) was aimed at according stakeholders within the academic institutions the opportunity to influence reforms in addressing the limitations in the mining law by making an input into the sample mining bill.

It was also to disseminate and collate views from the academia on the sample mining bill to influence legal reforms in the mining sector in Ghana.

The sample mining bill is an alternative framework on the mining sector that seeks to address the challenges associated with the exploitation of Ghana's minerals in the interest of the state as well as communities affected by mining.

It also seeks to align Ghana's mining legal framework to the numerous international Protocols which Ghana had signed to.

Mrs Koranteng said the concept of Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) required companies to secure the consent of communities affected by extractive industry projects prior to initiating activities.

She said all communities that could potentially be impacted by extractive industry projects had the right to access full information and participate meaningfully in negotiations.

She said FPIC had been largely recognised in international law and corporate policies and was emerging as an effective method to empower communities, prevent conflicts and reduce the harmful effects of development projects in poor areas.

She said mining companies had enjoyed a lot of subsidies and continuously use the system to exploit communities and as such did not want the status quo to change.

Mrs Koranteng said activities of mining companies often led to the destruction of the livelihoods of mining communities as well as violations of human rights and expressed the need for the companies to engage in responsible mining.

Speaking on the topic 'Overview of mining investment in Ghana', Mr Samuel Obiri, Executive Director of CEIA, said mining activities in Ghana had created serious social, economic, environmental and political consequences including unemployment, increased poverty and crime.

He said Ghana's Minerals and Mining Act (Act 703) was promotional as it permitted mining companies to negotiate retention between 80 to 90 per cent of earnings from foreign exchange in offshore account but did not provide adequate protection of community rights.

GNA
By D.I. Laary, GNA

Accra, Nov. 9, GNA - Parliamentary candidates of the Progressive People's Party (PPP) in the Ashanti Region have urged voters to be 'awake for change' and vote out the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the December 7 polls.

Around 15.7 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballot in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in about 29,000 polling stations across the country.

Political pundits have projected a close race between sitting President John Dramani Mahama of the NDC and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Speaking at a news conference on behalf of the party's 25 parliamentary aspirants in the region, Ms Bertrin Abena Britwum, contesting the Manhyia North seat, said the time had come for the voting public to stand up and vote against the ruling NDC and the opposition NPP because of bad governance.

She said: 'Consistently voting for these two parties will take our beloved country further down into the stone age because Ghana, under the two parties, has failed to rub shoulders with her peers in the Diaspora'.

She unveiled a chain of campaign activities and economic growth agenda of the PPP that focused on human development and progressive leadership which are tipped to generate job opportunities and tackle the protracted unemployment 'menace' in the Ashanti Region.

'We can boast of financial companies, hospitality industries, estate companies and radio and television companies,' Ms Britwum said amidst thunderous clapping and chanting from party supporters.

'It is time we took our destiny into our own hands as a people and as a region and got rid of the NDC who are championing one million votes without any tangible and worthwhile project that has benefited the people in the region,' she said.

Ms Britwum said: 'Our country is at the threshold of a new era, an era that beckons for a new kind of leadership, a leadership that is uncontaminated by the prejudices of the past, a leadership committed to change and ready to solve the everyday problems that confront the average Ghanaian.

'A vote for the PPP is a vote for growth and development in a peaceful environment. A vote for the PPP is liberation from the economic and mental slavery the NDC Government has subjected us to in the last eight years.'

Mr Frank Aboagye Danyansah, the Parliamentary Candidate for Obuasi East, slammed both the NDC and NPP for what he described as 'continuously throwing dust into the eyes of Ghanaians.'

The two top political parties often boast of initiating massive non-existent development in the region, he said, 'but we sit here and cannot point to even one that is changing lives in the region.'

Mr Danyansah said: 'It is time to awake fellow Ghanaians in the region and beyond to bring life back to the region. We shall not sit for our region full of human and natural resources to be destroyed.'

GNA
09.11.2016 LISTEN

By Iddi Yire, GNA

Accra, Nov 09, GNA - Mr Kwasi Addai Odike, the Presidential Nominee of the United Progressive Party's (UPP) for the December 7 Polls has withdrawn his nomination.

Speaking at a media briefing at the Head Office of the Electoral Commission (EC) in Accra, Mr Odike said his decision to withdraw his nomination was a personal matter.

He said the UPP leadership would on Monday, November 14, announce which opposition political party to support in the polls.

Mr Odike was among the 13 presidential aspirants the EC disqualified on October 10.

The EC, however, attributed his disqualification to a suit at the Court brought by a faction of the UPP due to internal party wrangling.

However, after the UPP managed to put their act together, Mr Odike resubmitted his nomination forms on Tuesday, November 8, following the Supreme Court's directive that the EC gave another opportunity to all the disqualified presidential aspirants to correct their errors and resubmit.

GNA
By Lydia Asamoah, GNA

Accra, Nov. 9, GNA - The Chinese Government has presented a cheque for an undisclosed amount of money to the Lordina Foundation to acquire start-up tools to support artisans in the rural areas of Ghana.

The cheque was presented by Ms Sun Boa Hong, the Chinese Ambassador, to the First Lady, Mrs Lordina Mahama, who is also the President of the Foundation at a ceremony in Accra.

Mrs Mahama had earlier made a request to the Chinese Ambassador to support her Foundation in its work of supporting artisans with tools to enable them to ply their trade effectively.

Support for artisans is another area the Lordina Foundation has been focusing on for some time now aside the medical supplies and equipment she presents to hospitals.

The Lordina Foundation's new focus of assisting artisans across the country is as a result of the struggle most of them go through to start and sustain their businesses due to lack of working capital and start-up kits.

With support from its sponsors and partners, the Lordina Foundation has presented assorted working tools to support the work of tailors, beauticians and barbers associations in many of the regions and districts of the country.

These included sewing and embroidery machines, over-lock machines, hand dryers, hairdryers and sterilisers, to assist the artisans to expand their businesses and improve their income earning capacity.

GNA
09.11.2016 LISTEN

By Laudia Sawer

Dawhenya (GAR), Nov 9, GNA - The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has hosted a parliamentary debate for the five candidates contesting for the Ningo-Prampram constituency seat.

The five are; Mr Casmire Nii Okine Mensah of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), Mr. Samuel Nartey George, National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Sylvester Tetteh, New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Richard A. Nartey and Mr Frederick Marmah Martey of the All Peoples Congress (A PC) and the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) respectively.

All five candidates answered questions on education, agriculture, health and security issues in the constituency.

On education, whereas Mr Nartey of the APC promised to help increase the salaries of teachers in the area, CPP's Mr Martey said part of revenues mobilized in the constituency by the Assembly could be channelled into providing a befitting accommodation for teachers especially the District Education Director who commute from Accra to the District every day.

The PPP's Mr Mensah on the other hand, promised to liaise with the chiefs and Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) to acquire lands and provide the needed accommodation for teachers.

Mr Tetteh of the NPP said the teacher to student population ratio in Ningo-Prampram was poor and had led to an uninspiring 36 per cent success in the 2016 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

He noted that it was unfortunate that due to lack of accommodation, teachers posted to the community refused to work stating that a Youth Empowerment Fund that would provide the needed educational infrastructure and accommodation would be established.

The NDC's Sam George on the other hand promised to use 80 per cent of his Member of Parliament's (MP) share of the Common Fund for educational bursaries, teachers' welfare issues, vocation among others.

He said the NDC through the Assembly had already provided accommodation in some of the villages for teachers with more to be provided.

Answering questions on security, all the candidates gave the assurance that they would help equip the Police with logistics such as motorbikes for patrols and building of more police posts in newly inhabited areas of the constituency.

Touching on the prevention of post-harvest losses for vegetables and watermelon farmers, all the candidates mentioned the sitting of factories in the area to process the crops.

Mr Tetteh added that he would help provide the constituency with a central market as well as introduce the growing of crops with longer shelve life.

Mr Sam George said his Iranian partners were already in the constituency to construct a juice factory which would depend on the watermelon cultivated in the area.

The need for the provision of more CHPS compounds in the area was also propagated by all the candidates to help prevent maternal mortality and serve as a first point of call for residents.

The PPP candidate further promised to provide all the 175 communities in the constituency with a health centre each.

Each of the five candidates called for votes to implement their vision for the constituency.

The debate which started on a peaceful note was nearly marred by supporters of the NPP and NDC who ignored the rules of the NCCE and resorted to chanting of party slogans, drumming, singing and cheering their candidates on while jeering their opponent.

They virtually drowned the debate in their drumming and singing and deprived residents and guests the opportunity to listen and scrunitise the conclusions of the candidates.

Mr Tetteh and Mr Sam George were therefore asked by the organisers to call their supporters to order.

Police presence at the Dawhenya lorry station which hosted the debate was inadequate as the NCCE was provided with only one police officer and one supporting officer from the Youth Employment Agency.

Miss Gify Agyeiwaa Badu, Ningo-Prampram NCCE Director, said the debate was not to declare a winner but to provide a platform for the candidates to interact with the electorate and explain their policies and visions to them.

Miss Badu reminded voters that the election was not just about choosing a representative for the people therefore the need to assess their policies to make an informed decision on who to vote for.

She noted that the debate was part of activities her outfit was embarking on with the support of the European Union to ensure that Ghanaians voted peacefully.

Nene Atsure Benta, Mankralo of the Prampram Traditional Area, chairing the debate, thanked the candidates for participating and urged them to continuously educate their supporters on the need to embark on their activities peacefully.

GNA
09.11.2016 LISTEN

Accra Nov. 9, GNA - A man who could not accept that his ex-girlfriend had quit their relationship and smashed her head with a pavement block several times has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

Ismael Nartey is said to have thrown a stone at the victim who got injured on the head and collapsed.

Nartey who nearly broke down in tears, pleaded guilty to causing harm and he was convicted by the court.

The court presided over by Mrs Ruby Aryeetey sentenced him to a fine of GHC600 in default go to jail for three months. He is to pay all medical bills of the complainant who is still receiving medical treatment.

The court, however, remanded him into Police custody to reappear on November 14 to stand trial on the charges of assault and failing to provide basic needs for his two kids after denying those charges.

Prosecuting Detective Inspector Kofi Atimbire said the complainant Regina Quartey is the ex-girl friend of Nartey and had two kids aged three and two years.

Detective Inspector Atimbire said Regina resides in her family house at Korle Worko, Accra while Nartey lives at Zongo Lane also in Accra.

Prosecution said since 2014, Nartey had failed to provide food, shelter, clothing, medication and education for his two children.

Due to that, prosecution said, the complainant walked out of the relationship and this upsets Nartey.

Nartey had since been harassing, assaulting and intimidating the complainant wherever he meets her. Sometimes, prosecution said, Nartey would also go the family house of the complainant and rained insults on her family members.

On October 23, this year, at about 1:00 pm, the complainant was asleep when accused sent someone to call her. On arriving, Nartey invited her to accompany him to a spot but she declined because the place was dark.

According to the prosecutor Nartey got angry and assaulted her. The complainant whose face got swollen as result of the assault reported the matter to the Police at James Town.

Prosecution said on November 5, this year, at about 12:00 midnight, the complainant was conversing with one Ayishetu Mensah, a friend, when Nartey surfaced and angrily confronted her as to why she had informed her relations that she was no more interested in the relationship.

Prosecution said the complainant suspecting that Nartey would assault her walked away. but Nartey followed her and subjected the complainant to severe beatings.

Not satisfied with the act, prosecution said Nartey went for pavement block and smashed the complainant's head several times with it.

Prosecution said the complainant however managed to leave the scene and cross over to the other side of the road but Nartey threw a stone at her which made her collapsed.

Nartey's action infuriated sympathisers at the scene who apprehended him and sent to the Police station where formal complaint was made and the victim rushed to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Accident Centre and she was treated.

The matter was later transferred to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of Ghana Police Service, the prosecutor said.

GNA
Accra, Nov 9, GNA - Stanbic Bank Ghana, has launched its wealth investment management unit to provide personalised solutions and investment prospects to Ghana's High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNWI).

Mr. Benjamin Mensah, Head, Wealth and Investment Unit of Stanbic Bank, said the unit would provide clients with investment advice related to local opportunities.

He said Ghana's middle class is growing and there was the need for a niche wealth offering proposition to meet the requirements of HNWIs whose specific wealth creation and preservation require a specialised suite of solutions.

Stanbic Bank Ghana would leverage Standard Bank Group in-depth sector knowledge, expertise and established networks to link Ghanaian investors with opportunities across the continent.

Mr. Mensah said Ghana was recording high growth in the number of HNWI, adding that as of the year 2000 Ghana could only boast of about 500 HIWIs but the number has shot up to 2,700.

The most commonly quoted figure for membership in the high net worth club is $1 million in liquid financial assets.

'This shows that the potential for this category of HNWIs would grow further hence the need to establish a unit to take care of their needs,' he said.

He said the Bank was targeting about 10 per cent of the HNWI market, adding that, 'it is not about the numbers but the quality of service that the Bank would provide to the clients that is very important.'

'In addition to locally based HNWIs, there is a significant group of individuals who make up the Ghanaian diaspora who are seeking out opportunities to contribute to growth at home as well as through tailored offshore solutions,' he said.

He said regular universal banking could not be used to address the needs of HNWI clients.

According to the 2016 Knight Frank Wealth Report, which was launched in Africa in partnership with Standard Bank Wealth and Investment, Ghana has experienced the fastest HNW growth rates in Africa over the past 14 years and will continue to grow as the Ultra High Net Worth increases by 85 per cent over the next ten years.

Mr. Mensah cited growth of the middle class, oil find, political stability as some of the driving forces behind the growth of HNWIs in Ghana.

Speaking at the launch of a new financial service proposition for Ghana's High Net Worth Individuals, Alhassan Andani, Managing Director of Stanbic Bank Ghana, says 'Ghana is set to benefit from growing economic opportunities fuelled by stable leadership, strong governance and economic opportunities from an increasingly diversified economy led by investments in infrastructure and real estate among others'.

To get the most out of these opportunities, Mr. Andani explained, 'required the right level of specialised and personalised financial services support, as provided for by Stanbic Ghana's new wealth and investment proposition'.

The Head of Africa and International for Standard Bank Wealth and Investment, Mr Deon de Klerk, said the new proposition involved working with clients and the families in meeting their investment goals and also to make the entire group available to them.

He said the high nets worth individuals are more concerned about not only the creation of wealth but also preservation of the wealth for future generations and also carrying out high impact philanthropy.

"Our clients are also concerned about succession and how their children will deal with the pressures of inherited wealth," he added.

GNA
By Laudia Sawer, GNA

Tema, Nov 8, GNA - Mr Richmond Larweh Mensah, Convention Peoples Party (CPP) parliamentary candidate for Tema East, has advised electorates to desist from voting for colours.

Mr Mensah, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said instead of analysing issues and policies of aspirants, voters only voted based on the colours of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC).

"Ghanaians must change their attitudes of looking at colours, they must listen and look at the candidates before voting," the 55 years old photographer stressed.

He observed that over the years, voters in Tema East had voted consistently for the NPP but the constituency was deteriorating.

He blamed the Member of Parliament for not putting the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) on its toes leading to indiscriminate sitting of containers, kiosks, and wooden structures in the area.

Mr Mensah said because of the inactivity of the MP, the TMA had lost grip of the situation and promised to push the Assembly to restore the constituency to its former glory and beauty.

The CPP candidate said a planned city like Tema was now engulfed in filth, sewer problems, flooding and reeled on a high risk of an outbreak of diseases.

He said Tema was not planned to have open markets which had people selling on the streets and bare ground and therefore promised to ensure the establishment of food distribution centres which would be properly regulated to clear traders off the streets and provide residents with quality healthy food items.

According to him, residents in his constituency were currently not happy as they lacked proper toilet facilities, water, accommodation and jobs.

He described as appalling the state in which residents reside in some parts of Tema East especially those along the Tema Manhean coast.

Mr Mensah added that the whole of the constituency which covered Community One, Site One through to Site 21 and the whole of Tema Manhean, had only one public toilet.

He therefore promised to use part of his share of the Member of Parliament's (MP) common fund for the provision of more public toilets.

He also gave the assurance that fisher folks who were currently idling around, would be either supported to repair their canoes or would be provided with trawlers.

Mr Mensah indicated that fishermen must be encouraged in all ways to provide the country with the needed fish instead of the promotion of foreign fishing companies and products.

Touching on the conflicting role of the TMA and the Tema Development Corporation (TDC), he noted that when voted as the MP, he would initiate a meeting between the two agencies to find a lasting solution to it and possibly push for a legislation to permanently solve it.

Mr Mensah said his party was embarking on a low profile campaign instead of organizing big rallies, floats among others.

He stated that he and his team had visited factories and companies established by Dr Kwame Nkrumah to assess their current state.

He added that they had also visited all the communities in Tema East and noted their peculiar problems which he would solve when voted for.

The CPP candidate therefore called on the electorate to massively vote for him to enable him obtain his target of 85 per cent win of the votes cast on December 7.

Mr Mensah, who is married with two children had been a card bearing member of the CPP for 15 years and was currently the party's Tema East constituency chairman.

He is contesting the seat with the incumbent MP, Mr Daniel Nii Kwatei Titus Glover, of the NPP, former Tema mayor, Mr Kempes Robert Papa Nii Ofosuware of the NDC and an independent candidate, Mr Theophilus Nii Ankamah Densu-Tetteh.

GNA
09.11.2016 LISTEN

By Samuel Akapule, GNA

Bongo (U/E), Nov. 9, GNA - Korea Food for the Hungry International (KFHI) has donated foot-wear to some school children and staff of Zoomlion Company Limited, a waste management company, in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region.

The items which were received by the Bongo Traditional Council were distributed to the school children and the staff of the Zoomlion in the area by Naba Baba Salifu Aleemyaarum, the Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional area.

The Paramount chief lauded the efforts of Madam Lee Goo of the Joyful African Mission for facilitating the donation effort.

'The Bongo Traditional Council apart from this donation, has also on a number of occasions received items including school bags, books, clothing and food from KFHI all through the efforts of Madam Lee Goo of the African Mission and her husband for distribution to vulnerable groups in the society, the Paramount Chief said.

He also commended the Joyful African Mission for complementing the efforts of the government to establish a private basic school in the District and thanked the staff of Zoomlion Company Limited for helping to keep the environment of Bongo clean.

GNA
By Amadu Kamil Sanah, GNA

Juapong (V/R), Nov. 9, GNA - Mr Oti Bless, a Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Education in-charge of Tertiary led the National Sanitation Day (NSD) exercise held in Juapong in the North Tong District.

The two deputy ministers to the surprise of the crowd carried out the exercise with enthusiasm and passion with long brooms while the crowd used cutlasses, rakes and brooms to clean the markets and the community.

They were supported by chief of Juapong, Torgbui Ahadzie and natives of the community, personnel of zoomlion and staff of the District Assembly.

The NSD is schedule for every first Saturday of every month and was instituted by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development as part of a directive of President John Dramani Mahama in October 2015.

It was introduced to control the indiscriminate dumping of refuse and littering and to also revive the spirit and culture of communal labour in the country.

The NSD was also introduced to promote public and environmental health and to encourage good sanitation practices in the country.

Mr Bless said it was clear that the NSD had come to stay and this was due to the support from the traditional authorities.

He said the exercise today had been successful in a sense that the turnout was massive and the enthusiasm exhibited by the participants.

Mr Bless said the turnout gives the indication that the exercise is not for Government but for the citizenry and confirmed that the sustenance of the programme has shown its way.

He appealed to chief and opinion leaders to support the sustenance of the exercise as they are the best organizers of their people in the various communities.

Mr Ablakwa urged the natives of the area to own the project and urged them not to wait for people to come from Accra before they participate in the exercise.

He appealed to the chiefs in the country at large to support the exercise to succeed.

Torgbui Ahadzie pledged to help control the indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the area and called on Government to support them with more tools to continue the exercise. GNA
By Samuel Akapule, GNA

Gowrie (U/E), Nov. 9, GNA - Mrs Margaret Akparibo, the Headmistress of the Gowrie Senior High/ Technical School in the Bongo District, has appealed to the the Ministry of Education to fast-track the completion of projects in the school.

She said some of the ongoing projects in the school include the dormitories for the students, an 18-unit classroom block and dining hall among others.

She said this at the recent Silver Jubilee celebration of the school.

Mrs Akparibo said many of the projects initiated by the Ministry and the GETFund project have been halted saying these were various projects awarded in 2009 and 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014.

She said the situation has compelled the 519 girls of the school to occupy a facility which was originally built by the World Vision Ghana with a capacity to contain only 49 girls.

She said the boys were in the same situation with 714 of them occupying only one dormitory.

'While acknowledging government's effort, permit me on this occasion to plead with the GETFund and the Ministry of Education to critically look at all the projects in the Gowrie Senior High/ Technical School to get them completed, as a matter of urgency', the Headmistress said.

She said lack of staff accommodation means of transport and inadequate non-teaching staff as some of the major obstacles and appealed non-governmental organizations and corporate bodies to come to the aid of the school.

Mr Albert Abongo, the Upper East Regional Minister, whilst appealing to parents and teachers to ensure the proper upbringing of their children, also entreated the teachers to live above reproach and exhibit high sense of humility, punctuality, honesty and devotion to duty.

The occasion, which was on the theme: 'Improving Quality of Secondary /Technical Education, the Role of Stakeholders ', attracted various stakeholders in the society.

GNA
By Kodjo Adams, GNA

Accra, Nov. 9, GNA - African university curriculum must encouraged students to create their own entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial skills to be relevant in the field of work, Mr Austin Okere, Founder of Computer Warehouse Group, has said.

Mr Okere said intrapreneurship is the act of behaving like an entrepreneur while working within a large organization.

'Intrapreneurship refers to employee initiatives in organizations to undertake something new, without being asked to do so. It focuses on innovation and creativity, and transforms an idea into a profitable venture, while operating within the organizational environment', he said.

Mr Okere made the call in Accra at a Global Business Network and EFMD joint conference in Africa held on the theme: 'Markets Shaping Management Education', and hosted by Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration.

The conference brought together deans, faculty and senior administrators from African countries, Asia, America, Europe and Australia.

The conference provided opportunities for participants to discuss and learn about innovations and trends in education management and forge new personal and institutional relationships.

Mr Okere said African universities must teach students to be creative and learn something new to adapt to changes that has engulfed the world of business.

'Students should be encouraged to leverage the need for inclusiveness, avail more people in online courses as well as link industry expectations with learning'.

He said universities should provide opportunities for students to engage in entrepreneurial experiences and create a software factory that gets academics, students and an external company to work on external projects.

Mr Austin said universities need to be more astute in dealing with work-integrated learning placements, saying universities should not only be engaged with entrepreneurship as part of formal education but through all aspects of its operation.

He said there is a need to build a much greater connection between the university and its local context including the industry, communities, NGOs, community-based groups, and trade unions for effective synergies.

Mr Austin said the ideas for entrepreneurship should emanate from partnerships between the university and people outside it, to engage in effective interdisciplinary work.

Mr Guy Pfeffermann, Founder of Global Business School Network, said the conference has been designed to be interactive, informative and inspirational.

He said youth unemployment is on the rise around the world, where students are graduating from academic programmes lacking the full complement of skills needed to be successfully employed.

Professor Samuel Bonsu, Dean of GIMPA Business School, said Africa is endowed with rich resources but lack of effective leadership and management has affected its development.

He said the conference would provide opportunities for stakeholders to engage in constructive discussions and chart the new path in strengthening the African educational system for sustainable development.

GNA
09.11.2016 LISTEN

By Kwamina Tandoh, GNA

Accra, Nov.9, GNA - Mr Prosper Bani, the Minister of the Interior, has reaffirmed government's commitment to ensure peace, security and stability in the December 7 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

'The state of the security of this country is very strong and firm, we are doing everything possible to make sure that as we approach the elections on 7th December nothing happens to any individual or group of person because they are exercising their democratic dispensation,' he said.

The Interior Minister gave the assurance at the re-launching ceremony of the 'Independent Newspaper', in Accra.

He said the security agencies were working hard to maintain the peace and stability being enjoyed in the country and had put in place visible and invisible security interventions to avert any disturbances and attack on the nation.

He advised that security had become a collective responsibility of all citizens and no longer reserved for members of the security agencies.

He said emerging threats to the peace and security of the times required collaborative efforts hence total vigilance was also demanded to ensure peace and security in the country.

Mr Bani therefore urged Ghanaians to be vigilant and provide timely information on suspicious activities to the security agencies for immediate action to be taken.

The Independent Newspaper, originally the brainchild of Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere, first printed in 1989 is not only one of Ghana's foremost private newspapers, but also, for years, continued to be a pacesetter in objective and balanced reporting of news, commentary and analysis at all levels.

Mr Ben Otchere, Director, Angel Publishing said the new management sought to have a newspaper that would be human centred to be devoid of overly politicising of issues but of humanitarian situations including health, education and others.

'Under the current management of Angel Publishing, The Independent Newspaper is well positioned with the onerous aim of promoting credible, accurate and objective reports, analysis and commentary at all times.

'We remain steadfast in our commitment to preserve the notable attributes of the newspaper: accuracy, reliability, fairness, balance and responsible reporting, hence our tagline 'Truth for God and Country','' he said.

Mr Thomas Buabeng, Lecturer, University of Ghana Business School, urged media practitioners to position themselves as neutral arbitrators and desist from sensationalism and partisan activities to matriculate Ghana into a higher level of democracy, peace and stability.

GNA
Voters in the United States of America have voted in the much anticipated presidential election between the Democratic Party candidate and former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton and her rival from the Republican Party, Donald Trump.

Donald Trump, has congratulated Hillary Clinton

Clinton and Donald Trump are at war in the US presidential race. But who is leading in the polls?

As Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump wait for voters' verdict. Naij.com is covering the keen contest to keep you updated. Read our live coverage below and remember to always refresh your browser for fresh updates.

The new US presidential elect, Donald Trump, has congratulated Hillary Clinton "on a very, very hard-fought campaign".

Donald Trump will win the White House, making him the 45th US president of the United States of America.

READ ALSO: US election: TB Joshua under attack over FAILED prediction

Donald Trump will win Arizona, according to projections from election observers.

Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton has called her Republican rival, Donald Trump to concede the race.

Reports just coming in have it that George W. Bush and his wife, Laura Bush, did not vote for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Tuesday and left their ballots for president blank, according to The Hill.

Cheers as Trump arrives at the Hilton Midtown hotel where he is staging his "Victory Party".

Just in: Donald Trump will win Wisconsins 10 electoral votes

It is getting clearer that Americans voted massively for Trump because of a mass anger that the country country could be ruled for eight years by a black. These tweets confirm this position.

Projections from election analyst have put Donald Trump on 259 electoral college votes and at this stage, all the numbers are leading towards a Trump victory n the US election as data below indicate.

READ ALSO: US election: Donald Trump in comfortable lead

Based on his lead, it appears Donald Trump has already prepared his victory as a source from his camp has told CNN that his speech will be "gracious" -- he will reach out to those who didn't vote for him and say it's time to come together".

US election: Data from the UK Telegraph puts Trump ahead.

Some analyst say a win for Donald Trump could shake America's politics what has been described as America's Brexit'.

Acordint to the BBC, Trump has won the states of Florida, Ohio, Iowa and North Carolina, while Democrat Mrs Clinton took Virginia and Nevada, ABC projects.

Pennsylvania is too close to call. New Hampshire, Michigan and Wisconsin - which were meant to be part of the Clinton firewall - are deadlocked, too. Markets lurched as Mrs Clinton's path to victory began to narrow.

The BBC data also puts Trump ahead of his rival, Clinton.

Mr Trump and his family watch the results come in. Photo credits: BBC.

Tears at Clinton HQ, cheers at Trump HQ. Photo credits. BBC.

As Trump takes commanding lead over Clinton, Trump's supporters have gathered outside the white house.

Source: Legit.ng
At the start of the United States election when it was clear that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump had secured their parties nomination. It was clear from the beginning that many Nigerians both at home and Diaspora had favoured a Clinton win. Nigerians have always leaned toward Democratic Party.

They rooted for Clinton both on the streets and on social media. This was also the case in 2008 when Nigerians supported Barrack Obama for as the first African American President.

It was thus a disappointment for many when Donald Trump was announced as the 45th president of the United States of America on Tuesday November 9, 2016. Now that Trump has won, what are the implications for Nigerians especially those in the US? Clinton to them represents continuity while Trump is dramatic change.

Here are 6 ways Trumps presidency will affect Nigerians abroad.

1. They believe US will turn to a racial country

Trump has called for racial profiling, especially Muslims. He threatened to bar their entry into USA. This is given the rhetoric by Trump during his campaign that he will deport immigrants from the US. A majority of Nigerians are also Muslims, a group Trump wants to bar from the United States.

Again in his speech as the president elect he said "I am the president of all Americans. Regardless of who voted and who did not."

2. Stricter immigration policies

If I become president, we will send them all home. We will build a wall at the Atlantic shore.

If you are a Nigerian and you are planning illegal migration to the United State, you had better stay calm. This is a new administration and you wont want to joke with Americans.

3. His opposition of Muslims

His concerns about the activities of those that seek to establish a new world caliphate where sharia law is applied to all and where Christians and non-Sunni Muslims are slaughtered and killed, would have none of that.

This is good news because terrorist like Boko Haram sect will meet their Waterloo.

READ ALSO: 11 really HOT photos of Melania Trump, Americas new first lady you must see

4. No Gay marriage

Donald Trump has been a consistent opponent of marriage equality. Trump said his first priority if elected would be to Preserve and protect our religious liberty. Were going to protect the first amendment."

He said: "I hate it. I am a traditionalist. I have so many fabulous friends who happen to be gay, but I am a traditionalist."

For Nigerians living in US there is an assurance that gay marriage wont be a legal practice for Africans especially Nigerians. Unlike the Obama administration that welcomes the legal practice of homosexuality.

READ ALSO: 10 hilarious ways Nigerians reacted to Donald Trump winning the election

5. Fear of Deportation

According to 2006 American Community Survey, Nigeria has the greatest number of its people in America. There were about 266,000 US residents claiming Nigerian heritage.

Nigerians are the single largest contemporary African immigrant group in the United States. They feared that a Trump win would mean mass deportation.

6. He believes America First (Favouritism)

Trump confirmed in his speech on foreign policy to the center for the national interest in Washington, DC, on April 27 that America First

And this would be the overriding theme of his administration. He would reject multilateral trade deals and institutions, take a much tougher line on illegal immigration, and forge a new approach to defense and security alliances.

Source: Legit.ng
Twins share transformation clip, say nobody wanted to be their friends when they were Deeper Life members
- Senators from the south east zone who have recently met President Muhammadu Buhari revealed topics of private discussion

- Roads, general infrastructure, rail and airports conditions, security and the IPOB activities was on the agenda

President Buhari receives Deputy Senate President Senator Ike Ekweremadu and 7 other senators at the State House

The delegation of the Nigerian senators from the south east zone held a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, November 9, at the Aso Rock presidential villa in Abuja.

READ ALSO: Buharis ministers at war as Trumps takes the White House

The details of the meeting have just been made public by Ike Ekweremadu, the deputy of the Senate president Bukola Saraki, who said:

"For us from the south-east, we believe that dialogue is better than any other form of engagement. So we decided to visit the President and present to him some of the concerns of the south east, including the issues of roads, general infrastructure, the rail and airports."

The meeting took place on November 9, at Aso Rock

They senators asked the president to look into the state of security -- particularly the activities of the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) -- and infrastructure in the south-east region.

Eyinnaya Abaribe, the chairman of the south east caucus in the Senate, described their region as the most "short-changed" in the country.

READ ALSO: Old woman presents President Buhari a BEAST in Benin

"We know that there are problems everywhere but we also believe that the south-east is the zone that is far more short-changed at this time than other zones.

We also talked about the issue of appointments from the south-east, especially with respect to the National Security Council. The President also told us that governors of the South-east have also engaged him on the same problems," Mr. Abaribe said.

The delegation that included included Sam Egwu, Hope Uzodinma, Andy Uba and Chukwuka Utaziwas was led by the Senate president Bukola Saraki and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu.

Source: Legit.ng
Member Deposits Remain Protected to $250,000; Services Uninterrupted

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Nov. 9, 2016)  The Director of the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services today appointed the National Credit Union Administration conservator of Valley State Credit Union, of Saginaw.

Valley State members should experience no interruption in normal services. Deposits at Valley State Credit Union remain protected by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund. Administered by NCUA, the Share Insurance Fund insures individual accounts up to $250,000, and a members interest in all joint accounts combined is insured up to $250,000. The Share Insurance Fund separately protects IRA and KEOGH retirement accounts up to $250,000. The Share Insurance Fund has the backing of the full faith and credit of the United States.

The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services placed Valley State Credit Union into conservatorship on Aug. 17, 2016 because of unsafe and unsound practices at the credit union. While continuing normal member services, NCUA will work to resolve issues affecting the credit unions operations. Members can continue business as usual, conducting financial transactions, accessing share deposits and loan services, and using web-based account inquiries and bill payment.

Valley State Credit Union is a federally insured, state-chartered credit union with 2,925 members and assets of $22.3 million, according to the credit unions most recent Call Report. Chartered in 1955, Valley State Credit Union serves employees, members or retirees of the government of the state of Michigan who live or work in the Michigan counties of Arenac, Bay, Genesee, Huron, Midland, Saginaw, Sanilac or Tuscola; organizations that contract with agencies of the state of Michigan to provide janitorial services to those offices located in the above counties; Saginaw Valley State College, including employees, students and alumni; members of the immediate families of the foregoing; and any legal entity that is comprised for the most part of the same general group as the membership of the credit union.

Members who have questions about the conservatorship should contact Valley State Credit Union at 989.793.5943. Members also should review the Valley State Credit Union Frequently Asked Questions document attached to this release and available online here.
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Less Is More?

As with most things in a marriage, the details of our trip started with a negotiation. We were driving from Washington, DC, to Acadia National Park, with several pits stops along the wayNYC, Portland, Camden, Cape Codand my wife knew that breweries would be part of the itinerarybecause its always part of the itinerary. Denver, Fort Collins, Portland, Oregon. Weve toured more than a handful of beer cities, but she can never indulge in more than a few sips because they trigger migraines. A sip of an IPA, a small pour of a sour or a saison, sure. But I knew that what I hoped fordedicating half the itinerary to beerwasnt gonna happen. Not if I wanted to have fun on the trip andyou knowstay married.

I knew I had to narrow my ambition considerably.

Maine does not make this easy. It boasts 57 breweries, according to the Maine Brewers Guild, including Allagashwho built their empire by introducing the Belgian White to mainstream Americaand a slew of other must-visits. The official map of Maine Breweries is so dense with points of interest it looks like Google Maps contracted the measles.

The route wed takedriving north from Portland along Route One to Acadiadid help eliminate some of the contenders. But Portland has more than half a dozen breweries and loads of beer-centric bars and bottle shops, and thats just one town.

So, I narrowed it down to three stops. Well, I started with five, but quickly realized (with my wifes patience guidance) that three was the magic number. To help focus, I looked to the craft pioneers (Allagash) as well as the results of best-of lists, like the ranking of the best American IPAs (Maine Beer Company) and the sage advice of similarly beer-obsessed friends whod toured the state last year (Oxbow). I also planned to scour every Whole Foods I could. Those shelves always carry surprises.

What I didnt expect? The joys of discovering things beyond the rare beer you had to try. Visiting the sprawling complex of Urban Farm Fermentory to try flights of kambucha, cider, and gruit, an ancient form of beer made from fermented herbs. Or finding a stellar beer list at a restaurant amidst the tourist frenzy of Bar Harbor, just outside of Acadia. And discovering that any self-respecting establishment throughout the statefrom lobster shacks to oyster-shucking upstairs barsprides itself on carrying a few local brews, most of which were entirely new to me. And most of those places also had a nice dry white wine that my wife could enjoy.

Brewer Rob Tod timed the launch of Allagash perfectly. The U.S. beer scene had become familiar with German and British styles, but Belgian styles hadnt found its place on the American palate. He assembled a 15-barrel brewhouse made from used equipment and sold his first batch of the Belgian wheataptly named the Alllagash Whitein 1995. For some, it was a gateway into a variety of other styles. For others, its just a great freakin beer; it still accounts for most of Allagashs sales more than 20 years later.

Tod has since expanded his line to include other Belgian staples like its Tripel, Dubbel, and the Saison, a relative newcomer thats fast becoming one of the strongest-selling brews in their line. But beer geeks likely gravitate toward Allagashs more adventurous offerings, like their experimental limited-release beer and those that pass through the coolship. The latter uses a traditional Belgian method of spontaneous fermentation, where the hot, unfermented wart is cooled overnight using the ambient outdoor temperature in a large, shallow pan known as a coolship, which encourages wonderfully unpredictable elements (like the wild berries growing just outside) to inoculate the beer. The next morning, its transferred into French oak wine barrels, where its aged for one to three years and then blended to create tart, sour beers like the Resurgam. Built in 2007, its the only one in the country, and the stained-glass windows (which always stay open) evoke a cathedral atmosphere to the room.

My visit to the brewery was relatively quickas are most. The tours are free, as are the samples of the four beers they have on tap each day, but they dont sell beer by the pint at the brewery, so that the tours keep moving and the tasting room doesnt become a mess of tippled tourists. I met with Lindsay Bohanske, the brewerys media handler and all-around beer expert, for a quick walk through the facility, which sits in the same place where Tod first started brewing, about a 15-minute drive outside of downtown Portland. The facility has naturally expanded in the decades since he sold his first Allagash White, and now includes bottle and canning and the wild barrel room.

I left with two bottles of their Farm to Face, a limited-edition ale brewed with three pounds of peaches per gallon of beer. The fruit was sourced from Applecrest Farm in New Hampshire, and last years crop had suffered from a premature frostthe 2016 would be the last until 2018. Start planning your trip now, and hope they still have a few available. Oh, and if you want the tour, reserve a space.

I swear Im not making this up: when my wife and I got to the Urban Farm Fermentory, a basket-weaving class was happening in the courtyard just outside its expansive property. Inside the massive space, the hippy/hipster vibe continued, like something out of a feverish Portlandia dreamscape. But in a good way.

As its name proclaims, this experimental urban farm and community engagement hub is focused on making authentic fermented beverageskombucha, cider, mead, and gruit, using local and foraged ingredients whenever possible. They even have a sign asking for donations of any herbs or other ingredients that you might have in abundance.

We opted for a flight of kombucha, cider, and gruit (I find mead to be too sweet), and it was a spectacular tour of different, bold flavorssour, sharp, herbal, earthy, sweet, and spicy. The three gruitsan ancient method of beer-making using herbswont replace my love of West Coast IPAs, but the ciders were refreshingly tart and funky, a far cry from the saccharine sweetness typical to most mainstream versions. And the kombuchas were a revelation, particularly the one made with ghost pepper. The heat didnt punch you the way that peppers reputation would have you believe. It was subtle, coming on quietly, artfully at the end of the beverages sour notes.

The menu is entirely seasonalnaturallyand they also offer 32-ounce growler fills. They also distribute bottled kombucha throughout the state, as well as in Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, and Washington, DC.

Oxbow has a tasting room in Portland, but theres no substitute for a visit to their Newcastle facility, which sits about 20 minutes off Route 1. As with Allagash, Oxbow specializes in traditional Belgian-style ales, but with a decidedly American influence. The tasting room resembles a wood shack (in the best of ways), and is attached to the farmhouse brewery.

Dont expect an organized tour, and dont hold that against em. By now you probably already know how beer is made. Besides, the property embodies everything pastoral about Mainerolling hills, pools of shade cast by the canopies of massive trees, a small lakealong with all of the brewery trappings like picnic tables, corn hole, and occasional live music or food trucks. You can get a sample flight of the six or so beers on tap, and also buy regional cheese, as well as a handful of 750ML bottles to go (some barrel-aged), as well as the requisite t-shirts, hats, and onesies.

Their farmhouse styles cover the gamut, including a pale, an IPA, and a grisette, all accompanied with various degrees of funkiness akin to the farmhouse style. If they have a bottle, grab a Barrel-Aged Farmhouse Pale. The American saison was aged in American and French oak barrels, making the beer a tart, funky success. We were less thrilled with the Saison DellAragosta, which was brewed with live lobster and sea salt, resulting in a disappointingly briny aftertaste. This may be exception to prove the rule that Maine lobster always tastes good.

If Oxbow is brewing gone rustic, then Maine Beer Co. is its oppositeat least in terms of architecture. Their modern brewing facility sits off Route One, just north of Portlands suburbs, and its a gleaming sight to behold. Food trucks outside, a buzzy tasting room inside, with big plate glass windows overlooking the mad alchemy afoot in their brewing facilities. Tours arent offered, and they dont offer kegs or growler fills. But you can taste from the eight beers on tap, including some brewery-only releases. But for me, the biggest draw was scoring several of the reasonably-priced bottles to go, like their award-winning Lunch IPA, the Beer V, and a tiny beautiful something (arguably the most perfect and understated beer name ever).

Visiting the brewery will also help you grasp their overarching commitment to brewing the right way, which translates into giving back. Solar panels dominate a large part of the brewerys yardand Maine Beer Co. offsets any additional energy consumption. Theyre a part of the Brewers for Clean Water and have signed the Clean Water Pledge. Local farmers inherit their spent grain and liquid waste for compost, fertilizer, and feed. They also participate in 1% for the Planet, and host a variety of fund-raising events like fun runs and bike rides.

Bar Harbor sits at one of the most-used entrances into Acadia National Park, and in many ways, operates as the travel epicenter of the region. We visited the town late one afternoon, went straight for a long day hike, and the throngs of tourists walking shoulder-to-shoulder on the sidewalks, dazed and unaware of the rest of the world around them, sent us scurrying for shelter.

The facade of Blaze promised craft beer and wood-fired flavors, and it delivered.

The place has 50 beers on tap, with everything from microbrew stand-bys like Ballast Point to a whole host of regional beer from Maine and the surrounding states. They had limited release brew from Bissell Brothers, an upstart brewery from Portland, and a robust selection of lambics and sours. Andyesa respectable wine list.

I cant attest to what this bar/restaurant scene is like once the sun setswe got there as the dinner staff was starting to prep, and their uniforms and overall decor felt like Blaze was ambitiously trying to corner the nighclub scene in Bar Harbor. But it offers sweet solace from the sprawling masses that choke Bar Harbors main drag throughout the summer.
Big ups to IKEA for using the significant foot traffic of one of its biggest stores to help drive home the reality of life in war-torn Syria.

The Swedish retailer recently built a 25 square-metre replica of a real Syrian familys home  almost totally bare save for some rugs and meager furnishings  inside IKEA Slependen, its Norway flagship.

The aim? To give customers a taste of what lifes like for Rana, a mum of four young kids who lives in a tiny two-bedroom apartment in war-torn Damascus.

Their suburb of Jaramana is considered safer than many other neighboring areas but families like Ranas often live in bombed-out or crumbling buildings with little access to food, medicine, clean water and warm clothes during cold winter months.

When we had to flee to this area to find safety, we did not have enough money to rent a better place. We have no money to buy mattresses and blankets, or clothes for the children, Rana told the Red Cross, with whom IKEA collaborated to replicate the apartment in a joint fundraising venture.

The plastic price tags you usually find dangling off $2 planters were used to tell the familys story, as well as serving as donation slips for Red Cross.

POL, the creative agency who helped execute the activation, were determined the give shoppers the most authentic experience possible  and that meant building the house from pure concrete on-site.

It would have been easier to just put up wallpaper, but it wouldnt have felt the same, art director Snorre Martinsen told AdWeek. People who had fled war themselves have told us, This is how it feels. I remember this.'

The installation was open to the public for two weeks in October, and raised more than 22 million euros (or AU$31.5 million) for Red Cross efforts in Syria  an amazing result.

Check out the campaign video, and kids reactions as they walk through the apartment with their parents.

If you want to do your bit, you can donate to Red Cross Australias Syrian appeal HERE.

Source: AdWeek.

Photo: Supplied.
Matthew Donaldson Wins HPT Ameristar St. Charles ($132,917)

November 09, 2016 Mo Nuwwarah Editor

Ari Engel was trying for his second Heartland Poker Tour title at HPT St. Charles, just outside of St. Louis. He fell just short as Matthew Donaldson beat him heads up to top the field of 407 and take down the $132,917 first-place prize.

Official Final Table Results

Place Player Prize 1 Matthew Donaldson $132,917 2 Ari Engel $82,067 3 Nicholas Constantin $54,615 4 Andrew Eisen $37,855 5 Derek Schroeder $28,608 6 Stephen Mitchell $22,251 7 Robert Geith $18,494 8 Nick Weber $15,315 9 Mary Sturges $12,946

Jake Bazeley, Kane Lai and Kyle Cartwright were some of the players who cashed in the 45 paid spots but did not make a run to the final table.

According to the live updates, Engel was predictably the man to catch when the final table began. He went in with a slight chip lead over Nicholas Constantin.

Things kept going Engel's way early as the 2016 Aussie Millions champ quickly knocked out Mary Sturges and Nick Weber, the latter courtesy of a set-over-set situation. Then, Engel picked up the when Robert Geith shoved in his last 12 big blinds with . An ace-high runout later and Engel had almost half of the chips with six players left.

A stroke of good luck pushed Donaldson into the lead though, when he got kings in on an flop against Stephen Mitchell, who had flopped bottom two pair with . A king on the turn sent a huge pot to Donaldson.

Engel then shipped over a raise from Derek Schroeder and a call from Donaldson. Schroeder called off for about 16 big blinds with ace-king and was pleased to see he was ahead of Engel's ace-queen. However, a queen peeled off on the turn to send Schroeder out fifth.

A nasty straight-over-straight cooler left Engel with just 250,000 at blinds of 40,000/80,000/10,000 but he was able to survive, while Andrew Eisen, the beneficiary of that hand, was eventually short again four-handed. He got the last of it in with but was unable to overtake the ace-eight of Donaldson.

Donaldson held a big lead three-handed, but things got dicey for him after he handed out a few doubles to Engel and Constantin. Engel hit a pair of three-outers to survive and eventually retake the lead. Engel then sent Constantin to the rail with kings against Constantin's top pair and it was Donaldson and Engel battling for the title.

Engel had a slight lead when play began but the players were fairly deep with an average stack around 50 big blinds so there was plenty of play. After Donaldson took the lead, they got stacks in preflop after a raising war with Engel's dominating the of Donaldson. A flop of left the eight-time ring winner wanting a king or a queen, but running diamonds just improved his opponent to a flush.

With that, Donaldson had his biggest cash by far while Engel had to settle for $82,067.

Image courtesy of HPT
To provide a industry recognized credential in Criminal Justice, Precision Exams has collaborated with the CTE Criminal Justice Committee and the Missouri Peace Officers Association to provide industry recognized credential for students.

Contact

Bridget Fowers

Marketing Director

***@precisionexams.com Bridget FowersMarketing Director

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-- Precision Exams announced a collaboration with the CTE Criminal Justice Committee and the Missouri Peace Officers Association to provide industry recognized credential for students of criminal justice programs. The Skilled Technical Sciences section of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provided leadership to develop this Industry Recognized Credential in Criminal Justice. The announcement comes after these organizations recognized a need for an ongoing collaboration on the core development of future criminal justice professionals.As experts in criminal justice, the Missouri Peace Officers Association works to advance the science and art of criminal justice services, and to promote the criminal justice profession. The Missouri Peace Officers Association actively works to foster cooperation, and the exchange of information, and experience among peace officers throughout the state of Missouri, and to provide further training for those in the law enforcement profession.Precision Exams, a U.S.-based testing and certification organization, has collaborated with both organizations to implement a next-level, industry-aligned Career and Technical Education certification exam in criminal justice.By sponsoring the Criminal Justice Career Skills Certification, the Missouri Peace Officers Association have identified, and validated key knowledge criminal justice professionals should have when pursuing a career. This collaboration follows an ongoing partnership between the CTE Criminal Justice Committee and the Missouri Peace Officers Association that helps students of criminal justice begin working toward a career."The new certification exam in criminal justice allows us to educate potential criminal justice professionals about possible duties including patrol, investigative activities, traffic control, crowd control, public relations, witness interviewing, evidence collection and management, court procedures, and the law in general." said Dr. Oscar Carter, director, Skilled Technical Sciences at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education"The criminal justice field continues to face pressure to prepare their people for a more complex grid of situations and scenarios," said Dale Schmidt, executive director, Missouri Peace Officers Association. "This exam arrives at the right time to help pass knowledge from seasoned professionals to students about the duties of police and public security officers.""Our approach at Precision Exams is to work with subject-matter experts from both industry, and education to help ensure that Career & Technical Education certification meets industry needs, while bringing reliable reports to help educators innovate their lesson plans," said Adam Sanchez, national sales director, at Precision Exams. "Each of our exams are reviewed on a one- to three- year cycle by subject matter experts. When industries adapt and change, so do we. That is why the sponsorship from the Missouri Peace Officers Association and CTE Criminal Justice Committee of Missouri is so vital."About Missouri Peace Officers AssociationThe Missouri Peace Officers Association is one of the oldest and largest associations of law enforcement personnel in the state of Missouri. The MPOA has been in existence since 1932. Membership in the MPOA is open to all branches and ranks of the criminal justice field. Membership also includes those in the private security profession. Membership in the MPOA is inclusive of a people in the criminal justice field in the state of Missouri.About Skilled Technical SciencesSkilled Technical Science programs educate high school, post-secondary, or adult students in the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in the modern workplace and/or to advance in their educational program with no remediation required.About PrecisionPrecision Exams is built on the belief that the future of America depends on the next generation's ability to create. In today's hyper-competitive markets, we need makers, doers, artists, and craftsmen to solve the problems of tomorrow. With over 4,000,000 assessments delivered across the country, Precision Exams provide comprehensive solutions with a client-focused approach to test development and delivery, stockholder reporting, and psychometric analysis. With schools and districts using their exams in nearly every state in America, Precision drives innovation to improve the way the next generation works and lives. Visit https://www.precisionexams.com for additional information.
It seems to be a common statement during the 2016 campaign: "If so-and-so is elected, I'm moving to Canada" (or some other country). Here are 
Latest features save design time and help enhance security..

By: Rockwell Automation

Media Contact

Citra Prasetyo

Asia-Pacific Connections for Rockwell Automation

citra@apconnections.com

+65 6334 9045 Citra PrasetyoAsia-Pacific Connections for Rockwell Automation+65 6334 9045

End

-- Engineers are under constant pressure to deliver automation systems faster. To help streamline the design and configuration process, Rockwell Automation has enhanced the Rockwell Software Studio 5000 integrated development environment. The software now includes expanded integration with engineering tools, predeveloped application content to replace custom code, and new features to help enhance security.The Studio 5000 Architect application can now collaboratively exchange data with popular engineering tools, such as EPLAN and AutoCAD. This bidirectional data transfer helps improve startup time by reducing the need for engineers to manually re-enter control data from engineering tools into the Studio 5000 software."The enhanced integration with ECAD tools can save hours of engineering time during the design process and when making system changes in the future," said Andy Stump, Business Manager, Rockwell Automation. "It also helps reduce the risk of error and gives users greater freedom to use the engineering tools of their choice."Rockwell Automation also added predeveloped application content to the Studio 5000 Application Code Manager application. Engineers can use the content instead of creating custom code to save time and more easily standardise their systems. Content will initially include the Rockwell Automation library of process objects and machine builder libraries of control code, HMI faceplates, alarms, events and historian tags."We will continue to add more standardised code that is tailored to customers' applications,"said Joachim Thomsen, Senior Manager of Application IP, Rockwell Automation. "Over time, this will change the way our customers approach programming because they can leverage prebuilt content rather than writing code themselves. Ultimately, it will help them achieve faster time-to-market, improve design consistency and reduce engineering costs."To help enhance security, Rockwell Automation has added license-based content protection to the Studio 5000 Logix Designer application. This helps manufacturers protect the design and execution of their Logix content by limiting who can view or edit object source code. It also restricts code duplication in unauthorised machines. For OEMs, this helps reduce the risk of users copying code onto a machine they did not build.The Studio 5000 View Designer application has a new add-on graphics capability that helps simplify the configuration process. Users can create their own reusable graphics, and easily configure and link them to custom Logix data types and add-on instructions. In addition, the Studio 5000 View Designer application now includes multilanguage support, so users can switch languages on their operator terminals.Rockwell Automation has also added virtual design capabilities to the Studio 5000 software. With the new Studio 5000 Logix Emulate application, engineers can validate, test and optimise application code independent of physical hardware. This helps reduce project costs and shorten development cycles. The Studio 5000 Logix Emulate application also can connect to third-party simulation and operator training systems, so users can simulate an entire process and train teams in a safer, virtual environment.About Rockwell AutomationRockwell Automation, Inc., the world's largest company dedicated to industrial automation and information, makes its customers more productive and the world more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 22,000 people serving customers in more than 80 countries.Follow ROKAutomation on Twitter ( http://twitter.com/ ROKAutomation Connect with ROKAutomation on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ROKAutomation)Link with ROKAutomation on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/rockwell-automation)Media contact:Citra PrasetyoAsia-Pacific Connections for Rockwell Automationcitra@apconnections.com+65 6334 9045
Top Architects & Planners from USA, Europe, Australia and all over India will participate in the conference

By: LPU

End

-- After the grand success of NICHE 2014, and completion of 100 years of Indian institute of Architects (IIAs), Lovely Professional University in collaboration with IIAs (Chandigarh Punjab Chapter) is organising the second edition of the international architectural conference 'NICHE-IPM-2016' (Neo- International Conference of Habitable Environments & International Professionals Meet) from 11to 13Nov 2016, dealing with architecture, planning and design. Ambassador of Republic of Togo His Excellency Logosu Teko Kanyi Galley will be the Chief Guest at the inaugural day.Supporting the Prime Minister Narender Modi's mission of Smart Cities India, professionals from various backgrounds will contribute towards the aim of the conference with their expertise. NICHE-IPM 2016 comprises of series of events with a strong global inclination devoted to pioneering technologies and expertise from smart to sustainable initiatives. The conference focuses on growth, innovation, skills and sustainability with the goal of making India a better place to work and live.Various international and national guests for the NICHE-IPM 2016 will be Ar.Matthew Taylor from Australia, Dr.Arlene Plevin from USA, Ms. Mateja Geder from Slovenia, Ms. Paola Maratani from Italy, Prof. D.S. Meshram(President ITPI), Prof.Chetan Vaidya(Director-SPA Delhi), Dr P.S.N. Rao (Chairman DUAC), Ar.Manoj Mathur (Head Architecture Department SPA Delhi, Dr.Ashok Kumar(Urban planner SPA Delhi, Mr. Mukul Kulkarni(Principal Designer- White Design),Dr.S.Ghoshal (Director UPES Design School) Mr. S.M.Chaudhary (Bamboo Expert), Ms. Shivani Sharma (Head, Saffron Touch).Chief Patron and Patron for the conference is LPU Chancellor Mr. Ashok Mittal, Patron Pro-Chancellor Mrs. Rashmi Mittal and Publication Chair is Chief Architect of LPU Associate Professor Ar. Atul Singla. The principal objective of this conference is to share experiences of various experts from the field of built environment. To achieve same, the conference will aim towards sustainable environment through the sub themes of urban planning and infrastructure, sustainable built environment, design innovations and more.
Enoro has signed a contract to deliver Enoro CIS (Customer Information System) solution for Loiste. Loiste is one of the most progressive energy companies in Finland, and their goal is to raise customer experience to a new level together.

By: Enoro Oy

Contact

Stian Madsen

***@enoro.com Stian Madsen

End

-- Enoro CIS will handle the customer care and billing for 200,000 energy customers in Finland. The project to take the system into use will begin towards the end of the year 2016. The system will be utilized by all of the business lines at Loiste: electricity retail, distribution system operator and district heating.Following the deal Loiste will join the largest CIS community in the Nordics, with over 130 utilities already using Enoro's CIS system in Finland, Sweden and Norway."With Enoro's comprehensive Customer Information System we can offer our customers better products and services. The system will handle our sales, marketing and customer relationship management processes. It covers as well the functionalities needed by our distribution system operator. With Enoro CIS we can engage our customers through multiple channels creating a seamless customer experience. Digitizing services and automating processes reduce our operating expenses while increasing the quality of our services. For example our new mobile applications, which allow the customer to manage their electricity and heating matters fluently with a mobile phone," says Markku Ryymin, CEO of Loiste."Together with our partners we want to be in front line developing solutions to improve customer experience and streamline our business. Enoro is a long-term partner of ours and with them we can together search new business opportunities and create software solutions to support these. Enoro was the clear choice for us because they are agile and innovative, and their system has a strong client base in the Nordics.We are confident that Enoro CIS is the best choice for us moving towards data hub centric market," says Ryymin."This deal is a significant addition to our cooperation with Loiste. Loiste already uses Enoro's MDM/EDM solution GENERIS and energy analytics service Utilytics. With the introduction of Enoro CIS they will have the entire Enoro software portfolio in use. This brings Loiste internal synergies and enables them to create an even better customer experience,"says Stian Madsen, CEO Enoro CIS."For us Loiste is more than a customer, they are an innovation partner. Loiste wants to challenge their customers to demand better service. Loiste also wants to develop their business in the front line of the renewing energy market, and we are delighted to strengthen our cooperation,"says Madsen.Loiste group consists of several companies. Loiste Group has 200,000 customers and multiple distribution networks in Finland. Loiste group has over 70 energy professionals, who operate tightly together with a wide partner network. In 2015, the total revenue of the group comprised 149 million Euros. Loiste Energy Sales sells electricity everywhere in Finland (except for Aland). Loiste Energy produces and sells electricity into the wholesale market. Loiste Networks operates as the distribution system operator in its responsibility regions in Kainuu, Northern Ostrobothnia and in Kotka. The company is responsible for electricity distribution as well as the maintenance, building and usage of distribution network as well as related services. www.loiste.fi Enoro develops and delivers software solutions and services to create competitive advantage to energy utilities in Europe and beyond. With over 20 years' experience and more than 250 employees we have a unique industry experience. More than 400 companies in Europe use Enoro's solutions daily to enhance their operations and 15 million energy customers rely on data from Enoro. 130 utilities across the Nordic region have chosen Enoro for the business critical area of Customer Information and Billing System (CIS). We have a strong and proven knowledge with 140 CIS experts in our team. Enoro's energy data management systems draw on a deep understanding of the energy trade, regulatory environment, IT systems and business processes.Enoro Customer Information System (CIS) is a service for utility billing and customer care. It enables utilities to better understand and communicate with their energy customers, and offer new and personalized energy services. Enoro CIS provides flexibility and cost-efficiency for optimal customer management. In addition, Enoro CIS uses digital channels for customer engagement and self-service. Enoro CIS is offered on a software as a service (SaaS) model and it is a standard system for the utility industry that is optimized for scalability and flexibility supporting business needs in a pay-as-you-go model. www.enoro.com/ enorocis
Berlin Runar Thor Njalsson has launched a funding campaign using the crowdfunding platform gofundme.

By: Disabled Boy's Dream Journey

Media Contact

Runar or Njalsson

***@simnet.is Runar or Njalsson

End

--Runar is a 24 years old disabled boy from Iceland. He is trying to achieve his ultimate dream of traveling to New-Zealand and going on a special. He cannot do it alone, so he need help from you guys, please help him to make his dream a reality.He is a Huge fan ofis their most popular tour. Take a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Middle-Earth, traveling from Auckland to Queenstown via many exciting filming locations and adventures. You will also meet those involved in the making of the movies, and get off the beaten track into the breath-taking landscapes and natural attractions New Zealand has to offer. Along the way, there are opportunities to fly over the Southern Alps, visit wineries, tramp, skydive or raft down a white water river. All within a small fellowship of like-minded travelers, led by their passionate LOTR guides.The goal 27k is a rough estimate of what this would cost (the flights, the tour itself and all the accommodations)he cannot do this alone and therefore he is taking a group of people with him to help him on this journey and experiencing this with him.Runar says "I was born 3 months ahead of time only 1kg/2 pounds and I have cerebral palsy. I'm confined to a wheelchair and will be all my life. As one can imagine being disabled in a wheelchair means you unfortunately can't do most things you want to do. I won't lie, being disabled is very difficult, every day you sit back and watch people go places or do things you wished you could do. But then it's even more important to never give up and try your best to make some of the things you want to do, happen that brings me to the creation of this page, here is the tour I'm hopefully going on" http://www.redcarpet- tours.com/lotr- tours/14-day- lord-of-the- rings-tour your support is urgently needed! Please consider getting involved, at whatever level you can, and helpget funded!If you can't afford to donate, don't worry - there are plenty of other ways you can help. Please take some time to share this campaign across your social networks and encourage your friends and family to donate.Check the link to the project: https://www.gofundme.com/ 2dj937ms
Xicom Technologies opens up a new corporate office in UK. It is a CMMI Level-3 offshore software development company headquartered in the New Delhi, India.

Media Contact

Xicom Technologies Ltd.

surinder@xicom.biz

+1.855.559.4266 Xicom Technologies Ltd.+1.855.559.4266

End

-- The software development industry is expected to grow three times by the end of the year 2020. If you are also planning to get yourself a customized software, website or a mobile app then you need to hire someone who can provide you exactly what you need. Xicom Technologies, a leading software development firm has a proven track-record in offering app development, tech consulting, & IT outsourcing solutions.Started in 2002, we have till now invested 14+ years in this sector. In all these years we have been able to improve and expand ourselves in an excellent manner. It all began from a small office in New Delhi, India and just a handful of experienced and skilled professionals, within few years we were able to open our offices at several international locations. We recently came up withThe reason behind opening an office in the UK was easily reach out to European markets in a better manner. Our new office is located at the centre of the city so that our clients can quickly reach out to us for a face to face discussion. With our localized approach you will never feel like that you are hiring an offshore company.Our productivity and level of customer engagement helped us gain good amount of national and international customers. Our company is backed up by a strong and trustworthy team of 350+ full-time & part-time developers. Today Xicom Technologies has become one of the leading names in the software development industry.The experts working at Xicom have a right blend of creativity and technical knowledge which allows them to offer a wide range of software design and development solutions. Our professionals can go an extra mile just for the satisfaction of your clients. Being professionals we strive hard and focus on building a transparent environment by deploying each & every resource efficiently. We offer 24/7 technical support. Customer satisfaction is our first priority We concentrate more on providing robust solutions as per the client's requirement Xicom assists its clients in deploying a software or an app that adheres to ISO 9001 processes. We gained market reputation by delivering quality services that too at affordable prices.Xicom Technologies Ltd is a CMMI Level-3 & ISO 9001: 2010 certified offshore software development company which is headquartered in the New Delhi, India. It has over 350+ well-experienced and skilled developers who can deliver innovative, secure and stable IT solutions to small and medium size enterprises spread across different geographical boundaries. Xicom has over 500+ clients engaged in diverse business verticals.Daws House, 33  35 Daws Lane London, NW7 4SD, United Kingdom+44.20.8906.6761
Author Erin Lockwood's fictional story about a beautiful woman juggling career and relationships in modern day Denver is a contemporary take on life.

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-- 'Angels: A love story' introduces a close set of characters. This story is as old as life itself. When two people who are meant to be together  a fact that they both know, can't still get together, what happens? Drama!Light, playful and yet heart wrenching at times  this is a novel for all the true romantics.Cara and Sam are destined for each other, we know it the first time we meet them, and everyone else seems to know it as well. But life constantly interrupts and prevents them from taking the next step.It doesn't help at all that Cara is in a codependent platonic relationship with Theo. Cara is forever the damsel in distress and Theo is the enabler who thrives on being needed all the time. When Sam enters the scene, it disrupts the equation between the two. Theo and Sam have a chequered history behind them and share a love-hate relationship;hate being the dormant emotion.But destiny is a funny thing, and by the time fate is done with these characters their lives will never be the same again.The core message the author wants to send out is this  no one among us is perfect and so let's not even pretend otherwise. Let's also not be scared, don't be scared to love and don't be scared to be loved. Let's start treating people without prejudices and biases. The world isn't conspiring to cause us hurt. Live a little, love a lot, and be human again. Let us bring back compassion and respect into our lives."The whole story line is well thought out and the novel itself is a quick read. Finished the book in 3 days straight! The many situations Cara goes through make you happy, angry, sad, and thoughtful. This was a good first book and I hope the sequel comes out quickly." - Grady Hall, an Amazon reviewerNick Wales had this to sayA slow start I've to admit, but if you don't give up, then you will be treated to a rather enjoyable story about 30-ish something men & women living their life in the big city. There were many scenes that stuck with me - the wedding scene, the first date and the night club scene were all top-class. It is a good contemporary romance with both style and substance.""Love, what a wonderful emotion it is! Great ready to fall in love. Erin has introduced a wonderful character in Cara. I thought it was perfect." - An ARC readerAmy Gonzalez says, "I think Cara is my new favorite heroine. My heart went out to her. It is a good book and I enjoyed the way the author pinned letters and emails into the story."According to reviewer John, "I was really into the story. I understood the humor and felt sad at the right places. I wonder what the story will be like in the second book. Bring it on."Kevin Peter of Moterwriter.com said that, "This is a great story that shows characters going through some tough changes in life. It is very relatable and I liked the different perspective the author gives in the story. I only wish Sam's perspective was given more scope."Erin Lockwood grew up in Castro Valley, California, and attended the University of Oregon where she graduated with a degree in journalism in 2003. From there, she moved to Denver, Colorado, and spent the next seven years searching for the love of her life and building the family of her dreams. It wasn't long until, with children starting preschool and more time on her hands, Erin refocused on her career, beginning with a successful entry into the world of residential real estate as a realtor. Free time was spent reading book after bookand binge-watching the subsequent filmsin the New Adult genre. Hopelessly in love with her husband, she wrote him a short story for their fifth wedding anniversary. That's when she discovered her tireless passion to share her experience of falling in love through fictional characters. That story evolved into the first novel in the Angles Trilogy. Erin still lives in Denver with her husband, Phil, and their three children. They spend most of their summers and holidays on the beautiful island of Coronado where Erin and Phil wish to retire someday.Visit www.moterwriter.com
Zurich

Contact

***@zurich.ie

+353 1 283 1301 +353 1 283 1301

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-- Widely recommended and highly trusted, one of Ireland's most successful life insurance companies - Zurich Life Assurance plc ('Zurich Life') has recently published a highly informative and helpful infographic related to the power of a pension in Ireland, title as 'Ireland: An Aging Country infographic'."Our aim behind publishing this infographic is to inform people about how much pension they should expect with the passing years and how they should plan their pension in order to receive a handsome amount. So, if you are near retirement, or just want to make your future financially safe and secure; then this infographic could provide you the necessary information that would help you further in pension planning", stated the spokesperson of Zurich Life, while discussing the importance of their recently published infographic.This infographic tells the expectedof the, and most important  comprehensive information about expected rise and fall in Irish; which will help hundreds of people in taking smarter and timely decisions about their pension plans. It has been observed that people lose a lot of pension money only because of taking wrong decisions regarding their pension plan at the wrong timing, so this infographic will surely be helpful for people.Zurich Life stated, "In order to secure a financial future, starting a pension is one of the smartest financial decisions you can make. When choosing a pension, having all the information you need is key. Sound advice is invaluable, so it's a good idea to seek advice from a financial broker or advisor. They can guide you through the process and help you select the right plan for your circumstances. You can find a local financial advisor near you with the Zurich Life Advisor Finder. Alternatively, our Financial Planning Team can provide you with more information about Zurich Life's pension plans and options".For more information and Zurich Life's Financial Planning Team assistance, please go to https://www.zurichlife.ie/ pensions/pension- power About: Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurer that serves its customers in global and local markets. With about 55,000 employees, it provides a wide range of general insurance and life insurance products and services. Zurich's customers include individuals, small businesses, and mid-sized and large companies, including multinational corporations, in more than 170 countries. The Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1872. For more information about Zurich Life's expert services, please go to https://www.zurichlife.ie Zurich Insurance GroupCo.Dublin, Ireland+353 1 283 1301customerservices@zurich.iehttps://www.zurichlife.ie/contact-us/
Threat Intelligence Platform from EclecticIQ to streamline information sharing on cybersecurity threats for the members of the New Zealand Internet Task Force

Contact

Martin Voorzanger

Director of Marketing

***@eclecticiq.com Martin VoorzangerDirector of Marketing

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-- The New Zealand Internet Task Force (NZITF) will connect its members through EclecticIQ Platform  a highly secure solution that consolidates cyber threat intelligence from multiple sources to foster in-depth analysis, and enables easier information sharing with trusted partners. EclecticIQ makes extensive use of STIX and TAXII , which are OASIS open-source standards enabling automation of threat intelligence and incident response workflows.With the agreement between NZITF and EclecticIQ, members of the New Zealand Internet Taskforce will have access to EclecticIQ Platform through an online portal. Through EclecticIQ Platform, NZITF members can share critical information about malware and other online threats among themselves and with New Zealand's wider cyber security community.New Zealand Internet Task Force Chair Barry Brailey says information sharing is an important part of working to combat cyber threats, and a tactical imperative as the number of global security incidents continues to rise." says Brailey." he says.EclecticIQ CEO Joep Gommers says the agreement positions the New Zealand Internet Task Force extremely well to make better use of the increasing volume of cyber threat intelligence." says Gommers.Deployment and support of the EclecticIQ Platform is being performed by Cosive, a specialist in incident response and threat intelligence, and EclecticIQ's local representative.A presentation on how the New Zealand Internet Task Force plans to make use of EclecticIQ's Threat Intelligence Platform will be given at the upcoming NZITF Conference, being held across two days in mid-November.The New Zealand Internet Task Force (NZITF) is a non-profit with the mission of improving the cyber security posture of New Zealand. It's a forum based on mutual trust for debate, networking, information sharing, and collaboration on matters relating to the cyber security of New Zealand.Members encompass security professionals across government, law enforcement, academia, information security, and private sector industries including telecommunications, information technology, and banking.EclecticIQ works with large enterprises, governments and MSSPs to improve cyber threat detection, prevention and response. Its analyst-centric EclecticIQ Platform boosts effectiveness of Threat Intelligence practices and intelligence-driven SOC and CERT operations.The EclecticIQ Platform automatically collects intelligence from diverse sources; enables collaborative internal workflows; integrates with enterprise security technologies;and supports secure exchanges with external information-sharing communities.The company won Deloitte's Technology FAST50 Rising Star Award for "Most Disruptive Innovator". EclecticIQ is a member of OASIS CTI TC and affiliate member of FS-ISAC.Cosive helps Australian and New Zealand organisations make better use of their threat intelligence. Cosive are the local representative for EclecticIQ Platform, as well as providing intelligence feeds, integration and consulting services, bespoke software systems development, STIX/TAXII and CybOX consultancy, and incident response guidance.
During this extraordinary week, community leaders and humane organizations across Arkansas will be hosting fun-filled animal events. Educators, students, businesses and caring citizens everywhere will be joining to celebrate and help animals!

By: Animal World USA

Contact

Animal World USA

***@comcast.net Animal World USA

End

-- Animal World USA is pleased to announce Governor Asa Hutchinson has officially proclaimed Arkansas Week for the Animals November 12-20, 2016! During the exciting week, animal shelters, rescue groups, and humane organizations across the state will be hosting animal-related special events which will be saving lives, building relationships, helping animals and strengthening communities.Events will include adoption events across the state, spay/neuter events, R.E.A.D. dog programs in libraries, fall festivals in the parks, animal awareness activities, book donations, anniversary parties to benefit shelter pets, horse events, pet food donations, wildlife activities, bird tours/activities, donation drives, offsite activities to benefit shelters and therapy animals visiting hospitals.Also to be included are a salute to our working K-9 and handlers, vegetarian meetups, Santa pet photos, low cost adoptions & vaccinations, educational events and fun-filled adoption fests for families to enjoy friendship, food, music on behalf of the always amazing animals and there is more being planned! Scores of precious lives will be saved and new relationships will be built during the exciting week.Please visit the website and learn how to become involved http://www.arkansasanimals.org/
The Government of Equatorial Guinea accuses France before national and international public opinion of having launched a false and wholly negative media campaign against our Vice-President of Equatorial Guinea.

Contact

GC Media

Lisa Samuels

***@victormooney.com GC MediaLisa Samuels

End

-- The Government of Equatorial Guinea is accusing various French and Swiss institutions of deliberately carrying out, in recent days, a ferocious media campaign aimed at denigrating the international image of the Vice-President of Equatorial Guinea, H. E. Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue.Within this campaign absurd information has been released regarding the seizure of various luxury vehicles, supposedly belonging to our Vice-President in Switzerland. These vehicles are not the property of the Vice-President of Equatorial Guinea; they belong to an Equatoguinean company. The news of this seizure was published almost without information or references to justify it. We demand the immediate return of these vehicles to the company from Equatorial Guinea, their true owner.The Government of Equatorial Guinea is accusing certain French and Swiss institutions of launching this type of news with the sole aim of influencing in a totally negative manner the judges from the Court in The Hague, at the exact moment when a decision has to be reached regarding the dispute between Equatorial Guinea and France at that court.We recall that Equatorial Guinea has filed an action against France, before the International Court in The Hague, to defend its sovereign right to non-intrusion and nonintervention in national affairs, due to the controversy created by a French court, in attempting to bring to trial the Vice-President of the Republic, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue. Following the hearings held in October, the International Court is, currently and rightly, in the process of formulating its imminent ruling.The Government of Equatorial Guinea has no doubt that this ferocious media campaign against the Vice-President of Equatorial Guinea, launched from various French media organizations just this week, in nothing but an attempt to influence the judges in The Hague; influence international public opinion, and as such, manipulate international justice.Likewise, the Government of Equatorial Guinea also categorically condemns the collaboration of various Swiss media and institutions that, at the request and in solidarity with France, are taking part in this conspiracy, writing and publishing articles in the international press about the seizure of vehicles, in order thus to implicate our Vice-President in the matter.The Government of Equatorial Guinea will report each and every one of these manipulations and conspiracies to international bodies, and to public opinion and the international press. The Government of Equatorial Guinea reminds France that our Country is a totally sovereign State, and that we will not permit any type of attempt at neocolonial domination, such as those that, clearly, they have been trying for some time to impose on our State through actions like these, with the real aim being the destabilization of our country.The Government of Equatorial Guinea also calls on the authorities, media and institutions in Switzerland to maintain their historical neutrality in this matter, and not fall into this maneuver of media manipulation and conspiracy organized by French institutions, as has happened in this latest campaign regarding seized vehicles whose ownership was falsely attributed to the Vice-president of Equatorial Guinea.
By: Commerce Street Capital

Scott Sealy, Cliff Booth, Dory Wiley, Rob Kochis

Contact

Krystal Morris, CPC for Commerce Street

***@pharrpr.com Krystal Morris, CPC for Commerce Street

End

-- What investment strategies are most likely to be successful in today's uncertain financial climate? That was the question on the minds of more than 250 attendees at the 2016 Commerce Street Investment Conference held on Oct. 27, 2016 at The George W. Bush Institute (http://www.bushcenter.org/)at Southern Methodist University (http://www.smu.edu/)in Dallas."All of our speakers and panelists will discuss investment strategies for an increasingly volatile and complex marketplace,"said Dory Wiley, President and CEO of Commerce Street Holdings, LLC (https://www.commercestreetcapital.com/)as he welcomed attendees to the fourth annual Commerce Street Investment Conference. "From real estate to hedge funds, today's conference speakers will provide a great diversity of opinion as well as engaging discussion about various investment philosophies, economic trends and influences."Lead speaker Kenneth Hersh, President and CEO of the George W. Bush Institute, and Co-Founder and Chairman of NGP Energy Capital Management ( http://ngpenergycapital.com/ ), predicted that the global market for oil and gas will rebalance. As evidence supporting his energy industry prognosis, he pointed to the decline in U.S. oil production while the oil price has improved year-over-year along with growing activity in oil industry mergers and acquisitions. Hersh explained that OPEC cannot afford to fill the future demand for oil at today's prices and its oil-funded social programs are under extreme stress. He concluded that countries dependent upon oil, such as Venezuela, Columbia and Nigeria, aren't able to meet growing demand because increasing production takes legislation, technology and massive amounts of capital, none of which they currently have.John Mauldin, visionary thinker, noted financial expert, New York Times best-selling author and Chairman of Mauldin Economics ( http://www.mauldineconomics.com/ ), observed that we are experiencing a bi-polar world where brilliant future possibilities driven by incredible advances in technology and communication are paired with a dark side as many people will be shut out of the economy growth as technology takes over their job functions.Michael Lewitt was recognized in the Financial Times as having been one of the few investors and strategists to forecast the financial crisis of 2008, and also predicted the credit crisis of 2001-2002. This allowed him to protect his clients from the large losses that hit many credit funds during those periods. He continues to write and publish The Credit Strategist, which he views as an essential tool in formulating his investment ideas and strategies. Lewitt advised strategically building cash in portfolios as he sees limited opportunities today that offer compelling risk-adjusted returns. He highly suggests that investors consider an investment in physical gold as a hedge against a possible, dire financial event.Panelists discussing commercial real estate agreed that most markets are "in the seventh or eighth inning" of a favorable investing cycle. Moderator Cliff Booth, CEO of Westmount Realty Capital, LLC (http://westmountrc.com/)shared his company's strategy of buying and improving infill industrial properties. Booth noted that new infill product isn't being built even though demand is increasing due to e-commerce and the need for "last mile distribution."Scott Sealy, Sr., Chairman of the Board of Sealy & Co. (http://www.sealynet.com/)was very positive about the outlook for 50,000  3000,000 square foot mid-size, industrial properties. Townsend Group Principal, Rob Kochis, whose firm advises institutional investors, noted that Swiss pension funds are looking to the U. S. for the first time and that 6-to-8 percent returns would often be acceptable in their business models.Participants on a hedge fund panel moderated by Mark Whidby, Chief Investment Officer of Lee Financial (https://www.leefin.com/), noted that while the two-and-twenty compensation model seems dead, most institutional investors are willing to pay for alpha (to share profits) if hedge fund managers are successful. Other panelists included Diego Ferry Co-Chief Investment Officer with Greylock Capital Management, Inc (http://greylockcapital.com/), John Shearman, Partner with Albourne Partners (https://www-us.albourne.com/)and Mati Adler, Managing Director of Angelo Gordon (https://www.angelogordon.com/)In moderating a Private Equity (PE) panel, Joncarlo Mark, Founder of Upwelling Capital Group (http://upwellingcapital.com/)said that most public pension funds have raised their PE allocation from 3 percent in 2000 to 10 percent in 2016. Neuberger Berman (http://www.nb.com/_layouts/www/index.aspx) Managing Director Brien Smith explained that he could determine a PE firm's style in both its investing history and its portfolio. Other panelists included Jack Sadden, Founder of Valesco Industries (http://www.valescoind.com/)and Mark Gormley, Partner in Lee Equity Partners (http://www.leeequity.com/)In a summary presentation, Wiley discussed portfolio allocation issues in today's world and recommended diversification strategies to combat uncertainty in unprecedented times.###("CSH") , headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a premier investment banking firm serving and investing in financial institutions across the United States since 2007. CSH is comprised of the following entities:, (Member FINRA/SIPC) is a broker-dealer whose services include: Mergers & Acquisitions, Recapitalizations, Private Placement of Debt & Equity, Regulatory Advisory, Valuations & Fairness Opinions, Community Bank Capital Markets Services, Small Business Investment Company ("SBIC") Fund Raising, Corporate & Real Estate Finance, Due Diligence Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Commerce Street Holdings LLC, a Texas limited liability company and is an SEC-registered Investment Adviser that provides asset management services for private equity and credit opportunity funds that invest in bank and financial institution related transactions.
By: SOLitude Lake Management

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-- SOLitude Lake Management, an industry leader in lake and pond management, fisheries management and related environmental services for the United States, was named to Inside Business' 2016 Roaring 20 list for the fourth consecutive year. The company was honored on November 3 at an awards celebration at the Westin Hotel in Virginia Beach, Virginia.Inside Business' Roaring 20 award honors Southeastern Virginia's most dynamic businesses based on revenue and employee growth. The award recognizes the top twenty companies that are making significant contributions to the local economy. Award winners chosen experienced annual revenue growth from 2013-2015 and reported gross revenues of at least $2 million in 2015.From 2013-2015, SOLitude grew their staff from 17 employees to 86, while also experiencing double digit year over year growth."We're honored to receive Inside Business' Roaring 20 award for a fourth consecutive year," said Kevin Tucker, Founder and Chief Executive Officer. "The continued success of SOLitude is a testament to the quality of our team members, our shared values, and our commitment to providing clients with sustainable solutions and outstanding experiences."Learn more at: http://pilotonline.com/ inside-business/ special-reports/ roaring-20/roaring- award-solitude- lake-management/ article_e2e8e4d9- 60a4-564f-a314- d20ce4ba1336.html SOLitude Lake Management is committed to providing full service lake and pond management services that improve water quality, preserve natural resources, and reduce our environmental footprint. Our services include lake, pond and fisheries management programs, algae and aquatic weed control, mechanical harvesting, installation and maintenance of fountains and aeration systems, water quality testing and restoration, bathymetry, lake vegetation studies, biological assessments, habitat assessments, invasive species management and nuisance wildlife management. Lake, pond and fisheries management services, consulting, and aquatic products are available nationwide. Learn more about SOLitude Lake Management and purchase products at http:// www.solitudelakemanagement.com
Fighting for General Lee Front Cover

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-- Sheridan R. Barringer was recently honored by the North Carolina Society of Historians (NCSH) at their Diamond Jubilee with the 2016 Historical Book Award for his biography of relative Rufus Barringer,. This is the book's second award since its recent publication in February of this year. In May,was chosen by the Military Order of the Stars and Bars to receive their 2016 Douglas Southall Freeman Award."This is a wonderful book that has been beautifully produced, contains some marvelous vintage maps, photographs, and a reader-friendly text about an interesting subjectthe War Between the States," explained the NCSH judges. "A helpful bibliography section is included, along with lists of primary and secondary sources referred to by this author, and ending with a researcher's delight...a comprehensive index! Due to the many details offered it is virtually impossible to pick and chose what important points to mention with regard to Mr. Barringer's subject matter. It all seemed important to our panelThat being said, anybody interested in the War Between the States would be thrilled with this edition. It is educational, interesting and difficult to put down. It is definitely a book one would want in their library!""I was completely surprised when I received a letter from the North Carolina Society of Historians (NCSH) notifying me that the General Rufus Barringer biography had been selected as a 2016 NCSH History Book Award winner," said author Barringer. "I love North Carolina's rich history. The NCSH promotes scholarly research of North Carolina's history and supports published works to enrich the historiography of the state. I have read and know some of the folks who have been honored with this award in past years. It is indeed an honor to now be included as one of them.""It is wonderful to see author Sheridan 'Butch' Barringer's work recognized with a second prestigious award," explained publisher Savas Beatie's Managing Director Theodore P. Savas. "His original work on General Barringer's life and military service fills a large gap in the cavalry literature, and will stand the test of time. We deeply appreciate the honor."Rufus Barringer fought on horseback through most of the Civil War with General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and rose to lead the North Carolina Cavalry Brigade in some of the war's most difficult combats.details his entire history for the first time. Drawing upon a wide array of newspapers, diaries, letters, and previously unpublished family documents and photographs, as well as other firsthand accounts, author Sheridan Barringer paints a broad, deep, and colorful portrait of an overlooked Southern cavalry commander. Despite its subject matter, the book provides a balanced account that concludes Barringer was a dependable, hard-hitting warrior increasingly called upon to lead attacks against superior Union forces.Sheridan R. "Butch" Barringer lives with his wife, Pam, in Newport News, Virginia. He graduated from Virginia Tech and worked as a mechanical engineer and project manager for nearly four decades with NASA. Butch's interests include studying Civil War history, with an emphasis on the cavalry, and physics and cosmology. Butch has two other books under contract with Savas Beatie: a biography of General Thomas L. Rosser, and an edited memoir written by Rosser. He is currently at work on a biography of Colonel Thomas T. Munford.Savas Beatie LLC is a leading military and general history publishing company. Read more about,including excerpts and an interview with the author: http://www.savasbeatie.com/ books/book_page.php? bookVAR=Fi... Contact: Michele Sams, Savas Beatie LLCEmail: michele@savasbeatie.com Phone: 916-941-6896, Fax: 916-941-6895
The GEM2016 Travelling Mastermind, a Global Business Expedition to Hong Kong, will provide female executives considering the business possibilities of Hong Kong/China with face-to-face insight, information and resources from commercial and government

By: Global Ambicion Group

Contact

Carole Lotito

***@globalambiciongroup.com Carole Lotito

End

-- A Global Business Expedition to Hong Kong,, is being led by international business consultants Global Ambicion Group (http://globalambiciongroup.com/). The trade mission to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is tailored to women business owners (WBOs) who are considering doing business with China. The "Travelling Mastermind" trip is scheduled for the week after Thanksgiving, 2016: Sunday, November 27th to Friday, December 3. Space is still available.The GEM2016 travellers will see the country from a U.S. trade perspective. They will meet U.S. and Chinese government and commercial experts there, as well as potential partners, in a week filled with networking, meetings and site tours. A visit to World SME Expo is also on the itinerary. The Hong Kong trade show focuses on overseas opportunities with China, business intelligence, trade strategies, investors and other trade support services.Julie-Mae Stanley, president of Global Ambicion Group, is leading the GEM2016 trip. She explained, "During my 2016 visit to Capitol Hill, I learned that there are 10 million American women business owners--and 89% of them make less than $50K annually. With 93% of the world's consumers outside the USA, the mission here is to help WBOs expand and increase their impact internationally."She added, "We want women to 'Dream without reservation and act without hesitation!'"GEM2016 participants will return to the USA with briefings, research and resources critical to taking the next step in increasing their business on the world platform. Global Ambicion Group will remain an available and invested consultant. The consulting group also offers an array of empowerment programs, including Business Without Borders, MBTI and The Tipping Point to Success.The GEM2016 Travelling Mastermind is a supporting program of Global Entrepreneurship Week ( http://www.gewusa.org/ ). During Global Entrepreneurship Week, nearly 10 million people participated in the celebration across 165 countries--helping entrepreneurs unleash their ideas and encourage founders to start and scale.For more information about the GEM2016 Global Business Expedition to Hong Kong, or to register for trip, contact ( http://www.globalambiciongroup.com/ gem2016 )julie@globalambiciongroup.com or 646-617-8836.Global Ambicion Group is a strategic consulting firm specializing in globalization strategies, operational implementation, marketing strategies and professional development for small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Global Ambicion Group's solutions are tailored to each client's stage in the globalization transition process. Global Ambicion is a woman-owned business.www.globalambiciongroup.comCarole LotitoMarketing Officer646-617-8836clotito@brightsidesmarketing.com
Funding would pay for 911 Technology and Fire Dispatch Operations

By: Kent County Dispatch Authority

Contact

Sabo PR

***@sabo-pr.com Sabo PR

End

-- The Kent County Board of Commissioners this morning approved ballot language asking residents for a Public Safety Dispatch surcharge increase.The measure, slated to appear on the November ballot, will ask voters for an increase of 70 cents per month, per line for phone service in Kent County, making the new monthly levy $1.15 per phone.That works out to $13.80 per year per phone. The 70 cent increase would address shortcomings with current 911 technology and fire dispatch operations byinvesting in next generation technology that allows for inter-agency communication and other upgrades. The funds would allow authorities to streamline emergency communications that currently can be patchwork in nature because not every agency is on the same radio system.Kent County 911 dispatch currently operates on eight different radio systems, which hampers public safety efforts in some situations because emergency responders cannot communicate directly  even if they areworking on the same incident."Some first responders carry multiple devices in order to talk to various responding agencies, which has led to lapses in communication,"Kent County Sheriff Larry Stelma said. "In incidents involving these agencies, Kent County dispatchers use telephones to communicate with other dispatch agencies, then the dispatcherscommunicate to first responders, which takes more time to complete."The funds would allow Kent County to purchase communications towers and 800 MHz equipment that would place all Kent County dispatchers and first responders on the Michigan Public Safety Communications System. This would improve communication with most of the state's 911 call-taking centers, including those with the Michigan State Police, and Ottawa, Allegan, Ionia and Newaygo counties."Increasingly, law enforcement officials from multiple agencies are being called on to respond to mass shootings and other events that threaten public safety and require an all hands-on-deck approach," said Curtis Holt, director of the Kent County Dispatch Authority and Wyoming city manager. "From the Dantzler shootings in Kent County five years ago to the mass shootings earlier this year Kalamazoo, we have seen time and time again the critical importance of multiple agencies coming together and working as a unified team in times ofcrisis. The surcharge proposed by Kent County provides the public an opportunity to address this concern."The Kent County Board of Commissioners sees this proposal as a means to both enhance 911 dispatch operations and improve the safety of our community."The work leading up to this proposal has been significant and time-consuming, but extremely rewarding," said Jim Saalfeld, chair of the Kent County Board of Commissioners. "This proposal demonstrates efforts and work by all units of government  Kent County, cities, townships, the law enforcement community, and the fire and emergency response communities  as well as various community stakeholders. It underscores yet another example of how our community pulls together at all levels to improve the lives our citizens in the most effective and efficient way possible."The ballot language comes after much collaboration and study of the current dispatch system by many in the communities served by it. "Strong and safe neighborhoods along with responsive public safety services are top priorities,"Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss said. "This proposal gives us the opportunity to serve our residents and taxpayers through collaboration and new technologies."Part of the surcharge will cover costs associated with countywide fire dispatch, which is more complex technologically and more labor intensive than in the past. Most of the cities and townships in Kent County adopted resolutions urging the County to place a surcharge question on a ballot in 2016.A surcharge is more of a "user-based"fee, directly charging devices that use 911 service. Even with a surcharge increase, County residents will continue to pay on the low end for dispatch services compared to other, like-sized counties within the state.
Set to target rivals that include Renault Duster Oroch and Fiat Toro, the new Hyundai Creta STC is on display at 2016 Sao Paulo Auto Show.

It has been designed and developed at the Hyundai Design Center in South Korea and this unibody pick up directly appeals to a younger generation of urban buyers.

Hyundai Creta STC measures 4.65 mtrs in length, 1.85 mtrs in width and 1.63 mtrs in height. It sits on a wheelbase measuring 2.80 mtrs. It has a truck bed that measures 1.30 mtrs long, 1.29 mtrs wide and has a boot volume that stands at 850 ltrs.

Also Read  Hyundai Creta facelift debuts at 2016 Sao Paulo Motor Show

It receives added sportiness with the inclusion of 21 wheels fitted with Pirelli 295/40 R21 Scorpion Zero tires. Headlights with LED lamps, an imposing bumper design and a host of chrome accents are also seen on its exterior while interiors are spacious and offer versatile utility. Reverse opening rear doors allows for easy rear access.

Hyundai Creta pick-up concept strongly resembles the Brazil spec Hyundai Creta where its front end is concerned while profile styling is strongly akin to the Hyundai Santa Cruz pick up concept seen at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. It gets powered by a 1.6 liter Gamma engine offering 128.1 hp power and 16.5 kgm torque and a 2.0 liter Nu four cylinder engine offering 16 hp power and 20.5 kgm torque.

Set to remain a concept for the time being, Hyundai has not offered any details as to when the Creta STC will enter production.

via carplace
Biochemists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have created the first atlas that maps where molecular tools that can switch genes on and off will bind to the human genome. It is a development they say could enable these tools to be targeted to specific parts of an individual's genome for use in precision medicine, developing therapies and treating disease.

The study is published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The tools are polyamides, engineered DNA-binding molecules that are an important component of artificial transcription factors. Transcription factors -- both natural and artificial -- determine which genes are translated into proteins inside cells.

"We know that transcription factors bind to specific sites in the genome and when they misfire they drive many diseases, including cancers," explains lead study author Graham Erwin, a former graduate student in the lab of Aseem Ansari, a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and the Genome Center of Wisconsin. "Using insights gleaned from this research, we hope to design polyamides that can bind to these same sites and outcompete the cancer-inducing factors, helping to repress that gene."

Transcription factors work by binding to a particular gene and then recruiting the cellular machinery necessary to read it and manufacture the desired protein, or they can stop a protein from being created.

While polyamides had already been designed to attach to particular regions of the human genome and turn corresponding genes on or off, the new study answers lingering questions about where particular polyamides bind and ultimately function in the cell.

"Our big question was, where are these molecules going across the genome?" says Erwin, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. "With this study, we have a whole new understanding of how they read the genome."

Using a technique called COSMIC (Crosslinking of Small Molecules to Isolate Chromatin), the researchers were able to create polyamides that would bind to DNA in human embryonic stem cells. Then, using a light-activated "handle," the scientists could search for the location where the polyamide had bound to the genome. This enabled them to build an atlas of specific binding sites within the context of whole cells.

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To their surprise, the researchers learned some polyamides can bind to DNA previously thought to be inaccessible.

Each human genome, nearly five feet in length, must be highly packaged to fit inside the tiny volume of a cell's nucleus. To accomplish this extraordinary task, cells wind up tightly most parts of the DNA that isn't readily needed. At any given time, more than two-thirds of the DNA in the human stem cells the researchers used is packaged in this way.

The study team found some of the polyamides were bound to this off-limits DNA. While the DNA is unavailable to most transcription factors, polyamides may be small enough to reach it, the researchers believe.

"Being able to target a specific site in the genome is essential for the next generation of rationally designed therapies, and the lessons we've learned have changed the way we design molecules to target individual genomes," says Ansari.

In a parallel study published Nov. 4 in the journal Angewandte Chemie, Ansari collaborated with Kan Xiong and Paul Blainey of MIT to visualize how these small molecules search long stretches of DNA for their binding sites. The study shows that these synthetic genome readers behave like "molecular sleds" and slide effortlessly across vast tracts of the genome.

Together the studies provide new insights into how these molecules locate their preferred target sites in the genome.

"For 15 years we've been working on this idea and now it seems we're finally on the way to being able to intervene in a thoughtful way," Ansari says.

Other authors on the PNAS "atlas" study include past or present members of the Ansari lab, members of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and researchers at the Morgridge Institute for Research.
Scientists at the University of York have charted more than 1,000 years of Tanzanian environmental history using sediments extracted from a peat bog.

Working in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania, where only 15% of the tropical forests remain compared to 1,000 years ago, the team aimed to identify if the region's rich biodiversity had altered over the years and what major events in history, such as the emergence of the ivory trade in the Victorian period, might have contributed to changes in the forests.

Researchers took layers of peat from a bog, where material, such as pollen, charcoal from fires, and other remains from the environment, are trapped and preserved over many years in the sediments. Using radiocarbon dating techniques they were able to reconstruct how the ecosystem changed over the past 1,200 years.

Research results show that the forest ecosystem remains quite stable -- the same as it was more than 1,000 years go. This suggests that climate change has not yet impacted on the forest, possibly due to its proximity to moist, fresh air from the Indian Ocean. Results also show, however, that the shrinking size of the forest is largely due to human activity.

Dr Robert Marchant, from the University of York's Department of Environment, said: "The Eastern Arc Mountains are a biodiversity hotspot, but it has been under threat from human activities for many years.

"Forests that are now separated by some miles were once joined together, but what we don't know is just how much these changes have impacted on its biodiversity over time and what activity had the biggest impact on its environment.

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"With this new data we were able to see at what points the environment started to change and through historical records we matched these changes to particular events in time. For example we start to see pollen from New World crops, such as maize, start to spread from around 1750, as well as evidence of forest plantations of pine trees, and eucalyptus from the Colonial period, which are not native to the environment.

"Maize crop enters our record at a time when large parts of the forest were cut down and farmed to accommodate the European ivory trades -- or caravan trades as they were known."

In the 1860s European and Arab traders to the region slaughtered up to 70,000 elephants for their ivory each year. It was traded to other countries for the production of a range of items, from ornaments, piano keys, cutlery handles, jewellery, and as part of exhibits. It not only decimated the elephant population, but also the impact the animals had on the forest composition and distribution.

Dr Jemma Finch, who carried out the work at York, but is now based at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, added: "We start to see large increases in charcoal in the record at about the time colonial forest offices arrive to cut trees for timber trading.

"It is only in the 1980s that we start to see less human activity in the records. This was the time when a timber ban was put in place and forest preservation policies established."

The researchers highlight that although human activity has been the biggest impact on the forest over the years, and biodiversity is relatively stable today despite the diminished size of the forest, climate change is still a threat to its future.

Dr Marchant said: "This research can help us identify the best areas of the forest to conserve for sustainable growth, where plant and animal life and, most importantly, the ecosystem services that sustain the Tanzania nation, are most likely to be supported.

"If predictions about a wetter, but much warmer, climate in the future are accurate, then now is the time to start to invest in this important landscape so that it is still here in the next 1,000 years."

The research is published in the journal The Holocene.
By the time epilepsy patient Erika Fleck came to Loyola Medicine for a second opinion, she was having three or four seizures a week and hadn't been able to drive her two young children for five years.

"It was no way to live," she said.

Loyola epileptologist Jorge Asconape, MD, recommended surgery to remove scar tissue in her brain that was triggering the seizures. Neurosurgeon Douglas Anderson, MD, performed the surgery, called an amygdalohippocampectomy. Ms. Fleck hasn't had a single seizure in the more than three years since her surgery.

"I've got my life back," she said. "I left my seizures at Loyola."

Surgery can be an option for a minority of patients who do not respond to medications or other treatments and have epileptic scar tissue that can be removed safely. In 60 to 70 percent of surgery patients, seizures are completely eliminated, and the success rate likely will improve as imaging and surgical techniques improve, Dr. Anderson said.

Traditionally, patients would have to try several medications with poor results for years or decades before being considered for surgery, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. "More recently, surgery is being considered sooner," the foundation said. "Studies have shown that the earlier surgery is performed, the better the outcome." (Ms. Fleck is a service coordinator for the Epilepsy Foundation North/Central Illinois Iowa and Nebraska.)

Dr. Asconape said Ms. Fleck was a perfect candidate for surgery because the scar tissue causing her seizures was located in an area of the brain that could be removed without damaging critical structures.

Ms. Fleck experienced complex partial seizures, characterized by a deep stare, unresponsiveness and loss of control for a minute or two. An MRI found the cause: A small area of scar tissue in a structure of the brain called the hippocampus. The subtle lesion had been overlooked at another center.

Epilepsy surgery takes about three hours, and patients typically are in the hospital for two or three days. Like all surgery, epilepsy surgery entails risks, including infection, hemorrhage, injury to other parts of the brain and slight personality changes. But such complications are rare, and they pose less risk to patients than the risk of being injured during seizures, Dr. Asconape said.

Loyola has been designated a Level Four Epilepsy Center by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. Level Four is the highest level of specialized epilepsy care available. Level Four centers have the professional expertise and facilities to provide the highest level of medical and surgical evaluation and treatment for patients with complex epilepsy.

Loyola's comprehensive, multidisciplinary Epilepsy Center offers a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to epilepsy and seizure disorders for adults and children as young as two years old. Pediatric and adult epileptologist consultation and state-of-the-art neuroimaging and electrodiagnostic technology are used to identify and assess complex seizure disorders by short- and long-term monitoring.
Lean philosophy has long been propagated as a success story of large, automotive companies with Toyota frequently quoted as a shiny example of a success in "becoming lean."

In her doctoral dissertation Anna Rymaszewska examines the lean implementation potential in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which are foundational to both Finnish and European economy. The empirical data for the study was gathered in Finnish manufacturing SMEs, operating in various industries such as furniture, boating, and energy.

Lean is commonly defined as an operational philosophy that assumes doing more with less or focused on achieving the highest efficiency and low-costs of operations while reducing the amount of resources needed. Lean is often presented through the lens of identifying and eliminating waste or muda. Waste is all that does not add value, and value is ultimately determined by the customer.

"In this context, the implementation of lean seems like a suitable option for SMEs who frequently struggle with insufficient resources and the pressure for driving down costs. On the other hand, the prevalence of evidence from large organizations might lead to a situation where smaller organizations might get the impression that this type of manufacturing and management philosophy is not well suited to the specifics of the smaller players," says Rymaszewska who will defend her doctoral thesis at the University of Vaasa.

In order to avoid such situation, Anna Rymaszewska proposes a revised perspective on lean that would be best suited to the specifics of small and medium sized manufacturing operations.

"Certain challenging and shared characteristics of SMEs such as short-term orientation, lack of well-established culture of early detection of problems or defects, as well as reluctance to change are studied in more detail in order to raise the awareness of organizations which plan on or actually are implementing lean."

Even though the actual implementation processes will differ depending on particular cases, the results proposed by Rymaszewska can be applied universally.

By seeing lean philosophy as a holistic undertaking, companies are able to better plan the whole process, prepare in advance, be more aware of potential risks, and focus on achieving long term goals rather than get discouraged by the lack of immediate success.

Rymaszewska also studies the potential for applying lean to fuzzy stage of manufacturing processes namely ramp-up. This perspective is particularly important for SMEs who, in order to stay competitive, need to introduce new products, or operate on an engineered-to-order basis.

Lastly, Rymaszewska looks into the potential for combining lean efforts with environmental sustainability, which requires, among others, a new approach to waste.

"It is interesting in how the context of lean the notion of waste has been rarely defined in terms of what is being thrown to garbage containers. By extending the definition of waste, lean philosophy can be used as a mean of greening operations," Rymaszewska says.

See more at: http://www.uva.fi/materiaali/pdf/isbn_978-952-476-697-5.pdf
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, Texas A&M College of Medicine and the Omni-Net Birth Defects Prevention Program in Ukraine have identified a blood test that may help predict how severely a baby will be affected by alcohol exposure during pregnancy, according to a study published November 9 in the journal PLOS ONE.

Study authors say the findings could facilitate early intervention to improve the health of infants and children who were prenatally exposed to alcohol.

Fetal alcohol syndrome is a severe form of a spectrum of mental and physical disabilities called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) that can affect children's development with long-lasting consequences. In the United States and Western Europe, it's estimated that 2 to 5 percent of school-age children are affected by FASD. In some parts of the world, the number is higher.

Children and adults affected by FASD may experience a range of symptoms, from physical changes like a small head and subtle differences in facial characteristics to learning difficulties and behavioral issues.

Despite widespread prevention guidelines, drinking during pregnancy still occurs, in part because roughly half of pregnancies in the United States are unplanned and many women may not realize that they need to stop consuming alcohol before harm occurs.

"It's a huge problem," said Rajesh Miranda, PhD, professor in the Texas A&M College of Medicine and co-senior author of the study, "but we might not realize the full scope because infants born with normal-looking physical features may be missed, making many cases difficult to diagnose early."

Seeking to develop a predictive test using biomarkers, researchers looked at birth outcomes for 68 pregnant women enrolled in the study at two perinatal care clinics in western Ukraine. The team obtained detailed health and alcohol consumption histories and second and third trimester blood samples from each woman. The results indicated that moderate to high levels of alcohol exposure during early pregnancy resulted in significant differences in some circulating small RNA molecules called microRNAs (miRNAs) in maternal blood. These differences were particularly notable in mothers whose infants showed some physical or neurobehavioral signs of alcohol effects in the first 12 months of life.

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"Collectively, our data indicate that maternal plasma miRNAs may help predict infant outcomes and may be useful to classify difficult-to-diagnose FASD subpopulations," Miranda said.

Part of the reason FASD can be difficult to diagnose is because infants with similar amounts of prenatal alcohol exposure may have vastly different outcomes.

"Although it is generally true that binge-drinking during pregnancy presents the greatest risk, not all women who consume substantial amounts of alcohol in pregnancy will have a child who is clearly affected," said Christina Chambers, PhD, professor of pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine, principal investigator on the Ukraine project and co-senior author.

"That's why we examined specific biomarkers in the mother's blood in the second and third trimester of her pregnancy to determine if they are useful in identifying children who could benefit from early interventions."

Although FASD cannot be cured, early diagnosis is vital. "Early diagnosis is important because it permits early intervention to minimize the harm due to prenatal alcohol exposure," said Wladimir Wertelecki, MD, research team leader in Ukraine. "Good nutrition, better perinatal health care, lowering stress levels and infant care interventions can all improve the outcome of alcohol-affected pregnancies."

The scientists said their next steps will include repeating the investigation in other, larger samples of mothers and infants, and determining if these early markers are predictive of longer term developmental outcomes for children exposed to alcohol.

"If we can reset developmental trajectories earlier in life, it is a lot easier than trying to treat disabilities later in life," Miranda said. "We hope this work will lead to a test that can allow health care providers to identify the mothers and infants most at risk and provide them with extra care for the best outcome possible."
A Texas A&M University team has discovered three never before documented bird species, and there could well be more, the team's leader said.

Dr. Gary Voelker, professor and curator of birds in the department of wildlife and fisheries sciences at Texas A&M University, College Station, headed the recent discovery of a trio of similar African birds living in close proximity, but that are different species which share no common genes.

Voelker was lead author on an article published recently in the scientific journal Systematics and Biodiversity discussing that discovery.

"The discovery of these three new species is a good example of the amount of potentially hidden diversity living in Afrotropical forests," Voelker said. "Our evidence runs directly counter to the belief of earlier research that said Afrotropical forests are static places where little evolutionary diversification has occurred.

"The areas were referred to as 'museums' of diversity, meaning they believed because many of the birds look similar across their ranges, then they probably were the same species. That's a point we are finding not to be true."

The point of most interest, Voelker said, is that two of the three birds, which all look pretty much alike at first glance, live in close proximity to one another in an area that lacks significant geographic barriers typically associated with the forming of new species. Despite this, the birds don't share genetic makeup and their appearance is indeed somewhat distinct when closely analyzed.

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Voelker described the three new species as forest robins in the genus Stiphrornis; two from West Africa and one from the Congo Basin.

"Each of the three represents a distinct lineage based on our genetic analysis," he said. "The three are further distinguished from already documented birds in the genus by clear differences in appearance such as wing and tail length and subtle differences in their plumage; one species has a distinctive song as well."

Voelker said because many of the birds within the species look a lot alike, there's hasn't been much research done historically to find if they are in fact, different species. This lack of research also means there is much less well-preserved DNA available for genetic analysis and those specimens that are available are rather old.

However, his team's recent collecting work in Africa has enabled them to add to the limited genetic material that several other museums have, which in turn, has allowed them to address the species diversification question.

"This overall lack of collecting bird specimens in Afrotropical lowland forests is likely inhibiting the discovery of any number of new species, though several apart from the three we studied have been described in recent years," he said. "This suggests that a lack of sampling in the region, rather than a lack of obvious variation in the birds, is a key contributor to fully documenting avian biodiversity in lowland forests."

Through genetic analyses and careful assessment of variation in plumage and appearance that is facilitated by museum specimens, the team was able to determine the three lineages tested represented new species.

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They are named Stiphrornis dahomeyensis or the Dahomey Forest Robin found in Benin and the central region of Ghana, the Stiphrornis inexpectatus or Ghana Forest Robin collected from Brong-Ahafo and Central Regions of Ghana, and the Stiphrornis rudderi or Rudder's Forest Robin discovered along the Congo River near Kisangani in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Voelker, who named all three species, said Rudder's Forest Robin was named for U.S. Army Major General Earl Rudder, who served as Texas A&M University's 16th president and third president of the Texas A&M University System.

"I felt naming this special bird for Major General Rudder was a great way to acknowledge the role of Texas A&M University in supporting its faculty and student research," he said.

When asked how this study benefits the public, Voelker said:

"It's important to document that there is variation in a group like Stiphrornis, and others that tend to lack obvious variation in a natural setting," he said. "Doing so gives conservation managers more data to reference when seeking to define important areas of concern. This may ensure such areas are defined to save the highest possible amount of biodiversity, which helps to sustain all life forms."
Last week we reported that Google dropped the knowledge graph snippets overlays. Well, last night Google confirmed this is not a bug but instead, it was intentionally removed. Google told us they will "confirm that due to low usage, we've retired this feature."

The feature has been around for just about two years, here is what it looked like:

I am a bit surprised they removed it but I guess for mobile, it doesn't work as well.

By the way, the removal of the small snippets on Google was not intentional and that was a bug that Google is fixing.

Forum discussion at Twitter.
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In September, then-candidate Donald Trump unveiled a plan to guarantee six weeks of paid maternity leave for new mothers after childbirth.

It does not extend to new fathers, parents who adopt nor those who have children through surrogacy.

A document on the Trump campaign's website states same-sex couples would receive the six weeks of paid leave under the policy only if their marriage is "recognized under state law." This raised the question of whether the leave would apply to single women who give birth. A Trump campaign spokesman told The Washington Post that the policy would extend to single mothers, although he could not explain why a marriage requirement is cited on the campaign's website and in an interview with Trump's eldest daughter, Ivanka.



National Perspective on Paid Leave

As it stands globally, the United States is dead last when it comes to supporting new parents in the workforce.

Out of 41 developed countries, the United States is the only nation without some form of national paid parental leave for employees with newborns. That's according to a survey released in February by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a public-policy group representing more than 100 governments.

Paid parental leave lasts more than a year in 10 nations (with Estonia, Hungary and Japan among the most generous). Only 12 of the 41 offer less than 20 weeks, including Israel, New Zealand and Turkey.

Less than 15 percent of U.S. employers offer paid leave, according to the National Partnership on Women and Families, which is part of a consortium of 350 organizations and businesses advocating for paid leave.



[SHRM members-only toolkit: Coordinating Leaves of Absence]



Stephen Sweet, Ithaca College professor and chair of the school's sociology department, has studied work and family issues from the perspectives of individuals and institutions. Paid parental leave, Sweet said, "is something we should have without question."

One of the measurable positive outcomes of paid parental leave is the effect on infant health and development, he said. "There's also psychological benefits for the mother to be present with the child in the early months."

Both parents work full-time in nearly half of the U.S.'s two-parent households, according to the Pew Research Center. Further, the mother is the sole or primary breadwinner in 40 percent of all families with children.

Surveys show the U.S. public supports paid leave. In one recent survey, 54 percent supported requiring employers to offer paid family leave benefits. The American Family Survey, with 3,000 respondents nationwide, was conducted by Utah's Deseret News and the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University during July 2016, with results released Oct. 16.

The American Family survey also found that Americans favor paid leave for both parents, an average of four months paid maternity leave and slightly more than two months for paid paternity leave. The majority also advocated paid leave for workers with personal illness or a child's or family member's illness. Although the survey shows Americans agree on the need for paid leave, it also revealed divergent opinions on whether the government or employers should pay for it.

While paid parental leave made its first appearance as a major presidential campaign issue in 2016, the Obama administration has worked to expand access to paid sick time and paid family and medical leave.



"President Obama called for paid family and medical leave in his 2014 State of the Union address and included a $2 billion proposal in his FY2017 budget to support states in starting their own paid family and medical leave programs," Department of Labor (DOL) spokeswoman Patricia G. Moscoso said in an e-mail. She noted that the DOL has funded extensive research and analysis grants on paid family leave since 2014.

Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez has actively promoted paid family leave legislation with his Lead on Leave campaign, complete with a social media campaign (#LeadOnLeave).

Legislation that would accomplish most of the goals of paid parental or family leave has stalled in Congress. Introduced in 2013 by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, or FAMILY Act, is a proposal for paid family and medical leave.

"To our knowledge, no proposed legislation has ever been limited to only paid parental leave," Moscoso said. "For example, the FAMILY Act proposes paid family and medical leave that workers could use for a variety of caregiving responsibilities like elder care, not limited to taking care of children. The FAMILY Act has yet to come up for a vote in Congress."

States, Employers Take the Lead on Leave

While any national paid parental leave law is still in the making, a handful of states, some large universities and major corporations have already adopted paid family leave.

Currently, three U.S. states mandate paid parental leave: California, New Jersey and Rhode Island. New York passed paid leave legislation earlier this year, although that does not take effect until 2018. All four state programs are funded not by employers but by employee-paid payroll taxes and administered through each state's disability program.

Apparel maker Patagonia has offered its employees paid family leave for 30 years, a policy the company hails as highly successful. During the past five years, 100 percent of new mothers at Patagonia returned to work after their leavesignificantly higher than the 79 percent U.S. average. Women make up about 50 percent of Patagonia's managers and senior leaders.

The need for paid parental leave has hit home among some top executives.

In October, Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder and CEO of the top-selling yogurt brand Chobani, announced that the company is extending six weeks of paid parental leave to all of its approximately 2,000 employees. Chobani's new policy is universal, available to both men and women, and a rare benefit in the food production industry.

"As a founder and a father, the birth of my son opened my eyes to the fact that the vast majority of America's workers, especially those in manufacturing, don't have access to paid family leave when they have a new child," Ulukaya wrote in an open letter to Labor Secretary Perez that was posted on the DOL's website. "This needs to change and Chobani needed to be part of that change."

Adobe, Amazon, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Hilton, Netflix and Nike are some of the major companies that have extended some form of paid family leave to all employees.

Paid parental leave is also gaining traction among the nation's universities.

A 2004 survey by the University of Virginia found that just 18 percent of colleges and universities offered a gender-neutral, paid parental leave policy. A survey in 2012 by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources found that 25 percent of the responding 485 institutions were providing some form of paid parental leave.

At the University of Alabama, paid parental leave started this summer, and already 15 people, men and women, have used the program, said Human Resources Chief Alesia Jones.

The university could have waited to see what the next president does, Jones said, but it decided to take the lead on this issue. "Our administration is proud that we made the conscious decision of living our values; work/life balance is important."

The university is one of the state's largest employers, with more than 20,000 employees. The university policy was a long time coming, said Jones, who was among those who proposed the plan in 2008. She remembered advice another academic gave her: Good ideas don't die; they just have to find the right time.

Jones and other parental-leave advocates found that it would cost an estimated $1.6 million per year for the university and its University Medical Center to finance paid parental leave.

But, Jones noted, there were other costs in not initiating it: the cost of losing employees who don't return after having children and the cost of recruiting new talent in a competitive market, especially as the university medical center faces a nursing shortage, a national problem.

"If we help employees maintain the work/life balance that is important to their well-being, it helps us retain valued employees and ensures that we are more competitive when recruiting," Jones said.



Jones' advice to Trump in adopting a paid parental leave policy: "Make it simple, make it something sustainable." When creating the new parental leave program into basically uncharted territory, she said, the university found it easiest to follow the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) enacted by then-President Clinton in 1993. While the FMLA provides 12 weeks of unpaid leave for parents as well as for illness, Jones said, the university decided to offer up to 12 weeks of paid FMLA-protected leave for employees who have worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12 months.

Lisa Petrillo is a freelance writer based in San Diego.
World leaders have started to generate some real optimism with their efforts to address global climate change. What's troubling, though, is how far we remain from getting carbon emissions under control -- and how much wishful thinking is still required to believe we can do so.

The Paris agreement on climate change has garnered the national signatories needed to go into force on Nov. 4. Some economists see it as a promising framework for cooperation among many different countries, especially if those not pulling their weight suffer penalties such as trade sanctions. There's even talk of aiming for the more ambitious goal of keeping global temperatures within 1.5 degrees Celsius or less of their pre-industrial level, as opposed to the currently agreed 2 percent. Meanwhile, another major international deal has been reached to phase out greenhouse gases used in refrigeration systems, and solar energy technology continues its rapid advance.

For all the progress, though, the gap between what needs to happen and what is happening remains large. Worse, it's growing.

Consider, for example, how far the planet remains from any of the carbon emission trajectories in which -- according to the International Panel on Climate Change -- global warming would remain below 2 degrees. Even in the most lenient scenarios, we would have to be cutting net emissions already. Yet under the pledges countries have made in the Paris framework, emissions will keep increasing sharply through at least 2030.

As climate scientists Kevin Anderson and Glen Peters argue, an element of magical thinking has crept into the IPCC projections. Specifically, they rely heavily on the assumption that new technologies will allow humans to start sucking carbon out of the atmosphere on a grand scale, resulting in large net negative emissions sometime in the second half of this century. This might happen, but we don't know how to do it yet.

The assumptions about negative emissions amount to a bizarre step in what ought to be a cautious and conservative analysis. The IPCC scenarios essentially ignore the vast uncertainty surrounding a technology that does not yet exist, and about our ability to ramp it up to the required scale. To eliminate that much atmospheric carbon, as geophysicist Andrew Skuce estimates, we would need an industry roughly three times as big as the entire current fossil fuel industry -- and we would need to create it fast, building something like one new large plant to capture and store carbon every day for the next 70 years. Does that sound likely?

Perhaps such wishful thinking is an inevitable symptom of our addiction to fossil fuels -- and our fear of the wrenching pain that moving away from them will entail. In reality, if we're not feeling the change, we're probably not doing enough.
AstraZeneca PLC, a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of prescription medicines. Its marketed products include Calquence, Enhertu, Faslodex, Imfinzi, Iressa, Koselugo, Lumoxiti, Lynparza, Orpathys, Tagrisso, and Zoladex for oncology; Brilinta/Brilique, Bydureon/Byetta, BCise, Byetta, Crestor, Evrenzo, Farxiga/Forxiga, Komboglyze/Kombiglyze XR, Lokelma, Onglyza, Qtern, and Xigduo/Xigduo XR for cardiovascular, renal, and metabolism diseases; Bevespi Aerosphere, Breztri Aerosphere, Daliresp/Daxas, Duaklir Genuair, Fasenra, Pulmicort, Saphnelo, Symbicort, and Tudorza/Eklira/Bretaris for respiratory and immunology; and Andexxa/Ondexxya, Kanuma, Soliris, Strensiq, and Ultomiris for rare diseases. The company's marketed products also comprise Synagis for respiratory syncytial virus; Fluenz Tetra/FluMist Quadrivalent for Influenza; Seroquel IR/Seroquel XR for schizophrenia bipolar disease; Nexium, and Losec/Prilosec for gastroenterology; and Vaxzevria and Evusheld for covid-19. The company serves primary care and specialty care physicians through distributors and local representative offices in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. It has a collaboration agreement with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to research, develop, and commercialize small molecule medicines for obesity; Neurimmune AG to develop and commercialize NI006; Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to develop eplontersen, a liver-targeted antisense therapy in Phase III development for the treatment of transthyretin amyloidosis; Proteros Biostructures GmbH to jointly discover novel small molecules for the treatment of hematological cancers; Sierra Oncology, Inc. to develop and commercialize AZD5153. The company was formerly known as Zeneca Group PLC and changed its name to AstraZeneca PLC in April 1999. AstraZeneca PLC was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Cambridge, the United Kingdom.
Farm animals just got a taste of mercy from voters in Massachusetts who decided animals deserve better. In a bid to prevent cruelty to animals, Question 3, a measure that would end extreme confinement of farm animals, a common practice in big agriculture and factory farming, won by a landslide.

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"Question 3's gargantuan passage in Massachusetts sends the strongest signal yet that the era of cage confinement for farm animals is coming to an end," Paul Shapiro, vice president of policy for the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), told The Dodo.

Dodo Shows Faith = Restored Couple Meets A Beach Dog In Mexico Who Changes Their Life

Pigs in gestation crates at a factory farm in Virginia | Wikipedia Commons

Now, baby calves raised for veal, mother pigs and egg-laying hens in Massachusetts will "have enough room to turn around and extend their limbs." And meat and eggs sold in the state will be required to meet what's being called a "modest animal welfare and food safety standard."

This browser does not support the video tag. Giphy

The landslide was clear on election night, with Question 3 winning by 78 percent to 22 percent. "Massachusetts voters made history today by establishing common-sense rules against the extreme confinement of farm animals," Stephanie Harris, YES on 3 campaign director at Citizens for Farm Animal Protection, said in a press release.

Calf being raised for veal | Shutterstock

Many animal welfare groups and concerned individuals supported the campaign, including HSUS, the Massachusetts SPCA, the Animal Rescue League of Boston, the ASPCA, more than 500 Massachusetts veterinarians and over 100 Massachusetts farmers.

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"The American public has no tolerance for extreme confinement of farm animals," Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of HSUS, said, adding that four anti-factory farming measures were approved nationwide in this election. In Oklahoma, for example, voters also overwhelmingly rejected a "right to farm" measure, which would have made regulating factory farming much harder than it already is, dealing a blow to pro-factory farming associations.

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Not only will the lives of animals improve, but the measure will help ensure that all Massachusetts residents have access to affordable responsibly-produced animal products, which are also safer. Research shows that egg-laying hens stuffed into tight cages produce eggs with higher rates of salmonella than cage-free hens.

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<p>Facebook/Cherished Cockers Rescue<span></span></p>

Love dogs? Then you'd be crazy not to love their most expressive of appendages: their tails. For reasons that are puzzling to say the least, the practice of tail docking, or lopping off animal tails for "cosmetic" purposes (sometimes without anesthesia), is still an all-too-common practice - but the tide is gradually turning in the right direction. And that's certainly something to wag about.

Dodo Shows Faith = Restored Rescued Animals Melt Into This Woman's Arms When She Sings To Them

This browser does not support the video tag. Giphy

This week, regulators from the College of Veterinarians of British Columbia voted overwhelmingly to ban the needless tail docking of dogs, horses and cattle in the province - which has become the fifth in Canada to prohibit the elective procedure. "Veterinarians have an ethical responsibility to the animals they treat and tail docking goes against that responsibility," Brendan Matthews, Ph.D., president of the college, said in a news release. "We ask other provinces to follow suit and for breed associations to recognize the changing times."

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This move is hardly out of step with changing standards. Tail docking is already banned in Australia, many parts of Europe and now parts of Canada. In the U.S., however, not so much. As of late 2014, only two U.S. states - Maryland and Pennsylvania - have laws on the books, which permit tail docking only in dogs of a certain age. Among the main proponents of tail docking are kennel clubs, which consider docked tails and ears to be historical standards for some breeds. To that, the American Veterinary Medical Association publicly opposes both "when done solely for cosmetic purposes," and likewise encourages changes to such standards.

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Hertz Global Holdings Inc. lost half its market value after the rental-car company reported a third-quarter profit that badly trailed analysts estimates and cut its annual earnings forecast, blaming a decline in revenue and a drop in the values of its cars.

Hertz shares fell as much as 52 per cent, wiping out $1.5 billion (U.S.) in equity value, and its bonds were among the worst performers Tuesday. Quarterly adjusted profit of $1.58 a share was far below the average estimate of $2.73 in a Bloomberg survey, and Hertz said full-year earnings may be less than a fifth of what it projected in August.

The rental company, whose largest investor is billionaire Carl Icahn, failed to adequately price the cars in its fleet and depreciate them over time before selling them in used-car auctions. The issue, which is far more pronounced at Hertz than smaller rival Avis Budget Group Inc., is the latest challenge chief executive officer John Tague, a former United Airlines executive, has faced since joining in late 2014 in the wake of Icahns involvement.

If they had a problem with the value of their cars, that means their depreciation was not adequate, said Maryann Keller, an independent consultant in Stamford, Connecticut, who once sat on the board of Dollar Thrifty Inc., which merged with Hertz in 2013. Depreciation is the highest cost in the rental industry. You have to know how much you will be able to recover on these vehicles.

No investor was hit harder than Icahn, who owns almost 16 per cent of the shares, according to the latest filings. He had disclosed an 8.5 per cent stake in August 2014, when the stock traded for more than $100 a share.

Hertz shares tumbled 40 per cent, the most since its 2006 public offering, to $21.55 at 11:50 a.m. in New York after slipping as low as $18.54.

Shares of rival Avis fell about 9 per cent after earlier dropping 18 per cent.

There are more questions than answers with Hertz and it will be extraordinarily difficult for investors to have conviction in continued progress on turnaround story given these latest disappointing and surprising developments, Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Woronka said in a research report. He cut his rating to hold from buy.

Hertz said there could be added costs as it continues to match up depreciation rates in its financial statements with the value of the cars in its fleet. The company reduced its full-year earnings outlook to a range of 51 cents to 88 cents a share, after saying in August that it expected $2.75 to $3.50.

The disappointing results contrast with the situation at Avis, which through Mondays close had risen 7.5 per cent this year while Hertz had dropped 37 per cent. Avis beat estimates for sales and profit in quarterly earnings reported after the market close on Nov. 2, and its shares surged 13 per cent the next day.

Avis is gradually closing a revenue gap with its larger rival, with sales rising 3.1 per cent compared with the decline at Hertz. It also did a better job controlling costs in the period, with a 2 per cent gain compared with the 5 per cent increase at Hertz.

Tague took over in 2014 after former CEO Mark Frissora stepped down in the wake of accounting problems at the company and shortly after Icahn showed up with a large stake. Tague was chosen over rental industry veteran Scott Thompson, who ran Dollar Thrifty before it was sold to Hertz.

Hertz said depreciation per unit per month increased 14 per cent in the quarter, due to lower than expected resale values, primarily in compact and mid-sized vehicles. The company also said it had a higher percentage of non-program vehicles, which are called risk cars because the automakers dont buy them back after a fixed period of time. That means Hertz has to sell the cars in the used market or at auctions and manage the risk of value.

The cost associated with depreciation in its U.S. business was $462 million in the quarter, some 16 per cent higher than it was a year ago.

The value of compact and mid-sized cars have been under pressure as American buyers favour trucks and sport utility vehicles. In October alone, the wholesale prices of used compact cars fell 3.4 per cent, according to Manheim, the nations largest used vehicle auction house. Auction pricing on risk cars of all kinds fell 3 per cent in October from September and 2 per cent from a year ago, according to Manheim data.

Hertz had other issues, too. Its U.S. rental car revenue fell 2 per cent in the quarter. The company also had a utilization rate for its cars of 82 per cent. Goldman Sachs analyst David Tamberrino had predicted 86 per cent. Keller said 85 per cent is a pretty healthy rate.

The company got weaker pricing on its U.S. rental business, where revenues decreased 2 per cent year-over-year thanks to a 3 per cent decline in rental rates per day. Rental volumes were also at the low end of expectations, Tague said.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich.A patch of sidewalk on the south side of East Liberty St., four blocks from the main University of Michigan campus, has returned from the dead with remarkable speed.

At almost any hour of day, and especially at mealtimes, a mix of bargain-seeking undergraduates, white-collar tech workers and middle-class townies weave in and out of the restaurants, coffee shop and bank that now line the corridor.

The foot traffic is almost enough to make many in this city feel lucky that the single previous occupant of this red brick lowrise building on the 600 block went bankrupt five years ago. Almost, that is, because that previous tenant was the flagship Borders store.

In some ways, the neighbourhood is stronger and more interesting and more vibrant than it was when Borders was here, said Susan Pollay, executive director of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority. As much as I loved Borders  and I mean, I loved it  in the evolution of this building, its better than it was.

Such talk is probably still sacrilege for some local nostalgics, who remember that the store was started by a pair of brothers and Michigan graduates before it turned into an international book chain, but it is difficult to argue on a dollars-and-cents basis with the transformation.

For more than 70 years, the site in this pivotal city block was occupied by a single-business anchor, first a regional department store, Jacobsons, and then, for decades, Borders.

The chains bankruptcy  which, by 2011, was almost overdue as customers had long since turned en masse to the Internet to buy books  created a once-in-a-generation release of a large piece of real estate. Suddenly available: a 50,000-square-foot former bookstore that fronts a full block of busy Liberty Street and a 45,000-square-foot adjacent building that previously housed Borders corporate headquarters.

There were many ideas about how to use all that space, but one option was immediately taken off the table: installing another anchor tenant.

We wanted, on purpose, to have a multipurpose building, said Ron Hughes of Hughes Properties. I think its better for the city as well.

In early 2012, Hughes Properties acquired the long-term lease rights to the bookstore building that fronts Liberty St. and engaged commercial broker Jim Chaconas of Colliers International to populate it.

Today, commercial office space inventory in Ann Arbor is at a low. Googles decision to leave a highrise three blocks from the former Borders and move its 400-person, four-floor customer service operations to a suburban office park by next year is seen as an opportunity, rather than worrisome.

Pollay, in fact, does not mind that shift because Google employees do not fan out in the neighbourhood for meals, as they have on-site food service. They hermetically seal themselves off, she said. Hopefully the next tenants there wont.

Even before Hughes and Chaconas began deciding the fate of the main Borders building, the three-story former corporate office building was fully leased by Barracuda Networks.

Barracuda, a computer storage and security company based in Campbell, Calif., had been expanding its presence in Ann Arbor since 2007, to tap fresh engineering recruits. The company moved in with 230 employees, making it the largest private employer in downtown behind Google.

Theres not a lot of places in the downtown area where you could put a sizable tech company, said Rod Mathews, a Barracuda general manager. We did care a lot about what happened in the rest of the space. We didnt want to be an anchor tenant in a building that wasnt occupied.

Hughes and Chaconas figured they would populate the second floor of the old bookstore with multiple office tenants after leasing the ground floor to a retail mix. Yet before Chaconas got far, the business and media analytics firm Prime Research made an aggressive play to secure 16,000 square feet at $24 a square foot with a call from a vice president, Julie Myers-Beach.

I wasnt planning on touching the second floor until I was done with the first floor, but the day the sign went up for leasing the building, Julie from Prime called me up and said, I want it,  Chaconas said. I told her, Im not ready. She said, I dont care. 

With Prime and Barracuda side by side, the Borders spaces suddenly became the workplace for more than 300 young computer programmers with disposable incomes, Pollay said. Combined with the Google employees two blocks away, the area suddenly took on a tech-hub vibe, whereas for decades it had primarily focused on serving the university community.

Since then, other startups and branches of tech companies have alighted in Ann Arbors downtown core. More than 60 companies took part in a recent job fair put on by the citys small-business incubator, Spark.

A larger tech company can be a real asset in the sense that it creates a talent pool that is now spawning a continuous labour pool for the entire market, said Sparks chief executive, Paul Krutko. He noted that Barracuda had not set up an internal food service, which encouraged employees to venture into downtown.

That is the clientele Chaconas aimed to cater to while keeping the offerings local. Just as Borders was deeply rooted in the community, so are two current tenants, Knights Steakhouse and Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea, both locally owned chains. A third, the HopCat brew pub, is part of a small chain that started in Grand Rapids.

There is also Slurping Turtle, a noodle restaurant, and Pieology, a fast-casual pizza place that chose a corner of the building for its first Michigan location.

Hughes and Chaconas expected they would be able to get $35 to $40 a square foot. In the end, they got $45 a square foot on average and helped push the areas retail rental prices up, Pollay said. Within two years of Borders closing, the entire place was leased, and everything had opened by mid-2015.

All downtown now is restaurants because people will go to restaurants, but people will not shop, Chaconas said.

The subdivision of the Borders space is likely to become an example for future turnover, Chaconas said. The Urban Outfitters store across the street is, at about 10,000 square feet, one of the largest nonfood retailers in the area, which is worrisome.

I lose that tenant, I lose 100 per cent of that income, he said. If they leave, I may put two tenants in there, so I only lose half the income. That is a perfect example, because nobody is that big anymore.

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The good boy and the reformed bad boy: those are Jasmine Lorimers choices heading into the Bachelorette Canada season finale.

Of course, Mikhel Sickand and Kevin Wendt are more complex human beings than those simplistic labels would suggest, but thats how the narrative boiled down after Part 1 of the finale on Tuesday night.

The final two had one-on-one dates with Jasmine, culminating in time spent in the fantasy suite, and then were vetted by her mother, sister and best friend.

Naturally there were obstacles for each to overcome: a reluctance to communicate his feelings on Mikhels part; overconfidence and storming out in the middle of an argument on Kevins.

Sticking to the usual Bachelorette script, Jasmine purported to be undecided about which man shell end up with on the Nov. 22 finale.

As much as I like and respect Jasmine I have a hard time believing she could be days away from a marriage proposal and still undecided about whom she wanted to wed. I can believe, however, she would have jitters about such a big decision and would be heartbroken about having to send one of the men home.

Who will she choose? I really hope its Mikhel. I have a gut feeling it will be Kevin.

Read on for highlights of Tuesdays episode.

Two on a Catamaran: Aviation engineer Mikhel got the chilling on a watercraft date, so there wasnt much to do but talk, sunbathe and smooch. And talking was Jasmines first priority, seeing as how Mikhel had been so standoffish at the last rose ceremony.

Mikhel was really, really sorry about that; he also really, really didnt want to explain why. Jasmine had to ask him four or five times before he confessed that he was upset at the thought of the fantasy suite and Jasmine spending the night with Kevin there.

Im not sure what was so hard about admitting that. Anyway, Jasmine said she understood and she was happy he told her and, yes, they could finally get on with the smooching.

There was more kissing and some dancing on the Cayo Blanco beach in Cuba. The fantasy suite card was opened and the key accepted. Jasmine and Mikhel moved into the water where they clung to each other and kissed with a beautiful golden sunset behind them and swelling music on the soundtrack. It was hot.

Night fell. They went to the fantasy suite, sat at the foot of a rose petal-strewn bed and kissed some more.

Im so happy, Jasmine said.

I feel the same way, said Mikhel.

Cue lights out.

Its in the Cards: Firefighter Kevin got the tourist date, walking the streets of Havana with Jasmine. Instead of buying trinkets or trying exotic food, they visited a fortune teller who was chomping on the biggest cigar Ive ever seen.

With the help of a translator, the woman told them they should live close to your family but not with your family  quite a coincidence since Kevin and Jasmine had just discussed the rough ride she got from his family in his hometown.

The woman also told them theyd have three sons, a set of twins and lots of money, which theyd need with that many kids.

Later, at La Divina Pastora restaurant, Kevin was making his own predictions of an engagement to Jasmine. He shared a story about being on a plane to Jamaica with 14 of the other guys and a flight attendant guessing they were Bachelorette contestants. She handed Kevin a scrap of a magazine article with the words final rose on it, which Kevin interpreted as a sign he would end up with Jasmine.

Personally, I take it as a sign that Kevin was flirting with the flight attendant.

Jasmine took it as a sign that Kevin was assuming too much.

I dont want to make you feel like our relationship is absolutely, definitively it because the reality is, like, I care about Mikhel and I do intend on seeing this through till the end, Jasmine told Kevin.

Kevins reaction was shockingly mature. He told Jasmine he would support her and his heart was hers to take or leave. To be honest, I think the reaction was less about accepting her feelings for Mikhel than Kevin being convinced shell pick him.

I think we were meant to meet each other, not for you to rub my heart out, Kevin reiterated.

Jasmine was all, oh, theres a romantic guy under the tough guy exterior.

But then we found out that Kevin had stormed out of the fantasy suite after a discussion made him feel insecure about us. He came back later and they kissed and made up.

But one of my biggest fears is being with someone who cant stand by me when things get tough, Jasmine said. It didnt need to be that way; all I was wanting out of that conversation with him was his support. Him leaving was the opposite.

Yeah, no crap.

Meet the Family: No Bachelorette/Bachelor finale is complete without the final two meeting their intendeds family, ostensibly so the family can help their loved one make a decision.

What was unusual about Jasmines family was how strongly they favoured one guy over the other.

Her mom Linda, sister Jade and friend Laurelly  a criminal lawyer who cross-examined both Kevin and Mikhel  found both guys likable, believed that they both love Jasmine and gave both their blessing to propose.

But when push came to shove, the women saw Mikhel as Jasmines best shot at long-term happiness. They found Mikhel more caring and they worried that Kevin was overconfident, too aware of his own attractiveness and not ready for a serious relationship  all thoughts that had already occurred to Jasmine.

Might have had something to do with Kevin blabbing to Linda and Jade and Laurelly about his bachelor pad in Toronto and his 50 first dates, ya think?

I think that Mikhel is more secure, Jade said. I think that she has a long term chance with him vs. right now shes just having a fling with Kevin.

But will Jasmine listen? Former Bachelorette Jillian Harris and former fiancee to a Bachelor Bianka Kamber, who appeared on the After Show, both said that a familys opinions play a very small part in the decision about popping the question.

We ended the episode with a distraught Jasmine saying she was more confused than ever after talking to her family.

Its hard to love two people at once and Im scared to make the wrong decision, she said tearfully.

Alas, we have to wait two weeks to find out what that decision will be. But the good news is theres a Men Tell All next week and it looks like Jasmine might just put Drew in his place. Oh goody.

You can watch Tuesday at 9 p.m. on W.

And you can email me at dyeo@thestar.ca , tweet me @realityeo or visit my Facebook page.

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GAGETOWN, N.B.A captain at New Brunswicks Gagetown military base has been charged with sexual assault.

The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service says the charge relates to an alleged sexual assault at the 5th Canadian Division Support Base near Oromocto in December 2010 or January 2011.

It says the victim is also a member of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Capt. Simon Duvall faces one count of sexual assault under the Criminal Code.

Lt.-Col. Francis Bolduc, the investigation services commander, said in a statement that the charge reflects the Forces support for victims against harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour in the military.

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Toronto Mayor John Tory says the United States will adjust to president-elect Donald Trump and he expects Trump will adjust his brash style to fit the job of leader of the free world.

Tory, who earlier had signalled a clear preference for Hilary Clinton as U.S. president, made the remarks Wednesday after Trumps stunning upset win. The mayor added that he does not fear for Torontos economy and welcomes any Americans who want to move to Canadas biggest city.

I would never bet against the United States and I think they will adjust to this different kind of leadership and so too I think will Mr. Trump adjust, Tory said after helping unveil a giant Toronto FC jersey outside city hall.

I saw (Trump) this morning saying 'I'm the president of all the people and I think that's a welcome thing for him to say and one trusts that he will act that way because that is what you discover in these jobs in public office, that you are there to represent all the people . . .

We make sure that people who feel marginalized have some opportunity to move forward, we welcome people from all over the world of every description, every faith, every colour of skin, every nationality, and that's what we'll continue to do in Toronto and I trust as president of the United States he'll realize that that's really what the United States has a history of doing as well.

Tory said he does not fear for Torontos economy, although Trump vowed during his campaign to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and make sure America  Canadas biggest trading partner  gains the most from every international agreement it makes.

The mayor said he encourages Mr. Trump and Americans to view Canada as a good partner, people who want to do business with them . . . What they do on their end of it we have little control over and I think we'll just have to see how that's going to go.

I think it'll be different than the campaign would have indicated just because the world rarely operates on the basis of what actually goes on during election campaigns. They are artificial things that, they will change their song to suit the responsibilities they have if they win.

Asked if he expects any despairing Americans to move to Canada, Tory said: I'd be delighted at any American before, during or after Mr. Trump's time who wanted to come and live in Toronto because they have been great citizens, they've made a great contribution to the growth of our business community.

A day earlier, Tory said Clinton represents a better opportunity to heal the wounds of a polarized America because a strong, united, prosperous positive-looking United States is very important to the well-being of Toronto.

Councillor Norm Kelly posted to his 361,000 Twitter followers a photo of him holding a white page bearing a large black L  apparently for loser.

I was hoping to tweet this at Trump, but I'm going have to tweet it at all Americans. And this isn't a joke, it's actually sad, wrote Kelly, who later tweeted: Trump's victory is going to be one of those events where you'll always remember where you were when you heard the news.

Kristyn Wong-Tam, Torontos first openly gay female councillor, tweeted: Human rights are more than words. They represent values. Let's work hard to uphold them. America you will be great again. #Elections2020.

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Here's a little diversion to pass the time as you endure Washington's policy debates: Listen for phrases like "All we have to do" or "We need just a small tweak" or "There's a really simple fix." Then watch to see what happens. Whatever that person is proposing will prove to be really, really costly -- politically or fiscally or both.

There is always a devil in the details behind those innocuous statements, and he has his pitchfork ready.

So beware when liberals today start saying that maybe President Barack Obama's health-care law has a few problems, but all we need to do is 

They're saying it a lot.

- Obama in Florida last week: "If we tweak the program to reach those people who are not currently benefiting from the law, it will be good for them and it will be good for the country.  All it requires is putting aside ideology, and in good faith trying to implement the law of the land." The "tweaks" he envisions involve spending tens of billions more a year on subsidies and creating a public insurer. And, of course, for Republicans to put aside ideology. Because political parties find that so easy. That's all.

- Jacob S. Hacker writes on Vox.com that there's "a simple fix for Obamacare's current woes" -- the public option. That's the public insurer that President Obama was talking about in his Florida speech. A public option doesn't fix any of the problems we have, and it would be hard as heck to set up. If you construct it along the lines that it was originally envisioned (which is to say, a self-funding and market-competitive insurer), it will have the same problems as other insurers, while addressing none of the woes in the market for individual insurance. If you allow it to run at a loss, it's essentially an enormous, open-ended subsidy that would be politically unpopular and fiscally reckless. And if you don't subsidize it, but do give it the ability to slap price controls on providers, you will face a political rebellion from a very active and influential group of voters.

- Kevin Drum of Mother Jones offers an "11-Word, 1-Chart Plan for Fixing Obamacare" which boils down to: either jack up the individual mandate by 250 percent, or increase the subsidies by 100 percent, or do some combination of lesser increases in both. Okay, but a 100 percent increase in the subsidies would have a headline cost of roughly a half trillion dollars over the next 10 years. And raising the individual mandate by 250 percent would be extremely politically difficult. It might also run afoul of the Supreme Court's 2012 decision in NFIB v. Sebelius, in which the court held that Congress did not have the authority under the Commerce Clause to levy a penalty on those who fail to buy insurance, but could levy a tax on those people, as long as the tax wasn't unduly burdensome. Which is to say: The mandate is constitutional as a tax, but not as a penalty -- and only if it's not too expensive.

- "You could make the individual mandate stronger, you could make the subsidies better  you could add national health insurance plans or a public option to put in more competition. Mechanically what you would do here is not actually that complicated, but without a political party that wants to fix it, it won't get fixed," Vox's Ezra Klein said recently.

These are not easy, simple fixes. We know because they weren't done when the law was passed, because Democrats couldn't assemble a political coalition to do this. At the time they had 60 votes in the Senate, and control of the House, and the presidency -- a level of historical dominance they hadn't managed in decades. Either these simple fixes would have pushed the price tag of the bill too high, making it difficult to find even more taxes or program cuts to pay for it, or they would have damaged the popularity of a bill that was already really unpopular.

And this is true of every idea that starts with "All we need to do." If "All we need to do" to fix some substantial problem were cheap and politically popular, it would already have been done, and we wouldn't be talking about it. The stuff we argue about is, almost by definition, the stuff that's hard.

Needless to say, Republicans are not going to be eager to do something hard and unpopular largely to save a program that was passed over their strenuous objections and is now hurting their political opponents. So if all we need to do is persuade Republicans to abandon their objections to Obamacare, and possibly their own electoral futures, to bail Democrats out of the mess they created, then we're all going to be living with these problems for a very long time.
Mayor John Torys signature rail plan cleared a major hurdle on Tuesday, as council rejected an attempt to delay its approval and endorsed a controversial agreement with the province to advance its completion.

The terms of the agreement, which passed with the support of three quarters of council, set out cost-sharing arrangements between the city and the Ontario government for more than $11 billion worth of transit projects, including planned LRT lines and a scaled down version of the SmartTrack proposal Tory promised during the campaign.

The mayor framed the agreement as council taking decisive action on building transit.

I think its a great deal. Its going to produce transit for people sooner than anything else, its going to make the biggest difference the soonest of anything else we can do, he told council before the vote.

The decision means the city will be responsible for the capital costs of building SmartTrack, estimated at $3.7 billion, and comes just three weeks before a Nov. 30 deadline set by the province.

SmartTrack is dependent on the provinces GO Transit regional express rail (RER) initiative, and Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency, said it needed councils commitment to paying SmartTrack costs by the end of the month so it could move ahead with the procurement process for RER.

But during a debate that stretched over nine hours, some councillors said they didnt have enough information to approve the proposed agreement. Details of the terms were only released last week and the deal potentially puts the city on the hook for billions of dollars in future transit costs with no clear funding source.

Councillor Janet Davis (Ward 31, Beaches - East York), moved a motion to defer approval of the agreement until councils February meeting, when councillors will finalize the citys 2017 budget. She argued that would allow council to weigh in on city reports, anticipated in the coming weeks, that will outline new revenue tools and potential asset sales that could raise funding for transit.

Davis said that if the province wouldnt allow a delay then theres something really wrong with this partnership.

What this says is hold on, we have timelines and processes here too, we are a level of government, and we need to consider this in the context of our budget, she said.

Davis and others raised concerns about whether tax increment financing, an untested method of tapping anticipated taxes from future development to pay for infrastructure projects, could be used to cover a large portion of the SmartTrack costs, as the approved plan recommends.

They also cited uncertainty around the fare prices and ridership projections for SmartTrack. Neither has been finalized but both are crucial to the project providing the benefits to the citys transit network that Tory has claimed.

But other council members warned that delaying the vote to next year would cause the province to cancel the deal and it was better to push ahead.

Remember this  we are not a level of government. The province controls this level, they tell us what the deal is, said Councillor Frank Di Giorgio (Ward 12, York South-Weston). They put deadlines on usThey control the nature of the deal we will ultimately get.

Daviss motion failed 11 to 32.

The $3.7 billion in estimated SmartTrack capital costs includes $1.3 billion for six stations branded as SmartTrack stops on the Stouffville/Lakeshore East and Kitchener GO corridors, down from the 13 new stations he promised during his campaign. It also includes $2.5 billion for the Eglinton West LRT, which would run between Mount Dennis station on the Eglinton Crosstown and Pearson Airport.

The city is hoping to secure funding from the federal government and other jurisdictions to lower its SmartTrack costs to $2 billion. The province is spending $3.7 billion on the GO network within Toronto to support RER.

Amidst a flurry of motions at the end of the debate, council rejected an attempt by Councillor John Campbell to delay approval of the Eglinton West LRT. Campbell, who represents the Etobicoke Centre ward that would be served by the project, noted that the extension wasnt high on the list of transit priorities compiled by the citys planning department, and argued the money would be better spent on building waterfront transit. His motion lost 10 to 32.

In addition to taking on the costs associated with building SmartTrack, the deal approved by council also committed the city to paying $71 million for SmartTrack planning over the next two years, and an additional $217.5 million for infrastructure to support GO service.

Council also agreed to pay all of the operating and regular maintenance costs for provincially funded LRT lines that are either planned or already under construction on Eglinton, Finch West, and Sheppard East, as well as operating and maintenance costs for RER service to SmartTrack stations. Its not clear how much the operating and maintenance costs for the projects will be, or how the city will pay for them.

Some councillors were adamant that the city not agree to take on the LRT operating costs. As the Star reported on Tuesday, a 2013 provincial document suggested the province assumed it would pay at least some operating costs for new LRTs in the city.

City manager Peter Wallace told council that Toronto taking on the LRT operating costs was a precondition set out by the province during negotiations for the new agreement.

Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker (Ward 38, Scarborough Centre), a proponent of the transit agreement, said that council couldnt allow uncertainty about the details to prevent it from moving ahead.

You sometimes have to move forward even when everything isnt 100 per cent guaranteed or perfect, he said. You just dont know those answers yet. But what we do know is our city needs SmartTrack.

Recap: Council approves SmartTrack update

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A legal battle that lasted nearly five years and outraged the citys criminal defence bar came to a close Wednesday when Toronto lawyer Deryk Gravesande was acquitted of smuggling marijuana to a former client in jail.

Courtroom spectators, many of them lawyers, whispered yes when Ontario Court Justice Jonathan Brunet  brought in from Ottawa  found Gravesande not guilty of drug trafficking. In a lengthy ruling, he said the Crowns case was well short of the criminal standard of proof.

The decision stood in stark contrast to that of a different judge  Wayne Rabley, from London  who found Gravesande guilty of the same offence in 2014. Rableys verdict was overturned by the Court of Appeal in 2015, leading to the second trial before Brunet that began last week.

Todays acquittal is a just and appropriate outcome. This has been a long ordeal for Mr. Gravesande and he is glad it is finally over, said his lawyer, Scott Hutchison.

A lawyer for more than two decades, Gravesande had been accused of smuggling 58 grams of marijuana in eight cellophane-wrapped packages as well as a parcel of lidocaine, some rolled marijuana cigarettes and a piece of cellophane with lubricant on it to a former client, Joacquin Rowe, when he visited him at the Toronto (Don) Jail in January 2012.

Gravesande, who denied on the stand that he supplied the drugs, was sentenced to two years in prison by Rabley in 2014, although he was granted bail pending his appeal. A unanimous three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal lambasted Rableys reasoning in overturning the conviction.

They pointed out that the correctional officers admitted that they did not follow proper protocols for searching the interview room and Rowe prior to the prisoner speaking with Gravesande.

The top court noted that a guard briefly handled Rowes jumpsuit before the visit, instead of conducting what should have been a thorough strip search. After Gravesandes visit, Rowe was searched again and the guards said they found a black sock containing the drugs inside his underwear.

Michael Lacy, vice-president of the Criminal Lawyers Association, said Wednesdays ruling was a vindication for Gravesande, but said the CLA questions why the Crown chose to proceed with a second trial given the strong rebuke delivered by the Court of Appeal.

In the face of a questionable case, maybe they thought it was important that they send a message to the public that theyll prosecute lawyers and other participants in the administration of criminal justice, no matter how flimsy (the case) may be, he said.

A spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, the federal agency that handles drug crimes, said it would be inappropriate to comment on Brunets ruling.

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There was a point during Tuesdays debate on John Torys transit plan when Councillor Joe Mihevc rose to speak. He was, he said, reminded of an old piece of verse  and then he quoted from Shakespeare.

A rose by any other name smells as sweet as something like a rose, or whatever, Mihevc said.

Are you swooning yet? This is the poetry of civic government in action. His point was that if Councillor Juliet Capulet were to direct her nose toward the blossom of Mayor John Torys SmartTrack plan, she might think it was something like a rose. Or like former mayor David Millers Transit City plan, in some respects. Forget the old drama. He finally laid out his point in prose: It doesnt matter what you call it.

And what is being called SmartTrack now, he said, was a set of pretty good ideas. The Eglinton West LRT to the airport  the most expensive part of the plan  that is revived from Transit City. The frequent GO service from the provincial Regional Express Rail plan. The addition of six local stops in Toronto on that GO line. And as Ive said before, I think in this respect he has a fair point, with the urgently important qualification that these are good ideas, I think, only if they are considered in addition to the other bigger ideas already listed in reports as transit priorities for Toronto. As a replacement for them, they look less sensible.

Mihevcs concerns, he said, had more to do with the financial end of the deal, about which the report before council contained less certainty than many could be comfortable with. And it was in this respect, I think, that his mangled Shakespearean allusion was even more on the nose.

Much of the debate about this plan has revolved around the financial implications of it. Much of that  perhaps more than the average person cares to follow  has focused on inter-governmental wrangling about who pays for what. The upshot is that the city government pays for much more than it is accustomed to paying  all the construction expenses for everything labelled SmartTrack as well as all the operating costs of that and all the LRT lines that are planned, too. Plus the city will chip in for provincial GO improvements in Toronto, as well. In exchange, the province will allow Toronto to add these things to provincial projects on Eglinton and on GO lines.

This, many have remarked, looks like a bad deal for the city. Perhaps so, though as is always the case, the city is able to negotiate roughly as a good a deal with the province as the province wants to give  Queens Park has the power to dissolve Torontos entire government and bulldoze the subway lines, if it gets the inkling. That gives it a certain amount of leverage in negotiations. But the conclusion  good deal, bad deal, or otherwise  is that the era of the province paying our transit bills appears to be over, at least for a while. The brief period in which Dalton McGuintys Liberal government volunteered to pay for 100 per cent of construction costs on massive new transit expansion, and even seemed prepared to accept paying to operate some of it, always a historical anomaly, is now just plain history. The pendulum has swung. This is bad news for the city government. It also means if we want the kind of transit expansion theyve been talking about at city hall, there are bills to pay. Construction bills. Operating bills. Big ones, stretching off into the future.

For the SmartTrack bills, Mayor John Tory had said during his campaign that a financing mechanism called TIF  tax increment financing  would mean the whole bill could be paid without any tax increase or new taxes. That has turned out not to be possible (as many said even during the campaign), though using TIF is still part of the plan. Mayor Tory has said that for the considerable difference between what TIF can pay and what the things cost, he still plans to avoid property tax increases. A revenue tools discussion is in the immediate future.

And here we go, the important realization: a rose is a rose is something like a rose or whatever.

TIFs are taxes. Property taxes, paid by people in the future in certain neighbourhoods, earmarked to pay down debt instead of to the things they normally fund. And how does the city fund those other normal things if the TIF property taxes are going to debt? Usually through taxes and fees collected elsewhere. And if the TIF zones dont produce the anticipated revenue? The city has to pick up the payments anyway, using taxes and fees collected elsewhere. Its important to understand that tax increment financing is not magic, city manager Peter Wallace told the meeting. Indeed, TIFs are just a credit mechanism you pay back with property taxes.

How about revenue tools?

Well, one that seems likely to come up for discussion is asset sales  especially Toronto Hydro, where the maneuvering for a selloff has recently become pretty obvious. But you can only sell the golden goose once, and then you need a new source of eggs.

Most of the others wed consider are just taxes and fees. Hotel taxes, road tolls, parking taxes, sales taxes: you can call them tools if you want, but they are still taxes and fees. They are us paying for the things we want. The sad truth about revenue tools is that the ones only a small number of people pay  and are therefore uncontroversial among the larger number of people  dont produce much revenue. The ones that a lot of people pay do produce a lot of revenue, but are unpopular because no one wants to pay them.

Councillor Janet Davis put forward a motion during the meeting to delay the transit decision until after the revenue tools debate, on the logic that if were running up the tab, we should ensure were confident in our ability to pay it, first. Discussing massive new expenditures without first discussing the revenue youre willing to raise struck her as imprudent. City council, in the majority, disagreed.

And so SmartTrack, what is now called SmartTrack, was approved. The discussion of key financial and other questions that will determine whether it winds up smelling like a rose, or something, or whatever, was left for another day.

Edward Keenan writes on city issues ekeenan@thestar.ca . Follow: @thekeenanwire

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For our heart-broken neighbours to the south who cant stomach living in a country with Donald Trump as president, Canadian immigration experts have some advice for you.

Dont expect to just pack up and move to Canada. Its not as easy as you think.

There is no fast way to come here as permanent residents, said Toronto immigration lawyer Robin Seligman, former president of the Canadian Bar Associations immigration section.

How about political asylum for Democrats disgusted by the Republican President-elect, and his party-dominated Senate and House of Representatives?

Dont even think about it. They wont be able to make refugee claims here for persecution based on race, religion, nationalities and political opinions, added Seligman. You have to prove you are targeted and you suffer from that persecution.

As the U.S. election results rolled in Tuesday night, so many people south of the border were trying to access Canadas immigration department website that the server crashed.

According to immigration spokesperson Remi Lariviere, the website became temporarily inaccessible as a result of a significant increase in the volume of traffic.

Visits to the website from U.S. internet providers have been rising steadily, peaking at 1.7 million clicks in March. Last month, some 1.06 million hits came from U.S. browsers, up 21 per cent from 879,428 a year ago.

Lariviere said the website became inaccessible at around 11 p.m. Tuesday as Trump emerged to be the winner with more than 200,000 users accessing the site from the U.S., accounting for half of the traffic. The number does not include those who tried but failed to get on the site. The volume for this time period the previous week was just over 17,000.

Although immigration data shows the number of people granted permanent resident status from the U.S. jumped by 46 per cent in the first six months of 2016 to 4,185 from 2,858 for the same time period last year, the number of applications received only went up by 8 per cent, from 3,310 to 3,568 for the same period.

While immigration experts dont expect a huge exodus from the U.S. in the wake of Trumps victory, some people are seriously thinking about heading north.

Everyone is talking about going to Canada. It is my plan, said Wendy Ramirez, who joined her undocumented parents in Houston from Mexico City in 2000, when she was 8. She just graduated from the University of Houston in biology a year ago and now works in a hospital.

The election was too much to watch. Were so disappointed and there is no word to explain it. We are at a loss right now, added the 25-year-old, who was able to stay in the U.S. because of Barack Obamas 2014 move to defer deportation for millions of illegal immigrants.

Getting deported is very real now, said Ramirez, who has already made inquiries about coming to Canada for graduate school or as a skilled immigrant.

If history is to repeat itself, University of Toronto professor Nelson Wiseman said Canada does not have to worry about an influx of American exiles fleeing a regime change in the U.S.

Canada did not experience a spike in U.S. migration in 2004 in the wake of George W. Bushs re-election, said Wiseman, who teaches political science and is director of U of Ts Canadian studies program.

Immigration from the U.S. only went up by 15 per cent to 9,463 in 2006 from 8,394 in 2005, the first full year of Bushs second term, peaking at 10,190 in 2008 when Obama was elected.

You cant just want to move and get in. Its a big decision. It makes good headlines, good storylines, but people dont act on it. You have your family, your job. What are you going into? Wiseman said.

A friend from Santa Monica told me she would move to Canada and be my cleaning lady if Trump was elected, but it was a joke. Canadians love to read these stories because it makes them feel superior that people prefer living with us.

Options for permanent residency to Canada are plenty: skilled immigrants, provincial nominee programs and Canadian experience class  all require some sort of work experience here and job offers, as well as spousal sponsorships (if you are married or in a common-law relationship with a Canadian).

For those looking for a temporary break from four years of Trump governance, there are other options as foreign students and temporary foreign workers on work permits.

Professor Harald Bauder, director of Ryerson Universitys graduate immigration program, said Americans have an edge over other immigrants in integration with English as their first language, a similar culture and academic and professional backgrounds that are better recognized here.

They can integrate very quickly. I can see the Liberal government capitalize on that, said Bauder, adding Ottawa must also decide how to respond to a potential inflow of undocumented migrants from the U.S. to Canada if Trump keeps his promise to deport all illegal residents there.

Seligman worries about what might happen to the thousands of American and Canadian NAFTA professionals currently working in the other country with Trumps campaign promise to kill the North American Free Trade Agreement.

You could come as professionals, intra-company transfers, treaty traders and investors under NAFTA, said Seligman. As long as you have a job offer, you can just show up at the border. It is the fastest way for people to come, as long as it continues.

American migration to Canada 2015-2016:

1.06 million: U.S. visitors to Canada immigration department website in October.

879,428: U.S. visitors to the website in October 2015.

21%: Percentage increase of website views from the U.S.

4,185: New permanent residents from the U.S. from January to June 2016.

2,858: New permanent residents from the U.S. from January to June 2015.

46%: Percentage increase of Americans making Canada home.

3,568: New immigration applications from the U.S. from January to June 2016.

3,310: New immigration applications from the U.S. from January to June 2015.

8%: Percentage increase of Americans applying for immigration to Canada.

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

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A shocked premier Kathleen Wynne is expressing hope U.S. president-elect Donald Trumps anti-trade rhetoric was just campaign bluster.

Speaking to the Star on Wednesday, Wynne said she is worried about Trumps threat to rip up the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that is so vital to Ontarios economy.

My biggest fear  is the trade relationship, the premier said, mindful the United States is far and away the provinces most important trading partner accounting for 80.5 per cent of Ontario exports.

The degree that this undermines a North American strategy, I think we have to worry about that, said Wynne, noting Ontarios thriving auto industry is so entwined with that of Michigan they are interdependent.

The premier also said she was concerned about the impact of a Trump presidency and a Republican Congress on efforts to tackle climate change because the incoming president has claimed global warming is a Chinese hoax perpetrated to hobble American manufacturing.

Weve made a lot of progress on the climate change discussion globally and if weve got a president who really doesnt see the importance of that, it puts so much at risk, she said.

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Ontario has entered into a cap-and-trade system with Quebec and California that other states and provinces could join.

Those sub-national relationships become even more important, she said, adding national governments are also essential to the crusade.

Quebec premier Philippe Couillard, who also would have preferred a Hillary Clinton victory, said the future of the fight against climate change, as well as cooperation with Ontario and California on a carbon market, are sources of uncertainty and worry.

On the Paris Accord  the global climate change deal recently ratified  Couillard said while it is easier for Trump to say he will withdraw from it than actually do so.

The United States is clearly a major partner. It is an unavoidable player. But I see things like China making a move toward setting up a national carbon market. It will be difficult for a great country like the United States to ignore that, the Quebec premier said.

Wynne, for her part, emphasized there are lessons for leaders around the globe from Trumps surprise victory that few pollsters had foreseen.

We cant take anything for granted on any side of the political spectrum, she said, pointing out that this election puts a lot of that perceived wisdom in context when it comes to polling.

Voters  especially in rust belt states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin  feel the system is stacked against them, she said.

They voted against unfairness. So weve got a real responsibility to recognize that and to make sure that we do everything in our power every day to make this as fair of a society as we can, the premier said, referring to aggrieved Americans who feel they are being left behind by globalization.

We know were stronger if we have a fair society. Whats happened in the United States really emphasizes that.

Still, Wynne said she had no regrets about being so publicly critical of Trump.

In a June interview with the Star at the Canadian embassy in Washington, she warned his divisive talk was very dangerous for Canada and very dangerous for the world.

The premier stood by those comments in the cold light of Wednesday morning after Tuesdays election.

I was saying what I believe, said Wynne.

Ontarios first female premier who has met with Hillary Clinton in the past  said she had hoped to see a woman elected president.

It would be such an important message to young women in the United States and in the world, said Wynne.

So, this is the reverse of that message and we have to understand why thats happening. What is it about whats happening right now that the terribly divisive things, because it wasnt just about women (or) other groups she said.

Why did that not stop him? What is it about people that they feel so angry and so left behind and so excluded that they were able to push that kind of rhetoric aside?

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ISLAMABADPakistani security officials say five more Indian diplomats have returned to their country amid a deepening diplomatic row.

The two officials said Wednesday the five were among eight diplomats whose names were publicized by Pakistan, which said they were spies. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

A diplomatic row between Pakistan and India has deepened since Oct. 27, when they each expelled an embassy staffer for spying. The situation worsened when Pakistan withdrew six of its diplomats after their names were released to Indian media amid tensions over Kashmir.

Islamabad reciprocated by publishing the names of the eight diplomats. India protested the move, and what it called factually incorrect allegations.

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KABULAfghanistans president on Wednesday welcomed home Sharbat Gulla, National Geographics famed green-eyed Afghan Girl, just hours after she was deported from Pakistan, the latest in the odyssey of the globally recognized refugee.

Gullas deportation came after a regional court in the Pakistani city of Peshawar convicted her on charges of carrying a forged Pakistani ID card and staying in the country illegally.

The case has drawn international attention and criticism of Pakistani authorities over their perceived harsh treatment of Gulla  and other Afghans who Islamabad says will be expelled as illegal immigrants.

Gulla gained international fame as an Afghan refugee girl in 1984, when war photographer Steve McCurrys photograph of her, with piercing green eyes, was published on National Geographics cover. McCurry found her again in 2002.

In 2014, she went into hiding after authorities accused her of buying fake Pakistani documents. She was arrested in late October and the Peshawar court earlier this month ordered her deported.

Earlier Wednesday, Gulla and her four children were handed over to Afghan authorities at the Torkham border crossing, about 60 kilometres (37 miles) northwest Peshawar.

From there she was flown to Kabul where President Ashraf Ghani and his wife Rula hosted a reception for Gulla at the presidential palace. Ghani also handed her keys to a fully-furnished apartment.

As a child, she captured the hearts of millions because she was the symbol of displacement, Ghani said of Gulla. The enormous beauty, the enormous energy that she projected from her face captured hearts and became one of the most famous photographs of the 1980s and up until the 1990s.

It is a privilege for me to welcome her. We are proud to see that she lives with dignity and with security in her homeland, Ghani said.

Peshawar official Fayaz Khan said Gulla, a widow, and her children were taken by convoy to the border with Afghanistan before dawn Wednesday.

She looked visibly unhappy and before crossing, turned once to look back at Pakistan, her home of many years, and murmured good wishes for the Pakistani people, according to two customs officials at the scene. The officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

After the Peshawar court sentenced Gulla to 15 days in jail and a fine of $1,000, she fell ill and was admitted to the citys Lady Reading hospital.

The hospital staff gave Gulla a bouquet of red roses as she was taken away Wednesday, said Dr Mukhtiar Zaman, who described her as still being weak from her illness.

Around 3 million Afghans live in Pakistan, most of them as refugees who fled over the almost 40 years of continuous conflict. Pakistan recently stepped up their expulsions, forcing tens of thousands across the border into Afghanistan, where many find themselves rootless after so many years of exile.

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A sombre crowd at Torontos Democrats Abroad election party dwindled late into the night as a Donald Trump presidency grew more and more likely.

Im very scared, said Karin Lippert, who described herself as a lifelong feminist activist from New York.

I have grandchildren, I have children, said Lippert, 72. I was just on the phone with my son whos watching this in California. He said we did everything we could to make this be different . . . Were seeing something triumph that is just so unlike what we expected to be happening in this country.

The night began far less gloomy across Toronto as expats and Canadian politics enthusiasts gathered at various election parties, eager to find out who would emerge president of the United States and lead our nations biggest trading partner. Life-sized candidate cutouts, electoral-map bingo and locker-room-talk cocktails were the theme at the various gatherings.

Those at The Drake Hotels party were met with a two-and-a-half hour wait to get into the cover-free event. The hundreds of attendees could enjoy election-themed cocktails for $10, nicknamed Locker Room Talk and My Own Private Emails.

Over at the Madison Avenue Pub, an election-themed menu featured Build the wall quesadilla, Trumped up nachos, and Lewinsky wings.

I did not have relations with that chicken wing, the menu stated.

Meanwhile, cutout versions of Trump and Hillary Clinton joined hundreds of Canadians and American expats alike at a hall in Daniels Spectrum on Dundas St. E. and Sackville St., for an election party hosted by the Toronto U.S. Consulate General.

Party-goers took selfies with the life-sized cut-outs  Clintons received a little more attention than Trumps  and played election-themed games such as electoral-map bingo, while wearing red, white and blue leis and hats handed out by consulate staff.

Most kept at least one eye trained on the screen in the middle of the room where CNNs rolling live coverage of the election was projected.

In a short speech to kick off the event, consul general Juan Alsace said this was the 11th time hes had the privilege of voting in a U.S. federal election. He cast his first vote in 1976 as a 19-year-old.

I felt, then, truly, the significance, and, indeed, the power of what I was able to do, said Alsace, noting the U.S. was still reeling from the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War at the time.

That election came at a highly divisive time, he said, and that time is important to remember as we conclude what has been a bitter election campaign in the United States.

Elections, voting of the free people, have given our leaders direction on how to address (current) challenges . . . . And thats what will happen this evening, he said.

Alsace called the American democratic process one of the most transparent and fair in the world.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne was among the attendees. Wynne said she hoped Hillary Clinton, who shes met once, would emerge successful.

I dont think that young women understand quite how important it is to have a woman in . . . the highest office in the land in the United States, Wynne told reporters. I think it will make a huge difference to women all over the world if Hillary Clinton is the president, so thats no small thing, from my perspective.

Not that a Trump presidency would be unworkable.

The reality is, we work with whoever is the president of the United States, Wynne said. My hope is that whoever is there will understand how important Canada, and Ontario, are to that partnership.

Canadian attendee Jennifer Morris said although she was rooting for Clinton, she hoped as many Americans as possible cast ballots tonight.

I hope that they just have a lot of voter turnout and everyone gets to share their voice (about what) they want to see happen, said Morris, who owns a transportation logistics company that does a lot of cross-border business.

The party was a great chance to meet people, she said. Its kind of a two-for-one deal: you get a great election party and you get to network, too.

Some believe Canada might have played a not-insignificant role in the election due to the number of American expats north of the border eligible to vote. Activist group Avaaz estimates there are one million American citizens living in Canada and eight million worldwide.

The Calvin Bar at the Trump International Hotel and Tower proved a popular gathering spot for Torontonian Trump supporters on election night. For George Pasos, wearing the Republican nominees trademark red Make-American-Great-Again hat, Trump is more attractive as the change candidate.

In order to keep a democracy free, you need to eliminate corruption and Trump is the best candidate for that, Pasos said. I believe that if he is successful, then the United States, and, hopefully, by extension, Canada will become less corrupt.

Aubree Peardon said she was unbothered by some of Trumps rhetoric throughout the campaign, particular his heavily-criticized statements about women.

Men talk that way and the whole world needs to wake up, she said, adding her number one reason for supporting Trump was simply because I trust him.

Americans will have a long way to go in bridging the deep disagreements this election campaign has unearthed, said University of Toronto political scientist Robert Vipond, at the consulate party.

I think the bitterness and the divisiveness sets it apart from virtually any campaign that Ive seen in the last 20 or 30 years, Vipond said. In other cases, there was a level of respect, even though there were quite significant partisan divisions, a level of respect that simply has not been there this time between the candidates.

And that is new, and thats not heartening for the state of democracy.

Recap: Toronto follows election results

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Contrary to claims by Donald Trump backer Roger Stone exit polls do not have any bearing on whether an election is considered free and fair, according to the worlds leading international election observation organization the Carter Center.

David Carroll director of the democracy program at the Carter Center says the organization doesnt consider exit polls when certifying an election.

When we deploy an international observation mission our observers watch the balloting process at individual polling stations and after the close of polls they witness the counting process at a sample of individual polling stations noting and recording the vote count totals for each place we observed he told the Star.

Then our mission manager compares the data we gathered to that reported by other international and domestic citizen observers who also have gathered such data and also to what is ultimately reported in final official vote tallies.

Stone who runs the website StopTheSteal.org has organized thousands of Trump supporters under the banner vote protectors to conduct ad hoc exit polls at voting stations across the country in order to provide data that might call into question the official results.

Our goal is to identify potential computerized manipulation of the voter machines if it exists wrote stone in a blog post Monday.

The U.S. State Department (under Hillary Clinton) required not more than a 2 per cent deviance between actual reported results and exit poll results in judging the integrity of foreign elections. All we ask is the same standard apply to the 2016 Presidential election.

In fact exit polling has been shown to be inaccurate as a predictor of actual voting results not only because its based on self-reporting but also because of sample size and demographics.

Early Tuesday evening StopTheSteal had Trump leading Clinton 55 per cent to 39 per cent.

In 2004 exit polls indicated that John Kerry was going to win the presidency.

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ROCHESTER, N.Y.As voters streamed to polling stations to cast their ballots, a very different place was also drawing hundreds of people with democracy on their minds: Mount Hope Cemetery.

It is the final resting place of Susan B. Anthony, the 19th century suffragette and social activist who fought for the right of women to vote  but died in 1906, 14 years before women were given the right to cast ballots in the U.S.

Anthonys gravestone was covered in I Voted stickers  placed there on an Election Day which saw voters for the first time marking ballots with the name of the female presidential candidate from a major party.

Im voting for the first woman president, Gillian Paris, who affixed her sticker to Anthonys marker shortly after sunrise, told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. As a woman I can vote because of the sacrifices she made.

A steady stream of people lined up at Mount Hope Cemetery, starting before dawn, to pay respects to the womens suffrage leader. Democrat Lovely Warren is the citys first female mayor, and she passed out stickers with Anthonys image to visitors.

She told the New York Times that if I could do back flips, I would be doing back flips.

To me, that means, as a woman, there are no shackles and no chains to what we can accomplish, she said.

Nora Rubel is director of the Susan B. Anthony Institute at the University of Rochester. She tells the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle she went to the polls and the grave with her two daughters to share the experience.

The cemetery extended its visiting hours to 9 p.m. Tuesday to accommodate crowds that grew into the thousands by afternoon.

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Odd as it might seem to the Baby Boomer generation, the Left Coast community once known as the Peoples Republic of Berkeley might have found a new way to regulate conduct of homeless people on public sidewalks.

As a way of preventing people from setting up homesteads on sidewalks, the Berkeley City Council last year passed a law limiting objects and belongings larger than two square feet from being placed on the sidewalk.

The sidewalk camping phenomenon has become more common in downtown Lincoln. Business owners say the campers hurt business.

Homeless individuals also are gathering near Union Plaza, where they shelter under bridges across Antelope Creek. Police are more worried about activity in this location. There have been violent assaults and sexual assaults in the area. Complaints have been fielded from cyclists and joggers who dont feel safe on the trail along the creek.

Police have written a stack of tickets during warm weather months for things like assaults, urinating in public and assaults, according to Capt. Jason Stille, downtown area team captain.

But arrests for minor infractions dont keep people off the streets long. Theyre often out of jail on back on the same street within days.

Jim Knuth, who owns Midwest Sound and Lighting at 2322 O St. said the number of homeless people in the area has been growing and their behavior is getting worse. They defecate, curse and sometimes are violent, he said.

If Berkeley can crack down on the homeless, so can Lincoln, said Knuth.

It remains to be seen how effective the Berkeley approach will be, however. It will not go into effect until Berkeley city government creates storage facility with at least 50 lockers for use by the homeless. City officials are still working on the project.

Establishing city-owned lockers for the homeless is fairly common in California. Cities including San Diego, Pomona, Los Angeles and San Bernadino have set up lockers for the homeless.

It should be noted that City Hall already has taken other measures to address the issue. The Downtown Lincoln Association, for example, is helping to pay the salary of a CenterPointe homeless outreach worker who focuses on downtown. Police and human service agencies have been meeting weekly as the Most Vulnerable Review Team.

The sidewalk camping season in Lincoln has lasted several weeks longer than normal due to unseasonably warm weather. But winter is sure to come. Maybe by next year Lincoln can have new laws that respect the constitutional rights of homeless people while preserving a welcoming atmosphere for all.
WASHINGTONDonald Trump pulled off a remarkable victory in the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday. Here are 12 things the results show us:

This was both a decisive win and a close call

Trump won comfortably  and, at the same time, by a razor-thin margin. Specifically, he earned a decisive 75 electoral votes by beating Hillary Clinton, as of press time, by about 120,000 actual votes in Florida (29 electoral votes, 13,000 votes in Michigan (16 electoral votes), 28,000 votes in Wisconsin (10 electoral votes) and 68,000 votes in Pennsylvania (20 electoral votes). In other words, Clinton would have won the presidency had she flipped fewer than 250,000 votes in the right places.

People really hated this election

When key communities around the country reported record turnout during the early voting period, the news was widely interpreted as a sign of intense voter excitement about a momentous election. Turns out they just wanted to get the thing over with. Overall voter turnout appeared to be down from 2012, an election where the candidates were much more similar.

The Obama coalition might require  Obama

Clinton had hoped to prevail on the strength of the Obama coalition: young people, racial and religious minorities, college-educated white people. Despite Obamas presence on the campaign trail, they just were not excited enough about the 69-year-old white insider on the ballot. Trump ended up with somewhere in excess of 1.7 million votes fewer than Mitt Romney in 2012  but Clinton got somewhere in excess of 6 million fewer than Obama did.

Clinton erred in how she spent her time

Clinton made an ambitious effort to expand the electoral map, spending late-campaign time and money in diverse long-Republican states like Arizona. But she forgot to defend long-Democratic states with a high proportion of white working-class voters. Clinton lost Wisconsin, a state she never visited as a general election candidate, and Michigan, to which she paid almost no attention until the end.

Her damn emails mattered

Primary opponent Bernie Sanders refused to make hay of the scandal over Clintons private email server, and her supporters always said it was trivial and overblown. In the end, it mattered a great deal: exit polls suggested it bothered more than six in ten voters, and it doubtlessly contributed to the widespread perception that she was elusive and dishonest. FBI Director James Comeys resurrection of the scandal during the early voting period may have been a death blow.

Trump fans enthusiasm wasnt captured in the polls

Hearing the roar of one of his massive crowds the day before the election, Trump said, This is not the sound of a second-place finisher. He was mocked for such claims  Romney, too, drew big crowds to the end, and so did George McGovern before he got crushed in 1972  but he was right: the polls were not fully identifying his support.

White people are not a spent electoral force

When Romney lost the 2012 election, Republican thinkers came to a consensus: in a diversifying country, they were not going to win future elections if they continued to alienate non-whites by doing such things as resisting immigration reform. They were wrong. Trump did the precise opposite of their recommendation, running a bitter campaign against illegal immigration, and he changed the composition of the electorate. For at least one more time, for a Trump, a motivated white people were enough.

The vaunted Moderate Republican Professional Woman did not rise against Trump

Much of Clintons messaging was aimed not at firing up liberal Democrats but extending a hand to moderate conservative professional women in the suburbs of big cities. Exit polls suggested she won white college-educated women by six points. Thats a major improvement on Democrats usual showing  but a far cry from the 25-point advantage some fall polls suggested she had, and far from a repudiation by the Republican professional class.

Everything might be overrated

Television ads. Endorsements. Veteran consultants. Sophisticated polling. A state-of-the-art get-out-the vote operation. Trump cared less about them any other modern nominee, and he beat one of the best-funded, best-organized political machines in American history. His triumph should produce a re-evaluation of pretty much everything involved in presidential campaigns.

Nobody knows anything

There was a polling error. There was a media failure to communicate the uncertainty of the polls. And even Trump's own data team also thought he was going to lose, campaign officials have told various media outlets. In summary, sometimes amazing things happen, and sometimes the experts have no clue. Trump's triumph is another hit to the reputation of the political class.

There is no groundswell in favour of transparency

Donald Trump became the first major-party nominee in the last ten presidential elections to refuse to release his tax returns. He did not do a single press conference in the last 100 days of the campaign. His supporters didnt care  just as Clintons supporters didnt care that she didnt do one in more than 250 days early in the campaign. The medias priorities are not always the voters priorities.

The appearance of authenticity matters more than factual accuracy

With a long history of evasiveness and opacity, Clinton is far from a paragon of honesty. Trump, though, was the most serially untruthful candidate in modern history, perhaps ever  and, by the end, polls suggested he seen as more honest than she was. The secret was his brashness, his bluntness, his willingness to offend. Even when he was making things up, he seemed more straightforward than his lawyerly opponent.

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Long lines, malfunctioning machines, a Trump campaign lawsuit, pockets of voter harassment and a shooting that locked down two California polling stations  for American voters on Tuesday, an ugly and messy election season came to an ugly and messy end.

Despite Republican candidate Donald Trumps repeated assertions of a rigged election, there were no signs of large-scale fraud as the polls closed on Tuesday, though several polling places were plagued by long lineups and computer issues.

Fears of widespread election-day violence also failed to materialize, though Californians endured a few tense hours after gunfire erupted near a polling station in Azusa, a city 40 kilometres east of Los Angeles.

The shooting  and a subsequent gun battle with police  forced the lockdown of two polling stations but police believe the attack was unrelated to the election. The gunman and a male victim in his 70s were killed, with two other people injured; at least one of the victims was also on their way to vote, the Los Angeles Times reported.

But outside of Azusa, U.S. voters encountered more typical polling station dramas: long lineups, malfunctioning machines, assorted annoyances and isolated pockets of voter harassment.

The day did begin, however, with a Donald Trump trademark: a lawsuit. Early Tuesday, the Republican candidates campaign filed a lawsuit in Nevada  one of several states that allows early voting  alleging that voters were allowed to cast their ballots past deadline last week.

In Nevada, people standing in line when the polls close at 8 p.m. are allowed to cast their ballots. The Trump campaign is alleging, however, that election officials violated state law by allowing people to join the line even after the cut off time.

The lawsuit  which was quickly rejected by a Nevada judge  was widely perceived as an attempt to suppress Hispanic voters in an important swing state. The polling station was located outside of a Mexican supermarket in Las Vegas, a Clinton stronghold.

While election day was largely peaceful, civil rights groups logged a high number of complaints from voters reporting harassment or suppression. As of early Tuesday evening, some 30,000 calls had already been received by a national voter complaint hotline; according to civil rights groups, a large proportion of them were from African-American and Latino voters.

According to Election Protection, an organization operating a hotline, voters complained about being directed to the wrong polling places, learning that their names had been purged from voter rolls, being wrongly told to fill out provisional ballots, and being improperly asked for identification or forced to wait in long lines.

Voters in Floridas also reported people using megaphones aggressively and in Jacksonville, an unauthorized individual was also found inside a polling station, according to Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, during a press conference.

There were also reports in Hollywood, Fla. of aggressive individuals hovering around voters as the approached polling sites, she added. Some have turned away because they did not feel able to freely cast (a) ballot.

A few skirmishes were also reported Tuesday. In Michigan, authorities had to break up a shoving match between a Hillary Clinton supporter and another voter supporting Trump.

In Florida, an altercation between a male Clinton supporter and a female Trump supporter outside of a Palm Beach polling station also led to the man being pepper sprayed and the woman allegedly punched. Elsewhere in the Sunshine State, two clerks in Broward County were also fired for not adhering to procedure and policy, with officials declining to release any other details.

Across the country, there were scattered reports of machines that didnt work properly, including in Durham, N.C., where a computerized system for verifying voter registration failed in several precincts. Computer issues caused North Carolina to extend voting at nine precincts, Bloomberg reported.

One voting precinct closed for an hour and a half and was forced to turn voters away, according to the New York Times. At North Carolina Central University, it was a two-and-one-half-hour wait at 3 p.m., Gunther Peck, a Duke University associate professor of history, told the Times.

Only 240 people had voted as of 4 p.m., and it should have been 500, he said. Dozens of students had to leave. It was good for Donald Trump, no doubt about that.

Throughout the day, there were also sporadic reports of misinformed poll workers giving out erroneous information about voter identification. Long lines were also reported at various polling stations across the country, prompting some voters to give up on casting their ballots.

With files from Star wire services

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Deplorables, rejoice!

Hell hath no fury like a white man scorned.

Thank you, Donald Trump, for finally putting to rest the illusion that we live in a post-racial world.

In saying a racist, sexist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, lying egomaniac could make America great again, its voters have shown that greatness was just a yearning for times when white supremacy went unchallenged.

While Trumps trolls flood Twitter in giddy delight Wednesday morning, spare a thought for the other Americans; black, Latino, native, Muslim and Sikh (who will be mistaken for Muslims), among a long list of not-white people. How terrifying to wake up to the grotesque reality of life in a legitimized cauldron of fear and hate.

Lets not just lay the blame at the door of disenfranchised, non-college-educated white workers, though.

Blame those privileged Republicans  men and women (53 per cent white women, says CNN) who put their party above their country.

Lay it also at the feet of those far-lefties  hitherto allies in the fight for racial equality  who decided to make everyone feel the burn.

Complacent journalists who gave Trump time on their platforms because his existence got Internet traffic and TV ratings  and its all about chasing numbers now  must also be held responsible.

Three days before we solemnly and dutifully say Lest we forget, America has shown just how clearly it can forget the lessons of the past.

How does a country that voted in a black president shame itself thus? In 2009, when social psychologist Daniel Effron of London Business School was at Stanford, he and his colleagues published a research paper in the Journal of Social Experimental Psychology titled: Endorsing Obama licenses favouring whites.

Their studies showed moral licensing at work: expressing support for Obama made people feel comfortable expressing politically incorrect views. They felt speaking well of Obama showed their lack of prejudice, thus reducing their concern with acting prejudiced.

Doing good deeds can make people feel like they have earned the right to do even blatantly bad ones, Effron says.

It takes very little make people feel licensed, he says.

Simply imagining, I could have done something racist, but I didnt is enough to make people feel licensed to express less racial sensitivity.

Seven years later, mere expression of politically incorrect views has blown into a collective endorsement of racism.

A nation that had stood tall as a global beacon for equality in 2008 and 2012 felt so virtuous, it gave itself the moral permission to swing the other way.

What happens south of the border seeps up here. Trump legitimizes suspicion, tribalism and fear. He also endorses hatred, and, as with love, hatred has no boundaries.

Snug in our own sunny ways, let us, at least, not get smug. We failed to see that Europes contagion of xenophobia had now touched our continent.

Conservative party leadership hopeful Kelly Leitch called Trumps victory an exciting message that needs to be delivered in Canada as well, in a Facebook post. Leitch is currently enjoying her 15 minutes of fame, appealing to bigots, by proposing a test to screen immigrants for Canadian values. Perhaps she will now be emboldened to spell out those undefined values as white Anglo-Saxon values.

We have seen videos of the man in Edmonton screaming racist slurs at Jesse Lipscombe, a black actor and producer. Weve seen mosques attacked in the GTA and Peterborough. Just last week, a man was caught on camera yelling racist slurs on a Calgary train. That citys transit officials have reported a spike in these events.

Liking anti-racism posts, signing online petitions and tweeting anti-racist hashtags is no longer an adequate demonstration of support.

We are going to have to take sides. To rephrase the Youre with us or against us sentiment of the previous Republican president that we didnt take seriously: You will either stand up and protect your fellow citizens or youre a racist.

Polite silence is not an option any more.

Shree Paradkar tackles issues of race and gender. You can follow her @shreeparadkar.

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U.S. President Barack Obama has urged Americans to go forward with a presumption of good faith in our fellow citizens after the election Tuesday which saw Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton decisively defeated.

The wave of support that swept Republican challenger Donald Trump to victory also saw the Republicans take majorities in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Obama said he and Trump have some pretty significant differences, but said he has instructed his team to follow the example set eight years ago by former president George W. Bush in ensuring a successful transition of power.

Everybody is sad when their side loses an election  but we are Americans first, Obama said.

We want whats best for this country, and thats what I heard in Mr. Trumps remarks last night.

Obama urged young people who were discouraged by last nights results not to become cynical. Sometimes you lose an argument, sometimes you lose an election he said. And thats okay.

Clintons defeat marked a stunning end to a campaign that appeared poised right up until Tuesdays election to make her the first woman elected U.S. president.

She spoke late Wednesday morning to a group of supporters in New York, after conceding defeat in a phone call to Trump overnight.

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I still believe in America, and I always will, Hillary Clinton says in concession speech

Democrats  starting with Clinton's campaign and the White House  were left wondering how they misread their country so completely. Aides stopped returning calls and text messages. Supporters left election night parties in tears.

The results were startling to Clinton and her aides, who had ended their campaign with a whirlwind tour of battleground states and had projected optimism that she would maintain the diverse coalition assembled by Obama in the past two elections.

On the final day of the campaign, Clinton literally followed Obama to stand behind a podium with a presidential seal at a massive rally outside Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

As she walked up to the lectern, the president bent down to pull out a small stool so the shorter Clinton could address the tens of thousands gathered on the mall. Before leaving the stage, Obama leaned over to whisper a message in Clinton's ear: We'll have to make this permanent.

Clinton's stunning loss was certain to open painful soul-searching within the party, which had endured a lengthy primary between Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who drew strong support among liberals amid an electorate calling for change.

The mistake that we made is that we ignored the powerful part of Trump's message because we hated so much of the rest of his message. The mistake we made is that people would ignore that part and just focus on the negative, said Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis, who was not affiliated with the campaign.

The tumultuous presidential cycle bequeathed a series of political gifts for Clinton's GOP rival: An FBI investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server, questions of pay-for-play involving her family's charitable foundation, Sanders' primary challenge, Clinton's health scare at a Sept. 11 memorial ceremony and FBI Director James Comey's late October announcement that investigators had uncovered emails potentially relevant to her email case.

Yet her team spent the bulk of their time focused on attacking Trump, while failing to adequately address Clinton's deep liabilities  or the wave of frustration roiling the nation.

Every time the race focused on Clinton, her numbers dropped, eventually making her one of the least liked presidential nominees in history. And she offered an anxious electorate a message of breaking barriers and the strength of diversity  hardly a rallying cry  leaving her advisers debating the central point of her candidacy late into the primary race.

Clinton's campaign was infuriated by a late October announcement by Comey that investigators had uncovered emails that may have been pertinent to the dormant investigation into Clinton's use of private emails while secretary of state. On the Sunday before the election, Comey told lawmakers that the bureau had found no evidence in its hurried review of newly discovered emails to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.

But the announcement may have damaged Clinton while her campaign tried to generate support in early voting in battleground states like Florida and North Carolina. In the nine days between Comey's initial statement and his all clear announcement, nearly 24 million people cast early ballots. That was about 18 per cent of the expected total votes for president.

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NEW YORKPresident Donald Trump. Believe it.

Trump pulled off the unthinkable once again on Tuesday, this time with colossal global consequences. The Republican businessman and former reality television star was elected president of the United States, completing an astonishing rise from political laughingstock to leader of the free world.

Trumps victory, perhaps the most staggering election outcome in the modern history of major countries, was a repudiation of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, who was favoured in polls throughout the campaign but was widely considered dishonest and inauthentic. And it was the biggest triumph yet for the populist nationalism that has shaken countries from Britain to Venezuela.

Trumps win may produce a period of international political, military and economic upheaval. Even before the race was called, the Dow futures market fell by 750 points, a sharper descent than immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks. Canadas immigration website crashed.

Clinton and President Barack Obama had called for a comprehensive rejection of Trumpism  his disparagement of women and minority groups, his disdain for democratic norms, his rage. Instead, a majority of white voters, and enough others, rejected their message of inclusion and incremental improvement in favour of Trumps promise of radical transformation.

They granted immense power to an erratic, never-elected and habitually untruthful candidate whose behaviour and policy positions have alarmed much of the world  and who will face no organized opposition in Congress. Republicans retained control of the House of Representatives and appeared likely to keep the Senate.

Trump will have a free hand to dismantle Obamas achievements, many of which are executive orders and administrative actions can be undone with the stroke of a pen. He will get to reject the Paris climate agreement. He will get to appoint at least one Supreme Court justice. He can initiate a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

And he will have unchallengeable authority over the nuclear codes of the mightiest country in world history.

Trump ran on a promise to drain the swamp in Washington and restore a bygone era of American greatness. He has vowed to take a sledgehammer to Obamas legacy  repealing his Obamacare health-care overhaul, scrapping his environmental restrictions aimed at fighting climate change, deporting all illegal immigrants instead of attempting to assimilate them.

The result seemed certain to exacerbate the racial and political polarization that has riven the country during the Obama era. In a sign of just how divided the country remains, Clinton had a chance to win the popular vote while losing decisively in the electoral college.

Clinton was hoping to win the presidency on the strength of the so-called Obama coalition: African-Americans, Hispanics, Muslims and Asians; young people; and college-educated white people. She urged voters to choose big-hearted hope over division and fear.

Trumps disparagement of Hispanics, and his vow to send out all 11 million illegal immigrants, appeared to produce the turnout surge Clinton was hoping for. But they were swamped by Trumps dominance in overwhelmingly white rural and exurban areas, the people in the red Make America Great Again hats Trump had long insisted were being overlooked.

Trumps path to 270 electoral votes had appeared daunting all year, and the final batch of polls gave Clinton an average lead of about four percentage points. Analysts spoke of a blue wall in the northeast.

But Trump simply won everywhere important, and then some.

He won Florida, where Clinton had been thought to have a slight advantage. He won Ohio, where he had been thought to have a slight advantage. He won in North Carolina, where polls had shown a dead heat. He won Pennsylvania, the former Democratic stronghold he had targeted.

He even managed to win Wisconsin, where no Republican had won since 1984.

Absolutely buoyant, Kellyanne Conway, Trumps campaign manager, told Yahoo News midway through the night. We can smell the win.

Never been as wrong on anything in my life, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe, who had predicted an easy Clinton win, wrote on Twitter.

Mathematical models, crunching polling data, had given the former secretary of state, senator and first lady anywhere between a 70-per-cent and 99-per-cent chance of winning. By 9:30 p.m., the New York Times forecast was down to 50-50. By 10 p.m., the forecast gave Trump a 63-per-cent chance.

Clinton held her victory party at a New York City convention centre with a glass ceiling, a metaphor for the gender barrier she had hoped to break. But the mood in the mood turned glum fast, and Clinton issued a Twitter post that suggested a dark night ahead.

This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything, she wrote.

She refused to offer an immediate concession. Her campaign chair, John Podesta, appeared around 2 a.m. to say they would make no further comments until votes were counted in several states that remain too close to call.

We are so proud of you, he told the thinned crowd. And we are so proud of her. She has done an amazing job, and she is not done yet.

Trump thrilled millions of white voters with his outrage-courting refusal to be politically correct, his vow to restore a bygone era of American glory, and scorched-earth attacks on elites, Muslims and immigration. He managed to stay in the running despite an incessant stream of scandals, gaffes and insults that would have sunk any traditional politician.

He did so while cosying up to the white supremacist alt-right, while practising an open Islamophobia that includes a proposal to ban all Muslims entering the country, while working to delegitimize government institutions, and while spewing insults and vows of retribution against anyone who crossed him  skeptical Republicans, journalists, celebrities. Experts on authoritarianism warned that he sounded at times like Russias Vladimir Putin or Venezuelas Hugo Chavez.

And he earned the worlds most important office while running far fewer ads than Clinton and without the benefit of Clintons first-rate get-out-the-vote operation. His showing calls into question the long-held assumptions of the big-money political consulting industry.

Clinton asked voters to choose love and kindness over all of this hate-filled rhetoric, all of these insults and scapegoating, and finger-pointing and insulting. She ran as the candidate of diversity, prudence and civic harmony, begging moderate Republicans to temporarily put aside party to save the country.

Florida was a microcosm of the country as a whole. Clinton dominated in diverse cities and did fine in suburbs; Trump dominated in whiter, farther-flung towns.

Her margins in the urban areas are basically records. His margins in exurban areas are basically records. It is a pretty crazy map here, Steve Schale, Florida director for Obamas 2008 campaign, wrote on Twitter.

Voting lines were long around the country, an indication of intense voter interest in a surreal race that centred on emotional questions of personal and national identity.

Exit polls had voters reporting they were sad, anxious, angry, and unhappy with the state of the country.

Even Trumps rise to the Republican nomination was stunning: he defeated 16 other candidates, almost all of them with extensive political experience. His seat-of-the-pants speechifying and ragtag bunch of inexperienced advisers were poised to defeat a disciplined, polished candidate backed by an expensive party machine.

In its final weeks, the campaign veered from surprise to surprise: the leak of a 2005 tape in which Trump appeared to say he had groped women without their consent, an FBI announcement of a new investigation into Clintons emails, a subsequent announcement that the investigation was over.

Trump did not sound during the day like a confident candidate. In an unprecedented series of interviews during the voting, he said the system was rigged and that you hear so many horrible stories about voting fraud.

His campaign filed a lawsuit, quickly dismissed by an incredulous judge, that questioned the legality of some of the early votes of people in a predominantly Hispanic district. Later in the afternoon, he claimed CNN was reporting problems with voting machines across (the) entire country  though it was one Utah county.

I want to see what happens, he told an Ohio radio station.

Trump was booed and heckled by New Yorkers as he went to cast his ballot in Manhattan. In a sign of just how polarizing he remained to the end, reports suggested he was shunned by the last Republican president, George W. Bush, who left his presidential choice blank.

Recap: Trump wins U.S. election

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No she couldnt.

It breaks my heart to write these words. Partly because like so many other women  and men too  I had wholly expected that I would jubilantly be writing the opposite, heralding the triumphant end to the biggest political story for women of my generation: Yes, she could! And the beginning to an enthralling new chapter in equality.

I thought that I would be congratulating America on its historic achievement of electing the first woman in its history to be president.

But no, they couldnt. And so I cant. And it feels just awful. The emails Ive gotten from so many women mirror my own feelings: heartbroken, devastated shocked and cant believe it. One was from a friend who sent me her pantsuit selfie yesterday in giddy anticipation of a Clinton victory. Another said sadly at least they cant abuse her anymore.

Clearly, it will take a while to sort through the rubble of this particular dream.

But this we know. In a troubling and equally historic American moment, millions of voters, fuelled by molten hot anger at an ineffective political system, economic frustration, xenophobia and yes, I would argue sexism, shocked the world by turning its back on Democrat Hillary Clinton, former First Lady, New York Senator and Secretary of State, a polished, deeply knowledgeable and indisputably qualified candidate to be President.

She may still win the popular vote, but the electoral college is all that matters.

Those votes went to her Republican opponent, outsider blowhard billionaire Donald Trump. It was a gobsmacking upset I couldnt quite grasp as bleary eyed I went to bed and still had trouble accepting when I woke up only a few hours later with a leaden feeling in my stomach.

It would be one thing if Trump were a man whose policies differed from hers but who was a fundamentally decent person who treated his opponent with respect and civility. It would be easier to accept if voters desperately wanting a change elected the candidate they thought could blow open the doors of a dysfunctional political system.

Instead, as feminist author Roxane Gay desolately put it in the New York Times today, voters were willing to vote for a candidate who has displayed open contempt for women.

Among his many and manifestly outrageous sins Trump has bragged about sexually assaulting women, demeaned women by calling them pigs , dogs and slobs, judged us by our appearance and told Hillary Clinton she didnt look presidential. He also repeatedly incited his crowds to see Clinton as crooked and to bray dangerously, like French revolutionaries at the barricades, kill the bitch and lock her up!

Maybe Hillary Clinton did dodge a bullet  a real one, if shed won. Theres a comforting thought.

But tell me please, will a woman ever look presidential enough to American voters? I hope so. I just dont know if it will be anytime soon.

In the meantime, I am wounded deeply as a woman. Is it so wrong to say as a feminist and a baby boomer woman I supported her whole-heartedly, that I identified with Hillary Clinton?

I always knew that the first woman to be a candidate for the American presidency would have a complex personal narrative, and Clintons was about as complex as you could get.

From her early beginnings as a super achieving member of her generation at Wellesley College to her all too obvious and painful struggles to subsume her brainy ambitions and be a societally acceptable partner to her political husband, former president Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton wove her way through Americas history and ours. Despite her shortcomings  what politician doesnt have them?  we rooted for her.

In 2008, Clinton, the prohibitive favourite to be the Democratic presidential nominee, got sideswiped by a charismatic African-American, Barack Obama, who enthralled a majority of voters by telling them, Yes, we can. Voters burst with pride at having broken the colour barrier all the way to the White House.

Back then Hillary Clinton graciously accepted defeat, acknowledged she had made about 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling and went on to serve dutifully in Obamas cabinet as his very effective Secretary of State.

Eight years later, she was back, with her dreams and ours, and the heady promise of another barrier to be broken, another chapter to be written in the story of progress and equality.

Alas, that barrier remains, that glass ceiling will stay intact, for now. Clinton referred to it  how could she not  Wednesday in an emotional but dignified concession speech, we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but someday someone will.

At 69, that someone will not be her.

In the meantime, she urged everyone to keep fighting for values they believe in which would definitely include issues vital to American women that now may be in peril, chief among them reproductive rights, which Clinton passionately defended on the campaign trail.

Was she a flawed candidate who struggled to forge an intimate connection with potential voters, a public figure who had made too many compromises in the dark night of the political soul, a woman who could not overcome the widespread suspicion that she was untrustworthy, even when pitted against a man who lied with every other breath he took?

Maybe. But maybe, as someone said to me in 2008, it is the women who are the most fearless who attract the most hate.

Hillary Clinton was indeed fearless, as well as dogged, indomitable, freakishly knowledgeable, brainy and more than a little awkward with the nitty gritty of press-the-flesh politicking. But as many of those close to her have attested, she was also funny, warm, empathic, and devoted to improving the lives of others.

She was  and is  a woman in full. We heard her roar. And we roared back.

But now, as another former First Lady and activist Eleanor Roosevelt once said: You must do the thing you think you cannot do

We must start again.

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Donald Trump had a clear plan on how to get to the White House and he travelled it, despite all the pollsters and media pundits who said he would never get past Hillary Clinton.

America the melting pot stood up for Hillary Clinton, the first female candidate to run for president, but it was not enough to give her what she needed. Whatever gains Clinton made thanks to the Latino vote, the womens vote and African-American support, Donald Trumps campaign trumped her.

He took the key battleground states of Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio. Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin suddenly became cliffhanger states on Tuesday as America waited to see if it was possible for Clinton to pull out a win.

In many ways, he was clever, said Yves Laberge of the University of Ottawas school of sociological and anthropological studies.

He knows how to manipulate a crowd. He is inexperienced in politics so he says things that are shocking. He gets publicity. He repeats what the people on talk radio are saying, Laberge said.

Trump spoke to a disaffected America and they listened.

To win, 270 electoral votes are needed out of a total of 538. That number corresponds to the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives plus 100 senators and three electors from the District of Colombia.

It would be sweet, sweet justice if tonight it was the Latino vote that defeated Donald Trump, said Ana Navarro, a CNN political analyst. During the campaign, Trump called Mexican immigrants rapists and criminals. One of his campaign promises was to build a giant wall between Mexico and America.

But the Latin American vote could not help Clinton. Latin American voters make up 12 per cent of all U.S. eligible voters, or 27.3 million people, according to the Pew Research Center.

All-important Florida, holder of 29 electoral votes and home to a large Latin American population, flip-flopped its support on Tuesday night but the sunshine state finally settled on Trump. Florida is known as a purple state, historically flipping back between Democrat blue and Republican red. Both campaigns know this is a battleground state, a must-win in order to make it to the White House.

The Clinton team pushed hard in Florida, pushing the Obamas in the state to whip up the African-American vote, said Carlo Dade, a senior fellow at the University of Ottawas School of International Development. But it was not enough.

The Latino vote is in an odd place  the Cuban vote is lumped with Latinos but they vote differently than Mexican Americans, who are the vast majority of Latino voters, said Dade. While younger Cuban Americans voted for Obama in 2012, older Cubans traditionally voted Republican, he said.

Former Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio won his Florida Senate seat.

In Ohio, a rust belt state, there is a well-known saying, As Ohio goes, so goes the nation. No Republican presidential candidate has gone to the White House without winning Ohio. And only two Democrats in the last 100 years  Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944 and John F. Kennedy in 1960  won without Ohio, notes the Columbus Dispatch.

Both campaigns are well aware of the historic importance of Ohio. The Clinton campaign spent $46 million (U.S.) on advertising in Ohio, according to CNBC, while the Trump campaign spent less than half of that at $19 million. The economy is an important issue in Ohio. Trump knew it and promised change and he won Ohio.

In Michigan, it was a nailbiter as Trump continued to make gains throughout Tuesday night and Clinton was underperforming. Clinton needed a big turnout from the African-American vote in Detroit.

Clinton did win her home state of New York, where both she and Trump voted on Tuesday. Both the Trump and Clinton campaigns held their election parties in Manhattan. And in Illinois, the state where Clinton was born, she won.

From the start of this lengthy election, Americans were not thrilled with either candidate. Both were polling under 50 per cent in popularity with voters by early November.

The first results of the night to be reported came from Kentucky, that showed to no surprise, that Trump would take the eight-electoral-vote state. Trump campaigned hard in support of laid off coal miners in the usually Republican red state. In Indiana, a state with 11 electoral votes, also came out to vote Trump.

In New Hampshire, Clinton won the important, tiny, Dixville Notch precinct, taking four votes to Donald Trumps two votes while Libertarian Gary Johnson gained one vote. The last vote was for Republican Mitt Romney, who lost the 2012 presidential election to Barack Obama. The precinct, always the first to report, has predicted three of the last four presidential elections. In 2016, the state went Republican.

In former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders home state of Vermont, Clinton handily won.

Georgia, where more than 60 per cent of the electorate is white and 16 electoral votes were at stake, Trump held firm. Romney won the state in 2012.

In Virginia, a Democratic stronghold under Obama in 2012 and holder of 13 electoral votes, the Clinton team was optimistic but early on, the race was tight. The state is normally split in who it votes for  the Washington, D.C. suburbs are heavily democratic but the state becomes more Republican the further south you go.

North Carolina, a classic swing state of 15 electoral votes, went back and forward on Tuesday. Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Kaine has called it the checkmate state. In the last election, Romney held it but Clinton did well in the polls leading up to the election. However, Trump was ahead Tuesday night in the Tar Heel State, a nickname that goes back to the American Revolution.

Electoral unrest was predicted even before the polls officially closed on Tuesday when a Nevada judge refused a request from the Trump campaign to separate and segregate ballots gathered from four voting machines that were open early in Clark County. Record numbers of Latino voters had shown up to vote early. The Trump campaign staff argued the polling stations were kept open for an extra two hours and should not have been.

The Nevada court challenge may be the first in a long line of rigged election claims by the Trump camp, said Dade.

If your voter base isnt growing, you try and lessen the other guys too, said Dade, who is based in Calgary at the Canada West Foundation.

I really see, if not Trump himself, but his supporters picking this up and launching challenges like Nevada, he added.

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As the American electoral map shifted queasily and confusingly deep into Tuesday night, one man emerged a clear winner early on. Nate Silver, the stats superstar whose sophisticated poll modelling nailed the outcome of the last two presidential races in defiance of seeming consensus, was vindicated for a third election in a row.

Silver and the data-analysis website he founded, FiveThirtyEight, were alone in predicting a deeply unsettled 2016 race for the presidency. In recent days, he had been derided for saying a Donald Trump presidency was very much possible, and that a Clinton win and a Clinton landslide were also potential outcomes: the race was just too unpredictable to be certain. Most observers  pollsters and pundits alike  had predicted a confident win for Hillary Clinton and a near-definite downfall for Trump.

As seemingly sure-bet Clinton states shifted beneath her feet, the only clear outcome was that both Trump and Silver had been underestimated.

In 2008, Silver correctly predicted 49 of 50 states as a blogger. He drew even greater fame after his blog, FiveThirtyEight, was brought under the auspices of the New York Times. The implacable Silver gave President Barack Obama a 91 per cent chance of winning a second term in 2012, even as pundits clamoured over each other in the broadcast booth to insist the race was a toss-up. Silver was proved right, and called every state correctly to boot. He left the New York Times to launch FiveThirtyEight as a data-driven news outlet.

Even as the empirical approach to poll forecasting that Silver popularized replicated across the media landscape during this election cycle, Silvers own forecasts managed to remain heterodox.

The FiveThirtyEight model predicted a much tighter race between Clinton and Trump than any other major poll modellers, putting Clintons probability of winning the presidency at 71 per cent on Tuesday morning, up from 65 per cent Sunday. For Democrats, those were uncomfortably sweaty two-to-one odds  and a significant outlier from Silvers peers in the business.

Even as the FiveThirtyEight model saw three critical states  Florida, North Carolina and Nevada  flip from red to the blue on Monday night based on a flurry of final polls, Silver coolly tweeted that you shouldnt pay much attention to predictions almost as likely to go one way as the other. And when Silver noted that most reliable national polls had Clinton at or near a four-point advantage over Trump, he questioned whether this effect was simply herding: the tendency for pollsters to ignore results that are different from everyone elses, creating an artificial clustering around a consensus that isnt really there.

Other new organizations had remarkably safe  even triumphant  predictions for Clinton. The Huffington Post forecast a 98.2 per cent chance for Clinton: a near-certainty. The New York Times Upshot gave Clinton an 85 per cent chance of winning the presidency. Every other major forecaster had Clinton near or above 90 per cent.

Silver took pains to explain that his model built in more uncertainty for three main reasons.

The first is that polls regularly err in the range of 3 to 4 per cent, which could wipe out Clintons lead of about that much (think back to July and the U.K.s Brexit shock). The second is that 2016 saw significantly higher numbers of undecided and third-party voters, a possible source of volatility (Libertarian voters could break en masse towards Trump at the last minute). The third is that the demographics likeliest to vote for Clinton are clustered in safe states (it doesnt help Clinton much to win California by an even bigger margin than Obama did, because she gets the same number of electoral college votes either way).

For most of the election cycle, disagreement between the rival quants (as stats-heads are sometimes called) was amicable, if not downright sweet. If Trump wins more than 240 electoral votes, I will eat a bug, tweeted neuroscientist Sam Wang, who leads the Princeton Election Consortium.

But the rivalry overtopped the boundaries of civility on Saturday, after the Huffington Posts Washington Bureau Chief, Ryan Grim, accused Silver of unskewing the polls in favour of Trump  a reference to a self-made conservative pollster who in 2012 unskewed all the polls in favour of Republican nominee Mitt Romney, creating a model that conformed to the results he wanted rather than what was actually happening in the world. Critics wanted to accuse Silver of making the race look closer than it was in an attempt to differentiate his website in a suddenly crowded field of competitors.

Grims article, which called Silver a pundit and positioned Huffington Post as the mathematically upright outlet for calling a Clinton win with almost 99 per cent certainty, seemed designed to provoke Silver. If it was, it succeeded. Silver excoriated Grim in an outburst of tweets, many of which are unprintable but included the defense that we constantly write about our assumptions and **provide evidence** for why we think theyre the right ones. thats what makes a model a useful scientific and journalistic tool.

Silver may have been defensive because he had declared during the primaries that Trump had a less than 20 per cent chance of winning the nomination  as many of his peers did. But he seemed mainly offended that anyone would accuse him of being anything other than staunchly empirical. Silver wasnt a soothsayer  his final election update was titled theres a wide range of outcomes, and most of them come up Clinton. But his model was closer to the rocky, uncertain reality than his overconfident rivals.

At 9 p.m., with Democrats aghast and Republicans jubilant after being told for weeks that the race was a near certain win for Clinton  and the results showing nothing like it  Silver allowed himself one self-satisfied tweet.

This doesn't seem like an election in which one candidate had a 99% chance of winning, he wrote.

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NEW YORKAmerica is angry, seething with bitterness and bile.

America is maddened.

America should be ashamed of itself.

This is indeed a conspiracy  of racists and reactionaries, white supremacists, misogynists, Islamophobes and xenophobes, isolationists, sexual scavengers, haters.

A nation unparalleled in might and brilliance. A nation built on a plinth of freedom and liberty and equality. A nation which, even when it did wrong, did it for the right reasons.

That country no longer exists. That country has ripped out its own guts.

Riven by division, polarized by ideologies not merely in conflict but at hopeless anomie, estranged from within.

President Donald Trump? Jesus wept.

A man endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan, who would invoke mandatory registration for Muslims, who has been accused by at least a dozen women of sexual impropriety, who would withdraw the U.S. from NATO  this rogue American will apparently, or so it seemed as the clock ticked past midnight Tuesday, have his fingers on the codes for the worlds largest nuclear arsenal and, as commander-in-chief, be able to deploy the worlds largest military at his whim.

Oh America, what have you done?

Not just president but a Republican president with a Republican-controlled House and, it seemed destined, a Republican-controlled Senate. Nothing standing between Trump and utter autocracy.

The polls were wrong and Trump was right when he said so, though as recently as Monday, during his final dervish dash across five tipping-point states, hed sounded more wistful than self-confident. Still brash and coarse, of course, but atypically vulnerable, as if hed seen the future and it didnt favour him.

Hillary Clinton, with her decades of public service, her fistful of bona fides  arguably, as President Barack Obama said, the most qualified candidate for the Oval Office in memory  was rejected in ways large and small, underperforming in a slew of states that she should have claimed easily, firmly rebuffed in states where she never had a chance.

How quickly  even on what turned into a very long night into morning  the fates turned on Clinton, from those early evening returns that projected so optimistically for the Democrats to the swiftly pivoting numbers out of Florida and Michigan and Ohio, then a stunning swivel in Pennsylvania as well.

All those brightly smiling faces at Clintons presumed victory celebration venue, a midtown Manhattan, turning downcast and teary, disbelieving and aghast. Only a mile away, at Trump Central, where initially the mood had been low-spirited, second and third winds brought gusts of delights.

But something far uglier, too: Chants of LOCK HER UP! LOCK HER UP!

Because thats who they are, at their craven heart, the Trumpists  a mean and miserable people whose only pleasure is derived from maligning others.

The whole electoral map was re-scrambled, with reliably blue states that Obama took in the last two elections flipping. Blue-on-blue violence, as the graphics sprayed red splatter.

Trumps message  that Washington is a swamp, that Americans have been ill-served and abused by a detached elite  clearly resonated. Spite triumphed, misanthropy triumphed, rancour triumphed. Appealing to the lowest common denominator prevailed as the night marched on.

White working-class America saw in the billionaire Trump not just an advocate but, absurdly, a fellow traveller. As if hes ever felt the pain of an Appalachian miner on the dole or a Nebraska farmer facing foreclosure.

Theyre sick of it, sick of being taken for granted, sick of jobs fleeing the country and conned into believing that Trump will bring them back. He couldnt even protect the jobs at four of his own casinos that went belly-up.

A narcissist with skin as thin as onion paper. A knuckle-dragger who doesnt read, whose vulgarities are legend, who admires Vladimir Putin, who claims hes smarter than all the generals in the Pentagon and will fire those who disagree. He turned the election campaign into a scorched-earth rampage.

Millions upon millions of Americans are afraid today and they have ample reason to be fearful. The rebellion Trump fomented and feasted upon may have spent itself in one moment of coalescent uprising. But what will this American insurgency have to ennoble itself in the cold light of the day after?

Trump is monumentally averse to conciliation. He thrives on belligerence and revenge. Hes said: I love to have enemies. I fight my enemies. I like beating my enemies to the ground.

Clinton, CNN was the first to report at 2:40 a.m., called Trump to formally concede. She did not, however, speak to her troops at the Javits Center. Campaign chair John Podesta came out at 2 a.m., advising everybody to go home. That too was immediately assailed, Clintons alleged lack of graciousness in publicly acknowledging the winner at the merciful end of an exhausting and traumatizing odyssey.

That congratulatory phone call allowed Trump to conclude this bizarre Election Day with a middle-of-the-night speech at the Hilton as upset but decisive president-elect.

Sorry to keep you waiting. Complicated business, complicated, he began, flanked by family and running mate Mike Pence.

Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very sincerely.

Now its time for America to bind the wounds of division.

To all Republicans and Democrats and Independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. Its time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans and this is so important to me.

For those who have chosen not to support me in the past  of which there were a few people  Im reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so that we can work together and unify our great country.

As Ive said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign, but rather an incredible and great movement, made up of millions of hard-working men and women who love their country and want a better brighter future for themselves and for their family. Its a movement comprised of Americans from all races, religions, backgrounds and beliefs who want and expect our government to serve the people, and serve the people it will.

Working together we will begin the urgent task of re-building our nation and renewing the American dream.

If Trump sounded a gentler note, it is not to be credited.

He turned his pursuit of the White House into a scorched-Earth rampage.

Behold the ashes.

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Troubles are ahead for sure, but America is not doomed. The world as we know it will not end this week. Those who believe otherwise underestimate the constraints on presidential powers, dont appreciate the wisdom of the separation of powers doctrine, exaggerate the difference between the two candidates and assume that all those who voted for Donald Trump support his full package.

As a Canadian Muslim often confused for a Latino working under a NAFTA visa (attacked by Trump) in Republican-dominated Indiana, home of Trumps running mate, Mike Pence, this U.S. election felt like it was all about me.

In his self-proclaimed mission to make America great again, Trump labelled Latinos as rapists, criminals and killers, and called for a wall to stop the influx from Mexico. It was apparently not a problem when these underpaid, overworked and undocumented Latino folk were working for his many enterprises.

Mind you, the Latinos were not the only ones keeping America from greatness. According to Trump, The African Americans were lazy people living on food stamps in war zones, holding themselves and us back. The use of the article the clearly suggesting they are different from white America.

As Marc Morial of the National Urban League pointed out, this does not match reality, but Trump is not one to let facts get in the way of good us versus them arguments.

Consistent with the zeitgeist of the day, Muslims also represent the other. They are, of course, mostly terrorists (except for a few self-haters and snitches). These potential terrorists had to be vetted, surveilled and maybe even banned until he can figure out what is going on.

Fat. Pig. Dog. Slob. Disgusting animal. Ugly. Nasty. These are some of the choicest words Trump reserved for women. They are to be conquered. They were not to be valued unless they were gorgeous, young and had the right measurements. If not, well, then shes fired!

The disabled, refugees, the less well-to-do, and even the parents of a Muslim soldier, who was reportedly killed by a suicide bomber while saving the lives of countless Americans, were not off limits.

Just imagine what he thought of the poor black or Latino Muslim female disabled refugee.

Nothing was sacred for Trump, who considered himself untouchable, thanks in part to his supporters willingness to give him a free pass, even when he crossed every imaginable line. He could do no wrong because he was always the lesser of the two evils.

Lying was okay, because Hillary did not secure her emails.

Not paying taxes just proved that he was smart. Whatever. Anyway, Hillarys big supporters did the same.

Allegations of sexual assault were simply Trump being a man. Well, Bill Clinton was no saint either. The misogyny of holding Hillary accountable for her husbands actions was lost on them.

Yet, enough Americans still voted for him to become president. Americans have spoken out after eight years of Democratic rule. Most importantly, they wanted to drain the swamp of corruption that many believe thrive in the corridors of power.

It is crucial to understand that not all Trump voters supported the package of fear, lies, nativism, racism, sexism, American radicalism and xenophobia he peddled.

I personally know many Republicans who voted based on issues they felt were important for them, their families and their country, not because they supported all of the above. Of course, some (and that is too many) voted for those very reasons, but by and large most voted for change from the status quo. They were fed up with both parties and this message came through loud and clear.

Agree or disagree with the group, it consisted of an eclectic mix, including: evangelicals who wanted to make the country more Christian; those who favoured more restrictions on abortion and same-sex marriages; and those worried about Clintons direction on the economy, health care, education, international aid, immigration and foreign military involvement.

Against all odds Trump won despite the establishment being aligned against him. He won not because people agreed with him on everything, but because many Americans used him as the battering ram to break open the gates of the establishment fortress.

Just like most other nations, America is just another polarized and divided country.

If the two Americas talked to each other as opposed to at each other, they may realize it does not have to be an all or nothing game. Listening and seeking to understand first is the first step to compromise.

The sad truth is that Trump may not be all that different from establishment candidates when the dust settles and he confronts the realities and challenges of governing a diverse nation with powerful lobbies.

His uncharacteristic victory speech where he thanked and congratulated Hillary, vowed to seek common ground, not hostility; partnership, not conflict, and pledged to bind the wounds of division and be president for all Americans, appear to be the first conciliatory steps.

Only time will tell if Trump will be able to balance the conflicting interests of the hodgepodge of voters who backed him and pull it all together to lead a deeply divided country.

In any event, catharsis is an important step in renewal. This release valve of pent-up frustrations opened by Trump may serve as a necessary step in the process of making America sane again.

Let us just hope that as Americans undergo this modern-day civil war they uphold the Constitution and the values and ideals that make America great.

Faisal Kutty is counsel to KSM Law, an associate professor at Valparaiso University Law School in Indiana and an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School. @faisalkutty.

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Donald Trump's election as president sent the message that Americans are "looking for a different direction for the country," Gov. Pete Ricketts said Wednesday.

"I think it's very exciting," the governor said during a conference call from China, where he is on an agricultural trade mission.

Ricketts, a fellow Republican, said he'll try to impress upon the new president the importance of trade in creating jobs and investment in states like Nebraska.

In fact, he noted, he had the opportunity to do just that during a conversation in advance of Trump's address to a rally in Omaha last May.

Trump has expressed his opposition to the proposed new Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement that is viewed as a potential bonanza for U.S. beef and pork exports.

"Trade is an important way we can grow Nebraska," Ricketts said.

While expanding opportunities overseas, it creates jobs at home and investment in the state, he said.

As Ricketts and his fellow Republicans celebrated Tuesday's presidential victory, Nebraska Democrats viewed Trump's election with alarm and mourned the defeat of Democratic Rep. Brad Ashford of Omaha after a single House term.

Ashford fell to Republican nominee Don Bacon, a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general. Bacon's election signals the return of Nebraska's five-member congressional delegation to all-Republican in January.

Democratic State Chairman Vince Powers of Lincoln said Trump's victory "will fundamentally change the course of the country," wiping out expanded health care coverage that benefits millions of Americans under the Affordable Care Act and eventually threatening abortion rights and gay marriage protections.

Trump's future appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court could lead to decisions that turn abortion and gay rights over to the states, Powers said.

"Immigration is going to be a big change," he said, along with environmental protection.

The nuclear deal with Iran, adherence to the Paris climate change agreement and treaty commitments with U.S. allies are all now at risk, Powers said.

Republican National Committeeman J.L. Spray of Lincoln said Trump's big win reflects voter demands for "honesty from their government" and an overriding desire for change.

"He clearly is a change agent," Spray said. "He does represent change, hopefully for the better."

Issues that may have dominated voter decisions were future U.S. Supreme Court nominations, immigration policy, gun policy and social policies, Spray said.

Electing Bacon was the state party's No. 1 priority, he said, followed by winning the 2nd Congressional District's presidential electoral vote for Trump.

"The party played hard," Spray said.

Incoming Democratic State Chairwoman Jane Kleeb of Hastings said "the biggest lesson is that the national party does not get rural voters (and) better start investing significant resources in rural states."

Despite Tuesday's losses, Kleeb said, "there are many silver linings," including gains for Democrats in the Legislature and a growing progressive voter base in Omaha that should assist Sen. Heath Mello in his bid to be elected mayor of Omaha next spring.

"We had some good wins," she said, "and we'll build on it."

Sen. Ben Sasse, who opposed Trump from the beginning of his presidential campaign in Iowa, said voters "demanded disruption" and pledged to "do everything in my power to hold the new president to his promises."

Sasse said he will hold Trump accountable for his promises to "fight for an ethics reform package that upends cronyism and enacts term limits (and) lead on repealing and replacing Obamacare."

Sen. Deb Fischer said "the American people have spoken, and they have spoken with unmistakable clarity," sending a message that "it's time to shake up Washington (and) change the direction of this country."
When it was revealed last week that Montreal police had been spying on Patrick Lagace, a columnist for La Presse newspaper, in an effort to uncover his sources, we decried the practice as a troubling threat to freedom of the press that was unprecedented in Canadian history. It turns out we were only half right: it was indeed troubling, but hardly unprecedented.

In the week since, it has come to light that, in fact, at least 10 other reporters in Quebec have had their cellphones surveilled by local or provincial police since 2008, some for more than five years. In the wake of these alarming disclosures, the province has announced that it will launch a public inquiry into press freedom and police surveillance of journalists.

Thats a welcome development, especially as crucial questions remain about the possible complicity of some politicians and senior police officials in the spying. But the problem is not limited to Quebec. The revelations have also exposed a gap in the federal law that protects journalists and their sources  one that Ottawa should move quickly to bridge.

It should not surprise us that police were tempted to spy on journalists to expedite their investigations. Whats more concerning is that several justices issued warrants that, based on what we know, seem to be inconsistent with the spirit of the Supreme Courts rulings on the protection of journalistic sources.

In each case, the journalist being monitored was suspected of nothing untoward. He or she was privy to no imminent threats to public safety. Rather, the journalists in question were simply doing their job: telling stories that happened to be embarrassing to the police or to government. The warrants appear to have been sought to identify existing whistleblowers and intimidate prospective ones. Given the chilling effect such surveillance is likely to have on the media, its hard to conclude that, on balance, democracy was well served by the decisions.

Moreover, the Supreme Court has said journalists should be able to protect their sources if they can show doing so is in the public interest. No such opportunity was provided to them. It seems that neither legislation nor jurisprudence provides sufficient protection for the journalist-source relationship that the top court has said serves a vital role in democracy.

No one would speak to a reporter if they believed he or she was unable to protect a source or, worse, was collecting information on behalf of police. Journalists must be free to seek the truth from all manner of sources  whistleblowers and criminals included  to keep the public informed on the issues that matter.

Thats why Ottawa should take seriously the suggestion of Sen. Andre Pratte, a former editorial page editor at La Presse, who is calling on the government to convene a Senate-Commons committee to study the current safeguards for journalists and their sources and quickly suggest improvements. The existing legislation was written before technology vastly expanded both the set of journalistic tools and the states ability to spy on them. It should be updated for the digital world.

The recent stories out of Quebec raise important questions about troubling police practices in that province and to what extent politicians were involved. A public inquiry is the right response. But the protection in law of freedom of the press is a matter of national importance. Ottawa should do its part.

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The story of Rui Nabicos death is as confused as it is tragic. Last Friday, the Toronto man became the citys fourth fatality this year involving police after officers were called following reports that a man was brandishing knives and screaming.

But instead of renewing a debate on the use of guns, his death has opened up a discussion about the use of Tasers. Thats because Nabico didnt die after being shot with a gun, but of unknown medical causes after being hit with a conducted energy weapon.

In the wake of his death, Pat Capponi, co-chair of the Toronto Police Services Board mental health sub-committee, has called for police to have less access to Tasers  just as Toronto police are pushing to expand the number of stun guns available to officers by nearly 50 per cent.

Theres no question that Nabicos death is tragic. And well know more after the Special Investigations Unit finishes its probe on whether officers could have de-escalated the situation without resorting to force. But his death should not deter police from arming more front-line officers with Tasers.

As the police services board points out, Tasers provide a less lethal force option to help safely resolve high risk encounters. And juries at several Ontario coroners inquests into fatal police shootings have recommended greater deployment of the weapon, as did former Supreme Court justice Frank Iacobucci in his report on the shooting of Sammy Yatim in the summer of 2013.

Indeed, theres a strong case that Tasers can save lives.

Consider the case of Gerald Rattu. On Jan. 16, he was shot as he walked toward a Durham Regional Police officer holding a knife. The officer, who was cleared of any wrong-doing, had been trying to stall Rattu until another officer could arrive with a Taser. Unfortunately that officer didnt arrive in time.

And then theres the case of Andrew Loku. The mentally ill man was wielding a hammer in the summer of 2015 when police shot him to death. Would the outcome have been different if the responding officers had had Tasers?

What Nabicos death points to is not the need for less Tasers, but the need for a study into the use of stun guns on people police are likely to encounter in a non-criminal context, as Iacobucci also recommended.

Though he was advocating for more Tasers, Iacobucci was concerned people with mental illnesses may be particularly vulnerable to the potentially serious effects of stun guns due to a higher likelihood of pre-existing medical conditions, prescriptions medications, substance abuse issues and higher agitation levels.

Toronto police did not follow up on Iacobuccis recommendation for further study citing current medical research that has found no persuasive evidence of risk to vulnerable persons.

But they should. The more information all officers have about the weapons they use, and how they employ them, the better.

In the meantime, police need more options in their tool kit, not less.

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Re: Police union raises concerns about new chaplain, Nov. 1

Police union raises concerns about new chaplain, Nov. 1

I am a Muslim grandmother, and fail to understand how Musleh Khan, the newly appointed police services chaplain, cannot see that his words depict Muslim women as lesser than Muslim men. How else should one interpret his view that a woman must be obedient to her husband at all times? At all times?

All correctional services in Canada face serious challenges in how to deal with the cultural, religious, historical, etc. traditions that shape their inmates. But, to allow one, whose views are so obviously out of sync with those of Canadas Prime Minister, to work as a chaplain makes no sense at all. Perhaps Mr. Khan should be reminded that this is 2016!

Fatima Ebrahim, Thornhill

I am a Muslim woman, a professional, a wife, and a mother. Once again Islam is misconstrued and misunderstood in the language used verses the way it is widely practiced by its adherents.

Musleh Khan is not a supporter of the mistreatment of women. Rather he fights for their dignity and respect and that is widely known among his community.

The words obedient and permission are poor translation choices since virtually all the Muslim women I know dont need to ask permission to leave and are never told to be obedient by their husbands. Rather a Muslim marriage is founded on mutual respect and trust, enough so that no one needs to force anyone to do anything. It is based on two consenting adults who love each other enough to negotiate lifes challenges with mercy and compassion.

Shaykh Musleh has a lot to offer the chaplaincy program in defence of women. Lets not jump to crazy conclusions on comments taken out of context.

Api Arefin, Scarborough

My big concern with having this gentleman act in the role of a Toronto Police officer is what happens if he is called out on a domestic violence call? Is he going to tell the wife that she must be obedient to the husband that has just sexually assaulted her? That its her duty to her husband?

With openly published values like this, he should not be a Toronto police officer and certainly not acting in any situation with the public.

Stephen Liard, Toronto

I am a professional and an independent Muslim woman who is happily married for many years. I feel Islam is again being totally misunderstood.

Musleh Khan is absolutely right in saying that it is a major sin in Islam to thwart your husbands advances  just as it is incumbent upon him to nurture his wife and satisfy her sexual needs. A Muslim woman has a right to ask for a divorce if her husband fails to please her.

By the same token, although I go out of the house alone for work, I feel protected and cherished when I go out socially with him. I automatically tell him (it not a permission) when I go out alone for social outings. He is then aware I am safe.

Such a relationship also invites a husband to share his whereabouts with his wife so that she knows that he is safe and their bonds are somehow deepened.

I see absolutely nothing wrong with such a wonderful spousal relationship. Let us not tarnish it with ill grounded views.

Mimi Khan, Toronto

The recent revelation of the chauvinistic religious views of a volunteer Muslim Toronto Police Services chaplain is not unique to Islam but part of the nascent, patriarchal culture of all organized religion that throughout history has piously and self-righteously seen fit to view women as the property and subordinates of men while actively oppressing society at large under the perverse guise of the will of God.

Religious belief became social belief projected through the lens of male desires, beliefs, attitudes, values and conduct oriented in domination rather than the dictates of a supreme being. Organized religions of all kinds are based on a male narrative of life and living that places men in a superior, unquestioned and dominant position. They are based on a divine pantheon populated with male deities and administered by a litany of male theocrats on earth. From the beginning of time males realized that fear of the unknown was a powerful socializer and employed it to their self-interested advantage to further their political and social aims. Religious belief is nothing more than males rationalizing their own dominance. It also allows men to abdicate their human responsibilities for their actions to an other-worldly, inaccessible divine force rather than being held directly responsible for their inappropriate behaviour on earth. The subordination of women is either explicit or implied as reflected in the misguided chaplains webinars on a wifes duty of obedience and sexual submission to her husbands desires. It reflects the distorted male view of womens role in the home, society and faith in which men dictate meticulously how women should behave and pontificates about human conduct on earth to billions of other people worldwide, who willingly, blindly and often eagerly submit themselves to such blatant male mythological misogyny and authoritarianism.

In practice this means that organized religions  conceived, organized and perpetuated by males dictate our human conduct and particularly the conduct of women in their relations with men including how they dress, behave, think and act, particularly in the area of sex. This results in the expectations on Muslim women to wear the hijab, niqab or burka as a male-imposed sign of modesty, prohibitions on abortion, homosexuality and sex outside of marriage, and the travesty of honour killings and female genital mutilation amongst others. Few such prohibitions exist for men.

The blind and misguided beliefs of the chaplain are emblematic of the negative role of patriarchal religious traditions in the socialization of society even in our modern era. It is time we began to affirm our belief in the human spirit and intellect and to hold males and all humanity responsible for their beliefs and conduct without the false protection of a divine cosmogony. It is time for men to lose their god complex.

Robert Bahlieda, Newmarket

Police services union: Meet your new chaplain: Father Fred Flintstone.

Edward P. Swynar, Newcastle

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Three months into the school year, a bus driver shortage that caused bedlam in September and left children late or stranded across the GTA is still affecting as many as 5,000 students, Ministry of Education statistics show.

And while the situation is improving, the shortage is not expected to be resolved by the Christmas break, Toronto District School Board trustees learned at a meeting Wednesday evening.

Will we have every driver in every seat by Christmas? Probably not, Kevin Hodgkinson, manager of the consortium that provides bus service to Toronto public and Catholic schools, told a board committee.

Weekly data requested by the ministry earlier this fall in order to keep tabs on the situation reveals there are pockets of Toronto, Peel, Halton and Hamilton where school buses remain subject to delays and route changes.

The most recent data from Nov. 1 shows 5,006 students and 183 routes in those regions affected by the driver shortage. Those students may have had to wait for buses, experienced longer than usual trips, used alternate transportation including taxis paid for by the bus operators, and in many cases were transported by a driver doing multiple routes to help address the shortage.

As of the beginning of November, 43 routes still didnt have designated drivers, meaning kids are getting back and forth to school thanks to other drivers taking them on top of their existing route assignments.

The ministry has been closely monitoring the driver shortage in the GTA, said spokesperson Heather Irwin. The consortia of bus companies operating in each of the affected regions were asked to provide weekly data so that we could understand the magnitude of the problem and monitor their progress in addressing this issue, she said.

The situation had such an impact on families and schools in September that it prompted the Ontario Ombudsman to launch a formal investigation. A spokesperson said this week the office continues to get complaints, with more than 100 received to date.

In Toronto, there are still 192 TDSB students from six schools facing delays out of a total 20,000 who take the bus. At the Catholic board, where 30,000 kids are bused each day, 495 students at nine schools are still affected.

Three months of this is just wrong, TDSB trustee Sheila Cary-Meagher, one of many trustees still receiving complaints from parents, told the meeting.

This cant go on, its interfering with childrens education, she said.

Trustees also learned that since September, the driver shortage has cost the board $44,500 for supervision of students delivered and picked up late. Thats primarily in the form of overtime to permanent staff who volunteer to work the extra hours.

Bus interruptions caused such disruption this fall that some of the operators in the Toronto Student Transportation Group consortium flew in drivers from Edmonton and hired limousine services to get kids to school.

The Alberta drivers have returned home, but there are still 23 TDSB routes being covered by taxis, according to Hodgkinson, who noted all extra costs are covered by bus operators responsible for the shortfall and not the boards.

This week, scores of bus delays continued to be reported. The Toronto Student Transportation Group website reported 57 morning delays of up to 60 minutes on Wednesday, with more than half attributed to no driver coverage.

In Peel, 77 morning delays were posted on the Student Transportation of Peel Region website.

Retaining drivers has been a major challenge for the Toronto consortium, where only 30 per cent of those who complete training end up taking a job.

Generally during the course of the year, for every two drivers you hire, one driver quits, Hodgkinson told the meeting.

Drivers work split shifts and earn the equivalent of about $12 to $16 an hour  which Cary-Meagher noted is less than what TDSB staff gets paid to supervise students delivered and picked up late.

Drivers are typically not compensated for time spent servicing their vehicles or driving to and from routes, and say wages do not recognize the responsibility of the job.

Last week, boards in Toronto and York Region narrowly averted a strike by 320 drivers that would have sent 18,500 students scrambling to make alternate plans. Their union, Unifor Local 4268, reached a tentative deal with First Student bus company six hours after the Nov. 3 strike deadline.

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Controversial carmaker Tesla (TSLA) made an announcement this morning that surprised analysts and investors alike but in a good way this time. The stock rose by more than 2% during morning trading and was still up about one percentage point in the late afternoon. However, the company remains a risky play for investors?

Tesla announced that it is purchasing a small engineering company, Grohmann Engineering, to help the company automate and accelerate its factory production lines.

Grohmann, based in Germany, focuses on highly automated manufacturing and will be renamed Tesla Grohmann Automation.

Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, has spoken of revolutionizing car production with a "machine that builds the machine"... basically, a fully automated car factory. (Musk has also remarked that the employees whose jobs will be replaced by worldwide automation should receive a form of universal stipend.)

"As the machine that builds the machine, our factories are so important that we believe they will ultimately deserve an order of magnitude more attention in engineering than what they produced," Tesla stated.

CEO Musk has set a lofty pace of 500,000 units to by produced annually by 2018, doubling to one million vehicles by 2020. Currently, Tesla currently cranks out fewer than 100,000 vehicles per year. If Tesla were able to achieve this rate, it would mark one of the swiftest expansions in automotive history.

Tesla Grohmann Automation will become part of Tesla's new Germany-based operations, Tesla Advanced Automation Germany. And although the company declines to offer specific insights into any other developments in that country, Tesla hints at more to come. "We expect to add over 1,000 advanced engineering and skilled technician jobs in Germany over the next two years," the company stated on Tuesday.

Tesla aims to create the most advanced automated automobile factories in the world. Can the carmaker do that?

Perhaps. Tesla has a history of big dreams and promises, from perhaps jumping the gun on autonomous vehicles to taking more orders on cars than it can reasonably deliver at current capacity, to its attempt to purchase SolarCity.

That last point is a big one. Shareholders still have to vote on the proposed SolarCity purchase, which is valued at $2.6 billion. Analysts worry that the acquisition would put a huge cash drain on Tesla.

SolarCity recently held a $124 million bond offering - the highest rate that the company has ever sold its bonds for -- with about $100 million being scooped up by Musk, who founded the company, and SolarCity's CEO, Lyndon Rive.

Tesla itself still needs to raise capital to complete the building of its Nevada gigafactory, which is intended to make lithium-ion batteries, as well as the upcoming rollout of its Model 3 vehicles. The company will need about $2.5 billion in cash to complete these goals.

Tesla performed better than expected in the third quarter, making a profit for the second time in its history. But while some of the $22 million profit came from improved sales of Tesla's models X and S vehicles, a great deal came from selling its government-granted carbon pollution tax credits to other companies. That's not sustainable.

In fact, Tesla recently sold around $20 million worth of credits to MGM Resorts, a boon to helping the company with the construction of its gigafactory.

We'll see how Tesla's purchase of Grohmann Engineering pans out. However, investors who are wary of risk should continue to stay away from Tesla's stock, especially as the SolarCity vote draws near. This is one company that still has a lot to prove.

---

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The author is an independent contributor who at the time of publication owned none of the stocks mentioned.
Somebody is going to wring some cost savings out of the structure of Mondelez (MDLZ) at some point. The question is whether it is going to be the existing management, or the operating performance fiends at Kraft Heinz (KHC) .

Shares of Mondelez jumped 4% in Tuesday's trading, as the rumor mills revived the reports that the Oreo maker was back on the auction block. The stock traded at $46, back in range of its mid-summer highs.

The precipitant for the latest round of speculation: reports that 3G, the Brazilian asset manager, has set about to raise a new $8 billion to $10 billion fund, an initiative that would presumably be used to finance 3G's next investment - or likely co-investment - perhaps in another U.S. food maker. 3G, which has partnered with Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) in the past on acquisitions, would presumably use the two enterprises' joint venture Kraft Heinz as the takeover vehicle in any Mondelez play.

"The fit seems natural," Brittany Weissman, a food industry analyst at Edward Jones, said in an interview Tuesday.

Kraft would like to expand its presence on the international stage, and Mondelez still has a portfolio of global brands formerly owned by Kraft. Kraft and Mondelez, of course, split into two companies in 2011: the larger global business, which includes, in addition to Oreo, brands such as Cadbury and Wheat Thins, became Mondelez; while cheese products, coffee, Jell-O and Planters nuts were retained by the the Kraft Foods Group. Kraft then merged with Heinz in 2015 under the direction of the 3G/Berkshire initiative.

Mondelez would look attractive to a buyer such as 3G because its operating costs are higher than the industry average, suggesting there are ripe opportunities for a buyer to squeeze some of those costs out of the business. "As you look at the food group to determine the companies with the biggest gap in profit margins, the operator that falls to the bottom would be a Mondelez or a Kellogg," Weissman said.

"A 3G angle would be interesting," Gaurav Gupta, principal at global consulting firm Kotter International, said in an interview Tuesday. "3G would have to come in with a plan for aggressive cost cutting, and believe firmly they can achieve it."

Mondelez has launched its own cost cutting program, stating its ambition to raise profit margins to 17% or 18% from the current level of 15%. It's an initiative that has met with the approval of some of the influential activists who have taken positions in Mondelez. Most notably, Bill Ackman at Pershing Square has backed away from his previous stance of urging Mondelez to combine with the Frito-Lay operation at Pepsico (PEP) to maintain its focus on the cost cutting program.

The early returns on cost cutting initiatives - improving automation, moving factories closer to raw material sites, and other efforts - are relatively easy to realize, Gupta said. It's the second round of margin improvements - where real profit growth is realized - that can be thornier.

The launch of the cost cutting initiative was one of the reasons that some skeptics questioned why Mondelez made its high-profile, but ultimately unsuccessful, bid for Hershey (HSY) this year. But at the time it was thought that buying Hershey would swell the Mondelez market value enough to effectively insulate the company against a takeover.

Gupta said he doubted if Mondelez was focusing on finding another takeover target to swallow in order to thwart any unwanted overtures from an outside company. "From my perspective, I'm not expecting a big announcement from Mondelez" about pursuing additional targets.

Weissman said that she remained positive about Mondelez as a standalone company, though she acknowledged that the takeover prospect added an intriguing dimension to the fundamental story. 3G isn't considered to be averse to lobbing in some attractive premiums for assets that it wants, as long as it can see, though cost cuts, a way to make the takeover attractive.

Clearly, 3G is early in the fund raising effort, so it could take some time for any bid for Mondelez - assuming it comes to fruition - to arrive. But investors don't seem inclined to wait for the numbers to attach to a takeover offer to pile into the stock of the grocery products maker

No disclosures.
BBVA (BBVA) and Banco Santander (SAN) , two of Europe's largest lenders, are some of the early losers from Donald Trump's victory in the race for the White House.

Much has been said about the potential economic fallout from a Trump win for American companies and close trading partners of the U.S. but European banks have largely slipped beneath the radar.

However, a considerable exposure to Mexico, seen as one of the biggest economic losers from a Trump win, mean that BBVA and Banco Santander face the most uncertainty of European companies ahead of when Trump takes up his place in the White House in January. A reflection of that concern was played out overnight in global currency markets, with the peso falling 9.4% to a record low against the U.S. dollar.

BBVA stock fell as much as 9% in early European trading, to reach lows of 5.90, while Banco Santander also fell close to 10% to touch lows of 4.10.

According to estimates from analysts at Jefferies, BBVA earns around 40% of its profits from Mexico and Banco Santander takes some 8% from the North American nation.

"Factoring in 2009-style levels of loan losses in Mexico...would reduce our BBVA profits by 23% in 2017 and 8% for Santander," Benjie Creelan at Jefferies said, before downgrading BBVA from buy to hold and reiterating his under perform rating for Banco Santander.

Mexico is seen as likely being the hardest hit of sovereigns from Trump's victory given his campaign rhetoric that suggested he would rewrite the North American Free Trade Agreement, build a wall along the Mexican border and tax remittances of money from the U.S. to Mexico in order to fund the barrier.

Around 80% of Mexican exports go to the United States, leaving the Mexican economy heavily reliant on the U.S. for stability and growth. The election result now leaves Mexico hanging in the balance.

"We do not see justification for pricing in recession at this point. Nevertheless, we are facing a period of uncertainty," said Creelan at Jefferies.
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of railroad company Kansas City Southern (KSU) were plummeting by 13.53% to $80.03 in late morning trading on Wednesday, after Republican candidate Donald Trump beat Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday.

"Do you want to own KSU which has 50% of its business taking materials from Mexico to here? That would not be what I'd reach for first," TheStreet's Jim Cramer said on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" this morning. Trump has threatened to leave the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that was entered into by Canada, Mexico and the United States in 1994.

Instead of Kansas City Southern stock, "I would reach for Norfolk Southern (NSC) right now," Cramer said.

The Norfolk, VA-based railroad company has "managed to do incredibly well," despite coal being down, he explained. "I bank with [Norfolk Southern CEO] James Squires today."

Investors should realize that you are "buying on top of not necessarily terra firma" right now, Cramer cautioned. For example, under the expected Clinton victory, Norfolk Southern would have been the "greatest short ever" as Clinton wanted to crack down on fossil fuels, but now that Trump won, it's the "greatest long."

"Everybody who was short Norfolk has to go long it," he explained.

Shares of Norfolk Southern were higher in late morning trading on Wednesday.

Separately, TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this articles's author.

TheStreet Ratings team rates Kansas City Southern as a Buy with a ratings score of B-. This is driven by several positive factors, which the team believes should have a greater impact than any weaknesses, and should give investors a better performance opportunity than most stocks the team covers.

You can view the full analysis from the report here: KSU

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Alexion Pharmaceuticals (ALXN) disclosed Wednesday its board of directors is investigating allegations of improper sales practices tied to its top-selling drug Soliris.

The allegations were made by a former Alexion employee, the company said.

Alexion has delayed the filing of its third quarter report with the Securities and Exchange Commission while the investigation is underway.

Here is the company's full statement:

The Audit and Finance Committee of the Board of Directors of Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Company") is conducting an investigation into allegations that recently have been made by a former employee with respect to the Company's Soliris sales practices. Specifically, the Audit and Finance Committee is investigating whether Company personnel have engaged in sales practices that were inconsistent with Company policies and procedures and the related disclosure and other considerations raised by such practices. The Audit and Finance Committee has retained outside counsel to assist it in the investigation. At this point in time, the Audit and Finance Committee's investigation has not identified instances where Soliris orders were not placed by customers for patients or any facts that require the Company to update its previously reported historical results. The Audit and Finance Committee and its counsel are working diligently to complete the investigation, but at this time it is uncertain when this investigation will be complete and what the results of such investigation will be.

Alexion shares closed Wednesday up 6.5% to $127.16. The stock fell 6% to $119.35 following the announcement of the Soliris sales investigation.

Speculation has clung to Alexion since Friday when the company cancelled a presentation at a healthcare investor conference. Rumors that Alexion was an imminent acquisition target turned quickly to concern about the company's delayed 10-Q filing.

Soliris sales have totaled $2.2 billion through the first nine months of the year.

Adam Feuerstein writes regularly for TheStreet. In keeping with company editorial policy, he doesn't own or short individual stocks, although he owns stock in TheStreet. He also doesn't invest in hedge funds or other private investment partnerships. Feuerstein appreciates your feedback; click here to send him an email.
The Legislature took it away. But on Tuesday, Nebraska voters handed back execution as an option for judges and juries to consider for the most heinous murders.

Even as support for the death penalty among states is said to be waning -- the lowest it has been in decades, according to a Pew Research Center poll -- Nebraska voters said by a convincing margin they want to keep it.

A 100,000-plus vote margin, considered a landslide, reinforces that the vast majority of Nebraskans want the death penalty option, said Nebraskans for the Death Penalty spokesman Chris Peterson.

Bob Evnen, who has worked for the past 17 months on behalf of repealing the law, said he hopes the unicameral Legislature will respect the will of the people and cooperate with the governor to establish a successful, humane method of carrying out the death penalty.

We also hope that the judiciary will look for ways to end interminable appeals while maintaining the due process rights of defendants, he said. We know that this can happen, because it happens in other states.

Stephen Griffith, director of Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, said Nebraskans across the political spectrum worked together to call for its end.

"But it's still a broken system," he said. "And we look forward to continuing this conversation with Nebraskans."

Sen. Ernie Chambers, who has worked more than 40 years to eliminate capital punishment, said Monday the circumstances that led him to fight for the repeal of the death penalty had a hiatus with the Legislature's action. With the return of those circumstances, he plans to renew his efforts.

"And I will have a bill to repeal the death penalty ready for introduction in January, he said.

Nebraska's Catholic bishops said they, too, will continue to call for repeal of the death penalty.

The referendum, which gained more than enough signatures in summer 2015 to get the question on the ballot, passed despite being outspent nearly 5-to-1 by the opposition, Peterson said.

The Retain A Just Nebraska campaign spent about $2.2 million compared to about $450,000 by the referendum campaign.

Even with a green light to put the death penalty back into play, opponents believe it will be a long time, if ever, before an execution takes place. Ten men are on death row, most with remaining appeals.

The last time Nebraska executed a man was in 1997. The state has since put its electric chair in storage because its use was found to be unconstitutional by the Nebraska Supreme Court. Lethal injection has become the execution protocol, but has never been used and the state has had trouble getting the necessary drugs.

Lincoln attorney and longtime death penalty opponent Alan Peterson said several legal issues could prevent any potential execution.

For one, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a Florida case the U.S. Constitution requires juries to make those decisions. In Nebraska, judges decide one or more statements of fact in death penalty sentencing.

These and other issues may take years to resolve, and the lack of acceptable lethal drugs is just one of many additional barriers to Nebraska killing anyone for a long time, if ever, Alan Peterson said.

Officials have said they are working on a new drug protocol that would allow the state to carry out the death penalty, but many opponents say that's unlikely because of the difficulty in getting the drugs.

Gov. Pete Ricketts dug into his own bank account to donate $300,000 to Nebraskans for the Death Penalty. His father, Joe, donated another $100,000.

On Friday, the governor said that over the past several weeks, he has stepped up conversations with Attorney General Doug Peterson and Corrections Director Scott Frakes about a thorough review of the capital punishment protocols used in other states.

My administration will continue to review potential protocol changes, Ricketts said.
RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. provides reinsurance and insurance products around the world. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Bermuda with offices in Ireland, Australia, Switzerland, Singapore, and the US.

The company operates through two segments that include multiple underlying businesses and investment vehicles. The two main segments are Property and Casualty & Specialty. The company operates through intermediaries that include DaVinci Resinsurance Inc, Top Layer Reinsurance LTD, and RennaisanceRe Syndicate 1458 among others.

Top Layer Re is the first major venture and was started in 1999. It is a joint venture with State Farm targeting high layers of the US reinsurance business. DaVinci Re was formed in the wake of 9/11 to assist with capacity and it was given added capacity in the wake of hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Medici was formed in 2009 and is an open-ended fund intended to spur investment in the catastrophe bond market.

The Property segment writes catastrophic insurance policies to insure insurance and reinsurance companies against natural and man-made catastrophes. These include but are not limited to hurricanes, floods, freezes, and terrorism.

The Casualty & Specialty segment provides a wide range of consumer products including business insurance, malpractice insurance, liability insurance, workers' compensation, mortgage insurance, and health insurance among others.

Among RenaissanceRes Specialty businesses is capital management. The firm offers 6 investment vehicles and has more than $11 billion under management making it the #1 ILS or insurance-linked asset manager in the US. In regards to its credit ratings, the firm and all of its vehicles carry an A or better rating from every credit rating agency.
PROS Holdings, Inc. provides solutions that optimize the processes of selling and shopping in the digital economy worldwide. The company offers PROS Smart Configure Price Quote that improves sales productivity and accelerate deal velocity by automating common sales tasks; and PROS Smart Price Optimization and Management that enables businesses to optimize, personalize and harmonize pricing across the complexity of their go-to-market channels in the context of dynamic market and competitive conditions. It offers PROS Airline Revenue Optimization; PROS Airline Revenue Management solution that delivers algorithmic forecasting and network optimization for the travel industry; PROS Airline Real-Time Dynamic Pricing that offers accurate booking class availability and seat prices; and PROS Airline Group Sales Optimizer which enables airlines and their travel agent partners to create and manage group bookings, contracts, and policies. Further, it provides PROS Digital Retail, a configurable end-to-end solution for airlines to optimize the traveler experience from inspiration to post-trip; and PROS digital offer marketing solutions provide performance content management and search engine marketing tools that enable businesses in the travel industry. Additionally, the company offers software-related services, such as implementation, configuration, consulting, training, and maintenance and support services. It sells its software solutions to customers in various industries, including automotive and industrial manufacturing, transportation and logistics, chemicals and energy, food and beverage, healthcare, high tech, and travel. The company markets and sells its software solutions through its sales force, as well as through partners, resellers, and systems integrators. PROS Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 1985 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Cenovus Energy Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas in Canada, the United States, and the Asia Pacific region. The company operates through Oil Sands, Conventional, Offshore, Canadian Manufacturing, U.S. Manufacturing, and Retail segments. The Oil Sands segment develops and produces bitumen and heavy oil in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan. This segments Foster Creek, Christina Lake, Sunrise, and Tucker oil sands projects, as well as Lloydminster thermal and conventional heavy oil assets The Conventional segment holds assets primarily located in Elmworth-Wapiti, Kaybob-Edson, Clearwater, and Rainbow Lake operating in Alberta and British Columbia, as well as interests in various natural gas processing facilities. The offshore segment engages in the exploration and development activities. The Canadian Manufacturing segment includes the owned and operated Lloydminster upgrading and asphalt refining complex, which upgrades heavy oil and bitumen into synthetic crude oil, diesel fuel, asphalt, and other ancillary products, as well as owns and operates the Bruderheim crude-by-rail terminal and two ethanol plants. The U.S. Manufacturing segment comprises the refining of crude oil to produce diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, asphalt, and other products. The Retail segment consists of marketing of its own and third-party refined petroleum products through retail, commercial, and bulk petroleum outlets, as well as wholesale channels. Cenovus Energy Inc. was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
Plains GP Holdings, L.P., through its subsidiary, Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., owns and operates midstream energy infrastructure in the United States and Canada. The company operates in two segments, Crude Oil and Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs). The company engages in the transportation of crude oil and NGLs on pipelines, gathering systems, and trucks. As of December 31, 2021, this segment owned and leased assets comprising 18,300 miles of crude oil and NGL pipelines and gathering systems; 38 million barrels of above-ground tank capacity; and 1,275 trailers. It engages in the provision of storage, terminalling, and throughput services primarily for crude oil, NGLs, and natural gas; NGL fractionation and isomerization services; and natural gas and condensate processing services. As of December 31, 2021, this segment owned and operated approximately 74 million barrels of crude oil storage capacity; 28 million barrels of NGL storage capacity; four natural gas processing plants; a condensate processing facility; nine fractionation plants; 16 NGL rail terminals; four marine facilities; and 110 miles of pipelines. As of December 31, 2021, this segment owned 15 million barrels of crude oil and 2 NGL linefill; 3 million barrels of crude oil and 1 NGL linefill in pipelines owned by third parties and other inventory; 640 trucks and 1,275 trailers; and 3,900 NGL railcars. The company offers logistics services to producers, refiners, and other customers. PAA GP Holdings LLC operates as a general partner of the company. Plains GP Holdings, L.P. was incorporated in 2013 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
The following companies are subsidiares of Caterpillar: Advanced Tri-Gen Power Systems LLC, Anchor Coupling Inc., Asia Power Systems (Tianjin) Ltd., AsiaTrak (Tianjin) Ltd., Banco Caterpillar S.A., Berg Propulsion International Pte Ltd., Bucyrus, Bucyrus Australia Surface Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Holdings Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Limited, Bucyrus International (Chile) Limitada, Bucyrus International (Peru) S.A., Bucyrus Mining Australia Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Mining China LLC, Bucyrus UK Limited, Cat Rental Kyushu LLC, Caterpillar (Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar (China) Financial Leasing Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Machinery Components Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (HK) Limited, Caterpillar (Huainan) Machinery Service Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Langfang) Mining Equipment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Luxembourg) Investment Co. S.a r.l., Caterpillar (NI) Limited, Caterpillar (Newberry) LLC, Caterpillar (Qingzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Logistics Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar (U.K.) Limited, Caterpillar (Wujiang) Ltd., Caterpillar (Xuzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Zhengzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar Acquisition Holding Corp., Caterpillar Americas C.V., Caterpillar Americas Co., Caterpillar Americas Funding Inc., Caterpillar Americas Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Asia Limited, Caterpillar Asia Pacific L.P., Caterpillar Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Asset Intelligence LLC, Caterpillar Belgium S.A., Caterpillar Brasil Comercio de Maquinas e Pecas Ltda., Caterpillar Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Brazil LLC, Caterpillar Castings Kiel GmbH, Caterpillar Centro de Formacion S.L., Caterpillar China Limited, Caterpillar Commercial Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Commercial LLC, Caterpillar Commercial Northern Europe Limited, Caterpillar Commercial S.A., Caterpillar Commercial S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Commercial Services S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Communications LLC, Caterpillar Corporativo Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Cote DIvoire, Caterpillar Credito S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., Caterpillar DC Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Digital Services & Solutions SARL, Caterpillar Distribution International LLC, Caterpillar Distribution Services Europe B.V.B.A., Caterpillar East Real Estate Holding Ltd., Caterpillar Emissions Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH, Caterpillar Energy Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions S.A., Caterpillar Energy System Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Engine Systems Inc., Caterpillar Equipos Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Eurasia LLC, Caterpillar FS (QFC) LLC, Caterpillar Finance France S.A., Caterpillar Finance Kabushiki Kaisha, Caterpillar Financial Acquisition Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Aftermarket Solutions Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Australia Leasing Pty Limited, Caterpillar Financial Australia Limited, Caterpillar Financial Commercial Account Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Corporacion Financiera S.A. E.F.C., Caterpillar Financial Dealer Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Funding Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Caterpillar Financial Leasing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial New Zealand Limited, Caterpillar Financial Nordic Services AB, Caterpillar Financial Nova Scotia Corporation, Caterpillar Financial OOO, Caterpillar Financial Receivables Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Renting S.A., Caterpillar Financial SARL, Caterpillar Financial Services (Dubai) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services (Ireland) plc, Caterpillar Financial Services (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Argentina S.A., Caterpillar Financial Services Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Financial Services CR s.r.o., Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Services GmbH, Caterpillar Financial Services India Private Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Leasing ULC, Caterpillar Financial Services Limited Les Services Financiers Caterpillar Limitee, Caterpillar Financial Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Caterpillar Financial Services Netherlands B.V., Caterpillar Financial Services Norway AS, Caterpillar Financial Services Philippines Inc., Caterpillar Financial Services Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, Caterpillar Financial UK Acquisition Funding Partners, Caterpillar Financial Ukraine LLC, Caterpillar Fluid Systems S.r.l., Caterpillar Fomento Comercial Ltda., Caterpillar Forest Products Inc., Caterpillar France S.A.S., Caterpillar GB L.L.C., Caterpillar Global Investments S.a r.l., Caterpillar Global Mining America LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Equipamentos De Mineracao do Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Expanded Products Pty Ltd, Caterpillar Global Mining Germany Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining HMS GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong AFC Manufacturing Holding Co. Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Global Mining SARL, Caterpillar Global Mining U.S. Parts LLC, Caterpillar Global Services LLC, Caterpillar Group Services S.A., Caterpillar Holding (France) S.A.S., Caterpillar Holding Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Holdings Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Hungary Components Manufacturing Ltd., Caterpillar Hydraulics Italia S.r.l., Caterpillar IPX LLC, Caterpillar IRB LLC, Caterpillar Impact Products Limited, Caterpillar India Private Limited, Caterpillar Industrial Inc., Caterpillar Industrias Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Industries (Pty) Ltd, Caterpillar Insurance Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Insurance Company, Caterpillar Insurance Holdings Inc., Caterpillar Insurance Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Finance Designated Activity Company, Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg I S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg II S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Product SARL, Caterpillar International Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Services del Peru S.A., Caterpillar Investment Limited, Caterpillar Investment One SARL, Caterpillar Investment Two SARL, Caterpillar Investments, Caterpillar Japan LLC, Caterpillar Latin America Services S.R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Panama S. de R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Servicios de Chile Limitada, Caterpillar Latin America Support Services S. DE R.L., Caterpillar Leasing (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar Leasing Chile S.A., Caterpillar Leasing GmbH (Leipzig), Caterpillar Leasing Operativo Limitada, Caterpillar Life Insurance Company, Caterpillar Logistics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Logistics (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Logistics Inc., Caterpillar Logistics ML Services France S.A.S., Caterpillar Logistics Services China Limited, Caterpillar Luxembourg Group S.ar.l., Caterpillar Luxembourg LLC, Caterpillar Luxembourg S.a r.l., Caterpillar Machinery Nantong Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asset Intelligence, Caterpillar Marine Power UK Limited, Caterpillar Marine Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Maroc SARL, Caterpillar Materiels Routiers SAS, Caterpillar Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Mexico S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Mining Canada ULC, Caterpillar Mining Chile Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Motoren (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, Caterpillar Motoren Henstedt-Ulzburg GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Rostock GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Verwaltungs-GmbH, Caterpillar Netherlands Holding B.V., Caterpillar North America C.V., Caterpillar Operator Training Ltd., Caterpillar Overseas Credit Corporation SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Investment Holding SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Limited, Caterpillar Overseas SARL, Caterpillar Panama Services S.A., Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Caterpillar Paving Products Xuzhou Ltd., Caterpillar Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Power Generation Systems (Bangladesh) Limited, Caterpillar Power Generation Systems L.L.C., Caterpillar Power Systems Inc., Caterpillar Power Ventures International Ltd., Caterpillar Precision Seals Korea, Caterpillar Prodotti Stradali S.r.l., Caterpillar Product Services Corporation, Caterpillar Propulsion AB, Caterpillar Propulsion International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Italy S.R.L., Caterpillar Propulsion Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar Propulsion Production AB, Caterpillar Propulsion Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Singapore Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar R&D Center (China) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe LLC, Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe Servicios S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Reman Powertrain Indiana LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Drivetrain LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services (Shanghai) Co. 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OGE Energy Corp., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy and energy services provider that offers physical delivery and related services for electricity, natural gas, crude oil, and natural gas liquids in the United States. The company generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric energy. It provides retail electric service to approximately 879,000 customers, which covers a service area of approximately 30,000 square miles in Oklahoma and western Arkansas; and owns and operates coal-fired, natural gas-fired, wind-powered, and solar-powered generating assets. As of December 31, 2021, the company owned and operated interconnected electric generation, transmission, and distribution systems, including 16 generating stations with an aggregate capability of 7,207 megawatts; and transmission systems comprising 54 substations and 5,122 structure miles of lines in Oklahoma, and 7 substations and 277 structure miles of lines in Arkansas. Its distribution systems included 350 substations; 29,494 structure miles of overhead lines; 3,365 miles of underground conduit; and 11,125 miles of underground conductors in Oklahoma, as well as 29 substations, 2,795 structure miles of overhead lines, 349 miles of underground conduit, and 662 miles of underground conductors in Arkansas. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
More than two-thirds of voters in 15 Southeast Nebraska counties shot down a $369 million proposal to overhaul Southeast Community College's facilities in Lincoln, Beatrice and Milford on Tuesday.

By 11:30 p.m., nearly 126,000 people had voted against the measure, while roughly 61,000 voters -- or 32.8 percent -- supported it.

The SCC Board of Governors in June became the first community college to ask voters to consider a bond issue in Nebraska after a study by the Clark Enersen Partners showed aging and deficient facilities across SCC's campuses.

The engineering firm estimated it would cost $503 million to bring all of the community college's facilities up to date, but the SCC Board crafted a plan to ask voters for $369 million to upgrade campuses over the next three decades.

But the proposal met heavy opposition from ag and business groups who said the bond issue would place added strain on property owners through an increase to property taxes.

Coby Mach, president and CEO of the Lincoln Independent Business Association and a leader of the opposition to the bond called "Vote No 369," said the message from taxpayers to SCC was clear.

"This measure asked for too much, for too long, and it was too risky," Mach said.

According to SCC, the bond issue would have added as much as 3.9 cents to the tax levy of 7.57 cents per $100 of valuation, meaning a $150,000 home would have seen an estimated $58 in added taxes per year for 30 years.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau said a successful bond issue would have added $1.52 in taxes per acre to ag producers at a time when commodity prices are low.

For its part, SCC said the bond issue would have revitalized its campuses by creating new or remodeled learning spaces, student unions and residence halls, as well as learning centers across its service area.

In Lincoln, where the bulk of SCC students are enrolled, the bond issue would have paid for a $120 million campus on the eastern edge of downtown near 21st Street and Capital Parkway to replace its downtown Education Square space and the Jack Huck Continuing Education Center near 66th and O streets.

Some 64.5 percent of Lancaster County voters opposed the bond.

Other projects in the bond issue included a $127 million overhaul of SCC's Beatrice campus and an $88 million renovation of the Milford campus, which offers training in several different trades.

The measure also failed by a wide margin in Gage and Seward counties, respectively, where those campuses are located.
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. owns and operates utilities, transport, midstream, and data businesses in North and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company's Utilities segment operates approximately 61,000 kilometers (km) of operational electricity transmission and distribution lines; 5,300 km of electricity transmission lines; 4,200 km of natural gas pipelines; 7.3 million electricity and natural gas connections; and 360,000 long-term contracted sub-metering services. This segment also offers heating and cooling solutions; gas distribution; water heaters; and heating, ventilation, and air conditioner rental, as well as other home services. Its Transport segment offers transportation, storage, and handling services for merchandise goods, commodities, and passengers through a network of approximately 22,000 km of track; 5,500 km of track network; 4,800 km of rail; 3,800 km of motorways; and 13 port terminals. The company's Midstream segment offers natural gas transmission, gathering and processing, and storage services through approximately 15,000 km of natural gas transmission pipelines; 600 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage; 17 natural gas processing plants; and 3,900 km of gas gathering pipelines, as well as one petrochemical processing complex. Its Data segment operates approximately 148,000 operational telecom towers; 8,000 multi-purpose towers and active rooftop sites; 10,000 km of fiber backbone; 1,600 cell sites and approximately 12,000 km of fiber optic cable; and 2,100 active telecom towers and 70 distributed antenna systems, as well as 50 data centers and 200 megawatts of critical load capacity. The company was founded in 2007 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. is a subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management Inc.
After living through the worst outbreak of yellow fever in decades, Angola is celebrating the absence of any confirmed cases since late June. But the battle is far from over. UNICEF and partners continue to support vaccination and prevention initiatives.



LUANDA / CACUSO / CUANHAMA, Angola, 31 October 2016  At the Lombe health centre in the town of Cacuso, Isabel, 10, sits slightly removed from a group of people who are waiting to be vaccinated for yellow fever. Shy and alone, she looks at the team of vaccinators not knowing what to do.

When one of the staff approaches her, Isabel explains that she had come to get her vaccine, but had not been accepted because she was unaccompanied. My dad is working and my mom went to the square to sell food, she says. She told me to come here because my five brothers already have the vaccine.

A short time later, a social mobilization team travels to Isabels house where they meet her family, who confirm her story. Isabels mother authorizes her vaccination, and also promises to go to the health centre herself the next day. Neither she nor Isabels father have had the vaccine.

While many children cry when they receive the vaccine, Isabel grins from ear to ear. She returns home happy, with the yellow card that certifies she is vaccinated, as well as some informational brochures to share in her neighbourhood.
HAVANA, Cuba, 2 November 2016  Reinier has a rapid and forceful response to everything. At the age of 18, his curiosity for everything and everyone around him keeps him suspended between illusion and absolute uncertainty  as can happen with any teenager. But he is not concerned about the future; he knows that if he has managed to get this far, he can do anything.

I was born blind so for me it is normal not to see, says Reinier. For those who lose their vision at my age, it is much more difficult, of course. I've developed as I was growing up, with the support of my family.

Claribel, his mother, has been his most faithful and extraordinary companion since he was born. She has taught him the most important lesson of his life: that his development and his dreams, just like any other child, have no limits.

For nine years, Reinier attended the Abel Santa Maria special school, where he learned all he needed to advance to a mainstream school. In Cuba, the temporary nature of the special schools is designed to serve as a transition towards integration into mainstream education. At Abel Santa Maria School he learned to use a cane, identify colours, play the guitar, play the piano and ride a bike. He also learned history, arithmetic and geography.
Maher,* 14, has been in Debaga camp for just 15 days. Maher described how he and his little sister Zahra and his parents walked for over 15 hours to reach this camp. He pointed to his feet and his pair of worn out plastic slippers. We walked from the time of the morning call to prayer to the evening call to prayer. I walked in these shoes.

We walked from the time of the morning call to prayer to the evening call to prayer. I walked in these shoes.

Haitham,* 12, said he had not been in school for almost two years. The only school I could go to was a Daesh school, he said, using the local term for the so-called Islamic State. They only wanted to teach us how to use guns, he continued, pretending to shoot with his hands. But I didnt want to. I dont want to use guns, I dont like guns. All he wanted, Haitham said, was to go back to a normal school.

They only wanted to teach us how to use guns. But I didnt want to.

Hassan,* a feisty 9-year-old, pushed himself into the crowd of children. He was determined to have his say, and explained how his family had ran out of money and food. Poverty was what pushed his family out. All we had to eat was eggplants. Zahra jumped into the conversation we had bulgur too!

I walked for hours on end, carrying my two baby girls.

Sana* looked like she was only about 18 years old. Her face covered, she also wanted to talk. She said she had three children. I walked for hours on end, carrying my two baby girls, she said. She did not mention her third child again.
BATKEN/KARAKOL, Kyrgyzstan, 26 October 2016  Four-year-old Malika has been going to community kindergarten in the village of Yrdyk, Issyk-Kul province for the past several months. I play there with girls and draw letters. I like it in kindergarten, she says.

Malika and her family belong to the Dungan ethnic minority and live in a small village of Yrdyk in northern Kyrgyzstan, with a population of about 2,500 people. Issyk-Kul province is considered Kyrgyzstan's underdeveloped region, where residents, including Malikas parents, are mainly engaged in agriculture. There is one school in the village for children aged 7 and above, but until recently, there had never been a preschool.

A lack of preschool education can have a huge impact on children like Malika. The experiences and external influences that children gain in preschool play critical roles in the formation and development of their brains. During the earliest years of life, a childs brain has the potential to activate 1,000 brain cells every second. When children are protected, nurtured and stimulated, and have access to early education and play, they have the best possible chance of developing fully and learning effectively.

Preschools also contribute to improving school readiness, especially for children in rural areas like Issyk-Kul province.
Children in the Syrian Arab Republic risk their lives every day just to go to school. Since the conflict began in 2011, there have been more than 4,000 attacks on schools.



DAMASCUS, Syrian Arab Republic, 1 November 2016  In the Syrian Arab Republic, going to school for many children is fraught with danger. Every day, children and teachers risk their lives to reach a classroom, as schools continue to come under attack. Yet despite these risks, they persist in doing everything they can to get an education that is rightfully theirs. Their stories are ones of determination and resilience.

One such story comes from a rural area in the northern Syrian governorate of Idleb. Almost all of the children who study at this school have fled violence in northern rural Hama over a year ago, and sought refuge in caves and tents that are spread along this rural area.

Last year, some of the children living in rural Idleb had an opportunity to catch up on the education they have missed. Ahmad* and his wife, who were both teachers in Hama before they were displaced themselves, found a deserted cave which they cleaned up and turned into a school. We started with children who live nearby, then we expanded and now we have almost 120 students, he says.
Douglas County sheriffs deputies are still investigating a Friday night collision that killed an 18-year-old Omaha man.

Jason Hald was a passenger in a Chevrolet Cavalier when it was broadsided by a pickup in the intersection of Wenninghoff Road and Sorensen Parkway near the northern edge of Omaha. The Northwest High School senior died at the scene.

The driver of the Cavalier and another passenger were hospitalized. The 50-year-old driver of the pickup and his 12-year-old passenger were examined at the scene and released.

Witnesses said the Cavalier was southbound on Wenninghoff when it ran a red light at Sorensen. Investigators suspect the Cavaliers 18-year-old driver was impaired, and potential charges are pending, Chief Deputy Tom Wheeler said in a news release.
DAMASCUS, Syrian Arab Republic, 7 November 2016  Children in and around the city of Mosul in Iraq have endured extreme suffering for more than two years. Many of them have been forcibly displaced, trapped between fighting lines, or even caught in the crossfire.

We escaped the violence to protect our ten children, says Ibtisam.

Ibtisam is one of the 927 Iraqi refugees to recently arrive at Al Hol camp in the Syrian Arab Republic. The camp is located in the north-east of the Hasakeh Governorate, close to the border with Iraq. Since early 2016, around 4,600 Iraqis have come to the camp seeking refuge.

We used up all of our savings, and we sold everything to escape the fighting, says Ibtisam.

The family first moved to Sinjar Mountain in northern Iraq, where they lived for two years. Escaping the hail of bullets for the second time, they sought refuge in Al Hol camp.

The arduous journey to Al Hol camp was traumatizing for Ibtisam and her children, compounding the multiple sufferings they had already endured.

The trip was torturous, we escaped crossfire, she says. We had no food, no water and the children were exhausted.
Across town in the Sawan area of Sanaa, a group of young volunteers go from house to house distributing UNICEFs hygiene kits and counselling families on how to prevent cholera infections. They are working with the Yemen Foundation for Development and Response (YFDR), a local NGO that is supporting UNICEF. The volunteers mark every house they visit to keep track of the people they have reached.

We are targeting this community as part of our cholera prevention plan, as this is the area where 11 confirmed cases were reported, says Mohammed Mohammed, UNICEFs water sanitation and hygiene officer who is responsible for the response. He explains that their strategy is three-pronged: We are chlorinating all water sources as well as water tanks so that water is safe. At the same time we are distributing hygiene kits which include soap, washing powder, jerry cans, etc. to families. And lastly we are going from house to house explaining to families about how cholera is spread and how they can protect themselves against it.

In the past two weeks, at least 18 cases of cholera have been confirmed across the country with the majority being in Sanaa  Yemens most densely populated city. Cases have also been reported in south and central Yemen. UNICEF and its partners are continuing their support to health facilities and at the community level in the midst of the ongoing conflict and instability.

Containing cholera is top priority for the childrens agency. An escalated outbreak would put many children like six-year-old Arafat through the harrowing and painful stages of this illness, and some would not survive.

>> Learn more about the humanitarian needs of children in Yemen
By the spring of this year, it was clear that Americans were heading into one of the ugliest, most consequential and often bizarre presidential campaigns in memory. Donald Trump would become the improbable Republican nominee, and Democrat Hillary Clinton the first woman to head a major-party ticket. Their clash challenged Americans to confront divisions over race, gender, ideology and our very national identity. This is how the race unfolded, as retold by the people who lived it. This oral history is based on four dozen on-the-record interviews with campaign advisers and other key players, conducted during the final two weeks.

May 3, 2016

Trump wins the Indiana primary and Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.) quits the race, making Trump the effective GOP nominee. The Trump campaign begins to size up Clinton and seeks to broaden his appeal.

Paul Manafort: Trump views Hillary Clinton as the personification of whats rotten in Washington. He really does make the connection between the rigged system, as he calls it, the corruption of Washington, the gridlock of Washington and the all-talk, no-action approach that Washington takes. . . . His point was that the opponent was more than just Hillary. She was the symbol.

Kellyanne Conway: There was maybe a 14-day period where she lost eight to nine contests, I believe, to Bernie Sanders. And I studied that and I thought, shes going to have a real problem here because shes somebody whos always caught unaware. She was caught unaware by Barack Obama in 2008. She seemed to be caught unaware of Bernie Sanderss surge. . . . And we could catch her unaware again.

Sean Spicer: The narrative was already baked in. That was the beauty of her. In most campaigns, youre trying to define a candidate. She was defined as someone that people dont like and dont trust, and all we had to do was reinforce the existing narrative.

David Bossie: I always thought about prosecuting the case against Hillary Clinton very directly. The Crooked Hillary, the drain the swamp, those types of things which have become a little bit of slogans of the campaign are things that Republican conservatives for the last 20 years have really said, and maybe using different words, but they had never been able to get them to stick.

Kellyanne Conway: I just never have seen her as somebody who takes risks. And Donald Trump does take risks. And although his gets covered as being reckless, people like a risk taker. And Barack Obama is a risk taker. Bill Clinton is a risk taker.

Newt Gingrich: Trump has lots of weaknesses but he has a fearlessness borne out of authenticity. And that of course forces him occasionally to do things the rest of us cant figure out because he thinks thats what authenticity commands.

Carl Paladino: This is not your normal election. This is a political revolution. . . . They see this as the answer to something thats been festering for years and years and years. They know somethings wrong. They know their government has not been straight with them. They know the middle class has been left behind. They also know, why do we have all these billionaires and why as a working man am I so poor?



Donald Trump, with daughter Ivanka Trump, left, and wife Melania Trump, addresses the media at Trump Tower following primary election results on May 3 in New York. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Newt Gingrich: Trump is a remarkable entrepreneurial personality. The entrepreneurial personalities find it very hard to operate in corporate environments. Look at Steve Jobs. . . . And also, he had no habit of having to be disciplined and having to be aware of the fact that both his opponents and the news media would be watching every word and every gesture and will be digging through his past at levels that would be inevitably embarrassing.

Paul Manafort: He was comfortable with the success he had had in the rally approach and he didnt see a need to change. My pitch to him was that we had to expand beyond the base he had in the primaries and we had to bring in establishment types, and the way to do that would be through presentation. Formulating speeches on policy that he would give off a teleprompter.

Phil Ruffin: You can give him all the advice you want, but he goes with his own instincts.

When it becomes clear that Trump will be the nominee, the fissures within the GOP grow deeper and the campaign struggles to unify party leaders.

Ron Kaufman: I was caught in the middle between a lot of good friends who were in the Stop Trump movement, including people very close to me, and my belief that he won fair and square. Its not about those folks who feel that way; its about the millions and millions of people who voted for Trump. The party had to get behind him.

Sean Spicer: The sooner that we all got on the same page, the higher likelihood we would have of winning. . . . Trump was obviously very skeptical of the party and the RNC, so making sure that he and his team fully understood the capabilities that we had was crucial.

Charlie Sykes: I knew that [Republican National Committee Chairman] Reince [Priebus] was under no illusions about what Trump represented and what Trumps nomination would mean. . . . That was the beginning of the collapsing of that distinction and Reince Priebus going all in for Donald Trump. Reince was not until that day a Trump Republican. I was disappointed.

Katie Packer: What do you do when the party that youve committed your whole adult life to goes in a direction like this? Do you acquiesce and bend the knee? Or do you say, No, I cant do it?

Paul Manafort: He saw the value of [House Speaker Paul] Ryan being on the outside of where Trump wanted the campaign to go. He viewed Ryan to be part of whats wrong with Washington, too. . . . I felt that while change was the main theme of the election, and he agreed with that, I felt that the face needed to be Hillary Clinton. . . . Because I knew, having looked at the data, that if we could keep the focus on Clinton, we win.

Russ Schriefer: I thought that he would have a very difficult time putting together the coalition that he would need to be president and that we were going to be in for a very long six months between Indiana and Election Day.

At the same time, the Clinton campaign, still battling Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) in the Democratic race, starts trying to figure out how to take on Trump.



Donald Trump addresses his supporters during a rally in Indianapolis in April. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

Mandy Grunwald: We know that there is a change versus more of the same dynamic that we dont want to be in, but we do want to define the choice as the kind of country were going to be.

Robby Mook: I definitely remember we had a lot of angst around, like, how do we handle Trump? Like, how do you get your arms around this situation? The media runs wild with him. They just set the camera in front of him live and let it roll for as long as he speaks.

Jennifer Palmieri: Our big concern, of course, was that he would then morph into somebody else. I had heard things about him, such as he reacts with audiences in front of him . . . So the concern, well, if he gets in front of a general-election audience, is he going to moderate?

Teddy Goff: I always thought that he was the ideal Republican nominee. . . . The nomination of Trump was going to make this a battle about racism, misogyny, homophobia and dealing with immigrants. Thats not even getting into the core stability of our opponent.

Jennifer Palmieri: The most useful research was talking to people who know him. . . . John [Podesta] talked to a lot of people. [Christina] Reynolds talked to a lot of people. Jake [Sullivan] talked to a lot of people. I talked to a lot of people. I personally found the most useful Tony Schwartz, the guy who wrote The Art of the Deal. . . . I asked him, Can he reinvent who he is? Can he morph into somebody else? He asked me, For how long? And I said, Six months. . . . He says, Six days, maybe. But six months, theres just no way.

Christina Reynolds: What we found a lot of was sort of what makes him tick, what gets under his skin, what he is most sensitive about. Hes sensitive about his wealth. . . . Hes sensitive about his intelligence. You hear it a lot: I went to Wharton. I went to the best schools.

John Podesta: Theres no question, I think, that [Trump] represents change. But the question is: What kind of change? And I think we put a lot into the argument that the country would succeed by rejecting that set of values which are based on division, on bigotry, on things he had said along the way, on his sort of history of abusing people.

Jake Sullivan: We began to look to see what is the shape or scope of his policy agenda. It was pretty shapeless and scopeless other than sort of his big bombastic statements. What was clear was if you try to have a traditional debate with him on a particular issue  whether it be tax policy, or infrastructure, or working families issues, or even in national security  you can have it. But youd be missing the fundamental point of what was really happening here.

Robby Mook: We were always paranoid about leaving the economic argument off to the side. . . . Even to this day we struggle with: How much do we talk about his crazy tax plan that gives people tax-free schemes versus just saying like, This man will have the nuclear codes and we could all be vaporized?



Huma Abedin, Hillary Clintons campaign vice chairman, and Robby Mook, Clintons campaign manager, at a rally in Portsmouth, N.H. in July. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Brian Fallon: We werent going to be able to predict whatever maelstrom we would encounter on a day-to-day basis. But if we had some principles that we were following and adhering to a North Star . . . we wouldnt be making it up as we went along.

Mandy Grunwald: Joel [Benenson] and [Jim] Margolis and I met in Margoliss office in April to have our first planning meeting about the convention. . . . What we had seen in the research  the notion that he was unfit to be president, however you put that  was the most important conclusion. . . . The two biggest parts of that had to do with his temperament and what that would mean for our national security. . . . The second was his divisiveness and the hateful things he had said about virtually every group in this country. . . . Both those things were well outside the norms for a Republican candidate. . . . The third category was economics.

Teddy Goff: I recall a senior staff retreat where that frame was presented to the state leadership who were on the phone. There was this silent, momentary reaction. He put the phone on mute and said theyre not buying it. . . . That was the moment when we realized bad on economy, bad on foreign policy, too divisive was not sufficient because it was a broader case. The guy is nuts.

Joel Benenson: His notion that he is a great businessman is total [expletive] because he is really a flop over and over again. But you could not convince people of that because they know he is wealthy. He is flying around in a plane with his name on it.

Jennifer Palmieri: So we decided there were arguments that we needed to pursue because they would be meaningful for voters. Then there were arguments that we should pursue that voters would never care about but would provoke him. That is the lane on questions about, is he really that successful or is his dad the one that got him started?

Guy Cecil: We did video tests where we showed voters 40 different clips of Trump speaking  not ads, but just clips of him insulting a disabled reporter, a clip of him insulting Rosie ODonnell. . . . Regardless of how we tested it  a full-out test, a clip test, online, regular survey, in-person focus group  the two things that consistently stuck out were the issue around his divisiveness and the issue around him being a danger to national security. . . . Mocking the disabled reporter was by far the top-testing clip. And, by the way, that stayed true through the whole campaign.

June 2, 2016

In mid-May, Clinton starts to lay out the case against Trump, calling him unfit in an interview. Two weeks later, in San Diego, she delivers a long, blistering attack on Trump as unfit to be commander in chief.



Hillary Clinton delivers a national security speech in San Diego in June, attacking Trump as unfit to be president. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Mandy Grunwald: We knew from our research we wanted to get to the point where we labeled him unfit and unqualified. But the question was, do we come out and say it? Does she come out and say it in her first interview on this subject? Is that too much, too soon?

Christina Reynolds: We had this mealy mouthed answer in there that we all agreed to as step one. We got on the phone and Jen [Palmieri] and others are taking her through the prep and we get to that question and someone explained the three-step process and she said, No, were just going to say it. He is not fit to be president, and were just going to say it. . . . There have been moments throughout this campaign where her being a badass is a nice galvanizing moment for all of us. Its like, right on. You should call him that.

Jake Sullivan: A pretty critical moment in the evolution of our thinking about how to take on the Trump phenomenon was the San Diego speech. . . . It began as a much more traditional foreign policy contrast speech. As I and as the secretary and others read drafts of the speech, we all sort of came to the conclusion: This is all true but its not the truth. Its not getting to the heart of why we so vigorously object to Donald Trump presenting himself as a potential commander in chief.

Dan Schwerin: As we started digging into what Trumps foreign policy approach really was and the things he had said, it was shocking to be reminded. You sort of get numb to this stuff, and then you put it all together in front of you and youre like, Oh, my God. . . . The key to making the speech work in the end was  and this was natural for her as a lawyer, and lawyerly  was let his own words do the work.

She was really into this idea. She wanted to light him up, but she wanted to do it in a sober way that he couldnt squirm out [of] because these are his words.

Matt Paul: The expectation was, Why arent you as good an orator and politician as your husband and as your last boss? which was constantly the story of crowds in rallies. . . . She would get frustrated. . . . She freely admitted this is not her forte. This is not her strength. She knows books about her are not going to be written about what a smooth, eloquent orator Hillary Clinton is.

Dan Schwerin: The crowd ate it up in a way that you dont hear. It was like there was a hunger. What I thought in listening to it, people have been hungry for someone to call this guy out. In the Republican primary, they had all danced around things. . . . No one had been able to land a clean shot on him.

At a speech in San Diego, Hillary Clinton said electing Donald Trump would be a historic mistake. Here are key moments from that speech. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

Robby Mook: That national security speech gave us confidence that we could take him on, that she could use his words against him . . . [and] that that would be rewarded honestly by the media. We were nervous that it was, like, would she sound shrill? Would she be mean?

Kellyanne Conway: My immediate response was, lets do a contrast . . . between what she projects could be under a president and commander in chief Donald Trump and what actually has been under Secretary of State [Clinton] and President Obama. . . . The fake red lines and Syria, obviously Benghazi.

Dan Schwerin: After that speech, she was saying to me, This speech needs more San Diego. By that she meant both more of his words and a little punchier. She would come back to that again and again and say, Okay, this is good, but lets have a little more San Diego in here.

Eight days later, Trump lashes out at U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel and suggests that his Hispanic heritage made him biased in a Trump University case.

Paul Manafort: He was truly incensed with the judge. . . . It really bothered him that, again, heres another example of the rigged system. The point that I was trying to make to him, Regardless of whether youre right or wrong, Donald, hes not your opponent. . . . If we lose three days not being on message, its going to be costly to us. He understood the intellectual part of the argument, totally understood it. But he just didnt accept that it was the right thing to do.

On May 27, Donald Trump went on an 11-minute rant about Gonzalo Curiel, the federal judge overseeing several Trump University cases. ( Reuters)

Newt Gingrich: [Trump and I] had one or two occasions where we were right at the edge of breaking the relationship. The judge was one example. . . . I just went on television and said, This is nuts. This is exactly wrong. You cannot keep doing this stuff. I was just tough as I knew how to be. . . . If I wanted him to learn something, the most effective thing was to do it on Fox [News Channel].

Paul Manafort: We were telling [Trump], This is going to be one of the core instruments she uses against you to deal with your ability to be president. She cant beat you on change, she cant beat you on issues. She can only beat you on youre not qualified to be president.

Newt Gingrich: [Foxs Sean] Hannity was unbelievably important behind the scenes. He was the one guy who could be very, very blunt with Trump. . . . Hannity and I were both trying to convince Trump that he absolutely had to become much more presidential.

By early June, both campaigns are having a similar conversation: What are their paths to victory?

David Simas: Its an open question whether or not he can really begin to change the map, right? Can he put states in play that just havent been in play for Republicans? You could see Pennsylvania, especially Pennsylvania, becoming the linchpin of the entire reconfiguration of the map. . . . Certainly, you didnt know what the dynamic was going to be in Michigan. . . . Obviously Ohio.

Kellyanne Conway: Weve always had a path to 270. . . . But it has been narrow. And its always been a little bit more straightforward and beholden to the same three or four states after my core four, after Iowa, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida. If you bank those, then we need some combination. . . .

Like most things here, team effort with Mr. Trump being the captain of the team no doubt . . . were obsessed  Im obsessed, too  with Pennsylvania.

Elan Kriegel: We looked at the Obama map. Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia. . . . Early on in the race, we started seeing these things like, its odd, but Virginias not as competitive as we expected it to be, and Colorado, which could have been defined as a 270th electoral vote for Barack Obama in 2012 and in 2008, but its a little over-performing, and that seemed odd. The first person on our campaign to identify that was Matt Dover, who runs the voter analytics team, and he said, Im seeing this college/non-college split, and I dont know what to make of it yet, but I think it might be real.

David Plouffe: It was clear even from the beginning that suburban women would be available to Clinton to a larger degree than even they were to Obama. . . . Trump probably gave you the chance for the biggest margin, but also there was a chance it would be too close for comfort just because he did have an appeal in certain parts of the electorate.

Marlon Marshall: Since day one of this campaign, we knew we needed to build a Clinton coalition. . . . Its broadly people of color, women, millennials. . . . Youre seeing Latino voters, youre seeing African American voters supporting the secretary, you have millennials. . . . And then you have college-educated voters. That is the new coalition.

July 5, 2016

One of the most critical and surprising days of the campaign. FBI Director James B. Comey announces that the Justice Department will not seek to prosecute Clinton for using a private email account when she was secretary of state, but says she was extremely careless in handling classified information.



In a statement at FBI headquarters in July, Director James B. Comey says the bureau will not recommend criminal charges in its investigation of Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of state. (Cliff Owen/AP)

John Podesta: We had a big day planned. She was addressing a convention of the National Education Association. We were about to go off with the president to North Carolina.

Jennifer Palmieri: [ABCs George] Stephanopoulos texted me, calls me early in the morning and says, Comey presser today? I thought, its unusual for that guy to ever be doing a press conference. But it cant be about us. She had just met with him on Saturday and this was Tuesday, right?

Robby Mook: I was on the phone with David Simas at the White House. . . . Were just talking and talking. I was really excited about the day and talking about the campaign, and then I looked out at the TV and I see Comey there. . . . [Simas] and I talked for another two minutes and then we both were like, I think we should get off the phone.

Jason Chaffetz: I was headed to the airport and by the time I got to the Salt Lake airport, Mr. Comey was having a press conference making his announcement. There I was, boarding my flight, sitting in my seat, listening to the director, and for the first 12 minutes, I thought, Oh, my goodness, hes actually going to move toward an indictment.

Sean Spicer: In my adult life, Im not sure that Ive hung on every word somebody is saying the way that I did at that moment. . . . I kept going, Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness. It is about to happen.

Steven Ginsberg: I was at Trump Tower because he had banned us and I wanted to give him the chance to share his concerns about The [Washington] Post. It was Trump, Hope Hicks and me in his office when we got word that Comey was about to make an announcement about the Clinton investigation. So we go watch on a little TV in a nook outside his office. Ivanka and [her husband] Jared Kushner join. The more Comey talks, the more excited Trump gets. This is big, he says. Dont you think this is big? As soon as it ends, Trump said something like: If she cant keep her emails safe, she cant keep the country safe. He got it right away and boiled it down to a bumper sticker that he repeated at a rally a couple of hours later.

Here is what FBI Director James B. Comey said on July 5 about Hillary Clinton, in three minutes. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

Jim Margolis: As I sat there, I was going through these moments of, like, this is going to be really, really bad. Oh, oh, oh, maybe not. Oh, yes, it is.

Robby Mook: First and foremost, we were just glad that it was resolved. Second of all, he was unequivocal that she had never intentionally done anything wrong, that there was clearly not enough evidence to bring a case. I would actually argue that it relieves an enormous amount of pressure on the campaign.

Mandy Grunwald: I have the dual response I think everybody had, which was relief and anger. Anger that he would hold this press conference and essentially undermine the conclusion hed reached by trash-talking her.

Brian Fallon: We knew that wed be living with the coloring of the situation based on his commentary as opposed to being able to feel vindicated with the outcome of the investigation.

Jim Margolis: We still were pretty aware that every Friday at the end of the month, there were going to be more emails that were going to come out and the people were going to continue to push on it. So I dont think anyone believed it was over.

David Plouffe: This is the Fox News alternate reality that the current Republican Party is living in. Thats the problem. Emails, Benghazi, and the average swing voter in Virginia and Colorado has processed this. It may bother them or it may not, but its not going to drive the race.

Elan Kriegel: That was one of the toughest times for us. . . . That momentum coming into the weekend was gone. . . . We werent suddenly saying, Lets go spend money in Texas. We were saying, What are the core states most likely to get her over the hump and elect her president?

Kristina Schake: On the issue of trust, it was really personally hurtful to [Clinton] and she wanted to have active conversations about how to deal with that. . . . She knew that we live in a different day and age where people expect a kind of immediacy, a kind of personal vulnerability, that you reveal yourself. And she knew that thats not her nature. But she said, Thats the times we live in and there are things Im going to have to do that are a little outside my comfort.

Carl Paladino: We were fuming. We all knew what happened. You could see right through it. The powers that be went to Comey and said, If you want any future at all, you better get rid of this thing.

Jason Miller: You talk about the way that we see the thumb being put on the scale of this entire investigation into Hillary Clinton from the immaculate tarmac reception with Bill [Clinton] and [Attorney General] Loretta Lynch. . . . Its this rigged-system feeling.

Sean Spicer: [Comeys] words were strong enough that we knew we had the building blocks for something that would be sustaining and long term. It just was sort of 10 degrees off perfect. It was like being told, I love you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but I dont want to marry you.

Newt Gingrich: On our side of the aisle, we dont care that a corrupt administration through a corrupt Justice Department failed to indict a corrupt candidate. We just think that proves theyre all corrupt.

Katie Packer: At that point, I was like, my God, could Hillary Clinton lose to Trump? This is bad stuff. Could she actually have handed the election to this madman?

Jason Chaffetz: Upon landing, I actually had a good discussion with [Comey] . . . I said, You know, Im going to need you to come before our committee, and he said, Yeah, I thought you would want to do that. I asked him, Do you need a subpoena? He said, No, no, no, dont do that. Im happy to come.



FBI Director James B. Comey testifies during a hearing before House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in July. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

July 28, 2016

Trump comes out of the Republican National Convention feeling sky high and positioned to take the lead, Manafort says. But a week later, Khizr and Ghazala Khan provide the emotional high point of the Democratic National Convention with a condemnation of Trump.

Jake Sullivan: The reason that the Khans ended up emerging as people that we invited to the convention was because Hillary was giving a speech . . . in Minneapolis [in December 2015]. . . . The speech was on domestic radicalization. . . . We were looking for a closing to that speech.

Dan Schwerin: I asked my team, one of my interns, Oren Fliegelman, to research Muslim American war heroes, because I wanted to lift up a story in the speech that could contrast with Trumps Muslim ban. He brought me a list of four or five possible stories he found in clips. The one that stood out to me was the story of the Khans.

Jake Sullivan: When we were doing some of the initial convention planning and thinking about the various nights, it struck us that it would be incredibly powerful to have Mr. and Mrs. Khan stand up on behalf of their son [Army Capt. Humayun Khan, killed in action in Iraq in 2004] and on behalf of the values that they spoke about so passionately.



Khizr Khan, pictured with his wife, Ghazala Khan, addresses the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia in July. The Khans son Humayun Khan, a U.S. Army captain, was killed in Iraq in 2004. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

Khizr Khan: We consulted our other children. They warned us about political backlash from the other party, from Republicans. They told us, Please, think it over and dont hurriedly go there. . . . While all of this was taking place, we had visited many times our friends and our relatives. When we go to their homes, their little children would come to me, because they know that I am an attorney. . . . The question would be the same: Would we be thrown out? These are Muslim children asking me. . . . That is why Mrs. Khan and I, against the advice of our other children, we decided that we will speak.

Waving the Constitution wasnt part of the plan. . . . As we are leaving the room toward getting in the cab from the hotel, I put the coat on and we were advised to make sure that you dont have any coins, any metal, change, or keys in your pocket; that it will take a very long time to clear with security. So Im searching my pockets and I found an old copy. . . . I told Mrs. Khan, Ghazala, I have this copy of the Constitution in my pocket. Do you think it will be advisable to pull it out when I say, You have not read the Constitution?  She said, You must take permission.

In the cab . . . she looked at me and her eyes welled. She said, Do you think I will be able to speak a word when Humayuns picture is in the background and they have just paid him a tribute? I said, Well, at least you stand beside me. She said, Ill stand and Ill be holding the podium so I dont fall off and indignify the event or I begin to sob.

We were now at the podium in the green room. The lights were on us. The producers were standing. This was the time that I take their permission if I could pull out the Constitution: When I say, Have you read the Constitution? can I pull it out and say that I will lend you my copy?

Frank Greer: I said, You mean you have a copy with you? And he says, Yes. I said, This is terrific. . . . He pulled it out and it was a well-worn copy. . . . I walked out and said to [Jim] Margolis and Mandy [Grunwald], Theres going to be something that happens tonight and its going to just capture the nation, and its the Khan family.

Mandy Grunwald: [Mr. Khan] orchestrated the whole thing. . . . We knew he would be strong, and so we gave him a prominent 9 [oclock] hour, the hour before [Hillary Clinton] spoke. . . . But the rest is alchemy and in his hands.

Charlie Sykes: I actually remember going upstairs [at home] and telling my wife, Oh, my God, you just missed this. It was an incredibly powerful, emotional moment. I said, Its going to be a real problem.

Ron Kaufman: I thought, this is staged. It was too produced. Having been behind the scenes a lot, I just felt he was not just the average parent of a fallen soldier. There was more to him that didnt show. It all looked like a professional protest. It was too polished. But like everybody else, it doesnt mean I wasnt awed by the story.

Carl Paladino: The Khans mean nothing but a symbol of the Democrats coopting a family to do the embarrassing thing for the memory of their kid. That was so friggin wrong, and Ill always feel that way. I dont care if youre a Gold Star parent.... That was disgusting and the press handled it like a bunch of connivers.

Humayun Khan was a Muslim American Army captain who died serving the United States in 2004. His father, Khizr Khan, spoke at the Democratic National Convention and offered a strong rebuke of Donald Trump, saying, Have you even read the United States Constitution? (Video: Victoria Walker/The Washington Post;Photo: Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

Joel Benenson: The place erupted. It was at the heart of the argument we were making that night. Like, we are a country that is so great because of the principles in that Constitution. . . . My grandparents came to this country escaping pogroms in Russia, and you think Im going to listen to you ever when you talk about banning people because of their religion? I mean, it is just so antithetical to who we are.

Paul Manafort: I felt, okay, I understand where theyre going [with Mr. Khans speech]. Hes not relevant. Well just move on. I did not want to get involved in that issue. . . . The candidate disagreed, and hes the boss.

Newt Gingrich: [Mr. Khans speech] was a wonderful, intelligent trap. You take a guy who is totally them. You have him say things that are very offensive, which he did. And then the second that Trump responds, youre pointing out that hes attacking a Gold Star family. It was a great trap  and then Trump fell for it.

Teddy Goff: Trump brought that on himself on Friday when he called [New York Times columnist] Maureen Dowd and explicitly hit Ghazala Khan and said, Id like to hear her talk. Then on the Saturday morning he had an interview with [George] Stephanopoulos where he said it again. . . . I remember waking up on Saturday and seeing the Dowd column . . . and just thinking, you know, we got a live one.

Paul Manafort: I said [to Trump], First of all, we dont need to do [the Stephanopoulos interview]. Weve had a good week. Lets just let this thing play out. . . . He said, No, no, George will be fine. I said, George is a Clintonite. He comes out of the Clinton campaign. Even if hes a journalist, you just cant trust where hes going to go. Trump said, Nah, I can handle it. . . . Okay, hes going to do it. . . . As soon as the thing leaked out, I knew that it was a setup and I knew it was just going to get worse.

Ben Carson: [Trump] was basically just responding to something that he thought was pretty obvious. But being a non-politician, he didnt express to them in a correct way. Thats been a large part of his problem.

David Simas: That moment really crystallized [for Obama] the fitness for office. . . . The president was making the unfitness-for-office argument even prior to being on the stage in Philadelphia, but certainly after that. How do you attack a Gold Star family? . . . As the president said, Come on, man.

Katie Packer: [Trump] looks at that man and does not see an American, because in Donald Trumps America, theyre all white people with blond hair and blue eyes  and that excludes an awful lot of people in this country that we need if were going to win general elections.

Newt Gingrich: I called [Trump]. I said, First of all, Im walking through airports and people are walking up to me, begging me to talk to you. Youve got to quit doing this stuff. And second, some of your biggest supporters are telling me that they are about to cut you loose and help elect senators. I said, You need to understand how really dangerous this is. . . . He goes through a whole thing about how they set him up, and it was unfair. . . . [I said,] Its Hillary Clinton. If you talk about anybody other than Hillary Clinton, youre off message. Period.

Everybody who knew him well was talking to him, but individually. Look, you cant take a 70-year-old billionaire who has won the nomination against all odds and have an intervention. Hell simply throw the whole group out.

Paul Manafort: It allowed Clinton to continue the defining of Trump as a racist. It was the Mexican judge before and now its Muslims. It starts to build on the temperament issue. We worked really hard to get him off it, and again he felt that it was important for his vote base for him to not let somebody who he felt was a total political front to get away with being pious. . . . It was where I started to get nervous that making Hillary Clinton the focus of our campaign was going to be more difficult than we thought.

Aug. 17, 2016

Trumps campaign struggles to recover from the Khan episode and Trump decides he needs another staff shake-up. He parts ways with Manafort and elevates Kellyanne Conway and hires Steven Bannon and David Bossie.



Donald Trumps campaign managers Kellyanne Conway and Paul Manafort speak during a roundtable discussion on security at Trump Tower in New York . (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

Paul Manafort: The numbers are dropping because of the Khizr Khan thing. . . . As I said to [Trump], You dont turn a ship on a dime, but the ship is turning. The integration with the RNC was complete at that time, we had our state chairmen in all the right places, we had our county chairmen in all the right places, we had worked out our mail program and our microtargeting program, but he didnt see all of that. He was dropping in the polls. He didnt know how to stop it.

David Bossie: Mr. Trump was clearly looking for a path to victory. When he made that change, he saw an opportunity that he was only going to get, like most people, once in your life and you have to really make the most of it. . . . The energy of the campaign, which was lacking over the summer  obviously the convention was a success as a show, but it didnt reflect what needed to be reflected in building a machine to win on Election Day.

Kellyanne Conway: He asked me if I can run this thing on August 12th, it was a Friday night. . . . One thing I said to him was, Lets see who Hillary Clinton is and what shes doing. And lets do what she wont do and be where shes not and can never be. And I started out with the word joyful. In other words, I said to him, You know youre running against the most joyless candidate in presidential political history. . . . Are we campaigning or are we getting a root canal every day when shes out there? . . .

I said, Youre starting to look like her. [He said,] No. Im not. And I said, There it is. Yes, you are.

Paul Manafort: Bannon came into play when Trump was in East Hampton at a fundraiser at Woody Johnsons house and the Mercers, who we were trying to get to be more involved in the super PAC activities . . . really came down hard on Trump that they needed to have somebody dealing with the messaging that would take a more aggressive approach and they had somebody, Steve Bannon, that could do that.

[I resigned because] I felt Hillary had to be the focus, I felt I couldnt be the focus. The Clintons found me as a tool to use for a broader message [about Trumps ties to Russia]. . . . It wouldnt stop, and it was becoming a real distraction.

Ron Kaufman: He had three different types of teams and each one accomplished a purpose. The first team got him the nomination. You ask why? Its because the people around him knew the tea party stuff, knew the populism stuff, and were smart enough to let Donald be Donald. . . . What the Manafort team did so well is deliver a convention. They got him more focused and more disciplined. . . . And then they brought in this new team, which was much more media savvy.

David Bossie: We had the ability as a team to come in, not having anybody worrying about normal things, which is human nature, which is turf and whos doing what and hierarchies and all that. We came in and really tried to work, which I think was a difference maker.

Robby Mook: I was honestly stunned that he would bring in Steve Bannon, who runs a, quote-unquote, news organization that is so divisive and that has written stories that are so bigoted and hateful.

Jennifer Palmieri: At that point, we were really frightened. That was the scariest. . . . I was the most anxious in thinking maybe America is just not the country I thought it was.



Robby Mook, pictured with Jennifer Palmieri and Nick Merrill, speaks to reporters on Hillary Clintons campaign plane above Cedar Rapids, Iowa in late October. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Mandy Grunwald: It was when David Bossie joined that I just thought, okay, this is just the full axis of evil and just the world of haters  Clinton haters, obviously  but just a whole other thing than any kind of traditional Republican Party.

Charlie Sykes: That was the day I tweeted, Theyve entered the hospice phase of the campaign: Hes dying and he wants to be surrounded by his loved ones. I thought, this is not going to end well. This is Donald Trump going to the darkest recesses of the paranoid right.

Hugh Hewitt: I was troubled by the lack of professionalism from the trenches, but also encouraged by the arrival of Kellyanne at Trump Tower, who I think was the one figure in the long saga of the Trump campaign that Republican regulars like me thought, okay, theres an experienced hand at the wheel.

Kellyanne Conway: I said [to Trump], I looked at the polls. Youre losing  but you dont have to. Theres still a pathway back. But we have to play the role of underdog and own it. . . . Part of his personal mantra is, Im the winner. I dont lose. Im not a loser. And I said, You turned 70. Youve been winning your whole life. Youre enormously successful, very popular, not a political figure in this country. And you dont want your first major loss [to be] to Hillary Clinton.

Sean Spicer: Prior to them coming on board, there always seemed to be this binary choice: Let Trump be Trump or make him inauthentic. I think they finally recognized that there was a middle ground that he would be comfortable with and that would further the goals of the election. . . . You could see the results translate. He was gaining on her.

Peter T. King: There was a fundraiser [with] him held in Suffolk County. . . . It was really in the middle of the storm. . . . Republicans were attacking him. . . . He seemed genuinely at ease with the world. . . . Suddenly you see [his] helicopter buzz the party, twice. Yeah, that was Trump.

In response to the staff changes, the Clinton team reprises San Diego, this time in Reno, Nev., with a speech denouncing Trumps connections to the alt-right.



Donald Trump campaign chief Steve Bannon backstage during an event in Warren, Mich., in late October. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

Brian Fallon: You had all of these people trying to understand what it meant that he was giving over the keys of the campaign to Bannon and to Bossie. Everybody was talking about the Breitbart-ization of the Trump campaign. . . . Jen [Palmieri] and Jake [Sullivan] thought that, in the same spirit of the national security speech in San Diego . . . lets do one about what it means that hes given over his campaign to the alt-right movement.

Robby Mook: I was like, Lets throw the book at the guy. Lets just throw the book.

Jake Sullivan: You can dance around the issue and speak about the bigotry and the anti-Semitism and all the things that we were seeing emerge from the campaign and from the supporters. You could talk about it by implication. You can hint at it. You can call it out in very general terms. But none of that was getting to the heart of the matter.

Dan Schwerin: I never set out to write a taxonomy of the alt-right. The goal wasnt [that] the country should understand that there is this alt-right fringe. It was always [that] you need to understand Trump, who he is and what he is doing in his campaign, and what kind of president he would be.

Sept. 9-11, 2016

At a Friday night fundraiser, Clinton says half of Trumps supporters are a basket of deplorables. Two days later, she has a fainting spell at Ground Zero in New York after a pneumonia diagnosis.



Donald Trump attends a commemoration ceremony at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, fifteen years after the attacks. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Ben Carson: I think the deplorables comment had a bigger impact [than Comeys press conference] because that was a direct insult to a lot of people.

Mandy Grunwald: There is certainly something real there, but she went too far.

Matt Paul: I think that was one of the first, if not the first, fundraisers we had let the press in. . . . I think it was a point of, you know, this is a human endeavor. People get tired. They make mistakes.

Sean Spicer: We needed a moment that was about her and this squarely put her back in the spotlight. . . . On the deplorables and irredemables piece, it gave us something to shoot at. They had been talking about him and his temperament and his comments, and here we had something that we could have true outrage about.

Peter T. King: As were standing around before [the Sept. 11 ceremony] started, I can see that Trump and Hillary were in no mood to talk to each other. . . . I just was going to go over to say hello to her. I was really struck how she did not look good at all. I wasnt even thinking of health. This campaign must be wearing her out. She had no time to put on makeup, no time to fix her hair. . . . I said hello, kissed her on the cheek, that type of thing. Hows it going? She said, Fine.

Then I go back over and talk to Trump. He was telling me, Theres something wrong with her health. . . . I got the impression she was leaving. Then about a minute or two later, Trump says to me, I understand Hillary is sick.

This video seems to show Hillary Clinton buckling and stumbling as she got into her van. (Thomas Johnson/The Washington Post)

Matt Paul: The first time I saw the tape, I just felt so bad. . . . Shes strong, she is tough, she is bullheaded, and thats what makes her so great. Also, that can be a challenge for her.

Kristina Schake: I didnt realize she had pneumonia . . . 9/11 was just an emotional day for her. . . . It was very important for her to be at the memorial.

Joel Benenson: I got to tell you, theres a separation between reality and what gets reported as reality. . . . For the press tizzy on Sunday about we didnt know where she was for 45 minutes, there werent any voters outside the press corps who cared about that.

Jennifer Palmieri: We lost a week where we could be fighting him defending ourselves as we did. In the course of an 18-month campaign, youll have times like that. She had pneumonia. I dont know. Its not like some failure of character.

David Simas: She was in the barrel. What you look to see is, to the extent that the race is tightening, what does it look like? Is it Trumps numbers beginning to go up? Is it her numbers going down? And [are] the people who are peeling off going to undecided or to a third or a fourth party?

Jesse Ferguson: There were some indications that he was closing things a little bit, and I felt like there was time left in the race for him to successfully close the gap. I dont know that I necessarily had a rationalization for it, but there was a fear that the direction and trajectory I had always assumed was there in this race didnt hold.

David Bossie: When Mr. Trump goes on stage in front of 20,000 people and he starts talking about the emails and 10,000 people start chanting, Lock her up, and it happens in Pensacola, and it happens in New Hampshire, and it happens in Iowa, it becomes a national phenomenon.

Oren Shur: When hes Teleprompter Trump for 10 minutes, weve got to remind people what non-Teleprompter Trump is.

Navin Nayak: There was an ad that had been cut by the team, which is fantastic, of these young women looking at themselves in the mirror while Donald Trump makes these offensive comments about womens body image. It had been a quiet week of him not making news. We were taking on headwinds with a variety of things. And Oren [Shur] was adamant weve got to get this ad up on the air.

David Plouffe: Democrats completely and utterly panicked. . . . They all say, Well, what about Brexit? What if the models are off? It was really unbelievable, actually, because I was out doing a lot of fundraising and things and it was like therapy sessions. . . . I think the 42nd president is prone to it as well.

Sept. 26, 2016

Throughout September, the race continues to tighten, so that by the time Clinton and Trump meet at Hofstra University for their first debate, it is a virtual tie.



Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton disagree during their first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters)

Mandy Grunwald: I dont think I slept for days. . . . The uncertainty was greater than about any debate Ive ever walked into, ever planned for, what was going to happen between the two of them?

Jake Sullivan: I think the technical term is stressed out, massively stressed out . Most people beforehand were asking, How are you going to deal with this crazy man up there doing crazy things? I would say to them that is not what keeps me up at night at all. Its the exact opposite.

Mandy Grunwald: We prepared for several different scenarios. We prepared for a nice Trump, a dignified Trump, a gracious Trump. We prepared for a battling Trump.

Jake Sullivan: How do you deal with the fact that the expectations that were set for him for the first debate were so low that if he had completed English sentences and not frothed at the mouth or fallen over, he could have been declared presidential? . . . Ultimately, she sort of developed herself a means of just being calm and relentless about prosecuting her case and having confidence that in doing so, that would put him off his game and get him to sort of chase rabbits down the holes.

Joel Benenson: I think the overarching strategy is to make clear that there is only one president on that stage. Thats always Ron Klain and Karen Dunns mantra. . . . We were very much going to drive it, our three pillars: We were going to look for opportunities to show him as unfit and unprepared throughout that debate, and we were going to do that on the commander-in-chief front. We were going to do it on the divisiveness front; hence, the Alicia Machado moment. And we were going to do it on the economic front.

Jake Sullivan: Philippe [Reines] was incredible  incredible  at inhabiting the mind and mind-set and logic of Donald Trump. It was really remarkable. He watched dozens of hours of tape of his rallies and read the transcripts and presented in our practice sessions precisely both the content and form of the answers that Trump was giving in the actual debates to the point where there was a moment before the first debate where Philippe was blaming the microphone.

Mandy Grunwald: One of us asked [Clinton] how she was feeling and what she was most worried about. . . . She just felt a burden of responsibility and obligation to make sure he never was anywhere near the Oval Office.

Paul Manafort: It became clear to me that we were not going to be able to do a traditional debate prep with Trump. Thats not who he is. I viewed the policy speeches we were organizing in August and September as debate prep. . . . I was going to try to do a dry run, although I had very little confidence that Id be able to get him to do a mock debate. I did, in fact, have somebody lined up to play Hillary Clinton, if we could have it structured: Laura Ingraham.

Newt Gingrich: [In debate prep], my sense was that he would sit down and listen to people and nod and not pay them the kind of attention you might expect. . . . Youve got to remember, if you dont particularly want to be trained, one really cool way to do it is throw so many people in the room, they can argue with each other.

Hugh Hewitt: He has muscle memory from 11 primary debates. His muscle memory is, I win these things by being myself, by a sharp jab at my major opponent, and I win if I just stay on the stage for 90 minutes. But that muscle memory, its sort of like an athlete who changes sports. Different muscle groups.

The consensus the day after the first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was that Trump lost. Here are five opportunities he let slip by. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

Newt Gingrich: I said [to Trump], Look, you were the best natural debater Ive ever seen, and I said, You need to relax and remember that youre talking to the audience. Youre not talking to the moderator, and you need to be who you are.

Jim Margolis: I was watching on [focus group] dials. I had a monitor in addition to watching the TV. And Im going, This isnt good. This isnt good for him, the constant interruption. Even in those first few minutes where he was okay substantively, but he was not winning the day.

Jake Sullivan: At minute 45, I was thinking, man, hes really kind of coming apart on certain things. By an hour, I thought, okay, shes decisively winning this debate and maybe we should just have them call it at 60 minutes so we can all go home. Then it was like, oh, my gosh, this is just getting more and more extraordinary. And, of course, the closing exchange on Alicia Machado was really quite something.

Joel Benenson: We thought the most effective argument was when he hit on the 30 years doing nothing. Part of the status quo.

Paul Manafort: He missed it by a couple of points. He needed to show himself to be presidential and he needed to define change in that debate, and I didnt think that he defined himself the way he needed to. . . . She was prepared. She had a strategy and she implemented it. And he felt like by force of personality he would be able to get his points across.

Ben Carson: As you know, Hillary has hired some psychiatrists to study Donald Trump and how to push his buttons, so she started pushing them and he started reacting. . . . She did a very good job of that. But the fact that hes a novice at this and really was able to pretty much hold his own, I think, speaks volumes.

Anthony Scaramucci: [Trump] is a political Pac-Man where that yellow face is open, and he is chopping away and nonstop.

Alexandria Phillips: Mark Cuban came to the debate. . . . We couldnt even get in the door [of the spin room] because people were pushing through. Im pretty pushy. We got him through. Then I think [Mike] Pence came out at the same time and we kind of merged. Thats when one of the Pence cameras hit me in the head. Mark was very sweet. He stopped the gaggle and said, Alex, are you okay? And I was fine.



Former Miss Universe Alicia Machado attends a Hillary Clinton speech in Dade City, Fla., in early November. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Teddy Goff: Under other circumstances, we would have done some kind of recap video and tried to encapsulate some type of a broader point about that debate. We made a decision to put out the [Alicia] Machado video. That was actually hotly debated because some people thought it might just sort of get swallowed up in the hysteria of the debate. . . . But it gains a lot of traction overnight, especially on Twitter, which I have heard Donald Trump uses. It was the next morning he calls in to Fox & Friends and, unprompted, brings this up and says it was a huge problem that she gained a lot of weight. . . . That set off another, as Jen Palmieri calls it, a serial Khan death spiral. It was culminating Friday at 5 a.m. when he sent those tweets. And that video, by the way, has 50 million views. Fifty million.

Newt Gingrich: I actually thought he did very well, and it was his reaction to the Miss Universe thing after the debate that I thought, you know, cost him points. And I thought if he had kept quiet that he would have gotten out of the debate not having won it but having survived it.

David Plouffe: These are gifts from political heaven that you generally dont experience in American politics.

Oct. 7, 2016

As Trump struggles to recover from the first debate, he is hit with another big surprise ahead of the second debate: the release of a 2005 Access Hollywood video.

David Bossie: Were in debate prep on [floor] 25. I was sitting directly across [from] Mr. Trump at a big boardroom table upstairs. Steve [Bannon] was sitting next to me, and Kellyanne [Conway] was sitting next to him, and then I think Chris Christie and Reince Priebus were there. . . . I got an email or a text, I dont recall which, and it said, We have a problem.. . . I leaned over and let Steve read my phone. He handed it back to me. I handed the phone to Kellyanne.

Kellyanne Conway: We had the transcript, so we didnt have any sound. And we were asked to comment on it and didnt have that. But it was immediately spin-into-action mode. And I was there when [Trump] read it.

In this video from 2005, Donald Trump prepares for an appearance on the soap opera Days of Our Lives with actress Arianne Zucker. He is accompanied to the set by Access Hollywood host Billy Bush. The Post has edited this video for length. (Obtained by The Washington Post)

David Bossie: [Trump] said it didnt sound like him, and so we waited a short period of time. Then [Post reporter David A. Fahrenthold] sent over the audiotape and we listened to it together. Then we decided what to do about it and we came up with the idea of a video.

Kellyanne Conway: The apology that he delivered that night was his idea and was incredibly heartfelt and contrite. And I thought, if I can point to one thing that was really unfair by lots of people is everybody sort of scrutinizing how genuine his apology was. I assure you, it was very genuine. And it wasnt just an apology. It was also an explanation. And Melania came out with her statement the next day. And we were basically locked in the tower. I call myself Rapunzel locked in the tower.

Joel Benenson: We were up at the Doral hotel up in Westchester where weve been doing debate prep. We were on a break in the afternoon. . . . Our jaws just dropped. I mean, you would have heard a pin drop as were watching and listening to this. It really took several viewings, I think, for it to sink in, at least for me. . . . [Clinton] was watching and listening very intently. . . . For quite a while, she didnt say something. She looked really very disturbed.

Cecile Richards: It was revolting, but I dont think it was particularly surprising. Once you see it on videotape, its very hard to turn away. . . . They saw him not only saying these things, but then being in the company of the woman that he had basically bragged about that he was going to assault. That made it personal and real.

Paul Manafort: The Clinton strategy the whole campaign  whether it was Judge Curiel, Khan, Alicia Machado, Billy Bush  was to take these snippets out of context and define them as the essence of Trump. It was done effectively.

Phil Ruffin: My wife and I would join [Trump] at these pageants because she had one of the franchises. He flies in at the last day. After its over, they go to the spin room and the girls just flock around him. They want to touch him, they want autographs, and he takes pictures with them. He treats them very courteously and then he leaves. He goes home to Melania right after that.

Carl Paladino: For Gods sakes, the guy on the street could give a [expletive] about the video. It doesnt matter to him. Trumps support didnt wane one bit over that friggin nonsense.

Sean Spicer: Trump is a unicorn of a candidate. No one else could have withstood that politically. Theres an element of his persona. I dont think anybodys ever claimed that he was a saint. So it wasnt completely counter to the narrative.

Charlie Sykes: Reince [Priebus] and I were texting back and forth that night. He said, I am in tears over this. I said, Reince, you are not going to allow Trump to come here and drop this turd bomb on every Republican in Wisconsin, are you? This video came out and the next day wed have this photo op from hell?

Jason Chaffetz: I thought, Im out. Im not putting my good name and reputation behind somebody whos going to act like that. I was pulling back my endorsement. [Chaffetz later announced that he would vote for Trump.]

Peter T. King: Columbus Day morning. . . . The conference call was scheduled for 11 oclock. . . . [Paul] Ryan said that he was not going to defend Trump. He was not going to campaign with him. He was just going to campaign for House Republicans. . . . That leaked out within seconds. . . . Three or four people all got [on the call] and were extremely critical. Then Paul got back on: Let me clarify what I just said. Im still supporting Donald Trump.

Charlie Sykes: Things had been building up emotionally, Ryans frustration and disgust with Donald Trump, and that was really the decisive break. That was Paul Ryan serving the divorce papers.

Anthony Scaramucci: Its just more evidence to the American people of what politicians are actually like. Theyre standing there in this mock outrage, and these so-called principles. . . . I was on Maria Bartiromos show and saying that these were jellyfish Republicans.

David Simas: [Michelle Obama] just felt deeply that she needed to speak out. . . . Weeks before that New Hampshire speech, she said, I want to give a speech about women to women, and obviously to the American people more broadly. But that speech in New Hampshire was not a reaction to the video.

Kellyanne Conway: Look, [Trump] is a survivor. And around here, we are the walking wounded. I got shrapnel. I got war wounds, basically, because were just used to taking the Edward Scissorhands version of incoming.

Newt Gingrich: We all just regard all you guys as the enemy. Its not even like neutral. . . . All of you, not any one paper, not any one network. All of you.

Part of Trumps response is to bring women who have accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault to St. Louis for the second presidential debate.

Russ Schriefer: Many of the things he brought up  the Bill Clinton scandals, having Paula Jones and Juanita Broaddrick and Kathleen Willey there  certain folks always have wanted the Republican candidate to litigate these issues.



Donald Trump invited three women who accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct  from left, Kathleen Willey, Juanita Broaddrick and Kathy Shelton  to attend his second presidential debate with Hillary Clinton in early October. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

David Bossie: We see what theyre doing with Billy Bush and with the [Alicia] Machado thing, and we see what theyre doing in the coming days with the women and the accusations. . . . It was a calculation that if we go do this and have a scorched-earth approach  they have one  its a M.A.D. policy of mutually assured destruction. If we go as hard at them as they are coming at us . . . there is time to rebuild. You can win. Theres a possibility we dont.

It wasnt a deflection tactic. It was a tactic of driving up [Clintons] negatives back to where they had been because that was what they were doing to us. Its hard to respond with lollipops and rainbows, so you respond with in kind. You respond with artillery fire.

Joel Benenson: Thats when we probably get to our biggest lead . . . we probably touched double digits.

David Bossie: [We told Trump], Remember, all of that is not happening in a vacuum. . . . You have to prepare for the third and final debate. You have to not only prepare, you have to perform. . . . Live television, 90 minutes on your feet. I mean, thats an enormous amount of pressure on anyone.

Jim Margolis: A shout-out to Philippe [Reines], who I think was a better Donald Trump than Donald Trump ever was, more cogent, but also had a lot of the moves as well. . . . [In prep for the third debate, Clinton] is about to begin and he starts chasing her around the room.

David Bossie: [Trumps] performance at the debate was so good and so overwhelming, in our opinion. Look, he had the one line about Chris Wallaces question about [accepting the results of] the election.

Donald Trump said, I'll keep you in suspense, when answering a question about whether he would honor the tradition of accepting the results of presidential elections. (The Washington Post)

Sean Spicer: That was by far the best debate he had. If you think about the opening of that debate  immigration, Supreme Court, the economy  it was extremely strong. So what was disappointing is that that one phrase started to dominate. . . . He had thrown it out there a couple times and been told, If you do this, this is going to elicit an unfavorable response.

Mandy Grunwald: After the last debate, a lot of people said its clear sailing between now and the end. I said, Were going to have one more jolt at the roller coaster, I just know it, like another turn, another spin or something.

One thing still spinning is WikiLeaks, which continues to release tens of thousands of John Podestas emails, saddling the Clinton campaign.

John Podesta: It became clear that it was part of the same operation that was run by the Russians to provide information. . . . The decision of [Julian] Assange and WikiLeaks to dribble this out over the course of the remaining days of the campaign, and the fact that they decided to pull the trigger on this  they obviously were sitting on this  right after the Access Hollywood tape came out all meant that they were affirmatively interfering in the U.S. election.

Robby Mook: It became kind of a joke that any suspicious activity was like the Russians spying on us. . . . I think there was always a little element of, like, genuine suspicion and paranoia. . . . When we were at the [Democratic] convention, I very clearly remember being on George Stephanopouloss show on Sunday morning and saying, This is the Russians who [hacked DNC emails]. He was looking at me like I was wearing a tinfoil hat.

Jeff Weaver: We had pushed very, very hard for the release of [Clintons paid speech] transcripts during the course of the primary campaign. . . . There were a lot of items in the speeches to banks that seemed more accommodating than one would have liked in a primary campaign. There were WikiLeaks emails from people inside the Clinton campaign where they were discussing whether to release them or not and they were pointing out what they viewed as danger points.



John Podesta, chairman of the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign on his commute from Clinton campaign headquarters in Brooklyn, N.Y. to his home in Bethesda, Md. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Oct. 28, 2016

With just days before Election Day, comes the biggest surprise yet: FBI Director James B. Comey sends a letter to Congress saying that there are more emails and potentially more trouble for Clinton.

Jason Chaffetz: So close to the election, I couldnt believe what I was reading. We chewed on it for a few minutes and I decided to send out a tweet that the case had been reopened. . . . It exploded. It was being retweeted by the thousands. Major newsrooms started to realize, wow, weve got a new direction for this campaign.

Brian Fallon: I proclaimed it out loud over there in the bullpen, that this was just [Chaffetz] over there and playing their hand again. . . . But it was a letter from Comey officially saying that they were reviewing new material that may be pertinent to the investigation.

The travel team was on the plane in the air and the WiFi was notoriously not cooperative. We couldnt call them, obviously. . . . On the phone, before the travel team landed, we had the lawyers and Cheryl [Mills]. Everybody was just flabbergasted by the fact that [Comey] did it. There was no question that we were going to make an issue out of the fact that this was happening 11 days out from the election and that this was unprecedented.

Kellyanne Conway: I was doing a live hit on Yahoo. Bianna Golodryga was in the chair for Katie [Couric] and she said, Weve got some breaking news. She called it reopening the investigation. And my immediate reaction was, there must be something more there.

It was hours later that we discovered through news accounts that it was connected to [former congressman] Anthony Weiner, which is some kind of irony, definitely, especially if youre Hillary Clinton, I guess, that someones husbands sexual peccadillos will actually cause you consternation and perhaps help cost you the Oval [Office] in 10 short days. . . . Its one of those things where we already had a nest that was well-feathered in terms of a rigged, corrupt system inside are benefiting. Shes Crooked Hillary.

Sean Spicer: It was like looking at the lottery ticket and saying, I think these are the winning numbers, but Im going to go confirm them again. . . . Anthony Weiner. Underage sexting scandal. Hillary Clinton.  FBI investigation. There is no combination in which that word jumble comes up net politically positive.

Newt Gingrich: I called Trump and I said, It is better to be lucky than smart, although its good to be both. He said, I dont think I should do anymore interviews, do you? I said, No. I think nine days of the teleprompter will be just fine. He said, I agree with you.

Kellyanne Conway: They started attacking Jim Comey, which I knew from the beginning would be a huge mistake because it seems defensive and it seems desperate and it seems odd, given the fact that he is President Obamas FBI director  and he had been praised.

Tad Devine: I think they were very smart to go aggressive against Comey. . . . I think that was very effective and managed to shift this from an inquiry about [Anthony] Weiner and Hillary and emails to a question of fundamental fairness.

Jesse Ferguson: It was baked in the cake. There was nobody who woke up that Saturday morning and opened up The Washington Post and said, Man, I was going to be with Hillary Clinton but I didnt know anything about this email server issue. Thats new to me. You wouldve been living on Mars for the last 18 months.

Guy Cecil: Across battleground states there was a slight dip. The only question was, was that going to continue through the election? Our basic premise was we had to operate as if it would. I spent most of Saturday and Sunday raising money. We ended up raising an additional $13.5 million over four days. The laborers gave another million. Haim Saban gave another $2.25 [million]. Jim Simons gave another $2.25 million. Fred Eychaner gave another million.

Kellyanne Conway: I think they probably fired up every focus group facility from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. . . . One of my immediate reactions was, this is a problem for her . . . a new part of what I always call the Clinton Scandelabra, which never seems to end. It always seems to pick up new weight and new color and contour.

Paul Manafort: It put him in a position to win. . . . The server issue was reopened just at the time that the Clinton Foundation messaging had effectively peaked in the campaign, so it allowed Trump to add to his closing argument a very cogent presentation . . . and it came at a time when people were really tired of the barrage from WikiLeaks and everything else, of all of the deception and lies and manipulations coming out of the Clinton campaign. You had this perfect storm.



In a Nov. 6 letter to Congress, FBI Director James B. Comey says that a review of new Hillary Clinton emails has not changed our conclusions from earlier this year that she should not face charges. (Jon Elswick/AP)

The Comey announcement unleashes a final frenzy of campaigning as the candidates make closing arguments and shift strategies. Then, with two days left, Comey sends another letter.

Jennifer Palmieri: We were on the flight to Cleveland [last Sunday]. Glen Caplin came over to me and said, Comey sent another letter, which I just laughed at. It just was so absurd at this point. . . . Were 36 hours out, and even though this was a helpful development, it would have been counterproductive to talk about it. We told [Clinton]. Her response was understated. She just kind of took it on board.

Lily Adams: We have more top-flight surrogates who, no matter what battleground states I send them to, will make the front page or lead the evening newscast. Thats President Obama, the first lady, Vice President Biden, President Clinton and Tim Kaine, plus Secretary Clinton.

David Plouffe: [President Obama] is so scared of Donald Trump in the Situation Room. . . . Thats what drove him.



Hillary Clinton speaks to staff members aboard her campaign plane  including, from left, adviser Philippe Reines, press secretary Nick Merrill and communications director Jennifer Palmieri  in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., en route to Las Vegas. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Anthony Scaramucci: A transition question came up . . . and [Trump] said, Okay, yeah, thats great. We got to win the election. He goes, On November 9th, I promise you, Ill put 200 percent of my time in a transition. I dont even want to think about that right now.

Newt Gingrich: [Trumps closing argument speech in] Gettysburg was a comprehensive effort to state the scale of reform necessary to clean up the cesspool which is Washington and re-establish a government capable of functioning.

Kellyanne Conway: Show these are not your garden-variety, typical promises from a politician in the heat of the campaign, but this is actually a presidential vision moving forward.

David Bossie: I think he honed the message of the rigged system, the drain the swamp, the media bias. He honed that very sharply. . . . He speaks truth to power.

Jason Miller: You really saw the Obamacare news, the Doug Band news, the $66 million Clinton Inc., you saw the FBI bombshell in the news  something is coming up every single day.

Joel Benenson: Theres no question hes run as an antiestablishment candidate but hes also tapped into a vein of bigotry and divisiveness that goes beyond just feeling uncomfortable about those stirrings in our society.

Jason Miller: When we woke up [on Oct. 28], Dave [Bossie] will tell you, I came barreling into his office and, like, We got to get the boss to New Mexico. Dave was like, Im a step ahead of you. Were already looking at Sunday afternoon. . . . [Trump] was hitting on it and saying, Well, weve got to get back to New Mexico. Something is going on there. Its big.

David Bossie: Some of the spots were head fakes, but we wanted [the Clinton campaign] to not know what we were doing. Is New Mexico at the top of my list of states I could flip? Not really.

Mandy Grunwald: How it will happen would be that the desire for change was greater than the fear of him, the fear of the risk. . . . Thats something we talked about very early on  how do we make sure that people arent comfortable making that leap because theyd like to go for change. . . . The question is whats the more salient question when they go vote.



Donald Trump prepares to speak at a campaign event in Scranton, Pa., before Election Day. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

Matt Paul: There is such utter and complete frustration with what has become of our political body  that theres too much money, that people dont see results in their living rooms, and that quiet rage within people. . . . Theyre not on anybodys radar, but theyre out there.

Phil Ruffin: Im sitting at home [in Las Vegas] . . . and [Trump] calls me on the phone. He said, Get down here. . . . So I went down there. . . . He had the crowd all riled up. When he got off, I told him, I think youre going to win. [Later that day in Reno] people were lined up on the highways for miles on both sides and I said, Jesus Christ, Donald, youre not the pope.

Kellyanne Conway: In the wake of President Obamas historic victory, I was curious and not so convinced that Hillary Clinton was going to be able to claim the same mantle toward history that he did. . . . Ive always thought for Hillary, the question is not, Would you vote for a woman? Its, Would you vote for that woman? Its Hillary. Its not a hypothetical.

Carl Paladino: Why does he rise? . . . Hes a guy that gets pummeled and pummeled and pummeled and he doesnt quit. The American people see that.

David Bossie: Look, I am a believer that there is the under-vote out there. . . . There are Americans out there who, when they answer their phone, dont necessarily know who is on the other end of it and dont necessarily speak honestly.
The British novelist Beryl Bainbridge had a lifelong fascination with tragedy  what she called an interest in death and what one reviewer cattily summarized as the Beryl Bainbridge school of anguished womens fiction. Violence streaks her novels like marbling in beef. Her first completed (although not first published) novel, Harriet Said (1972), established her lifelong methodology: sensational true-crime violence (from an old newspaper clipping about a New Zealand murder) infused with true-life experiences (her affair, in late adolescence, with a married man). Later novels would explore, among other topics, Hitlers boyhood (Young Adolf, 1978), wife-murder among classical scholars in 1871 (Watsons Apology, 1984) and a doomed expedition to the South Pole (The Birthday Boys, 1991).

An early rejection letter worried that her work hovers rather uneasily between the lighthearted and the grave, between near-farce action and near-tragic. This was true  as Brendan King demonstrates in his astonishing new biography  but also the entire point. Her most beloved novels use tragedy as an entry point into farce. The protagonist of The Bottle Factory Outing (1974) leaves her husband because she couldnt stand him coming home drunk every night from the Little Legion and peeing on the front step. In A Weekend With Claude (1967), a woman thinks the man patting her on the bottom is a flirt, when really her skirt is on fire. With Bainbridge, the skirt is nearly always on fire.

Bainbridge began her career as an actress and, for the most part, remained one. Must not bite my nails, she wrote in 1946, at age 14. Wish I was on stage, married or an actress. For years, she worked, with remarkable preciosity, toward both: From ages 12 to 17, she kept a list of 17 boyfriends  including married men and a German prisoner of war she met secretly in the pine woods outside her Liverpool home. She worked as a child actor on the BBCs Northern Childrens Hour and spent time in her teenage years in repertory theater. Even long after her time on the stage had ended, there remained something enduringly theatrical about her. She had, one editor recalled, a particularly actressy voice. But she was also someone who shaped her world through dramatic embellishment.

A fellow novelist once said of Bainbridge: She transmogrifies events in her own way. He meant it as a commentary on her delightfully skewed sensibility. Bainbridge referred to her workroom as her laboratory, and there was something a little Dr. Frankenstein about her, in either Mary Shelleys or Mel Brookss iteration. On an American road trip in the late 1960s, she was delighted to find a post office stuffed with taxidermy and wanted posters. For murder, for arson, for rape, for the suspected assassination of Martin Luther King, she wrote. I could have taken the lot but I had to ask and she said, No, they were federal property.

But its equally true that Bainbridge had a tendency to transmogrify the facts. She said, for example, that she had left school at 14; that she had seen newsreels of Bergen-Belsen as a child; that her former mother-in-law had gone after her, blazing away with a revolver; that she lived next door to an albino Scottish lady and a West African man with 19 children between them. Her knack for embellishment wasnt helped by her tendency to take a swig of whiskey before interviews, a nervous habit that wasnt, as King dryly notes, conducive to accuracy.

King is able to sort through these claims and others without deflating their emotional truth. Her exaggerations were systematic, he demonstrates, a form of dramatization designed . . . to contribute to the myth of herself as a writer steeped in, and shaped by, the effects of violent death and family dysfunction.

The biography draws on materials from Bainbridges British Library archives, her beautifully expressive correspondence and her laboratory stores, but also Kings decades of working as her assistant, from 1987 until her death in 2010. The difference this makes amounts to the distinction between someone who studies French for a few years in college and someone who is born to it: His language is richer, his understanding more acute. He speaks Beryl natively.

Her language was not to everyones taste. Ten years into her 40-odd-year career, she was already known as a writer whose public consists of critics; her only Booker was posthumous; and her most popular novel, Every Man for Himself (1996), may have sold over confusion about whether it was a movie tie-in. Even a rotten book about the Titanic would sell, Bainbridge said.

I wish I was someone else, she wrote in a letter before her divorce. Someone less born to be made miserable. But she found dignity in misery, an exuberance in the extreme. Writing to a friend about her doomed explorer in The Birthday Boys, Bainbridge explained, I think life is just another cock-up, heroic but unplanned, much like poor old Scott going off with such hopes, such bravery, such stupendous, awful stubbornness in search of a mythical pole.

You have to laugh, or youll cry. The best of Bainbridges fiction  and this marvelous biography  invites us to do both.

Jamie Fisher is a freelance writer and Chinese-English translator.
Dear Dr. Fox:

I have adamantly opposed the practice of trap-neuter-release (TNR) because I believe it is cruel to cats and to the wildlife they kill and maim, and it creates a public health risk. Chris Santella and Peter Marras book Cat Wars has inspired some of us true cat lovers to oppose TNR.

The outdoor cat hoarders never have to see the often-agonizing way their cats suffer and die; my beloved pets die in my arms at a vets office, cuddled by me until they have drawn their last breath.

Can you provide me with any instructions to vets of appropriate healing time when an operating vet should do a final post-op inspection to pronounce that sutures are safely healed and the cat is fit for full activity? The Houston veterinarians and the city council are wimps about facing up to Alley Cat Allies. Our Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care glorifies the Community Cat Program on its TNR website, and it makes no effort to educate the public about the Audubon Societys Cats Indoors program, catios or cat fencing. All emotion, no science.

P.S.W., Houston

DF: I appreciate your concerns and applaud your efforts to give cats real help. But that is difficult with the ballyhoo and political posturing in the name of compassion by Alley Cat Allies.

The groups lucrative fundraising and network of supporters would not exist if kittens were not so appealing and the right-to-life sentiment and feel-good involvement in saving cats lives at all cost were not powerful motivating factors in what I see as misguided altruism. You are correct that it is all emotion, no science.

For a critical review of the negative consequences of Alley Cat Allies activities, see the column Releasing Cats to Live Outdoors on my website, drfoxvet.net. Releasing highly stressed cats from shelters 24 to 48 hours after surgical sterilization is not humane, nor is it good veterinary care.

Some vets argue that early release is better than spending more time in the shelter, and that with good surgical suturing with absorbent materials, the wounds should heal well. But with compromised immune systems, there could be other complications, especially when they are released without tests for feline leukemia and viral immunodeficiency disease.

In her book The Lion in the Living Room, Abigail Tucker notes that some ecologists characterize TNR activities, which many municipalities are accepting as scientifically valid cat population control and a humane alternative to euthanasia (they are neither), as cat hoarding without walls.

My call for community sanctuaries, group housing and better education of cat owners to not let their cats roam free, with enforcement of appropriate ordinances, are overshadowed by the current TNR cult. It is appropriate only in rodent-infested urban dystopias and very limited locations where the cat colonies are relatively isolated, pose no risks to wildlife or public health, and are regularly fed and provided with veterinary care.

Dear Dr. Fox:

My daughter is expecting her first child in December, and I am concerned about the effect that might have on her two cats (both 4 years old).

They were very young kittens she found on the street while living in India. She moved them to Europe with her and then to two locations in San Francisco, where she has bought a home and now lives. So the kitties have had serious travel turmoil throughout their lives, and the moves were massively stressful.

They are settling nicely into her new home, and no further upheaval to their lives is planned  with the exception of bringing this newborn home in December. The cats are very playful and initially shy with strangers. Any suggestions as to how she might prepare these guys?

G.R.R., the District

DF: Your daughter should buy a baby doll that cries and get the two cats used to seeing her hold the swaddled doll, pretending to nurse and hearing it cry. Let them sniff the doll and become habituated to the routine she will adopt with her new baby.

Your daughters hormonal state affects her body odor (pheromones), which might have some effect on the cats. She should stick to her daily feeding, grooming and play routines with the cats when the baby comes into the home. Let them see and smell the baby. They might be afraid initially, but they should quickly habituate. They should be given extra TLC and reassurance. Someone else in the home should clean out the litter box during the pregnancy, for health reasons.

Have your daughter check with a pediatrician about possibly putting a net over the crib. Cats might want to sleep with the baby, and could see flailing arms and legs as an invitation to play and accidentally scratch the baby. Close proximity and, later, physical contact when the baby is older, should be monitored at all times, until the infant learns not to grab and pull. Exposure to the cats should help boost the infants immune system, and at a later age, appreciation for their sublime and playful presence.

Dear Dr. Fox:

I read your recent column concerning the near complete absence of insects of all varieties.

Over the past few years, I noticed an activity overhead with ever-increasing frequency: high-flying aircraft, seemingly military, C-130 types, I think, spraying directly from their wings, causing a dispersion of aerosol matter, crisscrossing the sky from horizon to horizon.

I found that many others were watching and investigating the same thing, with these results: The material is aluminum in a solution, mixed with other toxic metals, and with a substance size at micro levels, possibly nano-size, reported to pass the blood barrier with inhalation.

Aluminum is a known destroyer of brain function and thought process. Medical evaluations have been done over many years on the use of this most common metal in the Earths crust and its toxic effects.

A recent paper published by biologists at the University of Keele and the University of Sussex in Britain on the huge loss of bees found levels of aluminum in bee pupae that might be considered as pathological with possible contributions toward neuro-degenerative disease, including Alzheimers. Simply said, the bees have Alzheimers and cannot function as bees.

T.P., Arnold, Mo.

DF: I appreciate your letter regarding possible factors in the near complete absence of insects that we are witness to today. It comes along with the decline of insectivorous birds, reptiles and amphibians.

Although the deliberate discharging of potentially toxic chemicals  including aluminum  in the exhaust vapors of high-altitude jet planes (chemtrails) is being dismissed as yet another conspiracy theory, there is clear evidence of agricultural pesticides being present in rainwater. This, I believe, is a major factor in insect declines, along with loss of plant diversity.

Aluminum has been shown to harm the nervous systems of bees, and it might affect the human brain. We should avoid using aluminum cooking utensils, toiletries, medications and supplements, such as antacids. Municipal waste incinerators may be a major source of aluminum and other airborne toxins.

Michael W. Fox, author of a newsletter and books on animal care, welfare and rights, is a veterinarian with doctoral degrees in medicine and animal behavior. Send letters to animaldocfox@gmail.com or write to him at United Feature Syndicate, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, Mo. 64106.
President-elect Donald Trump addresses supporters at an election night event at a New York hotel November 8. He was elected the 45th president of the United States. (Ricky Carioti /The Washington Post)

Donald Trump, a New York real estate developer and former reality television star, was elected president of the United States on Tuesday, stunning many political observers and pollsters who expected a victory from his rival, Hillary Clinton.

Trump, the Republican nominee, had no political experience before he announced his campaign to shake up Washington and make America great again.

At 70 years old, he is the oldest president ever elected to the White House, and the first to take the office without any experience in politics or in the military.

He won at least 276 electoral votes, defeating Clinton, the Democratic nominee, with a majority in the electoral college. Voting counts are still being finalized, but as of Wednesday morning Clinton had a slight edge in the popular vote.

If that lead holds, Trump will become the fourth candidate in history to win the electoral college but not the popular vote, following fellow Republicans Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876, Benjamin Harrison in 1888 and George W. Bush in 2000. John Quincy Adams also lost the popular vote in 1824 but earned the presidency, after no one won a majority of electoral college votes and the House of Representatives decided the race.

Members of the public surround U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as she casts her ballot in Chappaqua, New York. Clinton lost several key states that typically vote Democratic. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)

[Why the person who wins the most votes on Election Day isnt necessarily the winner]

Election Day returns also gave Republicans continued majorities in the House and Senate on Tuesday, handing the party control of both Congress and the White House for the first time in a decade.

Now its time for America to bind the wounds of division, Trump said early Wednesday morning, shortly after Clinton called him to concede the election. We have to get together. To all Republicans, Democrats and independents across the nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.

Trump and his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, focused their campaign on national security, bringing change to Washington politics and fighting for U.S. workers hurt by changes in the global economy.

Immigration was a central part of Trumps platform. To protect American jobs and keep criminals out of the country, Trump has said he will force millions of illegal Mexican immigrants to leave the country and he will build a wall to keep others from illegally crossing the Southern border. In December, he called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States, citing concerns over Islamic terrorism. Politicians from both parties condemned the proposed ban, saying that it was discriminatory and probably unconstitutional.

Trump has expressed doubts about climate change and said that he would withdraw the United States from the Paris agreement, which officially went into effect Friday and aims to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The majority of scientists say that human-caused climate change is real.

Clinton, a lawyer and former first lady whose husband, Bill Clinton, was president from 1993 to 2001, served two terms as a senator from New York and was secretary of state during President Obamas first term.

[America just elected its 45th president. How much do you know about the previous 44?]

Her campaign was hurt in recent days by a renewed FBI investigation over her use of a private, nongovernmental email account as secretary of state. The FBI director, James B. Comey, said Sunday that Clinton should face no charges over the way she handled classified government information through her email.

During the second presidential debate, Trump threatened to jail Clinton over her email practices if he was elected president.

Trumps campaign faced problems of its own. The candidate was criticized for refusing to release his tax returns, which would reveal information on money he gave to charity and on business investments that could be a problem while serving as president.

A video taken in 2005, released for the first time one month ago, showed him bragging about touching women without their permission. Following the videos publication by The Washington Post, one dozen women accused Trump of harassment or misconduct. Trump denied the allegations.

Polls taken by The Post and other news organizations in recent days showed Clinton holding a narrow lead over Trump, which was similar to the edge that Obama had when he beat Republican candidate Mitt Romney in 2012.

Trump won in part by taking several reliably Democratic states, including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, and by winning toss-up states such as Florida, Ohio and North Carolina.

President-elect Donald Trump takes office January 20.


A man reacts as he watches voting results at an election-night event for Hillary Clinton. (Aaron P. Bernstein)

So this is America, after all. Its not the one many of us hoped we lived in right now, but its the one verified by the electoral map, and its the one that others of us have feared we lived in for a very long time.

All through the election, Hillary Clintons surrogates tried to repudiate the possibility of a Donald Trump presidency and all of its strident, fear-laden rhetoric. America is better than that, they said. Those values arent American; those values dont represent us.

All through Tuesday night, Wolf Blitzer and John King bickered in front of their CNN Magic Wall about the surprise and upset of Trumps victory. No one saw it coming, they said. Nobody could explain it. It wasnt until the wee, exhausted hours of Wednesday morning that Van Jones, an African American political commenter, broke in with a shaking, emotional voice and offered his explanation: This was a white-lash, he said. This was a white-lash against a changing country. It was a white-lash against a black president, in part. And thats the part where the pain comes.

What if America isnt better than that? What if this was America all along?

Not the America that welcomed immigrant huddled masses, but the America that kidnapped African slaves and made them build a country, brick by brick and cotton field by cotton field. Not the America that lets women work and dress and worship as they please, but the America in which a man who sexually assaults one of them can be imprisoned for only three months. Not the America pulled along by hope but the America pushed along by aggression.

The people who were truly shocked by the outcome are those who have never experienced certain behaviors of the citizenry. Good men dont realize that when women are walking alone, every single block can feel like a gantlet of harassment. Its no wonder they dont realize this  bad men make sure to treat women politely when women are accompanied by male friends. Good white people dont fully understand why people of color fear encounters with the police, because the police have been mostly kind to them.

Anti-Trump protests took place near some college campuses on election night. (Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post)

Im seeing so many posts, from mostly white friends, saying, America, I dont even know you,  says Wendy Tien, a Milwaukee attorney and second-generation Taiwanese American. And Im thinking, Where have you been? What do you mean you dont know this America? Why havent you seen it? Ive seen it. I see it all the time.

On Twitter, after news organizations predicted the Republican candidates win, a woman wrote, America: We knew this was in us. We usually like to pretend its a mistake or something we can ignore or mock. We cant do that anymore.

Analysts have been poring over the numbers, announcing that this was not really an election about race, but about class. There were, after all, counties that voted for Barack Obama in 2012 and this year voted for Donald Trump. This was not really an election about gender, but about one particular woman that many people, including in her own party, hated. This was not really an election about xenophobia, they said, but an election about free-trade agreements and jobs.



Cheers for Donald Trump inside an election-night event in New York City. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

This might all be true. Nobody can look inside the hearts of voters and determine with certainty what makes one candidate viscerally more appealing than another. Could this election, for some voters, have been a culmination of many factors? Economics, race, geography and gender? Americas history has never been a simple narrative.

On Election Day, my white friends were posting pictures of Susan B. Anthony and talking about how great it was to honor her, says Joylyn Hopkins, a consultant in the District, who is black. And my black friends were commenting  yes, Susan B. Anthony did those things, but she was also extremely racist. We need to stop this thinking, where people are all good or all bad.

This is America, the America that we built, the America that we all live in. But if this election taught us anything, its that we havent all been living in it in the same way.

Now do you believe us? tweeted Xeni Jardin, an editor in California, early Wednesday morning. Us girls and women? Now do you believe Americans who are not white when they say white supremacy prevails?

Jardin, who is white, grew up in a Southern city across from a prison, where she remembers that mostly white spectators would gather with coolers to celebrate the executions of mostly black inmates. But, she says, polite people didnt discuss such things, just like they didnt discuss sexual violence or other mistreatment of women.

It just existed, quietly, part of the rotten underbelly of that America.

Now it exists, loudly, part of the blaring horn of this one.
Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump cheer during an election-night event Nov. 8, 2016, in New York City, New York. (Ricky Carioti /The Washington Post)

To put it bluntly, the media missed the story. In the end, a huge number of American voters wanted something different. And although these voters shouted and screamed it, most journalists just werent listening. They didnt get it.

They didnt get that the huge, enthusiastic crowds at Donald Trumps rallies would really translate into that many votes. They couldnt believe that the America they knew could embrace someone who mocked a disabled man, bragged about sexually assaulting women, and spouted misogyny, racism and anti-Semitism.

It would be too horrible. So, therefore, according to some kind of magical thinking, it couldnt happen.

[Live updates from election fallout]

Journalists  college-educated, urban and, for the most part, liberal  are more likely than ever before to live and work in New York City and Washington, D.C., or on the West Coast. And although we touched down in the big red states for a few days, or interviewed some coal miners or unemployed autoworkers in the Rust Belt, we didnt take them seriously. Or not seriously enough.

The Posts Dan Balz explores some of the factors behind President-elect Donald Trumps victory against his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

And Trump  who called journalists scum and corrupt  alienated us so much that we couldnt see what was before our eyes. We just kept checking our favorite prognosticating sites and feeling reassured, even though everyone knows that poll results are not votes.

After all, you never know wholl show up to vote, especially when votes are being suppressed as never before. And even the most Clinton-leaning prognosticators allowed for some chance of a Trump win.

[A traumatic campaign produces a shocking ending, with Trump victorious]

But no one seemed to believe it in their bones. We would have President Clinton, went the journalistic conventional wisdom, and although she would be flawed, she would be a known quantity. There was a kind of comfort there.

Make no mistake. This is an epic fail. And although eating crow is never appealing, well be digesting feathers and beaks in the next weeks and months  and maybe years.

The strange thing, of course, is that the media helped to give Trump his chance.

Did journalists create Trump? Of course not  they dont have that kind of power. But they helped him tremendously, with huge amounts of early, unfiltered exposure in the months leading up to the Republican primary season. With ridiculous emphasis put on every development about Hillary Clintons email practices, including the waffling of FBI Director James B. Comey.

1 of 48 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What Election Night looks like as Donald Trump becomes the 45th president View Photos Americans anxiously await the results of the 2016 election. Caption Donald Trump, 70, will be the 45th president of the United States. The real-estate developer and former reality-TV star is the first person to win the presidency without having previously held public office or served in the U.S. military. Nov. 9, 2016 President-elect Donald Trump addresses supporters at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

Im no fan of Peter Thiel, the billionaire who put Gawker out of business by bankrolling a lawsuit by Hulk Hogan, the professional wrestler. In fact, I find him appalling.

[The crowd yelled Lock her up! Then Trump thanked Clinton for service to our country.]

But when he spoke recently at the National Press Club, he said something that struck me as quite perceptive about Donald Trump.

The media is always taking Trump literally. It never takes him seriously, but it always takes him literally, Thiel said. Journalists wanted to know exactly how he would deport that many undocumented immigrants, or exactly how Trump would rid the world of the Islamic State. We wanted details.

But a lot of voters think the opposite way: They take Trump seriously but not literally.

They realize, Thiel said, that Trump doesnt really plan to build a wall. What they hear is, Were going to have a saner, more sensible immigration policy. 

Trump, quite apparently, captured the anger that Americans were feeling about issues such as trade and immigration.

And although many journalists and many news organizations did stories about the frustration and disenfranchisement of these Americans, we did not take them seriously enough.

And although we journalists try to portray ourselves as cynical sometimes, or hard-bitten, we can also be idealistic, even naive.

We wanted to believe in a country where decency and civility still mattered, and where someone so crude, spiteful and intemperate could never be elected  because America was better than that.

I can fault journalists for a lot of things, but I cant fault us for that.

For more by Margaret Sullivan visit wapo.st/sullivan

Read more:

They were sure Trump would be the next president

Considering what Americas choice of Donald Trump really means

How Donald Trump did it, in 5 images


Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at a polling place in Washington, DC during the US presidential election. (Yuri Gripas/AFP/Getty Images)

Remember when America had that election and it got super weird, like a flesh-eating bacteria in the body politic, and it went on and on until we just wanted someone to club us over the head, repeatedly, until we were collectively comatose?

Enough with all that. Begone. Vaccinations for everyone, and lets bring in a shaman, and burn some sage, and down a whiskey shot, and bid this election goodbye.

I didnt even cry at my wedding, but I just cried in there, said Aditi Gorur, emerging from her polling location at a D.C. elementary school. One, because this was my first vote as an American citizen. Two, because this election is finally over.

I am a Type 1 diabetic, said Gary Robinson, who came out a few minutes later. Do you have any idea what this election did to my [blood sugar] levels?

Yes, half of you hate how the results turned out. Yes, the pollsters and political media screwed the pooch, and the election turned out differently than most expected it to. Yes, the country is barely Scotch-taped together and we have months of repairs ahead of us. But there is a bright side  there are portions of this election that we never, ever have to go through again.

Goodbye to debates. Goodbye to October surprises.

Goodbye to the people we became, the odd, shrieking, body-snatcher versions of ourselves who unfriended our kindergarten teachers and went on tirades about border walls, and were just so, so very tired and crabby.

If you met me in person, you wouldnt recognize me as the person Ive been presenting myself to be on social media, says Don Moynihan, a professor of public affairs at the University of Wisconsin. I wouldnt constantly be talking about politics. I wouldnt be sarcastic toward whatever the breaking news was of the day.

The low point of his personal election experience came when he found himself agitatedly firing up his laptop to live-tweet one of the presidential debates.

At the time it all seemed so normal, Moynihan says. (That, of course, was the most hideous part of all of this; it started to seem so normal to settle in every night and tune our default setting to rage.)

I think that some fever will break now, Moynihan says. And well come out of this as if from a dream.

Goodbye to all the worst things we assumed about each other, to all the fetid political rumors we passed on without vetting, to all the times we could have sought to understand an issue and instead chose to underestimate it, then mock it, then tell the people who believed in it that they were Hitler. We moaned and fretted that this election had turned us into terrible people; in fact it revealed the terribleness that has always been a part of this country, and of human nature itself. Fear, and disdain, and a misguided belief that one person couldnt be lifted up in this world unless another person was beaten down.

It's been a long election season, but there were some great moments; here are a few of our favorites. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)

Wouldnt it be nice if we could say goodbye to those impulses? Wouldnt it be nice, on the first day of a new American chapter, if we could at least pretend to try?

We wont miss polling numbers, and we wont miss the new polling numbers telling us the old polling numbers were wrong. We wont miss the Trump signs that had been graffitid into Rump signs; we wont miss the Hillarys that became Killary. The past year has brought forth a hundred new terms and catchphrases, and initially we wondered which of them we should commit into the Smithsonian to help future generations understand 2016.

And then we realized: None of them. We dont want to keep a thing.

Surrogates. Goodbye to that vaguely dystopian-sounding term referring to people who came onto news shows and parroted their candidates positions.

Dumpster fire. Goodbye to dumpster fire, which was never the right phrase anyway, because dumpster fires can be contained, whereas this election was a rampant forest fire of the soul.

Pivot. Goodbye.

Bigly. Goodbye.

Private email server. Goodbye. (Hello again. Goodbye again. Oh, hi again.)

Deplorables.

Lock her up.

Disavowing.

Like, how big is something before you have to disavow it? asks Jean Stanula, a nonprofit worker in Chicago, about the word that appeared whenever a candidate was accused of doing something bad. Does it have to be particularly heinous? Otherwise can you just say you disapprove? Or you disagree? Disavow seems like a word Moses would have used, but it is definitely not a word I would ever use in my own life. If I screwed up in a relationship, I would never be like, Baby, Im sorry, I disavow my behavior. 

Ministers have been worried about us, their collective flock. A website on topical sermons offers one called When the Election Is Over, and suggests reminding people that their true citizenship is in heaven  Ephesians 2:19. Mental-health experts have been worried about us, their collective patients, and the toll the election has taken on our psyches.

I want to see people get back into some routines and patterns, says Dwight Bain, the director of a Florida mental-health agency who has written about election anxiety. This election does not have to destroy us. Practice daily, healthy rituals. He is reminded of watching an old movie in which one character gives birth and the menfolk are instructed to boil water and rip up bedsheets.

I asked my wife, why are they doing that? he says. His wife speculated it was to give the characters something useful to do so they didnt panic.



Television crews fill parts of Lafayette Square Park, across the street from the White House, late on election day. (Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images)

Go forth, America. Go forth and boil water. Use it to make a strong cup of tea and perhaps, with the bedsheets, a soothing poultice.

Well move on and adjust. We always do.

Im so looking forward to my Facebook page returning to normal, says Cheri Ziegra, a dollmaker from New Hampshire. As much as we used to say, Not another kitten video  Ive missed the kittens. Ive missed the babies and the toddlers. Show me what youre having for dinner. Those posts, like, I have an ugly mole growing on my foot and its kind of black, what do you think it is? Show me your foot! Lets talk about that. Lets talk about anything but the election.

Goodbye to the ulcers we gave ourselves, worrying about our insane relatives who would not see the truth.

Goodbye to Jill Stein.

Super predators.

Im With Her.

Trump That Bitch.

Goodbye.

Ziegra, a registered Democrat, is married to a lifelong Republican whom she persuaded to vote for Hillary Clinton, but not without moments of strife and difficult conversation. She is relieved to be done with that period of life.

Ive really, really missed the kittens, she says.
It wasnt exactly Dewey Defeats Truman, the legendary Chicago Daily Tribune missed call of 1948, but it did leave plenty of election watchers, especially Republicans, scratching their heads.

Around 9:15 pm Eastern time, the Detroit Free Press projected that Hillary Clinton would win Michigan, a critical state on the electoral map. Democrat Hillary Clinton is the projected winner of Michigan in the race for president, according to election results data analyzed by the Detroit Free Press, the paper reported.

Except that by 10:30 pm, Trump appeared to be on the verge of a stunning upset in the state. With 30 percent of the vote counted, the Republican nominee held a solid lead, topping Clinton by 83,000 votes, or 50.1 percent to 44.7.

And the Freep, as the paper is affectionately known, began to lose some confidence in its projection. National race too close to call; All eyes on Michigan, it said in a story posted near midnight.

The newspaper said it based its projection of Clinton win on an analysis of voting in 80 precincts that were randomly selected to reflect projected voting patterns across the state. Sixty-five of 80 key precincts showed Clinton holding a 4-percentage point lead, the Free Press said, or less than a point behind President Obamas margin of victory against challenger Mitt Romney in those same precincts in 2012.

The paper said it would be the seventh straight presidential cycle in which the Democrats were expected to hold Michigan.

Or maybe not.

Nate Cohn, the New York Times data reporter, called the projection preposterous in a tweet at 9:25 pm. Shes in serious trouble there as well, he tweeted.

His colleague, liberal columnist Paul Krugman, tweeted a minute later: The Detroit Free Press has just called Michigan for HRC. If theyre right, we probably avoid the full nightmare.

But as the night wore on it wasnt clear they were right. At 11 p.m., Clinton had inched closer  within 27,000 votes  but was still trailing Trump, who held a 48 percent to 46.9 percent lead. The figures reflected voting in 51 percent of the states votes.

Clinton appeared to be cruising to victory in Michigan only a month ago, with polls showing her with a double-digit lead. But that advantage began to fade, and Michigan  a state with a large white, working class population favorable to Trumps message on trade  became a much more closely contested state. The Free Press said Clinton held just a four-point advantage in a poll last week.

A loss in Michigan could be a crushing blow to the Trump campaign, which had bet heavily on winning there to offset expected losses elsewhere; without a win in Michigan or Pennsylvania  another traditionally Democratic state he courted  his path to the White House could be impossible even if he wins Ohio and Florida, two states which hadnt yet been called.

The tightening polls set off a scramble by Trump and his surrogates to contest the blue wall that Clinton was counting on in the industrial Midwest and Pennsylvania. Trump held a rally in Sterling Heights, outside of Detroit, on Sunday and made his closing argument to voter early Tuesday morning in Grand Rapids.

Clinton visited the state, too, with a rally on Friday in Detroit and another visit on Monday to western Michigan.President Obama visited the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor on Monday.

The Free Press noted that Democrats were concerned about Clintons strength among African Americans in Detroit whom she needed to offset support among Trumps base, which includes many who were responsive to Trumps criticism of trade agreements that contributed to the loss of industrial jobs.


A young Trump supporter celebrates in front of the White House as another captures his image on her phone. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

The revelers showed up outside President-elect Donald Trumps future home with American flags, megaphones, neoncolor posters  and of course, their smartphones. They were ready for their close-ups.

Who! Needs! An interview! chanted a young man wearing a flag as a cape. I! Give! Interviews!

It didnt matter whether their hats said Make America Great Again or Im With Her; for the generation that documents itself more than any that came before it, election night was an opportunity to be photographed and videotaped. The young people who flooded the street in front of the White House at about midnight Tuesday were there to make a statement  to the crowd surrounding them, sure, but perhaps, most important, to their social-media followings.

The message: I was here.

Five guys climbed a tree and started singing This Land Is My Land. A young woman hoisted herself into overcrowded branches and planted a kiss on one of the climbers.

Ugh, said an older man watching the leaves shake. That isnt even about the election anymore.

It was, and it wasnt. The college-age crowd had no shortage of beliefs to display. So much so that their displays seemed to outshine their beliefs. No one started chantingcrude invectives against Donald Trump without first having their phones out to record it. A tea party flag was strung up on a lacrosse stick and waved on Snapchat. Some brought signs that had nothing to do with the candidates but were sure to attract attention. Legalize Ranch, one said. Make My Venmo Great Again, read another, referring to the popular money-transferring app. That activist hoped strangers who saw his on the news would send him cash.

For young Trump supporters, there was no shame in putting on a grand spectacle. They took thumbs-up selfies with the White House. When the news cameras turned away to other people, they screamed Woooooooo! Donald J., baby, Donald J.! to draw the attention back.

For some D.C. college students, the night was a chance to flaunt the views they said they had to conceal on their liberal-minded campuses.

If you come out and say you support Donald Trump, people say youre racist, youre sexist, youre homophobic, said Michael Parmiter, a 20-year-old Georgetown University student. He and his friends were at a watch party in the colleges student center when the results began showing that his candidate was likely to win. But the vast majority of students surrounding him were Clinton supporters, he said  and some started crying.

So Parmiter left, grabbed his white Trump hat and headed downtown, where a throng of people his age were already in full celebration mode.

Lock! Her! Up! they chanted, antagonizing the many Clinton supporters who were starting to realize the upset they never imagined was now a reality. News cameras stayed fixed on the fresh-faced Trump backers as they climbed each others shoulders or made T symbols with their hands for the sake of TV viewers. Some even stripped their shirts off.

A few older people walked up to a fence behind which a dozen police officers were watching and asked whether the cops planned on intervening.

Im really trying to avoid starting a big scuffle in the crowd, one officer replied.

Eventually, they shined flashlights up into the trees and politely asked the young men to come down. Everyone obliged briefly, then quickly climbed back up to sing the national anthem.

Nearby, a young woman stood posing for photos with a hot-pink poster board. Written in bold letters across it: Turns out the glass ceiling was harder than we thought.

Isabelle Stringer, 18, had just bought the poster and a Sharpie at CVS. She was at a watch party at George Washington University when the idea struck her. Trump was going to win the first election she was allowed to vote in, and she had to do something to mark the moment.

She started to tear up while explaining how she felt. I think we took hope for granted for the past eight years, she said.

Eight years ago, she was 10 years old. Barack Obamas election was part of what first made people realize how influential social media was becoming. The iPhone had been available for only just over a year.

Now, nearly every person in the crowd had a smartphone in their hands.

They checked the election results. They posted their thoughts about the election results. And they checked their friends reactions to what they had posted about the election results.
Dont we all love it when a big, faceless corporation gets taken down a notch?

I swear I wrote that line on Tuesday morning, long before the results of Tuesday night came in. It doesnt even really work as a metaphor for the presidential race  Hillary Clinton got taken down a notch, but is she a corporation?  but for the next few days, everything journalists write is going to be looked at the through the lens of What the #*&@ just happened?

Of course, this is not a political column. Far from it. I cant stand the stuff. Sometimes when people learn I work at The Washington Post, theyll say, So what do you think Obama will do about the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Chinese designs on the Spratly Islands?

And Ill say, I have no idea, but did you know that in 1872 all of Washingtons horses came down with the flu?

When they look over my shoulder for someone more important, I know I didnt want to talk to them anyway.

There should be little pockets of The Post where youre not going to encounter Serious Issues. But even I cant help myself sometimes. I wrote last week about how great Washington is and I suggested that all those Drain the swamp! people are full of it.

[People think Washingtonians are corrupt and arrogant. Well, people are dumb.]

Most readers wrote in support, but I got a few emails like this one: You, at least, used to be one writer I enjoyed reading. Not any more. Now, it seems you are just as clueless as the rest of the liberal air heads who write for this lying rag of a paper.

Well, I guess we got taken down a notch.

Just like, um, Reckitt Benckiser, the U.K.-based conglomerate that is actually the subject of this column. (Its not all about you, Donald.)

Reckitt Benckiser makes everything from Frenchs mustard to lubricant. (Do not get those mixed up in your house!) It also makes what is now again being called Spray n Wash.

Six years ago, Reckitt Benckiser changed the name of the stain pre-treatment liquid to Resolve. I railed against the name change back then and, um, resolved never to buy Resolve. We became a Shout family. Sure, Shouts a dumb name, too  it doesnt have the descriptive grace of Spray n Wash or Mop & Glo (another Reckitt Benckiser product)  but at least it rhymes with out, as in Out, damned spot!

This year, Reckitt Benckiser changed the name back to Spray n Wash. I wanted to ask the company why they did the switcheroo. Did they cave to consumer pressure, the way J.M. Smucker Co. did with its Hungry Jack pancake syrup bottles? In 2014, Smucker replaced the squat microwaveable bottle with a tall one that didnt fit in a microwave. A year later, after receiving feedback from our consumers, they switched back.

[Some consumers are angry the new Hungry Jack syrup bottle cant be microwaved]

Reckitt Benckisers PR department never responded to my entreaties so I had to poke around the companys website to glean what information I could.

But what a website! This is a big corporation, making a lot of stuff. In the United States, the Resolve name remains on carpet-cleaning products. It looks like the stain-removing laundry potion is still called Resolve in Canada.

Typical. Thats such a Canadian sentiment. Grass stains on your pant leg? Lets find a mutually agreeable resolution that encourages them to leave. If we were naming that product today in the United States, wed call it Drone Strike.

The U.S.-Canada divide is apparent in Reckitt Benckisers Air Wick line of air fresheners, too. They come in all of the newfangled permutations, including candles, aerosols, mists and oils. There are battery-powered Freshmatic units that squirt little bursts of fragrance into the room.

Among the many scents of Air Wick Freshmatic that you can get in Canada is one called Moms Baking. Meanwhile, a similar scent in the United States is called Moms Apple Pie.

Murica.

I dont mean that in a political way.

Reckitt Benckiser makes both Easy-Off oven cleaner and Easy-On spray starch. Dont confuse one for the other or your ovens going to be dirty or your shirts going to smell weird.

The company also makes Tigers Milk energy bars, which contain not a drop of tigers milk.

Sad.

Twitter: @johnkelly

For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/johnkelly.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the effect of the term limit ballot question approved in Montgomery County. The corrected version is below.

Voters rebuffed the political establishment in the areas two largest suburban counties Tuesday by rejecting a meals tax in Fairfax County and adopting term limits in Montgomery County.

In Prince Georges County, voters endorsed a measure favored by most of their elected leaders in adding two at-large seats to the County Council. That expands the body from nine members to 11.

Separately, a proposed anti-union amendment to the Virginia state constitution was defeated.

The results in the Fairfax and Montgomery ballot measures indicated that the sour, anti-incumbent mood evident in much of the presidential race had an effect at the local level.

The defeat in Fairfax County of the proposed 4 percent tax on restaurant meals and prepared foods marked the third time in the past 24 years that county voters said no when asked to approve a tax increase by direct, popular vote.

A large majority of the Democratic-dominated Board of Supervisors favored the measure. They said the revenue was needed to support the countys well-regarded school system.

But opponents, led by restaurant groups and Chambers of Commerce, said it was too soon to raise taxes after Fairfax County adopted a $100 million real estate tax increase earlier this year. They also said the county should spend its money more wisely, rather than ask taxpayers to contribute more.

[Voters grumpy mood to be tested in ballot initiatives in regions 3 largest suburbs.]

Voters sent a message to politicians that they need to keep their hands out of our wallets and spend more responsibly, Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) said.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova (D), who supported the tax, said grass-roots resistance was too strong.

Asking the voters to tax themselves, or increase taxes, is a hard sell, Bulova said. It means we soldier on and do the best we can with the revenue we have.

Critics faulted the tax in part because it would be added to the existing 6 percent sales tax and because it would apply to ready-to-eat food sold at convenience stores or coffee shops.

They jumped the shark by including too much stuff, said Bonnie Arthur, a McLean lawyer who voted against the measure. It hurts poor people. It hurts working mothers.

Fairfax voters rejected a similar meals tax proposal in 1992. They also voted no in a 2002 referendum on increasing taxes to improve transportation.

Montgomery term limits

Across the Potomac, Montgomery County easily passed a measure that will limit the county executive and County Council members to three four-year terms or partial terms.

(It also passed a related measure that says if a member is appointed to fill a vacant seat, the term limit is three full terms and two years.)

It was a significant reversal for Montgomery, which rejected term limits in 2000 and 2004.

All of the terms-limits efforts were inspired by well-known Republican anti-tax activist Robin Ficker, whose initiatives usually have come up short.

Term limits succeeded this time because many Democrats and independents joined the bid out of frustration with the council over issues such as development and a nearly 9 percent property tax increase in the spring.

Bobby Lipman, an activist in Bethesda, said people opposed to overdevelopment in his neighborhood united with similar-minded voters in Damascus and elsewhere in the county.

[Government-loving Montgomery appears poised to adopt term limits.]

Term limits are a way to send a message to council members that they should no longer give favors to developers and ignore the wishes of the people who live in the community, Lipman said.

Opponents said term limits are bad public policy, because they prevent voters from retaining effective legislators with institutional memory.

But supporters said it was too easy for incumbents to stay in power in Montgomery County. Four of the nine County Council members have served three full terms, as has County Executive Isiah Leggett (D).

The government isnt meant to be a job you have until your old-age pension kicks in, Rebecca Queen of Potomac said. If you want your government to succeed, you need to get some new blood in there.

Many supporters of term limits also were unhappy with the council for voting to raise council members salaries to more than $130,000 by the end of 2017.

Prince Georges council expansion

Prince Georges voters agreed to add two at-large members to the County Council in a move that supporters said would push the body to focus more on whats best for the county as a whole.

Under the current system, the nine members are often faulted for concerning themselves only with the narrow interests of their own geographic districts.

The change will provide a county wide perspective in policy and funding, said David Harrington, president of the Prince Georges Chamber of Commerce. There will be more balance with the executive branch.

[Prince Georges revives old debate about adding council seats.]

Supporters also said that the council needs a mix of at-large and district representatives, similar to the model used in Montgomery County and in the District. They said the lack of at-large members gives Prince Georges County less clout than its neighbors on regional bodies, such as the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

Opponents saw the expansion as a mischievous way to evade term limits, which bar council members from serving more than two four-year terms. They complained that some voters were duped into endorsing the measures by sample ballots distributed at polling places that purported to be approved by the Democratic Party. But the party did not take a position on the issue.

Virginia right-to-work

Virginia voters rejected an amendment that would enshrine anti-union right-to-work policy in the states constitution.

The measure fell because of a combination of union grass-roots organizing and because of some conservatives preference for letting the issue be decided through the normal legislative process, according to activists on both sides of the issue.

Virginia has been a right-to-work state by statute since 1947. The amendment would have made it far more difficult for future governors and state legislators to repeal the policy.

Its very clear that this amendment was unnecessary, said Gina Maglionico, communications director for the Virginia AFL-CIO. Instead of playing silly political games with our constitution and working families, elected leaders really need to be focused on the issues affecting our communities, such as funding our schools or investing in infrastructure.

[Right-to-work is hot election issue between unions, business in Va.]

Right-to-work laws prohibit labor contracts that require employees to belong to unions.

Business groups that support such laws say that they guarantee individuals the freedom to stay out of a union and that they encourage private investment to create jobs.

Unions say that right-to-work laws suppress wages and that they require unions to represent freeloaders who do not pay dues.

Right-to-work supporters want to break unions, said Cathleen Curtin of Alexandria, who voted no on the amendment. The unions protect those jobs. The workers need them.

Voters also approved a constitutional amendment allowing local communities to grant property tax exemptions to widows and widowers of police, firefighters and other emergency-service providers who were killed in the line of duty.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks about D.C. statehood in May. On Wednesday, Bowser acknowledged that the effort was thwarted for now after a Republican took control of the White House. (Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post)

D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser conceded Wednesday that the referendum she pushed to make the nations capital the 51st state would probably go nowhere soon in the wake of Donald Trumps election as president.

The mayors acknowledgment  before District officials had even finished counting ballots  laid bare the stark political consequences for the nations capital stemming from the Republicans upset win.

Obviously, part of our strategy was to be ready for when we had like-minded people elected in the White House and in the Congress, Bowser said. We are, you know, ready for that day  when it comes.

[District voters overwhelmingly back statehood measure]

Later Wednesday, Bowser said support for statehood would still be her first request when she encounters Trump.

Thats number one on our agenda for the next president; theres no way were going to forget we just had this vote, she said.

During eight years under President Obama, District leaders had loosened marijuana laws and fought to maintain strict gun-control policies. They also had begun to dream of full-fledged statehood for the federal territory, which has a population larger than Vermonts or Wyomings.

Bowser and statehood advocates crafted a referendum to push the issue with Congress, and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton had heightened expectations, saying that if elected, she would champion the cause. On Tuesday, 79 percent of voters approved a draft constitution for a 51st state, not including the nearly 8 percent who cast ballots but did not take part in the referendum.

But faced the next day with the reality that the District will soon begin preparations for a Trump inauguration, Bowser said D.C. faces a long road in persuading Republicans to support statehood and that her hope for full equality and a vote in Congress for the 51st state would have to wait, again, for a better political environment.

Michael Brown, one of the Districts nonvoting shadow senators, put it simply.

We need to move on to Plan B, Brown said. He advocated a multimillion-dollar national advertising campaign to keep the issue alive.

[Results for Washington, D.C.]

At a news conference on Nov. 9, Democratic D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser laid out what's next for her fight to make D.C. the 51st state in light of the victory of Donald Trump. (YouTube/D.C. Government)

But the mayor and many D.C. Council members said they would consider that idea later. First, they were girding for attacks on such city policies as gun control, protections for transgender people and the legalized recreational use of marijuana.

My c

oncern is, what does an unchecked hostile Congress look like? said council member Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward 1). Weve been dealing with a hostile Congress for years now, but we had a protective backstop in President Obama. We will not have a protective backstop in President Trump.

Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D), who has tried repeatedly to restrict the open carry of firearms in the nations capital, said he didnt want to draw attention to gun-control measures that Republicans might target.

The challenge is on us to work with the new federal government, Mendelson said. Instead of assuming we have friends, we are going to have to work to win friends and minimize the possibility we draw enemies.

A first challenge could come early in the year when Congress has to pass a federal spending measure to keep the government running. The District has taken steps this year to assert more financial autonomy, spending money more like a state than a federal agency. But the authority could be stripped away with a single sentence inserted in a new federal spending bill.

[D.C. is about to declare its independence  from Congress]

Bowser said her first concern surrounds costs that the District might incur if Congress repeals Obamas Affordable Care Act. Theres no answer for how wed fund that, she said.

Although not optimistic, the mayor promised to keep pressing the case for statehood. Bowser, in fact, said she was bound by the outcome of the referendum to still petition the next Congress in January.

The mayor said officials need to study whether it could afford a public relations campaign.

It is clear that we need to spend a lot more time educating other states and we need to figure out what were willing to pay to do that, she said.

Under the referendum, the District would split into a new state for its residential areas and a smaller, federal district containing government buildings and monuments.

Bowser and statehood advocates crafted the referendum in hopes of emulating the way residents in Tennessee petitioned Congress to join the Union in 1796.

Congress said it would grant statehood to Tennessee, a federal territory at the time, if residents there approved a constitution and committed to a republican form of government.

But partisan politics have long made D.C. statehood a nonstarter with Republicans in Congress. The city has a population of more than 672,000, and its residents pay more in federal taxes than those of 22 states. But Democrats outnumber Republicans in the city by a ratio of more than 2 to 1.

That means if allowed to become a state, the District would likely elect two Democratic senators and a Democratic member of the House, a prospect that disturbs most Republicans in Congress.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), chairman of the powerful House Oversight Committee, said in an interview this year that D.C. statehood would never happen on his watch. He and other Republicans also say they believe that statehood violates the Constitution, which they argue gives Congress supreme authority over what happens in the capital city.

Council member Elissa Silverman (I-At Large) said District leaders need to focus on protecting progressive policies in the era of Trump. Statehood is off the table. We have a Republican-controlled House and Senate, and a Republican president, she said. To be honest with you, I havent unpacked what really happened last night.
District voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum to make the nations capital its 51st state on Tuesday, with pollgoers saying they hope the vote puts pressure on the next Congress and president to address D.C.s lack of representation in Congress.

Voters in the Districts Ward 7, east of the Anacostia River, also resurrected the political career of former mayor Vincent C. Gray (D). They sent him back to the D.C. Council less than a year after prosecutors abandoned a campaign finance investigation that factored heavily in Grays failed 2014 reelection bid.

I cant wait to get back  I love public service, said an ebullient Gray, 74, just after sunrise Tuesday, as he arrived to vote at a senior center in the Hillcrest neighborhood. Chauffeured in a black SUV by a longtime aide and sporting a black leather bomber jacket that read Mayor Gray, the candidate said he would entertain a future comeback campaign for mayor. Well see. I wont rule anything out, he said, breaking into a smile.

[Full results from the District]

In addition to Gray, the Districts Democratic majority delivered expected victories for presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and for party candidates Trayon White in Ward 8 and Robert White in the at-large council race. Together with Gray, the newly elected council members will replace close allies to Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D); the turnover could signal rough relations ahead for the mayor and council in the second half of Bowsers term.

1 of 23 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What Election Day looks like in the D.C. area View Photos Washington Post photographers capture the regions residents as they cast their votes. Caption Washington Post photographers capture the regions residents as they cast their votes. Nov. 8, 2016 Tessie October, 40, holds her daughter Charlise Bruce while casting her vote at Temple Emanuel in Kensington, Md. Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

Incumbents David Grosso (I-At Large) and Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) also handily won reelection.

Speaking to reporters just before polls closed, Bowser said she had already congratulated Gray and the other winners after their primary victories in June. She dismissed questions about how well she might be able to work with the new council.

We share a lot of the same agenda around affordable housing and public safety and advancing our schools, and I intend to work with them very well on those items, she said.

But Bowser focused most of her day on the statehood measure. She vowed to carry out the referendum quickly, delivering a petition for D.C. statehood to the next president and congressional leaders by Inauguration Day.

This is what Ive heard from D.C. residents all over the city. . . . They want to be treated like every American. They want two senators, she said. We need equality, and the only way to get there is with statehood.

But an unexpectedly tight race for the presidency and control of the Senate left the future of the Districts proposal in doubt late Tuesday.

[D.C. is about to declare its independence  from Congress]

Bowser and statehood advocates crafted the referendum in hopes of emulating how residents in Tennessee petitioned Congress to join the Union in 1796.

Congress said it would grant statehood to Tennessee, a federal territory at the time, if residents there approved a constitution and committed to a republican form of government.

But partisan politics have long made D.C. statehood a non-starter with Republicans in Congress.

The District has a population of more than 672,000  larger than that of Vermont or Wyoming  and its residents pay more in federal taxes than do those in 22 states. But Democrats outnumber Republicans in the District by a margin of more than 2 to 1. That means that if it were allowed to become a state, the District would probably elect two Democratic senators and a Democratic member of the House, improving odds for Democratic control of both chambers for decades to come.

Kathy Jasper, a third-generation Washingtonian, was among those who cast a vote in favor of the referendum.

We pay federal taxes like were a state. We need to see some of the benefits of being a state, she said. The retired recruiter said that she did not hold out hope that statehood would come soon but that it was an important message to the nation.

Weve been trying for a long time, and well keep on trying, she said. Its the right thing to do.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), chairman of the powerful House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said in an interview this year that D.C. statehood would never happen on his watch.

Under the referendum, the District would create a new state for its residential areas, leaving a smaller federal district that contained government buildings and monuments.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump did not take a firm position on D.C. statehood during the campaign. But in an interview with The Washington Posts editorial board in the spring, he said statehood is a tough thing.

Bowser and statehood proponents had largely pinned their hopes for a national dialogue on the issue on the expected victory of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Over the summer, Clinton for the first time cast statehood as a presidential-election issue.

Pressing federal leaders on statehood could be one area of cooperation for Bowser and the incoming Gray.

Bowser and Gray have been arrested together in a statehood protest, and as recently as Tuesday, Gray said he supports the mayors referendum to further the cause.

But Gray also warned he would not back down on issues where the two disagree: I dont have any hesitation in speaking up on the policy direction I think we should take, he said.

Dealing with Bowser wont be the only political intricacy Gray will have to navigate.

His other challenges include a council that has grown increasingly liberal since he ascended to the mayors office six years ago.

The council raised the minimum wage to $15 per hour, higher than what Gray said he would support during his tenure as mayor. It also implemented a voter-approved ballot measure to legalize marijuana, a measure Grays administration tried to stop. And the council backed Bowser in approving record spending on homeless shelters, which Gray tried to curtail as mayor.

As he hugged and shook hands with a stream of supporters Tuesday, Gray said that he was confident hed fit in and that he views himself as a progressive.

But in interviews with dozens of voters Tuesday, it was clear that Gray may first have to validate his return to the council with constituents.

Danielle Duncan, a 33-year-old registered Republican in Ward 7, pulled the lever for Clinton but said she still couldnt bring herself to vote for Gray.

Ever since that scandal he was involved in, I dont trust him, she said.

Robert Contee, 61, voted for Gray and said he welcomed his return  in a benevolent, parenting sort of way.

I say everybody deserves a second chance, Contee said. Its just like you would do from a parent to a child. . . . As a parent, you have to forgive.

Peter Jamison and Perry Stein contributed to this report.
Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cheer on Pennsylvania Avenue outside the White House just before midnight. (Michael Reynolds/European Pressphoto Agency)

At first, the crowd outside the White House was there to cheer on Hillary Clinton, to celebrate the first female president of the United States. But as the results rolled in from across the country, and Clinton kept losing in key states, her supporters grew quieter and more desperate.

Slowly at first, then faster, those who backed Donald Trump began to make their presence known.

Austin Daily, a 20-year old from Troy, N.Y., who is a sophomore at Catholic University stood amid a group of friends before midnight, reading the latest projections from his cellphone.

He voted for the first time this year, casting a ballot for Donald Trump. As the billionaire won Florida and North Carolina and stayed ahead in Michigan and Wisconsin, it began to seem as if his candidate would soon take over the Oval Office.

Daily was stunned. He had come to the White House in a blazer and tie prepared to protest a Clinton victory. Now he was getting ready to celebrate.

An anti-Trump demonstrator burns a Trump baseball cap outside the White House early Wednesday, shortly after the Donald Trump was declared the president-elect. (Photo by Jasper Scherer/The Washington Post) (Jasper Scherer/TWP)

Every poll showed a victory for Clinton, Daily said. Not one poll showed a Trump victory. Not even Fox News.

Daily supported Ohio Gov. John Kasich in the primary. He acknowledged Trumps flaws, but was convinced the businessman was better suited to lead the country than the former New York senator and secretary of state.

The corruption of Hillary Clinton has kind of disqualified her for president, Daily said. I see Clinton as, if youre playing Russian roulette, there are six bullets in the revolver. With Trump, its more like three.

[A delirious night at the Trump Hotel in Washington]

Staffers from Avaaz, a globally minded civic organization for progressive causes such as climate change and the Syrian refugee crisis, had also come to the White House, planning to stage a choral performance outside the presidential mansion for at a rally that was aimed against Trump.

Its members prepared the stage and carried signs that spelled out We are better than bigotry.

By 10 p.m., Avaaz leader Andrew Nazdin said he was nervously realizing that his group may be about to host the first protest of the Trump administration.

He, and others who were staunch opponents of the Republican nominee and his divisive rhetoric, described a slowly engulfing fear.

There has been a rise of hate-filled right wing politics all over the world, Nazdin said.

Naja Nelson, a George Washington University student, suddenly felt voiceless. In addition to the White House, the GOP appeared to have captured both chambers of Congress, putting in peril the major policy initiatives President Obama championed during his two terms.

She wondered whether her vote for Clinton mattered. She wonders whether the efforts made to make womens and black lives matter mattered.

Im starting to question everything, the 18-year-old said. Im afraid things will go back to the way it was years ago. Racism has never gone away, but now those racists feel like they can step it up. . . . I mean, the KKK endorsed [Trump]. I dont know whats happening.

Howard University sophomore Kaylin Young said she could not even begin to describe how different it would be to go from a President Obama to a President Trump.

Its scary being a minority right now, Young said. The things that he said about minorities, the things that he said about people of different colors, of different nationalities, has been incredibly hurtful.

Not everyone who came to the White House was strongly partisan. Catholic University students Elizabeth Rich, Irene Wilson and Amanda Martin said they thought it was important to show awareness and to be present during their first presidential election while living in D.C.

Rich said she grudgingly cast her California absentee ballot for Trump because he is antiabortion, like her. But as a self-described feminist, she said the prospect of Trump winning does not excite her.

I hate him as a human being and I get offended every time he speaks, Rich said. I just wish there was a better candidate. I think its pathetic that as a nation were choosing the person we hate less.

Wilson, 18, said she planned to write in John Kasich, but her absentee ballot didnt arrive from Michigan on time. I would have chosen Hillary, but because I am strongly pro-life, that was a difficult thing to put myself behind, she said.

Martin, who cast an absentee ballot for Trump in Pennsylvania, said she was nevertheless worried about the prospect of his victory because she thinks it may damage the countrys international image.

Minister Carol Kelly, 64, and seminary student Bettina Hindes came to Lafayette Square to help sing in what they thought would be a new Democratic regime. Their excitement over Clinton, however, quickly turned into depression about Trump.

They sang along with the Avaaz activists  songs like God Bless America. The hymns sounded more funereal than celebratory.

Kelly, who is from College Park, said she had expected to put this polarizing election behind us and move toward progress after the voting.

But Im concerned if Trump is president we wont get that. Hes so divisive, Kelly said. It is so disheartening. . . . Its time to head home.

After midnight, the crowd had grown to well over than 1,000 and was increasingly more vocal. Both Trump and Clinton supporters climbed trees to get a better view of the gathering, which seemed heavily dominated by college students.

Around 1 a.m., a group of Latino activists called United We Dream arrived with a big white sign that said: Donald Trump is a racist.

As the clock passed 2 a.m., and the race still hadnt been called, people began to pace aimlessly. The United We Dream group chanted Racism! Shut it down!

Every so often, the Clinton crowd called out F-- Trump!, and sometimes a separate cluster of Trump supporters started its own chant in response:

Build that wall! Build that wall!

At one point, they were drowned out by the Clinton die-hards.

I believe that we will win! I believe that we will win!

By the time Trump was declared the winner and addressed jubilant supporters in New York, only a few hundred people were left. Most were Trump opponents. One burned a Trump hat. Someone burned a small American flag.

A small circle of people near the north entrance to the White House chanted Black Lives Matter, si se puede, and no justice, no peace.

But many more stood in the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue NW, trying to make sense of what had just happened as they scrolled down their Twitter feeds.
Jeanette Dixon, a retired school principal, dominated at the polls for the at-large position on the Montgomery County school board. (Dan Gross/The Gazette)

Two school boards in suburban Maryland will see change after Tuesdays election, with each gaining two new members even as nearly all of the incumbents were reelected, according to state results.

In Montgomery County, Phil Kauffman was the only incumbent who lost his seat, as challenger Jeanette Dixon, a retired school principal, dominated at the polls for the at-large position, capturing 56 percent of the vote compared with Kauffmans 44 percent. Dixon had collected the most votes in a five-way primary and was making her first run for office.

The other two races for the eight-member Montgomery school board produced larger margins of victory.

Incumbent Rebecca Smondrowski, seeking a second term on the Montgomery board, came in at 67 percent of the vote in the race for District 2, besting opponent Brandon Rippeon, who owns a check-cashing and money transfer business in Gaithersburg, and who pulled in 33 percent.

In Montgomerys District 4, Shebra Evans, a parent activist with a background in finance, garnered 68 percent of the vote, compared with the 31 percent collected by opponent Anjali Reed Phukan, who works as an auditor for the state. The seat was open after board member Christopher Barclay did not run again.

Raaheela Ahmed won a seat on the Prince George's County school board. (Arelis Hernandez/TWP)

[Three contested races for Montgomery County School Board]

In neighboring Prince Georges County, all three incumbents won by strong margins but newcomers will fill two seats on a 14-member board that includes both elected and appointed positions.

One of Tuesday nights winners in Prince Georges was Raaheela Ahmed, who does financial consulting for federal agencies and got 58 percent of the vote for District 5. Her opponent, Cheryl Landis, a recently retired school system employee and former chair of the countys Democratic Central Committee, received 42 percent.

Another newcomer, for District 1 in Prince Georges, is David Murray, who works in investment consulting and got 72 percent of the vote. His opponent, Raul Jurado, had withdrawn after moving out of state but his name remained on the ballot; Jurado pulled in 27 percent of the votes.

[Five school board seats on the line as Prince Georges reels from abuse scandals]

The three incumbents who were reelected in Prince Georges included Patricia Eubanks, who led challenger Abel Olivo 70 percent to 29 percent in District 4; K. Alexander Wallace, who beat opponent John E. Richardson 61 percent to 38 percent in Disitrict 7; and Edward Burroughs III, who bested challenger Stephanie Hinton 68 percent to 32 percent in District 8.
Sejla Palic and Mary Beth Benzing, St. Lawrence University students who were among very few in a national statistics competition to correctly predict Donald Trump's Election Day victory. (Tara Freeman/St. Lawrence University)

Mary Beth Benzing and Sejla Palic knew that Donald Trump would be elected president on Tuesday. In fact, they predicted it.

The two seniors at St. Lawrence University in New York took part in Prediction 2016, a contest from the American Statistical Association for high school and college students to analyze publicly available data and predict the elections winner.

Benzing and Palics final analysis, which they submitted Oct. 30, had Trump winning 36 states, including Michigan and Wisconsin, and tying in New Hampshire. Trump ended up winning 33 states, but it was enough to secure the election and put Benzing and Palic among a tiny group of statistical prognosticators who got the final result correct.

The students said they created a model that relied heavily on information gleaned from the 2012 presidential general election and primaries.

Everyone was putting weight on 2016 polling, but we used a lot of data from 2012 because we thought it was most relevant, Benzing said Wednesday. Putting a little history in there made for a better prediction.

Ahead of Election Day, the students knew that their prediction was an outlier. Of the 193 individual and group entrants to Prediction 2016 from high schools and colleges across the country, just two had Trump emerging victorious.

[Students vie in statistics contest to predict the next president. Here are their calculations.]

We didnt necessarily think wed be right, but the numbers were just what our model was saying, said Palic, a double-major in statistics and psychology.

As the results came in Tuesday night, we were quite shocked, Palic said. And neither was particularly pleased.

Basically, I would have preferred for it to go the other way, said Benzing, a statistics and economics double-major. But the results are what they are.

For Palic, an international student who is Muslim, the result made her a little scared. But, she added, the people have voted, and theres not much we can do about it.

The students statistics professor, Michael Schuckers, was pleased that they predicted the correct result, but he worries about the overall performance by trained statisticians in this years election.

Certainly, one of the thoughts that I had was that statisticians had generally done a poor job of predicting the outcomes, he wrote in an email. As a group, well have to reconsider how we model these sorts of data, though Im not sure there were many non-statisticians who did any better.

[No matter who wins the presidential election, Nate Silver was right]

As many students who took part in the contest found out Tuesday night, statistics is a tricky business.

Yashelle Hunte, a junior at Magruder High School in Rockville, Md., averaged the results of several polls over a five-day period to come up with a prediction.

Her submission had Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote total by a whopping eight percent. Watching the real numbers come in on Tuesday was kind of shocking, Hunte said.

A lot of states that I thought were going to be one color turned out to be the other, she said. I found out that polls are very wrong. People tell the pollsters how theyre going to vote, but its not set in stone. They go out to vote and change their minds.

Ronald Wasserstein, the American Statistical Associations executive director, was thrilled that so many students embraced the inaugural event.

Part of the project was digging into a complicated problem and figuring out what types of data could be used and which type of data was more useful than others, he said. Some used polling aggregators, some went right to exact polls. Others were looking at trends or past elections to try to predict party turnout. It was all across the board.

William Christensen, head of statistics at Brigham Young University, served as an adviser for this years contest, and he said he was surprised at the level of sophistication many of the students displayed, given their limited amount of statistics training.

[Professor who predicted 30 years of presidential elections correctly called a Trump win in September]

I was pleased to see how much students seem to engage not just in the statistical aspects of it, but the politics and historical aspects of the problem, he said. And even though some of the methods they use might not translate precisely to business or government or education, the tools they are developing are very much important and translatable.

On Tuesday, before any of the election results were known and before so many predictions were proven incorrect, Wasserstein offered an explanation of election forecasting that would cheer the hearts of beleaguered statisticians everywhere.

Lets take a prediction that says theres 75 percent certainty that Clinton will win. And then Trump wins. Was that estimate wrong? It wasnt wrong necessarily, he said. The fact is that it gave a 1-in-4 chance for Trump to win. Its just that as human beings, we have a tendency to think that if theres only a 30 percent chance of rain and it rains, that the forecast was wrong. And thats just not the case.
BURLINGTON  By an overwhelming margin, Burlington voters on Tuesday advised the City Council to proceed with plans to construct a new community pool.

With nearly 5,000 votes cast in an advisory referendum, 69.8 percent of voters showed their support for the new pool, according to unofficial totals. The unofficial margin of victory for yes was nearly 2,000 votes: 3,383 yes to 1,466 against.

Mayor Jeannie Hefty was enthused with the voters support of the pool project

I think the community spoke out, she said.

The referendum read as follows: Should the City of Burlington construct a community facility at Devor Park, 394 Amanda Street, funded by taxes with the following conditions: (1) Spending and/or borrowing on the facility is not to exceed ($5.4 million dollars) and; (2) the facility will be built within the corporate limits of the City of Burlington.

Hefty said Tuesday night that the $5.4 million was a spending maximum and that the construction is actually projected to cost about $4.9 million.

In August, Tom Vos, the 3rd District alderman and council president, had expressed concern about the referendum passing. But on Tuesday night, Vos said he was elated about the results.

I said going into it that I thought we should have a pool, Vos said. If 70 percent of the electorate said that we need a pool, then Im 100 percent on board with that.

The city hosted two information sessions at Burlington High School in the lead up to the vote, one on Oct. 5 and another on Oct. 26. Jeanne Otter, a member of the Friends of the Pool, the pools board, said the sessions helped the board get information to the community.

We worked really hard to get information out to them so that they were educated on how its gone and what were looking to do, Otter said.

Second District Alderman Bob Grandi, who also serves on the pools board, stressed the importance of getting the referendum on the ballot during a presidential election.

We thought it was important to get it on this ballot, so that everyone would definitely be there to cast their vote, Grandi said.

Added Otter, We really wanted to know what the community thought and this tells us what they want and were really excited about that.

Whats next

The City Council will discuss the results of the referendum at its Dec. 6 meeting, according to Grandi. The referendum is nonbinding, meaning that the council could still choose not to pursue the pool project.

Its up to the council to bless or not bless the nonbinding referendum, City Administrator Carina Walters said.

Both Grandi and Vos said they thought the council would accept the voters recommendation. If approved, the city would continue to work with Wisconsin-based architectural and engineering services firm Ayres Associates to prepare for pool construction.

Otter said the current pool will likely remain open for the 2017 season and the construction work would take place between the 2017 and 2018 seasons, with the new pool scheduled to open in 2018.

They have said they can have it built by the next season, Otter said. So the pool will never not be open for the summer season.
Hillary Clinton speaks to supporters during a rally at NC State University in Raleigh, N.C. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

Hillary Clinton narrowly defeated Donald J. Trump in Virginia Tuesday, propelled by waves of immigrant voters in the heavily Democratic northern suburbs outside Washington.

Clintons victory in the swing state came after an anxious and divided electorate turned out in heavy numbers across the Washington region, with a surge of Latino and Muslim voters supporting the Democratic nominee, while a determined core of Republicans remained loyal to Trump.

Amid scattered reports of technical problems, polling stations were inundated with voters who endured long lines to render their verdict in what has been the most bitterly contested presidential race in generations.

While Clinton expected resounding victories in Maryland and the District, both of which are heavily Democratic, she barely managed to hold off Trump in Virginia, a state with 13 electoral votes where she has led in polls.

No matter their choice, many voters expressed anguish over an election defined by unyielding barbs and whiplash-inducing revelations.

1 of 23 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What Election Day looks like in the D.C. area View Photos Washington Post photographers capture the regions residents as they cast their votes. Caption Washington Post photographers capture the regions residents as they cast their votes. Nov. 8, 2016 Tessie October, 40, holds her daughter Charlise Bruce while casting her vote at Temple Emanuel in Kensington, Md. Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

I am so disillusioned in our political system, said Belinda Randle, 59, a D.C. resident who cast her ballot for Clinton. I am voting because its my duty, but I dont expect any of them to do anything anymore.

Others were more enthusiastic, whether crowing over the raw tone of Trumps campaign or the thrill of possibly electing the nations first female president.

Its not because shes the lesser of two evils, said Monica Sukhatme, a 33-year-old resident of Chevy Chase, Md., explaining her vote for Clinton. Its because she deserves to win with the record shes had.

Turnout among Latino voters seemed especially robust in Northern Virginia, with immigrants such as Marie Vargas, 72, saying they had recently become citizens so they could vote for Clinton.

Vargass granddaughter and first-time voter, Jesenia Gomez, 19, also chose Clinton after growing fed up with Trumps criticism of Latinos and promise to build a wall separating the United States from Mexico.

Its time for a change and I dont think separating people is what we need right now,  Gomez said at a polling station in Woodbridge.

Yet, Trump supporters were also discernable among the immigrants who voted.

Leonel Diaz, 47, says he voted for Hillary Clinton because of Donald Trump's stand on immigrants after voting at Yorkshire Elementary School in Manassas, VA, November 8, 2016. Manassas is part of Prince William County which has both, large Latino and white Trump-supporters voting groups. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post)

Polash Chowdhurry, 60, a Muslim who immigrated to the United States from Bangladesh in 1985, said he was voting for Trump because he would break up what he described as Washingtons cartel.

Referring to Trumps promise to ban Muslims from the United States, Chowdhurry said, Hes not against Muslim people. Hes against Muslim terrorists.

Voting proceeded smoothly in most places, though there were occasional reports of problems. By midday, voters at one Prince Georges County polling station were waiting nearly two hours because only one ballot scanner was available for a precinct of 2,600 registered voters.

[The latest Election Day news]

At the Clearview Elementary School polling station in Herndon, voters expressed a wide spectrum of views about Clinton and Trump, their often clashing perspectives echoing divisions that have emerged nationally.

I looked at Trump and said, Oh hell, no, said Tom Robinson, a systems analyst for the Defense Department. Hes a nasty, vindictive individual.

Nancy Fish, 65, a retired teachers assistant in special education, said she couldnt vote for Clinton because of the dishonesty factor. Trump and the Republicans have the same policies that match my Christian convictions, she said.

In Maryland, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D) beat Republican Kathy Szeliga, a state delegate from Baltimore County, to succeed retiring Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D).

In Virginia, Rep. Barbara Comstock (R) beat back a robust challenge from Democrat LuAnn Bennett in the 10th Congressional District, which includes Loudoun and portions of Fairfax and Prince William counties.

In Washington, voters in Ward 7 elected Vincent C. Gray to the D.C. Council, capping a political rebirth for the former mayor, who lost reelection in 2014 amid a campaign finance scandal.

[Tim Kaine casts his ballot in Virginia, ending Democratic campaign close to home]

Ballot initiatives in the region include a statehood referendum in the District that was passed by voters and must now be approved by Congress, a tall order.

In Virginia, a right to work measure, if ratified, would incorporate into the state constitution a measure that weakens labor unions.

At the county level, voters in Fairfax will decide on a proposed meals tax to fund public education. In Prince Georges, an initiative to expand the county council is on the ballot, while Montgomery voters will decide whether to enact term limits.

The regions most rollicking local race was in Richmond, where scandal-tarred Joe Morrissey, a former Democratic state delegate, lost his bid for mayor. He faced five opponents, including Levar Stoney, a protege to Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), and Jack Berry, who has vast support within the citys business community but the winner was still not determined hours after the polls closed.

Morrissey spent three months in jail after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor for sleeping with a teenager. The woman is now married to Morrissey and the mother of his two children.

But the days main event was the White House race. Though Clinton led in the commonwealth for months, Trumps campaign in the final three weeks said it was spending $2 million on television advertising in the state and he made a last minute visit to Loudoun County on Sunday.

[Have you experienced problems voting? ]

Nathan Brinkman of Arlington County voted for Trump after having chosen Texas Sen. Ted Cruz during Virginias GOP primary. I viewed him with no small amount of skepticism, Brinkman, 40, said of Trump. But he obviously tapped into something the more conventional candidates missed. 

Northern Virginias growing immigrant population, however, gave Clinton an edge. After 31 years in the United States as legal permanent residents, Marco and Susana Tanchez finally became citizens earlier this year so they could vote for the Democrat.

Melissa Sargent, a 32-year-old mother in Woodbridge, said it was her son who motivated her to vote for the first time in her life Tuesday. The 10-year-old boy labeled Nov. 8 on his calendar as the the day I am scared. The family is part Mexican, and he worried that Trump would deport them.

Our children should not feel scared, she said. They should feel happy and protected and good in their own country.

James Daly, 58, a former Air Force photo intelligence officer, declared his allegiance to Trump as he voted in Prince William County. She's a liar. A crook! he said of Clinton, his voice rising in anger. Trump speaks to how people feel, and he's going to help people get working again.

Democrats were taking nothing for granted. On Monday night, Clintons running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, campaigned with Vice President Biden at George Mason University. The popular former governor then finished the campaign with a rally near his home in Richmond.

Early Tuesday, Kaine and his wife, Anne Holton, arrived at their local polling place.

After he voted, Kaine was greeted with applause by those waiting on line behind him.

[How to vote in each state]

In Virginias 10th Congressional District, Comstock fended off a stiff challenge from Bennett, a business executive who is the ex-wife of former congressman James P. Moran Jr.

In a district rife with moderate voters, Comstock struggled for months to distance herself from Trump, even as she was wary of alienating Republicans. Comstock only criticized Trump last month, after a 2005 videotape emerged in which he had bragged about groping women.

Nelvia Diaz, a voter in Manassas, said that was a dealbreaker. When she learned that Comstock had not immediately renounced Trump, Diaz said, I stopped listening to her.

Grays return to the Districts political stage seemed more than unlikely after he lost the 2014 Democratic primary to Muriel E. Bowser, who went on to become mayor. At the time, Gray was the target of a federal investigation into his 2010 mayoral campaign.

Gray was never charged with a crime and has remained infuriated by the duration of an investigation that he has blamed for his defeat, and that continues to sour some voters.

 I dont trust him, said Danielle Duncan, a 33-year-old registered Republican.

Robert Contee, 61, was in a more forgiving mood, saying he welcomed Grays return.

I say everybody deserves a second chance  give him a second chance, Contee said.

Ian Shapira, Peter Jamison, Alejandra Matos, Taylor Hartz, Theresa Vargas, Arelis Hernandez, Hamil Harris, Steve Hendrix, Peter Jamison, Josephine Peterson, Katherine Shaver, Shaun Courtney, Antonio Olivo, Patricia Sullivan, Ovetta Wiggins and Laura Vozzella contributed to this report.
Larry Hogan, the widely popular first-term governor of Maryland, wasnt on the ballot on Tuesday, but he still took some political hits.

Hogan (R) endorsed a handful of Republican congressional candidates, none of whom came close to winning their races in the heavily Democratic state. And he very publicly refused to vote for Donald Trump, his partys presidential nominee, who lost Maryland by a large margin but stunned the country with an upset victory.

Maryland Democrats, still reeling from Hogans 2014 win and soaring approval ratings, were thrilled that the governors slate lost by large margins  although Senate candidate Kathy Szeliga and House candidate Aime Hoeber secured more votes than initially expected. Szeliga lost the Senate seat being vacated by Barbara A. Mikulski (D) to Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D), capturing 36 percent of the vote to Van Hollens 60 percent. Hoeber lost to Rep. John Delaney (D) by 15 percentage points.

[See full Maryland election results]

We saw Maryland Democrats who were enthused about their candidates, and they came out and voted for them, said Charles R. Connor, executive director of the Maryland Democratic Party. We think there is a chink in [Hogans] armor.

Joe Cluster, executive director of the Maryland Republican Party, said GOP candidates may have been hurt by appearing on the same ballot as Trump, who was broadly unpopular in the state.

If you dont have a good top to your ticket, the down-ballot races are really affected, Cluster said. We wont have that problem in 2018, with Larry Hogan at the top of the ticket.

A recent poll by The Washington Post and the University of Maryland poll found that Hogan has a 71 percent approval rating, including heavy support among white Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents who were key to his surprise 2014 victory.

Some Democrats speculated that Hogans disavowal of Trump through this campaign might affect the governors relationship with the base of his state party, many of whom did support the GOP White House nominee.

I see Larry Hogan in the middle of a vise grip, state Sen. Richard Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery) said as he watched election results Tuesday night. He ran away from their presidential nominee . . . one who talks about a fondness for revenge . . . It puts him in a very weakened spot.

[Maryland governor is keeping his distance from state GOP]

But Todd Eberly, who is a political-science professor at St. Marys College, said Tuesdays results  including big wins for Trump in rural parts of the state  are a mixed bag for Maryland politicians.

Eberly said there were warning signs for Democrats, including that they continue to lose  and not narrowly  entire segments of the state. Looking at 2018, nothing in the results says that Hogan has something to be concerned about, Eberly said.

A the same time, he added, the fact that there will be a Republican in the White House could pose reelection challenges for the governor. First midterm elections of a new administration are generally bad for the party, Eberly said. The first victims typically are Republicans in blue states or Democrats in red states, and Hogan is the governor of one of the bluest states. He is going to have to contend with that reality.

Hogan spokesman Doug Mayer said the governor is proud of the candidates and proud of the races they ran . . . [The governors] focus is on Maryland, doing what he has done since he got here, working for all Marylanders.

Hogan issued a statement on Wednesday congratulating Trump and pledging to work with his administration to find real solutions to the problems we face as a country.

Mayer said the governor reached out directly on Wednesday to Vice President-elect Mike Pence and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a friend and ally. Hogan backed Christie (R) at the start of the 2016 campaign, raising money and campaigning for him during the GOP primary in New Hampshire.

[Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan voted for his dad for president]

After Christie left the race and endorsed Trump, Hogan pronounced himself disgusted with national politics and said he would not pick another candidate to support publicly.

In June, the governor said that he would vote for neither Trump nor Hillary Clinton, saying he did not think either party put up its best candidate.

On Tuesday, he said he wrote in the name of his father, Larry Hogan Sr., a former member of Congress from Maryland and Prince Georges county executive.

Josh Hicks contributed to this report.
Tessie October, 40, holds her daughter Charlise Bruce while casting her vote at Temple Emanuel in Kensington, Md.

Nov. 8, 2016 Tessie October, 40, holds her daughter Charlise Bruce while casting her vote at Temple Emanuel in Kensington, Md. Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post

What election day looks like in the D.C. area

What election day looks like in the D.C. area

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) cruised into the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, winning his bid to succeed five-term powerhouse Barbara A. Mikulski and allowing Maryland Democrats  for one night at least  to forget the humiliating loss of the governors mansion two years ago.

His victory over Del. Kathy Szeliga (R)  by more than 20 points  makes him the states first senator from the D.C. suburbs in a century. It was part of a big blue night in the deeply Democratic state, where Hillary Clinton easily beat Republican Donald Trump to claim the states 10 electoral votes.

[Full results from Maryland]

The party kept its hold on seven of Marylands eight congressional districts, adding two new faces on a day when balloting was marred by lengthy waits and technical issues. Long lines in Baltimore City kept the polls there open well past the scheduled 8 p.m. closing time, delaying reporting of statewide results on the Board of Elections website.

State Sen. Jamie Raskin (D) claimed Van Hollens District 8 congressional seat, beating Republican Dan Cox by about 25 points. Former lieutenant governor Anthony Brown revived a political career that appeared over after his 2014 gubernatorial loss, defeating Republican George McDermott by a better than 2-to-1 margin to capture the seat being vacated by Rep. Donna F. Edwards.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen takes a selfie with friend and neighbor, Maria Recio, of Kensington at his precinct, Temple Emanuel. (Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

Isnt it great to be back? Brown said to a crowd of Democrats at a victory party in Silver Spring. Together weve had our successes, and weve had our shortcomings.

In the 6th Congressional District, which stretches from Montgomery County through western Maryland, Rep. John Delaney (D) turned back a well-financed challenge from defense consultant Amie Hoeber to win a third term, winning by double digits.

Marylands five other incumbent House members  Rep. Andy Harris (R), and Democrats C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Steny H. Hoyer and Elijah E. Cummings  all won reelection.

State Sen. Catherine E. Pugh (D) will succeed outgoing Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake (D), despite a last-minute write-in effort by former mayor Sheila Dixon (D).

Van Hollen, 57, a consummate insider and policy wonk who rose quickly in House leadership ranks over his seven terms, campaigned hard this fall after a bruising primary against Edwards. He presented himself as a negotiator comfortable working across the aisle and highlighted his roles in Wall Street reform and passage of the Affordable Care Act.

Szeliga, 55, the minority whip in Marylands House, played down a staunchly conservative voting record that included opposition to stricter gun control, same-sex marriage and an increased state minimum wage. She tried to gain traction by focusing on Van Hollens support for the Obama administrations Iran nuclear deal  and his support of Clinton.

Mafiz Chowdhury, a Democrat who lives in Potomac, said Tuesday he voted for Van Hollen after meeting him a couple of times. Chowdhury said liked that Van Hollen, who lives in Kensington, was upfront and honest during his time in the House.

Hes a very people-oriented person, Chowdhury, 51, said after voting at Cold Spring Elementary School in Potomac. He seems to have the intention to help people, and I fell for that.

Van Hollen also won votes from Trump supporters in more conservative parts of the state. In Edgemere, a blue-collar town just east of Baltimore, Shannon Nelson voted for the billionaire but backed Van Hollen over Szeliga because of the Democrats experience and union endorsements.

Im concerned about keeping my job and providing for my children through college, the 32-year-old Republican longshoreman said.

At the Democrats victory party in Silver Spring on Tuesday night, Van Hollen took the stage at about 10:30 p.m. and announced he had received a call from Szeliga and thanked her.

I am truly humbled, and it is time for all of us to get to work, he told the crowd at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center.

Szeliga, a state delegate representing Baltimore County, took the stage at the BWI Marriott with a beaming smile, flanked mostly by family.

There is a movement for change, and Im going to continue to fight for you, she said. Im going to continue to carry the banner for us and for our ideas.

Van Hollen was the choice of the Democratic establishment in the Democratic primary, which exposed racial and gender fissures within the party.

Edwards, a former community activist and a single mother, was a standard-bearer for the partys progressive wing as she sought to become Marylands first African American senator. She attacked Van Hollen as a creature of Beltway culture whose ties to Wall Street and past support for free-trade agreements put him out of touch with struggling voters.

Tensions rose when the super PAC funded by Emilys List, the abortion rights group that supports women candidates, threw more than $2 million behind Edwards despite Van Hollens steadfast voting record on reproductive rights. But her insurgency faltered in the final weeks.

The defeats of Szeliga and Hoeber, and the pending departures of Mikulski and Edwards, both Democrats, leaves Maryland with an all-male congressional delegation for the first time in more than 40 years.

Jennifer Lawless, an American University professor and director of the schools Women & Politics Institute, said the immediate impact should be minimal because Van Hollen, Raskin and Brown are card-carrying progressives.

Its not a setback, Lawless said. I dont think we take any hits in terms of feminist agenda or policy. She noted that Edwards, District 8 candidate Kathleen Matthews and District 4 contender Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk, all of whom lost in the Democratic primary in April, ran strong races.

Longer-term, Lawless said, the 2016 elections underscore the importance of encouraging and cultivating women to run at the local, state and national levels. While Hillary Clintons candidacy shattered a historic glass ceiling, research shows that further down the ballot, the number of women running for Senate and House seats has remained more or less flat in recent years.

Brown, 54, beat out a crowded Democratic primary field that included Pena-Melnyk and former Prince Georges states attorney Glenn F. Ivey, immediately becoming the overwhelming favorite to succeed Edwards in Congress. During the campaign, Brown shed his political handlers and invested $400,000 of his own money to tell voters a more personal story about his role as a father and husband.

Sometimes in life youre going to get knocked down, Brown said after casting his ballot Tuesday morning. And if you believe in what you are doing, you pick yourself up, your brush yourself off and you and you stay in the fight.

Raskin, 53, a Takoma Park law professor, enjoyed the backing of virtually every major Democratic interest group in the state. He survived a nine-way primary that featured the heaviest self-funded congressional candidate ever, Potomac wine magnate David Trone. Trone spent $13.4 million of his own money to finish second, slightly ahead of former Marriott executive and news anchor Kathleen Matthews.

In both the primary and the general election campaigns, Raskin promised to pursue the kind of liberal agenda he set in Annapolis, including prison reform, a ban on assault weapons and an increased minimum wage.

It is not my job to be in the political center; it is my job to be in the moral center, Raskin told supporters Tuesday night. When they call me a progressive, I say darn right, because at the heart of that word is progress, and if we arent making progress, what are we doing in politics?

Delaney, a financial services entrepreneur listed as the third-wealthiest member of Congress in some surveys, was aiming for a strong win over Hoeber after nearly losing his seat in 2014 to conservative talk radio host Dan Bongino. Political professionals in the state said he needed an impressive victory to keep his options open for a possible challenge to Hogan in 2018.

Rebecca Lipscomb, a special-education consultant who describes herself as a Libertarian, said she voted for Delaney because Hoebers positions aligned more with that of Trumps.

I cant support any candidate who is that discriminatory toward that many people, the 35-year-old from Gaithersburg said.
A woman was found fatally stabbed Tuesday afternoon in Southeast Washington, D.C. police said.

Antina Cindette Pratt, 40, of Southeast Washington was found about 3 p.m. in the 2600 block of Pomeroy Road SE, said Officer Sean Hickman, a police spokesman. He said she had been stabbed multiple times.

The block is near the Barry Farm section of Anacostia, and the place where the body was found is lined with trees and shrubbery.

It was not immediately clear how long the woman had been there before being found. No information was available about a suspect or motive.
Darren Jones was in the passenger seat of his friends black Honda when police fired.

He had gone to the home of a friend where hed stored a dirt bike when Jones unwittingly found himself in the middle of a domestic violence call involving the friend and the mans estranged girlfriend.

Police arrived as the two men were about to leave.

But as the car pulled out of the driveway of the Temple Hills home in April 2014, two Prince Georges County Police officers fired six bullets at the vehicle, according to Joness attorneys, striking Jones at least three times.

Two years later, a jury has awarded Jones $600,000 in damages.

Like many cases involving police use of force, the six-day civil trial in federal court in Greenbelt, Md., pitted competing versions of events to determine whether officers were justified in firing.

County officials said police shot in defense as the vehicle drove toward officers and then hit one of them and appeared to drag him as the car fled the scene.

The officers fired in response to the perceived threat and stopped firing when they believed the threat no longer existed, Prince Georges County Deputy County Attorney William A. Snoddy said in an email to The Washington Post.

[Washington Post database on police shootings]

But Joness attorneys contended that the car never touched the officers and that police were wrong to shoot at a car that was moving away.

The only difference between this case and the case you see on the front page is that the guy didnt die, said Stephen P. Norman, Joness attorney, in a reference to recent police-involved shootings nationwide. This is every bit as bad, if not worse.

Joness case stems from the afternoon of April 5, 2014, when he went with his friend Carlos Barksdale to pick up his ATV from the garage of a home where the mother of Barksdales child lived. The woman had a protective order barring Barksdale from the property, and the two began to argue.

[Pr. Georges police name officers, suspects involved in Clinton shooting incident]

The woman called police, and Barksdale signaled for Jones to get into Barksdales car, as Officers Gary Allen and Kevin Powell arrived at the scene.

As the officers approached the vehicle, Barksdale set the vehicle in motion, court records indicate.

Darren has no idea there is a protective order, and Darren jumps in the car and leaves, said Andy Jezic, also Joness attorney.

The narratives diverge at that point.

Police contend the car was gunning for the officers before it hit Allen and sped off. Officers shot at the car, police said, because they feared for their lives.

The suspects were determined to flee, and used their car as a weapon, police said in the departments initial statement announcing the arrests of Jones and Barksdale. The suspects sped toward the officers, striking one of them, before speeding away from the scene.

[In pop culture, there are no bad police shootings]

Powell saw the car hit Allen, who then disappeared from the officers view, Snoddy said. Powell thought Allen was being dragged by the car and fired at the driver in an attempt to stop the car, the prosecutor said.

But Norman and Jezic say there were questions over whether the car really was coming after police and whether it hit Allen.

The woman who owned the home and called police never said she saw the car strike the officer, Norman said. And the car was 10 to 40 feet down the road while officers kept firing, Jezic said.

Even if the car did hit Allen, a bump on the knee doesnt justify excessive force, Jezic said. And if he was in fear on the first shot, it doesnt mean he was in fear during the sixth shot.

Bullets tore through Joness liver and left hand.

Jones, 30, had been a mechanic, working on cars with his father since the age of 7, but the shooting permanently scarred his hand. He now runs his own tow truck business.

His lifelong love and profession was working as a mechanic, Jezic said. But he cant do that work now because his hand hurts and gets tired.

Charges against Jones were later dismissed.

Allen and Powell returned to full duty seven months later after an internal investigation exonerated the officers and determined the use of force was justified under the circumstances, Snoddy said.

Snoddy noted that the jury did not award Jones punitive damages, which would have required them to find that the officers acted intentionally and with a callous or reckless disregard or indifference toward Mr. Joness constitutional rights.

The plaintiff in this case was a passenger in the vehicle, Snoddy said. Theres the very real possibility that the verdict reflected a belief by the jury that he should be compensated for his injuries since he was not the person who struck the police officer.
I. Lewis Scooter Libby, left, talks with his former boss, Richard B. Cheney, during an event to promote Lynne Ann Cheneys book, "James Madison: A Life Reconsidered, at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington in 2014. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post)

I. Lewis Scooter Libby, the former top aide to vice president Dick Cheney who was convicted of lying about his role in the leak of a CIA operatives identity, has been cleared to practice law again.

The D.C. Court of Appeals, the citys highest court, found the former national security adviser fit to resume the practice of law in response to Libbys petition that asserts his innocence.

Libby lost his law license in 2008, following his conviction for perjury and obstruction of the federal investigation into disclosures to journalists about the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson.

Several Bush administration officials later acknowledged discussing Wilson with reporters, but Libby was the only official to face criminal charges.

President George W. Bush commuted his 30-month prison sentence, leaving Libby to face a fine and two years probation. Cheney and other conservatives urged Bush to go further in granting a full pardon to the once-prominent Washington lawyer.

In Libbys 14-page petition to the courts Board on Professional Responsibility, Libby agrees that the charges for which he was convicted are serious offenses that undermine our system of justice.

But Libby, 66, maintains that he was innocent of those offenses, according to his attorney, William Jeffress Jr.

Libby, a national security expert, is senior vice president at the Hudson Institute. Jeffress said he is not aware of any immediate plans Libby has to practice law.

He wants to be free to practice law as he did all his life, Jeffress said.

[Libby found guilty in CIA leak case]

Libby told the FBI his honest recollection of events, Jeffress said, but it was easy for Libby and other witnesses to confuse details and impressions of conversations when questioned months later in the politically-charged case.

In its report to the court, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel did not oppose Libbys reinstatement and noted that he presented credible evidence that one of the key prosecution witnesses, former New York Times reporter Judith Miller, appeared to have changed her recollection of events.

Libbys petition included letters of support from former solicitor general Ted Olson; Joseph DiGenova, former U.S. attorney for the District; and Judge Laurence Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
The owner of a Winchester, Va., biological products company has admitted to mislabeling squirrel monkey and rabbit blood as human when shipping it around the world to avoid screening requirements.

Philip Lloyd, who founded and managed BioChemed Services, pleaded guilty in federal court in Alexandria on Tuesday to violating laws governing endangered species and wildlife exportation.

Both animal and human blood is sold for use in medical research. But animal blood must be handled far more carefully, prosecutors said, because of the potential to spread viruses and disease to humans. Animal blood also must be properly labeled to ensure compliance with laws protecting endangered species.

When mailing blood to biomedical research companies over the past two years, BioChemed employees labeled animal blood as human, Lloyd acknowledged in his plea agreement. Labels accurately describing the animal blood were sent in separate FedEx envelopes that were not inspected by officials.

A form that must be filed with the Department of the Interior before any wildlife export was never filled out by anyone at the company. Nor was any of the animal blood made available for inspection by U.S. customs agency or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials as required by law. Squirrel monkeys are protected under a convention regulating international trade in endangered species; Lloyd never got a permit necessary to traffic in their blood.

Lloyd was targeted by the Fish and Wildlife Service in a sting operation that began nearly three years ago. An official contacted him by phone in January 2014, posing as an employee of a Canadian company called Tropicus Research.

Lloyd sent to Canada a package of squirrel monkey blood, for which he charged $3,090, that was labeled as human blood worth $100. He asked Tropicus Research whether it would be okay to mislabel the order. When he got an affirmative reply, he wrote in an email to the company, Thank you! I did not know who knew our plan.

Between March and May of this year, Lloyd also sent dog, rabbit, mice and rat blood to a biomedical company in Korea labeled as human. Again, the packages also gave a value for the contents far below what Lloyd had actually charged.

Lloyd could face a maximum of five years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 27. An attorney for Lloyd declined to comment.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe waves to the crowd along with Hillary Clinton as she arrives to speak at a campaign rally in Norfolk in February. (Gerald Herbert/AP)

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe had a surprisingly good night Tuesday if you set aside one crushing personal loss: His longtime friend and political ally, Hillary Clinton, is not going to the White House.

For one thing, McAuliffe (D) delivered Virginia for Clinton. The former secretary of state won the swing state by 4.8 points  a margin smaller than Barack Obamas in 2008 (6.3 points) but bigger than his in 2012 (four points).

A ballot measure that McAuliffe opposed, which would have enshrined the states right-to-work laws in the state constitution, was defeated. The governor said he supports the existing law banning mandatory union membership as a condition of employment, but he saw no need to put that into the constitution. He had recorded a robo-call against the measure.

And McAuliffe protege Levar Stoney came out on top in the race for Richmond mayor. McAuliffes former secretary of the commonwealth, Stoney had been dismissed as the Jeb Bush of that race, with hefty financial backing thanks to McAuliffe connections but little support in polls.

Stoney had been widely expected not only to lose but to lose to a disgraced former state delegate, Joe Morrissey, who less than two years ago served jail time on charges related to his relationship with his 17-year-old receptionist. As it turned out, Morrissey came in third in a crowded field. Stoney could still face a runoff with businessman Jack Berry, who finished second.

In all, those wins are perhaps small comfort to a man with deep personal and professional ties to a Democratic dynasty upended by Republican President-elect Donald Trump.

[Clinton squeaks by Trump in Virginia]

Had Clinton won, McAuliffe would have gotten to fill the U.S. Senate seat occupied by her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). And surely he would have played some role in the new administration, even if he stayed in Richmond, as promised, through the end of his term in January 2018. Commerce secretary? Cushy ambassadorship? At the very least, he would have reprised his role as first friend, enjoying uncommon access to the leader of the free world.

As Virginia went blue Tuesday, McAuliffe addressed cheering Clinton supporters at what was supposed to have been a victory party in Northern Virginia. He had planned to hop on a chartered plane to Clintons New York party later that night. But as returns from other states started going Trumps way, he decided to stay put, spending the night at his house in McLean.

The Governors top priorities going into last night were turning Virginias presidential electors blue, helping Levar Stoney get elected Mayor and defeating the attempt to write Virginias right-to-work law into the constitution, McAuliffe spokesman Brian Coy said by email Wednesday. While he is obviously disappointed in the outcome of the presidential election nationwide, he is proud of the statement Virginians made yesterday and looks forward to working with leaders on both sides of the aisle, including President-elect Trump, to build on the progress we are making here in the Commonwealth.
UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN - NOVEMBER 8: Aaron Butler, a 46-year-old Upper Marlboro resident and Uber driver, was busy ferrying passengers to and from the polls -- and hearing their opinions on the presidential candidates -- on Tuesday morning. (Photo by Peter Jamison/The Washington Post) (Peter Jamison/TWP)

Aaron Butler did not fully, or even partially, consider the political dimensions of his decision to become an Uber driver in May.

An Upper Marlboro resident who owns a stake in home-healthcare business in Louisiana, he started moonlighting for the ride-share company one day a week because his accountant told him it would allow him write off maintenance costs for his 2011 Chrysler.

But on Tuesday, as Butler ventured inside the Beltway to ply his trade, he found his silver sedan transformed into a wheeled political salon. By noon, he said, he had already taken 10 passengers to polling stations across the District. Most were on their way to vote  and they were talkative about the contest between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.

People have been more than vocal about it, Butler said.

In his clientele, he believed he had observed a microcosm of political opinion  representing, at least, a left-leaning swath of the District and Maryland. I have seen the Trump supporters, but primarily Clinton supporters, he said. Ive even had people who say theyre going to write in a candidate.

He added: It has been close. I havent taken a poll.

What are voters saying? Butler filled in a reporter mid-day Tuesday on a trip through Southeast Washington.

As far as Trump goes, a lot of people who are supporting him are interested in how he can change the state of the government, Butler said. As he talked, he was only slightly ruffled by the insistent honks of a white sedan with New York plates, which careened around him on the entrance to Interstate 295.

I dont know where I was supposed to go, Butler remarked to the receding vehicle, before resuming his observations on the electorate.

Clintons supporters, he said, seemed united in their belief that she was qualified for the job, that she has better temperament to lead as far as foreign policy goes.

A couple people said they were sick of hearing about the emails, he added.

Some of the views expressed inside Butlers Chrysler dont differ much from what has been heard for months on cable TV. But Butler also heard some distinctive political rationales.

One passenger, he said, was angry with Republicans in Congress over the 2013 shutdown of the federal government, which was precipitated by a dispute with the Obama administration over the Affordable Care Act. As a result, he said, the woman told him she planned to vote for Trump as a change agent.

Shes thinking that Trump is going to come in and all these older senators are going to go away in some magical way, he said. His eyes, reflected in the rearview mirror, conveyed skepticism.

Will Butler reveal his own choice for president? A 46-year-old registered Democrat who is African American, Butler said Trumps arguments did not leave him unswayed. He liked what the GOP nominee had to say about keeping businesses in America and shaking up the countrys political class.

The Manhattan real-estate magnates assorted tax dodges werent of particular concern to Butler, who after all took up Uber in hope of a tax write-off.

He obviously took advantage of some things, Butler said. If Americans are honest, we all take deductions. We all take advantage of some things.

In the end, he said, he voted for Clinton because he doesnt trust Trump to keep his cool while running the country. He knows the value of that quality himself as a semi-professional navigator of Beltway traffic.

It just wasnt the temperament of a leader that I can see sitting across from another leader of a foreign country and being respected, he said.

Butler pulled up at Hendley Elementary School, where voting was underway. Behind him, cars were honking again. Men and women thronged the sidewalks on their way to the polls. After dropping off his passenger, he eased his sedan off along streets sprinkled with golden leaves.

Another ride had been requested, this one from a polling place. Butler had more work to do.
STURTEVANT  A Racine Correctional Institution inmate is scheduled for a preliminary hearing later this month after allegedly attempting to sneak synthetic marijuana into the facility.

According to a criminal complaint:

Darquice J Edwards, 23, of the 1900 block of Howe Street, Racine, met with a visitor May 13 at the state corrections facility, 2019 Wisconsin St.

While sitting at a table in the visitation room, Edwards visitor placed an item on a plate, which Edwards then placed in his mouth and swallowed after taking a drink of soda, the complaint said.

Edwards was then reportedly held in a dry cell until .5 grams of the substance known as K-2 passed through his system and was recovered in a small balloon.

Edwards faces a felony charge for possession of narcotics. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 16 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave.
Hillary Clinton embraces her running mate, Tim Kaine, during a news conference at the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel the day after the election. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

The morning after his vice-presidential hopes were dashed, Sen. Tim Kaine consoled a room full of heartbroken supporters on national television and introduced Hillary Clinton with a quote by William Faulkner.

 They kilt us but they aint whupped us yit,  Kaine said, sending campaign loyalists into a frenzy of applause and tears.

Standing behind Clinton, he smiled, nodded and pumped his fist as if he hadnt just experienced the greatest loss of his life in public office.

There was a time when it looked as though Kaines star would shoot from Virginias capitol city straight to Number One Observatory Circle on a wave of dad jokes and harmonica riffs.

But less than four months after his journey around the country began, he is poised to return to a Republican- controlled Senate with national profile but scars from a devastating defeat.

While introducing Hillary Clinton at her concession speech on Nov. 9 in New York City, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) drew cheers and applause when he quoted William Faulkner's words, "They kilt us but they ain't whupped us yit," as a way to encourage Democrats to move forward. (The Washington Post)

Virginians who have followed Kaines rise from Richmond mayor say hes at his best when he can delve into big policy questions and leverage relationships, two important ingredients for success in the U.S. Senate.

But, first, he rests.

After returning to Richmond from New York City on Wednesday, Kaine planned to spend a few quiet days with family before heading to the District for the start of session next week.

Senator Kaine looks forward to getting back to work for Virginians in the Senate next week on the issues and priorities hes been fighting for since he took office nearly four years ago, spokeswoman Amy Dudley said.

That means hell pick up where he left off advocating for war powers reform and a new Authorization for the Use of Military Force against ISIS as well as expanding career and technical education programs and combating campus sexual assault. He sits on Armed Services, Foreign Relations and Budget committees and the Special Committee on Aging.

Kaines expertise on the constitutional powers of the presidency will be particularly valuable as Donald Trump assumes office, given Trumps campaign promises to upend the government.

If Trump indeed, as many suspect, has little patience for separation of powers and limits on presidential authority, it is going to take leaders such as Kaine to be forceful counter- voices to the next president, said Mark Rozell, dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.

The role is a heartening consolation prize for Democrats stunned by their overnight loss of the White House.

Clinton salved those wounds with an optimistic concession speech in which she thanked Kaine and his wife, former Virginia education secretary Anne Holton.

It has been a joy getting to know them better, and it gives me great hope and comfort to know Tim will remain on the front lines of our democracy, representing Virginia in the Senate, Clinton said.

But Rozell noted the Stronger Together campaign failed Kaine when advisers told him to play attack dog in the vice-presidential debate against Indiana Gov. Mike Pence  a stance that deviated from Kaines sunny disposition.

It looked like someone else occupied his body that night, Rozell said. It was almost disturbing. You dont try to be who youre not, because it comes across. It made him look a little bit like a jerk that night.

Still, the ever ebullient Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) put a positive spin on Kaines future, saying the campaign showed the nation what Virginia already knew.

No one works harder or cares more deeply about making life better for people from every walk of life than Senator Tim Kaine does, McAuliffe said in a statement. I was proud to advocate for his selection to join the Democratic ticket and look forward to the many ways Virginians and Americans will benefit from his continued leadership in the United States Senate.

Although in the minority party, he could follow a path forged by Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), who rose to speaker after a failed bid for vice president on Mitt Romneys ticket, or Bob Dole, who twice served as Senate Majority Leader and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee after losing GOP presidential nominating contests.

In the Senate, Kaine could have renewed influence on veterans and military issues  an area in which Virginias clout has been greatly diminished since the 2014 ouster of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and a string of retirements in the House.

I dont think theres any question that his profiles a little bit higher having just come off a national ticket. said Mo Elleithee, a Democratic strategist who runs Georgetown Universitys Institute of Politics and Public Service and says Kaine remains modest if better known now. Knowing him, I dont know that that changes his approach to anything. What they talked about on the campaign trail was what he was working on in the Senate.

Kaine made history as the first member of a presidential ticket to deliver a speech in fluent Spanish. During the divisive campaign, he talked about lessons learned at an African American church in Richmond where he has worshiped for decades.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) recalled an understated yet powerful ad from Kaines 2001 campaign for lieutenant governor: the clasped hands of a white child and a black child filled the page.

Kaine was the first governor outside Illinois to endorse President Obama, who then asked him to chair the Democratic National Committee and later to run for Senate.

Beyer said he had hoped as vice president, Kaine could really be a healer. He was liked and respected by almost everyone in the Senate. That would have been a great step forward. It was not to be.

In the aftermath of defeat Wednesday, Kaine drew on a lifetime of helping people face difficult situations.

His speech was eloquent and erudite and spoke to the better angels of our nature, said Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.). I think he definitely emerges as a potential phoenix from these ashes.

Kaine remains popular in the state; an Oct. 30 Washington Post poll showed that 51 percent of voters viewed him favorably, compared with 42 percent who saw him unfavorably.

And despite the outcome of the election, Connolly noted that Clinton won Virginia by about five points, in part thanks to Kaine. It was the only Southern state that voted for the Democrat.

Virginia voters defied national trends with double-digits wins in fast-growing Loudoun, Prince William and Henrico counties  all of which could help Democrats hold on to statewide office in the future.

Kaine faces reelection in 2018.
MARYLAND

Woman, 75, is found

dead in Bladensburg

Police are investigating the killing of a 75-year-old woman found in her Bladensburg apartment Monday.

Officers were called to the 4200 block of 58th Avenue about noon Monday, where they found Delores Rivers, 75, dead at the scene, according to a statement from Prince Georges County Police. An autopsy later revealed that Rivers had died of trauma to her upper body. Detectives are investigating suspects and a motive in the case.

 Lynh Bui

Man and woman are critically hurt in fire

A man and a woman suffered burns and were hospitalized after a fire broke out in a Kettering home during a domestic-related dispute, fire officials said.

Prince Georges County firefighters responded to a call at about 9:45 a.m. Tuesday after a fire broke out in the basement of a house on lower Herrington Drive and made its way to the first floor, fire department spokesman Mark Brady said.

After the fire began, a woman ran from the home to a nearby school that was an Election Day polling place, where volunteers called 911, Brady said.

The couple, in their 60s, were taken to a hospital in critical condition, Brady said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but was related to some sort of domestic argument, said Brady, adding it was unclear how the couple knew each other.

Brady said the fire department is working with police to investigate.

 Lynh Bui

VIRGINIA

Colonel gets 20 years for child pornography

An Army lieutenant colonel was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday after pleading to production of child pornography in August, prosecutors said.

Steven Jon Frederiksen, 42, of Stafford, a former employee of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said he used online chat programs on his government-issued laptop to convince four girls between 14 and 17 to produce child pornography, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia said in a statement.

Frederiksen asked two other minor girls online to produce child pornography, possessed other images of child pornography and exchanged child pornography on the Internet, the statement said.

Frederiksen was sentenced to 240 months in prison and 20 years of supervised release for production of child pornography and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor using social media and instant messaging apps.

 Justin Wm. Moyer
Protesters demonstrated at the White House and in front of Trump International Hotel on Nov. 9 as they tried to come to grips with the election of President-elect Donald Trump. (WUSA 9)

Protesters demonstrated at the White House and in front of Trump International Hotel on Nov. 9 as they tried to come to grips with the election of President-elect Donald Trump. (WUSA 9)

If you lived in a swamp, and the newly elected president pledged to drain your residence, how would you react? That was the challenge facing the nations capital and its suburbs on Wednesday.

The anti-Washington focus of President-elect Donald Trump was stirring anxiety among local elected officials and a population heavy with agency workers. Many worried about possible cuts in federal jobs and contracts, deportation of undocumented immigrants and rollback of environmental protections.

There was cautious hope among some that the local economy could benefit from Trumps calls for more investment in the military and infrastructure such as roads and transit  if he is able to persuade the GOP-dominated Congress to spend the money.

But there was also concern that Trump would continue to spout the mean-spirited rhetoric that characterized his campaign and keep condemning the federal government as corrupt and ineffective even as he took up its reins.

Im afraid it will change the city, just because of the Trump supporters who may come here, and who he will hire and bring, said Katie McDonnell, a D.C. teacher. I am a little worried.

1 of 23 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What Election Day looks like in the D.C. area View Photos Washington Post photographers capture the regions residents as they cast their votes. Caption Washington Post photographers capture the regions residents as they cast their votes. Nov. 8, 2016 Tessie October, 40, holds her daughter Charlise Bruce while casting her vote at Temple Emanuel in Kensington, Md. Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

[Trump and the federal workforce: five key issues.]

The chilly reception that may greet Trump in parts of the Washington region contrasts with the warm relationship that President Obama and his family have enjoyed here. Obama brought a youthful energy to the city, and his administration overlapped with a population boom that has transformed the District into something of a hip metropolis.

D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D), who is a big fan of the current president, has described some of Trumps more incendiary remarks as idiotic. Trump lost to Democrat Hillary Clinton by huge margins in both Washington and its suburbs, and the region did not have a single senator or member of Congress supporting him by Election Day.

Bowser said she told her staff to keep their heads up Wednesday after Trumps win, as calls rolled into Bowsers office from anxious constituents.

Let me be clear, 93 percent of the people in Washington, D.C., that I represent are in that category of people who did not support him, Bowser said. There is some repairing of relationships that has to be done if hes going to win the support of the people of the District of Columbia.

But Bowser and others said they were encouraged by the comparatively moderate and conciliatory tone of Trumps victory speech early Wednesday.

To the extent that he said he wants to be a president for all of us, thats a good sign, said Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), who easily won reelection Tuesday.

There were more than a few people, including a union leader, who applauded the Republicans focus on boosting jobs on U.S. soil. But there was worry as well.

This is somebody who legitimized racism, sexism and homophobia, said Rushern L. Baker III (D), county executive of Prince Georges, where Clinton won nearly 90 percent of the vote.

[D.C. Mayor: Statehood effort all but dead for now]

Beyer, who has been in Congress nearly two years, said it was terrifying to read . . . about what [Trump] wants do about policies, including rolling back the Affordable Care Act. We have so many people in Northern Virginia who are dependent on it.

Rafi Ahmed, who oversees government affairs for the Muslim Association of Virginia, predicted a deeper sense of distrust among Muslims under a Trump administration, especially since Trump has called for a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants.

There is definitely fear and there is definitely heartbreak, Ahmed said.

But Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart, a strong Trump supporter, said Muslims need not worry as long as they are in the country legally.

Its pretty clear what he will try to do, which is to provide extra vetting of immigrants coming from areas that have a history of terrorist activity, Stewart said.

In the Washington region, as in the rest of the nation, a common theme in peoples reaction to Trumps victory was simple uncertainty. His many policy shifts and differences with Republican orthodoxy have left people unsure what to expect.

I think hes more independent than Republican, said Jim Corcoran, president of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce. He wont be beholden to the current Republican leadership.

Corcoran expressed hope that Trump would boost spending on the armed forces and transportation. He believes in a strong military, and that helps our region in all three jurisdictions, particularly in Virginia, Corcoran said.

But he was wary of Trumps criticisms of free trade agreements, saying, Our local economy, being a high-tech economy, needs to improve our exports.

[How Trump would affect the military-industrial complex.]

A top local union leader took a contrasting position, saying organized labor would like to see Trump make changes on trade.

The American labor movement has been leading the battle against unfair trade agreements for decades, said Carlos Jimenez, executive director of the Metropolitan Washington Council AFL-CIO. Were interested in looking at those with him.

Michelle James, a 48-year-old Montgomery County resident who voted for Clinton, said she believes strongly in the power of the public sector  after all, she works for the county transportation department.

When government works, James said, it works well.

Even so, she said, she relates to Trump supporters calls to shake things up in Washington. She voted Tuesday for term limits on county public officials because shes tired of some politicians staying in office for years on end.

We need a change, James said. The problem is what kind of change are we going to get? Do we change subtly or in an aggressive manner? . . . Its the not knowing whats going to happen thats making us squirm right now.

Animesh Gupta, a software developer in Fairfax and father of two, said he hoped Trump would follow through on pledges to provide tax relief for child care. Having some relief for that will allow people to buy houses and raise families. . . . More like the old America, he said.

Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.) was skeptical that Trumps plan for infrastructure investment would come to pass with a Republican Congress. He was especially doubtful that spending would be directed at the Washington region, such as for Metro or the crumbling Memorial Bridge.

We havent had a lot of excitement on the Republican side of the aisle if that involves spending and adding to the deficit, Connolly said. Where are you going to get the money? Theyre not willing to raise taxes.

Like Bowser, Connolly also pointed to the lack of support for Trump in the regions electorate. I think hes coming into hostile territory, from a political point of view, he said.

That point was echoed in comments from the pulpit of Washington National Cathedral in Washington at a midday Post-Election Reconciliation Service.

Amid the gleaming marble of the iconic church, the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde addressed people who were feeling unmoored by the election results.

Invoking the Jews captivity in Babylon, she said, You are going to be in exile for a long time. . . . Learn to adapt and adjust.

Aaron C. Davis, Peter Jamison, Antonio Olivo, Martine Powers, Patricia Sullivan, Perry Stein, Michael Chandler, Arelis Hernandez, Paul Schwartzman and Josh Hicks contributed to this report.
For the past six years, no law has served as a larger GOP whipping post than the Affordable Care Act, and the Republican sweep Tuesday of political Washington has imperiled the ACAs expansive reach, putting at risk the insurance that more than 20 million Americans have gained.

During the final week of his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump vowed to repeal the 2010 health-care law so swiftly that he might summon Congress into a special session to accomplish the task. We will do it, and we will do it very, very quickly. It is a catastrophe, he said.

On Wednesday, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.) and other congressional Republicans voiced fresh determination to complete the deed. After dozens of fruitless repeal votes in the House, and a major rescission attempt this year that President Obama blocked, Ryan noted that now we have President Trump coming, who is asking us to do this.

According to lawmakers and health-policy analysts, the GOP majorities in both chambers are likely to employ Congresss reconciliation process to reverse critical aspects of the statute that involve federal spending, such as the subsidies helping millions of working- and middle-class Americans afford health plans. But analysts said a political path is less clear to dismantling other parts of the law, such as its insurance marketplaces, or to instituting a set of conservative health-care approaches.

[Obamas legislative legacy comes down to this question: What if?]

Donald Trump has campaigned to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, once he gets into office. Now that he's won the presidency with a majority Republican House and Senate, that feat might not prove to be too easy. Wonkblog's Max Ehrenfreund explains. (Daron Taylor/The Washington Post)

The ACAs most ardent supporters have begun a counteroffensive to stoke opposition to reversing ways in which the law has upgraded coverage and made it more affordable for some consumers. Families USA, a liberal consumer-health lobby, convened an afternoon call with more than 1,000 people from all 50 states to begin mapping a grass-roots campaign.

The clock is ticking, because Republicans appear to be saying health care is going to be the first item on their list with repeal of the ACA being the banner for that, said Ron Pollack, Families USAs executive director for three decades. This will be the most intense fight I remember. . . . One should never underestimate an extraordinary backlash that occurs when people have something that they really value and it is taken away.

The Affordable Care Act, enacted in the spring of 2010 with virtually no GOP support, is a 2,000-page statute that has ushered in the broadest changes to the health-care system in half a century. With Trumps election, the ACA as we know it would seem to be toast, said Larry Levitt, a senior vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation.



I dont think there has been a reversal of any public benefit that would be as large as this, Levitt said. The only other significant reversal by Congress of a major health-care policy  the expansion of Medicare to include catastrophic coverage  took place in 1989 before the benefit took effect.

The challenge for Republicans, Levitt added, comes now in trying to come to some consensus about how to unwind it and what to replace it with.

[Medical marijuana victories in Florida, North Dakota, Arkansas, Montana turn the tide]

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), one of the ACAs loudest critics, declined Wednesday to spell out details of the procedures Republicans would use to abolish the law. But in a media briefing to celebrate the Senate preserving its majority, he said, All of that is underway.

Congress demonstrated in January that it could use the Senates reconciliation process  requiring just 50 votes  to send a repeal bill to the White House. Although GOP lawmakers understood that Obama would veto that legislation, it was a strategic move, said Tevi Troy, an ACA critic who is a former deputy health secretary and the chief executive of the American Health Policy Institute. Congress intentionally set it up so they could demonstrate a legislative pathway.

Under that bill, there would have been a two-year transition before any features of the law ended. The idea was to give congressional Republicans breathing space to design a replacement and pass a new law.

But with the GOP holding 51 seats in the next Senate, it is unclear whether it will be able to amass the 60 votes needed to overcome a potential filibuster and adopt an alternative to the ACA.

If the GOP repeals the law but then is unable to agree in two years on what will take its place, that is the nightmare scenario, said John McDonough, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health who worked intensively on the ACAs creation as an aide to the late senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.).

Still, the reconciliation process could have sweeping effects if it reversed both the insurance subsidies in ACA marketplaces and a set of taxes that help pay for other parts of the law. If Congress undid a Medicare payroll tax, McDonough said, it would actually implement one of the largest tax cuts on high-income families ever.

[Trump: If Obamacare is not repealed, it will destroy health care in America ]

Trump has said that he favors keeping one key aspect, which outlaws the old practice by many insurers of refusing to cover people with preexisting medical problems or charging them more than other customers. The insurance industry has long said it would have a hard time abiding by this rule unless virtually all Americans are required to have insurance  a central feature of the ACA that Trump wants to cut.

Trumps campaign never put details on a set of conservative health-care ideas that he sketched out as a candidate. They included converting Medicaid from an entitlement program for lower-income Americans to annual block grants to states. Also proposed was letting individuals deduct the cost of insurance from their taxes.

Even without details, congressional budget analysts and outside health-policy experts have estimated the likely impact of dismantling the ACA and replacing it with Trumps health policies.

[Experts from across the ideological spectrum put the presidential candidates health-care positions in perspective]

The Congressional Budget Office forecast that, over the coming decade, repealing the law would cause the deficit to grow by $353 billion, while the number of people with insurance would fall by about 24 million. The Rand Corp. has predicted that in 2018, the first full year of Trumps tenure, his campaigns health plan would add nearly $6 billion to the deficit, primarily by undoing a slowdown in Medicare payments under the law. It also would decrease the number of insured by about 20 million people, according to Rand.

In the short term, the sudden doubt about the laws future also has the potential to confuse  and perhaps thwart  the fourth open-enrollment season for ACA health plans through HealthCare.gov and similar state-run insurance marketplaces. The three-month sign-up period began Nov. 1 amid surging insurance premiums and diminished coverage options in many parts of the country.

In his first briefing after the election, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said there were no specific steps the president or his aides plan to take to shore up policies with which his successor disagrees. This administration is going to continue to make a strong case that people should go to HealthCare.gov, consider the options that are available to them and sign up for health care, Earnest said.

Paul Kane contributed to this report.

Read more:

ACAs big price hike reflects challenges of expanding coverage amid political static

What Americas choice of Donald Trump really means
HUNGARY

Lawmakers reject anti-migrant measures

Hungarys prime minister failed Tuesday in his attempt to push through constitutional amendments that oppose any future plan by the European Union to resettle asylum seekers among members of the bloc.

Lawmakers voted 131 to 3 in favor of Prime Minister Viktor Orbans proposal, but the governing Fidesz party did not secure any opposition support and fell two votes short of the two-thirds majority necessary.

The failure to pass the five amendments, including one stating that a foreign population cannot be settled into Hungary, was Orbans second major setback after an Oct. 2 referendum  in which more than 98 percent of voters backed the governments anti-migrant position  that was declared invalid because of low turnout.

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said the E.U. mandatory quota plan to resettle asylum seekers, yet to be approved, is a bad answer to the migrant crisis.

Orbans zero migrants policies led Hungary to build fences last year on its southern borders with Serbia and Croatia to stop the migrant flow and resulted in draconian rules that human rights groups said have practically destroyed the countrys asylum system.

 Associated Press

PHILIPPINES

Late dictator Marcos to get heros burial

The Philippine Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos can be buried at a cemetery for heroes, a decision that opponents said rolled back the democratic triumph of the people power revolt that ousted the strongman three decades ago.

A court spokesman said the justices voted 9 to 5, with one abstention, to dismiss petitions opposing President Rodrigo Dutertes approval of the Marcos familys plea for the dictator to be buried at the cemetery in metropolitan Manila where former presidents, soldiers and national artists have been interred.

The decision can be appealed.

Outside the court, more than 300 Marcos supporters erupted in celebration. Anti-Marcos activists were outraged, and some of the petitioners vowed to ask the court to reconsider.

Burying a dictator accused of massive rights violations and corruption at the heroes cemetery has long been an emotional issue in the Philippines, where Marcos was ousted in an uprising in 1986. He died in exile in 1989.

Duterte, who took over the presidency in June, backed the dictators burial at the cemetery, saying it was Marcoss privilege as a president and a soldier.

 Associated Press

NIGERIA

36 gold miners killed by bandits in northwest

Nigerian officials said bandits have killed 36 gold miners in northwest Zamfara state.

Survivor Isa Muhammad said many people were wounded and about 20 were missing. He said more than 50 gunmen invaded the informal mining site at Gidan Ardo earlier this week and seized peoples belongings. He said residents fear another attack.

Nigeria is battling an Islamist uprising in the northeast, attacks on oil installations in the south, deadly conflict between nomadic herders and farmers in the center, as well as cattle rustling, kidnappings and banditry.

 Associated Press

Key suspect in Paris, Brussels attacks is identified: Authorities identified a Belgian named Oussama Atar as the possible organizer of the deadly Islamic State attacks on Paris and Brussels over the past year. Investigators believe the same Islamic State cell was behind the Paris attacks in November 2015 and the Brussels attacks in March, which together killed 162 people.

Congo blast kills 1, injures 32 U.N. peacekeepers: An explosion while Indian peacekeepers were exercising in eastern Congo killed a young girl, injured 32 peacekeepers and sparked a protest that was dispersed by tear gas, U.N. officials and witnesses said. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said five of the peacekeepers were seriously hurt. Various rebel groups are active in Congos northeast.

Germany arrests 5 Islamic State suspects: German authorities arrested five men who allegedly aided the Islamic State militant group by recruiting members and providing financial and logistical help. The arrests were made in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the northern state of Lower Saxony. Also, a court in Frankfurt sentenced a 30-year-old German to 8 years in prison for membership in the Islamic State and war crimes.

 From news services
A firefighter works to extinguish an oil well set on fire by fleeing ISIS members Wednesday in Al Qayyarah, Iraq. (Chris Mcgrath/Getty Images)

SYRIA

Coalition airstrike blamed for 20 deaths

Syrian activists are blaming the U.S.-led coalition for an early morning airstrike on Wednesday that killed at least 20 civilians in a part of Syria held by the Islamic State militant group.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 20 people were killed and about 30 wounded in the strike on the village of Heisha. The village is north of the Islamic States de facto capital, Raqqa.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, a local media collective, said 23 civilians were killed.

U.S. Col. John Dorrian, a spokesman for the U.S.-led forces, said the coalition had conducted strikes in the area but could not confirm whether there were civilian casualties. More information is needed to conclusively determine responsibility, he said.

The international force is flying dozens of sorties in the region in support of a push by Syrian Kurdish forces on Raqqa. The offensive was announced Sunday. Iraq, meanwhile, is waging a major offensive to drive the Islamic State from the northern city of Mosul.

In Aleppo, Syrias largest city, a rocket attack on a university killed six civilians, according to Syrian state media. The Syrian Arab News Agency blamed the attack on insurgents.

 Associated Press

IRAN

U.N. report cites minor breach of nuclear deal

The United Nations agency monitoring the nuclear pact between Iran and six world powers said Wednesday that Iran is in violation of the deal by storing marginally more heavy water than the agreement allows.

Heavy water is a concern because it is used to cool reactors that can produce substantial amounts of plutonium. That, in turn, can be applied to making the fissile core of nuclear warheads.

The U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency said in a confidential report obtained by the Associated Press that Iran had exceeded the heavy water allotment of 130 metric tons (143.3 tons) slightly  by 220 pounds. The report also noted that Iran had served notice that it would resolve the issue by exporting five metric tons, substantially over the excess amount.

Wednesdays report said the agency verified the overhang on Tuesday, just days after IAEA chief Yukiya Amano expressed concerns to top Iranian officials.

Still, the breach was sensitive even beyond the technical uses of heavy water, especially because it was the second such violation since implementation of the nuclear deal. The deal curbs Irans nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

In February, a month after the deal went into effect, the agency noted for the first time that Iran had exceeded its allotted limit of heavy water. The amount was greater in that case, and some of the excess was exported to the United States under an arrangement criticized by U.S. congressional opponents.

 Associated Press

ESTONIA

Prime minister loses vote of confidence

Estonias government collapsed Wednesday after Prime Minister Taavi Roivas lost a confidence vote in Parliament, after months of cabinet squabbling mainly over economic policies.

Lawmakers in the 101-seat Parliament ousted Roivas in a

63-to-28 vote, with 10 members abstaining or absent.

President Kersti Kaljulaid summoned the heads of the six parliamentary parties for talks later Wednesday. She will have

14 days to nominate a prime minister after the Roivas cabinets formal resignation.

Roivass government was formed in April 2015 after his Reform Party won parliamentary elections. But its work has been hampered by serious policy differences between the party and its coalition partners  the left-leaning Social Democrats and the conservative IRL party.

Conflicting views on taxation and how to improve the state of Estonias economy are the main causes for the breakup.

The crisis escalated this week as the Social Democrats and IRL urged Roivas to resign, saying they had lost trust in his leadership and Reforms economic policies.

 Associated Press

26 dead in bus crash in Iran: Irans state television said a bus carrying Shiite pilgrims crashed, killing 26 people and wounding 16. The pilgrims, from the city of Yazd, were traveling to the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala for the Arbaeen religious observance. Tens of thousands of Iranians are expected to attend the Nov. 20 ceremony in Karbala.

7 killed in London tram derailment: Seven people were killed and more than 50 injured when a tram derailed while rounding a tight curve in a rainstorm in south London, police said. Investigators said the train apparently was going faster than permitted. Police arrested the 42-year-old tram driver on suspicion of manslaughter. Emergency workers labored for hours to free five people trapped in the wreckage of the two-carriage tram. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said the tram derailed as it was negotiating a sharp curve with a speed limit of 12 mph.

 From news services
CHINAS GOVERNANCE of Hong Kong is a series of object lessons in the self-defeating consequences of repression. In 2014, local authorities brutally broke up popular demonstrations led by young people who were reacting to Beijings refusal to honor a commitment to democracy in the former British colony. That, in turn, inspired the rise of a radical new opposition movement that for the first time proposed consideration of Hong Kong independence; it won six seats in elections to the Legislative Council in September.

Now Chinese Communist authorities are compounding their error. Rather than tolerate or conciliate with the dissidents, who represent a large fraction of Hong Kongs youths, the regime is heavy-handedly cracking down on them. On Monday, the National Peoples Congress in Beijing ordered that two of the new council members be denied their seats and face legal consequences because they insulted China in taking their oaths of office. In so doing, Beijing ran roughshod over Hong Kongs judicial system, which was already considering the matter.

Street protests erupted in Hong Kong even before the intervention was announced, and Hong Kong observers predicted more unrest. In short, China is perpetuating a cycle in which its own actions radicalize Hong Kongs opposition and turn more of the population against it.

A majority of Hong Kongs 7 million residents probably dont support the independence agenda of Yau Wai-ching, 25, and Sixtus Leung, 30. The two legislative election winners inserted a derogatory term for China into their oaths last month and held up a banner saying Hong Kong is not a part of China. But even defenders of the status quo will be offended by Beijings latest violation of the territorys rule of law and system of self-rule. Hong Kong prides itself on the independent judiciary it inherited from Britain, which is vital to the citys attraction of foreign investment.

Now China has demonstrated that the rule of law can be arbitrarily broken for political reasons. That follows Beijings rupture last year of Hong Kongs constitutional guarantees of free expression. Five booksellers who published political books were lured or abducted into the mainland and imprisoned. While four have returned, one is still missing in China. Meanwhile, books critical of the Chinese leadership no longer are published.

China will almost certainly succeed in preventing the opposition legislators from taking their seats, and it probably can ride out protest demonstrations, as it did in 2014. But the repression is more likely to further animate than end the nascent independence movement. Most people in Hong Kong were content to be part of China when they believed freedom of expression and the rule of law were guaranteed, and when local democratic rule was on the horizon. More will now reconsider. In willfully alienating them, the regime has traded a sullen short-term peace for long-term instability.
For the United States and for Europe, the moment of reckoning has now arrived: The West as we know it is nearing the end of its life. The United States of America has just elected as president a man who not only brags about groping women and swindles his business partners but also openly dislikes Americas traditional allies  and Europeans most of all.

Dont take my word for it. Listen to what he has been saying for many, many years. As long ago as 2000, in his ghostwritten book The America We Deserve, Trump wrote that America has no vital interest in choosing between warring factions whose animosities go back centuries. . . . Their conflicts are not worth American lives. Pulling back from Europe would save this country millions of dollars annually. The cost of stationing NATO troops in Europe is enormous. And these are clearly funds that can be put to better use.

Throughout the election campaign, he has repeated these views over and over again, even as he has flip-flopped and changed his mind about almost everything else. On abortion, he can go either way, depending on his audience. He was for the Iraq War before he was against it. But on NATO  and on Russia  Trump never wavers. In March, he described NATO as obsolete. In his first foreign policy speech, he proclaimed America First, using a famous isolationist slogan last heard in the 1940s. He has called for Japan and South Korea to acquire nuclear weapons.

At the same time, he has consistently praised the worlds dictators, Russias Vladimir Putin most of all. In 2014, he praised Russias invasion of Ukraine. Since then, he has spoken with admiration of Putins strength, of his cruelty, even of his penchant for murdering journalists. Trump does not speak of Russias economic decline or its fierce authoritarianism, perhaps because he does not know about them or perhaps because he does not care. His campaign received open assistance from Russia in the form of massive hacking and leaks, and he publicly called on Russias security services to steal more.

In China, Russia and Israel we ask people what they think of the election of Donald J. Trump as the 45th president of the United States. Well update this video as more voices come in. (Jason Aldag/The Washington Post)

Trump has also surrounded himself, from the beginning of his political career, with people linked to Putin, to Gazprom, and to Russian oligarchs. Newt Gingrich, the man who may be Trumps secretary of state and who is certainly a senior adviser, has recently described Estonia as a country in the suburbs of St. Petersburg and thus not worth defending. Whatever Trump says tomorrow or the next day, the doctrine of deterrence has been officially abandoned: It cannot be defended by a man who does not believe in it.

A few weeks ago, I spoke at an event attended by commanders of land forces from all across Europe. To a man, they remained grimly committed to their job, which everyone in the room understood to be twofold: protect Europe from terrorism, and protect Europe from Russia. The meeting was led, as is natural in a NATO context, by American generals. Now we can no longer assume that American generals will always be leading such meetings. We also cannot assume that Russian military advances, or hybrid-warfare advances, into Ukraine or the Baltic states will be pushed back by an alliance of like-minded countries.

Under President Trump, we cannot assume that America is still the leader of the free world  or the leader of anything. Protectionism, not free trade, has just won this election, and that will have consequences, too. We have to expect that transatlantic trade and transpacific trade treaties are not going to be passed. We have to assume that the North American Free Trade Agreement will be unpacked. Free trade had all kinds of consequences, but one of the advantages is that it kept countries closely linked politically as well as economically. Walls, both metaphorical and physical, will go up all over the world, between Western countries and against others.

None of this will happen quickly. It will take time  years and years  for the consequences of the coming transformation of the international political system to unfold. The initial stock market plunge reversed itself, just as it did after the Brexit vote in Britain. Treaties take years to unravel, and a policy shift of this kind takes a generation. But change is coming, as the populists have been telling us in so many countries. For the next few days and weeks, Americans will be focused on the consequences of this election at home, particularly given that a Trump-led Republican Party now dominates the House and Senate and will dominate the Supreme Court, too. But it is important to be clear-eyed about the consequences for the rest of the world, too.

Read more from Anne Applebaums archive, follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her updates on Facebook.
Donald Trump proclaimed America First on his way to his head-spinning victory in Tuesdays presidential election, and the success of that message will rock many foreign capitals where leaders have feared that Trump would alter the basics of U.S. foreign policy.

Making predictions about Trumps foreign policy is difficult, given his lack of experience. But the most likely bet is that as president he will seek to do what he promised during the campaign in breaking from current U.S. approaches to Russia, the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

Traveling abroad over the past year, I heard concern about Donald Trumps candidacy from senior officials in more than a dozen countries. He was viewed as an inexperienced and unreliable figure who might dismantle traditional U.S. commitments and alliances. Most foreign leaders will be upset that Hillary Clinton, an advocate of traditional U.S. strategy and commitments, lost the race.

[Is America still the leader of the free world?]

Early on the morning of Nov. 9, Republican President-elect Donald Trump addressed supporters in New York, declaring victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Here are key moments from that speech. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

A Trump foreign policy, based on his statements, will bring an intense realist focus on U.S. national interests and a rejection of costly U.S. engagements abroad. It will likely bring these changes:

A move to improve relations with a combative, assertive Russia. Trump stressed repeatedly during the campaign, at some political cost, that he would work with President Vladimir Putin. I think Id be able to get along with him, he said in September at a televised forum hosted by NBCs Matt Lauer. If he says great things about me, Im gonna say great things about him. . . . I mean, the man has very strong control over a country.

Trump also discounted allegations that Russian hackers had meddled in the presidential election. I doubt it, I doubt it, Trump said when asked in an Oct. 19 debate about a statement by Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. accusing Russias senior-most officials of approving hacking of Democratic Party websites. Trumps denial led some Democrats to argue that electing Trump had been Russias real goal.

A joint military effort with Russia and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to defeat the Islamic State. Trump proposed this shared campaign during that same debate. If Russia and the United States got along well and went after ISIS, that would be good, he said. He offered positive comments about Assad, saying, Hes just much tougher and much smarter than her [Clinton], adding that if the opposition should win in Syria, you may very well end up with worse than Assad.

Trump also promised repeatedly that he would step up the U.S. military campaign against the Islamic State and replace U.S. generals who were insufficiently combative. But he has been vague about what he plans to do in Iraq and Syria.

A new push for European allies to pay more for their own defense. Its unlikely that Trump will dismantle NATO, as critics charged during the campaign. He said in a debate that Clinton was telling just another lie when she accused him of undermining commitments to defend NATO allies and Asian partners such as Japan and South Korea. But he never retreated from an April 27 speech in which he said the U.S. must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves, even if that means letting them acquire nuclear weapons.

[He won. Now what does Donald Trump do?]

1 of 48 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What Election Night looked like View Photos Donald Trump, 70, will be the 45th president of the United States. The real-estate developer and former reality-TV star is the first person to win the presidency without having previously held public office or served in the U.S. military. Caption Donald Trump, 70, will be the 45th president of the United States. The real-estate developer and former reality-TV star is the first person to win the presidency without having previously held public office or served in the U.S. military. Nov. 9, 2016 President-elect Donald Trump addresses supporters at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

In Europe, Trumps victory is likely to reinforce the trend toward politicians expressing similar right-wing, nationalist views. The avatar of this neo-nationalism was the surprise victory of Brexit supporters in Junes referendum in Britain, and there are comparable movements in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. President Trump will have to decide whether to embrace such movements, which could destabilize the European Union.

An attempt to alter the terms of trade in Asia by renegotiating trade pacts and forcing China to revalue its currency. Its hard to predict how this combative approach to globalization will play out. Often, Trumps extreme rhetoric and threats against business partners are tactics in what he famously described as the art of the deal. A China thats already experiencing a bubble economy might well be vulnerable to U.S. economic pressure. But the most likely outcome of Trumps protectionist rhetoric will be a global economic downturn, many analysts have argued.

Trumps campaign was premised on the idea that his approach would make America great again. His presidency will test that proposition. But many analysts argue that by putting Americas interests first so nakedly, he may push many U.S. allies in Europe and Asia to make their own deals with a newly assertive Russia and a rising China.

Undoing globalization isnt possible. But undermining Americas leadership in that system would be all too easy.

Read more from David Ignatiuss archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Former au pair Andrea Villa lost her job, her residence and, potentially, her legal immigration status when a dispute developed between her and her host family. (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

The Nov. 6 Washington Post Magazine article Culture clash noted that many au pairs are overworked and disrespected. As an au pair who has been living with a host family in Northern Virginia for a year and a half, I believe that what makes this program fail is lack of information. I applied to become an au pair completely aware of the fact that I was going to be working 45 hours and making $195.75 a week. In the two-day training I received upon arrival, my agency made it very clear that host families expect exceptional child care.

I live with an amazing host family who treats me like a daughter. I feel respected and valued. However, other au pairs havent been as lucky. Au pairs need to be more aware of their rights and obligations. But, more important, host families and agencies need to take the State Departments regulations more seriously.

Julia Ansaldi, McLean

The au pair program simply could not exist unless its participants, including the overwhelming majority of au pairs, expressed satisfaction with the program. In fact, Andrea Villa, the au pair featured in the article, was clear about the positive experiences she had with two of her three host families. Yet the article gave the impression that the program is fundamentally flawed.

The au pair program has been among the State Departments most successful exchange programs for many years. It provides opportunities for young people to have direct involvement in the daily lives of American families, allowing them to learn more about our country and traditions and strengthen their English skills. At the same time, American families are able to expose their children to different cultures and languages. Au pairs typically are treated like a member of the family. Many form life-long bonds with their hosts, with whom they stay in touch for many years after the initial exchange.

For all those reasons and more, thousands of au pairs, including Ms. Villa, choose to extend their stays and many seek the opportunity each year. Given the myriad challenges we face globally, we must support exchange programs such as the au pair program that contribute to greater mutual understanding among peoples.

Ilir Zherka, Washington

The writer is executive director of the

Alliance for International Exchange.
President Obama should focus on three foreign policy challenges, post-election, to finish fights that began on his watch. These include setting rules for cyberspace behavior with Russia and other nations, pressing on toward Raqqa, Syria, and the destruction of the Islamic State, and a Hail Mary effort to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal during the lame-duck session of Congress.

The most delicate challenge during the transition involves Russia, whose pre-election hacking of Democratic Party websites was the most destabilizing and potentially dangerous great-power confrontation in decades. The next president will have to decide how to rebalance the U.S.-Russia relationship on a longer-term basis, but Obama can help shape the rules for cyberspace.

Obama personally discussed cyberspace issues with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a private meeting during the Group of 20 summit meeting in China in early September. He confirmed at a news conference later that they talked about cybersecurity, generally, but he wouldnt comment on specific investigations that are still live and active.

Obama set the right agenda at that news conference when he said, What we cannot do is have a situation in which suddenly this becomes the Wild, Wild West, where countries that have significant cyber capacity start engaging in competition  unhealthy competition or conflict through these means.

The United States was clearer in an Oct. 7 public statement by Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. and Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, which stated that Russias senior-most officials had authorized cyberattacks that were intended to interfere with the U.S. election process.

The United States has not yet taken any covert action to respond to Russian cyberattacks, contrary to some news reports. Thats because Obama wanted to avoid further pre-election destabilization and to respond in a way that leaves the possibility of escalation limited, said one senior administration official. But any post-election Russian attempts to undermine the results or sow new confusion in cyberspace might trigger U.S. action, several officials cautioned.

Obama should continue this delicate process of establishing a framework for mutual cyber-deterrence with Russia. Theres no higher priority in his remaining time in office.

Delivering on the promise to degrade and ultimately destroy the Islamic State may be impossible before Obama leaves office Jan. 20. But U.S. commanders said last weekend that they are pressing ahead with the battle to take Raqqa, the Islamic States self-declared capital, despite disagreements among U.S. coalition partners about the composition of the force that will clear and hold the city.

Obama appears to have followed the advice of Gen. Joseph Votel, the commander of U.S. Central Command, to go with what works, by relying on a Kurdish-dominated umbrella group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces in the squeeze on Raqqa, despite opposition from Turkey. This is an expedient decision: Roughly 25,000 SDF fighters are ready, while a Free Syrian Army force supported by both Turkey and the United States is said to need more months of training. The Turks dont like the SDF coalition because its built around a Syrian Kurdish militia known as the YPG, which the Turks regard as a terrorist group.

U.S. officials think the Raqqa timetable is urgent, and not just to make progress by Inauguration Day. This is a war of momentum, and commanders say its crucial to continue the recent progress made in Mosul. As long as Raqqa remains in Islamic State control, it could be the launching pad for deadly terrorist attacks. A senior French official underlined Friday the urgency of the Raqqa campaign to European nations that have been hit by terrorism.

Obama will leave a messy problem for his successor if he cant diminish tension with Turkey. One approach was suggested Sunday by a senior representative of Iraqi Kurdistan and its Turkish-backed leader, President Masoud Barzani. This official said in a telephone interview that Turkish fears about the Raqqa campaign would be eased by the participation of a Barzani-trained Syrian Kurdish militia known as the Rojava Peshmerga, which might operate separately from the YPG but under overall U.S. command.

Obamas final post-election challenge is to somehow pass the Trans- Pacific Partnership, the 12-nation pact thats the symbolic centerpiece of his once-ballyhooed pivot to Asia. Obama has told Asian leaders that he thinks he can muster the votes, if the Republican leadership cooperates. Failure to get the deal passed would be a huge strategic victory for China, the White House rightly argues.

Obamas presidency is almost history, after Tuesdays vote. But he could still accomplish three big things that would shape the world in 2017 and beyond.

Read more from David Ignatiuss archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Expecting a celebration, The Washington Posts Dana Milbank wrote a letter to his daughter to help her cope with Hillary Clintons electoral loss. (Adriana Usero/The Washington Post)

Expecting a celebration, The Washington Posts Dana Milbank wrote a letter to his daughter to help her cope with Hillary Clintons electoral loss. (Adriana Usero/The Washington Post)

As I watched the returns at Donald Trumps celebration here Tuesday night, the hardest part was trying to reassure my seventh-grade daughter at home, via phone and text, that she would be okay.

She had expected to be celebrating the election of the first female president, but instead, this man she had been reading and hearing horrible things about had won, and she feared her own world could come apart.

Here is what Im telling her:

My wonderful daughter,

This is a sad day for our country. I want you to know that I did everything I could to prevent this from happening. My efforts and those of many others came up short.

Ive written about the dreadful things Trump said and did during the campaign, and about the still more terrible things he could do if elected. I wont lie: I am deeply worried for the nation.

But I am writing because I want you to keep those fears in perspective. We will be fine. Your daily life wont change. Youll go to school, go to parties with friends, enjoy the same activities and come home to a loving family. Next week, well celebrate your bat mitzvah.

Its important, on one hand, to accept that Trump won, fair and square. As Americans, we respect the office and we salute him. Trump had suggested he wouldnt recognize the result if he lost. Thats not how we play. Honoring elections is the bedrock of democracy.

But his election, by itself, doesnt mean America wont be a safe place for immigrants, black people, Latinos, Muslims, Jews, gays and lesbians, or a place where women arent treated fairly. There has been a lot of talk about how the political professionals misunderstood the electorate. But thats not entirely true. Hillary Clinton, as of now, is leading in the popular vote. More Americans wanted her to be president than him. Its possible, as exit polls of voters suggest, that the FBI director, by causing the country to spend the final days of the election talking about her email, handed Trump victory. Well never know for sure, and theres nothing we can do about it.

What this means for sure is that Trump has little support to do the things he talked of. The exit polls show people supported him because they were bothered by Clintons emails or because they were worried about the economy and terrorists. CNNs exit polls show that:

Seventy percent of voters, including 29 percent of Trump voters, were bothered by his treatment of women.

Sixty-three percent, including 20 percent of Trump voters, said he doesnt have the temperament to be president.

Sixty-three percent, including 21 percent of his own voters, said hes not honest and trustworthy.

Fifty-seven percent, including 14 percent of his own voters, said they would have a negative view of Trumps victory.

Most Americans dont want a border wall, and only 25 percent of voters want him to deport illegal immigrants. They dont support ending Obamacare or free trade.

So what do we do now?

First, we must try to help Trump succeed. I urge Republicans of conscience to join his administration, to temper his worst instincts, as I hope Vice President-elect Mike Pence will. Six years ago, the top Republican in the Senate said his top political goal should be defeating President Obama. I hope Democrats dont act that way. If Trump drops the crazy talk of the campaign, he could easily find compromises on the economy and immigration. Trump reinvented himself for this campaign. Hes capable of remaking himself again into a practical leader.

But if he doesnt, if he governs as recklessly and as divisively as he campaigned, there will be checks on his power. Stock markets will crash and a recession will come if he gets us into trade wars. If he doesnt change his views about foreign policy, hell get no support from allies.

If he uses the federal government to prosecute and jail his critics  well, then we would have a crisis. If he starts rounding up Muslims or inflames the anti-Semitism he stirred up in the campaign, I and many others  including many Republicans  will fight him with everything we have. Paul Ryan, and most Republican officeholders, are not bigots.

People joke about fleeing to another country, but America remains the greatest country on Earth. You are rightly scared that a man who talks about women the way Trump does was elected president. But we all know a woman will be elected president someday. Maybe it will be you.

At your bat mitzvah next week, we will end the service, as always, with a prayer for our country:

Grant our leaders wisdom and forbearance.

May they govern with justice and compassion.

God bless you, my daughter, and God bless America.

All my love,

Dad

Twitter: @Milbank

Read more from Dana Milbanks archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
What happens when the factories and the steel mills dont come back? When the coal mines fail to reopen? When both a tightfisted Congress and the government of Mexico refuse to pay for his boondoggle of a border wall?

When the president-elect, Donald Trump, takes office and has to confront inconvenient reality, how will he react? We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead, Hillary Clinton said Wednesday, and of course she is right. But I wouldnt be honest if I pretended, at this point, to be hopeful. My fear is that the man we saw on the campaign trail is the same man we will see in the White House.

He proved to be a tremendously effective demagogue. He stunned the world by energizing and mobilizing legions of forgotten men and women  white, working-class Americans living in small towns and rural areas across the nation  who bought into his pledge to make America great again. Instead of serious policy proposals, he gave them scapegoats: immigrants, Muslims, people of color living in inner cities that he imagined as circles of Dantes Inferno.

His promises were of the non-serious variety, in that they cannot be fulfilled. Surely Trump knows full well that globalization and technological change cannot be reversed. The millions of manufacturing jobs that have been shipped overseas or eliminated by automation will not magically reappear; many assembly lines are manned by robots these days. The coal industry is dying not because of government policy but because oil and natural gas are so cheap and plentiful. The huge infrastructure projects Trump says he will build, including the border wall, have essentially no chance of being funded by a Republican-controlled Congress determined to cut spending, not boost it.

How, then, will Trump keep his forgotten supporters from becoming disillusioned and disaffected? One way would be to continue to stoke their anger and resentment. To be black, Hispanic, Asian American, Muslim or an immigrant today is to feel oneself potentially a target of white grievance and rage.

In her Nov. 9 concession speech, Hillary Clinton said, "Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead." (The Washington Post)

During my adult life, following the triumph of the civil rights movement, overt bigotry and racism have been socially unacceptable. Trump released these demons from the back room of the American psyche where they had been stuffed. During the past year, I have seen and heard a kind of raw ugliness that I hadnt witnessed since the dying days of Jim Crow in the segregated South.

Trump was the candidate not of working-class America but of working-class white America. It is hard not to see his victory as partly, or perhaps mostly, a reaction to the eight-year presidency of Barack Obama, the first black man to occupy the White House. Some people might disregard the fact that Trump branded himself as a political figure by becoming a leader of the birther movement that challenged Obamas legitimacy as holder of the nations highest office. I cant forget it, or forgive it.

It is impolite to say such things so soon, I realize. Trump sounded gracious and inclusive in his victory speech, but of course he had to. Clinton urged the nation to come together behind its new leader, but of course she had no choice. The ritual of kind words and best wishes that follows an election is a great tradition, and I am glad it was observed.

We have no choice but to hope and pray for the best. But I would be dishonest if I claimed to see, in Trumps election, anything positive except the fact that it ends a campaign so long and painful that the phrase Bataan Death March often came to mind.

There will be plenty of time for postmortems about the failures of the Clinton campaign. Might Bernie Sanders, who also connected with working-class voters, have succeeded where Clinton failed? I have difficulty convincing myself of that proposition, but at the moment I cant claim to be the best judge of electability.

There will also be time for an extensive autopsy of the Democratic Party, which is at a modern-era low. Republicans will control the White House, both chambers of Congress, most governorships and most state legislatures. The Democrats need new blood and new ideas  and they need to figure out how the GOP somehow became the party of the working class, which used to be the Democratic Partys core identity.

The old political order lies in rubble. Donald Trump is going to be president. The strength and resilience of the American experiment are about to be tested.

Read more from Eugene Robinsons archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. You can also join him Tuesdays at 1 p.m. for a live Q&A.
The meaning of this election will depend not on the president-elect but on what every one of us does today and tomorrow and the next day and the day after. The true contest begins only now.

Over the past 15 months, the matters at stake have been written about extensively on these pages. Can we preserve a people united by a shared commitment to a democratic republic, if by nothing else? Can we secure the constitutional rights that make our commitment to a democratic republic real? Can we put racial domination behind us; abandon the denigration of women, sexual minorities, immigrants, the disabled and the religiously faithful; and also free our economy from the inequality traps set for us by globalization?

With high hope for the future, to paraphrase Lincoln, I nonetheless venture no prediction.

The prayers of one side to put 11 million undocumented citizens on the path to citizenship and of the other side to deport them all cannot both be answered. The hopes of one side for an end to discrimination against transgender people and of the other side to be free of even having to think about transgender experiences cannot both be satisfied. Nor is it likely that, in the end, the prayers and hopes of either side will be answered fully. To believe in democracy is to accept the disappointment of the imperfect outcome. What good, then, is democracy?

By virtue of participating in these contests, we are free. Only by participating in these contests can we be free. We are disappointed today but can try again for tomorrow. To be a democratic citizen requires endurance, resilience and tenacity.

The project of self-government endures just as long as we are willing to accept our losses in electoral contests. If we cease to accept our losses, democracy is at an end. It must break up into ever smaller units, until it is no more. What makes us a united people is nothing more and nothing less than our willingness to accept political defeats. Thats it  the strange alchemy that makes democracy.

But theres a vital second part to this question: What makes it possible to accept loss in the political arena? Only unshakable confidence that impartial judicial institutions will secure our constitutional rights. These rights limit the depth of the defeat we can suffer. To preserve ourselves as a people willing to concede elections, we need confidence in our mutual commitments to one anothers constitutional rights.

And if we are to have this confidence, we need judicial institutions that act with disinterestedness and impartiality. Compared with the antics of the FBI, the findings against Rolling Stone for defamation and against New Jersey Gov. Chris Christies Bridgegate deputies bring sweet relief. Somewhere, out there, outside of Washington, the justice system still operates in plain and sensible ways, securing liberty and dispensing justice to all. This election has made clear that we have work to do to restore the value of disinterestedness in the nations capital and everywhere. If we lose impartiality, we lose our democracy.

Finally, as we speed toward being a society in which no ethnic group is in the majority, there is the question of whether we can refashion our social and economic relations to support liberty and justice for all. In this election, rural Americans and Americans without college degrees sought release from the trap of diminished opportunities. Sadly, their fine aspirations have gotten wretchedly mixed up with the desires of the David Dukes among us, and their amplifiers, including the president-elect. The David Dukes of our country find their solutions to our problems in the pursuit of racial purity and restored domination. In this election, they have gained far too much influence.

Each and every one of us can help unmix that mess by bringing our creativity to the question of how to reorganize educational and economic opportunities so that they are spread fairly throughout the population. Add to the list the task of engaging anew in a fight for hearts and minds, a quest to inspire a commitment to equality. Finally, let us begin, each and every one of us, to learn again how to listen. We are hearing important things from both sides that, in each case, the other side doesnt know how to hear.

Surely, we all seek a just and lasting peace among ourselves. If so, three things are necessary: securing our peoplehood; securing our rights; and securing social equality and economic fairness. In a time where we seem to have no common projects, we should shift our collective focus to the one thing we do share: our constitutional union. We need to focus on restoring the health and functionality of our political institutions.

With charity toward all, and malice toward none, I, for one, concede today. With charity toward all, and malice toward none, with firmness in the right as my own God helps me to work to discern the right, I, and others, too, Im sure, commit to using pen and voice, argument and exhortation, tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that, at every phase of the great contest that faces us now. It is a worthy cause, an effort to rebuild our democratic republic and to forge a connected society with liberty and justice for all. What will become of us depends on each of us.
In the wake of Donald Trumps destabilizing candidacy and Tuesdays stunning victory, Republicans across the country are struggling with a question: What does it mean to be one of them?

But Trumps strong performance offered few answers. Instead, it could spell the beginning of a long and divisive GOP war over the way forward.

The partys old coalition has eroded. The business-friendly conservatism that defined the GOP for a century has been diluted by tariff-happy nationalism. Its core principles are unclear. No one is sure who will decide whats next, or how.

The first front in the fight over the partys future will come within days, as House Republicans decide next week on a new speaker: whether to stick with establishment favorite and incumbent Paul D. Ryan (Wis.) or to choose an outsider, if the base agitates for someone new.

A cascade of standoffs will follow over a vacant Supreme Court seat, government funding and the federal budget, appointees for a new administration, and the president-elects agenda.

But the partys future will depend, too, on the states, where the GOP has remained dominant, as much as Washington, where it stands diminished. Trumps populist and racially charged campaign revealed a fast-growing grievance movement that took Republican leaders by surprise  and exposed their detachment from the simmering frustrations and policy aspirations of their core voters.

The GOPs usual playbook  lower taxes, fewer regulations, hawkish foreign policy  is ready for reuse, but the question for the party is whether Trump will return to those tenets as he plots his presidency.

Critics such as Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) argued before Tuesday that the Trump approach is a demographic cul-de-sac and that blaming every closed factory on trade deals was unrealistic.

[A generation of GOP stars stands diminished: Everything Trump touches dies]

But Trumps win gave him immense capital. His allies, such as his campaigns chief executive, Stephen K. Bannon, see a far different landscape. The incendiary website Bannon once led, Breitbart, has rocketed to the fore of the party and is already spoiling to challenge GOP leaders on Capitol Hill, including Ryan, who has long drawn its ire.

Christopher Ruddy, a conservative media executive and friend of Trump, said his appeal is a function of the economic malaise and the lack of jobs as much as Trump. That anger and bitterness is real.

Trump trampled norms, positions and traditions that were fragile even before he arrived. He alienated (and energized) Latino and Asian voters, but he bolstered the partys support among whites. He sent the GOPs foreign policy establishment running and appeared under banners that evoked the dormant isolationist motto America First.

Now, Trump gets to redefine the party, said Ari Fleischer, a former George W. Bush spokesman who did not vote for Trump or Clinton. It will mostly be a non-ideological populist party joined by a conservative movement on occasion. . . . The party will be led by a personality-type figure, not an ideological one. Which means the success of the party is very much tied to the success of the man.

[Trump-driven divide will consume the GOP long after the election]

I just dont see business as usual, said former Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo, an advocate of hard-line immigration policy who left the GOP because he said it had become the Party of Democrat Lite. His state, meanwhile, has seen a rise in Latino voting power and was a hotbed of anti-Trump activity.

Todays GOP, Tancredo said, faces a choice between the Trump forces that have energized it to the point of takeover and possible donor-class attempts to smother that energy.

Its hard to see how the latter bloc gains ground in the immediate aftermath of the election. But even if Trumps wing of the party asserts itself, the avalanche of acrimony and internal battles could be politically lethal.

Theres real anguish and a coming apart, said Edward J. Rollins, a former campaign manager for Ronald Reagan. Its about more than Trump. The party isnt now all traditional Republicans. Its more of the voters we brought in with Reagan: working-class Democrats who left that party and who have grown in our party. Theyre here, and they dont see the Paul Ryans as one of them.

Outside Washington, most Republicans, if shocked or not totally with Trump, are focused on holding together and keeping Trump voters within the fold.

You saw this Brexit kind of voter in New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan come out for Trump. Its not a new thing to want to make sure they stay Republican. Every time Republicans win nationally, its because that voter came with us, said Ed Cox, chairman of the New York GOP.

Cox described his late father-in-law, Richard M. Nixon, as a mainstream Republican who brought together the silent majority and the conservative movement during the 1968 election. He sees Nixon as a model of sorts for how Republicans will need to fuse various blocs in coming years.

[Two wonks, one question: Could Hillary Clinton and Paul Ryan work together?]

Next year should be an indicator, he added, with gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey and a mayoral election in New York City.

As Patricia Poprik worked Tuesday at a bustling GOP headquarters in Bucks County, Pa., a swing suburban area, the county chairwoman was upbeat. Were filling spaces where we didnt have committee people, she said of Trump supporters. Weve got to take that passion and keep everyone involved.

Poprik said moderates in vote-rich places such as Bucks County wont abandon the party because of Trump, since most of them still believe that the GOP is what its always been about: smaller government, less intrusion in lives, less regulation, letting people decide for themselves.

Those things havent changed, she said. The rank and file are here. Its the elites in Washington who should pay attention more to the regular Joes, the moderates and the conservatives, to understand whats happening.

Elsewhere, thousands of state legislators will be working in capitols unified under GOP control. Republican governors such as Marylands Larry Hogan and Massachusettss Charlie Baker, both of whom refused to vote for Trump, may be positioned to argue that a more moderate party could do a better job of growing the party beyond its base.

Trump has smoked out the rats in the Republican Party  the globalist rats, said state Sen. Frank Niceley, a Republican who has served in Nashville since the 1980s and watched his party become dominant. The Romneys, the Bushes, the [Gov. Bill] Haslams have all been controlled by the David Rockefeller globalist wing of the party. Theres still those of us who believe in limited government and lower taxes, and were not going back. When you dont back the nominee, youre done for.

Trumps rise also empowered people whom the Republican Party had thought vanished or irrelevant. Some of his loudest support came from white nationalists and alt-right conservatives. Some quietly volunteered for him, pulling sleeves over their Iron Cross tattoos. More found allies on social media and megaphones in the mainstream media. Richard Spencer, whose white-nationalist think tank has scheduled a post-election conference in Washington, planned to spend election night at Trumps downtown Washington hotel.

Anything that can be perceived that way  in some cases, thats going to be textbook racist comments  the party has a responsibility to reject that, Flake said.

[Something is happening that is amazing, Trump said. He was right.]

Back in Washington, Ryan and Senate Republicans could be boxed in. On the horizon in 2018 are a slew of Senate races that look like possible pickups in states where Trump is popular. The temptation and pressure to rouse GOP voters rather than rein in Trumps policies could be intense and White House-driven, and many Republicans will argue, perhaps rightly, that it is the way to keep activists aligned ahead of 2020.

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), a conservative who has clashed with his partys leadership, said the dynamics driving Republicans in Congress are likely to be different than the factors affecting the GOP elsewhere.

In the House, you have this central group of committed conservatives and a group of 20 to 25 moderates that push and pull and try to decide whats going to happen and who gets leverage, he said. Congress will be more about figuring out whos going to decide what, as the populism out there continues.

Ryan could be a weather vane. An avowed supporter of free markets and sweeping changes to entitlement programs  which Trump opposed  he is a proud descendant of Reaganism and supply-side economics. His willingness or reluctance to modify the partys pitch will say much about how much national Republicans are going to incorporate Trumps politics.

On the other side of the Capitol, young senators who jockeyed to be the face of the GOPs future before Trump beat them in the primaries, such as Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Ted Cruz (Tex.), will battle over that role again  and under Trumps shadow. Theyll have support and likely competition from Sens. Ben Sasse (Neb.) and Tom Cotton (Ark.), who have ties to intellectual conservatives and come from the heartland.

In the gubernatorial mansions, Baker and Hogan are not the only influential players. Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker ran against Trump and could return to the national stage, with Walker mulling a reelection bid in 2018 and Kasich recently traveling to New Hampshire. Trumps running mate and vice president-elect, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, could be a bridge between Trump supporters and the Republican leadership.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) will be another player, figuring out where his libertarian conservatism fits in light of former New Mexico governor Gary Johnsons campaign as the Libertarian Party nominee, which drew some attention, and his own failed bid for the GOP nomination. Same goes for Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who has been at the forefront of the partys constitutional conservative wing, along with Cruz.

[For Donald Trumps supporters, this election is about him, not the GOP]

But Pauls early flameout in the primaries surprised even Democrats. Before Trumps campaign, Republicans like Paul talked about building a new majority, with criminal justice reform and economic opportunity winning over nonwhite voters, and a government-shrinking message appealing to millennials. The primary contest revealed how little active support there was for those ideas; the only message Trump adopted was that America needed to avoid foreign wars unless they were quick and in search of natural resources.

You can complain about the candidates or the system, but the bigger problem is theres no mass constituency for radical cuts in government  among GOP primary voters or the electorate at large, said Gene Healy, a vice president at the libertarian Cato Institute. Any progress toward shrinking government and expanding liberty is going to be slow and incremental, and its almost certainly not going to emerge from presidential politics.

The prospect for immigration reform, too, is all but over. No issue drove Trump more in the primaries. Although Ryan and others in GOP leadership have supported bipartisan efforts in the past, they know any further push could be perilous and opposed by a base that viscerally identified with Trumps proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Its got to be done in stages and pieces, not some big, massive bill that ends up collapsing under its own weight, Ryan said at the Economic Club of Washington this fall, talking about the prospect of a pact next year.

The conundrum of how to build the party with Hispanics is hardly new, and it vexed Republicans four years ago, after Romney called for self-deportation of undocumented workers. That set off a wave of conferences, speeches and memos about how to rebuild the GOP.

As the party wondered how it had misread the mood of the country and allowed President Obama to win a second term, at least one Republican called in to Fox and Friends to explain that the GOP needed to cut smart deals  especially on the issue that had alienated Latinos.

Frankly, the Republicans should take the lead on immigration, he said. Look, theyre never going to win another election unless they do something.

And then Donald Trump hung up the phone.


President Obama arrives for a private game of basketball at Fort McNair in Washington on Nov. 8. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)

He already voted early back home in Chicago, so all that was left for President Obama on Election Day was to take part in the ritual he had observed with his own name on the ballot  a pickup basketball game  and to make a final pitch to the electorate.

Go vote. Its up to you, Obama said Tuesday, pointing at television news cameras during a stroll along the White House colonnade after returning from the game at Fort McNair.

A reporter asked the president, who has campaigned intensively for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, whether he was nervous about the outcome.

[Live updates: Election 2016 and race results]

As long as the American people vote, I think well do a good job, he replied. I hope everybodys voted early. If not, get out there.

Obama then disappeared into the White House, but his last-minute get-out-the-vote effort had not yet finished. Aides said he taped interviews with six radio stations in three swing states  Pennsylvania, Florida and Ohio  imploring people to get to the polls.

President Obama brought his tried-and-true campaign slogans and humor-filled attacks on Donald Trump to Hillary Clintons defense in the final days of the presidential campaign. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

As the election results began to come in Tuesday night, however, it appeared that Obamas frantic final campaigning for Clinton might not be enough to avoid a monumental upset to Republican nominee Donald Trump. Called upon as a chief surrogate for a candidate who has struggled to make a personal connection with voters, Obama had put his suddenly robust approval ratings and star power to work for Clinton with increasing urgency in the final weeks in a bid to boost Democratic turnout with his own legacy on the line.

But the early election results told another story. First Florida, which Obama had won in 2008 and 2012, fell out of Clintons grasp. Then North Carolina, where Obama, who won in 2008 before narrowly losing in 2012, had warned supporters just last week that the fate of the republic rests on your shoulders.

Late into the night, Wisconsin looked grim for Clinton, and even Michigan, in which Obama had bragged of bailing out the auto industry during an emergency campaign stop Monday in Ann Arbor, was in danger.

It was a stunning twist of fortune for Clinton, but also for the president.

Obama had pounded the lectern and wagged his finger, given stern instructions and laughed easily, introduced new lines and brought back old ones. When the crowds have called, We love you! he still has said, Love you back  but has made quite clear he has an ask.

Tomorrow, you will choose whether we continue this journey of progress, he told the crowd at the University of Michigan, or whether it all goes out the window.

Sixteen times over the past two months, Obama had delivered his stump speech for Clinton  including three times on Monday in a final swing through Michigan, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. He and his wife, first lady Michelle Obama, had fanned out across the radio and television airways for dozens of interviews, many with stations targeting African American audiences. All told, the president attended 72 fundraising events over two years on behalf of Clinton and the Democratic Party, according to party operatives.

I will consider it a personal insult, an insult to my legacy, if this community lets down its guard and fails to activate itself in this election, Obama told a Congressional Black Caucus gala in a fiery speech in September. You want to give me a good send-off? Go vote.

[Obamas Legacy: An interactive museum of his presidency]

For Obama, who said during his State of the Union address in January that his chief regret is that political polarization has become worse, the campaign appearances offered him a final chance to convince the public that his brand of political optimism would outlast the bitterness and ugly tone of the 2016 campaign season.

But the president acknowledged the skepticism that it would not. At a rally with 33,000 Clinton supporters on Philadelphias Independence Mall on Monday night, Obama told the crowd that a journalist had asked him last week whether he still believed in the politics of hope on which he campaigned in 2008.

Maybe your vision was misguided  or at least very naive, the reporter had suggested, according to Obama. The president considered the question out loud for a moment, ruminating over a social-media discourse that sows partisanship and an unbalanced economic system that has left many Americans more skeptical about their futures.

Despite all that, I told him the answer is, Yes, I still believe in hope,  Obama declared. Im still as optimistic as ever.

It has not been an easy sell.

Obamas personal approval ratings, comfortably above 50 percent, are at some of the highest levels since his first year in office. But Clinton and Trump are saddled with far worse approval ratings and even lower levels of public trust.

Which is why Obamas last campaign had been, at heart, less about Clinton and more about his personal connection with the supporters who propelled his unlikely rise.

I have seen again and again your goodness and your strength and your heart, Obama told the crowd in Philadelphia. In 2008, you gave me a chance  a skinny guy with a funny name. . . . America, Im betting on you one more time.

[Changing demographics could decide election result]

Obama used his final barnstorming trip as a chance to thank his supporters and remind them of the high stakes, and he did so with notes of defiance about the prospect of a Trump presidency, and a touch of nostalgia about his own waning tenure in the White House.

Im feeling a little sentimental, Obama told a crowd of 9,000 on his first stop, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.



President Obama campaigns for Hillary Clinton at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. (Carlos Osorio/AP)

He wasnt the only one. More than eight years after they crowded into staff vans to canvass for votes in rural Iowa, several long-serving White House senior aides joined the president aboard Air Force One for one more get-out-the-vote effort.

The election of the next president is the clearest, most tangible sign that this presidency is about to end, said White House press secretary Josh Earnest, who knocked on doors for Obama in Iowa in 2007. Its a moment for reflection.

The nostalgia was flowing heavily in both directions. On Obamas second stop Monday, at the University of New Hampshire, a supporter in the crowd of 7,600 held up a blue sign from the presidents 2012 reelection campaign. Four more years! someone else shouted.

Others, especially in the African American community, have urged Michelle Obama to consider a run for political office. She has demurred. But the mother of two teenage daughters has become perhaps the Democratic Partys most potent messenger in making a personal case against Trump as a dangerous role model. Her use of the Obama family motto  When they go low, we go high  during the Democratic National Convention in July became a rallying cry.

[Long lines, intimidation and machine breakdowns reported across the country]

The president told his college audiences that the election amounted to a referendum on the progress of the past eight years. Cmon, man, he declared sarcastically on several occasions in exasperation at the notion that Trump could be taken seriously, given his lewd comments about women and insults against racial minorities.

Offering a refresher course for students who were perhaps too young to remember much about the state of the nation when he took office, Obama recited a litany of accomplishments: rescuing the economy from the Great Recession, bailing out the auto industry, passing a landmark health-care law, killing al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

When the crowd booed a mention of Trump, the president recycled a 2012 campaign refrain: Dont boo  vote!

Trump cant hear you boo, but he can hear you vote, the president said, jabbing a finger in the air.

Throughout the campaign, the president warned against complacency. Winding up his remarks in New Hampshire, Obama retold the story of how he was inspired during a low moment in his 2008 campaign by the chant of a diminutive county council member in Greenwood, S.C., named Edith Childs who was known to energize a room by shouting, Fired up! Ready to go!



First lady Michelle Obama, President Obama and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton greet supporters during a campaign rally on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Emphasizing the power of a single voice to make a difference, Obama implored his audience to go to the polls: Lets go finish what we started.

But, before it was time to vote, there was one final stop in Philadelphia, where a sea of supporters was waiting for a final glimpse of the first couple.

The Obamas did not disappoint. The first lady took a moment to tell the crowd how proud I am of all that he has done for this country, and the president responded by calling her my partner, my love, my rock.

Before long, however, they ceded the stage to Clinton. And when the rally was over, and the Democratic nominee headed off to another rally in North Carolina, the Obamas did not go with her.

The presidential motorcade returned to the airport and the first couple ascended the stairs of Air Force One, which lifted into the night sky, leaving the crowds behind.

Juliet Eilperin and Krissah Thompson contributed to this report.

Read more:

What states to watch tonight, when and why

Even before 2016 is over, the race for 2020 is well underway

Trump campaign files lawsuit in Nevada aimed at early voting

Dear Ann Coulter: Just say you only want white people to vote.

These races will determine whether Republicans hold their Senate majority
Early on the morning of Nov. 9, Republican President-elect Donald Trump addressed supporters in New York, declaring victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Here are key moments from that speech. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

Early on the morning of Nov. 9, Republican President-elect Donald Trump addressed supporters in New York, declaring victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Here are key moments from that speech. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

Donald Trumps campaign for president was rarely pretty and always implausible  at least thats what the experts said. Trump always believed otherwise and in stunning fashion proved all the experts wrong. But his victory over Hillary Clinton left open the biggest question of all: What kind of president will he be and what kind of country will he lead?

Its impossible to overstate how uncertain the road ahead is at this point. But how will Trump govern, and how effective will he be? His core issues  trade, immigration, and law and order  offer clues but no clear road map for the future. Even in pursuit of the goals he outlined in those three areas, his proposals lack real specificity. But then, his campaign was not about policy white papers. It was instead a thumb in the eye of the establishment, an American version of the populist uprisings against open borders and globalization that have been seen in other Western societies.

Trump always said he smelled an American Brexit in the making  a reference to the unexpected victory in Britain in June by those who wanted to take the country out of the European Union. That vote caught the elites and the establishment totally by surprise. It was an uprising that went unseen until it struck. Trumps victory was by far even more shocking. It was the kind of cant happen here event that will go down as one of the great upsets in political history.

What happened Tuesday was a victory powered by an outpouring of voters, overwhelmingly white and many without college degrees, who felt left behind by the economic recovery, ignored by Washington and disdained by the political, cultural and economic elites. In the end, that was enough to topple Clinton and her dream of becoming the first female president in the nations history. The shock waves will be felt for months and maybe years.

Trump insulted Hispanics, women, a prominent senator who was a former POW, and a disabled reporter. He called for a ban on Muslims entering the country, later modified and softened. Can he make room in the America he now leads for all those who loudly and vigorously opposed his candidacy? Trump suggested he might not accept the outcome of the election if he lost. How will those who oppose him now respond to his victory? Those are far from incidental questions.

1 of 48 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What Election Night looks like as results roll in View Photos Americans anxiously await the results of the 2016 election. Caption Donald Trump, 70, will be the 45th president of the United States. The real-estate developer and former reality-TV star is the first person to win the presidency without having previously held public office or served in the U.S. military. Nov. 9, 2016 President-elect Donald Trump addresses supporters at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

At one point in the campaign, Clinton called part of Trumps army a basket of deplorables. Yet even she acknowledged that what fueled his candidacy, at least in part, was the feeling of alienation and economic anxiety on the part of a wide swath of the population. One Clinton adviser described it as a quiet rage that existed in the privacy of living rooms and around kitchen tables, frustration with the political system and the lack of tangible results from governments actions for many hard-working Americans.

Clintons deplorables comment became a rallying cry in the final months of the campaign. Trump attracted an army of loyal followers who saw in him the mechanism to break the hold of those in power and to shake Washington to its core. They also loathed Clinton, no small part of the reason she lost. It was that combination and that power, seen but underestimated during the campaign that produced an election night shocker that sent world markets plunging and left the country on edge.

Trump succeeded for many reasons, easier to describe in retrospect than many who view politics through traditional lenses saw throughout the campaign. His mistakes always seemed to overwhelm his attributes. What the experts overlooked was how many people were willing to forgive or discount the most controversial aspects of his candidacy  and what no one can measure is just how many agreed with what he said.

This was an uprising by Americans who had lost faith in institutions. Trump gave them a voice they felt they havent had in a changing America. Clinton tried to make the campaign all about temperament. As a political strategy, it failed. But that doesnt negate the questions about whether Trump can successfully translate the style of his campaign to the demands of the Oval Office.

So many questions now rise up for answers. How will he govern? Can he forge a true working relationship with Republican congressional leaders whom he belittled as they equivocated about his candidacy?

His foreign policy pronouncements lacked both consistency and coherence. He had no fixed ideology. He leaned right on tax cuts and left on trade. He has operated on instinct and impulse. He said whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. What he showed is that huge numbers of Americans cared little about ideological consistency or political correctness. What they wanted was a send-a-message candidate.

His most important relationship will be with House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.). At one point Ryan described Trumps insults about U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel as the definition of racism, yet he still voted for him. As Trump offered his agenda, Ryan countered with one of his own. Whose will take precedence?

The Posts Dan Balz explores some of the factors behind President-elect Donald Trumps victory against his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. (Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

In the closing weeks of the campaign, Trump went to Gettysburg, Pa., where he laid out an agenda that provides some indication of what he might do. It was a speech akin to the 1994 House Republicans Contract with America, a series of pledges designed, as Trump put it, to drain the swamp of privilege and special interests in Washington. Others have promised as much in the past.

This was an election about fundamentals and first principles, bringing to the surface an acrimonious argument about the values and beliefs that provide the underpinnings of any society. It was an election that involved big questions about race, gender, religion and economic inequality, as well as the relationship between the central government and an increasingly distrustful people. It highlighted the gulf between societys elites  political, economic and cultural  and the rest of the population.

Above all it was a campaign about the identity of a nation. The campaign brought to the fore the tensions of a nation in transition and the pull and tug felt on each side of dividing lines that define far more than just our politics. At its best, this can produce a conversation in which different sides bring heartfelt attitudes about what makes America the great nation it was, is and will be. At its worst, it can give voice to racism and misogyny, anti-Semitism and religious bigotry.

The election exposed the rawest edges of a diverse and changing America. The campaign pitted group against group, injected tension into everyday interactions even among friends and neighbors. Social media stoked those tensions and widened the divisions.

Clinton ran a campaign she could never have anticipated. She was thrust into the maelstrom of a Trump-generated cyclone, and she and her campaign tried to adapt on the fly. She represented history in the making, but through much of the campaign the possibility of breaking the gender barrier provided a far more modest lift than Obama received on his way to becoming the nations first African American president.

Trump did what Clinton could not do, delivering margins in predominantly white areas of battleground states that far eclipsed those of Mitt Romney in 2012. Clinton failed to do what she needed, which was to combine elements of the Obama coalition  Hispanics, African Americans and young voters  and add to them college-educated white voters turned off by Trumps rhetoric. His rallies were always bigger and more passionate than hers, and on Election Day, that energy helped deliver the victory.

Big elections are supposed to help settle some of these disputes, or at least point a direction for the new leader. Yet, as the campaign ended Tuesday, the question remained as to what had been resolved, if anything. No one was prepared to predict what kind of presidency Trump would fashion, only that if it followed the patterns of his campaign, it would continue to divide the country and, at its start, certainly, alarm allies around the world. And yet Trump vowed he could find a way to make it work.

Michael Leavitt, the Republican former governor of Utah, said as the polls were closing: I think the country is desperate for a jolt of optimism. In their own way, what most people have wanted to find is functionality [in Washington]. Those who support Trump believe the only way you can find functionality is to drain the swamp. 

For months, Americans have been apprehensive as they neared Election Day, never able to turn away from the spectacle that was on their television screens and smartphones. Record numbers watched the debates during the primaries, and the biggest audience ever tuned in for the first of three Clinton-Trump faceoffs this fall.

Everyone knew the campaign was unlike anything they had seen in the past. Everyone wanted it to end. Now it falls to Trump, the unlikely winner of the most traumatic election in memory, to chart the course ahead and try, if he can, to prove that he can lift the whole country out of its morass and make Washington work.

Read more:

How Donald Trump won: The insiders tell their story

Considering what Americas choice of Donald Trump really means

How Donald Trump broke the old rules of politics  and won the White House
For starters, President Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland, can go back to his day job. (Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post)

For starters, President Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland, can go back to his day job. (Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post)

The political earthquake that hit Tuesday night has enormous consequences for the Supreme Court, swallowing up Judge Merrick Garlands ill-fated nomination and dismantling Democratic hopes for a liberal majority on the high court for the first time in nearly a half-century.

In the short term, Republican Donald Trumps victory means that at some point next year, the nine-member court will be restored to full capacity, once again with a majority of Republican-appointed justices.

Democratic attempts to filibuster Trumps choice would likely lead Republicans to end that option for Supreme Court justices, just as Democrats did for other judicial nominations when their party controlled the Senate.

Trumps upset victory likely changes the courts docket as well: Court challenges to President Obamas regulations regarding the Affordable Care Act and immigration, which have preoccupied the justices in recent terms, will likely disappear under a President Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress.

[Live updates from the 2016 election and reactions]

The long-term question will be Trumps ultimate impact on the courts membership, and whether he gets the chance to do more than choose the successor to Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February.

Two of the courts liberals, Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer, are 83 and 78, respectively. Moderate conservative Justice Anthony M. Kennedy is 80.

As long as those three stay, the courts rulings on sensitive social issues  protecting abortion rights, affirmative action and gay rights, for instance  are secure.

A lot of the big things are actually ones on which the court already has a so-called liberal majority, Neal K. Katyal, the acting solicitor general under President Obama, said before the courts term began last month.

Tuesdays election assures that Kennedy will remain the courts pivotal justice, for now. Trump has said he will draw his Supreme Court nominee from a list of 20 judges and one senator: Mike Lee of Utah. All appear to be more conservative than Kennedy, the courts longest-serving justice.

[Donald Trump wins presidency in stunning upset]

Kennedy is the member of the current court most likely to be in the majority when the court splits 5 to 4 in its most controversial decisions. Most of the time, he sides with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the courts other remaining conservatives: Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr.

1 of 26 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  How the world is reacting to results of the U.S. election View Photos People around the globe watched as Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States. Caption People around the globe watched as Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States. Nov. 12, 2016 Activists take part in an anti-Donald Trump demonstration at the Angel de la Independencia monument in Mexico City. Edgard Garrido/Reuters Wait 1 second to continue.

But on some social issues, Kennedy sides with the liberals: Ginsburg, Breyer and Obamas two choices for the court, Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.

He joined them and wrote the majority opinion finding that gay couples have a constitutional right to marry; in fact, Kennedy has written all of the courts cases protecting gay rights.

Last term, he wrote the decision approving the limited use of race in college admission decisions, and voted to strike down a Texas law that the court said imposed unnecessary burdens on a womans right to obtain an abortion.

But three of the five justices supporting those issues are the oldest on the court. Abortion rights advocates immediately sounded an alarm.

[Supreme Courts ideological direction depends on election]

President-elect Trump has publicly pledged to overturn Roe and promised punishment for the one in three American women who will have an abortion in her lifetime, said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights. She was referring to Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision assuring a womans right to an abortion

Garland, a moderate liberal who is chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, would likely have replaced Kennedy as the justice in the middle. Obama nominated him last March in part because Republicans in the past have said he was the most likely Democratic nominee to win confirmation.

But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) declared on the night of Scalias death that Republicans would not act on any Obama nominee. The move brought charges that McConnell had politicized the process, but the gambit worked: It will now be a Republican president making the lifetime appointment to replace Scalia.

Trump has said his nominee will come from the list compiled with the help of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, and the legal group, the Federalist Society. His nominee will be like Scalia in seeking to overturn Roe and be a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, Trump has said.

All eyes will now be on the courts oldest members, Kennedy and Ginsburg. Replacing Kennedy with a more stalwart conservative would immediately impact the courts dynamics. He has given no indication about how long he intends to serve on the court.

Ginsburg has said she will serve as long as she is up to the job. She would likely be loath to allow Trump to pick her successor; she caused an uproar this summer when in media interviews she called him a faker and said she feared for the court and the country if he were elected.

Ginsburg turned aside calls from some liberals that she retire years ago, so that Obama could name her replacement. She said it was unclear whether the Senate would confirm her successor. And she told The Washington Post that there was no rush: She felt it was likely that another Democrat would be elected after Obama.

Read more:

How Donald Trump won: The insiders tell their story

A trauamtic campaign produces a shocking ending, with Trump victorious

Considering what Americas choice of Donald Trump really means
Donald Trump ran against himself and won. The Manhattan billionaire who for decades boasted of his playboy lifestyle, stiffed contractors and vendors, hired illegal immigrants, eschewed churchgoing, embraced liberal causes, and counted Hillary and Bill Clinton as friends and allies pulled off one of the most brazen pivots in American history, selling himself to American voters as a populist hero who understood their frustrations and guaranteed a blizzard of wins.

Trump did it the way hed said he would for more than 30 years: He ignored the rules of modern politics and spoke to Americans in plain, even coarse, everyday language, without massaging his words through the data-driven machinery of consultants, focus groups and TV commercials. He scoffed at ideologies, preaching a tough, blunt pragmatism fueled by unbridled, unashamed ego. He told people what they wanted to hear: that a rapidly changing and splintering society could be forced back to a nostalgia-drenched sense of community and purpose, that long-lost jobs could be retrieved, that a pre-globalized economy could be restored.

[Live updates from the election fallout]

Trump ran against the elites and won. Never mind that he was born rich, flaunted his wealth and lived like a king. He defined the election as a peoples uprising against all the institutions that had let them down and sneered at them  the politicians and the parties, the Washington establishment, the news media, Hollywood, academia, all of the affluent, highly educated sectors of society that had done well during the time when middle-class families were losing their bearings. He swore he would turn Washington upside down, that he would drain the swamp, and the crowds so loved the image that they would shout the words before he even opened his mouth to say them.

Trump ran against the old rules that governed how people talked about politics, and he won there too. Political experts from both parties chortled over Trumps failure to get with the program and build a data-driven, modern campaign based on focus-group-tested TV commercials and microanalysis of voting behavior, but Trump trusted his gut and believed that his message and style would connect with how Americans now absorb the news.

More than any other major political figure in the digital era, Trump saw how social media had segregated the nation into almost wholly separate ideological and cultural camps, each with its own attitudes and its own narratives. He saw how Facebook and Twitter had blurred the line between public and private. He took advantage of that shift in culture and turned himself into a human vent, blasting the country with a stream of frustration and anger that many people had either kept to themselves or spewed about only anonymously.

[How Donald Trump won: An oral history of 2016]

The shift in how people relate to one another online dovetailed almost perfectly with Trumps personal style  his impulsiveness, his quickness to hit back when criticized, his tendency to lash out at perceived enemies. The result was a new campaign rhetoric, a marketing breakthrough that dramatically altered the emotions and expectations of the presidential race.

Trump won because he understood that his celebrity would protect him from the far stricter standards to which politicians are normally held  one bad gaffe, and youre done. He won because he understood that his outrageous behavior and intemperate comments only cemented his reputation as a decisive truthteller who gets things done. And he won because he had spent almost 40 years cultivating an image as a guy who was so rich, so enamored of himself, so audacious, and so unpredictable that he could be trusted to act without regard to the powers that be.

I think he has such an ego, he couldnt stand to fail, Mary Vesley, 74, a Trump voter in Mechanicsville, Va., outside of Richmond, said Tuesday.

[Donald Trump just blew up the electoral map]

Trump ran against a barrage of accusations that hed groped women, a near-daily drumbeat of stories about his boorish behavior and nasty insults, and he won there, too. The day after The Washington Post revealed video showing Trump explaining to TV host Billy Bush how he would grab women by the crotch, a Trump supporter in Syracuse, N.Y., Shannon Barns, said that the video had only deepened her belief that he should be president. This just put a human face on the guy for me, she said. I was worried that he was a billionaire and didnt know about the lives of people like me. This showed me that hes a man. You know in your heart every man talks like that.

Trump called himself a blue-collar billionaire, and although he had lived a fairly isolated life, working and sleeping in Trump Tower, with no close friends and few trusted advisers, he believed that he had so completely won the hearts of many Americans that, as he put it, I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldnt lose voters.

Rejected by the elites from the very start of his career as a real estate developer in Manhattan in the 1970s, Trump had a lifetime of resentments that he had reacted to with searing attacks against his enemies and often-successful revenge plays against those who believed they were better than he. The big real estate developer families in New York had long sneered at Trump as a brash, nasty, nouveau riche intruder on a business that took pride in doing things quietly and diplomatically. The banks treated him like an out-of-control adolescent who needed to be reined in and taught a lesson. The politicians humored him, then scrambled to be by his side to catch some of his reflected fame.

Trump beat them all back, again and again, by appealing to the people, his customers, his admirers. Whether he was succeeding at building skyscrapers and casinos, or failing by going through six corporate bankruptcies, he turned again and again to show business and the media to make his case for himself to regular Americans.

[Considering what Americas choice of Donald Trump really means]

From his years of appearances on network sitcoms and WrestleMania to his 14-season run as the decisive, tough-talking CEO on NBCs The Apprentice, Trump cultivated an image among middle-class Americans as a straight-shooting billionaire who had the bucks and the brass to stand up to anyone.

From the moment he rode down the escalator of Trump Tower to his beloved pink marble lobby in the summer of 2015, presenting himself to the nation as the antidote to the ideologies and allegiances of both parties  pitting himself against Republicans and Democrats alike for their cozy ties to Wall Street, Hollywood and the rest of the moneyed class  Trump claimed that his path to victory was elementary.

All he had to do, he said, was connect directly to the pains, fears and frustrations of a nation that had been smacked around by globalization, terrorism, rapid demographic change, and a technological revolution that enriched and enraptured the kids with the stratospheric SAT scores, but left millions of Americans watching their jobs fall victim to the latest apps, overseas outsourcing, robots, and a stunning shift in the nature of commerce and community.

Trump easily dispatched 16 Republican primary opponents, dismissing one after another with just the right insult  Low-energy Jeb for the once-reluctant Bush brother who started out as the races favorite; Little Marco for Sen. Rubio, the diminutive Floridian who always seemed to be trying too hard.

[They were sure Trump would be the next president]

Trump relished the idea of running against Hillary Clinton, who he saw as a feisty and strong figure who was incapable of connecting with middle-class voters and who was beholden to exactly the power bases he planned to run against. He successfully took Clintons decades-long reputation as a shape-shifting politician whose excessively legalistic language and guarded public persona and twisted it into a searing, angry portrait of an outright criminal, Crooked Hillary.

Clintons hesitant handling of the slow-moving political train wreck over her use of a private email server when she was supposed to be using only government-supplied computers became a bonanza of an opportunity for Trump to hurl his well-honed insults. Then, when FBI director James B. Comey announced this summer that Clinton had not done anything criminal but had been extremely careless, and again last month when Comey shocked the country by announcing that he had reopened the emails investigation, Trump was able to ratchet up his attacks. Chants of Lock her up! escalated to far more severe punishments. Comeys announcement two days before the vote that the FBI had cleared Clinton seemed to come far too late to make any difference.

As it turned out, Trump won in exactly the way hed planned to  outperforming Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee four years ago, in places where Romney came off as a rich, distanced, aloof figure who didnt get how middle- and working-class people were suffering. And Clinton, in Trumps view, ran exactly the campaign he had hoped she would, focused mainly on attacking him rather than offering an alternative vision to the nations middle class.

[The crowd yelled Lock her up! Then Trump thanked Clinton for service to our country.]

Trump, according to exit poll data, earned the votes of 60 percent of white men and 52 percent of white women. And he appeared to be consolidating the GOP coalition, bringing Republicans home in the final weeks of the campaign. The exit polls indicated that he had won 88 percent of Republican votes and 78 percent of ballots cast by white evangelicals.

Clintons strength seemed limited to the most narrow definition of the Democratic Party  nonwhites and college-educated whites. Even though college graduates made up fully half the electorate, and Clinton did even better among that group than President Obama did four years ago, Trumps margin among people with little or no college was a massive 39 points, a big boost over Romneys 25-point margin four years ago.

Trump voters seemed drawn to him more because of how he positioned himself against the elites than because of his policy message. Even his most prominent position, his oft-repeated call to build a wall against Mexican immigrants, seemed not to be a priority shared by his own supporters: Exit poll data showed that a majority of voters opposed the wall idea, about 7 in 10 voters said most illegal immigrants should get a chance to become legal residents, and only a quarter of voters agreed with Trumps call to deport everyone who is in the country illegally.

[How Donald Trump did it, in 5 images]

Trump organized his campaign the way he had run his businesses  rejecting modern notions about a decentralized hierarchy and sticking instead to his tight circle of loyal advisers. He chose people he knew would stand by him no matter what, rather than people with extensive experience in campaigns.

When Trump launched his campaign last year, he selected as his manager a young New Hampshire-based operative, Corey Lewandowski, who rarely made demands of Trump, but instead catered to the candidates instincts and tempers. Lewandowski, combative with reporters and intensely defensive of his boss, remained loyal even after he was removed in June.

Under pressure from the Republican Party, whose leaders were eager to corral Trump into a more predictable campaign, Trump eventually replaced him with veteran GOP aide Paul Manafort, whose experience could be traced back to Gerald R. Fords 1976 campaign and Bob Doles 1996 bid. Yet even Manafort found it difficult to corral Trump and keep him on script.

When Manafort was forced to step down, Trump brought in a third team, one that he told friends would let Trump be Trump. Campaign chief executive Stephen K. Bannon, who came aboard from the hard-right Breitbart news site, and campaign manager Kellyanne Conway tried to both harden Trumps harshly anti-establishment message and soften his rhetoric to draw in suburban women.

Bannon saw Trump as the American equivalent of Britains vote earlier this year to leave the European Union  another unexpected popular uprising against the elites. Bannon believed that a Trump victory would not be the upset that the media and the political parties thought it would be, but rather as part of a worldwide revolt against globalization, the hegemony of the technology utopianists, and the arrogance of the overeducated.

Bannon brought Nigel Farage, the far right champion of Britains Brexit campaign, to a Trump rally and repeatedly told Trump that his candidacy was part of something bigger, a worldwide movement against elites in finance, media and politics.

Bannon pushed Trump to frame Clinton as a candidate who was not just wrong for the working class but was a corrupt and scheming globalist. Trumps closing two-minute ad did not mention the words Republican or Democrat, but portrayed Clinton huddling with bankers and financial power brokers  many of them Jewish, which led many Jewish organizations and political leaders to accuse the Trump campaign of deploying anti-Semitic tropes.

Whether Bannon or others in the campaign will follow Trump to the White House is not yet known. Trumps inner circle of executives and assistants consists mainly of people who have been with him for decades, and he has added few new people to that circle through the years. Most of my friendships are business related because those are the only people I meet, Trump said in an interview this spring. I mean, I think I have a lot of friends, but theyre not friends like perhaps other people have friends, where theyre together all the time and they go out to dinner all the time. . . . I have good enemies, too, which is okay.

Trumps father, New York real estate developer Fred Trump, instructed his boy from a young age to devote his life to becoming a very big something. There was nothing worse, the father said, than being a nothing. Donald Trump took his fathers total commitment to work, his mothers love of showmanship, and his mentor, New York lawyer Roy Cohns hyperaggressive approach to making deals and settling scores, and combined them into a public persona that celebrated money and ego.

Trump believed that through creative use of media, he could build an image that would inspire ordinary people to want to be like him. He believed that if he crafted that image well enough, he could become rich and powerful and ultimately rise to the highest office in the land. On Tuesday, he reached that final step in his half-century-long ascent.

What he will do with it, even he does not know. Asked earlier this year if he has spent much time preparing to actually be president, Trump admitted that his focus had been solely on the campaign. Im all about the hunt and the chase, he said. When I get something I really wanted, I sometimes lose interest in it.

Trump has 73 days until his inauguration.

Robert Costa, Rosalind S. Helderman and Michael Kranish contributed to this report.

Read more:

The media didnt want to believe Trump could win. So they looked the other way.

A trauamtic campaign produces a shocking ending, with Trump victorious

Here are 76 of Donald Trumps many campaign promises
A worker waters cannabis plants on a California farm in August. Several states voted Tuesday on whether to legalize marijuana. (Rory Carroll/Reuters)

Voters in California, Massachusetts, Nevada and possibly Maine approved the recreational use of marijuana Tuesday, and people in four states, including Florida, will soon be able to use the drug for medical reasons.

Out of nine states considering ballot initiatives on marijuana, only Arizona seemed poised to reject a proposal allowing its recreational use.

Florida became the first state in the Southeast to legalize medical use of the drug, and Arkansas, North Dakota and possibly Montana approved similar measures.

Marijuana was one of several big ballot initiatives and proposals facing residents of various states. Voters in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington approved increases in the minimum wage. Voters in California were leaning toward endorsing the death penalty, and Nebraska voted to reinstate it. Oklahoma voted to allow more methods of execution.

In Colorado, voters rejected a universal health-care plan by a wide margin.

Five states have marijuana legalization initiatives on their ballots. Here's what they can learn from Washington, Colorado and Oregon, states where marijuana use has already been legalized. (Daron Taylor,Danielle Kunitz/The Washington Post)

Before Tuesday, medical marijuana was legal in more than half of the 50 states, with recreational use permitted in four  Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington  as well as in the District of Columbia. If all the marijuana initiatives are approved, more than 23 percent of the U.S. population will live in states where recreational marijuana is legal, according to the Associated Press.

Were fast approaching the day when Americans will look back on the marijuana wars of recent decades the same way we now look back on alcohol prohibition: as a costly, foolish and deadly mistake, said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, which pushes for national legalization.

The votes to expand the use of marijuana come just days after President Obama acknowledged in an interview with comedian and activist Bill Maher his growing concern about the conflict between state and federal laws.

The Justice Department, DEA, FBI  for them to try to straddle and try to figure out how theyre supposed to enforce some laws in some places and not in others, that is not going to be tenable, Obama said.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has said she supports decriminalizing marijuana. National polls show that a majority of Americans support the drugs legalization.

Republican nominee Donald Trumps position is less clear. Although he has previously said he supports decriminalization, he has been vague during the campaign.

Nadelmann said what concerns him more are some of the Trump supporters the nominee has mentioned as possible Cabinet members, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. Nadelmann described both as drug warriors.

The marijuana measures also faced strong opposition from corners such as law enforcement groups and religious leaders. In California, small independent growers cited concerns about being squeezed out by big corporate farms.

Colorado voters, who two years ago voted in favor of recreational marijuana, were not as receptive to a proposal to provide universal health care.

The proposed health-care initiative would have replaced private and employer-provided insurance, enacting a 10 percent payroll tax to support the plan. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I), who made universal health care a key issue in his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, visited Colorado to stump for the initiative.

Proponents of the initiative said it would have provided coverage to more than 350,000 uninsured Colorado residents, as well as lower costs for residents now paying high premiums and deductibles. Opponents said the measure was too costly, with a price tag of $36 billion.

Colorado voters did approve a proposition to legalize assisted suicide there, which will now be allowed in six states.

Increasing pay for low-wage workers also has gained popularity with the public in recent years, and initiatives to gradually raise the minimum wage to $12 were approved in Colorado, Arizona and Maine. Washington state voted in favor of a proposal to raise the minimum wage, now $9.47 an hour, to $13.50 hourly by 2020. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.

Proposals to require background checks on nearly all gun sales were on the ballot in Maine and Nevada, states where a group founded by former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg spent millions promoting the measures. Supporters say the changes would close the gun-show loophole that allows felons and people with mental illnesses to avoid background checks by buying firearms online and from private sellers.

California voted to ban largecapacity magazines for ammunition. Washington state approved a measure to let residents temporarily bar a family member who appears to be dangerous from buying a gun.

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) won a major victory with his initiative to help reduce the states unwieldy prison population. The measure offers parole for nonviolent criminals and also removes prosecutors authority to decide whether to try juveniles as adults, giving it instead to judges. Opponents warned that the measure could result in violent criminals being let loose

Californians were also considering a ballot initiative to give state-funded insurance plans the same discount on prescription drugs that is offered to patients covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Pharmaceutical companies campaigned heavily against the measure, while Sanders campaigned for it.
In Indiana gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) thanks supporters after being declared the winner of his race. (Michael Conroy/AP)

Donald Trumps impressive totals Tuesday helped Republican gubernatorial candidates to victory in Indiana, Missouri and Vermont and put the GOP on track to control at least 32 governors offices  matching the modern record.

But the Trump wave didnt stop a Democrat from winning the governors mansion in West Virginia.

As of midnight, Indiana Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb was declared the winner over Democratic opponent John Gregg, who had once been considered the favorite. In Missouri, Eric Greitens, an ex-Navy SEAL, similarly triumphed over his opponent, Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster.

In Vermont, GOP Lt. Gov. Phil Scott defeated Democrat Sue Minter, the states former transportation secretary. And Republicans were in tight battles in New Hampshire and North Carolina.

The evenings returns exceeded Republicans already high expectations. Of the dozen seats up in 2016, they were defending four seats, compared with the eight that Democrats hoped to retain.

Jim Justice speaks to supporters at the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., after his victory in the states gubernatorial election. (Walter Scriptunas II/AP)

For several cycles, the GOP has run ahead of Democrats in money and organization for state-level races. Republicans hold 31 governors mansions, compared with 18 occupied by Democrats. Should Republicans net three more, they will hold as many seats as the record  set in 1922, when Warren G. Harding was president.

The fears that Trump would harm down-ticket Republicans were proved wrong, said a GOP consultant who specializes in governors contests. Republican governors rode the Trump surge tonight to historic gains.

The rare bright spot for Democrats was the victory of coal magnate Jim Justice in West Virginia. He defeated his opponent, state Senate President Bill Cole, on a night that otherwise saw gains for GOP candidates across the economically distressed state.

West Virginia has trended steadily Republican in recent years, and Trump drew an enthusiastic response from voters there. The GOP, having won control of the states House and Senate in 2014, had hoped that Cole would triumph in the governors race. But Justice had a strong following that also was boosted by his handling of recent flooding  including opening up the tony resort he owns, the Greenbrier, to homeless flood victims.

The Justice win in West Virginia occurred in part because state residents were willing to split their tickets, a relatively new phenomenon in what once was a reliably Democratic state.

Ticket-splitting also played a role in Vermont, aiding Scotts race against Minter.

In Missouri, Kosters lead disappeared in the weeks before Election Day. Greitens gained amid mounting criticism over the cost of insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act and Democratic nominee Hillary Clintons use of a private email server while she served as secretary of state.

As expected, Democrats held on to the governors mansions in Washington, Delaware and Oregon. Republicans retained North Dakota and Utah.

Of the seven most heavily contested races, the most expensive and hard-fought were in New Hampshire and North Carolina, both presidential battlegrounds.

In New Hampshire, two state legislators were battling to replace incumbent Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan, who chose to run for the Senate. The battle between Republican Chris Sununu and Democrat Colin Van Ostern triggered a high-cost ad war in which Van Ostern outspent his rival $6.5 million to $2.5 million. As of just before 2 a.m., the race was still too close to call.

North Carolina was home to the most expensive and closely watched contest, with incumbent Gov. Pat McCrory (R), seeking a second term against popular Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper. With all precincts reporting, Cooper had a lead of more than 4,000 votes, but both sides said they were prepared for the possibility of a recount.

McCrory had faced headwinds since March, when he signed a law that restricts bathroom rights for transgender individuals and limits some protections for gays and lesbians. But his stock rose last month based on the publics assessment of how he dealt with widespread flooding from Hurricane Matthew.

A wealthy GOP gubernatorial candidate in Montana hoped to turn things his way Tuesday. Software entrepreneur Greg Gianforte had gone after Democratic incumbent Gov. Steve Bullock by linking him to Clinton and blasting him for not standing against accepting refugees from Syria.

Bullock, the states attorney general before being elected in 2012, portrays himself as a champion of public access to federal lands and waterways. He has attacked his opponent for opposing a city ordinance prohibiting businesses from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Even before the votes were counted on Tuesday, Democrats were looking forward to the 38 gubernatorial races in 2017 and 2018. Of that total, 26 are held by Republicans, noted Jared Leopold, communications director for the Democratic Governors' Association.

Tonights results increase the importance of building the party at the state level, he said. The party has put a premium on gaining seats in advance of the 2020 census and the redistricting that follows.

Republican gains over the past decade have contributed to huge wins, particularly at the state legislative level.

Democrats have lost 910 legislative seats since President Obama took office.
Republicans retained their majority in the Senate on Tuesday after a string of upset victories in key states and gave the GOP sweeping powers to advance President-elect Donald Trumps agenda, including his appointments to the Supreme Court.

With a GOP House majority also secure, Republicans now have full control of the White House and Congress after an election season that began with their party facing long odds because of the large number of Senate seats they had to defend. Republicans entered Election Day expecting to fight head winds in several states because of Trumps controversial candidacy.

But Trump overwhelmed Democrat Hillary Clinton in several critical states, giving the GOP an unexpected margin of victory.

Trump provided coattails that gave the GOP a major win that could allow him an easier path toward confirming Supreme Court justices and Cabinet nominees, as well as fashioning long-sought legislation to overturn signature achievements of the Obama administration, particularly the Affordable Care Act.

Republicans defended their Senate seats in Florida, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that once looked like some of their toughest terrain.

Democrats picked up a seat in Illinois, where Rep. Tammy Duckworth unseated Sen. Mark Kirk.

The stakes for Senate control, always critical to a new administration, became even higher in February when Justice Antonin Scalia died, leaving the Supreme Court evenly divided between the liberal and conservative blocs. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) refused to consider President Obamas nominee, Merrick Garland, for the seat and said that the next president should make the pick. The result is that whichever party controls the Senate in the next Congress will wield enormous influence over the confirmation process.

With 54 members in the GOP caucus, McConnells side could afford to lose only three seats and retain the majority outright. Shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday, all but one contested race had been called and only Illinois had tilted in the Democrats favor  leaving the Democrats shy of any chance at the majority.

Two dozen Republicans were up for reelection, while Democrats defended just 10 seats, and only one Democratic seat seemed truly endangered: that of retiring Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.).

Much of 2016 unfolded like a chess match between McConnell and Reids soon-to-be successor, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), each trying to outmaneuver the other through recruiting the right candidates and raising enormous sums of money to contest the races.

The resulting campaigns, from the far northeastern corners of New Hampshire to the southwestern reaches of Nevada, became a more than $800 million battle waged across the nation through advertising and complicated political machinations that more resembled smaller-scale presidential campaigns.

[Schumer is focusing on the big prize: Senate majority leader]

Pennsylvania, for example, provided the new mark for the most expensive individual Senate race in history, with more than $140 million spent by the candidates, national party committees and super PACs competing to turn votes among the nearly 6 million people who were expected to go to the polls.

According to one estimate, New Hampshire wasnt far behind, with about $125 million spent there  in a state where only about 800,000 were expected to vote.

Early Wednesday, with more than 90 percent of the vote in, New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan (D) and Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) traded the lead back and forth with each new precinct reporting, neither getting ahead by much more than 1,000 votes out of nearly 700,000 cast. And in Pennsylvania, Sen. Patrick J. Toomey was declared the winner over Katie McGinty (D) in a come-from-behind victory that sealed the majority.

The focal point of the Senate fight was seven freshman Republicans running for reelection after being swept into office during the 2010 midterm elections fueled by the staunchly conservative tea-party activists who opposed the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

Those seven, mostly from Midwestern states, ran their campaigns this year in a significantly different political environment because they came from large states where turnout was much higher than it was six years ago because their reelection bids coincided with this years presidential election.

The most successful was Sen. Rob Portman (Ohio), originally thought to be one of the three most endangered GOP incumbents who turned around his campaign through an aggressive fundraising effort and built up an image of someone focused closely on local issues such as the heroin epidemic plaguing his state. He also pummeled former governor Ted Strickland (D) as ineffective during his term, and by Labor Day Democrats who abandoned the race because Portman had pulled so far ahead.

Strickland conceded moments after polls closed in Ohio.

The Republicans also got a major boost with the victory of Rep. Todd C. Young (Ind.). He came from behind to defeat former senator Evan Bayh, who had been a prized Schumer recruit late in the political season. Young tapped into the anti-Washington mood and portrayed Bayh as a corporate influencer in the years after he left the Senate in 2011.

Other victorious Republicans included a pair of former presidential contenders, Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Marco Rubio (Fla.), both of whom were at times humiliated by Trump during the primary campaign, left that race and returned home to run for reelection. Paul won easily, and Rubio  who initially said he would not seek a second term  breathed life into Republican hopes for holding the majority after McConnell persuaded him to run again.

Rubio won his race against Rep. Patrick Murphy (D) by 52 percent to 44 percent, with 99 percent of the vote tallied, according to the Associated Press.

Along with Portmans easy victory in Ohio, those two races gave Republicans the ability to divert financial resources to other key battlegrounds.

I think in everyones budgets a year ago, that was going to be the biggest line item next to maybe Florida. Instead, Portman did a great job of raising money. He did a great job of getting early to define Strickland, who turned out probably to be the worst candidate the Democrats could have had, said Carl Forti, a senior strategist for the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with McConnell.

That fund spent more than $87 million on advertising in the battleground Senate races, according to its own estimate, far more than any other party committee or super PAC engaged in the fight for the Senate.

A large chunk of that money came from mega-rich donors who are traditional conservatives and were turned off by Trumps nativist campaign, his opposition to trade deals and other longtime business-friendly positions espoused by past Republican presidential nominees.

Kirk faced the most difficult road running in a state that breaks so sharply for Democratic presidential candidates that the national GOP never really competed there. Duckworth, a double amputee who served in the Iraq War, easily defeated Kirk and will become the first female veteran who regularly uses a wheelchair to serve in the Senate.

Despite the crushing defeat, the Democrats did elect two other female senators of historic note: Kamala Harris (Calif.), who will become only the second elected African American woman to serve in the Senate, and Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.) will become the first Latina elected to the Senate.

But Democrats came up short in several other key races where Trump performed much stronger than anticipated. In Wisconsin, Sen. Ron Johnson (R) won his rematch against Russell Feingold (D), who had served three Senate terms until losing to Johnson six years ago. Johnson struck a conservative pose for most of his term and seemed out of step with his states slightly Democratic lean during presidential years, but in the final two weeks of the race, he showed some signs of rebounding, and national resources poured in.

In North Carolina, Sen. Richard Burr (R) ran almost exactly side by side with Trump, as both won the Tar Heel State with about 51 percent of the vote.

And in Missouri, Sen. Roy Blunt (R) was declared the winner over Democrat Jason Kander.

Kelsey Snell contributed to this report.
House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin waves to supporters at a campaign rally in Janesville, Wis., on Tuesday. (Paul Sancya/AP)

Republicans appeared on track early Wednesday to lose only a handful of seats from their commanding House majority, a stunning reversal of fortune after many GOP leaders feared double-digit losses.

At several points this year, Democratic leaders predicted that Donald Trumps presidential nomination would prompt an anti-Republican wave that would sweep 20 or more Democrats into the House.

Instead, the wave went against Democrats. They will be lucky to net more than a half-dozen seats.

Democrats seized four redrawn, GOP-held districts in Florida and Virginia and ousted incumbents in a few more. But they could not unseat Republicans in key districts across the country, including suburban seats that they thought they could win easily with Trump on the ticket.

In the Northern Virginia suburbs, Rep. Barbara Comstock (R) fended off a strong challenge that generated $6 million in television spending in the past week alone. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R) handily won a Miami-area district that Democrats targeted for months. And Rep. Mike Coffman (R) was able to separate himself from Trump in a diverse pocket of the Denver suburbs.

Democrats edged out victories in a few districts. Reps. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) and Bob Dold (R-Ill.) lost, and Democrats claimed a pair of GOP-held seats in Nevada. In New Hampshires first district, Democrat Carol Shea-Porter defeated Republican incumbent Frank Guinta.

But they struck out in many more districts, including six Republican-held seats in New York and two in suburban Minneapolis.

Top Democrats have sought in recent days to temper expectations that a double-digit presidential win by Hillary Clinton might translate into House gains of 20 or more seats, taking a major portion out of their current 30-seat deficit.

Several Democrats blamed FBI Director James B. Comeys decision late last month to disclose in a letter to Congress new evidence in the agencys investigation of Clintons email practices for swinging close races toward Republicans. Clintons lead in published polls dipped after the revelation; House results tend to be closely correlated to the presidential results.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters Tuesday that Comey became the leading Republican political operative in the country, wittingly or unwittingly, by intervening less than two weeks before Election Day.

This is like a molotov cocktail thrown into a very explosive arena, she said at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee.

David Wasserman, House editor for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, said there is evidence that Republicans benefited from Comeys intervention.

Republican voters may have come home anyway, even without that letter, but it could help save Republicans five to 10 House seats, he said.

But by midnight, with Trump appearing to claim an advantage in the presidential race, the talk of Comeys role suddenly rang hollow.

Republicans said Democrats were scrambling for explanations after several missteps and faulty assumptions.

I just think thats starting to sound like an excuse, Rep. Steve Stivers (Ohio), a deputy chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said.

Stivers pointed to a number of Democratic recruiting missteps, strong campaigns of GOP incumbents and, perhaps most crucially, a competitive presidential race.

In the places where it needed to be close . . . it got close and stayed close, he said.

Stivers pointed to a closely contested seat in eastern Iowa, where Rep. Rod Blum (R) hung on to a traditionally Democratic seat with the help of the NRCC and national Republican super PACs.

He also pointed to the Omaha-area seat of Rep. Brad Ashford, one of several Democrats whom Republicans think they have a chance to unseat. Ashford trailed slightly in late returns Wednesday morning. And the Democratic-held Florida seat vacated by Rep. Patrick Murphy  who lost his bid for the Senate on Tuesday night to Sen. Marco Rubio (R)  was claimed by Republican Brian Mast.

Early Wednesday, Republicans still had opportunities to flip two Democratic seats in rural Minnesota.

Democrats also targeted four GOP incumbents in California, including Rep. Darrell Issa, who occupied a high-profile role as chairman of the Oversight Committee during the early years of the Obama administration.

Issa held a small lead in early West Coast returns, and other California Republicans appeared headed for victory.

The limited GOP losses could be a major boon for House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.), who has come under intense pressure from fellow Republicans because of his careful handling of Trumps candidacy.

Ryan has crisscrossed the country on behalf of embattled incumbents, raising roughly $50 million to preserve Republicans majority. A single-digit paring of his majority could give him better standing within his conference to fend off a revolt from the partys populist wing.

Republicans biggest obstacle turned out to be a pair of court-ordered redistrictings.

In Florida, former governor Charlie Crist (D) unseated Rep. David Jolly (R) in a St. Petersburg-area district, and former Orlando police chief Val Demings (D) won in another redrawn district that now favors Democrats. In another Orlando district, GOP Rep. John L. Mica, a 24-year incumbent, lost to Democratic newcomer Stephanie Murphy.

In Virginia, state Sen. A. Donald McEachin (D) won his bid to become the second African American in the states congressional delegation, joining Rep. Robert C. Bobby Scott (D).

Rep. Steve Israel (N.Y.), a former Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman, said that Democrats will be unlikely to seriously contend for the House majority until the next national redistricting  ahead of the 2022 elections. After Republicans won sweeping gains in 2010, they used their new advantages in statehouses to draw congressional lines in the GOPs favor.

They seized control of the maps, and in this climate, they fortified themselves against catastrophic losses, Israel said.

In 2012, Democratic House candidates garnered 1.4 million more votes than Republican candidates did, but the GOP won 33 more seats.

The Cook Political Reports Wasserman said that partisan redistricting explains only some of the Democrats poor showing, but the party has only one immediate paths to the majority otherwise.

If they cant get 218 [seats] this year, its going to be almost impossible to get 218 in 2018 if Hillary Clinton prevails, he said. Democrats best shot at a House majority in 2018 involves Donald Trump winning today.
MOUNT PLEASANT  A Racine man is facing burglary charged after his wife reportedly found it suspicious when he brought home two guns over the summer.

Hanief D. Young, 43, of the 1900 block of Washington Avenue, is accused of taking two .38 caliber revolvers and $1,000 in cash from a business in the 2700 block of Sheridan Road in Mount Pleasant.

According to the criminal complaint:

An employee of an area transport company reported the burglary on Aug. 9 after allegedly finding a broken window at the business and two guns and money missing.

Young's wife reportedly later called police to report that her husband had brought two guns and money to their motel room. She described the guns as "antique" and that one of them had a cylinder, the complaint said.

Young was charged Wednesday with two felonies for burglary of a building or dwelling and possession of a firearm by a felon. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 16 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave.

Court records did not indicate a reason for the time lapse between when the incident was reported and charges being filed.

Young remained in custody as of Wednesday at the Racine County Jail, online records showed.
Delivering a victory speech in New York, President-elect Donald Trump thanked Hillary Clinton for her service and called for the nation to come together. (The Washington Post)

Delivering a victory speech in New York, President-elect Donald Trump thanked Hillary Clinton for her service and called for the nation to come together. (The Washington Post)

It was a Donald Trump that many Americans had never seen.

Shortly after 2:45 a.m. Wednesday, just after he was anointed president-elect, Trump strode on stage to an adoring crowd, soaking in his surprising, pollster-defying victory.

Instead of lashing out, as he did countless times on the campaign trail, Trump praised his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, lauded the nations ethnic diversity, and promised to represent all people.

Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country, Trump said. I mean that very seriously. Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division . . . I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.

Just minutes earlier, the crowd had been reprising a signature chant of the campaign targeting the Democratic nominee, Lock her up!

1 of 48 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What Election Night looks like View Photos Donald Trump, 70, will be the 45th president of the United States. The real-estate developer and former reality-TV star is the first person to win the presidency without having previously held public office or served in the U.S. military. Caption Donald Trump, 70, will be the 45th president of the United States. The real-estate developer and former reality-TV star is the first person to win the presidency without having previously held public office or served in the U.S. military. Nov. 9, 2016 President-elect Donald Trump addresses supporters at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

And Trump had, in recent weeks, even said he would appoint a special prosecutor and seek to put her in jail for her use of a private email server while secretary of state.

[Live updates on the presidential race and other contests]

But in the hours after Clintons concession, a different Trump showed up  at least for this moment.

He was conciliatory, soft-spoken, gracious. There was no mention of building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, or of banning Muslims, or of mass deportations of illegal immigrants.

Instead, it was Trump who was victorious, capping one of the most improbable presidential runs in U.S. history.

Standing before a row of American flags, appearing in front of hundreds of people wearing Make America Great Again Hats, Trump smiled and waved, clapping along with the crowd. He was accompanied by his wife, Melania, a former model who was born in Slovenia and became a U.S. citizen in 2006.

Trump thanked many of his high-profile supporters, such as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. He brought Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus onto the stage, declared him a star, and handed over the microphone for a few seconds.

Supporters hugged each other, waved Trump signs over their heads and erupted in cheers after the race was officially called. Trump was introduced by his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who told the crowd that This is a historic night. The American people have spoken and the American people have elected their new champion.

Trump, after promising the heal the nation and rebuild the economy, teased the audience that he would seek to serve maybe even eight years, a suggestion that he would run for reelection. He made grandiose promises, saying every single American will be able to prosper.

We must, he said, reclaim our countrys destiny.

[How Donald Trump won: The insiders tell their story ]

It was a triumphal moment for the man who was raised in Queens, and whose father, the developer Fred Trump, had warned him about the difficulty of making it in Manhattan. Yet the son made his mark, built Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, and plotted his presidential bid there.

The crowd had waited for hours for Trumps arrival.

At 1:30 a.m., a Fox News reporter said on the broadcast playing on a big screen that House Speaker Paul Ryan reached out to Trump. The crowd did not react. At 2 a.m., the crowd booed as they watched on television screens as Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta said there would be no concession speech until all the votes were counted.

Carol Minor, 70, of Hemet, Calif., sat contentedly against a wall in the back of the ballroom. I really felt in my heart that he was going to win, she said.

Sajid Tarar, a Muslim man who spoke on behalf of Trump at the GOP convention. said he has been a nervous wreck lately, and had not slept for three days.

There was no doubt in my mind this was an election against the system, said Tarar, dressed in a suit and a bow tie.

Read more:

The utter heartbreak of Hillary Clintons supporters, in 14 photos

How Donald Trump broke the old rules of politics  and won the White House

They were sure Trump would be the next president


Shawn Gracie and Hilah Panichelle watch election returns at Sharkeys. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

Before midnight hit on Tuesday, it became clear to the regulars at Sharkeys Cafe that their guy, Donald Trump, would become the next president. As Fox News flashed new numbers on the screen, they took turns excitedly yelling out the victories.

If he wins, I want to change to CNN and watch them cry, said Kevin Somers, 54, a long-distance trucker who was having a Coors Light with his ex-wife and some friends.

Somers and more than a dozen others waited for Fox News to call the race and for Trump to give his victory speech. A few more people arrived and ordered drinks and pizza. They waited for another two hours. Closing time arrived and the bartenders started turning off televisions and sweeping up popcorn.

If Trump wins tonight, Im done with alcohol, said Shawn Gracie, 41, who lives in the area and was laid off from the Ford dealership in July. And go back on my diet. I feel like crap.

[How Donald Trump broke the old rules of politics  and won the White House]

This bar in southwestern Pennsylvania is in the heart of Trump Country and for months has been plastered with Trump signs. Everyone there that night was cheering for Trump to win, even though hours earlier they had mostly come to terms with the fact that the polls were probably right, and that Hillary Clinton would probably be their next president.

While they love Trump, they hate Clinton even more  and, that night, she wouldnt even allow them have a proper victory party.

Sitting in a booth, Margarita Rincon video-chatted with her daughter, who is a freshman at Kent State in Ohio. Rincon made a confession: She voted for Trump.

Her daughter, Margarita Douglas, groaned and rolled her eyes. She had begged her mother to vote for Clinton, telling her that Trump wants to deport immigrants like her and that he doesnt respect women. Rincon immigrated to the United States from Colombia two decades ago and has been a citizen for many years.

I tell her: Im not illegal. Thats only illegal people, said Rincon, 50, who works for a banquet facility.

Rincon then excitedly started chanting: Trump! Trump! Trump!

Her daughter responded: Noooooo. She then flipped her camera to show two of her friends, who were also disappointed in the Trump win. But Douglas didnt request an absentee ballot and didnt vote.

Trump! Trump! Trump! Rincon said again.

It was after closing time when Clintons campaign chairman John Podesta came on the screen and told her supporters to go home and wait.

She is done, Gracie said yelled. Aint happening, Podesta.

Gracie soon decided to head home. Others followed him. They were sure Trump was the next president, but they wouldnt fully allow themselves to believe it.

It was a feeling that many wrestled with throughout the day.



Leslie Rossi is the creator and owner of the Trump House in Westmoreland County, Pa. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

Not far from this bar is a shrine to Trump and his movement, a farmhouse on state Route 982 thats painted like an American flag. Standing in the yard is a 14-foot-tall metal Trump.

Throughout the day, Trump supporters cast their ballots at polling places across southwest Pennsylvania, then journeyed to the Trump House. Many felt that their lives were about to change, even though the media, polls and pundits were still insisting their candidate had no chance.

[The media didnt want to believe Trump could win. So they looked the other way.]

Ive never voted in my life until this, said Dave Fisher, 49, who used to make good money salvaging metal and taking it to processing plants in the Pittsburgh area. He saw that work dry up eight years ago, forcing him to work construction and a host of odd jobs for a fraction of the pay. Theres never been anyone I really cared about. He put a spark in everything; he makes you want to be an American again, and thats what Ive been looking for.

Fisher voted with his wife in their town of Belle Vernon early in the morning before driving about an hour northeast to the Trump House, and as they watched car after car pull into the makeshift parking lot near the pop-up political shrine, the couple said they didnt understand how he could lose.

Everyone I talk to is Trump; very few are Hillary, said Charlotte Fisher, 52, an EMS communications officer. In our neighborhood, everything is Trump.

The Trump House  owned, run and financed by Leslie Rossi, a mother of eight who owns more than 60 properties in the area  is equipped with spotlights and security cameras but no televisions. Those lingering in and around the house got their news from phones, scrolling through Facebook postings and text messages, and as the morning went by, the news seemed so uniformly good for Trump that Rossi and a few volunteers would quickly correct anyone who didnt express 100 percent certainty that he would win.

I hope he wins, said Carlotta Harris, 70, who lives nearby and stopped by about 11 a.m. to get a yard sign to plant near her polling place.

Get rid of the hope, said Barry Kinsey, a military veteran who volunteers at the house. He will be president. I know it. I know it in my military mind.



Leslie Rossi hangs up a "Deplorable" shirt that fell from a doorway at the Trump House. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

As morning gave way to afternoon, though, optimism began giving way to suspicions of fraud, and some people began slowly building a case for why Trump might lose.

There was a flurry of phone calls from people who heard that a polling station near St. Vincent College was making voters hide their Trump gear because it might be considered electioneering at the polls, although the poll workers stopped doing so after a series of complaints. There were stories  usually heard from someone who heard it from someone else  about malfunctioning voting machines. And there was even a vague report that some polling place in this county had voting machines removed for an unknown reason.

Joyce Vargulish, a 77-year-old housekeeper who has worked for the same family for 54 years, said she heard from her boss about a woman he knows who claimed that her vote for Trump was mysteriously changed.

She voted straight Republican. When she pulled the lever, it said: Thank you for voting Democrat, said Vargulish, even though such a display does not appear when voting here. I told all of my family, because a lot of them never voted before, and I told them to be careful.

Vargulish said that she wears a Trump shirt every day, except for when she goes to church, and that her front yard is filled with Trump signs. Her daughter, she said, assured her that Trump would win in a landslide, but she was increasingly worried that he might lose.

Its not about him. Its about her. I just cannot see her being president, Vargulish said, referring to Democrat Hillary Clinton as a yellow school bus rolled past with a handful of young boys hanging out the windows and chanting: Trump! Trump! Trump!



Richard Larrabee said Obama isnt his president. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

Richard Larrabee, 69, overheard Vargulish and jumped in to share something that he had heard about Clinton: I just heard this morning that shes taking illegal immigrants on a bus from California, got them voting there, taking them to Nevada to vote again.

Rossi, the owner of Trump House, who has no affiliation with Trumps campaign or the Republican Party, has formed a relationship with Trump supporters in the region by handing out thousands of free Trump hats, T-shirts, bumper stickers and other merchandise. She has registered hundreds of people to vote and counseled those who have been told that they are deplorable for supporting Trump.

I dont need Mr. Trump to tell me theres media bias or voter fraud, I have proof of it all around me in my small community, Rossi said. Its in my face. Its real.

The sun set, polls in other states closed and the initial optimism of the day, which had been supplanted by suspicion, was now changing again, this time into anxious excitement.

Rossi celebrated having had 1,000 people visit so far since sunrise and sign her guest book. As the flow of cars was reduced to a trickle, she and two of her regular volunteers grabbed a Trump sign and went down to the road to wave at cars. Car after car honked.

If they dont blow, theyre Hillary people, she explained.

As yet another car honked, Midge Stein, a 69-year-old Democrat who supports Trump, announced to the two other women: I think hes going to take it.

A car from Pittsburgh pulled up carrying Michael Loomis, a 52-year-old computer programmer who voted for Trump, and his friend, John Cihon, a 42-year-old utility company employee who voted for a third-party candidate. As soon as they arrived, Cihon sent a friend a text: Im at the Trump House . . . There are no words.

Loomis wore a T-shirt labeling him a proud member of the basket of deplorables, and he introduced himself as a gay supporter of Trump. He said that he was frustrated by the Affordable Care Act and that he liked Trumps tough stance on fighting Islamic State terrorists. He also said he liked Trump and described him as not completely stable, but in a good way.

And then he said something that broke through the excitement: He wasnt sure that Trump would win.

He had been watching the early-voting numbers, especially in Florida, and, to him, Clinton just seemed so far ahead.

We won Florida, Rossi told him. We won in like a huge, huge way.

Trump won Florida? Loomis said. I cant believe that.

Loomis pulled up RealClearPolitics on his cellphone. The state had not been called yet  Rosso was wrong about that  but Trump was up with about 25 percent of votes having been counted.

I mean, if he carries Florida, hes going to win this election, Loomis said. I did not expect him to win.

Just then, Cihon got a text and announced: Hes winning the general right now.

Loomis hit refresh and saw the same thing in the preliminary results.

Trump is ahead by 3 percent of the popular vote right now, he said. And thats a lot of the popular vote.

They stood there, hitting refresh over and over. With only a few hours to go until all of the polls closed, they were sure that it was only a matter of time. Trump was going to win. Everyone at Trump House believed it. Their lives really were going to change.

Read more:

Trumps White House win promises to reshape U.S. political landscape

How Donald Trump won: The insiders tell their story

The utter heartbreak of Hillary Clintons supporters, in 14 photos
Early on the morning of Nov. 9, Republican President-elect Donald Trump addressed supporters in New York, declaring victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Here are key moments from that speech. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

Early on the morning of Nov. 9, Republican President-elect Donald Trump addressed supporters in New York, declaring victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. Here are key moments from that speech. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

Donald Trump outperformed the previous Republican presidential nominee, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, in areas of the country with large numbers of white voters, leading to a far tighter race Tuesday night than many had expected leading into Election Day.

The composition of the 2016 electorate was similar to that of the 2012 voting population, according to preliminary exit poll data. But Trump performed exceptionally well among white voters, while Clinton did less well among nonwhite voters than fellow Democrat President Obama did four years ago.

In general, a pattern took hold across a number of key battleground states: In some counties where Obama won, Clinton won as well  but often by significantly less. Where Romney won, Trump won, too  but his margins were much bigger.

The result was a nail-biter of a race in which Trumps advantage grew by the hour. For example, Clinton merely eked out a win in Virginia, a state that Obama won comfortably four years ago. And she was defeated in the all-important battleground of Florida.

[Election Day: An acrimonious race reaches its end point]

Vowing that there would be more to say later, John Podesta, chair of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, asked supporters to wait until more votes had been counted. Podesta spoke shortly after 2:00 a.m. on Nov. 9. Clinton did not appear. (The Washington Post)

With some votes still left to count late Tuesday, Trump was also ahead in states with large white populations, such as New Hampshire and Wisconsin and Michigan.

Among nonwhite voters, Clinton led Trump by 54 points, a whopping advantage but one that was significantly smaller than Obamas 61-point margin among nonwhite voters four years ago, according to preliminary exit poll data.

Trump, meanwhile, earned the votes of 60 percent of white men and 52 percent of white women. And he consolidated the GOP coalition, bringing Republicans home in the final weeks of the campaign. The exit poll data indicate that he won 88 percent of Republican votes cast and 78 percent of ballots cast by white evangelicals.

That pattern produced compelling results in Florida, which Obama won in 2012. Trump outperformed Romneys levels of support in 51 of the states 67 counties. Clinton, meanwhile, outperformed Obama in just six counties.

Trumps strength came in rural areas long considered likely to support his bid, but also in more suburban areas, including around Tampa and St. Petersburg, where Clinton was thought to have a significant edge.

The area around Tampa was particularly telling: In 2012, Obama won Hillsborough County with 52.7 percent of the vote and nearby Pinellas County with 52.1 percent. On Tuesday, Clinton led in Hillsborough with 51.5 percent of the vote, slightly less than Obama. But she lost Pinellas County with 47.5 percent of the vote. Both counties are predominantly white, with non-Hispanic whites making up three-quarters of the population in Pinellas County, according to census data.

In counties across Florida that are at least three-quarters white, Clinton underperformed Obama by an average of nearly five percentage points. Meanwhile, in counties that were less than 60 percent white, she underperformed him by 2.5 percentage points.

1 of 48 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  What Election Night looks like View Photos Donald Trump, 70, will be the 45th president of the United States. The real-estate developer and former reality-TV star is the first person to win the presidency without having previously held public office or served in the U.S. military. Caption Donald Trump, 70, will be the 45th president of the United States. The real-estate developer and former reality-TV star is the first person to win the presidency without having previously held public office or served in the U.S. military. Nov. 9, 2016 President-elect Donald Trump addresses supporters at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

The pattern was even more pronounced in Ohio, which was a pivotal presidential battleground in the past three election cycles, and where Trump won by nearly nine points.

Leading into Tuesday, Ohio seemed to lean consistently toward Trump, thanks largely to a population that includes a larger percentage of non-college-educated white voters than in most other parts of the country. Such voters tended to break heavily for Trump and formed the core of his base. In Ohio, several heavily industrial areas responded positively to Trumps anti-free-trade message.

Late Tuesday, Trump won by landslides in two heavily white counties  Ottawa and Sandusky  that Romney lost by single digits four years earlier. Ottawa County, along the southwest shore of Lake Erie, boasts a population that is about 97 percent white, while neighboring Sandusky County is 94 percent white, according to census estimates.

In Ottawa, Trump beat Clinton, 57 percent to 37 percent. In Sandusky, Trumps margin was even greater  58 percent to 35 percent.

In North Carolina, another key battleground state, Trump benefited from an uptick in turnout in the rural areas, including the western third of the state where manufacturing losses have taken a big toll and in the east, where tobacco was once king.

[Markets plunge worldwide as Trump shows surprising strength]

The state has historically been favorable turf for Republicans in presidential races. Obama won there narrowly in 2008 but lost by a close margin to Romney in 2012. Trump defeated Clinton by four points.

Democrats were banking this year on a longer-term trend that they believed was working in their favor in the state: an influx of white, college-educated professionals in the urban and suburban corridor that stretches from Raleigh to Charlotte. They also were counting on an uptick in African American voters  a legacy of Obamas campaigns.

Early voting among African Americans was down, however, attributed in part to a reduction in the times and polling places open for early voting.

In Michigan, another must-win state for Clinton that has gone for Democrats in recent election cycles, partial returns showed Clinton winning Wayne County, home to Detroit, but by a smaller margin than Obama garnered in 2012. Meanwhile, Trump was crushing Clinton in many rural counties by nearly 2-to-1 margins.

Despite early reports of a surge in Hispanic voting, the percentage of the electorate that was Hispanic appeared to closely match that of the 2012 electorate, according to preliminary exit poll data.

Likewise, while women generally vote in higher numbers than men, they did not appear to expand their share of the electorate this year, despite the chance to elect the nations first female president.

There were signs, however, that voters on balance were rejecting Trumps core message on immigration. The data showed about 7 in 10 voters said that most undocumented immigrants should be given a chance to apply for legal status. Trump called for deporting all those in the country illegally, a position backed by only a quarter of voters in the preliminary exit poll data. A majority also opposed Trumps signature proposal to build a wall on the southern border of the United States.

Emily Guskin and Claudia Deane contributed to this report.
Demonstrators around the country hit the streets on Nov. 9 to protest the election of president-elect Donald Trump. Protests were reported in New York City, Washington, Chicago and elsewhere. (Victoria Walker,Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

Demonstrators around the country hit the streets on Nov. 9 to protest the election of president-elect Donald Trump. Protests were reported in New York City, Washington, Chicago and elsewhere. (Victoria Walker,Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

Vigils and protests against Donald Trump spread from coast to coast early Thursday as crowds burned effigies of the president-elect, blocked highways and warned of wider backlash  underscoring the difficult task Trump faces in uniting a fractured country.

Despite Hillary Clinton and President Obama urging their backers to accept Trumps victory and support his transition into power, thousands of demonstrators marched through the streets decrying his crude comments about women and attacks on immigrants.

Protests were reported in cities across the nation, from major metropolitan centers like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, to smaller cities, such as Richmond and Portland, Ore. Dozens of demonstrators were arrested.

Even cities in red states, such as Atlanta, Dallas and Kansas City, Mo., saw demonstrations.

In Oakland, Calif., two police officers were injured and two patrol cars burned as thousands of protesters took to the streets and chanted slogans against Trump, a police spokeswoman said. A few protesters threw objects at police dressed in riot gear, smashed windows and started small fires in the downtown area.

1 of 75 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Protests swell across U.S. in wake of Trump victory View Photos Vigils and protests flared up across the country Wednesday evening as opponents of President-elect Donald Trump expressed dismay with the election results, underscoring the difficult task he faces in uniting a fractured country. Caption Vigils and protests flare up among opponents of the president-elect. Nov. 20. 2016 People participate in an anti-hate rally at a Brooklyn park named in memory of Beastie Boys band member Adam Yauch after it was defaced with swastikas. Spencer Platt/Getty Images Wait 1 second to continue.

In Los Angeles, thousands of protesters filled the streets, including some that burned a giant paper-mache Trump head in front of City Hall and others that spray-painted profanity on the Los Angeles Times building as well as on vehicles used by news organizations.

Hundreds of others blocked two different highways, backing up traffic for miles.

Im disappointed, shocked, a little panicked for my friends and family  for everything that will be unleashed, the hate that will be unleashed, said Marion Hill, 22, who joined thousands who amassed outside of the Trump Tower in downtown Chicago.

Rainbow flags and signs bearing messages such as Time to Revolt waved above the crowd, as protesters filled Michigan Avenue, cheered on by drivers who honked their support. They then shut down Lake Shore Drive, the expressway along Lake Michigan.

[A year in Trumps America: Frustration, fury and fervor]

Most of the major demonstrations took place in urban centers in blue states Clinton won Tuesday  highlighting the demographic divide that shaped the election results.

The former secretary of states narrow victory in the popular vote spurred demonstrators in New York to chant She got more votes! as thousands amassed in front of Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan. The crowd stretched several blocks down Fifth Avenue.

Earlier, the protesters had marched from Union Square to Trumps building, chanting Donald Trump, go away! Sexist, racist, anti-gay!

At one point, demonstrators lit an American flag on fire. Later, amid a cacophony of loud chants, a glowing Love Trumps Hate banner was held aloft under the Trump Tower sign. The singer Cher mingled in the crowd, doling out hugs.

In Washington, a crowd of hundreds of mostly young protesters gathered outside the White House for a candlelight vigil before marching to the new Trump International Hotel a few blocks away on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Im trying to not be angry and trying to find more positive way to express my reactions. I dont think anger will help, said Kate Lasso, 57, who joined the crowd. But for the wife of a Guatemalan immigrant, who has relatives in the country without proper documentation, restraining emotion was difficult.

They have kids, she said. They have been living here. What is going to happen to them?

[Undocumented immigrants fear what Trump will do as president]

Hundreds also marched through Philadelphia, with about 700 people heading north through Center City and blocking intersections as they made their way up Broad Street, police said.

The protesters in these scattered cities  some of them the same places that have seen heated demonstrations sparked by fatal police shootings in recent years  could be seen in videos streaming across on cable news and social media, lit by flashing police lights and streetlights as they wound through metropolitan streets.

Many who turned out said they were fearful that Trump would follow through with his pledge to deport undocumented immigrants.

I just felt waking up today that I was waking up to a whole new world, to a nightmare for my parents and people I care about and love, said Tony, a 23-year-old line cook who declined to give his last name as he marched in Chicago, carrying his 6-year-old daughter on his shoulders.

Theres so much heartache, he said. Its a bad time to be a Muslim or an illegal citizen in this country.

In Santa Ana., Calif., Lucy Dominguez, 37, and her husband, Oliver Lopez, 33, had their arms around one another and held a sign reading, Peace.

I came to stand up with the people. To stand up with my people, the Latino community, she said. I chose the peace sign because we need peace in this moment.

Hours earlier, Trump struck magnanimous note of reconciliation as he claimed victory shortly before 3 a.m.

Now its time for America to bind the wounds of division, he said. We have to get together. To all Republicans, Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.

Trumps tone was echoed by Obama and Clinton, who told their supporters not to despair as Republicans rejoiced at the idea that they will control both the legislative and executive branches of government in two and-a-half months.

I know how disappointed you feel because I feel it, too, Clinton said. This is painful, and it will be for a long time.

[A speech Clinton never imagined giving]

Clinton, who was misty-eyed at times but composed throughout her remarks, said the long and bitter campaign against Trump showed that our nation is more deeply divided that we thought.

But she told her backers: We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.

Minutes later, Obama addressed reporters in the Rose Garden with Vice President Biden by his side, as more than a hundred White House staffers stood off to the side. Several of the aides were visibly emotional, with at least one crying before he began speaking.

Now, everybody is sad when their side loses an election, but the day after we have to remember that were actually all on one team. This is an intramural scrimmage, Obama said, vowing to work to ensure a smooth transition for the president-elect.

But the displays of anger and grief on the streets Wednesday indicated the depth of the rupture in the country  and the distrust with which many Americans view Trump.

Hes going to lead us to a very dark place for women, said Samantha Sylverne, a 19-year-old student, who marched in Chicago carrying a sign scrawled on a cardboard box that read, Amerikkka elected a rapist.

Along with how it affects our reproductive rights, the things Donald Trump spews about women shape how Americans think they can talk about women and other marginalized people, she said.

In New York, where protesters walked in the streets, disrupting traffic, Brandon Ramos, 21, said the election result feels like a nightmare.

Im Latino, he said. My entire family and neighborhood are depressed. I still havent comprehended it.

[What does Trumps win say about us as a nation?]

Tensions flared particularly high on college campuses. At American University in Washington, students burned American flags and some shouted F--- white America!

In Austin, students at the University of Texas led a march for hours through the city Wednesday afternoon. As hundreds of protesters wove into traffic, bus drivers high-fived the students. Some in their vehicles got out and hugged them, tears streaming down their faces.

Seeing this is everything, said Jennifer Rowsey, 47, as the march passed by a coffee shop next to Austin City Hall where she is the human resource manager. I felt so isolated, she said. I dont feel so alone now.

Austin City Council member Greg Casar, the son of Mexican immigrants and a community organizer, joined up with the protesters when they passed by an interview he was giving with local media.

A lot of people are calling for healing, he said. I think we should reject that.

He said that now is the time to support protesters, strikers and other forms of civil disobedience. Casar said if Trump comes to Austin, he will refuse to shake his hand. If I have to go to jail, for protesting, he said, Ill go to jail.

The evening march in Washington converged in front of the Trump hotel, where one demonstrator pasted a sign of Trumps face marked with the word Hate on the side of the building.

A few protesters attempted to rush through a crowd barrier in front of the hotels side entrance before security officials quickly intervened and pushed them back. Other protesters jeered against the escalation, drowning out the momentary disruption with chants of When they go low, we go high.

Some in the crowd distributed fliers with plans for another protest  on Inauguration Day.

Bailey Walker, a 20-year-old George Mason University student, found herself grappling with how she could have been so confident of a Clinton victory.

I created an echo chamber within my social media and friend groups, and I wasnt listening, said Walker, who said she knew only a few Trump supporters from the college public speaking circuit.

I need to do a better job of connecting with them and engaging, she said. Meeting in person would be a big step.

Lydersen reported from Chicago. Eva Ruth Moravec in Austin; Katie Zezima in Santa Ana, Calif.; Philip Bump, Ryan Carey-Mahoney, Kayla Epstein and Anne Gearan in New York; and Juliet Eilperin and Mark Berman in Washington contributed to this report.

Read more:

How Donald Trump broke the old rules of politics  and won the White House

The crowd yelled Lock her up! Then Trump thanked Clinton for service to our country.

[How Donald Trump pulled off an upset of cataclysmic, historic proportions]
With voter distrust of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump at record highs, 2016 seemed poised for a third-party candidate to take advantage  and a decent chunk of the vote.

That didnt happen. But the impact of third-party candidates on a race which Trump narrowly won over Clinton will likely be debated

Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Party nominee Jill Stein pulled in about four percent of the popular vote combined, with final results still being counted. Neither won an Electoral College vote. Independent Evan McMullin lost Utah, where he had been polling neck-and-neck with Trump despite announcing his candidacy only in August. McMullin was on the ballot in 11 states.

Although the animus toward Clinton and Trump seemed to make conditions ripe for a third-party candidate to do well, neither Johnson nor Stein was able to project a message above the din and capture the support of a large portion of the electorate.

But the percentage of the vote that they did capture will likely be the source of much discussion in the coming days and weeks. Clinton had been expected to win Virginia by a large margin; she squeaked by Trump by about two percentage points. Johnson won 3 percent of the vote in that state, Stein 0.08 percent.

Tonight there are millions of Americans, I am sad to say, who are in fear that perhaps their liberties will be challenged and threatened under a Trump administration, McMullin said to dozens of supporters holding flags with light-up handles at a music venue here. This is why a new conservative movement is necessary. And we will not turn our back on this challenge.

Johnson spent election night in New Mexico, where, with 54 percent of precincts reporting, he was winning 8.6 percent of the vote. Stein live-streamed a party from New York City.

Against historical norms, neither garnered as much of the vote as some thought they could in this political climate. The last third-party candidate to win a state, George Wallace, captured 13.5 percent of the vote in 1968, while Ross Perot won nearly 19 percent nationwide in 1992.

Johnson ran as a fiscal conservative and social liberal. He said he would sign tax cuts but supported marijuana legalization. He took an expansive view of executive power and agreed with President Obamas executive action to allow the children of undocumented immigrants to remain in the country. He named William Weld, a former Republican governor of Massachusetts, as his running mate, angering many in the libertarian movement. In recent days, Weld all but backed Clinton, vouching for her on MSNBC and stating on CNN that she had gotten a pretty raw deal with the focus on her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state.

Johnson also hurt his cause with well-publicized gaffes, including asking What is Aleppo? when queried about the city that epitomizes the Syrian civil wars brutality and refugee crisis.

None of the third-party candidates this year have really captivated disaffected voters or voters on the left or the right who want another option. Part of it is candidate quality, said Matthew Dean Hindman, a professor of political science at the University of Tulsa.

I think part of it is sort of the polarized nature of politics today, driving voters to strategically vote for one party over another, he said.

Stein ran on a platform of ending corporate influence in government, including that of the pharmaceutical industry. She called for an economy that would rely on renewable energy by 2030 and said the government should provide a job to anyone who couldnt find private-sector employment. A physician, she expressed skepticism about vaccines.

Even though he lost Utah, McMullin has given some residents hope that an alternative to one of the major parties can make inroads. He espoused traditionally conservative principles, including opposing abortion and same-sex marriage, and returning more power to the states. He spent a decade in the CIA, including in counterterrorism efforts, and was said to have had a talent for recruiting extremists as assets. He said he learned that power needs to be used judiciously and called for Pentagon reform.

McMullin, a Mormon who was born in Utah and attended college here, particularly appealed to Mormon voters turned off by Trump, a brash, thrice-married New Yorker whose views on immigration, refugees and women many found off-putting.

Crisscrossing the state in recent weeks, McMullin painted himself as a principled alternative to Trump and Clinton.

Somebody had to stand up for equality and liberty in this election. Especially, a conservative needed to do this, McMullin said.

Robin Ball, 36, teared up after meeting McMullin at a diner on Monday. She said she considered her vote for him one of belief rather than protest.

As David Brown, 41, put it: My conscience is clear voting for someone like Evan McMullin.

Ralph Nader, a four-time candidate, including twice with the Green Party, said McMullins campaign would set a model. It will encourage people just to run in their home state. Nader said he thinks that the system is stacked against third-party candidates, from the way they are written about. Calling a third-party candidate a spoiler is bigoted, he said. And he objected to the fact that they must reach a certain polling threshold to appear in presidential debates.

Among the biggest deficits such candidates suffer is a lack of funding. Johnson raised about $11 million, Stein about $3.5 million and McMullin about $1 million, compared with the hundreds of millions put forward for Trump and Clinton.

In Florida, Im not seeing the Gary Johnson ads, said Warren Redlich, a lawyer who ran for governor of New York as a libertarian.

But Johnson and the others had additional liabilities, Redlich said, including, in Johnsons case, the lack of a coherent message.

If you were to ask the average voter whos heard of Gary Johnson what he stands for, I dont think they know, he said. Its a blown opportunity, he said.
Can computers, big data and advanced analytics replace real live humans when it comes to accurately valuing the house you want to buy? One of the two largest financial players in U.S. real estate thinks so and is preparing to introduce changes that could prove momentous  and highly controversial.

Giant mortgage investor Freddie Mac plans to dispense with traditional appraisals on some loan applications for home purchases, replacing them with an alternative valuation system that would be free to both lenders and borrowers. The company confirmed to me last week that it may begin the no-appraisal concept as early as next spring. Instead of using professional appraisers, Freddie plans to tap into what it says is a vast trove of data it has assembled on millions of houses nationwide, supplement that with additional, unspecified information related to valuation, and use the results in its assessments of applications.

[More Harney: Congress says condos should be easier to sell. Agencys new rules may not help.]

For consumers, the company believes, this could not only eliminate appraisal expenses  which typically range from $350 to $600 or more  but also cut down on closing delays attributable to appraisals. It could also relieve lenders of their burdens of responsibility for the accuracy of appraisals  a major sore point with banks that sell loans to Freddie subject to potential buyback demands if significant errors are later found in appraisals.

But critics argue that Freddie is headed down a perilous road. Doing away with formal appraisals by trained professionals could massively increase the companys exposure to losses on defaults, they say, and would likely end up being paid for by American taxpayers. Reliance on publicly available data without careful physical inspections of properties verges on craziness, said Joe Adamaitis, residential lending manager for Insignia Bank in Sarasota, Fla. We would never allow it here.

Not surprisingly, appraisers who know about the plans are up in arms. The Chicago-based Appraisal Institute, the largest professional group in the valuation field, has written to Freddie Macs regulator, Mel Watt, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, urging him to take a hard look. Freddie Macs decision to veer away from fundamental risk management practices appears to harken back to the loan production-driven days in the years leading up to the 2007-2008 financial crisis  abuses that turned out to be disastrous for the entire economy, the group wrote.

[More Harney: After court ruling, secret payoff schemes may raise settlement costs]

Veteran appraisers such as Pat Turner of Richmond, believe that abandoning traditional valuation practices will leave Freddie Mac essentially flying blind in many instances. In a phone interview, he said he has inspected houses where the interior damage and neglect have been so extensive  none of it on public records or visible to automated systems  that the differences in market value arrived at by a computer compared with a trained professional are potentially catastrophic for any investor. Similarly, without an inspection, an automated valuation might not reflect whatever significant improvements youve made that are not on any public records.

For years an outspoken critic of the popular but frequently inaccurate automated valuation systems offered free by Zillow and other websites, Turner asked, When was the last time a Zillow computer walked into your house? Computerized estimates cant tell you everything you need to know about value, he said.

But Freddies idea has strong defenders in the mortgage industry. Jay Farner, president of Quicken Loans, the second-largest retail mortgage lender, told me were in support of doing something to alleviate the situation today, where appraisal delays can cause rate locks to expire and closings to be postponed.

Although a large percentage of loans do require an appraisal, he said, others could be safely underwritten with a combination of strong previous valuation data on the property possibly combined with a walk-through inspection.

Bill Dallas, chairman and chief executive of Skyline Financial in Calabasas, Calif., calls the traditional use of appraisers a really screwed-up system. Hed like to see the industry move toward an approach that makes maximum use of the huge property-specific databases built up from previous appraisals along with inspections when needed.

Wheres this all headed? Well begin to know in a few months. But dont expect appraisers to suddenly disappear. The best of them add essential value to the process of telling a lender or investor what a house is truly worth, based on up-to-the-minute market information and a hands-on physical inspection  services no computer can perform, at least not yet.

Ken Harneys email address is kenharney@earthlink.net.
In the face of increasing criticism and worsening relations, the European Union and Turkey challenged each other Wednesday to come out and say whether they want Ankaras bid to join the E.U. to continue.

In a high-stakes game of political chicken, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the E.U. would not be able to reach the final point and end its ties with Turkey out of fears of jeopardizing a deal to curb the flow of migrants from Africa and the Middle East to Europe.

Hours later, in Brussels, E.U. Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn bluntly said that it is time Ankara tells us what they really want, in the wake of a report assessing Turkeys status as a candidate for membership in the bloc. The report highlighted what the E.U. saw as backsliding by the Turkish government on essential human rights and rule-of-law standards.

The report, issued Wednesday, came after Turkeys recent clampdown on media freedoms and the arrests of 10 pro-Kurdish legislators.

These various actions, including considerations of reintroducing the death penalty, seem to be increasingly incompatible with Turkeys official desire to become a member of the European Union, Hahn said.

In its own interest, Turkey urgently needs to stop moving away from the E.U., Hahn said.

In the escalating standoff on Turkeys protracted membership bid, Erdogan rose to the challenge.

They say unabashedly and shamelessly that the E.U. should review its negotiations with Turkey, Erdogan told a business group in Istanbul. You are late, go and review them as soon as you can. But dont just review them  go and make your final decision.

The Turkish leader added: You know those 3 million refugees in Turkey? They say there is a problem. What if the negotiations end and they open the gates, where would we put those 3 million refugees? That is their worry. That is why they cannot come to the end point.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the E.U. had to stop its threatening attitude.

Make a decision, brother! Cavusoglu said. If you want the negotiations to stop, then stop them. If you want them to continue, we are ready. But you have to treat us as equal partners. We cannot advance as long as you see us as a second-rate country.

Omer Celik, the minister in charge of Turkeys E.U. negotiations, criticized the unions report. He called it far from being constructive or providing guidance and said E.U. leaders lacked vision and the ability to produce projects.

In March, Turkey and the E.U. reached an agreement in which Turkey would stem the flow of migrants to Greece in return for incentives such as fast-track membership talks, billions of euros in aid for Syrian refugees in Turkey and visa-free travel for Turkish citizens.

On the deal on visa-free travel, Celik said Turkey was determined not to alter its anti-terrorism laws. He said E.U. Vice President Frans Timmermans would arrive in Turkey for discussions on the issue.

If we can reach progress during talks with Timmermans, this will be recorded. If we cannot, then this process will have died toward the end of the year, Celik said.

The visa deal has hit a hurdle over Turkeys reluctance to change its anti-terrorism laws  one of the conditions for the lifting of visa restrictions on Turkish citizens traveling to Europe.

On Tuesday, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, warned Turkey that its crackdown on political opponents and the media goes against E.U. values.

Juncker also called on Erdogan to immediately say whether Turkey really wants to be  yes or no  a member of the European Union. He added that the Turkish leader would have only himself to blame if the E.U. does not grant visa-free travel in Europe to Turkish citizens soon.

Turkey has been in talks to join the European Union since October 2005, but progress has been held up, often by political opposition and particularly because of resistance from Cyprus, an E.U. member. The Mediterranean island has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops occupied its northern third after a coup by supporters of a union with Greece.

 Associated Press

Casert reported from Brussels.
Donald Trump watches the action with wife Melania and son Barron at the Women's British Open at Turnberry Golf Club on Aug. 1, 2015, in Turnberry, Scotland. (David Cannon/Getty Images)

Europes far-right leaders on Wednesday heralded Donald Trumps victory as a sign that they were on the verge of a historic sweep through Western nations to upend the post-Cold War globalized world order.

From Viennese cafes to hard-luck coastal French towns to the ex-Communist flatlands of eastern Germany, anti-immigrant Europeans with views similar to Trumps said they could no longer be ignored by a political and media elite that unites conventional wisdom on both sides of the aisle. They exulted in their power to win their nations highest offices in a marathon of elections that starts next month with the Austrian presidency and circles across some of Washingtons most important partners.

The new order has already begun, in a wave of congratulatory messages from European leaders who had little choice but to meekly declare readiness to work with the new American leader. France, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy all face major ballot-box choices in the coming months  and top politicians are now contending with pressure at home and from the worlds biggest superpower. If Europes mainstream leaders cooperate with an anti-immigrant, anti-trade President Trump, they will have little choice but to cooperate with far-right politicians at home, politicians and analysts said.

[Trumps victory promises to reshape U.S. political landscape]

He reclaimed democracy for the American people, said Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch far-right Party for Freedom, which is topping opinion polls ahead of March elections. It can indeed be an enormous incentive in Europe and the Netherlands to see that if people start moving in a certain direction, it can be done, Wilders said in an interview.

They have rejected the status quo, said Marine Le Pen, leader of Frances far-right National Front, vowing to repeat Donald Trumps feat in the upcoming French elections. (Martin Bureau/AFP/Getty Images)

Now, he said, national leaders across Europe will have to contend with Trumps ideas  and that means they will also have to engage with European far-right parties that share the same skepticism toward open borders for people and trade.

They have to take us seriously, he said. Politics will never be the same again after yesterday. Im sure about that. Its a kind of new era that we entered.

The cheers began early Wednesday, when French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen was among the first world politicians to congratulate Trump on Twitter, just as he started to pull away in the battleground states.

They have rejected the status quo, Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, said later in the day, vowing to repeat the feat in France. What happened last night was not the end of the world, it was the end of a world. Le Pen far outpolls President Francois Hollande ahead of springtime elections, and though it remains unclear whether she can pull off an outright victory, fewer people are ruling it out after the Trump upset. Le Pen has already surged after Islamic State attacks in France, which were largely perpetrated by French and Belgian citizens whose families had immigrated from North Africa.

[World gasps in disbelief after Trumps win]

If ISIS throws three bombs at Paris between the first and the second round of the elections, then its Le Pen. Theyre not stupid, said Ulrike Guerot, director of the Department for European Policy and the Study of Democracy at Austrias Danube University Krems. You could be really cynical and say the only people who are really united right now in Europe are these people.

That view is shared by many of the far-right leaders themselves.

This election result gives courage to Germany and Europe, because Trump has the maps for a political turnaround in his hand, said the leader of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party, Frauke Petry, who has been climbing in opinion polls ahead of national elections next year.

Euroskeptic leaders said they would study Trumps freewheeling campaign and seek to replicate it in their own nations. Nigel Farage, a leader of the successful campaign to lead Britain out of the European Union, hit the campaign trail with Trump and plans to fly to the United States on Thursday.

And Dutch politicians say they were inspired by Trumps improvised election effort.

He has such a small campaign staff, so he relied very heavily on the ground on people in cities, organizing things. That kind of civic spirit is something wed love to take to our campaign. Thats something Im trying to copy, said Thierry Baudet, a Dutch Euroskeptic leader who was one of the organizers of a successful April referendum in which Dutch voters rejected an E.U. trade agreement with Ukraine.

[What Americas choice of Trump really means]

Austria may be the next country poised to elect a nationalist leader who has many positions on immigration and trade that are similar to Trumps. The anti-immigrant Freedom Party is poised to seize the Austrian presidency Dec. 4  and it just sent a delegation to the United States to study the Trump campaign, one official said.

But in a hint at some limits on Trumps effect on European politics, the far-right Austrian presidential candidate, Norbert Hofer, took a careful line on the U.S. president-elect on Wednesday, offering him congratulations but little more. Analysts said that domestic anti-Americanism dictated the careful line.

The overall narrative that we have to stick it to the elites, that the country was usurped by the elite and we need to return it to the people, also works in Austria, said Reinhard Heinisch, head of the political science department at the University of Salzburg.

But the Freedom Party has to form a coalition, and to form a coalition it has to play well with others, he said.

No matter the local considerations, for many Euroskeptic leaders the Trump victory was a delightful glimpse into future electoral possibilities.

When it rains in the United States of America, you feel the drops here in Europe, said Filip Dewinter, a leader of Belgiums far-right Flemish Interest party, which has campaigned on an anti-immigration platform. It will be very tough for the political elite in Europe.

James McAuley in Paris, Annabell Van den Berghe in Brussels and Stephanie Kirchner in Berlin contributed to this report.

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Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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The future of the historic nuclear agreement with Iran is in the air with the prospect that a Donald Trump administration could take steps that would cause Iran to abandon its commitments, experts said Wednesday.

Some characterized Trumps election as a death knell for the deal, which was reached in 2014 and put into effect in January. It imposes limits on Irans nuclear program and its ability to build atomic weapons for at least 10 years in exchange for lifting most international sanctions.

I think its basically the end game for the deal, said Richard Nephew, a Columbia University fellow who was the lead sanctions expert on the U.S. negotiating team.

Its very hard for me to see, based on the rhetoric, letting it stand as is, or not doing something that forces the Iranians to walk away.

[The key moments in the long history of U.S.-Iran tensions]

Though it has been applauded by allies that negotiated alongside the United States  Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and the European Union  the agreement has been heavily criticized in Congress. Republican lawmakers in particular say it has rewarded Iran for taking U.S. citizens prisoner and enabled the countrys aggression in regional conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

My number one priority is to dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran, Trump said in a speech to the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC during the campaign. He later said he would try to renegotiate the agreement and increase U.S. sanctions against Iran.

Iran is concerned enough about what Trump may do that senior officials on Wednesday urged a Trump administration to live up to commitments made by the United States.

[Irans supreme leader calls both Trump and Clinton catastrophic]

President Hassan Rouhani, a relative pragmatist who pushed for the deal hoping to open Iranians reclusive society to the international economy, said Trump cannot change the agreement.

Irans understanding of the nuclear deal was that the accord was not concluded with one country or government but was approved by a resolution of the U.N. Security Council, and there is no possibility that it can be changed by a single government, he said on Iran state television Wednesday.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who negotiated the agreement on behalf of Iran, said the United States must stick to the agreed-upon details.

An Iranian woman walks past a mural on the wall of the former U.S. embassy in Tehran. (Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images)

Every U.S. president has to understand the realities of todays world, he said Wednesday, as reported by the Tehran Times. The most important thing is that the future U.S. president sticks to agreements, to engagements undertaken.

Uncertainty in Tehran is not necessarily a bad thing, said Mark Dubowitz, head of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies who has testified frequently in Congress opposing the deal.

I could see a Trump administration beginning to threaten the use of American power, and put the Iranians to a choice between severe sanctions and potential military action, or going back to renegotiate some key elements of the deal, he said, citing sunset provisions that gradually begin to lift some limitations after seven to 15 years.

Dubowitz added: Theres always the risk the United States ends up isolated, as the Europeans, Chinese and Russians scramble to cut side deals with the Iranians. But one should never underestimate the power of U.S. secondary sanctions and the fear that creates in the marketplace  a fear that has now been intensified as a result of a President Trump.

Trumps statements have at times been contradictory, adding a further element of confusion into the predictions. But he will probably not act solely on his own instincts.

He will be able to call upon a considerable body of effort on the part if all those mobilized trying to block the deal last year, aimed at looking for ways to undermine its provisions, to toughen the measures put in place and to force our negotiating partners to go along with a much harsher stance, said Suzanne Maloney, deputy director of the foreign policy program at the Brookings Institution.

To my mind, thats highly unrealistic, she added. This isnt the sole issue a Trump administration is going to be at odds with our primary diplomatic partners over. It will already be a fraught relationship.

The path forward should become clearer once Trump names his foreign policy team.

To what extent will the Never Trump faction, which was wide in the policy community, begin to walk back on its absolutism in refusing to serve in his administration? Maloney said. I suspect some will.

Read more:

Iran deal rests on shaky ground

Iranian TV mocks Washington, broadcasting presidential debates and House of Cards

Congress must-pass measure: Iran sanctions
The owner of a book shop shows a copy of National Geographic with the photograph of Afghan refugee Sharbat Gulla last month in Islamabad, Pakistan. (B.K. Bangash/AP)

Afghanistans president on Wednesday welcomed home Sharbat Gulla, National Geographics famed green-eyed Afghan Girl, just hours after she was deported from Pakistan, the latest in the odyssey of the globally recognized refugee.

Gullas deportation came after a regional court in the Pakistani city of Peshawar convicted her on charges of carrying a forged Pakistani ID card and staying in the country illegally.

The case has drawn international attention and criticism of Pakistani authorities over their perceived harsh treatment of Gulla  and other Afghans who Islamabad says will be expelled as illegal immigrants.

Gulla gained international fame as an Afghan refugee girl when war photographer Steve McCurrys photograph of her, dominated by her piercing green eyes, was published on National Geographics cover in 1985. McCurry found her again in 2002.

In 2014, she went into hiding after authorities accused her of buying fake Pakistani documents. She was arrested in late October, and the Peshawar court earlier this month ordered her deported.

Sharbat Gulla is shown at the presidential palace on Wednesday in Kabul. A Pakistani government official said Gulla, National Geographics famed Afghan Girl, was deported to Afghanistan. (Rahmat Gul/AP)

Earlier Wednesday, Gulla and her four children were handed over to Afghan authorities at the Torkham border crossing, about 40 miles northwest of Peshawar.

From there she was flown to Kabul, where President Ashraf Ghani and his wife, Rula, hosted a reception for Gulla at the presidential palace. Ghani also handed her keys to a fully furnished apartment.

As a child, she captured the hearts of millions because she was the symbol of displacement, Ghani said of Gulla. The enormous beauty, the enormous energy that she projected from her face, captured hearts and became one of the most famous photographs of the 1980s and up until the 1990s.

It is a privilege for me to welcome her. We are proud to see that she lives with dignity and with security in her homeland, Ghani said.

Peshawar official Fayaz Khan said Gulla, a widow, and her children were taken by convoy to the border with Afghanistan before dawn on Wednesday.

After the Peshawar court sentenced Gulla to 15 days in jail and a fine of $1,000, she fell ill and was admitted to the citys Lady Reading hospital.

The hospital staff gave Gulla a bouquet of red roses as she was taken away Wednesday, said doctor Mukhtiar Zaman, who described her as still being weak from her illness.

About 3 million Afghans live in Pakistan, most of them as refugees who fled over the almost 40 years of continuous conflict in their country. Pakistan recently stepped up their expulsions, forcing tens of thousands across the border into Afghanistan.
MOUNT PLEASANT  The Racine area will host next years Wisconsin Fall Tourism Conference.

The annual educational conference and trade show will be held Nov. 2-3, 2017, at the Racine Architect Hotel and Conference Center, 7111 Washington Ave.

Following an extensive remodeling and upgrading project, the 222-room hotel will be rebranded as the Delta by Marriott Racine early next year.

Real Racine, Racine Countys tourism promotion organization, will be the host of the Fall Tourism Conference, which is expected to attract about 200 travel professionals from throughout the state.

Real Racine CEO Dave Blank said that participants will be encouraged to visit the areas unique attractions, including the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed architecture at the SC Johnson headquarters campus, as well as the Racine Art Museum and Racines lakefront.

Its been more than 10 years since weve had the opportunity to host the Fall Tourism Conference. Of course, a lot of things have changed for the better, Blank said. We look forward to showcasing the best of the Racine area to these travel professionals from what will be a brand-new hotel.

The Fall Tourism Conference is presented by the Wisconsin Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus. Formed in 1983, the WACVB strengthens and supports the states destination marketing organizations by providing educational, marketing and networking opportunities and tourism industry advocacy. Its members represent more than $35 million in promotional budgets to drive tourism growth in Wisconsin.
Washington state authorities are investigating the mother and stepfather of a 4-year-old missing for at least four years after the girls remains were found in late October hidden in a plastic cooler and encased in concrete, possibly to hide the rotting smell, PEOPLE confirms.

The couple has not been charged and Snohomish County deputies dont know how the girl died, but in a search warrant affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, authorities allege her mother and stepfather kept her death a secret.

Police have not publicly identified the girl, her mother or her stepfather.

The little girls remains were discovered after relatives reached out to authorities in late October after growing concern over her disappearance, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit alleges the mothers story to her family about the girls disappearance changed several times: At first, she allegedly said the girl died of medical causes. Then, she allegedly said the girl went to live with her grandmother. Finally, she allegedly said the girl died while taking a bath, and that the couple  who married after the girl died  panicked and hid her body instead of going to police.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Before she went missing, the victims mother allegedly told relatives her daughter had autism, the affidavit states. Relatives remember seeing the little girl hitting herself in the head and wearing a helmet on several occasions, according to the affidavit.

During their interview with police, the relatives said they remembered a strong odor in the the couples apartment soon after the girl went missing.

When they made a remark about the smell, the girls mother allegedly blamed the neighbors, who she said were into fishing.

In the affidavit, authorities speculated that the couple allegedly poured concrete to conceal the smell of the body.

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Pouring liquid cement into a container with a body would assist greatly with containing the odor and conceal the body, the affidavit states.

One relative alleged that once, the girls mother asked her to help move the cooler, but when the relative put her hand on the lid, the mother put her foot on top of the cooler and warned her not to open it.




The body of a missing 10-year-old Texas girl who had last been seen in church last Tuesday was found Saturday at the bottom of a well  and her relative has been charged in her death, PEOPLE confirms.

Gustavo Zavala-Garcia, 24, who is married to the cousin of Kayla Gomez-Orozco, was charged with capital murder, Smith County Sheriffs Office spokeswoman Laura Parsons tells PEOPLE.

Kaylas body was discovered close to Zavala-Garcias home near Tyler, Parsons says. Sheriff Larry Smith said at a Tuesday press conference that the well was approximately 25 to 28 feet deep and there was 6 to 8 feet of water at the bottom of it.

Authorities have not revealed a motive or Kaylas cause of death.

An AMBER Alert was put out for Kayla after she was reported missing by her family, who last saw her at a 7:30 p.m. service at the First Assembly of God church in Bullard, Parsons says.

According to Parsons, Kaylas family told authorities she got bored and left the room to wait in the churchs lobby, but when her mother went to check on her an hour later, Kayla was gone.

At Tuesdays press conference, District Attorney Matt Bingham said, Kayla has become a part of everyone in this community. Her story has become our story. For all the men and women that were out there when she was pulled out of that well, she has become our own daughter and we are going to get justice for her.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Zavala-Garcia was living in the United States illegally, Parsons says. He had previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor family violence from a 2014 incident and served 30 days in jail, a Smith County District Attorneys Office spokesman says, adding that he was never deported.

He is currently being held on a $10 million bond and a detainer for immigration hold.

Zavala-Garcias court-appointed attorney, Jeff Haas, tells PEOPLE he has not yet spoken to his client. Zavala-Garcia has not yet entered a plea and no date has been set for his court appearance.

A fundraising page has been set up for Kaylas family.
10 cosplayers that looks exactly like the real thing

Everybody (with a soul) loves dressing up for Halloween  its the one time of year when you can literally be whatever or whomever you want to be. But there are some super talented folks who dont just save their costuming for once a year. Cosplayers dress up like the real thing and attend cons, other events, or just stage elaborate and uber impressive photoshoots year round to embody the characters that they love and admire. Considering we can barely sew a button back onto a sweater, were so amazed that people can put together such thoroughly convincing cosplays.

While were impressed by anybody with the artistic eye and talent to put a cosplay together, there are some cosplayers that go above and beyond  whether its extra elaborate costumes, or particularly unique ideas, or the sheer dumb luck of looking exactly like their favorite characters there are some cosplayers that make us question reality.

Check out these ten UNCANNY cosplay lookalikes below!

1. This Hulkbuster cosplay that IS ACTUALLY A COSPLAY AND NOT JUST A PROP? HOW IS THIS REAL?

The Hulkbusters are a military task force within the Marvel universe assembled to take down the Hulk, so theyve obviously got to be big and strong. Were amazed that theres a person inside this thing.

Soo guess who I bumped into today ? What is that John Cena !!!!!!#comiccon #hulkbuster #ironman #avengers #wrestling #lasvegassupertoycon #cosplay Posted by Extreme Costumes on Sunday, August 7, 2016

AND IT MOVES!

2. This Eleventh Doctor cosplayer who looks, like, alarmingly similar to Matt Smith. Seriously, this one is freaky.

(In TOTALLY unrelated news call me, Eleventh Doctor cosplayer.)

Seriously.

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3. This totally adorable Jim Henson cosplay.

Its not that elaborate or complicated, but its so unique, and it totally made us smile.

"There's not a word yet for old friends who've just met"--#JimHenson #NYCC2015 #cosplay #Kermit #MuppetsTakeManhattan A photo posted by Tricia Narwani (@tnarwani) on Oct 11, 2015 at 12:50pm PDT

4. This UNCANNY Jon Snow cosplayer. Ummm, Kit Harringtons long lost twin, OR Kit Harringtons long lost twin?

WE know nothing, Jon Snow, especially when it comes to how you look so much like Jon Snow.

5. This too-cute Kikis Delivery Service couple cosplay.

6. This mind-bogglingly perfect and seasonally-appropriate cosplay of Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas.

7. This stunning Princess Mononoke cosplay. Seriously, are yall witches or WHAT?

Here's a never before seen pictures from Saffels Photography. It was a wonderful surprise to get! I absolutely love it!!! You don't mess with the wolf goddess. Posted by Meisha Mock on Saturday, August 22, 2015

8. This Legolas cosplay thats definitely going to make you do a double or triple take.

Legolas, what do your elf eyes see? DOUBLE, Aragorn, were seeing DOUBLE.

Berg as Legolas Costume and photo by meTaken @ the Putangirua Pinnacles, on the North Island of New Zealand! Posted by Celtic Ruin's Costumes on Tuesday, January 7, 2014

9. This Merida cosplay from Brave complete with a bow AND a horse.

photo by Carlos Adama Photography Posted by Catlin Cosplay on Sunday, November 29, 2015

photo by Carlos Adama Photography Posted by Catlin Cosplay on Sunday, March 20, 2016

10. And last but not least, THIS Harley Quinn cosplay that looks so good we almost dont believe it.

Photos by Paul Hillier PhotographyLatex Wardrobe by Adala ClothingHarley Quinn is Vudu Juju Cosplay Posted by Vudu Juju Cosplay on Wednesday, July 23, 2014

If ever humanity gets back into witch hunts, were starting with these folks, who CLEARLY made a deal with the devil to make these incredible cosplays happen.

download

The post 10 cosplayers that looks exactly like the real thing appeared first on HelloGiggles.
No matter which candidate they were smitten with, voters who headed to the polls on Tuesday were united in one thing:

They really, really wanted to vote.

Perhaps most poignant were the elderly female voters - women born long before women were given the right to vote.

Virginia McLaurin, the 107-year-old woman who just a few months ago danced at the White House with Barack and Michelle Obama, was her usual spry self as she voted Tuesday.

Read: Take a Behind-the-Scenes Look at Historic Election Night as the World Waits for Results

She also starred in a YouTube video admonishing citizens to get out and vote.

Im Virginia McLaurin and Im 107 years old. Who knew I would live to get this old? she said with a smile. But I really want to talk to the boys and the girls. Everybody should go to the polls and vote! If you dont go vote, youre not going to be counted.

Please, go vote, McLaurin added. Go vote. If you dont do anything else. If you have to crawl to go to the poll, then vote.

Read: Is the Election Stressing You Out? Voters Plagued by Psychological and Physical Health Issues

For the historical experience of seeing a womans name on a major partys ballot, mothers and daughters and granddaughters went to cast a ballot for Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Staunch supporters of Republican Donald Trump went to bring about change, get rid of the status to Make America Great Again, whatever that may mean.

Lines stretched for blocks in big cities like New York and Chicago. Pens ran out. Machines malfunctioned. I Voted stickers were all taken.

Its a pretty awesome thing to see so many people out to make their votes count, Philadelphia voter Jennifer Sludden told WCAU-TV.

Sarah Dean posted an Instagram photo of her weeping mother. Mom, why are you crying? she asks.

Sixty-year-old Vickie Wilkinson laughed through her tears and replied, I got to vote for a woman for president!

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Just went with mom to the ballot box #girlpower #biggirlsdocry #feminist #feminism #imwithher #nastywoman #mom #hillaryclinton A video posted by sarah_magnolia (@sarah_magnolia) on Oct 26, 2016 at 10:06am PDT

Parents across the country posted selfies of themselves with their children, waiting in line at precincts while explaining the importance of voting.

Celebrities chimed in on Instagram with stars such as Alicia Keys, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry posting photos advocating citizens to head to the polls.

This morning, I woke up feeling hopeful for the power of our voice, for unity, for our continued progress. #VoteLove #ImWithHer : @masha.photo A photo posted by Alicia Keys (@aliciakeys) on Nov 8, 2016 at 8:28am PST

Read: Is the Election Stressing You Out? Voters Plagued by Psychological and Physical Health Issues

And then there were the dogs  dogs tied to fences while owners went to vote, dogs sporting I Voted stickers, and in North Carolina, the SPCA of Wake County brought rescue dogs to de-stress folks waiting in slow-moving lines.

puppies at the polls! We're uniting the country 1 dog at a time! Juniper & Cedar are reducing stress while voters wait in #Raleigh #ncvotes pic.twitter.com/yvwWdeBIw9  SPCA of Wake County (@SPCAwake) November 8, 2016

Watch: 3-Year-Old Girl Celebrates Election Day By Dressing Up As Candidates

Related Articles:
The United States wakes up Wednesday morning to a scenario that until very late Tuesday night, had seemed all but impossible: Republican Donald Trump is the 45th president. He will take office in January with his party in control of both chambers of Congress, and a Supreme Court vacancy waiting to be filled which will allow him to determine the ideological balance of the court for the foreseeable future.

With several states still counting votes, Trump had nevertheless amassed a commanding lead of 289 electoral votes to 218 overnight. In remarks to his supporters, he said, I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans.

Related: Democrats Hope for a Senate Takeover Evaporating as Trump Surges

The result was a stunning rebuke to the Democratic Party in general, and to its nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in particular. She had been considered the odds-on favorite to win the Oval Office by even the most cautious forecasters.

Most of all, though, it was a slap in the face to President Barack Obama, who threw himself into the campaign to get Clinton elected. He now faces the prospect of having his legacy systematically dismantled by a man he has described as unfit to serve as president.

The victory hands Trump, the real estate mogul and former reality television star, an extraordinary opportunity to reshape the United States, both domestically and internationally. He has vowed massive changes to policy on trade, immigration, health care, national security, and a host of other areas -- frequently offering little in the way of details.

Related: So You Voted  Now Heres How You Really Change America

Because of the volume of dramatic change he has promised, the immediate effect of a Trump victory will be to throw much of the country into deep uncertainty -- something that was reflected in an across-the-board collapse in stock futures overnight. Major US indices were down about 2 percent at 6 a.m.

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Many international markets were still closed when it became clear that Trump would win, but in Japan, the Nikkei plunged more than 5 percent as his eventual victory became more and more certain. As markets came online overnight, the reaction was almost universal panic, with early losses posted on almost every major index.

Among the many questions that will need answering in the weeks to come are:

What will become of the Affordable Care Act? Republicans have long sought to repeal the signature domestic achievement of President Barack Obamas time in office, and Trump has joined them. Despite numerous flaws, the law allowed tens of millions of previously uninsured Americans access to healthcare coverage. What the future holds for them is now unclear, but no plan has been put forward to replace it that wouldnt strip them of their existing insurance.

Related: Dow Futures Dive 500 Points on Possible Trump Victory

Will Trump follow through on his plans for undocumented immigrants? Trump, early in his campaign, promised to create a deportation force that would be in charge of rounding up and deporting some 12 million people who entered the United States illegally, including people brought to the country as small children.

What will happen to NATO? The future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which has kept the peace in Europe since the years after World War II, is now in doubt. Trump has expressed doubt about the need for the United States to continue honoring some or all of the mutual defense treaty.

How will minority groups react? Trumps victory will be extremely unsettling to racial, ethnic, and religious minorities of all sorts. Trump has been endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan and white nationalists. His campaign chairman is closely associated with the growing alt-right movement, which demonizes racial minorities, Jews, and others. He has proposed banning Muslims from entering the United States. His supporters have, time and again, been associated with anti-Semitic and racist language.

How will women react? Many women expected to see Hillary Clinton become the first female president of the United States. Instead, they are facing the prospect of watching a man who has bragged about committing sexual assault -- and has been accused of sexual assault by more than a dozen women -- taking the Oval Office in her place.

Related: Layoffs at a Record Low as Americans Go to the Polls

What will happen to current and future trade deals? Like Bernie Sanders, Trump has blamed some trade deals for the loss of jobs in America and promised to renegotiate those deals to be more beneficial to the US. Economists and international trade experts widely view his positions as misguided, so how trade policy will be handled in a Trump administration is a major question going forward.

Wither the national debt? Even the most charitable readings of Trumps economic proposals find that they would result in massive increases in the national debt, rapidly taking it to levels that many economists view as economically unsupportable.

What will a Trump administration look like? Recent news reports have suggested that Trump is considering highly divisive figures for major cabinet posts, such as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich for Secretary of State and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for Attorney General. While its far from clear that these and others will actually be Trumps picks, the idea that he will choose top administration figures from his circle of advisers will be an early headache for Senate Republicans who would be called on to confirm them.

What about climate change? Trump has memorably argued that global warming is a hoax perpetrated on the US by the Chinese in order to make the US less competitive in the global marketplace. While the overwhelming scientific consensus is that climate change is both real and dangerous, it is unclear whether Trump would support continued US participation in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Related: Charting The 2016 Election

Hows Putin feeling about this? Though Russian president Vladimir Putin has denied it, multiple US intelligence agencies believe that computer hackers, acting on the orders of the Kremlin, have made multiple efforts to interfere with the presidential election, including hacking attacks on key Democratic party figures and institutions, like Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta and the Democratic National Committee. Trump has gone out of his way to both praise Putin and to cast doubt on the findings of US intelligence agencies.

What about Trumps business empire? Presidents who come into office have traditionally placed their assets in a blind trust, to eliminate the possibility that their official actions could be seen as self-serving. Trump has indicated that he will make a half measure and will instead transfer control of his global network of properties and brands to his children. Maintaining a family business with his children in charge does not satisfy the idea of a blind trust, nor does it satisfy the kind of transparency Americans expect.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
From Cosmopolitan

As voters headed to the polls Nov. 8 to cast their ballots, many brought their kids with them. And while the kids didn't get to vote, they got to witness the political process firsthand as their parents helped determine the next president of the United States. Cosmopolitan.com hit the streets to speak with mothers, fathers, and kids about why they came to the polls together today.



Photo credit: Kathleen Kamphausen

Leah Tiari, 40, and Mars, 7

Leah: "Mars has been really interested in the election. Hes been watching the debates with us. Hes been asking, 'Whens Election Day?'"

Mars: "There was a kids' election in my school and I voted for Hillary Clinton. Trump is going to build a wall between America and Mexico, and he calls people ugly!"

Leah: "I want to teach my son that voting is important, and people fought for the right to vote, and we cant waste that."

Photo credit: Kathleen Kamphausen

Marisa Newman, 43, and Liev, 2 1/2 months

"I dont think hes going to remember this voting experience, but I think its a very big deal that a woman is getting elected, and its crazy what shes had to endure this cycle. He wont even know that it was an unusual thing to have an African American president and a woman president. Hell be a better man for it."

Photo credit: Kathleen Kamphausen

Simona Burrell, 27, and Symora, 7

Simona: "I brought Symora out today to teach her how to vote. I was actually pregnant the first time I voted for Obama. I think Hillary becoming the first woman president is an excellent example for her. Were all about girl power. Symora, who do you want to vote for?"

Symora: "Hillary Clinton!"

Photo credit: Kathleen Kamphausen

Maude Wiltshire, 38, and Ernie, 6

"I dont want to say who Im voting for because I think Im in the voting minority in this neighborhood. I wanted to bring my son out today because I want him to have a memory of something thats going to affect him his entire life."

Photo credit: Kathleen Kamphausen

Cynthia Caldwell, 38, and Amelie, 7

"Ive been bringing her since she was 2 years old. Im voting for Hillary today because I think shes the lesser of two evils. Trumps whole campaign has turned me against him, pretty much every time hes talked. Thank goodness my daughter isnt old enough to understand a lot of what hes been saying."



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Photo credit: Kathleen Kamphausen

Kathleen Keene, 45, Finley, 8, and Truette, 7

"The boys have seen the debates, they've seen the SNL skits, which they love. They've tried to convince my father, who is a Republican in Maryland, to vote for [Hillary]. He told them no, he wouldn't vote for her but that he would not vote for Trump. That's huge progress! We voted absentee in Pennsylvania, so they were a little disappointed we didn't get to wait in line today."

Photo credit: Ruben Chamorro

Lindsay, 35, Brian, 40, and Ancel, 6

Brian: Its great to show [our children] the democratic process.

Lindsay: We care about womens issues, we care about the immigration issue.

Brian: We care about foreign policy issues, specifically Israel. We care about regulation and about having accommodating policies for economic growth. Ancel, who are we voting for?

Ancel: Hillary.

Photo credit: Ruben Chamorro

Megan Edwards, 35, Penelope Penny Smith, 6, and Isaac Ike Smith, 4

Im going to cry, because my grandma was born two years before women could vote, and I get to bring my daughter to vote for the first female presidential candidate - and my son! I could have early-voted, but I wanted to bring them. Womens rights is at the top of the list of whats important to me but also just common decency. Im hoping people vote for common decency.

Photo credit: Ruben Chamorro

Melissa Dzau, 34, and Teddy Goodson, 2 months

Were going to vote for Hillary. We think its really important to go vote for a historic moment, and support womens rights and family rights.

Photo credit: Ruben Chamorro

Sahar Hasan, 33, and Ayaan, 15 months

"Im definitely voting for Clinton. I just wanted to make sure that our country gets the best president that it deserves. I brought Ayaan out today because I figured it will be good experience for him to see how many people are here and just want to be part of it."

Photo credit: Ruben Chamorro

Nawreen, 32, Shafat, 36, and Aydin, 1

Nawreen: Coming together as a family felt like the thing to do. This has been a long election, and Im just glad its the last day today, hopefully.

Shafat: Same here, and we also dont have a babysitter, so we had no choice!

Nawreen: We can have differences, but we dont have to call each other names or put people down. We agree on Hillary.

Photo credit: Ruben Chamorro

Robin Sakofs, 31, and Avery, 6 weeks

Were supporting the first female president. I think freedom of choice for abortion is really important to us. I decided to bring Avery today because I thought that I wanted to send a good example for her - its important to exercise your right to vote.

Photo credit: Ruben Chamorro

Jenni Jones, 35, and Penny, 2

Penny has a pin on her shirt that says Girls just wanna have fun-damental rights, and Im just thinking about my future and her future and whats best for us. I want Penny to be able to do what she wants with her life and her body - and myself as well, obviously. I think the alternative is very scary, so we voted for Hillary Clinton.

Follow Hayley and Kate on Twitter.

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Celebrity encounters are not all glitz and glam.

In fact, more often than not, people randomly into celebrities in the least glamorous places: The bathroom, the elevator, the airplane, and even the egg aisle at the supermarket.

Here are 17 of the most random celebrity-normal person encounters we could find on Reddit:

1. I had Bill Nye burst into my elevator at the airport. Will this get me to the D gates!? Uh, no, this is domestics only. OK, thanks! and out he jumped. To this day Ill never know if Bill Nye the Science Guy made his flight.

2. Alice Cooper was playing a show in my hometown a couple of years back. I was walking in to a local establishment for breakfast that morning, and there he was just having a bite to eat with the band. I walked up and said hello and that I am a big fan and was looking forward to the show he was putting on that evening. I then realized this guy probably gets the same spiel every place he goes, so I told him to enjoy his meal and that Id leave him alone. Well, Ill be dammed if that son of a bitch didnt invite me to join him and the crew for breakfast. We sat there for another hour or so just bullshitting. Then like a chump, I picked up the bill.

3. In Hollywood doing wanna-be rockstar stuff  my band found a lady parked on Sunset Blvd with a flat tire. Since we were all nice boys, we changed her tire. After shaking hands and saying thanks  we were on our way back to our van when she came back over with something in her hands. At first I thought it was money and was mentally preparing for the refusing her cash when she handed me a few 810, autographed headshots. It was Meg Ryan. None of us recognized her.

via GIPHY

4. I was eating with friends in a restaurant in Beverly Hills years ago when I still lived in LA. The tables were really close together and there wasnt a lot of room between the seats. So I had been there for about five minutes when they seated someone at the table directly behind me. The chairs were close enough that the backs could touch. The thing was, the person kept trying to push his chair against mine to get more room. Rather than turn around and confront this jackass, I pushed my chair against his. So after I did that, he gets up and walks out. So I told the people at my table what an asshole that guy was, that he was trying to push my seat into the table. Who, Morgan Freeman? I looked over and saw a very pissed-off looking Morgan Freeman leaving the restaurant.

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5. I played paintball with Will Smith.

6. I sat next to Natalie Portman at a college graduation. She was the most beautiful human Ive ever seen. The ceremony was really long and outside. She brought a snack with her, some grapes in a cup. She ate them with a spoon. Not even Natalie Portman can make awkwardly chasing grapes around a cup trying to get them to stay on her tiny plastic spoon and not fall off on the way to her mouth look cool.

7. I was 17 in N.Y.C., just came back from spending the summer at the beach. I saw Jackie O getting into a green Mercedes. I asked for a ride to 81st & Lexington, as my grandparents lived there. She looked me up and down, gave a slight smile and said No. Pretty cool encounter.

8. I was visiting family in Michigan when I met Eminem. I was given a list of food to buy at the grocery store the night before Thanksgiving, so Im standing there eying eggs when I see a guy in a hoodie walk up to the milk. I glance at him, then go on about my egg-buying business. He starts messing around with the milk jugs, so I look at him again and recognize him. I kind of fidgeted for a minute before I asked, Are you who I think you are? His epic reply? If I wasnt, then why would I say I am? We exchanged Happy Thanksgiving wishes and parted ways.

via GIPHY

9. I was on a plane with Hulk Hogan once. On the backs of all of the chairs there were screens where you could watch movies, play trivia games or browse the internet. I played the trivia game, named myself The Hulkster, and ended up pulling on 40-50 people who thought I was him.

10. My brother was in Austin for something or another, and Quentin Tarantino got on the elevator with my brother and his buddy. My brother finally asked, Youre someone famous, arent you? Tarantinos response was Fin eh and thats all that was said.

11. I met Betty White in Iraq. She was there with Al Roker and Kid Rock. Kid Rock tried to talk to me, but I told him I was there to see Betty. Betty White, what a woman.

12. I rang up Bono at an amusement park I worked at. I honestly dont really care for U2 and didnt feel particularly starstruck so I just rang him up with pleasant but generally I dont care attitude like I would with anyone else. At one point he said, Do you know who I am? To which I said, Yup! then gave him his total. That was pretty much it.

via GIPHY

13. My friend was talking with a girl at a club in NYC and when he went to buy her a drink, he came back and she was now dancing with Danny Tamberelli from Pete & Pete.

14. I met Donald Glover after a show, and all I had for him to sign was some right-wing propaganda someone had handed me on the street. He signed that, got a kick out of it, invited us on his bus, then hooked up with my friend. He ended up inviting my friend and me to go to New York on his tour bus.

15. Jane Fonda gave a speech at my middle school, which was weird enough. Then I ended up waiting in line for the gross middle school bathroom with her, which was even weirder.

16. Jennifer Lawrence was my camp counselor.

17. My boyfriend peed next to Ray Charles at an airport when he was 10. I would say standing next to Ray Charles at a urinal counts as an interesting encounter.

All posts have been edited from Reddit for length and clarity.




Yahoo Celebrity

With the final season of "Dead to Me" dropping on Netflix on Nov. 17, Applegate said, "This is the first time anyones going to see me the way I am. I put on 40 pounds; I cant walk without a cane. I want people to know that I am very aware of all of that."
The year of 2016 may go down as a watershed for weed, the election when legalization shifted from being an experiment in the American West to something primed for the mainstream.

Nine states voted on marijuana-related measuresfour related to medical marijuana and five to recreationaland as of Wednesday afternoon, seven of them passed. One failed and one remained pending. The upshot is that more than half of the states in the U.S. now have comprehensive medical marijuana laws and roughly one fifth of the population lives in a place where adults 21 and older can legally consume weed for fun.

While the green rush is taking place from coast to coast, many eyes were on the Golden State on Tuesday. California legalized recreational marijuana, and experts believe that it will prove a tipping point. If California legalizes, the Drug Policy Alliances Amanda Reiman said ahead of the vote, it is the death knell for federal prohibition. Massachusetts and Nevada also legalized adult use initiatives. Arizona voters rejected one, and Maine is still too close to call.

Before Election Night, adult use was legal in four states and the District of Columbia. It is now legal in seven. But California has outsized clout, the most populous state and the sixth largest economy in the world. Reiman noted that while a handful of Congress members lived in a state with legal weed before November 8th, now roughly 100 do.

Though it was a footnote in a presidential race rocked by scandal and sensation, both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump expressed support for medical marijuana. They also said little to suggest that they would break with the Obama Administrations policy of generally not going after people that are acting in accordance with their state and local marijuana laws, despite the fact that the federal government still views marijuana as a highly addictive substance on par with heroin.

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Legalization advocates hope that with influential states coming online, the incoming president and Congress might be proactive in reform rather than looking the other wayperhaps rescheduling cannabis as a substance with known medical uses or changing tax laws that have been highly problematic for businesses in the nascent legal market, because the IRS still technically views them as drug traffickers. Many hope to see the easing of banking restrictions that have forced this multi-billion-dollar industry to largely operate in cash, a dangerous practice that creates safety hazards for proprietors and makes revenue harder to track and tax.

Changes in policy in places like California put big pressure on the federal government, not necessarily to legalize and to remove all restrictions but to ease some of the contradictions of the current legal status of marijuana, said Sam Kamin, a marijuana law expert at the University of Denver.

A total of 28 states have now legalized medical marijuana, up from 25 before voters went to the polls. North Dakota and Arkansas approved medical measures, but Florida, the first to pass a marijuana legalization measure this year, is the big kahuna among this cycles cohort. (Montana voters also approved a measure that would loosen restrictions on the states medical program; voters legalized in 2004.)

Though markets for medical marijuana are generally smaller, legalization in the third most populous state presents a big economic opportunity and tilts the scales in a part of the country that has been slower to accept marijuana. If Florida passes, thats going to be a huge, huge thing for the East Coast, Bruce Barcott, author of Weed the People: The Future of Legal Marijuana in America, said before the vote. Its a huge market.

States will soon get to the business of setting up regulatory frameworks and preparing to issue licenses to cultivators and dispensaries over the next several years. Residents in some states will now be allowed to grow plants in their own homes and felons will have a chance to get their records expunged in others, if their previous crime is something that is no longer illegal. And as bureaucracies churn through change, money will come pouring in.

Though big corporations remain wary of getting into the weed business so long as federal prohibition remains, individual angel investors and family funds are already cutting million-dollar checks to firms like Privateer Holdings, a private equity outfit that specializes in the space. CEO Brendan Kennedy says that California is one of three big milestones he has been anticipating, along with Canada looking to legalize recreational marijuana next year and Germany planning to legalize medical.

This isnt the beginning of the end, says Kennedy. Were moving toward the end of the end of prohibition.
JANESVILLE  House Speaker Paul Ryan said he is eager to work with President-elect Donald Trump even as he, like many, appeared astonished at Tuesday's presidential election results.

"Let me just say, this is the most incredible political feat I have seen in my lifetime," Ryan, R-Wis., said at a post-election press conference Wednesday.

Ryan said Trump connected in a way no one else did with those dissatisfied with the direction of the country. He added Trump "earned a mandate" with the results Tuesday.

Ryan spoke with Trump on Tuesday night and again Wednesday morning, Ryan said, saying they talked about the transition and how to work together. While tensions between Ryan and Trump have been well documented, Ryan was upbeat about a Republican-controlled government heading into 2017, which he said will help pass a conservative agenda he has pushed for several months.

With the end of split government, Ryan said he sees "great potential" to get things accomplished.

"The mistakes that (Republicans) made in the past is we didn't seize the opportunity when it presented itself," said Ryan, whose 1st Congressional District includes all of Racine County. "The opportunity is now here. And the opportunity is to go big, to go bold and to get things done for the people of this country.

"There are various different kinds of conservatives and different kinds of Republicans. We all come from different corners of our party. The key here is not only to unify and merge these approaches ... but to also invite everyone else in this country to get us focused on our solutions."

Coattails

Ryan credited Trump for helping enough GOP House candidates win to keep a solid majority in the House. It appeared Wednesday Republicans lost only five seats, a number Democrats had hoped would be much larger.

Ryan also expressed surprise that Trump won Wisconsin, the first time a Republican presidential candidate won the state since 1984. Trump trailed in the polls throughout the year, including the final Marquette University Law School poll, which had Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton up six points.

"We didn't think it could happen," Ryan said. "Donald Trump turned it on its head. Donald Trump delivered the 10 electoral votes."
Seventy-two hours before America was set to elect its next president, ISIS barged into the debate, breaking what had been a protracted and somewhat surprising electoral silence for its propagandists.

Throughout the last year, the U.S. presidential race had been the elephant in the ISIS media room; for one reason or another, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadis propaganda moguls neglected to address it. Montages of Crusader leaders staking bombastic rhetorical claims are a favorite trope for the ISIS media operative, so it seemed that talk by the U.S. presidential candidates of things like carpet-bombing ISIS or [taking] out their families might provide valuable programming for their propaganda. Yet, besides one fleeting reference to the catalyzing role the presidential electoral campaign in America played in the run-up to the operation to retake the groups Iraqi stronghold of Mosul, not once did the group deign to tackle the issue directly.

That is, until Saturday, when one of the Islamic States official propaganda arms, the Al Hayat Media Center, released a seven-page essay on The Murtadd Vote (murtadd meaning apostate). Even this, the groups first election-focused media product, opted to sidestep the considerable propaganda value presented by the current campaign, instead offering up an ISIS twist on electoral advice. Written in dense but fluent English, it marked a departure from the groups normal media operations, in that it ostensibly targeted a group to whom it rarely pays any attentionAmerican Muslims. The aim was to try to convince them not to vote. There is, perhaps, some irony to the groups intervention in an electoral process it considers illegitimate, even to urge abstention. The image of theocratic fundamentalists making a pitch to voters on the eve of a democratic election is an incongruous spectacle.

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Early on, the essay featured a couple of cheap soundbites on each candidateClinton, it claimed, is a female feminist adept in the sorcery of hypocrisy, while Trump is impulsive and unpredictable. In any case, according to ISIS they are equally reprehensible, just modestly different manifestations of the Crusader enemy.

Recommended: Live Results From Election 2016

Besides this, as well as a few customary threats to those who disagree with the ISIS project and a reiteration of the alleged Western War on Islam conspiracy that rests at the center of the Islamic States recruitment pitch, the essay simply explainedin tedious detailthe theological basis for abstaining from voting. The author attempted to argue that, even when one candidate is the lesser of two evils in terms of his or her policy towards Islamwhich, he implies without actually saying, would be Hillary Clintonand even if the victory of one candidate or nominee will lead to the deportation and abuse of Muslims, no votes may be cast, because participation in the democratic system inevitably leads to a state of disbelief. In the curious world of ISIS, anyone that votes willingly makes themselves a rival to Allah in rule and legislation and thereby falls into apostasy.

Underscoring this, the author goes on to argue that the abuse of Muslims that a Trump win would herald does not present the mitigating circumstances within which Muslims would be allowed to votethe only situation in which ISIS would deem that permissible is one wherein Muslims are subjected to unbearable torture, lethal execution, or the immediate threat thereof. The key question, though, as is often the case with ISIS propaganda, is whether ISIS actually believes this religious position, or if the group is (once again) adapting religion to facilitate its political project. The argument for Muslim abstention is one seemingly designed to indirectly aid Trump in the race, given levels of Muslim support for Clinton.

Recommended: Here Is When Each Generation Begins and Ends, According to Facts

To finish, two caveats: First of all, no one actually takes election advice off ISIS. The Al Hayat Media Center released the essay not in order to actually impact the electoral decisions of Muslim Americans, but so it could claim to have warned them, prior to the election, about the consequences of voting. Essentially, and perhaps worryingly, it is intended to give ISIS a terrorist carte blanche for future operations in which Muslim Americans may be targeted.

Second of all, and more importantly, this is only ISISs stated position. In reality, ISIS has no ambivalence about who it wants in the Oval Office. The more anti-Muslim, bigoted, and polarizing the president, the better from the groups perspective. It is not for nothing that ISIS kills civilians and boasts of brutalitypolarization has always been one of its key strategic objectives, a way to rupture societies into binary shadows of their former selves. A Trump presidency would be a big step in that direction.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
If you haven't already, if you're capable, if your health allows: find out which birth control works for you

- do this on concrete (@jodecicry) November 9, 2016
Tehran (AFP) - At least 26 Shiite Muslim pilgrims headed to Iraq were killed and 28 injured in a bus accident in southern Iran, the ISNA news agency reported on Wednesday.

The bus was carrying pilgrims to the shrine city of Karabla to mark the festival of Arbaeen, when its brakes failed and it flipped over on Tuesday evening.

Some 2.5 million Iranians are expected in Karbala this month for Arbaeen, which marks the 40th day after the death in the seventh century of Imam Hussein, one of the pivotal figures of the Shiite faith.

An estimated 16,000 people were killed in road accidents in Iran in the year to March 2016.

Erratic driving is common on Iran's roads, but there has been an improvement compared with a decade ago when an average of around 28,000 people a year were killed.
Who would have thought a year and a half ago that Donald Trump would be president-elect of the United States?

Before he announced his candidacy in June 2015 -- at an event in which he called Mexicans rapists -- his was generally seen as nothing more than a sideshow. In 2012, when he reportedly mulled a run but decided against it, his political ambitions were skewered on cable TV in a Comedy Central roast of the real estate mogul.

No one's laughing now.

[Read: 10 Ways You Can Invest Like Donald Trump.]

Who can say what the next four years will hold? There will doubtlessly be some lessons we all learn from Trump's presidency, but we remain many months away from learning any of those.

Thankfully, we don't have to wait that long for investing takeaways. There are already three strong lessons for investors that this election can teach us.

Lesson No. 1: Expect the unexpected. No one sees the future with 100 percent clarity. Hell, meteorologists struggle just to forecast the weather a few days out. In investing, as in politics, the same holds true. Just as soon as you think you have it figured out, prepare yourself for some hard losses.

"Nassim Taleb brought the phrase 'black swan' into financial markets. A black swan is an event, positive or negative, that is deemed improbable yet causes massive consequences," says Bob Johnson, president and CEO of The American College of Financial Services.

Donald Trump, president-elect, is that black swan.

"A few short weeks ago, the election looked to be a foregone conclusion with (Hillary) Clinton the sure victor. Yet, 10 days before the election information on an FBI investigation into her emails reversed her momentum and led to the result we saw," Johnson says.

"Investors should understand that events happen that we could not possibly foresee. Probabilities are fine, but underdogs occasionally do win and unexpected events do happen," Johnson says.

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A simple way to incorporate this lesson into your portfolio? Diversify. If you'd had all your eggs in Valeant Pharmaceuticals (ticker: VRX) when it plunged from $250 to $20 a share due to concerns over its bookkeeping, for instance, you'd be financially devastated.

But in even a very modestly diversified portfolio of 10 equally weighted positions, your loss is dramatically reduced, going from 92 percent to just 9.2 percent.

Lesson No. 2: Risk management is absolutely essential. "With Clinton as the known risk and Trump as the uncertain uncertainty, Trump's win suggests that the market dislikes uncertainty less than it dislikes risk," says K C Ma, professor of finance at Stetson University.

"This election is also unique in that, for the first time, the majority of the voters picked the candidate whom they expect will cause the least 'damage' to the country. This is similar to investors' goal to minimize the downside risk," Ma says.

[Read: Earnings Preview: Trouble Isn't Over for Mylan Stock.]

"When estimating expected downside risk, candidates like Clinton with a long political record are almost always in a more vulnerable position."

There are several investing takeaways here, diversification once again being one of the key lessons. Diversification across a portfolio is able to decrease volatility without decreasing expected returns, a beautiful thing.

Secondly, just as Clinton's long political record gave opponents more ammo to come after her, companies with more environmental, social, and governance policies end up having more ethics controversies.

Lesson No. 3: Don't count out the underdog. Though simplistic-sounding, the concept of reversion to the mean is arguably one of the most important concepts in all of investing. The idea is that stocks, sectors or assets that underperform compared to their long-term historic averages will "mean-revert," or eventually go through a period of short-term outperformance to bring them back in line with long-term averages.

"Following the herd and believing everything you read in the news can result in a false sense of fear or complacency in any arena," says Jon Ulin, certified financial planner and managing principal of Ulin & Co. Wealth Management, a branch office of LPL Financial in Boca Raton, Florida.

"Whether politics or investing, it is imperative to do your own research and develop your own opinion. Many times the underdog stock, sectors and mutual funds today become leaders over the next year while the front-runners end up in the back of the pack," Ulin says.

Sound familiar? Hillary Clinton has arguably been the front-runner in the 2016 presidential race since Barack Obama locked up the Democratic nomination back in 2008. In a few weeks' time, Donald Trump emerged from out of nowhere to seize the presidency.

In investing, the "Dogs of the Dow" is one of the more famous strategies based on this underdog-heavy approach. It stipulates that at the beginning of each year, investors rebalance their portfolio to hold 10 of the 30 Dow stocks with the highest dividend yield in equal portions.

[See: 11 Stocks That Donald Trump Loves.]

While this doesn't, strictly speaking, tell investors to buy underperforming blue-chip stocks, it often amounts to doing just that, since Dow stocks with rising dividend yields are frequently seeing that due to falling share prices.

John Divine is a staff writer for U.S. News & World Report. He is also a longtime investor, and has previously written about investing and the markets for InvestorPlace and The Motley Fool. You can follow him on Twitter @divinebizkid or give him the Tip of the Century at jdivine@usnews.com.
For the last three years, the Boston housing market has benefited from incredibly high demand and significantly limited inventory. And the metro area is only getting more desirable: Job growth in Boston -- particularly the city's burgeoning tech industry -- will continue to drive demand as people from all over the country seek new career opportunities.

On the surface, this is good news for those looking to sell their Boston homes. But even in a seller's market, it's not always easy to snag a desirable offer quickly. According to real estate agent Robin Wish from Real Living Realty Group, Boston homebuyers are searching for the perfect combination of three things: location, price and condition.

[Read: 100 Best Places to Live in the USA.]

To attract the right buyers, you need to have a firm understanding of what they're looking for. According to some of the top real estate agents in Boston as identified by OpenHouse Realty, a real estate data company (and a U.S. News partner), these are the real estate trends Beantown sellers should be aware of before putting their homes on the market.

Buyers are increasing their search radius. Prospective buyers are no longer limiting their searches to the city center. "Traditionally hot neighborhoods are unreachable for most buyers in Boston," says Brian Clinton, a real estate agent with Donahue Real Estate.

This is good news for those selling homes in more affordable areas that are still close to city amenities. Properties in neighborhoods like Southie, Charlestown, East Boston and Dorchester, and in cities like Somerville and Chelsea, are now in high demand and at the forefront of buyers' minds.

To help homebuyers realize just how close they are to the most desirable aspects of Boston, Clinton suggests touting your home's proximity to public transportation. Easy access to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's extensive commuter rail, subway and bus services can help make your property seem like an extension of one of the city's hottest neighborhoods.

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[Read: 5 Expectations You Should Have When Selling Your Home.]

Outdoor space is often a must-have. If you have outdoor space, you have a major commodity, according to Clinton. "While many sellers will market a patio as outdoor living space or boast proximity to a local dog park, buyers want more," he says.

Indeed, nearby outdoor spaces, like parks and beaches, can make a property more appealing. Sellers in South Boston can point potential buyers to historic Castle Island and vibrant M Street Beach, which offer Boston residents yearlong beach access and a unique escape from the bustle of the city. And again, public transit can make public green spaces seem closer to home. Properties along the T's blue line or in East Boston are within easy reach of award-winning Piers Park, which offers stunning harbor views and cityscapes, quiet picnic spots, and event space for concerts, festivals and other community activities.

Price too high and people will notice. One of the biggest mistakes Wish sees first-time sellers making is pricing their homes too high. "Buyers' attentions are short so it's important to grab their attention early with the right price," she says.

It's critical to price your home appropriately based on how many other homes in your neighborhood are on the market and what they're selling for.

According to Clinton, if properties are listed for more than 14 days, you've probably priced too high. "Follow the market closely, price right and you'll get multiple offers," he says.

Boston homebuyers want move-in ready. Most buyers are looking for a property that won't require major renovations. You can often up your home's value by investing in updates to a few key rooms that pique a buyer's interest, like the kitchen and bathroom.

"Spending time and money revitalizing the spaces potential buyers pay the most attention to can drastically increase your odds of selling quickly, and at a price you're happy with," Wish says.

[Read: 5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Real Estate Agent.]

Painting, decluttering and planting flowers also can make your home appeal more to area homebuyers.

Looking for a real estate agent in Boston? U.S. News' Find an Agent tool will match you with the person who's most qualified for the job.

Lauren Liebhaber is a freelance writer based in Boston.
Baghdad (AFP) - Nearly 42,000 people have fled their homes since last month's start of the operation to recapture Mosul from the Islamic State group, the International Organization for Migration said Wednesday.

Aid organisations have warned that more than a million people could be displaced in the battle for Mosul, and while it has not yet reached that scale, the numbers are growing.

The IOM said on its displacement tracking web page that 41,988 people have been "displaced as a result of the ongoing Mosul operations which began on 17 October 2016."

That was an increase of more than 7,000 from the figure the IOM gave the previous day, but it was unclear when the spike in displacement occurred.

The vast majority of those displaced are from Nineveh province, of which Mosul is the capital, but the IOM has also included people from several other provinces in the Mosul operation figures.

While the worst-case scenario has not materialised so far, Iraqi forces have yet to push deep into the city, and the number of people fleeing the area could increase dramatically when that occurs.

Both Mosul residents and the United Nations have reported that IS has forcibly gathered civilians for possible use as human shields.

IS overran large areas north and west of Baghdad in 2014, but Iraqi forces backed by US-led air strikes have since regained significant ground from the jihadists, and Mosul is now the last IS-held city in the country.
Catherine Cortez Masto has made history by becoming the first Latina senator after winning the Nevada Senate contest on Tuesday.

Cortez Masto defeated Representative Joe Heck in a tight race to fill the seat of Democratic minority leader Senator Harry Reid  She received 47 percent of the vote, while Heck received 45 percent.

Here are four things to know about the boundary-breaking politician:

1. She is also Nevadas first female senator.

Im proud to be Nevadas first female and our nations first Latina senator, Cortez Masto tweeted on Wednesday. Its about time our government mirrors the diversity of our nation.

2. Shes a former attorney general of Nevada.

Prior to serving two terms as Nevadas attorney general, Cortez Masto worked as an assistant county manager for Clark County, Nevada. She also served as a federal criminal prosecutor for the United States Attorneys Office in Washington, D.C. and was chief of staff to governor Bob Miller, according to her website.

WATCH: Donald Trump Addresses Crowd After Being Elected President in Stunning Upset

3. She is the granddaughter of a Mexican immigrant.

My grandmother was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and my grandfather came from Chihuahua, Mexico. They came to this country and brought their young family here for the same reason many families do: to have a good job, work hard, have every opportunity to succeed, make sure your children get a good education, and you cant forget that, she told the website mitu. If I forgot everything that my grandparents went through so that my sister and I could be the first ones in our family to graduate from college, that wouldnt be right. We dont close the door behind us.

4. She has spoken out about about President Elect Donald Trumps comments about Mexicans.

We have a presidential candidate who wants to build a wall with Mexico, who has basically called Mexicans criminals, rapists and drug dealers, she told mitu. His whole campaign has been based on discrimination, divisive rhetoric, and misogyny.

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5. President Barack Obama has spoken out in her support.

During an October rally in Las Vegas, Obama described Cortez Masto as someone who believes everyone deserves a chance, and encouraged voters to choose her over Heck, reports the Las Vegas Sun.




- By Tiziano Frateschi





Thanks to GuruFocus' All-In-One Screener, I want to highlight stocks that have a five-year growing dividend yield with strong profitability and a long-term track record of solid returns and growing asset values.





SpartanNash Co. (SPTN) has a dividend yield that during the last five years has grown by 25%. The yield is now 2.04% with a payout ratio of 36%. The company has a 10 years' asset growth rate of 16%, supported by ROA of 3.07% that during the last 10 years has had a median value of 4.30%.

GuruFocus' profitability rating of 8/10 is confirmed by a return on equity of 7.53% that has been strong over the last 10 years with an average ratio of 10.94%. ROE and ROA are outperforming the industry median with ratios that are ranked higher than 54% of competitors. Financial strength has a rating of 6/10 and shows a cash-debt ratio of 0.05 that is underperforming 92% of its competitors and an equity-asset ratio of 0.42.

SpartanNash is a regional grocery distributor and grocery retailer, operating in Michigan and Indiana. Its stores include Econofoods, Family Fare, Family Fresh Market, Sun Foods and others.

The main investors among the gurus are Private Capital (Trades, Portfolio) with 2.35% of outstanding shares followed by Jim Simons (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.55%, Joel Greenblatt (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.52% and Paul Tudor Jones (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.04%.

Harley-Davidson Inc. (HOG) has a dividend yield that during the last five years has grown by 24.10%. The yield is now 2.39% with a payout ratio of 34%. The company has a 10 years' asset growth rate of 9% supported by ROA of 6.64% that during the last 10 years has had a median value of 8.41%.

GuruFocus' profitability rating of 7/10 is confirmed by a return on equity of 33.34% that has been strong over the last 10 years with an average ratio of 27.46%. ROE and ROA are outperforming the industry median with ratios that are ranked higher than 70% of competitors. Financial strength has a rating of 5/10 and shows a cash-debt ratio of 0.12 that is underperforming 85% of its competitors and an equity-asset ratio of 0.20 that is below the industry median of 0.49.

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Harley-Davidson produces and sells heavyweight motorcycles as well as offers motorcycle parts, accessories and related services. It operates in two segments, Motorcycles and Related Products and Financial Services.

Dodge & Cox, with 5.33% of outstanding shares, is the main investor among the gurus followed by Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) with 1.98%, HOTCHKIS & WILEY with 1.66%, Caxton Associates (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.43%, Tom Gayner (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.17%, Greenblatt with 0.14%, Ken Fisher (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.06% and Manning & Napier Advisors Inc. with 0.02%.

Jack Henry & Associates Inc. (JKHY) has a dividend yield that during the last five years has grown by 24.10%. The yield is now 1.33% with a payout ratio of 34%. The company has a 10 years' asset growth rate of 8%, supported by ROA of 14.18% that during the last 10 years has had a median value of 10.25%.

GuruFocus ' profitability rating of 9/10 is confirmed by a return on equity of 25.91% that has been strong over the last 10 years with an average ratio of 17.25%. ROE and ROA are outperforming the industry median with ratios that are ranked higher than 86% of competitors. Financial strength has a rating of 8/10 and shows a cash-debt ratio of 351.55 that is outperforming 72% of its competitors and an equity-asset ratio of 0.55 that is below the industry median of 0.49.

Jack Henry & Associates is a provider of information-processing solutions for community banks. Its products and services include processing transactions, automating business processes and managing information.

The main investors among the gurus are Chuck Royce (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.75% of outstanding shares followed by Simons with 0.23% and Jeremy Grantham (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.09%.

Polaris Industries Inc. (PII) has a dividend yield that during the last five years has grown by 22.90%. The yield is now 2.73% with a payout ratio of 55%. The company has a 10 years' asset growth rate of 9%, supported by ROA of 10.93% that during the last 10 years has had a median value of 16.81%.

GuruFocus ' profitability rating of 7/10 is confirmed by a return on equity of 27.76% that has been strong over the last 10 years with an average ratio of 55.81%. ROE and ROA are outperforming the industry median with ratios that are ranked higher than 86% of competitors. Financial strength has a rating of 6/10 and shows a cash-debt ratio of 0.28 that is underperforming 71% of its competitors and an equity-asset ratio of 0.38 that is below the industry median of 0.49.

Polaris Industries designs, engineers and manufactures off-road vehicles, which includes all-terrain vehicles and side-by-side vehicles for recreational and utility use, snowmobiles and motorcycles.

Columbia Wanger (Trades, Portfolio) is the main investor among the gurus with 0.98% of outstanding shares followed by Fisher with 0.34%, Meridian Funds (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.23%, Steven Cohen (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.16%, Simons with 0.15% and Mairs and Power (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.01%.

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. Class A (EL) has a dividend yield that during the last five years has grown by 21.90%. The yield is now 1.52% with a payout ratio of 41%. The company has a 10 years' asset growth rate of 8%, supported by ROA of 12.38% that during the last 10 years has had a median value of 12.42%.

GuruFocus ' profitability rating of 8/10 is confirmed by a return on equity of 30.31% that has been strong over the last 10 years with an average ratio of 31.37%. ROE and ROA are outperforming the industry median with ratios that are ranked higher than 87% of competitors. Financial strength has a rating of 6/10 and shows a cash-debt ratio of 0.62 that is underperforming 64% of its competitors and an equity-asset ratio of 0.39 that is below the industry median of 0.52.

The Estee Lauder Companies is engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of skin care, makeup, fragrance and hair care products.

The main investors among the gurus are Simons with 0.17% of outstanding shares followed by Greenblatt with 0.12%, Ray Dalio (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.01% and RS Investment Management (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.01%.

Public Storage (PSA) has a dividend yield that during the last five years has grown by 20.20%. The yield is now 3.32% with a dangerous payout ratio of 109%. The company has a 10 years' asset growth rate of 4%, supported by ROA of 14.22% that during the last 10 years has had a median value of 8.72%.

GuruFocus ' profitability rating of 9/10 is confirmed by a return on equity of 12.55 that has been strong over the last 10 years with an average ratio of 6.663%. ROE and ROA are outperforming the industry median with ratios that are ranked higher than 76% of competitors. Financial strength has a rating of 7/10 and shows a cash-debt ratio of 0.13 that is outperforming 93% of its competitors and an equity-asset ratio of 0.92 that is a few above the industry median of 0.51.

Public Storage is engaged in the acquisition, development, ownership and operation of self-storage facilities that offer storage spaces for lease, generally on a month-to-month basis, for personal and business use.

Simons, with 0.12% of outstanding shares, is the main investor among the gurus followed by Chris Davis (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.05%, Pioneer Investments (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.03%, Manning & Napier Advisors with 0.02% and John Burbank (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.01%.

Disclosure: I do not own any shares of any stocks mentioned in this article.

Start a free seven-day trial of Premium Membership to GuruFocus.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






Without the hype and hysteria surrounding Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Veterans Day is often overlooked as a shopping holiday.

But while Veterans Day weekend may pass without stampedes of shoppers and brawls over TV sets, the holiday does see its share of excellent sales.

During Veterans Day weekend, major retailers release some of the month's best deals on home goods, apparel and other products. Shop Veterans Day sales, and you can kick off your holiday shopping long before the malls swarm with chaotic crowds.

[See: 6 Ways to Treat Yourself on a Budget.]

To help you catch these spectacular pre-Black Friday sales, we've rounded up a guide to some of the year's best. Before you start shopping this weekend, make sure that you have this list of the eight top Veterans Day sales in hand.

1. Macy's Veterans Day Sale

Dates: Nov. 9 -- Nov. 13

Nary a year has passed without Macy's hosting a superb Veterans Day sale. This year, Macy's is expected to offer an extra 20 percent off sitewide, plus free shipping on orders over $50. The sale encompasses a wide range of products, including apparel, accessories and home goods from top designers.

2. Sears Veterans Day Sale

Dates: Nov. 2 -- Nov. 19

The Sears Veterans Day sale runs for more than two weeks and features significant savings on appliances. Highlights from the sale include:

-- 40 percent or more off Kenmore refrigerators, cooktops, washer-dryer bundles and other large appliances. -- 20 percent or more off appliances from other top brands.

-- Up to 30 percent off vacuums and floor care.

-- 50 percent to 60 percent off top-brand mattresses.

-- Up to 50 percent off select tools.

-- 10 percent to 50 percent off shoes.

-- 60 percent to 70 percent off fine jewelry.

-- An extra 15 percent off apparel when you spend up to $49.99.

-- An extra 20 percent off apparel when you spend $50 or more.

-- Free shipping.

[See: 12 Ways to Be a More Mindful Spender.]

3. Kmart Veterans Day Sale

Dates: Nov. 10 -- Nov. 12

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In honor of Veterans Day, Kmart is taking 10 percent off apparel, toys and home goods. Kmart's clothing collection includes casual basics, activewear and accessories for men, women and children. The store's home goods department offers bed, bath and kitchen items. Kmart also features an extensive selection of toys, including tech toys, video games and movie action figures.

4. Overstock

Dates: TBA

While Overstock has yet to release the details of its Veterans Day sale, the online marketplace has hinted at excellent deals on home goods. We expect to see discounts of more than 40 percent on a variety of products, including furniture, rugs, bed and bath and decor, plus free shipping on qualifying orders. Keep an eye on Overstock.com in the days leading up to the holiday to learn more about the sale.

5. Amazon Veterans Day Sale

Dates: TBA

With Thanksgiving mere weeks away, Amazon is already counting down the days until its massive Black Friday sale. Still, the online retailer hasn't forgotten Veterans Day. Over the days leading up to the holiday, Amazon is hosting "online deals, low prices, and sales on electronics and more." The site has also created a Veterans Day collection page with special offers on patriotic products, including apparel and accessories featuring the American flag.

6. Lord & Taylor Veterans Day Sale

Dates: Nov. 9 -- Nov. 16

Lord & Taylor is expected to launch a Veterans Day sale on designer men and women's apparel. The store may offer the following deals:

-- 40 percent off select women's styles. -- Up to 40 percent off select coats.

-- Up to 55 percent off handbags.

-- Women's cashmere sweaters as low as $99.99.

-- Men's cashmere items for as low as $99.99.

7. Fred Meyer Jewelers Veterans Day Sale

Dates: Nov. 2 -- Nov. 12

This year, Fred Meyer is treating shoppers to attractive deals on a variety of fine jewelry. Highlights from the sale include:

-- An extra 10 percent off engagement jewelry, earrings, necklaces and rings already discounted by 35 percent or more. -- Up to 50 percent off holiday jewelry.

-- More than 25 percent off select watches.

-- Free two-day shipping.

8. Hanes Veterans Day Sale

Dates: Nov. 8 -- Nov. 14

Hanes is celebrating the holiday with a sale on its collection of quality underwear, activewear, T-shirts and more. Check out the sale to browse the following special offers:

-- Up to 50 percent off select items. -- Up to 50 percent off sweats.

-- Three for $15 Cozy bras and three-pack panties.

[See: 10 Money-Saving Websites to Check Before Shopping.]

Veterans Day Free Food

Remember: Retailers aren't the only businesses offering deals on Veterans Day. Restaurants and treat shops are also joining in the celebrations, offering free food and other goodies to service members. A handful of the hundreds of Veterans Day food freebies include:

-- A free meal from a special Veterans Day menu at Applebee's. -- A free stack of red, white and blue pancakes at IHOP.

-- A free double chocolate fudge Coca-Cola cake at Cracker Barrel.

-- A free appetizer or dessert at Red Lobster.

-- A free small coffee or tea from Peet's Coffee & Tea.

-- A free draft beer or $5 off your check at World of Beer.

-- A free haircut at Great Clips.



Maria Lalonde honed her deal-hunting skills while traveling through South America and Southeast Asia, combing colorful local markets for unique finds. Her love of blogging and thirst for deals brought her to Offers.com, where she blogs about savings tips.
Only French films compete for that countrys top Cesar award. The Genies recognize Canadian movies, the Goyas spotlight Spanish cinema, and the Lolas celebrate German film. But at the American Academys annual kudosfest, all countries are eligible for best picture  and have been since the beginning.

Still, unless you count British movies (13 of which have taken home best picture Oscars), foreign cinema seldom competes for the top prize (only eight have been nominated, dating back to Jean Renoirs The Grand Illusion in 1939). And yet, as distribution evolved and domestic audiences tastes expanded to support the release of international films on U.S. screens, the Academy created a special category to recognize non-English-speaking cinema.

2016 marks 60 years since the launch of the foreign-language Oscar category. Over the past six decades, the honorees have, quite literally, ranged from A (A Man and a Woman, Amarcord, Amour) to Z (Costa-Gavras intense 1969 political thriller). And because the Academy collects prints of every single nominated film, that means 300 of the worlds best foreign-language movies have found a permanent place in its vaults  international films that, in many cases, are no longer (or never were) available for home viewing.

Those copies, whether on celluloid or DCP, are just the beginning of the Academys in-depth efforts to preserve a lasting legacy of cinema history from around the globe. The Academy archives also include movie posters, photographs, scripts, and other rare artifacts related to both the nominees, and international cinema in general. The 60th anniversary of the category offered me a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes at the Academys Margaret Herrick Library to view the collections  and to evaluate just how international they truly are.

Normally, the Margaret Herrick Library is a hushed and hallowed place. Phones are forbidden, and guests may bring only pencils along to take notes. My visit was scheduled for a Wednesday morning, however, when the library is closed to the public. I was greeted by Academy photograph curator Matt Severson, who has laid out 100 or so images spanning the history of the Oscar foreign-language category.

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Actually, the earliest image he has pulled  yet hardly the oldest in the collection, which includes frame grabs from 1895s Workers Leaving the Lumiere Factory, the French actualite credited as the first movie ever made  is a press still from Vittorio De Sicas Shoeshine. The Academy honored Shoeshine, an early example of Italian neorealism less seen today than De Sicas landmark The Bicycle Thieves, with a special foreign-language award in 1947, nine years before the category was created.

The Academy archive has an incredible abundance from classic Hollywood and American film history, from the birth of film through the 1970s, Severson says. My mission has been to find the pockets that we dont have covered in as great a depth, so my goal has been tracking down materials from all over the world for avant garde and experimental cinema, cult films, and films that focus on marginalized voices or might have been overlooked at the time of their initial release from people like John Waters or Ed Wood or Herschell Gordon Lewis.

Naturally, the collection includes a wealth of photographs and documentation from the Oscar nominees: There are pictures from the telecast itself (such as Life Is Beautiful director Roberto Benigni climbing over seatbacks to accept his award), scrapbooks from the mid-50s to early 70s cataloging the nominated directors pilgrimages to Los Angeles to attend the ceremony (which traditionally included an excursion to Disneyland), and materials submitted for consideration in other categories (a binder of costume designs for The Great Beauty, reference shots of the makeup for Son of Saul).

But the archive also touches on the blind spots in international cinema that Severson alluded to. For example, Satyajit Ray  widely recognized as the director who introduced Indian cinema to the world with his humanist Apu Trilogy  finally received an honorary Oscar in 1992, accepting the award on his death bed.

The Academy is now custodian of the Ray collection, and has already overseen the preservation of the masters most important features, with others still to come.

As global film talents bestow their effects to the organization, it sends a message that the Academy  which counts the collections of Cecil B. DeMille, Mary Pickford, Alfred Hitchcock, Sam Peckinpah, and Woody Allen among its holdings  is a world-class archive, on par with the British Film Institute and the Cinematheque Francaise, yet proactively interested in preserving artifacts from all corners of cinema, not just English-speaking ones.

Thats especially true of the Academys extensive poster collection (much of which is searchable at Oscars.org). Graphic arts librarian Anne Coco oversees a team of conservation specialists, who work on site at the Margaret Herrick Library in an atelier decorated with reproductions of Polish posters for American movies (featuring original artwork far different from that used to promote the U.S. releases) and choice one-sheets from producer Stephen Chins kung fu poster collection, gifted to the Academy in 2012.

The Academy has come a long way since Linda Harris Mehr, director of the Margaret Herrick Library  and my enthusiastic, Willy Wonka-like guide on this behind-the-scenes tour  joined the organization in 1982. That was before the Academy rescued the gorgeous, Spanish-style building (a former Beverly Hills water treatment plant) that houses the archives from demolition, converting its tanks into study and storage areas.

Though tens of thousands of documents are stored there today, including a massive stockpile of MGM publicity stills (979 boxes that took Mehr and her colleagues 12 years to sort), the Academy is rapidly outgrowing the available space. Posters are housed in a climate-controlled facility across town, and construction is under way for the future Academy Museum, situated in the historic May Co. building on the corner of Wilshire and Fairfax in L.A.s Miracle Mile.

All of these endeavors are funded by the industrys biggest night: the Academy Awards. And yet, everyone who works for the nonprofit stresses that their scope extends far beyond those films recognized by Hollywoods biggest award show.

We love the Oscars, and the Oscars allow us to do what we do, but we also want to show filmmakers that were interested in the spectrum of filmmaking activity, Severson says. We have a more global array of cinema in mind.

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'Borrowed Time' Chosen Best in Show for SIGGRAPH 2016 Computer Animation Festival
RACINE COUNTY  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and state Rep. Cory Mason cruiseed to wins Tuesday in their state Assembly races.

Vos, R-Rochester, had 18,771 votes (64 percent) compared to Democrat Andy Mitchells 10,487 votes (36 percent), with all precincts reporting, according to unofficial results. Mason, meanwhile, had 13,524 votes (81 percent) to Libertarian George Meyers 3,106 votes (19 percent).

Vos was first elected in 2004. He said in an interview Tuesday night he was excited about the opportunity to go back to Madison, continuing to work on Wisconsins pressing issues.

As I look at Donald Trumps campaign across the state, I think voters have said they want somebody whos going to tell the truth and solve problems, not make excuses, Vos said. Thats why I think the Legislature will continue to focus on dealing with our long-term issues and show people that we will continue to lead.

Mason, D-Racine, has served in the Assembly since 2006. He could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday night.

On the west end of the county, state Rep. Tyler August, R-Lake Geneva, appeared to defeat his Democratic challenger Christine Welcher of East Troy, getting 11,723 votes (63 percent) compared to Welchers 6,976 votes (37 percent) with 70 percent reporting. Augusts district represents the Bohners Lake area of the Town of Burlington in Racine County and the Wheatland, Lyons and Spring Prairie areas of rural Burlington.

All other candidates whose state legislative districts include Racine County ran unopposed.

Budget battles loom

Vos 63rd Assembly District includes the City of Burlington, Rochester, Yorkville, Dover, Union Grove and Sturtevant, and most of the Town of Burlington and Village of Mount Pleasant.

The race against Mitchell was a rematch from 2014, which Vos, 48, also won handily. The speaker faces some tough upcoming state budget battles, most notably on how to fund roads  an issue on which he has disagreed with Gov. Scott Walker.

Mitchell, 59, of Burlington, is a special education teacher at Horlick High School. He frequently criticized Vos for his outside business interests as well as state cuts to education and tax breaks related to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

Masons district, the 66th, includes most of the City of Racine. Mason, 43, has focused on Great Lakes and Root River issues and pushed for more funding for education. He has also long advocated increasing the minimum wage.

Meyers, 75, of Racine, has run for Assembly many times. His main goal is not to win but to push Libertarian ideas, he said.
From Esquire

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA-At the end of her speech on Independence Mall Monday night, which was not the last speech she would give on the last full day of the campaign, Hillary Rodham Clinton gave the lie to anyone who ever called her emotionless or calculating.

(The fact that 33,000 people crammed themselves into the mall itself gave the lie to anyone who ever said she couldn't draw a crowd.)

At the end of her speech, at the end of a night that saw performances by Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, her husband, and both Obamas-a bill that the late Bill Graham would have thrown together had he ever opened a Fillmore for politics-she talked about the campaign that was staggering toward its drunken demise like Edgar Allan Poe on his last trip around the track at Absinthe Downs.

"I regret deeply how angry the tone of the campaign became."

At which point, a voice in the crowd replied, "Not your fault," to the delight of all. The candidate herself smiled and simply couldn't resist.

"And by the way, did any of you see those debates? Well, I stood next to Donald Trump for four and a half hours proving conclusively, I have the stamina to be president and commander in chief!"

It was hard to blame her. In the minds of so many people, as predicted in certain quarters, it was her fault simply because she ran for president, just as the entire quarter-century of ratfcking aimed in her direction has been her fault simply for existing in the political sphere in the first place. This is how people can argue, seriously, that the whole e-mail frenzy would have subsided if she'd only handed everything going back to her high-school diary over to the tender ministrations of the likes of Trey Gowdy and Jason Chaffetz. She has been the target of so much weaponized bad faith that a tiny jab after a sincere expression of regret is the mildest reply to which she is more than entitled.

Photo credit: Taylor Hill/Getty

Down at the other end of the mall, a long time ago, a bunch of powdered wigs and knee-breeches got together twice. The first time, they spit in an empire's eye the way very few people in the history of the world had. The second time, they realized how badly they'd screwed up in building a nation and, in secret, they threw that one out and created a new country-or, if you will, "a more perfect union." During the first of these gatherings, Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her husband, John, explaining to him that she understood full well what he and the rest of the distinguished Penis-Americans were up to:

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"I long to hear that you have declared an independency. And, by the way, in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation."

During the second of these gatherings, the one where they torched one plan of government and wrote themselves another, the assembled elites confounded themselves on the issue of human slavery. This, of course, was camouflaged as a debate between the "small" and "large" states, and it was solved by the odious three-fifths compromise, whereby black residents of the new United States of America would be counted as three-fifths of a human being, an arrangement that guaranteed the states in which they were considered property a strong enough position in the new government to prevent any change in that peculiar arrangement.

[contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related%20Story" customtitles="We%20Have%20Never%20Resolved%20the%20Fight%20Over%20What%20We%20Are" customimages="" content="article.50435"]

At the time, James Madison, himself a slaveholder, saw clearly that they'd all placed a land mine in the infrastructure of the new nation they'd created.

"It seems now to be pretty well understood that the real difference of interests lies not between the large and small but between the northern and southern states. The institution of slavery and its consequences form the line of discrimination."

So all that happened in the brick building with the white cupola that had 33,000 people of different races and genders between it and the podium where the first African-American President of the United States explained why he wanted to hand the job to the first woman President of the United States. If it's possible to be rueful and powerful at the same time, the president managed to do it.

"I'm betting that America will reject a politics of resentment, a politics of blame, and choose a politics that says we are stronger together. I'm betting you will reject fear and choose hope. I'm betting that the wisdom, the decency and generosity of the American people will once again win the day. And that's a bet that I've never, ever lost."

And, at that moment, I swear to on high, over the tumult of the crowd, the bells in the tower of Independence Hall began to ring. That was quite a thing.

Click here to respond to this post on the official Esquire Politics Facebook page.

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Alec Baldwin has plenty of thoughts on Donald Trump's stunning presidential victory.

The 58-year-old actor, who's been portraying the controversial businessman on Saturday Night Live leading up to the election, tweeted his thoughts on Tuesday night in multiple scathing tweets from one of his two verified Twitter accounts, @ABFoundation.

"I was taught in college that Americans choose their President like they choose laundry soap, w a knee-jerk brand loyalty devoid of reason," he wrote. "One thing that is changed forever in this country is the meaning of the word 'Christian' as it applies to politics."

WATCH: Megyn Kelly Co-Hosts 'Live!,' Urges Viewers to 'Keep an Open Mind' About President-Elect Donald Trump

I was taught in college that Americans choose their President like they choose laundry soap, w a knee-jerk brand loyalty devoid of reason  ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) November 9, 2016

One thing that is changed forever in this country is the meaning of the word "Christian" as it applies to politics.  ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) November 9, 2016

As the results started pouring in on Tuesday night, he tweeted, "The billionaire Republican businessman is close to winning the race and world markets are crashing. He's all yours, America. He's all yours."

The billionaire Republican businessman is close to winning the race and world markets are crashing.

He's all yours, America.

He's all yours  ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) November 9, 2016

Baldwin, a father of four, said he's now focusing on his family and health, but also criticized the American political system.

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"1- I think the thing to focus on now is our families," he wrote. "To love those that were put in our lives to care for. Also our respective health. 2- work and faith. The American political system is broken. Walk away from it for a while. As Coriolanus says, 'There is a world elsewhere.'"

1- I think the thing to focus on now is our families. To love those that were put in our lives to care for. Also our respective health,  ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) November 9, 2016

2- work and faith. The American political system is broken. Walk away from it for a while. As Coriolanus says, "There is a world elsewhere."  ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) November 9, 2016

And it looks like he's already looking forward to the 2020 presidential election.

"Theme for 2020: MAKE THE WHITE HOUSE GREAT AGAIN," he tweeted.

Theme for 2020:



MAKE THE WHITE HOUSE GREAT AGAIN  ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) November 9, 2016

Though there's some definite drama over politics in the Baldwin family. Baldwin's younger brother, 50-year-old Stephen Baldwin, is an outspoken Trump supporter and celebrated the win at Trump's election party at New York Hilton Midtown. "Soon the REAL work begins ... to #MakeAmericaGreatAgain!" he tweeted. "Proud to have been a part of such amazing history!! @realDonaldTrump."

Soon the REAL work begins ... to #MakeAmericaGreatAgain !

Proud to have been a part of such amazing history !!@realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/YDWANm2YEZ  Stephen Baldwin (@StephenBaldwin7) November 9, 2016

He also posted a photo with Sarah Palin.

"I promise, this will be my final snarky tweet ... ; )" he captioned the snap.

Last month, Stephen said his brother's SNL impersonation of Trump wasn't funny.

"He's got the voice down very well. I think it's getting a little too nasty right now," he told CBS News' Vladimir Duthiers after the third presidential debate. "I don't want to be a party pooper here, but I don't think it's very funny."

WATCH: 'The Simpsons' Predicted Donald Trump Would Be President in 2000: 'It Was a Warning to America'

 Well, this should make the next Baldwin family gathering pretty interesting!

Watch below:

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By Lauren Hirsch and Jessica DiNapoli

Nov 8 (Reuters) - American Apparel LLC has resumed talks with at least two potential bidders for the U.S. teen clothing retailer, after bankruptcy sale negotiations with brand licensor Authentic Brands Group LLC stalled earlier this week, a source close to the company said on Tuesday.

American Apparel is looking for a buyer as it prepares for its second bankruptcy in as many years. Declaring bankruptcy would allow any buyer of the Los Angeles company to avoid tens of millions of dollars in liabilities, including leases for around 140 stores in the United States and Canada.

The company is discussing a bankruptcy sale to brand licensor Sequential Brands Group Inc and financial services company B. Riley Financial Inc, among others, the source said.

American Apparel had been close to agreeing to a sale to Authentic Brands earlier this week and it remains interested, the people said.

Reuters was unable to obtain comment from Authentic or American Apparel on the reason for the slowdown in their talks.

If American Apparel does not come to an agreement with a buyer, it will file for bankruptcy and run a sale process after, the people said. The company said on Tuesday it was winding down its operations in the U.K.

Any potential deal to sell its business in the United States must ensure that American Apparel continues to manufacture in that country, despite cheaper alternatives overseas, the people said.

Talks with all potential buyers may still fall apart and new bidders may emerge, the people cautioned. They asked not to be identified because the matter is confidential.

Spokespeople for Seqeuential and B. Riley did not immediately return requests for comment.

American Apparel hired investment bank Houlihan Lokey earlier this year to explore a sale, months after emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Like many teen clothing retailers, it has struggled as young shoppers increasingly prefer to buy their clothes online and at fast fashion retailers including Zara.

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The company has also had a difficult relationship with its founder, former chief executive Dov Charney, who was fired in 2014 for allegedly misusing company funds and failing to stop a subordinate from defaming former employees. He later made a failed attempt to buy back the company.

American Apparel has been owned by its former bondholders, a group of hedge funds led by Monarch Alternative Capital LP, since emerging from its first bankruptcy.

B. Riley planned to acquire another beleaguered teen clothing retailer, Wet Seal, in its bankruptcy last year, but was outbid by Versa Capital Management LLC. Sequential's brand portfolio includes denim line Joe's Jeans and merchandising company Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.

At least eight U.S. teen clothing retailers, including Aeropostale and Pacific Sunwear of California Inc, have filed for bankruptcy in the past two years.

(Reporting by Lauren Hirsch and Jessica DiNapoli in New York)
Shane Kimbrough, currently the only American in space, cast his ballot from the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday.

The astronaut listed his address as low-Earth orbit, according to the Christian Science Monitor.

The voting process for them starts a year before launch, when astronauts are able to select which elections (local/state/federal) that they want to participate in while in space, NASA officials wrote in a blog post. Then, six months before the election, astronauts are provided with a standard form: the Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request  Federal Post Card Application.

NASA astronaut David Wolf was the first American to vote in space, after space voting was implemented in 1997 when Texas passed a law allowing them to vote.

I think its pretty amazing, astronaut Kate Rubins told Space to Ground, NASAs weekly in October. Its very incredible that were able to vote from up here, and I think its incredibly important for us to vote in all of the elections.

RELATED VIDEO: Election Day In America

The Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, has said he will encourage joint projects between NASA and other private space companies like SpaceX, Boeing and Blue Origin. However, he has said that public money is needed more in projects based on Earth.

The Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, has supported NASA since she was a young girl, even writing to NASA about requirements needed to work for them.




Eric Smith outside a polling station in Jefferson County, Louisville, Kentucky, shortly before he voted. (Photo: Eric Smith)



Thirty hours, 16,877 km, a minor bureaucratic snafu and a short queue later, Eric Smith finally got to vote in the 2016 United States presidential election on Tuesday (8 November) local time, having flown all the way home from Singapore specially to vote.

I see it as my civic duty and my patriotic duty, and its not something that everyone gets to do. So if you have the right to vote, you should exercise it, said the 42-year-old teacher, who has been based in the Republic for the past six years. His hometown is in Jefferson County in Louisville, Kentucky.

Smith, who is home for just a day before flying back to Singapore, was in time to cast his vote for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Smiths odyssey started two weeks ago when he realised that he had not received his absentee ballot, despite requesting it ahead of time. This resulted in him missing the deadline to mail his ballot home. So Smith got online to research the quickest, cheapest way to get back to the States.

The result: more than a day of flying from Singapore to Tokyo to Dallas and finally Louisville, a journey that started on Monday morning and cost him US$1,054 (S$1,463).

But that was not the end of it. When Smith got to his assigned polling station in an elementary school gymnasium at 9am, he was told to go to the county voting headquarters as he was marked as an absentee voter.

He then had his case heard before a board of bipartisan election officials tasked to review anomalous cases in order to prevent voter fraud.

After a wait of 30 minutes, Smith was allowed to vote. The election officials were so impressed. They voted unanimously to let me vote and then all thanked me for traveling, he said.

So Smith and his family drove back to the elementary school, where he queued for another half hour and finally got to cast his vote. And even though Kentucky was ultimately won by Republican candidate Donald Trump, Smith said, The process was reassuring. I loved the act of voting.

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Going to the ballot box

Asked why he had gone to all that trouble despite Kentucky being a traditionally Republican state, Smith told Yahoo Singapore, Because I think this election is so scary and important, and the stakes are really high, so I wanted to make sure that Ive done my part.

Last year, he was also inspired by the example of Burmese people in Singapore, whom he observed queuing in the heat outside their embassy to vote in their countrys general election. That was really impressive, because they dont know if their vote is going to count or not, but they still did it. It really got to me, because voting is about what you want, and your hopes, he said.

Smith, who previously taught in South Korea and China, was also energised by the thousands of messages he received via Pantsuit Nation. He had posted his travel plans on the Facebook group, which has some two million Clinton supporters. I was going alone and felt like it was a silly adventure, but when I had Wi Fi on the plane, it really blew up. For hours, I would read messages and chat with people who were excited. It gave me energy, he added.

But it was not just fellow Americans urging him on. Smiths Singaporean and fellow expatriates back in the Republic, who have been horrified by the election campaign also encouraged him.

I feel like I get to vote for them, because the consequences also affect everybody else, he said.
The mainly American crowd at the Conrad Centennial is pensive as election results come in. Photo: Nicholas Yong

The reaction to Donald Trumps victory in the US presidential election by many Americans in Singapore was perhaps best summed up by high school student Haley Brown, 16, As an American, Im kind of terrified.

The Stamford American International School (SAIS) student was among some 700 guests present at an election watch party at the Conrad Centennial on Wednesday (9 November), hosted by the United States Embassy and the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore.

They laid on a generous spread of American treats like steak, fries and sandwiches. There were also life-size cardboard cutouts of Trump, his opponent Hillary Clinton and incumbent president Barack Obama.

There was even an unofficial ballot where guests could vote for their preferred candidate, as live election coverage from Fox News and CNN was shown.

But while there were periodic cheers whenever a state was called by the networks for Clinton, the mood in the ballroom became progressively subdued as Trump took the lead.

I know, its crazy, mumbled one American to his friend. Perhaps reflecting the uncertain mood in the venue, many Americans declined to be interviewed, as the results became increasingly apparent.

Asked how she was feeling as the event ended, a pensive-looking African-American woman would only say, Im on an even keel right now.

Business as usual

A cardboard cutout of Donald Trump. Photo: Nicholas Yong

US ambassador to Singapore Kirk Wagar tried to put a brave face on proceedings, praising the peaceful transfer of power even as he acknowledged that the country was divided.

Asked by reporters how Trumps victory might affect US relations with Singapore and Asia in general, Wagar stressed, Asia broadly is incredibly important for Americas future, and its in our core national interests to be engaged here. Americas engagement in Asia is just going to accelerate.

Story continues

He added that President Obama is in office until 20 January, and would make the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) a priority until his last day.

Speaking before the official announcement of Trumps victory, Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore Dwight Hutchins also said, Our focus is getting (TPP) passed, and we have multiple avenues to try to make that happen. Tomorrow, were going to be pushing on Capitol Hill to get this legislation through.

SAIS student Shraman Ghosh,16, was also present at the election watch party and was taken aback by events, This is a little scarier than I thought it would be. I came here with the impression that I would see a clean Democratic win, but obviously not.

But a Trump supporter and teacher who only wanted to be known as Ken, told Yahoo Singapore over the phone that he was satisfied with the result. Im just happier that its not Hillary. I could tolerate Trump, but I hate Hillary with the passion of a thousand suns.

Asked if Trump would prove Democratic supporters wrong and be a good president, the 58-year-old Singapore permanent resident from South Carolina said, I think any Republican who had won, they would have been unhappy. I think their values are just totally different from mainstream America, and mainstream America spoke.
London (AFP) - Amnesty International on Wednesday urged US president-elect Donald Trump to commit to upholding human rights, criticising his "poisonous rhetoric" following the Republican candidate's election victory.

Trump has "raised serious concerns about the strength of commitment we can expect to see from the United States towards human rights in the future," said Salil Shetty, secretary general of the London-based group.

"He must now put this behind him and both reaffirm and abide by the United States obligations on human rights, at home and abroad," Shetty said.

Margaret Huang, executive director of Amnesty International USA, criticised "disturbing and, at times, poisonous rhetoric" from Trump in the campaign.

"This rhetoric cannot and must not become government policy. The xenophobic, sexist and other hateful remarks made by Trump have no place in government.

"From internment camps to the use of torture, we have seen disastrous results when those we elect to represent us flout the United States' obligations to uphold human rights," she said.

Trump "must publicly commit to upholding the human rights of all without discrimination".

During a bitter two-year campaign that tugged at America's democratic fabric, the 70-year-old tycoon pledged to deport illegal immigrants and ban Muslims from entering the United States.
OAKLAND, Calif. (Reuters) - Protests against Donald Trump broke out in California's Bay Area late on Tuesday after the Republican candidate won the U.S. presidential election, a Reuters witness and local media reported. Demonstrators set fire to a likeness of Trump, smashed store front windows and set garbage and tires on fire in downtown Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco. A few miles away, University of California, Berkeley students protested on campus. A demonstration also unfolded at the University of California, Davis where students blocked streets as they marched and chanted anti-Trump slogans and "You are not America, we are America," according to Twitter posts. One protester in Oakland was struck by a vehicle after blocking a highway, local media reported. (Reporting by Noah Berger in Oakland and Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Mary Milliken)
Protesters took to the streets of Berkeley, California, overnight November 8-9, as Donald Trump was elected president of the US.

This footage shows the demonstrators chanting Not my president! and Whose streets? Our streets!

The Berkeley protest was one of a number that began as Trumps victory looked assured. Credit: Twitter/davilaforyou via Storyful
Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas. (Getty Images)

The voters of Arlington, Texas have spoken, and they want the Texas Rangers to have a new stadium. The proposition to fund the new park passed in a landslide on Tuesday night, with the opposition conceding early after it became clear they wouldnt prevail.

And this isnt just any stadium. Its a retractable roof stadium thats estimated to cost around $1 billion, and it will replace the Rangers current home, Globe Life Park. The deal will keep the Rangers in Arlington through 2053, their 82nd season. And for Arlingtons mayor, keeping the Rangers in city and building that history is what this was all about.

Its a phenomenal thing how so many generations now have grown up going to the Texas Rangers here in Arlington, Arlington Mayor Jeff Williams told the crowd at a pro-stadium watching party at the Hilton Arlington. And now we have an opportunity for us to say that we want the Rangers to be here for our kids and grandkids.  It is a historic time in which all of our leaders have come together here to work hard to ensure that we kept the Rangers now.

The newly-passed stadium deal has the city of Arlington issuing $500 million in bonds, which will cover half the cost of the stadium. The bonds will take 30 years to repay, and itll be done through a five percent car rental tax, a two percent hotel occupancy tax, and a half-cent sales tax.

This may have passed in a landslide, but the deal had its fair share of controversy. Globe Life Park is only 22 years old, and it doesnt really need to be replaced. An investigation by WFAA discovered that the stadium deal would cost $1.675 billion in total, far exceeding the price tag that the Rangers and Arlington city officials have been touting. The city will bear the brunt of that cost. In fact, voters approved a ticket tax of up to 10% and $3 parking tax at the new stadium, but those taxes wont go to pay off the citys bonds. Theyll go to help pay off the Rangers portion of the debt.

Story continues

Controversy or not, its a done deal. The Rangers will stay in Arlington and get a shiny new stadium. The timeline is pretty aggressive, with the Rangers taking up residence in their new stadium in 2020 or 2021. The team has announced that it will launch a website on Wednesday to get input from the public about the new stadium.

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:

     

Liz Roscher is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on twitter! Follow @lizroscher
VIENNA (Reuters) - Austrian far-right leader Heinz-Christian Strache congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential elections on Wednesday. "The political left as well as the aloof and sleazy establishment are being punished by voters and voted out of various decision-making positions," the head of the populist Freedom Party (FPO) said on Facebook. The FPO hopes for its own candidate Norbert Hofer to become the European Union's first far-right head of state on Dec. 4. Hofer, 45, an anti-immigrant EU critic hopes to succeed former Green Party leader Alexander Van der Bellen in a re-run of an annulled May election. (Reporting by Kirsti Knolle; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
As millions of Americans search for answers regarding Donald Trump's stunning upset over Hillary Clinton in last night's election (Nov. 8), one hip-hop artist is relishing the moment.

Early this morning after Donald Trump clinched his victory, Azealia Banks reveled at the sight of the new president of the United States. The overzealous "212" rapper jumped on Instagram and voiced her excitement in a post strictly dedicated to The Donald.

"First off, I would like to apologize to Donald Trump for all the stupid jokes I made. (I was kidding)," she wrote. "Secondly, I would like to apologize for all the other times I was dumb enough to let the liberal media sway my opinion of you. Thirdly I'm fucking proud as F*CK of you. One for being a gemini, two for being from NYC, three for winning the presidency and four for beating the media."

"The last part is your biggest victory in my eyes and I must say that I am TRULY inspired by this and feel deep amounts of vindication. Thanks for letting me know that I'm not crazy (even though I fronted a few times) liberals run hollywood and it's been a COLD WORLD OUT HERE FOR ME AS A TRUMP SUPPORTER --. Best of luck on everything and thanks again. Sincerely - AB #TRUMP2017."

The comments come after Banks apologized for endorsing Trump last Month. "I made a major mistake endorsing toupey-toupee. Womens' rights are important and we must protect them. I tried.... I reached ....I even carried ......I take it all back," she wrote on Facebook at the time.

Check out her post below.

First off, I would like to apologize to Donald Trump for all the stupid jokes I made. (I was kidding). secondly, I would like to apologize for all the other times I was dumb enough to let the liberal media sway my opinion of you. Thirdly I'm fucking proud as FUCK of you. One for being a gemini, two for being from NYC, three for winning the presidency and four for beating the media. The last part is your biggest victory in my eyes and I must say that I am TRULY inspired by this and feel deep amounts of vindication. Thanks for letting me know that I'm not crazy (even though I fronted a few times) liberals run hollywood and it's been a COLD WORLD OUT HERE FOR ME AS A TRUMP SUPPORTER --. Best of luck on everything and thanks again. Sincerely - AB #TRUMP2017

A photo posted by Azealia Banks (@azealiabanks) on Nov 9, 2016 at 1:22am PST
All the way back in January this year, Azealia Banks said that she was going to be voting for Donald Trump, praising the Republican presidential nominee. With the announcement that Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States, Banks has taken to social media to congratulate Trump on his win. "First off, I would like to apologize to Donald Trump for all the stupid jokes I made," she opened one of her Instagrams on the matter.

She continued, "Secondly, I would like to apologize for all the other times I was dumb enough to let the liberal media sway my opinion of you. Thirdly I'm fucking proud as F--K of you." She added, that she was "TRULY inspired" by his win, and the she feels "deep amounts of vindication."

She also posted a couple of updates on Facebook, bringing Jay Z, Beyonce, and her former collaborator Pharrell into the conversation. "But I'm really laughing because Jay Z and Beyonce really were up there shucking and bucking for Hillary and she STILL lost," she wrote. "She had Pharrell old jiminy criket looking a-- up there with his sambo hat on going hard in the paint. B--ches was not in formation. Hillary even tried to say she had HOT SAUCE IN HER BAG. She even pulled out all of the most typical s--t and still lost."

The next Facebook post took on Hillary, with her writing, "America deserves a WAAAAAAAAY better first female president then trash a-- Hillary. Now that cow has lost for the SECOND time, let's set her back out to pasture... Y'all NEVER listen to me. LOL." She added, "They said Katy and Gaga was backstage crying I would have laughed real hard and loud right in their faces."

The post concluded, with her writing, "TRUMP BEAT THE MEDIA. THIS IS DEEPER THAN POLITICS. HE BEAT THE F--KING MEDIA. HE IS MY F--KING HERO RIGHT NOW. I AM ELATED."

Continue Reading On PigeonsandPlanes

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Early Tuesday evening, the VIPs granted backstage access to Hillary Clinton's Election Night party at the sprawling Javits Center in New York City were all smiles as they adorned themselves with tiny temporary "H" tattoos in support of the country's first female Democratic presidential nominee.

But when the first two states, Kentucky and Indiana, were called in favor of Republican contender Donald Trump, a roller-coaster ride began for the attendees, according to a Hollywood studio executive invited to the Clinton bash.

"Everyone is putting on a good face, but starting to get worried," recounted the executive, who wished to remain anonymous.

Among those spotted in the viewing room backstage were actress Melanie Griffith, filmmaker Dustin Lance Black and his partner, Olympian diver Tom Daley, and Padma Lakshmi, actress and host of the hit reality show Top Chef.

Read more: Donald Trump Named President-Elect of the United States

Defying the polls, Trump began winning state after state, while a number of battleground states were too close to call.

"Really tense here. Great friendly crowd and incredibly diverse, but this is a nail-biter. This will be the most depressed crowd ever seen at a public event if things don't go her way," the executive wrote later in the evening.

Not long after, one of the battleground states - Virginia - was called in Clinton's favor. "Huge cheers for the latest update," noted the executive.

But the optimism was short-lived.

"It's getting really bad," said the executive. "So bad, people are crying."

Around 9 p.m. ET, the VIPs backstage began making their way to the floor of the Javits Center, where Clinton was scheduled to take to the podium.

"I've never seen a more defeated group of people," said the executive. "And truly scared for our country."

Ultimately, Clinton was a no-show. Taking her place was her campaign chairman, John Podesta.

Story continues

Not longer after, Hillary Clinton called Trump to concede the race.

Read more: Election 2016: Hollywood Devastated, Depressed After Trump Victory
Sweet rivals!

Melissa Alt, the woman behind the #TrumpCake going viral, reveals she also made a cake of Hillary Clinton.

A client had ordered a Hillary Clinton cake for their private party and we decided to make a Donald Trump to go along with it  the epic duo, Alt tells PEOPLE.

The owner of Melissa Alt Cakes says that once she had the confection, her manager, Jake Zak, reached out to the Trump campaign through a mutual contact asking if theyd like to have it.

My managers friend knows Donald Trump Jr. so we asked them if they wanted the cake and they said yes, she says. I thought it was a good opportunity and it went well.

The base of the Trump cake is made out of chocolate covered with chocolate icing and fondant on top. The head is hand-sculpted while both cakes are hand-painted.

The Trump cake has gone viral due to its realistic portrayal of the presidential candidates expression. Though it looks a little sad, Alt says she tried her hardest to make the cakes as realistic as possible.

I was really trying to capture the expression of each candidate, she says about the look of the cakes. I looked at photos and tried to copy that as much as possible.

And the baker  whos only one year out of college  wasnt expecting her work to get so much attention.

Its crazy, I wasnt expecting it! Alt admits. We just went to Trump Tower to deliver it and there were people outside who went crazy taking pictures and spreading the word.

She adds about the election: I think its a pretty intense election that people wont forget, so its exciting to be a part of it through the cake.




Yahoo Finance is tracking the stocks youre following, based on your Yahoo Finance ticker searches.

Wells Fargo (WFC)  The bank is getting a boost as investors weigh the benefits of a Trump presidency on the financial sector. While big banks are bracing for volatility, the industry will likely face fewer regulations as a result of Trumps win.

Ford (F)  The automaker is in focus after last nights surprising US presidential result as the election of Trump puts pressure on automakers and other manufacturers that are dependent on open trade with Mexico. Ford was a frequent target of Donald Trump during his campaign for moving some of its production to Mexico.

SolarCity (SCTY)  Solar stocks drop after the election result as the new administration is expected to favor traditional energy sources over alternative energy. Trumps promise of an energy revolution, which includes reviving the coal industry, is viewed as negative for solar stocks.

Walgreens (WBA)  The company has filed a lawsuit against Theranos alleging that it was misled about Theranos technology. Walgreens is seeking $140 million in damages.

Mylan (MYL)  The EpiPen maker is scheduled to report earnings after the market closes on Wednesday. The company has missed revenue expectations in each of the past six quarters. Wall Street is expecting year-over-year increases in adjusted earnings per share and revenue for the 12th quarter in a row.
WASHINGTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Global banking regulators would make a grave mistake if they eased capital rules for the world's largest lenders, a senior U.S. banking official said on Wednesday.

The head of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision said last month that he did not intend coming rules to demand higher capital.

A requirement that banks issue more capital - such as common stock - is one way to build an industry cushion against market swings.

Tom Hoenig, the vice chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, said higher capital levels may be needed to protect banks from a repeat of turmoil like that seen during the 2008 financial crisis.

"The Basel Committee should not promise that there will be no significant increase in industry capital levels," he said at the Risk USA Conference in New York.

How to right-size capital rules has become a contentious question for banking regulators, with European Union officials warning that those standards could needlessly crimp credit.

EU officials have threatened not to apply the new bank capital rules if they lead to big hikes in capital requirements, fearing it could lead to banks restricting the flow of lending.

Also on Wednesday, EU regulators said they were certain that the Basel Committee will indeed ease the impact of new bank capital rules.

Euro zone banks like Deutsche Bank, which is already facing questions over its capital, are likely to be hit hardest unless changes are made.

The Basel Committee meets in Chile on Nov. 28-29 to finalize the rules, which set curbs on models used by some banks to determine capital buffers after regulators found huge variations in calculations.

(Reporting by Patrick Rucker; Editing by Paul Simao)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Global banking regulators would make a grave mistake if they eased capital rules for the world's largest lenders, a senior U.S. banking official said on Wednesday.

The head of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision said last month that he did not intend coming rules to demand higher capital.

A requirement that banks issue more capital - such as common stock - is one way to build an industry cushion against market swings.

Tom Hoenig, the vice chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, said higher capital levels may be needed to protect banks from a repeat of turmoil like that seen during the 2008 financial crisis.

"The Basel Committee should not promise that there will be no significant increase in industry capital levels," he said at the Risk USA Conference in New York.

How to right-size capital rules has become a contentious question for banking regulators, with European Union officials warning that those standards could needlessly crimp credit.

EU officials have threatened not to apply the new bank capital rules if they lead to big hikes in capital requirements, fearing it could lead to banks restricting the flow of lending.

Also on Wednesday, EU regulators said they were certain that the Basel Committee will indeed ease the impact of new bank capital rules. [L8N1DA5SA]

Euro zone banks like Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE), which is already facing questions over its capital, are likely to be hit hardest unless changes are made.

The Basel Committee meets in Chile on Nov. 28-29 to finalise the rules, which set curbs on models used by some banks to determine capital buffers after regulators found huge variations in calculations.

(Reporting by Patrick Rucker; Editing by Paul Simao)
A cast member on the short-lived CMT reality series Bayou Billionaires died Monday in a murder-suicide in Shreveport, Louisiana, local ABC affiliate KTBS reports.

Wells, 47, was shot multiple times while in her car at a McDonalds by a man who then shot himself. The reality TV personality was pronounced dead at University Health Hospital, while the shooter, identified as 46-year-ol Robert Gaddy, died at the same hospital after being transported by the Shreveport Fire Department.

Law enforcement believe that Wells and Gaddy may have been in a relationship at some point.

Also Read: Police Release Images of Kurt Cobain Suicide Gun (Photos)

Bayou Billionaires, which aired in 2012, centered on Wells and her family as they dealt with the effects of wealth derived from the Haynesville Shale natural gas development.

Wells parents, Kitten and Gerald Dowden, reflected on their daughters death on Facebook in a post Tuesday, writing, This is really hard on us and her children. It is out of order. No parents should have to go through this.

In addition to her parents, Wells is survived by her daughters, Jessica and Nikki, and her son, Devyn Metcalf; husband, Robert Wells; brothers, Gerald Dowden Jr. and wife Peggy and Thomas Dowden and wife Mallory; sister, Chantel Mynes; and maternal grandfather, Jim Roy, according to KTBS.

Related stories from TheWrap:

Keith Emerson Died From Gunshot Wound, Police Suspect Suicide

Dave Mirra, BMX Champ and MTV Host, Dies of Apparent Suicide at 41
Canadian upstart Belly is looking to make a killing with his forthcoming InZombia mixtape. After lending his close collaborator The Weeknd an assist by co-writing six songs off the Billboard 200 No. 1 album Beauty Behind The Madness, and closing a Roc Nation deal last November, the rapper is bringing his dark side to the spotlight.

"InZombia is a collection of moments from the darkest place I've ever known," he tells Billboard in a statement of his forthcoming set dropping Nov. 11. His previous releases have included "Money Go" featuring Travis Scott, the Kehlani-assisted "You" and "Ballerina" off the Another Day in Paradise mixtape, which dropped in May.

For his first two offerings, premiering exclusively on Billboard, Belly curses the moment he met his no-good ex on "The Day I Met You." He then gets his espanol-speaking skills up with the Latin-infused jam "Consuela," co-starring Young Thug and Zack.

Check out the tracklist for InZombia -- which also features Jadakiss, Future, Ty Dolla $ign and Ashanti -- and his new releases below.

1. Die Alone

2. The Day I Met You

3. Trap Phone ft. Jadakiss

4. Frozen Water ft. Future

5. Re Up ft. Nav

6. Consuela Ft. Young Thug and Zack

7. Outkast ft. Ty Dolla $ign

8. Hollywood Interlude

9. Seven Day Love ft. Ashanti

10. Actin Different

11. Can't Feel A Thing
Things havent looked so pretty in recent times for the casino industry with the mecca of casino gaming  Macau  slowly returning to life. Gaming revenue in Macau grew on an annual basis in October to register three consecutive months of gains after 26 months of declines (read: Top Sectors of Q3 and Their Best ETFs).

As per an article published on Forbes, Morgan Stanley expects third-quarter EBITDA for Macau casino stocks to expand 5% year over year, signifying the first green result for the sector in eight quarters.

Notably, gaming in Macau has been under pressure since June 2014, on credit crunch issues in mainland China, check on illegal money transfers especially in VIP gaming and a broad-based slowdown in China. However, the industry finally started to stabilize after a protracted slowdown. Against this backdrop, casino stocks reported earnings results in the last few days.

Here we highlight earnings of the three big casino and hotel companies, MGM Resorts International MGM, Las Vegas Sands Corp. LVS and Wynn Resorts WYNN).

Among the three, the latest to report was MGM Resorts. On November 7, before the opening bell, MGM Resorts posted adjusted earnings of $0.58 per share, significantly above the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.08. Total revenue of $2.52 billion beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.37 billion by around 6% and jumped 10.3% year over year. The upside reflects a significant increase in Las Vegas operations.

On November 3 after hours, Las Vegas Sands Corp. beat on both lines. Adjusted earnings per share of $0.72 surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.59 and grew 9% year over year due to higher revenues and profits. Quarterly net revenues of $2.97 billion topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.77 billion and inched up 2.6% year over year due to relatively a better show in Macao.

On November 2, 2016 after hours, Wynn Resorts Ltd. reported lower-than-expected third-quarter 2016 results. Adjusted earnings of $0.75 per share missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.79 by 5.1%. Further, earnings decreased 12.8% from the year-ago figure due to lower operating income margin. Wynn Resorts revenues of $1.11 billion failed to surpass the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.13 billion by 1.8% but increased 11.4% on the back of an improved performance by Las Vegas Operations.

Story continues

Market Impact

While MGM and Las Vegas Sands amazed investors this quarter, Wynn Resorts failed to do so. Needless to say, MGM and LVS added post earnings while WYNN lost. In the key trading session, MGM stock gained over 2.9% on November 7 while LVS added over 1.7% in the last five days (as of November 7, 2016) and WYNN was off over 7%.

The mixed impact on the industry can be verified by the five-day return of VanEck Vectors Gaming ETF BJK which has sizable exposure to the afore-mentioned stocks. In the last five days (as of November 7, 2016), the fund added about 2.1%. If we rule out WYNN Resorts, a buoyancy is noticed in the industry and often a rising tide lifts all boats in an industry. Moreover, the Zacks Industry Rank of these casino companies is in top 18% at the time of writing.

MGM and WYNN has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) while LVS has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). While investing in a single stock is always an option, investors can take advantage of the sluggish return of Macau via BJK or the basket approach.

BJK in Focus



The fund looks to track the MVIS Global Gaming Index and provides investors a direct exposure to the casino gaming market. The product has so far been overlooked by investors as is evident from its paltry volume of about 6,000 shares daily.



The fund has so far attracted $19.7 million in assets and invested that in 41 holdings. The product is expensive as it charges 66 bps in fees per year.



All three abovementioned companies have created places in the top-10 holdings of the fund with a considerable share. Both companies  Sands China and Las Vegas Sands  have about 17% exposure in BJK.



MGM Resorts International (7.62%) and MGM China holdings (about 1.34%) call for about 9% of the fund. Wynn Resorts Ltd (2.55%) and Wynn Macau (1.53%) also account for more than 4% of BJK (see all Consumer Discretionary ETFs here).



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Beverly Hills voters on Tuesday soundly rejected a ballot initiative that would have allowed the Beverly Hilton to construct a 26-story condo tower.

The result was a victory for Wanda Properties, the U.S.-based subsidiary of the Dalian Wanda Group, which poured $1.2 million into a campaign to defeat the rival Hilton project. The Hiltons owner, Beny Alagem, placed Measure HH on the ballot in an effort to circumvent the typical City Hall approval process. Opponents, including Mayor John Mirisch, argued that the 375-foot tower would be too tall for Beverly Hills.

For some people its about height, but for a lot its about process, said Adam Englander, a spokesman for No on Measure HH. A lot of people didnt like the idea of going to an initiative  they rejected ballot box planning.

With 100 percent of precincts counted, the no side led with 55.75 percent of the vote  a margin of about 1,100 votes. Alagem has reported spending $7 million on the effort, or about $1,600 per vote. Provisional ballots remain to be counted, but are unlikely to flip the outcome.

Marie Garvey, the Hiltons spokeswoman, said that if the result holds up, the Hilton will revert to its previous plans for the site, which were narrowly approved in a 2008 ballot referendum. That plan calls for two towers, one 18 stories and the other eight stories.

We stated from the beginning that we wanted to let the residents decide what would be built in the future, Garvey said. Right now, it looks like they want the 2008 plan built. If that result holds, that is exactly what we will do.

Wanda has its own plans to build a $1.2 billion condo and hotel project across the street from the Beverly Hilton. The two developers have been in a bitter fight over each others projects for the last several months. The City Council has spent the last several days considering whether to approve the Wanda project, while the Hilton has been pushing for changes.

During the campaign, the union that represents Hilton workers accused Wanda of using Chinese money to influence the election. The Wanda committee has been at pains to state that the funds for the no campaign came from a domestic subsidiary and were controlled by U.S. citizens and green card holders. The California Fair Political Practices Commission declined to investigate the unions claims.

Story continues

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Wanda Accuses Beverly Hilton Supporters of Voter Fraud

Wanda's Wang Jianlin Unveils $8 Billion Qingdao Studio, Vows to Not Compete With Hollywood
Beverly Hills residents rejected ballot Measure HH in Tuesday's election, scuttling plans to construct a 26-story, 345-foot tall condominium building that was proposed for a plot of land adjacent to the Beverly Hilton.

The campaign surrounding Measure HH proved to be one of the most fiercely fought - and expensive - campaigns in Beverly Hills' history. As of Wednesday morning, with all 24 precincts reporting, 4,373 (44.25 percent) voted in favor of the measure, while 5,510 (55.8 percent) were against it, according to a county tally.

The proposal would have allowed Beverly Hilton owner Beny Alagem (who also is building the Waldorf Astoria next door) to combine two previously approved towers into a single 26-story tower directly adjacent to the Hilton; the proposal also included the creation of a 1.7-acre public park. More than $7 million was spent by proponents of the ballot measure. Those funds were spent on collecting signatures, advertising and lawyer's fees that were required when the campaign became mired in litigation.

According to spokesperson Marie Garvey, Alagem plans to move forward with the original plan that was approved by voters back in 2008 that will create two buildings, one eight stories and the other 18 stories.

"We stated from the beginning that we wanted residents to decide what would be built in the future. Right now they want the 2008 plan built and if that result holds that is exactly what we will do. We are tremendously grateful for all the hard work and support of thousands of residents and we are proud of our effort," Garvey told The Hollywood Reporter.

Opponents of the plan, which included the Wanda Group and Beverly Hills Mayor John Mirisch, accused Alagem of misrepresenting the plan and said the ballot measure was an end run around the city's land-use approval process. For the last year, the two sides have clashed in a battle that resulted in numerous lawsuits and several complaints filed with the California Fair Political Practices Commission and the Federal Election Commission. The campaign pitted Alagem against Wanda, which is owned by Wang Jianlin, the world's 19th-richest person.

Wanda is currently seeking approval from the Beverly Hills City Council for its own 15-story project on the site where a Robinsons-May department store once stood, just across Merv Griffin Way from Alagem's site. Wanda got the city's planning commission to approve a change to its original plan; the new proposal would allow for 193 condominiums and 134 hotel rooms. The Beverly Hills City Council has several meetings scheduled this week to consider the plan and will likely vote on it in the coming weeks.

Read more: Wanda's Real Estate Chief Fights Back in Beverly Hills Spat: Opponents Using "Deplorable Tactics" (Exclusive)
Paris (AFP) - Donald Trump, the real estate mogul, reality TV star and US president-elect whose worth Forbes estimates at $3.7 billion, joins an ultra-elite group of billionaire business tycoons who have come to power through the ballot box.

Other political leaders who first made fortunes in businesses from chocolates to telecoms include:

ITALY: Media mogul Silvio Berlusconi served as prime minister three times between 1994 and 2011. According to Forbes magazine Berlusconi was in 2016 Italy's fifth-richest man with a fortune of $6.2 billion, at 188th place in the world. Conflicts between his private interests and his public duties landed him in court many times and several legal proceedings are still ongoing.

LEBANON: Businessman Rafiq Hariri was prime minister twice from 1992-1998 and 2000-2004, before he was assassinated in 2005. His vast empire spanned construction, real estate, media and telecommunications. He was described as one of the world's 100 richest people, with some putting his wealth at around $10 billion.

GEORGIA: Bidzina Ivanishvili served as prime minister from October 2012 to November 2013. He made his fortune -- listed by Forbes as $4.8 billion in 2016 -- first selling computers and then buying up Soviet-era mining and metals businesses for millions and selling them for billions.

CHILE: Sebastian Pinera was president of Chile between March 2010 and March 2014. He started out selling credit cards, moving into aviation, mining, media, real estate and pharmaceuticals. His fortune is estimated at $2.5 billion by Forbes.

UKRAINE: Petro Poroshenko, known as the "Chocolate King," is the ex-Soviet state's president since June 2014. He dropped off Forbes magazine's list of billionaires in 2015.

THAILAND: Media mogul Thaksin Shinawatra was prime minister from February 2001 to September 2006. Deposed in a 2006 military coup and now living in exile, he had $2 billion in assets frozen by Thai authorities due to corruption charges.
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Good one, America. Good. One.

The American people have spoken, electing Donald Trump president. And to say the world is shocked is something of an understatement.

At just after 3:00 a.m. New York time, the Associated Press called the election in Republican candidate Donald Trump's favour, after according to CNN, Hillary Clinton called Trump to congratulate him and concede defeat.

SEE ALSO: John Oliver finally admits he's responsible for Donald Trump

How did it go down in places around the world? Let us count the ways.

Resident election-predictor on Australia's ABC network, Anthony Green, called it before literally anyone in America. Turns out, he is an oracle.

London couldn't even find the words. Just a particular swear word. Succinct.

When Germany woke up this morning, they suspected they might still be dreaming.

Germans wake up to #ElectionNight results and Alptraum (nightmare) is trending on Twitter.  Carlo Angerer (@carloangerer) November 9, 2016

Taiwan seemed oddly cool with it, however, if this tweet is anything to go by.

Aboriginal Australians took to their traditional languages to warn America not to screw it up.

Other Australians were too angry to do anything except yell.

Story continues

The Australian dollar and Asian markets immediately started dropping.

By the way guys, here in Asia:



Nikkei -5.5%

Topix -5%

Kospi -3.5%

Sensex -3.6%

ASX -2%

Hang Seng -2.8%

Shanghai -1.3%



USDJPY -3.6% at 101 pic.twitter.com/yGCuZ6JgkN  Haidi Lun  (@HaidiLun) November 9, 2016

The phrase "time to learn Chinese" was thrown all around on Asian Twitter.

The Australia hate carrot congratulated the American hate carrot.

@realDonaldTrump Mr President my door will always be open. Congrats on behalf of Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party of OZ. #MAGA #auspol  Pauline Hanson (@PaulineHansonOz) November 9, 2016

The question on the world's lips?

how fast can build nuclear bunker  Aus Gov Just Googled (@GovGoogles) November 9, 2016

Australian college bros for Trump were kicked out of a pub.

Those American ally feels.

can just ghost america like we never friends  Aus Gov Just Googled (@GovGoogles) November 9, 2016

Bejing residents seemed hella divided.

Australian POC summed it up.

Trump isn't the source of my anxiety. It's the hundreds of millions of people who are openly supportive of white supremacist sentiment.  Ketan Joshi (@KetanJ0) November 9, 2016

Correspondent lols.

glad to be in Mosul where things are relatively calm  Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) November 9, 2016

So true.

BRITAIN: Brexit is the stupidest, most self-destructive act a country could undertake.

USA: Hold my beer.  Brian Pedaci (@bpedaci) November 9, 2016

James Corden had some deja vu.

Brexit feelings.  James Corden (@JKCorden) November 9, 2016

Everyone slowly lost their minds.

The Vengabus is coming

Society is fucked now

I'm dying on the inside

Come on and move your body  LEVINS (@levdawg) November 9, 2016

It was all about the bets for some people.

Bet my Indian father-in-law a few months ago that Clinton would win. The wager? A crisp 500 rupee note. Not sure who's the winner here.  Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) November 9, 2016

Canadian media was so on point.

"I have nothing left to lose so I will say it: This is white supremacy's last stand." This clip sums up #ElectionNight. pic.twitter.com/W5wXlcMRdl  MAX IM A KOOPA (@meakoopa) November 9, 2016

People on long-haul flights couldn't even keep up.

Tfw your plane lands in New Zealand and you discover that the world stopped making sense mid-flight #Election2016 pic.twitter.com/VzkUg82ji2  Lucy Thomas (@lucylockit_) November 9, 2016

BONUS: Trump got booed on the way to the voting booth
The Body Shop has unveiled its Holiday 2016 makeup collection based on three distinct looks all with a party animal theme. The full line-up of limited editions, new colors and must-have products is available in stores and online.

The Holiday party season usually brings glitter and sparkling shades to festive makeup collections, but that's not all the beauty world has to offer for holiday 2016. The Body Shop stands out with not one but three Holiday beauty looks, each as glamorous as the next and each with a decidedly wild side, unleashing the party animal within.

One product, three looks

The brand has created a selection of 100% vegetarian products, all available in a variety of shades and color combinations to create three different looks. The centerpiece of this festive offering is the "Eyeshadow Quad," available in three color combinations, each for a different beauty look: "Rock The Night," with metallic blues and grays, "Go For Gold," with warm tones and golden sparkle, and "A True Romance," for seductive eyes in shimmering plum shades.

There are two options for lips with the new "Liquid Matte Lipstick" for a rich velvet finish, available in 12 shades, or "Colour Crush Matte Lipstick," a Body Shop must-have in seven new colors, ranging from pale pink to hot red. For its festive looks, The Body Shop has released three shades of "Liquid Matte Lipstick," with Sydney Amaryllis, a vibrant matte red for the "Rock The Night" look, Mauritius Dahlia, a plum shade for the "Go For Gold" look, and Taipei Orchid, a candy pink color for the "A True Romance" look.

The brand's "Eye Color Sticks" land in shimmering shades and a selection of "Colour Crush" nail polishes in limited edition shades complete this seasonal offering, which gives pride of place to metallics, golds and shimmering plums.

The Body Shop Holiday 2016 makeup collection is out now in stores and online.
NEW YORK  After a presidential election that has damaged U.S. standing worldwide, the more muscular foreign policy that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is promising may be precisely whats needed, according to a former top State Department official.

Former Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Jamie Rubin  who rode the spokesmans podium at Foggy Bottom during Bill Clintons administration and is now stumping for Hillary Clinton  said the Democrat is ready to back American diplomacy with military force.

Shes well aware that for our diplomacy to be successful it needs to be backed up by our resolve and our willingness to act if necessary militarily, Rubin told Foreign Policy at the Javits Center in New York, where Hillary Clinton is holding her election night event.

Still, the euphoria of a likely victory speech here for Clinton now could fade quickly in the face of tough realities at home and abroad.

Rubins assessment was particularly grim in light of the nearly six-year Syrian civil war that has killed more than 500,000 people, spurred a global refugee crisis, and confounded President Barack Obamas administration. Obama has been reticent to deepen the U.S. militarys role in the fight against the Islamic State, but Clinton has indicated she would take a sharper approach.

Careful not to critique Obama, Rubin said Clintons suggestion of a no-fly zone reflects a recognition that if the United States is going to play a diplomatic role, to be able to deliver a successful outcome in Syria, that it needs to have perhaps greater leverage.

He said Clinton will also have to clean up after Republican nominee Donald Trump, whose suggestions that he would pull back from NATO has spooked U.S. allies.

Weve had an election that has unfortunately raised a lot of anxieties around the world, especially for the NATO countries, Rubin said. Theres going to need to be a stabilization phase, where people around the world need to be convinced that Americas still the leader and the friend and the indispensable nation.

Story continues

But as the Clinton campaign quietly looks ahead to the transition and the next administration, Rubin waved off questions about his potential future role and the next secretary of state.

Nope, he said, turning back to his aides. Nope, nope.

Photo credit: Sven Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images
Brad Pitt has made his first public appearance since Angelina Jolie filed for divorce in September.

The 52-year-old actor stepped out on Monday night to host a private screening of Moonlight with pal Julia Roberts in Los Angeles.

WATCH: EXCLUSIVE: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Spoke Directly to Reach Custody Arrangement, Source Says

Pitt, whose production company, Plan B, produced the film with A24 and Pastel Productions, looked to be in high spirits as he posed for a shot with Julia Roberts, Moonlight star Trevante Rhodes, and writer/director Barry Jenkins.

AP

The World War Z star also took the podium with Roberts to speak about the highly-acclaimed film.

AP

WATCH: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie: Everything We Know About the Status of Their Divorce

The event marks the first time Pitt has been photographed following the announcement of his split from Jolie. The actor cancelled his appearance at the Voyage of Time premiere in late September, announcing that he was "currently focused on my family situation."

Nearly two months later, ET has learned that that the former couple has spoken directly to reach a new custody agreement. Pitt filed his response to Jolie's divorce petition on Friday, and requested joint custody of their six children: 15-year-old Maddox, 12-year-old Pax, 11-year-old Zahara, 10-year-old Shiloh, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

"In accordance with this agreement, the six children will stay in their mother's custody, and the children will continue therapeutic visits with their father," read a statement to ET by Jolie's rep. "This has been determined by childcare professionals to be in the children's best interest."

WATCH: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's Child Safety Plan Still in Place as Investigation Into Child Abuse Claim Nears End

While a source reveals that the custody agreement is not permanent, another source says that the child abuse allegations against Pitt are coming to an end.

Story continues

See more in the video below.

Related Articles
Brad Pitt was spotted for the first time following the announcement of his split from Angelina Jolie in September.

On Tuesday, the actor attended a private screening of Moonlight in Los Angeles, where he was joined by longtime pal and Oceans costar Julia Roberts. Pitts production company, Plan B, partnered with A24 to produce the coming-of-age drama about a gay, African-American boy, and the film has been earning Oscar buzz.

The 52-year-olds outing comes one day after a rep for Jolie released a new statement saying that the former couple have reached a legal agreement about the custody of their six children: Maddox, 15, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

However, other sources close to the situation maintain the pair have not reached any new agreement, nor have they permanently settled their differences, and Pitt still plans to push for joint custody.

Pitt filed a response on Nov. 4 requesting joint custody after Jolie, 41, requested sole physical custody in her Sept. 19 divorce filing.

Pitt is expected to make his first red carpet appearance at the premiere of his new film Allied on Wednesday night.
As he claimed victory, Trump urged Americans to "come together as one united people" after a deeply divisive campaign.

He said he had spoken by phone with Clinton and they had exchanged congratulations on a hard-fought race. Trump, who spent much of the campaign urging his supporters on as they chanted "lock her up," said the nation owed her "a major debt of gratitude" for her years of public service.

The Republican blasted through Democrats' longstanding firewall, carrying Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that hadn't voted for a GOP presidential candidate since the 1980s. He needed to win nearly all of the competitive battleground states, and he did just that, claiming Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and others.

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged, reflecting investor concern over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.

A New York real estate developer who lives in a sparking Manhattan high-rise, Trump forged a striking connection with white, working class Americans who feel left behind in a changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of the problems plaguing many Americans and taped into fears of terrorism emanating at home and abroad.

Trump will take office with Congress expected to be fully under Republican control. GOP Senate candidates fended off Democratic challengers in key states and appeared poised to keep the majority. Republicans also maintained their grip on the House.

Senate control means Trump will have great leeway in appointing Supreme Court justices, which could mean a shift to the right that would last for decades.

Trump upended years of political convention on his way to the White House, leveling harshly personal insults on his rivals, deeming Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers, and vowing to temporarily suspend Muslim immigration to the U.S. He never released his tax returns, breaking with decades of campaign tradition, and eschewed the kind of robust data and field efforts that helped Obama win two terms in the White House, relying instead on his large, free-wheeling rallies to energize supporters. His campaign was frequently in chaos, and he cycled through three campaign managers this year.

His final campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, touted the team's accomplishments as the final results rolled in, writing on Twitter that "rally crowds matter" and "we expanded the map."

Clinton spent months warning voters that Trump was unfit and unqualified to be president. But the former senator and secretary of state struggled to articulate a clear rationale for her own candidacy.

The mood at Clinton's party grew bleak as the night wore out, with some supporters leaving, others crying and hugging each other. Top campaign aides stopped returning calls and texts, as Clinton and her family hunkered down in a luxury hotel watching the returns.

At 2 a.m., Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta told the crowd to head home for the night. "We're still counting votes and every vote should count," he said. But she later conceded.

Trump will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture.

Exit polls underscored the fractures: Women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

Doug Ratliff, a 67-year-old businessman from Richlands, Virginia, said Trump's election was one of the happiest days of his life.

"This county has had no hope," said Ratliff, who owns strip malls in an area badly beaten by the collapse of the coal industry. "Things will change. I know he's not going to be perfect. But he's got a heart. And he gives people hope."

Trump has pledged to usher in a series of sweeping changes to U.S. domestic and foreign policy: repealing Obama's signature health care law, though he has been vague on what he could replace it with; building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, and suspending immigration from countries with terrorism ties. He's also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoken of building a better relationship with Moscow, worrying some in his own party who fear he'll go easy on Putin's provocations.

The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, a reluctant Trump supporter, called the businessman earlier in the evening to congratulate him, according to a Ryan spokeswoman.

Democrats, as well as some Republicans, expected Trump's unconventional candidacy would damage down-ballot races and even flip some reliably red states in the presidential race. But Trump held on to Republican territory, including in Georgia and Utah, where Clinton's campaign confidently invested resources.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in her party's hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his health care law.

But she struggled throughout the race with persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. Those troubles flared anew late in the race, when FBI Director James Comey announced a review of new emails from her tenure at the State Department. On Sunday, just two days before Election Day, Comey said there was nothing in the material to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.

___

Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey, Jonathan Lemire, Lisa Lerer and Jill Colvin and AP Polling Director Emily Swanson contributed to this report.
By Paul Sandle

LONDON (Reuters) - British luxury brand Burberry (BRBY.L) is cutting 15-20 percent of its product lines, aiming to focus on its newest ranges as it battles to attract shoppers in a volatile luxury goods market.

The company reported a 24 percent drop in first-half underlying profit on Wednesday, in line with expectations.

Luxury brands have been struggling with slowing growth in Asia, a drop in tourist spending in Europe following a series of deadly attacks and competition from fast-fashion chains.

Burberry said in February it would move away from the traditional model of presenting seasonal ranges months ahead of their appearance in store, in favour of two collections a year that would be available in shops immediately.

Finance chief Carol Fairweather said on Wednesday the company was cutting back on product lines ahead of the key Christmas trading period and would give greater prominence to its newest products, such as the bridle bag that was a top seller from its September runway show.

"We are delighted with everything we have in place for (the) festive (season)," she told reporters.

Burberry, which has released a short film about its founder Thomas Burberry as its Christmas campaign, reported adjusted pretax profit of 146 million pounds, reflecting tougher trading in stores in the United States and Hong Kong.

The company had already announced a 4 percent drop in half-year sales to 1.16 billion pounds last month as weak demand in some overseas markets offset a surge in sales in its British home as tourists took advantage of a lower pound.

Shares in Burberry, along with other luxury groups such as LVMH (LVMH.PA), fell on Wednesday after Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election added to uncertainty over prospects for the global economy, analysts said. Burberry makes about 20 percent of its sales in the United States.

Citi analysts said they expected no change to forecasts for Burberry to make full-year adjusted pretax profit of 447 million pounds, but added the U.S. election and exchange rate volatility could knock consumer confidence and global luxury demand.

Story continues

"We see political risks as a potential source of disruption to luxury demand in some of the world's key luxury markets (US, France, Germany, Italy, Hong Kong) where key elections and political events are taking place," they said.

Citi has a "neutral" rating on Burberry shares.

At 1100 GMT, the shares, which have risen 6 percent since the sales update on Oct. 18, were down 2.4 percent at 1,445 pence. French rival LVMH was down 2.9 percent.

(Editing by Jason Neely and Mark Potter)
We are nearing the end of Q3 earnings, with over 84% of the total S&P 500 index members having released their quarterly results through Nov 4. Results have improved considerably from the previous quarters and are expected to end up in the positive territory after five consecutive quarters of earnings decline for the S&P 500 index.

Per our latest Earnings Preview report, combining the actual results from the 423 S&P 500 members with estimates from the soon-to-be-report 77 index members, overall Q3 earnings are expected to be up 3% on a 1.5% growth in revenues. The relative improvement in estimate revisions for the quarter is largely due to an improvement in the economy and rising oil prices.

Four of the 16 Zacks sectors are expected to witness an earnings decline in the quarter, with Oil/Energy, Transportation and Autos being the biggest drag. Over 645 companies are scheduled to report this week, including 31 S&P 500 members, bringing the tally for the results of the indexs total membership to 90.8%.

The performance of the Business Services sector is looking reasonably healthy this quarter. For the sector, earnings are expected to grow 16.7%, while sales are touted to rise 8.7% over the last year. The projected improvement is majorly driven by the growing momentum in the economy as a whole and the job market during the quarter.

Lets see how things are shaping up for the two Business Services companies scheduled to report their earnings results tomorrow.

MAXIMUS, Inc. MMS is slated to report its fiscal fourth-quarter results before the market opens. The company offers business process services to government health and human services across the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and New Zealand. Over the trailing four quarters the company beat estimates thrice, with an average positive surprise of 0.20%.

For the quarter to be reported, we are uncertain of an earnings beat as the company has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Story continues

You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

MAXIMUS INC Price and EPS Surprise

MAXIMUS INC Price and EPS Surprise | MAXIMUS INC Quote

Stantec Inc. STN is scheduled to report third-quarter 2016 results after market close. The company offers professional consulting services. It also provides professional consulting services across environmental sciences, project management, and project economics for infrastructure and facilities projects.

For the quarter to be reported, we are uncertain of an earnings beat as the company has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #3. Over the trailing four quarters the company missed estimates thrice, with an average negative surprise of 16.65%.

STANTEC INC Price and EPS Surprise

STANTEC INC Price and EPS Surprise | STANTEC INC Quote

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By Jilian Mincer Nov 8 (Reuters) - California voters agreed to significantly increase the tax on cigarettes and vaping devices, but similar measures fell short in Colorado, North Dakota and Missouri, according to late Tuesday vote tallies.

California's Proposition 56 will increase taxes on a pack of cigarette from 87 cents to $2.87, bringing it more in line with other states. The measure also sets a tax on electronic cigarettes.

"This is a huge victory for tobacco prevention effort," said John Schachter, director of state communications for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. He said that California, which recently raised the smoking age to 21, could inspire other states to pass similar laws.

While U.S. smoking rates have declined significantly in recent decades as more people recognize smoking's links to lung cancer and other diseases, health advocates have sought to prevent a new generation from taking up tobacco.

Healthcare groups say high cigarette taxes discourage smoking, while the proceeds help states pay for smoking cessation and prevention programs.

"Every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes brings about a 7 percent decrease in use by youth and a 4 percent decrease overall," said Schachter.

Opponents - including tobacco companies R.J. Reynolds Tobacco and Altria - spent at least $90 million to defeat the measures, including more than $70 million in California against Proposition 56. Supporters of the tax, including billionaire investor Tom Steyer, the political action committees representing the California Hospital Association and the Service Employees International Union, raised more than $30 million to promote it.

The initiative is expected to raise $1 billion to $1.4 billion in new tax revenues for California. Most of that would go to Medi-Cal, the state's healthcare program for low-income residents.

Opponents said the ballot would increase black market sales of the cigarettes and was misleading because "just 13 percent (of the new tax revenue) goes to tobacco prevention and control programs," said Beth Miller, spokesperson for the NO on Prop. 56 - Stop the Special Interest Tax Grab - Committee.

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Wells Fargo Securities analyst Bonnie Herzog said that tobacco companies could use their pricing power to mitigate a victory even in California, which is the single largest cigarette consumer by state.

"A bigger potential 'risk' is that other states follow suit and try to push through similar pro-tax measures via legislation," she said.

The average U.S. state tax rate is $1.65 per pack, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Thirty-four states have cigarette tax rates higher than $1 per pack and 16 states have rates of $2 or more. Chicago has the highest combined state and local tax rate at $6.16 a pack, followed by New York City at $5.85 a pack.

North Dakota currently has the third lowest cigarette tax rate in the country at 44 cents a pack. Voters turned down an increase that would have been the state's first in 25 years.

Voters in Colorado, currently ranked 38th in cigarette taxation, voted down a measure to add $1.75 in tax to a pack, raising the levy to $2.59. The state's Amendment 72 also would have increased taxes on other tobacco products such as cigars and chewing tobacco.

Missouri on Tuesday rejected a ballot measure that would have increased taxes by 15 cents annually for four years. It remains the nation's lowest tax at 17 cents a pack and New York the highest at $4.35. Healthcare groups opposed the Missouri hike because they considered it too low to discourage consumers from purchasing cigarettes.

(Reporting By Jilian Mincer in New York and Deena Beasley in Los Angeles; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Jonathan Oatis)
By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - A California movie producer who heads a private equity firm was arrested on Wednesday on charges that he and another man defrauded investors in hedge funds overseen by a New York-based investment adviser out of $26 million, prosecutors said. David Bergstein, chief executive of private equity firm Cyrano Group Inc and who was executive producer of the 2015 film "In the Heart of the Sea," was charged in an indictment filed in federal court in Manhattan. The indictment also charged Keith Wellner, the former general counsel of Weston Capital Asset Management, whose hedge fund investors were defrauded by the defendants, according to prosecutors. Bergstein, 54, and Wellner, 49, were arrested at their respective residences in California and New York, a spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of investigation said. Both are expected to appear in court later on Wednesday. Lawyers for Bergstein and Wellner did not immediately respond to requests for comment. According to the indictment, Bergstein and Wellner engaged in a scheme to conceal information from Weston investors about transactions involving their money, and transferred funds from one pool of Weston investors to make payments to another. The indictment said they also misappropriated some investor funds for their own and others' benefit. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in a related civil lawsuit filed on Wednesday, accused Bergstein of misappropriating over $5.8 million to support an "extravagant lifestyle." According to court papers, the case related to a probe of individuals including investment banker Jason Galanis involved in market manipulation for reinsurer Gerova Financial Group Ltd. Weston had done a deal with Gerova in 2010 that prosecutors said prompted the first of two schemes involving Bergstein and Wellner. Galanis pleaded guilty in July to securities fraud. Albert Hallac, Weston's founder, pleaded guilty in January to charges that he schemed to defraud Weston investors. Bergstein had Previously controlled several movie production companies including ThinkFilm and Capitol Films Development. He took an advisory role in Walt Disney Co's 2010 sale of Miramax to an investor group that included a business partner. His movie credits include serving as an executive producer of 2004's "The Whole Ten Yards" and 2007's "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead." In 2010, five of Bergstein's film companies including Capitol Films and ThinkFilm were forced into bankruptcy at the urging of a group of creditors, court records showed. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Diane Craft and Leslie Adler)
Los Angeles (AFP) - A gunman went on a shooting spree near California polling stations, killing one man and wounding two women before dying following a shootout with police, authorities said.

The shooting took place in early afternoon in the city of Azusa, 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, Vanessa Lozano, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, told AFP.

The incident prompted a lockdown at nearby schools and at two polling stations, one of which was later reopened.

Officers arriving at the scene in a residential neighborhood found three shooting victims and came under fire, Azusa police chief Steve Hunt told reporters.

He said officers returned fire and the gunman was later pronounced dead at the scene.

It was unclear if the gunman was killed by police or took his own life, authorities said.

"One male victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead and two female adults were also transported to a local hospital where they are listed both in critical condition," the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said in a statement.

It was unclear what prompted the attack.

Azusa police advised residents to stay clear of the area and shelter in place as officers combed the neighborhood looking for possible other suspects.

Local government official Dean Logan called on voters to find other polling sites to cast their ballots.

"Voters should avoid the area and, if necessary, cast a ballot at an alternate polling location," he tweeted.

A woman inside one of the affected polling stations said she heard shots ring out before officials placed the area on lockdown. Some 30 people were inside when the incident unfolded, she said.

"At first, I thought it was construction but people came running into the room saying they see a guy with a bulletproof vest and a white shirt," she told CNN. "As of right now, they just have us in the voting room and are trying to keep us calm."
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 8 (Reuters) - California voters appeared to be favoring a $9 billion bond measure to fund schools as of late Tuesday night.

The statewide ballot measure, called Proposition 51, was the largest municipal bond measure nationally to go before voters on Election Day and will finance new school construction projects across the state.

Late on Tuesday night, the California secretary of state's website showed 52.8 percent of voters supporting the measure.

California ballots were filled with 195 bond measures this year, totaling $41.7 billion.

Democratic Governor Jerry Brown had opposed this proposition, calling it a "developers' $9 billion bond" that "promotes sprawl." The bond measure, he said, "squanders money that would be far better spent in low-income communities," because the application process for the funding favors affluent districts.

The school bond was one of 17 state propositions and hundreds of local measures considered by California voters on Tuesday, including over $32 billion of proposed funding for education, infrastructure and homeless services.

(Reporting by Robin Respaut; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Leslie Adler)
California has voted to approve marijuana for recreational use.

Amid a tight presidential race, it was announced that Proposition 64 had been passed just after polls closed on the West Coast. Under the proposition, California residents 21 and older will be able to legally carry up to an ounce of weed and grow six marijuana plants. The victory, which came on the heels of a rejected measure six years ago, has created the largest market for marijuana products in the U.S.

With the legalization, California joins Colorado, Washington state, Washington D.C., Alaska, and Oregon as states that will treat marijuana like alcohol  taxing and regulating it  rather than as a crime.

We are very excited that citizens of California voted to end the failed policy of marijuana prohibition, Nate Bradley, executive director of the California Cannabis Industry Association said to the Los Angeles Times. Proposition 64 will allow California to take its rightful place as the center of cannabis innovation, research and development.

Famed marijuana aficionado Snoop Dogg wasted no time in celebrating the news, taking to Twitter to say, We just legalized marijuana in Cali #smokeweedeveryday.

We just legalized marijuana in Cali. #smokeweedeveryday  Snoop Dogg (@SnoopDogg) November 9, 2016

California passed the use of medical marijuana in 1996. Recreational sales will begin on Jan. 1, 2018.

Story continues

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california students protest trump presidency

A fringe political group in California wants to opt out of a Donald Trump presidency by leaving the union.

The Yes California Independence Campaign aims to hold a referendum in 2018 that, if passed, would bring California one step closer to becoming an independent country.

Far-fetched as it may sound, the plan started gathering steam after Tuesday night's surprising presidential vote. The movement has an impressive backer in Shervin Pishevar, a well-known angel investor who offered to bankroll a campaign to secede.

"As the sixth-largest economy in the world, California is more economically powerful than France and has a population larger than Poland. Point by point, California compares and competes with countries, not just the 49 other states," Yes California wrote in a statement.

Louis Marinelli, an outspoken political activist and president of Yes California, envisions California as a sovereign entity within the US, much like Scotland in the United Kingdom:

California is a nation, not a state. This is the campaign to secede and make California an independent country. https://t.co/qRVfC2TG21 pic.twitter.com/eeTUtsThpX  Yes California (@YesCalifornia) November 9, 2016

There is no clear path for how California might appeal to the federal government so that it may leave. The US Constitution lays out procedures for how a new state may enter the union, but there are no protocols for a nation to exit.

Marinelli, however, sees a workaround  with a ballot measure passed by California voters.

In 2015, Marinelli paid $200 each to get nine initiatives related to secession on a statewide ballot, according to The Los Angeles Times. None garnered the nearly 400,000 signatures necessary to appear on the ballot. So Marinelli and his followers are forced to start over.

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Yes California now aims to gather enough signatures to put an initiative on the ballot in 2018, when Californians will choose their next governor, for a referendum in 2019.

california students protest trump presidency

Should a clear majority declare their support for a Brexit-style departure, the group may follow one of two paths. Both lean on a significant case argued before the US Supreme Court in 1869  Texas v. White  which touched on a state's ability to secede.

Here's option 1, as described in a statement from Yes California:

"A member of the California federal delegation to Washington would propose an Amendment to the US Constitution allowing the State of California to withdraw from the Union. The Amendment would have to be approved by 2/3 of the House of Representatives and 2/3 of the Senate. If the Amendment passed it would be sent to the fifty state legislatures to be considered (to satisfy the 'consent of the states' requirement in Texas v. White). It would need to be accepted by at least 38 of the 50 state legislatures to be adopted."

Alternatively:

"California could call for a convention of the states (which is currently being organized to tackle other constitutional amendments as we speak) and the Amendment granting California its independence would have to be approved by 2/3 of the delegates to this convention. If it passed, the Amendment would be sent to the fifty state legislatures to be considered and 38 of the 50 states would have to approve the measure in order for it to be adopted."

No state has ever seceded from the union, despite Texas' best efforts earlier this year.

"The legality of seceding is problematic," Eric McDaniel, associate professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin, told The Texas Tribune in June, at the height of Brexit hysteria. "The Civil War played a very big role in establishing the power of the federal government and cementing that the federal government has the final say in these issues."

Marinelli acknowledges the road ahead is long.

"What's going on in the US politically and culturally is so different from what's happening here," Marinelli told The LA Times in 2015. "I want California to be all it can, and our group feels the political and cultural connection to the US is holding us back from our potential."

NOW WATCH: Were actually all on one team': Watch Obamas full remarks after Trumps victory





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Smoking weed is now legal for adults 21 and older in California - but acquiring it is still a challenge because California businesses aren't expected to be licensed to sell recreational marijuana until Jan. 1, 2018.

One exception is West Hollywood, where dispensary doors could be open for recreational weed as soon as January 2017. Medical marijuana consultant to the stars Dina Browner, known as Dr. Dina, says there's a closed-door City Council meeting on Thursday to decide how WeHo dispensaries will comply with the new law and when they will be able to sell pot for adult use. Dina says there's a provision in the local regulation that allows medical marijuana businesses to easily expand into the recreational realm in the event of a change in legalization status.

"The big issue is the proposition doesn't say anything about charging the excise tax until January of 2018," Dina says, adding that business owners wouldn't know which agency to send those taxes to. Given that complication, she says, West Hollywood may hold off another year.

"I woke up to 750 emails from strangers asking me questions," she says.

Here are some of the answers: Prop 64 doesn't make it legal to smoke weed in public. There's still a fine for doing that. Outside of the home, people can carry up to one ounce of marijuana or eight grams of THC concentrate. People who have medical marijuana cards will no longer pay sales tax at dispensaries.

The big question: how can people legally acquire recreational pot if it isn't for sale?

"You can give up to an ounce to someone as a gift," says Dina, adding that growing it yourself is also an option. It's now legal to grow up to six plants at home, but you'd need seeds or a cutting to start and the same rules of sale apply to those.

When it comes to the workplace, pot is unlikely to be treated like cigarettes. So make sure to check company policy before getting high and don't expect 15 minute smoke breaks.

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"It will definitely be treated like alcohol," Dina says. "If a workplace decides it does not want its employees to smoke cannabis, it can restrict that."

It's also important to note that Prop 64 gives municipalities the option to allow adult marijuana use, but some cities and counties may choose to reject it. However, Dina points out that any municipality that chooses to ban weed won't share in the 15 percent excise tax revenue. Given that marijuana is projected to be a multibillion-dollar industry, some otherwise pot-averse cities may look the other way to cash in.

Dina says the legalization will cause some growing pains and there will likely be another bill in the future to fix any unexpected issues that arise.

Read more: Hollywood Celebs Cashing in on the Pot Business Despite Legal Risks
Ottawa (AFP) - Canada's opposition Tories urged US President-elect Donald Trump Wednesday to quickly move on his pledge to relaunch a transcontinental oil pipeline that had been blocked under the previous administration.

"President-elect Trump has made it clear that he supports the Keystone XL pipeline, as has Prime Minister (Justin) Trudeau," Conservative interim leader Rona Ambrose said in a statement.

"The Conservative Party of Canada calls upon the prime minister to reach out to President-elect Trump at the earliest opportunity and make approval of this job-creating project a top priority.

The Keystone XL pipeline would have carried crude oil from the Alberta oil sands to US Gulf Coast refineries.

But the US government's denial of permits in 2015 to construct a 1,179-mile (1,900 kilometer) Alberta-Nebraska section effectively undermined the entire project.

Environmentalists have assailed the project arguing that Alberta's oil deposits -- which are the world's third largest -- are among the "dirtiest."

In June, Calgary-based TransCanada formally filed a US$15 billion lawsuit against the US government for blocking the pipeline after seven years of planning.

The suit is based on Chapter 11 of NAFTA -- the 1994 trade pact between the United States, Canada and Mexico -- which aims to protect foreign investors from potential losses.
* Canadian dollar at C$1.3443, or 74.39 U.S. cents * Loonie touches its weakest since March 1 at C$1.3525 * Bond prices mixed across a steeper maturity curve * 10-year yield touches its highest since May 31 at 1.332 percent By Fergal Smith TORONTO, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar weakened sharply to an eight-month low against its U.S. counterpart on Wednesday as uncertainty over Republican Donald Trump's election to the White House threatened Canada's trade-intensive economy.

Trump has said he would renegotiate or scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement if elected.

"The uncertainty and the threat to tear up NAFTA are on net a mild negative for the currency (Canadian dollar) but there are certainly some small potential positives out there, especially if the U.S now embarks a stimulative fiscal policy," said Doug Porter, chief economist at BMO Capital Markets.

Global stocks fell, worried that a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, but oil reversed most of its early losses as the market recovered from an initial Brexit-like reaction to Trump's surprise victory.

U.S. crude prices were down 0.51 percent at $44.75 a barrel.

At 9:14 a.m. EDT (1414 GMT), the Canadian dollar was trading at C$1.3443 to the greenback, or 74.39 U.S. cents, much weaker than Tuesday's close of C$1.3305, or 75.16 U.S. cents.

The currency's strongest level of the session was C$1.3265, while it touched its weakest since March 1 at C$1.3525.

The loonie had gained against the U.S. dollar on Tuesday, supported by expectations that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was likely to prevail.

Canadian government bond prices were mixed across a steeper yield curve in sympathy with U.S. Treasuries. The two-year price rose 3 Canadian cents to yield 0.567 percent and the benchmark 10-year declined 40 Canadian cents to yield 1.315 percent.

The 10-year yield touched its highest since May 31 at 1.332 percent.

(Additional reporting by Leah Schnurr; editing by Grant McCool)
By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday said he looked forward to working with Donald Trump after the New York businessman won the U.S. presidency in a victory that could hurt Canada's exporters and wreck plans to impose a national carbon price. The left-leaning Trudeau, who supports free trade and higher immigration, is ideologically removed from the Republican U.S. president-elect. "We share a purpose, our two countries. ... I'm going to work with (his) administration as we move forward in a positive way," Trudeau told a youth forum. Trump vowed on the campaign trail to revise or tear up the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) under which Canada sends 75 percent of its exports to the United States. David MacNaughton, the Canadian ambassador to Washington, told reporters that he interpreted the Trump camp's comments on NAFTA as a desire to improve the deal. If Trump wanted to discuss changes, Canada would come to the table, he said. "We're prepared to talk. ... I think anything can be improved, and we're open to having discussions," he said, but declined to give further details. The challenge for Ottawa is that it had assumed Democrat Hillary Clinton would win Tuesday's election and played down the need for a game plan for a Trump victory. Officials must now work out how Canada's export-reliant economy can maintain its privileged U.S. access. A source with knowledge of the matter said Trudeau would raise the importance of bilateral trade in his first call to Trump. Separately, Roland Paris, who served as Trudeau's foreign policy advisor until late June, said the prime minister should make the case for close economic ties. "He needs to be thinking about mobilizing allies at all levels of the U.S. political system," he said. A November study by Export Development Canada said exports to the United States could drop between 1.2 percent to 4.5 percent, depending on what approach Trump took. The two nations are locked in a dispute over exports of Canadian softwood lumber, which U.S companies complain are unfairly subsidized. Trump has little sympathy for the Canadian position, and MacNaughton said he was optimistic he could strike a "sensible agreement" with the administration of Barack Obama. The Trump win also could imperil Trudeau's plan to impose a carbon price as part of a commitment to meet international climate change goals. Trump has said global warming is a hoax and if he dilutes America's commitment to combating greenhouse gases, it could make Canadian businesses less competitive. Brad Wall, the premier of Saskatchewan and an opponent of the carbon price, said the idea made no sense when "our biggest competitor for investment and jobs is not going to have one." (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Bill Trott and Jonathan Oatis)
Ottawa (AFP) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged Wednesday to work "very closely" with US President-elect Donald Trump, congratulating him on his surprise victory in the US elections.

"Canada has no closer friend, partner, and ally than the United States," Trudeau said in a statement.

"We look forward to working very closely with president-elect Trump, his administration, and with the United States Congress in the years ahead, including on issues such as trade, investment and international peace and security."

Speaking later to a youth forum in Ottawa, Trudeau sought to explain the result by played up the shared values the two countries share, which he summed up as "people wanting a fair shot at success."

"We're going to keep working with our neighbors, and I'm going to work with president-elect Trump's administration as we move forward in a positive way for not just Canadians and Americans, but the whole world," he said.

The billionaire reality TV star and real estate mogul beat most predictions with a stunning defeat of Democrat Hillary Clinton, a former secretary of state, senator and first lady who was seeking to become America's first woman president.

Canada and the United States share the world's longest international border and are its biggest trade partners with about $2 billion in bilateral exchanges each day under the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Trump has vowed to renegotiate.

The 1994 accord, which binds Canada, Mexico and the United States, unites 530 million consumers and represents more than one-quarter of global GDP.

"The relationship between our two countries serves as a model for the world. Our shared values, deep cultural ties and strong integrated economies will continue to provide the basis for advancing our strong and prosperous partnership," Trudeau said.

The Canadian leader had refused in recent days to publicly share his personal preference in the White House race, cautiously acknowledging that change was inevitable with the next presidency.

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"There's going to be a need for Canada to reaffirm the issues that are important to Canadians, to our businesses, to travelers and to our place in the world and that's exactly what I'm going to do," he said last week.

In recent months, Trudeau has railed against "isolationism" and "building walls."

Although he has not explicitly referenced Donald Trump's populist campaign for the US presidency, he criticized intolerance and politics of fear and division.
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As the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency looms nearer, millions of Americans are looking to Canada for help.

Well, they're (temporarily) out of luck. Throughout election night, Canada's site dedicated to immigration kept shutting down. Terrified Americans might just have to look somewhere else  at least until the site goes back up.

SEE ALSO: Horrifying Trump cake spotted at Trump Tower

At the time of writing this post, the site is currently back up.

Canadian immigration site is legit down rn https://t.co/3ps4ZTQraC  Adam Friedman (@friedman) November 9, 2016

If you're interested in immigrating to Canada, check the site here, or just run. Simply run.

BONUS: Donald Trump takes a look at Melania Trump's ballot
Caroline de Maigret has landed a starring role in a promotional video for Chanel's new 'Derby' shoe.

The French model can be seen sporting the new two-tone shoes in a black-and-white short film directed by Bertrand le Pluard for the luxury fashion house. The clip, which De Maigret has posted to her Instagram account, sees her skipping around the streets of her hometown of Paris, having teamed the tomboy-style shoes with rolled-up masculine trousers and a fine knit sweater.

The androgynous footwear, part of the label's 2016/17 cruise collection, feature a various smooth, patent, exotic and even perforated leather uppers, topped off with a black leather toe -- a reference to the brand's founder Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel's first shoe designs in 1957. Natural leather soles resemble wood, while the label's signature double C logo appears in metal on each heel. The bright, bold uppers, which range from pink and silver to gold, black and white, were inspired by the Cuban city of Havana.

Model, writer and music producer De Maigret became an official Chanel ambassador back in July, following a long friendship with the brand's designer Karl Lagerfeld which had seen her act as a muse for the house for several years. Her new role in the group, which has placed her on the same level as the house's fellow ambassadors Lily Rose Depp, Kristen Stewart and Willow Smith, is one of several recent high-profile fashion projects -- she was unveiled as one of the faces of British brand Karen Millen's spring campaign back in January, and teamed up with cosmetics giant Lancome on a "Parisian Inspiration by Caroline de Maigret" collection in the autumn of 2015.
If there was a lucky number for CBS Radio's upcoming Stars and Strings benefit show, it would be 11. That's precisely how many acts there are on the bill, and contest winners from all 11 of the chain's country stations will be in attendance. And while the show takes place Nov. 9, its focus is on Veteran's Day, which is marked annually on Nov. 11. Yup, 11/11.

The acoustic show, which will honor military heroes and their families, will take place at the historic Chicago Theatre in the Windy City and feature Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Big & Rich, Dan + Shay, Tyler Farr, Brantley Gilbert, Randy Houser, Rascal Flatts, Chase Rice and two surprise guests who could not be announced in advance due to nearby tour routing concerns. The 3,800-seat venue sold out in five minutes, according to Jeff Kapugi, CBS Radio vp country programming and PD of WUSN Chicago. Two other artists, Jerrod Niemann and Michael Ray, will perform at a related event on Nov. 8, Toast to the Troops, at Chicago's Joe's Pub. That event also honors veterans, active military and first responders.

"It's really a great way for our country radio stations to wrap our arms around things that are important to our listeners," says Kapugi of the two events.

The beneficiary of both shows is the charity Folds of Honor, which provides educational support to spouses and children of America's fallen and wounded soldiers. Kapugi says CBS will make "a very sizable contribution" to the charity, and the rest of the show's proceeds will pay for production costs.

This is the second year for Stars and Strings, and Kapugi says the success of 2015's show, which featured Dierks Bentley, Little Big Town and other stars, made the follow-up an inevitability. Even before Kapugi and his team had done a postmortem on that show, he says he began fielding calls from artists and reps volunteering for the 2016 edition.

"Everybody that played here last year just had a blast," he says. "Honestly, a lot of them said, 'If you need someone to do this again next year, please call me.' We didn't do that, but we're definitely keeping that one in our hip pocket."

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The show is deliberately timed for midweek, says Kapugi, "as we try to be respectful to the artists and their touring schedules, not taking any weekend play dates out of their schedule. And it gives us a better bill at the end of the day."

Farr and Ballerini are excited to be participating. Says Farr, "Anything that benefits that kind of organization, I'm always going to be a part of. It's a great cause." Farr and his band have done three overseas tours to perform for U.S. troops in Africa, Europe and Bahrain, and he says performing for troops and military-related causes is "the least we can do to pay some gratitude and respect back."

Ballerini, too, says she "has a heart" for military causes. "In country music, the military is something that's written and talked about a lot and is honored a lot. As a new country music artist, it's my job to keep that legacy alive." That's particularly true, she says, in the lead-up to the holiday season when military families are feeling the absence of loved ones lost in combat or stationed abroad. "It's good to be able to take the time and honor them while their families are missing them."

On a personal note, Ballerini is looking forward to once again sharing a bill with Rascal Flatts, joking that since their tour together ended earlier in 2016 she has had "separation anxiety."
LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2016 / Cell MedX Corp. (CMXC) ("Cell MedX" or the "Company"), a development stage company focused on the commercialization of therapeutic devices for patients living with diseases such as diabetes, is pleased to announce that it has retained Tamarack Advisors Inc. ("Tamarack") to develop an investor communication and outreach program. The Company agreed to pay Tamarack at a rate of $10,000 per month for a period of three months for its services.

Tamarack is a leading provider of investor communication and outreach services for emerging public companies. With an extensive network of investors and in-depth marketing expertise, the company helps clients reach and cultivate a network of long-term investors and establish a reliable shareholder base.

About Cell MedX Corp.

Cell MedX Corp. is an early development stage company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutic products for patients with diseases such as diabetes, by developing technologies to help manage both the illness and related complications. For more information about the Company and its technology please visit our website at: www.cellmedx.com, for the Company's weekly newsletter, please go to www.cellmedx.com/media/newsletters/.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Cell MedX Corp.

Frank McEnulty

Chief Executive Officer and President.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are identified by words such as "expects", "intends","estimates", "projects", "anticipates", "believes", "could", and other similar words. All statements addressing product performance, events, or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Because the statements are forward-looking, they should be evaluated in light of important risk factors and uncertainties, some of which are described in the Company's Quarterly, Annual and Current Reports filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the Company's underlying assumptions prove correct, actual results may vary materially from those currently anticipated. In addition, undue reliance should not be placed on Company's forward-looking statements. In particular, the Company's eBalance technology is still in development. The Company does not currently have any commercially marketable products based on the eBalance Technology, and there is no assurance that the Company will be successful in its development efforts. Except as required by law, Cell MedX Corp. disclaims any obligation to update or publicly announce any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory body has reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Investors are advised to carefully review the reports and documents that Cell MedX Corp. files from time to time with the SEC, including its Annual, Quarterly and Current Reports.

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For further information visit: www.cellmedx.com.

Or phone: 1-844-238-2692

SOURCE: Cell MedX Corp.
The new law passed by Xu Lin's Cyberspace Administration of China serves as a "no trespassing" sign to overseas businesses.

Beijing has a tried-and-true tactic for keeping foreign companies out of Chinamake its domestic laws so vague that theyre impossible to follow.

Today the Cyberspace Administration of China, which oversees internet governance in the country, passed a broad law that dictates how foreign companies must operate in China. Commonly known as the Cybersecurity Law, the document formalizes some practices that foreign technology firms have been following by for years. But like many other regulations from Beijing, its lack of clarity ultimately leaves foreign companies without a proper roadmap for how to abide by the lawwhich in effect serves as a no trespassing sign to overseas businesses.

The law, which passed more than a year after a first draft was issued publicly, generally re-affirms the states commitment to controlling what technology is used within Chinas borders and how it can collect information. Article 35, for example, states Personal information and other important business data gathered or produced by critical information infrastructure operators during operations within the mainland territory of the Peoples Republic of China, shall store it within mainland China.

This is generally interpreted to mean that foreign companies must keep servers for Chinese users located within the countrys borders. Many foreign internet companies have already complied with this measure. AirBnB, for example, last week announced it would move its Chinese user data to a domestic location, over a year after it officially entered the market via a joint venture.

But the law does not specify what is meant by other important business data (product performance data? Payment data?). Keeping more data inside China costs overseas companies more money, and also heightens the risk that the government will snoop on it.

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Article 65, meanwhile, states that critical information infrastructure providers (defined in Article 31 as public communication and information services, power, traffic, water, finance, public service, electronic governance [providers]) stand to violate the law if they use products or services that have not had safety inspections or did not pass safety inspections. Yet the nature of these safety inspections also remains unspecified.

Article 21 also states that specialized network security products must meet a set of standards released in a catalog by the State Council (the administrative body chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, Chinas nominal second-in-command). But the standards in this catalog have yet to be revealed, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Generally speaking, all companies want to be in compliance. And because the laws are vague, companies dont know how to be in compliance, the same source tells Quartz. Foreign companies who have the technology and have the impetus to get into the China, or continue servicing their customers [there], theyre not getting the necessary information to do so. And since the information isnt there, theyre shut out of the market.

James Zimmerman, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, argued the law has less to do with cybersecurity than protectionism.

In terms of improving security, this law is at best a missed opportunity, and some of the measures seem to emphasize protectionism rather than security, he wrote in a statement. But one thing is for sure: the more difficult it is for data to travel across the Chinese border, the more difficult it will be for companies inside those borders to innovate, and China risks becoming isolated technologically from the rest of the world.

Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news.

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Beijing (AFP) - Chinese courts Wednesday jailed almost 50 people over last year's giant explosions in the port of Tianjin that killed 165 people, state media reported.

The blasts at a chemical warehouse owned by Rui Hai International Logistics on August 12, 2015 sent a huge fireball soaring into the sky and mangled structures kilometres away.

Social media users recorded the scene of what rapidly became the country's highest-profile industrial accident in years.

A swathe of the northern port was devastated and fears of toxic pollution were rife, with cyanide levels in the disaster zone far above national limits.

Those convicted on Wednesday were 24 company managers and staff members and 25 government officials, the official news agency Xinhua said.

The charges ranged from illegal storage of materials to abuse of power.

The head of Rui Hai, Yu Xuewei, received a two-year suspended death sentence -- normally commuted to life in prison -- and was fined 700,000 yuan ($103,252) for his role in the disaster.

In the aftermath of the explosions Xinhua described Yu as a former executive at state-owned chemical company Sinochem, and said another of Rui Hais owners was the son of the former port police chief.

Those connections helped the company get permits despite numerous safety violations, it reported.

The court ruling confirmed the findings of a government report in February, that government bodies in charge of the port, up to ministerial level, routinely ignored or violated laws and regulations on chemical storage.

Corruption is rife in China and causes widespread anger with the ruling Communist party.
The election of Donald Trump will be a disaster for anyone who cares about human rights, U.S. global leadership, and media freedom. That means its a victory for Beijing, where as I write, the Chinese leaders near me in the palatial complex of Zhongnanhai are surely cracking open the drinks and making mean jokes.

There are four major victories for the Chinese leadership here, tempered by one possible fear. The first victory is the obvious one, the geopolitical victory; China no longer faces the prospect of Hillary Clinton, a tough, experienced opponent with a record of standing up to bullies. Instead, it faces a know-nothing reality TV star who barely seems aware that China has nuclear weapons, has promised to extort money from U.S. allies around China like South Korea and Japan, and has repeatedly undercut U.S. credibility as a defense partner. Trump is also exactly the kind of businessman who is most easily taken in by China  credulous, focused on the externalities of wealth, and massively susceptible to flattery. A single trip, with Chinese laying on the charm, could leave him as fond of Chinas strongmen as he is of Russias Putin.

Countries like Vietnam, Myanmar, and the Philippines, uncertain about who to back in the contest for power in the Pacific, will swing massively Chinas way, preferring a country that keeps its promises to one that can turn on the pull of an electoral lever. The strongest U.S. allies, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan, no longer confident in the U.S. nuclear umbrella, will begin seriously considering other alternatives  like acquiring their own nuclear deterrent, prompting new tensions with China.

Generally, these developments will only embolden China. After the 2008 financial crisis, Beijing was convinced the world was going its way, resulting in a spate of overconfident military moves in southeast Asia which pushed some countries more firmly into the U.S. camp. Now Chinas confidence will return, and few in the region will have confidence in Washingtons ability to provide shelter from Chinas nascent hegemony. Taiwan, already facing tough mainland rhetoric after electing anti-Beijing leader Tsai Ing-wen, will feel completely isolated  and perhaps be vulnerable to actual invasion  without the firm promise of U.S. protection.

The second victory is in the contest between authoritarianism and democracy. From a Chinese point of view, an electoral system that produces somebody like Trump  utterly inexperienced in governance but a skilled demagogue  is an absurdity, the equivalent of picking a major companys CEO through a horse race. In China, leaders need to be carefully chosen, groomed, and pushed, gaining experience at every level of the Communist Party system before being anointed for the top job. (That comes amid a flurry of brutally nasty and corrupt internal struggles at each level, mind you.)

China aspires toward the Singaporean model of carefully controlled elitism, a country in which Trump represents, in the words of one writer, everything they were taught to fear about democracy. The crudity of Trumps triumphant campaign gives credence to Chinese medias criticisms of a chaotic political farce. The likely split between the popular vote and the Electoral College will only further the often-made case that U.S. democracy is a sham.

Trump himself has given every sign of governing like the authoritarian leaders China has favored from Myanmar to Zimbabwe. Every piece of paranoid security theater he has threatened, from a ban on Muslim immigration to the wall with Mexico, will be used by Beijing to justify its own myriad oppressions.

That leads to the third victory, on human rights. Every year, the United States puts out a report on Chinas human rights calamities  and every year China responds with its own report, a mixture of indignant bluster and genuine poking at American sore spots, from police treatment of minorities to the gender gap in pay. But under President Trump, Beijings stockpiled ammunition against U.S. hypocrisy on human rights looks set only to grow, given his close ties to white nationalist groups, the likely gutting of civil rights, and his  and his supporters  attacks on the notion of press freedom. Any Western attempts to call out Chinas reassertion of traditional patriarchy, from the arrest of the Feminist Five to the Communist Partys absence of female leaders, can be countered with any number of references to the new groper-in-chief. Resurgent Republican homophobia will be a gut blow to Chinas gay rights movement. Calls for transparency in Chinas military spending and local government budgets can be met by pointing out the victory of a candidate who never even bothered to release his tax records. Racist violence, judging by the experience of Brexit and the composition of the Trump base and rhetoric, may see horrifying new peaks, which would give a brutal new credibility to the old Soviet whataboutism whenever they were challenged on the gulag: But in America, you lynch Negroes.

Thats assuming a Trump administration would even press China on human rights at all. Given Trumps often-expressed admiration for dictators ranging from Saddam Hussein to Vladimir Putin, and his call for isolationism in foreign affairs, China might find itself with a reliably quiet White House that would turn a blind eye to crackdowns in Xinjiang  or even Hong Kong.

And finally, the fourth victory is on media credibility. The almost unanimous condemnation of Trump by newspapers from across the political spectrum  to tragically little effect on the voters  will strengthen the case made by Chinese state media that Western media is biased and elitist .

When China wants to bash Trump, on the other hand, theyll point to the failure of TV news to call out his myriad failings.

Those are contradictory criticisms of Western media, of course, but Chinese state media has never balked at hypocrisy, so expect both points to sometimes be made in the same article. (China has been quite happy bashing both the shortsightedness of referenda and the corruption of the EU over Brexit, for instance.) Secondly, the failure by pollsters  even Nate Silver, though laudably uncertain compared to others, had Clinton as two-to-one favorite  will be used by China to cast doubt on the claims of experts across Western newspapers.

But theres one major worry that may mute the celebrations in Zhongnanhai. Although China regularly trashes the US, the countrys growth has been dependent, ironically enough, on a strong, stable and prosperous United States willing to trade with the world. Globalization, as Chinese authors have repeatedly argued in the last few months, is vital for a country that needs the markets of others to keep pushing its population into the middle class and achieve the dream of being a moderately prosperous country by 2020.

If Trump actually follows through on his protectionist plans, and his decisions have the same effect on the United States as they have on his many failed businesses, Chinas own economy, already quivering, will start to shake. Beijings ambitious plans to develop other global trade networks through the One Road, One Belt scheme may be able to compensate for that  or may prove just as unstable in a rudderless world. China and the United States have often been compared to the two wings of the global economy; if one goes, they spiral down together.
BEIJING (Reuters) - There will be no "grace period" for the implementation of new regulations limiting the activities of foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in China that are slated to come into effect in 2017, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Western governments have lambasted the foreign NGO law passed in April, saying it treats the groups as a criminal threat and would effectively force many out of the country.

"China is a country with the rule of law - no law has a 'transition period' or 'grace period' after it takes effect," a representative from the Ministry of Public Security's Foreign NGO Management Bureau told consular officials from 11 countries at a briefing in Shanghai on Tuesday.

Foreign NGOs would have to partner with a Chinese organisation and would be banned from working in different geographical regions from their Chinese counterparts, the representative said, according to a statement on the ministry's website.

Chinese officials defend the foreign NGO law, saying it would only be used to punish a handful of law-breaking NGOs.

Rights groups say the law's use of an ambiguous ban on activities that threaten national security or endanger social stability could be used to target groups doing work disliked by the ruling Communist Party.

(Reporting by the Beijing Newsroom and Sue-Lin Wong; Editing by Paul Tait)
On Nov. 8, following an protracted campaign rife with personal attacks, Donald J. Trump defeated Hillary Clinton to become President-elect of the United States. Despite its potential momentous impact on relations between Washington and Beijing, the elections unexpected outcome generated little heat in Chinese state-controlled media. The paper and digital editions of Nov. 9s Peoples Daily, the Communist Partys chief mouthpiece, featured little more than an above-the-fold squib about Chinese President Xi Jinpings giving Trump a congratulatory phone call. (The main article: another phone call, this one between Xi and two astronauts docked aboard a space laboratory.) Viewers of Xinwen Lianbo, Chinas flagship state-run news broadcast, noted Trumps victory was not reported until 27 minutes into the program, and then mostly to describe the campaign as a mess.

Chinese social media has thus far seemed more engaged. Articles about the election are easy to find on massive chat app WeChat, and chatter about the election and Trumps victory are the top-trending hashtags on Weibo. Given the paucity of concrete proposals during his campaign, its still unclear how Trump will manage the U.S.-China relationship, and Chinas people appear to be hashing out in real-time exactly what a Trump victory will mean for them.

Its no secret that Chinese cyberspace never particularly liked Hillary Clinton  she was known to be hard on Chinese human rights violations and a tough negotiator as Secretary of State  and snark abounded. In one popular Weibo post, a user impersonating Clinton satirically asked for donations for airplane fare home: I badly need you to send $2,900 to my account. Eight years later, when I become President, Ill give you 20 times your money back and issue you a green card. Another joked, Now I dont know what they are going to do for Season five of House of Cards, a U.S. show popular in China that depicts skullduggery at the heights of Washington politics.

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Even one prominent military commenter found levity in the electoral upset. In a widely shared comment, Zhang Zhaozhong, a PLA-affiliated theorist and ranking naval admiral, wrote, The democrats have been in power for eight years, its time to have a little fun with the Republicans; the military industrial [complex], oil, and finance has enjoyed a hold on elite officials for too long; the whole Cold War-era mindset of using power politics to resist China and Russia is already out of date; its time to swap out someone new for a try. The uncertainty associated with a Trump presidency did not seem to bother Zhang. Theres no method to how Trump plays his cards; its extremely unpredictable, but I can tell everyone; if hes in power for eight years, hell be the first to preside over the slide of the American economy from number 1 to number 2. Yes, he can!

Others approached the news more soberly. One comment lamented Americans shivering in the corners after learning of the result. A popular Weibo post by China Central Television commenter He Fan opined that the greatest danger Trumps election poses is not domestic, but outside the United States. The essay describes Trump as raving on matters of state and totally inexperienced. Such a neophyte would normally rely on advice from elite advisors, He Fan argues, but such a move would not fit Trumps personality. The uncertainty that creates will induce doubt and panic and lead to a power vacuum that will inadvertently change the geopolitical landscape.

The article ends with advice to readers to greatly adjust their expectations moving forward; to lower their expectations for investment growth, the success of international business deals, and the value placed on international diplomacy. If youre a young person, cast off the naive illusion that society will get better and better, He wrote. The world is getting worse.

Chinas government and its people may have differing views on the impact of a Trump presidency, but both can surely agree that the web is more influential than every. One popular Weibo post penned by a university student suggested that Trump thank the Internet before any of his supporters. Given the fact that neither supporters of Clinton or Trump resemble the coalitions behind past GOP or Democratic candidates, the student wrote, the 2016 Presidential election wasa victory for the Internet more than a win for one party. Trumps using a dedicated Facebook page to stream his rallies rapidly elevated him to the status of a Big V, Chinese slang for powerful online opinion leaders. And it was chatter on the web  and not the Clinton endorsements of the vast majority of U.S. newspapers and magazines  that best presaged the final outcome. In the age of the Internet, even Americas top secrets are no longer secrets. The internet is a force that can destroy anything; and create everything.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
MUMBAI (Reuters) - Cipla Ltd, India's fifth-largest drugmaker by sales, on Wednesday reported a 35 percent fall in quarterly profit, missing analysts' estimates, mainly due to lower sales in the emerging markets and Europe.

Net profit in the July-September quarter was 3.54 billion rupees ($53.3 million), down from 5.43 billion rupees during the same period a year earlier. That compared with the average estimate of 3.92 billion rupees from analysts in a Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S poll.

Sales in India, Cipla's biggest market, rose 21 percent in the quarter, the company said in a statement.

North America, where Cipla has been working on building up its presence, contributed 18 percent to sales in the second-quarter. Sales from the region rose 38 percent.

Those rises could not offset a 27 percent fall in Europe sales, and a 1 percent fall in emerging markets, which are Cipla's second-largest contributor to sales.

(Reporting by Zeba Siddiqui; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath/Keith Weir)
Marrakesh (Morocco) (AFP) - Stunned but defiant participants at UN climate talks in Marrakesh said Wednesday that climate change denier Donald Trump can't derail the global shift to clean energy, and that the United States would get left behind if he tried.

The US president-elect "cannot prevent the implementation" of the landmark Paris pact, inked in the French capital last December, said Segolene Royal, France's environment minister and outgoing head of the UN climate forum.

"As I speak, 103 countries representing 70 percent of (greenhouse gas) emissions have ratified it, and he cannot -- contrary to his assertions -- undo the Paris Agreement," she told French radio station RTL.

Trump has described global warming as a "hoax" perpetrated by the Chinese government, and has said at different times that he would "renegotiate" or "cancel" the 196-nation deal.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon congratulated Trump on his victory and said people everywhere looked to the United States to work for the common good.

"Today's global challenges demand concerted global action and joint solutions," he told journalists at the UN headquarters in New York.

Leaders and diplomats invested in decarbonising the global economy predicted the gathering momentum of that transition -- and the rising danger of global warming -- would carry the United States with it, regardless of Trump's views.

"The election campaign has passed," said Hilda Heine, president of the Marshall Islands, whose nation is slowly disappearing under the waves.

"I expect [President-elect Donald Trump] will realise that climate change is a threat to his people and to whole countries which share seas with the US, including my own," she said in a statement.

Business leaders advanced a similar argument.

"He wants to make America great again," said We Mean Business, a coalition of several thousand companies and investors.

Story continues

"Climate action provides the basis for new jobs and enhanced competitiveness in the industries of tomorrow," it said in a statement, noting that the sector employs 2.5 million in the US.

Trump has vowed to "bring back coal" and peel back greenhouse gas reduction emissions measures put in place by Barack Obama, saying they choke business growth.

France's top climate negotiator Laurence Tubiana said this "would be a disaster for the US economy."

"If the US wants to go back to coal production, to 19th century industry, fine, but I dont see the future for US industry in this."

"Ask Google, Microsoft, Apple, Walmart  even General Motors. I dont think they agree."

America is the world's second-largest greenhouse gas polluter after China, representing some 13 percent of emissions.

Trump's threats, if carried out, would recast the United States as a climate villain, which is how it was widely perceived after George W. Bush refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol in 2001.

The Obama administration has been an ardent champion of the Paris Agreement, a role Trump's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, had vowed to continue.

Veteran climate analysts said a Trump White House would pay a heavy price if they simply abandoned the UN talks, today tasked with implementing last year's historic pact.

"If the US pulls out and is seen as going as a rogue nation on climate change, that will have implications for everything else on President Trump's agenda when he want to deal with foreign leaders," said Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a Washington-based thinktank.

The election, he added, was certain to put US negotiators in Marrakesh in an awkward position as they defend US policy positions.

"They won't have the ability to ensure their negotiating partners that these will be the positions of the US in three months."

Climate scientists who inform political decisions also expressed alarm, with one noting that Trump's campaign rhetoric on global warming had "strolled into a fact-free zone."

"It is now to be seen how the disinformation and climate change denialism will pan out in actual decisions, actions and appointments," said Joeri Rogelj, a scientist and modeller at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, in Laxenburg, Austria.
Washington (AFP) - If current tallies hold, Donald Trump will have won the US presidential election while losing the popular vote, making him the second straight Republican commander-in-chief to do so -- and likely raising calls for electoral reform.

Results were still trickling in on Wednesday as districts continued to count ballots including those from absentee voters.

Democrat Hillary Clinton was ahead of Trump in the popular vote by a razor-thin margin, 47.7 percent to 47.5 percent, or 59,689,819 votes to 59,489,637.

But because of the nature of the state-by-state winner-take-all Electoral College system, Trump prevailed by clinching a majority of the Electoral College's 538 votes.

Robert Shapiro, a political science professor at Columbia University, said critics will likely push for US officials to abolish the arcane system.

"There might be some initial clamor, but then it will disappear," Shapiro told AFP, noting that fully scrapping the Electoral College would require amending the US Constitution, an extraordinarily difficult task.

Clinton's popular vote performance brought to mind the controversial 2000 election, when Democrat Al Gore took 48.4 percent of the popular vote to George W. Bush's 47.9 percent.

With close elections increasingly the norm, Shapiro expects more outcomes in which the popular vote winner falls short of electoral victory, which for some raises "the question of how democratic our system is."

At the moment, Democrats have been the victims of the system. When a Republican candidate suffers the same fate, he added, there might be broader, bipartisan calls for electoral reform.

While "one person, one vote" is a pillar of democracy, the irony is that US Constitution does not provide for the right to directly vote for the presidency of the United States.

Each of the 50 states and the capital Washington has a number of electors based on its congressional representation.

Story continues

Texas, the second most populous state, has 38 electoral votes. In the winner-take-all system, Trump won the state by 53 percent to 43 percent for Clinton, but that earned Trump all 38 electoral votes.

As it stands today, states could take matters into their own hands without changing the Constitution, Shapiro explained.

Each state legislature could pass a law that simply requires its state to allocate its electors to the winner of the national popular vote.

Efforts to introduce such reforms have come up short.
Donald Trump

Wisconsin is such a solidly blue state that Hillary Clinton didn't feel the need to campaign there in her general-election battle against Donald Trump.

That turned out to be a mistake.

No recent Wisconsin polls showed the Republican presidential nominee ahead of his Democratic counterpart in the Badger State. The RealClearPolitics polling average, which took into account four recent Wisconsin polls, put Clinton ahead by 6.5 percentage points.

But in the early-morning hours after Election Day, Trump was ahead by several points. With 95% of precincts reporting, he was at 47.9% to Clinton's 46.9%. Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson took 3.6% of the vote, and Green Party nominee Jill Stein claimed 1%.

Wisconsin has 10 electoral votes  not a huge amount, but not an insignificant one in a race this close.

The Wisconsin State Journal noted that Clinton was the first major-party nominee since 1972 to shun campaigning in the state.

Trump had planned to campaign in the state last month with House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin congressman. But Ryan reportedly asked Trump not to attend the event after the 2005 recording leaked of Trump bragging about groping women.

Trump planned another event in Wisconsin weeks later but then canceled it. He later held a rally in Green Bay.

Early exit polls suggested that Trump benefitted from antitrade sentiment in Wisconsin, according to ABC News. Of the 49% of Wisconsin voters who said trade with other countries took jobs from the US, 61% of them backed Trump, whose calls to rework trade pacts were central to his message.

Still, ABC's exit polls showed Clinton with advantages as well. Most voters (57%) in its exit poll said they thought immigrants improved the country; 63% of them backed Clinton. Immigration was central to Trump's campaign; he has insisted that his administration will build a wall on the southern border of the US and deport immigrants living in the country illegally.

Story continues

NOW WATCH: How election forecasts got the results dead wrong





More From Business Insider


CNNs Van Jones said Donald Trumps possible upset over Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night was a whitelash to Americas progress, having just experienced 8 years with a black man in the White House.

Its hard to be a parent tonight for a lot of us, he said. You tell your kids dont be a bully. You tell your kids dont be a bigot. You tell your kids do your homework and be prepared, he said. Then you have this outcome.

Jones said he had been receiving texts from his Muslim friends asking whether they should leave the country.

We have talked about everything but race tonight. We have talked about income, class, region. We havent talked about race. This was a white-lash. This was a white-lash against a changing country. It was a white-lash against a black president in part, and thats the part where the pain comes.

Watch the video below:

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Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated COKE, one of the largest independent bottlers of The Coca-Cola Companys KO products, reported adjusted earnings of $2.45 per share in the third quarter of 2016, up 19.5% year over year.



Coca-Cola Bottling reported net sales of $849 million, up 37.2% year over year primarily on acquisitions and higher comparable net sales.



Comparable net sales increased 4.1% driven by a 2.7% rise in comparable equivalent unit case volume. Both sparkling and still products contributed to the volume increase. Comparable income from operations increased 30.8% to $46.8 million on a year-over-year basis, driven by sales growth and the leveraging of selling, delivery and administrative expenses.



The company expects to continue to grow both organically and through the acquisition of additional manufacturing and distribution territory. On Sep 2016, Coca-Cola Bottling entered into a definitive agreement with an affiliate of The Coca-Cola Company to include distribution territories in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and West Virginia as well as to purchase manufacturing facilities in Ohio and Indiana. Earlier, Coca-Cola Bottling benefitted from the expansion of Monster Beverage Corporations MNST product distribution throughout the companys territory in Aug 2014.



Also, during second-quarter 2016, the company expanded its territories to include Maryland and Delaware and took over two manufacturing facilities in Maryland, under its agreement with The Coca-Cola Company. Notably, most of The Coca-Cola Companys beverages are manufactured, sold and distributed by independent bottling partners like Coca-Cola Bottling Co, Coca-Cola European Partners Plc. CCE and Coca-Cola FEMSA S.A.B de C.V.

COCA COLA BOTTL Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

COCA COLA BOTTL Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | COCA COLA BOTTL Quote

Financials



Cash flow from operations was $128.1 million in the first nine months of 2016 compared with $72.5 million for the prior-year period. The increase came on the back of growth in comparable income from operations and cash generated from acquired territories.



In the first nine months of 2016, cash payments for acquired territories amounted to $174.6 million. Meanwhile, capital expenditures increased 19.3% to $124.6 million in the first nine months of 2016 on a year-over-year basis driven by capital expenditures for the acquired territories.



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Stephen Colberts election special on Showtime was supposed to be a big, profane, raucous celebration of the end of a crazy, awful presidential election. It was supposed to be Colberts own burst of freedom  doing a show on pay-cable, unshackled from the restrictions of network television, he could delightedly introduce himself as your host Stephen F***ing Colbert. He began the show with a cartoon that was essentially a reprise of PBS Frontlines The Choice 2016 explanation of why Trump decided to run for president. Its ridicule is now instantly hollow.

But as the returns continued to roll in, Colberts smile began to freeze on his face. By the time he brought on the pundits John Heilemann and Mark Halperin  two guys who have proved themselves to be as good a symbol as any of the sucking-up-to-power smugness of the media  Florida had gone to Trump, and Halperin was suddenly trying out his new role as the voice of doom: Outside of the Civil War, World War II and including 9/11, this may be the most cataclysmic event this countrys ever seen.

Because this was live television, and because the election had not yet been called officially for Trump, Colbert was obliged to follow through with some prearranged humor. Poor Laura Benanti had to reprise her terrific Melania Trump impersonation, reciting scripted lines that came across as a blur: All anyone  including, it seemed, Benanti  could think of was the prospect of the Trump presidency.

Jeff Goldblum came out for an interview that turned into a therapy session. What positive message can we get from tonight? asked Colbert. Goldblum improvised like the jazz musician he sometimes is, but it ultimately came down to him trying to muster a bit of positivism and saying things like, I wont be uninspired by this!

What happened to previously announced guests like Patton Oswalt and Katy Perry? Colbert brought out Charlamagne Tha God and comic Jena Friedman; they looked miserable. Charlamagne Tha God said Were f***ed over and over. Asked by Colbert how she felt, Friedman said, among other things, Get your abortions now  a very intentionally horrible joke, meant to shock us in its sudden clarity and assumption, by implication, that a reconfigured Supreme Court, with the possibility of Roe v. Wade being overturned, is an inevitability.

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Colbert had no choice but to become serious. He said, This is a moment for people to understand that political involvement is a responsibility. He said that in retrospect, we overdosed on the poison of party divisiveness, and that we should be ashamed to have felt that theres a gentle high to the condemnation. Of taking political sides and doing political humor, Colbert said, Whether your side won or lost, we dont have to do this s*** for a while. That was as close as he could come to comfort in the face of something that might strike you as horrible.

He concluded with an improvised speech about the greatness of this country, and signed off with, Good night, and may God bless America. The band played My Country Tis Of Thee. Colbert sang the lyrics. It was an amazing show and it was an awful show, because to be anything less than awful in the face of what was befalling him would have been dishonest, and Colbert is an honest man.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. on CBS.
Shares of Colfax Corporation CFX reached a new 52-week high of $34.22 during its trading session on Nov 8. This apex improved upon the last 52-week high of $33.63 on Apr 27.



Colfax Corporation closed its trading session at $33.99, yielding year-to-date return of roughly 45.6%. The trading volume for the session was 0.87 million shares. Earnings estimate revisions for 2016 and 2017, along with an expected earnings growth rate of 9.1% for the next five years indicate the stocks potential for further price appreciation.



Growth Drivers



Colfax Corporations performance has been impressive in the last four quarters, with a positive average earnings surprise of 11.57%. In third-quarter 2016, the companys earnings of 39 cents per share exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 35 cents by 11.4%. The companys share price has grown roughly 6.2% since the third-quarter results release on Oct 27.



For 2016, Colfax Corporation raised the bottom end of its previous earnings guidance by 5 cents resulting in revised projection of $1.50$1.55 per share for the year. The move was triggered by the benefits expected from costs-reduction efforts (roughly $50 million savings anticipated in 2016), favorable operating conditions and the companys performance so far in the year.



In the quarters ahead, Colfax Corporation anticipates benefiting from its diversified product portfolio and exposure to emerging markets. Also, the company remains committed toward rewarding its shareholders handsomely, reflecting the companys solid cash position.



Estimate Revisions Show Potency



Over the last 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Colfax Corporation grew 1.3% to $1.54 for 2016 and 0.6% to $1.64 for 2017.

COLFAX CORP Price and Consensus

COLFAX CORP Price and Consensus | COLFAX CORP Quote

With a market capitalization of $4.2 billion, Colfax Corporation currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked machinery stocks include Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. AIT, Ingersoll-Rand Plc IR and Kadant Inc. KAI. All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.



Applied Industrial Technologies earnings estimates for fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2018 have been revised upward in the last 30 days. Average earnings surprise for the last four quarters was a positive 4.93%.



Ingersoll-Rand Plc reported better-than-expected results in the last four quarters, with a positive average earnings surprise of 12.92%. Also, bottom-line expectations for 2016 and 2017 have improved over the past 30 days.



Kadant Inc.s financial performance has been impressive, with an average positive earnings surprise of 27.67% for the last four quarters. Also, earnings estimates for 2016 have been revised upward over the last 30 days.



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- By Geoff Gannon





Someone who reads my blog asked me this question:

"How do you get comfort that when a company is spending for growth it will yield results? This may be spending on an existing geographic or product market or on a new geographic or product market."

That's a great question. It's answered better in the Chris Zook books (one of them is titled "Repeatability" I think) than I can answer it in this article. You can go off and read those books if you want the few hundred-thousand-word answer. I'll stick to the couple-thousand-word answer here.





Repeatability. Has the company done this before? Let's take Howden Joinery (HWDN.L) as an example. Howden is a U.K. company. It sells only to local builders. It provides them with the stuff they need - granite countertops, private label appliances, etc. - to do a kitchen. It sells the stuff on credit. But it doesn't sell to the public. There are - as I write this - probably something like 600 of these centers in the U.K. They aren't all the same size. They aren't identical or anything. But they're pretty independent. There's a manager to handle each one. Customers go to their local center. They don't have national accounts the way a company like Grainger (GWW) does.

Each Howden location is just the repetition of a theme. It's repeatable. It's predictable. You just look for signs of oversaturation. That can happen. When Howden first talked about how many of these centers it could have, I'm not sure it said 800 or more. It says that now though. Maybe it is right. Maybe there isn't cannibalization by going from 600 to 800 of these in the U.K. But that's not the only kind of growth in which Howden is investing. The other kind is on the continent. Howden now has a few centers in places like France and Belgium.

I'm not saying it can't have success in these countries. Another U.K. company I wrote a report about - HomeServe (HSV.L) - has had success in places like France and the U.S. It was very dependent on the U.K. market at first. But a lot of its business proved repeatable. It could market its services through water companies in the U.S. and France. And now those businesses are worth a lot. They are potentially at least as good as - maybe better than - long-term markets than the U.K.

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That was part of the reason we wrote the report. HomeServe's renewal rates in the U.K. had dropped, and new sign-ups were running at basically nil. The company's marketing had been too aggressive. It ran afoul of regulators. Paid a fine. And - for a time - basically shut down its outbound marketing operation. Naturally, this meant it wasn't signing up new customers. The negative headlines probably increased cancellation rates in the U.K. for a year or two. And the dis-economies of scale that kicked in were obviously bad. But it already had these markets in France and the U.S.

We were especially interested in the U.S. business. The U.S. is huge compared to the U.K. - about six times bigger by population and richer, too - and has a much more fragmented utility industry. There was the hope if HomeServe could have success in one U.S. state by signing up the local water utility to co-brand its insurance products in Florida or New Hampshire or wherever, it could do the same thing in Colorado and Nevada and each of the 50 states. There was no reason why it couldn't. One U.S. state is pretty much like every other U.S. state.

So is Canada. In retail, restaurants, etc., what works in Virginia will work in California and what works in California will work in British Columbia and Ontario, too. That's the kind of growth in which you want a company to invest. I think of this as sort of "Peter Lynch" growth. It's the kind of company he'd buy. You find a great restaurant concept in your local area, and you know it can roll out across all 50 states. That's the best kind of growth you can ever find. What's the worst?

Spreading out into other countries is tougher. I didn't write that report on HomeServe until the business was already better than break even in both the U.S. and France. The company tried entering markets like Belgium - and failed. We didn't get our hopes up about any market where the company hadn't yet achieved critical mass.

The same was true when we wrote our report on Grainger. Grainger is a U.S. company. It has a big stake in a Japanese company. It's basically a subsidiary that is publicly traded in Japan instead of being consolidated. You can buy the stock over there; don't. It always trades at a very, very high price. It's a super-fast growth stock. But Grainger took the same model that a Japanese MRO distributor uses, and it applied that approach to its low-end U.S. market. This is the small customer business. Basically, it's the part that competes with Amazon (AMZN). These are not the national accounts. And it's just the repetition of the same model that worked in Japan applied to the U.S. I'd bet on that. I'd bet on repeating the same approach in one country in another country when those two countries are as similar as the U.S. and Japan.

You know where Grainger didn't have success? China. China has a totally different MRO business. There's a good reason for this. Labor is cheap in China. It's expensive in the U.S. It's expensive in Japan. But, it's really cheap in China. When you run out of some random thing - light bulb, mop, generator, batteries, you name it - you send someone out as a go-fer to a big open-air market and search for that item.

You don't do that at a U.S. company because then you'd screw up the logistics of your company. You don't want any employees hanging around doing nothing specific with their time and then being reassigned to totally different tasks like that. But you can do it in China. Grainger has only had success in high GDP per hour worked type countries. That's the limit of its market opportunity. If you compare the U.S. and China - you can see that, yes, the U.S. is much, much richer on a per capita basis.

That understates the situation for a Grainger customer because the number of people working relative to the total population is lower in the U.S. And the number of hours those people are working is lower, too. Each hour of work by an employee in the U.S. is really expensive. You need to treat that as a precious resource in the U.S. In China, you don't. They don't need to ration a worker's time. They have more workers supplying more of their time than they know what to do with. A Chinese company can afford to allocate some of its workers' time to very, very low productivity tasks like hunting down miscellaneous items.

You want to be skeptical of growth into markets that are different. Don't assume a company in a developed country can enter a developing country - or vice versa. People make very different uses of their time in these places. On the other hand, there are societal trends that I think are obvious that do translate well from one country to the next.

Let's take a fast food or another restaurant concept in the U.S. Can it travel to the rest of the world? Maybe. All countries are going to follow the same trend of increasing the percentage of household income allocated to food away from home. In other words, every country - except the top countries in this category, like the U.S. - is going to have restaurant growth above the rate of nominal GDP growth. How do we know if a concept will catch on in this other country? KFC is huge in China, but it's not huge everywhere. Starbucks (SBUX) is in a lot of countries, but it's not in every country.

The easy answer is to wait for critical mass in a certain country. Is the business break even? Does it look like it has financial metrics like what we saw in the home country at the start? Think of HomeServe. Does the business in France and the U.S. look a lot like the business in the U.K. looked at the start of its development? Answer: Yes. I think it's OK when a company like that says it is going to invest more in those geographies.

What about Howden? Howden's trickier. If you look at how those centers in France have done compared to the U.K. - so far, the answer is not so good. Now, I don't know enough about the relative rate of growth in kitchen remodeling, etc., in the U.K. versus France. I know the U.K. economy has often outperformed the French economy during the period where Howden was in both countries. But I also know looking at the comparable sales figures that Howden's U.K. centers have grown same-store sales faster than the French depots (in constant currency terms) despite the average French depot being younger than the average U.K. depot. I'd say Howden's plans to grow outside the U.K. are "unproven," not necessarily disproven. But, I wouldn't assign any value to the business outside the U.K. Not yet.

On the other hand, I would - and I'll admit this is speculative, but it's honestly what I'd do - assign value to the 200 centers in the U.K. Howden thinks it can add. When I look at Howden Joinery, I don't look at it as it exists today. I look at it as it will exist when it has 800 fully mature centers in the U.K. The company will invest some of that money in other countries, but I won't count on that growth. I'll assume - for my purposes - that Howden will just grow to 800 mature stores in the U.K. It'll never grow beyond that.

Here we come up against a capital allocation question. It's one thing to be conservative by not assuming any international growth. That's fine. It's good. It's a proper value investing technique. But think about it. Is it conservative enough? We know that Howden will try to grow in other countries. If it's going to fail, that's not just going to be value neutral for the stock. It's going to destroy value, right?

This is why I always included a section called "Capital Allocation" in the reports I wrote. You need to look at how the company thinks about capital allocation. How is management compensated? Does it talk in terms of sales growth, EPS growth, return on capital? Does it own shares in the company? Does it have options? On what is its performance reward (bonus) based?

If given the choice to buy stock in AT&T (NYSE:T), Verizon (VZ) and ATN International (ATNI) - I'd pick ATN. Why? Because of capital allocation. I don't trust the people allocating capital at AT&T and Verizon to do a good job. I do trust the Prior family at ATN to do a good job. Why? Because I've seen what it did in the past. I saw how it shut some things down. I saw the mergers it did, and I've read the annual reports.

It seems to me to be focused on allocating capital toward those areas with low enough competition. It doesn't run toward the sexy growth opportunities a lot of companies do - it runs away from them. Now, yes, it has entered some risky businesses. It started out as a monopoly in Guyana. To this day, that business has huge political risk. And when it entered the solar business it went into India. Doing solar in the U.S. would have had less risk. I'm not sure the returns would have been good enough. Also, it has had a big cash balance - like Berkshire (BRK-A)(BRK.B) - at times and it hasn't blown that money too quick. If you look at companies like AT&T and Verizon - they're often eager to do big, transformative deals even when they don't have enough cash to buy the target outright. So, I'd always pay the higher multiple for ATN than for AT&T or Verizon. That's capital allocation.

Capital allocation is especially important in capital intensive industries like railroads, cruise lines and telecom because those growth investments - both the good ones and the bad ones - will generate positive cash flow. It's easy to know when you should shut a restaurant down. When it's bleeding cash, you shut it down. How about a cruise ship? It's not going to burn cash. The capital allocation mistake is never going to manifest itself that way. Instead, here's what's going to happen. You are going to spend $1 billion on a new cruise ship. That ship will generate $40 million a year of free cash flow. That's a 4% return on your investment. You obviously made a mistake. But you can't undo it. The ship is making you money. You are going to keep it in service.

You must be careful when the management in a capital-intensive industry talks to you about growth. It can make mistakes like this. Industries that aren't capital intensive - ad agencies, software, media, restaurants, etc. - are different. Management will realize its mistake early on. You can often be conservative just by using the approach I suggest you apply to Howden. The U.K. business model is proven. Assume Howden can reach saturation in the U.K. Assume it can have 800 mature centers in the U.K. But don't assume it will ever have a moneymaking business outside the U.K. For capital intensive industries, you just have to avoid absolutely every stock where you think management is too aggressive in its growth seeking behavior. If ATN were controlled by someone else, I wouldn't be interested in it. The only reason the stock is interesting to me is because of who controls the company.

Disclosure: No positions.

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This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






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Kate McKinnon's impression of Hillary Clinton is good  some say, too good.

At Hillary Clinton's election night party at the Javits Center, Senator Chuck Schumer might have gotten momentarily confused. Instead of congratulating the actual candidate, he thanked the Saturday Night Live Star.

The senator tweeted out his possible mistake on election night, giving some comic relief to a stressful night for Americans.

SEE ALSO: Hillary Clinton has a message for Pantsuit Nation

The resemblance is close, but it's McKinnon's impression that really seals the deal.

Millions of Americans may feel ambivalent about voting for Clinton, but nearly everyone can agree  McKinnon's impression of her is fantastic.

Just look at her go.

BONUS: Year's most memorable campaign ad just won this candidate a Senate seat
Despite the potential for near-term stock market volatility resulting from Donald Trumps unexpected presidential victory, in general, the longer-term impact is far from clear at this point. Overall, we think heightened levels of uncertainty could create attractive buying opportunities for long-term investors interested in building a position in competitively advantaged global consumer names. Specifically, we believe the election results have not changed the longer-term cash flow profiles of narrow-moat Hanesbrands, (HBI) wide-moat Procter & Gamble, (PG) or wide-moat Starbucks, (SBUX) which are trading at attractive 40%, 7%, and 15% discounts, respectively, to our fair value estimates.

That being said, we believe investors must be aware of short- and potentially longer-term changes across the broader consumer sector. First, while unlikely to be sustained, we recognize that erratic changes in foreign currency rates are likely to have a near-term impact, particularly for firms with exposure to Mexico (with the peso trading at all-time lows against the U.S. dollar). This list includes Coca-Cola Femsa, (KOF) with a 55% value share in soft drinks in Mexico, and Anheuser-Busch InBev, (BUD) for which Mexico represents 7% of the enlarged business (including the SABMiller assets). Additionally, we believe there could be several players in Mexico and Latin America more broadly that rely on heavy exports to the United States that could be negatively affected by new administration policies--including heavily amended or outright repeals of current trade agreements or changes in immigration policies--though the full impact is unlikely to be known for some time. However, our initial take is that we don't expect policy changes to have a material impact on brand intangible assets for the players heavily exposed to Mexico, with cost structure changes minimized by the global footprint for most players operating in the region. As such, there could be several interesting names to keep on the radar screen.

Morningstar Premium Members gain exclusive access to our full analyst reports, including fair value estimates, bull and bear breakdowns, and risk analyses. Not a Premium Member? Get this and other reports immediately when you try Morningstar Premium free for 14 days.
BOSTON (Reuters) - A married couple who held a majority stake in a Massachusetts pharmacy that sparked a 2012 meningitis outbreak that killed 64 people were sentenced to probation on Wednesday after pleading guilty to financial crimes.

Carla Conigliaro, the 53-year-old former majority owner of the now-shuttered New England Compounding Center, and her husband, Douglas, 55, in July pleaded guilty to illegally withdrawing cash from bank accounts to avoid financial reporting requirements while their company was the target of an intense federal investigation as they sought to hide assets from creditors.

U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns sentenced Douglas Conigliaro to serve two years' probation and a $55,000 fine and Carla Conigliaro to one year and a $4,500 fine.

Federal prosecutors had asked for probation, rather than prison, following their guilty plea.

Federal prosecutors found that the company knowingly shipped batches of an injectible steroid contaminated with meningitis used to treat back pain that sickened 778 people. The Conigliaros were not charged with having played an active role in the operations or management of NECC.

Several other former employees of the company, including pharmacists Barry Cadden and Glenn Chin, are set to stand trial early next year on charges including racketeering and mail fraud for their role in the outbreak.

(Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Andrew Hay and Leslie Adler)
azusa

An attacker wielding an assault rifle killed one person and critically injured two others near two Southern California polling places on Tuesday, news outlets are reporting.

The shooting occurred at about 2 p.m. Pacific Time in a residential neighborhood in Azusa, 25 miles east of Los Angeles.

Following conflicting reports about suspects in the shooting, the Los Angeles Times reported that a single gunman was found dead in a home after a shootout and hourslong standoff with the police.

A 70-year-old male victim was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Times.

Two other people experienced gunshot wounds, the chief of the Azusa Police Department, Steve Hunt, told reporters at a press conference. Some media outlets reported a third wounded victim. At least one of the victims was injured on the way to a polling location, the Times reported, adding that no police officers were injured.

Officers "were met with gunfire at the scene," Officer Jerry Willison of the Azusa Police Department told CBS Los Angeles.

"This is a very volatile and critical situation," Willison told the Times.

One of two nearby polling sites, at Dalton Elementary School, reopened after being closed briefly, Dean Logan of the Los Angeles County registrar office said on Twitter. The other site, Memorial Park, location remained closed hours later.

Monitoring #ActiveShooter situation in Azusa. Two polling locations currently impacted - Memorial Park & Dalton Elementary in Azusa (cont).  Dean Logan, RR/CC (@LACountyRRCC) November 8, 2016

Sheriff's deputy Vincent Plair said there was no indication the incident was related to Tuesday's election, Reuters reported.

Nearby Slauson Middle School and Mountain View Elementary School were placed on lockdown, according to Fox11.

NOW WATCH: JACK DANIELS MASTER DISTILLER: This is the real difference between scotch, whiskey, and bourbon





More From Business Insider


- By Sangara Narayanan





CVS Health (CVS) stock slid by more than 10% after the company lowered its guidance for the current fiscal. CVS said the company expects full-year adjusted earnings to come in the range of $5.77 to $5.83 instead of the previously announced $5.81 to $5.89 due to a slowdown in prescription sales and soft seasonal business.

CVS stock has been under intense pressure since May of this year and has lost more than 23% of its value in the last 12 months.





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The company posted net revenue growth of 15.5% for the quarter, which was not enough to shore up the market's confidence as the company missed analyst estimates by a wide margin. Wall Street was expecting the company to post $45.5 billion in net revenues while the actual number came in at $44.6 billion.

CVS Health's EPS of $1.64 for the quarter was much better than the $1.57 the market expected, but the damage was done when the revenue miss was coupled with a downward revision of earnings outlook. Competition in the market seems to be the reason behind the lowering of expectations, and that is not something investors really like to see.

"The company said it expects to lose more than 40 million retail prescriptions in 2017. About 40% of those prescription losses are due to competitor Walgreens' (WBA) new mail-order pharmacy tie-up with Prime Therapeutics and U.S. Department of Defense health care program TRICARE exiting the CVS network, CVS CEO Larry Merlo told investors. The rest is just the normal churn that takes place." - USA Today

The loss of prescriptions is a serious setback for CVS Health as they will lose some of their most profitable ones. As such, the outlook for the entire year ahead is bleak, hence the belligerent market sentiment towards the company. Merlo said that the deals were "unexpected," but fact remains that CVS has been left out in the cold by the Department of Defense on the Tricare deal for active and retired military personnel, and the company needs something to offset the losses.

Story continues

Can CVS Health bounce back from this unfortunate series of events? Possibly, but they will need to look beyond organic growth to make that happen. Merlo insists that CVS will post a 10% growth in adjusted EPS over the long term, but we will have to wait and see how he plans to achieve that target.

Disclosure: I have no positions in the stock mentioned above and no intention to initiate a position in the next 72 hours.

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This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






When Jen Harris left home on Tuesday morning, she had no idea how much work it would take to get her to the polls.

I was super excited to vote, just amped, Harris, 31, who works as an economist, told PEOPLE. The section of Metro that I live on is closed currently, so in order to get to work I have to take a commuter rail with a very rigid schedule. I woke up two hours early so I could get to my polling place and make it onto the commuter rail.

The Maine native was leaving her Silver Spring, Maryland, apartment building when she slipped and landed on her ankle, resulting in a compound fracture.

I called 911 as Im looking at my ankle. It looked like one of those trampoline accident photos, Harris recalled. My foot is going the wrong way, and I can see bone.

When the ambulance arrived to the scene, Harris got onto the stretcher and the EMTs splinted her leg.

Thats when I saw how much blood I had lost, said Harris. They asked me what I was doing and I was like, I was going on my way to vote! 

I asked if there was any way they could take me to my polling place and they said no, she added.

With no family in town and most of her friends at work, Jen knew she had to figure out an alternative way to cast her vote. Luckily, she found a friend who was able to come to the hospital to assist.

I really wanted to vote, that was the whole purpose of why I was out, she said. I was like, I need to figure out how to do this. So we looked up the Montgomery Board of Elections on our phones, and you need to fill out an in-person form in order to obtain a ballot. Thats when I turned to social media and someone found the form.

Related Video: From Megyn Kelly to Howard Stern, here are 16 people who made their mark on this years election!

After finding a nurse to let her print out the form, Jens friend Bob had to bring it to the Board of Elections in order to bring her an official ballot.

Bob does not have a license so he had to Uber there, she said. They took me into surgery so I have plates and pins and a splint, but he was the first thing I saw with my ballot when I came to, and I was so excited.

Story continues

While she was immensely groggy in the post-anesthesia recovery unit, Harris says her desire to cast her vote for Hillary Clinton made her snap awake.

I was like, Im gonna get to vote, this is so exciting,' said Harris, tearing up. There were a couple times  the idea of not voting in this election is really upsetting. The idea of not making it. So theres a real relief to get to hand in the ballot.

Bob grabbed her filled-in ballot, and got in another Uber and brought it all the way over to the Board of Elections.

Finally, Harris had cast her vote.

I was so sad I wasnt going to be able to vote, and when I did get it, the relief that I was going to be able to participate is really important to me, says Harris. More than one person has compared me to (Parks and Recreation character) Leslie Knope!




From Cosmopolitan

Photo credit: GoFundMe

Shortly after an Amber Alert was issued for two young boys in Missouri around 7 p.m. Saturday, St. Louis County police found them with their father, who fatally shot his sons and then himself in a standoff with officers.



According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Ethan Cadenbach, 5, and Owen Cadenbach, 4, went missing Saturday afternoon after they'd spent the day with their father, Christopher Cadenbach, 43, and their paternal grandmother at the park. Tragically, just a few hours later, their father abducted his two sons and shot them before shooting himself after police approached his vehicle, which was pulled over in a park in St. Louis County, Missorui.

Sometime before the shooting occurred, Cadenbach allegedly began saying alarming things to his mother, including that he "won't be taken alive." He then got in the car with his two sons and drove away, at which point his mom, Diane Cadenbach, called police to issue an Amber Alert.

Around 8 p.m. is when police officers found Christopher Cadenbach, who was in the act of shooting his two sons when they arrived. "He was shooting his children," St. Louis County deputy chief Ken Cox told the Post-Dispatch. Cox added that Cadenbach then took his own life, which he described as "a tragic and sad ending."

Cademnach's surviving wife and the mother of the two boys, Elisa Sartorius-Cadenbach, 40, told the Post-Dispatch that her husband was "a very attentive, loving, over-the-top caring individual for these boys." Cox said that Cadenbach was already being sought on a warrant for domestic abuse when the tragic events Saturday unfolded.

Sartorius-Cadenbach has since clarified that she had asked her husband for a divorce. "That was one of the things that set him off - knowing that our family dynamic was over and I was seeking a divorce," she told the Post-Dispatch. "He kept telling me, 'No - Im not going to let you leave me.'" Sartorius-Cadenbach was allegedly abused twice in the nine days after she told her husband she wanted a divorce.

Story continues

According to the Post-Dispatch, her two late sons both loved superheroes and action figures. Ethan was a kindergarten student at a local elementary school, and his younger brother Owen attended a nearby preschool.

"We spent this past summer going to Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor," Sartorius-Cadenbach told the Post-Dispatch. "They liked to go on float trips, and they liked to hike in the woods. They liked chocolate milk in the morning. They had a puppy named Buddy that we just got a couple months ago, a cocker spaniel. They were just really very good, smart little boys."

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay funeral expenses for Ethan and Owen. To commemorate their lives, a community candlelight vigil was held Sunday evening, after which two paper lanterns with the boys' names on them were released into the night sky.

Follow Hannah on Twitter.

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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2016 / The 2007 Minneapolis bridge collapse on the city's busy Interstate 35 shed much-needed light on the dangerous condition of America's aging infrastructure. The collapse, which occurred during rush hour, killed 13 people and injured another 145.

Despite the collapse, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) points out that the U.S. has done little to repair and rebuild the millions of bridges, roads, ports, dams, and levees that make up the nation's infrastructure  much of which was built during the Works Progress Administration between 1933 and 1940. According to former New York City parks commissioner, Adrian Benepe, "Many of those structures are nearing the end of their useful lives."

U.S. Infrastructure Given a D+ Grade

Although nearly everyone in government, engineering, and construction agrees that the country's infrastructure is faring poorly, no one seems to know how to solve what has become a massive problem. A 60 Minutes report pointed out that one in every nine bridges across the country  for a total of 70,000 bridges  is considered structurally deficient. Ray LaHood, the co-chairman of a bipartisan group committed to fixing the infrastructure problem, says the infrastructure in the U.S. is "on life support."

The ASCE agrees. In fact, it gave U.S. infrastructure a D+ grade when it last analyzed the country's roads, power grid, and other functional and physical structures in its 2013 report card. Certain parts of the nation's infrastructure, such as solid waste disposal, performed a little better, with a B- grade. However, other parts, such as levees and inland waterways, did worse, scoring a D- in both categories. The ASCE estimates that it will take $3.6 trillion to repair the infrastructure in the U.S., assuming the money is raised or allocated by lawmakers by 2020.

How New York's Infrastructure Scores

In New York, the ASCE found that 2,078 of the state's 17,442 bridges are structurally deficient. The ASCE also determined that New York needs an investment of $22 billion to fix its drinking water infrastructure over the next 20 years. The ASCE also reports that 23 percent of the state's major roads are in poor condition.

Story continues

New York Catastrophic Injury Law Firm

No one starts their morning commute anticipating they will be involved in a catastrophic accident, such as a bridge collapse or rail disaster. Unfortunately, a crumbling infrastructure on the majority of the country's roads and bridges puts everyone at an increased danger of being injured or killed in a devastating infrastructure failure. If you have been injured in this type of accident, you need the help and experience of a New York City personal injury lawyer who regularly handles such complicated disasters.

Call New York City personal injury lawyer, Jonathan C. Reiter, to discuss your case for free today. You can reach us through our online contact form, or by calling 866-324-9211.

Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC

The Empire State Building

350 5th Avenue #6400

New York, NY 10118

T: (212) 736-0979

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Source: http://injuryaccidentnews.jcreiterlaw.com/2016/11/08/dangers-americas-aging-infrastructure/

SOURCE: Jonathan C. Reiter Law Firm, PLLC via Submit Press Release 123
This Immigrant Doctor Is Reimagining Health in the American City

When voters took to the polls on Tuesday, there wasnt a major party presidential candidate on the ballot opposed to the death penalty. Thats not unusual, and although Barack Obama has called it deeply troubling, the 44th president also supports capital punishment, as has every commander in chief before him.

In spite of its declining public support, a majority of Americans still favor capital punishment as well. That majority was reflected in Nebraska, California, and Oklahoma on Tuesday, when voters passed prodeath penalty measures in all three states.

In Nebraska, voters brought back capital punishment just a year after state legislators repealed it. In California, a measure to repeal the death penalty failed, while another proposition that alleges to speed up the execution process passed. Meanwhile, Oklahoma became the first state to amend its constitution to protect the death penalty, declaring it legally impossible for state courts to consider it cruel and unusual punishment.

Considered together, the ballot measures seem to strike a heavy blow against the decline in use and popularity of the death penaltybut experts caution against reading too much into one elections outcome.

Certainly it would have been significant if we had won all or any of these ballot initiatives, but these were a point along a broader continuum, said Diann Rust-Tierney, executive director of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. These ballot initiatives are not the whole story.

Though the movement to end the death penalty was dealt a setback on Tuesday, Rust-Tierney urges onlookers to consider the path of another progressive movement: the ultimately successful fight to legalize same-sex marriage. Progress was made state by state, starting with a 2003 court ruling in Massachusetts that legalized same-sex marriage. Yet that victory was followed by a rash of policy obstacles in other states, as state constitutions were reactively amended to define marriage as between a man and a woman. After many gains and setbacks, 12 years later, the Supreme Court issued a ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. What mattered, Rust-Tierney said, is that the movement kept moving forward.

Story continues

In California, where voters not only rejected capital punishments abolition but voted to speed up the process, Elisabeth Semel believes that what appears at first glance to be support may actually be indicative of confusion. Semel is the director of the Death Penalty Clinic at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Proposition 62, which would have eliminated the death penalty, was supported by 53.9 percent of California voters. Proposition 66, which imposes time limits on the death penalty appeal litigation process, won narrowly with support from 50.9 percent of voters. Semel, who opposed Prop. 66, told TakePart that the law imposes absolute disregard for due process. But she thinks its success reflects the cumbersome nature of the ballot initiative rather than a surge of death penalty support.

As I talked to [voters] who were not lawyers, I found they generally understood Prop. 62 but were absolutely flummoxed by 66, she said. Some of them thought, Well, if we cant get rid of it, perhaps we can remedy it, without understanding the particulars of the initiative.

Though Semel acknowledged that clearly Californians are not universally in support of repeal, she anticipates that the chaos in the courts that will result from Prop. 66 will surprise some voters who supported it without understanding the complexity of the law. If you look at other things Californians support in terms of transparency, this is a provision that will accomplish the opposite, she said. I dont think its necessarily of a fair measure of where people stand.

In spite of the losses at the ballot box on Tuesday, Rust-Tierney expects the downward trends in capital sentencing to continue. As a report published in October found, fewer than 1 percent of counties where capital punishment is legal still frequently impose death sentences. While nearly half of Americans still support the death penalty, that support is the lowest it has been in more than four decades, according to Pew Research Centera trend that isnt likely to reverse overnight.

One step forward, two steps back is not the end of the race, said Rust-Tierney. Now is the time to redouble our efforts.

Take the Pledge: Dont Be Silent: Take the Pledge to Be an Ally for Racial Justice

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 The Secrets That Shroud Executions: Its Not Just Oklahomas Problem

 States Wrestle With Lethal Injection Challenges

 How the Death Penalty Changed in 2015

Original article from TakePart
From Cosmopolitan

Lisa Blunt Rochester has earned Delawares sole seat in the House of Representatives, becoming both the first woman and the first African-American to represent Delaware in Congress.

She emerged the winner against five candidates in the Democratic primary. Her opponent, Hans Reigle, did not have a challenger in the Republican primary. Blunt Rochester, who supports making Delaware a sanctuary state for refugees and tightening gun control, has also been outspoken about Donald Trumps treatment of women.



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Customers are designers in their own right at Jonathan Adlers latestand largestshowroom to date.

Jonathan Adler grew up in a New Jersey household alive with inventiveness. My favorite piece in the house, recalls the popular potter turned furnishings-and-interiors designer, was a chandelier my mother made from Styrofoam coffee cups and Elmers glue. It had a nod to rigorous modernism, it had a nod to craft, but there was a poppiness to it, too.

Now Adler is encouraging his customers to make themselves creatively at home in his newest and biggest shop so far. At his 6,500-square-foot Lexington Avenue showroom in New York City, which opened this summer, patrons can experience his first-ever Design Your Own workshop: With the help of on-site experts, they choose from fabrics, hardware options, finishes, and more to fulfill their vision, whether theyre looking to monogram a throw pillow or create a coffee table from the ground up.

Personalization has long been offered through Adlers online store (jonathanadler.com), but the new Manhattan showroom is his first physical space dedicated to it. Customers will also find furniture, lighting, decor, and accessories from his namesake collectionlively pieces that often combine eye-grabbing graphics, midcentury-inspired details, and plush materials, from velvet and banana silk to Mongolian lambs wool.

Surrounded by Adlers personal style, customers are invited to explore theirs. People arent afraid to express their personalities through their interiors, he says. And I wouldnt have it any other way.

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Deutsche Bank AG DB is reportedly contemplating to sell its banking business in Poland as the German banking giant is streamlining its operations, in efforts to boost its capital position. The news was first reported by Reuters, citing sources familiar with the matter.



The potential sale of Deutsche Bank Polska, the countrys 11th largest lender in terms of assets, also comes amid efforts by the Polish government to get hold of larger stake in the nations banking sector and reduce foreign ownership. This is aimed at preventing crisis and bailouts after the 2008 financial crisis. Notably, foreign investors own around 60% of the banking industry in Poland.



The report stated that Deutsche Bank might face difficulty in seeking a buyer as around a third of the units assets are in foreign currency loans which are mostly denominated in Swiss franc and euro mortgages. Sale of these mortgages may be prohibited by the Polish regulator. The report quoted a senior bank source saying, "The main question is who will be ready to buy it, as if you deprive it of its Swiss franc-denominated mortgages portfolio, not much remains."



Notably, the Polish regulator has been demanding that foreign investors, that are looking to exit Poland, have to retain portfolios of foreign exchange-denominated mortgages as those portfolios pose risk to the financial stability of the country.



Deutsche Bank is not the only foreign entity mulling to exit the nation. In April this year, General Electric Company GE inked a deal to sell GE Capitals major stake in Poland-based Bank BPHs Core Bank to state-owned lender Alior Bank.



Bottom Line



Any likely materialization of the sale of Deutsche Banks Polish banking business should impact the companys capital position positively. Revenue challenges at the company are likely to ease gradually as John Cryan, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Bank, is expediting Strategy 2020 efforts to revamp the bank, with focus on simplifying the banks business model, reducing costs and shedding unprofitable businesses. Nevertheless, the companys imminent hurdle remains the proposed $14-billion settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ).



Deutsche Bank currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).



Banco de Chile BCH and Bancolombia S.A. CIB are a couple of stocks in the foreign bank space, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Banco de Chile and Bancolombia have long-term expected EPS (earnings per share) growth rate of 5.04% and 2.5%, respectively.



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Geneva (AFP) - A new device has allowed two monkeys to regain use of their paralysed legs by transmitting brain signals wirelessly, bypassing their spinal cord lesions, a study released Wednesday by the journal Nature said.

The implantable device, called a neuroprosthetic interface, was developed by an international team led by researchers at the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL) and may soon be tested as a remedy for paralysis in humans.

"For the first time, I can imagine a completely paralysed patient able to move their legs through this brain-spine interface," Jocelyne Bloch, a neurosurgeon at the Lausanne University Hospital, said in a press release from EPFL.

The interface conceived at EPFL is a multi-component brain-spine connector, which decodes signals from the part of the motor cortex responsible for leg movements.

It then relays those signals in real time to the lumbar region of the spinal cord that activates leg muscles to walk.

In the two test cases, the monkeys' motor cortex and spinal lumbar regions were still functioning.

The interface was therefore able to wirelessly relay the movement instructions while skipping the damaged area of the spine causing the paralysis, EPFL said.

The monkeys regained some use of their paralysed leg within two weeks, walking on both a treadmill and on the ground, Nature said in a press release.

The journal noted that implantable technology that decodes brain signals has previously allowed a human patient to move a prosthetic or robotic hand.

But using a neuroprosthetic interface to activate a complex leg muscle in a primate was a first, Nature added.

The lead scientist on the groundbreaking project, Gregoire Courtine of EPFL, warned "it may take several years before all the components of this intervention can be tested in people."

The concept of the interface was developed in Switzerland, key components came from Brown University in the US state of Rhode Island and the medical device company Medtronic, based in Dublin.
BOCA RATON, FL / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2016 / There are many phases to a personal injury case and one of the most important is called discovery. It's the process by which each side gets the facts and opinions held by the other. Depending on the case what's learned during discovery may not alter how Boca car accident lawyer Joe Osborne thinks a case might proceed but in some cases it may drastically change its direction.

"After we consult with a client and there's a representation agreement we will do a full investigation into the accident or incident at issue. We work very hard at this and over the years we've gotten very good at it but there may be facts known by the defendant that we simply can't find out," says car accident injury lawyer Osborne. We normally present at least some of the facts we've found to the defendant's insurance company and attempt a settlement through a demand letter.

If the case doesn't settle and we feel there are good factual and legal bases to file a lawsuit we will do so. The insurance company often tries to have the complaint, or at least part of it, dismissed. It rarely happens but if it does we can often amend, or change, the complaint or the part in dispute so those claims proceed.

After that the parties normally engage is discovery. This can include:

Interrogatories which pose written questions to both sides.

Requests for production, request copies of relevant documents, data or that physical evidence be turned over to be examined.

Requests for admissions require a party to admit or deny a statement of fact, which can force a party to take a certain position, admit something damaging or narrow the issues of the case.

Depositions are when parties and witnesses (including expert witnesses) are asked questions by the attorneys for both sides and a record is kept of the proceedings.

Each party can object to a discovery request claiming there are valid legal reasons not to respond. If the lawyers can't work their way around the objections the judge in the case can issue a ruling as to what discovery requests are valid and which are not.

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Discovery is important for a number of reasons, not just because information is passed back and forth:

Each side gets the facts from each other so both sides have a better idea of the strengths and weaknesses of the claims and defenses.

During depositions both sides get an idea of how good a person may be as a witness during a trial, which is important. Is the person evasive, nervous or not handling the pressure well? Is the person credible, relaxed and able to tell his or her story in a way a jury would believe? How "good" a witness is can have a major impact on a trial.

During discovery very damaging or very helpful evidence can come out for either party, which is one reason why discovery takes place. Not all the important information and evidence is out in the open for everyone to see, adds injury attorney Osborne.

After discovery the parties and attorneys should have a good grasp of how likely the lawsuit is to succeed or fail and what damages would be appropriate for the case. Cases often settle during or after discovery because each side gets a good idea of what cards they and the other side are holding. Both parties can either continue to raise the stakes and proceed to trial or they can negotiate a reasonable settlement that both of them can live with, fold, and get on with their lives.

If you or a family member have been injured in a vehicle accident in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach Counties and have any questions about accident law, contact Boca car accident lawyer Joe Osborne at (561) 800-4011 or fill out this online contact form. We can talk about the situation, how the law could apply in your case and the best legal options to protect your rights and obtain compensation for your injuries.

Media Contact

Joe Osborne

(561) 800-4011

source: http://www.oa-lawfirm.com/discovery-may-make-break-case-says-boca-car-accident-lawyer-joe-osborne/

SOURCE: Joe Osborne via Submit Press Release 123
On Tuesday, a federal judge sided against arguments from companies Airbnb and Homeway in an ongoing tussle with city lawmakers over how home-sharing should work in San Francisco.

In September, city lawmakers updated regulations regarding home-sharing so that companies like Airbnb could face criminal penalties and be fined up to $1,000 per day  and per listing  for facilitating bookings at locations that are not registered with the city. The home-sharing companies sued, arguing that the law violates their rights by unfairly holding online platforms responsible for the content produced by users and undermining First Amendment protections.

U.S. District Judge James Donato dismissed those arguments. The law does not regulate what can or cannot be said or posted in the listings, he wrote. The Ordinance holds plaintiffs liable only for their own conduct, namely for providing, and collecting a fee for, Booking Services in connection with an unregistered unit.

Donato also said the law should remain suspended because the city lacks a functional verification system. Though San Francisco legalized home-sharing two years ago and required that hosts register with the city, fewer than 2,000 out of an estimated 10,000 have done so. Airbnb has repeatedly said the process for registering is too onerous and previously argued in court that following the law would lead to rule-followers getting removed from the platform along with bad actors.

While we appreciate that the judge has acknowledged our concerns about the inadequacy of the screening obligations in the new law and has continued to postpone enforcement of these rules as a result, we respectfully disagree with the remainder of his ruling, Airbnb spokesman Nick Papas said in a statement. No matter what happens in this case, we want to work with the city to fix the broken system long before the legal process runs its course.

Supervisor David Campos, who has pushed for stricter regulations of Airbnb, applauded the ruling. Many city officials have expressed concerns about rental units being taken off an extremely strapped market in order to be rented out to tourists on home-sharing sites full time. While no one in San Franciscos city government wants to see a homegrown company like Airbnb go out of business, Campos said in a statement, its our job to protect the housing stock of our citizens.

A final ruling on the case is pending.
Lyle Denniston, Constitution Dailys Supreme Court correspondent, explains why a transition to a truly different court may not come until after 2018, and why Justice Anthony Kennedys role could become greater.

justicekennedy640

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy

On the day after America voted, one thing is all but certain about the Supreme Court, and a second thing is highly probable. What is close to a certainty is that President Obamas nominee to the existing vacancy on the court, Circuit Judge Merrick B. Garland, will not become a Justice. What is probable is that Justice Anthony M. Kennedys already powerful presence on the court will become even greater, over the next several years.

What those two prospects suggest is that there is not going to be a sudden shift in the Supreme Courts most significant actions as a result of the voters choice of Donald J. Trump as President-elect. And they suggest that the transition to a truly different court may not come until after the congressional elections in 2018, or even later, although that depends on the health of the more senior Justices now serving.

The death of Justice Antonin Scalia last February 13 created the current vacancy, and the political choice of the Senates Republican leadership has now saved the chance to replace him to the next occupant of the White House, Donald Trump.

With the voters returning the Republicans to control of the Senate, there is now no chance that the GOP leadership of that body would move forward with any action on Judge Garlands nomination. It will be sent back to the White House at the close of this years congressional session.

Those GOP leaders know that the vacancy on the court was an issue for many of their partys followers (more than 50 percent of those who thought the Supreme Court was the most important issue in this years presidential campaign told pollsters on Tuesday that they had voted for Trump, and most of those almost certainly were Republicans). It would be politically very risky to let the Garland nomination proceed.

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President Obama would have the option of placing Garland on the Supreme Court with a recess appointment soon or even as late as the closing weeks of his presidency in January, but the President on Wednesday promised he would do all he could to make the transition of power in the presidency as smooth as possible, and such an appointment would surely violate that spirit.

There is no way to know at this point when, after the inauguration on January 20, Donald Trump will send a nominee to the Senate, and what kind of qualifications or judicial philosophy such a nominee might have. If hints out of his campaign are any guide, it would be someone with a demonstrated record of legal conservatism.

But keep in mind that there are four reliably liberal Justices on the court now, and they are fairly often quite capable of drawing the support of Justice Kennedy to make a majority of five on some highly contentious issues. Those other four are Justices Stephen G. Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor.

So, for example, on three issues that almost surely were in the minds of Republican voters (and leaders), a majority including Kennedy would almost predictably keep intact same-sex marriage rights and abortion rights, and allow state and local governments to continue to experiment with gun control without running afoul of the Second Amendment.

Kennedy may also provide the liberals with a majority if the court, as seems likely, moves to institute more constitutional reforms in criminal law, particularly on solitary confinement and on matters of the constitutional rights of juvenile offenders.

Much of Justice Kennedys constitutional record is based upon his strong commitment to the idea that the most important value is the protection of human liberty, and that has led him to join in some of the courts most far-reaching human rights decisions. There is no prospect that he would change on that.

A strongly conservative new Trump nominee, if approved by the Senate, would add a fourth vote to that bloc on the court. The other three are Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., and Justices Samuel A. Alito, Jr., and Clarence Thomas. That bloc, of course, would be able to draw the fifth vote of Kennedy on some issues. That bloc, for example, would probably keep fully intact the First Amendment rights of corporations and rich people to spend lavishly on federal election campaigns.

Another issue on which that bloc, with Kennedy included, might control the court would be to resist the new movement to confer public rights on transgender people. Kennedy already has joined in blocking a lower court ruling in favor of those rights, and he almost certainly was one of the Justices who voted to grant full review of that lower court decision.

It is often said, around the court, that every new Justice results in the creation of a new Supreme Court. Each individual who is added to the bench does add a new dimension to a court that does almost all of its most important work with all nine Justices taking part, rather than in smaller panels. So, a new Trump nominee who had good leadership skills and a firm devotion to conservative principles would be adding a potentially influential new voice. But, with the continued presence of Justice Kennedy as a true swing vote, that new nominee would have to acquire some influence with Kennedy.

As of now, there is no sign that any of the current Justices would be leaving the court in the next couple of years, if their health holds up. Justice Ginsburg is the oldest, at age 83; Justice Kennedy will be 80 in July, and Justice Breyer will be 78 in August. The other five Justices are all no older than 68, and some are considerably younger than that. While Justice Ginsburg has had a series of illnesses, she appears to be robust, and there have been no signs of serious illness for Justices Kennedy or Breyer.

The Republicans will have control of the Senate for at least the next two years, so they could work with the new President Trump to approve a nominee, but only if a vacancy were to occur; no one can be forced off the court. Not all Justices who choose to retire from the court have done so based on the political party of the President or Senate that would act on a successor, but that is not unheard of.

Justices Ginsburg and Breyer were nominated by Democratic presidents, and Justice Kennedy by a Republican. With Kennedys influence almost sure to grow, he would not be expected to voluntarily step down in the next two years.

There is no realistic chance that the Democrats would regain control of the Senate in the 2018 elections, because 23 of the seats now held by Democrats and two held by independents who vote with the Democrats will be up for election two years from now, compared to only eight seats now held by Republicans. Almost certainly, the GOP will strengthen its hold on the Senate after the 2018 election.

That may be the point at which a President Trump might have an opening to fill that would probably tip the balance of the court to the more conservative side.

Legendary journalist Lyle Denniston is Constitution Dailys Supreme Court correspondent. Denniston has written for us as a contributor since June 2011 and he has covered the Supreme Court since 1958. His work also appears on lyldenlawnews.com.
President-elect Donald Trump at a Trump University event. The defunct university is being addressed in court later this month in a fraud case. Source: AP

Donald Trump will be the next president, and the American consumer may be left on their own.

During the election cycle, the candidates views on consumer protection were buried under other more hot-button issues. Despite consumer protections relevance to everyone  case in point: a massive banking scandal by Wells Fargo that bubbled up during the debate circuit  it didnt achieve the same level of interest as issues like trade and immigration did.

Now President-elect Donald Trump had said he wants to repeal the Dodd-Frank Act, dismantling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in the process, while Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton vowed to keep it a strong advocate for ordinary Americans.

Established under the Obama administration through the Dodd-Frank Act in response to the financial crisis of 2008, the CFPB has served as the sheepdog guarding American flocks from a seemingly-endless population of predatory wolves, addressing consumer issues that lax regulation or negligence had left flapping in the wind. Its mission, in part, is to protect consumers from unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices and take action against companies that break the law.

In the CFPBs five-year tenure, the agency has accomplished quite a lot to protect the interests of consumers, fielding complaints and taking action against unlawful and harmful business practices. Actions taken have resulted in over $11.8 billion going back to 27 million consumers, including a $100 million fine against Wells Fargo, which created bank accounts for customers without permission.

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The agency also provides information to consumers looking to get a mortgage, a direct way to file a complaint if something goes wrong, has established rules for clearer fee disclosures, and has fought against unfair arbitration. It has taken action against credit card companies for deceptive practices, carnivorous payday lenders, illegal tactics by debt collectors, wrongful mortgage foreclosures, and for-profit colleges.

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The agency has never enjoyed bipartisan support. Republicans generally point to the concentrated power wielded by its director, currently Richard Cordray. (Democrats generally point to the alternative board-like management structuresimilar to that of the SEC as too slow and unwieldy to get stuff done.) But the power structure was addressed in a recent Supreme Court case, in which the court tweaked it to allow the president to remove the director at will. It was a win for CFPB proponents, settling the GOPs chief grievance against the agency and keeping its power to help the consumer intact.

However, its not clear whether that tweak will satisfy Donald Trumphe never provided detail on his position; hes only consistently announced his plans to dismantle Dodd-Frank and indirectly bashed the CFPB on his website.

Taking Dodd-Frank apart isnt necessarily easy, but its made much easier by the fact that the Republican party will control the executive branch, both houses of Congress, and will likely appoint a Supreme Court justice sympathetic with Republican ideology, which has been so hostile to Dodd-Frank. Right now, an anti-Dodd-Frank bill exists, called the Financial Choice Act, and its being pushed by longtime CFPB critic Rep. Jeb Hensarling, a Texas Republican who has received significant campaign contributions from the financial industry that would benefit from less oversight.

Currently in limbo in a House subcommittee, the Financial Choice Act, if passed, would effectively kill the CFPB, declawing it significantly and renaming it the Consumer Financial Opportunity Commission. The CFOC would gain a board-like structure, and be subject to stricter congressional oversight, potentially crippling its effectiveness to move quickly for consumers.

If Trump does end up getting rid of the CFPB through Hensarlings Financial Choice Act, you may be on your own when it comes to dealing with predatory financial companies trying to take advantage of you. If its replaced with something less powerful, you will lose your direct complaint line to an agency that can do something.

Without a CFPB, you may be without a financial police force that keeps predatory lenders looking to trap you and from for-profit colleges from leaving you and your family in debt without the skills you paid for. You may be at the mercy of the bank if it illegally forecloses on your house. You may not be able to have your day in court if something goes wrong, instead forced into disadvantageous arbitration without the benefit of your fellow consumers banding together with you.

Ethan Wolff-Mann is a writer at Yahoo Finance focusing on consumerism, tech, and personal finance. Follow him on Twitter @ewolffmann.

Read more:

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In the end, Donald Trump defeated big money.

The Republicans presidential campaign raised less than half of what Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton did. He ran a fraction of the TV ads, even in decisive battleground states. And although prominent Republican donors came to Trumps aid during the campaigns final days, his supportive super PACs and other political groups raised relatively paltry sums when compared to Clintons groups.

Somehow, for the volatile, unpredictable New York businessman, that was enough on his way to winning the White House.

More than enough.

A swell of white, working class voters, who believed the billionaire when he said he wouldnt be beholden to special interests, propelled him in a manner that defied polls and the predictions of pundits relying on conventional wisdom for how to win elections.

Trump edged Clinton in the swing states of Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania and snatched Wisconsin, a state expected to serve as Clintons bulwark against a Trump surge. He promised to drain the swamp that is Washington, D.C., and its lobbyists and professional politickers.

In a victory speech delivered in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, Trump credited his victory to voters who want and expect our government to serve the people, and serve the people it will.

Now, Trump has to prove it.

Trumps relationship with big money

From Trumps first day on the trail, when he rode the Trump Tower escalator down to announce his bid, the first-time candidate told voters he would be different. He was running against the establishment  Republican as much as Democratic.

Politicians are controlled fully theyre controlled fully by the lobbyists, by the donors and by the special interests, fully, he said.

And that, he promised over and over through months of Republican primaries, wouldnt be him.

I really like the Koch Brothers (members of my P.B. Club), but I don't want their money or anything else from them. Cannot influence Trump! he tweeted.

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Meanwhile, his Republican primary opponents were on the money trail, setting up officially sanctioned super PACs and courting big donors.

The money didnt help, the super PACs werent enough and Trump endlessly mocked his opponents for toadying to big donors.

I wish good luck to all of the Republican candidates that traveled to California to beg for money etc. from the Koch Brothers. Puppets? he tweeted in August 2015.

Trump insisted he would self-fund and could spend as much as it took.

This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation.

Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email.

By the time it's finished, I'll have more than $100 million invested, he insisted during the second general election debate, a figure he repeated throughout the race. He put in about $46 million of his own money during the primary, much of it in loans he eventually forgave.

Voters loved it. They rewarded him with the Republican nomination.

But after securing the nomination, Trumps tone changed.

In Clinton, he faced a candidate with a fundraising operation unparalleled in politics. Her campaign alone raised $510 million, more than twice Trumps $255 million, and, together with outside groups supporting her bid, ran 75 percent of the more than 500,000 broadcast and national TV ads aired in the presidential race.

Trump essentially embraced big-money vehicles such as super PACs, although combined, groups supporting him raised a relatively scant $60 million through Oct. 19. He courted big GOP donors such as casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. His own contributions slowed and his fundraising events sped up.

And donors gained influence.

New York investor Robert Mercer and his daughter, Rebekah, who oversaw one of the earliest super PACs to swing support his way, convinced Trump to reshape his campaign leadership, appointing operatives with close ties to them.

In the end, Trump put in a relatively paltry $66 million of his own  about $1 of every $4 raised by his campaign. And he never aggressively courted donors in the manner Clinton and her backers did.

According to campaign finance filings, Trump raised at least $67 million from small-dollar donors who each gave no more than $200. Many of these contributors had purchased Trumps iconic Make America Great Again hats from his campaign, or other merchandise, such as the set of three Hillary for prison buttons sold by his campaign for $6.

And Clintons superior campaign fundraising machine, buttressed by the nations biggest-money super PAC in operation, wasnt enough to halt Trumps unlikely march to the White House.

Clinton had huge ad advantage

Trump spent the general election wildly outspent and facing a seemingly endless stream of ads from Clinton and her allies.

In Florida, the No. 1 target in the ad war of Team Clinton, Clinton and her allies accounted for more than 75 percent of the 121,000-plus TV ads aired during the general election, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of advertising data provided by ad tracking firm Kantar Media/CMAG.

Related story: Donald Trump's big money bait-and-switch

In most of the high-profile swing states, the story was the same. In Ohio, Team Clinton was responsible for about 75 percent of the 79,000 TV ads aired in the race since mid-June, after the primaries had ended.

In North Carolina, Team Clinton was likewise responsible for about three-quarters of the 63,000 presidential race TV ads since mid-June.

And in Pennsylvania, Team Clinton was responsible for nearly three-fourths of the 58,000 or so presidential TV ads that aired there since mid-June.

The only exception: Wisconsin.

In the Badger State, Trump and his allies were responsible for about 60 percent of the roughly 10,000 TV ads aired in the state between June 12 and Nov. 6, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of data provided by ad tracking firm Kantar Media/CMAG, with the ad blitz beginning in mid-September.

Clinton, who never visited Wisconsin during the general election, and her allies didnt air general election TV ad in the state until Oct. 29.

The last time Wisconsin supported a GOP presidential nominee, Ronald Reagan was on the ballot.

Spearheading the Republican push: Diane Hendricks, the richest woman in Wisconsin, who gave nearly $5.5 million to a super PAC that spent millions on ads in her home state, attacking Clinton and Russ Feingold, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate. Both lost in Wisconsin on Election Day.

A few big donors began putting real money into ads supporting him in the fall, through a super PAC, Future 45, and a related nonprofit group that does not reveal its donors. Big donors included Adelson and Joe Ricketts, the billionaire founder of TD Ameritrade. The two groups together aired more than 9,000 ads, many in Florida.

In addition, Trump far outstripped Clinton in free media, with cable channels carrying his rallies live and his every tweet making news in a race that turned both ugly and personal. Lock her up, supporters chanted at rallies, referring to Clinton.

His lean campaign relied heavily on the Republican National Committees turnout operation  a strategy that paid off.

Clintons big money problem

Big money can backfire as Democrats, who have often fought for dramatic campaign finance reforms, are painfully learning.

The benefits are as significant as they are obvious: a candidate may hire superior staff, purchase more ads and run longer and harder than an opponent.

But the drawbacks proved to be equally profound for Clinton.

Although she routinely decried the U.S. Supreme Courts Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, she became one of its chief beneficiaries by building a massive money-making machine that fully exploited the high courts ruling.

While she promised to fight hard to end the stranglehold that the wealthy and special interests have on so much of our government, her campaign and supportive super PACs solicited huge sums from elite political patrons.

And despite her railing against secret, unaccountable money in politics, the super PACs supporting Clinton collected eight-figures worth of money from sources trading in cash thats tough, if not outrightly impossible, to trace.

Money also couldnt adequately mask what many voters perceived, fair or not, as Clintons damning flaws.

Theres her penchant for secret-keeping, be it delivering private speeches to Wall Street executives or shielding her State Department emails from public scrutiny. And her Clinton Foundation wooing of the ultra-rich and unsavory foreign governments undercut her pledges that shes represent the interests of who she once half-heartedly (and ham-handedly) described as everyday Americans.

Bernie Sanders surprisingly strong challenge to Clinton in the Democrats presidential primary was largely fueled by liberals reaction against what many considered Clintons insincerity on matters of political money and influence.

After Clinton vanquished Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, she never quite captured his supporters energy and enthusiasm for her own purposes.

Related story: Team Clinton sponsored 75 percent of TV ads in 2016 presidential race

Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email.

Trump, meanwhile, repeatedly hammered Clinton as crooked liar most interested in her own power and prestige.

No matter that Trump belittled his opponents, exaggerated his charitable giving, refused to release his tax returns and was caught on tape describing how hed sexually assault women.

The body politic sided with Trump over Clinton.

Draining the swamp

Trump now turn to setting up an administration, with jobs presidents often turn to lobbyists to fill, and setting an agenda for his presidency.

Voters and campaign finance reform advocates will be looking to see how Trump acts to reduce the influence of money in politics that he decried throughout the campaign.

To the extent that Mr. Trump, while campaigning, has criticized the current campaign finance system, his only solution offered seems to be more candidates like him who are billionaires and can self finance and thats not a solution, said Paul S. Ryan, vice president for policy and litigation at nonpartisan group Common Cause, and a longtime advocate for campaign finance reform.

In October, Trump released a slate of proposals that he said were meant to reform Washington. He called for longer bans on lobbying by executive branch officials, members of Congress and congressional staff. He also said he would move to tighten the legal definition of lobbyists, forcing more advocates to disclose their activities under laws covering lobbyists.

He also said he would ask Congress to prohibit lobbyists for foreign governments from fundraising for political candidates, and seek a constitutional amendment requiring congressional term limits.

Trump has some measure of public faith: Respondents to a Center for Public Integrity/Ipsos poll earlier this year gave Trump higher marks than Clinton on the prospect of them reforming the nations campaign money system.

Still, most of Trumps proposals are a tall order that would require support from Congress. Constitutional amendments are exceedingly rare. And much of the strength of his proposals lie in the details he has yet to flesh out.

In addition, Ryan points out, Trumps campaign lawyer, Jones Day partner Don McGahn, a former head of the Federal Election Commission, has traditionally battled any restrictions on money in politics.

Don McGahn says publicly that he thinks most campaign finance laws are unconstitutional, Ryan said.

What Trump thinks about this will be revealed as he prepares to move into the White House.

This article was co-published with TIME.

This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation.

Related stories

Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives for his election night rally at the New York Hilton Midtown in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

I was almost 15 years old on September 11th, 2001, when the Twin Towers fell.

My high school was a 40-minute drive from downtown New York, and many of my classmates' parents worked in the city (including my mother). Nobody knew what to do or say or think. It was, literally, beyond our very sheltered teenage comprehensions. We were afraid, in the purest sense of the word.

In a weird way, I was lucky: I had no idea what was coming over the following few years, as fear turned to hate. Little indignities like having to take your shoes off before boarding a flight, a massive increase in hate crimes against Muslims, and the commencement of the disastrous war in Iraq. There's even a case to be made that 9/11 led to the 2008 financial crisis, as economic anxiety led to a loosening of bank regulations.

The election of Donald Trump to the office of the President of the United States of America has me afraid, too. Except this time, we all have a good idea what's coming. For us, and for our neighbors.

It's not fair to compare a terrorist attack to the results of a democratic election. But Trump's rhetoric has aroused similar feelings of fear and impotence for disappointed supporters of Hillary Clinton, suddenly facing an uncertain future.

The fear that President-Elect Trump has spoken to on the campaign trail  fear of Muslims, of immigrants, even of free speech and the press  is nothing new. Nor is the brand of homophobia, including the despicable notion of "conversion therapy" for gay people, espoused by Vice President-Elect Mike Pence.

The big difference, and the thing that has people in marginzalized communities really scared this time, is that this fear is a cornerstone of Trump's policy proposals. His immigration policies, his insistence on building the infamous wall with Mexico, and his plan to curb assistance for refugees all speak to a culture of fear of cultures within the United States and outside of it.

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While President Obama wasn't quite the super-progressive his biggest supporters wanted him to be, he is at least a reliable voice in the darkness, urging Americans to do better and be better.

The election of Trump refutes Obama's central thesis that Americans should find hope amid fear.

trump vets protest

As Business Insider's Josh Barro put it ahead of the election: "Most voters, I think, have correctly diagnosed the Trump campaign as a primal scream of white resentment. The alarming thing is that so many are in favor of the scream."

And even if Trump is all bark and no bite, the mere notion that this kind of fear could be a legimitate policy proposal is giving voice and power to the very worst impulses of humanity. When the Ku Klux Klan is celebrating a candidate's ascendency, something is terribly wrong.

Ultimately, all I am saying is that we've seen how we let ourselves, our friends, and our neighbors down when we let fear become the basis for policy. Vulnerable populations are left even more so. Discord, recession, and war follow soon after. With climate change on the agenda, even the planet could be at risk.

Trump said in his victory speech that he wants to be "president for all Americans." Let's hope he remembers that includes all Americans, including the ones he seems to be so afraid of. And let's hope he can get his supporters on board for that ride.

NOW WATCH: 'We owe him an open mind': Clinton urges unity in her concession speech





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Donald Trump shocked the pundit class, the media, Washington, D.C., the United States, the world, and yours truly tonight. We were wrong about Trumps electoral prospects, thinking he had little to no chance to win. Is it possible we were wrong about Trumps governing prospects? For the sake of our nation and the world, we hope so.

We do not regret our #NeverTrump stance. We did not oppose Trump merely because we thought he would lose. We opposed Trump because we did not consider him fit to be commander in chief  due to his temperament, poor command of national security policy, and stances that we believe were inimical to Americas national interests.

But we did also think he would lose, and had steeled ourselves for the hard work of rebuilding the Republican brand on national security while remaining in our cheap seats in the bleachers among the loyal opposition.

And like just about everyone else, we were wrong. Trump, who has defied the expert prognosticators for almost 18 months, did it one more time, and on the day that counted the most.

Could it be that we were also wrong about our assessment of how good a President Trump would be?

Sure, Trump became a better candidate in the last week or so, staying on message and avoiding the late-night tweets. But he did not become better on the policies. He did not assemble a stronger national security team. And he did not adjust his policy stances on a Muslim ban, on trade, on immigration, or on shirking our allies.

He only won the election. While that is no small achievement, it is also just marks the beginning of the hard journey to responsible leadership and governing.

He is now our president. He does not have our unwavering support, but because he is now our president-elect, he has our initial support. We want him to succeed as president because if he succeeds, America succeeds.

We continue to believe that he will have to change in some fundamental ways to be effective as president of all Americans. He will need to put the nations interest ahead of his own. He will have to study policies more, and polls less. He will have to assemble a capable cabinet and senior national security team. He will have to listen to people who disagree with him to figure out what he can learn from them rather than merely figure out how to attack them.

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And he will have to understand that America cannot be as great as it needs to be if we stay as divided as we are right now. That means he will need to work with the leadership of both parties  most of whom did not want him to be president  to find areas of common purpose. He will need to begin by reaching out to those Republicans and conservative leaders who opposed him and take meaningful steps to unify the party, then take meaningful steps to unify the country. He has not demonstrated such statesmanship in the past; we hope he can now rise to the occasion, and rise to the calling and dignity of the office.

We close with two final thoughts on foreign policy and national security.

First, President Trump must immediately start campaigning to win the trust and respect of a constituency he completely ignored until now: foreign leaders and foreign publics. They do not have a vote in our election, but our election results matter to their lives. Most were greatly concerned about what a Trump presidency would mean and they will have a great incentive to hedge against the United States, protecting themselves from their worst-case fears of what Trump might do. He would be wise to reach out to our allies to reassure them and speak calmly but forcefully to our adversaries to deter them. Its time to throw out the campaign slogans disparaging our allies.

Trump can best advance American interests by mobilizing other countries to partner with us. Specifically, we urge President-elect Trump to prioritize outreach to NATO allies, Japan, South Korea, and Israel. Presidents and nations need friends  and the Trump presidency will start on a stronger foot if it does not start off in isolation. Doing so will give President Trump a stronger and more responsible hand should he seek to take audacious steps such as confronting China over trade imbalances or revisiting the nuclear deal with Iran.

Second, Trump must beef up his foreign policy and national security team. Some of the best people on the Republican side of the aisle are #NeverTrumpers, like us, and so are ruled out of consideration. But fortunately for the country, some very fine professionals kept their powder dry and so are available to serve. We hope the Trump inner circle will reward competence and experience, and not just enthusiastic loyalty. And we hope our friends will heed the call.

The voters have spoken and have chosen Trump as our president. Civil servants, foreign service officers, the intelligence community, and the uniformed military are all expected to obey the lawful orders of President Donald J. Trump, and to work hard to implement his policies. All of us, whether inside or outside government, should do what we can to help him craft policies that are in Americas interests and can help protect and promote our national security.

We have never believed that America stopped being great, and so did not embrace the again part of Trumps campaign catchphrase. But we hope that as our new commander in chief and diplomat-in-chief, President-elect Trump will appreciate that he inherits the historic leadership mantle of a great nation, and will rise to the occasion to preserve that greatness.

Photo credit: ALEX WONG/Getty Images
The polls said it wouldnt happen this way. The forecasts said it wouldnt happen this way. Even the betting markets said it wouldnt happen this way.

But on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, Americans elected Donald Trump the 45th President of the United States.

Sure, there was always a chance. The British voted to leave the European Union when so few expected them to do so. Why couldnt the same thing happen in America? That thought lingered in the back of many a mind as Election Day neared and polls tightened. Every previous prediction of Trumps political demise had proven premature. But he had insulted so many peopleblacks, Hispanics, women, the disabled, his own partys leaders, just to name a few. He had broken so many political normsnot releasing his tax returns, threatening to jail his opponent, lying at a rate never seen in modern politics. So no one, Republican, Democrat or any other stripe, saw a tsunami of this size coming. Only hours before Trump officially vanquished Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, one prominent Republican commentator was writing a political obituary for his partys nominee.

Establishment consensus, meet thy antidote: President-elect Donald Trump.

Now its time for America to bind the wounds of division, Trump, sounding quite a different tone than the man who had opened so many of those wounds over the last 18 months, told ecstatic supporters in his victory speech. It is time for us to come together as one united people. Its time.

It will take days, weeks and perhaps years for Americans and their leaders to fully understand what happened on Election Day 2016. It will take longer for the country and the world to grapple with whatever happens next. Financial markets were tanking even as the prospects of a Trump victory increased, and even as world leaders terseky congratulated him, they were surely bracing themselves to deal with a man who has pledged to reconsider decades-old international alliances and trade pacts.

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But one thing should be immediately clear: Donald Trumps triumph on the Electoral College map was overwhelming. He won perennial swing states like Florida and Ohio. He won Pennsylvania, a state that has attracted the attention of so many Republican presidential candidates over the course of decades only to inevitably vote for their Democratic opponents. He won Wisconsin, a left-leaning state that was supposedly a safe piece of Clintons firewall.

Even the whizzes who elected Barack Obama as President conceded they had it all wrong. Never been as wrong on anything [in] my life, David Plouffe, the architect of Obamas 2008 campaign, said on Twitter as the reality began to set in.

If exit polls are to be believed, Clinton lost because her campaign made a fatal miscalculation: That the American electorate was growing so much more diverse, so fast, that it couldnt possibly fare worse with working-class white voters than the countrys first black president had in 2012. The electoral coalition was easy to imagine.

But it proved imaginary precisely because those working-class whiteswho for decades have been slowly but surely drifting away from a coastal Democratic Party elite they view as economically and culturally out of touch with their needsfound his populist, protectionist rhetoric spoke directly to them.

Vast areas of the country that had previously voted for Obama, from northeast Pennsylvania to eastern Ohio, from rural Iowa to Wisconsin and Michigan, swung solidly into Donald Trumps column. Hispanic turnout measurably increased. But neither that nor Clintons wide advantage with women was enough to offset polling models that The New York Times estimates undercounted older working-class voters in the electorate by about 10 million.

Trumps margin in the popular vote was far smaller than his Electoral College romp. As dawn broke on the East Coast, he only led by a couple hundred thousand votes, and votes from West Coast states still uncounted held open the prospect that Clinton might actually win the popular vote  surely a painful dose of deja vu for Democrats after the 2000 election.

Whether the country can realistically heal its deep political divisions now remains to be seen. Republicans maintained control of the Senate and limited their losses in the House, giving Trump at least a nominally friendly Congress when he takes the oath of office on Jan. 20. The first order of business? Undoing the major achievements of the Obama administration  or so he has promised.

He struck a conciliatory note toward a rival who only weeks earlier he had threatened, to her face, to imprison if he were elected. Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, Trump said, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country.

Clinton, for her part, conceded to Trump in a phone call but did not address her supporters. Her campaign chairman sent them home before the race was called, and she is expected to address the results on Wednesday.
donald trump

Donald Trump overcame all odds Wednesday, riding the wave of an unprecedented populist movement to put himself in line to be the 45th president of the United States.

The Republican presidential nominee secured the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House. In doing so, he completed the biggest upset in modern political history, beating his Democratic challenger, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as one of the most promising fields of Republican candidates in a generation.

During a speech in Manhattan early on Wednesday, the president-elect promised unity after a dark campaign.

"I pledge to every citizen of our land, that I will be a president for all Americans," Trump said. "And this is so important to me."

He added: "It is time for us to come together as one united people."

Clinton called Trump early Wednesday to concede after the brutal campaign.

"She congratulated us on our campaign," Trump said. "Hillary has fought very long and very hard, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service."

The result came as a shock, to say the least. Markets plunged late Tuesday night as it became clear that Trump would have a better night than expected. Dow futures sunk by more than 750 points.

Almost every major forecasting aggregator, including FiveThirtyEight, RealClearPolitics, The New York Times, and HuffPost Pollster, heavily favored a Clinton victory in the lead-up to Tuesday's race.

The insurgent Republican businessman's candidacy was greeted as a sideshow by many media outlets and even other candidates when he declared on June 16, 2015. But Trump quickly gained popularity among Republican Party voters, many of whom were drawn to his populist message on issues like international trade and immigration, his unscripted speeches  which often included inflammatory rhetoric about identity-politics issues  and his promises to restore the US to previous points of perceived national glory.

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Trump's victory Tuesday came amid a wave of support among working-class and blue-collar white voters in numerous battleground states, including Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire. The New York businessman had long claimed his nationalist pitch to voters could spur high levels of voter turnout that would help propel him to the White House.

The mood at Trump headquarters in Manhattan was joyous, as guests drank and shouted when Trump appeared to win Rust Belt states like Wisconsin and Michigan, once reliably Democratic states. Attendees, sporting suits and red "Make America Great Again" hats, appeared equally shocked at Trump's massive upset.

"We're actually going to do it," an attendee remarked as Trump appeared to pull ahead in key states.

Just a mile away on Manhattan's west side, the mood at Clinton's election-night party  to which she ultimately never attended  was also one of disbelief.

Dead silence at Hillary Clinton Javitz Center event in New York as key battleground state of North Carolina called for Trump. #2016election  Molly O'Toole (@mollymotoole) November 9, 2016

Just seen a woman leave Clinton rally at Javits Center in tears. #USADecides #HillaryClinton  Olivia Feld (@oliviafeld) November 9, 2016

In the women's restroom at the Javits Center complete strangers are asking each other how they're holding up  Ashley Fetters (@AshleyFetters) November 9, 2016

Many officials and top allies were shaken.

"This is the lowest moment in my life," a Clinton campaign official told Business Insider.

The Republican presidential nominee will take the oath of office in January with a mandate to fulfill a slate of lofty campaign promises. Trump has pledged several government actions that will certainly rock the US economy, including a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, a massive federal infrastructure plan, a moratorium on increasing regulations, and deportation of millions of immigrants illegally living in the US.

He has also promised national-security overhauls, including a potential return to enhanced-interrogation techniques, increasing bombing of ISIS, reevaluating the US relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, loosening background checks for purchasing firearms, and forcing Mexico to pay for a border wall on the US's southern border.

Trump will inherit a Congress that has remained plagued by gridlock throughout President Barack Obama's tenure. But he will come into office with Republicans controlling both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

David Anderson and Josh Barro contributed reporting.

NOW WATCH: We got this historic firsthand view of Trump's victory speech in front of thousands of raucous supporters





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In a lawsuit filed on Election Day in Las Vegas, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump sued the Clark Country Registrar of Voters in an attempt to challenge a decision by the Registrar to keep polls open as people waited to vote on Friday night.

The complaint is titled Donald Trump v. Joe Gloria, first reported by CNNs Joe Sciutto, and can be viewed here. Update: in a live-streamed hearing, a state judge refused a request by a lawyer for Trump to seize the disputed ballots.

The lawsuit came after a surge in early voting in Las Vegas on Friday resulted in a line of people waiting to vote after 8 p.m. local time, which is when the polls officially closed. In response, the county kept the polls open for additional hours until those still in line could cast their ballot.

Soon after, Trump seized on the countys decision as evidence of a rigged system.

The accusation, however, appears to be without merit. A Nevada state law, like those in many other states, clearly instructs election officials to ensure that those who arrive at a poll in time are given an opportunity to vote. Heres a screenshot of the law:

Meanwhile, an election law blog post about the controversy explains that Nevada also relies on a related regulation to ensure the process is not manipulated. The safeguard reportedly relies on stickers or other methods of identifying who is in line:

This administrative rule is Nevada Administrative Code ? 293.247, and it provides: After determining who is the last person waiting to vote at the time that the polls close, a member of the election board shall: (a) Place a sticker or other distinguishing mark on the last person waiting in line to vote; or (b) If the last person waiting to vote does not want a sticker or other distinguishing mark placed on him or her, physically stand behind the last person waiting in line to vote, to ensure that no other person enters the polling place to vote.

Political observers have suggested the Friday lines in Las Vegas are the result of a surge in voting by Hispanic Americans, which would benefit Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

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The lawsuit, therefore, may be amount to an early challenge by the Trump campaign to overall results in Nevada, which is an important battleground state in the presidential race.

Trump sought a writ of mandamus or a writ of prohibition  basically an order from the court for a state official to do something or refrain from doing something. Reports from the hearing on Twitter show the judge was annoyed and incredulous at the request, and suggested it was a threat to the secrecy of the ballot and could lead to intimidation at the polls:

Judge in NV Trump suit: "I'm just really puzzled by how you think you're going to be use this evidence to assist the secretary of state."  Cristian (@cristianafarias) November 8, 2016

Trump lawyer: "There will be no harassment."

Judge: "How can you tell me that? Do you *watch* Twitter?" https://t.co/MNsXvAV51J  Farhad Manjoo (@fmanjoo) November 8, 2016

In rejecting the request, the judge ruled, at around 2:55pm ET, that the Trump campaign had not exhausted its administrative remedies  and that the candidate should instead lodge his complaints with the Secretary of State.

See original article on Fortune.com

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Donald Trump

Fox News called Wisconsin for Republican nominee Donald Trump at 11:30 p.m. EST on Election Day  a stunning call that showed cracks in the perceived "blue wall" for Democrats.

Trump was out to a surprise lead in Wisconsin  a state that hasn't voted for a Republican for president since Ronald Reagan in 1984.

It could clinch him the presidency.

He held a lead of about 75,000 votes in the Badger State.

Wisconsin provides 10 electoral votes.

Ahead of Tuesday, Election Day, Clinton held a lead of over 6 points in the RealClearPolitics national average.

NOW WATCH: Animated map shows how drastically split different demographics are this election





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Amid many interruptions of applause from the crowd at the New York Hilton, Donald Trump delivered a gracious acceptance speech last night after winning the election for president of the United States.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Complicated business.

"Ive just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us, its about us, on our victory and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign. I mean, she fought very hard.

"Now its time for America to bind the wounds of division"

"Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very sincerely.

"Now its time for America to bind the wounds of division. We have to get together.

"To all Republicans and Democrats and Independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. Its time.

"I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be President for all Americans and this is so important to me.

"For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, Im reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so we can work together and unify our great country.

"As Ive said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement made up of millions of hard-working men and women who love their country and want better brighter future for themselves and for their family.

"It will be a movement comprised of people from all races, religions, backgrounds and beliefs who want and expect our government to serve the people - and serve the people it will.

"Working together we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American dream.

"I have spent my entire life in business looking at the untapped potential in projects and in people all over the world.

"That is now what I want to do for our country. Tremendous potential. Ive got to know our country so well. Tremendous potential. Its gonna be a beautiful thing.

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"Every single American will have the opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

"Tremendous potential. Its gonna be a beautiful thing," he said

"We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals. Were gonna rebuild our infrastructure which will become, by the way, second to none and we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it.

"We will also finally take care of our great veterans whove been so loyal and Ive got to know so many over this 18-month journey the time Ive spent with them in this campaign has been among my greatest honors. Our veterans are incredible people.

"We will embark upon a project of national growth and renewal. I will harness the creative talents of our people and we will call upon the best and brightest to leverage their tremendous talent for the benefit of all. Its gonna happen.

"We have a great economic plan. We will double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world.

"At the same time, we will get along with all other nations willing to get along with us.

"We will have great relationships. We expect to have great, great relationships.

"We will double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world"

"No dream is too big, no challenge is too great.

"Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach. America will no longer settle for anything less than the best.

"We must reclaim our countrys destiny and dream big and bold and daring. We have to do that. Were doing to dream of things for our country and beautiful things and successful things once again.

"I want to tell the world community that while we will always put Americas interests first we will deal fairly with everyone.

"All people and all other nations. We will seek common ground, not hostility, partnership, not conflict.

He thanked his parents in his victory speech in New York City

"First I want to thank my parents who I know are looking down on me right now. Great people. Ive learned so much from them. They were wonderful in every regard. I had truly great parents. I also want to thank my sisters Maryanne and Elizabeth who are here with us tonight.

"And my brother Robert, my great friend. Where is Robert? They should all be on this stage but thats OK. And also my late brother Fred, great guy, fantastic guy. Fantastic family. I was very lucky.

"To Melania and Don and Ivanka and Eric and Tiffany and Barron, I love you and I thank you and especially for putting up with all of those hours. This was tough. This was tough. This political stuff is nasty and its tough.

"... We have got tremendously talented people up here and I can tell you, it's been very special. I want to give a special thanks to our former mayor Rudy Giuliani who's unbelievable. Unbelievable. He traveled with us and he went through meetings and Rudy never changes. Wheres Rudy? Where is he?

Trump reeled off a long list of thanks

"Governor Chris Christie folks was unbelievable. Thank you, Chris.

"The first man, the first Senator, the first major, major politician and let me tell you, hes as smart as you get -- Senator Jeff Sessions. Great man.

"Another great man, very tough competitor, he was not easy, he was not easy, who is that? Is that the mayor? Ah, Rudy got up here.

"Another great man whos been a friend to me, Ill tell you, I got to know him as a competitor because he was one of the folks who was negotiating to go against those democrats, Dr. Ben Carson. Wheres Ben? Where is Ben?

"And by the way, Mike Huckabee is here some place and he is fantastic. Mike and his family, Sarah, thank you so much.

"General Mike Flynn and General Keller, we have over 200 generals and admirals whove endorsed our campaign. Theyre special people and its a great honor.

"Weve got 22 congressional Medal of Honor recipients. We have just tremendous people.

"A very special person who believed me and Id read reports I wasnt getting along with him - I never had a bad second with him - hes an unbelievable star. I said Reince (Priebus), I know it, look at all those people over there, is a superstar. But I said, They cant you a superstar, Reince, unless we win, because you cant be called a superstarlike Secretariat. If Secretariat came in second, Secretariat would not have that big bronze bust at the track at Belmont.

"He is the hardest working guy. Come up here. Where is Reince? Get over here Reince. Its about time you did this Reince. Come on, say a few words!

"Our partnership with the RNC was so important to the success of what weve done.

"So I also have to say Ive gotten to know some incredible people. The Secret Service people. Theyre tough, theyre smart and theyre sharp and I dont wanna mess around with them I can tell you and when I wanna go and wave to a big group of people and they rip me down in my seat. They are a fantastic group of people.

"And law enforcement in New York City, theyre here tonight. These are spectacular people, sometimes under-appreciated unfortunately, but we appreciate them, we know what theyve been through.

"So its been what we call a historic event, but to be really historic, we have to do a great job. And I promise you I will not let you down. We will do a great job. WE will do a great job.

"I look very much forward to being your President and hopefully at the end of two years or three years or four years or maybe even EIGHT years, you will say that that was something you were really very proud to do.

"Thank you very much. I can only say that while the campaign is over our work on this movement is now really just beginning.

"Were going to get to work immediately for the American people and were going to be doing a job that hopefully you will be so proud of your President. You will be so proud.

"Its an honor. Its been an amazing evening, its been an amazing period, and I love this country. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you to Mike Pence. Thank you, everybody."

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
In one of the most shocking U.S. elections in modern political history, Donald Trump has defeated Hillary Clinton.

I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans, Trump said in his victory speech after the Associated Press called the race for him at 2:30 am Wednesday morning. Striking a conciliatory tone, Trump continued, For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, Im reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so we can work together and unify our great country.

He also said Hillary Clinton had called him to concede the race. Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country, he said. I mean that very sincerely.

Trumps upset was one he had been predicting for months, gleefully comparing himself to the Brexit vote in England. Yet it was one that almost no other major predictors foresaw, all giving Clinton various degrees of comfortable leads in their election day predictions.

It was Donald Trump versus almost all the experts  it looks like Donald Trump was right, Jake Tapper said on CNN at 10:40 pm on election night (before major battleground states had been called).

Trump, a reality television star and political neophyte, upended every rule in the book to clinch his victory. He bested 15 other candidates in the Republican primary, most of whom were governors and senators. One of [Donald] Trumps real sources of strength is not just that he took the fight to the elites in an abstract way, but that he was the one guy on a stage of 16 candidates who really seemed culturally disconnected from the other candidates, J.D. Vance, author of Hillbilly Elegy, told TIME before the general election.

In the general election, Trump didnt run his campaign in any sort of traditional way. He was outspent in campaign ads by Clinton by 3 to 1, and he had a small, disorganized ground game up against the Clinton election machine. TIME wrote two separate cover stories about the meltdowns and disarray inside the Trump campaign. Not to mention the candidates freewheeling, bombastic speaking style and penchant for engaging in Twitter fights with Gold Star families and former beauty pageant contestants.

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But throughout his campaign, Trump openly flouted convention and touted his success in tapping into a populist vein in the country that no other candidates had been able to effectively access. This is a movement, Trump would tell his followers who showed up by the tens of thousands to see him speak. Many supported him from their anger and their sense that the country needs a big change, that the way government works is broken. In the final days of his campaign Trump began using the the slogan drain the swamp to talk about the nations capitol, which he said crowds loved.

Trumps victory exposed real divisions and new fault lines in the American populace, as he was on track to win huge majorities of non-college educated whites, while winning less of college-educated whites, who are normally reliably Republican. The fight between the first female major party candidate and the man accused of sexually assaulting women also turned into a referendum on gender; what women can be, and what men can get away with, as TIME put it in the cover story the week before the election.

Theres going to be a schism of some sort, former Republican Gov. Bill Weld, who ran as the vice presidential candidate on the Libertarian ticket this election, told TIME before the election.

As president, Trump has promised he will build a wall along the border with Mexico, suspend the Syrian refugee resettlement program, repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and renegotiate NAFTA. His election, coupled with Republican control of Congress, will also likely put a new conservative Supreme Court justice in the seat vacated by the late Justice Antonin Scalia.

Conventional wisdom said everything from demographics to campaign infrastructure would keep Donald Trump from ever reaching the White House and making good on these goals. But Trump told his followers not to believe the polls showing him down and promised the pundits that there were secret Trump voters out there. 100% his campaign manager Kellyanne Conway tweeted early Wednesday morning before the election was called, in response to a Washington Post writer tweeting, There was a silent Trump vote. A big one.

It turns out Trump was right.
From ELLE

It doesn't feel real.

Donald Trump has won the 2016 election, according to The Associated Press. The Republican nominee beat out Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in an incredibly tight race.

Clinton conceded to Trump, according to multiple sources.

Trump won the pivotal states of Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, a state Clinton was expected to carry. At age 70, Trump is the oldest person to be elected President of the United States.

Trump was expected to win Nevada, where he filed a lawsuit early in the day claiming that an election official kept a polling place in Las Vegas open two hours later than the law allows last week. A judge immediately denied his request.

Trump and his Vice President Mike Pence arrived in Manhattan Tuesday evening to celebrate his win at the Hilton hotel.

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From Esquire

It doesn't feel real.

Donald Trump has won the 2016 election, according to The Associated Press. The Republican nominee beat out Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in an incredibly tight race.

Clinton conceded to Trump, according to multiple sources.

Trump won the pivotal states of Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, a state Clinton was expected to carry. At age 70, Trump is the oldest person to be elected President of the United States.

Trump was expected to win Nevada, where he filed a lawsuit early in the day claiming an election official kept a polling place in Las Vegas open two hours later than the law allows last week. A judge immediately denied his request.

Trump and his Vice President Mike Pence arrived in Manhattan Tuesday evening to celebrate his win at the Hilton hotel, where Trump delivered a victory speech.

This post will be updated.

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Its safe to say that today, absolutely nobody would be surprised if they walked outside and bumped into a stream of flying pigs, because Donald Trump has been named the new President of the United States  despite having no political experience.

In fact, the businessman has proven to be highly controversial during his presidential campaign, vowing to build a wall between the US and Mexico to stop immigrants from crossing the border, also being accused of promoting sexist and homophobic ideals.

kanye west donald trump

Trumps win has left not just America but the entire world devastated, though amid the chaos and emotion there has been an unexpected result  a revival of Kanye Wests campaign for 2020 presidency.

At last years MTV VMAs, the rapper ended up inspiring himself so much during his acceptance speech that he announced his intentions to run for President in four years time.

More recently, the star revealed that he was being completely serious, telling Radio 1s Annie Mac: We are numb, were numb to 500 kids getting killed in Chicago a year, were numb to the fact that it was seven police shootings in the beginning of July.

kanye west

Were numb to places on the Earth that we dont live  like our life is okay but its okay for other peoples lives to not be okay.

When I talk about the idea of being president, Im not saying I have any political views.

I dont have views on politics, I just have a view on humanity, on people, on the truth. If there is anything that I can do with my time and my day, to somehow make a difference while Im alive Im going to try to do it.

kanye west president

Unsurprisingly, Trumps win has ignited hope in Kanye fans that another inexperienced man can nab the most powerful job in the world, taking to Twitter to urge Kanye to genuinely start a presidential campaign:

So now that #Trump is President it seems that @kanyewest dream of being the next President is alive and not that crazy. #Elections2016  Jason Thorne (@Jason_Bakkies) November 9, 2016

Like literally, @kanyewest would've been a better president. YES WE KANYE #kanye2020  Eline Sielens (@sielosaurus) November 9, 2016

I'm so excited for @KanyeWest to kick @realDonaldTrump out of the White House and be president of the United States!! ANYTHING is possible!  Perez (@ThePerezHilton) November 9, 2016

Kanye West For President 2020 ???????? pic.twitter.com/YJ7PxM6cRa  Ramel Forde (@RamelForde) November 9, 2016

Ok America. No matter what happens today, there's only 4 years until @kanyewest becomes president #kanye2020  Alex (@alex_flack) November 8, 2016

Kanye is yet to respond to the call of his people, but we can only hope that President Yeezy becomes a reality in four short years.
High turnout at the polls today has meant long wait times, meaning lots of standing around  and lots of time to get hungry.

But one service, aptly named Pizza to the Polls, is looking to ease those hunger pangs tonight. Voters are encouraged to use the website, which is fueled by $10 donations, to send pizza pies to voters stuck in long lines at the polls.

RELATED: The Right Cocktail for Every Election Night Emotion Youll Have

So far, Pizza to the Polls has sent pizzas to locations in Miami, Chicago and Cincinnati, among other cities. And in case you doubted its success, the service reportedly raised a total of $30,000 (which translates to roughly 1,076 pizzas) as of Tuesday afternoon  with any money that is leftover post-election to be donated to a yet-to-be-named charity.

WATCH: Want to Lose Weight by Eating Pizza?

If this years candidates werent enough motivation for you to vote, free pizza might just do the trick.




donald trump newt gingrich

One of the stress-inducing things you can do today is read about what strange characters President-elect Donald Trump might want to put in his cabinet: Newt Gingrich as Secretary of State, Mike Flynn as Secretary of Defense.

I'm panicking about a lot of things, but I'm not panicking about this. Cabinet appointments are one of the few areas where I believe Congress is likely to successfully rein Trump in.

Republicans will hold only 52 seats in the Senate, assuming the Democratic pickup in New Hampshire holds up in a recount. Cabinet confirmations require 50 votes (plus that of the Vice President), so it will only take a handful of holdout Republicans to block a nominee.

Of course, Republicans in general have shown little willingness to stand up to Trump when it costs them politically, even before he has acquired the powers of the presidency. But the Senate has been a relative bright spot, with many senators having consistently withheld support and offered withering criticism  just ask Ben Sasse or Mike Lee or Jeff Flake or Susan Collins or Lindsey Graham or Lisa Murkowski.

That is, the requisite handful of Republicans who can form a check on Trump appointments appears to exist.

Aside from principled opposition to kooky nominees, Republican senators will also have two self-interested reasons to be picky about Trump's cabinet choices.

Forcing him to appoint a normal cabinet of Republican insiders would hinder Trump's efforts to build a faction in opposition to the mainstream of the Republican party. And credible threats to block his nominees would give the Senate more power in policy negotiations with Trump.

Trump will viciously attack Republicans who oppose his nominees. But senators have more room to be independent than congressmen do. They have independent political profiles and they stand for election only every six years. Those who have just been re-elected may expect Trump no longer to be president next time they have to face voters.

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My guess is the end result of this dynamic is Trump will appoint a much more ordinary Republican cabinet than people are expecting, and that Newt, fundamentally, will not be Secretary of State.

Of course, Trump could put a bunch of worrisome weirdos in positions that do not require Senate confirmation, such as national security adviser.

NOW WATCH: 'HOLD UP!': Watch Obama defend a Trump protester and scold the crowd at a Clinton rally





More From Business Insider


Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, a U.S. Army veteran who lost both her legs in the Iraq war, unseated U.S. Senator Mark Kirk, a Republican from Illinois.

According to ABC News, Duckworth was favored to win the Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama. The race could potentially determine if there is a shift in the balance of power for the U.S. Senate.

Duckworth is the daughter of a Thai-Chinese mother and a U.S. Marine father. Her father and his family had been in the United States for centuries  a point Duckworth brought up in her campaign to illustrate her familys legacy of service and her decision-making on issues of defense.

My family has served this nation in uniform, going back to the Revolution, she said. Im a daughter of the American Revolution. Ive bled for this nation. But I still want to be there in the Senate when the drums of war sound. Because people are quick to sound the drums of war, and I want to be there to say this is what it costs, this is what youre asking us to do  Families like mine are the ones that bleed first.

Sen. Kirk came under fire in late October for mocking Duckworths mother during a debate.

RELATED VIDEO: Illinois Senator Mark Kirk Makes Racially-Charged Comment About Opponents Family

I had forgotten that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington, he said.

Duckworth ignored the insult after it was said, but after the debate responded by tweeting a photo of herself with her parents.

My mom is an immigrant and my dad and his family have served this nation in uniform since the Revolution, she wrote.

Duckworth lost both her legs when her helicopter went down in Iraq. She has said that veterans issues will form the basis of her legislative priorities in the Senate, according to ABC News.

The Kirk campaign offered no apology or clarification for the remarks in a statement to NBC News.




New York (AFP) - Donald Trump's shock election victory has an unexpected beneficiary -- curious fans of hip-hop greats the Wu-Tang Clan.

Martin Shkreli, the brash pharmaceutical mogul who won wide opprobrium for massively hiking the price of a drug for HIV patients, made good -- partially -- on a promise to air his unique copy of a Wu-Tang Clan album if Trump won Tuesday's election.

Shkreli had bought "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin," of which the New York rap ensemble made only one record, for $2 million. He promised last month to release the album and other artists' unreleased music for free if Trump won, then considered a longshot by pollsters.

The 33-year-old entrepreneur early Wednesday posted on Periscope videos of himself gloating about Trump's victory as he walked into his Manhattan apartment and then played parts of the first two tracks of "Once Upon a Time in Shaolin."

The album, in line with the Wu-Tang Clan's work, opens with a dramatic introduction driven by strings, which Shkreli played with relish as he drank a can of Cherry Coke.

Shkreli indicated that he could not play more for the moment. While he did not explain the reason, he has had a rocky relationship with the Wu-Tang Clan which said the sale was completed before Shkreli's 5,000-percent rise in the price of the drug Daraprim last year.

Shkreli, who is free as he faces allegations of securities fraud, also claimed on Twitter to have unreleased music by other top artists -- The Beatles, Radiohead, The Smiths, Elliott Smith, Jimi Hendrix, The Ramones and slain rap legend Tupac Shakur.

The businessman voiced hatred for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton who had sharply criticized him over the drug price hike, although Trump had also voiced concern about the move.

Shkreli sat in front of an amplifier bearing a sticker of Clinton's leftist primary rival Bernie Sanders, who had rejected a donation from the entrepreneur.
The bulk of the Q3 earnings season is over, with 423 S&P 500 members (as of Nov 4)  accounting for 87.1% of the indexs total market capitalization  having already reported results, according to the latest Earnings Preview.

While total earnings for these index members were up 3.6% from the year-ago quarter, revenues were also up 2.4% year over year. The beat ratio was 72.8% for earnings and 55.1% for revenues.



Notably, earnings growth for this quarter is on track to be positive, after five consecutive quarters of earnings decline for the S&P 500 index. Moreover, the positive growth has arrived ahead of schedule as it was expected to show up in the last quarter of the year. Also, the quarter has seen a greater number of positive surprises and only modest negative revisions to Q4 estimates.

However, since last week, positive surprises, particularly on the revenue side, have been harder to come by and Q4 estimates have started coming down. Nonetheless, the pace of negative revisions still compares favorably with past trends.

This trend was reflected in the results of pharmaceutical companies as well. Though quite a few of the large-cap pharma companies posted better-than-expected third-quarter results last week, three large pharma companies that have reported so far this week  Allergan plcs AGN, Gilead Sciences Inc. GILD and Pfizer Inc. PFE  announced softer-than-expected results. While Allergan and Pfizer missed estimates for both earnings and sales, Gileads earnings fell short of expectations while revenues just about surpassed.

Three more companies from the healthcare sector are set to report their third-quarter results on Nov 10. Let's see how things are shaping up for their respective announcements.

AveXis, Inc. AVXS

Avexis is scheduled to report results before the opening bell. The company posted a positive surprise of 11.69% in the last reported quarter. Avexis performance has been far from encouraging, with earnings missing estimates twice while surpassing the same in one out of the three trailing quarters. This resulted in an average negative earnings surprise of 199.13%.

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AVEXIS INC Price and EPS Surprise

AVEXIS INC Price and EPS Surprise | AVEXIS INC Quote

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter is pegged at a loss of 70 cents per share. The company has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and an Earnings ESP of +11.43%, indicating a likely positive surprise. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Blueprint Medicines Corporation BPMC

Blueprint Medicinesis scheduled to report results before the market opens. The company posted a positive surprise of 4.11% in the last reported quarter. Blueprint Medicinesperformance has been encouraging, with earnings beating estimates thrice and missing in one out of the four trailing quarters. The company has an average positive earnings surprise of 5.43% for the trailing four quarters.

BLUEPRINT MED Price and EPS Surprise

BLUEPRINT MED Price and EPS Surprise | BLUEPRINT MED Quote

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter is pegged at a loss of 77 cents per share. The company has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and an Earnings ESP of 0.00%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter .

Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc. GBT

Global Blood Therapeutics delivered in-line earnings last quarter. The company delivered positive earnings surprises in three of the last four quarters, with the average positive earnings surprise being 5.54%.

GLOBAL BLD THER Price and EPS Surprise

GLOBAL BLD THER Price and EPS Surprise | GLOBAL BLD THER Quote

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter is pegged at a loss of 59 cents per share. The company has a Zacks Rank #2 and an Earnings ESP of 16.95%, indicating a likely positive surprise.

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Dwyane Wade left Miami as the perhaps the most legendary Heat player in the franchises history, and though there is much love between him and the city, the terms on which he left the team were less pleasant. Heat president Pat Riley took a back seat in free agent negotiations, choosing not to meet with Wade, and that attitude apparently hasnt changed.

Wade told the Chicago Tribune that he and Riley havent spoken since before his free agent negotiations ended, even though Riley expressed regrets for not getting involved. Still, Wade hasnt heard from the Heat head honcho since the decision, and doesnt expect to. Whats more, he sounds at peace with it.

Related Links:





I know who Pat is. Its no secret to me, Wade said following Wednesdays morning shootaround at Phillips Arena. If youre not with him, youre against him. Thats just the way he is. You gotta understand that, man. Im cool with it. Im fine, 100 percent. I was there 13 years. Ive seen a lot of video tributes. Ive seen a lot of players come in and go out. And Ive seen the way he has responded to them. And I know if youre not with him, youre against him.

Wade added that hes spoken to everyone else in the organization, and if he seems content to let it lie with Riley, thats where itll lie. But it also serves as a reminder for how Pat Riley is, which has to be counted as a contributing factor in Wades departure from the only organization hed ever known. When the Bulls come to Miami on Thursday, there will be a lot of warmth there, but none from Riley.

(Via Chicago Tribune)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The economy, terrorism and healthcare ranked as the top three concerns facing Americans casting ballots in Tuesdays presidential election, according to an early reading from the Reuters/Ipsos Election Day poll. The poll of about 35,000 people found that 25 percent of voters picked the economy as the most important problem.. Another 14 percent named terrorism/terrorist attacks and 13 percent picked healthcare. By contrast, the economy was the No. 1 concern for 46 percent of American voters in 2012, according to the Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll four years ago. Almost nobody listed terrorism as a top concern in 2012, and 8 percent listed healthcare as the top worry. A signature Trump issue, immigration, was chosen by 7 percent of voters as the most important issue in Tuesday's poll. The poll reading will be updated as more poll responses are tallied and more votes are counted across the country. (Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi congratulated Donald Trump on Wednesday on his victory in the U.S. presidential election and said he hoped his election would unleash a new era of closer ties with Washington. "The Egyptian Arab Republic is looking forward to the period of Donald Trump's presidency to imbue new spirit into the path of Egyptian-American ties with more cooperation and coordination in the interests of both the Egyptian and American people," he said in a statement. (Reporting by Lin Noueihed; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Donald Trump has won the presidential election, and members of Hollywood - both those who didn't cast their ballots for him Tuesday and those who did - are sharing their thoughts on this historical election.

The Republican candidate led the electoral vote race by winning over the battleground states of Florida, Ohio and North Carolina. Hillary Clinton trailed Trump throughout the night, being almost 40 electoral points behind at one point.

After the news broke, Trevor Noah, Seth MacFarlane and Judd Apatow shared their shock and anger, while Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jessica Chastain, Mark Duplass and Lupe Fiasco tweeted forward-thinking encouragements. Rose McGowan penned an open letter to the media: "You all had a hand in this. You must take ownership of this situation."

See some of the reactions below.

Read more: Donald Trump Named President-Elect of the United States

I guess Brexit doesn't seem so bad now.

- Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) November 9, 2016

Canada has just started building a wall.

- Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) November 9, 2016

Media this is for you pic.twitter.com/ffoix8itSB

- rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) November 9, 2016

Hold your loved ones close tonight. Let 'em feel it. Get some sleep. Back at it tomorrow. Love has a longer wick than hate & fear.

- Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) November 9, 2016

F*ck that.

I love this country, and there's more work to do than ever.

(No offense Canada) https://t.co/u9aHY1Zho4- Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 9, 2016

Go through all stages tonight.

You are allowed to feel however you like.

Take stock of your heart.

See you tomorrow.

We are all still here.- Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 9, 2016

Anyway, I'm in Mexico. This came with my coffee. pic.twitter.com/VLCmJFBWav

- Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 9, 2016

"This too shall pass."-My mom.

And she's never been wrong about it.- Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 9, 2016

Story continues

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

- carl reiner (@carlreiner) November 9, 2016

Chris Christie is the guy who invested in Apple stock when it was still 5 dollars. I'm stunned.#ElectionNight #Election2016

- Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) November 9, 2016

Looking for a silver lining, maybe this pushes us to get more involved in our country and fight for the things that need fighting for.

- Ben Schwartz (@rejectedjokes) November 9, 2016

You ever wake up and dread going to work because your boss is an asshole but you have no choice because you need the money to survive? #USA

- Ben Schwartz (@rejectedjokes) November 9, 2016

What have we done?

- Laura Benanti (@LauraBenanti) November 9, 2016

Honestly, I was. https://t.co/lx40oMtJSF

- Laura Benanti (@LauraBenanti) November 9, 2016

I wonder what the KKK expects Donald Trump do. Good time to be a builder. Soon no regulations. No hard hats. No permits! Just money!

- Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) November 9, 2016

I want to quit life.

- Rashida Jones (@iamrashidajones) November 9, 2016

#notmypresident #nevermypresident

https://t.co/QrHxNILFDV- Rashida Jones (@iamrashidajones) November 9, 2016

Dear God

Please let Ruth Bader Ginsburg live to be 120.

Amen- Albert Brooks (@AlbertBrooks) November 9, 2016

I'm taking tonight to grieve for minorities, women, immigrants, muslims & the LGBTQ community but tomorrow I'm waking up ready to fight.

- Jesse Tyler Ferguson (@jessetyler) November 9, 2016

G'night. Here's hoping that we wake up resolved, still believing that this country, though it meanders, will lunge toward perfection.

- John Cho (@JohnTheCho) November 9, 2016

Also, I don't say it enough. I love you.

- John Cho (@JohnTheCho) November 9, 2016

The positive element from all this is that we can no longer pretend that we are free of racism & sexism. The question is, what do we do now?

- Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) November 9, 2016

today I learned that activism & taking care of each other must be an everyday thing, not just an election thing

I promise to do better- Jay Duplass (@jayduplass) November 9, 2016

.@BarackObama @MichelleObama Hi I love you both.

- billy eichner (@billyeichner) November 9, 2016

REMEMBER THAT #BattlestarGalactica EPISODE WHEN STARBUCK WAS ON THE GROUND SCREAMING AND CRYING "WE'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY?" pic.twitter.com/W9qKRGVPVj

- Bryan Fuller (@BryanFuller) November 9, 2016

NOW WE ALL HAVE TO ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND DO THE HARD WORK

- Bryan Fuller (@BryanFuller) November 9, 2016

I mean I knew a lot of people in America hated women. But I didn't like know know. You know? Now I know.

- Fortune Feimster (@fortunefunny) November 9, 2016

Good thing we'll have a recount tomorrow since Trump insisted over and over that the election is rigged.

- Fortune Feimster (@fortunefunny) November 9, 2016

A New Fire Is Lit We Never Give Up. We Never Give In' pic.twitter.com/CM4PAnR1nj

- Madonna (@Madonna) November 9, 2016

God bless my little sister's generation.

- Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) November 9, 2016

well this is utterly terrifying

- Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) November 9, 2016

I am in tears

- Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) November 9, 2016

say a prayer America

- #VoteHillary (@ladygaga) November 9, 2016

THE REVOLUTION IS COMING.

- KATY PERRY (@katyperry) November 9, 2016

not my president

- jackantonoff (@jackantonoff) November 9, 2016

pic.twitter.com/a4K0k3Xrzj

- Paris Jackso (@ParisJackson) November 9, 2016

Some didn't like Bush. Some didn't like Obama. But this is different. Forget dislike. Many are genuinely fearful now. This is new.

- Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) November 9, 2016

A climate-denying, anti-equality, anti-reproductive rights establishment has been installed, so yes, we're allowed our online meltdowns.

- Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) November 9, 2016

FYI: Manhattan, where people know Trump best (he's lived, worked, & played there most of his life), gave him 10% of the vote.

- Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) November 9, 2016

We Brexited.

- Zach Braff (@zachbraff) November 9, 2016

My condolences to the President and First Lady. We will keep aiming high. We may not have you honored you this time, but we will honor you.

- Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) November 9, 2016

There's a girl or a woman out there watching tonight who will be the president. We may have to wait another generation, but she's out there.

- Liz Meriwether (@lizmeriwether) November 9, 2016

No one can stop you from being a loving, kind, generous person. No matter who wins we will be okay and find our way back to humanity.

- Mark Duplass (@MarkDuplass) November 9, 2016

Never in 15 years of living In this country have I ever felt afraid to look like I do. #immigrant

- Kunal Nayyar (@kunalnayyar) November 9, 2016

This is an embarrassing night for America. We've let a hatemonger lead our great nation. We've let a bully set our course. I'm devastated.

- Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) November 9, 2016

Fuck? Fuck.

- Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) November 9, 2016

Anyone know any good skin bleaching places?

- Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) November 9, 2016

I'll be ok. But I'm terrified for my family. My mom. My dad. My uncle. They live all over this country.

- Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) November 9, 2016

I take it all back, twist endings are terrible.

- Sam Esmail (@samesmail) November 9, 2016

Why I love @emmyrossum "on the upside, at least we can spend tomorrow getting legally stoned."

- Sam Esmail (@samesmail) November 9, 2016

When they go low, we go high. We regroup. We listen. We double down. We bet on us. Good night.

- Emmy Rossum (@emmyrossum) November 9, 2016

- Sara Bareilles (@SaraBareilles) November 9, 2016

The racist sexist tax-dodging psychopath @realDonaldTrump is the next President of America. Those who voted for him will bitterly regret it.

- David Walliams (@davidwalliams) November 9, 2016

LET ME SAY IT AGAIN: OUR NEW PRESIDENT DOESNT BELIEVE MAN MADE CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL.

THIS IS CATASTROPHIC#ElectionNight- Adam McKay (@GhostPanther) November 9, 2016

We Had One Job.

- Questlove Gomez (@questlove) November 9, 2016

If you wanna cry watch Van Jones give the first cognizant minority understanding of the election on CNN tonight. He just made it real.

- Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) November 9, 2016

When do we start googling "What is Brexit?"

- Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) November 9, 2016

We stand together. We stick up for the vulnerable. We challenge bigots. We don't let hate speech become normalised. We hold the line. https://t.co/ro9AkRSc9Q

- J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 9, 2016

This is not a local phenomenon. A trend of ultra right, antiestablishment nationalist movements are having their turn at bat globally.

- Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) November 9, 2016

But I do not think it is the end. The same hopelessness you feel now is the same millions of Trump supporters felt & why they voted for him

- Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) November 9, 2016

On BOTH sides. my fans who supported Trump U have to lead too! It's on your shoulders to carry out the plan. Let's see the work not the jerk

- Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) November 9, 2016

If its just an ego victory & your cleansing of the temples was not based in actual plans of fundamental change. Your about to have a problem

- Lupe Fiasco (@LupeFiasco) November 9, 2016

Agradezco inmensamente a las personas que me brindaron su apoyo y carino. El respeto a las mujeres seguira siendo una lucha dia tras dia

- Alicia Machado (@machadooficial) November 9, 2016

9/11- 11/9 we will never forget.

A photo posted by Kate del Castillo (@katedelcastillo) on Nov 9, 2016 at 5:56am PST
Hollywood is heading to the voting booths.

Stars kicked off their Tuesday morning with politics on the mind, as Chris Evans, Halle Berry, Dana Brunetti, Mindy Kaling, Colin Quinn, Madonna, Bill Maher, Ron Howard, Anne Hathaway, Liev Schreiber, Taraji P. Henson, Uzo Aduba, Lady Gaga, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen are among those who shared voting-themed posts on social media.

They did so with flair: by including patriotic Bitmojis, "I Voted" stickers, archival photos and video selfies with that Hillary Clinton filter on Snapchat.

See all of the Election Day selfies as they flood in below.

Read more: The Millennial's Guide to Voting Etiquette

No matter what happens tonight, hate will never win. I believe in our capacity to love. We will fight to protect it.

- Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) November 9, 2016

No matter who wins- my offer still stands- can we PLEASE all be friends again in the morning? #TeamHuman

- Kristen Bell (@IMKristenBell) November 9, 2016

Yup.

A photo posted by Zac Levi (@zacharylevi) on Nov 8, 2016 at 7:34pm PST

Nothing to do but watch the will of the people at work. #Election2016

- shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) November 9, 2016

And this is how WE wait for the results to come in. I'm with her..@AllisonBJanney #imwithher pic.twitter.com/dniMRQBrRn

- Ilana Reiss (@ibksr) November 9, 2016

That's My Girl! #NewYork #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/l3KWfMWotp

- Jennifer Lopez (@JLo) November 9, 2016

What I've learned so far tonight: America is WAAAAAAAAY more sexist than it is racist. And it's pretty fucking racist. #ElectionNight

- Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) November 9, 2016

Get it together. #TooCloseToCall #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/qlgEcjih8A

- Chelsea (@Chelseashow) November 9, 2016

If you live in Florida and voted for Gary Johnson you can honestly go fuck yourself.

- Timothy Simons (@timothycsimons) November 9, 2016

One way or another, history will surely be made tonight.

Let it be the good kind. Please, please let it be the good kind. #ElectionNight- J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 8, 2016

Story continues

Freaking out w Stoney! At our "election headquarters" @sharonstone #electionnight #imwithher #women #vote #LGBTQ pic.twitter.com/cgdzJSTwaM

- Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) November 9, 2016

Uh-oh, Rudy's on @FoxNews! Talkin' 'bout Cubans, popping his eyes. #ElectionNight

- Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) November 9, 2016

I  this country. Best place in the world to live. #ElectionNight

- Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) November 9, 2016

8 years ago tonight, we were getting rocks thrown at us while getting out the vote at @UF. Props to everyone doing GOTV tonight. #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/aP7ictnEsP

- Kal Penn (@kalpenn) November 9, 2016

It's time!!! share with your friends we are in the home stretch.. lets wave the same flag today and tomorrow!! #Elections2016 #electionday pic.twitter.com/bwUczpJpcw

- Wilmer Valderrama (@WValderrama) November 9, 2016

Vote wisely this #ElectionDay! pic.twitter.com/nJRAfi9rf8

- Daryl Dixon (@ImmortalDixon) November 9, 2016

The Latino vote can help decide the fate of a nation and the world's, don't stand still vote now! Shak

- Shakira (@shakira) November 9, 2016

To all my American friends no matter your background, race, sexuality, religion, get out, vote & remember that you're in control. #imwithher pic.twitter.com/hWf6B0Jo6N

- AlunaGeorge (@alunageorge) November 9, 2016

Your voice matters. Your vote counts. #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/aUMwESoobP

- Bryce Dallas Howard (@BryceDHoward) November 8, 2016

Yay! I just voted for Trump! Did you? Lol pic.twitter.com/fvITUZywQU

- Tila Tequila (@AngelTilaLove) November 8, 2016

PSA from the @ACLU - If you are in line by the time the polls close, stay in line. #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/rqQxaVOGnY

- Joseph Gordon-Levitt (@hitRECordJoe) November 8, 2016

RT if you're up with nope. #G4P16 #ElectionDay #Partner https://t.co/lyAauRyszs

- Grumpy Cat (@RealGrumpyCat) November 8, 2016

It feels like USA is waiting for biopsy results. #ElectionDay

- Adam McKay (@GhostPanther) November 8, 2016

Yup..better believe #IVOTED #electionday 2016 #RockTheVote pic.twitter.com/RakLDtNu7M

- Gabriel Mann (@Gabriel_Mann) November 8, 2016

#Election2016 #ElectionDay #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/65zBtxNMBB

- Rihanna (@rihanna) November 8, 2016

The only way to use your voice. #vote #electionday pic.twitter.com/R7eE1StB2x

- Summer Rae (@RealSummerWWE) November 8, 2016

I've #voted in three Presidential elections: twice for the first black President and once for the first female President. #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/sPd8JpRMk9

- Milan Christopher (@MilanChrisGordy) November 8, 2016

pic.twitter.com/J3hnZimIas

- Madonna (@Madonna) November 8, 2016

Let's go forward, America. Let's make HISTORY pic.twitter.com/I6xEBl7hA3

- rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) November 8, 2016

#ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/6Ic3S7ew75

- Reese Witherspoon (@RWitherspoon) November 8, 2016

Well, that happened ... pic.twitter.com/oFiS6SyAyx

- Don Cheadle (@DonCheadle) November 8, 2016

At the twitter offices to watch some election numbers roll in. There's still time to make your voice heard! #myvote2016 pic.twitter.com/oMqOKNXISU

- Ken Bone (@kenbone18) November 8, 2016

We voted to keep moving forward together! #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/lhwKWLmQLE

- Official Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) November 8, 2016

I voted! #ElectionDay #MyVote2016 pic.twitter.com/uQulvz4ZIW

- Megan Nicole (@megannicole) November 8, 2016

Go VOTE!!! #ImWithHer #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/CmWZYz3nvo

- Viola Davis (@violadavis) November 8, 2016

I voted for that nasty woman! #imwithher #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/SW9Tx9Ebez

- Max Joseph (@maxjoseph) November 8, 2016

#imwithher pic.twitter.com/XVlO4viteu

- Ashley Tisdale (@ashleytisdale) November 8, 2016

I voted for Hillary today & I while I was voting I was listening & vibing out to .@AndersonPaak... #votesANDvibes pic.twitter.com/EeTRhzJJLM

- will.i.am.BUTTONS (@iamwill) November 8, 2016

Hope everyone went out and #voted pic.twitter.com/TbSqyBsHVx

- Hilary Duff (@HilaryDuff) November 8, 2016

Let's see all those voters out there. #Vote2016 pic.twitter.com/PZJM0BV7MT

- Mason Crosby (@crosbykicks2) November 8, 2016

I voted! Did you? Send me pics of you with sticker. #election2016 #votolatino pic.twitter.com/y5FeCDSOWg

- Adrian Gonzalez (@Adrian_ElTitan) November 8, 2016

I voted.

Have you?

Please do.

pic.twitter.com/ZkOzbtvARq- Tyra Banks (@tyrabanks) November 8, 2016

Couldn't sleep last night and can't nap right now, I'm too anxious for tonight!! #imwithher

- Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) November 8, 2016

Throw back to Oct 25th when I gave myself the best bday prezzy ever by voting for my girl https://t.co/i68TG6Ixi1

- KATY PERRY (@katyperry) November 8, 2016

Now is the time to make your voice heard. Please get out and vote. Our future depends on it. #Imwithher #futurepresident #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/96Go6YatXd

- Usher Raymond IV (@Usher) November 8, 2016

Today is the day. Go out and VOTE pic.twitter.com/NdJ0OeiuUH

- Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) November 8, 2016

i vooOoOooOoOoOOoted #electionday

- Rebecca Black (@MsRebeccaBlack) November 8, 2016

VOTE!!!!! pic.twitter.com/fceEKAzKM3

- Portia Doubleday (@PortiaDd) November 8, 2016

#electionday #prop64 #Repost @merryjane



VOTE ABOUT IT, SMOKE ABOUT IT #vote  https://t.co/yc80Qr6MKl pic.twitter.com/q8oghzBazo- Snoop Dogg (@SnoopDogg) November 8, 2016

I voted!

A photo posted by Joel McHale (@joelmchale) on Nov 8, 2016 at 1:24pm PST

I've ever enjoyed standing in a 2 hr line more than right now. #atthepolls. #electionday #imwithher Leave as much time as u can to vote.

- Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) November 8, 2016

Have youuuuu??? #imwithher pic.twitter.com/WpLW2kg6bm

- Vanessa Hudgens (@VanessaHudgens) November 8, 2016

#StrongerTogether #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/hfhuURagmk

- Valerie Bertinelli (@Wolfiesmom) November 8, 2016

Voted!!!!!!!!!!! #vote pic.twitter.com/6Vm4UrdYBb

- Katrina Law (@katrinalaw) November 8, 2016

VOTE! pic.twitter.com/NAlZyuSHvd

- Zach Braff (@zachbraff) November 8, 2016

Waited in line for an hour at the polls... totally worth it! What a privilege to cast my vote. #electionday

- Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) November 8, 2016

Goodbye, Australia. You were amazing as always. Now we wait to see what fresh hell awaits us off the plane in LA. #ElectionDay

- Michael Jones (@AH_Michael) November 8, 2016

Anybody else happy this election is almost over? #Voted #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/U1mvJLFLPE

- Nev Schulman (@NevSchulman) November 8, 2016

Fingers crossed... #ElectionDay https://t.co/gnSHZugaml pic.twitter.com/WkeUuAUzBr

- Joseph Gordon-Levitt (@hitRECordJoe) November 8, 2016

u got 2 do it #electionday #prop64 https://t.co/pBiawSe5Bi

- Snoop Dogg (@SnoopDogg) November 8, 2016

VOTE! If you don't know where, @dosomething can help -- text VSPOT to 38383. Life is a game, so let's win it together!! #electionday pic.twitter.com/z9wEhmWbsN

- Smosh Games (@SmoshGames) November 8, 2016

#ElectionDay

Your voice in this world does not end with voting! Create direct action, change the way you consume, make a real difference!- Nash Grier (@Nashgrier) November 8, 2016

On #ElectionDay, we were honored to welcome President and Mrs. Carter and their family to tour @SunTrustPark! pic.twitter.com/KyDK81LtyI

- Atlanta Braves (@Braves) November 8, 2016

Yay democracy!! If you're in need of a reminder that your voice matters, check out my latest video... then go VOTE!! https://t.co/QB8CAfj09C pic.twitter.com/ao7gHI38kx

- Sam Tsui (@SamuelTsui) November 8, 2016

Voting feels really good! Like eating an ice cream sandwich. Do it! Just don't put your sticker on your glasses. Very unsafe. Trust me #Vote pic.twitter.com/AuZ0gUSmWy

- Ed Helms (@edhelms) November 8, 2016

Big night ahead for our friends in the US. May the best candidate win.. (and I hope she does!) #ElectionDay

- Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) November 8, 2016

Get up, get out, and go vote!

- Mike Vick (@MikeVick) November 8, 2016

What a lovely day. Go Vote! #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/XtAsVTLSgL

- Bobby Moynihan (@bibbymoynihan) November 8, 2016

We voted. Honored to live in a country where we ALL get to participate. pic.twitter.com/FwAb5cw3fn

- Sean Hayes (@SeanHayes) November 8, 2016

#herstory pic.twitter.com/T5CiSxx4OO

- Cyndi Lauper (@cyndilauper) November 8, 2016

I had six stiff drinks and then voted. #RockTheVote pic.twitter.com/0EOcZPSCsC

- Conan O'Brien (@ConanOBrien) November 8, 2016

Today we all get a chance to say where we believe the country should go. #vote pic.twitter.com/i0cZwz3AZi

- COMMON (@common) November 8, 2016

Please watch this powerful #ElectionDay message from @S_C_. And if you haven't already done so pls vote. #ImWithHer https://t.co/sIGDpEMXLZ

- kerry washington (@kerrywashington) November 8, 2016

RT and spread this message Monsters! It's election KRUNCHTime and EVERY VOTE counts! #ElectionDay #Elections2016 #GoVote #Vote pic.twitter.com/tDp628xJs1

- #VoteHillary (@ladygaga) November 8, 2016

Vote for someone, not just against. #GOTV #JohnsonWeld pic.twitter.com/t0kTuXUgKH

- Gov. Gary Johnson (@GovGaryJohnson) November 8, 2016

Voter love

WE LOVE HILLARY! @HillaryClinton #electionday #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/0AaJTaubSe- Felicity Huffman (@FelicityHuffman) November 8, 2016

Vote. @MrsScottBaio @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/OEAptJq1dS

- Scott Baio (@ScottBaio) November 8, 2016

Yeah I did .... did u ? pic.twitter.com/qMan8c67xm

- Joey Fatone (@realjoeyfatone) November 8, 2016

Voted in pure Susan B Anthony realness. #ImWithHer #dealwithit pic.twitter.com/T9C41zz81t

- Emma Myles (@_emmamyles) November 8, 2016

No caption necessary. pic.twitter.com/c3Z7yoZKz5

- Halle Berry (@halleberry) November 8, 2016

CHEAH!!! pic.twitter.com/02jsvNLMxm

- Leslie Jones (@Lesdoggg) November 8, 2016

#electionday #IVOTED #DrKen pic.twitter.com/oNGZY5s19d

- Ken Jeong (@kenjeong) November 8, 2016

Did you vote? We did! @EllenPompeo #Vote2016 #sensenotnonsense pic.twitter.com/zFDr09ElaR

- Debbie Allen (@msdebbieallen) November 8, 2016

Just voted!!!!!! - KU #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/jqpYLtaDtI

- Keith Urban (@KeithUrban) November 8, 2016

I did it! Happy voting day!!! (I cried when I voted!!) pic.twitter.com/xLkBnHwDdi

- Mayim Bialik (@missmayim) November 8, 2016

I voted today for @HillaryClinton I am so proud of all of you who did the same! #imwithher pic.twitter.com/AKTuhmEqui

- Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) November 8, 2016

PROUDLY and JOYFULLY #stillwithher @ambertamblyn pic.twitter.com/NCV7qQoH2b

- America Ferrera (@AmericaFerrera) November 8, 2016

Please do. An hour on the line. Maybe one of the most important hours ever. pic.twitter.com/gpewWIunLB

- jason alexander (@IJasonAlexander) November 8, 2016

What a thrill! I just find it so exciting to vote in person. Only at 45min wait. Got a bit emotional. #ImWithHer #HerStory #IVoted pic.twitter.com/XhVkMDG8Tv

- Tracee Ellis Ross (@TraceeEllisRoss) November 8, 2016

Bc I want my two daughters to know that anything is possible. #imwithher pic.twitter.com/MC7gmpOCnO

- Mark Duplass (@MarkDuplass) November 8, 2016

First time voter!!! I'm with her@sarcasticmsnash AND #imwithher pic.twitter.com/LLcZszsAFy

- Niecy Nash (@NiecyNash) November 8, 2016

Not telling you who to vote for but ask yourself: which candidate will give a more entertaining concession speech?

- Conan O'Brien (@ConanOBrien) November 8, 2016

Latinos can make a difference today. Go out and vote. Be seen. Be heard.

- Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) November 8, 2016

Vote. Prove wrong all those that say we don't count. Those that think us invisible and silent.

- Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) November 8, 2016

Pls vote for Hillary today. Even if you don't like her, its necessary to block a dangerous lunatic ultimate power. #ThisTimeIsDifferent

- Bill Maher (@billmaher) November 8, 2016

No way does she grow up in your slo-mo temper tantrum version of America, @realDonaldTrump. #electionday pic.twitter.com/oPZzFoNNCK

- Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) November 8, 2016

I already voted now it's YOUR turn #vote #dontboovote #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/huzuJfibta

- Constance Zimmer (@ConstanceZimmer) November 8, 2016

If I can my ass up this early and vote. You can too. Let's go family!!! pic.twitter.com/0vtn1HtdKa

- Ice Cube (@icecube) November 8, 2016

Don't boo...vote! pic.twitter.com/wFq3v8bFHe

- Gina Rodriguez (@HereIsGina) November 8, 2016

I wish I could vote today. #ImWithHer

- JA Bayona (@FilmBayona) November 8, 2016

I'm a nasty woman. pic.twitter.com/bFs4BYW7Gn

- I'm With Her (@Alyssa_Milano) November 8, 2016

#VOTE pic.twitter.com/rwJT7U2byA

- J O E J O N A S (@joejonas) November 8, 2016

One of the greatest honors of my life was voting for you today mom. As always, I'm beyond proud of you pic.twitter.com/d4azrAry0U

- Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) November 8, 2016

Go VOTE. #imwithher

- Scooter Braun (@scooterbraun) November 8, 2016

No matter how you feel about the presidential choices it's crucial to vote for down ballot progressives. Voting is a right & responsibility. https://t.co/Kkfn1Mxz62

- Susan Sarandon (@SusanSarandon) November 8, 2016

Well thank you Erika's daughter. If kindergartener's could vote, I'd have a real shot https://t.co/Kfc7QUhUcD

- Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) November 8, 2016

The dream for the immediate future: #ImWithHer! Happy Election Day, America! VOTE pic.twitter.com/RzQJcrJOvV

- Lupita Nyong'o (@Lupita_Nyongo) November 8, 2016

As I head out to vote, I want to express my admiration, respect & gratitude to Barack & Michelle Obama. Proud of their work, class & dignity

- Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) November 8, 2016

I'm showing you mine, now you show me yours!!! (I voted stickers of course!)

VOTE!!!#ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/T45Ukvqs8N- Aja Naomi King (@ajanaomi_king) November 8, 2016

MOM CANT BELIEVE,SHE LIVED LONG ENOUGH 2SEE A WOMAN BECOME PRESIDENT OF HILLARY'S GIVING MY 90YR Old

MOM,HOPE MY MOM IS SO PROUD OF HILL- Cher (@cher) November 8, 2016

My nickname at work is "momma" so, do as I SAY and DO.@HillaryClinton #HillaryClinton pic.twitter.com/rGM4yCu5FP

- Jamie Lee Curtis (@jamieleecurtis) November 8, 2016

I voted like 2 weeks ago but here's my sticker! Go vote! Seriously.....GO VOTE! pic.twitter.com/4IlVFmkikq

- Gabby SidiBae (@GabbySidibe) November 8, 2016

I put in my #vote! Did you? https://t.co/bat6kfhlEC pic.twitter.com/ZJ3yuSE8oJ

- Tori Spelling (@Tori_Spelling) November 8, 2016

1. Make sure you know how to vote today: https://t.co/Hy8C4mIL2M

2. Get on the phone and make sure others do, too: https://t.co/tS5yvtd2iK pic.twitter.com/OOoJhZf6p1- Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) November 8, 2016

Today's the day!! Get out there and vote everybody! #VoteYourFuture pic.twitter.com/cnHMXi7ROe

- Eva Longoria Baston (@EvaLongoria) November 8, 2016

What, it's Election Day ALREADY?? Man, that campaign season just FLEW BY!!!!!! Okay, America, let's do this. pic.twitter.com/tSgyaUKJvg

- Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) November 8, 2016

Just voted! Send me your voting pics! #ElectionDay #Election2016 pic.twitter.com/3Rpk7osQIw

- Katie Couric (@katiecouric) November 8, 2016

#ImWithHer @HillaryforFL @HillaryClinton pic.twitter.com/l8ugV82gmx

- Beau Willimon (@BeauWillimon) November 8, 2016

That way pic.twitter.com/e9GotOcqez

- Shad Moss(Bow Wow) (@smoss) November 8, 2016

My daughter just showed me this and then watched her dad cry with pride. #iwithherandher pic.twitter.com/h2MZKPghxE

- Chris Sacca (@sacca) November 8, 2016

Happy Election Day. Take your kids to #vote. #history pic.twitter.com/6d1vmRybZr

- Elizabeth Banks (@ElizabethBanks) November 8, 2016

#WeAreWithHer pic.twitter.com/R3po1gapnv

- Kris Jenner (@KrisJenner) November 8, 2016

Brown, proud and voting loud!!!! Immigrants make this country great. Vote no for bigotry and yes to love vs hate! pic.twitter.com/eLDCFSU7hw

- Padma Lakshmi (@PadmaLakshmi) November 8, 2016

"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything" -Albert Einstein #VOTE #ImWithHer

- Chris Colfer (@chriscolfer) November 8, 2016

Don't vote if you're really stupid. Thank you.

- Mike Judge (@MikeJudge) November 8, 2016

If you are upset at politicians, then don't vote for one! Vote for a solution, not more of the problem! #ElectionDay #Trump #MAGA

- Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 8, 2016

After 3 days of trying to vote but none could help her my sister persevered! voted! #She'sWithHer2 @EmilyLeguizamo pic.twitter.com/GGDMHHpVUq

- John Leguizamo (@JohnLeguizamo) November 8, 2016

As embarrassing as it has been this very overly dramatic campaign, I am proudly standing in line super excited to vote..

- LINDA PERRY (@RealLindaPerry) November 8, 2016

No matter who you vote for, good for u for being a citizen! Take a shot of yourself in that I voted sticker and share it with us! #IVOTED

- shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) November 8, 2016

The right to vote is a privilege don't take it for granted!! GET OUT AND VOTE!!https://t.co/1gFJ7khOIm

- Leslie Jones (@Lesdoggg) November 8, 2016

Did my duties as a proud #American citizen this morning! #USA #Vote

Now off to work to kick some ass! #AgentsofSHIELD pic.twitter.com/pv2TupyHxx- Ming-Na Wen (@MingNa) November 8, 2016

There's a woman IN LABOR right now at my polling place. That's how badly she wanted to vote. #ElectionDay

- jonny umansky (@jonnyumansky) November 8, 2016

America! Banish the embarrassment of the last 18 months! Regain the world's respect! Vote for compassion and intelligence. #ImWithHer

- Alan Cumming (@Alancumming) November 8, 2016

This filter is genius #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/LTUnDrKnkT

- John Legend (@johnlegend) November 8, 2016

Put so much black on the circle next to Hillary's name, I must've drained the pen of ink. GO VOTE TODAY #ElectionDay #NeverAClown #ImWithHer

- Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) November 8, 2016

Americans, its time for you to vote. You dont have great options, just pick the lesser of two evils, I dont envy you. Good luck & #FuckTrump

- Asa Butterfield (@asabfb) November 8, 2016

Did you?! #govote #vote #IVOTED #Election2016 pic.twitter.com/Ll1GkxxsNN

- Naya Rivera Dorsey (@NayaRivera) November 8, 2016

Today is your day to prove yourself, America! VOTE! (We did.) & U can still help @HillaryClinton get out the vote! https://t.co/ouBNVo72dU pic.twitter.com/RNqrRwCU9L

- Misha Collins (@mishacollins) November 8, 2016

good morning. please join me #vote today #America

- Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) November 8, 2016

Happy Election Day!

Make sure your voice is heard!

Vote!#ImWithHer.#TheFutureisFemale pic.twitter.com/s6XK0ZYDzt- Danai Gurira (@DanaiGurira) November 8, 2016

I couldn't have any more respect and love for this man. He would have had my vote even if he weren't my uncle. https://t.co/EpPokkXBZ5

- Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) November 8, 2016

Today's the day! This is not the election to sit out, folks. Too much at stake. Too much progress to unwind. Get out and VOTE! #imwithher

- Mandy Moore (@TheMandyMoore) November 8, 2016

Let's Keep America Great!!! Thank you NYC for your support! #imwithher pic.twitter.com/Onkz0AhjKz

- Madonna (@Madonna) November 8, 2016

Let's do this. pic.twitter.com/vMcXpZ6SBt

- Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) November 8, 2016

In New York, we always saw the signs . #ImWithHer #Vote @HillaryClinton pic.twitter.com/QwRtgAOgHq

- Uzo Aduba (@UzoAduba) November 8, 2016

Who would have thought that our wedding anniversary would happen to be Election Day! Happy anniversary @LaraLeaTrump pic.twitter.com/jXcgcJRJAL

- Eric Trump (@EricTrump) November 8, 2016

Man. It feels good to vote.#vote2016 pic.twitter.com/e5KT2Lsx4m

- Lee Pace (@leepace) November 8, 2016

We love democracy! One voice, one vote! Go get your vote on! pic.twitter.com/W6Nr3up7lK

- America Ferrera (@AmericaFerrera) November 8, 2016

Tonight..in the most dramatic election ever..2 candidates..only one will make it to the White House (read in Harrison voice.I mean my voice)

- Chris Harrison (@chrisbharrison) November 8, 2016

The definition of a fighter is someone who doesn't give up. Hillary, this one's for you. #ImWithHer #Vote #Fighter pic.twitter.com/r9Z2sv6kA2

- Christina Aguilera (@xtina) November 8, 2016

DONE! #imwithher pic.twitter.com/7BgBEt2oh8

- Marc Jacobs (@themarcjacobs) November 8, 2016

it's here!

please VOTE!

don't abandon ur country.

don't abandon ur freedom.

don't be a part of the problem.

be a part of the solution.- christina perri (@christinaperri) November 8, 2016

I'm gonna vote so hard today.

- Josh Peck (@ItsJoshPeck) November 8, 2016

Look for and vote for down-ballot Greens today to build our party for the people stronger at every level! #ItsInOurHands

- Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) November 8, 2016

So much has been written and said about the election. US citizens, get out & vote for your future https://t.co/QaImNbeQ2P #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/6JoZemvokv

- Richard Branson (@richardbranson) November 8, 2016

Okay, y'all have a blessed day and please get out and vote!

- yvette nicole brown (@YNB) November 8, 2016

Damn, that felt good.

Your turn!#vote pic.twitter.com/oDNIXpT2f6- Alex Lacamoire (@LacketyLac) November 8, 2016

I can't vote yet,but those of you who can,please remember that you are voting for my future & the future of those who can't vote yet as well

- Bailee Madison (@BaileeMadison) November 8, 2016

Ok I'll vote. But there better not be a line and being real about it I've given more to this country than it has ever given back to me.

- Colin Quinn (@iamcolinquinn) November 8, 2016

I guess today's the day we're supposed to vote or whatever?

- Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) November 8, 2016

I've said my piece. Hard decisions in an imperfect world but I have GREAT HOPE for all of us so I'll put my attention on that. VOTE

- Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) November 8, 2016

My fellow Americans!! Are you off to the vote? Don't forget your sample ballots w your positions on the propositions!

- Hannah Hart (@harto) November 8, 2016

Line out the door. 2 hour wait. Board of Elections & Nypd officer say only 1 of 5 scanners working. Still gonna wait. #vote pic.twitter.com/RxNBtDNJZX

- Don Lemon (@donlemon) November 8, 2016

Today is just one day, but it will determine the next four years. Be a part of history by heading to https://t.co/MlL3j3jMp5, then vote! pic.twitter.com/M12iP4SUDX

- Tony Goldwyn (@tonygoldwyn) November 8, 2016

Gender Equality. Start from the top. Dare to put a woman in power. #theprinceandthepresident #vote pic.twitter.com/20kHYBZsr7

- Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) November 8, 2016

No matter who you vote for, it's pretty cool to know that at least 150 million people are going to be really pissed off in a few hours

- elan gale (@theyearofelan) November 8, 2016

In an upbeat and optimistic line with hundreds of other voters this mornin -- exhilarating! If you CAN vote, then P https://t.co/FAQeKhoi7v

- Tim Gunn (@TimGunn) November 8, 2016

The polls are open! How is everyone feeling?!YOUNG PEOPLE& MILLENNIALS THIS IS YOUR VOTE!YOUR FUTURE! #HillaryClinton she is our only hope

- Ian Somerhalder (@iansomerhalder) November 8, 2016

Hey LA get out and vote. pic.twitter.com/Dz08SQsfn4

- Chris Rock (@chrisrock) November 8, 2016

I cast my ballot! Let your voice be heard. VOTE! #imwithher @HillaryClinton pic.twitter.com/RbA3z42STr

- Trai Byers (@JustTrai) November 8, 2016

All the cool people are voting and so did I. #ElectionDay #Vote2016 pic.twitter.com/SQeHNyffTL

- Jim Gaffigan (@JimGaffigan) November 8, 2016

For our future, I'm with her. pic.twitter.com/DZL5Q43a4X

- Kourtney Kardashian (@kourtneykardash) November 8, 2016

I was with her then, too! #imwithher

A photo posted by Andy Cohen (@bravoandy) on Nov 8, 2016 at 7:41am PST

I'm voting for whomever will fix this day light savings time bullshit.

A photo posted by Dana Brunetti (@dana) on Nov 8, 2016 at 6:45am PST

Successful night celebrating our hard won right to #vote and the incredible work @projectvoteorg does to protect it.  Thank you to The Fly Honeys, Thalia Hall, and everyone who came out tonight.  And yes my jeans are even encouraging you to vote because I wear my heart on my sleeve and my pants. #Vote #VoteHoney

A photo posted by Sophia Bush (@sophiabush) on Nov 7, 2016 at 10:56pm PST

Via @emilia_clarke #ImWithHer #Khaleesi

A photo posted by elliegoulding (@elliegoulding) on Nov 8, 2016 at 3:54am PST

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. - Martin Luther King Jr." #VOTE

A photo posted by Neil Patrick Harris (@nph) on Nov 8, 2016 at 4:13am PST

This election is serious. She is serious. She listens. She thinks. She cares. She will listen to the American people. She will think about us. U.S. These United States. She will listen and think and care for people who opposed her too. She is an amazing woman who deserves our support. @hillaryclinton #hillaryclinton

A photo posted by Jamie Lee Curtis (@curtisleejamie) on Nov 8, 2016 at 4:49am PST

A photo posted by jake johnson (@mrjakejohnson) on Nov 7, 2016 at 9:50am PST

3am, Election Day, Jon Bon Jovi strolls back to the press cabin on our final flight ever on the Hillary campaign plane. #0daystogo #2016

A photo posted by Liz Kreutz (@kreutzel) on Nov 8, 2016 at 12:18am PST

In my travels I ran across this magazine in the Dubai airport... it's no secret how the world feels #election2016 #vote

A photo posted by Steve Harvey (@iamsteveharveytv) on Nov 7, 2016 at 10:30pm PST

One of the greatest privileges we have as Americans is a voice. I'm proud to say I did my part, now it's your turn. #ImWithHer

A photo posted by Karlie Kloss (@karliekloss) on Nov 8, 2016 at 5:07am PST

Go Vote!!!! #Election2016 #Vote2016 #USElections2016

A photo posted by Antonio Banderas (@antoniobanderasoficial) on Nov 8, 2016 at 5:06am PST

Election Day Game Face with @ladygaga #govote #voteforhillary

A photo posted by Michelle Kwan (@michellewkwan) on Nov 8, 2016 at 3:56am PST

#VOTE

A photo posted by Mariska Hargitay (@therealmariskahargitay) on Nov 8, 2016 at 5:24am PST

The last thing my mother did was go vote for Obama ! So it's odd that I would run across this picture on Election Day , the day after her birthday n she's wearing a shirt saying "vote your choice " well mommy I already did but Pls vote today guys !!!

A photo posted by Jennifer Hudson (@iamjhud) on Nov 8, 2016 at 6:47am PST

Right off the plane from Hawaii to go vote. #electionday

A photo posted by Nick Jonas (@nickjonas) on Nov 8, 2016 at 7:54am PST

no matter how long the line, stick around. Your. Vote. Counts. May the best woman win. #imwithher

A photo posted by Jenna Ushkowitz (@jennaushkowitz) on Nov 8, 2016 at 8:30am PST

Today is #ElectionDay! Have you made your voice heard yet? Check the link in my bio to find out where to vote

A photo posted by Anne Hathaway (@annehathaway) on Nov 8, 2016 at 7:06am PST

Nothing like the feeling of witnessing your child vote for the first time. Nothing. MAKE IT COUNT!

A photo posted by Kelly Ripa (@kellyripa) on Nov 8, 2016 at 5:15am PST

Our family voted and we couldn't be happier. How 'bout you??

A photo posted by Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) on Nov 8, 2016 at 8:28am PST

Boys are stoked to #vote!

A photo posted by Liev Schreiber (@lievschreiber) on Nov 8, 2016 at 6:50am PST

#Vote

A video posted by taraji p henson (@tarajiphenson) on Nov 8, 2016 at 9:33am PST

Today is the day! Sending positive vibes to us all. Let's vote like our lives depended on it because in truth... it actually does. I pray we are on the right side of history but it's not only about a President. Both corrupt and fair judges... elected officials. School boards, etc... elected by a vote. So please don't believe the hype. Whatever you do, however you do it.... #Vote may the force be with us

A photo posted by Jussie Smollett (@jussiesmollett) on Nov 8, 2016 at 8:24am PST
As it looks more and more likely that Donald Trump will become the president-elect, some Californians are taking to social media to renew calls for a break from the United States.

Late in the evening on Tuesday, Nov. 8, the term #Calexit was trending locally on Twitter. Another popular hashtag was #Caleavefornia, accompanying tweets from exasperated and resigned Californians who were following along with the presidential race, where media outlets are projecting that Trump is on the verge of a stunning upset of Hillary Clinton.

Calls for California to secede from the United States have been around for some time, but the British vote to leave the European Union, known as Brexit, reignited such talk over the summer. Now some in California, a predominantly liberal state that was quickly called for Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night, are renewing the Calexit discussion.

Among those who took a stand was Silicon Valley venture capitalist Shervin Pishevar, who unleashed a string of tweets, in which he declared that he would fund "a legitimate campaign for California to become its own nation."

1/ If Trump wins I am announcing and funding a legitimate campaign for California to become its own nation.

- Shervin #VOTE (@shervin) November 9, 2016

He continued: "We need to have serious national dialogue about our culture, values & rampant sexism, racism and hate that Trump campaign has exposed."

Others made more lighthearted comments about #Calexit on social media.

TV producer Tom Forman was among many who noted on Twitter that California has one of the world's largest economies. He also pointed out that the state now has legal weed, thanks to the Tuesday vote to legalize the drug in California.

California has world's 6th largest economy. And legal weed. And dolphins. #Caleavefornia

- Tom Forman (@tomformanprod) November 9, 2016

On Facebook, author Michael Chabon also called for a break from the rest of the country.

One group, Yes California, has been leading the charge in Sacramento to bring about a secession vote. It is planning to host an informational session about its secession plan on Wednesday outside the State Capital Building in Sacramento. On a public Facebook event page, the group says, "no matter who is elected, California deserves its independence."
A common refrain in the months leading up to Nov. 8's historic American election - "I'll move to Canada if Donald Trump wins" - started to feel a lot less like a joke as the reality star-turned-politician inched closer and closer to a victory.

The Government of Canada immigration and citizenship website crashed on Tuesday night, presumably under the weight of anxious Americans worried about their status under a Trump presidency. A spokesman for that office did not immediately return a request for comment.

Moving to Canada is not quite as simple as some Americans - including celebrities like Barbra Streisand, Bryan Cranston and Keegan-Michael Key - might hope.

There are various working visa paths available to applicants with post-secondary education or at least one year of skilled work experience. If you have a job offer in Canada, that's a big help. If you have relatives in Canada, you might be able to obtain Canadian permanent residence under a Family Class program.

Read more: Election Night: Hollywood Gets Panicky as Results Start Rolling In

If you own your business, that's a path to Canadian immigration. And if you have a high net-worth (alert: celebrities) there are a number of options available to you, so long as you promise to spend that capital in Canada.

In order to be eligible for Canadian citizenship, applicants must have lived in Canada for at least four out of the last six years and be fluent in at least one of the country's two official languages - French and English.

If you marry a Canadian - and Canada has legalized same-sex marriage - then you immediately gain all rights to Canadian citizenship. But be warned: Immigration is well aware of marriage fraud and the penalties are stiff. (The page that describes what the penalties are, however, had also crashed on the night of the election.)

And if you're wondering where in Canada to call home, you can always consult THR's handy Post-Election Canadian Relocation Guide for Celebrities.

Good luck, eh?

Read more: Hollywood's Secretive Conservative Group Cheers Trump's Big Night
President-elect Donald Trump's celebrity supporters have been vocal throughout the Republican candidate's 16-month campaign, but they came out in full force during Election Night on Tuesday.

The Republican candidate won the election with a major lead in electoral votes by winning over Florida, Ohio and North Carolina, which were all battleground states. Trump led Clinton 290 to 228 electoral votes according to CNN.

Showing their support for their presidential candidate, Stephen Baldwin, Tila Tequila and Jesse James shared their thoughts on Twitter as the candidate led the presidential race.

Read more: Donald Trump Named President-Elect of the United States

See some of their reactions below.

Great faith in God works. Mr @realDonaldTrump I'm proud to call you President of the United States of America. And First Lady @MELANIATRUMP

- Scott Baio (@ScottBaio) November 9, 2016

God bless America !!

& our 45th

President of the USA & the new first family ...@realDonaldTrump @kellyannepolls #MakeAmericaGreatAgain pic.twitter.com/5sLNZqVWuD- Stephen Baldwin (@StephenBaldwin7) November 9, 2016

I promise,

this will be my final snarky tweet ... ; ) @realDonaldTrump @SarahPalinUSA @KellyannePolls @nbcsnl #MakeAmericaGreatAgain pic.twitter.com/LUtiTKJq0y- Stephen Baldwin (@StephenBaldwin7) November 9, 2016

On the plus side @HillaryClinton won't ask for a recount for fear of being caught cheating while she lost

- Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) November 9, 2016

It was so quiet in the Clinton campaign headquarters last night you could hear an email being deleted......

- Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) November 9, 2016

Congratulations @realDonaldTrump for your stunning victory over your opponent! Looking forward to making AMERICA great again!

- Steven Seagal (@sseagalofficial) November 9, 2016

Thank you @realDonaldTrump !!!!

- Antonio Sabato Jr (@antoniosabatojr) November 9, 2016

Just relax he's a good dude that loves this country. He will work his ass off. https://t.co/EpV2hyrGX4

Story continues

- jesse james (@FreeJesseJames) November 9, 2016

Attaboy!! https://t.co/6VRGB5OoOL

- jesse james (@FreeJesseJames) November 9, 2016

CONGRATULATIONS PRESIDENT TRUMP! @realDonaldTrump against all odds ..against the establishment and even against most from the GOP..U did it!

- Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) November 9, 2016

I'll tell U who I wouldn't want to be right now..1 of the many GOP primary candidates who pledged to support the GOP candidate & didn't

- Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) November 9, 2016

God is moving .....

& America is speaking !!

PTL@realdonaldtrump @KellyannePolls #MakeAmericaGreatAgain#GodBlessAmerica pic.twitter.com/yiSUfIJQvG- Stephen Baldwin (@StephenBaldwin7) November 9, 2016

We are watching history being made

- Jenna Jameson (@jennajameson) November 9, 2016

Take a good look at what the right side of history looks like! Lolol https://t.co/Ja11knrOZU

- Tila Tequila (@AngelTilaLove) November 9, 2016
Walking up Fifth Avenue on Election Night, midtown landmarks are awash in apolitical patriotism. The crown of the Empire State Building is lit up in red and white and blue. Not to be outdone, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, home of NBCUniversal, is striped all along its facade in the same colors. Passersby talk of one thing: The election.

You dont see the first hint of police activity until 53rd Street, a couple of cops standing alert but idle by a barricade. Their numbers increase gradually until they reach their full at 56th Street, blocked off from traffic by human bodies  police, for the most part  and trucks from the New York Department of Sanitation. This is the entrance to Trump Tower.

Just before 7 p.m. ET, and there are just three Trump supporters in a barricaded pen on the far side of Fifth Avenue. Gawkers stop for photos. No one yells anything obscene or angry on either side.

Even after a half hour, only one other supporter has arrived. Yvonne, a 48-year-old single mother from the Lower East Side who would prefer her last name not be used, tells Variety that this is unusual. Weve had rallies here all the time, there are thousands of us, she says, showing photos on her phone of a large group of people bearing a CHINESE FOR TRUMP banner.

Yvonne clambered on board the Trump train after seeing him speak. I was just so captivated, she says. She is tired of the corruption she sees in the government; and she blames Obamacare for her employer not continuing to offer her insurance. Because she couldnt afford a health plan, she had to pay the penalty for not being insured. Yvonne says her mother is Puerto Rican; her father, from Spain.

Yvonne is joined by Theresa Boul, a middle-aged black woman holding a Drain the Swamp sign. Boul says a couple hours earlier, there were about 60 people in the pen, but that about a third of them werent true Trump supporters. They led most of the rest on a walk around the surrounding area. She knew they werent true believers because they didnt want to hold any of her Drain the Swamp signs or be photographed.

Story continues

It doesnt matter how many bodies we have, she says. We have more voices.

All the same, even though shes out in front of Trump Tower, I had to drag myself today to vote, she says. Ive voted Democrat all my life. Not only that, she was a staunch supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders in his primary campaign. What changed?

She saw the reports on the Democratic National Committee e-mails unearthed by WikiLeaks, and then she saw how Sanders capitulated to his opponent. Its about corruption, she says. Trump is the only candidate that stands against corruption.

Rob Nilsen, a Long Island resident, sees in Trump a businessman who helped build New York City into what it is today, on a micro level, and can do the same on a macro level for the country.

But if Trump loses on Tuesday night, unlike his candidate, Nilsen says hell accept the result. I trust the system, he says. Yvonne and Boul dont share his trust, but they dont see what else they can do.

These die-hard supporters felt compelled to come out to stand across the street from the gilded building that is home to the candidate they voted for today. Nilsen vows to stay there until the bitter end of Election Night. Boul will see how the evening goes. Yvonne may go to a party or two somewhere else. After all, its getting late, and its getting chilly.

(Pictured: Theresa Boul)

Related stories

Trump's Victory Stuns the World; 'It Happened'

Vladimir Putin Congratulates Donald Trump on Victory

European Stock Markets Fall Following Trump Victory
* Won hits 4-month high; KOSPI tumbles

* Korea suspected of supporting won; wary of Asia

intervention

* Philippine peso at 7-year low; ringgit over 8-month trough

(Adds more details, traders. Updates prices)

By Jongwoo Cheon

SINGAPORE, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Most emerging Asian currencies

weakened in volatile trading as U.S. Republican Donald Trump

drew closer to a shock victory in the U.S. presidential election

on Wednesday, prompting investors to flee to safe-haven assets.

South Korea's won touched a four-month low,

leading regional losses.

The Philippine peso hit a seven-year trough and

the Malaysian ringgit slumped to its weakest in more

than eight months, tracking a tumble in oil prices.

"Sea of red on my screen," said Stephen Innes, senior FX

trader for FX broker OANDA in Singapore.

Some emerging Asian currencies started the day firmer on

bets of that Democratic Hillary Clinton would win, but they lost

ground once Trump started moving ahead in battleground states,

including Florida and Ohio.

Asian stocks tumbled, while most regional government bond

prices rose.

The Mexican peso plunged more than 13 percent to a

record low, as Trump's trade policies are considered deeply

negative for the export-heavy economy.

Emerging Asian currencies were also seen as vulnerable to a

potential Trump win due to his protectionist stance on trade.

"It is like Brexit unfolding. Markets are now reacting to a

Trump lead," said Christopher Wong, a senior FX strategist for

Maybank, referring to Britain's unexpected decision in June to

exit the European Union.

"Risk proxies such as the won will be hit harder among

emerging Asian currencies."

WON

The won lost as much as 1.9 percent to 1,157.3 per dollar,

its weakest since July 8.

South Korea's main stock exchange slid 2.3 percent

as foreign investors sold for a sixth straight session.

The foreign exchange authorities were suspected of

intervening to limit the won's downside, traders said, with a

chart support at a 200-day moving average at 1,155.0 per dollar.

Story continues

Still, the outlook for the won remained bearish, traders and

analysts said.

"Considering Trump's protectionist trade stance and military

issues, it is difficult to compare the impact on the won with

other Asian currencies," said a South Korean bank trader in

Seoul.

"The authorities are seen trying to defend the won, it looks

beyond their ability. We will see 1,160 in offshore markets."

PHILIPPINE PESO

The peso was bid at 48.85 per dollar, its weakest since

September 2009, as offshore funds dumped the Philippine

currency.

Manila stocks tumbled 2.6 percent, hurting sentiment

toward the peso.

The peso recovered some of its earlier losses with caution

growing over possible intervention by the central bank to

support the currency, though traders were looking to sell the

peso on any rebounds.

A senior Philippine bank trader in Manila expected the peso

to weaken to 49.50 per dollar in the medium term, due to

uncertainties over migration, remittances and exports.

CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR

Change on the day at 0640 GMT

Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move

Japan yen 102.07 105.15 +3.02

Sing dlr 1.3906 1.3864 -0.30

Taiwan dlr 31.505 31.507 +0.01

Korean won 1148.43 1135.00 -1.17

Baht 34.90 34.94 +0.10

Peso 48.810 48.580 -0.47

Rupiah 13170 13083 -0.66

Rupee 66.82 66.62 -0.31

Ringgit 4.2240 4.2000 -0.57

Yuan 6.7659 6.7838 +0.26

Change so far in 2016

Currency Latest bid End prev year Pct Move

Japan yen 102.07 120.30 +17.86

Sing dlr 1.3906 1.4177 +1.95

Taiwan dlr 31.505 33.066 +4.95

Korean won 1148.43 1172.50 +2.10

Baht 34.90 36.00 +3.15

Peso 48.81 47.06 -3.59

Rupiah 13170 13785 +4.67

Rupee 66.82 66.15 -1.01

Ringgit 4.2240 4.2935 +1.65

Yuan 6.7659 6.4936 -4.02

(Reporting by Jongwoo Cheon; Additional reporting by KyoungHo

Lee in SEOULS; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
Empire State Building

Voters looking to track the election in New York City can look up at the Empire State building to see real-time election results.

CNN and the New York landmark are displaying election results and photos on the south facade of the building. The display is tracking the electoral votes racked up by Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, and Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton as the night goes on.

Voters can also submit their election night photos to be displayed on the building by tagging their Instagram photos with #MyVote.

The display was created by Obscura Digital in collaboration with CNN and Instagram.

Both candidates are hosting their election night events in New York City Tuesday night, not too far from the display. Trump's will be hosting his event at New York Hilton in midtown while Hillary Clinton will be at the Jacob. K. Javitz Convention Center.

It really just struck us as this incredibly unique opportunity, Ed OKeefe, a senior vice president at CNN, said to The Washington Post.

After the most vitriolic campaign, and months of back-and-forth across the nation, they both end up here, he said.

Check out the display in the instagram video below:

For the first time ever, in collaboration with @CNN, the Empire State Building is the beacon to the world, revealing the 2016 US Presidential Election results in real time, magnificently displayed on its facade! Follow the elections progress with us right here: (http://bit.ly/2fATAHl) #MyVote #election2016 A video posted by Empire State Building (@empirestatebldg) on Nov 8, 2016 at 5:51pm PST on Nov 8, 2016 at 5:51pm PST

NOW WATCH: Obama: Trump couldnt get a job at 7-Eleven





More From Business Insider


Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fstory%2fthumbnail%2f27409%2ftrump_battle_thumb

LONDON  Sometimes, there's only one way to combat nerves, or tension, or downright shock: sweet, relentless Photoshop battling.

SEE ALSO: 10-year-old Barron Trump looking tired AF is all of us right now

As US election day unfolded, Reddit's r/photoshopbattles subreddit was busy capturing the key moments  and photoshopping the hell out of them.

Things kicked off with the moment Donald peaked over at Melania when they were voting.

Very photoshop-able.

Image: AAP Photo/ Evan Vucci

Obviously, there was a joke about hand size.

Image: imgur/elelegante101

Others, meanwhile, thought it looked like he'd been caught cheating in a test.

Image: imgur/supertararot

Things escalated quickly.

Image: imgur/daeys

Next, there was that memorable Trump cake.

It's certainly distinctive looking.

Image: David Mercer/PA Wire

One Redditor was quick to make a Muppets comparison.

Image: imgur/elelegante

And then the Trump family watching the election results come in.

Someone decided to add Eric Trump's smile to everyone in the room, with unnerving results.

Eric Trump's smile, multiplied.

Image: imgur/mahtdaymen

And it wasn't long before the cake made a return.

The return of the cake.

Image: imgur/elelegante101

Finally, the White House got the Photoshop treatment.

People are imagining how the White House might look under Trump.

Image: AP Photo/Susan Walsh

People began imagining how it might look different under its new president.

Image: imgur/claxton-stewart

Perhaps it could be customised in a subtle way?

Image: imgur/akgoal

Or maybe, a slightly less subtle way?

Image: imgur/funny-lookin-stain

Strong work, internet.
President-elect Donald Trump speaks during an election night rally, Nov. 9, 2016, in New York. (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP)

Leaders of prominent environmental organizations are concerned that Donald Trump was elected president. But they have a clear message for their supporters: Dont mourn. Organize!

Gene Karpinski, the president of the League of Conservation Voters, said Wednesday that its important to keep campaigning for the environment even though Trump has decried climate change as a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese.

Were going to keep in his face to make sure that he understands that the public knows that climate change is real and needs solutions, he said during a conference call with reporters. Well be in the Congress, in the courts, in the boardrooms, in the streets, organizing the broad public that supports action on climate change.

The League of Conservation Voters had endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton in November 2015 when she was vying against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders for the partys nod.

Karpinski noted that climate change was not a key focal point of the 2016 race. But Trump has had no problem dismissing the scientific consensus that manmade climate change threatens to upend the global status quo. Indeed, his Twitter feed throughout the years has called for global warming whenever there was a cold spell.

On the policy front, Trump has also made his feelings clear. The president-elect promised to back the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement, in which nearly 200 nations pledged to reduce their carbon emissions so that the average global temperature increase is below 2C.

A man in U.S. colors sits on the curb during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump, Nov. 9, 2016, in Seattles Capitol Hill neighborhood. (Photo: Ted S. Warren/AP)

Yahoo News asked Karpinski what else Trump could do  aside from reneging on the Paris Agreement  that would also have a devastating effect on the environmental movement.

Look, the polluters have a wish list. You mentioned one of them, which is the international agreement, he responded. The Clean Power Plan is another, the Keystone Pipeline was another, drilling in the Arctic refuge is another. So theres a long list of things they might try. And we should just assume that, because Im sure the polluters are plotting in their downtown offices about what potential they have. And all of those fights are critically important.

Story continues

On the same conference call, Michael Brune, the executive director of the Sierra Club, argued that the celebrity businessman turned president-elect is a clear danger to the planet.

Make no mistake, the election of Donald Trump could be devastating to our climate and our future. Donald Trump now has the unflattering distinction of being the only head of state in the world to reject the scientific consensus that climate change is real and that mankind is the cause, he said.

Brune further said that Trump will face a simple choice: putting the U.S. back on a path toward climate disaster or listening to public pleas to take a leadership role in combating climate change. He guaranteed that Trump will face a hard political fight if he wants to roll back President Obamas progress on the issue.

Anna Aurilio, who runs the D.C. office for Environment America and was also on the Wednesday call, said her group was terrified when Trump vowed to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, dismantle the EPA, and flat-out denied climate science.

Weve made amazing progress, she said. At this point in time, we cant afford to stall out. Its not enough to defend against any rollbacks. We have to accelerate the progress if were going to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement.

Aurilio nevertheless quoted Clintons concession speech from earlier in the day when the defeated Democratic nominee said the American people owe Trump an open mind and the chance to lead.

_____

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By John Davison SHAHREZAD, Iraq (Reuters) - Seif Mohammed, his nose cut and swollen, winced and held his back. He had a narrow escape the previous day, surviving an Islamic State suicide car bomb then fleeing his home in Mosul to take shelter about a mile away. "The blast didn't just destroy my house but a whole block," the 24-year-old said. "They don't target the army, they target civilians. There were three car bombs yesterday in Intisar. My dad and brother are still in hospital, I haven't heard news of them. The neighbors were killed." Iraqi forces entered Mosul last week and pushed into the Intisar district in an operation to drive the hardline group from its last major city stronghold in Iraq. The offensive, which involves a 100,000-strong alliance of troops, security forces, Kurdish peshmerga and Shi'ite militias backed by U.S.-led air strikes, has so far gained just a small foothold in Mosul since it began four weeks ago. Iraqi forces were fighting Islamic State militants in Intisar on Tuesday. Fleeing residents said the militants had stepped up violence against civilians, including using car bombs, as they came under increasing military pressure in Intisar. Ali Dhaher, 20, who had sheltered in an abandoned home overnight, looked relieved even as explosions sounded around him and fighting raged nearby. "Thank God we're no longer under Daesh," he said, using a pejorative Arabic acronym for the Sunni extremists. "Daesh is a byword for savagery. They target civilians even before targeting the army. It's increased too. Wherever they are more encircled and lose territory, they increase their attacks on civilians." Dhaher's family also had a narrow miss from a bomb attack the day before, he said. They were safe but people in the neighborhood had been killed. Dhaher and Mohammed spoke from the Shahrezad district on the outskirts of eastern Mosul, where they took shelter overnight. Iraqi forces were shelling IS positions in Intisar from there on Tuesday. After more than two years of IS control, hundreds have escaped the area this week but even in Shahrezad they are not out of danger yet. A loud explosion sent a group of them scattering for shelter. Fathi Abu Abdallah, nursed a fresh wound to his upper lip and looked shaken. "They (IS) shot me, right as I was collecting food aid next to the mosque on that corner, just a few minutes ago," he indicated. An Iraqi flag fluttered at the top of the green minaret. Small arms fire could be heard in the distance and the blast of army mortar fire more closely. Civilians huddled behind a wall for a few minutes after Abu Abdallah was hit. FLEEING AND FOOD BOXES In the rush to escape eastern Mosul, women clutching babies and elderly men and women stepped past burnt-out cars. Soldiers hoisted them onto army trucks headed for the Khazir refugee camp. Trucks loaded with boxes of food and medical supplies pulled into Shahrezad even as tanks and armored vehicles positioned themselves behind battle-damaged buildings. "This is the first aid that's reached Shahrezad, and we're thankful for that. People have been hungry and with no medical equipment," said local notary Abbas, who was directing distribution of the aid. He held a list of 70 families who had fled Intisar and needed supplies. "It's not enough, though," he said. "There's one box per family. This might last for four or five days, and then what happens?" Young men climbed aboard the aid truck to unload it while men queued for the boxes to be distributed or squatted in the dirt. The United Nations has warned of a possible exodus of hundreds of thousands of refugees. Mosul is still home to up to 1.5 million people. So far at least 34,000 have been displaced, the International Organization for Migration says. Dhaher and his father Hassan said their best bet was to head for Khazir, on foot if necessary. "We need to go to any camp. Life is impossible, we've been left with nothing. We havent had food or water since we fled," Hassan Dhaher said. "Under Daesh, we didnt have anything either - everyone was poor," he added. The family, from the Sufi Muslim sect, said they had suffered under the jihadists. "Two of my sons in law were executed, slaughtered - one on accusations of collaboration, and the other simply for being a Sufi," Hassan Dhaher said. "It was like living in prison, we stayed at home and tried not to be noticed." They hoped the army would flush Islamic State out of their neighborhood once and for all. A senior Iraqi commander in the area told Reuters earlier that advances had been slower since entering Mosul itself. "We don't want to rush it because there are civilians and we don't want to harm them. It's harder to us to go into built up areas," General Shaker Kazem Mohsen said. In Shahrezad, an Iraqi army officer peered through a compass, ordering his soldiers to adjust their mortar fire and zero in on Islamic State positions. Some of the few residents left offered soldiers tea as the small arms fire began to sound more distant. (Reporting by John Davison; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
The estranged wife of a once-missing South Carolina man allegedly killed by a possible serial killer was arrested Tuesday for impersonating a police officer in a possible attempt to find her husband, PEOPLE confirms.

Nichole Ellen Carver, 35, allegedly pretended to be an Anderson police officer to get access to phone records of husband Charlie Carver, 32, who was reported missing in August along with his girlfriend, Kala Brown, 30, Anderson police spokesman Captain Mike Aikens tells PEOPLE.

Carver allegedly wanted to geo-locate her husbands phone, possibly so she could locate him after he went missing, Aikens says.

Last Thursday, Brown was rescued from a storage bin, where she had been chained, on a property owned by Todd Kohlhepp, a 45-year-old real estate agent. Kohlhepp allegedly confessed to a 2003 quadruple homicide and authorities suspect him in the deaths of seven people. Kohlhepp is currently only charged with four counts of murder from the 2003 deaths, Spartanburg County officials tell PEOPLE.

Upon her rescue, Brown alleged that Kohlhepp had abducted her and Carver and that she watched him fatally shoot Carver. During the time the couple was considered missing, mysterious Facebook messages appeared on Carvers page along with an updated profile photo.

On Oct. 8, Nicole Carver allegedly called AT&T, her husbands phone carrier, claiming she was a detective hoping to geo-locate the phone and potentially her husband, Aikens says.

AT&T became alarmed when Carver was allegedly unable to provide the correct badge number, Aikens says. The phone carrier company quickly notified police.

She didnt know how to spell the detective name, Aikens tells PEOPLE. She got it wrong twice.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Carver was allegedly kept on hold while AT&T called police and ascertained that she was not a police officer.

Story continues

Authorities were granted a search warrant for a copy of the recorded phone conversation, which helped identify Carver as the suspect, Aikens says.

On Wednesday morning, Carver appeared in court for a bond hearing. She is being held on $2,500 and is set to appear in court again on Dec. 16, Aikens says. She has not been appointed an attorney or entered a plea, Aikens says.




Brussels (AFP) - The European Union will continue to work together with the United States following the election of Republican Donald Trump as president, EU foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini said Wednesday.

"EU-US ties are deeper than any change in politics. We'll continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe," Mogherini said as Trump won a stunning upset victory.
By John Irish

PARIS (Reuters) - Europe must not flinch in defending its interests and people now that Donald Trump's election win has added to the uncertainty created by Britain's decision to exit the European Union, France's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

France is a key American ally, and its officials had in recent weeks openly endorsed Hillary Clinton for U.S. president and warned that Trump's "confused" foreign policy objectives were alarming for the rest of the world.

"We have to meet the challenge for a Europe that must be able to better defend its citizens and its interests," Ayrault told France 2 television.

"Europe cannot blink after Brexit, after the election of Donald Trump with all the questions being raised, Europe must stand together more, be more active and go more on the offensive even if it is just to protect itself."

President Francois Hollande, who has yet to announce whether he will run for a second term in next year's French presidential election, said Paris wanted to immediately begin talks with Trump to clarify his stance on key international affairs.

"This American election opens a period of uncertainty," the Socialist president told reporters. "In the context we need a strong France and a united Europe capable of expressing and carrying out its policy everywhere where its values and interests are put into question."

Trump's campaign was marked by insults and inflammatory rhetoric with regard to radical Islam, while on international affairs he has brought into question U.S. policy on everything from Syria to Iran, Mexico and North Korea.

France, which vies with Britain for status as the world's fifth largest economy, has itself been reeling in the wake of several deadly attacks claimed by Islamic State militants since last year.

Trump's comment in July that "France is no longer France", and that if it had looser gun laws then the attacks would not have happened, upset French officials.

"The U.S. is a vital partner for France and what's at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, economic relations and the preservation of the planet," said Hollande. "On all these levels, I will begin immediately discussions with the new American administration, but I will do it with vigilance and frankness."

Story continues

NO IMPOTENCE OR WEAKNESS

With just six months to go before France goes to the polls, likely conservative candidates also sought to stress the importance of a stronger France and more united Europe.

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy, who is trailing rival Alain Juppe in opinion polls as they campaign for the conservative presidential ticket, said France must tackle the new world order head on.

He said it was clear that with Trump now joining Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping as leaders determined to defend their country's interests, France could no longer sit passively on the sidelines and blindly accept the impact of globalisation, immigration and Islamist militancy.

"Times will be tough. France must play its role to re-establish authority. My belief is that there will be no place for impotency, weakness or surrender," Sarkozy told reporters.

Juppe, a former prime minister, said it was too early to give a view on Trump in light of the U.S. Republican's contradictory comments especially with regard to France and Europe, which he "appears to know pretty badly".

"It forces us to reorganise ourselves because the United States will defend its interests so we will need to defend ours, those of France and Europe, so in a way the ball is in our court," Juppe said.

(Additional reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Jean-Baptiste Vey and Simon Carraud; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Donald Trump has been elected president of the United States, with a surprise win in Wisconsin leading him to victory in Wednesday's early hours.

According to the Associated Press, Trump scored Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes with 49 percent of the vote compared to Hillary Clinton's 46 percent, with 99 percent of the precincts reporting.

"It's going to be a beautiful thing," Trump said Wednesday morning as he celebrated the victory in New York City. He said he was going to help Americans realize their potential and rebuild the nation's infrastructure and restore its greatness.

"Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach. America will no longer settle for anything less than the best. We must reclaim our country's destiny," he said.

It was a historic night of wins for the GOP nationwide, and Wisconsin's Republican candidates won the state in victories the party hasn't seen in at least three decades. Trump's victory, bolstered by Wisconsin voters, was a sharp rebuke to state and national polls which showed Republicans down in recent weeks. It was the first time that Wisconsin went to a Republican presidential candidate since 1984.

Sen. Ron Johnson's victory helped Republicans retain control of the U.S. Senate. Republicans also held on to majorities in both chambers of the state Legislature.

Johnson won re-election 51 percent to Russ Feingold's 46 percent. Johnson blew past poll projections, including the widely cited Marquette University Law School Poll, which put the Senate race in a dead heat and the presidential contest favoring Hillary Clinton last week.

No Marquette poll conducted over the course of the presidential campaign put Trump ahead in Wisconsin, but he continued to crisscross the state in the weeks leading up to the election. Clinton herself did not campaign in the state for the general election, though members of her campaign and her running mate Tim Kaine did.

Earlier in the evening, before the race was called, Dane County Republicans held a watch party at the Concourse Hotel in downtown Madison, with about 100 people gathered to watch election results. Throughout the night, watchers cheered, hugged and high-fived as networks cast one state after another for Trump. Country music played and eyes were glued to Fox News.

Many said they were optimistic all along and supported Trump from the beginning.

"I'm feeling good, (but) it's a nail-biter," said Donna Wiersma, of Madison, who was wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat as she watched results. She said she supported Trump for president even before he announced his candidacy and believes he will improve the economy.

"He knows how to run things, he's a smart guy and he's really bright," she said, adding that she did not believe the women who had come forward during the campaign alleging that Trump had sexually assaulted them years ago.

"I don't care what these women were saying... that's bull crap," she said.

Scott Grabins, Dane County GOP chairman, said he was always "cautiously optimistic" but was pleasantly surprised to see the party's wide margin of victory for Johnson and the encouraging numbers for Trump in Wisconsin.

He said he knew some Republicans who were not enthused with Trump but came around to voting for him anyway. Turnout is always a big factor, he said. His hope for Trump to win the presidency was bolstered by the party's big wins in Wisconsin.

"When I saw Johnson come out with such a commanding win, I thought 'Trump can do it too,'" he said.

For Jennifer Wunderlin, it was issues of national security, high taxes and a need to improve the economy that drew her to Trump.

She and her husband, Ian Wunderlin, pay far too much in taxes, she said, and she wants to see that decreased.

"I think Trump will reduce a lot of waste in Washington," she said.

This was the first presidential election for the 21-year-old student at Madison Area Technical College and she said she was "not surprised" at all to see Trump's strong numbers in Wisconsin.

"In the rural areas, I had no doubt," she said. "I saw this coming."

She was particularly pleased to see Iowa go for Trump as well, and said her grandparents, both in their 80s and lifelong Democrats, switched their vote this year to Trump because of his promises to return manufacturing jobs to the country.

Down the road, at Brickhouse BBQ, about 100 students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison College Republicans ate wings and chips and salsa, drinking and watching results. Midway through the night, after Johnson's race was called for him, students started taking "shots for RoJo" and spirits were high.

Alex Walker, son of Gov. Scott Walker and chairman of the College Republicans, said the chapter had worked hard knocking on doors and making calls for candidates, especially Johnson.

"We're optimistic, we're excited," he said just before the Johnson race was called. "For us, it's personal, especially for Ron Johnson. He is already outperforming."

Lyndsay Schmitt, a junior at UW and a member on the College Republicans executive committee, said she was not always a Trump supporter, but in recent weeks she decided to vote for him. She disagreed with his derogatory comments about some groups of people, but said she believed he was the better choice.

"I still don't think he stands for all Republican beliefs," she said. "I think he's a better option than Clinton."
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The European Union will have to accept the consequences if it decides to halt membership negotiations with Turkey, President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Wednesday. "If they resort to such ways, they will have to live with the results," Ibrahim Kalin said in an interview with broadcaster A Haber. "If the EU is making threats to freeze accession talks, these threats don't have any basis here." His comments came after the bloc's top official in charge of ties with Turkey told Reuters in an interview that Ankara must reverse its post-coup crackdown on civil rights or risk an end to accession talks. (Reporting by Orhan Coskun, Daren Butler and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Nick Tattersall)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Leaders of the European Union institutions invited Donald Trump to a summit as soon as he can schedule one and cited security and trade ties as key in a letter on Wednesday congratulating him on his election as U.S. president. "Today, it is more important than ever to strengthen transatlantic relations," wrote Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, presidents respectively of the European Council, which groups member states, and the executive European Commission. "Only by cooperating closely can the EU and the U.S. continue to make a difference when dealing with unprecedented challenges such as Da'esh (Islamic State), the threats to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, climate change and migration." "Fortunately, the EU-U.S. strategic partnership is broad and deep: from our joint efforts to enhance energy security and address climate change, through EU-U.S. collaboration on facing threats to security in Europe's Eastern and Southern neighborhoods and to the negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) - we should spare no effort to ensure that the ties that bind us remain strong and durable." (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Parliament President Martin Schulz on Wednesday said he hoped for a "rational cooperation" with Donald Trump as the next U.S. president after a bitter political campaign. "It will not be easy because during the election campaign we heard some elements of protectionism, also some worrying words about women, about minorities," said Schulz, a German Social Democrat. "But my experience is also that election campaigns are different from the real politics during a term of the president so I hope that we will get back to a rational cooperation," he said in televised remarks. In a separate written statement, he highlighted need for Trump to formulate more detailed policies after a campaign that capitalized on voters' discontent with the status quo and he also listed key international policies that could be affected by the change of administration in Washington. "Mr. Trump has managed to become the standard-bearer of the angst and fears of millions of Americans. Those concerns must now be addressed with credible policies," Schulz said. "Vitriol and polarization have fueled this electoral contest. President Trump will have the daunting task of bringing together a divided nation. "From Syria to Iraq, from Ukraine to Libya, Trumps role in diplomacy and dealmaking will be tested from Day One," he added. "From the fight against global warming to its commitment to NATO, the world awaits and hopes for an outward-looking presidency aiming at shaping international relations and upholding the values of freedom and democracy." (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)
By Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission proposed on Wednesday a new way to assess whether Chinese manufacturers are exporting products such as steel at unfairly low prices in response to Beijing's demand for change by the end of the year.

The European Union and many of China's other trading partners have been debating whether to grant China "market economy status" (MES) from mid-December, which Beijing says is its right 15 years after it joined the World Trade Organization.

For now, China is treated as a special case. EU investigators seeking to pinpoint dumping compare Chinese export prices to those of a third country, such as the United States, rather than to domestic prices in China.

The United States has warned China it has not done enough to qualify for market economy status. Beijing has insisted it be treated like any other WTO member. Not doing so is seen as risking a wave of litigation and a trade war.

EU trade ministers are expected to discuss the new anti-dumping measures at a meeting on Friday along with other plans to modernize the EU's trade defense arsenal.

The Commission's proposal, which would need approval from the 28 member states and the European Parliament to become law, says that in general the normal reference value in dumping cases involving WTO members would be the domestic prices.

However, if there are "significant distortions" affecting domestic prices as well, investigators can instead use international benchmark prices.

Such significant distortions primarily relate to state interference, whether directly or indirectly such as public policy leading to cheap finance.

"This does not mean today we say that China is a market economy. It clearly isn't," EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom told a news conference.

Outside, some 15,000 steel workers marched to demand action to protect the sector. Protection against Chinese dumping is a central demand. Steel has been the focus of recent EU trade action against China, with many steel grades now facing duties.

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Aegis Europe, an alliance of 30 European manufacturing industries, said the anti-dumping proposal crucially shifts the burden of proof, meaning EU producers must show such distortions. Under the current regime, it is for Chinese firms to prove they are operating under normal market conditions.

To counter this, the Commission says it will issue reports identifying such distortions in certain countries or certain sectors. EU manufacturers may be able to rely on a report to calculate what the normal reference price should be.

Aegis also said it created legal uncertainty and called for improvements. The conservative EPP group in the European parliament said it was important to ensure the rules were safe from challenges at the WTO.

(Additional reporting by Marilyn Haigh; editing by Mark Heinrich)
By Gabriela Baczynska and Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union voiced grave concern about Turkey's crackdown on opponents since a failed July coup in a highly critical report on Wednesday that made clear that Ankara's prospects of joining the bloc have become ever more distant. Turkey had rolled back the independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression and other fundamental democratic standards since the coup attempt, the EU said in its most hard-hitting annual report on the country's long-running membership bid. "The coup attempt of July 15 was an attack on democracy per se. Given the seriousness of the situation, a swift reaction to the threat was legitimate," the EU's top enlargement official, Johannes Hahn, said. "However, the large scale and collective nature of measures taken over the last months raise very serious concerns. "Turkey as a candidate country must fulfil the highest standards in the field of the rule of law and fundamental rights. In this year's report we therefore stress Turkey's backsliding in the area of rule of law and fundamental rights." The report risks further damaging the EU's relations with a country it is relying on to restrict the flow of migrants and refugees from Syria and elsewhere. A Turkish presidential spokesman said the EU would have to accept consequences if it decided to halt Turkey's slow-moving accession negotiations. "If they resort to such ways, they will have to live with the results," spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Earlier, President Tayyip Erdogan showed his frustration with the long stalemate over membership, saying the EU should take its final decision on Turkey's application quickly. "Reassess it, but do not delay in reassessing it. Make your final decision," Erdogan said in a televised speech. "SERIOUS QUESTIONS" The post-coup crackdown, which has seen more than 110,000 soldiers, judges, teachers, journalists and others detained, dismissed or suspended, has shocked the EU as it tries to work with Ankara on migration and countering terrorism. The EU has stepped up its criticism of Ankara since its arrest of prominent Kurdish lawmakers last week, and it said it would be Erdogan's fault if Turkey failed to meet criteria for a promised removal of visa requirements for visiting Europe. The report said Turkey's anti-terror laws were being applied too broadly. "The measures taken since July... raise a number of very serious questions going to the heart of the rule of law," Hahn said. "These various actions, including considerations on reintroducing the death penalty, seem to be increasingly incompatible with Turkey's official desire to become a member of the EU. It's time Ankara tells us what they really want." In a separate interview with Reuters, Hahn said Turkey's EU candidacy was hanging in the balance. Luxembourg and Austria, as well as some European lawmakers called on the bloc to halt membership talks with Turkey or punish it with other sanctions. But Germany, the bloc's top power, opposes sanctions now and Chancellor Angela Merkel was a key driving force behind a March migration deal with Ankara that cut arrivals of refugees and migrants to Europe via Greece to a trickle after a mass and uncontrolled influx last year. (Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
By Alastair Macdonald and Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - For Europe, already reeling from Britain's decision to leave its 28-member club, Donald Trump's election introduces a host of new uncertainties it is ill-equipped to tackle. Preoccupied by a growing anti-establishment mood across the continent, the European Union's leaders gave little thought to the idea a man dubbed "the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement" by Germany's deputy chancellor could take power in the United States. The day before, one of the EU's leaders had confided a contingency plan of "crossing ourselves and praying". The day after, as they pledged to work with Trump, a senior EU diplomat summed up their dilemma. "Since we have refused to really think through this scenario, we have a list of questions that need to be answered, but almost everything is a big unknown," the envoy told Reuters. For some, Europe must now step up and take more responsibility, both for its own security and the wider world, if the entrepreneur makes good on campaign talk of limiting U.S. defense commitments and other engagements abroad. Trade relations, climate change, Russia and tackling Islamic State are all areas where Europe may have to forge its own path if a Trump-led Washington pulls back from the global stage. "This is another wake-up call," said Manfred Weber, a German ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel who leads conservatives in the European Parliament. "It is now up to Europe. We must be more self-confident and assume more responsibility. "We do not know what to expect from the USA." Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders told Reuters a Trump White House "may help some people in Europe understand that we need to reinforce defense cooperation among Europeans". But EU leaders know that euroskeptic radicals, inspired by Trump and Britain's vote to leave the bloc in June, could exploit any attempt to tighten cooperation to condemn them to the same ignominious electoral fate as Hillary Clinton. East Europeans fret President Vladimir Putin may use Trump's vow to improve ties with sanctions-hit Moscow to extend Russian influence, as in Ukraine. The Norwegian head of NATO felt obliged to spell out that Trump could not renege on security guarantees. "PUTTING ON A BRAVE FACE" "Europe cannot blink after Brexit, after the election of Donald Trump," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said of the political earthquake in Washington, which, 27 years to the day since the fall of the Berlin Wall, continues to provide the lion's share of military muscle to defending the continent. "Europe must stand together more, be more active and go more on the offensive," Ayrault said. "Even just to protect itself." Privately, senior officials question its ability to do that. "Europe will need to do more to take care of its own - but are we capable?" a senior European diplomat asked. The EU has been riven with tensions over economic policy, the Syrian refugee crisis and Britain's exit, and remains very divided. Another senior EU diplomat told Reuters: "This changes the business model of the EU. But we have no idea how." He dismissed suggestions a U.S. withdrawal from some engagements could offer benefits by obliging Europeans to invest more in their cooperation and spend more on their own defense: "That's not a silver lining. That's putting on a brave face." EU foreign ministers called a special meeting over dinner on Sunday to discuss what Trump's America will mean for Europe. Giles Merritt of pro-EU Brussels think-tank Friends of Europe said leaders had no time to lose to "head off trouble" and could revive their own Union by helping defend global stability. They "must ... fashion a common European response ... before President Trump sets foot in the Oval Office", he said. CHANGE THE WHOLE SYSTEM? It was a result few in Europe had wanted, barring Hungary's authoritarian prime minister Viktor Orban. European leaders -- and Obama Administration envoys -- were reduced to highlighting the lowest common denominators of shared history and ideals in giving assurances of continued cooperation. After a U.S. campaign marked by accusations of racism and sexism, Merkel, preparing for her own election battle next year, said she would work with Trump on the basis of shared values that included "respecting ... people's dignity regardless of their origin, the color of their skin, religion (or) gender". Donald Tusk, the former Polish premier who chairs EU summits, responded to what he called "new challenges" and "uncertainty over the future of our Transatlantic relations" by stressing centuries of blood ties across the ocean. French President Francois Hollande stressed a need for even stronger Transatlantic cooperation to tackle climate change, Islamist security threats and the global economy. Washington's ambassador to NATO could offer no detail on the incoming administration's policy but reassured European peers in Brussels that NATO had always been a "bipartisan venture". Anthony Gardner, outgoing President Barack Obama's envoy to the EU, said change was possible in areas including sanctions on Russia, support for Ukraine, nuclear proliferation, trade, NATO and the Middle East, but added: "Let's wait to see who appoints as his key advisers." He did not see Washington abandoning a key partner for the past 50 years, but his reassurance did not quell a sense of near panic among some senior officials in Brussels. One said grimly: "This is bad. Brexit was a stupid and damaging mistake but the people running it are not complete lunatics. Now we have a populist in power who can change the whole system as we know it." (Editing by Philippa Fletcher)
(ADVISORY- Follow European and UK stock markets in real time on the Reuters Live Markets blog on Eikon - see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets)

* STOXX 600 down 0.6 pct, off lows

* Italian stocks drop, with referendum in focus

* Renewable energy stocks also come under pressure

* Health care boosted as less regulation seen

By Alistair Smout

LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - European shares fell on Wednesday after Republican nominee and political outsider Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election, bringing uncertainty that roiled global markets.

However, the market rallied off its lows, with traders saying Trump's acceptance speech was balanced and conciliatory, raising hopes that some of the more fiery rhetoric of his campaign might be behind him.

The STOXX Europe 600 fell 0.6 percent, having been down 2 percent in early trade. Growth-sensitive sectors such as autos, financials and oil were among the biggest fallers.

Markets had priced a win for Democrat Hillary Clinton, who was seen as a status quo option. There is substantial uncertainty about Trump's policy positions, as well as market scepticism over his views on topics such as trade.

"Republican Donald Trump has claimed an upset victory in the race for the White House, upending the political establishment," said Mark Haefele, Global Chief Investment Officer at UBS Wealth Management.

"Trump's win heralds a period of greater uncertainty in U.S. policy, and market reaction has been a reflexive flight to safety."

Top faller was Spanish bank BBVA, down 7.6 percent. It had been tipped by analysts to suffer if Trump won, as it has the biggest Mexican revenue exposure of all European banks. The Mexican peso slumped 13 percent on Wednesday.

Italian stocks underperformed, with the FTSE MIB down 2.3 percent. Traders said the shock election of Trump, following on from Britain's vote to leave the European Union in June, had increased jitters over a constitutional referendum in Italy next year.

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Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his reformist agenda are expected to be undermined if the "no" campaign prevails.

European renewable stocks fell sharply, hit by fears over Trump's aim to promote oil and gas drilling and revive the U.S. coal mining industry.

Shares in Vestas, the world's biggest wind turbine maker, and German peer Nordex fell 7 percent.

Initial indicators had suggested market falls of up to four percent at the open. Shortly before European markets opened, Trump gave a victory speech in which he said he would seek common ground and not hostility, seeking to work with other nations and to bring the country together.

"The statements of long-standing Republican exponents and the President elect will soothe some of the immediate pain," analysts at Julius Baer said in a note.

Safe havens, which outperform in times of uncertainty, rose. Swiss stocks were up 0.7 percent.

Healthcare stocks were the standout sector performers, up 2.7 percent in early trade as potential risks to pricing practices in the United States were seen as significantly reduced with a Trump win.

Gold miners were poised for a strong day as the precious metal enjoyed its best day since Britain's vote to leave the EU. Fresnillo rose 8.5 percent and was the best performing stock across the Stoxx 600.

As well as being a gold miner, the stock has many of its costs in Mexican pesos, so benefits when it falls.

(Editing by Mark Potter)
London (AFP) - European stocks tumbled in opening trade on Wednesday after Donald Trump was elected US president, beating market favourite Hillary Clinton and sparking investor fears over the world economy.

In initial deals, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index shed 1.87 percent to 6,718.85 points, Frankfurt's DAX 30 dived 2.9 percent to 10,181.89 points and the Paris CAC 40 index slid 2.8 percent to 4,350.07 compared with Tuesday's close.

Markets however quickly retraced ground within fifteen minutes of the open, with London standing just 0.50 percent lower at 0820 GMT.

The Amsterdam AEX stocks index tanked briefly by 3.09 percent on opening, but rallied to stand at 1.59 percent lower at 443,02 points.

Republican Trump defeated his Democratic rival to become the 45th president of the United States, sending shockwaves across global stock markets.

"This is another black swan for European stocks -- despite Brexit, markets were still not prepared for a Trump win and stocks will bear the biggest brunt of it," City Index analyst Ken Odeluga told AFP.

"It is a long-term negative for global growth because of the protectionist instincts of President Donald Trump.

"Global trade will be curbed and the biggest multinationals face challenges to revenue growth as the expansion of globalisation itself comes into question."

Meanwhile, returns on German government bonds -- seen as a safe haven during market turbulence -- fell sharply as investors rushed to purchase the assets.

The yield, or the return on investment to investors, on 10-year Bunds fell to 0.098 percent in early trading on the secondary market, compared to 0.188 percent at the close on Tuesday.
(Adds further details on court hearing, background on case)

By Nate Raymond

Nov 9 (Reuters) - A former Rabobank trader from Australia was sentenced on Wednesday to three months in a U.S. prison for conspiring to manipulate Libor, the leading benchmark for pricing financial transactions, to the bank's advantage.

Paul Thompson, the Dutch bank's ex-head of money market and derivatives trading for Northeast Asia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan after pleading guilty in July to conspiring to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.

While Rakoff agreed with prosecutors that prison time was warranted, he cited several mitigating factors justifying a short term, including health issues suffered by Thompson and some family members.

"I don't think under all of the factual circumstances a long period of incarceration is required," Rakoff said.

In court, Thompson, 50, apologized for his actions.

"I wish I had stood up against this activity and had not participated in it," he said.

Libor, or the London interbank offered rate, underpins trillions of dollars of financial products globally from mortgages to credit cards. The rate is based on what banks say they believe they would pay if they borrowed from other banks.

U.S. and European authorities have spent years probing whether banks tried to manipulate the rate to benefit their own trading positions.

The investigations have led to around $9 billion in regulatory settlements with financial institutions and charges against several individuals.

Those included Thompson and six other former Rabobank traders charged by the U.S. Justice Department after the bank in 2013 reached a $1 billion deal to resolve related U.S. and European probes.

Prosecutors said Thompson participated in a scheme with others to rig the U.S. dollar and yen Libor rates to benefit Rabobank's trading positions, in which traders sought to influence the bank's Libor submissions.

Thompson, a derivatives trader based in Hong Kong and Singapore, waived extradition in July after being arrested in Australia in October 2015 while two ex-Rabobank traders from the United Kingdom, Anthony Allen and Anthony Conti, were undergoing trial in New York.

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Both were convicted in November. In March, Allen and Conti were sentenced to two years and one year in prison, respectively. Both are appealing.

Three other former Rabobank traders--Paul Robson, Takayuki Yagami, and Lee Stewart--have pleaded guilty and have yet to be sentenced. A seventh, Tetsuya Motomura of Tokyo, is considered a fugitive by the U.S. government.

The case is U.S. v. Thompson, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 14-cr-272.

(Reporting By Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Tom Brown and Diane Craft)
By Nate Raymond

(Reuters) - A former Rabobank trader from Australia was sentenced on Wednesday to three months in a U.S. prison for conspiring to manipulate Libor, the leading benchmark for pricing financial transactions, to the bank's advantage.

Paul Thompson, the Dutch bank's ex-head of money market and derivatives trading for Northeast Asia, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan after pleading guilty in July to conspiring to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.

While Rakoff agreed with prosecutors that prison time was warranted, he cited several mitigating factors justifying a short term, including health issues suffered by Thompson and some family members.

"I don't think under all of the factual circumstances a long period of incarceration is required," Rakoff said.

In court, Thompson, 50, apologised for his actions.

"I wish I had stood up against this activity and had not participated in it," he said.

Libor, or the London interbank offered rate, underpins trillions of dollars of financial products globally from mortgages to credit cards. The rate is based on what banks say they believe they would pay if they borrowed from other banks.

U.S. and European authorities have spent years probing whether banks tried to manipulate the rate to benefit their own trading positions.

The investigations have led to around $9 billion in regulatory settlements with financial institutions and charges against several individuals.

Those included Thompson and six other former Rabobank traders charged by the U.S. Justice Department after the bank in 2013 reached a $1 billion deal to resolve related U.S. and European probes.

Prosecutors said Thompson participated in a scheme with others to rig the U.S. dollar and yen Libor rates to benefit Rabobank's trading positions, in which traders sought to influence the bank's Libor submissions.

Thompson, a derivatives trader based in Hong Kong and Singapore, waived extradition in July after being arrested in Australia in October 2015 while two ex-Rabobank traders from the United Kingdom, Anthony Allen and Anthony Conti, were undergoing trial in New York.

Story continues

Both were convicted in November. In March, Allen and Conti were sentenced to two years and one year in prison, respectively. Both are appealing.

Three other former Rabobank traders--Paul Robson, Takayuki Yagami, and Lee Stewart--have pleaded guilty and have yet to be sentenced. A seventh, Tetsuya Motomura of Tokyo, is considered a fugitive by the U.S. government.

The case is U.S. v. Thompson, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 14-cr-272.

(Reporting By Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Tom Brown and Diane Craft)
Wisconsin Republicans could put more money toward schools and colleges, introduce new tax cuts and look at getting rid of requiring minimum salaries for workers who build roads or government buildings.

Those are some of the early ideas floated by legislative leaders for the next session during which Republicans will have more control than they have had in more than 40 years.

Wisconsin Republicans woke up Wednesday holding the largest legislative majorities in decades, denying Democrats the chance to pick up a handful of seats in the Assembly and Senate in Tuesdays general election.

Instead, one Democratic incumbent lost a seat in the Senate and another Democratic incumbent lost a seat in the Assembly. Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, of La Crosse, was holding on to her seat by fewer than 60 votes.

Shilling thanked voters in a statement Wednesday. Challenger Dan Kapanke did not respond to messages seeking comment on whether he would ask for a recount.

Republicans will have a 20-12 majority in the Senate if Shillings win holds. The GOP hasnt had that many since the 1970s.

In the Assembly, Republicans will outnumber Democrats 64-35, their largest majority in six decades.

It means Republicans, who now wont need to rely as heavily on moderate or Democratic votes, could tackle legislation that failed in previous sessions, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said Wednesday.

Fitzgerald said the Legislatures new majorities mean a continuation of a lot of the same things the GOP-controlled houses have embarked upon since gaining total control in 2010.

Its about reform, said Fitzgerald. I think thats what weve kind of demonstrated to the citizens of Wisconsin. ... This Republican Legislature continues to tackle big things.

Fitzgerald said that means lawmakers may look at putting more money into K-12 schools and the University of Wisconsin System  after cutting funding from them in previous budgets. But he didnt offer specifics Wednesday. He said part of that is a shift in attitude toward school funding on the part of Gov. Scott Walker.

When we took over back in 2011, we pushed bold reforms. They worked, Walker said in a statement. Since then, we gained seats in the Legislature in 2012, 2014, and now in 2016. Looking ahead, we will invest more to help every child succeed.

Assembly agenda

Earlier this year, Speaker Robin Vos and Assembly Republicans unveiled an agenda for 2017 that included a number of proposals, including calling for laptops or tablets to be issued to all high school freshmen, signaling a possible end to the UW System tuition freeze and introducing a new kind of school voucher known as Education Savings Accounts.

One of the largest tasks the Legislature has next session is addressing the states road-funding woes  a solution Walker and Assembly Republicans remain divided on how to accomplish.

Rising road construction costs and stagnant fuel-tax revenues, the main source for the state transportation fund, forced state leaders to increase transportation borrowing and delay highway projects in the last budget. More of the same would be required in the upcoming 2017-19 budget without an infusion of revenue.

Vos and Assembly Republicans have said all options for new revenue must be considered, including raising fuel taxes or registration fees or implementing highway tolls.

Meeting with reporters Wednesday, Vos said he wants the state to have good, strong infrastructure, but we cant do that by borrowing more money.

Walker says instead of increasing taxes or fees, the state should delay expansion projects and scale back its focus to maintaining existing roads. Walker, while unveiling his administrations transportation budget request in September, threatened to veto a budget with a gas tax increase.

Fitzgerald said lawmakers are still trying to strike a balance in finding a solution.

Its very difficult to get votes for something if the governor says hes going to veto it, he said.

Fitzgerald also said lawmakers could tackle some targeted tax cuts during the next legislative session and would likely need to respond to changes or a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act known as Obamacare, noting any proposed changes or spending would hinge on final state revenue numbers.

Barca uncertain

The results of Tuesdays election left Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca uncertain about his future. A Barca spokeswoman said Wednesday the Kenosha Democrat is taking a day or so to digest the election results before deciding whether to seek his leadership spot again.

Barca called Tuesdays vote a gut-wrenching and surprising election.

In a statement, he said Wisconsin down-ballot races were swept in a Trump wave that upended the races for President, Congress, State Senate, and the State Assembly.

But Barca also said hes hopeful both parties could work together in the upcoming budget cycle.

So I hope we can work together to solve our transportation crisis, lets fund our public schools, lets grow jobs and wages, lets tackle student loan debt  and lets end this endless cycle of power grabs and special interest influence that has made people in Wisconsin feel like the system is rigged against them, Barca said.
Gigi Hadid is totally in love.

ET's Nischelle Turner caught up with the 21-year-old model on Wednesday as she prepared to host next Sunday's American Music Awards -- where her boyfriend, Zayn Malik, has been nominated for New Artist of the Year.

WATCH: Gigi Hadid Dishes on Spending Halloween With Taylor Swift and Her Squad

While Hadid says we'll have to wait to see if she and Malik walk the red carpet together, either way, she's excited to be there supporting her man.

"I'm so excited for him," Hadid gushed. "I think that he is so talented and comes from such a genuine place of loving music. He only gets up there when he feels really excited about it, so for the music that he put out, I think he really deserves to be appreciated for it."

"I think the more he's on his own, the more he's finding the soul in the music and what's making him really happy to sing and genuinely makes him want to be on stage," she added. "The music that he's starting to do more now is just showing how much more he's learning about himself."

Malik may be learning more about himself, but almost a year into their relationship, he and Hadid are also learning more about each other.

RELATED: Zayn Malik Talks Wooing Gigi Hadid With Yorkshire Pudding, Leaving One Direction

"We were both talking about [the fact that] we'd never actually been on a first date until each other," the supermodel dished of their relationship. "I met him once before and he is obviously so gorgeous, but really the way we could have conversations and kind of justwe're really interested in the same things, so it was really easy. So that was amazing."

Hadid, who will return to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway in December, also dished on how "insane and incredible" it is to be able to share that experience with her little sister, Bella.

"We used to sit in our rooms like so many sisters do in this country and watch the show together," she recalled. "Fans were finding old tweets from back in the day of us literally sitting on the bed together watching I think Bella tweeted she's going to piggyback me down the finale runway or something! So maybe we'll have to try that this year."

Story continues

But for now, Hadid is hard at work on her comedy skills for the AMAs, as she co-hosts with comedian Jay Pharoah.

WATCH: Gigi Hadid Wasn't 'Quite as Thin' for Anything Revealing During Her First Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Show

"I think I will attempt the comedy that feels most natural to me. I think if it feels forced I'll probably shy away from it, but I want to do stuff that comes off as my natural goofy self, which I think we'll get," she said. "When I get nervous, it's just nice to be able to go to your goofy side."

The American Music Awards will air Sunday, Nov. 20 on ABC.

See more on Hadid's return to the Victoria's Secret runway in the video below.

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By Alexander Hubner, John O'Donnell and Olivia Oran FRANKFURT/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs is considering shifting some of its assets and operations from London to Frankfurt, three people familiar with the matter said, as it tries to secure access to the European Union market when Britain leaves the bloc. The U.S. investment bank is examining the step as a way to qualify for supervision by the European Central Bank, putting some of its operations under the watch of the euro zone's main banking supervisor. Coming under the ECB's jurisdiction should allow it to continue selling its services to clients across the euro zone and wider EU post-Brexit, according to one person with knowledge of the matter. However, this is uncharted legal territory and the sources said Goldman had not yet taken any decision on the matter. "Moving under ECB supervision in Frankfurt is one of the options the bank is considering," one of the people said. Another said Goldman had held talks about such a step with ECB officials in Frankfurt. The plans being examined would shift Goldman's European presence toward the center of the euro zone, representing a blow to London's status as a global financial center - and a coup for Frankfurt, a small city that is Germany's own finance capital. A spokesman for Goldman Sachs said there were "numerous uncertainties" about the outcome of Brexit negotiations. "We continue to work through all possible implications of the Brexit vote," he said. "We have not taken any decisions as to what our eventual response will be." An ECB spokesman declined to comment. Goldman, whose services include broking and market-making in securities, foreign-exchange trading and corporate finance, currently relies on the EU's "passporting" system. This allows it to sell across the region without setting up shop in each member state, while under the supervision of UK authorities. But banks' UK operations are expected to lose their passporting rights after Brexit. Currently, U.S. banks concentrate the bulk of their European operations in Britain, with 88 percent of their regional employees based there, according to 2014 data from think-tank Bruegel. A bank such as Goldman Sachs would typically qualify for ECB supervision if it increased the assets of its euro zone operations to 30 billion euros ($33 billion). Goldman Sachs AG in Germany had assets of 551 million euros in 2015 according to filings for last year. The bank's overall assets, however, in other entities in Germany and the rest of the euro zone are higher, according to the bank. EMPTY SPACE Goldman is keeping a floor vacant at its high-rise offices in Frankfurt which could accommodate any additional staff, one of the sources said. The bank had initially intended to return this to the owner of the tower, where Goldman Sachs has occupied the top floors for more than a decade, but changed its mind after the Brexit vote. Bankers in the City of London are worried that British Prime Minister Theresa May's pledge to deliver a full exit from the European Union will mean banks lose their passports or automatic right to do business in the EU. Two years of talks to reach this are due to start in March. Securing the City's open access to the EU market, which lobbyists say is worth about 10 billion pounds ($12 billion) a year to the British economy, is crucial for the financial hub of London - a central pillar of the country's economy. Goldman Sachs' Frankfurt office, which is focused on deal-making and selling securities in Europe's biggest economy, is currently its largest European operation outside London. The bank also has smaller offices in other European cities including Paris, Madrid and Milan, providing similar services. The bank has a comprehensive banking license in Germany but some services are delivered via London, using the passport system to sell to the wider EU - posing a problem in the event of a "hard Brexit" where Britain has no access to the EU single market. Goldman Sachs' assets in Germany are small compared with the roughly $850 billion of assets of Goldman Sachs in London. London is the bank's headquarters for its operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Even were Goldman Sachs in Frankfurt to come under ECB supervision, its business in London would still answer to UK regulators. (Additional reporting by Anjuli Davies; Writing by John O'Donnell; Editing by Anna Willard)
By Emily Flitter NEW YORK (Reuters) - The right-wing Breitbart News Network is expanding its U.S. operations and launching sites in Germany and France, its U.S. editor-in-chief told Reuters, as it seeks to monetize the anger and anti-immigrant sentiment unleashed by Donald Trumps successful presidential campaign. The planned expansion is one sign of how the right-wing media landscape is shifting in the wake of Trump's campaign to provide a platform for the more radical views that helped fuel the Republican candidate's shock election victory on Tuesday. Breitbart, whose profile surged when its former head Stephen Bannon was tapped in August to become Trumps campaign chairman, has been a close ally of the New York real-estate mogul in conservative media. A leading voice of the so-called Alt-Right movement -- a loose-knit movement of white nationalists, anti-Semites and immigration foes -- it regularly attacks Republican Party elites, publishes anti-immigrant themed stories and promotes political conspiracy theories. U.S. Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow said in an interview with Reuters last week that he plans to hire more journalists in the United States and increase Breitbart's multimedia production here, with more podcasts and videos. "Theres going to be more hiring that goes on  Im already picturing more tech reporting, more media reporting," Marlow said. "We do a ton of politics reporting now so I dont know that well need to do more but we certainly arent planning on scaling back with anything." Breitbart's U.S. technology editor Milo Yiannopoulos is meeting with producers outside of Breitbart to explore launching a new television show, Marlow said. Yiannopoulos has faced criticism for comments he has made about Muslims, Black Lives Matter activists and feminists. Social media platform Twitter banned him in July for inciting harassment of the actress Leslie Jones. Breitbart, which already has a U.K. website, has begun interviewing European journalists to staff the planned new Breitbart France and Breitbart Germany sites, Marlow said. The aim is to help elect right-wing politicians in the two European countries, where anti-immigrant sentiment has been on the rise, sources close to Bannon said. Speculation had simmered for months that the Republican candidate could launch his own "Trump TV" network if he lost Tuesday's election. But Trump had done nothing to secure investments, partnerships and permits needed for a new broadcast network, according to three people inside his campaign. Bannon, who took over Breitbart after its founder Andrew Breitbart died in 2012, sees an opening to tap what he sees as a wave of American populism similar to forces driving Britain from the European Union, according to a source familiar with his thinking. It was unclear whether he would return to Breitbart now that Trump has won. The former Goldman Sachs banker launched Breitbart London in 2013 after seeing a "business opportunity" in the campaign to leave the European Union, according to the source. He chose a young conservative activist, Raheem Kassam, to run the site but also hired a venerated British journalist, James Delingpole, to add cache. Breitbart London's political and business aims were so closely integrated that Kassam took a brief leave of absence from the site to advise Nigel Farage, the leader of the Brexit movement. The more popular the "Brexit" movement became, the more people went to Breitbart London to read about it, and the more advertisements Bannon sold. Bannon's bet paid off: the June 23 vote to leave the EU was Breitbart's most heavily trafficked day up to that point--(overall) both in London and the United States. Alexandra Preate, a spokeswoman for Breitbart, declined to disclose how much revenue it generates and the identities of its main backers. (Editing by Jason Szep and Stuart Grudgings)
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(Reuters) - Republicans in Missouri, Vermont and New Hampshire won competitive governor's races on Tuesday, though most of the 12 contests left power in the hands of the incumbent party.

Here are the results.

MISSOURI

In one of the year's closest gubernatorial races, Republican former Navy SEAL Eric Greitens edged Democrat Chris Koster, the state's attorney general. Greitens will succeed Governor Jay Nixon, a Democrat who has served the maximum two terms in office.

VERMONT

Vermont elected a Republican, Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott, over Democrat Sue Minter, a former state transportation secretary. Scott succeeds retiring Governor Peter Shumlin, a Democrat.

OREGON

Democratic Governor Kate Brown held off a challenge by Republican Bud Pierce, an oncologist. Brown was sworn in last year after her predecessor, John Kitzhaber, resigned in scandal. The election is for the final two years of Kitzhaber's term.

INDIANA

Republican Eric Holcomb, the state's lieutenant governor, beat Democrat John Gregg, a former state lawmaker. Holcomb entered the race after current Governor Mike Pence opted not to seek re-election in July when Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump chose him as his vice presidential running mate.

WEST VIRGINIA

Democratic businessman Jim Justice defeated Republican state Senate President Bill Cole. Democratic Governor Earl Ray Tomblin was barred by term limits from running again.

UTAH

Incumbent Governor Gary Herbert, a Republican, won his re-election race against Democrat Mike Weinholtz, a healthcare executive. Herbert, who took office in 2009 after his predecessor, Jon Huntsman, resigned, won a second full term.

NORTH DAKOTA

Republican Doug Burgum, a former Microsoft Corp executive, defeated Democratic State Representative Marvin Nelson in the solidly Republican state. Governor Jack Dalrymple, a Republican who was eligible to run for re-election in 2016, declined to seek another term.

Story continues

DELAWARE

Democrat John Carney, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, beat Republican Colin Bonini, a state senator. Democratic Governor Jack Markell was prohibited by term limits from running for re-election to the position he has held since 2009.

NORTH CAROLINA

Drawing national attention because of a debate over transgender rights, Republican Governor Pat McCrory is seeking a second term against Roy Cooper, a Democrat who has been the state's attorney general since 2001. Cooper held a razor-thin lead as of Wednesday morning. McCrory told supporters tallying an unknown number of provisional ballots could take until Nov. 18.

MONTANA

Democratic Governor Steve Bullock is battling Republican tech entrepreneur Greg Gianforte to keep his seat. The race remained too close to call on Wednesday morning.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Republican Chris Sununu defeated Democrat Colin Van Ostern to become the state's next governor. Both candidates had been seeking to succeed Democratic Governor Maggie Hassan, who is running for the U.S. Senate.

WASHINGTON

Democratic Governor Jay Inslee defeated a challenge from Republican Bill Bryant, a businessman and former commissioner of the Port of Seattle.

(Reporting by David Ingram and Laila Kearney in New York and Scott Malone in Boston; Editing by Alistair Bell, Jonathan Oatis and Grant McCool)
(Reuters) - Republicans kept control of both chambers of the U.S. Congress in Tuesday's election, empowering the party to reshape Washington along with Donald Trump, who won the White House for Republicans in a stunning upset. With a handful of races still to be decided, Republicans had secured 51 seats in the 100-member Senate, dashing Democrats' hopes to take control of the chamber. Television networks declared that Republicans, as expected, retained their majority in the House of Representatives and lost fewer seats than expected. [nL1N1DA101] The following outlines what was at stake in the races, and results based on television projections and state election boards: U.S. Senate, 100 seats Senators serve six-year terms. A third of the Senate is up for re-election every two years. Procedural rules in the Senate mean 60 votes are needed to advance major initiatives. Republicans entered the election with 54 seats, led by Kentucky's Mitch McConnell, versus the Democrats' 44 seats and two independents. The Democrats' leader in the next Senate is expected to be New York's Chuck Schumer. The Republicans this year were defending 24 seats. The Democrats defended 10 seats and gained only one, in Illinois. U.S. House, 435 seats Members of the House serve two-year terms and all are up for re-election every two years. To advance most bills in the House, 218 votes or more are needed. Republicans went into the elections holding 246 seats to the Democrats' 186. There were three vacancies. The Republican leader is Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin; the Democrats' leader is Nancy Pelosi of California. To win a majority, Democrats had needed to gain 30 seats. In a blow to Democrats, Republicans were on pace to lose only nine seats in the House, well below the double-digit losses some analysts had predicted. Senate races, with results from television projections and state election offices: Alabama - Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, as expected, won a sixth term, defeating Democrat Ron Crumpton. Alaska - Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski defeated Democratic challenger Ray Metcalfe. Arizona - Veteran Republican Senator John McCain, 80, defeated Democratic U.S. Representative Ann Kirkpatrick, 66. Arkansas - Republican Senator John Boozman beat Democrat Conner Eldridge. California - State Attorney General Kamala Harris, a Democrat, won the seat held by retiring Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer. Harris defeated fellow Democrat Loretta Sanchez. Colorado - Democratic Senator Michael Bennet won a third term, turning back a challenge from Republican Darryl Glenn. Connecticut - Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal won a second term, defeating Republican Dan Carter. Florida - Incumbent Republican Marco Rubio, the failed presidential contender, defeated Democratic Representative Patrick Murphy. Georgia - Republican Senator Johnny Isakson won his race against Democrat Jim Barksdale. Idaho - Republican Senator Mike Crapo defeated Democrat Jerry Sturgill. Indiana - Democrat Evan Bayh, 60, failed in his bid to recapture his Senate seat, defeated by Republican Representative Todd Young, 44. Illinois - Democratic Representative Tammy Duckworth unseated Republican Senator Mark Kirk. Duckworth, 48, is a double-amputee Iraq War veteran. Kirk, 57, suffered a stroke that sidelined him for much of 2012. Iowa - Republican Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, 83, won a seventh term, defeating Democrat Patty Judge. Kansas - Republican Senator Jerry Moran won a second term, defeating Democrat Patrick Wiesner. Kentucky - Republican Senator Rand Paul won a second term against Democrat Jim Gray. Paul unsuccessfully ran for president this year. Louisiana - A runoff election will be held on Dec. 10 to decide whether Republican John Kennedy or Democrat Foster Campbell replaces Republican Senator David Vitter, who is retiring. Maryland - Democratic Representative Chris Van Hollen will replace retiring Senator Barbara Mikulski. Van Hollen defeated Republican Kathy Szeliga. Missouri - Republican Senator Roy Blunt turned back a stiff challenge from Democrat Jason Kander, Missouri's secretary of state. Nevada - Catherine Cortez Masto, 52, a former Democratic state attorney general, beat Republican Representative Joe Heck, 55, in a battle to replace retiring Democratic Senator Harry Reid. New Hampshire - Democratic Governor Maggie Hassan, 58, was deadlocked in her race with Senator Kelly Ayotte, a 48-year-old Republican. New York - Senator Chuck Schumer, who is expected to become the next Senate Democratic leader, defeated Republican Wendy Long in the heavily Democratic state. North Carolina - Republican Senator Richard Burr, 60, won re-election against Democrat Deborah Ross, 53, a former state legislator. North Dakota - Republican Senator John Hoeven won a second term, defeating Democrat Eliot Glassheim. Ohio - Republican Rob Portman, 60, defeated Democratic challenger Ted Strickland, 75, a former governor. Portman initially endorsed Trump, but later withdrew that and pointedly refused to appear with Trump or talk about him. Oklahoma - Senator James Lankford won a second term, defeating Democrat Mike Workman in this overwhelmingly Republican state. Oregon - Senator Ron Wyden, the senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, defeated Republican Mark Callahan. Pennsylvania - Republican Senator Patrick Toomey, 54, defeated Democratic challenger Katie McGinty, 53, in the most expensive U.S. Senate contest in the country. South Carolina - Senator Tim Scott, the only African-American Republican in the Senate, beat Democrat Thomas Dixon. South Dakota - Senator John Thune, a member of the Senate Republican leadership, won a third term, defeating Democrat Jay Williams. Utah - Conservative Republican Senator Mike Lee, in this heavily Republican state, won against Democrat Misty Snow. Vermont - Senator Patrick Leahy, the longest-serving Democrat in the Senate, beat Republican Scott Milne. Washington - As expected, Senator Patty Murray, a member of the Senate Democratic leadership, defeated Republican Chris Vance. Wisconsin - Democrat Russ Feingold, 63, failed to oust Republican Ron Johnson, 61, according to projections. Johnson unseated Feingold in 2010 and was seen as one of the most vulnerable Republicans going into the 2016 campaign. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell, Andy Sullivan and Richard Cowan; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Mary Milliken)
By Chris Kahn

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican Donald Trump fared better with parts of U.S. society than expected, and Democrat Hillary Clinton did worse, to produce a U.S. presidential election outcome that defied opinion polls forecasting a Clinton victory.

Early readings from a Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day opinion poll help explain how the New York real estate magnate eked out his advantage in Tuesday's vote.

* Women: Clinton scored a 2 percentage point lead over Trumpamong women voters, a smaller than expected edge for the firstwoman to win the nomination of a major U.S. political party. Bycontrast, Obama won the womens vote by about 7 points duringhis re-election bid in 2012. All told, some 49 percent of womensupported Clinton while 47 percent supported Trump in Tuesday'svote. Among young women between the ages of 18 and 34, 55percent supported Clinton, while 38 percent supported Trump. In2012, 62 percent of young women supported Obama. * Minorities: Clinton enjoyed big advantages with Hispanics,African Americans, and Asian-Americans but her lead did notappear any stronger than that which Obama held in 2012 with anyof these groups. Some 89 percent of African Americans, 66percent of Hispanics and 65 percent of Asian-Americans supportedClinton. In 2012, Obama was supported by 96 percent of AfricanAmericans, 70 percent of Hispanics, and 67 percent ofAsian-Americans. * Education: Trump beat Clinton among people who never wentto college by 12 points. In 2012, Obama held a slim advantageover Romney among all education levels, beating Romney amongpeople without a college degree by 2 points. Trumps advantagewas especially great among white Americans with no collegedegree. Trump won white men without a college degree by 31points and white women without a degree by 27 points. * White evangelicals: White evangelicals are sticking withTrump. This group has always been reliable for Republicans, andthey dont appear to have turned away from the Republicannominee despite the string of accusations of sexual misconductthat plagued his campaign over the last several weeks. Trumpappears to be winning white evangelicals by about the samemargin as Romney did in 2012. Some 76 percent of whiteevangelicals said they voted for Trump, while 20 percentsupported Clinton. * Metro/non-metro: Clinton is barely winning metropolitanareas, while Trump is running up big leads in rural areas.Clinton beat Trump by 6 points among voters who live in metroareas. Trump beat Clinton by 27 points among voters who live innon-metro areas.

The Reuters/Ipsos Election Day poll was conducted online in English in all 50 states. It included more than 45,000 people who voted in the presidential election. The poll reading was taken after most  but not all  voters were counted in the presidential election. It will be updated as more poll responses are tallied and more votes are counted across the country.

(Editing by Howard Goller)
Paris (AFP) - French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Wednesday said Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election was "good news" for France.

"I dare to repeat that the election of Donald Trump is good news for our country," said Le Pen, who will be the anti-immigration National Front's candidate in France's 2017 presidential election.

Le Pen, 48, was one of the first French politicians to react to Trump's stunning victory, tweeting her congratulations to the Republican president-elect "and to the free American people".

In her brief remarks later, she said a Trump White House would assure that the sweeping Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the US and EU would be rejected.

"More generally, wild globalisation" would be tamed, and she predicted that international relations would improve, "notably with Russia".

Le Pen said Trump would rein in "the warlike interventions that are the source of the huge migratory waves that we are suffering".

If Trump keeps to his pledges, they will be "beneficial for France," she said.

Le Pen is widely tipped to reach the second round of the French presidential election on May 7 next year.
Paris (AFP) - The second part of the sale of fashion magnate Pierre Berge's famous library -- one of the most valuable in private hands -- raised nearly five million euros (5.5 million) Wednesday when it went under the hammer in Paris.

Some of the most rare first editions of classics of 19th century European literature were among the 376 works sold by Sotheby's including signed books by such French greats as Balzac, Hugo, Stendhal and Baudelaire.

One handwritten manuscript, which shows how Gustave Flaubert scratched out whole passages of his travelogue "Over the Fields and over the Shores" -- an account of his tour of France's Loire and Brittany regions in 1886 -- went for 537,880 euros.

An original edition of his masterpiece, "Madame Bovary", made 190,369 euros, nearly twice its estimate.

But the highest price in the two-day sale was for the manuscript of Stephane Mallarme's "Noces d'Heriodiade" (The Wedding of Heriodiade), about the marriage of the biblical character Salome's mother. It sold for 587,720 euros.

Berge told AFP afterwards that he was delighted with the sale. "It's an excellent result. It is what I hoped for," he added.

The French philanthropist, who co-founded the Yves Saint Laurent fashion empire with his lover the late designer, raised 11.7 million euros ($12.8 million) from the sale of the first part of his collection last year.

Four more sales of the rest of the library, which is thought to be worth in excess of 30 million euros, are planned for next year.

"You have to know how to get rid of things," Berge, 85, told AFP before the first sale.

The proceeds of the auctions will go to a foundation Berge set up with Saint Laurent which helps support AIDS research.
The Food and Drug Administration is considering allowing pharmaceutical companies to use marketing for drugs that touts their ability to treat conditions the agency has not approved them to treat.

The FDA is holding a two-day hearing starting Nov. 9 to gather input on whether to allow drug and device makers to promote their products for this so-called "off-label" use. The hearing follows a recent federal court ruling that found that promoting unapproved uses for drugs to be a form of protected free speech.



But a new nationally representative poll of more than 1,000 adults by Consumer Reports reveals that most Americans84 percentdo not want companies to be allowed to advertise drugs for a use that has not been approved by the FDA.

Pharmaceutical companies spend about $27 billion each year in the U.S. to advertise their products, according to the Pew Research Center. But for now, theyre only allowed to tout those drugs for uses approved by FDA.

Many doctors, however, do prescribe these same drugs to treat conditions they havent necessarily been tested forand definitely havent been fully vetted for by the FDA. Prescribing drugs off-label, so-called because doctors may prescribe these medications for maladies not listed on the drug's label, is perfectly legal and quite common.

As many as one in five prescriptions are written for unapproved or off-label uses. For example, your doctor might prescribe a blood pressure drug to calm stage fright, or an antiseizure drug to treat anxiety.

But advertising these off-label uses of drugs has been strictly forbidden since 1962, when Congress outlawed the practice after widespread off-label promotion of the drug thalidomide to treat morning sickness in pregnant women led to birth defects worldwide.

"Relaxing the current rules would dismantle a legal firewall that has protected Americans from false and misleading drug advertising for more than half a century, says Lisa McGiffert, director of Consumer Reports Safe Patient Project. The consequences could prove deadly."

Story continues

Why Doctors Prescribe Off-Label

Research shows that 10 to 20 percent of all prescriptions written in the U.S. are for off-label purposes.

"In some cases, that off-label prescribing makes sense," says Gordon Schiff, M.D., associate director at the Center for Patient Safety Research and Practice at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston.

A doctor may prescribe a drug off-label to take advantage of a new use for that drug that is actually supported by good evidencebut is just not yet approved by FDA as a treatment for that issue, says Schiff.

For example, U.S.medical guidelines recommend using the antiseizure drug topiramate off-label to treat alcohol dependence. And the antidepressant amitriptyline is recognized by health professionals as a first-line therapy for fibromyalgia and costs less than other FDA-approved treatments.

But a recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine of the health records of more than 46,000 patients revealed that off-label prescribing was not backed by strong scientific evidence in 80 percent of cases. Further, it found that in those cases patients had a 54 percent higher risk of suffering adverse side effects compared to those taking the same drug for an approved or more thoroughly studied use.

Also concerning is that most consumers are not being advised by their physicians when theyre prescribed a drug off-label. In fact, Consumer Reports survey reveals that only 6 percent of respondents say they have been told that a drug prescribed by their doctor was for an non-FDA-approved use.

Where Drug Companies Stand

Drug companies and industry groups say that relaxing restrictions will allow drug companies to tell healthcare providers, insurers, and consumers about research that was outside the scope of the initial FDA review of a drug, or occurred after it was approved.

A statement by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), a trade group that represents the pharmaceutical industry, explains it this way:

Biopharmaceutical companies are uniquely positioned to help healthcare professionals achieve the best outcomes for patients, because companies can provide timely, accurate, and comprehensive information about both approved and unapproved uses of the medications.

The market for medicines is changing rapidly, adds PhRMA president and CEO Stephen J. Ubi. The current federal regulations havent kept up.

Consumers are not so sure. More than three quarters of CRs survey respondents said that it was extremely or very important that the FDA fully vet the safety and effectiveness of medications for a particular use. The majority of people also said it was highly important to know how well a medication can be expected to work (83 percent), and that they are told of a medications possible side effects or other risks (86 percent).

Illegal Off-Label Advertising

There have been a few instances in recent years where drug companies have illegally promoted drugs off label, resulting in thousands of consumers being harmed.

In 2013, for example, Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay more than $2.2 billion in criminal and civil fines to resolve charges for promoting the antipsychotic risperidone (Risperdal) off-label to older adults, children, and people with developmental disabilities. Federal officials said that the company knew that the drug posed greater risks for those groups of patients, such as an increased risk of strokes in older adults.

And in 2012, drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline paid a record $3 billion to resolve charges that included promoting the antidepressant paroxetine (Paxil) off-label for children and adolescents, even though the drug had been shown to be ineffective in children and was linked to dangerous side effects, including an increased risk of suicidal thoughts.

If off-label advertising restrictions are eased, pharmaceutical companies may seize on the opportunity to legally make claims based on incomplete evidence or poor-quality research, says Joshua Sharfstein, M.D, associate dean of public health practice and training at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and a former deputy commissioner of the FDA

"We risk rolling back the clock to a time when the FDA could act only after people have been harmed," says Sharfstein. And, even then, it would be much harder to protect consumers because cases of false or misleading claims would have to be resolved through the legal system.

It would wind up putting decisions about the accuracy of drug advertising claims in the hands of judges, not medical experts, he says.

Sharfstein also worries that relaxing restrictions on off-label drug advertising will discourage rigorous research. If you can market a drug off-label for a condition, then why spend all the time and money on testing required to earn FDA approval for that use? he asks. Ultimately, that will undermine everyones access to safe, effective healthcare.

What Consumers Can Do

Whether you support restricting off-label drug advertising or not, all consumers should be careful to ask questions about their medications says Orly Avitzur, M.D., Consumer Reports' medical director.

"Before you decide to take a drug, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether its for an approved use," advises Avitzur.

In addition, you can also go to dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, search by drug, then click Indications & Usage.

If it has not been approved as a treatment for your health problem, ask your healthcare provider whether the use is supported by well-designed studies and why he or she thinks its better than approved drugs for you.

Always make sure someone has taken time to thoroughly explain the risks and benefits of a medication to you, as well as other options, says Avitzur.

Editor's Note: This article and related materials are made possible by a grant from the state Attorney General Consumer and Prescriber Education Grant Program, which is funded by the multistate settlement of consumer-fraud claims regarding the marketing of the prescription drug Neurontin (gabapentin).





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By Luciana Lopez and Michelle Conlin MIAMI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fed up with Washington and feeling left behind, supporters of Republican Donald Trump upended the U.S. presidential race, electing a political newcomer they say offers the country a shot at dramatic change. Once dismissed by Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as "deplorables," supporters interviewed on Tuesday shrugged off his late-night tweeted insults, allegations against him of sexual misconduct and dire warnings from many in the Republican establishment that the businessman-turned-reality-television-star would throw U.S. economic and foreign policy into disarray. The economy, terrorism and healthcare ranked as the top three concerns facing Americans casting ballots in Tuesday's election, according to an early reading from the Reuters/Ipsos Election Day poll of about 35,000 people. "The freedom-loving Americans pushed back against the elites and the globalists. They might win in the long run, but we're not dead yet," said Andrew Dye, 48, of Dexter, Michigan. "I think this big country is getting a little too far left a little too quickly and some people finally woke up and said enough," said Dye, a partner in a small management consulting firm. Cuban-American Sarah Gird, 67, described herself as an independent who had felt let down after twice voting for Democratic President Barack Obama. Im not conservative at all, she said. But Obama didnt produce anything. In contrast, she said she trusted Trump would fix the economy. "I think hes sincere, hes truthful, he means what he says, said Gird, adding she thought Trump would address poverty and jobs in African-American neighborhoods. For many, the vote was a rejection of Clinton, whose use of a private email server during her time in government came to symbolize what is wrong with Washington. "All the corruption. I'm tired of business as usual, being sold out all these years," said Kevin Barrett, 57, in Nashville. Tom Kipp, 53, an architect also of Nashville, said he voted for Trump because "we need somebody in there not beholden to anyone." "Our checks and balances system is beyond being compromised. I don't say he's my prime candidate, but he's my best option," Kipp said. Others found Trump's promise to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico appealing. "Last-minute decision: I changed my mind to Trump," said Lisa Ciafone, 48, of Madeira Beach, Florida, citing her concerns about illegal immigration and the rising costs of health insurance. It made me lean towards Trump. Vicki DeLira, 54, a dental hygienist from Schererville, Indiana, grew up a Democrat but voted for Trump because it was time for change even if it means "a little bit of chaos." "It will be a little different atmosphere for a non-politician to be in the White House," DeLira said. "But I think theres enough politicians around him to help round them out. Todd Recknagel, managing partner of private equity firm Three20 Capital Group, said the caricature of Trump as a "monster" was overdone. "He is an effective business man at the end of the day. So things are never quite as good as they appear and things are never quite as bad as they appear in life and I think he can make a decent president," said Recknagel, 52, from Panama City Beach, Florida. As Trump became the projected winner in state after state, fans from Arkansas, Texas and Virginia sitting on velvet sofas in the lobby of his new Washington luxury hotel just down the street from the White House celebrated as waiters popped champagne. Preston Parry, 20, had bet all along that Trump would defy the pollsters who predicted a Clinton victory. "These were shadow voters, people who had never, ever voted before that the polls didn't pick up. Unlikely voters. Like him or hate him - look, he did something right." (Reporting by Emily Flitter in Ohio, Luciana Lopez in Miami, Michelle Conlin in Washington, Timothy Reid in Las Vegas, Ben Klayman in Chicago, Emily Stephenson in New York, Letitia Stein in Tampa Bay, Renita Young in Indiana, David Schwartz in Phoenix, Tom Ghinni in Nashville, Kim Palmer in Cleveland, Keith Coffman in Denver; Writing by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Howard Goller)
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, basking in the day-after glow of a re-election win, touted a common thread Wednesday in the surprise victory he shared with fellow Republican and President-elect Donald Trump.

Johnson noted both he and Trump styled themselves as no-nonsense political outsiders rooted in the world of business, not government.

Both candidates used that background to win elections Tuesday in which they were widely seen as underdogs. Johnson beat Democrat Russ Feingold, 50 percent to 47 percent. Trump, despite losing to Democrat Hillary Clinton in the national popular vote, prevailed in the Electoral College.

Both won Wisconsin with a huge lift from the states rural and Fox Valley regions, much of which swung decisively for Republicans this year after being competitive in recent past presidential elections.

Now Johnson will return to Washington, D.C., joined by Trump in 2017 Republican will wield complete power over the Senate, House and presidency.

I cant wait to work with President Trump, Johnson said Wednesday in an interview with conservative radio host Charlie Sykes.

Johnson vowed to push for an aggressive first-100-days agenda that overhauls the nations regulatory and tax codes and repeals President Barack Obamas signature health care law.

But Johnson also struck a cautionary note about moving too quickly in the U.S. Senate to quash Democratic dissent  even as Republican Gov. Scott Walker urged Republicans to do just that.

Johnson hesitated when asked if Senate Republicans should do away with the 60-vote threshold for filibustering legislation in the Senate, which would allow Republicans to bypass Democratic opposition and pass bills or confirm U.S. Supreme Court nominees with a simple majority vote.

Lets try and work in good faith with the other side and maintain the 60-vote threshold, Johnson said. At some point in time, Democrats will get a 51-vote majority, have the House, have the presidency. And then its Katy bar the door in terms of an expansionary government.

So thats a very dangerous weapon. I certainly wouldnt want to use it right out of the blocks.

Johnson was not available Wednesday for an interview request from the Wisconsin State Journal.

Walker, in an interview earlier Wednesday with Sykes, urged Republicans to do away with the filibuster to allow them to pass laws quickly, despite Democratic resistance. Walker said permitting Democrats to obstruct GOP legislative goals because of an inside-the-ballpark Washington procedural reason ... would really upset the electorate of the people who not only elected Donald Trump and Mike Pence but the people who elected Ron (Johnson).

Theyve got to get things done and as I said frequently here in this state and continue to, the best time to do them is early, Walker said.

Walker proposed Act 10, his signature law curtailing collective bargaining by public-employee unions, about four weeks after he became governor in 2011.

Johnson in favor of Clinton prosecution

Not all Johnsons post-election comments were conciliatory. Speaking to reporters at his victory party in Oshkosh Tuesday night, Johnson pledged support for prosecuting Clinton over her use of a private email server while she was U.S. secretary of state. Johnson previously told the Beloit Daily News he believed Clinton violated the law.

She violated the statutes, Johnson told reporters Tuesday. I think Secretary Clinton should be held accountable.

He also cited securing the nations borders, improving cyber-security, countering Islamic terror, and identifying waste and fraud in government as priorities.

The most recent Marquette Law School Poll had Clinton leading in Wisconsin by 6 points and Feingold up by 1 point. With all precincts reporting Wednesday, Trump was poised to carry the state by about 1 point and Johnson by 3 points.

Johnson and Trump won by wide margins in the Fox Valley counties of Brown, Outagamie and Winnebago. All three counties voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and were closely contested in the presidential and U.S. Senate elections in 2012.

Patrick Guarasci, a Milwaukee Democratic consultant, said the results suggest many voters moved into Johnsons column very close to Election Day.

Clearly there were a number of people who that race turned late, Guarasci said.

Johnson also defied concerns about turnout in the Milwaukee suburbs, which lean heavily Republican but where Trump lagged. Instead, Johnson won the counties surrounding Milwaukee by margins that bested Wisconsins last U.S. Senate race in 2012, when then-U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin defeated former Gov. Tommy Thompson.

Johnson told Sykes, a prominent voice in the Never Trump resistance movement among conservatives, that Trumps background outside of politics was key to grasping Trumps surprising appeal.

What is so significant about somebody like Donald Trump  and I know you had some real problems; we all had some reservations  but heres the main point: He comes from the private sector. Hes run a business. Its a completely different attitude and perspective.

State Journal reporters Steven Verburg and Matthew DeFour contributed to this report.
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fstory%2fthumbnail%2f27411%2fscreen_shot_2016-11-09_at_11.37.19_am

Welp, it is what it is.

But with our First Amendment rights, we can still choose to express our frustration, outrage, or bewilderment with political decisions.

One of the oldest and most entertaining ways to do so is the art of the political cartoon.

SEE ALSO: 25 positive tweets for people who are traumatized by the U.S. election

And mere hours after the results of the U.S. election have been announced, these are the first to emerge:

America's new President - political cartoon gallery pic.twitter.com/WGKuFNTAO3  Political Cartoon (@Cartoon4sale) November 9, 2016

A Republican nightmare! - political cartoon gallery pic.twitter.com/HxmkOROkLS  Political Cartoon (@Cartoon4sale) November 9, 2016

Trump wins - Is it great news for cartoonists? - political cartoon gallery pic.twitter.com/Vk6YCRi7OF  Political Cartoon (@Cartoon4sale) November 9, 2016

A cartoon by Paul Noth. See more cartoons with our randomizer: https://t.co/26wvZfMcOo pic.twitter.com/4zV3g7oaEr  The New Yorker (@NewYorker) November 9, 2016

Good Morning America by David Rowe - political cartoon galleryh pic.twitter.com/MC2Yvb8a6d  Political Cartoon (@Cartoon4sale) November 9, 2016

Trumped! By Christian Adams - political cartoon gallery pic.twitter.com/tAxrIEycD7  Political Cartoon (@Cartoon4sale) November 9, 2016

Trust the political cartoonists to cheer us all up.

BONUS: Trump's victory speech
Kinshasa (AFP) - Five students were shot and seriously hurt and 18 others injured Wednesday during clashes with police in DR Congo's capital Kinshasa during protests over tuition fees, a doctor said.

The protests at the Higher Institute of Applied Technology (ISTA) university came after administrators decided to alter the exchange rate applied to student fee payments, significantly increasing costs -- a decision that was swiftly reversed.

"We received 23 injured students of whom five had serious gunshot wounds and were transferred to the Kokolo military hospital," said a doctor at the university's medical centre.

An AFP correspondent saw seven students -- including a woman who had lost consciousness -- under observation at the university medical centre.

Kinshasa police chief told reporters later that "the police only used non-lethal weapons".

More than 100 police officers surrounded the university site and fired tear gas at classrooms.

"We are protesting against the application of an increased (exchange) rate decided by the academic authorities," said Patrick Makonzo, vice-president of ISTA's student union.

Administrators had moved to change the Congolese franc exchange rate applied to student fee payments, which are fixed at $300 for the year, and would have resulted in a real-terms fee increase of around 16 percent.

"In the interests of social harmony at ISTA we have decided to revise the exchange rate (back)," said ISTA director general Kasengedia Mutumbe.

Higher Education Minister Theophile Mbemba, said on public television late Wednesday that Mutumbe had been suspended from his duties pending an enquiry.

Anger at the university's initial decision led to several incidents including the burning of two vehicles and attacks on some nearby shopfronts.

"The police were called to re-establish order, disturbed by the students," said the officer in charge of the operation.
Capcom Pro Tour North American Regional Finals winner Du NuckleDu Dang (Red Bull)

Over 300 players arrived on an unseasonably warm November weekend in Seattle to play Street Fighter V at Red Bull Battle Grounds. Those players had to run a gauntlet to get a shot to play in the CPT North American Regional Finals, making for one hell of a unique CPT event and some fantastic storylines.

Land of the free no more

Team Liquids Du NuckleDu Dang has put the international fighting game community on notice: America is no longer free in Street Fighter.

NuckleDu has been one of the regions best fighting game players over the last couple of years. At 20 years old, he represents a young generation who came into the scene with Street Fighter IV and that is now excelling in Street Fighter V.

Coming into Red Bull Battle Grounds, the online chatter was all about Hajime Tokido Taniguchi gatekeeping the CPT NA Regional Finals. Despite NuckleDus win at Canada Cup, making him the first American to win a CPT Premier Event in two years, Tokido was the heavy favorite.

Hajime Tokido Taniguchi, CPT NA Regional Finals runner-up (Red Bull)

Tokido played through a heavily contested last chance qualifier tournament, earning himself a first round match-up against NuckleDu in the 16-player Regional Final bracket. Tokido looked strong, taking the match 3-1 and sending NuckleDu to the losers bracket.

The road to Grand Finals was a long one. NuckleDu eliminated the best North America had to offer in Peter Flash Susini, Denial Esports Chris Tatarian, F3s Antwan Alucard Ortiz, Evil Geniuses Kenneth K-Brad Bradley and Justin Wong, and finally online newcomer Victor Punk Woodley. But for the second week in a row, NuckleDu needed to overcome an international legend , and he would need a bracket reset to do it.

The grand finals match-up between NuckleDu and Tokido went the opposite direction than their first meeting of the day. NuckleDu flustered Tokidos Ryu with Guiles Sonic Booms, V-Skill, and immaculate spacing, preventing Tokido from mounting any kind of offense. The last time we saw Tokido get bullied in such a fashion was by Team Razers Seon-woo Infiltration Lee earlier in the year.

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Winning one 3-1 set against Tokido was an incredible feat, but NuckleDu continued to force Tokido out of his game plan. Tokido simply couldnt get anything going against the young Floridian.

Street Fighter V producer Yoshinori Ono awards Du NuckleDu Dang the CPT NA Regional Finals trophy (Michael Martin)

Nearly everyone in the venue wanted to see NuckleDu win, including his family sitting in the front row. The crowd gasped with every Flash Kick and combo NuckleDu landed. The venue got louder and louder with each game NuckleDu took from Tokido.

After resetting the bracket 3-1, NuckleDu had all the momentum. The second set was every bit as dominating as the first. It felt like the entire crowd was holding its breath as NuckleDu needed just one hit to close out the final round. He forced Tokido to jump into a standing medium kick and cheers erupted as the young hero defended his home turf.

The crowd reacts to Victor Punk Woodley beating Tokido (Red Bull)

Overlooked online warriors

Easily one of the best storylines of Red Bull Battle Grounds was the arrival of the online warriors Punk (Philadelphia) and Anas Vagabond Khan (Houston.) Both players qualified for the event by winning Red Bull Proving Grounds online tournaments, earning a trip to Seattle and entry into the last chance qualifier for the Regional Finals bracket.

At 20 years old, Vagabond got the biggest win of his young career with a huge comeback win over Daigo. After falling behind 2-1, Vagabond clutched out the final two games and eliminated Daigo from the last chance qualifier, proving that anyone has a chance to win in Street Fighter V.

Meanwhile, his online counterpart Punk awaited his chance to play in the Regional Finals bracket on Sunday. The 18-year-old Karin main shocked the world by taking out Panda Globals Ryan Filipino Champ Ramirez, Chris Tatarian, and Justin Wong, sending each of those players to the losers bracket.

Its remarkable to think two of the FGCs biggest legends fell to online warriors. And it was almost three, as Punk took Tokido to the distance but ultimately lost 3-2

Theres no trophy for beating legends, but adding Daigo and Justin Wong to the win column of your resume can certainly boost a career.

Red Bull Battle Grounds last chance qualifier Arubi RB Kao (Red Bull)

RBs last run

If you arent hardcore FGC, you might not know who Arubi RB Kao is. If you watched Red Bull Battle Grounds, you do now.

RB is a Taiwanese player who mained a few different characters in Street Fighter IV: Rufus, Guy, Rolento, and Hugo. He is also responsible for one of my all-time favorite matches. Playing as Hugo for Team Razer at SEAM 2015, RB took a tight set from Kentaro Misse Nakamuras Makoto. The loss left Misse so salty he could do nothing but sit in his chair with his arms folded for 20 seconds.

However, in 2016, we hadnt heard much from RB. He hadnt placed higher than 17th at a CPT Premier Event. Reportedly, he chose to do a fundraiser livestream to earn enough to get him out to Seattle for Battle Grounds.

The gamble paid off. He showed up in a Stone Cold Steve Austin What? t-shirt and steamrolled through the last chance qualifier with Urien, losing only to Tokido in winners and grand finals. But because he and Tokido were the top two players from the last chance qualifier, that made RB eligible for the 16-player Regional Finals bracket on Sunday.

RB lost right away 3-1 to Justin Wong but managed to battle his way through the losers bracket into top 8 for the second day in a row. He left fan favorite Ryouta John Takeuchi, Echo Foxs Julio Fuentes, and Evil Geniuses Ricki Ortiz in his wake before falling to Wong again in the runback.

What makes his appearance in Seattle and his performance so special is RB is reportedly considering retiring from competitive Street Fighter. RB told commentator James Chen that dedicating the time needed to compete at a high level was becoming too much for him.

RB has been one of the most exciting players to watch in recent memory. Maybe hell consider his options for CPT 2017, because it would be unfortunate to not see his Urien crushing next year.

Seattle player Danny Pham (right) takes three games off Daigo The Beast Umehara (Red Bull)

Beasting on Daigo

Take this with a grain of salt  casual sets dont usually translate to much in tournament (unless were talking Punk versus Tatarian, evidently)  but watching Daigo get bopped by Seattle local Danny Phams Zangief was incredibly entertaining.

As part of a Lets Play Daigo exhibition, Pham was first in line to challenge Daigo. Pham stepped up to the stage, with a friend ready to record the match for posterity.

Pham proceeded to Spinning Piledriver Daigo on the ground and in the air. The next thing you know, Pham took two games off the Beast.

Hilariously, Pham looked around with his hands up to see if he was supposed to play a first-to-two or if it was first-to-three. It didnt matter. Daigo answered the question by immediately hitting the button to go into a third game.

Rarely do you see emotion from a player like Daigo, but I couldnt help but feel this burning Evil Ryu-like aura coming from his seat. There might have been a little bit of salt going into game three.

Unfortunately for Daigo, it was more of the same. Pham stymied Daigo with SPDs and hit him with the hard reads by jumping with Daigo and catching him with EX SPDs. Pham 3-0d Daigo and he hadnt even played in his first major tournament yet.

GGs.

Long-time Street Fighter veteran Ryan Hart (Red Bull)

You have to have Hart

Ryan Hart was on my shortlist of players on the bubble for qualifying for Capcom Cup. Well, Hart owes NuckleDu a fruit basket, because he is now qualified for Capcom Cup thanks to NuckleDus victory.

Hart is actually in a similar position to RB. Hes struggled to play at the highest level because of the commitment and a relocation to Germany, leaving him with less than ideal options for training.

Yet the Prodigal Son has done his best to compete throughout the year. It seemed like he was finally settling into a groove towards the end of the CPT, but he really needed a win somewhere to boost him up on the Global Leaderboard.

Luckily, he put in enough work to be a factor on the European Regional Leaderboard. NuckleDus win at Canada Cup and the NA Regional Final opened up two spots on the Global Leaderboard, moving Nathan Mister Crimson Massol into Capcom Cup and freeing the regional spot up for Hart.

Michael Martin was not able to defend Seattle at Red Bull Battle Grounds, going an uneventful 1-2 in the open tournament. Follow him on Twitter @Bizarro_Mike.
A Florida grand jury has indicted Austin Harrouff, the 19-year-old who allegedly killed a Jupiter couple and tried to eat one victims face, on first-degree murder charges, reports say.

The jury made the decision on Tuesday, increasing the mans charges from second- to first-degree murder, the Sun Sentinel reports.

Harrouff is accused of killing John Stevens, 59, and his 53-year-old wife, Michelle Mischon in the garage and driveway of their Tequesta, Florida, home on Aug. 15.

When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they allegedly found Harrouff trying to bite off chunks of Stevens face.

The Martin County grand jury formally charged Harrouff with the murder counts along with counts of attempted murder and burglary, CBS News reports.

According to Fox News, the indictment allows prosecutors to seek the death penalty against Harrouff.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Harrouff allegedly left a restaurant where he was dining with family, turned down the couples street and killed them in a random and unprovoked attack, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder previously told PEOPLE.

Police documents released earlier this month alleged Harrouff pleaded with responding officers to kill him on the night of the murders and confessed to eating humans.

Kill me, kill me! Shoot me now! I deserve to die! the teen allegedly told Martin County sheriffs deputies after they pulled him off of John Stevens lifeless body, according to documents obtained by PEOPLE.

Deputies said in the documents they allegedly heard Harrouff say, Help me, I ate something bad, WPTV and CBS12 report, citing additional new court documents.

When asked what he ate, Harrouff allegedly told officers, Humans, according to WPTV.

It allegedly took multiple officers and a police dog to get Harrouff off of Stevens, and in the new police documents, deputies allege they saw Harrouff spitting out human flesh.

Story continues

Harrouff was formally charged on Oct. 3 with with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

Snyder initially speculated that Harrouff may have been under the influence of the synthetic drug flakka during his alleged attack, but the results from a subsequent toxicology report have not yet been announced. Harrouffs father has previously said schizophrenia runs in his family.

It is unclear whether Harrouff has entered a plea and his defense attorney did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment.




From Esquire

TAMPA, FLORIDA-Donald Trump is blind and wounded. He stopped paying his pollsters, and now he does not know where the votes are. He does not know what is real. There are only frantic slashes of verbal violence raging at an impossible darkness coming too soon.

Perhaps he will stagger up to a doomed campaign stop in Minnesota, or perhaps he will make landfall across Florida, his final screams churning across us like a cyclone of hot, hateful air. And even with record turnout among Hispanic early voters, this last intense burst of anger is enough to make Floridians doubt.

It's easy enough to cast a long shadow in a state this flat, but the disembodied head of Ralph Nader has loomed over Florida for four election cycles now. It is our mark of Cain, one inky blot that invites the regular shame of people who assume that only their Facebook exhortations stand between us and sinning again.

Daily, we are told that we must not do that again, always with the assumption that one of us-you know who you are-secretly voted for Nader and will backslide into that "irresponsible" exercise once more. The repetition is enough to make you start to suspect that maybe you really are responsible, even if you're not.

A reporter from my college's newspaper recently appeared on the alumni Facebook page, asking students who attended in 2000 whether they felt they were to blame for George W. Bush's victory in the state. In a school that had only about 700 students at the time, it sparked a long discussion rather than a uniform reply of, "No, that's stupid. That would be mathematically impossible."

Because what did we do, anyway?

Yes, Al Gore fell a little under 700 votes short on the final count as certified, and yes, more than 700 people voted for Ralph Nader. Some of us voted for even loopier third parties or wrote-in names, and some of us didn't vote at all. All of which is to say that an election happened, as elections do, and people behaved as they will.

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On the other hand, none of us failed to humanize Al Gore, a man who somehow materialized as a genuinely funny person on Futurama months after his campaign decided that the antidote to Clintonism was unrelenting tightassedness. For that matter, none of us told Bill Clinton, the Explainer-in-Chief, to stay off the campaign trail. None of us picked Joe Lieberman, Captain Negative-Value Added, as a running mate.

The disembodied head of Ralph Nader has loomed over Florida for four election cycles now.

None of us sat in New York and the Beltway and projected assumed values onto "red state" Americans that we did not encounter-we were the red-state Americans-assuming as a kind of folksy pose that George W. Bush was a regular guy, and Al Gore was someone who could not be forgiven his intelligence. None of us elevated sighing during a debate into a crime against the Heartland. We didn't craft these narratives. Like all the other shit-snowbirds, midwest retirees, inaccurate cultural stereotyping-it moved down upon us from up north.

Still, if enough people blame you for long enough, you start to wonder if maybe it is your fault. You sit in the same dive bar across from the same racist bartender where you watched the recount play out, and you damn yourself for not knocking on doors or phone-banking or doing any of the things within your power that might have diverted things from this course.

And, really, the first thing you want to do is beat up on third-party voters.

(This message is not intended for Libertarians. As far as the rest of us are concerned, everyone who glanced at the late 19th Century and thought, "That looks like good idea, let's try that again," should absolutely keep voting third party. Then they can go work those non-unionized wage jobs.)

It's easy to beat up on Jill Stein and the Green Party, if for nothing more than the fact that the party has the same name as the one Nader represented. You can mock the ongoing flap about Stein's vaccine comments, or her getting on the wrong plane and flying to Cincinnati instead of Columbus. You know who lived in Cincinnati? Harambe! And, Christ, Stein tweeted about him too.

The killing of Harambe 3 months ago today reminds us to be a voice for the voiceless. https://t.co/wMZpWlLicY pic.twitter.com/8WtlDhRlIy - Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) August 28, 2016

You can mock Stein's most notable ad from this cycle, where she proclaims, "Donald Trump says despicable things, but Hillary Clinton has a terrifying track record." It's understandable why Stein makes this argument: The easiest way to be a practical alternative for wavering voters is to make both major options equally repugnant. The downside is that it's stupid. Hillary Clinton is a legitimately disappointing candidate, but the nicest thing you can say about her opponent is that he might be too easily distracted to go full-Fuhrer.

Instead, the most apt thing you can say is this: After false equivalencies, the Green Party has no plan. (They have a platform, but that's different.) You can see their lack of plan in the biggest splash they made this election cycle: Stein offered to step down to allow Bernie Sanders to become the Green Party candidate. If your big idea is asking a guy who built a movement to change the movement's name and a few details so it looks like what yours would be, you don't have one of your own.

Instead, the Green Party strategy seems to be showing up every four years, stunt-casting for a recognizable candidate at the top of the ticket, declaring a pox on both houses, then winning somehow. If the stunt is noble enough, reality will eventually bend to accommodate it, right?

If the stunt is noble enough, reality will eventually bend to accommodate it, right?

Let me tell you another story.

Days before the 2012 Republican National Convention here in Tampa, a few local activists rented some extended-cab Buffalo Bill vans and took journalists on a "99 Percent Tour" of the city. The city had spent $2.7 million on landscaping for the RNC. None of those millions went to economically disadvantaged areas where people of color lived. The 99 Percent Tour, though, took us to those areas, and our next-to-last stop was the "re-occupation" of a home for a homeless couple.

There had been rumors that Jill Stein might show up; instead, we got Green Party VP candidate Cheri Honkala. Over the course of their 2012 campaign, Stein and Honkala emphasized that this country had a glut of unoccupied housing that was almost five times greater than the number of homeless families. They proposed a halt to all foreclosures and evictions and, to emphasize this point, repeatedly participated in home re-occupations.

The idea seemed more than practical in Florida. After 2008, you could travel through endless neighborhoods and see where developments had been left untended by one-time homeowners who couldn't afford to stay. Lawns grew up past the knee, and coyotes loped among the reeds surrounding retention ponds, looking for small game when not raiding dumpsters near fast-food joints. Putting people with few other options in these homes made a certain kind of sense, but the resources weren't there. For the family members being moved in that day for the benefit of us journalists and a political campaign, there was one obvious conclusion: They weren't going to be there for long.

That family deserved better from their two major parties, and the third and fourth parties, and every other party down the line. They deserved more than our gawking. The family radiated a spotlit awkwardness while activists mowed their "new" lawn and helped to move them into the house. Inside, Honkala ran through talking points for the usual line of would-be interviewers crowding the kitchen and streaming out into the living room, each jockeying just to hear her. I got a few moments, and I asked her where that family would be at the same time next month, or next year. Her response, choked with conditionals, allowed that they would be somewhere else. I asked her the same questions about herself, and the answer was no different.

Four years from now, there will be a different carpetbagging Green Party candidate and a different stunt to distract from a major party candidate's moon shot, which may be even angrier than Trump's. In the meantime, the rest of us will have to live here in the State of Blame, and we will not have the luxury of not having a plan.

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Florida, always a battleground state, is seeing another neck-and-neck race, this one between Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump.

The two have switched places at the top several times throughout the night, even tying:

Anyone not watching Florida right now is doing it all wronghttps://t.co/HooakrsK80 pic.twitter.com/2QsFA46pRY  Jonathan Garber (@BondsFx) November 9, 2016

What would happen if it was too close to call? Could there be a recount as there was in 2000?

That year, George W. Bush won 1,784 more votes than Al Gore in Florida  a 0.5% difference  which triggered an automatic recount under state law. The law reads:

If the unofficial returns reflect that a candidate for any office was defeated or eliminated by one-half of a percent or less of the votes cast for such office ... a recount shall be ordered of the votes cast with respect to such office or measure. The Secretary of State is responsible for ordering recounts in federal, state, and multicounty races. The county canvassing board or the local board responsible for certifying the election is responsible for ordering recounts in all other races. A recount need not be ordered with respect to the returns for any office, however, if the candidate or candidates defeated or eliminated from contention for such office by one-half of a percent or less of the votes cast for such office request in writing that a recount not be made.

Bush won the machine recount by a slight margin, and Gore ordered recounts by hand, as he was allowed to do by law. That's when the infamous "hanging chad" ballots became an issue.

Some of the ballots, because of a design flaw, weren't perforated all the way through when voters cast their ballots, leaving some with chads (the hole marking candidates) that were unclear who the person voted for. There were 9,000 votes with hanging chads that the machines couldn't detect.

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Gore then filed a complaint in Leon County Circuit Court contesting the recount, and the case made its way up to the US Supreme Court. On December 12, 2000, the high court reversed the manual recount, ruling that the state may not "value one person's vote over that of another."

Bush therefore won the election, becoming the nation's 43rd president.

In this election, Florida isn't using the hanging-chad ballots, so that aspect of the 2000 controversy shouldn't be a problem.

If the race between Clinton and Trump was too close to call  within 0.5%  it would have triggered an automatic recount. That could have dragged out the overall election results.

NOW WATCH: Watch Trump repeatedly photobomb Clinton during the debate





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David Duke

Former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke celebrated Donald Trump's win on Twitter on election night.

The Republican presidential nominee became the 45th president-elect shortly before 3 a.m. on Wednesday.

This is one of the most exciting nights of my life -> make no mistake about it, our people have played a HUGE role in electing Trump! #MAGA pic.twitter.com/HvJyiJYuVa  David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) November 9, 2016

Donald J. Trump now has the chance to become one of the greatest Americans to have ever lived - we have the moral high ground, 100%!#MAGA pic.twitter.com/l9EsAMrMKR  David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) November 9, 2016

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NOW WATCH: 'HOLD UP!': Watch Obama defend a Trump protester and scold the crowd at a Clinton rally



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As we take a collective deep breath and review the outcome of this long and unfortunately ugly Presidential campaign, there are more questions than answers for the U.S. body politic domestically. But one thing is clear: our new President-elect Donald Trump will face a very full inbox over the coming months. Given his lack of experience in both governance generally and foreign affairs particularly, he will hopefully bring a businessmans ability to prioritize and ultimately triage some of the most pressing problems ahead. He will also bring in a largely unknown foreign policy, national security, intelligence and cyber security team.

Read More: Europes Populists Cheer Donald Trumps Ascent to the Presidency

As a general philosophy, we should expect that the pragmatic, anti-trade, and somewhat isolationist themes of the campaign to become the core elements of President Trumps foreign policy. Discussions will return of abandoning NATO, building a big, beautiful wall on the Mexican border, working more closely with Russian President Vladimir Putin and even allowing nuclear weapons for Japan, Korea, and Saudi Arabia. But what are the specific issues that will land first on President Trumps desk in January?

On top of the pile will be Russia. Only Russia retains a sufficiently powerful nuclear arsenal to destroy a significant portion of the United States with a single attack. Additionally, under Putin, Russia will continue to push the United States in Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, and in the cyber sphere, despite the Russian Presidents stated affinity for Trump. Cooperation will be difficult, and there will be a great deal of confrontation ahead. President Trump should confront where he must and cooperate where he can, all the while seeking a transactional, pragmatic relationship with Russia.

Read More: How Donald Trump Shocked the World

A close second challenge will be creating a plan for dealing with the unpredictable, dangerousif still largely rationalleader of North Korea, Kim Jung Un. With a growing nuclear arsenal and a restive political class, Kim frequently points out his ability to threaten U.S. allies South Korea and Japan. He is also quickly developing the ability to launch a ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead that could reach the West Coast of the U.S. President Trump will need Chinese cooperation, aggressive cyber forces, high tech missile defense, and a closely coordinated plan with our South Korean allies.

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Third in the stack will be relations with China, both tactically and strategically. On the tactical level, growing Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and in the cyber sphere will be significant irritants in the relationship between the worlds two biggest powers. On the other hand, there is still room for strategic cooperation over time in everything from humanitarian operations to medical diplomacy to climate control. The key for President Trump will be maintaining open lines of communication to the Chinese while consolidating existing U.S. alliances with Japan, the Philippines (even with its problematic new President Rodrigo Duterte), and South Korea. The U.S. relationship with India will be crucial in balancing China in the broad Indo-Pacific theater.

Read More: World Leaders React to Donald Trump Winning the U.S Election

In the Middle East, President Trump will face a series of difficult decisions in the campaign to defeat the Islamic State and find a path forward in Syria. The campaign to take Raqqa, the so-called capital of the Islamic State, will hopefully be wrapping up by January. This means the fight will shift to defeating global terrorist strikes, tracking jihadist returnees to Europe and shutting down cyber criminal income streams. In terms of Syria, it means finding a way to cooperate with Russia, negotiating an eventual departure of Assad and at least considering a partition of the increasingly artificial state of Syria.

Moving beyond the geographic issues, President Trump will need to amp up the U.S. governments game on cyber security. Looking at the 20th century and the early 21st century, two shocking events suddenly changed the landscape of international security: Pearl Harbor and 9/11. After each of them, the nation made major geopolitical moves that changed the course of history profoundly. It seems increasingly evident that a major cyber event is coming. As the 9/11 commission pointed out, the fall of the Twin Towers was not a failure of intelligenceit was a failure of imagination. The President needs to devote significant attention and human capital to craft a workable, private-public partnership that creates real security for the nation in cyber.

A sixth crucial security concern may well be in the world of biology. We tend to forget that just under a century ago, the Spanish Influenza killed tens of millions globally. But for a twist of DNA, an Ebola-like virus could do the same. There will be profound international security aspects to a pandemic, and we are collectively under-prepared for such an eventuality. Mother Nature will not have any special sympathy for a new President, and the new team will have work to do to be ready in this sphere.

Other key security challenges will certainly arrive in the Presidents inbox: Afghanistan and the ongoing Taliban insurgency; Pakistan, with its nuclear arsenal, virulent terrorist movements, and erratic governance structure; and Venezuelas potential meltdown in the face of an utterly failed economy and a deeply unpopular leader.

The good news is that the President-elect has broad executive experience, a businessmans direct approach to dealing with turbulence and a distinctive style of negotiations in which he reposes plenty of confidence. The bad news is that the challenges are worrisomely real, nearly intractable and full of contradictions. Buckle up.
BEIJING (Reuters) - A former general manager of Chinese energy giant Sinopec Group admitted to accepting 33 million yuan ($4.87 million) in bribes, China's anti-corruption watchdog said. President Xi Jinping launched a sweeping crackdown on deep-rooted corruption after assuming power four years ago, ensnaring top politicians, leaders of state enterprises and senior bankers. Wang Tianpu, an oil industry veteran, appeared in court on Tuesday pleading guilty to charges of corruption and accepting bribes, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said in a short statement on its website late on Tuesday. The statement said the court is yet to hand down a verdict. Sinopec Group is the parent of Sinopec Corp, Asia's largest oil refiner. Wang has already been investigated by the party's internal anti-corruption watchdog and will almost certainly be found guilty, as Chinese courts are controlled by the part and do not challenges its accusations. (Reporting by Sue-Lin Wong; Editing by Michael Perry)
They were on their feet in the subterranean control room at Fox News headquarters in New York when at 2:40 a.m., Bret Baier called Pennsylvania for Donald Trump, clinching the presidency for the erstwhile reality show star and billionaire-turned-populist. It was, Baier remarked, "the most unreal, surreal election we've ever seen."

When Baier added that no one saw this result coming a year ago, or even a few months ago, a producer yelled: "This morning!" To which, Jay Wallace, the networks executive vp, of news and editorial added: "Three hours ago!"

Indeed, more than eight hours earlier, at 6 p.m. when Baier and Megyn Kelly took their seats at the network's new $30 million street-level studio, the polls and the collective media establishment had Hillary Clinton as the overwhelming favorite to become the 45th president of the United States.

At the start of the night, about 50 bystanders had gathered behind metal barriers outside of Fox News on Avenue of the Americas in midtown, where the network was providing a live feed of the coverage. Most were Trump supporters - as evidenced by the chorus of cheers that would erupt each time a state was called for Trump. And as the night wore on and Trump's victory became more likely, the crowd swelled.

The studio, with an enormous retractable digital chandelier, which Kelly dubbed "the chandy," resembled a construction site a mere week ago, said staffers. There is a glass- enclosed green room festooned with monitors right next to the studio. And the network's decision desk, which in elections past was quarantined far from the studio, on this night was set up just out of camera range and separated only by a blue curtain. Arnon Mishkin, whom host and decision desk member Chris Stirewalt calls "nerd No. 1," advised the decision desk team at the top of the evening that they would wait until after the state polls closed to call races, a promise they and other news organizations made to Congress.

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Commentators (including George Will, Charles Krauthammer and Fox News hosts, including the cast of The Five (Dana Perino, Juan Williams, Eric Bolling, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Greg Gutfeld) holed up in the green room across the hall from the studio where two flat-screen TVs were tuned to Fox News Channel and Fox Business Network, which was muted.

Courtesy of FOX NEWS

Read more: Watch Donald Trump's Victory Speech

The entire floor is a hive of activity and the close quarters make for some inherent logistical challenges. Producers ferrying guests and hosts to and from the desk adjacent to Baier and Kelly urge them to be quiet. When one floor producer accidentally crashes a rolling chair into a table with a loud crash. Chris Wallace quips: "Oh we have to be quiet, huh?!"

At 7:25 p.m., Bill Shine - who last August in the wake of the Roger Ailes ouster, was upped to co-president of Fox News with Jack Abernethy - comes in to the studio. Five minutes later, Rupert Murdoch, the 85-year-old executive chairman of Fox News and its parent company 21st Century Fox, walks in with his teen daughters, Grace and Chloe. He's greeted warmly by Williams, one of the network's liberal hosts. Murdoch gives his phone to Shine to snap a picture of the three of them in front of the network's new set, which boasts 14 cameras, 34 monitors and more than 5,000 square feet of studio space, including the main downstairs studio (3,675 square feet) and a balcony (1,750 square feet).

By 8 p.m. when polls have closed in a slew of states including the Democratic strongholds of New Jersey, Massachusetts and Connecticut and the traditionally red states of Texas, Missouri and Mississippi, Trump surrogate Rudy Giuliani is given a mic in preparation for a remote live shot from Trump Tower. He blinks rapidly as he waits, his face beamed onto the enormous screen opposite the anchor desk. Kelly throws to him at 8:10 p.m. "Women are not coming out for Donald Trump," she says. And asks Giuliani if the campaign should have done anything differently to court women. Of course, it will become a moot point by the end of the night. And by 8:30 p.m. Florida is too close to call, but is beginning to lean toward Trump.

At 8:48 p.m., Kelly tells viewers: "We have not been able to make a call on Virginia, which she was supposed to be running away with." Clinton will eke out a win in Virginia, but it won't matter. By 10:22 p.m., in the control room, a producer tells Wallace that NBC News has just called Ohio for Trump. A minute later, Baier tells viewers that the Dow has plunged 600 points in futures trading. And as the presidency is leaning decidedly toward Trump, another producer muses: "The most hated man in Washington tomorrow? James Comey." The FBI director's disclosures about the investigation into Clinton's email has been much cogitated in the closing days of the campaign. At 10:53 p.m., Kelly asks contributor and Democratic strategist Mo Elleithee: "Are you starting to freak out that Hillary Clinton may lose this thing?" Elleithee attempts to put on a brave face and explain a Clinton path to victory, but it's a bit hollow.

As the night wears on and key swing states including Pennsylvania and Michigan are still too close to call, others begin to fall to Trump. Wisconsin is among the first reliably blue states that falls to Trump. And when it does, around 11:30 p.m., a producer in the control room asks for a split screen of Clinton's and Trump's respective headquarters, "the sad and happy people." As the camera brings up Clinton's headquarters at New York's Javits Center, Kelly notes: "Look at the scene, it's very somber."

Kelly will make multiple trips through the blue curtain to talk to Mishkin at the decision desk, asking why they can't call so many of these battleground states. Of course, it does not have the same dramatic stagecraft it did back in 2012 when she walked the long hallway back to the decision desk to ask the Fox News number crunchers about Ohio. "It's a much shorter walk," she says, "thanks to our new studio."

When Baier takes the network's coverage to a break at 1:36 a.m., he notes with some wonderment that the 2016 election is "one of the biggest stories any of us have ever covered." Kelly looks at him with a raised eyebrow: "Or will ever cover."

Later, after Trump has delivered a gracious and uncharacteristically short acceptance speech, Shine marvels at the past year - both the volatile campaign and the internal drama at Fox News. "Tomorrow," he says, standing in the control room, "it all starts again. We're going to be busy."

Read more: Hillary Clinton Delivers Emotional, Inspiring Concession Speech: "I'm Sorry"
By James Oliphant and Emily Stephenson WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - One immediate consequence of Donald Trumps stunning victory in the U.S. presidential race is that the identity crisis that convulsed the Republican Party during his tumultuous candidacy has been resolved. Its Trumps party now, for better or worse. Although having never before held public office, the businessman and former reality TV star vanquished 16 other Republican candidates to win the nomination and go on to defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton, but established Republicans challenged his commitment to party tenets and organized against him. Trumps political ascent encountered fierce opposition from some in the partys establishment wing that includes former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Ohio Governor John Kasich and from others in its social-conservative faction, such as U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas. All of them criticized Trump at times for straying from orthodox Republican positions on such issues as trade, his temperament or his lack of governing experience. But on Wednesday, all of that seemed forgotten and forgiven, at least for the moment, as Trump, the surprise winner in a 17-month-long election campaign, prepared to take power with the backing of Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress and the promise of an aggressive conservative agenda. "The American people have spoken and its time to come together, Kasich tweeted on Wednesday after he scrapped plans for a speech in Washington later this week that was intended to pave a new direction for the party after an expected Trump loss. Bush said he would pray for Trump. Cruz termed Trumps win an amazing victory for the American worker. Paul Ryan, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives who had drawn the ire of Trump supporters by refusing to campaign for him, praised Trump on Wednesday and said that voters had delivered Trump a mandate to pursue his agenda, having won the electoral vote that counts while Clinton likely won the popular vote. Had Trump lost, both Ryan and Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, were expected to face challenges to their jobs. Now, having protected his House majority, Ryan will be Trumps top legislative ally. If, as many expect, Priebus is tapped by Trump to join his administration, Trump will be able to replace him with a hand-picked successor, thus cementing his grip on the partys apparatus. Republican donors who did not support Trump, too, were coming around. Nothing unifies like these decisive wins, and nothing unifies like the power of having the House, the Senate and the White House, said an adviser to a leading donor. 'COMPLETE CONTROL' Representative Chris Collins, who was an early Trump supporter, said without the opposition of President Barack Obama, a Democrat, many divisions within the Republican Party would dissipate. The big difference is we now have complete Republican control, Collins told Reuters. Were all on the same page give or take 10 percent, which is nuances more than anything. Trump adopted much of the "Better Way" domestic policy agenda Ryan has painstakingly put together in over the last few years, notably revising his tax plan to bring it roughly in line with House Republicans' proposal after initially floating much more drastic reform. Trump this year proposed cutting the top individual income tax rate to 33 percent from its current 39.6 percent. He had initially said he would drop that rate down to 25 percent but revised his proposal after tax experts said it would balloon government deficits. While Trump has offered a bare-bones outline of his replacement plan for Obama's signature national healthcare law known as Obamacare, advisers told Reuters he would draw heavily on the House version. At a news conference on Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed that Congress under Trump would move quickly to repeal Obamacare. TRADE, BENEFITS It remains to be seen whether House Republicans view Trump's mandate as extending to other, prominent campaign promises. Trump staked much of his candidacy on opposing major trade deals, while Republicans have generally favored free trade. Trump promised repeatedly not to touch Medicare and Social Security federal retirement benefits, asserting that Clinton would slash those programs even though she had not proposed to do so. Most mainstream Republicans believe revamping Medicare and Social Security is critical to curbing federal spending. Trump vowed to repeal the Dodd-Frank financial reform law. During the campaign he met with House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling but never endorsed Hensarling's proposed bank regulation legislation and instead called for a return to the 1930s Glass-Steagall law separating commercial and investment banking. Representative Warren Davidson, a member of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus in the House, said he thought Congress could get some early wins on areas of agreement with Trump that included replacing Obamacare and finding a way to repatriate corporate profits held overseas and using the money to pay for infrastructure repairs. Richard Hunt, head of the Consumer Bankers Association, which lobbies for some of the biggest U.S. banks, said Republicans must act swiftly to show that as change agents they can actually govern. They have to show the American people that Republicans are able and capable of governing. Obviously there was a clear mandate last night that says Washington is not working and people want Washington to work," he said. "Part of me says you need to have a clean slate, okay, that was the campaign, now this is governing." (Additional reporting by Michelle Conlin in Washington and Steve Holland in New York; Editing by Caren Bohan and Howard Goller)
By Ingrid Melander BORDEAUX, France (Reuters) - "The French never vote like the Americans," a politician told a rally for presidential favorite Alain Juppe on Wednesday as France wondered if it would be the next country to prove the opinion polls wrong. Juppe, mayor of the southwest city of Bordeaux and a former prime minister, has topped the polls for months. Surveys predict he will win both a primary later in November to be the center-right's candidate and the presidential election in six months. But after pollsters failed to predict U.S. voters would make Donald Trump their country's 45th president, like their British colleagues who got the United Kingdom's vote to leave the EU wrong, France has started bracing for a possible surprise next year. "Juppe is ahead in polls and he will also win. The French are not like the Americans, we're not crazy," Juppe supporter Mbacoye Balde, 35, told Reuters at the Bordeaux rally. Nearby, another Juppe supporter carried a banner reading "Ne vous Trumpez pas" a French play on words with Trump's name that meant "Don't make a mistake." "We've always been cautious about polls, we've always said one should not get carried away and it was not in the bag," Virginie Calmels, Juppe's deputy in Bordeaux and one of his campaign spokespersons, said of his strong ratings. But she added: "It's not quite the same in France and in the United States." Unlike in the United States for the Trump vote, pollsters in France have recently tended to overestimate support for the anti-immigration National Front (FN), she said. The far-right party won no region in last year's local elections, despite forecasts it would get at least one. But its leader Marine Le Pen is another strong candidate in the presidential election and is expected to be one of the two contestants to make it into the runoff round - possibly against Juppe himself. Juppe told the rally that, if elected, he would "obviously be available for dialogue with President Trump" but spent much of his speech warning against populism, saying inclusiveness and hope were the answer. Juppe is campaigning on a moderate platform more to the center than the law-and-order strategy of main rival Nicolas Sarkozy, who was France's president in 2007-2012 and has courted controversy with his hard line on immigration and Islam. Without mentioning Sarkozy by name, Juppe said: "Beware the false answers and bad solutions ... I say 'no' to divisiveness, 'no' to demagoguery that pit the French against one another." "I want the optimistic France to lift up the sad France," he said, just days ahead of the two-round primary on November 20 and 27 where he will compete against Sarkozy and five other candidates for the center-right's nomination. (Additional reporting by Marina Depetris; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
By John Irish PARIS (Reuters) - Europe must not flinch in defending its interests and people now that Donald Trump's election win has added to the uncertainty created by Britain's decision to exit the European Union, France's foreign minister said on Wednesday. France is a key American ally, and its officials had in recent weeks openly endorsed Hillary Clinton for U.S. president and warned that Trump's "confused" foreign policy objectives were alarming for the rest of the world. "We have to meet the challenge for a Europe that must be able to better defend its citizens and its interests," Ayrault told France 2 television. "Europe cannot blink after Brexit, after the election of Donald Trump with all the questions being raised, Europe must stand together more, be more active and go more on the offensive even if it is just to protect itself." President Francois Hollande, who has yet to announce whether he will run for a second term in next year's French presidential election, said Paris wanted to immediately begin talks with Trump to clarify his stance on key international affairs. "This American election opens a period of uncertainty," the Socialist president told reporters. "In the context we need a strong France and a united Europe capable of expressing and carrying out its policy everywhere where its values and interests are put into question." Trump's campaign was marked by insults and inflammatory rhetoric with regard to radical Islam, while on international affairs he has brought into question U.S. policy on everything from Syria to Iran, Mexico and North Korea. France, which vies with Britain for status as the world's fifth largest economy, has itself been reeling in the wake of several deadly attacks claimed by Islamic State militants since last year. Trump's comment in July that "France is no longer France", and that if it had looser gun laws then the attacks would not have happened, upset French officials. "The U.S. is a vital partner for France and what's at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, economic relations and the preservation of the planet," said Hollande. "On all these levels, I will begin immediately discussions with the new American administration, but I will do it with vigilance and frankness." NO IMPOTENCE OR WEAKNESS With just six months to go before France goes to the polls, likely conservative candidates also sought to stress the importance of a stronger France and more united Europe. Former president Nicolas Sarkozy, who is trailing rival Alain Juppe in opinion polls as they campaign for the conservative presidential ticket, said France must tackle the new world order head on. He said it was clear that with Trump now joining Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping as leaders determined to defend their country's interests, France could no longer sit passively on the sidelines and blindly accept the impact of globalization, immigration and Islamist militancy. "Times will be tough. France must play its role to re-establish authority. My belief is that there will be no place for impotency, weakness or surrender," Sarkozy told reporters. Juppe, a former prime minister, said it was too early to give a view on Trump in light of the U.S. Republican's contradictory comments especially with regard to France and Europe, which he "appears to know pretty badly". "It forces us to reorganize ourselves because the United States will defend its interests so we will need to defend ours, those of France and Europe, so in a way the ball is in our court," Juppe said. (Additional reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Jean-Baptiste Vey and Simon Carraud; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
By Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani ABUJA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The 21 Chibok schoolgirls freed by Boko Haram militants last month say they were not abused or raped during two-and-a-half years' captivity in northeast Nigeria, a source close to the presidency said on Wednesday. Many girls kidnapped by the Islamist militant group have been used as sex slaves, fighters and even suicide bombers, according to rights groups including Amnesty International. But the 21 freed girls said the militants treated them well while they were held captive, according to a confidential report based on their two-week debriefing prepared for President Muhammadu Buhari and seen by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The girls, released last month after Switzerland and the Red Cross brokered a deal, are now being held in a secret location in the capital Abuja for assessment by the Nigerian government. State health workers confirmed that the girls were not sexually abused while in captivity, adding that they all tested negative for sexually transmitted diseases, the report said. "The girls said the Boko Haram men always assured them that they would eventually go back home to their families, and were careful about what they said around the girls and how they treated them," said the source, who declined to be named. "They had been fed well and regularly, until the military cut off Boko Haram supplies," the government source added. More than 200 girls were seized from their school in April 2014 in Chibok in Borno state, where Boko Haram has waged a seven-year insurgency aimed at creating an Islamic state, killing thousands and displacing more than 2 million people. Boko Haram has kidnapped hundreds of men, women and children but the abduction of the Chibok girls - some 200 of whom are still missing - prompted outrage worldwide and their plight was publicized using a Twitter hashtag, #bringbackourgirls. NO FORCED MARRIAGE, CONVERSION The daily routine for the girls, who were moved in captivity between the northeastern town of Gwoza and the Sambisa forest, a Boko Haram stronghold, involved personal time in the morning followed by Koranic teaching and cooking meals, the report said. Most of the girls said they were held in makeshift dwellings made of zinc sheets in Sambisa, while those who were married lived with their militant husbands in camps across the forest. The 21 recently released girls said that while the Boko Haram militants advised them to marry and convert to Islam, they were not forced into doing so, according to the report. "The girls said that those of them who did not agree to marry were used as house girls (servants)," the source said. The girls recognized almost all the faces of Boko Haram members on a government most-wanted list, but did not know the militants' names and never saw the Islamist group's established figurehead Abubakar Shekau, according to the source. When shown pictures of 142 of their still missing classmates, the girls said 61 had married Boko Haram militants, eight had died during Nigerian air force strikes, three during childbirth, and one of an unknown cause, the report found. Another Chibok girl and her 10-month-old son were discovered by troops days ago while they were screening escapees from Boko Haram's base in the Sambisa forest. The first of the Chibok girls to be released by Boko Haram, Amina Ali, was freed in May. Ali has since been held in a house in Abuja for what the state has called a "restoration process". She said in August that she "just wanted to go home". Boko Haram controlled a swathe of land around the size of Belgium at the start of 2015, but Nigeria's army has recaptured most of the territory. The group still stages suicide bombings in the northeast, as well as in neighboring Niger and Cameroon. (Reporting by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, Writing by Kieran Guilbert, Editing by Emma Batha.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org)
By Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani ABUJA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The 21 Chibok schoolgirls freed by Boko Haram militants last month say they were not abused or raped during two-and-a-half years' captivity in northeast Nigeria, a source close to the presidency said on Wednesday. Many girls kidnapped by the Islamist militant group have been used as sex slaves, fighters and even suicide bombers, according to rights groups including Amnesty International. But the 21 freed girls said the militants treated them well while they were held captive, according to a confidential report based on their two-week debriefing prepared for President Muhammadu Buhari and seen by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The girls, released last month after Switzerland and the Red Cross brokered a deal, are now being held in a secret location in the capital Abuja for assessment by the Nigerian government. State health workers confirmed that the girls were not sexually abused while in captivity, adding that they all tested negative for sexually transmitted diseases, the report said. "The girls said the Boko Haram men always assured them that they would eventually go back home to their families, and were careful about what they said around the girls and how they treated them," said the source, who declined to be named. "They had been fed well and regularly, until the military cut off Boko Haram supplies," the government source added. More than 200 girls were seized from their school in April 2014 in Chibok in Borno state, where Boko Haram has waged a seven-year insurgency aimed at creating an Islamic state, killing thousands and displacing more than 2 million people. Boko Haram has kidnapped hundreds of men, women and children but the abduction of the Chibok girls - some 200 of whom are still missing - prompted outrage worldwide and their plight was publicised using a Twitter hashtag, #bringbackourgirls. NO FORCED MARRIAGE, CONVERSION The daily routine for the girls, who were moved in captivity between the northeastern town of Gwoza and the Sambisa forest, a Boko Haram stronghold, involved personal time in the morning followed by Koranic teaching and cooking meals, the report said. Most of the girls said they were held in makeshift dwellings made of zinc sheets in Sambisa, while those who were married lived with their militant husbands in camps across the forest. The 21 recently released girls said that while the Boko Haram militants advised them to marry and convert to Islam, they were not forced into doing so, according to the report. "The girls said that those of them who did not agree to marry were used as house girls (servants)," the source said. The girls recognised almost all the faces of Boko Haram members on a government most-wanted list, but did not know the militants' names and never saw the Islamist group's established figurehead Abubakar Shekau, according to the source. When shown pictures of 142 of their still missing classmates, the girls said 61 had married Boko Haram militants, eight had died during Nigerian air force strikes, three during childbirth, and one of an unknown cause, the report found. Another Chibok girl and her 10-month-old son were discovered by troops days ago while they were screening escapees from Boko Haram's base in the Sambisa forest. The first of the Chibok girls to be released by Boko Haram, Amina Ali, was freed in May. Ali has since been held in a house in Abuja for what the state has called a "restoration process". She said in August that she "just wanted to go home". Boko Haram controlled a swathe of land around the size of Belgium at the start of 2015, but Nigeria's army has recaptured most of the territory. The group still stages suicide bombings in the northeast, as well as in neighbouring Niger and Cameroon. (Reporting by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, Writing by Kieran Guilbert, Editing by Emma Batha.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org)
PARIS (Reuters) - France's far-right National Front party leader Marine Le Pen congratulated Donald Trump for his U.S. presidential election victory on Wednesday and said she hoped the same kind of upset would happen in France next year. "Congratulations to the new president of the United States Donald Trump and to the free American people!" Le Pen, who will compete in France's presidential election six months from now, said on Twitter. "What happened last night was not the end of the world, it was the end of a world," she later told reporters. "The Americans gave themselves a president of their choosing and not the one that the establishment wanted them to rubber-stamp." Opinion polls show Le Pen likely to win the first round of French presidential elections next April but lose the second runoff round in May to whoever should be her opponent. Her father Jean-Marie Le Pen, the party founder who reached the second round of French presidential elections in 2002, tweeted: "Today the United States, tomorrow France." France's National Front has been building support for its anti-immigration, anti-European Union stance in recent years. Marine Le Pen argued that Trump's victory is part of a much wider revolt by voters against political elites worldwide, not only in France. (Reporting by Andrew Callus and Ingrid Melander; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Tom Heneghan)
Bayonne (France) (AFP) - Raoul Coutard, the renowned cinematographer who worked with directors including Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut during the French New Wave movement, died on Tuesday aged 92, his family told AFP.

The Frenchman shot some of the biggest French films of the second half of the 20th century, including "Breathless" (1960), "Contempt" (1963), "Pierrot le Fou" (1965) and "Jules and Jim" (1962), along with "Z" alongside Greek director Costa-Gavras.

Born in Paris on September 16, 1924, Coutard was a sergeant in the colonial infantry during the Indochina War, commanding a section in Laos before becoming an army photographer and then, while still in Southeast Asia, a photographer for Paris Match and Life magazines.

It was there that he met French filmmaker Pierre Schoendoerffer, with whom he collaborated on his first films including "The Devil's Pass" (1958) and "Ramuntcho" (1959).

But it was with the film "Breathless" -- a collaboration with Godard -- that he began to break new ground, marking the start of the New Wave movement.

The cinematographer became famous for his work shot with a handheld camera and his use of natural light, causing controversy within the profession at the time.

"The images were not polished, union rules were not respected and I was doing both lighting and framing, which was not done at the time at all," he said.

Suffering from a long illness, Coutard lived for several years close to Bayonne in the Basque Country region of southwest France and died at a clinic on Tuesday night.
Raoul Coutard, the renowned cinematographer who worked with directors including Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut during the French New Wave movement, died Tuesday aged 92, his family told AFP.

The Frenchman shot some of the biggest French films of the second half of the 20th century, including "Breathless" (1960), "Contempt" (1963), "Pierrot le Fou" (1965) and "Jules and Jim" (1962), along with "Z" alongside Greek director Costa-Gavras.

Born in Paris on September 16, 1924, Coutard was a sergeant in the colonial infantry during the Indochina War, commanding a section in Laos before becoming an army photographer and then, while still in Southeast Asia, a photographer for Paris Match and Life magazines.

It was there that he met French filmmaker Pierre Schoendoerffer, with whom he collaborated on his first films including "The Devil's Pass" (1958) and "Ramuntcho" (1959).

But it was with the film "Breathless" -- a collaboration with Godard -- that he began to break new ground, marking the start of the New Wave movement.

The cinematographer became famous for his work shot with a handheld camera and his use of natural light, causing controversy within the profession at the time.

"The images were not polished, union rules were not respected and I was doing both lighting and framing, which was not done at the time at all," he said.

Suffering from a long illness, Coutard lived for several years close to Bayonne in the Basque Country region of southwest France and died at a clinic on Tuesday night.
Throughout his astonishing run for president, PEOPLE senior editor Charlotte Triggs has covered every moment of Donald Trumps campaign  from interviewing him in the luxury of his Trump Tower apartment with his family, to his office, laden with magazines featuring his face  to accompanying him on the trail.

On Tuesday night she joined his supporters as he was elected the 45th President of the United States:

The last time I saw Donald Trump, it was in March and he had invited me on the campaign trail.

What had started as a simple interview at his imposing office at Trump Tower ended up in the Presidential candidate inviting me to a rally in Tucson, Arizona, on a whim.



Fast forward to eight months later and Im standing in the Hilton Midtown hotel in New York City.

As the minutes and hours ticked by, and vital states fell to Trump, the crowd smelled triumph. For the most part, the atmosphere was enthusiastic. For Trumps jubilant supporters, they really believed they were vanquishing an evil person  Hillary Clinton. But then in darker moments, there were cries of Lock her up and build the wall.

Some also turned on the press, most of whom were kept in a pen, sneering Come on, smile.

But as it sank in that Trump had REALLY won, the crowd, many wearing Trumps now-famous Make America Great Again caps  These hats are so hot. You cant get them, Trump had told me  started screaming with joy.

The room was a busy, steaming hot whirl of flags and signs. It was so hot one woman fainted and others seemed to be overheating.

As I looked around, I still could not believe the man who I was so used to seeing on my TV screen, the man I had interviewed so many times, was our next President.

With a front-row seat to history, this is a night none of us will forget.




Many appeared to make good on the age-old promise to move to Canada if their candidate did not get into office as the votes were tallied Tuesday night, apparently crashing the Canadian immigration website.

Read: Donald Trump Claims Victory Over Hillary Clinton in Stunning Upset

Those logging on to the site were instead greeted with a "500 - Internal server error.

While the reason behind the crash has not been confirmed, it has been speculated that it was related to a multitude of users looking to move to Americas northern neighbor.

While the Citizenship and Immigration Canada have not acknowledged an outage, social media had a field day with what could have been pure coincidence.

I was gonna write this as a joke but found out it was real. "The Canada Citizenship and Immigration site crashed around 8 PM" #electionnight  Ben Schwartz (@rejectedjokes) November 9, 2016

Canada's Citizenship & Immigration site just crashed. This isn't a joke. #ElectionNight  SCOTT WARNER (@ScottWarner18) November 9, 2016

Many celebrities, including Bryan Cranston, Lena Dunham, Miley Cyrus, and Amy Schumer vowed to move to Canada in the past should Donald Trump get elected.

Read: 2016 Election Results: How the Battleground States Voted

The site was back up and running by Wednesday morning, but at a sluggish speed.

Story continues

Watch: After Lena Dunham Says She'll Go to Canada If Trump Wins, He Says He'll Escort Her

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By Atul Prakash and Kit Rees

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's top share index ended higher, boosted by mining companies and drugmakers, after a volatile Wednesday that saw the index slumping 2 percent in early trading following Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election.

Republican Trump stunned the world by defeating his heavily favoured Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, raising concerns that his victory could cause economic and global uncertainty. Stocks across the globe initially fell, but then recovered following his well-received victory speech.

"Overall, a Trump victory has so far failed to trigger the global stock market panic that many expected. As with Brexit, this is a cautionary reminder not to try to base investment strategies on the outcome of political events," Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said.

Credit Suisse analysts said that most of Trump's more troubling policies, such as those related to immigration and protectionism, were likely to be toned down. Some of his other policies, like more fiscal spending and lower corporate taxes, could be seen as positive for equities.

Mining companies tracked a sharp rise in prices of gold, generally seen as a safe-haven asset, although it was off its highs after the conciliatory victory speech that also helped the dollar to rebound. Base metals also rallied on expectations that a Trump presidency could herald a period of fiscal stimulus and boost demand for metals.

The UK mining index , which includes precious and base metals companies, surged 5.9 percent to its highest since mid-2015, boosted by a 6.8 to 10.7 percent jump in Fresnillo (FRES.L), Antofagasta (ANTO.L) and Glencore (GLEN.L).

The blue chip FTSE 100 (.FTSE) index closed 1 percent higher after setting a one-week high. The domestically focused FTSE 250 index (.FTMC) closed 0.8 percent higher.

Healthcare stocks spiked in a relief rally as Clinton was seen as imposing tighter regulations. Pharma stocks had been losing ground before the election on worries that a Clinton presidency would put pressure on drug prices.

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Shares in Hikma (HIK.L), Shire (SHP.L), Astrazeneca (AZN.L) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) gained 2.7 to 8.3 percent.

Some companies with significant exposure to the United States also rose. CRH (CRH.L) a construction firm which had been touted as a potential beneficiary from any increase in U.S. infrastructure spending, jumped 6 percent, as it derives about half of its revenues from the country.

U.S.-focused Ashtead (AHT.L) soared 11.5 percent.

Shares in banking stocks rose 1.3 percent, in line with their European peers, with some analysts speculating about a more benign regulation in America and on expectations that the Fed could still raise interest rates this year.

However, some stocks came under heavy selling pressure. British grocer Sainsbury (SBRY.L) fell 6.6 percent after reporting an underwhelming set of results. The supermarket reported a third straight decline in first-half profit, hurt by a fall in sales.

(Reporting by Kit Rees; Editing by Larry King)
British actor Stephen Dillane has joined Gary Oldman in the Winston Churchill project "Darkest Hour" reports Deadline.

Starring Oldman as the legendary British Prime Minister, John Hurt, Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn and Kristin Scott Thomas are also already confirmed for the film.

Dillane's previous credits include "Zero Dark Thirty" and playing Stannis Baratheon in "Game of Thrones."

"Atonement" director Joe Wright is helming the project, which is penned by "The Theory of Everything" writer Anthony McCarten.

The film will follow Churchill in his first few days of becoming Prime Minister of Great Britain, during which he will have to face one of his most challenging and turbulent times. With Nazi forces growing stronger, a skeptical king, and his own party plotting against him, Churchill must withstand his darkest hour to calm and rally the nation, win the war and change the course of world history.
GettyImages 167503236

Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush congratulated Donald Trump Wednesday on being elected the 45th president of the United States.

"Barbara and I congratulate @realDonaldTrump, wish him well as he guides America forward as our next President," George H.W. Bush wrote.

"His family is in our prayers."

CNN reported that George H.W. Bush also phoned Trump and spoke with him for about 10 minutes.

George W. Bush released a statement through his spokesperson.

"This morning I called President-elect Donald Trump and congratulated him on his election as President of the United States of America," he said. "Laura and I wish the President-elect, Melania, and the entire Trump family all our very best as they take on an awesome responsibility and begin an exciting new chapter in their lives."

"We pray for the success of our country and the success of our new President."

The Bushes had shared bad blood with Trump.

George H.W. Bush reportedly cast his ballot for Democrat Hillary Clinton, after the New York businessman pummeled his sons during the GOP primaries, famously branding Jeb Bush as low energy and critiquing George W. Bush for the war in Iraq.

The Associated Press declared Trump the president-elect at 2:30 a.m. ET, shortly after the wire service placed Wisconsin in his column.

Trumps victory was one of the most stunning political upsets in history. Clinton was strongly favored to emerge as the victor on Tuesday night, with some analysts estimating Trumps odds of winning the election as low as 1%.

NOW WATCH: Its surreal to watch this 2011 video of Obama and Seth Meyers taunting Trump about a presidential run





More From Business Insider


Washington (AFP) - George W. Bush cast a protest vote of sorts in the US election, with an aide saying Tuesday the former president chose "none of the above" rather than fellow Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Bush had previously signaled that he intended to sit out the race, after his younger brother Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, was defeated in the 2016 Republican Party primary.

"President and Mrs. Bush voted 'None of the Above' for president, and for Republican candidates on the rest of the ballot," Bush personal aide Freddy Ford told AFP.

The Bush family has not weighed in significantly in the presidential election, but former president George H.W. Bush reportedly told friends privately that he would vote for Democrat Clinton.

Trump's harsh rhetoric and maverick campaign have driven several high-profile Republicans to denounce the provocative billionaire and say they would not support the nominee in the election.

They include the 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney, former secretary of state Colin Powell, and former governors Jon Huntsman of Utah and Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey.
FRANKFURT, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Germany's auto industry association VDA on Wednesday said it was concerned that the election of Donald Trump as United States President could hamper trade and the flow of goods.

The association which represents BMW, Volkswagen and Daimler said the election campaign had shown that competition between industrial nations was becoming tougher.

"It is to be feared that the United States under a new President, just like China, will mainly focus on their own economies, at the expense of international trade flows and relationships," VDA said in a statement on Wednesday.

More protectionism or additional tariffs would damage the United States as well as its trading partners, VDA said.

(Reporting by Edward Taylor; Editing by Maria Sheahan)
By Edward Taylor and Laurence Frost

FRANKFURT/PARIS (Reuters) - Germany's mighty automakers wasted little time on Wednesday in voicing concern that Donald Trump's election as U.S. president may damage trade, and with it their business.

"It is to be feared that the United States under a new president, just like China, will mainly focus on their own economy at the expense of international trade flows," said the VDA, an association representing Volkswagen <VOWG_p.DE> , BMW and Daimler along with other manufacturers and suppliers.

Trump's surprise victory will rattle groups including BMW that have invested heavily in Mexican production to serve the U.S. market - as well as posing a potential threat to investments by Renault and PSA in Iran.

During his campaign, the real-estate tycoon pledged to unpick the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as well as a breakthrough nuclear pact with Tehran, saying both were among the worst deals ever made.

Volkswagen (VW) boss Matthias Mueller said in Munich he hoped Trump's election would not prove "more detrimental" to the company, as it negotiates a costly U.S. civil settlement after admitting it cheated emissions tests.

Trump has threatened to renegotiate NAFTA and slap tariffs on Mexican car imports to protect U.S. factory jobs, potentially forcing carmakers to rethink heavy investments.

The protectionist message resonated with blue-collar voters in "rust belt" states such as Pennsylvania and Ohio, who helped propel Trump to victory on Tuesday.

When Ford announced plans to shift small-car production to Mexico, Trump had also vowed to pressure the automaker to reverse course. "We shouldn't allow it to happen," he said.

German automakers are heavily exposed to any new trade restrictions with Mexico.

"Rhetoric around Mexican production, trade tariffs and a potential step-back in consumer confidence will likely weigh on stocks and auto demand," brokerage Evercore ISI said in a note on Wednesday.

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VW shares were down 2.3 percent at 1426 GMT, with BMW 1.9 percent lower and Daimler down 1.8 percent, outpacing a 1.4 percent dip for the broader European auto sector.

BMW broke ground in June on a plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, pledging to invest $2.2 billion by 2019 for annual production of 150,000 cars.

Three months later, VW's Audi division inaugurated a $1.3 billion facility of the same capacity near Puebla. Audi will build electric and petrol Q5 SUVs in Mexico.

By 2020, Mexico will have the plant capacity to supply a quarter of all vehicles sold in the United States, according to consulting firm IHS Automotive, up from one in six in 2012.

Daimler also plans to begin assembling Mercedes-Benz vehicles in 2018 from a $1 billion facility shared with Renault-Nissan.

The company employs 22,000 workers in the United States and aims to "build a constructive dialogue with the new administration", a Daimler spokesman said.

European carmakers and other businesses had also been hoping a victory for Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton would clear remaining obstacles to large-scale investments in Iran, 16 months after a breakthrough deal to curb its nuclear program.

Financial institutions are still too wary of U.S. sanctions to bankroll new deals, bankers have said, with the prospect of a Trump victory adding to their concerns.

But Renault and PSA, the maker of Peugeot, Citroen and DS cars, have already begun ramping up investments and production in a market once dominated by the French.

PSA, which has announced two manufacturing ventures with local partners, relies on Iran for 15 percent of its global car sales, while Renault unveiled its own production investment in September. Both groups declined to comment on Wednesday.

Weeks before the election, however, PSA Chief Executive Carlos Tavares expressed hope that Trump's words on scrapping the Iranian nuclear deal would never translate into action.

"There can be quite a gap between what's said on the campaign trail and what is done after the election," Tavares said at the Paris auto show, adding Iran presented a "major opportunity" for the group.

"It's an opportunity we are not going to pass up, especially since our presence is 100 percent compliant with international rules," he said.

(Reporting by Edward Taylor and Irene Preisinger; Editing by Georgina Prodhan and Mark Potter)
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen described Donald Trump's gains in the U.S. presidential election as a "huge shock" on Wednesday and asked him for assurances on his commitment to NATO. Von der Leyen told broadcaster ARD that the Republican candidate's strong showing was "not a vote for him but rather against Washington, against the establishment". "It was a big shock when I saw the way things are heading," she said as Trump edged closer to winning the White House with a series of shocking wins in key states such as Florida and Ohio, rattling world markets. Germany, like other European countries, was alarmed by Trump's comments earlier in the campaign that if Russia attacked a NATO member, he would consider whether the targeted country had met its defense commitments before providing military aid. "Of course we Europeans, as a NATO ally, know that if Donald Trump becomes president, he'll ask: What are you contributing to this alliance?" von der Leyen, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, said. "But we're also wondering, what's your position on this alliance?" she added, in the first comments from a German minister on the U.S. vote. Von der Leyen said the German government now needed to find out know who their contact person would be in a Trump government and what campaign announcements he wanted to implement. "There are many questions yet to be answered," she said. Regarding Trump's pledge to "Make America Great Again", von der Leyen said that would only be possible with a strong economy and that, in turn, would only be possible if he did not create uncertainty. "It's in our interest that the America remains prepared to take on responsibility and open to the world," she said. (Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Andrew Heavens)
The Berlin Wall came down 27 years ago on Nov. 9.

As America woke up to president-elect Donald Trump, who famously and frequently pledged to build a wall across Americas border with Mexico, its worth remembering that today is the 27th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, one of the cruelest borders the world has ever known.

On Nov. 9, 1989, the border between East and West Germany, which divided a nation and split families for more than 28 years, came down. It was the day that Germany began the long, painful process of putting its broken parts back together.

Nov. 9 is also remembered in Germany for darker reasons: it is the 78th anniversary of the Night of Broken Glass, or Kristallnacht, when in 1938 the Nazis attacked and destroyed Jewish-owned businesses, homes, and synagogues across Germany and Austria, killing hundreds. The day after that terrible night, more than 30,000 Jewish men were rounded up and sent to concentration camps; and so the Holocaust began.

As Germany celebrated and commemorated these anniversaries, the countrys politicians made veiled and not-so-veiled statements about the consequences of Trumps populism-fueled victory. Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated Trump on his win, but was quick to stress that Germany and America would remain close friends only as long as they shared democratic values.

Germany and America are bound by their values: democracy, freedom, the respect for the law and the dignity of human beings,regardless of their creed, race, sexual oriental, religion, or political attitudes, Merkel said. On the basis of these values I offer the future president of the United States, Donald Trump, close cooperation.

In contrast to Merkels diplomatic comments, her vice-chancellor, Sigmar Gabriel, called Trumps victory a warning to Germany, Europe, and beyond, saying that policymakers need to listen more closely to the concerns of their people. He described Trump (link in German) as the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist movement, together with Russian president Vladimir Putin, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Frances far-right party leader Marine Le Pen.

Story continues

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LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Germany's safe-haven 10-year government bond yield fell sharply in early Wednesday trade, as results from the U.S. presidential election pointed to growing chances of a win for Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Germany's 10-year Bund yield was down 7 basis points at 0.10 percent. Early cash trading also pointed to sharp falls in euro zone bond yields.

Trump won a series of shocking wins in battleground U.S. states to rattle world markets and open up a path to the White House.

Opinion polls shortly before the election suggested Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would capture the White House, but looked set to be confounded.

The prospect of a win by Trump, viewed as hurting exports and injecting uncertainty into markets, drove investors into safe-haven bonds, while stock market futures fell.

(Reporting by Dhara Ranasinghe; Editing by Alistair Smout)
What better way to celebrate a birthday that lands on Election Day than to dress up as the presidential candidates?

Read: Even Psychic Zoo Animals Can't Come to a Consensus on Who Will Win Presidential Election

Little Haizlee Gardini of South Bend, Indiana, had bigger concerns than red versus blue November 8. For her, the day marked her 3rd birthday.

But, she bought into the election frenzy anyway and in a heartwarming photo shoot by her mom Trish Gardini, Haizlee posed as both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

"We knew no matter what, she would make people smile today," Gardini told InsideEdition.com, "even the people weeping out there."

Even though Haizlee is not quite old enough to understand each candidate's political stance, her favorite part was dressing up and putting on makeup.

"She was happy they both wore makeup," her mom joked. "Even the daddy. She couldn't believe the daddy wore make up because daddies aren't supposed to wear makeup."

Gardini said, as a photographer, her daughter grew up in front of the camera, and came to quickly love the spotlight.

Read: Mom and Her Dog Give Birth on the Same Day, Adorable Photo Shoot Ensues

"Most kids aren't game like she is," Gardini said. "She's always grown up with a big bow on her head, and smiling for the camera. She just has a really fun personality."

Although the 3-year-old's real birthday treat included a fun dinner at Chuck-E-Cheese, Gardini said she even brought her daughter to the polling booth as she cast her own vote.

Watch: Photographer Does 'Clinton' and 'Trump' Engagement Photo Shoot to Give People a Laugh

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World media reacted largely with astonishment and awe to the news of Donald Trumps win in the U.S. presidential election on Wednesday morning. Many world politicans, however, were slow to respond  apart from those seen as allies of the president-elect including Vladimir Putin and Frances Marine Le Pen.

The UK, which experienced its own seismic political earthquake earlier this year with its stunning Brexit vote in June, awoke to media outlets awash with the shock news that America had elected a property tycoon billionaire with no experience in political office for its next president.

Left-leaning British paper The Guardian lead with the headline Trump victory stuns world in the morning hours.

Its contributor Jonathan Freedland wrote a column headlined: The U.S. has elected its most dangerous leader. We all have plenty to fear. The weekly columnist began: We thought the United States would step back from the abyss. We believed, and the polls led us to feel sure, that Americans would not, in the end, hand the most powerful office on Earth to an unstable bigot, sexual predator and compulsive liar. He added the U.S. today stood as a source of fear.

Right-leaning UK paper The Telegraphs deputy political editor Steven Swinford opined that Trumps dramatic victory could offer a glimmer of hope for a post-Brexit trade deal, noting that Trump had said the country would be treated fantastically after Brexit, a stark contrast to outgoing U.S. president Barack Obamas view. Concerns were raised on what the results would mean for British Prime Minster Theresa May who had previously labeled Trump a buffoon in MP debates.

By 8:40AM GMT, the BBC noted a stunning silence from international politicians. One of the first to offer a handshake from afar, Russian president Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on his win, saying he hoped that Russian-American relations would be taken out of crisis.

Even before the result was officially called, Frances far-right National Front party leader Marine Le Pen offered congratulations. France is in the throes of its own presidential election, which will be decided in May next year, and the anti-immigration National Front has increasingly gained a footing over the past few years. Le Pen tweeted: Congratulations to the new president of the United States Donald Trump and to the free American people!

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Felicitations au nouveau president des Etats-Unis Donald Trump et au peuple americain, libre ! MLP  Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) November 9, 2016

Hours after the election results were called, Downing Street issued a statement from May congratulating Trump on the result following a hard-fought campaign. Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise. We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence.

As for the Brit tabloids, the Daily Mail blared WELCOME TO TRUMPLAND, dubbing the result Revenge of the Deplorables: The most extraordinary Presidential campaign in modern history ends in utter humiliation for Hillary, the pollsters, and the elites of business, media and showbusiness as the voters America forgot sweet Donald to a stunning victory. The Mirror noted, 11/9 is the new 9/11: Americans liken Trumps win to most devastating day in countrys history.

In France, French president Francois Hollande took time to speak, ultimately congratulating Trump (with typically French sang-froid) as is natural between two heads of democratic states. He added, What is in play is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, economic relations and the preservation of the planet.

Frances 24-hour news networks continued blanket coverage throughout the morning, carrying Trumps victory speech with a focus on world markets. After following the election results early in the AM, national terrestrial network France 2 switched back to regular programming.

French paper Le Figaro led with the headline The election of Donald Trump plunges world into uncertainty while left-leaning paper Liberation is running a profile of Donald Trump, a president who came out of nowhere. Business daily Les Echos noted Tuesday night as The crazy night that changed the world while Le Mondes website was down on Wednesday morning.

A senior member of German Chancellor Angela Merkels conservative party said on German radio early Wednesday morning that geopolitically we are in a very uncertain situation and its Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier eventually stated: The result is not what most of Germany would have wished but of course we accept it We dont know how Trump will run America. There are many burning questions that even in our endeavors in the past few days remain open. But he reassured Germany that it has strong ties to America and will look for discussion. Euronews reported concern in world capitals today particularly over trade.

Italys press echoed the shockwaves reverberating throughout most of Europe. La Repubblica said Trump president vote shocks in the U.S. while Corriere Della Sera again quoted the president-elect, The triumph of Trump: I will be president of all, it is time to unite. The latters commentator Beppe Severgnini wrote Bruce Springsteens nation danced in the dark and it ended up in the arms of Donald Trump.

Official Chinese press websites in English led with Chinese Premier Li Keqiangs vist to Russia to meet Vladimir Putin and noted Trumps win below. The Xinhua state news agency wrote: China said Wednesday it expected to make joint efforts with the new U.S. government to maintain sustained, healthy and stable growth of China-U.S. relations and benefit people of the two countries of the world.

China and the U.S. are currently negotiating a new trade agreement with regard to the film industry, which is expected to impact the amount of U.S. movies allowed into the Middle Kingdom.

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Nov. 9, 2016: This story has been updated.

Despite an aggressive financial push from Democrats, Republicans cemented their dominance of the nations governors mansions in elections Tuesday, ending the night with their highest number of governorships since 1922.

The GOP flipped control of state executives in Missouri, Vermont and New Hampshire as of early Wednesday. That means the party will hold the governors offices in at least 33 states, up from 31. In a stunning night for Democrats on the national stage, these additional losses pushed the party further into the political wilderness in the states, where they have been struggling to compete for years.

Defending eight of the 12 governorships on the ballot Tuesday, Democratic candidates and the political groups backing them narrowly outspent Republicans on TV ads by about $2.5 million, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of data from media tracker Kantar Media/CMAG. Thats a reversal from 2012, when Republican candidates and committees outspent Democrats by more than $20 million.

Democrats were trying to play catch-up with the fundraising heavyweights of the GOP. Spending on TV ads was only a part of their campaign strategy, to be sure, but those commercials play a critical role in shaping public opinion.

Just three seats were considered safe for Democrats, who had to defend governorships in five of the seven most competitive races, including contests in states Obama lost in 2012 that Donald Trump would go on to win: West Virginia, Montana and Missouri.

North Carolina remained a lone spot of hope for the party that sought to flip it from Republican control. Democratic ad spending topped $19 million in the state  more than one-quarter of the $65 million Democrats spent nationally on governors races in 2016. As of early Wednesday, the too-close-to-call race could be headed to a recount, though Democrat Roy Cooper had claimed victory.

Related story: Tracking TV ads in the 2016 state races

This story is part of Whos Calling the Shots in State Politics?. The Center exposes the powerful special interests that drive elections and policy in the states. Click here to read more stories in this series.

Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email.

Democratic Governors Association spokesman Jared Leopold remained sanguine about the results. Democrats also will likely hold all three of our incumbents: Governors Steve Bullock, Jay Inslee and Kate Brown, he said. Republicans initially eyed a 4-seat net gain in 2016, and it appears they will fall short.

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Now, Democrats are looking ahead. Already struggling with a thin bench of political stars, Democrats said reversing their shrinking ranks in the states is essential to the future of the party.

To run people for president and Senate, you have to have governors getting ready in the bullpen, said Matt Bennett, a senior official with Third Way, a centrist Democratic think tank.

Spending surges

Overall ad spending surpassed $128 million for the governors races alone, eclipsing total outlays in comparable 2012, when, in addition to 11 gubernatorial contests, Wisconsin held an expensive recall election over Republican Gov. Scott Walker. This years increase was driven, in part, by the high number of open seats. Incumbent governors in five of the most competitive races were either term-limited or not seeking re-election.

No state saw more spending on ads than Missouri, which attracted roughly $36 million  more than twice what was spent in 2012  due in part to an expensive Republican primary. Former Navy SEAL Eric Greitens emerged from the five-way race as the nominee and spent $12.7 million on ads, more than any other candidate in the country.

The spending paid off. He claimed victory Tuesday night. With a Republican legislature, the GOP now controls the state government.

While tiny Vermonts ad spending total was much lower, $5.8 million, it saw the most spending per voter of any state: roughly $12 for each of the states fewer than 500,000 eligible voters. And ad spending in the state represented a tenfold increase over totals in 2012.

But interestingly, Republican Phil Scott won the race despite spending far less on TV ads than Democrat Sue Minter. He got help from the Republican Governors Association-backed group called A Stronger Vermont but still fell behind in the ad war. To voters, that didnt matter. He won with 53 percent of the votes, according to unofficial results.

Outside groups weigh in

Outside spending on TV spots was down from four years ago, when independent groups accounted for roughly a third of ads  but that didnt mean those organizations kept silent. This year, outside groups aired one in five political spots in governors races. Moreover, two of the biggest players funneled large contributions directly to candidates in Indiana and Missouri, states that have no limits on political donations.

The latter became a national focus for Republicans, who saw the Show Me State as a top pick-up opportunity. The Republican Governors Association alone poured $13 million into Greitens campaign, the second-highest contribution the group has ever given in a single year, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of IRS data. Party leaders and GOP mega-donors also pitched in. Republican Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and shipping mogul Richard Uihlein all wrote six-figure checks.

Democrats tried to keep up, with the Democratic Governors Association and a related group contributing $3.7 million to Chris Koster. Out-of-state labor unions and groups donated another $4.2 million. But Team Greitens spent more and won.

Related video: Good Jobs West Virginia /Bill Cole

Outside groups also played an outsize role in Montana and New Hampshire, where Democrats who sought to retain governorships faced strong Republican challengers.

In Montana, Gov. Steve Bullock squared off against Republican Greg Gianforte, a wealthy tech executive who aired more ads than any candidate in the country this year.

Hoping to offset the Republicans money advantage, the DGA-backed Good Jobs Montana spent more than $2.5 million on ads, flooding the states relatively cheap media markets with at least 13,000 airings. That accounted for more than half of all ads aired by the Democratic side in the gubernatorial race.

All told, both sides spent more than $8 million on political spots in Montana  equivalent to more than $11 per eligible voter, the second highest ratio in the country. The race had not been called as of early Wednesday. Bullock narrowly led with 49 percent of the vote, and 74 percent of districts reporting.

(Update, Nov. 9, 2016, 2:19 p.m.: Bullock was re-elected with 50 percent of the vote in the three-way race, according to unofficial returns.)

Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email.

In New Hampshire, both sides battled over the governorship now held by Democrat Maggie Hassan, who ran for U.S. Senate. The Democratic Governors Association helped fund a group named Put NH First that poured more than $4 million into advertising to boost nominee Colin Van Ostern.

Aiming to pad its overall gubernatorial dominance, the Republican Governors Association funded Live Free PAC that spent more than $1.6 million on spots for Chris Sununu, a member of the states Executive Council and the son of former Gov. John Sununu. He won with 49 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results.

The RGA did not respond for comment about the national landscape as results were still pending.

Presidential politics play down ballot

All politics might be local, but more than one in 10 gubernatorial ads mentioned either President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump  or in several cases, all three. And that was most evident in red states where Democrats fought to maintain control of the governorship. More than one out of every four ads in the West Virginia governors race, for example, attacked Obama and Clinton.

With Trumps well-established popularity in the state, Republican ads hammered Democratic nominee Jim Justice as being aligned with Clinton and the president. But Justice, a billionaire coal magnate and resort owner who was a registered Republican until last year, responded with an ad distancing himself from his partys national leaders.

Lets get this straight: Im a coal man, Justice says in the ad. I have never given money to Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. In fact, I didnt even vote for Obama.

The strategy worked in West Virginia: Both Trump and Justice cruised to victory there.

Justice wasnt alone. Only two Democratic candidates aired ads praising Obama, while nominees in Trump-friendly Missouri and Montana emphasized their independence from national Democrats.

Its just a survival requirement in red states, said Bennett, the Third Way official.

Experts said Democrats have a long road ahead.

The party must defend the Virginia governorship next year while also seeking to flip New Jersey, before turning to 2018, when three dozen states are expected to hold gubernatorial elections.

This story was co-published with TIME.

This story is part of Whos Calling the Shots in State Politics?. The Center exposes the powerful special interests that drive elections and policy in the states. Click here to read more stories in this series.

Related stories

Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
Beleaguered action camera maker GoPro is recalling its new Karma drone just weeks after it launched, the company announced late Tuesday as many Americans were glued to coverage of the Presidential election.

The recall affects all approximately 2,500 Karma units GoPro has sold thus far, representing a major blow as the holiday shopping season draws near.

GoPro says it issued the recall after it was discovered that the Karma lost power during flight in a very small number of cases. No injuries or property damage has been reported as a result of the malfunctions, the company says.

Those who have purchased a Karma will receive a full refund. GoPro is not yet offering replacement units.

GoPro founder and CEO Nick Woodman said in a statement that the company is working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Federal Aviation Administration on the recall. We are very sorry to have inconvenienced our customers and we are taking every step to make the return and refund process as easy as possible, said Woodman.

Launching a drone has been GoPros latest attempt to diversify its product portfolio amid a period of struggle. The recall comes after GoPro last week reported dismal quarterly earnings, with sales down nearly 40% year-over-year. The Karma is a direct challenge to drone maker DJI, which controls about 50% of the drone market share in North America, per one estimate.
ATHENS, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Greece sold 1.138 billion euros ($1.26 billion) of three-month treasury bills to refinance a maturing issue, the country's debt agency PDMA said on Wednesday.

The debt agency sold the new paper at a yield of 2.70 percent, unchanged from a previous sale last month. The amount raised included 262.5 million euros in non-competitive bids.

In a rollover, T-bill holders renew their positions instead of getting paid on the maturing paper they hold.

The sale's bid-to-cover ratio was 1.30, unchanged from a previous auction on October 12. Settlement date is November 11.

($1 = 0.9036 euros) (Reporting by George Georgiopoulos)
Guatemala City (AFP) - Guatemala on Wednesday asked Donald Trump to ensure the "protection" of migrants in the United States, fearing his campaign promise to deport undocumented foreigners.

"Guatemala hopes that the actions his administration will take will allow recognition of the precious contribution migrants make to the United States, and that his policies promote and ensure the respect, well-being and protection of the migrant population," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement.

During his campaign for the US presidency, Trump vowed to deport millions of migrants who did not have papers to legally live in America, and said he would jail any deported illegal migrant who attempted to return.

He also repeatedly promised to build a wall across the US-Mexican border to prevent such immigration.

The United States has an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants, the overwhelming majority from Latin America, especially Mexico and Central America.

Guatemalan authorities say around 1.5 million Guatemalans live in the United States, of whom less than a third are legal residents.

Much of Guatemala's economy depends on remittances US-based Guatemalans send back to their families.

The foreign ministry said Guatemala's government wants "to work closely" with Trump's administration to address common priorities in the region, and wished Trump "a successful term."
By Makini Brice LES CAYES, Haiti (Reuters) - Haiti has launched a massive cholera vaccination campaign to battle a flare-up after Hurricane Matthew, but concerns remain about the capacity for longer-term improvements to water and sanitation infrastructure needed to eradicate the disease. The cholera campaign, launched on Tuesday in two southern areas hammered by the storm, is aiming to be the world's largest, targeting 820,000 people, said Ernsly Jackson, an immunization specialist for UNICEF Haiti. Haiti has battled a cholera outbreak that has sickened more than 800,000 people and killed about 9,000 since 2010, when the bacteria was imported into the country by a contingent of United Nations peacekeepers. Although it had proved stubborn to eradicate, cases had declined sharply from a peak in 2010-11. But Hurricane Matthew struck the island in early October, killing up to 1,000 people, leaving about 1.4 million in need of humanitarian assistance and damaging many health facilities. The storm largely destroyed much of the southwestern region's already meager water and sanitation infrastructure, leaving it ripe for a cholera outbreak, experts say. Clifford Gauthier, the South department's head of the Ministry of Health, said there had been 1,200 suspected cholera cases since the hurricane hit, a sharp increase since the region had previously had fewer cases than other areas of the country. In total, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says there have been 3,500 suspected cholera cases since the hurricane. In the Immaculate Conception Hospital of the port town of Les Cayes, 19 people suspected of having cholera were hooked up to IVs and lay on hospital bedframes. Marie Wilnine Gaetan, the head nurse of a rapid-response team, said that the region had not seen so many cases since the disease was first spotted in Haiti. SINGLE DOSES The campaign will mark the first time that so many people will be given only one dose of the cholera vaccine. Normally, the vaccine is given in two doses. A previous initiative conducted by Doctors Without Borders in South Sudan found that a single dose of the cholera vaccine proved to be extremely effective at boosting immunity, according to a study published in medical journal The Lancet in November. "This justifies the approach of using a single dose to achieve wider coverage, given the fact that there's not enough of the vaccine to give to everyone," said Alan Hinman, a member of the Global Task Force on Cholera Prevention, who was not involved with the study. The two-dose vaccine lasts for two years, according to the United Kingdom's National Health Service, but it is not known exactly how long the single dose lasts. Despite officials' enthusiasm, some residents were angry that help had taken a month to arrive. "Many people died in the South department because of cholera, especially people who do not have access to a health center in their community," said Laurient Seebien, a resident of Les Cayes. "Maybe if the government had come quickly with those drugs, it would have saved more lives." Officials at the campaign launch were careful to stress the vaccine was not intended to be the only tool to fight cholera in the region. "The eradication of cholera must include the strengthening of sanitary infrastructures and the population must have access to safe water," said Daphnee Benoit Delsoin, the Minister of Health. "That is to say, it is a very long struggle." But rapid-response team nurse Gaetan said that the water and sanitation authority's repairs appeared to be slow-going. "It's true that DINEPA has started, but I don't know if their means are limited," she said, using the authority's French acronym. A DINEPA spokesman did not respond to multiple calls. Donor financing for longer-term improvements to the water and sanitation system in the cash-strapped country had proved slow to materialize, U.N. officials said. "There have been promises but there has been little funding," said Francois Bellet, a UNICEF specialist in water and sanitation. (Additional reporting by Robenson Sanon, editing by G Crosse)
By Colleen Jenkins WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) - Republicans extended their majority of U.S. governorships on Tuesday as 12 states voted for chief executives, though the high-profile race in North Carolina was too close to call and the outcome may not be known until next week. Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper declared victory after gaining a razor-thin lead over incumbent Republican Governor Pat McCrory, who has been dogged by the backlash against a law he signed that restricts bathroom rights for transgender people and limits non-discrimination protections for gays and lesbians. But McCrory told supporters early on Wednesday that the process of tallying an unknown number of provisional ballots could take until Nov. 18. "The election is not over in North Carolina," McCrory said. About 4,400 votes separated the candidates with all precincts reporting, according to unofficial election results from the state. The state extended voting times in eight Durham County precincts after problems with electronic voting rolls there earlier in the day. The county then uploaded about 90,000 early voting results late Tuesday, prompting concerns among Republicans as Cooper overtook McCrory in the ballot count. Elsewhere in the country, Republicans picked up seats in Missouri and Vermont in races that had been considered toss-ups. A winner had not been declared as of early Wednesday in the competitive race in New Hampshire. The outcomes of votes across the country were not expected, however, to dramatically alter the 31-18 advantage Republicans had over Democrats in the states' executive offices going into Election Day. Alaska has an independent governor. Republican Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott clinched his victory in Vermont over Democrat Sue Minter, a former state transportation secretary, despite the state voting overwhelmingly for Democrat Hillary Clinton in the presidential race. In West Virginia, where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump won by a landslide, billionaire businessman Jim Justice held on to the governor's seat for Democrats by beating Republican state Senate President Bill Cole. Republicans successfully defended the governorship in Indiana for a fourth straight term. Lieutenant Governor Eric Holcomb, who had trailed slightly in polls, won the race left open after Trump tapped Governor Mike Pence as his vice presidential running mate. Pence offered his congratulations to Holcomb on Twitter, saying the governor-elect was "the leader who will keep our state moving forward." Republicans also celebrated in Kentucky, where they gained a majority in the state House of Representatives, the last Democratic-held chamber in the South. The takeover ended 95 years of a Democratic majority in that chamber. (Additional reporting by Steve Bittenbender in Louisville, Kentucky; Editing by Alistair Bell and Jonathan Oatis)
(Editors note: Attention to language in paragraph 30 that may be offensive to some readers)

By Jason Szep

ELLSWORTH, Maine (Reuters) - He lies, huffed Janet Foster.

And hes a dirty old man, chimed in her sister Jean as they discussed Donald Trump's flaws a few days before he was elected the new president of the United States.

Well, I am with him, their brother Paul, 60, interjected, raising his voice over snacks of cheese, muffins and crackers in the familys living room. Hillary Clinton is like a puppet - you know its all scripted.

The 2016 U.S. election was unprecedented in the way it turned Americans against each other, according to dozens of interviews in rural United States and across some of the most politically charged battleground states.

It divided families like the Fosters in rural Ellsworth, Maine, broke up friendships and turned neighbor against neighbor.

In a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey, 15 percent of respondents said they had stopped talking to a family member or close friend as a result of the election. For Democrats, this shoots up to 23 percent, compared to 10 percent for Republicans. And 12 percent had ended a relationship because of it.

There was no comparative polling data from previous elections. But interviews with relationship counselors and voters suggest this election stood out by summoning passions, anger and a divisiveness in ways that will make healing difficult after Clinton's loss to Trump on Tuesday.

Sarah Guth, a Democrat in Colorado, says her father - an ardent supporter of Trump - no longer speaks with her after they clashed on Facebook over their political views.

He crossed a line, she said.

After attending a Trump rally, Guth wrote on Facebook that she saw 10 minorities among thousands of people. Im increasingly convinced that this election is about race, she wrote. I mean a fear among the white majority that their rule is coming to an end.

Some posters told her to go to hell, she recalled in an interview. And then my dad very publicly attacked me, telling me that I should be ashamed of myself. The two have not spoken since.

Story continues

Ty Turner-Bond, a 35-year-old black man in North Carolina, says he lost friends because of his support for Trump. Some called him an Uncle Tom, a slur for African Americans accused of deferring to white people; others threatened violence.

PEOPLE ARE TENSE

In Springfield, a city on Ohios Mad River, Duke Level, 57, voted for Trump because he wanted a wrecking ball to hit Washington. The owner of Un Mundo Cafe isnt surprised this election created divisions, and he fears they could get worse.

"This is one of those crossroads crisis moments in history, he said.

Hours earlier, Trump rallied about 5,000 supporters a few miles away in a dirt-floored livestock arena. He blasted Clinton as the most corrupt person ever to seek the office of the presidency, drawing chants of lock her up," as well as a few of string her up.

Down the street, Richard Scott, 51, an African-American supporting Clinton, shook his head when told of those chants. Those words, he said, recalled 20th Century lynchings of black Americans - including in Springfield where a black prisoner was shot and hung from a pole on Main Street in 1904.

"It's terrible," he said.

Weeks ago, he planted a Clinton sign in his yard. His neighbors put up Trump signs. Outside the funeral home he owns, a pro-Clinton sign was defaced with a Hillary for Prison sticker. People are tense, said Scott.

The election hardened an already-clear racial divide in the former industrial city of 60,000 people - a snapshot of America at about 75 percent white and 18 percent black. Interviews with residents suggested its northern areas, mostly affluent and white, would vote for Trump, while its mostly black, lower-income southern section would largely support Clinton.

There is a division in this town, economically and racial. And we saw that in this election, said Bob Leath, 58, owner of Buckeye PC Repair who voted for Trump to clean house in Washington. If you voted for Clinton, you were most likely either young, lower-income or from the south side of the area.

For some, the tensions reach the bedroom. Sam Nail, a Cincinnati marriage counselor, said he has two couples who cited the election season as a stressor in their relationship.

Much of the anger gets uncorked on social media and will be hard to undo. Some is well publicized. National Review writer David French has written about an unending torrent of abuse he and his family faced online from white nationalist Trump supporters, including a Tweeted image of his 7-year-old daughters face in a gas chamber.

Others are less well known, like Brenda Thomas tangles with her older brother on Facebook. She says her brother unleashed a daily stream of Facebook posts on Clinton and President Barack Obama that she found objectionable. She said when her husband, a Republican, tried to reason with him, he was unfriended on Facebook.

I feel that I have to walk on eggshells with him and it causes problems at family functions, said Thomas, 63, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, Karen Wilson, describes this election as stressful on Facebook. Ive got family members who are mad at me for deleting entire Facebook threads when I thought they were becoming too negative. Ive deleted Facebook friends who I realized I never should have been friends with in the first place, said Wilson, 43.

Fourteen percent of respondents in the Reuters/Ipsos poll said they had blocked a family member or close friend from social media because of the election. For Democrats, this rises to 23 percent compared to 8 percent for Republicans.

"FREE SPEECH ATTACK

The divisions tore into the fabric of some communities. In Provo, Utah, Trump supporter Loy Brunson awoke on an October morning to find his car spray-painted with the words AmeriKKKa" - a reference to KKK white supremacists - and Fuck Trump. His two Trump yard signs were destroyed.

So I doubled down, got motivated and put up 85 signs in my yard, he said. Within days, all but six of those were stolen.

This was more than vandalism, he said in an interview. This was a free speech attack.

Some blame the divisiveness on campaign rhetoric that inflamed racial, ethnic and class tensions that have long simmered in America. Angry and extremist language moved into the mainstream.

George Lakoff, a linguistics professor at University of California, Berkeley, blames Trumps use of language, which he ranks as among the most violent of any candidate in modern times. He specifically notes Trumps suggestion in August that gun rights activists could take matters into their own hands if Clinton defeated him, as well as the New York businessman's comments that she should go to prison.

When you have extremes of that order, you have extremes of anger, extremes of fear, Lakoff said.

In Mississippi, Chad Scott, an activist in the Clay County Republican Party, fears a post-election split between the partys working-class Trump supporters and business-minded elites - a sentiment echoed in Maine, where Foster, the Ellsworth resident at odds with his sisters, witnessed the elections political vitriol first hand.

Foster's van was one of 20 vehicles spray-painted outside a Trump rally on Oct. 15 in the city of Bangor. And across Ellsworth, pro-Trump yard signs were stolen almost as fast as they were planted, Republican officials say.

Foster worries about the divisions ahead.

My sisters will forgive me for my political views, he said. But the country is going to be on fire.

(Additional reporting by Greg Lacour in Charlotte, North Carolina and Nick Carey in Chicago, editing by Ross Colvin)
He eats, exercises and sleeps in his office, but Cambodian opposition politician Kem Sokha is not just hard at work plotting how to win the next election -- he is also hiding after being threatened with jail.

Facing prison over an alleged sex scandal, he says he is the latest target of a government which is using the courts as a weapon to pick off its main rivals ahead of elections in 2018.

Although nominally a democracy, Cambodia has been ruled for 31-years by shrewd, pugnacious strongman Hun Sen, whose political machinations crescendo with election cycles.

Ever since the blustering premier nearly lost his office in 2013, rights groups say he has been on a warpath to dismantle the opposition, using pliant courts as a stick to beat his foes.

Last year, old charges were dusted off against top opposition leader Sam Rainsy, sending the Paris-educated politician into self-imposed overseas exile for the third time in a decade.

That left his deputy Kem Sokha to run the show -- until a sex scandal in May forced the 63-year-old to hole-up in the party's Phnom Penh headquarters to avoid arrest.

In September he was handed a five-month jail term for failing to show up as a witness for a police investigation into the hairdresser he is alleged to have had an affair with. The woman is accused of being a prostitute.

"When you live in a country that is not truly democratic, directing the opposition is complicated," the politician, stoic and soft spoken, told AFP from the party base where he has bunked down for five months.

His small office has been turned into a mini-apartment -- a makeshift bed is tucked into the corner, his toothbrush lies on top of a squat fridge which houses provisions such as cheese and sausage.

Outside dozens of supporters are taking shifts to block any attempt to arrest the politician.

"I think he could make Cambodia a real democratic country and allow our country to move forward, as opposed to the current government," said one of the loyalist guards, 30-year-old Chhai Kimlong.

Story continues

- Kem Sokha's stand -

Hun Sen, a defector from the Khmer Rouge, emerged from the wreckage of their rule to steer a period of relative prosperity and stability in the poor and traumatised country.

But critics say his watch has been characterised by corruption and repression.

Impunity is commonplace for political assassinations and violent crackdowns while graft and nepotism have flourished, feeding a super wealthy elite who make a mockery at the pretence of the rule of law.

In July, prominent pro-democracy activist Kem Ley was gunned down in broad daylight in the capital, unleashing an outpouring of grief in nation that cherished his clarion call for change.

Kem Sokha admits that if authorities wanted him arrested his trusty team of nightwatchers would hardly be a buffer.

He regards what he is doing, not only an act of self-protection, but also one of defiance as Cambodia's democracy falters.

"My political struggle here is like a strike in order to demand the situation return to normal...so that we can prepare free and fair elections," he said.

"It is very difficult because the ruling party controls state institutions and uses them as political tools".

A former human rights campaigner, Kem Sokha was thrown behind bars for several weeks in 2005 for criticising the government.

He emerged from the incident as a strong opponent of repression and joined forces with Sam Rainsy, Hun Sen's arch-rival, to form the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) in 2012.

Riding a wave of dissatisfaction with government graft and rampant rights abuses, the CNRP nearly beat the ruling party in 2013 elections whose results were hotly disputed.

But the duo have struggled to contend with Hun Sen's subsequent reprisal: a sweeping crackdown that has seen the two leaders, a slew of other party officials and at least 20 human rights workers tangled up in court cases.

With Sam Rainsy barred from returning to Cambodia and Kem Sokha facing jail, the opposition is in parlous state just months before the 2017 local elections, with a general poll a year later.

- 'Hanging by a thread' -

Hun Sen's manoeuvres have left "Cambodian democracy hanging by a thread," according to Sopheap Chak, from the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights.

It is clear Hun Sen "has absolutely no intention to create an environment conducive to free and fair elections," she added, noting the crippling combination of "judicial harassment, violence and threats".

Still, Kem Sokha is optimistic: "Our hope is the majority of Cambodians want change."

Cramped in the public arena, his party is using social media to reach out to young people -- one third of Cambodia's 15 million population are aged under-30.

Down the hall from Kem Sokha's office-bedroom, a dedicated digital team is churning out Facebook and YouTube posts that highlight protests and dissent overlooked in the mainstream media, hoping to galvanise their supporters.

"Whenever there is an event, we go there and make a video to show what other media do not dare broadcast," said 30-year-old Kao Hach, as he tapped away on a laptop.
Donald Trump

President-elect Donald Trump will likely have a huge role in shaping the composition of the Supreme Court for the next few decades.

After Senate Republicans refused to hold a hearing for Merrick Garland  President Obama's choice to replace conservative Justice Antonin Scalia  Trump will likely have the opportunity to fill at least one seat on the country's highest court.

Two liberal justices on the court, 78-year-old Stephen Breyer and 83-year-old Ruth Bader Ginsburg are also expected to retire soon.

Trump has expressed support for highly-conservative justices in the past. He's said he wants to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark case giving women the right to abortions, and said that the Court needs to "uphold the Second Amendment."

Trump's list of nominees contains some unusual choices, such as Utah Sen. Mike Lee. A spokesman for Lee told Politico that "Sen. Lee already has the job he wants which is why he is campaigning to represent the great people of Utah again this year."

For the most part, all of Trump's potential nominees have a history of supporting conservative issues.

Here are Donald Trump's potential Supreme Court nominees:

1. Keith Blackwell

2. Charles Canady

3. Steven Colloton

4. Allison Eid

5. Neil Gorsuch

6. Raymond Gruender

7. Thomas Hardiman

8. Raymond Kethledge

9. Joan Larsen

10. Mike Lee

11. Thomas Lee

12. Edward Mansfield

13. Federico Moreno

14. William Pryor

15. Margaret A. Ryan

16. Amul Thapar

17. Timothy Tymkovich

18. David Stras

19. Diane Sykes

20. Don Willett

21. Robert Young

NOW WATCH: Obama: Trump couldnt get a job at 7-Eleven





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sean parker

Californians overwhelmingly said yes to recreational marijuana on Election Day.

Those in favor of the decision owe a big thanks to billionaire Silicon Valley fixture Sean Parker.

The former Facebook president and founder of Napster contributed $8.5 million to the effort to legalize recreational marijuana in California.

Parker has been radio silent regarding Proposition 64, though his dollars said otherwise.

"If you wanted to invent the perfect funder for a California ballot measure, it would be hard to dream up one better than Sean Parker," Jason Kinney, a spokesperson for the Proposition 64 campaign, told Business Insider. "He did this for social justice, not the personal spotlight."

Over the last year, Parker became the single biggest donor of the initiative, by far, according to The Los Angeles Times. Another $4 million came from a nonprofit called the Fund for Policy Reform, which is backed by New York hedge fund billionaire George Soros.

All said, Proposition 64 raised close to $16 million, about four times the amount spent on a failed effort to legalize recreational weed in California in 2010. That money helped fund campaign literature and postage, fundraising events, polling and survey research, and professional services such as legal and accounting, according to campaign finance filings.

The winning bill, which comes 20 years after California legalized medical marijuana, will allow adults ages 21 and over to use, possess, and transport up to one ounce of marijuana for recreational purposes. People can also grow six plants each at home.

The bill imposes a 15% tax on sales of the drug, generating up to $1 billion in new tax revenue annually, according to the Yes on Prop 64 campaign website.

mark zuckerberg, snoop dog, sean parker

Proposition 64 first got its nickname  "The Parker Initiative"  in fall 2015 when Parker's first contribution became known. The campaign claims Parker had no hand in crafting the specifics or language of the bill, though he expected a "professional and ethical campaign."

Story continues

"From the outset, he made it clear that he would be supportive but that he wanted the policy experts to write the best policy and the political professionals to run the best campaign," Kinney said. "And that's exactly what we did."

This isn't the first time Parker threw his name or money behind an effort to end the prohibition on pot. He gave $100,000 to the unsuccessful California initiative from 2010 and also contributed $2 million for recreational marijuana in Oregon.

Parker was also a general partner at Peter Thiel's Founders Fund, which has invested heavily in legal marijuana. The media has suggested Parker's role meant he had material gains to make from the success of Proposition 64; however, Parker left Founders Fund in 2015, a year before the firm led a $75 million round for marijuana-focused equity firm Privateer Holdings.

Even in the days leading up to the election, Parker has kept quiet on the bill. Representatives for Parker did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Still, his name often makes the headline of news stories about legalization in California.

Kinney said the so-called Parker Initiative actually has little to do with the tech tycoon.

"This was never about him. It was about the thousands of lives shattered and the billions of taxpayers dollars squandered by a failed war on marijuana," Kinney said. "He didn't want to be a distraction. He wanted the focus where it belongs  on the measure itself."

NOW WATCH: Billionaires Sean Parker and George Soros have given millions to support marijuana legalization





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auto worker

Donald Trump won the presidency by winning the American heartland, the bastion of the US auto industry. Ohio went for the Republican candidate, and in a real shocker, Michigan continues to lean Trump.

Trump tangled with auto-industry leaders during the election, most prominently Ford CEO Mark Fields, over establishing manufacturing operations in Mexico and taking unwarranted credit for bringing production back to the US from Mexico.

With US auto sales at record levels, the 2009 bailouts and bankruptcies of General Motors and Chrysler weren't much discussed, but they remain a prominent legacy of the Obama administration.

So what does Donald Trump in the White House mean for the US auto industry?

Establishing plants in Mexico could become a big political issue

The automakers want to build cars in Mexico so that they can continue to manufacture smaller vehicles that aren't profitable enough, with SUV and crossovers dominating the US market. NAFTA provides them with access to cheaper labor, in a region that has committed to being an auto-manufacturing powerhouse in the future.

This could become politically more challenging, depending on what actually happens with NAFTA over the next four years. However, with a potential structural shift in the US and some global markets toward SUVS, it's going to increasingly be a money-losing proposition for the carmakers to build small vehicles in the US.

If they can't move production around, they'll have to back off of domestic assembly of passenger cars, which will cause problems if gas prices spike and consumers alter their buying habits.

Mark Fields

Economic instability could accelerate a cyclical sales downturn

US auto sales will probably match last year's record total of 17.5 million. Most industry executives and experts expected that pace to persist through 2017 before slowing as the market drops back to something in the 16-million range.

Story continues

But overall market instability, coupled with consumer fear about the future, could bring on a cyclical decline sooner. Maybe much sooner. If auto sales don't maintain a 16 million to 17 million US sales pace through the first quarter or 2017, then a downturn could arrive by summer.

Automakers could get a break on higher fuel-economy standards

Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards are supposed to rise substantially for automakers selling vehicles in the US by 2025  that's the MPGs that the car companies have to achieve on average for all their cars and truck, small and large, to satisfy regulators.

But because the mix of vehicles sold in the US has shifted from small, fuel-efficient cars to big trucks and SUV, the ambitious new CAFE goals are at odd with what people are actually buying. Electric vehicles and hybrid sales have also been weak, making it more difficult for carmakers to build these "compliance" vehicles.

The car companies have been pushing back against the standards, and a Republican White House and Congress will likely be more receptive to their case.

2015 Cadillac Escalade

Electric cars are in trouble

Because they're more expensive that gas-powered vehicles, electric cars need state and federal government incentives to make the sticker price more appealing.

Electric vehicle sales are already weak compared with gas-powered cars and trucks, so taking away the credits and tax breaks isn't going to help. EV sales are ultimately being supported now by government policies, and even with new, affordable, long-range cars coming from Tesla and Chevy, the market won't grow without some demand stimulus.

The auto worker unions could gain

If General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles have to expand domestic capacity because it's more difficult to establish manufacturing in Mexico, the jobs they create will be UAW jobs.

Those jobs are more likely to grow in the upper Midwest because Ford, GM, and FCA need to build a lot of trucks and SUVs. They're less likely to grow in the so-called "Detroit South" where the German and Japanese automakers run plans that are non-union, mainly because those carmakers aren't as strong on pickups and big SUVs.

Chevy Chevrolet Bolt

The global gains that automakers have made could be curtailed

The biggest auto market outside the US is China, where the US carmakers have profitable joint ventures with Chinese automakers, sanctioned by the Chinese government.

Any destabilizing of trade relations with China could undermine this setup, leaving the US auto industry with no "safety valve" if US sales decline and markets such as Europe remain flat while South America struggles through an economic downturn that's crushed sales.

All of this is speculative, of course. But given that the US auto industry has been on an epic run since Obama won his second term, a Republican in the White House  and in Trump, one who opposes many of the global business arrangements that benefit carmakers  could create some unforeseen headwinds, but also ease some regulatory burdens.

NOW WATCH: Ford CEO responds to Trumps criticism of the company





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The silly season is over (lets hope). So now that Donald Trump has won the 2016 presidential election, how much of his campaign rhetoric will actually become policy or law?

The direction of markets and the economy depends on the answer. So weve handicapped the likelihood of action on 7 of Trumps most important economic proposals:

Tougher trade deals: likely. Trump doesnt need Congressional approval to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, as he has promised to do, or to rework other deals with trading partners such as China or Japan. Hell get aggressive pushback from the corporate lobby on any move that disrupts supply chains or threatens profitability. But that could happen behind the scenes, allowing Trump plenty of leeway to talk and act tough on trade, which is a core issue for him.

Tax cuts: doable. The first question is whether Trump pursues a sweeping reform plan that would cut individual and business taxes both, or starts with business-tax reform, which seems a bit easier. Even though Republicans will control both houses of Congress, theyll still need some Democratic help in the Senate, where they lack a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority. That dims the prospects somewhat. And some Republican budget hawks will be reluctant to cut taxes without corresponding spending cuts, which would inflate the national debt.

Regulatory overhaul: doable. Trump has vowed to roll back dozens if not hundreds of regulations from the Obama administration and earlier eras, something he has broad authority to do. But a lot of the red tape businesses complain about occurs at the state and local level. The president can jawbone states and cities to streamline their own rules, but he cant force them to.

Funding new infrastructure projects: doable. Trump has an unusual plan to tap private investors for big projects, and use a federal tax credit as an incentive. Hed fund up to $1 trillion worth of building this way, which is a huge number. It might work, but it would only apply to toll roads and other projects that generate user fees that would revert back to investors as cash flow. Most infrastructure projects dont fit that profile, so hed probably fall far short of $1 trillion worth of projects.

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Trump doesnt have a plan to build roads and bridges the old-fashioned way, by using tax dollars. But he could. A plan may be paid for with lower tax on an estimated $2 trillion in offshore US corporate earnings, says analyst Tom Block of research firm Fundstrat. Democrats might even go along with that. It looks positive for an infrastructure bill that could generate Democratic support, Block says.

Unleashing the energy economy: doable. Trump would lift further restrictions on fossil-fuel production, to allow more wells to be drilled, gas to be pumped and pipelines to be built. One flaw with this idea is the current glut of fossil fuels in the world economy; more US production could drive prices down even more, hurting producers.

Deporting undocumented workers and building a new border wall: possible. Nobody thinks Mexico will pay for a border wall, as Trump insists. So Trump would need Congress to appropriate funds to build it, just as hed need Congressional approval for the deportation force that would round up people in the country illegally. Democrats would try hard to block these plans and some Republicans might join them, perhaps backed by the business community. There would also be big questions about whether its even possible to hunt down an estimated 11 million people in the country illegally.

Repealing and replacing Obamacare: doable but tricky. This might seem like a no-brainer, since the Republican Congress has already tried multiple times to overturn President Obamas Affordable Care Act. Unlike President Obama, Trump has said hed happily sign such a bill. But coming up with a replacement plan is nowhere near as easy as it sounds, and Republicans could easily bog down battling over the details. And killing Obamacare without a credible replacement plan would leave roughly 20 million Americans without insurancea politically perilous move. Whether Trump cares will reveal a lot about the kind of leader he turns out to be.

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman.
Trump Education 4x3

Donald Trump was elected 45th President of the United States of America early Wednesday morning, in what is being called one of the most stunning upsets in political history.

Education policy was largely a second-tier issue during his campaign, which focused instead on issues like national security, trade, and Hillary Clinton's email scandal.

He's also been hounded by questions about Trump University, as he remains enmeshed in multiple lawsuits filed by former students that accuse him of defrauding thousands of customers with worthless classes on real estate and investing.

In any case, he has given some indication about the issues he would back in the White House.

Here's where Donald Trump falls on the big education issues.

Trump_Education

School choice

In September, Trump pledged to immediately invest $20 billion in school choice. The move signaled that the polarizing issue of school vouchers would be the cornerstone of his education agenda.

Trump's plan would reprioritize existing federal dollars to establish a grant to allow children living in poverty to attend the school of their choice. Trump argued not only that the voucher system would help impoverished children enroll at quality schools, but also that a free market would improve the entire system.

While eligibility for vouchers varies by state, Trump promised to campaign nationwide and call upon individual states and cities to elect officials in support of school choice.

Gov. Mike Pence embraces a preschool student at the Shepherd Community Center Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014, in Indianapolis. Pence has had trouble winning support from lawmakers for his proposed preschool voucher program. (AP Photo/Tom LoBianco)

"If the states collectively contribute another $110 billion of their own education budgets toward school choice on top of the 20 billion in federal dollars, that could provide $12,000 in school choice funds to every single K-12 student who today is living in poverty," Trump said at a campaign event in Cleveland on Thursday.

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Opponents of voucher programs argue that they siphon essential funding from already meager public-school budgets to other schools and at their worst are unconstitutional, as they can use taxpayer-funded vouchers to benefit religious schools.

Supporters argue that vouchers help disadvantaged students.

"Voucher programs largely help low-income middle-class kids  these are the kids that most need access" to quality education, Michelle Tigani, the communications director at the Center for Education Reform, previously told Business Insider.

Voucher policies typically have income restrictions that vary by state to ensure education funds truly end up with the families most in need. In Indiana, where Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, championed numerous school choice policies, the 2016-2017 income limit for a family of four to receive the largest voucher amount was $44,955.

Trump also supports charter schools, which are publicly funded but privately run. He unveiled his voucher proposal at a charter school in Ohio, and after the televised speech, he spoke with a group about his desire to increase the number of charter schools across the nation because, he said, "the traditional way, it's not working so well," The Washington Post reported.

Trump openly criticizes teachers unions, pointing to their stance against school-choice policies.

"Our public schools have grown up in a competition-free zone, surrounded by a very high union wall," he wrote in his book "The America We Deserve." He continued:

"Why aren't we shocked at the results? After all, teachers' unions are motivated by the same desires that move the rest of us. With more than 85% of their soft-money donations going to Democrats, teachers' unions know they can count on the politician they back to take a strong stand against school choice."

Common Core

Common Core protest

Trump has repeatedly blasted the Common Core State Standards. In a video he uploaded to Facebook in January, for example, Trump vowed to end the controversial nationwide education standards.

"Common Core's a total disaster," he said. "We're going to end Common Core."

He also frequently uses the Common Core as a launch point to talk about how poorly the US performs in education compared with other countries.

"Common Core is out! It's out," he proclaimed at a rally in February.

"You have Norway, Sweden, Denmark, China, you have lots of places. You have some countries you've never even heard of are ahead of the USA," he continued, vowing to improve American education.

College tuition

college students

Trump has said very little about higher education, though he criticized the government's role in student lending, according to PBS.

Still, there is at least some indication of Trump's ideas about higher education via an interview Inside Higher Ed conducted with Sam Clovis, the policy director of Trump's campaign.

Clovis indicated that Trump would fight Clinton's proposal for debt-free college.

"How do you pay for that? It's absurd on its surface," he said.

Clovis also pushed back on the idea that community college should be free for all, indicating that the campaign already thought community colleges were affordable for all.

He also indicated that the campaign supported changes that would allow banks and colleges to consider students' future earning potential when providing loans.

"If you are going to study 16th-century French art, more power to you," Clovis said. "I support the arts. But you are not going to get a job."

It's unclear which of these ideas, if any, will develop into true policy proposals.

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Trump Women's Health 4x3

In a stunning upset, Americans elected Republican Donald Trump as the next president of the United States in the wee hours of the morning November 9.

With control of the presidency, House, Senate, and at least one Supreme Court seat to fill, the GOP will have the opportunity to make sweeping changes in the next four years.

Women's health is usually a particularly divisive issue between Democrats and Republicans, but Hillary Clinton and Trump actually agreed on a few issues.

There are others that they split on completely, however.

Here's where President-elect Trump stands on key issues, based on positions outlined on his campaign website and public statements before Election Day.

Abortion

Trump has expressed a strong opposition to abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and when the mother's health is endangered.

At a Republican presidential debate in February, Trump acknowledged that Planned Parenthood "helps millions and millions of women" who go for services like breast and cervical-cancer screenings. However, he also said that he would defund it because a portion of its services go toward providing abortions.

The businessman has vacillated on his position on abortion in the past.

In 1999, he told NBC's Tim Russert that he was "very pro-choice," and said he would not ban late-term abortions if he were president. In 2000, he said he changed his mind and would support a ban on late-term abortions. In 2010, he told ABC's George Stephanopoulos that Stephanopoulos would "be very surprised" by his position on abortion; he did not elaborate.

In 2011, Trump came out as pro-life. In 2015, he said he was pro-life, with certain exceptions  in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother was at risk. In July of that year, he said he supported a 20-week ban. In March 2016, he told MSNBC's Chris Matthews that women who have abortions should face some sort of legal punishment, but quickly walked that claim back after facing backlash.

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Trump_Womens Health

The vice presidential candidates discussed abortion at length during the debate Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Mike Pence had on October 4.

Pence insisted that Trump did not want to punish women for having abortions, chalking it up to the fact that he's not a "polished politician" like Clinton. But he did reiterate their pro-life platform.

"A society can be judged by how it deals with its most vulnerable, the aged, the infirm, the disabled, and the unborn. I believe it with all my heart," Pence said at the debate. "And I couldn't be more proud to be standing with a pro-life candidate in Donald Trump."

Sexual assault

Military sexual assault

In the US, one out of five women will experience sexual assault in their lifetime. For women in the military, 85% of those assaults go unreported.

Trump has not issued an official campaign statement on sexual abuse, but he has made a number of public remarks on the subject. In 2013, after the prevalence of sexual assault in the US military became a topic in the media, Trump issued a tweet that said, "26,000 unreported sexual assaults in the military-only 238 convictions. What did these geniuses expect when they put men & women together?"

NBC host Matt Lauer brought up the tweet at the Commander-in-Chief Forum September 7, and asked Trump if the only solution is to take women out of the military.

"It is a correct tweet. There are many people that think that that's absolutely correct," Trump said. "Not to kick them out, but something has to happen. Right now, part of the problem is nobody gets prosecuted."

Paid family leave

donald trump ivanka paid maternity family leave

The US is the only developed country that doesn't guarantee paid family leave, and both candidates want to change that. Trump even mentioned their consensus on the issue at the first presidential debate.

"As far as child care is concerned and so many other things, I think Hillary and I agree on that," Trump said. "We probably disagree a little bit as to numbers and amounts and what we're going to do, but perhaps we'll be talking about that later."

Trump proposes six weeks of guaranteed paid leave only for mothers who have just given birth. Women would get the same amount of money they would get if they were on unemployment benefits, which is less than their full salary. He wants to pay for it by eliminating fraud in unemployment insurance.

"Government policies are stuck in the past, and make already difficult choices regarding care arrangements even more difficult," Trump's campaign site reads."Outdated policies in many cases cause women to make choices that are not the best for either their families or the economy."

NOW WATCH: 'Is abortion murder?'  Watch Trump's latest garbled response





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Brussels (AFP) - The jihadist cell that launched deadly attacks on Paris and Brussels received its orders from "very high" in the Islamic State group command, Belgium's federal prosecutor said Wednesday.

"We know that the orders came from the Islamic State zone.... We know that it went very high in the command," Frederic Van Leeuw said in an interview with AFP in Brussels.

He could not say exactly who gave the orders or whether they sent them from a base in Syria or Iraq, the territory run by IS leader and self-declared caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

He said the command moved around to dodge US-backed strikes. "Baghdadi was for a while in Mosul (Iraq), sometimes in Raqa (Syria)," he added.

"We don't know at all who are the people who really gave the orders," he said.

IS claimed responsibility for the attacks across Paris on November 13 last year that killed 130 people as well as for the suicide bombings at Brussels airport and a metro station on March 22 that killed 32 people.

Van Leeuw said the attacks were carried out by the same Franco-Belgian cell in which "the logisticians in one case became the operational ones in the following case".

With authorities still looking for suspects, he added: "The investigation is far from having ended, as much at the Belgian as at the French level."

French sources told AFP on Tuesday that French investigators had identified Oussama Atar, a Moroccan-Belgian jihadist based in Syria, as a "coordinator" of attacks in Paris and Brussels.

- 'Working theories' -

Van Leeuw said Atar's suspected role "is one of the working theories among others. There are a whole series of checks to be done".

Atar, believed to go by the pseudonym "Abou Ahmad" in Syria, has been on the radar of European security forces for more than a decade.

Abou Ahmad is suspected of having sent two suicide bombers to the national stadium in Paris as well as another pair of potential assailants, who were delayed on their way to Paris and arrested in Austria in December.

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After being arrested in Iraq in 2004 following the US-led invasion of the country, Atar spent time in various jails including the notorious Abu Ghraib prison used by American forces.

After being released, in 2012 he returned to Belgium before apparently making his way back to the Middle East but intelligence services lost track of him months ago.

Asked why Atar had not been under surveillance, the prosecutor said even the French, who had more manpower, could not monitor someone round the clock.

"We must abandon this idea that is possible to follow people 24 hours a day... even when a legal case is opened," he said.

Van Leuw said Belgium had made "enormous progress" in the investigation into the attacks.

"The goal is effectively to understand and retrace everything that happened before, to retrace the entire chain of command," he said, adding that much police work lay ahead.
From Cosmopolitan

Hillary Clinton has cast her vote!

The Democratic presidential nominee arrived at her local polling place in her hometown of Chappaqua, New York, on Tuesday morning with her husband Bill by her side.

Clinton smiled as she was cheered on by other voters and well wishers inside the Douglas Grafflin Elementary School before she cast her ballot to become the nation's first female president. She appeared emotional as she greeted the crowds and shook fellow voters' hands on her way inside the school.

"Its a humbling feeling  because I know how how much responsibility goes with this and so many people are counting on the outcome of this election and what it means for this country," Clinton said in an interview with the media outside the building.

The Clintons were said to have returned to New York in the early hours of Tuesday morning following a hectic final day of campaigning. They were joined by President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama at a star-studded concert in Philadelphia on Monday night, before traveling to North Carolina for a midnight rally, which was attended by Bon Jovi and Lady Gaga.

Clinton's running mate Tim Kaine, was one of the first to vote on the Democratic team. CNN reports he arrived at his polling place 15 minutes early at 5:50 a.m., with only one woman in front of him. In a tweet, Kaine noted later that it "looks like I need to get used to being number two!" which is exactly the sort of dad joke you'd expect.

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This is painful, and it will be for a long time. So said Hillary Clinton Wednesday morning in her concession speech after losing the presidential race to Donald Trump in a dramatic upset.

In her 13-minute address, Clintons struck a strong note of unity, urging her supporters to keep an open mind about Trumps presidency even as the election results demonstrate that the nation is more deeply divided than we thought.

Trump deserves the chance to lead even as Clinton acknowledged the deep gulf in attitudes and perspectives between her supporters and the Trump campaign.

This is not the outsomce we wanted  for the values we share and the vision we hold for our country, she said. goal was to build an America that is hopeful, inclusive and big-hearted  a contrast to the anti-establishment fist-shaking that defined Trumps campaign.

Wearing a pant suit that blended deep gray and deep purple, Clinton delivered her remarks with a steely smile except for one brief moment when she addressed the women who put so much faith in her historic status as the first female major-party presidential candidate.

I want you to know that nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion, Clinton said, with a slight catch in her voice. I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling but someday someone will, and hopefully sooner than we might think right now.

Clinton also addressed her status as a role model for children. To all the little girls who are watching this: Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams, she said.

Clinton was candid that her loss  which came after virtually every mainstream poll and prediction source had her taking the White House  was a hard one to endure. She apologized for disappointing her backers, but she urged her supporters not to lose heart or give up working within the political establishment.

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This loss hurts, but please never stop believing that fighting for whats right is worth it, she said.

Clinton called for the nation to come together in the spirit of working together after the anger and vitriol of a bruising campaign. At the same time, she referenced her effort to build a coalition of people who are most likely to have been alienated by Trumps rhetoric and policy proposals. Clinton said her campaign was an effort to demonstrate that the American dream is big enough for everyone: For people of all races and religions, for men and women, for immigrants, for LGBT people and people with disabilities. For everyone.

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This was not the speech Hillary Clinton had expected to deliver after the 2016 election.

After privately conceding the presidency to president-elect Donald Trump late Tuesday night, the Democratic nominee delivered her emotional public concession speech Wednesday morning to a tearful room, rapt audience and a divided nation, saying she was "sorry we did not win this election."

"I know how disappointed you feel, because I feel it too," she said to her room of supporters at Manhattan's New Yorker Hotel while choking back tears, but never shedding one. To everyone she said: "This is painful and it will be for a long time."

She then, however, pressed the need for a peaceful transition: "We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought, but I still believe in America and I always will.... We must accept this result and then look to the future. We owe [Donald Trump] an open mind and a chance to lead."

After being introduced to the stage by running mate Tim Kaine, Clinton entered the room with a big smile and a wave. She and husband Bill Clinton were both accented with a symbolic pop of the color purple.

"Last night, I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country," she said, after the cheers from her rowdy group quieted down. "I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans.

Read more: Clinton's Hollywood Supporters Moved to Collective Tears by Concession Speech

"This was not the outcome we wanted or that we worked so hard for, and I'm sorry we did not win this election for the values we share and the vision we hold for this country. But I feel pride and gratitude for the wonderful campaign we built together. Being your candidate has been one of the great honors of my life."

Clinton praised her inclusive, diverse, energized and unruly supporters, stressing how the American dream is for everyone, including immigrants, LGBT people and anyone with disabilities.

Story continues

"Let's do all we can to keep advancing the causes and values we hold dear," she encouraged, listing the economy, protecting our country and planet and breaking down barriers from holding Americans back from achieving their dreams as top priorities.

She then addressed her biggest disappointment.

"I know we have not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but I know that someday, somehow someone will," she said in an empowering moment. "And hopefully sooner than we might think right now."

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

She then delivered messages to young voters and to all of the little girls watching at home.

"I've had successes and I've had setbacks, sometimes many painful ones," she said, addressing the youth of the nation. "Many of you are at the beginning of your careers, you will have successes and setbacks too. This loss hurts. But please never stop believing that fighting for what's right is worth it."

The crowd erupted in cheers.

"To all the little girls who are watching this: Never doubt you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams."

Despite the loss, Clinton stressed her patriotism and hoped to spread it with her message: "I still believe as deeply as I ever have that if we stand together and work together with respect in our differences, strength in our convictions and love for this nation, our best days are still ahead of us."

Read more: The Message Behind Hillary Clinton's Purple Concession Speech Suit

She thanked Kaine and his wife, Anne Holton, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama ("Our country owes you an enormous debt of gratitude"), and her family, while her husband stood proudly clapping behind her.

"My love for you means more than I can ever express," she said of her loved ones, including grandkids Charlotte and Aidan, husband Bill and daughter Chelsea Clinton. "You crisscrossed this country on our behalf and lifted me up when I needed it the most."

She even thanked her secret Facebook group, Pantsuit Nation, encouraging them to make sure their voices are heard going forward.

"This was the best campaign anybody could have ever expected or wanted," she said to all of her supporters, staff and volunteers.

She stuck around long after the speech concluded to walk around the room and personally address those in attendance. Before her arrival, many of them were shown with tears streaming down their faces.

Read more: Tim Kaine Quotes William Faulkner's 'Absalom, Absalom!' in Introducing Hillary Clinton's Concession Speech

When an emotional Kaine first took the stage, Clinton's running mate stressed, "I am so proud of Hillary Clinton." When he touted her "amazing accomplishment" of leading in the popular vote, the room erupted in cheers.

He then offered a comparison to the president-elect, who up until election night had remained publicly vague on whether he would accept the results. "Nobody had to wonder about Hillary Clinton if she would accept the outcome in our beautiful democracy."

He ended on a rousing note by quoting William Faulkner: "They kilt us, but they ain't whupped us yit!"

The setting of Wednesday's speech was a far cry from what Clinton had planned. Her official election night party had been set at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York's Midtown. She had constructed a stage shaped as the United States beneath the venue's symbolic glass ceiling, as all polls ahead of Election Day indicated that she would, indeed, be celebrating a historic moment as the first female president of the United States.

Instead, Trump, an outsider with zero political or military experience, stunned Clinton and the nation by winning the electoral votes needed to become the 45th president.

Clinton never ended up attending the Javits Center event, where many of her supporters were seen crying by the end of the night. Instead, her campaign manager John Podesta addressed the audience with brief remarks at 2 a.m., instructing them to go home. "We're still counting votes and every vote should count," he said. "Several states are still close to call and we're not going to have anything more to say tonight."

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In Trump's acceptance speech, which he delivered late Tuesday night at the site of his victory party at the New York Hilton Midtown, the president-elect vowed to unify the deeply divided nation.

"I say it is time for us to come together as one united people," Trump told supporters gathered in a Manhattan hotel near his Trump Tower campaign headquarters.

"For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, I'm reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so we can work together and unify our great country," he said, the stage crowded with family and his most loyal allies.

Clinton's speech was initially scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. ET. It was then pushed back an hour to 10:30 a.m., but didn't begin until after 11 p.m.

President Barack Obama then addressed the nation at 12:15 p.m., where he and Vice President Joe Biden stressed unity and a peaceful transition.
This Immigrant Doctor Is Reimagining Health in the American City

Last night was a historic evening in American politics even though Hillary Clinton did not succeed in her campaign to become the first woman president of the United States.

On Tuesday, the nation elected its first Latina senator, along with its first female Thai American senator, South Asian American senator, and Indian American representative.

The number of female women of color in the U.S. Senate will quadruple in the coming term. Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Japanese American legislator representing Hawaii, is currently the only woman of color serving in the Senate. Until last night, Hirono was one of two women of color ever elected.

Although Democratic presidential hopeful Clinton's campaign to become America's first woman president was unsuccessful, these female legislators celebrated historic wins.

Catherine Cortez Masto

Former Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto is the first Latina elected to the U.S. Senate. The race between the Democrat and Republican opponent Joe Heck was a tight one, with Cortez Masto securing her seat by about 26,000 votes. Throughout the campaign, Cortez Masto battled attacks on her Mexican heritage and authenticity as a Latina because she was born in Nevada and does not speak fluent Spanish. One of Hecks former aides called Cortez Mastos assertion of her ethnicity hispandering at its finest, while another posted on Twitter that Catherine is about as Mexican is I am. It's relevant when applying for scholarshipsor running for #nvsen. Cortez Masto called the comments an attack on Mexican-Americans and has vowed to work to empower the Latino community and fight for comprehensive immigration reform.

Tammy Duckworth

Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., is both the first female double amputee and the first Thai American elected to the U.S. Senate. Duckworth made history in 2012 when she broke those barriers through her election to the U.S. House of Representatives. An army veteran, Duckworth lost both of her legs and partial use of her right arm when her helicopter was shot down in 2004 during the Iraq war. She was awarded the Purple Heart for her service. Duckworth has served as the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans and assistant secretary of veteran affairs.

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Kamala Harris

The race to represent California in the Senate was set to make history regardless of who won. Kamala Harris, who is Jamaican and Indian, faced off against fellow Democrat Loretta Sanchez, who would have been the first Latina senator. Harris won the seat, making her the first Indian American woman and the second black woman elected to the Senate. Harris has served as Californias attorney general since 2011; during that time she secured $18 billion in mortgage relief for California homeowners and helped repeal the states ban on same-sex marriage. She takes the seat of retiring Democrat Barbara Boxer, who was elected in 1992 (called the Year of the Woman because it saw the election of Dianne Feinstein and two other Democrats to the Senate).

Pramila Jayapal

Pramila Jayapal is the first Indian American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She will represent Washington's 7th Congressional District. The 51-year-old Democrat emigrated from India when she was 16 to attend Georgetown University. She has spent much of her career fighting for immigrants' rights. In 2008 she founded what is now known as OneAmerica, the largest immigrant advocacy organization in Washington. Jayapal was one of the first congressional candidates to receive an endorsement from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Honorable Mentions

Though they didn't win their races, this election season two transgender candidates ran for national office as Democrats. Misty Snow campaigned to represent Utah in the Senate, and Misty Plowright campaigned to represent Colorados 5th Congressional District in the House of Representatives. Neither won nor was expected to, as each faced off against incumbent Republican candidates in largely conservative areas. Snow and Plowrights candidacies are still historic: They are the first transgender candidates to win major party nominations.

We cannot forget the historic candidacy of Hillary Clinton. She was the first woman in the nation's history to earn a major party nomination. Polling results at the time of publication indicated that Clinton won 228 electoral votes along with the popular vote.

This is not the outcome we wanted or we worked so hard for, and I'm sorry we did not win this election for the values we share and the vision we hold for our country, Clinton said during her concession speech Wednesday morning. I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but someday someone will.

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After narrowly losing the presidential election to Donald Trump, those who know her well say Hillary Clintons deep religious faith will help her cope with her stunning loss.

The lifelong Methodist rarely discusses her religion openly, but David Gergen, a former advisor to Bill Clinton, says that Clinton draws strength from her faith.

She has her religious faith to fall back on. Its been very, very stabilizing for her, Gergen, now a CNN senior political advisor, said on air before Clinton gave her concession speech. When she takes these blows shes one of the most resilient people you can imagine.

Journalist Carl Bernstein, who penned the biography A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton, agreed, adding that Clinton is so devout that she carries her Bible wherever she goes.

She retreats and is so comfortable in her faith, Bernstein said. She is a deeply religious person, carries a Bible with her, underlines it frequently, believes in the Methodist creed of being called to service and I think she believes she has done her service.

Clinton grew up in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, Illinois, in a deeply Methodist household. She and her siblings all attended services at First United Methodist Church, where her mother was a Sunday school teacher.

The former Secretary of State uncharacteristically addressed her faith while on the campaign trail in January. Clinton had called into a Catholic radio show in Iowa, and one listener posed a question about how the candidate aligns her political views with the Ten Commandments.

I feel very grateful for the instructions and support I received starting in my family but through my church, and I think that any of us who are Christian have a constantly, constant, conversation in our own heads about what we are called to do and how we are asked to do it, and I think it is absolutely appropriate for people to have very strong convictions and also, though, to discuss those with other people of faith, Clinton said. Because different experiences can lead to different conclusions about what is consonant with our faith and how best to exercise it.

I think you have to keep asking yourself, if you are a person of faith, what is expected of me and am I actually acting the way that I should? she continued. And that starts in small ways and goes out in very large ones, but its something that I take very seriously.




Though Hillary Clinton didn't end up with the big win, Tuesday was still a historic day of firsts for women in politics.

Across the country, women recorded gains in both national and state races. The number of women of color in the Senate shot from one to four, with victories in Illinois, Nevada and California.

Sens-elect Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Kamala Harris, D-Calif., will join Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, come January. Hirono is the the first woman senator from Hawaii and the first female Asian-American senator in the country.

[READ: Death Penalty, Gun Control Win Big in Ballot Measures]

In Illinois Tuesday, Duckworth became the second.

Duckworth was born in Bangkok to a Thai mother of Chinese descent and a father who was a Vietnam War veteran. She is also military veteran who lost her legs during the Iraq War after being shot down in the Black Hawk helicopter she was co-piloting in 2003.

Nevada elected the first Hispanic woman U.S. senator in Masto. The former state attorney general defeated GOP Rep. Joe Heck to fill the seat of Sen. Harry Reid, who is retiring after three decades in the Senate.

"Don't you think it is about time that our government and the representation of our government mirrors the people that we serve everyday," Masto said. "I am so excited to be the voice at the table for all of us."

Also making history Tuesday was California Attorney General Kamala Harris, the second black woman elected to the Senate. The daughter of Indian and Jamaican immigrants, Harris has broken race and gender barriers before -- sworn in in 2011, she was the state's first female attorney general.

Until last night, California had never before elected a black or Latino politician to the Senate. Harris defeated Rep. Loretta Sanchez, who is Latina, so regardless of the outcome, the state would have added one more woman of color to the Senate.

In New Hampshire, Gov. Maggie Hassan looks to take Sen. Kelly Ayotte's seat. The race has cost $100 million, an almost unheard-of sum for such a small state. The latest vote total has Hassan hanging on to a 716-vote lead over Ayotte.

Story continues

There are now 20 women who serve in the U.S. Senate, though that number will likely rise to the highest it's ever been regardless of whether Ayotte retains her seat.

Women made gains outside the Senate as well.

[MORE: Colorado Joins 5 States to Allow Physician-Aided Death for Terminally Ill]

In Oregon Democrat Kate Brown was elected governor in her own right. She has been serving as governor for more than a year since predecessor, John Kitzhaber, resigned in scandal. But Tuesday she became the first openly LGBT governor elected in the country.

Kellyanne Conway is the first female campaign manager to win a presidential election, and the first woman to manage a Republican presidential candidate's campaign. President-elect Donald Trump brought her into the campaign in August to help him win over female voters -- and it worked.

"I didn't even know I was the first female Republican campaign manager until someone pointed it out to me on Twitter, and I said that can't be true," Conway told MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow in August. "And then I realized, this must be such a small group of women ... and I respect them enormously."
Hillary Clinton asked her supporters to accept the results of the 2016 election and keep an open mind about Donald Trumps presidency in a concession speech at a midtown Manhattan hotel Wednesday morning.

Donald Trump is going to be our president, Clinton told several hundred supporters in the New Yorker hotel ballroom. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.

Clinton said she hoped Trump will be a successful president for all Americans and that he would bring the country together.

We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought, a somber Clinton said. We must accept this result and then look to the future.

Clinton, flanked by her husband, Bill Clinton, and running mate, Tim Kaine, said the country must cherish and defend its constitutional rights. In the final weeks of her campaign, Clinton portrayed Trump and his autocratic tendencies as a threat to the countrys democracy, and sharply criticized his threat to reject the outcome of the election if he lost because the system is rigged.

Our democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power, Clinton said. We dont just respect that, we cherish it. It also enshrines other things: the rule of law, the principle that we are all equal in rights and dignity, freedom of worship and expression. We respect and cherish these values too, and we must defend them.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton conceded the presidential election on Nov. 9 in New York. (Photo: Getty Images)

Clinton thanked all the women who made her a champion in the cause of electing the nations first woman president. I know we have still not shattered that highest, hardest glass ceiling, but hopefully someday, someone willand hopefully sooner than we might think now, Clinton said.

Kaine preceded her on stage and said with tears in his eyes that he was so proud of Clinton for making it so far in a country that makes it uniquely difficult for women to be elected to federal office. He said Clinton had made history again, by winning the popular vote in the election, prompting her supporters to cheer loudly.

Story continues

Im proud of Hillary because she loves this country, Kaine said. Nobody had to wonder about whether Hillary Clinton  would accept the outcome of an election.

Clinton thanked her campaign team, and said that running for president had been the honor of my life.

I am so grateful for our country and all it has given me, she said. I count my blessings every single day that I am an American.

Clinton addressed the countrys girls near the end of her speech. Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams, she told them.

She concluded her remarks with a biblical passage, quoting from Galatians 6:9: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

_____

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Hillary Clinton: What went wrong in the election Controversy swirled around Clinton's campaign as the FBI continued to investigate her use of a private email server. In late October, the FBI found additional emails on disgraced politician Anthony Weiner's computer. As a result of the FBI investigation, voters failed to see her as trustworthy, according to several polls conducted by major media outlets. Paid speeches to Goldman Sachs and a murky web of business connections to the family charity didn't help either. Clinton didn't hold enough minority votes. Some 88 percent of African-American voters supported Clinton, versus 8 percent for Donald Trump. In 2012, Obama locked up 93 percent of the black vote to Mitt Romney's seven percent. The economy, a major topic of discussion in this year's election, is a category Trump won. Trump successfully convinced voters to believe this was caused by bad trade deals and a rigged economy. Clinton was selling was mainly herself. The campaigns strongest message was that she was uniquely qualified to become president. Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan hit home more with supporters. As a result of the issues above, Clinton ultimately lost a number of swing states that Obama won in 2012 like, Florida and Ohio.
After suffering one of the most shocking political defeats in modern memory, Hillary Clinton took to the stage on Wednesday morning (Nov. 9) to offer the concession speech her rabid followers never thought they'd hear.

Sounding hoarse and smiling at the extended ovation, Clinton cleared her throat a few times and said: "Last night I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country. I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans."

Shortly after running mate Sen. Tim Kaine introduced Clinton by saying how proud he was of her and her status as a "history maker," Clinton smiled as she looked out at the room of supporters with husband President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea standing in support behind her and began the difficult task of admitting defeat.

"This is not the outcome we wanted or we worked so hard for, and I am sorry that we did not win this election for the values we share and the vision we hold for our country," she said. "But I feel pride and gratitude for this wonderful campaign that we built together. This vast, diverse, creative, unruly, energized campaign. You represent the best of America and being your candidate has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I know how disappointed you feel because I feel it too and so do tens of millions of Americans who invested their hopes and dreams in this effort. This is painful and it will be for a long time," she added, her voice appearing to crack a bit.

"But I want you to remember this: our campaign was never about one person or even one election. It was about the country we love and about building an America that's hopeful, inclusive and big-hearted. We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought. But I still believe in America and I always will. And if you do then we must accept this result and then look to the future. Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead. Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power. And we don't just respect that, we cherish it. It also enshrines other things: the rule of law, the principle that we are all equal in rights and dignity, freedom of worship and expression. We respect and cherish these values too and we must defend them."

Story continues

Clinton, the former two-term First Lady who has spent most of her life advocating on behalf of women, children and the less fortunate as well as serving as a Senator from New York and Sec. of State in the Obama administration, was arguably the most qualified presidential candidate in American history. That she lost to neophyte Republican businessman Donald Trump -- who will be the first-ever U.S. commander in chief with no political or military experience -- came as a shock to a number of Clinton's long-time aides and campaign staff who yearned to see the nation elect its first female president.

During her concession speech many of the long-time staffers who were with Clinton during her 2008 presidential run and who worked tirelessly for the past two years on this bid were seen with tears in their eyes as she graciously accepted defeat.

In the final tally, Trump won the election with 289 electoral votes to Clinton's 218, though she beat Trump in the popular vote with 59.3 million votes to his 59.1 million. The mood at Clinton's expected celebration party at Javitz Center in New York on Tuesday night (Nov. 8) -- pointedly chosen for its large glass ceiling -- was described as somber and full of devastated boosters who struggled to understand how a historical night had turned so dark. For the 69-year-old Clinton, the hard-fought second run for the White House is likely her last major political race, a harsh rebuke for a public servant whose tenacity inspired millions to pledge #ImWithHer. (Find the full text of her speech below.)

"And let me add, our constitutional democracy demands our participation," she reminded those gathered for the speech. "Not just every four years, but all the time. So let's do all we can to keep advancing the causes and values we all hold dear: making our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top. Protecting our country and protecting our planet and breaking down all the barriers that hold any American back from achieving their dreams."

President Obama, who is slated to speak today at 12:15 p.m ET on the election's results, will host reality TV star and real estate mogul Trump, 70, at the White House on Thursday in a traditional meeting between the president and president-elect. "She congratulated us -- it's about us -- on our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign," Trump said in an early morning speech to his supporters following his electoral college victory. "Hilary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country."

Trump, who as is his wont, made a series of harsh statements condemning Clinton and her long history of public service during the campaign, then pivoted to a message of hope that contrasted with the often dark portrait he'd painted of the country during his run. "Now it's time for America to bind the wounds of division," he said. "Have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it's time for us to come together as one united people... I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans."

Clinton ended her remarks with a nod to the millions of women and girls who stayed fast to their screens on Tuesday night -- and throughout the entire campaign -- waiting for the moment when they could say that they were there when she cracked that "highest, hardest" glass ceiling.

"And to all of the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams," she said.

The full text of Hillary Clinton's speech:

"Thank you so very much for being here. I love you all, too. Last night I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country. I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans. This is not the outcome we wanted or we worked so hard for, and I'm sorry we did not win this election for the values we share and the vision we hold for our country.

But I feel pride and gratitude for this wonderful campaign that we built together. This vast, diverse, creative, unruly, energized campaign. You represent the best of America, and being your candidate has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I know how disappointed you feel, because I feel it too. And so do tens of millions of Americans who invested their hopes and dreams in this effort. This is painful, and it will be for a long time. But I want you to remember this.

Our campaign was never about one person, or even one election. It was about the country we love and building an America that is hopeful, inclusive, and big-hearted. We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought. But I still believe in America, and I always will. And if you do, then we must accept this result and then look to the future. Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead. Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power.

We don't just respect that. We cherish it. It also enshrines the rule of law; the principle we are all equal in rights and dignity; freedom of worship and expression. We respect and cherish these values, too, and we must defend them. Let me add: Our constitutional democracy demands our participation, not just every four years, but all the time. So let's do all we can to keep advancing the causes and values we all hold dear. Making our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top, protecting our country and protecting our planet.

And breaking down all the barriers that hold any American back from achieving their dreams. We spent a year and a half bringing together millions of people from every corner of our country to say with one voice that we believe that the American dream is big enough for everyone. For people of all races, and religions, for men and women, for immigrants, for LGBT people, and people with disabilities. For everyone.

I am so grateful to stand with all of you. I want to thank Tim Kaine and Anne Holton for being our partners on this journey. It has been a joy get to go know them better and gives me great hope and comfort to know that Tim will remain on the front lines of our democracy representing Virginia in the Senate.

To Barack and Michelle Obama, our country owes you an enormous debt of gratitude. We thank you for your graceful, determined leadership that has meant so much to so many Americans and people across the world. And to Bill and Chelsea, Mark, Charlotte, Aidan, our brothers and our entire family, my love for you means more than I can ever express.

You crisscrossed this country, even 4-month-old Aidan, who traveled with his mom. I will always be grateful to the talented, dedicated men and women at our headquarters in Brooklyn and across our country. You poured your hearts into this campaign. To some of you who are veterans, it was a campaign after you had done other campaigns. Some of you, it was your first campaign. I want each of you to know that you were the best campaign anybody could have ever expected or wanted.

And to the millions of volunteers, community leaders, activists and union organizers who knocked on doors, talked to their neighbors, posted on Facebook - even in secret private Facebook sites. I want everybody coming out from behind that and make sure your voices are heard going forward. To anyone that sent contributions, even as small as $5, that kept us going, thank you. To all of us, and to the young people in particular, I hope you will hear this - I have, as Tim said, I have spent my entire life fighting for what I believe in.

I've had successes and setbacks and sometimes painful ones. Many of you are at the beginning of your professional, public, and political careers - you will have successes and setbacks too. This loss hurts, but please never stop believing that fighting for what's right is worth it. It is, it is worth it.

And so we need - we need you to keep up these fights now and for the rest of your lives. And to all the women, and especially the young women, who put their faith in this campaign and in me: I want you to know that nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion. Now, I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but someday someone will - and hopefully sooner than we might think right now. [Cheers and applause]

And to all of the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams. Finally, finally, I am so grateful for our country and for all it has given to me.

I count my blessings every single day that I am an American, and I still believe, as deeply as I ever have, that if we stand together and work together with respect for our differences, strengthen our convictions, and love for this nation, our best days are still ahead of us. Because, you know, I believe we are stronger together and we will go forward together. And you should never, ever regret fighting for that. You know, scripture tells us, let us not grow weary of doing good, for in good season we shall reap. My friends, let us have faith in each other, let us not grow weary and lose heart, for there are more seasons to come and there is more work to do.

I am incredibly honored and grateful to have had this chance to represent all of you in this consequential election. May God bless you and may God bless the United States of America."




On Wednesday morning, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered her concession speech. In front of some of her family, fans, supporters, and employees at the New Yorker Hotel in New York, the 69-year-old politician thanked everyone who believed in her. You represent the best of America, and being your candidate has been the biggest honor for me, she told the crowd.

While her speech was for everyone, it was especially for the millions of American women who hoped that Clinton winning would see the first female president in the White House. Ive had successes and setbacks and sometimes painful ones. Many of you are at the beginning of your professional, public, and political careers  you will have successes and setbacks too, she said. This loss hurts but please never stop believing that fighting for what right is worth it.

She also sent a special message to all the women, especially the young women: I want you to know that nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion. And, she added, To all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable, powerful, and deserving of every chance to pursue and achieve your own dreams.

One day, Clinton hopes, those dreams will translate into a woman achieving what she did not. I know weve still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling but some day someone will.

She even gave a shoutout to the secret, private Facebook group, Pantsuit Nation, which rallied behind the former Democratic presidential candidate. I want everybody coming out from behind that and make sure your voices are heard going forward, she implored.

Since the loss, Pantsuit Nation, which was formed as a safe space for women to express their emotions and also call on its more than 3 million members to wear pantsuits as a sartorial sign of support for Clinton who favors the style, has shifted its focus. Now serving as a support group. As founder Libby Chamberlain wrote, This is not the end. And while we must take time to grieve, we must also look ahead. Were still here. Just because our candidate lost does not mean our voices disappear. We need each other and many in our country need our love and support more than ever before. She noted that the silver lining is that the group now has each other. If youre a person of color, if youre gay or lesbian or queer or trans, if youre an immigrant or disabled or a veteran or a victim of sexual abuse, or if youre feeling marginalized or afraid, please know WE HAVE YOUR BACK. This group can be a powerful force of good in our country if we all pitch in. Im not giving up.

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The life of Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is full of firsts  first student speaker at Wellesley College, first lady of Arkansas, first lady of America and the first woman elected from New York to the U.S. Senate.

If voters go her way on Tuesday, she will be the first woman elected president of the United States. Her journey has been long, and often rough.

She was born on October 26, 1947 in Chicago to Hugh and Dorothy Rodham. Her father ran a successful small business, which she is wont to mention on the campaign trail, making draperies. Her mother was a homemaker.

Hillary Rodham as a toddler in suburban Chicago. (Clinton campaign)

Read: FBI Clears Clinton in Latest Email Uproar, Trump Says System Is 'Rigged'

The eldest of three children, she was a Girl Scout and an avid follower of space exploration. She often recounts how she wrote to NASA in the early 60s asking to become an astronaut, only to be told girls were not allowed in space.

Hillary Rodham as a schoolgirl. (Clinton campaign)

After graduating from high school in suburban Illinois, she enrolled at Wellesley College, majoring in political science. She was president of the campus Young Republicans, following the lead of her conservative parents.

But the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War pushed her political leanings to the left, and as a junior at Wellesley, she became a supporter of anti-war Democratic presidential nominee Eugene McCarthy.

After the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., she organized a two-day student strike and advocated the recruiting of more black students and faculty. At her 1969 commencement, she became the first student  male or female  to speak at the colleges graduation.

At Yale Law School, she took on cases of child abuse and volunteered to give legal advice to the needy.

It was also there that she met fellow student Bill Clinton in 1971. He followed her to Northern California, where she had an internship at an Oakland law firm. When they returned to Yale, they moved in together.

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After graduation, she became a staff attorney for the Childrens Defense Fund in Massachusetts. In 1974, she was on the impeachment inquiry staff in Washington, D.C., advising the House during the Watergate scandal.

She was considered an up-and-coming political star, so it stunned her friends when she announced she was moving to Arkansas, where Bill was running for seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and teaching law.

Hillary Rodham married Bill Clinton in 1975, after turning him down three times. (Clinton campaign)

She, too, took up teaching, becoming the second of only two female law professors at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Her interest in childrens law and family policy deepened, working pro bono on juvenile advocacy cases while practicing law at Arkansas highly respected Rose Law Firm.

In 1978, she became the first lady of Arkansas when Clinton won the governors race. It was a title she would hold for 12 years.

In February 1980, Clinton gave birth to the couple's only child, Chelsea Victoria Clinton.

In 1992, after a grueling race for the presidency that including lurid accusations about her husbands sex life, Hillary Clinton became first lady of America.

She was a constant sounding board for her husband, leading to derisive names such as Billary for the White House couple. Her husband named her chair of a national health care reform task force.

But her health care plan seemed doomed from the start and failed to get enough votes in the Democrat-controlled House or Senate.

A series of scandals followed that proved embarrassing to both Clintons.

Though the couple was ultimately cleared of any criminal wrongdoing, the Whitewater controversy dragged on for four years, questioning whether the Clintons broke any laws in connection with their failed investment in a development company.

But most embarrassing of all was the Monica Lewinsky sex saga  a sordid tale involving a cigar, a stained dress, secretly recorded phone calls between the president and Lewinsky and an enraged first lady.

She ultimately stayed with her husband, and her public approval ratings soared. After the Clintons moved out of the White House, she began her own political career.

She became the only first lady to run for elected office and entered the U.S. Senate in 2001, where she gained a reputation for being a consensus builder and a regular member of the Senate Prayer Breakfast.

She served two terms before setting her sights on the White House.

In a close and contentious campaign, Hillary Clinton battled Senate colleague Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination. She bowed out in June 2008, when it became apparent Obama had secured enough votes to win.

Although we werent able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time," she told her supporters. Thanks to you, its got about 18 million cracks in it."

Read: 102-Year-Old Woman Born Before Women Got the Right to Vote, Casts Ballot for... Guess Who?

The new president extended an olive branch to Clinton, asking her to serve as his secretary of state.

Hillary Clinton being sworn in as secretary of state in 2009. (State Department)

As she is fond of saying in her current campaign for president, she traveled to 112 countries as the countrys most powerful diplomat and led the State Department as the Arab Spring movement rolled across the Middle East and northern Africa.

She left the post in 2013, and the next year became a grandmother to Charlotte Clinton Mezvinksy. Aidan Clinton Mezvinsky followed in June 2016.

In 2015, she also endured 11 hours of blistering questioning in 2015 before the House Select Committee on the ISIS attack on American compounds in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four U.S. citizens, including Ambassador J. Christopher Stephens.

Her strong performance before the committee delighted some liberal pundits who proclaimed she should have been sworn in as president right there and then.

On April 12, 2015, she announced her campaign for president. Two months later, Donald J. Trump entered the race.

Watch: Hillary Clinton Makes Surprise Appearance at Adele Concert

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After a string of homes in California were broken into, one homeowner has decided to take matters into her own hands with a threatening sign that may leave thieves thinking twice.

Read: Vandals Cut Out 'Black' From Church's 'Black Lives Matter' Sign, Twice

"If you're in my yard, you're going to pay the price," said Barbara Neff, from Apple Valley, California.

Neff is one of the many homeowners on her block who are furious with thieves breaking into her property and stealing from her family.

In response, she put up a strongly worded sign that is sure to get the message out.

The sign reads: "Thieving bastards. Come in my yard again and collect your surprise! You low life scum bags!"

She said she was inspired to put up the sign after her gate lock was cut, and the motor was stolen out of her son's motorcycle.

"Anybody that knows me, knows I have a surprise for them," Neff said.

Neff is not alone in her strong sentiments against thieves who have hit four other homes in her neighborhood, KCAL reported.

"It's getting so bad around here, you just got to protect yourself," said a neighbor, who didn't wish to be identified.

Read: Woman Uses Halloween Dummies to Make Social Commentary: 'Stop Killing Our Children'

He said thieves entered his backyard by cutting his fence, and stole his children's swing set, a large wooden bear sculpture, and various other things.

He has since put up cameras around his property.

The homeowners have also appealed to the police, asking for more officers to patrol the neighborhood.

Watch: Woman Accidentally 'Steals' Subaru, Brings It Back With Apology Note and Gas Money

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Tegucigalpa (AFP) - Honduras's president, Juan Orlando Hernandez, said Wednesday he wants to put aside a constitutional bar on his re-election just once, and would not stand again after elections in a year's time.

"I promise before the Honduran people to aspire to a single period of government," beyond his current four-year term, the 48-year-old leader told reporters.

His bid to win another mandate in November 2017 is a controversial one in Honduras.

A previous president, Manuel Zelaya, was ousted in 2009 after he tried to hold a non-binding referendum on ending the one-term limit.

The Central American nation's 1982 constitution limits presidents to a single term.

It even strips the citizenship of anyone who promotes changing the law to allow re-election.

But Hernandez's National Party, which also controls Congress, says a Supreme Court ruling last year allows him to stand for a new term.

The opposition disagrees, arguing the court does not have that power.
By Greg Torode and Venus Wu HONG KONG (Reuters) - Lawyers and politicians in Hong Kong are bracing for a broader crackdown after China's move to effectively ban two independence-minded lawmakers, fears reinforced by senior Chinese parliamentarian Li Fei, who insisted on Beijing's duty to assert its authority. Before the intervention by China's parliament on Monday, a Hong Kong court was already considering whether to bar newly elected lawmakers Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-hing, whose swearing-in ceremony was aborted after they mispronounced the oath in a way regarded as insulting to China. Li's justification of Beijing's move to interpret Hong Kong's Basic Law constitution has raised fears of further action by both the city's own government and China's Communist Party leadership to destroy the fledgling independence movement in the former British colony. Li said on Monday that Beijing would not "interfere" in the autonomy guaranteed under the Basic Law and the "one country, two systems" model but he did not rule out future legal action. "Some people say the parliament should restrain itself and should not exercise its authority to the utmost," said Li, who heads the Basic Law committee of China's National Peoples Congress. "We say we must exercise our authority. It is our duty." Leung and Yau were among a group of six radical lawmakers advocating various forms of autonomy for Hong Kong, which China sees as a threat to national security. Localists secured one in five votes in legislative elections in September - figures that shocked the mainland and Hong Kong governments alike. Hong Kong's jealously guarded legal independence and freedom of speech could also be casualties of any broader campaign against the movement. "I really do fear we are seeing the start of an era of the rule of Hong Kong by decree from Beijing," said Alan Leong, a prominent barrister and former democratic legislator, pointing to Li's remarks. "What will be next under the Basic Law to be challenged? ... I really feel we are now trying to hold on to words written on water." WORRYING PRECEDENT While Beijing has invoked its right to intervene via the Basic Law four times since the handover from Britain in 1997, this is the first time it has pre-empted local court action over local laws. That precedent appears to have emboldened pro-Beijing lawmakers to demand that other radical activists be barred from Hong Kong's legislature, while the city's leader has re-floated the idea of passing long-delayed laws to toughen the city's existing national security laws. The legislative assistants of Leung and Yau, some of them pro-independence activists, were barred from the legislature after Monday's ruling. Anson Chan, the retired chief of Hong Kong's civil service who served under both British and Chinese rule, said Monday's move was "a first step down an extremely slippery slope". "There's no end to it ... This is the worst blow yet to the whole independence of the judicial system." In public and private comments this week, Chinese officials have made clear their frustrations go beyond Monday's ruling, and insist that those advocating self-determination for the territory can also be seen as separatists. One Foreign Ministry official insisted the move would strengthen Hong Kong's rule of law, with the Basic Law at its core. Regina Ip, a former local government security chief turned pro-establishment lawmaker, said people must not underestimate the depth of concern in Beijing. She said the local government would be under intense pressure to follow through on Monday's action. "I think there is a sense among Chinese officials that the authority of the Central Government has been kept at bay by Hong Kong all these years," Ip said. "Some feel they have been oppressed by the Hong Kong people and haven't been able to assert their authority as outlined in the Basic Law. That is changing." (Additional reporting by James Pomfret; Editing by Will Waterman)
Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f276572%2fscreen_shot_2016-11-07_at_5.17.08_pm

Pizza is an all-around amazing food. It's delicious, filling, convenient and affordable. But how can one take a pizza obsession to the next level?

For Phil Duncan, a Liverpool, England, native and a Seattle, Washington, resident, it's by traveling the world to try as many pizza slices as possible.

SEE ALSO: The world's biggest pizza fan

"At the same time Instagram was getting big, I was traveling a lot more often on longer trips. So automatically I would upload general travel pics," Duncan wrote to Mashable. "I noticed that my friends were liking my pizza photos a lot more than just general pics as they knew my love for pizza. So I just continued to showcase all the pizza I was eating in all the countries I have been to."

Duncan shares photos of his worldwide pizza adventures on Instagram  and honestly, it's hard to decide what's easier to look at, his face or the glistening pizzas.

A photo posted by  Phil (@phil.duncan) on Sep 3, 2016 at 11:18am PDT

Pizza has been important to Duncan ever since he was child.

"I have always loved pizza. I have even eaten pizza for my Christmas dinner since I can remember. Last Christmas I was in Rio and managed to find a pizzeria which was open on Christmas day to keep my tradition alive. I was a really fussy eater growing up, so pizza was always the safest and best food to go to," he told Mashable.

A photo posted by  Phil (@phil.duncan) on May 31, 2016 at 9:18am PDT

A photo posted by  Phil (@phil.duncan) on Jun 30, 2016 at 9:18am PDT

A photo posted by  Phil (@phil.duncan) on Jul 3, 2016 at 9:30am PDT

"Pizza is just a simple and cheap meal which is absolutely everywhere. When I first started spending more time in obscure countries or cities, I thought it was funny that you could always find pizza," he said. "Everywhere has its own little spin on what they think is good pizza and the variations are what make [it] fun to try new slices."

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A photo posted by  Phil (@phil.duncan) on Aug 24, 2015 at 8:16am PDT

A photo posted by  Phil (@phil.duncan) on Jun 4, 2016 at 9:04am PDT

Duncan's favorite slice is unsurprisingly from one of the world's pizza capitals: New York.

"I have tried a lot of good pizza in around 30 countries over five continents I have been to. The best I have had, has to have been in New York," he told Mashable. "I can't put my finger on a certain place, but I have eaten a lot of good pizza in NYC so always have to say New York. The culture and place I eat at adds to the experience of eating the pizza."

A photo posted by  Phil (@phil.duncan) on Aug 28, 2016 at 10:21am PDT

The runner-up for best pizza goes to somewhere a little less mainstream.

"Even though the pizza at this one place probably wouldn't have been award winning, one of my favorite pizzas I've had was from a tiny little shack on the Perhentian Islands, which is a tiny Malaysian Island in the middle of the China Sea," he said.

A video posted by  Phil (@phil.duncan) on Sep 14, 2016 at 8:45am PDT

No matter how much Duncan loves a destination, whether or not they have good pizza is naturally a priority.

"I have a lot of time traveling around South East Asian countries and fell in love with the beauty and simplicity of the countries," he said. "Floating down the the river in a jungle in the middle of Laos is one of my all time favourite adventures. Even though we were in the middle of nowhere, you could still buy really good pizza."

A photo posted by  Phil (@phil.duncan) on Jul 12, 2015 at 10:48am PDT

A photo posted by  Phil (@phil.duncan) on Feb 15, 2015 at 2:13am PST

Sharing his journey on Instagram has taught Duncan the value of being well-traveled.

"I'd always encourage people to travel as much as they can, especially when you are young. Rather than spend money at bars or on fancy cars. Use that money to see the world, as you'll have a lot more to show for your money in five to 10 years time," Duncan told Mashable.

"You cannot put a price on memories and experiences. I love getting messages from people who are thinking about traveling, but are a bit scared of what they don't know," he said. "So if anyone has any questions or wants advice on a certain place, then please get in touch as I would love to offer some guidance. Especially if you're after pizza recommendations."

BONUS: This restaurant is using robots to make pizza.
LONDON (Reuters) - British housebuilder Redrow (RDW.L) said on Wednesday that sales continued to increase after Britons voted to leave the European Union and there were signs that the strongest growth was in areas which voted for Brexit.

The firm, which posted a 4 percent rise in sales during the 19 weeks to Nov. 4, said demand has remained strong across the country, the latest housebuilder to suggest the housing market has not faced an immediate hit from the June 23 referendum.

But Chief Executive John Tutte told Reuters that some of the strongest increases were being seen in parts of England which backed leaving the European Union.

"Parts of the North have been stronger than perhaps you would have expected. It's a bit anecdotal but if you look at the strength of the Brexit vote, it's proportional to the strength of the housing market."

"Some of those places in our businesses in Lancashire, parts of the north West have been very strong actually and of course they were big Brexiteers," he said.

London and many areas in southern England backed remaining part of the European Union while much of northern England supported leaving the bloc.

Tutte said he also expected overall demand to remain strong into the start of 2017.

"I would expect in the first four months of the year, it will be relatively strong," he said.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas)
For those unaware, President-elect Donald Trump has a 100-day plan to blitz Congress with new legislation meant to turbocharge the economy after he takes office. Some elements of the plantougher trade deals, a crackdown on undocumented workers, tax cuts that would inflate the national debthave spooked economists who think it could trigger a recession.

But Trumps economic policies could be gentler in practice than they sounded on the campaign trail, according to a senior Trump adviser who helped draft them. I dont think [people] should be worried about any of it, private-equity baron Wilbur Ross tells Yahoo Finance in the video above. Its an expansionary policy. Hes using fiscal measures to stimulate the economy.

One of the biggest concerns about a Trump administration is new trade policies that could trigger escalating tariff wars, rising prices and falling corporate profits. There arent going to be trade wars, Ross insists. Were mostly going to do it by figuring out what things [trading partners] now import from somewhere else that they could just as well import from us.

For Mexico, that might be auto parts or other components that go into goods manufactured there. China imports a lot of natural gas from countries other than the United States. Since thats something the US produces in abundance, the Trump administration could insist that China buys more American gas in exchange for the continued import of Chinese goods. Under this more benign approach, tariffs would only be a last resort, if trading partners refuse to make concessions that improve American trade deficits.

Trump would also slash taxes on both individuals and businesses, a heavy political lift that nonetheless seems possible given that both houses of Congress will be controlled by his fellow Republicans. Some analysts think corporate tax reform would be easier, and ought to go first. But Ross says a single, comprehensive tax-reform bill would be the more sensible thing because its meant to be an integrated package. Trump also seems willing to adopt part or all of a tax-cut plan proposed by House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Repealing Obamacare shouldnt be too hard with this Congress, Ross says, although there will be some to-ing and fro-ing over what to replace it with. Trumps big infrastructure plan, which would require little or no federal money, might help pull millions of Americans who arent working back into the labor force. And Trump isnt against immigration, Ross explainshes only against illegal immigration. When described by somebody other than Trump, the plan almost sounds benign.

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman.
Marrakech (Morocco) (AFP) - Hundreds demonstrated in the Moroccan capital Wednesday against the Israeli flag being flown beside the colours of 195 other countries at UN climate talks in the central city of Marrakesh.

More than 200 people protested outside parliament in Rabat against the Jewish state's flag being hoisted at the COP22 conference that opened Monday.

"The Israeli flag at COP22 means Morocco symbolically recognising the state of Israel. It's unacceptable," one protester told AFP.

"Death to America, death to Israel!" demonstrators cried, burning the Israeli flag.

Several pro-Palestinian associations took part in the protest after calling on authorities to take action about the flag earlier this week.

On Tuesday, Morocco's Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar responded that "UN meetings around the world welcome all nations" and that the fight against climate change "requires all governments to commit".

Morocco supported Palestine gaining observer status at the United Nations in 2012, Mezouar said, and is "the first to defend the Palestinian cause".

He denounced what he called "political exploitation" of the climate talks running to November 18.

In 2013, a film about Morocco's dwindling Jewish community caused a stir, with around 200 people -- mostly Islamists -- demonstrating against it being shown at the Tangiers film festival, denouncing what they called an attempt to "normalise relations with Israel".
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on his election victory on Wednesday, with the words "What a great news. Democracy is still alive" posted on his Facebook page. Orban said in July that Trump's plans on migration and foreign policy were "vital" for Hungary, whereas those of rival Democrat Hillary Clinton were "deadly". Orban was then the first European head of state to express a clear preference for either of the two candidates. Orban has in the past upset fellow members of the European Union over policy, most recently with his tough stance on Europe's migrant crisis, objecting to EU resettlement plans and having a fence built along Hungary's southern border. "The migration and foreign policy advocated by the Republican candidate, Mr Trump, is good for Europe and vital for Hungary," Orban said in July. (Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Toby Chopra)
IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2016 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces a class action lawsuit against Pilgrim's Pride Corporation ("Pilgrim's Pride" or the "Company") (PPC). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between February 21, 2014 and October 6, 2016 inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm prior to the December 19, 2016 lead plaintiff motion deadline.

If you purchased Pilgrim's Pride shares during the Class Period, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esquire, of Khang & Khang, 18101 Von Karman Avenue, 3rd Floor, Irvine, CA 92612, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or via e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com.

There has been no class certification in this case yet. Until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. You may choose to take no action and remain a passive class member.

The complaint alleges that Pilgrim's Pride made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: the Company systematically colluded with several of its industry peers to fix prices in the market for broiler chickens; that the foregoing conduct constituted a violation of federal antitrust laws; that Pilgrim's Pride's revenues during the class period were the result of illegal conduct; that as a result of the above, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On October 7, 2016, Pivotal Research downgraded its peer company Tyson Foods, Inc. from "buy" to "sell," due to fears of a class action against Tyson Foods, Pilgrim's Pride other peers over price collusion in the broiler-chicken market. Allegedly, in 2008, Tyson Foods, Pilgrim's Pride, and several other companies conspired by sharing proprietary data and reducing production to support prices. When this information emerged to the public, the stock price of Pilgrim's Pride fell, causing investors harm.

If you wish to learn more about this lawsuit at no charge to you, or if you have questions concerning this notice or your rights, please contact Joon M. Khang, a prominent litigator for almost two decades, by telephone: (949) 419-3834, or via e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com.

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This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions.

Contacts

Joon M. Khang, Esq.

Telephone: 949-419-3834

Facsimile: 949-225-4474

joon@khanglaw.com

SOURCE: Khang & Khang LLP
LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2016 / Lundin Law PC , a shareholder rights firm, announces a class action lawsuit against Adeptus Health Inc. ("Adeptus Health" or the "Company") (NYSE: ADPT) on behalf of purchasers of Adeptus Health securities pursuant and/or traceable to the Company's secondary public offering (the "SPO") on or about July 31, 2015, or purchasers of common shares between April 23, 2015 and November 16, 2015, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Investors, who purchased or otherwise acquired shares during the SPO or the Class Period, are encouraged to contact the firm prior to the December 27, 2016 lead plaintiff motion deadline.

To participate in this class action lawsuit, click here. You can also call Brian Lundin, Esquire, of Lundin Law PC, at 888-713-1033, or e-mail him at brian@lundinlawpc.com.

No class has been certified in the above action. Until a class is certified, you are not considered represented by an attorney. You may also choose to do nothing and be an absent class member.

The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, Adeptus Health made material false and/or misleading information and/or failed to disclose: that the Company engaged in widespread predatory billing practices, particularly with respect to lower acuity level patients; that Adeptus Health's predatory billing practices subjected the Company to numerous known but undisclosed risks, such as financial risks, reputational risks, risks associated with improper financial reporting, civil or criminal sanctions, and even exclusion from federal and state healthcare programs; that the Company's financial statements were not prepared in conformity with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles; that contrary to the Company's representations about its practice of referring lower acuity patients to urgent care facilities, Adeptus Health routinely treated lower acuity patients and excessively billed them for services; and that as a result of the above, Adeptus Health lacked a reasonable basis for its statements about its business and future financial prospects at all relevant times. On November 17, 2015, KUSA, an NBC-affiliated television station located in Denver, Colorado, aired an investigative report about the predatory billing practices at Adeptus Health's Colorado First Choice emergency rooms. When this news emerged to the public, the stock price of Adeptus Health declined, causing investors harm.

Lundin Law PC was founded by Brian Lundin, a securities litigator based in Los Angeles dedicated to upholding shareholders' rights.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

Contact:

Lundin Law PC

Brian Lundin, Esq.

Telephone: 888-713-1033

Facsimile: 888-713-1125

brian@lundinlawpc.com

http://lundinlawpc.com/

SOURCE: Lundin Law PC
Here are all the incredible women that made history on election night

After the shocking election results that saw Donald Trump win the 2016 Presidential Election, people have been sharing some positives, including the incredible women that made history on election night.

While many are understandably upset that Hillary Clinton didnt make history as the first woman President of the United States of America, there are some amazing women senators who have broken barriers and thats something to celebrate.

While the Senate and Congress might not have the large public platform that the President has, these inspirational and brilliant women could help shape the future of America for the better. So, lets celebrate.

Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris became only the second black woman to be elected to the Senate. Hailing from California, Harris is the first black female senator since 1999, and the first to be elected as California attorney general.

Born to an Indian mother and a Jamaican-American father, Harris believes in criminal justice and immigration reform, creating good-paid jobs, equal pay and opportunities, and is a supporter of Planned Parenthood.

Catherine Cortez Masto

Catherine Cortez Masto

Catherine Cortez Masto made history last night by becoming the first Latina woman senator in U.S. history.

Beating out Republican Joe Heck in Nevada, Cotez Masto spoke openly against Trumps controversial views and focused her campaign on the possible immigration reforms that could occur in the next four years.

Cortez Masto is also a supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, and spoke in support during a campaign video with Hillary Clinton.

We cant tolerate leaving anyone behind, she said.

Pramila Jayapal

To everyone that has been a part of this movement -- THANK YOU! #TeamPramila pic.twitter.com/q5EYRO7HjS  Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) November 9, 2016

In Washington State, Pramila Jaypal became the first South Asian woman to be elected to Congress.

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Emigrating to the United States at the age of 16, Jaypal became a civil rights activist and founded the OneAmerica advocacy group. She has also spoken out about racial justice, and is popular among union members and the working class.

What Congress needs is a progressive voice who is unafraid to take on these powerful interestswho is willing to fight for all Americans, not just the wealthiest 1%, she said when announcing her candidacy in January.

Ilhan Omar

Ilhan Omar

After being elected Minnesota State Representative, Ilhan Omar made history as the first Somali-American legislator.

The 34-year-old arrived in America aged 12 as a refugee after fleeing her home country during war. Before arriving in America, however, Omar spent four years in a Kenyan refugee camp.

Long time residents, East African immigrants and students  we came together and engaged in the political progress. We talked about the issues that concern us and we connected on the future we want to create, she said.

Kate Brown

Kate Brown

In Oregan, Kate Brown was elected the first openly LGBTQ+ governor in the U.S.

After being outed in the 80s, Brown, who is openly bisexual and married to a man, opened up about her sexuality and identity. Brown has said that she became involved with politics after she discovered that as a young lawyer she was being payed less than a man in the same position as her. She also faced losing her job because she was in a relationship with a woman at the time.

I vowed I would do everything in my power to make sure that no one  no one in this state  would have to face that level of fear or face that level of discrimination, she said.

Tammy Duckworth

Tammy Duckworth

Tammy Duckworth is a biracial double-amputee who defeated Republican Mark Kirk to become the senator for Illinois.

Duckworth, who lost both her legs serving in the Iraq War in 2004, has been spoken openly about her wish for America to open its doors to Syrian refugees.

So, while it might be hard for some to see it right now, on election night some incredible women made huge and giant leaps for their communities and for all women. Yes its possible that the overall result isnt what youd hoped for, but its important to find the sliver lining.

Congratulations to Kamala Harris, Catherine Cortez Masto, Pramila Jayapal, Ilhan Omar, Kate Brown, and Tammy Duckworth!

The post Here are all the incredible women that made history on election night appeared first on HelloGiggles.
By Nita Bhalla NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - India's refusal to renew the foreign funding licenses of 25 charities is a violation of their right to freedom of association and appears to be a move to quell criticism, two rights groups said on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's right-wing nationalist government has tightened surveillance on non-profit groups regulated under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA)since sweeping to power more than two years ago. "The home ministry's decision to prevent NGOs from receiving foreign funding without sound justification is mystifying. The ministry has an obligation to show how these restrictions are necessary and proportionate," said Aakar Patel, Amnesty International India's executive director, in a statement. Home ministry officials were not immediately available to comment. More than 10,000 civil society groups in India have had their licenses to receive overseas donations canceled or suspended since 2014, impairing their ability to work in areas ranging from health to the environment. The government has previously said that the groups had violated the FCRA by not disclosing donation details or by using foreign funds to engage in "anti-national" activities. Amnesty International India and Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the latest group of charities to be affected included the Centre for Promotion of Social Concerns, a prominent human rights group also known as People's Watch. A statement on the FCRA website did not give any reason. This is not the first time People's Watch has been targeted. In 2012 and 2013, the previous government suspended its FCRA license three times and froze its bank accounts. People's Watch challenged the move and the Delhi High Court ruled in its favor. Other charities such as the Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF) and Sanchal Foundation, which work in areas including land and housing, health, education and governance, have also not had their FCRA licenses renewed, Amnesty and HRW said. In July, a group of U.N. experts said they were stunned by the way India was applying the law to stymie its critics, adding that the FCRA was "overly broad" and activities deemed political or against the economic interest of the state were vague. There is no official number of charities operating in India, but the government estimates at least 2 million non-profits work in areas such as the environment, climate change and protecting minority rights. A 2013 home ministry report said some 43,500 groups were registered as charities that received foreign funds but slightly less than half provided details. Home ministry officials have said they are enforcing the FCRA to make the non-profit sector compliant and transparent and ensure charities are not engaging in illegal political or anti-national activities. But Amnesty and HRW urged the government to repeal the FCRA or amend it so that is not misused to restrict charities' work. "While India is actively encouraging foreign investment in key industries, it is trying to deny funding for efforts to assist the most vulnerable and marginalized," said Meenakshi Ganguly, HRW's South Asia director. "The government should engage with those seeking rights reform and empower these groups, instead of treating criticism as a threat to be quashed." (Editing by Emma Batha. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, which covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org to see more stories.)
They were on their feet in the subterranean control room at Fox News headquarters in New York when at 2:40 a.m., anchor Bret Baier called Pennsylvania for Donald Trump. The state, one of several Rust Belt electorates Hillary Clinton was predicted to dominate, instead clinched the presidency for the erstwhile reality show star and billionaire-turned-populist. It was, Baier remarked, "the most unreal, surreal election we've ever seen."

Fox News granted The Hollywood Reporter access to its gleaming new $30 million studio during the network's all-night coverage of what would turn out to be the most surprising election in decades. When Baier said on-air that no one saw this result coming a year ago, or even a few months ago, a producer yelled: "This morning!" To which Jay Wallace, the network's executive vp news and editorial, added: "Three hours ago!"

Indeed, more than eight hours earlier, at 6 p.m. when Baier and anchor Megyn Kelly took their seats at the new street-level studio, the polls and the collective media establishment had Hillary Clinton as the overwhelming favorite to become the 45th president of the United States.

At the start of the night, about 50 bystanders had gathered behind metal barriers outside Fox News on Avenue of the Americas in midtown, where the network was providing a live feed of the coverage. Most were Trump supporters - as evidenced by the chorus of cheers that would erupt each time a state was called for the GOP candidate. And as the night wore on and Trump's victory became more likely, the crowd swelled.

Read more: Omarosa Reveals What Went Down Inside the Freight Elevator That Brought Trump to His Victory Party (Exclusive)

The studio, with an enormous retractable digital chandelier, which Kelly dubbed "the chandy," resembled a construction site a mere week ago, said staffers. There is a glass- enclosed green room festooned with monitors right next to the studio. And the network's decision desk, which in elections past was quarantined far from the studio, on this night was set up just out of camera range and separated only by a blue curtain. Arnon Mishkin, whom host and decision desk member Chris Stirewalt called "nerd No. 1," advised the decision desk team at the top of the evening that they would wait until after the state polls closed to call races, a promise they and other news organizations made to Congress.

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Commentators (including George Will, Charles Krauthammer and Fox News hosts, including the cast of The Five (Dana Perino, Juan Williams, Eric Bolling, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Greg Gutfeld) holed up in the green room across the hall from the studio where two flat-screen TVs were tuned to Fox News and Fox Business Network, which was muted.

The entire floor of the new studio was a hive of activity, and the close quarters made for some inherent logistical challenges. Producers ferrying guests and hosts to and from the desk adjacent to Baier and Kelly urged them to be quiet. When one floor producer accidentally crashed a rolling chair into a table with a loud rumble, Chris Wallace quipped: "Oh, we have to be quiet, huh?!"

Courtesy of FOX NEWS

At 7:25 p.m., Bill Shine - who in August, in the wake of the ouster of Fox News chief Roger Ailes amid sexual harassment claims, was upped to co-president with Jack Abernethy - arrived in to the studio. Five minutes later, Rupert Murdoch, the 85-year-old executive chairman of Fox News and its parent company 21st Century Fox, walked in with his teen daughters, Grace and Chloe. He was greeted warmly by Williams, one of the network's liberal hosts. Murdoch gave his phone to Shine to snap a picture of the three of them in front of the network's new set, which boasts 14 cameras, 34 monitors and more than 5,000 square feet of studio space, including the main downstairs studio (3,675 square feet) and a balcony (1,750 square feet).

By 8 p.m. when polls closed in a slew of states including the Democratic strongholds of New Jersey, Massachusetts and Connecticut and the traditionally red states of Texas, Missouri and Mississippi, Trump surrogate Rudy Giuliani was given a mic in preparation for a remote live shot from Trump Tower. He blinked rapidly as he waited, his face beamed onto the enormous screen opposite the anchor desk. Kelly threw to him at 8:10 p.m. "Women are not coming out for Donald Trump," she said, asking Giuliani if the campaign should have done anything differently to court females. Of course, it became a moot point by the end of the night. And by 8:30 p.m. Florida was too close to call, but was beginning to lean toward Trump.

At 8:48 p.m., Kelly told viewers: "We have not been able to make a call on Virginia, which she was supposed to be running away with." Clinton will eke out a win in Virginia, but it didn't matter. By 10:22 p.m., in the control room, a producer told Wallace NBC News had just called Ohio for Trump. A minute later, Baier told viewers that the Dow had plunged 600 points in futures trading. And as the presidency was leaning decidedly toward Trump, another producer mused: "The most hated man in Washington tomorrow? James Comey." Of course, the FBI director's disclosures about the investigation into Clinton's emails had been much cogitated in the closing days of the campaign. At 10:53 p.m., Kelly asked contributor and Democratic strategist Mo Elleithee: "Are you starting to freak out that Hillary Clinton may lose this thing?" Elleithee attempted to put on a brave face and explain a Clinton path to victory, but it rang a bit hollow.

Read more: Michael Wolff: Trump Win Exposes Media's Smug Failures

As the night wore on and key swing states including Pennsylvania and Michigan were still too close to call, others began to fall to Trump. Wisconsin was among the first reliably blue states that went Trump. And when it did, around 11:30 p.m., a producer in the control room asked for a split screen of Clinton's and Trump's respective headquarters, "The sad and happy people." As the camera brought up Clinton's headquarters at New York's Javits Center, Kelly noted: "Look at the scene, it's very somber."

Kelly made multiple trips through the blue curtain to talk to Mishkin at the decision desk, asking why they couldn't call so many of these battleground states. Of course, it didn't have the same dramatic stagecraft it did back in 2012 when she walked the long hallway back to the decision desk to ask the Fox News number crunchers about Ohio. "It's a much shorter walk," she said, "thanks to our new studio."

When Baier took the network's coverage to a break at 1:36 a.m., he noted with some wonderment that the 2016 election is "one of the biggest stories any of us have ever covered." Kelly, who tussled with Trump several times during the campaign, looked at him with a raised eyebrow: "Or will ever cover."

Later, after Trump delivered a gracious and uncharacteristically short acceptance speech, Shine marveled at the past year - both the volatile campaign and the internal drama at Fox News. "Tomorrow," he said, standing in the control room, "it all starts again. We're going to be busy."

Read more: Hillary Clinton Delivers Emotional, Inspiring Concession Speech: "I'm Sorry"
- By Kyle Ferguson





Gary A. Griffiths, president and CEO of iPass (IPAS), purchased 40,000 shares on Nov. 8, according to a Form 4 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The shares were purchased in one transaction for $1.53 per share. Griffiths now owns a total of 785,000 shares.





Founded in 1996, the Silicon Valley-based company is a SaaS (Software-as-a Service) company that provides corporations with access to global Wi-Fi via the world's largest Wi-Fi network. The company offers its services in 120 countries with 57 million hotspots worldwide. IPass provides its services in planes, trains, hotels, airports, cafes, restaurants and more. The company offers its cloud-based global Wi-Fi services to corporations exclusively. It currently owns 28 patents.

IPass has a market cap of $117.17 million, an enterprise value of $84.15 million, a price-earnings (P/E) ratio of 5.39, a price-book (P/B) ratio of 5.43 and a quick ratio of 2.27.

According to GuruFocus, iPass has a 6 of 10 financial strength rating with no debt. Its Beneish M-Score of -3.13 suggests the company is a manipulator of its financial statements. The company also has a 2 of 10 profitability and growth rating. It has an operating margin of -16.38%, a net margin of -17.49%, a ROE of -47.66%, a ROA of -27.96%, three-year EBITDA growth 46% and three-year EPS growth of 35.70%.

IPass' market price has tumbled by 73% over the previous decade and it has also seen significant declines in its reported revenue and gross profit.

From December of 2005 to December of 2015, the company's revenue has declined from a reported $169.37 million to $62.56 million, which is an average annual decline of 9.47% over the past decade.

The company's gross profit has also been in long-term decline, from a reported $106.32 million in December 2005 to $24.30 million in December of 2015. That is an average annual decline in gross profit of approximately 16%.

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Below is a Peter Lynch chart that shows iPass is trading above its intrinsic value.

Disclosure: Author does not own any shares of this company.

Start a free 7-day trial of Premium Membership to GuruFocus.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






Incoming Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-IL. (Photo: Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

As America is divided over the election of Donald Trump, its important to remember that the presidential race was not the only key takeaway from the events of Nov. 8. Equally significant is the fact that the 115th Congress that will assume session in January will be the most diverse in history as a result of the election of nine women of color in critical down-ballot races.

Among them, the first-ever Latina and Indian-American women will enter the U.S. Senate. The second Asian-American senator  and the first female senator to have seen combat  will also become a senator.

These nine women were backed by Emilys List, the political action committee that works to elect pro-choice women to all bodies of government. Jess OConnell, executive director of Emilys List, tells Yahoo Beauty, The women we just elected will bring their diverse perspectives and strong voices to Congress at a time when weve never needed them more. Their leadership will provide the checks and balances that are such a critically important part of our government, as we continue our work to achieve full equality for women.

Former Nevada Attorney General and Democratic U.S. Senate incumbent Catherine Cortez Masto speaks after winning her senate race against U.S. Rep. Joe Heck. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Catherine Cortez Masto

Cortez Mastos election is particularly historic  she is the first Latina woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate.

A former two-term attorney general of Nevada, the state she will now be representing in the Senate alongside Sen. Dean Heller, a Republican, Cortez Masto will assume the seat currently held by retiring Senate Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid. As attorney general, Cortez Masto created a senior protection unit in her office to best protect the elderly from abuse, neglect, and exploitation and prosecute those who acted against them. During that time, she also brought suit against Bank of America for its role in the crash of the housing market through the result of predatory lending practices, achieving a historic $1.9 billion settlement for Nevadans who lost their homes in the housing market collapse.

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She has campaigned on protecting Medicare and Social Security from fraud, abuse, and waste; comprehensive immigration reform; paycheck fairness and closing the gender wage cap; environmental conservation; raising the minimum wage; combatting human trafficking; ending workplace and housing market discrimination against LGBTQ Americans; overturning Citizens United; and supporting abortion and contraception access.

Kamala Harris celebrates winning her Senate race. (Photo: Barbara Davidson/Los Angeles Times)

Kamala Harris

Winning her race for retiring Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxers seat representing California in the U.S. Senate, Kamala Harris is now the first Indian-American woman in the Senate, the first African-American woman to be elected to the Senate in over 20 years (and the second African-American woman in the Senates history), and the first African-American to ever represent the state of California in the Senate.

Harris is presently Californias attorney general, and the first woman and the first person of color to hold that title in the state. She previously served as a deputy district attorney in Alameda County and as a district attorney in San Francisco.

While attorney general, Harris has been active in her work to fight both human trafficking and cyber bullying  and revenge porn, specifically  and develop digital tools to help law enforcement support survivors.

Harris ran on a platform of support and enhancement of LGBTQ rights, criminal justice reform, combatting climate change, college affordability, universal pre-kindergarten, affordable childcare, paid family leave, raising the minimum wage, and paycheck fairness.

Tammy Duckworth at the Democratic National Convention. (Photo: Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

Tammy Duckworth

U.S. Representative Tammy Duckworth defeated incumbent Republican Sen. Mark Kirk in a race that will make her the first Thai-American woman in the U.S. Senate; when Duckworth was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014, she became the first Asian-American woman to represent the state of Illinois in that chamber.

She will also be the second Asian-American senator and the first female senator to have seen combat  Duckworth is a veteran of the Iraq War, where, as an Army pilot, she lost both legs while successfully landing a helicopter after it had been hit by a grenade, an act for which she was awarded a Purple Heart metal.

Duckworth has been a strong supporter of womens reproductive rights during her time in the House, equal pay, LGBTQ rights, immigration reform, and support and services for victims of domestic violence.

Val Demings speaks during the Democratic National Convention. (Photo: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Val Demings

Val Demings, current police chief of Orlando, Fla., is now headed to the U.S. House of Representatives, winning her race for a seat representing Floridas 10th district, defeating Republican candidate Thuy Lowe. Deming is the first woman to serve as chief of police in Orlando.

Lisa Blunt Rochester (Photo: Getty Images)

Lisa Blunt Rochester

Delawares former secretary of labor, Lisa Blunt Rochester won her election to become the first African-American woman to represent the state of Delaware in Congress.

Stephanie Murphy won Floridas 7th congressional district. (Photo: Thomas McKinless/CQ Roll Call)

Stephanie Murphy

The first Vietnamese-American woman elected to Congress, Stephanie Murphy will be joining the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Floridas 7th District. Murphy defeated 23-year incumbent Rep. John Mica and received endorsements from President Obama, Vice President Biden, and the Human Rights Campaign during her campaign. Murphys parents were Vietnamese refugees, and she is the first woman in her family to go to college.

Pramila Jayapal will replace U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott in Washingtons deeply liberal 7th Congressional District. (Photo: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Pramila Jayapal

Jayapal, who will be representing Washington states 7th district in the U.S. House of Representatives, will be the first Indian-American woman to serve in that body of Congress. Jayapal immigrated to America from India as a teenager and is the founder of the group OneAmerica, which works to prevent hate crimes and discrimination against Arab, Muslim, and South Asian Americans.

Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Colleen Hanabusa

Winning back the U.S. House of Representatives seat she previously occupied, the Japanese-American Hanabusa will become one of two Buddhists serving in the House.

Nanette Barragan poses for portrait in Santa Monica, Calif. (Photo: Michael Bezjian/WireImage)

Nanette Barragan

A former Hermosa Beach, Calif., councilwoman, the Mexican-American Barragan garnered endorsements from the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters in her campaign to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Californias 44th district, in Los Angeles.





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Bucharest (AFP) - Iran's foreign minister called Wednesday on US president-elect Donald Trump to stick to international agreements following his threats during the election campaign to tear up a nuclear deal with Tehran.

"Every US president has to understand the realities of today's world. The most important thing is that the future US president stick to agreements, to engagements undertaken," Mohammad Javad Zarif said in Romania.

Trump has vowed to rip up last year's deal with world powers which lifted international sanctions in return for curbs on Iran's nuclear programme.

Tehran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful and has so far met its obligations under the deal, but supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said he would happily "burn" the agreement if Trump decides to tear it up.

Some Iranians believe the US president-elect will not make good on his threat.

"The Trump of the campaign is different to Trump the president," said Allaeddine Borujerdi, chairman of parliament's foreign affairs committee.

"It is natural that the American president is constrained by international rules and must apply them, notably on the nuclear deal," the ISNA news agency quoted him as saying.

Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said it was prepared for any eventuality.

"We have defined our nuclear programme in such a way that we can continue in any situation," spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told the state broadcaster.

The deputy commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, said it made no difference to Iran who was in the White House.

"When the Republicans were in power, they threatened us and showed their hostility... and when the Democrats were in power, the policies of the United States were the same," Salami told the Fars news agency.

Iran says the United States has not stuck to the spirit of the nuclear deal since it came into force in January, because a raft of unilateral US sanctions remain in place that have left it frozen out of the international banking system.

The US Congress is due to vote next month on whether to renew those sanctions, which are linked to Iran's human rights record and ballistic missile tests.
By Padraic Halpin

DUBLIN (Reuters) - U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's plans to slash corporate tax rates should not keep companies from setting up operations abroad, a move that would damage a key plank of Ireland's industrial policy, the Irish finance minister said on Wednesday.

Ireland has a decades-old policy of attracting multinational investment with a corporate tax rate of just 12.5 percent. That has made Ireland a hub for U.S. companies - including heavyweights like Apple, Google and Pfizer - which account for one in 10 local jobs. But it also makes the country vulnerable to any global tax changes.

Before his victory on Wednesday, Trump said he wanted to cut the U.S. corporate tax rate to 15 percent from the current 35 percent and encourage U.S. companies with operations abroad to repatriate profits at a reduced tax rate.

"It's the repatriation of profits that is the primary issue. Now, if you reduce that to 15 percent, it seems to me that that is not an disincentive for setting up abroad," Michael Noonan told a parliamentary committee.

"As a matter of fact, it could work the other way because you pay much less tax if you repatriate profits from Ireland in the future."

Trump will enjoy majorities from his Republican party in both chambers of Congress, potentially helping him push through reforms relatively quickly. But Noonan said he would "wait and see" whether the plans come to pass.

"I spent all my life listening to United States election campaigns where there was a commitment to reform corporate tax. I've yet to see tangible measures and I was first elected to a local authority in 1974," he said.

Noonan said the pipeline of multinational investment was strong at present, but the uncertainty before Trump takes office in January might slow down that down, PWC Ireland Managing Partner Feargal O'Rourke warned.

"For Ireland, broadly speaking, it (Trump's plans) will take away the tax plank of our foreign direct investment offering," said O'Rourke, who has advised a number of major U.S. companies with operations in Ireland.

"Am I worried about jobs suddenly being sucked back to the U.S. from Ireland? No. You can't run a global operation from California. But for the next five or six months, U.S companies are going to say 'let's just press the pause button for the moment'."

(Editing by Larry King)
Islamic State (ISIS) militants have forced about 1,500 families to retreat with them near Mosul, as Iraqi forces push ahead with their offensive to drive the militants out of their stronghold, the U.N. human rights commission said Tuesday.

ISIS militants also abducted 295 former Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) members from villages on the outskirts of the city, Reuters reports.

People forcibly moved or abducted, it appears, are either intended to be used as human shields or  depending on their perceived affiliations  killed, Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, was quoted by Reuters as saying.

Speaking at a U.N. briefing in Geneva, Shamdasani said the abducted families, taken from Hammam al Alil town, were being taken to Mosul airport, adding that [t]he fate of these civilians is unknown for the moment.

A campaign by Iraqi government forces, Kurdish peshmerga and Shiite militias supported by U.S. air strikes to push ISIS out of Mosul, Iraqs second-largest city, is now in its fourth week. Mosul is the militants last major urban stronghold in Iraq.

ISIS fighters abducted about 100 former ISF officers on Nov. 3 from Mawaly village, about 12 miles west of Mosul, Reuters reports. Another 195 people were abducted last week from villages in Tal Afar district.

Reports of the discovery of a mass grave at an agricultural college in Hammam al Alil could not yet be confirmed.

[Reuters]
President-elect Trump is a true friend of the state of Israel. So said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, hours after Donald Trump was elected president of the United States.

And many of Trumps comments over the course of this presidential election cycle indeed suggested he would be a friend to Israel, at least insofar as Netanyahus right-wing government understands friendship. Netanyahu campaigned against the U.S.-Iran nuclear deal; Trump called it the stupidest deal of all time. Netanyahu approved $18 million for settlements on the West Bank in June; Trump, who originally said he would stay neutral in Palestinian-Israeli matters, said in May he believed settlement construction should keep going (the Obama administration had tried to pressure Netanyahu to press pause to make Palestinian authorities amenable to negotiation). And Trump has said he will reverse traditional U.S. policy by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and moving the U.S. Embassy there.

That last promise is one Israeli authorities expect him to keep  and one Trump advisor, David Friedman, says he will. Recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital was a campaign promise, and there is every intention to keep it, Friedman said Wednesday. We are going to see a very different relationship between America and Israel in a positive way.

And, indeed, while there is some suspicion Netanyahu and his circle believed Hillary Clinton would win (which, to be fair, most everyone else did, too), a poll last March showed Trump was Israels favorite GOP candidate, and that a plurality believed he would be best  including against Clinton  at representing Israels interests.

This is a very different stance than that taken by Americas Jewish citizens at the polls this Election Day. After a campaign in which Trump tweeted out what many believed to be the Star of David over piles of money; received the endorsement of David Duke; and put out what many believed to be a highly anti-Semitic final ad (and also spoke at length about religious discrimination), 71 percent of Jewish Americans voted for Hillary Clinton  up 2 percent from 2012.

Photo credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
By Kanupriya Kapoor, Asad Hashim and Omar Fahmy JAKARTA/ISLAMABAD/CAIRO (Reuters) - Many Muslims around the world expressed dismay on Wednesday at Donald Trump's election as U.S. president, saying they feared it might raise tensions between the West and Islam and contribute to radicalization. While Egypt's president made an early congratulatory call to Trump, ordinary Muslims were worried that his victory would be a propaganda gift to jihadist groups. Others were apprehensive that the president-elect will implement campaign pledges to clamp down on Muslims entering the United States. "Trump has espoused highly inflammatory rhetoric against Muslims. Voters there will expect him to fulfill his promises. That makes me worry about the impact on Muslims in the U.S. and in the rest of the world," said Yenny Wahid, a prominent mainstream Muslim figure in Indonesia. The world's 1.6 billion Muslims follow a multitude of sects and schools of thought, constitute a majority of the population in countries as varied as Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Albania, and hold a vast array of political views. Yet Trump's previous comments about Muslims, that those from abroad should be barred entry or intensely scrutinized beforehand, and the presence of vocal anti-Islam activists among his supporters, has alarmed many. During a bitter election campaign, Trump also attacked his opponents for what he characterized as their denial about the threat posed by militant Islam, which he said was "coming to our shores", adding that he would quickly form a commission on it. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was the first world leader to congratulate Trump on the phone, Sisi's office said. Many other Egyptians also welcomed his victory, saying his opponent Hillary Clinton's record in office had won her few friends in the most populous Arab country. Clinton, Secretary of State during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, is unpopular with many Egyptians. Many of those who backed the revolt saw her as a long-standing supporter of Hosni Mubarak, the autocrat they toppled from power. But elsewhere, other Muslims saw Trump as a hostile figure. "Whatever happens to America affects everybody and with all these promises of doom by Trump to the blacks, to the Muslims, the minority, so it's not something we're happy about," said Ganiu Olukanga, a Muslim resident of the Nigerian capital Lagos. Some Muslims, including Wahid, said they feared his election as president might encourage a view that the United States held enmity for Muslims and that this would hinder efforts in Islam to counter radicalization. "Trump's victory will be an enormous gift to a failing jihadist movement, that will have now have a renewed rallying cry," said Ammar Rashid, an academic and member of Pakistan's Awami Workers Party on Twitter. "If jihadi ideology has a source of sustenance, it is the image of the US as the evil anti-Muslim crusader. They will milk Trump's win dry," he added. In jihadist social media forums, militants said Trump's election had merely revealed the true position of the United States toward Muslims. "The masks have slipped," one wrote. But some other Muslims were more hopeful, including Umer Daudzai, former Afghan minister of interior, citing the record of Ronald Reagan who was U.S. president from 1981-89. "Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War. I hope Donald Trump will end all wars and become hero of peace in the world," he told Reuters. "NEGATIVE, CYNICAL" Among some officials, there were also expressions of concern but the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the body that represents Muslim states, issued no statement early on Wednesday. In Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation, an official from the faith's top clerical body there said Trump's election could create new tension between the United States and the Islamic world. Trump had made "negative, cynical" comments about Muslims in the past, Din Syamsuddin, a senior official at the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), told reporters in Jakarta. "He had forgotten that many Americans are immigrants." Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally that is both birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest places, issued a statement that it had congratulated Trump on his election win without making further comment. However, Awad al-Qirni, one of its most popular clerics with a Twitter following of two million, said in a social media post after the election - but without referring to Trump directly - that "America declines into collapse" and that "its internal crisis will grow severely". In Pakistan, Sherry Rehman, a senator and former ambassador to Washington, said Trump's proposal last year to bar Muslims from entering the U.S. had disturbed many. "Pakistan obviously cannot rule out engaging with whomever America elects but his anti-Muslim rhetoric may cast a shadow on relations in times of uncertainty," he told Reuters on Wednesday. And in Bangladesh, a government official who asked not to be named said: "I can't think what awaits us. Donald Trump was talking about fighting against Muslims. Are we going to see more wars?" Among private citizens in Dhaka, some said they hoped the pressure of office would temper Trump's views. "It is just unbelievable and I am a bit tense. I hope there will be a difference between Donald Trump and President Donald Trump. President Trump will be more mature than individual Trump," Asif Iqbal, a private sector employee, said. (Additional reporting by Seun Sanni in Lagos, Ruma Paul in Dhaka, Bernadette Christina Munthe in Jakarta, Ahmed Aboulenein in Cairo, Hamid Shalizi in Kabul, Kay Johnson in Islamabad, Bozorgmehr Sharafedin Nouri in Beirut, Reem Shamseddine in Khobar; Writing and additional reporting by Angus McDowall in Beirut)
By Kanupriya Kapoor, Asad Hashim and Omar Fahmy JAKARTA/ISLAMABAD/CAIRO (Reuters) - Many Muslims around the world expressed dismay on Wednesday at Donald Trump's election as U.S. president, saying they feared it might raise tensions between the West and Islam and contribute to radicalisation. While Egypt's president made an early congratulatory call to Trump, ordinary Muslims were worried that his victory would be a propaganda gift to jihadist groups. Others were apprehensive that the president-elect would implement campaign pledges to clamp down on Muslims entering the United States. "Trump has espoused highly inflammatory rhetoric against Muslims. Voters there will expect him to fulfil his promises. That makes me worry about the impact on Muslims in the U.S. and in the rest of the world," said Yenny Wahid, a prominent mainstream Muslim figure in Indonesia. The world's 1.6 billion Muslims follow a multitude of sects and schools of thought, constitute a majority of the population in countries as varied as Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Albania, and hold a vast array of political views. Yet Trump's previous comments about Muslims - saying that those from abroad should be barred entry or intensely scrutinised beforehand - and the presence of vocal anti-Islam activists among his supporters, have alarmed many. During a bitter election campaign, Trump also attacked his opponents for what he characterised as their denial about the threat posed by militant Islam, which he said was "coming to our shores", adding that he would quickly form a commission on it. "I'm worried about (my relatives in America) because they are Muslims, Egyptian Muslims ... and he is not going to treat Muslims well," said Ali Nabil, a 20-year-old student in Cairo. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was the first world leader to congratulate Trump on the phone, Sisi's office said, a welcome to the next president that was echoed by some other Arabs who disliked Hillary Clinton's Middle East policies. But other Muslims saw Trump as a hostile figure. "Whatever happens to America affects everybody and with all these promises of doom by Trump to the blacks, to the Muslims, the minority, so it's not something we're happy about," said Ganiu Olukanga, a Nigerian Muslim resident of Lagos. Muslims who live as members of a religious minority in Western countries and have previously expressed fear at what they see as increasingly negative portrayals of their faith, also voiced worry at Trump's election. "It is hugely worrying that a man who has called for discrimination against Muslims and other minorities has become the leader of a superpower nation," said Harun Khan, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Great Britain, in a statement. He also congratulated Trump on his victory. RADICALISATION Some Muslims said they feared Trump's election as president might encourage a view that the United States was hostile to Muslims and that this would hinder efforts in Islam to counter radicalisation. "Trump's victory will be an enormous gift to a failing jihadist movement, that will have now have a renewed rallying cry," said Ammar Rashid, an academic and member of Pakistan's Awami Workers Party, on Twitter. "If jihadi ideology has a source of sustenance, it is the image of the U.S. as the evil anti-Muslim crusader. They will milk Trump's win dry," he added. In jihadist social media forums, militants said Trump's election had merely revealed the true position of the United States towards Muslims. "The masks have slipped," one wrote. But some other Muslims were more hopeful, including Umer Daudzai, a former Afghan minister of interior, citing the record of Ronald Reagan who was U.S. president from 1981-89. "Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War. I hope Donald Trump will end all wars and become a hero of peace in the world," he told Reuters. "NEGATIVE, CYNICAL" Despite expressions of concern by some officials, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the body that represents Muslim states, issued no statement early on Wednesday. In Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation, an official from the faith's top clerical body there said Trump's election could create new tension between the United States and the Islamic world. Trump had made negative and cynical comments about Muslims in the past, Din Syamsuddin, a senior official at the Indonesian Ulema Council, told reporters in Jakarta. "He had forgotten that many Americans are immigrants." Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally that is both birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest places, issued a statement congratulating Trump on his election win without making further comment. However, Awad al-Qirni, one of its most popular clerics with a Twitter following of two million, said in a social media post after the election - but without referring to Trump directly - that "America declines into collapse" and that "its internal crisis will grow severely". In Pakistan, Sherry Rehman, a senator and former ambassador to Washington, said Trump's proposal last year to bar Muslims from entering the United States had disturbed many. "Pakistan obviously cannot rule out engaging with whomever America elects, but his anti-Muslim rhetoric may cast a shadow on relations in times of uncertainty," he told Reuters. And in Bangladesh, a government official who asked not to be named said: "I can't think what awaits us. Donald Trump was talking about fighting against Muslims. Are we going to see more wars?" In Dhaka, some citizens hoped the pressure of office would temper Trump's views. "It is just unbelievable and I am a bit tense. I hope there will be a difference between Donald Trump and President Donald Trump. President Trump will be more mature than individual Trump," said Asif Iqbal, a private sector employee. (Additional reporting by Seun Sanni in Lagos, Ruma Paul in Dhaka, Bernadette Christina Munthe in Jakarta, Ahmed Aboulenein in Cairo, Hamid Shalizi in Kabul, Kay Johnson in Islamabad, Bozorgmehr Sharafedin Nouri in Beirut, Reem Shamseddine in Khobar; Writing and additional reporting by Angus McDowall in Beirut; editing by David Stamp and Giles Elgood)
TOKYO, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Japan Display Inc reported on Wednesday an 85 percent plunge in operating profit for the July-September quarter as a strong yen and slowing smartphone sales continued to weigh on its panel business.

Second-quarter profit fell to 1.24 billion yen ($12.18 million) from 8.34 billion a year earlier. That compared with a 1.17 billion yen average profit forecast of seven analysts, according to Thomson Reuters Starmine, and beat the company's own 1 billion estimate.

The struggling display maker is in talks with its state-backed main investor for long-term financing to weather future market swings, in particular erratic iPhones-related demand from Apple Inc, whose products account for more than half of Japan Display's sales.

The Asahi newspaper reported last week that the Innovation Network Corp of Japan is readying some $500 million in aid for Japan Display. ($1 = 101.8300 yen) (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
Jay Z and Coldplay will be headlining the Global Citizen Festival in India this year, and we know theyll be incredible

Jay Z and Coldplay have one big thing in common theyre both incredible. Both the rapper and the group have had so many hits throughout the years, that of course theyd be on the A-list when it comes to big events. As it turns out, both Coldplay and Jay Z will be headlining the Global Citizen Festival in India this year.

So, what is this wonderful festival about, you may ask. Well, the Global Citizen organization is a social action platform that hopes to end poverty by 2030. Headquartered in New York with offices worldwide, the overseas concert  a first for the organization  will be held on November 19th in Mumbai. Demi Lovato is also scheduled to perform.

This concert will be legendary for a few reasons. First, entry is technically free  all you need to do to enter is participate in a few charitable acts (which, you should probably do anyway, to help make the world shine a bit brighter.) Second, as mentioned, its the first international festival for Global Citizen, and will likely be tough to beat. And third, this is the very first time in India for both Jay Z and Coldplay  and, its about time they check out the beautiful country.

Global Citizen typically runs a fest in New York, which both Jay Z and Coldplay are more than familiar with. The fact that theyre willing to headline the very first in India just proves that the organization is pretty incredible. Chris Martin actually does some behind-the-scenes work with the charity as well.

So, lets get back to the entry fee  the model for past festivals was pretty simple. Participants took action by signing petitions, or using social media to get the word out about important causes that might contribute to poverty.

According to Rolling Stone, participants this year will focus on taking donations through a site called Ketto. Those donations will go towards supporting orphaned children.

For those who are local, this is definitely a show worth attending. Or, for those looking for a brief break from the United States, perhaps booking a plane ticket would be a fun little escape. No matter what, were loving the fact that the organization truly functions around people making the world a better place to live.

The post Jay Z and Coldplay will be headlining the Global Citizen Festival in India this year, and we know theyll be incredible appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Latin music stars were actively involved on election night, both online and on television.

"That's my girl" tweeted Jennifer Lopez minutes after Hillary Clinton won New York.

That's My Girl! #NewYork #ImWithHer pic.twitter.com/l3KWfMWotp

- Jennifer Lopez (@JLo) November 9, 2016

For the many Latin acts who have been exhorting Latinos to vote, mostly for Hillary, it was an early bright spot, particularly after watching Florida all but slip from Clinton's grasp.

Jencarlos Canela, a Miami native, tried to sound upbeat on Telemundo, but was clearly worried at seeing Florida turning red. "I'm proud to see my Miami blue," he said. "At this point we have to come together as a nation. But obviously, my position is clear: I'd like Hillary to win. But Florida is divided. We have to come together."

Meantime, from California, regional Mexican star Lupillo Rivera exhorted voters to go to the polls. Behind him, a mariachi trio played the presidential march (interesting mix, by the way).

On Twitter, many artists gave a last minute push.

"Choose hope. Choose hope. Choose HOPE. #Imwithher," tweeted Shakira.

Choose hope. Choose hope. Choose HOPE. #imwithher

- Shakira (@shakira) November 9, 2016
For more Entertainment Tonight videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS.

Jennifer Lopez isn't just a fan of Hillary Clinton, she's a fan of her daughter, Chelsea, as well.

During an interview with 2day FM hosts Rove and Sam on Wednesday, the Shades of Blue star revealed that two have become so close as neighbors that their children have playdates.

WATCH: Jennifer Lopez Shares Sweet Shot of Bedtime Story With Twins Emme and Max

"Our kids have played together," she revealed.

Lopez, who shares 8-year-old twins Emme and Max with her ex-husband, Marc Anthony, moved next door to Chelsea and her husband, Marc Mezvinsky, in 2014, buying a $22 million penthouse at four-unit building The Whitman in New York City. Chelsea now has two kids of her own, 2-year-old Charlotte and 4-month-old Aidan.

The 47-year-old actress, who recently teamed up with Anthony for a free concert supporting Hillary, also opened up about why she's supporting the Democratic nominee for president.

"Our country deserves a great leader, not someone who dabbles in politics. I want someone who knows what they're doing," she said. "We deserve that and she has tremendous experience and tremendous heart and it takes a lot to be in the public eye, I know that."

RELATED: Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Robert Downey Jr. and More Encourage Fans to Vote

"As women we get bullied, we have to work just a tiny bit harder, we have to show we're more qualified and I am with her," she added. "I do believe for this election she's the right person for the job."

While J.Lo and Chelsea have become close, they may no longer be neighbors if Hillary claims the White House.

ET caught up with Hillary and Chelsea in May, where Hillary revealed that she's planning to have a nursery for Chelsea's children at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

"Oh my gosh, of course!" Hillary gushed. "Easy question! I am thrilled Charlotte recognizes me and calls me Grandma. I am thrilled that she'll occasionally ask her mother or father where I am and then, if I'm around, they'll FaceTime me."

Story continues

EXCLUSIVE: Hillary Clinton Admits to Getting Starstruck Over George Clooney

See more in the video below.

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By Dan Levine and Heather Somerville

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Tuesday rejected Airbnb's request to block a San Francisco ordinance that forbids the home-rental company from taking bookings from hosts who have not registered their home with the city.

The decision dealt a major blow to an argument Airbnb has come to rely on to fight regulatory crackdowns in cities across the United States, and could have implications for other online companies such as Amazon.com.

The San Francisco ordinance, enacted in August, makes it illegal for Airbnb to collect fees for providing booking services for rentals that had not been properly registered with the city. Airbnb makes money by charging a service fee on bookings.

The ruling from U.S. District Judge James Donato in San Francisco rejected Airbnb's contention that the ordinance violated a broad federal law that protects internet companies from liability for content posted on their platforms.

The San Francisco ordinance "does not regulate what can or cannot be said or posted in the listings," Donato wrote.

Further, Airbnb's argument that the city violated the First Amendment is moot because the ordinance "was not motivated by a desire to suppress speech," Donato wrote.

An Airbnb spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

While Donato denied Airbnb's request for a preliminary injunction blocking the ordinance and picked apart the company's legal arguments, he did call for further proceedings on how exactly the new ordinance should be enforced.

He also said San Francisco shares some of the responsibility as it lacks an "effective registration verification" system for hosts.

Airbnb, which provides a website to connect hosts with short-term renters, had invoked Section 230 of the U.S. Communications Decency Act, a 20-year-old statute designed to protect free speech online, to sue San Francisco and two other California cities.

Without the protection of Section 230, Airbnb could be much more vulnerable to local efforts to introduce tougher laws aimed at limiting Airbnb's impact on housing stock and rent prices.

Story continues

Airbnb is likely to appeal the ruling, which could have broad implications for other online commerce operations if upheld.

"The judge's ruling creates a major new hole in Section 230's immunity that other regulators will exploit with glee," said Eric Goldman, a professor at Santa Clara Univeristy School of Law. "This should be disconcerting to major marketplaces like eBay and Amazon, who historically have been immune from liability for user transactions."

Other cities around the country, including New York, Santa Monica and Anaheim, have also watched the San Francisco case closely as they pursue their own Airbnb regulations.

(Reporting by Dan Levine and Heather Somerville; editing by Jonathan Weber and Tom Brown)
From Cosmopolitan

Attorney General Kamala Harris beat fellow Democrat, Rep. Loretta Sanchez, for the Senate seat vacated by Barbara Boxer - the first Senate seat to open up in California in about 25 years.

The Associate Press called the election at 11 p.m. EST.

Both women stood to make history in this election - Sanchez as potentially the first Latina in the Senate, and Harris, who is biracial, as the first Indian-American woman in the Senate and the second black woman ever elected to the Senate.



Congrats @KamalaHarris on winning your race! We're proud to see you become the 2nd African American woman ever elected to the Senate. #CASen pic.twitter.com/dPCaaMgzl5 - EMILY's List (@emilyslist) November 9, 2016

While both Harris and Sanchez have a 100 percent rating from NARAL, support equal pay, and want immigration reform, Harris earned the backing of President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and the California Democratic Party.



The Los Angeles Times notes that the race has made Senate history for another reason, as well: This is the first time a woman replaced another woman in the U.S. Senate, just the way its been happening for men since the Republic began.

Follow Prachi on Twitter.



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NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's shilling was firm on Wednesday, steadied by central bank advice to dealers that it would offer support as needed after gyrations in other world currencies after the U.S. election showed Donald Trump edging towards the presidency. At 0702 GMT, commercial banks quoted the shilling at 101.66/86, compared with Tuesday's close of 101.70/80. One senior trader said a central bank official had called dealing rooms to say that "If we need their help, they are there to help." Otherwise, he and another trader said the market was fairly quiet. "Most of the clients are watching and seeing how the election will go in the U.S. Initially, we thought there would be a bit of panic but we haven't seen any," the senior trader said. (Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by David Lewis)
NAIROBI (Reuters) - The first batch of Kenyan troops who had served in a U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan arrived home on Wednesday, after Nairobi ordered them to withdraw in response to the sacking of the Kenyan commander of the UNMISS force. Kenya said last week it would pull its forces out after a U.N. inquiry accused UNMISS of failing to respond to an attack on a Juba hotel during fighting in July. Kenya's Lieutenant General Johnson Mogoa Kimani Ondieki was fired. "Today we have started our withdrawal from South Sudan," Kenyan Major General Benjamin Biwott told reporters at Nairobi's international airport as about 100 soldiers flew in. He said further batches of soldiers from the roughly 1,000-strong Kenyan contingent would arrive in coming days, although he did not give a precise timing for completing the withdrawal from UNMISS, which comprised about 12,000 troops. The general said Kenyan soldiers had taken part in peacekeeping operations in 44 countries over the past four decades and Kenya was continuing in its other missions. "We are committed in our peacekeeping operations as a credible and well-trained force," he said. The Juba hotel attack occurred in July during several days of fighting between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his former vice president, Riek Machar. The two men have long been political rivals and come from different ethnic groups. A civil conflict erupted in South Sudan in December 2013, but the two leaders signed a peace deal in 2015 that was meant to halt the fighting, but it failed to stick. Machar has since left the country and sporadic clashes have continued. (Reporting by Ben Makori; Writing by Edmund Blair; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
By Katharine Houreld NAIROBI (Reuters) - Software that has tracked earthquake aid in Haiti, elections in India and sexual assaults in Egypt is tackling a new challenge: any reports of violence, intimidation or fraud in the U.S. vote. Ushahidi, which means "testimony" in Kenya's Swahili language, is collecting data from the 50 states where Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton are running. Ushahidi Chief Executive Officer Daudi Were told Reuters his organisation's 50-strong team was not expecting violence but wanted to ensure voter concerns were heard. Trump has repeatedly warned that the U.S. poll could be "rigged", a charge dismissed by his opponents. "We've also seen one of the key candidates say that they may not accept the election results, which all speaks to the need of helping citizens to have confidence in the process," Were said. People can send reports by phone, email, or Twitter, he added. A team uses local contacts or reputable online sources to sort and verify reports. They can pass reports to the Election Protection Committee, a U.S. nonpartisan monitoring organisation that sends legal experts to areas of dispute. "We are adding a citizen layer on top of the extensive election monitoring efforts that are already taking place within in the U.S.," Were said. Ushahidi was set up by four friends scrambling to respond to post-election violence in Kenya at the start of 2008 in which 1,200 people were killed. It helped map violent hotspots. Since then, it has been used in more than 160 countries for such tasks as monitoring polls or responding to humanitarian crises by reuniting families, tracking aid and pinpointing violence. "Ushahidi and African technology, we're are leading the way," said Were. "If you're building a good tool, it will be used around the world." (Editing by Edmund Blair and Andrew Roche)
Khloe Kardashian is talking ink!

The 32-year-old reality star took to her blog on Tuesday to discuss all things tattoos, including a few she'd like to give her famous family members.

WATCH: Kylie Jenner Reveals the Meaning Behind Her New Red Tattoo

While "to be honest, Kim and Kourt are just not made for tats," Khloe has a few of her own -- as does her mom, Kris Jenner.

"She has a tramp stamp of a cross, but I would put it somewhere more visible," Khloe wrote of the Kardashian matriarch. "I think that would look really sexy on her and she could pull it off because she's edgy."

WATCH: Rob Kardashian's New Neck Tattoo Might Be of Blac Chyna's Name

The Good American designer, who recently removed her own tramp stamp -- a tribute to her late father, Robert Kardashian -- said she'd consider getting matching tattoos with her little sisters.

"Kendall, Kylie, and I were saying that we want sister tattoos but we don't know what they would be," she revealed. "I don't like big tattoos on girls. I do however like tattoos of small words. I could definitely do a rib tattoo on Kendall."

"I will say though, that Kendall's mouth tattoo surprised me," Khloe added of the model's "Meow" tattoo on her inner lip. "When my mom found out she was like, 'What did you do?!', LOL! Kendall had it for the longest time. We were like, 'Mom, she's had it for almost a year!'"

WATCH: Kendall Jenner Gets a Tattoo Despite Kim Kardashian's Advice: See the New Ink!

Kendall also took to her blog to discuss her latest tat, explaining that she didn't really plan to reveal her new ink.

"I got it done back in July by JonBoy in New York, and I didn't plan on telling anyone," she explained.

"There's no real meaning behind it, I just wanted to be able to say that I have a tattoo 'on my face!'" she said. "I have two others also: a broken heart on one hand and a full heart on the other. I definitely want more and even though I used to say I'd only get one if it meant something to me, now I have even more possibilities!"

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meow @kendalljenner #jonboytattoo A photo posted by c/s jonboy p/v (@jonboytattoo) on Sep 29, 2016 at 9:11pm PDT

WATCH: Kylie Jenner Gets a Booty Tattoo, Surprises Unsuspecting Fans With New Kyshadow Kits

See more on Kendall's animal-inspired ink in the video below.

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Kim Kardashian West is weighing the pros and cons of using a surrogate to have her third child.

"Obviously I do want to have my own baby," Kim tells sister Kourtney Kardashian in a preview clip of Sunday's Keeping Up With the Kardashians, which was taped prior to the Paris robbery. "But I truly don't know if my body can handle it one more time."

WATCH: Kim Kardashian Reveals Struggle With Anxiety and Panic Attacks Prior to Paris Robbery

Kim admits to having "fears" and "unanswered questions" about surrogacy, but Kourtney does offer up a benefit to going that route. "If you use a surrogate, nobody has to know the whole time," she explains. "You could have a baby for a year and nobody would even know."

The 36-year-old mother of two considering a surrogate shouldn't come as a surprise to her fans. Kim had notoriously difficult pregnancies with both her daughter, 3-year-old North, and her son, 11-month-old Saint.

WATCH: Kim Kardashian Says Kanye West Brings Up Wanting More Kids 'Every Single Day'

In January, a source close to Kim told ET that the reality star felt it was too risky for her to conceive again. "This is definitely the last baby Kim is having herself," the source said. "Doctors told her getting pregnant again is just too risky. The two pregnancies did so much damage to her body, it's just not worth it. If she wanted more, adoption wouldn't be out of the question."

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When California voters approved Proposition 64 on Tuesday, the basic idea was simple: a majority of people in Americas most populous state believe that adults should be able to consume marijuana if they feel like it, like a glass of wine at 5 oclock. But the details of the proposition, which stretches more than 60 pages, are complicated.

TIME spoke to Amanda Reiman, the Drug Policy Alliances manager of marijuana law and policy, to talk about what people should know.

What happened on Tuesday?

By a margin of about 56% to 44%, voters passed Proposition 64, making California the fifth state to legalize recreational pot, after Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Later in the evening, results came in showing that voters in Massachusetts and Nevada did the same. The vote happened 20 years after California became the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996.

So whats legal on Nov. 9 that wasnt on Nov. 8?

First the bad news, says Reiman, whose organization helped craft the measure: There arent any adult-use pot shops yet, and you cant just walk into a medical dispensary without a patient card and start buying up brownies. But there is good news for those who would partake: for adults over the age of 21 in California, it is now legal to use, possess and share cannabis, as well as grow it at home. Adults can open their bags, plop in up to one ounce of flowers or eight grams of concentrate (like the stuff you put in vape pens) and go walk around in the world without fear of arrest.

But if I cant go to a dispensary today, where would I buy marijuana?

Thats a bit tricky, as it is still verboten to buy it on the black market. You cannot legally buy a marijuana plant, Reiman says, but someone can give you one. If someone is already cultivating cannabis in their backyard, she says, they could share the bud or a clone so a friend could start growing their own. But money cannot exchange hands. There could be a whole sharing economy that emerges, says Reiman, as the state does the work of setting up the legal market.

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When will I be able to walk into a store and buy it?

Likely not until 2018. The state has a host of regulations to get through, and localities have the ability to put different rules in place too. Its a lot of red tape. Certain areas that already have robust medical-marijuana businesses, like Oakland and San Francisco, might get through it sooner, Reiman says. But the deadline for the state to start issuing licenses to those eventual pot shops is Jan. 1, 2018, so thats the safe bet.

I heard you have to grow pot plants inside your house. Is that true?

No, though growing plants in your house is the easiest way to make sure you abide by regulations requiring that home cultivation be done in a fully enclosed and secure way. This bit comes from concerns about plants enticing robbers if people are flaunting that they have a valuable product, says Reiman. A household  no matter how many people are in it  is limited to growing six plants at one time. For people in rural areas, it might be easy enough to set up a greenhouse outside in a remote location. People in denser places may have a harder time keeping outdoor plants out of plain sight.

Where can marijuana be consumed?

Adults cannot smoke or ingest weed in public. Though Proposition 64 will eventually allow for licensed on-site consumption  Reiman imagines this will happen in the Amsterdam coffee-shop vein, given that no business can sell alcohol or tobacco as well as marijuana  the safe thing to do is only consume at private residences for now. Reiman notes that, pending local rules, people in California will eventually be able to host private events where cannabis is smoked and that hotels or bud and breakfasts could choose to explicitly allow consumption on their premises.

What kinds of edibles will be allowed?

States watching Colorados trailblazing experiment have become wisely wary of how they regulate edibles. In 2014, the largest childrens hospital in Colorado reported that nine children had been brought in after accidentally eating products that often look like treats or candy.

In California, edibles will have to be low-dose  breaking off into sections with 10 milligrams of THC, the psychoactive agent, so people know exactly how much they are ingesting. Edibles will need to be in childproof packaging and not come in any fashion that would appeal to children, Reiman says. Knowing the California consumer, Reiman also predicts that these historically sugary products will start coming in more raw, vegan, gluten-free, superfood varieties.

Can I take marijuana on a plane?

Marijuana cannot be taken across state lines. In every state with legal weed, products have to be grown and consumed in that state only  from seed to sale  because of the federal prohibition of the drug. Give it to your driver, Reiman says, noting that taxis taking people to the airport in Denver have been getting some interesting tips recently.

What happens if I smoke or ingest marijuana and drive?

Its still illegal to do drugs and operate a vehicle, boat, aircraft or any other such vessel, and it will continue to be. The exact protocols for determining if a driver is impaired by marijuana will be set out by the California Highway Patrol.

What about all the social-justice motivations for legalizing marijuana?

Groups like the American Civil Liberties Union have pushed for legalization as a matter of criminal-justice reform, in large part because minorities are disproportionately detained and jailed for cannabis-related offenses. As of Nov. 9, criminal penalties will undergo change; some past offenders will have a chance to get their records expunged (or get out of jail early); and people under the age of 18 will be sentenced not with jail time but drug counseling and community service if they are caught with cannabis. When they come of age, those records will be destroyed.

There are a lot of details, and Reiman says the Drug Policy Alliance and the ACLU are currently working to set up systems that will help people understand whether the changes apply to them. But, as an example, if someone earned a felony conviction for cultivating six plants or fewer in the past, which every Californian can now legally do, theyd have a case for getting that record wiped clean.

We encourage people to think about cannabis in a new way, says Reiman, as something that is perfectly acceptable for adults to do in a responsible way. Thats one of the messages that legalization sends.
The Kremlin said Wednesday that suggestions that Russia could have interfered with the U.S. presidential election are "absurd."

Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying so by news agency RIA Novosti.

"Remember what President Vladimir Putin said [before the election]," he said. "He noted that it would be absurd to think that any country, including Russia, could have an impact on the presidential campaign in the U.S."

Since president Barack Obama said in June that he didn't rule out that Russia could be trying to sway the vote in favor of Donald Trump, media and analysts have made suggestions about Russia's possible interference in the U.S. presidential campaign, ranging from possible email hacks to the use of "Internet trolls" to agitate for Donald Trump. The Kremlin has vehemently denied all of that.

Meanwhile, Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia, mockingly congratulated Margarita Simonyan, head of English-language Kremlin-funded network RT, on Trump's victory in a post on his Twitter account. Throughout the campaign, RT's coverage was in favor of Trump.

Read more: RAGE (RABIA)
Mere months after launching their contemporary evening- wear collection at retailers Matches Fashion, Opening Ceremony and Moda Operandi, the four ladies behind Galvan London woke up to the surprise of a lifetime.

America's sweetheart, Jennifer Lawrence, had worn one of the brand's satin silver slip dresses to an afterparty for fashion's biggest night of the year: The Met Gala.

"We definitely freaked out when we saw Jennifer in the dress," said Katherine Holmgren, CEO of Galvan London and one of the company's four female founders. In the months that followed, more ladies from Hollywood's perennial best-dressed list, including Sienna Miller, Elizabeth Olsen, Selena Gomez, Gwyneth Paltrow and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, hit the red carpet in gowns that, most of the time, they purchased themselves.

Read more: Do We Want It? Daya by Zendaya Review

"It happened completely organically," Holmgren told Pret-a-Reporter of building their celebrity relationships, adding that many stars picked up their pieces at the Opening Ceremony store in L.A. "Sometimes we work with stylists, and sometimes - like with Jennifer - we would wake up and see that someone wore our dress."

A photo posted by Galvan London (@galvanlondon) on Sep 12, 2016 at 1:38pm PDT

"When I first met the ladies of Galvan a couple years ago, I instantly knew there was something special about them," said Carol Song, the buying director at Opening Ceremony. "What really drew me to them was their desire to offer beautiful, elegant and effortless dresses that weren't too 'out there,' and at the right price range. Once the collection arrived in stores we weren't surprised to see that it appealed to so many ladies, from the girl next door to celebrities."

Though Holmgren admits that Tinseltown has definitely helped the young brand grow at a rapid pace, founders Holmgren (CEO), Anna-Christin Haas (designer), Sola Harrison (creative director) and Carolyn Holder (sales, PR) originally launched the label as an answer to their own struggle to find high-quality, affordable evening wear (prices averaging between $500 and $2,500) for young and stylish women.

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"We decided to start the label after years complaining that every time we had an event or a wedding it was struggle to find clothes that we liked," said Holmgren, whose former position at Serpentine Gallery required her to attend a lot of black-tie events. "Everything felt cheap or over-embellished. We wanted high-quality and versatile pieces that we could wear more than once."

Using '90s supes (Christy Turlington, Kate Moss and Cindy Crawford) as an influence, the women created a collection of fresh, minimalist gowns that are unfussy and effortlessly sexy at the same time. "A lot of stylists, like us were a bit frustrated that everything that they saw on the red carpet was too over the top - the dresses were wearing the woman instead of the other way around," said Holmgren.

Read more: Lingerie Designer Turned House Renovator Lists Historic Home in Brentwood for $6M

Galvan London (the name stems from the word "galvanize") has found popularity on step-and-repeats across the globe - which is not surprising considering the four founders grew up in different time zones. Haas is German, Harrison is Icelandic (and married to the late Beatle George Harrison's son, Dhani), Holder is Swiss and Holmgren is American (ironically, none of them is British). "We opened the main office in London and we have a showroom in Dusseldorf in Germany," said Holmgren. "Sola lives part-time in L.A. and part-time in London; we all travel and Skype a lot."

Even as the trend tides begin to turn toward the maximalist, more-is-more aesthetic (think: Gucci), Galvan London has stayed true to its core minimalist modernity (as well as the original wear-it-more-than-once intention), with just a few added touches of fringe, lace or Swarovski crystal embellishments. "Everything is clean and timeless. There's an Old Hollywood glamour to our pieces," said Holmgren, adding that while they love special fabrics, "prints aren't really our thing."

That versatility, and the ability to dress up or dress down the collection (Emma Roberts recently wore a silk top with cutoff denim) has led to rapid growth: The British brand is now stocked in multiple retailers, including Neiman Marcus, Harvey Nichols, Curve and Bergdorf Goodman, as well as online. "As the collection develops and grows, we're broadening into jumpsuits and separates. Down the line would love to look at accessories."
NEW YORK  The world awoke to a new reality on Wednesday: President-Elect Donald Trump.

The New York businessman-turned-Republican-nominee defeated Democrat and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in one of the most stunning political upsets in U.S. history. Coming into Election Day, even the Trump campaign acknowledged he had little to no path to victory, and polls indicated Clinton had a wide one. But after votes began to come in across the United States Tuesday night and Trump built a lead in key battleground states, it became increasingly clear that once again, the polls and the pundits had underestimated the Republican and, most importantly, the anxiety, anger, and divisiveness that fed his campaign  this time with stakes at their highest.

For the thousands of supporters gathered here in Manhattan, the glass-covered convention center where Clinton held her election night event became a curse, rather than merely a tortured metaphor for the would-be first woman president of the United States.

We have seen that this nation is more deeply divided than we thought, she said hours later in her concession speech, but I still believe in America.

As Esben Dahl, who traveled to the United States as part of a Danish delegation observing the election, put it: The establishment not only here in the States but in Europe has to figure out how to deal with the populist right and left, or theyll be cannibalized and killed  Its a totally new world.

President Barack Obama, with months left in office, will now scramble to safeguard the basic tenets of U.S. foreign policy that Trump has vowed to scrap. The United States, and the rest of the world, will then be left to hope that Trump will somehow not be the president he said he would be.

Sign up for FPs Editors Picks newsletter here to receive Battleground 16, our take on the presidential race, each Wednesday through November.

Hillary Clinton Concedes to Donald Trump After Historic Upset

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The former secretary of state acknowledged a painful defeat, but offered to work with her rival.

The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

 Now President-Elect Donald Trumps victory speech in the early hours of Wednesday, Nov. 9, in New York.

After Trumps Upset, White House Shifts to Damage Control

Obama will try to protect his policies in his final months in office, but much of his legacy will be at the mercy of Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress.

With Donald Trumps shocking upset electoral victory against his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, President Barack Obama will rush to safeguard his signature foreign-policy initiatives in his final months in office. But there are limits to how much his administration can preempt the next president, who captured the White House riding a tide of populist anger over immigration, trade, and international commitments.

Markets Recover From Lows After Unexpected Trump Victory

The sky fell a bit overnight on world markets, only to recover as the reality of a Trump presidency set in.

218-279

Hillary Clinton versus Donald Trump in the Electoral College as of Wednesday, with 270 required to win.

President-Elect Donald Trump Speaks

In a move that surprised pollsters and pundits worldwide alike, Republican Donald Trump is the president-elect of the United States.

In Addition to White House, Republicans Kept the Other House and the Senate

America went red.

Surprise: Canadas Immigration Site Has Crashed

As election results showed Trump victories in key swing states, nervous Clinton supporters grasped for an exit strategy.

American Democracy Is Dying, and This Election Isnt Enough to Fix It

The foundation of our political system is broken. And repairing it will take more than just your vote.

U.S. prosperity and stability over the last two centuries has been built on the countrys unique brand of inclusive institutions. And its under threat.

Sign up for FPs Editors Picks newsletter here to receive Battleground 16, our take on the presidential race, each Wednesday through November.

Getty Images/Foreign Policy illustrations
Members of the Bazta Arpaio campaign protest Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Phoenix last month. (Photo: Courtesy of Bazta Arpaio)

Latino activists in Arizona celebrated Tuesday night as Joe Arpaio lost his bid for a seventh term as Maricopa County sheriff.

The victory against Arpaio is a testament to the work of the people in Arizona and the resistance of those who he sought to deport and criminalize, Tania Unzueta told Yahoo News late Tuesday. Unzueta was among several undocumented organizers with the Bazta Arpaio campaign to defeat the notoriously anti-immigrant sheriff.

Unzueta, who moved to the U.S. from her native Mexico at age 10, is a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy passed through executive action by President Obama in 2012. DACA offers two-year work permits and protection from deportation to qualifying undocumented immigrants who were younger than 16 years old when they entered the U.S.

As Unzueta and the rest of the Bazta team celebrated Arpaios defeat, Donald Trump, who has promised mass deportations, harsh immigration restrictions and, of course, the construction of a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, looked increasingly poised to win the presidency.

For the rest of the country, how immigrants and people of color have fought in Arizona is an example to follow, she said, looking beyond Maricopa County to the national election. If people can survive and win in Maricopa County, we can survive the coming fight.
Law & Order: SVUs Donald Trump-ian episode, Unstoppable has proven all but. It will not air November 16, as previously announced. The scheduling change actually happened a couple of days before the November 8 election, where Trump pulled off a stunning victory. It was triggered by the last-minute pre-emption NBC made for its Wednesday lineup last week when the network replaced originals of Blindspot, SVU and Chicago P.D. with repeats going against Game 7 of the World Series on Fox.

The pre-empted original episodes of the three dramas will air tonight instead. According to the program listings that NBC released on November 7, the day before the election, NBC has scheduled a new Blindspot for November 16 going into a two-hour Chicago P.D., with Unstoppable out. There are no more original SVU episodes scheduled though January 4, with specials taking over the night on November 23 and 30, so Unstoppable would not air until 2017.

While the episode had undergone close scrutiny at NBC before, during and after production, sources indicate that there is no change in the networks plan to air it, even with Trump as president-elect. When will that happen is still TBD. Early January might not be a very suitable time frame as it is on the eve of Trumps inauguration.

As for the decision to go with a double Chicago P.D. on November 16, I hear it came because the two episodes of the drama had to air before a planned crossover with the other Chicago shows in early January. They also were deemed a good fit as a two-hour episode.

In the Unstoppable episode of SVU, written by veteran Julie Martin and showrunner Rick Eid, the Trump-esque character, played by Gary Cole, is a wealthy and boorish man who makes a run for the White House, but his plan might be thwarted by a woman who accuses him of raping her.

Unstoppable first was slated for October 12, then pushed to October 26 and then postponed until after the elections and slated for November 16 amid sexual harassment and assault allegations against Trump by multiple women following the October 7 release of the infamous 2005 Access Hollywood tape in which Trump made lewd comments about groping women to Billy Bush.

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Law & Order: SVUs take on Donald Trump has been put on the shelf  yes, again.

The planned episode, entitled Unstoppable, was set to air next Wednesday, Nov. 16, but its once again been postponed, per our sister site Deadline. No air date has been set, but its not expected to air until next year, with Trump  who won the presidential election in a stunning upset  due to be inaugurated in January.

VIDEOSDonald Trump Makes First Speech as President-Elect, Thanks Hillary Clinton for Her Service

The scheduling change is actually due to the World Series, with last Wednesdays Game 7 pushing a new episode of SVU off the schedule. (That episode will air this Wednesday, with a two-hour Chicago P.D. taking SVUs timeslot next week.) But its fair to wonder whether the controversial episode will ever air, in light of Trumps win. Unstoppable stars Veeps Gary Cole as a Trump-like presidential candidate whose campaign is derailed when hes accused of raping an underage girl.

Unstoppable was filmed months ago, and was originally slated as the second episode of the current Season 18. But internal concerns over the episodes content pushed it back to October, and then NBC decided to hold it until after the election to avoid painting Trump in a bad light. (Mission accomplished.)

Are President-elect Trumps controversies fair game for an SVU episode? Hit the comments with your take.

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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A man armed with a rifle opened fire on Tuesday near a polling station in the Southern California town of Azusa, wounding two to three people and prompting authorities to lock down the polling place and surrounding park, police said.

A spokesman for the sheriff, Deputy Vincent Plair, said there was no immediate indication that the incident was related to Election Day or the polling station.

Law enforcement officers came under fire as they arrived on the scene, about 25 miles northeast of Los Angeles, and the suspect was believed to be at large and holed up in the vicinity, according to accounts from Azusa police and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office.

(Reporting by Steve Gorman and Piya Sinha-Roy in Los Angeles)
From Town & Country

Kim Kardashian says the Baby Quasar handheld LED light helped with her psoriasis. Fashion and beauty editor Cayli Cavaco says she uses light treatments to help keep plastic surgery at bay. Jessica Alba was photographed wearing a LED mask, part of her perfect skin approach. They are just some of many who are seeing the light-literally. The handheld devices (which, yes, look a little like something you might take to the bedroom for some me time) are enjoying a surge of popularity. In 2015, sales grew 20 percent, according to the consulting firm Kline.

But are they worth the money and time?

Do they really work?

In a word, yes. The blue- and red-emitting lights work within a specific wavelength and intensity to kill acne-causing bacteria (blue) and to diminish fine lines and wrinkles (red). "There are a lot of LED lights on the market; one thing to understand is that it's a proven technology. There is no doubt in the medical community that it works-it reduces inflammation, speeds the healing of the body by 300 percent, and grows collagen," says Joanna Vargas, the sought-after New York City and Los Angeles aesthetician who has patented light beds in her salon (above).

But light beds are expensive-$150 for 20 minutes at the Vargas salon-which is why the handheld light devices are appealing to many. Lisa Liss, a registered nurse outside of Boston, was bowled over by how well the Baby Quasar, $249 handheld device that combined blue- and red-light LED therapy, worked in clearing up her teenage daughter's acne in just a couple of months of regular use. Inspired, she decided to purchase one of the company's more expensive anti-aging devices: the $399 Baby QuasarPlus, which promises to boost collagen and elastin.

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"The lines around my eyes have diminished and I have people asking me if I'm using injectables," said Liss, who is in her 50s (and says the answer to that question is a firm no). Liss says she adhered strictly to Baby Quasar's suggested regimen of using the light for five 15-minute sessions a week (the maximum permitted by the FDA) for eight weeks.

What should you be looking for?

"In the field of LED light rejuvenation, we have a safe lie-detector test: wavelength, which refers to color, and intensity, which refers to power, " explained Dr. Andrei Sommer, a Germany-based physicist at Ulm University's Institute of Micro and Nanomaterials who conducted some of the pioneering research on red light technology.

Red-light therapy, which was originally studied by NASA when the agency was looking for way a improve healing in space, works by stimulating ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a molecule that supplies energy to cells. ATP is crucial because it produces collagen and elastin, those fountains of youth. But only certain intensities of light do the trick. Dr. Sommer says an intensity lower than 500 watts per square meter (W/m2), roughly half the intensity of sunlight, might not work as well to stimulate collagen production.

Blue-light therapy kills the P acne bacteria on the surface of the skin, and doesn't need to be as intense. Just 200W/m2 has been proven effective. Researchers have found that light at the 405 to 470 nanometer wavelength is the most effective. According to the FDA, some of the most popular brands on the market-including Silkn Blue, which is the number one selling cosmetic blue LED light, according to Kline-Quasar Blue, Tria, and Tanda-all operate in this range. (If you need more evidence, the American Academy of Dermatology recently published a post that said lasers and lights show great promise in treating acne.)

So how do I choose one?

That depends on what you want to treat-and your budget. For someone who hopes to clear up their acne, Tria's blue light requires replacement cartridges that cost $40. LightStim's $169 blue light offers a combination of red and blue wavelengths in a single one-sided device. (Mixing red and blue may be more effective for clearing up and treating acne than blue light alone, according to a 2009 study in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy.)

If you're in search of anti-aging effects, you may have to up your budget. The more expensive Baby Quasar red light devices, which range in price from $399 to $595 (makeup guru Hudu Kattan swears by them), clock in at 650 W/m2. That makes Baby Quasar one of the most powerful red-emitting LED devices on the market, along with LightStim, whose red lights retail for $249, and also has the same intensity, according to the company.

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Another good rule of thumb: It should come with a plug. The battery-operated ones probably aren't strong enough to stimulate collagen or clear up your skin.

"I personally have not come across any non-battery-operated devices in the U.S. that did not get results. So as long as you stay away from the cheap stuff made in China that's battery-operated, you should be fine," said Steve Marchese, CEO of LightStim, the Irvine, California-based company, which has sold 1.7 million devices since they launched in 2001.

"I'm impressed by NuFace and Tanda hand-held LED devices. These two devices are excellent sources of red-emitting LED light," said Dr. Steven Colbert, a dermatologist at New York Dermatology who personally uses both. NuFace's Trinity, which markets itself as a wrinkle reducer, retails for $325. The Tanda Luxe Rejuvenation Photofacial device, also red-emitting, sells for $195 and, according to their FDA filing, has an intensity of 500 W/m2.

Manage your expectations.

If what you want is a more defined neckline or tighter skin, then you'll need to look to other, more invasive, cosmetic treatments, says Melissa Doft, head of New York City-based Doft Plastic Surgery. "LED lights only truly work on the skin's surface for pigmentation and very fine surface lines. I do not think these devices will satisfy most patients who are seeing the signs of aging. I would place them on the level of cosmetic creams. They will make a small difference when used religiously, but will not replace the need for lasers, fillers, botox, and surgical intervention," she said.

And for breakouts, Dr. Howard Sobel, a Manhattan-based dermatologist and founder of DDF Skincare, says the blue lights are good to treat mild acne, but for more severe kinds, medication can really help to get it under control.

The takeaway is that these devices aren't cure-alls or magical lights, but rather as Dr. Sobel put it: "A great addition to any anti-acne or anti-aging routine."

"Light therapy will guard your elasticity as you age and make your skin look bright and glowy," said Vargas, "although LEDs might not fill in a line."

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Nov. 10, 2016: This story has been updated with additional election results.

Nov. 9, 2016: This story has been corrected.

Despite massive losses for Democrats in races from the White House to governors offices Tuesday, those on the left celebrated some significant victories with state ballot measures.

From marijuana to minimum wage to gun control laws, they won many key initiatives among the 162 statewide measures  part of a concerted plan put in motion more than a year ago to circumvent Republican-led legislatures and take policy questions directly to voters. Progressive advocates appeared to lose major healthcare initiatives in California and Colorado, however.

The Center for Public Integrity tracked how those fighting over these measures shaped their messages with TV ads, typically an expensive yet far-reaching endeavor. Media tracker Kantar Media/CMAG estimates that more than $384 million was spent through Monday just to air TV ads about such measures this election.

Heres a roundup of notable results and the TV ad spending behind them:

Related story: GOP dominates Democrats in governors races

This story is part of Whos Calling the Shots in State Politics?. The Center exposes the powerful special interests that drive elections and policy in the states. Click here to read more stories in this series.

Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email.

Marijuana

California, Massachusetts and Nevada voted to legalize, tax and regulate recreational marijuana, though voters rejected that idea in Arizona. Maine was still too close to call as of midday Wednesday.

(Update, Nov. 10, 2016, 3:36 p.m.: Maine voters approved legalizing marijuana.)

In total, pro-pot groups spent roughly $14.7 million on TV ads for those five measures; anti-marijuana groups spent $9.2 million.

Medical marijuana advocates also had a successful night. The three states that voted on medical pot  Arkansas, Florida and North Dakota  approved the drug. In the Sunshine State, marijuana garnered 71 percent of the vote, even though anti-drug forces spent roughly $1.5 million on TV airtime, more than twice as much as marijuana advocates.

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Minimum Wage

Measures aimed at benefiting low-wage workers also came out as winners. Voters approved raising the minimum wage in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington while rejecting a proposal to decrease the minimum wage for teenagers in South Dakota. Supporters won handily in all those contests, having spent about $5.6 million in airtime to promote the measures, compared to opponents combined $670,000.

Guns

California and Nevada approved measures to require new background checks on gun purchases. Maine voters rejected a similar measure.

No broadcast TV ads appear to have aired about the California measure, but in Nevada and Maine, supporters of the measures spent roughly $7.5 million on airtime, backed up by infusions of cash from billionaire Michael Bloombergs Everytown for Gun Safety group. Opponents, backed by the National Rifle Association, spent about $2.7 million on TV ads.

Related story: Donald Trump dismantles Hillary Clinton's big money machine

Health care

Californias ballot measure to rein in drug prices aired about 13 percent of all state ballot measure ads, the most TV ads of any state ballot measure in the nation. Drugmakers poured millions into the campaign against Proposition 61, and their efforts seem to have paid off. Though the race hadnt been called as of midday Wednesday, the opponents had 54 percent of the votes with 99 percent of precincts reporting.

(Update, Nov. 10, 2016, 3:36 p.m.: With final votes tallied, it is clear voters rejected Prop. 61.)

Additionally, an ambitious attempt at giving Colorado universal, single-payer health care via a 10 percent payroll tax lost badly, with nearly 80 percent of the states voters rejecting the measure. Opponents, backed by health insurers' money, spent roughly $1.9 million on TV ads, while Kantar Media/CMAG data show proponents appear to have aired no broadcast TV ads.

Also in Colorado, voters approved physician-assisted suicide. The measure was backed up by roughly $2.1 million in TV advertising. Much of the funding for the yes campaign came from the nonprofit group Compassion and Choices Action Network, a group that is working nationwide to expand options for medically assisted death.

Education

Charter school expansion lost in Massachusetts despite roughly $19.4 million in TV ads from supporters compared with $11.8 million spent by union-backed opponents.

Campaign finance

In South Dakota, a measure to overhaul the states ethics and campaign finance rules passed by a narrow margin, despite opposition from a coalition led by the state branch of Americans for Prosperity, a group backed by billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch.

Supporters spent roughly $360,000 on last-minute TV ads, while opponents spent about $40,000 on TV airtime. The measure also creates a system of a publicly financed vouchers for voters to give to candidates of their choice  the first of its kind to be enacted at the state level. A similar measure failed in Washington state.

This story was co-published with TIME.

Correction, 12:54 p.m., Nov. 9, 2016: Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the result of a Maine gun control measure. It failed.

Related story: National groups spar over South Dakota ballot measure

Related story: High profits fertilize five new marijuana ballot measures

Related story: National liberal groups to push 'record' number of 2016 ballot measures

This story is part of Whos Calling the Shots in State Politics?. The Center exposes the powerful special interests that drive elections and policy in the states. Click here to read more stories in this series.

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Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C.
The LGBT community called upon the President-elect Donald Trump to rise above the often divisive rhetoric of his campaign, while urging its members to stay vigilant and fight for equal rights.

He pledged to bind the wounds of division in his victory speech, though hes been criticized for promising to elect conservative justices to the Supreme Court  justices that could overturn marriage equality and other LGBT civil rights.

In his home state of Indiana, Vice President-elect Mike Pence signed numerous anti-gay legislation, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 2015, which allowed individuals and businesses to deny service to LGBT people. In the 2000 election, Pence said money raised by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program should go to organizations which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior. So-called conversion therapy has been called emotionally and physically harmful by many members of the LGBT community.

The Human Rights Campaign  one of the most prominent LGBT advocacy groups  responded quickly after the results were announced. President Chad Griffin called the election a crucial moment for our nation and for the LGBTQ movement.

Over the last 18 months, Donald Trump and Mike Pence have intentionally sowed fear and division for cynical political purposes. They now face a decision about whether they will also govern that way, Griffin wrote, before naming groups specifically targeted during the President-elects campaign. We hope, for the sake of our nation and our diverse community  which includes women, people of color, those with disabilities, immigrants, and people of all faiths and traditions  they will choose a different path.

Griffin also some victories from the election. Today, we draw strength from the vast majority of Americans who believe that our lives and rights are worth fighting for, referencing Clinton being ahead in the popular vote. In North Carolina, it appears we have defeated the hateful Governor Pat McCrory and helped elect Roy Cooper to repeal HB2. We were proud to support Hillary Clinton, and she made history as the most pro-equality candidate to ever run for president of the United States.

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GLAAD echoed the HRC statements, calling for the President-elect to rise above the divisive politics.

Donald Trump sits atop the most hateful Republican platform in history, one that sorely endangers the most fundamental American values of fairness and equality for all, GLAAD said in a statement. America stands tallest when it stands firmly in its founding principle that all people are created equal. With the election behind him, President-elect Trump must now rise above divisive politics and side with the vast majority of Americans who demand equality for their LGBTQ friends, family, and neighbors. While disappointed, we are certainly not defeated; the pursuit of full acceptance will continue until everyone, no matter who they are or who they love, can simply live the life they love.

A number of prominent LGBT celebrities shared their reactions to Trumps win on social media.

The unthinkable happened before, to my family in WWII. We got thru it. We held each other close. We kept our dignity and held to our ideals.  George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) November 9, 2016

George Takei tweeted,The unthinkable happened before, to my family in WWII. We got thru it. We held each other close. We kept our dignity and held to our ideals. Takeis family was relocated to an internment camp during World War II.

KRISTALLNACHT

november 9  1938https://t.co/kpu0Y6xBQH  Rosie (@Rosie) November 9, 2016

Rosie ODonnell also referenced WWII, linking to a page about Kristallnacht, the 1938 attack on Jewish homes, schools and synagogues by German Nazis.

I've dealt with bullies my whole life. I've been called terrible things. I've only come out stronger. I got this. We've got this.  Jesse Tyler Ferguson (@jessetyler) November 9, 2016

Jesse Tyler Ferguson wrote, Ive dealt with bullies my whole life. Ive been called terrible things. Ive only come out stronger. I got this. Weve got this.

Gather your strength. Now we must turn our tears to sweat, do battle with hate, and turn this chaos into progress. The great work begins.  Dustin Lance Black (@DLanceBlack) November 9, 2016

Dustin Lance Black echoed Fergusons sentiments, writing, Gather your strength. Now we must turn our tears to sweat, do battle with hate, and turn this chaos into progress. The great work begins.

There is so much good in this world. My job is to find it and to show it to you. Im not giving up on that.  Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) November 9, 2016

Ellen DeGeneres thanked friend Hillary Clinton for her endless bravery. She added, There is so much good in this world. My job is to find it and to show it to you. Im not giving up on that.

Lady Gaga posted a photo of herself outside Trump Tower in NYC with a sign that read Love Trumps Hate. She captioned the photo, I want to live in a # CountryOfKindness where # LoveTrumpsHate.

Instagram Photo

Zachary Quinto posted, As the narrowest hope dwindles  a vigil to our strength. we will need it now more than ever. may those of us in mourning find space for compassion. in these depths we must not harden our hearts. with courage and openness we must endure.

The whole world is different today.  Andy Cohen (@Andy) November 9, 2016

Andy Cohen simply stated, The whole world is different today.

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Lily-Rose Depp looks like a businesswoman whos two seconds away from fighting crime

In news that could brighten up your day, Lily-Rose Depp looked striking on the red carpet at the Planetarium premiere on November 8th in Paris. Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depps daughter Lily-Rose stars opposite Natalie Portman in this film about two sisters who claim they can speak to the dead. And Depp appeared as gorgeous as the film itself during the Paris premiere.

While Planetarium looks feminine and lush, Depp channeled a more gender-neutral rock star style for the red carpet  and totally nailed it. With skinny black jeans and a tuxedo jacket, she showed she means business. But underneath, her plunging metallic top added a dash of glitz and fun.

Her gold heels complimented the business-meets-badass look. And the combination of her outfit with her makeup is pure perfection.

Plus, we absolutely ADORE her arrow pin on the lapel of her jacket.

Planetarium Paris Premiere At Cinema Le Grand Rex

This isnt the first time Depp has slayed the red carpet while promoting Planetarium. She went for a more classic Hollywood look in a black dress at the Venice premiere.

'Planetarium' Premiere - 73rd Venice Film Festival

And lets just take a moment to appreciate how much she actually looks like her onscreen sister Natalie Portman. The similarities are UNCANNY.

'Planetarium' Premiere - 73rd Venice Film Festival

Of course, fashion comes naturally to Depp, in part thanks to her actor father and model-actress mother. And shes already the face for Chanel campaigns. As her film career grows in movies like Planetarium, inevitably so will her status as a red carpet queen.

If you cant get enough of Depps premiere look, then make sure to see her stun in a different way when the French-Belgium film Planetarium finally makes its way to America.

The post Lily-Rose Depp looks like a businesswoman whos two seconds away from fighting crime appeared first on HelloGiggles.
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Sad as it may be for some, showing any semblance of positivity or eloquence on this post-Election Day is pretty impressive.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, who has endorsed Hillary Clinton multiple times, used Twitter to show off his positive attitude and remind us all that we're going to get through this and the world will still go on.

SEE ALSO: The moms of America are sending really sweet texts right now

He was feelin' good as Election Day started, just like a lot of us.

No. That glass ceiling looking rickety as hell today. https://t.co/ulDKgrKn7A  Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 8, 2016

When things started to look rough, he reminded us to breathe.

I said BREATHE. (I am talking to myself too, y'know) https://t.co/h4hApps12i  Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 9, 2016

He reminded us that we'll get through it.

This year, I'm trying to wrap my head around both outcomes.

Scared as y'all.

But we'll get through it.

Grateful for friends. For you.  Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 9, 2016

Miranda would never consider up and moving out of the country  because we need to stay here and repair it.

F*ck that.

I love this country, and there's more work to do than ever.

(No offense Canada) https://t.co/u9aHY1Zho4  Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 9, 2016

Here's just a poetic reminder of our humanity and that emotions are valid.

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Go through all stages tonight.

You are allowed to feel however you like.

Take stock of your heart.

See you tomorrow.

We are all still here.  Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 9, 2016

In true Lin-Manuel fashion, he found the perfect Hamilton lyric to keep us going today.

Good morning!

Bahahaha I didn't sleep.

But the sun is up and the world still spins.

Let's go. pic.twitter.com/DOFPZqWIcE  Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 9, 2016

He reminded us that the fight for equality continues.

No. We pick up right where we left off yesterday.

I don't know much, but I know this. https://t.co/4ShsswqvPZ  Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 9, 2016

Moms usually know the right thing to say.

"This too shall pass."-My mom.

And she's never been wrong about it.  Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 9, 2016

If those aren't enough Lin-Manuel Miranda tweets to make you feel a tiny bit better today, he gave us a friendly reminder that two new productions of Hamilton are in the works right now.

In other news, people are auditioning for Hamilton in both LA and London RIGHT NOW.

Two new productions within the year.  Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) November 9, 2016

Thanks, Lin. We're going to remind ourselves that "The world still spins" all day today. And maybe for a few more days.

BONUS: Weed is the biggest winner of the election
Just hours after she covered the 2016 election results, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly was back on TV, joining Kelly Ripa to co-host Wednesday's Live.

The blond duo, wearing a patriotic combination of red (Ripa) and blue (Kelly), first discussed the unexpected election results, with Donald Trump winning the race for president, and Kelly offered some comforting words for a rattled nation.

"After all these elections half the country is severely disappointed and the other half is thrilled," she said. "It all winds up OK. This is the USA and it's the most glorious place to live in the world."

She said it was always helpful to perceive people through the "most generous lens." And "love him or hate him" Trump is the president-elect, Kelly said, adding that he needs the prayers and best wishes of the American people for a strong performance.

"We can disagree still but we all share basic core values as Americans," Kelly said.

She added, "Do you feel like singing 'Kumbaya' or is that just me?"

Read more: Critic's Notebook: Stephen Colbert Turns Election Night Comedy Special Into a Wake

Before that, though, Ripa asked Kelly the question many Americans were asking: "How did the pollsters get it so wrong?" Kelly said that there was likely a "hidden Trump vote" that wasn't reflected in the polls.

So when pollsters called and asked if someone was a likely voter, those people might have said no because they didn't vote in the past and weren't sure if they would make it out there or felt "stigmatized" and didn't want to say they were supporting Trump.

While she said what happened last night was the "same thing" as when exit polls predicted John Kerry would win the election in 2004, Kelly predicted that it was unlikely election results would be that surprising again.

"I've never seen anything like this and I don't think we'll ever see anything like this in our lifetime," she said.

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She added that when Chris Wallace said last night that Trump could win, "a lightbulb went off."

"Holy blank," she said she thought, censoring herself. "Because it's different from what any of us predicted."

Read more: Megyn Kelly to Guest-Host 'Live' With Kelly Ripa the Day After the Election

After that, they turned to lighter topics, talking about communicating with teenagers, in light of a Wall Street Journal article on how to do that, which Ripa, a parent of teens, strongly disagreed with.

They also talked about makeup and their good and bad sides. Kelly believes her left side is her good side but thinks she looks awful from her right side and Ripa feels the opposite.

Ripa also confessed that a while ago she had some bad Botox, which did something to her good side. She's starting to look like herself again, she said, but there was a six-month period where she could sense people thought there was something wrong with her.

Later, as Ripa and Kelly read viewer emails, one viewer wondered how Kelly, who was on TV at 4 a.m. ET, was still there now. Kelly said she's "crashing right after this."
By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - At least seven people were killed and more than 50 injured when a tram overturned on Wednesday morning in south London, police said and later confirmed the driver had been arrested. Early indications were that the tram was travelling too fast on a sharp bend, investigators said. Emergency services were called at about 6:10 am (0610 GMT) to reports that the two-carriage tram had derailed near a stop close to central Croydon, a large suburb to the south of the British capital and a major transport hub. "We can confirm a total of at least seven people have sadly died at Croydon," police said in a statement. "Officers continue to work at the scene. A police spokesman later said the tram's driver had been arrested, but did not specify why. The independent Rail Accident Investigation Branch said the derailment had happened on a sharp curve with a 12 mph (20 kph) speed limit. "Initial indications suggest that the tram was travelling at a significantly higher speed than is permitted," it said in a statement. A London Ambulance spokesman said 51 others had been taken to hospital, some with serious injuries. Eight fire engines, five specialist rescue units and more than 70 firefighters attended the scene using heavy cutting equipment to free those trapped. Television pictures showed the tram lying on its side across the tracks not far from the Sandilands stop near a junction where the line divides. Police said investigations were ongoing into the cause of the accident which took place in heavy rain. Local resident Hannah Collier, 23, told local media she had seen very seriously injured casualties being taken away on stretchers. "I was in bed watching the election when I heard a massive crash at about 6:15 am, which I thought was the wind," she said. "Then I heard people shouting and then the emergency services arriving." Prime Minister Theresa May said her thoughts and prayers were with those affected by "this terrible incident". Wednesday's incident was the greatest loss of life in a British rail accident since seven people were killed and 70 injured when a high-speed train from London came off the tracks at Potters Bar station north of the capital in 2002. (Editing by Stephen Addison)
By David Schwartz

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Veteran Arizona lawman Joe Arpaio, a Republican who gained national prominence for his hard-line stance against illegal immigration, conceded defeat on Tuesday in his bid for a seventh term as the sheriff of the states most populous county.

Unofficial results showed that Arpaio, self-proclaimed as Americas toughest sheriff, lost to Democratic challenger and former Phoenix police officer Paul Penzone by about 10 percentage points in the race for Maricopa County sheriff.

With 71 percent of precincts counted, Penzone had 563,059 votes to 459,683 for Arpaio.

In a statement, Arpaio, 84, thanked the people for their faith and support over the years and the hard work and dedication of his employees.

Tonight, the people have spoken, he said. And while (wife) Ava and I are disappointed in the results, we respect their decision.

Penzone, who narrowly lost to Arpaio in 2012, said the election results made a statement that could be heard nationwide.

No matter where we come from or what we look like or what our beliefs are, were all entitled to respect, Penzone told supporters in declaring victory. I want to restore that respect, that transparency and that confidence to the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office.

The loss by the embattled sheriff came as he was facing a criminal contempt charge for violating a court order stemming from a 2007 case that found his office guilty of racial profiling.

A federal judge in Phoenix ruled that Arpaio and his deputies had stopped and detained Latino motorists solely on the suspicion they were in the country illegally for 18 months after an order to cease those operations.

Federal prosecutors alleged that the sheriff's conduct was criminal and recommended he face up to six months incarceration if found guilty at trial.

He had lashed out at President Barack Obamas Justice Department for what he said was playing politics and charging him so close to the election, vowing he would be cleared of any wrongdoing.

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Because of the looming legal woes and court setbacks, political observers predicted this would be Arpaios toughest election test. An opinion poll last month showed him down by nearly 15 percentage points.

At noon on Tuesday, several hundred students from two heavily Latino high schools walked out of class and onto the streets to urge voters to end Arpaios more than two decades in office.

(Reporting by David Schwartz in Phoenix; Editing by Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles)
LOS CABOS, Mexico Music plays an integral part in Mexican producer Carlos Sosas life and career, but the documentary he presents at the 5th Los Cabos Intl Film Fests Work-in-Progress program on Thursday, delves more on the harmony between man and nature.

The directorial debut of Monica Alvarez, Bosque de Niebla (The Cloud Forest), explores a self-sustaining community of 16 families who protect one of the most endangered and unique ecosystems in the country, the Bosque de Niebla (Cloud Forest) in Veracruz. More than anything, this community is a celebration of life, on the ties between man and nature, said Sosa of the community, which has built its own homes, schools and farm in search of a simpler, more independent lifestyle.

While he has produced one fiction feature so far, Alejandro Iglesias The Leaf Blower, and has another in development, the New York-set Jolene by Adan Aliaga, docus, especially music-themed ones, remain his passion. Hes still in production on El Gran Fellove, a long-gestating doc helmed by thesp Matt Dillon, a Cuban music buff, about the late Cuban musician Francisco Fellove who passed away in Mexico. Hes also in development on Javier Corcueras docu about the music and poetry of Sahari migrants in refugee camps, Voces de Arena, and Julien, Lucia Gajas bio-docu about British videographer/documentarian Julien Temple.

Sosa is planning to launch a music docu festival next year, provided he gathers enough sponsors. Hes had some festival experience, having worked at both the Guadalajara and Los Cabos Intl film fests. Meanwhile, hes doing his part to give art house pictures a forum with his two-plex alternative theatre La Casa del Cine, where he pledges a minimum of 15 screening days per film and allots 50% of its programming to Mexican pics. Its tough sometimes to make ends meet, but we average about 30,000 admissions a year.

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Story continues

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Kelly Ayotte

New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte conceded her Senate race against New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan on Wednesday afternoon, in one of the tightest races of the election.

Hassan's victory over Ayotte, a Republican, gave the Democrats a critical Senate seat to bring them near even in the body of Congress.

In the latest RealClearPolitics polling average, Ayotte led Hassan by 1.5 points.

But data-journalism outlet FiveThirtyEight gave Hassan a very slight edge over Ayotte, projecting the New Hampshire governor has a 52.7% chance of victory on Tuesday.

Ayotte, a one-term senator, has been frequently pushed on her support for Republican nominee Donald Trump. She's backed away from the party's nominee in recent weeks following the release of a leaked "Access Hollywood" tape that showed him boasting of being able to make unwanted sexual advances on women because he was famous. She previously walked back a statement that Trump was a role-model.

Hassan, a two-term governor, had been hit with a campaign finance controversy during her stint as governor. In August, she had refused to say in an interview with CNN whether she thought Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was trustworthy. Her campaign later clarified that she did find Clinton to be honest, and the two have campaigned with each other when the former secretary of state made trips to New Hampshire.

NOW WATCH: Animated map shows how drastically split different demographics are this election





More From Business Insider


KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak congratulated U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, saying the Republican victor had appealed to Americans who wanted to see the United States less embroiled in intervention abroad. "His appeal to Americans who have been left behind  those who want to see their government more focused on their interests and welfare, and less embroiled in foreign interventions that proved to be against US interests  have won Mr Trump the White House," Najib said in a statement. Najib said he looked forward to continuing a partnership with the United States under Trump's presidency. (Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
A New Hampshire man has been arrested after cops say he assaulted a grocery store employee while declaring he was a vampire.

Police say 21-year-old Jacob May approached a store employee Tuesday as she took trash to a Dumpster in Concord on Tuesday.

Read: Brothers Apologize to Parents They Tried to Murder as They're Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

May then allegedly claimed he was a vampire and began running toward her.

The employee ran inside the store for help as May allegedly screamed, "just touch me, I can save you," according to a Concord Police Department statement.

"A male co-worker arrived at which time the intruder attempted to punch him, initiating a fight between the two," the statement said.

Cops say the male co-worker grabbed a box cutter and told May to stay back, at which point May ran into a walk-in freezer.

Police arrived a short time later, at which point the officer said May told them he was a "vampire, Ghost Rider, Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid, and a leader of a band."

Read: Man Who Took Selfies With Mom's Severed Head After Killing Her Is Found Guilty of Her Murder

Police also say May appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Police also identified May as a suspect in a home invasion two days prior. He has been charged with burglary and simple assault.

Watch: Man Accused of Holding Woman in Storage Container Confesses to Murders From 2003

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Photo credit: Getty

From Cosmopolitan

Speculation about who Donald Trump will pick as his running mate crackled through the world of politics this week, with Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie emerging as the front-runners. On Thursday, several media outlets - including the New York Times - reported that Trump will likely choose Pence. Trump confirmed this in a tweet Friday morning.

I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate. News conference tomorrow at 11:00 A.M. - Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2016

Ahead of the announcement, here are eight things you should know about the 57-year-old Pence:

1. He has a wife and three kids.

Photo credit: Getty

Pence met his wife, Karen, a former teacher, at church, according to the Indianapolis Star. They were married in 1985 and now have three kids: Michael, Charlotte, and Audrey. Michael, the oldest, is an officer in the Marine Corps. Charlotte is an aspiring filmmaker. And Audrey, the youngest, holds socially liberal views opposed to many of her father's.

Pence and his wife are extremely close, and she continues to be a major influence in his day-to-day life. According to a Washington Postprofile on the couple, Pence once had a phone on his desk that only Karen knew the number for.

Even now, she acts "as his gut check and shield" and has accompanied him on foreign trips and briefings with reporters. Pence told the Hill in 2002 that Karen is the only woman he eats alone with and that he won't attend events with alcohol without her.

Ken Blackwell, a senior fellow at the Family Research Council and a senior domestic policy adviser on the Trump transition team told the Post: You cant get a dime between them. It is not him seeking her approval, but his doing a sort of gut check with what they have learned together and come up through together in terms of their shared Christianity.

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2. He is deeply religious.

An evangelical Christian who was raised Roman Catholic, Pence is widely revered among conservative Christians for his religious views. Last year, he introduced a religious freedom law in Indiana, which gave business owners a stronger legal defense if they refused to serve lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender customers because of their faith. While many supported the law, it drew widespread criticism, ridicule from late-night hosts, and boycotts. Ultimately, Pence added an amendment explicitly protecting sexual orientation and gender identity.

3. He signed a controversial anti-abortion law.

Photo credit: Getty

In March 2016, Pence signed a law that prohibits women from getting abortions because of the "race, gender, or disability of the fetus," making Indiana only the second state to enact such a measure. Opponents say the law could force women to endure possibly dangerous high-risk pregnancies. It also serves to limit access to abortion because the law holds doctors legally liable for wrongful death if they performed an abortion based on one of these reasons.

This received major backlash from the public, and women even started a #PeriodsForPence campaign on social media, where they offered Pence messages about their experience with women's health since he so passionately took on the issue. A federal judge blocked the law in July, saying the state doesn't have the right to determine why a woman ends her pregnancy.

Before he was the governor of Indiana, Pence voted for strict anti-abortion measures while in the House and sponsored an amendment to prohibit any federal funding from going to Planned Parenthood.

4. He's a former radio DJ.

In the '90s, Pence hosted a popular conservative talk radio show called The Mike Pence Show and became known as "Rush Limbaugh on decaf" for his calm demeanor.

5. He has a lot of experience on Capitol Hill.

Photo credit: Getty

Pence represented his home state of Indiana in the House of Representatives for six terms, from 2001 until he was elected governor of Indiana in 2012. He was unanimously elected to serve as the chairman of the Republican Study Committee and the House Republican Conference.

During that time on Capitol Hill, he made some heavyweight allies. Paul Ryan, who has been critical of Trump despite his endorsement of the candidate, considers Pence a "personal friend," according to the Washington Post. And The Hill reports that lawmakers in Washington would welcome Pence back to the area. "I'd be dancing in the aisles," Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, told The Hill, adding that he attended Bible study with Pence when he lived in Washington.

Pence is also well-connected in a national fundraising network, including ties to the groups run by Charles and David Koch, the major Republican donors. A spokesperson for the Freedom Partners, the funding arm of the Koch brother's network, said, however, that they would remain focused on the Senate, even if Pence were the pick. (The Koch brothers have been critical of Trump, and Charles Koch said recently that deciding between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is like choosing to vote "for cancer or heart attack.")

6. He hasn't always been on Team Trump.

Although now Pence appears to be Trump's biggest cheerleader, this wasn't always the case. Pence endorsed Trump's rival, Ted Cruz, for the Republican nomination ahead of his state's primary April 29. He also has objected to Trump's call for a ban on Muslim immigrants.

Calls to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. are offensive and unconstitutional. - Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) December 8, 2015

After the leak of that 2005 "pussy-grabbing" Access Hollywood tape, Pence reportedly also considered stepping back from his position on the Republican ticket. But he decided to stick it out.

7. He is laid-back and low-key.

The New York Times reports that Pence is unlikely to embarrass Trump as a running mate because he is a low-key person with a laid-back personality. This is a departure from the other major VP contenders, Christie and Gingrich, who are showmen in their own right, which makes Pence perfectly primed for a supporting role.

8. And he'll be a "bridge-builder" should the Trump administration come to pass.

As the Wall Street Journal puts it, "many tasks of explaining how the federal government works and helping advance the Trump agenda would fall to Mr. Pence." He is widely viewed as a figure who can unite moderate Republicans with the party's social conservatives, and patch wounds Trump's divisive campaign has caused. (And should the GOP ticket fall short of the White House is 2016, he's now considered a front-runner in the 2020 election.)

The Associated Press and Maggie Maloney contributed to this report.

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After losing his arms and legs in an explosion in Afghanistan six years ago, Marine Sgt. John Peck decided one morning that he would fling himself down a flight of stairs and end his life.

Then, while looking out his window at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, Peck saw another patient, a double amputee, holding the hand of his young daughter and hugging his wife.

Peck, then 25, changed his mind.

I thought, If that guy can find happiness and somebody to spend his life with, then so can I,  the retired military mortarman from Fredericksburg, Virginia, tells PEOPLE.

Peck, 31, has now found that happiness and is engaged to be married to Jessica Parker, an art restoration student he met through Match.com. In August, determined to hold his fiancees hand on their wedding day, he underwent a 14-hour, double arm transplant at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston, one of only two U.S. war veterans and 80 people worldwide to have the surgery.

About a year from now, when the nerves in his new arms are fully functional, thats when I want to get married, says Peck. I dont want to use a freakin wheelchair. I want to be able to walk down the aisle with prosthetic legs and take Jessicas hand in mine on the happiest day of my life.

It was May 24, 2010, when Peck lost his limbs in Afghanistans Helmand province, while searching homes in a small village for weapons. After stepping on an improvised explosive device, I was flung through the air and felt something kick me really hard in the head, he tells PEOPLE. I believe it was one of my legs.

Peck, who had suffered a traumatic brain injury from an explosion in Iraq in 2007 before reenlisting in 2009, once again woke up in a hospital. The blast had ripped off both his legs and his right arm. Although doctors tried to save his left arm, the injuries were ultimately too severe, and it was amputated below the elbow.

Flown home to the United States, it was left to Pecks mother, Lisa Peck, a former Army nurse, to deliver the bad news to her only child when he woke up at Walter Reed hospital after more than two months of sedation.

Story continues

My mom told me as calmly as she could that it was bad, Peck recalls. At first, I was very pissed off at the world. I felt alone and I didnt see much hope there. Id pretty much decided to end it all.

But after witnessing the soldier with no legs having a joyful moment with his family, Peck finally said yes to physical and psychological therapy. Once his self-worth was boosted, he filled out a profile on Match.com, hoping to begin dating again.

It was tough  women would read my profile and my messages, but wouldnt respond when they saw that I was a quadriplegic, he tells PEOPLE. They wanted absolutely nothing to do with me.

Then along came Jessica Parker.

Taken by the sense of humor and warmness conveyed by Peck in his profile, she messaged him last February to say hello.

He seemed so honest and open  I was really intrigued, Parker, 29, who lived near Peck, tells PEOPLE. His profile contained a lot of puns  stuff like, Im a blast to be around. He made me laugh, so I thought, Why not? 

When Peck opened Parkers message, he initially thought it was a hoax.

RELATED VIDEO: Get inspired by 9-Year-Old Double Hand Transplant Recipient Zion Harvey!

A beautiful woman messaging me? It seemed very fishy, he says. But I finally thought, Okay, maybe I should talk to her. So we met for drinks and ended up talking all night. There was an instant attraction.

After several months of dating, Parker eventually moved in with Peck. It was her face he saw when he awakened in Boston after his double arm transplant on August 19, performed by a team of 60 doctors and nurses. The cost of the surgery was donated by Brigham and Womens Hospital.

It was an emotional moment, Peck tells PEOPLE. Id been on the waiting list for the transplant for almost two years. More than anything, I wanted to hold Jessicas hand.

The family of the deceased young man whose arms were donated did not want to reveal his identity, but I want them to know their loved ones death wasnt for nothing, Peck adds. Every time I look at my new arms, I remember his gift. And I intend to put them to good use for the rest of my life.

Need a little inspiration? Click here to subscribe to the Daily Smile Newsletter for uplifting, feel-good stories that brighten up your inbox.

Now feeling faint sensations in his arms and relearning the once simple tasks of brushing his teeth and getting dressed in the morning, Peck asked Parker to marry him on September 13  his birthday.

She loves penguins and had told me the story about the emperor penguin and how once hes finds a mate, hell give her a smooth pebble, he tells PEOPLE. If the female accepts the stone, theyre soulmates for life. So I decided to ask her to marry me at an aquarium and give her a stone with the ring.

There was only possible answer, says Parker. Yes, absolutely! she told him. I wasnt expecting it so soon, she says, but Im delighted. John makes everyone around him smile. He never gives up. I cant wait to walk down the aisle and hold his hand.

Thats a moment that Peck knows will make him grateful once again for looking out his window on that bleak day in 2010.

Im happy to be alive  I have a whole new life to look forward to, he says. With Jessica, I intend to make the most of each and every moment.




The Mayo Clinic is notifying 17,000 heart-surgery patients across the country about a rare but serious infection risk related to a common surgical device (called a heater-cooler) used in open-chest operations. The hospitalwhich has major campuses in Arizona, Florida, and Minnesotahas identified one such infection in a heart-surgery patient at its St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minn., and has since found many of its heater-coolers contaminated with the microbe.

Consumer Reports learned of the Mayo Clinic's actions, which have not been previously reported, when a patient shared a letter from the hospital with us.

The Food and Drug Administration says that 16 U.S. hospitals, across 10 states, have reported similar heater-cooler incidents. But the agency has not named those hospitals or said which states they're located in, and just a handful have publicly acknowledged the problem.

The Mayo Clinic's letter tells patients that they should contact their primary care doctor if they have questions or experience any symptoms linked to the infection, including night sweats, substantial weight loss over several months, and a persistent, unexplained fever.

The hospital's decision to send that letter to every patient exposed to its heater-coolers was made following guidelines issued in October 2016 by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for addressing the problem, which first emerged in 2015.

Heater-coolers help regulate a patients body temperature during surgery. But owing to a design flaw, the machines can spray deadly bacteriamost often a bacteria called non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM), but also other bacteria that grow in waterthrough their exhaust fans and into patients open chest cavities during surgery.



That risk is very rare. But the machines are ubiquitous, the confirmed cases are mounting, and the CDC recently linked several separate NTM outbreaks to the same source of contamination: a manufacturing facility owned by the European company LivaNova, which produces 60 percent of all heater-coolers used in the U.S.



Like previous advisories, the October guidelines call on hospitals to take steps to reduce the risk of infection from the devices. Unlike those earlier alerts, the new ones also advise hospitals that use the LivaNova brand heater-coolers to test their machines for contamination and to develop protocols for alerting patients if a device is found to be contaminated or if an outbreak occurs.

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What Heart Surgery Patients Need to Know

If you are undergoing open chest surgery, ask your physician whether a heater-cooler device, or HCD, will be used for the operations, and if so, whether it has been tested for contamination or implicated in any outbreaks.

If youve already had heart surgery, you and your primary-care doctor should be on the lookout for signs of infection, including irritation around the surgical incision, and unexplained fevers, night sweats, muscle aches, or weight loss, which can emerge as long as four years after surgery.

Alerting Patients

The Mayo Clinic has been using the LivaNova devices since 2012. The hospital convened an emergency meeting at 6:30 a.m. the day after the FDA advisory. Ultimately doctors there decided that, based on the one confirmed case, every patient who had ever been exposed to a heater-cooler at any Mayo hospital should be notified of the risk.

We just felt strongly that every patient that had had cardiac surgery that could have been exposed to this bacteria should know about it, says Brad Narr, M.D., Mayos chief of anesthesiology and chair of its Surgical and Procedural Committee.

That decision stands out because experts have been divided over whenor even whetherto warn patients about the problem. The machines are used in hundreds of thousands of operations each year, and some doctors argue that notifying all patients would be overly expensive and could create needless panic.

But others point out that unless patients are alerted, they wont know what symptoms to watch out forand that lack of awareness could delay treatment and cause worse, potentially devastating, outcomes.

At a meeting in June, doctors from both sides of the issue debated what number of confirmed NTM infections should count as an outbreak, and thus trigger a response from health officials. Some said one infection, and others said two.

"The Mayo Clinic's response is in line with what we'd like to see all hospitals do," says Lisa McGiffert, director of Consumer Reports' Safe Patient Project. "Health officials have not acted quickly or aggressively enough on this issue, and as a result, too many patients are still being exposed to risk without their knowledge or consent."



Heater-Cooler Alternatives

Hospitals everywhere are struggling to address the heater-cooler concern. Some have taken extreme measures to remove the devices from their operating rooms by drilling holes in the walls and creating separate containment areas that can be connected to the larger surgical theater through a hose.

For now, the Mayo Clinic has resorted to using older, more primitive heater-cooler devicesbut only to replace those LivaNova machines that test positive for contamination. The older devices are messier and less efficient, Narr says, in part because they require the use of additional non-sterile equipment, including ice machines, which can introduce additional contamination risks. Whats more, the Mayo Clinic had just six of them in storage.

System-wide, Narr says that Mayo has about 23 or 24 LivaNova heater-coolers, which it uses not only for open-chest surgery but also for some patients on life support in its intensive care units. We cant take all the [LivaNova devices] out of practice immediately, because theres nothing on the market that can respond to our volume, Narr says.

Eventually, the hospital does plan to replace all of its LivaNova heater-coolers with a different brand. But as Narr acknowledged, even that move may not resolve the problem. All modern heater-coolers have the same basic design, and thus are vulnerable to the same device contamination.

Thats absolutely something weve discussed, Narr says. Is it a problem with this device or with this technology? And are we deluding ourselves in thinking that if we spend this amount of money going forward we can fix it? The answer, he says, remains to be seen.





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Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright  2006-2016 Consumers Union of U.S.
With Donald Trumps victory on Election Day, Slovenia-born Melania Trump moves into line to be the second-ever First Lady of the United States to be born outside of the United States. London-born Louisa Adams, wife of sixth U.S. president John Quincy Adams, was the first.

Adams was born Louisa Catherine Johnson, in London, to an American merchant father and English mother on Feb. 12, 1775just two months before the first shots of the Revolutionary War are fired at the battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. The family moved to Nantes, France, when she was 3 because her father was a proud American patriot unafraid to show his allegiance, which meant that it became neither safe nor profitable or him to live in London, as explained by Louisa Thomass biography Louisa. Incidentally, it was there that they entertained John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams, then about 4 years old.

Louisa and John Quincy Adams met again when she was in her early 2os, while he was a diplomat serving as Americas representative to Holland, during another dinner hosted by her father. They wed on July 26, 1797, but John Quincy didnt tell his parents John and Abigail Adams, knowing they wouldnt approve of the marriage, according to Nancy Hendrickss Americas First Ladies: John Adams objected to his son John Quincy marrying someone born in another country, especially one with whom the United States had recently been at war, while Abigail would refer to Louisa disparagingly as The English Bride.

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The young Adams couple would not have a happy marriage. While Louisa did follow John Quincy to St. Petersburg when he was appointed Minster to Russia and lived in Berlin when he was appointed Minster to Prussia, he would often leave her alone, even as she struggled with miscarriages. When John Quincy was sent to negotiate the Treaty of Ghent to end the War of 1812, he famously told her to meet him in Paris, leaving her to pack up their home in Russia and trek there by carriage with their 7-year-old son and a few servants in the middle of winter.

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Despite their differences, she worked hard to get him elected President in 1824. She threw Andrew Jackson a party in the hopes that the war hero would agree to be Adams running matewhich didnt work out, as Jackson ended up running for President himself, leading to a disputed result in which Jackson won the popular and electoral-college votes but failed to get the required majority. When John Quincy Adams ended up president through a so-called corrupt bargain, Louisa was apparently disappointed and depressed that his rise to the White House was marred by scandal.

During the second Adams administration, the coal-burning heat at the White House gave the First Lady respiratory problems, and her relationship with her husband further disintegrated. She is said to have distracted herself by binge-eating chocolates, writing poetry and plays about a repressed female character who was supposed to represent herself, and by raising and harvesting her own silkworms for sewing. She was also considered the first First Lady to respond in print to false accusations in the press when she wrote an op-ed for Mrs. A.S. Colvins Weekly Messenger denying that her husband arranged for their childrens nursemaid to have an affair with the Czar of Russia in exchange for diplomacy favorable to U.S. interests.

When Adams was elected to Congress after losing his bid for a second term as president, Louisa used her position to support abolitionist causes, organizing the anti-slavery petitions sent to his office. She also privately argued for womens rights, particularly in correspondence with Sarah Grimke, author of Letters on the Equality of the Sexes and on the Condition of Women.

A few years before her death in 1852 at 77, she wrote, Now I like very well to adopt my husbands thoughts and words when I approve of them, but I do not like to repeat them like a parrot. When my husband married me, he made a great mistake if he thought I only intended to play an echo. As historian Lewis L. Gould argues, she was hardly a modern feministshe didnt believe women should show their ankles in publicbut in some respects she was ahead of her time. At the very least, as historian Amanda Mathews told C-SPAN, she was a woman who saw more of the governments of the world than most women of that day, in London, in Berlin, in St. Petersburg, in Washington.

As perhaps befits a First Lady who began her life abroad, no other woman in that position would see so much of the world until the 20th century.
Looks like Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton already have a similar sense of style!

Prince Harry's girlfriend stepped out in a lacy Diane von Furstenberg frock at a USA Network event in February 2012, which Kate Middleton also happened to sport at The Royal Variety Performance in London, England, in November 2014.

The two did, however, wear different versions of the designer's "Zarita" dress. Markle, 35, opted to show some leg in the shorter style of the lace design, while 34-year-old Middleton wore the floor-length version. Markle's dress is currently available for $348.

WATCH: Prince Harry Condemns 'Sexism and Racism' Against Girlfriend Meghan Markle

Getty Images

Getty Images

Prince Harry, 32, confirmed he was dating the gorgeous Suits actress on Tuesday, when he released an official statement condemning those who have harassed and verbally abused her.

"The past week has seen a line crossed. His girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment," Kensington Palace's statement read. "Some of this has been very public -- the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments."

"Prince Harry is worried about Ms. Markle's safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her," the statement continued. "This is not a game -- it is her life and his."

Earlier this month, royal expert Katie Nicholl told ET that Harry is "very into Meghan."

"It's a bit of a whirlwind romance," Nicholl said. "They've been dating very secretly for the past three months."

... And it appears the two are getting serious with one another.

A source told ET that Harry made another secret visit to Toronto to visit Markle in late October.

WATCH: Meghan Markle Spotted For First Time Since Prince Harry Romance Rumors -- See the Pic!

"Meghan has met Harry's close inner circle of friends," the source said. "They really like her, and like that he is happy."

Story continues

Watch the video below for more on the woman who's captured Harry's heart!

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Melania Trump will be first immigrant First Lady since 1825

Next year well say farewell to the Obamas, the beloved family that has occupied the White House since 2008, and welcome a new family to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.  one thats unlike any First Family weve seen in recent times. Alongside President-elect Donald Trump will be his wife, Melania Trump  the first immigrant First Lady to occupy the East Wing since 1825.

Born in the former Yugoslavia (now Slovenia) in 1970, Melania will become the first foreign-born First Lady since Louisa Adams, wife of President John Adams, nearly two centuries ago. Louisa was the daughter of an American businessman, Joshua Johnson, and an Englishwoman, Katherine Nuth Johnson. Her father worked as consul general of the United States and lived in London, where he met and married Louisas British mother.

First Lady

Melania, a former model, met Donald in 1998 at a party and married him in 2005, one year before she became a citizen; she obtained her green card in 2001 and worked as a model on temporary work visas before that.

While the only two foreign-born First Ladies the U.S. has ever known may appear to share little in common, Louisas writings reveal what could be an interesting tie. According to a biography of the former First Lady, Louisa suffered greatly when her husband moved her  without her two children  to St. Petersburg after hed been appointed American minister to Russia.

As the Encyclopedia Britannica reports, In letters and other writing from that time she explained how she turned to reading  including biographies of women connected to powerful men  for solace.  she later wrote to her son that the Adams men were peculiarly harsh and severe in their relations with women.'

Sound like a man we know?

Louisa was also unenthusiastic about her husbands run for the presidency, though she supported him throughout the process by hosting social events and bolstering his image. Melania, too, appears to have had her reservations about life in the White House. She and Donald briefly split up in 2000 in part because he was considering running for president as leader of the Reform Party.

We dont yet know what Melania Trump will be like as First Lady, but she says shes committed to campaigning against bullying  and thats a mission were on board with.

The post Melania Trump will be first immigrant First Lady since 1825 appeared first on HelloGiggles.
In the shocking results of Tuesday nights election, Donald Drumpf won the presidency of the United States. Take as long as you need for that to sink in, but were switching gears to focus on the future FLOTUS, Melania Drumpf. While her tenure as first lady is expected to include fighting cyberbullying and getting involved with womens health issues, its also going to include a lot of high-fashion moments. If her campaign style is any indication, were in for sleek designs, bell sleeves and hopefully many, many more pussy-bow blouses to come. Below, her chicest outfits worn throughout the tumultuous campaign.

The future First Lady took a cue from Hillary Clintons final debate outfit with her own take on a suffragette-inspired ensemble wearing a white Ralph Lauren jumpsuit to Drumpfs acceptance speech rally early Wednesday morning at the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan.

On election day she headed to the polls to cast her vote wearing a simple sheath dress topped off with a strong-shouldered tan coat with bold buttons.

RELATED PHOTOS: All of Michelle Obamas Stunning State Dinner Dresses in One Place

Melania delivered her first solo campaign speech since the Republican National Convention at a campaign stop in November wearing a bell-sleeve pink blouse with a high-waisted white pencil skirt.

She chose a sleek, body-skimming black dress with sheer lace sleeves and a low open back at the annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner in N.Y.C. in October.

At the final presidential debate, Melania went uncharacteristically dark in a black Ralph Lauren jumpsuit teamed with a wide belt and yes, if you look closely, thats another pussy-bow.

During a sit-down interview with CNNs Anderson Cooper in October, Melania chose a simple white cap-sleeve sheath dress paired with pointy-toe pumps.

Its the blouse that broke the internet. She wore a $1,100 Gucci pussy-bow silk crepe de chine shirt at the second Presidential debate in St. Louis immediately following Drumpfs lewd comments that he can grab women by the p- because hes a star.

Story continues

At the first presidential debate Melania wore a $2,645 Roland Mouret off-the-shoulder stretch-knit dress that may look awfully familiar. Its a fashion faceoff with Heidi Klum, who wore it on Good Morning America in July.



And finally, she kicked off Drumpfs presidential campaign at the Republican National Convention in July by taking the stage wearing a bell-sleeve off-white $2,190 Roksanda dress , which prompted a historic fashion faceoff with Joyce Beatty, a Democratic congresswoman from Ohio during the Democratic National Convention a week later.

Whatevers to come during her reign as First Lady, one thing is apparent: She has some very stylish shoes to fill, in that of Michelle Obama.

Which outfit from the campaign is your favorite?




Republican president-elect Donald Trump acknowledges walks on stage with his son Barron Trump, wife Melania Trump, Jared Kushner, and Tiffany Trump during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. (Photo: Getty Images)

As Donald Trump delivered his victory speech in New York City early Wednesday morning, the president-elect was joined onstage by approximately 50 of his biggest supporters. Many of those individuals were actually members of his family, whom he thanked. To Melania, and Don, and Ivanka, and Eric, and Tiffany, and Barron, I love you and I thank you and especially for putting up with all of those hours, this was tough, he said. This political stuff is nasty and its tough.

For the historic occasion, all the Trumps dressed in their finest, with Melania standing out in a one-shoulder jumpsuit. The silk crepe piece, designed by Ralph Lauren, retails for $3,990.

Photo: Bergdorf Goodman

Melania has actually worn Ralph Lauren  the brand that became Democratic nominee Hillary Clintons go-to during the campaign  in the past. To the third and final presidential debate, she opted for a jumpsuit with a pussybow tie detail.

If youre a fan of Melanias election night look, but are not a fan of the price, check out this (slightly) less expensive design by Jonathan Simkhai, which retails for $795.

Earlier in the day, the former model and future first lady voted in a sleeveless white sheath from Michael Kors with a camel Balmain coat draped over her shoulders.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.




After completing its London stint November 3, the "Mert & Marcus: Works 2001-2014" exhibition is heading to the French capital from November 9 to 16. This is the first major retrospective dedicated to the famous fashion photography duo Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott.

Auctioneers Phillips has joined forces with Art Partner to present the "Mert & Marcus: Works 2001-2014" exhibition. After opening in London, this retrospective is heading to the French capital's Phillips Gallery (46 rue du Bac, 75007 Paris) from November 9 to 16. It's a great opportunity for fans to catch a glimpse of some the iconic pair's most emblematic photos.

Twenty years of success

Mert & Marcus form a significant duo and an inseparable team who made their mark on the worlds of photography and fashion. Both born in 1971, the two photographers followed distinct career paths -- music and graphic design -- before meeting in London in 1994.

Their first photos as a duo met with immediate success, with the pair landing their first cover with "Dazed & Confused" in 1997. The pair went on to capture a multitude of glamorous and sensual shots for major magazines, including Vogue and Vanity Fair, while also shooting advertising campaigns for Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Lancome, Versace and Yves Saint Laurent.

In 2006, Mert & Marcus were picked to shoot the Pirelli calendar, capturing the likes of Gisele Bundchen, Natalia Vodianova, Jennifer Lopez and Kate Moss with seductive and distinctive style. A shot of Kate Moss, half undressed with a cigarette hanging from her lips, proved a particular standout.

18 iconic photos

This first major exhibition of work by the fashion photographers features 18 now emblematic photographs -- nine black and white, nine color -- taken between 2001 and 2014.

The shots see fashion icons in seductive poses. Kate Moss features in several of the exhibition's photos, as well as Cara Delevingne and Lara Stone.

The works will be auctioned by Phillips after the exhibition closes.

"Mert & Marcus: Works 2001-2014" runs November 9 to 16, 2016, at the Phillips Gallery, 46 rue du Bac, 75007 Paris
Screen Shot 2016 11 09 at 7.12.23 AM

The Mexican peso has recovered some of its losses, but remains significantly weaker.

The currency is down by 8.4% at 19.8609 per dollar as of 7:11 a.m. ET. Earlier on Tuesday night, it dropped by over 13% as president-elect Donald Trump took control of key battle states.

The Bank of Mexico announced early Wednesday that it will hold a news conference later in the day. Some economists think the bank may hike rates by 75-150 basis points amid the peso's turmoil.

The peso has repeatedly been under pressure on the prospect of a President Trump as he has promised to build a wall to crack down on immigration.

Notably, the greenback is up 1% versus the Canadian dollar as Trump has promised he would renegotiate NAFTA.

As for the rest of the world, here's the scoreboard as of 7:12 a.m. ET:

The US dollar index is weaker by 0.5% at 97.35.

The Japanese yen is up 1.8% at 103.33 per dollar. Notably, the currency is considered to be one of the traditional "safe-haven" assets that investors pour into when things get rocky in the market, as they did last night.

The Russian ruble is stronger by 0.4% at 63.4812 per dollar. Meanwhile, Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, is down by 0.4% at $45.88 per dollar.

The British pound is up 0.3% at 1.2422 against the dollar.

The euro is higher by 0.3% at 1.1061 against the dollar.

NOW WATCH: LIZ ANN SONDERS: The most unsettling outcome for the markets would be a surprise Trump win





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Mexico City (AFP) - Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said Wednesday he was ready to work with Donald Trump but the country's foreign minister reiterated the government's refusal to pay for his planned border wall.

Trump's victory shocked Mexicans, who were angered by the Republican billionaire's description of migrants as rapists and drug dealers.

His defeat of Democrat Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's election caused the peso and the Mexican stock market to plunge due to fears that Trump would upend economic ties with the country.

"I congratulate the US on its electoral process and reiterate to @realDonaldTrump my willingness to work together in favor of bilateral relations," Pena Nieto said on Twitter.

"Mexico and the US are friends, partners and allies who must continue collaborating for the competitiveness and development of North America," he said.

Pena Nieto had angered Mexicans by inviting Trump to his official residence in Mexico City in August and not forcefully condemning the Republican candidate's comments against migrants.

Trump has vowed to make Mexico pay for a massive border wall -- which is estimated to cost several billions of dollars -- and to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

He also pledged to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and threatened to freeze billions in remittances that migrants send to their families back home.

"Paying for a wall is not part of our vision," Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu of Mexico told the Televisa network.

But she said the government has had a "daily fluid dialogue" with the Trump campaign and that the two countries were "not starting from zero."

"It's an opportunity. The terms of the relationship change," she said.

The national currency fell 7.81 percent to 20.22 pesos per dollar before day trade opened, while the Mexican stock market plunged 3.18 percent at the opening bell.

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But Finance Minister Jose Antonio Meade said the country's economy was robust enough to cope with the market upheaval.

"Mexico has lived through challenges of volatility in the past that we faced with unity, seizing on our economic strength and taking correct and prudent policy decisions, and this won't be an exception," Meade said at the National Palace.

Meade noted that the election would have no immediate impact on trade, financial flows or people's ability to travel. Mexico, he added, has inflation under control, controls deep international reserves totaling $175.1 billion and enjoys macroeconomic stability.

Meade said the strength of public and private financial institutions allowed the government to avoid taking "premature actions that move ahead of events that we don't know about at the moment."
MEXICO CITY, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Mexico's foreign minister said on Wednesday the country's government would not pay for a wall along the U.S. border promised by president-elect Donald Trump.

"Paying for a wall is not part of our vision," foreign minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu told local television.

As part of his campaign, Trump vowed that he would build a massive border wall and make Mexico pay for it.

Ruiz Massieu said that the government had maintained communication with Trump's campaign team ever since his visit to Mexico in August.

"There has been a fluid, daily communication with different members of the campaign," she said.

(Reporting by Mexico City Newsroom)
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said on Wednesday that he spoke to U.S. President-Elect Trump to congratulate him on his election win and the two agreed to meet before he takes office. Pena Nieto also said he had discussed a new work agenda with Trump that would include security issues, and that he would seek to protect the rights of Mexicans throughout the world. Pena Nieto was lambasted in the local press for hosting a pre-election meeting with Trump, who has made disparaging remarks about Mexicans. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper; Editing by Simon Gardner)
birdman-thumb

Fox Searchlight Pictures

After playing a winged superhero in Batman and the titular birdman in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Michael Keaton will fly once again in Spider-Man: Homecoming. The heavily rumored casting news was made legitimate when, after being asked about the villains in upcoming films, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige nonchalantly told the Toronto Sun, Weve had a wish list and most of them in the near-term are coming together. Cate Blanchett is playing Hela in Thor: Ragnarok. Michael Keatons Vulture in Spider-Man is something. And were showcasing Josh Brolins Thanos [in Avengers: Infinity War]. Were looking forward to that very much.

Keaton and Marvels will they/wont they romance has been an odd one. First, it was announced that the Multiplicity star (hell always be the star of Multiplicity to me) was being courted to play Vulture, the alter-ego of engineer Adrian Toomes. Then Variety reported that because Robert Downey, Jr. is going to be in Spider-Man: Homecoming, Keaton was out of the running because Marvel couldnt afford him. (Captain America: Civil War is the 12th highest-grossing film ever  Im guessing Marvel wasnt exactly searching for pennies under the couch cushions.) Then talks resumed, and now its official.

Well find out on July 7, 2017, when Spider-Man: Homecoming is released, if Keaton as the Vulture can make Spidey cry. Unlike Batman.

(Via the Toronto Sun)
A stitch in time

After it came to light that an international criminal ring is involved in stealing PIN numbers and passwords and withdrawing cash from ATM booths in Nepal,
Michael Moore warned that a Donald Trump presidential win was very likely months ago through essays, interviews and even his surprise film Michael Moore in TrumpLand.

Moore laid out five reasons why Trump would win on his website back in July. He wrote that Trump needed only to focus on blue states Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania and noted his theory of "The Last Stand of the Angry White Man."

"There is a sense that the power has slipped out of their hands, that their way of doing things is no longer how things are done," Moore wrote. "This monster, the 'Feminazi,' the thing that as Trump says, 'bleeds through her eyes or wherever she bleeds,' has conquered us - and now, after having had to endure eight years of a black man telling us what to do, we're supposed to just sit back and take eight years of a woman bossing us around? After that it'll be eight years of the gays in the White House!"

Read more: Van Jones Shares Impassioned Reaction to Election on CNN: "This Was a White-Lash"

Moore also expressed that many will vote for Trump "because they can" similar to when professional wrestler Jesse Ventura was elected governor of Minnesota.

He highlighted "the Hillary problem," in which he noted that the enthusiasm for Hillary Clinton "just isn't there" (particularly among millennials) and that Trump was getting more people off their seats and to the polls.

"Let's face it: Our biggest problem here isn't Trump - it's Hillary. She is hugely unpopular - nearly 70% of all voters think she is untrustworthy and dishonest," wrote Moore. "She represents the old way of politics, not really believing in anything other than what can get you elected."

During an appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher back in July, Moore once again expressed, "I'm sorry to have to be the buzzkill here so early on, but I think Trump is going to win."

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Read more: Michael Moore Tells Bill Maher: "Trump Is Going to Win"

And in his surprise live performance film Michael Moore in TrumpLand, Moore lays out how possible a Trump presidency could be. In the film, Moore talks about both candidates and included an imagined news segment depicting what would happen if Trump were elected, including the deportation of Rosie O'Donnell to American Samoa and aerial attacks on Mexican border towns.

"If you support Hillary Clinton and you've been doing this endzone dance and celebrating her early victory, you've been helping to defeat her by doing that," Moore said when he screened the film at New York's IFC Center in October. "There's a long tradition of Americans electing people you don't think they're going to elect. ... What the country doesn't need is to be told that Trump is a crazy, dangerous psychopath, sociopath, all of that. He has written and produced that movie and it appears daily."

Read more: Michael Moore Talks Surprise 'TrumpLand' Film: "Look for the Good in Hillary Clinton"
The media turned itself into the opposition and, accordingly, was voted down as the new political reality emerged: Ads don't work, polls don't work, celebrities don't work, media endorsements don't work, ground games don't work.

Not only did the media get almost everything about this presidential election wrong, but it became the central issue, or the stand-in for all those issues, that the great new American Trump Party voted against.

The transmutation of political identities has arguably devolved into two parties: the Trump one, the angry retro people, and the Media Party, representing the smug modern people, each anathema to and uncomprehending of the other. Certainly, there was no moment in the campaign where the Media Party did not see itself as a virtuous and, most often, determinative factor in the race. Given this, the chants of "CNN sucks" at Trump rallies should not have been entirely surprising.

But they were. The media took this as a comment about press freedom rather than its own failure to read the zeitgeist. In fact, it largely failed to tell any story other than its own.

New Yorker editor David Remnick, as good a representative of media virtue as anybody, before he went to bed last night took a moment to throw off a thousand words or so on the death of the republic, rather than to express much interest - awe might have been in order - at the enormity and meaning of what had happened. Truly, really, a new voice had spoken - but in a pitch so high and a language so obscure that none of us in the media picked it up.

Read more: Inside Fox News' Studio as an "Unreal, Surreal" Election Night Played Out

Every anchor and commentator on network and cable news last night underwent a visible transformation from self-satisfied and jolly certainty to wandering in the wilderness. In a situation that only had two possible outcomes, nobody was even able to pretend they had contemplated both. Say this for Brian Williams' old-fashioned anchor visage, it at least kept him from looking like an astonished fool live on MSNBC. Hang me on the same hook: I woke up this morning to a string of emails from various of the illiterate boobs who had over the past year felt compelled to tell me why they hated Hillary Clinton and about the intensity of their desire to elect Donald Trump. To each, I had said "fat chance." Now all said, rightly, "I told you so."

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It all washed away. Beyonce. The tax returns. The theoretical blue wall. Trump as sexual predator. Putin. His shambolic debate performances. Hispanics. Indeed, every aspect of the media narrative, dust. This narrative not only did not diminish him, it fortified him. The criticism of Trump defined the people who were criticizing him, reliably giving the counter-puncher something to punch. It was a juicy target. The Media Party not only fashioned the takedown narrative and demanded a special sort of allegiance to it - Twitter serving as the orthodoxy echo chamber - but, suspending most ordinary conflict rules, according to the Center for Public Integrity, gave lots of cash to Hillary. The media turned itself into the opposition and, accordingly, was voted down.

It was a failure to understand the power of the currents running for Trump - a failure of intelligence, experience and objectivity, on particularly excruciating display last night in Buzzfeed's live video feed with its cast of moronic, what-me-worry millennials having their first go at election night and now eager to take over the media.

Read more: Omarosa Reveals What Went Down Inside the Freight Elevator That Brought Trump to His Victory Party (Exclusive)

And it was a failure of modern journalistic technique too. It was the day the data died. All of the money poured by a financially challenged media industry into polls and polling analysis was for naught. It profoundly misinformed. It created a compelling and powerful narrative that was the opposite of what was actually happening. There may be few instances, except perhaps under authoritarian regimes, where the media has so successfully propounded a view of events not only of its own making but at such odds with reality. Trump is a simple proof: forget polls - they say what you want them to say.

And then there was the wholesale destruction of what is perhaps the most important media assumption: that advertising matters. A not inconsiderable portion of the profitability of most media companies comes from the extra many billions of dollars that's poured into local television every four years. Clinton spent the usual quota (buying, for instance, almost 80 percent of the more than 120,000 campaigns ads during the general election in Florida), Trump only a fraction thereof, redefining not only how to run for office, but the symbiotic relationship of the media href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/what-was-like-at-fox-news-studio-election-night-945713">Inside Fox News' Studio as an "Unreal, Surreal" Election Night Played Out

Another popular refrain from conservatives Wednesday was the celebration of the breaking of the glass ceiling, as Kellyanne Conway became the first woman to run a successful presidential campaign.

Conway started as a Trump adviser and pollster and was made campaign manager in August, a month after Trump accepted the nomination for president at the Republican National Convention in Ohio.

And over at Breitbart.com, gay, alt-right hero Milo Yiannopoulos tweaked journalists in a video where he visits a nearly empty "media row" at the Trump victory party Tuesday night in New York.

He steals ice cream meant for Fox News employees, then walks into spaces reserved for NBC and CNN, remarking on how barren they are. "They've gone home. They don't give a shit. Oh, CNN, they've gone home, too, because they're cowards and liars," he says.

"These people don't really want to tell you what's happening. Once the narrative self-destructs under the reality of a Trump victory, they just leave," Yiannopoulos says in the video.

See the video below.
Amid an election for the ages, four cities voted to impose soda taxes that will challenge soda industry stalwarts like Coca-Cola Co. (ticker: KO) and PepsiCo Inc. (PEP).

One-cent-per-ounce soda taxes appear to be heading to San Francisco, Oakland and Albany, all in California, reports Bloomberg. Boulder, Colorado has a 2-cents-per-ounce tax ahead. Philadelphia and Berkeley, California, were previously the lone cities with soda taxes in the U.S., though such taxes have been tried more than 40 times since 2009.

The companies have been making an effort to quell consumer concerns about their drinks, including plans to address sugar content and reduced beverage sizes.

The American Beverage Association spent $20 million in the soda taxes race in the San Francisco Bay Area, according to Bloomberg BNA. Marion Nestle, a New York University nutrition professor, told Bloomberg the industry spending indicates the taxes' clout.

"Why would you put millions and millions and millions of dollars into fighting this in every community that is coming up with one of these if you didn't think it would make a difference and a big one," Nestle said. "It will have an enormous impact."

For what it's worth, the American Beverage Association said it honored voters' choices.

"Our energy remains squarely focused on reducing the sugar consumed from beverages -- engaging with prominent public health and community organizations to change behavior."

KO stock is down about 1.8 percent on the year, while PEP is up less than 6.6 percent.

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David Oliver is Associate Editor, Social Media at U.S. News & World Report. Follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, or send him an email at doliver@usnews.com.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2016 / Minaurum Gold, Inc. (MGG.V) ("Minaurum") is pleased to announce that its ongoing mapping and sampling program along with the reinterpretation of historical data has identified a new bulk-tonnage silver target at the La Quintera Silver Project in Southern Sonora State, Mexico.

The Minas Nuevas bulk-tonnage target has a strike length of 700 meters and is 25 meters wide. It includes the Zambona and Purisima historical mines which produced approximately 35 million ounces of silver from small open pits and underground workings between 1860 to about 1910. Mineralized stockwork quartz veining surrounding the old workings exhibits the potential for bulk-tonnage silver mineralization. The depth of the workings indicates that the stockwork veining extends to depths greater than 100 meters. In addition, 101 historical rock samples from outcrops and veining in old mine workings at Minas Nuevas averaged 128 g/t Ag with a high of 875 g/t Ag. Minaurum's sampling work confirmed the previous results and returned from old mine workings; 236 g/t Ag, 178 g/t Ag and from surface; 112 g/t Ag, 134 g/t Ag and 176 g/t Ag.

"Minas Nuevas represents the first of a number of drill targets that we are progressing to the drill stage at La Quintera," stated Darrell Rader, President and CEO of Minaurum Gold. "Our exploration program has thus far delineated multiple high-grade silver targets and we expect to identify more as we complete the first systematic mapping and sampling program undertaken in this historic district."

Minas Nuevas lies on the northern extension of the 7 km, north-northeast trending Promontorio-La Quintera vein system that is the focus of the ongoing drill-target generation program consisting of geologic mapping and geochemical sampling. Minaurum is in the process of assaying over 150 samples collected to date.

Stephen R. Maynard, Vice President of Exploration of Minaurum and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, collected the samples listed in this report (except for those stated as being historical), reviewed and verified the assay data and has approved the disclosure in this News Release. The listed samples were personally sealed and delivered to the ALS Chemex sample-preparation facility in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. ALS Chemex prepared the samples, crushing them to 70% less than 2mm, splitting off 250g, and pulverizing the split to more than 85% passing 75 microns. The resulting sample pulps were then sent to ALS Chemex's analytical laboratory in North Vancouver, BC, Canada for assay. Analysis was done for 48-elements (including silver) by a 4-acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Sample pulps with silver values greater than 100 g/t; and copper, lead, or zinc values greater than 10,000 ppm (1%) were re-analyzed using 4-acid digestion and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Samples were analyzed for gold using fire assay and ICP-AES.

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Minaurum is a Mexico focused explorer concentrated on the Southern Sonora State, Oaxaca-Chiapas Region and the Guerrero Gold Belt, managed by one of the strongest technical and finance teams in Mexico. Minaurum's goal is to continue its founder's legacy of creating shareholder value by finding new district-scale mineral discoveries and executing accretive mining transactions. For more information, please visit our website at www.minaurum.com and our YouTube Minaurum Video Channel.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Darrell A. Rader"

Darrell A. Rader

President and CEO

For more information, please contact:

Sunny Pannu - Investor Relations Manager

(778) 330 0994 or via email at pannu@minaurum.com

The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

2300 - 1177 West Hastings Street

Telephone 778 330-0994

Vancouver, BC V6E 2K3

www.minaurum.com

info@minaurum.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: Certain disclosure in this release constitute forward-looking information. In making the forward-looking statements in this release, Minaurum has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on Minaurum' s current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Minaurum. Although Minaurum considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Minaurum does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE: Minaurum Gold, Inc.
Minneapolis (AFP) - Minnesota voters have elected the first Somali American Muslim woman legislator in a state where the uneasy assimilation of large numbers of Somali refugees became an issue in the US presidential campaign.

Ilhan Omar, a 33-year-old former refugee who wears the hijab, ran uncontested for a seat in the legislature of the Midwestern state, home to a sizeable Somali population.

Her victory is notable in a campaign season that saw Republican Donald Trump disparage Muslim immigrants and refugees before going on to win the White House.

"Even though his message is supposed to function as a fear element in making sure that we don't vote, so we don't see ourselves as part of the American system, it's had the opposite effect," Omar told AFP about Trump.

Trump ended up losing Minnesota to his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton 45 to 47 percent.

But in the campaign's final week the real estate magnate had blamed the Somali community for Minnesota's travails.

"Here in Minnesota, you've seen firsthand the problems caused with faulty refugee vetting, with very large numbers of Somali refugees coming into your state without your knowledge, without your support or approval," Trump told a rally near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

"Some of them (are) joining ISIS (the Islamic State group) and spreading their extremist views all over our country and all over the world."

Nearly a third of Somali refugees resettled in the United States live in Minnesota. They number around 25,000 according to 2010 data, the latest available.

Some of the community's young men have been lured by extremist groups -- notably Somalia's Shabaab militants -- to fight overseas.

In one incident that sent shockwaves through the country, members of the city of St Cloud's close-knit Somali refugee community expressed shock after one of their own stabbed 10 people at a mall there in September.

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- Building bridges -

Omar entered her campaign rally late Tuesday to the "Rocky Balboa" soundtrack.

After Omar's victory speech, her supporters, many young immigrants or first generation Americans, clustered around her and waited for their turn to take a selfie with the newly elected state representative.

She learned of Trump's pending White House victory from an AFP reporter.

"It's going to be very tough, we have to figure out how to organize the community to prepare for what's to come. We have to amplify our voices of love against the rhetoric of hate," Omar said.

Omar's political assent had less to do with her Somali community, though, than with her efforts to broaden her support to include other minority groups such as other East African immigrants, white liberals and college students.

"That's a very important transition that we've seen in America, as Germans, the Irish Catholics and the Jews and others have come to the country," said Lawrence Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota.

"The politics starts off as purely ethnic, and then it evolves into coalition building."

That Omar, as a Somali-American, appears to now be making a similar transition is a "very positive development," Jacobs said.

Omar, who takes office January 3, says among her priorities are increasing funding and access to education, as well as criminal justice reform.

Memoona Ghan, a 35-year-old woman from Maple Grove, Minnesota, said her victory felt like rebuke to Trump and inspiration for the Muslim community in the state.

"Seeing her up there is quite inspiring, not only for us but for the youth as well. It's a source of pride for all Muslims, not just the Somali community, that Ilhan is up there, and winning," said Ghan.
The filmmakers for Miss Sloane, a drama thriller set in D.C. against the backdrop of political lobbying over background checks on gun sales, said they struggled with setting the distribution date of the film, given the presidential election. While they thought the subject of background checks on gun sales would be front and center in the debate, that turned out not to be the case. An ironic and newly cut trailer for the film (from trailer house Ignition) ran during the election reporting last night:

The film, which has a screenplay reminiscent of the Oscar-winning writing on The Big Short and The Sting and a strong ensemble cast not unlike Oscar winner Spotlight, opens November 25 in limited release before going wide on December 9.

When I saw the assembly of the film, I thought, We should try and get the film ready not for any other reason other than the feeling that we might get behind the politics, to be honest with you  which we assumed, at that point, would be the politics of the gun debate which is the meteor of the film, and which looked like it was going to be a major topic in the political discourse leading up to this election, director John Madden told fellow producers at the PGA panel screening of the film the day before the election.

As it turns out, that election (was) hijacked by completely different issues, he said. The political process itself, which this film which really has as its subject  and even more specifically about the issue of women and gender in politics  we find ourselves bizarrely in this circumstance where we kind of raced to get the film ready  just to get into a place where we felt the movie would situate itself in the midst of a political circumstance. Its strange how what we always thought  and I always thought  were the more significant issues of the political subject matter of the film are the ones that suddenly have landed right in the center of the whole discussion, which is bizarre and unexpected.

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That issue? A strong woman in the midst of political turmoil. All of the significant characters in this movie who affect and shape the way the story is told are women, and thats not an accident, said producer Kris Thykier. That was on the fore of what we were trying to do.

Two of those women, the films star Jessica Chastain and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (who gives the film its heart) went to D.C. to do research and met with lobbyists. Surprisingly, only 10% of the lobbyists in D.C. are women. Chastain met 11 female lobbyists and seven of the 11 wore black nail polish, so she integrated that into the film. In addition, the filmmakers also researched every aspect to make Miss Sloane as believable as possible.

We felt that unless it felt completely authentic and embedded in reality, it would be open to partisan questions, said producer Ben Browning. It just wouldnt really come together. We spent quite a bit of time in D.C.  which, along with Toronto, is where the film was shot. They reached out not only to lobbyists but to consultants and journalists and met with them to make sure the film was completely authentic, he said.

Miss Sloane, which was picked up by EuropaCorp after a bidding war in Toronto, was produced by FilmNation and stars Chastain as the powerful lobbyist who takes a chance at sacrificing her entire career in D.C. in order to successfully pass an amendment enforcing stricter gun control laws. Madden and Chastain previously teamed in The Debt, so they had been looking to do another film together when Madden was turned on to the script by Browning and Thykier.

The script was found by Patrick Chu (at FilmNation) when a professor named Jonathan Perera who teaches English in South Korea submitted his first screenplay to a manager he found on the Internet and that manager contacted Chu. For a first screenplay, it plays out like any other Academy Award-winning screenplay like The Big Short or, because of the films twists and turns, The Sting.

And it is the performance by Chastain, not the issue that she is fighting for, is what truly defines the film. The film is about an extraordinary character in the midst of a very specific political context and circumstance, said Madden.

Chastains character in this film is a woman who operates like a machine, even a sociopath. As Madden says, shes an obsessive and a spectacularly gifted machine with no observable heartbeat, no emotional center or core  in many ways, shes a repellent character  but she brings the audience with her. He added that, In my book, a role belongs to an individual  and this role belongs to her.

She is being buzzed about for Best Actress yet again after being nominated for her performances in The Help and Zero Dark Thirty. Surrounding Chastain in this film are a number of up-and-coming supporting cast who also are superb in their roles. The younger cast, Thykier said, had to be at the same high level of talent as Chastain, so they really cast the film in the old-fashioned way. The reason the film works is that  shes playing off the best of the best in every role, he said. John Lithgow and Sam Waterston co-star along with a another strong performance by Michael Stuhlbarg.

Seventy-five percent of this cast got their roles from auditions  more, actually, added Madden. The group around them raised everyones game. Besides Mbatha-Raw, Miss Sloane co-stars Mark Strong, David Wilson Barnes, Ennis Esmer, Alison Pill, Noah Robbins, Grace Lynn Kung, Douglas Smith, Al Mukadam and Jake Lacy.

The film, which was finished only two weeks ago, also was produced by Ariel Zeitoun. It will get its world premiere at the AFI Fest on Friday.

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'Miss Sloane' Star Jessica Chastain Digs Polished Nails Into Gun Lobby Thriller - The Contenders

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Mitt Romney.

Mitt Romney on Wednesday morning congratulated President-elect Donald Trump on his victory.

Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee, sent his best wishes to the New York businessman on Twitter.

"Best wishes for our duly elected president: May his victory speech be his guide and preserving the Republic his aim," he wrote.

Romney strongly opposed Trump over the past several months. The former Massachusetts governor even went as far as to give a speech denouncing him and his vision for America.

Trump returned fire, calling Romney a "choke artist" for failing to capture the presidency in 2012.

The Associated Press declared Trump the president-elect at 2:30 a.m. ET, shortly after the wire service placed Wisconsin in his column.

Trump's victory was one of the most stunning political upsets in history. Clinton was strongly favored to emerge as the victor on Tuesday night, with some analysts estimating Trump's odds of winning the election as low as 1%.

NOW WATCH: Watch Donald Trump's full victory speech





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Banks told to make card transactions more secure

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) on Tuesday summoned representatives of banks and financial institutions (BFIs) and asked them to expedite the process of making electronic card-based financial transactions more secure.
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a U.S.-led coalition air strike killed at least 16 people overnight in a town north of Islamic State's Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. The U.S.-led coalition said it had no information on the report by the war monitor, but would look into it. The coalition is providing air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance which includes the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and some Arab groups, in an operation to drive Islamic State from its de facto capital in Syria. The attack hit al-Heesha, about 40 km (25 miles) north of Raqqa, said the British-based monitor. (Reporting by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
PODGORICA (Reuters) - Montenegro's president named a former head of the secret police as the prime minister-designate who will try to form a new government. Dusko Markovic 58, is also the deputy leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists and one of the most trusted allies of Milo Djukanovic, the leader of the DPS. The DPS emerged as single strongest party in Montenegro's 81-seat parliament after an election on Oct. 16, but it lost its majority. It is now seeking an alliance with a small Social Democrat party (SDCG) and parties that represent national minorities, which would give it a majority of only two seats. The major opposition parties rejected holding any talks with Djukanovic, whom they accused of corruption and authoritarianism during his 25 years as either president or prime minister. The DPS nominated Markovic to become premier instead. In a statement, President Filip Vujanovic said he nominated Markovic as a candidate from the strongest party. "Dusko Markovic should be the prime minister-designate who will be devoted to (European) integrations and economic prosperity," Vujanovic said. Montenegro, a former Yugoslav republic, hopes to join both NATO and European Union. (Reporting by Petar Komnenic; Writing by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Ivana Sekularac)
Podgorica (Montenegro) (AFP) - Montenegro's outgoing Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic on Wednesday accused the pro-Russian opposition of involvement in an alleged plot to "execute" him.

The main opposition pro-Russian Democratic Front was "part of the plot" to seize parliament and the premier after last month's elections, Djukanovic told Pink M private television.

"I see this activity as participation in preparation of my murder," Djukanovic said.

The bloc has repeatedly denied speculation in the media that it was involved in a plot to seize Djukanovic and parliament, after the October 16 polls, and proclaim victory for the opposition.

The special prosecutor for organised crime and corruption Milivoje Katnic said on Sunday that "a powerful organisation" of about 50 people from Russia, Serbia and Montenegro was behind the alleged plot.

A group of Serbians were arrested on the eve of the vote, while the prosecutor said the organisers were "Russian nationalists."

However, Katnic on Sunday said: "We have no evidence that the state of Russia was in any way involved."

Fourteen of those arrested, including a retired Serbian police commander, have been placed under one-month detention while six others were released. Two Russian nationals allegedly involved in the plot remain at large, according to Katnic.

The weapons for what Montenegro officials called a "terrorist attack plan" have never been found.

The Democratic Front openly calls for closer ties with Russia and Serbia and is against membership of either the EU or NATO, calling for a referendum on joining the military alliance.

Montenegro was invited to join NATO in December, a decision yet to be ratified by Podgorica and existing member states.

Djukanovic's party topped the polls last month but he is stepping down and President Filip Vujanovic designated deputy PM Dusko Markovic as the new prime minister earlier Wednesday.
mcdonald's fast food worker

Four states voted on Tuesday to increase the minimum wage.

In Maine, Arizona, Colorado, and Washington, voters passed ballot measures to increase the minimum wage to at least $12 an hour by 2020. More than two million people will receive pay raises thanks to the new laws.

In Arizona, Proposition 206 will raise the minimum wage from $8.05 an hour to $10 an hour by 2017 and $12 an hour by 2020. The change will impact an estimated 790,000 workers  30% of the state's workforce.

Washington's Initiative 1433 will raise the statewide minimum wage to $13.50 an hour over the next four years, impacting an estimated 730,000. The initiative also gives every worker in the state the opportunity to earn paid sick leave.

Colorado voted to increase pay for an estimated 20% of the state's workers, or about 560,000 people. The current minimum wage of $8.31 an hour will rise to $12 an hour by 2020.

Maine adopted a similar policy, raising the minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2020  up from $7.50 an hour  a change that will impact 181,000 workers.

The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour hasn't changed since 2009 and Congress has blocked numerous attempts to raise it.

minimum wage

Across the US, proposals to increase minimum wages have been opposed by critics who claim that higher pay would hurt business owners, and would ultimately result in lower employment rates.

"Twice Ive talked to groups of franchisees here in Arizona, Taco Bell and McDonalds, those places that give you the first rung on the ladder," Sen. John McCain said in September, arguing against the state's proposition to raise wages. "They cannot raise their cost of their product or people will stop purchasing it. So what are they going to do? Theyre going to automate. So somebody is going to have to convince me that its good for employment in America, and I dont think it is."

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But there's a ton of research that shows raising wages does not lead to massive job cuts. And not every business owner is opposed to raising the minimum wage.

"We haven't had an increase in the federal minimum wage in seven years. That's crazy!" Bill Phelps, co-founder and CEO of Pasadena, California-based Wetzel's Pretzels, said in a statement on Wednesday. "Weve experienced strong sales growth after minimum wage increases. Raising the minimum wage is good for our bottom line."

One state rejected a proposal to actually lower the minimum wage on Tuesday.

South Dakota's proposed law to lower the minimum wage from $8.55 an hour to $7.50 an hour for minors failed to pass, with 71% of voters rejecting the measure.

NOW WATCH: Shake Shack is raising prices for the third time in 16 months  heres why





More From Business Insider


Moscow (AFP) - Russia on Wednesday accused a Dutch submarine of trying to monitor its aircraft carrier and escort vessels in the Mediterranean, denouncing such manoeuvres as "dangerous".

According to the Russian defence ministry, the Severomorsk and the Vice-Admiral Kulakov, two of its anti-submarine ships, had "spotted a submarine from the Dutch navy... which tried to approach the Northern Fleet's aircraft carrier group in the eastern Mediterranean."

The Dutch submarine, which was detected by anti-submarine helicopters, was located around 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the Russian warships, it said.

"The vessels followed its manoeuvres for more than an hour and forced it to leave the deployment area of the aircraft carrier's group," a ministry statement said.

"These clumsy attempts to carry out dangerous manoeuvres in the immediate proximity of a group of Russian vessels could have had grave navigational consequences," it said.

Russian warships "regularly" detect NATO submarines on their way to the Mediterranean, the ministry said.

Contacted by AFP, the Dutch defence ministry had no immediate comment on its naval operations.

In recent months, Russia has reinforced its naval presence in the Mediterranean as part of its intervention in Syria where it has been conducting an aerial campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Russia also has an airbase in Hmeimim just south of the Syrian city of Latakia from which it has carried out air strikes since the start of its military intervention in September 2015, as well as a naval facility in the port city of Tartus.
Photo credit: Getty

From Seventeen

Less than a day has passed since Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election. But still reeling from a campaign built on hateful rhetoric, many women, people of color, Muslims, Latinos, and people in the LGBTQ+ community already are deeply concerned for their safety.

Some students were afraid to go to school this morning. Now comes word that many Muslim-American girls are being warned by their own families not to wear their traditional hijabs due to fears of violent attacks.

My mom and my sister are actually having the conversation on whether or not they should continue wearing hijab for their own safety  Sulaiman Karim (@SullyTheDoc) November 9, 2016

I'm scared that today will be the last day I felt somewhat safe wearing my hijab. https://t.co/C29V7GGOXj  Blair Imani (@BlairImani) November 9, 2016

Young Muslim women who spoke with Seventeen.com echoed those worries, with one admitting that she is likely to change her attire and her travel plans.

"I may start wearing berets instead of hijab, but I will always have my head covered," said Blair Imani, a 23-year-old from New York City whose mother has cautioned against wearing the religious head covering in the current climate. "Since I live in Brooklyn, a place of immense diversity, I think I'll be OK. But also I want to be clear: I am scared."

The thought of venturing outside her tolerant community makes Blair especially nervous, she said: "I decided I won't be traveling for Thanksgiving, [because] I'm really scared of whether airports will treat Muslim women worse than ever before, or if it will be more of the same bigotry. It's a very stressful time."

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Sireen, a 24-year-old from Indiana, says that treatment of Muslim women already has taken a scary turn. She wore her usual hijab to the polls on election day and was interrogated about her citizenship before receiving a ballot.

"The fact that Muslim women are actually considering not wearing their hijabs for their own safety is absolutely terrifying," Sireen said. Still, she's resolute in fully practicing her faith. "For me, personally, my faith in God is stronger than my fears. I refuse to sacrifice a part of me and my choice for hijab. I refuse to adhere to the ignorance."

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Taylor Swift, who once said that voting makes her feel, so completely American," must have felt pretty American today!

The pop star definitely voted for one of the candidates running for president  or possibly wrote in Taylor Swift in that blank space even though she's about a decade too young for eligibility  but we have no idea who she cast her ballot for. And we, the people, cannot shake it off.

According to Google Trends, Swift's ballot was a hot search on this election day  ahead of anyone who actually has anything to do with politics.

SEE ALSO: Rihanna wore the best t-shirt of the entire election

America really wants to know who @taylorswift13 is voting for pic.twitter.com/dW6CyFmJyD  GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) November 8, 2016

"I follow it, and I try to keep myself as educated and informed as possible. But I dont talk about politics because it might influence other people," Swift told Time back in 2012. "And I dont think that I know enough yet in life to be telling people who to vote for."

Although Swift has budged on some of her previous views, including publicly embracing feminism, she didn't endorse a candidate during this election.

Some people are really mad that Swift has declined to become a political figure, accusing Swift of squandering her influence in order to remain friendly to as many markets as possible.

Others believe she's keeping quiet because she's a Trump supporter, citing a few reasons Swift might not be with her. Many of Tay's known enemies (Demi Lovato, Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian, etc.) are Clinton supporters. Tay's bestie, Karlie Kloss, would be Ivanka Trump's sister-in-law if she ever marries her longtime boyfriend, Joshua Kushner. Swift's dad was a Wall Street dude before the family relocated to Nashville.

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my 2 working Taylor Swift conspiracy theories rn: 1) she might be releasing an album this weekend 2) she is definitely voting for Trump  Taylor Tetreau (@taylortetreau) October 23, 2016

I love @taylorswift13 but I think she's voting Trump  Cedrick (@_cedrickt) November 8, 2016

It's a lot of baseless speculation, which, of course, is the internet's specialty.

What we do know is that Swift voted for the next president of the United States of America bright and early this morning.

Today is the day. Go out and VOTE  A photo posted by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on Nov 8, 2016 at 8:01am PST

Swift posted the Instagram at 8:01 a.m. PST, meaning she likely voted in California, the location of one of her residences, even though she went to jury duty in Nashville earlier this year.

Considering that she was in NYC last night throwing a birthday party for Lorde amongst Clinton supporters like Lena Dunham, Mae Whitman and Aziz Ansari, she likely got on her private jet first thing in the morning to participate in democracy.

Since everything Swift does is intentional, we must look at clues wherever we can find them.

From the image, we can see that Swift is standing by a man in a blue shirt. Is he a Democrat? Or, like all men, does he just have a closet stocked with several light blue button down shirts that have no discernible differences?

Swift opted to wear a cold shoulder style shirt, which could be a sly nod to Clinton that may have been inspired by Dunham.

taylor swift finally told u who she's voting for with a SWEATER. i'm screaming pic.twitter.com/aqECzAkCOh  Kaitlyn Tiffany (@kait_tiffany) November 8, 2016

Headed to Denver to meet some of my favorite Nasty Women in support of @hillaryclinton! Let's do all we can in the days that remain. RN I'm paying tribute in my @lpathelabel cold shoulder sweater... A photo posted by Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) on Nov 4, 2016 at 5:41pm PDT

Can this broken nation heal itself without a confirmation of all of our pop stars' political leanings? We may have to.

Bonus: Doug the Pug Recreates Taylor Swift Instagrams
By Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - NATO promised on Wednesday to defend all allies despite election victor Donald Trump's call to set conditions for U.S. help, as the alliance braced for a more impulsive leader some fear could withdraw funding to deter Russia. During the presidential election campaign Trump threatened to abandon U.S. allies in Europe if they do not spend enough on defence, comments that were particularly unnerving for the ex-Soviet Baltic states on Russia's border which fear Moscow might try a repeat of its 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO's promise to defend any ally under attack was an unconditional guarantee set out in the Western alliance's founding treaty in 1949. "All allies have made a solemn commitment to defend each other and this is something which is absolute and unconditioned," Stoltenberg told a news conference, saying he would try to speak to Trump by telephone as soon as possible and would welcome him to a NATO summit in Brussels next year. "The U.S. commitment to NATO and the collective defence of Europe has been rock solid for almost 70 years and I am absolutely confident that it will still be the case," Stoltenberg said, noting that two world wars had shown the importance of stability in Europe to the United States. Trump's suggestion of making the United States' defence of its Western allies conditional was the first time a leading presidential candidate had raised the idea, putting him directly at odds with NATO's 27 other member states. Diplomats questioned how long NATO's chief would be able to maintain a "business as usual" tone with a new U.S. leader who has expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, condemned by the West for his actions in Ukraine. "The idea that Trump's presidency is not going to create problems for NATO is delusional," said Dana Allin, a U.S. foreign policy expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was founded around the central promise that an armed attack against one ally is an attack against all, whether it be on land, in the air or on the seas. NATO leaders in July added the area of cyberspace to that list of war fighting domains, although allies have to request NATO's help and decisions are on a case-by-case basis. Trump, a Republican who had never previously run for office, assumes the presidency on Jan. 20 after defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's U.S. election. In one demonstration that not all U.S. Republicans share Trump's scepticism about NATO, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday he believes the NATO alliance "is every bit as important today as it ever was." "I think Article 5 (of the NATO treaty) means something: you attack any member of NATO, you have us to deal with. I want the Russians to understand that fully," McConnell said in Washington when a reporter asked him if he shared Trump's attitude toward the alliance and Russia. One of NATO's top commanders stressed that the debate about the alliance's role was not a theoretical one, given the powerful Russian air defence systems in the Baltic region, in Crimea and in Syria that could limit NATO's freedom of movement. Allies need to build up a sophisticated air deterrent that can counter Russian long-range missiles, said General Denise Mercer, whose brief is to focus on future threats. DEFENCE SPENDING After the fall of the Soviet Union a quarter of a century ago, NATO's European allies cut defence spending to historic lows, leaving the United States to make up around three quarters of the alliance's military expenditure. A newly assertive Russia under Putin has begun to change that and Europe is again spending more on defence. But Britain, Poland, Greece and Estonia are the only European nations to meet a NATO goal of spending at least 2 percent of gross domestic product on defence. Germany, Europe's biggest economy, spends far less than 2 percent of its GDP on defence. Asked if she would now seek more funding for Germany's military, Defence Minister Ursula von derv Leyden told Reuters: "I have to make it clear (to German lawmakers) what our posture is, what we need and that is the right way to proceed." Stoltenberg said he expected an overall 3 percent real increase in European defence spending in 2016. He said if all European allies and Canada reached the 2 percent spending target it would generate an additional $100 billion for NATO. On financial markets, shares in European defence companies rose as investors bet arms spending would rise in response to Trump's calls for Europe to pay more for its security. A first sign of Trump's tough stance could come as early as next year, when the United States is due to deploy troops and heavy combat equipment to eastern Europe under a $3.4 billion U.S. spending plan for Europe to deter Russia. Trump could scale back President Barack Obama's plan to quadruple funding under the European Reassurance Initiative (ERR) from just under $800 million - a significant investment in Europe after decades of cutting its presence in Europe. "MUST RISE TO CHALLENGE" France saw an opportunity to strengthen European defence. "Donald Trump said he wanted to ... stop paying for NATO, so countries like Poland need to ask themselves (what this means)," Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Assault said. "Rather than lowering our heads, we must rise to the challenge." Trump has also threatened to withdraw U.S. forces from Europe if allies fail to pay more for U.S. protection, although U.S. ambassador to NATO Douglas Lute sought to reassure allies, saying: "NATO has always been a bipartisan venture for the United States." Trump has said NATO could become obsolete if it does not focus more on Isla mist militant groups hostile to the West, an area that is not traditionally a core focus of the alliance. Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister whose own country borders Russia, sought to remind the new president-elect that the only time NATO has activated its Article 5 commitment was following the Septa. 11 attacks in 2001. (Additional reporting by Gabriela Bacyznska, Philip Blenkinsop, Alastair Macdonald in Brussels, Tim Hepher in London, Andrea Shalal in Berlin and John Irish in Paris; Editing by Alastair Macdonald, Gareth Jones and Frances Kerry)
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Nebraska voted Tuesday night to reinstate the death penalty, after state lawmakers voted last year to eliminate it.

With more than half of Nebraskas precincts reporting Tuesday night, more than 60% of voters chose to repeal the earlier legislation that had eliminated the death penalty.

The effort was led by Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts, who vowed to get capital punishment on the ballot, saying voters still supported the practice.

Read more: The Future of the Death Penalty Will Be Decided in These Three States

Last year Nebraska became the first conservative state to do away with the death penalty since North Dakota in 1973. After state lawmakers voted to eliminate it, Gov. Ricketts vetoed the bill. Lawmakers, however, overrode him. The governor then led a drive to get the issue on the ballot and even bankrolled the effort.

Prior to the vote, some residents said they were confused by the referendums language. A vote for Retain meant keeping the legislation passed by the state and eliminating the death penalty while a vote for Repeal meant getting rid of the bill and keeping capital punishment.
By Tom Esslemont CATANIA, Italy (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When Italian prosecutor Lina Trovato first came across a sex trafficking suspect called "Mummy", she sensed she was onto something especially sinister. The code name had appeared several times in wiretapped conversations between Nigerian gang members in Italy and their apparently female boss back in the West African state. "If one of the (trafficked sex worker) girls went astray, the agents in Italy always informed 'Mummy' - otherwise known as the Queen Bee of Nigerian trafficking - so she could keep them in line," Trovato told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Several months of investigation led police to swoop in and arrest six people in the Italian cities of Rome, Genoa and Catania, she said. The six are awaiting trial. Nigerian crime gangs have proliferated in Italy, controlling an extensive network of prostitutes and ordering them "on demand" from Nigeria, Italian police and prosecutors say. But now the Nigerian gangs, who have been active in Italy for more than a decade, are taking on increasingly violent tactics, including knife crime and even forging close relations with notorious mafia groups, the Cosa Nostra and the Camorra, law enforcement agencies in Italy say. The overlap with home-grown organized crime groups is troubling for police because the Italian mafia dominate the economies in their regions, often with the help of corrupt or complacent administrators, and they have spread their tentacles to northern Italy. At least 16 Nigerians have been arrested on trafficking offences since the start of 2016 in the Catania jurisdiction in Sicily, up from around 10 the previous year. "Mummy" is still on the run. "Sometimes we are good at breaking the cycle (of trafficking). But it is very hard," Trovato, a specialist in organized crime and mafia, said in Catania city. Italy's government has not disclosed the number of arrests in connection with Nigerian trafficking gangs despite requests from the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Around 12,000 Nigerian women arrived in Italy by sea in 2015 and 2016, data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) shows - a six-fold increase on the previous two years. Almost 80 percent of the young women are victims of trafficking, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), placing law enforcement agencies under pressure to uproot expanding Nigerian criminal networks, lawyers say. MAFIA CRIMES As the number of Nigerian trafficking victims rises, Italian prosecutors - lawyers who gather evidence before presenting it in court - are finding more and more of their time taken up with unpicking Nigeria's criminal networks. Nigerian prostitutes frequently end up working as recruiters or "madams" for new arrivals from Africa, prosecutors say. These former sex workers also help with the logistics of slavery, driving trafficking victims to the cities where they become prostitutes, Trovato said. But trends are changing. Armed robberies, murders and drug-related crime have spread south to the Sicilian city of Palermo from larger Nigerian communities in the northern cities of Turin and Castel Volturno, justice officials say. "It is a compact community, in which there are lots of people who practice crime," said Leonardo Agueci, prosecutor in Palermo's justice department. Earlier in 2016, the boss of notorious Nigerian criminal organization Black Axe was sentenced to 12 years in jail after a number of Nigerian men were brutally attacked in Palermo. The incident happened late one night in January 2014 in Palermo's Ballaro street market, where police later found the victims with gashed foreheads. "It was the first time a Palermo court has convicted a Nigerian on mafia-related crimes," said Gaspare Spedale, another prosecutor in the Sicilian city. Police fear the relatively small-time crimes committed by members of the Nigerian gangs in Palermo might become more serious in a city famous for Italy's most storied mafia organization, the Cosa Nostra, Agueci said. For now, the prosecutors said there was no evidence mafia were running the Nigerian sex trafficking network from Palermo, but it could have connections with organized crime gangs on mainland Italy. "The people who export (Nigerian victims) are in other countries," Spedale said. "But there is a mastermind controlling it in Italy. It exists." NIGERIAN OMERTA In Palermo's vibrant Ballaro market, Nigerian shopkeepers and customers brushed shoulders with Sicilian fruit stallholders touting bright pink pomegranates and blood-red tomatoes. Nigerian women, loading their baskets with sardines and olives, refused to answer questions about the quality of life in Palermo when they were approached by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. At night, a few hundred meters away, West African women in short-cut dresses plied their trade in dimly lit streets alongside the port. Many work for pimps who remain out of sight, local campaigners say. But the killing in 2011 of one Nigerian trafficking victim still strikes fear in the community. "Favour" Nike Adekune was murdered in Palermo's historic center in a crime that shocked the 500-strong Nigerian community, according to Nino Rocca, a local rights activist. Adekune - from Benin City in Nigeria's southern Edo state - had been working as a sex worker to pay off debts to her pimps, Rocca said. After one of Adekune's clients was convicted of her murder, something mysterious happened to her body, he said. "When the corpse was prepared for burial (months after her death), we noticed that only a few bones remained. We do not know why," Rocca told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "We have no idea if the mafia or Nigerian (gangs) stole the body." But he added that some members of the Nigerian community suspected the local mafia were involved. MAPPING THE CRIME The macabre nature of more and more crimes committed against Nigerian women, including black magic or "juju" rituals, is one reason victims are reluctant to come forward, prosecutors say. Fear plays a large part in Nigerian juju, with pubic hair, fingernails and blood collected from trafficking victims as they are made to swear never to report their situation to authorities, rights groups say. In some cases, fearing the juju "spell" may be turned on them and they may die, Nigerian parents insist their daughters obey traffickers, testimony from Italian court documents shows. "One woman we spoke to was made to swallow an egg whole," Kevin Hyland, Britain's anti-slavery commissioner, said in an interview in London. "It obviously had some kind of drug in it: She was raped daily." Victims of sex trafficking often do not want to point the finger at the madams or pimps because they are worried about repercussions or juju, Catania-based prosecutor Lino Trovato said. Even so, the number of trafficking-related cases in her file has risen. "This year, I handled about 40 cases, compared with 20 the year before," Trovato said. SPANISH PROBLEM TOO The problem is not isolated to Italy. The authorities in parts of Spain have also been grappling with Nigerian sex trafficking rings. In Catalonia, 99 percent of prostitution is controlled by organized crime, much of it by a dominant Nigerian crime group known as the Supreme Eiye Confraternity (SEC) or Air Lords. It's a criminal network comparable with the mafioso in Chicago in the 1930s, said Xavi Cortes, chief of the central unit of human trafficking at the Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan regional police force. "Every single Nigerian knows who they are," Cortes said in an interview. "If you ask a Nigerian boy, he will know who an Eiye is." But many women who are trafficked to Spain end up working as "madams", who are essentially pimps who control prostitutes on the streets of Barcelona, Cortes said. The Mossos's operations have led to the jailing of 25 trafficking gang members in the Barcelona region, with a further 13 currently under a European arrest order because they are abroad, Cortes said. "Experience tells me that, finally, all the traffickers will find new routes and new ways. It is impossible to stop this phenomenon," the Catalan police chief said. (Reporting By Tom Esslemont; editing by Timothy Large; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, which covers humanitarian news, women's rights, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org)
By Colleen Jenkins WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (Reuters) - North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory's campaign criticized his Democratic challenger on Wednesday for claiming victory in the state's neck-and-neck gubernatorial race, saying tens of thousands of votes had yet to be tallied. Roy Cooper, the state's attorney general, declared victory after unofficial election results showed him leading the Republican incumbent by fewer than 5,000 votes in the largest of the 12 U.S. states that elected governors on Tuesday. If Cooper's advantage holds, it would be the only governorship pick-up for Democrats nationally, while Republicans extended their dominance over state executive offices by flipping seats in New Hampshire, Missouri and Vermont. McCrory's campaign, however, said the outcome of the North Carolina race will not be known until outstanding absentee, military and provisional ballots are counted, a process expected to extend into next week. "Claiming an outcome before the process has concluded is irresponsible and disrespectful to the voters of North Carolina whose voices have yet to be heard," McCrory campaign strategist Chris LaCivita said in a statement. The campaign and state Republican Party signaled that a legal fight could be ahead, calling into question why some 90,000 early votes in heavily Democratic Durham County were not uploaded until late Tuesday. LaCivita said Republicans had "grave concerns over potential irregularities" in that county. North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes said dozens of lawyers would be deployed across the state to ensure the validity of every vote cast. Democrats said they expected Cooper to maintain his lead. "Last night, the people of North Carolina chose a new governor with new priorities," Cooper's campaign spokesman Ford Porter said. The race in North Carolina was seen as effectively serving as a referendum on a state law that bans transgender people from using government-run restrooms that correspond with their gender identity and limits protections for gays and lesbians. McCrory signed the law, known as House Bill 2, and steadfastly supported its bathroom provision despite the economic backlash against the state after it passed in March. Cooper called the measure discriminatory and said it should be repealed. County elections boards will certify Tuesday's results on Nov. 18, state election officials said. If the race is decided by 10,000 or fewer votes, a candidate may request a recount. (Reporting by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
By Elzio Barreto

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Oaktree Capital Group LLC, the world's largest distressed debt asset manager, is looking to make its first ever investment in India, focusing initially on direct lending for real estate projects, a top company executive told Reuters.

The company, which has invested in Chinese non-performing loans (NPLs), Japanese equities as well as Australian private equity and distressed debt, had looked at India before, but had yet to make an investment in the country, said Rajath Shourie, co-portfolio manager in Oaktree's distressed debt team.

"We have people who are actively exploring (in India)," Shourie said in an interview on Wednesday. "Historically in new countries, office real estate is easier to get our arms around first and where we would start, that would be a reasonable guess."

When Oaktree looked at India previously, the returns did not justify the risks, partly because of volatility in the local currency and uncertainties over its legal system, he said.

India's government earlier this year eased rules for bad-loan buyers. Companies including J.C. Flowers & Co LLC, Apollo Global Inc and Brookfield Asset Management Inc have flocked to the country as local banks were ordered to clean up an estimated $120 billion of bad and troubled loans.

In China, most of Oaktree's investments in NPLs have been small to test the market, but the firm is "encouraged by our experience so far," he said. Oaktree is also looking at real estate direct lending in Australia, he said.

"China is definitely a focus, Australia also. Japan is a possibility as well," Shourie said, adding that stock market valuations there were quite reasonable, given improved corporate governance and outlook for the country after economic measures implemented by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, known as "Abenomics."

Oaktree was "very active" in buying oil and gas distressed debt in the United States at the beginning of 2016 and sold part of the assets after a rally in the market, Shourie added.

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He also said the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President will likely create a sell-off in equities and credit, but the outlook is less clear in the longer term.

"We don't really know what a President Trump's policies would be. Some of the things he says are actually quite business-friendly, however, his position on trade is clearly not," Shourie said. "I think the outcome will depend on what part of his rhetoric actually turns into policy."

(Reporting by Elzio Barreto; Editing by Lisa Jucca and Christopher Cushing)
Nairobi (AFP) - Donald Trump has been called many things but arguably the most bizarre is "the white Malcolm X", a title inexplicably bestowed upon him by President Obama's half-brother, Malik.

The 58-year-old Muslim from a small village in western Kenya was a late but loud convert to the Trump cause, aping his preferred candidate's social media style with the liberal use of capital letters, misspellings and discourteous epithets.

Malik, who made a disastrous run for local political office in Kenya in 2013, has bad-mouthed Barack for years accusing him of dishonesty and abandoning his Kenyan relatives. At the same time he has reportedly earned tens of thousands of dollars by auctioning off 20-year-old handwritten letters from the man who would become president.

Recently Malik upped the ante, changing his Twitter profile picture to show him wearing a red "Make America Great Again" cap, accepting a Trump invitation to the presidential debate in Las Vegas and posting a picture of himself -- a joint Kenyan and US citizen -- voting for Trump.

In the last days of Trump's campaign, Malik enjoyed a surge in followers eventually reaching 62,000 but complained in one tweet that: "I must have over 100,000 followers but Twitter is suppressing my follows folks!!!".

His 140-character missives closely resemble those of his political idol, with repeated references to "CROOKED HILLARY!" and calls for her to be jailed. He has described his half-brother as "arrogant", offered his services in helping to "#BuildTheWall" to keep Mexicans out, lambasted "CORRUPT MEDIA!!!" and warned against the "Bad Hombres out there folks!"

The tweet calling Trump the "reincarnation" of legendary black rights activist Malcolm X is remarkable only for its strangeness.

Upon hearing the news of Trump's victory, Malik tweeted: "CROOKED HILLARY HAS CALLED PRESIDENT TRUMP TO CONCEED!" (sic).

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The social media sound and fury aside it remains to be seen what Malik's longer-term game plan might be, besides venting his personal grievances.

However, among Obama's Kenyan relatives Malik is the black sheep.

In the family's ancestral village of Kogelo, where Barack and Malik's father was born, the president's step-grandmother Sarah Obama said Trump should seek to emulate the current occupant of the White House.

"It is upon him to develop America and the whole world like Barack," she said.
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For many voters, the presidential election is not panning out as planned.

With Donald Trump performing better than expected in several battleground states, a race already marred by intolerance and misconduct has taken on a new air of danger  particularly for immigrants.

SEE ALSO: 6 tweets that dominated this election

The Big Bang Theory star Kunal Nayyar, who was born in London, grew up in India and attended college in the United States, summed up his mid-election night feelings in a succinct and terrifying tweet.

Never in 15 years of living In this country have I ever felt afraid to look like I do. #immigrant  Kunal Nayyar (@kunalnayyar) November 9, 2016

Of course, the tweet has an extensive and fraught context. During his campaign, Trump called to end birthright citizenship, referred to Mexican immigrants to the United States as "rapists" and advocated for a full ban on Muslims entering the United States.

BONUS: Donald Trump was caught peeking at his wife's election ballot
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton

It's been repeated endlessly that Tuesday's election featured two of the most disliked presidential candidates in US history.

But one metric may put into perspective exactly how unpopular Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were with voters.

In 14 states, down-ballot candidates received more votes than presidential candidates  even when you factor in third-party candidates.

In some cases, like in North Carolina and Missouri, voters turned off by Trump and Clinton may have still been compelled to chime in on hotly contested races for senator and governor.

In North Carolina, about 30,000 more people cast ballots for incumbent Gov. Pat McCrory and Roy Cooper than for any of the presidential nominees, who earned 4.6 million combined votes, according to data from The New York Times. (The extra turnout made a difference  the race has still not been called.)

But the trend held up even in states where down-ballot races weren't particularly close. In Oregon, where Sen. Ron Wyden and Gov. Kate Brown easily won re-election, their races drew about 75,000 more votes than the presidential contest.

Meanwhile, in Alaska, the race for the state's lone House seat drew 2,000 more voters than the presidential race this year. Don Young has easily held his seat for the past four decades.

The discrepancy was even more exaggerated in Vermont, where about 314,000 voters in Vermont cast their ballots in the governor race, and 313,000 for the Senate, compared to just 291,000 who voted for president. That's a difference of almost 8%.

One state that is absent from the list is Nevada, where voters are allowed to choose "None of these candidates." The option received about 29,000 votes out of 1.1 million total votes. If those voters had skipped the presidential race altogether, Nevada would be the 15th state on this list.

It's difficult to pinpoint exactly why some voters participated only in down-ballot races, but the anomaly suggests a stunning rejection of politics as usual.

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The 14 states where down-ballot races saw more votes than the presidential race are:

Alaska

Indiana

Kansas

Missouri

Montana

New Hampshire

North Carolina

North Dakota

Oregon

Vermont

Washington

Wisconsin

West Virginia

Wyoming

Note: Only about 66% of precincts in Washington have reported results as of this publication. Between 98% and 100% of precincts in the other states have reported.

NOW WATCH: Its surreal to watch this 2011 video of Obama and Seth Meyers taunting Trump about a presidential run





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Clarification sought from Karki, aides

The Supreme Court has sought clarification from Lokman Singh Karki, who currently remains suspended as the chief of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), and his supporters for obstructing judicial proceedings.
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Mary Petrozzi hoped that Barack Obama would change things in her community.

She's a florist in Smithfield, a small town in a rural part of Ohio not far from the Pennsylvania and West Virginia borders. It's a place with miles of empty roads and farmland, and it's a place that's been hard hit by shuttered steel plants.

Eight years and two months ago, then presidential candidate Barack Obama campaigned in front of hay bales at a family farm in nearby Dillonvale. It was part of an ambitious strategy to court rural voters.

At the campaign stop, he promised 5 million jobs. He promised he'd reopen the steel mills. He promised jobs in "clean coal" to replace the dirty power that's so critical to this region's economy.

In this blue-collar community  one that has voted for both Democrats and Republicans  Obama earned Petrozzi's vote. He won Jefferson County, which includes Dillonvale and Smithfield, by just 50 votes.

But ask Petrozzi how her community is doing, and her answer today is the same as it would have been then. "Everything's just been bad," she said in a phone interview. "I have not seen anything get better while [Obama's] been in there."

Her frustrations sound like a Trump campaign ad. She had wanted Obama "to make our country better and put people to work." She had hoped the factories might reopen.

Listen to the BIQ podcast version of this story:

Hope and change

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I went to Smithfield in 2008 to cover Obama's nearby campaign event and talk to locals in this town of 900 residents. This was in the middle of the financial crisis and foreclosed homes were a big issue. But even more on their minds were the fundamental structural changes in the economy that have left places like this behind.

I met Bob Mieczkowski on the street. "We lose a lot of jobs  seem to be going overseas now," he'd told me.

John Domenick owns a small shop that offered food, videos, and even a hair salon. He said supermarkets and the like had gone out of business, so his store was a "little of everything for everyone."

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"It's an area that's taken a hard whippin' over the last 40 years," he said in 2008, hopeful that Obama would help turn things around.

Across the street from his store was a long-shuttered hardware store. A few years later, it burned down. It was arson, locals say.

Since Obama's election, something there has been growing: demand for assistance from a food bank run by the Smithfield Evangelical Friends Church. It's been serving about 10% more people each year since 2008 up until last year, according to Stanley L. Dombroski, the director of the Smithfield Friends Food Pantry. He serves many widows and retired steelworkers.

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"Almost all their benefits are completely gone," he said Wednesday of the steelworkers whose companies have shut down or moved away. More than half of the 450 people whom the food bank serves live on $500 to $800 a month, he estimates.

In 2008, he said, locals were disillusioned with the George W. Bush years and took a leap of faith on Obama's promise of hope and change. Now, it's Trump's promises, with few details, that will be on the line.

"Ohio in general and particularly in these [communities] is going to be an absolutely great proving ground for Donald Trump on bringing jobs back because there are so many in the outlying areas and this section of this Ohio where the jobs have gone to foreign countries," he said in a recent phone interview.

And that's why when I called Kate Sedgmer, the executive director of the United Way of Jefferson County, she said people in the region were happy about Trump's win. "People are exceptionally excited to have someone who's maybe more business-oriented," she added.

This county that went for Obama by a hair in 2008, voted for Trump on Tuesday by a more than 2-1 margin.

These are the Trump voters

Trump's campaign was perfectly tailored for a place like Jefferson County, which Sedgmer describes as "family first, God first, hardworking, and ethical." She said it's a mix of professionals in bigger cities like Steubenville and many blue-collar workers in construction and other trades.

It's religious, socially conservative, and particularly bitter about globalization and large, faceless companies. While many businesses there are small and family run, one of the biggest hopes of the Obama years was that the rise of hydraulic fracturing in Ohio, and the influx of oil and gas work in Jefferson County, would improve the area's fortunes. The lawyer who owned the farm that Obama visited ended up devoting his whole practice to shale-gas leases. His own farm got a massive payout.

While some have done well, it hasn't been a cure-all. The oil and gas companies brought in young workers instead of hiring locals. And plunging prices for natural gas have put a damper on the industry.

Left behind

"We're going to put Americans back to work," Obama told the guests at the Dillonvale farm in 2008. And on a national level he succeeded. National unemployment is now back to healthy, prerecession levels.

But in Smithfield it doesn't feel like it.

Mary Petrozzi, the florist, has lived there for 42 years and remembers when there was a drug store, an insurance agent, and as many as four gas stations in town. This year she voted for Trump.



"I feel good about it," she said the morning after the election. "I'm glad Trump got it. There's some hope there with him. And it's a stronger hope I had with Obama."

The surprising victories across the upper Midwest suggest there were far more frustrated voters like Petrozzi willing to give Trump a chance to bring back life the way it was.

NOW WATCH: Were actually all on one team': Watch Obamas full remarks after Trumps victory





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* Outlook for global economy, oil demand darkens

* U.S. oil industry seen benefiting from Trump victory

* Revival of Iran oil investments uncertain due to Trump

By Maha El Dahan , Rania El Gamal and Dmitry Zhdannikov

DUBAI/LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - OPEC's job of trying to prop up oil prices has just got much harder.

With Donald Trump winning the U.S. presidential election, the 14-country oil-producing cartel may have to battle a sourer outlook for the global economy and weaker demand for crude.

It also faces the prospect of increased U.S. oil output - a major bugbear for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries - given Trump's pledge to open all federal land and waters for fossil fuel exploration.

OPEC's internal dynamic could change, with Trump promising to tighten policies on Iran just as oil companies begin slowly to return to the Islamic Republic.

"Buckle up your seatbelts for a more turbulent and uncertain global economy that is ahead," Pulitzer Prize-winning U.S. oil historian Daniel Yergin, vice-chairman of the IHS Markit think tank, told Reuters.

"The outcome of the U.S. election adds to the challenges for the oil exporters because it will likely lead to weaker economic growth in an already fragile global economy. And that means additional pressure on oil demand," Yergin said.

Oil prices fell almost 4 percent early on Wednesday but recovered to trade up slightly at around $46 per barrel by 1055 GMT.

OPEC will meet on Nov. 30 in an effort to curtail output and reduce the global oil glut that has seen prices more than halve since 2014.

OPEC sources said they expected oil to remain weak in the days and weeks ahead due to worries about the global economy and uncertainty about Trump's policies for the Middle East.

"Oil is doomed," one of the sources said.

A second source said the OPEC meeting in November might fail to have a strong impact on prices even if it strikes a deal to limit output: "I don't think prices will go up much more than the current levels."

Story continues

Trump has promised to double U.S. economic growth but also pledged protectionist trade policies.

"This will have huge negative implications for Asia, given how much their GDP is tied to trade with the U.S. Hence it is negative for growth and oil demand, at least due to the uncertainty that Trump creates," said Amrita Sen, of the think tank Energy Aspects.

Trump's energy policies have been limited in detail so far.

But what he has said will be seen as supportive for the share prices of U.S. independent oil and gas producers as well as oil majors with large exposure to the U.S. shale industry such as Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell.

"Trump has vowed to lead a fossil-fuel revival to underpin job growth and has also put man-made climate change denial at the forefront of his energy policy," JBC Energy analysts said in a note.

Trump said he was in favour of removing oil-sector regulations, opening federal land to drilling, and vowed to revive a major trans-Canadian and trans-U.S. oil pipeline project while pledging to support the coal industry.

The stocks of oil majors BP and Shell were down in line with the price of crude, while France's Total underperformed peers.

Earlier this week, Total signed a deal with Iran to help it develop a huge gas field, becoming the first Western energy company to ink a major deal with Tehran since the lifting of international sanctions this year.

Trump has criticised the West's nuclear deal with Iran, adding to uncertainty and frustrating Tehran's push for foreign investment to revive its economy.

An executive from an oil major negotiating with Iran said that given Tehran wanted to repay investments slowly, maybe over five to 10 years, many oil firms would take a slow approach in finalising deals until Trump's policies became clearer.

"It is a significant amount of money that will be put at risk should sanctions be brought back," the executive said.

(Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Dale Hudson)
By Maha El Dahan , Rania El Gamal and Dmitry Zhdannikov DUBAI/LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC's job of trying to prop up oil prices has just got much harder. With Donald Trump winning the U.S. presidential election, the 14-country oil-producing cartel may have to battle a sourer outlook for the global economy and weaker demand for crude. It also faces the prospect of increased U.S. oil output - a major bugbear for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries - given Trump's pledge to open all federal land and waters for fossil fuel exploration. OPEC's internal dynamic could change, with Trump promising to tighten policies on Iran just as oil companies begin slowly to return to the Islamic Republic. "Buckle up your seatbelts for a more turbulent and uncertain global economy that is ahead," Pulitzer Prize-winning U.S. oil historian Daniel Yergin, vice-chairman of the IHS Markit think tank, told Reuters. "The outcome of the U.S. election adds to the challenges for the oil exporters because it will likely lead to weaker economic growth in an already fragile global economy. And that means additional pressure on oil demand," Yergin said. Oil prices fell almost 4 percent early on Wednesday but recovered to trade up slightly at around $46 per barrel by 1055 GMT [O/R]. OPEC will meet on Nov. 30 in an effort to curtail output and reduce the global oil glut that has seen prices more than halve since 2014. OPEC sources said they expected oil to remain weak in the days and weeks ahead due to worries about the global economy and uncertainty about Trump's policies for the Middle East. "Oil is doomed," one of the sources said. A second source said the OPEC meeting in November might fail to have a strong impact on prices even if it strikes a deal to limit output: "I dont think prices will go up much more than the current levels." Trump has promised to double U.S. economic growth but also pledged protectionist trade policies. "This will have huge negative implications for Asia, given how much their GDP is tied to trade with the U.S. Hence it is negative for growth and oil demand, at least due to the uncertainty that Trump creates," said Amrita Sen, of the think tank Energy Aspects. Trump's energy policies have been limited in detail so far. But what he has said will be seen as supportive for the share prices of U.S. independent oil and gas producers as well as oil majors with large exposure to the U.S. shale industry such as Chevron , ExxonMobil and Shell . "Trump has vowed to lead a fossil-fuel revival to underpin job growth and has also put man-made climate change denial at the forefront of his energy policy," JBC Energy analysts said in a note. Trump said he was in favor of removing oil-sector regulations, opening federal land to drilling, and vowed to revive a major trans-Canadian and trans-U.S. oil pipeline project while pledging to support the coal industry. The stocks of oil majors BP and Shell were down in line with the price of crude, while France's Total underperformed peers. Earlier this week, Total signed a deal with Iran to help it develop a huge gas field, becoming the first Western energy company to ink a major deal with Tehran since the lifting of international sanctions this year. Trump has criticized the West's nuclear deal with Iran, adding to uncertainty and frustrating Tehran's push for foreign investment to revive its economy. An executive from an oil major negotiating with Iran said that given Tehran wanted to repay investments slowly, maybe over five to 10 years, many oil firms would take a slow approach in finalizing deals until Trump's policies became clearer. "It is a significant amount of money that will be put at risk should sanctions be brought back," the executive said. (Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Dale Hudson)
Seoul (AFP) - South Korean opposition parties on Wednesday rejected President Park Geun-Hye's offer to share power to overcome a crippling crisis, calling in effect for a caretaker government.

In a major climbdown forced by a crippling corruption scandal, Park had agreed to dump her nominee for prime minister, and accept one chosen by the opposition-controlled parliament.

But opposition parties said Park's offer was too "ambiguous", urging her to guarantee the new prime minister would be given a completely free hand in selecting cabinet ministers, handling state affairs and functioning without interference.

"It's not even worth consideration", the country's three opposition parties said in a joint press statement.

Park has come under mounting pressure to step down over the scandal involving a close friend, Choi Soon-Sil, who has been arrested on charges of fraud and abuse of power.

The charges relate to allegations that Choi leveraged her personal relationship with Park to coerce donations from large companies like Samsung to non-profit foundations which she set up and used for personal gain.

She is also accused of interfering in government affairs, including in the nomination of senior officials.

Lurid reports of the unhealthy influence Choi wielded over Park have sent the president's approval ratings plunging to record lows and triggered mass street protests calling on her to resign.

In a bid to restore public trust, Park reshuffled her advisers and senior cabinet members, and nominated a liberal candidate for prime minister from outside her conservative Saenuri Party.

But opposition parties had vowed to block her nominee on the grounds they were not properly consulted.

Park Jie-Won, President of the country's second opposition party,the People's Party, said the president is resorting to a divide-and-rule tactic, sowing seeds of discord among her opponents and letting them fight among themselves over who should be the next prime minister.

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"We've already fallen into the trap set by the president", the veteran politician told journalists.

"This is also a delaying tactic intended to earn time".

The presidential Blue House said on Wednesday that the president is sincere in her offer to share power with opposition parties, calling for a meeting with heads of both ruling and opposition parties to discuss details.
The worst mass shooting in U.S. history occurred June 12, 2016, when a gunman opened fire on patrons of the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 and wounding dozens more. The club has remained closed since then, having nonetheless become a regular gathering place for mourners and those looking to pay tribute to the victims.

This week, the Orlando Sentinel reports that the club's home city will be buying Pulse, in order to transform the site into a full-fledged memorial for those slain and wounded in the June tragedy. Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer is quoted as saying that the city's main goal in purchasing the site is to "create something to honor the memory of the victims that are deceased [and] those that were injured, and a testament to the resilience of our community."

Such changes to the club will not be enacted anytime soon, as Dyer tells the paper that the city wishes to keep Pulse as it currently looks for the next year or so, in deference to those making a pilgrimage to the club to grieve. "There are lots of people that are making a visit to the site part of their trip, part of their experience of Orlando, so I think 12 to 18 months of leaving it as-is would be appropriate," Dyer says.

The Sentinel cites the $1.65 million appraised value of the club as lower than the amount city staff ultimately negotiated to pay for the site and reports that the contract of sale was officially signed by co-owner Rosario Poma last Friday (Nov. 4).

Billboard has reached out to Mayor Dyer for further comment but had not heard back as of press time.
The year 2016 isnt exactly overflowing with unmissable movies from Latin America. This despite producing, on a steady and annual basis, some of the most interesting cinema anywhere.

So it might be wise to tamp down expectations that this years roster of films (14 total) submitted for consideration for the foreign-language Oscar will produce some kind of world-beater.

Theres always the tricky consideration that what might be terrific cinema isnt the right strategic pick for a given countrys industry reps to submit to the Academy.

Take, for example, three strong, uncompromising, sometimes even brilliant films: two from Argentina, Eduardo Williams The Human Surge, and Nele Wohlatzs The Future Perfect, and one from Mexico, Amat Escalantes Untamed.

These films may have dazzled crowds, juries, and critics at major festivals, but none were submitted, and its possible these movies wild, and wildly experimental strokes wouldnt play well with the Academys foreign-language committees still-conservative tastes.

Two films are in the contenders conversation: Pablo Larrains Neruda from Chile and Jonas Cuarons Mexican border thriller, Desierto, both starring Gael Garcia Bernal. Larrains account of how poet-politician Pablo Neruda eluded a manhunt foisted by his right-wing foes is ambiguous to the end about whether its poet hero just may be a scoundrel (or that its fascist cop, played by Bernal, may be a good guy after all). Cuarons movie is essentially an elaborate chase sequence stretched to feature length.

More exciting is rising Venezuelan filmmaker Lorenzo Vigas From Afar, Venices 2015 Golden Lion winner.

It finds fascinating character layers as it steadily builds a tense and unexpected relationship between a Caracas street hustler and a middle-aged man who makes, of all things, dental work.

Best of all, Jose Luis Rugeles displays a formidable balance of craft and storytelling art in Alias Maria, his powerful adventure and character study of a teen girl in Colombias Farc guerrilla army faced with an impossible assignment.

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Some picks are, at best, odd. It may have won a Tiger prize in Rotterdam, but Juan Daniel Fernandezs Peruvian youth adventure Videophilia (and Other Viral Syndromes) is a hot mess on the screen, while, Gaston Duprats mild Argentine satire, The Distinguished Citizen (for which Oscar Martinez won the lead actor prize in Venice) lands only soft and fleeting blows at small-town backwardness and cultural snobbery.

These titles will be competing with Julia Vargas-Weises stilted Bolivian thriller, Sealed Cargo; Pavel Girouds Cuban drama, The Companion; Ecuadorean Sebastian Corderos political thriller, Such Is Life in the Tropics; Ricardo Aguilar Navarro and Manuel Rodriguezs drama, Salsipuedes, and a romantic-comedy from Costa Rica, Hernan Jimenezs About Us.

Two were unavailable to watch: Fernando Baez Mellas Dominican Republic film, Flor de Azucar, and Manane Rodriguezs Breadcrumbs, from Uruguay.

And back to those strategic considerations. Unfortunately for competing melodrama Little Secret, the film was slotted by Brazil over Kleber Mendonca Filhos magnificent drama starring Sonia Braga, Aquarius, in whats widely interpreted as punishment for Mendoncas protest during Cannes over the then-impending impeachment of Brazils impeached President Dilma Rousseff.

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On June 29, the film Academy made a bold and unprecedented move, opening its doors to 683 new members, including the likes of actors Idris Elba, John Boyega, Freida Pinto, Michael B. Jordan and Alicia Vikander, along with writers such as Tina Fey and directors including Dee Rees, Abdellatif Kechiche and Abbas Kiarostami.

Now these younger, more diverse members - or at least the ones who have joined the Academy (Kiarostami died days after the announcement) - could reshape the Oscar race, especially in categories where nominees are separated by a thimbleful of votes. The question is how.

First, a little math. There were 6,261 voting members at the last reported count a year ago. With the incoming class, the number currently stands at 6,734, an increase of more than 7.5 percent. Given that not all the older members vote (certainly not in all categories), one might expect the incoming group to have a disproportionate impact, with their eagerness to participate and keenness to have their voices heard. But there are complications.

The newcomers are often based abroad and frequently indie-skewing. For instance, of the freshman class, 283 represent "international" members, which means they largely work in the 59 countries from which they hail. While Oscar campaigners will try to reach them with screeners, many have no access to regular screenings or Academy events, confounding any attempt to predict their impact.

Here are four representative categories which may serve as a test for how the new members impact the larger race.

Read more: Oscars Handbook: 47 Contenders Likely to Vie for the Gold

BEST PICTURE

The French-language Elle and the German-language Toni Erdmann have played sensationally in foreign venues, and one or the other could conceivably tip into the final nine or 10 best picture nominees - especially if Hidden Figures, Fences, Allied and Silence (all just starting to screen) fail to generate momentum. Other foreign films have been nominated as best picture before - most recently 2012's Amour - though admittedly there's no clear foreign frontrunner this time.

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Most Likely Beneficiary: Elle

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE PICTURE

Ironically, this is the category least likely to be affected by the new membership - at least in the nomination phase. The Academy's foreign-language committee (any member who signs on for a hefty number of screenings at Los Angeles' Samuel Goldwyn Theater) chooses six pictures, and the branch's executive committee adds another three, to create a shortlist of nine. A separate appointed committee, which holds screenings in New York, L.A. and London, then reduces the nine to five nominees. Given that the branch's executive committee has been successful at adding cutting-edge pictures, it's hard to imagine the new members will make a huge difference. But that could change significantly when it comes to voting on the Oscar winner, making the middlebrow works that often succeeded before a thing of the past - and boding well for German submission Erdmann and French entry Elle.

Most Likely Beneficiary: Toni Erdmann

Read more: 2017 Oscar Producers Promise Short Ceremony: "In and Out. Nobody Gets Hurt. Just Fun"

DIRECTOR

The directors branch could be impacted the most, with 92 new members invited to join, 40 of them foreign. That means classic American auteurs such as Clint Eastwood (Sully) and Martin Scorsese (Silence) could be edged aside by an indie filmmaker such as Australian Garth Davis (Lion) or even an art house helmer such as Brit Ken Loach (I, Daniel Blake). But no foreign-language directors - the ones these newcomers might help the most - are serious contenders this year.

Most Likely Beneficiary: Garth Davis

ACTRESS

Three actresses appear to be a lock: Emma Stone (La La Land), Natalie Portman (Jackie) and Annette Bening (20th Century Women). But who'll take the other two places (assuming Fences' Viola Davis competes as supporting actress)? French thespians (Isabelle Huppert for Elle and Marion Cotillard for Allied) are vying against the established (Meryl Streep for Florence Foster Jenkins) and the new (Ruth Negga for Loving). If the foreign contingent has any say, give the edge to Huppert, arguably France's greatest living actress.

Most Likely Beneficiary: Isabelle Huppert

This story first appeared in the Nov. 18 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
Norways royal heartthrob Marius Borg Hiby was pictured last week with one arm around his new girlfriend and the other in a cast.

Crown Princess Mette-Marits son broke his arm at a party while attempting a somersault, according to Norwegian magazine Se Og Hr.

But the 19-year-olds acrobatic tumble didnt lead to him landing on his feet, the magazine says  but very painfully crashing down on to his right hand and forearm.

Borg Hiby was photographed at Oslos Horse Show last weekend where he took Linn Helena Nilsen, 20, to meet other royal family members.

The royal clan gathered together to support Princess Martha Louise, 45, who was competing in the event, at one of her first public appearances since she announced her divorce from husband Ari Behn, 44.

Borg Hiby and Nilsen first made headlines together after they posted Instagram photos during a summer road trip across the U.S.

The young Norwegian isnt the first Scandinavian royal to take a tumble recently.

In October, Denmarks Crown Prince Frederik, 48, received a public scolding from his mother Queen Margrethe II, 76, after he broke his back during a mishap on a trampoline.

The Crown Prince is now forced to wear a brace, and will continue to do so at least until Christmas, according to a palace spokeswoman.




DANVILLE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2016 / PEDEVCO Corp. d/b/a Pacific Energy Development (NYSE MKT: PED) (the "Company"), today reported its results for the third quarter of 2016.

Compared to the same quarter of the previous year, production grew to 25,617 barrels of oil produced during the third quarter of 2016 versus 25,256 barrels in the third quarter of 2015. In conjunction with this increase in production, the Company successfully reduced its SG&A expense by over 57% to $597 thousand this quarter compared to $1.389 million over the third quarter of 2015, contributing to a reduction in total operating expenses by over 47% to $1.644 million this quarter compared to $3.121 million over the third quarter of 2015.

The Company continues to work closely with GOM Holdings, LLC ("GOM") to move the pending merger with GOM forward, and reported that the parent company of GOM had received approximately $7.5 million in funding intended to be used to pay down GOM accounts payable, one of the Company's significant conditions precedent to the closing of the planned merger. In addition to the GOM merger, the Company is currently pursuing other acquisition opportunities in the D-J Basin.

Mr. Michael Peterson, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented, "We are pleased with our third quarter results which demonstrate our ability to increase production while driving costs lower. With our May 2016 financing and debt restructuring in place, we are now in a position to have positive cash flow and are able to pay down our senior debt without being burdened with any interest payments until February 2018. We believe this puts the Company in an enviable position among small-cap oil and gas development companies, as we now have a run-way to seek acquisitions and other transactions that may increase our asset base, build cash flow and be accretive to our shareholders."

Company Receives Continued Listing Standard Notice from the NYSE MKT

The Company also announced today that on November 3, 2016, the Company was notified by the NYSE MKT LLC (the "Exchange") that the Exchange deemed it appropriate for the Company to effect a reverse stock split given the price per share of the Company's common stock has closed at or below $0.20 per share since October 5, 2016. Pursuant to Part 10, Section 1003(f)(v) of the NYSE MKT Company Guide (the "Company Guide"), the continued listing of the Company's common stock on the Exchange is predicated on the Company effecting a reverse stock split of its common stock no later than May 3, 2017.

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The Company has notified the Exchange that it anticipates that this deficiency will be cured and that it will return to compliance with the Exchange's continued listing standard. Notwithstanding the notice, the Company's common stock will continue to be listed and trade on the Exchange and the Exchange's notification does not have any immediate effect on the listing of the Company's shares on the Exchange, except that until the Company regains compliance with the Exchange's listing standards, a ".BC" indicator will be affixed to the Company's trading symbol. The Company's business operations, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reporting requirements and debt instruments are unaffected by the notification, provided that if the Company is not in compliance with the continued listing standards by May 3, 2017, the Company will be subject to the Exchange's delisting procedures.

Mr. Peterson commented, "We have been closely monitoring our stock price and already planned to seek shareholder approval for a reverse stock split at our upcoming annual shareholder meeting to be held on December 28, 2016, which stock split we believe will (if approved) satisfy the Exchange's continued listing standards relating to our stock price. Accordingly, we strongly encourage all of our shareholders to vote in favor of the reverse stock split proposal at our upcoming annual shareholder meeting, either in person or by voting proxy. We believe our continued listing on the Exchange is an important component to our business strategy and ability to raise capital, restructure debt, and execute on future business combinations."



About Pacific Energy Development (PEDEVCO Corp.)

PEDEVCO Corp, d/b/a Pacific Energy Development (NYSE MKT: PED), is a publicly-traded energy company engaged in the acquisition and development of strategic, high growth energy projects, including shale oil and gas assets, in the United States. The Company's principal asset is its D-J Basin Asset located in the D-J Basin in Colorado. Pacific Energy Development is headquartered in Danville, California, with an operations office in Houston, Texas.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this press release that are not based on historical fact are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. While management has based any forward-looking statements contained herein on its current expectations, the information on which such expectations were based may change. These forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions concerning future events and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are outside of the Company's control, that could cause actual results to materially differ from such statements. Such risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, but are not necessarily limited to, those set forth under Item 1A "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q under the heading "Risk Factors". The Company operates in a highly competitive and rapidly changing environment, thus new or unforeseen risks may arise. Accordingly, investors should not place any reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. The Company disclaims any intention to, and undertakes no obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as otherwise required by law, and also takes no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties that are not paid for by the Company. Readers are also urged to carefully review and consider the other various disclosures in the Company's public filings with the SEC.

Important Information

In connection with the proposed business combination between PEDEVCO Corp. (" PEDEVCO" ) and GOM Holdings, LLC (" GOM" ), PEDEVCO currently intends to file a proxy statement with the SEC to seek approval for certain matters related thereto (the " Shareholder Approval" ), as described more fully in PEDEVCO's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on December 30, 2015. This communication is not a substitute for any proxy statement or other document PEDEVCO may file with the SEC in connection with the Shareholder Approval. Prospective investors are urged to read the proxy statement when filed as it will contain important information. Any definitive proxy statement(s) (if and when available) will be mailed to stockholders of PEDEVCO. Prospective investors may obtain free copies of the proxy statement, when filed, as well as other filings containing information about PEDEVCO, without charge, at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov). Copies of PEDEVCO's SEC filings may also be obtained from PEDEVCO without charge at PEDEVCO's website (www.pacificenergydevelopment.com) or by directing a request to PEDEVCO at (855) 733-3826.

Participants in Solicitation

PEDEVCO and its directors and executive officers and other members of management and employees are potential participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the Shareholder Approval. Information regarding PEDEVCO's directors and executive officers is available in PEDEVCO's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, filed with the SEC on March 29, 2016. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants will be included in the proxy statement to be filed with the SEC by PEDEVCO in connection with the Shareholder Approval and in other relevant documents filed by PEDEVCO with the SEC. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitations and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available.

Contacts

Pacific Energy Development

1-855-733-3826

PR@pacificenergydevelopment.com



SOURCE: Pacific Energy Development (PEDEVCO Corp.)
Dahal calls party meet to win over disaffected leaders

Prime Minister and Chairman of CPN (Maoist Centre) Pushpa Kamal Dahal has called for a party meeting on Wednesday to discuss how he could garner support from the party leaders and cadres critical of his government.
By Akram Walizada KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan's president on Wednesday welcomed back Sharbat Gula, the green-eyed "Afghan Girl" whose 1985 photo in National Geographic became a symbol of her country's wars, offering her a furnished apartment after she was deported by Pakistan. Pakistan security officials escorted Gula overnight from a Peshawar hospital, where she had been staying since her arrest last month for living illegally in Pakistan, and handed her over to Afghan authorities at the Torkham border. Gula's deportation comes amid Pakistani pressure to send 2.5 million Afghan refugees back home even though Afghanistan is facing a bloody Taliban insurgency and would struggle to look after so many returnees. "I welcome her back to the bosom of her motherland," President Ashraf Ghani said with an expressionless Gula standing beside him during a small welcome-back ceremony at the palace in Kabul. "I've said repeatedly, and I like to repeat it again, that our country is incomplete until we absorb all of our refugees." Ghani promised to provide Gula with a furnished apartment to ensure she "lives with dignity and security in her homeland". Gula, wearing a blue burqa that was pulled back to show her face, did not comment during the ceremony, which her children also attended. Gula was for years an unnamed celebrity after an image of her as a teenage Afghan refugee was featured on National Geographic magazine's cover in 1985, her striking green eyes peering out from a headscarf with a mixture of ferocity and pain. The image became a symbol of Afghanistan's suffering during the 1980s Soviet occupation and U.S.-backed mujahadeen insurgency against it. The Soviet withdrawal in 1989 led to the collapse of the Kabul government and years of civil war until the Islamist Taliban movement seized power in the mid-1990s. After the Taliban regime fell to the U.S.-backed military action in 2001, National Geographic sent photographer Steve McCurry to find the girl in the photo, eventually identified as Gula. "The woman who stands next to me became an iconic figure representing Afghan deprivation, Afghan hope and Afghan aspirations," Ghani said. "All of us are inspired by her courage and determination." Gula had been living in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar for years with her children and husband, who died five years ago. (Additional reporting by Jibran Ahmad in Peshawar, Pakistan; Writing by Randy Fabi; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Afghanistan's president Wednesday welcomed back Sharbat Gula, the green-eyed woman immortalised on a National Geographic cover, after she was deported from Pakistan to the war-torn homeland she first fled decades ago.

Pakistani officials handed over Gula, whose haunting eyes were captured in a cover photo taken in a refugee camp in the 1980s, to Afghan border authorities after escorting her from a Peshawar hospital where she was being treated for Hepatitis C.

Gula, arguably Afghanistan's most famous refugee, was arrested last month for living in Pakistan on fraudulent identity papers.

"Pleased to have welcomed Sharbat Gula & her family back to (Afghanistan)," President Ashraf Ghani said on Twitter. "Her life inspires us all. She represents all the brave women of this land."

The president and first lady Rula Ghani honoured Gula and her children at a ceremony at the presidential palace in Kabul.

Ghani has promised to provide Gula, 45, with a furnished apartment to ensure she "lives with dignity and security" in Afghanistan.

Speaking to AFP last week in Pakistan, Gula said she was "heartbroken" at the prospect of returning.

"Afghanistan is only my birthplace, but Pakistan was my homeland and I always considered it as my own country," she said.

"I had decided to live and die in Pakistan but they did the worst thing with me. It's not my fault that I born there (in Afghanistan). I am dejected. I have no other option but to leave."

Gula said she first arrived in Pakistan an orphan, some four or five years after the Soviet invasion of 1979, one of millions of Afghans who have sought refuge over the border since.

Since July hundreds of thousands have returned to Afghanistan in a desperate exodus amid fears of a crackdown, ahead of a March 2017 deadline for the final return of all Afghan refugees.

Last month UNHCR said more than 350,000 Afghan refugees -- documented and undocumented -- had returned from Pakistan so far in 2016, adding it expects a further 450,000 to do so by the year's end
By Asad Hashim and Kay Johnson ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Donald Trump's surprise election as U.S. president has Pakistanis wary that he may accelerate what they see as a shift in American policy to favor arch-foe India in the long rivalry between nuclear-armed neighbors, analysts said on Wednesday. Historical allies in the region, Islamabad and Washington have seen relations sour over U.S. accusations that Pakistan shelters Islamist militants, a charge Pakistan denies. They hit new lows in May when a U.S. drone killed the leader of the Afghan Taliban movement on Pakistani territory. At the same time, Pakistan's ties with traditional rival India have also deteriorated this year, with India saying Pakistan-based militants killed 19 of its soldiers in a September attack on an army base in the disputed Kashmir region. To many Pakistanis, Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric - he once proposed banning Muslims entering the United States - and business ties to India are signs that his administration could shift further toward New Delhi. "America will not abandon Pakistan, but definitely, Trump will be a tougher president than Hillary Clinton for Pakistan," said Hasan Askari Rizvi, Lahore-based foreign policy analyst. "I think India will have a better and smoother interaction compared to Pakistan." Trump has yet to lay out a detailed policy for South Asia, although he recently offered to mediate between India and Pakistan in their dispute over the divided territory of Kashmir. He also told Fox News in May he would favor keeping nearly 10,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan "because it's adjacent and right next to Pakistan which has nuclear weapons." CONGRATULATIONS, ASSURANCES On Wednesday, a U.S. diplomat in Pakistan sought to assure the country that Trump's election did not signal a drastic policy change. "Our foreign policy is based on national interest and they don't change when the government changes," Grace Shelton, U.S. Consul General in Karachi, told Geo News television. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated Trump. "Your election is indeed the triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights and free enterprise," Sharif said in a statement. Still, the uncertainty of a Trump presidency has many Pakistanis on edge, even if the country has leaned towards China in recent years for investment and diplomatic support. "Trump is a bit of a wild card," said Sherry Rehman, a Pakistani senator and former ambassador to the United States. "Pakistan obviously cannot rule out engaging with whomever America elects, but his anti-Muslim rhetoric may cast a shadow on relations in times of uncertainty." INDIA HOPEFUL Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Trump on Wednesday. "We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height," Modi said in a tweet. Trump has partnered with Indian businessmen on a handful of real estate ventures, but apart from courting the Indian-American vote he has not articulated how he would develop the bilateral relationship. India-U.S. ties have flourished under President Barack Obama and Modi, who came to power in 2014, with the two countries striking key defense agreements this year. Modi's government has also waged a campaign to isolate Pakistan diplomatically. Shaurya Doval, director of the India Foundation, a think-tank close to Modi's government, called Trump's election "a very positive development", but added that India and the United States would have continued to grow closer under a Hillary Clinton presidency as well. "My sense is that India-U.S. relations are not dependent on individuals  there are strong institutions and processes there," he said. One fringe Hindu nationalist group in India held a victory gathering at New Delhi's speakers' corner on Wednesday. "He's an American nationalist. We are Indian nationalists. Only he can understand us," Rashmi Gupta of the Hindu Sena, or Hindu Army, told Reuters. "We expect him to support us when it comes to terrorist attacks on India from Pakistan." AFGHANISTAN WAR Trump will also have to decide whether to maintain the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan or change the scope of the mission, 15 years after a U.S.-led campaign toppled the hardline Islamist Taliban government. The United States has spent some $115 billion in aid for Afghanistan since 2002, but the country is still caught in conflict, with a third of the country out of government control and thousands of Afghan civilians, soldiers and police dying every year. Afghan officials have voiced concern that the conflict is being forgotten in Washington, and warned privately that the West will pay a huge price if that continues. "The people of Afghanistan are tired of war. We want (Trump) to invest heavily in bringing peace to war-torn Afghanistan and stabilize our region," said Umer Daudzai, former Afghan minister of interior. Obama's original aim of pulling out of Afghanistan entirely has been put on hold in the face of mounting gains by Taliban militants, with U.S. air power and special forces still regularly involved in combat. As recently as last week, two U.S. Green Berets were killed near the northern city of Kunduz. Although Afghan security forces have been fighting largely alone since the end of the main NATO-led combat mission in 2014, their performance has been patchy and they continue to rely heavily on U.S. air power. The Taliban on Wednesday urged Trump to withdraw all U.S. troops. "They should not cause damage to their economy and their military in this failed war," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said of the American government in a statement. (Additional reporting by Syed Raza Hassan in KARACHI, Douglas Busvine in NEW DELHI and Hamid Shalizi and James Mackenzie in KABUL; Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Mike Collett-White)
Jerusalem (AFP) - A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli soldier with a screwdriver before being shot and wounded at a checkpoint in the northern West Bank on Wednesday, the Israeli army said.

The incident took place at the entrance to Huwwara, south of the city of Nablus, a military statement said.

"In response to the immediate threat, soldiers fired towards the assailant who was detained and is being treated at the scene," the army said, without providing further details on his condition.

The soldier was stabbed in his protective vest and was not injured, the army said.

Since October 2015, violence has claimed the lives of 238 Palestinians, 36 Israelis, two Americans, a Jordanian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese, according to an AFP count.

Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Others were shot dead during protests and clashes, while some were killed in air strikes in the Gaza Strip.

Most of the attacks were by lone-wolf assailants, many of them young people, including teenagers.

Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with the Israeli occupation and settlement construction in the West Bank, comatose peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have helped feed the unrest.

Israel says incitement by Palestinian leaders and media is a leading cause.
Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's office on Wednesday called on US president-elect Donald Trump to work towards a Palestinian state, with peace efforts with Israel long at a standstill.

"We are ready to deal with the elected president on the basis of a two-state solution and to establish a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders," spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP, referring to the year when Israel occupied the West Bank.

Abu Rudeina said failure to resolve the decades-old conflict would mean "the unstable situation will continue in the region".

The Palestinians remain deeply divided, with Abbas's secular Fatah party dominating in the West Bank and Islamist movement Hamas in power in the Gaza Strip.

Reacting to Trump's victory, Hamas said it did not expect a change in US "bias" against the Palestinians.

"The Palestinian people do not count much on any change in the US presidency because the US policy towards the Palestinian issue is a consistent policy on the basis of bias," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP.

"Nevertheless, we hope that US president Trump will re-evaluate this policy and rebalance it on the Palestinian issue."

Peace efforts have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in April 2014.

Much remains unclear about how Trump will approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, however he has already controversially said that he will move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Such a move would break with decades of precedent and put Washington at odds with nearly all UN member states.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the most difficult issues in the conflict.

The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, while the Israelis call the entire city their eternal indivisible capital.
9 Nov - Actor Paulo Avelino recently addressed the issue concerning rumours of romance with model-entrepreneur Natasha Villaroman.



According to Push News, rumours of romance between them sparked recently after Villaroman's mother shared photos of her with Avelino on a trip to Palawan. Although the photos were later deleted, netizens were still able to repost it and begin scrutinising the model.



Villaroman was also criticised by netizens about the surgery she has done on her nose, although her mother Jade later defended her and said that she had it long ago to correct a breathing problem.



When asked about Villaroman recently, Avelino, who appeared at the press conference of his new movie, "The Unmarried Wife", stated that he doesn't like people getting bashed or people making things up just to destroy a person just because they don't like them.



"I don't want to be bashed and I don't want her to get bashed," he said.



While Avelino refused to confirm his real score with Villaroman, he did admit that he is dating someone at the moment. He also shared that he is more interested in a smart rather than beautiful woman, adding, "Smart is the new sexy."



(Photo source: instagram.com/starcinema)
People are handing out pizza to voters in long poll lines, not all heroes wear capes

Long lines at the polls are an amazing indication that more people than ever are exercising their right to vote on November 8th. In an effort to make sure voters dont go hungry while they wait to to perform their civic duty, people are handing out pizza to voters in long poll lines.

The grassroots effort, called Pizza to the Polls, allows citizens to connect with hungry voters as they wait in line to vote in this historic election. You can easily donate to Pizza to the Polls online, and the team will do the rest of the work by delivering food to polling stations where people are experiencing long wait times.

Pizza to the Polls (@PizzaToThePolls) could be the heroes of #ElectionDay. In Crust We Trust pic.twitter.com/95yQFREIdf  Alyssa Vidales (@instalyssa) November 8, 2016

Send us reports of long lines and well send in the delicious reinforcements, the website states. Voters in long lines can alert Pizza to the Polls by submitting information on the site itself, or by tweeting at the @Pizzatothepolls Twitter account.

After the initiatives launch on Sunday, nearly $18,000 has been raised and 273 pizzas have been ordered. Pizza to the Polls twitter account is currently providing updates on where those pies are being delivered.

Are you standing in a long voting line today? Pizza to the Polls may help! https://t.co/NRzIu2Pk3Apic.twitter.com/QmcDuvBE0G  USA Genocide Now (@CyborgN8VMari) November 8, 2016

If pizza isnt your jam, dont fret  voters in East Hollywood have received breakfast burritos and bagels, and bagels are also being delivered to some polling stations in Philadelphia.

Story continues

Prior to the Pizza to the Polls initative, the team behind the effort ran a politically-themed Twitter account called TrumpHands Pac. The PACs treasurer Scott Duncombe explained that theyve chosen to engage in a friendlier effort this time, as reported by TIME.

I felt the joy of handing people, in line or volunteering, a pizza, Ducombe explained. Its for everyone whos there: voters, poll workers, volunteers. Were just trying to bring a little bit of joy to people waiting to vote.

#pizzatothepolls Polling place on Sunnyside in Chicago. At least a two hours wait. Bring on the pizza! A photo posted by Scarlett Horton (@helloscarmander) on Nov 7, 2016 at 2:03pm PST

The fact that an anti-Trump account has chosen to use their platform to support all voters in long lines is further proof that #LoveTrumpsHate and we are indeed stronger together  and, personally, I cant think of a better way to unite the American people than by giving them some much-needed pizza while they wait to cast their votes.

The post People are handing out pizza to voters in long poll lines, not all heroes wear capes appeared first on HelloGiggles.
Deuba meets Indian leaders

Nepali Congress President and former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Tuesday met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Indian capital.
By Dominique Vidalon

PARIS (Reuters) - French spirits group Pernod Ricard (PERP.PA) said on Wednesday Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. election will not change its investment plans in the United States, its biggest market.

Pernod, which makes Havana Club rum though a joint venture with the Cuban government, told Reuters it was waiting for more details on Trump's stance on the communist-ruled island.

"We are not really worried and will maintain our investment plans (in the U.S.)," a group spokesman told Reuters.

Pernod Ricard makes 17 percent of its sales in the United States, where it benefits from a growing taste for higher-priced spirits at a time of more sluggish growth in China.

The group has been waiting for decades to be allowed to sell its Cuban-made rum in the United States and will be able to do so only when Washington's economic embargo is lifted.

In March, Barack Obama made the first visit to Havana by a U.S. president in 88 years. His trip was made possible by his breakthrough agreement with Cuban President Raul Castro in December 2014 to cast aside decades of hostility that began soon after Cuba's 1959 revolution.

Since that re-opening of ties, Obama has repeatedly used his executive powers to relax trade and travel restrictions, while pushing Cuba to accelerate market-style reforms and boost political and economic freedom.

In October, an easing of limits on how much rum Americans can bring back from Cuba for personal use bought Pernod Ricard a step closer to being allowed to export its Cuban-made rum directly to U.S. consumers.

Trump's rival, the Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton, backed the policy of rapprochement with Havana.

At a September rally in Miami, which has a large Cuban population, Trump vowed to reverse Obama's moves to open relations with Cuba unless the leaders there allowed religious freedoms and freed political prisoners.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Louise Heavens)
Photo: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters



Singapores Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong congratulated Donald Trump on winning the US Presidential Election, saying that his victory has defied expectations.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday (9 November), Lee said, US voters have elected a President whom they feel best represents them.

Lee also noted that has it been a contentious, ugly election season, which has shown the bitter division in the American people.

Many will celebrate this result, while others will understandably be surprised and disappointed.

Lee also compared Trumps victory to the unexpected Brexit referendum in June and is part of a broader pattern in developed countries. He said that it reflects a deep frustration with the way things are, and a strong wish to reassert a sense of identity, and somehow to change the status quo.

Lee added that Singapore will continue to work with the United States to strengthen their bilateral ties.


Warsaw (AFP) - Poland's president urged US president-elect Donald Trump to keep Washington's promise to deploy troops on NATO's eastern flank amid tensions with Russia.

"Polish-American relations have become an important pillar of the European and transatlantic stability," Polish President Andrzej Duda said in a letter of congratulations.

"We are particularly pleased that during this year's NATO Summit in Warsaw the US decided to increase its military presence in Poland, thereby strengthening the Alliance's Eastern flank.

"We sincerely hope that your leadership will open new opportunities for our cooperation based on mutual commitment."

Trump, a real estate mogul-cum-reality TV star, sparked ire in July among eastern NATO members ruled by Moscow during the Soviet era when he questioned the alliance's key collective security guarantee.

As part of that commitment, NATO leaders endorsed plans this summer to rotate troops into Poland and the three Baltic states to reassure them they would not be left in the lurch if Russia was tempted to repeat its 2014 Ukraine intervention.

The US-led battalion that will begin operations next year in Poland will be stationed near the border with Russia's Kaliningrad exclave.

The US also said in March it would deploy an additional armoured brigade of about 4,200 troops in eastern Europe from early 2017 on a rotational basis.

Moscow has stepped up its presence in the Baltic Sea area. Its jets regularly violate the airspace of smaller ex-Soviet NATO allies like Estonia and in April they even buzzed a US naval destroyer.

Last month Poland criticised Moscow's deployment of nuclear-capable Iskander missiles into its Kaliningrad outpost that borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania.

It also denounced as "aggressive and irresponsible" Russia's subsequent deployment of two warships in the Baltic Sea capable of launching long-range nuclear warheads.
Election Day is finally here, and Spirit Airlines wants you to unwind with a post-polling vacation.

After youve cast your vote, head over to Spirit for fares starting at $35. Reservations must be made by midnight on November 9, and travel dates are valid for Tuesdays and Wednesday from November 15 to February 8.

Highlights from the Spirit Election Day Deal include $35 flights from Atlanta to Las Vegas, Chicago to Orlando (care-free Disney getaway, anyone?), or Dallas to Philadelphia.

Additional one-way flights can be found for $55 and $75, though unfortunately, none of them will get you out of the country.

And in the very divided state of Ohio, Spirit is celebrating their foray into the Akron-Canton market (with regularly scheduled flights to Florida) with a Relaxation Station at the North Canton polling center. Locals can complete their ballots, and unwind with free massages and refreshments.

Unfortunately, refreshments and massages are definitely not free on Spirit Airlines flights.

While you can score an ultra-cheap deal with this budget carrier, be careful about extra fees for carry-on bags, assigned seats, and bottles of water. (And the less you spend with Spirit, the more reward miles youll earnso skip the in-flight snacks.)

Related Articles
Image courtesy Giphy

On Wednesday, more than 47.5 percent of American voters  making up the majority of the popular vote  either went to sleep with, or woke up to, the knowledge that their candidate, Hillary Clinton, had lost the electoral vote and thus, the election. News that Donald Trump is officially our 45th president is more than just a shocking upset for these people: For many of them, its cause for real, clinical grief.

CNN posted a montage of people breaking down in public as they realized the Republican candidate was taking a strong lead. Even some newscasters and pundits were having difficulty hiding their outrage. CNN political commentator Van Jones choked back tears during live coverage of the election as he wondered aloud what kind of example a Trump presidency would set for the future of America, citing Trumps bigotry, bullying, and lack of preparation for debates. And, of course, social media was flooded with expressions of grief from Hillary supporters and third-party voters. On Wednesday, two trending hashtags  #NotMyPresident and #StillWithHer  were devoted to reactions of people distraught to see Trump take office.

Devastation and frustration echoed through the Javits Center as it became clear that Donald Trump won the election https://t.co/yjgX8Acbti pic.twitter.com/fGBM5WjqJe  CNN (@CNN) November 9, 2016

Never did I think Id cry myself to sleep bc of an election. Heres to a better tomorrow. Love you all, tweeted one person. Todays Trump-related Twitter trends are a precise demonstration of the Kubler-Ross Five Stages of Grief model, wrote another.

Never did I think I'd cry myself to sleep bc of an election. Here's to a better tomorrow. Love you all ????#StillWithHer #LoveTrumpsHate  Vera Farmiga  (@VeraFarmigasEye) November 9, 2016

Today's Trump-related Twitter trends are a precise demonstration of the Kubler-Ross Five Stages of Grief model #NotMyPresident #StillWithHer pic.twitter.com/QCFptx1CV7  WildGooseBWC (@WildGoose9000) November 9, 2016

For many, tears of heartbreak replaced tears of hope. One of the hardest parts of this [election] for me is remembering the absolute joy I felt going to the polls yesterday in my white outfit, crying tears of happiness, says Jessica Cerretani of Massachusetts, where 61 percent of people voted for Clinton. I saw that in the faces of other voters too. Today I feel dead inside and am in disbelief that our country supports this kind of hate. Im numb. I also find this super-triggering: It is essentially the equivalent of being told to Sit down and shut up, you dumb b***h.'

Cerretani is, of course, referring to the accusations of sexual assault and misogyny lobbed at Trump during his entire presidential campaign. For many victims of sexism and sexual violence, it is terrifying and difficult to fathom that a man who allegedly assaulted women and bragged about sexual assault could become the leader of the free world.

Raise your hand if you feel personally victimized by the American people ???? #themorningafter #election #stillwithher  Helena Rose (@HelenabadgerDGF) November 9, 2016

If I, a white woman, am this terrified, it's staggering to put myself in the shoes of LGBTQ, POC,

etc. #HesNotMyPresident #stillwithher  olivia [pb] (@dicaprio4everxo) November 9, 2016

But its not only Trumps transgressions that smack of sexism; the very fact that the candidate who lost is female has made many women feel targeted and victimized by their own government  and by 49 percent of the citizens of their own country.

I think the grief started before the election was even called for Trump, admits Nicole Mertineit, also of Massachusetts. I started feeling sick to my stomach and panicky. I was overcome with emotion  for myself, my friends and family members, and for the country. I woke up this morning with a migraine. I havent been able to eat anything all day. I feel this profound sense of loss.

Afraid of playing into the stereotype of the hyperemotional woman, Hillary supporter Shannon Stewart, a mother of two girls, tells Yahoo Beauty that when she learned the election results, she felt grief, but she didnt cry. You know why? Crying will only make me appear more like This is how women cope: They cant handle it when they dont get their way. I dont want to appear dramatic. Isnt that the saddest thing ever? Stewart admits her grief is manifesting in other ways. I have a stiff neck and I cant seem to focus on anything.

But no one should feel afraid to let their true emotions out. Visceral grief responses are normal reactions to an abnormal  and hard to believe  series of events, says licensed mental health counselor Diana Nash, who specializes in bereavement counseling. In addition to typical depression- and anxiety-related symptoms, such as tears and rage, losing focus is a typical reaction, Nash tells Yahoo Beauty.

And its important to note that its not just women that are grieving the election outcome. Writer Jef Rouner of Texas, the majority of which voted for Trump, tells Yahoo Beauty, The grief I felt as Donald Trumps election became inevitable was terrible. I watched a map turn red, and through the vortex of the future I could hear the thousands of men that would gleefully tear my wife, my daughter, and my friends down for the crime of being female until they day they died. Trump has repowered the worst of humanity, and after wed come so far its a bitter pill to swallow.

And in Clintons adopted home state of New York, voter Joel Hamilton tells Yahoo Beauty of the moment grief struck him, and grappling with the task of breaking the news of the election to his 7-year-old daughter. Waking up to a beautiful sunset drained of hope  I told her Trump had won the election, but New York City had voted for Hillary.  Hillary represented something to her, and therefore me, that transcended email servers and campaign promises.  I then reminded her that we would stay close, that love is the most important thing we have, and we would be OK.

Psychoanalyst Deb Sandella expands on the scope of grief for individuals and their families. Grief is not an event; it is a process, she tells Yahoo Beauty. Be patient and compassionate with yourself. It will eventually pass; however, it does take time for the body to process the many feelings of loss, [such as] shock, helplessness, anger, and sadness. Sandella suggests that the grief-stricken begin expressing the feelings into words. If [youre] alone, write them on paper or speak with a like-minded friend. She encourages letting emotions flow instead of bottling them up, so they dont take up residence in the body and cause depression or physical symptoms.

Nash offers some of her own solutions for coping in the short term. I would suggest that to get through your day  whether in the workplace or life in general  it would be a good plan to have a safe place to go if tears well up: outside for a walk, down the hall for a break, or in the shower as you wash up in the a.m. She notes that recovering from grief is a two-pronged process: healing on the inside and the outside. She says, Healing on the inside can include meditation, relaxation exercises, praying, or talking with a dear trusted friend or family member. Eating and sleeping well are most important. Treatment for the outside can involve a warm bath, viewing greenery in nature, a walk through a beautiful museum or art gallery  or reaching out to listen to and help others or talking with a grief counselor.

Nash urges people to be forthcoming about their feelings, as hard as it can be. Whether your daily routine involves work, school, caring for children, or basically anything else that requires showing up and interacting with people, have a phrase ready to reply to others, such as, Im not myself today. Still reeling from the election news.' She adds that acknowledging your emotions is part of the process toward healing. This first stage of numbness will pass as you share your feelings with others, Nash says.

Some reports have indicated that election-related grief is leading to thoughts of self-harm and suicide, especially among young people, and that calls to suicide hotlines reached capacity on election night and Nov. 9. Yahoo Beauty reached out to Frances Gonzalez, director of communications at the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, who said, The Lifeline did see an increase in calls over the past few days, though we have been able to manage the volume thanks to our national network of crisis centers and backup centers. Gonzalez recommends managing negative emotions by sticking to routines, seeking social support, limiting interaction with things that might aggravate your stress, and being compassionate. And if youre experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline immediately at 800-273-8255.

If youre in the presence of someone who youre sure is experiencing postelection grief, and you want to console them, Nash suggests being present with them, and witnessing their grief, mostly by being with them and listening without judgment as they express their feelings. It is best to say something like, I cant know totally how you feel, but I am here to listen to you as you tell me how you feel.'

The invitation is for Trump supporters to be compassionate and careful not to gloat, because our relationships are more important than our differences, notes Sandella. Its time to unify and come together. Allowing grieving folks to express without trying to fix them is perfect. Listening compassionately shows them that someone sees them and cares about them.

Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Credit: Newshub

When 16-year-old Rhianna Truman first discovered that she was pregnant earlier this year, it was a bittersweet moment.

The teenager is suffering from a rare form of terminal bone cancer. Doctors told her that if she decided to have the baby, theyd be limited with treatments until after the babys birth.

Despite initial opposition from well-meaning family and friends, Truman opted to put the cancer treatment on hold and have the baby.

When I found out, I was pretty scared, but I didnt want to give up on my baby. I think it was the right decision to keep it, Truman said in an interview.

At the age of 12, the New Zealand girl was diagnosed with adamantinoma  a rare bone tumor that was found in her leg and that eventually spread to her lungs. Truman says that chemo and radiation didnt work, so doctors were prepared to start a new drug on her until she became pregnant.

It was a hard decision at the time. For me, it was the right thing to do, Truman said.

Thankfully, the pregnancy is running smoothly and Trumans scheduled to give birth to a healthy baby boy through C-section next week.

Hes growing like a normal baby except hes a bit small, but thats normal for my health so theyre not worried at all, Truman said in an interview with a New Zealand station.

If anything were to happen to Truman during childbirth or down the road, her baby will be left in the care of her partner and her family.

If I die, Im going to be happy. Because for me, I have lived my life and my son will hopefully be grateful that I chose to have him, Truman said.

Still, the teenager remains as optimistic as possible about her future.

I am worried, but I will 100 per cent try to beat this, she said. Everyone has obstacles you are going to have to jump over in life. Sometimes I will fall over, but I will get back up and keep fighting.




Edu Ministry: Junior grades must for Plus Two institutes

The Ministry of Education has finalised the Education Regulation in line with the Education Act amended three months ago, making downstream classes mandatory for all the higher secondary schools (HSS) currently running only grade 11 and 12.
Trump with coal miner's helmet

Donald Trumps surprise victory in the presidential election opens the way for a profound reversal in environmental policies, even as officials are working on implementing this years Paris climate agreement.

During the campaign, Trump repeatedly declared that climate concerns were a hoax, and that he intends to cancel U.S. compliance with the pact that was reached in Paris.

The agreement, which officially entered into force just five days ago, currently calls on the United States to reduce carbon emissions by at least 26 percent from its 2005 levels over the next nine years.

This week, officials from more than 200 nations are meeting in Morocco to hash out the details surrounding implementation of the agreement. Officials and activists said they would soldier on despite Trumps past statements.

Its clear that Donald Trump is about to be one of the most powerful people in the world, but even he does not have the power to amend and change the laws of physics, to stop the impact of climate change, to stop the rising sea levels, Alden Meyer, director of strategy and policy for the Union of Concerned Scientists, told reporters in Marrakesh. He has to acknowledge to reality of climate change. He has a responsibility as president-elect now.

European officials invited Trump to participate in a summit at your earliest convenience to discuss climate change and other shared challenges. We need all our partners on board, the European Unions climate commissioner, Arias Canete, said in a tweet.

Trump struck a conciliatory tone in his Election Night remarks, but he hasnt yet signaled that hed soften his stand against significant cutbacks in carbon emissions. In a statement provided last month to Science Debate, he hinted that itd be better to devote resources to providing clean water, eliminating diseases such as malaria, and increasing food production and energy production.

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The man in charge of the Trump transition teams working group on environmental issues is Myron Ebell, a policy analyst at the Competitive Enterprise Institute whos a harsh critic of policies to combat climate change.

A leading candidate for energy secretary, according to Politico, is Oklahoma billionaire Harold Hamm. Hes the CEO of Continental Resources, one of the nations top oil producers. Another oil magnate, Forrest Lucas, is said to be on the short list for interior secretary.

Oil and coal production figure prominently in Trumps energy policy, and today that provided a lift for fossil-fuel companies while dealing a blow to renewable-energy firms in the stock market. Looking ahead, the Trump administration is more likely to give favorable treatment to projects such as the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Keystone XL pipeline.

On other issues relating to science and technology, Trump generally favors reducing government oversight and giving more leeway to the private sector. Here are a few nuggets from past pronouncements:

Health research: The bad news for researchers is that more than a year ago, right-wing radio host Michael Savage told Trump during a call-in show that he wanted to be appointed head of the National Institutes of Health. Youd get common sense if that were the case, that I can tell you, because I hear so much about the NIH and its terrible, Trump replied. The good news is that one of Trumps top advisers, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, has said NIHs budget should be doubled. The unsettling news is that Trump has been quoted as linking vaccinations to autism, a view that runs counter to public-health wisdom.

Healthy young child goes to doctor, gets pumped with massive shot of many vaccines, doesn't feel good and changes  AUTISM. Many such cases!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2014

Americas space effort: Trump and his advisers have emphasized the role of commercial ventures such as SpaceX in space exploration and commerce. Public-private partnerships should be the foundation of our space efforts, policy advisers Bob Walker and Peter Navarro said in a Space News op-ed last month. Walker told Space News that hed put more emphasis on solar-system exploration and less on Earth science. For years, Republicans have been critical of President Barack Obamas plans to have astronauts study an asteroid by the mid-2020s  and theres a chance that mission will be de-emphasized in favor of lunar exploration. During the 2012 presidential campaign, Gingrich advocated creating a moon colony by 2020.

It is very sad to see what @BarackObama has done with NASA. He has gutted the program and made us dependent on the Russians.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2012

Tech innovation: Trump says hes a supporter of technological innovation, which he calls one of the great by-products of free markets. Though there are increasing demands to curtail spending and to balance the federal budget, we must make the commitment to invest in science, engineering, healthcare and other areas that will make the lives of Americans better, safer and more prosperous, he told Science Debate. However, most tech industry leaders saw Hillary Clinton as the savvier candidate, and mending relations is likely to pose a huge challenge.

More from GeekWire:
Nov 9 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories from selected Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

** The stunning victory by Donald Trump in the U.S. election throws into disarray Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's goal of forging a North American energy and climate strategy. https://tgam.ca/2fRS999

** Canadian aerospace supplier Cormer Group Industries Inc is suing Bombardier Inc for C$25 million ($19 million) in damages, saying it was blindsided by the plane maker's sudden decision to suspend its Learjet 85 luxury-jet development program. https://tgam.ca/2fRNxzO

** Marijuana was one of the winners of an otherwise bitterly divisive presidential election campaign, as voters in several states voted to support measures that would permit some legal use of the drug. https://tgam.ca/2fRM64c

NATIONAL POST

** The need for Canada to adopt better aboriginal consultation practices is "at the heart" of a newly appointed National Energy Board review panel, Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr said Tuesday. http://bit.ly/2fRW0Tt

** Ontario finance minister Charles Sousa unveiled plans on Tuesday to create a new regulator in the province to consolidate and strengthen oversight of credit unions, mortgage brokers, provincial pension plans and provincially registered insurers. http://bit.ly/2fRT09R

** Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp on Tuesday released statistics for national housing starts that show the British Columbia market numbers falling fast, a development that comes in the wake of new mortgage financing rules from Ottawa that went into effect last month. http://bit.ly/2fRWngX ($1 = C$1.34) (Compiled by Shalini Nagarajan in Bengaluru)
Nov 9 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories in the Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- Drugstore giant Walgreen Co. has sued its former lab-testing partner Theranos Inc. in federal court in Delaware, alleging it breached a contract between the two companies. http://on.wsj.com/2eCawZq

- Alphabet Inc. pushed out two managers on its drone-delivery project amid infighting on its team casting the program's future in uncertainty and marking the latest setback for a Google sister company. http://on.wsj.com/2eC6FMj

- U.S. officials said a Chinese aluminum magnate is sidestepping U.S. trade sanctions, the latest development in federal attempts to rein in a flood of cheap metal imports that have overwhelmed U.S. producers. http://on.wsj.com/2ezXCeK

- The European Union is considering freezing negotiations over Turkey's decades-long bid to join the bloc as tensions flare over the measures the government has taken in the wake of July's failed coup attempt. http://on.wsj.com/2eC7aps

- Amazon.com could be the next company to come under scrutiny by Europe's taxman, and the stakes could be especially high for the Seattle online retailer because it operates on slim margins. http://on.wsj.com/2eIdpLI

- Chocolate maker Mondelez International Inc. on Tuesday defended its decision in the U.K. to change the shape of a version of its Toblerone chocolate bar-lengthening the gaps between the chocolate "peaks" that slide out of the brand's familiar triangular packaging. http://on.wsj.com/2fB3XYl

- Investor Carl Icahn more than doubled his stake in Hertz Global Holdings Inc on Tuesday, the same day the rental-car firm's stock plunged in the wake of disappointing financial results and a lowered annual outlook. http://on.wsj.com/2eC35BS

- GoPro is recalling its new Karma drone after a few units lost power during flight. GoPro said no injuries or property damage have been reported. http://on.wsj.com/2eC5uMJ (Compiled by Vishal Sridhar in Bengaluru)
The city of Orlando has almost sealed the deal to make Pulse nightclub, where 49 people were murdered and 53 wounded by a lone gunman in June, into a memorial.

The mass shooting, which was the deadliest in modern U.S. history, rocked the hearts of Americans and has now prompted the city to make the site a monument.

Read: Survivor of Pulse Nightclub Massacre 'So Happy' After Taking His First Steps Since Shooting

"This location is now a permanent part of Orlando's history. It's the site of the most tragic event that has ever occurred in the city of Orlando," Mayor Buddy Dyer said in the statement. "We want our entire community to be a part of this site. With the city owning the property, we can engage in a public process to determine the future of the Pulse property and building."

The Orlando City Council will vote Monday on whether to approve the $2.25 million purchase of the gay nightclub.

Barbara Poma, who bought the club with a partner in honor of her brother who died from AIDS, told CNN that she realized that letting go was the best way to keep his memory intact.

Poma reportedly originally opened the club to keep her brothers spirit alive.

Read: Orlando Shooter's Wife Opens Up, 6 Months After Pulse Nightclub Massacre: 'I Was Unaware'

"Never could I have imagined that the building we built as Pulse Nightclub would not be a part of my daily life. Pulse was a huge part of my heart, my soul and my family," Poma said in a statement. "As difficult as it is for me to part with Pulse, this transaction ensures that what has become a sacred site will be properly memorialized for generations to come."

City officials said the site would remain the as-is for the next 12 to 18 months because it has become a gather place for mourners and that they would inquire of the community about how the memorial should go forward.

Watch: Orlando Gunman Omar Mateen Frequented Pulse Nightclub, Used Gay Dating Apps

Related Articles:
Moscow (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said Moscow is ready to contribute to rebuilding relations with the United States with Donald Trump as president.

"We have heard the pre-election statements by then-candidate (Trump), which were directed at rebuilding relations between Russia and the US," Putin said during a speech before several ambassadors in the Kremlin.

"We understand that this will not be an easy path considering the unfortunate degradation of relations," he said. "But Russia is ready and wants to restore full-fledged relations with the US."

"We are ready to do our part and do everything to return (US-Russian) relations to the trajectory of development," he said.

"This would be in the interest of Russian and American people and would positively affect the general climate in international relations, considering the special responsibility of Russia and the US for ensuring global stability and security."

Putin earlier became one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump via a telegram for his surprise triumph over Hillary Clinton.

Putin has tacitly supported Trump during the campaign, while Trump repeatedly flattered and praised the Russian leader and said he was willing to work with him.

Russia's parliament on Wednesday broke into applause upon learning of Trump's win, and Russian markets climbed up, against the global slump on the news.
Raoul Coutard, the renowned cinematographer who collaborated with Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut and Jacques Demy on classics of the French new wave, died Tuesday near Bayonne, France. He was 92 His death was reported by Le Figaro and AFP.

Coutard shot more than 75 films over nearly 50 years, including iconic films such as Godards Breathless and Contempt and Truffauts Shoot the Piano Player and Jules and Jim.

Coutardss first movie with Godard was the groundbreaking 1960 Breathless, shot in black and white with the hand-held camera and natural lighting he became known for. He went on to shoot films including A Woman is a Woman, Band of Outsiders, Pierrot le Fou, Alphaville, Weekend, Two or Three Things I Know About Her and later films Passion and First Name: Carmen for the iconoclastic director.

Though he often clashed with Godard, he told the Guardian in 2001 that Godard said, We will shoot this film as if we were reporting a story. And since I was a photo-journalist, that suited me.

In the late 1960s, Coutard shot Truffauts The Bride Wore Black and Costa-Gavras Z before making his directing debut with the Vietnamese-set Hoa-Binh in 1970, which was nominated for the best foreign film Oscar and won Cannes best first film prize.

Born in Paris, Coutard fought in the French Indochina War and then lived in Vietnam for 11 years as a war photographer and freelancer. He thought he was being hired as a still photographer on his first film, Pierre Schoendoerffers La Passe du Diable.

His last credit was for Philippe Garrels 2001 film Wild Innocence.

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I drew many parallels between Mahayoddha Ram and the state of society today.

In the midst of ADHM and Shivaay, I decided to catch the animated Mahayoddha Ram. It wasnt as bad as some said. Infact I was in for a surprise!

Im a self-confessed mytho junkie - Ive read every Hindu and Greek mythology book I could lay my hands on (Bhakt Alert - Im not one). So after I got tired of I like Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, I hate Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, KJo is a genius, KJo should retire and Shivaay I want my money back stuff on my timeline, I decided to catch Mahayoddha Rama, a modern-telling of Ramayana by director Rohit Vaid. Yes, I did feel a little out of place surrounded by a bunch of kids, but once the lights went out.

Now both the story and the hero of Valmikis Ramayana have always been problematic:

1. There is no clear antagonist till 2/3rds of the story is over. You would think its Ramas step-mother Kaikeyi who insists on his 13 year exile. But suddenly in the last year of his exile, Surpanakha happens to come across Rama and falls for him, triggering Laxman to cut off her nose, which in turn triggers Ravan to abduct Sita. As a writer I have always asked the question- what if Surpanakha did not stumble upon pretty boy Rama that day?

As Ravana in the film says, Na rahega Ram, na banegi Ramayana! No brotherly revenge, no Sita abduction, no surgical strike into Lanka! (yes it dates back to ancient times)

2. The Maryada Purushottam (the upholder of his word, the most superior man) Rama who battles a demon-king Ravana to rescue his wife Sita, takes a 180 degree turn and abandons his pregnant wife. Doesnt quite add up.

Mahayoddha Rama is a brand new take on the Ramayana

In Mahayoddha Rama this story arc has been addressed - Gulshan Grover as Ravana is omnipresent. He realizes Vishnus avatar has been sent on earth, who in time to come will be the death of him. So throughout the story, its Ravana who attacks Rama in different forms, even influencing Manthra and Kaikeyi to send Rama into exile, where he can deal with him by himself.

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The second has conveniently been left out- the film ends just after the battle, not getting into Sitas abandonment. Considering the film is meant for kids, that was probably a smart move. They have enough time to deal with relationship issues when they grow up. In that its a brand new take on the Ramayana - a 10 headed schizo Ravana with 10 talking heads confusing the hell out of him (voiced by the late Sadashiv Amarpurkar, Ameen Sayani, Roshan Abbas and the ultimate Bad Man - Gulshan Grover) AKA major 90s throwback!

More From 101 India: People



The usually serious and serene Rama is a mischievous tiger-fighting prince who grows up into a romantic hero (with hair that belongs in a shampoo commercial) and indulges in a beautiful hand dance on his wedding anniversary with his wife of 13 years. (Sigh!)

Sita is fresh as a warrior princess- an expert swordswoman, a talented archer fighting off demons shoulder to shoulder with Rama and Laxman in the forest. It was SUCH a relief seeing an empowered Sita for a change instead of the usual damsel-in-distress waiting to be rescued. And the claps from the kids in the audience reaffirmed this when Sita gives a flying kick to Ravanas 10 heads! I could hear murmurs of approval from my feminist friend sitting next to me. A true 90s heroine.

It was SUCH a relief seeing an empowered Sita for a change instead of the usual damsel-in-distress

But the one who clearly steals the show is Gulshan Grover as Ravana. Hes power-hungry. In the films most iconic scene where he stands on one foot during his tapasya demanding of Brahma, Mujhe sab chahiye! with his signature Bad Man laugh, he reminds me of a manipulative dictator who shuts down any form of dissent, even when it comes from one of his own heads who happens to be a Ram-bhakt. He is quietly put to sleep. In his defense, the head was being anti-national. And you know what that means. Also I couldnt help but notice his more than 56 inch chhaati with which he manipulates his army to fight a side who comes to rescue one of their own. Hmmm

More From 101 India: The Man Who Would Be Ravana | 101 Heartland



Kunal Kapoor and Naagin Mouni Roy lend their voices to Rama and Sita. And everyones go-to character - actor Jimmy Shergill, plays Laxman. A cool element was an ancient form of social media - Udti Khabar, that could make every piece of news go viral. The beginnings of Facebook?

The music has a retro feel, the lyrics are grand and the rhyming dialogues have the makings of a Mogambo Khush Hua refrain.

Some of the Laugh Out Loud moments of the movie are -

- Ravana dressed like a dandy to go to Sitas swayamvar. He asks his wife Mandodari not to wait for dinner. Its also mentioned that theyre going through couples counseling. Love that!

- A 10 head cut-out in Ravanas door for him to go through.

- A moon-walking Laxman.

- Sitas flying kick to Ravanas 10 heads.

- Punjabi speaking Vanars.

- Bihari speaking Kaikeyi (Considering shes from the kingdom of Kaikeya, which is now Bihar).





More From 101 India: Creepers | 101 Shorts

After watching the film I met the Director Rohit Vaid. Heres a 101 with him.

Me: Does Ravana have a split personality in your film?

Rohit: He has multiple personalities. Many in one.

Me: Are you more Ram or Ravana?

Rohit: 60-40

Me: Why mythology?

Rohit: We have a treasure trove of stories. Theyre gathering dust and time is passing by. This is an attempt to rejuvenate and give them a fighting chance. And I really wanted to make a Ramayana that didnt put me to sleep.

Me: Has your film - 9 years in the making, set a record?

Rohit: 2 years in making. 7 years in banwaas.

Me: If this was live action, who would play Ram and Ravana?

Rohit: Exactly the same people and some serious VFX.

Me: Who was the most fun actor to work with?

Rohit: Gulshan Grover. He was an institution of madness and learning.

Me: Are you trying to educate or entertain kids with your version of Ramayana?

Rohit: Entertain. Education could be a by-product. Not my endeavour.

Me: Have you received more praise or censure for your film?

Rohit: Praise from most. Censure, sure from the puritans and traditionalists.

Me: Whats the worst thing someone said about your film

Rohit: To my face? Nothing. A couple of critics have had a field day.  Rama-yawn.

Me: And the best?

Rohit: The most unexpected rendition. Madcap and truly Ramayana unleashed 2016.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are independent views solely of the author(s) expressed in their private capacity and do not in any way represent or reflect the views of 101india.com
Luca Teuchmann/WireImage

Rachel Hunter, the New Zealand-born model who was married to rocker Rod Stewart, has put her home in West Hollywood, CA, back on the market. This time shes asking $5 million, says Variety. However, if youd like to rent the place, its a mere $20,000 a month.

The quirky English countrystyle home features a living room with beamed ceiling and leaded glass bay window, a dining room with fireplace and chandelier, a kitchen with glazed white cabinets and farmhouse sink, and a master suite with balcony. The house has five bedrooms, three baths, and a dogleg pool.

Variety says Hunter bought the property in April 2004 for $2,425,000. She listed it for sale in 2006 for $3.6 million, cutting the price to $2,995,000 before taking it off the market in August 2007. The property was listed again, in February 2008 for $3.25 million.

The home is nowhere near the priciest in the coveted 90069 ZIP codethere are currently more than 10 listings priced above $10 million.

Exterior realtor.com

Kitchen realtor.com

Hunter, who hosts Rachels Tour of Beauty for Imagination Television, was 21 when she met Stewart, who is 24 years her senior. They married in 1990, then divorced in 2006. They have two children.

For more photos and details, check out the full listing.

Homes for sale in West Hollywood, CA

Learn more about West Hollywood, CA

The post Ravishing Rachel Hunter Relists Her Hollywood Home for $5M appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com.
Demand for offices expected to normalize despite supply glut.

A record winning land bid of S$1,689 psf for a CBD land parcel on Central Boulevard - a 67% premium to the reserve price and 16% higher than the second highest bid - supports a positive outlook for office REITs, said Jefferies.

According to the research house, it suggests a normalization of demand and indicates room for further cap rate compression.

IOI Properties Group has bid the highest amount of S$2.58B for a 1.1-ha white site on Central Boulevard. This is the first land sale in Singapore's Marina Bay in nine years. The offer price, equivalent to S$1,689 per square foot of gross floor area, is a record for a Singapore government land sale, exceeding the earlier highest price set in 2007 when the adjacent land parcel, where Asia Square Tower 1 currently stands was sold for S$1,409 per square foot.

It is a 67% premium to the reserve price of S$1.54B, and a 16% premium to the second highest bid of S$2.2B from Mapletree Investments.

The reserve site was supposedly triggered by Nanshan Group Singapore who placed the third highest bid of S$2.18B.

Comments from news articles suggest that the developer is contemplating an office-only development on the site which can yield about 1.29M sq. ft. of office GFA.

Here's more from Jeferries:

Supports a positive outlook for office REITs in the medium term - The 67% premium to the reserve price did come as a positive surprise to us. We had earlier highlighted in our periodical that our channel checks suggest bids in excess of 30% premium to the reserve price.

While the sub sector is facing an excess supply situation currently, developers are expecting demand levels to normalize in medium term. Since 2014, annual net absorption has ranged at 200K-400K sq. ft. versus the historical average of 1.1M sq. ft. CCT's proposed redevelopment of Golden Shoe Car Park, along with the development at Central Boulevard site, would stretch the million plus supply pipeline well into 2021.

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Room for further cap rate compression - Break-even price for the development is likely to range at S$2,700-2,800 psf. At the current annual net Grade A rent of S$90, indicative NOI yield is about 3.2-3.3% versus current valuation cap rates of 3.75-4.25% for listed office REITs with Grade A buildings in their portfolio.

Earlier this year, BlackRock had sold Asia Square Tower 1 for S$2,700 psf on NLA to Qatar Investment Authority and is currently seeking bids for Asia Square Tower 2. It will be interesting to see at what price the office block changes hands and compare this against any comments on development margins for the proposed development.





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Everest Trail Race begins on Friday

Annapurna Treks and Expedition (ATE) is organising the sixth edition of the Everest Trail Race from Friday.
LONDON (Reuters) - Every year in November, villages, towns and cities across Britain honour those who have lost their lives in war on Remembrance Sunday. While Queen Elizabeth leads tributes at a national service of remembrance at The Cenotaph war memorial in central London, various neighbourhoods also hold their own local marches and memorials. For the last eight years, Reuters photographer Kevin Coombs has attended the annual parade in his London neighbourhood of Fulham, capturing on camera the military personnel and brass bands taking to the streets as well as those watching them from the sidelines. From residents looking out their windows to dog walkers and a road sweeper stopping in their tracks, his pictures show people watching the march from near and far, some deeply moved by the occasion. For a photo essay, click here: http://reut.rs/2ehMOqt (Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
By Matt Spetalnick and Arshad Mohammed WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some Republican foreign policy veterans who came out against Donald Trump during the presidential campaign said on Wednesday they were sticking to their guns following his election victory, but a few others signaled that objections to serving in his new administration were softening. Trumps stunning upset over Democrat Hillary Clinton has created a new dilemma for the Republican national security establishment, much of which had publicly distanced itself from their own partys candidate, declaring him unfit to lead. They must now decide whether to return to the fold. Some career diplomats, intelligence officials and military officers are also facing a choice of whether to quit their posts because of concern that a Trump presidency would violate their principles, or else stay and try to influence policy from the inside. However, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said, I wouldn't expect a mass exodus. About 150 of the Republican partys most prominent national security specialists signed open letters in March and August in outright opposition to Trumps candidacy. One said he was "utterly" unqualified for the White House. The other warned that he would be the most reckless president in American history. While neither letter said the former officials would never work for Trump, their scathing critique was clearly intended to discourage fellow Republicans from supporting him. Trump responded at the time by deriding them as members of "the failed Washington elite" who "deserve the blame for making the world such a dangerous place." A number of the signatories contacted by Reuters on Wednesday made clear that they were unswayed from their negative view of Trump and would not work for him. However, they stopped short of urging others to also shun the next administration, which is widely seen as having limited foreign policy expertise at a time when the next president will face the challenges of Syrias civil war, the fight against Islamic State, a newly assertive Russia and the rise of China. I dont expect to be asked. I wouldnt serve. But there are others who will. It will be a matter of individual conscience, said Eliot Cohen, who served as counselor to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and helped spearhead the March letter, which was posted on a blog called War on the Rocks and created a stir among Republicans. Im concerned about his ignorance, the belligerence, the misunderstanding of how the world works, Cohen said of Trump, a wealthy real estate developer and former reality TV host who rode to victory on a wave of voter anger toward Washington insiders. Max Boot, a foreign policy adviser to Republican Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign and a supporter of the U.S.-led Iraq invasion in 2003, said: I wont have anything to do with Trump, but I don't know about others. I hope good people go into the government." WAITING AND WATCHING But others appeared to waver, with some saying decisions on whether to join the Trump administration could depend on how the president-elect behaves during the transition and who he appoints to senior posts. Among the Trump allies said to be in consideration are former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich and one-time United Nations ambassador John Bolton for secretary of state, and General Michael Flynn, a former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, for national security adviser. Dov Zakheim, a former Pentagon undersecretary who signed one of the dissent letters, said Trump would have to reach out beyond his circle of supporters to find enough qualified people to fill many important jobs. He will want to show that he is not dividing the Republican party, so he will extend an olive branch to those in the party who opposed him, Zakheim said. Asked whether he expected to be offered a post, he said: I have no idea, as it's not up to me. Bryan McGrath, a retired US Navy officer and co-organizer of the War on the Rocks letter, said he did not expect that those who signed it were signing away employment rights, that they werent going to work in a Trump administration. If the president asks for your service, he said, you have to take that request seriously. Patrick Cronin, an Asia expert and former third-ranking official at USAID under President George W. Bush, said that despite his earlier opposition to Trump, he eventually briefed his transition team and would continue to provide advice. But he said he was not interested in joining the administration. Michael McFaul, President Barack Obamas former ambassador to Moscow and a Clinton supporter in the election, said the Republicans had a deep bench of experience for enlisting foreign policy experts. Even as Trump prepares to form his foreign policy team, some career diplomats, intelligence officials and military officers are facing a post-election quandary. Some said privately before Tuesdays vote they would consider retiring or quitting rather than working under Trump, who alarmed them during the campaign by questioning U.S.-led alliances, praising Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting that Japan and South Korea should be allowed to have nuclear weapons and threatening to order the resumption of interrogation methods condemned as torture. Other officials suggested they would wait to see how he acts once in office and who he names to senior posts, saying the responsibility for government service transcended any one president. If he keeps some of his campaign promises, about the use of torture, for example, many of us have discussed whether we are honor-bound to resign or to stay and try to have some influence from the inside. Its too early to say, one CIA officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity. (Additional reporting by Warren Strobel, David Brunnstrom, Jonathan Landay, Yara Bayoumy, Lesley Wroughton, John Walcott and Mark Hosenball; Editing by James Dalgleish)
richard burr

Republican Sen. Richard Burr is set to win reelection in North Carolina on Tuesday.

According to Fox News and the Associated Press, Burr fended off a tough challenge from Deborah Ross, the former head of the American Civil Liberties Union in the state.

Over the past several months, Ross ran-neck-and-neck with Burr, attempting an upset in a race against in what Democrats viewed as a potential state to flip a Republican seat.

The race narrowed far more than some initial observers predicted, as Ross campaigned hard in districts across the state.

Burr was slow to begin campaigning, and made a series of eyebrow-raising gaffes, including a joke suggesting Clinton should have a "bulls-eye" on her back.

Ross briefly overtook Burr in October polls, but the incumbent Republican senator gained in the public opinion surveys over the past two weeks. The Real Clear Politics average on election day showed Burr with a 2-point lead over Ross, while the FiveThirtyEight forecast showed Burr with a 73% chance of winning.

This post will be updated...

NOW WATCH: How we got here  a recap of this incredible presidential race





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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican Paul Ryan was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives by voters in his Wisconsin district on Tuesday, positioning him to reassert his claim to remain speaker of the House, the highest-ranking post in the U.S. Congress. The 2012 vice presidential nominee, if returned to the speaker's chair by House members, may have a smaller Republican majority to work with if voters elect fewer Republicans. Most House races were still undecided. Like all members of the House, other Republicans were also running for re-election from their home districts, including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana. Along with Ryan, they were expected to seek re-election to their leadership posts. Closed-door leadership elections in both parties were expected to take place later in November. A new speaker will be elected by all members of Congress in January. Ryan, 46, has been speaker since October 2015. His re-election to that job is not certain. Some House conservatives have criticized him, and they may have a stronger hand after Tuesday's voting. A number of Republican lawmakers were angered in October when Ryan said he would not campaign with or defend Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who was in a closely fought race with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Peter Cooney)
Despite an aggressive financial push from Democrats, Republicans cemented their dominance of the nations governors mansions in elections Tuesday, ending the night with their highest number of governorships since 1922.

The GOP flipped control of state executives in Missouri, Vermont and New Hampshire as of early Wednesday. That means the party will hold the governors offices in at least 33 states, up from 31. In a stunning night for Democrats on the national stage, these additional losses pushed the party further into the political wilderness in the states, where they have been struggling to compete for years.

Defending eight of the 12 governorships on the ballot Tuesday, Democratic candidates and the political groups backing them narrowly outspent Republicans on TV ads by about $2.5 million, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of data from media tracker Kantar Media/CMAG. Thats a reversal from 2012, when Republican candidates and committees outspent Democrats by more than $20 million.

Democrats were trying to play catch-up with the fundraising heavyweights of the GOP. Spending on TV ads was only a part of their campaign strategy, to be sure, but those commercials play a critical role in shaping public opinion.

Just three seats were considered safe for Democrats, who had to defend governorships in five of the seven most competitive races, including contests in states Obama lost in 2012 that Donald Trump would go on to win: West Virginia, Montana and Missouri.

North Carolina remained a lone spot of hope for the party that sought to flip it from Republican control. Democratic ad spending topped $19 million in the state  more than one-quarter of the $65 million Democrats spent nationally on governors races in 2016. As of early Wednesday, the too-close-to-call race could be headed to a recount, though Democrat Roy Cooper had claimed victory.

Democratic Governors Association spokesman Jared Leopold remained sanguine about the results. Democrats also will likely hold all three of our incumbents: Governors Steve Bullock, Jay Inslee and Kate Brown, he said. Republicans initially eyed a 4-seat net gain in 2016, and it appears they will fall short.

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Now, Democrats are looking ahead. Already struggling with a thin bench of political stars, Democrats said reversing their shrinking ranks in the states is essential to the future of the party.

To run people for president and Senate, you have to have governors getting ready in the bullpen, said Matt Bennett, a senior official with Third Way, a centrist Democratic think tank.

Spending surges

Overall ad spending surpassed $128 million for the governors races alone, eclipsing total outlays in comparable 2012, when, in addition to 11 gubernatorial contests, Wisconsin held an expensive recall election over Republican Gov. Scott Walker. This years increase was driven, in part, by the high number of open seats. Incumbent governors in five of the most competitive races were either term-limited or not seeking re-election.

No state saw more spending on ads than Missouri, which attracted roughly $36 million  more than twice what was spent in 2012  due in part to an expensive Republican primary. Former Navy SEAL Eric Greitens emerged from the five-way race as the nominee and spent $12.7 million on ads, more than any other candidate in the country.

The spending paid off. He claimed victory Tuesday night. With a Republican legislature, the GOP now controls the state government.

While tiny Vermonts ad spending total was much lower, $5.8 million, it saw the most spending per voter of any state: roughly $12 for each of the states fewer than 500,000 eligible voters. And ad spending in the state represented a tenfold increase over totals in 2012.

But interestingly, Republican Phil Scott won the race despite spending far less on TV ads than Democrat Sue Minter. He got help from the Republican Governors Association-backed group called A Stronger Vermont but still fell behind in the ad war. To voters, that didnt matter. He won with 53 percent of the votes, according to unofficial results.

Outside groups weigh in

Outside spending on TV spots was down from four years ago, when independent groups accounted for roughly a third of ads  but that didnt mean those organizations kept silent. This year, outside groups aired one in five political spots in governors races. Moreover, two of the biggest players funneled large contributions directly to candidates in Indiana and Missouri, states that have no limits on political donations.

The latter became a national focus for Republicans, who saw the Show Me State as a top pick-up opportunity. The Republican Governors Association alone poured $13 million into Greitens campaign, the second-highest contribution the group has ever given in a single year, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of IRS data. Party leaders and GOP mega-donors also pitched in. Republican Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and shipping mogul Richard Uihlein all wrote six-figure checks.

Democrats tried to keep up, with the Democratic Governors Association and a related group contributing $3.7 million to Chris Koster. Out-of-state labor unions and groups donated another $4.2 million. But Team Greitens spent more and won.

Outside groups also played an outsize role in Montana and New Hampshire, where Democrats who sought to retain governorships faced strong Republican challengers.

In Montana, Gov. Steve Bullock squared off against Republican Greg Gianforte, a wealthy tech executive who aired more ads than any candidate in the country this year.

Hoping to offset the Republicans money advantage, the DGA-backed Good Jobs Montana spent more than $2.5 million on ads, flooding the states relatively cheap media markets with at least 13,000 airings. That accounted for more than half of all ads aired by the Democratic side in the gubernatorial race.

All told, both sides spent more than $8 million on political spots in Montana  equivalent to more than $11 per eligible voter, the second highest ratio in the country. The race had not been called as of early Wednesday, though. Bullock narrowly led with 49 percent of the vote, and 74 percent of districts reporting.

In New Hampshire, both sides battled over the governorship now held by Democrat Maggie Hassan, who ran for U.S. Senate. The Democratic Governors Association helped fund a group named Put NH First that poured more than $4 million into advertising to boost nominee Colin Van Ostern.

Aiming to pad its overall gubernatorial dominance, the Republican Governors Association funded Live Free PAC that spent more than $1.6 million on spots for Chris Sununu, a member of the states Executive Council and the son of former Gov. John Sununu. He won with 49 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results.

The RGA did not respond for comment about the national landscape as results were still pending.

Presidential politics play down ballot

All politics might be local, but more than one in 10 gubernatorial ads mentioned either President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump or in several cases, all three. And that was most evident in red states where Democrats fought to maintain control of the governorship. More than one out of every four ads in the West Virginia governors race, for example, attacked Obama and Clinton.

With Trumps well-established popularity in the state, Republican ads hammered Democratic nominee Jim Justice as being aligned with Clinton and the president. But Justice, a billionaire coal magnate and resort owner who was a registered Republican until last year, responded with an ad distancing himself from his partys national leaders.

Lets get this straight: Im a coal man, Justice says in the ad. I have never given money to Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. In fact, I didnt even vote for Obama.

The strategy worked in West Virginia: Both Trump and Justice cruised to victory there.

Justice wasnt alone. Only two Democratic candidates aired ads praising Obama, while nominees in Trump-friendly Missouri and Montana emphasized their independence from national Democrats.

Its just a survival requirement in red states, said Bennett, the Third Way official.

Experts said Democrats have a long road ahead.

The party must defend the Virginia governorship next year while also seeking to flip New Jersey, before turning to 2018, when three dozen states are expected to hold gubernatorial elections.

This story is from The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative media organization in Washington, D.C. Read more of its investigations on the influence of money in politics or follow it on Twitter.
Republicans retained control of Capitol Hill as Democrats managed to flip only two Senate seats in Illinois and New Hampshire.



On Wednesday, Republican Kelly Ayotte conceded her New Hampshire seat to Gov. Maggie Hassan, NBC News reported. The two candidates were separated by a few hundred votes in the state Wednesday afternoon.

Republican incumbent Pat Toomey was the apparent winner in Pennsylvania, NBC News projected. The GOP senator defeated Democrat Katie McGinty in what was the most expensive race ever for a Senate seat .



Republican Sen. Ron Johnson was the likely winner in Wisconsin, NBC News projected. The result was a surprise as Democrat Russ Feingold led Johnson by 2.7 points ahead of the election, according to a RealClearPolitics average.



GOP incumbent Roy Blunt also kept his seat in Missouri, NBC News projected, defeating Democrat Jason Kander.

Republican Todd Young was projected to win a Senate seat in Indiana , according to NBC News.

The retirement of Republican Sen. Daniel Coats opened the field in Indiana, traditionally a red state. As voters headed to the polls, Young was leading the contest by only 0.7, according to a RealClearPolitics average of recent polls.

Democrat Evan Bayh , a former senator and governor, was initially expected to trounce Young by double digits. His lead crumbled amid Republican attacks that characterized Bayh as a self-interested politician who had become disconnected from the people of Indiana.

In Illinois , Democratic congresswoman Tammy Duckworth was projected to win, according to NBC News, ousting incumbent Republican Sen. Mark Kirk . Democrats were also able to keep retiring Sen. Harry Reid 's Nevada Senate seat as Catherine Cortez Masto beat Republican challenger Joe Heck, NBC News projected.

Cortez Masto's victory also makes history as she will become the first Latina U.S. senator.

NBC News projected that GOP incumbent Richard Burr will hold onto his seat in North Carolina , fighting off Democrat Deborah Ross. Republican Sen. John McCain was projected to keep his Arizona seat as expected, according to NBC News.

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Also as expected, Sen. Marco Rubio was projected to win his bid for re-election in Florida , and Republican incumbent Rob Portman was projected for re-election in Ohio , according to NBC News.

NBC News projected that Democratic incumbents Richard Blumenthal , Charles Schumer and Michael Bennet would keep their seats in Connecticut , New York and Colorado , respectively.

GOP incumbent Chuck Grassley is projected to retain his seat in Iowa , NBC News said.



NBC News projected that California Attorney General Kamala Harris defeated fellow Democrat Loretta Sanchez in the Golden State's Senate race. Under California law, the top two vote-getters in the primaries face off in the general election, even if they're in the same party.

Democrats Ron Wyden and Brian Schatz were projected to win in Oregon and Hawaii, respectively, according to NBC News. Democrat Patty Murray and Republican Mike Crapo were projected to win their races in Washington and Idaho, respectively, according to NBC News.

In Louisiana, no candidate has met the required threshold to win the Senate race. Republican John Kennedy and Democrat Foster Campbell will advance to a runoff for the state's Senate seat.

Markets were hoping for continued gridlock between the White House and Congress, which would mean a continuation of the status quo, dampening potential volatility. In particular, markets will be sensitive to the Senate since the GOP was expected to hold onto the House.



Had Hillary Clinton won the presidency, the Democrats needed to win four seats to snatch control of the Senate since her vice president, Tim Kaine , would be the tie-breaking vote. They needed five seats in the event of her loss.



Control of the Senate could be crucial in determining the fate of major legislation, including the Dodd-Frank banking regulations and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau .

Correction: This story was revised to correct that Sen. Patty Murray of Washington is a Democrat.





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Washington (AFP) - Republicans thwarted Democratic efforts to retake Congress in Tuesday's historic US election, using a show of conservative force to maintain control of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Riding the coattails of populist Republican nominee Donald Trump, who proved no drag on fellow conservatives as he steamrolled to White House victory over Hillary Clinton, the party managed to repel the Democrats' sharp threat in the 100-member Senate.

The chamber was in Republican hands, 54 to 46 and in danger of sliding into Democratic control. But they rallied to minimize their losses, with incumbents in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Wisconsin snatching crucial victories to prevent a blue takeover.

"This is a big night for Republicans, a testament to what can be accomplished when our party comes together," Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement.

"With a Republican Congress firmly in place and Donald Trump in the White House, we can get to work on fixing Washington and bringing prosperity back to the American people."

Just days ago, polls predicted a four-seat swing or higher in favor of Clinton's Democrats, in large part because Republicans held 24 of the 34 seats up for grabs in 2016. But it was not meant to be.

In the House, Republicans were on track to take 239 seats to the Democrats' 196, according to NBC's House model.

That would be an eight-seat gain for Democrats, but still well short of what would be necessary to snatch the 435-member chamber back from Republican control.

Trump's White House victory marks a stunning political trifecta for Republicans that would allow them to control the legislation that makes its way through Congress and to the president's desk.

Snatching control of the Senate would have provided Democrats with a policy check on Trump in the event he won the presidency. Instead, Trump will have an easier time pushing through legislation.

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- Democratic hopes dashed -

Democrats needed to gain five seats for a clean majority. In the event the Senate is 50-50, control goes to the party that wins the White House, because the US vice president holds a deciding vote in the event of a tie.

Democrats claimed a quick pick up Tuesday in Illinois, where two-term congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran who lost her legs when the Black Hawk helicopter she was co-piloting was shot down there, defeated incumbent Senator Mark Kirk.

But Senator Marco Rubio kept his seat in Florida, as did incumbent Richard Burr in North Carolina, while congressman Todd Young of Indiana denied a former senator, Evan Bayh, from reclaiming his old seat.

When Senator Pat Toomey was projected as winner of his tough re-election fight against Katie McGinty, an environmental aide to then-president Bill Clinton, Democratic hopes of regaining the chamber were dashed.

Rubio had been a rapidly rising GOP star until he challenged Trump for the Republican primary and got swept aside. He had said he would leave Congress, but changed his mind earlier this year and mounted a strong comeback.

In a victory speech before jubilant supporters in Miami, Rubio sought to soothe heated tempers and appeal to Americans of all stripes after a toxic 18-month presidential campaign overwhelmed by rhetoric, accusations of racism and xenophobia, and anger on both sides.

"While we can disagree on issues, we cannot share a country where people hate each other because of their political affiliations," Rubio, 45, said.

"I hope that I and my colleagues as we return to work in Washington, DC can set a better example of how political discourse should exist in this country."
Ex-child combatants vow to continue their protest

Former Maoist child combatants have returned to the ruling party CPN (Maoist Centre) headquarters soon after their release from police detention.
By William Maclean DUBAI (Reuters) - The future leader of the Middle East's top foreign ally is, in the words of a Saudi prince, an anti-Muslim "disgrace", openly disdainful of Arab security partnerships, who believes Saudi Arabia would cease to exist for long without the United States. Donald Trump's presidential election victory means he is the man Washington's Arab allies must deal with after his January inauguration, as they seek U.S. help to end wars from Syria to Mosul, manage humanitarian crises and provide jobs for their populations at a time of low oil prices. Trump's campaign tirades against Muslim migrants - the target of Prince Alwaleed bin Talal's comments on Twitter - and against Arab allies who don't "pay" for U.S. support suggest the relationship could be delicate. How far Trump the president will differ from Trump the polarizing election candidate is not clear. Brief, congratulatory messages flowed quickly from Arab allies, including one from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, who wished Trump success in "achieving security and stability in the Middle East and the wider world". But underneath the protocol, for many Arab rulers and royals Trumps victory is a source of anxiety. They now face a new America led by Trump who, they fear, could upend a regional order that has prevailed for decades. Some ordinary Arabs like Trump's no-nonsense style, and praise what they see as his capacity for tough leadership. "A strong leader ... that is what is needed here in the Middle East and all across the world," said Ali al-Muhannadi, 57, a Qatari owner of an electrical company, filling his car up at a petrol station in Doha on Wednesday. Muhannadi saw Trump as a useful ally in confronting the jihadist threat, saying he is "very frank and not like a politician. Islamist radicals are bad for the West and for us too". But privately there are concerns about a lack of clarity in Trump's policies for the world's most combustible region as it struggles to break free from war while trying to safeguard the free flow of its oil exports. DISAFFECTED ARAB YOUTH In particular there are worries that Trump's hostile rhetoric towards Muslim migrants will play into the hands of Islamic State and al Qaeda, which are eager to recruit disaffected young Arabs to wage war on the regional governments they despise as stooges of Washington. Gulf Arab leaders want a U.S. president who understands their concerns after eight years of what they regard as diffidence under President Barack Obama, someone who did not provide the kind of personal contact they value. In particular they want help to push back against Iran, their main rival. But they fear Trump's public praise for Vladimir Putin will encourage Russia to expand its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Iran and an enemy of most Gulf Arab states. Apart from a commitment to Israel's security, a constant in U.S. foreign policy, and an isolationist tone to his comments, much in Trump's statements about the region remains vague and poorly thought out, diplomats and analysts say. Opinion is divided about whether Trump's remarks on the campaign trail will be enacted when in office. Among these is his comment that he would consider halting U.S. purchases of Saudi oil unless Riyadh provides troops to fight Islamic State. Faisal Al Yafai, a commentator at The National newspaper, said many people thought Trump had used his extravagant comments to win votes and once in office he would mellow. "I am unconvinced. I think he actually believes his rhetoric. It's quite worrying that he doesnt seem to understand how global politics works," he said. "For example you dont go around saying 'if our allies were threatened we wouldn't intervene, why can't they build their own nuclear weapons?'" "That sort of stuff doesnt help confidence. That collapse of confidence between the U.S. and its allies has a knock-on impact on the economies and in the decisions those countries take on a political level." Yafai, whose newspaper is based in the United Arab Emirates, noted Iraqis were putting their lives on the line to regain Mosul, Islamic State's main stronghold in the country. "That is not just a war for the region, it is a war for the world," he said. Others are more sanguine. A senior Turkish official predicted continued strong relations with the United States and argued that "comments in an election period always have a harder and more hawkish tone than is necessary. But they remain peculiar to the election period." SAUDIS "READY TO TAKE A RISK" Prince Sultan bin Khaled al Faisal, a former Saudi special forces officer and now senior fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh, said that in U.S. elections "what they say and what they do are two totally different things". "Foreign policy is not made by one man," he said. "But its difficult to pinpoint what his policy actually is." Trump's remarks have been combative, and eye-catching. He has said the United States should be reimbursed by the countries it provides protection for. Without America, "Saudi Arabia wouldn't exist for very long," Trump told the New York Times in March. Trump's win drew a cautious welcome in Syria, which has entered its fifth year of war between rebels and Assad's forces. In Damascus, Syrian member of parliament Sherif Shehada said U.S. policy could shift Assad's way. "We must be optimistic, but cautiously optimistic," Shehada told Reuters by telephone. Trump's statements on Syria, and his more open-minded stance towards Assad's ally Russia, have fueled rebel concern about the policy he may adopt on the conflict, in which the Russian air force has been bombing insurgents. But beyond all that, many officials and observers see another ominous consequence. Trumps win has not only delighted Western right-wingers but also jihadists who told supporters the election had revealed the true position of the United States towards Muslims. "The masks have slipped," one supporter said on Islamic State websites. "(Trump's) moronic declarations alone serve us even if his decisions will be under the supervision of the Senate...," wrote another. (Reporting by Hadeel al Sayegh, Noah Browning, Angus McDowall, Nick Tattersall, Aidan Lewis, Sami Aboudi, Tom Finn, Tom Perry, Lisa Barrington, Samia Nakhoul, William Maclean; editing by David Stamp)
By Sonali Paul and Saliou Samb

MELBOURNE/CONAKRY (Reuters) - Rio Tinto (RIO.AX) (RIO.L), the world's second-largest miner, has suspended one senior executive, accepted the resignation of a second and alerted U.S. and UK authorities after discovering $10.5 million in unexplained payments to a consultant in Guinea.

Rio said on Wednesday it had launched an investigation after becoming aware on Aug. 29 about emails from 2011 that referred to contractual payments to an unidentified consultant relating to its project in the Simandou mountains, which contain the world's largest untapped iron ore deposits.

News of the latest scandal to hit the mining industry follows Rio's announcement last month that it had agreed to sell its 46.6 percent stake in the Simandou project to state-owned Chinese metals producer Chinalco . It has raised worries that the project could falter.

The government in Guinea, one of the world's poorest countries which is banking on iron ore to revive a broken economy, said it had not been informed of any wrongdoing and hoped there would be no further delay in beginning the project in a remote region that is expected to include railways, bridges and tunnels.

"We are following this situation closely in the hope that it will not have an impact," government spokesman Damantang Albert Camara said.

Rio said it has suspended its energy and minerals head Alan Davies, who was in charge of Simandou in 2011. Its legal and regulatory affairs executive Debra Valentine, who was due to retire next May, has resigned.

Davies did not answer his mobile phone when contacted by Reuters. Valentine, who is also a board member of the EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative), could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Financial Times newspaper reported the internal inquiry at Rio focussed on the company's dealings with Francois Polge de Combret, a classmate of Guinea's President Alpha Conde who worked at Lazard bank until 2005.

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The report could not be confirmed. De Combret could not be reached for comment and Lazard said it could not comment.

Rio, which has a dual stock listing in Britain and Australia, said it would also contact the authorities in Australia, and cooperate with any investigations.

Britain's Serious Fraud Office said it had been notified about the payments, but declined to comment further.

Authorities and the industry have sought to improve governance in a sector that has faced several allegations of illegal payments to secure business in some countries.

The world's biggest miner BHP Billiton (BHP.AX) (BLT.L) last year paid $25 million to settle charges it violated a U.S. anti-bribery law because it failed to properly monitor its programme sponsoring foreign government officials at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Four Rio employees were found guilty of bribery and stealing secrets in China in 2010 and jailed for up to 14 years.

Guinea is ranked by Transparency International as one of the most corrupt nations in the world.

Rio's share price rose on Wednesday along with its peers on expectations the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President would help drive demand for industrial commodities. The stock touched a new high for the year in London, and closed up 6.8 percent.

(Additional reporting by Barbara Lewis and Kirstin Ridley in London; Editing by Richard Pullin and Mark Potter)
By Sonali Paul MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Global miner Rio Tinto said on Wednesday it has suspended a top executive over $10.5 million in payments to a consultant on its Simandou iron ore project in Guinea, and has alerted U.S. and UK authorities. A second senior executive has stepped down. Rio Tinto took the steps at a time when mining companies have come under scrutiny in corruption probes, with the world's biggest miner BHP Billiton last year paying $25 million to settle charges that it violated a U.S. anti-bribery law in failing to properly monitor its program sponsoring foreign government officials at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Rio Tinto said it became aware in August of emails from 2011 "relating to contractual payments totalling $10.5 million made to a consultant providing advisory services on the Simandou project in Guinea". An internal investigation led it to flag the issue to U.S. and UK agencies, and it said it was in the process of contacting Australian authorities as well. The company has suspended the head of its energy and minerals division, Alan Davies, who was in charge of Simandou in 2011. Davies was not immediately available to comment. The group's legal and regulatory affairs executive, Debra Valentine, who was due to retire next May, has also stepped down, Rio Tinto said. "Rio Tinto intends to co-operate fully with any subsequent inquiries from all of the relevant authorities. Further comment at this time is therefore not appropriate," the company said in a statement to the Australian stock exchange. Investors shrugged off the prospect of a bribery probe and the suspension of Davies, whom analysts said is well respected. Rio Tinto's shares rose as much as 1.8 percent in early trade to a more than 16-month high after the announcement in line with gains in the broader market. "It's too early to say anything, it's an investigation right now. They're just doing the prudent thing," Macquarie analyst Hayden Bairstow said. "With iron ore at $69, met coal (coking coal) at $307, the whole sector is riding the spot price moves," he said. Rio Tinto long chased plans to develop Simandou, which it touted as one of the world's most valuable iron ore deposits. It even sued rival Vale in the United States, alleging the Brazilian giant had conspired with Israeli billionaire Beny Steinmetz and BSG Resources to misappropriate its rights over half the lode in 2008. That case was dismissed a year ago as the judge ruled Rio Tinto had waited too long to file a case under the Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act. Last week Rio Tinto agreed to sell its stake in the $20 billion project to Chinese state-owned Chinalco, after writing off its investment in Simandou earlier this year on diminished prospects of it being developed anytime soon. (Reporting by Sonali Paul; Editing by Dan Grebler and Richard Pullin)
From Esquire

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA-If the Democratic Party blows this chance to take over the United States Senate, there is going to be an awful temptation to blame James Comey's stumbling entrance into electoral politics for letting the air out of the possibility. Not to let Comey off the hook or anything, but an equal measure of responsibility has to fall on the Democratic Party itself and its incomprehensible jones for running retreads for office.

Two of the first three critical, contested Senate races went to the Republicans. Rob Portman held onto his seat in Ohio. And we will have Marco Rubio, who once promised us we would see of him (and his ideological contortionist's act to entertain us for-theoretically-six more years) no more, but you know he's already seeing the butter cow in the 2019 Iowa State Fair in his eyes. And the Indiana Democratic electorate got what it deserves in throwing up (in every sense of the word) Evan Bayh, who got croaked by Todd Young, whom I believe is 12. If it weren't for Tammy Duckworth in Illinois, the first hour of election night would have called for mass firings at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

[contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related%20Story" customtitles="They're%20Ready%20to%20Party%20in%20Philadelphia" customimages="" content="article.50488"]

Honestly, in a year in which populism, phony and otherwise, was a critical issue, and in a year in which the Hispanic vote was going to be utterly vital to the party's chances, they couldn't come up with a more suitable candidate in Florida than a Wall Street utilityman named Patrick Freaking Murphy? And, as for Ohio, they ran Ted Strickland who, I believe, first lost a House race to James Garfield.

Party mechanisms are creaky vehicles no matter how much shiny new technology you pile into them, but these lost opportunities are evidence of encroaching sclerosis at the farm team level. The only consolation is that the likelihood we will see any of these three leftovers again is fairly slim. Or not.

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Paris (AFP) - Politicians worldwide took stock Wednesday of Donald Trump's shock US election victory, with the president-elect winning praise from far-right figures and a cautious welcome from key US allies.

- EUROPE -

Russian President Vladimir Putin: "Russia is ready and wants to restore full-fledged relations with the US... We understand that this will not be an easy path considering the unfortunate degradation of relations."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel referenced some of his most controversial remarks in reminding Trump of his responsibilities: "Germany and America share the values of democracy, freedom, respect for the rule of law and human dignity, regardless of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political belief."

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: "US leadership is as important as ever... A strong NATO is good for the United States, and good for Europe."

European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker: "Today, it is more important than ever to strengthen transatlantic relations."

British Prime Minister Theresa May: "Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise... I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations."

French President Francois Hollande said Trump's win opened a "period of uncertainty" and called for Europe to remain "united".

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim: "We hope our alliance with the United States will continue and that our partnership and relationships will develop."

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin: "May the Lord enlighten and support him (Trump) in serving his country, naturally, but also in serving peace and the wellbeing of the world."

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who heads a rightwing coalition with a strong anti-immigration stance: "Congratulations. What great news. Democracy is still alive."

- AMERICAS -

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country has "no closer friend, partner, and ally than the United States." He looked forward to working with Trump on "trade, investment and international peace and security."

Despite his country's strained relations with Trump, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto insisted "Mexico and the US are friends, partners and allies."

Brazil's President Michel Temer cautioned that Trump "will have to take into account the aspirations of all the American people."

Argentina's Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra congratulated Trump but cautioned his victory would mean an "adjustment" of the countries' relations.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos hoped his country and the United States would remain "strategic allies."

Bolivia's leftist President Evo Morales pointedly said he wanted to work with Trump "against racism, sexism and anti-immigrant sentiment."

Cuba said President Raul Castro sent Trump his congratulations. But the communist government also announced military exercises for November 16 to 18 to prepare against "the enemy."

- ASIA -

China's President Xi Jinping focused on strengthening ties: "I highly value China-US relations, and look forward to working together with you, and holding fast to mutual respect and non-conflict, non-confrontation."

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered "heartfelt congratulations" adding: "Japan and the United States are unshakeable allies connected by common values such as freedom, democracy, basic human rights and rule of law."

South Korean President Park Geun-Hye said Seoul and Washington's coordinated policy of pressuring North Korea must remain "unaffected under the new US administration."

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he "wishes success for Donald Trump."

Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid called for Trump to pull all US troops out of Afghanistan, saying the war had "failed" and harmed the US "both militarily and economically."

- MIDDLE EAST -

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif: "The most important thing is that the future US president sticks to agreements, to engagements undertaken."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "President-elect Trump is a true friend of the state of Israel, and I look forward to working with him to advance security, stability and peace in our region."

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas: "We are ready to deal with the elected president on the basis of a two-state solution and to establish a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders."

Saudi King Salman told Trump he wished him "success in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide."

- AFRICA -

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said he "congratulates American citizens on the outcome of the election, which was keenly observed by all true lovers of democracy."
By Andrew Osborn and Christian Lowe MOSCOW (Reuters) - For all their mutual praise, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump are likely to disagree on many things. But Trump's election win could hand Moscow an elusive prize - the lifting or easing of Western sanctions. Rolling back those sanctions, imposed by the United States and the European Union to punish Moscow for its 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, could spur investment in Russia's flat-lining economy. That might make it even easier for Putin, who is trying to plug holes in the state budget inflicted by low oil prices and sanctions, to win a fourth presidential term in 2018 by allowing him to show he has returned the economy to growth. "Clearly the chances of sanctions being lifted on Russia have risen substantially," Charles Robertson, Renaissance Capital's global chief economist, said. "That would improve the investment climate for Russia." Russia's rouble currency and stocks gained on the Trump election victory. Ukraine's dollar-denominated bonds tumbled to multi-month lows, reflecting pessimism about what a Trump presidency means for the divided and indebted country. The Kremlin had been bracing for fraught relations if the White House had been won by Hillary Clinton - a politician Putin once accused of stirring up protests against him and who state media portrayed as an anti-Russian warmonger. Trump was portrayed in a more positive light. Putin described him as "very talented" and in Kremlin-backed media he was cast as a plucky political maverick. Still, few in Moscow had believed the Republican candidate would win, apart from a group of Trump-supporting nationalists who gathered in a Moscow bar decorated with a triptych of Putin, Trump and French Front National leader Marine Le Pen. Once it became clear he had won, Russia's parliament erupted in applause and Putin told foreign ambassadors he was ready to fully restore ties with Washington. State TV ran a clip of a Russian doppelganger of Trump taunting a cowed Clinton lookalike and Margarita Simonyan, the boss of RT, the Kremlin's English-language TV news channel, said she would drive around Moscow with a U.S. flag to celebrate. But Russian glee was tempered by a recognition that Trump's pre-election promises might be diluted and that deep contradictions between Moscow and Washington would remain, even if Trump and Putin adopt a friendly tone in public. EASING SANCTIONS Trump's attempts to ease restrictions on doing business with Russia could also be constrained by Congress, which has shown it has little patience for the Kremlin's military adventures. Executives with Western firms say the biggest obstacle to deals with Russia is not the sanctions themselves but the prospect that more could be imposed and the zeal with which existing sanctions are enforced. If a Trump White House were to send a signal to businesses that it was taking a more lax approach, investments could start flowing again with sanctions still in place. A softer U.S. stance could also weaken European sanctions resolve. The bloc's measures have already started to look wobbly, with some member states finding ways to circumvent them, others saying it is time to discuss moving on, and some business groups in countries such as Germany lobbying against them. Until now, Washington has helped stiffen European resolve. When Russia placed a Eurobond in May this year, many European banks decided not to take part because they did not want to fall foul of U.S. financial regulators. "America was the leader there and amazingly has been able to hold Europe together (on sanctions)," political analyst Masha Lipman told Reuters. "With Donald Trump in the White House I think there may be changes, something that might be beneficial for Russia." Putin needs sanctions lifted as they risk hurting his re-election prospects. Russia's central bank is forecasting economic growth of up to 1 percent next year, well below the level Russian households have come to expect. After previous slumps, recoveries have been driven by foreign lending and investment. There are already some signs that the economy is hurting support for Putin, a trend that is only likely to grow in the 18 months until the Russian presidential election. HARD BARGAIN Kremlin-watchers said that, even if U.S.-relations were less antagonistic with Trump in the White House, any deal would involve hard bargaining on both sides. Russia is seeking formal recognition from the world that Crimea, part of Ukraine, is now Russian territory, something it has only got so far apart from a handful of nations. It also wants Kiev to do more to implement a peace deal covering eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists hold sway. In Syria, where Russia is helping President Bashar al-Assad fight a war with air strikes and military assistance, Moscow wants the West to drop ideas about changing the government, abandon help for what it says are hardline Islamists, and drop talk of possible no-fly zones. One possibility is a quid pro quo, with Russia making concessions on Syria in exchange for the United States ceding ground on Ukraine and sanctions. "For Russia the key point is Ukraine. If Trump says that America does not care about Ukraine, then that is all that Russia wants to hear right now," Georgy Bovt, editor of the Russkiy Mir magazine, told Reuters. "On Syria it will be easier to reach a deal. I think that on Assad, Russia will be willing to compromise because Ukraine is more important for Russia." PERSONALITIES Much has been made in Russian and Western media of the perceived similarities and differences between Putin and Trump, who have never met. Both are fond of tough talking and some Russian politicians have suggested the pair might be able to forge a close working relationship similar to the one the Russian leader enjoyed with former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Trump has said he might even meet Putin before his inauguration. Putin's spokesman said there were currently no plans for such a meeting. People familiar with both men's leadership styles advised caution however, saying both were relatively thin-skinned when it came to criticism. Andrey Kortunov, director general of the Russian International Affairs Council, a think-tank close to the Foreign Ministry, told Reuters the fact that Trump was an untested politician would also be a worry for the Kremlin. "He's a loose cannon and you never know what to expect from him," he said. There were also concerns the two men might be too alike. "The problem is that both of them, Putin and Trump, are macho," Sergei Markov, a Kremlin-connected analyst and former pro-Putin lawmaker, told Reuters. "They could try to take the measure of each other. We can't let that happen." (Additional reporting by Polina Devitt, Jack Stubbs, Alexander Winning, Katya Golubkova and Maria Tsvetkova in Moscow and Alessandra Prentice in Kiev; Editing by Pravin Char and Angus MacSwan)
Govt planning to put ceiling on medical assistance

The government is planning to put a ceiling on the amount to be allocated to individuals for medical treatment of those individuals who have made special contribution to the country.
While the role House Speaker Paul Ryan will play in the next Congress is an open question, the Wisconsin Republican on Wednesday morning said that the election of Donald Trump as the next US president and the preservation of GOP majorities in both houses of Congress next year offers the opportunity to press forward aggressively with a broad policy agenda that he has had a major role in crafting over the past two years.

Describing Trumps victory as a mandate, at a press conference in his hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin, he added, The opportunity is to go big, to go bold, and to get things done for the people of this country.

Related: 11 Huge Questions Americans Face Under President Trump

He predicted the imminent repeal of the Affordable Care Act and promised that a unified Republican government would roll back environmental regulations, land use rules, and myriad other elements of the federal regulatory system.

Its not just the healthcare law we can replace, he told reporters. There are so many more things that Im excited about. Think about the laid-off coal workers now who see relief coming. Think about the farmers here in Wisconsin who are being harassed by the EPA and by the Waters of the US [regulations]. Think about the ranchers in the West who are being harassed by the Interior Department, or the laid off timber workers. There is relief coming. This is good for our country.

This means we can lift the repressive weight of the regulatory state. We can restore the Constitution. Think about the conservative constitution-respecting judges that will be nominated. This is very exciting.

Ryan suggested that the blueprint for Republican policy initiatives when the next Congress convenes in January will be the Better Way plan that he rolled out early in the presidential campaign.

Related: Can Trump the Disruptor Become Trump the Uniter?

It will help us hit the ground running as we work with Donald Trump to do this, he said, adding that the plan is built on what he described as the principles of liberty, freedom, free enterprise, and consent of the governed that Republicans will apply...to the problems of the day.

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Ryans Better Way plan is broad, covering subjects as diverse as tax reform, entitlement reform, national security, healthcare, the economy, federal regulatory reform and cutting government spending. It is, in large part, a presentation of long-cherished conservative policy goals that have been systematically stymied over most of the past decade by Democratic control of the levers of power in Washington.

However, whether or not Ryan will be in a position to enjoy the GOPs ascension to unchallenged power in Washington is something of an open question.

During the presidential election, Ryan angered many Republicans with his lukewarm support for Donald Trumps presidential candidacy. He was slow to endorse the nominee, tepid when he did, and frequently disavowed or criticized the candidates actions during the campaign. As the campaign neared its end and an embarrassing videotape showing Trump bragging about sexually assaulting women surfaced, Ryan announced that he would no longer support or campaign with Trump, though he would still vote for him.

Related: 5 Reasons Why Trump Won the Election

Ryan reversed himself in the final days of the campaign, writing op-eds in support of Trump and offering to make a late campaign appearance with him, but its unclear how far that went toward undoing some of the damage he did to his reputation with Trumps staunchest supporters. There have been rumblings from the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus that Ryan ought to face a challenge to his speakership in the next Congress.

For his part, Ryan insisted Wednesday that his relationship with Trump is strong, pointing out at least twice that he has spoken with the president-elect two times since Tuesday night.

We talked about the work ahead of us and the importance of bringing this country together, he said. Let me just say, this is the most incredible political feat I have seen in my lifetime.

He credited the president-elect with saving the Republican majorities in the House and Senate, saying he provided the coattails that got a lot of people over the finish line.

Related: After Shocking the World, President Elect Trump Must Prove Hes Up to the Job

How Donald Trump and his supporters will view Ryan over the coming months, and how much confidence the president-elect will express in him as he makes a bid for another speakership is questionable.

Trumps campaign chairman, Steve Bannon, backed a group that mounted a primary challenge against Ryan in this election, and there is considerable evidence, even beyond that, that he neither likes nor trusts the Wisconsin Republican.

Bannon, who took a leave of absence from the ultra-conservative Breitbart.com website to run the Trump campaign, was well known to his staffers for his intense dislike of the Wisconsin Republican.

Last month, The Hill newspaper reported that former Breitbart employees remember hearing Bannon refer to Ryan as the enemy on conference calls. In an internal email obtained by the newspaper, Bannon wrote in December 2015 that his goal was to have Ryan gone [from the speakership] by Spring.

Related: Dow Futures Dive 500 Points on Possible Trump Victory

However, Ryan can probably rely on his close friend, Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus, for support, and it appears that Priebus also has Trumps ear. A Wisconsinite like Ryan, it was Priebus who organized the RNCs ground game, which replaced the one Trumps campaign failed to build.

Trump singled out Priebus for praise during his victory speech early Wednesday morning, and reports have suggested that he is being considered for a top spot in the administration, such as White House chief of staff.

The decision about whether or not to fully support Paul Ryan as the top Republican leader in the 115th Congress may turn out to be one of the first major political battles within the nascent Trump administration. But it surely wont be the last.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
By Se Young Lee

SEOUL (Reuters) - Jay Y. Lee, de facto head of South Korea's sprawling Samsung Group, accelerated taking a board seat at flagship unit Samsung Electronics partly because of investor pressure to improve governance, two people familiar with the matter said.

Samsung Group narrowly survived a bid by U.S. activist hedge fund Elliott Management last year to block a controversial merger of two group businesses, Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries. The deal sparked criticism that the Lee family put its interests ahead of those of shareholders.

In its latest campaign, Elliott, which owns 0.62 percent of Samsung Electronics, is calling for the world's biggest smartphone maker to be split in two, and for shareholders to be handed a 30 trillion won ($26 billion) dividend.

"Over the past couple of years, there were repeated requests from internal and external board members for Lee to join the board, which he had persistently resisted," said one of the people, declining to be named as he is not authorized to speak publicly. "But the (2015) attack from Elliott was one of the triggers that prompted him to take a board seat earlier than planned, and consider governance issues more seriously."

Samsung Electronics said in October it will respond to Elliott's latest proposals by the end of this month.

Lee, 48, the conglomerate's unassuming heir-apparent had previously orchestrated operations from behind the scenes after his father Lee Kun-hee was hospitalized in 2014 following a heart attack. He had finally been persuaded to stand for a seat on Samsung Electronics' board at next year's March shareholder meeting, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

But the sale of the company's printer business to HP Inc (HPQ.N) required investor approval, triggering a shareholder meeting last month, and a chance to get Lee on to the board ahead of schedule.

"He felt it was time and he was ready," said the second person familiar with the issue.

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Samsung Electronics said Lee was nominated for the October meeting rather than March so he could participate more actively in important decisions such as the composition of the management team and acquisitions. The board seat also gives Lee formal responsibility for the company's management, it said.

In a nod to the chorus for more transparency and shareholder handouts, Samsung has been streamlining its complex group ownership structure and boosting payouts. Samsung Electronics has bought back 11.4 trillion won ($9.9 billion) worth of its own shares since last year and may repurchase more to appease investors after the expensive collapse of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone.

"It shows that he wants to have a more global standard of board governance," said another person familiar with the matter, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of issue, adding Lee wants the board to be the key decision-making body. "I imagine there will be more happening in board empowerment."

RE-ELECTION RISK

By taking a seat on the board of the group's crown jewel, Lee is signaling to investors he is ready to be put in the spotlight, and for them to judge his performance.

As a director, Lee will have to stand for re-election in three years, making him accountable to shareholders for the company's performance. Those votes will be litmus tests on how confident investors are in his business acumen.

"So far, he wasn't in a position to officially display his leadership, but he's now finished his lesson," said a fourth person familiar with the matter. "He now has greater official responsibility."

With Lee previously calling the shots as non-executive vice chairman, Samsung has accelerated its restructuring; selling non-core chemicals and defense assets in a marked departure from his father's regime. Samsung Electronics has more aggressively chased businesses as it looks for new growth drivers.

Investors will be watching Lee as he steers Samsung Electronics through the Note 7 debacle, with some expecting sweeping managerial changes. He also now has to manage allegations the company may have been involved in a broad influence-peddling scandal that has gripped South Korea. Prosecutors raided Samsung Electronics offices on Tuesday as part of their investigations.

Kim Hyun-su, a fund manager at IBK Asset Management, said Lee's biggest challenge will be to turn around the smartphone business next year. He said the Note 7 crisis is a chance for Lee to prove his mettle.

"Regardless of whether people change or not, the (next generation) Galaxy S8 needs to hit the market for Samsung to get beyond the crisis. The company will put all its efforts behind the product to regain consumer trust," he said.

"It doesn't matter how much Lee holds in the company, in the end what's important is good management."

Lee is said to have maintained his low profile at his first board meeting last week. "He did not make any notable remarks," said one of those familiar with the matter.

($1 = 1,154.3000 won)

(Reporting by Se Young Lee, with additional reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Miyoung Kim and Ian Geoghegan)
An unidentified San Francisco homeowner flew a Nazi flag over his house after Donald Trump was declared President-Elect, according to SFist, who received a tip about the flag.

The act of political commentary didn't go over well with the neighbors.

In a video taken by SF Chronicle reporter Michael Bodley and posted on Twitter, the homeowner explained to a neighbor that it was a "comment on our new president elect." He compared Trump to Il Duce, the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, "but the Italians did not have as good of a flag."

"I'm starting to worry people might get the wrong idea" - man who flew Nazi flag in San Francisco to express his fears of Trump. Then this: pic.twitter.com/G7voFXF4uF  Michael Bodley (@michael_bodley) November 9, 2016

The flag was supposed to be a political statement about life in the Donald Trump era, but neighbors weren't fond to see the Nazi flag, even if the homeowner claimed to detest Trump.

It's not photoshopped. This is happening in San Francisco right now, the day after @realDonaldTrump was elected president. pic.twitter.com/ghYBWm5D60  Michael Bodley (@michael_bodley) November 9, 2016

After the confrontation, the man went inside and changed the flag. Now there's a rainbow peace symbol flying high instead.

NOW WATCH: People in California are calling for a Calexit after Trumps victory





More From Business Insider


Producer-helmer-scribe Alejandro Springall is set to go behind the cameras once more with his long-gestating road movie that could be the first Latin American pic to be distributed in China.

Springall is in talks with the China Film Group for a possible theatrical release in the hermetic country.

China currently allows an average 26 foreign titles a year, but the market is expected to open up next year, said Springall who has visited the country. Producer Bertha Navarro, a partner of Guillermo del Toro in Tequila Gang, estimates the budget will fall under $3 million.

Best known for his acclaimed cross-border dramedy, Santitos, in 1999, the last feature Springall directed was the 2010 Eugenio Derbez romcom No eres tu, soy yo.

I rarely direct features, but this project greatly appeals to me, said Springall, who admits he is a history buff. Titled Sonora, the drama is based on the story La Ruta de los Caidos by historian Guillermo Munro Palacio, about a motley group of migrants who crossed the worlds second driest desert (after Death Valley), the Sonora. It is set during the Great Depression in 1931 when the roads between Mexico and the U.S. were closed off to Mexicans and foreigners, and Chinese were being expelled from the state of Sonora by an over-zealous, xenophobic governor. In their flight to the Baja California peninsula, the group of Chinese and Mexicans traverse the lunar landscape of the Sonora desert on a 1928 Ford Model A.

The movie becomes an exploration of human passions: Racism, avarice, greed, egoism, which turn out to be more treacherous than the desert, said Springall, who co-penned the screenplay with John Sayles. This would be the seventh movie weve collaborated on, he said. Edher Campos and Luis Salinas of Machete Prods. will serve as line producers. Both are presenting their Machete productions, X Quinientos and La Habitation, at Los Cabos.

The Sonora cast includes Joaquin Cosio (The Strain, Quantum of Solace), Juan Manuel Bernal (Perfect Obedience) and a cast of Chinese and American actors, yet to be selected.

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Plans are to shoot in March and April when it is coolest, with most of the story to be filmed at Pinacate, renowned for its fields of black lava and lunar landscape.

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Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi King Salman expressed hope on Wednesday that US president-elect Donald Trump would bring stability to the Middle East.

"We wish your excellency success in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide," Salman said in a message of congratulations reported by the official Saudi Press Agency.
By Rushil Dutta

Nov 9 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stock markets plunged on

Wednesday after Republican Donald Trump's shock victory in the

U.S. presidential election, with Philippines dipping to its

lowest since May 10, when Rodrigo Duterte was elected president.

Stocks across the world dived in disbelief over Trump's win,

that many reckon could trigger global political disorder.

Most polls had predicted that rival Democrat Hillary Clinton

would win.

Philippine stocks posted a near six-month closing

low, paced by declines in consumer stocks and financials.

Ralph Christian Bodollo, an equity research analyst with

Manila-based RCBC Securities, said Trump's victory would be

negative for risk assets.

BPO services provider Ayala Corp recorded its

biggest intraday loss in over a year, while Megaworld Corp

, which leases property to BPO enterprises, touched its

biggest intraday percentage loss since Jan. 20.

Analysts had expressed concerns for Philippine BPO

businesses if Trump were to be elected.

"Trump has always said 'Make America great again', so I

guess there is a concern we might lose those outsourcing jobs,"

said April Lee-Tan, Vice President, COL Financial Group.

Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysian

stocks lost around 1 percent each, with energy stocks performing

poorly across the board on weakened oil prices.

While Indonesia saw its biggest intraday percentage loss

since the Brexit vote, shares of firms controlled by Trump's

Indonesian business partner gained.

Trump has a partnership with Indonesian tycoon Hary

Tanoesoedibjo, whose PT MNC Investama Tbk surged 15.9

percent.

Thai shares, which lost as much as 1.6 percent

during the day, pared losses by closing 0.03 percent lower.

For Asian Companies click;

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS

Change on day

Market Current Previous Pct Move

Close

Singapore 2789.88 2820.24 -1.08

Bangkok 1509.43 1509.84 -0.03

Manila 7119.04 7307.8 -2.58

Jakarta 5414.321 5470.681 -1.03

Kuala Lumpur 1647.62 1663.82 -0.97

Ho Chi Minh 670.26 676.46 -0.92

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Change on

year

Market Current End 2015 Pct Move

Singapore 2789.88 2882.73 -3.22

Bangkok 1509.43 1288.02 17.19

Manila 7119.04 6952.08 2.40

Jakarta 5414.321 4593.008 17.88

Kuala Lumpur 1647.62 1692.51 -2.65

Ho Chi Minh 670.26 579.03 15.76

(Reporting by Rushil Dutta; Additional reporting by Geo

Tharappel in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
Donald Trumps victory in the U.S. presidential election, which was confirmed early Wednesday after a tight race with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, has been plastered on the front covers of the worlds newspapers.

The Republican candidate swept to victory in a surprise result that followed months of bitter and divisive campaigning, with Clinton conceding defeat in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Newspaper outlets around the world have printed reactions to the result across their front pages, with many expressing shock at one of the biggest surprises in modern political history.

Spanish publication El Periodico printed the headline God forgive America in front of a gesturing Trump, while Britains the Guardian called the race a brutal contest that has riven America. Daily French newspaper Liberation simply printed the word Trumpocalypse.

Closer to home, Trump Triumphs covers the front pages of the New York Times and the Washington Post. The New York Daily News emblazoned the title House of Horrors across an image of the White House, to which Trump has been invited by President Obama for a meeting on Thursday.
By William James LONDON (Reuters) - The British government on Wednesday pledged to share information with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as it tries to put together a common negotiating position for leaving the European Union while holding together a fraying United Kingdom. The commitment targets the Scottish government in particular although all the devolved governments want a say in shaping the country's future ties with the EU after Britain voted to leave the bloc on June 23. Prime Minster Theresa May wants to kick off a two-year exit negotiation by the end of March, setting in motion an unprecedented withdrawal from Britain's biggest trading partner. Brexit minister David Davis will meet with counterparts from the United Kingdom's constituent nations in London later, and offer to share analysis on big issues and invite contributions that will help form the government's negotiating position. "I want to ensure the free and trusted flow of important information between all parties involved," Davis said in a statement. "So we are asking the devolved administrations to bring us their analysis that will help shape our priorities for the negotiation with the EU, and we will share our latest thinking." The statement did not specify what kind of analysis the government was willing to share, or what they were seeking from others. Davis will outline how "key sectors" will play an important part in Brexit negotiations, it said. Although 52 percent of Britons voted to leave the EU, a 62-percent majority in Scotland voted to remain, straining the three-centuries old union between London and Edinburgh. Wales, like England, voted to leave and Northern Ireland voted to stay. On Tuesday, Scotland said it would throw its weight behind campaigners trying to force the British government to seek parliamentary approval to start the Brexit process. Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon has heavily criticized the government's approach so far, calling it chaotic and labeling a previous round of talks aimed at agreeing a common negotiating position "frustrating". Sturgeon, a nationalist, said she believes that if courts decide definitively that the process needs an act of parliament, Scotland's devolved parliament should also be formally consulted. The London-based British government has rejected the need for Scottish approval, saying it has a mandate to execute the overall result of the referendum, but ministers are keen to avoid a direct confrontation that would fuel appetite for a second independence vote in Scotland. Scotland voted against independence in a 2014 referendum. (Editing by Louise Ireland)
Jajarkot Palace awaits renovation

A historical palace dating back to the pre-unification period of Nepal in the district is awaiting renovation.
By Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republicans maintained their majorities in both chambers of the U.S. Congress in a momentous election on Tuesday in which Republican Donald Trump won the presidency, empowering the party to reshape Washington.

The Republican sweep sets up the United States for two years of "unified" government, which would normally mean significant policy change, although Trump's election was anything but normal and he will start his presidency with unusual handicaps.

Both Republican leaders on Capitol Hill held Trump at arm's length during the campaign. Trump offended and attacked some congressional Republicans on the stump, including House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan.

Early on Wednesday, shortly after Clinton conceded to Trump, Ryan said in a statement: "We are eager to work hand-in-hand with the new administration to advance an agenda to improve the lives of the American people."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, also a Republican, said in a guarded and similarly timed statement: "The American people have chosen a new direction for our nation."

The new Congress will not convene until Jan. 3, but the "lame-duck" Congress will return next week and Republicans are set to begin the process of picking leaders for both chambers.

Ryan's position as speaker could be challenged by Republican conservatives who backed Trump and it remains to be seen if the president-elect himself will try to push Ryan out.

"Trump seems magnanimous right now," an aide to one of Trump's House supporters said after Trump stressed unity in his victory speech in New York. "We shall see."

In a huge disappointment to Democrats, Republicans were on a pace to lose only a handful of seats in the House, well below the double-digit losses some predicted.

Similarly, Democrats gained only one seat in the Senate, although a few races were still to be determined, including New Hampshire, where incumbent Republican Kelly Ayotte was deadlocked with Democrat Maggie Hassan early on Wednesday.

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In Illinois, Democratic U.S. Representative Tammy Duckworth defeated Republican Senator Mark Kirk. Democrats needed to pick up a net five seats to win Senate control.

PREDICTIONS DEFIED

Republican successes came on the heels of big Republican gains in the 2014 congressional elections and defied predictions the party was in tatters and on the verge of splitting apart because of deep divisions over Trump.

Congressional Republicans are sure to flex their muscles on a range of legislation, not the least of which is fulfilling a six-year quest to repeal President Barack Obama's landmark healthcare law known as "Obamacare."

Republicans also campaigned on an agenda that shunned comprehensive immigration reform and opposed gun control and expanded environmental and financial regulations.

In the Senate, McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, was expected to remain at his post for at least the next two years.

Paul Sracic, who chairs the politics department at Youngstown State University in Ohio, said: There was all this concern that Trump would damage Republicans down-ticket. Just the opposite happened" as Trump brought out more Republican voters.

Come January, Republicans will have to pivot from trying to block Obama's initiatives - such as his signature health insurance program Obamacare - to governing along with Trump.

"Republicans no longer have the luxury of being the opposition party, said Sarah Binder, a political science professor at George Washington University.

"For example, will they actually repeal Obamacare and agree what to implement in its place?" she added.

MCCONNELL'S PAYOFF

McConnell led conservatives' opposition to any Supreme Court nominee named by Obama following last February's death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia.

His gamble paid off and he will now await a nomination from Trump, likely dooming Obama's choice of federal judge Merrick Garland.

Star-power incumbent Republicans, such as Senator John McCain in Arizona and Marco Rubio in Florida, also scored victories.

Issues ranging from tax cuts to border security will now take center stage in Washington. Trump's opposition to trade deals with foreign countries puts in serious jeopardy the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement negotiated by Obama that would cover economies from Japan to Chile.

"In terms of trade, I think TPP is dead. The stake went through its heart tonight, Sracic said.

(Additional reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Peter Cooney)
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2016 / Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Impax Laboratories Inc. ("Impax" or the "Company") (IPXL) (ISIN:US9841211033). Investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980.

The investigation concerns whether Impax and certain of its officers and/or directors have violated the federal securities laws.

[Click here to join a class action]

On November 3, 2016, media outlets reported that United States prosecutors may file criminal charges by the end of 2016 against Impax and several other pharmaceutical companies for unlawfully colluding to fix generic drug prices.

On this news, Impax's share price fell $4.00, or 19.51%, to close at $16.50 on November 3, 2016.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com.

SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP
New York (AFP) - A stony silence turned to sheer horror early Wednesday for Hillary Clinton's supporters at what was meant to be her presidential victory party as it became painfully clear she would not close the gap with Donald Trump.

One by one, states turned Republican red on the interactive map of the country. One by one, dejected Clinton fans left in tears without even seeing their beloved candidate.

"It's a nightmare," said Jeannette Barbasch, a 50-something Clinton backer leaving the cavernous Javits Center on the west side of Midtown Manhattan, which had been decked out in American flags for Clinton's expected win.

- 'Not great' -

"We're totally distraught -- we never thought this could happen."

Brian Smith, a 40-year-old consultant from New York, said he simply could not process what had happened.

"It's been too overwhelming to see things shift in a day, in an hour, in a minute," he lamented.

Indeed, no one was expecting such a violent slap in the face. Some were saying it would be close, but no one imagined the night would turn into a political funeral for the 69-year-old former first lady, senator and secretary of state.

Faces once bright with the hope of seeing America's first female president elected started growing longer and longer at about 9:00 pm Tuesday, when the results appeared to be leaning Trump's way.

"Not great," said Joan Divenuti, a retired rail worker who came from Massachusetts. "Florida was always a problem," she said, shaking her head.

It was not long before the US television networks called the Sunshine State for Trump.

The New York Times only had bad news for them, with their forecast for Trump's chances of winning rising as the night wore on -- from 53 percent to 70 percent to 87 percent... to 95 percent.

Heads were shaking in front of the giant screens beaming the results to the crowd, and the voices of reporters echoed in the huge hall, which was otherwise silent.

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Supporters frantically refreshed their smartphones in search of better news, and Clinton staff -- who danced to the tunes of Lady Gaga at a final campaign rally in Raleigh just 24 hours before -- seemed despondent.

Clinton decided to remain at her hotel, calling Trump to concede. She was due to speak early Wednesday.

- 'Nut case' -

"We are disgusted, embarrassed, we are sorry on behalf of our country that the white male uneducated vote has spoken today," railed Celia Rowlson-Hall, a 32-year-old filmmaker.

"We, as the other half of the country that believes in love, unity, and fairness -- we have to gather together even stronger to fight against this man who only represents hate and bigotry and xenophobia."

Nearby, 40-something Anne Shaw, a civil rights attorney from Illinois, could not hold back her disappointment.

"Trump is a nut case -- he is all over the place," Shaw said.

The real danger for Shaw comes from Trump's running mate Mike Pence, who she deemed "crazy."

Earlier, at the food court located underneath the hall where Clinton had been expected to write her name in the history books, two young women sobbed, and the alcohol was free-flowing.

At a table, two other women stared blankly, their hands on their heads.

- Divided nation -

"It is surreal," said one government employee who gave her first name as Margarita, a beer in front of her.

She says she fears a new era in America -- not just in terms of politics, but also from those who voted for the 70-year-old Trump.

"Our lives are not safe -- as queer women, as brown women," she told AFP, struggling to put her feelings into words.

Many spoke about what they felt was total ignorance among Trump supporters.

"I think these people probably flunked out of school -- they don't know history, they don't understand the world," said Elmy Bermejo, who traveled to the Big Apple from San Francisco for the occasion.

But Bermejo tried to see the bright side on a dark night.

"After I have a stiff drink of tequila, I'm going to get up, and since I'm a hopeful person, then I'll do whatever I can to make sure we vote him out of office, because that's what democracy is about," she said.

Shock was the dominant reaction, rather than anger, especially in New York, a Democratic bastion that voted for Clinton -- seemingly very far away from Trump's America that disdains Washington insiders.

"We definitely knew it was close -- not this close," said 22-year-old Evynn Stengel, who started drinking before the disheartening results started trickling in.

"We feel like we live in a bubble -- voting for Trump to me is so shocking."
Against all odds, in defiance of the pundits, with little help from his own party, with the media stacked against him, and Hillary Clinton casting him as incompetent and worse, Donald Trump has surprised the world by becoming the president-elect in one of the foulest elections in U.S. history.

Trump challenged convention from the start, vanquishing 16 GOP primary rivals with insults and bullying, paying little heed to party niceties or normal campaign dogma, counting on his celebrity and message to stir the country. And stir it he did, even as the Clinton camp threw everything at him and out-raised Trump by hundreds of millions of dollars.

Related: Charting The 2016 Election

Trump had this going for him: an electorate that was angry. Angry about job losses and stagnant incomes, angry about suffocating political correctness and the condescension of the elites who had brought about the policies that many thought had weakened the nation. Trump called out leaders in both parties for their indifference to the struggles of middle-class America, and middle-class America leaned in.

He also had this going for him: Hillary Clinton. Clinton matched Trump as one of the most disliked and distrusted candidates ever to run for president. But to voters, Clinton was something worse  a symbol of the status quo. For the 64 percent of the country who believed the United States was headed in the wrong direction, she had nothing to offer.

Clinton promised four more years of Obamas presidency but rarely does the country want 12 years of anything. Even though Obamas popularity has recovered from the slump that cost Democrats the Senate in 2014 as he heads out the door, his accomplishments are thin on the ground. He would be hard-pressed to argue that electing Hillary was critical to completing an important unfinished agenda.

Though Obama tried. He took to the campaign trail with enthusiasm and with his wife, Michelle, and Vice President Joe Biden and a swirl of celebrities  Cher, Lady Gaga, Bon Jovi, Le Bron, Jay-Z and Beyonce  but nothing could hide the poverty of Hillarys message.

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Related: Dow Futures Dive 500 Points on Possible Trump Victory

She shifted left to outplay little old Bernie Sanders, a 74-year-old Socialist from Vermont who had served decades in the Senate without causing a ripple. It was a sign of Clintons erratic beliefs. She painted herself into a corner, adopting progressive programs like free college that raised eyebrows and would have raised deficits. She also promised to raise taxes on corporations, which even Bernie might question, given that sluggish business investment has been one of the weak links in the economys recovery.

Though Hillary still had pull with billionaire donors and raised over a billion dollars to fund her campaign, she struggled with most other constituencies. She could not excite Sanders soldiers  those idealistic young millennials who supported Obama. They appeared unmoved that they might elect the first woman president when that woman had been feeding at the political trough longer than most had been alive.

She did not connect with blacks to the extent that Obama had, which was not her fault. She did win a high percentage of the Latino vote, but Trump helped with that. At the end, despite the huge machine behind her, Hillary simply came up short. Being subject to an FBI investigation did not help.

Trump nearly lost it, multiple times. Instead of riding some good will and good press after the conventions, he engaged in a negative exchange with the Kahns, parents of a fallen soldier who had launched an ad hominem attack on Trump. He persisted in debating them in the court of public opinion and lost.

Related: Latest Obamacare Headache: Long Stays in Virtual Waiting Rooms

He similarly became mired in a row with a judge of Mexican heritage whom he accused of being biased against him. He also got into a Twitter war with a former beauty queen who slammed him for calling her fat, and worse. And, of course, he was heard on a decade-old tape crudely boasting of sexual exploits that to many sounded like assault.

Throughout, his campaign managers tried to keep their candidate focused on telling supporters what they needed to hear. They wanted him to explain how he was going to Make America Great Again, not create personal vendettas against all comers. It was a herculean task that felled two managers before Kellyanne Conway miraculously appeared, and somehow reined him in.

Now he is the president-elect, and much of the country still wants to know how he will Drain the Swamp and Make America Great Again. His campaign organization is limited, which is a polite description, and he has an enormous amount of work to do. He has to mend fences with Republicans in Congress who did not support him, though he will struggle to shake off the personal rebukes that occurred during the past several months. But, if he wants to succeed, he will do so. He needs to assemble a team and cabinet that will convince the country he is capable of governing.

He has laid out an ambitious program of tasks  like overhauling Obamacare  to be undertaken right away. How magical it would be for the country if he could follow through, and quickly organize Congress to repeal and replace the unpopular Affordable Care Act. An accomplishment of that scale might set the stage for another surprise from this ever-surprising candidate: a successful presidency.

Top Reads from The Fiscal Times:
It was supposed to link Singapore to Jakarta and Sydney.

Singapore flag-carrier has announced the postponement of the launching of a new route that will link the city-state to Jakarta and Sydney.

To recall, SIA announced that it planned to launch new three-times-weekly Singapore-Jakarta-Sydney flights on 23 November 2016. The Indonesian civil aviation authorities had issued SIA written approval, and SIA had secured the necessary airport slots.

However, the airlines has been informed by the Indonesian civil aviation authorities that they are now unable to approve the flights due to runway maintenance works at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, which also affect other airlines.

"SIA will progressively contact customers with bookings on this route and help put them on other flights. The Airline apologises for the inconvenience caused to our customers," SIA said in an announcement.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore stated in another statement that it is aware of the postponement.

"We hope the Indonesian civil aviation authorities can give approval for this new service as soon as possible so that it can be launched," CAAS noted.

The authority said this new service would enhance air connectivity between Singapore, Jakarta and Sydney, which will facilitate people and trade flows between these cities.





More From Singapore Business Review


By Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sixty-four civilians were killed and eight injured in 24 U.S. air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria between Nov. 20, 2015, and Sept. 10, 2016, the U.S. military said in a statement on Wednesday. "In each of the cases released today, the assessment determined that although all feasible precautions were taken and strikes complied with laws of armed conflict, civilian casualties unfortunately did occur, Colonel John Thomas, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said in a statement. In a strike on Nov. 20, five civilians were killed near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria after they entered the target area after the aircraft released its weapons. In a strike on March 5, near Mosul, Iraq, 10 civilians were killed in a strike against an Islamic State "weapons production facility," the statement said. Mitigating civilian casualties is a key component of the counter-ISIL air campaign, and weve applied lessons learned to reduce the likelihood of future civilian casualties, Thomas said, using an acronym for Islamic State. Including the latest disclosure, the Pentagon has assessed that 119 civilians have been killed in U.S air strikes since 2014, while 37 have been injured, Major Josh Jacques, another spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said. Last month a report from Amnesty International said that about 300 civilians have been killed in 11 coalition attacks in the past two years. Jacques said the latest release did not include an investigation into a coalition air strike in mid-July near Manbij, Syria, which groups say killed dozens of civilians, but that it was near completion. The United States has conducted 12,354 air strikes against Islamic State as of Nov. 2, with 6,992 in Iraq and 5,362 in Syria, according to U.S. military data. The operation against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has cost $9.3 billion since 2014, the data shows. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Bill Rigby)
Slay! This 80-year-old grandpa is a model, and his runway debut was unbelievably fierce

No longer do we live in a world where grandpas are relegated to the sidelines. Instead, they are busy slaying runways, like Wang Deshun, an 80-year-old grandpa and model whose runway debut at China Fashion Week was unbelievably fierce.

Seriously, people: This aint your ordinary grandpa in a cardigan. As Yahoo points out, Deshun has great abs and his flowing, silver tresses photograph like stills from a shampoo advertisement.

According to Bored Panda, Deshuns noticeable fit physique and his charm earned him the most suitable nickname of Chinas hottest grandpa, and we are bowing in agreement because he is the epitome of #lifegoals.

Here he is, werking the hell out of the runway:

FASHION-CHINA-SHEGUANG HU

And rightfully stealing all the shine:

CHINA-FASHION-SHEGUANG HU

Of his unlikely foray into acting and fashion, Deshun offered these golden words of wisdom:

Its about your state of mind. Its not about age. Nature determines age, but you determine your state of mind.

Now, that was one major dose of truth and inspiration. Join us in giving Deshuns admirable attitude a Tyra Banks fierce finger wag of approval.

The post Slay! This 80-year-old grandpa is a model, and his runway debut was unbelievably fierce appeared first on HelloGiggles.
The Doctors are examining one of the latest unique beauty products and this one will leave you a little chilly!

Could the solution for smaller pores lie with the power of ice? Dermatologist Dr. Sonia Batra demonstrates an ice roller, which is a popular in Asia and Europe. It offer users a convenient and no-mess ice facial. Using can ice roller can make your pores appear smaller, tighten the skin, reduce puffiness around the eyes and face and potentially revitalize your skins appearance. Men can also use the device to help with razor burn after shaving.

So what does our resident skin care guru think of this cold contraption?

Watch: Extreme Pore Extractions!

This is a decent idea. The cool  if you dont do it incessantly  is a great anti-inflammatory. Its a great way to decrease puffiness when you wake up and your eyes are a little swollen or your capillaries are a little dilated, Dr. Batra says, calling it simple and safe.

Dr. Batra warns to not use it excessively as it can lead to skin damage like frostbite. The recommended usage is for 2 to 5 minutes, after freezing the device for at least 30 minutes.

She also examines a roller device that Khloe Kardashian reportedly touts as something to use before applying her makeup and a caliper for getting the perfect eyebrow symmetry, but are they worth it? Check out the video above to find out what our dermatologist thinks of these products.

Watch: Unexpected Fix for Oily Skin

Plus, in a beauty blast from the past, Donelle Dadigan, President and Founder at the Hollywood Museum at The Max Factor Building, joins The Doctors to give us a history lesson on Max Factors innovations and classic makeup rooms sharing how the makeup pioneer helped revolutionize the beauty industry.

Donelle explains that before Max Factor bought makeup to the masses, that women was often thought of as "hussies" if they sported any. In addition to dispelling myths surrounding who should wear makeup, the beauty guru was responsible for so many of the beauty products that we take for granted now. He was the first to create stay-put lipstick and a beauty calibrator that measured the angles of a women's face in order to help decide where to apply makeup. At the time, his techniques and devices were key to make Hollywood's starlet's look their best in the pre-plastic surgery era.

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Other historical Max Factor fun facts:

A woman's makeup was decided by her hair color and skin tone

The entire second floor of his makeup emipre was devoted to just wigs

Lipstick was made in-house at the building by an assembly line of workers -- he even created a machine that simulated kissing to test out the product

The eye shadow he created contained gunpowder, which gave the product its sparkle

Watch more from our makeup flashback trip below!
By Kathryn Doyle (Reuters Health) - Using smartphones to measure how much time people spend looking at those phones confirms that more screentime is tied to poorer sleep, researchers say. This is the first study to directly measure actual screen time in natural environments and compare it to sleep quality, said senior author Dr. Gregory M. Marcus of the University of California, San Francisco. We did not rely on participant self-report, but rather utilized a mobile app that ran in the background and could capture exact screen time duration. The researchers analyzed data on 653 adults enrolled in the internet-based Health eHeart Study. Participants smartphones were provided with a mobile application that recorded screen time, or the number of minutes in each hour that the phone screen was on. This app collected data continuously over a 30-day window. Some participants self-reported their bedtime and sleeping period as well as personal demographics and medical information. Total screen time averaged 38.4 hours per 30 days, and average screen time per hour was 3.7 minutes, equivalent to one hour and 29 minutes per day, according to the report in the journal PLoS ONE. At first glance, that we on average spend about an hour and a half of our time interacting with our phone every day may not seem surprising, Marcus told Reuters Health by email. But in thinking about the fact that this is an hour and a half of uninterrupted time, that is a pretty significant part of our day. Younger people tended to have longer screen time. Screen time varied by age and race but was similar for people with the same socioeconomic background. As in previous studies of self-reported screen time, as screen time increased, sleep quality decreased, including taking more time to fall asleep and getting less time asleep overall. This is a lot better than the usual surveys where people estimate how much they use their phone, said Michael Gradisar of Flinders University School of Psychology in Adelaide, Australia. I was surprised that people are using their phones for one to two hours per day. I thought it would be more than that. Television, which also involves a screen but is not interactive, may not be linked to sleep in the same way, Gradisar told Reuters Health by email. More screen time right around participant-reported bedtime was particularly associated with longer sleep latency (or a longer time to fall asleep) and reduced sleep quality, Marcus said. The light produced by smart phones might suppress production of melatonin, which is related to sleep, Marcus said. However, it is also possible that engrossing activities that result in stimulation, such as following the latest post on Facebook or a bothersome tweet, might be counter to productive sleep preparation, he said. But this study does not prove causality, as people with difficulty sleeping may spend more time on their phone as a result of their inability to sleep, he said. We know that poor sleep leads to many health problems, and we are only now beginning to fully recognize the negative impact on the cardiovascular system, Marcus said. Avoiding smart phone screens is almost certainly low risk, he said. Therefore, if an individual is having difficulty falling asleep or maintaining an adequate quality of sleep, I think our observations support a good trial of screen time avoidance to determine if it helps that person obtain a good nights sleep. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2fD8M54 PLoS ONE, online November 9, 2016.
Making new inroads

In recent years, China has been an agent of globalisation and a growth model in South Asia.
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Australia's wildlife are famous for their ruthless eating habits, but it's a non-native snake that caused a stir on in the small country town of Singleton, Tuesday.

Long story short, police received complaints that it ate a dog.

SEE ALSO: Yes, this is literally a motherf*cking snake on a motherf*cking plane.

A 2.3 metre (7.5 feet) boa constrictor was taken into custody after reports it had dined on a small, innocent doggie.

Not only that, it tried "constricting" its owner while they slept. It's unknown whether the dog also belonged to the snake-owner.

Sadly, police said the boa was a threat and needed to be put down.

A statement from the NSW Police Force said that National Parks and Wildlife officers deemed the big fella "to be a non-native species and will be euthanised at a local veterinary facility due to the danger it poses to native mammals, household pets and the risk of spreading disease."

Please don't keep giant, wild animals as pets, people.

It will only end in tears.
Here are some of the social justice organizations you can support now that the election is over

Last night, the 2016 presidential election came to an end  and many of us are devastated, heartbroken, and overwhelmed. We are processing what this means for our country, our civil rights, our earth, our access to heath care and so much more. While we process, we can act. And in the face of what this election represents, we need to protect each other more than ever. And we know you are ready to fight.

We at HelloGiggles want to help you get started, so weve compiled this list of organizations that need your support  either through your time or through a donation.

In hopes of making it easier for you to navigate the organizations on this list, weve grouped them into various categories depending on their advocacy work. Of course, many of them intersect with one another.

We are incapable of including every organization that should be on here, so please share your favorite organizations in the comments. We need to expand this list as much as possible.

Reproductive rights

Planned Parenthood is an incredible organization with which we are all familiar  and for which we are intensely grateful. It is the foremost sexual health and womens health clinic in America, and weve already witnessed countless attacks on the organization this year (and always). They need our support more than ever. You can donate to PP here or go here to learn how to volunteer at your local Planned Parenthood.

Center for Reproductive Rights is a law advocacy non-profit that tirelessly works to defend our rights to abortion access, birth control, and affordable reproductive healthcare. Support their efforts with a donation.

NARAL Pro-Choice America is an advocacy group that fights to protect and expand womens access to abortion  and theyll be fighting harder than they already do. Donate to NARAL here.

And here, Planned Parenthood tells you how to become involved as a clinic escort  letting you take immediate action to protect women exercising their bodily autonomy.

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Immigration and rights of undocumented peoples

The National Immigration Law Center is one of the foremost legal advocacy organizations specifically protecting low-income immigrants. Fight for immigrant rights by donating or attending know-your-rights trainings.

Coalition for Humane Immigrants Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA) specifically works to aid immigrants and refugees based in Los Angeles  a city with one of the largest immigration populations in the country. Donate here.

Border Angels is based in San Diego  incredibly close to where the wall would be erected. The organization helps save the lives of migrants making dangerous journeys to the states, educates undocumented folks about their rights and legal options, and provides free legal services to immigrants. Go here to donate.

RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services) is based in Texas, and helps immigrant and refugee families receive free to low-cost legal services. You can donate or sponsor a family in need.

Friendship Park A photo posted by Border Angels (@borderangelsofficial) on May 10, 2016 at 5:17pm PDT

Muslim civil rights

Muslim Advocates is a legal advocacy organization working to protect the civil rights of Muslims and Muslim-Americans, and we all have to actively work to dismantle the Islamophobic culture that is being perpetuated with this presidency. Donate to Muslim Advocates here.

Council on American-Islam Relations (CAIR) is the biggest organization in the country focused on defending Muslims civil liberties. Volunteer and donate.

A photo posted by @i.found.peterpan on Nov 8, 2016 at 7:20pm PST

Queer civil rights

Lambda Legal is the oldest LGBT-focused law organization in the country. Through public policy and legal aid, they advocate for LGBT folks and people living with HIV/AIDS. Volunteer and donate.

The Trevor Project is a free national hotline for suicidal queer and questioning youth. Volunteer for the hotline or donate here.

Sylvia Rivera Law Project fights to protect trans and gender non-conforming folks from homelessness, discrimination, violence, sexual assault, and more. Donate here.

A photo posted by Lambda Legal (@lambdalegal) on Oct 28, 2016 at 2:21pm PDT

Black civil rights

The Black Lives Matter movement has chapters all across the country. Find your local chapter online and support activists fighting racism and police brutality, either by donating or protesting alongside them. Find the chapter in your region on social media to stay up to date on bail funds and actions.

The NAACP Legal Defense Fund fights for racial justice through legal services and policy work. Go here to donate, volunteer, attend events, and more.

A photo posted by Black Lives Matter (@blklivesmatter) on Oct 29, 2016 at 10:31pm PDT

Jewish civil rights

Anti-Defamation League fights back against anti-Semitism and bigotry and promotes justice through education and legal advocacy. Donate here.

Sexual assault prevention

RAINN is an anti-sexual assault organization that works with local rape crisis centers nationwide. They also provide a free national hotline for survivors. Go here to learn how to donate and volunteer.

Tell me again how rape and sexual assault accusations will ruin a man's career  Paxmee (@Paxmee) November 9, 2016

Refugee crisis

Sunrise USA is an American non-profit actively aiding Syrian refugees abroad and in the states. They provide trauma counseling, deliver supplies, and promote education. Donate here.

A photo posted by Refugees Welcome (@refugeeswelcome) on Nov 1, 2016 at 1:21pm PDT

Support for young girls

Running Start is an organization that educates and empowers young girls to become active in politics. Donate here or learn how to volunteer.

"To all the little girls watching...never doubt that you are valuable and powerful & deserving of every chance & opportunity in the world."  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 9, 2016

Environment and Standing Rock

EarthJustice is a legal organization dedicated to protecting the earth and wildlife against climate change and pollution, and fighting for clean water, clean energy, and healthy communities. They provide free legal services. Stay up to date with actions here and donate here.

NextGen Climate is dedicating to saving the planet and everybody on it from climate change through education and activism. Learn how to volunteer.

Support the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the #NoDAPL movement here.

Water is the source of life for all of us. Corporate greed is not more important than our life sources. #WaterIsLife #NoDAPL #MniWiconi A photo posted by Black Lives Matter (@blklivesmatter) on Oct 28, 2016 at 7:44pm PDT

Civil Rights

Southern Poverty Law Center is an advocacy organization fighting hate and bigotry. They focus on extremism, LGBT rights, economic justice, childrens rights, racial justice, immigrant justice, and criminal justice reform. Donate here.

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) protects and defends our Constitutional rights and individual rights. Donate here.

A photo posted by Southern Poverty Law Center (@splcenter) on Feb 18, 2016 at 2:41pm PST

Mental health

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a free 24-hour support hotline for people in crisis. Learn how to get involved here.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a grassroots organization working to defend and support folks struggling with mental health. Donate here.

A photo posted by julzonthego (@julzonthego) on Oct 13, 2016 at 7:47am PDT

There are countless organizations we can all support to protect each other. Please share more of them in the comments so we can help as best as we can.

The post Here are some of the social justice organizations you can support now that the election is over appeared first on HelloGiggles.
After a series of incidents forced Samsung to twice recall its Galaxy Note 7 and then ultimately discontinue the faulty handset, the company is taking to print ads to try and make up with consumers. But the hardest part of winning back customer trust still lies ahead for the phone maker.

In full-page ads taken out in the Monday editions of The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The New York Times this week, Samsung North America chief Gregory Lee apologized for the Galaxy Note 7 and said his company is working hard to restore its reputation for safety.

An important tenet of our mission is to offer best-in-class safety and quality. Recently, we fell short on this promise. For this we are truly sorry, Lee wrote in the ad. Most importantly, safety remains our top priority. We will listen to you, learn from this and act in a way that allows us to earn back your trust.

Samsung released the Galaxy Note 7 in August in hopes of delivering a smartphone that could take on  and perhaps take down  the iPhone 7. Before long, however, owners reported that the device was heating up and in some cases, exploding. Samsung blamed the incidents on a manufacturing problem with batteries at one of its suppliers.

MORE: Best Camera Phone - Top-Rated Smartphone Cameras

In September, Samsung issued a recall and said its second-run Galaxy Note 7 devices would be safe. But after reports again surfaced saying the new handsets were burning up, Samsung was forced to take the smartphone off store shelves and discontinue the Note 7.

Since then, Samsung has been trying to get back its smartphones by offering credits to customers, setting up kiosks in airports, and offering discounts on future devices. While its been successful at getting many Galaxy Note 7s back  last week, the company said that nearly 85 percent of the phones had been replaced in the U.S.  there are a few still in the wild.

Meanwhile, Samsung has been on an apology tour in hopes of regaining customer trust. It was hurt again last week, though, after it recalled nearly 3 million top-loading washing machines over fears they, too, could cause harm.

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Samsung has been roundly criticized for its handling of the recall and subsequent discontinuation. Several analysts have said that Samsung should have provided more details to make customers feel confident something like this wouldn't happen again. "What assurance can Samsung provide going forward that this won't happen again?" Ramon Llamas, research manager for wearables and mobile phones for market research firm IDC, said in an interview with Tom's Guide last month. He added that Samsung should've been clearer about what happened and revealed everything from its investigation.

"There's no such thing as too much information," Llamas said back in October.

MORE: Samsung Galaxy S8 Rumors: What Features to Expect

The latest apology seems unlikely to erase the problems facing Samsung. Current Analysis analyst Avi Greengart told us that Samsung's full-page apology ad was a start, but added, "this is an apology without substance. It could have been published weeks ago."

The problem, Greengart says, is that Samsung still hasn't addressed the cause of the Note 7's problems, particularly with the phones issued after the first recall. "It appears that Samsung may not yet know the cause of the Note 7 problems," he said.

Ben Bajarin of Creative Strategies agrees that "of the utmost priority is Samsung letting us know they know what happened so they can give us confidence it won't happen again. If they can't do this, there will certainly be a hint of doubt or concern it can happen again."

That said, Bajarin notes that Creative Strategies' research suggests Note 7 owners will remain loyal to Samsung. The concern for the company is that customers who don't currently own a Samsung smartphone. "The issue we see this having is with potential customers, not existing ones," Bajarin said.

Last week's washing machine recall further muddy the waters. "The dangerous washing machines just add to the notion that perhaps there is something wrong with Samsung's product development process and culture, that it is not just an isolated product issue," said Greengart, noting that he owns one of the recalled washing machines. "Samsung still needs to detail precisely what went wrong and describe the processes, procedures, and cultural changes it is putting in place to ensure it won't happen again."

And that's why this week's newspaper ads feel like too little too late. It's been months since the first reports of Note 7 troubles, and while Samsung has issued different apologies, we still haven't gotten a detailed explanation of how the company plans to make sure that future phone releases aren't dogged by the same problems.

"I think 2017 is going to be critical for [Samsung] from a recovery standpoint," Bajarin said. "They will need flawless execution on the brand and product side if they want to fully recover next year. Any more mishaps, and it may then become too late and make recovery almost impossible."

See also : 21 Most Hilarious Galaxy Note 7 Memes




SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said on Wednesday that he believed Donald Trump would maintain the current U.S. policy of pressuring North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests, if he wins the presidential election. "Trump has indicated that the greatest problem facing the world is the nuclear threat and members of his national security team hold the position that favor's applying strong pressure against the North," Yun said. He made the comments in a meeting with members of parliament scheduled to discuss the results of the U.S. presidential election. The North conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests in January and September, drawing widespread international condemnation. (This version of the story corrects quote) (Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Nick Macfie)
By Sonya Dowsett and Sarah White

MADRID, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Political paralysis persists in Spain 10 days into the new minority government's mandate as it has been unable even to convene urgent cross-party talks on a budget for next year.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's People's Party (PP) and opposition newcomer Ciudadanos have yet to set a date on when to start talks on spending plans, even before presenting the draft for approval from a largely hostile parliament.

The laboured process of negotiating an initial draft, which could see the parliamentary vote on the budget delayed until January, shows how sclerotic policy-making has become in Spain's new era of fragmented government.

"What you're seeing with the budget is emblematic of the kinds of difficulties in passing legislation that we expect to see going forward," said Sarah Carlson, Senior Vice President of credit ratings agency Moody's.

"The process of being able to assemble a majority of parliamentarians in order to be able to get pieces of legislation through - even something that happens on a recurrent basis like the budget - is going to be that much more difficult with a minority government."

Usually, the government's annual spending limit is decided in July for the following year and the budget presented to parliament for approval in September. The months of delays could mean a loss of face for Spain, which only just escaped a fine from the European Commission this year for missing its 2015 deficit target, and has overshot it on other occasions.

Spain took 10 months to establish a government after two inconclusive general elections and several unsuccessful attempts to form a coalition in a country where the traditional bi-party system was shattered by new political parties that rose to appeal to a recession-battered electorate.

Rajoy received parliamentary approval for a second term on Oct. 29 thanks to the support of market-friendly Ciudadanos's 32 votes, but has the weakest mandate in Spain's modern history.

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He is seven votes short of an absolute majority in the 350-strong Congress, meaning he must scrabble for approval from other opposition parties to push legislation through parliament. This is a far cry from Rajoy's previous term where he easily passed laws thanks to an absolute majority.

The opposition Socialist PSOE and anti-austerity Podemos parties have said they are likely to vote against the PP-proposed spending plans.

Spain's revised budget plan for 2017 will be a key part of efforts to convince Brussels it is doing enough to shrink the deficit.

The government needs to trim the deficit from a projected 3.6 percent of output next year to the 3.1 percent agreed with the European Commission to avoid fines or a freeze on funds it receives from the European Union.

It has already been granted another two years to bring the gap within the EU's recommended goal of below 3 percent of economic output.

(Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Tom Holland is giving fans a hint of where the wall crawler will swing after 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming.

In this week's The Hollywood Reporter cover story, Holland says he's on board for three Spider-Man solo movies and three appearances as the web slinger in other Marvel Cinematic films. So far, he's already shot two of those films - this summer's Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming.

"They give you options and those could be exercised whenever. Like a cameo in Avengers," Holland says of Marvel. "I'm unclear as to which movies though. I do know I have three Spider-Man [appearances in other] movies and three solo movies contracted. But if you have another movie, Marvel is so good at working around it. They're very respectful of your life, really. They understand that you have to work on other movies, and they try and fix it up so you can work around each other."

Holland's introduction in the MCU was among the most well-received parts of Civil War, and fans are assuming Holland will appear in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War, but studio head Kevin Feige has remained coy about whether the web slinger will appear.

There's more Spider-Man: Homecoming scoops in this week's THR magazine - including Holland's costar Zendaya weighing in on the controversy surrounding her mystery character (she's not a romantic interest) and how Holland learned he was playing the iconic character.

Marvel's and Sony's Spider-Man: Homecoming is directed by Jon Watts and opens July 7, 2017.

Read more: Tom Holland Learned He Got His 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' Role From a Marvel Instagram Post
By Michelle Price

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Investors can expect to see more regulatory probes into the sponsorship of stock listings in Hong Kong, the city's top markets enforcement official said, underlining a crackdown that has already led to two global banks being investigated.

Speaking at the Thomson Reuters Pan-Asian Regulatory Summit on Wednesday, Thomas Atkinson, recently appointed to head up enforcement at Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), said the regulator had created a temporary team dedicated to monitoring misconduct for initial public offerings.

"Corporate fraud and malfeasance pose one of the greatest threats to the integrity of the Hong Kong market," Atkinson said. "We have received a steady stream of referrals from our corporate finance division."

"Of particular note are those involved in misconduct of IPO sponsors: to put it very lightly, the conduct and level of professionalism demonstrated by some sponsors has left a lot to be desired," the enforcement chief said, without disclosing any sponsor names.

"You can expect to see some more of these cases and hopefully we'll hold these firms and senior management accountable."

Atkinson's tough stance comes in the wake of Standard Chartered (STAN.L) saying last week that the SFC is investigating its role as a joint sponsor of an IPO in 2009, and could take action against its Hong Kong unit.

That disclosure came just days after UBS (UBSG.S) also said the SFC was investigating its role as sponsor of certain listings in the city. USB could potentially face financial penalties, and could even be temporarily stripped of its ability to provide coveted corporate finance advisory services in Hong Kong.

The banks did not identify the IPOs at the center of the probes.

In 2009, Standard Chartered's Hong Kong brokerage unit acted in only two IPOs in 2009 including the $216 million listing of timber company China Forestry Holdings Co Ltd, a listing also sponsored by UBS.

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Trading in China Forestry has been suspended since January 2011, and the company is now in liquidation and delisting after the company's auditor said it had found possible accounting irregularities.

BIG STICK

With Hong Kong the world's hottest market for IPOs, scrutiny of listings is crucial to retain the bourse's attractiveness to investors. Under SFC regulations, banks can face fines and other sanctions if the listing documents of companies they are sponsoring for a market debut mislead investors.

SFC enforcement chief Atkinson said on Wednesday he has carried out a strategic review of enforcement priorities and concluded the regulator needs to focus on quality and "high-impact cases".

"At the top of our priorities is listed company issues. We are particularly concerned about risk posed by corporate fraud and malfeasance," Atkinson said, adding cases of fraud and corporate malfeasance have "severely damaged" Hong Kong's reputation.

He also said an investigation into Chinese solar energy company Hanergy Thin Film , the subject of a high-profile investigation for alleged market manipulation, was still ongoing.

Atkinson was appointed in May, having previously served as the head of enforcement at Canada's Ontario Securities Commission. He replaced Mark Steward, who left in September 2015 to join Britain's Financial Conduct Authority.

Atkinson is shaking up the enforcement division, bringing in new directors and shifting the division's focus, according to people briefed on the matter, who did not want to be to be named as they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Under Steward, the division cast its net widely, pursuing even minor transgressions, said lawyers and regulatory experts.

Atkinson, however, is keen to wrap up many of the more than 1,000 investigations the SFC opened prior to his appointment in a bid to focus on high-profile cases, the people said.

(Reporting by Michelle Price; Writing by Sumeet Chatterjee; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
10 Stacked Red Cups_ Available in U.S.

The holiday season has officially begun  at least at Starbucks.

The coffee chain debuted not one but 13 new red holiday cup designs on Wednesday. Starbucks will begin serving beverages in the new cups on Thursday morning.

To celebrate the new cups, Starbucks is offering a buy one, get one free deal on holiday drinks from 2 to 5 p.m., starting on Thursday and lasting through Monday.

Since Starbucks launched holiday cups in 1997, its red cups have become a holiday mainstay.

Last year, Starbucks faced backlash when the company debuted minimalist red cups that some complained weren't "Christmas-y" enough. After evangelist and internet personality Joshua Feuerstein posted a video on Facebook protesting the cups, the outrage  and outrage at the outrage  quickly grew, with hundreds sharing their views on social media.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz referenced the controversy at an event in New York City on Wednesday where the new cups were revealed.

"Should we just go back to last year and come out with a great red cup... and perhaps start another firestorm?" Schultz said. "We didn't think that was such a good idea."

SBUX_Launch_12 Cups_Line Up

So, the company turned to customers for inspiration. The 13 designs are inspired by customers' photos of their decorated red cups, posted on Instagram last year.

The red cups are Starbucks' second seasonal cups of 2016.

In the week or so leading up to the election, Starbucks debuted a green cup that featured an illustration showing the faces of more than 100 people, drawn with a single continuous line. The cup was intended to encourage unity during what Schultz called a "divisive time in our country."

Instead, many customers were critical of the cups. While some people were simply confused about the color, others accused the coffee chain of "political brainwashing."

Despite social media blowback, Starbucks has long maintained that its cups are an apolitical holiday tradition.

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But Schultz has long been an outspoken figure when it comes to politics. In September he endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton for president.

On Wednesday morning, Schultz sent a solemn note to his company's more than 120,000 US employees saying he was "stunned" by Donald Trump's election and encouraging the chain's workers to move "onward together."

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Howard Schultz

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz sent a solemn note to his company's more than 120,000 US employees on Wednesday morning after Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election.

"Last night, like so many of you, I watched the election returns with family and friends," the note began. "And like so many of our fellow Americans  both Democrats and Republicans  I am stunned."

The CEO went on to encourage the chain's workers to move "onward together."

Schultz has long been an outspoken figure when it comes to politics, known for his support of progressive causes. In September he endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton for president.

"I think it's obvious that Hillary Clinton needs to be the next president," Schultz said in an interview with CNN's Poppy Harlow in September. "On the other side, we've seen such vitriolic display of bigotry and hate and divisiveness, and that is not the leadership we need for the future of the country."

Schultz wrote a letter to employees on Sunday criticizing the "epic, unseemly" election, and he asked them to share in compassion and empathy.

Starbucks also recently attempted to promote pre-election unity with seasonal green cups featuring an illustration showing the faces of more than a hundred people drawn with a single continuous line.

Here's Wednesday's note in its entirety:

Dear partners,

Last night, like so many of you, I watched the election returns with family and friends. And like so many of our fellow Americans  both Democrats and Republicans  I am stunned.

We cannot know what the precise impact will be on our country and the rest of the world. I am hopeful that we will overcome the vitriol and division of this unprecedented election season.

As Americans, we must honor the democratic process. We have a president-elect in Donald Trump, and it is our responsibility as citizens to give him the opportunity to govern well and bring our country together.

Whether you are pleased or disappointed by the outcome, we each still have a choice. Today and every day, we have a choice in how we treat one another in our homes, in our neighborhoods, and of course in our stores.

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We can choose to answer the challenges of the day with kindness and compassion. We can choose to listen, to understand and to act with respect. We can choose to live by the values that reside in each of us, and honor our commitment to nurture the human spirit with love, and offer everyone in our stores and communities a place of inclusion and optimism.

Today, I trust you, and I trust all that is good in our country. Let's take care of each other and the people in our lives. I believe we will each find the best version of ourselves to help our country move on in the direction we all deserve. Together is where our collective power lies, as partners, and as Americans.

I am so very proud to be your partner.

Onward,

Howard

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Subscription streaming service Starz Play Arabia, which is now operating in 17 countries across the Middle East and North Africa, is the first Starz-branded service outside the U.S. It was launched in April of last year, beating Netflix to the punch in a region with a young, highly wired demographic and a population estimated at 370 million.

Earlier this month, Starz Play partnered with Vodafone in Egypt and Maroc Telecom in Morocco, with plans to expand into more territories in 2017. Variety spoke with Starz Play CEO Maaz Sheikh about the challenges of competing with Netflix in the fast-growing region, what Hollywood shows play well, and why Arabs dont want to watch Tom Cruise dubbed in their own language. Some excerpts:

What have the biggest challenges been in launching this type of service, which is new for the MENA region?

The two big challenges in this part of the world are: No. 1, methods of payment. Credit card penetration is extremely low and willingness to pay online  even if they have a credit card  is even lower. The confidence and trust with online credit card payments just isnt there. So thats your No. 1 challenge.

Even though Hollywood product is universal, curating it and marketing it to the right audience, with the right message and language and interface so that they can understand it, is a whole other challenge. You cant just put out a movie and expect for it to resonate with the [Middle East] market.

Is your Hollywood content dubbed into Arabic, or is it just subtitled?

Its mostly subtitled, but animated content is dubbed. The reason it has evolved this way is that Hollywood has had a long history in [the Middle East], so people have grown up watching all the big movie stars speaking in English and watching their movies subtitled. Theyd rather not see Tom Cruise speak Arabic. But on the animated side, all the big Pixar and Disney animation, we make those available dubbed in Arabic. Kids content is dubbed in Arabic, and that seems to work well.

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In North Africa, its different: They prefer to see Hollywood movies dubbed in French.

Netflix launched in this region eight months after you did. How do you compete with them, and how does your content offer differ?

Netflix is basically trying to buy global rights. While they build this portfolio of global rights, they have these pockets where even some of their own original content is licensed to another operator in that market. For example, one of their top shows, Bloodline, which is an original Netflix production, is on the Starz Play platform. We have the rights [for this region] exclusively and they dont. House of Cards plays exclusively on [pay-TV operator] OSN and not on Netflix. So they have this challenge not only with content from other major studios, but also with their own content.

I think after this whole big global launch, what they seem to be doing is focusing on some key international markets, because they realize they cant take the global challenge head-on in all 120 countries. From what we see, the MENA region is not one of these markets yet.

Can you tell me how many subscribers you have attained in over a year?

The paying active base is over 150,000 now, and the total sign-ups in this period are over half a million. You have people that sign up with a [free] trial and then a certain percentage of them turn into paying subscribers, and then a certain number drop out after that.

Which U.S. studios do you work with?

We are working with several major studios, including Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros., Sony, MGM, CBS, Showtime and Starz, of course, and we also work with independents and mini-majors like Lionsgate. We recently signed a deal with BBC as well.

Since launching, what are some of your top shows across the territories where you operate?

Original shows from CBS and Showtime, and Starz, which air on a first-run exclusive basis, day-and-date, generally speaking perform very well. In that category you have Power, from Starz, the Showtime show Billions is doing really well, and then Vikings, also day-and-date.

What about Saudi Arabia? They dont have movie theaters, so digital consumption seems all the more important there.

Saudi is our No. 1 market, both in terms of active base as well as growth. Once we partnered with Saudi Telecom, which is the No. 1 operator there, our numbers grew significantly. What we offer is a service they can subscribe to and pay through Saudi Telecom.

What are some of your top shows in Saudi?

In Saudi, The Walking Dead, Vikings, Power all do really well. Some of the library shows like Breaking Bad also do really well. One of the shows that stands out in Saudi is Ray Donovan. Its also a big movie market, because of the lack of movie theaters.

Do you have to tone Hollywood content down for Saudi?

We realize that there is a certain segment of customers in this part of the world that want to watch unedited and uncensored content, and we provide that. But we also realize that there is another segment of the market that does not want to watch some of the premium series with some nudity and sex in them, and they would like to watch these shows in a more family-friendly edited format. So we give consumers the choice. Being able to provide that family-friendly Hollywood content experience is also a big differentiator for us in Saudi.

How about Arabic content? What works?

In the past few years, the original content and series being produced in the Gulf region, specifically Kuwait, have picked up quite a bit. The ones we pick up from the Gulf market are some of the top-performing shows on our platform. They all tend to be family dramas. One is Saq El Bamboo, a classic family drama about a half-Kuwaiti, half-Filipino young man returning to Kuwait to reconnect with his family. There is also a history drama, Malek Bin Rayb; think of it as the Arab worlds Vikings.

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Comedian John Mulaney has a great bit about how marijuana, over the past few years, has magically transformed from a stigmatized drug into something that's now becoming legal across a growing number of states.

"It's also a really weird thing," Mulaney said in reference to the 180 society appears to be doing with respect to marijuana, "because this is the first time I've ever seen a law change because the government is just like, 'Fine.' You know? I've never seen it before. Like, gay marriage and healthcare, we have to battle it out in the Supreme Court, and be like, 'Gay people are humans.' And they're like, 'We'll think about it.'

DON'T MISS: Details of Donald Trumps phone calls with Obama and Clinton emerge

"But with weed," Mulaney continued, "it was just something we wanted really badly, and we kept asking them for 40 years, like, 'Excuse me.' And then suddenly the government became like cool parents, and they're just like, 'Okay, here. Take a little. We'd rather you do it in the house than go somewhere else... blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.' Those stupid parents. And that's a big deal because they scared us about weed constantly. It would be on our sitcoms. We'd be watching Saved by the Bell, we'd be having a great old time. And then, suddenly, a character we had not seen before would show up with some weed and the episode would stop cold in its tracks."

True to form, a number of states passed various incarnations of marijuana legalization referendums on the ballet yesterday, some with impressive majorities. Whereas some states followed the lead of Colorado and legalized marijuana for recreational use outright, other states took a more measured approach and approved marijuana for medical reasons. The larger point here is that the public's stance on marijuana appears to be shifting rapidly.

That being the case, we thought it was high time (pun partially intended) to take a step back and look at all of the states where individuals can openly and freely walk into a weed store, show some ID, and walk out with some green or some edibles. Colorado, Alaska, Oregon and Washington are now joined by California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada as weed friendly states. Interestingly, voters in Arizona voted against legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, though medical use is there is permissible.

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Many states already allow marijuana usage for medical reasons, and that list is now bigger following yesterday's election, with Arkansas, Florida and North Dakota now opting to join the party. The full list of states that have medical marijuana laws on the books now includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Washington DC.

Without question, the era where kids were indoctrinated to believe that marijuana was nothing short of a gateway drug to crack and heroin appears to be a vestige of the 1980s that has since been turned on its head..

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Stephen Colbert was on fine form Tuesday on his Showtime election night special: Democracys Series Finale Whos Going To Clean Up This Sh-t?

As the votes poured in to decide who will be Americas next President  Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton  Colbert had a few things to say about the election.

Right now the election is too close to call and too terrifying to contemplate, he said. It feels like we are trying to avoid the apocalypse, and half the country are voting for the asteroid.

After a brief and touching monologue about how important the election was for women all over the country and abroad, he focused his target on Donald Trump.

Colbert then played a montage of his censored moments from his show on CBS, but now in all their uncensored glory. Watch the clip above.
When the Stephen Colbert Election Night special creative team came up with this animated cold open for Democracys Series Finale: Whos Going To Clean Up This Sh*t?, they no doubt thought it was a laugh riot. Now, maybe not so much. Its their explanation of how Donald Trumps 2016 presidential race began in earnest when the high priest of the President Obama birther movement attended the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner, where he was mocked Obama.

And, FYI, here is that 2011 dinner speech by Obama:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCo_XypJJus&w=620&h=340]

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Stephen Colbert was ready to soothe a weary electorate with the medicine of laughter on Election Night, but even the comedian couldn't have predicted what he would be walking into with his live Showtime special.

The Late Show host, whose nightly CBS show was preempted Tuesday for ongoing coverage of the election results, brought his act to CBS' premium cable sister channel Showtime for a special titled Stephen Colbert's Live Election Night Democracy's Series Finale: Who's Going to Clean Up This Sh*t? Though it was announced as a one-hour event, the show ran 20 minutes over, concluding with a needed patriotic address from Colbert.

As results for the presidential election began rolling in Tuesday night, defying pollsters with Donald Trump's electoral vote lead - and sending Hollywood into a panic - Colbert's warm-up comic Paul Mercurio appeared at 10:30 p.m. ET to pump up a crowd who had been glued to their phones, before turning them off when the show started and gossiping about the election results. The in-studio monitors even aired a few minutes of CBS' election coverage before Mercurio took the stage, with the audience audibly reacting to the election returns the anchors were predicting. Mercurio had to ask the crowd a few times to cheer and laugh louder and called out nervous audience members, even asking, "What are you, f - ing dead inside?" After Mercurio ended his set, bringing a few audience members onstage to ask them some personal questions and gently joke with them about their answers, the crowd jumped to their feet and danced for a 10-minute performance from Jon Batiste and the Late Show band, Stay Human. In between, the stage manager gave those in the audience a sense of what to expect, from the show at least, promising a longer cold open than normal followed by opening credits and then Colbert's monologue.

But, as he often does, Colbert took the stage a few minutes before the show began to chat with the audience: "It's going to be a lot of fun, a little nerve-wracking, but a lot of fun." The dome presented the current electoral college standings, causing the crowd to groan over the results depicted, which showed Trump ahead. "Calm down, it's still early," said Colbert. "There's no need for crying. We're going to be together for a long time. I'm going to lock the door and we're going to stay in here." The soothing, comforting approach is one that Colbert kept coming back to, finding himself needing to assuage a shocked audience.

Read more: Critic's Notebook: Stephen Colbert Turns Election Night Comedy Special Into a Wake

When asked how nervous he is, the host replied, "I've done this a bunch. I did this in 2000 with Bush-Gore, so I'll tell you in 32 days."

The show's cold open then began to roll, a dark animated comedy of a vengeful Trump wanting revenge after President Barack Obama's takedown of the GOP nominee during the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner - and he does so by winning the election. "No more Mexicans, no more Muslims, no more losers," Trump screams five years in the future. The video saw Trump learning, from his father, that it was better to be a "winner" than a "bigly loser."

The mini-movie, titled "Trump Begins," not only echoed theories that part of his presidential run was a quest for revenge, it also seemed to echo that dinner's emcee Seth Meyers, whose NBC program Late Night was pre-empted for election coverage, but previously said of his WHCD set, in which he poked fun at Trump's birther claims about Obama to an unamused Trump, that his performance "gave Bane his origin story."

When Colbert took the stage for his monologue to the audience chanting his name, he said, "You don't need to stand for me. You don't need to chant for me. America doesn't have dictators - yet," the host said while introducing himself as Stephen "F - ing" Colbert. "What a year tonight has been! Right now the election is too close to call and too terrifying to contemplate," he said. He then asked the crowd if they were on edge about the "passport-grabber" of a night, to which they replied with a resounding "YES!"

During his monologue, Colbert recounted the biggest moments of the day amid the buzzing uncertainty. Of Trump being caught spying on wife Melania's ballot, he joked: "It's the first time Trump has been caught cheating off one of his wives instead of on one of his wives." He then aired a clip reel of uncensored curses from Late Show, including the full penis chalkboard drawing, unblurred. (Colbert's monologue streamed live via the channel's Facebook page, below.)

As suggested by the title, Colbert, who often pokes fun at CBS' censorship, had indicated ahead of the special that he'd take advantage of the ability to swear on Showtime, with showrunner Chris Licht telling The Hollywood Reporter that Colbert and his team prepped three different versions of the show that they can switch out based on what's happening, since results were nowhere near final when the show began at 11 p.m. ET.

Colbert told the audience he is indeed bringing nudity back: "Boobs, butts and diddly bits which can only be shown for artistic integrity." But the mood was somber. And while he did bring out a buff man, naked except for an index card covering his penis, with Colbert bending down to read the results (Marco Rubio has won his Senate seat in Florida), that was the last time nudity was used "to advance the plot" of what became a depressing hour-plus affair.

Read more: Trevor Noah "Very Much Afraid" of Trump Win as 'The Daily Show' Goes Live for Election Night

Jeff Goldblum was the first of the many promised guests to appear, explaining away Trump's potential win with a "chaos theory."

"The GOP took a hardened chunk of amber with prehistoric ideas and created a monster," said the Jurassic Park star. "They thought they could keep him contained but didn't count for hundreds of millions of things that could go wrong. The GOP were so preoccupied with if they could create a candidate didn't think if they should - now he's destroying everything in his path, including the Republican party."

Colbert continued to joke away the results, which he updated his cellphone-less audience with. "Right now, the only thing tighter than the race in Florida is my sphincter," he said. The audience uttered an audible and collective sigh when Colbert announced Trump took Ohio.

Of Trump losing his home state of New York, Colbert quipped that the GOP nominee is fine with Clinton winning the 29 electoral votes because "he never wants anything over 25." It appeared the host had prepped jokes for each state, rattling them off as he announced that Trump had won Nebraska and North Carolina and Clinton had won Vermont - a prize that also earned her her own Ben & Jerry's flavor, he joked, suggesting it could be "Deleted Cream Mail."

Without any commercial breaks, Colbert aired pre-taped ads throughout the show, with the first a Nick Offerman ad for Schmitt's Yard Signs. After the first "break," he brought out The Circus' Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, serving them double Old Fashioneds as they informed the audience of the shocking news that Trump was, at the moment, the narrow frontrunner. The audience gasped when told Trump was ahead in both Wisconsin and Michigan - "If he wins both, he's president," the pair said of "the compounding of all of the craziness [from the current election]."

Read more: Van Jones Shares Impassioned Reaction to Election on CNN: "This Was a White-Lash"

Calling Trump's electoral vote potential a "horrifying prospect," the trio agreed that the aftermath of a Trump win is going to be a "challenging" time for America.

"Outside of the Civil War, World War II and including 9/11, this may be the most cataclysmic event our country has seen," said Halperin, adding that Clinton will be under pressure to challenge the results.

Laura Benanti then revisited her impression of Melania Trump, via faux satellite: "I've always said, 'I will survive, we didn't start the fire, yo quiero Taco Bell.'" She thanked Vladmir Putin for his vision "driving the whole campaign," as well as "Jeb and his cousin Billy Bush." She also thanked Ivanka Trump, saying of her step-daughter, she's like a "slightly older sister."

Colbert then brought Goldblum back to the couch, saying his movies aren't nearly as scary as the election. Continuing the vibe of the show, Goldblum was too distraught to make light of the moment.

"I can't believe it. I'm in shock," said the Independence Day actor. "Horrible things will happen to me, all of us," he mused, as the actor who'd not only supported Clinton but campaigned for her searched for a silver lining. Colbert understood where he was coming from, adding, "That's the best thought I can think of. Maybe something worse than this will happen to us."

Next up, Elle King performed "America's Sweetheart" and Colbert brought back Heilemann along with Charlamagne tha God and Jena Friedman, the latter two of whom were especially angered and distraught over the current results. Heilemann also shared the news that as of that moment, The New York Times projected that Trump had a 95 percent chance of winning, leaving Clinton's odds of taking the White House at just five percent.

Read more: Stephen Colbert Prepping Multiple Scenarios (and Salty Language) for Showtime Election Special

"Well, congratulations America, you f - ed this one up," said the radio presenter. When Colbert explained that this show is about feelings tonight, Friedman replied, "I feel like I'm about to give birth to a baby that's already dead." She then added, "It feels like an asteroid has smashed into our democracy. I wish I could be funny. Get your abortions now."

Colbert replied with a serious answer, saying, "This is a moment for people to understand political involvement is a responsibility. You can opt out of voting, but you can't opt out of lack of action. If this is the effects, people who didn't vote will see effects of lack of action."

In attempt to find some light amid the dire mood, Colbert said, "I believe the American people made a choice that they believe will help their lives and everyone is entitled to make that decision, whether or not you agree with that."

The show ran long, not wrapping until 20 minutes after midnight, with Colbert concluding with a needed address to worried watchers, which he originally wanted to sit for but couldn't even bring himself to sit down.

"I think we can agree this has been an absolutely exhausting election - we all feel how Giuliani looks," he said. "Everybody's going to be saying, 'Has America lost its mind?' and the answer's going to be, 'Back off, buddy - we've got 300 million guns and we are stressed out.'"

He then continued with his message: "Everybody feels that way. More than half of Democrats say the Republican party makes them afraid. Both sides are terrified of the other side. I think that's why the voting booth has a curtain, so you can hide. How did our politics get so poisonous? I think we overdosed. You take a little of the poison so you can hate the other side. And it tastes good and you enjoy it and you know you're right."

Read more: Stephen Colbert Previews "Uncensored" Showtime Election Night Special (Exclusive Video)

Speaking about those who designed our democracy, Colbert said they "designed an election that was meant to confuse us and bore us a bit." He added, "Now politics is everywhere and that takes up precious brain space we could be using to think about all the things we have in common."

Colbert encouraged those listening to keep their American flag up as they put away their "I voted" stickers. He then listed a few light-hearted things to bring everyone together before making the audience stand to their feet to kiss a Democrat and hug a Republican.

"Let's agree we never, ever have another election like the one we just had," he said. "The election is over, you survived. Goodnight and may God bless America."

After his signoff, Colbert stuck around to address the in-studio audience once the cameras stopped rolling: "I meant what I said. I wasn't just trying to be a positive person. It's a beautiful country; we're all going to be all right."

He then thanked the crowd for being there. Colbert also revealed that an edited version of the special will air Friday on CBS.
Stephen Colbert is ready to soothe a weary electorate with the medicine of laughter.

The Late Show host, whose nightly CBS show was preempted Tuesday for ongoing coverage of the election results, instead brought his act to CBS' premium cable sister channel Showtime for a one-hour special entitled Stephen Colbert's Live Election Night Democracy's Series Finale: Who's Going To Clean Up This Sh*t?

As results for the presidential election began rolling in Tuesday night, defying pollsters with Trump's electoral vote lead - and sending Hollywood into a panic - Colbert's warm-up comic Paul Mercurio appeared at 10:30 p.m. ET to pump up a crowd who had been glued to their iPhones and the updating results. He called out nervous members in the audience, even asking, "What are you, f - ing dead inside?" The audience then jumped to their feet when the band began to play, the show promising a longer cold open than normal followed by opening credits and then the host himself.

Much to the crowd's surprise, Colbert then stepped out to say: "It's going to be a lot of fun, a little nervewracking, but a lot of fun." The dome presented the current electoral college standings, causing the crowd to grown over Florida's missing results. "Calm down, it's still early," said Colbert. "There's no need for crying. The evening is early. We're going to be together for a long time. I'm going to lock the door and we're going to stay in here."

When asked how nervous he is, the host replied, "I've done this a bunch. I did this in 2000 with Bush Gore so I'll tell you in 32 days."

The show's cold open then began to roll, a dark animated comedy of a vengeful Trump wanting revenge after President Barack Obama's takedown of the GOP nominee during the State Dinner - and he does so by winning the election. "No more Mexicans, no more Muslims, no more losers," he screams five years in the future.

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"You don't need to stand for me you don't need to chant for me. America doesn't have dictators... yet," the host said while introducing himself as Stephen "f - ing" Colbert. "What a year tonight has been? Right now the election is too close to call and too terrifying to contemplate." He then asked the crowd if they were on edge about the "passport-grabber" of a night, to which they replied with a resounding: YES!

During his monologue, Colbert recounted the biggest moments of the day amid the buzzing uncertainty. Of Trump being caught spying on Melania's ballot, he joked: "It's the first time Trump has been caught cheating off one of his wives instead of on one of his wives." He then aired a clip reel of uncensored curses from Late Show. (Colbert's monologue is streaming live via the channel's Facebook page, below.)

As suggested by the title, Colbert, who often pokes fun at CBS' censorship, had indicated ahead of the special that he'll take advantage of the ability to swear on Showtime, with showrunner Chris Licht teasing to The Hollywood Reporter that there may also be some display of full-frontal nudity. Licht also said he Colbert and his team prepped three different versions of the show that they can switch out based on what's happening, since results were not in at his start time of 11 p.m. ET.

Colbert told the audience he is indeed bringing nudity back, "Boobs, butts and diddly bits which can only be shown for artistic integrity."

Jeff Goldblum was the first of his many promised guests to appear, explaining away Trump's win with a "chaos theory."

"The GOP took a hardened chunk of amber with prehistoric ideas and created a monster," said the actor. "They thought they could keep him contained but didn't count for hundreds of millions of things that could go wrong. The GOP were so preoccupied with if they could create a candidate didn't think if they should--now destroying everything in his path including Republican party."

Colbert continued to joke away the results, which he updated his cell phone-less audience with. "Right now the only thing tighter than the race in Florida is my sphincter," he said. The audience uttered an audible and collective sigh when Colbert said Trump took Ohio.

Of Trump losing his home state of New York, Colbert said the GOP nominee is fine with Clinton winning 29 electoral votes because "he never wants anything over 25." It appeared the comedian had prepped jokes for each state, rattling them off as he announces that Trump has won Nebraska and North Carolina and Clinton, Vermont.

Without any commercial breaks, Colbert aired pre-taped ads throughout the show, the first a Nick Offerman ad for Schmitt's yard signs. After the first "break," he brought out The Circus' Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, serving them double Old Fashioneds as they informed the audience of the shocking news that Trump was, at the moment, the narrow frontrunner. The audience gasped when told Trump was ahead in both Wisconsin and Michigan --if he wins both, he's president, the pair said of "the compounding of all of the craziness."

Calling Trump's electoral vote potential a "horrifying prospect," the pair agreed that the aftermath of a Trump win is going to be a "challenging" time for America.

"Outside of the Civil War, World War II and including 9/11 this may be the most cataclysmic event our country has seen," said Halperin, adding that Clinton will be under pressure to challenge the results.

Laura Benanti then revisited her impression of Melania Trump, via faux satellite. "I've always said, I will survive, we didn't start the fire, yo quiero Taco Bell." She thanked Vladmir Putin for his vision "driving the whole campaign," as well as "Jeb and his cousin Billy Bush." She thanked Ivanka Trump, saying she's like a "slightly older sister."

It's the apocalypse. Give us your steeliest looks. #ColbertElectionSHO pic.twitter.com/HTAkPyn7hx

- The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) November 9, 2016

Colber then welcomed Goldblum back and to the couch, saying his movies aren't nearly as scary as the election. Continuing the vibe of the show, Goldblum was too distraught to make light in the moment.

"I can't believe it. I'm in shock," said the Independence Day actor. "Horrible things will happen to me, all of us. That's the best thought I can think of. Maybe something worse than this will happen to us."

Next up, Elle King performed "America's Sweetheart" and Colbert welcomed back Halperin along with Charlamagne tha God and Jena Friedman, the latter two who were especially angered and distraught over the current results. At the time, they cited Clinton of having a five percent chance of winning.

Read more: Stephen Colbert Prepping Multiple Scenarios (and Salty Language) for Showtime Election Special

"Well, congratulations America you f - ked this one up," said the radio presenter. When Colbert explained that this show is about feelings tonight, Friedman replied, "I feel like I'm about to give birth to a baby that's already dead." She then added, "It feels like an asteroid has smashed into our democracy. I wish I could be funny. Get your abortions now."

Colbert replied with a serious answer, saying, "This is a moment for people to understand political involvement is a responsibility. You can opt out of voting but you can't opt out of lack of action. If this is the effects, people who didn't vote will see effects of lack of action."

In attempt to find some light amid the dire mood, Colbert said, "I believe the American people made a choice that they beleive will help their lives and everyone is entitled to make that decision, whether or not you agree with that."

The show continued to run longer than its planned hour (not wrapping until 20 minutes after midnight), as Colbert addressed the worried audience and nation.

"I think we can agree this has been an absolutely exhausting election - we all feel how Giuliani looks," he said. "Everybody's going to be saying, 'Has America lost it's mind?' and the answer's going to be: Back off buddy, we've got 300 million guns and we are stressed out."

He then continued with a needed message: "Everybody feels that way. More than half of Democrats say the Republican party makes them afraid. Both sides are terrified of the other side. I think that's why the voting booth has a curtain, so you can hide. How did our politics get so poisonous? I think we overdosed. You take a little of the poison so you can hate the other side. And it tastes good and you enjoy the other side and you know you're right."

Read more: Stephen Colbert Previews "Uncensored" Showtime Election Night Special (Exclusive Video)

Speaking about those who designed our democracy, Colbert said they "designed an election that was meant to confuse us and bore us a bit." Adding, "Now politics is everywhere and that takes up precious brain space we could be using to think about all the things we have in common."

He encouraged those listening to keep their American flag up as they put away their "I voted" stickers. He then listed out a few light-hearted things to bring everyone together before making the audience stand to their feet to kiss a Democrat and hug a Replublican.

"Let's agree we never have another election like the one we just had," he said. "The election is over, you survived. Goodnight and may god bless America."

After his signoff, Colbert stuck around to address the audience once the cameras stopped rolling.

"I meant what I said. I wasn't just trying to be a positive person. It's a beautiful country, we're all going to be alright."

He then thanked the crowd for being there.
Sucampo Pharmaceuticals Inc. (SCMP) reported its third-quarter financial results before the markets opened on Wednesday. The company posted $0.28 in earnings per share (EPS) and $57.9 million in revenue. The consensus estimates from Thomson Reuters called for $0.27 in EPS and revenue of $51.36 million. The same period of last year reportedly had EPS of $0.16 and $33.45 million in revenue.

A recently completed settlement and license agreement with Dr. Reddys Laboratories and certain of its affiliates resolves patent litigation in the United States related to Sucampos Amitiza (lubiprostone) soft gelatin capsules. The agreement provides for an entry date more than six years from todays date and profit sharing on product sales by Dr. Reddys.

ALSO READ: 40 Countries the US Government Doesn't Want You to Visit

The companys Phase 3 trial of Amitiza in pediatric functional constipation did not achieve its primary endpoint of overall spontaneous bowel movement (SBM) response. However, the trial did show a trend in favor of lubiprostone for the primary endpoint, and it achieved statistical significance in some secondary endpoints, notably overall SBM frequency, straining and stool consistency. Clinical development of Amitiza with a sprinkle formulation and Phase 3 trials in adults and children six months to less than six years of age using the sprinkle formulation will continue as planned.

In terms of guidance for the full year, the company expects EPS to be in the range of $1.20 to $1.25 and revenues of between $220 million and $225 million. The consensus estimates are $1.03 in EPS and $205.68 million in revenue.

ALSO READ: 11 Stocks Surging Higher From Donald Trump's Surprise Victory

Peter Greenleaf, board chair and chief executive of Sucampo, commented:

We are very excited that we have achieved another significant quarter of strong financial results, driven by solid global performance of our flagship brand, AMITIZA. Additionally, we continued to make significant progress on many important areas of our business, including the resolution of our patent litigation with Dr. Reddys Laboratories that affords us greater certainty on the significant future value of the AMITIZA franchise. Looking forward to the remainder of 2016 and throughout 2017, we will be focused on the execution of our base business, next steps in our phase three program for AMITIZA in pediatric functional constipation and development of a sprinkle formulation, and completion of strategic transactions to further boost growth and diversify our company.

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ALSO READ: Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: AT&T, CenturyLink, Goldman Sachs, OneMain, Priceline and More

Shares of Sucampo were trading up 29% at $14.65 on Wednesday, with a consensus analyst price target of $18.50 and a 52-week trading range of $9.59 to $18.80.

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Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has said Nepal and his party are firm on the 'one-China' policy.
Aaand the Canadian immigration website is down for the count. Apparently the poor thing just couldnt keep up with anxious Americans grasping late Tuesday for an exit strategy as Republican Donald Trump appeared poised to take the U.S. election in a surprise upset over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Its not surprising many Americans repulsed by Trumps anti-immigrant rhetoric and bombastic personality would turn to their northern neighbors in crisis. Beyond its proximity, Canada is an attractive haven of values that Trump railed against during his campaign, with its generous Syrian refugee program, decent welfare system, and Obama-friendly, mild-mannered prime minister. (And Canadians would never think to build a wall against Trump-fleeing Americans, would they?)

Surprising no one, this isnt the first time the Canadian immigration site has had trouble keeping up with American demand. It also crashed back on Super Tuesday in March, when Trump demonstrated a staying power many had underestimated. Google searches for move to Canada also spiked that day.

Canadians, true to their nice-guy reputation, have tried to make things easier on stressed Americans during this roller coaster election season. In July, Air Canada launched a Test Drive Canada ad campaign, inviting Americans to check out the country, just in case the election went sideways.

That was a bit cheeky but in October, when America seemed on the verge of a nervous breakdown, Canadians tried to give their U.S. friends the equivalent of a back massage with a Tell America its Great self-esteem booster social media initiative from an advertisement company.

Thats nice, but maybe it would have been more helpful to beef up their websites back-end support. If Clintons numbers dont bounce back, the demand knocking on Canadas door might only grow.

Photo credit: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images
Paris (AFP) - Suspected senior ETA leader Mikel Irastorza was charged in Paris on Wednesday with criminal association with a terrorist organisation and placed in detention, court sources said.

Also charged were the couple in whose house Irastorza was found when French and Spanish police raided the property in southwest France on Saturday.

Before his arrest, Irastorza, 41, a Spanish national, was thought to be the most senior member of the Basque separatist movement still at large.

The couple -- a 59-year-old Basque exile and his 56-year-old wife -- were granted a conditional release from custody.

Founded in 1959, ETA waged a violent decades-long campaign for an independent Basque homeland in northern Spain and southwestern France, and is blamed for the deaths of more than 800 people.

It declared a ceasefire in October 2011 but has refused to give up its weapons.

The group is seeking to negotiate its dissolution in exchange for amnesties or improved prison conditions for the roughly 350 ETA members held in both countries.
By Erik Matzen and Nikolaj Skydsgaard

COPENHAGEN, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Swedish utility Vattenfall has won a tender to build Denmark's biggest offshore wind farm, but still faces the potential cancellation of a separate wind project in the country, the Danish energy ministry said on Wednesday.

Vattenfall won the 600 megawatt Kriegers Flak wind farm tender with a bid of 49.9 euros per megawatt hour, following its victory in September for a 350 megawatt near-shore wind farm off the western coast of Denmark.

Denmark's minority government, however, said in September it intended to cancel the near-shore project because the cost of renewable energy subsidies have soared due to low power market prices.

Offshore wind power is among the most expensive kind of energy and needs government subsidies, although recent bids from industry leaders suggest it may soon be able to compete with other sources of energy.

Vattenfall's bid for Kriegers Flak was almost 60 percent below a limit agreed by a coalition of political parties in 2012.

"And our winning bid for the near-shore was also considerably below the price limit," country manager, Ole Nielsen, said in a statement.

"This means, that Denmark can realize two wind farm projects ... for the price of one," he said, adding he remained confident the Danish parliament would back both projects.

Energy Minister Lars Lilleholt said the Kriegers Flak project had a number of advantages, but was adamant about cancelling the near-shore project, even though a majority in parliament is in favour of it.

"State aid for Kriegers Flak is far less than expected in the Energy Agreement, in sharp contrast to near-shore wind turbines," he said.

Lilleholt told Reuters an agreement on a new government subsidy scheme, and a decision on the near-shore project, could be reached in negotiations during the weekend.

Vattenfall expects to invest around 1.3 billion euros in the Kriegers Flak project, which had DONG Energy, E.ON and Statoil as prequalified bidders.

Located south of Sweden in the Baltic Sea, Kriegers Flak will provide enough energy to power a fifth of Danish homes, Vattenfall said in a statement.

(Editing by Mark Potter)
ZURICH (Reuters) - The Swiss government on Wednesday rejected an initiative for "sovereign money" that would pin sole responsibility for creating money on the Swiss National Bank, as well as a proposed move to give the constitution priority over international law.

The government said the "sovereign money" proposal to end fractional-reserve banking would complicate the SNB's monetary policy and put the Swiss economy at risk.

"Switzerland would become a guinea pig for untested reforms," the government said in a statement, adding such a profound transformation of the monetary system would carry substantial risks and could lead to economic upheaval.

The initiative was the idea of a group called Monetary Monetization that says the banking system would become more secure if banks were no longer allowed to create "electronic money" that makes up most bank accounts.

The government also rejected another initiative, spearheaded by the far-right Swiss People's Party (SVP), that aims to give the Swiss constitution priority over international law.

"Accepting the "Swiss Law, Not Foreign Judges" initiative would lead to legal uncertainty and harm the Swiss economy," the government said in a separate statement, adding it would also undermine Swiss foreign policy.

Switzerland is currently struggling to implement another SVP initiative - a 2014 vote to curb immigration because it contradicts bilateral treaties with the European Union on the free movement of people.

(Reporting by Silke Koltrowitz; editing by Mark Heinrich)
By John Miller ZURICH (Reuters) - Donald Trump's U.S. election victory, on the heels of Britain's vote to exit the European Union, was fuelled by voters who feel neglected and shunned by establishment leaders, prominent Swiss right-winger Christoph Blocher said on Wednesday. Blocher, a top official in the anti-immigration Swiss People's Party who engineered its ascent to become the biggest faction in the Swiss parliament, said Trump's win over Democrat Hillary Clinton was a warning to current world leaders not to go over citizens' heads on issues including immigration. "People feel powerless against those who rule them, and for them, Trump is a release valve," Blocher said in an interview. "The unexpected result ... should give pause to those who are in power around the world." Next year, the Netherlands, France and Germany - and possibly Italy and Britain too - will hold elections in which debate is likely to be driven by populist parties over issues including immigration. [nL8N1D83Q4] That was also a central theme in Britain's June 23 "Brexit" vote to end 43 years of EU membership. [nU8N1B401J] Non-EU Switzerland is seeking to balance demands by voters in 2014 for immigration quotas for EU workers without torpedoing trade agreements with the bloc. Blocher's party has said alternatives now being considered ignore the will of voters. [nU8N1B401J][nL8N1BX4CB] "When politicians in Berne refuse to take the vote against mass immigration seriously, it will only lead to a shock like it did in America," Blocher said. Blocher said Europe's responses to immigration amid violent Islamist attacks in France, Belgium and Germany have helped populist political parties including France's National Front, as well as the Alternative for Germany, gain traction. [nL4N1DA4PG] "They stand out because they are taking on problems the establishment refuses to tackle. One big question that you have to speak openly about is the immigration from Islamic countries. You can't just tear down everybody who is critical of this." (Additional reporting by Paul Arnold; editing by Mark Heinrich)
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian army said it had taken a strategic district of Aleppo on Tuesday in what would mark the most important advance in the divided city by Damascus and its allies in weeks, but rebels said the battle was not over. The 1070 Apartments district is located on the southwestern outskirts of Aleppo and lies alongside the government's corridor into the parts of the city that it controls. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group that reports on the war, said government forces and their allies had seized full control of 1070 Apartments, calling it the most significant gain by the government in Aleppo since September. A Syrian military source said the army and allied forces were in complete control of the area and surrounding hills. They have made repeated efforts to oust rebels from the 1070 Apartments area since the summer. A military media unit run by the Damascus-allied Hezbollah carried a similar report. Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim group, is fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's war, now well in its sixth year. But officials in two rebel groups fighting in Aleppo - Syria's largest city and commercial hub before the war - said insurgent forces were still trying to fight back. "The clashes around 1070 Apartments are still going on," Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of the Fastaqim rebel group, said, while confirming that the army had taken the district. Yasser Alyousef from the political office of the Nour al-Din al-Zinki rebel group said rebels had recovered positions they had lost on Monday. Syrian government forces backed by allied militias and Russian air power launched a major assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo in September after besieging the area, which the United Nations says is home to 275,000 people. On Oct. 29, rebels counter-attacked in a bid to break the siege, targeting government-held western districts of Aleppo in an offensive that included Islamist militants and rebels fighting under the Free Syrian Army banner. But their progress slowed after early gains. There were conflicting accounts of fighting on Tuesday in the village of Minian, also on the western edge of Aleppo. Syrian state media said the army had advanced into Minian, which was taken by rebels at the start of their campaign. The Observatory said the army and its allies had captured around half of Minian after heavy air strikes. The fall of Minian to the government would reverse some of the gains rebels have made during their offensive. But Malahifji, of the Fastaqim rebel group, denied there had been any clashes inside the village. "Minian is still with the rebels," he said. "The regime is trying to take it, but it's still with the rebels." Russia says its air force has been observing a moratorium on air strikes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo since Oct. 18. The Observatory and emergency workers in eastern Aleppo said heavy air strikes had killed hundreds of people, and hit hospitals and other civilian facilities prior to that. Russia is preparing to resume air strikes around Aleppo "in coming hours", the Interfax news agency quoted a source in the Russian Defence Ministry as saying on Tuesday. A senior U.S. official reacted harshly to that possibility, saying the United States had repeatedly sought to de-escalate the violence, only to see Moscow flex its military muscle in support of Assad. "An escalation would make it harder to resolve the brutal civil war in Syria and raise more doubts about Russia's commitment to a political solution," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Rebel shelling of government-held western Aleppo has meanwhile killed dozens of people, the United Nations said last week in an update on the humanitarian situation in the city. (Reporting by Tom Perry and Ellen Francis in Beirut, Jack Stubbs in Moscow and Phil Stewart in Washington; Editing by Gareth Jones and Jonathan Oatis)
By Andrea Shalal BERLIN (Reuters) - Donald Trump's election as U.S. president could provide fresh momentum for ending Syria's six-year-old civil war, the president of the opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) said on Wednesday. Speaking to Reuters, coalition president Anas al-Abdah also urged Germany to step up its efforts to end the war and push for limited sanctions against Russia for its support of President Bashar al-Assad. "The new (U.S.) president-elect has the will and the leadership to reassert American leadership in the area and in Syria," he said in an interview, contrasting this with the current U.S. approach which he said had allowed Russia to act with impunity. The Turkey-based SNC is a coalition of political and rebel groups which is backed by Western countries that oppose Assad. One insurgent group on the ground in Syria was less optimistic. "I think things will become difficult because of Trump's statements and his relationship with Putin and Russia. I imagine this is not good for the Syrian issue," Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of an Aleppo-based rebel group, told Reuters earlier on Wednesday. Trump is widely viewed as having a more open-minded stance towards Russia than the current U.S. administration, triggering concerns that this could embolden Russia. President Vladimir Putin said following Trump's election win that Moscow was ready to do its part to fully restore ties with Washington. Al-Abdah said the SNC had sent Trump its congratulations and was in touch with a Trump adviser about a comprehensive new approach to Syria. Once the incoming Trump administration got engaged, it would also be important for Europe to present a unified view, he said. He said SNC officials discussed a range of next steps with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday, including imposition of limited sanctions against Russian companies and banks that are aiding Assad and limited military strikes. Al-Abdah said Steinmeier had promised to do all he could to end the targeting of Syrian civilians, and told the opposition officials he would convene a meeting in coming days of European Union officials to discuss Trump's victory and the consequences for Syria. No comment was immediately available from the foreign ministry. Syrian opposition officials said they sensed growing German interest in limited sanctions. "It's time for Germany to lead European foreign policy in many areas, but specifically with regard to Syria," al-Abdah said. Germany had the respect of its EU counterparts and a certain "moral authority" since it accepted the largest number of Syrian refugees over the past two years, and enjoyed good relations with both Russia and the United States. "They can bring some new sanity into this discussion," al-Abdah said. "The monopoly between the U.S. and Russia has not really produced any good results so far." (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by John Stonestreet)
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's independence-leaning ruling party urged Beijing's leaders on Wednesday to listen to the democratic aspirations of people in Hong Kong and to respect the rights of pro-independence representatives. The comments by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are sure to rile Beijing, which deems Taiwan a wayward province that is part of China to be taken back by force if necessary. Beijing has stopped official communication with self-ruled Taiwan because DPP leader and President Tsai Ing-wen refuses to acknowledge this "one China" principle. On Monday, China's parliament issued an interpretation of Hong Kong's mini-constitution, or Basic Law, which effectively barred two pro-independence lawmakers from taking their oaths of office. The move marked Beijing's most direct intervention in the city's legal and political system since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. "The government of Beijing and Hong Kong should listen to the aspirations of the people of Hong Kong eager to practice democracy," DPP spokesman Yang Chia-liang said in a statement. Yang said the DPP and the people of Taiwan were paying close attention to how Beijing handled "the problem in Hong Kong" and supported the right of Hong Kong people to choose their representatives by democratic means. Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule under a "one country, two systems" agreement that ensured its freedoms, including a separate legal system. Beijing, however, has ultimate control and some Hong Kong people fear it is increasingly interfering to head off dissent. (Reporting by J.R. Wu; Editing by Paul Tait)
Nepal to shut down its Denmark mission

Nepal has decided to shut down its mission in Denmark and a decision in this regard would be taken soon, Foreign Ministry officials said.
Americans are heading to the polls today in droves after weathering endless campaign ads designed to influence their votes  especially in presidential battleground states such as Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Heres what you need to know about the advertising assault:

Team Clinton aired three times more ads than Team Trump

More than 500,000 broadcast and national cable TV ads have aired in the presidential race during the general election, and Team Hillary Clinton accounted for 75 percent of them.

Thats according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of data provided by ad tracking firm Kantar Media/CMAG, which showed that the Democratic presidential nominee and her allies combined to air more than 383,000 TV ads from June 12 through Nov. 6, while Republican Donald Trump and those supporting his presidential bid combined to air about 125,000.

Clintons own campaign, which raised $513 million versus the $255 million raised by Trump, was alone responsible for more than 282,000 ads  about 55 percent of all the TV ads in the race since mid-June.

During this period, Priorities USA Action  the main pro-Clinton super PAC, which raised more than $175 million  nearly aired as many TV ads than Trumps own campaign. Priorities USA Action aired about 77,000 TV ads, according to Kantar Media/CMAG. Trumps campaign aired about 85,000.

The Republican nominees biggest ally on the airwaves was the National Rifle Association, which aired about 14,000 pro-Trump or anti-Clinton TV ads since mid-June.

Battleground: Florida

No state endured more presidential TV ads than Florida, the electoral prize worth 29 Electoral College votes, which Democrat Barack Obama carried in 2012 by just 0.9 percent.

Since June 12, more than presidential 121,000 TV ads targeted residents of Florida, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of data from Kantar Media/CMAG.

Team Clinton accounted for more than 75 percent of the presidential-focused TV ads in the Sunshine State. Since Oct. 1 alone, Team Clinton aired more than 39,500 TV ads there  an average of about one pro-Clinton or anti-Trump TV ad every 90 seconds.

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Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Nevada round out the top five states with the most presidential-focused TV ads.

In all of them, Team Clinton aired more TV ads than Team Trump.

Clinton and her supporters aired two TV ads, on average, every five minutes in Ohio since Oct. 1, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of data from Kantar Media/CMAG.

Meanwhile, Team Clinton aired one TV ad, on average, every three minutes since Oct. 1 in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. And in Nevada, Clinton and her allies aired one TV ad, on average, about every five minutes since Oct. 1.

Waging the ad war en espanol

Latino voters could be one of the most decisive voting blocs this election  a contest in which Clinton has endorsed comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway for citizenship for undocumented immigrants living in the country illegally.

Trump, for his part, has advocated that the United States build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. He also wants to prohibit children born in the United States to foreign parents from automatically gaining U.S. citizenship.

Against this backdrop, Clintons campaign and her supporters have aggressively courted Latino voters, including airing thousands of Spanish-language TV ads.

Clintons own campaign aired about 3,200 TV ads in Spanish during the general election, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of data provided by Kantar Media/CMAG.

The number sponsored by Trumps campaign? About 100, the first of which aired on Nov 4.

Meanwhile, pro-Trump groups only aired another 400 Spanish-language ads, according to Kantar Media/CMAG. Pro-Clinton groups aired more than 12,000 of their own TV ads.

In Nevada alone  a battleground state with one of the highest proportions of Latino voters  about one of every nine TV ads sponsored by Team Clinton since June 12 was in Spanish. None of Team Trumps ads in the Silver State during that time were in Spanish.

This story is from the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative media organization in Washington, D.C. Read more of its investigations on the influence of money in politics or follow it on Twitter.
The Air Jordan sneaker is one of Nikes most popular shoe styles. (Photo: Getty Images)

The news of one teens actions to help another student being bullied might just be the heartwarming story you need after the culmination of such a contentious election cycle.

A high school student in South Carolina, Tae Moore, noticed one of his fellow classmates, Taylor Bates, was being bullied because of the way he talked and dressed. He decided to surprise Bates with a pair of new Air Jordans to make him feel better. Moore posted a video of their exchange on Facebook, which has already been viewed almost 3 million times.

This kid that goes to our school is named Eazy E. He likes to rap and etc., and said he wants to be a rapper. He is just trying to chase his dream, but kids at school like to bully him and pick on him and talk about the way he dresses and looks. So I went and bought him some Jordans. He was shocked, he posted alongside the video.

In the video, Bates is completely floored by the gesture and asks Moore if he wants payment in return for the shoes, which Moore denies while insisting he try on the new pair of sneakers.

Bates posted a photo with Moore on his Instagram page in which he thanked the student for his kindness and recounted the full story to his followers.

According to Bates, Moore approached him the day before gifting him the sneakers to ask him what size he wore, also telling him to meet him in the same spot the next day. When he arrived the next day, the teen handed him a new pair of Air Jordan 1 Retro sneakers. He also told Bates to let him know if anyone bothers him in the future. Bates was so moved by Moores gesture that he almost cried. He added the hashtag #thereareawesomepeopleintheworld to his photo, showing just how much the small act of kindness meant to him.

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A 21-year-old Texas man was arrested Wednesday for the murder of his much-younger girlfriends mother and little sister, a day after authorities put out an Amber Alert for the missing teenager.

Kirsten Nicole Fritch, 16, has been missing since Tuesday, when her mother and sister were found dead in their Baytown home.

Officers conducting a wellness check Tuesday morning discovered the bodies of Cynthia Morris, 37, and her 13-year-old daughter, Breanna Pavilicek, each shot at least once, officials said.

Morris mother had called 911, saying she had been unable to get in touch with her daughter or her granddaughters, and that her daughter had also not shown up for work, Baytown Police said.

The grandmother went by her loved ones home and when she found the front door slightly open, she called police, officials said.

Read: Father Killed His Two Sons, 4 And 5, Then Himself After Amber Alert Issued

Investigators determined that Morris car, a white, Chrysler PT Cruiser, was missing.

Morris older daughter, Fritch, was also nowhere to be found.

An Amber Alert was issued for the teen, who investigators said was last seen with Jesse Dobbs, 21, who authorities said was an acquaintance of Fritchs.

But according to reports, the pair had been dating and Morris was against the relationship.

Detectives are considering Mr. Dobbs a person of interest at this time and are concerned about the welfare of the 16-year-old, police said Tuesday.

Read: Amber Alert Issued for 3 Children Believed to Be Traveling With Accused Child Molester

Dobbs was found with Morris car Tuesday night, authorities said.

A father-of-two and an avid user of social media, Dobbs wrote on Instagram: I love my kids. Im focusing on being a father.

Looking for the one, he posted on Instagram 12 weeks ago.

But others said Dobbs seemed troubled, saying that he had recently threatened violence.

Story continues

Neighbor William Baron told KHOU that Dobbs suffered from drug addiction saying: He told me the other day that, I am numb, I dont care what I do, if I kill somebody, I kill somebody.

Fritch is 5-foot-1, weighs 135 pounds and has brown hair and green eyes.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Baytown Crime Stoppers at 281-427-8477 or the Baytown Police Department at 281-422-8371.

Watch: Husband Of Missing Jogger Mom Breaks His Silence to Offer $50,000 Reward

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The overall earnings scenario has been quite encouraging this season. With most of the companies having already announced their quarterly numbers, this quarter is on track to be the first quarter of positive earnings growth after five consecutive quarters of decline. With key players scheduled to report earnings this week, our latest Earnings Preview now predicts earnings growth of 3% year over year on 1.5% higher revenues. Moreover, we expect the trend to continue in the upcoming quarters.

Let us take a look at some telecom stocks that are expected to post their quarterly numbers on Nov 10.

Acacia Communications, Inc. ACIA designs, develops, manufactures and markets communication equipment. This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock will be posting its third-quarter 2016 results. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Meanwhile, Acacia Communications has an Earnings ESP of 0.00%.This is because both the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at 70 cents. According to our proven model, a company needs the right combination of two key ingredients  a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better  to increase the odds of an earnings surprise. Thus, Acacia Communications is not likely to beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate this quarter. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

ACACIA COMMUNIC Price and Consensus

ACACIA COMMUNIC Price and Consensus | ACACIA COMMUNIC Quote

Clearfield, Inc. CLFD, designer and manufacturer of the FieldSmart fiber management platform, will report fourth-quarter fiscal 2016 results. Clearfield has a combination of a Zacks Rank #3 and an Earnings ESP of 0.00% (the Most Accurate estimate and Zacks Consensus Estimate are at 12 cents). Though the companys Zacks Rank #3 increases the predictive power of ESP, its 0.00% ESP makes surprise prediction difficult.

Story continues

CLEARFIELD INC Price and Consensus

CLEARFIELD INC Price and Consensus | CLEARFIELD INC Quote

NII Holdings Inc. NIHD provides differentiated mobile communication services for businesses and consumers under the Nextel brand primarily in Brazil and Argentina. The company has a combination of a Zacks Rank #3 and an Earnings ESP of 0.00% for third-quarter 2016. This is because both Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at a loss of 41 cents. The combination dims the chances of a beat for NII Holdings.

NII HOLDINGS Price and Consensus

NII HOLDINGS Price and Consensus | NII HOLDINGS Quote

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BERLIN, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Telefonica Deutschland's chief executive called for a debate about data privacy in Germany and said he was looking into ways to monetise customer data.

"We need to have a wide discussion about data in Germany," Thorsten Dirks told journalists late on Tuesday.

Data privacy is a sensitive issue in Germany due to memories of Communist East Germany's Stasi secret police and the Nazi era Gestapo.

As a testament to that the Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information ordered Facebook in September to stop collecting and storing data on German users of its messaging app WhatsApp and to delete all data that had already been forwarded to it.

"People are right to scrutinize any attempt to make money off their data. At the same time they are a handing over data voluntarily to companies such as Google and Facebook," Dirks said, adding that he saw a double standard among consumers.

As Germany's biggest telecoms operator in terms of customers, Telefonica Deutschland is sitting on a trove of data that Dirks said could be used for general purposes.

It could for instance use anonymised data on its 44 million mobile subscribers' movements for crowd and traffic control as well as "many other areas that we at the moment cannot think of", Dirks said.

Telefonica Deutschland has created a start-up company called Telefonica Germany NEXT, which will bundle activities in the area of big data and be a vehicle for new initiatives.

Dirks said Telefonica wants to be a platform for all devices connected to the internet, that processes all sorts of data coming from sensors in cars, electronic devices and household apparel.

Telefonica's flirtation with big data comes as telecoms operators are looking for ways to expand their business beyond their infrastructure to avoid becoming so-called "dumb pipes".

At the same time companies such as Alphabet's Google and Facebook are making money with user data that is provided to them by user on a voluntarily basis.

Telecoms executives in Europe have repeatedly complained that tech companies are stealing away their business while using the data and telecoms infrastructure in which they invested billions of euros.

(Reporting by Harro ten Wolde; Editing by Maria Sheahan)
Paul Krugman

Nobel Memorial Prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman went on an epic tweetstorm of dismay as election results came in on Tuesday night and it became more likely that Republican nominee Donald Trump would be the next president of the US.

"I don't know about other people, but I'm not wailing or turning to drink; I just feel numb," Krugman tweeted. "You know that life as we know it may soon be changed beyond recognition, but it's hard to grasp, and right now there doesn't seem any alternative except to plug along."

Krugman has long said Trump would be bad for the economy, and he railed against the FBI for renewing its investigation into Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's email server.

The economist accused Jill Stein of spoiling Clinton's chances in Florida and said with Trump as president there would be no way to reverse the impact of global climate change.

Here is a selection of Krugman's tweets from election night from earliest to latest:

A terrifying night, and not just because Trump might win. It turns out that there is a deeper rage in white, rural America than I knew 1/  Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 9, 2016

The voters there know what Trump is; they know what they're voting for, and they're doing it anyway. How does our society hold together? 2/  Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 9, 2016

Also: the media harping on emails, which was, as Matt Yglesias says, a bullshit issue from the start, may have killed the planet  Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 9, 2016

Btw, Jill Stein has managed to play Ralph Nader. Without her Florida might have been saved  Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 9, 2016

I truly thought I knew my country better than it turns out I did. I have warned that we could become a failed state, but didn't realize 1/  Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 9, 2016

that it wasn't just the radicalism of the GOP, but deep hatred in a large segment of the population. How do we move forward? 2/  Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 9, 2016

It's really tempting to engage in recriminations over this disaster. I am furious at a lot of people right now. But it doesn't help 1/  Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 9, 2016

The point now is to figure out what to do in this horrible new world. Maybe, just maybe, there are enough aghast Republicans out there 2/  Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 9, 2016

to form an effective opposition to the governing nightmare we'll be seeing. I'm not really expecting it. But it's all I have so far 3/  Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 9, 2016

I don't know about other people, but I'm not wailing or turning to drink; I just feel numb. You know that life as we know it 1/  Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 9, 2016

may soon be changed beyond recognition, but it's hard to grasp, and right now there doesn't seem any alternative except to plug along 2/  Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 9, 2016

America, we hardly knew ye. Certainly I misjudged the country. But as I said, recriminations don't help. The road back begins tomorrow 1/  Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 9, 2016

But right now, I'm just going to bed. 2/  Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) November 9, 2016

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The Naked Cowboy told Yahoo News that he voted for Donald Trump today.

Trump has a lot of good ideas, he said. When asked to elaborate, the Naked Cowboy responded in song.

Well, Trumps going to take the regulations off the back of these corporations, and that sounds like a good idea to me, he sang. Trumps going to build a wall, and Mexico is going to pay for it all. That sounds like a good idea to me.

The Naked Cowboy then turned around and danced, revealing the word Trump hand-painted in alternating red and blue on his signature all-white briefs. His guitar was plastered with corresponding Trump/Pence campaign stickers.

Naked Cowboy in front of Trump Tower on 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan on October 29, 2016. (Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

The Naked Cowboy also said in his informative song that he agreed with Trumps views on defending America against ISIS, the Second Amendment, womens rights and Obamacare.

Vote for Donald J. Trump, my friends, he said. Make America great again.

The Naked Cowboy said he had been performing outside of Trump Tower for the last 42 days, including Tuesday, Election Day. However, due to heightened security he relocated to Times Square where he could play freely.

_____

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RTX2NQUL

Throughout Donald Trump's campaign that culminated Wednesday in his election as president, one constant was a stream of attack by him against Mexico. In addition to his promise to build a wall to prevent immigrants from crossing the US-Mexico border, Trump repeatedly said Mexico was killing the US in trade.

He pointed to Ford opening a plant in Mexico as one way Mexico was taking advantage of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he on numerous occassions has called a "disaster." Trump has repeatedly promised to renegotiate a better deal, and he has even suggested placing a 35% tariff on trade with Mexico.

On the surface, this sounds like a disaster for Mexico, considering that 80% of Mexico's exports are to the US.

But there is one big problem with Trump's promises. Such a policy would be vehemently opposed by corporate America.

"It is important to understand that more than half of all visible trade between the two countries is due to corporate supply chains, in which goods are manufactured in the US, but assembled in Mexico," the research firm Pavilion said.

"That is why, although US imports from Mexico are growing, imports of manufactured wares originating from Mexico are declining."

Mexico

Pavilion believes that is why there is "limited scope" for further depreciation of the Mexican peso.

And at least one Wall Street bank seems to agree.

'Watered down'

In a note to clients sent out on Wednesday, Alexis Milo, HSBC's chief economist for Mexico, suggested that the incoming government is likely to decide between two different approaches to Mexico: mainstream conservative and populist overhaul.

As for what's more likely, Milo believes the mainstream conservative approach will win out.

"This scenario envisages Republican control of Congress in which some of the hard proposals to increase tariffs and massive deportation plans are toned down by conservatives that are in favor of trade and want to maintain a stable relationship with Mexico," Milo said.

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Milo went on to say he expects trade relations between the US and Mexico "to remain relatively strong, as in the end both countries are favored by their current commercial links."

As for how Mexico is responding to a Trump presidency, the country's central bank held an emergency meeting on Wednesday in response to the peso crashing to a record low of worse than 20 per US dollar. The Bank of Mexico ended up keeping policy on hold, but according to Capital Economics Latin America economist Adam Collins, the central bank is likely to hike rates by a modest 50 basis points to 5.25% as the peso is showing signs of stabilizing.

"The accompanying statement is likely to leave all options on the table (including direct intervention in the foreign exchange market) should the peso come under renewed pressure," Collins wrote.

Mexican peso

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Parliament meeting on Thursday

The first meeting of the Legislature-Parliament after the Tihar and Chhatha festivals is being held at 2:00 pm Thursday.
From Esquire

As long as I can remember, there's always been one failsafe present for my notoriously impossible-to-shop-for father: a Timex watch. For him, they tick all of his most important boxes, namely: unfussy, functional, long-lasting, and perhaps most of all, affordable.

And by and large, that has been the brand's reputation since 1854, when Timex began as the Waterbury [Connecticut] Clock Company, a reputation cemented by the famous 1956 "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking" ad campaign. In fact, with the exception of Bill Clinton famously wearing a Timex Ironman to his first inaugural ball, Timex's lot in life was that of the first watch, the backup watch, or maybe the workout watch, but definitely not the "show off" watch.

Photo credit: Timex

In the fall of 2007, Todd Snyder was still the head of men's design for J.Crew-he now helms his own eponymous line-a brand that over the next few years would largely become synonymous with menswear's growing interest in all things Americana. He approached Timex about collaborating, and a year later J.Crew released a classic field watch with a slightly distressed face and a simple nylon NATO strap, for $150.

"[Timex's] whole ethos was about American ingenuity. They started mass-producing clocks even before the Model T came out, and I love the idea that they were pioneers in making functional design available to everyone," Snyder says today. While some were aghast at the price, which was nearly four times what a field style will run you at timex.com, the New York Times T magazine described it as "discreet enough for the office." Suddenly, tailored looks were being topped off with the humble quartz-movement watches, and to this day, both J.Crew and Todd Snyder continue to release exclusive Timex collaborations that retail for a fraction of what some of their sweaters will cost you.

"It's good inspiration for our side, in terms of how to push the brand. We learn a lot from these collaborations," says Giorgio Galli, global design director for Timex in Milan. Since Galli's design studio was acquired in 2007, he's been the man responsible for the look of Timex and the one helping to make it relevant again through collaborations that have challenged menswear's perception of what a stylish watch should be (and cost), at a time when sites like Hodinkee were getting guys hyped up on $5,600 "root beer" Rolexes.

Story continues

Photo credit: Gary Williams for Timex

Galli notes that while each collaboration is unique (sometimes designers come to the company, sometimes it's the other way around), the typical process is that Timex's vast archives yield the initial inspiration. From there, faces, cases, and straps are tweaked, as was the case when a Red Wing leather strap was added to a Japan-only release (that's since been made available here, due to demand). "We try to look back and find authentic product but modernize it," Galli says.

Photo credit: Gary Williams for Timex

Even smaller, more forward brands like Engineered Garments, 1st PAT-RN, and WTAPS have begun to work with Timex. In the case of 1st PAT-RN, Timex took the collaborative relationship one step further by making designer and owner Cristiano Berto a consultant on Timex Archive, an almost black label-like line that pairs heritage styles with original NATO straps woven in Italy.

"Just as I do in my collection, these combine my passion for 'trad' style with military or workwear," Berto says. "Not through historical replicas but by working on new colors, shapes and innovative fabrics." For Galli, Timex Archive is an opportunity to capitalize on the brand's long history. He calls it "a chance to evolvesomething that's not just a replica of the old products."

Photo credit: Gary Williams for Timex

Obviously aware of the lingering perceptual hurdles Timex still has in the U.S., Galli made a point to emphasize that the brand creates its own movements and has begun to push into the wearable tech market. But as the company continues to steadily, and for the most part quietly, release sellout-worthy watches (like the Todd Snyder "Mod") at relatively affordable price points, it's safe to say that more and more guys won't hesitate to reach for the Timex when getting ready. And while it may not replace your grandfather's Omega or the IWC you treated yourself to, it's also no longer something to hide.

[contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="Related%20Story" customtitles="This%20Wildly%20Popular%20Watch%20Is%20Finally%20Coming%20Back" customimages="" content="article.49144"]

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It seems as if everyone is discussing Tuesday night's election. Well, almost everyone.

During a press conference on Wednesday, Tom Brady refused to answer questions about Donald Trump's win over Hillary Clinton at the insistence of his wife, Gisele Bundchen.

Tom Brady says Gisele told him not to talk politics, "I think that's a good decision" pic.twitter.com/ywJppegfWh  Steve Silva (@stevesilva) November 9, 2016

"I talked to my wife and she said I can't talk about politics anymore," Brady told reporters. "I think that's a good decision for our family."

While the 39-year-old Super Bowl champion has been silent on his political leanings for most of his career, a red "Make America Great Again" hat was snapped in Brady's locker last fall, leading some to question if he was supporting Trump for president.

What's more, during a speech in New Hampshire on Monday, Trump claimed that Brady called him earlier in the day to say that he had voted for the candidate, leading one reporter to ask Brady why he gave Trump permission to make his vote known.

.@realDonaldTrump tells New Hampshire crowd that Tom Brady called to say he voted for Trump https://t.co/9gJY87hhON https://t.co/VxFmoOAj8w  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) November 8, 2016

WATCH: Gisele Bundchen Denies She and Tom Brady Are Supporting Donald Trump

"Why did I give him permission?" Brady replied. "So you're assuming I gave people permission?"

Tom Brady asked why he gave permission to Donald Trump to announce his vote?



Brady: "So you're assuming I gave him permission?" pic.twitter.com/fp0SZN4iTP  Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis) November 9, 2016

Before Trump was named the 45th President of the United States on Tuesday in a stunning upset over Clinton, Bundchen took to Instagram denying that she and her husband were supporting the Republican nominee.

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"NO!" the 36-year-old model wrote in response to someone who asked if the couple was supporting Trump.

MORE: Alec Baldwin Reacts to Donald Trump's Presidential Win -- 'He's All Yours, America'

Now that the election is over, Brady said he just wants to focus on next week's New England Patriots game against the Seattle Seahawks.

"At the end of the day, I have a lot of relationships with a lot of people, and I don't think a lot of people are entitled to what my conversations are with friends of mine or people that I may speak with," Brady said.

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As a kid, Tom Holland was more interested in pursing a career in dance than in acting. But Hollywood, it seems, had other ideas. After a three-year stint onstage as Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace Theater, the London teen put himself on tape for a part in J.A. Bayona's The Impossible. Bayona liked what he saw and asked for a meeting. It was an unconventional audition, given that the director pushed Holland to write a heartfelt letter to his mother and then recite it. "As I read it, I started crying. He loved the emotion and gave me the part," Holland recalls. The movie about a family caught in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami became an international breakout hit ($180 million worldwide) and put the young actor on Hollywood's radar, leading to his first studio project, a supporting role Ron Howard's In the Heart of the Sea. But up to that point, nothing compared to landing the coveted Peter Parker gig for Sony's reboot of the Spider-Man franchise, one of the biggest, most iconic properties in the entire Marvel Universe. Following in the footsteps of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, the 20-year-old actor who still calls London home ("There's not many judgmental people, which I love") hopes to bring the nearly $4 billion franchise back to its former glory come July 7, 2017. The Jon Watts-helmed film wrapped in October, but the press onslaught is just beginning. During a visit to New York for the world premiere of his upcoming dramatic thriller The Lost City of Z, Holland sat down with THR to discuss how he literally flipped for the web-slinger role, why the competitive casting process was as cutthroat as The Hunger Games and how many movies he will appear in as Spider-Man.

Were you a Spider-Man fan as a kid?

Huge. I reckon I had 30 Spiderman costumes over the years since I was a little baby. I had Spiderman bed sheets. Two years ago, I went to a fancy dress party dressed as Spiderman and looked like an absolute idiot. About a year afterwards, they announced they were recasting it, and I rang up my agents and was like, "Please, please get me an audition." And they said they've actually requested for you to do a self-tape.

Story continues

Read more: Zendaya Responds to 'Spider-Man' Casting Controversy, Mary Jane Rumors: "People Are Going to React Over Anything"

What did you put on your tape?

I was a gymnast when I was a kid, so I did a backflip, just to show Marvel that I could do that sort of stuff. I was like, "Hi, I'm Tom Holland." Backflip. "I'm from London." Side flip. "I'm five-foot-seven." Front flip. I had a lot of fun making those tapes.

How competitive was the casting process?

When we did the screen tests, there were six of us all in this room waiting to audition. It felt like The Hunger Games. [laughs] It was a real weird atmosphere because there's all these kids who really, really want this role. They were like, "We'll let you know tomorrow." Then you find out a month later what the verdict was.

How did you learn you got it?

I was in my bed scrolling through Instagram. It had been about a month since my audition. And Marvel just posted a photo saying go to our website and find out who the next Spider-Man is. I went on the Marvel website on my computer and there it was: The new Spider-Man is Tom Holland. I went ballistic, like absolutely nuts.

Did you consult with either Andrew Garfield or Tobey Maguire before shooting?

I actually haven't been in contact with them. But it's so lucky because I've got five movies that I can draw from. I watched every single one years before I even got cast in this movie. And then we watched them all again and just picked little things that I thought was great and that I'd like to keep.

How does Peter Parker differ this time from his previous two incarnations?

You've seen the billionaire, the scientist, the soldier. Now it's time to see the kid. And every decision we make on set is based off how would a kid react in this situation, so every fight scene we have is designed in a way that's almost child-friendly, so he never actually punches anyone. It's all done kind of by accident. I think the biggest difference is his youth and innocence.

Read more: Next Gen Talent 2016: Hollywood's Rising Stars 35 and Under

You are required to keep plot details secret. What are your techniques?

Just avoid a question and tell a funny story. Or say, "It's best for the movie that I don't tell you about this particular scene or this particular character. The suit has special abilities because it's made by Tony Stark, and that is one of the most frequently asked questions, like "What does it do?"

How many more movies are you signed on for as Spider-Man?

They give you options, and those could be exercised whenever. Like a cameo in Avengers. I'm unclear as to which movies, though. I do know I have three Spider-Man movies and three solo movies contracted. But if you have another movie, Marvel is so good at working around it. They're very respectful of your life, really. They understand that you have to work on other movies, and they try and fix it up so you can work around each other.

David Needleman

What was harder to film, Spider-Man or Lost City of Z?

Spider-Man. City of Z was tough because we were in the jungle. But we were about two months into Spider-Man and I said, 'When do I get my break?' They were like, "You don't." We had one week where every shot I did was upside-down. It was just brutal.

You've done a lot of dancing in your career. Does Peter Parker bust any moves?

Yes. There is a moment where he dances, and it's so funny. It's not good dancing. The internet has perceived me as this fantastic dancer. I can still do a couple pirouettes, but I am by no means a proper dancer.

Who are you dying to work with?

Leonardo] DiCaprio, [Martin] Scorsese, [Quentin] Tarantino, Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington. Alejandro Inarritu. I want to work with Bayona again. I keep emailing my agent about it. Even the smallest role, I'll do it.

Jurassic World, perhaps?

I don't know if I'm available for that. We had a chat one time. There is a role there, but I don't think I'll be available to do it, unfortunately.

You directed the short Tweet. Do you want to direct features?

That's the goal. My five-year goal is to direct a feature film, an indie feature film. I have no idea what it's about.

A version of this story first appeared in the Nov. 18 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.

David Needleman
Tuesdays victory by Donald Trump stunned the political establishment in Washington  but so too might the president-elects picks for top cabinet secretary positions.

Early on in his campaign, the Republican businessman sent a warning shot to the partys old guard by promising to hire new voices instead of gray-haired apparatchiks who have perfect resumes but very little to brag about except responsibility for a long history of failed policies and continued losses at war. Those remarks, which came in Trumps first major foreign policy address in April, put many GOP hawks on notice, and precipitated a number of high-level defections to Hillary Clinton, including prominent neoconservative Republican Bob Kagan.

But individuals familiar with the Trump campaigns thinking tell Foreign Policy the real estate tycoons cabinet is likely to include a mix of outside-the-box iconoclasts and establishment Republican allies, including even Bush-era foreign policy hawks.

Trumps preference for political outsiders, especially those with private sector experience, has been reflected in his reported consideration of Forrest Lucas, co-founder of the oil products company Lucas Oil, as interior secretary, and Steven Mnuchin, a Goldman Sachs alum, for treasury secretary.

For secretary of state, a variety of names are under consideration, including Newt Gingrich, who loyally defended Trump through a range of controversies and gaffes during the campaign. Most famous for his role as House speaker and architect of the GOPs Contract With America in the 1990s, Gingrich is also a historian of modern European history. His Tulane University doctoral thesis, Belgian Education Policy in the Congo, 1945-1960, looked at the role of colonialism in the Central African country. He also taught history at West Georgia College, now the University of West Georgia, in the 1970s.

Another top candidate for the Foggy Bottom job is Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee. As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Corker has repeatedly blasted Moscow for its annexation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and intervention in Syria  positions that put him at odds with Trump, who has openly praised Putin and expressed a desire to warm relations with the Cold War adversary.

Story continues

However, Corker has used his gravitas on the committee to defend Trumps unorthodox foreign policy views, and even gone so far as to describe Trump as a Bush 41 Republican on diplomatic issues. In August, Corker said hed strongly consider serving under Trump as secretary of state.

Also under consideration for the job is John Bolton, the former ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush. Oftentimes the face of Bushs unilateralist foreign policy, Bolton was a controversial figure at the U.N., but could refashion himself for a Trump presidency centered around America First policies.

For secretary of defense, a handful of nominees are on Trumps short list, according to two people familiar with his thinking. The would-be picks include Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), the businessmans most loyal ally in the Senate and member of the House Armed Services Committee who repeatedly criticized the GOP for moving too slowly to embrace Trump.

The close relationship between the two men dates back to 2005, when they both opposed a $1.2 billion United Nations plan to renovate its Manhattan headquarters. During his victory speech, Trump specifically praised Sessions, calling him highly respected in Washington because hes as smart as you get. Though New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is officially the head of Trumps transition team, Sessions has played an increasingly active role, leading many to believe he will have his pick of plum administration jobs.

Another potential nominee for the top Pentagon job is Jim Talent, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a former Missouri senator. For four years, Talent served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and focused his attention on military readiness.

In a recent opinion piece in the American Spectator, Talent expressed profound discomfort with Clinton and Trump. But he defended his decision to vote for the real estate mogul  its the right thing to do, not an easy thing  because Trump has a plan for rebuilding Americas armed forces. A Reagan-era buildup of the military he wrote, will be the most important contribution he could make to American security.

I have concerns about aspects of Trumps approach to the world, and particularly his view of Americas alliance relationships, Talent wrote. On the other hand, there is a reasonable chance that Trump would adjust his views on those points as he actually confronts the challenges of his presidency.

Michael Flynn, the former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, could also land the top Pentagon job but would have to receive a waiver from Congress because of a law requiring retired military officers to wait seven years before going back to the Pentagon as the top civilian leader. Flynn has also been rumored for White House national security advisor, a powerful role that would not require Senate confirmation.

Potential contenders for CIA director include Flynn and ex-Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers, the former Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Rogers, who unlike Trump is a Russia hawk, has reportedly been playing a senior role on the Trump transition team.

The position of attorney general could go to either Christie or former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, according to a report by NBC News earlier this week. Both men have been among Trumps most loyal surrogates, though Christie could be a liability given the cloud of corruption charges hanging over the Bridgegate scandal.

Walid Phares, an American scholar of Lebanese descent, has been nominally serving as a Trump foreign-policy advisor for several months. He could fit in as a White House senior advisor, according to one Trump insider.

Richard Grenell, a former Bush administration spokesman to the United Nations, is on a list of candidates for U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Grenell had been appointed top national security spokesman for Mitt Romney, only to abruptly resign after social conservatives in the party rose up to denounce his selection as an openly gay Republican. Grenell has more recently used his Twitter feed to denounce Hillary Clinton and American political press coverage.

For secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, one Trump insider said former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is a contender. On Wednesday, Politico reported that conservative Milwaukee Sheriff David Clarke is also a potential candidate. He gained prominence at the Republican National Convention in Ohio when he declared blue lives matter in solidarity with law enforcement officers. Christie could fit into that cabinet position as well.

Foreign Policy chief national security correspondent Dan De Luce contributed to this report.
The Hague (AFP) - A leading UN war crimes judge on Wednesday called on Turkey to free one of his justices rounded up in September as part of the Turkish probe into the failed coup.

The detention of Aydin Sefa Akay, 66, has paralysed an appeals hearing in Rwanda, judge Theodor Meron, the president of the UN's Mechanism for International Tribunals, told the United Nations.

Due to Akay's detention "the proceedings to which he has been assigned have necessarily come to a standstill," Meron said in a speech in New York.

Akay is part of a five-judge bench appointed in July by Meron to hear an appeal brought by Augustin Ngirabatware. The former Rwandan minister was convicted in 2012 for his role in the 1994 genocide, but his original 35-year jail term was reduced on appeal in 2014 to 30 years. He is now appealing the two rulings.

Meron, who is the president of the UN body set up in The Hague and Arusha to oversee any residual hearings by the Rwanda court as well as the tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, said Akay had had diplomatic immunity when he was detained on September 21.

Meron said he had asked Ankara to be allowed to visit the judge and has also asked what conditions he was being held under.

"I deeply regret that the government of Turkey has thus far provided no formal communication" with the United Nations or the tribunal "in breach" of Ankara's obligations.

Meron renewed his appeal to Turkey "to immediately release judge Akay from detention and enable him to resume his lawfully-assigned judicial functions" saying it was "critically important" that UN institutions be able to carry out their jobs.

Turkey had put forward Akay to be appointed as a judge with the tribunal. He is also a former ambassador for Turkey.

Since the failed July coup, Turkish authorities have launched an unprecedented crackdown over suspected links with a US-based Islamic cleric accused of ordering the putsch.

Tens of thousands within the military, education sector, judiciary and media have been arrested, detained or sacked triggering concern among Turkey's Western allies including the European Union.
Over 8.2 million people flocked the city-state.

The tourism sector has been on the upside in the first half of the year as the number of international visitor arrivals saw a 13% uptick from the same period last year.

For the first half of the year, Singapore welcomed over 8.2 million visitors, with over 55% or 1.5 million people coming from China based on the latest figures by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

Singapore also saw an uptick in tourists coming from Indonesia. Aroun 1.4 million visitors from the said country set foot in the city-state, a 5% increase from a year ago.

Among the top five market, only Malaysian tourists declined at a modest 2%, accounting only 553,000 number of tourists.

Arrivals from Hong Kong, which is in the top 10 markets, also posted a decline at 2% to 268,000 tourists.







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The reader discussion group known as TAD posted an open thread today called the 2016 Electoral Apocalypse Soundtrack. Heres a curated compilation of the ones that struck me the most on this precarious day in U.S. history.

First theres Patti Smiths cover of U2s Until the End of the World. A reader known as Chris Sick, Existential Crisis points to the Dirtbombs singing about the end of the world, in French! Theoretical Conspiracist suggests Apocalypse Please!:

Muse is a little (ok, a lot) histrionic for my tastes, but heres a track I know that fits like a glove in this thread. Its The Final Countdown for the aughts. APOCALYPSE, PLEASE! BTW, yall know about the 30 Songs, 30 Days project (which is now 50 songs) of a bunch of anti-Trump songs? Some of them are excellent, really.

Nobody Speak by DJ Shadow (ft. Run the Jewels) is far better as a music video. It dramatizes what looks like a Security Council meeting erupting into a violent rap battle. A reader notes how its NSFW afincluding a Trump reference at the 1:16 mark:

Recommended: Watching Stephen Colbert Try to Process Trump's Victory

Then theres Public Enemys Fear of a Black Planet (well maybe a browner planet, the reader adds.) Another replies with Sonic Youths Kool Thing for its lyric Fear of a female planet? Another reader points to Nick Cave and the Bad Seedss The Weeping Song, with the lyrics:

Go son, go down to the water

And see the women weeping there

Then go up into the mountains

The men, they are weeping too Father, why are all the women weeping?

They are all weeping for their men

Then why are all the men there weeping?

They are weeping back at them

Heres a very familiar score (most famously used in Requiem for a Dream), but its mashed up with visuals you almost certainly havent seen:

Story continues

Recommended: Clinton Concedes; Pundits Decide She's 'Emotional'

To end on a somewhat optimistic note, heres Belle and Sebastians Get Me Away From Here I Am Dyingwhich, if you dont pay attention to the lyrics too much, has a sweet, upbeat feel:

Tomorrow for Track of the Day, hopefully well have something less apocalyptic to note. Update from Reader Adrift:

Some suggestions for tracks tomorrow: Assuming HRC wins: Wait Your Turn by Rihanna (with the refrain The wait is over, the wait is over) In case of Trump win: Big Yellow Taxi Joni Mitchell If undecided by tomorrow: Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley

(Submit a song via hello@. Track of the Day archive here. Pre-Notes archive here.)

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By Daniel Trotta NEW YORK (Reuters) - Transgender advocates vowed on Wednesday to resist any effort to reverse or slow down an expansion of transgender rights made under President Barack Obama, fearing a rollback of his directives once Donald Trump succeeds him in the White House. During his eight years in the Oval Office, Obama championed lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights, and Democrat Hillary Clinton had promised to keep fighting for them if she was elected. Same-sex marriage became legal in 2015, shifting the LGBT discussion to the still-unfinished agenda of transgender rights. Obama has issued regulations prohibiting health insurers from denying coverage based on gender identity and directed public schools to allow transgender students to use the public bathrooms of their choice, among other measures. "We expect that those will disappear," said Rachel B. Tiven, chief executive of Lambda Legal, a leading gay rights group. "Lambda Legal will hold the line when our rights are under attack. We know how to fight the government in the courts." Trump sent mixed messages on transgender rights during the campaign. But he promised to nominate a conservative justice to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court and could name an attorney general who may enforce hard-line positions Trump outlined during the campaign. "We're going to fight them on anything they try to undo," said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. "I'm really worried today for trans Muslims and trans immigrants and trans people with disabilities who have been threatened and denigrated by Mr. Trump. Hopefully, that was all part of some sick performance." With the U.S. Supreme Court split between four liberals and four conservatives, Trump could appoint a conservative to tip the balance, possibly in time to decide a case involving a transgender boy who has sued to use the male restroom at his public school in Virginia. Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, called Trump's victory "a huge wake-up call" that placed an onus on transgender people to "explain who we are" to Trump voters who may be intolerant of or ignorant about transgender people. "In a very real sense, our lives, our ability to work, to attend school, to obtain health care, are at the mercy of a new administration," Minter said. Trump's Justice Department and appointees to the federal bench could also have an impact on two provisions of federal law banning discrimination on the basis of sex - Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which covers employment, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The Obama administration has taken a firm stance that the reference to "sex" protects transgender people. The courts have generally agreed, and Jill Gaulding, co-founder and legal director of Gender Justice, said that trend was likely to continue regardless of who is president. "We can never take any rights for granted but I also think it's important to remember how much progress we have made in recent years and decades," she said. "It's not easy to repeal that kind of progress." (Editing by Frank McGurty and Dan Grebler)
Jury selection for the death penalty trial of alleged South Carolina church shooter Dylann Roof was scheduled to begin today, but a judge postponed it so Roof can receive a competency evaluation, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE.

An issue has arisen concerning the Defendants competency to stand trial, according to a court order filed late Tuesday by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel. Federal law requires the Court to order a competency evaluation of Defendant and to conduct a hearing on the matter.

Roof, 22, has been accused of fatally shooting nine people in June 2015, when he allegedly opened fire on a bible study group at a Charleston, South Carolina, church.

Roof allegedly sat alongside his victims for about one hour during a Bible study class inside the Emanuel AME Church before opening fire on the parishioners, authorities have said.

 Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

His competency hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16 and Gergel is expected to make a decision on or before Nov. 18, according to documents. For now, the jury selection has been suspended.

Roof, an alleged white supremacist, has been charged with 33 federal counts, including several hate crimes, and awaits his November trial. He has pleaded not guilty.

Previously, he agreed to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence instead of the death penalty, but prosecutors denied the request. His lawyers challenged the death penalty, calling it unconstitutional, but a judge denied the challenge, according to court records.




Parties should come together for statute amendment: Gharti

Speaker Onasari Gharti has said the political parties should be serious about the issue of constitution amendment as several sections are saying that the charter is incomplete.
The historic eruption of the Greek volcano Thera in about 1650 B.C. triggered massive tsunamis and led to the end of the dominant civilization in the Mediterranean. Now, researchers say these destructive tsunamis may have been generated by the flow of volcanic material into the sea, challenging previous explanations, according to a new study.

Studies of the Bronze Age disaster led scientists to think the collapse of the volcanic crater (called the caldera) into the sea caused tsunamis after the eruption of Thera, on the island now known as Santorini. However, in the new study, scientists used volcanic and seismic data, along with detailed mapping of the seafloor, to disprove this theory and offer a new explanation.

Their research revealed that the caldera was not connected to the sea when it collapsed and, therefore, could not have caused the tsunamis. Instead, the researchers propose that large volumes of volcanic material flowing rapidly into the sea could have displaced enough water to create tsunamis. [The 11 Biggest Volcanic Eruptions in History]

Pyroclastic flows are fast-moving currents of volcanic material (rock fragments; lava; and hot, expanding gases) that flow down a volcano after an eruption. These flows can reach scorching temperatures of more than 750 degrees Fahrenheit (400 degrees Celsius) and move at speeds of up to 45 mph (70 km/h), the researchers said. As this material flows into the ocean, it solidifies and displaces massive amounts of water, they added.

"This violent entry of the pyroclastic flows into the sea triggered more than one tsunami," said study lead author Paraskevi Nomikou, a geologist and oceanographer at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece.

Deposits of volcanic material up to 200 feet (60 meters) thick were found offshore Santorini, supporting the new theory, the researchers said.

Another famous volcano similarly triggered tsunamis: the eruption of Krakatoa, in Indonesia, in 1883. Tsunamis following the explosive Krakatoa eruption occurred when pyroclastic flows entered the sea, not because the caldera collapsed, Nomikou said. This well-recorded eruption caused more than 35,000 deaths and has been studied extensively by volcanologists. But the eruption of Thera may have been many times larger, and more destructive, according to the new study.

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In fact, the eruption of Thera did more than blow a hole into the island and trigger tsunamis and flooding. The eruption also set off the decline of the Minoan culture, the dominant civilization in the Mediterranean at the time, the researchers said.

"The eruption was the beginning of the end of the Minoan civilization," Nomikou told Live Science. "The eruption occurred in 1650 B.C., and the end of the Minoan civilization was at 1450 [B.C.], so the civilization was destroyed completely, disappeared completely after 200 years."

To further understand just how violent and destructive the eruption of Thera was, Nomikou and her colleagues plan to continue their research on the pyroclastic flows.

"We know now that these flows caused so much damage in the area around Santorini like in Crete," Nomikou said. "So we need to better understand these flows and have the total volume of the eruption, because we believe that this was the most catastrophic event during the last 10,000 years."

The new research was detailed in a study published online today (Nov. 8) in the journal Nature.

Original article on Live Science.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would have to "see how things play out" before accepting the election results, pointing to possible irregularities as he again warned of a rigged political system. Local media reported that voters in several counties in Pennsylvania had reported that touch-screen voting machines had not been recording their ballots correctly. "We're going to see how things play out today. Hopefully they'll play out well and hopefully we won't have to worry about it, meaning hopefully we'll win," Trump said in a telephone interview on Fox News. "I want to see everything honest." Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states that rely on electronic voting machines without a paper backup that allows officials to double-check the outcome, if challenged. The machines can record votes incorrectly if they are not calibrated properly, a problem that is magnified as the screens degrade with age. The Pennsylvania Secretary of State's office did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Trump's campaign also sued election officials in Nevada, arguing they violated state law by allowing voters during early voting on Friday to line up to cast ballots at a Las Vegas polling location after the time when polls were supposed to close. A Nevada judge on Tuesday rejected Trump's request for records from the polling site. Nevada state law says voters who are in line when the polls close must be allowed to cast their ballots. At a court hearing in Las Vegas on Tuesday, a county attorney argued that election officials already preserve records. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Andy Sullivan; Editing by David Alexander and Will Dunham)
By Tom Perry and Lisa Barrington BEIRUT (Reuters) - Donald Trump's election as U.S. president on Wednesday aroused concern among Syrian rebels and a degree of optimism in Damascus, where his victory was seen as a better outcome than a Hillary Clinton win. Syrian rebels have long been fiercely critical of what they perceive as the Barack Obama administration's inadequate backing for their fight against President Bashar al-Assad, though Washington has been an important sponsor of the uprising. While some in the Syrian opposition said Trump had yet to articulate a clear Syria policy, his statements, and his more open-minded stance toward Assad's ally Russia, have fueled rebel concern about the stance he may adopt on the war, in which Russia's air force has been bombing insurgents. "I think things will become difficult because of Trump's statements and his relationship with Putin and Russia. I imagine this is not good for the Syrian issue," Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of an Aleppo-based rebel group, told Reuters. Trump said in an Oct. 25 interview with Reuters that defeating Islamic State was a higher priority than persuading Assad to step down, and warned that Clinton could drag the United States into a new world war over the Syria conflict. In one of his debates with Clinton, Trump said he did "not like Assad at all, but Assad is killing ISIS" with Russia and Iran. RISE OF ISLAMIC STATE The Syrian civil war, now in its sixth year, has killed hundreds of thousands of people, allowed the rise of Islamic State and created the world's worst refugee crisis. Russia and Iran have provided direct military support to Assad while countries that want to see him gone from power, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, have provided rebels with backing including military support. Russia's intervention in support of Assad last year helped Damascus turn the tide against insurgents who had been making steady territorial advances, and gave Moscow decisive influence over diplomacy. The Syrian opposition says Obama failed to back them adequately after calling for Assad to leave power, failing to enforce his own "red line" against the use of chemical weapons and blocking the delivery of anti-aircraft weapons to rebels. In Damascus, a member of the Syrian parliament said he was cautiously optimistic that U.S. policy would shift Assad's way under Trump. "We must be optimistic, but cautiously optimistic," Sherif Shehada, the MP, told Reuters in a telephone interview. He said Gulf Arab states - which have backed the Syrian rebellion - had been depending on a Clinton victory and were now in "a predicament". "The American administration must carry out what it said in the election campaign." Georges Janbour, the Damascus-based head of the Syrian Association of Political Science, noted Trump's previous suggestion that Russia could be a valuable ally in the fight against Islamic Sate. "I hope that he continues in this line of thinking," he told Reuters. Clinton was the U.S. secretary of state when the uprising against Assad began in 2011, during a wave of protests against Arab autocrats known as the Arab Spring. Prominent Syrian opposition politician George Sabra said: "We do not expect much from the new American administration, but we hope that the face of President Donald Trump is totally different to the face of Mr. Donald Trump the candidate." While some in the opposition expressed concern about Trump's statements, others said a more isolationist approach from Trump could be a good thing for the rebellion by allowing regional powers such as Saudi Arabia to act free of U.S. constraints. Hadi al-Bahra, former head and current member of the Syrian National Coalition, an opposition political body, told Reuters that potential positive aspects to Trump's presidency included his opposition to Iranian influence and Iran's nuclear deal. Bassma Kodmani, member and spokeswoman for the Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said Trump's intentions remained largely unclear. "All we can say is he has called for good relations with Russia," she told Reuters. "On Syria he will have to make difficult decisions. Cooperation with Russia over the last year and a half has not worked ... considerations should be towards a different policy," she said. Some rebels believe that Trump will make no difference to long-established American policy. "The Americans were never honest with us. They left us in a quagmire that drowned the Syrians ... Everyone is trading with our blood and suffering," said Abu Hamed, head of the military council of rebel group Liwa al Haq Brigade, speaking from Hama. (Reporting by Tom Perry and Lisa Barrington in Beirut, Kinda Makieh in Damascus and Suleiman al-Khalidi in Amman; editing by Ralph Boulton)
The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself, wrote the celebrated Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu. As Americans go to the polls today, what does it say about Donald Trump that the countrys greatest enemiesincluding the Islamic State, Iran, Russia, and North Koreahave all endorsed him?

In his three decades as Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has never said anything positive about an American politician. Yet in a recent speech commemorating the anniversary of the taking of the U.S. embassy hostage in 1979, in which he called Americans liars, deceitful, untrustworthy and back-stabbing, Khamenei defended Trump against charges of populism, lauding him for being open and candid about Americas rampant poverty, racism, and moral depravity.

Khamenei has said for decades that Americans live in a rigged political system under Zionist custody; not only does Donald Trump regularly corroborate Khameneis conspiratorial worldview, his most vociferous supporters share Khameneis anti-Semitism. When you say, Death to America, Khamenei assuredly concluded to his audience, I agree with this and I do not have any objections to it.

While Trump lacks bipartisan support at home, he has not only the support of the Shia Iran but the Sunni ISIS. In August, an article in Foreign Affairs noted that an ISIS spokesman wrote on an ISIS social media channel, I ask Allah to deliver America to Trump. ISISs logic is simple: It believes that Trumps erratic leadership will weaken America, and his abrasive style will alienate the Muslim world, in turn bolstering its efforts to recruit jihadists worldwide. In the words of a recent ISIS defector, We were happy when Trump said bad things about Muslims because he makes it very clear that there are two teams in this battle: The Islamic team and the anti-Islamic team.

Trumps most well-documented foreign enthusiast is Vladimir Putin, whom he has implied is a stronger leader than Obama. Putin has reciprocated, calling Trump lively and talented and the absolute leader in the presidential race. Former CIA chief Mike Morell called Trump an unwitting agent of Putin, and 17 U.S. intelligence agencies believe that Russian cyber hackers have attempted to tilt the election in Trumps direction. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many Americans hoped Russia could emerge as an economically prosperous, socially tolerant democracy. Putin not only helped thwart attempts to make Russia more like America, but he found in Trump an opportunity to make America more like Russia.

Recommended: Donald Trump and the Coming Test of International Order

Further east, Trumps criticism of long-time allies such as South Korea as free-riders and his laissez-faire approach toward nuclear weapons have also won him praise in Pyongyang. In response to Trumps threats to pull U.S. troops out of South Korea, DPRK Today, an official North Korean news outlet, deemed Trump wise and far-sighted (in contrast to thick-headed Hillary Clinton).

The list of authoritarians hoping for a Trump victory goes far beyond Russia, Iran, ISIS, and North Korea. Budding authoritarians in Europe have commended his opposition to Muslim immigration, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who calls migrants poison and Trump valiant. Prominent China scholars believe Beijing prefers Trump, given his authoritarian tendenciesreminiscent of Mao Zedongand lack of interest in human rights.

Yet one of paradoxes of the 2016 elections is that while foreign despots are most keen to see Trump elected, among those most intent on stopping him are U.S. immigrants whove lived under authoritarian rule. For those whove witnessed dictators using intimidation, misogyny, racism, and religious bigotry to divide and rule, the freedoms provided in America are not merely abstract slogans.

Most notable has been Khizr Khan, the Pakistani immigrant, Gold Star-father of the late Captain Humayan Khan, who carries a pocket constitution with him and frequently gifts them to visitors at his home. A former Army ROTC commander who knows Khan well said he was the most patriotic person Ive ever met, given his complete understanding of what liberty and democracy mean. As Florida Senator Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and himself a Trump supporter, put it, We focus so much on how immigrants can change America that we forget that America has always changed immigrants even more.

Recommended: Donald Trump Has Broken the Constitution

Those whove come to America from nations sometimes thought culturally or religiously incompatible with democracy have thrived in Americas democracy. Iranians who fled their countrys 1979 Islamist revolution have become the second-most successful immigrant group in the United States, based on income and education. One Iranian friend whose family escaped execution in Iran for belonging to the Bahai faith put it simply: America treated us so much better than our own country treated us.

This engenders a deep, loyal appreciation to the country that embraced them. In the words of Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish immigrant who became one of the great philanthropists in American history, There is no class so intensely patriotic, so wildly devoted to the Republic as the naturalized citizen and his child, for little does the native-born citizen know of the value of rights which have never been denied.

One way to measure a nation is by looking at how many people want in, and how many people want out.

It is often said that one way to measure a nation is by looking at how many people want in, and how many people want out. While foreign autocrats have enjoyed watching the most sordid presidential election in Americas contemporary history, they must also know that, if given the chance, many of their best minds would eagerly trade their own passport for an American one. For centuries, this simple truth has allowed America to constantly advance its leading educational, cultural, medical, technological, and commercial institutions, and continuously rejuvenate it democratic project.

The 14th-century North African philosopher Ibn Khaldun famously observed that empires are built and destroyed over the course of three generations. The first-generation founders are hungry, determined, and vigilant. The second generation inherits and manages what they witnessed the first generation build. By the third generation, the ruling elite are self-entitled, palace-reared elites who had no reason to develop the grit necessary to maintain what their grandparents built.

Donald Trump is a third-generation American who never experienced life without freedom and privilege, running on a campaign projecting power rather than principles. Despite the best intentions of his authoritarian supporters overseas, his path to power will be thwarted in no small part by deeply patriotic new Americans determined to protect the values that brought them to this country.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By Noah Barkin BERLIN (Reuters) - Back in May, when Donald's Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election seemed the remotest of possibilities, a senior European official took to Twitter before a G7 summit in Tokyo to warn of a "horror scenario". Imagine, mused the official, if instead of Barack Obama, Francois Hollande, David Cameron and Matteo Renzi, next year's meeting of the club of rich nations included Trump, Marine Le Pen, Boris Johnson and Beppe Grillo. A month after Martin Selmayr, the head of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's cabinet made the comment, Britain shocked the world by voting to leave the European Union. Cameron stepped down as prime minister and Johnson - the former London mayor who helped swing Britons behind Brexit - became foreign minister. Now, with Trump's triumph over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, the populist tsunami that seemed outlandish a few months ago is becoming reality, and the consequences for Europe's own political landscape are potentially huge. In 2017, voters in the Netherlands, France and Germany - and possibly in Italy and Britain too - will vote in elections that could be colored by the triumphs of Trump and Brexit, and the toxic politics that drove those campaigns. The lessons will not be lost on continental Europe's populist parties, who hailed Trump's victory on Wednesday as a body blow for the political mainstream. "Politics will never be the same," said Geert Wilders of the far-right Dutch Freedom Party. "What happened in America can happen in Europe and the Netherlands as well." French National Front founder Jean-Marie Le Pen was similarly ebullient. "Today the United States, tomorrow France," Le Pen, the father of the party's leader Marine Le Pen, tweeted. Daniela Schwarzer, director of research at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), said Trump's bare-fisted tactics against his opponents and the media provided a model for populist European parties that have exercised comparative restraint on a continent that still remembers World War Two. "The broken taboos, the extent of political conflict, the aggression that we've seen from Trump, this can widen the scope of what becomes thinkable in our own political culture," Schwarzer said. HUGE INFLUENCE Early next month, Austrians will vote in a presidential election that could see Norbert Hofer of the Freedom Party become the first far-right head of state to be freely elected in western Europe since 1945. On the same day, a constitutional reform referendum on which Prime Minister Renzi has staked his future could upset the political order in Italy, pushing Grillo's left-wing 5-Star movement closer to the reins of power. "An epoch has gone up in flames," Grillo said. "The real demagogues are the press, intellectuals, who are anchored to a world that no longer exists." Right-wing nationalists are already running governments in Poland and Hungary. In western Europe, the likelihood of a Trump figure taking power seems remote for now. In Europe's parliamentary democracies, traditional parties from the right and left have set aside historical rivalries, banding together to keep out the populists. But the lesson from the Brexit vote is that parties do not have to be in government to shape the political debate, said Tina Fordham, chief global political analyst at Citi. She cited the anti-EU UK Independence Party which has just one seat in the Westminster parliament. "UKIP did poorly in the last election but had a huge amount influence over the political dynamic in Britain," Fordham said. "The combination of the Brexit campaign and Trump have absolutely changed the way campaigns are run." UKIP leader Nigel Farage hailed Trump's victory on Wednesday as a "supersized Brexit". As new political movements emerge, traditional parties will find it increasingly difficult to form coalitions and hold them together. In Spain, incumbent Mariano Rajoy was returned to power last week but only after two inconclusive elections in which voters fled his conservatives and their traditional rival on the left, the Socialists, for two new parties, Podemos and Ciudadanos. After 10 months of political limbo, Rajoy finds himself atop a minority government that is expected to struggle to pass laws, implement reforms and plug holes in Spain's public finances. The virus of political fragility could spread next year from Spain to the Netherlands, where Wilders's Freedom Party is neck-and-neck in opinion polls with Prime Minister Mark Rutte's liberals. For Rutte to stay in power after the election in March, he may be forced to consider novel, less-stable coalition options with an array of smaller parties, including the Greens. WATERSHED MOMENT In France, which has a presidential system, the chances of Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, emerging victorious are seen as slim. The odds-on favorite to win the presidential election next spring is Alain Juppe, a 71-year-old centrist with extensive experience in government who has tapped into a yearning for responsible leadership after a decade of disappointment from Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy. But in a sign of Le Pen's strength, polls show she will win more support than any other politician in the first round of the election. Even if she loses the second round run-off, as polls suggest, her performance is likely to be seen as a watershed moment for continental Europe's far-right. It could give her a powerful platform from which to fight the reforms that Juppe and his conservative rivals for the presidency are promising. In Germany, where voters go to the polls next autumn, far-right parties have struggled to gain a foothold in the post-war era because of the dark history of the Nazis, but that too is changing. Just three years old, the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD), has become a force at the national level, unsettling Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, who have been punished in a series of regional votes because of her welcoming policy toward refugees. Merkel could announce as early as next month that she plans to run for a fourth term, and if she does run, current polls suggest she would win. But she would do so as a diminished figure in a country that is perhaps more divided than at any time in the post-war era. Even Merkel's conservative sister party, the Bavarian Christian Social Union, has refused to endorse her. (Additional reporting by Crispian Balmer in Rome, Anthony Deutsch in Amsterdam; editing by David Stamp)
By Susan Cornwell and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump will have an early Capitol Hill honeymoon with Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress when he takes office in January, but a long-term romance may be more challenging. A president whose party controls both the Senate and House of Representatives can generally count on getting things done fairly quickly, and Trump likely will not be an exception, despite starting with unusual handicaps. Many Republicans in Congress only backed Trump after he became the candidate. Some never fell in line. He offended and attacked others while running as a Washington outsider, including House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, who did not campaign with him. On top of that, the New York real estate businessman and former reality television celebrity, who will head the world's most powerful government and largest economy, has no governing experience. On Wednesday, party leaders were quick to back the victor, and they are expected to find more common ground than differences once he takes office. "Donald Trump will lead a unified Republican government," Ryan told a news conference in his home state, Wisconsin, promising to "work hand in hand." Ryan said his relationship with Trump "is fine," the transition is under way, and he has already spoken to the president-elect twice, and to his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, a former House member. "Most of the things he's likely to advocate, we're going to be enthusiastically for," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told a news conference on Capitol Hill. OBAMACARE IN CROSSHAIRS Trump and Republican leaders in Congress agree on one major policy: They want to repeal Democratic President Barack Obama's landmark Obamacare healthcare law, enacted in 2010. Ryan and McConnell both pledged to deal quickly with the law. They will also move quickly to confirm a Trump nominee for the Supreme Court, after McConnell refused to consider any Obama nominee to replace conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February, infuriating the White House and Senate Democrats. Other issues might be more contentious within the party. While campaigning, Trump spoke extensively about scrapping trade deals and building a wall along the U.S.- Mexico border, but some Republicans are skeptical about both those pledges. The party has long been in favor of free trade, and Trump's wall scheme would bear a $25 billion price tag and anger Mexico, an important ally and trading partner. McConnell said on Wednesday he wanted to achieve border security in whatever way was most effective. And he said the new president was free to negotiate trade pacts. Trump will also have to work with Democrats, who made narrow gains on Tuesday that reduced the size of the Republican majorities in the House and Senate. With some votes still being counted, they won a handful of new seats in the House. In the Senate, they seemed to secure at least 48 seats, up from 46, on Wednesday when the New Hampshire secretary of state called a close race for New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan, a Democrat, over incumbent Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte, although Ayotte had not conceded. Controlling only 52 seats, Republicans will need Democrats to reach the 60 votes needed to advance most legislation in the 100-member Senate. "Trump will have to work with a fair number of Senate Democrats to get things done," said William Galston, an expert in governance studies at the Brookings Institution think tank. One of those things could be infrastructure spending, which Trump promised in his victory speech. Spending on infrastructure to fuel job growth is popular with lawmakers from both parties, possibly funded by ending a law that lets corporations hold profits offshore without paying U.S. taxes on them. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called Trump Wednesday to say she wanted to work with him on a "robust infrastructure jobs bill," and she told her fellow Democrats that this should be done very fast. "We're not starting a campaign against the Republicans right now," Pelosi told Democratic lawmakers in a conference call, according to a Democratic aide. PARTY UNITY Trump's Republican critics in Congress said they hoped Trump would work toward party unity, but they would be watching him. "Starting today, I will do everything in my power to hold the President to his promises," including fighting to enact term limits and repealing Obamacare, Senator Ben Sasse, who opposed Trump from the start, said in a statement. Repealing Obamacare would shake the U.S. healthcare and insurance industries, which have broadly called for measured reforms, although not for its full-scale elimination. America's Health Insurance Plans, or AHIP, a trade association that represents insurers such as Anthem Inc and Cigna Corp in Washington, said late on Tuesday that it would work with any new administration on the issue. Trump has called Obamacare a "disaster" and vowed to repeal and replace it. House Republicans have already voted more than 50 times to repeal all or part of the law. Senate Democrats were certain to fight an Obamacare rollback, but could be outmaneuvered by Republicans at the procedural level with Trump's cooperation. "It would be a tragedy, and I certainly won't in any way cooperate or work with an effort to take health insurance away," Senator Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats, told CNN. Trump and congressional Republicans will find common ground on taxes. Trump generally sees eye to eye with Republicans in Congress in calling for major tax cuts, including those for the wealthy, although details of their plans are not an exact match. Trump has called for cutting the U.S. corporate income tax rate to 15 percent from the current level of 35 percent; Ryan's tax plan proposes going to 20 percent. Trump has also said he wants to do some things as president, such as ban Muslims from the country and allow torture in the fight against terrorism, that some legal experts say are legally questionable. (Additional reporting by David Morgan, Ian Simpson and Patricia Zengerle; writing by Patricia Zengerle; editing by Grant McCool and Jonathan Oatis)
By James Oliphant WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump was right. Countless others were wrong. The pundits and pollsters who said the former reality TV star could not win the U.S. presidency, the Republicans who shunned him, the business leaders who denounced him and the Democrats who dismissed him failed to fully understand the depth of his support. In a stunning victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton, Trump stuck to a plan that worked to perfection in the Republican primary, a campaign built around his blunt-talking celebrity persona, his command of social media, and his anti-establishment message of change. Ours was not a campaign, but an incredible and great movement, Trump said in his victory speech on Wednesday. It was a movement driven by discontent. The Reuters/Ipsos Election Day poll found that most Americans who came to the polls were clearly angry with the direction of the country. Six out of 10 people said they felt the country is on the wrong track. Some 58 percent said more and more I dont identify with what America has become and 75 percent said America needs a strong leader to take the country back from the wealthy. Those who felt the country was on the wrong track were three times as likely to vote for Trump as Clinton. In a bitter and divisive campaign, Trump cleared a series of obstacles that would doom any other candidate: An audio tape in which he talked of groping women; a refusal to release his tax returns; violence at his rallies; his mockery of a disabled reporter; and his attacks on the heritage of a federal judge and the Muslim family of a U.S. soldier. He was an imperfect candidate with a near-perfect message, said Ford OConnell, a Republican strategist who has long backed Trump. I dont think a lot of people understood that. In a year when voters in the United States and abroad showed their antipathy toward the political establishment, the globalized economy, and corporate welfare, Trump guessed correctly he could ride that wave of discontent to the White House. He exploited a growing divide in the country between whites and minorities, urbanites and rural residents, the college-educated and the working class. Trump beat Clinton among white men without a college degree by 31 points and white women without a degree by 27 points, according to the Reuters/Ipsos polling. He also benefited from an opponent with her own flaws. Clinton was continually dragged down by questions over her use of a private email server while secretary of state and the activities of her family foundation, while her corporate-friendly background left some Democrats skeptical and unenthusiastic. That appeared to cost her support among women, young voters and minorities  three groups that are critical for Democrats to win big. Clinton won each of these groups, but by smaller margins than President Barack Obama held when he defeated Republican candidate Mitt Romney in 2012. Some 49 percent of women supported Clinton, the first woman nominee of a major party, while 47 percent supported Trump. Among women between the ages of 18 and 34, about 55 percent supported Clinton, while 38 percent supported Trump. In 2012, 62 percent of young women supported Obama, while 36 percent supported Romney. THE RURAL VOTE White voters, especially men in rural areas, flocked to Trump in record numbers. Trump appealed to voters unhappy with the hollowing out of the countrys manufacturing sector and fearful of the countrys changing demographics, campaigning on a harsh anti-immigration message. Trump won 56 percent of the white vote, while Clinton won just 39 percent. He dominated to an even greater degree in rural areas, where he beat Clinton by 27 points. Trump promised big things: that he would bring jobs back and punish outsourcing corporations, that he would restore the country to some unspecified early time of prosperity and security - even as unemployment tumbled below 5 percent. Specifics were never Trumps strength. Instead, he used an us versus them message to build voter enthusiasm in places where most Republican candidates never ventured, rural areas with voters who felt ignored by Washington. Matt Borges, the chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, said Trump, unlike Romney, made voters feel like they mattered. Before Trump, he said, we werent listening to what voters actually care about. Trump thumbed his nose at the extensive get-out-the-vote operation and data-rich organization that are seen as essential to a modern winning campaign. His campaign relied instead on more unofficial networks of rabid supporters to get the word out. His advisers argued that he would bring scores of neglected white voters back into the political process, including blue-collar Democrats in places such as Pennsylvania. Until Trump, Republicans had not won Pennsylvania since 1988. Craig Robinson, a veteran of Iowa Republican politics, said pundits underestimated how Trumps strength in the primaries would carry over to the general election. In an election where the conventional wisdom was proven wrong time and time again, they convinced themselves that conventional wisdom would prevail in the general election, Robinson said. The voters saw through it. (Reporting by James Oliphant. Additional reporting by Chris Kahn, editing by Paul Thomasch and Ross Colvin)
Hillary Clinton: We owe Donald Trump an 'open mind' Hillary Clinton: We owe Donald Trump an 'open mind'

Donald Trump was elected Americas 45th president, an astonishing victory for a celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalized on voters economic anxieties, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations on his way to the White House.

His triumph over Hillary Clinton will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House and threatens to undo major achievements of President Barack Obama. Hes pledged to act quickly to repeal Obamas landmark health care law, revoke the nuclear agreement with Iran and rewrite important trade deals with other countries, particularly Mexico and Canada.

The Republican blasted through Democrats longstanding firewall, carrying Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that hadnt voted for a GOP presidential candidate since the 1980s. He needed to win nearly all of the competitive battleground states, and he did just that, claiming Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and others. (AP)

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By Karen Freifeld and Anthony Lin (Reuters) - Within a few weeks of winning the White House, President-elect Donald Trump could face another group of U.S. citizens, a federal jury in California, courtesy of a lawsuit by former students of his now-defunct Trump University who claim they were defrauded by a series of real-estate seminars. A hearing in federal court in San Diego is set for Thursday, and the trial is scheduled to begin on Nov. 28, barring any delays or if Trump decides to settle the case. While presidents enjoy immunity from lawsuits arising from their official duties, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that this shield does not extend to acts alleged to have taken place prior to taking office. The 1997 ruling came in the sexual harassment lawsuit filed against President Bill Clinton by Paula Jones, which was settled before it went to trial. Lawyers said they could think of no similar situation like the one now involving Trump. "I'm certain there is nothing comparable to this," said Alan Dershowitz, professor emeritus at Harvard Law School. Lawyers for both Trump and the plaintiffs declined to comment on Wednesday. Dershowitz said the Supreme Court also held that a case cannot be delayed just because the defendant is president, though judges are still free to grant reasonable delays to any party. Miami trial consultant Sandy Marks, who is not involved in the case, said he thought Trump might ask the presiding judge, Gonzalo Curiel, to postpone the trial in an effort to settle the case before taking office. "I think the judge would be foolhardy not to give him a short (delay)," said Marks, "which would give him a chance to resolve the case with all these people and put it behind him." Trump repeatedly claimed on the campaign trail that he would win the lawsuit, and he accused Curiel of being biased against him because of his campaign promise to build a wall along the border with Mexico. The judge was born in Indiana to Mexican parents. At the hearing on Thursday, lawyers will argue pre-trial motions, including one by Trump to block potential jurors from hearing comments made or publicized during the campaign, such as those about the judge. Lawyers for the students have argued the comments could help jurors assess Trump's credibility as a witness. Trump is listed as defense witness in the case and could be called to testify by the plaintiffs as well. He was previously deposed by the students' lawyers. "JURY CONSULTANT'S NIGHTMARE" Claims against Trump over the seminars date to 2010, with two class actions filed in federal court in San Diego and another case brought by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on behalf of students who claim they were misled into paying as much as $35,000 each to learn worthless real estate investing "secrets" from instructors "hand-picked" by Trump. Trump has admitted he did not hand-pick instructors, but has argued the claim was marketing language not meant to be taken literally. He claims most students were happy with their courses. If the trial goes forward, several legal experts said it would be hard to seat an impartial jury, since so many people already have strong opinions about the president-elect. Parties often hire specialized jury consultants to pick jurors, but New York lawyer Robert Anello said they were not infallible. "If experienced pollsters can't get it right," he said, "how can a jury consultant who is not spending as much time studying the demographics?" In an interview a day before the election, Jeffrey Goldman, a lawyer for Trump in the New York case, said the media's "drumbeat of distortion" about Trump University would make it hard to find impartial jurors. Several experts noted that jurors, who will answer a questionnaire in addition to being questioned by the lawyers and the judge, are generally taken at their word when they say they can be impartial. Boston jury consultant Edward Schwartz said he expects both sides to make an effort to vet jurors by their public social media postings. Dershowitz noted that San Diego, though located in deep-blue California, is not as politically monolithic as, say, San Francisco. It has an ethnically diverse population and also has a large military presence. "This is a jury consultant's nightmare to pick in a case like this," said Dershowitz. "It will be taught in jury consulting school." (Reporting by Karen Freifeld and Anthony Lin; Editing by Leslie Adler)
By Yeganeh Torbati WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump's election as president raises the prospect the United States will pull out of the nuclear pact it signed last year with Iran, alienating Washington from its allies and potentially freeing Iran to act on its ambitions. Outgoing President Barack Obama's administration touted the deal, a legacy foreign policy achievement, as a way to suspend Tehran's suspected drive to develop atomic weapons. In return Obama, a Democrat, agreed to a lifting of most sanctions. The deal, harshly opposed by Republicans in Congress, was reached as a political commitment rather than a treaty ratified by lawmakers, making it vulnerable to a new U.S. president, such as Trump, who might disagree with its terms. A Republican, Trump ran for the White House opposing the deal but contradictory statements made it unclear how he would act. In an upset over Democrat Hillary Clinton, Trump won on Tuesday and will succeed Obama on Jan. 20. A businessman-turned-politician who has never held public office, Trump called the nuclear pact a "disaster" and "the worst deal ever negotiated" during his campaign and said it could lead to a "nuclear holocaust." In a speech to the pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC in March, Trump declared that his Number-One priority would be to dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran. He said he would have negotiated a better deal, with longer restrictions, but somewhat paradoxically, he criticized remaining U.S. sanctions that prevent American companies from dealing with Iran. By contrast, he has conceded it would be hard to destroy a deal enshrined in a United Nations resolution. In August 2015, he said he would not rip up the nuclear deal, but that he would police that contract so tough they dont have a chance. Iran denies ever having considered developing atomic weapons. But experts said any U.S. violation of the deal would allow Iran also to pull back from its commitments to curb nuclear development. Those commitments include reducing the number of its centrifuges by two-thirds, capping its level of uranium enrichment well below the level needed for bomb-grade material, reducing its enriched uranium stockpile from around 10,000 kg to 300 kg for 15 years, and submitting to international inspections to verify its compliance. 'DIVISIVE DEAL' Say goodbye to the Iran deal, said Richard Nephew, a former U.S. negotiator with Iran now at Columbia University. There is very little likelihood that it stays, either because of a deliberate decision to tear it up by Trump, or steps that the U.S. takes which prompt an Iranian walk back. The spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Behrouz Kamalvandi, was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency: "Iran is prepared for any change," adding that Iran would try to stand by the deal. The nuclear deal was divisive in Iran, with hardliners opposed to better relations with the West arguing that pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani was giving up too much of the countrys nuclear infrastructure for too little relief. Rouhani said on Wednesday the U.S. election results would have no effect on Tehran's policies, state news agency IRNA quoted him as saying. [nL8N1DA46H] Some of Washingtons closest Middle East allies have been skeptical of the nuclear deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been outright hostile. Gulf leaders say the deal has emboldened Iran's pursuit of regional hegemony in part through support for proxy groups fueling regional conflicts. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, whose power supersedes that of Rouhani, regularly criticizes the United States and says it should not be trusted, but ultimately assented to the terms of the deal, known by its acronym JCPOA. KHAMENEI BIG WINNER The big winner in the aftermath of a Trump victory is Irans Supreme Leader, said Suzanne Maloney, a foreign policy expert at the Brookings Institution. He will have the most cartoonish American enemy, he will exult in the (hopefully brief) crash of the American economy, and he will be able to walk away from Irans obligations under the JCPOA while pinning the responsibility on Washington. Further complicating any Trump effort to renegotiate the deal is that it is a multilateral agreement involving U.S. allies in Europe as well as fellow world powers Russia and China. European and Asian firms have been returning to Iran and making major investments there, meaning the United States would likely be alone in pulling out of the deal, possibly isolating it from its partners. On Wednesday, the head of gas, renewables and power for French oil and gas company Total TOTF.PA in Iran said Trump's election would have no impact on investments [nP6N1CW004]. Khamenei has already promised to set fire to the nuclear deal if the West violates it. Iran has repeatedly complained it has not received benefits promised. Though European companies have been eager to explore business prospects in Iran, few deals have been enacted in part because European banks have been reluctant to finance deals involving Iran. As to whether he can negotiate a better deal, it takes two (or seven) sides to agree to begin that process, something I rate as highly unlikely, said Zachary Goldman, executive director of the Center on Law and Security at New York University and a former U.S. Treasury official. And if we walk away from the deal I think we will be in the worst of all worlds - Iran will feel freed from its commitments and we may be blamed for the deal falling apart. (Additional reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in Beirut; Editing by Yara Bayoumy and Howard Goller)
Problems of education

University education plays a great role in the development of a country. However, this realisation has not come upon developing countries like Nepal.
trump voting election day

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has won Virginia, which was expected to remain blue this election but turned out to be a close race when results began emerging on Tuesday night.

Fox News and NBC News called the race for Clinton at about 10:25 p.m.

With 90% of precincts reporting, Clinton had 48.3% of the vote, leading Donald Trump's 46.3%.

Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson had 3% of the vote, while Green Party nominee Jill Stein had taken 0.7%.

Some speculated that Virginia would become a blue state after this election, but the state has a history of voting red.

In the most recent RealClearPolitics polling average, Clinton was up by 5 points in the state.

Virginia is the home state of Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine.

NOW WATCH: Animated map reveals who would win the election if only certain demographics voted





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A judge in Nevada slammed Donald Trump for a lawsuit he filed Monday night that claims an election official kept a polling place in Las Vegas open two hours later than the law allows last week. During a hearing Tuesday afternoon, Clark County Judge Gloria Sturman, who said she was offended by the lawsuit, ordered Trump's lawyers to "sit down."

The Trump campaign wants to make names of Nevada poll workers public. Judge's response: pic.twitter.com/tes99IMbbH - Deadspin (@Deadspin) November 8, 2016

Nevada - an important state for Trump and Clinton, who are locked in a tight race there- allows early voting, and polling places are open until 8 p.m. But people can cast their ballot after 8 p.m. if they're in line by then.



Trump claims in the lawsuit that Clark County Registrar of Voters Joe P. Gloria let people join the line after 8 at the polling place located in a Latino market, according to Reuters. The lawsuit demands that ballots from the polling place be set aside from other votes cast in the state and not counted.

The polling place in question is in greater Las Vegas, according to CNN, which has large minority populations that are expected to vote heavily in favor of Hillary Clinton.

David Bossie, Trump's deputy campaign manager, said the lawsuit was not meant to prevent Hispanics from casting their votes.

At the Tuesday hearing, Judge Sturman fired off a series of questions to Trump's lawyers: Are [the votes] not to be counted? What are you saying? Why are we here? You want to preserve the poll data? That is offensive to me. Why dont we wait to see if the secretary of state wants to do this?



I am not going to expose people doing their civic duty helping their fellow citizens vote, that they are taking their personal time to preserve  to public attention, ridicule, and harassment, she continued. Thank you, sit down.

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Judge Sturman then dismissed the lawsuit, according to CBS News.

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Donald Trump has won the majority needed in the Electoral College to become the next President of the United States, based on projections of the electoral college vote in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

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Trump needed at least 270 votes in the Electoral College, the system established under the Constitution, to win the White House. Multiple media outlets called Trumps win in Pennsylvania around 2 a.m.; wins in Florida and North Carolina greatly helped Trumps efforts. Trump was also leading easily in Arizona, and in the Midwest states of Michigan and Wisconsin when he was declared the winner in Pennsylvania.

CNN then projected Wisconsin for Trump without calling Pennsylvania for Trump. Then, the Washington Post called the election around 2:30 a.m. The Associated Press also called the election and CNN reported that Clinton called Trump to concede.

The projected vote total for Trump was 289 votes, as of early Wednesday morning, after his wins in Pennsylvania, Arizona and Wisconsin. Several states remained outstanding at the time, including Michigan, Minnesota and New Hampshire. Clinton led by a slight margin in the overall popular vote.

At 2 a.m. Wednesday, Clinton adviser John Podesta sent supporters home from the Javitz Center in New York, saying that Clinton would not be speaking until all votes were counted.

Barring any potential recounts or legal challenges after Election Day by December 13, the electors representing Trump and Clinton will meet in their states on December 19 to formally cast their votes, as indicated in Tuesdays state-by-state popular vote.

In voting for the United States Senate, the Republicans retained control of the chamber that will work with a new President to confirm at least one new Supreme Court Justice. The Republicans also retained control of the House of Representatives.

Trumps appeal to blue collar workers and his efforts to campaign in the Midwest apparently made a key difference in the final days of the presidential campaign.

His win continues the long-term trend of American voters opting for a change of parties in the White House after consecutive incumbent terms. Only George H.W. Bush in 1988, Herbert Hoover in 1928, Franklin Roosevelt in 1940 and 1944, and Harry Truman in 1948 were able to give their parties a third or fourth consecutive term in the presidency in the past 100 years.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump by phone on Wednesday and Trump invited him to a meeting "at the first opportunity", Netanyahu's office said. The conversation was "hearty and warm" and regional issues were discussed, the office said, adding: "The Prime Minister congratulated Trump on his electoral win and told him that the United States has no better ally than Israel." (Writing by Ori Lewis; editing by John Stonestreet)
One of the biggest controversies of the 2016 election was the release of a secretly taped conversation from 2005 between Donald Trump and now-former Access Hollywood host, Billy Bush. The latter was booted from his job at NBC because of his own behavior on the tape.

Jonathan Bush, founder and CEO of athenahealth (ATHN), is Billys brother and they are both scions of the Bush political dynasty. He has some choice words to say about the now president-elect and Billys former employers at NBC.

Who among us has not been in the presence of lewd, inappropriate talk and not spoken up? said Jonathan. You gotta laugh along. He did that. Lightning bolt, of course, theres a mic on. Of course, the guy who is this sort of soft porn idiot on the The Apprentice or the beauty contest or whatever it was back 11 years agosuddenly becomes a presidential candidate. I mean talk about a solar eclipse of bad news for Billy Bush.

According to Jonathan Bush, NBC is responsible for Donald Trumps rise to power.

I dont think NBC had [Billys] back at all, he said. I thought that was too bad because they actually built Donald Trump, right? The reason Donald Trump got to run for president as a household name is because of NBC and The Celebrity Apprentice and the beauty pageants and all these things that NBC promoted. So I dont think they should have been so rough on him.

Jonathan Bush also opened up about some of his familys support for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. His uncle, President George H.W. Bush, was defeated for reelection by Bill Clinton in 1992 while first cousin, president George W. Bush, succeeded Clinton in 2001. Cousin Jeb Bush lost to Trump in the GOP primaries in 2016.

No one in my family was a Trump supporterneither former presidents, none of their siblings, said Bush. But that also led to an odd predicament for the family. There were a lot of people that had sort of a hangover of frustration and dislike and distrust of Hillary and so they were cornered.

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Jonathan Bush tried to get his family to support the Libertarian ticket of former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson and former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld.

I was a huge supporter of Bill Weld, he said. His governorship in Massachusetts was something I witnessed and I found to be just marvelous. [An] 80 percent Democrat state in vote electing a Republican governor with 65 percent  70 percent margins because he was just a good guy who was disciplined and thoughtful. So I thought that was a good way to not hurt anybody but speak my conscienceIn Massachusetts, youre not hurting anybody because 80 percent of the votes going to go to Hillary anyway.

I couldnt get that many of them on board, he added. I think they all quietly voted for Hillary. Maybe [some Bushes] got nervous about the court and colored in a Donald like a lot of people, I think. A lot of people were appalled by Donald but scared of the court or scared of more federal mandating in their lives. And so maybe some sheepish tea bubbles were being filled out.
Negotiators from nearly 200 countries around the world are meeting in Morocco this week to hash out the details of the landmark climate-change agreement struck in Paris last December. But the shocking U.S. election results may spell doom for the deal.

The U.N.s annual climate change conference in Marrakesh this week, known in climate-confab circles as the 22nd Conference of the Parties, or COP 22, is the first big meeting after the historic agreement brokered in Paris, in which 196 countries pledged to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases.

The Marrakesh meeting was meant to hash out all the tricky details of actually implementing the Paris deal, which relies on voluntary, national emissions-reduction commitments across a host of economic sectors, from electricity to forestry. A White House energy official said last week that were coming into this years COP with a tremendous amount of positive momentum.

But President-elect Donald Trump may have other plans. Trump, who has called man-made climate change bullshit and an expensive hoax, excoriated the climate deal on the campaign trail.

In an energy speech in North Dakota in May, Trump told crowds, Were going to cancel the Paris climate agreement  unbelievable  and stop all payments of the United States tax dollars to U.N. global warming programs. Trump appeared confused as to what the Paris accord entails and how it is meant to operate.

Even so, he could still scupper the agreement, the first international climate accord that includes developed and developing countries alike. Trump could simply declare that the United States is withdrawing from the pact. Or he could withdraw from the 1992 U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change itself, under whose auspices international climate deals are constructed. The abdication of U.S. leadership would be critically bad for the fight against climate change, said Varun Sivaram, an energy expert with the Council on Foreign Relations.

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U.S. leadership was critical in making it this far, he told Foreign Policy. Without that leadership, the international climate process will still continue de jure, but de facto its progress will stall, he warned.

Climate campaigners tried to put a brave face on fears of an American exit. Trumps election will create some uncertainty, some confusion, but the world beyond the U.S. is moving forward, said Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres, a business sustainability advocacy group.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Salaheddine Mezouar, the president of this years climate gathering and the Moroccan minister of foreign affairs, congratulated Trump on his win and stressed that all parties have the shared responsibility to continue the great progress achieved in the negotiations to date.

A group of 376 scientists including 30 Nobel laureates sharply rebuked Trumps campaign comments on climate change in an open letter in September. Andrew Steer, President and CEO of World Resources Institute, said on Wednesday he hoped that over time, this evidence becomes clear to the incoming administration.

But many Republicans, buoyed by their surprise win on Tuesday, are coming forward in full force against the climate deal. In a statement on Wednesday, longtime climate gadfly Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) said that the Trump administration will have numerous options to forego President Obamas political commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Photo credit: Carsten Koall/Getty Images
The good news for President-elect Donald Trump is that the U.S. military is, formally, an apolitical institution that takes its orders from the commander-in-chief, whoever he might be. Defense Secretary Ash Carter issued a memo to everyone in the U.S. military Wednesday morning, saying the election happened freely and peacefully because of their work. I am committed to overseeing the orderly transition to the next commander-in chief, he said. I know I can count on you to execute all your duties with the excellence our citizens know they can expect.

The bad news for the newly-elected President is that the military has informal ways of subverting those same orders, especially if it and Congress enter a tacit alliance to derail them.

Trump has called for boosting defense spending by about $60 billion a yeara 10% hikeand an end to the lengthy, inconclusive wars that the U.S. has waged in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has said he wants to bomb the shit out of ISIS as part of his war plan because I know more about ISIS than the generals do, believe me.

Thats not a good way to launch a productive working relationship with the generals and admirals who command the nations 1.4 million soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. Look for Trump in the coming days to scale back such rhetoric, just as he did in his acceptance speech early Wednesday when he spoke graciously of Hillary Clinton, who he had vilified for months. Such temperance will be required if U.S. national-security policy is to remain coherent.

Trumps very first steps as President-elect were about as good as could be hoped for, says Peter Feaver, an expert on civil-military relations at Duke University, who served on the White Houses National Security Council during the Clinton Administration. He promised to be a President of all Americans, and pointedly avoided mentioning the divisive issues that were prominent in the campaign.

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The senior military will do what theyre told, and many will welcome the change, says Merrill McPeak, a retired Air Force general. Lets at least hope it will be good to have an out-of-the box thinker not burdened by policies that have led to 15 years of un-won wars at a cost of nearly 7,000 lives and an estimated eventual cost of $6 trillion. David Barno, a retired Army three-star who led U.S. troops in Afghanistan in 2003-05, says the President-elect also needs to jettison the inflammatory campaign rhetoric that sometimes cavalierly suggested a need to replace todays generals and admirals with ones of Trumps choosing.

With no military experience, Trumps key tutor will be Marine General Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Military officers, unlike nearly all civilian political appointees, dont lose their jobs when a new Administration takes office. By law, the chairman is the key military adviser to the president, and Dunford wins high marks inside the Pentagon for his military smarts and political skills. As of January 20, we will have a commander-in-chief who is quite literally ignorant of basic U.S. national-security policy, says Andrew Bacevich, a retired Army colonel and military scholar. It will be incumbent upon senior military leaders, above all the Joint Chiefs chairman, to contribute to his education, an urgent and sensitive task. It remains to be seen whether they will rise to the occasion.

Given his dearth of experience, Trump also will have to select national-security leaders that can reassure Americans at home and leaders abroad that there is a steady hand on the tiller. The personal qualities of those selected for political appointments in the defense establishment can be more important than pronouncements in party platforms or campaign rhetoric, says Charles Dunlap, a retired two-star Air Force general. I would also hope that retired flag officers return to the militarys apolitical tradition, as opposed to the overt partisanship we saw from some during the campaign. That could rule out Mike Flynn, the outspoken retired Army lieutenant general, who as recently as Saturday criticized Clinton for what he called her unbelievable active criminal behavior. His name has been floated as a possible defense secretary, director of national intelligence or White House chief of staff in a Trump White House.

While a President has more leeway overseasincluding warsthan he does at home, Trump wont be able to achieve major national-security changes unilaterally. Only the Senate can ratify treaties, and only Congress can increase defense spending. While Republicans will be the majority in both houses in the new Congress to be seated in January, its likely to include as many deficit hawks as defense hawks.

The military rank-and-file supported Trump, according to unscientific polls conducted during the campaign. Many come from rural parts of the country that helped Trump win, military officers said Wednesday. Some of Trumps claimsthat he knows more about battling ISIS than the generals he soon will command, for examplewas political theater that some didnt take seriously.

Donald Trump has laid out a comprehensive, detailed, and forward-looking vision for the future of the American military, ex-Air Force secretary Mike Wynne noted recently. It is predicated on peace through strength and a sober appraisal of U.S. national interests. Trump wants to boost the Army to about 540,000 soldiers, or 90,000 more than under current plans. He wants a 350-ship Navy and a 1,200-fighter Air Force, 10% increases over existing plans. The Marines would grow by 30%, to 240,000, under Trumps proposal.

But there seems to be a mismatch between how robustly Trump wants to bolster the Pentagon and what he wants it to do overseas. He has expressed a wariness to get involved in ill-defined conflicts. He also has shown a reluctance to let other nationsparticularly those in the NATO alliancecount on continued U.S. military support if they dont spend more on their own militaries. Hes basically calling for a wartime military with a peacetime mission. And while Trumps America first policy may make for a populist sound bite, it could lead to an isolationist nation where desiccated alliancesa major force multiplier for the U.S.-championed spread of democracy and free trade since World War IIcould increase Chinese and Russian influence around the world.
By Linda Sieg and Ju-min Park TOKYO/SEOUL (Reuters) - Republican Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election will deepen Asian allies' anxiety about Washington's commitment to post-war security arrangements in the face of a rising China and volatile North Korea, and could bolster calls from conservatives in Tokyo for a more robust defense policy. Trump's "America First" rhetoric and calls for allies to pay more of the cost for U.S. troops in the region or face their possible withdrawal have worried officials in some Asian capitals. So has his opposition to a 12-nation pan-Pacific trade pact that was a linchpin of Washington's "pivot" to the region. "We should expect dramatic changes in the security environment," said South Koreas ruling Saenuri Party floor leader Chung Jin-suk in parliament on Wednesday. But he added: "In any case, there should not be any wavering in the Korea-U.S. military alliance, which has been the foundation of prosperity of this country." A Japanese government official, speaking before Trump clinched the election, urged the new president to send a reassuring message. "The new president-elect should as soon as possible issue a statement reassuring the rest of the world that the strong commitment of the United States to its allies ... remains strong and reliable," said the official, who declined to be identified. "We are certainly concerned about the comments (Trump) has made to date about the alliance and the U.S. role in the Pacific, particularly Japan," the Japanese official said, although he added Trump's policies might not match his rhetoric. Trump has made several comments that disturbed Washington's Asian allies, from insisting they must foot more of the two-way defense bill to suggesting it might be alright for Tokyo and Seoul develop nuclear arms capability. FOOTING THE BILL In an article criticizing U.S. President Barack Obama's "pivot" to Asia as "talking loudly but carrying a small stick" two Trump advisors said he would beef up the U.S. Navy while asserting it was "only fair" that Seoul and Tokyo pay more for defense. "There is no question of Trump's commitment to America's Asian alliances as bedrocks of stability in the region," wrote University of California professor Peter Navarro and Alexander Gray, a former advisor to U.S. politician Randy Forbes, in the article, which appeared in the Nov. 7 edition of Foreign Policy. The article also criticized the Obama administration for failing to halt China's aggressive maritime activities in the East and South China Seas, where Beijing has territorial rows with several countries in the region. Trump has called for more ships for the U.S. Navy. The "mere initiation of the Trump naval program will reassure our allies that the United States remains committed in the long term to its traditional role as guarantor of the liberal order in Asia", the authors said. Trump's approach to the North Asia security alliances could spark calls in Japan for a more independent security stance, although serious talk of acquiring nuclear weapons is unlikely to emerge in the only nation to suffer atomic bombings. "I think they will have more legitimacy," said a Japanese diplomat, referring to those seeking a more robust security stance. "But the Japanese public is reluctant to go in that direction and we don't have the capacity in terms of budget or (military) personnel." TPP NOT JUST TRADE Asian allies who joined the 12-nation Tran-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, a linchpin of Obama's Asia pivot, now fear the pact is dead, given Trump's harsh opposition. That has implications not only for trade, but security, since Washington and Tokyo had seen the TPP as way of creating a new regional rule-based architecture to counter China. "TPP was not just a trade deal, it was the United States and Japan, together ... these countries with shared values would create an advanced regional order with not just economic, but diplomatic and security implications," said Toshihiro Nakayama, a professor at Keio University in Tokyo. "It was a symbol of America being committed to the region." Singapore-based security expert Tim Huxley warned of a period of potentially destabilizing uncertainty ahead as the region waits for clearer strategic signs of precisely what a Trump presidency would mean for Asia. Unless Trump speaks reassuringly and soothingly about the continued U.S. presence and commitment to the region, I wont be surprised to see long-held doubts awoken in the minds of many Asian leaders about the durability of the traditional U.S. role, he said. Policy-makers expect it will take considerable time for Trump to work out personnel appointments and get down to policy formation. Divisive U.S. politics could also slow things down. That could mean a worrisome vacuum, but also suggests no quick, dramatic changes are in store. "It will take about half a year for Mr. Trump to firm up his foreign policies. He only has a transition team of about 200 people and his first focus will be domestic policy," said Masashi Adachi, head of the Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party's foreign policy panel. "I don't think there will be a big change in his stance toward Japan. He has said the Japan-U.S. alliance is important. What he is talking about is details like increasing what Japan pays for U.S. troops in Japan," Adachi added. (Reporting by Linda Sieg. Additional reporting by Greg Torode in Hong Kong. Editing by Bill Tarrant.)
Moscow (AFP) - Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election could help to improve the US-Russian relations, which are at the lowest point since the Cold War, the last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said on Wednesday.

"I do not rule out that, under the new president of the USA, Russian-American relations could significantly improve," Gorbachev told Russia's Interfax news agency.

"It is now necessary to start bilateral dialogue at the highest level... and to prevent failure of the dialogue under any circumstances," he said, adding that "a lot also depends on Russia's position".

Russian President Vladimir Putin  who was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on his electoral win -- said Moscow was ready to contribute to rebuilding relations with the United States with Trump as president.

Moscow and Washington have been at loggerheads following Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and the launch of a Russian bombings in Syria.

During the campaign, Trump has said emphatically that he is willing to work with Putin, even praising him as a superior leader to outgoing US President Barack Obama.
Taan accuses Nepal Tourism Board of misusing trekker fees

The Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (Taan) has charged the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) of misusing fees collected from foreign trekkers, and threatened to explore its options if the finances were not made transparent.
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LONDON  The votes have been counted and a winner announced.

And in 2016 what do you do when you win?

You hop on the Twitter machine.

SEE ALSO: 25 positive tweets for people who are traumatized by the U.S. election

Following the announcement of Donald Trump's victory, his supporters tweeted out gleeful messages of support to the new president-elect:

CONGRATULATIONS PRESIDENT TRUMP! GOD IS GREAT!  Malik Obama (@ObamaMalik) November 9, 2016

Change is good....Good morning President Trump!  Vickie Guerrero (@VickieGuerrero) November 9, 2016

Trump IS my president.

Trump IS my president.

Trump IS my president.

Trump IS my president.#PresidentTrump #TRUMP #PresidentElectTrump  brandon lemon (@brandon_lemon) November 9, 2016

(President) Trump already sounding calmer, less confrontational & more inclusive. Augurs well. #USElection pic.twitter.com/lOv2QM3hy1  Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 9, 2016

Best moment of this election came at the end of this election. The voice of the people have been heard! No more Corruption.

~President Trump  Keep'n It Real! (@JOMainEvent) November 9, 2016

Living in a liberal part of the world most of my life today is one of the greatest days of my life. It's a great day to be alive #Trump2016  G Pelc (@GPack23) November 9, 2016

Republicans win the senate, the house, and of course the presidency! Let's Make America Great Again!!! #Trump2016  Kyle Miley (@kylemiley33) November 9, 2016

There is a reason God allowed Trump to become President and not Clinton.. God is with us #Trump2016  i (@Isakarina__) November 9, 2016

I knew he'd have his chance to make America great again #Trump2016 #TrumpNation  v. (@vainqueu) November 9, 2016

Well I am really happy that trump won the election #Trump2016 #TrumpTrain  HITandRUN_doctor (@approved_iEnemy) November 9, 2016

The working class was underestimated. The AMERICAN people won this election. #USElection2016 #Trump2016  Christian Taylor (@ctayorange) November 9, 2016

Woke up to a strange new delightful smell.. breakfast? Nah even better, fall breeze? Nope, the smell of victory? Yes! That's it! #Trump2016  Kyle lohr (@kylelohr) November 9, 2016

Time to bring production back to America! #Trump2016  Zach Hazelett (@zach58hazelett) November 9, 2016

As with any election, there has also been a massive backlash to the announcement.

Only time will tell who truly won and lost this election.
The transition team for President-elect Donald Trump has yet to reach out to the Pentagon to start managing the transfer of power following his surprise Election Day victory, though two defense officials told Foreign Policy they expect the first meetings as early as next week.

Initial discussions will likely consist of Pentagon officials delivering a short briefing on major issues facing the military, and then working to provide any information and intelligence Trump demands while the incoming team is identified and gets brought up to speed.

Trump also began receiving detailed classified briefings from the CIA on Wednesday.

The meetings have the potential to be awkward, given Trumps claims that he knows more about the Islamic State than the generals running the war, declarations that the U.S. officer corps has been reduced to rubble, and threatening to find different generals to fight the Islamic State. He has also repeatedly been dismissive of the U.S. intelligence community and its work.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter issued a memo to Pentagon staff calling for an orderly process to hand over the reigns of the U.S. armed forces to a new group of Trump appointees.

I am committed to overseeing the orderly transition to the next commander in chief, Carter wrote in the Wednesday memo. I know I can count on you to execute all your duties with the excellence our citizens know they can expect.

Secretary of State John Kerry did the same, writing he expects diplomats and other staffers to welcome our incoming colleagues warmly and professionally, and to provide them with all the assistance they need to ensure a seamless transition from one administration to the next.

While the grinding work of shuffling personnel in and out of the Pentagon will be hashed out soon by batallions of staffers, the question of who will set atop the Defense Departments civilian leadership hangs over the entire process.

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Among Washington-based defense experts, early Trump supporter Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) is the front-runner to be nominated as the next Secretary of Defense. Also in the rumint mix is Stephen Hadley, who served as national security advisor to President George W. Bush, and former Sen. Jim Talent, (R-Mo.). Sessions has led Trumps national security advisory committee since March, and sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Other names that are being bandied about for top national security positions at the White House and in the Pentagon include a host of conservative politicians like former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers and onetime CIA chief James Woolsey.

But talk of transition team schedules and playing Washington parlor games over who might get the nod for the big job obscures the most important priority for military planners: namely, clarifying just what the Trump administrations top national security priorities will be.

There are currently about 13,000 American troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Beijing has pushed its territorial claims further into the South China Sea. Russia continues to place pressure on NATO allies in Eastern Europe. And while the war against the Islamic State received fleeting attention during the presidential campaign, Trump has said he would be willing to work with Russia to strike the group  a plan that has alarmed NATO members in Eastern Europe looking for more pressure to be placed on Moscow.

While the incoming Trump administration toys with the idea of reaching out to Moscow  despite Russian aircraft having buzzed U.S. Navy ships and aircraft during several recent incidents  Russian forces may be taking advantage of the confusion in Washington to hammer rebel forces battling Syrias President Bashar al-Assad.

Russias lone aircraft carrier, accompanied by several warships equipped with cruise missiles, moved into position off the Syrian coast this week. A defense official confirmed to FP that at least one Russian carrier-based airplane had already flown a mission near Aleppo.

The official, who would only speak about military operations under the condition of anonymity, said Moscow appears to be more interested in the world seeing Russias naval capabilities in action than the world seeing Russia live up to its word to work toward a political solution to end Syrias five-year civil war.

Photo Credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
By Steve Holland and John Whitesides

(Reuters) - Republican Donald Trump put aside the celebrations and focused on his 73-day transition to the White House on Wednesday as rival Hillary Clinton promised to bury the bitterness of their long presidential race and work to unify a divided country.

After Trump's stunning upset of the heavily favoured Clinton, Democratic President Barack Obama and leading figures in the Republican Party who had struggled to make peace with Trump all vowed to move past the ugliness of an angry campaign to seek common ground.

"Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead," Clinton, the Democratic nominee, said in a concession speech in New York, joined by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and daughter Chelsea.

With a row of American flags in the background, she told supporters her loss was painful "and it will be for a long time," and that she had offered to work with Trump as he prepares to begin his four-year term on Jan. 20.

A wealthy real estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to win Tuesday's election against Clinton, whose gold-plated establishment resume included stints as a first lady, U.S. senator and Obama's secretary of state.

Trump's victory marked a crushing end to Clinton's second quest to be the first woman elected president. She also failed in a White House bid in 2008.

Obama, who campaigned hard against Trump, invited him to the White House for a meeting on Thursday after a brutal night for the Democratic Party, which also fell short of recapturing majorities in both chambers of Congress.

"We are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country," Obama said at the White House, adding that he and his staff would work with Trump to ensure a successful transition. "We are not Democrats first, we are not Republicans first, we are Americans first."

Trump and his senior aides were meeting at Trump Tower in New York on Wednesday to begin the transition. "They are hunkered down in meetings, plotting the next steps, the transition, the first 100 days, key staff positions," said a source close to Trump's campaign.

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Trump will enjoy Republican majorities in both chambers of the U.S. Congress that could help him implement his legislative agenda and appoint a Supreme Court justice to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.

"Now, Donald Trump will lead a unified Republican government and we will work hand-in-hand on a positive agenda to tackle this country's big challenges," House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, who had a strained relationship with Trump, told reporters, saying Trump had earned a mandate in the election.

TRUMP PRIORITIES

In an Oct. 25 Reuters interview, Trump said his top priorities when he took office would be building stronger borders, repealing Obama's national healthcare plan, aiding military veterans and working to create more jobs.

In his victory speech early on Wednesday, he also promised to embark on a project to rebuild American infrastructure and to double U.S. economic growth.

Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday that repealing the healthcare plan known as Obamacare would be a "pretty high item" on the agenda. [nL1N1DA2ZE] House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that she spoke to Trump about passing a "robust" jobs bill.

Worried that a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors initially fled stocks worldwide but Wall Street made a dramatic turnaround and the U.S. dollar hit its highest level against the Japanese yen in nearly four months.

The Mexican peso recouped some losses after falling to a record low. The currency has been vulnerable to Trump's threats to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico and to tax money sent home by migrants to pay to build a border wall.

Scattered protests broke out around the country over Trump's triumph. In Berkeley, California, outside San Francisco, some 1,500 high school students and teachers walked out of classes chanting, "not our president." Smaller groups of students walked out of classes in nearby Oakland and in Seattle, Washington, while several hundred students protested at the University of Texas, according to local reports.

Speaking to cheering supporters in a New York hotel ballroom after his victory, Trump said it was time to heal divisions after a campaign that exposed deep differences among Americans.

"It is time for us to come together as one united people," Trump said. "I will be president for all Americans."

His comments were an abrupt departure from his campaign trail rhetoric in which he repeatedly branded Clinton as "Crooked Hillary" amid supporters' chants of "lock her up."

Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, on Wednesday did not rule out the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton's past conduct, a threat Trump made in an election debate last month.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said it hoped the tradition of not using the criminal justice system to extract revenge on political opponents would continue under Trump.

Despite losing the state-by-state electoral battle that determines the U.S. presidency, Clinton narrowly led Trump in the nationwide popular vote, according to U.S. media tallies.

Fuelling his upset was Trump's avid support among white non-college educated workers. He ran up big leads in rural areas, beating Clinton by 27 percentage points among voters outside of urban areas, a Reuters/Ipsos Election Day poll found.

While Clinton, 69, won Hispanics and black and young voters, she did not win those groups by greater margins than Obama did in 2012. Younger blacks did not support Clinton like they did Obama. She won eight of 10 black voters between the ages of 35 and 54. Obama won almost 100 percent of those voters in 2012.

At 70, Trump will be the oldest first-term U.S. president. The presidency will be Trump's first elected office, and it remains to be seen how he will work with Congress. During the campaign Trump was the target of sharp disapproval, not just from Democrats but also from many in his own party.

GOOD NEWS FOR RUSSIA

Foreign leaders pledged to work with Trump but some officials expressed alarm that the vote could mark the end of an era in which Washington promoted democratic values and was seen by its allies as a guarantor of peace.

During the campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested that Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defence burden.

Russia and Putin appeared to be winners from Trump's victory. Defying years of U.S. foreign policy orthodoxy, the Republican had promised much warmer relations with Moscow, despite Russia's intervention in the Syrian civil war and its seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region.

Russia's parliament erupted in applause after a lawmaker announced that Trump had been elected, and Putin told foreign ambassadors he was ready to fully restore ties with Washington.

"It is not an easy path but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development," Putin said.

Russia is hoping that improved relations could yield an elusive prize: the lifting or easing of sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union to punish Moscow for its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who sparred with Obama, spoke by phone to Trump, who proposed they meet "at the first opportunity," Netanyahu's office said. Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing and Washington shared responsibility for promoting global development and prosperity.

Iran urged Trump to stay committed to the nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers. Several authoritarian and right-wing leaders hailed Trump's victory.

Other officials abroad, some with senior roles in government, took the unusual step of denouncing the outcome, calling it a worrying signal for liberal democracy and tolerance in the world.

"Trump is the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement. He is also a warning for us," German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said in an interview with the Funke newspaper group.

U.S. neighbour Mexico was pitched into deep uncertainty by the victory for Trump, who has often accused it of stealing U.S. jobs and sending criminals across the U.S. border.

Trump campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist "America First" path.

He wants to rewrite international trade deals to reduce trade deficits and has taken positions that raise the possibility of damaging relations with America's most trusted allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Trump survived a series of blows on the campaign, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologised but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, allegations he denied. He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Clinton.

A Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day poll offered some clues to the outcome. It found Clinton badly underperformed expectations with women, winning their vote by only about 2 percentage points.

(Writing by John Whitesides and Alistair Bell; Additional reporting by Amanda Becker, Emily Stephenson and Christopher Kahn in New York, Letitia Stein in St. Petersburg, Florida, Luciana Lopez in Miami, Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem and Kim Palmer in Ohio; Editing by Will Dunham and Howard Goller)
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called U.S. President-elect Donald Trump by phone on Wednesday and discussed improving relations and cooperating in fighting terrorism, sources in Ankara said. A NATO member which borders Syria, Iraq and Iran, Turkey is a powerful player in the region but Erdogan's relations with U.S. President Barack Obama, as well as with Western Europe, have at times been strained. Turkey has been frustrated by what it sees as Washington's reluctance to hand over Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom it accuses of masterminding an abortive putsch four months ago. He has lived in exile in Pennsylvania since 1999. In what the Turkish presidential sources described as a "sincere" conversation, Erdogan congratulated Trump on his unexpected election win and said Turkey and the United States were allies brought together by mutual respect, common interests and values. Earlier on Wednesday, Erdogan said he hoped Trump's victory would lead to "beneficial steps" for the Middle East and for basic rights and freedoms. (Reporting by Tulay Karadeniz and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
(Adds Pelosi comment)

By Susan Cornwell and Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump will have an early Capitol Hill honeymoon with Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress when he takes office in January, but a long-term romance may be more challenging.

A president whose party controls both the Senate and House of Representatives can generally count on getting things done fairly quickly, and Trump likely will not be an exception, despite starting with unusual handicaps.

Many Republicans in Congress only backed Trump after he became the candidate. Some never fell in line. He offended and attacked others while running as a Washington outsider, including House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, who did not campaign with him.

On top of that, the New York real estate businessman and former reality television celebrity, who will head the world's most powerful government and largest economy, has no governing experience.

On Wednesday, party leaders were quick to back the victor, and they are expected to find more common ground than differences once he takes office.

"Donald Trump will lead a unified Republican government," Ryan told a news conference in his home state, Wisconsin, promising to "work hand in hand."

Ryan said his relationship with Trump "is fine," the transition is under way, and he has already spoken to the president-elect twice, and to his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, a former House member.

"Most of the things he's likely to advocate, we're going to be enthusiastically for," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told a news conference on Capitol Hill.

OBAMACARE IN CROSSHAIRS

Trump and Republican leaders in Congress agree on one major policy: They want to repeal Democratic President Barack Obama's landmark Obamacare healthcare law, enacted in 2010.

Ryan and McConnell both pledged to deal quickly with the law.

They will also move quickly to confirm a Trump nominee for the Supreme Court, after McConnell refused to consider any Obama nominee to replace conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February, infuriating the White House and Senate Democrats.

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Other issues might be more contentious within the party.

While campaigning, Trump spoke extensively about scrapping trade deals and building a wall along the U.S.- Mexico border, but some Republicans are skeptical about both those pledges.

The party has long been in favor of free trade, and Trump's wall scheme would bear a $25 billion price tag and anger Mexico, an important ally and trading partner.

McConnell said on Wednesday he wanted to achieve border security in whatever way was most effective. And he said the new president was free to negotiate trade pacts.

Trump will also have to work with Democrats, who made narrow gains on Tuesday that reduced the size of the Republican majorities in the House and Senate.

With some votes still being counted, they won a handful of new seats in the House.

In the Senate, they seemed to secure at least 48 seats, up from 46, on Wednesday when the New Hampshire secretary of state called a close race for New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan, a Democrat, over incumbent Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte, although Ayotte had not conceded.

Controlling only 52 seats, Republicans will need Democrats to reach the 60 votes needed to advance most legislation in the 100-member Senate.

"Trump will have to work with a fair number of Senate Democrats to get things done," said William Galston, an expert in governance studies at the Brookings Institution think tank.

One of those things could be infrastructure spending, which Trump promised in his victory speech. Spending on infrastructure to fuel job growth is popular with lawmakers from both parties, possibly funded by ending a law that lets corporations hold profits offshore without paying U.S. taxes on them.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called Trump Wednesday to say she wanted to work with him on a "robust infrastructure jobs bill," and she told her fellow Democrats that this should be done very fast. "We're not starting a campaign against the Republicans right now," Pelosi told Democratic lawmakers in a conference call, according to a Democratic aide.

PARTY UNITY

Trump's Republican critics in Congress said they hoped Trump would work toward party unity, but they would be watching him.

"Starting today, I will do everything in my power to hold the President to his promises," including fighting to enact term limits and repealing Obamacare, Senator Ben Sasse, who opposed Trump from the start, said in a statement.

Repealing Obamacare would shake the U.S. healthcare and insurance industries, which have broadly called for measured reforms, although not for its full-scale elimination.

America's Health Insurance Plans, or AHIP, a trade association that represents insurers such as Anthem Inc and Cigna Corp in Washington, said late on Tuesday that it would work with any new administration on the issue.

Trump has called Obamacare a "disaster" and vowed to repeal and replace it. House Republicans have already voted more than 50 times to repeal all or part of the law.

Senate Democrats were certain to fight an Obamacare rollback, but could be outmaneuvered by Republicans at the procedural level with Trump's cooperation.

"It would be a tragedy, and I certainly won't in any way cooperate or work with an effort to take health insurance away," Senator Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats, told CNN.

Trump and congressional Republicans will find common ground on taxes. Trump generally sees eye to eye with Republicans in Congress in calling for major tax cuts, including those for the wealthy, although details of their plans are not an exact match.

Trump has called for cutting the U.S. corporate income tax rate to 15 percent from the current level of 35 percent; Ryan's tax plan proposes going to 20 percent.

Trump has also said he wants to do some things as president, such as ban Muslims from the country and allow torture in the fight against terrorism, that some legal experts say are legally questionable.

(Additional reporting by David Morgan, Ian Simpson and Patricia Zengerle; writing by Patricia Zengerle; editing by Grant McCool and Jonathan Oatis)
By Ernest Scheyder and Valerie Volcovici

Nov 9 (Reuters) - The surprising victory by Native American and environmental groups in September to delay the Dakota Access Pipeline may turn out to be short-lived, after Donald Trump's unexpected win in the U.S. presidential election.

Trump backs measures to speed energy industry development and upgrade the country's oil and gas infrastructure. He has not commented specifically on the $3.7 billion Dakota Access line but has said he would seek to revive another controversial pipeline, the Keystone XL line. That project would pump oil from Canada through Nebraska and was rejected in 2014 by the Obama Administration.

The 1,172-mile (1,885 km) line was planned to run from North Dakota's Bakken shale region to Illinois, but protests from environmental activists and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North Dakota galvanized the Obama Administration to delay construction to ensure Native American concerns about the line's route were properly addressed.

One day after Trump's apparent victory, Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault II said that the results show "that we as a country have so much work to do." He did not mention Trump in his statement to Reuters, instead saying President Barack Obama could still halt the pipeline.

"We must strengthen our resolve to protect the water, pray together for understanding, and pour our hearts and minds into the future of all our children," he said.

At this moment, it is not clear whether Dakota Access would be rerouted or piped under the sensitive watershed, which the tribe considers sacred.

Rep. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, a Trump energy advisor, said he expects the Obama administration to approve the permit because the federal government is "out of legal reasons" not to allow the line to proceed, saying he did not think Trump "would have to weigh in with an opinion on this."

Obama's move was considered unprecedented by some in the industry, particularly as it had already passed National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review.

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"We're especially hopeful that the pipeline approval process will be allowed to work without political interferences. We saw both Keystone XL and DAPL, which passed their NEPA review, get blocked for unrelated political reasons," said John Stoody, vice president of government and public relations for the Association of Oil Pipe Lines.

TRUMP IS "CLIMATE THREAT"

Trump carried the state of North Dakota by a wide margin, though his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, won Sioux County, which lies entirely within the Standing Rock reservation.

Environmental groups said they would continue to support the tribe, and looked to Obama to take any action he can to kill the pipeline.

"There is no doubt that Donald Trump poses an immediate threat to our climate and will try to fast track this and other fossil fuel projects across the country," Greenpeace spokesperson Lilian Molina, said in a statement.

"This is all the more reason for President Obama to step in immediately to stop the pipeline once and for all."

Trump's victory makes the completion of the pipeline more likely, analysts said. Energy Transfer Partners, the owner of the pipeline, said Tuesday that it had completed construction to the edge of Lake Oahe, the location of the federal land where regulators delayed construction to review permitting.

Phillips 66, a 25 percent owner of the line, said 85 percent of the line is complete. Dennis Nuss, company spokesman, said Wednesday they expect operations to begin in the first quarter of 2017.

"I've always thought Dakota Access was going to get built. It's a critical infrastructure project. Hopefully Obama will approve it before he leaves office, but otherwise I do expect Trump to approve it," said Ron Ness, head of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, an industry trade group.

Last week, Obama said that the U.S. government was looking for ways to move the line. Banks financing the line have been feeling the pressure from activists; Citigroup Inc on Tuesday said it had discussed concerns with Energy Transfer about reaching a resolution with the Standing Rock Sioux.

Regarding a move of the line, Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, said that they do not believe the pipeline should be built, but that "we support the Standing Rock Sioux and we agree that their concern to protect water supply is paramount."

Trump has said he would ask TransCanada Corp, the principal owner of Keystone XL, to renew its application for the pipeline. TransCanada said Wednesday it is committed to building the project. "We are evaluating ways to engage the new administration on the benefits, the jobs and the tax revenues this project brings to the table," a spokesman said.

(Reporting By Ernie Scheyder and Valerie Volcovici,; additional reporting by Liz Hampton; Writing by David Gaffen; Editing by Simon Webb and Andrew Hay)
Donald Trumps victory will further roil the Middle East, a region already consumed by four different civil wars, economic turmoil, Islamic State terror and a turn toward authoritarianism in almost every country.

Trumps erratic campaign rhetoric makes it hard to divine the contours of his future Middle East policy, but some of the broad strokes are clear. He favors accommodation of Russias forays into the region, including in Syria, and he will lean on authoritarian governments in an attempt to restore stability. Trump also calls for stronger ties with Israel and a more confrontational stance toward Iran. He lays out a vaguely-articulated vision of a more aggressive version of the war on ISIS.

Read More: Former NATO Supreme Commander on Trump and Security: Buckle Up

Trumps rise is both a symptom and a catalyst of an atavistic turn in politics across the planet, one that has been intensifying in the Middle East for some time. Leaders in the region increasingly turn to the rhetoric of security over terrorism, stability over chaos. In Cairo and Beirut and Ankara, officials often articulate existential fears about a widening regional crisis: the worry that Egypt could go the way of Libya, now a failed state. That Lebanon and Turkey could go the way of Syria, consumed by civil war. Trump taps into the same well of anxieties about stability, the same inward-turning impulses.

Trump has expressed an affinity for autocratic leaders around the world, including in the Middle East. His speeches and interviews are laced with positive references to strong leaders. He has showered on praise on everyone from Putin to Saddam Hussein, who he hailed as an effective killer of terrorists. He called Egypts President Abdel Fattah Sisi a fantastic guy, even though in 2013 Sisi led a military coup and presided over the worst season of political violence in Egypts modern history. Trump says the U.S. should ease pressure on Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over human rights abuses and has hinted that he would take a less confrontational stance toward Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose devastating Russian-backed war against rebel groups has resulted in the bulk of the more than 400,000 deaths in the war since 2011.

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Read More: Europes Populists Cheer Donald Trumps Ascent to the Presidency

Its an approach based on turning a blind eye to many international issues with the idea of building a metaphorical wall around the United States and diverting attention to national security in a way that defines national security from a rather narrow perspective, says Lina Khatib, head of the Middle East and North Africa division at Chatham House in London.

Trump has articulated support for Russias influence in the region, especially in Syria, whichalong with Iraqis the primary crisis driving instability across the region. I dont like Assad at all, but Assad is killing ISIS. Russia is killing ISIS and Iran is killing ISIS, Trump said in the October 9 presidential debate.

Read More: World Leaders React to Donald Trump Winning the U.S Election

Handing over the reigns to Russia on Syria, President Trump would effectively be keeping the Assad regime in place, would be empowering the Russian-led campaign in Syria on the basis that its a campaign fighting terrorism, and this would definitely increase Russias foothold in the Middle East as well as Russias international standing, says Khatib. You could say this amounts to a division of labor between the United States and Russia, which means that the Middle East, through this particular approach, be regarded as an area of the world that is no longer as strategically important to the USA as it used to be.

Trump has criticized President Obamas handling of the war on the so-called Islamic State, but in practice, its simply unclear if and how Trump will change the current military campaign. The U.S.-led international coalition fighting ISIS has already launched more than 16,000 airstrikes since the operation began in 2014, and the U.S. is intimately involved in aiding local forces who are advancing on ISIS most important strongholds in the Iraqi city of Mosul and the groups de facto capital in Raqqa, Syria. Much will depend on who Trump appoints to advise him, and his choices will be limited by complex realities of the fighting on the ground.

His anti-IS strategy amounts to wanting to carpet bomb, whereas the issue with taking back Mosul, taking back Raqqa is what happens the day after, and policy makers have a tough time dealing with that, says Issandr el-Amrani, the head of the North Africa project at International Crisis Group. Trump seems to be more likely to say just bomb them and not think about the aftermath. A candidate like Trump hasnt grappled with the immense complexities of the Middle East and how they interact with each other.

After decades of ill-fated intervention and strife, most of the Middle Eastern public has a dim view of U.S. government, but the majority seems to have an even lower opinion of Trump. His anti-immigrant rhetoric and calls for a ban on Muslims entering the U.S. have aliened the vast majority of the public across the Arab world. In one poll of more than 3,000 people across the region, 47 percent said they would simply refuse to vote in the U.S. presidential election if they were given the chance.

The survey, conducted by YouGov and the Saudi newspaper Arab News found that, among those who would vote, 44 percent would choose Hillary Clinton, over Trumps 9 percent. Fully 78 percent said Clinton would be better for the region if elected. A separate survey released in October by the Arab Center in Washington posed similar questions about the election to 3,600 people in nine Arab countries. Fifty six percent of those surveyed had positive views of Clinton. Sixty percent had negative views of Trump.

In July, after Turkeys Erdogan survived a military coup and launched a wave of repression in his country, Trump said the U.S. should withhold judgment. I think right now when it comes to civil liberties, our country has a lot of problems, and I think its very hard for us to get involved in other countries when we dont know what we are doing and we cant see straight in our own country, he told the New York Times.

In fact, one of the only pockets of support for Trump in the region is among Turkeys conservatives, who appear to see similarities between Trump and Erdogan, a pair of right-leaning populists. Erdogan rode into power in part by harnessing the feelings of alienation of Turkeys religious and conservative voters. A similar pocket of support exists in Egypts conspiracy-minded, hyper-nationalist press, where some commentators like Trumps anti-Islamist politics.

Above all, Trump introduces a new element of uncertainty in a part of the world already deep in the throes of crisis. Trump is something of a foreign policy iconoclast within the Republican Party, and to an extent his policies will depend on who he chooses to advise him. El-Amrani, of Crisis Group, says much of the Arab world regards Trump as a roll of the dice.

Because his policies are so unpredictable, the region is already pretty turbulent, he says. Do we want some factor that adds to the turbulence?
The shocking Donald Trump victory in the presidential election has put a rocket under defense stocks all over the world.



In the U.S., defense stocks have soared following Trump's projected victory. Shares of Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT)and Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) gained about 5.4 percent, 6 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively.



These military contractors stood in sharp contrast to the majority of the U.S. market, which was trending down following the news of Trump's presidency.



Leading the way in Europe were U.K. companies BAE Systems (London Stock Exchange: BA.-GB) and Cobham as well as French company Thales, which rose 3 to 4 percent.



BAE manufactures military hardware ranging from bullets to battleships and counts the U.S. as its largest customer.



Cobham manufactures military communications equipment, while 50 percent of Thales sales are military based.



In September speech, Trump called for 90,000 additional soldiers, 42 more Navy ships and 100 more modern fighter aircraft as well as increased nuclear and missile defense.



Despite Republicans retaining control of both houses of Congress, a new defense budget may not be as simple as it seems, Robert Stallard of Vertical Research Partners wrote in a note Wednesday.



'What remains to be seen is the revenue enhancing offset to this increased spending, and whether Democrats in the Senate will filibuster everything," he said.



Stallard also said there might be some delay before defense companies can start eyeing U.S. government cash.

"The first Department of Defense budget that the Trump Administration can really change would be FY19, as FY17 is almost done, and the FY18 request is due out in February of next year," he said.



During the September speech, Trump attacked both President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for allowing defense spending to track to levels as a share of the economy not seen since the end of World War II.



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"We currently have the smallest Army since 1940. The Navy is among the smallest it has been since 1915. And the Air Force is the smallest it has been since 1947," Trump said.



Following that speech, Mark Cancian, a former defense budget analyst for the Obama administration, wrote that Trump's military spend would equate to around $93 billion a year more than levels set by the Budget Control Act.



Trump said he wants to remove that limit and will offset the additional costs through "common sense reforms that eliminate government waste and budget gimmicks."









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Despite Nepal Tarun Dal, the youth organisation of the Nepali Congress, planning to finalise preparations by Wednesday to hold its fourth general convention later in the week,
By Tim Hepher, Brenda Goh and Clara Denina

HONG KONG/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. election sent shockwaves through industries that rely on open trade, from airlines to cars and IT outsourcing, although shares of some companies rebounded in afternoon trading.

Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump has vowed to revive the U.S. economy by slashing taxes, preventing companies from making products overseas, renegotiating trade accords and imposing tariffs on imports from countries like China.

"This is part of a much broader problem that we've seen in the world, in which countries are turning inwards and reacting against globalisation and open borders," said aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia, vice president of Virginia-based Teal Group.

In Asia, shares in airlines with significant exposure to global trade, such as cargo giant Korean Airlines , fell as much as 5 percent as Trump closed in on the White House. Air China's Hong Kong-listed shares tumbled to their lowest level since June, and automakers like Toyota , for whom the United States is a top market, fell 6.5 percent.

Many executives remain unsure what Trump's protectionist rhetoric will mean in practise.

Shares of the three largest U.S. airlines - American (AAL.O), Delta (DAL.N) and United (UAL.N) - rose more than 1 percent in afternoon trade.

"We would think they would be down today, but Im thinking that its a play on more economic growth" from new policies, said Jim Corridore, analyst at CFRA Research. Protectionism "would be a longer term (outcome) that would hang over the industry but it's going to take a long time to get to that point."

Investors at a major Airline Economics finance gathering in Hong Kong last week expressed alarm at a surge in unconventional politics from Britain to Washington and the Philippines - a trend that many expect will leave its mark regardless of how it translates into real policies.

That comes as an industry that depends entirely on the flow of goods and people faces doubts over its own economic cycle.

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POPULIST POLITICIANS

"We have seen a large section of the population that has not benefited in the past decade and we are seeing support for populist politicians with simple answers," Brian Pearce, chief economist of the International Air Transport Association told Reuters ahead of the election.

"Unfortunately, a lot of those answers are for protectionist policy solutions and air transport flourishes with open borders, so that is quite a dangerous development."

International trips make up 64 percent of global air traffic, according to IATA.

Executives at U.S. auto companies said they were concerned about Trumps stance on free trade, especially his tough talk on the North American Free Trade Agreement. They all have production sites in Mexico.

But industry executives and analysts said aviation had a history of riding out economic and political shocks. On average, plane makers insist, air traffic doubles every 15 years.

"If there are brakes on trade, there could be some impact on international travel. But you have seen more or less 5 percent annual growth in traffic for decades," said veteran U.S. aerospace consultant Jerrold Lundquist, managing director of The Lundquist Group.

And the defence industry could benefit, as a Trump administration spends more on the military and encourages even allies to shoulder more of the security cost. Defence stocks, including listed land mine manufacturer Ishikawa Seisaku , jumped.

REALITY BITES?

After a bitter election campaign, trade experts said it remained unclear how Trump's statements in favour of protectionist trade measures and tough immigration controls would translate into policy.

"The honest answer is that no one knows; even Trump himself doesn't know," said Bertrand Grabowski, a managing director at Germany's DVB Bank which specialises in financing trade.

"He campaigned not on ideas but on anger and frustration."

Tighter rules could impact Indian IT services firms supporting companies in the United States. Shares in companies like Infosys (INFY.NS) and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS.NS) were sharply down as Trump closed in on the White House.

But Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys and a key figure in India's outsourcing industry, said realism would prevail.

"They may fine tune it here and there, but lets remember that he is the president of 300 million U.S. people and Im sure hell do what is in the best interest of America. And what is in the best interest of America is for its corporations to succeed, for its corporations to create more jobs," he said.

For now, acquisitions at least will cool off, especially Chinese purchases of U.S. companies, as a Trump presidency pushes up regulatory scrutiny.

"If he now requires a certain percentage of manufacturing parts to be made in America, it's going to be protectionist... and that increases the risk and cost of doing business," said Stephanie Yuen, an M&A lawyer in Singapore.

"He's not just building a Mexican wall, he builds an economic wall around America."

And for key sectors, competition will heat up. Europe's Airbus and U.S. rival Boeing (BA.N) in the $100 billion annual jet market could become even fiercer with more government lobbying support, adding stridency to efforts to compete for jobs.

Trump's victory may also raise questions over plans to sell over 200 Western airplanes to Iran under a deal to lift sanctions that the president-elect has severely criticised.

Airbus (AIR.PA) is seen close to finalising a tranche of 17 jets, but needs U.S. approval to complete plans for another 80 or so because the jets are built with many U.S. parts.

Boeing has U.S. approval to finalise a deal for some 100 jets but Middle East sources say progress has been slow so far.

"It further reduces the prospect of the deals going ahead," Aboulafia said.

(Additional reporting by Adam Jourdan in SHANGHAI, Norihiko Shirouzu in TOKYO, Euan Rocha in MUMBAI, Anshuman Daga in SINGAPORE, and Jeffrey Dastin in NEW YORK; Editing by Bill Tarrant and Bill Trott)
Shock reverberated throughout much of the world Wednesday after Donald Trumps stunning upset victory over Hillary Clinton to become the next president of the United States.

Many international media outlets and pundits had taken their cues from American polls and predicted a Clinton win. But they awoke instead to news that left them feeling disbelief and, in some cases, dismay and even dread, especially among traditional U.S. allies and their mainstream politicians.

The unthinkable  a nightmare  therefore becomes a reality: So on Jan. 20, the worlds biggest military and economic power will be helmed by a racist, erratic, isolationist president, French news magazine Le Nouvel Obs wrote. Europe wakes up wondering, stunned, if the big brother who protected her in 1945 will continue to defend her.

Germanys normally staid, center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, warned: One thing is clear. The world must get ready for big changes, because the American election has injected an overdose of unpredictability into world politics.

Thats it, America has chosen a different path & we wake up to a different world, tweeted Sarah Wollaston, a Conservative Party lawmaker in Britain.

Trump had bragged on the campaign trail that he would defy the pollsters just as the movement to withdraw Britain from the European Union had. British voters narrowly, and unexpectedly, went for Brexit in a referendum in June.

2016 isgoing to be the year of two great political revolutions, said Nigel Farage, a leader of the campaign to leave the E.U. and a fan of Trumps. I thought Brexit was big, but boy, this looks like its going to be even bigger.

Other far-right, ultra-nationalist figures in Europe welcomed Trumps win, including anti-Muslim firebrand Geert Wilders in the Netherlands and Marine Le Pen, the leader of Frances National Front, who congratulated Trump and the American people, [who are] free.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom Trump says he admires, was among the first foreign leaders to send the new president-elect a congratulatory message. British Prime Minister Theresa May issued a statement praising the special relationship between the U.S. and Britain and pledging that the two nations would remain strong and close partners on trade, security and defense.

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By contrast, French President Francois Hollande issued no quick statement after the election was called because he had not anticipated a Trump triumph and had no letter ready, according to RTL.

What kind of foreign policy Trumps administration will pursue remains to be seen. But free-trade deals between the U.S. and Asian nations and between the U.S. and Europe are probably now doomed.

While we will always put Americans interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone, Trump said in his victory speech. We will seek common ground, not hostility; partnership, not conflict.

However, he had already railed against the North American Free Trade Agreement, assailed Mexican immigrants as rapists and pledged to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and force the Mexican government to pay for it.

The United States voted for the wall and Donald Trumps lies, proclaimed Mexican website El Economista, while the peso tumbled to a record low of 20.7818 pesos to the dollar before rallying slightly. Other Mexican news outlets adopted more cautious language.

Marcelo Rubens Paiva, a commentator for O Estado de S. Paulo, one of Brazils biggest papers, said the election result was an effort to make America white again.The blonds return to power. But, he added, its not the end of the world.Want to bet that industry will continue in China and in Mexico?

Chinas official Peoples Daily expressed hope that Trump would moderate his protectionist positions once in office and that the U.S. and China would end their relationship of self-damaging competition. But the Communist Party mouthpiece also took a dig at the American political system, saying that the most dark, chaotic and negative [election campaign] in the past two centurieshas undeniably revealed the dark side of so-called democracy in the U.S.

In the Middle East, the Abu Dhabi-based newspaper The National called Trumps election a profound shock that threatens tumultuous consequences for his country and the international system as a whole.

In a measure of how surprising Trumps win was, a Turkish tabloid had its own Dewey Defeats Truman moment, printing editions with Clinton President on its front page, over the sub-headline, The polls didnt lie.

But the polls did mislead many in the U.S. and around the world, causing observers to shake their heads. It happened, commentator Beppe Severgnini wrote grimly in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera. Bruce Springsteens nation danced in the dark and ended up in the arms of Donald Trump.

Elsa Keslassy, Nick Vivarelli, John Hopewell and Patrick Frater contributed to this report.

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By Lewis Krauskopf and Ben Hirschler

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - Pharmaceutical and biotechnology shares soared on Wednesday as Republican Donald Trump's U.S. presidential election calmed investor fears of tough action on drug pricing that has pressured the sector for more than a year.

Hospital shares tumbled as a Republican sweep of Congress raised prospects for a rollback of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which expanded the number of patients in government health plans.

Fears of a win by Hillary Clinton and Democrats gaining power in Congress had clouded the outlook for biotech and pharma shares and contributed to general underperformance for the U.S. healthcare sector this year.

On Wednesday, the stocks also were fuelled by the defeat of a Californian ballot proposal aimed at reining in rising prices for prescription drugs.

Clinton "not being in the White House removes the notion of some sort of price controls off the table," said Tony Butler, an analyst at Guggenheim Securities in New York. "From the perspective of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, generic (drug) stocks, (the election) went about as well as could be expected."

Shares of drugmaker Pfizer (PFE.N) rose 8.5 percent and biotech Celgene (CELG.O) jumped 10.4 percent, while speciality drugmaker Mallinckrodt (MNK.N) surged 10 percent.

European drug stocks also gained, with Switzerland's Roche (ROG.S) and France's Sanofi (SASY.PA) both rising more than 5 percent.

The Nasdaq Biotechnology index (.NBI) advanced 9 percent and was on track for its biggest single-day gain in more than eight years.

Biotech sentiment was also lifted by the prospect of Republican-led legislation to free up cash currently held overseas for tax reasons by large U.S. pharmaceutical companies. Analysts said that could pave the way for acquisitions in the sector.

Biotech and pharmaceutical investors have been on edge since September 2015, when Clinton tweeted about speciality drug "price gouging." Over that time, Nasdaq-listed biotech shares had lost more than one-fourth of their value through Tuesday.

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Trump has said less on the topic. But he has suggested support for importation of cheaper drugs and advocated increased scrutiny over drug price increases and a bigger role for negotiating down the cost of medicines.

Some Republican lawmakers have also seized on high drug prices in the past year, including for Mylan's (MYL.O) EpiPen emergency allergy treatment, suggesting the issue may not go away.

Even with a Trump administration, "we do believe there is an overall shift towards greater pricing scrutiny that will continue to reduce potential revenue growth purely from price increases," Jefferies analyst Brian Abrahams said in a research note.

Shares of hospital chains Tenet Healthcare (THC.N) and HCA Holdings (HCA.N) tumbled 25 percent and 12 percent, respectively, while health insurer Centene (CNC.N), which specializes in the government's Medicaid health programme that was expanded under the healthcare law, dropped 17.3 percent.

"We see extreme risk of ACA repeal/replace, loss of the Medicaid expansion, a primary driver of results for both hospitals and health plans," Mizuho Securities analyst Sheryl Skolnick said in a research note.

(Additional reporting by Deena Beasley in Los Angeles, John Miller in Zurich and Annabella Pultz Nielsen in Copenhagen; Editing by Pravin Char and Jeffrey Benkoe)
Washington (AFP) - Donald Trump's shock election is likely to tip the Supreme Court firmly into the conservative camp, to the great relief of religious traditionalists, gun rights activists and powerful financial interests.

As soon as Trump takes office on January 20, he can nominate a ninth justice to fill a vacant seat and restore the short-handed court to its full complement.

President Barack Obama's Republican foes have refused to confirm his pick to replace Antonin Scalia, a leading conservative voice who died in February.

Since then, the court has been equally divided between four conservative and four liberal justices, resulting in deadlocks on several cases -- and in deadlocks the lower court's ruling is affirmed.

Trump "will almost surely nominate a conservative justice in the mold of Justice Scalia because it is an easy and high-profile way for him to give something to his political base," Thomas Lee of Fordham Law School told AFP.

"If so, it will restore the Supreme Court to the old status quo, where Justice (Anthony) Kennedy occupies the central swing seat."

And Trump could likely make more than one conservative appointment to the court, given the advanced age of some justices to the lifetime post. That would further cement conservatism's long rise and predominance among the black-robed justices.

- 'About-face on abortion' -

Progressive veteran Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the most senior member of the court at 83 -- nicknamed "Notorious RBG," she is as beloved for her liberal quips as for her impressive collection of jabot collars and other accessories.

She is followed in age by moderate conservative Kennedy at 80 -- the court's critical swing vote -- and progressive Stephen Breyer, 78.

"If one of the justices to the left of Chief Justice (John) Roberts -- the liberals plus Kennedy -- were to depart, that would pave the way for the court's conservatives to lead an about-face on abortion and affirmative action, and to cement victories in the areas of guns, voting and campaign finance," said Lee Epstein of Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri.

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As the guardian of the Constitution, the top court rules on some of the most divisive and critical issues tearing at the American political fabric, setting legal precedent along the way.

Had Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton won instead, she could have helped the court secure a liberal majority for the first time since 1969.

In Tuesday's elections, Republicans retained their control over the Senate.

Obama's Republican foes in the Senate have refused to confirm his nominee Merrick Garland, a strategy denounced by critics for weakening the judicial branch but one that seems to have paid off for the conservatives.

Once Trump's pick is confirmed, there will be five conservatives and four liberals on the bench.

- Conservative white males -

During his presidential campaign, Trump released a list of 21 Supreme Court justice candidates he was considering, including 20 judges.

Most are white and conservative. Only four are women. Some have come out publicly against same-sex marriage, which the Supreme Court anointed last year.

With a stronger swing to the right, the court is set to come out more sternly against collective bargaining, pollution regulations and affirmative action.

A conservative court is also likely to more vigorously oppose local efforts to tighten arms control, resist efforts for an outright ban of the death penalty and push against campaign finance limits.

Last month, Trump caused a stir when he said his appointment of pro-life justices would "automatically" lead to the court reversing its 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade decision that women had a right to abortion.

The comment led to consternation in the legal community, as the court does not "automatically" overrule its decisions based on the ideological leanings of justices.

Abortion rights are still a deeply divisive issue in the United States.

Supreme Court appointments were a more important factor for voters in Tuesday's election than they were in the 2008 ballots that pitted Obama against Republican John McCain, according to NBC News exit polls.

Seven in 10 voters nationwide said Supreme Court appointments were the single most important factor, or an important factor, in their decision at the polls. That compares to 54 percent in 2008.

And among Trump voters, 75 percent said nominees to the top court were the most important, or an important, factor in their choice of candidate.

Democrats will now place their hopes at the court on Kennedy, who joins his liberal colleagues on decisions related to some social issues.
In the middle of the U.S. presidential election Tuesday, Iran announced a $4.8 billion deal with French oil company Total SA  the first of its kind since the international community lifted economic sanctions on Iran in January as part of the nuclear deal. But the election victory by Donald Trump  who lambasted the Iran accord on the campaign trail and hinted hed like to reimpose sanctions  may dissuade other energy companies from following Totals path.

The Total deal, announced in preliminary form Tuesday, and expected to be formalized early next year, is not about jumpstarting Iranian oil production or increasing the OPEC nations ability to export more crude. Rather, its a way to finally develop the massive South Pars natural gas field to help meet booming Iranian demand for the clean-burning fuel. Total will team up with Irans Petropars and Chinas CNPC on the project.

I hope the international companies that are still hesitating to come to Iran will be encouraged to take the leap, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said after the deal, the Times of Israel reported Tuesday. Other Iranian officials said the country would sign another big deal with a European company in two to three weeks.

Iran has been trying to entice foreign investment in the energy patch all year, but it has proven a tough sell despite the countrys abundant reserves of oil and natural gas. The thicket of U.S. sanctions has made banks around the world leery of doing any business with Tehran, despite the easing of sanctions as part of the July, 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and Western powers.

Many of the countrys state entities that have spread their tendrils throughout the national economy are still under sanction. And the United States has kept severe sanctions on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is heavily involved in Irans energy sector. Though the U.S. Department of Treasury greenlighted investment in Irans energy sector for non-U.S. firms, American companies still havent received the okay.

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Trumps election threatens to nip Irans energy revival in the bud, and make it even harder for U.S. firms to elbow their way into a market desperate for Western capital and technology.

With the election of Trump, its even less likely, Matthew Reed, vice president at consultancy Foreign Reports, told Foreign Policy.

On the campaign trail, Trump excoriated the nuclear deal, and railed against relaxing sanctions on Tehran  something he could reverse in the White House. Say goodbye to the Iran deal, Richard Nephew, a former U.S. nuclear negotiator with Iran now at Columbia University, told Reuters on Wednesday.

A Trump administration could well reinstate some or all of the economic sanctions that would limit Western firms ability to do business there, Reed warned.

The Total deal is the icebreaker ,but caution still rules the day, he said. I cant say if its too late to derail the Total deal, but [Treasury] guidelines could change during a Trump administration, and new sanctions cant be ruled out.

Other Iran energy experts are more optimistic that more international firms will follow now that Total has shown the way, and that Trumps victory wont slam the door.

Since sanctions were relaxed, many Western companies did window shopping and showed interest in investing in Irans energy industry, but no deals were signed until now, said Sara Vakhshouri, a veteran of the Iranian national oil company now at the Atlantic Council. Part of that was due to a global glut of oil and natural gas, which depressed interest in new projects, but it was still discouraging for Iran, she told FP.

But the Total deal indicates some ways to sidestep the sanctions thicket. Total is financing the deal in euros in part to avoid U.S. limitations on dollar transactions, she noted.

And Vakhshouri said the deals timing, at least from Tehrans point of view, was an effort to send an unmistakable signal.

By signing this deal with Total before the U.S. election is finalized, Iran eagerly sent a message to international investors that the result of the U.S. election could not have a significant impact on the nuclear deal and its energy industry, she told Foreign Policy.

Photo credit: BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images
Paris (AFP) - French President Francois Hollande, who once said Donald Trump made him want to retch, warned Wednesday that the Republican billionaire's stunning victory in the US election "opens a period of uncertainty."

In an initial televised reaction, Hollande offered only brief congratulations to the Republican billionaire, in which he stressed Washington's key role in world affairs.

But the French leader later penned Trump a letter, saying he was keen to "immediately" start discussions on a number of key issues.

"What is at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, it's economic ties and the preservation of the planet," he wrote.

"On all these subjects, I would like to immediately start discussions with you in light of the values and interests which we share," he said, hailing Trump's conciliatory victory speech.

"We must find answers which allow us to overcome fear but also to respect the principles which bind us: democracy, freedom, respect for every individual," he wrote.

Hollande, who has disastrous approval ratings ahead of France's presidential election next year, has been an outspoken critic of Trump, telling journalists earlier this year that the Republican's excesses "make you want to retch".

Trump has raised hackles in France after saying attacks in Paris last year that left 130 people dead might have been avoided if the country relaxed its gun laws.

He has also referred to "vicious" no-go zones in Paris and said French people arriving in the United States could face security vetting because of fears about extremists.
Havana (AFP) - Just when Cuba was starting to warm up to the United States, Americans elected Donald Trump president, throwing the countries' rapprochement into doubt and causing stunned reactions in Havana.

The brash Republican billionaire's shock victory cast uncertainty over two years of moves by President Barack Obama to end more than a half-century of Cold War enmity with the communist island.

Trump has sent mixed messages about the thaw.

He gave it a lukewarm welcome at first, saying "50 years is enough" -- although he characteristically insisted the Democratic president should have struck a "better deal."

Then as the Republican primary heated up, he vowed to reverse the new policies unless the Raul Castro regime agrees to democratic reforms and other demands.

"I'm afraid," said Marcos Creach, a 27-year-old cell phone repairman in Havana.

"Obama did a lot" for US-Cuban relations, he added, and now Trump "can come in as president of the United States and put up a wall, an obstacle to make sure it never becomes reality."

Creach counts himself among those Cubans who stand to benefit from resumed ties between Havana and Washington and a softening of trade and tourism restrictions -- part of a new generation of entrepreneurs Obama said the thaw aims to help thrive.

- Divided families worry -

Droves of Cubans descended on the capital's few Wi-Fi hotspots from the early hours Wednesday, trying to contact relatives in the United States to help make sense of the shock result.

Alison Taylor, an 18-year-old epidemiology student, worried Trump's proposed anti-immigration policies mean she will have a hard time reuniting with her boyfriend.

Two years ago, he joined the exodus across the Florida Straits that started with the Cuban Revolution in 1959.

"All Cubans dream of meeting their families (in the United States) someday," she said. "For many, it's been so long since they've seen them.

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"I'm chatting with my boyfriend in New Jersey right now and we're talking about that, and how much it hurts."

She called Trump's election "the worst thing that could have happened."

"I think all Cubans feel that way," she said, calling Trump a "man with no scruples, a fascist, a horrible person."

- Military exercises -

Cuba's government said in a terse note that President Castro sent his congratulations to Trump.

But it raised eyebrows when it published a notice Wednesday morning in the Communist Party's official newspaper, Granma, that it will hold military exercises from November 16 to 18.

The nationwide exercises would prepare to confront "the enemy," it said, employing its longstanding term for the United States.

Although Cuba has periodically held such exercises since 1980, the timing was conspicuous.

- Miami Cubans for Trump -

It is unclear how Trump as president will act on Cuba.

The US president-elect has been "ambivalent" about the issue, said political analyst Jorge Duany, director of the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University.

But Trump's shift to a hardline stance -- fending off attacks from primary challengers such as Cuban-American Senator Marco Rubio of Florida -- probably helped him win that key swing state in the general election, Duany said.

"This new position probably won him a large part of the conservative Cuban-American vote in southern Florida."

- Uncertain future -

Obama enacted his signature Cuba rapprochement using executive authority.

Blocked from ending the US embargo on the island by a Republican-controlled Congress, he pushed smaller reforms through with the power of his presidential pen.

That means Trump can now change course just as easily, reinstating trade and financial restrictions and reversing developments like the resumption of air and cruise-ship travel, and postal service.

However, Cuba will probably not be a "priority issue" for Trump, said Michael Shifter, head of the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington-based think tank.

"It's not clear if he will try to roll back policy toward Cuba that is fairly popular, according to polls," he said.

One thing is certain: with the Republicans retaining control of Congress, the 54-year-old embargo is probably not going away anytime soon.
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A youth accused for murdering his girlfriend at his house for maintaining a relationship with a third person was arrested on Tuesday.
Heading into Tuesdays presidential election, many pundits predicted a massive win for Hillary Clinton, but the results told a story far different than what was expected.

Read: Hillary Clinton Won America's Popular Vote, Echoing Al Gore's Failed 2000 Run

Many are seeing Donald Trumps win as a victory for those Americans who came to feel forgotten and abandoned.

Sixty-three percent of white men voted for Trump, but what many experts did not see coming was the fact that 52 percent of white women also voted for the bombastic billionaire.

Fox Business reporter Trish Regan told Inside Edition: Women, they were not predictable. They didnt fall in line like the Democrats thought they would. Many of them said, this is the person I am going to trust with my future.'"

Regan added: "This candidate comes along and is singing their song. They understand him. He relates to them, they relate to him."

Going into Election Day, most polls showed Clinton with a comfortable lead of about four percent. But it later became clear that a vast amount of so-called "hidden Trump voters" went to the polls in his favor.

Pollster Frank Luntz told CBS News: "Donald Trump voters dont want to participate in polls. They dont want to tell pollsters what they do, not because they're afraid but because they're uncooperative, they're so hostile to the system they feel like they'd be giving in."

Clinton did win the popular vote. She accumulated 59,299,381 votes nationwide against Trumps 59,135,740. The results make Clinton the fifth presidential contender to win the popular vote but lose the election.

According to analysts, most of Trumps biggest support came from white males who did not graduate from college.

Read: Hillary Clinton Addresses Supporters After Devastating Loss: 'I Still Believe in America and Always Will'

Trump also claimed 29 percent of the Hispanic vote, which is two percent higher than Mitt Romney when he ran in 2012 against Barack Obama.

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"That means Trump  who notoriously called Mexicans rapists and killers  garnered more support from Hispanics than a candidate whose most controversial position was telling undocumented immigrants to self-deport,'" Amanda Sakuma wrote in a piece for NBC News.

Watch: Cher Reacts to Election Result, Says It's Like a 'Death in My Family'

Related Articles:
By Alister Doyle and Meredith Davis MARRAKESH, Morocco/CHICAGO (Reuters) - The prospect of an abrupt shift in U.S. climate policy under President-elect Donald Trump lifted the shares of U.S. mining equipment giant Caterpillar Inc , North American railroads and other companies tied to fossil fuels, and slammed shares of renewable energy firms. Trump has called climate change a hoax, said he would rip up the Paris climate treaty and promised to revive the U.S. coal sector. His victory caused dismay at a climate policy conference in Morocco on Wednesday. In the United States, the prospect of a sharp turn in U.S. environmental policy helped boost Caterpillar shares by more than 7 percent on Wednesday on hopes that a Trump administration would reinvigorate coal mining and investment in infrastructure. A mining slump has depressed Caterpillar's profits and forced rounds of layoffs. The Obama administration has pursued emissions rules designed to discourage coal-fired power plants, while Trump has said he would revive the coal industry and roll back regulation. "There is bountiful evidence that free trade, tax reform, infrastructure investment and smart regulation are critically important to manufacturers success," Caterpillar said in a statement. Shares in farm and equipment maker Deere & Co and truck makers Paccar Inc and Navistar International Corp also rose, as did oil stocks. Railroads Norfolk Southern Corp and Union Pacific Corp rose 3.3 percent and 4 percent respectively. U.S. railroads have suffered as coal shipments have declined. "Obviously this is good news for fossil energy and coal in particularly," said National Mining Association spokesperson Luke Popovich. "We will have a profound shift in policy. And hopefully spur development in low emission and higher efficiency technologies which make coal cleaner to use." Regulation and federal policies are not the only challenge for coal. "A new administration may result in less regulatory pressure for utilities, the competition offered by natural gas doesn't change," said Michael Trevino, spokesman for No. 2 U.S. railroad BNSF, which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc . STORM CLOUD Trump's victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton cast a dark cloud over delegates attending a 200-nation meeting in Marrakesh being held from Nov. 7-18 to celebrate the start of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming last Friday. Some delegates expressed concern that Trump could cause other nations to reconsider their position on global warming. Trump has said climate change was an invention by China and wants instead to promote jobs in the U.S. fossil fuel industry. "We will have a lot more hurdles," said Ian Fry, head of the delegation of Tuvalu, a Pacific island state which fears rising sea levels, adding Trump's victory could have a "domino effect on other nations". The Paris Agreement allows all nations to set national targets to slow climate change and some could scale those back. There are no sanctions for non-compliance. Many nations vowed to push ahead despite Trump with the sweeping plan to phase out net global greenhouse gas emissions between 2050 and 2100 by shifting from coal and oil to cleaner energies such as wind or solar power. Still, Trump's victory drove down renewable energy stocks. Shares in Vestas , the world's biggest wind turbine maker, were down 6.2 percent in mid-morning, while German peer Nordex traded 6.6 percent lower. In the United States, Silicon Valley electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc sank 3.4 percent to its lowest price since February. Tesla benefits from federal tax breaks for electric vehicles and selling credits generated under a California electric vehicle policy. Other renewable shares were also hit. Spain's Gamesa , which is being merged with Siemens , and Portugal's EDP Renovaveis traded 2.4 and 5.2 percent lower, respectively. Stephanie Pfeifer, CEO of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, a European forum for 128 investors with more than 13 trillion euros in assets, said changes towards greener growth were "irreversible". "Renewables have already overtaken coal as a global power source, electric vehicles are the growth segment of the auto industry and jobs are being created in clean energy sectors faster than any other," she said. (Editing by Joseph White and Andrew Hay)
Hillary, youre fired: Donald Trump is projected to become the 45th President of the United States.

The Associated Press made the call at 2:31 am ET early Wednesday morning after projecting Trump as the winner of Wisconsin, a key swing state with its 10 electoral votes, giving him the 270 needed to clinch the presidency.

BREAKING: Donald Trump is elected president of the United States. pic.twitter.com/yJpgfsAbc6  The Associated Press (@AP) November 9, 2016

(Trumps opponent, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, trailed with 218 electoral votes, with several states still too close to call.)

RELATEDColbert Fears Donald Trump Victory, Welcomes Melania, Jeff Goldblum During Democracys Series Finale

Trumps win marks the end of an unusually bitter presidential campaign, which began more than a year and a half ago when Hillary Clinton announced her candidacy back in April 2015. She held off a primary challenge from Vermont senator Bernie Sanders to win the Democratic nomination, while Trump emerged from a crowded Republican field of more than a dozen candidates to claim that partys nomination.

Trumps celebrity status and headline-making rants stoked interest in the 2016 election, driving ratings for the three Clinton-Trump debates to record highs. (The first debate drew a Super Bowl-esque 84 million viewers.) The election also boosted Saturday Night Live, which hit an eight-year premiere high thanks to Alec Baldwins parody of Trump.

Still to come tonight this morning/later today: Trumps acceptance speech from the New York Hilton, and a concession speech from Clinton, who didnt join her campaigns victory party at New York Citys Javits Center. (She did call Trump to concede after the AP call.)

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Paris (AFP) - From his home in northeast France, 24-year-old student Marc was celebrating Donald Trump's stunning success Wednesday.

Not normally involved in American politics, he has been posting messages about "the saviour of the world" for nearly a year on his "French People With Trump" Facebook group, which has more than 1,000 members.

"There's an awakening a bit all over the world, it's an awakening of the nation state, an awakening of the idea of the homeland," the law student told AFP this week from his home in the city of Lille.

Populist political parties and voters like Marc who share Trump's nationalistic anti-foreigner, anti-elite and anti-globalisation views are nothing new on the fringes of European politics.

But the billionaire Republican's stunning breakthrough will give fresh momentum and hope for their efforts to overturn establishment politicians and traditional parties across the continent.

In France, the far-right National Front (FN) founded in 1972 is at a record high, with polls showing its presidential candidate Marine Le Pen as one of the country's most popular politicians.

Le Pen was one of the first European political figures to congratulate Trump on Wednesday, tweeting that Americans were now "free".

In Britain, voters heeded a call to "take their country back" when they opted in June to withdraw from the European Union in a historic rejection of post-World War II integration on the continent.

"UK. US. There's plenty of other places. This will not be the last," Trump predicted the day after the Brexit vote.

One of the architects of that shock, Nigel Farage from the UK Independence Party, mused Wednesday morning that he could be offered a job by Trump. "I'm hoping he might do," Farage said.

- A wave of grievances -

Jeremy Shapiro, research director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, told AFP the rise of far-right populism stems from "fear of change, fear of the outsider and fear of cultural contamination."

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Across Europe, from Austria to the Netherlands, Germany and even famously tolerant Scandinavia, once-fringe parties are gaining ground and public acceptance.

Trump's upending of American politics is likely to lead to a re-think about how far they can surf a wave of grievances felt deeply in many parts of the West.

"Trump's victory is a sign that the people of the world want a clear political change," said Beatrix von Storch, one of the leaders of Germany's insurgent right-wing party the AfD, on Wednesday.

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders, an Islamophobic frontrunner in parliamentary elections due next year, told Trump on Twitter that "your victory is historic and for all of us!"

Trump has other admirers in power, too, including Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the Czech President Milos Zeman.

- Toxic economics -

Dubbed "populists", each group in this network is different but shares many characteristics, analysts say.

Their supporters rail against "political correctness". They are likely to live in the countryside or small towns. They see open trade and globalisation as a rigged game for the rich.

Widening inequality and wage stagnation in wealthy countries have fed the anger of these core voters -- mostly low-skilled whites who worry about mass migration and terrorism.

"Immigration is the single most important vector because it is so culturally visible and so immediately threatening," says Shapiro.

This has led to a clamour for drawbridges to be pulled up.

In a time of uncertainty, a strong state with secure borders seems the best defence against a fast-changing world. Protectionism is cast as the antidote to decades of globalisation.

John Judis, the author of the recently published book "The Populist Explosion", says that recession, debt and wage stagnation since the global financial crisis of 2007-09 have created fertile ground.

"Once you get a combination of a downturn and rising inequality then you get a lot of resentment directed upwards," he told AFP.

Many observers including Shapiro see the return of nationalism as an inescapable consequence, a direct challenge to the ideological foundations of the European Union.

It could also spell trouble for other international institutions.

Trump made repeated attacks on NATO, the cornerstone of Western military cooperation, and dismissed the World Trade Organisation.

EU President Donald Tusk alluded to the dangers of isolationist forces being unleashed when he warned that Brexit could lead to the "destruction of not only the EU but also of Western political civilisation."

Conventional wisdom holds that far-right populism should be seen as a warning sign, a trigger for mainstream politicians to pay attention to the grievances of a section of the population.

French student Marc wants nothing less than wholesale change.

The political class "is in total denial," he says. "They have an idea of the world which is completely different to ours."
Last Thursday, conservative writer Andrew Sullivan was convinced that Donald Trump would win the presidency, and he was beside himself.

I think the shock will be how big his margin will be, Sullivan told me. I think people really want him. I think the last week has turned the whole conversation from the risks of him to the horror of her.

Comey made this a referendum on the Clintons, he said, referring to FBI Director James Comey, whose Oct. 28 letter to Congress about Hillary Clintons private email server reset the presidential race.

Sullivan was terrified for the future of the country. And as for the Republican Party, he said, My own theory is that the Republican Party has died. It doesnt exist anymore.

If Trump wins, its destroyed, he said. The fact that the GOP has junked its entire core philosophy in a matter of months shows theres nothing there.

The Republican Party now controls the presidency and both chambers of Congress. It should be a triumphant moment for it.

But instead, many inside the party now face the future with dread, knowing that their party has just elected a man president of the United States who has no interest in small-government conservatism and whose candidacy demonstrated no interest in constitutional restrictions on executive power.

President-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech as Vice President-elect Mike Pence and RNC Chairman Reince Priebus look on in the early-morning hours of Nov. 9. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Trump has fundamentally shifted the Republican Party away from what it has represented for decades, and the question is how permanent that shift will be. Trump conditioned many voters to reject traditional small-government conservatism. His supporters were more energized by protectionism in economic affairs, isolationism in foreign policy and hostility toward immigrants and racial minorities.

Trumps campaign ran on the fuel of anti-elite, anti-establishment, anti-Washington, anti-globalism attitudes throughout the nation. These feelings are most pronounced in parts of the country where white working-class communities feel besieged by job loss and cultural change. Theyve seen growing liberalization on social issues backed up by governmental and cultural institutions: from the Supreme Courts legalization of gay marriage to transgender bathrooms in North Carolina to repression of free speech on college campuses.

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But another element of Trumps support came from whats known as the alt-right, which overlaps with white working-class America in some ways but is more of an online movement, shrouded in pseudonyms, as Benjamin Wallace-Wells put it in the New Yorker, testing the strength of the speech taboos that revolve around conventional politics  of what can be said, and how directly.

The alt-right draws support from those who are deeply alienated, intellectually, even emotionally and spiritually, from American conservatism, according to Richard Spencer, president of the National Policy Institute, a white nationalist think tank. The movement revolves around an understanding of America as belonging to white European-descendant culture, rather than to all cultures and ethnicities.

Trumps references to Mexican immigrants as rapists on the day he announced his candidacy, his attacks on a federal judges Mexican heritage, his criticism of political correctness, his praise for Russian authoritarian leader Vladimir Putin  all this enthused the alt-right. What becomes of that movement?

Trumps election marks a seismic moment in American history. It will spark a conversation about a new party that would not have been as serious if Trump had lost.

In Salt Lake City, independent candidate Evan McMullin was the loudest, clearest voice Tuesday night calling for a new political party.

The Republican Party can no longer be considered the home for conservatives, McMullin told supporters. This marks the beginning of a new conservative movement.

Tonight there are millions of Americans, Im sad to say, who are in fear that perhaps their liberties will be challenged and threatened under a Trump administration that has made a campaign of targeting people based on their race, their religion and gender. This is why a new conservative movement is necessary, and we will not turn our back on this challenge, McMullin said.

Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin at an election night party on Nov. 8 in Salt Lake City. (Photo: George Frey/Getty Images)

McMullin had polled well in Utah, and received about 20 percent of the vote, but Trump won the state resoundingly.

McMullin may or may not have a role to play in whatever comes out of a conservative revolt against Trump, but he was one of the few people willing to publicly stand against Trump from the right.

And before the results had even come in Tuesday night, conservative columnist David Brooks discussed the need for a new party in his column.

The events of 2016 represent a watershed and a call to do politics differently, Brooks wrote. Personally Ive always disdained talk of a third party, mostly because the structural barriers against such parties are so high, no matter how scintillatingly attractive they seem in theory. But its becoming clear that the need for a third party outweighs even the very real barriers.

But some of Trumps most vocal opponents, such as conservative writer Erick Erickson, signaled they are going to try to support Trumps presidency.

I could not vote for Trump, Erickson wrote. But he is soon my President now and the head of the party that I belong to. I was #NeverTrump in the election, but must now reset and give him the benefit of the doubt. He says he will fight for a conservative Supreme Court and will have a Republican Senate willing to help him. He says he will help the little guy. I hope he will.

I think the #NeverTrump Republicans need to do a reset and give Donald Trump the chance we did not give him up to now, Erickson wrote.

The immediate conversation inside the party will turn quickly to what will happen to House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who antagonized Trump throughout the campaign with criticisms. Will Trump signal to the House Republicans that he wants them to keep Ryan in place, or not? If Ryan stays as speaker, his relationship with Trump will be closely watched.

Trump supporters react at his election night rally in Manhattan on Nov. 8. (Photo: Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

Who runs the Republican National Committee? RNC Chairman Reince Priebus was expected to run for another term in the event of a Trump loss. But there are now rumors that Trump will bring Priebus into his administration, perhaps as chief of staff, and will install his own leader of the committee, to tighten his grip on the party.

And will there be a challenger to Trump from inside the party for the presidential nomination in 2020?

Sullivan, when we talked, didnt think so.

Once he gets power, what he will do with that power  given what hes shown he can do with power  will render any potential challenge to him very hard, Sullivan said.

Ross Douthat, a conservative columnist for the New York Times, expressed the view of many of Trumps opponents, on both the right and left: I hope, so very very much, that I am wrong about what this will mean for all of us.

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Paris (AFP) - US president-elect Donald Trump was often scorned as he campaigned for office, and many of those who spoke harshly of him will now have to accommodate the unpredictable Republican tycoon.

Here are a few examples:

- At the UN -

"If Donald Trump is elected, on the basis of what he has said already, and unless that changes, I think that it is without any doubt that he would be dangerous from an international point of view," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said on October 12.

Zeid deplored Trump's "disturbing" comments, among them a call to adopt interrogation techniques that legal experts say amount to torture.

Trump's attacks on "vulnerable communities" such as Muslims, immigrants and minorities "suggest that they may well be deprived of their human rights," he warned.

- Francois Hollande -

"His excesses make you want to retch, even in the United States, especially when -- as was Donald Trump's case -- he speaks ill of a soldier, of the memory of a soldier," French President Francois Hollande told media on August 2, as Trump feuded with the Muslim parents of a US army captain who died trying to save his men in Iraq.

- German vice-chancellor -

Trump and other "right-wing populists are not only a threat to peace and social cohesion but also to economic development", the centre-left Social Democrat Sigmar Gabriel told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper on March 6.

- Pope Francis -

"Anyone, whoever he is, who only wants to build walls and not bridges is not a Christian," Pope Francis told journalists on February 18 on his return from a visit to Mexico. The pontiff had celebrated Mass near the border fence that separates Mexico from the United States, and had delivered a sermon heard on both sides.

Trump has promised to build a wall to prevent illegal Mexican immigrants from entering the US.

- Mexican president -

On March 7, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto compared Trump's harsh remarks against Mexican and Muslim immigrants to the rise of the German and Italian dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.

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"There have been episodes in the history of humanity, unfortunately, where these expressions, this strident rhetoric, has only really led to ominous scenarios in the history of humanity," Pena Nieto told the daily Excelsior.

"That's how Mussolini and Hitler arrived."

The Mexican president was then roundly criticised for hosting Trump in late August, and explained that it was to convince Trump to rethink positions that included the threat of mass deportations of illegal Mexicans, annulment of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and construction of a border wall.

As soon as Trump returned to the US, he reiterated his determination to build the wall and make Mexico pay for it.

- Boris Johnson -

"The only reason I wouldn't go to some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump," then London mayor Boris Johnson said on December 8 last year.

He was responding to Trump's proposal to bar Muslims from entering the US, and Trump's claim that parts of London and Paris were so radicalised that police feared to go there. Johnson, now Britain's foreign minister, said Trump was talking "complete and utter nonsense".
A far-right Hindu group which has been one of Donald Trump's most avid overseas cheerleaders began celebrating in New Delhi Wednesday as the Republican pulled off a shock US presidential election victory.

Vishnu Gupta, chief of the ultra-nationalist 'Hindu Sena' outfit, said supporters had taken to the streets to bang traditional drums even before Trump claimed victory and would also distribute celebratory sweets.

Trump's hardline rhetoric towards Muslims has found favour in some quarters in India, the world's largest democracy which has had its fair share of tensions between the majority Hindu population and its Muslim minority.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was before his 2014 election regarded as an international pariah after deadly communal riots broke out in the state of Gujarat more than a decade ago when he was chief minister. Most of the victims were Muslims.

Trump has called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States and Gupta said his message had wide resonance.

"We predicted that he would win five days ago -- there is a huge support for him, his ideas, and we could see that," Gupta told AFP.

"Now terrorists will be hunted everywhere in the world, even if they go and hide in a cave. Now only God can help Pakistan. India will now have the support of the US in our efforts against terrorists. We will be together in this.

"Donald Trump will do what no other US president has been able to do before. We are happy. All terrorists should now run and hide."

Gupta's group held a special prayer session for Trump in New Delhi back in May when he was seen as a long shot for the presidency, hailing him as a "fighter and a saviour of humanity".

They also celebrated his birthday in June with a cake, balloons and posters.
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No one saw this coming. Not the Trump campaign. Not the Republican National Committee.

The best data inside the Trump campaign and the RNC had Donald Trumps chances of winning the presidency as a one-in-five proposition.

Last Friday, the RNC gathered a handful of reporters inside its Capitol Hill headquarters in Washington to share what its most up-to-date election model showed.

RNC staffers thought Trump would win 240 Electoral College votes, 30 short of the 270 needed to win. They cautioned reporters that these numbers could change. And it was noteworthy that their projections were more optimistic than much of the public polling. But Trump was down 2 points in Florida, down 2 points in Iowa, down 2 points in New Hampshire and down 3 points in Wisconsin. Trump won Florida, won Iowa, won Wisconsin, and as of the publishing of this story was in a tight race for New Hampshire.

The best data inside the Trump campaign was just as pessimistic. Even the most optimistic models run by Cambridge Analytica for Trump showed him losing. But as Cambridges Matt Oczkowski tweeted late Tuesday, Trumps support and turnout among rural voters was 10 percentage points higher than they had expected.

Even the fact that the RNC held the data briefing was evidence it thought Trump was likely to lose. Staffers wanted journalists to be able to report that their information was accurate in order to protect one of their chief assets in what most thought would be a fight for control of the party after Trumps loss.

But Trumps surprise victory was just one of the many things that did not go according to plan for the RNC and its chairman, Reince Priebus, in the 2016 campaign.

Priebus, the RNC chairman for six years now, was powerless to stop Donald Trump  who was not the first choice of a majority of Republican primary voters  from becoming the partys presidential nominee. Then, when Priebus did put his finger on the scales, it was to push Trump over the hump, helping secure the nomination for a candidate who took the recommendations Priebus and the RNC made in 2013 for a more positive, inclusive and conservative party, and threw them out the window.

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But even if the leaders of the RNC  like most in the GOP establishment  thought that a Trump nomination would be a debacle in most ways, they also thought they saw a silver lining.

Trumps lack of a campaign infrastructure allowed the RNC to run more of the presidential campaign than is normal. The RNCs resulting gains in data and technology would have helped it in a fight for the soul of the party, even if Trump would have been able to use a massive RNC-built data file to help him wage war against the party from the outside.

When the Republican primary narrowed to Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz, most Republicans did not think either could win the general election against Hillary Clinton. The RNC concluded at some point that there was a way to make lemonade with Trump as nominee.

Donald Trump supporter Tina Macneil cries as Florida was won by Trump. (Photo: John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

After going through this incredibly challenging cycle, we wanted to ensure that the RNC would come out of this being able to say, Here are the reasons that the party is stronger, RNC chief of staff Katie Walsh told me. Theres a whole list of challenges we face moving forward, but what are the things were stronger for? One of them was a very robust email file that we could continue to build to raise money for the party and engage with voters.

After Trumps campaign tried to build and run an email fundraising effort, its spam levels were so high that it had to hand the job off to the RNC. The RNC has also overseen Trumps digital advertising efforts out of San Antonio, where the Trump campaigns digital director, Brad Parscale, lives and works. The RNC paid for new office space for the operation, and the RNCs director of advertising, Gary Coby, and head of email fundraising, Parks Bennett, moved out to Texas to oversee the operation a few days after Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich dropped out of the race in early May.

The RNC and Parscales operation worked with Cambridge Analyticas Oczkowski, who arrived in San Antonio in mid-June, to help build a SQL (structured query language) database that collected the data being gathered by the RNCs digital advertising and email fundraising, as well as 14 to 18 custom models of the electorate built by Cambridge. Parscale named this Project Alamo.

The Trump campaign also relied for their get-out-the-vote (GOTV) effort on the RNCs analytical models of each battleground state, built on top of the RNCs voter file.

Cambridges models were used for digital persuasion efforts, though not for mail or phones, Parscale told Yahoo News. This was because, while the RNC had spent years trying to identify as many generic Republican voters across the country as possible, Trump was attracting a different kind of person: sporadic or unreliable voters disillusioned with politics in general and with both political parties. That was the kind of voter that Cambridge had focused on identifying in the electorate and was the focus of the voter universe models it built.

The RNCs data analytics operation, along with the data from Cambridge, gave the Trump campaign a more sophisticated sense of which voters it should be targeting. Trump on his own was not able to do much to make use of this information. He invested very little in hiring state-based staff to build out a ground game.

The RNC, however, did have a more robust ground organizing effort than it did in 2012. Four years ago, it had put 876 staff in a dozen battleground states. By the end of the 2016 cycle, there were 3,068 RNC paid field staff working to organize volunteers, and almost another 3,000 organizers in training under the RNCs Republican Leadership Institute.

Trump did transfer $50 million to the RNC through their joint fundraising agreement, which helped to pay for field staff. That was almost $100 million less than the $140 million Romney transferred to the RNC in 2012.

Trump supporters in Times Square cheer news that he had won North Carolina. (Photo: Seth Wenig/AP)

And so when Parscale and others on the campaign bragged to a Bloomberg journalist that they had created a voter database of Trump supporters that the RNC did not have access to, the RNC top command pushed back.

The idea, to me, that they could build this whole thing without us, I cant conceptualize how that would be possible, Walsh said. I also know that they have been running as a campaign from such a rapid pace. I dont know when they wouldve done this.

Parscale called it a misconception that he or the Trump campaign somehow have something separated from [the RNC] in a way that is somehow going to hurt them.

The RNC has been a great partner. They are the reason we are where we are, Parscale said in an Election Day phone call.

Walsh spoke highly of Parscales abilities, but did not mince words about his limitations, given the fact that hed never worked on a political campaign of any kind.

I would go on the record effusively praising Brad and saying that he has been great to work with. I would also go on record saying Brad had never worked in politics before and he would even admit that he knew almost nothing about politics before this, Walsh said. There were a lot of times when Brad would admit, Yeah, I dont know. But hes a really smart guy. What I love about Brad, to be totally honest, is that Brad admits what he doesnt know.

By all accounts, it was Walsh and Parscale that did a lot to mend relations between the Trump campaign and the RNC over the summer, when the relationship between the two entities was fraying.

Still, Walsh believed Trump would use the data hed built up to build a brand for Trump thats going to sell, whether it be Trump TV, or whatever Mr. Trump decides he wants to sell to that audience.

What the RNC wants out of those people is to keep learning about them and engaging with them, so that in four years we know what to tell our nominee to talk to them about, she said. We dont want them to buy anything from us right now. We dont need them to do anything with us other than to open an email every once in a while. We want engagement. We dont need to convert them in any real way immediately, we want them to keep talking.

All of that, of course, is now moot.

But the GOP was no match for Trump, and now he owns not only the data, but the party itself.

_____

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New York (AFP) - Where Donald Trump is brash and tough-talking, Mike Pence is deft and disciplined.

And as the billionaire and political novice takes the reins at the White House from Barack Obama come January, Pence will bring precious Washington experience to the table as the new vice president.

The 57-year-old governor of Indiana knows his way around the US capital: He held a seat in the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013 and served as chairman of the House Republican Conference -- the party's third most important position on Capitol Hill -- from 2009 to 2011.

Seen as disciplined and relatively discreet, the Christian conservative is a lawyer by training and former radio talk show host with strong communication skills.

Pence's qualities and connections could help ease tensions with a Republican Party that had a hard time digesting Trump's maverick bid for the White House.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, whose relations with Trump are delicate, says he considers Pence a friend.

On the campaign trail, Pence made a methodical and level-headed case for a Republican administration, reassuring core conservatives nervous about how Trump would govern in the White House.

He became expert at deflecting attacks on Trump, instead redirecting them into critiques of Obama's administration and Hillary Clinton's record as secretary of state.

And he notably outshone his vice presidential rival Tim Kaine during their only debate.

Yet Pence's quiet, low-profile personality, shaped in large part by his Christian faith, poses little threat of overshadowing that of Trump, who values loyalty in the people who work with him.

- Differences of opinion -

Throughout the campaign, Pence was seen as helping Trump boost support among traditional conservatives and especially evangelical Christians wary of Trump, and perhaps even with voters in the Rust Belt -- the former industrial area that includes Indiana, neighboring Ohio and parts of Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Story continues

Trump and Pence did not know each other particularly well until joining forces.

While they formed an effective duo on the campaign trail, the pair have marked differences of opinion on everything from immigration to trade.

While Trump campaigned on a protectionist platform, Pence adheres to the laissez-faire economic views that are more conventionally Republican. Before joining Trump's team, he publicly backed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the sweeping trade deal that the candidate repeatedly blasted as bad for US jobs.

He had also denounced Trump's proposal to close US borders to Muslims as "unconstitutional" -- although as running mate, he defended his call for a wall on Mexican border.

Pence did break with Trump over an explosive video that caught the president-elect making lewd remarks about groping women, saying: "I do not condone his remarks and cannot defend them."

Pence is a conservative defender of family values, against abortion and gay marriage, and opposed to the idea of the United States taking in Syrian refugees.

He has described himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order."

Before joining the Trump ticket, he was facing a tough re-election battle in Indiana where as governor he signed bills making it harder for women to have abortions, making Indiana the second US state to prohibit ending a pregnancy because the fetus suffers abnormalities.

He has also drawn criticism for a law that critics say discriminates against the LGBT community.
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkish prosecutors ordered the detention of 55 more air force pilots on Wednesday, broadcaster NTV and other media reported, as part of an ongoing crackdown following a failed coup in July. Authorities previously detained more than 300 pilots, most of them at an air base in Konya, as part of the unprecedented crackdown in which more than 110,000 people - from soldiers and judges to teachers and journalists - have been detained or suspended, and 37,000 formally arrested. The latest operation targeting supporters of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for orchestrating the putsch, was carried out in eight provinces but centered in Konya, NTV said. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999, has denied the charges and condemned the coup. The extent of the purges has worried rights groups and some of Turkey's Western allies, who fear that President Tayyip Erdogan is using the failed coup as a pretext to curtain dissent. The government says the actions are justified by the gravity of the threat to the state from July 15, when rogue soldiers commandeered tanks and fighters jets, killing more than 240 people. The government has said it was working on projects to cover the shortage in air force pilots since the attempted coup, and will seek to draw back pilots from civil aviation. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by David Dolan and Hugh Lawson)
Istanbul (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday telephoned Donald Trump to congratulate the triumphant US president-elect, as Ankara expressed hope for a new start in relations that were strained considerably under the presidency of Barack Obama.

The warm reception from Ankara for Trump's stunning win came as the two key NATO allies seek to overcome disputes ranging from Syria to the extradition of the alleged mastermind of the July 15 failed Turkish coup.

Erdogan swiftly telephoned Trump to pass on his congratulations and wish him success, the Turkish presidency said in a statement.

The pair expressed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and continue cooperation on regional and international issues, including the "fight against terrorism", the statement added.

Erdogan has in the past lambasted the Islamophobia that Trump's critics have accused the tycoon of espousing.

Trump caused consternation in December 2015 by mooting a ban on all Muslims travelling to the United States.

But Erdogan had said in a speech in Ankara earlier that "a new era is beginning" in the United States with Trump's victory after two terms of Democrat-held presidency.

He expressed hope the election of Trump "will help the taking of good steps regarding rights and freedoms in the world and also developments in the region."

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim earlier also congratulated Trump but also urged the president-elect to as soon as possible extradite the US-based Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of masterminding the coup bid. Gulen denies the charges.

"If you extradite in a short time the head of a terror organisation who has damaged our historic friendship, I am sure that you can give Turkish-US relations a new start and open a new page," Yildirim said.

American authorities are studying the evidence against Gulen provided by Turkey before deciding on extradition. The slowness of the process has caused frustration in Ankara.

Story continues

US-Turkish relations have worsened since the July 15 coup, which some ruling party figures even suggested Washington had a hand in instigating.

Turkey and the US have also locked horns over the ongoing civil war in Syria, in particular the role of the Kurdish Peoples' Protection Units (YPG) militia.

Washington backs the YPG as a key force driving back Islamic State jihadists but Ankara regards the group as a terror organisation bent on carving out an autonomous Kurdish region on Turkey's borders.

Ankara was deeply alarmed in the election campaign by comments from Trump's vanquished Democratic rival Hillary Clinton who proposed arming the YPG with "the equipment they need".

Erdogan spat back in October that the proposal was "politically inept".
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election, saying it was an opportunity to further bilateral relations. In a speech in the capital Ankara, Yildirim said a "new page" would be opened in U.S.-Turkey relations if Washington extradited the U.S.-based cleric Turkey blames for orchestrating the July 15 failed coup. "An area of opportunity has been created for the new president to advance relations with policies taking into account Turkey's fight against terror," Yildirim said. (Reporting by Daren Butler; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Nick Tattersall)
Tafoughalt (Morocco) (AFP) - In the arid mountains of eastern Morocco, people know the value of water all too well.

"Every drop is like gold. It should almost be measured by the carat," said local activist Najib Bachiri.

Eight hundred kilometres away in bustling Marrakesh, negotiators are this week thrashing out the details of a landmark global agreement designed to stave off disastrous climate change.

But in Tafoughalt, a little village deep in the mountains of Morocco's Berkane province, that impact is being felt already. Rising temperatures are among the factors making the rains increasingly unpredictable.

As a consequence, life for the residents of Tafoughalt -- who largely survive on subsistence farming -- is becoming harder than ever.

"Here, the farmers work on small plots that are barely enough to feed their families," says Bachiri, head of campaign group Homme et Environnement ("Man and Environment").

The group is working to reverse an exodus from the mountains as people seek easier lives elsewhere.

Bachiri says local problems feed into each other; isolation makes life difficult, which encourages people to quit the countryside. Abandoned fields lead to land erosion, which in turn also spurs on the exodus.

And in the background, there is the constant shortage of water.

- Smuggling crackdown -

"For their fields, in the absence of electricity farmers rely either on rainwater or on pumping groundwater with diesel-powered generators," says Bachiri.

Until recently, fuel for the generators was at least available cheaply thanks to rampant smuggling from across the nearby Algerian border.

But Algerian authorities have cracked down on the illicit trade since 2013, leading to a tripling in prices -- from 10 euros ($11) for a 30-litre (eight-gallon) can to 30 euros.

And to make matters even worse for the fuel-reliant farmers, the Moroccan government has called a halt to diesel subsidies.

"Small-scale farmers here have not been able keep up, which has aggravated the agricultural crisis in these isolated villages and encouraged people to leave," says Bachiri.

Story continues

But a simple solution is making a big difference: using the sun from above to draw up what's underground.

- Cheaper and cleaner -

With the help of local funds and international donors, Bachiri's group has installed two solar water pumps in the mountains of Tafoughalt.

Two rows of black solar panels, two metres (2.2 yards) across and 10 metres long, are connected to a generator which feeds a pump extracting water from underground.

The equipment is durable and low-maintenance. The sunlight is unlimited in supply, but carries none of diesel's downsides in terms of pollution and ill-health.

"Solar energy is so much better," says 60-year-old local farmer Mahta Allal.

"The pumping is weaker in winter or when it's cloudy. But it's good for us when the sun is there -- it can double the pumping and irrigation."

Siddiq, who has guarded the local well for 17 years and as such is in charge of the community's water-sharing arrangements, said the new system was far more convenient.

"Before, you had to go and collect fuel from very far away," he said. "It was very tiring -- and then there was the noise, the fumes, mechanical problems. Today it's much better with the clean solar energy."

The price of an hour's irrigation has gone down by 75 percent, from 50 dirhams ($5) to 12.5 dirhams.

"It encourages agriculture," says Siddiq. "Even if you don't have a lot of land, at least you'll be guaranteed a harvest to eat."

Solar energy alone won't be enough to solve Tafoughalt's perennial water shortage. "That's why we've installed tanks to collect river water, and we're also working on installing technology to make the use of water more efficient," said Bachiri.

But he said 450 farmers were already using the two solar pumps to water 100 hectares (250 acres) of crops.

"Some farmers are coming back to the village to work the soil again -- it's a good sign," he said.
Its been a tough year to be a Twitter TWTR investor, but the company recently posted somewhat encouraging third-quarter earnings, and it seems to have benefitted from this years chaotic presidential campaign that is now being dubbed the Twitter Election.

Perhaps more significant than how Twitter benefitted from the election are the consequences that the Twitter Election will have on future political campaigns; this years online activity absolutely cements the fact the politicians must have a compelling and polished social media presence in order to compete.

Twitter Election By The Numbers

Donald Trumps official account boasts over 13 million followers, and the Republican candidate has consistently used the site as a rallying platform, oftentimes to a fault, as some reports suggested that his closest aides revoked his personal tweeting privileges in the week leading up to Election Day.

Hillary Clinton is no slouch herself, and with about 10.2 million followers, the Democratic candidate and first woman to be nominated for president by a major U.S. party has been able to connect with her supporters on Twitter as well.

In a blog post recapping the election, Twitter shared a variety of statistics that highlight just how much of this election took place on the social media site. In the United States alone, people sent 1 billion tweets about the election since the primary debates began last August.

Clinton claimed the most re-tweeted tweet of the entire election with this roast of Trump:

Trumps equally-scathing response was his most re-tweeted tweet of the campaign:

Looking past the official accounts, this years election played out through a wide range of commentary, parody, and memes on Twitter. The influence of the site is undeniable.

Leaving a Legacy

The first time I realized that Twitter was the real political deal, if you will, was during the middle of the first presidential debate, when I noticed that I was refreshing my own newsfeed more than I was actually watching my television.

Story continues

Live updates from journalists, commentators, supporters, and official campaign staff made Twitter a must-have companion to the debates for the politically-minded. As politicians become more and more Twitter-savvy, their Twitter presences will only continue to grow.

Twitter has officially staked its claim as a legitimate platform for delivering a political message. If you mess up and tweet a gaff, you can be sure that it will be on the news in no-time. Tweets can serve as free attack ads, rallying cries to supporters, or spontaneous debate stages.

2016 may go down as the first Twitter Election, but itd be naive to think it will be the only one. From here on out, all elections will be Twitter Elections.

Other companies have tried to get in on the election fun too, including Snapchat, Alphabet GOOGL, and Facebook FB. Read more here: These Tech Companies Want to Be Your Election Day Guide!

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By Mike Stone and Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. defense contractors, which saw international sales rise strongly under President Barack Obama's administration, can expect a continued boom in arms exports under Donald Trump, aided by persistent security risks in the Middle East and rising tensions in Asia and Europe. Shares of major defense contractors, including Raytheon Co. , Northrop Grumman Corp and General Dynamics hit lifetime highs, on Wednesday as investors bet on higher Pentagon spending under Trump, who has vowed a massive build-up of the U.S. military even as he pledges to reduce foreign entanglements. While Trump has frequently made contradictory statements when it comes to foreign policy, he has repeatedly called on allies in Europe and East Asia to pay more for their own defense. Defense experts say that could benefit the domestic industry as Trump is expected to keep supporting the supply of U.S. arms exports to allies to help them build up their own defense capabilities. "From the U.S. side it would be us equipping them to do that," said Roman Schweizer an analyst at Cowan & Co. That would also fit with Trump's plan to stimulate the domestic economy by boosting U.S. manufacturing jobs. A Trump administration will have "more openness to selling weapons to our allies and partners. Its business friendly, it plays to the U.S. manufacturing base," said Mark Cancian, senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. U.S. arms exports, measured by production costs, grew 54 percent in 2015 from 2008, the year before President Barack Obama took office, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. That represents the highest growth for any administration since the Truman and Eisenhower presidencies following World War Two. The boom was fueled by consistent lobbying by the Obama administration for arms deals, its policy of arming and training proxy groups in conflicts, and by budget constraints at home that prompted arms makers to look abroad for sales. In 2015, the U.S. accounted for 36 percent of worlds arms exports, the Stockholm Institute's data shows, followed by Russia at 12 percent. That marked an increase in the U.S. share from 28 percent in 2008. In fiscal 2015, U.S. arms sales to foreign governments exceeded $47 billion, up 36 percent from around $34 billion a year earlier, according to the Department of Defense. Saudi Arabia, Australia, Iraq, Korea and Taiwan -- all considered U.S. allies -- were the top five recipients of U.S. weapons in the year ended September 2015. GLOBAL CONFLICTS Trump has never spelled out how he would deploy additional manpower for the U.S. military, such as 60,000 more Army troops, as many as 10,000 more Marines, and dozens of new Navy ships and fighter jets. Independent cost estimates for his plan range from $150 billion to $900 billion in additional spending over 10 years, which could be achieved only by raising the federal budget deficit, raising taxes or making large cuts in spending programs such as healthcare benefits for older Americans. None of these is politically popular, and raising the deficit would face fierce resistance from the deficit-fighting Freedom Caucus wing of the Republican Party. Trump's lack of national security credentials and scarce detail about his possible advisors also make it difficult to assess his impact on foreign policy. Nevertheless, analysts say his call for a stronger U.S. military against the backdrop of rising global conflicts, bodes well for strong revenues. I think that foreign military sales would absolutely go up, or at the very least stay at its current level, said Franklin Turner, co-leader of law firm McCarter Englishs government contracts & export controls practice. "I can't imagine that the world becomes a less violent place." Raytheon Co, the maker of Tomahawk missiles, said its international business will continue to grow regardless of the change of administration. During the 2008-2015 period, its international sales grew 55 percent to $7.15 billion. "Raytheon has been in business for over 90 years, over the time we have obviously worked with presidents from both parties," Chief Financial Officer Toby OBrien told Reuters in an interview. Lockheed Martin Corp , the Pentagon's No.1 contractor known for its Hellfire missiles and F-35 fighter jets, increased international sales by 74 percent during Obama's presidency to $9.5 billion in 2015. Boeing Co's international defense sales rose 28 percent in the last five years to $9.4 billion in 2015, while Northrop Grumman Corp's foreign sales grew 60 percent over the same period to $3.3 billion. There are two major ways foreign governments purchase arms from U.S. companies. Direct commercial sales, negotiated between a government and a company; and foreign military sales, where a foreign government typically contacts a Department of Defense official at the U.S. embassy in their capital. Both require approval by the U.S. government. Some major sales have been held up by members of Congress, who fear U.S. arms could be used to fuel foreign conflicts, quell popular unrest or facilitate human rights violations. Congress has oversight over major weapons sales, including those that are completely or partly financed by the U.S. government, and it is highly unusual for sales to go ahead if there are strong objections from lawmakers. Congress has never been a rubber stamp on arms transfers. We exercise close oversight and will continue to do so under the next president, said Representative Eliot Engel, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association in Washington, said the government and companies often are not "paying sufficient attention to the long-term impact of weaponizing key regions" while trying to sell to "win friends and allies." "When several warring states in a region are being amply supplied with new weapons, they are more tempted to use those weapons," Kimball said. (Editing by Soyoung Kim and Stuart Grudgings)
By Julia Harte, Andy Sullivan and David Ingram WASHINGTON/PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Voters and civil rights groups reported long lines, isolated cases of malfunctioning equipment and some harassment at polling places in Tuesday's U.S. presidential election but fears of widespread violence at the polls did not materialize. Nationwide, civil rights groups logged unusual levels of voter intimidation complaints, receiving about 35,000 calls through a national voter complaint hotline as of Tuesday evening. Democratic Party officials, however, said they did not see systemic voter suppression efforts. Civil rights groups, who have enlisted 7,000 volunteers, said 40 percent of the calls they had received through the telephone hotline by early afternoon were from African-American and Latino voters. Complaints of voter intimidation were especially prevalent in Florida, Georgia, Ohio and Arizona with a disproportionate share coming from minority voters. "We are hearing more complaints about voter intimidation than we have in presidential cycles from prior years," said Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has repeatedly said the election would be "rigged" and called on his supporters to watch for signs of fraud in urban areas, raising fears they could clash with minority voters. Numerous studies have found that voter fraud is exceedingly rare in the United States. VOTER INTIMIDATION Absent on Tuesday were reports of the kind of hostile political displays, vandalism and violence that have cropped up regularly throughout the campaign. A polling station was locked down in Southern California after one person was killed and three wounded by gunfire but police saw no immediate indication the incident was linked to Election Day. But isolated reports of voter intimidation and harassment flooded the voter complaint hotline run by a coalition of civil rights groups throughout the day. An African-American voter called the hotline from Alabama's Shelby County to report that a white poll worker had indicated she would have to wash her hands after handling the voter's photo identification card. Shelby County lawyers persuaded the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 to strike down a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act requiring states with a history of voter discrimination to get federal clearance for changes to their election laws. Clarke said many voter complaints to the hotline came from states formerly covered by that provision. Some voters in Florida reported a heavy, unexplained police presence at several polling sites around the state. A group of students in the state were told their votes would not count because their college dormitory was considered a hotel. In Ohio's Franklin County, the hotline received complaints that Somali-American voters were told they would have to vote provisionally because their addresses did not match their identification cards - and then were told that the polling site had run out of provisional ballots. In Georgia's DeKalb County, a group calling itself Defenders of Democracy was pressuring voters in line to fill out sample ballots and sign pledges that they would cast the same votes on the real ballot, according to reports received by the hotline. The federal government reduced its election monitoring program in the wake of a 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision that weakened federal oversight of states with a history of racial discrimination. Revised voting laws and lengthy court battles in many states also have left voters uncertain about when and where they can cast their ballot and whether they will need to present photo identification. A Nevada judge on Tuesday rejected a request from Trump for records from a Las Vegas polling place that his campaign said had improperly remained open last week to accommodate people who were lined up to vote. The judge agreed with a county attorney who argued that election officials already preserve records. MACHINE GLITCHES Malfunctioning machines dominated voter complaints out of Pennsylvania, Arizona, New York, North Carolina and Virginia. Trump cited reports that polling machines were switching votes for Republican candidates to votes for Democrats as cause for concern that the election outcome might not be valid, once again warning of a rigged system. Speaking to Fox News, Trump provided no evidence to support the allegations or say where polling machines were breaking down, although there were some problems in Pennsylvania. Voters in at least four Pennsylvania counties said touch-screen voting machines were mistakenly switching votes. State officials, however, said they did not believe any ballots had been wrongly counted as a result of the machine malfunctions. Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states that relies on electronic voting machines without a paper backup that would allow officials to double-check the outcome if it is challenged. The machines can record votes incorrectly if they are not calibrated properly, a problem that is magnified as the screens degrade with age. But ES&S, the company that makes the machines, said voters have a chance to confirm their choices before they cast their ballot, making it impossible for the machine to flip a vote from one candidate to another. Local officials test machines to make sure they are calibrated properly before each election. The Philadelphia district attorney's office, which monitors voting in the state's largest city, said on Twitter it was not receiving any complaints out of the ordinary. Electronic voting rolls in Durham County, North Carolina, malfunctioned early on Tuesday, prompting the county to ask the state board of elections to extend voting hours in eight precincts until 9 p.m., an hour and a half later than they were supposed to be open. The state elections board on Tuesday evening agreed to extend voting hours in the precincts by between 20 and 60 minutes. (Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball; Editing by Andrew Hay and Bill Trott)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - U.S. ambassadors to the European Union and NATO sought to reassure Washington's allies in Europe on Wednesday that close cooperation would continue following the election of Donald Trump as president. "There's a lot of continuity here," NATO ambassador Douglas Lute told a gathering of European diplomats at the U.S. embassy in Brussels. "NATO has always been a bipartisan venture for the United States." During his campaign, the Republican Trump questioned U.S. spending on European defense through NATO and European leaders, especially those closest to Russia in the east, are concerned. EU ambassador Anthony Gardner, appointed by outgoing Democrat President Barack Obama, urged Europeans not to make assumptions about the nature of a Trump administration: "It's too early to reach conclusions," he told reporters. "Any U.S. administration is going to realize the importance of ... U.S.-EU relations. Give it time," he said. (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald)
US Election 2016: Clinton and Trump in swing states deadlock

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are locked in a knife-edge battle in swing states after polls closed across most of the US in the White House election.
By David Morgan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, who sparred with Donald Trump at times during his presidential campaign, pledged on Wednesday to work closely with the president-elect to forge an aggressive Republican legislative agenda from the outset of 2017.

At a news conference in his hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin, Ryan said he and Trump are arranging a meeting to discuss the transition to a new Congress and administration, as well as the Republican agenda for the lame-duck session of Congress that begins on Monday.

Tuesday's election results will give the Republicans simultaneous control of the White House, Senate and House for the first time since early 2007.

"He just earned a mandate and we now just have a unified Republican government," Ryan said of Trump. "The opportunity is now here. And the opportunity is to go big, to go bold and to get things done."

Ryan said he expected his six-point "A Better Way" blueprint to provide a framework for future action. The plan, which House Republicans used an election platform, calls for initiatives that include repealing and replacing Obamacare, reforming the U.S. tax code and scaling back federal regulations on industry.

Ryan had been slow to endorse Trump for president and clashed with the wealthy businessman over his incendiary campaign rhetoric, accusing him of making comment that was "the textbook definition of racism" about a judge of Mexican heritage. Last month Trump described Ryan as "a very weak and ineffective leader."

But on Wednesday Ryan said he and Trump had held two "fantastic conversations" in the past 18 hours. Ryan's aim is to "make sure that when his hand comes off the Bible, when he is sworn in as president, we are hitting the ground running."

Ryan said Republicans in Congress also would coordinate with Trump on the upcoming lame duck session on what can be achieved.

Story continues

The speaker also said it was time for "redemption, not recrimination" and dismissed concerns about civil liberties created by Trump campaign talk.

"Donald Trump heard a voice out in this country that no one else heard. He connected in ways with people no one else did. He turned politics on its head," Ryan said.

"Donald Trump provided the kind of coattails that got a lot of people over the finish line so that we could maintain our strong House and Senate majorities."

There had been speculation Ryan would not run for the speaker job in January but last week his staff said he would run for re-election to the post.

(Reporting by David Morgan and Julia Edwards Ainsley; Editing by Bill Trott)
U.S. stocks rose for a second straight day on Tuesday as American investors went to the polls.

Bill Lee, head of Citigroup economics, joined the FOX Business Networks Liz Claman to discuss what investors should expect post-election.

Weve been warning everybody dont be overconfident because financial market guys tend to think they are smarter than the average guy, they always want to get ahead of everybody else, he said.

Stocks snapped a 9-day losing streak on Monday, the worst string since 1980, after FBI Director James Comey announced on Sunday that Hillary Clinton would not face criminal charges over her handling of classified information following a re-opening of the investigation into emails connected to her personal home server.

What youve seen the last few days is growing confidence in that Hillary outcome. Weve been warning it could well be that the Brexit black swan could take place or at least more uncertainty. If that were the case no ones prepared for it, he said.

He added, We could have an equity market selloff. We could have corporate spreads widening and we could have rates going much higher than they are.

However, in Lees opinion, no matter who wins, the Federal Reserve ultimately controls the markets.

The Fed right now is determined to raise rates in December. In fact, if they dont raise rates in December, I would start battening down the hatches and start digging some trenches because that means something has happened to the economy uncertainty is the one villain that hits both sides, he said.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department sought on Wednesday to reassure Japan that U.S.-Japanese ties are a cornerstone of the U.S. presence in Asia and a core foreign policy interest to the United States. "My message would be one of reassurance to the Japanese people that relationship is of ... core foreign policy interest to the United States," department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters when asked how Donald Trump's election might affect ties. "That relationship is going to remain, regardless of the administration, a cornerstone for the United States." (Reporting By Arshad Mohammed)
(Adds results in Maine, Nevada, Washington and California)

By Joseph Ax

NEW YORK, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Voters rendered a split decision on gun control measures in the election, approving universal background checks for private firearms sales in Nevada while narrowly rejecting them in Maine.

Gun safety advocates had poured millions of dollars into backing the initiatives in an effort to combat the political might of the gun lobby's National Rifle Association.

The measure was defeated in Maine by 51.0 percent of votes to 48.9 percent, or about 12,700 ballots, the Bangor Daily News reported. Nevada voters approved a similar proposal by 50.5 percent to 49.6 percent, state election officials said.

Both ballot initiatives were backed by Everytown for Gun Safety, the gun control group founded by billionaire former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and polls had suggested the measures would pass.

The votes were seen as a crucial test of the gun safety campaign's decision to adopt a state-by-state strategy after efforts to pass legislation failed in Congress.

Gun control supporters won victories in two other states. Washington state voters easily approved a measure giving judges the power to keep dangerous individuals, such as accused domestic abusers, from possessing guns. In California, residents backed a referendum that bans large-capacity ammunition magazines and requires some people to undergo background checks in order to buy ammunition.

The U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms, and gun rights advocates fiercely contest any attempt to restrict it.

Opponents had said the background check laws were not clear and would do nothing to stop criminals.

"We know today that the place where criminals are getting guns, the black market, they aren't subjecting themselves to background checks," said Ryan Hamilton, a spokesman for the National Rifle Association-backed opposition in Nevada, before Election Day. "It doesn't target criminal behavior, it targets law-abiding behavior."

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Proponents, however, said background checks would save lives.

Jennifer Crowe, a spokeswoman for the pro-initiative campaign in Nevada, previously told Reuters nearly one in 11 people in that state who purchased guns online would have failed a background check.

Everytown for Gun Safety, the gun control group founded by billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, spent tens of millions of dollars in Washington state, Nevada and Maine, while the National Rifle Association focused much of its spending on supporting Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Chizu Nomiyama)
UCLA students took to the streets near campus early Wednesday morning in response to Donald Trump being named president-elect.

LAPD confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that they were called to the scene to facilitate the situation.

The protests began soon after Trump's victory speech, during which he announced he had received a call from Hillary Clinton conceding the election.

Videos posted on social media show a large group of students marching through the surrounding streets of the UCLA campus in the Westwood area of Los Angeles.

The Daily Bruin student newspaper reported that the crowd of students was "at least 1,000," and students' chants included "Not my president."

According to the Associated Press, Trump's victory set off overnight protests on both coasts. From Pennsylvania to California, Oregon and Washington, hundreds of people hit the streets to voice their opposition to Trump's win over Hillary Clinton.

More than 100 protesters in Oakland took to downtown streets. KNTV-TV reported that protesters burned Trump in effigy, smashed windows of the Oakland Tribune newsroom and set tires and trash on fire.

The California Highway Patrol says a woman was struck by a car during the protest and severely injured.

In Oregon, dozens of people blocked traffic in downtown Portland and forced a delay for trains on two light rail lines. Media reports say the crowd grew to about 300 people, including some who sat in the middle of the road to block traffic. The crowd of anti-Trump protesters burned American flags and chanted "That's not my president."

In Seattle, a group of about 100 protesters gathered in the Capital Hill neighborhood, blocked roads and set a trash bin on fire.

In Pennsylvania, hundreds of University of Pittsburgh students marched through the streets, with some in the crowd calling for unity. The student-run campus newspaper, the Pitt News, tweeted about an event later Wednesday titled "Emergency Meeting: Let's Unite to Stop President Trump."

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Posts from the UCLA protest via social are media below:

UCLA IS PROTESTING IN THE STREETS RIGHT NOW #Election2016 #electionight pic.twitter.com/NpMvM36q5w

- # (@vaca_brain) November 9, 2016

Small police presence right now. One SUV trailing. #UCLA pic.twitter.com/4LU0d9MwVS

- Tanner Walters (@tannerbwalters) November 9, 2016

UCLA PROTESTING TRUMP pic.twitter.com/6Kb5Nsx4un

- Anxhela (@angiladasauce) November 9, 2016

Read more: Donald Trump Named President-Elect of the United States
London (AFP) - Britain's Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage said Wednesday he would "hand over the mantle" to Donald Trump as he congratulated the Republican on his US presidential election win.

The interim UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader hailed a year of "two great political revolutions" as commentators immediately drew parallels between the US vote and Britain's decision to leave the European Union.

"I hand over the mantle to @RealDonald Trump! Many congratulations. You have fought a brave campaign," Farage wrote on Twitter, alongside a video in which Trump publicly hails the eurosceptic, anti-immigrant politician for his success in Britain's June 23 referendum.

Speaking outside the US embassy as Trump's election win became evident, Farage said he was "not particularly surprised" by the outcome.

"The political class is reviled across much of the West, the polling industry's bankrupt and the press just hasn't woken up to what's going on in the world," he told journalists in a video posted on his Twitter account.

"So 2016 is, by the looks of it, going to be the year of two great political revolutions.

"I thought Brexit was big but boy, this looks like it's going to be even bigger."

In a final campaign push in Raleigh, North Carolina on Monday Trump said the US vote would be "Brexit plus plus plus".

Farage threw his support behind the billionaire businessman during the US election campaign, attending a rally in Jackson, Mississippi in August and likening it to his own campaign to leave the EU.

"There are millions of ordinary Americans who have been let down; who have had a bad time; who feel the political class in Washington are detached from them," he told the rally, two months after Britain voted to exit the bloc.

Aaron Banks, a key Farage ally and UKIP's main donor, also took to Twitter to congratulate Trump on his "great result", hailing him the new "Mr Brexit".

"Nigel connected with the working class, Trump did the same. You have no clue of the anger of people who have had enough," he wrote.
Kiev (AFP) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko congratulated US president-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, expressing hoping that Washington will maintain its support for Kiev after he moves to the White House.

"I sincerely congratulate Donald Trump on his election as president of the United States," Poroshenko told US Ambassador to Kiev Marie Yovanovitch, also inviting Trump for a visit, according to a statement from the presidency.

He said he hoped for "continuing support of the US... in Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression, for freedom, independence and restoration of sovereignty and territorial integrity," referring to the pro-Russian separatist regions in the east.

Nearly 10,000 people have been killed since the Ukraine conflict began in 2014, pitting pro-Russian rebels against government troops.

Some in Ukraine have expressed worry that Trump, who praised Russian President Vladimir Putin during the campaign, would sacrifice Ukraine to improve relations with Moscow.

Trump's campaign reportedly snubbed Poroshenko when the Ukrainian leader reached out to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this year, though he was able to meet with Clinton.

Trump has given muddled statements on Ukraine, calling it "a mess" and saying the people of Crimea have chosen to be with Russia, in an apparent reference to the controversial referendum that Moscow used to justify its annexation of the peninsula in 2014.

Russia denies either sending troops or weapons across its border to fuel the conflict, despite eyewitness testimony to the contrary. But it openly back the separatists' cause at international venues such as the UN Security Council.
Beirut (AFP) - Uncertainty spread across the Middle East following Donald Trump's US election win, with questions hanging over the war against the Islamic State group, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran's nuclear deal.

In some parts of the region the surprise victory was welcomed with calls for Trump to take action, in others it sparked alarm.

But it was unclear what impact Trump's isolationist views would have on US engagements in the Middle East, adding nore confusion to an already volatile region.

- 'True friend' of Israel -

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed to congratulate Trump on his win, calling him a "true friend" of the Jewish state.

"I look forward to working with him to advance security, stability and peace in our region," the right-wing premier said in a statement.

"I am confident that president-elect Trump and I will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights."

Meeting Netanyahu in New York in September, Trump pledged to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's "undivided" capital if elected, in a break with longstanding US policy.

Trump's adviser on Israel, David Friedman, also said last month the candidate was "tremendously sceptical" about the prospects for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads the hardline Jewish Home party, said that with Trump's election: "The era of a Palestinian state is over."

- 'Nice surprise' in Damascus -

Palestinian reaction to Trump's win was muted.

"We are ready to deal with the elected president on the basis of a two-state solution and to establish a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders," Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's spokesman said.

Nabil Abu Rudeina said failure to resolve the decades-old conflict would mean "the unstable situation will continue in the region".

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During the campaign Trump repeatedly pledged to "destroy" the jihadist Islamic State group, but presented no clear plan for how.

A US-led coalition is backing Iraqi forces and a Syrian militia alliance as they battle to drive IS from Mosul and Raqa, its last major strongholds in the two countries.

How Trump moves forward with the anti-IS offensive will depend on how he intends to deal with traditional US allies in the region, in particular Sunni Arab Gulf states, and his approach to the war in Syria.

Washington has backed rebel forces opposing President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's five-year civil war, and Hillary Clinton was especially supportive of regime change.

But Trump has repeatedly voiced admiration for Vladimir Putin and advocated a US rapprochement with Russia -- one of Assad's strongest supporters along with Iran.

Trump said earlier this year that fighting both IS and Assad simultaneously was "madness, and idiocy".

Waddah Abed Rabbo, editor-in-chief of pro-regime Syrian daily Al-Watan, said Trump's win came as a "nice surprise" in Damascus.

"It is time for the policies of the United States to change and stop being hostage to the catastrophic wishes of the Gulf countries, which have destroyed several countries in the region," he said.

A Syrian rebel official said opposition forces were actually hoping for more support from Washington.

"The Americans, by their hesitation, have allowed the regime and its allies to commit barbaric massacres against civilians in Syria," said Bassam Mustafa of the Nureddin al-Zinki rebel group, one of the more powerful factions in rebel-held areas of Aleppo city.

Displaced Syrians near the Turkish border reacted with cynicism to Trump's win.

- 'Not possible' to change Iran deal -

"The new American president won't be any different from the last one," said Abdul Rahman Ahmad, a teacher and one of millions forced to flee their homes since 2011.

"When it comes to us Syrians, both of them have the same viewpoint. They don't care about the Syrian people, all they care about is killing Muslims."

While Trump's intentions elsewhere in the Middle East may be vague, his stand on last year's nuclear deal between world powers and Iran was clear -- Trump described it as "disastrous" and said it would be his "number one priority" to dismantle the agreement.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, who staked his political reputation on the deal in the face of fierce hardline opposition, said there was no way Trump could rip it up.

"The accord was not concluded with one country or government but was approved by a resolution of the UN Security Council and there is no possibility that it can be changed by a single government," Rouhani said, according to state television.

"The United States no longer has the capacity to create Iranophobia and to create a consensus against Iran," Rouhani said.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Trump needed to "understand the realities of today's world."

"The most important thing is that the future US president stick to agreements, to engagements undertaken," he said.

- Saudi king urges 'stability' -

Washington's longstanding allies in the Gulf have bristled under President Barack Obama, who they felt was reluctant to get involved in regional conflicts and did not do enough to check the ambitions of their regional rival Iran.

Congratulating Trump on the win, Saudi Arabia's King Salman praised "historic and tight" ties with the United States and wished him success "in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide."

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan also said his country was eager to strengthen "strategic relations" with Washington.
By Timothy Aeppel and Daniel Wiessner

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Unions in the United States face sweeping changes to labor law and regulations under a new Republican administration that is expected to tilt policy toward employers.

Republicans will take control of the presidency and both chambers of Congress in Tuesdays elections, after unions failed to deliver key industrial states to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Clinton's loss could have wide-ranging consequences for unions. Donald Trump and a Republican-led Senate will likely pick the next justice for the Supreme Court, which often hears labor-related cases.

I think its going to be a very difficult period, said Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, who said he was surprised by the election outcome despite knocking on doors and talking to members in several states.

Among his concerns, he listed a Supreme Court case this year in which public-sector unions scored a victory related to funding organized labor  but only because the court deadlocked 4-4. The appointment of a new conservative judge by Trump to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia could change that.

Republican nominees will control the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which under Democratic President Barack Obama has sought to make it easier for unions to organize. The NLRB is pursuing litigation to establish that McDonald's Corp is a "joint employer" of workers at its franchised restaurants, a determination that could compel the company to bargain with unions representing employees of its independent franchisees.

Republicans will control federal agencies that govern the formation of unions, overtime rules and more.

For example, in September the Obama administration finalized an executive order requiring federal contractors to provide sick leave to workers, as well as rules expanding the types of data employers are required to provide on pay. A separate Labor Department rule expanding which employees are eligible for overtime pay is scheduled to take effect next month.

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Those actions drew criticism from business groups, and all could be reversed under a Trump administration.

We dont have a firewall now, said Tom Buffenbarger, a prior president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers who campaigned for Clinton.

Trump has expressed support for so-called right-to-work legislation, which allows workers to avoid paying union dues. Republican leaders in Congress have consistently sought such a change at the national level. Labor unions say such laws are aimed at undermining collective bargaining and workers rights.

William Gould, chair of the NLRB under Democratic President Bill Clinton and now a professor at Stanford Law School, said on Wednesday that Trump was likely to partner with Congress in dismantling a host of administration labor initiatives from Obama.

Republicans regard unions as first amongst fair game because of their support for Clinton, he said.

Steven Bernstein, a partner at law firm Fisher Phillips, which represents employers, said the Trump administration and Congress may also target recent NLRB rulings that allowed workers to picket on private property, expanded the type of worker activity protected by federal labor law and gave graduate students the right to unionize.

It's also fair to assume that Trump will be inclined to repeal a host of executive orders supporting unions," particularly rules that apply to federal contracts, Bernstein said in a statement.

Organized labor is a key Democratic constituency  contributing everything from volunteers to votes for Democratic candidates. Trump nonetheless carried union-heavy states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and even Michigan, home to the United Auto Workers (UAW).

In Ohio, for example, a Fox exit poll said Trump won 52 percent of union workers. An exit poll from ABC News suggested Clinton got no advantage among union households, even after Obama won those voters by 23 percentage points. (http://abcn.ws/2eUMxpx) (http://fxn.ws/2eULxS8)

David Lephart, a 58-year-old UAW pipefitter at a General Motors Co plant in Marion, Indiana, voted for Trump. He earns about $100,000 a year, with overtime, he says, and has put both of his kids through college.

He said union leaders pressed hard for members to support Clinton, but the union has nOt kept its promises to workers in recent years. I dont have a tendency to believe what you tell me  when you havent fulfilled the promises youve made, he said.

UAW President Dennis Williams in a statement on Wednesday said, "we have high hopes that elected officials heard the American people loud and clear about trade, jobs, education and the inequality in this country."

(Writing by Luciana Lopez in Miami; Additional reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Editing by Joseph White and Jonathan Oatis)
By Timothy Aeppel and Daniel Wiessner NEW YORK (Reuters) - Unions in the United States face sweeping changes to labor law and regulations under a new Republican administration that is expected to tilt policy toward employers. Republicans will take control of the presidency and both chambers of Congress in Tuesdays elections, after unions failed to deliver key industrial states to Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Clinton's loss could have wide-ranging consequences for unions. Donald Trump and a Republican-led Senate will likely pick the next justice for the Supreme Court, which often hears labor-related cases. I think its going to be a very difficult period, said Lee Saunders, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, who said he was surprised by the election outcome despite knocking on doors and talking to members in several states. Among his concerns, he listed a Supreme Court case this year in which public-sector unions scored a victory related to funding organized labor  but only because the court deadlocked 4-4. The appointment of a new conservative judge by Trump to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia could change that. Republican nominees will control the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which under Democratic President Barack Obama has sought to make it easier for unions to organize. The NLRB is pursuing litigation to establish that McDonald's Corp is a "joint employer" of workers at its franchised restaurants, a determination that could compel the company to bargain with unions representing employees of its independent franchisees. Republicans will control federal agencies that govern the formation of unions, overtime rules and more. For example, in September the Obama administration finalized an executive order requiring federal contractors to provide sick leave to workers, as well as rules expanding the types of data employers are required to provide on pay. A separate Labor Department rule expanding which employees are eligible for overtime pay is scheduled to take effect next month. Those actions drew criticism from business groups, and all could be reversed under a Trump administration. We dont have a firewall now, said Tom Buffenbarger, a prior president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers who campaigned for Clinton. Trump has expressed support for so-called right-to-work legislation, which allows workers to avoid paying union dues. Republican leaders in Congress have consistently sought such a change at the national level. Labor unions say such laws are aimed at undermining collective bargaining and workers rights. William Gould, chair of the NLRB under Democratic President Bill Clinton and now a professor at Stanford Law School, said on Wednesday that Trump was likely to partner with Congress in dismantling a host of administration labor initiatives from Obama. Republicans regard unions as first amongst fair game because of their support for Clinton, he said. Steven Bernstein, a partner at law firm Fisher Phillips, which represents employers, said the Trump administration and Congress may also target recent NLRB rulings that allowed workers to picket on private property, expanded the type of worker activity protected by federal labor law and gave graduate students the right to unionize. It's also fair to assume that Trump will be inclined to repeal a host of executive orders supporting unions," particularly rules that apply to federal contracts, Bernstein said in a statement. Organized labor is a key Democratic constituency  contributing everything from volunteers to votes for Democratic candidates. Trump nonetheless carried union-heavy states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and even Michigan, home to the United Auto Workers (UAW). In Ohio, for example, a Fox exit poll said Trump won 52 percent of union workers. An exit poll from ABC News suggested Clinton got no advantage among union households, even after Obama won those voters by 23 percentage points. (http://abcn.ws/2eUMxpx) (http://fxn.ws/2eULxS8) David Lephart, a 58-year-old UAW pipefitter at a General Motors Co plant in Marion, Indiana, voted for Trump. He earns about $100,000 a year, with overtime, he says, and has put both of his kids through college. He said union leaders pressed hard for members to support Clinton, but the union has nOt kept its promises to workers in recent years. I dont have a tendency to believe what you tell me  when you havent fulfilled the promises youve made, he said. UAW President Dennis Williams in a statement on Wednesday said, "we have high hopes that elected officials heard the American people loud and clear about trade, jobs, education and the inequality in this country." (Writing by Luciana Lopez in Miami; Additional reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Editing by Joseph White and Jonathan Oatis)
US election 2016: What time are the election results?

Americans are going to the polls to elect the 45th US president. Some of the results are in. Here's what to watch out for as the rest of election night unfolds.
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While most eyes have been set on the presidential race during the 2016 election, Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada and California all held a vote to legalize recreational marijuana, a decision that could potentially shift the nation on a cultural and economic level.

Paving the road ahead of them, Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington have all legalized, regulated and taxed marijuana for recreational use by adults, similar to laws that govern alcohol use. Additionally, Washington D.C. also legalized cannabis possession and cultivation for personal use. If all five states pass their ballots, cannabis will be legal for nearly one-fifth of the US population.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS.

Massachusetts passes recreational marijuana

Question 4 passed in Massachusetts, which will allow people 21 and older to use, grow and possess marijuana. The ballot was extremely close leading up to the final results, which definitely kept plenty of cannabis enthusiasts in the state on the edge of their seats.

The measure specifies that people would be allowed to possess one ounce of cannabis in public and a whopping 10 ounces of pot at home, which is a shitload of weed. The measure will also create the Cannabis Control Commission that will oversee legalization and issue licenses for those who wish to sell marijuana products.

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For reference, here's Tommy Chong holding 10 ounces of pot at medical marijuana dispensary Shango.

Image: Shango Las vegas

Additionally, the initiative will impose a modest 3.75 percent tax on top of Massachusetts sales tax, and will allow cities and towns to impose an additional 2 percent tax. Funds will go towards helping the state establish the new law and commission.

Question 4 states that legalization will take place on December 15, 2016. It should be a great Christmas and New Year in Massachusetts this year.

California votes for Recreational Marijuana

Proposition 64 passed in California, which will allow people 21 and older to possess and consume marijuana for recreational purposes. Adults will be allowed to hold one ounce of marijuana, and grow up to six plants in a secure area out of public view.

The measure will create two new taxes, one for cultivation and another for retail. The taxes will pay for the cost of administering the new law in addition to raising funds for youth substance abuse education, law enforcement training with a focus on DUI enforcement and environmental cleanup and restoration of public land damaged by illegal marijuana cultivation.

Recreational marijuana will effectively become legal tomorrow in California. Prop. 64 passes. https://t.co/NsrR5Hxnbv pic.twitter.com/SnuTK2Rssn  Los Angeles Times (@latimes) November 9, 2016

Proposition 64 passing in California isn't too surprising considering the state was the first to deregulate marijuana for medical use in 1996. The state also has some of the most relaxed qualifying symptoms, making it relatively easy for patients to receive treatment.

Nevada votes for recreational marijuana

Question 2 passed in Nevada, according to ABC News, which allows adults 21 and older to possess, purchase, cultivate and consume marijuana. Adults will be allowed to possess up to one ounce of cannabis, and those who don't live within 25 miles of a retail store will be able to grow up to six plants in an enclosed and locked area.

The measure also creates a 15 percent excise tax, which will be paid by licensed cultivators. Funds will first be used to implement the measure as well as regulation, and anything leftover will go to support public K-12 education.

Massachusetts and Nevada have voted in favor of legalizing marijuana, @ABC News projects based on vote analysis. https://t.co/ZU99KLLCWu  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) November 9, 2016

Arizona votes against recreational marijuana

According to NBC affiliate 12 News, Arizona is projected to vote against Proposition 205 to legalize recreational marijuana. The full results are still coming.

Medical Marijuana

In addition to the recreational vote, Florida, Montana, North Dakota and Arkansas also voted to allow qualifying residents with their doctor's recommendation access medical marijuana treatment, joining 25 states that have already developed medical marijuana laws.

Florida votes in favor of medical marijuana

#Florida passes medical marijuana ballot measure by 71%. 9 states voting on marijuana laws today. #Vote2016 #ElectionNight  Rhana Natour (@RNatourious) November 9, 2016

North Dakota votes in favor of medical marijuana

North Dakota becomes the latest state to allow medical #marijuana! pic.twitter.com/Q5MZDkB9Uu  MPP Marijuana Policy (@MarijuanaPolicy) November 9, 2016

So what's next?

While Massachusetts has a clear date when the laws will go into effect, it's going to take some time before you'll be purchasing legal weed from any of these states. Regulations need to be set, agencies need to be formed and most importantly, the public as well as law enforcement need to be educated. Thankfully, the four states that have already regulated recreational marijuana have set standards, acting as an experiment for the states that follow.

Results for Maine are not yet in

This story is currently developing ...
Collateral victims of the Cold War, the inhabitants of the Chagos Islands are striving to return home, 40 years after their eviction to make way for a US military base.

"It is our reason for living: the struggle to return to Chagos," said Saminaden Rosemond, an 80-year-old native of Peros Banhos, one of the 55 coral keys that make up the Indian Ocean archipelago, and who dreams of dying on the island where he was born.

Rosemond was among those expelled from the Chagos Islands in 1973 and has since then lived in Mauritius, more than 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) away. Once the islanders were removed, the best-known atoll, Diego Garcia, was turned into a vital US military base.

"It is our parents who are buried in cemeteries in Peros Banhos, Diego Garcia, Solomon. How can we agree not to place flowers there to honour our parents?" said Olivier Bancoult, President the Chagos Refugees Group in Mauritius and standard bearer of their cause.

Descended from slaves, Chagossians are prisoners of their own misfortune, their bad luck being to have lived on islands made strategic by the Cold War.

- 'An ignoble blackmail' -

As its colonial empire collapsed, Britain purchased the Chagos Islands from Mauritius.

"The Mauritian authorities in 1965 suffered an ignoble blackmail, but gave way. From their point of view at the time, it was a choice between independence or not," said Paul Berenger, an opposition leader and former prime minister of Mauritius.

A year later Britain leased the Chagos Islands to the US for 50 years -- until December 2016 -- with a possible extension up to 2036.

Between 1968 and 1973 around 2,000 Chagos Islanders were uprooted, a process blithely described in a British diplomatic cable of the time as the removal of "some few Tarzans and Man Fridays".

Most were shipped to Mauritius and the Seychelles.

The strategic nature of the remote and isolated Diego Garcia base became increasingly important through the 1970s as the fall of Saigon, the Khmer Rouge takeover of Cambodia and an assertive Soviet navy extended communist influence in the Indian Ocean.

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Later, it became a staging ground for the US bombing campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Faced with the joint power and common interests of the US and UK, the stateless Chagossians hold little sway, yet they continue to fight, with the assistance of the Mauritian government which claims sovereignty over the islands.

In September, Mauritius Prime Minister Sir Anerood Jugnauth pleaded the Chagossians' cause at the UN General Assembly and new British-Mauritian discussions are scheduled, with Mauritius reserving the right to refer the matter to the International Court of Justice.

To help push their case, pro-Chagossians have recently sought to disassociate the presence of the US base from the cause of their return.

"For us, the struggle is for independence. Mauritius does not dispute the existence of a base in Diego Garcia these days," said Berenger.

Bancoult, however, rails against the injustice whereby employees of the base are allowed to live on Diego Garcia but Chagossians are not.

"Why is Diego Garcia accessible to Filipinos, Singaporeans, Sri Lankans, the British, the Americans and not the Chagossians?" he fumed.

- Underhand tricks -

Despite the promise of talks, many Chagossians believe Britain is playing an underhand game. In 2010 the UK declared the islands part of a 'Marine Protected Area', arguing that people should not be permitted to live there, but the move backfired as a UN tribunal declared the move illegal in 2015.

"It's just a matter of time before Mauritius regains sovereignty over the islands," said Berenger.

Today, around 10,000 Chagossians and their descendants are divided among Mauritius, the Seychelles and Britain.

Many still hope to return to live in the archipelago or at least be able to visit, like Claudie, the adult daughter of Rosemond, who was just four years old when the family left Peros Banhos.

She has no memory of the place but her father's vivid stories have kept the islands alive for her.

"We often ask papa to tell us stories. Sometimes even the grandchildren laugh. So many memories. It's beautiful, and sad at the same time."

At her side, Rosemond silently stares, lost in memories of Peros Banhos.
Floating 200 miles above the Earths surface, a lonely US citizen cast his vote in the presidential elections, staying true to NASAs motto of vote while you float.

NASA on Monday said that Astronaut Shane Kimbrough, who is currently positioned at the International Space Station, has filled his ballot in the presidential elections.

Kimborugh left earth in October and wont be back until late February. Therefore, by the time he returns back home, USA will already have a new President.

Astronauts are pretty much apolitical, he told reporters, before heading off to space . And Ill be glad to welcome the new president, whoever that is.

Back in 1997, a bill was passed by Texas legislatures, putting into place the voting procedures for astronauts.

For astronauts, the voting process starts a year before launch, when astronauts are able to select which elections (local/state/federal) that they want to participate in while in space. Then, six months before the election, astronauts are provided with a standard form: the Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request  Federal Post Card Application, said NASA in a Instagram post.

The astronauts are sent a secure electronic ballot by mission control in Houston, which is returned to county clerk via email.

They send it back to Mission Control, said NASA spokesman Jay Bolden of JSC to Space.com.

Its a secure ballot that is then sent directly to the voting authorities, he said.

David Wolf became the first astronaut to exercise the provisions of the bill, when he cast his vote at a local election in the same year as it was passed. He was aboard the Russias Mir space station at the time.

The title of the first person to vote in presidential elections from space, belongs to Leroy Chia, who headed the International Space Stations Expedition in 2004.

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Beirut (AFP) - A US-led coalition air strike killed 20 civilians, including two children, overnight in a village near the Islamic State jihadist group's Syrian stronghold of Raqa, a monitor said Wednesday.

The coalition confirmed that it had carried out strikes in the area, but said it was investigating whether they had killed civilians.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said dozens of people were also wounded in the strikes Tuesday night on the village of Al-Heisha, 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Raqa.

"The toll has risen to 20 civilians, including nine women and two children," Observatory chief Rami Abdul Rahman said.

The monitor had earlier given a death toll of 16.

Abdul Rahman said 32 people were also injured in the strikes, adding that all the casualties were civilians.

The Observatory said the latest deaths brought the number of civilians killed since US-led air strikes in Syria began in September 2014 to 680, including 169 children.

Al-Heisha is controlled by IS and has been a target in a new assault by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as it pushes to capture the jihadists' bastion of Raqa.

Colonel John Dorrian, a spokesman for the coalition, told AFP that an "initial assessment" confirmed there had been strikes in the area.

"After an initial assessment of strike logs against the date and location of the alleged civilian casualties, the coalition confirms it did conduct strikes in the area described in the allegation," he said.

"However, more specific information is needed to conclusively determine responsibility."

He said investigations would continue into the incident and stressed that coalition forces adhere to "stringent targeting processes and procedures" to minimise civilian casualties.

A spokeswoman for the Kurdish-Arab alliance, however, dismissed the reports of civilian deaths.

"There is no such thing, and any such claims are IS news," Jihan Sheikh Ahmed told AFP.

Story continues

The SDF's media account said at least six IS fighters were killed by coalition air strikes on the village and accused the extremist group of preventing civilians from leaving Al-Heisha in a bid to use them as "human shields".

The SDF announced Sunday it had begun an operation to capture Raqa from IS, as the jihadist group also comes under pressure across the border in Iraq, where its bastion Mosul is under attack.

Civilians fleeing Al-Heisha told AFP on Tuesday that IS fighters had brought heavy weaponry into the village when the SDF operation began.

"Daesh (IS) fighters brought heavy weapons to our village and stayed among us so that if there were strikes they would hit us," 45-year-old Saada al-Aboud said.

"They wouldn't let us leave. We had to escape by running out into the fields, with our children and old people. What else could we do? We left everything behind."
VANCOUVER (Reuters) - Vancouver on Wednesday proposed a 1 percent tax on vacant homes starting next year as policymakers try to cool Canada's most expensive property market and relieve the scarcity of affordable housing. The tax on the city's 10,800 known empty homes and a further 10,000 homes that are not occupied long term would raise costs for foreign buyers and, the west coast Canadian city hopes, push absent homeowners to rent out their properties. "It's absolutely unacceptable for all that housing to be treated as a commodity first ... when housing is in such short supply," Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson told a news conference. All non-principal residences, which are unoccupied for at least six months of the year, as well as vacant residential land, are subject to the tax. The city will require an annual self-declaration on property status. If approved by city council next week, the tax will take effect on Jan. 1. Vancouver's real estate market has been a hotly contested issue, with many residents and housing advocates complaining that foreign buyers, especially from China, were driving up prices and making homes unaffordable for local people. In an effort to increase affordability, the province of British Columbia introduced a foreign property transfer tax that came into effect on Aug. 2, a move that has hit the city's home sales. The city of Vancouver estimates that if an additional 2,000 additional homes were made available for rent, the rental vacancy would rise to 3.5 percent from 0.6 percent. (Reporting by Catherine Ngai; Editing by Peter Cooney)
By Jessica Toonkel and Anya George Tharakan

(Reuters) - Viacom Inc <VIAB.O>, the owner of MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon, reported lower-than-expected quarterly revenue on Wednesday, weighed down by a decline in domestic advertising sales and the absence of hits from its Paramount film studio.

Domestic advertising revenue at the New York-based company fell 8 percent in the fourth quarter ended on Sept. 30, the ninth consecutive quarterly decline.

Analysts on average had expected a 7.8 percent fall, according to market research firm FactSet StreetAccount.

Viacom's shares were down 1.1 percent in morning trading.

The company, which has been struggling to turn around ratings and a decline in ad revenue, faces uncertainty after Chief Executive Officer Philippe Dauman was forced to resign in the wake of a bruising public battle with controlling shareholders Shari and Sumner Redstone.

Following Dauman's exit in August, the Redstones, who own 80 percent of voting shares of both CBS Corp <CBS.N> and Viacom, pushed the companies to consider merging. Both have formed special committees of their directors to explore the idea.

On a conference call with analysts, Viacom interim CEO Tom Dooley, who steps down on Tuesday, said the board's exploration of a merger with CBS was ongoing.

Many investors and observers expect the two to merge, with CBS CEO Leslie Moonves at the helm.

Earlier this month, Viacom said Bob Bakish, who heads its international business, would replace Dooley as acting CEO.

On the call, Bakish thanked the board, especially the Redstones, and outlined where he saw opportunities to turn Viacom around, particularly through further growth of its international business.

Kern Schireson, executive vice president of data strategy and consumer intelligence, talked about the potential to further increase Viacom's business by sharing data with advertisers to better target viewers.

Executives said they expected domestic affiliate revenue to increase at a low-single-digit percentage rate this year.

Story continues

Viacom's total revenue fell 14.8 percent to $3.23 billion from a year earlier. Analysts on average were expecting $3.30 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Net profit attributable to Viacom plunged 71 percent, but earnings before special items beat the analysts' average estimate.

Revenue from Viacom's film business fell 24.5 percent to $774 million from a year earlier, when "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" had a strong international performance.

Viacom executives were optimistic about turning around Paramount's performance. Dooley said "Transformers: The Last Knight" would be one of next summer's biggest movies.

(Reporting by Jessica Toonkel in New York; Anya George Tharakan in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
US envoy calls on NC leader Singh

US Ambassador Alaina B Teplitz paid a courtesy call on former deputy prime minister and Nepali Congress leader Prakash Man Singh at the latters residence in Chaskibari in the Capital on Tuesday.
CyberSource, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Visa Inc. V recently joined forces with Joint Electronic Teller Services Limited ("JETCO") to establish the most comprehensive payment gateway services for residents in Hong Kong.

Alongside individual customers, businesses and merchants of Hong Kong would largely benefit from this partnership as it ensures more convenience, ease and better choice in payment solutions. The financial institutions in Hong Kong and Macau that intend to expand their merchant acquiring businesses for online merchants would also gain from the alliance as it extends the latest popular payment options such as Visa Checkout and in-app purchase..

CyberSource is an internationally renowned payment management company capitalized under the brand value of Visa. On the other hand, JETCO is an expert in providing one stop eCommerce payment solutions and has gained considerable reputation and goodwill for the same. Hence, this strategic alliance would integrate JETCO's extensive bank network and local industry expertise with CyberSource's world class payment platform to revolutionize the eCommerce industry.

JETCOs payment gateway would provide customers greater benefits of online payment as it would accept more card types and the collaboration would result in faster payment solutions. Alongside, JETCO would be able to ensure enhanced online payment security through CyberSource's payment tokenization as well as rich fraud analytics and real-time fraud detection via CyberSource Decision Manager.

The strategic alliance would help the involved parties capitalize on the opportunities available in the booming eCommerce industry. Given that approximately 79% of the Hong Kong population has access to Internet the market is undoubtedly one of the most lucrative ones. In addition, eCommerce is rapidly becoming popular with 23% increase in mobile shopping.

VISA INC-A Price

VISA INC-A Price | VISA INC-A Quote

Story continues

Visa remains committed to innovate payment solutions for its customers by introducing a quick, secure and hassle-free eCommerce online payment experience. The aforesaid partnership with JETCO is in keeping with this goal of the company.

Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider

Visa presently carries Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The company reported positive surprises in each of the last four quarters with an average beat of 3.59%

Some better-ranked players from the Financial Transaction Services space include Equifax Inc. EFX, MasterCard Inc. MA and WEX Inc. WEX. All of these stocks carry Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here .

MasterCard delivered positive earning surprise in the last four quarters with an average beat of 8.56%.

Wex surpassed expectations in the last four quarters with an average beat of 9.27%.



Equifax reported positive surprises in the last four consecutive quarters with an average beat of 4.94%.

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Russian president Vladimir Putin on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on his U.S. presidential election victory and expressed "hope for joint work for bringing the Russian-U.S. relations out of the crisis."

He also expressed hope for "constructive dialogue" in a telegram published on the Kremlin's official website.

Meanwhile, members of the State Duma, the lower chamber of Russian parliament, welcomed the news about Trump's win with a round of applause, news agency RIA Novosti reported. It said that prominent legislator Vyacheslav Nikonov "congratulated" his colleagues on Trump's election.

Sergei Zheleznyak, a member of the Duma's international affairs committee, was quoted by news website Lenta.ru as saying that Hillary Clinton lost the election because of her association with Barack Obama, who "lost popularity" and caused "blatant anti-Russian hysteria."

In the days before the presidential vote, Russian state-run media mostly pictured Trump in a favorable light, while labeling Clinton a "corrupt insider."

On Sunday, Voskresnoye Vremya (Times on Sunday), a weekly news analysis show on the country's No. 1 network, Channel One, painted Clinton as a villain, referencing the email controversy that has hounded her, a financial contribution from Qatar and allegations that staffer Huma Abedin's family members had ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Overall, Russian media outlets have been covering the election quite heavily. In addition to leaning in favor of Trump, state-run media called the campaign "one of the dirtiest" in U.S. history.

On Election Day, Zvezda, the defense ministry's television network, ran a report under the headline, "Compromising Materials, Threats and Insults - This is How the U.S. Election Began."

Read more: SAG Gallery 2011 - Lea Michele
On a day when some Americans cast their vote for the country's first female president, many are paying tribute to the woman who made it possible.

Since early voting began, crowds have gathered at Susan B. Anthony's grave at Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York, to pay their respects to the woman who led the cause of women's suffrage during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

WATCH: Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck Vote Together on Election Day

During the past week, crowds have become so large that Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren had to extend the cemetery's visiting hours to accommodate Anthony's visitors.

While numbers have increased in light of Tuesday's election, this isn't the first time voters have paid tribute to Anthony.

"In past years, many Election Day visitors to Ms. Anthony's gravesite have left behind their 'I Voted Today' stickers," read a post on Mount Hope Cemetery's Facebook page. "Provisions will be made to allow this practice to continue with commemorative boards in place. Additionally, those visitors who leave their sticker behind will be given a special commemorative sticker in its place (while supplies last)."

People began lining up outside Mt Hope cemetery in #rochester before 6 am. Want to pay respects to Susan B Anthony #Election2016 pic.twitter.com/FpzsUCu0ea  NYup.com (@newyorkupstate) November 8, 2016

Susan B Anthony's tombstone at 9:15. And the people keep coming. #Vote2016 pic.twitter.com/zBG22YymHe  Ashley Doerzbacher (@AshleyD_News) November 8, 2016

Women are flocking to Susan B Anthony's NY State gravesite, leaving their "I Voted" stickers on headstone, in honor of historic election pic.twitter.com/bXZTjrdCKD  Tamala Edwards (@TamEdwards6abc) November 8, 2016

The 250 person line in Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester New York to pay their respects at Susan B Anthony's grave pic.twitter.com/Zv1WyTQyNl  Sarah Maslin Nir (@SarahMaslinNir) November 8, 2016

The scene at Susan B. Anthony's grave. And it's a scene. pic.twitter.com/mgQNwmsB9f  Sarah Maslin Nir (@SarahMaslinNir) November 8, 2016

RELATED: Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Robert Downey Jr. and More Encourage Fans to Vote

Story continues

Though not everyone can make it to Anthony's grave, Hollywood celebs are celebrating Election Day by casting their ballots and sharing photos with their "I Voted" stickers.

See more in the video below.

Related Articles
From Cosmopolitan

The results of Tuesday's election left many voters heartbroken and in shock. But while most - if not all - were vocal about their need to feel the pain and fear of what might happen in 2017 for tonight, just as many expressed their resolve to fight harder than ever for the rights of women, people of color, the LGTBQIA community, immigrants, differently abled people, and other minorities as soon as they wake up tomorrow morning.

Here are just a few reminders of how important and worthy that fight is.

1.

i do not know u and u do not know me tbh but so many of u are just doing your best to make this world a little better every day

do not stop - darth (@darth) November 9, 2016

2.

Dear Muslims, Immigrants, Women, Disabled, and All People of Color,



I love you - boldly and proudly. We will endure. We will not break. - Shaun King (@ShaunKing) November 9, 2016

3.

The rest of the country is learning what feminists already knew: there is work left to be done here. - Ella Rodham Dawson (@brosandprose) November 9, 2016

4.

In a room full of hope, we will be heard. Nothing can stop us. @iamderay #blacklivesmatter Stand up for kindness, equality, and love. pic.twitter.com/tYFJG7R7Ql - #CountryOfKindness (@ladygaga) November 9, 2016

5.

We've been fighting white supremacy since the first shackle was put on our ankles and will continue to fight moving forward. - @MsPackyetti pic.twitter.com/r7oivdYlPz - Reggie Cunningham (@kidnoble) November 9, 2016

6.

Resist the urge to retreat and harden. Look for the helpers. Be a helper.



(mostly writing that for myself, but I could use your help) - Jody Avirgan (@jodyavirgan) November 9, 2016

7.

8.

Take care of each other. pic.twitter.com/Sq83IdCfmz - 80 bags of chips (@arabellesicardi) November 9, 2016

9.

Let's start thinking tomorrow about what we're going to do, no matter what, to fight for justice in our towns. Let's share #whatsnext - Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) November 9, 2016

10.

i'm very sad bt what is making me feel a little better is thinking about how to strategize to protect those who will be vulnerable come 2017 - lriss phm (@lrsphm) November 9, 2016

11.

Cry tonight. Fight tomorrow. - Danny Zuker (@DannyZuker) November 9, 2016

12.

Please please please don't sugar coat this for your kids. Have the hard conversations. Use the words "racism," "sexism," and "islamophobia." - Jessica Luther (@scATX) November 9, 2016

13.

when i wake up, i promise to be more charitable. i promise to fight harder for good. i promise to support people around me. it's how we win - Matt Bellassai (@MattBellassai) November 9, 2016

14.

poc/womyn/lgbtq/undocumented immigrants/disabled, Our existence is valid. We can cry. but we aint defeated.Lets organize. Lets dismantle. - Sad Girls Guide (@SadGirlsGuide) November 9, 2016

15.

Despair opens the door for evil. Now is the time to double down on hope, on your beliefs. Together we will find a way. I believe in us. - zoe kazan (@zoeinthecities) November 9, 2016

16.

I'm taking tonight to grieve for minorities, women, immigrants, muslims & the LGBTQ community but tomorrow I'm waking up ready to fight. - Jesse Tyler Ferguson (@jessetyler) November 9, 2016

17.

I am not moving to Canada, not surprised by white supremacists & misogynists, and not afraid of Donald Trump. We have got to get to work. - Anil Dash (@anildash) November 9, 2016

18.

This is hard. But it's ok. It's gonna be ok. The future belongs to "us". Not "us v them". Get sad and angry if u have to.But then get active - Riz Ahmed (@rizmc) November 9, 2016

19.

We've diagnosed a deep problem- a hatred & fear- that tomorrow we must and will begin to plan a treatment for. Be a part of that treatment. - Garrett Werner (@gr8whitehoprah) November 9, 2016

20.

We're heartbroken. But tomorrow I promise that we will keep fighting for every single one of you who lost something profound tonight. - Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara) November 9, 2016

21.



Story continues

People of Color, Woman, LBGTQ, and all who love unconditionally. We will NOT go back in time. We need to keep fighting, loving and believing - Casey Rusu (@TheCaseyRusu) November 9, 2016

22.

Forget all that moving to Canada bs. Y'all better keep fighting. Protest and scream and do what you need to do for equality. We not leavin. - Lexie (@lexiesterling98) November 9, 2016

23.

I will keep fighting for what's right. I refuse to be afraid. And you know what--half this country will too. We're not going anywhere. - Marie Lu (@Marie_Lu) November 9, 2016

Follow Gina on Twitter.



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Donald Trump

Americans are waking up Wednesday to learn that they've elected President Trump.

The reality of this will come as a shock  just as the reality of Brexit came as a shock in the UK, where some people were apparently startled to realize what they had voted for. (Recent polls also suggest that, now that they've realized it, they regret it).

What are the consequences of electing Donald Trump president? What will happen? What will President Trump actually do?

Based on what we've heard from Trump and his campaign over the past 18 months, as well as a close reading of experts like Evan Osnos of The New Yorker  who wrote a great article on the topic  here are some of my assumptions about a theoretical Trump presidency.

The smaller stuff:

President Trump will sign executive orders "erasing" as much of Obama's presidency as possible and tossing other bones to his supporters. These will likely include withdrawing the US from the Paris emissions accord, loosening background checks on people buying guns, restarting the Keystone Pipeline process, ordering investigations of trade practices, halting the flow of Syrian refugees, and more. (See Evan Osnos for more.)

President Trump will reinstate methods considered torture under international laws as intelligence-gathering tools. He will not call it "torture." He will describe it as the US finally getting tough ("an eye for an eye"). Trump will likely get pushback on this from senior intelligence and military officials. If the officials refuse to follow his order, Trump will fire them and replace them with generals and officials whose primary value is loyalty to Trump. President Trump will also appoint loyalists to as many of the 4,000 appointed positions he controls as possible.

President Trump will immediately "bomb the hell out of ISIS"  somewhere. This bombing may be no different than the bombing the US has been doing for years. President Trump will tout it as a major new offensive and extol its effectiveness and toughness. He will boast about this show of strength compared with the weakness and stupidity of the Obama administration. He will come to enjoy having the power to command the world's most powerful military.

President Trump will quickly work with Congress to "repeal Obamacare." If Congress blocks him on this, he will attack, shame, and bully key members publicly, while cutting deals behind the scenes. If President Trump is smart, he and his GOP allies will not actually repeal Obamacare because Americans like many features of it and because they have nothing to replace it with. They will just make changes to it that begin to fix some of its problems.

President Trump will continue to use the same rhetorical style he has used throughout the campaign. Namely, he will lie, bully, shame, exaggerate, insult, and otherwise throw prior concepts of acting presidential into the dumpster. After a few months of disgust and alarm, Americans and other citizens of the world will get used to this, just as they have his campaign rhetoric.

President Trump will also maintain the relationship to the truth that he has had throughout his campaign. Namely, he will cite actual facts and truth only when they help him. When the truth is inconvenient, President Trump will lie, deny, attack and threaten truth-tellers, speak in platitudes, and change the subject. The Trump administration will likely be one of the most secretive, most dishonest, and least transparent in modern history.

President Trump will reward "terrific" people and punish "terrible" people. The common attribute of "terrific" people will be that they support President Trump. The common attribute of the "terrible" people will be that they oppose President Trump. After a bruising election, President Trump will have lots of rewards to provide and scores to settle.

President Trump will announce that he is renegotiating NAFTA and other key US trade agreements and suspend potential participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He will make minor changes to these trade deals and announce that he has replaced them with "great deals." He will tout any job growth that follows these changes as a direct result of these deals. President Trump will also likely slap high tariffs on Chinese imports to show that he is serious about "winning" and bringing jobs back. China will retaliate. The resulting limited trade war will likely be disruptive and bad for business in both countries. President Trump will say it is working great.

President Trump will personally unveil plans for his southern border wall. He will deliver the press conference announcing it and show scale models of it. Some sections of this wall may eventually be built. American taxpayers will pay for them. Trump will boast about how the wall is responsible for job creation and reduced crime. He will also increase the size of America's deportation force and tout the number of people it deports.

President Trump will propose $1 trillion of new spending on US infrastructure. Congress will support at least some of this. These projects will be unambiguously good for the country, even as they increase US federal debt. President Trump will also maintain Social Security and Medicare. He will pass a tax cut, of which most of the benefits will go to the wealthy. He will close the "carried interest tax loophole," which is one of the most egregious tax loopholes in the whole tax code. With the exception of the tax cut and deficit increase, all of these moves will be be good for America.

President Trump will never release his tax returns.

Story continues

A combination photo shows U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump (L) at a campaign event in Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. on October 26, 2016 and U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a campaign rally in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S. on October 27, 2016. To match Insight USA-ELECTION/NORTHCAROLINA REUTERS/Carlo Allegri (L)/Carlos Barria (R)/File Photos

The bigger stuff:

President Trump will mishandle a tricky geopolitical or military situation  with grave and potentially catastrophic consequences. Three obvious candidates involve the Middle East, North Korea, and China. The most likely candidate, meanwhile, is Russia. Trump will consider his personal relationship with Putin a higher priority than stopping Russia's territorial advances or supporting US allies. Putin already knows this and will take advantage of it. At some point, Putin will likely make a move into the rest of Ukraine or the Baltics. President Trump will either not respond, thus undermining NATO, or respond slowly or unwisely. He might also be so enraged by this personal betrayal by Putin that he might do something crazy, like nuclear saber rattling.

President Trump will try to modify the First Amendment and restrict freedom of the press. He will initially do this by rewarding supportive news organizations and reporters and savaging critical ones. If this does not stifle criticism of him or his administration, Trump will increase his harassment of critics by ordering investigations and encouraging supporters to boycott them. President Trump will call on his attorney general to threaten news organizations with criminal indictments and force them to turn over their sources. He will also do this on behalf of allies in Congress and organizations and people who support him, thus increasing support for actual changes in law.

President Trump will respond to terror attacks by barring Muslims from entering the country and increasing surveillance and profiling of Muslims in the US. If the attacks continue, President Trump will take another step, creating Muslim registration and/or camps in the US. President Trump will also respond to attacks by obliterating cities in Syria, Iraq, and other countries to punish "radical Islamic terrorists" and their families (and hundreds of thousands of other people). More broadly, President Trump's bigoted rhetoric will likely inflame racial and religious tensions in the US, leading to more violence and protests. For many Trump supporters, making America "great" again means making America "white and Christian" again, and even if President Trump does not actively support this, he'll do little to discourage it. (If the attack is just the usual generic US gun massacre, meanwhile, President Trump will extol the need for more guns for self-defense and tougher policing.)

President Trump will get impatient with the "checks and balances" on presidential power and try to expand the power of the presidency. If the economy stays solid and there are no major terrorist attacks or geopolitical crises, this will be difficult to do. If the economy deteriorates or there is a crisis, however, it will be easier. It is important to remember that, if elected, Trump will already have far more power and public support than famous dictators had when they came to power. (For example, see: "How Hitler went from a fringe politician to a dictator.")

Trump

Other consequences:

The stock market will drop 10-20% (for starters). A Trump presidency will significantly increase risk and uncertainty. That unnerves investors and business decision-makers. US companies will temporarily "freeze" plans while they try to figure out what President Trump is likely to do. This will likely temporarily slow economic growth. President Trump will blame the Obama administration for this and use it to demand emergency action from Congress. Trump's explicit attacks on many American companies  Ford, Amazon, Macy's, Nabisco, Apple  and promises to force some of these companies to move some manufacturing back to America will also unnerve decision-makers. Almost no major CEOs have supported Trump, and many have spoken out against him. These CEOs know that Trump will take this personally.

The fiscal deficit and debt will balloon. Trump's proposed tax cuts for the rich will not stimulate growth, just as the Bush tax cuts did not stimulate growth (because taxes on the wealthy are not actually stifling growth  what is stifling growth is the lack of middle-class spending power). The tax cut will, however, increase the deficit and accelerate the growth of federal debt. President Trump will blame this on Congress and the Obama administration.

At some point in President Trump's first term, there will be a major recession, and the stock market will drop 30-50% from the peak. President Trump's policies may well trigger this recession. Trade wars, for example, generally hurt economies and lead to job losses. Whatever happens, President Trump will blame it on his opponents and use it to try to expand his own power (see above). Widespread economic misery will make this easier.

Personally, I hope most of this doesn't happen. I hope that President Trump will be the president that some of his smarter supporters expect him to be  not the mean, petty, reckless, and uninformed proto-tyrant he sounds like, but a reasonable, effective pragmatist who just enjoys entertaining crowds by saying outrageous and offensive things and otherwise acting like a boor.

But given how consistent Trump has been in his actions and pronouncements over the past 18 months, I think it's more likely that what we've seen is what we will get.

NOW WATCH: How late-breaking bombshells affected past presidential elections





More From Business Insider


By Nate Raymond

Nov 8 (Reuters) - Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc sued Theranos Inc on Tuesday, seeking $140 million in damages while accusing its onetime lab-testing partner of breaching a contract, according to court records.

The company's Walgreen Co unit filed the lawsuit in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, five months after the drugstore chain announced it was ending its relationship with Theranos.

Details of the lawsuit were unclear, as Walgreens filed it under seal, citing a confidentiality agreement between the two companies. A Walgreens spokesman declined to comment.

In a statement, Theranos said it was "disappointed" Walgreens filed the lawsuit. Theranos claimed Walgreens has "consistently failed to meet its commitments to Theranos" and mishandled the companies' partnership.

"We will respond vigorously to Walgreens' unfounded allegations, and will seek to hold Walgreens responsible for the damage it has caused to Theranos and its investors," Theranos said.

Theranos was founded by CEO Elizabeth Holmes in 2003 to develop a blood-testing device that would deliver quicker results using only a drop of blood.

The Palo Alto, California-based company ran into trouble after the Wall Street Journal published a series of articles beginning in October 2015 suggesting its blood-testing devices were flawed and inaccurate.

In June, Walgreens announced that it was terminating its relationship with Theranos and closing operations at 40 blood-draw sites that the Silicon Valley company ran in Arizona at Walgreens' stores.

The decision came after Walgreens in January decided to halt Theranos laboratory testing services at its Palo Alto location.

The case is Walgreen Co v. Theranos Inc, U.S. District Court, District of Delaware, No. 16-01040.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Andrew Hay)
By Nate Raymond (Reuters) - Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc sued Theranos Inc on Tuesday, seeking $140 million in damages while accusing its onetime lab-testing partner of breaching a contract, according to court records. The company's Walgreen Co unit filed the lawsuit in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, five months after the drugstore chain announced it was ending its relationship with Theranos. Details of the lawsuit were unclear, as Walgreens filed it under seal, citing a confidentiality agreement between the two companies. A Walgreens spokesman declined to comment. In a statement, Theranos said it was "disappointed" Walgreens filed the lawsuit. Theranos claimed Walgreens has "consistently failed to meet its commitments to Theranos" and mishandled the companies' partnership. "We will respond vigorously to Walgreens' unfounded allegations, and will seek to hold Walgreens responsible for the damage it has caused to Theranos and its investors," Theranos said. Theranos was founded by CEO Elizabeth Holmes in 2003 to develop a blood-testing device that would deliver quicker results using only a drop of blood. The Palo Alto, California-based company ran into trouble after the Wall Street Journal published a series of articles beginning in October 2015 suggesting its blood-testing devices were flawed and inaccurate. In June, Walgreens announced that it was terminating its relationship with Theranos and closing operations at 40 blood-draw sites that the Silicon Valley company ran in Arizona at Walgreens' stores. The decision came after Walgreens in January decided to halt Theranos laboratory testing services at its Palo Alto location. The case is Walgreen Co v. Theranos Inc, U.S. District Court, District of Delaware, No. 16-01040. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Andrew Hay)
By Lawrence Delevingne, Suzanne Barlyn and Jennifer Ablan

NEW YORK (Reuters) - From plush penthouse apartments on the Upper East Side to bars in midtown Manhattan, New Yorks financial community watched in stunned dismay on Wednesday as Republican Donald Trump clinched the White House.

An early party mood quickly soured as donors and supporters of Hillary Clinton realized that the Democratic candidate, Wall Street's preferred choice because she represented the status quo, had lost.

Many were stuck for words.

Not really much to say, said Marc Lasry, a billionaire credit investor.

Trump's unpredictable pronouncements and opposition to free-trade agreements have made the real estate mogul unpopular with many financiers, who fear that he could disrupt global trade and damage geopolitical relationships.

The U.S. dollar sank and stocks plummeted as investors fled risky assets. S&P 500 index futures crashed.

Joseph Peiffer, a lawyer who has represented investors and others in class-action lawsuits, cracked open a third bottle of wine, his "only in the case of an emergency" bottle, while watching the returns during an election night party he hosted for about 20 friends and family members in his hometown of New Orleans.

"This seems like enough of an emergency to break it open," he said.

Trump's pronouncements on the financial sector have perplexed Wall Street.

On the one hand, he has pledged to dismantle much of the regulation put in place after the financial crisis, known as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law. On the other hand, he has called for a "21st century" version of the 1933 Glass-Steagall law that required the separation of commercial and investment banking.

Trump has not said what that version would entail other than saying that he would prioritize "helping African-American businesses get the credit they need."

"Sometimes you hear him on the stump criticizing the banks," Peiffer said. "Then his policy paper says he wants to deregulate the bank. The two things don't jive. But who knows what he really thinks. And we won't know that until he does it."

Story continues

FROM "DELUSIONAL" TO RIGHT

For Trump supporters who work on Wall Street, his victory is a vindication.

"I'm very happy," said Matthew Tyrmand, a private investor and contributor to the Breitbart News website, who was attending a Young Republicans party at a bar off Madison Avenue.

Tyrmand, who had shorted stocks ahead of the election - a bet that stock prices will fall - said he had been called "delusional" for predicting a Trump win.

Tyrmand said Trump would be good news for markets because he understands the benefit of letting businesses fail. He predicted equity markets would go through a prolonged correction before recovering.

"We will be healthier long term," he said.

Around Tyrmand, other Trump supporters hugged one another, sang "God Bless America", clinked glasses and called out "M-A-G-A!" - the acronym for Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again."

But in one corner of the bar, a man and a woman downed shots before starting on fresh pints of beer. Asked if the drinks were out of celebration or depression, the response was quick: "Depression," the man said, declining to give his name. "But either way we drink"

Matthew Farley, a lawyer with Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP in New York, said he had been warning friends and colleagues about an electoral upset for months.

"I told them that ... a significant portion of the country wanted someone to do a cannonball into the pool and mess up the status quo," said Farley, who advises Wall Street brokerages on regulation and arbitration issues.

"The cannonball party is not united. They're progressives and conservatives, but they're fed up with the status quo and all they know is that anything is better than what we got."

Trump supporter Steven Chiavarone, associate portfolio manager for Federated Global Investment Management Corp, a fund that invests in stocks, bonds and currencies globally, said the market gyrations should not be seen as a harbinger of doom.

"The world doesn't end. Assuming capitalism survives, you manage through the volatility and then find the opportunity."

(Additional reporting by Lauren Hirsch in New York. Writing by Carmel Crimmins; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis)
US varsity rebuilds new rooms for quake-hit school

A visiting US university team has handed over new classrooms to Jagriti Basic School (JBS) in Lapsiphedi VDC that lies northeast of Kathmandu. The school was destroyed in last years 7.8-magnitude earthquake that claimed nearly 9,000 lives in the country.
By Lawrence Delevingne and Jennifer Ablan

NEW YORK (Reuters) - From plush penthouse apartments on the Upper East Side to suburban mansions, New Yorks financial community gathered to watch election results on Tuesday with a mix of anxiety and relief.

The Wall Street work day was relatively calm as the U.S. stock market advanced for a second straight day on expectations of a win by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, seen by Wall Street as more predictable than Republican Donald Trump.

But any deviation from the expected outcome of a Clinton win and at least the lower house of Congress still controlled by the Republicans could cause consternation for the citys financiers.

For the most part, hedge fund managers, bank executives and other financial big shots returned to their homes in New York City or nearby suburbs to watch television coverage in relative quiet with families or a few friends.

Clinton fundraiser and donor Robert Wolf, the former chairman of UBS Americas, was skipping the glitzy official party being thrown by the Democratic nominee in favor of watching the results at home in Westchester, a suburban enclave north of the city.

One investment banker supporting Trump said he was leaving work early because New York will be a madhouse and he preferred to watch the election with his children at their home in suburban New Jersey.

A few big Wall Street donors took the opposite tact, saying they planned on hitting the parties thrown by Clinton and Trump, surrounded by a swirl of campaign staff, supporters and media.

Democratic supporter Marc Lasry, the billionaire credit investor, was expected to be among the large crowd on Manhattans far west side at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Clintons hub for Tuesday night.

Lasry and other financial world donors were also expected to attend an earlier, smaller Clinton event at the New York Mercantile Exchange in lower Manhattan.

Trumps band of Wall Street supporters stayed close to their candidate, too. Investors Anthony Scaramucci, Steven Mnuchin and Wilbur Ross said they planned to be at the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, the campaigns official base for the night and where Trump is expected to give a victory or concession speech.

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Since I have already voted in Florida, I will be at the New York victory party, said Ross, who is an adviser on Trumps economic team.

Hours before the election results started rolling in, Ross said by telephone: Im feeling good. Most of everything is in the margin of error, so that is a good thing. This is going to be tight.

Scaramucci said he was preparing for a big night.

Were getting ready for an unbelievable celebration tonight, he said in a live Periscope video broadcast from Trump Tower, the campaigns normal headquarters on Fifth Avenue.

Further uptown, hedge fund manager Jim Chanos was throwing an Election Day soiree at his Upper East Side penthouse condominium.

Chanos, a staunch supporter of President Barack Obama, said he was expecting half his guests to be Republicans.

Chanos, who runs Kynikos Associates and is best known for shorting stocks, said he would not be voting for any presidential candidate this election cycle but instead concentrated on the Senate and House of Representatives races.

(Additional reporting by Lauren Hirsch in New York; Editing by Carmel Crimmins and Leslie Adler)
By Karl Plume and Michael Hirtzer

CHICAGO, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Unseasonably mild weather around the United States is keeping pastures green and slowing feed consumption rates by livestock, exacerbating an animal feed glut that has dragged grain prices in many areas to the lowest levels in years.

Feed grain sales that normally accelerate in November, when colder weather increases the appetites of cattle and hogs, have remained tepid. There is little hope for a bounce in the near term, analysts said.

The National Weather Service has forecast above-normal temperatures this month across the Plains and Midwest, home to large cattle and hog herds.

Cattle rancher Barbara Cooksley has kept her 900 cows on pasture a month longer than normal near Broken Bow, Nebraska. Frost usually hits the area in mid-September, signaling the time when cattle need feed pellets to supplement shrinking supplies of forage.

"Cows would much prefer to keep on grazing. When there's native grass available, it's better to leave the cows on that," Cooksley said.

Feed is abundant after record-large autumn harvests of U.S. corn and soybeans followed a bumper crop of winter wheat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted wheat feed and residual use as the highest in four years due to plentiful supplies and low prices.

Reduced shipments of distillers' grains, a byproduct of corn-based ethanol, to China after the top buyer imposed anti-dumping duties on imports from the United States also left more available for the domestic market.

The feed options are a welcome reprieve for livestock producers struggling with low prices for their animals. Reduced profits have already prompted some cattle producers to cull heifers.

"If you're an end user, this is a dream come true because they are dealing with some horrendous livestock prices right now," said Tanner Ehmke, senior economist with CoBank.

"But if you're a grain producer, it's not such a great thing because we're going to be dealing with overhanging supplies for quite some time," he said.

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Bids for corn shipped by rail into Hereford, Texas, a location seen as a barometer for feed demand from the cattle industry, sank to a 52-cent premium above Chicago Board of Trade corn futures, the weakest in nearly four years.

Pasture conditions in the Southern Plains feedlot states of Texas and Kansas were above average, according to USDA data.

"The weather is so nice, the grass continues to grow. There's not a lot of reasons to go out and buy grain. Until we start to see the weather change, it's going to be slow," said a Minnesota feed dealer.

The feed oversupply already is squeezing margins for grain handlers such as Archer Daniels Midland Co and Bunge Ltd , who blamed heightened competition in feed sales for weak soy processing profit margins in their most recent quarters.

"Margins globally were impacted by softer-than-anticipated (soy) meal demand, as low-quality, low-price wheat replaced corn and soy meal in feed formulations," Bunge Chief Executive Soren Schroder said during an earnings-day conference call last week.

To be sure, there are more animals to feed as U.S. livestock herds and poultry flocks are the biggest in years. The U.S. hog population reached 70.85 million on Sept. 1, highest level since 1943, and chicken and turkey flocks have rebounded from the deadly avian influenza that killed 50 million birds in 2015.

Drought conditions in some parts of the South and the Dakotas have dried pastures and limited grazing. Meanwhile, feed dealers from the Texas Panhandle to the dairy country in upstate New York are waiting for wintry weather to set in, forcing livestock from pastures onto purchased feed instead.

"If you have some snow on the grass, you'd be feeding a lot," said a trader who sells railcars of soymeal in Kansas City.

(Editing by Matthew Lewis)
Warren Beattys Biggest Films, Ranked

Warren  who?

Back in 1967, when Warren Beatty was fast on his way to becoming one of Hollywoods biggest stars, Esquire writer Rex Reed was so frustrated by a long, rambling interview with the actor that he wrote up a hatchet job called Will the Real Warren Beatty Please Shut Up? that opened with a visit to the UCLA campus in which he asked five random students what they thought of the star. Only one even recognized the name, a point Reed took as damning proof that Beatty wasnt nearly as big a deal as everyone seemed to think  when in fact, you could go down to UCLA now and perform the same poll with the name Joe Biden or Mike Pence and the recognition would be even lower.

For Beatty, that profile was so embarrassing that he swore off press for the next quarter-century, contributing to a mystique (coupled with his mythology as the industrys most seductive star) that makes him uniquely suited to the role of eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes in Rules Dont Apply.

And yet, it has been so long since the last time Beatty made a movie (15 years since Town & Country, an R-rated flop seen by no one under the age of 17  and by very few adults) that a proper repeat of Reeds mean-spirited experiment would be hard-pressed to find anyone of the college-aged generation who knows Beattys work  which surely explains why the poster for Rules Dont Apply reads, From the Academy Award winning filmmaker of Reds, Heaven Can Wait, Shampoo, Dick Tracy, Bonnie and Clyde, Bugsy and Bulworth.'

Thats one helluva track record  listing seven of Beattys proudest producing credits, four of which the star also directed himself. How many of them have you actually seen? What follows is a ranking of those seven Warren Beatty movies from Varietys chief film critic, Peter Debruge.

Related stories

Diane Keaton on Warren Beatty: 'Sexy,' 'Mysterious' and 'Extremely Gifted'

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Warren Beatty on His Long-Awaited Return to Hollywood With 'Rules Don't Apply'

Oscars: Two Top-Tier Choices Buoy Best Actor Category
Shock, sadness, anger and fear spread across Mexico on Wednesday as the nation woke up to the reality of a U.S. president who has threatened to deport millions of its countrymen, rip up trade deals and make it pay for a wall along the American border. The electoral victory of Donald J. Trump was already shaking the Mexican economy before dawn, with the peso weakening in after market and Asian trading by 13 percentits most rapid loss since the 1994 Tequila crisis, which decimated the country. Mexicos stock exchange then opened to fall 4 percent.

But market losses paled next to the long-term risk of facing a highly antagonistic U.S. government for the first time in generations. The United States became a superpower after the Second World War and since then we have never had to face it being openly hostile towards us, says Alejandro Hope, a former member of Mexicos federal intelligence agency. It is far more powerful than us, and it holds all the cards. If Trump takes a very aggressive stance to Mexico it could do overwhelming damage.

Read More: The Making of President Donald Trump

Trade between the two nations has mushroomed since the passage North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, and last year Mexico exported $316 billion worth of goods and services to the U.S., accounting for almost a third of its $1.1 trillion economy. But Trump has promised to rewrite or scrap NAFTA to try and bring manufacturing jobs back north. There are also 11 million Mexicans living in the United States, about half without papers, and they sent back almost $25 billion in remittances last year. But Trump promised to step up deportations, at one point calling for a new deportation force.

I feel uncertainty and indignation about where this will lead, said Sandra Ramirez, a social worker in Ciudad Juarez, which borders El Paso, Texas. The election of Trump reflects an intolerant society with a racism that has been woken up. Like many in Juarez, Ramirez crosses the border back and forth into El Paso on an almost daily basis. But she fears that Trumps presidency could lead to much harsher inspections on the border as happened in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, when fear of terrorists crossing over from Mexico created backups that made many suspend going into the U.S.

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Read More: After Trumps Win, Megyn Kelly Is a Star Without a Base

The Mexican government tried to give reassurances that it was ready for the Trump effect. Mexico is in a position of strength to confront the new environment, Finance Secretary Jose Antonio Meade said in a joint news conference with the head of the central bank. Meanwhile, President Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted that he was open to working with Trump. I trust that Mexico and the United States will go on strengthening their links of cooperation and mutual respect, he wrote. In August, Trump went to Pena Nietos presidential palace in Mexico, a meeting that garnered widespread criticism here for pandering to a candidate seen as offending Mexicans. In a survey before the election, 83 percent of Mexicans said they had an unfavorable view of Trump.

However, some Mexicans have more nuanced views to the Trump victory. Bernardo Estevez, who runs an orange juice stand near the Mexico City center, says he respects Trumps nationalism. He wears the t-shirt of his nation and he says that he is going to look after his people and screw everybody else, Estevez says. Here our politicians just steal from us and take the money out of the country. Mexico has suffered a series of high profile corruption cases, including that of the governor of Veracruz State Gov. Javier Duarte who went on the run last month following embezzlement allegations, and is alleged to have more than 100 houses in the United States.

Read More: Donald Trumps Brexit-Plus Victory Leaves Some U.K. Lawmakers Cold

Others believe that Trumps bark may be worse than his bite. Academic Jorge Chabat, who specializes on U.S.-Mexico relations, says that Trump will be constrained by both the courts and U.S. businesses. He will be the president of the United States but not the owner of it and not the king of a small country in Africa who can do whatever he likes, Chabat says. If he sticks a 35 percent duty on goods coming from Mexico, the first to complain will be the businesses in Texas and California who benefit from cheap Mexican imports.

Another figure who weighed in on the Trump victory was presidential hopeful Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, a leftist who hopes to replace Pena Nieto when his term runs out in 2018. Lopez Obrador, who champions an anti-establishment nationalism that some have compared with Trumps discourse, released a video telling Mexicans not to worry. You must not forget that Mexico, because of the efforts and sacrifices of our founding fathers, is a country that is free, independent, sovereign, he said. It is not a colony. It is not a protectorate. It doesnt depend on any foreign government.
Photo: Neftlix/Access Hollywood Still

When not biting nails, downing shots or breaking glasses, people took a moment to notice Megyn Kellys blond hair (in search of something a little brighter, probably) last night. The Fox News anchor rocked a new do that looked eerily similar to Claire Underwoods  yes, the fictional first lady from Netflixs House of Cards  for her election night coverage.

The presenter, wore her cropped blond hair in soft waves, parted on the side, slightly falling in front of one eye. It was not long before people called out the comparison on Twitter.

.@megynkelly rocking her coverage and her Claire Underwood hair on Fox #USElection2016  Victoria Craw (@victoria_craw) November 8, 2016

But that shouldnt come as a surprise because her stylist once told the Hollywood Reporter that the polished and sharp Underwood serves as inspiration for Kellys look. We talk a lot about Claire Underwood from House of Cards, Kellys fashion stylist Dana Perriello told the Hollywood Reporter. I think Megyn has a sexier edge than that character. Shes like a sexed-up version of her.

We see the resemblance, but Underwoods hair is usually slick straight. In fact, we think Kellys hair looks more like Hillary Clintons. Maybe she was hinting at whom she wanted to win. Whoever she was channeling, she definitely looked the part of powerful woman.

Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
Donald Trump addressed a crowd of his supporters in New York on Tuesday night for his victory speech.

At the New York Hilton Midtown, only a few blocks from his Trump Tower residence and campaign headquarters, the Donald J. Trump Victory Party opened its doors at 6:30 p.m. ET for an invite-only gathering for supporters of the Trump-Pence campaign. Trump told Fox & Friends Tuesday morning that he is "a little superstitious," something a Washington Post source cited as the reason behind the low-key event. The president-elect watched the results from his Trump Tower hotel before heading to the site to deliver his acceptance speech.

His triumph over Hillary Clinton will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House and threatens to undo major achievements of President Barack Obama. Trump had pledged to act quickly to repeal Obama's landmark health care law, revoke the nuclear agreement with Iran and rewrite important trade deals with other countries, particularly Mexico and Canada.

During his acceptance speech, Trump vowed late Wednesday night to unify a deeply divided nation. "I say it is time for us to come together as one united people," he told supporters. "For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, I'm reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so we can work together and unify our great country."

Read more: President Obama to Meet With Donald Trump on Thursday

Watch above and read the full text to Trump's acceptance speech below:

Thank you. Thank you very much, everybody. Sorry to keep you waiting. Complicated business. Complicated. Thank you very much.

I've just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us. It's about us. On our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign.

I mean, she fought very hard. Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country.

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I mean that very sincerely. Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division, have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.

It is time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be President for all of Americans, and this is so important to me. For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, I'm reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so that we can work together and unify our great country.

As I've said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement, made up of millions of hard-working men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their family.

It is a movement comprised of Americans from all races, religions, backgrounds, and beliefs, who want and expect our government to serve the people -- and serve the people it will.

Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American dream. I've spent my entire life in business, looking at the untapped potential in projects and in people all over the world.

That is now what I want to do for our country. Tremendous potential. I've gotten to know our country so well. Tremendous potential. It is going to be a beautiful thing. Every single American will have the opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential.

The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals. We're going to rebuild our infrastructure, which will become, by the way, second to none. And we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it.

We will also finally take care of our great veterans who have been so loyal, and I've gotten to know so many over this 18-month journey.The time I've spent with them during this campaign has been among my greatest honors. Our veterans are incredible people.

We will embark upon a project of national growth and renewal. I will harness the creative talents of our people, and we will call upon the best and brightest to leverage their tremendous talent for the benefit of all. It is going to happen.

We have a great economic plan. We will double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world. At the same time, we will get along with all other nations willing to get along with us. We will be. We will have great relationships. We expect to have great, great relationships.

No dream is too big, no challenge is too great. Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach.

America will no longer settle for anything less than the best. We must reclaim our country's destiny and dream big and bold and daring. We have to do that. We're going to dream of things for our country, and beautiful things and successful things once again.

I want to tell the world community that while we will always put America's interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone, with everyone. All people and all other nations.

We will seek common ground, not hostility; partnership, not conflict.

And now I would like to take this moment to thank some of the people who really helped me with this, what they are calling tonight a very, very historic victory.

First, I want to thank my parents, who I know are looking down on me right now. Great people. I've learned so much from them. They were wonderful in every regard. Truly great parents.

I also want to thank my sisters, Marianne and Elizabeth, who are here with us tonight. Where are they? They're here someplace. They're very shy, actually.

And my brother Robert, my great friend. Where is Robert? Where is Robert?

My brother Robert, and they should be on this stage, but that's okay. They're great.

And also my late brother Fred, great guy. Fantastic guy. Fantastic family. I was very lucky.

Great brothers, sisters, great, unbelievable parents.

To Melania and Don and Ivanka and Eric and Tiffany and Barron, I love you and I thank you, and especially for putting up with all of those hours. This was tough.

This was tough. This political stuff is nasty, and it is tough.

So I want to thank my family very much. Really fantastic. Thank you all. Thank you all. Lara, unbelievable job. Unbelievable. Vanessa, thank you. Thank you very much. What a great group.

You've all given me such incredible support, and I will tell you that we have a large group of people. You know, they kept saying we have a small staff. Not so small. Look at all of the people that we have. Look at all of these people.

And Kellyanne and Chris and Rudy and Steve and David. We have got tremendously talented people up here, and I want to tell you it's been very, very special.

I want to give a very special thanks to our former mayor, Rudy Giuliani. He's unbelievable. Unbelievable. He traveled with us and he went through meetings, and Rudy never changes. Where is Rudy. Where is he?

Gov. Chris Christie, folks, was unbelievable. Thank you, Chris. The first man, first senator, first major, major politician. Let me tell you, he is highly respected in Washington because he is as smart as you get.

Sen. Jeff Sessions. Where is Jeff? A great man. Another great man, very tough competitor. He was not easy. He was not easy. Who is that? Is that the mayor that showed up? Is that Rudy?

Up here. Really a friend to me, but I'll tell you, I got to know him as a competitor because he was one of the folks that was negotiating to go against those Democrats, Dr. Ben Carson. Where's Ben? Where is Ben? By the way, Mike Huckabee is here someplace, and he is fantastic. Mike and his family Sarah, thank you very much. Gen. Mike Flynn. Where is Mike? And Gen. Kellogg. We have over 200 generals and admirals that have endorsed our campaign and they are special people.

We have 22 Congressional Medal of Honor people. A very special person who, believe me, I read reports that I wasn't getting along with him. I never had a bad second with him. He's an unbelievable star. He is ... that's right, how did you possibly guess? Let me tell you about Reince. I've said Reince. I know it. I know it. Look at all of those people over there. I know it, Reince is a superstar. I said, they can't call you a superstar, Reince, unless we win it. Like Secretariat. He would not have that bust at the track at Belmont.

Reince is really a star and he is the hardest-working guy, and in a certain way I did this. Reince, come up here. Get over here, Reince.

Boy, oh, boy, oh, boy. It's about time you did this right. My god. Nah, come here. Say something.

Amazing guy. Our partnership with the RNC was so important to the success and what we've done, so I also have to say, I've gotten to know some incredible people.

The Secret Service people. They're tough and they're smart and they're sharp and I don't want to mess around with them, I can tell you. And when I want to go and wave to a big group of people and they rip me down and put me back down in the seat, but they are fantastic people so I want to thank the Secret Service.

And law enforcement in New York City, they're here tonight. These are spectacular people, sometimes underappreciated unfortunately. We appreciate them.

So it's been what they call a historic event, but to be really historic, we have to do a great job, and I promise you that I will not let you down. We will do a great job. We will do a great job. I look very much forward to being your president, and hopefully at the end of two years or three years or four years or maybe even eight years you will say so many of you worked so hard for us, with you. You will say that -- you will say that that was something that you were -- really were very proud to do and I can - thank you very much.

And I can only say that while the campaign is over, our work on this movement is now really just beginning. We're going to get to work immediately for the American people, and we're going to be doing a job that hopefully you will be so proud of your President. You will be so proud. Again, it's my honor.

It's an amazing evening. It's been an amazing two-year period, and I love this country. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Thank you to Mike Pence.

Read more: Donald Trump Named President-Elect of the United States
It was just after 11 in the morning on Wednesday in Hong Kong when Donald Trump was predicted to win Ohio, but it was not too early for the scrum of middle-aged Democrats holed up in a Belgian beer bar to order tequila. Theyd rented a private room here, with a projection screen on which was cast a stream of NBC News. It was supposed to be a good morning.

I thought Id come here for a nice morning, as a formality, then go on my way, says Anthony Solimini, who like so many of the 60,000 American expatriates in Hong Kong works in finance  in his case, wealth management at UBS. He had a Leffe beer in front of him, and also the dregs of a Bloody Mary in a glass goblet, which he said was his wifes. And now  Im physically sick. Im so depressed.

And so they drank. Buttons that the Democrats Abroad had handed out  featuring the name Hillary in Chinese characters and the Hong Kong skyline superimposed within Clintons forward-pointing H logo  were forgotten on wooden tabletops beneath the stems of mimosa glasses. The atmosphere in the room was one of vivid dissociation, as if everything that had just happened was at once real and hysterically unreal. Folks were furiously sketching in the margins of the electoral-college maps that had been distributed around the room, trying to work out the math that would lead to a Clinton victory. Bankers checked on the Dow, which was in free fall. In a corner, one woman stared down at her phone, blinking back tears.

Solimini says hes a Republican at heart  I dont want to pay taxes, I dont want the government to spend money wastefully  but that nearly three decades of living overseas had brought the American shift [towards] racism, ignorance, and violence into sharp relief.

I dont apologize for being an American, but it gets tougher to defend it, he says. Everybody that I work with has been over at my desk in the last six months, asking how? Why? And I just dont know.

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By 1 p.m. local time, Trump had 244 electoral-college votes; Clinton trailed with 209. During a commercial break, conversation at one table turned to the massive anti-China demonstration in Hong Kong three nights earlier, prompted by Beijings decision to intervene in the political fate of two local legislators who support Hong Kongs independence from China.

Since the British returned Hong Kong to China in 1997 as a semiautonomous territory, Hong Kong has been the only Chinese city with even a facsimile of democracy. In recent years its people have taken to the streets to clamor for more. They are trapped between the democratic institutions bequeathed to them by British rule  a legislature, freedoms of speech and press  and Beijings ultimate sovereignty. Those who scoff at the pro-democracy activists have pointed to the U.S. election as a litmus test of Western democracys merits, or rather its lack of them.

The Chinese state media has had a particularly gleeful time during the U.S. election. An Oct. 8 editorial in the Global Times, a mouthpiece for the Communist leadership, crowed at the chaos that was burgeoning across the Pacific. All this weirdness not only clearly shows the predicament of the U.S. political establishment, it read, it also points straight at the corrupt practices of the U.S. political system.

I guarantee you that Trump hopes he loses, one man in the Democrats barroom said, moments after Clinton took Nevada, bringing her to 215 electoral-college votes  still trailing Trump. Across the table, Solimini was speaking into his iPhone.

Youve reached the voice mail of Anthony Solimini, he said. Ive officially retired from the human race.
Guatemalan immigrant Amariliz Ortiz rallies with families impacted by immigration raids outside the ICE Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown LA. (Photo: Nick Ut/AP)

Immigration was perhaps the most contentious issue of the 2016 presidential election.

When he was campaigning for president, Donald Trump repeatedly swore to remove millions of undocumented immigrants if elected president. Now, as president-elect, Trump has the opportunity to make good on at least some of these threats.

Trump has delineated a 10-point plan on immigration, the major theme being that he wants to put American citizens first. His proposed policies would affect worker visas for specialized, high-skilled professions who came to the US legally. The No. 1 priority, though, is to begin working on an impenetrable physical wall on the southern border, on day one. Mexico will pay for the wall.

We will build a great wall along the southern border, Trump reiterated recently in Arizona. And Mexico will pay for the wall.

In response, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto declared (on Twitter  in Spanish): I repeat what I told him personally, Mr. Trump, Mexico will never pay for a wall. Though it remains to be seen whether said wall will actually be built and who would bankroll it, its been a primary sticking point for many of his core supporters.

Among his other proposals, he specifically guarantees an end to what he calls President Obamas two illegal executive amnesties  Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), both of which would exempt some immigrants from deportation.

And the current climate may bolster Trumps push to make it harder for any undocumented immigrant to live in this country. This June, in United States v. Texas, the Supreme Court left intact a lower courts decision to block DAPA, which would have exempted from deportation 4 million undocumented immigrants who are parents of citizens and green card holders. After the Obama administration appealed the decision, the Supreme Court was divided 4-4.

Since theres a vacant seat on the Supreme Court, Trump will have a chance to nominate a justice who could continue his anti-immigration policies going forward.

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The new president-elect also promises to double down on forcibly removing undocumented immigrants from the US. Trump wants to triple the number of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who have the authority to identify and remove illegal aliens from the US.

In September, Trump hammered home his hardline stance on immigration and his commitment to mass deportation.

There will be no amnesty, Trump said. Our message to the world will be this: You cannot obtain legal status or become a citizen of the United States by illegally entering our country.

So what will happen to high-skilled immigrants?

Though Trump has been criticized for using undocumented workers and a student work visa program in the construction of his hotels, he claims that he will abolish all such immigration once in office (though he has flip-flopped on this issue numerous times). Trump has also railed against the H-1B visa, which allows US employers to temporarily hire foreign workers in specialty occupations.

He said: I know the H-1B very well. And its something that I frankly use and I shouldnt be allowed to use it. We shouldnt have it. Very, very bad for workers.

H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that lasts three years, though individuals can apply for an extension of an additional three years, for a total of six years. The visa holders cannot remain in the US permanently and can only get additional extensions if their employer applies for their permanent residence (a green card).

Theres been sustained demand for H-1B visas. The application process opened April 1 and they exceeded the cap of 85,000 in 5 days. Then there was a lottery that took place, with 65,000 spots going to employers who hire high-skilled foreign-born workers (with at least a bachelors degree) and the remaining 20,000 visas allocated to those with advanced degrees from U.S. institutions.

The key to permanent residence ultimately lies in the hands of the employer, who might not always be eager to apply for employees green cards. And Trump may come down even harder so that the transition from visa holder to citizen becomes even more difficult, if not impossible.

Once these highly skilled employees have green cards, they become free agents, so employers arent jumping to apply on their behalf, says Michael Wildes, managing partner at immigration law firm Wildes & Weinberg. This H-1B visa is more of a bandage, rather than a fix to this economy.

And Trump would agree with Wildes sentiment. He clearly defines his position on his campaign website, stating:

The influx of foreign workers holds down salaries, keeps unemployment high, and makes it difficult for poor and working class Americans  including immigrants themselves and their children  to earn a middle class wage.  We need companies to hire from the domestic pool of unemployed. Petitions for workers should be mailed to the unemployment office not USCIS [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services].

In other words, H-1B visa holders shouldnt count on paths to citizenship. Rather, they should worry about visa renewals in the first place.

Trump could also make it harder for foreign workers to get H-1B visas in the first place  and he could do so without the help of Congress, Michael Bender noted in Bloomberg. Trump could change the rules to require companies to pay workers with H-1B visas more money or hire from a pool of unemployed US workers before looking overseas, according to Bender.

Of course, Trump cant make any changes to immigration policy overnight. While it remains murky what exactly will happen to both undocumented and high-skilled immigrants alike, there will be a dramatic shift in the way people are able to pursue the so-called American dream.

Melody Hahm is a writer at Yahoo Finance, covering entrepreneurship, technology and real estate. Follow her on Twitter @melodyhahm.

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The Best Little Floorhouse in Texas Your choice for flooring in Central Texas! Your flooring is more than just the surface you walk on  it's an integral part of your home. With over 35 years of flooring experience, The Best Little Floorhouse in Texas has the resources and knowled
As Donald Trump raked in enough electoral votes to win the White House on Tuesday night, and millions of his supporters celebrated nationwide, a large contingent of Americans was left stunned at the result.

The GOP nominee's raucous campaign has been considered by many as a vehicle to subjugate people of color, women, and immigrants as outsiders, and the notion that Trump's movement could ultimately be validated with a presidential victory prompted a sobering testimony from CNN commentator and former Obama Administration official, Van Jones.

"There's another side to this. People have talked about a miracle. I'm hearing about a nightmare," he said.

Jones expressed concern about the example Trump's campaign, and the voters who cosigned it, would set for America:

"It's hard to be a parent tonight for a lot of us," Jones said shortly after midnight Wednesday. "You tell your kids, don't be a bully. You tell your kids don't be a bigot. You tell your kids do your homework and be prepared. And then you have this outcome, and you have people putting children to bed tonight, and they're afraid of breakfast."

Speaking about Muslim friends and immigrant families who are worried over whether they should leave the country, Jones said they are "terrified" about what's next.

He acknowledged that the election was about more than just race  even though Trump spent years casting doubt on whether President Barack Obama is an American citizen, a crusade viewed as an attack on the first African-American president's legitimacy.

But, according to Jones, the magnitude of Trump's victory is indicative of a hard truth:

"This was a whitelash against a changing country. It was a whitelash against a black president in part. And that's the part where the pain comes," Jones said.

Jones added that an important next step for President-elect Trump will be to "reassure people that he's going to be the president of all of those people he offended, and brushed aside. ... I know it's not just about race, there's more going on than that  but race is here, too, and we've got to talk about it."

Story continues

Watch Van Jones' commentary below:

"This was a whitelash": Emotional @VanJones68 shares powerful #ElectionNight perspective https://t.co/jArYaDYcrW https://t.co/wVIP9gCvCu

 CNN (@CNN) November 9, 2016

NOW WATCH: IAN BREMMER: A Trump win makes the US a big loser internationally





More From Business Insider
Would the celebrities who threatened to flee to Canada if Donald Trump was elected president actually go through with it?

Read: Cher Reacts to Election Result Saying It Felt 'Like a Death in My Family'

Following the news of Trumps impending presidency, rapper Snoop Dogg asked Canadian musician Drake to help him move to Toronto.

In the weeks leading up to the election, Robert De Niro had said if Trump became president he would "move out of the country." He also created a campaign video calling Trump a "bulls*** artist" and pleaded with viewers not to vote for him.

The Raging Bull actor has not addressed his statement since Trump's win.

Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston threatened to leave America for its neighbor to the north should Trump become president.

The actor has not addressed the situation, but is hopeful that Trump will bring unity to America.

Although shocked and disappointed by the outcome, I hope the pres-elect will work to unify our wounded country. I sincerely wish him success  Bryan Cranston (@BryanCranston) November 9, 2016

Miley Cyrus broke down in tears on her social media pages after Trump was elected president. She, along with actress Lena Dunham, Amy Schumer, and others vowed to move to Canada if the real estate tycoon won.

On Wednesday morning, many of Trumps followers on Twitter mocked the Hollywood stars that said they would leave the country.

Miley Cyrus

Lena Dunham

Amy Schumer

Jon Stewart

Cher

Al Sharpton



People who promised to leave America if Trump wins. #ElectionNight   Young Conservatives (@YoungCons) November 9, 2016

In the wake of Clintons defeat, the question looms  did her A-list celebrity endorsements actually hurt her?

Story continues

Read: Frozen Like the Yukon: Canada's Immigration Website Crashes During U.S. Election

Clinton had Beyonce, Jay Z, Bruce Springsteen, LeBron James, Madonna, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Jon Bon Jovi all campaign for her, right to the bitter end.

Sharon Waxman of TheWrap.com told Inside Edition: I do think that celebrities who worked for her take it as a personal injury, as a personal rebuke... because so many put themselves out there in some way.

Watch: Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Lady Gaga Make Final Push for Clinton as Trump Says He Didn't Need Celebs

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Investors are always looking for stocks that are poised to beat at earnings season and Banco de Chile BCH may be one such company. The firm has earnings coming up pretty soon, and events are shaping up quite nicely for their report.

That is because Banco de Chileis seeing favorable earnings estimate revision activity as of late, which is generally a precursor to an earnings beat. After all, analysts raising estimates right before earningswith the most up-to-date information possibleis a pretty good indicator of some favorable trends underneath the surface for BCH in this report.

In fact, the Most Accurate Estimate for the current quarter is currently at $1.37 per share for BCH, compared to a broader Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.34 per share. This suggests that analysts have very recently bumped up their estimates for BCH, giving the stock a Zacks Earnings ESP of 2.24% heading into earnings season.

BANCO DE CHILE Price and EPS Surprise

BANCO DE CHILE Price and EPS Surprise | BANCO DE CHILE Quote

Why is this Important?

A positive reading for the Zacks Earnings ESP has proven to be very powerful in producing both positive surprises, and outperforming the market. Our recent 10 year backtest shows that stocks that have a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better show a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and have returned over 28% on average in annual returns (see more Top Earnings ESP stocks here).

Given that BCH has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and an ESP in positive territory, investors might want to consider this stock ahead of earnings. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Clearly, recent earnings estimate revisions suggest that good things are ahead for Banco de Chile, and that a beat might be in the cards for the upcoming report.

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Investors are always looking for stocks that are poised to beat at earnings season and NVIDIA Corporation NVDA may be one such company. The firm has earnings coming up pretty soon, and events are shaping up quite nicely for their report.

That is because NVIDIA is seeing favorable earnings estimate revision activity as of late, which is generally a precursor to an earnings beat. After all, analysts raising estimates right before earningswith the most up-to-date information possibleis a pretty good indicator of some favorable trends underneath the surface for NVDA in this report.

In fact, the Most Accurate Estimate for the current quarter is currently at 57 cents per share for NVDA, compared to a broader Zacks Consensus Estimate of 56 cents per share. This suggests that analysts have very recently bumped up their estimates for NVDA, giving the stock a Zacks Earnings ESP of 1.79% heading into earnings season.

NVIDIA CORP Price and EPS Surprise

NVIDIA CORP Price and EPS Surprise | NVIDIA CORP Quote

Why is this Important?

A positive reading for the Zacks Earnings ESP has proven to be very powerful in producing both positive surprises, and outperforming the market. Our recent 10 year backtest shows that stocks that have a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or better show a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and have returned over 28% on average in annual returns (see more Top Earnings ESP stocks here).

Given that NVDA has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and an ESP in positive territory, investors might want to consider this stock ahead of earnings. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Clearly, recent earnings estimate revisions suggest that good things are ahead for NVIDIA, and that a beat might be in the cards for the upcoming report.

Zacks Best Private Investment Ideas



While we are happy to share many articles like this on the website, our best recommendations and most in-depth research are not available to the public.



Starting today, for the next month, you can follow all Zacks' private buys and sells in real time. Our experts cover all kinds of trades from value to momentum . . . from stocks under $10 to ETF and option moves . . . from stocks that corporate insiders are buying up to companies that are about to report positive earnings surprises. You can even look inside exclusive portfolios that are normally closed to new investors. Click here for Zacks' private trades >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



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While Mexico City's Aztec heritage and Spanish lore has lured tourists to its metropolis for years, these days, the city's up-and-coming design enclaves and flourishing food and scenes are drawing international visitors in droves. And aside from its wealth of historic sites, museums, colonial buildings and boundary-pushing gastronomy, Mexico City also offers a high value for U.S. visitors, earning it a top place on the frugal traveler's map. If you're ready to start planning a trip to the Mexican capital, cross these historic and culture-filled places and experiences off your list on your next trip.

[See: The Best Hotels in Mexico.]

The Burgeoning Hotel Scene

Today, Mexico City's hotel scene is booming. To stay at a property steeped in history, head to the Sheraton Mexico City Maria Isabel Hotel. Located directly across from Angel de Independencia Monument, the hotel is a historic monument in its own right, and features five penthouse suites along with a star-studded guest list that spans from President John F. Kennedy to Marilyn Monroe. Another superlative Mexico City hotel is the Four Seasons Hotel Mexico, D.F. Located on the grand boulevard of Paseo de la Reforma -- within steps of Chapultepec Park and the trendy Condesa and Polanco neighborhoods -- the hotel offers elegant surroundings, impeccable service and graceful colonial-inspired interiors.

If staying at a luxury hotel will burst your budget, consider checking into the contemporary Hotel Carlota. Opened in June 2015 in the quiet Colonia Cuauhtemoc neighborhood, the hotel offers nightly rates starting at $128 and boasts a pristine pool, a trendy boutique and a prime location that's about a 15-minute walk from a popular metro stop.

The Mouthwatering Meals

After the Mexico City-based Chef Enrique Olvera opened Cosme in New York City to critical acclaim, Mexico City was thrust into the spotlight as an emerging culinary hot spot. Don't pass up the chance to enjoy a memorable dinner at Chef Olvera's original restaurant, Pujol, which dishes out traditional plates with contemporary twists and seasonal ingredients. While a meal will come attached to a high price tag, it's hard to resist delectable dishes, like a signature zesty aged mole madre paired with fresh mole.

Story continues

[See: 6 Sinking Cities to Visit Before It's Too Late.]

If you can't secure a table at Pujol, Chef Eduardo Garcia, an alum of both Pujol and New York City's Le Bernardin, has opened his own establishment, Maximo Bistrot Local, which features dishes cooked exclusively with ingredients that arrive in his kitchen within a day. What's more, Olvera has handpicked Pujol as one of his top five places to eat in Mexico City.

And if you're seeking a more budget-friendly dining establishment, make sure to swing by Hotel Carlota to grab a bite at Carlota. Under the direction of chefs Joaquin Cardoso and Sofia Cortina, Carlota offers a plethora of flavorful vegetable dishes and staples such as huevos rancheros an chilaquiles (corn tortillas with eggs or organic turkey with a red or green salsa).

Mexico City is a Mecca for Art and Architecture

Exploring Mexico City's architectural marvels is a must for any visitor. Templo Mayor, a 13th-century Aztec temple, is well worth checking out. There's also the baroque Catedral Metropolitana de Mexico, built by Spanish conquistadors, as well as the Palacio Nacional. Conveniently located in and around the Plaza de la Constitucion, a main square known as El Zocalo, these buildings are easy to explore in an afternoon.

And if you're interested in taking a daytrip from Mexico City, the ancient Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacan merits exploration. Built between the 1st and 7th centuries, and located in a sub-valley of the Valley of Mexico (about 30 miles from Mexico City), this UNESCO World Heritage site features some of the country's biggest pre-Colombian pyramids. When first built, 25,000 inhabitants occupied the side, and according to UNESCO, the city is "a model of urbanization and large-scale planning, which greatly influenced the conceptions of contemporary and subsequent cultures." When you stand in the ceremonial center, you're sure to be awestruck by the site's vast monuments.

[See: 10 Bucket-List Destinations That Don't Cost a Fortune.]

You Can Get Your Shopping Fix

If art, architecture, food and history is not for you, Mexico City also has a diverse array of shops to pique your interest with a blend of emerging and iconic designers. Don't skip checking out Avenida Presidente Masaryk for high-end items and the cool neighborhoods of Condesa and Roma for eclectic boutiques.
Hillary Clinton conceded the presidential election to Donald Trump on Wednesday in front of her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia.

Both Clintons made a bold statement with their clothing: Hillary donned a dark gray pantsuit with purple lapels and a purple blouse underneath, and Bill wore a matching purple necktie.

Throughout her campaign, Clinton has often sent a message with her fashion choices, so what did the purple ensemble mean?

Many believe that wearing purple was a show of bipartisanship, a possible call for unity and togetherness in a time of disappointment and political uncertainty.

In Clinton's Methodist faith, purple represents royalty and penitence.

It was also a color of choice for the suffragist movement.

Here's what people said about the outfit on Twitter:

Clad in purple -- bipartisan -- @HillaryClinton is amazingly strong and graceful in concession.

-- Emily Cahn (@CahnEmily)

November 9, 2016

Regardless of who you voted for, Hillary wearing PURPLE for her concession speech was very classy & symbolic #ComeTogether pic.twitter.com/anyTXRtH4B

-- Mike Portnoy (@MikePortnoy)

November 9, 2016

That was a very well done concession speech @HillaryClinton. The purple was a classy touch, bringing red & blue together. Wish you the best.

-- Whirled Drive (@WhirledDrive)

November 9, 2016

For those wondering about the purple Hillary wore for her concession speech - to the suffragists purple symbolized dignity and purpose.

-- jane saaands (@vivalacho)

November 9, 2016

In Hillary's concession speech, she, Bill, and Chelsea are all wearing purple, the color of royalty.

-- Ben Owen, HRK (@hrkbenowen)

November 9, 2016

I love the fact that @HillaryClinton is wearing purple for her concession speech. It symbolizes the unity we need right now

-- Lauren Janz (@Lauren_Janz)

November 9, 2016

You can follow Rachel Dicker on Twitter or reach her at rdicker@usnews.com.
Melania Trump wore white on election night. (Photo: Getty Images)

Seeing white? Us, too. A lot of it.

The newsrooms and election headquarters were whitewashed last night, thanks to something that was more that just a wardrobe choice.

Hillary Clinton, Melania Trump, Savannah Guthrie and Dana Bash all rocked the noncolor on election night, and it probably wasnt a coincidence. Let us explain.

What you may think began as a social media movement is much deeper than that. The #WearWhiteToVote campaign that went viral online in support of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton honors the spirit of the suffragists who wore white as they fought for womens right to vote. Clinton started the trend of honoring them when she wore an ivory Ralph Lauren pantsuit to deliver her speech at the Democratic National Convention.

Hillary Clinton wore a white pantsuit during one of the presidential debates. (Photo: Getty Images)

Why white? The color white has associations with purity and starting afresh that was sort of the appeal for the suffragists, Hazel Clark, professor of design studies and fashion studies at the New School in New York, told the Christian Science Monitor. Its a kind of blank slate in a way. According to the New York Times, white was one of the main colors of the womens movement: White, along with purple and gold, were the official colors of the National Womans Party and the suffragist movement.

The Congressional Union for Woman Suffrages mission statement explains further. Published in December 1913, it reads: White, the emblem of purity, symbolizes the quality of our purpose.

The tradition held strong over the years. Geraldine Ferraro dressed in white when she became the first woman on a major partys ticket, accepting the Democratic vice presidential nomination in 1984. Shirley Chisholm wore white on the day she became the first African-American woman to be elected to Congress in 1968, and three years later while campaigning to be the first woman presidential candidate on a major partys ticket.

But the movement seems to resonating with Republicans as well, which could explain why future first lady Melania Trump wore a white one-shoulder jumpsuit also by Ralph Lauren Tuesday night. Maybe shes celebrating womens right to vote, but since she wasnt voting for the first female president (unless she did; that would be awesome), it was probably just because she liked the color. Ivanka Trump also wore white to vote, opting for a beautiful cream pea coat.

Story continues

News anchors wore white on election night as well, including NBCs Savannah Guthrie who donned a white dress and matching blazer, and CNNs Dana Bash who wore a white long-sleeved outfit.

Clinton supporters all over the country came out in white this past week to support her, honor suffragists and show that it is important for America to have its first female president.

In honor of the women who helped me secure my right to vote, I will wear white! #WearWhiteToVote  kathleen port (@KathleenPort) November 6, 2016

Celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Hudson and Gigi Hadid also wore white to the polls.

Good L_rd it feels good. X, sj A photo posted by SJP (@sarahjessicaparker) on Nov 8, 2016 at 7:03am PST

I voted ???????? A photo posted by Kate Hudson (@katehudson) on Nov 8, 2016 at 8:57am PST

#GigiHadid has voted! Have you? A video posted by Hadid News (@hadidnews) on Nov 8, 2016 at 12:52pm PST

Along with wearing white, these celebrities and many others also showed off their I Voted stickers on social media  the real accessory du jour of this election cycle.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
Heres why you wont see the new Spiderman punch anybody in the film

Rising star Tom Holland, takes on the roll of Peter Parker again in the upcoming Marvel Studios movie Spider-Man: Homecoming. At just 20 years old, the UK actor is our youngest Spiderman to date.

In the upcoming Sony reboot of the Spider-Man franchise, Holland steps into Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfields shoes, hoping to bring the franchise back to its former glory. (Did anybody even see Spiderman 3?) Relatively unknown, with just a few modest film credits prior to putting on the spidey suit for Captain America: Civil War, he brings a revitalizing youthfulness to the role.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Tom Holland discusses how his Peter Parker will differ from the previous incarnations.

First night in queens and it feels like home already #spidermanhomecoming A photo posted by  (@tomholland2013) on Sep 27, 2016 at 8:52am PDT

Youve seen the billionaire, the scientist, the soldier. Now its time to see the kid. And every decision we make on set is based off how would a kid react in this situation, so every fight scene we have is designed in a way thats almost child-friendly, so he never actually punches anyone. Its all done kind of by accident.

In our countrys divided times, that sounds very refreshing.

Watching @tomholland2013 repost everything like... hahaha A photo posted by  (@tomholland2013) on Sep 18, 2016 at 3:00pm PDT

The ridonkulously adorbs Holland, who is a skilled parkourist (like, was he born to be Spiderman??) was a huge fan as a kid (he says he had 30 Spiderman costumes over the years, as well as Spiderman sheets). He petitioned for the role himself, after learning the film was casting, calling up his agents and begging for an audition, and then putting himself on tape.

He learned he got the role in the most millenial-appropriate way: on Instagram.

Damn Tom! Back at it again with the side summy. Took me ages to get this down. So happy to have my airtrick back. #happydays!! Edit credit @harryholland64 A video posted by  (@tomholland2013) on Mar 1, 2016 at 6:01am PST

I was in my bed scrolling through Instagram. It had been about a month since my audition. And Marvel just posted a photo saying go to our website and find out who the next Spider-Man is. I went on the Marvel website on my computer and there it was: The new Spider-Man is Tom Holland. I went ballistic, like absolutely nuts.

The post Heres why you wont see the new Spiderman punch anybody in the film appeared first on HelloGiggles.
A Pennsylvania woman has been arrested on charges she methodically tortured her boyfriend's young son because he wasn't hers.

Danielle Miller, 31, of Quarryville is in custody on charges regarding the repeated abuse of a 4-year-old boy, who police say was beaten and punished for months.

Watch: Tippi Hedren: Alfred Hitchcock Assaulted Me After I Refused to Sleep With Him

According to the Lancaster County District Attorney, Miller, 31, is charged with eight felonies for a four-month period of abuse which included forcing the boy to eat laxatives and hot sauce, leaving the boy's legs bound for hours, locking the boy in a padded closet and verbal abuse, including calling the boy a "(expletive) pig" and telling the boy he has a "stupid, ugly face."

Nathan P. Duke, 30, the boys father, is also charged with felony counts of endangerment and conspiracy for allegedly concealing the abuse and never reporting it

Both Duke and Miller were arrested and arraigned Monday morning.

Millers bail was set at $300,000; Dukes at $100,000. Neither has posted bail.

Police believe Miller resented and abused the boy because he is Dukes child with another woman.

An acquaintance of the couple first reported the suspected abuse. The boy was removed from the home in July.

According to the district attorney, multiple accounts from acquaintances of the couple painted the grim picture of the alleged abuse.

Watch: Teacher Charged With Child Sex Abuse After Being Impregnated by Student

The boy was bound at the legs in what Miller called playing mermaid, he was fed "poop beans"  a laxative concoction  and hot sauce and not allowed to drink water for long periods of time.

The boy was also barricaded in a closet and terrorized by Miller and he was forced to stay on a toilet for hours until he defecated, authorities said.

Miller is charged with aggravated assault, endangering a child, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint, terroristic threats, reckless endangerment, and harassment.

Story continues

Watch: Gary Condit Denies Affair With Intern Chandra Levy 15 Years After Her Murder

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A California woman who faces jail time for selling ceviche on Facebook is blowing her plight out of proportion, a prosecutor said.

San Joaquin County Chief Deputy District Attorney Sherri Adams said Tuesday that Mariza Ruelas is making more of this than it is in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. Its not the big, bad D.A.s office trying to take this woman down, Adams said.

The prosecutors remarks came after Ruelas legal situation made national headlines. The 37-year-old single mother of six said she faces up to two years in jail after an undercover investigator caught her selling food through a Facebook group comprised of amateur chefs in the community.

Ruelas will go to trial over two misdemeanor citations for operating a food facility and engaging in business without a permit on Dec. 2. Adams told the Times that Ruelas would likely get no more than 10 days in county jail for her crimes.

Still, Ruelas said Wednesday that her concerned reaction since being told in July that she violated health codes has been warranted. Im not exaggerating anything. I didnt make more of it. I didnt want to do this. I dont deal with cameras too well, she told TIME. If its gotten this big, then people care.

The San Joaquin District Attorneys office issued a statement Monday, saying the case is about health and safety because of the possibility of foodborne illnesses that can arise from improper food-handling behaviors.

Such illnesses can be serious and even fatal, the statement said.

Prosecutors also said Ruelas was initially offered a plea deal that included one-year informal probation and community service. Ruelas maintains that her offer was not as lenient.
From Cosmopolitan

A 49-year-old woman from Queens, New York, was killed Monday afternoon, the New York Times reports, after being pushed into an oncoming train at Times Square-42nd Street subway station. A suspect, 30-year-old Melanie Liverpool-Turner, was taken in custody almost immediately and charged with second-degree murder - the Times adds that, in a hearing on Tuesday, she pled not guilty to the charge.

The attack occurred at 1:20 p.m., with the victim being pushed in front of a no. 1 train. Subway traffic was rerouted as police officers and emergency workers arrived at the station to remove the body. Police are sorting through footage from the platform to gain a better understanding of the events leading up to the attack and, although some eyewitnesses claimed to have seen the two women arguing, preliminary investigation indicates the attack was unprovoked.

Police described Liverpool-Turner as emotionally disturbed and said she made up a story last month about pushing another woman onto the tracks (this incident was classified as a suicide).

Times Square-42nd Street subway station is the busiest in New York, serving 66 million riders annually with 10 subways lines and a shuttle to Grand Central Station. Its a horrible incident, and your heart goes out to this family and this victim, New York City Police Chief of Manhattan Detectives William Aubry told reporters.

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Ninety-six years after the ratification of the 19th Amendment, modern women are celebrating their right to vote  many for a female nominee  by honoring those who made it possible.

While a slew of voters sported pantsuits to the polls to show their support of Hillary Clinton, others donned white ensembles to honor the pioneers who fought for a womans right to vote.

According to The New York Times, the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage adopted the color white, along with purple and gold, as their official colors. Clinton wore the symbolic color when she accepted the Democratic nomination for president in July and again at the third presidential debate.

Voters took to social media to show off their all-white ensembles using the hashtag #wearwhitetovote.

Hundreds also gathered at the burial site of Susan B. Anthony, a key player in the fight for womens suffrage, on Tuesday. They decorated her grave in Rochester, New Yorks Mount Hope Cemetery with I Voted stickers, American flags and flowers.

The issue of womens rights has been a hot-button topic in this years election, with GOP nominee Donald Trump coming under fire for making lewd and sexist comments about women.

In October, a slew of Trumps supporters called for repealing womens suffrage, using the Twitter hashtag #RepealThe19th after a poll of only male U.S. voters showed Trump winning the election by a landslide.




Two women watch voting results at Hillary Clintons election-night event at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. (Photo: Getty Images)

With Donald Trump elected as the next president, his proposed policy to ban Muslims from entering the United States until our countrys representatives can figure out what is going on could become a reality. With this, many American women who wear hijabs have expressed fear that doing so could potentially provoke unwanted attention or attacks.

Janna, 19, tweeted early Wednesday morning that her mom texted her dont wear the hijab please. As the teen, who is a big Harry Styles fan, noted, this was surprising considering her mother is the most religious person in family. I wasnt gonna cry over this election, but to know my mom is ready to sacrifice her beliefs for me, to protect me, yeah Im off guys, night, she added. In less than 24 hours, her message received 62,000 retweets and 73,000 likes.

I wasn't gonna cry over this election, but to know my mom is ready to sacrifice her beliefs for me, to protect me, yeah I'm off guys, night  jannatin (@harryonmen) November 9, 2016

Janna is not the only one to publicly express her fears.

My mom and my sister are actually having the conversation on whether or not they should continue wearing hijab for their own safety  Sulaiman (@Mcbrownie) November 9, 2016

I saw a girl taking her hijab off in the restroom and I asked why, she said "I'm scared my family and I will get hurt" I'm heartbroken  kor (@kfcgravy666) November 9, 2016

i see the same beautiful kid going to school every morning. today she isnt wearing her usual hijab. can u feel this.  Chynna (Rogers) (@MadeInChynna) November 9, 2016

In the dining hall a girl was wearing a hijab & looked nervous. I went to the restroom and when I came out there she was taking it off.  evelyn rodriguez (@ObiwanLynnobi) November 9, 2016

im scared to go out wearing my hijab   (@selenastuan) November 9, 2016

Much of this fear is reinforced by the fact that hate crimes, specifically those targeting women in religious wear, increased following Brexit, the U.K.s vote in June to leave the European Union, in which immigration was a major contributing issue to the result.

Story continues

Sakeena Ahmeds letter to Donald Trump. (Photo: Facebook)

Even before the results came in, 9-year-old Sakeena Ahmed of Oak Brook, Ill., composed a letter about her concerns for her future with Donald Trump in the White House. According to Sakeenas mother, Aamina, who spoke with the Huffington Post, she was feeling very anxious surrounding Trumps Islamaphobia. Aamina suggested her daughter write down her thoughts and then posted the piece to Facebook. Being Muslim is a little difficult. My mom wears a scarf. I go to the store and people just look at me, she wrote. Imagine if everybody hated your religion.

While scared, plenty also found pride in wearing a head-covering despite the dangers felt by so many.

I am proud to be Muslim. I am proud to wear a hijab. I may be scared for my safety but I will not let myself fear him. #HesNotMyPresident  Fatimah  (@_ItsFatimah) November 9, 2016

Shout out to those who don their turban or hijab today. I'm rockin mine unapologetically and with pride. Hope you are too. #OnNovember9 pic.twitter.com/ca21dCm5OJ  Amardeep Singh (@amarHoboken) November 9, 2016

Hijab on tighter seemed to serve as a rallying cry.

Hijab on tighter. Heart on stronger. #NotMyPresident  Nada Ali   (@nadaali93) November 9, 2016

I am not going to take off my hijab, I'm just going to tie it tighter.

I'm not going to sacrifice a part of me to adhere to your ignorance.  kat (@whackkat) November 9, 2016

Best believe my hijab will only be tighter and more visible for all to see when trumps becomes president. Black female Muslim and proud af   (@Chimmyq) November 9, 2016

My hijab will be tighter and my head will be higher because human Cheetos don't scare me. he's #NotMyPresident  Ifrah Z. (@Cupcakelover_33) November 9, 2016

I am not going to take off my hijab, I'm just going to tie it tighter.

I'm not going to sacrifice a part of me to adhere to your ignorance.  kat (@whackkat) November 9, 2016

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Even before the final votes were counted Tuesday night, the Americas closest allies struggled to come to terms with a U.S. election that delivered the presidency to Donald Trump, a political outlier who challenged the liberal world order that has defined the era after World War II.

The world as we know it is crumbling before our eyes, Gerard Araud, Frances ambassador to the United States, wrote Tuesday night on Twitter, citing the double whammy of Britains exit from the European Union and Americas sharp turn toward isolationist populism.

It is an end of an era, that of neoliberalism. It remains to be seen what will succeed it, Araud tweeted in the first flush of the shock results. He later deleted the tweets.

In the immediate aftermath, leaders of friendly countries from Canada to South Korea issued formal congratulations to the winner and highlighted their hopes of continuing their traditional alliances, many of which Trump called into question during the campaign.

Hand in hand with Trump, we will try to work together, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said after the election.

British Prime Minister Theresa May, who is leading her countrys exit from the EU, welcomed Trumps victory. We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defense, she said in a statement issued late Tuesday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel challenged Trump to park some of his more divisive rhetoric. Germany and America are linked by values, such as democracy, freedom, respect for the rule of law, and the dignity of men, regardless of origin, skin color, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, she said, conditioning the terms of Germanys outreach to a new America. On the basis of these values, I offer U.S. President-elect Donald Trump our close cooperation.

Trumps dismissive view of NATO rattled other top German officials. Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen described Trumps victory as a huge shock and said Americas alliance partners are unsure about the president-elects commitment to uphold its security commitments in Europe.

Story continues

Beneath the surface, many observers were uncharacteristically scathing in their assessment of the new American political order. All that is ugly and frightening about America, now swaggers its way to Washington in majesty, said Paddy Ashdown, a former British diplomat. How do we make this madness stop?

Roland Paris, a former foreign-policy advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, wrote on Twitter late Tuesday: Whatever the outcome tonight, the success of Trumps and Sanders [sic] anti-trade messages, including in key border states, is a real concern.

Trumps subdued & conciliatory victory speech was unconvincing because its not who he is, Paris added. Off to bed now. To awake in a darker world.

Some European observers fear the American election may be a bellwether, portending a sharper turn toward right-wing populism in upcoming elections in Austria, the Netherlands, France, and Germany. In April, France will hold its presidential election, while Germany holds parliamentary elections next September.

This calamity for democracy will of course hearten fascists all over the world  from eastern Europe to [Marine Le] Pen, the British historian Simon Schama wrote on Twitter. Now we need a Churchill who refuses to normalise, resists, understands the abyss into which democracy has fallen.

Europes right wing greeted Tuesdays vote with cheers. Le Pen, the leader of Frances far-right National Front, sent a congratulatory note to Trump and to the free American people. Her father, Jean-Marie, the partys founder, boasted: Today the United States, tomorrow France.

The Americans are taking back their country, Geert Wilders, a right-wing Dutch leader of the anti-immigrant Euroskeptic Freedom Party, wrote on Twitter.

For Russia  which American intelligence officials said tried to sway the U.S. election though a series of email hacks  the outcome offered the hope of improved relations and a much more pliant partner in the White House.

In his congratulatory message to Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he hopes to work together to lift Russian-US relations out of the current crisis. He voiced confidence that Moscow and Washington can establish a constructive dialogue based on the principles of equality, mutual respect, and genuine consideration for each others positions. This would be in the interests of both peoples and of the entire international community.

It remained unclear how Trump would manage Americas relations with China, which has been the target of Trumps scathing criticism throughout the campaign.

Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a collegial congratulatory statement, saying, I am looking forward to working together with you to expand China-U.S. cooperation in every field, at the bilateral, regional and global levels. Xi stressed the need for both countries to respect the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

Still, commentary from Chinas state-run news agency Xinhua offered a sharper take on the American election race, noting that the nasty campaigns have  tarnished Americas image abroad.

The probably most divisive and scandalous election in American history has eroded voters faith in the two-party system, as many voters called it a game of money, power, and influence, it said.

For now, foreign diplomats were trying to figure out just who to reach out to in Trumps team to suss out his plans for dealing with a broad range of issues, from climate change to a web of trade agreements and security arrangements he has pledged to untangle. European diplomats said they had established long-standing contacts and relations with Clintons foreign-policy advisors. But with many in the Republican foreign-policy establishment vowing not to work for Trump, they are at a loss as to who to call.

The question is who is coming from the Republican ranks to manage Trumps foreign policy, said one European diplomat. Most Republican experts have decided to stand aside.

Photo credit: ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images
Donald Trump won the White House early Wednesday morning in a shocking victory that brought a wide-ranging mix of reactions in the country he'll soon lead and abroad.

Even before the official call, seen as anything from improbable to impossible for much of the long 2016 contest was made, Americans made their feelings about Trump's win known.

Read: Melania Trump Vows to Fight Cyber Bullying If She Becomes First Lady - Will She Start with Donald?

At Manhattan's Javits Center, where Hillary Clinton had hoped to celebrate her victory, throngs of Democrats jeered, booed and even wept as it became more and more clear she had lost the Oval Office.

Just across town, Trump delivered a victory speech to a room overjoyed they'd elected the first president with zero political or military experience.

"We will get along with all nations willing to get along with us," Trump told admirers, and the world, while proudly laying came to the most powerful office on Earth. "I promise you, I will not let you down."

World leaders such as British Prime Minister Theresa May and German PM Angela Merkel reacted with a spattering of congratulations and diplomatic promises of cooperation. ""Britain and the United States have an enduring special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise," May said in a statement.

One of the first leaders to congratulate Trump was Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was painted for much of Trump's campaign as a sort of outside agitator working to derail Hillary Clinton with computer hacks.

In a letter to Trump, Putin said he hopes he and the 45th president can "work together toward the end of the crisis in Russian-American relations, as well address the pressing issues of the international agenda and the search for effective responses to global security challenges."

In Washington, D.C., fights broke out between supporters of the candidates outside the White House.

Story continues

Protests erupted in California, where West Coasters were still awake to see the election's final results. Shouts of "Not my president" were heard on college campuses up and down the state and in the streets as thousands gathered in San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, the San Francisco Bay Area and elsewhere.

Many of the same celebrities who fought for a Clinton victory used social media to convey their devastation.

Pop star Katy Perry changed her Twitter photos to black space, and tweeted: "We are not a nation that will let hate lead us."

Do not sit still. Do not weep. MOVE. We are not a nation that will let HATE lead us.  KATY PERRY (@katyperry) November 9, 2016

Madonna, who held a surprise concert in New York's Washington Square Park Monday night for the Clinton campaign, posted: "A New Fire Is Lit. We Never Give Up. We Never Give In."

A New Fire Is Lit  We Never Give Up. We Never Give In'  pic.twitter.com/CM4PAnR1nj  Madonna (@Madonna) November 9, 2016

Then there was the emotional rant by CNN political commentator Van Jones, a Clinton supporter, who said: "This was a white lash. This was a white lash against a changing country it was a white lash against a black president in part and that's the part where the pain comes."

Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria tweeted a selfie with the caption, "what's happening?" The tweet was later deleted.

"This is an embarrassing night for America," tweeted Captain America actor Chris Evans. "We've let a hatemonger lead our great nation. We've let a bully set our course. I'm devastated."

This is an embarrassing night for America. We've let a hatemonger lead our great nation. We've let a bully set our course. I'm devastated.  Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) November 9, 2016

Read: Donald Trump Claims Victory Over Hillary Clinton in Stunning Upset

Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane wrote, ominously: "Some didn't like Bush. Some didn't like Obama. But this is different. Forget dislike. Many are genuinely fearful now. This is new."

Great faith in God works. Mr @realDonaldTrump I'm proud to call you President of the United States of America. And First Lady @MELANIATRUMP  Scott Baio (@ScottBaio) November 9, 2016

Other celebrities were more hopeful, such as Trump supporter and Charles in Charge actor Scott Baio.

"Great faith in God works. Mr @realDonaldTrump I'm proud to call you President of the United States of America. And First Lady @MELANIATRUMP," Baio wrote.

Watch: Identity of Woman With Donald Trump in 1964 Finally Revealed

Related Articles:
By Angus MacSwan LONDON (Reuters) - World leaders offered to work with Donald Trump when he takes over as U.S. president, but expressed anxiety over how he will handle problems from the Middle East to an assertive Russia and whether he will carry out a number of campaign threats. Several authoritarian and right-wing leaders hailed the billionaire businessman and former TV show host, who won the leadership of the world's most powerful country against the odds in Tuesday's election. China, a target of Trump's ire during his campaign, appealed for cooperation. Mexico also struck a conciliatory tone, despite Trump's insults to Mexican migrants and pledges to build a wall to separate the two countries. South Korea urged him not to change policy on North Korea's nuclear tests. Trump, who has no previous political or military experience, said after defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton that he would seek common ground, not conflict, with the United States' allies. In the election campaign, he voiced admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defence burden. Putin was among the first to send Trump congratulations. Ties between Washington and Moscow have become strained over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and allegations of Russian cyber attacks featured in the election campaign. "It is not an easy path, but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development," said Putin, for whom an easing of U.S. economic sanctions would be a prize. Among other issues causing concern among allies are Trump's vows to undo a global agreement on climate change, ditch trade deals he says have been bad for U.S. workers, and renegotiate the nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers which has led to an easing of sanctions on Iran. Iran urged Trump to stay committed to the Iran deal. President Hassan Rouhani said the nuclear accord with six world powers could not be dismissed by one government. UNCERTAINTY German Chancellor Angela Merkel -- denounced by Trump as "insane" for allowing more than 1 million migrants into the country last year -- added a stern note in her message of congratulations which hinted at a certain unease. "Germany and America are bound together by values - democracy, freedom, respecting the rule of law, people's dignity regardless of their origin, the colour of their skin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views," Merkel said. "On the basis of these values, I am offering to work closely with the future President of the United States Donald Trump." In Britain, where Trump's victory had echoes of June's referendum in which voters showed dissatisfaction with the political establishment by voting to leave the European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May said the "enduring and special relationship" between the two countries would remain intact. But Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who has often expressed distaste for Trump, said many people in the United States and across the world would feel "a real sense of anxiety." Nigel Farage, a leader of the Brexit campaign who spoke at a Trump rally during the election campaign, tweeted: "I hand over the mantle to @RealDonaldTrump! Many congratulations. You have fought a brave campaign." Some European officials however took the unusual step of openly denouncing the outcome, calling it a worrying signal for liberal democracy and tolerance in the world. "We're realising now that we have no idea what this American president will do," Norbert Roettgen, the head of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee, said. President Francois Hollande said France wanted to begin talks with Trump immediately to clarify his stance on international affairs. "This American election opens a period of uncertainty," Hollande said. French officials had endorsed Clinton and warned that Trump's "confused" foreign policy objectives were alarming for the rest of the world. "The U.S. is a vital partner for France and what's at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, economic relations and the preservation of the planet," Hollande said. But like-minded right-wing European parties that are hoping to make inroads of their own in 2017 -- a year in which Germany, France and the Netherlands hold elections, and Italy and Britain could also do so -- hailed Trump's victory. France's far-right National Front leader, Marine Le Pen, said she hoped the same kind of upset would happen in France. "The Americans gave themselves a president of their choosing and not the one that the establishment wanted them to rubber-stamp," she said. PARTNERS AND ALLIES Mexican President Pena Nieto, who was criticised for receiving Trump in Mexico during the campaign, said he was ready to work with the president-elect. "Mexico and the United States are friends, partners and allies and we should keep collaborating for the competitiveness and development of North America," Pena Nieto said. Trump has said he could tear up the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), saying that it has killed U.S. jobs, and he called Mexican immigrants rapists during his campaign. Sounding conciliatory, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing and Washington shared responsibility for promoting global development and prosperity. "I place great importance on the China-U.S. relationship, and look forward to working with you to uphold the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation," Xi told Trump, who had pledged to take on China and to tax Chinese imports to stop currency evaluation. South Korea expressed the hope that Trump would maintain current U.S. policy of pressuring North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests. Seoul was concerned Trump may make unpredictable proposals to North Korea, a ruling party official said, quoting top national security officials. A Japanese government official, speaking before Trump clinched the election, urged him to send a message as soon as possible to reassure the world of the United States' commitment to its allies. "We are certainly concerned about the comments (Trump) has made to date about the alliance and the U.S. role in the Pacific, particularly Japan," the Japanese official said. In the Middle East, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, who had a poor relationship with President Barack Obama, said he hoped to reach "new heights" in bilateral ties under Trump. Obama and Netanyahu sparred over the issue of Israeli settlements, while Trump has said they should expand. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also congratulated Trump, but analysts said his rule may be profoundly negative for Palestinian aspirations. And despite Trump's negative rhetoric about Muslims during his campaign, including threats to ban them from the United States, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said he hoped the business magnate's election would breathe new life into U.S.-Egyptian ties. (Reporting by Reuters bureaus in Europe, Asia and the Americas, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
By Angus MacSwan LONDON (Reuters) - World leaders reacted to Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election with offers to work with him tinged with anxiety over how he would deal with a host of problems, from the Middle East to an assertive Russia. Several authoritarian and right-wing leaders commended the billionaire businessman and reality TV star who against the odds won the leadership of the world's most powerful country. Trump, who has no previous political or military experience, sent conciliatory signals after his upset of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, pledging to seek common ground, not conflict, with the United States' allies. During his election campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defense burden. Putin was among the first to send congratulations after Trump declared victory. Ties between Washington and Moscow have become strained over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and allegations of Russian cyber attacks featured in the U.S. election campaign. "We heard the campaign statements of the future U.S. presidential candidate about the restoration of relations between Russia and the United States," Putin said. "It is not an easy path, but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development." Among other issues causing concern among allies are Trump's vows to undo a global agreement on climate change, ditch trade deals he says have been bad for U.S. workers and renegotiate the nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers which has led to an easing of sanctions on Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif urged Trump to stay committed to the Iran deal. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the election result would have no effect on Tehran's policies and the nuclear accord with six world powers could not be dismissed by one government. Elsewhere in the Middle East, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, who had a poor relationship with President Barack Obama, said he hoped to reach "new heights" in bilateral ties under Trump. Obama and Netanyahu sparred over the issue of Israeli settlements, while Trump has said they should expand. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also congratulated Trump, but analysts said his rule may be profoundly negative for Palestinian aspirations. And despite Trump's negative rhetoric about Muslims during his campaign, including threats to ban them from the United States, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said he hoped the business magnate's election would breathe new life into U.S.-Egyptian ties. UNCERTAINTY In Britain, where Trump's victory had echoes of last June's referendum in which voters showed dissatisfaction with the political establishment by voting to leave European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May said the "enduring and special relationship" between the two countries would remain intact. Nigel Farage, a leader of the Brexit campaign who spoke at a Trump rally during the election campaign, tweeted: "I hand over the mantle to @RealDonaldTrump! Many congratulations. You have fought a brave campaign." But some European officials took the unusual step of denouncing the outcome, calling it a worrying signal for liberal democracy and tolerance in the world. "Trump is the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement. He is also a warning for us," German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel told Funke newspaper group. Some leaders are smarting from insults that Trump doled out in the past few months, such as calling German Chancellor Angela Merkel "insane" for allowing more than 1 million migrants into the country last year. "We're realizing now that we have no idea what this American president will do," Norbert Roettgen, a conservative ally of Merkel and head of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee, told German radio. "Geopolitically we are in a very uncertain situation." President Francois Hollande said France wanted to begin talks with Trump immediately to clarify his stance on international affairs. "This American election opens a period of uncertainty," Hollande said. French officials had openly endorsed Clinton and warned that Trump's "confused" foreign policy objectives were alarming for the rest of the world. "The U.S. is a vital partner for France and what's at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, economic relations and the preservation of the planet," Hollande said. But like-minded right-wing European parties that are hoping to make inroads of their own in 2017 -- a year in which Germany, France and the Netherlands hold elections, and Italy and Britain could also do so -- hailed Trump's victory. "Their world is falling apart. Ours is being built," Florian Philippot, a senior figure in France's far-right National Front (FN), tweeted. CHINA CONCILIATORY In Asia, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message with a conciliatory tone, telling Trump that Beijing and Washington shared responsibility for promoting global development and prosperity. "I place great importance on the China-U.S. relationship, and look forward to working with you to uphold the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation," Xi told Trump, who said on the campaign trail to take on China and to tax Chinese imports to stop currency devaluation. South Korea expressed the hope that Trump would maintain current U.S. policy of pressuring North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests. Seoul was concerned Trump may make unpredictable proposals to North Korea, a ruling party official said, quoting top national security officials. A Japanese government official, speaking before Trump clinched the election, urged him to send a message as soon as possible to reassure the world of the United States' commitment to its allies. "We are certainly concerned about the comments (Trump) has made to date about the alliance and the U.S. role in the Pacific, particularly Japan," the Japanese official said. (Reporting by Reuters bureaus in Europe, Asia and the Americas, Editing by Sonya Hepinstall and Angus MacSwan)
ADEN (Reuters) - Yemeni troops loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government killed at least 30 suspected al Qaeda militants in a raid backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, the Yemeni military said on Wednesday. Four soldiers were also killed in the operation on Tuesday at a farm west of Mukalla, the port city and capital of the province of Hadramout, the military said on its Facebook page. The raid was supported by the Saudi-led Arab coalition that has been fighting on the side of Hadi in a war against Houthi rebels and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Yemeni officials on Tuesday reported that six militants were killed in the raid, while four others were captured. Al Qaeda militants took advantage of the civil war which began last year, seizing parts of southern Yemen, including Mukalla, before Yemeni government soldiers and Arab coalition troops drove them out. The militants have since dispersed into the desert or have gone into hiding, but continue to launch occasional attacks on state officials and institutions. The United States, which regards al Qaeda in Yemen as one of the deadliest branches of the network founded by Osama bin Laden, has used drones to hunt down leaders and elements of the militant group. (Reporting by Mohammed Mukhashaf; Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
nyt needle

The New York Times is capturing readers' anxiety in real time with each bounce of its wildly swinging election forecast needle.

Before election results started rolling in on Tuesday night, the forecast gave Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton an 84% chance of winning the presidency. But as tallies came in showing an unexpected lead for Republican Donald Trump in key battleground states, the live forecast shifted toward Trump.

The real-time needle didn't stay still for long. At times, it seemed to bounce unpredictably from Trump's side to Clinton's and back.

The forecast currently puts Trump's chances of winning above 95%.

Readers panicked on Twitter after each dramatic oscillation and eventually starting venting about the needle itself:

I'm taking a break. The stress of the uncertainty and that damn NYT needle is killing me. #ElectionNight  Nick C (@nwchap) November 9, 2016

I imagine that NYT is going to get a whole lot of flack for this real-time panic meter tomorrow pic.twitter.com/BeWFZYHKcT  Ryan McCarthy (@mccarthyryanj) November 9, 2016

The NYT needle jittering is going to be in my nightmares no matter what happens tonight.  Daniel R. @ Home (@Daniel_Rosen) November 9, 2016

The New York Times eventually edited the election forecast post to acknowledge viewers' concerns:

NOW WATCH: Watch Donald Trump get booed while he goes to vote





More From Business Insider


For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL  November 09, 2016  Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses the Publishing, Part 1, including McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI Free Report),New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT Free Report),New Media Investment Group Inc. (NYSE:NEWM Free Report),Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI Free Report) and E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP  Free Report).

Industry: Publishing, Part 1

Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/95190/will-diversification-herald-a-better-2017-for-publishers

The U.S. newspaper publishing industry has long been grappling with sinking advertising revenues, and the global economic slowdown has only worsened the situation. The downturn in the newspaper publishing industry witnessed over the last few years was aggravated as print readership declined, with more readers opting for online news, thereby making the print-advertising model increasingly irrelevant.

Changing consumer preferences and the advent of new and innovative technologies have been altering the way news is offered and read. Readers now have myriad choices to collect and read articles or news through devices such as netbooks, tablets or other hand-held devices. Advertisers are now tapping the online video boom to reach their audience.

These factors have been weighing on the print industry, as advertisers now get low-cost avenues to reach their target audience more effectively. Per media reports, significantly lower print advertising demand is being witnessed across the retail, financial as well as telecommunication sectors.

We believe that an alternative and stable source of revenue is the demand of time, to salvage the dwindling print newspaper industry. To deal with the situation, newspaper companies are trimming their operations, lowering headcounts, revamping their print editions and investing in digital initiatives.

Waning Newspaper Advertising Revenues

Advertising remains a significant source of revenue for the industry that in turn depends on the health of the economy. The macroeconomic factors such as sluggishness in business spending, high unemployment and falling home sales may affect the level of national, retail and classified advertising revenues, as advertisers cut their budget in response to weak economic conditions.

Story continues

Advertising volumes remain under pressure as advertisers still deter from making any upfront commitments in an economy under recovery.The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI  Free Report) witnessed a 17.2% drop in print advertising revenues during the third quarter of 2016 following a decline of 16.6% in the second quarter. Print advertising revenue fell 18.5% in the third quarter, following a decline of 14.1% in the preceding quarter at The New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT  Free Report).

Newspaper Companies Adapting to Changing Trends

Newspaper companies have now been remodeling and restructuring themselves to better align with the growing need of marketers, targeting younger people, affluent households and other demographic groups with multiple web and print publications. Publishing companies are adapting to the changing face of the multi-platform media universe, which currently includes Internet, mobile, tablet, social media networks and outdoor video advertising in its portfolio.

In Aug 2016, McClatchy launched a new digital advertising agency, excelerate, to provide marketing solutions to local and regional advertising clients. The companys digital-only advertising revenue surged 15.2% in the third quarter of 2016, while total digital advertising revenue increased 4.9% from the year-ago period. The New York Times Companys digital advertising revenue soared 21.4% while New Media Investment Group Inc.s (NYSE:NEWM  Free Report) digital revenue increased 10.5% during the third quarter.

Newspaper publishing companies have been offloading assets that bear no direct relation to the core operations, diversifying revenue base, and even separating their broadcasting and digital properties from the sluggish print business.

The companies are gradually advancing toward the pay-and-read model. The New York Times Company, on Mar 28, 2011, launched a pricing system for NYTimes.com, whereby after browsing a certain number of free articles, readers will be asked to subscribe for complete access to its articles on phones, tablet computers and the Internet.

The recent trend witnessed in the industry is that of consolidation. Diversified publishing conglomerate, Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI  Free Report) in Oct 2015 entered into a deal to acquire Journal Media Group, Inc., the owner of the Milwaukee JournalSentinel and other newspapers. In Apr 2016, the company completed the acquisition of all of the remaining shares. Journal Media Group was formed after Journal Communications and E.W. Scripps merged their broadcasting operations and split the newspaper business. The merged broadcast and digital media company, headquartered in Cincinnati, retained the nameThe E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP  Free Report).

Zacks Industry Rank

Within the Zacks Industry classification, Publishing forms part of the Consumer Staples sector, one of the 16 Zacks sectors, though the media industry is part of the Consumer Discretionary sector. We rank all the 260 plus industries in the 16 Zacks sectors based on the earnings outlook and fundamental strength of the constituent companies in each industry. To learn more visit: About Zacks Industry Rank.

As a point of reference, the outlook for industries with Zacks Industry Rank #88 and lower is 'Positive,' between #89 and #176 is 'Neutral' and #177 and higher is 'Negative.' The Zacks Industry Rank for Publishing Newspaper is #203.

Analyzing the Zacks Industry Rank, it is apparent that the outlook on the Publishing Newspaper industry is reflecting a Negative view.

Earnings Trends

The broader Consumer Staples sector portrays an encouraging picture. In the third quarter of 2016, total earnings for the sector are expected to climb 6.5%, while total revenue rising 1.1% year over year. As of Nov 4, 2016, 78.1% of the total number of S&P 500 companies in this sector had reported their results, wherein 76% delivered an earnings beat and about 36% cruised ahead of revenue estimates. While earnings improved 6.7% year over year, revenues inched up 0.7%.

For more details about earnings for this sector and others, please read our  Earnings Trends report.

Confidential from Zacks

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Budget airline WOW Air will be introducing $99 flights from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Iceland next year.

Direct flights from Pittsburgh International Airport will launch on June 16, 2017, with tickets going on sale today for as low as $99 on one-way flights.

Flights will be scheduled four times a week from Pittsburgh International Airport, with connecting flights available to other European destinations in WOW Airs fleetlike London, Frankfurt, Berlin, Paris, and Dublinstarting at $149.99.

The airline introduced several routes to Iceland starting at $99 flights from destinations including Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C, last month, now adding Pittsburgh as its next U.S. location.

Introducing #Pittsburgh as our newest destination!

We can't wait for our inaugural flight to @PITairport in June 2017 pic.twitter.com/PKyfIjNqWj WOW air (@wow_air) November 7, 2016

Delta already offers round-trip flights from Pittsburgh to Iceland, with airfares currently starting at about $850 for the same dates next year.

The new route also gives European visitors another option to explore Pittsburghs vibrant history and scenery.

Pittsburgh is certainly a destination on the rise and one that will appeal to a wide range of European travelers looking to discover somewhere different, so were thrilled to add the destination to our route list, said Skli Mogensen, founder and CEO of WOW Air, in a press release.

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With Donald Trump headed to the Oval Office in 2017, the FCCs network neutrality regulations could be in danger of getting the ax  a move that might embolden internet service providers to hike prices for consumers and content companies.

The FCCs Open Internet Order, adopted in February 2015, bans internet providers from blocking or slowing down traffic as well as from engaging in paid prioritization schemes that give preference to content providers who pay for the privilege. The rules also reclassified broadband internet service as a common-carrier service under Title II of the Communications Act, giving the FCC much more latitude to regulate the industry.

Trump heretofore has not said much about the issue  or about his technology policy in general  while Hillary Clinton has been a strong supporter of network neutrality. But in a November 2014 tweet, he called President Obamas push for net neutrality an attack on the internet and called it a top-down power grab.

Net neutrality is the Fairness Doctrine, Trump said on Twitter, referring to the now-defunct FCC regulation that required TV stations giving free airtime to one candidate to offer the same opportunity to rival qualified candidates. He added, conspiratorially (and confusingly), that network neutrality will target conservative media.

A Trump administration will mean a power shift at the FCC  with Republicans poised to take a majority of the seats in the five-member commission. One name that has been floated as the next chairman is commissioner Ajit Pai, who has been a strident critic of current FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, whos an Obama appointee.

Trump may already have a repeal of net neutrality on his agenda, according to BTIG Research analyst Rich Greenfield. Moving broadband back under Title I would be a clear win for cable and telco providers, Greenfield wrote in a research note. But it would be a negative for consumers as well as media and technology companies like Netflix, Google and Facebook and over-the-top video providers like Dishs Sling TV that are concerned about ISPs control over last-mile broadband access.

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On the consumer front, if broadband is reclassified as a Title I service, ISPs would have substantially less concern over price regulation, Greenfield wrote. In turn, we suspect ISP consumer pricing power would rise faster than investors have assumed under a Democratic administration. Moreover, ISPs could jack up the rates they charge content providers to interconnect to their networks  an issue that Netflix has publicly complained about.

Trumps transition team has tapped Jeffrey Eisenach, a fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute and longtime fixture in policy circles, to head up telecom policy in the new administration, Politico reported last month. Eisenach has been an outspoken critic of Wheeler, and for years has urged the FCC to take a laissez-faire regulatory approach.

Eisenach, in an Oct. 25 appearance on C-SPANs The Communicators policy series (as pointed out by Greenfield), said that Trump has said clearly that he is opposed to net neutrality regulations.

What I dont think a President Trump would do  and what I hope he would not do  is intervene to instruct an independent regulatory agency how to issue a particular regulation, Eisenach said. I think in general, taking his broader views on regulation into account, you would expect him to appoint to the FCC someone who would be inclined to take a less regulatory position.

John Bergmayer, senior counsel at Public Knowledge, a public-interest group that supports network neutrality, cautioned that any action to rescind the rules would need to involve a public hearing. The FCC has rules on the books, and it would need to conduct a proceeding, and any decision it made would have to be made based on the record, he said. Congress could pass legislation of various kinds as well.

Opponents of net neutrality, meanwhile, have been encouraged by Trumps victory. The new administration presents a new opportunity to end the divisive and distracting fight over net neutrality, said Berin Szoka, president of nonpartisan think tank TechFreedom.

Under President Trump, Szoka expects either Congress or the FCC to reverse the decision to reclassify broadband under Title II as well as specify that the agency does not have authority to broadly regulate the internet. Even more important is undoing the Wheeler FCCs staggering assertion that the FCC may freely change its mind to regulate up or down without really justifying forbearance, he said in a statement.

In July, big ISPs represented by the National Cable & Telecommunications Assn., CTIA, USTelecom and the American Cable Assn. petitioned a federal appeals court to reconsider a decision upholding the Open Internet Order. That request is pending.

The NCTA, for its part, has said it is not challenging the principles of net neutrality. Rather, it objects to the reclassification of broadband as a Title II telecommunications service, which NCTA labeled an outdated regulatory framework. Quite simply, as regulators for decades have acknowledged and consistently determined, dynamic internet networks do not resemble or deserve to be treated like archaic telephone systems, the trade group said in July.

Ted Johnson contributed to this report.

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Line Corp. president and chief executive officer Takeshi Idezawa rings the bell during ceremony for the company's listing at the Tokyo Stock Exchange, in July 2016 (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro Nogi)

It staged one of the year's biggest IPOs but messaging app Line, while a huge draw among teens in Asia, says it has no big ambitions to take on Western giants such as Facebook on their home turf.

The Japan-based company known for its popular cartoon "stickers" -- a virtual communication tool for users too busy to write a text -- instead means to focus on taking messaging to the next stage in its core Asian markets of Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand.

"Our goal at Line is for the app to become the gateway to access all online services," chief executive Takeshi Idezawa told AFP in an interview at the annual Web Summit in Lisbon.

Line's service lets users make free calls, send instant messages and post photos or short videos, along with a host of other paid services.

It combines attributes from Facebook, Skype and WhatsApp with games and a mobile payment service also on offer.

The company, which grew out of Japan's 2011 quake-tsunami disaster and is owned by a South Korean Internet provider, staged a $1.3 billion initial public offering in July with a dual listing in New York and Tokyo that it said would help its international reach.

That was met with some scepticism by analysts at the time who wondered how effective Line's lineup of products would prove beyond Asia, and Idezawa agreed it was hard to crack Western markets where Facebook-owned WhatsApp or Messenger are already the leader.

"A chat app has a very strong network effect (across the business), so we are focussing on the four Asian countries," he said. "Asia is going to see very big economic growth and it is also a market where American companies are not finding it so easy to enter."

Line reckons there is plenty of room to grow closer to home. Japan, despite pioneering advanced handsets in the pre-iPhone 1990s, still only has 60 percent market penetration for smartphones while in Indonesia the figure is less than half.

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- Keep 'em coming -

And the company believes it can extract much more from its 220 million "active monthly users", as WeChat is doing in China.

Idezawa aims to make the basic app a "one-stop shop" offering multiple services such as games, music and payment services built on a chatbot that, exploiting artificial intelligence, can guide users' needs.

"If users don't see a benefit in staying online, they won't stay, and that's where we have to be creative to get users to stay."

The app can already connect to a smart fridge and tell you if your beer supply is running short. But Idezawa downplayed security concerns surrounding devices plugged into the "internet of things".

"Our security level is high," he insisted, touting Line's end-to-end encryption as rivalling that offered by WhatsApp.

In the first nine months of 2016, the company's revenues increased year-on-year by 17 percent to 103 billion yen and net profit came to 5.3 billion yen, against a net loss a year before.

It plans to increase the revenue share for advertising from 40 percent now; among the rest, 30 percent comes from games and 20 percent from the stickers.

The stickers, a kind of animated language analogous to emoticons which users can buy individually or in sets, have proved hugely popular in Japan. The company is also experimenting with locally designed ones to entice customers in fledgling markets such as France.

Branded sponsorship of the stickers combines advertising with Line's most emblematic feature. Idezawa pulled out his phone to display cutesy animal images sent to millions of Japanese users -- one by e-commerce company Rakuten and another from Yahoo Japan.

"The general view of us is that we're very strong at monetisation," he said. "Other chat apps haven't succeeded so much at that."
Killer computers, robot uprisings: Hollywood has long had a deep fascination for artificial intelligence. Even off screen, AI is increasingly a key part of the media business  but thus far, the reality isnt nearly as dramatic as movies like Her or Ex Machina make it out to be.

Case in point: Youve probably been contacted by AI today without even knowing it. That push notification on your mobile phone, the email newsletter of your favorite website, or the videos recommended to you while binge-watching are being powered by machine-learning algorithms that rely on huge amounts of data to make smart decisions about the media youd be inclined to consume.

One example for this is YouTubes content recommendations. In its early days, the video-sharing website simply used something called collaborative filtering to tell its users what to watch. If 10 users all had selected the same five videos, then the site predicted that the next user who watched four of these videos would also like the fifth.

Over time, YouTube refined these recommendations, relying on more complex forecasting models, but that still failed to account for the billions of videos available on the service.

YouTube is just so diverse, explains Cristos Goodrow, the services VP of engineering for search and discovery. We believe that for every human being on the planet, there are already 100 hours of videos on YouTube.

The tricky part is to correctly identify those 100 hours. Thats why YouTube has embraced deep learning powered by neural networks  which essentially means that the company is using algorithms that simulate the way the human brain works. These algorithms are being trained to make informed decisions about which videos to recommend.

Goodrow developed similar neural networks for big enterprise clients 20 years ago. Back then, the technology was a bit hit or miss, he recalls. Today, they suddenly work really well.

The key difference is data, he explains. YouTubes algorithms are being trained against hundreds of billions of data points of viewing behavior  something that simply wasnt possible just a few years ago.

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YouTube parent Google has identified AI as a key part of its business going forward, with Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently telling journalists at a press event that the shift to AI is as fundamental as the invention of the web or the smartphone.

We are at a seminal moment in computing, Pichai believes. We are evolving from a mobile-first to an AI-first world.

Alex Holub, CEO of San Francisco-based AI startup Vidora, agrees. In the next three to five years, every business will have an AI engine at its center, he says.

Vidora is helping media companies like News Corp., Yahoo Japan, and Walmarts Vudu video service to kick-start their AI efforts. The startups technology allows these companies to customize their communications with consumers to reduce churn, be it on their websites, in apps, or via mobile push notifications.

AI-based systems like Vidoras can learn not only which videos to recommend, but also how to market each video, and even find the best price and value proposition for any given customer. Everybody is getting their own experience, says Holub.

Key to this are, once again, vast amounts of data that help the system to learn from user behavior, then train the AI engines. In the online world, you can get data unique to each user that you couldnt get in the past, Holub says.

In time, these systems will improve and be able to develop complex strategies, maintains the Vidora chief. For example, a video-subscription service could, in the not-too-distant future, let AI decide which movies to license.

Goodrow also banks on AI for YouTubes next big challenge: understanding customer satisfaction. The service already knows which videos you like to watch, but it doesnt really understand which of those you truly love. The site is experimenting with surveys to get feedback on individual videos. Over time, it may use those insights to train AI algorithms on the subtler signals

of satisfaction.

In other words: Instead of killer robots, AI may simply bring us killer content recommendations.

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Reports earlier this year said that Samsung is developing three distinct flagship devices for next year, including the expected Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 but also a brand new type of handset. Samsung is rumored to finally release a commercial foldable smartphone, a technology Samsung has been teasing for years.

DONT MISS: Watch President-elect Donald Trumps full victory speech

Its not clear at this time whether Samsung will release three flagship handsets next year. But a patent application discovered in Korea by Dutch tech site GalaxyClub gives us a first look at Samsungs foldable design.

samsung-foldable-smartphone-2017-project-valley-4

Dubbed Project Valley, the smartphone would somewhat resemble old flip phones, as seen above.

samsung-foldable-smartphone-2017-project-valley-5

The phone would feature a flexible rear hinge and a flexible display. These components would let the user seamlessly move from a regular smartphone shape to flip phone mode.

samsung-foldable-smartphone-2017-project-valley-3

The back of the phone would feature an innovative type of hinge that would let you actually bend the rear case. Whats interesting about the patent is that it suggests the hinge could be moved across the length of the phone. This would let users fold the handset in a variety of ways. However, its unclear how a movable hinge would affect internal components, especially the battery. Other drawings suggest moving the hinge might not be possible, but you might be able to fold it at different levels.

samsung-foldable-smartphone-2017-project-valley-7

Its unclear /when Project Valley would launch, but a recent report from The Korea Herald said that Samsung still wants to bring it to market next year.

samsung-foldable-smartphone-2017-project-valley-6

The year 2017 will be the first year of foldable smartphones for the mass market, Hyundai Securities analyst Kim Dong-won said. Following the launches by the Korean firms, other global rivals such as Apple and Google are also likely to unveil their own versions in 2018.

samsung-foldable-smartphone-2017-project-valley-2

The Herald says that such smartphones could be used as tablets when unfolded. Samsung apparently plans to produce 7-inch flexible OLED panels for 10 million smartphones per month.

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samsung-foldable-smartphone-2017-project-valley-1

From the latter half of next year, Korean display makers like Samsung Display and LG Display will start producing the sixth-generation flexible organic light-emitting diode panels, the analyst said.

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
BERLIN (Reuters) - Telefonica Deutschland's O2Dn.DE chief executive called for a debate about data privacy in Germany and said he was looking into ways to monetise customer data. "We need to have a wide discussion about data in Germany," Thorsten Dirks told journalists late on Tuesday. Data privacy is a sensitive issue in Germany due to memories of Communist East Germany's Stasi secret police and the Nazi era Gestapo. As a testament to that the Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information ordered Facebook FB.O in September to stop collecting and storing data on German users of its messaging app WhatsApp and to delete all data that had already been forwarded to it. (Full Story) "People are right to scrutinize any attempt to make money off their data. At the same time they are a handing over data voluntarily to companies such as Google and Facebook," Dirks said, adding that he saw a double standard among consumers. As Germany's biggest telecoms operator in terms of customers, Telefonica Deutschland is sitting on a trove of data that Dirks said could be used for general purposes. It could for instance use anonymised data on its 44 million mobile subscribers' movements for crowd and traffic control as well as "many other areas that we at the moment cannot think of", Dirks said. Telefonica Deutschland has created a start-up company called Telefonica Germany NEXT, which will bundle activities in the area of big data and be a vehicle for new initiatives. Dirks said Telefonica wants to be a platform for all devices connected to the internet, that processes all sorts of data coming from sensors in cars, electronic devices and household apparel. Telefonica's flirtation with big data comes as telecoms operators are looking for ways to expand their business beyond their infrastructure to avoid becoming so-called "dumb pipes". At the same time companies such as Alphabet's GOOGL.O Google and Facebook are making money with user data that is provided to them by user on a voluntarily basis. Telecoms executives in Europe have repeatedly complained that tech companies are stealing away their business while using the data and telecoms infrastructure in which they invested billions of euros. (Reporting by Harro ten Wolde; Editing by Maria Sheahan)
The 2016 SNL Election Special aired Monday night, with NBC's Tom Brokaw narrating the election eve primetime event.

"For the last 18 months Saturday Night Live has been covering every angle of this freewheeling campaign," said Brokaw, introducing the hourlong NBC special. "There's been no shortage of characters, commentary and comedy to keep us up way past my bedtime."

He continued, "I've been covering presidential campaigns for 50 years and this one occupies a space all its own, the space between, 'Oh my god,' and, 'Did he, did she, just say what I just heard?'"

Read more: Alec Baldwin Opens Up About 'SNL' Impression: "I Don't Hate Trump"

The NBC News special correspondent then took viewers through the biggest moments of the 2016 presidential campaign by way of SNL's political sketches.

Beginning with the Republican and Democratic primary debates, Kate McKinnon, playing Clinton, and Darrell Hammond followed by current portrayer Alec Baldwin, playing Trump, made their way through the primaries and general election. Highlights also featured SNL frequenter Larry David as Bernie Sanders, including the Curb Your Enthusiasm-inspired "Bern Your Enthusiasm" short.

Bern Your Enthusiasm. https://t.co/VdMJzJjYxA #SNL https://t.co/hitXMmSYXD

- Saturday Night Live (@nbcsnl) November 8, 2016

The trip down SNL memory lane caught viewers up to Saturday's most recent episode, which featured Baldwin's Trump and McKinnon's Clinton making their final plea to voters. The pair eventually made peace by walking through the streets of New York hand-in-hand.

The episode ended with a quick reel of other memorable flashbacks, including returning castmembers Tina Fey and Amy Poehler reprising their roles as Sarah Palin and Clinton, respectively, and Will Ferrell's George W. Bush.

"The campaign or, if you will, the cage fight is now over," Brokaw said in his sign off. "You'll determine the winner by voting tomorrow and if it doesn't turn out the way you like it, that's your problem."

Read more: 'SNL': Alec Baldwin's Trump, Kate McKinnon's Clinton Make Their Final Pleas Ahead of Election Day
The lord mayor of Kampala Erias Lukwango has raised concern over the excessive power the authority enforcement team has been using to handle vendors while evicting them from the streets.

This follows a video of the enforcement team Mishandling a mother of two while evicting her from the streets that has gone viral.

Speaking during the Council meeting Lukwago says Iam shocked when i watched the video of the woman being tortured and mishandled with her children, dragging her to a van that belongs to KCCA.

He says the woman is currently remanded in luzira for trading on the streets without a permit asserting that something should be done to help her out.

He explains that the enforcement team is supposed to carry out its work without using excessive force but rather to make people comply.

Kcca leaders should come out with laws that govern the enforcement team because the public have a mistrust in KCCA actions
No

Yes, a light case

Yes, two or more light cases

One serious case

Two or more serious bouts

Vote

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AUBURN  DeKalb County Republicans had plenty to celebrate from Tuesdays election, winning all five local offices in which they had opposition.

In a race for the District 52 seat in the Indiana House of Representatives, Republican Ben Smaltz of Auburn won election to his third term in the Legislature.

In all three of his races, including Tuesdays, Smaltz defeated Democrat Charles Odier of St. Joe, the DeKalb County Democratic Party chairman. Tuesdays margin found Smaltz receiving just over 74 percent of the votes in DeKalb County.

Speaking to Republicans gathered at Middaugh Hall in Auburn, Smaltz urged them, Stand behind each other going forward. Its important that we stand behind each other and remember that were good Hoosiers.

In his next two years at the Statehouse, Smaltz said, Im going to work on balancing the budget, and Im going to make sure that its honest and its correct. Im going to work on education, in particular pre-K  early childhood  and trying to help education be the best that it can be. Im a believer that we have a good system now, and all we can do is make it better.

He added, Im going to work on infrastructure. I dont know anybody who would say our roads are outstanding, but they can be. Outstanding infrastructure is a driver for economic development, which attracts jobs that pay well  that make our lives better.

Wrapping up, Smaltz said, If I can ask anybody to do one thing, thats to pray for whoever our presidents going to be, pray for whoever our senators going to be, and our congressman, and our governor and everybody. Pray for me to know whats right and to have the courage to do it.

District 52 includes all of DeKalb County, the southeastern most two townships of Steuben County, including Hamilton, and Perry Township in northern Allen County.

Smaltz owns and operates Auburn Rental and Supply in west Auburn.

Three Republican candidates won election to at-large seats on the DeKalb County Council, fending off a challenge from independent candidate William Hartman of Corunna.

With 9,854 votes, Bob Krafft won a full, four-year term on the council. A Republican caucus selected him earlier this year to complete the remaining term of the late Larry Moughler, which ends Dec. 31.

Its been a humbling honor to take Larry Moughlers seat spot the last couple of months on the council  big shoes to fill, Kraft said at Middaugh Hall. We have some people leaving with Bob (Wilder) and Janet (Ordway-Surber).

Its an honor to be considered to be a big part of that, and I thank you for your support and your votes.

Looking forward to his term on the council, Kraft said, I want to continue the conservative bent that our council has on spending and making sure that were being the most effective with taxpayers money and being careful with how we spend it.

Krafft works full-time as chief executive officer of the YMCA of DeKalb County.

Dave Yarde returns to the council after serving previously from 1995 to 2008. He left the council to spend 2009-2012 as a state representative. He received 9,525 votes Tuesday.

Please remember Im your voice, and thats why Im here. Its all about you and us, Yarde told the gathering at Middaugh Hall. I want to give special thanks to my son, Dakota, because he was the driving force that kept me motivated and (he) may be the next generation of candidates here.

Yarde teaches fourth-graders at Northcrest Elementary School in Fort Wayne.

Martha Marty Grimm moves to a council seat after serving the past eight years as county clerk of circuit court. She could not run for re-election as clerk due to term limits. She led all candidates for the council with 10,288 votes

Independent challenger Hartman received 6,775 votes.

Grimm was overseeing Tuesdays election in her role as clerk and was not available for comment.

Holly Albright will replace Grimm as clerk in the new year. Albright served the maximum eight years as county treasurer before running for clerk this year. She defeated independent challenger Tammy Boyd-Collins, gaining nearly 74 percent of the votes for a margin of 11,424 to 4,069.

I look forward to continuing to serve DeKalb County and do the best job I can, Albright said Tuesday night at Middaugh Hall.

I am just very excited to start a new job, Albright added. Its going to be a challenge over there. Its entirely different from the financial aspect of the treasurers office. But weve got a lot of exciting things happening. We have the new e-filing for the court records, so thats going to be a learning process for everyone. I would like to see vote centers in DeKalb County, so thats something Id really like to work on.

Voter turnout

DeKalb County saw a voter turnout of 56.6 percent in Tuesdays election. The total of 17,228 votes cast included 5,909 early votes and 11,319 votes cast Tuesday in voters home precincts. More than one-third of all people who voted cast their ballots early.
Nov. 9

Carroll High Schools Parent University and RESPECT 360 is partnering to present a Stress and Anxiety Empowerment Session, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Carroll High School small auditorium. This is a free event for teens who want to know how to spot triggers of stress/anxiety and how to cope in healthy ways. Registration and more information is online at respect360team.com.

Nov. 11

The Huntertown Lions Club and the Huntertown United Methodist Church Jamaican mission team will hold a fish and tenderloin dinner from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at The Third Place, 1601 W. Cedar Canyons Road. Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for kids 2-10 and free for children under 2. In celebration of Veterans day, and in honor of our veterans, there is a $1 discount for all those veterans attending. Proceeds from the dinner will assist the Jamaican mission team with supplies needed for their trip in February 2017 to Whitehouse, Jamaica.

Nov. 13

Agape Church of the Brethren, 11610 Lima Road, in Fort Wayne, is hosting a musical Thanksgiving service at 4 p.m. The service will benefit the Fort Wayne Rescue Mission and the Fort Wayne Associated Churches Food Bank. A freewill offering will be divided equally between the two charities. The event is being hosted by the Musical Memories Band.

Nov. 14

First of two monthly meetings of the Northwest Allen County School Board. Meetings take place in the NACS Central Office Board Room. Enter Door 3 at Perry Hill Elementary School, 13121 Coldwater Road in Fort Wayne. Agendas are posted online at nacs.k12.in.us.

Nov. 17-20

The Carroll High School Drama Department will present A Little Princess with 7 p.m. showings on Nov. 17-19. The Nov. 20 showing will be a 2 p.m. matinee.

Nov. 19

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, located at 110 E. Wallen Road in Fort Wayne, is hosting a Cookie Walk from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Greek treats and holiday cookies will be for sale including baklava, tiropita and spanakopita as well as a variety of festive cookies.

Dec. 2

The Jamaica Team of Huntertown United Methodist Church will host a Parents Night Out from 6-8 p.m. at the Third Place, 1601 W. Cedar Canyons Road. Children ages 3-12 will be entertained and cared for while parents enjoy a date night without kids. Cost is a free will donation. Proceeds from this event will help toward the mission work of the HUMC team going to Jamaica in February 2017. Please register for this event at huntertownumc.org/upcoming/parents-night-out.

1st Monday of the month

Multiple Sclerosis Support Group meets at 7 p.m. at the Lutheran Rehabilitation Hospital, 7970 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne. Literature and video presentations are provided along with refreshments. For more information, call 637-3820.

1st Tuesday of the month

Three Rivers Woodworking Club meets at the Huntertown Woodworkers Club House at 16471 Lima Road at 7 p.m. All are welcome. For information, call 637-6415.

2nd Monday of the month

LaOtto Community Association meeting held at the Park Building in LaOtto. Open to the public.

2nd and 4th Mondays of the month

Huntertown Lions meeting at 6:45 p.m., held at Huntertown United Methodist Church, 16021 Old Lima Road, Huntertown. Meetings are held between the months of September and May.

2nd Tuesday of the month

Huntertown Heritage Days committee meeting. Meeting begins at 6 p.m. at Huntertown Town Hall, 15617 Lima Road. Everyone is welcome. Any questions, contact Jenny McComb at 637-6232 or kmc6101@comcast.net.

Flax & Fleecers Spinning Guild. 7-9 p.m. at Salomon Farm Learning Center, 817 W. Dupont Road. All spinners and fiber arts enthusiasts are welcome. Call 637-8622 for more information.

2nd Tuesday and last Saturday of the month

Huntertown area food distribution at Third Place, 1601 W. Cedar Canyons Road, 9-11 a.m. A clothing ministry is also available. In emergencies, contact the Huntertown United Methodist Church at 637-3798.

2nd Thursday of the month

LaOtto Park Association meeting at 7 p.m. in the community building. For more information, call 637-6011.

2nd Saturday of the month

Korean War Veterans monthly meeting. Meetings begin at 10 a.m. and take place at the Eagles #248, 4940 Bluffton Road in Fort Wayne.

Wednesdays

The Friends of Huntertown Parks Inc. meets each Wednesday night at 5:30 p.m. at the Huntertown Woodworkers Club, 16471 Lima Road.

4th Tuesday of the month

Epilepsy Support Group meeting from 12:30-2 p.m. in the East Parlor Room of the First Wayne Street United Methodist Church at 300 E. Wayne St., Fort Wayne. Call 432-7170 or (877) 456-2971, ext. 3090, if planning to attend.

4th Thursday of the month

The Huntertown Historical Society meets at 7 p.m. at Huntertown Town Hall, 15617 Lima Road, Huntertown. Everyone is welcome. Always looking for new members.
The Houston County Township Officers Association held its 55th annual banquet last month at the Four Seasons Community Center in Caledonia. Hosted by the nine-member township association board, this social and informational event had an attendance of 79 township officers, representing 15 of the 17 townships in the county.

This is the fifth time in 10 years that rainfall events have caused extensive damage to roadways in the state, Houston County Emergency Manager Kurt Kuhlers told the gathered officials. If your township was affected somehow, submit the form for assistance to recoup damage costs.

Snakes of

the southeast

That evenings guest speaker was Jaime Edwards, a nongame wildlife specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for southeast Minnesota whos stationed in Rochester. The mission statement of the Nongame Wildlife Program is to protect, maintain, enhance, and restore native nongame wildlife resources for their intrinsic values, ecosystem functions, and long-term benefits.

Edwards talked about snakes in Minnesota  their characteristics and identification, and to dispel many of the perceptions about snakes.

Snakes (and lizards) play a beneficial role in our environment by consuming large numbers of insects and small mammals. Considering the rapid reproductive rate of mice, voles, and many insects, and the impact they can have on agriculture and transmittal diseases to humans, keeping these populations in check is important. Additionally, snakes and lizards are food for other animals, which also helps keep their own numbers in check. The biggest threat to rare species is human persecution.

Edwards showed skins of a rattlesnake, bull snake and fox snake to point out how similar their colorings are. The bull snake is the second-largest snake in Minnesota and is a rattle snake mimicker. The difference is the rattle snake raises its tail to rattle, while the bull snake flutters its tail on the ground to make a sound that mimics the rattle snake.

Timber rattle snakes are a long-lived species, and the further south you go, the more there are. Rattle snakes mature at nine to 11 years old, and reproduce every two to three years. Their average home (den) range is one to two miles, and they prefer south- to west-facing bluff prairies and associated oak forests. This heavy-bodied snake, which is active from late April through early to mid-October, measures from 36 to 54 inches.

And its rattles are made of the same thing as your finger nails, Edwards said.

There was bounty on rattle snakes until 1989. In the 1940s, nearly 6,000 rattlesnakes were submitted for bounty in Houston County alone. By 1987, fewer than 200 snakes were turned in for bounty in the county. Intense harvest had a tremendous impact on Minnesotas rattlesnake population, so much so that the species was listed as threatened in 1996. Today, there are still rattlesnakes in Minnesota, but their range has reduced, and many once-active dens are now gone.

Winnebago Valley in Houston County has the highest concentration of rattlesnakes and a high number for road kill.

Through the Rattlesnake Responder Program, if you encounter a rattlesnake, but it is not threatening you in any way, you are to call non-emergency law enforcement, which has a list of responders who can come and remove the snake.

The Nongame Wildlife Program is conducting bluff prairie restoration to improve habitat for snakes and minimize snake-human encounters.

Edwards talked, with the aid of a Power Point presentation, about the Bluff Prairie Restoration program in southeast Minnesota.

Threats to bluff prairies are fire suppression, bluff development, woody encroachment by cedars, buck thorn and prickly ash and more. The Japanese barberry has caused damage in Winona County. And there is an increase of Lyme disease and tick diseases.

All these are threats to rare species, Edwards said.

There are 5,200 acres of bluff prairie total and 9,000 bluffs in southeast Minnesota. The habitat recovery goal is to restore 2,600 acres of bluff prairies and restore 2.24 miles around active dens, which are on south and west facing bluffs.

Weve been going for 15 years and are around three-fourths of the way to the goal, Edwards said.

In earlier years, there was more fire on the landscape, and as settlers came in, they had diversity of grazing. In the early 1990s, a Minnesota county biological survey of species, plants, birds, fish and snakes was done. In Houston County, there are 154 species in greatest conservation need, and the highest diversity of reptiles and amphibians.

Houston County is a very blessed area of the state with some of the rarest habitat types in the state, Edwards said. Bluff prairies have become overgrown with cedar, which has changed the environment of the bluff. Rooster Valley, as an example, had become overgrown with cedars and aspen trees.

We are doing a lot of work on super steep bluffs, ones that people dont walk on and are unique, she added. The work involves removing the brush and tree layer, and introducing prescribed fires. We leave some cedars, oak, hickory and birch, but try to get it as open as possible. We want to get the bluff to what they were in the 1950s and get a lot of the native plants coming in.

Some people dont like the open bluff with the brush and tree layer removed.

Habitat work is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. No general tax money is used for any restoration or survey work or to fund the nongame wildlife program. Edwards position is funded by donations, not tax money.

More funding is needed to continue the program, she said.

Officers

Current board members are: for the northwest (representing Money Creek, Houston, Sheldon and Yucatan Townships)  Richard Nelson and John Beckman; northeast (representing Mound Prairie, La Crescent, Hokah, Union and Brownsville Townships)  Richard Markos and Sheldon McElhiney; southeast (representing Mayville, Winnebago, Crooked Creek and Jefferson townships)  Arlyn Pohlman and Gene Tessmer; southwest (representing Black Hammer, Caledonia, Spring Grove and Wilmington townships)  Michael Patterson and a vacant seat. The board member at large is Larry Gaustad.

Current officers are Richard Markos  president, Gene Tessmer  vice president, Richard Nelson  secretary, and Arlyn Pohlman  treasurer.
Judge Carmaine Sturino has a sign hanging in her kitchen and it reads, We can do hard things.

Its a philosophy Sturino believes in, and one she brought to the one-judge bench in Houston County when she assumed its seat from retired Judge James Fabian a year ago. At that time, Gov. Mark Dayton appointed Sturino to the bench; now shes asking voters to keep her there.

My career has been public service and volunteer work, Sturino said, which is my job now.

After graduating from Drake University Law School, Sturino spent 14 years as an attorney, practicing exclusively in Minnesotas Third Judicial District. That included work as a public defender, prosecutor, private attorney and conciliation court referee, a career that spanned criminal, civil, family court, jury verdicts, plea negotiations and agreements.

She learned some wise advice early on from a colleague about being a judge.

Making a good decision now is better than a perfect decision later, she said.

But, it takes a lot of hard work to serve as Houston Countys judge, and Sturino said she doesnt shy away from the responsibility. In fact, she wants to ensure a culture of accountability is held at a premium, as well as advocate efficiencies within the current court system.

I am not afraid to try new things, to learn from my mistakes, to think outside of the box and to do what I need to do in order to better serve our community, she said.

Shes also not afraid of the challenges the border county faces, which include resources and communications.

While both are nuanced issues, theyre also intertwined, and everything leads back to the public the system is intended to serve. That means the voters, and their elected representatives on the county board, need to be invested in the decisions being made.

If resources are a very real concern, thats because  just in her year on the bench  the judge need in Houston County has gone from .7 or .8 to full-time. Although the caseloads have increased, staffing hasnt. Theres also the reality of an increasingly electronic state of filing, something the entire county has had to adjust to.

Its been a huge learning curve, Sturino said.

Theres another part of the learning curve, and thats the realization of the greater need for drug treatment, prevention, and education. Meth and heroin are becoming a larger problem in the county than ever before, she said, and continuation of the monitoring process known as the drug patch, as well as establishment of treatment courts at the other end, are both needed. Also increasing in the county is the need for quality foster care. Child protection numbers are skyrocketing, she said, and residents need to be aware of that particular need so they can also be a part of the solution.

If the local population doesnt know the number of cases are on the rise, she said, theres no incentive to educate and inspire them.

Thats where the communication comes into play, and for Sturino, its an integral part of her philosophy: Do the education piece first, then do implementation. Its an example of the reality of sitting on the bench in a border county, where its tempting to think crossing the river to share resources with another state is the answer. Thats not only a challenge, she said, the system often makes it impossible.

A judge just cant say, Were doing this today, she said.

What can be said, and Sturino said it empathically, is how much all these concerns and initiatives mean to her personally.

This is not a platform for me, she said. Im going to do these things if you elect me. This is who I am.

Judges need to be listening more than talking, said Tim Guth.

Thats one of the reasons hes motivated to run for Houston County Judge. Theres another.

I believe that judges should be elected by the people they serve, rather than appointed, Guth said. Thats why I ran.

Three things hed like to do if elected all fall under the heading of reform.

The attorneys on trials have to have their cases settled by the Wednesdays before the following Monday jury selection, he said. I dont want jurors sitting around at $20 a day while theyre losing money.

Hed also like to establish a veterans court, where those struggling with PTSD, and alcohol or drug issues can get help.

I would also like to start a drug court for non-violent people who cant beat their addictions on their own, he said.

Guth grew up in Caledonia, where he now resides, and he attended St. Olaf College, then Hamline Law School, passing the Minnesota bar exam in 1984. He then went into Army as a private. He was given a waiver to try out for special forces, went through basic and advanced individual training, then jump school, and then sent to Fort Bragg, where he passed his Green Beret special forces courses, which took a year. He came out as a sergeant.

By 1988, Guth was back in Minnesota as Assistant Winona County Attorney, where he spent five years, with 40 jury trials as a prosecutor; hes had a further 28 in Minnesota and Wisconsin, so he brings a wealth of experience.

Since 1993, hes been in private practice, licensed in both Minnesota and Wisconsin (since 1994), covering Houston, Winona and Fillmore counties, as well as serving public defender clients in La Crosse and Monroe counties.

The establishment of a drug court, which many counties already have, is important to Guth.

One thing that Minnesota has, unlike Wisconsin, Guth said, is, if you get convicted of a felony in Minnesota, and you successfully complete probation, it turns into a misdemeanor.

That, he said, would be very important for drug offenders and veterans who, through no fault of their own and due to the things theyve seen, would like to have a pathway out.

A lot of self-medication is happening with veterans, he said, and hed like to see a pathway to treatment.

We have the VA in Tomah, Guth said, 40 miles away. They have a substance abuse and alcohol classes over there. If youre a veteran, you can go there.

Guth has personally gotten several Green Berets into the program. Something similar hasnt happened in Houston County, though.

I dont think anybody wanted to start it because, possibly, money issues, he said.

But, Guth said, a lot of federal grants are coming through now to help veterans and drug offenders.

I think a lot of the counties are seeing its better for treatment than throwing them in jail, he said.

In his private practice, he focuses on criminal defense mostly, which he runs out of his King on Fifth office.

The big thing, and I would like to see happen, he said, is, in Wisconsin, guardian ad litems have to be lawyers. Minnesota, they dont. And thats another issue that should be addressed. Often times, lawyers know whats going on in court, and lay people dont. I would like to see that change.

He sees all of these reforms as a service and for the betterment of the people. Its a bedrock of service he learned early on how to handle through his special forces training.

The thing about the Special Forces qualification course, Guth said, is you have to, even when things are looking dark, you have to drive on. You have to push through.

The training also taught him to work well with other people, and to work well alone.

That, he said, is what he brings to the bench if hes elected. He also wants to be certain those coming into the courtroom are treated with respect.

One of the things thats very important is to be courteous to the people coming into court, Guth said.
Gilbert Poff was a high school student living in rural Millston on Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941.

His family didnt have a radio or telephone, so it wasnt until he went to school the next day that he received the same unsettling news rippling throughout the county: That the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States was about to enter World War II.

It wasnt until two years later in December 1943 that Poff was drafted into the U.S. Army and went on to serve in both the European Theater and the occupation of Japan. He was part of a medical unit that helped transport injured soldiers to physicians during the conflict.

When I got drafted, I thought, well, I was one of the lucky ones because I did get over there, but we werent right up on the front lines, said Poff, now 91 years old and a town of Brockway resident. I did what they told me to do. If I was told to go on the line, I would have went.

Poff is one of a dwindling number of World War II veterans whose stories are important to tell, said Jackson County Veterans Service Officer Randy Bjerke.

Theyve been called the Greatest Generation, Bjerke said. I think its really important to recognize and celebrate what theyve done.

They all had their part  they all had their aspect of what was their story, and its important to them, first off, but I think its important for us to recognize and show them the respect and regard.

Poff said the action and trials of war were a shock for a country boy who had little exposure to life outside of Jackson County before his service. He had his basic training in California and was in Europe by February 1944 . The war ended when he and his unit were about 65 miles from Berlin, he said.

It was a lot different for a country boy, Poff said. It was a lot different for me.

He returned home to the United States and spent a 30-day furlough in his home county before being sent to North Carolina and eventually Japan to assist with the occupation for six months.

He was home again in April 1946 and enjoyed the summer before he started work in La Crosse and eventually a service station in Black River Falls.

He married his now-late wife in 1947 and had four sons and a daughter and has lived in Jackson County nearly his entire time back in Wisconsin.

It was while working at the Tomah VA that he heard others talking about joining the Wisconsin National Guard and thought it was an endeavor he wanted to pursue. He served 28 years before retiring in 1983 at age 58.

It was before then, though, that he had joined local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1959 in the 1970s. He also served two stints as its commander and in other roles.

I enjoyed it, he said.

Poff remains humble about his service, saying it was his duty and one he didnt take lightly.

When you get that letter from the president  I had no problem at all, he said. I served my time, I joined the Guards. I guess I enjoyed it.

I wouldnt have had it any other way.

Its that attitude that Bjerke said is common of World War II veterans, who frequently say Veterans Administration benefits should go to other servicemen and women.

The majority of the ones Ive seen are self-effacing. Theyre not greedy in that regard, Bjerke said. Theyre not greedy in the least. If they would be offered something, its usually, Well, somebody needs it more than me.
Several programs and services are scheduled to help mark Veterans Day in Jackson County.

The Black River Falls School District will hold a program at Red Creek Elementary on Friday, Nov. 11 at 8:45 a.m., and the high schools program will follow at 10 a.m. in the Sam Young Gymnasium.

The Alma Center-Humbird-Merrillan School District has a program set at the high school in Alma Center at 10 a.m. on Friday and one at the elementary school in Merrillan at 2 p.m.

Melrose-Mindoro will have its first program on Friday at 10 a.m. at Melrose Elementary in Melrose. There also will be a program at the high school south of Melrose at 1 p.m.

County board program on Monday

The Jackson County Board of Supervisors will honor Korean War veterans during a special ceremony on Monday, Nov. 14 at 9 a.m. in the county board room at the courthouse in Black River Falls.

All veterans who served during that time, whether in the U.S. or overseas, and their families are invited to attend. There will be a short ceremony followed by cake and coffee.

Veterans who wish to share wartime photos of themselves are encouraged to bring them to the Jackson County Veterans Service Office at the courthouse no later than this Wednesday, Nov. 9 for scanning and inclusion in a slideshow presentation for the program.

For more information, contact the VSO at (715) 284-0225.
There was a line of people fawning over the memories of Alvin Blackdeer for over an hour after Barbara Blackdeer-Mackenzie finished her presentation about her father.

I grew up on the prairie with your father. I remember seeing your father all over town, my parents were close to him. Your father was so smart, were some of the memories shared with Blackdeer-Mackenzie.

Blackdeer-Mackenzie gave the presentation at the Holmen Area Historical Societys November meeting last week, which features a veteran every year.

Alvins popularity in the community was evidenced by the turnout; a member of the society told Blackdeer-Mackenzie that it was one of the biggest crowds the society had ever seen.

I am a professional speaker, but this was exciting, this was scary. Normally, I do not talk about myself or my family, especially in front of my family and hometown, Blackdeer- Mackenzie said.

Blackdeer-Mackenzie, known as Bambi to the community for most of her life, grew up in Brice Prairie with her father, Alvin, her mother, Muriel, and her seven older half-siblings.

She graduated from Winona State University in 1992 with a bachelors degree in history and communication studies, the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire in 2003 with a Master of Education, and is currently working on her educational leadership doctorate at St. Marys University.

She lives in Black River Falls, the Ho-Chunk Nation headquarters, and works with the Nations Social Services Children and Family Services Unit.

The life of Alvin Blackdeer

Alvin Blackdeer was a decorated man who was well-respected by his community.

He was born March 29, 1926, to Charles and Caroline Blackdeer. Although raised in Brice Prairie his entire childhood, Alvin was born in Valley Junction, Wis. Tomah Memorial Hospital was the only hospital designated for Native American use.

He spent his childhood on the prairie with his 10 siblings, where he hunted, fished and grew up with traditional Ho-Chunk values. His life has been immortalized by his late wife, Muriel, in her book, An Eagle Blessed our Home.

Blackdeer graduated from high school in 1943 and promptly joined the U.S. Navy. At the end of the world wars, there was a Blackdeer son in every branch of the military.

He worked on the U.S.S. Tangier in Hawaii and was able to travel to the Philippines and Corregidor before he was discharged.

According to Blackdeer-Mackenzie, Alvin was a self-described swap jockey who re-upped after he was discharged. He was a seaman first class six months before the Korean War.

Alvin came back in 1948 to see the prairie changing; he saw the laying of electrical lines and the infrastructure development that changed his childhood lands.

He worked for the La Crosse County Sheriffs Department as a deputy for 11 years, and also as an Onalaska Constable. He then worked for Burlington Northern Railroad for 32 years. He began as a fireman and ended his career as an engineer.

Alvin was elected to the Onalaska Town Board for two nonconsecutive terms in 1968-72 and 1981-86.

On top of his work, Alvin was the commander of the Winnebago Veterans Association where he worked on Indian programming. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and volunteered at any and all VA meetings.

I spent my childhood in VAs and nursing homes, Blackdeer-Mackenzie said.

Blackdeer-Mackenzies sister joked about Alvins military pride.

He was very proud of being a WWII veteran; he would tell so many stories at the dinner table, I thought he was in the service forever, Debra Welander said.

In 1960, on John F. Kennedys campaign trail, Alvin and his brother, Wilbur Blackdeer, honored Kennedy by giving him a war bonnet, making him an honorary chief.

We honor veterans through feathers, Blackdeer-Mackenzie said. If there is a red tip on the feather, that means they were in hand-to-hand combat and wounded their enemy.

In 1965, a widowed Alvin met a widowed Muriel, and they were married a year later. They bonded over music and their pride in their heritagesMuriel was Norwegian.

She would listen to him sing, and she fell in love with his voice, Blackdeer-Mackenzie said.

Barbara was born in 1967 and is the only child from the union.

He didnt speak the Ho-Chunk language in the home because he had no one to talk to, so I probably only had 10 words in my whole repertoire, Blackdeer-Mackenzie said.

The 1970s and 1980s marked a time in Alvins life where he was heavily involved in politics. He helped incorporate the Ho-Chunk Nation (then known as the Wisconsin Winnebago Tribe), and worked in school programs, sang and scouted.

He was medically retired in 1980, and passed away on Jan. 27, 1988.

Code talkers

The code talkers were Native American members of the military who used a secret code that could only be deciphered by their native languages. There were 33 tribes involved in the program.

The program was so detailed and critical that each member in it had a man on his ship or base assigned to kill the member if the code were ever to be compromised.

The code talkers were declassified in 2008 and the Ho-Chunk Nation was recognized for their involvement in 2013 with a gold medal.

It was not until 2015 that Blackdeer-Mackenzie was notified that Alvins name was submitted for verification. Around Memorial Day 2015, the Blackdeer family found out that Alvin had been acknowledged as a code talker.

He never said anything; a clue I guess was that he had wartime and peacetime discharge, she said.

The tribe is still putting together all the pieces, but Blackdeer-Mackenzie will soon be accepting a silver medal on her fathers behalf.

Ho-Chunk Nation

Although Alvin was a beloved and active member of the community, he had to fight for his nations recognition.

The Ho-Chunk religion was outlawed until 1978. They had to practice in secrecy, it was more systemic, Blackdeer-Mackenzie said. Even today, the elders say it has to stay secret.

According to Blackdeer-Mackenzie, Ho-Chunks have been in what is now Wisconsin for 40,000 years.

It was not until recently that they were able to claim their heritage.

In 1934, under the Indian Reorganization Act, the Ho-Chunks legislature was allowed to begin managing their lands and assets. In 1960, their constitution was approved and in 1994, they switched their name to the Ho-Chunk Nation.

The reasoning behind the name change was to regain identity. Winnebago was a Potawatomi word used to describe the nation.

There are currently about 7,000 members of the nation living in Wisconsin, while there is about the same amount in its sister nation, the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. The sister nation is established from the population that was forced west.

Blackdeer-Mackenzie spoke about current issues through the eyes of the Ho-Chunk Nation and her father.

There are only two percent of fluent speakers, so at first, things like the mascot issue, dad wanted to keep those names to create a political presence, but now we have seen an identity crisis, she said. These mascot names, and John Wayne movies, have replaced what our culture has lost.

After putting together what could only be bits and pieces of her fathers life for an audience of engaged listeners, Blackdeer-Mackenzie described her father as her hero.
Area clerks couldnt say for sure whether the Coulee Region joined the state in shattering absentee voting records, but were confident that the turnout was impressive compared to previous elections.

According to a Wisconsin Election Commission report released Monday, 797,740 absentee ballots were cast in Wisconsin ahead of Tuesdays presidential election, breaking the previous record of 664,597 set in 2012.

The trend held for rural counties as well, according to Jackson County Clerk Kyle Deno, who said she had a busy three weeks.

We had a lot of early absentee voting. It was successful all around, Deno said. All has gone well.

Upon learning that 710 people in Jackson County received absentee ballots and 647 returned them, Deno said, Holy buckets. For us, thats quite an achievement.

Typically, they consider getting 150 absentee ballots a remarkable amount.

The smaller elections, sometimes you have 1,500 voters total, Deno said. We dont see that type of number.

In La Crosse County, just fewer than 22,000 absentee ballots were issued and 21,405 were returned as of Monday. La Crosse County Clerk Ginny Dankmeyer estimated 30 percent of the countys voters chose to vote early, although the exact number of registered voters was not available Monday.

We definitely had more absentee voting in this election than any election that came before, Dankmeyer said.

While the new statewide voter system requires each municipality to track the ballots received, its difficult to compare exact numbers from prior years.

We werent required to in the past, so its hard to say exactly what the numbers are, Dankmeyer said, but added, Even the small municipalities that usually have two or three are reporting 20 or 30 absentee voters.

La Crosse City Clerk Teri Lehrke was able to compare city numbers to those of the last presidential election.

It definitely exceeded what we had four years ago, Lehrke said.

The city saw 6,615 absentee ballots returned in 2012, and, as of Monday, Lehrke had received 8,526 absentee ballots from voters, most of those through the in-person voting.

Friday, on the very last day, we had 1,051. That was a lot, Lehrke said.

Dankmeyer theorized that the increase was due to the intensity surrounding this election, which has had tight races for both president and U.S. Senate, as well as state Assembly and Senate races.

I think some people are just ready to go back to normal TV and radio and be done with it, Dankmeyer said.

Lehrke hesitated to say what the early voting numbers would say about the projected voter turnout Tuesday. The state election commission estimates a voter turnout of 69.6 percent.

Just because of the number of absentee voters were high, that doesnt mean the voters on Election Day will be high, Lehrke said.

Lehrke expects around 70 percent of registered voters will cast a ballot in this election.

Four years ago, we had just under 73 percent, Lehrke said. Four years prior to that, we had 71 percent.

La Crosse had 35,197 people registered as of Nov. 1; however, registration will continue at the polls Tuesday.
Black River Falls High School Principal Tom Chambers was chatting with a student at the first-ever area job fair when she said she didnt see any businesses related to art.

He quickly told her to visit a couple businesses that didnt appear to have that opportunity but likely have positions that do require creative talents.

There are so many opportunities, Chambers said. Its letting those kids see whats actually out there.

The Black River Area Job Fair was held for the first time last week Wednesday and drew more than 40 businesses and organizations to share their opportunities with both high school students and community members.

Officials were pleased with the turnout and hope to continue it into the future.

The job fair went very well for a first-time event. I would have liked to see more attendance from the public, but I talked to most of the vendors and they seemed pleased with the response from both the students and the public, said Chris Hardie, executive director of the Black River Area Chamber of Commerce, which helped organize and plan the event. I was very surprised to have more than 40 businesses attend, so we had strong support from the business community. We certainly plan on holding the event again.

The fair, sponsored by the Chamber and Black River Falls School District, was spurred after a conversation between Chambers and Hardie at a district committee meeting about ways to expose students to available opportunities and the skills needed to pursue them.

The event, which also drew assistance from the state Department of Workforce Development and Workforce Connections, allowed students and the public to bring resumes and discuss with business representatives, and students also attended educational workshops that emphasized various career and work skills.

I really see it as a collaborative effort on a lot of peoples parts, Chambers said. This, to me, is just another step in (the) direction that weve been trying to do for years of getting younger people to realize the need for skilled workers in every area of our economy.

Fern Caldwell was at the event on behalf of Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin and said she was pleased with the increasing interest from students as the fair progressed.

I think its going well, said Caldwell, an administrative support staff member. I think its a really, really good idea.

(Students) had good questions.
Hunters in Jackson County should see a solid number of deer on the landscape and experience a good gun deer season, wildlife officials say.

The hunt, which kicks off next weekend, likely will benefit from a mild 2015-16 winter, increasing population numbers and strong fawn production, said Scott Roepke, a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist.

The more deer there are on the landscape, the better season they have, said Roepke, whose position covers Jackson County.

Not only did we have really good survival last winter but the does that made it through the winter had good fawn production this spring.

The gun season, which runs Nov. 19-27, has the same structure as last year in Jackson County, including a buck-only restriction in the forest zone and antlerless tags available in the farmland zone. There were 422 tags for the farmland zone remaining as of last Wednesday.

Roepke said there was some confusion last year about where hunters registered their deer, and he wants to remind hunters that any animals harvested east of Highway 27 are in the forest zone and those west of the highway boundary are in the farmland.

Some hunters who were hunting in a farm field  they were on a farm in the forest zone and when they went to register, they thought, I was on a farm, so the farmland zone makes sense, he said. Were reminding hunters to make sure they know which zone theyre hunting in.

Hunters in Jackson County last year harvested a total of 5,639 deer, which represented a slight drop from 2014. There were 2,918 antlered and 2,721 antlerless deer harvested in 2015, and Roepke said hes optimistic hunters will see and harvest more deer this season because of a conscious effort to stabilize the population in the farmland zone and increase it in the forest area.

Those are loose terms, but in general, were trying to get the population up by 20 percent over three years, he said.

There still is a baiting and feeding ban in place for Jackson County this year, but the DNR this year is collecting chronic wasting disease samples from anywhere in Jackson County if hunters are willing to provide them. Hixton Ridge Taxidermy is a local facility that will collect them without a charge or a deer or deer head can be brought to the DNR service center in Black River Falls.

This season also is the second for electronic registration but the first of a new license system. Hunters no longer get plastic tags but instead print them off on plain computer paper, and they should bring a small plastic bag with them to protect them from the elements. Those hunting also should plan to bring a pen or pencil with them for writing the confirmation number after receiving it either on the phone or online, Roepke said.

The DNR is reminding hunters about the presence of Jackson Countys newly established elk herd, which is not to be hunted, and encouraging them to watch for the large orange tracking collars as one way to distinguish them from whitetail deer.

(The elk) are moving around quite a bit, Roepke said. Were always encouraging hunters to properly identify their target and whats beyond and make sure they know what theyre shooting at.

Roepke said its too early to know the possible impact weather may have on the gun deer hunt, but he said colder weather and some snow would be ideal.

Its supposed to be a cold November  and thats always good. The colder the better unless its frigid cold and, of course, snow helps, but its too early to tell that, said.

For more information on the gun deer season, visit dnr.wi.gov.
WHITEHALL  The Trempealeau County Health Care Center near Whitehall will hosted a VIP ribbon cutting and open house Tuesday for its new, $27 million facility.

The mental health provider also will host a public open house from 3 to 6 p.m. that day.

The state-of-the-art, 125,000-square-foot facility replaces an aging structure that was built in the 1970s.

It features two, 17-bed households that will be licensed under the 34-bed nursing home licensure. Four other households will be classified under the 112-bed Institute for Mental Disease licensure, center officials said.

The new structure will provide residents with mostly private rooms, additional program space and a town square concept to promote recovery and teach residents skills they will need when they return to a less-restrictive placement and eventually become independent again.

The facility has treated hundreds of individuals with mental illnesses and behavioral disorders at the same time it has taught them coping skills. It traces its roots to 1898, when the original building was constructed as a county asylum for mentally ill, intellectually disabled and alcohol- and drug-dependent people.

The health care center, which has more than 360 employees from Trempealeau County and other counties throughout the Coulee Region, will relocate residents from the existing facility to the new complex this week.

During the past year, the center has provided care to residents from 68 of Wisconsins 72 counties.
With another gun deer hunting season around the corner, I know the upcoming season is on the minds of many hunters in our community and across the state. Deer hunting is a proud part of our heritage that not only brings people together, but its also a sporting tradition that brings over $1 billion into our economy each year. Sadly, the last few years have brought low harvest numbers, and chronic wasting disease has become more prevalent in the states deer herd.

Last week, the Wisconsin State Journal reported new information from a study that shows bucks are at the center of the growing CWD problem. The study was conducted by the DNR and researchers at UW-Madison who offer insight about whats happening and advice about how to limit or stop the spread of the disease moving forward. According to the researchers, the problem will only get worse unless tough decisions are made soon.

Mike Samuel, one of the lead researchers on the study, says new and more aggressive measures should be used to slow the growth of CWD, including strategically eliminating large numbers of bucks in two southern Wisconsin areas that have high infection rates. He believes the disease will kill these deer anyway, so it makes sense to take them out as a way to control further spread of the disease. Otherwise, the outbreak will only continue to grow and large numbers of deer will die off each year.

The research included more accurate technology to track the infection of CWD in 16,000 deer killed in Illinois and Wisconsin from 2002-2011. The researchers found the disease significantly shortens the lifespan of bucks more than does. They also discovered infection rates have reached as high as 30-40 percent in core CWD areas, and it has been found in wild herds and in deer farms as far as 100 miles away.

The researchers have acknowledged that despite rapid growth and infection rates, some in the hunting community and deer farm operators feel the best plan of action is to simply let the disease run its course. However, George Meyer, former DNR Secretary and Executive Director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation has said attitudes might be changing. He stresses that tough medicine needs to be applied today so there are great hunting opportunities for the next generation of hunters.

The other solutions suggested by the researchers are potentially controversial. They suggest the state using a pilot program that tests the effectiveness of eliminating bucks within one of the major outbreak areas. They also called for culling yearling deer on the edges of the outbreak areas to stop them from carrying the disease to new areas, as well as eliminating as many deer as possible in a two-mile radius around any new place where CWD is detected.

In order to reduce deer numbers very quickly in targeted areas, the researchers suggest deploying sharpshooters with night vision technology, and that the state should also allow hunting with guns during the mating season. They suggest the state considers quicker and more aggressive efforts to exterminate deer around any new detection areas, including yearling deer around the edges of core infection zones because they are most likely the ones responsible for spreading CWD. Since it takes about two years to show signs of infection, they suggest keeping deer numbers as low as possible in newly detected areas for five to ten years.

As an avid hunter, I know this information and suggested solutions are very difficult to digest. As your state representative, I want to make sure elected leaders are responsible and enact policy decisions that ensures Wisconsin continues to have the deer hunting opportunities weve come to know, love and expect. That might mean making tough decisions today to make sure we combat the spread of CWD tomorrow.

There wont be any changes or decisions made that would impact this years deer hunt. We need to be very thoughtful and informed when talking about making decisions that will affect such an important tradition in Wisconsin. I also believe this conversation, and any decisions made to address the issue, need to be transparent and in the eye of the hunting community.

Having an open dialogue and working together is the best way to find a solution to this critical problem that clearly isnt going away on its own. I know people will stand on either side of this issue, but I truly hope we can put personal feelings and politics aside and do what we believe is in the best interest of hunters and the deer herd. I also encourage people to contact my office, as well as the governor and DNR to make sure your voice is heard on this important issue.
We try very hard to not have political discussions at our family gatherings, my friend told me over dinner.

How sad, I replied. This comment  one Ive heard many times in past months  stood in sharp contrast to the enthusiastic spirit of community I felt the night before.

I joined many neighbors in celebrating the release of a new album of local music. The accomplishment is a collaboration of three local musiciansYata, Sinz and Orfieldin a delightful compilation entitled Dancing in the Light.

The crowd was enthusiastic, clapping in time with the music. One couple joined hands to dance even among the standing-room-only crowd.

As we left the concert, neighbors reminded each other of the dinner coming up in Alma. Parishioners at St Johns Lutheran Church will join hands to host a fundraiser for the victims of the flood in Buffalo County.

Somehow, we must figure out a way of taking the joining of hands from our local neighborhoods and apply it to the big decisions we make at the state and national levels.

By the time you read this, the election will be over. However, I am writing before Election Day. I do not yet know the outcome. What I do know is that we must find way to unite a divided state and nation, to join hands with people whose beliefs are different from our own.

To understand something of how we can join hands while respecting our differences, I turned to the French Nobel Prize winning author Albert Camus:

Yes, the essential thing is to leave room, however limited it may be, for the exchange of views that is still possible; the essential thing is to bring about an easing of the situation, however slight and temporary it may be. And to achieve that, each of us must preach pacification to his people  After all, Gandhi proved that it is possible to fight for ones people and win without for a moment losing the worlds respect.

Mr. Camus wrote these words during the struggle for Algerian independence. Colonialism was ending. It was a time of terrorism and difficult Arab-European relations. His words are still relevant.

Problems must be seen in relation to the future, without endlessly going back over the errors of the past.

We share much. For example, we share our love of our community; of music that reflects our neighborhood; of our concern for flood victims.

In addition, we share a concern about the future: of economic imbalance, of needs unmet, of public dollars unwisely spent.

When fighting for your truth, you must take care not to kill it with the very arms you are using to defend it.

Force will never convince another of the truth. Minds are changed with honest dialogue that respects the opinion of others.

I shall not try to change anything that I think or anything that you think (insofar as I can judge of it) in order to reach a reconciliation that would be agreeable to all. On the contrary, what I feel like telling you today is that the world needs real dialogue, that falsehood is just as much the opposite of dialogue as is silence, and that the only possible dialogue is the kind between people who remain what they are and speak their minds.

We join hands to celebrate the music of our neighborhood. We collect needed funds for our neighbors suffering tragedy. Can we move this real dialogue to the next level?

Somehow, we must begin.

As Gandhi said, You must be the change you want to see in the world.
SEQUIN, TEXAS -- The Rev. Father John Charles Father Jack Kilburg, M.S.F., 87 of Seguin died Nov. 6. 2016. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 14, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Eastman, with burial in the church cemetery. Military honors will be accorded graveside. Visitation from 9 a.m. to time of service.
Dear Mayo Clinic: My daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer at 54 and had surgery to remove one breast. Her surgeon told her that it wasnt necessary to remove both breasts, because she was not at high risk for developing cancer on the other side. How can that be true? Isnt a recurrence likely if she still has breast tissue on the other side?

A: The fact that your daughter developed cancer in one breast doesnt mean she is at high risk to develop cancer in the other breast. Her risk of developing a new cancer in the breast that remains after surgery is lower than most people think (around 0.2 to 0.6 percent per year). And the risk that the breast cancer will come back in a different part of her body is not changed, whether or not her healthy breast is removed.

The technical term for this procedure  surgically removing a healthy breast in a woman with breast cancer  is called a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy, or CPM. Many women diagnosed with breast cancer opt to have CPM, because they believe it just makes sense to remove both breasts when cancer is detected in one.

Research has found, though, that for women with an average risk of breast cancer, CPM doesnt prolong life, nor does it change the risk of cancer coming back. In fact, for this group, studies show that, even though they have cancer in one breast, the risk of cancer developing in the other breast is still relatively low. For these reasons, the American Society of Breast Surgeons recently recommended against CPM for average-risk women with cancer in one breast.

Generally speaking, a woman is considered to be at average risk for breast cancer if she does not have a strong family history of the disease; does not have a gene that predisposes her to developing breast cancer, such as BRCA1 or BRCA2; and does not have a history of radiation therapy to the chest wall at a young age. If your daughter had any of these, its likely her breast cancer risk would be considered high, and a CPM may be recommended.

Part of the reason for recommending against CPM in average-risk women is that the procedure itself comes with risks of its own. When you have CPM, the risks of bleeding and infection due to surgery are double what they would be if you had a mastectomy only on one side. Thats because there are two surgical sites, rather than one. Given the lack of survival benefit or improvement in cancer outcomes with CPM in average-risk women, undergoing surgery and exposing yourself to those surgical risks may not be worth it.

Of course, other factors beyond future cancer risk can come into play when deciding whether to have CPM. For example, when women have a mastectomy on one side and opt for breast reconstruction, breast symmetry may be a consideration. Some women prefer to have both breasts removed and reconstructed during the same surgical procedure, so the appearance of their breasts is similar. That is certainly a valid topic to discuss with your surgeon if youre considering CPM. There are alternatives for the other breast to achieve symmetry, including breast reduction or breast augmentation, that preserve breast sensation.

The bottom line is that women who are considering CPM should have a detailed conversation with their surgeons about what they want to achieve with the surgery. If the goal is to prolong survival or lower future cancer risk, then CPM may not be the right choice. But that is not to say no one who falls in the average-risk category should ever have the procedure. Just make sure that going through with CPM can realistically meet your long-term objectives.
ST. PAUL (AP)  Minnesota House Minority Leader Paul Thissen has conceded that Democrats wont take back the chamber next year.

Democrats pressed incumbent Republicans in suburban and rural districts in their quest to reverse the GOPs seven-seat majority. But Democrats lost too many of those challenges amid Donald Trumps stronger-than-expected showing at the presidential level.

Thissen said hes contacted Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt early today to concede the majority.

The outcome of Senate control was in flux as Democrats defended their six-seat majority. It could hinge on automatic recounts triggered by razor-thin elections in Plymouth and St. Cloud districts.

An all-Republican Legislature could complicate Gov. Mark Daytons final two years in office. The Democratic governor had made the case to voters to flip control of the House back to Republicans.
Two La Crosse Democrats, U.S. Rep. Ron Kind and state Rep. Jill Billings, faced a suspense-free Election Day  at least as far as their own fates were concerned.

Kind won his 11th term in the House of Representatives without ballot opposition Tuesday. Kind beat Myron Buchholz of Eau Claire, a supporter of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, in Wisconsins 3rd Congressional District primary in August. Ryan Honl, a whistleblower in the Tomah Veterans Administration Medical Center opiate over-prescription scandal, briefly considered running against Kind as a Republican before bowing out.

Billings won her third full term in the 95th Assembly District without opposition.
Landlords who may be skittish about renting apartments to homeless veterans and others who may have fallen on hard times need not worry, according to a couple who provides such rentals.

The hassles are few, and the rewards many,, said Jason and Pam Melby, who own rental properties in La Crosse and own or manage others in Tomah, where they rent to more than 20 veterans.

Our experience has been tremendous, said Jason, a La Crosse police captain who also is on the design committee of the La Crosse Collaborative to End Homelessness. Renting to vets and people who have served our country is the right thing to do.

It also vaults over the typical landlord-tenant relationship, Pam said, explaining, They view me as a friend. I like working with them. I always say be kind because you dont know what battles people may be having.

The collaborative is operating on a 100-day deadline, having intended to identify 15 rental units by Veterans Day in its quest to help 12 homeless veterans move in by Christmas Day.

With that first deadline looming Friday and appearing elusive, the collaborative remains undeterred in its overall goals, said Kim Cable, who chairs the group.

The optimism springs from success so far, from having located apartments for eight, helping gather furnishings and other supplies and helping them move in since the collaborative launched its effort on Sept. 15, she said.

Its a live document. We get some house and become aware of new veterans, Cable said. What we really need are one-bedroom units inside and outside of La Crosse.

The reason some quarters are needed outside of the city is that some of the veterans have housing vouchers with that stipulation, she said.

Most of those chits are called HUD/VASH vouchers, with VASH standing for the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program, which includes a variety of support services and caseworkers for the vets.

The experience weve had with the HUD/VASH program has been really good, Jason Melby said. I would say the wrap-around services and case workers make all of the difference in the world.

Landlords often have to address issues with tenants, he said.

In managing the properties appropriately, the case workers provide an extra security blanket, Jason said.

Some havent had the social experience of renting, and getting them back requires just a little patience, because it might take a little more effort to manage, he said.

The risk with veterans isnt any different than anybody else. Ive rented some to people for seven years, and something happens in their life and everything goes south, said the 44-year-old Jason, who said he bought his first duplex at the age of 19.

My wife deals with most of this because she manages the properties, he said. Some just need someone to talk to sometimes. A lot come in and sit down and talk to her for 10 or 15 minutes. She likes it.

Some stories are funny, and others are tragic, he said. Once they are moved in, you develop a rapport. Thats part of it.

Pam echoed the sentiment, saying the chats range from everyday topics to deeper issues about their lives and families, as well as checking how things are going with her.

The apartments are nice, but sometimes, they are just thankful that somebody believed in them, Pam said. For some, Im the only person they have to talk to.

Such was the case with a veteran who had health issues to the extent that he eventually wasnt able to make it out much, so she told him to call her when he had the rent payment, and she drove to his apartment to pick it up.

Hed also call every week to talk, she said, adding that she became concerned one week when he didnt call.

She went to his apartment and found that he had died, an unsettling experience for her. Because he had no family, he was buried in Madison in a cemetery with an area for veterans who have no next of kin, Pam said.

Setting his landlord hat aside and donning his police captain cap, Jason said, From the aspect of law enforcement, its not just veterans but generally with homeless people.

When issues arise with homeless people sleeping in parking ramps or parks or, perhaps urinating in public areas, the first people called are law enforcement, he said.

We could chase them and write tickets, but the issue isnt behavior. Its that homeless people dont have housing. It doesnt solve anything to write tickets, Jason said.

We at the La Crosse Police Department take an active interest to help homeless people, he said, noting that Neighborhood Resource Officer Joel Miller recently carried furniture into an apartment to help a veteran get settled.

Its better than chasing them around, he said. We can do more good by helping them than chasing them around.

Collaborative members have hosted two sessions for landlords who might be interested in joining its effort and will host a training session Nov. 17, Cable said.

During collaborative team meetings last week, We found were really doing well, and most teams are meeting or exceeding their goals, she said.

The groups collections of furniture and household supplies at a warehouse every Saturday of October were so successful that the group has suspended those efforts for now.

The warehouse is full, Cable said. The generosity and outpouring from the community are so amazing, so wonderful. Everybody is pulling together, and it keeps us going.
Rep. Greg Davids won a 13th term in the Minnesota House on Tuesday when he held off a challenge by Thomas Trehus that was heavily backed by the DFL-aligned group Alliance for a Better Minnesota.

Davids, a Republican from Preston, won 54.7 percent of the vote in District 28B against Trehus, 26, who previously worked for the office of U.S. Sen. Al Franken and is a member of the Spring Grove School Board.

Davids has held the seat for most of three decades: He lost it in 2006 to Ken Tschumper before winning it back two years later.

Trehus used a message of strengthening rural towns, schools and small farms through investments in education and infrastructure, including both traditional road and bridge funding, and newer strategies, such expanded broadband.

Davids has held a number of leadership positions in the House over the years, including serving as the Tax Committee chairman during the 2015-16 biennium. He said hell continue to work for lower taxes.

During the campaign, Davids advocated an immediate special session to address a distressed state insurance exchange  MNsure  along with tax and bonding bills that were stymied at the end of this years legislative session, as well as rural economic development.
TOMAH  Retired Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Stumpf of Tomah, who received the Medal of Honor for heroic actions during the Vietnam War that earned him a reputation as the one-man wrecking crew, will be inducted into the Hall of Heroes at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Tomah VA Medical Center.

The event, part of the medical centers annual Veterans Day ceremony, will take place in the auditorium of Veterans Hall, Building 455 at the center.

Veterans and their families are invited to the ceremony, which also is open to the public.

Dave Dechant, acting association director of the center will speak during the event, which will recognize Vietnam veterans in particular.

Stumpf retired from the Army at Fort McCoy in September 1994 after 29 years of service. He was serving with Readiness Group  Fort McCoy at the time of retirement.

Stumpf, a native of Menasha, received the countrys highest military honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a squad leader of the 3rd Platoon, Company C, on a search-and-destroy mission on April 25, 1967.

Then-Spec. 4 Stumpf left a secure position in a trench and ran through barrages of gunfire three times to rescue the injured squad members, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

Stumpf then organized his squad and led an assault against the Viet Cong fighters, who were hunkered down in three machine-gun bunkers and pinning down Stumpfs squad with heavy gunfire, according to the Army News Service.

Stumpf and his squad eliminated two bunker positions, but the third remained a serious threat.

Stumpf grabbed extra hand grenades, ran across open ground with bullets streaking through the air and hurled one into the bunker opening. The fighters in the bunker returned fire, forcing him to take cover, according to the news service and Fort McCoy archives.

Undeterred, Stumpf pulled the pins on two more grenades, held them for a few seconds and hurled them into the bunker, destroying it and earning his wrecking crew reputation.

His unit then was able to assault and overrun the enemy.

Any veteran who was on active duty in the armed forces between Nov. 1, 1955, and May 15, 1975, regardless of location is invited to attend to receive the Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin.

Friday is Veterans Day.
State Sen. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, has won re-election with a margin of just 58 votes in a race that is likely to be subject to a recount.

With all precincts reporting Wednesday, Shilling finished with 43,565 votes to 43,507 for Republican Dan Kapanke, who was seeking to retake the seat he lost in a 2011 recall. There are also 34 provisional ballots that will have to be counted if the voters show up by 4 p.m. Friday with valid identification.

The states Elections Commission is preparing for a recount in the race, which Kapanke would have to request.

Because Shillings margin is less than 0.25 percent of the total votes cast, Kapanke would not have to pay the cost of a recount. He has three days to request one after all votes are canvassed, which is expected to be completed next week. The deadline to begin canvassing is 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Shilling, the minority leader in the Senate, declared victory in a statement sent at 3:40 a.m. Wednesday, saying in part, I am proud to have earned the support of the voters in the 32nd Senate District and I look forward to continue serving as a strong voice for western Wisconsin in our State Capitol.

Shillings campaign manager said she would have no additional comment Wednesday.

Kapanke was not ready to concede.

In an early morning Facebook post, he wrote, The vote is close and we must make sure every vote is counted, including provisional and military ballots. I am looking forward to the conclusion of the official canvass.

Kapanke did not respond to calls seeking further comment Wednesday.

Republicans, riding a wave of support for Donald Trump, extended their Senate majority to 20-12 by knocking off Democratic incumbent Julie Lassa of Stevens Point. A Kapanke win would give the GOP its largest Senate majority in nearly 50 years.

Kapanke is attempting to retake the 32nd District seat he lost to Shilling in a 2011 recall spurred by anger over Republican efforts to curtail collective bargaining rights for public workers. He was first elected to the seat in 2005.

The owner of the La Crosse Loggers campaigned with a focus on education, touting his support for school choice and the state voucher system.

Shilling campaigned with a focus on infrastructure, calling for expanded funding for both roads and broadband internet.

Families in Wisconsin have said they want leaders to restore funding for local schools, increase access to affordable health care and expand economic opportunities for hardworking families, she said in her Wednesday morning statement. From student loan debt relief and higher family wages to infrastructure investments and groundwater protections, Im committed to advancing solutions to the most pressing issues facing our state.

Independent Chip DeNure finished third with 2,087 votes, or 2.3 percent. He campaigned with a focus on blocking the DOT-proposed north-south corridor and legalizing recreational marijuana.
One-way traffic on Highway 33 through downtown Portage.

A roundabout where Highway 33 meets East Albert Street.

Consolidating the intersections of county Highways EE and F with Highway 33, to create one intersection.

None of these things is going to happen any time soon.

But 30 or so years from now, these are some of the ideas that traffic engineers are considering, to maximize the life of Highway 33 between Highway 12 at Baraboo and Garrison Road just east of Portage  a stretch of about 23 miles that includes downtown Portage.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation on Monday held an open house on the Highway 33 corridor preservation study at Portage High School, which attracted about 14 people, including DOT officials and their traffic consultants. A similar meeting is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Baraboo High School.

As they did when the Highway 33 corridor study was inaugurated about a year ago, DOT officials emphasized that its just a study. There is no money for construction of any kind, now or in the foreseeable future, and there are no plans for increasing the highways traffic capacity  or for a bypass of downtown Portage.

But Sue LeBrun, traffic engineer for the Madison-based consulting firm TranSmart Technologies Inc., said creating one-way traffic might be one method for alleviating what people perceive as an excess of semi-tractor-trailer traffic through downtown Portage.

An inset on one of the traffic maps displayed on an easel at the Portage High School commons showed that the one-way traffic, if it is ever implemented, might look something like this:

Starting at MacFarland Road, Highway 33 would be open only to eastbound traffic through downtown Portage. Westbound traffic would be routed onto West Conant Street.

Highway 16 (Wisconsin Street) would be one-way going southeast, and DeWitt Street would be one way going northwest, starting about at Highway 51.

Through downtown Portage, on-street parking would be allowed only on one side of the street.

LeBrun said traffic studies show that an average of 5,000 to 6,000 vehicles travel on Highway 33 through downtown Portage daily. In Baraboo and West Baraboo, the average daily traffic count is closer to between 10,200 and 11,900, and the number drops to 6,100 to 8,500 in the rural area between Baraboo and Portage.

Charles Wade, project manager for TranSmart, said the number actually picks up a little, to about 7,400 vehicles a day, outside of downtown Portage  suggesting strongly that many drivers are already diverting themselves from Highway 33 to avoid driving through downtown.

Risky turn

One of the places drivers who know the area go is to East Albert Street, which reconnects with Highway 33 east of downtown.

Its that area, LeBrun said, that is one of the key traffic hazards.

People attempting to turn left (east) onto Highway 33 from East Albert Street kind of take a leap, because they cant see, and they get clobbered by westbound traffic, LeBrun said.

A roundabout  a circular road with continuous traffic around a circular island  would likely cut down on crashes, she said.

Also, she said, the intersections of Columbia County Highways EE and F are too close to each other, and it would make sense to have just one intersection off Highway 33 east of downtown Portage.

Nothing final

But none of these, she emphasized, has been decided upon definitely. These are just some ideas for keeping the Highway 33 corridor useable, in its present two-lane form, for as long as possible.

Other ideas include passing lanes on the hilly, curvy roadway between Baraboo and Portage, and in eastern Baraboo, one lane for each direction of traffic with a center turning lane.

Wade said people who live along this section of Highway 33, or who enter their farm fields there, dont need to worry about losing their driveways.

However, any effort at economic development along the corridor should include limiting the number of new driveways cut into Highway 33, and finding other means of entering and exiting new businesses or industries, Wade said.

Columbia County Zoning Administrator Randy Thompson said he came to Mondays open house out of both personal and professional interest.

Anything that might impact future land use, I want to be aware of, he said.

Tom Kratt, project manager for the DOT, said the process of documenting existing environmental, socio-economic and transportation-related issued along Highway 33 is nearly completed, with recommendations expected by next month.

However, people still have time to express their opinions.

Comments can be directed to Kratt at Thomas.kratt@dot.wi.gov or Wade at cwade@transmartinc.com.
Voters returned Democratic state Rep. Steve Doyle to the Wisconsin Assembly for a fourth term Tuesday even as Republicans celebrated huge wins in the state and the nation.

The Onalaska Democrat got 52.6 percent of the votes in the mostly suburban La Crosse County district, fending off a challenge from Republican Julian Bradley by 1,672 votes in a race that was too close to call until well into Wednesday morning.

I guess it just shows that people like my bipartisan approach and seem to punish people who were too closely associated with a political party, especially the Democrats, Doyle said. People are sick of pointing fingers.

Doyle said he would continue looking for ways to partner with Republicans in Madison.

It wont change my approach, he said. My caucus I guess will be probably be looking to me as an example of how they can survive in a very red state.

Doyle, 58, has served for three decades on the La Crosse County board of supervisors and was first elected to the Assembly in a 2011 special election after former Rep. Mike Huebsch was appointed to a spot in Gov. Scott Walkers administration.

Bradley, 35, was making his third try for state office. In 2010 he ran in the heavily Democratic 95th Assembly district but lost in the primary. He emerged from a crowded Republican field in 2014 to run for Secretary of State, losing to eight-term incumbent Doug La Follette.

The 3rd Congressional District Republican party vice chairman and a former chairman of the La Crosse County GOP was jubilant about his partys success Tuesday night even as his own path to victory was closing.

He later apologized to supporters on social media and offered a quote from 2 Timothy: I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith."

Bradley and Doyle aligned on many key positions, and each attempted to paint himself as more bipartisan.

Both agreed Wisconsin needs to increase funding for roads and schools, and both stress their willingness to buck their own party and work across the aisle, a reflection of the predominantly suburban district, which has gone for both Scott Walker and Barack Obama in recent elections.

They differed on how to pay for roads  Doyle says it will be necessary to raise the gasoline tax and possibly other fees while Bradley opposed raising the gas tax and was hopeful a Department of Transportation audit would yield potential savings.

The state is facing a nearly $1 billion shortfall just to maintain the current level of transportation spending.

While in agreement on the need for the state to invest more money in K-12 education, Doyle and Bradley split on the private school voucher program, which Doyle opposes. Bradley said students at failing schools should have the right to attend private schools at public expense.
TOMAH  State Rep. Nancy VanderMeer will try to broaden health care coverage and broadband internet access, be an advocate for education in rural Wisconsin and pursue policies to prevent and treat drug abuse after easily winning re-election Tuesday.

Voters in the Republicans 70th Assembly District sent the Tomah businesswoman back to the Legislature by nearly a 2-to-1 margin over first-time candidate Mark Holbrook of Wisconsin Rapids.

She has opposed some legislation of her own party when she believed it wasnt in the best interest of her predominantly rural district, and that might have made it harder for Holbrook, an accomplished educator and Vietnam veteran, to gain the traction he needed to turn the district blue.

I opposed efforts to reduce funding for K-12 education and the University of Wisconsin System, she said. I also worked in conjunction with our UW System to reach a compromise to help save a program that provided college course opportunities to our high school students.

Her property-rights rhetoric was attractive in the predominantly rural 70th District.

Whether its working at my familys small-town car dealership or on my husband Dave Halls fifth-generation dairy farm, hard work is at my core, she says. Thats why I will fight to protect our rural way of life by keeping big government out of our family farms and protecting our rights as property owners.

She is a member of the Rural Wisconsin Initiative, a group of outstate legislators who support boosting funding for broadband expansion grants, increasing available resources for youth apprenticeship grants and tuition reimbursement grants for apprenticeships.
Incumbent state Sen. Julie Lassa complained about Republicans one-party rule in Wisconsin during her re-election campaign. Her complaint landed on deaf ears among her own constituents, and Tuesday night the 24th District turned red.

Republican challenger Patrick Testin led by more than 4,000 votes with 79.8 percent of precincts reporting.

Republicans on Tuesday easily held their majorities in both houses of the Legislature, so Testin will find himself in the majority when hes sworn in come January.

Lassa was trying for a third full term representing the 24th District.

Education and taxes are the top issues in the 24th, according to Testin, who said he often heard about both as he campaigned in the sprawling district that runs from east of Stevens Point to the western edge of Monroe County.

Testin ran a campaign based on closing the skills gap he said has resulted in more than 90,000 unfilled job openings on the states Job Center website.
Two current Holmen High School marketing teachers and one retired teacher won awards this year.

Scott Shriver, who taught marketing classes at Holmen High School for 30 years, was awarded the lifetime achievement award at this years Wisconsin Marketing Educators Association conference. He retired at the end of the 2016 school year, and during his time served on several marketing and DECA boards in Wisconsin, was a former WMEA president, DECA adviser, and has encouraged several students to go into the field of marketing and business.

Amy McCutchen, a 2003 Holmen High School graduate, was awarded a scholarship to attend the the 2016 Jumpstart National Educator Conference in Dallas, Texas. The conference, which was held earlier this week, was hosted by Jumpstart, a coalition of financial education stakeholders.

Haley Hesselberg, a 2012 Holmen High School graduate, was named the rookie Marketing Educator of the Year at this years WMEA conference. Hesselberg was a former Holmen High School DECA member in which she qualified for the International Conference three years in a row and placed in the top 10 two of those years.
Republican Donald Trump won a stunning upset victory Tuesday in Wisconsin  part of a series of Rust Belt victories that propelled him to the White House.

The Associated Press called Wisconsin for Trump just after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, immediately triggering a projection that Trump would win the national election after he was already declared the winner in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Former four-term Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, who ran for president in 2008 and Senate in 2012, said he called Trump briefly Tuesday afternoon and told him that he had a good feeling about the Badger State.

"It is the most incredible election I've ever been involved in," Thompson said. "The results are so overwhelmingly for Donald Trump and the Republicans that it is a smashing, smashing victory that is utterly incredible."

Based on polling, Democrat Hillary Clinton was positioned to win the state's 10 electoral votes despite becoming the first major-party nominee since 1972 not to set foot in the state. She held a six-point lead in the final Marquette School Law Poll conducted just over a week ago.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin said Tuesday afternoon she saw no signs that Clinton's absence created an enthusiasm gap among Democrats heading into Election Day.

"I can't tell you how many women my age, maybe older than me, whisper to me, 'I think we're going to make history tonight and start to tear up,'" Baldwin said.

UW-Madison political science professor Barry Burden said Clinton's decision not to visit or invest heavily in the state proved to be a mistake.

"This is one of the only states where the Trump ads outnumbered the Clinton ads," Burden said. "This may have been the only state where her ads were drowned out by his."

Trump faced a steep climb to become the first GOP presidential candidate since 1984 to win Wisconsin, a feat that became even loftier after he lost the state's primary to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Several top Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, initially kept the brash billionaire at arm's length, though they eventually came around to backing him.

Thompson, who embraced Trump shortly after he secured the GOP nomination, said Trump's win will put Ryan in the driver's seat if he wins re-election as House speaker  an outcome that seemed boosted by Republicans retaining a strong majority in the House.

"Trump doesn't have the policies, Paul Ryan does," Thompson said. "You've got Wisconsin in the catbird seat with Paul Ryan."

Thompson also said Trump's success Tuesday was a big win for Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, of Kenosha, who was the architect of Trump's ground game in many states, including Wisconsin.

Thompson also predicted Trump could call on Gov. Scott Walker to serve in his cabinet. Walker has previously indicated he isn't interested in serving in a Republican administration.

"The best thing Republicans can do is get out there and govern, and govern correctly," Thompson said. "If you do, you could become the majority party in the United States for a long time."

Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, an early anti-Trump Republican in the state, credited Trump "for bringing a heck of a lot of new people into the process."

"It's obvious the pollsters missed it, everybody missed it," Steineke said. "A whole bunch of people in the country have felt disenfranchised over the years. They saw something in him that they could latch on to. The important thing now is we learn something from it and be responsible with the powers we (Republicans) have been given."

Trump campaigned hard in the state, making five visits over the past three months. In the final month his campaign spent nearly $2 million on advertising in the state. Clinton topped that amount in ad spending here in the final week, dropping nearly $3 million, according to figures compiled by The Associated Press.

And yet, unlike the past several presidential cycles, Wisconsin played second fiddle to other battleground states in the waning days of the campaign.

In 2012, President Barack Obama held a campaign rally with Bruce Springsteen in Madison on the day before the election. This year both campaigns sent their vice presidential nominees in the final weekend. The Clinton campaign's top surrogate to the state was Vice President Joe Biden.

Trump canceled an event originally scheduled Sunday during a Green Bay Packers game, the second time his campaign canceled a visit to southeast Wisconsin, the region that appeared to be the candidate's Kryptonite.

The final Marquette poll showed Trump tied with Clinton in the region surrounding Milwaukee, an area 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney won by nearly 20 points.

But election night results showed Trump improving on Romney's performance in every county in the state.

Sue Lynch, of La Crosse, past president of the National Federation of Republican Women, said in conversations with other GOP women around the country she kept hearing about the number of people coming out to Trump rallies and new people coming to headquarters and getting involved.

"That's what you saw," Lynch said. "Those people turned around today and voted for Mr. Trump."
Things are looking up at the Vernon County Museum now that it has a new elevator, which makes the building accessible to all.

The Vernon County Historical Society hosted the Vernon County Museum Uplifting Celebration Oct. 29. The grand opening included a brief program, museum tours, elevator rides and refreshments.

This is a great day for Vernon County, Kevin Alderson, vice president of the historical society, said. This project allows us to get more people to see our history.

Marcia Andrew, president of the historical society and chair of the capital campaign, said the historical society embarked on the elevator project 11 years ago, with two phases  Phase 1 was an accessible entrance on the buildings west side and a new parking lot, and Phase 2 was a handicapped accessible restroom. The museum updates were dedicated Aug. 20, 2005.

People could get into the museum but couldnt see a majority of the museum, Andrew said.

The third phase was the elevator. In 2011, the boiler room was remodeled into a conference room using volunteer labor.

In 2007 we started raising $2 million for the elevator, Andrew said. We started strong. However, fundraising languished. Gary Krause worked for years to solicit donations.

In the winter of 2014, Andrew said, the historical society had to decide whether to go forward or call it a day. She said the historical society decided to go forward with the project, scaling back the final phase and focusing just on the construction of the elevator on the buildings south side. We made an extra effort with fundraising, and construction started Sept. 1, 2015.

Andrew thanked major donors and all others who donated to the project over the years. She also thanked those who have donated to the continuing Honor Roll of Teachers and Schools.

Maynard Cox, treasurer and project coordinator for the capital campaign, also spoke. Its been a long, long journey.

He said he was inspired to start the elevator project for his aunt, Ruth Cox Hutchison. On Dec. 15, 2010, she came to the museum, which was the former Vernon County Teachers College, for a special ceremony celebrating the buildings placement on the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places. Cox said that at the time of the 2010 ceremony he was chair of the Vernon County Tourism Board.

There was one small problem  here was an alumni of the facility and we couldnt get her upstairs, Cox said. My commitment was we will have an elevator and get Aunt Ruth upstairs. Unfortunately Aunt Ruth passed, but we will make a trip of our own in honor of her.
On Dec. 1, 1965, 43 years ago, I learned the secret to life only I didnt know it at the time. I was at the Army Reception Station at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. We had just arrived by bus from the Kansas City train station, and were herded off the bus and into a building where we were ordered to sit down. I grabbed a chair on the outside aisle of a row near the front. My cousin, Bob Sherman, who was also drafted from Vernon County, sat next to me on the inside of the row.

After an orientation lecture, a Sergeant went down the center aisle passing out barracks numbers. We came up one number short in our row and Bob got the last one. I raised my hand to let the Sergeant know I needed a number. By that time he was several rows behind us, and threw me a number. As we filed out of the room, Bob and I were split up. Our number determined which barracks we had been assigned to. The first several rows were assigned to one barracks and the rows behind them were assigned to another. My number was now with the guys who had been sitting several rows behind us.

Little did I know at the time, the significance of coming up one number short in my row. Not only did those little numbers have an impact on me, but on every person in that room. None of us knew at the time that where we had taken a seat that day would determine the course of our army life, and in the larger picture, would have a great impact on the rest of our lives.

After Bob and I were split up that first day, we saw each other only in passing during the next few days.

With only a couple of exceptions, we were all assigned to the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Washington, but we ended up in different battalions for in-unit basic training. The basic training unit we ended up with depended on which barracks we had been assigned to that first day that number we had received. The people in the barracks I was in were all assigned to the 4th Combat Engineer Battalion. Bobs barracks was assigned to the 3/8 Infantry Battalion. We all had basic training together and I occasionally got to see and talk with Bob for a few minutes. It was then that Bob and I realized the importance of those barracks numbers. His group was straight infantry, and my group was combat engineers.

Bob and I had both been informed that we would become medics, even before we left Fort Leonard Wood for basic training in Washington. After basic about twenty of us from the 4th Infantry, including Bob, were sent to Fort Sam Houston, Texas for basic medical training. We were all in the same training class. After completing training we were sent to Fort Irwin, California for advanced medical training. During all the training together, a close bond of friendship developed.

Then it was back to Fort Lewis and into our original basic training companies. We went to Vietnam with the same people we had trained with.

I should mention at this point, that when I was drafted, I didnt know Harland Springborn, from Desoto, who now lives in Westby, and Larry Skolos from Viroqua. They were drafted from Vernon County at the same time as Bob and me. Since Bob and I knew each other, we sat together. Harland and Larry were in the group sitting behind us that included other Vernon County draftees. I have no idea why Bob and I werent sitting with them! Bob was the only one from our Vernon County group who ended up in the infantry battalion. The rest of us were in the combat engineer battalion. Harland, Larry, and I became good friends after all the time we spent together during those two years and we still are. We even went ashore in Vietnam in the same landing craft. Recently, we wondered how different our lives would have been if we had been sitting in the front rows and had received different numbers. Would we all still be alive? Many who sat in those first rows were killed or badly wounded!

The group I should have been with, if there had been enough numbers, Bobs group, was involved in terrible, hand-to-hand combat on May 26, 1967. I had been working with them until a couple days before the battle, but had been sent farther north. Many of my medic friends, who I had trained with and lived with, were killed or wounded that day, including Bob, who was severely wounded.

Except for one number short, I would have been a medic with that infantry unit on that fateful day in May. What would have happened if Harland and Larry had been sitting with Bob and I and there had been enough numbers for all of us? Where would I be now if I hadnt been sitting in the last seat in the row that came up one number short? Well never know. Its one of lifes many mysteries.

Where we sat that day, made all the difference. So just to be safe, I always grab the last seat in the row... Thats Docs Secret To Life!
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One person is dead and three are injured after a gunman opened fire in an Azusa neighborhood. The shooting took place near two polling locations which are currently "impacted" by police activity.

The shooting took place around 2 p.m. on the 600 block of West Fourth Street. Roberto Chavez told the L.A. Times that he was sitting with his wife on their porch when they saw a heavily-armed man fire at a group of people. Chavez told the Times that he recognized the gunman as someone who frequently visited and hung out at his neighbor's.

An official told the Times that one of the victims was on his way to vote.

Four people were shot, and Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said one of the victims was dead on arrival at the hospital. A fire official told KTLA that the suspect exchanged gunfire with police, but no officers were hit.

The suspect has since reportedly barricaded herself inside a home in the neighborhood, and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Grace Medrano told LAist that sheriff's officials are assisting in establishing a perimeter in the area. Azusa police are reporting that the suspect is a woman who may have had a male accomplice.

Two polling places in the areaMemorial Park and Dalton Elementarywere impacted as a result of the police activity, and one remains on lockdown. Voting officials suggest casting a provisional ballot elsewhere for the time being:

Monitoring #ActiveShooter situation in Azusa. Two polling locations currently impacted - Memorial Park & Dalton Elementary in Azusa (cont).  Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (@LACountyRRCC) November 8, 2016

(cont) - Voters should avoid the area and, if necessary, cast a ballot at an alternate polling location. Updates to follow. #Azusa  Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (@LACountyRRCC) November 8, 2016

#Azusa UPDATE: The polling location at Dalton Elementary School is open and operational. Memorial Park remains closed.  Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (@LACountyRRCC) November 9, 2016

At a press conference outside the Azusa Police Department, Police Chief Steve Hunt said that the suspect is a female, with "conflicting reports" that a male suspect was also involved. Hunt said that she was armed with an assault rifle. The suspect or suspects have not yet been accounted for. Hunt says that police have contained the area.

The shooting took place in a residential area that is directly across the street from Memorial Park, but it's uncertain if the shooting has any relation with the polling place there.

According to Hunt, there are 3 confirmed shooting victims, and one of the victims is deceased. Among the victims there are two females and one male, but the gender of the deceased has not been disclosed. Hunt says that there is also a person lying at the door of a house in the area. It has not been determined if this is the suspect, and the condition of the person is unknown at the moment. No officers were injured.

Hunt says that, for any voters affected by the polling place lockdowns, Azusa PD will be posting on their social sites other polling places that they can go to.
Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Enough results are in, and I am eager to call it a night on this blog, so I am going to rely on the votes as of now in Arizona, California and Nevada to conclude that marijuana will be legal for recreational use in California and Nevada, but not in Arizona. Thus, as I call it a night, it looks like marijuana reform has won in at least seven and perhaps in eight of the nine states in which it was on the ballot, and seemed to win fairly big in the the big states of California, Florida and Massachusetts.

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/marijuana_law/2016/11/california-and-nevada-on-path-to-legalize-recreational-marijuana-but-arizona-not-that-into-it.html
President-elect Donald Trump Wednesday called on Americans to come together as one united people. But he faces a divided nation as he prepares to take the presidency from Barack Obama on January 20, 2017.

Trump spoke to his supporters in New York City after Clinton, a Democrat, called him to congratulate him on his victory.

In his speech, Trump praised Clinton. Although he had called her crooked Hillary during much of the campaign, Trump told his supporters that Clinton should be thanked for working very hard over a long period of time for the United States.

Hillary Clinton is ahead now in the popular vote  in other words, more voters overall chose her. But Trump earned the electoral votes in enough states to win the presidency.

He did so, in part, by getting the votes of workers in industrial states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Trump promised to bring back factory jobs there by renegotiating trade deals and limiting immigration.

Van Jones explains the reactions of some people who opposed the new president-elect. Jones is a former adviser to outgoing President Barack Obama.

You have people putting children to bed tonight, and they're afraid of breakfast, he said on CNN television early Wednesday morning.

They're afraid of 'How do I explain this to my children?' I have Muslim friends who are texting me tonight, 'Should I leave the country?' I have families of immigrants that are terrified tonight."

During his campaign, Trump called for a ban on Muslim immigration. But in recent months, Trump, who has no government experience, said he would order better background checks for people from nations with terrorism problems.

He also promised to stop illegal immigration. Trump said many Mexican immigrants are bringing crime and drugs to the United States.

Reaction on Twitter and Facebook

Reactions on Twitter and Facebook showed the different ways Americans reacted to Trumps victory.

MJR wrote: Thats it. President-Elect Trump. Godspeed to you. May you find the words to heal a divided nation and may God Bless the United States.

But Cindy wrote: My heart breaks for this divided nation and the future of our democracy.

Some were disappointed the United States did not elect its first woman president.

Wrote Zoe on Facebook: To those who will tell me this isn't personal, you could not be more wrong. As I watched the election results come in last night, I felt viscerally sick.

Kellyanne Conway, Trumps campaign manager, urged Americans to give him a chance. Give him a chance as your president-elect like we all did with President Obama and we all did with President Bill Clinton, she said.

How divided were Americans in the 2016 presidential election?

Last month, The Washington Post spoke to voters in the state of Virginia. It found more than half the people supporting Clinton said they did not have close friends or family voting for Trump. It also found that more than half the people voting for Trump did not have close friends or family voting for Clinton.

Lilliana Mason teaches political science at the University of Maryland.

She said many Americans not only do not know people who voted for a different candidate, but get news about the campaign that matches their opinions.

It might explain why Trump supporters expected his victory, while Clinton supporters were surprised. Most pre-election polls and experts predicted a Clinton victory.

Despite the divisions between Trump and Clinton supporters, 2016 was not the most divisive presidential election, said Paula Baker. She is a presidential historian at the Ohio State University.

I just finished teaching a course on presidential elections. Throughout we wondered whether this was the worst ever. And clearly no. Consider 1800 for divisiveness.

In 1800, Thomas Jefferson defeated John Adams after saying his opponent and his party would bring a government of witches opposed to freedom.

Obama/Trump to Meet

Obama announced that he will meet with Trump at the White House on Thursday to discuss the transition of power.

It may be an uneasy meeting. Trump argued for several years that Obama was not a legal citizen of the United States and therefore was not eligible for the presidency.

During the campaign, Obama said Trump is not qualified to be president. He also campaigned hard for Hillary Clinton, who was his secretary of state during his first term.

Trump is expected to move quickly to repeal Obamas successes, including a law providing health care coverage for Americans, environmental and labor rules, and an international climate change agreement.

However, even Trump may face problems trying to advance his agenda in Congress. Billy Tauzin is a former congressman from Louisiana. He said, As Americans, we hate gridlock, but we dont want compromise."

Yet Trump will have an advantage. His party, the Republicans, not only took the White House, but held on to their majorities in the House and Senate in Tuesdays election.

Im Bruce Alpert.

Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

breakfast - n. the first meal of the day

texting - v. sending a message on a portable telephone

pledge - v. to promise

viscerally - adv. coming from strong emotions

course - n. a subject taught at a school

witch - n. a woman who is thought to have magic powers

gridlock - n. a situation in which no progress can be made

advantage - n. something that gives someone a better chance of succeeding

transition - n. a change from one government to another
Americans have elected Donald J. Trump as the 45th President of the United States. The Republican Party candidate defeated the Democratic Party nominee, Hillary Clinton.

The result is a shock to most political experts and pollsters. On Tuesday morning in the U.S., most major polling groups were predicting a win for former Secretary of State Clinton.

But in the early hours of November 9, Clinton called Trump to concede the election.

The president-elect spoke to a crowd of supporters in New York City a short time later. He congratulated Clinton and praised her campaign effort. And he called for the nation to unite.

"And I congratulated her, and her family, on a very, very, hard-fought campaign. She fought very hard. Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very sincerely."

Trump called for the nation to unite.

"Now it's time for America to bind the wounds of division. We have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and Independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people."

Trumps win brings to an end eight years of Democratic Party rule of the White House. Political experts have said the change could lead to the undoing of many of President Barack Obamas policies.

One of Trumps first targets may be the Affordable Care Act, a health care law signed by President Obama in 2010. Trump criticized the measure repeatedly during his campaign. He promised supporters he would cancel it if elected.

Trump entered Election Day at least three-to-four percentage points behind Clinton in many final voter opinion studies. But he pulled off important victories in Ohio, North Carolina and Florida, states rich in electoral votes. He also won other states that he was already expected to win.

All the major U.S. news organizations declared victory for the 70-year-old Trump after he won the state of Wisconsin. It gave him the final electoral votes that pushed him over the 270 needed to win the White House.

The billionaire businessman has never held public office. He is only the sixth candidate to win the presidency without ever having held elective office.

Trump is also the oldest American elected president for a first term.

I'm Caty Weaver.

Caty Weaver and Anne Ball wrote this report for VOA Learning English, with materials from the Associated Press. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

pollster - n. someone who makes questions for a poll, asks questions in a poll, or collects and presents results from a poll

concede - v. to admit that you have been defeated and stop trying to win

pull off - phrasal verb. to succeed in doing something difficult or unexpected

______________________________________________________________

Read election updates from the evening below:

07:50 UTC: Donald Trump has been elected the 45th president of the United States of America. He is now speaking at his election headquarters in New York City.



"Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American Dream," Trump said.

07:40 UTC: CNN is reporting that Hillary Clinton has called Donald Trump to concede the election. By doing that, she is admitting that she has lost to presidential race.

07:20 UTC: Donald Trump is reportedly on his way to his election headquarters in New York City, where he will address a crowd of supporters.

07:05 UTC: Hillary Clinton's campaign chair, John Podesta, just spoke from the Javits Center in New York City, where many Clinton supporters have gathered for the night.

He told the anxious crowd to go home and get some sleep. He said the Clinton campaign will not be giving a speech tonight, but will instead wait for all of the votes to be counted.

"We'll have more to say tomorrow," Podesta said.

06:50 UTC: Trump has 264 electoral votes, while Clinton has 215.

06:48 UTC: Pennsylvania, and its 20 electoral votes, has gone to Donald Trump.

06:00 UTC: The states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin are still "too close to call." That means that the number of votes for Trump and the number of votes for Clinton are very close. These states will ultimately decide the 45th president of the United States of America.

The last state, Alaska, has closed its polls for the night. Now, America and the world waits.

05:25 UTC: Hillary Clinton has won Nevada and its 6 electoral votes.

05:15 UTC: The Associated Press says Donald Trump has won Iowa's 6 electoral votes.

04:57 UTC: Donald Trump has won the southern state of Georgia, gaining 16 more electoral votes. His total is now 239. Hillary Clinton has 209.

04:20 UTC: The latest electoral count: Donald Trump has 217 electoral votes; Hillary Clinton has 197.

Remember: the magic number tonight is 270!

04:10 UTC: The Associated Press is reporting that Donald Trump will win Florida and its 29 electoral votes. Florida has the third-most electoral votes of any state. It is tied with New York, which Hillary Clinton won earlier in the evening.

04:00 UTC: Many polls in western states have closed. Hillary Clinton has won many of them, including Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and California.

03:45 UTC: Clinton has now won Colorado. The western state has 9 electoral votes.

Trump's win in Ohio is meaningful. Since 1964, the candidate who won the state has also gone on to win the presidency.

03:40 UTC: Hillary Clinton has also won the state of New Mexico, the Associated Press says. New Mexico has 5 electoral votes.

The latest VOA electoral count now has Donald Trump with 169 and Hillary Clinton with 109.

03:35 UTC: Donald Trump has won Ohio and its 18 electoral votes. Hillary Clinton has won Virginia and its 13 electoral votes. Both were very close races.

02:45 UTC: The results are still too close to know who the winner is in important states like Florida, North Carolina and Ohio.

02:40 UTC: Donald Trump has won Louisiana and its 8 electoral votes. The result was not a surprise. Louisiana has not given its electoral votes to a Democrat since Bill Clinton won 52 percent of the vote 20 years ago.

02:10 UTC: Donald Trump is leading in the electoral vote count with 134. Hillary Clinton has won 104 electoral votes.

Trump has won Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska.

Clinton has won New York and Illinois.

02:00 UTC: Several news reports say that the Republicans will maintain majority control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

01:30 UTC: Hillary Clinton now has 75 electoral votes. Donald Trump has 76 electoral votes. But the race is far from finished. The number each candidate is trying to reach is 270 electoral votes.

The state with the most electoral votes is California, with 55. Texas has the second-most electoral votes, with 38. That is because they are the two most populous states in America.

01:20 UTC: Tonight, Democrat Hillary Clinton is trying to shatter -- or break -- the "glass ceiling" and become America's first-ever woman president. The term glass ceiling is often used to describe an unseen barrier that stops women and minorities from moving up in their careers.

Clinton and her supporters have gathered tonight at New York City's Javits Center, where the ceiling really is made of glass.

01:10 UTC: Democrat Hillary Clinton has won Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware and the District of Columbia while Republican Donald Trump has won Oklahoma. The electoral count is now Clinton - 44 and Trump - 31.

00:55 UTC: Tonight's election will not only decide who America's 45th president will be. Voters will also cast ballots in 34 Senate races and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives. You can read more about this and other issues here!

00:45 UTC: Donald Trump has won West Virginia and its 5 electoral votes. He now has 24 electoral votes. Clinton has 3 electoral votes. A candidate must receive at least 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

Read more about the Electoral College here!

00:10 UTC: Republican nominee Donald Trump has won Indiana and Kentucky, with 11 and 8 electoral votes, respectively. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has won in Vermont, with three electoral votes.

23:30 UTC: Welcome to VOA Learning English's live coverage of the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. Tonight, America will choose its 45th president.

The Republican candidate is Donald Trump. The Democratic candidate is Hillary Clinton. If elected, Clinton would become the country's first woman president.

Several states' polls close in 30 minutes:

Polls close at 00:00 UTC in the following states:

Georgia (16 Electoral Votes)

Indiana (11 Electoral Votes)

Kentucky (8 Electoral Votes)

South Carolina (9 Electoral Votes)

Vermont (3 Electoral Votes)

Virginia (13 Electoral Votes)

Polls close at 00:30 UTC in three other states:

 North Carolina (15 Electoral Votes)

 Ohio (18 Electoral Votes)

 West Virginia (5 Electoral Votes)

Ohio is considered an important 'swing state.'
1 Grace Bell Hardison, a 100-year-old woman, receives an "I Voted Today" sticker from election official Elaine Hudnell after she cast her ballot from a car in Belhaven, North Carolina. President Barack Obama recently mentioned her after attempts were made to purge her from the voter registration list and hence deny her right to vote.
Unidentified attackers have set fire to more than 20 schools in Indian Kashmir over the past two months.

Education is the latest victim of the conflict for control of the region.

Indias central government controls the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

For almost 20 years, groups have protested and even fought against government forces for the right to separate from India.

But this is the first time attackers have targeted so many schools. Islamist militants usually attack military or police targets in and around the Himalayan valley. Most schools have been closed for almost four months in Indian Kashmir.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court called on the state government to protect schools after attackers burned three schools late last month. The court said the government should unmask the enemies of education and deal with them with an iron hand.

However, there seems to be no clear idea of who attacked the school buildings. The fires completely destroyed some of the schools. Others only burned a little.

Observers say the number of fires rose after the state government attempted to reopen schools and it said schools would hold examinations, as planned.

At first, the government closed schools because of a curfew it declared after security forces killed a militant leader in July. His death led to violent anti-India protests. About 90 people died in the unrest.

Soon after, some separatist leaders added orders to attack schools in their weekly directives to their followers.

Top state officials say the separatists want to raise a generation of uneducated young people. That way the separatists will have more followers to carry out attacks.

That is the [plan], Kashmir education minister Naeem Akhtar told VOA. To keep them away from schools and have cannon fodder ready.  [The separatists] have [let business] work partially. The private trade, everything is going on. [This] is about denying education to students.

The All Parties Huriyat Conference is the main coalition of separatist groups in Indian Kashmir. It argues that the attacks are part of a plan to create bad publicity for the group and paint it as violence and anarchy.

But observers say, through all the attempts to place blame, the real victims are the tens of thousands of students living in the Himalayan valley.

The government wants the schools to reopen to show that things in Indian Kashmir are back to normal. The area is facing its longest period of conflict since the end of a violent separatist movement 15 years ago.

Yet a top separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, has said they will only let schools re-open once the government agrees to their demands. He and his followers want the government to release all those arrested during the protests.

Radha Kumar is a policy researcher. She once represented the government in Kashmir when the area was hit by protests six years ago.

It is just so sad that all issues in Kashmir begin to become about propaganda or rhetoric when there are very important daily life issues, she said. It is between ridiculous and tragic.

Both the police and state government have asked the local community for help in protecting the schools. They say it is impossible to protect more than 12,000 schools spread over the mountainous region.

While the recent attacks have made many people angry, Education Minister Akhtar sees hope. He feels the events have shown people how important education is. And he believes people will work together to protect it.

Many people in Indian Kashmir distrust security forces and the state government. But Radha Kumar says on the issue of education, public opinion is with the government.

What the government does have in their favor is that there is now a large public outcry against the burning of the schools, she said. That should help them a great deal if they show a serious commitment to reopening schools and providing education.

However, some still fear recent events are a sign of the return to the violence Kashmir experienced in the 1990s.

Im Pete Musto.

Anjana Pasricha reported on this story for VOANews.com. Pete Musto adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. How can the government and separatist try to resolve these conflicts? How can students receive the education they need? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

region  n. a part of a country or of the world that is different or separate from other parts in some way

unmask  v. to reveal the true identity or nature of someone or something

cannon fodder  n. soldiers who are sent into battle even though it is likely that they will die

rhetoric  n. language that is intended to influence people and that may not be honest or reasonable

ridiculous  adj. extremely silly or unreasonable


At least one person was killed and two others were wounded in a shooting Tuesday afternoon near a voting center in Southern California.

The attack took place in the city of Azusa, 40 kilometers east of Los Angeles, as Americans marked ballots in the presidential election.

Police officers who answered reports of the shooting were fired upon. The Los Angeles Times newspaper reports the officers shot at the suspect, who then entered a home. It is believed that no police officers were injured.

Azusa Police Chief Steve Hunt said officers were searching for at least one female suspect, and possibly another male suspect. He said he believed the woman was armed with a powerful rifle.

Hunt said a fourth person could be seen lying at the front door of a home. He said he could not say whether that person was the shooter or another victim.



Officials asked people to avoid the area and stay in their homes or offices. Two voting centers and a middle school were closed and guarded. People were not permitted to enter or leave them.

Im Christopher Jones-Cruise.

VOANews.com reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report into VOA Special English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.

VOANews.com reported this story. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report into VOA Special English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page.
This is Whats Trending Today.

One-by-one, people are visiting Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, New York.

The visitors are coming to see the final resting place of Susan B. Anthony.

Anthony was an important civil rights activist.

She led the way for legal recognition of womens rights in the United States. She campaigned for womens voting rights in the late 1800s.

Anthony became famous after she was arrested for voting in the 1872 presidential election. That was a violation of the law at that time.

In 1920, women were given the right to vote when states approved the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

But Susan B. Anthony did not live to see women get the right to vote. She died in 1906.

On Tuesday, a Rochester newspaper wrote a story saying some Americans were going to Anthonys burial place after voting for Hillary Clinton. Clinton is the first female presidential candidate of a major U.S. party.

The newspaper estimated that 1,000 people visited Anthonys gravesite by late Tuesday morning. Many of them placed a sticker printed with the words I voted on her headstone.

Mothers brought their daughters with them in honor of the historic election. Many women said they cried while marking their ballot earlier in the day.

Jodi Atkin told the newspaper: I realized my daughters have the right to vote for a woman. It made me cry.

Some people left yellow roses in honor of the suffragette movement. The women who worked for voting rights a century ago were called suffragettes.

One television station in Rochester showed the people visiting the cemetery using Facebook Live. The Facebook Live images received over 3 million views.

And thats Whats Trending Today.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

What did you think of the Facebook Live video? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share some photos on our Facebook page.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

suffragette  n. a woman who campaigned for the right to vote in elections

view  n. visits to a website or internet display

gravesite  n. a hole in the ground for burying a dead body

sticker  n. a piece of paper with a picture or writing on it and a sticky substance on its back that is used to attach it to a surface
The Republican Party will keep control of the United States Congress after nationwide elections Tuesday.

The partys candidates captured at least 51 of the U.S. Senates 100 seats, while the Democratic Party controls at least 47. The Republican majority could rise to 53 when results from two additional races are confirmed.

The Senate race in the northeastern state of New Hampshire was still too close to call early Wednesday. In the race, incumbent Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, is running against Governor Maggie Hassan, a Democrat.

The state of Louisiana will hold a special runoff election in December to fill another Senate seat. Voters will choose between Republican John Kennedy and Democrat Foster Campbell.

The new Congress will take office in January.

The Republican majority in the House is likely to be smaller than its current majority, but not by as much as recent opinion surveys had predicted.

Having a majority in Congress is important because the party in power leads committees, sets the legislative agenda and can order investigations.

With the election of Republican Donald Trump as president, political experts are wondering about relations between the Trump White House and Congress.

The current Congress has blocked many policies of Democratic President Barack Obama. This has resulted in a lack of action on many issues in both the House and Senate. This legislative inaction is often described as political gridlock.

Numerous studies have repeatedly shown that American voters have grown tired of continuing gridlock in Washington.

One of the new Senate's first items of business will be filling an opening on the U.S. Supreme Court. President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to replace Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February. But Republicans refused to hold hearings or vote on the nomination. They said that since the nomination came with less than a year remaining in Obamas term, the next president should choose Scalias replacement.

Being an incumbent from either party helped most of the returning Senate candidates win. Among the winners were Floridas Marco Rubio, who decided to seek reelection after ending his campaign for the presidency.

Arizona Republican John McCain won his sixth term in the Senate at age 80, in what was likely his last campaign.

Another incumbent, New York Democrat Chuck Schumer, was easily re-elected. There had been reports that he would have been a candidate for majority leader if the Democrats had taken control of the Senate.

One exception to the incumbent winners was Republican Mark Kirk in Illinois. He lost to two-term Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat, by more than 700,000 votes.

Duckworth served in the U.S. military in Iraq, where she lost both her legs when a helicopter was shot down. She says she will try to make issues of importance to military veterans a priority in the Senate.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His report was based on information from VOANews.com, Reuters and the Associated Press. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

incumbent  n. person who has already held an office or position

runoff  adj. an additional vote or race that is held to decide a winner

agenda  n. list of topics to be discussed

gridlock  n. situation in which no progress can be made

priority  n. something more important than other things that needs to be dealt with first
LEXINGTON,Neb. -Dawson County election officials reported record high turnout Tuesday night.

Incumbents Cindy Benjamin and Larry Steinberger retained their seats on the Lexington school board. First-time office seeker Carlos Saiz will join them on the board.

Saiz claimed the most votes in a competitive race that included fellow challenger Al Copper. The unofficial final tally for the race was Saiz (1,718), Steinberger (1,666), Benjamin (1,556), Copper (1,249).

In Cozad, Ann Burkholder led all candidates in the race for three seats on the Cozad school board.

Also winning seats were Michele R. Starman and Joel Carlson.

Lexington City Council members Dora Vivas, Linda Miller, and Jeremy Roberts all ran unopposed and retained their seats.

In Overton, Jean Raney, Rob Ecklund, and Brian Freeman won seats on the village board.

Sumner also had three seats on its board up for grabs. The spots were won by Dennis Simmons, Mary Scoville-Sinner, and DeeAnn Detter.

Less than a handful of votes separated some of the candidates in a close race for three seats on the Farnam village board.

Unofficially, the results were Calvin Krepcik (55), Charley Johnson (53) Cory Heath (34), Dan Widick (32) write-in (31).

Dawson County voters opted overwhelmingly to repeal the elimination of the death penalty in Nebraska. Repeal garnered 5,470 votes compared to 2,735 for retain.

This reflected the rest of the state, which voted by nearly 16-percentage points to repeal.

Donald Trump was far and away the candidate of choice for Dawson County voters.

The Trump ticket secured over 69-percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton received 24.7-percent, and Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson garnered 4.4-percent in Dawson County.

All results are unofficial.
LEXINGTON,Neb. - The Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles will host a morning's worth of activities on Friday during Veteran's Day.

The museum is located at 606 Heartland Road on South Hwy. 283. All events at the museum on Veterans Day are free and open to the public.

Events will begin at 9:30 a.m. with coffee and rolls courtesy of Pinnacle Bank. A school program will be given by Sandoz Shining Stars at 10:25 a.m.

At 11 a.m. an 11th Hour Ceremony will feature guest speaker Kris Paronto, who was part of the annex security team in Benghazi during the attacks on Sept. 11, 2012 in Libya.

A bean soup dinner will be served at 12:15 p.m.

A Veteran's Day Parade will be held at 4 p.m. in downtown Lexington.

Volunteers will also collaborate to hold events in Elwood on Friday. At 10 a.m., a Veteran's Day ceremony will be held at Elwood High School with guest speaker Larry Reynolds. From 5 to 7 p.m. a ham and bean supper will be served at the Elwood Legion Hall.

Terry Lauby, president of the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles, said he heard Paronto speak in January in Kearney about his experience in Benghazi and decided to reach out to him to see if he would speak in Lexington.

"He walks you through Sept. 11, 2012. He fills in a lot of blanks not in the book and movie. You feel like you got the full true story about what happened in Benghazi when U.S. Ambassador Stevens died," Lauby said.

The museum operates solely on donations and volunteer help, Lauby said.

A new heating and air-conditioning system has been installed at the at the museum months ago, allowing the meeting area to be completely climate controlled, he said.

Also, a parking lot expansion is planned that will be funded with resources from the general fund, Lauby said.

Lauby said he hoped to acknowledge donors to the museum who gave on Thursday, Nov. 10 during Give BIG Lexington on Friday.

Asked about the potential to a large amount of funds on Give BIG for the museum, Lauby said "I'm always optimistic."

Some more information about guest speaker Kris Paronto is listed below from his biography, obtained from the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles.

Kris Paronto "Tanto" as he is affectionately known in security contracting circles, is a former Army Ranger from 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment and private security contractor. He has deployed throughout South America, Central America, the Middle East and North Africa. He also worked with the U.S. Government's Global Responce Staff conducting low profile security in high threat environments throughout the world.

Paronto was part of the CIA annex security team that responded to the terrorist attack on U.S. Special Mission in Benghazi,Libya, Sept. 11, 2012. He helped save more than 20 lives, while fighting off terrorists from the CIA Annex for more than 13 hours. Paronto's story is told in the book "13 Hours" written by Mitchell Zuckoff and his five surviving annex security annex security team members.

Paronto was born in Alamosa,Colo. and obtained his Associate Degree from Dixie College (now Dixie State University) in St. George,Utah. He obtained his Bachelor's Degree from Mesa State College in Grand Junction,Colo. and his Master's Degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Paronto served for four years in the U.S. Army and an additional four years in the U.S. Army National Guard reaching the rank of Sargeant then becoming a commissioned officer in 2003. He started contracting for Blackwater Security Consulting in 2003 and continued to deploy on various contracts, to include the Global Response Staff until 2013.
Well, it is finally, at long last, U.S. Election Day 2016, a day that billions of people hope will be over as soon as humanly possible. But since itll be roughly 24 hours long no matter what humans do, we might as well make fun of it to help pass the time.

This is of course the most bitter and divisive presidential election in American history, except for several of the others.

Although the first two were basically unanimous because Mr. War Hero George Washington was running (I like war heroes who didnt surrender, OK?), things got ugly just as soon as he retired. By then (1796) we had political parties, the Federalists who supported John Adams and the Democratic-Republicans who supported Thomas Jefferson.

Among other things, the Federalists published anonymous letters accusing Jefferson of having been a coward during the Revolution (scandalous!) and of having an affair with one of his slaves (scandalous! also true!). They also claimed Jefferson was mixed-race himself and that he planned to free all the slaves if he won (scandalous! also false), showing that playing the race card is nothing new. (Fun fact: The guy who wrote many of these slurs was Alexander Hamilton.) Other Adams supporters warned that Jeffersons election would result in a civil war and a national orgy of rape, incest, and adultery, and that his supporters were cut-throats who walk in rags and sleep amid filth and vermin[!].

The other side, meanwhile, accused Adams of being sympathetic to England, being a monarchist (partly because he thought presidents should be called His Excellency), and even for being overweight, ingeniously combining the last two by referring to Adams as His Rotundity. They fat-shamed John Adams!

The 1796 election remained the ugliest one ever untilwell, until the very next one. The 1800 election, basically a rematch of 1796, featured the same kind of slander. This time Adams was a repulsive pedant with a hideous hermaphroditical character, while Jefferson was said to be the son of a half-breed Indian squaw sired by a Virginia mulatto father, and so on. Both parties also tried to rig the election by changing the way states picked electors. Jefferson won, of course, though only after a tied electoral vote was resolved in the House of Representatives. Were there any hard feelings left over from this election? Well, the Vice-President did kill a dude during his term (the famous Burr-Hamilton duel), so it seems fair to say the answer is yes.

But arguably even that badness record stood only until 1824, when Andrew Jackson won the popular vote and the electoral vote but still lost. That is, he had more electoral votes than anyone else but still not a majority; under the 12th Amendment (ratified in 1804 after the horrible 1800 experience), that vote too went to the House, which elected John Quincy Adams by a single vote. And ooh, were Jackson and his friends pissed about that.

Which contributed to making the 1828 election the worst one yet, and arguably the worst one in U.S. history. We complain now that campaigns seem to last forever, but Jackson started campaigning again within months of Adamss inauguration in 1825, and for the next three years traveled around the country griping about how the other guys stole the election. Not surprisingly, the campaign was utterly, utterly horrible:

In the popular press, the rhetorical attacks reached a level of cruelty and misrepresentation not seen since the election of 1800. Jackson was accused of multiple murders, of extreme personal violence [he did kill a guy in a duel], and of having lived in sin with his wife, Rachel, who herself was attacked as a bigamist. Adams, on the other hand, was attacked for his legalistic attitudes, for his foreign-born wife, and for reportedly having procured young American virgins for the Russian czar as the primary achievement of his diplomatic career. Adamss critics referred to him as His Excellency while Jackson came under attack as an ill-mannered, barely civilized, backwoods killer of Indians.

Wow! To my knowledge, Hillarys only been accused of one actual murder, and while I believe Trump would be willing to procure young American virgins for Vladimir Putin, I dont think anybodys accused him of actually doing that.

I could go on.

So I will. Apparently, James Buchanan had a congenital disorder that caused his head to tilt slightly to the left, and his opponents in 1856 claimed that he had tried to hang himself but failed, which is pretty horrible. One of Lincolns opponents called him the original gorilla, and although Im not sure exactly what that means it wasnt a compliment. William Jennings Bryan was diagnosed as a megalomaniac and a classic degenerate. Both Nixon and Kennedy pulled numerous dirty tricks in 1960. Nixon staffers orchestrated fake phone calls and letters that helped destroy Muskies campaign in 1972, and of course routinely engaged in burglaries and eavesdropping of the kind they later got caught doing at the Watergate Hotel. And then there was the 2000 debacle.

Ugh.

None of this is meant to minimize the abject awfulness of this campaign season, which has been long, stressful, and embarrassing and which, despite the above, might actually have reached a new low in terms of campaign rhetoric. I guess the point is to suggest we should at least think in slightly less apocalyptic terms about what such a campaign means for the country, because its not an entirely new phenomenon.

Do I think electing Donald Trump would be a semi-disaster? I do. Sooner or later, a guy who talks like he does, but who is both much more evil and much more competent, is going to be given power based largely on fearmongering and divisiveness, and then democracy really will be under serious threat. I dont think Trump is that guy, I just think hes a big-league step in the wrong direction. But history suggests we would survive a Trump (or Clinton) presidency, even if it had been brought about by a gang of cut-throats who walk in rags and sleep amid filth and vermin.

Sorry, I just wanted to use that one, I dont think its accurate this year either.

P.S. 270toWin.com has info and electoral vote maps for all 58 presidential elections to date, if youre interested. The maps are interactive, so you can play around with what if scenarios. Like this one, which shows me beating George Washington in 1792 by 14 electoral votes (Id have won Rhode Island, too, except it was too small for me to click on). Again, historically Washington won unanimously, but in my scenario he was being investigated for using a private postal service for certain messages, which was like a huge deal at the time, really. Seriously. Thats actually true.

No it isnt.
Hillary Clinton told her supporters on Wednesday that losing the presidential race to her GOP challenger Donald Trump "hurts," but said to never give up.

This was a bitter loss for the former Sectary of State, who lost the 2008 presidential nomination to then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama.

Speaking from New York City and smiling and waving to the audience, Clinton came on the stage with her husband Bill Clinton and other family members.

She thanked the audience and said when she spoke with Trump on Wednesday that she offered her help.

"I'm sorry we didn't win this election for the values we share and the vision we hold for our country," she said. "I know how disappointed you feel because I feel it too."

Even though the country is deeply divided, she said, Clinton told her supporters that they owe Trump an open mind and a chance to lead.

"Let's do all we can to keep advancing the causes and values we all hold dear. Making our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top," she said, after stating that people need to vote in all elections, not just the presidential race every four years.

She thanked Kaine and his wife for joining her in the race and said to Obama that the country owes him "an enormous debt of gratitude."

Clinton told her supporters that they poured their hearts into the campaign and called them the best.

"This loss hurts, but please, never stop believing that fighting for what's right is worth it," Clinton said.

She said that someone would eventually shatter the glass ceiling, but never said it would be her, hinting that she will not run again for president.

Before leaving the stage, Clinton addressed women, saying that "nothing has made me prouder" then to be their champion.

Speaking minutes after her, the president offered words of comfort to Democrats after their party lost the White House to Trump.

"Everybody is sad when their side loses an election, but the day after we have to remember that we're actually all on one team," he said. "We're not Democrats first. We're not Republicans first. We are Americans first."

The president commented that people will lose an argument and sometimes lose an election, but told supporters, "Don't ever think you can't make a difference."

In regards to Clinton, Obama said that he couldn't be prouder of her and what she has accomplished.

After offering Trump his congratulations during the overnight, Obama said that the president-elect will be meeting with him in the White House tomorrow.

Obama also added that he instructed his staff to show Trump's people the same gracious professionalism that former President George W. Bush and his team showed him when he came into the White House eight years ago.
South Africa, as one of several African countries striving for leadership in innovation, is committed to providing a firm foundation for companies actively looking to harness the latest technology breakthroughs.

National Business Awards

According to a report released earlier this year by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, South Africa ranks 30 out of 56 countries for "worldwide innovation influence".

A driver behind this is the significant role played by the public and private sectors in fast-tracking digital migration. South Africa, as one of several African countries striving for leadership in innovation, is committed to providing a firm foundation for companies actively looking to harness the latest technology breakthroughs.

Innovation through technology has become a powerful modus operandi for organisational success, with companies increasingly tapping into artificial intelligence; biotech; fintech; big data analytics; renewable energy solutions, mobile apps and more - the list is endless. Emerging technology not only provides value to these organisations but to their customers and stakeholders by extension.

Companies at the forefront of technological innovation right now include 2cana Solutions, ABSA Life, Accsys, ACWA Power Africa, Corex, Dell Computers, GoIndustry DoveBid SA, LexisNexis South Africa, Neo Technologies and Sentech Ltd - the finalists for this year's National Business Awards' Innovation through Technology Award.

This year's ceremony, taking place on 17 November, will showcase these business leaders alongside those in other categories, who likewise exhibit high growth potential and the capacity to add substantial economic value by creating high-value job opportunities.

"The Innovation through Technology Award category, as part of the National Business Awards, will award first place to a dynamic company that demonstrates a level of innovation capable of disrupting the way its respective industry operates, locally or even internationally", says Karla Fletcher, Director of Topco Media, which hosts the National Business Awards.

The Award will be hotly contested, with all of the finalists demonstrating improved productivity, price, quality, effectiveness and efficiencies that enhance the competitiveness of the broader economy as an innovation engine. The systems and approaches they have put in place are advancing their respected industries in dynamic and surprising ways. Should we be surprised? After all, this is the country that birthed Elon Musk; arguably this century's greatest technology innovator.

To gain business insight directly from these trailblazing companies, book your awards table now on www.nbac.co.za or through Angelique Edwards, Topco Marketing Manager, on 086 000 9590 or az.oc.ocpot@sdrawde.euqilegna. Make sure you also book for the preceding thought-provoking conference, on the same day, which will address topics including Guidelines to Global success - the McDonalds Study; Maximising business success through technology and Tips to building and running a mega-successful business.




Prime Minister, Narendra Modis announcement withdrawing Rs 500, Rs 1,000 notes from public use post-Tuesday midnight is arguably the biggest-ever crackdown India has seen on black money hoarders and fake currency dealers.

Modi-government deserves kudos for two things here.

First, for taking a bold, unpopular step risking public backlash, which is evident from the utter chaos seen in ATMs across the country on Tuesday night and, second, for the timing and nature of the well-executed operation. Both the government and the RBI were silently preparing the ground for the final crackdown without really giving a clue to habitual offenders on what was coming.

Remember, when the governments black money window was closed in September 2016, under which Rs 65,250 crore worth black money were declared from 64,275 declarations, Firstpost had said ( its time Modi-government went for the final crackdown.)

This is precisely what has happened now. Going by the governments version, any entry in bank branches where old Rs 500, Rs 1,000 notes are to be exchanged between 10 and 30 December, will be recorded with documentary evidence, making it impossible to escape taxmen.

The source of the money needs to be shown properly, else risk getting caught with the booty.

The crackdown practically offered no time for those with the cash to think of alternative plans. Thanks to the power of social media, to use a cliche, the news spread like wildfire leaving no room for the wrongdoers to get rid of the unaccounted cash. The approaching days will be even more difficult for them. Wednesday will be a no-transaction day as banks/ATMs will remain closed. The new series of Rs 500, Rs 2,000 notes from RBI with extra security features will be released soon, making the old lot redundant.



Real estate builders most hit

Modis unexpected announcement would hit the real estate developers and small traders most since they typically deal in cash to avoid paying tax. Real estate is one segment in India where thousands of crores worth black money is stashed. In any part of India, certain percentage of payment for property purchases happen in cash, for which there are no records on paper.

The ratio of such transactions differ depending on the builder and the buyer. All this cash, stocked under bedroom carpets or hidden chambers will now offer not much use for the illegal holder. Traders too will take a hit in the coming days since those customers who wouldnt typically use plastic money and engage in cash transactions may not have adequate cash in hand. But, equally worried will be political parties. In India, most political parties receive heavy donations in cash without any records. They would have spent Tuesday night wondering what to do with their hidden cash piles. Going by an analysis of Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch for 2013-14, the source of funds for most political parties remain opaque. At present, about 75 percent of the source of funds to political parties remains unknown.

The Modi government began the crackdown on black money, one of its main poll promises, when it announced a 90 days amnesty-like window for foreign black money holders charging them 60 percent tax shortly after coming to power. A total of Rs 4,147 crore of undeclared wealth was declared and the government garnered Rs 2,500 crore from the whole exercise, a paltry sum considering the kind of black money stashed abroad. This was also followed up with negotiations with other countries and tax havens to gain information on illegal cross border transactions.

Modis smart step is even more significant given that it has also broken the back of fake currency racket thriving in the country. Beginning Wednesday, all high value illegal currency notes wont be worth more than the paper on which it is printed for hoarders. The sudden withdrawal of Rs 500, Rs 1,000 notes from use would mean that fake currency network will perish for now. This is an area where both UPA and NDA government struggled to act so far. There was no way to filter fake currencies from the public since those who produced such currencies kept improvising techniques to match the quality of the original currency. But, with high value currencies disappearing all of a sudden coupled with the fact that all banks are equipped with fake currency detectors, the government has, in one stroke, flushed out all fake notes from the system. Clearly, this is a master stroke by the Modi-government.

Finally, the crackdown will serve as a big boost to promote non-cash transactions in the country, an idea which has been pursued by both the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for long, but with slow progress.

The enthusiasm with which most mobile/online/PoS payment service providers reacted to Modis announcement on Tuesday offers adequate evidence on how critical is the announcement to move away from the use of cash. In other words, the government decision will act as a major disruption in Indias cash economy, nudging the common man to move more towards plastic money or other form of non-cash transactions.

The bottom line is this: By far, this is the biggest and boldest reform step undertaken by the Modi government to tackle black money and fake currency so far. The unexpected announcement has indeed created panic and chaos in the public resulting in long queues before ATMs minutes after the announcement. But, to trap the black money holder and fake currency dealer, this was an operation well-executed. Those who possess legitimate cash in the denominations that have been banned have no reason to worry. They can get their Rs 500, Rs 1,000 notes exchanged from their bank branches any time. Only those with illegal cash need to lose their sleep.

The short point here is this: Despite the pain for the public in the short-term, Modis Tuesday evening bitter pill is precisely what the doctor ordered.
In an unexpected move, the Modi government banned Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes last evening and the whole country was shocked. Many rushed to ATMs to make sure they had enough cash in hand for the next few days till the banks reopened on November 9 or 10. However, there will be some who will come up with creative ways to beat the system.

Lets say people with black money are divided into three types. The super, super rich, where the money will probably be stuck in accounts overseas. The rich and influential who have the contacts to change their black money to white and those who have small amounts (less than Rs 10 lakhs) under the mattress as black money. The people we spoke to have creative answers to ways to get rid of the money under their mattresses. Their strategy? Divide and rule.

First of course they will break down the lump sum into smaller amounts to dispose-off in the following ways.

First chunk, take the official route of exchanging small amounts across banks, post offices until 30 December, under your own name. If possible, keep some for later next year before 31 March at RBI by giving a declaration, aka, reason for the delay.

Second, the money will be divided and put in family members account across all bank accounts they hold, and since the amounts will be smaller, it should not be an issue.

Lets not forget, you can officially get banned currency notes exchanged with the help of relatives or friends through their accounts, if someone doesn't have a bank account.

As per the RBI, You can do that if the account holder relative/friend etc. gives you permission in writing. While exchanging, you should provide to the bank, evidence of permission given by the account holder and your valid identity proof. If you have old, unsuspecting relatives, this route should work. Here's how.

But, this relative and friends clause can be exploited as well, especially if you can convince a lesser mortal to exchange your notes as their savings at the bank. Lets just say its good-will money laundering. Yes, of course the maid or driver will be more than happy to take small amount like Rs 30,000 to their bank in chunks of two or three till December 30 and exchange it for Rs 4000 cash and rest as white money in their account. They could return that amount via cheques in a phased out manner. How did you get the Rs 30,000? Well, they will show that as their hard-earned savings.

Another issue is that money laundering or hawala is going to increase. Theres an entire body of strangers and fixers who will take your money, show it as their savings and return it back to you over phased-out cheques for a commission.

Another way is to move these notes in physical assets, like gold and diamond. A small time goldsmith or small local jeweler will simply take your cash and officially sell you an ornament, just that the bill will be back dated, before 9 November, for some extra money. This entirely depends on the relation you have with the jeweler. Or, if you know of jewelers ready to crack a deal with you for extra money, it would work for you. Small-sized jewellery shop owners dont even ask for your valid IDs like PAN card copies to sell you gold of less than Rs 2 lakhs.

The truth is you really cant do much about the goldsmiths and jewelers. And, this isnt a story which offers tips to convert black money white. In fact, we would like to caution you to not fall for a request to become a money mule, knowingly or unknowingly.

Money mule are inadvertent victims of someone else's money laundering efforts or are willing mules.

So, if you have a friend or family or a boss asking you to exchange only a small amount in exchange of a phased-out payment later. Just say, No.

Here's how you might becomes a Money mule unknowingly.



Money laundering is going to increase which means fraudsters will use online route to make your a victim or money mule.

What might happen:

The online fraudsters could get in touch with you (money mule) via online or offline route. A typical way this works is as follows:

You (potential, money mule) will get a job offer via an email or a pubic chat room. The job description would say it's financial management work and hence requires you to simply transfer funds, which the fraudster or his agent transfers to your bank account. Of course, these companies/ firm/ enterprise are fake, but they may give you official looking papers to sign or a fake contract. You receive funds in your account from the fraudster/s or their agents, and you have to transfer these funds. Your compensation is not a fixed salary, but a commission of the amount of funds you transfer to overseas accounts.

You think you are doing your job, but in reality, you are using your account for money laundering activity.

This isnt a new thing. Such fraud job offers were around a few years ago.

What else might happen: Offline frauds will also be on the rise. In the past, instances have been known where agents have contacted people (potential money mules) and offered them a commission to use their accounts for a small commission. Of course, since the potential mule has already done their KYC norms and has a bank account, they meet the fraudster's requirement. All they say is that they would transfer funds to your account, you get to keep a commission, while you have to give them your ATM card/cheques, etc, from which they would withdraw the remaining funds. That's not all, these days fraudsters even make fake websites of genuine companies and offer such fake financial management jobs via the websites.

Be careful of emails or website job offers which ask you to be representatives of overseas companies and the job description is financial management. Any company which offers high commissions simply to transfer funds should be a red flag. If you take a look at the sample email, you will see that there are spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. This too works as a red flag.

Disclaimer: There are people out there who might use unsuspecting people to convert their black money into white. This story is to make readers aware of their ways, to take the necessary precaution.
The government's move to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes has received acclaim from Twitter. Business community lauded the government's bold move with regard to the currency ban.

Anand Mahindra, Chairman and Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, as his won't tweeted a tongue-in-cheek remark:

Urgent message to anyone who robbed a bank tonight: You just got robbed...  anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) November 8, 2016

Mohandas Pai, chairman, Chairman of Manipal Global Education termed the government's action as a `surgical strike'.

Great move to demonetize 500/1000 notes, surgical strike against black money/ congrats @narendramodi @arunjaitley RT  Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) November 8, 2016

Ronnie Screwvala, entrepreneur and founder and former CEO, UTV spoke about India's focus on Wednesday versus what was happening at the US.

Yes it's funny that USA is counting votes and India is counting notes  Ronnie Screwvala (@RonnieScrewvala) November 8, 2016

@PMOIndia Brilliant and bold move - and with such confidentiality - if India can execute like this on all counts we are a super power @PMOIndia  Ronnie Screwvala (@RonnieScrewvala) November 8, 2016

Vineet Nayar, former CEO of HCL Technologies and Founder of Sampark Foundation, found the move a `brilliant' attack on black money.

Fantastic initiative by govt to scrap INR 500/1000 notes. Timely and brilliant attack on black money.  Vineet Nayar (@vineetnayar) November 8, 2016

Naveen Jindal Chairman, Jindal Steel & Power wanted the government to be cautious.

Govt must ensure that withdrawal of 500 and 1000 re notes causes minimum inconvenience to public at large as it's a very big change ..  Naveen Jindal (@MPNaveenJindal) November 8, 2016

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw Chairman and Managing Director, Biocon termed it a `brilliant' strategy
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced drastic measures to curtail black money, declaring Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes as illegal from midnight.

The government will issues new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes soon, he said.

Banks have been ordered closed on Wednesday, 9 November.

A look at what it means for you:

- You can deposit old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in banks/post office accounts from 10 November till 30 December, 2016, without any limit.

- There will be a limit on withdrawal from banks and post offices to Rs 10,000 a day, and Rs 20,000 a week. The limit will be raised in the coming days.

- You can exchange Rs 500/Rs 1,000 notes at any bank, post office or sub post office, showing ID proof, till 24 November, 2016. The limit for this is Rs 4,000.

- ATMs will not work on 9 November (Wednesday), and in some places on 10 November.

- Withdrawals from ATMs will be limited to Rs 2,000/day per card. This will be raised to Rs 4,000 later.

For 72 hours, the following services will accept Rs 500/Rs 1,000 notes:

Government hospitals, railway ticket booking counters, government buses and ticket counters at airports.

Petrol, diesel and gas stations authorised by public sector oil companies.

Consumer cooperative stores authorised by state or central government, milk booths authorised by state government and crematoria and burial grounds.


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On a mellow Tuesday evening when the world was getting ready for the endgame in the United States presidential election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi came up unannounced on our TV screens and dropped a nuke on black money. In a move that was daringly simple and breathtakingly audacious, the Prime Minister announced that within the next few hours, all Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes will turn into ash from cash.

Any sweeping step that simultaneously affects a population of 125 crore is hazardous. The risk increases manifold when it involves withdrawing notes at such a short notice. It would require incredible synergy between all arms of the government, the bureaucracy and the executive to pull off a coup of this magnitude. There is every chance that even a minor botch up in the execution stage somewhere will have a cascading effect everywhere and result in mind-bending chaos.

When you add the unpredictability of human behavior to these factors, it becomes clear what an insane risk the Prime Minister took on Tuesday as he went about performing a surgical strike on black money hoarders, fake currency racket and terror financing.

The risk factor wasn't just limited to execution. By appearing on live TV and appraising the nation of the steps he was about to take, Modi made the demonetisation a very personal affair, putting in line his entire political capital. Any decision taken by the Centre ultimately lies at the Prime Minister's door. However, by exhorting people to join the fight against corruption, Modi dismantled the levers of power between the people and their leader and made the appeal and support a personal give and take. The political risk of such an action stems from the fact that the short-term negative impact and teething issues will anger the man on the street and most certainly irk the trader community which forms the core support base of BJP.

It takes nerves of steel to play high-stakes poker with own political goodwill to eradicate corruption, knowing that even a small misstep will turn a crazily bold move into an insanely foolish one. It not only shows that Modi is committed in his mission to tackle black money and corruption  the twin key planks which gave him a sweeping mandate in 2014  but also that he isn't risk averse to fulfill that commitment.

But why was it necessary to withdraw the 500 and 1000 denomination notes? There are two main reasons among many. High denomination notes are easy and cost-effective to fake, and most of the terror financing is done through counterfeit money which forms part of Pakistan's arsenal. In one sweep, at the stroke of midnight on 9 November, Modi delivered a blow as crucial as the surgical strikes on Pakistan-sponsored terror.

High denomination notes are also an important pillar of the parallel black economy, which according to World Bank was 20.7% of the GDP in 1999 and rose to 23.2% in 2007. As The Times of India points out, the shadow economy which sits outside the banking system corrodes and eats into the vitals of the country's economy.

Journalist Vivek Kaul has explained in his blog how Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes aid corruption. "The move," he writes in his blog, "seems to be inspired from the American dollar as well as the British pound. In the US, the highest denomination bank note is $100. When it comes to the UK, the highest denomination bank note issued by the Bank of England is 50  essentially 50 times the smallest denomination note of one dollar or one British pound. In India, up until now the highest denomination note was Rs. 1,000 and this was 1000 times the smallest denomination note of Re 1, issued by the ministry of finance. When a currency has notes of higher denomination, it is easier to launder money i.e. store black money."

But these are theoretical and statistical assumptions. The real tour de force of Modi's move was to give the hardworking commoner a moral boost that she isn't a loser in paying tax and being a good citizen. It is the crooks who would be the real losers, from now on.
If some of you think that the Rs 500, Rs 1,000 notes have no value after Prime Minister Narendra Modis surprise announcement to ban these notes, you are making a fool of yourself. As long as the money you possess isnt acquired by illegal means, you can exchange these notes in your bank branches when the banks open tomorrow.

After PM Modis announcement, social media is having a field day showing images of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes being used to wrap food items and even as toilet paper.

However, do not view the currency notes in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination in your possession as trivial paper. The social media jokes exhibit the ignorance and confusion in dealing with banned currencies even among educated youth, needless to talk about those living in remote villages.

What you should do

Please don't panic. That's the first rule. And also the last one.

What you should do is count the number of Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes in your possession and approach your bank beginning 10 November to get the tender exchanged in permitted denominations. However, there is a caveat. The government has stipulated certain limitations on such transactions. A customer can change only Rs 4,000 per day. This facility is on till 31 December.

According to government notification, the limit of Rs 4,000 for exchange of old high denomination bank notes at bank branches or at issue offices of Reserve Bank of India will be reviewed after 15 days and appropriate notification issued, as may be necessary.

Also, there will be no restriction on the use of any non-cash method of operating the account which include cheques, demand drafts, credit/debit cards, mobile wallets and electronic fund transfer mechanisms. The withdrawal from ATMs would be restricted to Rs 2,000 per day per card up to November 18, 2016. The limit will be raised to Rs 4,000 per day per card from November 19, 2016 onwards.

Even if you fail to exchange all your old high denomination bank notes or deposit the same in bank accounts on or before December 30, 2016, an opportunity will be given to you to do so at specified offices of the RBI on later dates along with necessary documentation as may be specified by the RBI, the notification said.

The point here is that currency crackdown doesnt mean that your Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes have lost their value. If you fall prey to the rumors and damage the currency, you are only making yourself a fool.
New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday deposits of now-defunct old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in bank accounts will not enjoy immunity from tax and the land of law will apply on source of such money.

A day after the government announced the withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes in the country's biggest crack down against black money, corruption and counterfeit currency, Jaitley said old higher-denomination currency notes have to be deposited in bank accounts to get newer or smaller denomination currencies.

"But it should be clear that it is no immunity scheme. This (deposit) does not provide any relief from taxation. The law of land will apply (on source of fund)," he said. "If the money is legitimate which had been previously withdrawn from bank or earned legally and saved and had been disclosed, there is nothing to worry about," Jaitley said.

But if it is illegal money, source will have to be disclosed and if it is a crime money, or bribe money, then it is trouble, he told DD News.

The Finance Minister further said that housewives and farmers with genuine savings need not worry about depositing cash in their bank accounts. "The small amounts that people will deposit like Rs 25,000, 30,000 or 50,000 lying in house for expenses, whatever money could be there for meeting normal family expenses they need not worry. They can go to banks," he said.

The Finance Minister said for first one or two weeks replacements may be less but after 2-3 weeks as more currency notes come in market then normal replacement will be available. The move would help make more and more transactions become digital, he said, adding now people will disclose income and pay taxes. "India will become a more tax compliant society."

Jaitley said that people who have accumulated black money, crime money or bribe would suffer after this. "There is a premium now that this decision has created on honesty and dis-premium on dishonesty," he added.

"Obviously there are some inconvenience for a couple of days or couple of weeks but those inconvenience cannot be alibi that India continues to live (with black money and parallel economy)," he said.

The decision would bring more transactions under tax net and both direct and indirect taxes would move up. Reduction in parallel economy would increase the size of formal economy, Jaitley said.

Stating that the decision would have its ramifications on politics as well, Jaitley said some political funding has started by cheques and if this step can do some cleansing, it would be a great move.
The border tension between India and Pakistan is refusing to de-escalate as soldiers continue to trade fire across the de-facto borders in Jammu and Kashmir. On Tuesday, Pakistani troops allegedly resorted to unprovoked firing on the Line of Control (LoC) killing one more Indian army soldier in Naushera sector of Rajouri district, Kashmir. 11 Indian soldiers have been killed on the borders since India's surgical strikes on 29 September.

Lieutenant colonel Manish Mehta, a defence spokesperson, said that a soldier was killed but army retaliated in equal measure to the unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Naushera sector. They are using 82 mm mortars and automatic weapons, Mehta said.

India and Pakistan solders often accuse each other of violating the 2003 ceasefire agreement that had brought the much needed respite to the residents living along the volatile border between the two countries.

Since India announced its surgical strikes, the borders have continuously witnessed heavy exchange of fire. This sudden escalation in cross-border firing means displacement of thousands of residents of Jammu and Kashmir. The approaching winter is only adding to the miseries of the border residents.

More than 110 ceasefire violations have been reported from region in last forty days. This huge escalation has led to a crisis in the state for the residents and the number of cross-border firing incidents is only increasing with each passing day.

On 6 November, two soldiers were killed and five others injured when Pakistani rangers opened fire in an attempt to facilitate the two infiltration bids along the LoC in Krishna Ghati and Poonch sectors.

Former Chief Minister of Kashmir and National Confrence president Farooq Abdullah told Firstpost that continued firing between the two armies has wrought havoc in the lives of the border residents of Jammu. He said that the time has come "when both the nations should take immediate steps" to engage in dialogue for the sake of lakhs of people living not just in Jammu and Kashmir, but also for those living on the other side of the border.

This madness should immediately be stopped, Abdullah said referring to the increasing number of ceasefire violations across the LoC and the international border.

Just two days back, two soldiers were killed. Do you think mothers are ready to receive the coffins of the dead sons? he asked.

I pray that both the nations engage in meaningful dialogue to end the hostilities, he said. Adding that shelling for the past few weeks has generated "fear psychosis" among border dwellers, he said that it has resulted in their dislocation from their villages.

On 1 November, eight people, including two children, were killed when Pakistani soldiers pounded frontier villages and army posts with mortar shells and heavy machine gun fire. This was the highest number of casualties in one day in a span of thirteen years.

At least 20 people, including children, have been killed in more than a fortnight since Pakistan started pounding border villages with mortar shells and heavy machine gun fire.
On Tuesday afternoon, as heated discussions were going on at the octogenarian Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani's residence, hundreds of people gathered outside and started shouting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. The protesters were demanding that the shutdown, which is in its fifth month, must continue, despite the costs.

That was exactly the message which reverberated during the day-long deliberations at Geelani's residence after the ruling PDP-BJP coalition allowed the powerful Hurriyat trio, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, to meet, hoping that the separatists might do what their elected government has failed in doing: bringing normalcy on the streets of Kashmir.

The all-important, day-long meeting was attended on Tuesday by different stakeholders including representatives of hoteliers and transporters, who have borne the brunt of the prevailing crisis in the Valley, business bodies, civil society activists, a professor of Kashmir University and heads of social and political gatherings.

"70 percent participants have voted for continuing the protest program," a Hurriyat leader told the protesters outside Geelani's residence. The announcement was greeted with massive anti-India and pro-freedom slogans in the area. Earlier, the government had pulled out security teams from the area to avoid any clashes.

However, sources said there were dissenting voices in the meeting who told the separatist leaders that the continued shutdown was impacting the impoverished and underprivileged who live from hand to mouth with thousands losing jobs during the prevailing crisis.

"But there were others who argued that people will have to bear small costs for taking the freedom movement to its logical conclusion," a civil society activist, who attended the meeting, told Firstpost.

Mirwaiz said the Hurriyat has patiently listened to the suggestions from the representatives of different sections of society "which will be kept in consideration while formulating the next protest program. The freedom movement is in a critical phase and we hope that people would follow the program in letter and spirit," he said.

According to a senior Hurriyat leader, the stakeholders unanimously agreed that the Class 10 and Class 12 board exams should be held in March next year and there should be "no compromise" on the quality of education imparted to students.

The state government has already announced that, while the exams will be held on schedule next week with 50 percent syllabus relaxation, those students who are not prepared and want to appear later, will have to write their papers in March next year with no relaxation.

The Hurriyat leadership, however, indicated that there might be further relaxation in the shutdown call, which cripples normal life in Kashmir, allowing opening of businesses only after 5 pm and that too on four days in a week, including Sunday.

Speaking with the media, Geelani said the Hurriyat was authorised by the participants to "continue the freedom struggle with zeal and passion. It was emphasized upon both, leadership and nation, to remain steadfast and committed to take the struggle to its logical end".

Joining Geelani, Mirwaiz, the head of moderate Hurriyat, said the protest program will be "followed in letter and spirit and whosoever violates it will be convinced and conveyed that discipline and resilience is important for achieving our goal.

Which means that the political deadlock in Kashmir Valley is unlikely to end soon with the separatist leadership clearly indicating that it will not call off its protest program. The continuation of the protest calendar will shadow the PDP-BJP coalition government's efforts to restore normalcy in the restive Valley where at least 94 civilians have been killed to control protests since the killing of Burhan Wani.

All the participants unanimously appreciated united face of resistance leadership and authorized them with their full mandate and support to continue the freedom struggle with zeal and passion. It was emphasized upon both, leadership and nation, to remain steadfast and committed to take the struggle to its logical end, said a statement issued by joint resistance leadership after the meeting.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Donald Trump on being elected US President, saying he looks forward to working with him closely to take Indo-US ties to a new height.

"Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on being elected as the 45th US President," Modi said in a tweet.

Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on being elected as the 45th US President.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

Modi said the country looks forward to working closely with Trump to strengthen bilateral ties. "We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height," the Prime Minister said.

We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height. @realDonaldTrump  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

"We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign, @realDonaldTrump," he said.

We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign, @realDonaldTrump.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

Trump beat seasoned politician Hillary Clinton in a knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President.

With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: All ATMs will remain shut on Wednesday and Thursday as banks replace the now declared invalid Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes with new currency papers.

On Tuesday night, after the government's announcement of the withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, people rushed to ATMs to withdraw lower denomination valid currency notes.

However, banks closed ATM operations past Tuesday-night. Banks are also closed today for cash balancing and stocking up of lower denomination Rs 50 and Rs 100 notes and high-security new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes.

Customers can deposit their old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in their bank accounts tomorrow, and also exchange it with a lower denomination or the new security feature Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes but with a limit of Rs 20,000 a week.

The new high-security feature Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes will initially be available at branches from tomorrow and at ATMs from 11 November.

Since most of the cash deposit machines are inside the branches, people can deposit their old currencies only tomorrow when the branches open.

Meanwhile, the government has cautioned people that since cash deposit in an account above a certain limit will be monitored by Financial Intelligence Unit and tax authorities so one should refrain from someone else money.

Besides, depositing money in bank accounts, the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes can also be exchanged with lower denomination currency notes at designated banks and post offices on the production of valid government identity cards like PAN, Aadhaar and Election Card from 10 - 24 November with a daily limit of Rs 4,000.
Azusa: A gunman with an assault rifle killed a man and critically wounded two women Tuesday in a California neighborhood near two polling sites that were shut down before the attacker was found dead inside a nearby home, authorities said.

One polling place was reopened hours after a gunbattle involving the gunman and Azusa police.

The shooting "had nothing to do with the ballot or voting," Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. John Corina said. "It just happened to be across the street from the park where the voting was taking place and also an elementary school" that was being used as a polling site.

"Nobody was shooting at those locations," Corina said.

County election officials advised voters to visit other polling places where they could cast provisional ballots.

Police responding to reports of afternoon gunfire exchanged shots with the suspect before taking cover in the park, Azusa police Chief Steve Hunt said. No officers were hurt.

A Swat team sealed off the area and hours later entered the nearby home, where they found the gunman dead, authorities said.

Investigators didn't know whether the gunman died by police bullets or killed himself, Corina said.

Two women in their mid-50s were wounded and hospitalized in critical condition, Corina said.

The motive of the shooting was unknown and it was unclear whether the attacker knew his victims, Corina said.

The names of the gunman and victims were not immediately released.
A great aspect of prime minister Narendra Modi's announcement of demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes is that it was kept a secret. Nobody in the media knew about this.

This is one of the congratulatory remarks on the social media after the earth-shattering announcement made at 8 pm on 8 November 2016.

But did we fail to read correctly a few developments - or rumours rather - in the recent days or weeks that indicated something of this sort may be coming?

There are reasons to believe it may be so.

Before getting into the details, it is worth remembering the black money warnings issued by PM Modi a few days back.

"We have made requisite legal changes so that the black money circulating inside the country can also be curbed. There's a scheme which is running till the 30th of September. For all those who are still willing to come in the mainstream. I have said this in public that 30th of September is your last date. You may have made mistakes with whatever intentions. Whether it has been done willingly or unwillingly, here is your chance. Come into the mainstream. I have this plan for people to sleep peacefully at night. People must accept this. And no one should blame me if I take tough decisions after the 30th. This money belongs to the country's poor. No one has the right to loot this. This is my commitment. I am working with full force and will continue the effort," Modi had said this in an interview to Network18 on 2 September.

Before that on 24 July, Modi had issued an ultimatum. He had warned black money holders of stringent action including imprisonment after 30 September. At a function jewellers organised to felicitate him in New Delhi, Modi had said said those with undisclosed wealth, most of which is parked in jewellery and real estate, should come clean to sleep peacefully.

He said he is aware of people going to bullion merchants with "cartload" of money and a message has to be delivered to them to come clean using the one-time compliance window closing on 30 September.

The government had devised an Income Declaration Scheme (IDS), which opened on 1 June and clsoed on 30 September. Under the scheme, black money holders could come clean by declaring the assets, paying the tax and penalty of 45 percent thereafter. what the PM said was that those who fail to take advantage of the scheme will have to face stringent actions, including imprisonment.

As per the government, the scheme yielded Rs 65,250 crore worth black money from 64,275 declarations. Of this, about Rs 30,000 crore will flow into the governments tax kitty based on 45 percent tax penalty. "The figure is a clear relief to the Modi-government, which has been facing questions on its poll promises on the black money," Firstpost financial editor Dinesh Unnikrishnan had said.

Had PM Modi's warnings taken seriously, it would not have been difficult to see something of this sort coming.

But more importantly, here are the reasons for the nagging doubt that there could have been somebody who knew about the impending announcement:

strong>RBI dropped hints?

Nearly a week back, the Reserve Bank of India announce that it was conducting a pilot under which 10 percent of ATMs in the country will be calibrated to dispense Rs 100 notes exclusively. "In keeping with the objectives of the Clean Note Policy and to ensure genuine requirements of members of the public for Rs 100 denomination banknotes are met, the banks should increase dispensation of Rs 100 banknotes through ATMs which are widely used for distribution of banknotes for retail use," the central bank said in a notification.

Was that an attempt to cushion the sudden surge in demand for Rs 100 notes after the government announces this move? This indeed could be a safe specualtion.

Twitter buzz on Rs 2000 notes a hint?

In the digital era, there is nothing that you can hide for long.

Just two days back, Twitter was abuzz with new Rs 2,000 notes that are likely to come into circulation in the near future.

2000 Rupees note For easy #MoneyLaundering of #Blackmoney in the name of Vikas Has a picture of #BhagatSingh on itpic.twitter.com/WSPcoQBx4m  Swadeshi Vichaar (@SV99999) November 7, 2016

Are These 2000 Rupees Note Fake Or Real ? https://t.co/mvplN6VU0C pic.twitter.com/s2Ty6Bajzg  rohan pandya (@rohanpandya) November 6, 2016

#2000 Rupees note first look

Areyy... Where is Gandhi?

Is Gandhi got retired from currency note? pic.twitter.com/56ifQTybLN  Prabhu Mithran (@PRABHUMITHRAN) November 6, 2016

1 st in india

 2000, New Note Relise By Reserve Bank of India pic.twitter.com/AmoHYmfKEJ  My love is gone (@allusaiharsha) November 5, 2016

New 2000 Rupees notes, will be available in a fortnight's time Aur yaha 1000 ka note jeb mein aye arsa ho gaya pic.twitter.com/JJaWog4cFI  Mohit Gulati (@desimojito) November 5, 2016

Reserve Bank #RBI to issue Rs 2000 currency note in India soon pic.twitter.com/sTOMR5Um6I  Sanjeev Kamboj (@kambojOffice) November 6, 2016

Interestingly, the design and colour of the original (image released by the RBI on 8 November after the announcement by the PM; see here) seem to be somewhat similar to those that were circulated on the Twitter two days back.

Clearly, somebody knew something of this sort was brewing. Or rather, how far is it true that this was indeed a unexpected surgical strike?
The NDA government on Tuesday announced that it is banning use of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, in its fight against the corruption, fake currency and black money. As soon as the the announcement was made, the Reserve Bank of India came out with a ready reckoner on the government's move.

Here's how the central bank explained the whole scheme in most simple terms:

1) Why is this scheme?

The incidence of fake Indian currency notes in higher denomination has increased. For ordinary persons, the fake notes look similar to genuine notes, even though no security feature has been copied. The fake notes are used for antinational and illegal activities. High denomination notes have been misused by terrorists and for hoarding black money. India remains a cash based economy hence the circulation of Fake Indian Currency Notes continues to be a menace. In order to contain the rising incidence of fake notes and black money, the scheme to withdraw has been introduced.

2) What is this scheme?

The legal tender character of the notes in denominations of  500 and  1000 stands withdrawn. In consequence thereof withdrawn old high denomination (OHD) notes cannot be used for transacting business and/or store of value for future usage. The OHD notes can be exchanged for value at any of the 19 offices of the Reserve Bank of India or at any of the bank branches or at any Head Post Office or Sub-Post Office.

3) How much value will I get?

You will get value for the entire volume of notes tendered at the bank branches / RBI offices.

4) Can I get all in cash?

No. You will get upto 4000 per person in cash irrespective of the size of tender and anything over and above that will be receivable by way of credit to bank account.

5) Why I cannot get the entire amount in cash when I have surrendered everything in cash?

The Scheme of withdrawal of old high denomination(OHD) notes does not provide for it, given its objectives.

6) 4000 cash is insufficient for my need. What to do?

You can use balances in bank accounts to pay for other requirements by cheque or through electronic means of payments such as Internet banking, mobile wallets, IMPS, credit/debit cards etc.

7) What if I dont have any bank account?

You can always open a bank account by approaching a bank branch with necessary documents required for fulfilling the KYC requirements.

8) What if, if I have only JDY account?

A JDY account holder can avail the exchange facility subject to the caps and other laid down limits in accord with norms and procedures.

9) Where can I go to exchange the notes?

The exchange facility is available at all Issue Offices of RBI and branches of commercial banks/RRBS/UCBs/State Co-op banks or at any Head Post Office or Sub-Post Office.

10) Need I go to my bank branch only?

For exchange upto 4000 in cash you may go to any bank branch with valid identity proof. For exchange over 4000, which will be accorded through credit to Bank account only, you may go to the branch where you have an account or to any other branch of the same bank.

In case you want to go to a branch of any other bank where you are not maintaining an account, you will have to furnish valid identity proof and bank account details required for electronic fund transfer to your account.

11) Can I go to any branch of my bank?

Yes you can go to any branch of your bank.

12) Can I go to any branch of any other bank?

Yes, you can go to any branch of any other bank. In that case you have to furnish valid identity proof for exchange in cash; both valid identity proof and bank account details will be required for electronic fund transfer in case the amount to be exchanged exceeds 4000.

13) I have no account but my relative / friend has an account, can I get my notes exchanged into that account?

Yes, you can do that if the account holder relative/friend etc gives you permission in writing. While exchanging, you should provide to the bank, evidence of permission given by the account holder and your valid identity proof.

14) Should I go to bank personally or can I send the notes through my representative?

Personal visit to the branch is preferable. In case it is not possible for you to visit the branch you may send your representative with an express mandate i.e. a written authorisation. The representative should produce authority letter and his / her valid identity proof while tendering the notes.

15) Can I withdraw from ATM?

It may take a while for the banks to recalibrate their ATMs. Once the ATMs are functional, you can withdraw from ATMs upto a maximum of 2,000/- per card per day upto 18th November, 2016. The limit will be raised to 4000/- per day per card from 19th November 2016 onwards.

16) Can I withdraw cash against cheque?

Yes, you can withdraw cash against withdrawal slip or cheque subject to ceiling of 10,000/- in a day within an overall limit of 20,000/- in a week (including withdrawals from ATMs) for the first fortnight i.e. upto 24th November 2016.

17) Can I deposit withdrawn notes through ATMs, Cash Deposit Machine or cash Recycler?

Yes, OHD notes can be deposited in Cash Deposits machines / Cash Recyclers.

18) Can I make use of electronic (NEFT/RTGS /IMPS/ Internet Banking / Mobile banking etc.) mode?

You can use NEFT/RTGS/IMPS/Internet Banking/Mobile Banking or any other electronic/ non-cash mode of payment.

19) How much time do I have to exchange the notes?

The scheme closes on 30th December 2016. The OHD banknotes can be exchanged at branches of commercial banks, Regional Rural Banks, Urban Cooperative banks, State Cooperative Banks and RBI till 30th December 2016.

For those who are unable to exchange their Old High Denomination Banknotes on or before December 30, 2016, an opportunity will be given to them to do so at specified offices of the RBI, along with necessary documentation as may be specified by the Reserve Bank of India.

20) I am right now not in India, what should I do?

If you have OHD banknotes in India, you may authorise in writing enabling another person in India to deposit the notes into your bank account. The person so authorised has to come to the bank branch with the OHD banknotes, the authority letter given by you and a valid identity proof (Valid Identity proof is any of the following: Aadhaar Card, Driving License, Voter ID Card, Pass Port, NREGA Card, PAN Card, Identity Card Issued by Government Department, Public Sector Unit to its Staff)

21) I am an NRI and hold NRO account, can the exchange value be deposited in my account?

Yes, you can deposit the OHD banknotes to your NRO account.

22) I am a foreign tourist, I have these notes. What should I do?

You can purchase foreign exchange equivalent to 5000 using these OHD notes at airport exchange counters within 72 hours after the notification, provided you present proof of purchasing the OHD notes.

23) I have emergency needs of cash (hospitalisation, travel, life saving medicines) then what I should do?

You can use the OHD notes for paying for your hospitalisation charges at government hospitals, for purchasing bus tickets at government bus stands for travel by state government or state PSU buses, train tickets at railway stations, and air tickets at airports, within 72 hours after the notification.

24) What is proof of identity?

Valid Identity proof is any of the following: Aadhaar Card, Driving License, Voter ID Card, Pass Port, NREGA Card, PAN Card, Identity Card Issued by Government Department, Public Sector Unit to its Staff.

25) Where can I get more information on this scheme?

Further information is available at our website (www.rbi.org.in) and GoI website (www.rbi.org.in).
By Tom Esslemont

CATANIA, Italy (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When Italian prosecutor Lina Trovato first came across a sex trafficking suspect called "Mummy", she sensed she was onto something especially sinister.The code name had appeared several times in wiretapped conversations between Nigerian gang members in Italy and their apparently female boss back in the West African state."If one of the (trafficked sex worker) girls went astray, the agents in Italy always informed 'Mummy' - otherwise known as the Queen Bee of Nigerian trafficking - so she could keep them in line," Trovato told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.Several months of investigation led police to swoop in and arrest six people in the Italian cities of Rome, Genoa and Catania, she said. The six are awaiting trial.Nigerian crime gangs have proliferated in Italy, controlling an extensive network of prostitutes and ordering them "on demand" from Nigeria, Italian police and prosecutors say.But now the Nigerian gangs, who have been active in Italy for more than a decade, are taking on increasingly violent tactics, including knife crime and even forging close relations with notorious mafia groups, the Cosa Nostra and the Camorra, law enforcement agencies in Italy say.The overlap with home-grown organised crime groups is troubling for police because the Italian mafia dominate the economies in their regions, often with the help of corrupt or complacent administrators, and they have spread their tentacles to northern Italy.At least 16 Nigerians have been arrested on trafficking offences since the start of 2016 in the Catania jurisdiction in Sicily, up from around 10 the previous year."Mummy" is still on the run."Sometimes we are good at breaking the cycle (of trafficking). But it is very hard," Trovato, a specialist in organised crime and mafia, said in Catania city.Italy's government has not disclosed the number of arrests in connection with Nigerian trafficking gangs despite requests from the Thomson Reuters Foundation.Around 12,000 Nigerian women arrived in Italy by sea in 2015 and 2016, data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) shows - a six-fold increase on the previous two years.Almost 80 percent of the young women are victims of trafficking, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), placing law enforcement agencies under pressure to uproot expanding Nigerian criminal networks, lawyers say. MAFIA CRIMES

As the number of Nigerian trafficking victims rises, Italian prosecutors - lawyers who gather evidence before presenting it in court - are finding more and more of their time taken up with unpicking Nigeria's criminal networks.Nigerian prostitutes frequently end up working as recruiters or "madams" for new arrivals from Africa, prosecutors say. These former sex workers also help with the logistics of slavery, driving trafficking victims to the cities where they become prostitutes, Trovato said.But trends are changing. Armed robberies, murders and drug-related crime have spread south to the Sicilian city of Palermo from larger Nigerian communities in the northern cities of Turin and Castel Volturno, justice officials say.

"It is a compact community, in which there are lots of people who practice crime," said Leonardo Agueci, prosecutor in Palermo's justice department.Earlier in 2016, the boss of notorious Nigerian criminal organisation Black Axe was sentenced to 12 years in jail after a number of Nigerian men were brutally attacked in Palermo.The incident happened late one night in January 2014 in Palermo's Ballaro street market, where police later found the victims with gashed foreheads."It was the first time a Palermo court has convicted a Nigerian on mafia-related crimes," said Gaspare Spedale, another prosecutor in the Sicilian city.Police fear the relatively small-time crimes committed by members of the Nigerian gangs in Palermo might become more serious in a city famous for Italy's most storied mafia organisation, the Cosa Nostra, Agueci said.For now, the prosecutors said there was no evidence mafia were running the Nigerian sex trafficking network from Palermo, but it could have connections with organised crime gangs on mainland Italy."The people who export (Nigerian victims) are in other countries," Spedale said. "But there is a mastermind controlling it in Italy. It exists." NIGERIAN OMERTA

In Palermo's vibrant Ballaro market, Nigerian shopkeepers and customers brushed shoulders with Sicilian fruit stallholders touting bright pink pomegranates and blood-red tomatoes.

Nigerian women, loading their baskets with sardines and olives, refused to answer questions about the quality of life in Palermo when they were approached by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.At night, a few hundred metres away, West African women in short-cut dresses plied their trade in dimly lit streets alongside the port. Many work for pimps who remain out of sight, local campaigners say.But the killing in 2011 of one Nigerian trafficking victim still strikes fear in the community."Favour" Nike Adekune was murdered in Palermo's historic centre in a crime that shocked the 500-strong Nigerian community, according to Nino Rocca, a local rights activist.Adekune - from Benin City in Nigeria's southern Edo state - had been working as a sex worker to pay off debts to her pimps, Rocca said. After one of Adekune's clients was convicted of her murder, something mysterious happened to her body, he said."When the corpse was prepared for burial (months after her death), we noticed that only a few bones remained. We do not know why," Rocca told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "We have no idea if the mafia or Nigerian (gangs) stole the body."But he added that some members of the Nigerian community suspected the local mafia were involved.MAPPING THE CRIME

The macabre nature of more and more crimes committed against Nigerian women, including black magic or "juju" rituals, is one reason victims are reluctant to come forward, prosecutors say.Fear plays a large part in Nigerian juju, with pubic hair, fingernails and blood collected from trafficking victims as they are made to swear never to report their situation to authorities, rights groups say.In some cases, fearing the juju "spell" may be turned on them and they may die, Nigerian parents insist their daughters obey traffickers, testimony from Italian court documents shows."One woman we spoke to was made to swallow an egg whole," Kevin Hyland, Britain's anti-slavery commissioner, said in an interview in London."It obviously had some kind of drug in it: She was raped daily."Victims of sex trafficking often do not want to point the finger at the madams or pimps because they are worried about repercussions or juju, Catania-based prosecutor Lino Trovato said.Even so, the number of trafficking-related cases in her file has risen."This year, I handled about 40 cases, compared with 20 the year before," Trovato said.SPANISH PROBLEM TOO

The problem is not isolated to Italy. The authorities in parts of Spain have also been grappling with Nigerian sex trafficking rings. In Catalonia, 99 percent of prostitution is controlled by organised crime, much of it by a dominant Nigerian crime group known as the Supreme Eiye Confraternity (SEC) or Air Lords. It's a criminal network comparable with the mafioso in Chicago in the 1930s, said Xavi Cortes, chief of the central unit of human trafficking at the Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan regional police force."Every single Nigerian knows who they are," Cortes said in an interview. "If you ask a Nigerian boy, he will know who an Eiye is." But many women who are trafficked to Spain end up working as "madams", who are essentially pimps who control prostitutes on the streets of Barcelona, Cortes said.The Mossos's operations have led to the jailing of 25 trafficking gang members in the Barcelona region, with a further 13 currently under a European arrest order because they are abroad, Cortes said."Experience tells me that, finally, all the traffickers will find new routes and new ways. It is impossible to stop this phenomenon," the Catalan police chief said. (Reporting By Tom Esslemont; editing by Timothy Large; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, which covers humanitarian news, women's rights, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Azusa: A gunman was on a cocaine binge when he randomly opened fire Tuesday in a peaceful San Gabriel Valley neighborhood, killing a 77-year-old neighbor and wounding two passersby before police shot him, authorities said.

The 45-year-old man was found dead in the entryway to an Azusa home, ending an hours-long standoff east of Los Angeles. His name wasn't immediately released.

The shooting that erupted at around 2 pm Tuesday closed two nearby polling places at a park and elementary school.

However, the shooting "had nothing to do with the ballot or voting," Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. John Corina said.

The man, a former member of the military, was a "gun fanatic" who began binging on cocaine at least a day earlier, prompting his wife and two children to leave their home Monday evening "because he was getting out of control," Corina said.

On Tuesday afternoon, the man armed himself with a shotgun and other weapons.

"According to witnesses he came out into the street with guns and just started shooting randomly at people and cars," Corina said.

A woman driving a van was hit and another woman was shot as she walked nearby. A 77-year-old neighbor who left his home to see what was happening also was killed, Corina said.

When police from Azusa and neighboring Irwindale arrived to help the victims, the man popped out of hiding and opened fire on them with an assault rifle. The officers weren't hit and fired back, fatally wounding the man, Corina said.

He went to a home, where he died in the entryway and was confirmed dead hours later. Corina said hundreds of rounds of ammunition were found in the home.

The wounded women, ages 59 and 65, were hospitalised in critical condition.
London: Britain's Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage said on Wednesday he would "hand over the mantle" to Donald Trump as he congratulated the Republican on his US presidential election win.

The interim UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader hailed a year of "two great political revolutions" as commentators immediately drew parallels between the US vote and Britain's decision to leave the European Union.

"I hand over the mantle to @RealDonald Trump! Many congratulations. You have fought a brave campaign," Farage wrote on Twitter, alongside a video in which Trump publicly hails the eurosceptic, anti-immigrant politician for his success in Britain's 23 June referendum.

Speaking outside the US embassy as Trump's election win became evident, Farage said he was "not particularly surprised" by the outcome.

"The political class is reviled across much of the West, the polling industry's bankrupt and the press just hasn't woken up to what's going on in the world," he told journalists in a video posted on his Twitter account.

"So 2016 is, by the looks of it, going to be the year of two great political revolutions.

"I thought Brexit was big but boy, this looks like it's going to be even bigger."

In a final campaign push in Raleigh, North Carolina on Monday Trump said the US vote would be "Brexit plus plus plus".

Farage threw his support behind the billionaire businessman during the US election campaign, attending a rally in Jackson, Mississippi in August and likening it to his own campaign to leave the EU.

"There are millions of ordinary Americans who have been let down; who have had a bad time; who feel the political class in Washington are detached from them," he told the rally, two months after Britain voted to exit the bloc.

Aaron Banks, a key Farage ally and UKIP's main donor, also took to Twitter to congratulate Trump on his "great result", hailing him the new "Mr Brexit".

"Nigel connected with the working class, Trump did the same. You have no clue of the anger of people who have had enough," he wrote.
By Alastair Macdonald and Gabriela Baczynska

| BRUSSELS

BRUSSELS For Europe, already reeling from Britain's decision to leave its 28-member club, Donald Trump's election introduces a host of new uncertainties it is ill-equipped to tackle.Preoccupied by a growing anti-establishment mood across the continent, the European Union's leaders gave little thought to the idea a man dubbed "the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement" by Germany's deputy chancellor could take power in the United States.The day before, one of the EU's leaders had confided a contingency plan of "crossing ourselves and praying". The day after, as they pledged to work with Trump, a senior EU diplomat summed up their dilemma."Since we have refused to really think through this scenario, we have a list of questions that need to be answered, but almost everything is a big unknown," the envoy told Reuters.For some, Europe must now step up and take more responsibility, both for its own security and the wider world, if the entrepreneur makes good on campaign talk of limiting U.S. defence commitments and other engagements abroad.Trade relations, climate change, Russia and tackling Islamic State are all areas where Europe may have to forge its own path if a Trump-led Washington pulls back from the global stage."This is another wake-up call," said Manfred Weber, a German ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel who leads conservatives in the European Parliament. "It is now up to Europe. We must be more self-confident and assume more responsibility. "We do not know what to expect from the USA."Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders told Reuters a Trump White House "may help some people in Europe understand that we need to reinforce defence cooperation among Europeans".But EU leaders know that eurosceptic radicals, inspired by Trump and Britain's vote to leave the bloc in June, could exploit any attempt to tighten cooperation to condemn them to the same ignominious electoral fate as Hillary Clinton.East Europeans fret President Vladimir Putin may use Trump's vow to improve ties with sanctions-hit Moscow to extend Russian influence, as in Ukraine. The Norwegian head of NATO felt obliged to spell out that Trump could not renege on security guarantees.

"PUTTING ON A BRAVE FACE"

"Europe cannot blink after Brexit, after the election of Donald Trump," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said of the political earthquake in Washington, which, 27 years to the day since the fall of the Berlin Wall, continues to provide the lion's share of military muscle to defending the continent."Europe must stand together more, be more active and go more on the offensive," Ayrault said. "Even just to protect itself."Privately, senior officials question its ability to do that."Europe will need to do more to take care of its own - but are we capable?" a senior European diplomat asked. The EU has been riven with tensions over economic policy, the Syrian refugee crisis and Britain's exit, and remains very divided.

Another senior EU diplomat told Reuters: "This changes the business model of the EU. But we have no idea how." He dismissed suggestions a U.S. withdrawal from some engagements could offer benefits by obliging Europeans to invest more in their cooperation and spend more on their own defence: "That's not a silver lining. That's putting on a brave face."EU foreign ministers called a special meeting over dinner on Sunday to discuss what Trump's America will mean for Europe. Giles Merritt of pro-EU Brussels think-tank Friends of Europe said leaders had no time to lose to "head off trouble" and could revive their own Union by helping defend global stability. They "must ... fashion a common European response ... before President Trump sets foot in the Oval Office", he said.

CHANGE THE WHOLE SYSTEM?

It was a result few in Europe had wanted, barring Hungary's authoritarian prime minister Viktor Orban. European leaders -- and Obama Administration envoys -- were reduced to highlighting the lowest common denominators of shared history and ideals in giving assurances of continued cooperation.After a U.S. campaign marked by accusations of racism and sexism, Merkel, preparing for her own election battle next year, said she would work with Trump on the basis of shared values that included "respecting ... people's dignity regardless of their origin, the colour of their skin, religion (or) gender".Donald Tusk, the former Polish premier who chairs EU summits, responded to what he called "new challenges" and "uncertainty over the future of our Transatlantic relations" by stressing centuries of blood ties across the ocean.French President Francois Hollande stressed a need for even stronger Transatlantic cooperation to tackle climate change, Islamist security threats and the global economy.Washington's ambassador to NATO could offer no detail on the incoming administration's policy but reassured European peers in Brussels that NATO had always been a "bipartisan venture".Anthony Gardner, outgoing President Barack Obama's envoy to the EU, said change was possible in areas including sanctions on Russia, support for Ukraine, nuclear proliferation, trade, NATO and the Middle East, but added: "Let's wait to see who appoints as his key advisers."He did not see Washington abandoning a key partner for the past 50 years, but his reassurance did not quell a sense of near panic among some senior officials in Brussels.One said grimly: "This is bad. Brexit was a stupid and damaging mistake but the people running it are not complete lunatics. Now we have a populist in power who can change the whole system as we know it." (Editing by Philippa Fletcher)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
LAGOS Nigerian militant group Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) said on Wednesday it was behind an attack on Shell's (RDSa.L) Forcados crude pipeline a day earlier."Yes, NDA blew up the Forcados export pipeline," a spokesman for the group said by email when asked whether a statement announcing the attack late posted on a previously unknown Twitter account was accurate.

(Reporting by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By William James

| LONDON

LONDON The British government on Wednesday pledged to share information with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as it tries to put together a common negotiating position for leaving the European Union while holding together a fraying United Kingdom.The commitment targets the Scottish government in particular although all the devolved governments want a say in shaping the country's future ties with the EU after Britain voted to leave the bloc on June 23.Prime Minster Theresa May wants to kick off a two-year exit negotiation by the end of March, setting in motion an unprecedented withdrawal from Britain's biggest trading partner. Brexit minister David Davis will meet with counterparts from the United Kingdom's constituent nations in London later, and offer to share analysis on big issues and invite contributions that will help form the government's negotiating position."I want to ensure the free and trusted flow of important information between all parties involved," Davis said in a statement.

"So we are asking the devolved administrations to bring us their analysis that will help shape our priorities for the negotiation with the EU, and we will share our latest thinking."The statement did not specify what kind of analysis the government was willing to share, or what they were seeking from others. Davis will outline how "key sectors" will play an important part in Brexit negotiations, it said.Although 52 percent of Britons voted to leave the EU, a 62-percent majority in Scotland voted to remain, straining the three-centuries old union between London and Edinburgh. Wales, like England, voted to leave and Northern Ireland voted to stay.

On Tuesday, Scotland said it would throw its weight behind campaigners trying to force the British government to seek parliamentary approval to start the Brexit process.Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon has heavily criticised the government's approach so far, calling it chaotic and labelling a previous round of talks aimed at agreeing a common negotiating position "frustrating".

Sturgeon, a nationalist, said she believes that if courts decide definitively that the process needs an act of parliament, Scotland's devolved parliament should also be formally consulted.The London-based British government has rejected the need for Scottish approval, saying it has a mandate to execute the overall result of the referendum, but ministers are keen to avoid a direct confrontation that would fuel appetite for a second independence vote in Scotland.Scotland voted against independence in a 2014 referendum. (Editing by Louise Ireland)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
White American men voted for a white American President. No back to back experiments. Over 70 percent of them, negating all other groups and bringing down the blue wall of the democrat stronghold.

Women did not collectively feel that another woman would deliver and the sense of fear, suspicion and the naming of the enemy at the gate parcelled by Donald Trump had an impact on them. Experience counted for little.

Young Americans voted against the establishment and displayed national fatigue over the lies and half truths and the past two decades of politicians not doing their job. It was truly a vote against Washington.

So why not give it to a non-executive who has been a corporate success and let him run the country as a corporation. Cant be worse.

Immigration and racism, two cousins bound at the hip, now have a Cyclopian malevolence about them. Is the evil eye going to spike hostility against all those who are of different hue or persuasion?

The divide has widened and the vote for us against the rest of em also played a part. Fear is a key that might have opened locks during the campaign but cannot be used now to manipulate violence.

Unemployment and a promise to bring jobs back to America added to the sense of the mum and apple pie folksiness that Trump puts on and the general vote pattern indicated that Americans want to think about themselves, like with charity lets start all the good things at home.

With a captive House and Senate and a loaded Supreme Court, no president-elect has had it so good.

The conversational tone of the acceptance speech by Trump hit all the right notes but there was an underlying sense of threat and intent.

Meeting President Barack Obama whose nativity he questioned will be an awkward moment on Thursday but they are two grown men and they will handle it.

For Hillary Clinton and the Democrats a sense of shock. Whether it was Bernie Sanders, Anthony Weiner, FBI chief James Corey or just downright bad packaging all the other factors mentioned above added to her losing out. America in 2016 wanted something more compelling.

Much will depend on the frontline that Trump creates in his cabinet. Will he be able to harness talent and expertise and blend it with experience? Running a corporation you own is vitally different from running the government.

He will dismantle Obamacare come January. Whether this will earn him brownie points one does not know. But thousands will lose their cover.

Imposing levies on companies that reduce overheads by using cheap labour in other countries will not endear him to the private sector.

Most vitally, if he intends to build a wall ironically on the same day of his victory as that of the Berlin wall coming down in 1989 it will go down badly. Even Republicans do not want it.

His promise to upscale the war against IS is easier said than done.

But the real rub lies in removing the fear psychosis that currently envelopes the US. Between whites and Afro-Americans. Latinos. The Muslim communities. Asians. East Europeans. That today that miasma of uncertainty rises exponentially.

If this victory is misread as a licence to hurt and to incite prejudice the Trump era will never be triumphant.

Social platforms today reflect the concern of these demographic groups over their future. Incidents of racial violence cannot be allowed to occur.

By that taken his personal image must also be reinvented through mass media. He cannot be a maverick in The White House.

Perhaps his greatest strength is that he has never been in government so he has not preconceived ideas. If that ignorance bring bliss or disaster remains to be seen.
Donald Trump has won the US presidential election 2016 emerging "victorious" against all odds, polls, and projections. But it's not only Trump-supporters who will be celebrating the victory of the Republican leader who promised to make "America great again". As Firstpost reported, the Islamic State (IS) were also cheering for Trump because it believed the Republican candidate (now President-elect) would lead America on a path of self-destruction and his presidency would be a powerful recruiting tool for the jihadist cult.

Only two months ago, the IS Telegram channel Nashir wrote this post in Arabic: I ask Allah to deliver America to Trump... The 'facilitation' of Trump's arrival in the White House must be a priority for jihadists at any cost!!!

Now when Donald Trump has taken up the gigantic responsibility of "rebuilding" the US, one of the tasks he would have to do is realise his promise to "bomb the hell" out of the IS. Trump has been campaigning on a promise to "completely eradicate the IS". During the last few months, he has strongly issued statements such as "I would bomb them" and "We have to knock the hell out of them". Most notably, Trump pledged that he would send up to 30,000 US troops to fight the IS.

Not long ago, the US President-elect also stated that he viewed the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad as the lesser evil when compared with the US-backed rebel opposition groups, some of whom have "radical Islamist leanings". He also went on record castigating the Obama-Clinton administration as the "co-founder of the IS". He averred that they are responsible for the emergence of the militant outfit. Tellingly, Trump also claimed to have opposed the Iraq invasion.

As a matter of fact, Trump is honest in his assertion. That IS, al-Qaida and their ilk have been created and funded by the former US strategists is no secret. Clinton herself confessed that the US government created and funded the terrorists they are fighting today and imported the extremist "Wahhabi strain" to fight the Soviets. These were the words of Hillary Clinton, as clearly shown in the video:

"Lets remember here the people we are fighting today we funded them 20 years ago... Lets go recruit these mujahideen. And great, let them come from Saudi Arabia and other countries, importing their Wahabi brand of Islam so that we can go beat the Soviet Union... We had this brilliant Idea that we were going to come to Pakistan and create a force of 'Mujahedeen' and equip them with Stinger missiles and everything else to go after the Soviets inside Afghanistan and we were successful..."

So, despite being well aware of the fact, American powers continued to pamper the terrorist outfits, openly or tacitly, from time to time. Obviously, since Hillary Clinton was secretary of state, the situation in the US has not yet improved.

But with Donald Trump coming to power, the world will expect the US government to give up its "political correctness" in the fight against the IS. One of the key reasons why the Americans chose Trump is clearly their tremendous urge for an uncompromising and unequivocal stand on the IS terror. In this context, it was quite interesting to see the American House Speaker Paul Ryan calling Trump's victory a "repudiation of the status quo of failed liberal progressive policies".

Given Trumps avowed pledge and potential to fight the IS, his presidential address assumes vital significance. He laid out that working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American Dream... Ive gotten to know our country so well, tremendous potential. Its going to be a beautiful thing. Every single American will have the opportunity to realise his or her fullest potential. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer".

But what is the IS plan after the Americans have elected a president who fuelled the "anti-Muslim rhetoric" in his election campaigns? As expected, the Islamic State propagandists revealed their nefarious designs only 72 hours before American voters were all set to elect the next American president. They announced their plan to "slaughter" the American voters in general and in particular, the American Muslims participating in the 2016 US presidential election because the democratic voting in the view of the IS ideologues is termed as irtidad or apostasy.

The IS official media outlet, Al Hayat Media Center released a document entitled "The Murtadd Vote" meaning "the votes of the apostates". In a seven-page essay in this document, the IS threatened all American voters with these words: We have come to slaughter you and smash your ballot boxes." However, they particularly addressed the Muslims who voted in the elections, as they wrote: "the blood of Crusader voters is even more deserving of being spilled than the blood of Crusader combatants".

It is interesting to note that in the IS viewpoint, there is no difference between the two American parties: Republican and Democrat. In their religious justification of the indiscriminate hostility against the Americans, the IS writers argue in this essay that the Democrats and Republicans are the same in their policies against Islam and Muslims. They also raged against the American interventions in the West Asia and heaped high praise on the terrorists for "the blessed 9/11 operations". The essay concluded: "May Allah make this year's US presidential election a dreadful calamity like no other to have struck America throughout its pathetic history."

Still, they rooted for Trump and preferred him over Clinton. The reason for this is clear from the posts shared by the jihadist militants. In a Telegram post in Arabic, an IS defector, Samer, writes that when he was fighting for the group in Deir ez-Zor, he was happy when Trump said bad things about Muslims because "he makes it very clear that there are two teams in this battle: Islamic and anti-Islamic". So, basically, the idea is that Trumps anti-Muslim rhetoric will fuel the IS propaganda that America is at war with Islam. It will also help the IS buttress their dichotomous worldview of "us" versus "them", misusing the medieval jurisprudential terms such as "Dar ul-Kufr (abode of disbelief) and Dar al-Islam (abode of belief)".

An article in Foreign Affairs, a magazine published by the Council on Foreign Relations, details the reasons why IS was rooting Donald Trump to win the US Polls.

When asked to explain their (IS supporters) preference for Trump, interviewees offered several reasons. First, Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric plays into the IS narrative of a bipolar world in which the West is at war with Islam. Second, IS hopes that Trump will radicalise Muslims in the United States and Europe and inspire them to commit lone-wolf attacks in their home countries. Third, IS supporters believe that Trump would be an unstable and irrational leader whose impulsive decision-making would weaken the United States. And fourth, IS subscribes to the prophecy of a "Final Battle," to take place in the northern Syrian town of Dabiq, in which the caliphate will decisively triumph over its enemies. Some IS supporters believe that Trump would lead the United States and its Western allies into the apocalyptic clash they have been waiting for.

In the above-mentioned seven-page essay, the IS writes: "Mr Trump was yet to learn that what he calls as 'radical Islamic terrorist' is nothing but the teachings of Islam, plain and simple". Since the IS and their Islamist ideologues have declared voting, election and democracy as "apostasy", the essay cited various Islamic references, obviously out of context, to prove that voting in "the pagan festivals of US democracy" is a sin. Therefore, all American Muslims, particularly those known as moderate or progressive Muslims are in the hit-list of the IS.

Given his ideological implication, it would be quite an uphill task for Trump to protect the peaceful, pluralistic and progressive American Muslims from the IS radical Islamists.

Interestingly, even before his win in the US election, Trump has issued several categorical statements against the IS, pledging to send 30,000 more troops to eradicate them. Therefore, some American Muslims have cast their votes in his favour only in their bid to counter radicalism. Since Trump has refused to rule out the possibility of using nuclear weapons against the IS, they have high expectations from him in vow to "cleanse IS.

But its time Trump deepened his counter-terror strategy so it can stem the tide of the global terrorism championed by the self-imposed Islamic caliphate. But merely vowing and ranting against the terrorists is pointless. However, Trump seemed quite optimistic and confident in his presidential speech:

No dream is too big, no challenge is too great, nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach. America will no longer settle for anything less than the best.

 The author is a doctoral research scholar in Centre for Culture, Media & Governance at Jamia Millia Islamia. Views are personal
So what would a Trump presidency look like? In the first phase, he would probably consolidate. At some level he would view this as taking over a tanking empire. He would look at it through the prism of a corporate empire, one that he would deem as having been too generous to workers, staff and consumers.

Like a board chairman, Trump would see the system that he badmouthed as the company he has now taken over and can reinvent. He would want to take care of his 'stakeholders'.

At one level, there is the Republican Party, particularly those in its ranks who would expect his presidency to carry them to victory two years and four years down the line. As a ruthless chairman of the board, Trump would take advantage of the fact that Paul Ryan and other established Republican leaders did not stand by him when the recording of what he called 'locker room talk emerged.

He had already spoken then of having been 'unshackled. Long before that, he had taken the party nomination from under the noses of the party establishment  remember the time Jeb Bush was considered a shoo-in? And then he ran his campaign on the argument that he was going to salvage the US from the insidious, incestuously 'you-scratch-my-back-I-scratch-yours insiders'. That line worked.

So Trump comes in with a mandate to clean out the stables. Before the next biennial elections, he will do what he can to push men and women who please him. He will support them for candidature in the Senate, Congress and in state legislatures.

Syncing institutions

It will be relatively easy for President Trump to put his personal stamp as 'Chairman' of the board of the government for the US government is geared to be run by the man at the top. He does not have to engage constantly with his equally elected colleagues. He is not, as in the UK and India, first among equals in the cabinet and in Parliament.

As the Oval Office functions more like the chairmans office, the big question is whether professional impartiality will hold true in sensitive departments such as defence and justice.

The US will probably not in fact turn away from a global role. Instead, its interventions will be rigged to benefit certain corporate - much like America's 'shock and awe invasion of Iraq in 1983 was geared to benefit Halliburton and the manufacturers of the alleged 'shock and awe hardware.

Consolidation before intolerance

Policies will change, but probably only after an early phase of consolidation. A Trump administration will be far less tolerant of dissent, deviation from conservatism, and sociological 'others'. As CEO, Trump will do what it takes to ensure that all three independent institutions of US democracy work together on this.

His effort to push people who think like him in the Republican Party will help him bring the legislatures in sync with his administration. Trump has already stated upfront that he'll ensure that liberal judges are not appointed to upcoming vacancies to the US Supreme Court. That will translate into his appointment of men (mainly) who see the world in his racist, misogynistic, xenophobic frames.

Once all this is in place, one can expect space for democratic dissent to shrink. Who can demonstrate, how and where, will be limited. The media might find the heat turned on it. Already during the campaign, Trump has not shied away from calling the 'Washington DC system and the 'liberal media' biased, rigged, liars and worse.

Many voters apparently decided to try Trump out once - to see whether his different way of doing and running things might turn out to be worthwhile. The old establishment could come back, if this does not work out.

The big question is whether 'Chairman' Trump will be able to dismantle and reinvent that system sufficiently within his four-year term to make that tough.
On Tuesday night Republican candidate Donald Trump won the 2016 US presidential elections to become the president-elect of America. Various world leaders congratulated him on his victory and spoke of their support for his presidency.

India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Donald Trump on his win in the US presidential election 2016. Modi, in a series of tweets, said that he is looking forward to working with him, 'to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height'.

We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height. @realDonaldTrump  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign, @realDonaldTrump.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on being elected as the 45th US President.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2016

Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Donald Trump a telegram of congratulation on winning the US presidential election.

In a brief statement on Wednesday, the Kremlin said Putin expressed "his hope to work together for removing Russian-American relations from their crisis state."

Putin also said he has "confidence that building a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington that is based on principles of equality, mutual respect and a real accounting each other's positions, in the interests of our peoples and the world community."

Russia's lower house of parliament is applauding the election of Donald Trump as the next US president.

State news agency RIA-Novosti says Vyacheslav Novikov, a member of the foreign affairs committee from the governing United Russia party, addressed the State Duma on Wednesday morning.

Novikov said that "Three minutes ago, Hillary Clinton acknowledged her defeat in the US presidential elections and just a second ago, Trump began his speech as president-elect. I congratulate all of you on this."

The chamber, where the pro-Kremlin party holds an overwhelming majority, then broke into applause, the report said.

Japan

Japan is sending a top official to Washington to try to meet with those who will be responsible for the next White House administration.

Katsuyuki Kawai, a political aide to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and in charge of diplomacy, told reporters after meeting with Abe that he had been instructed to visit Washington as early as next week.

Abe's instruction came when results showed Republican candidate Donald Trump with a clear lead. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said it was not because Japan was unprepared for Trump's win.

He said: "We have been preparing so that we can respond to any situation because our stance is that our alliance with the US remains to be the cornerstone of our diplomacy whoever becomes the next president."

Palestine

A top Palestinian official says he doesn't expect US positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to change under President-elect Donald Trump.

Saeb Erekat, an adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said the Republican and Democratic parties are both committed to a two-state solution of the conflict.

The Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, lands Israel captured in 1967. Gaps between Abbas and Israel's hawkish leader on any border deal remain wide.

Erekat said on Wednesday that a two-state solution is "in the American national interest, and I think this will not change with the coming administration."

However, Trump has proposed moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, even though the US has not recognized Israel's annexation of parts of the city.

Turkey

Turkey's justice minister says a change of presidents in the United States won't make a big difference to the "deep-rooted" relations between the two countries.

Bekiz Bozdag told the state-run Anadolu Agency on Wednesday: "In essence, our relations are relations between two states and we hope that under the new presidential term the Turkish-US relations will be much better. That is our expectation."

Bozdag noted that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's win came despite intense campaigning in favor of his rival Hillary Clinton.

"I saw an intense campaign for Hillary Clinton's victory. Artists, sportsmen, all personalities worked for Clinton's victory. But in elections, it is important to embrace the people," Bozdag said. "No one has won elections through newspaper headlines, opinion polls or television (campaigns)."

Netherlands

Dutch anti-Islam populist lawmaker Geert Wilders has tweeted his congratulations to Donald Trump.

Wilders, whose Freedom Party is riding high in opinion polls ahead of Dutch elections due in March, calls Trump's win in the presidential election "A historic victory! A revolution."

Looking ahead to the Dutch vote, Wilders finished his tweet: "We also will give our country back to the people of the Netherlands."

Wilders is known for his strident anti-Islam rhetoric and opposition to the Netherlands' European Union membership.

Hungary

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated US President-Elect Donald Trump on his election victory on Wednesday, with the words "What a great news. Democracy is still alive" posted on his Facebook page.

Orban said in July that Trump's plans on migration and foreign policy were "vital" for Hungary, whereas those of rival Democrat Hillary Clinton were "deadly".

Orban was then the first European head of state to express a clear preference for either of the two candidates.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Prime Minsiter Ranil Wickremesinghe tweeted his congratulations to Donald Trump.
Washington: Conceding his party's staggering electoral defeat, President Barack Obama on Wednesday invited President-elect Donald Trump to meet with him to discuss the handover of power from his administration to Trump's.

The White House said Obama called the Republican in the early hours of the morning to congratulate him on his victory in the presidential campaign, which marked a forceful rebuke by voters to Obama's eight years in office. The two leaders planned to meet Thursday at the White House, where Obama was to update Trump about ongoing planning for the transition.

Obama was to offer his first reaction to the election later Wednesday in a televised statement that the White House said would focus on "what steps we can take as a country to come together after this hard-fought election season."

"Ensuring a smooth transition of power is one of the top priorities the president identified at the beginning of the year and a meeting with the president-elect is the next step," White House press secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement.

For Obama, the act of holding the meeting is a humbling blow to his legacy and to his hopes for leaving a lasting imprint on the nation's policies. Trump has vowed to rip up much of what Obama accomplished, including his signature health care law, the Iran nuclear deal and a painstakingly negotiated trade deal with Asia.

Obama also called Hillary Clinton after it became clear she'd lost the race. The White House said Obama had "expressed admiration for the strong campaign she waged throughout the country."

It was unclear how substantive Obama's call was with Trump, or how long it lasted, although the White House noted that Obama placed the call from his residence in the White House, rather than from the West Wing.

Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, described it as a "warm conversation" and a "gracious exchange." She said Trump had missed the president's original call as Trump was speaking to supporters in New York, then called him back after leaving the stage.

Like Clinton and other Democrats, Obama didn't appear to see Trump's victory coming. As he campaigned vigorously for Clinton in the race's final days, Obama said he was confident that if Americans showed up to vote, they'd choose against electing the billionaire former reality TV star with no formal government experience.

He had also warned supporters in apocalyptic terms that "the fate of the republic" rested on Clinton defeating Trump on Election Day.
Washington: US presidency under Donald Trump, a confessed big fan of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is most likely to boost Indo-US strategic relationship with a special emphasis on defence ties and counter-terrorism cooperation.

Trump, 70, had recently described India as "a key, and key strategic ally" and looks forward to deepening the diplomatic and military cooperation that is the shared interest of both countries.

The billionaire businessman who has lauded economic policies of Modi had said he wants to work with him.

At an event in New Jersey less than a month from now, Trump had promised to the Indian-American community in him India would find a true friend at the White House.

"I am a big fan of Hindu and I am a big fan of India. If I am elected president, the Indian and Hindu community would have a true friend at the White House," he had said at an event organised by the Hindu Republican Coalition.

Trump said he appreciated "great friend India in the fight against radical Islamic terrorism."

India has experienced firsthand "brutality of terror" in the past "including the mayhem in Mumbai," he said and described the 2008 Mumbai terror attack and that on Indian Parliament in 2001 as "absolutely outrageous" and terrible.

"We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism. We will stand soldier-to-soldier in this fight. This is so important in the age of ISIS," he said.

"India's is the world's largest democracy and is a natural ally of the US. Under a Trump Administration, we are going to become even better friends. In fact, I will take the word even out because we are going to be best friends. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Modi, who has been very energetic in reforming the economy and bureaucracy. Great man. I applaud him," he said.

"I look forward to doing some serious bureaucratic trimming right here in the US, believe me we need it most,"

Trump said.

"Your great Prime Minister has been a pro-growth leader for India. He has simplified the tax code, cut the taxes and the economy is strong growing at 7 per cent year. Excellent," he said.

On the eve of the November 8 general elections, a key military advisor to the Trump said that India will have an important role to play in the Trump Administrations Asia Pacific policy of "peace through strength."

"This is a country that shares our values, this is a country that shares a lot of geo-political interest and I think, his (Trumps) work is going to be continuing the tradition of Bush Administration which made a lot of progress in that regard," Alexander Gray, a military advisor and author of several of the ambitious defence policies of Trump, said.

"We (a Trump Administration) would be looking to strengthen not just the cultural and economic aspect, but also on the defence side there is so much common ground with India. At a time when Indias foreign policy is changing because of China and Pakistan, because of Islamic terrorism, we need to be there to greet them with open arms. I think, the Trump Administration is ready to do that," Gray said.
New Delhi: A far-right Hindu group, which has been one of Donald Trump's most avid overseas cheerleaders, began celebrating in New Delhi on Wednesday as the Republican pulled off a shock US presidential election victory.

Vishnu Gupta, chief of the ultra-nationalist Hindu Sena outfit, said supporters had taken to the streets to celebrate even before Trump claimed victory and would also distribute celebratory sweets.

Trump's hardline rhetoric towards Muslims has found favour in some quarters in India, the world's largest democracy which has had its fair share of tensions between the majority Hindu population and its Muslim minority.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was, before his election in 2014, regarded as an international pariah after deadly communal riots broke out in the state of Gujarat more than a decade ago when he was chief minister. Most of the victims were Muslims.

Trump has called for a ban on all Muslims entering the US, and Gupta said his message had wide resonance. "We predicted that he would win five days ago  there is a huge support for him, his ideas, and we could see that," Gupta told AFP. "Now terrorists will be hunted everywhere in the world, even if they go and hide in a cave. Now only God can help Pakistan. India will now have the support of the US in our efforts against terrorists. We will be together in this."

"Donald Trump will do what no other US president has been able to do before. We are happy. All terrorists should now run and hide," he added.

Gupta's group held a special prayer session for Trump in New Delhi back in May when he was seen as a long shot for the presidency, hailing him as a "fighter and a saviour of humanity". They had also celebrated his birthday in June with a cake, balloons and posters.
America is all set to choose its 45th president as presidential elections are underway on 8 November, the Tuesday following the first Monday in November, the traditional date to cast vote in America. From pre-dawn voting in New Hampshire to late-night poll closes in Alaska, it's sure to be a long day. In fact the first ballots were already cast on Tuesday 10:30 am in a sleepy hamlet of Dixville Notch in New Hampshire, with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton winning the contest.

It is instructive to note here that unlike in India, where the Election Commission announces final results days after various rounds of polling, every US state counts and declares its result once the polling is over.

You can stay on top of the US election coverage with Firstpost.com's LIVE feed catching all the action as it happens, or otherwise, here is the list of key states and what all you need to track. (All times in IST)

The Timeline

While no one can take a sure shot guess as to when the poll results will start pouring in but as Associate Press speculates, the first burst of results will emerge when polls close at 5:30 am on Wednesday (IST) in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia.

You can expect more big blasts of numbers just after 6:30 and 9:30 am on Wednesday when polls close in a combined 30 states and the District of Columbia. Results from a batch of states including big kahuna California, with 55 electoral votes should be out by 9:30 am on Thursday, while Alaska, where polls close at 11:30 am on Thursday, brings up the rear.

Tuesday 10:30 am

New Hampshire goes to poll, where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is off to a very early lead, winning over the voters of three New Hampshire precincts by a 32-25 margin over Hillary Clinton. Polls in the tiny New Hampshire towns of Dixville, Hart's Location and Millsfield opened just after midnight Tuesday (local time) and closed as soon as everyone had voted. These die-hard voters are proud to have the first word on the big vote. Clinton won more votes in Dixville and Hart's Location, but Trump was the overwhelming favorite in Millsfield, with a 16-4 edge.

Wednesday 4:30 am

Polls begin to close in too Republican stronghold states Indiana and Kentucky.

Wednesday 5:30 am

Poll closes in traditionally Republican West Virginia, along with other swing states like South Carolina and Florida among others, which remain key states in defining who takes over the White House. According to a report in Financial Times, people can expect a delay in Florida results while other states may announce the lead within minutes of closing of polls. According to the report in the 2012 elections, a winner was not declared in Florida until days after the election while in virginia results were declared after a few hours.

Wednesday 6:30 am

Polls close in a bunch of states including District of Columbia, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Other states where polls close are: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Texas.

Thursday 8:30 am

Results from California, Utah, Nevada and Montana should be out by this time. Utah results may be interesting to observe as the state may vote for independent candidate Evan McMullin, who's apparently drawing significant support there and giving Trump heartburn in a state that should be a lock for him.

Thursday 10:30 am

This would be the earliest possible time, by when the results could be called out. America will have either Donald trump or Hillary Clinton, first woman to be achieve the feat, as its President. If Clinton emerges the victor, it will be a historic moment for women as she shatters that "highest, hardest glass ceiling." A victory speech would be one for the ages.

Mixed verdict

However, in the event that neither candidate touches the magical number of 270, the minimum number of electoral votes needed to claim the throne, the Republican-dominated House of Representatives will decide who the next president should be. And with the Republican Party in disarray over Trump's candidancy, exit polls will help show how many GOP voters choose to split their tickets. Chances are that some Republicans leaders may reject Trump while voting for GOP candidates in Senate and House races.

Early tea leaves

Meanwhile, for an early update on how things are going, keep an eye on Virginia results in the presidential contest. If Clinton doesn't get a winner's call there by 7:00 - 8:00 am on Tuesday morning, it could be a positive sign for Trump. Watch Indiana for an early indicator in the tug-of-war for control of the Senate; if Evan Bayh can manage a comeback, that'll be a good sign for Democrats hoping to retake the Senate.

How exit polls work

Data collected from polling-place interviews with voters will offer a wealth of information to help explain who voted for whom, and why people voted the way they did. Among the questions to be answered by the exit polls: Do voters cast ballots for their candidates enthusiastically or holding their noses? Do blacks give strong backing to Clinton after recent worries about their turnout in early voting? Who wins college-educated whites, who typically skew Republican but are being courted by Clinton? In a race so often roiled by Trump's comments about women, what does the gender gap look like? Did people care about Clinton's problems with her private email setup? Were they worried about Trump's temperament? From whom did third-party candidates siphon votes? There's so much to absorb, this data will be sliced, diced, mined and pondered for months.

Watch out for Twitter reactions

Keep a second screen handy to get the full election night picture. Four years ago, Obama went to Twitter with his first reaction once the votes clearly pointed toward his re-election. Trump's tweetstorms are legendary. On the poll night in 2012, he tweeted that the election was a "total sham and a travesty" and encouraged "a revolution in this country." He deleted some of the tweets after NBC's Brian Williams said Trump had "driven well past the last exit to relevance and veered into something closer to irresponsible." After that, Trump started tweeting rants aimed at Williams.

What if Trump loses?

The question has been dangling out there: Will Trump accept the results of the presidential elections if he loses? "I'll keep you in suspense," he said at the last debate. The world is waiting for his answer.

Wait there's more!

The presidential race has sucked up most of the oxygen over the past year, but there will be lots more to take in on the world's most keenly watched presidential elections, with control of the Senate and House at stake, 12 states electing governors, and assorted ballot proposals around the country. In the House: Republicans hold a 247-188 majority, including three vacancies. Democrats could pick up 10 or more seats, perhaps even more than 20, but it is unlikely that they will pick up enough seats to dominate the House. In the Senate: Republicans are furiously working to protect their 54-46 majority. Control of the Senate is likely to come down to just over a half-dozen top races. A dozen governor's offices also are up for grabs, at least seven appearing competitive. Among issues on ballot proposals: the death penalty, gun control and marijuana legalization.

Glitchy-Gloomy

Every election has its glitches; this one could have more than most. It's the first presidential election without a key enforcement provision of the federal Voting Rights Act, and 14 states have new registration or voting restrictions. Expect to see reports of frustration, long lines, names missing from voter rolls, etc. Beyond that, Trump for months has been complaining that the election is rigged against him and warning of widespread voter fraud, which is sure to stir up emotions. This is also the first time that a real time coverage of how the candidates are doing in the polls will be available.

With inputs from agencies
WINONA, Minn.  Voters in Senate District 32 overwhelmingly returned Jeremy Miller to the Minnesota Legislature on Tuesday.

The Winona Republican, first elected in 2010, won 63 percent of the vote to easily hold off challenger Jon Pieper.

Miller, one of the founders of the Purple Caucus in the Minnesota Legislature, has said hyper-partisanship is one of the main things that he hears about as he visits constituents. People are really frustrated with the extreme partisanship, he said.

Miller made issues of education funding and taxes central to his campaign, and he said a bipartisan approach at both state and federal levels will be required to fix MNsure and the Affordable Care Act.

Pieper ran as a first-time candidate unsuccessfully two years ago against Rep. Greg Davids for a state House seat.
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The Macao Museum of Art (MAM) will host an exhibition showcasing the recent works of Russian-born painter Konstantin Bessmertny. The Macau-based artist will present some 34 pieces composed of multiple mediums including painting, sculpture, installation and mixed media.

The exhibition, titled Ad Lib  Recent Works of Konstantin Bessmertny, will be inaugurated on Friday on the 2nd floor of the museum at 6:30 p.m. After the ceremony, one hundred posters with the artists signature will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.

Bessmertny has resided in Macau since 1993, where he has devoted himself to artistic creation. His art reflects impressions and observations of the citys dramatic changes since then, understood through the dual perspectives of a foreigner and an insider.

Ad lib is the shorthand for the Latin phrase ad libitum, which means at ones pleasure. According to a statement from MAM, Bessmertney has expressed a desire to refrain from giving his exhibition a definite theme, instead opting to bring us a bustling and humorous visual feast, in which he shares his personal musings and wittily responds to different phenomena happening in society.

By employing absurdity and humor, [Bessmertny] creates works that express ideas from philosophy, politics, theology, art history, cinema and music, leading viewers to reflect on various social issues from multiple angles, surmises an additional statement issued by Macaus Cultural Affairs Bureau.

The artist once told the Times in an interview in 2014 that he felt it was his duty to exhibit in Macau on a regular basis, even though the demand for art consumption was still lacking.

Its my duty [to exhibit here regularly]. Im a local; I live here, he told the Times. Everything that comes up  like a museum request  of course I have to support it. I do my best.

The exhibition opens on Friday and will run until May 28 next year. Admission is MOP5 except on Sundays and public holidays when it is free of charge. The museum is closed on Mondays. DB
Beto Bebeto, a local Indonesian pastor, told the Times that an increase in the number of English-speaking non-resident workers has led to the increase of international churches or local churches commencing English services.

This includes particularly the Indonesian and Filipino communities. As their numbers grow, those who are of Christian background certainly seek for a church to which to belong.

The Indonesian pastor believes that there are churches that will grow, while some churches will remain dedicated to small communities depending on the religious groups calling.

There are churches serving domestic helpers [or] business people and there are churches that serve both. Its really a matter of preference. You decide whether you like it, whether you feel comfortable, Beto explained.

A church group is a community, so the increase in the number of people attending merely reflects the fact that more people respond to the message of the gospel [for the new members who decide to embrace the faith] or people feel more comfortable being part of that particular church [for those who are already of Christian background], he added.

Beto also said that any church group would hope to have more members joining the church and embracing Christianity.

The gospel is good news. Again of course this is a personal preference for everyone, so when you have good news, naturally you want to share it with your loved ones, family and friends, he said.

The pastor also stressed that these churches serve as a second home, especially to the Filipino and Indonesian community.

We just love to be around the same culture as well, and so usually its not only about the speaking the same language or singing Indonesian or Filipino songs but its the church activities as a whole, the Indonesian pastor explained.

In these types of churches the attendees can have a meal and experience a sense of fellowship after Sunday services. While some churches provide the meals for free using the churches funds, some hold potluck lunches.

According to the pastor, the church is not simply about the Sunday service, but also about the community.

Youre far away from your home, culture and food but suddenly when Sunday comes, when fellowship comes, you just feel at home because everybody is Indonesian [] and communication is held in Bahasa, Beto stressed.

Beto also confirmed that the church financially helps its members who are in need.

We sometimes help them go back to Indonesia when they dont have money. [] We collect money from amongst us and we buy the ticket for them so they can go back, he shared.

Although these churches have unusual names, these communities provide a support system to different ethnic groups in the territory. Members of small churches that have been established for years also offer emotional support to community.

Regardless of how many churches we have in town; we are one body, we are one, he said. Were doing our best to really serve the people. LV

I was a former gambler but I didnt feel condemned

Some of the believers who prefer to be a part of small religious groups rather than the traditional Church told the Times that they feel at home in belonging to a church community. These church attendees also confirmed that tithes and offerings are voluntarily given to the church.

Some attendees noted how they had tried participating in other church communities before settling in one particular group.

We have tried other churches prior to the one were currently attending. In this church were now involved, we felt warmly welcomed when we first visited, said Mylene Pacada.

I was a former gambler but I didnt feel condemned in that church and they just encouraged me to change for the better with the help of God and the church, she explained.

When asked whether church members are voluntarily providing financial support to other members of the community, Pacada answered, The church is [also] helping us so I think thats what we should do too. Without our [financial] help how can churches continue to operate?

An active member of another church, Joana Lambina said there is a sense of belonging when one is involved in a church group, as its members treat each other as a family.

Those who feel homesick could find the comfort they are looking for in a church. In these kinds of [small] churches, they can find a second family, a home, love and comfort, she explained.

According to information the Times acquired, there are over 50 Filipino churches and some five Indonesian churches active in Macau.

These Tagalog and Bahasa speaking communities also have church councils in the region, which hold several prayer groups and fellowships.

There are approximately 400 to 500 Indonesian attendees in those five churches and prayer groups. The membership of Filipino churches varies from 30 to over 200 members.

Further, these types of churches in the region collaborate to hold activities together, promoting unity among the Christian churches in Macau.

Just recently, 30 churches and organizations have again held the Cheer Macao Float Parade. The event is an annual parade that gathers some 600 Christian participants to promote love, joy, peace and unity.

According to the organizers, the parade also aimed at spreading positive energy in the region. LV
Hundreds of Chinese business executives are attending an investment forum in Angola, a major supplier of oil to China.

Lusa, the Portuguese news agency, reports that Chinese entrepreneurs are looking at new business opportunities in agriculture, fisheries, construction and other areas. The forum in Luanda, Angolas capital, ends today [Macau time].

Lusa says China purchases almost half of Angolas oil production and that China surpassed Portugal, Angolas former colonial ruler, as the Angolan economys leading supplier in 2015.

Francisco Viana, a Luanda business leader, said there are opportunities and dangers in doing business with China. He said, for example, that he is concerned about the destruction of natural resources such as timber, which is exported to China.

Angolas economy has struggled because of the global fall in commodity prices. AP
Cristina Morais who was the coordinator of the Support Office to the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese Speaking Countries (Macau Forum) has been reassigned, according to an order of the Macau Secretary for Economy and Finance.

The order from Secretary Leong Vai Tac moved Cristina Morais for a period of one year to the position of head of the Department of External Economic Relations of the Macau Economic Office. Her time in this position began on 3 November, immediately following the end of her term (November 2) as a coordinator connected to the Forum .

After replacing Echo Chan as coordinator of the Support Office to the Permanent Secretariat of Macau Forum in 2015, Morais now returns to the position she held from 2009 until November 2015. Her connection with the department began in 2003 when she was appointed as the interim head of this department.

The Macau Forum, was created through a Chinese government initiative in October 2003 in coordination with seven Portuguese-speaking countries; Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal and East Timor, as well as the collaboration of the Government of the Macau Special Administrative Region.

The Macau Forum is a multilateral cooperation mechanism aimed at the consolidation of economic and trade exchange between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, using Macau as a connecting platform. MDT/Macauhub
The number of Christian churches, attended largely by the Filipino community in the region, has been increasing, with some located in buildings in Macau that are not traditionally used for religious practice. Macau now boasts a multitude of small churches that are popular amongst fervent Filipino believers.

The new churches in the territory have taken on unorthodox names, such as Radiance of Christ Ministries, Emmanuel International Ministries, Jesus Alive Ministry, and Bordergate Baptist Church. These churches have housed congregations consisting of a large number of Filipino and other overseas workers residing in the territory.

Although some Filipino workers remain faithful to their Roman Catholic religion, as it is the most popular faith in the Phillipines, several of them are practicing Protestantism.

Joao Felix da Silva, a Brazilian pastor in Macau recalled he has seen a steady increase in the involvement of the Filipino community since he initiated a Portuguese protestant church some 18 years ago.

Since then, as the community grew, Felix da Silva saw a great need for a church where the increasing number of Filipino immigrants could congregate.

They have always been in need [of a church], aside from the ones established here. They need support, especially those who come from different backgrounds, he explained. Felix da Silva said that some churches attract particular groups of people belonging to one ethnicity or another, as the numbers that make up the emerging parish community come from a select number of backgrounds.

The pastor claims that he helped register over 50 local churches to function as part of the legal church association.

Yet despite the rapid development of establishing churches, the pastor admitted that one could not keep up with the number of congregations, as the majority of the attendees do not settle permanently in Macau. The Filipino community has also found a home in smaller church communities and are attending church services on Sundays.

Most of the churches also provide emotional support to those who have been oppressed or abused by their employers. Filipinos nowadays like to feel at home, they have their own food stores, gatherings; and when they find some place [to be involved] they spend time there, da Silva explained.

Echoing the same sentiments, Glenn Pablo, a pastor of a Filipino church said that a sense of belonging is one of the major factors that explains why this community is growing.

Unlike in traditionally designed churches where the community attends a mass on a Sunday, these protestant churches offer activities, just like any other Christian denomination.

Its one of the major factors of church growth in Macau. Especially the overseas foreign workers, they treat the church as their second family. So they give time to join the community because they look for comradeship, said Pablo.

Pablo, who is currently pastoring a Filipino church called Radiance of Christ International Ministries (RCMI), explained that Christianity is composed of different denominations including Evangelical, Baptist, Lutheran and Pentecostal, and such groups have seen opportunities to expand in Macau.

The expansion had caused the formation of several churches with different names but with the same goal: to share the gospel and lead people to Christ.

Yet, with the growing number of attendees comes the surge of rentals, thus these churches have been affected by the extreme challenge of the regions rental rates.

Its very unfortunate that a church cant do anything and theres no other option but to grab existing rental rates because otherwise you will not be able to maintain and accommodate the number of attendees, he explicated.



Most of these churches end up in industrial buildings as the median rent of commercial spaces in the region has so far tripled. Some churches pay rent that ranges between MOP15,000 and MOP30,000 per month.

Macau is not a place to consider having an owned place, you have to keep up the rent. In the past it was easy but for the last ten years it has become a struggle for many churches, da Silva explained.

Protestant churches have also registered an association called Macau Evangelical Ministerial Association in a bid to support each others activities. The association serves as a platform to better boost and promote their organizations.

The association conducts festive activities such as Christmas parties where they unite churches to show solidarity.

Its also a way to show that these kinds of religious organizations could help them in their times of need, Pablo added.

The pastor explained that these small churches also give financial support to those in need through voluntary contribution.

We can ask for the congregations help if we know someone is in need, to share the burden among us, he explained.

According to the pastors the Times interviewed, there is no financial commitment required from an individual to belong to a church.

Such churches operate through voluntary giving called tithes and offerings.

Its not compulsory to give but for those who are willing to become a part of the volunteer working force, [tithes and offerings] are part of their commitment, Pablo explained.

As different churches have diverse strategies to reach out to the local community, Pablo highlighted that the church he is pastoring also coordinates with local non-government associations.

Such associations include Caritas Macaus home for the aged, the drug rehabilitation center in Ka Ho and an orphanage.

We do yearly [visits] to these organizations to become part of the community, he noted.

Consular assistance

The religious groups also serve as a platform to disseminate information from the designated consulates. Previously, the Philippine Consulate General in Macau Lilybeth Deapera told the Times that meetings would be held with leaders of religious and non-religious organizations to help disseminate relevant information to the community. These religious groups also provide assistance to migrant workers with visa and work issues by accommodating them and connecting them with the relevant authorities.
Laos has notified its Southeast Asian neighbors that its moving ahead with a third contentious hydroelectric dam on the Mekong Rivers mainstream.

The Mekong River Commission, an organization that groups together Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand for joint management of the river, said in a statement it has received notice from Laos that it will undertake a process of consultation about the Pak Beng dam.

In the previous consultation cases for the Xayaburi and Don Sahong dams, Laos pressed forward with the projects despite vociferous objections from the other countries, scientists and conservationists.

It has already begun preparatory work for the 912-megawatt Pak Beng dam in the northern province of Oudomxay, and the official Lao News Agency reported in July that construction would begin in early 2017.

Critics of the dams say they will damage wild fisheries and a rice bowl delta that feeds 60 million people in the region, with the severest effects in the downstream countries Cambodia and Vietnam. The river basin is already under pressure from dozens of dams built on Mekong tributaries.

The government of Communist Party-ruled Laos sees hydroelectricity exports as a way to develop its impoverished economy and plans up to nine dams on the Mekong mainstream. But by jeopardizing wild fisheries it might add to its own food security problems. The World Food Program says nearly half of children under the age of 5 in Laos suffer from chronic malnutrition and stunting.

The impact of the Lao dams, and half a dozen dams already built on Chinas stretch of the Mekong, will be extremely grave, said Nguyen Thi Hong Van, a coordinator of Vietnam Rivers Network, an advocacy group.

She said Laos could build too many dams and end up with surplus electricity because its plans dont consider long-term energy development in the region.

The Lao government should work out a master plan for energy security for Laos and for the region, she said. Lao investment in hydropower plants without considering its social impact on countries in the lower basin would impact on the economic development of these countries.

The Mekong commissions relevance as a transboundary organization has been undermined by Laos, as well as its own internal failings. Foreign donors have cut financial assistance and the commissions staff numbers have been slashed.

But it said in the statement that despite lack of agreement, the consultation process for the Xayaburi dam had resulted in the Lao government and the projects Thai developer spending an additional USD400 million on design changes that could mitigate some of its damaging effects.

The consultations take about six months.

International Rivers, a river conservation organization, said the process is regarded as little more than rubberstamp by many, particularly Mekong communities affected by dams.

In the case of Don Sahong and Xayaburi, specific requests from neighboring governments, including additional baseline information, studies and transboundary impact assessments, remain unaddressed, said its Southeast Asia program director, Maureen Harris.

The impacts from each new dam in the proposed cascade are cumulative, and threaten to fundamentally transform the rivers ecology and destroy much of its biodiversity together with food systems that millions of people depend on, she said.

Earlier this year, a study funded by Vietnam predicted Mekong Delta rice production would drop steeply because the dams planned by Laos would trap sediments, reducing nutrients flowing downstream, and reduce fish stocks by disrupting migratory breeding.

It estimated annual fishery and farming losses of more than $760 million in Vietnam and $450 million in Cambodia, the two worst-affected countries. Stephen Wright, Associated Press, AP
New Zealand regulators yesterday made a preliminary decision to reject a merger between the countrys two main newspaper groups.

The Commerce Commission said the proposed merger would result in one company controlling nearly 90 percent of the nations print media market and would decrease the quality of stories and opinion.

The proposed merger would have combined the New Zealand newspapers, radio stations and websites owned by NZME and Fairfax Media. NZME publishes the nations largest daily newspaper while Fairfax publishes the next two biggest dailies. The companies also own two of the nations largest news websites: stuff.co.nz and nzherald.co.nz.

The companies are facing declining print revenues and changing reader habits, and had argued they needed to pool resources to compete with online giants like Google and Facebook.

But the commission said Facebook and other social media companies dont generally hire journalists or produce news, and therefore arent competitors when it comes to creating news content.

Commission chairman Mark Berry said in a statement that a merger would put New Zealand behind only China when it came to a concentration of ownership in print media.

Competition between the parties drives content creation, increases the volume and variety of news available in New Zealand and assists with objectivity and accuracy in reporting, he said.

Fairfax said the two companies would take time to review the decision and provide more information to the commission. A final decision is expected by March.

E tu, the union representing journalists, said it welcomed the preliminary decision.

NZME shares were trading down 23 percent Tuesday, putting the companys total valuation at about USD100 million New Zealand dollars ($73 million). AP
The Philippines Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos can be buried at a heroes cemetery, a decision that opponents said rolled back the democratic triumph of the people power revolt that ousted the strongman three decades ago.

While he was not all good, the 15-member court said in passing judgment on one of Asias most infamous strongmen, he was not pure evil either.

Court spokesman Theodore Te said the justices voted 9-5 with one abstention to dismiss petitions opposing President Rodrigo Dutertes approval of the Marcos familys plea for the dictator to be buried at the Heroes Cemetery in metropolitan Manila, where former presidents, soldiers and national artists have been interred.

The decision on a deeply emotional issue that has divided the poor Southeast Asian nation can be appealed.

Outside the court, more than 300 Marcos supporters erupted in celebration, chanting the dictators name repeatedly. Some waved Philippine flags and wept in joy. Anti-Marcos activists were outraged, and some of the petitioners vowed to ask the court to reconsider.

Riot police stood between the opposing groups.

We are disappointed. We are heartbroken. We are outraged, a coalition of nearly 40 groups opposed to Marcoss burial at the cemetery said in a joint statement. With this decision, the very definition of hero is now in question.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, an anti-Marcos activist in her younger years, lamented the decision. No tombstone, no grandiose cemetery can change the fact that Marcos was not a hero, she said in a statement. He was a plunderer, torturer and a thief with a family seeking to rewrite history to serve their interests.

The dictators son and namesake, former Sen. Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr., thanked the high court for its magnanimous act to uphold the rule of law and expressed his gratitude to Duterte.

It is our sincerest hope that this will lead the nation towards healing, Marcos Jr. said in a statement, citing the decades of discord over his fathers burial.

The Marcos family did not immediately announce a burial date.

Burying a dictator accused of massive rights violations and corruption by thousands of activists and dissenters at the heroes cemetery has long been an emotional issue in the Philippines, where Marcos was ousted by a largely nonviolent army-backed uprising in 1986. At the height of the political turbulence, Marcos flew to Hawaii, where he lived with his wife, Imelda, and children in exile until he died in 1989.

The Philippine revolt became a harbinger of change in authoritarian regimes worldwide.

The Marcoses, however, have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. The late dictators wife, Imelda, and two of his children eventually ran for public office and won in a stunning political comeback. Marcos Jr. ran for vice president in May and garnered more than 14 million votes, but lost by a slim margin.

In 1993, Marcoss body was flown back to his hometown in the northern province of Ilocos Norte, where it has been displayed in a glass coffin and became a tourist attraction. But his family fought for his remains to be transferred to the heroes cemetery.

Duterte, who took over the presidency in June, backed the dictators burial at the cemetery, citing Marcoss privilege as a president and soldier, and taking a political risk in a country where pro-democracy advocates still celebrate Marcoss ouster each year.

Duterte has said his late father, a former provincial governor, had served in Marcoss Cabinet and was one of his most loyal men. He acknowledged that one of Marcoss daughters, Imee Marcos, the current governor of Ilocos Norte, had backed his presidential bid.

After the court ruled, Dutertes spokesman, Ernesto Abella, expressed hope the matter will finally be laid to rest, and that the nation finds the wherewithal to move forward. The military, which is in charge of burials at the heroes cemetery, said it would abide by the decision.

The Supreme Court dismissed seven petitions, including by former torture victims under Marcos, that argued that an honorable burial for the dictator is illegal and contrary to law, public policy, morals and justice. Opponents cited Dutertes political debt to the Marcoses.

Marcos had not been convicted by final judgment of any offense involving moral turpitude, the court ruled, saying court convictions cited by anti-Marcos petitioners were civil in nature.

While critics may disregard Marcos as president and commander-in-chief due to his human rights abuses, the court said he cannot be denied the right to be acknowledged as a former legislator, a defense secretary, a military member, a war veteran and a Medal of Valor awardee.

We agree with the proposition that Marcos should be viewed and judged in his totality as a person, the court said, adding that he was just a human who erred like us.

Despite the ruling, Sen. Hontiveros called on Duterte to reject plans to give Marcos a heroes burial and to rise above his indebtedness and loyalty to the Marcos family.

Left-wing activist Renato Reyes said his group could not accept the court decision.

Our protests will hound Marcos all the way to his grave, Reyes said. Jim Gomez, Manila, AP
Scrambling to defuse a massive scandal, South Korean President Park Geun-hye yesterday conceded to lawmakers the power to name her new prime minister, a move that could seriously hurt, or even destroy, her ability to govern.

Park, who has faced tens of thousands of protesters and an investigation into whether a mysterious confidante manipulated government decisions, made the overture during a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun.

Just being forced to work with a deputy named by lawmakers  previously a decision left up to the president  would weaken her ability to make basic decisions and influence power in the assembly.

But lawmakers, who must still settle on a prime minister nominee, are demanding even more. Some opposition members want the president to divorce herself from all domestic affairs and focus only on foreign matters, while others want her to stay out of government completely.

These scenarios would destroy Parks authority as president during her last 15 months in office, forcing her to voluntarily yield large parts, or maybe even all, of her presidential powers to a prime minister named by an opposition-controlled legislature.

Even so, it is still unclear what the splintered assembly will decide on, or when  or what Park will agree to. Parks ruling party is divided between those who support Park and those who dont, and the opposition, while having more members than the ruling party, is also split into factions.

The prime minister is largely a ceremonial job, though by law he or she directs executive ministries under the order of the president and has other important rights. There have always been calls to give the office more power to balance the large role the president has.

Last week Park nominated a new prime minister, but he is likely to withdraw from consideration after Park allowed the legislature to pick a new nominee. The current nominee, Kim Byong-joon, told reporters that he would be in charge of social and economic issues and fully exercise the rights as a prime minister if his nomination received parliamentary approval. Parks office said Tuesday those conditions endorsed by Park would still stand for a new nominee.

The political tug-of-war over the prime minister comes amid a scandal involving Parks longtime confidante, Choi Soon-sil, who has no official government role. Investigators are looking into whether Choi made major government decisions and used her relationship with Park to force companies to donate money to two foundations controlled by Choi.

Earlier yesterday, South Korean prosecutors raided the Seoul office of Samsung Electronics, the nations largest and most valuable company, in connection with the scandal. AP
The U.S. is expressing disappointment over Chinas intervention in a political dispute in the semiautonomous region of Hong Kong by barring two separatist lawmakers from office.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner yesterday urged the Chinese and Hong Kong governments to refrain from actions that undermine confidence in the so-called one-country two-systems principle  under which Hong Kong retains a separate economic and political system from the communist-governed Chinese mainland until 2047.

Toner said an open society with the highest possible degree of autonomy and government by rule of law is essential for Hong Kongs continued stability and prosperity.

The dispute centers on two newly elected pro-independence lawmakers who altered their oaths of office. Chinas top legislative panel ruled Monday that those who advocate Hong Kong independence are disqualified from becoming lawmakers.

A political science expert in Hong Kong says Chinas move to intervene in a Hong Kong political dispute amounted to the strongest message yet from China that Beijing would not tolerate serious talk of independence.

Linda Li, political science professor at City University of Hong Kong, said the vast majority of Hong Kong residents do not favor breaking away from China but are instead frustrated with governance issues that have stretched on for years.

Li says if Beijing retains a relatively restrained tone in the next few days and leaves the matter in the hands of Hong Kongs authorities, it would help cool down the tension.

She urged the government to limit the damage and refrain from prosecuting the two lawmakers.

A by-election will be held to fill the seats of the two members of the Youthspiration party, Sixtus Leung, 30, and Yau Wai-ching, 25, who altered their oaths to insert a derogatory Japanese expression for China. The NPC made no ruling on whether the two could run again for their original seats.

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying told the press yesterday that it was too early to decide on a date for a by-election. MDT/AP


Well know soon enough who won. We already know the prize: A big, ugly gash in the heart of American politics.

Nearly two years of relentless campaigning and racially loaded rhetoric has exposed a country that is deeply fractured along lines that are hardening and raw.

Race, gender and class appear to be ever more reliable predictors of whether Americans cast their ballots for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. And as Americans have retreated further into their corners, politicians have seen little motivation to understand the other side.

The dynamic just played out, while America (and the world) cringed. This campaign often looked like a noisy and incoherent conversation taking place in parallel worlds, with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton shouting across a daunting gulf between them.

It may have been a race filled with unpredictable moments, but its near certainties are just as notable. As she heads into Election Day, Clinton is on track to win solid, and in some cases overwhelming majorities, of black, Hispanic and college-educated voters. Polls show Clinton, running to be the first female president, may also hit new levels of support among women.

Trump, meanwhile, has been propelled by support from white, working-class voters, a group that according to polls may reject Clinton more decisively than any of her recent Democratic predecessors.

These splits between whites and minorities, between men and women, between those with college degrees and those without, did not begin in 2016. Clintons coalition is likely to look much like the one President Barack Obama assembled in 2008 and 2012, and has its roots much deeper.

But 2016 will be the year when the gaps widened, the lines hardened and the conversation, in turn, became more painful.

It will be remembered as the time when a Republican candidate could call American cities warzones without apparent worry about the feelings of the people who call them home. It will be remembered as the election in which Clinton described half of Trumps supporters as a basket of deplorables, and apologized only for her measurement. It will be remembered as a moment when Trumps closing argument was that everythings wrong, while Clinton asked since when do we become pessimistic?

Its hard not to blame Trumps button-pushing candidacy for much of this strangeness.

The Republican nominees bid made a mockery of party elders autopsy of the 2012 defeat of Mitt Romney, which bemoaned that the GOP offends too many people unnecessarily.

But the partys base nominated a man who questioned the legitimacy of the first black president. They chose a candidate who declared that Mexico was sending rapists across the border. They chose a 70-year-old reality-TV star who spent years making sexist remarks. The interviews should have given hints about Trumps attitudes toward women, even before the tape in which he brags about grabbing womens genitals.

Trumps fate now rests in the hands of the very people hes offended. If blacks, Hispanics, young people and women turn out in large numbers, it becomes exceedingly difficult to find enough of his voters to win the day.

Roughly 45 percent of the electorate are non-college educated white, the core of Trumps base, noted Brookings Institution demographer William Frey. And that share is shrinking. They made up 50 percent in 2008, he said, and 57 percent in 2000.

But Trumps willingness to risk saying the thing others would not has no doubt connected with a substantial share of Americas voters.

The New York businessman saw the opportunity to run against his party and those wanting to restore America to a lost moment.

I watch the speeches of these people, and they say the sun will rise, the moon will set, all sorts of wonderful things will happen. And people are saying, Whats going on? I just want a job. Just get me a job. I dont need the rhetoric. I want a job, he said from the lobby of his Trump Tower high rise, when he announced his campaign.

If Trump wins, it will be because he understood the depths of white anxiety. It will be because he galvanized the alienated and the angry, in corners of the country where people have felt ignored through eight years of the Obama administration. Kathleen Hennessey, Washington, AP
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TWIN FALLS  Jack Johnson will be the next Third District Twin Falls County Commissioner.

Johnson got 63 percent of the vote, compared to 31 percent for Democrat Jill Skeem and 6 percent for independent Tony Bohrn, according to the unofficial results.

Johnson said Tuesday night the results were still sinking in. He said he is excited to be able to serve the people of Twin Falls County and to work with the countys other elected officials to make it a better place.

Everything I ran on, I plan on doing to the best of my abilities, he said.

Johnson will be one of two newcomers on the county commission come January. Don Hall, a Twin Falls city councilman now, was unopposed in the general election for the Second District seat, having beaten incumbent Leon Mills in the Republican primary. Johnson beat GOP incumbent George Urie in the primary. Hall is going to resign from the City Council for the commissioner job.

Skeem said she is proud of the race she ran and doesnt regret anything.

I dont know what else I could do, she said. I appreciate everyone who voted for me.

Hall said a few of his priorities when he takes office in January will be working on strategic and comprehensive plans for the county. He said he is excited about being in a leadership position and moving the county forward.

Commissioners are elected at-large, by voters throughout the county, but have to live in the districts they represent. The Third District includes a bit of the eastern part of the city of Twin Falls and the county east of there, including Kimberly, Hansen and Murtaugh.

County commissioner is a full-time job in Twin Falls, paying $78,707.33 a year.
TWIN FALLS  Robert Agnew, a 51-year-old accountant who recently moved to Twin Falls from Boise, cast a dispassionate vote for president on Tuesday.

I voted for Clinton, but I wasnt real happy about it, Agnew said. It was more a vote against Trump.

Across the Magic Valley, the quadrennial rite of presidential voting seemed more akin to a shrug of the shoulders  or the hold of a nose  than a proud act of democracy.

In informal exit interviews, few voters said they were passionate about either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, and even fewer seemed to have much interest in down-ballot races. Still, turnout was 32,707, up 12 percent from the past presidential election  a clear sign voters were compelled to have a say.

Poll workers at the Church of the Nazarene, not far from St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center, said one ballot was cast by a woman in labor. The womans doctor told her she could go vote but that she needed to hurry back afterward because she was 4-centimeters dilated.

Young voters, in particular, were especially determined to vote. Angel Owen, an 18-year-old student from Boise who lives in the dorms at the College of Southern Idaho, went to vote at the Twin Falls Reformed Church on Pole Line Road, only to find out she was already registered in Boise and would have to vote there lest she change her registration and mess up her financial aid.

When Owen spoke to a reporter just before 3 p.m., she was undecided whether she would make the two-hour drive to vote. But at 5 p.m. she confirmed through a text message she was making the trip.

Yes, just leaving now to vote with my family, Owen texted.

For another election, I probably wouldnt, Owen had said earlier in the day. But this one is too important.

Owen, majoring in business, planned to vote for Trump because she believed America needed a strong businessman as a leader.

Her roommate at CSI, 19-year-old Mariela Espinoza, cited Trumps racist remarks as the reason she was supporting Clinton.

Other Clinton voters also cited Trumps racism, sexism and other demeaning remarks and actions as a major reason they were supporting the former secretary of state.

Someone who says hes going to deport all immigrants, it gets to me, said Janet Vazquez, 20, a dairy worker who was planning to vote for Clinton in Filer.

As a social worker, I work every day with the people who Trump is trying to make things worse for, said Jessica Quaintance, 23. I voted for Hillary, I couldnt justify Trump.

Luis and Amy Gil, brother and sister, also voted for Clinton, in part because of Amys 10-year-old daughter who doesnt like the way Trump speaks about and treats women.

She said to me, Mom, I cant vote, you have to vote for me, Amy said. Kids sometimes can be so engaged, more innocent, and they see whats right and whats wrong.

Still, those concerns did not resonate with a majority of voters in Idaho, where Trump won handily and Republicans swept down-ballot races in southern Magic Valley.

At the polling location at County West, three first-time voters said they chose Trump. Stefanie Granilio, 21, a student at the College of Southern Idaho was eligible to vote for president for the first time and said Trump is going to change the world.

Colby Palmer, 19, was also eligible to vote for president for the first time and cast his ballot alongside his mother, 40-year-old Kristen Gerber. What did they like about Trump?

Everything, Palmer said. Make America great again.

Then there was first-time voter Eric Odell, 35, who unlike Granilio and Palmer has long been eligible to vote. But Trumps campaign finally energized him and gave him the kick start he needed to go to the polls.

I should have voted last time, Odell said, because Ive realized if you dont vote, you shouldnt have an opinion about things.

Another of his motivations for finally voting for the first time?

Not electing a criminal, he said, referring to Hillary Clinton.

Odell went to vote at County West but was turned away and told he needed to go to a different precinct in Hollister. But he said that wouldnt deter him, because even though Trump is definitely a blow hard, hes also the much better choice.

Turnout was also strong in Mini-Cassia, with large numbers of people registering on Election Day. Minidoka County officials brought in extra voting booths early in the day to the Emmerson precinct. Bene Beaver, the precinct chairwoman, said they kept them in use all morning.

We started with a line this morning and we havent had a single break, Beaver said. We love being that busy.

In Cassia County, high school students participated in an exit poll taking three-hour shifts and asking every fifth voter to fill out a questionnaire.

Many refused to fill them out, saying they were in a big hurry, Ashton Smith, a 17-year-old Cassia High School student said as he waited for voters to finish casting their ballots at the Crossroads Bible Church in Burley.

It is difficult to approach people and ask them, said Eddy Montoya, 18.

A line was waiting for polls to open at 7:30 a.m. at Burleys 5th Precinct.

Its been better than normal, precinct chairwoman Muriel Pettit said. Weve had to eat one-at a-time and sometimes we dont get to finish.

Cassia County Clerk Joe Larsen said there were also many people registering to vote in Cassia County. There were also record numbers of early and absentee voters and 103 poll workers were trained.

People in our area are not use to waiting in lines, Larsen said about the traffic at the polls. If they have to wait more than 10 or 15 minutes they tend to get upset.

Back in Twin Falls, Dan Hawkes, 32, and his wife, Amber Hawkes, 27, didnt want to say who they voted for. Both are registered Republicans but said they were disappointed the candidates didnt focus more on the issues. They feared what would become of the country regardless of who won the presidency but were happy to cast their ballots and mark the end of a stressful election season.

Whatever happens tomorrow, she said. Its done.
TWIN FALLS  Twin Falls Republican legislators won another two years in Boise on Tuesday, beating their Democratic challengers by sound margins despite aggressive campaigns from the liberals.

According to unofficial results Tuesday night, state Rep. Stephen Hartgen had 61 percent of the vote, with 39 percent for Democrat Catherine Talkington. Sen. Lee Heider was beating Deborah Silver with 64 percent of the vote, and Rep. Lance Clow was beating Dale Varney with 73 percent. The three represent District 24.

Twin Falls has been represented by Republicans in Boise for decades, and they have traditionally been re-elected by high margins. The Democrats didnt even run candidates for some legislative seats some years.

In 2014, though, Talkington got 46.5 percent of the vote in her run against Hartgen, far outperforming Clow and Heiders challengers. This year, the Democrats ran a spirited campaign, opening a field office in Twin Falls, with Silver and Talkington in particular knocking on thousands of doors to talk to voters.

Speaking to a cheerful crowd at the Twin Falls County Republican Partys election night party at County West, Heider said the election was not about them as individuals but about the conservative values of people in Twin Falls.

Were representing the very values that we hold dear, Heider said.

I think the vote shows pretty clearly that some of Idaho is a conservative ... common-sense place, and the appeals of some others were not heard, Hartgen said.

After more of the votes were in, Heider said he would do the very best job I can to try to make decisions that represent the people. He thanked everyone who voted, both for him and for the Democrats.

Both Deborah and Cathy did an admirable job ... but once again it shows the majority of Twin Falls is conservative, he said.

Clow told the Times-News he wasnt surprised by his win. He said there are a few issues that have been brought to him by constituents that he wants to work on when he returns to Boise, including reforming the licensing rules for beauty schools. He told the story of one in Twin Falls that had to close because it lost its ability to process federal student loans due to a paperwork issue.

We have some young entrepreneur that ended up having to sell to another business in town, he said.

It was a good night for the Republicans overall, with the crowd at the GOPs election party playing close attention to the two TVs at the front of the room and taking note as more and more states, including ones that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was not expected to win, were called for Trump.

Im pleasantly surprised, Clow said.

It was disappointment for Democrats across town.

Just because we believe in different approaches, we all believe in America and in Idaho, Twin Falls County Democratic Chairman Bob Sojka told the crowd at Marilyns bar, where the Democrats were watching the results come in. The biggest challenge is how to work together.

What we are faced with is another challenge, Sojka continued. That doesnt mean we wont push forward. We will look at the papers in the morning and go on.

He asked the group to give a round of applause for the candidates in the room.

The candidates who put their hearts on the line, Sojka said.

A presidential year is hard for the minority, Silver said. Its going to help us in the next cycle.

Silver said she knocked on 5,000 doors herself, more when the doors her husband and some volunteers knocked are added in. She said teacher pay and the states shortage of teachers were the biggest concerns she heard about.

Thats the kind of effort it takes, she said. When you come into a red area it takes a long time to build it, and its happening. Im not discouraged.

Talkington said in a statement that she knew the campaign wouldnt be easy, but we walked the straight road, avoided alleys and dead ends; weve kept the discussion clean and above board. Now that the election is over, Talkington said, it is time to put politics behind us and work together in improving the quality of life for all the people in Idaho. Twin Falls Democrats are committed to listening to area voters at their doors, continuing the discussion on prioritizing investment in education, keeping our public lands public and making officials accountable to all voters.

Im extremely positive right now, Varney said. Im up 1,800 votes from 2014. I will run against Clow in 2018.
July 2, 1933 - November 6, 2016

TWIN FALLS - Donna Mae Mason was born July 2, 1933. She passed away peacefully on November 6, 2016. She was 83 years old and she would be the first to say her life had been a great ride.

She was born in Paul, ID, to Caroline Mary Spurgeon Riach and Alexander Riach. She had six brothers and sisters and loved to tell her children and grandchildren stories of how they would ride a horse to school in good weather and in a sleigh pulled by a horse in the winter. The school teacher cared for the horse while they were in class and her mother would warm a brick wrapped in towels for the sleigh ride and to keep them warm in bed at night.

Donna graduated from Hailey High School in 1951. She moved to Twin Falls and worked for Idaho State Health Department for two years thereafter. Little did she know she would sign the birth certificate of her future son-in-law Jim Childs while working there. 'If I'd known that little crying squirt had been my son-in-law...' she'd trail off, laughing at the story for years to come.

She met her husband Dean Mason on a blind date. He started calling her 'Red' - a nickname for her red hair. She said it was better than her childhood nickname 'Turkey', given to her from her siblings who said when she'd get mad she would attack them like a turkey.

She married Dean on August 1, 1953, in Salt Lake City. They had four children, Pam, John, Shawna, and Kim. In 1969, they managed Continental Oil Service Station, from there Renter Center was born. While her children were still young, she lost her husband to a heart attack on December 14, 1975. She and her children kept Renter Center going and she was so proud of how responsible they were at such a young age. Her famous license plate 'Ms. Rent' can be seen in the store to honor her legacy.

She had two great relationships after Dean's passing, including her second love, Ross Pennington, but she never remarried.

She enjoyed traveling the world with Ross and spoke fondly of a special trip to Scotland to see her father's homeland. She enjoyed fishing and taking trips with camping cousins  we're sure she's planning her next venture with Aunt Marie now -- and of course she loved playing cards with her Bridge ladies.

But most of all, she loved spending time with her family. Her children, grandchildren, and especially her great-granddaughter Aspen brought such joy to her heart. She loved seeing her 'baby sister' every week for GG Night.

Donna loved life. She always said how blessed her life had been. In later years she could often be found enjoying a 'toddy' with a friend, doing a crossword puzzle while she drank her morning coffee, and sipping wine on her patio while watching her hummingbirds and finches.

As age caught up with her, Donna often told people to take better care of themselves. She said Ross always told people to especially take care of their feet.

Donna struggled these past few months, but still looked forward to company and had her great sense of humor and beautiful smile. We are sad that she is gone, but grateful she is no longer struggling and passed away in peace.

We know she is having one heck of a reunion with her parents, her husband Dean, brothers David and Tommy Riach, sisters Marie Casey and Flora Trujillo, sister-in-law Pat Riach, her little dog Lizzy, and her second love, Ross Pennington.

She leaves behind her loving children, Pam (Jim) Johansen, John (Cheri) Mason, Shawna (Jim) Childs, and Kim (Darsi) Mason; her sister Barbara (Don Emerick) Gibson and brother Clyde Riach. She also leaves behind special friends Nancy Pennington and Betty Graffe, and special relatives Kenny and Fran Mason.

Her family, children, grandchildren, friends and her beloved great-granddaughter Aspen will miss her bright smile, her special laugher, and her love.

The service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, November 11, 2016, at Parke's Magic Valley Funeral Home, 2551 Kimberly Road, Twin Falls.

We would like to thank Visions Home Health Care, especially JiLynn, for her loving care of our mother, and to the staff at Chardonnay Assisted Living for their kindness and compassion these past few months.

Donna donated to The Salvation Army every year. In her honor and memory, the family would appreciate donations be made to the charity in lieu of flowers.
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I was disappointed in the Times-News Nov. 2 opinion piece, Lawmakers play politics as children suffer, because it lacked details essential for readers to arrive at an informed opinion.

If we are discussing marijuana as a potential medicine, then I agree we should treat it as a medical and public safety issue, not a political one. As such we should ask ourselves, why are we being asked to vote or legislate regarding a medicine? Why is marijuana circumventing the same scientifically rigorous research and testing processes that every other medication in this country is subject to?

The truth is we simply do not approve medications through a political process. Instead, we look to science to determine a medications efficacy, accurate dose, safety profile, potential for negative drug interactions, and side effects. Why should marijuana be held to a different standard?

The issue of medicine has unfortunately become politicized because pro-legalization groups continue to push for increasingly liberal marijuana laws. However, in an effort to stay well-informed, the Governors Office of Drug Policy looks to the positions and recommendations of reputable medical associations and professionals for guidance. A few of these positions include:

The American Epilepsy Society  We do not know if marijuana is a safe and effective treatment for epilepsy, which is why it should be studied using the well-founded research methods that all other effective treatments for epilepsy have undergone.

The American Academy of Pediatrics  The AAP opposes legalization of marijuana because of the potential harms to children and adolescents.

The American Academy of Family Physicians  The AAFP also recognizes that some states have passed laws approving the medical use of marijuana; the AAFP does not endorse such laws.

Therefore, when legislation to legalize a component of marijuana, cannabidiol oil, was introduced in 2015, ODP opposed the bill. After diligently seeking out solutions and carefully weighing all available options, ODP and Gov. Otter identified a path for patients with intractable epilepsy to access safe, legal CBD oil that is free from contaminants and being rigorously tested. Through an executive order, Gov. Otter created an Expanded Access Program to provide pure, plant-based CBD oil to critically ill children as the drug goes through the FDA approval process. Thirty-six Idaho children are currently in this program.

Research results of this medication throughout the country are promising and, as a result, parents may ultimately have access to a safe, consistent, uncontaminated medication for their children rather than relying on illicit marijuana products of unknown origin, purity and strength. There is no way to know what these types of unregulated marijuana products actually contain and recent reports have shown them to often be inaccurately labeled and containing contaminants.

Regarding CBD, the American Epilepsy Society wrote to Gov. Otter on July 13, 2015, stating, The families and children coming to Colorado are receiving unregulated, highly variable artisanal preparations of cannabis oil prescribed, in most cases, by physicians with no training in pediatrics, neurology or epilepsy. As a result, the epilepsy specialists in Colorado have been at the bedside of children having severe dystonic reactions and other movement disorders, developmental regression, intractable vomiting and worsening seizures that can be so severe they have to put the child into a coma to get the seizures to stop... For all these reasons not a single pediatric neurologist in Colorado recommends the use of artisanal cannabis preparations. AES concludes, ...there simply is no clinical, controlled research to support the adoption of new CBD legislation for epilepsy such as your state is considering. The anecdotal results of a few families in Colorado, shared in the media, should not be the basis for law making.

In the opinion piece, the Times-News wondered, If the seizure oil wasnt derived from a marijuana plant, would lawmakers be so reticent to allow it? My answer would be unequivocally yes. Any substance that we wish to deem medicine needs to go through the appropriate, scientific channels regardless of from where it is derived. We didnt vote to approve Amoxicillin, Prednisone or any of the other countless medications Americans use each day, why should marijuana be handled differently?
Reopening of case in Canada draws backing, but LGU, civil society split on choice of law firm









A plan to pursue the multimillion-dollar suit against a global mining firm gained the support of the Catholic Church and civil society groups in Marinduque province to recover the cost of damage left by the 1996 mine tailings spill, tagged as the worst mining tragedy in the Philippines.





The provincial board of Marinduque, in June, issued a resolution to refile the case in a Canadian court against the Toronto-based Barrick Gold Corp., the company that absorbed Placer Dome, the parent company of the defunct Marcopper Mining Corp.





In 1996, one of Marcoppers drainage tunnels gave way, unleashing about 200 million tons of tailings into Boac River. Traces of mine wastes are still visible in the water today.





The Marinduque provincial government, in 2005, filed a $100-million class suit against the mining company at the Nevada district court in the United States.





But after 10 years of court proceedings, the Nevada State Supreme Court threw out the case for forum non conveniens, meaning the US was a wrong jurisdiction to hear it.





In 2014, Barrick Gold offered a $20-million settlement but the Marinduque provincial board turned it down after it felt that the amount was not enough to compensate for the environmental damage wrought by the mining disaster on the island.





While the decision to reopen the case in Canada drew support, various groups in the province were divided as to whether they would continue engaging the services of law firm, Diamond McCarthy.





The US-based firm originally represented the Marinduque government under a contingency arrangement, meaning it would be paid a fraction of whatever the court awards the province once a resolution or a settlement is reached.





In a letter on Oct. 13, Marinduque Gov. Carmencita Reyes asked the provincial board to grant her the authority to enter into another contract with the firm for the immediate filing of suit in British Columbia or Ontario.





Reyes also sought authority to sign an agreement with the New York-based Parabellum Capital LLC as a third party funder. The purpose of a funder is to shoulder the costs during litigation, she said.





But the Marinduque Council for Environmental Concerns (Macec) opposed Reyes move to continue engaging lawyers from Diamond McCarthy saying it is unnecessary and costly.





We remain positive and we support the intention of the provincial government to refile the case in Canada, but we strongly oppose the continuous engagement of Diamond McCarthy  for the case, it said.





Macec instead urged the provincial government to directly engage the services of Canadian firms [or] lawyers for the case.





In a telephone interview on Monday, former provincial board member and Macec mining committee head Adeline Angeles said Diamond McCarthy does not have a presence in Canada and it would need to hire lawyers from Lax OSullivan Lisus Gottlieb, a Canadian firm.





In effect, the province [will be] hiring multiple layers of lawyers [and] that is not only costly but unnecessary [because] that will significantly affect the final return or net recovery [for Marinduque], she said.





There are several other Canadian law firms that expressed interest [to represent Marinduque] and are amenable to a contingency arrangement, Angeles said.





Boac Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit, in a letter to the provincial board, said he supported the cases refiling but clearly, the immediate signing of said proposal  without the necessary changes in favor of the province would be very disadvantageous.




Directions

take notice:

Entrance is now through the new DMC Building on Huntington Ave.

Scroll down for this season's schedule and below that you will find information on recent shows. There is also an archive of shows from other seasons under past screenings if you would like to get an idea of what kinds of shows we have been presenting.Held @Film Department in screening room 1. 621 Huntington Ave. Boston MA 02115. On thetake the green linetrain tostop. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl Enter through the glass doors and ask the guard how to get to the film area-turn left and go into the South Building, turn right into the East building and go down the 1/2 flight of stairs, through the hall, back up the next 1/2 flight, keep straight and Screening Room 1 will be on your left.
Morocco and Senegal have inked several cooperation deals meant to bolster partnership between the two countries in the fields of agriculture, fisheries and other socioeconomic sectors.

These cooperation agreements were signed in Dakar Monday and Tuesday under the co-chairmanship of King Mohammed VI and President of Senegal Macky Sall.

The two leaders held talks on bilateral relations and latest developments on the regional and international scenes.

Morocco has pledged to support Senegals efforts to develop small-scale agriculture and rural areas through its green know-how, training, technology transfer and financial assistance.

In this vein, King Mohammed VI, who started his currently official visit to Senegal Sunday, and his host President Macky Sall launched an octopus development plan in favor of Senegal. On this occasion, the King handed Senegalese authorities 12 inflatable boats for rescue operations and monitoring of fishing activities, donated by Morocco.

The octopus development plan, to be conducted in five stages, is mainly aimed at the preservation and protection of the species and the replenishment of stocks.

On Tuesday, King Mohammed VI and President Sall chaired the launch ceremony of an Entrepreneurship Training Center.

The facility, reflecting the two countries common vision to share know-how and expertize, will offer technical training on the creation of enterprises to 300 young people a year and will assist 100 young people carry out their projects. It will also provide training on tourism trades to 100 students annually, in a first phase.

The two leaders later on headed to Dakar Hospital where King Mohammed VI donated to the Senegalese National Council for the fight against AIDS 1.6 tons of medicines for the treatment of opportunistic diseases and infections caused by AIDS/HIV. The donation is offered by the Mohammed VI Foundation for sustainable development.

The gesture mirrors the Moroccan Monarchs keenness to contribute to the progress and prosperity of the brotherly people of Senegal, the improvement of the health and living conditions of vulnerable social strata and the creation of necessary conditions for achieving sustainable human development.

On the sidelines of the royal visit, the two countries carriers are also exploring partnership and joint business opportunities.

The visit of King Mohammed VI to Dakar was marked by the speech he delivered on Sunday on the occasion of the 41st anniversary of the Green March.

In this historic and unprecedented speech, the Moroccan Sovereign said he chose to address the Moroccan people from Dakar because Senegal was one of the countries that took part in the Green March, together with other African and Arab nations.

This beloved country has always been at the forefront of advocates of the Kingdoms territorial unity and lofty interests, said the Monarch, noting that this country considers the cause of the Moroccan Sahara as one of its own national causes.

I have also chosen Senegal because of the special status it enjoys in Africa, thanks to its historically democratic model, its political and social stability, as well as its economic dynamism, added King Mohammed VI.

He also said that there are also fraternal bonds, based on solidarity and a shared destiny, which have historically existed between the Moroccan and the Senegalese peoples, who stand as one single people, with each one forming a natural extension of the other, in a unique symbiosis between two independent countries respecting each others particularities.

And all the agreements inked and projects launched during this visit to Senegal, confirm, if need be, the sovereigns continuous commitment to an active and solidarity-based south-south cooperation.
Israel is claiming credit for blocking Palestines effort to become a member of the global police organization known as Interpol at its latest general assembly held in Bali, Indonesia.

Prime Minister Netanyahu applauded the very intensive work of the Israeli foreign affairs ministry and the National Security Council as he expressed appreciation for stopping the matter to be on the agenda.

Palestine has refuted Israels claim arguing that it was a procedural issue of the organization and not based on pressure or lobbying. Interpol has 190 member states but during the vote on the matter, 56 supported adding the item to the agenda while 62 voted against with 37 abstaining.

Netanyahu said acquiring the results was a difficult effort and it reflects a change in Israels international standing and an expansion of our ties with different countries.

He said the outcome of the voting showcases that Israel is bursting onto the global scene, and this will ultimately be reflected in all UN and international bodies vowing that it will continue to block other Palestinian attempts to gain de facto recognition of their nationhood at international organizations.

However, a Palestinian delegate at the congress Ammar Hejazi said blocking Palestines quest for membership is part of the Jewish states propaganda considering that Interpol Executive Committee said it would study new membership requests next year. Hejazi said Tel Aviv is trying to score fake and unreal victories by selling their people illusions.

Kosovo and Solomon Islands are among the states also aspiring to become member of the police organization. Interpols Executive Committee has appointed an adviser to recommend a clear and transparent process with a defined set of criteria for membership and applications for membership will only be considered at its 2017 annual congress.

The Palestinian Authority gained observer status in Interpol in 2011 and applied for full membership last year. Israel has been a member since 1949.
The National Iranian Oil Co. (NIOC) reached a preliminary agreement worth $4.8 billion with Total, a French energy company, for the development of the South Pars offshore gas field; one of the largest in the world.

Totals Chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanne said the agreement engulfs an attractive commercial framework and gave assurances that the company will develop the project in strict compliance with national and international laws and looks forward to working alongside the Chinese state-owned company CNPC in this additional international partnership.

The deal is the first of its kind that Tehran has signed after reaching an agreement on its controversial nuclear program with the so-called P5+1.

Part of the agreement that is to be finalized next year is a three-year project that includes 30 wells, two offshore platforms and two pipelines extending 136 kilometers. China National Petroleum Corporation will own 30% of the stakes while Total accounts for 50.1% and the remainder will be held by Petropars, a subsidiary of NIOC. Under the terms of the agreement, project partners will work towards finalizing a 20-year formal contract that meets the terms of post-sanctions guidelines.

Iran wants to increase its hydrocarbon output and it is hoping to be a gas production hub in the region as well as a key supplier to China, with its increasing demand, and Europe, that is trying to minimize its supplies from Russia.

Tehran currently produces some 500 million cubic meters of gas daily and most of it is consumed locally. The new agreement is expected to have an output of 56 million cubic meters per day but it will be distributed between domestic consumption and exportation.

Meanwhile, its exportations of crude oil are expected to fall in November for the second consecutive month because of low seasonal demand from Europe. Irans market share increased remarkably when it returned to the international market at the beginning of the year.
Morocco and Senegal, which are bound by a centuries-old friendship and multi-faceted cooperation, are again offering this week a telling example of their partnership and their shared resolve to enhance south-south cooperation.

This started on Sunday, when King Mohammed VI, in an unprecedented move, addressed the speech marking the Green March, a Moroccan national event, from the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

President Macky Sall welcomed the decision as an additional token of the special ties binding the two countries and King Mohammed VI underlined, in his speech, the fraternal bonds, based on solidarity and a shared destiny, which have historically existed between the Moroccan and the Senegalese peoples, who stand as one single people, with each one forming a natural extension of the other, in a unique symbiosis between two independent countries respecting each others particularities.

And to give further substance to this cooperation, underpinned by a spirit of co-development and solidarity, the two heads of State co-chaired, Monday and Tuesday, the signing ceremony of several agreements, including two on the implementation of the Moroccan-Senegalese agricultural partnership program, and the launch of socio-economic projects.

Under the agreements, Senegal will benefit from Moroccos experience in terms of promoting small-scale farming and rural development, vocational training, technology transfer and fisheries.

In this vein, King Mohammed VI and President Macky Sall launched Monday an octopus development plan. On this occasion, the King handed Senegalese authorities 12 inflatable boats for rescue operations and monitoring of fishing activities, donated by Morocco.

The octopus development plan focuses on the preservation and protection of the species and the replenishment of stocks.

On Tuesday, the two heads of state chaired the launch ceremony of an Entrepreneurship Training Center.

The facility will provide technical training on the creation of enterprises to 300 young people annually and will assist 100 young people carry out their projects. It will also provide training on tourism trades to 100 students.

At a ceremony in Dakar Hospital, attended by the Senegalese President, King Mohammed VI donated to the Senegalese National Council for the fight against AIDS 1.6 tons of medicines for the treatment of opportunistic diseases and infections caused by AIDS/HIV.

The donation is offered by the Mohammed VI Foundation for sustainable development.

This Moroccan Foundation, set up in 2008, is very active in Senegal where it built and equipped the Mohammed VI Ophthalmology Clinic of Dakar in 2013.

According to the head of the foundation, Mustapha Terrab, some 16,000 medical checkups and 800 ophthalmological surgeries are conducted on a yearly basis in the facility.

The clinic also ensures the training of Senegalese medical staff.

The Foundation, which is co-partner in the just launched Entrepreneurship Training Center, is also involved in building a small-scale fish unloading site in Soumbedioune in Dakar. The site will be operational by end 2017.

All these projects reflect the two countries common will to share know-how and expertize and translate the Moroccan Kings African strategy and vision of a south-south cooperation based on solidarity co-development.
This year edition of All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) held last weekend in Nigeria honored four Moroccan artists, namely Ahmed Soultan, Amine Aub, DJ Van and Zina Daoudia.

Sultan Ahmed won the award for best album of the year with Music Has No boundaries, a melting pop album of RnB and African sounds.

DJ Van has been named best North African Artist of the Year in the category Best Male Artist North Africa. Honored for his work and involvement, DJ Van just released a song in duo with Zina Daoudia, titled Rendez-vous.

Zina Daoudia also received the award for Best African Artist of the Year in the category Best Female Artist North Africa.

The Nigerian recording artist and songwriter Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, better known by his stage name Wizkid, emerged artist of the year while Nigerian music legend, King Sunny Ade received a Special Recognition Award.

As a reminder, All Africa Music Awards is tailored to recognise and reward those who have given African Music the most creative competitive edge in the global market within the year under review. Over 154 nominees have campaigned for votes from the public for the various categories of awards.
Credit: Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)

The 'Muller-Lyer illusion' is not a phenomenon that sounds familiar to many people. However, most of us have seen the image of two arrow-like lines, one with normal arrowheads at each end and the second with inverted arrows at each end. The line with the inverted arrows appears to be longer. This is an optical illusion that the German psychologist Franz Muller-Lyer described a century ago. Veni researcher Myrthe Plaisier (VU Amsterdam) and her colleagues discovered that if you allow study subjects to lift two identical brass bars with ordinary and 'inverted' cardboard arrows attached to their ends, they then think that one object is not only longer but also lighter than the other. And that is a new discovery. The article 'How Heavy Is an Illusory Length?' was published in the online magazine i-Perception.

Human perception of the characteristics of an object, such as size and weight, can be subject to illusions. Such a sensory illusion occurs, for example, if a person underestimates the weight of a large object compared to a small object with the same weight. Differences in material also have an influence on that: a block of marble can appear to be heavier than an equally large block of polystyrene foam that has been altered to have the same weight. The French researcher Augustin Charpentier published a subsequently famous article about this at the end of the 19th century in which he described such an experiment for the first time.

Myrthe Plaisier: 'But research has also shown that visual and sensorimotor perception can be independent of each other. Our question was therefore: can a visual illusion of the size of an object also influence how heavy an object "feels"? And our laboratory research demonstrated that it can.'

Cardboard arrows

On each occasion, study subjects examined two bars whose observed length was influenced by the cardboard 'Muller-Lyer' arrows attached to them. The subjects subsequently gave a verbal estimation of the length of the brass bars. During a subsequent session  on a different day, to prevent disruption of the length and weight perception  the participants had to give an estimate of the weight. During this latter session, they consistently judged that the apparently longer object appeared to be lighter in weight, even though both bars were identical except for the cardboard arrows.

The researchers concluded that an increase of 5 millimetres in the illusory length corresponded with a decrease of 15 grams in the illusory weight.

More information: A. J. de Brouwer et al. How Heavy Is an Illusory Length?, i-Perception (2016). A. J. de Brouwer et al. How Heavy Is an Illusory Length?,(2016). DOI: 10.1177/2041669516669155
Courtesy Dennis McDougle(WORTHINGTON, Ohio) -- Virgnia McDougle was born in 1920, the same year that women received the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment.



Now 96 years later, McDougle said she had a very good feeling as she cast her ballot Tuesday for Hillary Clinton, who could become Americas first female president.



I was always hoping that it would happen, McDougle, of Worthington, Ohio, told ABC News of voting for a female leader. When I saw other countries doing it, I did wonder why we dont do it.



And now weve done it, she said. It was a very good feeling.



McDougle, the mother of three sons and a grandmother to five boys, is one of more than 120 women featured on the website IWaited96Years.com who were born in or prior to 1920 and are voting for Clinton.



The website was started when the granddaughter of Estelle Schultz, 98, of Rockville, Maryland, shared a photo of Schultz with her absentee ballot for Clinton on Facebook.



McDougle cast her first presidential ballot for Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She said in all her years of closely following politics, she had never seen a presidential election as tumultuous as this years.



I have been ever hopeful that we would have a woman president, McDougle said. I think its about time and I think [Clinton] is very wonderfully experienced in government and will make a wonderful president.



McDougle described an excitement in the air at her polling place, where she was taken to vote by her son, Dennis McDougle.



She said she will be blissfully happy if Clinton wins the presidential race.



When asked if she plans to stay up to watch the election returns, McDougle quickly replied, Oh, all night.



Social media users also took to Twitter today to show examples of women born before passage of the 19th Amendment exercising their right to vote.

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Credit: The District

When you're under attack, you fight back. You gather your troops and attack the invading enemy, hoping to wound and defeat them, while supporting and treating your own injured soldiers. It's common sense.

If you're based at the Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, however, the common sense approach is not necessarily the road most travelled  and for good reason. The word 'counterintuitive' is one you will hear surprisingly often when you talk to its researchers about their work.

No one illustrates this better than Professor Steve Jackson, who has been at the Institute since it opened 25 years ago and made his name  and a new class of cancer drug  from a seemingly counterintuitive approach to cancer: to switch off a mechanism that is meant to repair our DNA and prevent it mutating, akin to taking out your army medics.

Jackson, like all of the researchers at the Gurdon, is a basic scientist  in other words, his work looks at the fundamental biology that underpins how our bodies work. Basic science is rarely fashionable, rarely flashy, but without it we would have few of the medicines we take for granted today.

However, this process also takes time: Lynparza, the medicine that resulted from Jackson's work, was granted Marketing Authorisation from the European Commission and the US Food and Drug Administration in 2014, more than two decades after he began researching this area; the drug is now available in over 40 countries worldwide.

In fact, as with a surprising amount of science, his breakthrough moment was the result of a chance observation. He co-discovered an enzyme that was activated by DNA, and then observed that it was actually activated by breaks in DNA. Most DNA used in labs is circular, but Jackson was using 'strings' of DNA, which have ends

"If I'd been using circular DNA, I'd have never seen this effect and I never would have developed my career in this direction, but this discovery made me think 'Wow, maybe because this enzyme is activated by breaks, it must be involved in DNA repair'. When you're working in basic science and you follow your nose, you can spot things and hopefully recognise what they're telling you  and in my case, it was saying 'Maybe you want to work on DNA repair'."

It was a second DNA repair enzyme  known as PARP  that was to lead to the development of olaparib (marketed as Lynparza) and to Jackson setting up his own company, KuDOS, as he saw its potential as a drug target. KuDOS was eventually bought out by AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical giant that will soon move its headquarters to Cambridge.

DNA repair is so important to our survival that we have evolved a backup mechanism in case PARP fails, known as homologous recombination, in which DNA is exchanged between identical pieces of DNA to repair it. In some cancer cells  most notably those associated with mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes  this mechanism fails. Tumour cells in individuals with these genes carry two 'bad' copies of the gene, which inactivates homologous recombination, but the individual's healthy cells carry one good copy, meaning that they can still carry out this process.

"This was a 'Eureka' moment," says Jackson. "We realised that if you block the PARP repair mechanism in these individuals, the healthy cells revert to their backup and survive, but the tumour cells have no backup and so will die."

Just under one in three cases of ovarian cancer is caused by the BRCA genes, and it is for these individuals that Lynparza has been licensed. Recent studies suggest that around the same proportion of prostate cancer cases may be linked to BRCA gene mutations, and to one in ten cases of breast cancer; if Lynparza is approved for all of these patients, it could make a huge difference to survival rates. The drug isn't perfect  it doesn't work in all BRCA patients and some patients develop resistance to the drug  but it is clearly extending and enhancing many lives.

Credit: University of Cambridge

"We all hope to cure cancer, and PARP inhibitors are curing a small proportion of patients," says Jackson, "but what we're doing is moving cancer towards becoming a long-term disease that is kept in check through different phases. That's a good business model for pharmaceutical companies, ensuring that they invest in this area, but most of all, it's good for the patients."

Jackson jokes that he had much more hair when he started out  running his own company alongside his work, and trying to get others to support his approach "nearly did me in," he laughs. "The hardest thing for me was getting people to buy into the idea as it was counterintuitive: why would you want to inhibit DNA repair? DNA repair's good  that's what the pharma companies said, that's what the venture capitalists initially said."

Just as Jackson's work eschews the common sense approach, so too does the work of his colleague Dr Eugenia Piddini. If switching off cells' repair mechanisms sounds counterintuitive, then so does the idea of stopping the mechanism that is intended to cause diseased cells to fall on their swords  programmed cell death, or 'apoptosis'.

Like many of the scientists at the Gurdon, Piddini mostly works on much simpler organisms than humans. In addition to studying human cells, Jackson also works on yeast, while Piddini complements her mammalian studies with work on the fruit fly. We may not have shared a common ancestor for hundreds of millions of years  a billion, even  but we still share many of the fundamental processes that take place in our bodies.

Piddini looks at the competition that takes place between cells, and in particular how cells talk to each other and how this enables the tissue to select the strongest cells. "It's a kind of quality control," she explains. "But it's been suggested for some time that cancer cells somehow disguise themselves, making them look stronger so they can kill off their neighbours and colonise their space."

She believes this may help explain why, as cancers spread throughout the body  or 'metastasise'  they cause organ failure. "There will come a point where there are no longer enough healthy cells for the organ to continue to function."

Many existing chemotherapy drugs encourage apoptosis. Not only does this cause collateral damage to healthy cells  which is why chemotherapy patients get so sick  but, says Piddini, apoptosis is exactly the process that cancer cells are using against healthy cells. So once again, this leads to a seemingly counterintuitive solution: stop cell death.

"If you can somehow inhibit apoptosis, then you can keep the healthy cells alive. And if you keep the healthy cells alive, you stop the cancer cells spreading and the tumour should die away."

This is still very early stage research: to some extent, Piddini is where Jackson was not long after he first joined the Gurdon, but as for PARP inhibitors, she believes her approach shows a great deal of promise. "I hope that one day we'll talk about this in the same way we talk about Steve's work now," she says enthusiastically.

Piddini  talked of as one of the rising stars in her field  will be leaving Cambridge next summer for the University of Bristol. Jackson believes her move further emphasises the strengths of the Gurdon Institute.

"You can tell a successful research environment by its alumni," he says, "by looking at who has trained there and has moved on to lead a group elsewhere." At the last count, since its launch in 1991, the Gurdon has created 200 group leaders around the world. That's quite an army of scientists fighting counterintuitive battles.
A large national study has confirmed the value of high-intensity statin treatments for people with cardiovascular disease, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Over the duration of a year, the researchers found that patients taking high-intensity statins had an increased chance of survival over those on moderate-intensity statins. The study will be published online Nov. 9 in JAMA Cardiology.

Statins, a class of drugs that lowers cholesterol levels in the blood, are commonly prescribed for preventing the acceleration of cardiovascular disease caused by the buildup of plaque in the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks and stroke.

Health-care providers have long debated the benefits of prescribing high-intensity statins to their patients with cardiovascular disease. Patients, in turn, have been hesitant to take them because of equivocal messages from their doctors and internet searches of patient and doctor perspectives.

"Previously, there was definitely a certain amount of fear on the patient's part because most people don't like taking medication," said Paul Heidenreich, MD, professor of cardiovascular medicine and the study's senior author. Some studies have shown an increased risk of side effects, such as diabetes or muscle damage, associated with higher-intensity statins.

Conflicting recommendations

In 2013, the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association jointly recommended high-intensity statin therapy for patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease who were no older than 75. The ACC/AHA guidelines differed, however, from guidelines established in 2014 by the Veterans Affairs Health Care System, which recommended only moderate-intensity statins, noting the lack of conclusive evidence that higher-intensity statins are more beneficial than those of moderate intensity.

In their study, Heidenreich and his team found evidence to support the ACC/AHA guidelines. They determined that high-intensity statins do in fact increase rates of survival, not only in younger and middle-aged patients with cardiovascular disease, but also in a patient population not well-studied: adults over 75.

"The greatest strength of this study is that we used a very large, well-defined clinical cohort," said Fatima Rodriguez, MD, a cardiology fellow at Stanford and the study's lead author. "The results show that high-intensity statins confer a survival advantage for patients with cardiovascular disease, including older adults."

Large sample size reduces possibility of chance

The researchers studied the medical records of 509,766 patients across the country receiving care from the Veterans Affairs Health Care System. "This is a very large patient population rich in cardiovascular disease," said Rodriguez. "In addition to defining this large, national patient population, we also had access to their detailed clinical data, including comorbidities and cholesterol values."

The primary purpose was to look at overall patient death rates from 2013 to 2014, the researchers said. They included patients with coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral artery disease. "These are basically the three main areas affected by plaque buildupthe heart, the brain and the large arteries of the rest of the body," Heidenreich said.

Patients were taking high-intensity, moderate-intensity or low-intensity statins in many different but commonly prescribed forms, such as rosuvastatin and atorvastatin. The researchers also followed one group that wasn't taking any statins. Patients had different severities of cardiovascular disease, making some more likely to be prescribed higher-intensity statins than others. So the researchers assigned each patient a score for the propensity to receive high-intensity statins and adjusted the results of the study accordingly.

The results showed a 9 percent increased chance of survival for patients taking high-intensity statins compared to those receiving moderate-intensity treatments. "We found basically the same risk reductions reviewed by the Veterans Affairs guidelines, but they didn't think the benefit was significant because the sample size was small," Heidenreich said. "We have so many more patients, we can be confident that it wasn't due to chance."

Examining specific patient groups

The study considered data from patients over 75a group little studied in clinical trials. It found that patients between the ages of 75 and 85 taking high-intensity statins had a survival-rate benefit comparable to that of younger patients: a 9 percent higher chance of survival compared to those on moderate-intensity statins.

"Our results suggest that clinical trial data from heart studies for those younger than 75 could also be applied to this older population," Heidenreich said.

Finally, they studied the effect of different doses within the high-intensity statin group. Patients treated with the maximum dose of statins were 10 percent more likely to survive than patients on submaximal doses. "This suggests to practitioners that instead of starting a patient on a low dose, just to go ahead and put them on the maximum dose they can tolerate," Rodriguez said.

A limitation of the study was that the researchers were unable to determine whether patients died of cardiovascular disease or another cause.

Settling the debate

The next step, researchers said, is to find out why some patients who should be on high-intensity statins are not. They hope doctors will take their study's results into consideration when prescribing statins. "There are a lot of guidelines and recommendations out there, so I think we also have to make the system better," Rodriguez said. "Maybe hospitals can employ a clinical reminder to doctors, a message that pops up on the doctor's screen that asks why a cardiovascular patient isn't on a high-intensity statin."

The researchers also hope to follow up on longer-term data from these patient populations. "Not only do we hope to continue studying this population, but we also hope to study patients without prior cardiovascular disease but who are at high risk for it," said Rodriguez.

Finally, they hope these results will help to settle the debate on which guidelines doctors should use when prescribing statins to patients. Heidenreich said, "We think this should give clinicians, physicians and nurse practitioners more comfort in following the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association guidelines and putting people with prior cardiovascular disease on a high-intensity statin."
Russian men who are heavy drinkers are five times more likely to be a homicide victim compared with non-problem drinkers. Credit: University at Albany

Alcohol abuse can take a serious toll on your health, from cirrhosis of the liver to an increased risk for certain types of cancers. But for men between 25 and 54, it can also lead to a violent death.

Reporting in Social Problems, University at Albany School of Criminal Justice Dean and Professor William Alex Pridemore has found strong evidence of an association between patterns of hazardous drinking and vulnerability to violent death. Results from this study show that men ages 25 to 54 who are problem drinkers are five times more likely to become a homicide victim compared with non-problem drinkers.

Pridemore's research provides a new insight into violent victimization and new knowledge of how alcohol contributes to crime. Data for this work came from the Izhevsk Family Study (IFS), a large-scale study of premature mortality among working-age Russian men. Unique to this study is the use of population-based case-control data to explore the effects of hazardous drinking on violent mortality.

"This study is among the first to examine the effects of an underlying pattern on hazardous drinking on homicide victimization," said Pridemore. "I found that hazardous drinkers have an elevated risk of homicide victimization no matter how the former is measured, and that problem drinkers are five times more likely to be the victim of homicide than non-problem drinkers."

Sixty-four percent of homicide victims in this study were defined as "problem drinkers." In the 12 months before they died, homicide victims drank 17 liters of ethanol alcohol (4.5 U.S. gallons) on average and 29 percent of victims consumed more than 20 liters of pure ethanol (5.3 U.S. gallons). Additionally, at least once a week 40 percent of victims drank non-beverage alcohol like colognes, medicines, and cleaning fluids. Pridemore found that men who drank these alcohol surrogates at least once per week were about 11-15 times more likely to die a violent death compared with those who did not.

How is hazardous drinking associated with violent mortality among men?

"There are several potential reasons for this association," said Pridemore. "First, heavy drinkers may be more likely to engage in behavior that exposes them to dangerous people, places, and situations, including involvement in the nighttime economy. Second, both the drinker and his acquaintances and family members likely become frustrated with and embroiled in the repeated negative outcomes associated with his drinking behavior, including antagonistic relationships, economic insecurity, and romantic quarrels. Finally, one's actions during heavy drinking episodes may be an irritant to and provoke violence from others, and the decreased physical and cognitive function resulting from intoxication may leave one unable to retaliate or protect oneself."

More information: William Alex Pridemore. Hazardous Drinking and Violent Mortality Among Males: Evidence from a Population-Based Case-Control Study, Social Problems (2016). William Alex Pridemore. Hazardous Drinking and Violent Mortality Among Males: Evidence from a Population-Based Case-Control Study,(2016). DOI: 10.1093/socpro/spw018
SINTEF researchers Marco Povoli and Angela Kok have contributed towards the development of a microscopic sensor that measures what no other sensor can  the radiation doses absorbed by individual cancer cells. Credit: SINTEF

A team of Norwegian, French and Australian researchers is the first in the world to succeed in quantifying the effects of radiation on individual cancer cells. This means that radiation therapies can now be tailored to individual tumours and thus be more effective.

The recently developed sensor is the first of its kind and can measure radiation doses at the level of the individual cell in mixed radiation fields (e.g. measuring all type of radiation at the same time). It enables doctors to obtain a complete picture of how much damage each cell has incurred following treatment.

"This technology means that doctors can monitor and control radiation doses to make sure that only cancer cells are destroyed, with only minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue", explains physicist and SINTEF researcher Angela Kok. Kok has been leading the work to develop the sensor as part of her day-to-day research looking into microsystems and nanotechnology.

A million cells on a pin head

Until now, quantification of the radiation dose absorbed by an individual cancer cell has been regarded as a very difficult task. Firstly, each cell is very small, and there may be as many as about a million cells in a single cubic millimetre of tissue. For this reason, and to ensure that the resulting data are correct, a sensor designed to measure radiation has to be as small as the cell itself. In other words, there has to be space for a million sensors in a single cubic millimetre of cancer tissue.

The second problem is that the cells themselves "perceive" the radiation dose in an entirely different way to the sensors. This is why, until now, no sensor has been able to quantify the actual degree of damage caused to cells by a radiation dose.

Mimicking human tissue

But the international research team has now succeeded in solving both of these problems.

The sensor size issue has been addressed simply by developing a sensor that is as small as a cancer cell. This has been achieved using a technology called semiconductor processing.

The second problem, addressing the different ways in which cells and sensors perceive radiation doses, represented a major challenge. But researchers solved this problem by encapsulating the sensors in a plastic material that mimics human tissue. In this way, the radiation dose measured by the sensors is almost identical to that absorbed by real cancer cells.

The measuring instrument contains microsensors placed alongside each other in a way that creates a "sheet" of sensors mounted on the silicon base. Dispersal across a given area enables the sensors to provide an image of the location within the cell that absorbs the highest levels of radiation.

"In simple terms, we can say that the sensors are used to map variations in radiation intensity absorbed across the exposed cell", explains Kok.

A result of basic research

The most important component of the new sensor is the element silicon, which is a semiconductor with radiation detection properties.

"When radiation counteracts with silicon the energy is converted into a measurable electrical signal", explains Kok. "The magnitude of the signal indicates the intensity of the radiation", she says.

The very first sensor prototype saw the light of day at SINTEF's microsystems and nanotechnology lab following a major multinational project involving researchers in the field of medical radiation physics. It was tested recently at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble with outstanding results. It has also been tested by Australian researchers at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.

"This project is a little unusual because our research has resulted in new and fundamental knowledge about what happens in a volume of silicon that has the same dimensions as a typical cell", says Senior Research Scientist Kari Schjlberg-Henriksen, who has been working with quality assurance on this project. "We've taken this knowledge further and have seen it applied in practice after only four years", she says.

Advancing proton therapy

Research scientist Marco Povoli has been working on this project both as a SINTEF employee and as part of his post-doctoral studies at the University of Oslo. He believes that this innovation may be good news for the future development of cancer treatments using proton therapy. (Read the fact box)

"It appears that proton therapy produces better outcomes for some types of cancer than traditional radiotherapies", he says. "This is why the University of Wollongong, with which we collaborate, has been working for some time to develop sensors designed for use in proton therapy.

There currently exist no sensors (microdosimetry tools, Ed. note) capable of measuring radiation of this kind, but we realised that our technology could be adapted to develop sensors with the right specifications", says Povoli.

The team based their work on a technology originally applied to develop sensors for tracking nuclear particles as part of experiments using the particle accelerator at CERN. The technology was used to make the silicon structures that now mimic the effects of radiation on human tissue.

"The fabrication process required more development to optimise the reliability of the results, but we overcame this challenge within a few months", says Povoli.

The sensor has now been tested with excellent results. According to the research team, it is capable of measuring the true values of radiation doses absorbed by tissue, and with a better spatial resolution than existing equipment. The team is now hoping to be able to contribute towards the future development of radiation therapies for cancer. This can be achieved by providing a more precise quantification of the radiation doses absorbed by cancer tissue, while at the same time reducing the damage incurred by healthy tissue.

The work has been carried out in collaboration with what Povoli describes as world-leading centres in the field of medical radiation physics, including the CMRP (Centre for Medical Radiation Physics) at the University of Wollongong in Australia, the University of Manchester in England, and the ESRF laboratory in Grenoble in France. The ESRF centre specialises in radiation physics.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, along with seven other major institutions, have found that even mild postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are significantly associated with increased death within the first week after surgery.

The study, which appeared online today in the journal JAMA Surgery, examined 1,202 patients who underwent abdominal, orthopedic, neurological and other procedures under general anesthesia for at least two hours.

"We found that patients with one or more PPCs, even mild, had significantly increased intensive care unit admission, ICU/hospital length of stay and early postoperative mortality," said Ana Fernandez-Bustamante, MD, PhD, associate professor of anesthesiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She and Marcos Francisco Vidal Melo, MD, PhD, associate professor at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University, are the lead authors of the article.

Current estimates suggest that there are over a million PPCs each year in the U.S. resulting in 46,200 deaths and 4.8 million hospitalizations days. Most of these PPCs are considered mild (i.e. needing prolonged supplemental oxygen), difficult to measure and often ignored in clinical studies.

Fernandez-Bustamante and her colleagues, including Karsten Bartels, MD, assistant professor of anesthesiology at CU Anschutz, set out to understand these PPCs better and how to address them.

They studied patients classified as "physical status 3" by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, meaning they suffered severe systemic disease. The patients underwent prolonged, non-cardiac or thoracic surgery with general anesthesia and mechanical ventilation.

A third of them developed one or more PPCs after surgery. These patients were often older with hypertension, cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Severe complications were rare. The most common complication was simply requiring oxygen for longer than 24 hours after the operation. That was followed by atelectasis (or portions of the lungs being partially collapsed).

But even these relatively mild complications were associated with significantly increased hospital stay, admission to the ICU or mortality within the first week after surgery.

And this was observed at seven large American academic hospitals.

"This tells us that care could be improved," Fernandez-Bustamante said. "If we could understand better and prevent mild PPCs we could improve the recovery of thousands of patients."

Doctors know that giving patients too many fluids or too big breaths during anesthesia can cause pulmonary problems afterwards.

Fernandez-Bustamante said that paying more attention to preventing atelectasis, for example, before, during and after surgery, could reduce some of them, improve oxygenation and prevent the need of oxygen therapy and hospital stay.

She noted that physicians must also optimize fluids and pain control, and minimize blood loss during operations to prevent PPCs. Doing all of this, she said, could improve patient outcomes and result in shorter hospital stays.

"Surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, respiratory therapists, and others, must collaborate better to make this successful. And of course patients need to know they play a critical role in their own recovery. We must work with them closely before, during and after surgery," Fernandez-Bustamante said. "If we want patients to have less pulmonary complications, we need a truly comprehensive approach to this problem."
Tbilisi is hosting global tax meeting of 250 top officials

Georgias capital is hosting hundreds of top officials at a special forum to discuss tax-related risks and exchange information for tax purposes.The Annual Plenary Session of the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes of the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will take place in Tbilisi on November 2-4, 2016.About 250 delegates from member states of the Global Forum and officials of ten international organisations are participating in the 9th Plenary Session, which is a keynote policy event now hosted by Georgia.Georgia has been a member of the Global Forum since 2011. The country went through the two assessment phases of the Global Forum which confirmed tax system in Georgia was transparent.We are working hard to make Georgias tax system more transparent and to meet the top international standards, said Georgias Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri at the forum.The Global Forum now has 135 members on equal footing and is the premier international body for ensuring the implementation of internationally agreed standards of transparency and exchange of information in the tax area.Through an in-depth peer review process, the restructured Global Forum monitors that its members fully implement the standard of transparency and exchange of information they have committed to implement. It also works to establish a level playing field, even among countries that have not joined the Global Forum, said the OECD.The previous Annual Plenary Session of OECD was held in Barbados in 2015. The event has also been hosted in Johannesburg, Paris and Mexico.
Russia ratifies military deal with Georgias occupied region

By Messenger Staff

The Russian State Duma has ratified an agreement about the formation of a combined group of Russian and Abkhazian troops.The document was signed in Moscow in November 2015.The agreement, which has already been condemned by the international community, reads that a key task of the combined group will be to ensure an "adequate response to an armed attack or any aggression.The joint group will include the Russian military base in Abkhazia, two Abkhaz motorized battalions, artillery and aviation groups and a special forces unit.The group will be headed by a representative from the Russian base.According to Leonid Kalashnikov, Chairman of Russia's CIS Affairs Committee, the ratification of the document is in the interests of Russia and contributes to the strengthening of state sovereignty and supports the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation.Russia generally claims such agreements are made in order to protect the interests of  those nations which are suppressed and whom the Russian Federation protects.The ratification of the deal is a gross violation of all international norms, as Georgias breakaway regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali are recognized world wide, as integral parts of Georgia.The document is one more signal that Russia continues its aggression against Georgia and, unfortunately, the only thing the current Georgian Government can do in such a situation is to inform the international community and ask for an adequate reaction.The International response however generally amounts to statements of condemnation.Unlike Tskhinvali, Abkhazia has already refused any referendum to officially join Russia.As the so-called leaders of the de-facto region say, Abkhazia wants independence.However, it is less likely that Russia will let the region have any independence as it wants Abkhazia's coastal land but not its people.Perhaps the only outcome from the situation is that people-to-people contacts will gradually be restored and Abkhazians will see the benefits of being aligned with Georgia again. Though it seems that such developments will take quite a time.
The News in Brief

Rustavi 2 and Cables Cases may be reviewed anew



A review of high-profile cases, including the Rustavi 2 and Cables Cases, may be re-launched. New judges of the Constitutional Court were handed over the mentioned cases by their predecessors.



As Constitutional Court Chairmen Zaza Tavadze said when commenting on the topic, the new judges must decide whether the cases must be reviewed anew or not.



Even if only one of the new judges says that the cases must be reviewed anew, we will do so, said the Chairman of the Court. (IPN)







USAID helps illegal dumpsite close in Georgian resort



An illegal dumpsite in a mountainous resort in Georgias western Adjara region has been cleaned of garbage and is now being transformed into a recreational area.



More than 450 tons of garbage was removed from Beshumi resort and the decade old illegal dumpsite was closed.



Plans are in the works to develop a recreational forest there.



The efforts were part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)s program on Waste Management Technology in Regions (WMTR) which brings integrated waste management systems in two of Georgias regions, Kakheti and Adjara.



USAID worked closely with the local municipality and Austrian Development Cooperation to clean the area and handle the illegal dumpsite.



USAID has provided over $1 billion in humanitarian and development aid to Georgia since assistance began in 1992. (agenda.ge)







GDDG Holds Consultations on Nominees for Government, Parliamentary Posts



Following its victory in the October parliamentary elections, the ruling GDDG party is holding consultations on distribution of positions in the government and newly elected Parliament, GDDGs executive secretary, Irakli Kobakhidze said.



As soon as the Central Election Commission (CEC) summarizes the final vote tallies, the President will set the date of an inaugural session of the newly elected Parliament and make an opening speech at the same session, the Presidents office said on Tuesday.



After the first session of Parliament, which should be held no later than November 19, GDDG will have to name candidates for the new Parliament Speaker, Vice Speakers and chairpersons of 15 committees. The ruling party should also decide how many factions it will set up in frames its constitutional majority consisting of 115 lawmakers, according to the preliminary results of the October parliamentary elections. Along with selecting the heads of factions, the ruling party will also have to agree on the nominee of the parliamentary majority leader.



No decision has been made yet in connection with the parliamentary posts, but consultations are underway, Kobakhidze said, who is rumored to eye the Speaker seat.



As far as the governmental changes are concerned, it is the Prime Ministers prerogative to make comments on this issue and he will do it, he told reporters on November 2.



GDDG will re-nominate PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili no later than a week after the inaugural session of the newly elected Parliament and, following the Presidents nomination, Kvirikashvili will select the ministers and submit them to the Parliament for confidence vote along with the governmental program.



PM Kvirikashvili said ahead of the runoff elections that the portfolio of the State Minister for Diaspora Issues will be folded under the Foreign Ministry in the new cabinet. He also said he intends to nominate two or three new ministers for the approval by the newly formed Parliament, although he did not specify which ones.



According to recent media reports, at least four new ministers will be appointed in the government. The 2030 news agency reported that Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri will apparently lose his post in the new cabinet and will be replaced by incumbent Economy Minister Dimitri Kumsishvili; the latter will be replaced by Business Ombudsman Giorgi Gakharia, who is also number five on GDDGs list of MP candidates.



The same news agency reported that Minister for Regional Development and Infrastructure Nodar Javakhishvili will be replaced by Zurab Alavidze, head of the Strategic Project Coordination Department of the Governments Administration.



Kakha Kaladze, GDDGs executive secretary and number two on the ruling partys list of MP candidates and who resigned from the post of Energy Minister to run in the elections, said in an interview with Rustavi 2 TV that he sees himself in the government once again. But I do not have any special requirement; I am ready to do my utmost in any sphere wherever my team needs me, he added.



The only government post which remains vacant, is the position of the State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, as Davit Bakradze - who served as the state minister since 2014 - was appointed as Georgias new ambassador to the United States. According to media reports, MP Victor Dolidze, former member of opposition Free Democrats party, is supposed to replace him.



Dolidze, who served as Georgias ambassador to the OSCE in 2005-2009 and chaired the parliamentary committee for European integration till February 2015, refused to comment on this issue. (civil.ge)




@JeremySWallace

Frank Artiles wasnt on the radar.

When Republicans in the Florida Senate mapped out a plan of attack in a bid to maintain their majority, Artiles, a 3-term House member taking on a Democratic incumbent in a tough district didnt look like a good bet.

Incoming Senate president Joe Negron said he had his eye on two other Miami-based Senate districts that needed attention, a seat based in Gainesville and another in Tampa.

I was only going to participate in those four races, Negron said.

But Negron said that started to change as Artiles, a Marine Corps veteran, started showing him what he was doing on the ground. He was campaigning hard, had broken his district up in quadrants to attack every day, was raising money and routinely sharing a Daily Operations Report From the Field document with him.

He ran his campaign like it was a military operation, Negron said. From the moment you walked into his campaign office there was a military feel.

Thats not a surprise given that Artiles, 43, was in the Marines from 1998 to 2006 and was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.

Negron admits he didnt always understand the military jargon, but he saw the structure of a candidate who could win. That prompted Negron and other state Senators to start pouring money into Artiless campaign. With major backing from the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee Artiles main campaign account collected $1.2 million compared to Democrat Dwight Bullard who raised just $240,000 for his campaign committee.

He won us over by earning it on the ground, Negron said.

The final result? Artiles beat Bullard by 10 percentage points.

Negron said Clinton carried the area Artiles was running in, yet Artiles still prevailed just like Republicans did in four other seats where they were thought to be in trouble of losing.

"We shouldn't have been competitive in many of those seats," Negron said.


via @AndresViglucci @glenngarvin @Chabelih

Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo handily held onto his seat on Tuesday in one of the most closely watched congressional races in the country after turning back a challenge from the Democrat he unseated two years ago, Joe Garcia.

With most of the vote counted, Curbelo was ahead by 12 points in the battleground 26th Congressional District, which sprawls from Westchester to Key West, despite a redrawing that pushed its electoral make-up to the left after the Republican ousted Garcia in 2014. The new districts demographics put the incumbent, who fashioned himself as one of a dwindling species  a moderate Republican  at something of a disadvantage.

But Curbelo carefully threaded the political needle, pointedly repudiating GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, while bolstering his credentials with conservative Cuban Americans in the ethnically and politically diverse district by criticizing Garcia, a former head of the Cuban American National Foundation, for his support of President Barack Obamas rapprochement with Cuba.

Curbelo, who at one point compared Trump to the late Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez, also said he would not vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton, but never publicly revealed his presidential vote despite persistent goading from Garcia.

More here.

Photo credit: Carl Juste, Miami Herald
When Donald Trump arrived in the ballroom of the New York Hilton Midtown early Wednesday, two prominent Floridians were in the room: Attorney General Pam Bondi and lobbyist Brian Ballard, Trump's Florida finance chairman.

Both are expected to play important roles as Trump begins the transition from candidate to president and begins to fill thousands of high-level jobs in the new administration.

Ballard, a Trump adviser, and Trump's senior Florida strategist, Susie Wiles, who was in Orlando on election night, separately said Trump and Bondi are personally close and that it would beno surprise if she's offered a high-level post in Washington with two years left in her term as A.G.

"I would imagine her opportunities are unlimited," Ballard said of Bondi.

"There's nobody closer to Trump in Florida than Pam Bondi," Ballard said Wednesday. "He appreciates everything she did for him." Bondi endured weeks of scathing public and press criticism over her acceptance of a $25,000 campaign donation from a Trump foundation in 2013, but she soon returned to the campaign trail.

In conversations with Trump's Florida inner circle Wednesday, others mentioned included retiring U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Pensacola; his successor, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach; state Rep.-elect Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota; and Rep. Carlos Trujillo, R-Miami.
@JeremySWallace @KristenMClark @DavidOvalle305

Marco Rubio is headed back to the U.S. Senate with his prospects of another run for president intact.

Rubio defeated two-term Congressman Patrick Murphy, who couldnt overcome poor name recognition or questions about embellishments on his resume.

Tuesdays outcome was not a surprise given Rubio never trailed in 47 consecutive public polls of the race since he jumped into the contest in June. Yet given that Rubio emphatically stated he would not run for re-election six months ago, the outcome was still improbable.

Rubio, flanked by his family, took the stage at his watch party shortly before 9 p.m. to the cheers of a raucous crowd inside a ballroom at Miamis Airport Hilton

He said he talked to Murphy by phone. He ran a great race.

In his brief remarks, Rubio struck a optimistic tone, making no mention of Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. He took a sharply different tact than Trump, his partys standard bearer who campaigned with divisive rhetoric.

America is going to be OK. We will turn this country around. I have faith. I know God is not done with America yet, Rubio said, adding: While we can disagree on issues, we cannot share a country where people hate each other because of their political affiliations. We cannot move forward as a nation if we can not have enlightened debates about tough issues."

More here.

Photo credit: Wilfredo Lee / AP
Under the watchful eyes of a tense and anxious nation, Florida was on a torrid pace to set a record for most votes in a statewide election Tuesday.

Secretary of State Ken Detzner's office said voting was "going well" across the state. A number of minor incidents were being reported as both voters and the news media were on a heightened sense of alert everywhere as some voters waited in line to cast ballots, even after half of the state's voters had voted early.

"There's lots of interest. I like this," said Pinellas Supervisor of Elections Deborah Clark.

Pinellas had replaced 10 of its ballot scanners by mid-afternoon because of numerous instances of ballot cards jamming machines, Clark said. Pinellas gave voters a 19-inch ballot card, longer than a typical legal size 14-inch card, because that enabled every race and ballot question to fit on one card, rather than giving voters two cards, she said. Clark said she replaced six scanners in 2012 and 12 scanners in the 2008 election.

Elsewhere around the state:

In Pompano Beach, two poll workers, a Republican and a Democrat, were ordered off the job and fired after complaints of voter intimidation at the Herb Sloknick Community Center, according to reports by Miami's NBC6. One fired clerk, David Booth, told the station: "It looks like they're trying to do something dishonest." The Times/Herald could not immediately verify the report with the Broward Supervisor of Elections.

In Jupiter in Palm Beach County, a man and woman got into an argument that escalated into a fight, with Tom Garrecht, knocking the woman down after she used pepper spray on him following an argument, The Palm Beach Post reported. Donna Tatlici, who was handing out Donald Trump literature at a community center, said Garrecht, a Hillary Clinton supporter, screamed at her and said, "I don't need anybody to tell me who to vote for."

In Jacksonville, a voting machine was plugged into a dead AC outlet at a church, resulting in a minor delay in votes being tabulated. The state said all voters were able to vote with no problems.

Clark and other supervisors expect a surge of last-minute voters who will show up at precincts after getting out of work at 5 p.m. By law, anyone who is standing in line when the polls close at 7 p.m. must be allowed to vote.
HELENA  Incumbent Gov. Steve Bullock, who won re-election Wednesday morning with 49 percent of the vote to Republican challenger Greg Gianforte's 47 percent, called Wednesday on the state's lawmakers to rise above the divisive tone that made this year's election, both at a state and national level, unlike anything seen before.

In a passionate and emotional speech to supporters gathered at the same Helena hotel where many lingered until just after midnight, Bullock said he was humbled, proud, inspired and optimistic after hearing the results. He touched on nature of his campaign against Gianforte, which grew increasingly hostile as it drew to an end.

"It may be a challenging time in this experiment called representative democracy, what with the toxicity, the money, the fear, the lack of civility, the innuendo, the politics at times of personal destruction, but I'm optimistic that our leaders, Democrats and Republicans, still rise above that toxicity to demonstrate to those that we represent that we're individually and we're collectively better than that. That we're elected to inspire the next generation and to be role models."

Bullock on Wednesday morning had 234,545 votes to Gianforte's 222,378, a difference of 12,167. Libertarian Ted Dunlap had 3 percent of the total with 79 percent of precincts reporting and voter turnout around 69 percent in unofficial results.

The governor also addressed Republican Donald J. Trump's victory in the presidential election and emphasized that Montana can stand above the increasingly crude nature of politics.

"I'm also optimistic that if some of our leaders fall short, I'm optimistic that our friends and our neighbors, our fellow Montanans, will demand better of them, they'll demand that we act as if our children and our grandchildren are watching, because they are. I'm optimistic that at least here in Montana we can be a shining example of how the political system is supposed to work."

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton lost by 22 points in Montana, yet Bullock was able to win because he's well-liked, said Carroll College associate professor of political science Jeremy Johnson.

"It does show that he was popular that he was able to run so far ahead of the presidential ticket."

Gianforte, a Bozeman businessman who started a software company he later sold to Oracle for almost $2 billion, called Bullock a little after 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Bullock said, to congratulate him and wish him luck in the next four years.

"While this is an incredibly close race, the voters of Montana appear to have spoken," Gianforte said Wednesday morning in a press release. "I knew taking on an incumbent would be a challenge, but I decided to run for office because I believe in the potential of Montana and in all Montanans. Nothing has changed that for me. Even though we did not prevail, you have my commitment that I will continue to work to create better outcomes for all Montanans.

Gianforte also thanked everyone who voted for him and worked on his campaign.

Bullock was the lone bright spot for Montana Democrats, who lost in all the other statewide races. Republican Tim Fox retained his post as attorney general in a race against Democrat Larry Jent, while Republicans Elsie Arntzen, Corey Stapleton and Matt Rosendale beat out, respectively, Democrats Melissa Romano for superintendent of public instruction, Monica Lindeen for secretary of state and Matt Rosendale for state auditor. Early results show Republicans gained a few seats in the state Legislature, which was already mostly Republican in both the House and Senate, as well.

Bullock's success paired with the defeat of other statewide Democrats could either show that Montanans think he's doing a good job or they think the division of power between Republicans and Democrats is good for the state, said University of Montana political researcher and journalism professor Lee Banville.

The governor played down the party divide, saying he expects everyone to work together.

"Each of the other statewides that just got elected, I count on them to help be an example of how to get things done. I expect our leaders to come together and do the right things for Montanans." He said last session the Legislature came together to pass Medicare expansion and sweeping campaign finance reforms, as well as sage grouse legislation and water compacts.

Nationally, Bullock said it's his job to stand up to Trump "to make sure our Montana values, our interests and our needs are being heard. Whoever is president, my job is the same."

Carroll College associate political science professor Jeremy Johnson said Wednesday that with Republican victories across the nation and at the federal level, Bullock will stand alone more than he has in the past.

"He will serve as essentially the only check in Montana to oppose various positions that he might disagree with," Johnson said.

The incumbent is also facing a Legislature with several members who during the election questioned Bullock's ethical compass and called for investigations into his use of the state plane while attending campaign events that coincided with conducting state business, payments of nearly $1 million to former employees and claims of fraud and retaliation against whistle-blowers in the Department of Health and Human Services.

When asked what he expects to come of these calls for investigation, Bullock said "you'd have to talk to (the legislators requesting them) about that."

The intense buzz around the calls for investigations could die down with the end of the election, Banville said. There might not be a payoff for pursuing Bullock now that the session is over.

"The question would be, what's the benefit of that. If you do that you still have to work with the guy if you want to pass anything. You may do it just because you feel that level of outrage, but I think it's much more of a politically risky move."

Key counties that Bullock won include Missoula (65-31), Lewis and Clark (60-37), Cascade (53-43), Silver Bow (70-26) and Gallatin (55-40). While he lost Yellowstone County, the state's most populous, 47 to 48 percent, it was only by 498 votes.

Bullock did 3 percentage points better than in 2012 in Gallatin County and Gianforte did 7 worse that Republican Rick Hill, who lost to Bullock that year. Gallatin County is Gianforte's home county. Banville said the region is becoming more and more critical in the path to victory.

Part of Gianforte's loss could be his emphasis on Eastern Montana, which led him to not spend enough time in counties where he needed a stronger showing.

"Pitting one side of the state against the other, saying the more populated side of the state is getting too much stuff, that may have dampened some people's enthusiasm for him," Banville said.

Bullock said he will reach out to that eastern half of the state by passing an infrastructure bill, something that failed in the last two sessions. "I'm going to be asking the Legislature to make that one of the first things we do, not one of the last."

While Gianforte didn't say Wednesday what his future political aspirations are, Banville said he doesn't expect him to disappear, possibly running against U.S. Sen. Jon Tester in four years.

"I would be surprised if we don't see Gianforte again," Banville said. "He spent a lot of money, ran a really intense campaign, almost knocked off a popular incumbent governor. That's no small task."

Bullock on Wednesday said his immediate plans were to get his kids back to school, have lunch with his wife, Lisa, and possibly take a nap after staying up until almost 4:30 a.m. watching results come in.
WASHINGTON  Donald Trump was elected America's 45th president Tuesday, an astonishing victory for a celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalized on voters' economic anxieties, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations on his way to the White House.

His triumph over Hillary Clinton will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House and threatens to undo major achievements of President Barack Obama.

Trump has pledged to act quickly to repeal Obama's landmark health care law, revoke the nuclear agreement with Iran and rewrite important trade deals with other countries, particularly Mexico and Canada.

The Republican blasted through Democrats' longstanding firewall, carrying Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that hadn't voted for a GOP presidential candidate since the 1980s. He needed to win nearly all of the competitive battleground states, and he did just that, claiming Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and others.

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged deeply, reflecting investor alarm over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.

A New York real estate developer who lives in a sparking Manhattan high-rise, Trump forged a striking connection with white, working class Americans who feel left behind in a changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of the problems plaguing many Americans and taped into fears of terrorism emanating at home and abroad.

Trump will take office with Congress expected to be fully under Republican control. GOP Senate candidates fended off Democratic challengers in key states and appeared poised to maintain the majority. Republicans also maintained their grip on the House.

Senate control means Trump will have great leeway in appointing Supreme Court justices, which could mean a major change to the right that would last for decades.

Trump upended years of political convention on his way to the White House, leveling harshly personal insults on his rivals, deeming Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers, and vowing to temporarily suspend Muslim immigration to the U.S. He never released his tax returns, breaking with decades of campaign tradition, and eschewed the kind of robust data and field efforts that helped Obama win two terms in the White House, relying instead on his large, free-wheeling rallies to energize supporters. His campaign was frequently in chaos, and he cycled through three campaign managers this year.

His final campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, touted the team's accomplishments as the final results rolled in, writing on Twitter that "rally crowds matter" and "we expanded the map."

The mood at Clinton's party grew bleak as the night wore out, with some supporters leaving, others crying and hugging each other. Top campaign aides stopped returning calls and texts, as Clinton and her family hunkered down in a luxury hotel watching the returns.

At 2 a.m., Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta told the crowd to head home for the night. "We're still counting votes and every vote should count," he said. But less than 30 minutes later, Clinton conceded.

Trump will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture.

Exit polls underscored the fractures: Women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

Doug Ratliff, a 67-year-old businessman from Richlands, Virginia, said Trump's election would be one of the happiest days of his life.

"This county has had no hope," said Ratliff, who owns strip malls in the area badly beaten by the collapse of the coal industry. "You have no idea what it would mean for the people if Trump won. They'll have hope again. Things will change. I know he's not going to be perfect. But he's got a heart. And he gives people hope."

Trump has pledged to usher in a series of sweeping changes to U.S. domestic and foreign policy: repealing Obama's signature health care law, though he has been vague on what he could replace it with; building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border; and suspending immigration from country's with terrorism ties. He's also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoken of building a better relationship with Moscow, worrying some in his own party who fear he'll go easy on Putin's provocations.

The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, a reluctant Trump supporter, called the businessman earlier in the evening to congratulate him, according to a Ryan spokeswoman.

Democrats, as well as some Republicans, expected Trump's unconventional candidacy would damage down-ballot races and even flip some reliably red states in the presidential race. But Trump held on to Republican territory, including in Georgia and Utah, where Clinton's campaign confidently invested resources.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in her party's hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Barack Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his signature health care law.

But she struggled throughout the race with persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. Those troubles flared anew late in the race, when FBI Director James Comey announced a review of new emails from her tenure at the State Department. On Sunday, just two days before Election Day, Comey said there was nothing in the material to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.

Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey, Bradley Klapper, Vivian Salama, Hope Yen, Jill Colvin and Lisa Lerer and AP Polling Director Emily Swanson contributed to this report.
The Montana Attorney General appears likely to stay in office for another term, while the races for secretary of state and state auditor are closer, according to early statewide election returns.

Republican Attorney General Tim Fox, seeking re-election against former state legislator Larry Jent, a Democrat, had a wide lead of 68 percent to 31 percent according to incomplete statewide returns issued just before midnight Tuesday.

Fox says he has cracked down on sex offenders by instituting compliance checks and improving the sex offender registry. He also has expanded an anti-drunken driving program started by then-Attorney General Steve Bullock and hired a prescription drug abuse prevention coordinator.

Jent had said he would focus on ensuring access to public lands, cracking down on prescription drug abuse and ensuring that drug companies and health insurers do not take advantage of state residents through price gouging.

In the Secretary of State's race, two veteran Montana politicians  Democrat Monica Lindeen and Republican Corey Stapleton  were competing for the open Secretary of State post vacated by Linda McCulloch, a Democrat who served two terms. In early election results, Stapleton had a 55 percent to 41 percent lead over Lindeen.

Stapleton is a former state legislator from Billings who most recently lost in the 2014 U.S. House Republican primary against incumbent U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke. Lindeen, the outgoing state auditor, is seeking to keep the seat in Democratic hands.

In the Auditor's race, State Sen. Matt Rosendale, hoping to recapture the seat for the Republicans, had taken a 53 to 46 percent lead over Jesse Laslovich just before midnight Tuesday. Laslovich, the chief legal counsel for the state auditor's office, is seeking to replace his boss, Lindeen.

Both candidates have served in the Legislature. Rosendale said he would make fraud and theft protection a top priority. Laslovich said he would seek transparency in health care pricing and fight investment fraud against senior citizens.
POLSON  The only way a public safety mill levy election in Ronan could have been closer Tuesday is if one more person had voted for it.

If someone had changed their vote from no to yes, it would have been a tie.

As it is, the city is expected to request a recount after the mill levy lost 303-301.

The $85,000 levy would have given Ronan a full-time police force, adding one officer so that all shifts could be staffed seven days a week. It also would have established a pay ladder that Police Chief Ken Weaver hoped would help retain officers, and created a fund for patrol cars.

Elsewhere in Lake County, voters here boosted Dan Salomon into the Montana State Senate.

Salomon, a longtime Republican state representative from Lake County, defeated Democrat Tom France by 579 votes in Senate District 47, which includes portions of both Lake and Missoula counties. Salomons margin of victory came from Lake County voters, who gave him 767 more votes than France.

The final tally was 4,429 for Salomon and 3,850 for France. In Lake County precincts, Salomon outpolled France 2,503 to 1,736.

***

Lake County also sent brothers-in-law from opposite parties to Helena. Republican Greg Hertz of Polson was easily re-elected in House District 12, beating Democrat Susan Evans 3,372 to 1,852.

Hertz wrote letters to the editor of local papers urging the defeat of his wifes brother, Democrat John Fleming, in House District 15. But Fleming, a retired St. Ignatius teacher and former state representative, also won his race with relative ease.

Fleming downed Republican Johanna Clark 2,355 to 1,982.

The family connections in the House of Representatives wont end there. Adam Hertz  Greg Hertzs son, and Flemings nephew  was elected in House District 96 in Missoula.

There were three other statehouse seats decided that include parts of Lake County. In Senate District 6, Republican Albert Olszewski picked up 72 percent of the vote in a 7,332 to 2,829 win over Rolf Harmsen. Mark Ray Noland, also a Republican, enjoyed a similar percentage in HD 10, where he beat James Swanson 4,081 to 1,510.

In HD 15, Democrat George Kipp III was unopposed. He got 2,419 votes.

***

The Ronan public safety bond wasnt the only proposal on some Lake county ballots.

In St. Ignatius, a second attempt to approve a school bond issue failed, 712 to 574. The $5.6 million bond would have repaired several sewer and plumbing problems in the schools, and built a new gymnasium.

And a handful of Lake County voters helped a permanent mill levy increase for the Hot Springs library pass. The vote was 14-9 in the Lake County precinct affected, and 404-232 overall.

At the county level, Republicans faced no opposition Tuesday. Lyn Platt Fricker was re-elected clerk of district court, Carolyn Hall was kept on as county superintendent of schools, and Dave Stipe  who defeated incumbent County Commissioner Ann Brower in the June primary  was unopposed in the general election.
"Drain the swamp." "Let's go, baby."

Local supporters of Donald Trump cheered periodically as announcers reported the Republican presidential candidate was winning key battleground states Tuesday night.

Vondene Kopetski, chair of the Missoula County Republican Party, said as many as 60 to 80 people showed up at one time at the drop-in event at the Press Box. Other Republicans were at a separate party for Adam Hertz, running for the Montana Legislature.

"I think people that wanted to see Trump win take heart in the fact that so many of us showed up to those rallies," Kopetski said, saying he drew many more supporters across the country than Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Kopetski, for one, was not surprised that the business mogul considered a long shot to win the White House by political analysts was ahead late Tuesday evening.

"We don't believe the (polling)," Kopetski said.

Late in the evening, Trump had won Florida and appeared to be on the path to a victory that analysts would see as an upset.

Some members of the local GOP were only reluctantly supporting Trump in an election year mired in scandal on both sides. Gus Minjares, for instance, has worked construction, and he wasn't keen on the presidential candidate's history of shafting contractors.

But he couldn't stomach Clinton and her stance on abortion, for one, either. He believes Trump was ahead because other workers didn't want an establishment candidate to lead the country: "Basically, (there were) enough blue collar workers that were just plain pissed off with politics as usual."

Paul Cooley would have voted for Bernie Sanders, who lost the Democratic primary to Clinton, and he filled in the ballot for Trump with reluctance.

"It's not terribly political. It's economical," Cooley said.

Recently, he got word of his "Obamacare" premium, he said, and it's $970 a month for him at 61 years old.

Cooley believes voters wanted to send a message they don't want "business as usual" anymore, and politics in Washington, D.C., isn't working anymore.

"I'm just surprised there's enough of us," Cooley said.

Despite the deep divides in the country, Jim Royan of Missoula said people locally and nationally can come together.

Royan, former chair of the local GOP, said he's walked over to the Union Club at the end of an election night to chat with his Democratic friends. He's gone over with Thelma Baker, a longtime Republican leader who casts one of Montana's three electoral votes.

"This is a small community. Montana is a small town, and people sometimes get lost in the acrimony of politics," Royan said. "And again, you can disagree with people but still be friends with them and get along and ultimately find common ground."

Royan believes that's the case across the country, too, not just locally. Politics have always been "very vicious" in the United States, he said.

"(But) the founding fathers structured the system so it could withstand the acrimony," he said.
Voters waited to register on Election Day in Montana in a tense and tumultuous 2016 presidential election  standing in line from little to no time at Missoula County elections headquarters at the Fairgrounds to a couple of hours in other areas.

In Lake County, a swamped elections worker said the wait to register was an hour and a half to two hours, and she needed to run.

Honey, I hate to be rude, but youre going to have to call back a little later. Im three deep in registering, she said.

The wait to register in Cascade County was just 45 minutes around 8 p.m. when the polls closed, and the longest time was a couple of hours, according to an elections employee. That means 2016 was an improvement over 2008 and 2012, when voters waited as long as four hours to register on Election Day.

The elections employee in Great Falls attributed the decrease to more people working the lines and better processing: More people are aware of the early voting, (too).

In Missoula County, Vondene Kopetski had spent the day poll watching along with some 35 volunteers from the Missoula County Republican Party.

The local GOP chair said she saw no problems or glitches. She has questions about how voting takes place at the fairgrounds, elections headquarters, but she praised elections administrator Rebecca Connors for a tremendous job.

I didnt see any problems at all. I think everything went wonderfully, Kopetski said.

But in Gallatin County, the wait time averaged an hour and a half throughout the day, according to a volunteer.
With a firm 54 percent lead in hand, Rep. Ryan Zinke spent much of Election Day evening talking about what he planned to do in his second term representing Montana in the U.S. House.

"The big challenge is how we heal and unite," Zinke said before taking the podium. "This is an American issue when the national anthem becomes political, when law enforcement isn't respected - we're going to have to unite as Americans."

About 150 supporters gathered in the Lodge at Whitefish Lake to watch the national poll results with Zinke and several Flathead County legislative candidates. The room grew increasingly jubilant as the presidential vote solidified around Republican Donald Trump. By 10:30 p.m., many were already heading home before Zinke made his public remarks.

The first-term GOP incumbent held a 57 percent to 40 percent lead over Democrat Denise Juneau, who garnered national attention for her historic bid for national office. Juneau would have been the first Native American woman elected to Congress.

About an hour after Juneau took the Top Hat stage, she released a statement conceding the race to Zinke.

"Sometimes, results dont go the way we want them to, and its OK to be disappointed," Juneau said in an emailed statement. "But, we should not be discouraged. We need to pick up the pieces and continue our work to make this world a better place.

"I just called Congressman Zinke to congratulate him on his re-election, and I wished him the best. I hope that after this long campaign he will truly work to represent all of us as our Congressman."

Acknowledging that Montana ranks No. 1 in the nation for political ticket splitting, Zinke said he was ready to work with Gov. Steve Bullock and the rest of the state leadership. He was also interested to see how the House of Representatives settled its leadership order.

"We'll have to see where (Speaker of the House) Paul Ryan is," Zinke said. "He did endorse Trump, but then the narrative he followed afterward was not very strong. He's got to convince the caucus that he's capable of leadership."

As to his own ambitions, Zinke said he'd wait to see which way the wind was blowing.

He said he was more focused on infrastructure issues in Montana, including improvements to Glacier and Yellowstone national parks, national forest amenities and other public lands.

About 150 people gathered at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake to watch the results and greet Zinke. They cheered as North Carolina was called for Trump, and again when Idaho reported in with 83 percent in favor of the Republican candidate. The cheers got even louder when Wisconsin went in the GOP column.

"It's time to show leadership," Zinke said. "It's time to put politics in the back seat."

A Republican has held Montanas House seat for two decades.

The election for the House seat came one day after the anniversary of Montanas Jeannette Rankin being elected to Congress in 1916  the first woman ever elected to Congress.

After 23 years in the U.S. Navy SEALs, Zinke served one term as a state senator. In 2012, he ran for lieutenant governor, but failed.

He snagged Montanas House seat in 2014 with a 55 percent win over Democrat John Lewis and Libertarian Mike Fellows. He filled a seat left vacant by Republican Steve Daines, who resigned to run successfully for his current U.S. Senate position.

Juneau has termed out after serving two terms as Montanas state schools chief. During that time, graduation rates have increased to a record high of 86 percent. She started out as a high school teacher for seven years before moving on from education to law in 2004. After working as division administrator at the Office of Public Instruction, she was elected to lead OPI in 2008.

In a Montana State University Billings poll conducted Oct. 3-10, Zinke held a 19 percent lead over Juneau, with 19 percent undecided. A Lee Newspapers poll conducted Oct. 10-12 found that lead had narrowed, with Zinke holding a 13 percent lead over Juneau, and 6 percent undecided.

Analysts predicted that gap would be hard for Juneau to close in the final weeks.

This has been the most expensive House race in recent Montana history, with both campaigns raking in about $8.13 million through Oct. 19. Zinke took heat over the fact that 84 percent of his donations came from out of state, with critics saying he doesnt truly represent Montanans. Juneau has received 58 percent of her contributions from out of state.

Zinke is vocal about military decisions, anti-terrorism tactics and the vetting process for refugees  all topics that voters pointed to as the top issues in the Lee Newspapers poll. Juneau, on the other hand, spent much of her campaign on the attack.

In the final two weeks, the House Majority PAC, a national Democratic group, poured nearly $500,000 into TV ads attacking Zinke.

During debates this fall, Zinke and Juneau often traded barbs over natural resources, public lands and comparisons to their party's presidential candidates. Both have said they're pro-coal, though Zinke jabbed Juneau at a Sept. 1 debate for a 2010 state Land Board vote against the Otter Creek coal development. Juneau fired back, pointing out her vote to expand the Signal Peak coal mine in 2014.

At their first debate days earlier, they sparred over each other's advocacy for Native Americans. Zinke has said he's the right person to represent Indian Country, pointing to his roots in eastern Montana, a region he said "oftentimes gets ignored." Juneau, a Native American herself who grew up on the Blackfeet Reservation, tied Zinke to Trump, who many view as anti-Native  which prompted Zinke to rebut and link Juneau to Clinton, calling them both liars.

Libertarian Rick Breckenridge, a surveyor from Proctor in rural Lake County, wound up with 2 percent of the vote as of 10 p.m. Tuesday. Breckenridge was a late addition to the race, coming in after Libertarian candidate Mike Fellows died in a car crash Sept. 19 following a political forum in Seeley Lake.

Go to missoulian.com for the latest results.
Emphasizing the unexpected timeliness of their action, the Missoula City Council passed a resolution Wednesday in solidarity with the water protectors in Standing Rock, North Dakota.

The 8 a.m. meeting saw members of the Bitterroot Salish, Northern Cheyenne and Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara nations thank the council for their commitment to the cause.

There may be things we dont agree with happening; being here today with you makes me feel good, Ruth Swaney said, cradling her daughter Lily on her lap.

The resolution acknowledged Missoulas own water utility issue, conservation plans and recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day.

Ward 3 Representative Gwen Jones said it was shocking to her that the Standing Rock Sioux tribe wasnt consulted with about the pipeline deal, as its a sovereign nation and deserves a say in the construction that could spill oil into their main water source.

Weve been told by big oil companies that pipelines dont leak, Ward 4 Representative Jon Wilkins said. I think we can see right here in Montana that theyre wrong.

Ward 1 Representative Heidi West, who brought forward the proposal, said she struggled to talk with her children that morning about the election, but found comfort in the resolution, saying its more important than ever to stick up for important issues.

Ward 2 Representative Harlan Wells had the only no vote on the resolution, but wanted it to be put on the consent agenda at Monday nights meeting, which is usually reserved for unanimously approved items.

Later Wednesday morning, council also approved discussion of the updated city-county Jail Diversion Master Plan for Monday night.

The plan was finished in April 2016, but was amended and revised over the summer. The Board of County Commissioners will take up the plan at their public meeting Nov. 16.

Ward 3 Representative Emily Bentley worked with the Missoula County Sheriffs Office, Commissioner Cola Rowley, county jail staff and State Sen. Cynthia Wolken, who drafted the plan, to come up with the amendments.

The plan was commissioned to come up with alternatives to jail time for nonviolent offenders and pre-trial detainees, who make up a majority of the jails inmates.

It emphasizes home arrest and electronic monitoring as key ways to decrease the jail population, which has been over capacity for years.

The intention is not to build a bigger jail, and [to] identify issues of people getting stuck in the system, Undersheriff Jason Johnson said in a committee meeting Nov. 2.

Two nonprofits offer electronic monitoring services in Missoula County, Johnson said, and both offer alcohol testing as well, though ideally both services would be expanded.

Missoula needs those, Municipal Court Administrator Tina Reinecke said. That gives the judge some alternatives.

Municipal Court Judge Kathleen Jenks spoke to the committee Wednesday on some issues she had with the plan.

Jenks agreed alternatives are ideal in a lot of situations; mental health services and addiction services would be invaluable in certain cases, but if someone wont show up for their court-mandated services, she doesnt have any recourse but to jail them.

Municipal court only has access to about 15 beds in the county jail, Jenks said, limiting her ability to jail absentee offenders.

These treatments that are being recommended are a drop in the bucket, she said.

Bentley said the plan would ideally be updated and revised every couple of years as a sort of living document.

The reason why we have master plans is when were making budget decisions, we have a framework, she said. Plans like this also help us leverage more funding from the state.

It gives us at least an overarching understanding of the issues, Jones added.
The timber industry and its advocates continue to promote a number of myths designed to garner public support for increased logging. New legislation is proposed that would weaken environmental protections, reduce public review of U.S. Forest Service timber sales (called variously vegetation management, forest health restoration, fuels reduction, hazard tree reduction, salvage timber sale) and significantly increase money-losing logging on public lands.

Myth: Restoration of our forests is needed to recreate historic conditions.

Truth: There is growing debate about whether most forest ecosystems need any restoration. Nearly all higher-elevation mixed conifer and subalpine forests grew in dense stands that tended to burn at medium to long intervals (often at intervals of hundreds of years), with large patches of mixed to high mortality, so they are well within historic conditions.

Low-elevation ponderosa pine forests were considered different from the moister, higher-elevation forests and characterized as open and park-like, and burned by frequent low severity surface fires. However, new research concludes that many pine stands historically experienced occasional high severity stand replacement blazes and may not be significantly outside of their historic condition.

For instance, one recent review paper concluded: current attempts to 'restore' forests to open, low-severity fire conditions may not align with historical reference conditions in most ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests of western North America.

Myth: Logging reduces large wildfires.

Truth: Large wildfires burn under extreme weather conditions. Under extreme weather, wildfires burn through, over and around clearcuts, thinned forests and areas that have been prescribed burned. Such fires are controlled when the weather changes to more moderate conditions.

Logging may even increase fire spread and fire severity.

The conclusion of the Sierra Nevada report to Congress had this to say: "Timber harvest, through its effects on forest structure, local microclimate, and fuels accumulation, has increased fire severity more than any other recent human activity."

Another study done by fire ecologists at the Missoula Fire Lab concluded: "Even extensive fuel treatments may not reduce the amount of area burned over the long-term and furthermore, reduction of area burned may actually be an undesirable outcome.

A new study soon to be published found that reviewed 1,500 wildfires between 1984 and 2014 found that actively managed forests had the highest level of fire severity. While those forests in protected areas burned, on average, had the lowest level of fire severity. In other words, the best way to reduce severe fires is to protect the land as wilderness, not manage it.

Myth: Thinning national forest lands will protect homes.

Truth: One only needs to reduce the flammability within 100 feet of homes to protect them. Reducing fuels more than 100 feet beyond the home confers no additional protection. As one study concluded: It may not be necessary or effective to treat fuels in adjacent areas in order to suppress fires before they reach homes; rather, it is the treatment of the fuels immediately proximate to the residences, and the degree to which the residential structures themselves can ignite that determine if the residences are vulnerable.

Myth: Beetle outbreaks increase the chances of wildfire.

Truth: Any number of research studies has documented that beetle outbreaks have little effect or even reduces the chance of large wildfire for a period of years. Dead trees do not burn as well as live trees with flammable resins. For example, one study concluded: we found no detectable increase in the occurrence of high-severity fires following MPB outbreaks. Dry conditions, rather than changes in fuels associated with outbreak, appear to be most limiting to the occurrence of severe fires in these forests.

Myth: Dead trees are a sign of a forest health problem.

Truth: Dead trees are critical to healthy forest ecosystems. Some 250 scientists recently sent a letter to Congress affirming snag forest habitat are ecological treasures comparable to old growth forests."

Unfortunately, as a result of logging and other forest management, we have a deficit of dead trees in our forest ecosystems. Episodic input of dead woods results from wildfire, beetles and disease. These natural processes help maintain forest ecosystem health.
Montana has some of the least-restrictive gun laws in America, which is good. Carrying firearms in Montana is free of many restrictions unless the firearm is concealed. Even Montanas concealed firearm laws are some of the least restrictive in the nation, which is also good.

The common-sense laws we have are intended to preserve the peace in our cities and towns. They are firmly grounded in the Montana Constitution, which states:

"Article II. Declaration of Rights. Section 12. Right to bear arms. The right of any person to keep or bear arms in defense of his own home, person, and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall not be called in question, but nothing herein contained shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons."

A person in Montana may carry a concealed firearm while they are hunting, fishing, hiking, ranching, or on their own property, and the list continues. However, when they enter a city or town, a permit from the county sheriff is required to carry a concealed firearm. Montanas current laws strike an equitable balance between citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights with as few limitations as possible while also protecting public safety.

When applying for a concealed weapon permit, the applicant is subject to a more thorough background check than the background check done when purchasing a firearm. Your sheriff checks to ensure the person is not wanted for a crime, a past felon, or restricted from carrying firearms for other reasons. The sheriff may deny an applicant a permit to carry a concealed weapon if the sheriff has reasonable cause to believe that the applicant is mentally ill, mentally disordered or mentally disabled, or otherwise may be a threat to the peace and good order of the community to the extent that the applicant should not be allowed to carry a concealed weapon. At the time an application is denied, the sheriff shall, unless the applicant is the subject of an active criminal investigation, give the applicant a written statement of the reasonable cause upon which the denial is based. Prior to issuing a permit, the sheriff may require the applicant to demonstrate some familiarity/safety with firearms. If these criteria are met, the sheriff must issue a concealed weapon permit.

A concealed weapon permit entitles a person to carry a concealed weapon, skip the background check when purchasing a firearm, and carry concealed in states with which Montana has reciprocity. According to the Montana Department of Justice, a Montana concealed weapon permit is also valid in 43 other states.

In the 2013 and 2015 legislative sessions, Gov. Steve Bullock vetoed bills that would allow any person legally allowed to possess a firearm to carry a concealed weapon in a city or town without a permit. For example, House Bill 304 in 2013 would have effectively eliminated Montana's concealed weapon permitting process by allowing anyone eligible to possess a handgun to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. The measure would have allowed individuals to decide whether they are eligible to carry a concealed weapon.

In fact, we asked Bullock to veto HB 304 and others like it because we strongly believe the current law provides an additional necessary check to ensure public safety when carrying a concealed weapon in Montanas cities and towns.

While we, as a group, do not support or endorse any political candidate, we do wish to set the record straight. Sheriffs support the existing permit requirements for concealed weapon permits, as a matter of public safety. Opposing unrestricted concealed carrying of weapons by anyone, anywhere, does not equate to opposing the Second Amendment.

The undersigned elected sheriffs in the state of Montana support the Second Amendment. We also support the existing permit requirements for concealed weapon permits as a matter of public safety.
As I consider Gov. Steve Bullocks new energy plan, a Blueprint for Montanas Energy Future, Im brought back to another place and another time.

I grew up along the banks of the Monongahela River in Glassport, Pennsylvania, about eight meandering miles before the Mon joins with the Allegheny River to create the Ohio River in downtown Pittsburgh. My parents were steelworkers and my earliest memories are of picking up tarry pebbles alongside an oily river. The river ran black, with no signs of life. Air quality was horrible.

It wasnt until the early 1970s when the city of Pittsburgh, in cooperation with the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health and others, embarked on an ambitious 20-year plan to clean the air and water. The challenges were immense, requiring contributions from virtually everyone.

Today, the air is remarkably cleaner in Pittsburgh. The city experienced a true renaissance  including a vibrant downtown, reclaimed waterfront, cleaner water and far cleaner air  which stands in stark contrast to the days when streetlights turned on during the day from pollution-darkened skies and when executives brought extra shirts to work because theirs were blackened by lunchtime!

But we also learned in Pittsburgh that its achievements are always at risk, and that is the essential point: Vigilance remains Pittsburghs persistent but noble challenge, as it is for any city similarly engaged. Ensuring clean air and healthy spaces for the next generation should be the inherent mandate of any informed generation; you can never let up.

Today I have the good fortune to live in Montana and I love my adopted home. Our environmental issues are certainly not Pittsburghs  and in some ways, it makes it even more challenging. The affront to Montanans health is far subtler, but the evidence is clear. Rising temperatures, changes in rain patterns, and increasing wildfires lead to more particulate air pollution and more plant allergens. Adverse health impacts include increases in asthma and risk of premature chronic heart and lung disease. Children and the elderly are most vulnerable, but were all at risk.

We should make no mistake  getting out in front of the effects of declining air quality by embracing a progressive, balanced approach to ensuring the health of our children and elders while ensuring economic stability is inevitable  now is the time.

The governors new plan offers tools to face this significant challenge. I appreciate that transitioning to clean renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, is complicated by not just our reliance on traditional fuels but also the historical economic dependence on extraction in Montana. We know that reliance on traditional fuel sources, such as coal, to produce electricity in the United States contributes to both air pollution and climate change, but we legitimately fear widespread industrial shift. I lived through the economic collapse of steel and coal and the degree to which my family, friends and their parents were impacted, but in the longer term, we survived and prospered in the broader perspective. Public consensus may never match scientific consensus. That is why transition with sensitivity is critical, but our higher obligation is to provide for the health of our families and neighbors.

Only with visionary thinking, persistence and bold action can we address climate change and maintain healthy air quality, and we all have a role to play. My career has been dedicated to improving population health through education and research so that we may effectively address the health impacts of climate change. Ive lived the problem and thus wanted to share this perspective so we may all engage in thoughtful reflection about how we work together to move forward with the shared commitment to our communitys health.

The governors plan to guide Montanas energy future is exciting and innovative and full of potential. The plan deserves the support of those of us who value clean air and who wish to leave a better world for our young people.
The recent article (Nov. 4) on the proposed changes by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service involving western Montana wildlife refuges is both interesting and troublesome. Staff cuts at various Montana refuges could eliminate 12 positions and many educational programs would be abolished.

Locally, the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge is going to lose Bob Danley, its excellent outdoor education planner, thereby eliminating the refuges environmental education program. That would leave the Metcalf refuge with a GS-12 supervisor to manage a 2,800-acre refuge. This could possibly end the refuge as we know it today, but probably preserve the waterfowl and deer hunting that takes place on the refuge in the fall.

Both Missoula and the Bitterroot Valley are blessed with many volunteer/wildlife educational organizations: Montana Natural History Center naturalists; University of Montana wildlife biologists; Friends of the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge volunteers; Ducks/Trout Unlimited groups: Pheasants Forever and the like.

Rather than allow the Metcalf refuge to disappear in the sunset from lack of support, it might make better sense to hire a GS-7/8 wildlife biologist to manage environmental education programs with volunteer assistance, rather than retain a GS-12 supervisor to sit around an empty building with an administrative assistant. The worse-case scenario would be to abandon the refuge entirely and manage it from the Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge north of Great Falls.

Heres hoping that the USFWS does the right thing for our community.

Jim Hamilton,

Florence
BOZEMAN (AP)  The Gallatin County sheriff says he and four deputies will be helping law enforcement officers in North Dakota keep the peace during an ongoing oil pipeline protest.

Sheriff Brian Gootkin said Wednesday that he expected they would spend about a week at the Dakota Access oil pipeline protest, which has occasionally turned violent.

The Montana Highway Patrol has already sent troopers to assist North Dakota law enforcement officers to help at the site of the protest on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.
HAMILTON  An alleged fight between two brothers over a girl ended with one suffering from broken bones in his face and the other in jail charged with felony assault.

David Lee Casterline, 30, appeared Tuesday before Ravalli County Justice Jennifer Ray on the felony charge and a misdemeanor count of partner or family member assault.

According to an affidavit, Ravalli County sheriffs deputies responded to a report of a disturbance Saturday at about 8 p.m. on Gold Creek Road.

When they arrived, a deputy learned that Casterline and his brother, Donald, had been in a fight over a girl who was apparently trying to decide which one of them to date.

Two women told the deputy the men began to fight and that David Casterline hit his brother hard enough to knock him to the ground. While his brother was on the ground, the affidavit said David Casterline kicked him in the face and continued to hit him in the face, according to the affidavit.

The deputy spoke with Donald Casterline, who was hard to understand due to his facial injuries and extreme intoxication, the affidavit said. The deputy noted that Donald Casterline appeared to have broken bones in his cheek, eye socket and nose, the document said.

In a subsequent interview, David Casterline told the deputy he was hit three times by his brother. He allegedly admitted knocking his brother to the ground, but denied kicking him.

The affidavit said David Casterlines knuckles were swollen and appeared to be broken. There was blood on both of his hands.

Ray set bail at $50,000.
A man who moved to Marion, just west of Kalispell, this spring, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Missoula for failing to register as a sex offender.

Nicholas David Lamere, 44, entered the plea before U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy.

He was detained pending sentencing, which Molloy set for Feb. 16.

Lamere had been convicted of felony assault with intent to commit sexual penetration in Michigan, where he lived before moving to Montana.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson said the government was ready to introduce evidence showing Lamere had moved to Marion in May, but had neither updated his sex offender registration in Michigan, nor attempted to register in Montana, Kalispell, or Flathead County.
MAN HIDING

Police on Porphyry and Montana recognized a vehicle at 1 p.m. Tuesday as belonging to Edward Cocking, 25, Butte, the focus of a $50,000 arrest warrant for a probation violation. Police pulled the car over on Mercury near Main and found two women in the front seat. Police asked the driver, Tijana Rowe-Jensen, about Cocking, and according to police Rowe-Jensen said he wasn't around.

Police then found Cocking hiding under a pile of clothes in the back seat, and said they wrestled with him before managing to place him under arrest. Cocking was arrested for violating release conditions, violating probation, resisting arrest, and after police later searched the car, felony and misdemeanor drug possession and paraphernalia possession for meth, marijuana and pipes. Rowe-Jensen was arrested later on LaPlatte Street for felony obstruction of justice.

WOMAN FLEES

A man called police at 3 a.m. Wednesday after police said his wife attacked him in their home on the 2600 block of Goodwin. Police said the man, 66, and woman got into an argument about waking up the kids after getting home late. The argument escalated, and police said the victim had scratches on his arms and face and a reddened eye. Police entered the home, but the suspect, Kim Perkins, 48, was already headed down an alley. Perkins eventually surrendered to police and was arrested for partner/family member assault.
Two Bozeman medical marijuana growers indicted on federal drug charges carrying potential life sentences will go before a jury trial in Butte on Nov. 28.

Charlton Victor Campbell, the owner of the Montana Buds, Montana's largest medical marijuana dispensary, and Michael James Mason both stand accused of two felony counts of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana, and two counts of felony possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

The minimum mandatory sentences for each man are 60 years to life in prison, and $22 million in fines if found guilty of all charges.

Both men pleaded not guilty to all charges on September 29 in Billings' federal court, before jurisdiction over the case was moved to Butte federal court.

The indictment states that between March and May 18, Campbell and Mason possessed and conspired to manufacture and distribute more than 1,000 marijuana plants and an unstated amount of butane hash oil.

Drug Enforcement Agency agents raided Montana Buds on May 18, and a warrant was filed in Gallatin County in April for a confidential informant to wear a wire to investigate a business distributing more marijuana than is legal under state law.

Two other men will be tried in Butte on charges in circumstances similar to Campbell and Mason, though authorities have not formally associated the cases.

Jesse Walter Campbell was indicted on the same day in Billings federal court for possessing and intending to distribute over 100 marijuana plants. Jesse pleaded not guilty, but has a change of plea hearing set for January 20 in Butte with a plea agreement to follow the next day. A trial is still set for Jan. 30 in Butte.

David Richard Maples was indicted on the same day as the other three men on charges of conspiring to possess and distribute marijuana, and possessing and intending to distribute marijuana. Maples accepted a plea deal on Oct. 25 in Missoula federal court, and is set to plead guilty to the second charge on November 15 in Missoula. Maples' Dec. 5 trial in Butte federal court has been dropped.
No layoffs are planned at Buttes REC Silicon in the wake of 70 jobs lost at its affiliated plant in Moses Lake, Wash., according to a spokesperson.

Chris Bowes, the company's Norway-based director of investor relations and global sourcing, said last week some shared services employees were being considered for the layoff. Some of those workers could have come from the Butte plant, Bowes said.

But he confirmed from Norway Tuesday night that no workers at the Butte plant lost their jobs.

The Butte plant, southwest of town, employs an estimated 260 full-time workers. It manufactures electronic-grade polysilicon. The Moses Lake plant makes solar-grade polysilicon. Before the layoff, it employed more than 300 workers, according to the company.

A trade war with China over solar-grade polysilicon materials prompted the Moses Lake plant layoff, Bowes told The Montana Standard previously.

Uncertainty with Chinese tariffs and a 57 percent tax added by China to solar-grade polysilicon imported from the U.S. has affected the company adversely, said Bowes. The company reported third-quarter revenues of $50.9 million, compared to $71.1 million in the previous quarter.

The trade war with China began because the U.S. government placed an import tax on Chinese solar panels coming to the U.S. in 2012. That led to the Chinese retaliating, according to Bowes.

The Butte-based plant makes polysilicon and silane gases for the electronics market. Silane gases are used in semiconductor, flat-screen display and thin-film technologies.
With 2,386 votes, challenger Bill Everett wins Anaconda-Deer Lodge County's chief executive race, according to unofficial election results Wednesday morning.

This comes as no surprise. Everett began leading early Tuesday night and held onto his larger share of the vote for the rest of the night. Seeking a second term, incumbent Connie Ternes-Daniels brought in 1,777 votes, according to unofficial election results.

About 80 percent of Anaconda's registered voters cast their ballot at the polls Tuesday night.

Everett also came in ahead of Ternes-Daniels in the primary.

Everett challenged Ternes-Daniels with the promise that he could bring change and new business opportunity to the community. A financial adviser, Everett graduated from Helena High School and the University of Montana-Missoula.

Seeking a second term, Ternes-Daniels, 58, served one elected term. She served as interim chief executive in 2012 before being elected to office. She took over from Becky Guay when Guay resigned for another job. Ternes-Daniels is a graduate of Montana Tech and Anaconda Senior High School.

Everett did not return repeated phone calls from The Montana Standard.

Ternes-Daniels expressed gratitude that she was able to lead the county for four years.

"It's been an honor and a pleasure to serve Anaconda-Deer Lodge County," Ternes-Daniels said in a phone call Tuesday night.

COMMISSION RACE ROUNDUP

District 1 commission race between incumbent Terry Vermeire, 61, and Blake Hempstead, 41, lands Vermeire back in his commission seat with 641 votes over Hempstead's 426, according to unofficial election results.

District 2 commission faceoff between incumbent Patricia Mulvey, 67, and Steve Gates, 55, brought an upset to Mulvey. Gates took the win Tuesday night with 454 votes. Mulvey earned 212 votes, according to unofficial results.

District 3 commission incumbent Kevin Hart, 54, took back his seat with 440 votes ahead of Michael Merino's 250 votes, according to unofficial early results.
Tech plans Cold Turkey Trot

Montana Tech is hosting a Cold Turkey Trot on Saturday, Nov. 19, starting at 9 a.m. at the HPER back parking lot.

Its in conjunction with the Great American Smokeout, which challenges cigarette smokers to quit at least for a day.

This event is open to anyone and can be an opportunity to burn off those extra calories before Thanksgiving and support smoke-free living.

The cost is two non-perishable food items per person or $5 cash (all of which will be donated to the local food bank.) Pre-register online at goo.gl/forms/1UhMt6TeCyBqCvDp2 until Nov. 17 at 5 p.m. Same-day registration runs 7:30 to 8:45 a.m.

Details: Spencer Hale at spencer.hale12@gmail.com.

Butte KC breakfast planned Sunday

Butte Knights of Columbus Butte Council 668 will have its monthly fundraiser breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, Nov. 13, at 224 W. Park St. Proceeds from this months breakfast will go to Coats for Kids.

The menu includes French toast, bacon, sausage, hash browns, eggs, coffee, and juice. The cost is $8 per person or $20 per family. Details: 406-782-2891 (after 3 p.m.).

Holiday bazaar Nov. 26 in Deer Lodge

DEER LODGE  A holiday bazaar runs 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, in the Pen Convention Center in Deer Lodge, across from the Old Pen. Admission is free. Wreaths, ornaments, jewelry, and other items for holiday giving and decorating will be sold. Details: Wanda at 406-529-1068.

Visitor services discontinued for winter

WISDOM  Beginning Friday, Nov. 11, the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest will discontinue visitor services during the winter months in Wise River.

Full visitor services will resume in May 2017. Forest Service offices in Butte, Wisdom, Dillon, Philipsburg, Sheridan, and Ennis are open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Firewood and Christmas tree permits are available for purchase at the I-90 Truck Auto Plaza in Deer Lodge, Fics Conoco in Drummond, Ace Hardware and Bob Ward and Sons in Butte, and Hardware Hanks in Anaconda.

Details: Forest Service in Wisdom, 406-689-3243.

Alternative healing is session topic

An education session where participants learn about different alternative healing methods runs 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at the Hearst Free Library, 401 Main St., Anaconda. Admission is free.

Here are the topics and speakers:

Moon Medicine and Melatonin  Dr. Laura Repola, naturopathic physician

Integrative Bodywork and Holistic Care  Glory Blue-Earth Highley, massage therapist

Five ways to raise your energy  Jacqueline Peterson, Reiki practitioner, McKay MethodLevel 2

Details: 406-491-2057.

Smart Driver Class in Anaconda

ANACONDA  AARP will offer a Smart Driver Class to area residents at the Metcalf Senior Center, 115 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Anaconda, on Thursday, Nov. 17, from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The course is designed to refresh safe driving skills. There are no tests. Upon completion, participants may be eligible to receive an auto insurance discount.

AARP members pay $15, and non-members pay $20. To register or details: 406-563-3504. The class is limited to 12.
NorthWestern Energys property tax payments are going up this year, not down. In fact, they are going up 10 percent.

NorthWesterns property tax bills have made lots of headlines across Montana recently. We are the states largest property taxpayer, and our property taxes are one of our largest costs of doing business. As Montanas largest provider of essential utility services, our prices are based on the cost of providing that service. Given that property taxes are a significant portion of our customers bills, it is extremely important that we manage our property tax costs for the benefit of our customers.

As NorthWestern continues to invest in its electric and natural gas infrastructure, our property taxes have increased. However, the level and rate of the increases of taxes proposed by the Montana Department of Revenue (MDOR) place an increasing burden on our customers bills and limits our ability to invest in safe, reliable and affordable service.

There are some important facts worth noting concerning our recent discussions with the MDOR and our 2016 property tax bills:

1) Even before the 2016 tax increase, NorthWestern and our customers were paying 34 percent ($121.9 million) of all the centrally assessed property taxes in Montana. The second largest was BNSF Railway at 7 percent ($17 million);

2) NorthWestern wanted to ensure it was allocated its fair share of Montana property taxes. In fact, even with the MDOR settlement, we are paying $12 million more than in 2015;

3) Under the MDORs initial valuation, NorthWesterns tax bill would have increased from $121.9 million paid in 2015 to $163.4 million for 2016, a 34 percent increase. While we have been able to work with MDOR to avoid protests for almost a decade, we were prepared to protest had we been unsuccessful in our recent negotiations. We agreed to a $134 million bill, about a 10 percent increase over 2015, and 35 percent over 2014;

4) Because of the impact on schools and local governments, NorthWestern did not want to protest this tax increase and began negotiating with the MDOR in June in the hope we could reach a settlement sooner; and,

5) Local taxing authorities will receive larger checks from NorthWestern than they did last year, and much larger than the year before.

NorthWestern, like schools and local governments, wants greater certainty in how these taxes are calculated and paid. We are interested in changes that provide more predictability, reach final outcomes sooner, and stabilize the overall tax burden for NorthWestern and ultimately our customers. NorthWestern and our customers are taxed at the highest rate in Montana, 12 percent. In contrast, the states rural electric cooperates and their members are taxed at 3 percent.

NorthWesterns tax payments are important to schools, local governments and other tax-supported entities. They are also important to our customers, and to the Montana Public Service Commission, which has directed that we separately disclose the significant amount of property taxes included in customer bills beginning this January.

Looking ahead, we hope to work with the MDOR to resolve valuation issues before they create budget issues. We also hope that we can develop more stable, predictable and equitable methods of establishing property tax valuations, a change that would benefit us all.

-- Pat Corcoran is vice president of Government and Regulatory Affairs for NorthWestern Energy.
The standoff on Lakota and 300-plus tribes at Standing Rock, North Dakota, is outrageous. North Dakota's governor, National Guard, police and federal agents have aligned unconstitutionally against a sovereign nation on behalf of a corporate behemoth. More than 140 innocent people have been arrested, strip-searched, gassed and brutalized, and 21 journalists imprisoned as in third-world dictatorships.

Water protectors face military hardware given by the feds to unrestrained police for use against American citizens. The United Nations issued a condemnation of U.S. crimes against indigenous people. President Obama has done nothing for the First People.

The Lakota never signed any treaty giving the U.S. this land. It was stolen by President U.S. Grant, enabled by Custer, Crook and Phil Sheridan. In 1876-77, under Grants orders, war was made on peaceful tribes in unceded territories in the dead of winter. They ran the Indians out of their winter camps, destroyed their teepees, buffalo robes and food, to starve and freeze them into submission. Women, children and elderly unable to flee were slaughtered. By 1877 Grant stole all but 5 million acres of the 60 million acres of Lakota land, including the gold-laden Black Hills.

Standing Rock includes burial grounds, prayer sites and sacred places. Unless the president acts, the UN should send in an armed force and disarm the militias that threaten, intimidate and terrorize a sovereign people.

Media coverage missing: a nearly identical pipeline creates a huge oil spill in the Yellowstone River, free travel on public highways blockaded, PBS Amy Goodman imprisoned and tribal drones shot down in free airspace. Soon, a hothead National Guardsman or deputy will fire their AR-15 on these unarmed, innocent people.

Raised on a reservation, I know the thievery that allowed whites to settle this country. Indians have been killed, abused, enslaved and oppressed since the Spaniards arrived.

Support the protectors at Standing Rock.

-- Connie J. Potter, Polson
Election results show that two Butte-Silver Bow county commissioners in contested races will hold on to their seats.

With three out of three precincts reporting, Incumbent District 4 Commissioner John Sorich beat out challenger Terry Schultz with 644 votes, or by 55 percent. Meanwhile, Schultz earned 523 votes, or 44 percent.

With two out of two precincts reporting, Incumbent District 8 Commissioner Brendan McDonough held on to his seat with 578 votes, or by 56 percent of the vote. His challenger Walter Parrett lost with 449 votes, or by 43 percent.

There was no incumbent running for the District 12 seat. With four out of nine precincts reporting, Dan Callahan got 78 percent of the votes, earning 999 all together. His opponent Michael Tumulty, meanwhile, received 270 votes, or 21 percent.

Incumbent Jim Fisher will also keep his spot on the District 6 seat.

Fisher ran in the primary for chief executive but lost to Dave Palmer and chief-executive incumbent Matt Vincent.

Fisher ran unopposed for his District 6 seat but could not put his name on the ballot for the commissioners' race because of his chief-executive bid. Instead, voters had to cast write-in ballots to vote for Fisher. He earned 13,803 write-in votes.
Updated results:

In unofficial final results, incumbent Cathy Maloney has defeated challenger Linda Sorini Granger for the hotly contested Butte-Silver Bow County Superintendent of Schools.

Based on all 31 precincts reporting Wednesday morning, Maloney won 8,407 votes  53 percent  compared to Grangers 7,416 votes -- or 46 percent.

Maloney has served two four-year terms.

Granger taught for 32 years and has a background in banking.

I have successfully worked with the city/county and the Office of Public Instruction, said Maloney.

Granger, the mother of two college children, said:

They have, of course, been through 12-plus years of schooling and I have been a part of that and know very well about course work, testing, benchmarks, etc.  all of which come in handy in the county superintendent position.

The superintendent oversees the Butte, Ramsay, Divide and Melrose districts for an annual salary of $72,315 a year.
With 24 of 31 precincts partially reporting, incumbent Butte City Court Judge Glen Granger leads James Reavis with 67 percent of the vote to the challenger's 32 percent.

As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, Granger received 7,327 votes to Reavis' 3,472 votes.

Granger was first elected as the city judge of Butte's lower court in 2012, and adjudicates the small crimes and offenses that come under the city's purview, such as thousands of parking tickets a year.

Granger's challenger was 33-year-old James Reavis, a defense attorney who ran on a platform of being the only candidate with a law degree, and a promise to create a community service program for adult offenders, as Butte is the only city in the state without one.

Granger's platform focused on his the smooth operation of the city court system under his administration.

The incumbent said this is due to his good working relationship with law enforcement, defendants, defender and prosecutors.

Granger did not respond to a request for comment from the Montana Standard on Election Night.
Incumbent Butte-Silver Bow Sheriff Ed Lester appears to have won re-election Tuesday night, early results show.

With 24 of 31 precincts partially reporting, Lester leads with 68 percent of the vote to challenger Sgt. Russ Robertson's 31 percent in the non-partisan race.

As of 10 p.m., 11,228 votes were cast with Lester carrying a heavy lead.

"It's a nice little gap, but I'm waiting until final results; there's still about 7,000 votes out there," Lester said late Tuesday.

Lester was first elected in 2012 and has been a police officer for 27 years. He holds a bachelor's degree from MSU and graduated from the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in 1989.

Lester served in many capacities as a law enforcement officer before being elected, including as a school resource officer, SWAT officer, and investigator.

Challenger Robertson has spent the last 11 of his 23 years in law enforcement in Butte-Silver Bow.

Robertson's campaign focused on combating drugs, which he said Lester's department was not doing adequately as drug statistics were on the rise.

Lester ran a campaign focusing on his experience as a long-term law enforcement officer in Butte and on the modernization of Butte's police force under his leadership since 2012.
HELENA -- Incumbent Gov. Steve Bullock, who won re-election Wednesday morning with 49 percent of the vote to Republican challenger Greg Gianforte's 47 percent, called Wednesday on the state's lawmakers to rise above the divisive tone that made this year's election, both at a state and national level, unlike anything seen before.

In a passionate and emotional speech to supporters gathered at the same Helena hotel where many lingered until just after midnight, Bullock said he was humbled, proud, inspired and optimistic after hearing the results. He touched on nature of his campaign against Gianforte, which grew increasingly hostile as it drew to an end.

"It may be a challenging time in this experiment called representative democracy, what with the toxicity, the money, the fear, the lack of civility, the innuendo, the politics at times of personal destruction, but I'm optimistic that our leaders, Democrats and Republicans, still rise above that toxicity to demonstrate to those that we represent that we're individually and we're collectively better than that. That we're elected to inspire the next generation and to be role models."

Bullock on Wednesday morning had 234,545 votes to Gianforte's 222,378, a difference of 12,167. Libertarian Ted Dunlap had 3 percent of the total with 79 percent of precincts reporting and voter turnout around 69 percent in unofficial results.

The governor also addressed Republican Donald J. Trump's victory in the presidential election and emphasized that Montana can stand above the increasingly crude nature of politics.

"I'm also optimistic that if some of our leaders fall short, I'm optimistic that our friends and our neighbors, our fellow Montanans, will demand better of them, they'll demand that we act as if our children and our grandchildren are watching, because they are. I'm optimistic that at least here in Montana we can be a shining example of how the political system is supposed to work."

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton lost by 22 points in Montana, yet Bullock was able to win because he's well-liked, said Carroll College associate professor of political science Jeremy Johnson.

"It does show that he was popular that he was able to run so far ahead of the presidential ticket."

Gianforte, a Bozeman businessman who started a software company he later sold to Oracle for almost $2 billion, called Bullock a little after 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Bullock said, to congratulate him and wish him luck in the next four years.

"While this is an incredibly close race, the voters of Montana appear to have spoken," Gianforte said Wednesday morning in a press release. "I knew taking on an incumbent would be a challenge, but I decided to run for office because I believe in the potential of Montana and in all Montanans. Nothing has changed that for me. Even though we did not prevail, you have my commitment that I will continue to work to create better outcomes for all Montanans.

Gianforte also thanked everyone who voted for him and worked on his campaign.

Bullock was the lone bright spot for Montana Democrats, who lost in all the other statewide races. Republican Tim Fox retained his post as attorney general in a race against Democrat Larry Jent, while Republicans Elsie Arntzen, Corey Stapleton and Matt Rosendale beat out, respectively, Democrats Melissa Romano for superintendent of public instruction, Monica Lindeen for secretary of state and Matt Rosendale for state auditor. Early results show Republicans gained a few seats in the state Legislature, which was already mostly Republican in both the House and Senate, as well.

Bullock's success paired with the defeat of other statewide Democrats could either show that Montanans think he's doing a good job or they think the division of power between Republicans and Democrats is good for the state, said University of Montana political researcher and journalism professor Lee Banville.

The governor played down the party divide, saying he expects everyone to work together.

"Each of the other statewides that just got elected, I count on them to help be an example of how to get things done. I expect our leaders to come together and do the right things for Montanans." He said last session the Legislature came together to pass Medicare expansion and sweeping campaign finance reforms, as well as sage grouse legislation and water compacts.

Nationally, Bullock said it's his job to stand up to Trump "to make sure our Montana values, our interests and our needs are being heard. Whoever is president, my job is the same."

Carroll College associate political science professor Jeremy Johnson said Wednesday that with Republican victories across the nation and at the federal level, Bullock will stand alone more than he has in the past.

"He will serve as essentially the only check in Montana to oppose various positions that he might disagree with," Johnson said.

The incumbent is also facing a Legislature with several members who during the election questioned Bullock's ethical compass and called for investigations into his use of the state plane while attending campaign events that coincided with conducting state business, payments of nearly $1 million to former employees and claims of fraud and retaliation against whistle-blowers in the Department of Health and Human Services.

When asked what he expects to come of these calls for investigation, Bullock said "you'd have to talk to (the legislators requesting them) about that."

The intense buzz around the calls for investigations could die down with the end of the election, Banville said. There might not be a payoff for pursuing Bullock now that the session is over.

"The question would be, what's the benefit of that. If you do that you still have to work with the guy if you want to pass anything. You may do it just because you feel that level of outrage, but I think it's much more of a politically risky move."

Key counties that Bullock won include Missoula (65-31), Lewis and Clark (60-37), Cascade (53-43), Silver Bow (70-26) and Gallatin (55-40). While he lost Yellowstone County, the state's most populous, 47 to 48 percent, it was only by 498 votes.

Bullock did 3 percentage points better than in 2012 in Gallatin County and Gianforte did 7 worse that Republican Rick Hill, who lost to Bullock that year. Gallatin County is Gianforte's home county. Banville said the region is becoming more and more critical in the path to victory.

Part of Gianforte's loss could be his emphasis on Eastern Montana, which led him to not spend enough time in counties where he needed a stronger showing.

"Pitting one side of the state against the other, saying the more populated side of the state is getting too much stuff, that may have dampened some people's enthusiasm for him," Banville said.

Bullock said he will reach out to that eastern half of the state by passing an infrastructure bill, something that failed in the last two sessions. "I'm going to be asking the Legislature to make that one of the first things we do, not one of the last."

While Gianforte didn't say Wednesday what his future political aspirations are, Banville said he doesn't expect him to disappear, possibly running against U.S. Sen. Jon Tester in four years.

"I would be surprised if we don't see Gianforte again," Banville said. "He spent a lot of money, ran a really intense campaign, almost knocked off a popular incumbent governor. That's no small task."

Bullock on Wednesday said his immediate plans were to get his kids back to school, have lunch with his wife, Lisa, and possibly take a nap after staying up until almost 4:30 a.m. watching results come in.
Medical marijuana advocates saw early, big returns for Montana ballot initiative 182, which would greatly expand the use of cannabis for medical purposes.

Early on, voters favored the measure, 108,227 to 80,733  a 57 percent lead with 188,960 ballots counted.

The count got a boost from larger counties that reported partial results early. Missoula, Gallatin and Lewis and Clark Counties showed strong leads for the initiative. Yellowstone County was the closest race early on with I-182 holding a narrow 1 percent lead.

Petroleum County was the first to come out against the measure. It reported 62 percent of its 329 votes against I-182. Wibaux County followed suit, fully reporting 64 percent against.

The passing of the initiative would reverse provisions of a bill passed by the Montana Legislature in 2011. Earlier this year, the Montana Supreme Court upheld parts of the bill that were challenged in a five-year legal battle.

If passed, I-182 would mean that providers of the drug will not be limited to the number of patients they can serve. The previous restriction imposed a limit of three, which was sharply opposed by patients and providers in the program.

Most medical marijuana patients will be left without a registered provider. Since the restrictions went into effect, patients have left the program. More than a third of patients registered in September left over the next month  7,785 remained in October, according to the state health department.

I-182 adds post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of eligible conditions, allows for lab testing for marijuana and orders annual health department inspections of providers.

The opposition group to I-182, Safe Montana, was principally funded by Billings businessman Steve Zabawa.

Florida and North Dakota voters passed medical marijuana provisions on Election Day, according to projections at press time. California and Massachusetts recreational marijuana measures were also projected to pass.

Arkansas voters were also voting on a medical marijuana program. Voters in three other states  Maine, Nevada and Arizona  had legal recreational marijuana on the ballot.
Area legislative races will see both newcomers and incumbents in the 2017 Legislature.

Following are early unofficial results from Tuesday's general election.

HOUSE DISTRICT 77

Kathy Swanson, D, 2,360

Kerry Graybeal, R, 2009

In the race in House District 77, Democratic incumbent Kathy Swanson, 69, of Anaconda received 2,196 votes to the 1,367 votes cast for Republican Kerry Graybeal, of Hall, with 9 of 13 precincts reporting partial results. Graybeal, 56, a retired elementary teacher, said the state's future depends upon political parties all working together. She said the future of jobs in District 77 depends upon bringing in new businesses. Swanson, retired from the Southwest Montana Community Federal Credit Union, said the primary issues for the upcoming Legislature include infrastructure, healthcare, education and keeping public lands public.

HOUSE DISTRICT 78

Gordon Pierson Jr., D, 1,375

Dean DeSilva, R, 750

In House District 78, Deer Lodge candidates Dean DeSilva, 52, Republican, received 750 votes to Democratic incumbent Gordon Pierson Jr.'s 1,375 votes with partial results from 10 of 17 precincts. Pierson, 45, a registered nurse, said the district needs a representative who represents diversity. DeSilva, an electrical contractor, is a staunch supporter of veterans and is concerned with high taxes.

HOUSE DISTRICT 75

Kirk Wagoner (I), R, 1,576

Sabrina Steketee, D, 1,297

In House District 75, Kirk Wagoner, 47, Clancy, the Republican incumbent, tallied 1,576 votes to his challenger Democrat Sabrina Steketee's 1,297 votes with 9 of 9 precincts reporting partial results. Wagoner, a bomb disposal technician, driver and computer guru, had twice been elected to the Montana Legislature, and said in the last session six of the bills he introduced became law. Steketee, 54, of Boulder, said she was running to bring more economic development to Jefferson County. Steketee owns and operates from Montana a staffing firm she founded in Michigan.

SENATE DISTRICT 39

Gene Vuckovich (I), D, 3,444

Suzzann Nordwick, R, 2,043

Dick Motta, I, 420

In Senate District 39, incumbent Gene Vuckovich, a Democrat from Anaconda, received 3,444 votes. His challengers, Dick Motta, Philipsburg, Libertarian, received 420 votes; and Suzzann Nordwick, Butte, Republican, tallied 2,043 votes.

SENATE DISTRICT 38

Edie McClafferty, D, 4,153

Glenn J. Rosenbaum, R, 2,978

The race for Senate District 38 pitted Edith "Edie" McClafferty, a Butte Democrat, against Republican Glenn J. Rosenbaum, of Clancy. McClafferty, 56, received 4,153 votes; Rosenbaum, 43, had 2,978 votes, with 15 of 15 precincts reporting partial votes. McClafferty is a fifth-grade teacher at Hillcrest Elementary in Butte; and Rosenbaum is retired military.

HOUSE DISTRICT 72

Tom Welch, R, Dillon, 3,044 or 82 percent

Mike Mosolf, D, Dillon, 650 or 17 percent

UNOPPOSED RACES, early results:

House District 71: Ray Shaw, Sheridan, Republican incumbent, 3,240 votes

House District 73: Jim Keane, Butte, Democrat, 2,082

House District 74: Amanda Curtis, Butte, Democrat, 2,664

House District 76: Ryan Lynch, Butte, Democrat incumbent, 3,626

Senate District 36: Jeff Welborn, Dillon, Republican, 3,230

Senate District 37: Jon Sesso, Butte, Democrat, 4,642

Montana legislators report on Monday, Jan. 2, at the state Capitol in Helena for the 65th Legislature. The House and Senate will convene at noon.
WHITEFISH  With a firm 54 percent lead in hand, Rep. Ryan Zinke spent much of Election Day evening talking about what he planned to do in his second term representing Montana in the U.S. House.

"The big challenge is how we heal and unite," Zinke said before taking the podium. "This is an American issue when the national anthem becomes political, when law enforcement isn't respected  we're going to have to unite as Americans."

About 150 supporters gathered in the Lodge at Whitefish Lake to watch the national poll results with Zinke and several Flathead County legislative candidates. The room grew increasingly jubilant as the presidential vote solidified around Republican Donald Trump. By 10:30 p.m., many were already heading home before Zinke made his public remarks.

With 228,929 votes counted shortly before 10 p.m., the first-term GOP incumbent held a 54 percent 42 percent lead over Democrat Denise Juneau, who garnered national attention for her historic bid for national office. Juneau would have been the first Native American woman elected to Congress.

She had not made an appearance at her election-night party in Missoula by 10:30 p.m.

Acknowledging that Montana ranks No. 1 in the nation for political ticket splitting, Zinke said he was ready to work with Gov. Steve Bullock and the rest of the state leadership. He was also interested to see how the House of Representatives settled its leadership order.

"We'll have to see where (Speaker of the House) Paul Ryan is," Zinke said. "He did endorse Trump, but then the narrative he followed afterward was not very strong. He's got to convince the caucus that he's capable of leadership."

As to his own ambitions, Zinke said he'd wait to see which way the wind was blowing.

He said he was more focused on infrastructure issues in Montana, including improvements to Glacier and Yellowstone national parks, national forest amenities, and other public lands.

About 150 people gathered at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake to watch the results and greet Zinke. They cheered as North Carolina was called for Trump and again when Idaho reported in with 83 percent in favor of the Republican candidate. The cheers got even louder when Wisconsin went in the GOP column.

"It's time to show leadership," Zinke said. "It's time to put politics in the back seat."

A Republican has held Montanas House seat for two decades.

The election for the House seat came one day after the anniversary of Montanas Jeannette Rankin being elected to Congress in 1916  the first woman ever elected to Congress.

After 23 years in the U.S. Navy SEALs, Zinke served one term as a state senator. In 2012, he ran for lieutenant governor but failed.

He snagged Montanas House seat in 2014 with a 55-percent win over Democrat John Lewis and Libertarian Mike Fellows. He filled a seat left vacant by Republican Steve Daines, who resigned to run successfully for his current U.S. Senate position.

Juneau has termed out after serving two terms as Montanas state schools chief. During that time, graduation rates have increased to a record high of 86 percent. She started out as a high school teacher for seven years before moving on from education to law in 2004. After working as division administrator at the Office of Public Instruction, she was elected to lead OPI in 2008.

In a Montana State University Billings poll conducted Oct. 3 through 10, Zinke held a 19-percent lead over Juneau, with 19 percent undecided. A Lee Newspapers poll conducted Oct. 10 through 12 found that lead had narrowed with Zinke holding a 13-percent lead over Juneau and 6 percent undecided.

Analysts predicted that gap would be hard for Juneau to close in the final weeks.

This has been the most expensive House race in recent Montana history, with both campaigns raking in about $8.13 million through Oct. 19. Zinke took heat over the fact that 84 percent of his donations came from out of state, with critics saying he doesnt truly represent Montanans. Juneau has received 58 percent of her contributions from out of state.

Zinke is vocal about military decisions, anti-terrorism tactics, and the vetting process for refugees  all topics that voters pointed to as the top issues in the Lee Newspapers poll. Juneau, on the other hand, spent much of her campaign on the attack.

In the final two weeks, the House Majority PAC, a national Democratic group, poured nearly $500,000 into TV ads attacking Zinke.

During debates this fall, Zinke and Juneau often traded barbs over natural resources, public lands, and comparisons to their party's presidential candidates. Both have said they're pro-coal, though Zinke jabbed Juneau at a Sept. 1 debate for a 2010 state Land Board vote against the Otter Creek coal development. Juneau fired back, pointing out her vote to expand the Signal Peak coal mine in 2014.

At their first debate days earlier, they sparred over each other's advocacy for Native Americans. Zinke has said he's the right person to represent Indian Country, pointing to his roots in eastern Montana, a region he said "oftentimes gets ignored." Juneau, a Native American herself who grew up on the Blackfeet Reservation, tied Zinke to Trump, who many view as anti-Native  which prompted Zinke to rebut and link Juneau to Clinton, calling them both liars.

Libertarian Rick Breckenridge, a surveyor from Proctor in rural Lake County, wound up with 2 percent of the vote as of 10 p.m. Tuesday. Breckenridge was a late addition to the race, coming in after Libertarian candidate Mike Fellows died in a car crash Sept. 19 following a political forum in Seeley Lake.
After all of the sound and fury over Trump's treatment of women, it turned out the issue bothered half of all voters a lot  and women were more concerned about it than men.
Two countries had over 100,000 students in the U.S., including one that sent over 300,000 students in 2015. Here are the top 20:
Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as Trustee for Argent Securities Inc., Asset-Backed Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2006-W1

Plaintiff,

vs.

James Roswell Nott; Linda S. Nott a/k/a Linda Sue Nott; Parties in Possession; James Ralph Nott; Time Investment Company, Inc.; State of Iowa - Child Support Recovery Unit; State of Iowa - Child Support Recovery Unit; Jody Kay Nott; Unknown spouse (if any) of James Roswell Nott; Unknown spouse (if any) of James Ralph Nott; Unknown spouse (if any) of Linda S. Nott; IDT Carmel, Inc.; Credit Acceptance Corporation, et al.

Defendants.

You are notified that a petition has been filed in the office of this court naming you as a defendant in this action. The petition was filed on September 14, 2016, and prays for foreclosure of Plaintiffs mortgage in favor of the Plaintiff on the property described in this notice and judgment for the unpaid principal amount of $67,617.04, with 5% per annum interest thereon from November 1, 2015, together with late charges, advances and the costs of the action including (but not limited to) title costs and reasonable attorney's fees, as well as a request that said sums be declared a lien upon the following described premises from June 24, 2005, located in Muscatine county, Iowa:

The Southerly 70 feet of Lots 6, 7, and 8, in Block 34, of South Muscatine, an addition to the City of Muscatine, in Muscatine County, Iowa, except the Westerly 4 feet of said Lot 8; situated in Muscatine County, Iowa

also known as:

The South Half of Lots 6 and 7 and the East 56 feet South half of Lot 8 Block 34, of South Muscatine, an Addition to the City of Muscatine, in Muscatine County, Iowa, commonly known as 316 Bleeker Street, Muscatine, IA 52761 (the "Property")

The petition further prays that the mortgage on the above described real estate be foreclosed, that a special execution issue for the sale of as much of the mortgaged premises as is necessary to satisfy the judgment and for other relief as the Court deems just and equitable. For further details, please review the petition on file in the clerk's office. The Plaintiffs attorney is Emily Bartekoske, of SouthLaw, P.C.; whose address is 1401 50th Street, Suite 100, West Des Moines, IA 50266.

NOTICE

THE PLAINTIFF HAS ELECTED FORECLOSURE WITHOUT REDEMPTION. THIS MEANS THAT THE SALE OF THE MORTGAGED PROPERTY WILL OCCUR PROMPTLY AFTER ENTRY OF JUDGMENT UNLESS YOU FILE WITH THE COURT A WRITTEN DEMAND TO DELAY THE SALE. IF YOU FILE A WRITTEN DEMAND, THE SALE WILL BE DELAYED UNTIL TWELVE MONTHS (OR SIX MONTHS IF THE PETITION INCLUDES A WAIVER OF DEFICIENCY JUDGMENT) FROM THE ENTRY OF JUDGMENT IF THE MORTGAGED PROPERTY IS YOUR RESIDENCE AND IS A ONE-FAMILY OR TWO-FAMILY DWELLING OR UNTIL TWO MONTHS FROM ENTRY OF JUDGMENT IF THE MORTGAGED PROPERTY IS NOT YOUR RESIDENCE OR IS YOUR RESIDENCE BUT NOT A ONE-FAMILY OR TWO-FAMILY DWELLING. YOU WILL HAVE NO RIGHT OF REDEMPTION AFTER THE SALE. THE PURCHASER AT THE SALE WILL BE ENTITLED TO IMMEDIATE POSSESSION OF THE MORTGAGED PROPERTY. YOU MAY PURCHASE AT THE SALE.

You must serve a motion or answer on or before 7th day of December, 2016, and within a reasonable time thereafter file your motion or answer with the Clerk of Court for Muscatine County, at the county courthouse in Muscatine, Iowa. If you do not, judgment by default may be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the petition.

If you require the assistance of auxiliary aids or services to participate in a court action because of a disability, immediately call your District ADA Coordinator at 563-326-8783. If you are hearing impaired, call Relay Iowa TTY at 1-800-735-2942.

This case has been filed in a county that utilizes electronic filing. You may find more information and general rules governing electronic filing in Iowa Court Rules Chapter 16. You may find information concerning protection of personal information in court filings in Iowa Court Rules Chapter 16, Division VI.

By:Jeff Tollenaer

CLERK OF THE ABOVE COURT

Muscatine County Courthouse

401 East 3rd Street,

Muscatine, IA 52761

IMPORTANT:

YOU ARE ADVISED TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE AT ONCE TO PROTECT YOUR INTERESTS.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  In a particularly contentious election year, voters in Muscatine agree that they will be glad when the election is over.

According to an American Psychological Association survey, more than half of Americans say the 2016 Presidential Election has been a source of stress.

Several voters in Precincts 10, 7 and 5 in Muscatine said they have seen some of that tension affect friends on social media, or in locations outside of Muscatine.

Rene Mauck, who chose not to reveal her choice for the presidential election, said she has seen negativity among people she knows. A majority of the arguing has been visible online rather than between her and friends in Muscatine.

"I feel like there has been a lot of that negativity so I've totally chosen to stay off," she said. "I haven't done any political commenting or I haven't shared things. I've just stayed out of it on social media sites, just because I have a lot of friends out there that I don't want to have a fight with them about it, it's not worth it."

Mauck said the tension has not affected her feelings about voting, and she feels no matter how contentious the race, voting is still an important thing to do.

"It's been a long, kind of ugly campaign to sit through, on all sides, so I'm just kind of glad it will be done. And I just kind of believe that they system will work, and that everybody will just calm down tomorrow and life will go on," she said.

Other voters said they saw the negativity at the office. Renee Bodman, who voted for Trump in an absentee ballot last week said that this year tensions were high.

It is very hostile. Very hostile. The whole country is in an uproar, she said.

Despite some spirited discussions at her office, Bodman said she isnt stressed by the elections.

I respect everybodys opinion on who they vote for, she said. They have the right, thats whats makes us American. Do I agree with them? Maybe not but that does not mean that Im going to disown them as a friend.

Jose Cruz said he has felt nervous about the presidential election, which made him want to vote more this year than in the past. But Cruz said he has not seen the effects of that tension personally in Muscatine.

"I'm nervous for the other people who are Hispanic," he said.

In the 5th Precinct across town, Maria Lopez-Gamon, a lifelong voter and a Mexican immigrant, said the political discourse affected her personally. Hearing Trumps rhetoric in the news made her sad.

People from Mexico arent bad people, she said.

I dont know how people vote for him (Trump). I dont understand how people vote for this kind of person, she said.

Jared Leadbetter, who noted that the 2016 election was his second, said he was looking forward to the end of the election, which he felt was too focused on talking about the negative aspects of other candidates, rather than the issues.

"It just seemed like nobody really was on topic it was more of bashing the other candidate," he said.

Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton supporters said they were feeling apathy toward their candidates, and cast their ballots based on their dislike of the other candidate.

Brian Nichols said he voted for Clinton, but more because of the hatred he saw from Trump than because he was excited to support her as a candidate.

"I don't like either candidate actually, but I just didn't want Trump in," he said.

Becky Young said although she voted for Trump, she also did not care for either presidential candidate.

"I can't say I was really excited to vote this year," she said.

She and Troy Young agreed that they had seen tension surrounding the candidates, but it was more focused on not liking the other side, rather than being adamant about supporting their own candidate.

"It just feels more divided this year maybe than in the past, it just feels like there's a lot of tension between people in that way," Troy Young said.

Susan Cory, a long-time voter and a lifelong Democrat said the elections worried her.

I am not at all a Trump supporter and I am afraid for him to win, she said.

She said she hopes Americans can get on with it and once the election is over, [and] get back together as one country.
MUSCATINE, Iowa  Republican C.J. Ryan says he looks forward to his four-year term as Muscatine County Sheriff.

Ryan defeated Democrat Michael Channon in the race by 63.13 percent to 36.64 percent of the votes.

Ryan was appointed Sheriff in 2015 following the retirement of Dave White by a vote of the Muscatine County Board of Supervisors, and was seeking election for the first time.

He has pledged continued support of the Drug Task Force in Muscatine County, and has called for increased beds for mentally ill patients in eastern Iowa.

"First of all, I'd like to thank my wife and my family, our supporters, and the voters of Muscatine County for their confidence in me, to elect me for the next four years," Ryan said, shortly after receiving the election results.

Law enforcement, Ryan said, is a constantly changing environment, so he said he plans to address issues as they arise.

"Our plans are to continue on giving the public the best law enforcement service possible," he said.

Ryan said after working for Muscatine County for around 30 years, and serving as Chief Deputy for six years, he is looking forward to learning more as he continues to serve as Sheriff.

And when I took the Sheriffs job I was very confident I knew everything I needed to know, and then I sat down in the chair and started working and I found out that I was wrong, he said. So even with the experience that Ive had there were new things for me to learn going forward.

Serving for four more years, Ryan said, will be an honor.

I consider it and honor to serve the people, I consider it an honor to be their Sheriff, and thats why were working so hard to have that continue on for four more years, he said.

Both campaigns, Channon said, focused on the issues.

"I think we both ran good campaigns, I don't think I ran a negative campaign at all, I think I ran on the issues," he said.

Channon said he congratulates all who won races on Nov. 8, and said for his first time running for an office, he is proud of the 7,000 votes he received.

"I think right now we just need to support who the people elected," he said.
WPA Pool/Getty Images; Getty Images via ABCRihanna may be a queen to her fans, but later this month, she'll be hanging with an actual prince.

Britain's Prince Harry will appear with Rihanna during his upcoming two-week royal tour of the Caribbean, joining her to mark the 50th anniversary of Barbados independence from British rule. Ri-Ri is, of course, from Barbados, and is expected to sing the national anthem at the celebration, accompanied by a choir of children.



Harry will tour nine different countries and Commonwealth realms throughout the Caribbean from November 20 to December 4, during a trip aimed at generating goodwill in that part of the world.



Prince Harry holds special memories of his last visit to the Caribbean, and of the warmth, friendliness and sense of fun that comes so naturally to this region, Kensington Palace said in a statement. His Royal Highness is greatly looking forward to meeting more of the people who call it home, and for the opportunity during this tour to be visiting some countries for the first time."



Harry, who's fifth in line to the British throne, has made two previous official visits to the Caribbean, where he often spent holidays as a child with Prince William and their late mother, Princess Diana.

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved
Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes []
The latest MyBroadband speed test results show that RSAWEB had the fastest average ADSL download speed over the past month, while MTN Business had the highest average VDSL download speed.

MyBroadbands speed test servers use Ooklas platform and are hosted in Teracos vendor-neutral data centres in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Through NAPAfrica, all network operators at its peering points are provided with a free 1Gbps connection to the MyBroadband speed test platform.

MyBroadband filters speed tests based on network information from Internet service providers to ensure accurate results which reflect real-world conditions.

The tables below show the highest average ADSL and VDSL speeds from local ISPs.

ADSL

Rank ISP Download Speed Upload Speed 1 RSAWEB 4.65 Mbps 0.63 Mbps 2 Axxess 4.09 Mbps 0.55 Mbps 3 MTN Business 3.89 Mbps 2.51 Mbps 4 Afrihost 3.88 Mbps 0.52 Mbps 5 Internet Solutions 3.68 Mbps 0.51 Mbps 6 Cybersmart 3.45 Mbps 0.59 Mbps 7 MWEB 3.13 Mbps 0.47 Mbps 8 Telkom 3.11 Mbps 0.5 Mbps 9 XDSL 3.01 Mbps 0.64 Mbps 10 Vox Telecom 2.94 Mbps 1.18 Mbps

VDSL

Rank ISP Download Speed Upload Speed 1 MTN Business 18.54 Mbps 19.51 Mbps 2 Axxess 18.36 Mbps 1.86 Mbps 3 Internet Solutions 14.92 Mbps 1.56 Mbps 4 Afrihost 14.12 Mbps 1.33 Mbps 5 Telkom 12.59 Mbps 1.37 Mbps 6 MWEB 10.15 Mbps 0.81 Mbps 7 Cybersmart 8.18 Mbps 5.42 Mbps

Now read: The awesome network behind R40 uncapped ADSL services
The Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services on Wednesday kept mum on whether Telkom would be the preferred bidder to supply and maintain a government broadband project in South Africa.

Deputy Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize told Parliament on Wednesday that the Department appointed the State IT Agency (Sita) to facilitate the appointment of a service provider in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

In his state of the nation address delivered in 2015, President Jacob Zuma said Telkom would be the lead agency in a broadband roll out project in South Africa.

The announcement raised ire at the time, as stakeholders questioned governments decision to use Telkom. Fears were also raised about whether government neglected putting the project through a public tender.

But Mkhize said on Wednesday the bidding process has still not been finalised, despite assurances from Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Siyabonga Cwele.

In response, the DAs Marianne Shinn asked the Deputy Minister to give Parliament the assurance that Telkom would not be the service provider as announced by President Jacob Zuma in 2015.

Shinn earlier expressed concern over Telkoms possible appointment as service provider for the broadband rollout. She said it would be worrying, as government regards Telkom as a state-owned entity although its listed on the JSE.

Government should should not own and manage network services, Shinn said, but rather enable private sector players to compete in the environment.

Shinn said she found it puzzling that the announcement of the successful bidder has been delayed.

The minister said the announcement would be made in October. This should be an open-shut case.

The Deputy Minister replied, saying the Department has not deviated from Zumas earlier announcement that Telkom would be responsible for the broadband rollout.

But weve allowed an independent structure (Sita) to broaden the scope by allowing other players to come forward. I cannot give guarantees as to what is happening with the tender process. That would undermine it, Mkhize said.

Fin24

Now read: Samsung Galaxy S7 firmware update on Telkom
Eskom Group executive for Transmission and Sustainability, Thava Govender, says Eskoms membership to a global body of 19 of the largest global grid operators will help the power utility access knowledge of how to integrate renewables into its power grid.

Govender said this when Eskom briefed the media following a meeting of the GO15 Steering Board members at the Radison Blu Hotel at the Waterfront, in Cape Town, on Tuesday.

GO15, which was founded in November 2004, is a joint initiative between 19 of the largest Power Grid Operators in the world.

As grid operators, we have to manage the diverse mix of energy sources at it comes in, whether it is renewable, coal, nuclear, hydro  all those energy sources  the grid operator has to manage it seamlessly so that it flows and goes into the transmission network and ultimately to the consumers.

One of the challenges we sit with now is the integration of renewables, where we get photovoltaic that comes on in the morning  photovoltaic  and obviously goes off, and then you get the variability of wind.

What the GO15 Committees and the sub-working group look at, is how to manage this variability of renewable generation, he said.

Govender, who was also voted as the new Vice President of GO15s 2017 Steering Board at the meeting, said while it is easy to manage stable generation, challenges arise when a grid operator has to deal with variable generation, which comes with frequency fluctuations.

So we have seen a lot of renewables being deployed in Europe and the USA.

For example, in the USA in California, they have what we term the test bed for renewables, where the generation is made up of renewables but when the photovoltaic falls away, they have like 15 000 to 16 000 Megawatts.

When night falls away, you need flexible generation to pick it up because it is a given exactly when it falls away. Cloudy conditions comes, so they use issues like piped gas, they use hydro. So I think those are the lessons that we need to learn he said.

Climate change

Govender said the second big issue that Eskom could draw lessons from is on climate change.

We need to see how we meet our obligations for COP21 in terms of CO2 emissions, which means we have to look at our coal-fired power stations and the age they actually retire.

When you do that, you actually remove your base load. So what is happening here is we are looking at how other countries have managed their coal-fired power stations, how they manage their grid. So we are trying to learn those issues from them.

Access to global expertise

Eskom Board chairperson, Dr Baldwin Ngubane, said being part of the GO15 brings the power utility in touch with the best and most modern trends in electricity generation transmission and distribution, as well as developing new markets for electricity products.

Our partnership enhances access to global expertise in transmission and systems operation and secondly allows for the optimisation of mutual opportunities, he said.

He said today Eskom, which has not had load shedding for the past 15 months, has a safe and reliable power grid compared to a few years ago.

We are actually exporting the surplus to the surrounding countries in Southern Africa, and we hope in the future, to Sub-Saharan Africa. So there are opportunities for investment and growth. While we are managing the largest capacity expansion project in South Africa, Eskom has since 2014 to the end of September 2016 invested approximately R12 billion in transmission infrastructure and the strengthening of transmission projects. More than 6 000 kilometres of transmission lines and 32 000 of MVA in terms of substation transformer capacity has been developed.

He said Eskom currently has supply agreements with neighbouring SADC countries through which it exports 0.5% of its electricity via the countrys transmission lines to countries in the Southern African region.

Renewables programme

In just over four years, South Africa has developed and implemented a renewables programme which is seen as an example for other African countries and further afield.

More than 6 000 megawatts of generation capacity has been allocated to bidders across the variety of technologies  principally wind and solar. Some 2000 megawatts is already connected to the grid in the past financial year alone.

Eskom has spent approximately R9.5 billion in IPP renewable energy, he said.

Dr Ngubane said, however, that the world wide introduction of renewable energy has created significant complexities for system grid operators as most of the technologies exclude the necessary storage.

Under these conditions, as a member of G015, we call for grid operators to be afforded the necessary instruments such as demand response and renewable storage to accommodate the variability of the new energy sources.

It is important that regulatory frameworks and technology solutions take into account the changing roles of the grid operator of the future, he said.
A Samsung Galaxy S6 smartphone owner in South Africa got a fright when his phone exploded in his pocket while he was stuck in traffic.

Brandon Davids explained that the incident happened on 28 October while driving to work in Claremont.

My cellphone was in my pocket and I had not accessed it since leaving home, least not that I can remember, said Davids.

I had nothing running in the background, to my knowledge, and my phone was not plugged in to charge.

Davids said he always used his original Samsung charger and never used any other means of charging.

I was listening to the radio when all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, I heard a loud poof.

He felt heat on his leg and when he looked down he saw smoke coming from his pants pocket.

I immediately thought of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 issue, and could not believe this was happening to me.

He grabbed the phone with his thumb and index finger and removed it from his pocket.

I tossed it onto the passenger seat and immediately the car was filled with smoke.

I jumped out, ran around the back to the passenger door, opened the door, and in a brushing motion brushed the phone from the seat onto the pavement.

Samsung replaced the phone with a new Galaxy S6

Davids approached Samsung about the incident and the company replaced the phone with a new Galaxy S6.

Davids expressed frustration with the fact that Samsung did not seem to take the matter seriously enough, and was not apologetic regarding the incident.

Samsung South Africa told MyBroadband that it is taking the incident very seriously and apologised to Davids.

On behalf of Samsung South Africa, we wish to apologise to Mr. Davids that he was not contacted immediately upon the arrival of the handset at Samsung After Care Service Centre, said Samsung SA Corporate Marketing and Communications Director Michelle Potgieter.

We can confirm that Mr. Davids was contacted by our Director for Customer Care, Mr. Chetty, and that he is satisfied that the matter has been addressed.

Samsung said the damaged Galaxy S6 was replaced with a new device and the damaged unit has been sent to Samsung Electronics HQ for an investigation.

We need to highlight that this is an isolated incident and that several external factors may have contributed to the failure.

Galaxy S6 which exploded
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BAGHDAD  The stench of death drew Iraqi soldiers to the unsettled plot of land freshly liberated from Islamic State fighters.

When a bulldozer scraped the ground, bones poked from just beneath the surface, along with clothing scraps, garbage bags, human remains swarming with flies  and even a child's stuffed animal.

About 100 bodies, many of them decapitated, are suspected to be buried in what is likely the latest mass grave left by the retreating jihadis, officials said.

Investigators on Tuesday began their probe of the site, located near an agricultural school in the town of Hamam al-Alil.

The gruesome discovery by troops advancing on militant-held Mosul fits a pattern in territory retaken from IS. The extremist group killed hundreds as it swept across northern and central parts of Iraq in 2014 and is believed to have carried out a brutal crackdown since the Oct. 17 start of an offensive to recapture the country's second-largest city.

"Investigators flew in this morning," said Haider Majeed, a Cabinet official in charge of mass grave inquiries. "They're conducting examinations to determine the cause of death."

It was unclear who the victims were, although the discovery of a stuffed animal raised the harrowing possibility that children may be among the dead.

In Geneva, the U.N. human rights office said it was investigating if the site was connected to reports about the alleged killing of police in the same area.

"We had reports that 50 former Iraqi police officers had been killed in a building outside Mosul," spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said. "This building was actually the same agricultural facility, agricultural college, that has been cited right now as the site of these mass graves."

She also said the U.N. had received information alleging that IS last week abducted at least 295 former security forces personnel from villages around the northwestern town of Tal Afar, as well as the western part of the village of Mawaly. The fate of the men is unknown.

About 30 sheikhs also reportedly were taken from the Sinjar district, with one report saying more than half of them were killed. The militants are alleged to have forcibly moved about 1,500 families to Mosul's airport from Hamam al-Alil, she added.

Iraqi troops and Kurdish peshmerga forces are converging on Mosul, although their deepest advance into an eastern sliver has stalled after militants counterattacked from populated areas.

To the northeast, about 13 kilometers (8 miles) from the city, the peshmerga continued their push on the town of Bashiqa, believed to be largely deserted except for dozens of IS fighters.

Mortar fire, automatic weapons and explosions echoed through the morning as a thick plume of smoke hung over parts of the town, obscuring the view of warplanes from the U.S.-led coalition.

More than 34,000 people have been displaced from Mosul, the U.N. said, with about three-fourths of them settled in camps; the rest are in host communities.

Food, water and medicine have been distributed to more than 41,000 displaced people and vulnerable residents who have fled the fighting, the U.N. reported.

Since the battle for Mosul reached the city itself Nov. 4, about 11,000 people have fled to the east, while some electricity and water supplies have been cut in eastern neighborhoods.

IS extremists have rounded up thousands of civilians in and around Mosul and drawn them back into the dense, urban quarters of the city for use as human shields, the army and human rights groups alleged.

The militants have killed hundreds of Iraqis, mainly former members of the security forces, as they ready a fight to the death in the warrens of Mosul's residential streets and alleyways.

The Islamic State group has boasted of using mass killings to terrify opponents, often posting grisly photos and video of them online. As the fight intensifies, the militants are believed to be cracking down on anyone who could rise up against them, focusing on men with military training or past links to the security forces.

In Baghdad, meanwhile, bombings killed at least eight people and wounded 28 others, according to police and medical officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.

The capital has seen near-daily bombings since the Mosul operation began, but no large-scale attacks. The bombings are believed to have been carried out by IS, which has frequently targeted Iraq's security forces and Shiite majority.
SEOUL, South Korea  South Korea's president said Tuesday she will allow parliament to choose her prime minister, a major political concession to growing anger as she scrambles to defuse an escalating influence-peddling scandal.

The announcement by Park Geun-hye, who has faced tens of thousands of protesters and an investigation into whether a mysterious confidante manipulated government decisions, could severely curtail her ability to govern in the 15 months she has left in her term.

Park's decision, which came during a meeting Tuesday with National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun, means that the liberal candidate for prime minister who she nominated last week as a way to settle growing anger will apparently be replaced. But opposition and ruling party lawmakers must first agree on someone else.

The political tug-of-war over the prime minister, who is typically chosen by the president as a No. 2, comes as opposition lawmakers demand that Park distance herself from domestic affairs because of the scandal involving Park's longtime confidante, Choi Soon-sil, who has no official government role.

Park giving up the presidential prerogative to choose a prime minister will further weaken her politically. She already faces terrible approval ratings and calls from the public to step down.

Earlier Tuesday, South Korean prosecutors raided the Seoul office of Samsung Electronics, the nation's largest and most valuable company, in connection with the scandal.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office linked the Samsung raid to an investigation into the scandal but provided no other details. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said investigators were following a suspicion that Samsung gave Choi's daughter illicit financial help.

Tens of thousands of people rallied in Seoul over the weekend, demanding Park's removal from office.

Nam Jeong-su, spokesman of Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the more militant of South Korea's two large umbrella union groups, said he expects 150,000 unionists, plus supporters, to gather Saturday and march to the presidential Blue House.
LOS ANGELES  The expensive battle over how California negotiates for prescription medications for millions of state residents concludes Tuesday after weeks of incessant advertisements saying Proposition 61 either will finally help curb spiraling drug prices or lead to even higher costs for virtually everyone.

Proposition 61, the "California Drug Price Relief Act," produced the most spending of California's 17 statewide ballot initiatives, with the pharmaceutical industry spending more than $109 million to defeat it.

The measure would prohibit certain state agencies from paying more for a drug than the lowest price paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Serving some 9 million veterans around the country, the VA tends to pay some of the cheapest prices because of its massive bargaining power and automatic discounts it gets under federal law.

Backers say passage would save the state money for prescriptions it reimburses or buys for prison inmates, government retirees and some low-income residents on Medi-Cal, the state's low-cost or free Medicaid health plan for the poor. During the year ending June 30, 2015, California spent about $4 billion on drugs for the groups covered under the initiative.

Opponents contend it would reduce access to medicines and if the industry lowers prices for this group it would simply raise prices for others, including veterans. And since Proposition 61 does not force drug makers to alter their prices  it only stipulates that the state not pay more than the VA price  independent analysts said it's unclear whether California would save significant money.

Drug pricing is a hot national issue and drug companies have faced blistering criticism over some huge hikes in the cost for individual items, such as Turing Pharmaceuticals raising by 5,000 percent the cost of a drug for a life-threatening parasitic infection and Mylan's pair of EpiPen emergency allergy shots, which has gone up by more than 500 percent since 2007.

While only about 10 to 15 percent of California's 39 million residents would be affected by Proposition 61, supporters think passage would be a step toward broader price reductions elsewhere.

Both sides recruited heavy-hitters for their causes. Supporters include the California Nurses Association, AARP and former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who held rallies in Los Angeles and Sacramento the day before Election Day.

Opponents include the California Medical Association, the state's largest doctors' organization, and the state chapters of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America and the American Legion.

Proposition 61 was launched by activist Michael Weinstein, president of the Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which raised the bulk of the more than $18 million in support.
Maggie Passmore of St. Paul, Minnesota, had been watching election returns at a party but reverted to watching at home "when things got scary." She fell asleep, then awoke to learn that Donald Trump was defeating Hillary Clinton.

"And then I threw up," said Passmore, 54. "My body totally rejected the result." Hours later, she found herself writing an email to her kids saying how terrified she was for the country's future: for the Supreme Court, for health care, for international relations.

Shock. Despair. A punch to the gut. Hopelessness. Countless female Clinton supporters used those words Wednesday to describe their feelings. Some spoke of collapsing in tears, or seeing strangers do the same  on the subway, or on the street.

For many women, Tuesday's election was a one-two punch. A huge milestone that had seemed so tantalizingly close  the election of a woman as president  was now out of reach. And the victorious candidate was one who had denigrated women, mocked a beauty pageant contestant for her weight, described grabbing women by the genitals with impunity, and been accused of multiple instances of sexual assault.

By the time Trump had called his opponent "such a nasty woman," it had seemed that women might hand him a defeat at the ballot box. But when the dust cleared, the unprecedented gender gap  13 points in Clinton's favor, assuming exit polls hold up, the largest since the exit poll began in 1972  wasn't enough.

And the fact is that millions of American women did vote for Trump.

"Listen, I didn't love either of the candidates," said Susan Paarz, 69, of Somers Point, New Jersey. "But I voted against corruption and dishonesty."

For Jan Risher, Election Day had begun joyously. She'd rustled up the best pantsuit she could  not matching, but no matter  and headed to downtown Lafayette, Louisiana, to take a joyful photo with some similarly attired women. Hours later, instead of celebrating the first woman president as she'd expected, she was searching online for how to immigrate to Canada.

"I have never felt so forlorn in my life," said Risher, 52. "I just feel such alienation from my country today."

On social media, many women asked: What will we tell our daughters? Clinton herself addressed the issue in an emotional concession speech. "To all the little girls watching: Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world," she said.

Not all of the women who voted for Trump completely condoned his behavior. They just preferred him to the alternative.

To Trump supporter Diane Massaroli of Staten Island, New York, the candidate's vulgar, caught-on-tape comments were disgusting  but not a dealbreaker. And the series of women who accused him of sexual assault didn't persuade her, she said. (Her young daughter, though, was a Clinton supporter  and in tears at the result.)

"A lot of people said that to me: How could I vote for him, being the mother of a daughter? ... But I think everything else is far greater" than his comments, Massaroli said. "I think people just didn't trust her as much as they would trust him."

Said Paarz of Trump's vulgar comments, "Any woman would have been offended. But guys talk that way in a locker room. Is he different? Probably not."

A clearly disappointed Kathy Spillar, executive director of the Feminist Majority Foundation, preferred to accentuate the positive: Clinton, she noted, won among young women, not to mention winning the popular vote. And the subject of sexual assault made it front and center in the campaign.

"A sleeping giant has been awakened on this issue of sexual assault," Spillar said. "Women have made it very clear that they're not going to be treated this way by men."

In Florida  a key battleground state won narrowly by Trump  Phyllis Towzey of St. Petersburg watched election night returns from her sofa, and started to cry. "I've dreamed about a woman president since I was a little kid," the 57-year-old attorney said. "And if she couldn't win over a grossly less qualified male candidate, I don't think there's any hope in my lifetime to have a woman president."

Nora Rubel and her two daughters were among throngs of people who went to suffragist Susan B. Anthony's gravesite Tuesday to celebrate voting  the Rochester, New York, graveyard had extended its hours, expecting the crowd.ok, closing

"The energy was incredible, and it felt prophetic," the Clinton supporter recalled.

A day later, her 13-year-old daughter was sobbing so hard over Clinton's loss that the girl stayed home from school.

Rubel struggled with what to say to her despondent children Wednesday, but settled on this: "We're all disappointed. There are checks and balances, although not as many as we want, and we all have to take care of each other."
SACRAMENTO  California voters on Tuesday are considering expanding some of the nation's toughest gun control measures by banning large-capacity ammunition magazines, requiring background checks for ammunition sales and speeding the seizure of firearms from owners who are no longer allowed to own them.

Proposition 63's chief proponent, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, said voters are motivated in Tuesday's election by mass shootings like the terrorist slayings in San Bernardino last year.

The ammunition restrictions and California's unique firearm seizure program should serve as models for other states, he said.

"Ammo is the next great debate, I think, in gun safety in this country," Newsom said. "Guns in and of themselves are not dangerous. ... It's a gun and the ammo that makes it deadly."

But opponents including state associations representing sheriffs and police chiefs say the restrictions are likely to just confuse law-abiding gun owners.

The state already has a program to remove guns from those who are found guilty of a felony or a violent misdemeanor, found to be mentally unstable, or are the subject of a restraining order involving domestic violence. But the initiative sets up a new process requiring offenders to give up their weapons as soon as they are convicted.

The ballot measure would also increase the penalty for stealing a gun, reversing part of another initiative approved by voters in 2014. And it would require gun owners to report the loss or theft of firearms to local law enforcement within five days.

Lawmakers passed competing legislation on high-capacity magazines and ammunition sales this year, with language attempting to override part of the initiative, which Newsom is pushing as part of his Democratic campaign for governor in 2018.

But there are differences:

California has long banned new purchases of ammunition magazines holding more than 10 bullets, but previously allowed owners to keep the ones they have. Both the initiative and the new law require owners to surrender those magazines. The new law makes continued possession an infraction similar to a traffic ticket, while the initiative would let prosecutors charge the violation as either an infraction or a misdemeanor.

Both the new law and the initiative require background checks for buying ammunition, but the initiative uses a different process with fewer exceptions. The ballot measure also would require background checks for ammunition dealers and require dealers to report lost or stolen bullets.
ALAMEDA  A high school water polo player in the Bay Area has been accused of sexually assaulting an opposing player during a game.

The Alameda Police Department says they have opened a criminal investigation after multiple Encinal High School players accused a Berkeley High School team member of behaving inappropriately in the water during an Oct. 11 game.

This is the second time in less than a year that a Bay Area high school water polo game has led to a criminal investigation. Last year, a boy playing for Acalanes High in Lafayette broke the nose of an opponent during a game and was charged with felony assault and battery.
LOS ANGELES  For the second time in four years, California voters were asked Tuesday to tax the rich to raise billions of dollars for public schools.

Proposition 55 would extend until 2030 the higher taxes that voters first approved four years ago in response to deep education cuts during the Great Recession.

If voters don't approve, the tax increases would expire at the end of 2018.

Opponents say California should stop targeting its richest residents and tackle comprehensive tax reform instead.

The higher tax rates affect residents who annually earn more than $263,000 for single filers and $526,000 for families. At that level, taxes bump up 1 percent, while millionaires pay an extra 3 percent.

Extending the taxes would generate between $4 billion and $9 billion annually, according to the independent state Legislative Analyst's Office.

Proposition backers argued that public schools are only now recovering from devastating cuts that political leaders made as tax revenues shrank with the U.S. economy starting in 2008.

To make Proposition 55 more palatable to voters, its authors opted not to renew sales tax increases that voters also passed four years ago.

Though schools would be the main beneficiaries, Proposition 55 also would carve out a new funding stream in flush tax years for Medi-Cal, the state's health insurance for low-income residents.

Supporters included teacher and hospital unions that spent millions of dollars during the campaign.

Organized opposition amounted to one die-hard skeptic on a shoestring budget who suggested that millionaires will move away if they have to pay more, and that schools should be more efficient with the billions of dollars they already receive.

Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat who campaigned for the original tax proposal in 2012, did not take a position on the proposed extension.

Even supporters acknowledged that patchwork tax policy  in this case targeting the wealthy  is no way to stabilize state finances, which are robust during good times but crash during downturns due to a reliance on income and capital gains taxes.

Still, because there has been little political stomach in Sacramento for revamping the tax code, voters were again asked to make state fiscal policy.
SAN FRANCISCO  California voters waited in lines to cast their ballots Tuesday and peppered elections officials and monitors with questions about polling locations and absentee ballots, as voting got underway in the Golden State in what was expected to be a high turnout election.

Frustrations ran high at a Los Angeles polling place as voters were left waiting two hours when ballot marking devices arrived late. Elections officials didn't say what caused the delay at Delano Recreation Center in Van Nuys.

"It's been a fiasco," said voter Bob Corbett, who arrived well before the 7 a.m. opening time.

There were no immediate reports of similar problems or glitches elsewhere in the state.

A record 19.4 million voters in California are registered for the presidential election  about 78 percent of those eligible. That's the highest percentage of eligible citizens registered before a general election in 20 years, the secretary of state's office said in a statement. About 5 million people have already cast ballots in early voting, according to the data tracking firm Political Data Inc., with millions more voters expected to show up at polls Tuesday.

At least 150 people were waiting to vote at the North Hollywood Amelia Earhart Regional Library in Los Angeles before it opened. Long lines were reported at polling places across the city, as voters hoped to cast their ballots before heading to work.

In Northern California, a steady stream of cars pulled up to an absentee ballot drop-off station outside a courthouse in Oakland. And at a columbarium in San Francisco that served as a polling location, people filled out their ballots on steps next to urns and crypts after officials ran out of voting booths.

Kim Alexander, president of the California Voter Foundation, said she fielded calls from people who lost their absentee ballots or wondered whether they could cast a vote in a different county because they weren't going to be in their home county. Alexander said you can vote at a different polling place in the county in which you're registered, but cautioned against trying to vote in a different county.

Tuesday's turnout appeared consistent with heavy in-person crowds reported by elections officials at polling sites over the weekend and Monday. In Los Angeles County, thousands of voters waited hours over the weekend to cast ballots, some standing in line for three hours or more. Nearly 18,000 ballots were cast Saturday and Sunday in the county.

California is not known for long lines on Election Day, but some observers said that this election is different. There are 17 statewide ballot measures, in addition to local measures, that may take time for voters to digest while they are inside voting booths. And the state has a record 11.7 million people registered to vote by mail, some of whom may show up at polling sites unaware they have ballots at home that they need to surrender before they can get a new ballot.

Voter advocacy groups, meanwhile, are on high alert, worried about possible voter intimidation stemming from GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump's repeated assertions that the election is rigged against him.

Trump's California campaign said trained observers will report discrepancies to lawyers.

"We are not using this to suppress the vote. We are using this to make sure everyone is doing the right thing and to get their vote counted," spokesman Jon Cordova said.

Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data, said he expects counties this year to issue a large number of provisional backup ballots to people whose eligibility can't be immediately verified. Those ballots are counted after counties verify the voter is registered and hasn't voted already, he said, which means close contests may not be decided right away.

"As a result we have to wait for a few days for the papers to tell us who won," he said. "But the worse outcome is to not let these people vote in the first place."
WASHINGTON  We'll know soon enough who won. We already know the prize: A big, ugly wound in the heart of American politics.

Nearly two years of relentless campaigning and racially loaded rhetoric has exposed a country that is deeply fractured along lines that are hardening and raw.

Race, gender and class appear to be ever more reliable predictors of whether Americans cast their ballots for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. And as Americans have retreated further into their corners, politicians have seen little motivation to understand the other side.

The dynamic just played out, while America (and the world) cringed. This campaign often looked like a noisy and incoherent conversation taking place in parallel worlds, with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton shouting across a daunting gulf between them.

It may have been a race filled with unpredictable moments, but its near certainties are just as notable. As she heads into Election Day, Clinton is on track to win solid, and in some cases overwhelming majorities, of black, Hispanic and college-educated voters. Polls show Clinton, running to be the first female president, may also hit new levels of support among women.

Trump, meanwhile, has been propelled by support from white, working-class voters, a group that according to polls may reject Clinton more decisively than any of her recent Democratic predecessors.

These splits between whites and minorities, between men and women, between those with college degrees and those without, did not begin in 2016. Clinton's coalition is likely to look much like the one President Barack Obama assembled in 2008 and 2012, and has its roots much deeper.

But 2016 will be the year when the gaps widened, the lines hardened and the conversation, in turn, became more painful.

It will be remembered as the time when a Republican candidate could call American cities "warzones" without apparent worry about the feelings of the people who call them home. It will be remembered as the election in which Clinton described half of Trump's supporters as a "basket of deplorables," and apologized only for her measurement. It will be remembered as a moment when Trump's closing argument was that "everything's wrong," while Clinton asked "since when do we become pessimistic?"

It's hard not to blame Trump's button-pushing candidacy for much of this strangeness.

The Republican nominee's bid made a mockery of party elders' "autopsy" of the 2012 defeat of Mitt Romney, which bemoaned that the GOP "offends too many people unnecessarily."

But the party's base nominated a man who questioned the legitimacy of the first black president. They chose a candidate who declared that Mexico was sending "rapists" across the border. They chose a 70-year-old reality-TV star who spent years making sexist remarks. The interviews should have given hints about Trump's attitudes toward women, even before the tape in which he brags about grabbing women's genitals.

Trump's fate now rests in the hands of the very people he's offended. If blacks, Hispanics, young people and women turn out in large numbers, it becomes exceedingly difficult to find enough of his voters to win the day.

Roughly 45 percent of the electorate are non-college educated white, the core of Trump's base, noted Brookings Institution demographer William Frey. And that share is shrinking. They made up 50 percent in 2008, he said, and 57 percent in 2000.

But Trump's willingness to risk saying the thing others would not has no doubt connected with a substantial share of America's voters.

The New York businessman saw the opportunity to run against his party and those wanting to restore America to a lost moment.

"I watch the speeches of these people, and they say the sun will rise, the moon will set, all sorts of wonderful things will happen. And people are saying, "What's going on? I just want a job. Just get me a job. I don't need the rhetoric. I want a job," he said from the lobby of his Trump Tower high rise, when he announced his campaign.

If Trump wins, it will be because he understood the depths of white anxiety. It will be because he galvanized the alienated and the angry, in corners of the country where people have felt ignored through eight years of the Obama administration.

Democrats acknowledge they may have left Trump this opening. For much of her campaign, Clinton had all but given up talking to white, working class men. That was for surrogates like her husband, Bill Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, both masters of communicating to "Bubba" voters  and even Obama.

On Monday, Clinton began to acknowledge the work she had ahead of her.

"Anger is not a plan, my friends," she said. "If we're going to harness our energy and try to overcome our problems, then we need to start talking to each other again."
WASHINGTON  Americans are choosing a new president Tuesday, but not just that. They are making history, reshaping Congress, saying good riddance to a campaign of numbing negativity and setting the political calculus of a nation that won't be healed any time soon.

Whether the glass ceiling shatters or not, precedent will.

Never before has the country had a woman as president, not to mention the spouse of an ex-president. Never before has the country had a president like, well, Donald Trump, unique in lacking the public-service background that everyone in our lifetimes and deeper into the past brought to the office (both his weakness and his strength). Whether the 45th president is Hillary Clinton or the billionaire outsider, the U.S. is turning a corner.

CLINTON vs. TRUMP

The two New Yorkers pounded each other relentlessly, each preaching that the other is wholly unqualified, as the race tightened in the final days after a persistent if elastic lead for Clinton, the Democrat, in preference polling. Those who dreamed of Bernie Sanders for the Democratic ticket or anyone but Trump for Republicans face their time of reckoning. Will they come home to their party, or just stay home?

Clinton, inheritor of Barack Obama's vaunted campaign apparatus and a skillful (and well-financed) organizer in her own right, fielded an impressive professional and volunteer operation. She had big names on the stage, loads of people tracking down supporters and getting them to early-voting places, committed and well-heeled interest groups behind her and lots of money for sustained advertising.

Trump's effort paled in comparison, seeming as unpolished and improvised as the candidate himself. What he had, that she didn't, were the pulse and the passion of huge crowds. Election Day should settle the question of which counted for more.

To those in Trump country, no boastful, stomach-turning video about women, no "lock-her-up" insult from the stage, no toxic tweet in the wee hours, could peel them away from the man whose crudities only made him more authentic in their eyes. To many of the Republicans who didn't come to the rallies  and to some of the lawmakers who faced the prospect of working with him in Washington  he was a disaster, a Republican Titanic sailing alongside Clinton's Democratic Lusitania. To the country at large, and much of the world, he polarized, repelled, entertained, shocked and fascinated.

Did that make Clinton less of a divisive figure?

Not to the Republicans who are already itching to impeach her if she wins.

What to watch

Virginia could be a harbinger for the night. An early win for Clinton in that state bodes well for her; a contest that drags on until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. EST could mean a good night for Trump. Results begin to come out when polls close at 7 p.m. in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia. More waves come just after 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., when polls will have closed in 30 states and the District of Columbia.

Trump and Clinton fought fiercely over Florida, a big prize. Trump also made an audacious play for Minnesota and scared Clinton in Michigan, which drew both the Democratic nominee and President Barack Obama on the campaign's final day.

Republicans fretted about Utah, normally as GOP-friendly as can be. The state was courted by an independent who tapped anti-Trump sentiment among the state's many Mormons.

Fizzling October Surprise

FBI Director James Comey's disclosure that the agency discovered more emails potentially connected to its investigation of Clinton's email practices roiled the race. That shadow lifted when Comey said Sunday that the review had found nothing to change the FBI's recommendation in July that she not face charges. Between his two announcements, though, nearly 24 million ballots were cast in early voting.

Senate suspense

The night's second big mystery is which party will control the Senate, now Republican dominated. Democrats need to gain five seats to take an outright majority. If they gain only four  and if Clinton is elected  her vice president will be able to break 50-50 Senate ties.

Indiana could give an early hint of where the night is going. Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Missouri and North Carolina could tip either way. Republican incumbents were in particular danger in Illinois and probably Wisconsin.

The math made it tough for the GOP: Republicans had to defend 24 seats compared with only 10 for the Democrats. Some were between a rock and a hard place  risking rejection from anti-Trump Republican voters if they were too close to him and rejection from his core supporters if they pushed him away. Squirmy rhetoric ensued.

House hunting

Barring a shocker, Republicans will keep control of the House. They populate that chamber in numbers not seen since the 1930s.

The breakdown is 247-188 for the GOP, with three vacancies. GOP losses of 10-15 seats have been predicted by people in both parties.

Notable names: Republican Liz Cheney is expected to win the Wyoming seat once held by her father, Dick Cheney. GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of California, investigator of the Benghazi, Libya, episode and other Obama administration actions, could be upended.

Resume review

Rare is the U.S. president who has come to office without having held any previous public office.

To be sure, some were branded resume lightweights in their campaigns: ex-governors George W. Bush of Texas, Bill Clinton of Arkansas and Ronald Reagan of California, among them. But they came from the tradition of having served somewhere  whether in Congress, states or in a high post in an administration. Dwight D. Eisenhower had no political experience but plenty of leadership cred  as well as war hero status  as allied commander in Europe in World War II.

Trump comes purely from the business and reality-TV worlds, making him distinctly a political outsider even if he's firmly part of the elite. No one questions Clinton's breadth of experience, as secretary of state, a New York senator and, uniquely, as a policy-driven first lady during her husband's two terms. The question is what voters make of her experience and his lack of it.

She-nanigans/He-nanigans?

Trump pronounced in advance that the election is rigged, in what sounded like a hedge should he lose. He warned without evidence that Clinton partisans would commit fraud and prodded his supporters to watch for misdeeds at polling stations. The prospect of vigilante election monitoring and the anger seething behind that impulse raised concerns about confrontations Tuesday, especially if the result is close.

Ballot bonanza

Voters in Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada are deciding whether to legalize recreational marijuana use; Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota are weighing whether to do so for medical marijuana. Arizona, Colorado and Maine are deciding whether to raise the minimum wage to $12 by 2020; Washington state is considering $13.50. The federal minimum is $7.25. Voters in several states may tighten controls on guns and ammunition.

Some politics is local

Of a dozen races for governor, at least seven appear competitive and most of those have Democrats on the hook. Republicans went into the campaign with 31 governorships, just one short of their historic high. And Republicans control more than two-thirds of statehouse chambers.
Milk Street, Christopher Kimballs new magazine, has been on stands for just about three weeks, and it has already prompted a lawsuit from Kimballs former employer, Americas Test Kitchen.

On Oct. 31, Americas Test Kitchen (ATK) filed a complaint in Massachusettss Suffolk County Superior Court against Kimball and his new company. His co-defendants are his wife and former ATK employee, Melissa Baldino; Christine Gordon, Kimballs former executive assistant at ATK; and Deborah Broide, who worked as a public relations consultant for ATK.

Mr. Kimball spent the last year of his employment with Americas Test Kitchen creating a new venture which literally and conceptually ripped off Americas Test Kitchen, the lawsuit says. (While Americas Test Kitchen is the brands flagship public television series, its also the name of the multimedia corporation that includes its cookbook operations, online cooking school, Cooks Illustrated and Cooks Country magazines, a now-defunct radio show and a variety of other assets.)

The lawsuit claims that Kimball essentially stole company resources to create a competing venture, Milk Street, that, like ATK, includes radio, television and online presences. Both companies are based in the greater Boston area.

Its more complex than a former employee going out and starting a new business, Jack Bishop, ATKs chief creative officer, said in an interview. Thats because Kimball, one of ATKs founders, is still considered a partial owner.

No one is really happy were here. Let me start with that. Im not the only one who has known Chris and worked with Chris for a long time, but we are here because of Chriss actions, said Bishop, who also frequently appeared with Kimball in Americas Test Kitchen and Cooks Country segments. It is what it is.

Scott Lashway of the Boston office of firm Holland & Knight, the attorney representing Kimball and his co-defendants, declined to comment. But in an interview with The Washington Post last month about the new venture, Kimball said Milk Street is inspired by global cuisine that is reliant less on heat and time than on spices and levels of flavor. Its just a whole new way of thinking about cooking, Kimball said. In my prior iteration, which lasted 35 years, there would be no starting point outside of the kitchen. . . . With Milk Street, I think, were always starting someplace outside of Milk Street. Were trying to tell the story to give a little bit of context. Were trying to travel to actually go learn something.

Among other things, ATK is seeking damages for Kimballs breach of fiduciary duties from Kimball, and from the co-defendants for aiding and abetting him. It also seeks the return of a portion of Kimballs 2015 salary, as well as part of Baldinos, Gordons and Broides, since it accuses all of building Milk Street on ATK time.

The suit also seeks all profits Kimball and CPK Media derived from the theft and misappropriation of ATKs confidential information, trade secrets and business opportunities.

Weve pored over the 39-page complaint, as well as emails attached to it. Here are some of the big take-aways.

ATK alleges that Kimball used company resources and relationships to create his new endeavor.

To quickly break into the marketplace with a viable and recognizable company, it alleges, Mr. Kimball stole confidential information from Americas Test Kitchen, solicited Americas Test Kitchen employees and outside relationships and misappropriated corporate opportunities belonging to Americas Test Kitchen.

Among ATKs allegations: that Kimball sought to capture the email addresses of readers; that Gordon misrepresented herself as doing business for ATK while searching for real estate for Milk Street; that Broide provided Kimball with media lists she had built while a consultant at ATK; and that Kimball tried to recruit current ATK staffers to work at Milk Street.

According to the suit, even after Kimball was officially terminated as an employee of ATK in November 2015, he maintained an 8.59 percent partnership interest in the company. In addition to his responsibilities as an employee, his position as a part owner means Kimball violated his fiduciary duty of utmost good faith and loyalty to ATK and his partners in creating a competing business built on what he allegedly took from the company, the suit claims.

We are not arguing that Chris couldnt go out and create something in the food and media business, Bishop said, but ATK takes issue with the way he has done so and how it appears to rest on literally the shoulders of our intellectual property.

Kimballs work at ATK has been lucrative.

According to the suit, in 2015, he was paid more than $1 million in salary and bonuses. But that doesnt include his partnership distributions; so far this year that has totaled $772,000. According to the lawsuit, he has been paid more than $30 million in partnership distributions, which an ATK representative said began in 1995.

Emails left a potentially damaging paper trail.

The suit cites a variety of electronic communications sent and received by the defendants. Emails attached to the complaint include notes between Gordon and real estate brokers; between Kimball and an IT consultant covering such issues as how to store hundreds of recipes Kimball said he was scanning (which ATK alleges were stolen) and whether ATK would have access to his Gmail account (messages from that account are in fact included in the suit); between Broide and Kimball regarding the media lists; and between Gordon and the ATK help desk about whether company scanners would keep copies of documents she scanned.

And thats just a start. The suit asserts that further investigations into Kimballs private email accounts will likely reveal additional instances of corporate theft.

ATKs radio and television shows are already being affected.

In January, a new 26-episode season of Americas Test Kitchen (which the suit says is public televisions most-watched cooking show) will become available to stations, which have flexibility to air according to their own schedules. It will be the first season to not include Kimball as host; hes being replaced by a duo of longtime on-air personalities, Julia Collin Davison and Bridget Lancaster. A similar transition will occur in the next season of Cooks Country, which will be available starting in September 2017.

The lawsuit alleges that Milk Street has already interfered with ATKs television properties. It claims that Kimball and Baldino met with ATKs production company before the pair left ATK; the production company is now working to produce Milk Streets series and informed ATK that it would be severing relations with ATK even though ATK expressed a strong desire to continue the contract, the suit says.

The suit alleges that Kimball also sought out PBS affiliate WGBH in Boston as Milk Streets presenting station, meaning it would work to market the show, get stations to pick it up and ensure programmers schedule it at an optimal hour. ATK was forced to change its presenting station for the 2017 season, the suit says (its now Arlington-based WETA), because WGBH would otherwise be presenting three shows with Kimball as host, due to broadcasts of the current seasons and reruns. Milk Street is filming its first season, with a projected air date of fall 2017.

Similarly, the suit alleges that Kimballs actions on behalf of Milk Streets radio program harmed ATK. It says that the distributor of ATKs radio show decided not to renew its agreement with ATK, concluding that Milk Street Radio competed directly with ATK Radio. ATK also alleges that in November 2015, Kimball orchestrated the bait and switch by offering to produce ATK Radio through his new companyand ATK accepted on assurances that Mr. Kimball had no plans to compete with ATKbut then announced in April that he would cease production in six months. The last day of ATK Radio was Oct. 15, and Kimballs new show debuted a week later. ATK has now forged a partnership with radio program The Splendid Table, which, beginning in 2017, will feature a weekly ATK segment.

Similarities between Milk Street and Cooks Illustrated magazines are too close for ATKs comfort.

The lawsuit disputes Kimballs claim that Milk Street is conceptually different from Cooks Illustrated (which the suit says has more than 1 million paid subscribers) because of its focus on global recipes and techniques, rather than Northern European tradition. Since its inception, ATK has written about recipes and techniques from around the world, especially in Cooks Illustrated, the suit says. Indeed, while at ATK, Kimball openly compared Northern European cooking (as a melting pot cuisine) with the rest of the world, which uses more spices and less heatthe very concept he now touts as the foundation of Milk Street. Additionally, it states, Kimball promotes Milk Street as a cosmopolitan reboot of Americas Test Kitchen.

The lawsuit also takes a detailed approach to comparing the two magazines. In format, Milk Street Magazine runs 32 pages, the same page count of Cooks Illustrated and Cooks Country, which Mr. Kimball previously recognized as unique. It has no ads. It moves from a table of contents insert to a Page 1 editors note letter . . . to recipe features to a Page 32 Tools review, to a stylized back cover, the suit says. In design, Milk Street Magazine employs layout and font nearly identical to Cooks Illustrated.

In content, Milk Street Magazines recipe section employs the same narrative arc of the Cooks Illustrated case study approach, the suit alleges, in which a problem is diagnosed and food science and subsequent recipe testing are used to address it.

Were not an island when it comes to recipe and food coverage, Bishop said in the interview, but he said the unique approach that the lawsuit accuses Kimball of usurping is what makes Milk Street much more uncomfortably similar to ATK than other publications and blogs.

The lawsuit also claims that Milk Streets masthead reveals that at least 15 former and current ATK employees and freelancers now work for Milk Street. . . . This astonishing continuity in workforce ensures the across-the-board replication of ATK by Milk Street.

According to a Sept. 26, 2015, email that the suit quotes, Kimball wrote to Bishop: Im not interested in going head to head with ATKtoo much at stake financially, and Im not that lame!

The conflict was apparently brewing long before Kimball officially left.

The lawsuit says that as early as 2013, discussions were underway at ATK to bring on professional executives, including a formal COO and CEO, and Board members who had more media industry experience. That came to fruition in 2015, including the hiring of David Nussbaum as chief executive; Kimball had functioned as the CEO of ATK up until that point, the suit says. It alleges that Kimball secretly resented giving up any control of the business and began to build Milk Street while still in talks with ATK about continuing to serve as a leader and the external face of ATK.

The suit claims that in late August 2015, Kimball told other employees he had been fired and began trying to recruit colleagues to join his new venture.

But according to the suit, by that point the board had offered to keep Kimball on at the same salary and bonuses, and it didnt fire him until November, in part because of his alleged work to start Milk Street.
Napa County is buying a $275,000 replacement bomb truck to help its bomb squad continue dealing with everything from pipe bombs and other home-made explosive devices to old canisters of volatile ether in three counties.

The Sheriffs four-person Hazardous Devices Team is on call 24/7 to handle bomb threats and suspicious devices in Napa, Lake and Solano counties. It responded to 25 calls in 2015 using a 2004 Ford F450 box van.

But county officials want a better way than that Ford van to transport such equipment as a bomb disposal robot, hazmat suits, bomb suits, an X-ray machine and generator.

Its way out of date, Sheriffs Capt. Keith Behlmer said.

Equipment to meet FBI guidelines has increased in number and size. Squad members must move about 350 pounds of equipment to reach bomb suits in the van, a county report said.

In order to move things around, it takes time, Sheriff John Robertson said. But sometimes, time is of the essence.

Bomb squad members will swap the Ford for a 16-foot-long bomb truck to be built by Emergency Vehicles, Inc. of Lake Park, Florida. The Napa County Board of Supervisors approved the purchase last month.

This vehicle is a common vehicle they are trained on by the FBI in Huntsville, Alabama, Robertson said. Its purchased by bomb squads across our country.

Robertson said the bomb squad in the last 60 days was dispatched seven times.

Unfortunately, in our world today, its a very real job, Robertson said. Its a very real purpose. And we do it safely.

The $275,000 purchase price will come from the asset forfeitures fund that contains $425,000 from property seized and forfeited during arrests, a county report said. This money can be used only to supplement department expenses.

Robertson said his department will use the current bomb squad truck to replace a 1990s-era crime scene van. The county will declare the crime scene van as surplus property.

The bomb squad in August assisted Fairfield police after they arrested a man reportedly found with stolen property, burglary tools and homemade explosive devices. Bomb technicians rendered the devices safe and disposed of them.

In September, the squad responded to a suspicious device under an Interstate 80 overpass in Solano County. The device ended up being a rice cooker, but no one was taking chances in the wake of a recent New York City pressure cooker bomb explosion.

A more spectacular response came in October 2012. Workers at the Napa County Fairgrounds in Calistoga cleaning out a storage closet found a long-forgotten crate of highly volatile ether.

Bomb squad technicians safely blew up this apparent relic of a 1950-era disaster plan in a blast that shook the town.

In 2014, the squad safely blew up a grenade that children had found in Napa Creek and brought back to their city of Napa house. Technicians used their robot to move the grenade to an open space for disposal.

Behlmer was uncertain when the new bomb truck will be finished and ready for delivery. Every jurisdiction that buys one has slightly different needs that require customizing work, he said.

Its one of the resources you never want to use, Board of Supervisors Chairman Alfredo Pedroza said. But you have to have it in case you do need to use it.
A razor-thin margin separated the top candidates in one of the two races for Napa Valley College trustee early election results Tuesday night. Jennifer Baker held a lead of only six votes over incumbent Dan Digardi.

As of 10 p.m., Baker had 1,420 votes, or 38.7 percent, compared to 1,405 for Digardi, or 38.3 percent, in the three-way race for Trustee Area No. 1, which includes Napa.

Opponent Jacqueline Kearns earned 826 votes, or 22.5 percent.

The final results won't be known until later this month when the county elections office releases the tally of mail-in votes received after noon on Saturday.

In Area No. 6, which stretches from Napa to St. Helena, meanwhile, Rosaura Segura, with 2,364 votes, was leading with 52.71 percent of the vote. Her opponent Debbie Alter-Starr had 2,089 votes.

Baker said she was hopeful about her early lead, but Its probably too soon to tell. We may have to wait this one out over a few days or weeks.

I think that its clear the voters want change. And hopefully that will pan out to me being on the board.

Digardi could not be reached as of 8 p.m.

Baker is the former director of the St. Helena Library. She had spoken about improving the colleges communication with students, faculty and taxpayers. Baker also voiced concerns about financial planning and accreditation issues at the college.

Incumbent Digardi is a career carpenter and union official who champions vocational education and the needs of working-class students. He has been an advocate of a program to bring prospective building trade apprenticeship candidates onto campus as a way of forging ties with the industry and exposing a new generation of students to college life.

Kearns is listed as a principal at the Matt Garcia Career and College Academy in Solano County. According to the schools website, Kearns has a Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership.

In Trustee Area No. 6, Segura is the Mexican-born daughter of migrant workers, a product of St. Helena schools, who has built a successful wine business. She has two sons attending the college.

She advocated pursuing plans to use some college land to build affordable housing and to increase access to core classes needed by students to transfer to four-year universities or get a two-year degree or certificate.

This was Seguras second attempt to win a District 6 seat. In 2012, she ran unsuccessfully against JoAnn Busenbark, who did not seek re-election this year.

On Tuesday night, Segura said she hoped to maintain her advantage.

She attributed her lead to name recognition from running in 2012 and being active in the community. The upper valley campus is in my town and district and I really want to see that flourish, she said.

Alter-Starr, a career social worker, had promised to be a consensus builder. Alter-Starr said she has a passion for serving the Latino community. She speaks Spanish, although not fluently, founded Somos Napa, a bilingual parents network, and co-founded the Napa Valley Latino Heritage Committee, which organized Dia de los Muertos celebrations.
Bill Dodd continues what appears to be a meteoric rise in his political career.

A little over two years ago, he held the job of Napa County supervisor. In November 2014, he celebrated his election to the state Assembly.

On Tuesday night, the Napa Democrat was well on his way to winning the 3rd District state Senate seat. His huge lead came after a campaign that included endorsements from Gov. Jerry Brown, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

How did Dodd pull all of this off so quickly?

I think my style of working together to get things done is appealing to people, Dodd said amid a noisy Tuesday night celebration.

By the end of Tuesday night, Dodd had a commanding 59 percent to 41 percent lead over his opponent and former Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada, a Democrat from Davis, with more vote-by-mail ballots remaining to be counted.

He held his Tuesday night celebration in a vast space of the newly reopened CIA at Copia, with two-story, floor-to-ceiling windows as a backdrop. Well-dressed people sipped wine and perhaps grew a little hoarse talking over the rock n roll beat of the band Time Bandits.

Among the ever-shifting crowd were local officials such as Napa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Alfredo Pedroza, local businesspeople, friends, family and officials from other counties, such as Solano County Supervisor Jim Spering.

Amid the clamor, Dodd wandered chatting with his many well-wishers and sometimes posing so they could take selfies with him. He also took time to reflect on his all-but-assured victory.

I think my priorities remain the same  its education and jobs and fixing the infrastructure of the state so we dont leave the job and expense to the next generation, Dodd said.

Many of the important issues such as education and the economy arent partisan issues, but rather California issues, Dodd said.

Pedroza sees having Dodd in the Senate as being good for Napa County.

For us, it means were going to have a relationship with a senator who knows Napa, lives in Napa and has served on the Board, Pedroza said.

This year, Napa County worked with Dodd in the Assembly and state Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, to secure $20 million in the state budget to help build a new county jail. It worked with them on farmworker housing issues.

I think those are key examples of how having a relationship with our senator means something for the county of Napa, Pedroza said.

Dodd said he expects to be sworn in on Dec. 5. That is when next session of the state Senate will convene.

The 3rd Senate District covers Napa and Solano counties and parts of Yolo, Sacramento, Sonoma and Contra Costa counties. Dodd had to get votes from beyond his Napa County base to win.

Still, it was an election night devoid of tension, with Dodds sizable lead evident from the initial vote returns announced by the Secretary of States Office shortly after 8 p.m.

A few weeks before the election, Sonoma State University Political Science Professor David McCuan said Yamada wouldnt be a sacrificial lamb in the election and that shes constantly underestimated. But he didnt see an easy path to a Yamada victory.

Hes going to have to slip up, McCuan said. And shes going to need a final push of resources that isnt there.

Dodd held a sizable fundraising advantage, having gathered $1.9 million to Yamadas $522,413 through Oct. 22 for the June primary and the November election. Also, independent expenditure committees  the equivalent of federal super PACs  spent more than $4 million on mailers, commercials and other efforts favoring Dodd.

Yamada depicted herself as more in tune with Democratic values than Dodd, who is a former Republican. Dodd deflected the charge by pointing to his endorsements from Democratic heavyweights, including a rare endorsement in a Senate race from Brown.

Brown has a strained relationship with a Legislature that wants him to succeed, but differs with him on some key issues, McCuan said. Dodd isnt a knee-jerk liberal and is very practical, he said.

And so is Jerry Brown, McCuan said. So theres a lot of common ground between the two of them about rethinking revenue and what the states priorities are.

Dodd will become the first Napan in the state Senate since Rep. Mike Thompson, whose tenure there was from 1990 to 1998. Thompson is a Democrat from St. Helena and won reelection to the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Twelve new local United States citizens were honored Tuesday by the Napa County Board of Supervisors.

What a special day, to recognize new citizens on Election Day, said Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, who attended the morning ceremony.

The honorees benefited from the One Napa Valley Initiative that seeks to help the 9,000 legal permanent residents in Napa County who are eligible to become actually become citizens. It was launched in 2013 by the Napa Valley Community Foundation, UpValley Family Centers, the International Institute of the Bay Area, On the Move, Puertas Abiertas and 125 donors.

One Napa Valley has helped 793 people submit applications to become U.S. citizens and 522 become citizens, a county report said.

I want to thank you for picking Napa to be your new home, Napa Mayor Jill Techel told the 12 honorees.

Representatives for Assemblyman Bill Dodd, D-Napa, and state Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, attended the ceremony.
ABC News(NEW YORK) -- Its Election Day in America, and citizens in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., are heading to the polls to choose the nations 45th president.



Preliminary results from exit polls in 28 key states will give us a glimpse of who's voting and what's motivating their choices.

Note: These are preliminary exit poll results; they can change, possibly materially, as the evening progresses.(Read about national exit poll results here.)

The Candidates' Attributes



Much of the campaign focused on Hillary Clintons and Donald Trumps personal qualities. Both reached record levels of unpopularity for presidential candidates, with sharp divisions on their fitness for office on items such as qualifications, temperament and honesty.



In preliminary national exit poll results 54 percent of voters see Clinton unfavorably, and 61 percent say the same of Trump. Comparable numbers in 2012 were 46 for Barack Obama and 50 for Mitt Romney.



Substantial numbers say both Clinton and Trump are not honest and trustworthy  59 percent in Clintons case and 65 percent in Trumps. Its unprecedented even to ask this question in an exit poll.



Clinton does better, Trump less well, on qualifications and temperament. Fifty-three percent of voters say shes qualified for office, and 56 percent say she has the right personality and temperament for the job. Those decline to 37 percent and 34 percent for Trump, respectively, in these preliminary exit poll results.



The exit poll also asks which of four other candidate qualities are most important. In preliminary results, 38 percent say its someone who can bring about needed change versus 22 percent who say its experience and 22 percent who cite good judgment. Only 15 percent say its someone who cares about people like me. Among Clinton supporters, experience and judgment are most important, while among Trump supporters, its nearly all about change.



Rural and Urban Attitudes



Preliminary exit poll data has shed some light on rural, suburban and urban attitudes and views.



About 20 percent of urban respondents said that they were worse off financially than they were in 2012. That can be compared to 28 percent of those who live in the suburbs and 36 percent who live in rural areas.



Some 57 percent of urban voters say that they rate the economy negatively. That's compared to 63 percent of suburban voters who were asked the same question, and 72 percent of rural voters.



When it comes to who they trust to handle the economy, Clinton-Trump, urban respondents went 57-37 percent for Clinton, while suburban respondents went 44-49 percent. Rural respondents went 33-63 percent in favor of Trump.



Responding to the rather pessimistic question about whether they believe life will be worse for the next generation than today, 27 percent of urban respondents said yes, while 35 percent of suburban and 41 percent of rural respondents did.



And when it comes to belief that the economy is on the wrong track, 53 percent of urban respondents said that they believed it was. That's compared to 63 percent of suburban and 71 percent of rural respondents who said that they believed it was on the wrong track.



Polarization



Some quick observations on polarization, based on preliminary exit polling data.



Among Trump supporters, 96 percent have an unfavorable opinion of Clinton.



Among Clinton supporters, 95 percent have an unfavorable opinion of Trump.



Divisions and Unpopularity



The preliminary exit poll data also reveals some interesting nuggets about division and unpopularity.



Eighty-one percent of Trump voters think Obamacare went too far. Half of Clinton voters think it didnt go far enough.



Forty-four percent of Trump voters say their financial situation is worse than it was four years ago; 47 percent of Clinton voters say their finances have improved.



Here's further evidence of the unpopularity of these candidates: 20 percent of Trumps own voters nonetheless view him unfavorably. Twelve percent of Clinton voters say the same of their candidate.



And 28 and 24 percent of Trump and Clinton voters, respectively, dont feel their own candidate is honest and trustworthy.



Fear Factor



Trump incites greater fear than Clinton, especially among women: 43 percent of women say theyd feel scared if Trump were elected, compared with 31 percent of men. Nearly twice as many women as men say theyd feel excited by a Clinton win, 22 vs. 12 percent, respectively.



And, 72 percent of Clinton supporters feel scared by a Trump presidency, 59 percent of Trump supporters are scared by a Clinton presidency.



Right Track / Wrong Track



When it comes to views on whether the country is headed in the right direction, just 31 percent of Clinton voters say the country is "seriously off on the wrong track."



Compare that to Trump voters -- a whopping 93 percent of whom say the country is on the wrong track.



Trump's Treatment of Women and Clinton's Emails



Trumps treatment of women and Clintons use of a private email server while secretary of state have been highly controversial issues.



In preliminary exit poll results, 51 percent of voters say Trumps treatment of women bothers them a lot, while fewer, 45 percent, say the same about the situation regarding Clintons emails. (Note: Interviews representing as much as 40 percent of the national exit poll were conducted in advance of the FBIs announcement Sunday that its renewed review found nothing to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.)



Anxiety and Dislike



Given their unpopularity, Clinton and Trump alike are seeing lukewarm support  including many voters who chiefly oppose their opponent rather than supporting them. This is especially so in Trumps case, and far different from what we saw in 2012, when 70 percent of Obamas voters strongly supported him, as did 60 percent of Romneys, compared with only 10 percent who voted against their candidates opponent.



Many voters express concern about a Clinton or Trump presidency, and excitement is subdued. Seventeen percent are excited about the prospect of a Clinton presidency, while 29 percent are downright scared about it. On the flip side, just 13 percent are excited about a possible Trump presidency in preliminary exit poll results; 37 percent, scared of it.



The divisions are profound. Among Clinton supporters, 72 percent are scared of Trump in office; among Trump voters, 60 percent are scared of what Clinton would do.



Previous positive and negative anticipation peaked in 2008, when 37 percent of voters were excited about an Obama presidency and 33 percent were scared about McCain.



When Voters Made Their Decisions



When did voters make their decision? Despite the frantic finish and a series of major events near the end of the race, 75 percent of voters say they decided on their vote more than a month ago. Still, 24 percent of voters say they made their choice in the last month. Theyll both be important groups to watch as the night goes on.



State of the Country



Whatever their divisions, many voters share a sense of frustration with the political situation. Sixty-one percent of voters in preliminary exit poll results say the countrys on the wrong track. Thats similar to its level in 2012 when Barack Obama won re-election and down from 75 percent in 2008 at the peak of the economic crisis, but well above its level from 1996 to 2004.



Sixty-nine percent are dissatisfied with the way the government is working, including 23 percent who are angry about it  a sentiment especially prevalent among Trump voters. And 49 percent say the governments doing too many things best left to individuals and business, similar to most previous elections.



Clinton and Trump voters are vastly different on these measures, with Clintons much more positive and Trumps much more negative. For example, 92 percent of Trumps supporters feel the countrys on the wrong track and 88 percent are dissatisfied with the how the governments working, or angry about it.



On the Economy



The state of the economy relates to these sentiments. Eight years on from the Great Recession, 62 percent of voters in preliminary exit poll results still rate the economy negatively  not good or poor. Still, thats well down from 76 percent in 2012 and a vast 93 percent in 2008.



Thirty percent say their familys financial situation has improved in the last four years, but about as many, 27 percent, say it has gotten worse. (The rest say its about the same.) Its the first time better has outnumbered worse on this question since 2004 and the lowest getting worse result since 2000.



Expectations, though still not great, are better than theyve been: In preliminary results, 37 percent of voters think the next generation will be worse off, but 33 percent think it will be better off, again the least negative differential since 2000. Again pessimism is far higher among Trump supporters.



Integrity of the Vote



Just 28 percent of Trump voters say theyre very confident their votes will be counted accurately versus 68 percent of Clinton voters. There was no partisan gap on this question when it was asked in the 2008 exit poll, and the division this year is bigger even than the one between Kerry and Bush voters in 2004, after the contentious 2000 election.



On the Issues



Preliminary exit poll results indicate that the economy/jobs is the top issue for voters (52 percent), followed by terrorism (18 percent), foreign policy (13 percent) and immigration (12 percent). Theres a big difference, though by candidate support, with Clintons supporters relatively more focused on the economy and foreign policy, Trumps on terrorism and immigration.



Voters split roughly evenly on whom they trust more to handle the economy (46 percent say Clinton versus 48 percent who pick Trump), while Clinton has a clear advantage on foreign policy (53 percent versus 42 percent) and a slimmer one on serving as commander in chief (49 percent of versus 46 percent).



Immigration



Many more voters say undocumented immigrants should be given a path to citizenship or be deported (71 percent versus 25 percent). And more oppose rather than support one of Trumps signature policies, building a wall along Mexican border (54 percent versus 40 percent) in preliminary exit poll results. Not surprisingly, Clinton and Trump voters differ widely on these immigration policy issues.



Also, 9 percent of voters were not born in the United States  a group to watch in later results.



The Obama Factor



Fifty-four percent of voters approve of the job Obama is doing as president, 34 percent strongly so in preliminary exit poll results. That may help Clinton, but its no guarantee: In 2000, a robust 57 percent approved of Bill Clintons job performance when Al Gore tried unsuccessfully to follow him.



Slightly more voters think the next president should continue Obamas policies (28 percent) or change to more liberal ones (18 percent). Forty-six percent say the next presidents policies should be more conservative that Obamas.



Turnout



Turnout among key groups is critical. ABC News/Washington Post pre-election polls indicated that, apart from partisanship and ideology, Clintons success is dependent on turnout among women, college-educated whites (especially college-educated white women), nonwhites and young voters. Trump needs turnout from men, whites overall, non-college-educated whites (especially non-college-educated white men) and evangelical white Christians.



Turnout and vote margins among these groups will be worth watching tonight.



Early turnout across partisan lines looks quite similar to 2012, 37 percent Democrats, 32 percent Republicans.



The gender gap so far appears to be historic -- the widest in exit polls back to 1976. In preliminary exit poll results, Clinton +12 among women, Trump +12 among men



Trumps margin among evangelical white Christians has been huge -- 81-16 percent. We have data just since 2004, but this is the widest GOP margin among white evangelicals in that time.



On race, whites could be slightly down  70 percent in preliminary exit poll results, 30 percent nonwhite, including 12 percent black and 11 percent Hispanic.



Women outnumber men in 2016 early results, as they have since 1984. Men accounted for 47 percent of the nationwide vote, while women accounted for 53 percent. If the gender gap that was evident in pre-election polling holds tonight, itll be an advantage for Clinton.



Early exit poll results show a record level of turnout among college-educated voters, 50 percent versus 50 percent non-college-educated voters. Again, these are early results, but its worth keeping an eye on and would be another Clinton advantage if it holds.



College-educated white women outnumber non-college-educated white women (20 percent versus 17 percent), which would be a first in exit polls. College-educated white women are by far Clintons strongest group among whites. Theres no indication in early results of increased turnout among non-college whites, Trumps core group.



White evangelical Christians make up 27 percent of voters in preliminary exit poll results, similar to 2012, and a very strong group for Trump in pre-election polling.



Supreme Court

Nationally, 21 percent of voters call appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court the most important factor in their decision, preliminary exit polls indicate. (Though President Obama did put forth a nominee, the Supreme Court seat vacated when Justice Antonin Scalia passed away in Feburary, remains open.) These voters overwhelmingly favor Trump, 57 to 40 percent.



Miscellaneous Observations



Finally, a few other miscellaneous observations from the preliminary data.



Among the 5 percent of voters who supported someone other than Trump or Clinton, most -- 56 percent -- said they wouldn't have voted at all if those two were their only choice. But of the remaining 44 percent, slightly more say they would have voted for Clinton than for Trump.



Asked the most important attribute (of four choices) to them, 70 percent of Trump voters pick a candidate who can bring needed change. As many Clinton voters pick either experience (41 percent) or good judgment (28 percent).



Trump supporters only split on deportation -- 50 percent think illegal immigrants working in the U.S. should be offered a chance to apply for legal status, 45 percent think they should be deported. Among Clinton voters, 88 percent favor a path to legal status.



Trump voters are more united when it comes to building a wall along the border with Mexico -- 74 percent support it. Just 8 percent of Clinton backers agree, a profound split.



White evangelicals account for nearly half of Trump supporters, 46 percent; 9 percent of Clintons.

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Napa Valley Colleges board of trustees will honor JoAnn Busenbark on Thursday night for her eight years on the board, which followed more than 30 years as a college employee.

Busenbark, who earlier served two terms on the Napa City Council and nine years on the Napa Planning Commission, chose not to run for re-election to the college board this year.

During her city service, she advocated for economic development, defended the citys general plan and Rural Limit Line, and encouraged the construction of workforce housing.

With a record of public service second to none, according to a Napa Valley Register article from 2003, she retired that year from her job at the college and began searching, at age 65, for a new opportunity to serve Napa.

A longtime supporter of lifelong learning, Busenbark worked at Napa Valley College for more than 30 years, developing many of the programs and classes for seniors at the Upper Valley Campus and the Veterans Home.

Board chairman Michael Baldini praised Busenbark for her commitment to the college.

JoAnns accomplishments have served the Board in so many ways  as a leader in the selection of our college superintendent/president, as an advocate for new facilities and programs, and as a resounding voice for students first.

During her tenure on the NVC board, Busenbark was an advocate of workforce development to provide short-term training and transfer classes. She has also been a longtime advocate for developing new sources of income for the college beyond government.

An optimist, Busenbark advocated embracing the vision of new beginnings for students in cutting-edge careers in green technology, robotics, health services and winery technology.

She is also encouraged the Napa Valley College Foundation, which formed an alumni association to connect alums with the college and the community.

Busenbark will be honored before and during Thursday evenings board of trustees meeting, starting with a cake ceremony to honor her contributions, presentations by college officials, a resolution and an opportunity for speakers to comment on her service.

The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. in the board room of the McPherson Administration Building, 1500.
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, jumped to commanding lead in preliminary results Tuesday in his bid for a 10th two-year term in Congress.

Thompson and Republican Carlos Santamaria, a Napa businessman, competed for the 5th District Congressional seat. Thompson led 77.2 percent to 22.8 percent with 59.9 percent of precincts reporting by 10:30 p.m., according to the California Secretary of States office.

With the campaign behind us I look forward to continuing our work together, not as Democrats and Republicans, but united as Americans behind our shared goal of building a brighter future for our kids and grandkids," Thompson said in a statement as the returns showed him maintaining a dominating lead.

The two men emerged from the June primary that had four candidates. The 5th District covers Napa County and parts of Contra Costa, Lake, Solano and Sonoma counties.

Thompson reported raising $1.8 million in campaign revenues from January 2015 through Oct. 19. Santamaria reported raising $2,700, all from a single contributor.

A re-elected Thompson plans to keep the district his main priority. Im not going to change that at all, he said. Thompson plans to continue to work on gun violence prevention and to improve the Affordable Care Act, he said.
ST. HELENA -- St. Helena City Manager Jennifer Phillips is one of six finalists competing for the job of city manager in Bothell, Washington.

According to an item posted Wednesday morning on the city of Bothell's website, the six finalists have been invited to meet Bothell citizens at an open house on Nov. 18, followed by interviews on Nov. 19.

Bothell is a Seattle suburb with a population of 35,576. According to the post, the Bothell City Council hired Slavin Management Consultants to help recruit a city manager. The firm received 37 responses and recommended 10 finalists to the council.

"I believe this opportunity with the City of Bothell is unique and exciting and I feel strongly that my education, skills and experience provide me with the experience to successfully serve as the City's next City Manager," Phillips wrote in her application for the Bothell job, dated Sept. 16.

Since becoming St. Helena's city manager in 2014, Phillips has hired a new executive staff and sounded alarms about the city's precarious financial condition.

"My husband and I have been interested in moving to Washington for many years," Phillips told the St. Helena Star in an email on Wednesday morning. "The opportunity with the City of Bothell peaked my interest because Bothell is a medium sized city that values financial sustainability, economic development and community. I am looking forward to meeting the Council, staff and community members to see if this is a good fit for everyone."
Two nearly identical measures designed to reduce the euthanasia rate at the county animal shelter faced off on the ballot Tuesday night, with the one favored by both animal rights activists and county officials, known as Measure A, strongly in the lead.

Napa county Supervisors and animal advocates describe Measure A as an improved version of Measure B, which had been floated by animal advocates but met with technical objections from county officials.

With the early vote-by-mail ballots counted by 8:01 p.m. Tuesday, Measure A had 69.78 percent yes votes and Measure B had 45.21 percent yes votes.

I think its really great to see the general public support the measure, said Napa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Alfredo Pedroza in response to the initial results.

If both measures end up with more than 50 percent in the final tally, the one with the most votes becomes law.

Measure B includes the clause that the county will use all available resources working with nonprofit groups to prevent euthanizing animals brought to the shelter. Animal advocates said that they intended to mean that their own rescue groups would be the available resources.

But county officials feared a third party might sue the county and a judge might decide all available resources includes money the county is saving for a new jail and other projects. Measure A lacks the phrase.

They said it was too ambiguous and I agree, said Pam Ingalls of Wine Country Animal Lovers and a leading advocate of the measure.

Since the county couldnt take Measure B off the ballot, it put Measure A on the ballot to compete.

We wanted to make sure the public understood what was on the ballot, Pedroza said. At the end of the day, though, the goal is to make sure that the shelter operates the way the community wants it to, he said.

Both initiatives would require the county to take certain steps before euthanizing dogs, cats and rabbits at the shelter, such as doing medical and behavioral evaluations and contacting animal rescue groups. The goal is to have a live release rate of at least 90 percent.

Napa Countys animal shelter in 2015 had a live release rate of 82.5 percent. During the first three quarters of 2016, the live release rate was 94.7 percent, according to the county.

Ingalls and Monica Steven of Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch spearheaded Measure B. Supervisor Diane Dillon, worried about the all available resources phrase, worked with them to create Measure A.

As long as one of them passes, its good, but we know Measure A is a better measure, Ingalls said a few weeks ago.
Illinois Democrat Rep. Tammy Duckworth has beat out incumbent Republican Sen. Mark Kirk for his Senate seat, the Democrats' first official pickup from the GOP in their bid to retake the Senate majority.

The race is one of fewer than a dozen competitive contests that could determine which party controls the Senate, and by extension, the balance of power in Congress. So far, Democrats have picked up just one of the four seats they need if Hillary Clinton wins, and five seats they will need if Donald Trump wins, to take control of the Senate.

Duckworth was a safe pickup bet against Kirk, who had been flagging in the polls against the combat veteran and two-term congresswoman from Chicago.

But Democrats had a setback earlier Tuesday night, when Republican Rep. Todd Young beat out Democrat and former senator Evan Bayh in the Indiana Senate race, delivering them a disappointing defeat in their bid to take over the Senate majority.

Bayh, who served two terms in the Senate and hails from one of Indiana's most powerful political families, was recruited as one of the Democrats' stronger candidates, but ultimately fell short against Young, a three-term congressman from the southern part of the state.

In Florida, Republican Marco Rubio, who ran an unsuccessful presidential campaign earlier this year, was reelected to his Senate seat Tuesday night, overcoming a challenge from Democrat Rep. Patrick Murphy in one of Congress's more competitive races.

But in the House, Florida Democrat Stephanie Murphy staged an upset against one of the GOP's veteran members, Republican John Mica, who held his seat since 1993. Mica's race in part was fueled by redistricting that led to a defeat for the normally safe incumbent, who ultimately lost by nearly three points.

Democrats also picked up a House seat in Florida from Republican Rep. David Jolly, who lost his reelection battle to former Florida governor Charlie Crist. Crist, who was a Republican and an Independent while governor, joined the Democratic Party in 2012. But Democrats lost the House being vacated by Rep. Patrick Murphy, who lost to Rubio in the Senate race, when Florida Republican Brian Mast beat out Democrat Randy Perkins.

In Virginia, Republicans also overcame a Democratic effort to oust Rep. Barbara Comstock, who easily rode to a nine-point victory over Democratic challenger LuAnn Bennett.

Republicans are favored to retain their majority in the House, but it will almost certainly shrink.

Meanwhile the parties held on to their seats in several other high-profile Senate races. Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, who just a few months ago was on the shortlist of incumbents most in danger of losing their seats, was also reelected to a second term in one of the earliest races to be called Tuesday night. And in Maryland, Democrat Chris Van Hollen was elected to his first term as a U.S. senator in the seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski.

Democratic Sen. Charles E. Schumer, N.Y., who is expected to replace Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid as the Senate's top Democrat next year, won a fourth term, while the Senate's No. 3 Republican, John Thune, S.D., was reelected to his third.

And in Georgia, Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson was reelected to a third term in a race against Democratic challenger Jim Barksdale. While Isakson was not in grave danger of losing his seat, the race rode largely on whether Isakson could clear an all-important 50 percent threshold to avoid a runoff - and until the last days of the election, public polling suggested he might not. But early returns showed Isakson with a healthy, nearly 2-to-1 lead over Barksdale.

Vermont's Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy was reelected to his eighth term and Alabama Republican Sen. Richard Shelby to his sixth. Republicans Tim Scott of South Carolina and James Lankford of Oklahoma were reelected to their first full terms in the Senate, while Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal and Republicans Rand Paul (Ky.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), John Boozman (Ark.), and John Hoeven (N.D.) each won a second Senate term.

In the House, Republicans are favored to retain their majority, but it will almost certainly shrink.

Republicans saw one of their veteran members, Florida Rep. John Mica upset by 38-year-old Democratic challenger Stephanie Murphy. Mica's race in part was fueled by redistricting that led to a defeat for the normally safe incumbent - he has held office since 1993. With nearly all of the votes counted, Mica lost to Murphy by nearly three points.

Among the other states that will determine control of the Senate are New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, where Republican incumbents are on the ropes in blue states that President Obama won in 2012. Some bellwether House districts are Illinois's 10th, where GOP Rep. Bob Dold is fighting the Trump headwinds; New Jersey's 5th District, where Republican Rep. Scott Garrett is in trouble; and Iowa's 1st District, where Rep. Rod Blum, R, is fighting for his political life.

The purple states and districts in play are dotted across the national map, so if the GOP is able to capitalize on a late-breaking burst of momentum, the composition of Congress might not be clear until the final polls have closed. But if the Democrats, led by Clinton, have an especially good night, the future of Capitol Hill could be determined fairly early in the night.

With Republican dissatisfaction with Trump running high, many GOP incumbents are hoping a significant slice of the electorate will split their tickets, choosing Clinton at the top and them for Senate.

In Florida, Rubio has stood by his less-than-enthusiastic Trump endorsement, while in Arizona, McCain has already said he would not vote for the GOP nominee. McCain's wife Cindy even went to vote Tuesday in a white pantsuit - the voting booth uniform of choice for many Clinton supporters, who chose the color in deference to the suffragettes of the last century and the cut in homage to the Democratic nominee's signature style. McCain, who voted with his wife, wore white pants.

Elsewhere, however, GOP candidates were extremely careful about keeping their votes close to the chest - particularly in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania and New Hampshire could be early indicators of how congressional tides may turn nationwide, as incumbent Republican Sens. Pat Toomey, Pa., and Kelly Ayotte, N.H., are neck-and-neck with their Democratic challengers, Katie McGinty and Granite State Gov. Maggie Hassan, respectively.

Both states could be a test of whether Republican incumbents will be able to keep going if Trump loses steam. Ayotte already repudiated her party's nominee following the release of lewd comments he made on 2005 videotape, while Toomey, who long refused to say who he would vote for, cast his vote for Donald Trump Tuesday night, according to the Allentown Morning Call.

Toomey had invited a backlash Tuesday when he indicated he wouldn't be casting a ballot until 6:45 p.m., just over an hour before the Pennsylvania polls close. It was an unorthodox move, as politicians in close races usually vote early and encourage voters to do the same. McGinty's campaign was quick to lambaste Toomey over the delay, calling him a "spineless, self-interested politician."

"Pat Toomey is intentionally waiting until millions of his constituents have already voted today before making clear to them who he supports to be our next commander in chief," McGinty spokesman Josh Levitt said in a written statement. "That is spineless and the exact opposite of leadership."

Still, control of the Senate isn't actually likely to be determined until polls close in North Carolina and Missouri, and then Wisconsin.

Wisconsin's GOP Sen. Ron Johnson recently gained ground against former Democratic senator Russ Feingold, who is favored to win. Meanwhile Missouri's Roy Blunt - a member of Senate GOP leadership - and North Carolina's Richard Burr, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, are finding themselves in toss-up contests after neither of them ran standout campaigns.

In a last attempt to turn out all corners of the GOP base, Blunt, whose race against Jason Kander, D, is slightly closer than Burr's race against Deborah Ross, D, flooded social media on Tuesday with get-out-the-vote appeals from disparate corners of the Republican Party, including Libertarian-leaning Sen. Rand Paul, Ky., and conservative one-time GOP presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas.

But if Missouri, Wisconsin and North Carolina are close, the Senate majority might not be determined until polls close in Nevada, where Rep. Joe Heck, R, and former state attorney general Catherine Cortez Masto, D, are battling to replace outgoing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D.

The Heck-Cortez Masto race is exceptionally close, and may come down to how well the formidable ground operation Reid built is able to turn out key Democratic constituencies, such as Latino voters and women. On Tuesday, the Heck campaign's Twitter feed featured several posts aiming to tamp down negative advertisements painting the candidate as unfavorable on women's issues, and encourage more female voters to cast their ballots for Heck.

Meanwhile, House leaders will be watching races in a few dozen states to see if Democrats are able to stage upsets, or if the GOP manages to hold onto the bulk of its House majority. Democrats need 30 seats to retake control of the lower chamber.

Though House Democrats claimed just a month ago that the majority was within their grasp, that is increasingly unlikely as no national wave seems to be developing in either party's direction. Democratic strategists now predict that the party will pick up about a dozen seats - a drop House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Calif., blamed Tuesday on FBI Director James B. Comey's decision late last month to tell Congress about possible new information pertaining to the Clinton email probe.

Many Democrats have charged that Comey's decision was politically motivated, and Pelosi said Tuesday that it had a "definite impact" on Democrats' efforts to seize more congressional seats.

But it is possible that Democrats might knock out one of the GOP's chief attack dogs against the Obama administration, as well as one of its most senior Republicans in Florida races that could measure the force of demographic changes in newly fashioned districts, as well as how minority voting blocs are burgeoning.

In California, former House Oversight Committee chairman Darrell Issa - who was banging the Republicans' Benghazi drum before there was a Benghazi committee - could be the GOP's most high-profile House loss of the night if he is bested by Democrat Doug Applegate, a former Marine colonel whose camp has ridiculed Issa's recent attempts to recast himself as a friend of the Obama administration.

Other competitive House races are all over the country, from Illinois to New Hampshire to Nevada.

In the suburbs of Chicago, Dold is defending his congressional seat against the Democrat who used to occupy it, former congressman Brad Schneider. It's unclear how that one might turn out.

Meanwhile, in New Hampshire, the likely outcome of a similar matchup between incumbent Republican Frank Guinta and his predecessor, former Democratic congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter, is anybody's guess - the polling hasn't consistently favored one over the other.

Two races in Nevada could turn on whether Democrats have successfully stoked the Latino vote, as Republican Rep. Cresent Hardy faces state senator and Reid protege Ruben Kihuen. One district over, Republican Danny Tarkanian and Democrat Jacky Rosen battle it out over the seat Heck vacated to make a run at the Senate.

In Minnesota's 2nd District, Democrats backing Angela Craig have tried to link Republican talk radio host Jason Lewis to Trump over his comments about "not-thinking" women and "cultural suicide" by the "white population." One of them will replace outgoing Rep. John Kline, R.
Kansas wine buyer arrested

Last April, Michael Quinn of Michael-Scott Wines  a Napa based winery  made a deal with licensed distributor, James Jimmy Allen Hall, who ordered 58 cases of wine valued at nearly $9,000 from Michael-Scott Wines.

After the cases were shipped to Hall in Pittsburg, Kansas, Quinn finally received the promised check, but it bounced due to insufficient funds.

After a multi-state investigation, which is ongoing, Kansas ABC charged Hall, with forgery, identity theft, making false information, obtaining an ABC license by fraud and the purchase and sales and distribution of alcoholic liquor without a license. He was arrested on Oct. 21 and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, where he later bonded out.

Hall was also wanted in Florida on suspicion of grand theft. Hall is suspected of defrauding several companies out of $811,593 of 401(k) funds while operating in Florida.
Eighth graders at St. Helena Robert Louis Stevenson School have been busy these last two months with a massive project oriented around immigration and the challenges faced by immigrants around the world.

According to eighth-grade social studies teacher Therese Messmer, there have been 17 projects done by 17 groups of eighth-grade students, each doing research by reading books, Internet browsing, interviewing immigrants, writing reports, and performing other activities associated with the schools annual Immigration Challenge.

For instance, Eva Graces team created a documentary video about how the Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) Auction Napa Valley supports organizations such as Ole Health and St. Helena Hospital that in turn help those in need, including immigrants.

The video includes a slideshow of Latin American (Latino) immigrants working in the vineyards, highlighting the sorts of people who benefit from Auction Napa Valley.

I was surprised at how much effort goes into helping immigrants across the valley, Grace said. How much time it takes to set up with wine auction, the bidding, deciding who gets the money  its such a long process.

This documentary, featuring interviews with NVVs Susan Duke and Ole Healths Rachel Cusick, should appear on the Vintners website, napavintners.com, next week, Grace said.

Maleka Andersons group also produced a video and Google presentation about immigrants from around the world who live in the Napa Valley. Through parents, friends and their own contacts, the students got in touch with immigrants from Mexico, Europe, Morocco and India.

We wanted to teach our audience what immigration is, how they can help immigration, and how they can change it for the better, Anderson said.

She said the most fascinating interview was with Margarito Garcia, the long-time custodian at RLS. Anderson had known Garcia was from Mexico, but she hadnt realized how much hed gone through to establish himself in the United States.

He was trying to support his parents and his siblings in Mexico, and he was the first one to actually come to America, Anderson said. He got deported back at one point. Then he met his wife here and things started getting better. But he couldnt go back (to Mexico) until he became a U.S. citizen.

The most interesting part of the project was learning how people immigrate and how hard it is to immigrate, Anderson said. In some parts of Africa people arent even allowed to leave their country because of political disputes.

It really opened my eyes to whats going on in the world, to all the harm thats being done, and what we can do to help change it for the better. The refugee camps are always looking for donations. We can also just stay informed.

This video is one of two group projects that will be presented from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, at the St. Helena Public Library. There will be samples of food provided by the immigrants who were interviewed, Anderson said.

Andersons group also wanted to help immigrant families who are in need, so they set up donation boxes at several local businesses and gave the proceeds to the UpValley Family Centers.

We wanted to make a difference, and we knew the Family Center has a big immigration program, she said.

Refugee crisis

Another creative project spearheaded by the eighth-grade class focused on the ongoing refugee crisis in the Middle East and its impact on immigration to the U.S. and Europe.

This project, involving Liesle Wolf-Hainemann, Sydney Becker, Sharon Lagunas, Zoe Long, and Maxwell Lanstrom, began by looking at immigration through the eyes of Syrian refugees in the worlds largest refugee camp called Zaatari in Jordan. That camp has been estimated to be the temporary home of more than 80,000 refugees who have been driven out of their home country during five years of the ongoing Syrian civil war.

We realized that many of these refugees may ultimately be coming to the United Kingdom or the United States, said Wolf-Hainemann. So we wondered how the children would be able to learn English, and we came up with an idea to help them.

When we thought about how we learned English as children, Sydney Becker continued. We remembered how important our old picture books were. And so we decided to collect them and send them to the camp for kids to use. That led them to expand the project to obtain more picture books.

The group put up posters and book drop-boxes around school, at the library, and at sponsoring stores in town in the hopes of gathering one thousand books. Asked how many theyd gathered so far, they said between 200 and 400. But were going to continue the project to get as many as we can, even after the Immigration Challenge project is over, said Wolf-Hainemann.And were in talks with potential sponsors to have them shipped to the refugee camp.
St. Helena City Manager Jennifer Phillips is one of six finalists competing for the job of city manager in Bothell, Washington.

According to an item posted Wednesday morning on the city of Bothells website, the six finalists have been invited to meet Bothell citizens at an open house on Nov. 18, followed by interviews on Nov. 19.

Bothell is a Seattle suburb with a population of 35,576. According to the post, the Bothell City Council hired Slavin Management Consultants to help recruit a city manager. The firm received 37 responses and recommended 10 finalists to the council.

I believe this opportunity with the City of Bothell is unique and exciting and I feel strongly that my education, skills and experience provide me with the experience to successfully serve as the Citys next City Manager, Phillips wrote in her application for the Bothell job, dated Sept. 16.

Since becoming St. Helenas city manager in 2014, Phillips has hired a new executive staff and sounded alarms about the citys precarious financial condition.

My husband and I have been interested in moving to Washington for many years, Phillips told the Star in an email on Wednesday morning. The opportunity with the City of Bothell peaked my interest because Bothell is a medium-sized city that values financial sustainability, economic development and community. I am looking forward to meeting the Council, staff and community members to see if this is a good fit for everyone.
Challengers Mary Koberstein and Geoff Ellsworth appear to have unseated City Council incumbents Sharon Crull and Greg Pitts, according to preliminary election night results.

With all St. Helena precincts reporting, Koberstein was the top vote-getter with 853 votes (33.3 percent), followed by Ellsworth with 714 votes (27.89 percent). Trailing were incumbents Pitts (508 votes, 19.8 percent) and Crull (483 votes, 18.8 percent).

Koberstein and Ellsworth watched the results come in during an election night party at Kobersteins house, where they were surrounded by supporters.

Koberstein is a relative newcomer to St. Helena, having moved here in September 2014. Supporters attributed her strong showing to an energetic campaign to introduce herself to St. Helena citizens and explain her qualifications.

Koberstein was appointed to the St. Helena Planning Commission in July 2015 after a career in city planning and land use law. She pledged to bring a fresh, pragmatic and open approach to government.

I met a lot of people all over town, Koberstein said. They were working for me, helping me, having coffees and house parties. As a newcomer, this is so unbelievable. Im amazed.

Ellsworth, the nights other big winner, is a St. Helena native who became politically active in the last few years as a member of Citizens Voice St. Helena. In his campaign, he stressed that the city needs to manage tourism and fix its financial problems without compromising citizens quality of life.

I worked as hard as I could to make connections, going out and knocking on doors, he said minutes after the results were posted online. The reward is I get to serve the community.

Incumbents Pitts and Crull ran minimal campaigns, running primarily on their records as councilmembers. They touted their knowledge of city issues and experience on the council  eight years for Crull and four years for Pitts.

A few hours before the results were posted, Pitts said, I am hopeful that I will be re-elected for another four years here in St. Helena, but I would be happy with any outcome. I look forward to a bright future for our city.

Pitts said although he expected to be in town Tuesday night, he wasnt sure he would be watching election results. I might check in on Saturday, because it will take a while to count them up, he predicted. Pitts was scheduled to catch a plane at 6 a.m. Wednesday for Sun Valley, for both business and for mountain biking.

Just after the first results were released at 8:01 p.m., Pitts said he hadnt seen the results and had no comment. Crull could not be reached immediately for comment.

Mayor Alan Galbraith and Councilmember Paul Dohring arrived at Kobersteins election night party to congratulate Koberstein and Ellsworth shortly after the results were released. Dohring called this a watershed election.

There were two very clear points of view with respect to the incumbents versus the challengers, he said. I think the people have spoken loudly in terms of the direction they want to go  looking more at community values, building community consensus, and balancing that with the need to obtain revenues and economic sustainability.

Dohring said the election signals strong support for slow, cautious growth, even as the city strives to increase revenue.

Supporters react

Supporters of Koberstein and Ellsworth cheered when St. Helenan Pat Dell pulled up the results on a laptop at 8:01 p.m.

The city has spoken, Dell said a few minutes later. It wanted a change and it has it.

The challengers represented a new perspective and a new energy, even though being a councilmember can be a thankless job, said Michael Caldarola.

Caldarola said he liked Koberstein and Ellsworths approach to the citys financial challenges. Theyre willing to look at alternative ways to solve the purported financial problems we have, in a way that minimizes irreversible change to the city, he said.

Caldarola said Pitts inability to participate in discussions of hotel projects  hes required to recuse himself because of financial involvement in other projects  was a major disadvantage for him.

Bobbi Monnette, who serves on the Planning Commission with Koberstein, said the results are a testimonial to hitting the streets and reaching out to the population, not sitting on your laurels and suffering from hubris.

There really needs to be a new direction, Monnette said.

Susan Kenward, one of the founders of Citizens Voice, said she was proud of both challengers.

Nobody knew Mary, but she really went out there and worked hard, she said. A lot of people knew Geoff, but they didnt know him in a way that they would have voted for him. They both went out there, worked hard and made a difference. Im over the moon.

In Lyman Park

On Tuesday afternoon, Ellsworth was sitting in Lyman Park, surrounded by his election signs. He said, Ive had a lot of people stop by, people who are going to the post office see me across the street and come over.

He said some of those people wave, honk their car horns and even some of them show me their ballots, and say, Ive got your name on it before putting them in the post office.

He added, Its been good to sit out in the park. I would say four or five people come here, sit down and talk to me for 20 minutes and I hear about what theyre seeing.

He added he was keeping neutral about his chances, saying he had a 50/50 chance to win the election for a council seat.

Two days ago, Ellsworth said he had a Hillary Clinton supporter on one side of him and a Donald Trump supporter on the other side and it was uncomfortable. I just stood in the center with my head down, and everybody realized I just wanted to talk about local issues at this table.

At 750 Wines

On Tuesday evening, David and Monica Stevens, co-owners of St. Helenas 750 Wines, held a welcome party for their newest employee, Elizabeth Vianello.

David Stevens, co-founder with his wife of Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch, said he was hoping that voters in Napa County would vote for Measure A, one of two measures that seeks to change procedures at the Napa County Animal Shelter to save animals from being killed.

Monica drafted Measure B, then met with the Board of Supervisors, both individually and as a group, Stevens said. Naturally, the supervisors had their own ideas about the initiative and the two groups created Measure A.

We all agreed to support Measure A and we were telling our supporters, yes we created B, but we support A. So, lets all vote for A. There may be some confusion on that one, and were hoping that A actually wins.

Election night results showed that with all precincts reporting, it appeared that Measure A had passed easily, with 70 percent yes votes and 30 percent no votes, while Measure B was failing, with 53.7 percent no votes versus 46.3 percent yes votes.

Between 5 and 6 p.m., about 50 people attended the party at 750 Wines, and quite a few were interested in the national election results that were being shown on a big-screen television.

Stevens said the election season this year was ridiculous. It was a clown car, its an embarrassment, he said. Were hearing this from our clients who have been overseas recently, the first thing, even cab drivers, ask is whats the deal with your presidential election? Its an embarrassment worldwide.

Watching the election returns as they come in now, 5:30 here, so its 8:30 as the polls are closing on the East Coast, its very, very close. Closer than I expected it to be. I hope we can make a dash to the finish line.

Stevens said he is supporting Hillary Clinton. I dont know how anybody who is black, Hispanic, female or physically impaired who hasnt been attacked by Trump. Im completely in favor of Hillary, and not just because I want to vote against Donald Trump, but I think shes been in public service for 30 years. Shes been in the White House on and off, between Bill was president and working with Barack. She knows how it works, she knows how to get things done. She will reach across the aisle. If the Democrats win the Senate and Hillary wins the presidency, we will actually get things done.

Calistoga winemaker Kirk Venge also was watching the national results at 750 Wines. He said he thought the national election was a heated debate, a little obnoxious, I think, quite frankly. Well just see what happens. Im not too crazed at either of the candidates.
The half-cent sales tax proposed by the city of St. Helena will pass by a large margin, according to preliminary election night results.

With all St. Helena precincts reporting, Measure D has 998 yes votes (69.9 percent) and 430 no votes (30.1 percent). It needed a simple majority of 50 percent plus one vote.

The tax would generate about $1.4 million a year for St. Helenas General Fund. No specific budget allocation was identified, but city officials say the tax is necessary to maintain the current level of service that St. Helenans expect.

City Manager Jennifer Phillips had said that if Measure D failed, she would have proposed major cuts to the City Council as soon as December. The cuts could have included fewer open hours at the St. Helena Public Library, partial or complete closure of some city parks, and fewer recreational programs.

Measure D was endorsed by all five members of the City Council, as well as the two challengers in the council race. It drew no organized opposition.

Im delighted that the citizens of St. Helena have acknowledged how important it is to repair a structural deficit thats been happening for probably many decades, said Councilmember Paul Dohring.

Unfortunately we have more work to do. This is certainly not a panacea, but it will provide a little breathing room for the community to retain its cherished departments like the library, police services and those kinds of things.

Mayor Alan Galbraith organized and helped fund the pro-Measure D campaign. On Wednesday morning he reacted to its passage with thankfulness to our residents and also our business community for their respective support. Measure D is not a complete answer but it does give us some breathing room.

A few hours before the results were announced, Councilmember Greg Pitts said he was feeling very optimistic about the passage of Measure D.

I feel it is very important for our community and to stabilize our fiscal situation. Its the first step in many steps we need to take, he said.

The next step is to revisit other revenue concepts that were discussed by the city-appointed Revenue Task Force, and according to Pitts, prioritize them and further explore them.

Supporters say current revenue levels are barely keeping the city afloat and are not adequate to handle the increasing cost of basic city operations, much less maintain and upgrade the St. Helenas water and sewer systems, pave crumbling roads and bring sidewalks up to code.

Supporters have also tried to separate the current city administration, which is trying to stabilize the citys finances and institute better internal procedures at City Hall, from the former city officials who were responsible for various financial fiascos.

Editor David Stoneberg contributed to this article.
I congratulate Donald Trump on his election as the next President of the United States. And I look forward to working with President-elect Trump.

We face a challenging new security environment, including hybrid warfare, cyber attacks, the threat of terrorism. US leadership is as important as ever. Our Alliance has brought together Americas closest friends in times of peace and of conflict for almost 70 years. A strong NATO is good for the United States, and good for Europe.

NATO has responded with determination to the new security situation. But we have more work to do. And I look forward to meeting Mr. Trump soon, and welcoming him to Brussels for the NATO Summit next year to discuss the way forward.
"What's past is prologue" reads the quote from William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest" emblazoned on the wall of the gallery in Emory's Michael C. Carlos Museum where the First Folio is now on view. It's a fitting epigraph for an exhibit focused on an almost 400-year-old book that remains remarkably relevant today.

After more than a year of planning, "First Folio: The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare" opened to the public Saturday, drawing a steady flow of visitors throughout the weekend.

At a special event the night before, the mood was both celebratory and reverent in the museum's Works on Paper gallery, where attendees got a first look at the exhibit, which continues through Dec. 11.

"Friends, Georgians and colleagues, lend me your ears. We come to praise Shakespeare and to honor him," Rosemary Magee, director of Emory's Rose Library, said as she welcomed guests to the event with remarks based on the famed speech in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar."

"The good that we do lives after us, oft embedded in our books," Magee said. "So be it with Shakespeare."

Published in 1623, just seven years after Shakespeare's death, the First Folio is the first collected edition of the acclaimed authors plays and is among the most famous books in the world.

Emory is the only Georgia site chosen to display the literary treasure as part of a national traveling exhibit from the Folger Shakespeare Library, which is coordinating displays in all 50 states to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Bard's death.

Emory is also one of only a few sites to concurrently display the Second (1632), Third (1663) and Fourth Folios (1685), made possible by a loan of the Second and Third folios from Rose Library benefactor Stuart A. Rose.

"Joining the Second, Third and Fourth Folios here, we have a campus wide exploration and celebration of the First," Magee reminded attendees. "Inviting all from across Emory, the city and state, this is indeed much ado about something very special."

"Once in a lifetime" moment

Having the opportunity to view the First Folio is a "once in a lifetime moment" that Emory is sharing across the university and into the broader community, President Claire E. Sterk told the opening reception.

"Emory is indeed very proud to be chosen as the only site in Georgia to host the First Folio, and we have engaged the entire campus in this celebration," Sterk said. "Students, faculty, staff and alumni from across the campus and disciplines will host many events associated with the exhibition."

In the center of the Works on Paper gallery, the First Folio stands alone in a glass case, open to the iconic "To be or not to be" soliloquy from "Hamlet."

On the back wall, beneath the quote from "The Tempest," another case holds the copies of the Second, Third and Fourth Folios, each opened to a different page.

But while the rare, centuries-old books are the focus, the exhibit was clearly designed for modern appeal. Panels lining the walls provide background on the First Folio and highlight Shakespeare's relevance to contemporary times.

"Shakespeare's words are your words," proclaims the first, giving examples of phrases from the Bard's plays that remain in modern usage, like "Beware the ides of March," "We band of brothers" and "Brevity is the soul of wit."

Other panels explore the history of the First Folio and the influence of Shakespeare on everything from contemporary literature to computer games and hip-hop music. All feature the familiar faces of famous actors playing Shakespearean roles, including Meryl Streep in "The Taming of the Shrew," Laurence Fishburne in "Othello," John Leguizamo in "Romeo and Juliet" and James Earl Jones in "Much Ado About Nothing."

"Shakespeare is still having an impact on our culture 400 years later and that is quite remarkable," Sterk said at the reception. "We live in such a fast-moving world that we sometimes forget how special that is."

Wide-ranging celebration

Emory English professor Sheila Cavanagh, director of the World Shakespeare Project, noted in her remarks that creating the First Folio was risky at the time, as plays were not considered to be of as much literary value as poetry.

"To give you some idea about the First Folio and why it matters: If it werent for the First Folio, we would not have 18 of Shakespeare's plays, and these include plays like 'Julius Caesar,' 'Twelfth Night,' 'Macbeth' and many more," she explained.

Cavanagh also echoed Sterk's invitation for the entire community to join in Emory's celebration of the First Folio.

Events while the Folio is on campus include the following:
12:01

In the next few months Rs 1000 notes will also be brought in with a new dimension and design, says Shaktikanta Das, Economic Affairs Secretary.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs1,000 notes currently in use has caused a panic among the public. Finance minister Arun Jaitley holds a press conference on the demonetisation. Highlights...





-- Initial challenge was we had to reestablish the credibility of a decision making process as long as Indian economy was concerned.



-- For any government to function, the leadership is provided by PM and PMO and then different ministries have to act in accordance.





-- Decisiveness is the hallmark of this government. Government is not scared to take risks.



-- Despite decisiveness we have endeared our best to take as many decisions as possible through a large consensus.



-- One decision was that there were sectors that needed to be opened up for economic growth.



-- Making sure that state subsidies reach people and therefore rationalised, has been discussed. We implemented that.



-- It has led to lot of savings, we are still in the process of executing our taxation changes.



-- A lot is to be covered as far as GST is concerned.



-- The recent decision of the government to cancel 500,1000 rupee notes, we are trying to ensure that at the requisite replacement is available with people. There is no need to rush in initial days.





-- I indicated that the banking dept and RBI have taken all necessary steps to keep banks open till the extent necessary. Banks will be open on the weekends.



-- It is only those with large amounts of undisclosed money who will have to face the consequences under existing laws.





-- There will be an impact on small purchases for a few days, till there is adequacy of currency, but it is beneficial in long run.





-- I've explained the advantages yesterday, but overall I do feel that not withstanding the constraints of global economy, we are doing reasonably well.





-- This decision (scrapping of Rs. 500/1000 notes) will impact the spending habits of people.



-- There is no prohibition on any sector for dealing through cheques.



-- There are some sectors which are cash intensive and therefore there could be some impact on them but over a period of time, it will work out on its own.



-- Exchange limits are only for first 2 weeks, in any case whether agricultural transaction is dealt with cash or not, it would be tax free.





-- We have been doing our best in order to increase penetration in insurance.

Our effort is to implement GST from April 1. One issue of dual-control left to be sorted out, hopeful of a solution soon.


Welcoming the government's decision to declare that all Rs. 1000/500 currency notes will cease to be legal tender from Tuesday midnight, FICCI president Harshavardhan Neotia said the move will have debilitating impact on the parallel economy in the country as well as deal a body blow to terror financing. "This is an extremely bold move by the Prime Minister and will have a debilitating impact on the parallel economy in the country as well as deal a body blow to terror financing. FICCI completely supports this move of the government and complements it for its continuous and comprehensive measures to deal with the issue of black money in the country," Neotia said. "There could be some inconvenience that this change may lead to for the people of our country for a few days. However, we are sure that government and RBI will take adequate measures to ensure the transition happens smoothly. We appeal to all sections of society to support this initiative and help India's economy gain strength by addressing the menace of black money and illicit transactions", he added. Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the currency notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 denominations will not be legal tender beginning November 9. The Prime Minister also added that all banks will remain closed for public work on November 9. "Terror strikes at the innocent. Who funds these terrorists? Across the border, our enemy uses fake currency and dodgy funds to sponsor terror - this has been proven repeatedly. The process of cash circulation is directly related to corruption in our country impacting the lower classes of our society. From midnight November 8 today, Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes are no longer legal tender," Prime Minister Modi said. "You have 50 days (From November 10 to December 30) to deposit notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 in any bank or post office. Respite for people for the initial 72 hours. The government hospitals will accept old Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes till November 11 midnight," he added. Prime Minister Modi said notes of Rs. 2000 and Rs. 500 will be circulated soon. "The RBI has decided to limit the notes with higher value. There will be more purification the more we get support from you. Let's continue the process of cleanliness and work together for successful completion of this initiative. We want to take this fight against corruption even ahead," he added. The Prime Minister further said ATMs will not work on November 9 and in some places on November 10. "There will be no change in any other form of currency exchange be it cheque, DD, payment via credit or debit cards etc," he added. Listing out the various schemes launched by the NDA government, Prime Minister Modi in his address to the nation also laid emphasis on the Jan Dhan Yojana. "When we were elected in 2014, there was a discussion that among BRICS nations, the 'I' was wobbling. India has registered itself as a bright spot and it's not that this is a claim made by us, but by IMF and World Bank. This government is dedicated to the poor and will continue to do so. Few people have spread the disease of corruption for its own interest," he said. The Prime Minister asserted that the government is dedicated for upliftment of the entire society. "There is a time when you realise that you have bring some changes in society and this is our time to feel the same. Corruption and black money is something we have fought for immediately after assuming office," he added. (ANI)
Volkswagen's head for South America David Powels said the new family of vehicles would be made up of four cars. Furthermore, the investment will cover an overhaul of production at the company's two factories in Brazil, Xinhua news agency reported.

The German automaker currently holds around 12 per cent of the Brazilian automotive market.

Volkswagen announced it intended to use its factories in both countries to boost its presence across regional markets by 3-4 per cent.

This investment will come as a major boost for the recession-hit Brazilian automotive industry. In October, sales were down 22.3 per cent from 2015.

However, Powels said that he hoped stability would return in 2017 "as there is no possibility for it to get worse this year".

--IANS vgu/mr

( 174 Words)

2016-11-09-05:48:03 (IANS)
However, the move is expected to hit many sectors such as real estate and jewellery, where cash transactions are widespread.

Sectors like real estate and jewellery that use more of black money will take a big knock after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's massive crackdown with the withdrawal of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes.

Real estate stocks have taken a pounding in early trade as the sector is expected to feel the heat of the government's move.

Shares of leading realty companies like Godrej Properties, DLF, Indiabulls Real Estate, Sobha, Oberoi, HDIL and Unitech were down 12-15 percent.

Many brokerage firms like IDFC Securities feels luxury real estate and land prices could correct near term, though it may be a positive over the long run. (ANI)
New Delhi [India], Nov.9 (ANI-Businesswire India): The Government of India yesterday evening announced that it was moving the 500 and 1000 rupee notes from circulation effective today and they may be exchanged from post offices and banks starting Nov 10th till Dec 30th, 2016. To the members of LocalCircles, India's leading community social media network this was a wish come true as the conversation on addressing domestic black money and corruption were building up since the last week of October. There were repeated suggestions from citizens on eliminating the 500 and 1000 rupee notes as well as changing their colour. LocalCircles, earlier this week released the India Corruption Poll 2016 covering the state of corruption across India with detailed local and national polls outlining what citizens felt about corruption. In this survey of 15,000+ citizens across 56 cities, 42 percent admitted paying a bribe last year. At the same time, 68 percent felt that India will see a significant reduction in corruption in the next five years. Based on the chatter on the network, LocalCircles also conducted a poll to address the domestic black money and asked if the citizens supported changing the color of 500 and 1000 rupee notes. 78 percent citizens supported the scheme, 7% did not support and 15% said that they were unsure. Approximately 11,000 citizens participated in the poll. As a follow on, citizens were asked how such a scheme should be implemented and various meaningful inputs were suggested. Some of the inputs were rolling out such a scheme suddenly, setting up a mechanism for notes exchange so accounted money can be deposited in the bank as well as creating a nation building account at banks where people with black money can deposit it anonymously. It was also proposed by the community that time till Dec 31st, 2016 should be given to deposit cash in the bank and the new notes should be introduced only after that. In the early afternoon of Nov 8th, 2016, the poll was introduced on twitter to invite broader citizenry participation beyond LocalCircles members. To the positive surprise of LocalCircles and all the citizens who participated in the poll and discussions, it was heartening to see the Prime Minister announce this scheme via a special 8 pm announcement. The LocalCircles community whole heartedly appreciates how swiftly the Government has moved with this scheme and will continue to give its pulse checks and on ground feedback as the implementation proceeds forward. (ANI-Businesswire India)
"Once again Mr Modi shows how little he cares about ordinary people of this country - farmers, small shop-keepers, housewives - all thrown into utter chaos," Gandhi tweeted on his official Twitter account.

"While the real culprits sit tight on their black money stashed away abroad or in bullion/real estate. Well done Mr. Modi," he further tweeted.

Gandhi further asked: "One question for the PM: How is replacing 1,000 rupee notes with 2,000 rupee notes going to make black money hoarding a lot harder?"

As part of sweeping steps to battle black money, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes will cease to be legal tender from midnight of Tuesday.

--IANS sid/rn

( 156 Words)

2016-11-09-16:10:03 (IANS)
The government on Wednesday warned that the cash deposits above Rs. 2.5 lakh threshold under the 50-day window could attract tax plus a 200 percent penalty if the cash deposited in bank accounts doesn't match with income declared. "We would be getting reports of all cash deposited during November 10th to December 30th, 2016, above a threshold of Rs. 2.5 lakhs in every account. The Department would do matching of this with income returns filled by depositors and suitable action may follow," Revenue Secretary Hashmukh Adhia said. "Penalty of 200 percent of the tax payable would be levied if the cash deposited in bank accounts don't match with income declared," he added. Any mismatch with income declared by the account holder will be treated as a case of tax evasion. The Revenue Secretary further stated that small businessmen, workers need not worry about small amount of deposits up to Rs.1.5 or two lakh since it would be below taxable income. He also said that persons buying jewellery have to provide the PAN number. "To buy jewellery one has to give his PAN no; instructions have been issued to check with all jewellers to ensure that this isn't compromised. Action will be taken against those jewellers who fail to take PAN numbers from such buyers," Adhia said. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley earlier in the day had said that deposits of the no longer functional Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 currency notes in bank accounts will not enjoy immunity from tax. After the government's decision of withdrawing Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 banknotes to curb black money, corruption and counterfeit currency, Jaitley said that higher-denomination currency notes have to be deposited in bank accounts to get newer or smaller denomination currencies. "Depositing the old currency notes in the banks will not provide any relief from taxation," said Jaitley. "If the money is legitimate which had been previously withdrawn from bank or earned legally and saved and had been disclosed, there is nothing to worry about," he told DD. The Finance Minister further said that housewives and farmers with genuine savings need not worry about depositing cash in their bank accounts. "The small amounts that people will deposit like Rs 25,000, 30,000 or 50,000 lying in house for expenses, or whatever money could be there for meeting normal expenses should not worry," he said. "They can go to banks," he added. He further said the government's move will promote more and more digital transactions. "Obviously there are some inconvenience for a couple of days or couple of weeks but those inconvenience cannot be alibi that India continues to live (with black money and parallel economy)," Jaitley said. "The decision would bring more transactions under tax net and both direct and indirect taxes would move up. Reduction in parallel economy would increase the size of formal economy," he added. (ANI)
The two have been sharing snaps from their shooting-days almost regularly to increase the excitement among their fans, who are waiting eagerly for the Karan Johar produced rom-com.

Alia Bhatt took to her Twitter handle very recently to share a snap where the actors are seen posing before a door opposite to each other, with ultimate fresh and youthful vibes.

"Singapore madness continues and we are ALWAYs posing awayyyy!!!! #BadrinathKiDulhania @Varun_dvn @ShashankKhaitan @karanjohar @DharmaMovies," she wrote alongside.

Varun too took to his Twitter handle to share two snaps, one of which saw his taking his co-star to a joy-ride on a bicycle.

" #BadrinathKiDulhania.Here are the pictures officially @aliaa08 @ShashankKhaitan @karanjohar #SingaporeDiaries," he wrote alongside.

'Badrinath Ki Dulhania' will be the third film where Varun and Alia will be working together, post 'Student of the Year' and 'Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania.'

Directed by Shashank Khaitan, BKD will hit the theaters on March 10, this year. (ANI)
Lee is credited with creating the Marvel Universe, a jamboree of comic book characters like Spider-Man and the X-Men, and the man behind the Indian superhero Chakra.

"Sonam, who recently traveled to Arizona to encourage the south Asian community to vote in the US presidential elections, made a pit stop in Beverly Hills here where she met Lee," said a source.

The daughter of actor Anil Kapoor -- who starred in Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire" -- also posted her superhero moment on Snapchat.

In the photograph, Sonam is seen smiling while Lee in his bright yellow sweater is seen engrossed in the conversation.

Sonam was in Arizone to join international celebrities in supporting Hillary Clinton in the US presidential elections, which Donald Trump won on Wednesday.

--IANS sug/rb/vt

( 166 Words)

2016-11-09-18:52:07 (IANS)
India and Bangladesh should get together for joint exploration of gas to overcome the hurdle of resource and logistic mobilization, poor connectivity and most important reduction in the cost of exploration. This was expressed by the experts of both nations during the recent two-day 'International conference on the present and future of natural gas : challenges and opportunities in NE India' organized at the Pragya Bhavan here by the Synergy For Energy Challenges and Opportunities in N-E (SECONE), an organization funded by Indian energy companies like ONGC, GAIL, IOL etc. "Gas is a clean fuel and is part of the energy. The focus of the conference is natural gas and we have chosen Tripura because it is lying between Bangladesh and Myanmar. There is gas in the entire region starting from Bangladesh to Myanmar. At present in the northeast (India), Tripura is producing the maximum quantity of natural gas. If more focus is given then there will be more production of gas, more exploration and more gas based industries will come and there will be more development of the region," said Anil Kr Saikia, Secretary, SECONE. Saikia said the biggest hurdle in the exploration of gas in this region is logistics and tough terrine and due to which the exploration cost is very high. "Moreover, there is transportation bottleneck along with the law and order problem but things are fast improving," he added. Most of the experts expressed that both nations should cooperate in using each other's expertise, territory for resource mobilization and equipment in exploration sector to bring down the cost and for viability of the project. "Bangladesh, Northeast India and Myanmar and these areas are endured with natural resources. Our resource is so big but our reserve is small because we could not explore it. What were the major hindrances the political boundaries, logistically difficult and because of these two it becomes costlier in exploration. That is why Bangladesh could not do very good, nor India or the Burmese in the north-eastern part. If we cooperate each other; politically these are different countries but geologically it is one. There are seven to eight borders connected with very well road, communication. Hence, within no time we can mobilize our equipment and material to the sites," said Md Maqbhul E Elahi, former director of Petro Bangla of Bangladesh and an energy expert. Elahi added: "To drill one well you need to mobilize 1200 tonnes of equipments. If we use Bangladesh roads and mobilize the equipments to Tripura or Myanmar side then in no time we can reach at almost no cost. Even to reach Digboy and these areas, it only takes six to seven hours time from Sylhet which has good road and communication. So, if we use it then the exploration cost reduces and initiative from the private partners will grow up. So, if we can cooperate then definitely we can in a very short time develop much faster compared to other parts of the world." Meantime, ONGC Tripura Asset Manager S.C. Soni said there is a need for regional cooperation in energy sector between India, Myanmar and Bangladesh for development and prosperity. "But there is a misconception or misunderstanding in this regard. There should be cooperation between Indian and Bangladesh because we are sharing the boundary and our fields are very nearby and so we can exchange our technical expertise and our data to them and they are also actually ready to share their data so that actually we can have a mutual cooperation. We also need to have a gas grid system between India, Myanmar and Bangladesh," he added. Soni further said that both Bangladesh and Northeast India have gas which needs to be tapped in a planned way, adding a gas grid shall come up in north-east India by 2030 which shall be connected with the neighouring nations. (ANI)
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi stunned everyone with his decision to scrap Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes in a bid to control black money and corruption, yoga guru Baba Ramdev applauded the former's decision and said it is a proud moment for all. "I would like to congratulate Prime Minister Modi for making such a good decision on black money. It is appreciable that India has such an honest and patriotic Prime Minister," Ramdev told ANI. He further insisted that with this act, corruption would be controlled. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation, explained the move as the government's attack on black money. These notes can be exchanged for lower denomination notes at post offices and banks from November 10 till the end of March 2017. The Prime Minister also added that all banks will remain closed for public work tomorrow. "Terror strikes at the innocent. Who funds these terrorists? Across the border, our enemy uses fake currency and dodgy funds to sponsor terror - this has been proven repeatedly. The process of cash circulation is directly related to corruption in our country impacting the lower classes of our society. From midnight November 8 today, Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes are no longer legal tender," Prime Minister Modi said. "You have 50 days (From November 10 to December 30) to deposit notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 in any bank or post office. Respite for people for the initial 72 hours. The government hospitals will accept old Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes till November 11 midnight," he added. Prime Minister Modi said notes of Rs. 2000 and Rs. 500 will be circulated soon. The Prime Minister further said ATMs will not work on November 9 and in some places on November 10. (ANI)
Chanda Kochhar, the managing director and chief executive officer of ICICI Bank, has welcomed the government's decision to derecognize Rs. 1000 and 500 notes beginning November 9, saying it is perhaps the most significant move ever taken to curtail the parallel economy. While speaking to ANI, Kochhar said the move will give a sharp boost to all formal channels of payment which in turn will help the formal economy to grow. The government today took a bold step of discontinuing with Rs. 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from midnight in a move to curb black money and counterfeit currency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation, explained the move as the government's attack on black money. These notes can be exchanged for lower denomination notes at post offices and banks from November 10 till the end of March 2017. The Prime Minister also added that all banks will remain closed for public work tomorrow. "Terror strikes at the innocent. Who funds these terrorists? Across the border, our enemy uses fake currency and dodgy funds to sponsor terror - this has been proven repeatedly. The process of cash circulation is directly related to corruption in our country impacting the lower classes of our society. From midnight November 8 today, Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes are no longer legal tender," Prime Minister Modi said. "You have 50 days (From November 10 to December 30) to deposit notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 in any bank or post office. Respite for people for the initial 72 hours. The government hospitals will accept old Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes till November 11 midnight," he added. Prime Minister Modi said notes of Rs. 2000 and Rs. 500 will be circulated soon. "The RBI has decided to limit the notes with higher value. There will be more purification the more we get support from you. Let's continue the process of cleanliness and work together for successful completion of this initiative. We want to take this fight against corruption even ahead," he added. The Prime Minister further said ATMs will not work on November 9 and in some places on November 10. "There will be no change in any other form of currency exchange be it cheque, DD, payment via credit or debit cards etc," he added. (ANI)
A majority of Delhiites are thronging or heading to hill stations nearby to escape from the toxic levels of air pollution. Hotels in Dharamshala and Shimla are doing brisk business. "We are getting many walk-in guests as tourists, especially from Delhi, have been making reservations here," said the booking in-charge manager for Himachal Tourism hotels in Dharamshala. Travellers, on the other hand, are cancelling their plans to visit Delhi and heading directly to the hill stations. "Had plans to go for Delhi darshan, but got to know about Delhi pollution and so we came to Dharamshala instead," said a tourist. "I went to Delhi last week and the smog was noticeable. Now, I have a sore throat because of that," said a foreigner. "We have come here from Delhi because the pollution levels have increased tremendously there and we wanted some relief," a tourist told ANI. Meanwhile, the environment secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan will submit a report on the burning of agricultural residues and the measures their respective governments will take or are taking to curb pollution to the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The NGT, yesterday, chided the Centre and the Delhi government for their delayed response to the air pollution issue, and asked them to move quickly to engage all stakeholders in the fight against smog. Delhi Culture Minister Kapil Mishra also appealed to people in the national capital to come up with suggestions to tackle pollution. With vehicular emissions seeing to be the major contributor to Delhi pollution, state Health minister Satyendra Jain hinted at a return of the odd-even vehicular movement policy. (ANI)
Delhi loves to eat! Either it's about the fancy restaurants or the street food; the food festivals around the city are well awaited by food lovers. Recently the Delhi Haat at Pitampura hosted the 'Great Indian Food Festival' where different food items were showcased. The fare included items such as chicken kebabs, Nahri, Biryani, Gulab Jamun and many more delicacies. In the 'Feel in Punjab' section, popular vegetarian items such as makkey di roti and sarso da saag and non-vegetarian food items like butter chicken and tandoori chicken were showcased. "Kadai paneer, daal makhni, chole, shahi paneer, all these items are the specialty of Punjab. Especially Maake ki roti and sarso ka saag are very much in demand because of the winter season. We have named this stall as "Feel in Punjab", so that even if you are living in Delhi, you can taste the authentic food of Punjab. The Amritsari Kulcha is very famous in Punjab and when we try our best to maintain the authenticity of the food", said Nitin Gupta the owner of the 'Feel in Punjab' stall. Apart from traditional food items, street food was also in great demand. Stalls like Chai Point was one of the most visited. "I would say it's a good footfall, nice people; people who enjoy chai (tea) real India is here, a lot of youngsters are walking in for chai in our store, so in terms of brand visibility it's a great amount of recall, we are happy to be here", 'Chai point" stall owner Shashank shared with ANI. Homie, a visitor at the festival, said "The stalls over here are very mouth watering and I am a big foodie so I am always excited about this food festival that's why I mostly volunteer in the food festival. The stalls for Amritsari Kulcha and Thali and Mithaiwala are available over here. I find the food really amazing over here, specially the Ram Ladoo and Chole Bhatore! The food is worth trying over here." (ANI)
Villagers in Himachal Pradesh celebrated the 100 years of apple cultivation recently. Farmers gathered at Thanedhar in Shimla to hail the landmark. Vijay Kumar Stokes, a progressive farmer and grandson of Satyanand Stokes, said, "The Stokes have contributed not only in the field of apple cultivation, but also in the area of social reform. The apple has brought prosperity and this celebration has brought all farmers and people together, it is a big achievement." Amar Singh Nalwa, a village chief, said, "The contribution of Satyanand Stokes family can never be forgotten. We have requested the people not to give a political twist to this function, as it has been arranged to pay tribute to Satyanand Stokes. Life cannot be imagined had the apple seed not been planted in this region." Vidya Stokes, the Horticulture Minister of Himachal Pradesh, said she felt happy and privileged that the people of the state had taken time out to remember her father-in-law Satyanand Stokes for his contributions in the horticulture sector of the state. Satyanand Stokes planted the first delicious varieties of apples in the Barubag region of the Kotgarh Valley in 1916. Samuel Evans Stokes popularly known as Satyanand Stokes brought apple seeds from the United States and planted them in various parts of Himachal Pradesh. After that Kotgarh and other regions of Shimla district emerged as the apple bowls of the state. Today, apple production contributes Rs. 5,000 crores to the state's economy. (ANI)
Welcoming the government's decision to ban currency notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 from tomorrow, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah described the war on black money as being no less than a surgical strike. "I welcome the decision of the government to ban Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes. On behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), I congratulate the Prime Minister for taking such a brave step. This fight against black money will continue. Decisions like forming SIT were earlier taken for the same," Shah told ANI. Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking forward the battle against corruption and black money. "I believe his step against black money is no less than surgical strike. It will not only be a problem to those keeping black money, but also give a major blow to those indulging in the business of fake currency. It will give a strong message to those having black money," he added. In an unexpected address to the nation, Prime Minister Modi last night announced that from November 9, 2016, existing Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes will no longer be legal tender. Describing the move as essential to fight "the disease of black money", Prime Minister Modi said all such currency notes must be deposited in banks and post offices starting Thursday (November 10) and through till December 30. A proposal for issue of new Rs. 500 and Rs. 2,000 notes has been cleared by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). "Your money will remain yours...you need have no worry on this account. The new notes will be in limited supply at first and will then be increased," Prime Minister Modi said. (ANI)
There have been mixed reactions to the Prime Minister's announcement on banning high denomination currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 with several chief ministers and union ministers calling it a bold step to fight black money and terror menace while some leaders questioning the way it was done. The Congress party reacted in a guarded manner and sought to question the decision to introduce Rs 2,000 notes while West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee described the decision as "draconian". "People of our nation would support and participate like true soldiers in this war against black money. This is a milestone in nation's progress," Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hailed the move calling it "historic and courageous". While a tweet from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official twitter-handle PMO India, said, "Let us all participate in this Mahayagna. #IndiaFightsCorruption", Defence Minister Manohor Parrikar called it "a masterstroke". Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in his missive in micro blogging site wrote, "It is indeed courageous and bold decision taken by the Prime Minister. India's fight against corruption and terrorism will now be strengthened". The Congress party sought to give mixed signals. While former Union Minister Manish Tewari described Mr Modi as a "modern day Tughlak", another party leader Randeep Surjewala said, Congress has always supported any step against black money. But he said the decision may create problems for those who would buy necessary articles for marriages, including jewellery and clothes. He also said that withdrawing Rs 1000 notes and introducing Rs 2000 notes at the same time appeared contradictory. CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said it was a "poorly planned and not thought through" move that would only mean harassment for millions not connected to the banking system. "To uncover the illicit money trail, we demand that the government release the name of Top 100 defaulters of bank loans," Mr Yechury tweeted. Ms Banerjee alleged that Rs 100 notes were not available in banks and demanded that "the draconian decision" be withdrawn forthwith. In a surprise move seen as a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption, the Prime Minister last night declared that any use of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes with effect from midnight would be illegal. Union Minister of State for Finance Arjun Ram Meghawal said the move was the "biggest step" taken so far to fight the twin menace of black money and fake currency. Harshavardhan Neotia, president, FICCI said the step is an extremely bold move by the Prime Minister which will deal a body blow to terror financing. "FICCI completely supports this move of the Government and complements it for its continuous and comprehensive measures to deal with the issue of black money in the country," he said in a statement. "There could be some inconvenience that this change may lead to for the people of our country for a few days. However, we are sure that government and RBI will take adequate measures to ensure the transition happens smoothly," he said. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said, "Purchase of Railway ticket at railway station, for Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes would be accepted till 11th November 2016 midnight. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu on Tuesday congratulated the Prime Minister for his decision to discontinue the circulation of currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000. The move will help curbing the black money in the country, said Naidu, the chief of TDP, which is an NDA ally. Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das said the announcement made by the Prime Minister is in line with the assurance given to root out black money.UNI XC SB 0836 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0094-1014817.Xml
As per the schedule, the Minister was to leave for Delhi today to meet External Affairs Minister Sushama Swaraj on protection of overseas Indians, a release from Minister's office said here.

He was to request Sushma to take a special look at the problems faced by Telangana Gulf migrants.

The Minister has also to participate in Textiles Minister's meeting tomorrow besides meeting with Fresh and Sweden embassy teams, Central Ministers Manohar Parrikar, Arun Jaitly and Nirmala Sitaraman. But these schedules have been cancelled in view of the latest developments. UNI KNR CNR1152

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Within six days of arrest of tainted APSC chief Rakesh Paul, another member of the Assam Public Service Commission Samedur Rahman was arrested by police in the pre-dawn hours today. Investigating officer and Dibrugarh ASP Surjeet Singh Paneswar said Rahman was arrested from his residence at Rangiya, about 50 km from here, around 0300 hrs today. He said local police alerted his team that Rahman, who was absconding, was in his residence and was arrested accordingly. Rahman, who was brought to Guwahati immediately, will be produced before a special court here and police will seek his custody. Meanwhile, the state Cabinet, under Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, will be meeting here later today to discuss the procedure of removal of APSC chief Paul from the post. The APSC chief can be removed by the President after report from the state and consultation with the Supreme Court. The APSC job scam had come to light following the arrest of an assistant engineer, Nabakanta Patir, at Dibrugarh last month. His revelations had led to the arrest of Paul from here on November 4 last on allegations of accepting bribe for APSC appointment. Paul is currently in police custody here. Patir's confessions had also led to the arrest of the PSO of Samedur, Rahman, who is also in police custody as is Patir himself. UNI SG AD SB ADG 1228 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0108-1014892.Xml
A consultative meeting on plantation of large cardamom between Horticulture Department, Government of Sikkim and Rural Development Department, Government of Nagaland was held here recently. According to an official report today, addressing the meeting, Nagaland Rural Development Secretary Kelei Zeliang said although the department has started cardamom plantation in the current year, it may not be very easy once cultivation starts as the fields have to be maintained for disease may crop in or different problems may come up. To avoid such problems, he said it is of utmost importance to have some knowledge on how to grow and maintain cardamom plants. Towards this end, Mr Zeliang urged the horticulturists to teach the officers about the plantation so that the department can take up this project successfully in the following years too. He also lauded the efforts of the Horticulture Department of Sikkim while maintaining that Sikkim is perhaps the only state in the entire North East region which is taking up cardamom plantation on a large scale. Pointing out that Nagaland has different grassroots organisations implementing all the MGNREGA schemes of the Rural Development Department, R D Director Metsubo Jamir said trying to teach this technology to his development will not be easy. He, however, hoped that through this initiative even the department would also give efforts to propagate cardamom plantation besides the state's Horticulture department. He also felt that taking the initiative to collectively take up such schemes, the NE region will make an impact in the country's production map. The meeting was attended by all Joint Directors of RD Department, Project Directors, Deputy Directors and BDOs from all blocks. The visiting team from Sikkim included Mr Prem Chawang Bhutia, retained HDO, Government of Sikkim, Mr T P Bhutia, Additional Director HCCDD, Mr Rajan Thapa, Joint Director, HCCDD and Laxmi Prasad, Progressive Nursery Grower. The team will also be visiting cardamom plantation in Phek and Peren districts, the report said. UNI AS AD ADG 1243 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0108-1014994.Xml
The Nagaland unit of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has decided to field women candidates in the state municipal elections, 2017 and state general elections, 2018. The decision of the party was informed by NCP National Secretary-cum-spokesperson Narendra Verma yesterday to the mediapersons at Dimapur where he said that women empowerment would be one of the key agendas of the party. He said the party would give equal opportunities to women to contest in the elections. Mr Verma, who was on a visit to Nagaland to look into the party matters after some senior leaders quit the party, said the party was optimistic of doing well in Nagaland and also in poll-bound Manipur. On the number of candidates to contest, he said discussions were on as to how many candidates the party would put up in the next state Assembly elections. "The party will study the constituency and would put up as many candidates as possible," the spokesperson said. While talking about development, Mr Verma said, "The agenda of NCP is always development of the state and its people." The present NPF-led DAN government has been in power for three consecutive terms but development in the state was negligible and it has also completely ignored basic necessities like road, water, electricity to the people, he said. "The roads are horrible. I have never seen such bad roads in the country," he remarked. While stating that the party was not interested in "big talks," Mr Verma said the party will concentrate on providing basic facilities like road, water, electricity and others in the state. In the last Nagaland Assembly elections in 2013, the NCP contested in 16 seats and won in four constituencies. However, three of their MLA's -- Dr T M Lotha, Imtilemba Sangtam and Mmhonlumo Kikon -- defected to BJP in 2014 and Mr L Khumo joined NPF in 2015. UNI AS AD SB ADG 1302 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0108-1014995.Xml
A Swedish business delegation called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi today and discussed long-term business opportunities for Swedish manufacturers, including in defence manufacturing. The Prime Minister welcomed the delegation members who comprised several CEOs to the national capital for the India Sweden Business Leaders Round Table. Long-term business opportunities for Swedish manufacturers, including in defence manufacturing and solar energy, came up for discussion, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.UNI SD ADG SNU 1424 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0005-1015170.Xml
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today welcomedPrime Minsiter Narendra Modi's move to demonitise Rs.500 and Rs.1000 currencynotes. but lamented that the states were not consulted on the issue. Reacting to the sudden announcement made last night by Mr Modi,Mr Siddaramaiah said "though it is a welcome move, little more time shouldhave been given." Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T B Jayachandra,welcoming the Centre's move said that "for the first time after along time I had sleep last night after the announcement. Ihad been fed up with Real Estate which wase thriving, now with thisaccumulation of black money will be exposed." Minister for Health Ramesh Kumar said that "the good move willalways be welcomed. The aim should be achieved''. However, petty shop owners, vegetable vendors, who purchase vegetable at wholesale market and earn livelihood by selling them, were shocked in themorning as the wholesale dealers were not willing to accept the currency with Rs 500 or Rs 1000 denominations. Tourists visiting Bannerghatta Biological Park were disappointedas they did not had change but the person behind ticket counter wasnot willing to accept the banned currency. More than 4,000 people visit the Park daily, but today it virtually wore a desertedlook few tourists managed to enter. Travelling public in KSRTC faced hardship as Conductors were notwilling to accept the scrapped currency notes. Even in local transport theConductors were asking travelling public to enter only if they havechange. Taking advantage of the situation at Bagalkote some peoplestarted making quick money by collecting Rs 100 commission forgiving change for Rs 500 note. At Pilgrim town Dharmasthala, the devotees were shocked to seethat they could not purchase 'Prasada' as they had only Rs 500 notewhich was not accepted despite the Temple authorities could haveallowed accepting the banned currency. In the IT hub Petrol bunks put up artificial 'No Stock' boardsas they were not willing to accept the banned currency and for nothaving change. In some bunks the vehicle owners indulged in wordydual stating that they were allowed to accept, but the petrolfillers were refusing.UNI MSP CNR1315 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0287-1015040.Xml
Kendriya Vikas Party workers in Nagpur on Wednesday celebrated the victory of Republican candidate Donald Trump who has been elected as the 45th president of the United States. "We are celebrating the victory of Donald Trump. We welcome Trump on behalf of our party. We believe that his victory will have a great impact on the relation between India and US," said a party worker. After the media exploded with Trump's victory, Trump took to the stage surrounded by his family and party workers and pledged to begin the "urgent task of rebuilding our nation" while also bringing Americans together. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Trump and asserted that he looks forward to working him to elevate India-US bilateral ties. Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minster extended his wishes to the triumphant president-elect. "We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign. We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height," he said. After the media exploded with Trump's victory, Trump took to the stage and pledged to begin the "urgent task of rebuilding our nation" while also bringing Americans together. Speaking at his victory party in a New York hotel ballroom, Trump said Democratic rival Hillary Clinton called him to concede the race. "I just received a call from Secretary Clinton," Mr. Trump said. "She congratulated us-this is about us-on our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign," Trump said. Trump, who has in the past threatened to punish his critics, said he was seeking to appeal even to those who hadn't supported him. Trump's surprising performance at the polls ended Hillary Clinton's quest to make history as the first female president of the United States. The 70-year-old celebrity businessman who had never before run for office, is poised to become the oldest president ever elected to a first term. (ANI)
The Editors Guild Manipur (EGM) condemned the ban put by the Union government on the NDTV (Hindi) and News Time Assam allegedly on the ground of compromising national security.

The EGM said it considers this as an attempt by the government to muzzle free press and demand that the gag order be removed.

It also supported and showed solidarity with the Editors Guild of India, which has also condemned the move, and called it a violation of freedom of the media.

Earlier, on November 7, journalists of Manipur staged a sit in protest here in front of Press Club to protest the one day ban on the news channel- NDTV .

The protest was organised by All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) were its President AMWJU Shamjai, and scribes took part. Banners which read "Don't suppress freedom of expression", "why single out NDTV" were put up by the scribes.

The journalists also showed solidarity to the NDTV and condemned the decision of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The government had decided to impose a one-day ban on the NDTV Hindi channel on November 9 for broadcasting a report on the air force base in Pathankot which the government felt revealed security secrets.UNI NS RN SNU 1446

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Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh today scorned Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's assertion that he would demand royalty from riparian states for using Punjab's river waters, saying the chief minister had clearly become senile. "He has lost it. What else can explain such a senseless, illogical and irrational statement on his part?" the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president said, pointing out that Punjab does not have its own rivers to stake claim to. Both Sutlej and Beas, which feed the state, originate outside Punjab, which has absolutely no claim to them, Captain Amarinder noted, adding that the Akalis had sold off their rights to all important resources, including hyro-electric power, water, forests and tourism, to Himachal Pradesh through the creation of the Punjab Suba 50 years ago. "So from whom, and on what grounds, does Badal propose to demand royalty for use of water which does not belong to Punjab in the first place? In fact, Punjab itself is using water coming from another state, and by making such atrocious statements, Badal would end up creating even more problem for it," said Capt Amarinder in a statement here. If royalty on water is allowed then tomorrow, Himachal Pradesh can demand royalty on water being used by Punjab, he warned. Badal had yesterday said Punjab would demand royalty from riparian states if the Supreme Court verdict on the SYL issue went against it. Dismissing the statement as completely ridiculous and a sign of Badal's mental infirmity, Captain Amarinder pointed out that the argument that certain other states were claiming royalty for use of their mineral resources was not at all sustainable in the context of the SYL row. Water is not the same as minerals, which can, and are usually auctioned, giving ownership rights to the state where they lie, he said, pointing out even Himachal Pradesh failed to secure royalty as a result of the Bhakra dam construction. According to Capt Amarinder, Badal was merely trying to divert public attention from his government's failure to adequately defend Punjab in the apex court by raising the royalty bogey. "By bringing up the non-issue of royalty claim, the chief minister was trying to fool the people of the state into believing him to be serious about their interests, while the reality was that it was the Akalis who had brought the situation to such a pass," the PPCC chief said. In any case, said Capt Amarinder, no royalty could compensate the people of Punjab for the water crisis they would suffer if the SYL verdict goes against the state. The issue at heart is not compensation but the woes of the people resulting from such an unfavorable judgment, he pointed out, adding that Badal was once again clueless about the needs of the people of Punjab. While reiterating his decision to quit the Lok Sabha seat along with all Congress MLAs from Punjab in event of an adverse SC judgement, the PPCC chief said if his party was voted to power he would once again bring in a legislation to protect the state's water.UNI DB SHS SNU 1643 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1015415.Xml
The gangster along with his other accomplishes fired upon a former Municipal Councillor in Gujjarpura area of Amritsar. In this firing, the accused also received bullet injuries and has also been admitted in a local hospital for treatment under police custody.

Giving details, IGP (STF) Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh told the mediapersons that a STF team nabbed Malhotra from Kabir Park area of Amritsar last night. Three months back, the gangster indulged in a gangwar in Tarn Taran area with a rival gang headed by Davinder Shooter of Moga.

Malhotra alongwith his accomplishes looted Bulhowal branch of Punjab National Bank in Hoshiarpur district in the September last. Six months back, he killed his rival Rahul alias Haria in a broad day light shootout in Amritsar. Haria was also leading a rival gang in Amritsar area.

Malhotra was also declared a proclaimed offender in a case of NDPS Act by a court of Amritsar. It is pertinent to mention here that STF has been set up by the Punjab Government recently to deal with gangs and gangsters which works under ADGP Intelligence under overall supervision of DirectorGeneral of Police, Punjab. UNI DB SHS SNU 1614

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Former HP BJP President and Shimla MLA, Suresh Bhardwaj, congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for one of the most patriotic, daring, practical and philanthropic step by withdrawing the 500 and 1000 rupee notes from the Indian Economy. Mr Bhardwaj said the Prime Minister has killed many evils with a single action. "This act is patriotic because the Prime Minister has annihilated the nefarious designs of the sponsors of cross border terrorism i.e. Pakistan. Pakistan has been a key exporter of counterfeit currency to India and were funding all these terrorists activities mainly through this fake currency and that also in these denominations. Now at least the terrorists will face a liquidity crunch," he said. He further said that none of the illegal activities activists like trading of drugs, narcotics and other illegal commodities involves banks therefore all these transactions took place in these denominations. Mr Bhardwaj said this step will go a long way in curbing the drug abuse threat which is looming large on youths of the country especially Panjab and Himachal Pradesh. He said the PM also conveyed a very clear message to the people who have been taking the law enforcement agencies lightly. There was a lobby of persons who were holding the country to a ransom by hoarding essential commodities like onion, sugar, etc. "Today even this lobby has been crippled by the action of our Prime Minister, Mr Bhardwaj said and added that this is the first time that India has a PM who thinks, acts and decides in favour of only one lobby that is the 'Common Man's Lobby' because he himself is from a humble background. All his actions, deeds and speeches are in compliance with each other, Mr Bhardwaj further stated that the day is not far when India will regain its top position in the world under the leadership of honest , laborious and intelligent Prime Minister. UNI ML SHS SNU 1700 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1015476.Xml
Police today arrested one narcotic smuggler from a hardware shop near Bus Stand in Guari Gandoh area of Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir with heroin. One packet of heroin weighing 500 grams was recovered from the possession of this person, Imtyaz Hussain, of Barthi Gandoh. A case under NDPS Act was registered against the accused and he has been taken into custody. Further investigation is on. UNI VBH SHS SNU 1816 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1015762.Xml
Jammu and Kashmir Police claimed to have arrested four people, allegedly involved in burning of the educational institutions in Ganderbal district, a senior police officer said. He said recently a Government Middle School at Duderhama was set on fire by the miscreants. A makeshift shop of a vendor was also set on fire for defying separatist strike in the area. Immediately a team was constituted and investigation taken up to arrest the miscreants involved in both the cases, he said adding later some persons were identified and during questioning four of them were arrested. More than 30 schools were damaged in mysterious fire incidents in the Kashmir Valley during the past about a month after government decided to go ahead with 10th and 12th class examinations from November 14. The decision of the government evoked massive reaction from students who said they had completed just about 40 percent syllabus. The mainstream political and separatist parties, cutting across party lines, also demanded that examinations held in March as students were disturbed by the unrest since July 9 during which 86 persons were killed and several thousand wounded in security force and police action. All educational institutions remained closed due to strike by separatists since July 9, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Burhan Wani and two other militants were killed in Anantnag. Police has identified about 40 youths allegedly involved in burning of schools in the valley. About 30 persons were arrested in south Kashmir while about half dozen in north Kashmir for their alleged involvement in the crime.UNI BAS SW SNU 1705 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-1015471.Xml
Students of Guru Nanak Dev Engineering Collegetook out a protest rally in the city today alleging that some vestedinterests were trying to bring discredit to their institution byterming it as a centre for drug trafficking. The students took out a procession to the Deputy Commissioner'soffice and submitted a memorandum urging the police to speed upinvestigation into the suicide of Sachin Kumar, a student whocommitted suicide recently. The incident is being linked without any basis, to false reasonssuch as drug mafia, substance abuse among students, and ragging.These are far from truth and baseless, the students said. Theytermed it an attempt to politicise the event and a conspiracy todefame the college.UNI SD MSP CS 1905 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0287-1015895.Xml
The move to replace Indian currency notes of denomination Rs 500 and 1000 by new currency is going to hit hard the fake currency circulation and Hawala operations that are being run in India for funding terrorism and other anti-national activities.The fake Indian currency, printed in Pakistan was being circulated in India through Hawala and infiltration through different international borders. LoC was also being used to pump fake currency into India. "Out of total Indian currency, around 80 percent was in denomination of 500 and 1000 and maximum of those were fake currency being used for carrying out terrorist activities in the country," said a senior official in Home Ministry. Dawood, who first hit the "Dalaal Street" years back, had been running his hawala business in India using fake currency notes to trash Indian economy with the backing of Pakistan, where these fake currency notes are being produced. Dawood's fake currency network and hawala operation was active in entire South-East and South Asia. For this purpose, Dawood used his network in different countries by placing his henchmen over there.Last year, the security agencies of Bangladesh nabbed a person while boarding the plane. While checking the agencies recovered huge amount of fake Indian currencies printed in Pakistan. The person was identified as Abdullah alias Salim, henchman of Dawood. Salim was nabbed after his name was disclosed by Mazrool Rehman of Malda in West Bengal. In Islamabad, Iqbal Kana, native of Utter Pradesh is handling the fake currency racket for Dawood Ibrahim. Dawood was using different routes including Bangladesh to West Bangal route, Pakistan to Srilanka and then into India to pump fake currency. Other routes included Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar to Eastern states of India from where fake currency was being distributed to other states of the country. The Home Ministry official said that this hawala money and fake currency racket was being used to sponsor terrorism in the country. After the encounter of Burhan Wani, it was investigated that a fake currency of Rs 150 crore was pumped into the Valley as funding to youth for stone pelting on security forces. On investigation, the agencies disclosed that the youths blamed previous governments for doing nothing for their jobs and other facilities and hence they were bound to accept money for stone pelting. Bahadur Ali who was captured by the security forces after a cross fire in the Valley, was also carrying fake currency of Rs 26000 to kill people in Kashmir. UNI XC SHK 2020 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1016044.Xml
Nagaland Governor P B Acharya today informed that on the request of him and Chief Minister T R Zeliang, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has consented to attend the Nagaland Hornbill festival in the first week of December. Addressing a press conference at his office in Raj Bhawan here this afternoon Mr Acharya further informed that Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will also attend as the chief guest of the ten-day long Hornbill festival on second or third day of the festival. He informed that many Central leaders are expected to attend the Hornbill festival, however no one has gave any assurance on which day they will attend the festival. Mr Acharya also gave brief accounts of his visit to the Pangti Village under Wokha district, which is the place of the wonder world-wide migratory bird Amur Falcon is roosting for about a month. He expressed satisfaction that the migratory bird has chosen the Wokha district for their roosting during their world-wide tour, which he termed as the gift of the God to Wokha district of Nagaland. The Governor also expressed dissatisfaction on the poor infrastructure in Pangti village, as the State Government failed to provide basic needs for improve the Tourism sector. Mr Acharya informed there is not a single tea stall to provide a cup of tea for the tourists. He said despite of heavy inflow of funds to the area from various wildlife conservation agencies from all over the world. When he enquired about the fund, the local bodies were expressed ignorance such funds and he regretted that the fund was siphoned out by some individuals, before reaching its destination to various working organizations working for conservation of the Amur Falcon. He stressed the need of adequate infrastructure like good hotels so that tourists can come and stay and enjoy the scenic beauty, as well as arrival of Amur Falcons in flocks, their swift actions to catch the insects and non-stop hovering over the sky. UNI AS BM SHK 2203 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0214-1016055.Xml
Punjab Congress Legislature Party leader Charanjit Singh Channi today said Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal is a liar and grossly misusing the state's exchequer. Accusing Mr Kejriwal for misusing the state's resources, the CLP leader said the AAP supremo has already backed out from every announcement, which he committed to the people before elections. Today, he is relishing the salary as a chief minister, full security and even international trips on states exchequer. This is the man who termed himself as 'aam aadmi'. Presenting some facts before the media during the third day of his 'Jawani Sambhal Yatra' here, Mr Channi said that Mr Kejriwal withdrew Rs 13,43,500 as salary of the chief minister from February 14, 2015 till August 2016. The expense borne by the security vehicles accompanying him is more than Rs 27 lakh in just 19 months. As a chief minister he relished international trip to Vatican city Rome Italy spending 10,000,00 from the state exchequer. More than this, Mr Kejriwal spent approximately Rs 55 crore on the publicity of his government in the month of March, 2016. This money was meant for the people of Delhi which he diverted for his political motives. He should have used party fund rather using taxpayers money. Tomorrow this can happen to the Punjab's exchequer also if the people give them a chance, he added. Welcoming the decision of the Narendra Modi government to demonetise currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denomination, the Congress leader said rather that causing harassment to the common man, the Centre should have given priority to checking the creation of black money itself. It is the sources of black money that should first be plugged. Mr Channi pointed out that the UPA government had phased out Rs 500 notes oriented till 2005 earlier without creating such of a problem for the common man. However, the current decision would affect the lower middle and working classes and small traders the most and would put brakes on the economy initially. He said this decision freeze payments, freeze trade and the functioning of an exchange economy. The most severely hit would be the vendors, small kiryana shopkeepers, milkmen and daily wagers who depend upon immediate cash payments. He said none would question the steps taken to wipe out black money from the economy but reminded Mr Modi of his promise to bring back black money stashed abroad that later turned out to be his 'jumla'. The Prime Minister had not come out with the plan to check the creation of the black money itself. This was a half-measure and that too causing more harassment to the common man. Mr Channi said the country would like to know as to what action was being taken against those who had hoarded black money in the shape of investment in real estate, gold and the like. This section would not feel the pinch.UNI DB SW RJ 1956 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-1015739.Xml
At a press conference here this evening, she said some relaxation had been made in places like hospitals, graveyards, market areas where the farmers sell their produces.

She said there should be no rumour mongering and asked the people not to panic adding that adequate and elaborate security arrangements had been made in the banks premises, hospitals, post offices and other vulnerable places.

The chief secretary reiterated that no breach of law and order would be tolerated saying that the problem was only for a time being and that things would return to normalcy.

While appreciating the initiative of the central government, she asked the people to appreciate the problems arising out of the watershed decision.

The DGP Sandeep Goel who was also presence in the press conference assured that the state police was fully prepared to face any eventuality. UNI PB BM SHK 2259

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Vijay Kamble (36), native of Bidar district in Karnataka, on whom 30 Non-bailable warrants were pending at various police stations in various theft cases of Telangana, was arrested while he was moving under suspicious circumstances at Erragadda bus stop in the city, said West Zone ( Hyderabad) Deputy Commissioner of Police A Venkatesara Rao, in a statement here today.

The accused, a Buffalo Horn Sharpener-cum-Barber, used to break into locked houses during early morning hours, and commit thefts of gold and silver ornaments, apart from cash.

Cases were registered against him since 2004 at Nizamabad Distroct, Mahboob Nagar District, Rachakonda Commissionerate, Cyberabad Commissionerate and Hyderabad Commissionerate. He was involved in more than 40 cases and arrested six times, the Police Officer said.

Earlier, he was sentenced for three years imprisonment from Chikkadpally Police station in 2006, in a house burglary case.

Later again, in October, 2012, he was remanded by Nizamabad Police and sent to judicial custody and was absconding since 2012.

After releasing from Jail, he did not attend the court hearings of previous case and again started committing offences. The accused has been arrested and being produced in the local court for judicial remand. UNI KNR RJ 2338

-- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0098-1016226.Xml
The Reserve Bank of India and Bank officials today assured the Meghalaya government of sufficient supply of Rs 100 denomination notes after Rs 500 and Rs 1000 ceased to be legal tender. "We have conveyed our concern to the RBI over shortage of Rs 100 notes and have requested them to ensure no such shortage as well as create additional counters in all branches of various banks," an official in the State Finance department told UNI, on condition of anonymity. The meeting, chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Y Tshering, was held as there was panic among the citizens after devaluation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denomination. Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has termed the sudden decision of BJP-led NDA government to demonetised on the currency notes as "harassment of the commoners," who are not prepared for it. "The intention is to eradicate the black money. But the way they are going, is nothing but harassing commoners. What will happen to the people who are undergoing medical treatment in other states or those travelling," Dr Sangma wondered, while talking to UNI. Meanwhile, the government has decided to beef up deployment of security in all branches of the banks to ensure smooth entry and exit of people and avoid any scuffle. The Finance official said that the new Rs 2000 denomination notes have already come to the state.UNI RRK RJ 2350 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0098-1016239.Xml
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), has launched the first in a series of two double ended Roll-on-Roll-Off (Ro-Ro) ferry vessels being built for the Kochi municipal corporation. The ferry would ply between Vypin and Fort Cochin carrying 12 cars and 3 trucks or 18 cars besides 50 passengers, enabling movement of lorry/passenger vehicles without entering the city, a release said here today. The vessels works like a floating bridge, with Ramps at both ends. The most important feature of the vessel is that the vehicles drive in and drive out on first in first out basis i.e no need to reverse the vehicles during loading of the vessel which drastically reduces loading/ unloading time. Hence special driving skills are not required for vehicle drivers to load the vehicles into the vessels. This would be a great advantage for senior citizens, it said. Another special feature of the vessel is an Air Conditioned Wheel house for comfort of the operator. The vessel is also designed to withstand deck loading for trucks and heavy vehicles, with heavy duty Ramp and hinged flaps to ensure safe loading and unloading of vehicles. The ferry was designed in-house and was built according to the rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS), a ship classification society. The vessel was equipped with azimuth propulsion systems on both ends for easy manoeuvring, allowing the vessel to be operated without the need for turning around at the jetty during cast off, thereby reducing trip times. Two engines of 200 KW rating ( 1800 RPM) driving two azimuth propellers of 162 KW each also provide redundancy in case of failure of one system, it said. The vehicles also had a number of inbuilt safety features. Structural tanks are designed to withstand flooding of engine/ thruster compartments ensuring safety of the vessel in case of structural damages in the event of a collision. Bilge safety alarms in all compartments are provided to detect flooding even in closed compartments. Fire alarm systems are provided for engine rooms. Apart from this , safety tips and alarms of the engine and thruster are displayed in the wheel house and echo sounder is also provided to know the depth of water. While the double ended ferry is small compared with the bigger vessels that Cochin Shipyard Limited has built and delivered such as the deck cargo launch barge for the National Petroleum Construction Company, Abu Dhabi and the indigenous aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy which is under construction, the launch of the ferry marks the "entry into the inland water transport sector riding on the back of the government's efforts to promote cargo and passenger transportation through a vast network of rivers and canals spread across the country", said Cochin Shipyard Limited Chairman and Managing Director Madhu S Nair. The vessel was launched by Kochi Municipal Corporation Mayor Soumini In her speech the mayor stated that the project would give a fillip to the water metro project. Prof. K V Thomas, Member of Parliament, who spoke on the occasion commended Cochin Shipyard for achieving consistently good performance in the last several years. Besides Mr CSL CMD, company director (operation) N V Suresh Babu was also present the occasion, it added.UNI CGV SHK 2358 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0275-1015952.Xml
A recent study has found that male chimpanzees are more concerned about their own offspring than previously thought. The research suggested that the male, associated with mothers of their offspring early in infancy and interacted with their infants more than expected. The study comes on the backdrop of question that whether male chimpanzees could recognize their offspring. Because males spending time with nursing mothers did not increase the likelihood that they would be the father of that mother's next infant, the findings support the paternal effort hypothesis, in which males associate more with mothers in order to protect their offspring, rather than curry favor with the female. The research contributes to the broader anthropological question of why human fathers invest so much in offspring. Using more than 25 years of behavioral data, the researchers examined patterns based on 17 father chimpanzees and 49 mother-infant pairs to see if the males could recognize their offspring and if the male's behavior was different around them. "As anthropologists, we want to understand what patterns could have existed early in human evolution that help explain how human behavior evolved," said Carson Murray, "This research suggests that males may sometimes prioritize relationships with their offspring rather than with potential mates. For a species without pair-bonds where it was assumed fathers didn't know which infants were their own, this is an important finding." The significance of the finding lies in the evidence that chimpanzees, one of human's closest living relatives, not only have paternal recognition but also invested in offspring rather than only focusing on future mating effort. The researchers found the males would spend time grooming and caring for their offspring. "Our findings are not only further evidence that chimpanzee fathers recognize their offspring in a promiscuous species, but also that fathers behave differently around their offspring," said Margaret Stanto. The study has been published in the Royal Society Open Science journal.(ANI)
A Nevada court judge denied a request on Tuesday from Donald Trump campaign lawyers to issue an order directing a county registrar of voters to preserve and separate ballots from voting machines in four early voting sites in Clark County, Nevada. In legal briefs filed on Monday night, Trump lawyers had asked for an order to have the pertinent early vote ballots not to be "co-mingled or interspersed" with other ballots after the campaign alleged the county registrar kept polling locations open beyond their designated hours, CNN reported. Judge Gloria Sturman, of the District Court for Clark County Nevada, ruled from the bench, saying County Registrar of Voters Joe P. Gloria was already obligated by state law to maintain the records that the Trump campaign is seeking. The judge at times expressed frustration with Brian Hardy, a lawyer for the Trump campaign. "I am not ordering him (Gloria) to preserve anything," she said, adding, "This is Election Day. He has other things to be doing." The Trump campaign had said Gloria kept polling locations open "two hours beyond the designated closing time". The lawsuit targeted polling places in the greater Las Vegas area that have larger minority voting precincts. Dan Kulin, a spokesperson for the county, told CNN that no early voting stations extended their closing times. They did, however, process voters who were in line at closing time to allow as many people to vote as possible. "From the polling, it appears that Nevada is so close that the Trump campaign thinks it's worth challenging any violation in voting protocol. The numbers that came in could represent several thousand people across the four precincts, which could determine who wins the electoral college vote or change the Senate race," said Robert Lang of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. --IANS lok/ ( 316 Words) 2016-11-09-03:14:03 (IANS)
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Tuesday said that there were reports of voter fraud happening across the country, claiming that some people were trying to vote for Republicans only for their selection to change to Democrats. "It's happening at various places today, it's been reported," he said. "The machines, you put down a Republican and it registers as a Democrat, and they have had a lot of complaints about that today," The Washington Post quoted Trump as saying during a telephone interview on Fox News. It was not immediately clear what accounts Trump was referring to when he mentioned "a lot of complaints" about the issue. There was a report out of Clinton Township, an area near Pittsburgh, that quoted some voters saying their tickets were switching from Trump to Hillary Clinton, his Democratic opponent. According to that report, officials there said the machines were fixed and the problem resolved. There have also been other issues with machines, including some cases of them showing incorrect votes, though it was unclear how widespread this was. Throughout the election day, there have been a number of complaints nationwide of voter intimidation and some scattered reports of fraud across social media, as well as some reports of voting machines going down in a handful of states. --IANS lok/vgu/ ( 229 Words) 2016-11-09-04:14:02 (IANS)
"They didn't vote for Hillary; they didn't vote for Trump," spokesman Freddy Ford wrote in an e-mail to The Texas Tribune after radio host Rush Limbaugh suggested on Tuesday that the Bushes had voted for Clinton.

Ford did not say whom they voted for.

Neither George W. Bush nor his father, fellow former President George H.W. Bush, endorsed their Republican Party's candidate, Donald Trump. But it has been an open question whether they would cast a ballot for Trump -- or his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

Speculation flared in September that George H.W. Bush was planning to vote for Clinton. His spokesman neither confirmed nor denied reports at the time.

--IANS lok/

( 159 Words)

2016-11-09-04:28:03 (IANS)
With barely few hours left for the announcement of the results of the much awaited US presidential elections, the international media has come in support of Hillary Clinton, saying the Democratic presidential hopeful is more supportive and people feel more connected to her as compared to her Republican opponent Donald Trump. Colombian journalist Andrea Aguilar, who works for Caracol Radio, told ANI in an exclusive conversation that the Columbian people would prefer the Democratic presidential nominee than her Republican opponent because she is more tilted towards the Columbian Government. "Trump dismissed all the Latin people whereas Hillary is more supportive for the Colombian Government and for the economy of the country. We are in the middle of a peace process and we need United States' support and Hillary is there for us," she said. Expressing similar sentiments, another Colombian scribe Edwin Giraldo, who works for Blu Radio in Colombia, said if Hillary becomes the US President then she is then more likely to continue with the support policy towards Colombia like incumbent Barack Obama. "Colombia is in the middle of a peace process between the civilian government and the rebel group called FARC. They have been in an internal war for 60 years. They came to an agreement last September. However, the people in my country rejected the referendum that was going to ratify such an agreement. In that regard, it is important to say that the United States Government, with President Barack Obama, has been very supportive of such an agreement. And if Hillary Clinton wins this election, she is likely to continue with that policy of support to our country," Giraldo said. "On the other hand, we still don't have any information what Donald Trump would do with our county. We know that he has made some business in Colombia and Panama. We even learnt that one of his sons had a meeting with President Santos some years ago. But it is still a big question for us what would happen to our country if Donald Trump becomes the President of the United States," he added. Romanian Journalist Claudiu Lucaci, who works for Romanian Public TV, said the people in his country consider Hillary as a better option as they feel more connected with her. "As journalist it does not matter to us whether it is Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump but it does matter a lot for our countrymen. Romania is in Europe and a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the military and political alliance. So, it's very important who is going to be the next President of the United States. Could be Donald Trump, that is not a very fashionable thing for us," Lucaci said. "The people are not so connected with Donald Trump but Romanians know very much about Hillary Clinton because she was the Secretary of State, she was one of our partners and ally. So, we consider in Romania that Hillary Clinton is a better option than Donald Trump. We don't know what Donald Trump will have to do in the future when it comes to NATO but we are worried about it," he added. Meanwhile, Trump has emerged victorious in Kentucky, West Virginia and Indiana while Clinton surged ahead in Vermont as early results seep in. (ANI)
Ballot measures to legalize recreational marijuana for adults were headed for enactment in California and Massachusetts, while voters in Florida and two smaller states appeared to have approved initiatives permitting medical use of cannabis.California and Massachusetts would become the fifth and sixth states allowing people aged 21 and over to use marijuana for the sheer pleasure of its intoxicating effects, extending legalization to the entire US Pacific Coast and its first toehold in New England.The Marijuana Policy Project, the nation's leading organization supporting liberalization of cannabis laws, declared victory for the measures to legalize recreational pot in California and Massachusetts.The group based its assertions on the projections of a number of major news outlets, including the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times, the Boston Globe, NBC and CBS, spokesman Mason Tvert said.Likewise, the organization said medical marijuana measures had won approval in Florida, North Dakota and Arkansas.The outcome was less certain for recreational marijuana initiatives in Maine, Arizona and Nevada, and for a medical cannabis measures in Montana.Recreational marijuana has previously been legalized by voters in four Western states - Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska - and the District of Columbia.Before Tuesday, 25 states had already legalized cannabis in some way, whether for medical or recreational uses, or both.Marijuana remains classified as an illegal narcotic under US federal law, however.Approval by California alone, the most populous US state with 39 million people, would put nearly a fifth of all Americans in jurisdictions where recreational marijuana is legal, according to US Census figures.California was the first US state to legalize medical marijuana, doing so with a ballot measure enacted in 1996.The new measure was spearheaded by a coalition of supporters that included Democratic Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and billionaire high-tech entrepreneur Sean Parker.Proposition 64, as it is formally known, would allow adults to possess and use as much as an ounce of pot for private, recreational use and permit personal cultivation of as many as six cannabis plants.It also would establish a system to license, regulate and tax sales of marijuana, while allowing city governments to exercise local control over commercial distribution within their borders.California voters defeated a similar initiative in 2010, but public opinion polls show attitudes have since shifted.Opponents of liberalized marijuana laws have argued that such measures carry major public safety risks and would make pot more accessible to youngsters.Experts say the latest initiatives include more sophisticated regulatory mechanisms aimed at keeping cannabis away from children and banning the involvement of criminal gangs and drug cartels.They also point to the potential for hundreds of millions in additional state tax revenue from pot sales and billions in economic activity.Investors new to the sector said they are eager for a piece of a recreational marijuana market that by some estimates will reach 50 billion dollars over the next decade."It's changed in the minds of these voters from being like cocaine to being like beer," said University of Southern California political scientist John Matsusaka.Legalization by even a few of the states where measures are on the ballot could prod the federal government, which still classifies marijuana in the same category as heroin, to begin rethinking its laws and policies, Matsusaka said. REUTERS PS RAI1249 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1015015.Xml
Fed up with Washington and feeling left behind, supporters of Republican Donald Trump upended the US presidential race, electing a political newcomer they say offers the country a shot at dramatic change. Once dismissed by Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as "deplorables," supporters interviewed yesterday shrugged off his late-night tweeted insults, allegations against him of sexual misconduct and dire warnings from many in the Republican establishment that the businessman-turned-reality-television-star would throw US economic and foreign policy into disarray. The economy, terrorism and healthcare ranked as the top three concerns facing Americans casting ballots in yesterday's election, according to an early reading from the Reuters/Ipsos Election Day poll of about 35,000 people. "The freedom-loving Americans pushed back against the elites and the globalists. They might win in the long run, but we're not dead yet," said Andrew Dye, 48, of Dexter, Michigan. "I think this big country is getting a little too far left a little too quickly and some people finally woke up and said enough," said Dye, a partner in a small management consulting firm. Cuban-American Sarah Gird, 67, described herself as an independent who had felt let down after twice voting for Democratic President Barack Obama. "I'm not conservative at all," she said. But Obama "didn't produce anything." In contrast, she said she trusted Trump would fix the economy. "I think he's sincere, he's truthful, he means what he says," said Gird, adding she thought Trump would address poverty and jobs in African-American neighborhoods. For many, the vote was a rejection of Clinton, whose use of a private email server during her time in government came to symbolize what is wrong with Washington. "All the corruption. I'm tired of business as usual, being sold out all these years," said Kevin Barrett, 57, in Nashville. Tom Kipp, 53, an architect also of Nashville, said he voted for Trump because "we need somebody in there not beholden to anyone." "Our checks and balances system is beyond being compromised. I don't say he's my prime candidate, but he's my best option," Kipp said. Others found Trump's promise to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico appealing. "Last-minute decision: I changed my mind to Trump," said Lisa Ciafone, 48, of Madeira Beach, Florida, citing her concerns about illegal immigration and the rising costs of health insurance. "It made me lean towards Trump." Vicki DeLira, 54, a dental hygienist from Schererville, Indiana, grew up a Democrat but voted for Trump because it was time for change even if it means "a little bit of chaos." "It will be a little different atmosphere for a non-politician to be in the White House," DeLira said. "But I think there's enough politicians around him to help round them out." Todd Recknagel, managing partner of private equity firm Three20 Capital Group, said the caricature of Trump as a "monster" was overdone. "He is an effective business man at the end of the day. So things are never quite as good as they appear and things are never quite as bad as they appear in life and I think he can make a decent president," said Recknagel, 52, from Panama City Beach, Florida. As Trump became the projected winner in state after state, fans from Arkansas, Texas and Virginia sitting on velvet sofas in the lobby of his new Washington luxury hotel just down the street from the White House celebrated as waiters popped champagne. Preston Parry, 20, had bet all along that Trump would defy the pollsters who predicted a Clinton victory. "These were shadow voters, people who had never, ever voted before that the polls didn't pick up. Unlikely voters. Like him or hate him - look, he did something right." REUTERS SHS SNU 1426 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0329-1015190.Xml
"I am in complete and utter shock right now..." Naila Ahmad tweeted.

"'Tremendous...tremendous!' Yep, we're all sitting in a tremendous pile of $@!t right now," another tweet from the user read.

Trump was on Wednesday elected the new US President, defeating forecasters who had predicted a Hillary Clinton win in one of the most bitterly fought Presidential battles.

Another user from South Africa went to the extent of comparing the consequences of Trump's win with that of the disastrous September 11 terrorist attack on the American soil.

"Date: 09/11 Event: #DonaldTrump becomes the New #USPresident," DJ Busang tweeted.

"And America decided to let go halloween for the next four years. Congratulations America," Vishal Gaurav from India said in a tweet laced with sarcasm.

The 2016 presidential race saw the Republican nominee confronting the conventional media at several points of time and President Barack Obama accusing social network sites of spreading lies about the election.

With 35 million tweets on the US election day, Twitter on Wednesday broke its earlier record set in 2012 election day of more than 31 million tweets.

All the messages on Twitter, however, were not hostile to the newly elected President of the US.

"#DonaldTrump Congratulations! Thank you, master!" Gustavo Conforti tweeted.

"I'm not going to hear the end of the liberals whining about how the country is ruined and that we're all going to die...", a user with the name The Average Voter tweeted.

The 70-year-old will be the 45th President of the US. Clinton immediately called Trump to concede the election defeat and congratulate him.

--IANS gb/rn

( 297 Words)

2016-11-09-15:26:03 (IANS)
Los Angeles teacher Laura McCutcheon gathered with like-minded friends for what she thought would be a celebration of Hillary Clinton's presidential win.The polls had been favorable in recent days, and the party at a home in L.A.'s hilly Echo Park neighborhood began festively. But by 10 pm., the gathering was feeling more like a wake, as one state after another went to Donald Trump. McCutcheon said she was left struggling to understand what had happened."I had worried there were voters out there the polls were not catching," she said. "But I cannot understand how people think Trump is the solution. If they are disgusted with the system, how is he the alternative?"In some of America's most Democratic enclaves, Clinton supporters reported feeling blindsided by Trump's victory. They fretted about how they had been so wrong, and wondered how they would cope during the next four years.In Las Vegas, local resident Mary Durgram was near despair."For the first time in my life, I'm ashamed to be American and I never thought I would say that," she said at a local resort and casino. "I'm a veteran, I served my country for a lot of years and I'm ashamed of my fellow Americans tonight."In San Francisco, Joey Nunez, 29, said he was having trouble processing what had happened."The shocking realization is that this is what people wanted. They wanted Trump," he said. "After everything he said, how could he get people to buy into his brand?"Nunez, who works as a clinical lab scientist, said he and his wife had spent the evening in shock."We just can't consider him our president," he said. "It is just too surreal.In the L.A. suburb of Glendale, children's author Amy Goldman Koss said she started the day yesterday by donning a pantsuit in solidarity with Clinton and went to the polls with her adult daughter to participate in what they thought would be an historic moment: electing the first woman president."It feels humiliating on several fronts," said Koss, 62. "How much we miscalculated, how pissed off the Trump voters were. It didn't matter what the hell he said."Many Clinton backers talked about how their social media feeds had been filled with support for Clinton, and that they had little contact with Trump voters in an increasingly polarized political climate.Deena Pioli, an attorney from San Francisco's Outer Sunset neighborhood, said she rarely ran into people who were not supporting Clinton, and that she now regrets that."Those of us here in San Francisco and California should not be so safe in our bubble," she said. REUTERS VS PM1557 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0440-1015380.Xml
While Sweden welcomes Donald Trump as the new US president and sees a great opportunity in building future trade ties including more job creation, his statements especially regarding free trade are worrisome for the country, Swedens Minister for Enterprise and Innovation Mikael Damberg has said. "American people have made their choice. For Sweden, our political and economic ties with the US are very important. When it comes to job creation, there is no better country than the US," Damberg told IANS on Wednesday on the sidelines of the India- Sweden Business Leaders Roundtable here. "Still, there are some elements that worry us, especially Trump's recent free trade remarks that does not go well with countries like us," added Damberg who is visiting India along with a high-profile business delegation to help India innovate and see newer technology solutions. In Stockholm, Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lfven also congratulated Trump but did not hide his disappointment. "I think it is an election result that worries a lot of individuals, as well as markets," Lfven told public broadcaster SVT. "I would have preferred Hillary Clinton to win, for a number of reasons. But it is also the case that Sweden will strive to have good relations with the US, no matter who becomes president," Lfven added. --IANS na/bg ( 229 Words) 2016-11-09-16:02:09 (IANS)
Yemeni troops loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government killed at least 30 suspected al Qaeda militants in a raid backed by a Saudi-led military coalition, the Yemeni military said today. Four soldiers were also killed in the operation yesterday at a farm west of Mukalla, the port city and capital of the province of Hadramout, the military said on its Facebook page. The raid was supported by the Saudi-led Arab coalition that has been fighting on the side of Hadi in a war against Houthi rebels and forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Yemeni officials yesterday reported that six militants were killed in the raid, while four others were captured.Al Qaeda militants took advantage of the civil war which began last year, seizing parts of southern Yemen, including Mukalla, before Yemeni government soldiers and Arab coalition troops drove them out. The militants have since dispersed into the desert or have gone into hiding, but continue to launch occasional attacks on state officials and institutions. The United States, which regards al Qaeda in Yemen as one of the deadliest branches of the network founded by Osama bin Laden, has used drones to hunt down leaders and elements of the militant group.REUTERS VS BD1821 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0440-1015789.Xml
Many Muslims around the world expressed dismay today at Donald Trump's election as US president, saying they feared it might raise tensions between the West and Islam and contribute to radicalisation.While Egypt's president made an early congratulatory call to Trump, ordinary Muslims were worried that his victory would be a propaganda gift to jihadist groups. Others were apprehensive that the president-elect will implement campaign pledges to clamp down on Muslims entering the United States."Trump has espoused highly inflammatory rhetoric against Muslims. Voters there will expect him to fulfill his promises. That makes me worry about the impact on Muslims in the US and in the rest of the world," said Yenny Wahid, a prominent mainstream Muslim figure in Indonesia.The world's 1.6 billion Muslims follow a multitude of sects and schools of thought, constitute a majority of the population in countries as varied as Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Albania, and hold a vast array of political views.Yet Trump's previous comments about Muslims, that those from abroad should be barred entry or intensely scrutinised beforehand, and the presence of vocal anti-Islam activists among his supporters, has alarmed many.During a bitter election campaign, Trump also attacked his opponents for what he characterised as their denial about the threat posed by militant Islam, which he said was "coming to our shores", adding that he would quickly form a commission on it.Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was the first world leader to congratulate Trump on the phone, Sisi's office said.Many other Egyptians also welcomed his victory, saying his opponent Hillary Clinton's record in office had won her few friends in the most populous Arab country.Clinton, Secretary of State during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, is unpopular with many Egyptians. Many of those who backed the revolt saw her as a long-standing supporter of Hosni Mubarak, the autocrat they toppled from power.But elsewhere, other Muslims saw Trump as a hostile figure."Whatever happens to America affects everybody and with all these promises of doom by Trump to the blacks, to the Muslims, the minority, so it's not something we're happy about," said Ganiu Olukanga, a Muslim resident of the Nigerian capital Lagos.Some Muslims, including Wahid, said they feared his election as president might encourage a view that the United States held enmity for Muslims and that this would hinder efforts in Islam to counter radicalisation."Trump's victory will be an enormous gift to a failing jihadist movement, that will have now have a renewed rallying cry," said Ammar Rashid, an academic and member of Pakistan's Awami Workers Party on Twitter."If jihadi ideology has a source of sustenance, it is the image of the US as the evil anti-Muslim crusader. They will milk Trump's win dry," he added.In jihadist social media forums, militants said Trump's election had merely revealed the true position of the United States towards Muslims. "The masks have slipped," one wrote.But some other Muslims were more hopeful, including Umer Daudzai, former Afghan minister of interior, citing the record of Ronald Reagan who was US president from 1981-89. "Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War. I hope Donald Trump will end all wars and become hero of peace in the world," he told Reuters."NEGATIVE, CYNICAL"Among some officials, there were also expressions of concern but the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the body that represents Muslim states, issued no statement early today.In Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation, an official from the faith's top clerical body there said Trump's election could create new tension between the United States and the Islamic world.Trump had made "negative, cynical" comments about Muslims in the past, Din Syamsuddin, a senior official at the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), told reporters in Jakarta. "He had forgotten that many Americans are immigrants."Saudi Arabia, a US ally that is both birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest places, issued a statement that it had congratulated Trump on his election win without making further comment.However, Awad al-Qirni, one of its most popular clerics with a Twitter following of two million, said in a social media post after the election - but without referring to Trump directly - that "America declines into collapse" and that "its internal crisis will grow severely".In Pakistan, Sherry Rehman, a senator and former ambassador to Washington, said Trump's proposal last year to bar Muslims from entering the US had disturbed many."Pakistan obviously cannot rule out engaging with whomever America elects but his anti-Muslim rhetoric may cast a shadow on relations in times of uncertainty," he told Reuters on Wednesday.And in Bangladesh, a government official who asked not to be named said: "I can't think what awaits us. Donald Trump was talking about fighting against Muslims. Are we going to see more wars?"Among private citizens in Dhaka, some said they hoped the pressure of office would temper Trump's views."It is just unbelievable and I am a bit tense. I hope there will be a difference between Donald Trump and President Donald Trump. President Trump will be more mature than individual Trump," Asif Iqbal, a private sector employee, said.REUTERS VS GC1824 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0440-1015807.Xml
"Satisfied and happy that outcome of all the efforts was good," said Shalab Kumar, Indian-American industrialist.

Talking about the relationship between India and the United States post Trump's victory, Kumar said the first effort should be to remove trade barriers so that both nations benefit.

Former Miss India Manasvi Mamgai, who campaigned for Trump, said: "Happy that our efforts have finally paid off, we cannot be happier.'

Trump was today elected as the 45th president of the United States.

Trump's surprising performance at the polls ended Hillary Clinton's quest to make history as the first female president of the United States.

Trump, a 70-year-old celebrity businessman who had never before run for office, is poised to become the oldest President ever elected to a first term, reports the Washington Post. (ANI)
As Republican Donald Trump won the US presidential election, reactions on Twitter ranged from shock and disgust to congratulatory messages. "I am in complete and utter shock right now..." Naila Ahmad tweeted. "'Tremendous...tremendous!' Yep, we're all sitting in a tremendous pile of $@!t right now," another tweet from the user read. "Donald trump won I'm disappointed in this country to have this buffoon as our president," a user by the name David wrote. Trump was on Wednesday elected the new US President, defeating forecasters who had predicted a Hillary Clinton win in one of the most bitterly fought Presidential battles. "Cannot believe i live in a country where Donald Trump actually was voted for & won. This is disgusting," read another tweet. Many even said they would not accept Trump as their President. "Woke up and saw that Donald Trump won the election, That man is not MY PRESIDENT," a user from Maryland said. A female user who vowed to shave her head if Trump wins, said, "I will never respect Donald Trump. I hope one day all of you who voted for him realise what a mistake you've made." "Missing Obama already. Scared to witness #DonaldTrump as the next President," an "explorer of human consciousness" tweeted. Another user from South Africa went to the extent of comparing the consequences of Trump's win with that of the disastrous September 11 terrorist attack on the American soil. "Date: 09/11 Event: #DonaldTrump becomes the New #USPresident," DJ Busang tweeted. "And America decided to let go halloween for the next four years. Congratulations America," Vishal Gaurav from India said in a tweet laced with sarcasm. "In 2011, Trump said, 'All Americans are idiot', now they proved it!" another user from India mocked. The 2016 presidential race saw the Republican nominee confronting the conventional media at several points of time and President Barack Obama accusing social network sites of spreading lies about the election. With 35 million tweets on the US election day, Twitter on Wednesday broke its earlier record set in 2012 election day of more than 31 million tweets. Some users even expressed fear at the prospects of a Trump presidency becoming a reality. "People who voted for Trump better not complain when world war 3 starts. They asked for this joke of a person to run this country," a tweet read. "I'm only hoping he doesn't blast a nuclear weapon to celebrate the victory," Nikhil Sapre from Britain noted. Comparing the newly-elected US president to Adolf Hitler, another user said, "Well done America. You just elected Hitler the second. Make america RACIST again!" All the messages on Twitter, however, were not hostile to the newly elected President of the US. "#DonaldTrump Congratulations! Thank you, master!" Gustavo Conforti tweeted. "I'm not going to hear the end of the liberals whining about how the country is ruined and that we're all going to die...", a user with the name The Average Voter tweeted. "Congrats to Donald Trump on beating SATAN, No more puppets!," another user wrote on the micro-blogging site. "Donald Trump is a strong representation of America in 2016. This was no mistake," another tweet read. The 70-year-old will be the 45th President of the US. Clinton immediately called Trump to concede the election defeat and congratulate him. --IANS gb/rn ( 562 Words) 2016-11-09-19:28:04 (IANS)
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he hoped the United States would continue to support Ukraine in its stand-off with Russia following the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election."The President looks forward to a continuation of US support in two important areas: Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression ... and also assistance in the realisation of major reforms," Poroshenko was quoted as saying in a statement today.REUTERS VS GC1831 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0440-1015823.Xml
US president-elect Donald Trump's plans to slash corporate tax rates should not keep companies from setting up operations abroad, a move that would damage a key plank of Ireland's industrial policy, the Irish finance minister said today.Ireland has a decades-old policy of attracting multinational investment with a corporate tax rate of just 12.5 per cent. That has made Ireland a hub for US companies - including heavyweights like Apple, Google and Pfizer - which account for one in 10 local jobs. But it also makes the country vulnerable to any global tax changes.Before his victory , Trump said he wanted to cut the US corporate tax rate to 15 per cent from the current 35 per cent and encourage US companies with operations abroad to repatriate profits at a reduced tax rate."It's the repatriation of profits that is the primary issue. Now, if you reduce that to 15 per cent, it seems to me that that is not an disincentive for setting up abroad," Michael Noonan told a parliamentary committee."As a matter of fact, it could work the other way because you pay much less tax if you repatriate profits from Ireland in the future."Trump will enjoy majorities from his Republican party in both chambers of Congress, potentially helping him push through reforms relatively quickly. But Noonan said he would "wait and see" whether the plans come to pass."I spent all my life listening to United States election campaigns where there was a commitment to reform corporate tax. I've yet to see tangible measures and I was first elected to a local authority in 1974," he said.Noonan said the pipeline of multinational investment was strong at present, but the uncertainty before Trump takes office in January might slow down that down, PWC Ireland Managing Partner Feargal O'Rourke warned."For Ireland, broadly speaking, it (Trump's plans) will take away the tax plank of our foreign direct investment offering," said O'Rourke, who has advised a number of major US companies with operations in Ireland."Am I worried about jobs suddenly being sucked back to the US from Ireland? No. You can't run a global operation from California. But for the next five or six months, US companies are going to say 'let's just press the pause button for the moment'."REUTERS VS PM1901 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0440-1015897.Xml
Yu Zhengsheng(3rd L back), chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, presides over a meeting to offer suggestions on improving special education for the disabled in the country, in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 8, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's senior political advisors met Tuesday to offer suggestions on improving special education for the disabled in the country.

Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attended the meeting.

All of society should pay attention to support special education and safeguard equal rights to education for the disabled, attendees said at the meeting.

Political advisors proposed that funding should be increased to improve conditions in special teaching facilities. They also suggested promoting teacher-training programs for more competent faculty to improve the quality of China's special education.

Other suggestions were raised during the meeting, such as reducing birth defects through modern technology and more emphasis on preschool education for disabled children.
OTTAWA, Nov.8 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Tuesday announced here that he will pay official visits to Cuba and Argentina from November 15 to 18, and will travel to Peru from November 19 to 20 to participate in the 2016 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit .

"Cuba and Argentina are two of our closest partners in the hemisphere. I look forward to working with President Castro and President Macri to stimulate more trade and investment with Canada, grow the middle class, and foster closer people-to-people ties for the benefit of all our citizens," said Trudeau.

On the APEC summit in Peru, Trudeau said it is very important as the Asia Pacific region is critical to his country's economic future and to growing our middle class.

"I look forward to promoting Canada as a partner of choice for trade and investment in the region while embracing the theme of quality and inclusive economic growth that Peru has put forward this year," the Canadian prime minister said, adding that Peru is a valued partner for Canada in both the hemisphere and the Asia-Pacific region, and he looks forward to meeting President Kuczynski.

Canada and Cuba boast a diverse relationship based on 71 years of uninterrupted diplomatic engagement and constructive cooperation in areas including trade and investment, development assistance, security, and tourism.

Meanwhile, Canada and Argentina enjoy excellent commercial relations and share similar perspectives on many global issues. Canadian companies are important actors in the extractives, agro-industrial and telecommunications sectors in Argentina.
BEIRUT, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced Tuesday that Tehran is willing to cooperate with "all Lebanese sects and components."

Zarif emphasized that "the approach of wisdom, rationality and democracy has triumphed in the Lebanese political arena."

On the second day of his official visit to Lebanon, Zarif stressed after talks with Prime Minister Designate Saad Hariri at the Center House that "we are fully ready to cooperate with the brotherly Lebanese people and all its sects and components."

He expressed to Hariri Tehran's "determination to cooperate and show openness towards Lebanon in all fields, during the current government's term as well as under the next government's term."

As for regional development, Zarif said he discussed with Hariri about various regional conflicts and pointed out the need to "reconcile political viewpoints among the various regional forces in order to find appropriate political solutions."

Earlier in the day, Zarif met with caretaker Prime Minister Tammam Salam and called for a speedy formation of the new government.

And, after meeting with Speaker Nabih Berri in Ain el-Tineh, the top Iranian diplomat described the speaker's role as "essential and constructive."

"We support his national approach and we hope that the Lebanese government will be formed soon," he added.

Zarif arrived in Lebanon for an official visit heading a prominent political and economic delegation, and has met with President Michel Aoun on Monday.

Aoun was elected last week as Lebanon's 13th president, ending a presidential vacuum of around two and a half years which began with the end of former President Michel Suleiman's six-year tenure in May 2014.
TEHRAN, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- In a bus accident in the southern Fars province of Iran on Tuesday evening, 20 people were killed and 20 others were injured, semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

The passenger bus was carrying 40 pilgrims from Iran's central city of Yazd to the Iraqi city of Karbala, when it faced the accident in Eqlid region of Fars province.

The emergency aids have been dispatched to the sight of accident and the cause is under investigation, the report said.
MARRAKECH, Morocco, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Morocco and France's global climate champions, Hakima El Haite and Laurence Tubiana, launched the Global Climate Action Agenda here on Tuesday.

As a successor to the Lima-Paris Action Agenda in 2013, the Global Action Agenda allows non-governmental players, such as civil society organizations, private companies, cities, regions and investors, and their initiatives to play a bigger role.

In Marrakech, the agenda is putting together a program of nine theme days consisting of forests, water, industry and business, resilience in cities, buildings, energy, transport, oceans and agriculture.

For each theme, debates will be held to show initiatives already launched by the non-governmental sector, identify challenges and solutions, and make political recommendations.

In addition, the two champions will organize a high-level event on Nov. 17 to showcase the most transformative initiatives and best-in-class stories across the globe.

More than 150 people, including Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Albert II, Prince of Monaco and Bounnhang Vorachith, President of Laos, will speak at the events.

"We need everybody. No government, no city can act alone. Our message today is as follows: we have to act now. We can't wait until 2020," said Laurence Tubiana at the launch of the Global Action Agenda.

On her part, Hakima El Haite celebrated "the extraordinary mobilization of civil society" within the framework of the agenda.

More than 12,500 actions have so far been registered on the Non-State Actors Zone for Climate Action platform, with more than 2,500 from cities and about 2,100 from companies.
DUBAI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said on Tuesday it will build the first prototype of the high-speed "Hyperloop" train solution, reported WAM news agency.

RTA Chairman, Mattar Al-Tayer, and Rob Lloyd, CEO of Hypeloop One firm, signed an agreement to work through the Dubai Future Accelerators (DFA) program and develop a prototype of self-driving cars powered by Hyperloop technology.

The company will also test the feasibility of connecting Dubai with several destinations, and determine the project's economic viability. If feasible, the technology will be implemented and stands to change the transport and logistics sector worldwide, according to WAM.

Dubai's daily Gulfnews reported that the prototype ought to be ready by 2020.

Hyperloop stations will be set up across the city to ensure accessibility and reduce travel time between Dubai and the UAE's capital Abu Dhabi to less than 12 minutes.

Hyperloop One revealed its vision for the future of the transport sector citing Dubai as an example during a presentation.

"Dubai has become a model for the cities of the future, launching one revolutionary initiative after the other and drastically reshaping strategic economic sectors," said Al-Tayer.

"The DFA program, though only a few months old, is now a gateway for the world's most innovative companies to materialize their ideas and achieve tangible results that can change the future and benefit mankind," said Rob Lloyd.
UNITED NATIONS, Nov.8 (Xinhua) -- The UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has started to probe a deadly explosion in eastern DRC, which killed a girl and injured 32 UN peacekeepers from India on Tuesday, a UN spokesman said.

Five of the peacekeepers were seriously wounded in the incident in Goma, Stephan Dujarric told a regular briefing at the UN headquarters.

"According to preliminary reports, the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device. All injured peacekeepers, in addition to a Congolese civilian, are receiving medical treatment," he said. The peacekeepers were doing morning running when the explosion happened, he added.

The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or MONUSCO has sent quick reaction force to the scene and deployed an investigation team, which includes explosives experts, Dujarric said, adding that the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the DRC, Maman Sambo Sidikou is expected to travel to Goma to assess the situation on the ground.

The UN peacekeeping mission in DRC was first established in 1999. In 2010, the UN Security Council renamed the mission to MONUSCO to implement mandates including the protection of civilians and supporting the government of the DRC in its stabilization and peace consolidation efforts.
MARRAKECH, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Climate Change Conference (COP22) in Morocco celebrated Forest Action Day on Tuesday.

COP22's Forest Action Day celebrations are a part of the Global Climate Action Agenda to protect, restore and sustainably manage forests.

Launched earlier on Tuesday by the climate champions for Morocco and France, Hakima El Haite and Laurence Tubiana, the Agenda aims to boost cooperation between governments, cities, businesses, investors and citizens to cut emissions and help vulnerable nations adapt to climate impacts and build their own clean energy and sustainable futures.

Speaking at a special event entitled "Global Climate Action Launch Event," Abdeladim Lhafi, Morocco's High Commissioner for Water, Forests and the Fight against Desertification, said that conserving, restoring and managing forests is essential to meeting global sustainable development goals, including combating desertification and water insecurity.

Lhafi announced that Morocco will launch a new initiative called "Strengthened Action in Favor of Forests in the Mediterranean-Sahel Region in the Context of Climate Change" (AFMS).

He elaborated that the initiative aims to help countries meet multilateral commitments to forests, including adaptation and mitigation actions under the Paris Agreement, and to facilitate climate change investments to improve forest management and build the resilience of forest-dependent communities.

Helen Clark, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Administrator, said that forests are one of the largest and most cost-effective responses we have to climate change.

"Countries, civil society, the private sector and indigenous peoples are working powerfully together to protect forests to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement," he stressed.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Assistant Director-General, Forestry, Rene Castro Salazar, stressed that healthier forests will also contribute to many other global development goals by providing food, income, fuel and shelter.

"The Zero Hunger goal of the SDGs cannot be achieved by 2030 without addressing climate change, and climate change cannot be addressed without managing the world's forests in a sustainable manner," he said.

Deforestation and forest degradation currently contribute up to 12 percent of carbon emissions, more than the entire transport sector.

However, by halting deforestation, reducing and reversing forest degradation, forests could contribute significantly to the climate solution in the coming decades.

The COP22 Global Action Agenda will feature eight other theme days, namely water, industry and businesses, as well as resilience in cities, buildings, energy, transport, oceans and agriculture.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov.8 (Xinhua) -- German automaker Volkswagen announced Tuesday that it would invest 7 billion reais (2.18 billion U.S. dollars) in Brazil by 2020, to cover the production of a new family of cars and to prepare the ground for an expected rise in sales across Latin America.

Volkswagen's head for South America David Powels said from the Sao Paulo International Motor Show that the new family of vehicles would be made up of four cars. Furthermore, the investment will cover an overhaul of production at the company's two factories in Brazil.

The German automaker currently holds around 12 percent of the Brazilian automotive market and is at just above 10 percent in Argentina.

Volkswagen announced it intended to use its factories in both countries to boost its presence across regional markets by 3-4 percent.

This investment will come as a major boost for the belabored Brazilian automotive industry, which has been hit by the recession. In October, sales were down 22.3 percent from a year earlier.

However, Powels said that he hoped stability would return in 2017 "as there is no possibility for it to get worse this year". He admitted that the recovery would "not come from a miracle and would be gradual."
by Mahmoud Fouly

CAIRO, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The relations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia have recently been going through ups and downs due to their different visions on various issues including the Syrian crisis, the war in Yemen and others, said Egyptian political experts.

The first clear sign of unharmonious ties was revealed after Egypt voted in October for two rival draft resolutions at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a relief in Syria, including one proposed by Russia, whose military is currently assisting Bashar al-Assad's forces in Syria.

Although Egypt later explained that its supports for both the Russian and the French-Spanish draft resolutions were based on their contents in favor of calm in Syria. Despite the fact that the UNSC disapproved both, the Egyptian position was criticized by Saudi representative to the UN as "painful."

DIFFERENT PRIORITIES

"I believe that the core difference lies in the priorities of each country. While the Yemeni war, the Iranian regional influence and the Syria issue are Saudi priorities, Egypt is more concerned with fighting terrorism in Sinai, the Libyan crisis and the River Nile water issue," said Mohamed Gomaa, a researcher at the Arab and Regional Unit of Cairo-based Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies.

The expert continued that other issues like the Saudi-Turkish approach in light of Turkey's support for Egypt's currently-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group is not less influential on Egyptian-Saudi ties than their different views on Syria.

"The growing Iranian influence in the region played a key role in Saudi priorities, while Saudi Arabia and Turkey found greater chances for approach based on their positions on the Syrian issue that is not equally important to Egypt," Gomaa told Xinhua.

For Medhat Hammad, professor of Iranian and Gulf studies at Egypt's Tanta University, the main disagreement is related to the difference between Egypt and Saudi Arabia over the Syrian crisis, but their difference on the Yemeni issue has been compromised by Egypt's naval presence at the Red Sea's Bab al-Mandab Strait "that provided a kind of reassurance and support to the Saudi-led strikes on Yemen."

"Saudi Arabia has decided for years Assad's departure as the solution for the Syrian crisis and supported anti-Assad 'free Syrian army' financially and logistically. But for Egypt, Syria's unity, even if fragile, is vital to the Egyptian northeastern national security," the professor told Xinhua.

Hammad argued that Saudi Arabia "fights against Iran in Syria" as Iran is considered "a strategic threat" to the oil-rich kingdom, stressing Egypt's recurrent reiteration that the Gulf national security is part of the Egyptian and Arab national security.

MEDIA BACKLASH

Gulf states led by Saudi Arabia, excluding Qatar, supported the Egyptian military-oriented administration with billions of U.S. dollars and tons of oil supplies following the military removal of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 and the consequent crackdown on his Brotherhood group.

The Egyptian media lashed out at the Saudis for their criticism of the Egyptian position on Syria and the halt of oil shipments of a Saudi national oil company, Aramco, to Egypt for the second consecutive month in November "until further notice" as stated by Egyptian Oil Minister Tarek al-Molla.

In late October, at a recent national youth conference in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi blamed the country's media for "causing Egypt severe harms" and "harming our warm relations with some friends."

Iyad Madani, a former Saudi minister who was in charge of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), made remarks during a conference in Tunisia in a mocking tone about the Egyptian president, yet the issue ended up with his resignation earlier in November after an Egyptian campaign against the man.

Egypt later welcomed Saudi Arabia's nomination of another ex-minister for the OIC top post "out of Egypt's appreciation of the important role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in supporting the activities of the OIC," as the Egyptian foreign ministry said.

On Tuesday, despite the plea of the Egyptian government, an Egyptian court confirmed nullification of an Egyptian-Saudi deal signed in April, during a rare visit of Saudi King Salman to Cairo, to transfer the controversial two Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to the kingdom.

Mohamed Nehad Asqalani, Egypt's former assistant foreign minister, said that the Egyptian-Saudi relations are deep-rooted and highly valued by both sides, and both states are aware that they cannot do without each other.

"Unfortunately, we have a group of media people who exaggerate things and portray the situation as a Saudi attempt to control Egypt's political decision, which is not true," the ex-diplomat told Xinhua.

Asqalani continued that the Egyptian leadership made positive attempts to contain any disagreement with Saudi Arabia, explaining that the depth of their ties does not necessarily mean they have to follow in the same footsteps. "Each country has its own assessment of things."

As for Aramco suspension of oil shipments to Egypt, the former diplomat said that it came before Egypt's vote for the Russian draft resolution on Syria.

"I am optimistic that things between Egypt and Saudi Arabia will come back to normal and Aramco will resume its oil supplies to Egypt as per the signed agreement," Asqalani added.
by Alexia Vlachou, Liu Yongqiu

ATHENS, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- With a recent land, aerial and underwater topographic mapping of ancient Epidaurus conducted by Greece's Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities and China's Xinhua News Agency, more light was shed to the underwater treasures in Epidaurus, one of Greece's legendary cities.

Reflecting the history of the Greek culture, the ancient Epidaurus is among the most popular archaeological sites in Greece, in a small valley of the Argolida peninsula in the Peloponnese.

Epidaurus, home to the famous healing center in the antiquity, provides valuable insights into the Greek and Roman times.

During the fourth and third centuries BC, endless conflicts in the area led people from all over Greece and the Mediterranean to seek protection and help from the healing god Asclepius, making the sanctuary one of the richest of its time.

Surrounded by a preserved natural landscape, the sanctuary of Asclepius comprises a series of ancient monuments, including the temple of the god, the altar of Apollo, the Tholos, the stadium, the banqueting hall and the renowned theater -- all considered unique examples of the late classical Greek architecture.

Among them, the ancient theater of Epidaurus is famous for its symmetry and incredible acoustics. This exquisitely preserved theater has revived as part of an annual festival with performances from Greek and foreign productions dedicated to ancient Greek drama every summer since 1954.

In 1881, excavations began under the guidance of Panagiotis Kavvadias of the Greek Archaeological Society who devoted his entire life to Epidaurus and to uncover the sanctuary's most important monuments. In 1988, the Sanctuary of Asclepius at Epidaurus was added to the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites.

Although the famous sanctuary has attracted experts and tourists' attention, the seabed of ancient Epidaurus full of underwater treasures in the small bay has been quite unknown.

During the 1970s, remains of the ancient harbor installations, as well as many ruins of various buildings under the water, were revealed, but no excavation has ever taken place in that area.

On the southern part of the city lies the sunken city with many Roman relics at a very low depth. Among them there is a complete building, a Roman villa according to archaeologists, that can be clearly seen.

Under the instructions of the archaeologists, a crew of submarine topographers with their technological equipment and 3D cameras dived into the sea to capture the ancient ruins, while a drone operator from land took aerial photos on an expedition in September.

During a one-day conference at the new Acropolis Museum to mark the 40th anniversary of the ephorate's establishment on Oct. 14, Angeliki Simosi, archaeologist and head of the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, presented a short video produced by Xinhua on the submerged ancient city at Epidavros port.

"It is breathtaking," Stamatina Barouxi, a pensioner teacher, told Xinhua after the screening.
MINSK, Nov.8 (Xinhua) -- Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) welcomed the significant efforts by Belarus for receiving more than 160,000 Ukrainian citizens in connection with the ongoing conflict in the South East of the country.

IOM Director General William Lacy Swing and Permanent Representative of Belarus to the UN Office and other international organizations in Geneva Yuri Ambrazevich discussed a wide range of issues related to the cooperation between Belarus and IOM, the press-service of Belarusian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

The IOM Director General welcomed the efforts of Belarus that has received over 160,000 Ukrainian citizens fleeing the ongoing conflict in the southeast of Ukraine.

William Lacy Swing also praised Belarus'role in coordinating the international efforts to combat human trafficking.

The Belarusian side expressed confidence that with IOM's new status as a United Nations-affiliated agency as from September 2016, its cooperation with Belarus will be further enhanced.

The official also stressed that Belarus is eager to boost the cooperation in developing biometric documents, managing migration risks, providing reintegration assistance, and facilitating voluntarily return to the country of origin.

According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in the past two years and a half, about 160,000 Ukrainian refugees came to Belarus.
KHARTOUM, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming visit of a senior United Nations (UN) official indicates a promising future of Sudan's tourism sector, the country's tourism minister said Tuesday.

The Secretary-General of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is expected to visit Sudan during Nov. 13 and 15 to take part in a training session on tourism and attend the inauguration of the Tourism and Shopping Festival in Sudan's Red Sea State.

This will be the first visit of its kind for a UNWTO senior official to Sudan in 11 years, which comes after the UNWTO decided in October 2015 to lift the sanctions imposed on Sudan's tourist and antiquities resources 11 years ago.

"The visit of the UNWTO Secretary-general constitutes an important event after 11 years of sanctions by the organization on Sudan," Mohammed Abu Zaid Mustafa, Sudan's Tourism Minister, told a press conference in Khartoum Tuesday.

"There is great development in the relationship between Sudan and the UNWTO after Sudan's due debts have been settled," he noted. "Sudan will benefit from the preferential characteristics provided by the organization to its membership to help develop tourism."

The minister reiterated the concerns over expanding the tourist activity and holding festivals to reflect the country's tourist potentialities, facilitate entry of foreign tourists and build necessary infrastructures.

Sudanese government used to hold annual tourism festivals such as the famous Red Sea Tourism and Shopping festival which is held in November each year.

Additionally, the Sudanese government is also working to reactivate domestic tourism, as the tourism ministry has launched a program titled "My Sudanese Vacation" to inform the beauty of the homeland.

The program, a partnership between the ministry and the private sector companies, tends to encourage domestic summer tourism for university students, civil society organizations and businessmen.

According to the ministry's latest statistics, the tourism revenues for 2015 amounted to 930 million U.S. dollars, while the number of tourists jumped up to 700,000.

The ministry expected the number of tourists to rise by seven percent next year due to the inauguration of continental roads linking Sudan and many neighboring countries in addition to the signing of agreements with different countries in field of tourism.

"There are requirements that need to be available if the government wants to reactivate the tourism sector," Abdul-Raouf Mohamed Abdalla, a Sudanese researcher in field of tourism and archaeology, told Xinhua.

"The priorities are represented in stopping the war and achieving peace and providing an attractive tourist climate, where Sudan is still suffering from the effect of war," he added.

The wars which hit wide parts of Sudan during the past two decades prevented the Sudanese from showing the natural potentialities which make of their country a tourist destination.

Sudan has recently been working to reactivate the tourism sector to assume its natural position as an important resource for the country which has been facing economic difficulties following the separation of South Sudan in 2011 which took away around 70 percent of Sudan's oil revenues.
by Xinhua writer Yang Shilong

NEW YORK, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- "More disgusted than excited" has recently been a much-used phrase for U.S. media describing majority of likely voters' mood about the 2016 presidential election.

Yet there is no lack of black humor when referring to both major candidates, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, who have the highest disapproval ratings in U.S. history.

One can easily catch some while walking through the streets around the Times Square, one of the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world on Tuesday as tens of thousands Americans went to polling stations.

"Give me a dollar or I'm voting for Trump," is the sentence written on the cardboard in front of two beggars sitting on east sidewalk of the Square Tuesday morning.

"Please help! Stranded need buss fare to get to Maine. Any thing at all adds up. Please God Bless." Reads another cardboard meters away held by a young couple with their heads ducking behind it.

Against the backdrop of bright billboards and advertisement on skyscrapers, the act of the four serves as a reminder why so many low-income, undereducated whites leaned towards Donald Trump, who has no government service experience but feeds their anger and disappointment towards the so-called traditional politicians.

"They are going fast," said gift shop owner Ahmad, pointing to the T-shirts printed with either Hillary or Trump's cartoon image."15 dollars only."

On one T-shirt, "Trump" is flushed into a toilet with a caption "DUMP TRUMP". On another, below "Hillary" writes "For president, let's make history."

But Ahmad, who immigrated to U.S. from Pakistan more than 20 years ago, said he did not bother to vote on Tuesday. His daughter, Alander, a college student, said Hillary is more qualified for the country's top post but she did not cast her vote either.

What entices more fun are the Presidential Parody Pet Toys featuring Hillary and Donald in a variety of sizes. Some of them are being hung high on the giant glass window of a gift shop a few blocks west of the Square.

The Hillary toy is the heat to beat with her red pantsuit ablaze, and her fiery gaze fixed on the Oval Office, as the producer's ad goes, fling her into the ring ... and watch the fur fly.

The Donald toy is styling with his golden tan, quaffed plush hair, and flashy garb. His well-heeled foot will inevitably end up in pets' mouth, the ad says.

Americans have every reason to try to joke about this year's election as many pundits say it is hard to find a clean spot on either candidate in this campaign of so much mudslinging.

"It's a mistake to think that democracy is 'clean'," said Michael Munger, professor of political science at Duke University, in an interview with Xinhua through email. "In fact, this election is NOT especially dirty, by the standards of history."

for Clinton and Trump, it does show that voters do not trust the two 'major' parties, which have been corrupted by their own power and ability to raise money," Munger said.

The Duke professor might have driven his point home, the tasks including economy, immigration and social issues, are daunting for the new president, whoever wins the painfully long election on Tuesday.

The nonstopping clicking of the National Debt Clock, installed on the Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, silently suggests the not-so-pinky future of the sole superpower. The U.S. national debt has surpassed 19 trillion U.S. dollars, the largest debt in the nation's 240-year history.

The huge amount alone could not be shunned away by any kind of black humor.
ABC News(NEW YORK) -- It's election night in America, and before we know who won we'll get a glimpse of who turned out at the polls and what motivated their votes.



We expect to have the first updates around 6 p.m. ET. But please remember, this will be preliminary data and can change -- sometimes materially -- as the evening progresses. Be sure to check back for updates!



And if you're looking for something else to read while you wait, be sure to check our live blog.

It must be noted that this is preliminary data and can change -- sometimes materially -- as the evening progresses. Be sure to check back for the latest.

We've received the first batch of exit poll data, and are updating with various bits of analysis as we receive it.



The Candidates' Attributes



Much of the campaign focused on the candidates personal qualities. Both reached record levels of unpopularity, with sharp divisions on their fitness for office on items such as qualifications, temperament and honesty.



In preliminary national exit poll results, 54 percent of voters see Clinton unfavorably and 61 percent say the same of Trump. Comparable numbers in 2012 were 46 for Barack Obama and 50 for Mitt Romney.



Substantial numbers say both Clinton and Trump are not honest and trustworthy  59 percent in Clintons case and 65 percent in Trumps. Its unprecedented even to ask this question in an exit poll.



Clinton does better, Trump less well, on both qualifications and temperament. Fifty-three percent of voters say shes qualified for office and 56 percent feel she has the right personality and temperament for the job. Those decline to 37 percent and 34 percent for Trump, respectively, in these preliminary exit poll results.



The exit poll also asks which of four other candidate qualities are most important. In preliminary results, 38 percent say its someone who can bring about needed change versus 22 percent who say its experience and 22 percent who cite good judgment. Only 15 percent say its someone who cares about people like me. Among Clinton supporters, experience and judgment are most important, while among Trump supporters, its nearly all about change.



Fear Factor



Trump incites greater fear than Clinton, especially among women: 43 percent of women say theyd feel scared if Trump were elected, compared with 31 percent of men. Nearly twice as many women as men say theyd feel excited by a Clinton win, 22 vs. 12 percent, respectively.



And, 72 percent of Clinton supporters feel scared by a Trump presidency, 59 percent of Trump supporters are scared by a Clinton presidency.



Trump's Treatment of Women and Clinton's Emails



Trumps treatment of women and Clintons use of a private email server while secretary of state have been highly controversial issues.



In preliminary exit poll results, 51 percent of voters say Trumps treatment of women bothers them a lot, while fewer, 44 percent, say the same about the situation regarding Clintons emails. (Note: Interviews representing as much as 40 percent of the national exit poll were conducted in advance of the FBIs announcement Sunday that its renewed review found nothing to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.)



Anxiety and Dislike



Given their unpopularity, Clinton and Trump alike are seeing lukewarm support  including many voters who chiefly oppose their opponent rather than supporting them. This is especially so in Trumps case, and far different from what we saw in 2012, when 70 percent of Obamas voters strongly supported him, as did 60 percent of Romneys, compared with only 10 percent who voted against their candidates opponent.



Many voters express concern about a Clinton or Trump presidency, and excitement is subdued. Seventeen percent are excited about the prospect of a Clinton presidency, while 29 percent are downright scared about it. On the flip side, just 13 percent are excited about a possible Trump presidency in preliminary exit poll results; 37 percent, scared of it.



The divisions are profound. Among Clinton supporters, 72 percent are scared of Trump in office; among Trump voters, 60 percent are scared of what Clinton would do.



Previous positive and negative anticipation peaked in 2008, when 37 percent of voters were excited about an Obama presidency and 33 percent were scared about McCain.



When Voters Made Their Decisions



When did voters make their decision? Despite the frantic finish and a series of major events near the end of the race, 75 percent of voters say they decided on their vote more than a month ago. Still, 24 percent of voters say they made their choice in the last month. Theyll both be important groups to watch as the night goes on.



State of the Country



Whatever their divisions, many voters share a sense of frustration with the political situation. Sixty-one percent of voters in preliminary exit poll results say the countrys on the wrong track. Thats similar to its level in 2012 when Barack Obama won re-election and down from 75 percent in 2008 at the peak of the economic crisis, but well above its level from 1996 to 2004.



Sixty-nine percent are dissatisfied with the way the government is working, including 23 percent who are angry about it  a sentiment especially prevalent among Trump voters. And 49 percent say the governments doing too many things best left to individuals and business, similar to most previous elections.



Clinton and Trump voters are vastly different on these measures, with Clintons much more positive and Trumps much more negative. For example, 92 percent of Trumps supporters feel the countrys on the wrong track and 88 percent are dissatisfied with the how the governments working, or angry about it.



On the Economy



The state of the economy relates to these sentiments. Eight years on from the Great Recession, 62 percent of voters in preliminary exit poll results still rate the economy negatively  not good or poor. Still, thats well down from 76 percent in 2012 and a vast 93 percent in 2008.



Thirty percent say their familys financial situation has improved in the last four years, but about as many, 27 percent, say it has gotten worse. (The rest say its about the same.) Its the first time better has outnumbered worse on this question since 2004 and the lowest getting worse result since 2000.



Expectations, though still not great, are better than theyve been: In preliminary results, 37 percent of voters think the next generation will be worse off, but 33 percent think it will be better off, again the least negative differential since 2000. Again pessimism is far higher among Trump supporters.



Integrity of the Vote



Just 28 percent of Trump voters say theyre very confident their votes will be counted accurately versus 68 percent of Clinton voters. There was no partisan gap on this question when it was asked in the 2008 exit poll, and the division this year is bigger even than the one between Kerry and Bush voters in 2004, after the contentious 2000 election.



On the Issues



Preliminary exit poll results indicate that the economy/jobs is the top issue for voters (52 percent), followed by terrorism (18 percent), foreign policy (13 percent) and immigration (12 percent). Theres a big difference, though by candidate support, with Clintons supporters relatively more focused on the economy and foreign policy, Trumps on terrorism and immigration.



Voters split roughly evenly on whom they trust more to handle the economy (46 percent say Clinton versus 48 percent who pick Trump), while Clinton has a clear advantage on foreign policy (53 percent versus 42 percent) and a slimmer one on serving as commander in chief (49 percent of versus 46 percent).



Immigration



Many more voters say undocumented immigrants should be given a path to citizenship or be deported (71 percent versus 25 percent). And more oppose rather than support one of Trumps signature policies, building a wall along Mexican border (54 percent versus 40 percent) in preliminary exit poll results. Not surprisingly, Clinton and Trump voters differ widely on these immigration policy issues.



Also, 9 percent of voters were not born in the United States  a group to watch in later results.



The Obama Factor



Fifty-four percent of voters approve of the job Obama is doing as president, 34 percent strongly so in preliminary exit poll results. That may help Clinton, but its no guarantee: In 2000, a robust 57 percent approved of Bill Clintons job performance when Al Gore tried unsuccessfully to follow him.



Slightly more voters think the next president should continue Obamas policies (29 percent) or change to more liberal ones (18 percent). Forty-six percent say the next presidents policies should be more conservative that Obamas.



Turnout



Turnout among key groups is critical. ABC News/Washington Post pre-election polls indicated that, apart from partisanship and ideology, Clintons success is dependent on turnout among women, college-educated whites (especially college-educated white women), nonwhites and young voters. Trump needs turnout from men, whites overall, non-college-educated whites (especially non-college-educated white men) and evangelical white Christians.



Turnout and vote margins among these groups will be worth watching tonight.



Early turnout across partisan lines looks quite similar to 2012, 37 percent Democrats, 32 percent Republicans.



On race, whites could be slightly down  70 percent in preliminary exit poll results, 30 percent nonwhite, including 12 percent black and 11 percent Hispanic.



Women outnumber men in 2016 early results, as they have since 1984. If the gender gap that was evident in pre-election polling holds tonight, itll be an advantage for Clinton.



Early exit poll results show a record level of turnout among college-educated voters, 50 percent versus 50 percent non-college-educated voters. Again, these are early results, but its worth keeping an eye on and would be another Clinton advantage if it holds.



College-educated white women outnumber non-college-educated white women (20 percent versus 17 percent), which would be a first in exit polls. College-educated white women are by far Clintons strongest group among whites. Theres no indication in early results of increased turnout among non-college whites, Trumps core group.



White evangelical Christians make up 27 percent of voters in preliminary exit poll results, similar to 2012, and a very strong group for Trump in pre-election polling.



This is developing and will be updated.

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
NEW YORK/WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Voters headed to the polling stations all over the United States on Tuesday, but many still felt disappointed by the presidential candidates and found it a hard choice to decide who should become the country's next leader.

Both U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump cast their ballots along with their families in the empire state on the morning of election day on Tuesday.

However, their fate as well as the country's future will be decided by the American voters across the country. Although Clinton is leading Trump by a few percent points in the latest national polls, the competition is still considered neck-to-neck.

At a local polling place in the Borough of Brooklyn, New York, dozens of voters had been lining up outside the building as early as 7:00 a.m.. Many poll workers were busy helping voters to find their registration, fill in their ballot and cast their vote.

Peter Vanden Bos said he voted for Hillary because he thought Trump was divisive, totally unqualified and unfit for the presidency.

"I wish the campaign would not have been so contentious and negative," he said, "I'm just glad it's over."

Wearing a bright red cap with "Make America Free Again," Trump supporter Alex Burlak was a rare sighting in the Borough that was considered more liberal than the rest of the city.

Burlak, a pharmacy owner, said he believed Hillary Clinton was the most corrupt politician in U.S. history and "never told the truth in public, ever."

Burlak said he have met plenty of Trump supporters in his daily life, and even though New York is a deep blue state that will eventually go to Hillary Clinton, he still wanted his voice to be heard.

In Frederick Samuel Community Center in Harlem, northern New York City, voter Desiree Kennedy did not want to disclose whom she had voted for, but said that "honestly, I don't care about either of the candidates."

"It is very scary that in 2016, there are still a lot of people who have very racist views, negative views and sexist views," Kennedy said, adding that "hopefully it will change."

At the same polling station, 44-year-old Pauline Grant said she voted more for moral than for value.

She said, for five generations since her great great great parents, her family had voted for the Democrats. "It's a family tradition."

When asked whether she thought Clinton can reunite the country and make the country great if Clinton was elected, she said she didn't think so. She said she believed that the media was biased against Trump.

In Williamsburg Community Center in Brooklyn, Scott, a startup owner in his 30s who only gave his first name, said: "I voted for Donald Trump, because I want something completely different."

"I appreciate Trump's business spirit because I am a small business owner. It was a difficult choice for me because they both want to get a lot of media attention. You cannot get to know the truth. I think media has been manipulated towards Clinton," Scott said.
Photo taken on Sept. 9, 2016 shows relics of a Roman building, 40 meters long and 15 meters wide, under water near Epidaurus in the region of Argolis at the Saronic Gulf. For the first time, the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, a special department of the Greek Ministry of Culture which is responsible for the preservation of ancient relics under sea, proceeded to the topographic mapping of the area in collaboration with the official new agency of China, Xinhua News Agency. (Xinhua/Athanasios Athanasiou)

by Alexia Vlachou

ATHENS, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Despite Epidaurus being home to one of the most popular healing centers of antiquity, the sanctuary of Asclepius and to the well preserved ancient theater, the underwater treasures of the harbor city in the north-eastern side of the Peloponnese, in the region of Argolis at the Saronic Gulf, have remained quite unknown to the public.

For the first time, the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, a special department of the Greek Ministry of Culture which is responsible for the preservation of ancient relics under sea, proceeded to the topographic mapping of the area in collaboration with the official new agency of China, Xinhua News Agency.

Under the instructions of the archaeologists, a crew of submarine topographers with their technological equipment and 3D cameras dived into the sea to capture the ancient ruins, while a drone operator from land took aerial photos on an expedition during September.

Besides the topographic shooting and the protection of the underwater ruins, the Ephorate wants to create a sea museum accessible to the public.

"By underwater museum, I mean people having access to underwater antiquities similar to that of the various archaeological sites on land," Angeliki Simosi, archaeologist and head of the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, explained to Xinhua during a tour on the site.

The Ephorate is in line with the municipality in order to promote the antiquities under sea with the construction of glass or wooden docks at the old harbor for visitors to admire the cultural heritage of the region.

Photo taken on Sept. 9, 2016 shows relics of a Roman building, 40 meters long and 15 meters wide, under water near Epidaurus in the region of Argolis at the Saronic Gulf. For the first time, the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, a special department of the Greek Ministry of Culture which is responsible for the preservation of ancient relics under sea, proceeded to the topographic mapping of the area in collaboration with the official new agency of China, Xinhua News Agency. (Xinhua/Dimitrios Argyrakis)

In addition, since no excavation has ever taken place in the seabed of ancient Epidaurus, archaeologists are optimistic that a new site investigation in the future will bring to light more treasures.

"First, we try to map the area with the use of drones and submarine cameras to create a 3D reconstruction of the antiquities and to identify the archaeological artefacts within the site. Then we want to proceed with a small-scale underwater excavation that will bring more relics to light," Simosi said.

"The only survey that has been done was during the 1970s by the archaeologist Charalampos Kritzas who used an air balloon to take some photos and study the buildings that were under the water," Pemmy Galiatsatou, archaeologist in the Greek Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities told Xinhua.

Due to its strategic location, Epidaurus became an important trade center in ancient Greek and Roman times.

People from all over Greece and the Mediterranean visited the sanctuary, which was considered the birthplace of medicine, seeking cure and treatment from the healing god.

All the region is full of monuments, ancient buildings and walls as archaeologists point out. But, what lies under the sea of ancient Epidaurus is more of interest in the Ephorate.

According to Galiatsatou, the entrance of the ancient port is still in use today, since the modern port was built on the ancient.

"Two ancient breakwaters are underwater. Their edges are marked by two contemporary lighthouses, the red and the green respectively. In ancient times, there was an opening of 40 meters' width for the ships to enter the port of ancient Epidaurus," she said.

"On the southern part of the city, lies the sunken city with many roman relics at a very low depth -- of one and a half meter -- which are visible from air," Galiatsatou described.

"The most important is a roman building, 40 meters long and 15 meters wide. There is a row of rooms on each southern side with a semicircular ending and on its northern side there is a big room with two rows of jars. These were used for storing food in antiquity. So, this could be a special storage room," she said, after exploring the underwater site with Xinhua's underwater photographers.

According to Galiatsatou, this particular building could be a country house of a Roman person who might be quite wealthy.

As Greek archaeologists explained, as far as the protection of antiquities is concerned, the first step is to survey and see what lies there.

"The second step is to start pumping out sand and water to discover the foundations and all movable objects that lie in the sea bottom," Galiatsatou said.

So, the mystery for the Ephorate and the public is to discover what lies under the building and around the entire area, which can be cleared out only with a future excavation.

During a one-day conference at the new Acropolis Museum to mark the 40th anniversary of the ephorate's establishment on Oct. 14, Simosi presented a short video produced by Xinhua on the submerged ancient city at Epidavros port.

"It is breathtaking," Stamatina Barouxi, a pensioner teacher, told Xinhua after the screening.
CARACAS, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The two American presidential candidates, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, do not offer an alternative for the U.S., according to Jorge Valero, Venezuela's permanent representative to the UN.

In an interview with Xinhua, Valero said that "neither of the two seeks to redefine the foreign relations of the U.S."

In his opinion, both candidates, which are disputing the presidential election on Tuesday, have seen their campaigns defined by "procrastination".

However, Valero praised Democratic candidate, Bernie Sanders, who lost to Clinton in the primary race. Valero said that Sander is a very important voice in the country, as he "talks of how the U.S. has a broad current which trumpets for peace, but does not stop being an imperialist power."

"One of the most relevant phenomenon rising in the U.S. is the widening of the gulf between poor and rich...which has shown a regressive pattern of poverty among the middle class," he added.

The ambassador believes that the U.S. has "deep problems" that have not been addressed, while adding that the country must understand "we are not in a unipolar world, which was created after the fall of the Soviet Union. The U.S. is an empire in decline."

"A new world is emerging, new powers have emerged, there is a new equilibrium in international relations. This is an inevitable reality. And all the studies...conclude the U.S. will continue its decline," said Valero.

As for Venezuela, the diplomat pointed out that whoever wins the presidency should not continue "the policies of President Obama." He said that the new president should cancel the "infamous decree" by Obama, which states Caracas is a threat to American national security.

"If either of the two listens to this request, or this demand by the government of President Nicolas Maduro, relations with the U.S. will improve...they will be friendly, not hostile as they are today," Valero concluded.
A voter fills in his ballot at a polling station in Brooklyn, New York, the United States, on Nov. 8, 2016. The U.S. presidential elections kicked off on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Voters headed to the polling stations all over the United States on Tuesday, but many still felt disappointed by the presidential candidates and found it a hard choice to decide who should become the country's next leader.

Both U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump cast their ballots along with their families in the empire state on the morning of the election day on Tuesday.

However, their fate as well as the country's future will be decided by the American voters across the country. Although Clinton is leading Trump by a few percentage points in the latest national polls, the competition is still considered neck-to-neck.

At a local polling place in the Borough of Brooklyn, New York, dozens of voters had been lining up outside the building as early as 7:00 a.m.. Many poll workers were busy helping voters to find their registration, fill in their ballot and cast their vote.

Peter Vanden Bos said he voted for Hillary because he thought Trump was divisive, totally unqualified and unfit for the presidency.

"I wish the campaign would not have been so contentious and negative," he said, "I'm just glad it's over."

Wearing a bright red cap with "Make America Free Again," Trump supporter Alex Burlak was a rare sighting in the Borough that was considered more liberal than the rest of the city.

Burlak, a pharmacy owner, said he believed Hillary Clinton was the most corrupt politician in U.S. history and "never told the truth in public, ever."

He said he have met plenty of Trump supporters in his daily life, and even though New York is a deep blue state that will eventually go to Hillary Clinton, he still wanted his voice to be heard.

In Frederick Samuel Community Center in Harlem, northern New York City, voter Desiree Kennedy did not want to disclose whom she had voted for, but said that "honestly, I don't care about either of the candidates."

"It is very scary that in 2016, there are still a lot of people who have very racist views, negative views and sexist views," Kennedy said, adding that "hopefully it will change."

At the same polling station, 44-year-old Pauline Grant said she voted more for moral than for value.

She said, for five generations since her great great great parents, her family had voted for the Democrats. "It's a family tradition."

When asked whether she thought Clinton can reunite the country and make the country great if Clinton was elected, she said she didn't think so. She said she believed that the media was biased against Trump.

In Williamsburg Community Center in Brooklyn, Scott, a startup owner in his 30s who only gave his first name, said: "I voted for Donald Trump, because I want something completely different."

"I appreciate Trump's business spirit because I am a small business owner. It was a difficult choice for me because they both want to get a lot of media attention. You cannot get to know the truth. I think media has been manipulated towards Clinton," Scott said.

In the neighborhood of Pasadena in Los Angeles, voter Judith Alonso said she had voted for Hillary Clinton. "I was in line for an hour and when I left, the line was still very long."

"Trump is a terrible mistake, I don't think he will win," said Judith.

In San Francisco City Hall voting center, Mary Hansbury said the election campaign made her nauseous, and really stressed out. "I've been fighting with my parents who have different views."

"I vote for Hillary because she is qualified, and she's gonna do a good job," Hansbury said.

About 19.4 million Californians are registered to vote in this year's general election, up from 18.2 million in 2012, according to California Secretary of State Alex Padilla. Over 78.04 percent of eligible Californians are registered, which represents the highest percentage of eligible California citizens registered to vote.

More than 8.7 million voters were registered as Democrats, accounting for 44.9 percent of the total registered voters, while more than 5 million voters were registered as Republicans, about 26 percent of the total.

In a polling station at the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership in downtown Chicago, lawyer Bonnie Miller said that she voted for Trump because Hillary was dishonest, and she did not trust her.

"I think that her Clinton foundation has serious problems. I operate a foundation and there is no way I could get away with what they are doing," Miller said.

"If Trump is elected, I think he will undo a lot of the executive orders from the Obama administration. And I think he is in good likelyhood of surrounding himself with people who actually know what they were doing. I think a lot of the people are just really frustrated with the way Washington works right now," she said.
"Give me a dollar or I'm voting for Trump," is the sentence written on the cardboard in front of two beggars sitting on the sidewalk of Times Square Tuesday morning.

By Xinhua Writer Yang Shilong

New YORK, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- "More disgusted than excited" has recently been a much-used phrase for U.S. media describing majority of likely voters' mood about the 2016 presidential election.

Yet there is no lack of black humor when referring to both major candidates, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, who have the highest disapproval ratings in U.S. history.

One can easily catch some while walking through the streets around the Times Square, one of the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world on Tuesday as tens of thousands Americans went to polling stations.

"Give me a dollar or I'm voting for Trump," is the sentence written on the cardboard in front of two beggars sitting on east sidewalk of the Square Tuesday morning.

"Please help! Stranded need buss fare to get to Maine. Any thing at all adds up. Please God Bless." Reads another cardboard meters away held by a young couple with their heads ducking behind it.

Against the backdrop of bright billboards and advertisement on skyscrapers, the act of the four serves as a reminder why so many low-income, undereducated whites leaned towards Donald Trump, who has no government service experience but feeds their anger and disappointment towards the so-called traditional politicians.

"They are going fast," said gift shop owner Ahmad, pointing to the T-shirts printed with either Hillary or Trump's cartoon image."15 dollars only."

On one T-shirt, "Trump" is flushed into a toilet with a caption "DUMP TRUMP". On another, below "Hillary" writes "For president, let's make history."

But Ahmad, who immigrated to U.S. from Pakistan more than 20 years ago, said he did not bother to vote on Tuesday. His daughter, Alander, a college student, said Hillary is more qualified for the country's top post but she did not cast her vote either.

Pet toys featuring Hillary and Trump in variety sizes on the window of a gift shop a few blocks west of the Times Square.

What entices more fun are the Presidential Parody Pet Toys featuring Hillary and Donald in a variety of sizes. Some of them are being hung high on the giant glass window of a gift shop a few blocks west of the Square.

The Hillary toy is the heat to beat with her red pantsuit ablaze, and her fiery gaze fixed on the Oval Office, as the producer's ad goes, fling her into the ring ... and watch the fur fly.

The Donald toy is styling with his golden tan, quaffed plush hair, and flashy garb. His well-heeled foot will inevitably end up in pets' mouth, the ad says.

Americans have every reason to try to joke about this year's election as many pundits say it is hard to find a clean spot on either candidate in this campaign of so much mudslinging.

"It's a mistake to think that democracy is 'clean'," said Michael Munger, professor of political science at Duke University, in an interview with Xinhua through email. "In fact, this election is NOT especially dirty, by the standards of history."

For Clinton and Trump, it does show that voters do not trust the two 'major' parties, which have been corrupted by their own power and ability to raise money," Munger said.

The Duke professor might have driven his point home, the tasks including economy, immigration and social issues, are daunting for the new president, whoever wins the painfully long election on Tuesday.

The nonstopping clicking of the National Debt Clock, installed on the Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, silently suggests the not-so-pinky future of the sole superpower. The U.S. national debt has surpassed 19 trillion U.S. dollars, the largest debt in the nation's 240-year history.

The huge amount alone could not be shunned away by any kind of black humor.
A police car is seen near the site of a shooting near a polling station in Asuza, California, the United States, on Nov. 8, 2016. One people was killed and two others were critically injured in a shooting outside a polling location in Asuza, California, police said. (Xinhua/Huang Chao)

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- One people was killed and two others were critically injured in a shooting outside a polling location in Asuza, California, police said.

The incident occurred at 2:02 p.m. (2202 GMT) in Azusa, about 50 kilometers from Los Angeles, they added. No more details are available now.
A voter fills in his ballot at a polling station in Brooklyn, New York, the United States , on Nov. 8, 2016. The U.S. presidential elections kicked off on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/HOUSTON, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Voters flocked to the polling stations all over the United States on Tuesday, with many casting their ballots for the next president in doubts and reluctance.

After voting at a local polling place in the Borough of Brooklyn, New York, Peter Vanden Bos said he voted for the Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton because he thought the Republican nominee Donald Trump was divisive, totally unqualified and unfit for the presidency.

"I wish the campaign would not have been so contentious and negative," he said, "I'm just glad it's over."

Trump and Clinton have finished their presidential race with the worst images of any U.S. major-party presidential candidates, found a Gallup poll released Tuesday. Trump has a 61 percent unfavorable rating, compared to 52 percent for Clinton.

In the two main polling stations in the southwestern part of Houston, many voters told Xinhua that this election was very important and critical in terms of deciding the direction the United States would go in the next few years. But they had no choice but to choose from the two unpopular nominees.

As a Republican support base, Texas, which has 38 electoral votes, has been a die-hard red state for many presidential elections. Barack Obama failed to win the Lone Star State in his 2008 and 2012 elections.

Peter Li, tenure professor of the University of Houston, told Xinhua that "this year's presidential election is unarguably the most unconventional one and no matter who will be the new president of the nation, she or he has to establish a positive relationship with China as U.S.-China relations are the most important one in the world and a good U.S.-China relationship is a bipartisan consensus in the nation."

Wearing a bright red cap with "Make America Free Again," Trump supporter Alex Burlak was a rare sighting in Brooklyn that was considered more liberal than the rest of the New York city.

Burlak, a pharmacy owner, said he believed Hillary Clinton was the most corrupt politician in U.S. history and "never told the truth in public, ever."

In Frederick Samuel Community Center in Harlem, northern New York City, voter Desiree Kennedy did not want to disclose whom she had voted for, but said that "honestly, I don't care about either of the candidates."

"It is very scary that in 2016, there are still a lot of people who have very racist views, negative views and sexist views," Kennedy said, adding that "hopefully it will change."

At the same polling station, 44-year-old Pauline Grant said she voted more for moral than for value.

she said, for five generations since her great great great parents, her family had voted for the Democrats. "It's a family tradition."

When asked whether she thought Clinton can reunite the country and make the country great if Clinton was elected, she said she didn't think so. She said she believed that the media was biased against Trump.

In Williamsburg Community Center in Brooklyn, Scott, a startup owner in his 30s who only gave his first name, said: "I voted for Donald Trump, because I want something completely different."

"I appreciate Trump's business spirit because I am a small business owner. It was a difficult choice for me because they both want to get a lot of media attention. You cannot get to know the truth. I think media has been manipulated towards Clinton," Scott said.

In San Francisco City Hall voting center, Mary Hansbury said the election campaign made her nauseous, and really stressed out. "I've been fighting with my parents who have different views."

"I vote for Hillary because she is qualified, and she's gonna do a good job," Hansbury said.

About 19.4 million Californians are registered to vote in this year's general election, up from 18.2 million in 2012, according to California Secretary of State Alex Padilla. Over 78.04 percent of eligible Californians are registered, which represents the highest percentage of eligible California citizens registered to vote.

More than 8.7 million voters were registered as Democrats, accounting for 44.9 percent of the total registered voters, while more than 5 million voters were registered as Republicans, about 26 percent of the total.

In a polling station at the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership in downtown Chicago, lawyer Bonnie Miller said that she voted for Trump because Hillary was dishonest, and he did not trust her.

"I think that her Clinton foundation was a slash Fund. I operate a foundation and there is no way I could get away with what they are doing," Miller said.

"If Trump is elected, I think he will undo a lot of the executive orders from the Obama administration. And I think he is in good likelyhood of surrounding himself with people who actually know what they were doing. I think a lot of the people are just really frustrated with the way Washington works right now," she said.

At Jefferson Junior High School voting station in the capital Washington D.C., 55-year-old Tammy Green said he voted for Hillary Clinton. "Hillary has the knowledge, she can control her emotions and is experienced."

"She has learned lessons from her rivals such as Bernie Sanders to absorb their opinions in her policies," said Green.

"Donald Trump took advantage of the underprivileged people, the poor people and the laborers," she said, adding that she felt "this presidential election has been awful."

At RH Recreational Center voting station in Washington D.C., Marina, a European who recently obtained U.S. citizenship, voted for the first time but declined to reveal her decision.

Marina compared the political system here and back home, saying "the U.S. government is paralyzed because the two major political parties are at odds. It's frustrating."

"Big money influenced the election, Hillary Clinton relied heavily on big money and superpacs, but she had more understanding of politics," she said.
CANBERRA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Australia has joined the international search for intelligent life beyond Earth, with the nation's scientists focused on a recently discovered Earth-like planet.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) announced that New South Wales' (NSW) Parkes radio telescope was analyzing Proxima Centauri, a star 4.3 light years away, and the planets orbiting that star where life-giving water could exist in liquid form.

The project marks Australia's first involvement in Breakthrough Listen, a 10-year, 75 million U.S. dollar astronomical search for extra-terrestrial (ET) life beyond Earth, which was announced in 2015 by internet entrepreneur Yuri Milner and famous British physicist Stephen Hawking.

Milner said that the Parkes telescope, which will be the first outside the United States to participate in Breakthrough Listen, was a significant addition.

"These major instruments are the ears of the planet and now they are listening for signs of other civilizations," Milner said in comments published by Australian media on Wednesday.

Andrew Siemion, leader of the Breakthrough Listen science program, said the chances of finding life on any plant were very slim but the project was starting with planets closer to Earth.

"Once we knew there was a planet right next door, we had to ask the question, and it was a fitting first observation for Parkes," Siemion said.

"To find civilization just 4.3 light years away would change everything."

Parkes has joined two U.S. telescopes, the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia and the Automated Planet Finder at Lick Observatory in California, in ongoing surveys to determine whether civilizations exist elsewhere in outer space.

The CSIRO said the Parkes telescope was perfectly located to observe parts of the universe that can not be seen from the northern hemisphere, including the center of our own Milky Way galaxy.

"Its unique view of the southern hemisphere sky and cutting-edge instrumentations means it now also has a great opportunity to contribute to the search for extra-terrestrial life," Douglas Bock, Director of CSIRO Astronomy and Space Science, said.

Breakthrough Listen will use 25 percent of the Parkes' observational capacity for the next five years.
One person was killed and at least three others were injured in a shooting in Azusa, California on the Election Day on Nov. 8, 2016. Two polling stations as well as two schools nearby have been placed on lockdown. The shooting was first reported around 2 pm local time, and the suspect is still at large. (Xinhua/Huang Chao)

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- A shooting injuring three to five people in Azusa, a small town 40 kilometers east to downtown Los Angeles, forced a polling station nearby to be put on lockdown Tuesday afternoon.

Local residents told Xinhua, the incident happened in a restaurant near W 5th street and N Orange Avenue. The shooter, who was reported by witness of carrying high powered rifle, had not been taken into custody so far.

According to local KABC-TV, the Azusa police and policemen from neighbour city West Covina are searching the suspect and ordered a polling station and a middle school to be put on lockdown.

One person was killed and at least three others were injured in a shooting in Azusa, California on the Election Day on Nov. 8, 2016. Two polling stations and two schools nearby have been placed on lockdown. The shooting was first reported around 2 pm local time, and the suspect is still at large. (Xinhua/Huang Chao)

Los Angeles Times quoted fire department officials as saying since the situation was not "contained," not all patients had been able to receive treatment.

A report of LA Times also said one was killed in the shooting, however the news was not confirmed by Azasu police.

Azusa, located in Los Angeles County, has about 46,000 residents.
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Tuesday slammed an attack in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which killed a Congolese girl and injured dozens of peacekeepers and civilians.

Two civilians and a total of 32 peacekeepers of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or MONUSCO, were injured Tuesday as an improvised explosive device exploded in the Kyeshero district of Goma, North Kivu province, said a statement from Ban's spokesperson.

The UN chief called for swift action to bring the perpetrators of this attack to justice.

MONUSCO has sent quick reaction force to the scene and deployed an investigation team, which includes explosives experts, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said earlier in the day.

The UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC was first established in 1999. In 2010, the UN Security Council renamed the mission to MONUSCO to implement mandates including the protection of civilians and supporting the DRC government in its stabilization and peace consolidation efforts.
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- An Indian army trooper was killed Tuesday night in deadly skirmishes between troops of India and Pakistan on Line of Control (LoC), dividing Kashmir.

The two sides fired mortars and resorted to heavy firing in Nowshera sector of frontier Rajouri district, about 220 km southwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"A soldier was killed in firing and shelling by Pakistani forces today in Nowshera sector of Rajouri," an official said. "Shelling was also reported in Krishna Ghati sector of adjoining Poonch district."

According to the official, the Indian side retaliated to the Pakistan firing and heavy exchange of gunfire was continuing until late.

Pakistan's official broadcaster - Radio Pakistan on Tuesday said three civilians were killed on their side due to Indian firing.

"Three civilians, including two women, were martyred in unprovoked firing by Indian troops at Khoi Ratta and Battal sectors of the LoC today," the broadcaster said.

The past several weeks have seen a surge in skirmishes on International Border (IB) and LoC between the two countries. Apart from troop casualties, the firing has claimed civilian lives on both sides, besides prompting migrations of residents from frontier areas. Officials have ordered closure of 174 schools in frontier areas in wake of shelling.
LONDON, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's Tianjin Airlines on Tuesday announced launching a new flight route from London to Xi'an, capital of China's Shaanxi province in May 2017.

The new flight service will be operated on an Airbus A330-200 aircraft with 18 business class and 242 economy class seats. The total flight time to Xi'an is around 10 hours and the aircraft will then continue onto Tianjin.

The airline, which launched its first British route from London Gatwick airport this June, will also increase its twice-weekly service to three flights per week in next summer. The service currently departs every Wednesday and Saturday from Gatwick, arriving in China the following day.

Robert Chen, British general manager for Tianjin Airlines, said "We're delighted to announce yet more new services for British travelers following the hugely successful launch of our first ever flights from Gatwick to Tianjin and Chongqing in China. We're proud to be helping introduce British travelers to our fascinating country through our high quality service and unbeatable flights."

Guy Stephenson, Gatwick's chief commercial officer, said "We are delighted that Tianjin has announced a new route from Gatwick to China. Tianjin Airlines now connects Gatwick to three of China's megacities, including the UK's only direct flights to Xi'an, home of the Terracotta Army, and Chongqing, southwest China's commercial capital. Our passengers will value the increased frequency of services to China announced today."

Tianjin Airlines, a subsidiary of HNA Group, currently operates a fleet of nearly 90 aircraft to more than 100 destinations throughout China from its eight hubs.

China and Britain have been strengthening the aviation cooperation. Officials from both sides agreed on a deal to more than double the number of flights allowed to be operated between the two countries last month.

In a statement the British Department for Transport (DfT) said under the new deal passenger flights can now be increased from the current maximum of 40 per week for each nation to up to 100. There will be no limit on the number of all-cargo services, creating new opportunities for British trade and businesses.

Meanwhile, a restriction on the number of destinations that airline can serve has also been increased, meaning services can be operated between any point in Britain and any point in China.
WELLINGTON, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The digital economy is driving a boom in the New Zealand music industry, government ministers said Wednesday.

An industry-commissioned report from PricewaterhouseCoopers had found music made a direct contribution to the New Zealand economy of 245 million NZ dollars (180.71 million U.S. dollars) last year, up from 213 million NZ dollars (157.11 million U.S. dollars) in 2014, said Broadcasting Minister Amy Adams and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry.

"It's incredibly encouraging to see such a positive year for the New Zealand music industry, with four out of five market segments recording increased growth rates," Adams said in a statement.

"In 2015, the industry directly employed 2,259 full-time equivalent roles. This is up from 1,754 in 2014."

The report noted that total retail revenue grew through the doubling of consumption via online streaming, another example of digital convergence seen across the media sector.

Barry said the contribution of music to gross domestic product and employment had shown a significant increase between 2014 and 2015.

"We know from the report that there has been a positive impact on the economy over the past three years," said Barry.

"We are committed to ensuring that support for the industry continues."
HAVANA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will visit Cuba on Nov. 15 to deepen economic and political ties between both countries, Cuba's foreign ministry announced on Tuesday.

Trudeau will meet with Cuban President Raul Castro to discuss economic cooperation between Havana and Ottawa, according to a government statement.

In his short visit to the island, the Canadian prime minister will also meet with other Cuban government officials, visit Havana and the University of Havana to interact with local students and young people.

The Cuban government also hoped that the visit will highlight potential trade and investment opportunities for Canadian businesses in Cuba, particularly in the biotechnology, nickel development and tourism sectors.

In 1994, a joint venture was formed between the Cuban Nickel Union and Canadian firm Sherritt International, which operates a mining and processing plant in the city of Moa, about 920 km east of Havana.

A second enterprise, Cobalt Refinery Co. Inc., was created in Alberta for nickel refining.

A total of 85 Canadian companies and subsidiaries are operating in Cuba, including Labatt Breweries and Pizza Nova.

Over 1 million Canadian tourists visit the island each year, making it the largest and most stable market for the Caribbean nation.

Trudeau will most likely meet with former Cuban President Fidel Castro, an old acquaintance of his deceased father, former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

Pierre Trudeau became the first NATO and Western leader to visit Cuba when he stayed in Havana for three days in January 1976. Fidel Castro attended Trudeau's funeral in 2000, a sign of his respect for the Canadian family.

Canada also hosted secret talks between the United States and Cuba for 18 months that led to both governments deciding to normalize relations in December of 2014.

Ottawa has been criticizing the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba, and strongly objected to the Helms-Burton Act in 1996 which limits trade with the island by other nations.

After visiting Cuba, Trudeau will visit Argentina and then Peru to participate in the 2016 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting.

Also on Tuesday, Trudeau announced in Ottawa that he will pay official visits to Cuba and Argentina on Nov. 15-18 before travelling to Peru to attend the 2016 APEC summit.
BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, weakened mildly against the U.S. dollar Wednesday ahead of the results of the U.S. presidential election.

The central parity rate of the Chinese currency, the renminbi or the yuan, weakened 15 basis points to 6.7832 against the U.S. dollar Wednesday, according to China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central parity rate each trading day.

The central parity rate of the yuan against the U.S. dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.

The greenback Tuesday rallied against several major currencies after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) cleared Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton over her use of a private email server, as investors await the presidential election results.

China's foreign exchange reserves fell to 3.12 trillion dollars as of the end of October, down 45.7 billion dollars from a month earlier, as a stronger dollar accounted for much of the change.
Rescuers work at the rescue site in Zhongmengchang Village of Lixian County in Baoding, north China's Hebei Province, Nov. 8, 2016. A boy fell into a dried well in Baoding on Nov. 6. Eighty excavators have been dispatched for the rescue operation. (Xinhua/Wang Xiao)

SHIJIAZHUANG, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers in the northern province of Hebei are racing against the clock to rescue a boy who has been trapped in an abandoned well for over 60 hours.

Over 500 rescuers and some one hundred excavators are working at the 40-meter deep dry well in Lixian County, Baoding City.

The boy, 6, fell down the well Sunday. As the 30 centimeter-diameter well was too narrow for any adult to climb into rescuers are digging out a well to reach the boy.

Oxygen is being channeled into the well. Signs of life have not been found yet, although the rescuers are nearing the bottom of the well.

Excavators work at the rescue site in Zhongmengchang Village of Lixian County in Baoding, north China's Hebei Province, Nov. 8, 2016. A boy fell into a dried well in Baoding on Nov. 6. Eighty excavators have been dispatched for the rescue operation. (Xinhua/Wang Xiao)
MONROVIA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- China donated Liberia office equipment worth about 8 million RMB (1.2 million U.S. dollars) Tuesday in the capital of Monrovia.

The donation, which included 900 desktop computers, 450 laptops, 100 monochrome laser printers and 50 monochrome copiers, was presented to the Liberian government at a brief ceremony.

Liberian Deputy Foreign Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration Dehpue Zuo said the donation came at the appropriate time as the Liberian government faces serious financial constrains in budgetary allocation, especially for the procurement of office equipment, and extended his thanks to the Chinese government and people.

Receiving the items on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Marjon V. Kamara, Zuo hailed them as "one of the largest donations to the government of Liberia when it comes to office equipment."

Zuo assured Chinese Ambassador to Liberia Zhang Yue that his ministry would work together with other governmental departments to ensure a fair distribution of the donated equipment.

He also expressed his appreciation for the Chinese government for the progress being made at the ongoing construction projects -- the ministerial complex and extension of the Capitol Building.
SYDNEY, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Australia's space industry has been given a boost after being awarded rights to host the Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) in 2020.

Up to 3,000 international space experts are expected to descend on Sydney in 2020 after it beat out competing bids from others to host the prestigious event.

"This is a ringing endorsement of our people, infrastructure and high regard in the global space community," Australian environment minister Greg Hunt said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Australia is the perfect choice to host COSPAR. We have some of the world's best researchers, a long history of space science and research, and we back this up with our ongoing commitment, investment and operation of major space infrastructure right across the country."

Australia has a strong space research program, backed up by its history of involvement in joint projects with the European Space Agency and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) since 1965.

International researchers leverage the Square Kilometer Array project in Western Australia state, while Australia's premier scientific body the CSIRO and NASA jointly operate the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex.

Australia, however, doesn't have a dedicated space agency, only one of the countries in the OECD without a formal space program. COSPAR 2020 is expected to build Australia's international presence.

"We come to the table with a bold vision for our nation's place in science, and through science, our place in space," Australia's chief scientist Alan Finkel, who was a key figure behind the Sydney bid, said.
BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The sixth plenary session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which was held in October, has sent a strong message of the party's determination to carry out comprehensive and stricter intra-party governance.

Many observers and scholars around the world have noted that the all-round governance of the CPC is expected to inject fresh impetus in the efforts to pursue the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee, stressed at the meeting the need to regulate intra-party political life and increase supervision, calling the move "an important approach to promote comprehensive and strict party governance."

The CPC published on Nov. 2 updated norms on party political life, which were introduced to perfect the CPC's "Four Comprehensives" and promote strict governance of the party.

Some foreign observers and scholars say that at a critical point of time in China's development, the CPC's call for strict governance within the party indicates the far-sighted strategic vision and wise governance of the Chinese leaders.

The new plan is not only an important innovative step by the CPC itself, but also an example of possible management and governance for other political parties around the world, as some have observed.

Gu Xuewu, director of the Center for Global studies at Bonn University, said "by holding the plenum, the CPC led by Xi is intended to show the Chinese people and the world a ruling party devoted to self-renewal, self-growth and self-improvement."

The two documents on CPC discipline approved at the session are crucial to strengthening party governance through purifying, perfecting, reforming and upgrading CPC rules on political life, supervision and accountability, as well as personnel selection within the party, said observers.

Gu believed the new guidelines on intra-party life were designed mainly to prevent party members from becoming corrupt, especially those holding high-ranking positions.

"Insisting on the purity of the party has become a key factor in defining the path for China in the context of the global economic crisis," said Xulio Rios, director of Spain's Observatory of Chinese Politics in Madrid.

"New rules and procedures should be consolidated to raise the moral standard of the CPC and its members, face more challenges and ensure public recognition of their ability to realize the two centenary goals of building an all-round moderately prosperous society and becoming a modern socialist country as well as realizing the Chinese Dream."

Some foreign observers believe by strengthening intra-party governance and furthering the anti-corruption campaign, China will not only continue to advance its own economy but also help raise the international status of the country.

"China's anti-corruption drive looks set to yield high results for the world's second largest economy's efforts to maintain good governance and economic growth aimed at ensuring a sustainable flow of benefits for its people and countries and regions around the world," said Munshi Faiz Ahmad, chairman of the Bangladesh Institute of International Studies.

Nasser Abdel-Aal, scholar at Cairo-based Ain Shams University's Chinese Studies Center, said through strict governance of the party, the CPC "enhances political life inside itself and renews its liveliness and youthfulness."

"Such meetings are very important as they represent self-revision inside the party and leads to correcting mistakes, if any," said Ahmed Wali, a former Egyptian assistant foreign minister.

China's confidence in its system stems from CPC governance, whose efficiency in correcting mistakes has also drawn great interest among international observers.

Some foreign observers believe the governance of the CPC with Chinese characteristics would give other political parties around the world an ideal example of "Chinese wisdom."
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Palace in Moscow, capital of Russia, Nov. 8, 2016.(Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

MOSCOW, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Russian President Vladimir Putin met here Tuesday and exchanged views on boosting bilateral cooperation and further promoting China-Russia ties.

During their talks, Li extended sincere greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Russian president.

China and Russia, the biggest neighbors to each other with a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, have seen their relations and cooperation keep moving steadily forward and continuously bear new fruits, Li said.

China-Russia cooperation is not only beneficial to the two sides, but also to regional and world peace, stability, development and prosperity, said Li, who arrived in Moscow Tuesday after concluding the 21st China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in St. Petersburg.

The two countries should implement the consensus reached by their heads of state and lift China-Russia relations to a new level, he said.

China would also join hands with Russia to consolidate the recovering and stabilizing momentum of bilateral trade, and promote cooperation in major projects of oil, natural gas, civilian nuclear energy, and aerospace, Li said.

The two countries should enhance cooperation in the fields of finance and infrastructure construction, and promote bilateral cooperation of small- and medium-sized enterprises, which would provide necessary support for cooperations between the two countries' major enterprises while stimulating the market vitality, Li said.

For his part, Putin noted the close exchanges between the two countries' heads of state and government officials and the smooth operation of their inter-governmental cooperation mechanisms.

The successful 21st China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting has promoted the development of pragmatic cooperation between the two countries, Putin said.

At present, Russia-China trade has stabilized for the better, with sound cooperation in the fields of electromechanical equipments and import and export of agricultural products, positive development in energy cooperation and great prospect for aerospace cooperation, Putin said.

Russia is willing to work with China to continue expanding bilateral investment, strengthen cooperation in such areas as high-speed railways and finance, so as to promote the development of bilateral ties and advance cooperation, said the president.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrives in St. Petersburg, Russia, Nov. 6, 2016, for the 21st China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting and an official visit. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arriv ed in St. Petersburg Sunday for the 21st China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting and an official visit to the northern neighbor.

China and Russia vowed on Monday to enhance pragmatic cooperation and safeguard a peaceful border, reaching a wide range of consensus after Li met with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev.

China and Russia, as each other's biggest neighbors and in a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, have seen their relations develop in a sustained, stable and sound manner, and pragmatic cooperation continuously bears new fruits, said Li during his meeting with Medvedev.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev co-chair the 21st China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, Nov. 7, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)

ENHANCING PRAGMATIC COOPERATION

China is willing to work with Russia to synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), and lift the levels of China-Russia ties and cooperation, Li said.

The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, which comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aspires to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient Silk Road routes. The EEU groups Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia.

In the context of fragile world economic recovery and slowing global trade growth, China and Russia should further give full play to their complementary advantages, so as to add new vitality into each other's development, revitalization, and economic transformation and upgrade, Li said.

On trade and investment, Li said the two sides should work to expand trade, jointly safeguard world trade system and rules, comprehensively boost the level of facilitation, and promote a sound and sustained development of bilateral economic and trade cooperation and two-way investment.

During the meeting, the premier also highlighted people-to-people exchanges, and cooperation in science and technology, and education, calling for efforts to make China-Russia Media Exchange Year a success.

Medvedev pointed to the electromechanical, agriculture, science and technology, aviation, high-speed railways as the sectors where the two sides should promote cooperation, and vowed to go all out to reach the goal of raising the two countries' trade volume.

Russia and China should enhance cooperation at local levels in the Far East region, make efforts to ensure a successful China-Russia Media Exchange Year, increase the number of students studying in the other side's universities, and boost cooperation in tourism, Medvedev said.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev sign a joint communique on the 21st China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting before they meet journalists in St. Petersburg, Russia, Nov. 7, 2016. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

JOINT COMMUNIQUE

The meeting produced a joint communique calling upon the two countries to deepen cooperation in a wide range of fields, including economy and trade, investment, energy and people-to-people exchanges.

Agreeing that great potential exists in bilateral trade and investment cooperation based on solid partnership and close economic and trade relations, the two countries would deepen economic integration through building mutually beneficial economic partnership in Eurasia, it said.

China and Russia would continue to carry forward cooperation in the fields of transport, cross-border infrastructure, logistics, among others, within the framework of synergizing the Belt and Road Initiative and the EEU, according to the communique.

The two sides will seriously discuss the possibility of setting up industrial parks along the regions on the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River and along Russia's Volga River, it said.

The joint communique urged the two countries to take necessary measures to strengthen cooperation in the trade of agricultural products, and promote the entry of safe animal and plant products into each other's market.

The two countries would also work to boost the "strategic" and "comprehensive" cooperation in the field of energy, including electricity, coal, renewable energy, and equipment, technology and project service for energy.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Palace in Moscow, capital of Russia, Nov. 8, 2016.(Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

FIRST JOINT BORDER INSPECTION COMPLETED

China and Russia also published a joint statement on the result of the two countries' first-ever joint border inspection, which was started in 2011 as a significant move to ensure peace, stability and development in the border areas between the two countries.

From 2011 to 2016, China and Russia conducted a large-scale land, topographic and hydrographic survey along the two country's 4,300-odd km border, before drafting the protocol for the result of the joint border inspection and formulating attached maps.

After taking effect, the protocol and attached maps will be the supplementary documents to the border demarcation documents, according to the joint statement.

In the statement, the two sides vowed to continue their commitment to safeguarding the clearness, stability, tranquility and peace of the two countries' borders.

China and Russia agree that the prosperity, development and the all-round mutually beneficial cooperation in their border regions reflect the high level China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, and are in the interests of the two peoples, said the statement.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Russia strategic partnership of coordination.

Russia is the last stop of Li's eight-day Eurasia trip, which has already taken him to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Latvia.
HANOI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese lawmakers on Wednesday agreed to raise the government debt ceiling for the 2016-2020 period.

The move was taken in a resolution on the national five-year financial plan during 2016-2020 period adopted at the ongoing second session of Vietnam's 14th National Assembly (NA) held in Vietnam's capital Hanoi.

The resolution stated that in the next five years, the government debt will be kept not to exceed 54 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), compared to the limit of 50 percent of the GDP during 2011-2015 period.

According to the NA Standing Committee, before adopting the resolution, many lawmakers argued that during 2016-2020 period, the government debt should be targeted below 53 percent.

Addressing the issue, the NA Standing Committee said the cap of government debt at 53 percent of the GDP for the whole five-year period will be hard to realize, as the rate for the previous five-year period of 2011-2015 was 50.3 percent, higher than the set limit of 50 percent of the GDP and the figure may reach 53.2 percent in 2016 alone.

As a result, the government debt should be curbed at less than 54 percent of the GDP for the five years to come, local VNEconomy online newspaper quoted the NA Standing Committee as saying.

In mid-October, the Vietnamese government proposed to raise the government debt ceiling to 55 percent, from the current 50 percent for the whole 2016-2020 period.

The resolution also requested in the next five years Vietnam's annual national repayment obligation to stay at less than 25 percent of the country's total export revenue. Meanwhile, the government's direct repayment obligation, excluding on-lending debt, should be less than 25 percent of the state budget revenue each year.

During 2016-2020 period, Vietnam is set to collect 6,864 trillion Vietnamese dong (307.8 billion U.S. dollars) to the state budget, up 1.65 times as much as that in 2011-2015 period.

The country's state budget spending is targeted to reach around 8,025 trillion Vietnamese dong (359.86 billion U.S. dollars) during the period, with more to be spent on investment for development and less on recurrent expenditure, said the resolution.

At the same time, the rate of state budget deficit in the next five years should not surpass 3.9 percent of the GDP. Earlier at the opening ceremony of the second session, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said in 2017 alone, Vietnam's state budget deficit is targeted at less than 3.5 percent of the GDP.
HANOI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- From Wednesday, self-drive tourist cars started to be able to travel freely between Mong Cai city in Vietnam's northern Quang Ninh province and Dongxing city in China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on trial basis.

Vu Van Kinh, vice secretary of Mong Cai city's Party Committee, told Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA on Wednesday that the pilot implementation of self-drive tourist cars between Vietnam and China, which meets demands of tourists, will boost cross-border tourism and make positive contribution to the development of two cities of Mong Cai and Dongxing.

On the first day of the service on Wednesday, as many as 20 Vietnamese cars and 20 Chinese cars completed immigration procedures at Mong Cai International Border Gate.

Those allowed to enter and exit the border gate include less than nine seat tourist cars belonging to individuals and companies.

Each car can stay for no more than three days for a permission in limited areas. Meanwhile, the number of cars entering and traveling in each country must not exceed 100 a day, said VNA.

The pilot implementation will last from Wednesday to the end of January 11, 2017.
MELBOURNE, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The livelihood of thousands of Victorian farmers is in jeopardy after they lost a contract with one of Australia's largest supermarket chains.

Woolworths Australia announced that it would walk away from its year-by-year arrangement with food processor Shepparton Processing Company (SPC) Ardmona to supply its private-label tinned tomatoes, putting thousands of jobs in Victoria's north-east at risk.

It is expected that Woolworths will instead source its tomatoes from overseas as a cheaper alternative, a decision that has been condemned by Australia's politicians.

Suzanna Sheed, an independent Victorian Member of Parliament (MP) for Shepparton where SPC Ardmona is based, said Woolworths' decision to abandon the region could be crippling.

"It would be very, very disappointing if a company like Woolworths walked away from a circumstance that was put in place when the company was in crisis, when our town, our region was in a crisis situation," Sheed told News Limited in comments published on Wednesday.

Though Woolworths will no longer use SPC tomatoes, the company said it would honor a separate five-year, 54 million U.S. dollar agreement signed in 2014 to keep the company from going bankrupt.

"We remain committed to the spirit of our five-year partnership with Coca-Cola Amatil's SPC Ardmona ... and we're presently engaged in discussions covering pricing and volumes for the coming season," Woolworths said in a statement published by Australian media on Wednesday.

"A separate year-to-year arrangement for the supply of Woolworths-brand Australian tinned tomatoes from CCA's SPC Ardmona has now concluded and we have advised that we will not renew this."

It is estimated that up to 5,000 jobs would be lost if SPC goes bankrupt, with many farming families preparing themselves for that situation.

"The supermarkets want it cheaper, but that means we're stitched up, we're finished, it's unsustainable," Gary Godwill, a fourth-generation peach farmer, told News Limited. "I'm sick of working seven days a week and making nothing."




Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev sign a joint communique on the 21st China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting before they meet journalists in St. Petersburg, Russia, Nov. 7, 2016. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- As small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) enjoy many advantages and could tap great economic potential, both Chinese and Russian prime ministers called for more cooperation between the two countries' SMEs to create new sources of growth.

During Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's official visit to Russia this month, where he also attended the 21st China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting, Li and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, simultaneously attached importance to enhancing SMEs cooperation.

The premier pointed to SMEs and innovation in particular as the areas where the two countries should step up efforts to exploit new potential besides major strategic projects.

To respond to Li's calling, Medvedev said the two countries would make more efforts to boost cooperation in SMEs' innovation, while actively conducting cooperation in major projects in the areas of oil and gas and nuclear energy.

In fact, the trade volume between the two countries fell a bit in 2015, mainly due to sinking prices of commodities, which were usually traded through large enterprises.

SMEs, which are relatively not sensitive to commodity prices, could not only create more jobs, but also provide complementarity for large enterprises to reduce their costs, so as to better boost their cooperation.

Besides, SMEs are more flexible, allowing them more accurately to sense market need and carry out cooperation more on the basis of business principles.

Furthermore, if SME cooperation, featuring more people-to-people exchanges, goes well, the foundation of economic cooperation between two countries can be expanded, which, in turn, enlarges nongovernmental exchanges.

Su Xiaohui, research fellow at China Institute of International Studies, said it is notable that the two countries' premiers have agreed to exploit potential in SME cooperation to energize innovation cooperation and increase employment, besides traditional cooperation in energy and major projects.

China and Russia have deep cooperation in political area, she said, adding more cooperation space in economy is expected.

In fact, Li has also talked about SME cooperation with other heads of governments, including Germany and South Korea, to serve China's domestic policy of mass entrepreneurship and innovation.

In the context of fragile world economic recovery and slowing global trade growth, China and Russia should further give full play to their complementary advantages, so as to add new vitality to each other's development, revitalization, and economic transformation and upgrade, Li said.
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- A shooting killed one person and injured two more on Tuesday in Azusa, a small town 40 km to Los Angeles downtown. The gunman exchanged gunfire with police before being found dead on the doorstep of a home.

The shooting scene was near a middle school and an elementary school, both of which were placed on lockdown after the shooting. Also locked down were two nearby polling stations.

The incident occurred in a restaurant near W 5th street and N Orange Avenue, some 1.5 km away from the nearest polling station in Azusa, a small town about 50 km from Los Angeles, witnesses told Xinhua,

A person with an assault rifle left the scene and hide inside a two-floor apartment one block away, they added.

At least six officers initially responded to the shooting reports around 2 p.m. in Azusa and came under fire while tending to the wounded victims, said acting Azusa Police Chief Steve Hunt.

No officers were wounded in the exchange of gunfire, Hunt said, and the motive for the attack was still unknown.

The victims were two women and a man, according to sheriff's homicide Lt. John Corin. The man died and the two women were listed in critical condition, with one wounded in the face and one shot in the body.

The suspect was initially described as a female armed with a rapid-fire semi-automatic or automatic assault rifle. But one officer confirmed with Xinhua Tuesday night that the suspect was a man.

Los Angeles Times earlier quoted fire officials as saying since the situation was not "contained," not all the injured have received treatment.

Azusa, located in Los Angeles County, has about 46,000 residents.
PHNOM PENH, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has exported 89,946 tons of milled rice to China in the first 10 months of 2016, a 7.6 percent rise from 83,577 tons over the same period last year, according to the latest report on Wednesday.

The report released by the Secretariat of One Window Service for Rice Export showed that China is the top buyer of Cambodian rice, followed by France and Poland.

According to the report, Cambodia has exported a total of 421,521 tons of milled rice to 59 countries and regions during the January-October period this year, up 3.3 percent over the same period last year.

Cambodia is an agrarian country with approximately 80 percent of the population being farmers. Last year, the Southeast Asian country produced over 9 million tons of paddy rice, according to figures of the Ministry of Agriculture.
TEHRAN, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- In a bus accident in the southern Fars province of Iran on Tuesday evening, 28 people were killed, official IRNA agency reported on Wednesday.

According to the reports, the passenger bus was carrying 40 pilgrims from Iran's central city of Yazd to the Iraqi city of Karbala to attend the religious ceremony of Arba'een.

The accident happened at 20:30 local time (1700 GMT), when it overturned in Eqlid region of Fars province.

The chief of Crisis Management Center of Yazd province, Hadi Hadi-Nasab, told IRNA that the injured passengers were sent to a hospital in Shiraz city in Fars province.

The cause of the incident is under investigation, the report said.

Arba'een is a Shiite Muslim religious observance that occurs forty days after the Day of Ashura when Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, was killed in Karbala desert.

Tens of thousands of Iranians are expected to attend the Arba'een ceremony in Karbala on Nov. 20 this year.
JAKARTA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia' s Bintan Island in Riau Isles province is scheduled to host 2016 Reebok Spartan Race competition from Nov. 19 to 20 with more than 4,000 participants from various nations and regions have already registered to take part in the event.

"We are proud that the organizer would contest the hardest level of Spartan Beast in the upcoming event. Participants have to run 20.8 kilometers through 37 kinds of hurdles," head of Bintan Tourism Office Luki Zaiman Prawira said in a statement released on Wednesday.

He said that it would be the first time for Indonesia to host the tourism sport event that highlights physical endurance and adventure, divided into three toughness levels of sprint, super and beast.

Luki added that Bintan Island provides terrain and geographical features needed for the sport event that required sandy beaches, hills and forests and rivers.

He expected that the tourism sport competition can be conducted in the island annually. Bintan Island is located near neighboring country of Singapore.

Spartan Race was initiated in the United States, so far had been conducted in 25 countries across the world.
MANILA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte left Wednesday for Malaysia, with maritime security and the fight against piracy topping his discussion with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

"The focus of my visit shall be to strengthen the Philippines' partnership in Malaysia for security and stability, these are the foundations of our nation's peace process, progress, and prosperity," Duterte said in his departure speech.

The President will proceed first to Thailand to pay his respect to King Bhumibol Adulyadej before heading to Kuala Lumpur for an overnight visit.

He said the King was a true friend of the Philippines, whose state visit in 1963 continues to resonate to this day.

"He will be remembered for his dedicated efforts to foster goodwill and friendship between our nations and peoples," he said.

In Malaysia, Duterte said both countries, which are maritime nations, should ensure that "the waterways are secure and that criminal and terrorists elements do not use our seas to undertake their illegal activities."

Philippine-based terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group had victimized in the past tourists from Malaysia and even crew of some foreign vessels passing through the borders of the two countries.

Duterte said he will also seek Malaysia's greater cooperation in the war against illicit drug trade and its continued support in the peace process in southern Philippines.
LONDON, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- A tram overturned early Wednesday in south London in what police describe as a "serious incident," British local media reported. Casualties remain unknown.
XINING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Lyu Zhifa, 57, has a lifelong grudge against the high mountain where he grew up -- he blames it for the loss of his grain, fortune, and father, not to mention his donkeys.

Lyu lives in Banyan village, Huzhu Tu ethnic county in Qinghai Province, northwest China. At 2,800 meters above sea level, the village is located on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. On Monday, hundreds of farmers started to move into new apartments at the foot of the hill, amid a nationwide effort to aid poverty-stricken populations through relocation programs.

About 129 households in Banyan village are ready to move, 72 of which live below the poverty line.

The new houses are about seven kilometers from the old ones. "The seven kilometers, I've traveled hundreds of times. The road makes it difficult for almost everything, getting water, schools, getting a doctor, or marrying a woman," Lyu said. "In the last 30 years, I've had five donkeys for ploughing the field and carrying barrels of water, and three of them fell down the mountain and died."

In 2014, Lyu's son was working in Tibet, and there were no spare hands to help with the harvest. He borrowed a mule from his neighbor to carry grain. The road was too steep, and the animal slid down the hill.

"All the grain was gone; my whole year's work was lost. The mule fell onto a soft piece of land and survived," Lyu said. "I would have jumped off the hill if the mule had died. It was a lucky one. I knelt down on the ground and kowtowed to the heaven three times for good luck," he said.

Lyu makes about 2,000 yuan (about 300 U.S. dollars) a year from his harvest, and a mule costs nearly 5,000 yuan.

A few years back, Lyu's father had a stroke, but rain made the roads slippery and unfit for them to travel. "He was sent to hospital more than a day after the stroke. It was already too late," said Lyu. His father died a few years later.

Lyu likes to sing Tu ethnic ballads. "I used to sing about hardship, the mountain, drought; now I sing about new homes and a new life now," he said.

"In such harsh situations, few people want to hold on to their old home," said Su Jiangning, Communist Party secretary of the village.

In August, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the new village for farmers at Banyan.

Xi stressed the importance of listening to what the villagers want and letting them participate in planning their new villages.

"The building of new villages should be integrated with measures to promote production and employment, improve basic public services, and protect ethnic, regional and cultural features and styles," Xi said.

Local government in Huzhu county used a poverty relief fund to build new homes. The poorest families only had to pay 4,000 yuan for an 80,000-yuan four-bedroom apartment in the new village. Wealthier farmers pay about 20,000 yuan for the new housing, Su said.

The county poverty-relief department has funded farmers to raise pigs, and offered training in welding, driving excavators and cooking.

Lyu's son, Lyu Zengxian, makes a living by repairing home appliances in neighboring Tibet. With the new house, he chose to stay.

"I would like to rent some space and open up a shop here," he said.

By 2020, about 10 million people living under the poverty line will be relocated nationwide, according to a National Development and Reform Commission plan.
BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- China is pushing for medium and long-term contracts between coal producers and buyers to stabilize supply and rein in market volatility as surging coal prices have heated concerns about the industry's ongoing cuts on excessive capacity.

Major coal miners Shenhua Group and China National Coal Group Corp. on Tuesday inked such contracts with China Huadian Corp. and State Power Investment Corp., both thermal power conglomerates.

The two sides specified the amount of coal supply for the contract length and set a basic price of 535 yuan (78.87 U.S. dollars) per tonne, with clauses to allow for market-oriented price adjustments. No further details were disclosed.

The cooperation of state-owned coal and power companies is the latest push by the authorities to ease the current coal shortage.

"It will help maintain the stability of coal prices and the market," Xu Kunlin, deputy secretary general of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a press conference Wednesday.

Xu promised policy support and encouraged more mid- and long-term contracts to be inked in the sectors.

Coal prices are on the rise due to a temporary supply shortage, as well as temperature drops and speculative activities.

The Bohai-Rim Steam-Coal Price Index, a gauge of coal prices in northern China's major ports, rose to 607 yuan per tonne last week, the 18th consecutive rise and about 63.6 percent up on the start of the year.

Xu described the price hike as "irrational." China's coal reserves generally remained stable as effective production capacity stood at around 5.4 billion tonnes after outdated and under-performing mines were shut down.

"We are completely capable of guaranteeing coal supply," Xu said, citing relaxed daily output limits for efficient coal producers and huge untapped potential of clean energy.

Xu also dismissed concerns that surging prices will have a negative effect on the overcapacity reduction drive.

"It (the price rise) will not last in the long run and the coal industry is still plagued by overcapacity. The government's resolution (on excess capacity cut) is unwavering," Xu said.

China is downsizing its coal industry, planing to cut coal capacity by half a billion tonnes in the next few years.
DUBAI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) international carrier Emirates Airline reported Wednesday a 75 percent profit decline in the six-month period from April to September which stood at 214 million U.S. dollars compared to 849 million dollars in the same period last year.

The Dubai government-controlled carrier said in an e-mailed statement that its revenue, including other operating income, of 11.4 billion dollars was down by 1 percent compared with 11.5 billion dollars recorded last year.

"This is due to the unfavourable currency environment - where the US dollar continued to strengthen against most other major currencies, and increased competition resulting in lower average fares," said the airline.

The airline was also impacted by currency devaluation and hard currency shortage in some African countries, as well as decreased travel demand due to the ongoing economic slump, the statement added.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Airline and Group added that "increased competition, as well as the sustained economic and political uncertainty in many parts of the world has added downward pressure on prices as well as dampened travel demand."

He also said that "Against this backdrop, the Group has remained profitable and our solid business foundations continue to stand us in good stead."

Earlier last month, Emirate Airline President Sir Tim Clark said the Brexit referendum on June 23 in the United Kingdom led to some repercussions on the airline's operations as well, and that the carrier was considering reducing services to destinations in Africa.

During the first six months of the financial year, Emirates received 16 wide-body aircraft comprised of eight Airbus A380s, and eight Boeing 777s, with 20 more new aircraft scheduled for delivery before the end of the financial year.

Furthermore, the airline retired 19 older aircraft from its fleet with a further eight to be returned by 31 March 2017.

Emirates expanded its global route network by launching passenger services to four new destinations including Yinchuan and Zhengzhou in China, Yangon in Myanmar, and Hanoi in Vietnam.

As of 30 Sept. Emirates' global network spanned 155 destinations in 82 countries, with Fort Lauderdale to come online on 15 December 2016.

Emirates has 248 planes in operation, three less than a year ago.

On August 4, 2016, Emirates lost a Boeing 777 passenger plane flying from Thiruvananthapuram, India, to Dubai, which crashed during an emergency landing in Dubai International Airport, killing one firefighter during the rescue operations.

The 300 passengers including 18 crew onboard managed to escape the blaze and were unharmed however.
SHANGHAI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's courier services are planning ahead to cope with Singles' Day, an annual e-commerce shopping spree in China that falls on Friday.

Alibaba's Cainiao logistics network forecast that the industry will handle 1.05 billion packages for Singles' Day this year, up 35 percent year on year.

Singles' Day eclipses its U.S. equivalents Black Friday and Cyber Monday. On November 11 last year, Alibaba saw 13.5 billion U.S. dollars worth of goods paid for on its online payments platform.

Courier services have been renovating their delivery network capable of covering long-distance and huge volumes.

Wang Wenbin, chief technology officer of Cainiao, said the company has adopted a series of new digital solutions to help monitor, distribute and trace e-commerce deliveries.

"The new technogy helps capture and collect orders from certain regions so that logistics firms can arrange the distribution and loading facilities to improve efficiency by at least 10 hours," Wang said.

China courier firm Yunda Express said the company has added 10,000 delivery vehicles to cope with the extra demand.

The company's logistic center in Shanghai has installed a 200-meter automatic line to "smart sort" the packages.

Delivery staff have become the most wanted resources across the sector. Nearly all major delivery firms have put out recruitment notices ahead of the shopping spree. The monthly salary offered for delivery staff is between 5,000 yuan (739 U.S. dollars) and 8,000 yuan, on par with salaries for university graduates.

Couriers are in short supply especially at busy times and during major Chinese holidays such as Spring Festival.

Gao Zhenhai, secretary general of the Shanghai Express Industry Association, said online shopping revenue has shown explosive growth around Singles' Day, when millions of packages need to be delivered to shoppers in a few days, which is an enormous challenge for courier services.

Singles' Day purchases last year amounted to 780 million packages. The maximum daily deliveries handled by courier services reached 160 million.

China's railway transport network has opened special services to help courier services cope with the shopping spree this year.

China Railway has launched an "E-Commerce Golden Week" service to facilitate express services. From November 11 to 20, high-speed passenger trains with speeds between 160 and 300 km per hour will provide express services. The service reaches 505 cities.

The Guangzhou Railway (Group) Corp. has signed with express firms, JD Express, SF Express, STO Express and YT Express, to provide three daily train trips linking south China's manufacturing center Shenzhen with Beijing from November 11 to 20.
Donald Trump, who was just elected president of the United States, said in his victory speech early Wednesday it was time for America to bind the wounds of division and come together as one united people.

NEW YORK, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican Donald Trump defeated his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's presidential election, pulling a major upset after a controversial and scandalous campaign cycle.

According to projections by major TV networks, Trump has surpassed the threshold of 270 out of the total 538 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.

Clinton, a former first lady and secretary of state, has made a formal telephone call to Trump to concede the election, but will not speak until the next morning, according to media.

Trump addressed the nation at the Hilton hotel ballroom in midtown Manhattan, saying that "I'll be a president for all Americans."

Trump, who will serve as the country's 45th president, called on Americans to come together as a united people, and promised to reach out to voters that had not supported him "so we can work together."

In the nail-biting contest throughout the night, Trump was able to pull a winning margin in many of the crucial swing states, including Florida, Ohio and North Carolina, and was even able to snatch previously Democratic-leaning states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The victory has made Trump the first president that never held elected office since 1953.

Clinton easily grabbed many of the traditional Democratic-leaning "blue" states early in the evening, including New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and California, while Trump won those "deep red" states of Kentucky, Mississippi and Texas.

The night then take an unexpected turn, when Trump started a landslide winning streak in most of the swing states, while being able to keep the traditional "red" states like Arizona and Georgia that went into close contest in recent polls.

The result comes after more than a year of presidential campaigns that were widely perceived as "the most ugly and divisive" election cycle in recent decades, with both candidates embroiled in scandals while resorting to personal attacks instead of battling on policy issues.

Tuesday's elections also included contests for 34 seats of the Senate and all 435 seats of the House of Representatives in U.S. Congress. Republicans are projected to keep control of both the Senate and the House.
File photo taken on Sept. 15, 2016 shows U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers a speech during a luncheon meeting of the Economic Club of New York in New York, the United States. Republican candidate Donald Trump was projected by U.S. media early on Nov. 9, 2016 to have won the 270 electoral votes needed for presidency.(Xinhua/Wang Ying)

by Xinhua writers Zhu Lei, Qi Zijian

NEW YORK, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- American voters will wake up Wednesday morning knowing that Donald Trump is their new president but still feeling confused about where the country will go.

The bitter race for the White House, which pitted the two most polarizing candidates in recent memory, has left voters on both sides of the political divide anxious about the future of their country.

In an election year when Americans were eager to hear policy positions on real issues facing the country, the most important issues along the campaign trails were Trump's comments on women and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's email scandal.

From the lewd tape of Trump's bragging about sexual assault, to the FBI's probe of Clinton's handling of classified information, the tug of war has been abundant in "October Surprises" that brutally tortured the voters. It was undoubtedly a race to the bottom.

Many voters felt frustrated or even despaired that they had no other choice but to choose from the two most disliked candidates in American history.

When negative campaigning took it way, when presidential debates were reduced to endless personal attacks, and when casual conversations between friends and family could blow up into hurtful arguments, social consensus or reconciliation has become luxury.

Fearful of the animosity that will trail the winner to the White House, a majority of Americans do not believe the country's new president could put the fractured nation back together.

The presidential race should have provided an opportunity for a collective introspection on America's social and economic policies. Yet remedies seem out of reach to the structural problems such as political polarization, the shrinking of the middle class, gun control, health care and racial discrimination.

Denouncing free trade while vowing to build a wall along the border with Mexico to fend off illegal immigrants, Trump has raised eyebrows even within the Republican Party.

The rise of the political outsider playing into the anger and frustration of those left behind in globalization has exposed grim domestic issues that have their deep roots in the increasing socio-economic inequality.

Neither will Trump's populist charge cure the social and economic woes of America, nor will the clamorous campaign rhetoric of taking other countries as scapegoats.

The 2016 election also sent a clear signal that the U.S. political system is faltering as Trump's election marks a climax of anti-establishment sentiment inside the country.

The rise of Trump deepens the divide between the rank and file and the elite within the Republican Party, triggering prediction of a party breakup. How the party establishment will rally behind the unpredictable new president is worth watching.

Clinton's struggle with long-shot challenger Bernie Sanders in the primaries also exposed the rising wave of anti-establishment sentiment and anger over the status quo on the Democratic side.

The populist, anti-establishment wave on both sides of the political spectrum sounded an alarm for the American society in the years to come.

Republicans in Congress have pursued a strategy of unified opposition to Democrats during President Barack Obama's eight years in office. Now, with the Republicans taking back the control of the White House, whether they are willing to put an end to the partisan gridlock is an open question.

The probably most divisive and scandalous election in American history has eroded voters' faith in the two-party system, as many voters called it a game of money, power, and influence.

The nasty campaigns have also tarnished America's image abroad. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said recently that the 2016 presidential race has humiliated America on the world stage, stressing that "there are moments when it is downright embarrassing."

In his 1951 novel of "The Catcher in the Rye," American writer J.D. Salinger advised, "Remember what should be remembered, and forget what should be forgotten. Alter what is changeable, and accept what is mutable."

Many voters, however, will take a long time to put to rest the anxiety, bewilderment and desperation they have experienced in 2016.
SHANGHAI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's law enforcers on Tuesday responded to questions about how overseas NGOs will operate in China once the new law on overseas NGOs takes effect in January 2017.

At a briefing held by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and Shanghai Public Security Bureau in Shanghai on Tuesday, the MPS said there will be no "transitional period" for overseas NGOs.

Overseas NGOS in China are expected to prepare for the new regime and authorities are working on ways to assist them, said the MPS.

The representative offices of overseas NGO can organize activities within registered regions, the MPS said.

Citing articles 10 and 13 of the law, the MPS stressed that overseas NGOs can establish one or more representative offices in China, and should disclose and register the areas where they will operate.

The registered regions of two or more representative offices affiliated to the same overseas NGO should not overlap, it said.

According to the MPS, a catalogue of fields and activities in which overseas NGOs are allowed to operate in China, as well as a list of authorities in charge of their operation, is being drafted.

This will clarify the agencies responsible for the management of overseas NGOs' activities in various fields, including the economy, education and disaster relief, it said.

The ministry is pondering more details on supervising overseas NGO activities.

Officials from consulates of 11 countries in Shanghai, including the United States, Britain, Germany and Japan, attended the briefing.
CAIRO, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi congratulated on Wednesday Donald Trump for his victory in the U.S. presidential elections, said the Egyptian presidency in a statement.

Sisi wished Trump success as the new U.S. president, hoping to enhance Egyptian-U.S. cooperation at all levels.

The Egyptian president also voiced hope that Trump's term would witness more mutual cooperation for the interest of countries as well as enhancing peace and stability in the Middle East.

The statement said Egypt wishes that the U.S. would enjoy more prosperity, stability and development under Trump's leadership.

Republican Donald Trump beat Democrat rival Hillary Clinton in a close race to win the 45th U.S. presidency on Wednesday, following a controversial and scandalous campaign cycle.
MANILA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte wishes to extend his warm congratulations to newly-elected United States President Donald Trump, his senior government official said Wednesday.

Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar said Duterte looks forward to enhancing relations between the Philippines and the United States under the Trump presidency.

"President Duterte wishes President-elect Trump success in the next four years as Chief Executive and commander-in-chief of the U.S. military, and looks forward to working with the incoming administration for enhanced Philippines-U.S. relations anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit and shared commitment to democratic ideals and the rule of law," he said.

Andanar noted that the U.S. presidential elections is a testament to the enduring traditions of its democratic system and the American way of life.

Trump, a Republican, defeated Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, in a close race to win the 45th U.S. presidency.

Clinton concede to Trump after the latter surpassed the threshold of 270 out of the total 538 electoral votes needed to ensure victory.
WELLINGTON, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Three fishermen from the tiny Pacific nation of Kiribati have been found alive more than a week after they disappeared at sea, the New Zealand Defence Force said Wednesday.

The crew of a New Zealand air force P-3K2 Orion surveillance aircraft spotted the men waving from their 5-meter wooden fishing boat as it drifted about 550 kilometers west of Tarawa, capital and main atoll of Kiribati.

The men, aged from 34 to 61, appeared to be in good health, Air Commodore Darryn Webb said in a statement.

They were found about an hour after the Orion began its second day of searching Wednesday.

The Orion would drop the men emergency supplies of food and water and a radio and was contacting ships in the area asking them to pick the fishermen up.

"I am pleased that the fishermen were found safe and well and will now be able to return to their families," said Webb.

The Orion left New Zealand on Tuesday to search for the fishermen, who were last seen leaving Tarawa on Nov. 1.

The original search area was about 3,500 kilometers north of New Zealand and covered more than 33,000 square kilometers.

Following an unsuccessful aerial search on Tuesday, the search area was expanded to 55,000 square kilometers.

Fiji's Rescue Coordination Center, which is responsible for the search area, requested NZDF assistance after a two-day aerial search by Kiribati authorities was unsuccessful.

The Kiribati search ship Nakoraoi also helped in the search.
MANILA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday that he had given the go-ahead for the interment of the remains of ousted President Ferdinand Marcos in the heroes' cemetery in Manila.

Duterte told a news conference before leaving for Bangkok, Thailand that he personally told former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son and namesake of the late president, that the Marcos family can now proceed with the burial arrangement.

"I saw Bongbong (Marcos Jr.) yesterday in Tacloban. I said, 'it's your choice.' He said same question as you: 'Can we now proceed?' 'Oh, yes, you can,'" Duterte said.

Duterte and Marcos Jr. were in Tacloban City in central Philippines to commemorate the victims of the deadly Typhoon Haiyan that hit central Philippines in 2013.

He reiterated that he will not take his word back, recalling his promise to the Marcoses during the presidential campaign. Duterte has revealed that the Marcoses helped him financially during the campaign.

The Marcos family will shoulder the burial costs.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that Marcos' remains can be interred in the cemetery, saying there is no law that bar Marcos to be buried in the cemetery reserved for former presidents and soldiers. Marcos was also a soldier before he became president.

Duterte has endorsed the idea even before he took the office on June 30.

Reacting to the Supreme Court ruling, Duterte reiterated that he simply "followed the law".
RAMALLAH, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian presidency announced Wednesday that it will deal with any elected U.S. president on basis of achieving just peace based on the the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the borders of 1967.

Palestinian president's spokesperson Nabil Abu Rdeinah told Xinhua that what is required from the American administration is to understand that there would be no security of stability in the Middle East without resolving the Palestinian cause.

Abu Rdeinah's statements came in reaction to the official announcement of Republican candidate Donald Trump as president-elect of the U.S. after winning over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton on most of the states.

The Palestinian official news agency reported that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated President-elect and hoped to achieve just peace through his tenure.

The Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said that judging the new U.S. president toward the Palestinian cause would come after seeing his positions in the White House.

He added "we must wait to make judgement based on the steps the new president will take."

Malki reiterated the Palestinian position on dealing with pragmatic politics and that all options must be open and being prepared for all that is good not the worst possible case scenario.

Meanwhile, Islamic Hamas movement said that the Palestinian people "does not count much" on any coming change in the U.S. presidency after electing Donald Trump.

Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zohri said in a telephone interview with Xinhua that "the U.S. policy toward the Palestinian cause is fixed and based on bias toward Israel."

The peace talks between Israel and Palestine have been stalled since April 2014. The U.S.-sponsored talks that lasted for nine months achieved no tangible results.
Republican president-elect Donald Trump (L) applauds during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9, 2016. Trump stunned America and the world Wednesday, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

RAMALLAH, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian presidency announced Wednesday that it will deal with any elected U.S. president on basis of achieving just peace based on the the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the borders of 1967.

Palestinian president's spokesperson Nabil Abu Rdeinah told Xinhua that what is required from the American administration is to understand that there would be no security of stability in the Middle East without resolving the Palestinian cause.

Abu Rdeinah's statements came in reaction to the official announcement of Republican candidate Donald Trump as president-elect of the U.S. after winning over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton on most of the states.

The Palestinian official news agency reported that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas congratulated President-elect and hoped to achieve just peace through his tenure.

The Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said that judging the new U.S. president toward the Palestinian cause would come after seeing his positions in the White House.

He added "we must wait to make judgement based on the steps the new president will take."

Malki reiterated the Palestinian position on dealing with pragmatic politics and that all options must be open and being prepared for all that is good not the worst possible case scenario.

Meanwhile, Islamic Hamas movement said that the Palestinian people "does not count much" on any coming change in the U.S. presidency after electing Donald Trump.

Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zohri said in a telephone interview with Xinhua that "the U.S. policy toward the Palestinian cause is fixed and based on bias toward Israel."

The peace talks between Israel and Palestine have been stalled since April 2014. The U.S.-sponsored talks that lasted for nine months achieved no tangible results.
VIENTIANE, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government has submitted a notification to the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Secretariat that it will undertake the formal process of prior consultation on its new hydropower project planned in Pak Beng in Lao northern Oudomxay province, local media reported Wednesday.

The Pak Beng Hydropower Project is a run-of-river project located in the Mekong mainstream. The power plant is planned to have an installed capacity of 912 MW and is designed to discharge a flow of 5,771.2 cubic meters per second.

The Lao National Mekong Committee Secretariat submitted last Friday a detailed description of the planned project to the MRC Secretariat.

Within the next month, the MRC Secretariat will review the document and verify its compliance with the rules before forwarding the case to the MRC's Joint Committee (JC), a body consisting of representatives of the four member countries at the head of department level where the consultation takes place, reported Lao state-run news agency KPL.

The prior consultation is part of the MRC's procedural rules on cooperation on water use of the Mekong mainstream, including the Procedures for Notification, Prior Consultation and Agreement (PNPCA). Under the procedures, any infrastructural project using the mainstream water during the dry season within the same basin, as well as during the wet season between two basins, must undergo the prior consultation process. Applicable projects include large-scale irrigation and hydropower development projects which may cause significant impacts on the environment, water flow and quality of the Mekong mainstream.

Laos has submitted two prior consultation cases to the MRC, namely the Xayaburi and Don Sahong hydropower projects. But neither has received unanimous conclusions yet.
SEOUL, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- South Korean prosecutors on Wednesday widened its ongoing investigation into a scandal involving President Park Geun-hye's longtime confidante, Choi Soon-sil.

Investigators raided the homes of two former key aides to the embattled president on alleged involvement into Choi's influence peddling and the leakage of confidential presidential documents to the 60-year-old private citizen.

Computer hard discs, diaries and mobile phones were seized from the homes of Lee Jae-man and Ahn Bong-geun, former presidential secretaries who had assisted President Park for about two decades together with Jeong Ho-seong.

Jeong has been placed under custody for allegations that he had brought secret presidential reports on defense, diplomatic and economic affairs to Choi on a daily basis.

The three aides are dubbed "three knobs of a door" that lead directly into President Park thanks to their longtime assistance.

Choi Soon-sil, whose friendship with the president dates back to the mid-1970s, is suspected of exercising undue influence for personal gains and meddling in state affairs from the shadows though she has no public position.

Choi has been formally arrested since she came back to Seoul in late October. The woman had stayed in Europe for about two months before coming back to her home country.

Public attention is centered on whether prosecutors investigate President Park, who said last Friday that she would accept a direct probe into herself "if necessary."

Local media reports estimated that prosecutors would decide next week on whether to investigate the president.
JUBA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday said there are still over 16,000 South Sudanese children involved in active combat among the various armed groups in the war-torn country despite the release of about 2,000 children since 2013.

UNICEF South Sudan spokesman Timothy Irwin told Xinhua in an interview in Juba that they estimate more than 800 children have been recruited by armed groups in 2016.

"We estimate that there are still more than 16,000 children associated with armed groups in South Sudan. We estimate that more than 800 children have been recruited by armed groups in 2016," Irwin revealed.

The South Sudan conflict has been raging on since outbreak in December 2013 between Sudan People's Liberation Army-in opposition led by ousted First Vice President Riek Machar and troops loyal to President Salva Kiir.

"Since 2013, around 2,000 children have been released. The largest group was early last year also in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area when 1,775 children were released," he added.

As the violent fighting in the oil-rich impoverished country seemed to subside after formation of the transitional unity government in mid-April, it again intensified in July between warring parties in Juba, characterized by rape, child abductions and looting of cattle in the mainly cattle keeping northern region of the country.

Irwin disclosed that upon release from the armed forces and armed groups, the National Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration Commission (NDDRC) screens and registers the released children.

"The specific needs and vulnerabilities of all children, especially girls are assessed. The children are then placed in interim care facilities, where the priority is to provide immediate psychosocial support and family reunification services," he said.

He also added that these children stay in the facility for the shortest time possible, where they receive assistance including clothes, psychosocial support and health services.

"Further reintegration services including education, vocational training and income-generation activities such as livestock and agricultural training, are provided to ensure that returning children are able to support themselves and their families and are not perceived as a burden," he revealed.
COLOMBO, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's cabinet, on Wednesday approved a proposal to maintain "protection centers" throughout the island for women victimized by domestic violence, rape, and sexual smugglers.

Media Minister Gayantha Karunathilleke told journalists in a weekly media briefing that in addition to providing legal assistance, counselling and medical services to women victimized by domestic violence, rape, and sexual smugglers, there is a need to maintain temporary protection centers.

The first protection center by the government was established in 2012 and subsequently several others have been set up in provincial level, the minister said.

Private Centers are also maintained with the assistance of government hospitals, police and NGOs.

The guidelines for maintaining such protection centers was presented by Chandrani Bandara, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, and approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, Karunathilleke said.
DAMASCUS, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Airstrikes by the U.S-led anti-terror coalition killed at least 16 people in Syria's northern province of al-Raqqa, a monitor group reported on Wednesday.

The airstrikes marked the first civilian killing by the coalition since the beginning of a new campaign supported by the coalition and led on ground by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) rebels against the Islamic State (IS) capital in al-Raqqa, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The SDF, a Kurdish opposition alliance that includes Arabs, Assyrians, and Turkmen fighters, announced Sunday the beginning of a military campaign against the IS "capital" of al-Raqqa.

"We, in the general command of the Syrian Democratic Forces, are breaking the good news to you about the beginning of our major military campaign to liberate the city of al-Raqqa and its countryside from the clutches of the forces of darkness represented by Daesh (IS)," an SDF statement read.

The military campaign, dubbed "The Wrath of Euphrates," started on Saturday evening in cooperation and coordination with the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition, it added.

The SDF, meanwhile, urged the regional and international powers that have been affected by the IS to take part in the "honor to eliminate the core of the international terrorism" by providing all kinds of support for the SDF.

The Observatory said 30,000 fighters with the SDF were taking part in the offensive on al-Raqqa, adding that the SDF captured 10 villages and farmlands in the northern countryside of al-Raqqa.

The UK-based watchdog group, which says it relies on a network of activists on ground, said the initial aim of the battle is to isolate the city of al-Raqqa from its northern and eastern countryside, as a prelude to strip the IS of the city itself.

The Syrian government has yet to comment on the SDF battle, but local analysts played down the recently-declaring offensive, saying it's no more than a media campaign.
People fleeing clashes in Tweila'a village and Haydarat area ride a vehicle, north of Raqqa city, SyriaNovember 8, 2016. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

DAMASCUS, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Airstrikes by the U.S-led anti-terror coalition killed at least 16 people in Syria's northern province of al-Raqqa, a monitor group reported on Wednesday.

The airstrikes marked the first civilian killing by the coalition since the beginning of a new campaign supported by the coalition and led on ground by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) rebels against the Islamic State (IS) capital in al-Raqqa, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The SDF, a Kurdish opposition alliance that includes Arabs, Assyrians, and Turkmen fighters, announced Sunday the beginning of a military campaign against the IS "capital" of al-Raqqa.

"We, in the general command of the Syrian Democratic Forces, are breaking the good news to you about the beginning of our major military campaign to liberate the city of al-Raqqa and its countryside from the clutches of the forces of darkness represented by Daesh (IS)," an SDF statement read.

The military campaign, dubbed "The Wrath of Euphrates," started on Saturday evening in cooperation and coordination with the U.S.-led anti-terror coalition, it added.

The SDF, meanwhile, urged the regional and international powers that have been affected by the IS to take part in the "honor to eliminate the core of the international terrorism" by providing all kinds of support for the SDF.

The Observatory said 30,000 fighters with the SDF were taking part in the offensive on al-Raqqa, adding that the SDF captured 10 villages and farmlands in the northern countryside of al-Raqqa.

The UK-based watchdog group, which says it relies on a network of activists on ground, said the initial aim of the battle is to isolate the city of al-Raqqa from its northern and eastern countryside, as a prelude to strip the IS of the city itself.

The Syrian government has yet to comment on the SDF battle, but local analysts played down the recently-declaring offensive, saying it's no more than a media campaign.
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said Wednesday in a statement that India has committed 222 ceasefire violations so far this year, out of which 184 have been on the Line of Control (LoC) and 38 on the working boundary with Pakistan.

The Indian firing and shelling resulted "in the killing of 26 civilians and injuring 107 others," said the ministry.

According to the statement, Pakistan again lodged protest with Indian Deputy High Commissioner, who was summoned to the ministry, over an unprovoked ceasefire violation on Tuesday by Indian forces on the LoC in Khuiratta and Battal sectors. The latest firing killed four Pakistani civilians and injured seven others.

The ministry urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire understanding, investigate the continued incidents of ceasefire violations, instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit, stop targeting the villages and civilians and maintain peace on the LoC.

There has been escalation along the LoC, the de facto border, between the two countries in the disputed Kashmir region, since suspected militants killed 19 soldiers in an Indian army camp at the Indian-controlled Kashmir in September.

Both of the two neighbors accuse each other of the 2003 ceasefire violations.

The Pakistani military said on Tuesday that Pakistan lodged protest with UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan over killing of innocent civilians due to Indian unprovoked firing.
by Xinhua writer Wang Haiqing

BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The relationship between China and the United States has by and large moved forward over the past eight years, and as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take over in Washington, he should work to maintain that momentum so that the world's most important bilateral relationship continues to advance.

China-U.S. ties have witnessed remarkable progress since the ice-breaking visit to China in 1972 by then U.S. President Richard Nixon to establish a relationship that in the decades to come would have global consequences. That is why Beijing and Washington have also demonstrated an unmistakable desire in recent years to improve communication and better cooperate with each other.

Meetings between top leaders are often seen as a barometer of bilateral ties. The long walks and conversations conducted in a hearty atmosphere between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Barack Obama on several occasions were evident of growing China-U.S. ties.

In the past three years since the Sunnylands summit, China and the United States have achieved new highs in bilateral trade, two-way investment, and personnel exchanges. They have also scored progress in establishing a bilateral investment treaty, made headway strengthening mutual trust between the two militaries and achieved some breakthroughs regarding cyber security cooperation.

Working hand in hand, and with other global players, the two countries signed a historic climate deal and jointly brought the Iran nuclear issue to a positive end through diplomacy.

Of course, the relationship between the world's top two economies isn't without friction.

Washington's rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, under which it plans to relocate a large part of its diplomatic and military resources to the region, is widely interpreted as targeting China.

While Washington has done little to dispel such doubts in Beijing, its warships, not long after the announcement of the pivot, have begun to appear in the South China Sea at an increasingly higher frequency, all under the false pretext of maintaining "freedom of navigation" in the area.

Such actions have emboldened some claimants in the South China Sea, effectively stirring up tensions in the mostly peaceful Asia-Pacific region and dimming the prospect of a peaceful solution to the region's maritime disputes.

China has repeatedly said it welcomes the United States to play a constructive role in the Asia-Pacific, and stressed that the Pacific is vast enough to accommodate both.

While the two sides will always have disagreements, they are definitely not stuck in a zero sum game.

By properly managing their disputes and working to enhance mutual trust, the incoming U.S. government and Beijing can jointly build a new paradigm of major power relations.
NAIROBI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Kenyan government is finally withdrawing its 1000-strong troops which are part of the peacekeeping force deployed under the UN Mission in South Sudan with the first batch due in Nairobi later Wednesday.

Sources at the ministry of defence told Xinhua in Nairobi that the first batch of the soldiers are due to land in Nairobi on Wednesday afternoon with the rest expected within days.

"The Kenya Defence Force (KDF) troops will be arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at midday today," said the source who sought anonymity.

The move comes after President Uhuru Kenyatta said Kenya's decision to withdraw from the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan was a protest against the violation of the dignity of Kenya's soldiers.

Kenyatta said the United Nations acted in an undignified manner when it replaced the commander Lt-Gen Johnson Ondieki who was heading the mission in South Sudan.

He said the United Nations did not also respect Kenya's sovereignty when it took the unilateral decision to which Kenya has responded by withdrawing its soldiers from the mission.

"Our soldiers have served in many countries and with distinction," Kenyatta told African diplomats in Nairobi on Nov. 4 and cited how Kenyan soldiers performed in Namibia, East Timor, Yugoslavia and many other missions.

President Kenyatta pointed out that Kenya has always participated in UN peacekeeping missions in many volatile countries across the world and has always received commendations.

The President said the UN was using the Kenyan officer as a fall guy for the structural and systematic shortcomings of the peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.

"We took the decision to withdraw from the mission to protect the dignity and pride of our men and women in uniform. We feel strongly that the decision by the UN was unfair," Kenyatta said.

Kenyatta however made it clear that Kenya will forever stand by South Sudan as it has done over the years. "Our history with South Sudan speaks for itself. No one can doubt Kenya's commitment to the independence and stability of South Sudan," said the President.

He said Kenya will continue engaging with and supporting South Sudan at the bilateral level and through the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the East African Community.
ANKARA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim urged Donald Trump to extradite Fetullah Gulen when congratulated Trump on winning the U.S. presidency, the Turkish Daily Sabah reported Wednesday.

Yildirim noted that "a new page" would be opened in U.S.-Turkish relations if the Gulenist terror group (FETO) leader is extradited to Turkey.

Gulen is considered the mastermind behind the failed July 15 coup attempt.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also expressed his hope that Trump's election would benefit American people.

"I hope the choice of American people will lead to good steps for basic rights and freedoms, democracy and future of our region," Erdogan said, adding that he intends to maintain a positive perspective.

In addition, the Foreign Ministry said that election results reflect American peoples' preference and that Turkey will respect whoever is elected president in the U.S.

"U.S.-Turkey relations are independent from individuals," the statement said, adding that Turkey is determined to maintain relations with the U.S.

Donald Trump was elected America's 45th president on Tuesday in an unexpected victory which ended eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House.
NEW YORK, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. president-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday in his victory speech it was time for America to bind the wounds of division and come together as one united people.

"We will seek common ground not hostility, partnership not conflict," Trump said at a rally of overjoyed supporters in New York Hilton Midtown hotel.

In a somewhat gracious speech, Trump first commended the campaign effort of his opponent, former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. "We owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country," he said.

Trump then called for Americans to come together as a united people, and promised to reach out to voters that had not supported him "so we can work together."

He then repeated some of his campaign rhetoric and proposals, saying that his administration will fix the country's inner cities, rebuild infrastructure, and "double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world."

Trump also promised to have "great relationships" with the rest of the world.

The speech came after Trump successfully surpassed the threshold of 270 electoral college votes needed to win the presidency in Tuesday's general election. Clinton made a formal telephone call to Trump to concede defeat, but won't speak to the public until the next morning, according to media reports.
Republican presidential elect Donald Trump speaks during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

ANKARA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim urged Donald Trump to extradite Fetullah Gulen when congratulated Trump on winning the U.S. presidency, the Turkish Daily Sabah reported Wednesday.

Yildirim noted that "a new page" would be opened in U.S.-Turkish relations if the Gulenist terror group (FETO) leader is extradited to Turkey.

Gulen is considered the mastermind behind the failed July 15 coup attempt.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also expressed his hope that Trump's election would benefit American people.

"I hope the choice of American people will lead to good steps for basic rights and freedoms, democracy and future of our region," Erdogan said, adding that he intends to maintain a positive perspective.

In addition, the Foreign Ministry said that election results reflect American peoples' preference and that Turkey will respect whoever is elected president in the U.S.

"U.S.-Turkey relations are independent from individuals," the statement said, adding that Turkey is determined to maintain relations with the U.S.

Donald Trump was elected America's 45th president on Tuesday in an unexpected victory which ended eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House.
HANOI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Over 40 officers, including two general officers, have been disciplined following four military aircraft crashes in Vietnam so far in 2016, said Nguyen Minh Hoang, Deputy Political Commissar of Vietnam's Military Zone 7 on Wednesday.

Hoang made the remark at a discussion held during the ongoing second session of Vietnam's 14th National Assembly in capital Hanoi on Wednesday, reported local Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper.

So far in 2016, there have been four military aircraft crashes in Vietnam, including that of Su-MK2 jet fighter in waters off central Nghe An province in mid-June, CASA aircraft in the Beibu Gulf in mid-June, training aircraft L39 in central Phu Yen province and chopper EC 130T2 in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province in mid-October.

Vietnamese Ministry of Defense attributed the incidents to problems in flight safety leadership and instruction, said Hoang, adding that flight safety examination remained simple and untimely.

In addition, the ministry said rescue equipments are not specialized while the work of pilot management and training is loose.

The ministry is planning to send officers for overseas training and increase purchase of flight safety control equipments and tools, said Hoang.
File photo taken on July 20, 2016 shows Indiana Governor and Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence speaking at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, the United States. Indiana Governor Mike Pence, the running mate of Donald Trump, became the U.S. vice president-elect on Nov. 8, 2016. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Indiana Governor Mike Pence, the running mate of Donald Trump, on Tuesday became the U.S. vice president-elect.

Pence, 57, was a Republican lawmaker for 12 years before becoming the governor of Indiana in 2013.

Pence served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee for a long time, a credential which could make up for Trump's lack of foreign affairs experience in the White House.

Once calling himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order," Pence is a respected social conservative among the devout evangelical conservatives within the party.

Therefore, Trump's pick of Pence will also help quell concerns among social conservatives that the New York billionaire developer is too liberal on social issues.

However, the two differ on a range of important issues.

During the primary season, Pence endorsed Trump's rival Senator Ted Cruz, and was once a vocal critic of Trump's proposal for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the country.

Unlike Trump, Pence also joined U.S. President Barack Obama and House Speaker Paul Ryan to back the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal staunchly opposed by Trump.
TEHRAN, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Wednesday that the upcoming U.S. administration should observe the U.S. commitments pertaining to a nuclear deal reached between Iran and the world powers last year.

"This is the American people's election, and we respect it," Zarif said in his first reaction following the reports about Donlad Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election.

"Iran and the United States have no political relations, but the United States must carry out what it has undertaken as an international multilateral commitment in the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action)," he was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

JCPOA is the nuclear agreement sealed between Iran and the world major powers, including the United States, in July 2015 and implemented in January this year.

On Wednesday, Donald Trump, a Republican, defeated Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, in a close race to win the 45th U.S. presidency.
LONDON, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Investigators in London are looking into a tram derailment which police had described as a "serious incident" after dozens were injured.

The overturn, which happened early Wednesday, injured 40 people and initially trapped five others.

Rescuers at the scene in South London's Croydon told media that they had freed the trapped, but London Fire Brigade station said firefighters had released a number of people and two people remain trapped.

The incident, which involved a vehicle with two carriages, occurred in a tunnel, Transport for London said.

Pictures on the social media showed large numbers of emergency vehicles at the scene which had been cordoned off by police. People have reportedly seen victims being carried to ambulances on stretchers. The London air ambulance said it has several teams on site.

Investigators are looking into the cause of the incident. Local media said the derailment had occurred close to where the east-bound tram takes a sharp left turn as it starts to head north towards the stop.
TIANJIN, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Courts in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Wednesday sentenced 49 people to prison, including 24 company managers and staff members as well as 25 government officials found guilty of various crimes that led to the city's warehouse blasts, which killed at least 165 people in August 2015.

The suspects were tried by The Second Intermediate People's Court of Tianjin and nine other grass-roots courts from Nov. 7 to Nov. 9. As the rulings were made on Wednesday, all suspects agreed with the verdicts and expressed remorse, sources with the Higher People's Court of Tianjin said.

On Aug. 12, 2015, a series of explosions ripped through a warehouse of Ruihai Logistics Co. Ltd. (Ruihai Logistics) in Tianjin Port, leaving 165 people dead, eight missing, and 798 injured. The blasts also damaged 304 buildings, 12,428 cars, and 7,533 containers, incurring economic losses amounting to 6.87 billion yuan (1.01 billion U.S. dollars).

The court found Yu Xuewei, chairman of Ruihai Logistics, guilty of bribing port administration officials with cash and goods worth 157,500 yuan (23,333 U.S. dollars) to obtain a certificate to handle hazardous chemicals at the port.

Yu was convicted of illegal storage of hazardous materials, illegal business operations, causing incidents involving hazardous materials, and bribery. He was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve.

The deputy chairman and general manager of Ruihai Logistics and three other employees of the company were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 years to life. Seven Ruihai Logistics staff members directly responsible for the incident were sentenced to between three and 10 years in prison.

Eleven people with a safety evaluation company that provided Ruihai Logistics counterfeit safety reports were also jailed.

Twenty five officials, including head of Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission Wu Dai, were sentenced to prison terms lasting from three to seven years for dereliction of duty, abuse of power, and accepting bribes.
JERUSALEM, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday congratulated the United States elected president, Donald Trump, saying he believe the alliance between the two countries will grow stronger.

In a statement released by his office, Netanyahu referred to Trump as "a true friend of the State of Israel," saying he expect to bring the relations with the U.S. to "new heights" during Trump's governance.

"We will act together to advance the security, stability, and peace in our region," Netanyahu said, adding that the firm bond between Israel and the U.S. is based on "mutual interests."

Netanyahu refrained from endorsing either candidate during the recent presidential campaign. He held two separate meetings with both of them in New York.

During his campaign, Trump sided with Israel and vowed to acknowledge East Jerusalem as part of its capital. Israel occupied this predominantly Palestinian territory in 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community.
KABUL, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- A total of 780 newly graduated personnel of Afghan Special Force after completion of a 16-week training course and receiving certificates commissioned to the National Army on Wednesday.

"The newly graduated personnel mostly in the rank of lieutenants would be deployed elsewhere in the country from now on wherever there presence is needed," commander of Special Force Unit, Bismillah Waziri said in his speech at the certificate distribution ceremony.

Personnel of Special Force Unit, according to the official, have played significant role in the war on terror and defeating insurgents elsewhere in Afghanistan.

Afghan government with having more than 350,000 strong national security forces including army and police has been fighting the increasing insurgency involving hardliner Taliban and the Islamic State outfit to stabilize peace and security in the conflict-ridden Afghanistan.
BRUSSELS, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission Wednesday presented its long-waited proposal for a new methodology for anti-dumping investigations, linked to the scheduled expiration of current "non-market status" treatment toward third countries including China.
JERUSALEM, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Israel's military said it struck a Syrian army post on Wednesday noon after a rocket fired from Syria hit the Israeli-held Golan Heights.

The rocket, apparently a spillover from the fighting in Syria, exploded in an open field in the Golan Heights, the army said in a statement.

"In response to the projectile which hit Israel earlier today, the Israel Defense Forces targeted an artillery position of the Syrian regime in the northern Syrian Golan Heights," the statement read.

Errant fire from the fighting in Syria has occasionally been spilling over to Israel, usually causing no casualties or damage.

Israel had occupied the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East War and annexed the territory in 1981.

Israel had repeatedly declared it would not intervene in the internal fighting in Syria. It did provide medical treatment to hundreds of wounded Syrians who reached the border.
TEHRAN, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said Wednesday that the upcoming U.S. administration should review its policies in the Middle East.

"The next U.S. government's practical policies are important for the Iranian people, as the U.S. government's action will be the criterion to evaluate Washington policies," he said.

The U.S. interference in regional countries' domestic affairs is a key factor which increased violence and extremism in the Middle East, Qasemi was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency.

The unstable situation of the Persian Gulf region, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, along with the threat of terrorism necessitates an urgent review of U.S. policies, he added.

"The Iranian people and the Islamic republic have had bitter experiences about U.S. policies in the past decades," he said, urging Donald Trump as the U.S. president elect to think of amending U.S. policies vis-a-vis Iran.

In addition, Dr. Foad Izadi, a research fellow at the Faculty of World Studies in Tehran University, touched upon the idiom of "buying politicians" in the United States, saying that, for the first time in the history of the U.S. presidential elections, Trump drew upon the fact that rich people in his country "could buy politicians" for their political and economic interests.

In the recent U.S. presidential election, American supporters of Donald Trump's campaign simply reflected the genuine political image of the United States to its people and the world, Iranian experts said on Thursday.

"This is the American people's election, and we respect it," Zarif said in his first reaction following the reports about Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election.

"Iran and the United States have no political relations, but the United States must carry out what it has undertaken as an international multilateral commitment in the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action)," he was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

JCPOA is the nuclear agreement sealed between Iran and the world's major powers, including the United States, in July 2015 and implemented in January 2017.

The reason why Trump gained the support of the majority of Americans lies in a number of factors which were not revealed to the people "un-retouched," said Hassan Abedini, Iranian university professor and political expert.

As for domestic policy, Trump believes that beside other unfavourable situations in the country, "the political system of the United States is corrupt, and the rich decide on who enters the White House," he said, adding that this was the discourse favored by many voters.

Abedini said that Trump even used the worst rhetoric when addressing the ruling U.S. politicians by stating that after his team takes over the Washington office, they will "drain the swamp."

This is the hidden part of U.S. politics which he tried to unearth, he added.

Furthermore, Trump was critical of the U.S. involvement in the Middle East wars over the past years which were costly for the United States and wasted the peoples' financial resources, the Iranian expert said.

"Trump overtly declares that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, led by the United States, have inflicted six trillion U.S. dollars in expenses on the American people, and that those who were behind these wars should be accountable," Abedini mentioned this as another drawback of the policy makers in the United States.

Trump's slogan to amend the "corruption in political structure" of the United States was a key factor taken seriously by the American people in the recent elections, he pointed out.

The Iranian professor said that "of course, the push for change was not something new in the U.S. presidential campaigns. In the past two elections, people relied on Barack Obama for his change slogans, but he failed to fulfil his pledges."

On Wednesday, Republican Donald Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in a close race, winning the 45th U.S. presidency.
TIRANA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission recommended Wednesday the conditional opening of the accession talks for Albania, local media here reported.

The news was announced when the European Commission released the Progress Report on Albania for 2016 on Wednesday.

Albania has continued to make steady progress towards fulfilling all of the five key priorities for the opening of accession negotiations, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn said while presenting the progress report on Albania.

According to him, Albania unanimously adopted pivotal constitutional amendments in July 2016, launching a thorough and comprehensive judicial reform process system.

Hahn said that Commission recommended the conditional opening of the accession negotiations with Albania, while he noted that opening of talks is subject to credible and tangible progress in the implementation of the justice reform, in particular with regard to the re-evaluation of judges and prosecutors, so-called vetting law.

The news for the conditional opening of accession talks for Albania was highly praised by the Albanian authorities.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said the decision is the result of the reforms that Albania has undertaken in the last three years.

Albanian Minister of Integration Klajda Gjosha also praised such decision, saying that the opening of accession means more work to be done and more responsibilities for the Albanian political class to continue the reforms.

Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati greeted the Commission's decision, stressing that it marked a new start for Albania.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani attends a meeting during the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) summit at the Foreign Ministry in Bangkok, Thailand, October 10, 2016. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

TEHRAN, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said Wednesday that the upcoming U.S. administration should review its policies in the Middle East.

"The next U.S. government's practical policies are important for the Iranian people, as the U.S. government's action will be the criterion to evaluate Washington policies," he said.

The U.S. interference in regional countries' domestic affairs is a key factor which increased violence and extremism in the Middle East, Qasemi was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency.

The unstable situation of the Persian Gulf region, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, along with the threat of terrorism necessitates an urgent review of U.S. policies, he added.

"The Iranian people and the Islamic republic have had bitter experiences about U.S. policies in the past decades," he said, urging Donald Trump as the U.S. president elect to think of amending U.S. policies vis-a-vis Iran.

In addition, Dr. Foad Izadi, a research fellow at the Faculty of World Studies in Tehran University, touched upon the idiom of "buying politicians" in the United States, saying that, for the first time in the history of the U.S. presidential elections, Trump drew upon the fact that rich people in his country "could buy politicians" for their political and economic interests.

In the recent U.S. presidential election, American supporters of Donald Trump's campaign simply reflected the genuine political image of the United States to its people and the world, Iranian experts said on Thursday.

"This is the American people's election, and we respect it," Zarif said in his first reaction following the reports about Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election.

"Iran and the United States have no political relations, but the United States must carry out what it has undertaken as an international multilateral commitment in the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action)," he was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

JCPOA is the nuclear agreement sealed between Iran and the world's major powers, including the United States, in July 2015 and implemented in January 2017.

The reason why Trump gained the support of the majority of Americans lies in a number of factors which were not revealed to the people "un-retouched," said Hassan Abedini, Iranian university professor and political expert.

As for domestic policy, Trump believes that beside other unfavourable situations in the country, "the political system of the United States is corrupt, and the rich decide on who enters the White House," he said, adding that this was the discourse favored by many voters.

Abedini said that Trump even used the worst rhetoric when addressing the ruling U.S. politicians by stating that after his team takes over the Washington office, they will "drain the swamp."

This is the hidden part of U.S. politics which he tried to unearth, he added.

Furthermore, Trump was critical of the U.S. involvement in the Middle East wars over the past years which were costly for the United States and wasted the peoples' financial resources, the Iranian expert said.

"Trump overtly declares that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, led by the United States, have inflicted six trillion U.S. dollars in expenses on the American people, and that those who were behind these wars should be accountable," Abedini mentioned this as another drawback of the policy makers in the United States.

Trump's slogan to amend the "corruption in political structure" of the United States was a key factor taken seriously by the American people in the recent elections, he pointed out.

The Iranian professor said that "of course, the push for change was not something new in the U.S. presidential campaigns. In the past two elections, people relied on Barack Obama for his change slogans, but he failed to fulfil his pledges."

On Wednesday, Republican Donald Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in a close race, winning the 45th U.S. presidency.
File photo taken on Oct. 19, 2016 shows Donald Trump participating in the third and final presidential debate at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) in Las Vegas, Nevada, the United States. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

NEW YORK, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Republican Donald Trump defeated his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's presidential election, pulling a major upset after a controversial and scandalous campaign cycle.

According to projections by major TV networks, Trump has surpassed the threshold of 270 out of the total 538 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.

Clinton, a former first lady and secretary of state, has made a formal telephone call to Trump to concede the election, but will not speak until the next morning, according to media.

Trump addressed the nation at the Hilton hotel ballroom in midtown Manhattan, saying that "I'll be a president for all Americans."

In one of his more unusual or even gracious speeches, Trump commended the campaign effort of his opponent, saying "we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country."

Trump, who will serve as the country's 45th president, called on Americans to come together as a united people, and promised to reach out to voters that had not supported him "so we can work together."

In the nail-biting contest throughout the night, Trump was able to pull a winning margin in many of the crucial swing states, including Florida, Ohio and North Carolina, and was even able to snatch previously Democratic-leaning states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The vote count for the final few states went well into early morning Wednesday. Around 2 a.m. local time (0700 GMT), the result was finally called after procuring all of the electoral votes from Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, putting his latest vote total to 279.

Clinton was projected to get 218 electoral votes, with Michigan, Minnesota and New Hampshire still too close to call.

The victory has made Trump the first president that never held elected office since 1953.

Clinton easily grabbed many of the traditional Democratic-leaning "blue" states early in the evening, including New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and California, while Trump won the "deep red" states of Kentucky, Mississippi and Texas.

The night took an unexpected turn when Trump started a landslide winning streak in most of the swing states, while being able to keep the traditional "red" states like Arizona and Georgia that went into close contest in recent polls.

The result comes after more than a year of presidential campaigns that were widely perceived as "the most ugly and divisive" election cycle in recent decades, with both candidates embroiled in scandals while resorting to personal attacks instead of battling on policy issues.

Many voters saw this presidential race as a choice between "the lesser of two evils," with Trump constantly igniting controversies by making racist and anti-immigrant comments, while Clinton was widely criticized for the mishandling of her personal email server and perceived as untrustworthy by many Americans.

The unexpected victory kindled the passion of Trump voters and baffled Clinton supporters outside the campaign headquarters of both candidates.

"The anti-establishment movement in this country is what democracy is about," said a factory worker and Trump voter called John who was unwilling to give his last name.

"I think Donald Trump will absolutely bring changes to Washington," he added.

"This is so surreal. I don't know what the future of this country will be," said Clinton supporter Betty Emamian outside the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, where Clinton was supposed to give a speech after the election results.

"We are very, very divided right now, and there's tremendous hate and violence amongst people," Emamian said.

Tuesday's elections also included contests for 34 Senate seats and all 435 seats of the House of Representatives in the U.S. Congress.

Republicans are projected to keep control of both the Senate and House. With the loss of the White House, the election results had dealt a crushing blow to the Democratic Party. Enditem
BRUSSELS, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said he hoped the United States and Belgium would continue to defend their common values of freedom and tolerance, after Republican candidate Donald Trump won the 45th U.S. presidency on Wednesday.

In a statement, Michel congratulated Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential elections, which he referred to as "remarkable."

"The American people have spoken out. I wish you success in carrying out the responsibilities of this high office," Michel said in the message addressed to Trump.

He also expressed the wish that Trump would be a president who unites and would be open to "a respectful dialogue."

The newly-elected U.S. president is faced with many challenges, in particular the international fight against terrorism and radicalization, climate change, and a policy for sustainable economic growth, said the prime minister.

"I hope that you will continue to lend your support to the European project and help to guarantee continuing security within the NATO framework," he added.
Officer cadets march during a commissioning parade at Lanet, in Nakuru, 140 kilometers northwest of Nairobi, capital of Kenya, Nov. 3, 2016. Kenya announced Wednesday it was withdrawing from United Nations peacekeeping duties in South Sudan after UN chief Ban Ki-moon fired the Kenyan head of the force for failing to protect civilians.(Xinhua/Sheikh Maina)

NAIROBI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Kenyan government is finally withdrawing its 1000-strong troops which are part of the peacekeeping force deployed under the UN Mission in South Sudan with the first batch due in Nairobi later Wednesday.

Sources at the ministry of defence told Xinhua in Nairobi that the first batch of the soldiers are due to land in Nairobi on Wednesday afternoon with the rest expected within days.

"The Kenya Defence Force (KDF) troops will be arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at midday today," said the source who sought anonymity.

Officer cadets march during a commissioning parade at Lanet, in Nakuru, 140 kilometers northwest of Nairobi, capital of Kenya, Nov. 3, 2016. Kenya announced Wednesday it was withdrawing from United Nations peacekeeping duties in South Sudan after UN chief Ban Ki-moon fired the Kenyan head of the force for failing to protect civilians.(Xinhua/Sheikh Maina)

The move comes after President Uhuru Kenyatta said Kenya's decision to withdraw from the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan was a protest against the violation of the dignity of Kenya's soldiers.

Kenyatta said the United Nations acted in an undignified manner when it replaced the commander Lt-Gen Johnson Ondieki who was heading the mission in South Sudan.

He said the United Nations did not also respect Kenya's sovereignty when it took the unilateral decision to which Kenya has responded by withdrawing its soldiers from the mission.

"Our soldiers have served in many countries and with distinction," Kenyatta told African diplomats in Nairobi on Nov. 4 and cited how Kenyan soldiers performed in Namibia, East Timor, Yugoslavia and many other missions.

President Kenyatta pointed out that Kenya has always participated in UN peacekeeping missions in many volatile countries across the world and has always received commendations.

The President said the UN was using the Kenyan officer as a fall guy for the structural and systematic shortcomings of the peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.

"We took the decision to withdraw from the mission to protect the dignity and pride of our men and women in uniform. We feel strongly that the decision by the UN was unfair," Kenyatta said.

Kenyatta however made it clear that Kenya will forever stand by South Sudan as it has done over the years. "Our history with South Sudan speaks for itself. No one can doubt Kenya's commitment to the independence and stability of South Sudan," said the President.

He said Kenya will continue engaging with and supporting South Sudan at the bilateral level and through the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the East African Community.
Chinese vice premier Zhang Gaoli visits relocated locals, which was hit by a serious earthquake in 2014, in Ludian County of Zhaotong City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Nov. 7, 2016. From Monday to Wednesday, Zhang visited Yunnan to survey its green industry development, water resource protection and rural construction. He also met with relocated people, which was hit by a serious earthquake in 2014. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

KUNMING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese vice premier Zhang Gaoli has urged southwestern China's Yunnan Province to promote innovation-driven development and coordinate urban and rural development while protecting the environment.

From Monday to Wednesday, Zhang visited Yunnan to survey its green industry development, water resource protection and rural construction. He also met with relocated people in Ludian County, which was hit by a serious earthquake in 2014.

Zhang said Yunnan should actively involve itself in the Belt and Road Initiative and the Yangtze River economic belt to become an important bridgehead in opening up China's southwest.

The Belt and Road Initiative was proposed by China to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes.

The province should promote innovation-driven growth and push forward supply-side structural reform to create a modern industrial system, the vice premier said.

It should accelerate the social and economic development of poor areas and areas inhabited by ethnic minority groups, he said, adding that environmental protection should also be stressed.
Women receive blankets at Ed Babikir area east of Khartoum, Sudan, on Nov. 9, 2016. Chinese Embassy in Khartoum and Sanad Charity Foundation, a Sudanese non-governmental organization, distributed 3,500 blankets for flood victims here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)



KHARTOUM, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- For more than four years, the Chinese Embassy in Khartoum and Sanad Charity Foundation, a Sudanese non-governmental organization, have implemented a number of social initiatives in support of thousands of the needy, where their partnership served as a bridge for the deeply-rooted Sino-Sudanese ties.

The joint social initiatives covered fields including education, health, water and electricity in addition to other projects that targeted the vulnerable people in Sudanese society.

On Wednesday, the Chinese Embassy in Khartoum and Sanad Charity Foundation celebrated at Ed Babikir area, east of the Sudanese capital Khartoum, the distribution of 3,500 blankets for the needy people at the area.

"Today, we are distributing 3,500 blankets for the people affected by the floods which hit Sudan two months ago," Chinese Ambassador in Khartoum Li Lianhe told reporters.

"These blankets are donated by the Chinese Embassy in Khartoum to ease the suffering of those affected by the floods, particularly with the onset of winter season," he noted.

The ambassador said "we share these emotions on bases of the deeply-rooted friendship between the two peoples, this is the reason why we decided to donate these blankets."

"We have previously donated 100,000 U.S. dollars, on behalf of the Chinese Red Cross, for the Sudanese Red Crescent to help the people affected by the rains and floods in Sudan," Li said.

He added that the Chinese embassy, in cooperation with the Sudanese Health Ministry, carried out a three-month program to conduct cataract surgeries for Sudanese patients.

"As many as 1,041 cataract surgeries have been carried out for Sudanese patients as part of the program, where all the patients who underwent the surgeries have regained their eyesight," he noted.

Samia Mohamed Osman, secretary-general of Sanad Charity Foundation, told reporters that "we have a close partnership with the Chinese organizations and the Chinese Embassy in Khartoum covering vital and important projects."

"The cooperation between our foundation and the Chinese Embassy in Khartoum has been ongoing for four years during which we have implemented many projects in fields of health, education and electricity in the capital Khartoum and a number of states," she said.

She further appreciated China's support for the poor and needy people. "Such initiatives have been repeated by the Chinese embassy and greatly helped many poor families."

Meanwhile, many of Ed Babikir area citizens who benefited from the donation expressed their appreciation for the initiative of the Chinese embassy.

"We appreciate this assistance. We really need these blankets to face the winter season. We thank the Chinese Embassy in Khartoum," Abdalla Ahmed, a citizen from Ed Babikir area, told Xinhua.

Mariam Mohamed, a citizen from the same area, told Xinhua that "we need the blankets to protect our children against cold. Thanks for China and Sanad Charity Foundation."
BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Experts on the Chinese mainland have said that an interpretation of the Basic Law of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) is in line with the Constitution and the Basic Law, and is as legally binding as the Basic Law itself.

"As a permanent organ under the country's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee has the power to interpret any national law or legal issue within it when necessary," said Li Shuzhong, vice president of the China University of Political Science and Law.

On Monday, China's top legislature adopted an interpretation of Article 104 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong SAR, clarifying the implications and requirements of the oaths taken by legislators-elect.

The interpretation was issued following the behavior of a handful of legislators-elect during the election of Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LegCo) and the subsequent swearing-in ceremony. These individuals had publicly voiced support for "Hong Kong independence," intentionally violated the oath and insulted the Chinese nation.

Li stressed that the interpretation is authoritative, and the procedure is "appropriate, lawful and indisputable."

According to Zou Pingxue, a Hong Kong Basic Law expert with Shenzhen University, both the Constitution and the Basic Law contain stipulations allowing the NPC to interpret all articles in the Basic Law, even if it is not related to a lawsuit. It can do so voluntarily or upon request from the Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal.

"Such an interpretation has the final and supreme effect, and Hong Kong courts must abide by it," Zou added.

Refuting claims that the interpretation harms the region's judicial independence, professor Guo Tianwu with Sun Yat-sen University noted that judicial independence for Hong Kong courts means independent management of specific cases without interference, and the NPC's interpretation offers basis for their handling of cases in line with the Basic Law and does not run counter to such independence.

"The legislators-elect touting 'Hong Kong independence' have violated Article 104 of the Basic Law requiring legislators to be politically loyal. According to the Basic Law, their titles are no longer valid, no matter whether they have been sworn in," said Qiang Shigong, professor with Peking University.

Experts agree that the interpretation will help courts and various walks of life in Hong Kong to better understand and follow the Basic Law, and is also beneficial for the safeguarding of national interests in sovereignty, security and development, as well as Hong Kong's basic interests and rule of law.
Combination photo taken on Nov. 9, 2016 shows Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) talks with the two astronauts, Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, in the space lab Tiangong-2, at the command center of China's manned space program in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Ju Peng/Li Tao)

BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday talked with the two astronauts in the space lab Tiangong-2, at the command center of China's manned space program in Beijing.

The two astronauts, Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, embarked on their 33-day journey, the longest mission in the country's manned space program to date, onboard the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft on Oct. 17. They entered Tiangong-2 on Oct. 19.

Xi expressed his sincere greetings to the two astronauts on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council, the Central Military Commission, and people of all ethnic groups in the country.

"You have lived in space for more than half a month, and this is the third manned space mission Comrade Haipeng has undertaken and the first time for Comrade Chen Dong to enter space," Xi said during the video call. "All the Chinese people care about you very much."

Responding to Xi's inquiries about their work, health and living conditions, Jing, commander of the crew, said they felt very well and were working as scheduled.

Jing told the president that they could even watch the China Central Television (CCTV) evening news bulletin, or "Xinwen Lianbo," in space.

"China's manned space program has reached a new height. Chinese astronauts now enjoy better working and living conditions in space. We feel very proud of our great motherland," Jing said.

Chen said he had adapted to the zero-gravity environment in space, and his daily life and work there was normal. He vowed to work harder and fulfill the remaining tasks.

Xi said he was delighted to learn the astronauts were in good condition, speaking highly of their coordinated efforts in facing difficulties.

The president said he hoped the two astronauts would keep up the good work through close cooperation and careful operation, so as to complete their mission.

Shenzhou-11, China's sixth manned spacecraft, was launched on Oct. 17 from northwest China's Gobi Desert.

It approached Tiangong-2, which was launched into space on Sept. 15, and automatically docked with the space lab on Oct. 19.

The mission aims to transport personnel and materials between Earth and Tiangong-2, and test the ability to successfully meet, dock and return.

Other objectives include aerospace medical experiments, space science experiments and in-orbit maintenance.

Before the talk, Jing and Chen carried out an in-orbit maintenance test using man-robotics coordination, the first ever such test in space.
MOSUL, Iraq, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces on Wednesday completely cleared the districts freed earlier in the week from the Islamic State (IS) militants in eastern Mosul, a security source said.

The commandos of the Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) have ended operations to clear the districts of al-Zahraa, al-Samah, Kirkukli, al-Intisar, Malayin and Khdraa in eastern Mosul after several days of fierce clashes with IS militants, killing dozens of them and destroying many of the vehicles, the source from the CTS told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The IS militants were using a complex network of tunnels dug earlier under the city, the source said, adding that the extremist militants also used the civilians as human shields as they prevent them from moving from the battleground.

In the coming days, the troops will push further into the eastern districts of the city, including al-Tahrir and al-Salam, the source said.

Earlier in the month, hundreds of the CTS commandos and Iraqi army made a significant progress at the eastern side of Mosul, and managed to seize six districts.

The advance unleashed the most intense street battles against IS militants since the offensive to retake the city began more than three weeks ago.

The battles inside Mosul pushed the number of civilians who were displaced from their homes to around 34,860 since the start of the military offensive earlier this month, according to the recent report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

On Oct. 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the start of a major offensive to retake Mosul, the country's second largest city.

Since then, the Iraqi security forces have inched to the eastern fringes of Mosul and made progress on other routes around the city, preparing for a major battle to storm the city and drive out IS militants.

Mosul, some 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
LONDON, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- British police on Wednesday arrested the driver after a tram derailed in south London with five being killed and dozens injured.

Police has not confirmed the reason for the arrest.

Two people remain trapped inside the vehicle after the derailment in Croydon early Wednesday. Over 50 people were injured in the incident which London police has described as "serious."

British investigators are probing the cause of the incident at the scene.

The overturned tram remains on its side next to an tunnel and appears to have derailed where the track branches.

Local media reported that a torrential rain earlier perhaps had something to do with the incident.
DUBAI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed here on Wednesday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sao Paulo's Investment Promotion Agency (Investe Sao Paulo) in order to boost trade cooperation and mutual investments, both sides said in an e-mailed statement.

The MoU was signed by Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, group chairman and chief executive officer of the world's third largest maritime port operator Dubai Ports (DP) World which controls Jafza, and Juan Quiros, president of Investe Sao Paulo, on the sidelines of the two-day Global Business Forum on Latin America held in Dubai.

Investe Sao Paulo is the biggest agglomeration for trade and industries in South America, as DP World operates 77 container ports in 40 countries across six continents.

In line with DP World's efforts to build lasting partnerships to facilitate the movement of goods across an integrated and global supply chain, "the MoU aims to create opportunities for Brazilian companies in the UAE and provide easy access to Brazilian products in the newer markets of Middle Eastern, South Asian, African and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)," the statement said.

Over the past few years, trade between Jafza and Brazil has steadily grown to reach 764 million dollars in 2015, according to the CEO of DP World.
BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Heads of international organizations and world leaders have congratulated Donald Trump on being elected U.S. president, eyeing cooperation with the United States.

Republican presidential nominee Trump, 70, won Tuesday's presidential election in the United States and is set to succeed Democratic Barack Obama as the next U.S. president.

"We extend our sincere congratulations on your election as the 45th President of the United States of America," said European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in a joint letter released Wednesday.

The two chiefs also invited Trump to visit Europe for a European Union (EU)-U.S. summit, with a view to charting the course of transatlantic relations for the next four years.

"Today, it is more important than ever to strengthen transatlantic relations. Only by cooperating closely can the EU and the U.S. continue to make a difference when dealing with unprecedented challenges," added the letter.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday that he was looking forward to working with Trump and that U.S. leadership is vital to the military alliance.

Stoltenberg said that "it is important that the trans-Atlantic bond remains strong" and that "U.S. leadership is as important as ever."

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday congratulated Trump on becoming U.S. president-elect, and said he hoped they could work together to boost China-U.S. relations so as to better benefit peoples around the world.

In his congratulatory message, Xi said that while China is the world's largest developing country and the United States the largest developed power, both, as the world's top economies, bear the special responsibility of maintaining world peace and stability and boosting global development and prosperity, and share extensive interests.

To develop a long-term, healthy and stable China-U.S. relationship is in line with the fundamental interests of the peoples of the two countries as well as the general expectations of the global community, Xi said.

"I highly value the relations between China and the United States, and I am looking forward to working together with you to expand China-U.S. cooperation in every field, at the bilateral, regional and global levels, on the basis of the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, with differences controlled in a constructive manner, so as to push China-U.S. relations further forward from a new starting point, better benefiting the peoples of the two countries and other countries," Xi said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia is ready to restore full-fledged relations with the United States after Trump's victory in the presidential election.

In a telegram to Trump, Putin "expressed his hope for joint work aimed at steering Russia-U.S. relations out of the crisis, as well as solving pressing issues on the international agenda and searching for efficient responses to global security challenges," the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin also expressed confidence that building a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington based on principles of equality, mutual respect and real consideration of each other's positions would meet the interests of peoples of both countries and the world community.

Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande warned Wednesday that Trump's victory in the U.S. election "opens a period of uncertainty."

Next to France maintaining its global role, "this context calls for a united Europe, capable of making itself heard and of promoting policies wherever its interests or its values are challenged," Hollande said.

British Prime Minister Theresa May, in a statement issued by Downing Street, congratulated Trump on being elected the next president of the United States.

"Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise. We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defense," May said.

"I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead," she said.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has offered Trump "close cooperation" on the basis of shared trans-Atlantic values.

"Germany and America are connected by values: democracy, freedom, respect for the law and for the dignity of human beings, independently of origin, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views," Merkel told reporters in Berlin on Wednesday.

"On the basis of these values, I am offering the future president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, close cooperation," Merkel said, adding that the partnership with the United States "is a foundation stone of German foreign policy."

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen also congratulated Trump and expressed their hopes for close ties with the United States.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has sent his "heartfelt congratulations" to Trump for his election as the next U.S. president.

Abe, in a statement, reminded Trump of the importance of the Asia-Pacific region, saying its peace and stability are "a driving force of the global economy" that also brings peace and prosperity to the United States.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said his country will work "as closely as ever" with the United States under Trump's new administration.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Trump in a message posted on Twitter, saying "we look forward to working with you closely to take India-U.S. bilateral ties to a new height."

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he looks forward to working with the new American leader to further enhance Philippine-U.S.relations.

In the Arab world, a statement from the Egyptian presidency said that Egypt "now hopes that Donald Trump's presidency will breathe a new spirit into Egyptian-American relations."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement that he "congratulates the elected American president, Donald Trump, and hopes that peace will be achieved during his term."
File photo taken on July 16, 2016 shows U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends a campaign event in New York, the United States. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

CARACAS, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The two American presidential candidates, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, do not offer an alternative for the U.S., according to Jorge Valero, Venezuela's permanent representative to the UN.

In an interview with Xinhua, Valero said that "neither of the two seeks to redefine the foreign relations of the U.S."

In his opinion, both candidates, which are disputing the presidential election on Tuesday, have seen their campaigns defined by "procrastination".

However, Valero praised Democratic candidate, Bernie Sanders, who lost to Clinton in the primary race. Valero said that Sander is a very important voice in the country, as he "talks of how the U.S. has a broad current which trumpets for peace, but does not stop being an imperialist power."

"One of the most relevant phenomenon rising in the U.S. is the widening of the gulf between poor and rich...which has shown a regressive pattern of poverty among the middle class," he added.

File photo taken on July 28, 2016 shows U.S. Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks on the last day of the 2016 U.S. Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States. Donald Trump won U.S. presidential election as Hillary Clinton conceded defeat on Nov. 9, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

The ambassador believes that the U.S. has "deep problems" that have not been addressed, while adding that the country must understand "we are not in a unipolar world, which was created after the fall of the Soviet Union. The U.S. is an empire in decline."

"A new world is emerging, new powers have emerged, there is a new equilibrium in international relations. This is an inevitable reality. And all the studies...conclude the U.S. will continue its decline," said Valero.

As for Venezuela, the diplomat pointed out that whoever wins the presidency should not continue "the policies of President Obama." He said that the new president should cancel the "infamous decree" by Obama, which states Caracas is a threat to American national security.

"If either of the two listens to this request, or this demand by the government of President Nicolas Maduro, relations with the U.S. will improve...they will be friendly, not hostile as they are today," Valero concluded.
VIENTIANE, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Laos has sanctioned 50 provincial authorities in southern Salavan province for receiving bribes over the past five years, local media reported Wednesday.

The inspection authorities estimate that the state has lost more than 5 billion Lao kip (nearly 615,400 U.S. dollars) due to the payment of bribes to these corrupt officials, local Vientiane Times quoted the Provincial Committee of the State and Party Inspection as saying.

The provincial authorities were able to recoup a total of only 67 million Lao kip (over 8,246 U.S. dollars) from the 50 corrupt officials, who involved in illegal felling, purchase and sale of timber, with about 9,000 cubic meters of timber thought to have been illegally removed.

As such, six wrongdoers were punished, 21 were educated, five had their positions dissolved or were sent to lower ranking positions, while 18 members of the security forces and civil service were expelled.

According to a report presented at the third Congress of the Inspection Committee of the Party Central Committee held recently, more than 4.807 trillion Lao kip (over 591.63 million U.S. dollars) has been lost to corruption over the past five years and 734 targets were found involved. More than 303.1 million cubic meters of timber were found logged and sold illegally during the five-year period.

Sinai Mienglavanh, vice chairman of the Inspection Committee told the congress that more than 887 billion Lao kip (nearly 109.17 million U.S. dollars) of the money lost to corruption has been recovered, Sinai said.

Over the same period, some 1,806 cadres of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party have been disciplined as they violated the party's statutes and state laws in various cases. Of those, a total of 1,007 cadres were expelled from party membership.
THE HAGUE, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Dutch parliament on Wednesday gave Prime Minister Mark Rutte six additional weeks to come up with a solution to the Dutch referendum that rejected the Ukraine-European Union (EU) Association Agreement.

Instead of rejecting the treaty the Dutch government aims for an adjustment do partly justice to the Dutch "no" vote and then ratify an adjusted Agreement. Rutte will continue to negotiate with EU partners in the forthcoming period.

Rutte had agreed with the House of Representatives (De Tweede Kamer) that the government would make known what to do with the outcome of the referendum before Nov. 1. Last week he made an appeal to opposition MPs to support him.

In an advisory referendum on April 6, 61 percent of Dutch voters said no to the law that approves the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine. The turnout stood at 32.28 percent, just above the 30 percent threshold to make the results valid.

The treaty between the EU, their 28 member states and Ukraine touches on political, economic and a broad range of legislation and regulation topics. The referendum results are under the Dutch law not binding but the outcome forced the government to reconsider the Agreement.

According to Rutte, a Dutch rejection of the treaty would be bad for the international relations and for the stability in Europe.

The Dutch government thinks of a declaration by states and governments stating that the Association Agreement is no step towards or an entitlement to EU membership for Ukraine, not imposing member states an obligation to military cooperation, no access for Ukrainian workers to the EU labor market, nor an obligation to provide financial support to Ukraine.

But Rutte needs support from opposition parties and in addition the other European governments have to agree with the adjustment. He hopes the adjustment could be accepted during a European Council summit on Dec. 15 and 16 in Brussels.
MOSCOW, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Russian aircraft carrier group in the eastern Mediterranean has forced a Dutch submarine to move over, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

The Russian naval group detected a diesel-electric submarine of the Dutch Navy which attempted to approach it for monitoring purposes earlier on Wednesday, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, the ministry's spokesman, said in a statement.

Russian warships have been tracking the submarine's maneuvers for more than an hour and then forced it to leave the area of the carrier strike group, Konashenkov said.

"Such clumsy attempts to carry out dangerous maneuvers in the vicinity of the Russian group of ships could lead to serious navigation accidents," he added.

The Russian military has said the group, which is led by the Pyotr Veliky missile cruiser and includes Russia's sole aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, has been sent to reinforce the Russian naval group operating in the Mediterranean with the aim of aiding the anti-terrorist mission in Syria.

Konashenkov said that on the way to its destination, the Russian naval group has regularly detected NATO submarines in its vicinity.
BRUSSELS, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- NATO on Wednesday kicked off a new standing maritime security operation in the Mediterranean Sea, Operation Sea Guardian.

According to a press release, three NATO ships from Italy, Bulgaria and Turkey and two submarines from Greece and Spain will conduct the first patrols in the central Mediterranean under the operation.

Maritime patrol aircraft from Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey will provide air support to the patrols.

These first patrols will run through Nov. 17.

Operation Sea Guardian has three core missions: maritime situational awareness, counter-terrorism and capacity building.

Upon decision by the Allies, Operation Sea Guardian could perform additional tasks, including upholding freedom of navigation, conducting interdiction tasks, and protection of critical infrastructure.

It will help maintain an accurate picture of daily activity in the Mediterranean to help identify possible security concerns, NATO said in the press release.

Sea Guardian comes under the command of Headquarters Allied Maritime Command, Northwood, United Kingdom.

At the Warsaw Summit in July, NATO Allies agreed to launch a new maritime security operation in the Mediterranean in response to the evolving security environment.
Wang Qishan (R), secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), meets with Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, chairman of the National Accountability Bureau of Pakistan, in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 9, 2016. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)



BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Wang Qishan, chief of the discipline watchdog of the Communist Party of China (CPC), met on Wednesday with Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, chairman of the National Accountability Bureau of Pakistan in Beijing.

Wang, secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), said anti-corruption cooperation between China and Pakistan has become an important component of their all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

The sixth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee not only summed up the experience of strengthening Party discipline over the past four years, but also represented a new mobilization order against corruption, said Wang.

He said the meeting also showed the strategic design of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core.

The promotion of comprehensive and strict Party governance has won the support of the Party and the people, he said, calling for deepened international anti-graft cooperation.

Chaudhry briefed Wang on anti-corruption institution building and operations in Pakistan and voiced appreciation for China's anti-corruption efforts and achievements.

He said Pakistan is willing to deepen exchanges and cooperation with China in various fields.
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- An Indian army trooper was killed Wednesday in skirmishes between troops of India and Pakistan on the Line of Control (LoC) dividing Kashmir.

The two sides fired on each other's positions in Machil sector of frontier Kupwara district, about 165 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"One soldier was killed today in sniper firing by Pakistani troops in Machil sector," a senior Indian army official said. "In retaliation, fire assault with heavy weapons was being directed on many Pakistan posts."

On Tuesday two troopers were killed and five others injured when a mortar shell fired by Pakistani troops hit them in Nowshera sector of frontier Rajouri district.

The past several weeks have seen a surge in skirmishes on the International Border (IB) and the LoC between the two countries. Apart from troop casualties, the firing has claimed civilian lives on both sides, besides prompting migrations of residents from frontier areas. Officials have ordered closure of 174 schools in frontier areas in wake of shelling.

Both New Delhi and Islamabad accuse each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements. And both sides maintain that their troops gave befitting reply. The troops of India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on 720 km-long LoC and 198 km IB in Kashmir, despite an agreement in 2003 to observe a cease-fire. Though some violations have been reported on both sides, the cease-fire however remains in effect.

The LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Up to seven civilians were killed in a roadside bomb blast in Afghanistan's southern province of Kandahar on Wednesday, a provincial government spokesman said.

"A running sedan touched off an improvised explosive device along a road near a village in Mano locality, Shah Wali Kot district roughly at 5:30 p.m. Local time. The blast caused all the seven people aboard the vehicle killed," spokesman Samim Khpalwak told Xinhua.

Among the victims, who were returning from a wedding party, were two women and three children, he said, adding the vehicle was also destroyed by the blast.

He blamed the Taliban militant group for planting the IED along the dusty road.

More than 2,560 civilians were killed and over 5,830 injured in the first nine months of this year in conflict-related incidents across Afghanistan, according to the latest figures released by UN mission in the country.

Ground engagements remained the largest cause of civilian casualties, followed by suicide attacks and IED explosions.
BISHKEK, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan's parliament approved on Wednesday the new composition, structure and program of the new government, proposed by candidate for the post of Prime Minister Sooronbay Zheenbekov.

One hundred and twelve members of the Kyrgyz Parliament voted in support of the new government, the structure of the Cabinet of ministers was supported by 112 deputies, and the government's program was supported by 106 deputies.

In general, the structure of the government remained the same. Small changes affected only the composition of the Cabinet. Thus, MP Cholpon Sultanbekova will replace Gulmira Kudaiberdieva in the post of Vice Prime Minister in charge for the social issues. While Kudaiberdieva will head the Ministry of Education and Science instead of Elvira Sarieva.

In addition, several ministers lost their jobs, Minister of Internal Affairs Kashkar Dzhunushaliyev was replaced by Ulan Israilov, the Minister of Agriculture, Food Processing and Land Reclamation Turdunazir Bekboev was replaced by Nurbek Murashev, Minister of Transport and Communications Zamirbek Aydarov is replaced by candidature Zhamshitbek Kalilov and Minister of Justice Jyldyz Mambetalieva is replaced by Uran Akhmetov.

The rest of ministers remain in their posts.

The government was forced to resign after the collapse of the coalition of parliamentary majority at the end of October. In early November, the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) faction, mandated by President Almazbek Atambayev to form the alliance, has created a new coalition and again nominated Sooronbai Zheenbekov for the post of prime minister. Zheenbekov was appointed the prime minister in April 2016.

The composition of the new government of Kyrgyzstan:

-- Prime Minister - Sooronbay Zheenbekov;

-- First Vice Prime Minister - Muhammetkaliy Abulgaziev;

-- Vice Prime Minister - Oleg Pankratov;

-- Vice Prime Minister - Cholpon Sultanbekova;

-- Vice Prime Minister - Zhenish Razakov;

-- Head of Government Staff - Minister - Akylbek Osmonoliyev;

-- Minister of Economy - Arzybek Kozhoshev;

-- Minister of Finance - Adylbek Kasymaliev;

-- Minister of Agriculture, Food and Land Reclamation - Nurbek Murashev;

-- Minister of Transport and Roads - Zhamshitbek Kalilov;

-- Minister of Justice - Uran Akhmetov;

-- Minister of Foreign Affairs - Erlan Abdyldaev;

-- Minister of Interior - Ulan Israilov;

-- Minister of Emergency Situations - Kubatbek Boronov;

-- Minister of Health - Talantbek Batyraliev;

-- Minister of Culture, Information and Tourism - Tugelbai Kazakov;

-- Minister of Education and Science - Gulmira Kudaiberdieva;

-- Minister of Labour and Social Development - Taalaykul Isakunova;

-- Chairman of the State Committee for Industry, Energy and Mining Duyshenbek Zilaliev;

-- Chairman of the State Committee for Information Technology and Communications - Bakyt Sharshembiev;

-- Chairman of the State Committee for National Security - Abdil Segizbaev.

-- Chairman of the State Committee on Defense Affairs will be appointed by the president of the country.
File photo taken on July 16, 2016 shows U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends a campaign event in New York, the United States. Donald Trump was projected by U.S. media on Nov. 9, 2016 to have won 270 electoral votes needed for presidency. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

BRUSSELS, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Responses from government officials across Europe to the U.S. presidential election results on Wednesday were mixed, but nonetheless echoed the will to maintain strong ties with the United States and uphold European interests.

Donald Trump, the presidential nominee from the Republican Party, emerged as the winner of the U.S. presidential election on Wednesday, beating his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said his country's relationship with the United States would remain "solid and strong" in the wake of the election results.

The center-left Italian leader had openly endorsed Democratic candidate Clinton during the presidential campaign, and acknowledged Wednesday that the result of the American vote had been quite unexpected.

"It is indeed an unpredicted, but also undeniable, result, and we will respect it," he said.

The Italian premier called it "a fresh starting point for the whole international community, and a political event that, added to others, signals the opening of a new political season."

Italian foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni also confirmed the relevance of stable Italy-U.S. ties, but stressed the Italian foreign policy would not alter its views on certain key issues.

"Italy will maintain its friendship and cooperation with the U.S., such things do not change," the minister told state RAI state radio, "In the same way, Italy's opposition to protectionism and borders closing is not going to change."

The victory of Trump was hailed by all opposition figures in Italy.

In Austria, Chancellor Christian Kern said U.S.-Austrian relations were good and had proved successful for years.

Kern believed that Trump would not implement many of the controversial announcements he made during the U.S. presidential election campaign, and that people would have to wait and see what would happen during the Trump administration.

Kern said few had predicted the result of the election, but that it should serve as a learning lesson for future European elections.

Meanwhile, Austria's foreign minister Sebastian Kurz on Wednesday said the result of U.S. presidential election would mean a lot of change for Europe and the world, and there would definitely be a period of uncertainty.

Austria is to hold its own presidential elections on Dec. 4. If right-wing Austrian Freedom Party's candidate Norbert Hofer takes the president's office, he would be the first right-wing populist president in the country since World War II.

Meanwhile, Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said on Wednesday he hoped that Trump would continue the constructive cooperation that had characterized the Obama administration.

"When the dust has settled, it is my hope that the next administration would continue the open and constructive cooperation that has characterized the United States for many years," Rasmussen said after Clinton conceded defeat on Wednesday morning.

Of concern for Danish foreign minister Kristian Jensen is how Trump would cope with the climate policy, as the United States has a major role to play in global climate and energy policies.

During his campaign, Trump had said he would call off the climate agreement reached in Paris last year.

"It matters both for combating CO2 emissions and stopping the rise in global temperatures," he said.

The foreign minister noted there was a risk the United States would move away from renewable energy and towards coal and oil in an attempt to restore some of the jobs lost in the industry.

Greece's government said it was confident bilateral ties would continue to be excellent, but noted "there will be changes in U.S. internal affairs and the international system, which we are closely monitoring," government sources told Greek national news agency AMNA.

Prepared for either a Trump or Clinton presidential outcome, the Greek government maintained: "The Greek government has good relations with both parties, the Democratic and the Republican ... The Greek government and any Greek government has always had good relations with the U.S. and the American people," foreign affairs minister Nikos Kotzias said, according to AMNA.

Meanwhile, Marek Magierowski, head of the press office for the Polish presidency, said during an interview given to Polish Radio 24 that the most important thing for Poland would be implementing the decisions and resolutions of the NATO Warsaw summit held in July 2016.

This was echoed by Polish foreign affairs minister, Witold Waszczykowski, who said the most crucial discussion point with the new U.S. president would be security issues and the implementation of NATO allies' decisions.

But he also added his hopes that Trump would annul the obligatory visa for Poles, which is especially crucial to Polish businessmen who want to function within the U.S. market.

Minister of national defense Antoni Macierewicz said that he expected Polish-American relations to "not only to be good, but even better" after Trump's victory.

Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila said the election result indicated that Americans were longing for change. It also reflects the uncertainty caused by globalization, he said.

Regarding Finland's primary issues of importance vis-a-vis the United States, Sipila said he hoped Europe and the Baltic region would receive consistent attention.

"It is crucial to us Finns that the United States remains committed to Europe and the security and stability of the Baltic Sea region," said Niinisto.

Eager to build a relationship with the new U.S. administration as quickly as possible, Sipila said he had already proposed a meeting with Mike Pence, the U.S. vice president-elect.

As for U.S.-Russia relations, Sipila hoped that Trump would open new doors to resolve, for example, the crisis in Syria.

Sipila said he did not expect the inauguration of the new U.S. president would change Finland's security policy and relations with NATO.

Meanwhile, Slovakian politicians said they respected the will of American citizens, that they should be listened to, and that the election outcome was evidence that what's going on in the world today is very different than what is presented by the media.

Regarding its relationship with the United States, what matters most for Slovakia will be foreign policy decisions with regard to NATO and the EU.

"Only the future will show whether the newly-elected president manages to overcome a shadow of populism that accompanied the whole of his election campaign and whether he manages to handle, in his new office, a burden of real responsibility for how the United States, but also the whole world, will look in four years," stated Vice Chairman of the Slovak parliament Bela Bugar.

The Latvian view, as expressed by President Raimonds Vejonis on Wednesday in his congratulatory message to the U.S. president-elect, was the hope for close relations with the new U.S. administration, underlining the democratic values shared by the two countries.

Vejonis also noted Latvia's desire to continue to develop political, security and economic cooperation with the United States.

"The U.S. has always been and will remain Latvia's strategic partner and a major NATO ally," President Vejonis said.

Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis also emphasized his country's readiness for active cooperation with the United States under the future Trump presidency.

"The Latvian government is ready to work with the new (U.S.) administration to strengthen transatlantic ties for Europe's security," the Latvian prime minister said, adding that he expected no major changes in the United States' security and foreign policy.

Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas' response to the victory of president-elect Trump on social media was: "The world needs the United States and Europe, united and strong. NATO, respect for liberty and democracy are fundamentals."

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's address to the president-elect at a press conference was: "We face a challenging new security environment, including hybrid warfare, cyber attacks, and the threat of terrorism. U.S. leadership is as important as ever. A strong NATO is good for the United States, and good for Europe."

He said he looked forward to meeting Trump soon, and welcoming him to Brussels for the NATO Summit next year to discuss the way forward.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump participates in the third and final presidential debate at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) in Las Vegas, Nevada, the United States, Oct. 19, 2016. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

GENEVA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Roberto Azevedo on Wednesday congratulated U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, adding that the WTO stands ready to work with the Republican who will officially take office in January 2017.

"We are ready to support the administration to ensure trade is a positive element in a new strategy for development and job creation," he added.

This comes against the backdrop of Trump threatening to leave WTO in July this year during a particularly vitriolic electoral campaign which pitched the 70-year-old business tycoon against Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

Trump had threatened to pull the United States out of the WTO if his proposal on penalizing U.S. companies which relocate overseas was blocked.

The U.S. billionaire also called the WTO and existing trade deals "a disaster" in interviews.

Azevedo added Wednesday that "U.S. leadership in the global economy and the multilateral trading system remains vital."

Trump defeated rival Clinton in Tuesday's presidential election, pulling a major upset after a controversial and often scandalous campaign cycle.
CAIRO, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least six extremist militants were killed in military raids in Arish, Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid cities of Egypt's restive North Sinai province bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip, the Egyptian military spokesman said in a statement Wednesday.

"The combing and raiding operations continued to reach 19 areas used by extremists as hiding places and springboards for their terrorist activities in Arish, Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid cities," Military Spokesman Mohamed Samir said in the statement.

Similar military operations last week left at least 11 terrorists killed while the forces ruined 57 explosive devices, four hiding places and an ambush house, besides seizing a large number of arms, explosives and ammunition.

Last week raids came a day after a military brigadier general was assassinated on Nov. 4 evening by three terrorists outside his home in North Sinai, while a judge survived a blast in Cairo the same day.

Egypt has been battling growing terror activities since the military removed former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, which was eventually blacklisted as a terrorist organization.

Anti-government attacks over the past few years killed hundreds of police and military men, with a Sinai-based group loyal to the regional Islamic State group claiming responsibility for most of them.
by Xinhua writers Tang Peipei, Liu Kai

MARRAKECH, Morocco, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Donald Trump's win of the U.S. presidential election on Wednesday has triggered concerns by experts attending the climate change conference here over the U.S. possible pull-out from the Paris Agreement, with others still expecting the president-to-be would be more measured and responsible on the issue.

Salaheddine Mezouar, president of the 22nd Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22), congratulated Donald Trump on his election, saying that the ongoing conference will continue to discuss and mobilize, in order to "pursue progress already made with all parties, particularly with the new American administration."

He highlighted that climate change issue transcends politics and concerns the "preservation of our livelihood, dignity and the only planet on which we all live," saying that all parties will respect their commitments and stay the course in this collective effort.

Trump has vowed in his presidential campaign to "cancel" the Paris Agreement once elected, calling global warming a "hoax," and to stop all payments of U.S. tax dollars to UN global warming programs, which worried many after the agreement's entry into force on Nov. 4.

"Human-caused climate change is not a belief, a hoax, or a conspiracy. It is a physical reality," said an open letter released in September, signed by 375 members of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, including 30 Nobel laureates and renowned scientists such as Stephen Hawking.

"Election results will impact tone of negotiations, but the task ahead remains the same. We need long-term vision, regardless of the U.S. elections," said Mariana Panuncio-Feldman, senior director of international climate cooperation of World Wildlife Fund.

Alden Meyer, director of strategy and policy from Union of Concerned Scientists, said that it remains to be seen whether Trump would be the same "as we saw in the campaign, or a more measured and responsible Trump we saw in his acceptance speech this morning," adding that courage and expectation are needed to view him as a responsible president.

He said that Trump was "very conciliatory" in his acceptance speech on Wednesday, voicing hope to work with the United States as partners rather than adversaries.

According to Li Shuo, Greenpeace's senior climate policy adviser, the U.S. economy is "decarbonizing," and developing renewable energy resources is the general direction of U.S. action dealing with climate changes.

Segolene Royal, president of COP21, called it means of campaign that Trump advocated to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, which is not worth concerning about, while Brazilian Minister of Environment Jose Sarney Filho said that dropping out the combat against climate change is unthinkable for any society in the face of the threatening issue.

The Paris Agreement was signed in 2015 during COP21. Its 180 signatories committed themselves to maintaining global warming to under 2 degrees Celsius from pre-industrial levels.

The United States remains outside a previous major climate agreement, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, since George W. Bush withdrew from the treaty in 2001, arguing that it might cripple the U.S. economy.
DAMASCUS, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli air forces attacked a Syrian military position in Syria's southern province of Qunaitera on Wednesday, the Syrian army said in a statement.

The attack led to the destruction of a cannon in the countryside of Qunaitera, said the statement.

It added that the attack comes after the successes the Syrian forces have made in foiling a wide-scale attack the terror-designated Nusra Front had unleashed in Quniatera earlier on Wednesday.

"The Israeli attack is an attempt to boost the morale of the of the terrorists," the statement said.

It stressed the Syrian army's resolve to continue the battles against the terrorist groups, which it said are the tools of Israel.

The Syrian government has repeatedly accused Israel of aiding the terror groups in Qunaitera, especially as the Israeli shelling on Syrian military positions often comes after a heavy blow the rebels receive by the Syrian army in that area.

Related:

Israel's Iron Dome intercepts two mortars fired from Syria

JERUSALEM, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Israel's military said that its Iron Dome missile defense system in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights intercepted two errant mortar shells fired during Syria's civil war on Saturday.

Stray fire from war-torn Syria frequently hit Israel but it was the first time an Iron Dome battery used to fire down a projectile. Full story

Israel contradicts Syria over downing of warplane amid airstrikes

DAMASCUS/JERUSALEM, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army said Tuesday it shot down an Israeli warplane over the southern province of Qunaitera, but Israel denied, local media reported.

Israel's army said Tuesday that Syria launched missiles toward Israeli war jets but missed, denying Syrian claims on downing an Israeli military drone. Full story

Israel strikes Syria after errant mortar hit Golan Heights

JERUSALEM, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military said on Thursday that it struck Syrian army posts in retaliation for a mortar that fell in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights Wednesday.
by Mahmoud Fouly, Emad al-Azrak

CAIRO, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The stunning win of U.S. Republican Donald Trump as the country's 45th president raises hope and concern over the new U.S. policies in the turmoil-stricken Middle East, said Egyptian experts.

Business tycoon and political neophyte Trump defeated Wednesday his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton in a close presidential race after a controversial and scandalous campaign cycle, surprising a lot of political experts and observers around the world.

WORRYING REMARKS

Trump's aggressive remarks during his presidential campaign that offended many Arabs, Muslims and migrants raised concerns over policies the new U.S. administration would follow in the Middle East region.

"During his campaign, Trump announced his support for Israel and said he would move its capital city from Tel Aviv to controversial Jerusalem, which is a worrying and regrettable position," said Egyptian former ambassador to Washington Al-Sayyid Amin Shalaby, noting he was one of those surprised by Trump's victory.

Shalaby hoped that Trump would receive the necessary consultation from his advisers about the seriousness of such a step on peace in the Mideast region, noting the Palestinian Authority expressed a desire to cooperate with the new U.S. administration based on the UN relevant resolutions.

"But after he won elections, Trump's first remarks meant to lighten his previous ones, stressing his willingness to cooperate with all Washington's allies to achieve common interests," he added.

Trump recurrently affirmed his future cooperation with regional players including Egypt and Jordan to address the Middle East crises including growing terrorism.

"We should wait for some weeks or months until the picture is clear about Trump's positions on several issues, particularly those related to the Middle East region," Shalaby said.

NEW POLICY HOPE

The approach of the last Republican before Trump, George W. Bush, cost the Middle East so dear as manifested in the war in Iraq and the subsequent turmoil in the region. Yet Democratic President Barack Obama did not do any better to restore regional stability despite his "new beginning" promises when first elected.

"Trump's victory may have a positive effect on the Middle East and may open the way for new actions in the region with new influential regional players," said Saeed al-Lawindi, researcher of international relations at Cairo-based Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies.

"The U.S. has fixed policies towards the Middle East but I believe the Republicans will attempt to ease the regional tensions, as Trump blamed Obama's administration for mismanaging Mideast crises, particularly that of Iraq," Lawindi said.

Trump's win is believed to have raised hope for some Arab leaders including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom Trump believes to be fighting the Islamic State (IS) terrorists, and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, whom Trump promised partnership in anti-terrorism wars.

Noha Bakr, a political science professor at the American University in Cairo, argued that Trump's victory reflects U.S. citizens' rejection of Obama's policies based on interference of other countries' domestic affairs, which is clearly denounced by Trump.

He noted that the U.S. insisted on Assad's departure under Obama, but Trump will "take a different path and will agree with the Russian and the Egyptian visions on the Syrian crisis, which are based on Syria's unity and Assad's presence for a transitional period while getting rid of the IS."
MINSK, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Belarus respects the will expressed by citizens of the United States of America and congratulates all the Americans on the accomplished presidential election.

The Belarusian side is ready to continue working together with the American side to further normalize the bilateral relations, Belarusian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday in a statement.

Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has sent greetings to Donald Trump who was elected the U.S. president.

"Your victory shows that the American people are in favor of a policy based on honesty, responsibility, and search for changes," the message said.

Lukashenko stressed that Belarus has always sought to maintain constructive cooperation with the U.S. in its foreign policy.

The leader also expressed his hope that under President-elect Donald J. Trump, the efforts to normalize the relations between the two countries will be continued.
TEHRAN, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday that his country expects respect from the U.S. president-elect Donald Trump for the international deal which put an end to the nuclear disputes of the Islamic republic.

The nuclear agreement between Iran and the world powers, including the outgoing U.S. administration, is a reflection in a UN Security Council Resolution, Rouhani was quoted as saying by Press TV.

The accord cannot be dismissed by one government's decision, Rouhani said, referring to Trump's disapproving comments of Iran's nuclear deal during his presidential campaign.

Iran's nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is the nuclear agreement sealed between Iran and the world major powers, including the U.S., in July 2015 and implemented in January this year.

Rouhani stressed that the result of the U.S. presidential election will have no impact on the Islamic republic's policies, as "Iran's policy of constructive interaction with the world and breaking up nuclear sanctions has placed Iran's economic ties with all countries on an improving and irreversible course."

Washington will no longer be able to continue the spread of Iranophobia as before, he added.

On Wednesday, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also said that the upcoming U.S. administration should observe the country's commitments pertaining to the nuclear deal.

"This is the American people's election, and we respect it," Zarif said in his first reaction following the reports about Trump's victory.

"Iran and the U.S. have no political relations, but the U.S. must carry out what it has undertaken as an international multilateral commitment in the JCPOA," said Zarif.

On Wednesday, Donald Trump, a Republican, defeated rival Hillary Clinton, in a close race to win the 45th U.S. presidency.
KHARTOUM, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump for wining the U.S. presidential election, official SUNA news agency reported.

"On my behalf and the Sudanese government and people, I send the warmest and sincerest congratulations on the occasion of your election as President of the United States," said al-Bashir in a message to Trump.

"I wish you all success and for the U.S. people progress and prosperity. I'm looking forward to working with you to upgrade the ties between our friendly countries," he added.

The United States has been imposing sanctions on Sudan since 1997 and putting it on its list of countries sponsoring terrorism.

Since then, Washington has been renewing its sanctions on Sudan due to the continuing war in Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions besides a number of outstanding issues with South Sudan, including the disputed oil-rich area of Abyei.
ACCRA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ghana's Electoral Commission (EC) on Wednesday announced that seven presidential candidates had been cleared to contest in the Dec. 7 elections.

The electoral body accepted the nomination forms of three more candidates for the elections after a Supreme Court ruling ordered a second chance to be given to disqualified candidates to correct their nomination forms.

The three, Papa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People's Party, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings of the National Democratic Party, and Edward Mahama of the People's National Convention, join four other candidates who have already been approved for the race.

They are John Dramani Mahama of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Nana Akufo-Addo of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ivor Kobina Greenstreet of the Convention People's Party (CPP), and Jacob Osei Yeboah, an independent candidate.

The EC also rejected the nomination of eight aspirants while two others withdrew from the contest.

EC chairperson Charlotte Osei told media that the disqualified candidates' nomination forms fell short of the requirement stated in the law governing this year's polls.
BEIRUT, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Head of Mission and Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Major General Michael Beary stressed Wednesday the importance of the UNIFIL's liaison and coordination channels between Lebanon and Israel, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Beary made the remarks during a regular tripartite meeting with senior officials from the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at the UN position at Ras Al Naqoura in south Lebanon.

"I wish to remind all of us of the importance of continuing to exercise the utmost restraint and to stress that in all cases the default action must immediately use UNIFIL's liaison and coordination channels each time an incident occurs," he said.

However, he noted "these confidence building measures have been of paramount importance for making sustainable the calm and stability that have prevailed since 2006."

The NNA reported that discussions focused on issues related to the implementation of UNIFIL's mandate under UN Security Council resolution 1701, air and ground violations, situation along the Blue Line and its ongoing visible marking, as well as the issue of withdrawal of Israeli forces from northern Ghajar.

Beary reminded the parties of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's call "to not employ rhetoric threatening to use force, as it undermines the ten years of relative calm between Lebanon and Israel."
BRASILIA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's President Michel Temer on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump for his winning of U.S. presidential elections, and expressed his desire "to further tighten the links of friendship and cooperation that unite our peoples."

In a statement, Temer highlighted the common values and historical ties between the two countries.

"Brazil and the U.S. are two great democracies which share values and maintain, historically, strong relations in many different areas," he said, adding that he wished full success to Trump.

In an interview with local radio, Temer added that ties between Brazil and the U.S. are "institutional" and that Trump's victory "changed nothing" for those ties.

In recent days, Brazilian press was unanimous in stating the Brazilian government would prefer a Hillary Clinton victory, due to fears from Trump's potential protectionism.

However, on Wednesday, a statement by the foreign ministry hailed the positive message that Trump took in his acceptance speech.

"We view positively the message of overcoming national divisions and the search of a constructive compromise with all countries, spoken by Donald Trump in his acceptance speech," read the note.

"Brazil will seek to maintain the ties, old and fruitful, with the U.S., for the benefit of our two people. Brazil and the U.S. - two great nations of the Americas - share similarities which heighten and guide bilateral relations," it continued.

In a press conference, Foreign Minister Jose Serra highlighted that channels are open for Brasilia to begin speaking with Trump's team to find areas of common interest.
iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Donald Trump's ascendance as president-elect of the United States has caused many environmentalists and world leaders to raise concerns over the future president's stance on climate change -- a global issue he has called a "hoax."



Trump vowed in a speech at a petroleum conference in North Dakota last May to cut off funding to United Nations climate change programs. He added that he would nix the United States' involvement in the Paris climate agreement, an accord that entered into force last week.



Trump said the international agreement to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, "gives foreign bureaucrats control over how much our energy and how much we use right here in America."



Travis Nichols, a spokesman for Greenpeace, an international non-governmental environmental organization, told ABC News Wednesday that Trump's beliefs don't change the facts about climate change.



"The U.S. elections matter, but they don't change science. This is going to be a problem that millions of people are dealing with and fighting against no matter who is president," Nichols added. "Climate change is not a hoax, climate change is real -- 97 percent of climate scientists say that it is real."



"One way or another, Donald Trump will have to deal with the reality of climate change," he said. "He will have to deal with the weather, the rise in sea levels, and the worldwide extremism that climate change produces because of resource scarcity."



Nicholas added that it is "unclear what he means when he says he is going to 'cancel' the Paris climate agreement."



"Obviously, he cannot cancel a multilateral treaty signed by 190 nations," Nichols said, noting that it would be possible, however, for Trump to take action to inhibit the U.S. from meeting the pledges it agreed to. However, "he can't, on his own, cancel the Paris climate agreement," Nicholas said.



"Our leaders in the military recognize this as one of the most urgent threats facing the United States," Nichols said of climate change. "So, I think that President Trump would be forced to listen to the experts in science, and the Department of Defense on what he can do to tackle climate change so it doesn't make our problems worse."



Trump's projected win of the Electoral College comes as the U.N.'s climate talks are currently taking place in Marrakesh, Morocco.



Erik Solheim, the head of the U.N. Environmental Program, told ABC News Wednesday that they congratulate Trump on his victory and look forward to working with his administration in the future, adding simply that "science is not decided by elections, science is very clear," in response to Trump's comments calling climate change a "hoax."



Solheim added that they "will all wait and see, and judge American politicians on their actions, not on the different statements they made during the campaigns," in response to Trump's threats to pull funding from U.N. environmental programs.



As for the American president-elect's vow to withdraw from the Paris agreement, Solheim said the U.S. "can only withdraw in the long term," and the earliest that this would be possible is in 2021.



"So, we of course expect Donald Trump to honor agreements made by previous governments," Solheim said.



Solheim added that investments in renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gasses are "an enormous opportunity for business," saying that ultimately the American people would suffer most if the U.S. were to withdraw from the Paris agreement.



"The developing world is now in the lead for many climate actions," Solheim said, describing how some of the most recent advancements in sustainable energy have been led by businesses and developing nations. "We call upon the United States to be part of that leadership."

Copyright  2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
MARRAKECH, Morocco, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- President of the 22nd Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22), Salaheddine Mezouar, said Wednesday climate change issue transcends politics, after Donald Trump was elected the 45th U.S. president.

He congratulated Trump on the election, while attached great importance to the climate change issue, saying that it transcends politics and concerns "the preservation of our livelihood, dignity and the only planet on which we all live."

Trump has expressed his willingness to ditch the Paris Agreement in his presidential campaign, doubting mainstream scientific findings that droughts, floods and rising sea levels are linked to human activities.

Mezouar noted that "we are convinced that all parties will respect their commitments and stay the course in this collective effort," insisting that the presidency of COP22 will continue to discuss and mobilize to pursue progress, particularly with the new U.S. administration.

Now that the Paris Agreement has entered into force, all parties have the shared responsibility to continue the great progress achieved to date, he highlighted.

Meanwhile, dozens of U.S. young activists gathered Wednesday at the center of the conference site to denounce the election of Trump, "mourning" his win and shouting slogans against his positions on climate change.

Ryan Camero, a SustainUS member said that they are keeping the U.S. accountable to not just the communities most affected by climate change domestically, but also frontline communities across the globe.
MINSK, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- There is hope for progress in resolving the humanitarian issues in Donbas in the near future, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Special Representative Martin Sajdik said here on Wednesday.

"I am glad to note improvement in the climate of resolving the humanitarian issues. I hope for progress in this field," Sajdik told reporters following negotiations.

Sajdik informed the sides also discussed the situation in the checkpoint near Stanytsia Luhanska, as well as opening of new checkpoint in Zolotoe. "This is a very sensitive issue, especially for the elderly, and we hope to make progress on this issue," he said.

Sajdik believes in withdrawing forces and equipment that will help to solve humanitarian problems.

He said that the political subgroup discussed modality of the local elections in Donbas and, in particular, the Steinmeier formula about the special status of the territories that are uncontrolled to Kiev.

The official said that the next meeting of the contact group on Ukraine will take place in Minsk on 23 November.
COPENHAGEN, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Danish food processing company, Danish Crown, plans to invest about 300 million Danish kroner (44 million U.S. dollars) in building a processing and retail product plant in China, the company announced on Wednesday.

The Europe's largest pork producer, dealing primarily in meat processing of pork and beef, said in a statement that the new plant will be located in Shanghai and the production will be based on Danish raw material.

The plan is part of the strategy of the company towards 2021, and chief executive officer Jais Valeur admits that it is a bit of a "gamble" to try the Chinese market.

"But this is one of the chances we should take as a big company and try to see if we can get closer to the market, closer to consumers and further up in the value chain in China, rather than just being a raw material supplier," Valeur said.

Danish Crown already has a large export of fresh pork to China, and its by-products like toes, ears and tail are delicacies popular among Chinese consumers.

Valeur said the consumption pattern in China is changing rapidly, and the Chinese eating habits begin more and more to resemble the food culture in Europe and the United States.

Meanwhile, the e-commerce is developing fast in China, enabling groceries being bought and delivered at home, he added.

"It is therefore evident that we should try to capitalize on this by our own production," Valeur said.

Danish Crown is a co-operative slaughterhouse, created through numerous mergers, and the oldest slaughterhouse which is part of Danish Crown today was founded in Horsens in 1887.

Approximately 22 million pigs and sows and about 700,000 cattle are slaughtered each year in the Danish Crown slaughterhouses, and the products are sold in more than 130 countries worldwide.

With 26,000 employees, Danish Crown has an annual turnover of about 60 billion kroner. (1 U.S. dollar=6.82 Danish kroner)
MARRAKECH, Morocco, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Business leaders called Wednesday at the UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakech (COP22) for strong domestic legislation to implement Paris Agreement.

Speaking at "Business & Industry Day", they urged fully realizing the private sector's potential to deliver emissions reductions at scale, and corporate action needs to be reinforced by sound national climate policies.

Many companies have committed to take action that supports the delivery of the Paris Agreement, moving further and faster than their government's requirement.

The business leaders at the event agreed that with the Paris Agreement now in force, the priority was to move from adoption to speedy implementation.

In total 471 companies with over 8 trillion U.S. dollars in market capitalization have undertaken well over a thousand ambitious commitments to climate action.
MEXICO CITY, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Following the victory of Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday, reactions poured in from across Latin America. New right-wing governments as seen in Peru reacted with cautious optimism while old foes like Venezuela hoped beyond hope for a new future.

On Wednesday, the government of Venezuela congratulated Trump, saying in a statement that it hoped for a future where the sovereign equality of the states and the self-determination of the people...oversee respectful bilateral political and diplomatic relations."

Caracas added that it "longed" for a new chapter where "new paradigms can be established for our region, based on recognition on the cultural, social and historic identities of our countries and on the respect of non-intervention in internal affairs."

"Equally, we hope the U.S. knows how to face the great economic, social and political challenges facing humanity, for which its action is important for peace and global stability," it concluded.

In Bolivia, President Evo Morales congratulated Trump and manifested his hope to work with the new administration against racism and in favor of the "sovereignty of the peoples."

Writing on Twitter, Morales wrote that he "saluted the triumph of Donald Trump. We hope to work against racism, sexism, anti-immigration (and) for the sovereignty of our peoples.

Bolivia and the U.S. have had a chilly relation for years and have not been able to normalize diplomatic ties since September 2008 when Morales kicked out U.S. ambassador, Philip Goldberg, accusing him of interfering in internal affairs.

In the past, Morales has also stated that it does not matter who wins the elections in the U.S., since "the business owners and the rich decide".

The government of Ecuador focused its congratulations on the American people for the presidential and legislative elections held on Tuesday. However, the statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs similarly hoped to maintain good relations with the president-elect.

"The government of Ecuador hopes to maintain relations based on mutual respect with the administration of the president-elect," it read.

In Peru, President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski emitted a short tweet congratulating Trump for the election. Minister of Economy and Finance Alfredo Thorne, however, gave a press conference where he stated that the country's economy remained stable.

"The markets are very worried...due to an unexpected result. They were waiting for the opposition candidate (Hillary Clinton) but the indicators of Peru are very stable and we have all the instruments to anchor our expectations," he said.

While Thorne said he thought "things will be fine, we have all manner of presidents in American history."

In Colombia, President Juan Manuel Santos took to Twitter to say that "we celebrate the democratic spirit of the U.S.. We will continue to deepen our bilateral relation with Donald Trump."

Back in September, however, Santos had told foreign media that Trump's policies "are not in line with what Colombia wants" and that Clinton had been "of tremendous support" to the peace deal with the FARC.
HELSINKI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said on Wednesday that the election of a new president in the United States does not necessarily impact NATO's decision in accepting Finland as its member if it applies.

"NATO and its memberships are not dependent on any one person, even if he would be the U.S. president," Niinisto told reporters in Brussels during his visit to the NATO Supreme Command.

Niinisto said that Donald Trump was "constructive" in his victory speech, expressing hope that the same approach would continue towards the European Union and NATO.

Niinisto said Trump sounded like "a different person" in comparison with during the campaign.

In a written statement earlier on Wednesday, Niinisto said it is vital that the U.S. commitment to Europe and to the security and stability of the Baltic area would continue.

Niinisto said the tie between Finland and the United States has been the closest ever and it provides the ground for the future.

Both Niinisto and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed confidence that U.S. security guarantees for NATO countries in Europe would continue.

Finland is not a NATO member, but maintains an enhanced companionship with the organization. However, NATO has no security guarantee for Finland as it has for the member countries, according to Niinisto.

Niinisto was the first Finnish president ever to visit the NATO Supreme Command in Belgium.
By Raimundo Urrechaga

HAVANA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The shocking electoral victory by Republican candidate, Donald Trump, who will assume the U.S. presidency early next year has impacted Cubans. Many seem skeptical of the future policy the billionaire will take towards the island, fearing he will reverse Washington's historical opening.

In every corner and bus stop of Havana, Cubans debated the major upset against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton after a controversial and scandalous campaign.

"It was the American people who decided and that is what really surprises me. After so many criticisms, offensive comments against women, blacks and Hispanics, over 55 million U.S. citizens voted for Trump and he won," Barbara Feijo, a private worker, told Xinhua.

Many Cubans now fear Trump will reverse President Barack Obama's opening-up to the island and that the few economic improvements seen since the December 2014 detente will be stripped away.

Cuba has seen a surge in tourism over the last year and hundreds of business executives from all over the world, including the U.S., have visited the island to expand commercial ties.

"Trump's victory has many interpretations regarding U.S.-Cuba ties. He can continue Obama's policy of engagement or simply eliminate what both nations have achieved in the last two years," said Carlos San Martin, a young Cuban construction worker.

The billionaire promised to reverse Obama's policy, unless Cuban president Raul Castro agrees to "more political freedom" on the island, something Havana has rejected.

Trump believes Obama's new Cuba policy is "weak" and he will seek a "better deal" that benefits Washington.

During the campaign, Clinton vowed to continue Obama's "engagement policy" towards Cuba and said the economic blockade on the island must be lifted by Congress.

"Only time will tell and hopefully everything that Trump said about reversing Washington's new policy towards Cuba was part of an electoral strategy. We all anticipate he doesn't return to a strategy that failed for over 50 years," said San Martin.

On Wednesday, the Cuban government announced the launch of five days of nationwide military exercises later this month to prepare troops to confront "a range of enemy actions."

Havana did not link the drills to Trump's U.S. presidential victory and neither has it expressed an official government position, regarding the billionaire's win at the polls.

"Trump is a businessman with great power and very radical positions regarding important U.S. foreign policy issues. We still have to see if he acts like a businessman or a political extremist regarding Cuba," Noelia Martinez, a retired Havana resident, told Xinhua.

Many believe the coming months could be vital in determining Trump's position towards the island but the news of his victory hit hard among ordinary people who see it as a return to the past.

Trump called on Americans early Wednesday to come together as a united people, and promised to reach out to voters that had not supported him.

In a nail-biting contest throughout the night, Trump was able to pull a winning margin in many of the crucial swing states, including Florida, Ohio and North Carolina, and was even able to snatch previously Democratic-leaning states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
DAMASCUS, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Segments of the Syrian society expressed Wednesday relative reliefs with U.S. Republican Donald Trump winning the U.S. presidential elections.

Big part of the relief is due to Trump's previous remarks about his will to cooperate with Russia in the war on terrorism, and thus a possible cooperation with the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

This move resonates with the supporters of the Syrian government, particularly after the leaked emails of Democrat Hillary Clinton, which indicated a role in inflaming the situation in the Middle East.

"When you think about it, wouldn't it be nice if we got along with Russia?" Trump said in July. "Wouldn't it be nice if we got together with Russia and knocked the hell out of IS (the Islamic State)?"

Another aspect that encourages the Syrians to feel good about Trump's winning is his desire not to interfere in other countries' internal affairs.

The Syrian government has always complained of the U.S. foreign policy toward Syria and regional issues, as President Barack Obama and even Clinton always showed a tendency toward backing the rebels in Syria against the Syrian government, with repeated calls for the ouster of Assad.

"We are optimistic about Trump's winning, because, frankly, Clinton is much worse," said Liza Elias, a Syrian journalist.

Elias said the American people appear to have become fed up with the policies of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and that's why they chose Trump in the hope of achieving a change.

She added that the Syrians were not comfortable with Clinton claiming the seat in the White House, due to her "backing of the terrorist groups in Syria and her repeated calls on President Bashar al-Assad to leave."

For his part, Samir Saed, a Syrian university student, said the winning of Trump could usher in bringing a solution to the Syrian crisis, through cooperating with the countries that are desirous to bring this issue to an end.

"Trump's remarks on possible cooperation with President Assad raised his popularity among the Syrians," Saed said.

Rola Ghanem, another university student, also expressed content with Trump's winning, saying "his willingness to cooperate with Russia means something good for us."

However, Maher Ihsan, another Syrian journalist, said that he doesn't expect much from the United States, no matter who is the president.

"I think that countries such as the United States have plans for 50 or more years ahead, and even though they change presidents every four or eight years, but there are fundamental parts in the American policy which will not change with the president," he said.

He added that "the new U.S. president could do a change on a low-scale, but nothing so fundamental that we could see a real change in the U.S. policy toward our region, or the Syrian crisis for that matter."

Ihsan said that the Syrians don't know much about Clinton or Trump, except the few information provided on TV stations, noting that "this is not enough to know what these people could do."

"A lot of Syrians don't even know the difference between the Democrat and Republican parties in United States, and the few remarks made on TVs by either one of the nominees don't reflect the reality of what they are going to do next," he said.

Still, Ihsan hoped that Trump could walk the talk, and cooperate with Russia on fighting terrorism, mainly in Syria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election, saying he would do everything he could to repair ties between the two countries.

"Russia is ready and wants to restore full-scale relations with the U.S.," Putin said. "We understand it will be a difficult path, but we are ready to play our part."

Even though Russia and Syria are on the same page, the Syrian government hasn't given a stance on Trump's winning.
Not just U.S. media outlets were mostly surprised by Donald Trump's win over Hillary Clinton in the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday.

Around the world, papers and their websites on Wednesday splashed the news over their front pages - some with a focus on facts, others with a mix of shock and wonder or a shot of tabloid.

Here is The Hollywood Reporter's look at newspaper headlines from around the world:

Germany

In Germany, broadsheet Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in its online edition featured such headlines as "The Ego-President," "Great despair after Trump win: 'We have brexited,'" "The White Revolution" and "German politicians shocked and stunned."

German tabloid Bild online offered an analysis titled "Trump - how could this happen?," a reporter's color story about the Clinton campaign's reaction under the headline "Her staff cried in each others' arms" and a post titled "Melania Trump, the new First Lady: She is already guarding the nuclear briefcase."

France

Daily newspaper Liberation put out a special edition with a full-page, close-up black-and-white photo of a frowning Trump over the headline "Trumpocalypse."

Elsewhere in France, Le Monde kept it simple with "Donald Trump, president of the United States." However the conservative-leaning paper posted a unique - and scathing - front-page editorial on the results and damning the reactionary right. "Trump and his European clones do not have the slightest idea of the complexity of the problems to be solved. They sell illusions ... They cultivate reductive simplification that is a threat to our democracies."

Courtesy of Liberation.fr

Spain

El Periodico featured Trump pointing his finger at readers with the headline "Dios perdona a America," or "God forgive America."

Meanwhile, El Pais titled "EE UU cae en manos del populismo agresivo de Trump," or "U.S. falls into the hands of the aggressive populism of Trump."

Story continues

Courtesy of Periodico

U.K.

In the U.K., where most morning papers hit the streets before the final result was announced, The Guardian went with the cover, "Trump defies expectations on desperate night for Democrats," while News Corp's The Times in its 5:30 a.m. edition featured the headline, "Trump Surge."

The Daily Telegraph said, "Divided America bitter to the end."

Canada

Le Journal de Montreal, a French-language paper, titled "Oh My God!" next to a photo of the winner.

The Globe and Mail newspaper had a giant portrait photo of Trump next to the headline "Trump Nation," directing readers inside to coverage from New York, Florida, Nevada and Tennessee.

The Montreal Gazette featured a page-length photo of two Americans marking their ballots in a polling station in Chesterfield, Va., under the headline: "One for the History Books."

The Calgary Sun, in Alberta's oil country, had a photo of a fist-pumping Trump on its front page with the headline: "America Chooses Trump - You're Hired!"

And the Winnipeg Free Press featured a full-page photo of Trump waving to a crowd with the headline: "The Trump Effect - polarizing election puts reality TV star inches from the White House."

Courtesy of Journal de Montreal

Italy

Newspapers drew comparisons between the Trump campaign and homegrown populist movements, from the 5-Star Party to the Northern League. "Populism also in Italy," read the headline of La Repubblica.

Media headlines also expressed concern about what a Trump presidency will mean for Europe and blasted the win as a victory only for white America. Newspaper Corriere della Serra led with a story that said, "The U.S. is a wake-up call for Europe which no one heard before."

More headlines

Belgian daily Le Soir had a full front-page photo of Trump, with a pointed, salute-like fist obscuring his face and the headline, "The Trump Shock."

In Argentina, La Nacion titled "Donald Trump Wins U.S. Elections: The World in Shock." And in Brazil, Veja online went with "Trump will have a majority in Congress but his life won't be easy," while Chile's La Tercera featured a big portrait of Trump and the headline: "Trump Stirs Up the U.S. and the World."

Courtesy of Le Soir

Rhonda Richford in Paris, Ariston Anderson in Rome, Agustin Mango in Buenos Aires and Etan Vlessing in Toronto contributed to this report.

Read more: RAGE (RABIA)
UTC digital media workshop

The advice comes from Vivian Schiller, Editor-in-Chief and (at left) Maria Cooper Newsday Ag CEO, chats with Vivian Schiller Editor in Chief & Head of Mediaco, alongside Ian Chinapoo UTC Executive Director, during the Business Media Luncheon  The rise of Digital Media and its Impact on Mainstream Journalism, which was hosted by Unit Trust Corporation, UTC Head Office, PoS.

Tuesday, November 11, 2016. PHOTO BY ROGER JACOB head of North America for Weber Shandwicks Mediaco practice; Weber Shandwick is a global reputation management firm.

People are going to be reluctant to pay for digitial subscriptions, mobile ads are going to be the victim of ad-blocking.

So how do you pay for your journalism? Good journalism costs money.

Certainly, there is no one singular answer.

I dont know what the answer is, nobody does but the savviest thing you could do with your news organisation is to experiment with different forms of revenue. Schiller was addressing local media managers, editors, reporters and the owners/operators of independent news sites during a workshop on The Rise of Digital Media and its Impact on Mainstream Journalism, hosted by the Unit Trust Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UTC) at its Independence Square, Portof- Spain head office yesterday (Tuesday).

Advising media managers to try different things, Schiller said a lot of organisations are experimenting with community events that someone pays for or that a sponsor wants to participate in  it doesnt control the content but can participate in terms of the branding of (event). She noted that others are experimenting with creating branding content newsroom, where an organisation, separate from the journalism newsroom, is creating content that is very compelling for brands.

Who better than a news organisation at telling stories? You can tell stories with careful labelling to make sure that people dont confuse what youve done for an advertiser with your proper journalism. Schiller also said donations or pledges, while not necessarily a big revenue source, can add up to some money.

So diversifying your revenue stream is very, very important.
Demon kills, burns Angel

He is a demon, said Ghanit Boatswain in describing his sons killer. Sheldon and his close male relative were alone at home yesterday when they got into a fight that ended in his death. Nobody witnessed the killing, but Boatswains slit throat and a living room, kitchen, and backyard smeared with blood was evidence enough to tell the tale. It still smelling fresh, said one of his sisters as she mopped the kitchen floor for a second time with disinfectant.

A neighbour returning home from a funeral at about 12.45pm said she arrived soon after the police arrived on the scene. When I came, it had plenty police cars, and I saw them asking him (the killer) to put his hands through the gate to arrest him, she said. I hear him say that I was choking him (Sheldon) and all of a sudden blood start to flow out of his neck. While that was happening, the neighbour said she went around the house, scaled the fence, and saw Boatswains body burning on a galvanize pyre in the back of his home.

He was already burning when I reach, and he was covered in gazette paper and two pieces of wood, said the neighbour. According to Boatswains father, the killer, who is now in police custody, was mentally ill and always provoked his son. One of Boatswains sisters said that his killer had been warded at St Anns Psychiatric Hospital at least three times before and received medical documents which said that he suffered from a chemical imbalance in the brain. He is a real demon. He was always troubling the next one for no reason. Just yesterday I buy three packs of kool-aid for him (Sheldon) and for the next one. And this is what happen today. Sheldon and his killer were both unemployed and were being supported by Ghanit who works in the Port-of-Spain City Corporation.

The two of them not working nowhere, so I supporting the two of them. But that one is a real demon. Ghanit described his dead son as an angel because he was a real church boy. His grandmother, 89-year-old Christine Gould, said he is a real quiet child and all he used to talk about is the Gospel of God. The suspect was arrested by police officers from the Central Division. Investigations are continuing
Trial date set for Bakr vs State

Justice Frank Seepersad yesterday fixed February 6, 2017 for hearing of the trial in the Port-of-Spain High Court.

Bakr had also filed a parallel challenge in which he claimed his right to a fair trial was infringed when he was charged with a 1998 murder as a result of a Coroners decision.

Seepersad held that Bakrs constitutional motion was an abuse and any challenge against the magistrates decision as Coroner should have been done by way of a judicial review application.

On September 29, 2010, Magistrate Nalini Singh, acting in the capacity of a coroner, ruled that there was sufficient evidence for both Bakr and Brent Big Brent Miller to be charged with the murder of Israel Sammy, 22, who was killed on May 20, 1998.

Bakr and Miller were the subjects of an inquest into Sammys death at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court.

Three weeks after Singh gave her ruling, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC, discontinued the preliminary enquiry, saying there was insufficient evidence to proceed.
Family still waiting for Ria

Speaking to Newsday yesterday a concerned relative said that reports of their loved one being seen in Venezuela was just one of many sightings that only cause further anxiety among family members.

We are hearing all kinds of things, where she is and what caused her to be kidnaped, the relative told Newsday.

We are hearing she might be here, there and everywhere. We have searched and dont know where to search again. Fingers are pointing in all directions even within the family. On September 22, the lives of Sookdeos husband Mark, children Elena, nine and Torres, five, her parents Frankie and Chandra Rajkumar along with other close relatives and friends were disrupted when the young mother was dragged out of her red Nissan X-Trail vehicle and bundled into a similar black vehicle and driven off. No one has heard or seen her since that fateful day.

On October 30, a video with little Torres with hands clasped tightly in prayer, begging God to return his mother to them, went viral on social media.

It evoked numerous responses.

While admitting that persons visiting to offer support have dwindled, the relative told Newsday they continue to hold out hope that Sookdeo will return sooner rather than later.
Shot man recovering

Roger Plaza is said to be in a stable condition after being shot while at John Lane in DAbadie.

According to earlier reports Plaza, along with Frank Joseph, Kevin Plaza and Ricardo Singh, were at John Lane, when an unregistered grey Nissan AD wagon pulled alongside the group.

The occupants of the car alighted the vehicle, guns in hand and began shooting in the direction of the group. Joseph, Plaza and Singh were all killed.

Plaza (Roger) along with bystander Debisette Noray, were both wounded when the shooting started. Plaza was rushed to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, where he remains warded.

Kevin Plaza and Frank Joseph, who were both killed in the incident, will be laid to rest on Thursday, after a joint funeral service which will be held at the Santa Rosa RC Church, at about 2 pm. Northern Division Police, and homicide detectives are continuing investigations into the incident.
Healthy food a click away

Seeing an opportunity to capitalise on this demand, the young duo began taking orders at their office for fresh fish and seasonings, drawn mostly from Thomas home town in Las Cuevas and Renies family greenhouse in Piarco.

As a plus, both also shared a love for food and cooking with fresh ingredients - a passion which won the approval of their customers.

So favourable was the response, Thomas and Renie eventually left their promising careers to begin dMarket Movers Ltd, a Barataria- based company which combined health and convenience The focus on health and convenience underpinned the companys philosophy during its embryonic stage, but Thomas and Renie quickly realised that sourcing the freshest ingredients proved somewhat of a challenge: they needed to create an online platform that customers could access readily, anywhere, anytime.

They dismissed the idea of opening a traditional brick and mortar business, saying that apart from being terribly expensive, the arrangement also would have limited their customers to commuting to a fixed location.

Thomas and Renie also understood that establishing the business would have been a challenge given the limited number of online businesses within TT , as well as the complete non-existence of online agri-businesses at the time of inception.

But they were determined to make a go of it and are pleased with the success they have enjoyed thus far.

Today, after just seven years in operation, dMarket Movers has been short-listed for the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerces 2016 Champions of Business Award in the category of Emerging Entrepreneur.

The event is being held on Saturday at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Wrightson Road, Portof- Spain.

We feel humbled and appreciative but along with that we feel re-ignited in a sort of way, the duo said of their selection for the prestigious award.

We have always been driven individuals, motivated by the tremendous feedback from customers, local suppliers and farmers.

This recognition has some how given us a new fire to continue to blaze the trail towards an ever promising future. With the slogan, Bringing The Market Home To You, dMarket Movers is an online health food store delivering fresh meats and dairy products to clients in homes, offices, restaurants and other facilities.

However, the company also produces a line of fruits under the brand, Farm & Function, and hosts a monthly farm dining food event called Moving Table.

Essentially, the Moving Table is a farm to table dining event which showcases fresh ingredients from Market Movers through an all-local menu.

This monthly event was designed as a marketing tool to engage customers and potential clients on how eating local, fresh ingredients can empower them to support and buy more local goods.

Since then, the Moving Table has become a recognised brand and continues to show innovations through food and experiences.

Renie told Newsday that developing an agri-oriented business has been a major challenge.

On a scale of zero to difficult we would say very difficult, she said.

Developing an agri-business in Trinidad and Tobago already has its challenges, managing one that utilises ICT even more so. These two pillars of our business often bump heads as traditional practices within the agriculture sector doesnt absorb new technologies very quickly.

With any relatively new business, there have been challenges both internally as well as within the agriculture sector which impacts on business significantly. However, Renie, who holds a degree in International Studies, observed that things have improved over the years with farmers utilising new technologies in the field to improve overall efficiency.

We are excited and motivated to be a part of this landscape, she said.

Thomas, who also dabbled in farming over ten years, said the company has enjoyed steady and continuous growth since its inception - a situation which he feels highlights the fact that there is a burgeoning agri-tech sector in TT .

Renie and Thomas marvel at the strides they have made in business since taking that bold step to establish dMarket Movers in 2009.

They recalled the initial scepticism to their decision, even among those closest to them.

Having a partnership lent to a sort of balance that allowed us to spend less time convincing friends and family, who were not angry but rather unenthused with the idea of chasing entrepreneurial dreams, Thomas and Renie said on their companys website.

Calling oneself an entrepreneur seven years ago was almost taboo and often perceived as you were unemployed and living off your parents. Despite these obstacles, we knew that we had to prove our concept and bring health and convenience to the masses. The project also enabled them to realise their full potential.

This partnership gave us a real sense of validation, acting at times like a compass at sea when all seemed lost, they said.

They said having the insight of each-others views also helped balance this force even further.

Thomas described himself as a free spirit with an imaginative persona, while Renie said she was more technical and diligent.

It helped us strike a balance to navigate the core values of Market Movers which, to date, have positively impacted the lives of over 700 online retail users, over 1,000 corporate staff and wholesale customers throughout the country, the business partners said on their website. Having consistently received meagre allocations in national budgets over the years, agriculture is often perceived as one of the countrys sidelined sectors.

But with talk of economic diversification in the face of growing austerity, Thomas said the sector required a lot more development, beginning with the consumer.

He said: The agriculture is one that certainly requires a lot more development and I believe it begins with the consumer.

There needs to be a change in the direction of developing or reinstating a taste for locally produced food.

If people are buying it, farmers are going to plant it. In order for it to have any impact on the economy, the money needs to be spent here. The Government can also play a part by having a role in crop selection which would help regulate gluts in the market aside from seasonal fruits, Thomas added.

Asked what he felt can be done to significantly reduce the countrys food import bill, which currently stands at about $5 billion, Thomas said simply: Buy more locally- produced foods. Renie had some wise words for up and coming entrepreneurs.

Share, share, and share some more, she advised.

When we first began our business, the entrepreneurial culture was somewhat closed off, everyone had the next big idea and as such, kept it to themselves. However, we found that partnering with others, sharing ideas, creating networks, actually strengthened our business and helped us access resources faster and avoid costly mistakes. Renie also urged young entrepreneurs to love your business but dont fall in love with it. Being in love can make you blind to major flaws that exist and even causes you to make up excuses and blame everything else but the problem. She further advised that they be confident about their ideas and ensure that it is tried and tested.

The duo is hoping to see their brand as the leader in health and convenience with online distribution hubs throughout the region.

We also hope to continue to be the voice for agricultural sustainability and a major part of the eat local movement in Through our Moving Table, farm to table events, they said.
Give back veto power to PM

Speaking at a Port-of-Spain Rotary luncheon at Fitzblackman Drive, Woodbrook, yesterday, Deosaran made reference to Terrence Prince, a man who spent nine years in prison even though the offence that he had committed the maximum sentence was five years.

The broken institutions, the injustices they unwittingly commit had him waiting nine for a trial.

There are many others like him waiting nine, ten years for their case to be heard in court and they cannot see their lawyers, they cannot have their trial duly executed.

The focus is on the Police Service naturally and inevitably. Is the Police Service capable of doing a better job? Yes, but you have a tangled web of institutions bearing themselves upon the poor Police Service.

I wonder where the Police Commissioner, active or not, gets the time to supervise and execute his fundamental objectives within and for the Police Service? He is answerable to the Police Complaints Authority, the Police Service Commission, the National Security Council, the Ministry of National Security in terms of resources and Government policy...

now you want to bring in a Police Management Board and a Police Inspectorate. If that is done in the current infrastructure, I feel sorry for the Police Commissioner, he said.

Deosaran said because of the complexity of appointing a Police Commissioner , the Prime Minister should be given back the veto power in terms of appointing a commissioner or deputy commissioner.

Cut out some of the bureaucracy because in any case the Prime Minister has a veto already in the existing circumstances. He has a back door veto. The veto request does not come to him directly.

Before you could appoint a Commissioner of Police or deputy Commissioner, that nomination has to come from a private firm through the Service Commission, goes to the President, comes to Parliament and majority vote where that appointment has to be approved or not.

Who controls the majority in Parliament? The Cabinet, and who controls the Cabinet? The Prime Minister, so whatever the Prime Minister chooses that is how the Cabinet and the majority will have to vote, so the veto is still there. Revoke that and make it clearer now and simplify the process. As far as I can see, it can be done and that would provide the extent of civilian control you want because you can expect a Prime Minister to exercise good judgement, no prejudice, no discrimination, but satisfy himself with the competence, the ability and the experience of the person put before him, Deosaran said.

He said former police commissioner Dwayne Gibbs was an outstanding gentleman, but he complained bitterly about how many people he had to account to especially when the interests and requests upon him happened to be in competition with one another.

However, Deosaran said many of them were constitutional bodies too, and questioned which master would be served because the commissioner was in a position of having an obligation to serve too many masters.

I thought the last government and this current one would have shown a greater sense of urgency in cleaning up this complicated system in which the Police Service has to operate. My view now is to simplify the process without losing the substance of oversight and control.

You want the Police Service to feel free and confident to investigate without fear or favour. The other principle is that in a democracy you must have some extent of civilian control over your National Security services and your Police Service. The legislation so far in trying to bind those two principles have resulted in a tangled web of complexity to the questionable performance of the Police Service, Deosaran claimed.
Frankie disgusted with oil spill response

Companies are seeing what they see, seeing how it affected fishermen, seeing how it killed fish, seeing oil in the mangroves and crabs laced with petroleum, and they say they are not sure where it coming from, he said.

Delivering the keynote address at the American Chamber of Commerce of TTs HSSE 20th Anniversary Conference at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of- Spain, Khan said it was largely the average man, in this case fishermen and their families, who felt the negative effects of the failure of aging and neglected infrastructure.

Khan told those gathered that oil pollution to inland and marine areas had sharply increased from a low of 843 barrels in 2011 to 18,960 barrels in 2014.

The Energy Minister said there could only be a limited number of sources of this pollution and that hiding behind the goalpost whenever an incident occurred was no longer acceptable.

We have to take responsibility because it affects the lives of the common man. It is something we cannot tolerate because the fishermen are affected and their families are affected.

They could not buy books for their children because no one was buying fish in Otaheite, said the minister, referring to the spill in that community.

He also lamented that, to this day, fishermen have not been paid their claims. However, Khan said the ministry was taking steps to combat the problem, ensuring that energy companies complied with the revised National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, which mandates that equipment and personnel are on hand to deal with land and marine oil spills. The minister also said the ministry had been conducting audits of operators to ensure they can meet their obligations in the event of a spill.

Speaking with reporters after his presentation, Khan revealed that he was in fact referring to Petrotrin.

The specific leaks in the Gulf of Paria obviously pointed to Petrotrin and I think Petrotrin has been rather slow in their response to the various communities that have been affected and I will tell them so, he said. He also compared, unfavourably, this countrys service station industry to the one in Barbados, saying TT had a right to be doing better in this arena, given its long presence in the energy sector.

Addressing increased margins for service stations, the Energy Minister said both he and the Minister of Finance were considering the issue. In recent weeks, service stations have been complaining about fixed margins, saying their profits are reduced as fuel prices rise.

They have articulated their case on retail margins. I think there may be some substance to what they are saying, said Khan.

However, the minister could not say whether this issue would be settled before further price increases at the pump. He indicated though that he planned to meet with the Finance Minister soon and they would objectively review the data.
Kamla: More than $7M paid to Mrs Imbert

Persad-Bissessar, during the UNCs Monday Night Forum in Chaguanas claimed that Bolt (Trinidad Ltd), owned by Susan Williams-Imbert was paid more than the $7.5M as reported in the media. Persad-Bissessar also alleged cost overruns at the HDC.

The Corporation has since described the Sunday Express article as, reckless, irresponsible and defamatory. I have the records and the cheques, Persad-Bissessar told cheering supporters while displaying copies of documents which she said, could corroborate her findings. When contacted yesterday, HDC was firm in its response.

Head of Communications at HDC Maurisa Findlay told Newsday: The statement issued by HDC is factual - the content is true and cannot be contested.

We are very comfortable with that statement. Scores of jubilant supporters dressed in yellow, waving flags and tooting horns gathered on the busy Montrose Junction, Chaguanas causing traffic to snarl through the main street during the meeting that lasted just over two hours. Persad-Bissessar spoke about transactions between Bolt Trinidad Limited, a company incorporated in August 2003 and whose shareholders are Williams- Imbert and Allan Brammer and the HDC. She gave a paper trail starting in 2005, when she said the company was awarded the contract for project management services. In this contract, it says Contract between HDC and Bolt, Persad-Bissessar said.

You hear lie? And they want to talk about waste, about mismanagement and corruption. So when they talking and telling you zero, zero, zero for you, that is zero for you but (sum mentioned) for Bolt! Persad-Bissessar described a wives club scenario in the ruling Peoples National Movement (PNM) administration and added that an email was sent by the wife of a government minister enquiring about outstanding payments with senior HDC officials responding by saying sorry and promising payment in a matter of days. But what about the hundreds of contractors who have not been paid for work over the past 15 months? What about them, she asked.

She advised supporters that when PNMites come to their homes seeking votes, remind them of monies paid to Imberts wife.

When we were in government, we worked for you, she told the crowd. I worked for you and I am saying if your country ever needed you...now is the time! If your party ever needed you...now is the time! As your leader I say, I need you now to save Trinidad from the PNM! Vowing to fight every seat to the hilt, to ensure that UNC brings home victory on November 28, in the Local Government Election (LGE.), she boasted: NSA, MSJ, COP, PNM, I taking on every one and we will give them a licking on November 28!
Arima mayor not returning

Hadeed, an alderman at the corporation for the 2013-2016 period, was not included in the list of PNM aldermen for the corporation.

On Monday (Nomination Day), the candidates of political parties contesting the November 28 local government election filed their nomination papers at Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) offices in their respective electoral districts.

The PNM and the Opposition United National Congress (UNC), which are contesting all 137 electoral districts in Trinidad, also submitted the names of their respective 137 aldermen nominees for the 14 local government corporations.

Hadeed is one of four heads of local government bodies who will not be returning to office after November 28.

Already out is Keron Valentine at the Portof- Spain City Corporation who was not selected by the partys screen screening committee which is chaired by Prime Minister and PNM political leader Dr Keith Rowley.

Valentine was the councillor for Northern Port-of-Spain.

Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation (TPRC) Chairman Edwing Gooding, an alderman, was not selected this time among the 16 aldermen at the TPRC.

Former San Fernando Mayor Kazim Hosein, who was appointed Rural Development and Local Government Minister on November 1 when Rowley reshuffled the Cabinet, is excluded from the nine aldermen for the San Fernando City Corporation.

Returning, however, to once again be possible heads of their respective corporations are Clyde Paul (Point Fortin), Anthony Roberts (San Juan/Laventille) and Terry Rondon (Sangre Grande). Rondon is an elected councillor.
Jenny speaks on unemployment stats

That decline (in employment) is also reflected in the numerous letters I receive on my desk informing me of retrenchments, Baptiste- Primus who told media, at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, that there has been no slow down in the number of these letters since the beginning of this year and the current period. She said from her own recollection, between September 2015 and September 2015, there have been more 2,000 retrenchments.

Baptiste Primus noted that figures from smaller businesses may not be captured here as businesses are only required to inform the ministry when there have been five or more retrenchments. The labour minister was optimistic however, that measures being taken by government to stimulate the economy through the construction sector would re-absorb some of these workers.
Donald J. Trump will be the next President of the United States.

The evil, demonic, mass murdering Hillary Clinton has been defeated.This is VICTORY for all Americans, even the uninformed, ignorant morons who voted for Hillary.

Notably, Natural News has consistently predicted a Donald Trump victory for over a year, even while the entire lying leftist media insisted Clinton would be the victor. As I wrote in this Natural News article:

For almost a year, Ive been publicly predicting Donald Trump will win the election. Now, with the deep state turning against Hillary  and with damning evidence about to be leaked that will take her down forever  a Trump victory is more certain than ever.

All across America, the deplorables have taken America back from the corrupt political elite.

CELEBRATE your victory, friends and fans.

We have defeated evil incarnate.

We have defeated hatred, bigotry and extreme deception of the mentally ill democrats.

We have defeated deep corruption, CHEATING, lying, rigged polls, rigged news, rigged FBI decisions and more.

We the People, just as I promised yesterday, are taking our country back.

From my article We the People are TAKING AMERICA BACK from the lawless, corrupt, incompetent criminals running Washington and the media:

Today We the People are taking America back from the lawless, corrupt, incompetent criminals running Washington and the lying leftist media.

Were going to start by rejecting Hillary Clinton and the entire corrupt political class, most of whom belong in prison, not in high office.

Next, were going to reverse the completely idiotic policies, executive orders and regulations of the lunatic leftists who have been running American into the ground for the last eight years. This effort is going to begin by completely repealing the disastrous, unconstitutional, ill-conceived health care fiasco known as Obamacare.

Even while thats happening, were going to turn off the lying leftist media and stop watching their state-run propaganda parading around as news. All the fake news organizations  Associated Presstitutes, Reuters, CNN, MSNBC and the Huffington Post  are going to find themselves plummeting in audience size as informed people reject the deep media corruption that has been on raw display during the 2016 election.

Today we have a prayer for America. We have a chance now to beat back the tyranny, corruption and collusion of Washington D.C.

Spread the news far and wide: We have just defeated EVIL in Washington.

Be warned, as I predicted, the markets are going to tank. From my article two days ago:

Today, Im announcing a red alert warning: The big crash is likely to begin soon after the election, no matter who wins If Trump wins, the stocks take an instant dive, reflecting the fact that corrupt Wall Street banksters realize their money making scams are going to end under Trump. After some strong government intervention, they will recover and just barely hold together until Trump is inaugurated in January of 2017. After that, its economic doomsday as the central banks deliberately crash the system to blame Trump and call for his impeachment.

American patriots take their country back from the corrupt establishment

Who accomplished this victory against the establishment? YOU DID! And the alternative media, the truthers, the dedicated patriots and all the tens of millions of Americans who woke up and said enough is ENOUGH!

Sleep well, my friends, for tomorrow the real battle for liberty begins. Next, we must urge Trump to indict and prosecute the Clinton criminals as soon as he takes office.

We must also tell Donald Trump that we fully support his effort to #DrainTheSwamp in Washington.
Corporate India gives thumbs up to Modi's black money curbing initiative

Delhi,National,Business/Economy, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) As the government tightened its noose on black money, India's corporate sector cutting across the spectrum gave a thumbs up to the step taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on banning of high value currency in the country.

Here is what they said:

Porush Singh, Country Corporate Officer, India and Division President, South Asia, Mastercard:

Mastercard welcomes and supports Prime Minister Modi's announcement regarding the ban on high value currency notes as it fundamentally addresses the underlying 'cash engine' that drives the shadow economy. It will enable further growth in the Indian economy by encouraging cashless transactions and reducing crime rate.

T.R. Ramachandran, Group Country Manager, India & South Asia, VISA:

We welcome this bold move by the government towards eliminating black money and accelerating India towards a cashless economy. This is one of the most significant steps that we have seen so far towards India becoming a cashless economy.

Ashish Sarin, CEO, Alpha Corp:

There is widespread corruption in the system and the government had to take stern measures to weed out corruption from the grassroots level. Demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes will be instrumental in eradicating black money out from the transactions and strengthen the banking channel as moneys will get in to the banking system.

Dhruv Agarwala, CEO, PropTiger.com and makaan.com:

We don't see an immediate fall in land prices, but transactions will certainly freeze. The overall decline in land prices will have a cascading effect.

Shishir Baijal, Chairman and Managing Director, Knight Frank India:

The broader effects of this move will help the sector (real estate) grow in the long run. Firstly, it will create a level playing field amongst all stake holders in the sector. Institutional funding to developers which till present day came with a higher risk weightage is bound to see some softening with the increased transparency.

Sathvik Vishwanath, CEO and Co-Founder, Unocoin:

The intentions are good but very difficult to achieve. If going cashless is the only way forward, certainly the bitcoin which is borderless trustless and transparent currency makes more sense.

Manavjeet Singh, CEO and Founder, Rubique:

This is a promising move made by the government towards cashless economy. This will boost innovation in the nascent electronic payment industry. Without doubt, this will bring down frauds and thefts and costs of printing cash. A great blow to black money. If executed well, the costs of doing transactions between buyers and sellers will lower significantly by 2019.

Ranjit Punja, CEO and Co-founder, Creditmantri:

Sweeping step taken by the PM, but this should have a positive impact in curtailing black money and reducing corruption. Likely to cause some temporary hardship, and with the introduction of the Rs 2,000 note, along with the security and tracking features, currency will be used as intended.

Sanjay Sethi,Co-founder and CEO, Shopclues:

This is a master stroke by the BJP government and a very bold move indeed. Even though this is not the first time such a move has been made by a sitting government, what is significant this time is that it is built on the JAM trinity - Jandhan, Aadhar and Mobile - making it hard for the country to regress.

Vineet Relia, Managing Director, SARE Homes:

This is a very bold move taken by the government and we truly support the decision of moving towards cash less economy. The move will have a major impact in secondary sales especially in the high value segment.

Anshuman Magazine, Chairman, India & South East Asia, CBRE:

It is a bold move. While it may cause some pain in the short-term, the long-term outlook for the industry looks positive. It certainly helps that the real estate industry has already moved towards transparency in its operations.

--IANS

ag/rn
Redmayne auditioned for 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'

United States,Cinema/Showbiz,Hollywood, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

Los Angeles, Nov 9 (IANS) Actor Eddie Redmayne has revealed that he auditioned for the role of Kylo Ren in 2015 film "Stars Wars: The Force Awakens" two years ago.

Redmayne said that he had a "catastrophically bad" reading for the "Star Wars" villain, reports variety.com.

"They gave me like a 'Star Trek' scene -- or like something from 'Pride and Prejudice'. It was one of those films," Redmayne told news website Uproxx.

"With films that top secret, they don't give you the actual lines. So they give you a scene from 'Pride and Prejudice', but then they tell you you're auditioning for the baddie. If you're me, you then put some ridiculous voice on," he added.

Redmayne didn't get to play the role, but he can next be seen as Newt Scamander in "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", which is slated to release on November 18.

--IANS

sas/rb/vt
Assam state service panel member nabbed in cash-for-job scam

Assam,National,Crime/Disaster/Accident, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

Guwahati, Nov 9 (IANS) The Assam Police have arrested an Assam Public Service Commission member for his alleged involvement in the cash for job scam in the state public service commission, a police official said on Wednesday.

Samedur Rahman was arrested from his house in Guwahati on late Tuesday night, Dibrugarh Additional Superintendent of Police S.S. Panesar, who is also the investigating officer in the case, said.

The Assam Police last week nabbed APSC Chairman Rakesh Paul for his alleged involvement in the case. He was presented before a local court here on November 5 and was sent into 14-day police custody.

"We heard that Rahman is at his home on Tuesday night. We went there and arrested him," said Panesar.

"We are not in a position to disclose anything now. We have arrested him and we are going to interrogate him over the scam," Panesar added.

A special team of police led by Panesar was probing a case where an engineer of Town and Country planning Department was caught while accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh in cash on October 27 this year.

Based on the engineer's confession, the police later nabbed the personnel security officer of APSC member Samedur Rahman. Interrogation of the engineer and Rahman's PSO Mamud Ali Choudhry led to the arrest of Paul and Rahman.

Rahman had earlier moved the Gauhati High Court seeking anticipatory bail, which was rejected.

There had been series of agitations in Assam for last several years against the irregularities and corruption in the APSC, particularly during the conduct of the Assam Civil Service and other allied service examinations.

There were allegations of Rakesh Paul owned assets disproportionate to his known source of income and that he has acquired assets in the name of his wife, his brother, his driver and other relatives. Last year, the Gauhati High Court asked the CBI to investigate the allegations.

The high court, however, asked the CBI not to arrest Paul during the preliminary inquiry but interrogate him and submit a report to the court. The court's instruction came during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, a peasants' rights group.

--IANS

Ah/sm/vt
Corporate India gives thumbs up to Modi's black money curbing initiative

Delhi,National,Business/Economy, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) As the government tightened its noose on black money, India's corporate sector cutting across the spectrum gave a thumbs up to the steps taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on demonetization of high value currency in the country.

Here is what they said:

Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman, Bharti Enterprises:

This is a very thoughtful and bold move by the Prime Minister, which will reinforce the faith of the people in the ideas of transparency and governance. This step will not only clean up the scourge of parallel economy, but will also provide a major fillip to the nation's transition into a cashless digital economy. This is the time for the business and people of the country to rejoice the transformational initiative by the government, rather than worry about the short term inconvenience that they may face.

Somasundaram PR, Managing Director, India, World Gold Council:

The act of demonetising high value currency notes by the government of India is a decisive and welcome step to curb tax evasion and improve compliance, an important milestone in the journey towards the vision of becoming a cashless economy. This will be transformative for gold as this has the potential to squeeze out the unofficial trade, and drive greater transparency across.

Porush Singh, Country Corporate Officer, India and Division President, South Asia, Mastercard:

Mastercard welcomes and supports Prime Minister Modi's announcement regarding the ban on high value currency notes as it fundamentally addresses the underlying 'cash engine' that drives the shadow economy. It will enable further growth in the Indian economy by encouraging cashless transactions and reducing crime rate.

T.R. Ramachandran, Group Country Manager, India & South Asia, VISA:

We welcome this bold move by the government towards eliminating black money and accelerating India towards a cashless economy. This is one of the most significant steps that we have seen so far towards India becoming a cashless economy.

Ashish Sarin, CEO, Alpha Corp:

There is widespread corruption in the system and the government had to take stern measures to weed out corruption from the grassroots level. Demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes will be instrumental in eradicating black money out from the transactions and strengthen the banking channel as moneys will get in to the banking system.

Dhruv Agarwala, CEO, PropTiger.com and makaan.com:

We don't see an immediate fall in land prices, but transactions will certainly freeze. The overall decline in land prices will have a cascading effect.

Shishir Baijal, Chairman and Managing Director, Knight Frank India:

The broader effects of this move will help the sector (real estate) grow in the long run. Firstly, it will create a level playing field amongst all stake holders in the sector. Institutional funding to developers which till present day came with a higher risk weightage is bound to see some softening with the increased transparency.

Sathvik Vishwanath, CEO and Co-Founder, Unocoin:

The intentions are good but very difficult to achieve. If going cashless is the only way forward, certainly the bitcoin which is borderless trustless and transparent currency makes more sense.

Manavjeet Singh, CEO and Founder, Rubique:

This is a promising move made by the government towards cashless economy. This will boost innovation in the nascent electronic payment industry. Without doubt, this will bring down frauds and thefts and costs of printing cash. A great blow to black money. If executed well, the costs of doing transactions between buyers and sellers will lower significantly by 2019.

Ranjit Punja, CEO and Co-founder, Creditmantri:

Sweeping step taken by the PM, but this should have a positive impact in curtailing black money and reducing corruption. Likely to cause some temporary hardship, and with the introduction of the Rs 2,000 note, along with the security and tracking features, currency will be used as intended.

Sanjay Sethi,Co-founder and CEO, Shopclues:

This is a master stroke by the BJP government and a very bold move indeed. Even though this is not the first time such a move has been made by a sitting government, what is significant this time is that it is built on the JAM trinity - Jandhan, Aadhar and Mobile - making it hard for the country to regress.

Vineet Relia, Managing Director, SARE Homes:

This is a very bold move taken by the government and we truly support the decision of moving towards cash less economy. The move will have a major impact in secondary sales especially in the high value segment.

Anshuman Magazine, Chairman, India & South East Asia, CBRE:

It is a bold move. While it may cause some pain in the short-term, the long-term outlook for the industry looks positive. It certainly helps that the real estate industry has already moved towards transparency in its operations.

--IANS

ag/rn
Indian equities stage major recovery after early crash

Maharashtra,Business/Economy, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

null

Mumbai, Nov 9 (IANS) After crashing 1,688 points, or 6.12 per cent, in early trade on Wednesday, a key Indian equity index, the 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, regained a large part of the losses to trade around 383 points, or 1.39 per cent, lower over the previous close.

Following global cues, as also domestic developments, key Indian indices had reacted adversely to the government's decision the previous evening to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, as also on clear lead Republican candidate Donald Trump established in the US presidential election.

The 30-share Sensex opened as much as 1,339.76 points, or 4.86 per cent lower on Wednesday, at 26,251.38 points, against the previous close at 27,591.14 points. It then drifted 350 points further immediately after. But gradually, a large part of the losses were recouped.

By the time Democratic Hillary Clinton conceded defeat and Trump gave his victory speech, the index had significantly risen from the lows, and was quoting at 27,207.92 points, down 383.22 points, or 1.39 per cent.

Initially, all the 30 shares that go into the Sensex basket were quoting in the red. But upon the recovery, four stocks were in the green, three of them in the pharma space -- Dr. Reddy's, Sun Pharma and Lupin. The State Bank of India was also in the positive territory.

"The initial lead of Trump in US elections sent markets into a tizzy. Now since the lead has been materialised in him winning the election, the market is adjusting itself to changed economics and decisive ways the policies will be implemented," said Mustafa Nadeem, CEO of Epic Research.

"Winning of Donald Trump has had a negative impact on the global markets," Astha Jain, Senior Research Analyst, Hem Securities, told IANS.

At the National Stock Exchange, the Nifty was quoting at 8,414.35 points, down 129.20 points, or 1.51 per cent.

Jain, however, sounded positive on the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. "The announcement on Tuesday evening on demonetisation will have a good impact on the overall economy in the long run. In the short term, the impact is, however, negative," Jain said.

"The sectors which involve cash transactions are the worst affected, mainly the real estate and IT sector."

The situation was no different at other global markets.

At one point, the US Dow was down nearly 4 per cent, Australia's S&P ASX/200 lost 1.2 per cent, Japan's Nikkei was down 4.5 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 2 per cent, South Korea's Kospi was down 2.3 per cent and the Shanghai Composite fell 0.6 percent.

--IANS

ap-ppg/vt

null
Demonetisation will have positive impact on economy: CII

Delhi,Business/Economy, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) Industry organisation CII on Wednesday said the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes will have a positive impact on the economy, as it will help tackle corruption that has taken roots over the last several decades.

"The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has always supported measures to root out corruption and black money. CII's code of conduct for ethical business prohibits bribery and money laundering and promotes ethical business dealings and compliance with laws on terrorist financing," the industry body said in a statement.

The business body pointed out that the positive impacts of the decision to invalidate Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as legal tenders will be felt in addressing the issues of terrorism, counterfeit currency and arms smuggling, as mentioned by the Prime Minister.

On Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination currency notes will cease to be legal tenders from the midnight of November 8 as part of a string of measures to fight black money.

According to Naushad Forbes, President of the CII, the Prime Minister's epochal move to stamp out black money means a definitive and impactful end to the parallel economy and to promote wider use of cashless transactions.

The Prime Minister's address to the nation on demonetising Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes sends out the strong message that corruption and underground transactions will no longer be tolerated, said Forbes.

"Prime Minister's resolute action infuses huge confidence among honest tax payers, legal industry and the public at large that India means business when it comes to halting corruption and black money."

Congratulating the Prime Minister on the reformist measure, CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said: "It truly proves to the citizens and the world that India can take strong economic measures when required, and underscores the will of the government to undertake big bang reforms."

"We are confident that Prime Minister Modi will continue to take tough steps with huge macro impact on the economy in the future," Banerjee said.

Banerjee added that the CII believes that the disruptions and hardships that are being feared are only transient and only for the next couple of days, and the whole country should welcome this move in the interest of the larger good.

--IANS

ppg/nir/vt
Modi calls upon people for a corruption-free India

Delhi,National,Politics,Business/Economy,Cinema/Showbiz, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) Terming his government's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes as a "historic step to fight corruption", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called upon people to work together for a corruption-free India.

"A historic step to fight corruption, black money and terrorism," Modi said on Twitter a day after announcing the decision to axe Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

With megastar Rajinikanth joining a host of actors to laud the Prime Minister for the move, Modi took the opportunity to call upon the people to join the fight against corruption and black money.

"Thank you. All of us have to work shoulder to shoulder and create a prosperous, inclusive and corruption-free India," posted Modi in reply to Rajinikanth's tweet, "Hats off Narendra Modiji. New India is born, Jai Hind".

Among the other Bollywood stars to hail the move were Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor and Anushka Sharma.

--IANS

and/nir/vt
Israeli President to visit India

Delhi,National,Politics,Diplomacy,Business/Economy, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will visit India from November 14 to 21 at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee, it was announced on Wednesday.

This follows the visit of Mukherjee to Israel in October last year, the first ever presidential visit from India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold bilateral discussions with Rivlin on November 15 and President Mukherjee will host a banquet in his honour.

Vice President Hamid Ansari and External Affairs Sushma Swaraj will also call on the Israeli leader.

Sushma Swaraj visited Israel in January this year.

According to the External Affairs Ministry, President Rivlin is expected to meet business leaders of both India and Israel during his visit.

He will also visit the Centre of Excellence in Agriculture in Karnal in Haryana and will take part in Agro Tech 2016 organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry in Chandigarh.

"India and Israel enjoy excellent relations marked by strong ties in the areas of economy and commerce, science and technology, research and innovation, culture and tourism, education etc," the ministry said.

"Rivlin's visit is an important event which signifies the growing and sustainable relations between our two countries," Israeli Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon said.

"It is part of a historical process, and the next chapter is enhancing cooperation on agriculture, water and education; from defence and security to food security," he added.

According to the embassy, Rivlin will head business and academic delegations including 15 heads of Israeli universities as well as companies, some of which are active and successful in India.

"The visit will focus on strengthening the ever growing economic ties between India and Israel in agriculture and water, and promoting academic cooperation pursuing the MoU signed by President Mukherjee in Israel in 2015," it stated.

Rivlin will also visit the Taj Mahal in Agra and the adjacent Israeli water treatment plant "Aqwise".

This will be the first Israeli Presidential visit to India in nearly 20 years since Ezer Weizman came in January 1997.

--IANS

ab/mr
Amit Trivedi, Lucky Ali to perform live at Rider's Music Festival 2016

Delhi,Cinema/Showbiz, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) Performers like Lucky Ali and Amit Trivedi will take to the stage at Rider's Music Festival 2016, backed by Red FM.

Scheduled to be held on December 3 and 4 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here, the festival will enthral audiences with artistes such as Abish Mathew, Kanan Gill, Hari & Sukhmani, Kutle Khan, Voctronica and Local Train.

Besides appealing to the biking community with a bike showcase, installations, wash, workshops, customisation and competition for the bikers, there will be speaker sessions from veterans like CS Santosh, Arun Thareja, Sunny (founder Xbhp) and Gaurav Gill. The festival has also been packed in with numerous attractions to entertain many from the non-biking community.

Riders Music Festival will also have grub stations and bars, karaoke along with other leisure activities including tattoo shops, graffiti, arm wrestling, paintball, gaming zone and more.

--IANS

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'Amp up' safety standards for stuntmen, says Madhavan

Maharashtra,Cinema/Showbiz,Southern Cinema, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

Mumbai, Nov 9 (IANS) Actor R. Madhavan has shown concern towards the two actors who drowned while filming a climax scene for a Kannada film. The actor has requested to "amp up" the safety standards for the stuntmen.

He tweeted on Tuesday evening, a day after two actors drowned in a water reservoir after leaping off a helicopter while shooting a crucial climax scene for a Kannada film near Bengaluru. Madhavan says the news is "really saddening".

"Really really saddening...my condolences with an earnest request to amp up the safety standard for stuntmen effectively and judiciously," Madhavan tweeted.

Madhavan had re-tweeted the video and a tweet by southern actor Suriya Sivakumar, who asserted that it is high time the safety of the crew is taken seriously.

"Deeply saddened! At the age of VFX this is unfortunate! High time, safety of the crew is taken seriously! My condolences to family members," Sivakumar tweeted.

The incident involved famous southern actor Duniya Vijay, who swam to safety and even had a life jacket, and two others -- identified as Anil and Uday -- who drowned after jumping off the helicopter. They had no safety harness and did not know how to swim either.

--IANS

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Shock, anger to congratulations flood Twitter on Trump win

United States,Politics,Technology, US Elections, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

New York, Nov 9 (IANS) As Republican Donald Trump won the US presidential election, reactions on Twitter ranged from shock and disgust to congratulatory messages.

"I am in complete and utter shock right now..." Naila Ahmad tweeted.

"'Tremendous...tremendous!' Yep, we're all sitting in a tremendous pile of $@!t right now," another tweet from the user read.

Trump was on Wednesday elected the new US President, defeating forecasters who had predicted a Hillary Clinton win in one of the most bitterly fought Presidential battles.

Another user from South Africa went to the extent of comparing the consequences of Trump's win with that of the disastrous September 11 terrorist attack on the American soil.

"Date: 09/11 Event: #DonaldTrump becomes the New #USPresident," DJ Busang tweeted.

"And America decided to let go halloween for the next four years. Congratulations America," Vishal Gaurav from India said in a tweet laced with sarcasm.

The 2016 presidential race saw the Republican nominee confronting the conventional media at several points of time and President Barack Obama accusing social network sites of spreading lies about the election.

With 35 million tweets on the US election day, Twitter on Wednesday broke its earlier record set in 2012 election day of more than 31 million tweets.

All the messages on Twitter, however, were not hostile to the newly elected President of the US.

"#DonaldTrump Congratulations! Thank you, master!" Gustavo Conforti tweeted.

"I'm not going to hear the end of the liberals whining about how the country is ruined and that we're all going to die...", a user with the name The Average Voter tweeted.

The 70-year-old will be the 45th President of the US. Clinton immediately called Trump to concede the election defeat and congratulate him.

--IANS

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Demonetisation is like 'all-India unannounced strike': Mamata

West Bengal,National,Politics,Business/Economy, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

Kolkata, Nov 9 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday likened the Centre's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes to an "all-India unannounced strike" and appealed to the government to withdraw the "hasty" decision.

She requested the Narendra Modi-led central government to frame a plan of action and act in accordance.

"Please save people from this disaster. Roads are closed, markets shut, patients not being admitted to private hospitals, millions affected. Chaos everywhere. This is like an all-India unannounced strike," the Chief Minister said on Twitter.

The Trinamool Congress supremo said "those who hoard large amounts of black money will be protected".

She reiterated that the poor and middle class are suffering.

"The poorest of the poor and middle class are crying. I once more appeal to the government to withdraw this hasty decision. First do a plan of action and only then do proper implementation. This is a complete disaster," Banerjee added.

--IANS

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New Rs 500, Rs 2,000 notes at ATMs from Friday

Delhi,Business/Economy,Human Interest/Society, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) Amid confusion over ATMs being able to disburse large amounts of Rs 100 notes when they reopen on Friday, Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa clarified on Wednesday that new currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 value will also be available for people to withdraw.

The confusion arose after the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, following which people found it hard to get hold of Rs 100 notes for transactions.

"There will not be any problem as it (Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes) will be available from Nov 11 in all ATMs," Lavasa said.

The government had already announced on Tuesday that while ATMs will be shut for two days, once they reopen on Friday, a person can withdraw up to Rs 2,000 per day through a single card till November 18.

Thereafter, the limit will be increased to Rs 4,000 per day.

"The Reserve Bank will closely monitor the fresh notes that will be issued. The cash withdrawal restrictions will ease once supplies of new Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 notes improve," Lavasa added.

As per data available with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Rs 17,54,000 crore worth of currency is in circulation in India, out of which 45 per cent is accounted for by Rs 500 notes and 39 per cent by Rs 1,000 notes.

In other words, Rs 6,32,000 crore worth of currency stands demonetised.

--IANS

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Smoking of hookahs to be monitored as part of anti-tobacco move: WHO FCTC

Uttar Pradesh,National,Diplomacy,Health/Medicine, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

Greater Noida, Nov 9 (IANS) Aiming to curb consumption of tobacco among the youth at an early stage, the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) has urged its 180 member nations to monitor waterpipe (Indian hookah) tobacco use through a national surveillance system to cover all age groups.

Strengthening the policies against tobacco consumption, the FCTC is also discussing banning the use of flavourings in waterpipe tobacco products. The FCTC -- the world's highest convention against anti-tobacco policies -- is brainstorming and focusing on inclusion of awareness against waterpipe use in all national awareness campaigns and activities.

"To strictly include waterpipe use in the ban of tobacco use in public places as per article 18 of the convention and the guidelines, which talks about protection of the environment and the health of persons," said a decision statement accessed only by IANS.

Recent studies have concluded that in India the percentage of students who begin waterpipe smoking before 10 years of age has increased from 26 per cent to 45 per cent in the last one decade.

Health experts said that at least 40 per cent of school-going students get into smoking waterpipes to quench their desire for smoking cigarettes, thinking that the lower tobacco content in hookahs will not harm their health.

The member nations -- also known as parties of the convention -- have been told to promote research on waterpipe -- specific culturally relevant interventions to prevent the uptake of waterpipe tobacco smoking, as well as to promote quitting (cessation).

"There is a need to stop the cultural practices... Research is also required on the influence of flavouring on initiation, maintenance of use and increasing use, dependency liability with low-nicotine tobacco products and effective policies using conceptual frameworks such as information technology and communications," said the papers.

The WHO says tobacco causes over five million deaths world wide which is likely to increase to 8.4 million if the situation is not brought under control.

According to them, the volume of smoke inhaled during a typical hookah session is about 90,000 milliliters, compared to 500 to 600 milliliters of smoke inhaled by smoking a cigarette.

The FCTC has also appealed to its member countries to increase taxes applicable on waterpipe tobacco and apply rates and schedules similar to other combustible tobacco products, especially cigarettes. The idea of control and prevention of waterpipe tobacco products was raised by Iran and Lebanon on the second day of the convention on Tuesday evening, that is being attended by 1,500 delegation from 180 countries.

A senior member of the FCTC, not willing to be named, told IANS: "Certainly, many South Asian countries including India will be most benefitted from the initiative if implemented properly. However, discussions are going on how to get the best out of it."

FCTC had recently announced that United Kingdom will provide financial support of $90 million to the convention to intensify the fight against tobacco across the world.

A new project launched by the FCTC to support developing nations for better implementation of anti-tobacco policies may also see India getting a chunk of it.

(Rupesh Dutta can be contacted at Rupesh.d@ians.in)

--IANS

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Ami Bera re-elected to Congress

United States,Politics,Diaspora, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

New York, Nov 9 (IANS) Ami Bera, the only Indian American in Congress, has been re-elected to the House of Representatives where he will be joined by three others in the new session in January.

The California Democrat successfully overcame the problem created by his over-enthusiastic father who illegally transferred funds to his election campaign. Babulal Bera, 83, was convicted of election funding fraud and sentenced to a year in prison earlier this year.

Although prosecutors cleared Ami Bera personally of any involvement in the crime, his Republican rival Scott Jones made an issue of it. But Bera won the election with a two percent lead, down from the eight percent lead he had in the in the primary.

Bera was first elected from his constituency, includes a part of California's state capital San Diego, in 2012 and re-elected in 2014. President Barack Obama endorsed him. He also received the support of several trade unions.

He is the co-chair of the India Caucus in Congress, which brings together legislators interested in India. He accompanied Obama during his visit to India in 2015 and was one of the Congressmen who facilitated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to Congress this year.

Bera, 51, is a doctor and a convert from Hinduism to the Unitarian faith.

The three newly-elected Indian Americans who will join him are Pramila Jayapal from Washington State, Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois and fellow Californian Ro Khanna.

--IANS

al/vd
Jayapal becomes first Indian American woman elected to US House of Representatives

United States,Politics,Diaspora, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

New York, Nov 9 (IANS) Pramila Jayapal became the first Indian American woman elected to the House of Representatives, winning Tuesday's election from Washington state.

She will join other Indian Americans in the Congress, Kamala Harris, the first Indian American elected to the Senate, and three others in the House of Representatives.

Jayapal, who calls herself a "progressive fighter," was endorsed by Bernie Sanders, the insurgent socialist who challenged Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Party presidential nomination. She defeated fellow Democrat Barry Walkinshaw.

In a tweet after her election, she thanked the voters for "standing up for the values of our country - that welcomed me as a 16-year-old immigrant."

A financial analyst by training, she has worked on Wall Street before turning to political activism that has focused on immigrant and women's rights issues. She was recognised by President Barack Obama in 2013 as a "Champion of Change" for her advocacy of immigrant causes.

The 51-year-old Jayapal, who was born in Chennai, is married to Steve Williamson and has a son and a stepson. She is the author of "Pilgrimage to India: A Woman Revisits Her Homeland."

--IANS

al/vd
Xi congratulates Trump

China,Diplomacy, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

Beijing, Nov 9 (IANS) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on being elected as the 45th President of the US, said a Chinese government statement.

In his message, Xi said that he looked forward to working with Trump.

Earlier in the day, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said Beijing was ready to work with the new US government. The remarks came as Trump was inching close to victory.

Lu said China expected to make joint efforts with the new US government to maintain sustained, healthy and stable growth of China-US relations, and benefit people of the two countries and the world.

--IANS

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Sonam Kapoor meets Stan Lee in Hollywood

United States,Cinema/Showbiz,Bollywood, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

Los Angeles, Nov 9 (IANS) Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor, who had a blink-and-miss appearance in Coldplay's single "Hymn for the weekend", had a superhero moment when she met legendary writer Stan Lee.

Lee is credited with creating the Marvel Universe, a jamboree of comic book characters like Spider-Man and the X-Men, and the man behind the Indian superhero Chakra.

"Sonam, who recently traveled to Arizona to encourage the south Asian community to vote in the US presidential elections, made a pit stop in Beverly Hills here where she met Lee," said a source.

The daughter of actor Anil Kapoor -- who starred in Oscar-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire" -- also posted her superhero moment on Snapchat.

In the photograph, Sonam is seen smiling while Lee in his bright yellow sweater is seen engrossed in the conversation.

Sonam was in Arizone to join international celebrities in supporting Hillary Clinton in the US presidential elections, which Donald Trump won on Wednesday.

--IANS

sug/rb/vt
It will take a miracle for us to win: Trump's adviser

United States,Politics, US Elections, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

Washington, Nov 9 (IANS) A senior adviser from Donald Trump's inner circle sized up the US Republican presidential candidate's chances on Tuesday in one stunning sentence: "It will take a miracle for us to win."

The adviser went on to say that Trump was in such a deep hole after the "Access Hollywood" tape that it was assumed inside the campaign that he would lose by a wide margin, CNN reported.

Trump's ability to close that gap in the last weeks of the campaign is seen as a pretty stunning achievement -- one that may even save the Senate for the GOP in the view of this adviser.

--IANS

lok/mr
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Volunteers from Rashtrapati Bhavan-adopted villages complete training

Delhi,National,Education,Human Interest/Society, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) Volunteers from five villages adopted by Rashtrapati Bhavan completed their training in traditional therapies and first aid on Wednesday, an official statement said.

Omita Paul, Secretary to President Pranab Mukherjee, on Wednesday presented certificates to village volunteers who participated in the internship programme at AYUSH Wellness Centre in the President's Estate under the Smart Gram Initiative.

"Fifteen volunteers from the five villages -- Dhaula, Alipur, Harchandpur, Rojka Meo and Taj Nagar -- adopted by Rashtrapati Bhavan under its Smart Gram Initiative, were given training in therapies under Ayurveda, Unani, Yoga, First Aid and Physiotherapy for two months.

"Today, they were awarded certificates and First Aid kits. These trainees will now run the Smart Gram Wellness Centres being opened and inaugurated in the villages on November 11, 2016 by the Haryana Chief Minister," the statement said.

Speaking on the occasion, Paul said that volunteers must utilise their training to serve the people of their respective villages with dedication.

"Rashtrapati Bhavan will continue this endeavour and efforts were already underway to train the second batch of volunteers," she added.

--IANS

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'Research required before low nicotine tobacco adoption'

Delhi,National,Science/Tech,Business/Economy,Health/Medicine, Wed, 09 Nov 2016 IANS

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) There needs to be extensive research on the consequences of adoption of very low nicotine level tobacco on farmers, consumers and the environment, experts said on Wednesday.

The experts also said that the research should precisely try to figure out the economic cost to the nation before the entire project is adopted.

"It is incorrect to target only nicotine as part of harm reduction research as other content like tar and other compounds hold greater importance," said K.D. Singh, former Director, Central Tobacco Research Institute.

"It is possible to manipulate the nicotine content and other compounds by adopting superior processes like organic cultivation and fast curing which are locally more relevant. We need thorough research before considering measures like low nicotine tobacco for Indian farmers," Singh said.

The discussion was held by business chamber Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Wednesday to discuss underlying issues and challenges for Indian tobacco growers.

"In India, the practice is to import technology instead of investing in local R&D (research and development). Indian scientists are fully capable of developing new varieties of tobacco which would be more suitable to Indian farm conditions," said Shashi Kumar Rhode, Scientist, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB).

"India has the capability to be the number one exporter of tobacco by developing new varieties which the world needs, and we should be given the time and opportunity to develop those," Rhode said.

The panel brought together agri-scientists, tobacco experts and growers and included experts with extensive experience in the field of farming, genetic engineering, and biotechnology, members of farmer organisations and industry representatives.

G. Satyanarayana, Member - Tobacco Board, said: "Many of the major tobacco growing countries have not signed WHO FCTC (World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control) and will continue to produce high nicotine tobacco. If low nicotine tobacco is forced on Indian farmers, they may suffer huge economic loss in the international market as tobacco from other countries is likely to gain market share."

Before proposing low nicotine tobacco crops, Satyanarayan said that India needs to first conduct extensive research on the full impact of such a move covering the agro-climatic impact, consumer impact, economic impact and social impact.

--IANS

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Mexico calls on Trump to improve bilateral ties

Mexico,Politics,Diplomacy, US Elections, Thu, 10 Nov 2016 IANS

Mexico City, Nov 10 (IANS) Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto congratulated US President-elect Donald Trump and stated he is ready to work to improve bilateral relations.

Posting on Twitter on Wednesday, Pena Nieto wrote that Mexico and the US are friends, partners and allies, which must continue working to increase the competitiveness and development of North America, Xinhua news agency reported.

"I trust Mexico and the US will continue tightening their bonds of cooperation and mutual respect," he said.

Trump defeated his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton on Tuesday. He based much of his campaign on pulling the US out of NAFTA, the free-trade agreement signed with Canada and Mexico in 1994, as well as building a wall along the Mexican border.

In August, Trump was invited by Pena Nieto to meet in Mexico City, at which time the Mexican president explained that his people had felt insulted by Trump's comments.

Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu made it clear that Mexico would absolutely not pay for the wall.

"The Mexican government has been clear and emphatic that paying for a wall is outside our intent," said Ruiz Massieu, adding that the two countries must instead work together.

Ruiz Massieu added that the Mexican government would seek spaces for dialogue and understanding with the Trump administration to find ways to defend the interests of the 35.5 million Mexican-Americans in the US.

--IANS

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Iran: Expect Trump to respect nuclear deal

Turkey,Politics,Defence/Security,Diplomacy, Thu, 10 Nov 2016 IANS

Tehran, Nov 10 (IANS) Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said his country expects respect from the US president-elect Donald Trump for the international deal which put an end to the nuclear disputes of the Islamic republic.

"The nuclear agreement between Iran and the world powers, including the outgoing US administration, is a reflection in a UN Security Council Resolution," Rouhani was quoted as saying on Wednesday by Xinhua news agency.

The accord cannot be dismissed by one government's decision, Rouhani said referring to Trump's disapproving comments of Iran's nuclear deal during his presidential campaign.

Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is the nuclear agreement sealed between Iran and the major world powers including China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States and Germany in July 2015 and was implemented on January 16, 2016.

Rouhani stressed that the result of the US presidential election will have no impact on the Islamic republic's policies.

"Iran's policy of constructive interaction with the world and breaking up nuclear sanctions has placed Iran's economic ties with all countries on an improving and irreversible course," he said.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also said that the upcoming US administration should observe the country's commitments pertaining to the nuclear deal.

"Iran and the US have no political relations, but the US must carry out what it has undertaken as an international multilateral commitment in the JCPOA," said Zarif.

--IANS

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With so much going on in the world, it feels nearly impossible to keep up with the top stories and breaking headlines. But is it really worth the trouble? Some argue that it causes unnecessary stress, while others simply dont see it as a priority. However, such an attitude prevents people f
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Tunisias Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said on the eve of his visit to Paris this Wednesday and Thursday that he is seeking, through this visit, aid to economic development and foreign direct investment to revive his countrys struggling economy.

Chahed admitted that his country faces a major economic challenge to consolidate the Tunisian democratic experience five years after the revolution and we obviously rely on France to help Tunisia at this critical moment.

We have to invent new relations between Tunisia and France, the Prime Minister told French daily Le Monde.

The Prime Minister said Tunisia is trying to create a favorable climate for French investments and tourists because the security situation is stable and the security forces are prepared to face any threats.

France gives 20million euros in military aid to Tunisia under a security plan agreed in October last year but Chahed wants the amount to be far higher due to the war in neighboring Libya. All of this has a cost and I think our partner France must assume the cost when it comes to Tunisia, he claimed.

Frances political commitment to Tunis needs to be taken to a higher level, he said.

Boasting that Tunisias experience is an exception in the Arab Spring, he admitted however that the challenge is the transition to a new model because the democratic transition was enormously costly to Tunisia.

Tunisias economy has been suffering from the revolution and the previous governments have been unable to stimulate it due to terrorist attacks at home and instability in Libya. The economy grew by 1.2% in the first half of the year but employment stands at 15%.

Chahed is the seventh prime minister since the revolution in 2011 and this will be his first official visit to Europe. Frances Ambassador to Tunisia, Olivier Poivre dArvor, expects the visit to yield fruits as he told reporters that Paris will try to convince French investors to head to Tunisia, support the North African country with foreign donors and encourage tourists to visit the country with promises to launch a promotional campaign in March 2017.
George Washington warned of this. Photo: Fine Art/Corbis via Getty Images

To see what is in front of ones nose is a constant struggle, George Orwell famously observed. So what is it that we have just seen?

We are witnessing the power of a massive populist movement that has now upended the two most stable democracies in the world  and thrown both countries into a completely unknown future. In Britain, where the polls did not pick up the latent support for withdrawal from the European Union, a new prime minister is now navigating a new social contract with the indigenous middle and working classes forged by fear of immigration and globalization. In the U.S., the movement  built on anti-political politics, economic disruption, and anti-immigration fears  had something else, far more lethal, in its bag of tricks: a supremely talented demagogue who created an authoritarian cult with unapologetically neo-fascist rhetoric. Britain is reeling toward a slow economic slide. America has now jumped off a constitutional cliff. It will never be the same country again. Like Brexit, this changes the core nature of this country permanently.

This is now Trumps America. He controls everything from here on forward. He has won this campaign in such a decisive fashion that he owes no one anything. He has destroyed the GOP and remade it in his image. He has humiliated the elites and the elite media. He has embarrassed every pollster and naysayer. He has avenged Obama. And in the coming weeks, Trump will not likely be content to bask in vindication. He will seek unforgiving revenge on those who dared to oppose him. The party apparatus will be remade in his image. The House and Senate will fail to resist anything he proposes  and those who speak up will be primaried into oblivion. The Supreme Court may well be shifted to the far right for more than a generation to come  with this massive victory, he can pick a new Supreme Court justice who will make Antonin Scalia seem like a milquetoast. He will have a docile, fawning Congress for at least four years. We will not have an administration so much as a court.

Almost certainly, as in Britain, the left, already radicalized, will respond by moving ever farther left, leaving the now openly revanchist right  far more radical than the Tory government in Britain  with total control over the levers of power. They will not let those levers go easily. They will likely build a propaganda machine more powerful than Fox and Breitbart  and generate pseudo-stories and big lies that, absent any authoritative or trusted media, will dominate the new centers of information, Facebook or its successors. We will be in a new political and media universe in which an authoritarian cult will thrive. This is how fascists tend to govern.

The only sliver of hope is that his promises cannot be kept. He cannot bring millions of jobs back if he triggers a trade war. He cannot build a massive new wall across the entire southern border and get Mexico to pay for it. He cannot deport millions of illegal immigrants, without massive new funding from Congress and major civil unrest. He cannot destroy ISIS; his very election will empower it in ways its leaders could not possibly have hoped for. He cannot both cut taxes on the rich, fund a massive new infrastructure program, boost military spending, protect entitlements, and not tip the U.S. into levels of debt even Paul Krugman might blanch at. At some point, a few timid souls in the GOP may mention the concepts of individual liberty or due process or small government or balanced budgets. At some point even his supporters may worry or balk, and his support may fade.

But hope fades in turn when you realize how absolute and total his support clearly is. His support is not like that of a democratic leader but of a cult leader fused with the idea of the nation. If he fails, as he will, he will blame others, as he always does. And his cult followers will take their cue from him and no one else. In Trump We Trust, as his acolyte Ann Coulter titled her new book. And so there will have to be scapegoats  media institutions, the Fed, the global conspiracy of bankers and Davos muckety-mucks he previewed in his rankly anti-Semitic closing ad, rival politicians whom he will demolish by new names of abuse, foreign countries and leaders who do not cooperate, and doubtless civilians who will be targeted by his ranks of followers and demonized from the bully pulpit itself. The man has no impulse control and massive reserves of vengeance and hatred. In time, as his failures mount, the campaigns of vilification will therefore intensify. They will have to.

And then there will be a terror attack  or several, as he defines the global battle against terror as one against an entire religion and breathes new life into Al Qaeda and ISIS. What he does after such an attack is utterly predictable, given his past statements, and will likely decimate what civil liberties we have left. Then there will be a clash between police and largely black protestors after another unarmed black man is shot. And he will relish a show of massive police force that will inflame this country in ways probably not seen since the 1960s. Then he will reinstate Guantanamo and capture prisoners and torture them until the truth he wants is extracted. That truth will be used to further advance the war against Islam. He will make every Muslim American feel afraid  and foment suspicion and hatred among their neighbors. Every single thing we have come to know about this man all but predicts each of these things will come about. All of them portend the end of the America that the world has long known and now must fear.

I see no way to stop this at first, but some of us will have to try. And what we must seek to preserve are the core institutions that he may threaten  the courts, first of all, even if he shifts the Supreme Court to an unprecedentedly authoritarian-friendly one. Then the laws governing the rules of war, so that war crimes do not define America as their disavowal once did. Then the free press, which he will do all he can to intimidate and, if possible, bankrupt. Then the institutions he will have to destroy to achieve what he wants  an independent Department of Justice as one critical bulwark, whats left of the FBI that will not be an instrument of his reign of revenge, our scientific institutions, and whats left of free thought in our colleges and universities. We will need to march peacefully on the streets to face down the massive intimidation he will at times present to a truly free and open society. We have to hold our heads up high as we defend the values of the old republic, even as it crumbles into authoritarian dust. We must be prepared for nonviolent civil disobedience. We must transcend racial and religious division in a movement of resistance that is as diverse and as open as the new presidents will be uniform and closed.

And, impossible though it may be, we will have to resist partisanship. The only way back to a free society, to a country where no one need fear the presidents wrath or impulses, is to unwind the factionalism that has helped destroy this country. We have to forge a new coalition on right and left to resist fascisms reach and cultic power. In a country which just elected and re-elected a black president  whose grace feels now almost painful to recall  it is surely possible.

I will leave you with these words about what has now happened to America. Someone saw it coming a long time ago:

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty.



That was George Washingtons Farewell Address.

A country designed to resist tyranny has now embraced it. A constitution designed to prevent democracy taking over everything has now succumbed to it. A country once defined by self-government has openly, clearly, enthusiastically delivered its fate into the hands of one man to do as he sees fit. After 240 years, an idea that once inspired the world has finally repealed itself. We the people did it.
Photo: Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Shortly after 3 p.m. on November 8, Donald Trump walked into the war room on the 14th floor of Trump Tower and received rousing cheers from his staff. While virtually the entire media Establishment was predicting Hillary Clinton was on track to win the election, Trumps team remained nervous but optimistic, in the words of one adviser, that their man would pull off a historic victory. According to the adviser, Florida governor Rick Scott had assured Team Trump that the campaign would squeak it out in the Sunshine State. This election is about winning one state, Rudy Giuliani told me. If you win Florida, the rest will fall into place.

And it did. A few minutes before 11 p.m., the Associated Press called Florida for Trump and the trajectory of the race fundamentally tilted in Trumps direction. Humility to Euphoria, Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway texted me shortly after the state fell to Trump. Our plan was to protect our core four: Iowa, Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio, she later said. When we protected the core four and saw the numbers in Wisconsin, we thought we could win.

Despite Trumpworlds confidence in the numbers, the candidate himself was anxious. Trump watched the returns from his Trump Tower penthouse. He was humble to the very end, Conway recalled. He kept saying, We didnt get it done yet. Even when the New York Times had us projected at a 50 percent chance of winning, and then 70 percent, and then 90 percent, he said, Its not done yet.

Around 2 a.m., Trumps advisers heard that Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta was headed to the Javits Center to address devastated Clinton supporters. We thought that was odd, Conway said. So we said lets go to a holding room  at the Hilton  and we can hunker down and watch the returns from there.

Trumps advisers arrived at the Hilton and waited for Fox News to call the election. Around 2:30 a.m., Conways cell phone rang. It was Huma Abedin calling on behalf of her boss, Hillary Clinton. She was ready to concede. Hi, Kellyanne, its Huma. Is Mr. Trump available? Abedin said, according to Conway. Conway passed the phone. Conway recalled Trumps end of the conversation: He said, Youre a smart, tough lady and you ran a great campaign. Thank you for calling. I respect you. Conway said they spoke for about a minute.

Fox News called the election for Trump a few minutes later. Howls of Fuck, man!  We the president, bro! erupted from a throng of broad-shouldered 20-somethings standing near me.

Trumps speech was notable for its un-Trump-ian magnanimity (also for his conspicuously not thanking Jared Kushner during his praising of the staff). Conway told me the speech reflected Trumps desire to reach out. Were going to rely on President Obama and Secretary Clinton as we transition and form a government, she said.

Despite Trumps effort at outreach, an air of vengeance was palpable last night. There were, of course, the chants of Lock her up! from the crowd. Megyn Kelly got booed several times when she appeared on screens around the room. One senior Trump aide emailed me: I told you: revolt.

Giuliani seemed to take particular delight in Clintons loss. Maybe the Clinton chapter is over now, he told me. They brought enough scandal and disgrace to America and enough disgrace to the presidency  what else would they like to do? When I asked Giuliani if he would prosecute Hillary as attorney general in a Trump administration, he said, No comment on what Im going to do in the future, and Id never comment on a case. Alabama senator Jeff Sessions, one of Trumps earliest backers, said the only opposition to Trump is among elites: Wheres theres hostility is in the mainstream media, big business, and among George Soros and his globalist crowd  those people are getting hammered.

For her part, Conway seemed to take pleasure in the collective failure of the American polling profession, of which she is a member. At least one pollster in America was right, she said.
Not the peoples choice. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

Last night, Paul Ryan, jubilant with the prospect that his long dream of dismantling the state may be finally at hand, called the election a repudiation of the status quo of failed liberal progressive policies. This morning, going further, he insisted Trump just earned a mandate. The rule of law entitles Ryan and his party to exercise the power they have won. But Ryan is seeking something more  the deference of a party that is seen as embodying the will of the people. He is not entitled to that.

Trumps election cannot be called a decision by the voters to repudiate the liberal status quo because, for one thing, it was not a decision by the voters at all. The voters supported Clinton over Trump. The decision was made by the Electoral College, which as a matter of opinion can be called archaic, and as a matter of objective fact can be called anti-democratic. Again, the rules are the rules. But it remains the case that Ryan and his party have power not because of the will of the voters but despite it.

The most popular politician in America is Barack Obama, whose job approval, in the mid-50s, sits some 20 points higher than the unpopular Ryan or the even more deeply loathed party he leads. Even the notion that broader discontent with the economic results of Obamas policy agenda benefitted Trump is difficult to square with the fact that his party performed much worse than it did in 2012, despite unemployment that has fallen a full point below the level Mitt Romney promised to bring it if he won, and the tight labor market has thrown off impressive gains in household income. Trump showed special strength in counties that have seen the greatest improvement in economic conditions.

Trump won a two-to-one victory in counties where the unemployment rate has improved the most since 2010. pic.twitter.com/PoTFlKxcaH  Brad Heath (@bradheath) November 9, 2016

Why, then, did Trump win several previously blue states and come within a couple million votes of Hillary Clinton? Every political result has multiple causes, but the most simple and clear explanation is that Trump mostly held his partys base, and Clinton did not hold hers. Trump received not only fewer votes than Obama did in 2012, but fewer votes than Romney did, too. Preelection polls overstated the discomfort of white, college-educated Republicans, who mostly came home to Trump and saw him as, at least, a plausible leader of the free world.

The Trump campaigns own perspective is that he benefited from Clintons ethical shortcomings:

Trump source says Hillary was perfect foil - the server, the money-grubbing speeches right up to announcement, embodied corrupt self-dealing  Joshua Green (@JoshuaGreen) November 9, 2016

The belief that Clinton is a dishonest and even criminal figure was the most important dynamic of the race. Polls showed, incredibly, that voters rated her less honest and trustworthy than her opponent  a man who lies with a frequency and brazenness unknown in American political history, who will baldly present steaks still bearing the label of the supermarket where they were purchased and tell the national media they are from his long-defunct line of branded steaks. This is a man facing trial for massive fraud for running a scam university.

Clintons own failures contributed to her image. Paranoia and terrible judgment caused her to bypass proper email etiquette, and greed led her and her husband to dangle their foundation and lucrative speaking business with the prospect of future access. It is fair that Clinton is not seen as a paragon of virtue. But it is absurd that she is seen as criminal, or coming within an order of magnitude of Trumps dishonesty. That a figure of unparalleled secrecy and self-dealing managed to position himself as the candidate of relative honesty and good government is a staggering failure of the electoral process.

It took not only Clintons own contributions but months of attacks by Bernie Sanders on corruption related to big money and an allegedly rigged primary win. It took simultaneous sabotage by leaks by Russian intelligence and a cabal of right-wing FBI agents, the latter of which ultimately pressured the bureaus director to shatter precedent and float charges against her in the races final lap. And it required the cooperation of the news media, which made the mundane email story the central frame with which it explained Clinton to America. The emails received more media attention than all policy issues combined. No wonder casual news consumers rationally concluded that Clinton was hopelessly corrupt. That perception cost her a decisive chunk of Obamas 2012 voters and current job-approvers.

That is how politics goes. The Democratic Party probably should have encouraged more Clinton challengers who were more acceptable to its platform  a Joe Biden or (especially) Elizabeth Warren might have won. For now, the party has nothing, and the Republicans have everything because that is how the Constitution works. Republicans can defend a system that is not a pure democracy. But they cant call it democracy.
Giuliani, Gingrich, and Steven Mnuchin. Photo: Getty Images

Well, now to the governing part. President-elect Donald Trump is about to start making his picks for cabinet members and advisers. Right now, it seems loyalty is the golden ticket into the Trump administration; his potential team is a parade of campaign surrogates and a smattering of people from the private sector, reports Politico. The administration is also looking pretty old, white, and male.

New Jersey governor Chris Christie and Alabama senator Jeff Sessions have been leading the effort to select the White House team, and reportedly delivered formal transition plans to Trump Tower on Tuesday. Per CNN:

On the transition team, department heads submitted lists of three names for cabinet positions, taking into account Trumps public statements about who he would like to see in his administration  Given Trumps limited role in transition planning, sources caution that these potential picks are not set in stone. Trump could veto some or choose to add others to the list.

Still, some of the potential picks have been reported, including some before Trump clinched the White House: Secretary of State Newt Gingrich, for one. Tennessee senator Bob Corker, the current chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and brief Trump vice-presidential contender, may also be up for the job of top diplomat (or even potentially Treasury secretary). President Bushs controversial former United Nations ambassador John Bolton has also been considered for the job, per Politico; Bolton has said in the past that he would consider such a post.

General Michael Flynn will also land in a Trump administration, though more likely as national-security adviser than secretary of Defense. (Federal law requires the Pentagon chief to have seven years removed from active duty; Congress can waive that rule, however.) Alabama senator Jeff Sessions, who, again, is helping to lead Trumps transition team, could also be in the running for secretary of Defense. Sessions is a member of the Armed Services Committee on the Senate, as well as a senior member of the Judiciary Committee.

And speaking of the judiciary, NBC reported earlier this week that former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani could likely fill the attorney-general spot. Giuliani served as the high-profile U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York more than 25 years ago. His appointment there would likely mean New Jersey governor and early endorser Chris Christie would miss out on being the top prosecutor, as has long been speculated. The Bridgegate convictions of Christies former allies  and his own potential state investigation into the political lane-closure scheme  makes appointing him to the Department of Justice a little tough. Yet Christie could get another spot  maybe Department of Homeland Security. The New Jersey Advance spoke to some political experts who said it was possible Christie would resign his governorship (his term ends in 2017) and take a spot in the Trump administration  though he might have to settle for one that doesnt involve Senate approval.

Another candidate reportedly floated for DHS secretary: David Clarke, a conservative sheriff of Milwaukee County. Clarke, who is African-American, has publicly rallied against Black Lives Matter and encouraged citizens to arm themselves, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Ding, dong the witch DEAD!

President elect Donald Trump has prevailed! pic.twitter.com/r3ARAZKDg5  David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) November 9, 2016

Trump is also planning to look to the business community to fill potential cabinet posts. Trump has said he would make 80-year-old magnate Carl Icahn his Treasury secretary; Icahn has previously said no way. Former Goldman Sachs financier and big Trump donor Steven Mnuchin is considered a front-runner for that spot.

The top candidate for Trump's Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, was the Executive Producer on Suicide Squad. Make of that what you will.  Yasmina Banaszczuk (@lasersushi) November 9, 2016

Other private-sector people who might make their way into a Trump administration, per Politico: 74-year-old Forrest Lucas, founder of Lucas Oil, as secretary of the Interior; 78-year-old billionaire investor Wilbur Ross or Dan DiMicco, a former steel CEO, as Commerce secretary; 70-year-old oil and gas billionaire Harold Hamm as Energy secretary.

Others not to count out: Texas agriculture commissioner Sid Miller for secretary of Agriculture; hes defended the right to deep fryers and referred to Clinton as a cunt in the run-up to the election. Dr. Ben Carson might be tapped to be secretary of Health and Human Services, or Education secretary  if that position exists in a Trump administration. Climate-change skeptic Myron Ebell, who is leading Trumps EPA transition team, will probably be tapped to head that agency  and then gut it. And dont forget sleeper Sarah Palin, who could be Interior secretary or Energy secretary, maybe. So dont let it be said hes only looking at male candidates.
Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

So, it turns out its the apocalypse, at least in blue America. The polls were wrong, as were the pundits, as were the intuitions that optimistic progressives had about their country, as was I.

Tuesdays result is as stunning as it is horrifying. The forecasts did not prepare liberals (and anti-Trumpers of other stripes) to face this storm. Few put their full imaginative energy into picturing what a world deformed by such winds would look like. Now, were suddenly forced to reconcile our understanding of the place we live with what we see out our window  the democratic endorsement of the vilest presidential campaign in modern American history.

The simplest way for progressives to complete that task is to remember what weve always loathed about this place: That its wealth, power, and formal embrace of egalitarian values  its greatness, so to speak  was built on the backs of enslaved African-Americans and subjugated women of all ancestries.

Which is to say: The answer to how Trump won is racism and sexism. His victory was propelled by the sense of loss that dominant social groups feel when they see the lower castes climbing toward equality.

There is more than a little truth to this narrative. But it is not the whole story. Trump won too many votes for that to be the whole story.

Of all the stunning statistics that Democrats now have to grapple with, this may be the most befuddling: Barack Obama has a 56 percent approval rating.

Hillary Clinton may win the popular vote. Third-party candidates  whom Obama had the fortune of avoiding  probably contributed to her defeat in the Electoral College. And the electorate and the broader public are not identical.

But even allowing for these facts, there have to be a significant number of people in this country who approve of the first African-American president  and just voted for the man who rose to political prominence by questioning his birth certificate.

Clinton suffered her biggest losses in the places where Obama was strongest among white voters. It's not a simple racism story  Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) November 9, 2016

As the Upshots Nate Cohn warned early in this race, the Obama coalition was always more dependent on support from white working-class voters than liberals popularly understood. This was owing in part to the demographics underrepresentation in exit polls  white voters are disproportionately older, and older people are less likely to participate in such surveys. So while exit polls suggested 25 percent of Obamas supporters were white working-class, Cohns estimate based on census and survey data put the figure at 34 percent.

But part of the reason these voters were overlooked was ideological. After all, one fourth of the coalition is still a big part of a coalition. While the polls underestimated the strength of Trumps support across-the-board, there were early indications that he was making inroads with white, non-college-educated voters, including those who backed Obama.

The idea that this was an important development  one that Clinton should adjust her message to account for  was often met with fierce resistance by progressive commentators.

There were justifiable complaints about a predominately white medias idealization of the light-skinned proletarian, with his hardhat and lunchbox  and the way this image erased the multiethnic, pink collar character of the rest of working-class America. There were justifiable fears that a political strategy composed to appeal to such voters would lead Democrats to compromise on racial justice  to sacrifice more Ricky Ray Rectors and welfare programs on the arc of real America.

Above all, there was a sense that any voter who would cast their lot with a soft-core white nationalist wasnt one worth trying to keep in a liberal coalition.

The thing is: Trying to win over such voters doesnt feel as optional right now as it did a few hours ago.

To be sure, progressives must strive to organize African-Americans, Latinos, single women, and millennials. And wherever Democrats have power over election laws, they much try to reform the voting process to increase these demographics presence in the electorate.

But there are a lot of older white people in this country. And if highly educated whites werent willing to vote against their (narrow) economic interest in large enough numbers to produce an electoral-college majority  when Donald Trump was the GOP standard-bearer  Democrats cant rely on them to compensate for any extended erosion in the partys share of downscale whites.

Which means its important for liberals to grapple with the question: Why did a significant number of white, non-college-educated voters in the Midwest pull the lever for Obama in 2012, and then for Trump in 2016?

I will not pretend to know the answer to that question. (Im done pretending to know anything with any certainty for a while).

But I dont think racism or sexism are sufficient answers, even if theyre necessary ones.

Certainly, one of the most obvious things that Obama and Trump have in common  along with every other person that America has named its president  is their genitalia. And there is no question: When a self-professed enthusiast of sexual assault defeats a woman in an election, sexism played a role.

Still, when white, non-college-educated women vote for Trump in the numbers they did, it seems doubtful that the entire margin can be ascribed to false consciousness.

Likewise, its possible that Trump gave such fulsome voice to white identity politics that even voters who were once sympathetic to a black president yielded to their most racist instincts.

But Trump and Obama had other things in common. Both ran as outsiders at a time of widespread distrust in Americas institutions; both claimed the mantle of populism, albeit in different ways: While Obama is instinctually technocratic, in his race against Mitt Romney, he attacked his opponent as an out-of-touch elitist who turned his back on the working people of the auto industry. Trumps actual policy platform is a plan for massively redistributing wealth upwards. But his entire campaign was founded on a repudiation of elites who betrayed the interests of the American people on trade, economic, and immigration policy.

Hillary Clinton ran on a progressive economic platform that offered more to the white working class than Obamas did four years ago. But she did not center her campaign on that agenda. Instead, she centered her narrative on Trumps personal incapacity for office and on the need to embrace our nations diversity.

This was a reasonable decision. The contrast between the Republican convention and the Democratic convention was profound. It painted a choice between a vision of national community defined in opposition to evil others, and one defined by the common humanity that transcends color or creed. Watching Obama articulate that vision of community at the Wells Fargo Center, the choice felt as obvious and fundamental as that between fear and love. I remember thinking about how devastating it would be if the country made the other choice. But the notion felt less scary than absurd. America is better than that.

But it wasnt.

Which is to say: Framing the argument in these moralistic terms didnt allow it to be better. Or at least, that frame didnt allow enough voters in Rust Belt states to be better, for one day in November.

Granted, its possible this outcome had more to do with the messenger than with the message. If the electorate is predisposed toward outsiders, Clinton was always going to have an uphill climb. Whats more, unlike Obama, Clinton did not reach her perch in American politics on her strength as an orator (or, in Trumps case, an entertainer). Its possible that in our media era, her relative weakness at projecting a compelling persona crippled her ability to sell her vision.

Still, it remains the case that Obama pitched his argument in more materialist, populist terms and won, even as he lost college-educated whites. Clinton put more emphasis on expertise and non-economic values  often in a self-conscious bid to win highly educated whites  and lost.

My ideological priors tell me that the former is always going to be a more promising strategy for a party that isnt offering massive tax cuts to the wealthy. I recognize this could be wrong.

Maybe the party does just need a better candidate. Or maybe base mobilization and favorable demographic trends will erase the GOP majority in short order. After all, Clinton appears to have won a majority of all ballots.

But it seems to me that an all-of-the-above strategy is in order. Because we cannot let this happen again.
Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

One of the big questions heading into Tuesday night was whether Donald Trump would actually concede to Hillary Clinton. Around 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning, he took the stage at the Hilton Midtown Manhattan to chants of USA! USA! USA! as the president-elect.

Sorry to keep you waiting, complicated business, complicated business, Trump said, explaining that hed just received a call from Secretary Clinton. Hours earlier, Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta told the crowd gathered for her victory party at the Javits Center that they would not be conceding overnight, as votes were still being counted.

She is not done yet! Podesta proclaimed. Yet, moments before Trumps speech, CNN confirmed that Clinton had called Trump to say its over.

Trump has literally called Clinton the devil, and his supporters were chanting lock her up shortly before he took the stage. However, he had only kind words for his opponent. She congratulated us  its about us  on our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign, Trump said. She fought very hard. Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very seriously.

This was not the Trump who reportedly mused about funding a super-pac to exact vengeance on his enemies after the election. Now its time for America to bind the wounds of division; have to get together, he said. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. Its time.

I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans  and this is so important to me, he continued. For those who have chosen not to support me, of which there were a few, Im reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so we can work together and unite our great country.

While Trump won the White House by performing exceptionally well with white voters, he described his campaign as a movement of Americans from all races, religions, backgrounds, and beliefs. He quickly pivoted back to the core theme emblazoned on his hats. Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach. America will no longer settle for anything less than the best, he said. We must reclaim our countrys destiny and dream big and bold and daring. We have to do that. Were going to dream of things for our country and beautiful things and successful things once again.

Then he put a softer spin on his nationalist message. I want to tell the world community that while we will always put Americas interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone  all people and all other nations. We will seek common ground, not hostility, partnership, not conflict.

Trump concluded by thanking his family, his campaign staffers, and the surrogates who stuck with him throughout his chaotic campaign: Rudy Giuliani, Chris Christie, Jeff Sessions, Mike Huckabee, Ben Carson, and retired Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn. He invited one unbelievable star onstage: Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus. Urged to address the crowd, Priebus said: Ladies and gentleman, the next president of the United States: Donald Trump.

I look very much forward to being your president, and hopefully at the end of two years or three years or four years, or maybe even eight years, Trump paused for applause, you will say, so many of you worked so hard for us, but you will say that  you will say that that was something that you really were very proud to do.

Were going to get to work immediately for the American people, he said. And were going to be doing a job that hopefully you will be so proud of your president. Youll be so proud.

Then, as Trump stepped away from the podium, a familiar song from his rallies began to play: the Rolling Stones You Cant Always Get What You Want.
Jeff Sessions is onto the globalist plot. Photo: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

One of the elusive, reality-distorting qualities of Donald Trumps campaign is the resurgence of anti-Semitism around the margins of major-party politics. It is difficult to tell just how deliberate the association, or how widespread. Trump retweets neo-Nazi memes, his election inspires a celebratory wave of anti-Jewish vandalism in Philadelphia, and a tiny number of anti-Semites manage to command disproportionate attention with social-media harassment. Is it a case of inadvertent dog whistles picked up by some marginal kooks, or something real?

Senator Jeff Sessions is making his best case for the latter. The Alabama senator was once denied a federal judgeship for his fanatical opposition to African-American voting and later became Trumps most fervent champion in the Senate. Trump singled him out for praise in his victory speech Wednesday morning. Sessions, meanwhile, has been wallowing in a public vendetta against globalist financiers. Yesterday, Sessions told Laura Ingraham that George Soros ought to be the focus of right-wing propaganda attacks:

Jeff Sessions had some thoughts today on George Soros on the Laura Ingraham Show: pic.twitter.com/SpI7w790tH  andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) November 8, 2016

Of course, there are any number of wealthy people who spent money opposing Trump, not to mention plenty who have spent money on his behalf. Why is Soros, in particular, the perfect face? Is it because hes a Jewish refugee from the Nazis who is a fixation for alt-right anti-Semites? Or just that hes a global-intellectual elite-type in general? So hard to say.

At Trumps victory speech, Sessions told our Gabriel Sherman that hostility toward Trump was limited to the mainstream media, big business, and among George Soros and his globalist crowd  those people are getting hammered. Somehow, Soros is the center of a shadowy nexus of globalists and media elites. Also, hes an intellect. You know the type. Anyway, Sessions is making it perfectly clear that the anti-Semites love of Trump is not unrequited or coincidental.
Photo: Getty Images

One of the things that bothered me in the run-up to this shocking election night was the general feeling that even if Republicans won Congress, President Hillary Clinton would stop them from wreaking havoc just like President Obama did  and that if Donald Trump somehow became president, Congress would stop him from doing much harm, at least on the legislative front.

That last assumption is probably dead wrong. With Trump in the White House and the GOP controlling Congress  the condition that will prevail in January, based on the results of Tuesdays election  Republicans are now in a position to work a revolution in domestic policy. It will likely be at least as dramatic as anything weve seen since Ronald Reagans first year in office, and perhaps since LBJ and congressional Democrats enacted the Great Society legislation that is now in peril.

For all the talk of feuding or even civil war between Trump and congressional Republican leaders, they are actually on the same page on a lot of very radical ideas. These include, of course, the linchpin of Republican domestic policy: a big upper-end tax cut rationalized by the imaginary economic boom it will be advertised to create. Beyond that, however, there is a big increase in defense spending that both Trump and congressional Republicans have promised, and then the decimation of the low-income safety net. Every analysis of Paul Ryans various budget proposals  quite likely the building block of what Republicans will try to enact  indicates savage consequences for poor people. Think the expanded Medicaid coverage created by Obamacare will survive? Hah! The bigger question is whether Medicaid itself survives, since both Trumps platform and the Ryan budget would dump the program on the tender mercies of the states through a block grant sure to bleed funding regularly.

But wait: Isnt Trump opposed to entitlement reform, and isnt that what the Ryan budget is about? Actually, Trump is opposed to Social Security benefit cuts. Republicans in Congress havent seriously talked about messing with Social Security since George W. Bushs disastrous partial-privatization effort in 2005. And as much as Republicans would like to privatize Medicare benefits, their base is far too old to countenance significant Medicare cuts without Democratic cover, which is precisely why entitlement reform was so central to every Republican deal offered to Barack Obama.

So that is why Trump and congressional Republicans should be able to cheerfully, even gleefully, agree to pay for their tax cuts and their Pentagon spending from programs that benefit not their base, but that of the hated Democrats. And Ryans already basically written it all up, repeatedly.

But speed and quick marginalization of those hated opponents will be essential. That is why, as Paul Ryan told us all in early October, he has long planned to use the budget reconciliation process  where there is no filibuster available in the Senate  to enact his entire budget in one bill. Again, a bill that cannot be filibustered. He referred to it, appropriately, as a bazooka in his pocket. And while there are some things you cannot do in a reconciliation bill, there arent many of them: Congressional Republicans did a trial run last year (nobody paid much attention, because they knew Barack Obama would veto it), and it aimed at crippling Obamacare, defunding Planned Parenthood, and disabling regulators, in addition to the nasty surprises for poor people mentioned above.



As my colleague Jonathan Chait has explained, Senate Republicans are almost certain to move (as would Democrats in the same situation) to complete the demolition of the filibuster Harry Reid began in 2013 when he eliminated the obstructionist procedure for executive and judicial (other than the Supreme Court) confirmation votes.

So is there anything that could stand in the way of this Un-Great Society blitz? Well, sure: the unpredictability of Donald Trump. Presumably when the celebrations and the theater of a Trump Triumphant subsides, he will sit down with Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell to cut a deal. What they will want is his signature on that reconciliation bill. What he will want beyond the things in that bill that he and his supporters want, too, is unclear. But what is clear is that if he gives the GOP, in one stroke of the pen, the counterrevolution they have dreamed of for so long, the GOP will give its unlikely president extraordinary freedom to work his will on the world via diplomacy and executive actions.

There is a consolation prize for Democrats, albeit not one that will provide much immediate comfort: With Donald Trump in the White House, they may finally win a midterm election again. They might as well get started on it, because in Washington they will likely be roadkill on the GOPs drive to bring back the 1950s.
Photo: Emily Sundberg

If youre looking for a cathartic gathering to protest the election results, Trump Tower is not the place to be.

Outside the gilded Fifth Avenue fortress on Wednesday morning, squad cars and police barricades made sure nobody was getting near the front door. On the other side of the street, a meager smattering of protesters and supporters hung out in cordoned-off areas, as excited tourists stopped to take pictures of the gleaming gold TRUMP lettering, soon to be emblazoned not just on hotels and scam universities, but presidential libraries.

Kristy, a New Yorkbased artist and neural engineer clad in black mourning garb, said she was there to atone for the members of her family who voted for Trump. Instead of rocking the boat with my family and trying to get them to change their vote, I didnt say anything, she said, through quiet sobs. I could have done a lot more.

Photo: Emily Sundberg

In the next pen over, a group of Vassar students held up signs saying things like FAGS AGAINST FASCISM and NASTY WOMEN FOR EQUALITY. As a trans person, I feel personally threatened by Trumps stances, said one 19-year-old. Im terrified for the future and dont want to see more death. Thats why Im here.

But much like the country itself, the reasonable voices were handily drowned out by the usual grab bag of crazies. A group of men waving Blacks for Trump signs shouted down a passerby who stopped to argue with them. We dont talk to no Democrats, one man cried. Get away from us, you slave master! To their right, a bearded rabbi in a denim jacket praised Trumps election as a divine event, thanks to Ivankas conversion to Judaism. Ivanka went to Rebbe Schneersons grave for a blessing, and thats why I believe he won, he said.

Across the street, the Naked Cowboy, a New York institution almost as pernicious and ineradicable as Trump himself, alternated between acoustic ditties and heated arguments with passersby. If she doesnt complain, it aint assault, he yelled cheerfully, Trumps name emblazoned on the butt of his tighty-whities.

In a separate cordoned-off area, a weeping woman in ripped jeans was attempting to burn an American flag with a lighter, but due to the rain, it wouldnt catch. Ideally I wanted to light the flag, she muttered. But now Im just trying to rip it to shreds.
Photo: Angela Wyant/Getty Images

Many of us are still processing the results of the election, but its worth looking to the future to see what womens health care would look like in a Trump administration. The short answer: Its not going to be good.

Donald Trump, president-elect, says he wants to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which says insurers cannot deny coverage if you have a preexisting condition, that young adults can stay on their parents insurance until 26, and annual well-woman gyno visits and birth control must be covered without a copay. Even if Trumpcare does include these preventive services, as medical experts recommend, about 22 million people could lose their health insurance after a two-year, post-repeal transition period. These would mostly be people who have insurance through Medicaid or the insurance exchanges  in other words, low-income people.



Trump has also said that while Planned Parenthood helps millions and millions of women when it comes to breast and cervical cancers, he would still defund it because of the abortion factor. Of course, Planned Parenthood also does loads of STD screening and treatment, something our country still desperately needs if record STD rates are any indication. Hes also insisted that he would nominate pro-life judges for the vacant Supreme Court seat who would overturn Roe v. Wade, a statement that was echoed by his running mate, Mike Pence, who himself has a horrific record on womens health and reproductive rights. (Pences war on Planned Parenthood closed the only clinic in rural Scott County, Indiana, which was also the countys only HIV testing center. Pence had to declare a public-health emergency after an HIV outbreak thought to be caused mostly by intravenous drug use.)



What if Roe is consigned to the ash heap of history, as Pence put it? Trump said during the final debate that the question of abortion legality would go back to the individual states. Its scary to think about what that might look like, given the targeted restrictions on abortion providers, a.k.a. TRAP laws, that states like Texas and Mississippi have passed. Though the Supreme Court ruled in July that such regulations are unconstitutional, it would be a whole different ballgame if Roe were overturned.

Yet it seems Trump wouldnt leave things entirely to the states. In a September letter to anti-abortion leaders, Trump wrote that he would sign into law the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would ban abortions after 20 weeks, and before many fetal anomalies are detected. Trump also wrote that he was committed to ensuring that the Hyde Amendment  a rider which bars federal funds including Medicaid from being used to pay for abortion  into permanent law. This legislation disproportionately impacts low-income women and women of color who rely on Medicaid for insurance.



The missive was released by the anti-abortion nonprofit Susan B. Anthony List. Trump declared SBA List president Marjorie Dannenfelser, the leader of his Pro-Life Coalition. SBA List opposes the use of emergency contraception, a.k.a. the morning-after pill, and the copper IUD ParaGard because the group believes that they cause early abortions when in fact they simply prevent ovulation and fertilization, respectively. The copper IUD can prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg, but the Guttmacher Institute says this isnt considered abortion under medical or legal definitions. So if you were thinking about getting a copper IUD  or any IUD while its still covered by the Affordable Care Act  you might want to make that appointment now.



If a Trump administration does what he promised anti-choice leaders he would do, it would set women back a good 40 years. As Rebecca Traister wrote in September, those things would return women, in a very real way  in a way that is already happening in state and local jurisdictions around the country  to their secondary status: unable to exert full control over their bodies; barred from making choices about whether or when to bear children based on their health, their economic, or familial status, or the condition of the fetuses they carry.

Its ironic, though, that anti-choice politicians would restrict abortion access or disavow certain forms of birth control because neither reduces the number of abortions women have. What does lower the abortion rate? Giving women unfettered access to effective birth-control methods, including long-acting ones like IUDs, which let them prevent unintended pregnancies. In fact, restricting terminations can lead to women self-inducing or attempting to self-induce an abortion, per a Texas study. Google data shows that women living in states like Mississippi, where its difficult to get an abortion, were more likely to search for the phrase how to have a miscarriage. Women look for information on where to buy the medication-abortion drug misoprostol online, which herbs can induce abortion, and, yes, how to do a coat-hanger abortion.



So if you were planning to make any major reproductive-health decisions in the next year, best to get that over with before January 20.


Photo: Abrams/Lacagnina/Getty Images

Last night, as it became more and more apparent that Donald Trump was going to be elected the next president of the United States, you may have seen one message (well, besides total despair) appearing on your social-media feeds over and over: Get an IUD and get one now.

GET AN IUD TOMORROW  Erin  Ryan (@morninggloria) November 9, 2016

Get your IUD. If you have light periods, opt for a Paragard, which can last 10-12 years. Get your birth control that will outlast Trump.  Professor Moody, RN (@grimalkinrn) November 9, 2016

IF YOU CAN GET PREGNANT: TRY TO GET AN IUD IN THE NEXT 70 DAYS WHILE YOU ARE STILL COVERED.  nurse lyons (@seelions) November 9, 2016

The reason? Donald Trump has run on an aggressively pro-life platform, while VP pick Mike Pence has a dismal record of limiting womens health care while he was governor of Indiana.



Right now, birth-control pills are free under the Affordable Care Act  something that Trump has said he wants to ask Congress to repeal on the first day of his administration. Its a possibility that abortion access will be even further restricted, meaning that an intrauterine device is an easy way to protect yourself against an unwanted pregnancy for at least five years. (Plus, many insurance providers do currently cover the devices, which can otherwise cost several hundred dollars.)



As Erin Gloria Ryan pointed out in a Daily Beast piece urging women to get IUDs last week, a Trump-Pence administration will surely Make Birth Control A Huge Pain In The Ass Again.



Now their administration is a very real thing. If you want to go the IUD route before January, heres a comprehensive guide to the five different kinds to choose from.
Photo: Elsa/Getty Images

You, like me, are aghast. You dont know what to say, how to act, how to feel. You had no idea that you needed to even prepare yourself for something like this, so in addition to feeling gutted, you feel like youve had the wind knocked out of you. There is a grand injustice in the fact that today, after knowing we as a nation elected Donald Trump as our president, we as women  people who are hated and demeaned so continually in this country  must show up to our jobs and pretend like nothing has happened. We are being asked to pretend like this decision  one that millions of people, including an incomprehensible number of white women, made in good faith  is not a direct assault on our well-being.

Women, if you are in a position to do so: take today off.

Its a small protest, but its a start. Much of this election has centered on womens roles in the working world. Should we be free from sexual harassment at our jobs? Should we receive equal pay and equal respect? Can we aspire to lead the free world? One way we can respond, now, is to refuse to participate in a nation and economy that does not value our personhood, nor the personhood of anyone who doesnt identify as a white male. Its a small protest, but its a start.

Theres precedent. Forty years ago, women in Iceland went on strike to demonstrate the worth and stability they brought to their homeland. Banks closed; factories closed; men had to leave their jobs early. Just this week, top government and cultural offices in France stopped working in support of countrywomen protesting the gender pay gap. Yesterday millions of Americans threw their support behind a bigot and demagogue who made no secret of his misogyny, his racism, his hate. If we deserve one thing, its one day of radio silence in protest. If you do not have the luxury to take off, treat yourself today with as much kindness as you can. A small protest, yes, but a start.

And even if on Thursday, the facts remain and we know what our country values and whom our country hates, that protest will have meant something. We arent insignificant  as women, as minorities, as people feared by the status quo. We are powerful. If not powerful enough this time, next time. If not powerful enough then; after. Unlike the people who fear us  and who fear other races and religions and identities and even the people who have come to hate themselves  we arent scared.



Youll have a chance to rest on Wednesday, to take care of yourself, to process what this country thinks of what is supposedly the other. And on Thursday, youll wake up refreshed but angry. Use that energy that you saved on Wednesday to fuel the next four years, the next eight years, the next 50 years. Write to your congresspeople. Volunteer at Planned Parenthood. Get active with the political party that you support. Give a Trump administration hell and never back down. Use the anger and hurt that you feel today, take one day to indulge it, and then dont give up turning that anger into action until Trumps years and the years this country has spent hating women and minorities  are through.

Its a small protest, but its a start. And then its time to get to work.


In 1970, as a young lawyer, Keith Stroup founded the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML. Photo: Francis J.Janik/Courtesy of Keith Stroup

Yesterday, Americans handed over the keys to the White House to a thin-skinned demagogue, but in eight states, at least, they also voted to legalize a way to cope with the cataclysm they wrought.

Keith Stroup was glued to his television all night, smoking the sweet green as he watched the state returns. He was delighted, though it had nothing to do with Trump.

Stroup founded the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)  the first nonprofit dedicated to decriminalizing cannabis across the United States  in 1970, and last nights unprecedented ballot victories for pot put him that much closer to realizing a 46-year-old dream. Five states were voting on legalization of recreational marijuana  Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada  and four states were voting on medicinal use  Arkansas, Florida, Montana, and North Dakota. In the end, only Arizona held out, meaning marijuana will soon be legal in some form in 28 states and Washington, D.C. More than a fifth of Americans will be able to light a joint without a prescription.

Even Barack Obama acknowledged the significance of the initiatives. In an interview last week with Bill Maher, Obama said if the bills in all states passed  especially in California  then there would have to be a national conversation about federal marijuana-policy reform as the Justice Department, DEA, and FBI struggle to enforce laws that no longer apply to a growing portion of the country.

Its the conversation that Stroup has been wanting to have for nearly five decades. We spoke with the 72-year-old marijuana activist as the final state initiative results trickled in.

How are you feeling about last nights wins?

I think we won eight out of nine. My goodness, if you separate yourself from the presidential election, thats an incredible victory.

Frankly, I dont think we have to worry too much about the new administration and how theyre going to deal with marijuana because people have spoken pretty clearly around the country that they dont like prohibition and they favor legalization. So I suppose in our little section of the world, were somewhat bulletproof with this administration. Now, it still makes me nervous because youve got the possibility of somebody like Rudy Giuliani being Attorney General, and he had a terrible record on marijuana policy when he was mayor of New York. Im nervous that Governor Chris Christie could find a position in the new administration. I think he was the only Republican candidate who suggested he would shut down the legal states if he were elected president. But we had an enormous string of victories last night. Unprecedented.

The victories we had in 2012 in Colorado and Washington were the most strategically important, because at that point prohibition was in effect in all 50 states. But in terms of sheer political power, I think the statement that the voters made last night is by far the strongest pro-pot sentiment that weve ever heard in this country. When only 14 percent of the country are smokers, who youre mostly hearing from are nonsmokers who are fed up with prohibition. So in that sense it was a wonderful night. But it was a little like, Ms. Lincoln, other than that, how did you enjoy the play?

William Britt and Al Moreno celebrate after Californians voted to pass Prop 64, legalizing recreational use of marijuana in the state, November 8, 2016. Photo: Jonathan Alcorn/Reuters

Did you smoke to get through it?

I was smoking all evening when I was watching the returns, you can be sure. By then end, I poured the wine. Acting executive director Randy Quast came to my place and we lit up at about six oclock when we started watching the early news. And of course I never stopped smoking until I finally passed out in bed.

How much have attitudes changed since you first started on this quest?

We founded NORML in 1970. In 69, Gallup did the first poll in which they even asked how many people favored legal marijuana. Before that they didnt think it was serious enough to ask the question. Only 12 percent of the country was on our side at the time; 88 percent of the country was opposed to us. And the reason the environment is so different today is because over those last four and a half decades theres been real turnaround in the public understanding of marijuana and its relative harmlessness. So now we have a handful of polls showing roughly 60 percent of the American public supports full legalization.

What led you to dedicate your career to this cause?

I started smoking later in life than many people who do smoke. It didnt interest me. I was a farm boy raised in southern Illinois and I didnt know much about this marijuana. So it was only when I came east to go to law school at Georgetown that I actually finally turned on to marijuana.

In fairness, it was my fear of the draft and being killed in Vietnam which radicalized me. After I graduated from law school, I got a critical-skills deferment by taking a job at a presidential commission, the National Commission on Product Safety. It was an outgrowth of the work that Ralph Nader had done. In addition to keeping me out of Vietnam it also turned me on to the concept of public interest. I had never heard of that. I presumed when you went to law school you graduated, you went back to your hometown, practiced law, got rich, and had a boring life. But once I was turned on to the idea that people like Nader would use their legal skills to impact policy rather than get rich or help their clients get rich, I was really enthralled by that concept. It gave me a purpose in life. As soon as the commission ended I had a choice as to what I wanted to do. So I got together with some friends and founded NORML as a product-interest lobby for responsible marijuana smokers.

When youre that young, theres a certain idealism that most of us had at that age, and a certain naivete, I think both of which were crucial. If I would have realized what a large undertaking this really was, I doubt that I would have had the courage to start down that path.

Christie Hefner, Keith Stroup, and Hunter S. Thompson at the 1976 NORML Conference. Photo: Courtesy of NORML

Were you worried about tarnishing your legal career?

I had read a book by former Attorney General Ramsey Clark called Crime in America. I was amazed because here was this former Attorney General arguing that marijuana should be legalized. Id never heard that from such a prominent public figure before. And so, at some point, when I was almost ready to announce NORML I began to feel a little trepidation. Like, man, I might be about to destroy my career and waste my law education. So I managed to get an appointment to see Ramsey and I wanted some reaffirmation that what I was doing made sense. And he was terrific. He not only said, Yes, I think you should do it because its important and we need to end prohibition, but also, You should do it while youre young because if you make a misstep and fall down you can pick yourself up and move on.

Is it true that you couldnt have done it without Hugh Hefner?

During one of those visits with Ramsey he asked if if Id been in touch with the Playboy Foundation. Frankly, I didnt even know there was a Playboy Foundation. But Ramsey had done this Playboy interview and developed a relationship with Hugh Hefner and he introduced me to the foundation. If I were making that decision today I think I probably wouldve looked in the other direction, but back then they were the only group that had shown any interest in funding us. I went out and had a meeting with Hefner and the other members of the foundation board. They got in touch with me within a few days and offered me $5,000 as their first funding. For the first decade of NORMLs life, Playboy was our major funder. Fairly quickly it was up to $100,000 a year.

Now that so many states have legalized, the federal government will almost certainly have to change their policies. How does it feel, looking back on the 46 years youve dedicated to the cause?

I feel fortunate to have lived long enough to have seen it. I was personally assured that it was going to happen because of the demographics. You could see that among the younger Americans, they really had no trouble with marijuana. It didnt matter whether they smoked, but even if they didnt themselves, they had friends who smoked or family members. It was just no big deal. So, for more young Americans, they just couldnt figure out why it had ever been a crime. Our problem was with older Americans  my own contemporaries. Im 72 years old and we lived through the reefer madness era when lots of older Americans believed the government lies and exaggerations about the dangers of marijuana. For decades, it was nearly impossible for a lot of older Americans to let go of that exaggerated view of marijuana. We used to laugh about this in the beginning. Our fallback political strategy was: If we cant win it the usual way, well win it by outliving our opponents. And to some degree I think thats precisely what happened.

So, vindicated?

I thought I was right back in 1970. But its true, I didnt have a lot of reinforcement back then. So, yes, its satisfying to see the public policy finally swing in the direction that we thought it should. But thats the result of the involvement of tens of thousands of activists  not just me. I just happened to be the guy that came along at the right time. I was alienated by the war in Vietnam so I started an organization. But goodness, there are literally tens of thousands of people who have contributed to this and who will continue to because weve got a lot more work to do right now. Weve still got a lot more states were going to flip.

What will you do when marijuana is finally legal across the country?

Im going to try to enjoy my old age and smoke some really fine weed. You know, I tell people that I really am a proud marijuana smoker. I always have been. I think a lot of the challenge that weve had over these decades is that most marijuana smokers didnt have the choice to come out of the closet because they would have lost their job and they couldnt uproot their family. So the stereotype that a lot of older Americans had about marijuana smokers was based on the people on the fringes of society who were open marijuana smokers. I think its important for us to come out of the closet when we can and demonstrate that marijuana smokers are just average Americans who work hard and pay taxes and contribute in a positive way to our communities. People have nothing to fear from those of us who smoke marijuana. So I am certainly going to enjoy the finest marijuana in the world. And by the way, we grow the finest marijuana in the world right here in the U.S. of A., Im proud to say.
The OECD Observer online archive takes you on a journey through half a century of public policy and world progress.

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well, it's too late. is it even possible to impeach ham?

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pence is worse than trump sad

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i hope that all the dirt that ppl have on trump that hasn't been released yet still undoes him



but then we're stuck w/ president mike pence, a christian evangelist :*(

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i'm quitting everything but ontd lol :*(

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Holy fuck things are bad

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I have muted and unfollowed so many people on Twitter- it's mostly safe. I'm sticking to it and ONTD, but not going anywhere near FB. My gf just updated me on my niece ripping my brother (her dad) a new one, though- and he tried to pretend he didn't know about the dodgy shit Trump has said because the UK media hasn't shown that. YOURE A LIAR, MATE!

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Same, girl. I am sticking with my Tumblr/Twitter echo chamber. My mental health is more important.

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Just when you think UK made the stupidest political decision of the year, here comes USA to take the title.

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I'm sad because my family lives between the US and the UK so either way we're screwed.

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ugh i'm at work and now i want to cry boo

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lmao

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LMAO. Season 1 was so good.

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lmao

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Lmao

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lmao 

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ROTF

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too true rn

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lmaooo this truth rn

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omg

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lmaoo

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Lmao so accurate.

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Kimmy Schmidt

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lol

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lol an accurate representation of white women this election year

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lmfao

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This is the first thing I've laughed at in 18 hours. Thanks for this.

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Lol

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lmfao

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DEAD

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Yup. Between her very vocal support of Hillary and her very vocal support of Kesha, I've warmed up to Gaga a bit over the past year.

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Me too

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Cough cough squinty Swift

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when she apologizes for having worked with not one but two sex offenders, i'll listen.

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i really respect that she campaigned so much



unlike other popstars



Edited at 2016-11-09 02:57 pm (UTC)

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I hope Obama writes the most SCATHING letter ever put to paper for Trump.

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I appreciate she is getting out there doing shit. She was the same with The Pulse shooting. I can't do the whole positivity thing rn tho.

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bless her

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Whelp if she wasn't on the list already she will be now.

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I really respect this.

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You go, Gaga.

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I hate to say this, but 4 for you Gaga Coco, you go Gaga Coco!

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Days like these I appreciate having a pet. My dumb cat is giving me the stress relief I need rn

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I really wish I was at home cuddling with my cat right now. But instead I'm at work unable to focus or stop the tears.

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Fuck, I even feel scared for animals

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My poor baby could sense my anxiety and was trying to give me love last night and I just was not in the right frame of mind to receive it. I'm currently on Amazon ordering him new toys while I still have a job to afford them.

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I was just saying to my mom this morning, when you feel the rage come on, go and pet the cat. He's our rage reducer.

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I felt the same way about my dog last night except he was being a menace and made it worse because poor little dog doesn't know what's going on the world lol Even my roommate was shouting "I wish I was a dog right now"

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I haven't been able to comment on any of this because I am still in shock... but I agree with this. My little puppy is just the best thing ever, I am so glad she's been keeping me company.

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Our dog usually sleeps with my brother but I think he could sense something was up with me and stayed with me all night.

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I woke up this morning and cried for about 5 mins straight. Anyone know of any rallies in NYC this week to protest Trump?

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I saw a FB invite going around for one tonight in Union Sq.

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Also the supreme court is going to turn into a nightmare. They're going to get a super conservative in there to replace Scalia. I hope RBG can hang on otherwise we are fucked.

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Not to mention the republicans are getting rewarded for not confirming Garland and that isn't even in the top 5 worst things about these results.

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Our only hope is if John Roberts is feeling extra humane that day.

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It's what I fear the most about all of this.

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I couldn't sleep last night, was literally sick to my stomach.

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i went to sleep at 1am so i didn't see the proper results till this morning, and burst into tears when i saw it on twitter

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i feel like i keep getting punched in the gut. What's more infuriating are the Trump supporters laughing and calling us "sore-losers". OF COURSE I'M FUCKING UPSET BECAUSE MINE AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE'S GODDAMN CIVIL RIGHTS ARE UNDER SEIGE HERE!!! I'm going to see several people who I know are trump supporters tomorrow at work and I just don't know what to do.

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Yea tonight. Union Square from 6-9pm

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I'm Canadian and I woke up crying. :(

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i have been crying all morning i'm not even kidding.



my son has a disability. and this orange asshole has openly mocked people with disabilities. so now my son will see that the president of the united states makes fun of disabled people(among all of the other shit he's done).



it makes me angry, sad, and frustrated.

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I've been in and out of sleep. Spontaneously trying out of nowhere.

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i woke up around 330am, saw he won, and cried. i could lose my job if the ACA is repealed.

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Hi, Im from 2020. Things are going to be bad, then really bad, then in 2020 all horsemen of the Apocalypse will ride out but the orange evil man will be eventually defeated.



Stay safe x

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This feels like a nightmare.

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your icon is so appropriate

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NYC is so quiet today. Ugh.

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I was crying on the subway on the way to work.

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Me too. It comes and goes in waves. This feels awful.

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I know. :(

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I should have left for work already but I'm still sitting on my bed in disbelief.

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it really is. the commute to manhattan was so eerily quiet this morning

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I was walking down my street in Inwood and it felt like the apocalypse. Grey skies, empty streets.

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it's been eerie as hell

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yeah, it's so fucking creepy. i live right in front of a park where kids always play in the AM before school and fucking NO ONE was there. i work in chelsea and it was creepy quiet. my co-worker saw people openly crying on the subway... it's fucking scary.

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I stayed home from work. I couldn't face it. I was genuinely sick to my stomach and didn't want to spend the day crying at my desk.

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The tension in the air is crazy. I was on the F this morning and the vibe was just bleak.

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it's such a weird vibe. my friend and I are going out to get drunk after work.

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God, it really is. I live in one of the busiest streets in WH and it's been so eerie quiet. It's heartbreaking.

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BUT HOW ABOUT TODAY THOUGH HUH?

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i'm sick of people saying "don't forget that just because you vote for someone doesn't mean you agree with everything they say" or "not everyone who voted for trump is racist."



honestly, diaf.

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Yea i agree

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i can't believe one of my friends said that online. even added "the people who voted for trump wanted change."



bye @ her

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well, they'll definitely get "change"...

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Did you delete her?

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The change they're expecting won't be the one they'll get, but people love to learn the hard way.

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That's exactly whats happening in my office. They're all saying Obviously the country as spoken and they want a change. I don't have the emotional energy to fight. I am devestated.

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Right? If you voted for Trump, this is on you.

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I have a black coworker who voted for Trump. She told me her values line up with his. Only good thing is she lives in NJ so her vote didn't count towards this nightmare.

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Someone posted that on Twitter and I was like congratulations that you got to vote the way you wanted but all those people you allegedly don't hate are the ones that will suffer.



Foolish.

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I said on facebook that not all trump supporters are racist, but all racists are trump supporters, but how much will you go to bat for your party knowing that David Duke filled out the same bubble as you.





Breaking kayfabe, GOP, it's not always bad.



Edited at 2016-11-09 03:16 pm (UTC)

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no cuz that's the thing, you straight up are a piece of shit if you voted for Trump



there is no room for interpretation - it's pretty straight forward

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When this country goes to hell and he doesn't deliver on his promises, these same racists will blame POC. Wait for it.

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someone HERE actually said that

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I'm in Canada and was texting my friend, who is American and I told her there are bunch of racists out there. She's like, not all Trump supporters are racist, some are sane and coherent. Then, she proceeds to tell me about ONE black Trump supporter as if that proved her point. Like what? His entire platform was based on hate and bigotry and his rallies actively promoted the assault of minorities and you're telling me that his supporters aren't racist?

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THEY CAN FUCK OFF FROM THIS FUCKING PLANET

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Actions speak louder than words.



This is the problem with people. They claim that the system is rigged, but they do things that actively harm themselves.



I don't have any sympathy. I hope they suffer with the weight of their decisions, but I know that as always, it's gonna be minorities, LGBT, and disabled people who will face the brunt of the mess.

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Every single person who voted for him should be ashamed. Every one. Either they're a horrible racist/sexist/homophobic asshole themselves, and/or they can excuse those traits in the person RUNNING THE COUNTRY. There is absolutely no excuse. This is not a gray area.

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OMG right i got into an online fight with some girl because I said I judge anyone who votes for an openly sexist, racist and homophobic man and she accused me of personally attacking her. Wtf...I wasn't even replying to her.

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Seriously. SO many people on Facebook are trying to say shit like this and "listen to your fellow men" or "you can't paint everyone with the same brush". Bitch, these motherfuckers ALLOWED this to happen without a fucking thought for anyone else. Fuck their feelings. I'm going to paint them with that brush and shove it down their god damn throats. This is not just a silly setback this is a WHOLE HEAP OF PROBLEMS that we now have to face and deal with.

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I also hate the "I didn't vote for anybody because both are bad", it's a bullshit excuse for you just being too lazy to form an opinion and don't want to face any responsibility

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This mindset makes no sense.

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I can't...This is literally what ppl kept saying after brexit

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ikr



your vote/support condones his behavior/rhetoric.

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i dont know how to feel. but i feel sad.



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I feel shock.

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I went from numbness to sadness some time this morning. I know anger is coming probably some time this afternoon.

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im gonna have to go back on my meds. i had my anxiety/panic attacks under control without it. until now.

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Hang in there bb. What will feel like sixty years later well turn that frown upside down.

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All you had to do was vote!!! All you had to do was vote!!!

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just seeing her makes me so sad. She would have been a great president.

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Agreed.



Just goes to show you, this country is so fucking sexist. This country hates women. It just does.

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OMFG. This just made cry. Goddamnit, she could've been our President. It fucking hurts.

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Fuck this goddamn country.

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I have never felt like this before. I feel like a fundamental part of my thinking and personhood as changed.

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Same. Now I want to be an asshole more often. Why treat people with dignity and respect if they elect him.

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I feel like this too, but we need kindness now more than ever :(

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I basically just want to keep to myself and not associate with anyone except my family and group of friends. I could care less about associating with most of the people in this country, if they quietly voted for him.

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ppl who voted for trump deserve ZERO respect. degrade them, but be subtle and snarky about it so it goes right over their heads.

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This is exactly how I feel. I've never felt so much in a bubble in my life of people who think exactly like me

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mte and it scares me

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same, and I'm so upset about it because I was finally starting to be a more optimistic and positive person. looks like that's shot to shit.

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Exactly this. My entire worldview has shifted. It's so jarring and devastating.

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yeah. exactly this. i am mourning more than a lost presidency

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Yup, i feel like my soul was punched.

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I am going through many years of schooling so I can take care of my community. A community that apparently does not see me, my family, or my friends as people worthy of protection. It's making me rethink my goals.

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That's an excellent description of how I feel right now.

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I'm not even American I'm seriously reconsidering my life goals, I studied Law at University but became disillusioned with it and went into film for a few years, though seeing what's taking hold of the world at the moment it making me look into Human Rights and charity work again. I feel I should now do something to combat it.

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This is exactly how I feel this morning.

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I don't feel the same anymore

I cried so hard this morning

and my mom just preached to me

I'm completely alone in this place

everyone is pro-trump

thank god for ontd and tumblr

my only way to see like-minded people

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This. I lost so much faith in humanity last night. I feel empty.

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I am mourning humanity.

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Me either. I never cried about an election. Ever. When Bush won in 2000, I was 12 or something, I was mad, I didn't cry. I'm 27 and I bawled my eyes out this morning. I want to cry some more. My friend is coming over so we can both cry and be distressed. I never ever thought that this would happen.

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I just want to add that my roommate works at the Clinton Foundation and every time I expressed my anxiety over the election, she assured me HRC would win with a landslide. They even had a meeting planned for today where they would discuss next steps. Everyone was preparing to leave their jobs and move because the Foundation was going to function differently. She came home last night from an election party and I had never seen her so broken.

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yeah

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I think what hurts the most isn't only that she lost, but that everybody thought she would win. Everybody. We were supposed to have it in the bag and be celebrating last night, waking up to a world where maybe we'd have a democratic congress and get stuff done.



I really was convinced that Trump couldn't win on the white vote alone, that he had insulted and pissed off too many people for more than a fringe of racists to vote for him. The polls have always under-represented non-educated whites and I knew that but I still didn't think they were enough to even get him appreciably close to the white house. He flipped areas that had been blue for elections, sometimes decades.



I feel like we've been shown definitively just how ignorant and hateful the American people are and it makes me ashamed to live in this country. The only thing that gives me even the tiniest glimmer of hope is that Hillary won the popular vote, so technically more people voted for her.

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same



most of my life has been living either under my parent's care or under obama's presidency



i haven't really felt this kind of completely encompassing fear before for the future and for other people. i've felt sadness and rage, but not this kind of hopeless fear. i feel so let down by everyone.



a user put it apt with just thinking "they hate us" - it's so true.

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it's just SO nice to know that my country hates people like me and want to electrocute me into being straight



real great

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same(ish)- but in my case, they don't think i'm worthy of equal pay, control over my body or basic respect. and if i get angry i'm just another crazy black woman.

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idg why ppl think moving to canada will change anything yes we have trubae but his beautiful curls ain't going to save us from the apocalypse

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can you expand on Trudeau's incompetency? Just interested

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He's been in office for... a year? Don't you think it's a little premature to call him a moron who doesn't stand by his promises? He's managed to deliver on many, and is working on more. Some areas, like spending on infrastructure and lowering greenhouse gases, are long-run promises that cannot possibly be delivered in a year. They'll take decades to achieve satisfactory outcomes, and you can blame that on Harper.









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You can have Trump, then.

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I'll take "hot and ineffective but generally on the side of good" over the fucking orange Hitler we just got, tyvm.

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i wish people would stop acting so obtuse about others saying they wanna move to ca, people who've lived in america for their entire lives saying that isnt a stretch, its been made clear that the world is setup for people to choose the lesser of two evils and im sure canada has deep, deep problems but comparatively? no contest.

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i guess migrating to a different country for political reasons is only okay when you're a white american!

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Edited at 2016-11-09 06:08 pm (UTC)

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YOU WERE RIGHT. The Apocalypse came and spoiler alert there will be curls AND quarantine beard too

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We deserve to suffer.

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*white people esp white women

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You mean especially white men? White women are definitely largely responsible, but white men voted for Trump at even higher rates and they're the ones responsible for him even making it through the primary.

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Why especially? Don't get me wrong, both deserve hate for this, but men shouldn't be given more of a pass just because Hillary is a woman/men are expected to be garbage/whatever the reason is.

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Yea that fits better. I'm just so empty right now.



Plus my blue states like Illinois, NY, Cali, etc....they shouldn't have to suffer :( we tried.

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You know, hatred of white women more than white men is part of the reason Hillary wasn't elected.

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66% of white women voted for Trump,



Us minorities do not deserve to suffer, we are outnumbered the amount of white people who vote.

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Um, I think American minorities have suffered enough. Remember the whole slave, you're not human, you're property thing. Yeah.

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The thing is I was talking about this with a friend and I know Hillary's a liberal but I thought she was centrist enough to sway a decent portion of republicans her way, but it looks like 90% voted for Trump.



Welp I was completely wrong. I thought Trump would win in the popular vote by a small margin but lose in the electoral colleges but the opposite happened.



Headache still hasn't gone.The thing is I was talking about this with a friend and I know Hillary's a liberal but I thought she was centrist enough to sway a decent portion of republicans her way, but it looks like 90% voted for Trump.Welp I was completely wrong. I thought Trump would win in the popular vote by a small margin but lose in the electoral colleges but the opposite happened.

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Republicans have detested the Clintons since the day Bill was elected into office. Hillary Clinton is basically Satan to republicans.

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And Washington media stoked the fire because she didn't play nice to their demands. She established her own identity and wasn't just an extension that bowed to their every whim.

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My Stepdad (a diehard conservative/republican) goes around saying she's a pathological liar, the spawn of Satan, etc., and he's completely serious. It's baffling and makes me concerned for his mental health that he could look at her and think those things, but think Trump is an ok dude to vote for

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Hillary started as a centrist and then went more liberal. That's what initially got her this far because of exactly what you said specially with older voters. The rest of the Dem candidates were on extremes. She changed because she realized the environment she was in wasn't allowing for centrist thought specially with the younger generation that had gone out in droves to support other candidates.

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She ''had' to go left because of Bernie.



It's proved that America won't vote a liberal in.

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"I thought she was centrist enough to sway a decent portion of republicans her way"



LMFAO Oh child. Republicans literally think she's a demon.

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im tired of this love trumps hate unity bullshit everyone is spitting out because CLEARLY it doesn't or else we wouldn't be in this position

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Yep. Hate above everything else

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mte

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Yup this is the shit everyone says daily at my school

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ugh mte

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Eight years of black president followed by a female president was too much of a threat to white male authority.  Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) November 9, 2016

This sadly summed it up for me. And WW.

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We need unity more than ever. Please don't think this way.

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i'm right there with you, clearly hate has trumped love. we need their optimism and hope to move forward, but right now i can't even look at those signs without feeling like the world is ending.





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mfte

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I was just telling my friend if I never see " #lovetrumpshate " again I will be so happy.

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this is really sad. I am deeply troubled by everything that will be taken away and all the people who will be put in danger by this. people are going to have serious buyers remorse.

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good, i hope the people who voted for him get just as fucked over as the rest of us

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I always feel like they should have to go first lol, like, you voted for him, you should deal with the consequences before we do.

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The fucked up thing is that when they do, they'll just double down on blaming their troubles on poor minority leeches, immigrants, etc. As last night showed, it's a proven strategy.

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oh they will when they lose their social security, medicare and their taxes go up.

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they will but will they ever blame trump and his whole campaign or the gop??? they're just gonna suffer and stay stupid and hateful, no remorse.

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americans wanted to watch it all burn down so we got what we wished for :/

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totally major

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no, white people (men) will still be fine so they won't give a fuck as the rest of us suffer.

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The only (and truly, I mean ONLY) silver lining to all this is that when Trump with a GOP-controlled House and Senate inevitably fails to bring their jobs back, they can't blame all of their problems on liberals/the Democrats this time around. Not true for the moderate elite I suppose, but for the working class.

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You were right.

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I can relate. As a perpetual pessimist, I wanted to be proven wrong about people and the world in general. This is the most hopeless I've felt in my entire life, and I'm not in America either. If I were, I'd probably be having suicidal thoughts all over again.

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I know exactly what you mean. Just when we thought maybe things can actually change for the greater good, this happens. It's an overwhelming blow to the morale of people (for those who go against everything Tump represents, ofc).

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I always tried pretty hard to give people the benefit of the doubt, see silver linings all that happy horseshit, I really did. I tried to live my life by treating others the way I would want to be treated, it was always a very important tenant to me.



But I think I'm done with that now, because fuck it, apparently it doesn't even matter.

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sighs

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supersharkbiter needs to come handle trump

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smh, lol

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give me a death note and i'll show you what i can do

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The real American Horror Story begins...

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cool. That's exactly how democracies work.

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what is he planning on doing?

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That's not even a little bit surprising. He's a petty, small, pathetic man and now he's President.

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He was always sue happy....now he has the Patriot Act and secret service behind him. No wonder cable news as a whole kissed his ass the whole time. Otherwise they'd have a smooth month left on air after he takes office.

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Of course he does.

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They gave the most thin-skinned egotistical man alive so much power.



I'm still reeling.

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This is horrifying.

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UPDATE: This story has been updated. lol



jorge ramos probably made it, right? i was thinking about that today.

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i am worried for hillary



i think she needs to leave the country

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That's kind of weird, but cute, lol

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so 2000 and late

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Good for him for trying, I guess.

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Well, okay then.

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A lot of good this did ...

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He missed the 46% who did not vote lol

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lmao same

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ia

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yeah

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this is like the creepiest possible way of getting someone to vote

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I mean.....I don't know. I guess he tried.

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at least he tried...

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NOPE

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but in the end, it doesn't even matterrrrrrrrrrrr



Edited at 2016-11-09 10:23 pm (UTC)

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Duuuuude

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Boston University is setting up a teleconference, I guess, for us social work students who go online or off campus to call in and discuss the election results. It's tomorrow at 12pm EST, 11 my time, so I may call in and see what's up. I thought that was pretty awesome of them.

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While the proxy war in the middle-east rages, a curious, and largely under the radar pivot has been taking place in one of the countries directly impacted by Hillary Clinton's foreign policy: Egypt.

In mid-October, we reported that, for the first time ever, Russia and Egypt would conduct joint military drills. This followed news that Russia will sell attack helicopters to the North African nation and invest billions in Egyptian infrastructure. These items, along with the fact that Egypt is eager to be re-granted Russian tourism rights for its citizens after recent bad blood between the countries, lead one to the logical conclusion that Egypt has every incentive to cooperate with Russia going forward.

This means when the Russian fleet reaches the Mediterranean - whether the intent is to park in those waters and bombard Aleppo, as some believe, or merely to project Russian might to the world, as others suggest - it will be flanked by friendlies on three sides. Turkey to the north, Syria to the east, and Egypt to the south.

It appears, however, that the quiet Egyptian pivot has not gone unnoticed by the U.S. and its mid-east allies, and on Monday, Saudi Arabia informed Egypt that critical shipments of oil products expected under a $23 billion aid deal have been halted indefinitely, which according to Reuters suggests a deepening rift between the Arab world's richest country and its most populous.

The official narrative is that while Saudi Arabia has been a major donor to Egypt since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi seized power in a violent countercoup in mid-2013, Riyadh has become frustrated with Sisi's lack of economic reforms and his reluctance to be drawn into the conflict in Yemen. During a visit by Saudi King Salman in April, Saudi Arabia agreed to provide Egypt with 700,000 tonnes of refined oil products per month for five years, but the cargoes stopped arriving in early October as festering political tensions burst into the open. Related: $30 Oil Or Worse If OPEC Fails

What is curious is that the deal fell apart just weeks after Cairo suddenly became friendly with Moscow.

Egyptian officials claimed that the contract with Saudi Arabia's state oil firm Aramco remained valid and appeared to expect that oil would start flowing again soon, on Monday, however, Egyptian Oil Minister Tarek El Molla confirmed it had stopped shipments indefinitely. Aramco has not commented on the halt and did not respond to calls on Monday.

"They did not give us a reason," an oil ministry official told Reuters. "They only informed the authority about halting shipments of petroleum products until further notice."

So, with Saudi Arabia turning a cold shoulder to Egypt, what options are left? Well, one: "the enemy of my enemy is my friend", and sure enough oil minister El Molla's delegation said late on Sunday evening that he would visit Iran, Saudi Arabia's main political rival, to try to strike new oil deals, hinting that Egypt may be the latest to join a fledgling mid-east axis which includes Iran, Syria, Russia and just perhaps, Turkey.

Egypt and Iran's diplomatic relations have been strained since the 1970s, and is why according to Reuters, "an Egyptian official visiting Iran would cement a break in its alliance with Saudi Arabia and mark a seismic shift in the regional political order."

Of course, such a dramatic shift in the regional balance of power cannot come overnight, and is perhaps why speaking to reporters in Abu Dhabi, Molla said he was not going to Iran. An Iranian oil official later said that a report by the semi-official Mehr news agency suggesting Molla would meet his Iranian counterpart in Tehran on Monday was "incorrect". Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail also said Molla was not visiting Iran and Egypt was not negotiating with Tehran over importing oil products, state newspaper al-Ahram reported.

However, that was just a front, and according to Reuters, two security sources and the source in Molla's delegation said the minister had been scheduled to go, and the low-key visit was now delayed after the news became public. Related: OPECs Gloomy Long-Term Outlook For Oil Markets

Gulf Arab countries, led by Saudi Arabia, have pumped billions of dollars into Egypt's flagging economy since former general Sisi took over after a year of divisive rule by the Muslim Brotherhood. But with the Brotherhood threat diminished, Gulf rulers have grown disillusioned at what they consider Sisi's inability to reform an economy that has become a black hole for aid, and his reluctance to back them on the regional stage.

Meanwhile, as the facade of diplomatic normalcy slowly is pulled away, tensions between the former allies are set to escalate as Egypt has been reluctant to provide military backing for Riyadh's war against the Iranian-backed Houthi group in Yemen.

In Syria, where Saudi Arabia is a leading backer of rebels fighting against Iranian-backed Bashar al-Assad, Sisi has supported Russia's decision to bomb in support of the president.

A deal to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, made at the same time as the oil aid agreement, has faced legal challenges and is now bogged down in an Egyptian court.

With the Russian fleet set to arrive in Syria in a few days, keep a close eye on what Egypt's next move will be.

By Zerohedge

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Energy Transfer Partners shareholders probably understand a little bit of the frustration that Transcanada shareholders felt a few years ago. ETP is in the process of building a new underground oil pipeline called the Dakota Access Pipeline, and like Keystone before it, DAPL is running into fierce opposition. The election of Donald Trump will reduce but not eliminate some of those concerns. The failure of Keystone and the high-profile opposition to DAPL illustrate just how much the world has changed in the last few years, and why existing pipelines may command a significant premium going forward.

The DAPL, if it is eventually finished, is set to connect the Bakken with major markets in Illinois. The pipelines roughly 1,200 mile path is proposed to take it through North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois. The pipeline would transport around half a million barrels of crude daily which, while less than the carrying capacity of Keystone, is still more than enough to set off a flurry of concerns among environmentalists and impacted populations in the area. DAPL passes through several Indian reservations and there are concerns that it would impact the water supply and potentially various sacred tribal sites in the area. The tribes concerns mirror those of Bismark, North Dakota residents who had similar concerns previously.

DAPL had previously gained Army Corps of Engineers approval to cross waterways indicating that the group felt the risk of water contamination was minimal. Nonetheless, protests against the pipeline continued unabated. The DAPL path forward became more complicated in September when a judge ruled that construction on the pipeline could continue, but at the same time, three federal organizations--the Justice Department, the Army, and the Department of the Interiorordered a halt to construction on an area of Army Corps land. Related: OPECs Gloomy Long-Term Outlook For Oil Markets

The reality in the pipeline business is that projects like Keystone and DAPL are becoming more and more difficult to complete. Environmentalists have become like wolves after Keystone  success has emboldened them to challenge even more energy projects, and even after Democrats ended up losing the White House, legal challenges to pipelines like DAPL are going to continue. Its likely that getting new projects passed will continue to be very difficult in many cases. That is especially true if a pipeline crosses a blue state where local and state officials have the power to throw up roadblocks to development. Blue state Illinois is very much a concern for DAPL then.

That difficulty underscores the challenges of building a pipeline even where one is desperately needed such as with the DAPL. Bakken crude has been extremely problematic in recent years because of the volatility of the product. This has led to train derailments, explosions, and accidents. The reality is that without the DAPL, Bakken crude will still be produced  it will just be shipped by rail and truck instead of the safer choice of pipeline shipping. Environmentalists arent interested in that logical thinking though, and seem intent on destroying the Bakken industry through a form of death by a thousand cuts.

ETP shareholders should not be making the same assumption of eventual pipeline completion that Transcanada shareholders once did. The end result of all of this is that existing pipelines may command a significant price premium in the future. Prices for all assets are dictated by supply and demand. To the extent that the supply of new pipelines is constricted but demand for pipelines is steady or even increasing (due to increased oil production or at a minimum greater oil demand because of population growth), the pipelines themselves should become more valuable. Restricted supply will also help boost pricing that infrastructure operators such as railroads can charge. If the DAPL is not built, crude by rail will remain the de facto method of transport in the region. All of this has clear implications for investors and how they should be positioning themselves for the next few years.

By Michael McDonald of Oilprice.com

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On Tuesday November 8, millions of voters will head to the polls in the United States to choose who will be the next president. That figure, either business magnate Donald Trump or former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, will need to make difficult decisions over complex issues such as national security, the economy and energy.

But until one of them is inaugurated next January, will the president-elect have any effect on oil prices? The answer is yes, but the effect will also depend on external factors aside from who becomes the victor in the race to the White House.

As noted in an analysis for S&P Global Platts, oil prices typically fall following the ascendancy of a newly elected president then go through an uptick shortly before or after inauguration on 20 January. This was the case after Bill Clinton won his first term when the price fell by from a high from a high of US$19.46 per barrel on 9 November 1992 to US$16.56 on Inauguration Day 1993. The 14.9 percent peak to trough decline was nearly erased by a 12.5 percent price increase by 1 February 1993.

A peak to valley decline was also noted after Barack Obama won in 2008 when prices dropped by 47.2 percent during an eight-week period prior to rebounding by 44.5 percent by 6 January 2009. This occurred despite the global economic crisis hurting oil prices during that period.

Similarly, the pattern repeated itself during the uncertainty with results in Florida after Election Day in 2000. Despite the race not being decided until Al Gore formally conceded on 13 December, a peak to tough drop of 37.3 percent was observed with the low price of US$21.56 occurring on 20 December. That decline was erased by 2 February 2001 with a rally of 37.7 percent.

(Click to enlarge)

Oil prices on Monday have shown mixed results as West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose by 0.4 percent to $44.21 per barrel in late morning trading while Brent crude slipped by 0.1 percent to US$45.53 per barrel. As indicated by Reuters, investors seem to be increasingly confident of a Clinton win on the cusp of the election. One main factor was the move by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to stick by its July decision not to raise criminal charges against Clinton over how misuse of email during her time as Secretary of State. Related: $30 Oil Or Worse If OPEC Fails

The boost may be short-lived on multiple fronts amid the possible collapse of a deal reached in late September by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cut output in hopes of lifting prices, as well as the likely downward trends historically seen right after the presidential election process.

Despite the global supply glut and the lower-for-longer price environment, national oil production is still projected to surpass the eight million barrel per day mark for the third straight year.

Whether the same post-electoral upturn in oil prices and noted by Platts in and around Inauguration Day will depend somewhat on who will succeed Obama. As is often the case with todays fickle markets, the oil market is moved a lot by investor confidence, and not always fundamentals.

That said, investor confidence tends to be shaken more by unknowns, and less by incumbents. And while Hillary is not an incumbent, she is certainly viewed as such more so than Trump. A Trump presidency will rattle the markets for a time, like all unknowns. Related: The Pen Is Mightier Than The Pump: The Danger Of Shorting An OPEC Deal

But things are a bit different this year. The parties are more divided, people are largely motivated to vote more by who they dont want as president rather than who they do want, and the oil market is already hanging by a thread on oversupply coupled with frustration of the markets and with all the production freeze or production cut talks.

If any election cycle were to buck the historical norms when it comes to the oil market, this is it.

Regardless of what America decides today, oil prices during the rest of this year will likely remain low, but how much the price could rebound in January and February of 2017 may be more dependent on who becomes the next US president.

By Erwin Cifuentes for Oilprice.com

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OPEC warned in newly released report that oil prices might not rise above $60 per barrel until the end of the decade, in an acknowledgement that an array of bearish forces will conspire to keep a lid on any price rally.

OPECs new World Oil Outlook (WOO) offers medium and long-term predictions for the oil market. OPECs Reference Basket (ORB) price will average $40 per barrel this year, and the group projects that the price will rise by $5 per barrel each year through the rest of the decade. That only takes ORB prices up to $60 per barrel in 2020.

That is a remarkable prediction from a group of oil-exporting countries, often known for a much more bullish outlook for oil. There are a few reasons that OPEC is more resigned to a lower for longer mantra.

OPEC admitted that things have not gone according to plan since it decided to abandon market intervention in November 2014. The group, led by Saudi Arabia, thought that low oil prices would stoke demand and also push out high-cost producers, two predictions that did not play out, at least to the degree that top OPEC officials predicted. While analysts initially anticipated that lower oil prices would have a positive impact on global economic growth, the reality is that the overall impact has been neutral. Scars from the economic crisis such as high household debt levels, fiscal imbalances and high unemployment, combined with industry investment cuts, have limited the propensity to consume, OPEC wrote in its WOO report.

U.S. gasoline demand did hit a record high this year, but it took two years of low prices to reach that level and oil consumption lagged behind the huge spike in miles traveled, an indication that fuel efficiency blunted the impact of more driving. Meanwhile, Chinas demand has continued to soften even as oil prices languished at record lows.

OPEC also conceded that the resilience of supply in the lower oil price environment caught the industry by surprise, particularly tight oil in North America. Productivity gains and cost reductions have helped producers maintain output at higher levels than expected and thus delay the slowdown. In addition, the role of financial markets, in particular that of hedging has proven to be an efficient cushioning mechanism. Related: The Pen Is Mightier Than The Pump: The Danger Of Shorting An OPEC Deal

The U.S. lost 1 million barrels per day in output, falling from a peak of just under 9.7 mb/d in April 2015 to 8.7 mb/d this past summer. The rig count plummeted and companies went out of business, but lenders and capital markets remained open to drillers, preventing a much steeper decline in output. Now, it appears that output may have bottomed out, stabilizing at much higher levels than OPEC predicted. In this years WOO, OPEC raised its longer-term estimate for shale production. Last year, it predicted global shale production at 5.61 mb/d by 2030, but this year it raised that figure to 6.73 mb/d, which assumes more output from Russia and Argentina.

All of this has the oil cartel predicting $60 oil by 2020, which is an astounding $20 per barrel less than its forecast from last year. OPEC cautioned that these figures are not its forecast nor a desired price path for OPEC, but simply a working assumption. Still, using these assumptions for its reference case is a notable admission that things have not worked out according to plan.

Nevertheless, OPEC remains relatively confident about the long-term. Demand for OPEC oil remains relatively flat over the next decade, hovering in the range of 33.6-33.8 mb/d between 2019 and 2025. Related: Why $25 NatGas Is Possible This Winter

From that point forward, OPEC crude exhibits steady growth until the end of the projection period when it is anticipated to reach 41 mb/d, which is roughly 30 percent higher than the demand for OPEC oil today. OPEC also expects to have a 37 percent market share, or 3 percentage points higher than last years level.

But those predictions change when factoring in the Paris Climate Change accord. If all the countries that signed onto the agreement actually implement plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, OPEC envisions a scenario in which oil demand actually peaks in 2029 at 100.9 mb/d and declines thereafter. This echoes a warning from Royal Dutch Shell, which recently said that demand could peak in the next 5 to 15 years.

As always, projections like those found in OPECs new report should be taken with a large grain of salt, but for an oil cartel like OPEC to be releasing relatively bearish figures for oil over the next five years is a bad sign for those hoping for a rally in prices.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

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Whether you voted for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, perhaps you celebrated your contribution to democracy with a taco or two.

Last night, from 5 to 11 p.m., Boone & Crockett, Burnhearts and Sugar Maple  all located in Bay View  rallied with Chicagos 5 Rabbit Cerveceria and hosted the spirited, tongue-in-cheek "#TacoTrucksOnEveryCorner."

The event was in response to a comment made by Marco Gutierrez, the founder of Latinos For Trump, who warned that if Mexican immigration to the U.S. continued the country would soon have "taco trucks on every corner." The comment stirred a backlash, started the hashtag #TacoTrucksOnEveryCorner and went viral quickly, hilariously and deliciously.

Despite that backlash, Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency last night  as most of the world is aware by now  losing the popular vote but overwhelmingly winning the electoral college as of this morning's tally.

"We were trying to make light of a very serious and passionate election," says John Revord, co-owner of Boone & Crockett.

Ken Cheling, who represented 5 Rabbit at the event, was promoting a beer called "Chinga Tu Pelo," which he said in polite conversation means, "I highly disagree with your hair" (in not-so-polite speak it translates "F*ck your hair"). 5 Rabbit  which is the first Latin-themed craft brewery in the country  originally brewed Chinga Tu Pelo for a bar in Trump Tower Chicago.

"It's one of our fastest selling beers, and we made enough to cover not only Illinois but Wisconsin," says Cheling. "And if people could vote for the combination of beer and tacos, everyone  most everyone  would agree that's the true winner."

Last night, Boone served food from a taco truck on the patio that was a combined effort between DanDan, Vanguard and Goodkind. Gypsy Taco, which normally docks at Boone, parked in front of Burnhearts, and Sugar Maple hosted Iron Grate BBQ  which ran as Iron Grate Taco Co. for the evening.

Revord says he knew the event would attract almost entirely Clinton and third party supporters, but all were welcome. "Everyone is invited to come on down," he says.

All three of the locations were packed with supporters, and the lines in front of the taco trucks were longer than the lines at many of the polling stations. The people have spoken: Tacos for the win.
Editor's Note: Sponsored content is paid third-party advertising content. OnMilwaukee's newsroom does not write or edit this content.

Steinhafels is excited to partner with OnMilwaukee to bring you unique, original content every couple weeks.

Most of the time, we talk about, well, its pretty obvious: furniture! But today, we want to talk about something a little different, something that drives our business  literally  and helps us serve our customers more efficiently: green energy!

Steinhafels and green energy may not sound like an obvious marriage, but as more and more companies "go green," it truly is becoming part of the business conversation.

Steinhafels has been committed to sustainability and environmental sensitivity for years. We have put several best practices into place to be sure we are operating as cleanly and efficiently as possible.

For example, we use the latest in HVAC technology. Overall, our total energy costs are down 20 percent, thanks to initiatives like energy-saving LEDs and off-peak energy conservation. Our distribution center in Waukesha recycles cardboard, plastic, wooden skids, paper, mattresses and florescent light bulbs. Steinhafels also recycles furniture and donates usable parts to charitable organizations.

However, today we want to focus on our new Green Machines. These are four service trucks that run on CNG (compressed natural gas). Unlike traditional fossil fuels, CNG releases near zero emissions.

Steinhafels service manager Kevin Polaski has been at the forefront of the project. He explains, "We have been thinking about the concept of our fleet going green for some time now at Steinhafels; however, we needed to do more research. Our networking partners in Florida were converting their entire fleet, and we found it was something we wanted to explore. In 2014, we purchased our first Ford Transit with CNG and have been pleased ever since."

The hope is to eventually convert our entire fleet of service vans and delivery trucks to CNG, as we phase in new vehicles in the future. But like any major conversion project, its good to start small. Polaski explains, "We decided to phase it into our service fleet first to get more traction on the product before we made a major commitment to the entire fleet."

We partnered with a local company, Barnes Green Energy, to convert our service vans to CNG. Barnes is based in Madison and has made a commitment to helping local businesses and organizations convert their fleets to CNG.

We recently attended an event at Barnes which highlighted the companys new CNG time-fill station. It also served as a showcase for a variety of CNG-converted vehicles  including a Dane County Sheriffs Department truck and one of our Steinhafels service vans!

At the podium, Dane County Sheriff David Mahoney admitted CNG conversions arent always the easy thing to do, but he explained, "Were doing this not because its cheap, but because its the right thing to do. It will pay dividends for mine and all of our children and grandchildren."

Mark Barnes is president/owner of Barnes Inc. He says hes happy his company connected with Steinhafels. "Its tremendous to have a partner who understands the long term benefits of clean fuel use  not only the cost savings, but the benefits to the environment. Steinhafels is thinking outside the box, and thats going to benefit the company in the long-run and its customers."

Polaski agrees that "greenifying" the fleet makes good business sense. "Using CNG makes us more sustainable while leaving a positive impact on Americas air quality, energy independence, security and environment. Steinhafels continues to look for ways to make a difference. We strongly support going green!"

Here at Steinhafels, we know were not alone in the quest to save energy and reduce our carbon footprint. We hope that other businesses explore options like CNG, and we are always willing to talk with about best practices and ways we can all work together to preserve our environment for future generations.
In the early hours of November 7, Janet Reno died at the age of 78 from complications of Parkinson's disease. Her niece "confirmed to CBS News that Reno died peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends." It's unfortunate that, unlike many of her victims, she was permitted to shuffle off this mortal coil a free woman, unpursued by the hounds of justice. Janet Reno had a lot to answer for.

As state attorney for Dade County, Florida in the 1980s, Reno helped kindle a wildfire of moral panic in America over alleged widespread ritual child sex abuse, leading witch hunts in which children and witnesses were bullied and even tortured into making up the lurid stories Reno and her "expert" child psychologists wanted to hear. People went to prison for crimes that they had not committed -- in fact, crimes that hadn't actually occurred at all. Some may still be there.

Instead of finding herself fired, disbarred and prosecuted for the damage she'd done , Reno was appointed to the position of Attorney General of the United States by president Bill Clinton in 1993. She became the first woman to serve in the position.

She promptly established her approach to the new job, ordering the FBI's 1993 massacre, with fire and chemical weapons, of 76 men, women and children at the Branch Davidian community outside Waco, Texas, a killing spree for which she publicly took "full responsibility."

When someone admits to complicity in, let alone "full responsibility" for, 76 murders, it's reasonable to expect a lengthy prison sentence or perhaps even death by lethal injection to follow the confession. Instead, Reno went on to become the longest-serving US Attorney General of the 20th century.

Another highlight of her tenure was the abduction of young Elian Gonzalez from family in Miami and his return to Cuba. Gonzalez's mother had risked and lost her life bringing Elian to freedom in Florida. Reno handed him back over to the Castro regime.

Since the mid-1990s, I had devoutly hoped to someday see Janet Reno either brought before the bar of justice -- in an individual criminal prosecution or perhaps a mass trial a la Nuremberg -- or, at the very least, in perpetual flight and hiding like unto her spiritual exemplar, Adolf Eichman. Her peaceful death "at home surrounded by family and friends" dashes those hopes.

Janet Reno successfully evaded real responsibility and liability for her actions to the very end. Good riddance.
Even before a Clinton concession speech, Pharma stocks were hopping and Wall Street saluting over a Trump administration. No pesky price regulation over drugs like EpiPen! No pesky safety regulation over blood thinning drugs like drug Xarelto, linked to 500 deaths. No speed bumps when Pfizer et al seeks to dodge U.S. taxes by incorporating overseas--the same taxes that fund their drugs in Medicare, TRICARE and other U.S. programs.



Pharma is gleeful about a Trump presidency

(Image by Martha Rosenberg) Details DMCA



Of course, Pharma did not need a Trump presidency. Its profit party began in earnest with the nomination and confirmation earlier this year of Robert Califf as FDA Commissioner despite financial links to 23 Pharma companies including Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Merck, Schering Plough and GSK according to a statement on the website of Duke Clinical Research Institute which he directed. In disclosure information for an article in Circulation, Califf also lists financial links to Gambro, Regeneron, Gilead, AstraZeneca, Roche and other companies and equity positions in four medical companies. Califf "served as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant or trustee for Genentech," said the Medscape website. This is an FDA Commissioner?

In the past, someone so heavily funded by industry would not be considered for a government position regulating that very industry. Yet on PBS, Califf saw no problem with doctors and researchers receiving Pharma money and actually thought it desirable. "Many of us consult with the pharmaceutical industry, which I think is a very good thing," he told host Susan Dentzer.

Two government institutes are also happily feeding the Pharma beast. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), says the institute is looking to Pharma to find a "vaccine" for drug addiction. What? Shouldn't Volkow know, as head of the Institute, there is no "cure" or vaccine for addiction--that it is widely viewed as a physical, psychological and spiritual disease? Especially as opioid addiction-related deaths number in the thousands each year? Has she ever talked to Michael Botticelli, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy who, as an addict himself, advocates non-drug, non-Pharma, peer treatment for addiction? And shouldn't NIDA replace the very dated term "drug abuse" with the non-judgmental term "addiction"?) Animal lovers will be appalled at what Volkow has done to primates in the lab only to conclude that maternal drug use affects offspring. No sh*t, Volkow.

Under the leadership of industry-friendly Thomas Insel, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has also been feeding the Pharma beast. Non-drug research is no longer even fundable, lamented a recent New York Times editorial. Insel, an early proponent of SSRI antidepressants which he said worked better and faster than non-drug psychotherapy, left government to work at a billion dollar, semi-secret private venture between Google and Pharma last year that few are even aware of. The CEO of the new Google life sciences venture is former Genentech chairman Art Levinson. Insel, while NIMH director, said that not enough toddlers were on stimulants for ADHD even as the nation was aghast at how many children are dosed.

As Trump moves toward the Oval Office, many feel his election does not represent popular sentiment--the same disconnect seen with Pharma. Public anger at Pharma and its outrageous prices is at a peak but regulatory firewalls are evaporating and alarming conflicts of interest tolerated.

In February a smirking Martin Shkreli, founder of Turing Pharmaceuticals, refused to explain or defend his price hike of the antiparasitic drug Daraprim from $13.50 to $750 on the Hill, a price hike that could put the life-saving drug out of reach for some. With clear derision for regulators and the public itself, he tweeted that lawmakers were "imbeciles" after he testified. Then Mylan jacked the price of its EpiPen, an emergency allergy treatment that saves lives, to $600 up from the $100 almost overnight this summer. After public uproar, Mylan offered EpiPen cost breaks to low-income people--a common Pharma ruse that simply shifts costs to others while letting Pharma keep its prices. Meanwhile hepatitis C drugs that cost $84,000 a course of treatment are looting our Medicaid tax dollars in strapped states.

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Scott Baker is a Managing Editor & The Economics Editor at Opednews, and a former blogger for Huffington Post, Daily Kos, and Global Economic Intersection.

His anthology of updated Opednews articles "America is Not Broke" was published by Tayen Lane Publishing (March, 2015) and may be found here:

http://www.americaisnotbroke.net/

Scott is a former and current President of Common Ground-NY (http://commongroundnyc.org/), a Geoist/Georgist activist group. He has written dozens of (more...)


Read original here

By Stefanie Spear



(Image by EcoWatch) Details DMCA



Totally freaked out is the best way I can explain how I'm feeling right now knowing Donald Trump has won the presidency. Yes, the billionaire television personality who denies climate change, has ties to the Dakota Access Pipeline, and has promised to "renegotiate" the Paris agreement and completely dismantle the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will be the next President of the United States!

My email inbox is stuffed full with reactions from the environmental community and Twitter is on fire. Here are some of those reactions:

"Our hearts go out today to the millions of people who voted against bigotry and hate and now have to accept the fact that the man who ridiculed and threatened them for months is the President-elect of the United States," Greenpeace USA's Executive Director Annie Leonard shared. "Fear may have won this election, but bravery, hope and perseverance will overcome.

Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, chimed in with good advice last night with this tweet:

"Trump's election is a disaster, but we must channel our anger and fear into hope and resolve," said May Boeve, 350 Action's executive director. "Our work becomes much harder now, but it's not impossible, and we refuse to give up. Together, we will put everything on the line to protect the progress we've made and continue to push for bold action. We refuse to leave the future of our climate in Trump's hands. Now is the time to take a deep breath and fight like never before."

Renowned climate scientist Michael Mann sums it up perfectly:

Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org, had this to say even before the final numbers were in:

Gary Wockner, a Colorado-based environmental activist and former Democratic Party campaign manager, blames the Democratic Party for Trump's win.

"This election is a sharp and dramatic repudiation of mainstream Democratic and environmental politics, which supported every anti-environmental whim of Hillary Clinton and aggressively undermined the candidacy of Bernie Sanders," Wockner said. "We now have a historic wake-up call and opportunity to recapture American environmentalism as the voice of the people, not of corporate Democratic Party power."

As far as the Paris agreement goes, Jean Su of the Center for Biological Diversity said, "The Paris agreement was signed and ratified not by a president, but by the United States itself. One man alone, especially in the twenty-first century, should not strip the globe of the climate progress that it has made and should continue to make. As a matter of international law, and as a matter of human survival, the nations of the world can, must and will hold the United States to its climate commitments. And it's incumbent upon U.S. communities to unite and push forth progressive climate policies on a state and local level, where federal policy does not reign."

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From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As...
The mathematical (and other) thoughts of a (now retired) math teacher,
Ethiopia has lifted a ban on diplomats travelling more than 40km (25 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa without permission, state media report.



The ban was imposed under last months state of emergency and has been lifted because relative peace and security has been restored, Defence Minister Siraj Fegessa was quoted as saying.



Ethiopia has recently faced an unprecedented wave of violent protests.



But Mr Fegessa said the situation nationwide was now much more stable.



He said the travel ban  imposed for the safety of diplomats  was being lifted because it was unthinkable that the security threat was so serious.



Ethiopia last month declared a six-month state of emergency after a wave of deadly anti-government demonstrations by activists in both the Oromia and Amhara regions.



The deaths of at least 55 people at an Oromo religious festival on 2 October triggered fresh unrest, including the targeting of some foreign-owned businesses.



Rights groups say that at least 500 people have died during the protests overall.



Some of the things restricted under the state of emergency included social media, broadcast media, protests, gestures, freedom of movement and guns.

Source: BBC









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President John Mahama has given firm assurance that Ghana is not going to implode and that next months general elections would be peaceful and successful.



He said the security agencies had been provided with everything they needed to efficiently ensure adequate security protection for everybody and to swiftly respond to any event that may threaten the credibility of the polls.



He was addressing the chiefs and people of Tepa in the Ahafo-Ano North constituency, as part of his four-day election campaign tour to woo voters in the Ashanti Region.



President Mahama stated that the nation had won admiration for its democracy and underlined the governments determination to protect the strong progress made over the last two decades.



He warned that anybody out there to cause trouble would be neutralized.

He told the crowd that he was confident; voters would renew his mandate to lead the country for another four-year term.



The people were going to reward the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) with their votes for bringing development to them.



He announced that the government had built about 1,600 community-based health planning and services (CHPS) compounds, nationwide, alongside the construction of district hospitals and a 500-bed military hospital at Afari near Kumasi.



He also spoke of job opportunities created under the National Youth Employment Programme, saying, more than 50,000 had been engaged.



Added to these, was the improvement of roads leading to the cocoa growing areas under the cocoa roads rehabilitation project.



President Mahama said on the account of the good work done, his party was targeting a win of between 54 and 57 per cent of votes in the presidential polls, while claiming as many parliamentary seats as possible.



Nana Atwenewaa Ampem, Omanhene of Tepa, advised the youth to refuse to be part of any evil agenda to cause confusion.



President Mahama had earlier held election campaign rallies at Adansi-Asokwa, Adansi-Anhwiaso, Obuasi, Kunsu and Nyinahin.

Source: GNA









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Screenshot of the fake news.

The rise of fake news, once only the preserve of certain types of tabloids has now become a dominant feature of social media and a subject of major concern for mainstream media.

CNN has even started the process of educating its readers on how to spot fake news. Ironically, however, the article sits above a strip of "paid content" which are clickbait advertorials provided by an Israeli organisation Outbrain. The pictures and titles in a large number of cases completely misrepresent what the advertising is actually about.

Given that the main role of fake news is to drive advertising revenue, the difference between using Outbrain advertising and presenting outright fake news to drive traffic may be just a matter of degree.

It turns out that a great deal of the recent fake news targeted at Trump supporters appears to be originating in Macedonian town of Veles. An industry has developed there of creating sites with names like DonaldTrumpNews.co and USADailyPolitics.com that feeds pro-Trump fake news which in turn generates large revenues from traffic generated in large part through Facebook shares.

Although Google, Facebook and to a lesser extent Twitter, are enabling fake news to spread also providing the incentives through advertising revenues, it is in their financial interests to turn a blind eye to the practice. After all, it is algorithms making the decisions of what shows up in news feeds and they can always claim they are working on "tweaks" of their decision making software to prevent fake news from trending.

Fake news however is not just coming from humans. Researchers Alessandro Bessi and Emilio Ferrara published from the University of Southern California looked at tweets hash-tagged about Clinton and Trump over a recent period of 4 weeks. They found that out of 20.7 million tweets, 20% of them were generated by artificial bots. Bots represented 15% of the 2.8 million distinct users involved in sending the tweets.

It is hard to tell whether fake news and its promotion on social media really impacts people's opinions other than simply confirming opinions of groups that have already decided on their respective in-groups. It is not certain that fake news and social media created these divisions in the first place or simply created the demand.

Fake news, especially those surfaced in tweets have even been accepted by mainstream media. Fox News reported the story that Michelle Obama had deleted supportive tweets when she heard that Clinton was being investigated by the FBI. Although presenter Sean Hannity later retracted the allegation, its untruth was downplayed.

Whilst the financial motivations for news is to drive website traffic and advertising, it is unlikely that there will be any turning back from stories that have to compete with fiction. Again, Google and Facebook's algorithms created the "filter bubble" where users are only shown news that they agree with and will want to read. The fact that this behaviour has been exploited by people concocting news is just how advertising drives behaviours.

Although it may be tempting to think that news from reputable media organisations is more reliable, they are still influenced by partisan opinion and the pressures to advertise and generate traffic and sales. Looking at the front pages of the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN and Fox News clearly highlighted the political preferences of the organisations and the particular perspectives taken by reporters and opinion writers.

Ultimately, there is no protection from fake news other than to adopt a skeptical view of all news and take the truth of it on balance of likelihood and confirmation from multiple reputable sources.

This situation is not of itself new. French philosopher Michel de Montaigne commented about the turmoil and divisions of France in the 16th Century saying:

"Is it not better to remain in suspense than to entangle yourself in the many errors that the human fancy has produced? Is it not better to suspend your convictions than to get mixed up in these seditious and quarrelsome divisions?"

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
Credit: University of Maryland

At the site of a plantation where abolitionist Frederick Douglass once lived, University of Maryland (UMD) archaeologists have uncovered striking evidence of how African and Christian religious beliefs blended and merged in the 19th century. The team dug up an intact set of objects that they interpret as religious symbolstraditional ones from Africa, but mixed with what they believe to be a Biblical image: a representation of Ezekiel's Wheel.

"No one has found this combination before. It may give us a snapshot of the blending of religious symbols of a tenant farmer after 1865," says University of Maryland archaeologist Mark P. Leone, who led the team. "Christianity had not erased traditional African spirit practices; it had merged with them to form a potent blend that still thrives today."

From the late 18th century, Methodist Episcopal, and later African Methodist Episcopal (AME) preachers successfully ranged Maryland's Eastern Shore carrying the Christian message, Leone explains. They converted African Americans to Christianity, in part, by giving new meaning to traditional symbols. A powerful West Central African spiritual symbolthe cosmogram, a circle with an X insidemay have fused with Ezekiel's blazing chariot wheel. Uniquely, the discovered array contains both.

"We call this the 'emergent wheel' because it shows the growing power of Christian imagery alongside the African," Leone says. "It shows us a moment in time when these symbols literally lived side-by-side."

This is the latest archaeological find from a decade-long excavation at Wye House, the site of a former plantation near Easton, Maryland. Douglass spent two years there as a child and wrote extensively about his experiences and observations. The new discovery helps flesh out these vivid descriptions of African-American life.

Two of Leone's University of Maryland graduate studentsBenjamin A. Skolnik and Elizabeth Pruittmade the discovery and excavated the deposit. They found it intact just below the surface where a tenant farmer's home once stood and dated it to 1865-1880.

The deposit contains a cosmogram-like figure molded into the lid of a canning jar, surrounded by a series of circles, and a wheelprobably the remnant of a small cart or barrow. Leone says the wheel was unexpected and that he had never seen one in a setting like this. After four years of inquiry, consulting existing scholarship and working with current Eastern Shore residents, he ultimately concluded that it represented something newthe image described in the Book of Ezekiel of a flying chariot.

Christian preachers had discovered the powerful resonance the wheel image held for African Americans and over time, the old symbols took on new meaning as the church successfully reinterpreted them, Leone says. Current AME and Methodist Church members told Leone that Ezekiel's wheel represents God's presence among his people. Carlene Phoenix, a descendent of the Wye House Plantation enslaved community, still lives and worships in the area. She says the wheel retains its Christian symbolism and power, even today.

"For me the wheel is all about the presence of God. He is omnipotent and is anywhere and everywhere at all times," Phoenix sys. "No matter what our ancestors endured during their captivity, God was there. For me the wheel was a reminder to them about the presence of God and the reassurance that no matter what we endure that He will never leave us nor forsake us."

"Ms. Phoenix closes the circle for us in a way," Leone says. "The meaning has changed, but the old symbol retains its power."

This symbolism of the chariot wheels shows in the work of Ruth Starr Rose, a 20th century painter who lived within walking distance of Wye House. Art historian Barbara Paca, who closely studied and wrote about Rose's work, is credited by Leone with teaching him the meaning of the rusted wheel in the archaeological deposit. It signaled to him the transformation from African religion to African American Christianity. Paca is guest exhibition curator of: Ruth Starr Rose (1887-1965): Revelations of African American Life in Maryland and the World at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture in Baltimore.
Bats leaving the Frio Cave. Credit: Gary McCracken

Up to now, the speed record for horizontal flight was held by birds from the swift family: the common swift, for example, can reach speeds of over 100 kilometres per hour. Together with colleagues from the USA, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell have now discovered a new front-runner among the acrobats of the air. However, the animal involved here is not a bird but a bat: the Brazilian free-tailed bat shoots through the night skies at over 160 kilometres per hour. Their aerodynamic body shape and longer than average wings compared to other bat species enable them to reach such vast speeds.

Birds are still a model for aviation engineers today and remain unequalled when it comes to flight characteristics. While birds can take off at comparatively low speeds, even the most modern aircraft must reach a speed of around 300 kilometres per hour to be able to lift off. The main contributing factors here are the animals' aerodynamic, projectile-like body shape and their low weight due to special bones. Moreover, the narrow wings found in faster-flying species also enable greater lift relative to the aerodynamic force invested.

Swifts, like the common swift (Apus apus), which can reach speeds of 110 kilometres per hour, are considered the fastest birds in the world at horizontal flight. Peregrine falcons can even reach speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour when diving. In contrast, due to their wing structure, bats generate greater resistance, and are generally considered slower flyers.

Animals with long and narrow wings usually fly faster than those with shorter and wider ones. For this reason, the scientists selected the Brazilian free-flying bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) for their study. Even the experts themselves were surprised by their results: "Initially, we could hardly believe our data, but they were correct: at times, the female bats, which weigh between 11 and 12 grams, flew at speeds of over 160 kilometres per hour  a new record for horizontal flight," says Kamran Safi from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology.

The data on the bats' flying speeds were collected using a radio transmitter weighing just half a gram and attached to the their backs using an adhesive and fell off after two to five days. Its regular beeping signal was localized using a mobile receiver installed on a small aircraft. "It was not easy for the pilot to follow the fast-flying animals so that we could localize them accurately and measure their flight path continuously," explains Dina Dechmann. The scientists also evaluated the data recorded by the closest weather station and noted the wind conditions at the time of the studied flights. "External factors like landscape and tailwinds cannot explain these results, as they had no impact on the maximum speeds," says Dechmann.

More information: Airplane tracking documents the fastest flight speeds recorded for bats. Royal Society Open Science 3: 160398. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160398 Journal information: Royal Society Open Science
Coral reefs, like the Osprey Reef off Northeastern Australia, will bear the brunt of rising temperatures, jeopardizing the lives and economic prosperity of people who depend on reefs for tourism and food. Credit: Jayne Jenkins, Catlin Seaview Survey

As atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels rise, very few coral reef ecosystems will be spared the impacts of ocean acidification or sea surface temperature rise, according to a new analysis. The damage will cause the most immediate and serious threats where human dependence on reefs is highest.

A new analysis in the journal PLOS ONE, led by Duke University and the Universite de Bretagne Occidentale, suggests that by 2050, Western Mexico, Micronesia, Indonesia, parts of Australia and Southeast Asia will bear the brunt of rising temperatures. Reef damage will result in lost fish habitats and shoreline protection, jeopardizing the lives and economic prosperity of people who depend on reefs for tourism and food.

"Some scientists have held out hope that there would be reef areas that could escape the harm of climate change, but we find that most reefs will be affected by either warmer seas or more acidic oceans," said Linwood Pendleton, the study's lead author, a senior scholar at Duke University's Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and an International Chair of Excellence at the European Institute of Marine Studies. "2016 has been one of the worst years in memory for coral bleaching. This fact is demonstrated by this year's bleaching event that affected nearly all of the Great Barrier Reef."

The study builds on previous analyses to identify exactly how people and coral reefs are affected by a high-CO2 future and suggests pathways to help deal with changes. The authors mapped human dependence at the country level, scoring for two indicators: shoreline protection and coral reef fisheries. Simultaneously, the authors mapped the largely unavoidable impacts of increased sea surface temperature and ocean acidification.

The reefs at Heron Island, north of Brisbane Australia, are among the world's coral reef ecosystems most threatened by warming waters and increased ocean acidity. If they collapse, so too may the shoreline economies that rely on the reefs for tourism and food. Credit: Catlin Seaview Survey

Using data from the maps, the study predicts that the countries of Oceania will be among the first to face the greatest environmental stresses from climate change and ocean acidification, followed by the Coral Triangle countries of Southeast Asia and other parts of Australiaall areas with high dependence on coral reefs.

Countries most likely to experience severe ocean acidification are generally different from those that will experience the earliest onset of coral bleaching. Acidification is projected to be worse for Baja California (Mexico), Japan, China, and southern Australia because they are at the upper and lower latitudinal bounds of coral reef distribution and thus generally in cooler waters that naturally carry more CO2.

"The response of non-governmental organizations, nonprofits, and labor and trade organizations will be critical in mounting a response to the threats posed by warming and acidification because these organizations represent the people that will be most severely impacted by the failure of coral reef fisheries," said Chris Langdon, a professor in the Department of Marine Biology and Fisheries at the University of Miami. "These groups must speak up for the individuals they represent so that their local, regional and national government agencies see that action is needed."

This figure depicts country-level dependence on coral reef ecosystem services and future combined normalized scores (2-20) for ocean acidification and thermal stress. The darker brown swaths indicate higher human dependence on coral reefs. Areas with more red indicate greater future stress due to the combined effects of climate change and ocean acidification. Credit: Pendleton et al (2016)

The authors say policy action to combat the threats of ocean acidification and surface temperature rise must be informed by data and science, but the research community is still doing a poor job of collecting this information where these threats are most substantial for people. Many of the countries most dependent upon coral reefs are also the countries for which we have the least robust data on ocean acidification, especially the South China Sea, an area of high human dependence and equally high political tensions.

"Because sea temperature and ocean acidification is largely beyond the control of the communities that depend on coral reefs, it is critical that we constantly monitor conditions there," said Adrien Comte, a Ph.D. candidate at the Universite de Bretagne Occidentale. "Better environmental management can help delay the impacts on corals, and stepwise actions to improve monitoring and plan for adaptation should be funded."

More information: L. Pendleton, A. Comte, C. Langdon, et. al. 2016. "Coral Reefs and People in a High CO2 World: Where Can Science Make a Difference to People?" PLOS ONE: DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0164699 Journal information: PLoS ONE
This image created from a 3-D rendering of CT scans shows the nasal conchae inside the bill of a Song Sparrow, structures which help it conserve water and regulate the temperature of inhaled air. Credit: E. Gulson-Castillo and E. Sibbald

Birds' beaks come in an incredible range of shapes and sizes, adapted for survival in environments around the world. But as a new study from The Auk: Ornithological Advances reveals, there's even more to bird beaks than meets the eyethe insides of birds' bills are filled with complex structures that help them meet the demands of hot climates.

Nasal conchae are complex structures inside bird bills that moderate the temperature of air being inhaled and reclaim water from air being exhaled. Raymond Danner of the University of North Carolina Wilmington and his colleagues from Cornell University and the National Museum of Natural History used CT scans to examine the conchae of two Song Sparrow subspecies, one that lives in warm, dry sand dunes and one that lives in moister habitats farther inland. In this first comparison of conchae structure from birds living along a moisture gradient, the conchae of the dune-dwelling sparrows had a larger surface area and were situated farther out in the bill than those of their inland relatives, hypothetically increasing their beaks' ability to cool air and recapture water.

Danner and his colleagues used Song Sparrow specimens that were collected in Delaware and the District of Columbia and preserved in ethanol and iodine to help soft tissues show up in scans. The contrast-enhanced CT scans they used to visualize the insides of the sparrows' bills is a relatively new technique that is letting researchers see the details of these soft, cartilaginous structures for the first time.

"We had been studying the function of the bird bill as a heat radiator, with a focus on heat loss from the external surface and adaptation to local climates, when we began to wonder about the thermoregulatory processes that occur within the bill," says Danner. "I remember the entire team assembled for the first time, huddled around a computer and looking in amazement at the first scans. The high resolution scans revealed many structures that we as experienced ornithologists had never seen or even imagined, and we were immediately struck by the beauty of the ornately structured anterior conchae and the neatly scrolled middle conchae."

"This study highlights the remarkable complexity of the rostral conchae in songbirds. This complexity has gone largely unnoticed due to the ways in which most birds are collected and preserved," according to Jason Bourke, a researcher from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences who was not involved in the research. "Thanks to the use of innovative techniques like diceCT, we are now able to really appreciate just how complicated bird noses can be."

More information: "Habitat-specific divergence of air conditioning structures in bird bills" will be available November 9, 2016, at americanornithologypubs.org/do  10.1642/AUK-16-107.1

Provided by The Auk
TEM micrographs of (a) ostrich claw sheath and (b) Citipati claw sheath. In both samples, parallel fibres can be seen running diagonally, and identical voids (yellow outlines) were observed among the fibres in both samples. Credit: Alison Moyer

New research from North Carolina State University shows that a 75-million-year-old Mongolian oviraptor, preserved while brooding its eggs, also preserved the original keratinous claw sheath that covered its digits. The work adds to the body of evidence that original organic materials can preserve over time.

Citipati osmolskae was an emu-sized dinosaur that lived in what is now Mongolia during the Cretaceous period. In 1995, a particularly well-preserved specimen of Citipati was recovered from the Djadokhta formation. The specimen was found in a brooding position on a nest of eggs. Paleontologists theorized that it was rapidly buried by a sand dune, which explained its excellent preservation.

During preparation of the specimen, the scientists noticed that there was a thin lens of white material extending beyond one of the bony claws on a forelimb that differed in texture and color from both the sediment and the bone. It was also located where a claw sheath would be.

In modern birds, claw sheaths cover the claw at the end of a digit much like fingernails in humans and serve a number of functions - aiding them in defense, movement, or catching and holding prey. The sheaths in modern birds are composed of two types of keratin: alpha-keratin, the softer form found on the interior of the sheath; and beta-keratin, a harder and more durable keratin that comprises the sheath's exterior.

Alison Moyer, former Ph.D. student at NC State who is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Drexel University and lead author of a paper describing the research, wanted to find out if the material from Citipati was a claw sheath and if so, whether any original beta-keratin had preserved.

Moyer and her NC State colleagues first used scanning and transmission electron microscopy to get microscopic details of both the tissue's surface and its internal structure. The results showed that the sample was structurally similar to claw sheaths from modern birds, so the team decided to proceed with immunohistochemical (IHC) testing.

IHC testing utilizes antibodies that react against a particular protein. If the protein is present, the antibodies bind to small regions of the protein and indicate where the protein is located in the tissue. Moyer used beta-keratin antibodies derived from modern bird feathers. In initial IHC testing, results were inconclusive, which led Moyer to look more closely at the specimen. She found an unusually high concentration of calcium in the fossil claw - much higher than would be found in claws from the living birds used in comparison or from the sediment surrounding the fossil. Theorizing that the calcium might be affecting results, Moyer removed the calcium and did further IHC testing on the claw sheath material.

After the calcium was removed, the antibodies reacted much more strongly, indicating the presence of beta-keratin and preservation of original molecules.

"It's probable the incorporation of calcium in the tissue helped preserve it," says Moyer, "but that same calcium had to be removed in order to see the underlying molecular composition. Because this study used multiple, well-tested methods, it not only supports the longevity of proteins in the rock record, it reveals a lot about how these might be preserved."

More information: Microscopic and Immunohistochemical Analyses of the Claw of the Nesting Dinosaur, Citipati osmolskae, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, rspb.royalsocietypublishing.or  .1098/rspb.2016.1997 Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B
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About a month ago, I got letter from a sixth-grade student at Dempsey Middle School in Delaware, Ohio.

The student requested a copy of our Nov. 9, 2016 Post-Star  Election Day.

The reason I am requesting your newspaper is so I can compare the reactions of your newspaper to the presidential election with reactions from other newspapers around the country (that my classmates are writing to). I will then use The Post-Star in class to explore all newspapers have to offer.

What a great idea.

I will identify different layouts and why they are used. I will also examine different writing styles and discuss and debate various local elections and issues. Further, I will be comparing/contrasting reactions to the presidential elections, other states papers my classmates receives newspapers from. As you can see this information will help my classmates and I learn.

Newspaper editors dont get that much interest from young people anymore so one of the first things I did on Election Day was pull out Macy Flynns letter and address an envelope.

When I came into the office Wednesday morning, I put the newspaper inside and mailed it.

I wish more schools showed that interest in the little miracle we call a daily newspaper.
U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, won a decisive victory in the 21st Congressional District on Tuesday, running on a constituent-centric results platform that steered clear of national political rancor.

Stefanik garnered 161,725 votes, about 66 percent of the vote, with all 590 districts reporting, according to unofficial results from the state Board of Elections.

This was truly a team effort, Stefanik said in a victory speech at The Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls. I promise I will work my hardest putting fresh energy, innovative ideas and always stand up for our troops, especially the soldiers in the 10th Mountain Division.

The song Dont Stop Believin played as Stefanik took the stage.

She pledged to work with people of all political parties in her second term in Congress.

If they have good ideas, we need to work with them to get things done, she said.

Democrat Mike Derrick attracted 71,893 votes, about 29 percent, and Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello pulled in 11,252 votes, nearly 5 percent.

Stefanik carried all 12 counties in the district that stretches from Lake Champlain west of Lake Ontario.

Stefanik, a House freshman, emphasized her role as a member of the House Armed Services Committee in support of Fort Drum in Jefferson County, and her constituent service on behalf of veterans and senior citizens.

Derrick, a retired Army colonel from Peru, in Clinton County, had solid fundraising from individual donors but never attracted the level of political action committee support necessary to run a high-profile campaign.

Derrick conceded to Stefanik with a brief speech at Democratic Party headquarters at American Legion Post 20 in Plattsburgh shortly after 11 p.m.

He told the Press-Republican that he thought he ran a good campaign, but it was not enough to overcome Stefaniks machine.

She is a professional, polished politician and it is tough to go against that, he said. And its tough to go up against that money when you get outspent three to one. Its hard to win those races.

Derrick said it was a privilege to run for Congress, and he may be back someday.

A lot of people invested a lot in me, and I am grateful to them, he said. Congratulations to Elise. She ran a tough campaign.

Derrick focused heavily on his opposition to the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, until Stefanik eventually said she would not vote in favor of the trade agreement in its current version. Derrick then switched to attempting to link Stefanik with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Funiciello, a bread company owner and political activist from Hudson Falls, did not accept contributions from political actions committees, including labor unions, but was endorsed by SEIU 200United.

Derrick portrayed himself as a progressive, but Funiciello ran to the left of Derrick on many issues.

Funiciello, making his second bid for Congress, called for cutting the military budget by at least 50 percent to fund alternative energy infrastructure and free college for all, for opening the federal Medicare program to everyone, and increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Funiciello said the results were disappointing.

It is very rough, but there is no bitterness, he said at the Green Party election night event at 190 Grille & Cinema in Glens Falls.

Funiciello said he is prepared to run again in 2018, if the Green Party wants him to.

I still do intend to run again, but if there is somebody else I will support them, he said. Maybe its time for someone who is more of a politician.

Post-Star projects editor Will Doolittle and Plattsburgh Press-Republican staff writer Joe LoTemplio contributed to this report.
QUEENSBURY  A Warrensburg man was arrested Tuesday on a felony drug charge following a fight over the weekend.

At about 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, the Warren County Sheriffs Office responded to a report of two men fighting inside a Quaker Road restaurant. One of the men, 40-year-old Michael S. Persons, told police that he and a friend had fought but he refused to cooperate with officers in the investigation, according to a news release.

The other party fled the scene before police arrived. Sheriffs deputies located the man, 40-year-old Questor L. French of Queensbury, a short time later. French had an outstanding warrant in Hudson Falls and was turned over to Hudson Falls Police.

Both men declined to pursue charges in the fight.

Police recovered a backpack containing more than 11 ounces of marijuana. Both men denied they owned the backpack, but Persons was arrested Tuesday after an investigation found that it belonged to him.

Persons were charged with felony third-degree criminal possession of marijuana. He was released on bail to appear in court at a later date.
STILLWATER  Stillwater schools went into lockdown late Wednesday morning after the Saratoga County Sheriffs Office received a report of a man standing on the front porch of a Hudson Avenue residence and pointing what appeared to be a gun.

Stillwater Police were first on the scene and requested assistance from the Sheriffs Office. The residence is directly adjacent to the school district.

After about an hour, the lockdown was lifted. The residence was not occupied and the person who was holding the reported gun was located. It turned out to be a pellet gun that he was carrying into his residence, according to a news release.

There were no threats made the school district was not in danger.

The Saratoga County Sheriffs Office was assisted by New York State Police, Arvin Hart Fire Department, Stillwater Fire Department and MaltaStillwater EMS.
Two veteran Queensbury Republicans who faced no Democratic opposition appear ready to return to the state Legislature after turning back Green Party opponents Tuesday.

Elizabeth Little, R-Queensbury, will return to the state Senate for a seventh term, and Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, will be back for a third term in the 114th Assembly District.

With all 263 districts reporting, Little had 75 percent of the vote, and Green Party candidate Stephen Ruzbacki of Olmstedville had 10 percent of the vote. Fifteen percent of the ballots were blank. Little had 84,362 votes to 11,301 for Ruzbacki.

Little represents Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Warren and parts of St. Lawrence and Washington counties. Little also ran on the Conservative and Independence lines.

With 70 of 100 districts reporting, Stec had 58 percent of the vote and Robin Barkenhagen had 13 percent, with 17 percent of the ballots left blank. Stec, a former Queensbury and Warren County supervisor, also ran on the Conservative, Independence and Reform lines.

Stecs district includes all of Essex and Warren counties, the towns of Corinth, Day, Hadley and Edinburg in Saratoga County as well as the towns of Dresden, Fort Ann, Granville, Hampton, Hebron, Putnam and Whitehall in Washington County.

Little, who has run unopposed in the past, said she was glad for the opposition.

I think its good that people are willing to step up and run for office, she said.

Little also said when she went to vote at about 9:15 a.m., there were three lines at the Bay Ridge Volunteer Fire Company.

I have never seen it like that before, she said, noting she felt the national campaign likely increased local turnout. The general election has been so nasty and so ugly, but I think well have a bigger turnout than ever.

Stec said he felt the support indicated voters like what he has been doing in Albany.

I am thankful for the voters recognizing my efforts. I got broad support across the spectrum, he said. I am just trying to do the right things. and I am thankful the voters know I am doing a good job.

Stec said one issue he will be focusing on in the coming term is ethics reform.

We need to keep the pressure on for ethics reform, he said.
Trump didnt win New York, but he won big in the Adirondacks.

Donald Trump crushed his opposition in Washington County, winning bigger than any other presidential candidate in at least the last three presidential elections. He won by 4,532 votes in unofficial results. By comparison, President George W. Bush won the county with 2,852 votes in 2004.

He also won decisively in Warren County, beating Hillary Clinton by nearly 3,000 votes  almost as much as President George W. Bush in 2004, when he won the county.

In Essex County, Trump won by 515 votes. Thats about half as well as previous presidential winners did in that county.

In Saratoga County, Trump was also winning at press time with 49.9 percent of the vote to Clintons 42.6 percent with not all precincts reporting.

All four counties went with President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, although it was close in 2012.

For his second term, Obama won Washington County by 438 votes. He won Warren County by 687 votes. In both counties, more than 22,000 votes were cast.

But that doesnt mean the two counties regularly choose the Democrat for president. In 2004, Bush won all four counties. He won by decisive numbers: by 3,000 votes in Washington County, 3,500 in Warren County, 1,100 in Essex County and a whopping 7,400 votes in Saratoga County.

Throughout Washington County, talk of Trump was big on Election Day. As much as others focus on Trumps inflammatory comments on race, gender, ethnicities and religions, local voters just wanted someone who would fix real problems.

Lester Glass of Fort Edward voted for Obama in 2004, but he chose Trump this year.

As a veteran, he hated it when Obama withdrew troops from Iraq and later did not intercede in Syria. Now ISIS is growing in both locations.

Three years ago, Obama couldve done something, he said Tuesday.

Now, he thinks the rest of the world no longer respects the countrys military might.

All weve strived for, 400 years, I feel its slipping away, he said. I just hope Trump gets in.

Others worried about the Supreme Court.

Rick and Joyce Dixon of Greenwich chose Trump, in hopes that he could choose justices that would preserve their way of life for their grandchildren.

The only reason I did it was for the Supreme Court, to be honest, Joyce Dixon said after voting.

Argyle voter Richard Entwistle went for Trump in hopes of helping businesses stay afloat in the United States.

Theres been this tremendous loss with economic opportunity, he said. To make a profit, they have to manufacture elsewhere. I believe taxes have to be reduced for our industries to survive.

In Warren County, people offered more political reasons for choosing Trump on Tuesday.

I want to go anti-establishment, said Glens Falls voter Sara Villa. Because of the deadlock (in Congress). Its very frustrating they cant work together. I wanted some new blood.

Queensbury voter Stan Kostek also liked Trump because he wasnt an insider. But he wasnt sure Trump was the right choice.

The choices werent that great, he said. Hopefully hes not corrupted yet.

Likewise, in South Glens Falls, a Trump voter said she would still be worried if her choice won.

Its still scary, because hes very outspoken about things, said Alli Straight, before adding, Id still rather have him than her.
FRIDAY

Lake Luzerne

William J. Varney American Legion Post 862 will be serving a Tuscan chicken dinner from 4 to 7 p.m., free to all veterans, $5 for all others. Complete menu, soup, Tuscan lemon chicken, rice, green beans, bread, dessert.

Queensbury

Glens Falls Elks Lodge, 32 Cronin Road, Queensbury, will host a Veterans Day spaghetti dinner at 5:30 p.m. Admission is free to veterans and their families. Dinner will be served with the assistance of Cub Scout Pack 81. There will be a ceremony for those missing in action and a reading of a poem written by a veteran.

Saturday

Lake George

American Legion Post No. 374 will host a pork dinner beginning with a cocktail hour from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. The dinner is free for veterans and $5 per guest.

Stillwater

Saratoga National Historical Park will honor all those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, including the Continental soldiers and militiamen who served at Saratoga in 1777. Musket firing demonstrations and discussions about Revolutionary War American soldiers will take place throughout the day. There is a 1 p.m. ceremony to recognize and salute veterans.

Sunday

Glens Falls

The Lake George Community Band will present A Salute to Veterans concert at 3 p.m. Sunday in Glens Falls High Schools auditorium. Veterans are encouraged to wear their uniforms if they wish. Admission is $12 for adults and free for students, children younger than 12, and all veterans and active-duty military members.
After all of the sound and fury over Trump's treatment of women, it turned out the issue bothered half of all voters a lot  and women were more concerned about it than men.

About 6 in 10 women were bothered a lot, compared to about 4 in 10 men, the exit poll found.

It turned out voters were somewhat less concerned about Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state.

That issue mattered a lot to about four in 10 voters, including about 9 in 10 Trump voters.
These two parties have also had the political parties that share the same ideologies with them in America govern at the same years as they have.

From 1992 to 2001 former President Jerry John Rawlings was president of Ghana on the ticket of the NDC while former President Bill Clinton was president on the ticket of the Democrats.

The wind of change blew in the 2000 election. In 2001, Ghana swore in John Agyekum Kufuor of the NPP. They share similar ideologies with the Republicans who won the elections around that time in America. Former President George Bush was sworn in.

READ ALSO: People in Ghana more interested in US election than those in other countries

In 2008 Ghana elected President John Mills of the NDC, and America elected Barrack Obama as president both were democrats. Due to his demise, President Mills did not complete his first term in office and the then Vice President John Mahama continued and also contested for president in the 2012 elections.

President Mahama won the 2012 election and so did Obama secure a second term in America.

From this trend does it mean a win for Trump is a win for the NPP in Ghana?

The Vice President Kwesi Amissah Arthur during a campaign at the University of Cape Coast accused the NPP on embarking on what he described as a Trumpian campaign. He said this was because they saw no good in the NDC.

READ ALSO: Butterflies but confidence at NY Trump party

President Mahama also on a campaign tour mentioned that by investing heavily in socioeconomic infrastructure, he is already doing what Hillary Clinton promises to do if she becomes president.

However, the NPP has refrained from campaigning using the Trump or Clinton card. Perhaps because they are not certain Trump will win.

Is this a win for Nana Addo?

In Ghana, every president who has governed so far have had a second term in office except President Mills who died before he could complete his first term in office.

President Mahama is yet to enjoy the status quo of a second term. But the argument of the NPP has been that the NDC has enjoyed two terms in office no matter who led the government in those tenures.

If Trump wins the NPP will start using the Trump card on their campaign platforms. They will make all the arguments from party ideologies to donor funds.
For not the first time this year, the news media by and large missed what was happening all around it, and it was the story of a lifetime. The numbers werent just a poor guide for election night  they were an off-ramp away from what was actually happening.

The night isnt over as of this writing, but even if Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, pulls off a squeaker, no one predicted a night like this.

Tuesday nights misfire was about a lot more than a failure in polling. It was a failure to capture the boiling anger of a large portion of the American electorate that feels left behind by a selective recovery and betrayed by trade deals that they see as threats to their jobs.

It was just a few months ago that so much of the European media failed to foresee the vote in Britain to leave the European Union. Election 2016, thy name is Brexit.

Election Day had been preceded by more than a month of declarations that the race was close but essentially over. And that assessment held even after the late-October news that the FBI was reviewing a new batch of emails related to Clintons private server.

Clintons victory would be substantial but not overwhelming, The Huffington Post had reported on Monday, after assuring its readers that shes got this. That more or less comported with The New York Times Upshot projection on Tuesday evening that Clinton was an 84 percent favorite to win the presidency. By 10:30 p.m., however, that projection had switched around, remarkably, to 93 percent in favor of Donald J. Trump.

The media shift was profound. Major sites devoted to predicting election outcomes flipped from a likely Clinton victory to a likely Trump victory. John King of CNN proclaimed to his huge election night audience that during the previous couple of weeks, We were not having a reality-based conversation given the map he had before him, showing Trump with a clear opportunity to reach the White House.

That was an extraordinary admission; if the news media failed to present a reality-based political scenario, then it failed in performing its most fundamental function.

The unexpected turn in the election tallies immediately raised questions about the value of modern polling  can it accurately capture public opinion when so many people are now so hard to reach on their unlisted cellphones?

I think the polling was a mess, Stanley Greenberg, a Democratic pollster, told me last night. But I think a lot of it was interpretation of the polls.

Regardless the outcome, it was clear that the polls, and the projections, had underestimated the strength of Trumps vote, and the movement he built, which has defied all predictions and expectations since he announced his candidacy last year.

And thats why the problem that surfaced on Tuesday night was much bigger than polling. It was clear that something was fundamentally broken in journalism, which now seems incapable of keeping up with the anti-establishment mood that is turning the world upside down.

Politics are not just about numbers; data cant always capture the human condition that is the blood of American politics. And it is not the sole function of political reporting to tell you who will win or who will lose. But it has too often become about just that  the unpredictable horse race that so many try to predict.

You have to wonder how different the coverage might have been had the polls, and the data crunching, not painted such a vivid picture of an almost certain Clinton victory. There perhaps would have been a deeper exploration of what forces were propelling Trump toward victory, or near victory, given that so much of his behavior would have torpedoed any political figure who came before him.

Maybe wed know a lot more about how Trumps plan to build a wall along the Southern border was resonating with anxious workers, or how it would fare in Congress. How about his plan to block people from countries with links to terrorism?

Then there was the drop in the global stocks last night  which wasnt just figures on a screen but wealth being erased. The expectations were out of whack and Wall Street doesnt do out-of-whack well.

Whats amazing is how many times the news media has missed the populist movements that have been rocking national politics since at least 2008. It failed to initially see the rise of the Tea Party, which led to the 2010 Republican wave election and the 2014 wave election after that, which was supposed to be the year the so-called Republican establishment had regained control over its intraparty insurgency.

Then, of course, there was Trumps own unexpected rise to the Republican nomination. And after each failure there was a vow to learn lessons, and not ever allow it to happen again. And yet the lessons did not come fast enough to get it right when it most mattered, on Tuesday into last night.

(STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.)

In an earlier column, I wrote that the conservative writer Rod Dreher told me that most journalists were blind to their own bigotry against conservative religion, bigotry against rural folks, and bigotry against working class and poor white people.

Whatever the election result, youre going to hear a lot from news executives about how they need to send their reporters out into the heart of the country, to better understand its citizenry.

But that will miss something fundamental. Flyover country isnt a place, its a state of mind  its in parts of Long Island and Queens, much of Staten Island, certain neighborhoods of Miami or even Chicago. And, yes, it largely  but hardly exclusively  pertains to working-class white people.

They think somethings so wrong that all the fact-checking of Trump this year, the countless reports of pointing out his lies and untruths  which he uttered more than Clinton did  and the vigorous investigation of his business and personal transgressions, bothered them far less than the perceived national ills Trump was pointing to and promising to fix.
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The three are the Progressive Peoples Party Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, National Democratic Partys Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings and the presidential nominee of the Peoples National Convention Edward Mahama.

This brings the number of contestants in the presidential race to seven.

READ ALSO: Nov 14 is judgement day for special voting suit

The parties who successfully submitted their forms include the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), National Democratic Party (NDP), All Peoples Congress (APC), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), and United Progressive Party (UPP).

The rest are the United Front Party (UFP), Peoples National Convention (PNC), and an independent candidate, Asiedu Walker.

The candidates who could not submit their forms stand automatically disqualified.

The Electoral Commission was hopeful that the forms resubmitted by the candidates would meet the requirement of the C.I.94, the law governing the 2016 elections but not all the submitted forms met the requirement.

READ ALSO: Samira Bawumia denies insulting Mahama

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the election management body to extend the nomination period to November 8, and allow the candidates to correct their mistakes in order to contest the polls.

The court also ordered the discontinuation of the various court cases regarding the disqualification of other presidential aspirants.
The parties who successfully submitted their forms include the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), National Democratic Party (NDP), All Peoples Congress (APC), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), and United Progressive Party (UPP).The rest are the United Front Party (UFP), Peoples National Convention (PNC), and an independent candidate, Asiedu Walker.The candidates who could not submit their forms stand automatically disqualified.

The Electoral Commission was hopeful that the forms resubmitted by the candidates would meet the requirement of the C.I.94, the law governing the 2016 elections.

Many of the disqualified aspirants are praying that the Electoral Commission will receive their revised nomination forms.The Supreme Court on Monday asked the election management body to extend the nomination period to November 8, and allow the candidates to correct their mistakes in order to contest the polls.

The court also ordered the discontinuation of the various court cases regarding the disqualification of other presidential aspirants.
She is one politician who speaks on issues and has never attacked any political opponent since she began her campaign in this constituency.

The NDC is blessed to have such a candidate to lead them; I can see clearly that victory awaits her on December 7, the GCPP candidate said on Tuesday, November 8 at a press conference.

Mr Rockson has since written to the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) to officially withdraw from the contest.

He said he is optimistic that NDCs Zanetor will win the Klottey Korle seat.

Dr Zanetor Rawlings beat incumbent Member of Parliament Nii Armah Ashietey in NDCs primaries to emerge the parliamentary candidate.
Reports say the fight occurred at the end of two separate campaign rallies held by the two parties.

The NPP MP aspirant for the constituency, Nii Lante Bannerman has since accused the Member of Parliament for the Odododiodoo constituency, Nii Lante Vanderpuije of physically assaulting him.

He alleges that Vanderpuije accosted and attacked him at his residence in James Town on Wednesday morning following the Tuesday clashes.

The MP attacked me this morning, physically in the full glare of everybody this morning at James town. He came out of his car, I was sitting in my car, then he just punched me. I was in the car, I was defenseless. He crossed us with is car and got down, he punched me twice.There were more than 20 of his personal security guys, he told Accra-based Citi FM.

The MP and Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lante Vanderpuije, has however not confirmed or denied attacking the New Patriotic Partys Parliamentary candidate.
At the US Embassy in Accra on Wednesday morning, many Americans, foreign diplomats and Ghanaians gathered to learn the outcome of the election. While many there were working at the Embassy, and so unable to show partisan, the atmosphere was heavy, and few clapped when the live feed from CNN announced Hillary Clinton was out, and Trump in.

Speaking to the gathering, Ambassador Robert P. Jackson was diplomatic to the core, stating: It's been a long and contentious campaign. Americans went to the polls, they voted and Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States. As we recognise his victory, we must also acknowledge the importance of Secretary Clinton's concession and her congratulating the president elect.

Ambassador Jackson said through the election he has been asked what each candidate's election would mean to Ghana and Africa.

The United States and Ghana has a long and productive relationship. We are allies and will continue to work together on important issues of economic growth, health, education, security and agriculture.

US programmes in Africa have tremendous bipartisan support he noted, pledging he would work to ensure colleagues in Washington DC understand the good work we are doing here together.

I do not yet know what new or expanded programmes we will see under President Donald Trump but I promise you that our focus will continue to be on supporting a prosperous and democratic Ghana.

He used the opportunity to encourage Ghanaians to vote in their upcoming election.

The right to vote is precious and it must be exercised. There is no such thing as voting by not voting.

American photojournalist Annie Risemberg, 25 from Philadelphia was at the event taking photos for Pulse Ghana.

She was 100 percent shocked and outraged to see Trump's face looming over the Embassy crowd as he delivered his victory speech.

I didn't think this was possible. It's a very diverse country and the people this is going to hurt the most are minorities- basically anyone who is not straight, white male. This is a critical time because of the refugee crisis and the civil rights issues African Americans are facing.

She expressed concerns about Trump's foreign policy. She has been documenting Syrian refugees in Ghana and the USA and particularly fears for their futures.

At the Embassy learning of the result, Chanelle Nicole Fraizer, 25 from Texas in the USA said while she supported Clinton, the outcome showed Americans couldn't handle another democrat in office.

Identifying as Filipino and black, Fraizer said she was also concerned for minorities in the USA.

It's very, very scary. I live in Houston it is a very, very diverse city. When you look at the popular vote in Houston, Hillary won. I am a Hillary supporter, and in regards to some of the stuff he [Trump] has been saying it is unsettling. This is the president of the country. A very diverse country at that. He is making all of these kinds of really crazy statements.

However, she said people needed to be positive.

We now just have to move forward. We can't be upset or sad. We have to do our best as individuals and even as a country. My friends told me to stay in Ghana ..I said no it makes me want to come back faster, come home and begin working there to make sure things are better.

It's not only Americans who are shocked at the outcome.

Arch Bishop of Tamale Philip Naameh said while it may be hard to respect the decision of the American people, they had made their choice.

He had hope in Trump's inner political circle reigning him in.

I think we have reached a stage in our civilisation that to go in for protectionism it is something anachronistic now. That belonged to the era of nationalism but now we are talking about universality, he said, alluding to Trump's derisive comments through the election campaign.

It is my hope that whoever he finds and trusts to build a government with will not let him do this kind of thing - it doesn't belong to our time. Our time belongs to universality every citizen is a citizen of the world, no matter what village you are from.
What does this mean for Ghana, and Africa as a whole?

While we have a pretty fair idea of what this will mean to the USA, it's hard to say what that means here. Because Trump has not really spoken of this continent  and definitely not Ghana.

But, as lecturer in communications at the University of Ghana, Dr Etse Sikanku told Pulse Ghana earlier in the year, there will be a direct impact on this part of the world once the US chooses its new leader.

Whoever wins will be responsible for foreign policy and Americas relationship with Ghana, and that will have a trickle down effect on people here in Ghana, Sikanku says.

But knowing what that effect really is, is guesswork.

One of the top things to consider is the future of the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) as this will affect businesses here, particularly if someone was exporting due to this agreement.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a United States Trade Act enacted in 2000, and has since been renewed until 2025. The legislation significantly enhances market access to the US for qualifying Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, of which Ghana is one.

AGOA builds on existing US trade programmes by expanding the (duty-free) benefits previously available only under the countrys Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) programme.

Through it, Ghana has exported millions of dollars of products to the USA, and been able to import products from the USA in return.

The US has stated cocoa and cashew exports from Ghana to the US went up by 300 percent within a period of 13 years under the AGOA initiative, which would have had huge impacts through Ghana.

Writing for thisisafricaonline.com, Ben Payton of the risk advisory firm Verisk Maplecroft says if Trump wins he will "tear up the rulebook" when it comes to the US policies towards Africa.

With the traditional emphasis the US places on Africa being aid, trade and security, Payton writes there is scope for drastic  and perhaps destructive change under Trump.

However, when it comes to trade, Payton writes Unlike NAFTA or the Trans-Pacific Partnership, AGOA has not been a campaign issue. Trump would gain little by removing trade benefits from all African countries. Since most African exports to the US are either natural resources or low-value goods, lobby groups rarely argue that AGOA has hit American jobs, he states.

If there is controversy and pressure, chances are Trump would take an aggressive stance.

And as far as immigration goes, US statistics show from 2004 until 2013, numbers of Ghanaians in the USA who have obtained lawful permanent residence has increased from 5,337 people in 2004, when George Bush was president, to 7,610 in 2008, his last year. Under Obama, from 2009 the number was 8, 401 in 2013, (the most recent number available) there were 10, 265 Ghanaians given permanent residency.

The number of Ghanaians naturalized in the USA has also increased significantly under Obama. Under Bush in 2004 there were 3, 577, under Obama, in 2009 the number was 4, 819 and in 2013 5, 105.

However, those Ghanaians caught to be illegally in the country have increased under Obama, in 2004 there were 135 people this jumped to 422 in 2009, however, in 2013 the number dropped to 272.

Even last week a number of Ghanaians were deported from the USA.

What the future may hold for Ghanaians immigrating to the USA illegally under a new president would also be speculation, but Sikanku says if you looked at Republican Donald Trumps stance on immigration he is somebody who believes in protecting America...he believes he is going to build a high wall along the border. He is going to make sure that America is more strict on illegal immigration. At a point he said illegal immigrants, including those from Africa, will be deported.

You'll remember Trump has said he wants to ban all Muslims from entering the USA for a period.

So  2002 estimations of Muslims across the continent show that's 45 percent of the population of Africa. 45 percent of Africans banned  at least temporarily, under Trump.

As far as aid is concerned, Payton notes Trump has said every penny donated to Africa is stolen, and in 2014 he criticised Obama for helping fight Ebola. But he has since acknowledged that aid can stabilise vulnerable countries, and has promised to lead the way in Aids relief.

Payton says there are some grounds for hope that Trump would not make extreme cuts, even if aid spending is almost certain to fall.

But the reality is, Trump doesn't talk about Africa, except when he mispronounced the nation of Tanzania when speaking about terrorism in April this year. There was also the spectacle of Obama's Kenyan half brother Malik supporting Trump ahead of the final US presidential debate.

So exactly what a win for Trump means over here, is a dark unknown.
According to Amidu, "Donald Trumps victory is also a victory against the world political elite and establishment who have always deceived the sovereign people by using the democratic vote to seek personal enrichment to the detriment of their labouring citizens."

Read more:Mahama congratulates Trump

Martin Amidu in a statement noted that, "I also congratulate the People of the United States of America for asserting their silent power of sovereignty by voting for the non-establishment candidate, President Elect Donald Trump, to demonstrate their revulsion against corruption, cronyism, patronage, and disguised political extortion by the political establishment and their greedy allies."

Below is Martin Amidu's statement:

I write to congratulate Donald Trump as the President Elect of the United States of America after defying the political elite, the political establishment including media, big businesses and banks to prove that the ordinary American still wants to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN  a democratic, accountable and transparent America.

President Elect, Donald Trumps victory is also a victory against the world political elite and establishment who have always deceived the sovereign people by using the democratic vote to seek personal enrichment to the detriment of their labouring citizens.

I also congratulate the People of the United States of America for asserting their silent power of sovereignty by voting for the non-establishment candidate, President Elect Donald Trump, to demonstrate their revulsion against corruption, cronyism, patronage, and disguised political extortion by the political establishment and their greedy allies.

I have always voted for social democracy and not conservatism, but the publication of the hacked and leaked Podesta e-mails re-opened my mind and should open the worlds mind to how the political elite hiding under the cover of privacy and secrecy take sovereign voters for a ride in the name of democracy. The American vote is a vote for conscience which I urge democratic loving people the world over to accept, support, and emulate in their own countries.

The American elections have demonstrated the abject and miserable failure of cheap incumbent government propaganda and McCarthyism that failed in the American elections. These elections are a wake-up call that should inspire the failure and defeat of incumbent government propaganda and extortion by the political establishment in world politics.

The People of America have voted for a new and changed political and democratic establishment to MAKE THE WORLD GREAT AGAIN. May this be a harbinger of the assertion of the voters sovereign power in elections the world over for a new and truly democratic voice of the sovereign people and that will make the whole world great again.

Now that Donald Trump has decisively won the American elections, my only appeal him is to have a reconsideration of the effects of some of the harsh rhetoric about his proposed policies, particular on immigration, and be guided throughout his Presidency by humanism in the implementation of his campaign promises.

CONGRATULATIONS PRESIDENT ELECT, DONALD TRUMP, MAY YOUR STAND AGAINST CORRUPTION, CRONYISM, PATRONAGE, AND DISGUISED POLITICAL EXTORTION BY THE POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT AND THEIR GREEDY ALLIES MAKE NOT ONLY AMERICA BUT THE WHOLE WORLD GREAT AGAIN.

Martin A. B. K. Amidu
This was revealed by Google Trends on their twitter handle.

Ghana has strong ties with the USA. The USA is home to most Ghanaians and also one of the lead donors to the country.

READ ALSO: SCOAN leader predicts that Clinton will win US presidential election

Google Trends is a public web facility of Google Inc., based on Google Search, that shows how often a particular search-term is entered relative to the total search-volume across various regions of the world, and in various languages.

The trends also show that people in Canada are searching for the presidential candidate of the democrats Hillary Clinton. They are followed by Kenya and Nigeria.

READ ALSO: What a Hillary Clinton win will mean for Ghana

It also shows that the people in countries where Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump is being searched for the most are Canada followed by Ireland and Norway.
The enraged rapper who recently celebrated the legalization of weed in California revealed on Twitter today, November 9, 2016, also plans to relocate to Canada with the help of Drake.

"My new home," he wrote alongside a photo of Canada at night. "@champagnepapi I need the hookup on some property. I'm going to the 6ix," he added.

According to him, today is the second worst day in America after the bombing of the World Trade Centre in 2001.

Republican candidate Donald Trump stunned the world on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, by defeating heavily favored Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House, ending eight years of Democratic rule and sending the United States on a new, uncertain path.
Adekunle, according to Punch, committed the offense in the Dopemu area of the state and was arrested by the Dopemu Police Division, after he fractured the boys two arms for missing from home for two days.

It was gathered that the boy had gone missing from their apartment on Kolawole Street, Dopemu, with the father reported a case of missing person to the police the following day after efforts to find him proved abortive.

However, the boy was seen wandering in the area two days later, after which the father was informed.

Adekunle, who had reportedly divorced the victims mother and remarried, allegedly beat up the boy and broke his two arms.

When the police were called in to effect an arrest, the boy's four siblings were found locked up in a room in Adekunles apartment.

A police source said:

The man had confessed in his statement that he was guilty of beating his son, and the four other children, whom his first wife has for him. The boy was reported to us by the father as missing on Saturday.

However, when the boy was found on Monday, the father got angry, thinking that the victim played a prank on him and descended heavily on him. The dad caused serious fracture to the boys arms in the process.

We also found four other children locked up in the mans house when we got there. It was the suspects landlord that came to report the beating.
Vanguard reports that the suspect also confessed to applying the same method in different places like Abuja, Benue and Kogi States before he met his waterloo at his hometown in Otukpo area of the state.

It was gathered that eight exotic vehicles suspected to have been stolen by Ibrahim, have been recovered.

The suspect confessed that he drugs his victims before robbing them of their vehicles and other items.

I am married with four children. I deal on fairly used shoes and I buy my shoes from Jos, Plateau State but in the year 2013, I went into selling cars.

As soon as I went into the business, I started making huge profits from it. One day, I took a vehicle from Makurdi to Gboko and offered the driver food. I bought Semovita and soup and drugged it without the drivers knowledge.

We then drove to the secretariat and he started eating. As soon as he tasted the food, he started feeling dizzy.

I brought his floor mat and he slept on it. Before then, I asked him to give me his car key to scratch my ear which he willingly obliged.

I then drove the car to Otukpo and sold it for N500, 000. Fourteen days later, I traveled to Abuja and took a cab to Sheraton hotel.

Then we decided to get something to eat. I bought a packet of biscuit and cleverly drugged it.

Thirty minutes later, he slept off. I took the key to the car, a Toyota Picnic and drove off. I took the car to Kano and sold it for N600, 000.

The man who taught me the trick of drugging my victim is Ibrahim Dogo from Sokoto state.
The convict identified as Collins Osadolor alias Albert Lin was first arraigned by on November 13, 2015, on a three-count charge bordering on possession of fraudulent documents containing false pretences, Daily Post reports.

ALSO READ: 2 Nigerians arrested in London for Internet fraud

Osadolor is accused of defrauding an American woman identified simply as, Karry, of the sum of $250.

Osadolor reportedly admitted to the allegation and refunded the sum. Following his arraignment, the convict pleaded not guilty to the charge levelled against but later changed his plea to guilty.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Kikelomo Ayeye, convicted Saliu on a two-count charge of conspiracy and theft without an option of fine.

With all the evidence before the court, it is obvious that you committed the offences, you are hereby sentenced to 12months imprisonment, she said.

The prosecutor, Insp Nurudeen Thomas, told the court that between June 2013 and Nov. 2013 at 7, Dada St., Mushin, Lagos, the convict conspired to steal N521,000, property of Muftau Bolaji-Are.

He said that the convict, who was entrusted with two tipper vehicles, converted the proceeds to his personal use claiming that he used the money to buy five tyres and diesel.

Saliu said that he took the tippers for repairs and bought tyres and diesel with the money he made.

The mechanic, who repairs the tipper, however, said that he did not bring the vehicles for repairs, he said.

Thomas said that the offences contravened Sections 409 and 278(9) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
An Ikeja Magistrates Court ordered the accused to produce two sureties, one of who must be a property owner, as part of his bail conditions.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs M.O. Osinbajo, however, adjourned the case to Nov. 30.

Oladipupo, of no fixed address, however, pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge bordering on dangerous driving and manslaughter.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Yemi Egunjobi, told the court that the accused drove a commercial truck, a Caster pick up, dangerously and caused the death of a 16-year-old boy, Chigozie.

The accused, drove against traffic, and he took a one way road leading inward Ogunusi road, Ojodu, and knocked down the victim at the bus stop.

The victim died on the spot, he said.

According to the prosecutor, a team of traffic officials rushed to the scene and took the lifeless body of the victim to the hospital, where he was confirmed dead.

The body was deposited at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), mortuary, Ikeja, he said.

Egunjobi said that the driver committed the offences on Oct. 7 at about 10.05 p.m., along Ogunusi road, Akiode bus stop, Ojodu, Lagos.
The robbers reportedly attacked Y.T.K filling station at Oke Afa bus stop around 11am on Tuesday, November 8, and made away with an undisclosed amount of money, Punch Metro reports.

The assailants facilitated their attack with two Barreta pistols, 19 rounds of ammunition and two motorcycles.

Punch Metro reports that the robbers shot into the air sporadically, causing panic in the area and forcing shop owners and pedestrians to run for safety.

Police officers from the Isolo division reportedly showed up during the robbery and engaged the robbers in a shootout.

Two of the robbers were shot dead while two others made their escape on one of the motorcycles.

An eyewitness who identified himself simply as Saheed told Punch Metro correspondents that one of the customers at the filling station was shot by the robbers.

He said, It was around 11am. The robbers invaded the filling station and shot at a man buying fuel. They snatched some money from other buyers and ran away on motorcycles.

The man that was shot was assisted by people and rushed to a hospital.

Punch Metro reports that a Boxer motorcycle, with number plate, FKJ718QH, which was used by the robbers, was recovered by the police.

ALSO READ:5 suspected armed robbers gunned down by the police in Anambra

After confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, said that the police are on the trail of the remaining two suspects.

Upon receipt of the information, the Isolo Divisional Police Officer and his men went after the robbers, and caught up with them by LIMCA way, Isolo. The robbers, on sighting the police team, opened fire, and the operatives responded.

Two of the robbers fell in the gun duel, while two others fled the scene. Two Barreta pistols and 19 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the robbers. The police also picked up a sum of N250,000.

Effort is on to apprehend the fleeing suspects. The command remains resolute in ridding the state of criminal elements.
"The scheme entered the Nigerian circle in 2016, capitalising on the high level of unemployment and poverty to deceive unwary Nigerians into falling prey to their antics," said Fijabi. He also noted that MMM isn't regulated by the Central Back of Nigeria.

The House supported the notion that the promoters of the scheme are waiting for more Nigerians to invest their money before absconding.

The House of Representatives has asked the committees on Banking/Currency and Financial Crimes to thoroughly investigate MMM.

EFCC has also been directed to stop MMM before it dupes Nigerians of their hard earned money.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) issued a warning about the Ponzi scheme last week.

The head of the Consumer Protection Department of the CBN, Suleja Kassim warned Nigerians not to invest their hard earned money in the scheme during a mentoring program for students.

ALSO READ: The dark history of MMM

"We have heard about the activities of MMM. I want to warn you against it because they are wonder banks that are not regulated. Desist from their activities because they are fraudulent" he stated.
The incident, according to Daily trust, happened in Zuma village, Maddalla area of the state after Yahaya, a labourer, sneaked into the farm of one Luka Musa and harvested the yams before luck ran out on him and he was arrested by the local vigilante.

A member of the vigilante in the area said the suspect was arrested early in the morning after he went into the Musa's and stole the yams.

The vigilante member said the suspect went to the farm with an empty sack to carry the yams but a hunter who was returning home, saw him with the yam tubers and became suspicious.

The suspect harvested 12 tubers of yam which he put in a sack and was about taking them away when a hunter who knew the farmer saw him and came home and informed him of what he saw on his farm.

The suspect confessed to stealing the yam but pleaded with the farmer that it was hardship that made him harvest some tubers of yam from the farm.
He is in a dilemma now on how to handle the situation.

Read his story here:

"My name is Damian, a 48-year-old businessman living in Lagos. I have been married for 20 years now with three lovely children I believed were mine.

But it is now clear that they do not belong to me and my wife, , must have been sleeping around with other men and planted the pregnancies on me.

When I got married to Callister, she had claimed to be pregnant for me and since I did not want to have children outside of wedlock, we had to get married.

When she gave birth to our first child, a girl, I was over the moon with joy and vowed to give her the best I could.

It took us about five more years before a second child, a boy came. I was so happy that I bought her a car and opened a business for her as a reward because my people were getting worried.

Another four years passed before our second son came. We agreed to stop having babies so that we could give the three everything we could to make them comfortable.

The children went to the best schools and I did not spare any expense to make them comfortable and the cynosure of all eyes.

Little did I know that I was raising other people's children. The truth came six months ago when I needed blood transfusion following a surgery.

My wife and I do not have the same blood group, so it was just natural for my children to donate the blood but none of their blood groups matched mine.

The doctor, a personal friend, did not find that funny and jokingly asked if he should conduct a DNA test on the children to which I agreed. I felt they were mine and the mismatched blood groups could just be a coincidence.

But lo and behold, the DNA results showed that the three kids were not mine. Looking very worried, the doctor decided to run some tests on me as well and found out that I had a very low sperm count with a mere 15% chances of impregnating a woman.

Since this revelation, I have been tempted to ask my wife who the real fathers of the kids were but I dread what the answers would be. Another reason is that I love the children so much and they see me as their only father and letting them know would really destabilize them.

But I still feel they need to know at some point in time. I am still holding out on revealing the secret but for how long would I be able to withhold this?

Damian."

The teaser for the day was:

How Nigeria voted:

I will keep it a top secret - 22%

I will confront my wife to tell me the truth - 31%

I will tell the children that I am not their father - 4%

Nothing will make me let go of the children - 42%
The shocking incident reportedly took place on Monday, November 7 at a mine in Bindim, Maru Local Government Area of the state.

ALSO READ: 30 miners killed by unknown gunmen

In a statement issued on Wednesday, November 9, by the Press Secretary to the minister, Osaigbovo Ehisienmen, Dambazau ordered the police and Civil Defence Corps, to arrest those behind the heinous act, Punch reports.

The statement read, The Minister of Interior has condemned in strong terms, the senseless killing of innocent Nigerians at a mining site in Zamfara State. While condoling with the Government and people of Zamfara over the most reprehensible attack, Dambazau has mandated the Police and NSCDC to apprehend perpetrators of this dastardly act, with a view to bringing them to justice."

The minister stated that the incident has strengthened his resolve to join hands with the Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals in creating a special squad made up of NSCDC personnel to protect organised mining sites across Nigeria.
The Coordinator of the foundation, Mrs Serah Kefas, disclosed this on Wednesday in an interview with the News agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Tafawa Balewa.

She said the exercise was to contribute towards safe guarding public health, adding that more than 50 various types of drugs are also given to people diagnose with various types of other ailments.

She said that the exercise was conducted by a team of medical doctors and pharmacists.

We intend to screen a minimum of 500 people on Hepatitis, Sugar level, Malaria and Skin diseases, among others.

The foundation is here with more than 50 different drugs and with the team of medical doctors and pharmacists to conduct the exercise.

Those diagnose with ailments such as HIV and Hepatitis will be followed to their homes to council them on their ailment, the coordinator said.

Kefas said that the organisation would also conduct mobile clinic exercise to dwell more on community health care services.
She gave the advice on Wednesday when she paid advocacy visit to Jos to sensitise women on the benefits of availing themselves of the programme.

She said that GEEP was aimed at reducing poverty amongst women, adding that it would also help to rebuild the economies of rural areas.

She said: "GEEP will help rebuild the Nigerian economy; it will complement other economic empowerment strategies of the federal and state governments.

"It has four objectives which includes the provision of skills development training and provision of micro-credit loans.

"The loans are interest free and no collateral is required.

"The forms to apply for the loan is absolutely free of charge; each beneficiary can get a loan ranging from N10,000 to N100,000 and is repayable in six months.

"The loan will be paid directly into each beneficiarys individual account.

"As such account and BVN numbers are to be provided by each applicant for the loan," she said.

The minister said that men could also take advantage of the GEEP as the programme was meant to provide assistance for artisans, farmers, market women and entrepreneurs.

She said that her ministry is working with development partners to provide financial literacy and skills training for beneficiaries of the programme.

In her remarks, the wife of Plateau governor, Mrs Regina Lalong, urged women to embrace the opportunity offered by the programme to improve their well being.
Reacting to the report in a statement on Wednesday, army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman described it as false and a figment of their imagination resulting from their jaundiced and unjustified hatred of the person of the COAS and the Nigerian Army.

The publication is also a calculated mischief by some unknown individuals designed to achieve some ulterior motives.

The content of that mischievous publication exists only in their imagination.

There has never been anytime or occasion where the Chief of Army Staff stated that.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Chief of Army Staff could never have said something like that.

He remains absolutely loyal to the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He remains resolute in the fight against terrorism and insurgency in our country and no amount of distraction or unwarranted attacks would change that, Usman said.
According to Punch Newspapers, the Senators led by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and Eyinnaya Abaribe, met with Buhari on Wednesday, November 9, 2016.

Other senators on the delegation were Sam Egwu, Hope Uzodinma, Andy Uba and Chukwuka Utazi.

After the meeting, Ekeremadu said that issues raised during the meeting included the issue of the Indigenous People of Biafra, lopsided appointments and general infrastructure in the zone.

He said, For us from the South East, we believe that dialogue is better than any other form of engagement.

So we decided to visit the President and present to him some of the concerns of the South East including the issues of roads and general infrastructure.

We also discussed the issue of security with him and of course the issue of IPOB. We had a good conversation and he promised to look into the issues.
The President also called on all ethnic groups in the country to live in peace and harmony.

Buhari also described the countrys over dependence on crude oil, as a grievous mistake, adding that we are paying for it today.

He said I am not deterred over such criticisms because I am focused and I am happy that many Nigerians have started realizing what we are doing and trying to do, to fix this country for the better. Our problem as a nation started when we abandoned agriculture, our hides and skins, cocoa export, palm kernel and engaged in oil business. Once petroleum was discovered and developed in large quantity, we threw everything to the dust. Now petroleum is diving from 100 dollars to between 40 and 50 dollars per barrel and that is the price we are paying now. What have we done to our agriculture, power, rail, road and social infrastructure; education and health? Just check and find out.

We have been wasteful. Now, we have to go back to the land, to solid minerals and do a lot of savings so that we can leave a better country for our children and our great nation.

Buhari also said if the rainy season had failed this year, especially, in the Northern part of the country, I wonder what the future would have been because there were no savings, there was no infrastructure, coupled with hunger. I think it is a big recipe for disaster. We thank God for saving us from that disaster.

ALSO READ:Oshiomhole says Obaseki will improve quality of education

He also commended the Edo state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole for his foresight, integrity and hard-work.
In a statement signed by Femi Adesina, his special assistant on media and publicity, President Buhari congratulated Trump on his victory over Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate.

The statement reads:

On behalf of the government and people of the federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari congratulates President-elect Donald Trump on his victory in the United States presidential election, the statement read.

President Buhari also congratulates American citizens on the outcome of the election, which was keenly observed by all true lovers of democracy and those who believe in the will of the people.

The president looks forward to working together with President-elect Trump to strengthen the already established friendly relations between both countries, including cooperation on many shared foreign policy priorities, such as the fight against terrorism, peace and security, economic growth, democracy and good governance.

As Mr Trump prepares to assume the position of the President of the United States, President Buhari extends his good wishes to him on the onerous task of leading the worlds strongest economy.
According to Vanguard, Gbenekama also said There is a serious Internally Displaced Persons, IDP situation in Gbaramatu Kingdom, sitting in your palatial houses in Abuja and other state capitals without concern for the dying people of Gbaramatu kingdom is unfortunate. The international community should also come to our aid, for we are dying. The right to education has been taken away from the people of Gbaramatu because most of our schools are the targets of intimidation by the military.
Jibrin earlier said that he left the country because his life was being threatened but his claim was dismissed by colleague, Herman Hembe who alleged that Jibrin had fled because the anti-corruption agencies were about to arrest him.

The embattled lawmaker made the denial via a statement. It reads:

My attention has been drawn to series of media reports that I fled Nigeria for the fear that the EFCC is closing on me. This is far from the truth and an extension of the wicked propaganda and blackmail lunched against me by Speaker Yakubu Dogara and other corrupt members of the House of Representatives who are angry and jittery over the allegations of budget fraud and corruption I leveled against them and their impending arrest and prosecution.

The fact of the matter is that I traveled out of the country freely like every responsible citizen and through the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport Abuja on Friday 4th November 2016.

The purpose of my trip is to receive an award in recognition of my modest effort in exposing corruption in the House of Representatives by the African Voice Newspaper London and embark upon an extensive international campaign to mobilize foreign governments, parliaments, media, civil society and anti-corruption groups and Nigerians in diaspora to join the call for the arrest and prosecution of Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun, Whip Alhassan Doguwa and Minority Leader Leo Ogor on the strength of the allegations and overwhelming evidence against them.

I have stated repeatedly that I have engaged the security and anti-corruption agencies severally over the petitions I submitted and provided them with evidential documents and vital clues and we have constantly kept in tough. I have also pledged to stand as witness against the Speaker and others. I have nothing to fear. If for any reason my attention is needed, I will make myself available.

My constraint has always been the threat to my life which I have raised alarm severally that the House cabal led by Speaker Yakubu Dogara are using Hon. Herma Hembe to either assassinate or kidnap me or members of my family. Hon Hembe has been stalking me.

I have been worried and written to the security agencies but none of these people have been questioned. In fact at some point, they tried to use some elements in one of the security agencies to abduct me. All these were reported by my lawyers.

It is against this background that I took the decision to stay away from the country until my safety is guaranteed. However ever, I will be available once my attention is required in respect of my petition against the Speaker and others or any petition that may come against me.

I am therefore urging the media to endeavor to cross check information before they publish so that the public will always be fed with the facts of the matter.

Jibrin has been at the centre of controversy since July when he accused Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers of padding the 2016 budget.
Scheduled to hold in Abia on December 10, 2016, the organisers unveiled the hosts on Wednesday, November 9, 2016.

Speaking on the decision of the 2016 organising committee, the producer of BON Awards, Seun Oloketuyi said "Pairing this two just tells you anything can happen when it comes to BON Awards."

Speaking further, he said, "Okey is one of Nigerias most prolific Comedians and an actor who for over two decades has carved a niche for himself as a vintage entertainer while Mercy Aigbe Gentry has over the years built her career as the new darling of new school Nollywood."

In years past, the movie awards ceremony had been hosted by celebrities that include DJ Jimmy Jatt, Deji Falope, Chioma Akpotha, Gbenga Adeyinka 1st, Fred Amata, Gbemi Olateru, Gideon Okeke and Bimbo Akintola.
In the fourth episode, the remaining members of the group try to keep it together in Alexandria; they receive a sobering visit.

ALSO READ: undefined

When "The Walking Dead" returned for its seventh season on Sunday, October 23, 2016, Steven Yeun (Glenn Rhee) and Michael Cudlitz (Abraham Ford) were brutally killed off in the Zombie drama's most violent episode yet.

ALSO READ:undefined

With the death of Glenn and Ford, nine survivors including Rick, Michonne, Daryl, Rosita, Carl, Maggie, Aaron Eugene and Sasha are left with the task of dealing with Saviors merciless leader, Negan.
The announcement was made by Deputy Senate President and senior PDP member, Ike Ekweremadu via a statement released by his media aide, Uche Anichikwu on Wednesday, November 9.

The statement reads:

Mr. Trump has rightly described the election as historic. But it is not only historic for the U.S, but also for the world. It is an important reminder to the entire world of the true meaning and essence of democracy as government of the people.

I urge him to work for democracy, global peace and prosperity because the peace and prosperity of America is intrinsic in that of the entire world.

In particular, I urge better bilateral deals for Nigeria by the incoming Donald Trump presidency. I have no doubt that the people of Nigeria and indeed the Peoples Democratic Party are willing and ready to work with the incoming U.S government for the good of both nations.

We have many lessons to learn from the American presidential election. It was highly democratic, transparent, peaceful, and free of intimidation, willful manipulations, contrived security scares; and it was absolutely conclusive, even though the ruling party was losing, and eventually lost.

ALSO READ:Donald Trump wins US Elections
Fayose also said that Trump would help to end the hopelessness in Nigeria.

The governor made the comments via a statement released by his media aide, Lere Olayinka on Wednesday, November 9.

The statement reads:

Now that Trump has won, it portends hope for Nigerians that the excesses of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government will stop as the road has ended for those who conspired to impose Buhari on Nigerians.

Trump presidency symbolizes different things to different people and nations. It symbolizes God at work and a clear departure from the old order.

It is also a turning point for Nigeria and Nigerians, particularly those controlling the federal government that must have to change their ways as their allies who imposed them on us just lost out.

Most importantly, President Barack Obama got what he did to Dr Goodluck Jonathan. God bless President-Elect Donald John Trump!

The US elections started and ended seamlessly. The electoral umpire never meddled; the military, police and SSS did not provide cover for ballot snatchers.

No printing of doggy result sheets. I think Prof Mahmood Yakubu and his INEC should learn from this for posterity. They should stop aiding unpopular politicians to rob the people of quality leadership.

I prayed to God that if Trump will be the one to save us from this present state of hopelessness, God should give him victory. I prayed that God should let Trump win so that another change can begin in Nigeria.

I am happy that God answered my prayers and gave Trump a resounding victory. I am also happy that God has humbled those who conspired to impose the present APC government that has brought hunger, suffering, abuse of human rights and destruction of the Electoral system on Nigeria and its people.

ALSO READ:Donald Trump wins 2016 US presidential poll
The apex court on Tuesday dismissed the appeal filed by the defeated APC candidate Timipire Sylva against the Appeal Court judgment which upheld the election of Dickson as governor

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that scores of PDP members gathered in different groups at strategic areas in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital to celebrate the victory.

A former PDP ward 13 Chairman in Ogbia Local Government Area, Endurance Osain, said the unanimous judgment of the apex court was a confirmation of a divine pronouncement that for once the seat of power in Bayelsa will be occupied for eight years.

The former Chairman, said even if elections were to be conducted a thousand times Dickson would still emerge winner.

He said: As a party we congratulate our amiable governor and his deputy for the sweet victory which did not come to us as a surprise because we knew that with the facts before their lordships the APC had no case against the PDP.

What the APC and its candidate did was to waste their time and that of the judiciary. Chief Timipre Sylva knew he could not have won that case, he said.

He also hailed the PDP and Bayelsans who stood by the Dicksons government, saying their prayers for this victory was not in vain.

He urged them to always support the administration for Bayelsa to move forward.

Osain, remarked that with all the legal hurdles crossed, the government will now be more focused to continue its mandate of quality service delivery to the people of Bayelsa.

Another party faithful, Mr Isreal Osumo, lauded the Supreme Court for passing true judgement without being bias.

He, express satisfaction the way the election judgements have been going starting from Tribunal to the Supreme Court.
Pedestrians walk past an Marks & Spencer store in northwest London in this July 8, 2014 file photo. [Photo / Agencies]

Marks & Spencer Group Plc announced plans to shut 30 clothing stores in the United Kingdom and switch others to food-only outlets as Chief Executive Officer Steve Rowe unwinds the expansion efforts of his predecessor and seeks to reverse years of lackluster performance.

The retailer will also shutter 53 stores outside the UK and begin consultations with 2,100 workers as it retreats from 10 countries including China and Belgium, it said on Tuesday, while cutting its margin outlook for the year.

"M&S have been trying to dig their general-merchandise business out of trouble for several years, but for now it seems that the time has come to stop digging," said Phil Dorrell, partner at consultant Retail Remedy.

"By closing stores and cutting jobs without an accompanying announcement on a new strategy, M&S are giving in."

M&S veteran Rowe is taking immediate action to address the fashion retailer's struggles at home and abroad after replacing Marc Bolland as CEO this year.

Domestic clothing sales have been in near constant decline for five years as shoppers defect to nimbler rivals such as Hennes & Mauritz AB and Inditex's Zara.

International earnings have been weighed down by weak demand in Europe and turbulent economic conditions in Asia and the Middle East.

The domestic closures will take place over five years, M&S said, without disclosing how many jobs will be lost.

The downsizing represents the end of an era for the 132-year-old company that was long regarded as the bellwether of UK retailing.

"These are tough decisions, but vital to building a future M&S that is simpler, more relevant, multi-channel and focused on delivering sustainable returns," Rowe said in the statement.

The domestic closures will reduce the amount of space devoted to clothing and home wares by 10 percent, said the company, which has 304 UK clothing and home stores.

Taken together, Rowe's actions will lead to the loss of 60 clothing outlets.

Bloomberg
NAN reports that the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, had announced the Federal Governments approval of the licences following a memo submitted by the Federal Ministry of Education.

The minister announced the approval after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting last Wednesday in Abuja.

The educationists told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos that establishing new university was not the solution to the challenges currently facing the education sector.

Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), said that establishing new universities was not all about creation of more access for students.

According to Ogunyemi, approving new universities can be a step in the right direction, but the current situation does not lie solely on it.

If you look at it on one hand, it will be right to argue that the approval of these universities has opened more access for potential students to pursue their academic dreams.

It looks like democratisation of education, in which case, we are trying to open more access for the teeming youths seeking university education.

But then, we need to balance access with quality.

There is really no need to keep approving more universities when the existing ones are almost in comatose.

The opening of more private university is like saying that the Federal Government needs just quantity and displaying its failure to properly fund existing public universities.

To me, I feel there is need to x-ray the sector, identify core challenges and balance quality with quantity.

It will amount to nothing if we fail to carry out our various responsibilities, he told NAN.

Dr Adelaja Odukoya, the Chairman of ASUU,  University of Lagos Chapter, also spoke against the new universities, saying the government was confused in carrying out the action.

Odukoya told NAN that establishing more universities was not the solution to the crisis bedevilling the nations education system.

Approval of operating licences for the new private universities at a time when private universities are patently unattractive and undesirable is highly unfortunate, he said.

He urged the government to find a solution to the problem confronting the education sector which is beyond the commercialisation of tertiary education.

Also, Dr Isaac Oyewunmi, Chairman of ASUU, Lagos State University (LASU) Chapter, said the newly licensed private universities might not last long before they close shop.

Oyewunmi said the National Universities Commission (NUC), regulating activities of universities ought to have considered the timing before seeking governments approval of their licences.

From experience, the regulating institution do not usually consider the criteria they ought to before issuing these institutions licence because most of them are corrupt, he said.

According to him, while the regulating institution may have reasons for its actions, the timing, considering the present education system, is worrisome.
The student of Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, Lagos State, Tomisin Ogunnubi, made the achievement on Tuesday, November 8, Punch reports.

ALSO READ: 3 Nigerian students invent space technology with local materials

According to the reports, the app was immediately uploaded and is now available for free download on Google store.

Punch reports that the student developed the app under the training of an Information and Communications Technology partnership between the Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls and New Horizons Computer Learning Centre.

Ogunnubi says that the app helps users to know their geographic location, view it on the map and be directed accordingly.

According to her, another of the app's great attributes is that it has an alert button to be used in times of distress, which is linked to the Lagos State emergency service number, 767, and one thereby gets the chance of being rescued from threatening emergencies or conditions.

Executive Director, Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, Mrs Olufunke Fowler-Amba, said the school has continued to live up to its standard as a top quality and front row Information Technology-driven institution for many years.

She said, The achievements by Ogunnubi and many other students, who had equally developed other IT solutions at different times, are glaring testaments to the fact."

Fowler-Amba also expressed her excitement over the strategic ICT partnership that the school established with New Horizons, a United States-based IT, skills, certification and training organisation with presence in 80 countries worldwide.

ALSO READ: Nigerian students build tech that makes smartphones accessible to the blind

Meanwhile, the General Manager, Educational Services, New Horizons, Mr Bolaji Olaoye, congratulated the schools management on the steps in education and its 21st-century IT-driven stance.

He added that this approach guarantees that all the students mandatorily undergo training in different international IT skills acquisition schemes under its partnership with New Horizons.

In a matter of time, these set of young entrepreneurs would have been convincingly positioned with their skills to bail the country out of its total dependence on oil and become an IT-driven country like India, China, Singapore, Malaysia, etc. that are dominating the worlds lucrative IT market, which is expected to hit 4.4tn by 2019.
Over the past 18-month campaign period, Trump has repeatedly expressed controversial statements against immigrants and people of colour fueling emigration sentiments in the US.

Several Americans flocked to the Canadian immigration website leading to its crash as it was flooded with an unexpected query load.

Popular Canadian politician Norm Kelly also tweeted a screenshot of his direct messages showing several people seemingly looking for help with emigration to Canada.

It is unclear if that is the sole reason for the Canadian immigration site going bust, but that seems to be the leading theory as at press time.
In his village, Jalandhar, Punjab of India, Pranshu is worshipped by villagers as the reincarnation of a Hindu god due to a medical condition that left him with an enlarged forehead, narrow eyes and difficulty in walking.

According to the reports, the villagers believe him to be a divine child, a reincarnation of the god; Ganesha.

Ganesha, depicted with an elephant's head on a human body, is alleged to be the god of good fortune who provides prosperity and success, so it is no surprise that Pranshu is much sought after.

People, including his school teachers, bow their heads to him as he is met outside a temple near his village every Thursday by a crowd who come to him for worship as well as consultation.

Pranshu has four older siblings including an elder brother who suffers from the same condition as he does. However, his older brother can walk properly unlike him.
Other political leaders who first made fortunes in businesses from chocolates to telecoms include:

ITALY: Media mogul Silvio Berlusconi served as prime minister three times between 1994 and 2011. According to Forbes magazine Berlusconi was in 2016 Italy's fifth-richest man with a fortune of $6.2 billion, at 188th place in the world. Conflicts between his private interests and his public duties landed him in court many times and several legal proceedings are still ongoing.

LEBANON: Businessman Rafiq Hariri was prime minister twice from 1992-1998 and 2000-2004, before he was assassinated in 2005. His vast empire spanned construction, real estate, media and telecommunications. He was described as one of the world's 100 richest people, with some putting his wealth at around $10 billion.

GEORGIA: Bidzina Ivanishvili served as prime minister from October 2012 to November 2013. He made his fortune -- listed by Forbes as $4.8 billion in 2016 -- first selling computers and then buying up Soviet-era mining and metals businesses for millions and selling them for billions.

CHILE: Sebastian Pinera was president of Chile between March 2010 and March 2014. He started out selling credit cards, moving into aviation, mining, media, real estate and pharmaceuticals. His fortune is estimated at $2.5 billion by Forbes.

UKRAINE: Petro Poroshenko, known as the "Chocolate King," is the ex-Soviet state's president since June 2014. He dropped off Forbes magazine's list of billionaires in 2015.
"Patients with a number of selected diseases and symptoms that have previously been treated with relevant, approved drugs, can be prescribed medical cannabis at the individual doctor's responsibility," the country's health ministry said in a statement.

An estimated 500 patients would be included when the programme starts in 2018, with the number rising to up to 1,500 in 2021, a ministry spokesman told AFP.

Patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, paraplegia, chronic pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting could become eligible for the programme, according to recommendations from the Danish Medicines Agency.

The move was criticised by the chairman of the Danish Medical Association, Andreas Rudkjobing, who told daily Politiken that there was "not enough documentation" of "what happens with patients who use this for a long time."
Parts of the complex in Brnenec (Bruennlitz in German), close to Schindler's birthplace in Svitavy (Zwittau), were given the status of cultural monument earlier this month, according to the Czech culture ministry.

Built in the 19th century, the laboratory, mill, chemical depot, front door and a square used for roll call "have close historical links... to the Gross-Rosen concentration camp in Brnenec," the ministry's spokeswoman, Simona Cigankova, told AFP.

During World War II, Schindler (1908-1974), saved the lives of 1,200 Jews by employing them in his enamelware and munitions factories in Nazi-occupied Poland and Czechoslovakia.

A Czech foundation plans to restore the dilapidated factory in Brnenec and create a Holocaust memorial and an exhibition depicting Schindler's life there, with an opening scheduled for 2019.
"The time of diktats is over," Renzi said during a meeting on the campaign trail for the December 4 referendum on constitutional reform, which could trigger his departure from office if it fails to approve changes he has championed.

The latest clash came a day after European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had dismissed what he termed misplaced and recurrent Italian criticism of Brussels by saying: "I could not give a damn."

Renzi has ramped up the anti-EU rhetoric in recent days, underlining his opposition to what he regards as counterproductive fiscal restraints enshrined in the bloc's Stability Pact budget rules for countries in the eurozone.

On Tuesday he said money spent on school buildings should be excluded from deficit calculations. "Anything that serves to build schools comes before the bureaucrats of Brussels," he said.

And he reiterated a threat to veto the European Union's collective budget for this year if Eastern European member states fail to do more to help Italy cope with tens of thousands of migrants arriving on its shores from north Africa.

At the root of the spat is the Renzi government's belief that it should be allowed to loosen fiscal policy to drag Italy out of the economic doldrums and be granted special leeway to accommodate the costs of the migration crisis and a recent wave of earthquakes.

Italy within the rules

Renzi's rhetoric has struck a raw nerve in Brussels and Juncker on Monday hit back by accusing Rome of using those issues as an excuse for overtly flouting budget rules that all EU countries signed up to.

"The additional costs of policies dedicated to migration and the earthquakes amount to 0.1 percent of GDP, yet Italy, which had promised us a 2017 deficit of 1.7 percent is now saying it will be 2.4 percent because of earthquakes and refugees," he said.

Juncker's remarks were regarded as highly inflammatory by Italian officials and the reference to 0.1 percent was removed Tuesday from an official transcript of his comments released by the Commission, underlining the sensitivity of the issue.

Italy is officially forecasting that it will run a deficit of 2.3 percent of GDP in 2017 under a budget expected to include a package of tax cuts and increased public spending on infrastructure.

Renzi maintains this should be allowed because Italy is well under the EU deficit ceiling of 3.0 percent of GDP.

Commission officials say Italy should be reducing its deficit faster to ensure that the country's huge debt mountain, equivalent to more than 130 percent of its annual economic output, starts to fall.
In France, few now will dare write off the prospects of the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in next year's presidential election -- even if the country's two-round electoral system makes it harder to pull off an upset.

"Congratulations to the new president of the United States Donald Trump and to the free American people," she tweeted over an hour before the election was called for the Republican.

The vice-president of Le Pen's National Front (FN), Louis Aliot, hailed "Uncle Sam's giving the finger to an arrogant elite" and noted that the result coincided with the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

"Today, the United States, tomorrow France. Bravo America!" Le Pen's father, FN founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, cheered.

In April, the French will begin voting for a leader who enjoys even greater executive powers than the US commander-in-chief, including the authority to send the country to war without parliamentary approval.

Polls currently show Le Pen making it past the first round to the May run-off among the top two vote-getters but then being defeated by the conservative candidate, widely expected to be former prime minister Alain Juppe.

'Marine Le Pen can win'

But as the world reeled from the shock of Trump's win, voices on France's poltical left and right warned all bets were off.

"The boundaries of reason disappeared with Brexit. The main lesson for us in France is that Marine Le Pen can win," former prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, a Juppe backer, told RTL radio.

Another former prime minister, Dominique de Villepin, echoed that assessment, saying that "what is possible in the US is possible in France."

The left-wing Liberation daily said the US election meant "the world's biggest power is now in the hands of the far right" and called it "a further warning for those who think that Marine Le Pen cannot win power in France in 2017."

Rampant de-industrialisation, high unemployment, a wave of terrorist attacks and an influx of migrants have seen disillusioned voters decamp in their droves to the "French first" FN.

In echoes of Trump's "Make America Great Again" or Brexit's "Take Control" slogans, Le Pen has declared "the time of the nation state has come again."

"There's a global awakening," she told reporters at a party rally in September, where she bashed the EU, the euro and immigration.

As FN leader back in 2002, her father caused the biggest upset in French post-war political history when he reached the second round of the presidential election.

Jacques Chirac, a conservative, soundly beat Le Pen, with support from leftists.

Fourteen years later, 48-year-old Marine Le Pen is trying to overcome the last remaining pockets of anti-FN resistance.

"She is absolutely convinced she can win," one of Le Pen's advisors told AFP recently.

Newcomer's advantage

But polls still show the lingering stigma around the FN tripping her up, with her second-round rival, tipped to be the moderate Juppe, expected to easily defeat her.

Convinced she can close the gap, Le Pen is continuing her drive to sanitise the FN's image.

Gone is the overt anti-Semitism and race-baiting of the past -- her rhetoric on Muslims and migrants is softer yet still resonates in a country and on a continent reeling from an unprecedented terror threat and the Syrian crisis.

But she cannot escape her father's embarrassing comments that the Nazi gas chambers are a "detail of history" and her party's pledge to pull France out of the euro has drawn scorn from economists.

The FN has blamed the EU for much of France's ills and pushed for a "Frexit" referendum on France's EU membership.

Last year, the party topped the poll in regional elections with 28 percent.

Jean-Yves Camus, a researcher who specialises in far-right movements, said Le Pen's trump card -- like that of America's new president -- is that she has never been in government.

"It conceals many aspects in her programme that lack credibility," he said.

But her lack of potential allies is also her Achilles heel in a country where winning the second round of an election requires politicians to make deals.
"I look forward to working with President-elect Trump," he added.

Trump caused consternation during the campaign when he suggested Washington would think twice about coming to the aid of an endangered NATO ally if it had not paid its dues, casting doubt on the US-led alliance's core collective defence commitment.

Asked about these remarks, Stoltenberg said "all allies have made a solemn commitment to defend each other, this is absolute and unconditioned."

"These security guarantees are important for Europe but they are also important for the United States," he said.

He recalled that the only time NATO's "all for one, one for all" defence guarantee has been invoked was after the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States.
European Council chief Tusk and European Commission boss Juncker said they wanted to discuss issues including terrorism and Ukraine with Republican nominee Trump after he beat Democratic contender Hillary Clinton.

"We would take this opportunity to invite you to visit Europe for an EU-US summit at your earliest convenience. This conversation would allow for us to chart the course of our relations for the next four years," they said in a letter to Trump.

"Today, it is more important than ever to strengthen transatlantic relations," they said.

Tusk and Juncker added: "Only by cooperating closely can the EU and the US continue to make a difference when dealing with unprecedented challenges such as Da'esh (the Islamic State group), the threats to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, climate change and migration."

They also cited a troubled EU-US free trade deal, currently under negotiation, as a strong example of transatlantic unity despite Trump's opposition to such deals.

The EU's foreign policy supremo Federica Mogherini also underlined enduring EU-US ties, while also signalling the need to ensure a stronger Europe.

"EU-US ties are deeper than any change in politics. We'll continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe," she said in a tweet.

Martin Schulz, the head of the European Parliament, congratulated Trump, describing an election campaign "that will not be remembered as America's finest."

"Mr Trump has managed to become the standard-bearer of the angst and fears of millions of Americans. Those concerns must now be addressed with credible policies and proposals," he said in a statement.
Trump has vowed to rip up last year's deal with world powers which lifted international sanctions in return for curbs on Iran's nuclear programme.

Tehran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful and has so far met its obligations under the deal, but supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said he would happily "burn" the agreement if Trump decides to tear it up.

Some Iranians believe the US president-elect will not make good on his threat.

"The Trump of the campaign is different to Trump the president," said Allaeddine Borujerdi, chairman of parliament's foreign affairs committee.

"It is natural that the American president is constrained by international rules and must apply them, notably on the nuclear deal," the ISNA news agency quoted him as saying.

Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said it was prepared for any eventuality.

"We have defined our nuclear programme in such a way that we can continue in any situation," spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told the state broadcaster.

The deputy commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, said it made no difference to Iran who was in the White House.

"When the Republicans were in power, they threatened us and showed their hostility... and when the Democrats were in power, the policies of the United States were the same," Salami told the Fars news agency.

Iran says the United States has not stuck to the spirit of the nuclear deal since it came into force in January, because a raft of unilateral US sanctions remain in place that have left it frozen out of the international banking system.
"Polish-American relations have become an important pillar of the European and transatlantic stability," Polish President Andrzej Duda said in a letter of congratulations.

"We are particularly pleased that during this year's NATO Summit in Warsaw the US decided to increase its military presence in Poland, thereby strengthening the Alliance's Eastern flank.

Trump, a real estate mogul-cum-reality TV star, sparked ire in July among eastern NATO members ruled by Moscow during the Soviet era when he questioned the alliance's key collective security guarantee.

As part of that commitment, NATO leaders endorsed plans this summer to rotate troops into Poland and the three Baltic states to reassure them they would not be left in the lurch if Russia was tempted to repeat its 2014 Ukraine intervention.

The US-led battalion that will begin operations next year in Poland will be stationed near the border with Russia's Kaliningrad exclave.

The US also said in March it would deploy an additional armoured brigade of about 4,200 troops in eastern Europe from early 2017 on a rotational basis.

Moscow has stepped up its presence in the Baltic Sea area. Its jets regularly violate the airspace of smaller ex-Soviet NATO allies like Estonia and in April they even buzzed a US naval destroyer.

Last month Poland criticised Moscow's deployment of nuclear-capable Iskander missiles into its Kaliningrad outpost that borders NATO members Poland and Lithuania.
Clinton made this known while giving her speech after conceding defeat.

She also went further to urge fellow Democrats to allow Trump the chance to lead the deeply divided country.

"Last night, I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country," the defeated candidate told supporters, holding back tears in her first public remarks since the Republican's upset victory.

"I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans."

"We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought," she said. "We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead."

Here is her concession speech in full

"Thank you. Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you all very much. Thank you. Thank you! Thank you so much. Very rowdy group! Thank you my friends, thank you. Thank you, thank you so very much for being here and I love you all too!

"Last night I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country.

"I hope he will be a successful president for all Americans. This is not the outcome we wanted or worked so hard for and Im sorry we did not win this election for the values we share and the vision we hold for our country.

"But I feel pride and gratitude for this wonderful campaign that we built together. This vast, diverse, creative, unruly, energised campaign.

"You represent the best of America and being your candidate has been one of the greatest honours of my life.

"I know how disappointed you feel because I feel it too, and so do tens of millions of Americans who invested their hopes and dreams in this effort.

"This is painful and it will be for a long time but I want you to remember this - our campaign was never about one person or even one election. It was about the country we love and about building an America thats hopeful, inclusive and big hearted.

"We have seen our nation is more deeply divided than we thought, but I still believe in America and I always will.

"And if you do we must accept this result then look to the future.

"Donald Trump is going to be our President. We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead. Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power and we dont just respect that, we cherish it.

"It also enshrines other things - the rule of law, the principle that we are all equal in rights and dignity, freedom of worship and expression. We respect and cherish these values too and we must defend them.

"And let me add, our constitutional democracy demands our participation. Not just every four years but all the time.

"So lets do all we can to keep advancing the causes and values we all hold dear. Making our economy work for everyone, not just those at the top. Protecting our country and protecting our planet and breaking down all the barriers that hold any American back from achieving their dreams.

"Weve spent a year and a half bringing together millions of people from every corner of our country to say with one voice that we believe the American Dream is big enough for everyone. For people of all races and religions, for men and women, for immigrants, for LGBT people and people with disabilities. For everyone.

"So now our responsibility as citizens is to keep doing our part. To build that better, stronger, fairer America we seek - and I know you will.

I" am so grateful to stand with all of you. I want to thank and Anne Holton.

"It has been a joy getting to know them better and it gives me great hope and comfort to know Tim will remain on the front lines of our democracy representing Virginia in the Senate.

"To Barack and Michelle Obama - our country owes you an enormous debt of gratitude.

"We thank you for your graceful determined leadership that has meant so much to so many Americans and people across the world.

"And to Bill and Chelsea, Mark, Charlotte, Aidan, our brothers and our entire family, my love for you me ands more than I can ever express.

"You criss-crossed this country on our behalf and lifted me up when I needed it most - even four month old Aidan who travelled with his mom.

I" will always be grateful to the creative, talented, dedicated men and women at our HQ in Brooklyn and across our country. You poured your hearts into this campaign.

"For some of you who are veterans, it was a campaign after youd done other campaigns. Some of you it was your first campaign. I want each of you to know you were the best campaign anyone could have ever expected or wanted.

"And to the millions of volunteers, community leaders, activists and other organisations who knocked on doors, talked to neighbours, posted on Facebook, even in secret private Facebook sites - I want everybody coming out from behind that and make sure your voices are heard going forward.

"To everyone who sent in contributions as small as $5 and kept us going, thank you thank you from all of us.

"And to the young people in particular, I hope you will hear this. I have as Tim said spent my entire adult life fighting for what I believe in. Ive had successes and Ive had setbacks - sometimes really painful ones

"Many of you are at the beginning of your professional, public and political careers. You will have successes and setbacks too. This loss hurts. But please never stop believing that fighting for whats right is worth it.

"It is. It is worth it.

"And so we need you to keep up these fights now and for the rest of your lives.

"And to all the women and especially the young women who put their faith in this campaign and me, I want you to know nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion.

"Now, I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling. But someday someone will and hopefully sooner than we might think right now.

"And to all the little girls who are watching this - never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams.

"Finally, I am so grateful for our country and for all it has given to me. I count my blessings every single day that I am an American. And I still believe as deeply as I ever have that if we stand together and work together with respect for our differences, strength in our convictions and love for this nation, our best days are still ahead of us.

"Because, you know, I believe we are stronger together and we will go forward together. And you should never ever regret fighting for that.

"Scripture tells us: Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

"So my friends, let us have faith in each other. Let us not grow weary. Let us not lose heart. For there are more seasons to come and there is more work to do.
Finding Peace of Mind: Discover These Five Places in Europe to Unwind
W. Ken Beck was ecstatic and relieved with his election Tuesday night to Scott County Board of Supervisors.

Beck and fellow Republican Tony Knobbe edged out two Democrats for the two open seats.

"We made it. Man, it was close," Beck said moments after the final results were posted.

In other races, Republican Tim Lane bested Democrat Pete Bawden in the race for sheriff.

Lane said that he'd start working with outgoing Sheriff Dennis Conard as early as Thursday on the transition.

"I'm going to put together a very strong command staff and start moving toward implementing my platform items," he said, while thanking his wife for the support throughout his first foray into politics.

Republican state Rep. Ross Paustain fended off a challenge from Democrat Ken Krumwiede. And Democratic state Rep. Phyllis Thede bested Republican challenger Republican Kurt Whalen.

Scott County Republicans are getting excited at Jersey Grille. Presidential nominee Donald Trump just seized Wisconsin, a state long unattainable to the GOP.

Confidence is also growing among state-level Republicans that they've taken the Iowa Senate, which would put the GOP in almost total control of Iowa.

10:15 p.m. update

Scott County Republicans exploded in applause at precisely 10 p.m. at Jersey Grille in Davenport when Fox News called Florida for GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Florida was a must-win for Trump in his battle with Democrat Hillary Clinton. The race had been too close to call for hours. But with Trump's win, the more than 100 Scott County Republicans gathered saw a pathway to a Trump presidency.

Pockets of the chant "Lock her up" was interspersed among the cheers.

Moments later, Fox also called North Carolina for Trump.

Candidates for local races are huddled around a projector waiting as results trickle in from throughout the county.

Republican Tim Lane led Democrat Peter Bawden with about two-thirds of precincts reporting as of 10 p.m. The four-way race for county Board of Supervisors is a dead heat.
Democrat Mike Halpin has edged Republican Brandi McGuire in the open race for Illinois' 72nd House District.

Halpin, a Rock Island attorney, led McGuire, a driving school director, by a margin of 20,521-15,462 with 64.6 percent of precincts reporting.

Halpin will replace State Rep. Pat Verschoore, D-Milan, who announced his retirement last year.

The 72nd House District spans lower Rock Island County, including Rock Island, Milan and parts of East Moline, Moline and Silvis.

Like many of Illinois' contested races, campaign finance became a major topic of interest in the race to Springfield.

While Halpin's campaign edged McGuire's in contributions, $1.08 million compared with just over $713,000, most of McGuire's funds came from one source.

Conservative political action committee Liberty Principals PAC contributed $663,700 toward McGuire's campaign.

Halpin received his funds from business and labor groups along with the Democratic Party of Illinois and Democratic Majority, groups controlled by Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan.

Halpin spent Tuesday night with Rock Island Democratic Central Committee at the Rock Island Holiday Inn and although there were mixed emotions with the state's results, he and his campaign were thankful to the voters for their victory.

"In every election, there are ups and downs, but we are pleased with the results tonight," Halpin said.

Although he came out on top, Halpin congratulated McGuire and pledged to serve both sides of supporters when he begins office.

"My opponent ran a well-fought campaign and I congratulate her on that," Halpin said. "I look forward to representing my supporters as well as hers. I'm open to meeting with anyone that has proposed solutions for moving the state forward."
SPRINGFIELD  At the end of a long, blistering and unprecedentedly expensive campaign season, the results of Tuesdays races for the Illinois General Assembly did little to alter the political stalemate that has led to the states historic budget impasse.

Republicans gained four seats in the state House and two in the state Senate, but Democrats retained control of both chambers, which means Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner still needs their cooperation to pass any portion of his pro-business, union-weakening turnaround agenda. Hes made that a prerequisite for signing off on any tax increases to balance the budget.

The state hasnt had a complete budget since he took office in early 2015 and is currently running on a stopgap spending plan thats set to expire after Dec. 31.

Nothing has changed in the basic dynamics of the conflict, said Chris Mooney, director of the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois. Both sides can say they had some wins.

As a bright spot for Democrats, Mooney pointed to Susana Mendozas victory over appointed Republican Comptroller Leslie Munger in the race for the office that controls Illinois checkbook.

However, the loss of four House seats means Democrats no longer have a 71-member, veto-proof majority in the 118-seat chamber. But because theyve had the minimum number of votes needed for an override, Democrats have had to vote as unified front to block Rauners vetoes, something theyve failed to do on several high-profile occasions.

Riding a dual wave of campaign cash from Rauner and a handful of wealth allies and strong downstate support for GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, Republicans defeated four House incumbents in southern and north-central Illinois and the Quad-Cities.

Democratic state Reps. John Bradley of Marion and Mike Smiddy of Hillsdale were among the incumbents who went down to defeat, losing to Benton businessman Dave Severin and Savanna Mayor Tony McCombie, respectively.

Republicans saw one of their own incumbents, Rep. Dwight Kay of Glen Carbon, defeated, but that loss was offset by picking up the seat held by retiring Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, who was often a weak link in the House Democrats supermajority.

While Democrats maintained their supermajority in the Senate, they lost two seats to Republicans, cutting their membership to 37 in the 59-seat chamber.

Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, was the lone Senate incumbent to see defeat, losing to Dale Fowler, the Republican mayor of Harrisburg. Republicans also picked up the seat long held by Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville, who didnt run for re-election. Jil Tracy, a Republican former state representative from Quincy, ran unopposed.

Unsurprisingly, each party had its own interpretation of Tuesdays results.

House Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago, who also leads the state Democratic Party, put out a statement late on election night saying the unprecedented millions Rauner and a handful of allies spent to bankroll the GOPs campaign efforts and the popularity of Trump outside the Chicago area created a difficult environment for many Democratic candidates.

Voters stated clearly that they wish to maintain a wide Democratic majority in the Illinois House of Representatives and maintain a strong check on Bruce Rauner and his anti-middle class agenda, said Madigan, who was the target of Republican campaign attacks across the state.

Democrats value the voters trust and we will continue to protect the middle class and those who dont have access to billionaires and lobbyists, Madigan added.

His Republican counterpart, House Minority Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs, read the results differently.

By handily breaking the supermajority, Illinois voters sent a strong message that it is time for Democrats to join Governor Rauner and legislative Republicans in enacting reforms to lower property taxes, create more jobs, address the pension crisis and place term limits on the career politicians alongside a balanced budget, Durkin said Tuesday in a prepared statement.

The state Republican Party said in an election night memo that the financial backing of Rauner and his allies and the partys unified anti-Madigan message helped level the playing field in a year that should have favored Democrats.

Meanwhile, Rauner, who has been out of the public eye in recent days, attempted to stay above the political fray.

This has been a long, grueling campaign cycle, both nationally and locally, the governor said Wednesday in a written statement. For the good of the people of Illinois, lets put the election behind us. Lets come together and focus on the future and improving the quality of life for every family in our state.

The first opportunity to do that will be next week, when lawmakers return to the Capitol for the start of their fall veto session.
A three-way race in an Iowa House seat in District 97 that serves both Scott and Clinton counties has gone to Norlin Mommsen, a Republican from DeWitt.

Mommsen defeated Democratic challenger Jeff Wolf, Park View, and David Melchert Jr., a Libertarian.

"I can't thank the party's volunteers enough," he said of those who helped in both counties.

Mommsen, 58, is a farmer who said improving the state's water quality is a big issue going into the legislative session.

Wolf, 29, a Democrat from Park View, had worked as a political field organizer and supports more state aid for schools than his opponents did.

Melchert, 35, from Grand Mound, owns a construction company and drywall business.
CHICAGO  Donald Trump's victory in Iowa was propelled by voters who are deeply unhappy with the federal government and say they want change, even though many have reservations about both candidates, according to exit polls conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks.

Trump won the support of white men and those with less than a college education, while Democrat Hillary Clinton drew support from college-educated women, minority voters and younger voters. At the same time, voters were skeptical, doubting the honesty and trustworthiness of both candidates.

A closer look at the mood of the electorate:

IOWA VOTER DISCONTENT

A large proportion of voters  7 in 10  were either dissatisfied or angry about the way the federal government is working, with 6 in 10 who felt that way voting for Trump. Among the 3 in 10 with a positive view of the federal government, almost 8 in 10 voted for Clinton.

But they weren't particularly happy with either candidate, with about 6 in 10 saying they had an unfavorable opinion of Clinton and Trump. About 6 in 10 also said they didn't think either Clinton or Trump was honest and trustworthy.

What's more, 3 in 10 voters said they liked their candidates but had reservations, while the same proportion said their vote reflected their dislike for the other candidate. Just 4 in 10 said they strongly favored their candidate.

CLINTON WINS BIRTH STATE

Hillary Clinton picked up Illinois' 20 electoral college votes  a state that's voted for the Democratic presidential candidate since 2000.

Trump's presence on the ballot worried Republican candidates in close state races who tried to distance themselves from their party's firebrand candidate. Rauner avoided even saying his name and made clear he wasn't endorsing him, though it didn't stop Democrats from running television ads tying Rauner to Trump because he once said he would support whoever became the GOP presidential nominee.

Some voters weren't enthusiastic about their choices.

"I think everybody's going to hold their nose and vote this time," said Craig Hanson, 56, a Springfield Republican who voted for Trump. "There's no way I can support Hillary Clinton. She's too corrupt," he said.

Samuel Rivera, 58, voted for Clinton and is fearful about the prospect of a Trump presidency.

"I think there's going to be a nuclear war, I swear to God. It'll go to pot, the whole country," the Chicago resident said.

ISSUES AND CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

More than half of voters said the economy was the top issue facing the country, and they split their votes between Clinton and Trump. Almost one-fifth said terrorism was most important, and they favored Trump. Slightly more than 1 in 10 cited immigration as a top issue, but those who did overwhelmingly favored Trump. About the same proportion worried most about foreign policy, and more than 6 in 10 of them chose Clinton.

More than 4 in 10 voters said they most wanted a candidate who can bring needed change, with a large majority of them voting for Trump. Clinton received overwhelming support from voters who wanted someone with the right experience and more than half the votes from those who valued a candidate with good judgment and someone who cares about people like them.

Only 4 in 10 voters believed Trump had the temperament or qualifications to be president, while about half believed that Clinton did.

SCANDALS

About 6 in 10 voters said Clinton's use of a private email server  a major controversy in the campaign  bothered them somewhat or a lot, with 7 in 10 of those voters supporting Trump.

Almost 7 in 10 voters said Trump's treatment of women bothered them somewhat or a lot, with just under two-thirds of them casting ballots for Clinton.

IOWA VOTER CHARACTERISTICS

Iowa voters were divided among gender, race and education.

More than half of women backed Clinton and more than half of men  including 6 in 10 white men  supported Trump. Two-thirds of nonwhite voters supported Clinton, though they comprised only about one-tenth of those who cast ballots.

Clinton led among voters ages 18-24, getting half of their votes, while Trump drew his strongest support from voters 25-29 and 40-49. Clinton received more than half the votes from white college-educated women, compared to about one-third for Trump, while Trump had solid majorities among both college- and non-college-educated men, including more than 6 in 10 white men without a college degree.

ILLINOIS VOTERS TURN OUT EARLY

Over 1.7 million residents voted early, surpassing previous presidential contests, state election officials said. Just more than 8 million people are registered to vote in Illinois.

Democrats have benefited from large voter turnout in past presidential elections, but appeared to be getting mixed results this year. By late Tuesday, Republicans had won important victories in the state House as they sought to reduce the Democrats' strength there, bolstered by wealthy GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner, who invested unprecedented amounts of money.

The survey of 2,844 Iowa voters was conducted for AP and the television networks by Edison Research. This includes preliminary results from interviews conducted as voters left a random sample of 40 precincts statewide Tuesday, as well as 662 who voted early or absentee and were interviewed by landline or cellular telephone from Oct. 28 through Nov. 6. Results for the full sample were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points; it is higher for subgroups.
WASHINGTON  Donald Trump claimed his place Wednesday as America's 45th president, an astonishing victory for the celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalized on voters' economic anxieties, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations on his way to the White House.

His triumph over Hillary Clinton, not declared until well after midnight, will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House and threatens to undo major achievements of President Barack Obama. Trump has pledged to act quickly to repeal Obama's landmark health care law, revoke America's nuclear agreement with Iran and rewrite important trade deals with other countries, particularly Mexico and Canada.

As he claimed victory, Trump urged Americans to "come together as one united people" after a deeply divisive campaign.

He said he had spoken by phone with Clinton and they had exchanged congratulations on a hard-fought race. Trump, who spent much of the campaign urging his supporters on as they chanted "lock her up," said the nation owed her "a major debt of gratitude" for her years of public service.

The Republican blasted through Democrats' longstanding firewall, carrying Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that hadn't voted for a GOP presidential candidate since the 1980s. He needed to win nearly all of the competitive battleground states, and he did just that, claiming Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and others.

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged, reflecting investor concern over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.

A New York real estate developer who lives in a sparking Manhattan high-rise, Trump forged a striking connection with white, working class Americans who feel left behind in a changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of the problems plaguing many Americans and taped into fears of terrorism emanating at home and abroad.

Trump will take office with Congress expected to be fully under Republican control. GOP Senate candidates fended off Democratic challengers in key states and appeared poised to keep the majority. Republicans also maintained their grip on the House.

Senate control means Trump will have great leeway in appointing Supreme Court justices, which could mean a shift to the right that would last for decades.

Trump upended years of political convention on his way to the White House, leveling harshly personal insults on his rivals, deeming Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers, and vowing to temporarily suspend Muslim immigration to the U.S. He never released his tax returns, breaking with decades of campaign tradition, and eschewed the kind of robust data and field efforts that helped Obama win two terms in the White House, relying instead on his large, free-wheeling rallies to energize supporters. His campaign was frequently in chaos, and he cycled through three campaign managers this year.

His final campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, touted the team's accomplishments as the final results rolled in, writing on Twitter that "rally crowds matter" and "we expanded the map."

Clinton spent months warning voters that Trump was unfit and unqualified to be president. But the former senator and secretary of state struggled to articulate a clear rationale for her own candidacy.

The mood at Clinton's party grew bleak as the night wore out, with some supporters leaving, others crying and hugging each other. Top campaign aides stopped returning calls and texts, as Clinton and her family hunkered down in a luxury hotel watching the returns.

At 2 a.m., Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta told the crowd to head home for the night. "We're still counting votes and every vote should count," he said. But she later conceded.

Trump will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture.

Exit polls underscored the fractures: Women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

Doug Ratliff, a 67-year-old businessman from Richlands, Virginia, said Trump's election was one of the happiest days of his life.

"This county has had no hope," said Ratliff, who owns strip malls in an area badly beaten by the collapse of the coal industry. "Things will change. I know he's not going to be perfect. But he's got a heart. And he gives people hope."

Trump has pledged to usher in a series of sweeping changes to U.S. domestic and foreign policy: repealing Obama's signature health care law, though he has been vague on what he could replace it with; building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, and suspending immigration from countries with terrorism ties. He's also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoken of building a better relationship with Moscow, worrying some in his own party who fear he'll go easy on Putin's provocations.

The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, a reluctant Trump supporter, called the businessman earlier in the evening to congratulate him, according to a Ryan spokeswoman.

Democrats, as well as some Republicans, expected Trump's unconventional candidacy would damage down-ballot races and even flip some reliably red states in the presidential race. But Trump held on to Republican territory, including in Georgia and Utah, where Clinton's campaign confidently invested resources.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in her party's hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his health care law.

But she struggled throughout the race with persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. Those troubles flared anew late in the race, when FBI Director James Comey announced a review of new emails from her tenure at the State Department. On Sunday, just two days before Election Day, Comey said there was nothing in the material to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.

___

Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey, Jonathan Lemire, Lisa Lerer and Jill Colvin and AP Polling Director Emily Swanson contributed to this report.

EARLIER UPDATE

WASHINGTON  Donald Trump was elected America's 45th president Tuesday, an astonishing victory for a celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalized on voters' economic anxieties, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations on his way to the White House.

His triumph over Hillary Clinton will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House and threatens to undo major achievements of President Barack Obama. He's pledged to act quickly to repeal Obama's landmark health care law, revoke the nuclear agreement with Iran and rewrite important trade deals with other countries, particularly Mexico and Canada.

The Republican blasted through Democrats' longstanding firewall, carrying Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that hadn't voted for a GOP presidential candidate since the 1980s. He needed to win nearly all of the competitive battleground states, and he did just that, claiming Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and others.

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged deeply, reflecting investor alarm over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.

A New York real estate developer who lives in a sparking Manhattan high-rise, Trump forged a striking connection with white, working class Americans who feel left behind in a changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of the problems plaguing many Americans and taped into fears of terrorism emanating at home and abroad.

Trump will take office with Congress expected to be fully under Republican control. GOP Senate candidates fended off Democratic challengers in key states and appeared poised to maintain the majority. Republicans also maintained their grip on the House.

Senate control means Trump will have great leeway in appointing Supreme Court justices, which could mean a major change to the right that would last for decades.

Trump upended years of political convention on his way to the White House, leveling harshly personal insults on his rivals, deeming Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers, and vowing to temporarily suspend Muslim immigration to the U.S. He never released his tax returns, breaking with decades of campaign tradition, and eschewed the kind of robust data and field efforts that helped Obama win two terms in the White House, relying instead on his large, free-wheeling rallies to energize supporters. His campaign was frequently in chaos, and he cycled through three campaign managers this year.

His final campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, touted the team's accomplishments as the final results rolled in, writing on Twitter that "rally crowds matter" and "we expanded the map."

The mood at Clinton's party grew bleak as the night wore out, with some supporters leaving, others crying and hugging each other. Top campaign aides stopped returning calls and texts, as Clinton and her family hunkered down in a luxury hotel watching the returns.

At 2 a.m., Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta told the crowd to head home for the night. "We're still counting votes and every vote should count," he said.

Trump will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture.

Exit polls underscored the fractures: Women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

Doug Ratliff, a 67-year-old businessman from Richlands, Virginia, said Trump's election would be one of the happiest days of his life.

"This county has had no hope," said Ratliff, who owns strip malls in the area badly beaten by the collapse of the coal industry. "You have no idea what it would mean for the people if Trump won. They'll have hope again. Things will change. I know he's not going to be perfect. But he's got a heart. And he gives people hope."

Trump has pledged to usher in a series of sweeping changes to U.S. domestic and foreign policy: repealing Obama's signature health care law, though he has been vague on what he could replace it with; building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border; and suspending immigration from country's with terrorism ties. He's also praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoken of building a better relationship with Moscow, worrying some in his own party who fear he'll go easy on Putin's provocations.

The Republican Party's tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting "none of the above" when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, a reluctant Trump supporter, called the businessman earlier in the evening to congratulate him, according to a Ryan spokeswoman.

Democrats, as well as some Republicans, expected Trump's unconventional candidacy would damage down-ballot races and even flip some reliably red states in the presidential race. But Trump held on to Republican territory, including in Georgia and Utah, where Clinton's campaign confidently invested resources.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in her party's hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Barack Obama's legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his signature health care law.

But she struggled throughout the race with persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. Those troubles flared anew late in the race, when FBI Director James Comey announced a review of new emails from her tenure at the State Department. On Sunday, just two days before Election Day, Comey said there was nothing in the material to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.

___

Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey, Bradley Klapper, Vivian Salama, Hope Yen, Jill Colvin and Lisa Lerer and AP Polling Director Emily Swanson contributed to this report.
CHICAGO  Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth unseated Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk on Tuesday, becoming the second woman to represent Illinois in the chamber and delivering a win that her party is banking on as it attempts to retake control of the Senate.

The two-term congresswoman from Hoffman Estates entered the race a heavy favorite, as Illinois has long backed Democrats for statewide office, especially in presidential election years.

Speaking at a victory party in Chicago, Duckworth recalled the day 12 years ago when the helicopter she was co-piloting in Iraq was shot down. She lost both legs but survived thanks to members of her unit who carried her lifeless body to safety, one of whom was in the crowd to help celebrate.

"Just as I try every day to live up to the sacrifice my buddies made to carry me off that battlefield, I will go to work in the Senate looking to honor the sacrifice and quiet dignity of all those Illinoisans who are facing challenges of their own," she said.

"I believe in an America that doesn't give up on anyone who hasn't given up on themselves."

Minutes earlier, Kirk told supporters gathered at a party in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook that he called Duckworth to congratulate her and invited her to a join him for a beer at Chicago's Billy Goat Tavern.

"This beer summit will show kids across Illinois that opponents can peacefully bury the hatchet after a tough election, and that what unites us as Americans is much stronger than what divides us," Kirk said.

Kirk worked for months to convince voters that he's independent of his party by criticizing GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump as "racist" and "delusional" and talking up his record of breaking from Republicans on issues such as gun control and gay marriage.

Kirk also hurt his own campaign with a series of controversial statements. He had to apologize to Duckworth last month after mocking her immigrant background  she was born in Bangkok to a Chinese-Thai mother and American father  and her family's military history during a debate. Two organizations withdrew their endorsements, calling the remarks racist.

That was enough to persuade Charles Hawley, a psychiatrist from the central Illinois town of Mahomet, to cast his ballot for Duckworth instead of Kirk.

"It just sort of stuck with me," the 49-year-old said just after voting at Lake of the Woods County Park in Mahomet, about 10 miles west of Champaign. "It was hard to get past."

Kirk also had apologized for referring to South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who's unmarried, as a "bro with no ho," and was criticized for saying President Barack Obama was acting like "the drug dealer in chief" when his administration delivered $400 million cash to Iran contingent on the release of American prisoners.

Duckworth campaigned on a pledge to help middle- and working-class families, often sharing her own compelling personal story. She said her family struggled to get by and had to use food stamps after her father lost his job.

Duckworth pledged Tuesday to push to make college more affordable, create jobs and ensure veterans are getting the care they were promised.

Duckworth served as director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs after losing her first bid for Congress in 2006. In 2009, Obama appointed her to a leadership post at the federal VA.

Kirk, whose 2010 election made him only the second Republican to represent Illinois in the U.S. Senate in more than three decades, suffered a stroke in 2012. He battled questions during the race about whether he was still healthy enough to do the job.

Mike Jobson, 61, of Mahomet, backed Kirk based on one reason: "Government is too big. We want to get the power back in our hands."

He also said he thinks Kirk "has his heart in the right place."

Democrats were so confident in Duckworth's odds they pulled back on planned TV airtime in the final weeks of the campaign to invest in states where the polls were tighter.

She follows Carol Moseley Braun, who in 1992 became the first woman elected to the Senate from Illinois.

___

Associated Press reporter David Mercer in Mahomet, Illinois, contributed to this report.
EDITOR'S NOTE: These voter interviews were conducted by Muscatine Community College Calumet reporters Blake Thorson, Sharon Adasme and Jonathan Echeverria, all of Muscatine.

---

Life, rights, and a nation united

Julie Lear was very happy as she exited the St. Mathias Gannon Hall polling place in Muscatine.

Voting is so awesome," Lear said. "Its the most wonderful thing. Its free and its our right as citizens of the United States. No one should not vote.

Lear said she has been praying through this whole election, but especially these past nine days.

Im not praying for myself, but for us as a nation, to come together to agree and look past differences to make the changes that will help our country.

One of the issues Lear said she wants changed is health care, though she said she doesnt think it will change any time soon. She is a Catholic, so she said she is very pro-life.

Without life, Lear said, there would be nothing. Im not pro-life by supporting babies or just the mothers, but Im pro-life for all life.

If she could send a message to the new president, Lear would like to tell him or her, Remember, you represent the people. One nation, under God, indivisible.

 Sharon Adasme

Lesser of two evils drives first-time voter

Traye Brown, 22, voted for the first time on Election Day at precinct three in the St. Mathias Gannon Hall polling place.

Brown turned 18 on Dec. 16, 2012, too late to vote in the last presidential election.

I feel like I accomplished something, Brown said outside the polling place. Now I can actually put my two cents in.

Brown hopes his vote brings safer borders for our country and abortion restrictions for pregnant women past 39 weeks.

If he had a chance to talk with the elected president, Brown said he would want to show thanks for the ideas they had and to see them follow through with verbal things they promised, like their agenda.

Brown said this was a hard decision, a lesser of two evils and said, All presidents Ive seen have said things and not done them.

 Sharon Adasme

I voted, now leave us alone

Matthew Lettington votes every four years without fail. Sporting his Cubs hat as he entered the Muscatine third precinct polling place at St. Mathias Gannon Hall, he said, This was a good year.

Im pretty cynical about it all at this point. Every four years I vote and hope they ignore me for the next four years. It never really works though, Lettington said as he exited.

Lettington said this election is not really different from any other.

Its just another election, he said.

In deciding his vote, Lettington said that there is no right candidate.

"I just vote my party. Im kinda locked in. My values drive who I vote for, Lettington said.

If Lettington had the chance to talk with the newly elected president of the United States, he said he would tell them to leave us alone as much as possible.

"Help those who need it, but leave the rest of us alone, he said.

 Sharon Adasme

They cant take away your vote

Rodney Summy voted for change.

He cast his ballot at Muscatine Colleges McAvoy Center with confidence that his candidate will make good on the promises they had made throughout the campaign. He hopes the next president will prevent this country from continuing down its current path.

Summy had a message to those who didnt vote.

"If you didnt vote you are missing out on the only thing they cant take away from you so far, and that is your vote," Summy said.

You cant complain about the way things are if you dont vote."

 Blake Thorson

No more shoulda, coulda, woulda

Brenda Hood cast her vote at the McAvoy Center. Hood said her father instilled in her that voting is not only a right but a privilege, and no matter who you vote for it will always make a difference. Later on Hood said that people should go out and vote.

"I think that people need to vote rather than stay home and say that it shoulda, coulda, woulda," Hood said.

If Hood could speak with the winning presidential candidate, shed tell them to stop saying hateful things, stop saying shes wrong Im right, hes wrong Im right.

"Go create more jobs, go fix the environment, go take care of the situation where they are trying to put an oil pipeline through somebodys grave, she said in reference to pipeline protests at Standing Rock. Go make it so that my kid doesnt have to work two jobs to afford a loaf of bread. Stop worrying about whos right and whos wrong and get the country fixed. Make the difference for everybody."

 Blake Thorson

A truly divided country

Mark Flanders, 65, called Tuesdays election one of the most critical elections that he has seen in a long time. Flanders said he believes the nation is at stake.

The Democratic party is going to get judges to go in and do what they want," he said.

Flanders said non-voters do not understand the importance of the election.

"I have never seen a country so divided."

 Blake Thorson

A vote to protect the family farm

Jennifer Heath voted Tuesday at McAvoy Center focusing on the one issue that mattered the most to her in this election cycle: Agriculture. Heath comes from a farm family and currently resides on her husband's family farm that has been in his family for generations. She voted Republican this year as she hopes that Donald Trump will help to strengthen the nation and improve the state of agriculture in not only Iowa but around the country.

Heath had a message for non-voters.

If you didnt vote you have no right to complain about who the president is and you should have been at the polls today, voting, she said.

 Blake Thorson

I couldnt sleep last night

Anxiety and indecision are the emotions expressed by many this campaign season and first-time voter Michael Garcia is no different.

I couldnt sleep last night," Garcia said after casting his ballot at Muscatine Communit Colleges McAvoy Center. "I still didnt make up my mind until just before I came here. I didnt really have much of a choice, but just had to go with what I agreed with more.

Despite his frustrations, Garcia was determined to play his part in the democratic system.

Its my civic duty," he said. "I mean, when I grew up my father and my mom and everyone in my family always made sure that they voted. They always instilled that in me, just to get out there. You dont have a right to complain if you dont go.

For Garcia, a candidate who acknowledges the growing importance of alternative energy is among his list of priorities.

Whats your plan for clean energy? What are you going to do to preserve this planet?

-- Jonathan Echeverria

Bias fuels messy election

Laine Lewis said he is an active voter and summed up the election after casting his ballot at Muscatines fifth precinct poll at Central Middle School.

Uh, I think its been, uh a messy one. Pretty messy, he said.

Despite this he has not lost sight on key issues brought up during the past year, namely, transparency and media bias.

Hopefully itll open a lot of peoples eyes to the bias, Lewis said. "Im just hoping that we can get a more honest news media so the public can have an opinion based on true information versus biased, you know slanted.

Above all, commitment is what he expects most from his chosen candidate.

I hope that they follow through with what they said, Lewis said.

-- Jonathan Echeverria
WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump proclaimed "America First" on his way to his head-spinning victory in Tuesday's presidential election, and the success of that message will rock many foreign capitals where leaders have feared that Trump would alter the basics of U.S. foreign policy.

Making predictions about Trump's foreign policy is difficult, given his lack of experience. But the most likely bet is that as president he will seek to do what he promised during the campaign in breaking from current U.S. approaches to Russia, the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

Traveling abroad over the past year, I heard concern about Trump's candidacy from senior officials in more than a dozen countries. He was viewed as an inexperienced and unreliable figure who might dismantle traditional U.S. commitments and alliances. Most foreign leaders will be upset that Hillary Clinton, an advocate of traditional U.S. strategy and commitments, lost the race.

A Trump foreign policy, based on his statements, will bring an intense "realist" focus on U.S. national interests and a rejection of costly U.S. engagements abroad. It will likely bring these changes:

A move to improve relations with a combative, assertive Russia. Trump stressed repeatedly during the campaign, at some political cost, that he would work with President Vladimir Putin. "I think I'd be able to get along with him," he said in September at a televised forum hosted by NBC's Matt Lauer. "If he says great things about me, I'm gonna say great things about him. ... I mean, the man has very strong control over a country."

Trump also discounted allegations that Russian hackers had meddled in the presidential election. "I doubt it, I doubt it," Trump said when asked in an Oct. 19 debate about a statement by Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. accusing "Russia's senior-most officials" of approving hacking of Democratic Party websites. Trump's denial led some Democrats to argue that electing Trump had been Russia's real goal.

A joint military effort with Russia and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to defeat the Islamic State. Trump proposed this shared campaign during that same debate. "If Russia and the United States got along well and went after ISIS, that would be good," he said. He offered positive comments about Assad, saying, "He's just much tougher and much smarter than her [Clinton]," adding that if the opposition should win in Syria, "you may very well end up with worse than Assad."

Trump also promised repeatedly that he would step up the U.S. military campaign against the Islamic State and replace U.S. generals who were insufficiently combative. But he has been vague about what he plans to do in Iraq and Syria.

A new push for European allies to pay more for their own defense. It's unlikely that Trump will dismantle NATO, as critics charged during the campaign. He said in a debate that Clinton was telling "just another lie" when she accused him of undermining commitments to defend NATO allies and Asian partners such as Japan and South Korea. But he never retreated from an April 27 speech in which he said "the U.S. must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves," even if that means letting them acquire nuclear weapons.

In Europe, Trump's victory is likely to reinforce the trend toward politicians expressing similar right-wing, nationalist views. The avatar of this neo-nationalism was the surprise victory of Brexit supporters in June's referendum in Britain, and there are comparable movements in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. President Trump will have to decide whether to embrace such movements, which could destabilize the European Union.

An attempt to alter the terms of trade in Asia by renegotiating trade pacts and forcing China to revalue its currency. It's hard to predict how this combative approach to globalization will play out. Often, Trump's extreme rhetoric and threats against business partners are tactics in what he has famously described as "the art of the deal." A China that's already experiencing a bubble economy might well be vulnerable to U.S. economic pressure. But the most likely outcome of Trump's protectionist rhetoric will be a global economic downturn, many analysts have argued.

Trump's campaign was premised on the idea that his approach would "make America great again." His presidency will test that proposition. But many analysts argue that by putting America's interests first so nakedly, he may push many U.S. allies in Europe and Asia to make their own deals with a newly assertive Russia and a rising China.

Undoing globalization isn't possible. But undermining America's leadership in that system would be all too easy.
Jon Alexander Editorial Page Editor Editorial Page Editor, Quad-City Times Follow Jon Alexander Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Donald Trump slayed Hillary Clinton's campaign of inevitability Tuesday night. Hopefully, he vanquished the third way, too.

It was Clinton's husband who codified the third way into Democratic policy. It made sense to a generation of baby boomers grappling with the political reset created by Ronald Reagan. It fit well in the 1990s for a then-young political class that carried the scars of George McGovern's shellacking in 1972 by Richard Nixon, who, like Trump, spoke to a "great silent majority."

The chinks in Clinton's armor were obvious early on in the primary cycle. A no-name senator, Bernie Sanders, spoke to the compromised nature of the neoliberal policies Clinton represented. He, like Trump, questioned its commitment to Main Street U.S.A. He, too, proved that Clinton wasn't trusted, even within her own party.

And yet, Democrats ignored the warnings. They cleared the primary field for Clinton. After all, it was her turn, or something to that effect.

On Tuesday, the country rejected dynastic politics. It rejected a system that would coronate the very embodiment of the establishment. It rejected the third way, which has, for decades now, ignored massive swaths of this country. Third way politicians embraced free trade, without acknowledging the consequences. They blindly ran into wars. They became lapdogs of multinational corporations.

All that time, rural America decayed.

The writing's been on the wall for years now. Republicans dominate statehouses. They seized total control of Iowa Tuesday night. They dominate Congress. Come January, they own the White House, too. And the GOP's done it amid a similar revolt against its third way. The populist tea party has spent years ousting center-right politicians.

I have deep reservations about President-elect Trump. The man's campaign was built on little but a wholesale repudiation of cultural plurality and truth. It's unclear if an interest in governing or simply a need to win propelled his want for the presidency. He promised to build a wall. He promised trillions in infrastructure spending. He promised massive tax cuts for the richest among us. What happens if and when those promises prove unrealistic?

I'm unsure Trump is cut out for governing. But these days, any prediction isn't worth much.

I hope he proves me wrong.

Going forward, it's Democrats that are in need of a reckoning, as do third way politicians throughout the West. Brexit was a harbinger, it seems. Right-wing nationalism is rising in Austria, France and Greece. The entire post-WWII order is suddenly in question. The middling third way is failing massive swaths of the population.

The third way is without principle. It's without soul. It's an approach designed by technocrats to fit nicely on a flow chart from when Windows 95 was shiny and new.

On Tuesday, Americans rejected the third way, opting instead for a gamble on something different if potentially dangerous. Democrats have no one to blame but themselves. They've spent decades blindly following a path that ended with the Cold War.
EDITOR, Muscatine Journal:

The Muscatine Community YMCA would like to thank everyone who came together to bring Halloween at the Y to the community this year. This years event was hosted by the Muscatine Center for Social Action, who opened their building to the community and welcomed well over 300 trick or treaters and their families.

Twenty-seven local proprietors participated this year by providing games, crafts, and treats for the children attending. Halloween cookie dough, a fun photo booth opportunity, bean bag tosses, face painting, and many more fun activities were included in this years safe trick or treating event.

We would like to extend a sincere thank you to MCSA for their hospitality, and to each and every participant, contributor, sponsor, and volunteer for the support they provided so that Halloween at the Y could be brought to the community. Without the involvement of the many businesses and individuals who donate time, energy, and funds towards Halloween at the Y, this community event would not be possible.

Our goal is to provide local children and families with the opportunity to trick or treat in a safe, friendly environment, truly in the spirit of Halloween, and in accordance with the YMCA Areas of Focus to provide Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility.

Holly Brugman

Assistant Director

Family Program Services

Muscatine Community YMCA
As a former Republican county attorney, I am deeply disturbed with the Republican controlled Iowa House of Representatives and the looming constitutional crisis it is creating. The Iowa Legislature has a duty to fund the court system as an equal branch of Iowa government.

For the past several sessions, the Iowa Legislature has refused to provide full funding for the operation of the courts, giving the excuse there is insufficient revenue. The lack of revenue is neither true nor relieve the Legislature of its constitutional duty.

The Legislature takes revenue produced by the courts and puts it into the general fund instead of using it to fund the courts. The lack of funding is having a profound effect on the courts and the ability to create specialty courts to deal with criminal law, domestic, and drug cases and other urgent matters.

This subterfuge has caused observers to believe forces within the Legislature are engaged in a plan to weaken the judicial branch to consolidate the power of the judiciary in the executive and legislative branches.

This concern is evidenced by laws that require mandatory prison for crimes, which remove the judges discretion on sentencing. It can and does result in persons who need not be incarcerated spending years behind bars.

When judges have no role in sentencing, a criminal justice system without judges to protect us it is not a just system. Support candidates who support an independent judicial branch and full funding for the courts.

David J. Dutton

Waterloo, Iowa

Editors note: Dutton is a former Black Hawk County attorney
Events planned Friday in honor of Veterans Day:

PARADE

10 a.m. to noon, Davenport Veterans Day Parade, downtown Davenport. Ceremony will follow in front of the Scott County Courthouse.

SERVICES

9 a.m., Veterans Day Service by VFW Post 1303, auxiliary and American Legion Post 200, including honors salute, taps and placement of a wreath, Chippiannock Cemetery, 2901 12th St., Rock Island.

11 a.m., Veterans Day Service by VFW Post 1303, auxiliary and American Legion Post 200 at the Rock Island County Courthouse memorial monument, 210 15th St., Rock Island.

11 a.m., Hero Street Memorial Park, 145 2nd St., Silvis, with a speech by Maj. Gen. Edward Daly, commanding general, U.S. Army Sustainment Command.

11 a.m., VFW Post 1571, 106 SW 3rd Ave., Aledo, Illinois, with a speech by Capt. Herman Marshall, ASC.

11 a.m., VFW Post 2153, 1721 7th St., Moline, with a speech by Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony Bryant, ASC. A fish fry will begin at 4:30 p.m.

11 a.m., American Legion Post 227, 829 16th Ave., East Moline, with a speech by Brig. Gen. Richard B. Dix, U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command. Luncheon will follow.

11 a.m., American Legion Post 569, 515 W. 1st Ave., Milan, with a speech by Col. Donald Wols, Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center. Wreath-laying, 21-gun salute, a flag retirement ceremony, and a chili and hot dog lunch (donations accepted).

1 p.m., Rock Island National Cemetery on Arsenal Island, Maj. Gen. Edward Daly, commanding general, U.S. Army Sustainment Command, will speak. There also will be a wreath placement, an honor salute and taps. No pass is required.

2 p.m., Veterans Memorial Park, 1645 23rd St., Bettendorf, Chaplain (Col.) Jeffery Zust, First Army, will speak. Mayor Bob Gallagher, Alderman Greg Adamson and the commanders from the VFW, VVA, and American Legion will attend.

7 p.m., Tri-City Jewish Center, 2715 30th St., Rock Island.

OTHER OBSERVANCES

Deere & Co. will honor all employees who are on active duty, veterans or reservists with a U.S./P.O.W. flag raising ceremony at 9 a.m.

Live@5 Veterans Day Encore: 5 p.m., Redstone Room, 129 Main St., Davenport. Featuring Dirt Road Rockers. Free.

Veterans Day Soup and Sandwich Luncheon: noon to 3 p.m., VFW Post 828, 101 S. Linwood Ave., Davenport. VFW Post 828 will host this soup and sandwich luncheon open to all veterans and families. Free with donations accepted.

Veterans Day Open House: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Davenport City Cemetery, 1625 Rockingham Road, Davenport. The visitors center (Sexton's Cottage) will be open daily for research or to stop by and decorate a gravesite. Cemetery experts will be on site each day to assist with questions or to help with finding grave locations.

Veterans Day Share-A-Haircut Program: noon, Hair Cuttery, 3915 41st Ave. Drive, Moline. For every haircut purchased on this day one free haircut certificate will be donated to a local veteran.

Veterans Day car washes: Super Washes of the Quad-Cities will offer free washes for veterans, active military and active military spouses from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in LeClaire at 950 Mississippi View Court, Colona at 402 1st St. and Rapids City at 4020 2nd Ave.

Hy-Vee stores will serve free breakfasts to veterans and active-duty military members at its Quad-City stores. The breakfasts are part of the Hy-Vee Homefront initiative, which is comprised of several company efforts, including the Hy-Vee Round Up for the Homefront program, Honor Flights and veterans and military member employee recruitment.
With our unseasonably warm fall, it's hard to imagine that Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

And boy, do we have much to be thankful for this year.

Jim and I became grandparents in October. The little guy wasn't supposed to arrive until after Thanksgiving, but made an early arrival on Oct. 23.

Both our boys weighed in at more than 9 pounds. Our grandson, Weston, weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces. Not bad for little guy considered a preemie by hospital standards. We met him for the first time last week. He was by no means a butterball, but is healthy and gaining weight.

And speaking of Butterball, producers of all things turkey, have come out with a new app for your smart phone. It's free from the App Store and includes recipes from every day dinners to after school snacks. Plus, you can find inspiration for special holiday meals.

I downloaded the app recently and found some pretty cool features, namely the "turkey calculator." It allows you to plan perfect portions. It asks you how many adults and kids you will be hosting for Thanksgiving, whether you want leftovers, and whether you are big eaters or light eaters.

In my example I put in 6 adults and 3 children, that we wanted leftovers and that we were big eaters. The app told me I needed an 11-pound turkey and 10 cups of stuffing.

The app also will allow you to put in the size of your turkey, say 10 pounds, and calculate how long you need to thaw the turkey in the fridge or in cold water in the sink. By the way, they suggest thawing the 10-pound bird for two and a half days in the fridge.

The app can tell you how long to cook the turkey also. You put in the weight of the bird and whether or not it is stuffed and the app will tell you how long it will take. It told me a 10-pound stuffed turkey would take from 3 and three-quarters hours to 4 and one-half hours. It also offered this disclaimer: "Roasting time is based on the open pan roasting method at 325-degrees for thawed and fresh turkeys only."

Butterball has hosted its Turkey Talk-Line for decades. It all began in 1981 when six home economists worked the phones that holiday season to answer 11,000 turkey-cooking questions. Since then, the Turkey Talk-Line has grown in both the number of calls answered and experts responding, Butterball says.

And with more tech-savvy people entering the kitchen, the Talk-Line has embraced Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, live chat and email to help every cook get the information they need, when they need it.

For the first time in its 35-year history, Butterball will allow answer-seeking cooks to spell out their questions via text messages also.

With more than 100,000 questions coming in to the Turkey Talk line each year, the company decided it was best to open other modes of communication.

Were just evolving based on consumers needs, Sue Smith, Butterballs talk line co-director said. Its the natural progression for the talk line.

Cooks with questions ranging from how big of a bird they need, to how to thaw their turkey can text or call the Talk line at 1-800-Butterball 24/7 starting Nov. 17 and ending Nov. 24.

Apple-glazed roast turkey

1 cup apple jelly

1 cup apple juice

 cup white balsamic vinegar

 cup honey

 tsp. salt

(16-18 lb.) Butterball fresh or frozen whole turkey, thawed if frozen

Gravy

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cans (14- oz. each) low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine jelly, juice, vinegar, honey and salt in small, heavy saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to 1-1/4 cups, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reserve 1/4 cup mixture for gravy. Set remaining mixture aside for basting turkey.

Remove neck and giblets from body and neck cavities of turkey. Refrigerate for another use or discard.

Place turkey, breast up, on flat roasting rack in shallow roasting pan. Spray turkey with cooking spray.

Brush turkey with some glaze mixture. Loosely cover breast and tops of drumsticks with aluminum foil to prevent overcooking. Bake 2 hours.

Uncover turkey breast and brush turkey with additional glaze mixture. Return foil to top of turkey and continue roasting until meat thermometer inserted deep in thigh reaches 180 degrees. Let turkey stand 15 minutes before carving.

For gravy, pour drippings into 1-quart measure; skim fat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Add reserved glaze mixture and enough water or broth to make 3-1/2 cups. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 tablespoon vanilla

3-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups miniature marshmallows

Spray oval 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.

In large microwavable bowl, mix brown sugar, butter, pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon water. Microwave uncovered on high for 1-1/2 minutes, stirring once. Stir in vanilla. Add sweet potatoes; stir to coat thoroughly.

Pour mixture into slow cooker. Cover; cook on high heat setting 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until fork tender. Reduce to warm heat setting until ready to serve.

Stir mixture; top with marshmallows, and cover 1 to 2 minutes or until marshmallows melt slightly.

Old fashioned slow-cooker vegetable stuffing

1 box (12 oz.) of Mrs. Cubbison's Traditional Seasoned Stuffing

1 cup; butter, melted

1-1/2 cups; chicken broth

1-1/2 cups; celery, chopped

1 cup; onion, minced

2 eggs

Spray slow cooker (5-quart) with non-stick spray. Melt butter and set aside. In the slow cooker, whisk celery, onions, chicken broth or water and eggs. Then gradually whisk in melted butter. Add stuffing mix and toss until little liquid is left on the bottom of the slow cooker. Place lid and turn onto HIGH setting. Cook on high for 1 hour 25 minutes. Turn off. Carefully remove the lid, toss the stuffing and cover again. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Muffins from Stuffin'

1 cup; all-purpose flour

1-1/2 tablespoons; baking powder

3/4 teaspoon; poultry seasoning

1/4 teaspoon; salt

2 cups; Mrs. Cubbison's Seasoned Corn Bread Stuffing

1/2 cup; minced onion

3 tablespoons; chopped fresh parsley

3 eggs

1-1/3 cups; chicken broth

1/3 cup; vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Liberally grease 12 muffin cups to the rims and set aside.

Place the flour, baking powder, poultry seasoning, and salt in a medium-sized bowl, and stir together. Stir in the stuffing mix, onion, and parsley. Place the eggs in a small bowl and beat. Add the chicken broth and oil, and blend well. Stir the egg mixture into the stuffing mixture just until moistened.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, dividing it evenly among the cups. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the muffins to rest in the cups for 5 minutes. Then, run a knife around the rims to loosen the muffins, unmold, and serve.
Republicans were so dominant Tuesday in Black Hills-area legislative races that even a deceased GOP candidate appeared to be headed for victory.

In District 34, which consists of much of western Rapid City, Dan Dryden was re-elected by voters to the state House of Representatives despite his death from cancer on Aug. 30 at age 72.

With seven of eight precincts reported as of late Tuesday evening, Dryden had 4,185 votes, or 33 percent, good enough for second in a three-way race for the districts two House seats. Sen. Craig Tieszen, R-Rapid City, who is switching over to the House after being term-limited in the Senate, was leading with 5,703 votes, or 45 percent.

Drydens death came after his name was already on the ballot. Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard appointed former legislator David Lust, a Rapid City Republican, to fill the remainder of Drydens term and said he plans to appoint Lust to fill Drydens new term.

Tieszen said Daugaards announcement back in September about his intent to appoint Lust made a difficult situation easier to navigate.

I think that was helpful, and it gave people some clarity about what their choice was, Tieszen said.

Tieszen is wrapping up his eighth year in the Legislature and is excited to get back to work.

I appreciate the confidence that the voters of District 34 showed in me, he said.

The losing candidate in the District 34 House race was Steve Stenson, D-Rapid City, who had 2,778 votes, or 22 percent, with one precinct still unreported Tuesday night.

All 105 seats in the South Dakota Legislature were up for election Tuesday, with voters electing two representatives and one senator in each of 35 districts statewide, although some candidates were uncontested. The newly elected legislators will serve two-year terms beginning in January.

Following are the results of other Black Hills-area contested legislative races, as of 11 p.m. Mountain time.

District 27 House

With 13 of 30 precincts reporting on Tuesday, incumbent Rep. Elizabeth May, R-Kyle, had 1,858 votes, or 40 percent, and Steve Livermont, R-Martin, had 1,951 votes and 42 percent.

The trailing candidates in the race for two seats were Red Dawn Foster, D-Pine Ridge, with 243 votes; Sen. Jim Bradford, D-Pine Ridge, with 456 votes; and Everette L. McKinley, I-Midland, with 119 votes.

District 27 includes Haakon, Jackson, Oglala Lakota and Bennett counties.

District 29 Senate

Incumbent Sen. Gary Cammack, R-Union Center, won re-election.

He received 6,554 votes, or 65 percent, to beat independent challenger LeRoy Kindler, of Newell, who had 3,522 votes, or 35 percent.

The district includes parts of Meade, Butte and Pennington counties.

District 30 Senate

Only eight of 27 precincts were reported as of late Tuesday evening, but they showed Rep. Lance Russell, R-Hot Springs, with a lead in his run for the Senate.

Russell, who was prevented from running for re-election to the House because of term limits, had 4,329 votes, or 72 percent, while Karla LaRive, D-Hot Springs, had 1,719 votes, or 28 percent.

The district includes Custer and Fall River counties and part of Pennington County.

District 30 House

With only eight of 27 precincts reported as of late Tuesday evening, two Rapid City Republicans had leads in a four-way, incumbent-less race for two seats.

Tim Goodwin was leading with 3,917 votes, or 36.79 percent, followed by Julie Frye-Mueller, with 3,869 votes, or 36.34 percent.

The trailing candidates were Kristine Ina Winter, D-Hot Springs, with 1,391 votes, or 13.06 percent, and Sandy Arseneault, D-Custer, with 1,470 votes, or 13.81 percent.

The district includes Custer and Fall River counties and part of Pennington County.

District 32 Senate

With seven of eight precincts reported, state Sen. Alan Solano, R-Rapid City, appeared to have won re-election with 6,764 votes, or 67 percent, over challenger David Hubbard, D-Rapid City, who had 3,357 votes, or 33 percent.

District 32 is in Pennington County and encompasses part of Rapid City.

District 32 House

With seven of eight precincts reporting, incumbent Rep. Kristin Conzet, R-Rapid City, was leading with 5,419 votes, or 31 percent. Sean McPherson R-Rapid City, was leading the race for the other open seat, with 5,067 votes and 29 percent.

The trailing candidates were Rapid City Democrats Nik Aberle, with 2,464 votes, and Susan Kelts with 4,339 votes.

District 33 Senate

Republican Phil Jensen appeared to win another state Senate term representing District 33, including north Rapid City, areas of Pennington County west and south of Rapid City, and a small portion of southern Meade County.

With 12 of 16 precincts reporting, Jensen had a lead with 6,939 votes for 61.81 percent. Democrat Haven Stuck trailed with 4,287 votes, for 38.19 percent.

District 33 House

Two Rapid City Republicans appeared to win House seats in a four-way race with no incumbents in District 33, comprised of north Rapid City, areas of Pennington County west and south of Rapid City, and a small portion of southern Meade County.

With 12 of 16 precincts reporting, David Johnson led with 7,390 votes, or 38.47 percent. Taffy Howard also appeared headed to Pierre with 6,278 votes, or 32.68 percent.

Trailing were Democrats Jim Hadd, 2,973 votes for 15.47 percent, and Ethan Marsland, 2,571 votes for 13.38 percent.

District 34 Senate

Republican Rep. Jeffrey D. Partridge appeared headed for a successful switch of chambers. With seven of eight precincts reporting, Partridge led Democratic challenger Jay C. Shultz 65-35 percent, 5,496 votes to 2,983.

District 34 includes much of western and a portion of central Rapid City.

District 35 House

With all precincts reported, incumbent Rep. Lynne DiSanto, R-Rapid City, won re-election to her seat in the House with 4,955 votes, or 36 percent, as did Rep. Blaine Chip Campbell, R-Rapid City, with 4,280 votes, or 31 percent.

The losing candidates were Democrats Dave Freytag, with 2,528 votes, and Michael Hanson, with 1,995 votes.

District 35 includes part of Pennington County.

Nelson holds PUC seat

Chris Nelson, chairman of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, went to work Election Day just like any other morning Tuesday and conducted a standard commission meeting.

By 9 p.m., he stood as a possible record holder on his way to re-election.

Partial results showed Nelson, a Republican, receiving 77.7 percent of the vote against Democratic challenger Henry Red Cloud of Pine Ridge with 409 of 707 precincts reported.

That would be the highest percentage in a contested statewide election in South Dakota history, according to state election analysts.

Nelson had a larger percentage than the three other Republicans  presidential nominee Donald Trump, U.S. Sen. John Thune and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem  who won statewide elections Tuesday.

The previous record was 75.1 percent in 1998 by Thune when he was in the U.S. House.
Riding a Republican sweep of South Dakota on Tuesday, incumbent U.S. Sen. John Thune and incumbent U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem both were returned to Congress by wide vote margins on Tuesday.

Thune, South Dakota's senior senator and the third-ranking Republican in the Senate, won re-election to a third six-year term on Tuesday with a convincing win over Yankton businessman Jay Williams, a Democrat.

Meanwhile, Noem triumphed and won a fourth two-year term Tuesday over her Democratic challenger, state Rep. Paula Hawks of Sioux Falls.

Vote totals just before 11 p.m. Mountain time on Tuesday, with 569 of 707 precincts reporting, showed Thune with 232,877 votes (72.4 percent) to 88,805 votes (27.6 percent) for Williams.

Noem at that time had 208,865 votes (64.8 percent) to 113,119 (35.1 percent) for Hawks.

The third-ranking Republican, Thune serves as chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Thune had a staggering cash advantage over Williams during the race. He touted himself as a leader who is making headway for South Dakota despite partisan gridlock in Washington.

Williams had argued that he's nonpolitical and could go to Washington to reach across the aisle to work with members of both parties.

Thune sent out a press release after the race was called in his favor less than a half-hour after polls closed statewide.

"Serving the people of South Dakota in the U.S. Senate has been one of the greatest privileges of my life, and I'm humbled by the opportunity to continue fighting for them in Washington, D.C.," said Thune.

Noem said South Dakota needs someone who will fight aggressively for the state in Washington.

She said she is looking forward to working on the next farm bill and focusing on growth and improving wages when she returns to Congress for a fourth term.

The Republican lawmaker said South Dakota residents are facing challenges including taxes and high health costs. She said she's humbled to represent the state for another two years.

Hawks said the Democratic Party has soul-searching to do about what needs to happen for it to be successful in South Dakota.

Noem was first elected in 2010 when she beat incumbent Democrat Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.

Both Republicans received overwhelming support from voters across the state.

Kevin Paugh, 57, is a disabled resident of Box Elder who described himself as a conservative who found it easy to back incumbent Republicans Thune and Noem for a trip back to the U.S. Congress to represent South Dakota.

Ive always liked Kristi Noem, and Ive liked John Thune," he said.

Paugh said that after voting for Thune and Noem, he stayed on the Republican path for president.

"I went ahead and went with Trump this year just because its the lesser of two evils is how I see it, Paugh said. There just wasnt a whole lot to choose from.

Paugh said he closely followed the election and issues and believes that exercising the right to vote is extremely important.

I always say, if you dont vote, youve got nothing to complain about, Paugh said.
Robert R. Wagner, usually known around town as Bob, is the Butte County Veterans Service officer, a job he loves in spite of friends asking when he's going to retire.

Wagner graduated from St. Mary's Central High School in Bismarck, N.D., in 1964 and with other classmates, knew about the draft and the Vietnam War.

"I went to a junior college for a couple years," he said.

But when his draft board refused a two-year deferment to attend a non-accredited four-year college, his choices shrank.

"So I joined the U.S. Air Force," he said.

After basic training, he went to training as a medic, a job that could include anything from stocking supplies to patient care.

In the meantime, he married his wife, Dee.

The couple headed to Lockbourne Air Force Base in Ohio.

Back in Ohio, Wagner was sent to a short-lived assignment in leadership school.

Five days after starting, "I got orders for Southeast Asia."

Tan Son Nhut Air Base at Saigon, Vietnam came first, then to U-Tapao Royal Thai airfield; and then Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base.

"Through all of that," he said, he became part of what he called the Thailand, Laos and Cambodia Brotherhood."

"It was kind of a forward control group," Wagner said. "It was known as the secret war."

When Wagner's orders took him home, he'd served some 363 days in theater.

It's a number he remembers well, and can add details to.

Coming home, he landed at Travis Air Force Base in California and was discharged.

He'd served three years and nine months. His service time was from 1966 to 1970, peak years of the Vietnam War.

Back in Bismarck Wagner was working and going to school.

The couple took the opportunity for him to take a job in Custer.

That led to a job in Belle Fourche, another move to North Dakota and more work and school, then a return to Belle Fourche in 1980.

Wagner notes that the draft made a different world for young people.

"I don't regret my military time," he said. "But I think the military has changed... drastically."

Going from Bismarck to Southeast Asia meant a world with drugs and other potential problems.

"I was really naive," he said of himself half a century ago.

Now would he recommend telling young people to join the military?

"My daughter asked me that question one day," he said. "My answer is that it would depend on the kid."

For the military to help train and develop character, it takes an internal strength, he said. "Knowing right from wrong."

He added, "I think it was good for me, and I grew from it."

As Butte County's veterans service officer, what keeps him in the job even after 7 years is helping others.

"There's a lot of satisfaction here; being able to help a deserving vet or a deserving spouse of a deceased vet."

Wagner noted that his overseas experience isn't one he cares to repeat.

In Southeast Asia, he said, "It was hot and wet, and it was wet and hot."

The climate itself destroyed uniforms.

He did have a chance to see the location of the bridge on the River Kwai that is the topic of the epic war film.

"That was really neat," he said.

"Other than that, I didn't leave anything there," he said. "I don't have any desire to go back."
There was a sigh of relief at 10 p.m. Tuesday in the Butte County Auditor's office.

All the county's votes had been counted, including the 1,051 absentee ballots that took special boards roughly 13 hours to process.

Auditor Elaine Jensen said she was proud of the smooth way the election workers responded to the heavy 65 percent turnout across the county.

Election results at the county level are still unofficial until the vote is canvassed by the Butte County Commission. That was expected to be Thursday at 10 a.m. at the courthouse.

"When the Canvass is finished, I will be putting it in the mail and sending it to the secretary of state."

Butte County had no local countywide contests.

At the legislative level, District 28, which includes Belle Fourche and Buffalo, Butte and Harding Counties and generally east to the Missouri River, former Sen. Ryan Maher, R-Isabel, won the state senate seat as an unopposed Republican.

In District 29, which includes Nisland, Newell and Vale areas in Butte County as well as basically Meade County, incumbent Gary Cammack of Union Center retains his seat with 65 percent of the vote over his independent challenger LeRoy Kindler of Newell.

District 28 is split into an eastern half and western half. Democrat Oren Lesmeister won the eastern 28A seat, and incumbent Republican Sam Marty held his seat for 28B which is the western half that includes Belle Fourche.

Belle Fourche voter turnout by precinct had a low of 50 percent in Precinct 21 and a high of 69 percent in Precinct 28.

Precincts voting in Newell and Nisland ran higher, with up to 78 percent. Highest turnout was precinct 12, Orman, that votes at Nisland. That was just over 82 percent.

In Belle Fourche, poll workers reported a steady stream of voters up to about 6:30 p.m., and a few still in voting booths as the polls officially closed at 7.

As a generally Republican county, voters checking the South Dakota Secretary of State internet site for local results probably weren't surprised at Trump's 77 percent win with 3,355 votes to Hillary Clinton's 16 percent and 693 votes.

That was a much stronger percentage support for Trump than even at the state's nearly 62 percent vote for Trump over Hillary Clinton's roughly 32 percent.

At both county and state levels, Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and Constitutional Party candidate Darrell Castle had sufficient votes that the percentages for Trump and Clinton don't add up to 100 percent.

Sen. John Thune also received an even stronger endorsement from Butte County voters, winning 82 percent of the vote over Democrat challenger Jay Williams.

The pattern held for Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., who held her seat in the U.S. House by a 64 percent re-election vote, and nearly 80 percent in Butte County over Democrat Paula Hawks.

Butte County had

Jensen said her office had provided far more sample ballots and state pamphlets on the amendments and measures on this year's huge ballot.

"We provided as much information as we could, in order to make the voter an educated voter."

She thanked county employees as well as the precinct election workers for making the process work smoothly.
Karen Gettert Shoemaker, author of The Meaning of Names, spoke to a capacity crowd in the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center Chicoine Atrium Thursday. She is the second speaker in the Distinguished Visiting Writer Series sponsored by the Chadron State College English and Humanities department, Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

Shoemakers book, chosen for the 2016 One Book One Nebraska, tells the story of a 28-year-old mother of four who emigrates from Germany to Nebraska in 1918. During her presentation, Shoemaker shared a book trailer produced by a graduate assistant.

We were not a cryptic German family. We talked a lot. This story was easy to tell. I knew the rhythm and the important parts, Shoemaker said. I started collecting stories from family interviews, as a child.

She revealed that her mother is the baby born at the end of the book.

It was a miracle that my grandmother lived through it, she said, pointing out she gave birth during 1918-19 global influenza outbreak.

The section of the book she read to the audience depicted the death of a German man, who was beaten and thrown from the train carrying the young family. The anti-German sentiment she discovered in her research was shocking, Shoemaker said.

I wanted to get at the truth of the experience. When German immigrants were attacked, it was wrong then and, oddly enough, its wrong now, she said. Its not a family memoir because it doesnt have the necessary allegiance to truth. I play fast and loose with that, so it is a novel. I assured all the audience members at a reading in Atkinson that all the bad people were made up and all the good people in the book were their ancestors.
PIERRE | In the wake of two major corruption cases, the new board assigned to create a system of internal financial controls for state government and its contractors, vendors and grant recipients decided Monday to seek an outside consultant.

The draft request is still in development. It would call for proposals from consultants to work with one state agency, the Bureau of Finance and Management, as the first case.

The information learned during the development of controls for BFM could be applied later to other state departments and offices.

The draft calls for Train the Trainer sessions as well.

The proposal calls for a one-year contract with four one-year renewal options. The timeline is in flux. The original proposal called for a contract start-up of April 1, 2017.

The consultant also could be contracted by other state agencies willing to directly pay for its services.

Prices would be negotiated as part of the contracting process.

The 100-point scoring system to evaluate the proposals is weighted heaviest  30 percent  to past performance in developing large internal control systems for other states or large government projects.

Were looking for an expert thats done this before, said Keith Senger, director for accounting analysis and financial reporting in BFM.

The Legislature created the state Board of Internal Control this year at the request of Gov. Dennis Daugaard and Lt. Gov. Matt Michels.

Michels suggested the board in response to the corruption discovered in the GEAR UP education program and the EB-5 development program.

Several millions of dollars appear to have been siphoned away from GEAR UP during the past decade.

GEAR UP is a federal grant program intended to help lower-income students and their families understand what is needed for post-high school education.

The South Dakota Department of Education receives the federal grant. In turn the department had contracted with Mid-Central Education Cooperative at Platte to be the sub-recipient.

After the state Department of Legislative Audit began uncovering financial problems in GEAR UPs management, the state Department of Education reversed its position and severed its contract with Mid-Central in September 2015.

Less than 24 hours after Secretary Melody Schopp informed Mid-Centrals director Dan Guericke of that decision to end the contract, six members of a family were shot to death in their home south of Platte.

They included Mid-Central business director Scott Westerhuis, assistant business director Nicole Westerhuis and the couples four children.

The states criminal investigation concluded Scott Westerhuis must have shot his wife and children, lit their house on fire and then shot himself.

Three people subsequently have been indicted. They include Guericke, GEAR UP director Stacy Phelps of Rapid City and the other assistant business director, Stephanie Hubers.

Phelps created with the Westerhuises two nonprofit organizations. GEAR UP money flowed through them. Hubers assisted in their operations.

Guericke and Phelps allegedly attempted to change some contract documents in September 2015 in an attempt to block the Legislative Audit investigation.

GEAR UPs use in South Dakota began under a previous secretary of education, Rick Melmer, during the previous administration of then-Gov. Mike Rounds.

Under Rounds, now a U.S. senator, the department added an office of Indian education, to which Keith Moore was appointed. Schopp worked at the department at the time.

While secretary under Daugaard, Schopp created a paid oversight panel to supervise Indian education activities conducted for the department by Mid-Central.

Melmer and Moore left state government before the end of the Rounds administration in 2010. Schopp brought them back into the departments orbit when she asked them to serve on the oversight panel.

Missing work logs for Melmer and Moore led the Department of Legislative Audit to look farther into GEAR UP and Mid-Central, setting off the broader investigation.

The GEAR UP contract was shifted to the state Board of Regents and Black Hills State University during the past year.
South Dakota's lone congressional representative, Republican Kristi Noem, came up with such an outlandish promise a week ago that you really have to shake your head at her disconnection from economic reality.

She actually told Sioux Falls' KSOO radio that if a tax reform package that she favors were enacted in the United States we'd see an economic growth rate of "around 9.1 percent."

This is so stunningly outlandish that you have to wonder if the congresswoman even listens to herself or simply reads from a prepared script without thinking through the words she's uttering.

First off, a 9.1 percent growth rate in an advanced mature economy like ours is way beyond reach. This is more than twice what Donald Trump claims (Note: my deadline preceded Tueseday's election, so who knows as you read this if Trump's economic claims are even relevant anymore. Noem may be irrelevant too, but local GOP leadership should be informed, if not altogether held accountable, for what one of their principal standard bearers has been dishing out) he can achieve, and he wants to lower corporate taxes (to 15 percent) by even more than Noem does (to 20 percent).

Trump's draconian cut would at most, by even his reckoning, boost annual growth to 4 percent. How Noem comes up with her flight into the fantasyland of 9 percent is something I'd challenge her to support. I can comfortably say that no credible economist would back this up as a likelihood, much less a possibility.

Just to get some grounding, I consulted with my favorite economist (my daughter, Emily, who was trained in the field at the University of California, Berkeley), who dismissed Noem's claim out of hand. Emily notes that she "has yet to see a compelling example of where lowering taxes created that kind of growth." Adds Emily, "the problem is that those kinds of models make incorrect assumptions about how people spend their tax savings. Businesses tend to favor stable, solvent governments with good infrastructure and educated labor pools, both of which require higher taxes to achieve."

The most recent round of tax cuts, early on in the George W. Bush administration, produced nothing in the way of notable economic growth. In fact, Bush's tax reductions in '01 and '03, were followed by one of the most calamitous economic debacles in history.

Why and how Noem comes up with the assumption that her notion of cutting taxes will lead to unparalleled levels of economic growth is something I'd like to see her explain. Given the looney-tunes magnitude of her claims, I doubt that Noem can make a serious case.
Russian Deputy Transport Minister testifies in Aeroflot embezzlement case

Context Russian Deputy Transport Minister to appear in court over Aeroflot embezzlement case

MOSCOW, November 9 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov)  Deputy Transport Minister Valery Okulov testified on Wednesday in Moscow's Savelovsky District Court in case over embezzlement of about $122.5 million from Aeroflot in the 1990s, RAPSI reports from the courtroom.

Nikolay Glushkov, a former first deputy director of Aeroflot, stands accused of conspiring with businessman Boris Berezovsky and convincing Aeroflot's general director Yevgeny Shaposhnikov to carry out financial restructuring.

Investigators claim that the loans provided for the alleged restructuring were embezzled. The estimated cost of the alleged damage is $122.5 million.

Glushkov, who had left for England, was charged in absentia.

Okulov was a board member of Aeroflot before becoming Deputy Transport Minister in April 2009.

He confirmed in court that he was acquainted with Glushkov. However, Okulov said that he knew nothing about Berezovskys interest in promotion of Glushkov to the position of the first deputy director of Aeroflot.

Berezovsky left Russia in 2000, soon after criminal proceedings were launched against him. He never returned to his homeland and was granted political asylum in the UK in 2003. He was found dead in his Berkshire home in March 2013.
Russia ordered to pay Poland $2 mln for use of building

MOSCOW, November 9 (RAPSI) - The Warsaw District Court has ordered Russia to pay 7.8 million zloty (about $2 million) to Poland for non-contractual use of a building in Warsaw, Polish Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The defendant, namely the Russian Federation, had been informed about the hearing date but did not appear in court and did not take its stance in the case. Thus, the court accepted the plaintiffs claims as true, the agency reports. The ruling has not taken effect yet.

The subject-matter of dispute is a building that earlier was the hotel for the Soviet diplomats. Presently, the object is not used. In late October, the court held that the building must be transferred into Polands ownership. Russia reportedly claimed that such issues must be settled during bilateral talks but not by court.

Moreover, the mayor of Warsaw reportedly seeks over 16 million zloty (about 260 million rubles) from Russia for non-contractual use of two buildings in Polands capital by the RF embassy from 2012 to 2015. This trial is set for January 2017.

Russia uses several real estate items in Poland, among others, in Warsaw. Some of them are owned by Russia; others are utilized under contracts. However, Polish authorities claim that several objects in Warsaw and Gdansk are used non-contractually. As a result, they turn to courts demanding payment, according to the agency.
MANHATTAN  Kansas State University scientists say they have isolated and cloned a gene that provides resistance to Fusarium head blight, or wheat scab, a crippling disease that caused $7.6 billion in losses in U.S. wheat fields between 1993 and 2001.Their findings are published online in the journal Nature Genetics http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ng.3706.html. The article details about 20 years of research that included scientists in China and several American universities.This has been a very difficult project, said Bikram Gill, university distinguished professor of plant pathology and director of the Wheat Genetics Resource Center at Kansas State University. He estimates that nearly 100 scientists, faculty, staff and students have participated in the work.The breakthrough that were reporting is the cloning of a resistance gene, Gill said. We have identified the DNA and protein sequence, and we are getting some idea of how this gene provides resistance to the wheat plant for controlling the disease. The cloning of this gene is the key to unlock quicker progress for control of this disease.A disease that shows up periodically in more humid growing regions, Fusarium head blight caused severe damage in Minnesota and North Dakota in 1993 and subsequent years. Gill noted that a 1997 epidemic in Minnesota, which ruined 50 percent of the states wheat crop that year, caused an estimated $1 billion in losses.Fusarium head blight is caused by the fungus Fusarium graminearum, which produces a toxin that makes the crop unfit for human and animal consumption. James Anderson, a professor of wheat breeding and genetics at the University of Minnesota, said there are frequent epidemics of the disease reported in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and South America.The fungus is also a menace to the barley industry. Gill noted that since the 1997 outbreak in Minnesota, malting barley is rarely grown in the upper Midwest because the industry implemented zero tolerance for the toxin Deoxynivalenol produced by fusarium.Previously, the wheat variety known to best resist Fusarium head blight was a Chinese cultivar named Sumai 3. But while scientists knew Sumai 3 provided resistance, they didnt know what DNA sequence was responsible for resistance  until now.Kansas State University faculty and students used sophisticated wheat genome sequencing techniques to isolate the gene. Gill said that Eduard Akhunov, associate professor of plant pathology, prepared a library of millions of clones of Sumai 3 DNA. Lead scientists Nidhi Rawat at the University of Maryland and Mike Pumphrey at Washington State University sifted through the library.Its like searching for the proverbial needle in the haystack to find one clone that contained the resistance gene, Gill said.It looks like when the fungus attacks the wheat plant, the resistance gene protein has domains for binding and making pores in the cell wall of the fungus, and stopping it from spreading and infecting the developing grain, he said.Traditional and molecular wheat breeding will benefit from the finding, Gill said. Without knowing the DNA source of this resistance, scientists would have to grow wheat in a field, hope for the right growing conditions to test new varieties against the disease, and then reproduce successful varieties for future years.Instead, processes that would take years to replicate can be done in a fairly short amount of time in a diagnostics lab.An analogy I can think of is in the cloning of the most common gene that causes breast cancer, Gill said. A woman can get diagnosed very early and be treated to avoid getting the cancer. We can do the same thing with this gene. Once you diagnose the plant, you can use it in breeding without exposing the plant to the disease.Among several, Gill credited Anderson, whose research team has been working on resistance to Fusarium head blight since 1993 and was the first to genetically map the location of the gene to a small segment of the wheat chromosome. Anderson has worked closely with researchers at Kansas State University and Washington State University to help prove the identity of the resistance gene.Gill also acknowledged Pumphrey, an associate professor in the department of crop and soil sciences at Washington State University, for his work leading to the discovery. Pumphrey was a graduate student at Minnesota under Anderson and later with Gill at Kansas State University.The project was funded by the U.S. Department of Agricultures Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative and the National Science Foundation. The agricultural experiment stations at each of the participating universities also provided support.
ELLSWORTH, Iowa  A crop may still look good if there is excess or inadequate nitrogen, said Dr. Jim Friedericks, AgSource Laboratories Outreach and Education Advisor. Even though there are no visible signs, your yield may have been impacted.Studies at Purdue and Iowa State University show that the nitrogen status of a corn crop can be best assessed by measuring nitrate concentrations in the lower portion of cornstalks at the end of the growing season.Their research has proven this is a very viable tool for crop producers, he noted.Friedericks explained that corn stalk testing can save you money on fertilizer applications by showing fields with excess N uptake. Because of the potential positive environmental impacts, there are financial incentive programs to help pay for testing. Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or local extension office for more information.In addition to what the crop uses for growth, there are natural gains and losses for nitrogen that must be taken into account, Friedericks said. Nitrogen loss can occur due to leaching, volatilization and microbial activity, which depends on the soil temperature, oxygen, moisture and residue.Natural nitrogen gains primarily depend on microbial activity, but there is also atmospheric fixation; rain carrying nitrogen to the soil during lightning storms can contribute up to 15 pounds of nitrogen per acre per year. Biological fixation by nodules on legumes provides nitrogen. Mineralization is microbes decomposing plant residue and organic matter to release nitrogen. Combined, they can release up to 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre per year under ideal conditions.Nitrogen gains can be significant, Friedericks said. Therefore, after forecasting the natural gains of atmospheric fixation, biological fixation, nitrification and mineralization, it is wise to plan commercial nitrogen fertilizer applications accordingly.Properly identifying nutrient levels can help you make the best management decisions, he continued, adding the corn stalk nitrate test shows how the N applications of the past season met crop needs. We recommend testing the soil regularly and testing manure before it is applied in the fall because each analysis can help you better plan for next year.He stated that it is very important to get samples to the lab as soon after collecting them as possible.In many areas of the Upper Midwest this year the growing season is 7 to 10 days ahead of average and you may have to test earlier than in the past.Take samples based on the black layer on the tip caps of the kernels, and start watching for that now, he said. Also, testing when you wait too long and the corn is too dry, you may not get useful results.
MISSOULA  The most contentious presidential race in modern history finally ended to the great relief of most Americans who wanted the brutal, often obscene campaign to end. But late Tuesday a different type of agony surfaced as the country was forced to wait to learn whether Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump would be their next president.

At 8 p.m., Montana was called for Trump, but at the same time, in 10 crucial states, the two candidates were just a handful of percentage points apart, with Trump ahead in most. The Republican candidate held a 60-point lead in the race for the 270 electoral college votes.

Maps and other graphics scrolled across television screens and newspapers digital sites, flashing to differing shades of red or blue while a banner of too close to call crawled the bottom of the screen.

Exit poll interviews funded by the major news outlets showed that large numbers of people who rarely or never voted flocked to ballot boxes throughout the country responding the anguished pleas from Trump and Clinton who both promised disaster if the other won.

As the night rolled on, it became obvious that Trumps strength came from the sweeping white votes outside the major cities. Analysts said the new white voters far outnumbered the Hispanic outpouring for Clinton.

The endless factoids released throughout the late afternoon and evening was enough numb the most zealot political junkie. Suddenly, it seems that many college-educated voters in Florida were going for Trump and Clinton held a wide lead in Houston, in the heart of bright red Texas.

Throughout Election Day, Trump declined to commit to accepting the results of the voting. At midafternoon, his lawyers  citing concerns of a rigged election in heavily Hispanic Las Vegas - filed suit to place a hold on many ballots submitted during early voting. They insisted that polling offices were illegally being kept open. A Nevada state judge angrily tossed the Trump suit out of court.

Meanwhile, hundreds of other allegations of voter intimidation and harassment were being investigated by various justice agencies and legal groups. Clintons organization has made no public statements on whether it would contest some of the razor thin margins in some of the states she apparently lost.

Also, by early evening financial experts were reporting, as Trump continued to do unexpectedly well in many battleground states, the stock markets were plunging in reaction to Clintons poor showing.

However, some still were looking for a bright light. In a video released by the White House to Buzzfeed News, President Barack Obama said that no matter what happens, the sun will rise in the morning and America will still be the greatest nation on Earth.
There will be a lot of backpacks filled food going to homes throughout the Bitterroot Valley thanks to the generosity to three different organizations.

The Bitterroot Backpack Program received $20,000 donations from community organizations this week; $10,000 from The Greater Ravalli Foundation, $5,000 from the Hamilton Rotary Foundation and $5,000 from Town Pump.

The Bitterroot Backpack Program provides nutritious food for 160 hungry children on weekends and holidays in Hamilton, Corvallis, Stevensville, Victor and Florence.

Cathy Orr and Flora Buoy started the program in 2013 after taking a nutrition class that focused on using local resources for families struggling with food insecurity. Orr and Buoy asked teachers and friends in the Bitterroot Valley if there was a local need.

The answer was yes.

We collect donations from community members throughout the valley, mainly Hamilton and Corvallis, Orr said. We get personal donations, business donations, grants, fundraisers and the Hamilton Eagles have a dance for us. We pay for all or own food and are self sustaining.

Orr and Buoy attended the Rotary lunch meeting on Monday to receive the Rotary donation. On Tuesday, The Greater Ravalli Foundation delivered $10,000 for the program.

Chris Edwards, Rotary Club president, said it is the second largest donation that the Greater Ravalli Foundation has made supporting the Backpack Program.

Hamilton Rotary Foundation is proud to partner with The Greater Ravalli Foundation to provide for the children of Ravalli County, Edwards said. It shows there is support and power behind this program.

Orr said community support for their program is amazing.

Look how far weve come, she said. Thank you to everyone for believing in our cause and the overwhelming support. We are truly humbled and amazed by the wonderful community we are part of. This means more kids will get to have meals.

The program previously had to put a cap on the number of students it could serve because of the tight budget. The teachers and schools identify the needy students and Orr and Buoy raise the money and purchase the food. The program has 160 students and the budget was $22,000 to feed all the children.

There was never enough money to spend on all the kids that need food, Orr said. Now we can add children to the program and will have the money to supplement more food over the holidays. This is breathing room.

Orr said she and Buoy purchase food from the Montana Food Bank Network that recently started its 100th Backpack school with Florence-Carlton Elementary School. It is an official program of the National Council on Feeding America.

The Hamilton Rotary Foundation is the fiscal sponsor for the Bitterroot Backpack Program.

We needed someone to handle our money, Orr said. Any check that comes in to the backpack program goes to them. When the schools say we need this many bag, we have 20 kids this month then they receive a portion from the food bank but the invoices go to the Rotary and they pay the bill for us.

The Hamilton Rotary Foundations donation was earned by Rotary members at the clubs Ravalli County Fair booth plus individual contributions.

At the schools, teachers and counselors distribute nutritious and easy-to-prepare food discreetly to kids in their backpacks. The students rely on the food, especially during weekends and holidays when they are away from the breakfast and lunch programs they depend on.

Matt Yaskus, counselor at Daly Elementary School, said the program improves lives.

Its always fun to see students worry less about food, Yaskus said. It has also been great to see how our community works together to support a good cause like this. It is that type of generosity and commitment to young people that makes Hamilton, Montana, a great place to be a kid.

Teri Webberley, counselor at Washington Primary School, said the impact touches hearts.

I have a few kids who see me in the hall and say you are the one who puts food in my backpack and they always have a hug for me, Webberley said. I can see the gratefulness on their little faces.

Orr said the Soroptimists, Kiwanis, and The Rapp Family Foundation are also contributors.

Were just so thankful for community donors, Buoy said.

To contribute to the Bitterroot Backpack Program send checks to Hamilton Rotary Foundation, PO Box 278, Hamilton, MT 59840.
America must return to conservative principles of less government,reduced taxes, less spending and a balanced budget! Cut,cap and balance!
ABU DHABI - Pakistan's Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said Tuesday the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) focuses on infrastructure development, his country also hopes that the project could be a driver for joint oil and gas projects.

"We are hopeful that Chinese oil and gas companies will invest in the energy performance sector and also in other sphere of Pakistan's business," Abbasi told Xinhua on the sidelines of the ongoing Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC).

On the possibility of joint investments in liquefied natural gas (LNG), the minister said "China, like Pakistan, is an importer of LNG, but we are in discussions with Chinese firms as they have the relevant technology to explore and export LNG."

The CPEC is a pilot project under the Belt and Road Initiative. China and Pakistan have recently launched a host of projects focusing on energy and transport infrastructure.

On Aug 4, 2016, Pakistan's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said in Dubai when he met officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that the world will see the ongoing construction of the CPEC not only serves both countries, but the entire Central Asian region.

This shared prosperity will benefit the whole region because these infrastructure projects will be later expanded to neighboring Afghanistan and Iran, he said.
Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepal Police have a suspicion that international terror organization like ISIS would have snaked in Nepal.

Nepal Police have said that arrested six Bangladeshi nationals could have involved with an international terror organization.

Nepal Police had arrested six Bangladeshi nationals from Inaruwa of Sunsari district. As two of them were caught with fake Nepali citizenship documents, it is suspected that the arrested Bangladeshi nationals would have intended to snake other countries with the aim of criminal activities.

Among the arrested six Bangladeshi nationals Asan Miya and Sijarol Mallik had have fake Nepali citizenship documents. The two duo were paraded before the media on Tuesday.
Trump supporters celebrate as election returs come in at Republican US presidential nominee Donald Trumpas election night rally in Manhattan, New York, US, on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. Photo: Reuters

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump captured crucial victories over Hillary Clinton Tuesday night in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina, showing remarkable strength in three of the nations most fiercely fought battleground states in an unexpectedly tight race for the presidency.

Clinton carried Virginia, Colorado and California. Her campaign had expected easy victories there, but the states took on new urgency as Trump picked up votes elsewhere. With a handful of other battleground states still undecided, neither candidate had cleared the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House.

The uncertainty sent Dow futures and Asian markets tumbling, reflecting investor concern over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.

As Clintons team anxiously waited for results to roll in, the candidate tweeted to supporters, Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything.

Clinton, a fixture in American politics for decades, was hoping to become the first woman to serve as commander in chief. She faced stiff competition from Trump, the billionaire businessman who tapped into a searing strain of economic populism.

Trump picked up a number of reliably Republican states, while Clinton won in Democratic territory. But the race was to be determined by fewer than a dozen competitive states where the candidates spent millions of dollars and much of the fall wooing voters.

Exit polls underscored the deep divisions that have defined the 2016 contest. Women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

Democrats path to retaking the Senate majority narrowed as Republicans held onto key seats in North Carolina, Indiana and Florida. The GOP was on track to secure two more years of House control.

The 45th president will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture. The economy has rebounded from the depths of recession, though many Americans have yet to benefit. New terror threats from home and abroad have raised security fears.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in her partys hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Barack Obamas legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his signature health care law.

But she struggled throughout the race with persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. Those troubles flared anew late in the race, when FBI Director James Comey announced a review of new emails from her tenure at the State Department. On Sunday, just two days before Election Day, Comey said there was nothing in the material to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.

Trump, the New York real estate developer who lives in a gold-plated Manhattan penthouse, forged a striking connection with white, working-class Americans who feel left behind in the changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of many problems plaguing the nation and called for building a wall along the US-Mexico border.

I see so many hopes and so many dreams out there that didnt happen, that could have happened, with leadership, with proper leadership, he said by telephone on Fox News before casting his own ballot in Manhattan. And people are hurt so badly.

Seven in 10 Americans who went to the polls Tuesday said immigrants now in the country illegally should be allowed to stay, while just a quarter said they should be deported. More than half oppose building a border wall, according to the exit polls, which were conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.

The Republican Partys tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting none of the above when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

Trump set both parties on edge when he refused to say in the third and final debate whether he would accept the elections results, citing with no evidence the possibility of a rigged outcome. His statement threatened to undermine a fundamental pillar of American democracy and raised the prospect that his fervent supporters would not view Clinton as a legitimate president if she won.

Asked Tuesday in an interview with Fox News if he would accept the election results, Trump continued to demur, saying Were going to see how things play out.

Most problems that did pop up at polling places Tuesday appeared to be routine  the kinds of snags that come every four years, including long lines, machines not working properly and issues with ballots or voter rolls.

Even before Tuesday, almost 45 million people had cast ballots for president. Many expressed relief the end was in sight after an election season in which personal attacks often drowned out the issues.

Clinton has denounced Trump for calling Mexican immigrants rapists and promoting a ban on Muslims entering the US, and for his long line of remarks about women that culminated in an audio in which he bragged about grabbing their genitals. Her campaign was hoping high turnout among Hispanics push her over the top in states like Florida and Nevada.

I grew up in a Hispanic family, and the way that Donald Trump has referred to illegal immigrants  being from illegal immigrants, I took that to heart, said Angel Salazar, a 22-year-old sanitation associate from Oklahoma City. I dont like anything that he said. I dont like his views. So I voted for Hillary Clinton because she supports us.

Trump called his opponent Crooked Hillary for her use of a private email server as secretary of state and her complicated ties to the familys Clinton Foundation.
(idexonline.com) - The following is a letter from Thierry Silber, the CEO and founder of Diamaz International and Madestones. Following his Guest Memo that was published last month, he wishes to issue a clarification.

"Dear colleagues of the diamond industry, the article I wrote and which was published by Idex (How to Kill Four Birds With One Stone) has been criticized by some esteemed members of our diamond community. The article in question was written as a reaction to an earlier article by Cecilia Gardner that discussed synthetic diamonds and consumer confidence published by Idex. Firstly, I would like to say that it was NOT my intention to criticize the Indian diamond community. I am aware that some of my words were poorly chosen and demeaning and for that, I am genuinely sorry. With regards to the mixing of natural and synthetic diamonds, I was trying to say that if a problem with a mixed parcel occurs then it is every bourse members duty to report it and lodge a formal complaint. I am sorry if my wording was considered as reflecting badly but that was certainly NOT my intention."
I think you will find there is disagreement about whether any part of the bible actually is ahistorical, compared with any other historical ...
PRESS RELEASE 9.11.2016

The DUTA strongly condemns the filing of FIR against Nandini Sundar, Professor of Sociology in Delhi University on charges of murder of an adivasi in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. Others named in the FIR include Professor Archana Prasad of Jawaharlal Nehru University. Nandini Sundar is a leading anthropologist and noted human rights activist of India. She has written extensively on Maoist insurgency in Chhattisgarh. Her book "The Burning Forest: Indias War in Bastar" narrates the failure of the institutions of democracy and gross Human Rights violation including sexual violence in Chhattisgarh, especially in the Bastar region. It is important to note that it was on her petition that the Supreme Court in 2011 had instructed the disbanding of the notorious Salwa Judum militia that mirrored complete lawlessness of local police. More recently, her intervention in the Supreme Court, along with some others, led the CBI to accept the role of the security forces in burning down three villages in Bastar.

Nandini Sundar, as media reports say, has refuted all the charges as motivated and intimidating and felt that she was being harassed as she has dedicated almost a decade in exposing the atrocities committed by the police and other state agencies in Chhattisgarh. She has said that the FIR naming her as a suspect in a murder case filed in November 2016 "is absurd, bizarre and patently malafide". It is important to note that her last visit to Bastar as part of a fact-finding team led to a damning report against both the Bastar police and Maoists while highlighting the pitiable plight of the adivasis who are caught in the war between the police and the Maoists.

The news reports identify the vendetta politics unleashed by the state in general and the controversial IG of police SRP Kalluri in particular against critics of the exploitation of adivasi land and resources. The Bastar police, in an unusual move, have also written to the vice-chancellors of Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University where Sundar and Prasad are faculty members, that it is conducting an enquiry against them.

It is clear that the police and the state have been systematically targeting these public intellectuals and political activists since the time they wrote a fact-finding report on the repressive state machinery. The DUTA decries the unlawful repression of dissenting voices and the penchant to treat people in the academia and activists as enemies as is seen in harassment and victimisation of teachers at Central University of Haryana, Delhi University Professor G. N. Saibaba, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union and attempt to ban prominent news channels like NDTV. The DUTA demands immediate quashing of the FIR and prompt intervention of public institutions like courts and NHRC to ensure the proper functioning of democracy and justice to Professor Nandini Sundar and others as the delay in response only emboldens the authorities who are misusing their power.

Nandita Narain (DUTA President) Sandeep (DUTA Secretary)

Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA)

Day Centre Building, Chhatra Marg

University of Delhi, Delhi-110007

Tel: 27667822, 27666351, 27667725/1697
Tonight data died, he added.

My guess is that with Trump's business background, we will see an increase in corporate interests in public education. More dismantling of our public education system which is the foundation of our democracy. Dismantling what the founders of the US public education system accomplished. Learning from history and looking around the world, we anticipate in the education world that this would lead to even more gross inequality between elites and the masses. I have a graduate degree in education. My college of education professor's worst nightmare.

He pledged to take $20 billion from existing federal programs, probably Title I, and give it to the states to be used for charters and vouchers. It will be up to the states to protect what they can of public education.

Massachusetts voted an absolute NO to lifting the cap on the number of charter schools

Voters in Georgia rejected Amendment 1, which would have allowed the Governor to take over low-scoring schools and put them in an Opportunity School District, a district of charter schools, whether for-profit or non-profit. Georgians apparently didnt like the idea of abolishing local control of their schools. The vote was similar to Massachusetts, 60-40%. Voters were not fooled by the deceptive language.



Voters in Washington State re-elected the Supreme Court judges who declared that charter schools are not public schools, rejecting the judges supported by Bill Gates.

state superintendent of public instruction with Chris Reykdal leading Erin Jones, 51%-49%.

: State Superintendent candidate Chris Reykdal has very slightly widened his lead from 51% to 51.11% over Erin Jones who had 49% and now has 48.89%End of updateWell, that was unpleasant.Good article from the NY Times What will Trump do for education? Here's a comment from a reader, Sad News:I agree. It will lean towards charters and vouchers and "personalized learning." It may even get more test-based to prove competency.Given that Trump is likely to put Christie, Guiliani and Gingrich in his cabinet, I shudder to think who will be Secretary of Education (if he even leaves it as a department.)One interesting thing is that there is surely a divide among Republicans. They certainly don't all agree with what he says he wants to do and you have to wonder if they will check him at times or just go along? It would be amusing to see an issue that the majority of the House and Senate are united on override a Trump veto.Via Diane Ravitch:But just as Trump got elected, two key public education issues got decided last night. The state ofin their state. This despite millions of dollars poured in from outside the state to the Yes campaign.Other news via Diane Ravitch:What I see from these election results is that people do like local control of public education. How that plays out against what changes happen from federal point of view remain to be seen.Lastly, the first vote drop shows a close race forI believe the next count will come at about 4:30 pm today.
In the 1980s, a new legend in animated movies Don Bluth made his breakthrough with the 1984 classic "Secrets of Nimh" and finished the 80s with a bang with the 1989 classic "Land Before Time". Don is also the man who created the first video game with animated video clips in the 1983 arcade game "Dragons Lair".

But during the early 1990s the Bluth movies took a bad turn to kindergarten level, Don Bluth had to bet the farm on the right movie to get back to his immortal status, that movie is "Anastasia" from 1997, and despite it had alot of heavy contenders that year with movies like "Titanic", "Men In Black", "Starship Troopers" and "As Good As It Gets", it made a good profit for Bluth and was a success.

Story:

In 1916, Tsar Nicholas II hosts a ball at the Catherine Palace to celebrate the Romanov tricentennial. His mother, the Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna, is visiting from Paris and gives a music box and a necklace inscribed with the words Together in Paris as parting gifts to her youngest granddaughter, eight-year-old Grand Duchess Anastasia. The ball is suddenly interrupted by the sorcerer Grigori Rasputin, the former royal advisor of the Romanovs until he was banished by Nicholas II for treason. Feeling betrayed and seeking revenge, Rasputin sold his soul in exchange for an unholy reliquary, which he uses to place a curse on the Romanov family, sparking the Russian Revolution. Only Marie and Anastasia are able to escape the ensuing siege of the palace, thanks to a young servant boy named Dimitri who shows them a secret passageway in Anastasia's room. Rasputin confronts the two royals outside on a frozen river, only to fall through the ice and drown. The pair manage to reach a moving train, but only Marie climbs aboard while Anastasia falls, hitting her head on the platform and giving her amnesia.

Ten years later, Russia is under communist rule and Marie has publicly offered 10 million rubles for the safe return of her granddaughter. Dimitri and his friend/partner-in-crime Vladimir search for a look-alike to bring to Paris and pass off as Anastasia so they can collect the reward. Elsewhere, Anastasia, now using the name "Anya", leaves the rural orphanage where she grew up, still suffering from amnesia. Accompanied by a stray puppy she names "Pooka", she decides to head to Saint Petersburg, inspired by the passage on the necklace she still has. She is unable to leave Russia due to not having an exit visa, but an old woman advises her to see Dimitri at the abandoned palace where he has made residence. There she encounters Dimitri and Vladimir, who are impressed by her resemblance to the "real" Anastasia and decide to take her with them to Paris.

Overall:

Ofcourse it was understandable some people did question of making a sad tragedy event into a Disney type of movie but on the other hands the kids did really enjoy the movie. I can understand both point of views since as a movie, it's entertaining, and the animation is beautiful like a classic Don Bluth at his best, however I can agree also with those who are skeptical about the movie, for example when Rasputin return to life he becomes a walking corpse and it's played like a joke in a bad taste, and also the end of Romanovs family is a very sad tragedy and should be more respectful. But also as people know, no one has ever found the real Anastasia, so it's a possibility she escaped but where and how? That is the question we may never know and that's why these kinds of movies were made for honor the poor princess, and Don Bluths movie is entertaining and beautiful , if he only could have dropped the goofy parts then it would have been a masterpiece. But it's a great late 90s movie and will be a forever classic. Rewarded 6/10!
It's been a while since Bryan Bertino's invasion thrillerpremiered. It was a film which wrung a lot of tension from a simple premise, helped by strong acting from its terrorized lead actors. The same can be said about his new film, which shows the plight of a single mother and her daughter, who get attacked by a strange beast when their car breaks down in the middle of a forest.And that, as they say, is basically the entire plot. Remember the scene from Jurassic Park where the two kids are in a jeep, at night in a rainy forest, and a T-Rex approaches?is that moment, spun out into an entire film of its own.You might wonder if such a shallow premise can sustain an entire film, and it's a valid concern. Bryan Bertino also wrote the script, and to stretch the story out to a full 90 minutes, he added a lot of drama between the mother and the teenage daughter. Yet this "emotional padding" works hugely to the film's advantage, for the acting by both Zoe Kazan and Ella Ballentine is spectacularly fantastic.Rather than setting up the mother and daughter as two heroes, Bryan takes time to show them being in a difficult relationship with each other. The mother is dealing with alcoholism and anger-management issues, while the daughter too often has to act as the parent for them both. The trip they make is to take the daughter to her father for a holiday, but both know the not-so-secret plan is for her not to return afterwards. Frequent flashbacks show the two carrying a huge amount of guilt and resentment around, but underneath all of that there still is an obvious, painful love for each other.The powerful drama works splendidly in making you feel for both leads. Monsters are a lot scarier when you happen to sympathize with the people they prey upon, and this is what the film excels at. You want these two people to resolve their differences, but most of all you want them to reach the end credits more-or-less intact. So when, after much foreboding, the monster finally attacks, you feel despair rather than being entertained, and the film is all the stronger for it.That's a good thing too, because once the monster is there (and yes, there IS an actual creature, it's not just a metaphor), the film moves onto oft-trodden paths. Actually, the case can be made that the drama, played by these two actresses, would have been strong enough to carry a film by itself, without any creature showing up. People looking for a scary monster flick may be turned off by the long build-up and the serious characterizations, while those looking for a well-acted drama may find the creature too brutal and scary for their taste.Like its titular beast,is a weird hybrid. The film occasionally terrifies, occasionally fizzles, and the weird mix doesn't always work, but Zoe Kazan and Ella Ballentine still knock it completely out of the park. With his talent to get great performances out of his actors, maybe Bryan Bertino should next try focusing his talent on another blend of genres? Me, I will certainly be checking what he'll be doing from now on.A24 will releaseIn Theaters and On Demand on November 11. The film is available now exclusively on DirecTV.
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 Data bleg on gender, crime, victims and punishment | Main | Texas CCA finds procedural bar to considering amor-afflicted death sentence 

September 16, 2009

Details on the botched Ohio execution attempt, issue spotting, and seeking predictions

Cleveland Plain-Dealer

For more than two hours, the team attempted to insert two shunts into a vein of the compliant Broom, who tried several times to assist his executioners by shifting positions, rubbing his arm and pointing out possible usable veins. The delay will likely add to the debate about the death penalty in Ohio and what constitutes cruel and usual punishment. "The sentence is death, not torture plus death," said Kathleen Soltis, chairwoman of the Cleveland Coalition Against the Death Penalty. "What does reprieve mean in this case? This is getting crazier than usual." At one point, Broom, 53, lay back on his bed, covered his face with his hands, and cried. Another time, while sitting up, he was seen grimacing as the execution team appeared to seek a vein around his ankles. A reprieve at this stage of an execution has never happened since the death penalty was reinstated in 1999, said Terry Collins, director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. He said he called the governor and asked for the reprieve after it became clear the execution team was having trouble. "I could tell my team was becoming somewhat frustrated," Collins said. The reprieve extends only until Sept. 22. The drama played out before the family of Tryna Middleton, the 14-year-old girl Broom was convicted of kidnapping, raping and killing 25 years ago. Tryna's mother and father, Bessye and David Middleton, were there to witness the execution, as was an aunt. They sat in front of a glass window through which they were expecting to see Broom die. Instead, he never made it out of his nearby cell, where two shunts were to be installed in veins. The shunts allow three drugs to enter the veins and sedate, paralyze and kill the inmate. The family and others watched the preparation on closed-circuit monitors mounted in the witness area. A camera filmed Broom and captured much of the difficulty the execution team had, as well as Broom's frustration. Broom requested no witnesses initially, but about an hour into the process asked for his attorney, Adele Shank, to be present. A visibly upset Shank appeared in the witness room not knowing of Broom's request but out of concern for the length of time for the execution. "The chief justice and the governor have been notified of what's going on," Shank said after the execution team spent 90 minutes trying to insert the shunts. Collins said the execution team was able to access several veins but they collapsed once saline solution was administered. He defended the execution team and said: "They continued to do a job that most wouldn't do or couldn't do."... Shank, Broom's lawyer, said she is considering additional appeals. "We don't want to see a repeat of this ever," she said.

This story from thehas more details on Ohio's botched effort to execute Romell Broom yesterday and some reactions to it:

I suspect that Broom's lawyer (whom I happen to know and respect greatly) will have little trouble developing a federal Eighth Amendment claim based on what's happened to her client so far. But I am wondering about other possible legal issues that might be raised in this setting.

Most obviously, Broom could make a state claim based in the Ohio Constitution's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. State provisions similar to the Eighth Amendment are often, but not always, interpreted in harmony with federal jurisprudence. Notably, the Ohio Constitution's Bill of Rights also has provisions securing Inalienable Rights and Redress in Court, which perhaps are other avenues Broom's lawyers might exploring in state court.

Moving beyond Broom, I am wondering if other defendants on death row in Ohio (or in other states that rely on lethal injection) might now have a due process right to access to any preserved video that apparently "captured much of the difficulty the execution team had, as well as Broom's frustration." I think that video would be relevant and important evidence for making constitutional claims surrounding lethal injection protocols in Ohio and perhaps in other states.

In the same spirit, might lawyers involve in other lethal injection litigation now seek to take Romell Broom's deposition? It seems that what Broom was experiencing physically (and perhaps also psychologically) would be relevant to claims surrounding lethal injection protocols. Could a federal court involved in some other lethal injection litigation order a stay of Broom's new September 22 execution date in order to preserve him as a possible witness in another proceeding?

And let's throw in a little First Amendment fun: does the media (and/or an interested and responsible blogger) have a right to access any preserved video that apparently "captured much of the difficulty the execution team had, as well as Broom's frustration"? Does the media have a right to access Broom himself to interview him about his experiences yesterday?

I could go on and on, but you all get the point of how much this real case now seems like a law school exam hypothetical. And, of course, what ultimately happens to Broom and broader debates over lethal injection in Ohio or elsewhere is much more important than being able to spot all the issues. Thus, I am interested in hearing predictions from any and everyone about what they expect to have happen next.

Related posts on botched Broom execution:

Some related posts on litigation in Ohio and elsewhere over lethal injection:

UPDATE: This article from CBS News highlights that the aboitionist community is already calling for a moratorium on all executions in Ohio:

The problems prompted the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio to ask state officials to immediately halt executions. "Ohio's execution system is fundamentally flawed. If the state is going to take a person's life, they must ensure that it is done as humanely as possible," ACLU Ohio counsel Carrie Davis said. "With three botched executions in as many years, it's clear that the state must stop and review the system entirely before another person is put to death."

September 16, 2009 at 12:40 PM | Permalink

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As far as I know, the cameras that depict the preparation of the inmate for execution are Closed Circuit. At least they were in 2004, and no video or other recording is made of the process.

Posted by: Erika Cunliffe | Sep 16, 2009 1:43:30 PM

-----------

In the same spirit, might lawyers involve in other lethal injection litigation now seek to take Romell Broom's deposition? It seems that what Broom was experiencing physically (and perhaps also psychologically) would be relevant to claims surrounding lethal injection protocols. Could a federal court involved in some other lethal injection litigation order a stay of Broom's new September 22 execution date in order to preserve him as a possible witness in another proceeding?

-----------

The asshats who wanted Schiavo kept alive at all costs had similar ideas.

Posted by: anonymous | Sep 16, 2009 2:08:43 PM

There was an attempted execution many, many years ago (1800s?) and the rope broke or something when they tried to hang him. If memory serves, he was set free under the double jeopardy clause or something. Maybe I'll search for it for a cite. Trying to find a vein is a substantial act in furtherance, so there was an attempt to execute just as there was an attempt to hang.

Posted by: George | Sep 16, 2009 2:49:25 PM

@George

SCOTUS held 5-4 that it's not double jeopardy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_v._Resweber

Posted by: . | Sep 16, 2009 3:01:36 PM

"botched"? Doug, you're not serious, are you? I thought "bothced" was what they called actual executions that had possibilities that the inmate suffered. Here they couldn't find a vein, so the execution was called off. In other words, they did things right.

Posted by: federalist | Sep 16, 2009 3:19:55 PM

2:49

Francis v. Resweber is of dubious jurisprudential value. The opinion was a plurality opinion. Four votes voted no constitutional violation even if Eighth Amendment applied. Four votes voted constitutional violation. One vote voted no violation as the Amendment was not applicable against the states. Clearly the 8th Amendment has since been held applicable. A decent argument could therefore be made Francis is no longer binding.

Posted by: .. | Sep 16, 2009 3:21:59 PM

This point is pretty cynical, I know, but if Mr. Broom's sentence is commuted, would it create an incentive for long-term intravenous drug use by persons on death row?

Posted by: Ed Unneland | Sep 16, 2009 3:27:34 PM

Ed: Shouldn't persons on death row for a long time (as most are) be unable to be involved in long-term intravenous drug use?

Fed: Are you suggesting I call what happened in Ohio yesterday a "successful" attempted execution? Maybe I should call it an aborted execution so that folks concerned about abortions as well as executions come by to share their thoughts.

Posted by: Doug B. | Sep 16, 2009 4:09:16 PM

What about a Lackey/Pratt-and-Morgan type claim? Those claims are based on the idea that the mental terror of years or decades of waiting for execution---particularly if that wait includes "near misses," revoked execution dates, or repeated failures of the state to follow constitutional requirements---eventually rises to a level that constitutes cruel and unusual punishment barring execution. I don't see how many claimants could have ever had a nearer miss, or better basis to substantiate such mental terror.

Posted by: anon | Sep 16, 2009 4:17:56 PM

Sorry Doug--pro-life ends at birth.

Posted by: Res ipsa | Sep 16, 2009 4:54:21 PM

Doug, haven't you learned not to try to trade punches with me? Unfunny sarcasm is lame.

In any event, "botched" is a loaded term here. I would expect that a law professor would avoid that. But hey, that's just par for the course for you anyway.

They couldn't do it right, so they didn't do it at all. Hmmm. Sounds like caution to me. In any event, "unsuccessful execution attempt" is probably the most accurate way to describe it. You'll note, Doug, that I tend not to engage in euphemy. So trying to accuse me of wanting to engage in over-the-top euphemy (and calling the abortive big jab yesterday a "successful attempted execution" is just that) falls pretty flat.

Posted by: federalist | Sep 16, 2009 4:55:22 PM

You are truly, federalist, a legend in your own mind. Sparring aside, masked commentor, I think the best term is likely botched execution attempt, and I have now altered my post headline accordingly.

Posted by: Doug B. | Sep 16, 2009 7:57:25 PM

"failed" seems less loaded than "botched"

"aborted" would just be ironic

Posted by: anonymous | Sep 16, 2009 8:25:19 PM

Botched, of course, connotes a mistake or incompetence. Crappy veins don't mean that a mistake was made or that the people were incompetent. Leave it to a second-rate talent to insult public employees doing their jobs.

As for legend in my own mind, perhaps so. But I've whipped you plenty of times.

Posted by: federalist | Sep 16, 2009 8:38:07 PM

What would Scalia do? Look it up!

botch

1 : to foul up hopelessly often used with up

2 : to put together in a makeshift way

The execution was definitely fouled up hopelessly enough to delay it, at least for a week, maybe forever.

This is ignoring the possibility that the protocol is makeshift.

Posted by: George | Sep 16, 2009 10:32:27 PM

All phony issues spotted and unspotted are pretextual. Any judge allowing any should be voted out or driven out.

Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Sep 16, 2009 11:27:50 PM

I am looking forward, federalist, to cites to support your claim that you've "whipped [me] plenty of times."

Let's start with this latest example, in which I think botched is the right word because all the circumstantial evidence suggests something was messed up.

For some reason, the techs in Ohio could not get IVs set up here though in 1000 other modern LI executions, never before has this been SUCH a problem. It seem you think that Broom has some kind of special veins, but he has been locked up for 25 years, so if his veins are a problem I think the Ohio prison system must be involved in some way botching up his circulatory system.

Call it whatever you want, there are lots of interesting legal issues raised by this case.

Posted by: Doug B. | Sep 17, 2009 8:06:49 AM

Doug, in a perfectly-constituted correctional facility, you would be right (especially on death row). The reality is that the inmates have 24/7 to observe the human weaknesses of those who guard them, and to find and exploit the interstices of inattention and procedural gaps. As for me, I think the death penalty should exist. If murder is an essentially different crime, then an essentially different punishment should exist. It need not be sought all the time. In fact, I would have a central panel of judges in each state that would have to give permission to bring what New York would call 1st degree murder before a grand jury. (This would establish a common law of death-eligiblity, and stop any possible shenanigans with getting pro-prosecution juries by eliminating the ones who won't sentence to death under any circumstances.)

Speaking of New York, I also think the Capital Defender's Office is a great idea and ought to be replicated elsewhere.

Posted by: Ed Unneland | Sep 17, 2009 8:14:51 AM

In federalist's mind, an ad hominem pot shot is "whipping." It's more likely that Supremacy Claus will join the ABA than that federalist will cite actual, credible examples of "whipping" you.

Posted by: Res ipsa | Sep 17, 2009 8:48:56 AM

"the abolitionist community is already calling for a moratorium on all executions in Ohio"

In other shocking news, Families Against Mandatory Minimums is trying to end mandatory minimum sentencing.

Also, for the record, I, too, have "whipped" everyone who's ever disagreed with me. Any disagreement with this proposition is based on inertia and/or denial.

Posted by: anonymous | Sep 17, 2009 11:44:04 AM

hilarious! "whipped"...I laughed so hard when I read that. Are you that delusional, really? Thanks for the comedy break, federalist.

Similarly, this cannot be described as "public employees doing their jobs." As referred to in a later posting, these people were "corrections employees who may work part time on local fire departments" as EMTs. The word "botched" is perfectly apt.

Posted by: DEJ | Sep 17, 2009 12:46:25 PM

"Let's start with this latest example, in which I think botched is the right word because all the circumstantial evidence suggests something was messed up."

Now, there we go. A law prof jumping to conclusions on speculation, er, "circumstantial evidence".

"It seem[s] you think that Broom has some kind of special veins, but he has been locked up for 25 years, so if his veins are a problem I think the Ohio prison system must be involved in some way botching up his circulatory system."

Doug, this is simply a bizarre response. First of all, venous access can be tricky. Second of all, attributing fault to the Ohio prison system for the state of Broom's veins is just wacky. If it's sarcasm--it's weak.

As for whipping you, we can go back to the threads about the Founding Fathers being "obsessed" with procedure and the commentary on juvie LWOP for crimes where death does not result.





Posted by: federalist | Sep 17, 2009 1:22:16 PM

What are the chances that Strickland will grant clemency? His directive hinted at that possibility.

Posted by: DaveP | Sep 17, 2009 5:41:44 PM

When the lawyer says issues, or many issues, or issue spotting, those are code for procedure, disputes, and endless billable hours.

The adversarial system was the method of finding the truth in Scholasticism. It is taken from the Catholic Church and prohibited by the Establishment Clause. It has no scientific or external validation. It does not even have reliability (repeatability) statistics. The adversarial system is Medieval, anti-scientific, church derived garbage. But it generates jobs for three lawyers, one on each side and the dolt in the middle. That is its sole real aim.

Whatever issues there are, does any involve the possibility of his innocence or some other major mistake? If not, any method of execution is far kinder than the way 90% of us will die. There is no justification the death of a murderer has to be perfect and peaceful, and far superior to that of most of us. We do know the murderer believes in the death penalty, by a method that does not meet Eighth Amendment standards, and for a selfish purpose. He should not mind if someone sneaks up behind him and shoots him in the head at close range.

Because all judges allowing these appeals are doing so to generate lawyer jobs, they are defrauding the taxpayer. They should be removed for theft of public funds. If they are not removed, there is moral justification for the public to retrieve its money in self-help.

The theft of public funds by lawyer rent seeking is an issue that will never come up on any law school exam.



Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Sep 18, 2009 1:32:14 AM

Res: Correct. Zero chance I will ever be a member of the ABA, even if I become a licensed lawyer (no chance of that either).

However, the ABA will be putting up statues to the Supremacy in 100 years. The Supremacy is the best friend the lawyer has ever had, and will save the profession no matter how hard it resists. He loves the lawyer and the rule of law that much.

Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Sep 18, 2009 1:37:23 AM

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 The technical challenges posed by technocorrections | Main | More on Ohio's execution troubles and what could happen next 

September 15, 2009

Ohio struggling, legally and practically, with effort to execute offender today

A lawyer for a condemned inmate in the state death chamber says execution team members have taken a break after struggling to access the inmate's veins. Attorney Tim Sweeney says the team is having trouble inserting IVs into the arms of Romell Broom, sentenced to die for raping and killing a 14-year-old girl. It was the second delay of the Tuesday execution, originally scheduled for 10 a.m. Broom entered the death chamber shortly before 2 p.m. after losing a last-minute appeal request. In 2005, an execution was delayed for more than an hour after the team failed to properly attach an IV, an incident that led to changes in Ohio's execution process.

One would think that, with four executions completed in the last few months, Ohio would now have its modern system of state killing down to a science. However, as this new AP report details , the state is having a very hard time completing an execution that was scheduled for 10am this morning:

Though I am about to head to class, this seems like a story worth watching closely for a variety of reasons. First, I think this might be the first significant examples of a difficult (botched?) execution since the Supreme Court approved the constitutionality of lethal injection protocols in Baze last year. Second, as detailed here, the Sixth Circuit has been fighting over whether it can even consider on the merits a post-Baze challenge to Ohio's lethal injection procedures. Third, Ohio has lots more execution scheduled for the next few months, and these difficulties might end up causing some notable political ripples.

Whether and how this story becomes a big deal might turn ultimately on whether and how Ohio finishes its attempts to execute Romell Broom today. If Ohio cannot complete this execution (or if it completed the execution and lawyers can claim it was badly botched) this could become a huge story. But if the execution is completed with little final fuss, not so much. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: This local story now indicates that Ohio's Governor has stepped in: "Strickland ordered a week-long reprieve this afternoon after executioners struggled for about two hours to locate suitable veins for inserting IVs into 53-year-old Romell Broom." As suggested above, this could become a big story if the abolitionist community seeks to jump on it. But I suspect that, in the wake of Baze, most of the abolitionist community has moved on to other battle-fronts.

September 15, 2009 at 03:48 PM | Permalink

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 Execution Attempt in Vein from Crime and Consequences Blog

"Gov. Ted Strickland ordered a weeklong reprieve for a condemned inmate on Tuesday after the Ohio execution team had problems finding the inmate's veins during the lethal injection process," reports Stephen Majors for AP.I have said from the beginning ... [Read More]

Tracked on Sep 15, 2009 6:17:24 PM

Comments

Once again, the states fall into the trap of "appeal = stay". The state should have continued the procedure despite the pending appeal.

States make it way to easy for these last minute appeals. There is no rule that says that states have to facilitate courts getting their orders to the right person to stop an execution.

Posted by: federalist | Sep 15, 2009 4:03:01 PM

"There is no rule that says that states have to facilitate courts getting their orders to the right person to stop an execution."

You think that if a federal court has issued a stay of execution, it's valid for a State to prevent it from being enforced through deliberate inaction? Put aside the comparison you're drawing between the filing of an appeal and the granting of a stay for the moment.

Posted by: JC | Sep 15, 2009 4:46:19 PM

JC, I didn't say that. But court orders have to be transmitted. And there's no rule that fax machines have to be turned on or that phone calls have to be answered.

Posted by: federalist | Sep 15, 2009 5:01:28 PM

Strickland delayed execution for a week.

Posted by: federalist | Sep 15, 2009 5:12:42 PM

"JC, I didn't say that. But court orders have to be transmitted. And there's no rule that fax machines have to be turned on or that phone calls have to be answered."

If you think it is permissible for a State to keep its fax machine turned off in order to prevent the receipt of a federal stay order, then I think that is exactly what you said.

Posted by: JC | Sep 15, 2009 6:18:23 PM

So litigants have to facilitate service . . . .

Posted by: federalist | Sep 15, 2009 6:33:16 PM

Litigants are obligated to obey the orders of the court. Deliberately evading knowledge of an order for the purpose of circumventing the authority of the court is contemptuous.

Posted by: JC | Sep 15, 2009 7:32:57 PM

Federalist = Anarchist, your comments make it clear that you don't like the rule of law unless you agree with the law being enforced at the time. Deliberate ignorance must be an aspirational goal for you -- just think what our government would like if all the bureaucrats were deliberately ignorant instead of being ignorant in fact.

Posted by: Not a bomb thrower | Sep 15, 2009 9:07:46 PM

Guys, just because I am in a lawsuit doesn't mean I have to answer my phones.

Posted by: federalist | Sep 16, 2009 9:59:22 AM

Federalist, when it becomes acceptable for a government to behave with no greater grace or decency than the most shifty and obstreperous ordinary litigant, we will have become (precisely) a society governed by the lowest common denominator. That will not be government consistent with populism, rightly understood. It will not be government in conformance with democratic principles or anything close. It will be a tyranny of twits and thugs; a sovereignty of scofflaws.

Posted by: Dean Strang | Sep 16, 2009 1:12:35 PM

Dean, then the condemned should file their appeals earlier. Then the problem could be avoided. Moreover, why should a murderer get the benefit of all sorts of state employees jumping through hoops to help the murderers' "kitchen sink" last-minute litigation strategy. I'd make the murder turn square corners. And that means that I don't make it easy for some court to call off an execution by making a phone call.

Posted by: federalist | Sep 16, 2009 1:41:28 PM

I understand your argument, Federalist. It certainly is not inappropriate to set procedural rules and hold everyone to them. But again, if the murderer sets the accepted general standard for the sovereign, collectively we are destined to degenerate pretty quickly to the murderer's level.

Posted by: Dean Strang | Sep 16, 2009 2:19:10 PM

Well, Dean, if we held everyone to those rules, then we wouldn't have these problems. But I see no reason why Deputy AGs should be kept up way into the night because some murderer files his claim very late. It's ridiculous. And I don't think the state has to participate in making those tactics easier.

Posted by: federalist | Sep 16, 2009 3:16:45 PM

Federalist, we ought not go back and forth indefinitely. If you happen to imagine, though, that someone on death row -- or, more accurately, his counsel -- complacently plots not to seek relief until the 11th hour as a strategic matter or because she is laconic about rules, you probably don't understand how the process actually works on the ground. The practical obstacles are too many to catalog, and I suspect you wouldn't accept a stranger's word any way. So, a suggestion: take a death penalty post-conviction challenge, at the state post-appeal collateral attack stage, and learn for yourself. Tell me later, after you have confronted the reality that your client will die if you prove to be the second best lawyer in the case, whether it all still looks the same to you after two, three, five or eight years. Tell me whether you or your client were the actual cause of any unwarranted delay in that process. And tell me then also whether you still view government actors with the same deference and broad confidence.

Posted by: Dean Strang | Sep 16, 2009 4:28:29 PM

Hey (anti-)federalist:

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.

Posted by: true federalist | Sep 27, 2009 6:18:07 PM

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September 17, 2009

Will (and when and how will) SCOTUS have to weigh in on Ohio's desire to try execution again?

Lawyers plan state and federal lawsuits and a request to Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland to stop next week's unprecedented second execution attempt of a man whose lethal injection failed on Tuesday. Cleveland attorney Tim Sweeney said Thursday that he expects lawsuits to be filed no later than Friday in an effort to halt the next attempt to put Romell Broom to death. Sweeney argues that a second try at an execution is unconstitutional. At the very least, he said, Strickland should further delay Tuesday's execution. Broom "sustained both physical and mental injuries," Sweeney said. "It's going to take time for all the psychic trauma to dissipate. Even if it never goes away, I think it's wrong to try to do it again so quickly in these circumstances." Strickland stopped Broom's execution after executioners tried unsuccessfully for two hours to find a usable vein. Broom, who at one point wiped his face with a tissue and appeared to be weeping, told his attorneys he was pricked as many as 18 times. Broom, 53, was sentenced to die for the rape and stabbing death of a 14-year-old Tryna Middleton, a girl he kidnapped in Cleveland in 1984. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason said it was ironic that Broom was complaining about the execution given the nature of his crime. "I am absolutely certain that it was Tryna Middleton that suffered from cruel and unusual punishment," Mason said. Broom remains at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, where the prison system is monitoring how much he's drinking, said prisons spokeswoman Julie Walburn. Officials want to make sure Broom is not dehydrated before the execution, but they can't force him to drink more, she said. Dehydration could make it more difficult to find veins, however, Walburn said there's no evidence that caused Tuesday's problems.... Also Thursday, two federal public defenders asked U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Frost to order that Broom be made available to them for a legal deposition. The fact that Broom survived the execution "creates a singular opportunity to confirm that he, in fact, experienced serious pain in violation of his constitutional rights, not just a 'substantial risk' of serious pain," David Stebbins and Allen Bohnert argued in a court filing.

This new AP article , headlined "Lawyers try to stop second Ohio execution try," reports on the latest legal news concerning Ohio's plan to try again to execute Romell Broom. Here are highlights:

It was easy to predict that lots of litigation would ensure upon Ohio's indication that it wants to attempt to execute Broom again next week. But, as the title of this post flags, it is hard to predict if and when and how the US Supreme Court will be brought into this fray (and, for that matter, whether the usual amici suspects will be eager to jump into this high-profile and high-speed and unique lethal injection litigation). As I often have to say in these kinds of matters, stay tuned.

Related posts on botched Broom execution attempt:

September 17, 2009 at 03:34 PM | Permalink

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If someone is to be killed, the trauma of some IV's is trivial. Went to a party in Cali. This death penalty appellate lawyer is handing me the standard arguments justifying her reprehensible work. I tell her, the sole cruelty of any method is to set a date. Even a terminal patient does not have a set date of death.

She then opened up her arm. The crook of her elbow was black, blue and a bunch of colors in between. I look at it, and ask what was that? She said, she needed blood work, and people could not get a good vein and kept poking around there. I asked if that lab technician digging around passed Eighth Amendment muster, and why doesn't it in the death chamber? She said she consented to the digging around. I replied, the condemned had a $million's worth of due process, far more than her consent.

She didn't think I was funny. However, I thought she was hilarious, and that I had just gone through a lawyer Twilight Zone moment. The lawyer will pick on the tiniest pretext.

Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Sep 17, 2009 3:58:53 PM

"Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason said it was ironic that Broom was complaining about the execution given the nature of his crime. 'I am absolutely certain that it was Tryna Middleton that suffered from cruel and unusual punishment,' Mason said."

Pandering to the local lynch mob, I see. What a jackass.

Posted by: JC | Sep 17, 2009 4:12:11 PM

Why don't they have Bill Mason rape him and stab him to death, and then put his head on a pike in front of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. What he did justifies lowering all of us to the same level, right?

Posted by: anon | Sep 17, 2009 4:54:50 PM

When we say, pretext, that means a false use of the law. I would like to see the abolitionists be investigated for professional ethics violation. Unfortunately, these false uses further cult rent seeking, and no discipline of such fraud can ever take place.

Posted by: Supremacy Claus | Sep 17, 2009 6:00:59 PM

"If someone is to be killed, the trauma of some IV's is trivial."

That was my thought too. I think it's comments like those in the article where the anti-death penalty crowd loses a great deal of credibility.

And JC. Since when is telling the truth "pandering". The killer may have suffered on death row, but it's not pandering to remind people that his suffering is not the only suffering at issue. It's the truth.

Posted by: Daniel | Sep 17, 2009 6:16:41 PM

Daniel:

Unless I missed something his victim wasn't kept in a cage for decades knowing death could come at any moment, watching her friends one by one carried off to be killed while other much more horribly guilty are left to live, and then systematically tortured in the name of the people in an effort to achieve "justice." What Broome did was inexcusable, brutal and inhumane. What Bill Mason and the State of Ohio want to do is likewise inexcusable, brutal and inhumane, except Bill & co. are doing it in your name and mine.

Posted by: .. | Sep 17, 2009 11:08:51 PM

I take it the pain element has mucho legal significance. Suffering from pin pricks sounds like a whole lot of sniveling, but depending on the reporter and the editorial slant of the paper, we don't know what was cut out or was taken out of context if anything. After giving it some thought, it is more than pin pricks, probably more like water boarding, because with the pin pricks that just about everyone got some time in their lives, we know the doctor is not trying to kill us. That would make a difference and the good guys who have empathy when the condemned don't probably can't imagine getting pricked by someone trying to kill. Who's the psychopath now?

Posted by: George | Sep 17, 2009 11:08:59 PM

It's not really clear to me why comparing the cruelty inflicted *by* the perpetrator to that inflicted *on* the perpetrator is useful. The former is illegal. It is a private act. Through the legal process and punishment of the offender, we collectively condemn it. The problem with the latter is that even if it is mild in comparison, it is done with the sanction of law. It is a state action. It is done in our name. It purports not to rend our values but to restore them. It seems to me that if we want to punish people in a way that takes the cruelty of the criminal act seriously, we need take cruelty seriously and not so casually inflict it on others.

Posted by: dm | Sep 18, 2009 8:12:19 AM

Death row inmates get reprieves all the time.

Posted by: federalist | Sep 18, 2009 12:41:12 PM

As typical on this blog, most commentators don't bother to read. I never justified the prosecutor's statement. I only said that his words could not be fairly described as "pandering". I stick with that.

I am sympathetic to the claim that comparing suffering is not all that useful a tactic. But insfoar as such a comparison reminds us of the fact that the interests of more than one party is at stake then I will accept it.

Posted by: Daniel | Sep 18, 2009 12:58:34 PM

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 "Exclusion and Control in the Carceral State" | Main | TRAC documents "striking judge-to-judge differences" in federal criminal caseloads 

November 12, 2012

Ohio finally gets its execution protocol in order (and praised)

A federal judge who has skewered Ohio over the way it carries out executions heaped unusually warm praise on the system and the state prisons director in a recent ruling. The comments by U.S. District Judge Gregory Frost raise the possibility that successful challenges focusing on the process of putting inmates to death in the state could be coming to an end. Frost has delayed executions over such challenges, though he has also let some proceed when it appeared as if the state had fixed problems. Frosts most recent ruling last week declined to stop the execution of Brett Hartman, scheduled to die Tuesday for stabbing an Akron woman to death in 1997. The ruling doesnt mean that problems in carrying out executions that might crop up in the future couldnt spur new challenges. Though Ohio executions generally go as smoothly as such procedures can, it has had some notable exceptions. The best-known of those was the botched attempt in 2009 to execute Rommel Broom, whose execution was halted after two hours during which he was jabbed with IV needles 18 times. Broom is back on Death Row fighting a second attempt to put him to death. Also looming for the state: the expiration next year of its execution-drug supply. New lawsuits will inevitably follow any attempt to switch to a new drug. In his ruling last Monday, Frost said prisons director Gary Mohr has created a command system with himself as lead enforcer that finally seems able to stop major changes to the states written execution policy. Mohr in particular warrants credit for demonstrating significant, continuing leadership in this new approach, Frost wrote. More than one witness testified that Mohrs increased management of the execution process represents a sea change in director involvement. At another point, Frost said that everyone at the April 18 execution of Mark Wiles seemed to understand that there can be no deviations from policy, and any potential changes must go up the chain of command to Mohr. Contrast that with Frosts comments in July 2011 that stopped the execution of Kenneth Smith:  It is the policy of the state of Ohio that the state follows its written execution protocol, except when it does not. This is nonsense.

As reported in this local article , headlined "Judge praises execution policies; Ruling that allows next Ohio death to proceed also commends state protocol," the Buckeye state now is getting kudos for its lethal injection administration. Here is how the article starts:

UPDATE: Kent at Crime & Consequences provides this link to the latest opinion from Judge Frost in this litigation, and he this commentary:

The opinion is quite long but worth reading for anyone involved in this type of litigation. Frost recounts his earlier criticisms of the state officials, but he hammers the inmate's lawyers as well for playing games.

November 12, 2012 at 10:14 AM | Permalink

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Oh gee, let's see, imperious federal judge gets state officials to kiss his ring, and he's happy. Not surprising.

Posted by: federalist | Nov 12, 2012 11:17:04 AM

hmm let's see who was it that said if Ohio wanted to get the judge out of their hair. Follow the damn written policy?

Wait it was!!!!

ME!

Of course the billion dollar question is during the next execution can they manage to follow this new policy or when the clench comes will they still manage to have "x" do it when the new policy says it's "y's" job!

At which point this judge will really be up in their asses!

Posted by: rodsmith | Nov 12, 2012 12:55:10 PM

rod is such a genius--make a judge happy by kowtowing to him . . . . and surprise, he's nice to you.

Posted by: federalist | Nov 12, 2012 2:45:17 PM

Your so funny fed! NOT!

This whole mess is a direct result of the state having a written policy and procedure they are either too lazy or too stupid to follow.

Now they have a New policy. So like i said we will see if they have dumbed it down enough even a fucktard politician can get from "A" to "Z" follwing the lines or if like a typical fucktard politician they will in the clench FUCK IT UP!

At which point since this is the 3 or 4th time in front of this judge over the problem maybe! just Maybe! he will be fed up and jail a few of them with orders they be entered into a remedal reading comprehension class while they are there.

Posted by: rodsmith | Nov 12, 2012 11:22:22 PM

Sick

Posted by: anon | Nov 13, 2012 10:09:02 AM

Well it's now nov 18 and this execution was set for nov 13 and nothing has hit the news i'm going to assume they found at least one persion who could both read and follow directions.

Posted by: rodsmith | Nov 18, 2012 11:55:23 AM

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 Effective Marshall Project takes on Election 2016 and criminal justice now and in the future ... UPDATE: and another set of views via Crime & Consequences | Main | "Prison stocks are flying on Trump victory" 

November 9, 2016

Could "mens rea" federal statutory reform become a priority for the next GOP Congress and for a Trump Administration?

The question in the title of this post is prompted by the fact that nearly all GOP members of Congress who have discussed an interest in federal criminal justice reform, as well as many right-leaning policy advocates and advocacy groups, have urged so-called federal "mens rea" reform. An articulation of these realities finds effective expression in this September 2015 "Legal Memorandum" authored by John Macolm, the Director of the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation, under the titled "The Pressing Need for Mens Rea Reform." I blogged this document when it was released 14 months ago, and highlight its abstract and "Key Points":

Abstract One of the greatest safeguards against overcriminalization  the misuse and overuse of criminal laws and penalties to address societal problems  is ensuring that there is an adequate mens rea requirement in criminal laws. Sentencing reform addresses how long people should serve once convicted, but mens rea reform addresses those who never should have been convicted in the first place: morally blameless people who unwittingly commit acts that turn out to be crimes and are prosecuted for those offenses rather than having the harms they caused addressed through the civil justice system. Not only are their lives adversely affected, perhaps irreparably, but the publics respect for the fairness and integrity of our criminal justice system is diminished. That is something that should concern everyone. Key Points 1. Nearly 5,000 federal criminal statutes are scattered throughout the U.S. Code, and an estimated 300,000 or more criminal regulatory offenses are buried in the Code of Federal Regulations. 2 Not even Congress or the Department of Justice knows precisely how many criminal laws and regulations currently exist. Because many of them lack adequate (or even any) mens rea standards, innocent mistakes or accidents can become crimes. 3. Congress should pass a default mens rea provision that would apply to crimes in which no mens rea has been provided. If a mens rea requirement is missing from a criminal statute or regulation, a default standard should automatically be inserted, unless Congress makes it clear in the statute itself that it intended to create a strict liability offense.

Notably, as I lamented in this post in January 2016, I have long feared that Democratic opposition toward GOP eagerness for mens rea reform was a problematic impediment to any bipartisan federal statutory sentencing getting to Prez Obama's desk before he left the oval office. But the Election 2016 results mean that the next GOP Congress now need not have to worry too much about opposition to mens rea reform from Democratic members of Congress and also probably that such reform will have the support of our next President.

Of course, very few non-lawyers even understand what the term mens rea means, and I am certain that those who voted for Republican federal elected officials did not have mens rea reform in mind when voting. (Indeed, ironically, mens rea reform would generally make it harder to prosecute the kinds of crimes that has led to Hillary Clinton being investigated by the FBI.) Thus, I doubt anyone other than federal criminal lawyers and think-tank types would even notice if mens rea reform is or isn't part of the agenda of the next Congress and Administration. But I hope it is.

Some recent and older related posts:

November 9, 2016 at 12:55 PM | Permalink

Comments

"(Indeed, ironically, mens rea reform would generally make it harder to prosecute the kinds of crimes that has led to Hillary Clinton being investigated by the FBI.)"

Curious what you mean by "kinds of crimes"--do you think mens rea reform would affect national security crimes that have a specific mens rea? Which of the crimes implicated by her conduct don't have a stated mens rea standard?

Posted by: federalist | Nov 10, 2016 2:08:51 PM

Any response?

Posted by: federalist | Nov 11, 2016 6:49:58 PM

Sorry not to respond before, fed, distracted while on the road. Now an answer:

1. I surmise that some (but not all) of the kinds of crimes that surround the use of the private email might not require purposeful or willful wrongdoing. But, candidly, I have never spent sufficient time researching all the possible federal crimes that HRC's poor conduct as SoS might transgress. Your good follow up to my vague reference is a useful reminder that the specifics here matter, and I have never fully understood the specifics of crimes for which HRC was being investigated.

2. In addition to the possible email/server issues, I have also heard the Clinton Foundation is subject to FBI investigation. And I surmise that means rea reform would impact efforts to prosecute government officials for "pay to play" actions. Again, I am engaging in fuzzy thinking and talk here, and I appreciate you pressing me on this front.

3. Speaking of fuzzy, it is fuzzy in my mind what advocates for mens rea reform actually want. I have seen and heard lots of distinct possibilities. Because I believe you, fed, favor mens rea reform, I would love to have the form you hope it could take and whether you think this should be a priority for the GOP Congress.

Posted by: Doug B | Nov 12, 2016 8:14:16 AM

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 In Oklahoma, ballot initiative on death penalty wins big and sentencing reform initiatives also win | Main | Fascinating mixed criminal justice initiative results developing in California 

November 9, 2016

Nebraska voters resoundingly rejecting its legislature's abolition of state's death penalty

Though the votes are not all in, this official Nebraska election page has enough results and those results are lopsided enough that I feel comfortable concluding that Nebraskans have decided to preserve its death penalty. The votes now in show 60% of voters deciding to repeal the legislation that abolished the death penalty in the state. Together with the similarly strong pro-death penalty vote in Oklahoma, it is certainly clear that folks in the heartland are not eager to turn away from the ultimate punishment.

November 9, 2016 at 12:28 AM | Permalink

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At least some polling is accurate.

These results are very close to death penalty polling results in Nebraska.

Posted by: Dudley Sharp | Nov 10, 2016 7:34:51 AM

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Internet searches are a little window into our collective soul, and as such looking at them in the aggregate is a modern way of understanding what's on our minds. On election day, many are hoping that this approach can give us insight into what in the world is happening at the polls  and thankfully the folks over at Google Trends have stepped up to provide us with election-focused data across the US and right here in California.

While the general Google search trends are perhaps unsurprising (at the time of this writing, Prince Harry's girlfriend, Meghan Markle, is the top-searched topic in the US), when the data is narrowed down to election-specific queries we gain a pretty fascinating insight into what is happening across our great state.

Google focused on five specific topics: long wait times, provisional ballots, inactive voter status, voter intimidation, and voting machine problems. As the below embedded tool shows, these issues are very much on voters' minds.

"The goal of Electionland is to cover access to the ballot and problems that prevent people from exercising their right to vote," Google wrote of their project. "By exploring with us on Tuesday, youll be part of an experiment to see if data can can shed light on some of the biggest issues on the biggest day in the election cycle."

And while this information straight from the horse's mouth is fascinating, USA Today did their own little bit of data gathering to bring us the following factoid: Many people across our great union just want to know "who is Taylor Swift voting for?" Ah, the big questions in life.

Related: Googled Medical Complaints Bring New Meaning To 'Bay Area Flake' Stereotype


As was well predicted by polls, Prop 64, the legalization of recreational marijuana has passed in California, with KTLA reporting that the initiative will pass.

The AP is saying that only 20 percent of California precincts are reporting as of this post, but 56 percent of the state's votes are going Yes on 64, meaning that at midnight, no matter what happens with this nightmare presidential election, you will get to go outside and smoke pot without fear of legal repercussions  even though in San Francisco that's basically been true for a long time.

Nate Bradley, executive director of the California Cannabis Industry Association, gave a statement saying, "We are very excited that citizens of California voted to end the failed policy of marijuana prohibition. Proposition 64 will allow California to take its rightful place as the center of cannabis innovation, research and development."

Also, the New York Times is reporting that Massachusetts is following suit with legalizing recreational pot, and Arizona and Maine voted on the issue as well.

An estimated $1 billion in tax revenue could come in per year to California from this new legal marijuana industry, as ABC 7 notes.

Obviously, High Times is happy.

Recreational cannabis is officially legal in #California where voters just passed #Prop64!  For live election coverage head to the link in our bio. A photo posted by HIGH TIMES (@hightimesmagazine) on Nov 8, 2016 at 8:21pm PST



And because, as we've said, legal recreational marijuana sales won't actually start until 2018, if then, so weed dealers won't be out of work just yet.

#Prop64 #ElectionNight  A photo posted by DJ A-Tron (@dja_tron) on Nov 8, 2016 at 8:36pm PST

Spark up, everyone. You may need it.

Previously: When Would The 2016 Ballot Measures Go Into Effect? An Analysis
Market & Van Ness, right now. That was my bus. Gonna be long day, I think. pic.twitter.com/ZQ8CSpbFnl  Tom Gariffo (@TomGariffo) November 8, 2016

Those making their way to work downtown early today encountered more than the typical Tuesday-morning congestion. As Hoodline reports, a small group of protesters brought traffic to a halt at Market and Van Ness at roughly 9 a.m. to protest the ongoing construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

"What they do to the water they do to us," read one protester's sign.

This is at least the second San Francisco protest against the light sweet crude oil pipeline currently under construction in North Dakota. On October 31 police arrested 12 individuals on suspicion of trespassing after they refused to leave the downtown offices of Citibank. Citibank is funding the construction of the pipeline that both local protesters and those in Standing Rock, North Dakota say poses a threat to the water supply of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The pipeline is slated to run under the Missouri River on its way to Illinois.

This real-life action stands in contrast to the recent digital-only activism of people "checking in" at Standing Rock via Facebook. In response to that online movement the Standing Rock Tribe Facebook page asked people to take action in real life. "We would like to see these thousands of people take physical action to demand that their banks divest, their police forces withdraw, and the Army Corps and Obama administration halt the construction of this pipeline."

It appears that the roughly 20 to 30 people who blocked traffic this morning got the message.

Previously: 12 Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters Arrested At FiDi Citibank
San Francisco's political elite set aside campaign squabbles for free food and drink at John's Grill once again Tuesday, and with a crowd of more than 2,000 packed into the famed old-world restaurant next door to the Flood Building before noon, rubbing elbows wasn't just encouraged, it was required.





They say there's no such thing as a free lunch, but Willie Brown disagrees. You just have to get somebody else to pay for it.

As Chronicle scribe Leah Garchik recalled last year, although Brown had claimed in his column preceding the event that drinks and food were at least partially on him, he hadn't spent a dime. Instead, John's Grill's owner John Konstin had ponied up $50,000 or so.



Caleb Pershan/SFist

As Brown wrote in his own column the next day,

The election day party at Johns Grill got me into some hot water. When owner John Konstin agreed to host an election day free lunch, he asked, Who will be coming? My friends, I said. On Tuesday, 2,000 people showed up. Who are all these people? he asked. I told you, my friends. Being the good sport that he is, John didnt blink or cut corners, and served up the high-quality food Johns Grill is known for.

This year, the politician was a bit more forthcoming. "Im hosting, John is paying," Brown wrote before this year's party, "And the naked Trump statue will be available for souvenir selfies."



Caleb Pershan/SFist

True to Brown's track record, the statue was nowhere to be found. However, John Konstin joked to SFist that the crowd was "all Brown's buddies... including Donald." Here, Konstin smiled, glossing over the comment that was legible as both a take-off on Brown's own gag and a dig at the former mayor's seeming defense of Donald Trump in his column this fall.



Caleb Pershan/SFist

Speaking of which, one man (whom I initially mistook for Chris Christie) was proudly and unironically sporting a "Make America Great Again" hat at the lunch, an event were Hillary buttons were far more common. The Trump supporter hypothesized that Brown, who was wearing his trademark fedora, might even have a red hat of his own. He'd been reading Brown's column, the Trump loyalist said, and he could tell Brown was a closet Trump fan.



Caleb Pershan/SFist

It was a testament to the tenor of the luncheon that even such provocation didn't ruffle any feathers  not even the one tucked in Brown's fedora. The votes had already been cast, and the food was indeed free, or rather, courtesy of Konstin, who told SFist that his chefs made enough pasta and chicken for about 4,000 guests.
One Stockton single mother of six is potentially facing up to two years in jail after she sold $12 worth of leftover food via a neighborhood Facebook group. Yes, you read that correctly. The LA Times reports that the woman is part of an area Facebook group that swaps meals and smalls favors  you know, building community and stuff  and so last December when 37-year-old Mariza Ruelas had some leftover ceviche she offered up the remaining 32 ounces for $12 bucks. Someone drove to her house, picked up the food, paid, and left.

That person was an undercover investigator, and in July the San Joaquin County district attorneys office charged her with operating a business and food facility without the proper license. She was offered a plea deal on the misdemeanor charges, but as KRON 4 reports that would have put her on probation for three years and required 80 hours of community service. She declined, and now will have to go to trial. What's worse, the LA Times reports that shortly after she declined to sign the deal prosecutors moved to add additional charges to the case  if accepted by the judge, she could face up to two years in jail if convicted.

"I don't write the laws, I enforce them," San Joaquin County Deputy District Attorney Kelly McDaniel told Fox 40 when asked about this case. "And the legislature has felt that this is a crime.

Ruelas, however, doesn't feel that her potential punishment is just. I gave the same food away that I fed to my family [...] never would I bring them any harm, she wrote on Facebook. She emphasized to the LA Times that This is something I did at most twice a month. Like I told everybody else, Im by myself. My kids go to four different schools. This group was helpful for me. For those days where my mom has dialysis, you can say is anyone willing to trade? Ill get you this weekend.' 

Maybe she should have tried selling guns or drugs on Facebook instead.

Related: Facebook Marketplace Already A Silk Road-Style S**tshow, Shortly After Launch


A dead body was discovered Monday in a trash can in the Dogpatch, but police say that they do not consider the death to be a homicide.

Bay City News reports that officers with the San Francisco Police Department were called to the area of 20th and Minnesota Streets, which is near Esprit Park, at around 10 p.m. Monday.

They arrived to discover the body of an adult male in a trash container behind a building, the Chron reports.

KRON 4 reports that the San Francisco Medical Examiner's Office will be conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death, but according to SFPD spokesperson Officer Officer Grace Gatpandan, "The death is not being investigated as a homicide."

But that doesn't mean the case's status might not change in the future, SFPD spokesperson Officer Giselle Talkoff tells the Chron. It has not been declared a homicide," she confirmed to the paper, "but thats still under investigation.

Related: Body Pulled From Golden Gate Park Lake
It is less than 24 hours since polls closed Tuesday, with Donald Trump emerging the president-elect in an outcome that polls in many states didn't remotely capture.

Republicans fared well across the nation and are feeling great, and Democrats couldn't be blamed for throwing away campaign buttons, shirts and other items to put the 2016 reminders completely away.

Here are some first-blush thoughts on the Republican wave.

(1) So many political observers were pretty much wrong about Trump every step of the way. I thought back to his May 2015 visit to Morningside College in Sioux City, when Trump was still mulling whether to run. People figured he was toying around would not enter the race, that his summer 2015 rise to the top of polls was sure to end, that his numerous controversial statements would be the death of his campaign, that Trump would not win the party's nomination and that there was no way he could win an election when pitted against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.

(2) The Next Candidate Up mentality doesn't work in presidential races. Clinton is a former first lady who a lot of Democrats liked as the standard bearer in waiting, after she finished second to Barack Obama in the primary process.

Republicans have nominated long-time party regulars as a sort of lifetime achievement award for presidential positions or a reward for their party work and allegiance. That was true of Bob Dole in 1996, John McCain in 2008 and Mitt Romney in 2012.

One problem is that being around for some time doesn't energize voters, and that trio ultimately became presidential losers. By comparison, think of the buzz that newcomers Bill Clinton had in 1992 or Obama rode in 2008, when people wanted fresh faces. Perhaps Bernie Sanders could have won the presidency this year for Democrats.

(3) Morningside College professor and popular former conservative radio host Sam Clovis knew how to pick a good horse. Clovis in the first half of 2015 had supported Republican Rick Perry. Clovis later left Perry and went to work for Trump as key adviser by late that summer, which caused some to wonder about his conservative credentials.

Clovis probably has vindication in a lot of eyes. He could be in line for a Trump administration role.

(4) U.S. Rep. Steve King is closer to the Republican mainstream than some people think. A social and fiscal conservative, King again coasted to victory in the Iowa 4th congressional district. His controversial positions and statements on immigration and other issues drive Democrats batty.

But the things King has said were in large part matched by remarks Trump aired over the last 18 months. As King told me at his Tuesday victory party in Sioux City, "Some people didn't like that I was too straight a talker," adding that Trump demonstrated that many Americans like unvarnished political discourse.

(5) The collapse of the Democratic Party in Iowa is pretty stark.

Iowa went Republican for Trump. The party has long been in the minority in the Iowa House but held a slim margin in the state Senate. Control by Democrats of the Iowa Senate was demolished Tuesday and Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, a three-decades lawmaker, was ousted in a Council Bluffs district. The party last held the governor post in 2010.

So now the three important pieces of state government lie with Republicans, who can implement key planks into policy. With no more Tom Harkin or even a Bruce Braley in office (and Tom Vilsack not in the thick of things for now), the backbench of Democrats appears thin at a time when the need is great.
DAKOTA CITY | A former Lawton, Iowa, city clerk was placed on probation Wednesday for trying to set up a sexual encounter with a person he believed to be a teenage boy.

District Judge Paul Vaughan ordered Douglas Furlich, 61, to serve three years on intense supervised release. Furlich must wear an electronic monitoring device for 180 days, complete sex offender treatment and register with the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry after completing his sentence.

"You obviously have some problems in regard to your sexual behavior," Vaughan said.

Furlich, who now lives in Concord, Nebraska, pleaded no contest in September to attempted sexual assault by use of electronic communication device.

Furlich faced a possible prison sentence of one to 50 years. There was no agreed-upon sentence contained in a plea agreement filed by prosecutors, who had agreed to make no sentencing recommendation.

Furlich's attorney, John Velasquez, said his client had complied with all terms of his pretrial release since bonding out of jail after spending 85 days in custody. Furlich has the support of his family and a new job, Velasquez said.

After apologizing to his family, Furlich told Vaughan he desired to receive treatment for his sexual behavior.

"I understand I need professional help, and nothing positive is going to happen unless I accept it and embrace it," Furlich said.

According to court documents, Furlich posted an ad titled "Looking for a younger guy" on Craigslist under the "casual encounters" section.

Pretending to be a minor, Nebraska State Patrol officers contacted Furlich through the ad via text messages. In the text conversations, Furlich discussed meeting who he thought was a 15-year-old for sex, and described in detail his preferences.

According to court documents, Furlich came to Crystal Cove Park in South Sioux City on June 2 after texting the officer posing as the minor that he was picking up condoms.

Furlich was approached by authorities, and admitted he was conversing with the undercover officer, but said he did not think the meeting would actually result in sex.

The Lawton City Council later fired Furlich from his clerk position.
SIOUX CITY | Republican Steve King was re-elected Tuesday to an eighth term in the U.S. House, representing the sprawling 4th congressional district in northwest and north central Iowa, after defeating Democratic challenger Kim Weaver.

"America has had enough of too much government," an effusive King said from a Sioux City hotel watch party, after his own win and results that looked good for Republicans across the nation.

King was particularly enthused for the possible outcome of Republican Donald Trump becoming president. If that happens, King said, it would unleash his ability to push ahead blocked initiatives with the backing of a supportive president.

King anticipated in 2017 a full repeal of the 2010 health care reform package he contends is a government overreach, a tougher immigration policy and the appointment of U.S. Supreme Court justices who will not veer from the intent of founding father principles.

"I'm operating under the presumption that Trump will be president...If it is President Trump, then we can work on the Steve King agenda," King said.

With more than 70 percent of the vote in just before midnight, King led Weaver by 65 percent to 35 percent in the conservative district. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by nearly voters 70,000 voters.

Political observers had said Weaver would have an uphill task of unseating King, who owned a construction company and was a state senator for six years until winning his first U.S. House seat in 2002.

Weaver was in Ames for the evening. In a phone call, she said she had fully expected to win.

"But it is such a red district, that people just vote Republican. But it is so disappointing, because it is against their best interest," Weaver said.

Weaver said she may run again in 2018 against King, or for governor or the Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman position.

Weaver, 51, of Sheldon, is a long-term care ombudsman for the Iowa Department of Aging. She had sought to pull in independents and some Republicans who might be discontented with Trump's controversial statements.

King pulled in more campaign money than Weaver. Over the two-year election cycle through a reporting period ending Oct. 19, King had contributions of $890,710, while Weaver had $146,340.

The two candidates did not meet in a public debate, as King said there was "no up side" to taking part, since people already know his record.

King was first elected to the former Iowa 5th District in 2002. He handily won five terms in that congressional district. After redistricting of congressional districts in Iowa in 2011, King won contests in the 4th District in 2012 and 2014.
Republicans swept the state House and Senate races in northwest Iowa Tuesday.

House District 4

In House District 4, Skyler Wheeler beat Independent Jeff VanDerWerff in the heavily Republican district that represents most of Sioux County.

Wheeler received 9,795 votes and VanDerWerff had 5,824.

Wheeler, 23, is now the youngest member in the Iowa legislature.

Wheeler won in the June primary by double digits. VanDerWerff finished third in the Republican primary, but gathered enough signatures to be nominated by petition to run as an independent.

Wheeler succeeds Rep. John Kooiker, R-Boyden, who had represented the district since January 2015 and decided not to seek re-election.

House District 11

Rep. Gary Worthan, R-Storm Lake, won re-election over former Storm Lake city councilwoman Sara Huddleston, a Democrat, 8,265 to 4,466.

This is Worthan's fifth two-year term in the Republican-leaning district that covers Buena Vista and Sac counties.

Worthan, 62, is a farmer, and Huddleston, 50, is a research project contractor for human development and families with Iowa State University Extension.

House District 17

Incumbent Rep. Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, leads Jan Creasman, D-Woodbine, for the Iowa House District 17 seat.

Windschitl has served 10 years as a state representative and won 10,693 to 3,857.

District 17 covers Monona and Ida counties and parts of Woodbury and Harrison counties.

Windschitl, 32, is a conductor for the Union Pacific Railroad and Creasman, 63, is a social worker.

House District 3

Incumbent Rep. Dan Huseman, R-Aurelia, will continue his 22-year hold on District 3 after he defeated Mason McCoy, a Cherokee Democrat, by a wide margin, 12,072 to 2,842.

Huseman, 64, has represented District 3, which covers all of O'Brien and Cherokee counties and parts of Sioux and Plymouth counties, for the last 11 terms.

Huseman is a farmer, and McCoy, 28, works at Wetherell Manufacturing in Cleghorn.

Senate District 6

Sen. Mark Segebart, R-Vail, won re-election against Libertarian Nick Serianni, of Alta, for the Iowa Senate District 6 seat, 20,186 to 4,039.

Segebart won his first term in 2012 in Senate District 6, which covers Buena Vista, Sac, Carroll and Audubon counties and a portion of Crawford County.
SIOUX CITY | Republicans gained control of the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors Tuesday, winning two of three races for a 4-1 majority of the five-member board.

Democrats currently hold a 3-2 majority.

In District 5, Repubican Rocky De Witt received 20,125 votes to easily defeat two others: Democrat Bruce Garbe, who received 14,704 votes, and independent Gary Niles, who had 13,966 votes.

De Witt, of Lawton, said he was cautiously optimistic heading into Election Day, but never expected a win by such a wide margin.

"Wow. Wow. I don't know what to say. I'm speechless. I'm overwhelmed at the moment," said De Witt, 57, a Woodbury County Sheriff's deputy who handles security in the Woodbury County Courthouse.

The seat was open after Democrat Larry Clausen chose not to run for re-election after serving more than three decades on the board.

Sioux City councilman Keith Radig, a Republican, unseated Democrat incumbent Jackie Smith, who was seeking her third four-year term, 22,576 to 18,713 in District 1.

"I campaigned on my record and what I plan to do, and let voters make the decision," Radig said.

The lone Democrat on the board will be Marty Pottebaum, of Sioux City, who narrowly won over Republican Brian Miller 17,588 to 17,233. Incumbent Mark Monson, who lost to Pottebaum in the Democratic primary in June, then petitioned himself onto the ballot as an independent candidate, received 6,630 votes in his bid for a fourth term.

Pottebaum said that the three-candidate race made it hard to get a feel for his chances.

"With a three-man race, I had no idea," said Pottebaum, a retired Sioux City police officer, former Sioux City Council member and current director of security for Briar Cliff University in Sioux City.

As the only Democrat on the board, Pottebaum said he would have no problem working with his Republican counterparts.

"I think we'll get along just fine," he said. "I said all along, all five supervisors are elected by the people to do a job."

De Witt's victory in District 5 came despite the fact he did not win his party's primary.

In a seven-candidate field in the primary election, Niles, of Sioux City, was the top vote-getter with 1,157 votes. De Witt finished second with 1,070 votes. Because Niles didn't reach the 35-percent threshold to automatically advance to the general election under state law, a special convention to select the nominee was held three weeks later in Sioux City.

At the convention, De Witt won support from 65 percent of the roughly 190 delegates to win the nomination and fill the Republican spot on the ballot.

After the convention, Niles decided to run for the seat as an independent.

Pottebaum, 63, defeated Monson by a 60-40 margin in the primary. Pottebaum won the support of many county Democrats who had grown frustrated with Monson forming a voting block on many issues with the two Republicans on the board.

Monson, of Sergeant Bluff, gathered enough petition signatures to petition his way onto the general election ballot as an independent candidate.

Miller, of rural Sioux City, got on the ballot for the District 3 seat after no Republican candidate filed for the June primary. To fill the vacancy this fall, Woodbury County Republican delegates nominated Miller at a special convention.

Radig, a salesman at HOM Furniture, was elected to the Sioux City Council in 2009 and will now have to step down with a year remaining on his term.

"I'm really going to miss serving on the city council," Radig said. "I really enjoyed my seven years there."
GALVA, Iowa | The U.S. Marshals Service Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force apprehended a Siouxland fugitive Tuesday evening with the assistance of two local sheriff's departments.

The task force reports Chad Hughes, 33, was arrested in Galva with help from the Ida and Sac county sheriff's departments, as well as the Iowa State Patrol.

Hughes was wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service for escape. He was released from prison on Oct. 28 and ordered to report to a halfway house in Sioux City. He failed to report to the halfway house as ordered.

The Fugitive Task Force had issued a request for information on Hughes' whereabouts in late October.
CANTON, S.D. | Voters in southeast South Dakota sent eight to the Capitol in Pierre South Dakota Tuesday night.

DISTRICT 16

Rep. Jim Bolin, R-Canton, successfully moved from the House to the Senate in District 16, which covers all of Union and parts of Lincoln County. In the Senate race, Bolin easily defeated Democrat Chad Skiles, claiming 73 percent of the vote. Bolin was was term limited in the House.

People cast ballots for two House members and one Senate member in District 16, District 17, which includes Clay and Turner counties, and District 18, which covers Yankton County.

State Rep. David Anderson, R-Hudson, and Kevin Jensen, R-Canton, earned House victories.

In unofficial results, Anderson tallied 33.14 percent of the vote, with Jensen claimed 29.89 percent. Democrats Ann Tornberg and Ted Curry followed with 22.47 percent and 14.49 percent respectively.

DISTRICT 17

Sen. Arthur Rusch, R-Vermillion, claimed his second full term in the House, beating Parker Democrat Shane Merrill, 53.84 percent to 46.16 percent.

With 16 of 19 precincts reporting, Nancy Rasmussen, a Hurley Republican, led with 30.89 percent in District 17, which includes Clay and Turner counties. The second House seat was a close battle between Debbie Pease, a Centerville Republican, and Ray Ring, a Vermillion Democrat, with each candidate at about 24 percent. Pease led by just eight votes in unofficial results.

Mark Winegar, a Democrat from Vermillion, was fourth with 19.88 percent.

DISTRICT 18

Incumbent Republican Reps. Mike Stevens and Jean Hunhoff were re-elected by a large margin over Democrats David Allen and Peter Rossiter.

Stevens had 37 percent, followed by Hunhoff with 32 percent, Allen with 18 percent and Rossiter at 13 percent.

Craig Kennedy, a Democrat, won the District 18 seat. While independent Matt Stone's name was on the ballot, he withdrew from the race. The current state senator, Bernie Hunhoff, a Democrat, did not run for re-election.

All six candidates in District 18 live in Yankton, which comprises the entire district.
SIOUX CITY | A teenage boy has pleaded not guilty to taking part in a group assault that left the victim unconscious.

Al Lewis, 16, of Sioux City, entered his written plea Monday in Woodbury County District Court to one count of willful injury. His attorney, Doug Roehrich, also requested that the case be transferred to juvenile court. A hearing on that motion has yet to be set.

Lewis is one of four teens who have been arrested in connection with the Oct. 14 beating, which was captured on video and released by the Sioux City Police Department to get public help identifying those involved.

The assault occurred at about 11 p.m. in the 1500 block of West Third Street. Court documents said that Lewis and several others surrounded the victim, threw him to the ground, then punched him and stomped on his head before one of the people stole his phone.

The victim blacked out and sustained a fractured orbital socket, had several teeth shattered or knocked out, had a concussion and several bruises on his face, head and back. He was treated and released from a local hospital.

Also arrested were Austin Rockwood and De'Von Jackson, both 16 and of Sioux City, and 15-year-old Kenneth Thompson, also of Sioux City, who is charged as a juvenile.

Rockwood and Jackson both have yet to enter a plea. Rockwood's attorney has asked to have his case transferred to juvenile court.

Detective Nick Thompson said police expect to make more arrests in the case.

"We've got everybody identified. The investigation is still ongoing," Thompson said.
Bank of China chairman Tian Guoli speaks at the Bank of China - Bloomberg Global M&A Summit on Tuesday. [Photo by Jiang Xueqing / China Daily]

Mergers and acquisitions have accelerated the transformation of China's financial industry, according to leaders in the field.

Vice chairman and president of China Investment Corporation, Tu Guangshao told the Bank of China  Bloomberg Global M&A Summit on Tuesday that the sector was changing.

"The expansion from trade finance to acquisition finance will provide a strategic opportunity for development of the Chinese financial sector," Tu said.

"Acquisition finance requires financial institutions to adjust the content of services they provide, improve their product systems, increase the effectiveness of their organizational structures and put risk management well in place," he continued.

Zhu Min, former deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund, said M&A is a crucial engine for post-crisis economic growth.

He said it will lead the global economy out of the gloom through supply-side restructuring.

In the first half of 2016, the volume of cross-border mergers and acquisitions led by Chinese buyers reached $149.2 billion, exceeding the total volume in 2015. The amount accounted for 23 percent of the total volume of global cross-border M&A, up from 6 percent in the same period last year, according to Tian Guoli, chairman of Bank of China.

"As the cross-border M&A by Chinese companies has entered a new stage, it is pushing forward the transformation and upgrading of China's financial sector," he said.

Bank of China has established an investment and loan linkage mechanism via diversified platforms and has 600 branches in 47 countries and regions.

"During the process of promoting industrial upgrade through cross-border M&A, Chinese companies should also pay close attention to potential risks to avoid shortsighted, irrational acquisitions that are seeking instant benefits," Tian said.

Certain M&A projects were overpriced and had problems with post-acquisition integration of businesses, he added.
CHICAGO -- Pre-K education has long been seen as a potential silver bullet to help at-risk children excel in school. But new research is prompting second thoughts about its effectiveness for low-income kids.

In a recent policy briefing describing statewide pre-K programs in Tennessee, Ron Haskins of the Brookings Institution and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn of the Annie E. Casey Foundation report that by third grade, children who attended pre-K had worse attitudes toward school and poorer work habits than children who didn't.

About 3,000 children were randomly assigned either to attend a pre-K classroom or to not participate, then data on both groups' subsequent academic performance were taken from a state database.

The short-term impacts of the program, reported in 2013, looked good. Researchers found that children who attended preschool performed better than those who didn't on end-of-year achievement tests and got higher ratings from their teachers when kindergarten began. Plus, teachers said that the pre-K children were better prepared for school, had better work skills, and were more positive about school (this is similar to results in other studies of pre-K programs).

However, the 2015 data, which included results of student performance into the third grade, showed that the achievement-test advantage for children who attended the pre-K program had disappeared by the end of kindergarten (also similar to results in other studies).

Worse, by the end of first grade, their teachers rated pre-K program children as weaker in their work skills and less prepared for and more negative about school. Strikingly: At the end of both second grade and third grade, children who hadn't participated in the program performed better on academic tests than children who had.

No one knows why, but factors could include that the activities the children experienced were not age-appropriate to their developmental needs -- i.e. heavily dependent on structured direct instruction rather than on student-interest-based play (we've all heard the horror stories about kindergarteners made to fill out worksheets, so this is not far-fetched). Or that students who had initially been ahead of peers got bored by waiting for them to catch up as they progressed through grades 2 and 3.

Maybe for the youngsters in question, two extra years of high-stakes education and testing cast school as a drag to be endured, rather than experienced happily.

Obviously, more studies are needed to see what went "wrong" with the pre-K intervention, but this misses the forest for the trees.

Basically, children who need very early academic interventions tend to not have highly educated parents possessing expendable income with which to single-mindedly cultivate their children for an Ivy League degree from the moment of conception.

The word gap between what low-income and more-affluent 3-year-olds have heard stands at a mind-boggling 30 million words. And, however well-intentioned, full-time, high-quality pre-K is going to eventually fall short in the context of a life without home caregivers who know to talk to their babies, engage in questioning dialogue with their toddlers and read to early-grade kids every day.

I've taught first-graders and high school students and, within their groups, the struggling and the high achievers share similar qualities.

The academically successful students are much like other high performers throughout history: They exhibit self-control, have great amounts of curiosity and can focus on interests outside their own selves for sustained periods of time.

The students who struggle are much like most of the adults in today's society: They have their faces glued to electronic devices and their headphones keep them closed off from their surrounding environments. They are curious only about whatever distraction can bring them pleasure for a few fleeting moments, and their interests revolve around how they are perceived by others, especially on social media.

These students learn such behaviors in the home and extra pre-K isn't going to make much of a difference.

How can we expect children who, even as babies, are becoming inured to the dopamine-release of instant digital gratification, to develop the patience and curiosity necessary to succeed academically? And how can we ever hope to expect it of children who grow up in the chaotic, loud and stressful environments that typify poverty?

Pre-K interventions feel good, but what at-risk children really need are anti-poverty programs, parenting classes for their moms and dads, and a society that understands that the digital world is as much a challenge as it is an opportunity.
WASHINGTON -- Vladimir Putin's serial humiliations of America's bewildered secretary of state regarding Syria indicate Putin's determination to destabilize the world. Here is an even more ominous indication of events moving his way: On just one recent day, Italian ships plucked 6,055 migrants from the Mediterranean.

What has this to do with Putin? It portends fulfillment of his aspiration for Europe's political, social and moral disorientation.

The Financial Times reports that of the 138,000 migrants who have come by sea to Italy this year, few are from Syria. The "vast majority" are from Africa, with the largest number from Nigeria. The U.N.'s World Population Prospects says that only 10 percent of global population is in Europe, which is projected to have fewer people in 2050 than today. Just 16 percent of the world's population is in Africa but "more than half of global population growth between now and 2050 is expected to occur" there. It will have the world's highest growth rate, and 41 percent of its people currently are under 15. Of the nine countries expected to experience half the world's population growth by 2050, five are in Africa (Nigeria, Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda). Nigeria's population, currently the world's seventh largest, is the most rapidly growing.

Even without what is likely -- population pressures producing some failed African states -- a portion of Africa's multitudes, perhaps scores of millions of migrants, might cross the Mediterranean to Europe. There, 24 percent of the people are 60 and over, and no country has a birth rate sufficient to maintain current population sizes. Who but immigrants can work and fund Europe's welfare states for its graying publics?

Europe has recently been politically destabilized and socially convulsed by the arrival of a million Syrian migrants seeking asylum. Future migrations from Africa, with a large Muslim component, could pose the greatest threat to the social cohesion of Europe since 1945, or even since invading Arab forces were halted at Poitiers in 732.

Undermining the West's confident sense of itself is important to Putin's implementation of his ideology of Eurasianism. It holds that Russia's security and greatness depend on what Ben Judah calls a "geographically ordained empire" that "looks east to Tashkent, not west to Paris."

Writing in the British journal Standpoint, Judah reports that Russian television relentlessly presents "a dangerous, angry wonderland": "Russia is special, Russia is under attack, Russia swarms with traitors, Russia was betrayed in 1991, Russia was glorious under Stalin's steady hand." This justifies gigantic military, intelligence and police establishments steeped in Eurasianist tracts published by the Russian General Staff.

Putin's Russia, writes Owen Matthews in The Spectator, is developing a "state-sponsored culture of prudery" to make it a "moral fortress" against Western decadence. The Russian Orthodox Church benefits from a 2013 law that criminalizes "offending the feelings of religious believers." Twenty-one percent of Russians want homosexuals "liquidated" and another 37 percent favor "separating them from society."

In a new collection of essays, "Authoritarianism Goes Global" (Johns Hopkins), the Brookings Institution's Lilia Shevtsova says Putin is simultaneously imposing a domestic revolution of cultural conservatism, converting Russia into a revanchist power and "forging an anti-Western International." She warns:

"Ever since Stalinism's relentless assault on all 'horizontal' ties (even those of family), Russians have been tragically at the mercy of the state and its claims: Individuals are invited to compensate for their helplessness by looking for meaning in collective national 'successes' that promise to bring them together and restore their pride." Such as the annexation of Crimea.

In the same volume, Peter Pomerantsev, a student of 21st-century propaganda, says "the underlying goal" of Putin's domestic disinformation is less to persuade than "to engender cynicism": "When people stop trusting any institutions or having any firmly held values, they can easily accept a conspiratorial vision of the world." Putin's Kremlin is weaving a web of incongruous but useful strands. Its conservative nationalism is congruent with that of rising European factions on the right. Its anti-Western, especially anti-American, message resonates with the European left. It funds European green groups whose opposition to fracking serves Putin's agenda of keeping Europe dependent on Russian gas.

In many worrisome ways, the 1930s are being reprised. In Europe, Russia is playing the role of Germany in fomenting anti-democratic factions.
DES MOINES  Republicans will control the agenda in the Iowa Capitol for at least the next two years after Tuesdays election flipped control of the Iowa Senate.

A wave of Republican victories Tuesday included the ouster of the Senates majority leader, Mike Gronstal, who held his Senate seat for more than three decades.

Republicans also appeared on track to maintain their advantage in the Iowa House, and with Gov. Terry Branstad left with two years remaining on his term, the GOP will have unfettered control of the lawmaking agenda in Iowa through 2018.

Can you feel it in the air tonight? Just this huge red wave moving across Iowa, Republican Party of Iowa chairman Jeff Kaufmann said Tuesday night.

Republicans secured victories over Democratic incumbents in four Iowa Senate races and held strong leads in two more as of late Tuesday night, according to results reported by the Iowa Secretary of States Office.

Republicans needed to hold their seats and defeat two Democratic incumbents to win control of the Senate.

If Republicans hold onto the leads they enjoyed as of late Tuesday, they will pick up six Senate seats and take a 29-19 advantage into the 2017 legislative session.

Were going to be focused on the issues that we ran on  bringing about fiscal responsibility to state government, what we can do to stimulate new career development in our state and growth. Those are our two priorities, and were not going to take our eye off that ball, said Bill Dix, the Republican Senate minority leader who now is in line to be Senate majority leader. Well be working on a package with the governor and the House to make sure that we move forward with an agenda that creates new job opportunities in Iowa.

One seat belongs to an independent senator who recently disavowed his Republican Party affiliation in protest of presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Another seat is vacant with the death of Sen. Joe Seng, a Democrat from Davenport. A special election is scheduled for Dec. 27; Democrats will be favored to hold the seat because of voter makeup in the district.

It means that we have a lot of work to do. It means we have to reach out across the aisle with both parties so that we pass legislation for Iowa and for Iowans, Democratic Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad of Des Moines said Tuesday night. What we see tonight is that we have voices in the United States and in Iowa that we have to begin listening to. Individuals that didnt have a voice for decades have come out and voted.

Now we have to see how we pull that together. We have to pull all of that back together and make it work, because its about Iowans.

In those battleground races Tuesday night:

 Gronstal was defeated by Dan Dawson, 54 percent to 46 percent.

 Republican challenger Mark Lofgren defeated Democratic incumbent Chris Brase, 57 percent to 43 percent.

 Republican challenger Waylon Brown defeated Democratic incumbent Mary Jo Wilhelm, 62 percent to 38 percent.

 Republican challenger Tom Greene defeated Democratic incumbent Tom Courtney, 53 percent to 47 percent.

 Republican challenger Craig Johnson led Democratic incumbent Brian Schoenjahn, 59 percent to 41 percent, with 42 of 49 precincts reporting.

 Republican challenger Jeff Edler led Democratic incumbent Steve Sodders, 56 percent to 44 percent, with 34 of 40 precincts reporting.

House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer, a Republican from Clear Lake, said late Tuesday she thinks Republicans will expand their advantage in the House.

Well finally be able to get the work done weve been waiting to for the last six years, and Im so excited about that, Upmeyer said. The best is yet to come.
Donald Trump won Iowa's six electoral votes Tuesday, only the second time in the past seven presidential elections that a Republican has won the state.

Trump, who was banking heavily on outperforming past Republican candidates in upper Midwest states such as Iowa, was leading Democrat Hillary Clinton 714,467 to 571,785 with about 89 percent of the state's 1,779 precincts reporting, according to unofficial returns.

The Associated Press called the race for Trump at 11:03 p.m.

The Republican's win here was a solid victory in a state that, in the two previous elections had broken decisively to Barack Obama and was a key part of his winning coalition.

This year, Iowa figured less prominently in the 2016 campaign, with Clinton visiting the state only four times and Trump making stops on seven days, fewer than their respective parties' 2012 candidates.

Trump was expected to do well in rural and western Iowa, where Republicans typically dominate. In heavily Republican Sioux County in northwest Iowa, Trump won by margins previous Republicans had. But it was in eastern Iowa, particularly along the Mississippi River, where Democrats have typically won blue-collar white voters that Trump's performance was truly striking.

Trump won Clinton County by about 1,200 votes, a place where Republicans haven't won a presidential race in decades. In Scott County, Hillary Clinton's roughly 1,200-vote victory Tuesday was 1/10th the margin that Obama got four years earlier. In Des Moines County (Burlington), Trump won by 1,300 votes, according to unofficial returns. In 2012, Obama won the county by 3,700 votes.

"Its an ideological shift were seeing not just in Iowa but across the country," said Steve Grubbs, a veteran Republican strategist and founder of Davenport-based Victory Enterprises. "Its a populist shift where working-class families have abandoned the Democratic Party and voted with Trump.

After tough losses in 2010, 2014 and this year in Iowa, a former executive director of the Iowa Democratic Party, said the party is going to have to reassess. "Were going to have to take a hard look at whats gone wrong and how to address it," said Norm Sterzenbach.

For much of the general election season, the state looked to be highly contested. But in the closing days, Trump opened up a lead. A Des Moines Register poll, usually the most reliable in the state, had him leading by 7 points. Late results had Trump leading by even more  10 percentage points with fewer than 200 precincts yet to report.

About 1.38 million votes had been counted with 1,582 of the 1,779 precincts counted.

Before Tuesday, George W. Bush was the only Republican since 1988 to have been able to win Iowa's presidential vote, which he did in 2004, and then only narrowly defeating Democrat John Kerry.

Trump's lead late into the night was at 129,000 votes.

Democrats had banked on what they said was an organizational advantage over the Republicans. But, at least in terms of early voting, they fell short of their 2012 mark. On Monday, the state reported Democrats had turned in 42,000 more early votes than Republicans, far fewer than the 68,000 vote lead Democrats had four years ago.
9 hours ago

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SOCIEDAD ASIATICA

THE ASIAN SOCIETY

COMISION DIRECTIVA



THE DIRECTIVE BOARD



PRESIDENTE:

Liliana Garcia Daris



Universidad del Salvador.

Argentina

VICEPRESIDENTE:

Won-ho Kim

Universidad de Hankuk de Estudios Extranjeros.

Corea

SECRETARIO:

Luis Diaz Brougton



Universidad de Santiago, Chile



PROSECRETARIO:



Martha Barriga Tello

Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Peru



VOCALES:



Mauricio Martinez



Universidad de los Andes, Colombia



Juan Uriburu Quintana



Universidad de Chenchi, Taiwan

CONSEJEROS ACADEMICOS

ACADEMIC ADVISERS



ASH NARAIN, Roy,

Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi.

India



GARCIA BAZAN, Francisco,



CONICET, Universidad Argentina John F. Kennedy



MATSUSHITA, Hiroshi,



Universidad de Kobe, Japon



MIEMBROS FUNDADORES



FOUNDING MEMBERS



ALBERT, Liliana



Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires, Argentina



ANTON PACHECO, Jose Antonio



Universidad de Sevilla, Espana



ANTONIJEVIC, Ingrid



Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Chile



BARRIGA TELLO, Martha



Universidad Nacional de San Marcos, Peru



BERGMAN, Sergio

Melton Institute de Jerusalem, Israel



BERTOLINI, Luis



Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires, Argentina



CABEZON, Jose



Universidad de Santa Barbara, Estados Unidos



CAGNI, Horacio



Universidad Catolica de La Plata, Argentina



CARRANZA, Francisco



Universidad de Dankook, Corea



CASTLETON, Barbara



Ohio State University of Athens



CASTRO, Jorge

Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires, Argentina



CHAOUL-REICH, Alejandro



Universidad de Texas, Estados Unidos



CHELMICKI, Hanna I.



Universidad del Salvador, Argentina



DIAZ BROUGHTON, Luis



Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Chile



FRANCO, Raul



Universidad del Salvador, Argentina



GADRE, Vasant



Universidad Jawaharlal Nehru, India



GARCIA DARIS, Liliana

Universidad del Salvador, Argentina

GLUCK, Carol



Universidad de Columbia. Estados Unidos

HOPKINS RODRIGUEZ, Eduardo



Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru



KIM, Wonho



Universidad Hankuk de Estudios Extranjeros, Corea



KO, Heysun



Univesidad de Dankook, Corea



LOPEZ DEL CARRIL, Luis Maria



Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires, Argentina



LUCO, Enrique



Universidad del Salvador



MARTINEZ, Mauricio



Universidad de Los Andes, Colombia



MASATERU, Ito



Universidad Nacional de Osaka, Japon



MATSUSHITA, Hiroshi



Universidad de Kobe, Japon



MINKOWICZ, Gabriel

Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires

MONETA, Carlos Juan



Universidad del Salvador, Argentina



MORROW, John Andrew



Minot State University, Dakota del Norte, USA



NGUYEN, Thiet Son



Academia de Ciencias Sociales de Vietnam, Vietnam

OVIEDO, Eduardo

CONICET. Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina

PEREIRA, Ronan Alves

Universidad de Brasilia. Brasil

PEREYRA, Violeta



Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina

REMETE, Andrea

Universidad del Salvador, Argentina



RIMOLDI DE LADMAN, Eve



Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires, Argentina



ROMERO CASTILLA, Alfredo



Universidad Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico

TEDIN URIBURU, Virgilio



Universidad de Harvard, Estados Unidos

UEHARA, Alexander



Universidad de Sao Paulo. Brasil

URIBURU QUINTANA, Juan



Universidad de Chenchi, Taiwan



VITTOR, Luis Alberto



Universidad Argentina John F. Kennedy



XU, Shicheng



Academia China de Ciencias Sociales, Republica Popular China
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (Nov. 9, 2016)Democrats took the state's open U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday, as well as seven of eight House seats.



Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen, of the 8th District, won 60 percent of the vote in his bid for the Senate, beating Republican Kathy Szeliga and Green Party candidate Margaret Flowers.



At his election night party in Silver Spring, Van Hollen thanked voters for "uniting behind the common purpose of trying to make sure every Marylander is treated with dignity and treated with respect and has an opportunity to have a fair shake in America."



Van Hollen will replace Sen. Barbara Mikulski, who was first elected to the Senate in 1992.



"Senator Mikulski's departure from public office, her retirement from the U.S. Senate is a great loss, not only to women, not only to Maryland, but to this country," Congressional-elect Anthony Brown said. "She has been a fireball and blockbuster advocate on so many issues: women's issues, veterans' issues, seniors. She's irreplaceable."



Mikulski endorsed Van Hollen as her replacement.



"Chris Van Hollen was a strong player in the House, he will continue being a strong player in the Senate," said Steven Cenname, a general assembly worker from Rockville who campaigned for Clinton in Ohio. "He'll bring home the bacon for Maryland."



With Van Hollen's victory, his House seat went to Democrat Jamie Raskin, who clinched 59 percent of the vote. Raskin currently is a state senator and will resign that post.



"A lot of what I've done is cross the aisle," Raskin told Capital News Service at the University of Maryland. "I hope to play the same kind of role in Washington, to bring Republicans and Democrats together."



Democrats were hoping to claim the Senate majority from Republicans, who currently hold 54 seats compared to the Democrats' 46.



"I'm a passionate Democrat," Raskin said. "I would like the Democrats to take the majority back, (but) even more important than that is to end this system of gerrymandering so we have more fair election."



All six incumbent representatives for Maryland kept, including Andy Harris, who remains the sole Republican representing Maryland in Congress.



Harris, first elected to the House in 2011, won 68 percent of the vote. The other winners were Democratic Reps. Dutch Ruppersberger of Timonium (2nd District), John Sarbanes of Towson (3rd District), Steny Hoyer of Mechanicsville (5th District), John Delaney of Potomac, (6th District), and Elijah Cummings of Baltimore (7th District), will keep his seat.



Mark Plaster, who challenged Sarbanes was not discouraged.



"The advantage of the US House of Representatives is both a curse and an advantage, and it is," Plaster said. "It rolls over every two years, and folks, I'm coming back."



Barbara Martin, 94, who voted a straight Democratic ticket, said, "I just thought I was voting for the best ones, (who will) try to do the best they can. They are experienced."



Anthony Brown won the 4th District seat with 74 percent of the vote and will replace Donna Edwards, who lost the Senate Democratic primary to Van Hollen.



Brown's win in the House is a political comeback after his 2014 loss to Republican Gov. Larry Hogan.



Without Mikulski and Edwards, Maryland does not have any female representation in Congress.



"People want to make sure a woman stays in the Maryland delegation, and I'm proud, obviously, to represent that," Szeliga said prior to the election results.



All percentages referenced in this article were recorded as of 11:55 p.m. Tuesday, using data from the Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS

(Nov. 9, 2016)Gov. Larry Hogan plans another push for creating an independent commission to draw congressional and legislative district lines and stop the partisan gerrymandering that has marked the process in recent decades."I know the governor is still committed to moving forward," Hogan legislative officer Matthew Palmer told what was supposed to be the final meeting of the governor's Redistricting Reform Commission on Friday.Despite the legislature's failure to even take committee votes on the plan earlier this year, "talking about this issue is a priority for us," Palmer said. "This is an issue that is top of mind for [the governor]."The commission Hogan created last year doesn't want to drop the fight either. The commission was set to expire Nov. 8, but commission members asked Palmer to request Hogan to extend their charge at least through the 2017 session of the General Assembly that ends in April."I'm just concerned that this is going to peter out," said commission member Michael Goff."It takes a chorus of different voices," said commission co-chair Walter Olson. He urged the commission members to write or speak out in their own voices in favor of the redistricting plan to audiences that they were well placed to reach.The commission met in Annapolis for little more than an hour to correct problems in its original proposal, SB380, identified by Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Rowe in a letter to Sen. Joan Carter Conway, chair of the committee reviewing the legislation and a member of the commission.Conway did not attend Friday's meeting, and she had not supported the commission proposal.The basic problem with the proposal is the staunch opposition of the Democratic majority to changing the current system  not the tinkering with details of commission plan that they fixed on Friday, like the number of delegates in a district, who represents the redistricting plan in court, and what budget an independent commission would have."The work of the commission is great," said Sen. Steve Waugh, R-St. Mary's, who participated in the meeting by phone. "It basically has zero chance of passing the legislature.""Either we have to go through a massive marketing push," or put together a less ambitious plan. Otherwise, "it will probably wind up in the exact same posture" as this year."We need to be very pragmatic about what our backup plan is," Waugh said.Some commission members believe that if Hogan is reelected in 2018, the legislature would be a lot more open to an independent commission, rather than leaving their district lines in the hands of a Republican governor. Under current law, the governor would propose all changes in district lines after the 2020 Census.Here is MarylandReporter.com's past coverage of the work of the commission.Reforming the way congressional and legislative districts are carved up in Maryland may have been declared dead on arrival by Democratic leaders, but the Hogan administration and a few progressive Democratic legislators are keeping the issue alive at hearings this week. The co-chairs of the governor's redistricting commission presented their proposal for a new commission completely independent of politicians to the House Rules Committee. Del. Kirill Reznik, D-Montgomery, is proposing his own version of an independent commission to be made up of the nonpartisan legislative staff.To some politicians and pundits, the governor's Redistricting Reform Commission is a waste of time. Certainly covering its hearings and deliberations as much as MarylandReporter.com has done is seen as a huge waste of time and space. Len Lazarick writes that propositions that face uphill fights often take years to pass. It is part of the process of educating the legislators and their constituents, changing minds and influencing public opinion.The governor's Redistricting Reform Commission wrapped up its final report Tuesday calling for an independent, bipartisan commission of nine people to draw congressional and legislative district lines, with no politicians involved. All but two Democratic legislators on the 11-member reform group voted for the final report setting up the kind of independent commission Gov. Larry Hogan had called for.The Maryland Redistricting Reform Commission met Tuesday to craft recommendations for ways to fix gerrymandering in Maryland, focusing on establishing an independent group to redistrict both congressional and legislative districts. The commission hashed out intricate rules to limit partisan influence and ensure the independence of the new panel.While her colleagues debated how they might come up with an independent nonpartisan redistricting commissionas the governor instructed them to dothe highest ranking legislator among them urged them to propose something lawmakers might actually pass: Rational standards for compact and contiguous congressional districts. "Don't you want to come out of this with something?" asked Sen. Joan Carter Conway, a Baltimore Democrat who chairs the Senate committee that would likely handle any legislation the commission might recommend. "We want something that works."Gov. Larry Hogan's Redistricting Reform Commission wrapped up its fifth and final regional hearing Tuesday night in Laurel with what has become the typical list of witnesses advocating for an independent commission to cure Maryland's partisan gerrymandering of congressional and legislative districts. Republican legislators and citizens outnumbered Democrats and African American Democrats complained of underrepresentation. But in a break from previous hearings, a smattering of Democrats opposed changes that unilaterally weaken their party while larger Republican-controlled states continued their gerrymandering ways, disempowering Democrats.Gov. Larry Hogan's 11-member Redistricting Reform Commission, created on Aug. 6 by executive order, met for first time near the State House Thursday where they outlined their first steps to reform the process of drawing Maryland's congressional and legislative district lines. They have less than 10 weeks to finish their work and make recommendations to the governor and legislature.
BALTIMORE (Nov. 9, 2016)Maryland Republicans were losing the U.S. Senate race by a wide margin, losing hard fought races for Congress, and yet Tuesday night in a ballroom at the BWI Marriott, they were celebrating and looking ahead to the 2018 election with glee.



And it was only 10:30 p.m., over four hours away from Donald Trump's victory speech in New York, yet they were cheering every return.



Rep. Andy Harris, who will remain the only Republican in Maryland's 10-man congressional delegation, was the last candidate to take the stage, but he was pumped about Trump trends and the prospects for Maryland Republicans in coming years.



"What a night! They just called Ohio for Donald Trump," Harris shouted. "He's going to be the next president of the United States."



He praised the achievement of Del. Kathy Szeliga, his former aide and campaign manager, losing to Democrat Chris Van Hollen 60% to 36% in the race to replace Barbara Mikulski in the U.S. Senate



"Can you imagine getting outspent 10 to 1 to running against the special interests  carrying on the Larry Hogan tradition of running against the special interests," Harris said.



He said Van Hollen "better treasure every one of those six years he has down there because he's not going back after that because he's exactly what's wrong with Washington."



"We know there's going to be lawsuit after lawsuit when Donald Trump looks like he's the winner tonight," Harris said.



"We know we've had the best candidates across the state," the congressman went on.



Starting the 2018 campaign



"Tomorrow morning, with Donald Trump as president, we start the 2018 campaign election where we elect Larry Hogan as the next governor of the state of Maryland, where we elect enough delegates and senators" that they can sustain Hogan's veto of a Democratic redistricting map, "where we elect Mark Plaster to the 3rd congressional district, where we retire Dutch Ruppersberger, where we retire John Delaney, and we bring Maryland back into the red column." Democrats Ruppersberger and Delaney represent the 3rd and 6th congressional districts, beating challenges from Del. Pat McDonough and Amie Hoeber.



Harris recalled the 1980 presidential race where Ronald Reagan was considered dangerous, like Donald Trump, but went on to become "one of the best presidents of the modern era." He said voters were choosing Trump "over business as usual."



"When we wake up tomorrow morning, [it will be] 730 days till the next election, when we take back Maryland for the Republicans."



Plaster, a doctor who ran against Rep. John Sarbanes, D-3rd, for more than a year but only got 34% of the vote, promised the Republican crowd. "I'm coming back."



"Next time, the most popular governor in the United States is going to be at the top of the ticket," Plaster said. "We're going to win the 3rd District. You can take it to the bank."



Szeliga did not mention her plans, saying only, "We came up a little short this time."



Maryland Democratic Party Chair Bruce Poole dismissed the GOP rhetoric. "It will be a sign if they win by a large margin, it shows the idea that Maryland is not trending to a purple state," Poole said in a phone interview with MarylandReporter.com. "It means the tea leaves after 2014 are not true."



Cardin's plans



Harris made no mention of Democratic U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, whose second term is up in 2018. In a brief interview earlier on Tuesday as he toured polling places around the state with Van Hollen, Cardin deflected rumors that he might resign or retire.



Cardin said voters deserved at least a brief rest before the next campaign begins. But he suggested that anyone interested in his future plans should take a look at his schedule of appearances and examine his campaign fundraising reports.



Cardin typically has lots of events on his calendar, and he has raised $477,000 since the beginning of 2015, with $725,000 cash on hand.
Florida Representative David Richardson survived an 11-hour attack from his opponent to win re-election to the House of Representatives.

With 42 of 43 precincts reporting in district 113, Richardson collected 30,249 votes to 16,577 for challenger Jonathan H. Parker. In the run-up to the election, Parker had accused Richardson of being an invisible representative.

Our four year journey continues, said Richardson in a telephone conversation with SFGN late Tuesday evening from the Hotel Gaythering in Miami Beach. I am honored to have such incredible support in my community, but also glad that my status as an openly gay man does not affect my ability to serve all of the constituents of house district 113.

Richardson will be joined in Tallahassees lower chamber next session by another openly gay representative. Carlos Guillermo Smith easily won his first campaign for the state house in Orlandos district 49.

Celebrating the duo wins, the Victory Fund released the following statement:

Florida increased its representation in the state legislature Tuesday night with the election of Carlos Guillermo Smith and the re-election of David Richardson. Just five months ago LGBT people were targeted in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, and these openly LGBT leaders were elected on platforms of common sense gun violence prevention and advancing equality for all Floridians. Carlos and David will be critical LGBT voices in the state legislature, and are laying the foundation for long-term LGBT political power in the state, said Victory Fund President & CEO Aisha C. Moodie-Mills.

Both men are Democrats. Another gay Democrat, Ken Keechl, was not so lucky. The Wilton Manors attorney could not knock off incumbent Representative George Moraitis, a Fort Lauderdale Republican. Moraitis won the district 93 seat with 43,951 votes to 37,691 for Keechl.
For a brief period of time Tuesday evening, it looked like heavily LGBT Broward County, Florida, might give Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton the boost she needed to win that states critical 29 electoral votes. If it had, the race would have been over.

It didnt happen.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump won the state with 49.1 percent of the vote to Clintons 47.7 percent. And by 2:40 a.m. Wednesday, the New York Times and some other media were projecting that Trump had won the White House after apparently taking Pennsylvanias 20 electoral votes. Shortly thereafter CNN reported that Clinton had called Trump and conceded the election.

The news defied nearly every poll prediction in the run-up to the November 8 election and dramatically altered the political landscape for LGBT rights in the United States.

Although Trump was to some the most pro-gay Republican presidential nominee ever, he has promised to name an Antonin Scalia-type justice to the U.S. Supreme Court who can undo marriage equality. He has promised to reverse all President Obamas executive orders, several of which have increased protections for LGBT people. And he has urged allowing individual states decide what rights LGBT people can enjoy.

Exit polls conducted by the major television networks and Associated Press indicated that one in five voters said the U.S. Supreme Court was their top priority in choosing a president.

In other election news Tuesday night:

Democrats failed to win enough U.S. Senate seats to take over as the majority there, leaving Republicans in charge of the White House and both houses of Congress. Democrats did pick up two seats in the Senate, both supporters of equal rights for LGBT people: U.S. Rep Tammy Duckworth defeated incumbent Republican Mark Kirk. LGBT community support was split in that race, with the Human Rights Campaign backing Kirk and other groups supporting Duckworth. And Democrat state Attorney General Catherine Masto won retiring Democrat Harry Reids seat for Nevada.

North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory, who led that states efforts to pass the anti-LGBT law HB2 this year, appeared to have lost his bid for re-election. Democrat Roy Cooper was 4,480 votes ahead of him at 3 a.m.

Oregon elected the nations first ever openly LGBT governor. Kate Brown, who assumed office following a scandal involving the previous governor, won election in her own right Tuesday night, earning 51 percent of the vote; and,

The six openly LGBT incumbent members of the U.S. House won re-election Tuesday night but none of the 12 other LGBT candidates for Congress two for the Senate and 10 for the Housewon.

Following the news of Clintons concession call to Trump, lesbian news commentator Rachel Maddow of MSNBC said, its hard to overstate the political import of what this is.

Our country is about to face some serious crises, and so buckle up, your country needs you, said Maddow.

Trump took to the stage at his rally in New York City at 2:54 a.m.

Reading from a teleprompter, Trump said the country owes Clinton a debt of gratitude for her service to the country.

It is time for us to come together as one united people, said Trump. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be a president for all Americans and this is so important to me.

To those who have chosen not to support me in the past, he said he would work together and unify our great country.

As he left the stage, his campaign played one of his most common theme songs, the Rolling Stones You Cant Always Get What You Want.

By 3 a.m., Trump had 279 electoral votes to Clintons 218. It takes 270 to win. Trump reached that goal by winning Wisconsin, a state many expected would go for Clinton.

In the final days of the campaign, Clinton worked hard to get out the LGBT vote. During a campaign stop in heavily gay Wilton Manors, Florida, she promised to call on Congress to pass the Equality Act, work to achieve an AIDS-free generation, end the harmful practice of the so-called conversion therapy, and take on homelessness, bullying, and violence against LGBT youth. She also promised to push for gun control so that what happened in Orlando can never happen again.

Trumps campaign issued a statement to strongly condemn the anti-gay activities of a white nationalist supporter, William Johnson, from Los Angeles. Johnson funded a robo-call in Utah October 31, calling an obscure independent presidential candidate a closet homosexual.

Johnsons robo-call was apparently prompted by the success the independent candidate, Evan McMullin, was having in drawing votes away from Trump in Utah, potentially costing Trump six electoral votes.

According to media reports, the robo-call said: Evan has two mommies. His mother is a lesbian, married to another woman. Evan is okay with that. Indeed, Evan supports the Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage. Evan is over 40 years old and is not married and doesnt even have a girlfriend. I believe Evan is a closet homosexual. Dont vote for Evan McMullin. Vote for Donald Trump.

(McMullin has said he loves his mother very much but believes in traditional marriage.)

In 2012, 76 percent of LGBT voters supported Democratic President Barack Obama, 22 percent supported Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Exit poll data late Tuesday night indicated the vote breakdown in this election was essentially the same for the Democrat, with 78 percent voting for Clinton. But only 14 percent voted for the Republican Trump. Previously, the lowest support from the LGBT community for a Republican presidential candidate was 19 percent in 2008 for John McCain.
Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme  La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza.



Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres.




Luminosity Bursts University of Vienna

The birth of massive stars is still a mystery to us.

This is because these stars are embedded in an extremely dense medium of gas and dust, says Rolf Kuiper, the leader of the Emmy Noether Research Group for Massive Star Formation, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). This opaque envelope makes it difficult to directly observe the birth process even with modern telescopes. In other words, we see the cradle in which these stars are born, but we cant detect the stars themselves. Therefore, the researchers modeled the birth process within a numerical simulation. For this ambitious, computationally expensive study they made use of high-performance computers within the bwHPC initiative of the state of Baden-Wurttemberg.

The simulation starts with a cloud of gas and dust, which collapses under its own gravity and eventually forms a so-called accretion disk around the hot young star. The material in such a disk rotates around the central star and slowly transports gas and dust towards it. For the first time, the resolution of these simulations was sufficient to infer the formation of high-density clumps within the gravitationally unstable disk. Once formed, these clumps start to migrate through the disk and finally sink into the central star. Like throwing logs into a fireplace, these episodes of clump consumption produce violent luminosity outbursts outshining the collective effect of one hundred thousand Suns, says Eduard Vorobyov.

A similar process of episodical luminosity bursts was already known with respect to the formation of the first stars in the Universe and for low-mass stars like our Sun. The new investigation suggests now that the formation of stars of any kind and epoch are controlled by the same universal processes: It is amazing to see these similarities, as if star formation on all scales and epochs is controlled by a common DNA forged in the early Universe, says Dominique Meyer, the first author of the study and post-doc in the Emmy Noether Group. The clumps, explains Wilhelm Kley, are also excellent candidates for the formation of Solar-type companions to massive stars: These companions will also influence their future evolution.

The results will help to develop new observing strategies for detecting these luminosity outbursts  and even for directly imaging the high-density clumps in accretion disks around very young massive stars. This will be a task for modern observing facilities such as the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) or the future European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT).

Publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society D. M.-A. Meyer, E. I. Vorobyov, R. Kuiper and W. Kley: On the existence of accretion-driven bursts in massive star formation. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, DOI: 10.1093/mnrasl/slw187
NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 7 November 2016. NASA

The Expedition 50 trio orbiting on the International Space Station is conducting maintenance while getting ready for Earth observations and radiation exposure studies today. In Kazakhstan, three new crew members are waiting as their Soyuz rocket is prepared for launch.

Commander Shane Kimbrough started work on the U.S. segments Oxygen Generation System (OGS), which will undergo maintenance throughout the week. Today, Kimbrough tagged up with ground specialists and replaced a hydrogen sensor and will continue to work on OGS through Wednesday. The system is currently shut down due to a low voltage signature within the Hydrogen Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU) that contains the electrolyzing cell stack. The Russian Elektron system is providing oxygen for the crew at this time.

The two flight engineers, new cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov and veteran station commander Andrey Borisenko, are handing over a set of radiation detectors to Kimbrough. The NASA astronaut, who is on his second trip in space, will install the Radi-N2 detectors in the Destiny laboratory for a week to help doctors understand the radiation risk to crew health and develop protective measures.

Ryzhikov is also setting up a camera that will allow middle school students to photograph targets on Earth and downlink the imagery. The Sally Ride EarthKAM gear will be set up in the Harmony modules Earth-facing hatch window and use internet-based tools to promote the learning process.

Another trio of Expedition 50 members is counting down to its Nov. 17 launch and two-day trip to the space station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Veteran station residents Peggy Whitson of NASA and Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, along with first-time space flyer Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency, are in final training before they liftoff aboard the Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft. This will be Whitsons third station mission and Novitskiys second.

On-Orbit Status Report

Sally Ride Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle Schools (EarthKAM): The crew configured the camera, laptop and associated Sally Ride EarthKAM software at the Node 2 Nadir hatch window. Once configured, the EarthKAM team, in association with middle school students around the world, selected image targets which will be downlinked and used in the study of physics, computers, geography, math, earth science, biology, art, history, and cultural studies. The objective of Sally Ride EarthKAM is to integrate Earth images with inquiry-based learning to enhance curricula in support of national and state education standards; to provide students and educators the opportunity to participate in a space mission and to develop teamwork, communication, and problem solving skills; to engage teams of students, educators, and researchers in collaborative investigations using remotely-sensed data; and to incorporate the active use of Web-based tools and resources in support of the learning process.

Culture, Values, and Environmental Adaptation in Space (At Home in Space): The crew answered the first of two At Home in Space questionnaires, the second to be scheduled at roughly Return-30 days (R-30). The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) experiment, At Home in Space, assesses culture, values, and psychosocial adaptation of astronauts to a space environment shared by multinational crews on long-duration missions. It is hypothesized that astronauts develop a shared space culture that is an adaptive strategy for handling cultural differences and they deal with the isolated confined environment of the space craft by creating a home in space. At Home In Space uses a questionnaire battery to investigate individual and culturally related differences, family functioning, values, coping with stress, and post-experience growth.

Radi-N2: The Russian crew collected the Radi-N2 detectors from their locations in the Russian Segment and handed them over to the US crew who deployed the eight detectors in the US Lab, then took photographs of their locations. The detectors will remain in the Lab location for one week. Radi-N2 Neutron Field Study (Radi-N2) is a follow on investigation designed to characterize the neutron radiation environment aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Eight neutron bubble detectors produced by the Canadian company Bubble Technology Industries are attached to fixed locations inside the ISS, including one carried by a crew member. The objective of this investigation is to better characterize the ISS neutron environment and define the risk posed to the crew members health and provide the data necessary to develop advanced protective measures for future spaceflight.

Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Maintenance: The OGS Hydrogen On-Orbit Replaceable Unit (ORU) has an ailing electrolysis cell that no longer makes it desirable to run. Today the prepared for the significant maintenance scheduled on OGS later this week. Todays task included a procedure review followed by a conference with ground specialist and the H2 sensor replacement. The work to recover the OGS will include replacing the Deionizing Bed ORU (planned to be performed on Tuesday) and Hydrogen ORU (planned to be performed on Wednesday), as well as a flush of the OGS Recirculation Loop to clear out the build-up of chemical species which have accumulated over years of operation that are potentially harmful to OGS.

Orbital ATK (OA)-5 Cargo Operations: As of the last report the crew had completed 16 hours of cargo transfer with an estimated 10 hours remaining.

Todays Planned Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

ECLSS Recycle Tank Drain Initiation

Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis

VIBROLAB. Hardware status check

Vacuuming [???4]s [??-7] screen behind FGB panel 108

Nikon camera matrix pollution check

Regenerative ECLSS Recycle Tank Drain Termination

Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Cylinder Flywheel Evacuation

Onboard clock and 6 ROS still camera clocks date and time sync

FGBs [??? 1, 2, 3] removable screen cleaning

Auxiliary Computer System [???] Laptop Computer System Virus Definition File Update

Exercise Data Downlink via OCA

[??-2] control panel software update. Specialist conference

Treadmill 2 System (T2) Monthly Inspection

At Home In Space Questionnaire

Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record

Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Waste Water Bag (WWB) Changeout

Regenerative ECLSS Oxygen Regeneration System (OGS) O2 3 Way QD Demate

VIBROLAB. Copy & downlink

Pre-Soyuz docking Ku-Band MPEG-2 TV test.

Regenerative ECLSSOxygen Regeneration System (OGS) Hydrogen Sensor R&R

Soyuz 433 (DC1) unstow w/IMS updates

MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE dosimeter setup and activation. Specialist conference when required

Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Big Picture Words Review

Oxygen Generation Assembly-H2 Orbital Replacement Unit Remove and Replace  Conference

Radiation Dosimetry Inside ISS-Neutrons Hardware Handover

MATRYOSHKA-R. Hand over BUBBLE dosimeters to ROS

Radiation Dosimetry Inside ISS-Neutrons

MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE dosimeter initialization and deployment; specialist conference when required

FSL MPCC1 USB Stick move from MPCC Laptop to SSC11 Laptop

Crew Medical Officer (CMO) Proficiency Training

EarthKAM Node 2 Setup and Activation-Russian

??? maintenance

Connects and powers on the TREK Laptop.

ISS HAM Service Module Pass

Completed Task List Items

Oxygen Generation System Equipment Gather

USB Adapter Transfer

Glacier 1 Desiccant Pack Swap

Glacier 4 Desiccant Pack Swap

Build 2 spare ???s for future use in Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC)

ISA Labeling

ARED SSC Swap

Ground Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

Battery 4B3 reconditioning

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Wednesday, 11/09: OGA H2 Dome R&R

Thursday, 11/10: FSL, OGA Tool Stow, Cygnus Cargo Ops

Friday, 11/11: MSPR Combustion Chamber Leak Check, USOS Crew Off Duty

QUICK ISS Status  Environmental Control Group:

Component  Status

Elektron  On

Vozdukh  Manual

[???] 1  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV1)  Off

[???] 2  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV2)  Off

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab  Standby

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3  Operate

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab  Operate

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3  Idle

Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA)  Shutdown

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA)  Reprocess

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab  Off

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3  Full Up
Algiers, November 03, 2016 (SPS)  Security Council has held Thursday a meeting about the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), during which UN deputy secretary general for peacekeeping operations, Herve Ladsous, will present a report on his latest visit to the headquarters of the MINURSO in occupied El Aaiun and Saharawi refugee camps.

The briefing, to be held in November according to the new chairman of the Security Council, Senegalese Fode Seck, will be an opportunity for Ladsous to present a report on his visit to the region on October, and during which he had met the Saharawi Coordinator at MINURSO, Mohamed Kheddad.

Ladsous went to the Saharawi refugee camps where he enquired about the situation of refugees, who are deprived of their legitimate right to self-determination.

Many humanitarian agencies called donators Wednesday to continue their support to Western Sahara refugees.

The World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said "the Saharawi refugees have been undergoing extremely difficult living conditions for more than 40 years."The Saharawi people

Western Sahara people "remain strongly contingent on foreign humanitarian aid."

Ladsous' briefing at the Security Council will also be an opportunity to tackle Morocco's violations at the buffer zone of Alguergarat, in the south of Western Sahara.SPS

125/090
Last week, an appellate division of the New York State Supreme Court ruled in favour of suspended trainer Lou Pena in his legal fight against the New York State Gaming Commission. In its ruling, the appellate court overturned the three-year suspension that the conditioner was serving.

The ruling is the latest development in the years-long situation between Pena and the NYSGC. The ordeal has seen rulings, appeals, and reversals.

The appellate-division court released its memorandum and judgment on the situation last week. The USTA recently touched base with the NYSGC in regard to the ruling, and the gaming commission conveyed that it would not be imminently issuing a press release in regard to the situation.

In the spring of 2015, the gaming commission announced that it was holding Pena responsible for 1,700 equine drug violations, even though none of Penas horses had produced a positive test. The commission issued a $343,400 fine and three-year ban as a result of its findings.

In 2012, the gaming commission (formerly the Racing and Wagering Board) took action against Pena after a comprehensive investigation of veterinary records determined that he was responsible for racing illegally drugged harness horses between January 2010 and April 2012. The original hearing and notice detailing all of Penas violations, including a list of all the violations by horse, drug, administration date, race date and track can be found here.

Pena had been out of the limelight since the gaming commissions actions, but he recently made headlines due to a situation that led to the scratching of a horse during the meet of live harness racing at the Delaware County Fair in Ohio.

In its response to the situation, the Ohio State Racing Commission issued $1,000 fines to trainer Matias Ruiz and veterinarian Dr. Louis Bauslaugh for their part in what led to the scratching of I Said Diamonds from the Jugette for three-year-old filly pacers on Wednesday, Sept. 21, at Delaware, Ohio.

The morning before the Jugette, Dr. Bauslaugh was in the Jugette Barn stall of I Said Diamonds administering treatment, joined by Lou Pena, who currently does not hold a race license in any jurisdiction and is not licensed by the U.S. Trotting Association. The pair were in the stall prior to the prescribed time, thus the OSRC sanctioned Bauslaugh for conducting "yourself in a manner that was detrimental to the sport of horse racing by injecting and administering IV fluids to the horse I Said Diamonds during the time frame not allowable by detention barn rules and was not granted permission by the security staff to do so. Furthermore you allowed an unlicensed person to assist you with an injectable device."

(With files from the OSRC, the USTA and the New York State Supreme Court)
The stakes season is winding down all over North America, but theres still some unfinished business to be dealt with at Woodbine Racetrack.

The Rexdale, Ont. oval will host this years Fall Four events, and it all begins this weekend with eliminations for the Three Diamonds (two-year-old pacing fillies) and the Valley Victory (two-year-old trotting colts and geldings).

Eliminations arent required for the Goldsmith Maid and the Governors Cup.

Huntsville headlines the field for this years Governors Cup. The multi-talented son of Somebeachsomewhere-Wild West Show will shoot for his seventh straight win for trainer Ray Schnittker. Fresh off his win in the Breeders Crown, the seven-time winner will try to add to a bankroll that recently surpassed $600,000.

Winter Sweet Frost is the richest filly in the field for this years Goldsmith Maid thanks in large part to her decisive score in this years OSS Super Final. The Paul Reid-trained daughter of Kadabra-American Frost has assembled a 3-3-2 record from 10 trips to the track. Along the way shes managed to stash away close to $320,000 in earnings.

Here are the fields  in alphabetical order - for those rich events:

$520,000 Governors Cup

Air Strike

Bettors Dream

Blood Line

Downbytheseaside

Filibuster Hanover

Huntsville

Miso Fast

Some Attitude

Tuxedo Bay

Western Hill

Who Said Not To

$447,000 Goldsmith Maid

Blinded By Lindy

Cameron Hill

Cool Cates

Gravitator

Magic Presto

Myammie Drama

Princess Aurora

Southwind Tesla

Temple Ruins

Winter Sweet Frost

Thirteen pacing fillies from this years freshman class will spar in a set of $25,000 Three Diamonds eliminations on Friday, Nov. 11.

The first elimination features a big league match-up as this years Shes A Great Lady champ, Idyllic Beach, will duke it out with Breeders Crown and Kindergarten Series champ, Someomensomewhere.

The Jimmy Takter-trained Idyllic Beach will start from Post 2 for driver Yannick Gingras. The daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Idyllic is 7-for-12 this season with earnings in excess of $620,000.

Shell do her best to derail the suddenly streaking Someomensomewhere, who is scheduled to depart from Post 5 for Team Miller. Marcus Miller will look to make it three straight wins with the Erv Miller pupil who is 4-for-12 this season. Shes quickly closing in on $500,000 in lifetime earnings.

Candlelight Dinner is the richest performer in the second elimination of the Three Diamonds, but after starting her career with four straight wins shes settled for smaller shares in a trio of follow-up performances. The Casie Coleman-trained daughter of American Ideal-Time N Again skipped the Breeders Crown, but qualified in good order at Mohawk Racetrack on Nov. 4. Jonathan Drury will drive the speedy lass from Post 1.

Fifteen freshman trotting colts and geldings entered this years Valley Victory, and theyve been separated into a set of $25,000 eliminations.

The first elimination features a battle between this years William Wellwood Memorial winner, Seven And Seven, and recent Matron champ, Snowstorm Hanover.

Seven And Seven is slated to start from Post 5 for trainer/driver Tom Durand. The homebred son of Chapter Seven-Ally Oop is a four-time winner from seven starts this season, and hes banked more than $226,000 along the way. He last raced in the Wellwood on Sept. 17, but hes since prepped in a qualifier at Mohawk Racetrack on Oct. 28.

Snowstorm Hanover also totes four wins into Fridays contest for trainer Ron Burke. The son of Muscle Massive-Angel Hanover will start from Post 7 with driver Matt Kakaley in tow.

Moonshiner Hanover, who has mastered the art of finishing second, will start from Post 7 in the second elimination for trainer Chris Beaver and driver Scott Zeron. The son of Andover Hall-Madam Hootch has been the runner-up in each of his last five outings, including a strong second-place finish behind Walner in the $600,000 Breeders Crown Final. Despite having just a single win in 10 starts, the talented trotter has stashed away $258,631 to date.

Hell take on a solid group of foes which includes local hopeful Dancer Hall, who takes a three-race winning streak into his biggest test to date for Team MacDonald. The Amy MacDonald-trained son of Deweycheatumnhowe-Daylon Mystique will start from Post 6 with Anthony MacDonald at the controls.

The top five finishers from each of Fridays eliminations will advance to their respective finals. Those rich events will take place Saturday, Nov. 19 at Woodbine Racetrack.

To view entries for Friday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Friday entries  Woodbine Racetrack.
Joe Faraldo, president of the North American Amateur Drivers Association, has confirmed that Gerry Fielding will be the fourth and final member of the NAADA team that will wing its way to New Zealand to compete against its Down Under counterparts in a series of Friendship Races slated for early December.

Fielding will join Peter Kleinhans, Dave Offenberg, and Joe Lee, all of whom have been previously announced to represent the USA in the forthcoming competition.

Fielding, a graduate of Rider College and longtime Monticello (NY) native, has been involved in harness racing for many decades and obtained his initial New York license in 1960.

I got started in the business jogging horses and breaking yearlings helping the John Manzi Stables at Monticello Raceway, Fielding acknowledged. Ive also been involved in harness racing through the Ron Ingrassia and Gary Messenger Stables.

By 1981, Fielding began delving into harness racing more avidly. He obtained an amateur license that season and over the years, usually with less than 20 drives annually, he thus far has driven 64 winners.

Fieldings involvement in the sport has increased over the years not only as an amateur driver but as founder and president of the Catskill Amateur Drivers Club (CADC).

For 20 years I was the vice president of the Billings Series and have long been a member Board of Directors at Goshen Historic Track, he said.

As a member of the Board of Directors of Goshen Historic Track I chair the racing committee serving as a licensed presiding judge and matinee race secretary.

An amateur driver with 64 wins to his credit, Fielding is proud of having driven the winners of two Billings consolations as well as four CADC Pacing finals. He also won the Goshen International Trot and a North American Amateur Drivers Associations Final at Yonkers.

At Monticello (Raceway) a few years ago I won the Bob Grant Trot and I hold a track record there, he added. I am a former Amateur Driver of the Year at Monticello Raceway  named by the Monticello-Goshen Chapter USHWA  and I have had the privilege of racing in Canada, Finland, Estonia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, and Spain as well as 11 different states in the U.S.

Over the years, Fielding has owned several harness horses. My partner on many horses, Dr. Scott Leaf, keeps me active as an owner of many Standardbreds, he said.

Fielding is involved in multiple sports, much to the envy of his septuagenarian friends. He is a world class skier and has also been in the ski business most of his life, too. And he is still active today.

I have been on the New York Tramway Council for over 30 years; appointed by multiple New York governors. We (the Tramway Council) are an arm of the NY Dept. of Labor Division of Safety & Health promulgating all legislation In NY.

The Monticello, NY resident has been married for 48 years to Kathy and together theyve raised three children and are the proud grandparents of seven.

(NAADA)
Due to the lack of sufficient entries, the RUS America Trot that was scheduled for November 15 at MJC at Rosecroft will not be contested. Plans are for the race to be rescheduled for the spring of 2017.

With only six horses competing at the Meadowlands, we suspected it would be difficult getting a sufficient field at Rosecroft, said RUS America Board Member Allan Schott.

However, we felt we owed it to our members to attempt to race at Rosecroft as we had planned. Obviously, getting enough horses to race this late in the year was more problematic than we thought it would be.

Board member Clarissa Coughlin added, We would like to thank MJC at Rosecroft for have given us the opportunity to race on November 15."

She went on to say, "While it was prudent to cancel the race due the lack of entries, we look forward to working with the Maryland Jockey Club in bring racing under saddle to Rosecroft in the spring of 2017.

(RUS America)
On Tuesday, voters in the state of New Jersey rejected a plan to expand casinos to the northern part of the state -- a measure that was heavily endorsed by the state's horse racing industry.

Ballot question 1, which would allow the state legislature to approve casinos in two more counties in New Jersey, received around 75 percent of votes against the casino expansion.

While the question may not be placed back before voters for at least two years, some state legislators are looking at a plan that would add slots to Meadowlands Racetrack and Monmouth. They would be classified as video lottery terminals and run as a product of the state lottery.
The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its weekly story that recaps and previews Grand Circuit races.

This Week: Matron Stakes, Dover Downs, Dover, Del.; TVG Series finals, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.; and Fall Four eliminations, Woodbine Racetrack, Toronto, Ont.

Schedule of events: The Grand Circuit returns to Dover Downs this Thursday (Nov. 10) for four Matron Stakes for three-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. The three-year-old colt trot carries a purse of $178,650, the three-year-old colt pacers will race for $160,200, the purse for the three-year-old filly trot is $149,000 and the three-year-old filly pacers will race for $148,400.

The Saturday (Nov. 12) card at Meadowlands Racetrack features the four TVG Series finals for older pacers and trotters. The older horse pace and older horse trot each carry a purse of $400,000, while the older mare pacers and older mare trotters will race for $200,000 each.

On Friday night (Nov. 11) Woodbine Racetrack will host eliminations in two of the Fall Four events for pacers and trotters. There will be a pair of $25,000 eliminations in the Valley Victory for two-year-old male trotters and the Three Diamonds for two-year-old filly pacers. Eliminations were not required for the Governors Cup for two-year-old male pacers and the Goldsmith Maid for two-year-old filly trotters.

Last time: Fresh off a win in the $500,000 Breeders Crown final for three-year-old trotting colts, Bar Hopping was back in the spotlight as he ventured to Hoosier Park Racing & Casino on Friday (Nov. 4) to turn in a dominant performance and take home top honours in the featured event of the evening on a stakes-filled card, the $220,000 Carl Erskine Trot for three-year-old trotting colts.

With Tim Tetrick in the bike, Bar Hopping staged a big rally late in the lane to hold off all rivals in 1:53.4 and establish a new track record in the process. The previous track record for three-year-old trotting colts was a 1:54.3 mark established by Creatine and David Miller in the 2013 edition of the Carl Erskine Trot.

Starting from Post 2 in a talented field of 10, Bar Hopping left alertly, but Andy Miller had Sutton firing off the gate from Post 3 to grab the early lead through the opening panel in :27.1. Bar Hopping was content to sit in the pocket while Bridge To Jesses and John DeLong were next in line third. Dayson and Yannick Gingras were unable to find a spot along the rail and pressed on to the lead to reach the front just before the half in :56.2.

Dayson continued to call the shots at the three-quarter clocking in 1:26.2, but Tetrick had Bar Hopping on the attack first-over. As the field turned for home, the stage was set for a battle to the wire. Tetrick asked his mount for more and Bar Hopping utilized a :27 final quarter to get the win by a quarter-length over a game Dayson. Sutton held on for third place honours. As the 1-5 heavy betting favourite, Bar Hopping returned $2.60 at the betting windows.

Trained by Jimmy Takter, the millionaire trotter has now won nine of 18 seasonal starts while bankrolling $1,171,795 in purse earnings. The Muscle Hill-Cocktail Hour colt recorded his third consecutive victory and tenth lifetime win for his connections of Christina Takter, Hatfield Stables, Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld.

Breeders Crown champions Walner ($2.10) and Someomensomewhere ($2.80) came back to capture their Kindergarten Classic Series finals with flair on Saturday (Nov. 5) evening at the Meadowlands.

In the $200,600 Kindergarten final for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings, the impressive Walner used the first seven-sixteenths of the mile to work clear, striding clear of Limerence (Ake Svanstedt) just before completing a :55.4 half-mile. The son of Chapter Seven and Random Destiny would go on to hold off a first-over challenge from his stablemate Eastern Promise (John Campbell) on the far turn before accelerating away from the field at Tim Tetricks first asking. Walner amassed seven lengths of clearance over Simply Volo (Corey Callahan), who rallied off third-over cover to take second. Fly On (Andy Miller) hooked wide from around a wall of horses to save third.

Walners 1:53.2 mile earned him a seventh career win in eight starts for owner Kenneth Jacobs and trainer Linda Toscano.

Someomensomewhere narrowly prevailed in the $149,100 Kindergarten final for two-year-old pacing fillies, just reaching up to collar Caviart Ally at the end of a 1:51.2 mile.

Marcus Miller settled the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere and Omen Hanover just off the top trio on the first turn before angling out to stalk the live cover of Caviart Ally (Andy McCarthy) through the far turn. As Cavairt Ally wore down pacesetter Gurl Band K (Joe Bongiorno), Someomensomewhere mounted her late bid after losing cover, chasing down the filly she stalked through the far turn for the narrow win. No Chaser (Andy Miller) checked in third, some five and three-quarter lengths detached.

Erv Miller trains four-time winner Someomensomewhere for the Nick Surick Stable and Howard Schneidlers KDM Stables.

Grand Circuit Standings: In 2016, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will once again be tracked on a points system (20-10-5 for the top three finishers in divisions/finals and 10-5-2 for the top three finishers in eliminations/legs). Winbak Farm is the sponsor for the 2016 Grand Circuit awards.

Here are the current leaders:

Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras  1,563.5; 2. David Miller  1,295; 3. Tim Tetrick  1,189.5; 4. Scott Zeron  621.5; 5. Brett Miller  589.5.

Trainers: 1. Ron Burke  1,499.5; 2. Jimmy Takter  1,423.5; 3. Tony Alagna  578; 4. Ake Svanstedt  476; 5. Erv Miller  472.

Owners: 1. Burke Racing Stable  340.67; 2. Weaver Bruscemi  283.67; 3. Marvin Katz  273.3; 4. Tom Hill  229; 5. Al Libfeld  221.8.

Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will take place next week at Woodbine Racetrack with the Fall Four finals for two-year-olds  the Governors Cup, Valley Victory, Three Diamonds and Goldsmith Maid.

(Grand Circuit)
God Save America -- Miracle Headline in One of Australia's Biggest Newspapers

Contact: Pat Steele, +61-433-006-934; Warwick Marsh, +61-418-225-212CANBERRA, Australia, Nov. 9, 2016 / Standard Newswire / -- The Daily Telegraph, Australia's second largest daily newspaper, comparable to the New York Times, ran a headline before the US election result was announced, which said; God Save America . This anti-God secular newspaper had no idea that this was exactly the prayer of both Australian and American Christians who have been praying in unity in the lead up to the American Election. Australian Christians called for prayer from all over the world for the American elections at a 'Sunrise Prayer Relay' on Tuesday 8 November 2016. Australia is 18 hours ahead of the USA.Warwick Marsh from the National Day of Prayer and Fasting in Australia said, "We congratulate Donald Trump on his win but America does not need Clinton or Trump. America needs God. That is why we are so excited about the headline 'God Save America' because that is still our prayer. We are praying for revival and transformation in America and a release of the Gospel in the USA. America needs Jesus."Pat Steele from the Sunrise Prayer Relay in Australia said; "I believe America is at the beginning of a great awakening. The verse I have for America is Isaiah 43:19, 'See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.' I feel that this election result will be the shock that people need to shake the dust off their eyes to know they need saving and reviving. It is only God who can lead them out of the wilderness and wash away the wasteland with His stream."Steele continued. "That is why Warwick and I are pretty excited about the headline of the paper today, 'God save America.' Yes, we might be reading this out of the context of the article, but it reminds me of Balaam in Numbers 23 who was paid by the Moabites to curse Israel but when he opened his mouth to speak he prophesied blessing over them and hope for the future instead. Our God is the God who saves, He is a miracle working God and He is alive, God save America, Amen!!!"Pat Steele Phone: +61 433 006 934Warwick Marsh Phone: +61 418 225 212Links:
ALVA, FL. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District would like to inform the public that the recreational facilities at the...
Play at the new site will be free and first come, first served through the year's end.
Voters overwhelmingly approved an $11 million, 20-year bond that Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue will use to build two new fire stations and buy a new fire engine.

The money will be used to replace the crumbling Lexington station and the earthquake-vulnerable Bakers Corner station in West Longview. The bond got a 66 percent yes vote in Tuesdays general election.

Chief Dave LaFave celebrated with some of his firefighters over dinner and beer (ice water for LaFave) at Porkys pub on Industrial Way.

Its humbling, LaFave said. (The firefighters) are excited. They worked hard. All of us, our main thing was giving people a chance to decide. Its their fire department. We just wanted the citizens to have a chance to decide, and well move forward with whatever their will was. Were all excited.

The bonds cost will be spread across the entire district, which covers 150 square miles and protects 34,000 people in Kelso and in rural, unincorporated areas around the Kelso-Longview area, including Lexington. Currently, property owners in the district are paying only an operations levy.

It was the districts second attempt in six years at replacing the Lexington station, which was built in 1978 and handles about 700 calls per year. Chief Dave LaFave said the station has nearly been condemned since its been settling, causing a major crack in one of the walls.

LaFave said the Bakers Corner station, built in 1965, is too small to contain modern equipment and is prone to sinking in a major earthquake. The new station, which handles about 650 calls annually, will be built on pilings to comply with earthquake standards.

LaFave said the district has been doing maintenance and capital projects at those stations out of its general fund but couldnt afford to replace two stations out of its current operating budget. Only 50 percent of Cowlitz 2s operating budget is supported by taxes, with the other half coming from ambulance transport fees, fire equipment repair work, contracts with industry for fire protection and responding to fires and disasters elsewhere.

The bond will cost the owner of a $170,000 home (the average in the district) $57.80 annually for 20 years.

LaFave said it will take several months to get the construction for the stations out to bid. He said most of the preliminary planning and geotechnical work has been done, and he hopes to start construction in the summer. The new fire engine could take six months to a year to deliver, LaFave said.
U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, secured her fourth term in Congress on Tuesday night.

Im grateful, Herrera Beutler said at a Republican gathering at Summit Grove Lodge near Ridgefield. You never take it for granted.

The first general election returns showed she captured 58.8 percent of the votes to Democratic challenger Jim Moellers 41 percent districtwide. In Clark County, she got 56.8 percent of the initial ballots.

Herrera Beutler said she would use her fourth term to continue to focus on economic prosperity and ensuring Southwest Washingtonians have access to good jobs.

The Congresswoman has long criticized the Affordable Care Act and said she would continue to push for its repeal as part of health care reforms. With a Republican in the White House and the GOP controlling both the Senate and the House, Republicans could finally act on their calls to repeal the health care act.

Voters are making these decisions knowing its a top priority. They are sending the message they want this done, Herrera Beutler said.

During redistricting in 2011, the 3rd Congressional District was redrawn to give Republicans relative political security in the district that encompasses Clark County and much of Southwest Washington.

Herrera Beutler confirmed on Tuesday she wrote in Republican House Speaker Paul Ryans name for president. She denounced Donald Trump after his crude comments made about women in 2005 became public.

But, she said, if Trump works toward repealing Obamacare, curbing rules and regulations, and making changes to the tax code, Herrera Beutler will work with him.

There wont be a greater ally in Congress than me on those policy issues, she said.

Moeller, a liberal Democrat, criticized Herrera Beutler for her efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and for not hosting traditional town hall meetings.

Moeller served eight years on the Vancouver City Council before being elected in 2002 to a 49th Legislative District seat in the House. As speaker pro tempore, Moeller held a powerful position, often presiding over the House.

Moeller could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.
Longview Democrat Teresa Purcell held a slim lead Tuesday night over Grays Harbor Republican Jim Walsh in a hotly contested race for a 19th District House seat, and Cowlitz County appears to be the difference maker in the race.

Purcell had a 320-vote lead over Walsh in the five-county race, which includes all of Pacific and Wahkiakum counties and parts of Cowlitz, Lewis and Grays Harbor counties. The raw count Tuesday night was 18,150 for Purcell, 17,830 for Walsh.

With just one percentage point separating her from Walsh, Purcell declined to claim victory.

That would be too easy. Were still very, very optimistic, Purcell said.

More ballots will be counted today.

Cowlitz County makes up nearly half of the voters in the District, and Purcell led Walsh here by nearly 1,000 votes. With at least 10,000 ballots left to count here, her overall lead is likely to increase.

Weve been working very, very hard here, Purcell said. This is my home base.

The state would require a recount if the difference between the candidates is less than 2,000 votes and less than half-a-percent of the total votes cast.

Its far from over, Walsh said. This is going to be a grinder.

Only two Republicans have held House seats in the 19th District since 1937.

Walsh, 52, said he just has to close the gap in Cowlitz County a little to win.

Im a little disappointed of course. I wish it had been a conclusive decision tonight, Walsh said. But I think when we finally get there ... its going to be a good outcome.

Purcell, 53, would be the first woman to win a 19th District House seat since 1983 and only the second woman to win in the districts history. She would be a handful to have represented Southwest Washington.

The contentious, polarized race for the open House seat had both parties pouring money into the campaigns as Democrats fought to keep their narrow, 50-48 control over the House. Republicans tried to paint Purcell as a Puget Sound liberal, a moniker she rejected even though she is slightly more to the left than the other two 19th District lawmakers, Dean Takko and Brian Blake.

Purcell opposes the Millennium coal terminal project in Longview and supported Initiative 1491, a measure to limit high-risk individuals from obtaining firearms. This year the initiative surprisingly passed both statewide and among voters in Cowlitz County.

Purcell has raised $237,000 and spent $215,000  a historic amount for the 19th District  while Walsh raised $158,000 and spent $128,000, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.

The House Democratic Caucus Campaign Committee and state Democrats contributed $75,000 in cash and in-kind contributions to Purcell; the House Republican Organizational Committee and state Republican Party contributed $91,000 to Walsh.

The Legislature this year will face its largest challenge in the court-ordered mandate to fund K-12 public education. Purcell has said she wants to address corporate tax exemptions to close the gap, though some say it wont be enough to make up for an estimated billions of dollars in the next few years.
The attorneys for Brent Luyster, whos accused of fatally shooting three people at a Woodland home in July, argue that the Clark County Prosecuting Attorneys Office and juvenile detention staff have been interfering with their investigation.

Luysters capital defense team filed a motion last week in Clark County Superior Court asking Judge Robert Lewis to intervene. Vancouver attorney Ed Dunkerly said Tuesday that a supervisor at the juvenile detention center denied him access to interview Luysters son, an apparent witness to the triple-homicide.

Luyster, 35, a known white supremacist, is accused of killing Joseph Mark Lamar, 38, Zachary David Thompson, 36, and Janell Renee Knight, 43, on July 15 at a rural home southeast of Woodland. A fourth victim, Breanne L.A. Leigh, 31, was critically wounded. Luyster was arrested the following day along Ocean Beach Highway west of Longview.

His girlfriend, 27-year-old Andrea Sibley, picked him up at the home and helped him go on the lam, court records state. She pleaded guilty in September to first-degree rendering criminal assistance and was sentenced to a year of community custody.

Luysters 12-year-old son was recently in custody at the juvenile detention center in an unrelated case. Its unclear if he is still there.

When the defense went to interview the boy, Dunkerly said he was told by detention staff that he needed permission from the prosecution. The boy later reportedly told his counsel he does not want to speak with his fathers defense team.

Dunkerly argued that the interference is affecting his clients right to effective counsel and said the case could be delayed if they continue to be denied access to the witness.

Lewis declined to make a general ruling on the motion Tuesday. He said the defense can come back before the court if additional issues arise regarding access to witnesses.

Lead defense attorney Bob Yoseph requested that Luysters arraignment be pushed back a third time while his team conducts further investigation. The new date was set for Feb. 14.

Luyster faces three counts of aggravated first-degree murder with the use of a firearm, attempted first-degree murder with the use of a firearm, and first- and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. A charge of aggravated murder carries the possibility of the death penalty.

In 2014, Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee placed a moratorium on executions in the state while hes in office. However, it doesnt prevent the prosecution from pursuing the death penalty. Deputy Prosecutor James Smith said Tuesday that decision has not yet been made.
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The chief of one of Asia's most prominent financial trade bodies on Tuesday said new cyber security rules in China could make it harder for foreign companies operating in the country to manage risk as cyber threats become increasingly cross-border. Speaking at the Thomson Reuters Pan-Asian Regulatory Summit in Hong Kong, Mark Austen, chief executive of the Asia Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA), said the rules marked a "worrying" development because regulators globally have to work together to address cyber risks rather than attempt to isolate their jurisdictions.

China adopted a cybersecurity law on Monday to counter what the government said were growing threats such as hacking and terrorism. Foreign business and rights groups expressed concern that the law could, for instance, bar foreign companies from certain sectors. The legislation, set to take effect in June 2017, includes requirements for security reviews and for data to be stored on servers in China.

"No matter how well you cut yourself off from the rest of the world, we're all interconnected. Favouring the development of domestic IT and forcing firms to use domestic software and not allowing firms to offshore [means] you can't manage risk on a global basis," said Austen.

"The threat is global. This is why we find these Chinese laws so worrying on the face of it," he said. However the rules may become more flexible by the time they are implemented next year, he said. Cyber security was propelled to the top of the financial services agenda in February when it emerged hackers stole $81 million from the Central Bank of Bangladesh via SWIFT, the global financial messaging system. The funds were transferred to accounts in the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

Speaking at the same event in Hong Kong, Catherine Simmons, managing director and head of Asia-Pacific Government Affairs at Citi, said regulators globally would have to work more closely together to address emerging cyber threats.

"The very nature of technology and cyber threats emerging and cyber security risks, it's cross-border. Regulators are not going to just focus on their domestic markets ... they are going to have to talk to other countries about what to do. We are just seeing that discussion emerge."

Reuters
tech2 News Staff

Microsoft has finally fixed a critical Windows kernel vulnerability that could potentially allow a hacker full control of a PC.

The vulnerability was first reported by Google, which came under fire from Microsoft and some security experts for exposing the flaw without giving the company time to fix the problem.

The vulnerability also affects Adobe Flash and both companies (Adobe and Microsoft) were given 10 days to fix the issue. Adobe issued a patch in time, but Microsoft wasnt able to do the same. This is understandable considering the complexity of an operating system.

Do note that if youre running the latest version of Windows 10 and a modern, updated browser like Chrome or Edge, youre already safe. The vulnerability affects older systems and browsers.

Hackers are already exploiting this vulnerability in the wild and Microsoft was understandably frustrated at Googles disclosure. We believe in coordinated vulnerability disclosure, and today's disclosure by Google puts customers at potential risk, said Microsoft in a statement.

The patch, made available last night, fixes the issue on all supported Windows versions (from Windows Vista SP2 onwards). In other news, Google is yet to fix a critical privilege escalation vulnerability (called Dirty Cow) that affects all Android phones. In fact, Google will probably take over 30 days to address the issue.
tech2 News Staff

Its not been a good year for Samsung, what with their other flagship, the Note 7, going up in flames the world over and even its washing machines punching through walls.

Samsung needs a win and it needs it badly. As far as the Note 7 is concerned, the company decided to swallow the bitter pill and just can the product. Shifting their focus to the Galaxy S8 and a potential Note 8 does seem like the right move.

Its now come to light the company intends to begin testing the Galaxy S8 smartphone in January. A report on The Investor says, Key suppliers are required to provide an initial batch of their parts for the Galaxy S8 from January. The report also quoted a supplier as saying that full volume shipping will start in February.

It was earlier rumoured that Samsung would forgo its traditional MWC announcement and launch the phone in April, but suppliers apparently think that the phone will make its MWC debut in February and ship soon after, in March.

As far as the device itself is concerned, the most prevalent rumours describe a phone with a Snapdragon 830 SoC, a 5.1-inch 2K display, a dual-camera setup on the rear and a screen to body ratio of a whopping 90 percent. Another highlight is expected to be the debut of Samsungs own AI assistant, a la Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant. This assistant is also rumoured to get a button all to itself on the S8.
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Astronaut Shane Kimbrough, the only US citizen in space on Election Day, cast his vote from the International Space Station (ISS), NASA said Tuesday.

Kimbrough, 45, who arrived on board the ISS in mid-October, exercised his right to vote from the space platform orbiting the Earth at 27,000 kms (17,780 miles) per hour.

"An electronic and secure ballot is sent to the member of the ISS crew from the clerk in his county. (The astronaut) fills in the form and returns it electronically. It's all secure. It is all private," Efe news agency cited a NASA statement.

A 1997 Texas law allows astronauts away from Earth to vote on Election Day provided, they request their ballots one year before launch.

Before launching on a four-month mission, Kimbrough said it was going to be special, being able to say 'I voted from space', Daily Mail reported.

Astronauts are 'pretty much apolitical,' he told reporters last month adding that he will be glad to welcome the new president, whoever it may be.

Previous US crew member on board the ISS, astronaut Kate Rubins, also voted from space before returning to Earth last week.

IANS
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By Asheeta Regidi

Yesterday, Facebook agreed to pause using the data from its Whatsapp customers in the UK. The move was in response to a letter from the UKs Information Commissioners Office objecting to Facebooks use of the data. Whatsapps amendment of its privacy policy in August, which enabled it to share user data with Facebook for advertisement and product improvement purposes sparked outrage among privacy activists. In India, a suit was filed against this in the Delhi High Court, but the change was ruled to be legal. UKs success in stopping Facebook shows how a strong data protection legislation can go a long way in protecting individual privacy and preventing abuse of by large corporates.

The difference UKs comprehensive data protection law makes

UK has a dedicated data protection law- the Data Protection Act, 1998. This establishes the Information Commissioners Office (the ICO), which is exclusively responsible for data protection. This law establishes several procedures with respect to data processing and use. Under this law, the company in possession of user data, here Whatsapp, has to notify the ICO of any changes being made to its use of the data. On being notified, the ICO has a right to review the change and consider if the change can cause substantial damage or significantly affect the rights of the users. This discretionary power granted to the ICO makes all the difference in the world.

The ICO has exercised this power in writing to Facebook asking it to discontinue its use of Whatsapp data. The Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, objected to the fact that how the data was to be used had not been explained properly to the users. This made the consent obtained invalid under the UK law. Additionally, the ICO objected to the 30 day limit of opting out, insisting that users should be given ongoing control over how their data is used. Under the UK law, a user must have the option to withdraw his consent for the use of his data at any time.

Since Facebooks move violated UK law, it was forced to pause its use of Whatsapp data, or face enforcement action against it from the ICO. The ICO insisted that users be given an unambiguous choice for allowing Facebook to use their data, and that they be allowed to make this choice at any point of time. Facebook is yet to agree to this.

India has no specific data protection law

India, on the other hand, has no dedicated data protection law. Indias sole privacy legislation is the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011. These rules serve only to protect the use and disclosure of sensitive personal data. This is a closed list of information, such as information of a persons identity, financial information, health conditions, biometric information, etc.

The vast troves of data in the possession of Facebook and Whatsapp, such as messages, photographs, contact lists, etc., do not fall under the category of sensitive personal data. Thus, even though Whatsapp would be sharing one category of sensitive personal data, the users identity, for the most part, the IT Sensitive Data Rules do not apply. Even under the Information Technology Act, 2000 itself, the only data protection rules, again, pertain only to the use and collection of sensitive personal data.

Right to privacy as a fundamental right is in question

Since there was no specific law governing the disclosure of data by Whatsapp, the petition filed before the Delhi High Court, Karmanya Singh Sareen vs. Union of India, was a writ petition, arguing that the change in the privacy policy amounted to a violation of the fundamental right of privacy of the Indian citizens.

To be a fundamental right justifying a writ, the right to privacy needs to be read into the constitutional right to life, guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. As it happens, there have been several conflicting decisions both supporting and rejecting the theory that the right to privacy is a fundamental right. As a result, this issue has been referred to the Supreme Court of India, in K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India, and the final decision is pending. Until this is done, the right to privacy is not a fundamental right yet. This prevented the Delhi High Court from taking action on the ground of violation of a fundamental right.

Facebooks Take-It-Or-Leave-It approach is legal

Additionally, the Delhi High Court observed that Whatsapp and Facebook users have been given the option to opt out. As long as this option is available, the actions of Whatsapp was legal. This is, in fact, the rule laid down under the IT Sensitive Personal Data Rules- the user has the option to withdraw consent, and the company, here Facebook, has the right to refuse to provide its services in return. Therefore, Whatsapps take-it-or-leave-it approach is perfectly legal.

Moreover, sharing of data is permitted if the users consent has been obtained. As Whatsapp had acquired permission, the disclosure of the data to Facebook was legal. There is no requirement under the IT Sensitive Personal Data Rules that the users need to be aware what they are consenting to - so long as they consent, it is legal.

India needs a data protection law

As the Information Commissioner notes, we live an era where we are increasingly reliant on digital services. User data has become an asset to be bought and sold, with several company mergers being made for this very purpose.The dangers of combining such information is very great, and needs to be stopped. Any vagueness in the terms and conditions to which users consent should not be allowed.

The IT Act and the IT Sensitive Personal Data Rules are completely inadequate in dealing with the requirements of data protection and privacy today. The questioning of the right to privacy as a fundamental right makes this even more worrying.The need for a comprehensive data protection regulation in India can no longer be ignored.

The author is a lawyer with a specialisation in cyber laws and has co-authored books on the subject.
Dedicated to the Restoration of Progressive Democracy
VRS payment of Airtel employees in 60 days

Economic Reporter :

Employees of Airtel who accepted voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) would get the full payment within 60 days of amalgamation of Robi-Airtel.

The merged entity would start the payment from the first day of amalgamation, as the operators are waiting for the official letter from the regulator to complete the process, said officials. Ekram Kabir, Vice President, Communications and Corporate Responsibility, Robi Axiata Limited, in a statement told the New Nation that "All the 396 permanent employees of Airtel were offered employment opportunity with the merged company Robi Axiata Limited."

"But, 265 employees out of the total have accepted the offer while the remaining 131 employees have chosen to avail the Voluntary Separation Scheme."

The deadline for submitting application to accept VRS ended on Tuesday, as the merger terms and conditions directed to give seven days for the process. The regulator -Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) made the VRS mandatory for the employees who wish to leave Airtel before completion of the merger.

Meanwhile, 265 employees of Airtel who wished to continue jobs have already collected appointment letter from Robi last week.

According to the Robi, top officials to manager level employees have accepted the VRS considering the benefit.

Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Ashraful H Chowdhury, Chief Service Officer Rubaba Dowla and Head of Legal Sakib Sikdar are among the top officials who accepted VRS.

BTRC conditions directed the merged entity to submit report to the regulator after completing the VRS process.

"If any complexity is created during implementation of the VRS/VSS, the merged company would adopt necessary measures through the directives of BTRC," said the Terms and Conditions (T&T).

It also said the jobs of Airtel employees who would join the merged company would be considered as the continuation of the service in Airtel.

The T&T also said in the next three years of the merger, the regulator has to be informed with specific reasons before any termination of Airtel employees who joined the merged company.

BTRC approved Bangladesh's first ever merger proposal of two mobile phone operators - Robi and Airtel - on October 18.

It has approved four basics for the VRS to protect the employee's interest. The High Court in August gave nod to the merger proposal.

On August 1, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, gave her consent to the amalgamation with merger fee of Taka 100 crore and per Megahertz 2G spectrum fee of Taka 33.8 crore.

At present, Airtel is using 15 MHz of 2G spectrum and its license would expire in 2020. If Robi acquires the entire spectrum, the operator has to deposit a total of Taka 507 crore to the telecom regulator.

Robi and Airtel opened talks on a possible merger at the end of August, 2015, and on January 28, the operators' parent companies signed a deal to that effect. The merged entity will be the second largest operator in Bangladesh.




Steel mills guard killed

Chittagong Bureau :

A security worker of Bangladesh Steel Re-rolling Mills Limited (BSRM) was killed as a lorry ran over him in front of the factory in Akbarshah area on Sunday night.

The deceased was identified as Aminul Islam, 32, hailed from Jamalpur district.

Police said Aminul was critically injured as a goods-laden lorry of BSRM ran over him while he was performing his duties in front of the factory in city's Akbarshah area on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway around 9.30 pm on Sunday.

He was rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) where the on-duty doctors declared him dead, said Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Pankaj Barua of CMCH police outpost.


Resignation of Livestock Minister demanded

Chittagong Bureau :

A rally under the banner of all patriotic citizen of Chittagong was held in front of Chittagong New Market demanding removal of the Livestock Minister Saiyedul Hoque from the cabinet for heinous incident in Nasirnagar of Brahmanbaria district recently.

The rally protested the heinous attack on Mat Mandirs, and the residences of minority people of Nasirnagar . The speakers of the rally called upon the senior leaders of the ruling party not to nominate further in the national election further. The rally was told that due to negligence of the Minister and local administration, the hatred incident occurred. The rally also demanded banning of face book status by any anti-govt quarters and facebook aspirators should be tried under ICT Law .

Ward Councilor Shaibal Das Summon, social personality Ripam Das Shekor, Anup Biswar Prabal Das and Advocate Rajib. Liton Kumar Shil presided over the meeting.

Murder accused held with fake currency notes in Chittagong: Police in a drive arrested a murder accused along with fake currency notes worth TK 50,000 from Purbo Shaheed Nagar area in the city on Monday evening.

The arrestee was identified as Jahangir, son of late Nurul Islam, hailing from Fatikchhari upazila. He was also accused in a murder case filed with Fatikchhari Police Station, and in a robbery case filed with Hathazari Police Station.

Mohammad Mohosin, officer-in-charge of Bayezid Police Station, said a team of police conducted a drive in the area around 7pm and arrested him along with the fake currency notes.




HC asks ex-minister Morshed, wife, son to surrender

Staff Reporter :

The High Court (HC) on Wednesday ordered former Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan, his wife Nasrin Khan and their son Faisal Morshed Khan to surrender to a lower court within six weeks in a money laundering case.

A HC bench comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice J B M Hassan also permitted the ACC to start investigation into the money laundering case.

Delivering a verdict on a revision petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the High Court extended till March 31 next year its earlier order for freezing the bank accounts of Morshed, Nasrin and their son Faisal maintained with Standard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong.

ACC Counsel Khurshed Alam Khan said, the three accused had been directed to surrender within six weeks in a senior special court of Dhaka. The High Court at the same time asked the lower court to grant them bail after their surrender.

On June 5, 2016 HC also issued a rule upon the accused to explain as to why the lower court order accepting the final report acquitting the three accused of charges in the case should not be declared illegal and as to why directives should not be given for further investigation into the case.

According to documents, the ACC filed the case in 2013 and submitted a final report in a Dhaka court in July 2015 saying that they did not launder money. The court accepted the report on April 15 this year and exempted these three.

Hong Kong police, who had frozen the accounts in 2008 under an administrative order, sent a letter to ACC with the request to let the police know whether the legal proceedings was going on as they planned opening of the accounts, according to the ACC.

ACC then submitted two petitions in the Dhaka court seeking to revive and reinvestigate the case. The court rejected the petitions on June 2 and ACC moved the revision petition on June 5 challenging the rejection.
PM should take lessons from US polls: BNP

Staff Reporter :

The BNP on Wednesday has admonished Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to take lessons from the US presidential election.

"Democrats are still in power in the United States of America, but the Republicans triumph in Presidential election. There was no muscle power but reflection of the public opinion. Sheikh Hasina should take lessons from all those and that would be better for her." said BNP Senior Joint-Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi while addressing a press briefing at the party's Naya Paltan office. "We are known to what the activists of the ruling party and its associate bodies do across the country. "Students like Khadiza and Mim were attacked by Chhatra League and Jubo League men. They also beat the minority community members, ransacked their houses and worshiping centers," he observed. On the issue of the BNP's 7th November rally at Suhrawardy Udyan, Rizvi said, "We have sought permission to hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on November 13 (Sunday). We hope, the administration would give us permission. The government should not hinder our democratic programme." Rizvi said that, they had already completed all the necessary preparations for holding their rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on November 13.

He said that, they on Tuesday sought permission from both the Public Works Department and Dhaka Metropolitan Police for using the venue for the rally.

The BNP will hold rally marking the 'National Revolution and Solidarity Day' at 2 pm on that day, he added.
Ties with US to grow: AL

Staff Reporter :

Ruling Awami League thinks that friendship relation between Bangladesh and the United States will grow stronger with the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election.

According to the leaders of the party, United States determines their foreign and trade policies with reality. That is why there is no reason for any party to think otherwise with this election result.

Awami League Presidium Member and Health Minister Mohammad Nasim said, 'We have no reason to cheer up at the presidential election of the United States. The US determines their policies with reality. They don't do anything against the national interest. However, we think, relation between Bangladesh and the United States will be boosted with the victory of Donald Trump. We hope, he (Trump) will send back the killer of Bangabandhu for justice.' Another Presidium Member of the ruling party Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzak said, 'The present government is fighting against militancy and terrorism. The US government also doing that. In this regard, the two countries have common interest. So our friendly ties will grow stronger.'

Muhammad Zamir, a member of advisory panel of Awami League and a former diplomat, said, 'The US will never determine its external policy at the cost of national interest. So this is not a matter to research who is hurt and who will be encouraged by Trump's victory.' Awami League Joint-Secretary Mahbub Ul Alam Hanif said, 'The US determines their external policy with reality. So there is no reason to be cheered. We always respect public opinion.'
World leaders greet Trump

Staff Reporter :

World leaders have begun congratulating US President-elect Donald Trump on his historic win highlighting their strong ties with the United States of America.

They are sending congratulations and messages to Donald Trump after news of his winning the presidency broke on Wednesday.

The world leaders including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Russian President Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Theresa May German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Italy's Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi in their separate messages congratulated the US President-elect Donald Trump.

Of them, Russian President Vladimir Putin became first world leader to congratulate new US President Donald Trump, according to agencies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the US Presidential election in a telegram, the Kremlin said.

"Putin expressed hope for joint work to improve the Russian-American relations from their state of crisis, and also to address pressing international issues and search for effective responses to challenge concerning

global security," the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin also said he was sure of a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington that would serve the interests of both countries, the Kremlin said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Donald Trump on winning the US presidency, state TV reported on Wednesday, telling him that the two biggest economies in the world shared responsibility for promoting global development and prosperity.

"I place great importance on the China-US relationship, and look forward to working with you to uphold the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation," Xi told Trump by phone.

The stable and healthy long-term development of Sino-US relations was in the fundamental interest of the Chinese and American people, he said.

Trump, a real estate developer and reality TV host, stunned the world on Tuesday by defeating heavily favoured rival Hillary Clinton, sending stocks and the U.S. dollar tumbling.

On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to take on China and tax Chinese imports to stop currency devaluation.

British Prime Minister Theresa May congratulated Trump and said Britain and the US would remain "strong and close partners on trade, security and defence".

Ms May had criticised Trump's call for a ban on Muslims from entering the United States, saying it was divisive, unhealthy and wrong.

But since Britain's surprise vote to leave the European Union in June prompted her appointment as leader, Ms May has been careful not to pass comment on the former reality TV host.

Also in Britain, controversial former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage congratulated Trump.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on being elected US President, saying he looks forward to working with him closely to take India-US ties to a new height.

Modi said in a tweet the country looks forward to working closely with Trump to strengthen bilateral ties.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated President-elect of USA Donald Trump on his victory and said on Wednesday.

Trump's election is a triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights, and free enterprise.

"It is my great privilege and pleasure to congratulate you on your historic victory in the 2016 presidential elections. On behalf of Pakistan, I wish to extend to you and the people of US, our most sincere felicitations to you as the 45th president of the US" he said.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said.

"I express my heartfelt congratulations on your election as the next president of the United States," Abe said in a statement.

"The stability of the Asia-Pacific region, which is the driving force of the global economy, brings peace and prosperity to the United States," Abe said.

He also called for Tokyo to pay more to support the two countries' security alliance.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has congratulated Donald Trump on his win in the US presidential election, before underlining the importance of their countries' relationship and reminding the president-elect of their shared values.

"Whoever the American people elect their president in free and fair elections, that has a significance far beyond the USA," the chancellor said in Berlin on Wednesday.

French President Francois Hollande said.

"I congratulate you for your grand victory.

"This American election opens a period of uncertainty."

Prime Minister of Australia Turnbull said, America has "no stronger ally" than Australia.

"Australians have been confronted by the intensity of the political battle in the US," he said.

Top officials at the European Union have invited Donald Trump to Europe for an urgent US-EU summit

In a joint letter, Donald Tusk, President of the European Council and Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, congratulated Trump and urged him to come to Europe for talks "at your earliest convenience".

Tusk and Juncker are seeking reassurance on key issues on which Trump's The EU's Foreign Affairs chief, Federica Mogherini, gave a diplomatic reaction to Trump's victory, tweeting: "EU-US ties are deeper than any change in politics."

Italy's Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, who was a vocal supporter of Hillary Clinton even before she secured the Democratic nomination, offered his congratulations to Trump "in the name of Italy" and said he was convinced that the friendship between Italy and the US was strong and solid.

"It's a new political fact that along with other things demonstrates that we are in a new stage," Renzi said. "Who would say that Trump would win? It is that way and we respect it, we will cooperate with the new American president and have a relationship between the EU and Italy."

Pope Francis did not mention the US elections, but secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, offered Trump congratulations in a statement to Vatican Radio that "his government can be truly fruitful".

Spain Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, congratulated the new president on his victory and vowed to work with him to strengthen Spain's relationship with an "indispensable ally".

Spain's foreign ministry said it was confident that the new era of bilateral relations would serve to "reinforce and consolidate" Spain's partnership with the US and "deepen the friendship between our countries and peoples".

The NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, said he was looking forward to working with Trump and that US leadership was vital to the world's biggest military alliance.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte sent his regards in an official statement. "President Rodrigo Roa Duterte wishes to extend his warm congratulations to Donald Trump on his victory as President of the United States of America," Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement. Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has congratulated Donald Trump, saying Cairo wants to see more "cooperation and coordination" between the two nations to bolster stability and peace in the Middle East.

According to a statement by his office on Wednesday, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi telephoned Trump to offer his congratulations and invited him to visit Egypt.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has termed Trumps win as an "extraordinary victory," saying his success showed that politicians should never take voters for granted.

Najib Razak is a possible beneficiary of what could be an inward-looking US under a Trump presidency.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the US election results would have no effect on Tehran's policies, noting that Iran's expanding economic ties with the world were irreversible. "The results of the US election have no effect on the policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Rouhani said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed confidence that he and Donald Trump could work together to bring US-Israeli relations to "new heights".

In a statement congratulating the Republican candidate, Netanyahu said: "President-elect Trump is a true friend of the State of Israel, and I look forward to working with him to advance security, stability and peace in our region."
Hillary surpasses Trump in popular vote tally

Npr News :

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton finds herself on the wrong end of an electoral split, moving ahead in the popular vote but losing to President-elect Donald Trump in the Electoral College, according to the latest numbers emerging Wednesday.

As of 10 a.m. ET, Clinton had amassed 59,299,381 votes nationally, to Trump's 59,135,740 - a margin of 163,641 that puts Clinton on track to become the fifth U.S. presidential candidate to win the popular vote but lose the election.

Neither candidate got more than 50 percent of the vote - as of 10 a.m. ET, Clinton stood at 47.7 percent and Trump at 47.5 percent.

"Trump crossed the 270 electoral vote threshold at 2:31 a.m. ET with a victory in Wisconsin," NPR's Carrie Johnson reports.




Stunning victory for Trump

Obama congratulates, Hillary calls to concede

BBC Online :

Donald Trump will become the 45th US president after a over Democrat Hillary Clinton.



The Republican nominee defied pre-election polling to claim swing states, winning the key battlegrounds of Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania.



He told cheering supporters that Americans must now unite and "bind the wounds of division", after a gruelling, acrimonious campaign. Global markets fell sharply at the news, but later recovered somewhat. Outgoing President Barack Obama has congratulated Mr Trump and has invited him to a meeting at the White House on Thursday to discuss the transition. As poll counting went late into the night, it was Mr Trump's shock victory in Wisconsin that put him over the 270 out of 538 electoral college votes needed to win the White House.



Minutes after Mrs Clinton called him to concede, the US president-elect took to the stage with his family at his victory rally in a New York hotel ballroom and paid tribute to his rival.



"Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country."



He called for Americans to "come together as one united people" and pledged to be president "for all Americans", after a campaign that saw him hit out at Muslims, Hispanics and other minority groups.



The real estate tycoon, former reality TV star and political newcomer, who was universally ridiculed when he declared his candidacy in June last year, said the work of his "great movement" was just beginning.



"It's a movement comprised of Americans from all races, religions, backgrounds and beliefs, who want and expect our government to serve the people." Donald Trump defied all expectations from the very start of his presidential campaign more than a year ago.



Very few people thought he would actually run. He did. They thought he wouldn't climb in the polls. He did. They said he wouldn't win any primaries. He did. They said he could never overcome resistance from the Republican establishment and win his party's nomination. He did.



Finally, they said there was no way he could compete for, let alone win, a general election match-up with Hillary Clinton. Now he's President-elect Trump.



He staged the most unconventional of campaigns, running on gut instinct and his trademark bombast when others - both within his own party and outside - counselled moderation and a pivot to positions perceived to be more acceptable to mainstream voters. He stayed true to the methods and tactics that got him to the cusp of the presidency, and in the end he was rewarded for it. Down the stretch Mr Trump boasted that he was leading a movement, riding the crest of a popular revolution that would change the face of American politics. He was right.



Mr Trump has so far won 28 US states. Mrs Clinton, 69, has only notched up victories in 18 US states and the District of Columbia. New Hampshire and Michigan remained too close to call as of Wednesday morning.



Mr Trump held solidly Republican territory, despite vigorous Democrat campaigning in states such as Georgia, Arizona and Utah, and achieved major upsets in swing states, winning Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that have not supported a Republican presidential candidate since 1988 and 1984 respectively.



There has been no public comment from Mrs Clinton, who dreamed of becoming the first female US president. She did not appear at what was meant to be her victory rally in Manhattan.



Mr Trump, 70, will take office in January with a Republican-dominated Congress, as Democrats were unable to wrest control of the Senate in Tuesday's general election. The populist billionaire provoked controversy on the campaign trail for comments about women, Muslims and a plan to build a wall along the US-Mexican border. He fired up white, working-class American voters who were angry at the Washington establishment and felt left behind by globalisation. Mrs Clinton - who held a slim lead in opinion polls going into the vote - saw her campaign dogged by FBI investigations into her use of a private email server as US secretary of state. Last Sunday, the FBI cleared her once again of any criminality. Polls showed she won support from female, African American and Hispanic voters, while Mr Trump scored well with male and white voters. In a separate development, Massachusetts, Nevada and California voted to legalise recreational marijuana, which could lead to the creation of the largest market for marijuana products in the US.
Judiciary to be blamed for its faith in police and not in one`s innocence

THE High Court on Wednesday set a 43-year man free on bail as he was languishing in the jail for last 16 years without trial. A Bench of the court comprising Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice JBM Hassan in a suo moto order put him on temporary bail asking the trial court to finish his case in 60 working days. The order said the trial court must settle the case within the stipulated time on the basis of existing evidence and documents if the prosecution cannot produce any witness. The Bench has also ordered the District Magistrate and Social Welfare Officer of Dhaka to rehabilitate the man named Shipon on his application if he does not get any shelter after release from the jail. It is a great judgement with great human compassion.



It appears that the man was left abandoned in the jail as family members never came to enquire about him. He was arrested in 2000 on a murder case in the old city with some other accused persons and no lawyer appeared before the court for him in the long period of his detention without trial.



We find it a serious flaw in the system how it works. A person accused of murder along with others cannot remain without trial. The court provides a lawyer if one cannot afford. How he was left to suffer in jail needs to be investigated seriously. The Chief Justice must do it to show that justice does not mean lives have no value.

The man was victim of gross injustice and their lordships have rightly said that the state and the judiciary are responsible for ensuring justice quickly in line with the Constitution. But they failed to do so in the case of Shipon and that's a shame for them and obviously for the nation.



Earlier in the day, the authorities of Kashimpur jail produced Shipon before the Bench following an earlier HC order. Shipon is now homeless and don't know where he will go after the release. He also told the court that he was not involved in the murder; which he heard but was falsely implicated that cost him so many prime years of his life. In fact such victimization by police and lower judiciary is a common phenomenon causing helpless people to endlessly suffering.



We must say the Shipon case is not the only case of miscarriage of justice, it exposed the inhuman side of our justice system. There may be many more people languishing in jail for lack of money to put a lawyer to take the cases or for lack of accesses to such other remedial steps to take their cases for hearing.



We are unhappy, the way the judiciary has failed to take the case seriously considering the importance of one's constitutional liberty. This is not justice for the court, in the midst of police power abused politically to believe everything police say, forgetting that a person is innocent before a court finds so.



Our judges need to change their mind-set of accepting police with all trust and the fact that a person is innocent constitutionally before a court finds him guilty. Please do not deny bail to show faith in the police.






Return Santals land to their families

ATTACKS by vested interest groups on Santal village men in Shahebganj area around Rangpur Sugar Mills is endangering the safety of the ethnic minority as they are coming under repeated attacks backed by local police and sugar mill management. One Santal man has already died and seven missing as the clash that originated from controversial leasing of Santal land to local people triggered protest. News report said over 1000 families have so far flee to other villages as widespread looting of their homes and mass arrest continues as police are reportedly helping the attackers to silence the poor Santal community. Santals are also shooting arrows making the situation further critical. It appears that powerful people are using force on the poor landless people while local administration is witnessing the chaos without extending protection to the indigenous minority. This is like another Nasirnagar incident in Brahmanbaria district but largely left in the sideline away from the capital.



The crisis recently developed as Santal villagers raised homes on some of their previous land; which the Pakistan authorities had acquired from their families for Rangpur Sugar Mills set up in mid 1950s. As per the term of the contract, if all lands were not used for sugarcane farming and put on other crops, original owners would get it back. But the sugar mills management is now using less than 100 acres of land out of 1840 acres for farming sugarcane and the remaining land has been leased to local influential people instead of returning it to original owners' families. The mill management is reportedly playing in the hands of the local influential people.



It is no secret that land of the weak and poor is target of looting and illegal occupation everywhere now in the country using the fragile law and order situation. Since powerful people are active to take possession of the land of the poor, there is hardly any obstacle on their way. Police now help the powerful while the poor cry for help. It is quite unacceptable that Santals' land would pass on to third party's hand while they will remain starving in want of farming land. We see that people from all walks of life has come forward to protect the Hindu community as they come under attack in Nasirnagar to grab their land. But it is equally important that our socio-political bodies and civil society organizations should also come forward to protect Santal people in their fight to save their family land.



In our view everybody should get equal protection and not left abandoned by the administration as they come under attack. We must say the local administration must give protection to the Santals and make sure their land is going to them, not to anybody else.
The Undead Archives

I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world.
"Over 90 percent of the [remote systems] in the area of terraced houses or larger buildings will not send an alarm at the moment, even if the heat is switched off or radiator pressure disappears," as the systems are designed to shut down for safety. "The systems must be actively monitored and adjusted."

Dangerous Threats of Massive IoT Botnets

Just Imaging  What if, you enter into your home from a chilling weather outside, and the heating system fails to work because of a cyber attack, leaving you in the sense of panic?The same happened late last month when an attack knocks heating system offline in Finland.Last week, a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack led to the disruption of the heating systems for at least two housing blocks in the city of Lappeenranta, literally leaving their residents in subzero weather.Both the apartments are managed by a company called Valtia, a facilities services company headquartered in Lappeenranta.Valtia CEO Simo Rounela confirmed to English language news outlet Metropolitan.fi that the central heating system and hot water system in both buildings had become a target of DDoS attacks.In an attempt to fight back the cyber attacks, which lived for a short time, the automated systems rebooted  and unfortunately got stuck in an endless loop, which restarted repeatedly and eventually shut down heating systems for more than a week.The incident is extremely worrying because in a location as cold as Finland  where temperatures at this time month are below freezing  taking heating systems offline for over a week could result in death, particularly with old-aged people.Fortunately for the buildings' residents, it was not that cold in Lappeenranta.The attack started in late October and ended on 3rd November afternoon. Here's what a brief post on the company's website reads:According to another local media outlet, Helsingin Sanomat , Valtia quickly relocated those affected systems and switched the heating systems over to manual, while the company addressed the DDoS attacks and brought the control systems "back into the grid, this time from behind a firewall."The report attributes the cyber attack to the the same infamous IoT botnet that caused vast internet outage over two weeks ago by launching massive DDoS attacks against DNS provider Dyn. Mirai botnet malware scans for insecure IoT devices, like security cameras, DVRs, and routers, that uses their default passwords and then enslaves them into a botnet network, which is then used to launch DDoS attacks.The latest incident isn't a disastrous situation, but it is enough to make it crystal clear that these Internet-connected systems can cause a significant consequence in our physical world as well.Just imagine if these control systems can not be manually adjusted by the people who truly rely on them?In this case, any cyber attack that knocks these systems down is potentially dangerous and even deadly in the event of extreme temperatures.This incident once again highlights the dangerous threats of massive DDoS attacks , which are now emerging from Millions of insecure Internet of Things (IoT) devices, whereby attackers can simply launch a DDoS to take down any critical service  no need to infect it with malware or viruses.So the best way to protect your smart devices from being a part of DDoS botnet is to be more vigilant about the security of your internet-connected devices.
Pre-purchase property inspection is a relatively new thing in the United Kingdom. Its not something that most people have heard about, but it has become increasingly popular over the last few years with the rise in property prices and increased demand for high quality homes.

What are the benefits of pre-purchase building inspection? What can you expect to find out when you pay someone else to inspect your home before you buy it? And what should you look for during an inspection?

Many people want to know if theyre buying a house thats been well maintained or if its had any serious problems. If youve found a place on the market that seems attractive, but then discover some issues after moving in, you may not be as excited about buying it as you thought you were.

Its important to do your due diligence when looking at properties. A lot goes into making a property appealing to potential buyers, from the landscaping to the flooring to the kitchen appliances. The same applies when inspecting a property  there are many things that need checking over to make sure everything is running smoothly.

Here are some of the benefits of performing a pre-purchase inspection:

You get to see exactly what will happen to your money

When you go shopping for a new car, youll probably be shown several different models. You might even be shown one that looks like a great value, but doesnt fit around all of the extra features that you want. When it comes time to actually buy the vehicle, however, you wont have seen how your money will be spent on it once you drive it off the showroom floor.

Likewise, when you shop for a new home, you dont really know what youre getting yourself into until you move in. In order to get a feel for whether the home youre considering is what you want, you normally have to spend quite a bit of time inside it. This allows you to learn more about everything that youre going to be spending your hard-earned cash on.

A pre-purchase building inspection gives you much the same kind of experience without having to spend thousands of dollars. Since youre paying for the service, you can expect to see exactly what youre paying for, instead of just seeing a vague idea of what you might end up with.

You find out about potential major repairs

Some buildings are very expensive to maintain, which means that owners often neglect them for the sake of saving money. While youre paying for a building inspection, youre also paying for a professional who knows how to spot signs of trouble and repair work that needs doing.

If you notice that a particular area of your new home needs fixing right away, you can call in an expert to take care of it quickly. If you find that theres something wrong with your boiler, you wont have to wait weeks for a plumber to come over and fix it. Instead, youll have access to a solution immediately.

You can save hundreds of pounds by finding out about potential problems early on

One of the biggest expenses when you first buy a home is the cost of moving in. Many people dont realize this until its too late. Buying a home involves not only paying for the actual house, but also for moving costs, furniture, and other items that have to be moved along with the home.

Having a good idea ahead of time of what youre likely to encounter can help you avoid these kinds of costs. If you know youll need to replace the plumbing system, for example, youll be able to put together a budget for the expense and plan accordingly.

You can protect your investment by finding out if the homes been well cared for

While there are plenty of people who think that houses always look better when theyre newly built, youd be surprised at how well maintained older residences can still look nice. Sometimes, though, those homes need some additional maintenance to keep them looking their best.

This could involve repairs that arent so noticeable or small improvements that you wouldnt consider otherwise. Even worse, some houses have fallen into disrepair without anyone noticing. This is why having a professional perform a building inspection prior to purchasing a home is such a big benefit.

Not only will it give you insight into the state of the property, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing youre not getting taken advantage of. As long as youre aware of the potential pitfalls, youll have less reason to worry about the state of your new home.

You can use information gathered during a building inspection to negotiate a lower price

If youre worried about buying a home because you suspect that it may need extensive renovation work, you may already have a rough idea of how much work youll need to do to bring it up to scratch. That knowledge can come in handy if you decide to buy the home.

You can use all of the details that you gather during a building inspection to present a realistic picture of what the home is worth to prospective buyers. If a potential buyer thinks that the home is worth more than what you paid for it, you can try negotiating a lower price.

You can sell your home faster and for more money

If you decide to list your home on the market soon after buying it, youll need to price it accurately in order to attract buyers. But if youve already done a thorough building inspection, youll know exactly what work is needed and what the current market conditions are.

In other words, youll be able to make a more accurate estimate of the amount of money youve invested in the home and how much its worth. If you find that youre selling your house for close to its full market value, you can use this information to convince the potential buyer that your home is worth the asking price.

Even if youre planning to stay in the home for a while before you decide to sell, the fact that you did a thorough building inspection will give you more confidence when listing it. Prospective buyers will know exactly what theyre paying for.

Your home will hold its value longer

As mentioned earlier, the value of a home depends heavily upon the condition of the building itself. If your home is in bad shape, potential buyers wont be interested in buying it. On the other hand, if youve performed a thorough building inspection and know what sort of repairs are necessary, you can offer your prospective buyer a compelling reason to invest in your property.

When you buy a home, youre essentially agreeing to have it inspected periodically to ensure that it stays in top shape. Not only does this allow you to avoid expensive repairs down the road, but it can also increase the value of your home.

You can make smart decisions about property investments

Buying real estate isnt as simple as just driving a couple of minutes to pick up a house. There are lots of considerations involved, ranging from location to cost. The same is true when youre investing in property.

If you find a house that meets all of your requirements, youll want to make sure that you have a solid understanding of where it stands with regards to the rest of the market. If you havent spent enough time researching the area, you could inadvertently end up with a bad deal.

There are lots of resources available online that can help you determine the overall level of competition in your area. They can also help you figure out if there are any properties that meet your requirements that you didnt know about.

If you own rental property, you can use the information to identify tenants who might cause damage

If you own rental property and youve noticed that certain tenants consistently cause damage, you can use the results of a building inspection to identify them. You can then contact them directly to let them know that youre watching them closely and that you dont appreciate the problem theyre causing.

They might start taking better care of their homes, which would be good news for everyone. It could also be the case that youll find out that theyre responsible for previous damages that werent caught during a previous visit.

You can make smarter decisions about hiring contractors

If youve hired contractors to build or repair your home, you might want to ask them for references. However, unless you perform a thorough building inspection, you might not know exactly what to look for.

For instance, maybe you only checked the roof for leaks or the walls for cracks. You might not have looked underneath the foundation for anything that could cause a future issue. By performing a building inspection, you can ensure that you hire reputable contractors who will be trustworthy with your money.

You can avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition

Of course, the main benefit of structural inspections perth is that it helps you avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition. Before you make the decision to buy a home, you should do whatever you can to find out about the state of the building.

You can also ask your realtor about what sorts of inspections are typically recommended. Some agents say that its standard practice to check the heating system, the roof, the electrical wiring, and the floors. Others will tell you that they recommend that you check the entire structure.

Either way, if you choose to hire an inspector, youll find out exactly what needs to be fixed and how much it will cost to do so.

As a result, it can be concluded that a pre-purchase building inspection is highly important for the buyers because it provides transparency regarding the current conditions of the structure. Additionally, the building owner is made aware of any upgrades or repairs that are required, which could lead to a fair deal throughout the purchasing and selling process.
President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The United States generally imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8% of U.S. imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia. Gas prices have been rising for weeks due to the conflict and in anticipation of potential sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline soared 45 cents a gallon in the past week and topped $4.06 on Monday, according to auto club AAA. Should the US ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war?

You voted:
CARBONDALE  In a groundswell of support, Republican incumbent Mike Bost won re-election in the U.S. 12th Congressional District.

With a steep margin, as of press time Bost took 55.4 percent of the vote leaving Democratic opponent C.J. Baricevic with 37.4 percent and Green Party candidate Paula Bradshaw trailing a distant third with six percent.

Bost praised both his opponents on running good campaigns. He said even running itself is a feat.

Just putting your name on the ballot is an amazing thing and no one knows what thats like unless theyve done it, Bost said.

Baricevic said it was a tough loss, but added he has not crossed off the idea of other races in the future and plans to continue to serve his community.

Baricevic accepted the loss but said he enjoyed the process.

It was a good campaign," he said. "I was humbled and honored to have the opportunity to run as a Democrat.

Bradshaw said she was happy to get six percent but was discouraged by the American response to her partys platform, adding that polls show Americans are increasingly disappointed with the status quo.

Its disappointing that Americans seem to reject [The Green Party platform] and return to the status quo. We need a better option, Bradshaw said.

A banner issue in the race for the 12th was coal. While both Bost and Baricevic agreed that miners and mines needed protection, each touted different strategies. Bost would ease regulation on coal while Baricevic supported investment in Co2 scrubbing technology to make Southern Illinois coal more viable in the marketplace, which he described as a pragmatic approach to the problem. Bradshaw, on the other hand, stood apart from her opponents, spending less time discussing the future of coal in the region and more time outlining a push toward renewable forms of energy, emphasizing she did not want Southern Illinois to resemble her home city of Los Angeles in the future.

His stance on coal was not the only break from the Democratic platform Baricevic made in his campaign. He said he was not afraid to speak up about the faults of the Affordable Care Act. He went on to explain that while Obamacare may have succeeded in its broad goal of getting more Americans covered, it performed poorly in rural areas, which comprises much of 12th District.

Baricevics campaign was marked by his underdog status. He was not always the party darling for the race. In fact, he faced possible opposition from St. Clair County Sheriff Rick Watson, who declined to run in July of last year.

Bosts re-election run was strong from its outset, more often than not out-fundraising Baricevic. However, despite deep GOP support, he did break with his partys presidential nominee on border issues, saying building a wall is not the answer to control immigration. He also strayed from the party platform on the ACA. Bost said he did not know whether a complete repeal of the program was necessary or if it could be retooled to better serve Americans.

In her third campaign for the 12th District, Green Party candidate Paula Bradshaw focused on her party's Green New Deal, a plan modeled after FDRs New Deal, focusing on job training for and research on renewable forms of energy. She also spoke often on a 50 percent reduction in defense spending and pulling money out of politics.

The 12th District spans from Alton south to Cairo and from Chester east to Mount Vernon. The new congressional session starts Jan. 3.
MURPHYSBORO  Terri Bryant, a freshman legislator from Murphysboro, has been elected to a second term in the Illinois state legislature.

Bryant won with almost 57 percent of the votes cast, to hold off a challenge from Jonesboro schoolteacher Marsha Griffin, who won 43 percent of the vote. Griffin's press agent said she conceded in an interview on a local television station.

The 115th district covers Jefferson, Washington, Perry, Jackson and Union counties.

Standing before a room filled with supporters, family and friends at the Elks Lodge 572, Bryant made an acceptance speech shortly after 10 p.m. She had spent the past hour or so checking results from some outstanding precincts and waiting for a final OK from the House Republican Organization before declaring her victory.

During the wait, supporters applauded preliminary results showing that Southern Illinois Republicans had won seats held by Democrats and at televised news showing Republican presidential challenger Donald Trump had won the state of Florida.

During her acceptance speech, Bryant said she was hopeful about the new legislative make-up that would include Republicans Dale Fowler and D Dave Severain.

"It is a big win, big night for the Republicans tonight," Bryant said, to applause from the audience. "Really, the whole landscape of Southern Illinois (has changed), to have Dave Severin in the legislature and on the Senate side, to have Dale Fowler there, it's going to be tremendous, I believe, for our region. Looking forward to working with those guys."

Griffin had taken Bryant to task on her voting record in the early part of her first term, saying Bryant was negligent in representing the concerns of her Southern Illinois constituents.

Once the 115th constituents weighed in her voting record, Bryant said her voting patterns changed and she began to vote more. All total, she said her freshman record was one of the best among that season's first-term legislators, seeing her pass six bills, with no no votes  including two related to Molly's Law governing FOIA records and statute of limitations  and co-sponsor 187 others, she said.

I was the most successful freshman in the legislature this year," she said.

The Illinois Republican party volleyed back, accusing Griffin of teaching on a lapsed license for five months, even as the state party spokesman alleged that she had received prior notification that her license was about to lapse. Though he claimed the lapsed license jeopardized the schools Title I funding, one state education spokeswoman implied there would be several opportunities to correct that before that could happen.
Jackson County voters said yes Tuesday to the 1 percent tax increase proposal.

The measure passed with 57.35 percent of the vote, according to numbers provided by the county. The tax increase will help with upgrades to schools within Jackson County.

Superintendents in the county have said they can no longer rely on the state for stable funding for its schools. They said the tax would generate about $5.4 million for county schools. The funds would be dispersed by enrollment by the Illinois Department of Revenue.

"I'm glad to see such commitment from the voters in Jackson County," said Murphysboro School District 186 Superintendent Chris Grode. "We will work hard to improve our facilities, continuing to improve education."

The funds can only be used for new facilities, renovations, security, technology, infrastructure, land acquisition, energy efficiency, fire prevention, parking lots, and building and roof repairs. It cant be used for direct instructional costs, textbooks, detached furniture, computers, salaries or operating costs.

The superintendents said the revenue comes from everything currently included in the municipal and county sales tax base. However, cars, ATVs, boats, unprepared food, prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs and farm equipment will not be taxed.

If it is not currently taxed, it will not be taxed, says the fliers that schools sent out over the past two months.

Carbondale, the biggest municipality in the county, recently increased taxes on food and beverage sales by 2 percent.

The new tax approved Tuesday brings taxes in Carbondale on food and beverage items to 11.75 percent. Taxes on all other items would be 9.75 percent, matching the sales tax inside Du Quoins business district as the highest sales tax in Southern Illinois.

Williamson County was the first in the state to pass the tax after the state, in 2007, passed a bill that allowed counties to put the question on the ballot. In Southern Illinois, Perry, Franklin, Saline, Randolph, Hamilton, White and Hardin counties all followed suit and passed the tax.

"I am excited to see the positive changes that will occur over the next few years," Grode said.
Lets assume that you are the governor of a diverse state but not terribly sympathetic to everyday people. Inconceivable, I know, but hear me out. Lets say that despite your sworn duty you think government is a pain to the deserving upper crust, that all it does is take from your kind and redistribute it to slothful unions and the grasping, uncivilized poor.

How could you strike back? First, youd do everything in your power to curb your governments ability to spend money, such as by blocking responsible budget deals and denying it the revenue needed for basic functions. You like starving the beast and how it immediately affects schools and social services.

But then you do something that really hurts for the longer term and shows everybody whos boss. You go after the public universities and community colleges, those dangerous purveyors of marketable credentials.

Sound like anybody we know?

Gov. Bruce Rauner has done more to disable Illinois government than to set it on the right course since taking office in January 2015. For some of his supporters, especially the billionaires who have joined Rauner in the outright purchase of the Illinois Republican Party, thats probably just fine. Everybody else has to deal with the effects, which include a dysfunctional, deadbeat state government that scares off the private sector.

But there is nothing more calculated or cynical in Rauners attack on government than what hes done to higher education.

Illinois has nine public universities and 48 community colleges, a system built up over decades of care that speaks well for political and civic leadership of the past. Compared with other states, the system has performed well. One example is that it ranks No. 1 in graduation rates for part-time students and adult learners. In all the functions of state government, is there any type of institution that has done more to bring people of modest incomes into good jobs with a future, and to let them prove that theyve earned their place, instead of getting it through connections or birthright?

State higher education is functioning on two recent spending bills, a bare-bones version for fiscal 2016 ending last July and a stopgap budget intended to cover the first half of the current fiscal year. Together, the spending totals about $1.6 billion. But James Applegate, executive director of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, said the appropriation would have to be nearly $4 billion just to keep the system even with its funding level from fiscal 2015.

In other words, the system is running on less than half of what it got before Rauner grabbed hold of the budget. Damaging cuts have occurred at all schools, enrollment is falling and their credit ratings have been cut. The financially weakest school, Chicago State University, is threatened with a loss of accreditation, so new and returning students are making other plans. Its enrollment this year is off 25 percent and its freshman class, all of 86 students, is a tenth the size of five years ago.

Last May, Jack Thomas, president of Western Illinois University, described the long-term impact in testimony to an Illinois House committee. We are on the verge of a complete collapse of the higher education system that is sending our intellectual capital out of the state, he said.

Since then, his school and other regional universities in Illinois have felt added strain. Western, Northern and Eastern Illinois and Southern Illinois-Carbondale all have seen enrollment declines that are among the steepest of Midwest schools in their size categories, said the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. These schools tend to need state support more than the flagship University of Illinois. Easterns showingan enrollment drop of 13 percentwas especially bad.

Another casualty is the states scholarship aid for low-income students, the Monetary Assistance Program (MAP), which in a good year can help about 130,000 students, less than half the eligible applicants. With the budget crisis, the program limped through the spring 2016 semester. The state reports there is no MAP money for the 2016-2017 school year. The average family income of a MAP recipient is $32,000 and most are first-generation college students. Theyre trying to get ahead when most jobs advertised in Illinois require at least a bachelors degree.

Education officials hold out hope for more funding once the General Assembly reconvenes after the Nov. 8 election. Rauner has said he wants education funding to be part of grand compromise.

Can Rauner be trusted to side with fairness and upward mobility? Hes the same guy who reached out to moderate voters in his 2014 campaign by disavowing any social agenda common to right-wing Republicans. Little did we know that he'd push his own narrow-minded agenda that makes no room for the poor and the working class.
Premier Li Keqiang advocates the establishment of a free-trade zone at the 15th Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of Governments in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Nov 3, 2016. LIU ZHEN / CHINA NEWS SERVICE

The heads of government of Shanghai Cooperation Organization member countries, at their 15th meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Nov 3, reiterated their long-standing commitment to safeguarding regional peace, stability and development. Established in 2001, the bloc, comprising China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, has been gaining increasing influence in regional political, economic and security areas.

Contrary to speculations that China and Russia intend to create a "NATO-like organization", the SCO has held high the "Shanghai Spirit" of mutual trust, reciprocity, equality, consultation, respect for diverse societies and common development.

Through their practical cooperation in ever-increasing fields, the SCO members have been catalyzing regional economic development, and, more importantly, responding to the challenges that threaten regional peace and stability.

What was originally a simple mechanism aimed at building trust along border areas and taking forward the disarmament process has, over the years, become an influential bloc with six full members and 12 observer states and dialogue partners. Driving its two wheels of security and economic cooperation in a steady pace, the SCO is indeed injecting positive energy into the region.

In Bishkek, Premier Li Keqiang put forward a six-point proposal, urging all SCO member states to adhere to a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept, through such measures as increasing information exchanges and deepening cooperation in law enforcement so as to ensure the safety of their peoples, institutions and enterprises.

The proposal reflects China's continuous efforts to build a new security concept that takes into consideration the changing realities of the world's political, economic and security landscapes.

The world is moving toward democratization of international relations and away from power politics. The global economic recovery is dragging its feet, and the international community has to grapple with rampant terrorism in the Middle East and the spread of extremist ideology across the globe.

For leaders of the SCO, they need to take all this into consideration and come up with practical ways of promoting regional peace and development. This is no easy task considering that the SCO member states are at different stages of development and have different cultural and social backgrounds.

But what has been achieved in the past 15 years has gone beyond people's expectations and is enough to dispel unnecessary speculation over China's or Russia's hidden agenda of expanding their own sphere of influence through the SCO.

The agenda of the SCO has always been for the well-being of the peopleto give them a better and more secure life. The bloc, together with its observer states and dialogue partners, boasts one-third of the world's total GDP volume and almost half of the world's population.

Over the years, through measures such as joint military exercises and joint law enforcement in border areas, the bloc has effectively kept the three evil forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism at bay. The member states have also designed various schemes to alleviate poverty, create jobs, conduct people-to-people exchanges and improve infrastructure construction. SCO leaders fully understand the reasons behind the rising non-traditional challenges facing the region and the world, and the necessity to address both the symptoms and the root causes of terrorism and extremism.

Without the elimination of poverty and the outdated social and economic environment, the soil that breeds terrorism and extremism cannot be cleansed. This is something some Western countries, the United States in particular, have never bothered to ponder.

The US-led "war on terror" in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan has only focused on eliminating terrorists without paying attention to the causes that lead to the spread of extremist ideology.

In this context, the SCO has set a good example in regional governance: It is stepping up security cooperation without interfering in countries' internal affairs and conjoining their national development plans to rejuvenate the economy. This explains why the SCO is attracting more countries in the region to become its members.

The author is deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily Asia Pacific.

jasmine@chinadailyhk.com
Voters in Bamberg County returned Rep. Justin Bamberg to the S.C. House on Tuesday. They also approved a bond referendum that will allow the Denmark-Olar schools to build new facilities.

Its a humbling thing, Bamberg said about winning a second term to House District 90.

The Bamberg County Democrat defeated Republican contender Dan Lawrence. Bamberg won enough votes in his home county to overcome losses in the districts other two counties.

Bamberg won handily in Bamberg County with 4,533 votes to Lawrences 1,554 votes, or roughly three-fourths of the total, in the unofficial election results posted Tuesday night.

Lawrence garnered 994 votes to Bambergs 297 in Barnwell County.

In Colleton, Lawrence defeated Bamberg with 4,068 votes to the incumbents 3,101 votes.

We had some big wins in certain precincts, Bamberg said.

Its my first time seeking re-election and to see people really going to bat for me, if feels good and I thank each and every one of them, he said.

Bamberg said that during this next term, hes going to continue to build on what weve already begun to create, which is a better House District 90.

Well work on building the economy, particularly here in Bamberg County. Weve seen Black Water Barrels come in, he said.

We want to continue to build. We want to give people careers, not just jobs, he said.

Bamberg said hes also thankful that the school bond referendum passed for Bamberg County School District 2.

Nearly three-fourths of the voters supported the $38 million plan to borrow money to combine its three existing schools into one Pre-K-12 school on the property where the Denmark-Olar High School is now located.

Its long overdue, Bamberg said.

Bamberg 2 Superintendent Dr. Thelma Sojourner said Tuesday night that shes extremely proud and very elated about the referendums support.

Im glad were in a position to do something positive for our children, she said.

I want to give a special thanks to the Denmark community, Olar community and all of the people who worked to support this, she said.

In other Bamberg County results, the majority of voters supported Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton with 3,886 votes to Republican Donald Trumps 2,197 votes.

For U.S. Senate, 3,694 Bamberg County voters selected Democrat Thomas Dixon over incumbent Sen. Tim Scott, who received 2,149 votes.

Bamberg County voters also supported U.S. House of Representatives District 6 incumbent Rep. James Clyburn, a Democrat, with 4,098 votes to Republican contender Laura Sterlings 1,848 votes.
Two incumbents retained their seats on the Calhoun County School District Board.

Gary B. Porth beat Michael Felkel on Tuesday for the District 1 seat on the school board. Porth received 552 votes to Felkel's 406 votes.

In District 4, incumbent Edmond "Ned" Nelson beat Joyce Parrish by a vote of 654 to 459.

"I thank the voters for their confidence in me and their support," Porth said. He pledged to continue working for the betterment of Calhoun County schools.

'We are moving in a very good direction in academic success, Porth said.

He said the district's buildings are top-notch, all teachers are fully certified and the administration is competent in making sure students follow the school rules.

Porth is a lifelong resident of Calhoun County and graduate of the countys public schools.

He has accumulated 24 years of service to the Calhoun County school district. His service began in 1988 when he was first elected to the District Four seat. After four years, he was defeated in 1992.

In 1995, Porth moved to Cameron and ran in the 1996 election. He won the District 1 seat and has served in the position since.

Nelson said, "I thank the voters from school District 4 for another term in office.

"I am happy to serve the people of Calhoun County and District 4."

Nelson has been a resident of Calhoun County for 55 years.

He graduated from the Calhoun County public school system and went on to the University of South Carolina.

Upon graduating with a masters degree in educational administration, Nelson returned to Calhoun County to work in the district for 29 years before retiring in 2010.

Nelson said he looks to continue improving on what the district has already accomplished.

Calhoun County saw a steady stream of voters on Tuesday.

"Our office and a couple of precincts I have heard from have been very steady all day long," Voter Registration and Elections Director Shayla Jenkins said. This is good as people are getting out and voting."

Jenkins said there were no problems at the polls.

"Our machines have held up very well," Jenkins said.

In Calhoun County, there are 11,151 registered voters. About 7,625 voted, or about 70 percent of the voters.

The voter turnout was lower this year than in the past two general elections.

In Calhoun County, 7,932 ballots were cast in 2012 for a voter turnout of 77 percent. About 7,832 ballots were cast in 2008 for a voter turnout of 80 percent.

In other races, the Calhoun County results were:

* S.C. Senate District 26 Republican challenger Brad Lindsey received 1,435 votes to Democratic incumbent Nikki Setzlers 1,419 in Calhoun County. Three other counties are included in the district.

* Sixth District Congressman Democrat James Clyburn received 3,795 votes to Republican Laura Sterlings 3,384, Libertarian Rich Piotrowskis 105 and Green Party Prince Charles Mallorys 58.

* Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump received 3,785 votes (51.4 percent) to Democrat Hillary Rodham Clintons 3,569.

The Dixie precinct cast the most ballots for Clinton at 639 while the Sandy Run precinct cast the most votes for Trump at 734.

Libertarian Gary Johnson received 105; Independence candidate Evan McMullin, 39; Green candidate Jill Stein, 24; Constitution candidate Darrell Castle, 15 and American candidate Peter Skewes, 6.

For the U.S. Senate seat, Republican Tim Scott received 3,833 votes to Democrat Thomas Dixon's 3,233.

Votes will be certified at 10 a.m. Friday in Calhoun County Council chambers.
This was the first presidential election in 50 years without the full protection of the Voting Rights Act.

In 1965 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act to stop state and local governments from adopting laws or procedures that deny American citizens the equal right to vote based on their race. In 2013, the Supreme Court rolled back key parts of this law, opening the door for states and localities with a history of voter discrimination to pass voting rules that make it harder for many Americans to vote.

In the aftermath of the decision, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas moved forward with restrictions that previously would have been reviewed under the Voting Rights Act. Many other states have since pushed legislation and taken other actions that right now are making it harder for millions of eligible Americans to vote.

For example, some state governments have created lists of people to remove from the voter rolls and cut back on early voting hours in targeted areas. In other places, governments have strictly limited what qualifies as a valid ID documentation voters must produce in order to cast a ballot.

Thousands of eligible voters have been illegally purged.

Removing ineligible voters from the rolls is an important part of protecting the integrity of our election system. But it must be done fairly and accurately. Purging thousands of eligible Americans from the voter lists is plain wrong. When politicians make lists of voters to purge, these lists are typically full of mistakes. Many voters get unfairly caught up in the process and risk losing their rights. Military service members who often move, college students who have changed their address, occasional voters, veterans, seniors and voters of color are most often the ones affected by deeply flawed voter purges.

New voter ID requirements are onerous and restrictive.

As many as 21 million Americans do not have government-issued photo identification. Voters in rural or dense urban areas, communities of color, and low-income individuals are less likely to have photo IDs showing a current address. These laws dont improve the integrity of our elections, but they do exclude eligible voters from participating in our democracy. Many of us are accustomed to providing ID but many citizens simply do not have them. And these eligible voters should not be denied their fundamental rights.

The United States needs to keep our voting system free, fair and accessible by restoring the Voting Rights Act.

There is a bipartisan proposal in Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act and strengthen protections for the right to vote. This important piece of legislation would increase transparency by requiring public disclosure of certain changes to voting laws. It would enable official election observers to monitor elections in places with a recent history of discrimination.

When the next Congress is sworn in come January, it is essential that it take action to right this wrong.

The United States can be proud of an election system that works remarkably well. But it does have flaws that must be addressed. As the worlds leading democracy, we cant stand for laws that block some eligible Americans from voting, or that deny them the opportunity to participate equally in our democracy.
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By Azertac





Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Ogtay Asadov has met with Romanian ambassador in Baku Dan Iancu and Austrian ambassador Axel Vex.





At the meeting with the Romanian ambassador, Asadov expressed confidence that Iancu will do his utmost to strengthen strategic and partner relations between Romania and Azerbaijan.





The Parliament Speaker noted that relations between the two countries reached a new level of development. "Next year Romania and Azerbaijan will mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations."





According to Asadov, reciprocal visits of heads of state and negotiations between them laid a good basis for the expansion of relations between Romania and Azerbaijan. "The legal framework between the two countries makes around 60 documents."





"Azerbaijan strives to develop both political and economic ties with Romania." He commended the role of the Joint Economic Commission in expanding economic relations between the two countries. Asadov also hailed the role of the parliaments of Romania and Azerbaijan in developing intergovernmental relations.





Ambassador Iancu vowed to do his utmost to strengthen relations between Romania and Azerbaijan. He said that Azerbaijan is a friendly and brotherly country for Romania.





Iancu said that the strengthening of relations in the political, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres serves common interests of the two countries. He also praised the role of the parliaments in raising bilateral relations to a higher level.





At the meeting with the Austrian ambassador, Asadov emphasized that relations with Austria are important from the point of view of both bilateral cooperation and cooperation with the European Union. He praised political, economic and cultural relations between Romania and Azerbaijan.





Asadov said that Azerbaijan is a reliable energy partner of Europe. He noted that TANAP and TAP projects will play an important role in ensuring energy security of the whole continent.





Ambassador Vex noted that Austria is interested in developing relations with this part of the Caucasus. We fully recognize and appreciate the role Azerbaijan plays in the energy architecture of Europe. Our relations in economic and cultural spheres continue developing. And we intend to continue our activity on this front, he added.








By Trend





The Armenian leadership hampers the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, Susan Jaghinyan, Armenian journalist and social activist, said in Baku Nov. 9.

"The Armenian people had their share of grief, she said. Only occupiers benefited as a result of the conflict.

Jaghinyan stressed the need for resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, stressing that Armenia and Azerbaijan are suffering as a result of the conflict.

"The purpose of my visit to Baku is to contribute to the conflict settlement, she said. The whole nation is being destroyed. If the perpetrators of the conflict and those who are currently in power in Armenia remain unpunished, there will be no Armenian nation in 20 years."

Jaghinyan stressed that the Armenian government is inadequate.

"My visit to Baku is a slap in the face for the Armenian leadership," she said, by calling Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan occupier, who came to power through murders.

President Sargsyan robs his people, she said.

Jaghinyan added that after her publications appeared in the Azerbaijani media, President Sargsyan instructed his officials to declare the journalist dead.

"The only way for the Armenian leadership to solve the problem with such people as me is murder," she said.

"My property was withdrawn in Armenia, she said. I am not a citizen of Armenia. My passport has expired and there is no decision on its extension."

Together with the participants of the conference entitled "Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: main obstacles and prospects of settlement. Look from Armenia and Azerbaijan", recently held in Baku, Jaghinyan tried to contact Yerevan by Skype, but the Armenian authorities broke the connection.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
This post is prompted by a number of things that have left me pondering how as Christians we are to bring about change in our churches. When we strongly b...

7 years ago
The UAE will prepare documentation to govern public-private partnerships (PPPs) by the year end as it encourages more private sector participation in infrastructure projects, said a report.



The announcemnt comes as the country is spending tens of billions of dollars on huge infrastructure projects, including the expansion of airports in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and the Dubai Expo 2020 fair site, according to Reuters.



The documentation, which will be used instead of drafting a new PPP law, will be submitted to the cabinet this year, stated the report citing the Minister of Infrastructure Development Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Nuaimi.



The minister was speaking to reporters at a rail industry conference in Dubai.



Countries around the region are promoting PPPs as a way to reduce pressure on state finances in an era of low oil prices. In PPPs, private investors take stakes in projects, sharing the risk and profits with the government.


Abu Dhabi government has approved Dh83 million ($22.5 million) worth of preparatory works for Zone One of the Wathaba residential community project in the emirate, said a report.



Spread over a sprawling 42-million-sq-m area north of Wathaba, the project aims to provide 18,290 housing units besides 117 commercial buildings and 279 service facilities. It is considered one of the largest residential communities for citizens to be executed in the emirate, said the state news agency Wam.



The project aims to build urban areas that meet the needs of the community and provide a high quality of life, a key objective of the Abu Dhabis Plan, it stated, citing officials of Abu Dhabi Executive Council.



Also the council gave approval to the soil and preparatory works worth Dh75 million ($20.4 million) for the development of Zone Two north of Al Wathaba.



Among other projects to be given the go-ahead, the committee has approved Dh89 million ($24.2 million) for rehabilitation and replacement of wastewater lines in Abu Dhabi island, said the report.



The scope of work includes the establishment of new 12.2-km-long wastewater lines, rehabilitation of 3.6-km-long lines, excavation of 1.5-km-long tunnels, maintenance of 1,500 manholes and CCTV monitoring over a 35-sq-km area.



In addition, the council gave the go-ahead for a plan to improve assets and establish wastewater lines in Abu Dhabi Island, Zone 3 at an investment of over Dh84 million ($22.8 million) besides a major road project linking Baynunah to the Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan I Road (Madinat Zayed-Ghayathi) in the Western Region.


The development of electric, autonomous, and connected vehicles in the GCC will be in sharp focus at the 2nd International Conference on Future Mobility, to be held later this month, in Dubai, UAE.



The event will take place on November 14 and 15, at the Grand Hyatt Dubai, and more than 350 delegates from 25 countries representing 150 organisations are expected to attend.



The conference arrives following a series of declarations from authorities promoting the use of alternative and eco-friendly non-fossil fuel technologies on UAE roads, said a statement.



Hosted by the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA), and organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, the two-day summit will feature a line-up of more than 30 international experts sharing their insights into smart, clean, and connected mobility, it said.



A co-located exhibition will also shine the spotlight on futuristic vehicles using the latest in smart eco-friendly technology from the worlds heavyweight manufacturers such as Toyota, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volkswagen and more, it added.



Held under the patronage of Dr Rashid Ahmed Bin-Fahad, the UAE Minister of State and chairman of ESMA, the event leads a concerted effort to slash carbon emissions in a region widely known for its love of cars.



The Dubai government has mandated that 10 per cent of all civic fleets in the emirate consist of electric vehicles by 2020. This ambitious target means thousands of electric vehicles are set to be ordered to replace existing government department vehicle fleets.



Additionally, the government is working on consumer incentives to encourage drivers to switch from petroleum-powered cars to the more sustainable hybrid and electric alternative.



ESMA has come up with a comprehensive scheme covering all aspects of operating and maintaining vehicles powered by alternative energy sources. The government body has drafted unified regulations and standards that will come into effect shortly and to which all electric and hybrid vehicles entering UAE will have to comply.



Meanwhile, in April 2016, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced that 25 per cent of vehicles in Dubai will be autonomous by 2030, adding further weight behind the big push toward a smarter, greener, and more mobile future.



Abdulla Abdulqader Al Maeeni, director general of ESMA, said: Given that the UAE Government has announced that 25 per cent of all public transport systems in the country will be smart and automated by 2030, we are set to see a transformation in the way people and goods move around the country.



The event with its focus on alternative technologies, automation and connected transport, is especially relevant here, he said.



The conference is a unique platform for delegates to meet and interact with government regulators, manufacturers, and leading experts in the field and discuss the latest technological developments that are driving the industry, he concluded.

Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of organiser, Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: The UAE is making an assertive push to promote the use of eco-friendly vehicles as part of its effort to reduce the countrys carbon footprint and develop a sustainable economy.



With the GCC on the brink of witnessing an exciting transformation in sustainable mobility, the UAE is continuing its tradition of being in the forefront of promoting innovation and being a leader in effecting positive change, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) has signed a co-operation agreement with Elia Grid International, a Belgian consultancy and engineering services company, said a report.



The agreement is aimed at encouraging the sharing of information, experiences and ideas to foster transmission development, network planning, KPIs (key performance indicators) enhancement, better asset management exchanging technical information and joint co-operation, reported the Gulf Times.



The agreement was signed by Essa bin Hilal Al Kuwari, the president of Kahramaa, and Markus Berger, the chief executive of Elia Grid International, on the sidelines of the ongoing GCC Power 2016 Conference & Exhibition at Doha.



"Under the MoU we intend to exchange information and expertise to develop a relation between Kahramaa and Elia Grid International, stated Al Kuwari at the signing ceremony in the presence of the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada.



Changing the KPIs for the distribution of power, developing smart grid and renewable energy concepts are the key objectives of this collaboration, he added.
Alpha Aviation Academy, a leading aviation training provider and currently the largest multi-crew pilot license (MPL) facility in the region, is set to participate in the Arab Aviation Summit 2016 taking place in Jordan on December 5.



As the most prominent aviation and tourism event in the Middle East and North Africa, the summit gathers key industry players in a different Arab city each year, to deliberate on trends, insights and opportunities driving the growth of avia-tourism industry in the Arab world.



The summit will take place at Dead Sea, Jordan on December 5 and 6.



Alpha Aviation Academy is committed to its role of nurturing aviation talent and the Arab Aviation Summit provides us with unique opportunity to stay up to date on current industry trends, while allowing us to demonstrate to the public and press the expertise in industry-leading aviation training solutions. Alpha Aviation Academy continuously evaluate and assess its programs and ensure that they are aligned with the latest trends and developments and adhere to the highest standards of world leading practices, said Captain Victor Brandao, general manager, Alpha Aviation Academy.



Holistic training

Launched in 2008, Alpha Aviation Academy offers cadet pilots a holistic training experience, providing them with a range of state-of-the-art facilities at the Sharjah International Airport. Fully supported and promoted by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the academys MPL training programme allows cadet pilots to train alongside a multinational team of highly experienced and qualified instructors using the latest methodology and the most technically advanced aircraft simulators.



Referred to as the voice of the industry, the summit is the largest assembly of Arab media together with top executives from the aviation and tourism sector. - TradeArabia News Service


Collaboration between the public and private sectors and between countries was a key theme on the second day of WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, yesterday (November 8).



Destinations, operators, airlines and ministers debated ways to boost travel and tourism around the world at the event.



Tourism ministers from across Latin America convened at WTM London as part of their strategy to work together to raise the regions profile.



Marx Beltrao, Brazils Minister of Tourism, said no Latin American countries were currently among the top 10 nations for hosting international events and that Brazil had fallen from sixth place to its current 11th spot.



Our meeting here today only makes sense if we unite together, he said.



The ministers will reconvene at WTM Latin America next April.



Charlie Cracknell, the events senior exhibition director, said: WTM Latin America is a gateway to Latin America. Our commitment is to make sure Latin America is put on the global map. We are exposing Latin America to the international market but bringing the international market to Latin America.



Meanwhile, Finnair  which is 56 per cent government-owned  plans to double the number of flights to Asia in the next year.



Finnair chief executive Pekka Vauramo said the carrier will use its geographical advantage to expand services to Asia, with support from the Finnish government.



The airline is now in expansion mode following a restructuring and a fleet renewal programme.



The healthy $3.7 trillion global wellness economy was in the spotlight during the WTM London Wellness Travel Symposium.



The wellness tourism sector accounts for $563 billion of that, and is growing nearly twice as fast as overall tourism.



Delegates heard from several destinations about the importance of partnerships between the public and private sectors when developing wellness tourism.



Case studies include India, The Land of Yoga, and Icelands Blue Lagoon.



In the UK, spa towns such as Bath and Buxton are seeing a revival, while Wales is planning a 200 million lakeside development called the Llanelli Wellness and Life Science Village.



Another great example of collaboration across borders is the UNWTO Silk Road Programme, which incorporates 33 countries, from Italy and Greece in the west, to China and Japan in the East.



The UNWTO Silk Road Seminar heard how sharing on social media can help to promote sustainability.



Politimi Vrachati, the Greek National Tourism Organisations Head of Publications and Audio-visual Media, advised delegates to promote experiences, not just places and perfect the art of story-telling.



Kyrgyzstan said calls to action in social media messages helped to recruit volunteers for activities such as a recent glacier-cleaning event.



Another session on social media heard how bloggers and brands can build relationships with their audiences.



The standing room-only session on the WTM Global Stage  called Personalisation for Bloggers and Brands  heard Julie Falconer talk about the amount of work she has to put into her the blog, A Lady in London, as her follower numbers rise.



The first thing I do in the morning is respond to overnight comments to my audience and its the last thing I do at night. I dont have a life, she said.



With more platforms, its getting more difficult. You have to ring-fence your time and be strict with yourself.



Elsewhere, the Women in Travel Meetup urged travel firms to consider the needs of women aged over 50 in their marketing and recruitment strategies.



Rachel OReilly, Kuoni UK head of communications, told the session: Over-50s are very different to what they were a few decades ago; theyre very cool people and we need to think about them differently.



The speakers also noted a rise in older women forging new careers, and debate chair Sylvia Weiler  Sojerns Vice-President of Audience, Strategy & Development  commented: I have many friends in their 40s who have started new careers. People are taking risks and I think that comes with maturity and confidence.



WTM London is the event where the travel and tourism industry conducts its business deals. Buyers from the WTM Buyers Club have a combined purchasing responsibility of $22.6 billion and sign deals at the event worth $3.6 billion. - TradeArabia News Service




The TransGriot is available for speaking engagements, college lectures, panel discussions, media interviews, conferences or Trans 101 education efforts for your school, business or professional organizations.



For local Houston area, Texas or national events, you can e-mail me at transgriot@yahoo.com



For events outside the Houston metro area, I ask that my travel and lodging expenses be covered.



This is separate from my speaking fee.



If you are interested in having me appear as a speaker or panelist, you can e-mail me with the date and details of your proposed event.

Please book as early as possible because my speaking and event calendar slots during the year rapidly fill up.
The community of Casper and several area schools will honor veterans in solemn ceremony on Friday, Veterans Day. Here is a roundup, as provided to the Star-Tribune.

At 11 a.m., in the Tom Walsh Chapel at the Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery, Casper-raised Lt. Col. Fred Catchpole, U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, will be the featured speaker in the annual ceremony hosted by the Natrona County United Veterans Council.

Catchpole has served a total of 22 years in the Marines as an active and reserve after graduating from Kelly Walsh High School and the University of Wyoming. He is currently support services director at the Casper Police Department, as well as Deputy G-2/Intelligence Officer for Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa based in Stuttgart, Germany. He is married to Beth, a Summit Elementary teacher, and they have two children  one who attends Centennial and one at Summit.

Marine Corps veteran and former Casper police chief Chris Walsh will serve as emcee. The Natrona County High School Jr. ROTC, Cecil V. Barnes, Michael Stedillie and Tom Hedges will participate. All are welcome.

Casper Classical Academy hosts its first Veterans Day assembly from 7:55 to 8:30 a.m. All veterans and their families are welcome.

The guest speaker is Rodney Waddell, who served as a sergeant in the Army during the Vietnam War. Waddell trained to become a helicopter mechanic and later became the company clerk sergeant for his unit. After his military time, he spent a number of years in law enforcement.

Centennial Junior High School hosts its 14th annual Veterans Day assembly in the Centennial gymnasium at 8:15 a.m. All veterans and their spouses are invited for coffee and rolls from 7:30 to 8 a.m. in the Centennial library. They will then be escorted to the gymnasium.

Catchpole is also the speaker at Centennial and will tailor his message to the importance of volunteer service by middle-school-aged students.

CY Middle School honors veterans of all ages at its Veterans Day celebration from 1:15 to 1:45 p.m. in the school cafeteria at 2900 Cyclone Drive. There will be a short program, and refreshments will be served.

The Glenrock community is invited to attend a Veterans Day ceremony at 1:30 p.m. in the Glenrock Middle School auditorium to honor Glenrock residents who have served in the United States military.

The Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter and the American Legion and Auxiliary members of Jesse Martin Post No. 9 are encouraging all military veterans from the town to attend and be recognized for their service to our country.

The ceremony will include the posting of the flags, guest speakers from the American Legion and Auxiliary, musical selections performed by the middle school choir and band and the introduction of veterans by their branch of military service.
AZUSA, Calif.  Authorities say one person is dead and three are injured following a shooting near a Los Angeles-area polling site.

Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Gustavo Medina says one person was dead on arrival Tuesday, two people were airlifted to hospitals and a fourth was being treated.

An elementary school that's also a polling place was placed on lockdown.

Azusa police say arriving officers found multiple victims, came under fire and returned fire themselves. No officers were injured, and no arrests have been made.

Elections officials say one other polling site was affected, urging voters to cast their ballots in other locations.

The motivation is unknown and it's unclear whether the shooting has anything to do with the election.
Dunavant Global Logistics Group has opened an operation in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, in addition to acquiring longtime Mobile, Ala.-based customs broker John M. Brining Inc.



Dunavant Global Logistics Group has opened an operation in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, expanding its presence in the Chinese market.

At the same time, the Memphis, Tenn.-based third-party logistics company announced that it has acquired Mobile, Ala.-based customs broker John M. Brining Inc. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Dunavants new China-based subsidiary, Dunavant International Freight Agency, will offer booking agent services, intra-Asia freight and trucking services, and serve as the liaison for providing U.S. destination agent services to China-only based forwarders.

Victor Xiong, a former international general manager at COSCO, will run Dunavants China operation.
Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, won Wyomings lone U.S. House seat Tuesday.

The 50-year-old Republican will occupy the seat her father held from 1979 to 1989. In electing her, Wyoming continued a recent tradition of selecting a woman for the seat  following Barbara Cubin, who was the representative from 1995 to 2008, and current U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis, who has served from 2008 and has decided to return to Wyoming at the end of this term.

Cheney stood on a stage with her husband, attorney Phil Perry, and children at a Casper bar and restaurant where local Republicans were holding an election night party. Standing amid Make America Great Again signs and balloons that said Cheney for Wyoming, she thanked her supporters and said she was humbled and thrilled to go to Washington.

By press time Tuesday night, the U.S. House looked like it was going to remain Republican, as was the Senate. Trump had won the White House. That scenario will help Cheney and her colleagues accomplish their goals in Washington, she told the Star-Tribune.

Being in that situation will mean that were able to move very quickly to do a number of these things like being able to reduce the size of these federal agencies, begin to return authority back to our states, back to the local level, she said. Repeal the Clean Power Plan, repeal Obamacare, be in a position where well be able to get the pro-growth policies with respect to the energy industry and taxes. Thats the kind of difference itll make.

Cheney said that there is a two-week orientation for new members of the U.S. House that begins Monday. After that, House leadership will begin assigning members committees, she said. The new session of Congress begins in January.

Cheneys Democratic opponent, Ryan Greene, 34, of Rock Springs, billed himself as a Wyoming Democrat who diverges from his national partys energy agenda. He said his career helping run his familys energy service company sent him regularly into oil fields and coal mines.

Throughout the campaign, Cheney was dogged by accusations that she moved to Wyoming in 2012 only to win federal office. She calls Wilson home. In 2013, she challenged U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, and faced a barrage of criticism by the states Republican establishment. She dropped out of the race, saying she had to tend to a family health issue.

Cheney was born in Wisconsin and lived much of her life in the Washington area, during her fathers career as chief of staff to President Gerald Ford and later as a congressman. She lived in Casper as a child, attending fifth and sixth grades at Park Elementary and seventh grade at Dean Morgan Junior High.

Cheney was principal deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs when her father was vice president. Under President George H.W. Bush, she also worked in the State Department. Shes been employed by the Agency for International Development and the International Finance Corp., which invests in developing countries, wrote books with her dad and was a Fox News contributor.

Cheney broke fundraising records for the U.S. House seat in Wyoming, raising nearly $2 million. Much of that money came from high-ranking Republicans, including George and Barbara Bush. Cheney and her father campaigned at exclusive events outside of Wyoming. Her campaign was always quick to note that she raised more money in Wyoming than any of her competition in the primary or general elections.
A Republican challenger defeated one of the top Democrats in the Wyoming Legislature by the narrowest of margins Tuesday.

Jared Olsen edged ahead of Democratic incumbent Rep. Mary Throne in House District 11, with 1549 votes for 51 percent of the vote. Throne received 1486 votes for 49 percent of the vote.

Olsens effort to unseat incumbent Throne was among the most-watched races in the state. The campaigns and their supporters spent substantial sums of money, and both candidates have been critical of negative campaign ads directed at them.

Throne, 56, has been in office since 2007 and served as minority floor leader since 2013. She grew up in Campbell County, where her grandparents homesteaded, and earned degrees from Princeton and Columbia universities.

The five-term veteran is viewed as one of the Democrats with the best understanding of state finances and policy.

Olsen, 29, is an attorney and chairman of the Laramie County Republican Party, a position he has held since 2015. Olsen grew up in Evanston and was the first person in his family to attend college, earning degrees from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, and the University of Wyoming. He is seeking public office for the first time.

Both candidates were on the receiving end of negative campaign mailers leading up to the election.

An ad attacking Throne featured a photo of Throne that had been manipulated to look like she was standing with Hillary Clinton. In the original photo, Throne had been posing alongside one of her Republican colleagues.

A mailer critical of Olsen claimed the candidate supported transferring federal lands to state ownership. He said that was false, although he is interested in state management of small sections of Bureau of Land Management land on a trial basis.

With Democrats firmly in the minority, Throne said she had the freedom to question policies related to state finances rather than falling into step behind GOP leadership. At the same time, she diverged from her partys stance on coal and received support from energy industry groups.

Olsen is in favor of zero-based budgeting to address the states financial shortfall. Under such a system, state agencies would have to demonstrate the specific need for funds rather than using the previous years numbers as a baseline. He would also consider suspending the states wind generation tax to encourage development.

HD11 includes neighborhoods east of downtown Cheyenne, south of Lincolnway and east of Holliday Park and between Jefferson Road and Allison Road.
In a narrow upset, Democrat Debbie Bovee beat out Republican incumbent Gerald Gay for House District 36 after a campaign shaken by his comments on women workers.

Bovee, a former schoolteacher, won 52.7 percent of the vote. She garnered 1,909 votes to Gays 1,696. There were 20 write-ins.

Gay had represented the traditionally conservative district for three terms. The area west of Wyoming Boulevard incorporates the neighborhoods near Beverly Street and most of Evansville.

Bovee ran on a moderate Democratic platform. She has said Medicaid expansion will help those most vulnerable, and supported the failed attempt by Gov. Matt Mead earlier this year to include expansion of the federal program in the state budget. The move was struck down by committee, but would have brought additional federal dollars to the state.

The retired teacher also believes in protecting public lands. Bovee has spoken of the need for diversifying the state economy while continuing to support the fundamental industries that fuel the state.

After her win Tuesday night, Bovee said she believed that Wyoming was a strong state that must work together to achieve its goals.

I think that Wyoming has some issues that need to be addressed, and they can only be addressed well if the Republicans and the Democrats, along with the legislators and the citizens, work together to solve those issues, she said.

Bovee entered the race fairly late after a successful write-in campaign in August.

Her grassroots bid benefited from the social media reaction to Gays comments on women, boosting both her public profile and campaign contributions.

Gay came under fire during the campaign after comments he made in an interview, published in Better Wyoming, regarding the gender wage gap.

Gay said the income disparity between men and women comes down to the amount of time working mothers take for maternity and sick days. Women are less dependable, he said.

The interview covered a host of issues, but Gays comments on women drew ire.

Last year, Wyoming had the largest gender wage gap in the country.

The comments stoked a social media firestorm. In the aftermath, many Republican lawmakers rebuked the comments. Local party leaders in Natrona County also condemned Gays position, though they supported his right to free speech.

He later said that he did not blame women for the gender wage gap.

Gay could not be reached by press time Tuesday night.

Bovee said she her opponents comments likely played a role in her win.

Gender was not the only issue of controversy in Gays race. Gay missed part of every day of the legislative session earlier this year but defended his absences due to health reasons.

Gay is a member of two House committees: Minerals, Business and Economic Development as well as Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions.

It was a door-to-door campaign for the lesser-known candidate in a traditionally Republican district. The race depended on a significant portion of conservatives jumping party lines for Bovee to win.

According to earlier reporting from the Star-Tribune, HD36 had almost 2,000 registered Republicans compared with slightly over 700 Democrats. About 400 registered voters were unaffiliated.

Gay was almost unseated in 2014 by Democrat Eric Nelson. Nelson lost by just 168 votes.
RIVERTON  A group of lawmakers voted to advance a proposed constitutional amendment Wednesday that would specify how federal public land would be managed if it were transferred to Wyoming, despite over two hours of testimony from sportsmen and conservationists who opposed the measure.

In fact, only two members of the public spoke favorably of the constitutional amendment bill to members of the Select Federal Natural Resource Management Committee, which met at Central Wyoming College.

Critics said they feared the state wont be able to handle the additional land  potentially another 25 million acres on top of Wyomings current 3.5 million acres under state ownership. They said state ownership will prohibit access to hunters and anglers and possibly result in a land selloff to the wealthy and well-connected, forever cordoning off the publics access to Wyomings scenic treasurers.

The proposed constitutional amendment is the latest battle in a push throughout the West for state control over public land. Both proponents and critics claim history and law on their side. Proponents say the federal government is mismanaging the land, delaying the permitting of oil, gas and mining projects and closing down roads to block access.

About 100 people attended the meeting, including many sportsmen wearing camouflage and energy industry lobbyists wearing suits, who did not publicly speak.

Wyoming has 17 percent less state lands than it had at statehood, the result of selling or swapping acreage, said Jessi Johnson of the Wyoming Wildlife Federation.

With all due respect, I think your time as our legislators could be and should be better spent on the more important issues facing Wyoming, she said.

Committee member Sen. Eli Bebout asked Johnson whether all of the states land sales were for nefarious purposes. He noted the state is selling land to the federal government in Grand Teton National Park.

You talk about that 17 percent  thats some good information, the Riverton Republican said. Maybe we can look into that further, to see why we did that, who was the benefit of that.

***

Lawmakers described feeling under attack by sportsmen  about 70 who were unable to attend the Riverton meeting emailed comments of opposition to lawmakers and said that the amendment existed for the purpose of improving recreational access to the terrain and to accelerating permitting of mineral development of the lands.

Legislators said sportsmen misunderstood the point of the constitutional amendment bill, which states land transferred to Wyoming after Jan. 1, 2019, can be traded but there can be no net loss of land in value or acreage and the land must be managed for many uses, including hunting and fishing.

Sen. Larry Hicks, a committee member who spoke passionately in favor of the amendment and challenged almost everyone who opposed it, said over $1 billion in mineral revenue flows into Wyoming coffers a year.

You think the East and left coast is going to give that up? he said. It will be decided by the Supreme Court of the United States. Its likely to be challenged by one of our neighboring states.

Hicks, a Republican from Baggs, said the amendment was to prepare the state for the possibility of land transfer.

But Nick Dobric of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership urged the committee to drop the land transfer effort.

I feel like the efforts of these broad-brush land transfers tend to be a waste of time and are polarizing, he said.

Connie Wilbert of the Wyoming chapter of the Sierra Club told the committee the lands are a unique heritage and that polling shows that most Wyomingites arent interested in changing ownership.

These people are Wyoming residents who value our public lands and want them to remain as they are under federal ownership and management, she said. Theres a little bit more to this story that I also want to tell you: Federal public lands belong to all Americans equally.

***

Wyomings 3.5 million acres are managed differently than federal lands, noted Aaron Kindle of the National Wildlife Federation. They are required to generate money for schools. As a result, camping and other activities are prohibited.

Lawmakers have reassured critics of the transfer movement that the public lands would be managed differently, but its hard for people to envision the state being able to undertake management for many uses.

Thats really the only precedent we have to go by, Kindle said, of school trust lands.

Hicks pushed back at Kindles assertion.

Are you aware we have a state agency called Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and State Trails? Hicks asked.

***

Hicks and Bebout, in addition to Republican Sen. Gerald Geis and Reps. Norine Kasperik and Tim Stubson, voted to advance the proposed amendment. The committees only Democrat, JoAnn Dayton, opposed the measure.

A subcommittee composed of Hicks, Stubson and Dayton will have a public meeting in the near future to further work on the bill to address peoples concerns.

Its unlikely those concerns will be allayed, as almost all of the opponents said they dont want an amendment, period.

Instead, land transfer critics urged lawmakers to follow recommendations from a recently released report that said the state would accomplish more if it worked with counties to produce land use plans, chock full of numbers and data.

Earlier in the day, lawmakers reviewed the report by Y2 Consultants of Jackson. The Legislature commissioned the report in 2015, and the consultants completed it in August. The study determined that there would be few benefits and many liabilities if Wyoming were to manage the lands under federal ownership.

Lawmakers praised the report, including legislators such as Rep. David Miller, who is not on the committee but attended the meeting to hear more about the study.

I agree with the conclusion of the report is [that] we cannot manage the public lands under the federal mandates that are out there, Miller said. The problem is the federal mandates that are being dictated to us from Washington, D.C. Its not the regulators in Wyoming.

Chamois Andersen of the Wyoming Wildlife Federation said her organization was encouraged that the committee agreed with the studys conclusions.

But she questioned whether the study might be used for political purposes.

We are concerned this allows the committee to open the doors for transfer of public lands and it gives them clout to do so because of all the problems with management of the lands, she said. It gives them ammunition and momentum to really move forward with the transfer movement that the majority seems interested in.
Natrona County voters elected a slate of Republican state lawmakers Tuesday, beating back an effort by Democrats to make inroads in the Casper area.

The Wyoming Legislature will face a difficult session when it convenes early next year, with decisions to be made on state spending in the face of declining energy revenues, the management of public lands and health care, among other issues.

State Senate races

In Senate District 28, Republican incumbent Sen. James Anderson defeated challenger Kimberly Holloway, a Democrat. Anderson garnered 71 percent of the vote, while Holloway collected only 29 percent.

Holloway, a former Casper City Council member, also launched a bid for the seat in 2012 but lost to Anderson. The two differ on Medicaid expansion, a key component of the Affordable Care Act, with Holloway contending its best for Wyoming and its residents and Anderson saying the program as written wouldnt work in the state.

In Senate District 30, Democrat Bob Ford was defeated by longtime incumbent Sen. Charles Scott. Scott, who has served almost four decades in the Legislature, chairs the Senate Labor, Health and Social Services Committee and has been one of the states most vocal opponents to Medicaid expansion. Scott collected 79 percent of the vote, while Ford collected 21 percent.

Ford, a retired Internal Revenue Services officer, favors expanding Medicaid to some 20,000 low-income adults in the state. He says the Medicaid issue represents his most significant clash with Scott.

State House races

In House District 35, Republican Rep. Kendell Kroeker overcame Democrat Brett Governanti, who is also the chairman of the Natrona County Democratic Party. Kroeker received 75 percent of the vote, while Governanti garnered 25 percent.

They disagree on a number of issues, including the future of the states federal public lands. Governanti supports keeping the lands under federal control, while Kroeker favors a more local approach to management.

In House District 37, Democrat Deirdre Stoelzle was defeated by Rep. Steve Harshman, who received 79 percent of the vote. Stoelzle collected only 20 percent. Harshman, who has been in office since 2003, is chairman of the powerful Joint Appropriations Committee, the first group of lawmakers to craft the state budget.

In House District 57, Republican Chuck Gray defeated Democrat Audrey Cotherman. Gray garnered 64 percent of the vote, while Cotherman collected only 35 percent.

Gray clinched the Republican nomination during the primary contest in August, after a highly contentious race with his opponent Ray Pacheco, a Republican who is also on Casper City Council.

In House District 58, Republican and local businessman Pat Sweeney defeated two other men vying for the seat Rep. Tom Reeder lost in the primary. Sweeney, who bested Reeder in August, garnered 76 percent of the vote. Democrat Michael McDaniel Jr. collected 15 percent and independent Joseph Porambo received 9 percent.

In House District 59, Carl "Bunky" Loucks fended off a challenge from Democrat Laurie Longtine. Loucks collected 2,462 votes compared with Longtine's 1,082.
Four newcomers will be joining the Casper City Council after the mayor and vice mayor, along with another incumbent council member, lost on Tuesday.

Amanda Huckabay and Jesse Morgan won their Ward 1 races, unseating Mayor Daniel Sandoval and Councilman Wayne Heili.

Former police chief Chris Walsh beat Vice Mayor Steve Cathey in Ward 3 by a wide margin.

Im extremely excited, Walsh said. Im straightforward with people and I think thats why voters like me.

Cathey said Walsh had skated by on name recognition and that voters made a poor choice.

In Ward 2 Todd Murphy came in second and will join incumbent Charlie Powell, who finished first, on council. Councilman Scott Miller withdrew from the Ward 2 race on Thursday.

The challengers success may be a reaction to economic uncertainty in Casper. The city cut its budget nearly 40 percent this year, in part by offering early retirement to municipal employees and leaving vacant positions open.

Unemployment remains higher in Natrona County than in most of Wyoming.

But the challengers have not aligned on what the council should do differently. Murphy and Morgan have run on a fiscally conservative platform, calling on the city to limit its spending to essential services. In contrast, Walsh has attacked councils decision to not fully staff city departments and said the city should spend more of its reserve fund.

Huckabay has called for a greater emphasis on social services in Casper and Natrona County.

The incumbents have largely campaigned on what they see as councils recent success after a period of turmoil during the feud between Hedquist and Patterson. Council members have touted their ability to manage the economic downturn without a significant decrease in city services and their work on projects such as the David Street Station and the Generation Casper city plan.

Powell and Councilman Bob Hopkins, in Ward 1, were the only two incumbents to retain their seats.

Well obviously have a different makeup on the council and itll be important for us to develop good working relationships, Powell said. Im interested in finding out what the new members priorities are.
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Two Republican incumbents held off three challengers Tuesday in the race for the Natrona County Commission.

In a contest noteworthy for its lack of rancorous policy disputes, chairman Forrest Chadwick and commissioner Matt Keating were facing challenges from former commissioner and longtime local political figure Terry Wingerter (D), political newcomer Linda Shogren-OGrady (D) and Linda Bergeron, the Constitution Party candidate.

During a candidate forum last month, Wingerter and Shogren-OGrady did not explain what they would do differently than Chadwick or Keating.

Shogren-OGrady frequently praised the actions of the current commission, and while Wingerter ticked off a list of liberal positions he supported unrelated to the county job  maintaining federal control of public lands and Medicaid expansion, for example  he did not attack Chadwick or Keating.

Bergeron was more aggressive, saying that Natrona County property owners were losing their rights by the month. She offered no examples.

While the Casper City Council saw several incumbents voted out on Tuesday, voters were appeared less interested in changing the status quo in county government.
The Natrona County School District Board of Trustees will change little after Tuesdays election.

The four current trustees won reelection, with longtime member Rita Walsh garnering 16,273 votes to top the list. Dana Howie took 12,379 votes, current Board Chairman Kevin Christopherson won 12,148, and Raymond Catellier collected 8,314. They will be joined by new member Angela Coleman, who had 9,776 votes.

It was a relatively low-key campaign for the nonpartisan board, though it faces a future of tough decisions as education funding heads for lean times.

Christopherson said he thought the election was a vote of confidence for the direction the board has taken, and acknowledgment that the board has worked well together. He did say, however, that this years cuts were a precursor of things to come.

The state is so short of finances, theres no way we cannot be affected, Christopherson said.

Walsh said she was very honored and humbled by her re-election to another four-year term. She also noted the budget issues in coming years, and said she wanted to keep them away from students as much as possible.

The other candidates were David Martorano, Gregory Flesvig, Randy Quig, and William Russell.

In campaign forums, the candidates outlined their positions on topics such as graduation rates, schools of choice, curriculum and funding.

The board cut $4.4 million from this years budget, largely by eliminating 17 vacant positions and reducing costs at individual schools. While the reductions did not involve teachers, that could change in coming years if student numbers drop.

The district receives the lions share of its funding from the state, primarily based on student enrollment. This falls expected decline in student enrollment failed to materialize.

The election is unlikely to substantially change the boards financial direction of the district, however, as several of the candidates noted Superintendent Steve Hopkins deep knowledge of the budget deriving from his former position as chief financial officer.

Earlier this year, the school board rejected a second attempt at bringing a charter school to Casper. Most of the candidates said while they supported the concept of a charter school, alternatives within the present system should be tried first, particularly in light of budget constraints.

The districts $300 million building boom will likely change, though that was anticipated regardless of the elections outcome. Funding is already in place to complete in the next two years the renovation of Natrona County High School and the new Kelly Walsh High School. Construction of the new Roosevelt High School, and the Pathways Building, is already done.

The Casper College Board of Trustees also remained essentially the same, as three of four incumbents won re-election. Scott Bennion received 14,488 votes, Matthew Loucks had 13,469, and Susan Miller won 12,819. They will be joined by new member Suzanne Sandoval, who with 12,666 votes beat incumbent Lauren Griffith, who had 11,860, and newcomer Carrie Gomez who had 7,925.
NICARAGUA

President re-elected to 3rd term; wife is VP

MANAGUA  President Daniel Ortega overwhelmingly won re-election to a third consecutive term as Nicaraguas leader according to results Monday, even as the opposition called the voting a farce.

With about two-thirds of ballots counted in Sundays six-candidate presidential race, Ortega had 72.1 percent of the vote compared with 14.2 for his closest rival.

Supreme Electoral Council chief Roberto Rivas announced the results and said they amounted to an irreversible trend favoring Ortega. The president ran with his wife, Rosario Murillo, as his vice presidential candidate in a race against five lesser-known candidates after court rulings weakened the opposition.

morocco

Negotiators start work on Paris Agreement

MARRAKECH  Climate negotiators started work Monday on implementing the Paris Agreement on global warming amid uncertainty over how the U.S. election will impact the landmark deal as temperatures and greenhouse gases soar to new heights.

U.N. climate chief Patricia Espinosa told delegates in the rain-soaked Moroccan city of Marrakech that no politician or citizen, no business manager or investor can doubt that the world is determined to shift toward a low-emission, resilient society.

So far, 100 countries have formally joined the agreement adopted last year in Paris, including top polluters China, the United States, the European Union and India.

However, U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said he would cancel the deal if he wins the election this week. His opponent, Hillary Clinton, backs the climate policies of President Obamas government.

MEXICO

Snake slithers onto Aeromexico plane

MEXICO CITY  Passengers on a commercial flight in Mexico were given a start when a serpent slithered into the cabin in a scene straight out of the Hollywood thriller Snakes on a Plane.

Carrier Aeromexico says the reptile was detected on a Sunday flight from Torreon in the countrys north to Mexico City. A brief video circulating online shows a greenish snake emerging from the ceiling behind an overhead luggage compartment and then partially dropping down into the cabin.

Aeromexico says in a statement that the plane was given priority landing in Mexico City, where workers secured the reptile.

AUSTRALIA

Police find baby koala in womans canvas bag

SYDNEY  Australian police have made an unusual find while searching the bag of a woman who was being arrested: a baby koala.

Police in Brisbane said that when they asked the 50-year-old woman if she had anything to declare Sunday night, she handed over a zipped canvas bag that she said contained a baby koala.

The woman, who was arrested on outstanding matters, said she found the male koala on Saturday night and had been caring for it since. The woman was taken to a police station, while the koala  believed to be about 6 months old  was taken to a wildlife hospital in good health, though slightly dehydrated.

WEST BANK

Public will be able to see Arafats bedroom

RAMALLAH  Palestinians will soon get a chance to glimpse the small bedroom where their longtime leader Yasser Arafat spent his final years.

The 54-square-foot room is the centerpiece of the new Arafat Museum, which opens to the public on Thursday to coincide with the 12th anniversary of Arafats death. The room has only a single bed and small closet that barely holds four suits, a few checkered headscarves and shirts. There is also a nightstand and lamp, a prayer carpet and a painting by his then-young daughter Zahwa.

Israel confined Arafat to his Ramallah headquarters in December 2001, accusing him of masterminding a violent uprising. He was allowed to leave for a French hospital in October 2004 and died there two weeks later.

Wire reports
The states utility regulatory board will remain an all-Republican panel, barring a sudden shift from uncounted ballots.

Unofficial results Wednesday showed incumbents Bob Burns and Andy Tobin handily winning new four-year terms to the Arizona Corporation Commission. Burns was first elected in 2012; Tobin was appointed earlier this year by Gov. Doug Ducey after the resignation of Susan Bitter Smith, also a Republican.

Republican Boyd Dunn, hoping to replace retiring regulator Bob Stump, was maintaining a lead of more than 25,000 votes over his closest competitor, Democrat Bill Mundell. Democrat Tom Chabin was trailing further back.

The election results, if they hold, are a victory for Pinnacle West Capitol Corp., the parent company of Arizona Public Service. It put more than $4.1 million into an extensive media campaign to promote the three Republicans as Arizonas sustainable solar team.

APSs interest was in defeating the two Democrats, who were more supportive of the positions taken by companies like SolarCity to require utilities to keep policies that make the purchase and lease of rooftop solar units more financially attractive. That includes utilities giving a kilowatt-for-kilowatt credit for excess power produced by homeowners.

Yet Save Our AZ Solar, which spent $2.4 million in funds from SolarCity, also was financially supportive of Burns, believing he would be friendly to the companys views. It didnt hurt that Burns is involved in a lawsuit with Pinnacle West over his demand the company turn over its books so he can see whether it secretly funneled money into electing Republicans to the commission two years ago.

It will be the new commission that acts on rate proposals by not just APS but also Tucson Electric Power and several other utilities.

There are several common threads to what companies want.

Aside from higher bills, one is a change in how much utilities have to credit their customers for the excess power they produce. Companies want a system where the amount it closer to what they would have to pay for replacement electrons from a commercial source, a rate much lower than retail.

There also is the controversial question of whether residential customers should incur a demand charge.

Current bills are computed on a base charge for service plus charges based on the number of kilowatt-hours used. Some utilities offer time-of-day rates designed to encourage customers to shift usage of optional things like dryers and pool pumps to hours when there is less demand on the system.

A demand charge would add another factor based on the highest one-hour use in any given month. So even if customers keep overall use low, they would be assessed an additional fee if several appliances were running all at the same time.
PHOENIX  Arizonans were rejecting the ballot proposition that would legalize marijuana use in the state.

Proposition 205 was losing 54 percent to 46 percent in early statewide voting.

The vote on Proposition 205 comes six years after Arizonans narrowly agreed to allow those with certain medical conditions and a doctor's recommendation to obtain up to 2 1/2 ounces of marijuana every two weeks. Nearly 109,000 people have qualified.

Proposition 205 was crafted to immediately allow any adult to have up to an ounce of the drug, consume it in private, as well as to grow up to six plants. And beginning in 2018 there would be state-licensed retail outlets for purchase.

This measure follows the lead of Colorado and Washington where voters have concluded there is no reason for such limits.
PHOENIX (AP)  Voters have booted Sheriff Joe Arpaio from office in his bid for a seventh term after his legal problems in a racial profiling case culminated in a criminal charge two weeks before Election Day.

Arpaio, an 84-year-old Republican who became a national figure by cracking down on illegal immigration and forcing jail inmates to wear pink underwear, lost to Democrat Paul Penzone.

The race became a referendum on Arpaio's legal woes. Federal prosecutors brought a contempt-of-court charge stemming from his defiance of a judge's order to stop carrying out patrols targeting Latinos.

Arpaio has faced criminal investigations in the past without being charged or losing his seat. That changed Tuesday despite a devoted base of supporters and strong fundraising, mainly from out-of-state donors.
You can wear your favorite political t-shirt to the polling place or buy a bottle of whiskey before you cast your vote, but state election officials are asking voters to keep their guns at home.

Or at least in your vehicle.

Arizona is one of six states where guns are not allowed within 75 feet of a polling place, even if you have a concealed weapon permit.

Displaying your gun outside of the 75 foot zone could also be considered a form of voter intimidation.

As for other laws, the state does not restrict liquor sales on Election Day like some states do.

And after an incident in Flagstaff, a 2012 state law reversed a ban on voters wearing their political-related clothing to their polling place.
You know the campaign was long and ugly.

You know many people were disgusted with their choices for president  you may be one of them.

What you may not appreciate is how earnestly your fellow citizens took this election despite all that disappointment.

I set out at 5:45 a.m. Tuesday to capture as much of the election as I could, across as much of the Tucson area as I could reach.

For me Monday had been a day of anxious, almost sick anticipation of Tuesday. But after about 120 miles of driving and around 28 interviews at polling places, I arrived home feeling much better, no matter what happens.

Here are some of the people and moments that stand out.

6:30 a.m., Passion Church,

1212 S. Palo Verde Ave.

Kristin Carter, 30, arrived in the dark to avoid the lines in her neighborhood south of Reid Park. Instead, she was about 30th in line, standing there in the pre-dawn chill in her slippers.

Shes pregnant and anxious and suffering from voter fatigue. But she made her husband indulge her this early trip so she could carry out her practice of waiting till Election Day to vote for president  her choice, Hillary Clinton.

Ismael Garcia beat her by about an hour. He arrived at 5:15 a.m., when poll workers were just setting up, he told me.

It was the 21-year-olds first presidential election, and he was excited.

Its every U.S. citizens responsibility to vote, he said.

His choice, he said: Trump and Pence. His reason: Their tax plans. Now those were answers I hadnt seen coming.

7:15 a.m., Littletown Community Center,

6465 S. Craycroft Road

Brian Munoz and his daughter, Mercedes, leaned over the hood of their car, spread their ballots out and took pens in hand. They had early ballots, but it was Mercedes first time voting. Her dad didnt want her to miss the excitement of the polling place.

They went inside to turn the ballots in, then came out and joined Munozs partner, Felix Canez. It was just past dawn, and the Clinton supporters took a family selfie in the golden light.

It was my first time, said Mercedes, 18. Ive been waiting for this all my life.

8 a.m., Christ Lutheran Vail Church,

14600 E. Colossal Cave Road

The wind was starting to pick up, and the celebratory mood of earlier in the morning started to crack. One man gruffly refused to talk, another refused to give his name, and before I left, the poll workers threatened to call police on me.

Casey Stockdale, 64, had already voted but showed up to deliver food to her partner, a poll worker. Stockdale, a Clinton supporter, was worried.

Ive never been so on edge about an election before, she said. My hope is that people will accept the outcome. My fear is that wont happen.

Her concerns might have been lightened if shed spoken to fellow Vail voters Angelica Gonzalez, 53, and her daughter Raquel, 24.

It was a really great experience, Raquel said. I dont think Ive ever been as informed as I am this year.

She and her mom are Trump supporters, but theyll take whatever comes as Gods way, Angelica said. Depending on other people for your contentment will only lead to disappointment.

After I finished interviewing them, poll workers pointed out I was inside the 75-foot limit out in the parking lot  it was hard for me to tell. They threatened to call police, but I was done.

9 a.m., Sahuarita Baptist Church,

2875 E. Sahuarita Road

Ash Bose, 58, is a naturalized U.S. citizen, originally from India. But that isnt what gave him his appreciation of the election this year.

What made the IBM engineer see this election with new eyes was spending nine years on assignment in China, ending in 2015.

China is single-party rule. I think I can value democracy more by being in China where the rights of individuals are minimal, he said. This time, I really appreciate the power of the individual.

After I spoke with Bose, Kevin Hawley, 50, came out. He had taken the better part of 30 minutes to vote.

Tough day, he said. Both parties have some good ideas, and theyve also done some bad things. Its hard to overlook the things you know about.

10 a.m., San Xavier District,

2018 W. San Xavier Road

The wind is howling, knocking down the temporary voting signs, blowing dust into the eyes of anyone outside. And I had to stand there, waiting for voters.

First, poll workers showed me where the 75-foot limit was, then later they called the Tohono Oodham police. Since I was on sovereign territory, I needed permission of the district chairman to do interviews there, the officers said.

I went over to the district office, but of course, the chairman was out sick. And the vice chairman was unavailable. I left, and two hours later they called me with approval.

11 a.m., Countryside Community Center,

9151 N. Bald Eagle Ave.

Im embarrassed to be an American, Steve Gerk said after voting.

The only reason he came out this year was to vote yes on Prop. 205, the marijuana legalization initiative. A fibromyalgia patient, he uses medical marijuana but says its too expensive to re-up prescriptions annually and buy the costly dispensary pot.

Fellow voter Eric Lopez, 43, was all about the presidential election, calling it one of the most important elections well see. His enthusiastic vote went to Trump, though he acknowledged the vote comes with risks.

Trump is a wild card, he said.

Lopez asked me intently about my vote, which went to Clinton, and wondered if Ive watched any YouTube videos by InfoWars. He said theyre warning of a military coup if Clinton is elected. But Lopez was open to my caution that InfoWars is not a dependable news source.

His fellow voter, Daniela Contreras, 22, was equally enthusiastic  for Clinton.

Yeah, Im pretty excited, she said.

1 p.m., El Rio Neighborhood Center,

1390 W. Speedway

Just when I needed a shot of positivity, Alvaro Hernandez came striding out of El Rio, barely able to contain his smile. The 18-year-old Pima Community College student had studied the candidates and watched one debate.

He was not satisfied with the options, but nevertheless cast his first presidential vote for Clinton in an anyone but Trump spirit.

Ive always wanted to vote since I was little, he said. It felt good.

2 p.m., Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church,

600 N. Kolb Road

He did it: Doug Holm, 73, walked into his polling place with a clothespin on his nose. He wore it while voting, and he wore it back out to his car.

The choices stink, joked Holm, a Republican. But, he added more seriously, I have to do my duty.
Tucsons largest school district may have a new board dynamic come January with early election results showing one of the three incumbents being unseated Tuesday.

Incumbents Kristel Foster and Mark Stegeman, along with newcomer Rachael Sedgwick, appeared to have edged out incumbent Cam Juarez and challengers Betts Putnam-Hidalgo, Lori Riegel and Brett Rustand for three seats open on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board.

The results are based on early ballots cast before election day. Ballots cast at the polls along with provisional ballots and early ballots received Tuesday were still in the process of being counted.

Foster and Juarez began serving on the TUSD Governing Board in 2013, while Stegeman has been in office since 2009.

Here are the early results for other school boards around Tucson:

Amphitheater (3 seats): Incumbent Deanna Day, Scott Baker and Vicki Cox Golder were leading incumbent Julie Cozad and Mick Stewart.

Sahuarita (3 seats): Incumbent Kris Ham, Dalia Zimmerman and Shari S. Lowell were leading incumbent J. Elaine Hall.

Tanque Verde (3 seats): Incumbent Jeffrey M. Neff, Carlos Ruiz and Jeremy Schalk were leading Vieri M. Tenuta.

Vail (3 seats): Incumbent Allison Pratt, along with Callie Tippett and Mark Tate, were leading Anthony Sizer.

School district bonds, overrides

Amphitheater school district: Early results show voters approving $58 million in school-improvement bonds.

Marana school district: Early results for a request for a continuation of its 10 percent maintenance and operations budget override show the bid failing, although it was still very close at deadline.

The override funds programs and positions such as school aides, counseling, full-day kindergarten, library, athletics, physical education and fine arts.

Sahuarita School District: A bid for $25 million in school improvement bonds appeared to be successful.

That was not the case for a request for the lesser of $1 million or a 10 percent district additional assistance override.

Vail school district: Voters said yes to continuing a maintenance and operations budget override, according to early results. The previous override was for 10 percent, this one is for 12.5 percent.

Pima College

Governing Board

Of the three candidates vying for the sole District 5 seat on the Pima Community College Governing Board, Luis A. Gonzales was in the lead, followed by Martha Durkin and Francis Saitta.

Pima County

schools superintendent

Early results show Democrat Dustin Williams in the lead over Republican Margaret Burkholder.

If he holds the lead, Williams will replace county schools chief Linda Arzoumanian, who has held the seat for nearly two decades.
PHOENIX  State water officials did not properly consider the rights of the Bureau of Land Management when it gave the go-ahead for a 7,000-home development in Sierra Vista, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.

The judges on one hand said the Department of Water Resources did nothing wrong with determining that the Pueblo del Sol Water Co. showed water is legally available and it is able to provide water to the development.

But Judge Jon Thompson, writing for the unanimous court, said the department did not consider that the BLM has a claim on some of the underground water, a claim based on Congress having established a conservation area along the San Pedro River. Thompson said only after the state takes that into account can it determine if there is still enough water left over to allow for the Tribute development.

Yet the appellate court said while the BLMs interests need to be taken into account, the state does not have to separately consider the potential impact of the proposed groundwater pumping on the San Pedro National Conservation Area.

Its a partial victory, said attorney Joy Herr-Cardillo of the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest, representing those challenging the departments original decision to allow the development.

She said while the ruling does not specifically protect the riparian habitat, any decision giving the BLM the water it needs effectively accomplishes the same purpose.

A spokesman for the Department of Water Resources said his agency was still studying the ruling and had no immediate comment.

Tuesdays ruling is the second setback this year for efforts by Castle & Cooke to develop the property.

Earlier this year, Gov. Doug Ducey vetoed a measure that would have allowed Sierra Vista to decide that the developer did not need to prove it had adequate water, a move that would have effectively short-circuited any legal challenges.

Ensuring the certainty and sustainability of Arizona water is a top priority, the governor wrote. I will not sign legislation that threatens Arizonas water future.

The issue has its roots in the 1980 Groundwater Management Act that resulted in creation of five active management areas.

For the Phoenix, Prescott and Tucson areas, the goal is safe yield by 2025 when the amount of groundwater withdrawn is no more than recharge. Pinal and Santa Cruz have other goals.

Outside those areas, developers must get a determination from DWR of whether there is a 100-year assured water supply.

The lack of that, however, does not prevent them from building. They do, however, have to disclose that fact to initial buyers.

And whats important here is a change in that 1980 law that allows counties to actually mandate that 100-year showing before development can occur, something Cochise and Yuma counties have done.

Castle & Cooke, which already has invested $7 million in the project, got such a finding from DWR.

A state administrative law judge upheld the finding. That resulted in a lawsuit by BLM and environmental interests and a ruling by a trial judge that the state agency did not consider competing claims to the groundwater. DWR and the water company then sought appellate court review.

In Tuesdays 26-page ruling, Thompson said the water agencys rules on making the determination are consistent with state law. But he said that does not excuse DWR from considering BLMs priority federal water claim.

And Thompson said there are claims by the federal agency for both the surface and groundwater.

These go back to the 1980s, when Congress designated about 36 miles of the San Pedro River basin as a national conservation area. And Congress created a federal water right for the area in a quantity sufficient to fulfill the purpose of protecting the riparian area.

Legally, while federal water rights are subordinate to existing ones under state law, they are senior to the claims of others seeking to appropriate water in the future.

Pueblo del Sol did not file an application for a certificate of assured water supply through 2032 for Tribute until June 2011.

Complicating matters is that the process of determining water rights to the entire Gila basin, which includes the San Pedro, has been going on now for about 40 years. And that makes the amount of water to which BLM is entitled currently unquantified.
Trick question: How much property tax will the people living in the Mescal-J6 Fire District pay this year?

The answer, for this year at least, depends on which side of the Pima-Cochise county line they live on.

On Aug. 15, the Pima County Board of Supervisors approved a tax rate of roughly $1.46 for every $100 of assessed value on their side of the line. That same day, the Cochise County Board of Supervisors approved a rate of $1.36 for the remainder of the district. Tax bills with the two different rates have been printed and sent out to property owners, and it looks doubtful that either board will revise the rate, officials from both counties said.

Theyve already been levied, and the first half is already due, said Deputy Pima County Administrator Tom Burke, who was recently directed to look into the matter. I have not encountered this situation before.

I seriously doubt that the (Cochise Board of Supervisors) is going to want to raise the rates on our end, Cochise County Administrator James Vlahovich said. If Pima County wants to lower their rates, thats on them, and theyll have to figure out how to do rebates for people who have already paid their taxes.

The Arizona Constitution states that all taxes shall be uniform upon the same class of property within the territorial limits of the authority levying the tax.

However, a state body tasked with overseeing property taxes likely doesnt have the authority to force either of the counties to change their rates, according to emails provided by a district resident.

Property owners should pay the same tax rate for the same level of service regardless of which county the property is located in, reads an email from the Property Tax Oversight Commissions Darlene Teller to the districts Chief John Moran. Please take appropriate action to coordinate the tax rate levied by each county for your district for future compliance.

Teller later told the Star that Mescal-J6 is one of eight Arizona fire districts that cross county lines, and that there have been three other comparable instances of property tax discrepancies in recent years, though they were smaller than the current 10-cent difference. In all three instances the disparate rates remained through the tax year and were made uniform the following year, according to Teller.

Moran did not respond to several requests for comment.

The difference in tax bills due to the discrepancy will be small. A Pima County Treasurers Office employee confirmed Star calculations that a Pima residential property with a limited cash value of $150,000 will pay a little over $14 more than someone on the Cochise side of the line. The tax bill difference for all property on the Pima side, valued at around $3.9 million, is just shy of $3,800, according to calculations provided by Pima County.

Nevertheless, Mary McCool, a Cochise County resident of the district and chair of the local community development organization, said, It is a matter of government being accountable for taxpayers money.

The thing of significance is that a communication breakdown occurred, and that never should have happened, she added.

In the view of Pima County officials, the rate was set according to the process established by state statute: the fire board approved a budget over the summer and submitted a levy amount of $56,788 and a tax rate of $1.4599 for every $100 of valuation to Pima before Aug. 1, the deadline for such submissions.

Pima County is required to levy taxes in the amount adopted by fire districts, reads an Oct. 27 memo from Burke. We believe that the Cochise County rate is understated, and that the Pima County rate is the appropriate rate.

But several days after the Aug. 1 due date, Cochise County officials recalculated the tax rate based on what they said was a higher year-end balance than the fire district had calculated. In an Aug. 17 email, Moran wrote that the apparent oversight was due in part to the departure of an accountant in June.

It took some time for the new CPA to learn our system and bring our books current, he went on to write.

In his memo, Burke took issue with the basis of the recalculation, writing that there is no indication the higher cash balance cited by Cochise officials was the same as the fund balance.

In an Aug. 19 email, Pima County Budget Manager Robert Johnson wrote that if Cochise officials were correct, it did not appear that the fire district board then met to adopt a revised budget. Even if it had, Johnson said it would be a moot point, as final tax rates must be submitted by Aug. 1.

The only notice that Pima County received regarding the tax rate was the fire districts submission of July 29, 2016, notifying us of the $1.4599 rate, he wrote.

We levy the taxes that are given to us by taxing jurisdictions, Burke told the Star. We dont review and edit them.

Regardless of which county is correct, every official interviewed said they hope to avoid a repeat next year. Vlahovich said his office is preparing a joint resolution for the two counties to help officials work together in advance to prevent what he described as an anomaly.

McCool said she was pleased to hear such steps were being taken but is waiting to hear the details of the agreement.

That is the key thing that we are asking, is that procedures and policies are put in place to prevent this from happening again, she added.

McCool, who lives on the Cochise side, suggested with a laugh that perhaps she and others set to pay lower taxes this year could put on a firemans ball for their Pima County neighbors.
With the fate of the current Democratic board of supervisors majority on the line, early results gave District 3 Democratic incumbent Sharon Bronson an edge over her Republican challenger Kim DeMarco.

With nearly 48,000 ballots counted, Bronson maintained a lead over DeMarco, decreasing the possibility of a new Republican majority.

Nevertheless, DeMarco held out hope for ballots yet to be counted turning the race her way.

We are feeling pretty good still, she told the Star on Tuesday night. These are early ballots and they tend to be a little more Democrat heavy. We are still very, very optimistic and I still think that we can pull this off.

Her fellow Republican Steve Christy, was on his way to an overwhelming win against Green Party challenger Josh Reilly in District 4.

Christy said he would have preferred to work with a Republican majority but was confident he could work across the aisle with Democrats.

I think weve got the momentum certainly and I think the reason we do is because this really is about keeping Pima County on the same track we are on now, bringing jobs into the community, making government accountable while working together with all the jurisdictions, Bronson, who was first elected in 1996, told the Star.

Registered Democrats in District 3 outnumber registered Republicans by more than 12,500. In 2012, Bronson beat her Republican challenger Tanner Bell by nearly 10 percentage points.

The District 3 race saw a massive influx of outside fundraising in its final weeks, with tens of thousands of dollars spent in support of both Bronson and DeMarco.

Our Southern Arizona, which was spending some of its money to get Bronson re-elected, and America Revived PAC, which was in DeMarcos corner, had about $300,000 to spend, rivaling the amounts raised by both candidates campaigns. Officials from both parties described the level of spending as unprecedented.

Our Southern Arizona was backed in part by local real estate mogul Don Diamond and America Revived was supported by other local businessmen, like Jim Click and William Assenmacher, each of whom contributed $25,000 to the $122,750 war chest, according to recently filed campaign finance reports.

In District 1, the only other competitive race, Democratic challenger Brian Bickel was at Republican incumbent Ally Millers heels as of 10:35 p.m.

With nearly 77,000 ballots counted, Miller was up by a little over 3 percent in the heavily Republican district. Republicans make up nearly 39 percent of registered voters and Democrats are just shy of 31 percent.

The votes left to be counted, including in-person votes and mail-in ballots dropped off at polling stations, tend to lean Republican and could lead to a larger spread than early results showed, Bickel said.

Nevertheless, Bickel said the fact that he gave Miller a tighter race than John Winchester did in the August primary shows that many district voters are tired of what Bickel described as his opponents contentious relationship with other board members.

Miller did not return a call for comment.

District 5 Democratic incumbent Richard Elias enjoyed a big lead over Green Party challenger Martin Bastidas. District 2 Democratic incumbent Ramon Valadez faced no competition .
It appears that several years of public outreach and input have paid off in Oro Valley: Early ballot returns show the towns new general plan has the support of a strong majority of voters.

As of 8:20 p.m., 15,870 early ballots had been counted, more than 70 percent of which were in favor of the plan. There are a little over 30,000 registered voters in Oro Valley.

General plans give municipalities guidance as they develop and are required by state law.

The level of outreach, which won the city recognition from the Arizona Planning Association in 2014, stems in part from initial voter rejection of the previous general plan roughly a decade ago.
PHOENIX  Arizona is unlikely to join a growing list of states where adults can buy and use marijuana almost as easily as alcohol, at least not this year.

Preliminary results late Tuesday showed Proposition 205 trailing by 5 percentage points.

The vote marks a clear difference from six years ago when Arizonans narrowly agreed to allow those with certain medical conditions and a doctors recommendation to obtain up to 2 ounces of marijuana every two weeks. Nearly 109,000 people have qualified.

Prop. 205 was crafted to immediately allow any adult to have up to an ounce of the drug, consume it in private, as well as to grow up to six plants. And beginning in 2018 there would be state-licensed retail outlets for purchase.

This measure followed the lead of Colorado and Washington, where voters have previously concluded there is no reason to limit marijuana use to patients. On Tuesday, California voters passed a ballot measure to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.

It was an expensive campaign on both sides, with proponents amassing a war chest of $6.6 million against $6.1 million accumulated by foes.

Proponents argued the measure would regulate marijuana like alcohol, with a limited number of legal dispensaries, a state agency responsible for setting rules and taxes collected. And they are riding a wave of support with similar measures on the ballot in other states.

That left foes, led by prosecutors and the business community, to argue that legalizing marijuana for recreational use is far different than permitting individuals to buy and drink beer, wine and hard liquor.

Both sides rounded up testimony from those elsewhere, mainly from Colorado, in an effort to prove their point. But that often provided little guidance.

For example, there are statistics that show the use of marijuana by teens in Colorado who are not legally allowed to use it is higher than the rest of the country. But there also are numbers showing that teen use is no higher now than it was when Colorado legalized recreational use in 2012.
Bob Burns won re-election to the Arizona Corporation Commission Tuesday, and his fellow Republican incumbent Andy Tobin was running second in the five-way race for three available seats.

The states largest electric company spent $4 million on the race  supporting Burns, Tobin, and Republican Boyd Dunn as the potential utility regulators of its choice.

Pinnacle West Capital Corp., parent of Arizona Public Service, put the money into TV commercials and other media to ensure that the commission remains an all-Republican panel.

Another $323,000 was spent by the Arizona Association of Realtors on behalf of the same contenders.

But not all the money is on one side of the equation.

Save Our AZ Solar put most of its $2.4 million into getting Democrat Bill Mundell back on the commission. He previously served there for nine years, albeit as a Republican.

The organization, financed by SolarCity, which sells and leases rooftop solar units, also put close to $380,000 into backing Burns.

Both have been consistent supporters of solar energy, said Kris Mayes, who is running the Save Our AZ Solar campaign.

The other candidate is Democrat Tom Chabin.

The financial support by both sides for Burns appeared to be paying off: He led in the five-way race. Tobin appeared to be in good shape as well, but the leader for the third seat wasnt clear.

The long-term viability of independently produced solar power was a key issue in the race, as was the campaign spending by special interests.

The question of who are the pro-solar and pro-consumer candidates got muddled during the expensive campaign.
Democrats have held on to the Arizona congressional seat that Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick vacated to run for Senate.

Tom OHalleran defeated Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu on Tuesday in the vast Congressional District 1.

Preliminary returns showed OHalleran, a retired Chicago police officer, defeated the Pinal County sheriff 51 to 44 percent.

Green Party candidate Ray Parrish had 6 percent of the vote.

Kirkpatrick lost her race Tuesday to Sen. John McCain.

Babeu, who won among Pima County voters, emerged from a crowded field in the primary despite getting little support from national GOP groups.

Democratic groups hit him with negative ads alleging that he oversaw a Massachusetts boarding school from 1999 to 2001 where students were abused.

A federal investigation looked into the use of seized money and property in his office and fallout from the 2012 congressional campaign that he quit after scantily clad pictures he posted on a gay dating website surfaced.

OHalleran had his own issues to overcome.

He was a Republican in the Legislature from 2001 to 2009, ran for House as an independent in 2014 and registered as a Democrat last year.

In a debate in late September, the two sparred over tax cuts.

Babeu pledged to collapse tax brackets and said OHalleran was a big spender when he was in the Legislature.

OHalleran said the state budget grew because of population growth, and of the two candidates he was the only one who cut taxes.

Both candidates agreed that protecting coal jobs in the district that runs from Flagstaff to Marana and includes much of rural eastern Arizona is a must.
Early election results show that Republican challenger Mark Napier is holding a steady lead over Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.

Napier was leading Nanos 55 percent to 45 percent.

"We've got a good lead with the early ballots so far, and I'm feeling confident as the night goes on we'll see more of the same," Napier said, adding that he had been expecting the results to lean in his favor.

If elected, he said that his first priority is to do a "cultural reset" in the Sheriff's department to help restore morale.

"To the people who have been given a black eye by all the nonsense thats been going on and the high-level people who felt under-appreciated and often mistreated by the current administration, were going to lift them back up," Napier said.

Republican Mark Napier delivers victory speech to be next Pima County Sheriff #TucsonVotes pic.twitter.com/zCKctk0TbD  Julianne Stanford (@Jules_Stanford) November 9, 2016

Nanos, a Democrat, was appointed to the position by the board of supervisors in July 2015, to complete the term of longtime Sheriff Clarence Dupnik.

He could not be reached for comment regarding the early returns.

Pima County Elections Director said Tuesday night that as many as 40,000 mail-in ballots won't be counted tonight, as they still need to be verified.

Napier challenged Dupnik in the 2012 election, coming in with 46 percent of the vote to Dupniks 51 percent.

During the past several months, allegations of an FBI investigation into misuse of public funds have swirled around Nanos and other members of the department's command staff.

At the end of September, his second-in-command, Chief Deputy Chris Radtke, was indicted on seven felony counts of conspiracy and theft of $500,000 of federal funds, after the FBI found evidence that he used money intended for crime fighting for unrelated purchases.

Napier received endorsements from the Pima County Deputy Sheriff's Association, Tucson Police Officers Association and the Pima County Corrections Officers Association. In September, the deputies' union expressed a vote of no confidence in Nanos and reported a record number of votes by members.

In other races:

Longtime Democratic Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall easily won another term over challenger Green Party candidate Cyndi Tuell, earning 71 percent of the vote.

In the race for Pima County Assessor, Democrat Bill Staples defeated Independent Suzanne Droubie, with 66 percent of the vote.

Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez, a Democrat, has earned 80 percent of the vote over Green Party candidate Mike Cease.
The blazing heat and stifling humidity of summers peak can be brutal, especially for former Tucson resident Donnie Cianciotto.

Where most can throw on a T-shirt and brave the muggy August commutes, Cianciotto, a transgender man, dons multiple layers to hide the noticeable bulge of his chest. Hes still in the process of transitioning through gender reassignment surgery, stalled by denial after denial for a breast removal procedure.

He wears a constrictive binder beneath his clothing. Sometimes, he said, just having the will to leave the apartment is a challenge.

Transition, or the altering of ones sex assigned at birth, can be a complex process that occurs over extended periods of time. Transition happens in different ways for different people, from changes in preferred pronouns to hormone therapy. Some, like Cianciotto, choose sex reassignment surgery to physically transition from one gender to another.

Before Cianciotto moved from Tucson back to New York City in 2016, he faced a lengthy battle with Arizonas Medicaid agency for coverage of his testosterone prescriptions and other surgical procedures related to his transition. He has been physically transitioning for four years, but feels like hes been living as a man his whole life, he said.

Transitioning is different for everyone, he said, but the emotional toll of waiting for transition-related care can be tremendously disheartening and emotional.

Barriers to treatment

Access to health care and provider sensitivity toward transgender patient care remains a challenge in many facets of the U.S. medical system.

Despite federal prohibitions on discrimination against transgender patients, many still face high out-of-pocket medical costs and lengthy appeals to insurers for coverage of transition-related care, advocates say.

In a 2012 National Center for Transgender Equalitys discrimination survey, 19 percent of respondents said they were denied medical care for their transgender or gender non-conforming status. Fifty percent said they had to educate their provider about transgender care.

Forty-one percent of transgender respondents reported attempting suicide, and the rate is even higher for victims of bias, harassment and poverty. Numbers like these make access to adequate care a priority for advocates.

Organizations in Tucson, like Living out Loud at CODAC Behavioral Health Services, provide support for transgender patients. Chad Mosher, program coordinator for Living Out Loud, said Tucson offers transgender patients good access to mental and physical health care, but the struggle continues in other parts of the country.

Insensitive providers

For hospitals and providers who havent undergone sensitivity training, inappropriate behavior can be common.

Mosher said he counsels individuals who have dealt with everything from misgendering in an exam room to inappropriate exchanges at the scene of crashes. Many times, just having to prove oneself in a male-female system can be exhausting, especially for those whose gender identity falls outside the traditional categories of man or woman.

At the Trans*studies conference held at the University of Arizona in September, first of its kind held nationally, panelists from around the world addressed issues of access and proper transgender care within health-care structures, including the need for a gender dysphoria diagnosis for certain kinds of treatment.

Patients seeking reassignment surgery must obtain a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, which means a persons birth gender is different than the gender they identify with. But Mosher said this and other requirements can put additional burdens on the patient.

We kind of have to fight through to make sure that we get what we need, whether its getting in to see someone for hormones, having to explain why theyre seeking it, having to justify through a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, which is not a perfect system, he said.

Eric Plemons, a UA assistant professor and faculty in the Transgender Studies Initiative, which sponsored the conference, said barriers to care started, in part, due to a 1979 Johns Hopkins University study that claimed reassignment surgery was not beneficial to patients. Despite coming under fire as a bad study, Plemons said it gave insurers a pretext to deny coverage for the surgeries and led to the closure of clinics that specialized in transgender health care.

For those people who were just looking for some reason to stop providing this care, that study provided a really good tool for them, Plemons said.

In 1981, the Department of Health and Human Services decided to exclude transsexual surgery from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance coverage soon following suit. The stall of coverage was followed by clinic closures, and the number of physicians who specialized in transitional care plummeted, Plemons said.

Coverage denials

In Arizona, AHCCCS denied approval for Cianciottos double mastectomy, despite his letters from three doctors saying the procedure was medically necessary. AHCCCS responded that there was no proof it would be beneficial to a transgender person, Cianciotto said of the denial letter.

Since Cianciottos appeal was denied for the first time in 2015, recent provisions in the Affordable Care Act address discrimination against transgender patients. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a rule in May that prohibits discrimination based on sex in all health systems overseen by the department.

Claire Swinford, member of the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance board of directors, said the denial and appeals process is a murky area. Although insurers cannot give blanket exclusions, patients are still routinely denied coverage due to lack of medical necessity, as medical necessity is not fully defined by law, Swinford said.

Monica Coury, a spokeswoman for AHCCCS, said in an email that medical necessity is the primary coverage criteria for benefits and is determined on a case-by-case basis by physicians.

After denials, appeals can eventually end up at the Arizona Department of Insurance or the Office of Civil Rights at HHS, creating many battles over coverage that Swinford hopes will eventually create a large enough body of appeal rulings and court cases to define the parameters of medical necessity, Swinford said in an email.

Local advocacy groups and a growing number of trained hospitals and doctors put the Tucson community ahead in terms of transgender care, thanks in large part to the efforts of the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance.

Founded in 1998, the alliance has been working to provide Tucson health-care professionals with sensitivity training related to using proper pronouns, raising comfort levels of doctors and informing personnel of changes within the transgender community so they can better provide care.

Youre building a culture, and once that culture is built then youre golden, Swinford said.
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Is Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Dead or Alive, What Are His Net Worth & Education? Everyone will always remember Bill Nye as the Science Guy. Besides his TV show Bill Nye the Science Guy, he is well-known for his Netflix show Bill Nye Saves the World which started airing in 2017 as well as his appearances in many famous media projects as a science educator. The star studied mechanical engineering ...

Is Cesar Millan Dead, Who Is The Wife & What Is His Net Worth? Cesar Millan is the famous dog whisperer who often stirs up mixed emotions. The Mexican-American is precisely speaking, a dog behaviorist; he has been in the game for over 25 years. His Emmy-nominated television series, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan further pushed his method and tactics into the limelight. The series was produced from 2004 ...

Is Thomas Sanders Gay and Does He Have A Boyfriend? By the time Vine was shut down in January 2017, Thomas Sanders was already popular within and beyond the internet community for his heavy involvements on the online video hosting platform. After the tragic shutdown of Vine impacted on the growing career of the multi-talented personality, he immediately switched over to YouTube where he continued to upload ...

Is Shepard Smith Gay, Who Is The Boyfriend & What Is His Net Worth? There are only a few media personalities who are as bold and confident as Shepard Smith. Apart from his impressive stint at Fox News Channel which includes but not limited to his classic news delivery, upfront stance on virtually every issue and much more; he loves his job as much as he loves his personality. Smith ...

Is Milo Yiannopoulos Gay? His Husband and Net Worth Milo Yiannopoulos is a popular writer, journalist, polemicist, public speaker, and political commentator who is also known as the founder of The Kernel, an online blog. He has been said to be among the list of 100 weird and influential people in the United Kingdom. He appeared on this list as a result of personal beliefs and ...

Does Ryan Seacrest Have A Wife Or Girlfriend, What Is His Net Worth? From radio to television, Ryan Seacrest is a household name and a force to be reckoned with in showbiz. The radio personality, television host, and producer is best recognized as the host of the popular TV talent search contest American Idol. Heres how the media personality who always knew what his lifes ambition was and diligently pursued ...

Is Anderson Cooper Gay, Who is The Boyfriend or Husband? For many, the thought of becoming a millionaire by writing and talking about other people appears unachievable but this is the reality of the prominent American journalist Anderson Cooper who gathered millions of dollars for conducting accurate political analysis and other vital reports on TV. He is the main anchor of the CNN news show Anderson ...

Is David Muir Gay or Does He Have A Wife, What Is His Salary? David Muir is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who works for the ABC broadcast-television network and anchors the ABC World News Tonight with David Muir program while also co-anchoring the magazine program 20/20. The Ithaca College graduate, whose show has become the most-watched newscast in America, has covered stories from all across America and the world; reporting ...

Joel Osteen  Divorce Rumors, Net Worth & Family Members Joel Osteen is an American Televangelist, Senior Pastor of Lakewood Church based in Houston, Texas, a husband and a father of two. He is an author of many books, seven of which are New York Times Best Sellers and his televised sermons capture more than 7 million viewers per week and 20 million every month ...

Who Is Todd Chrisley? What To Know About His Children, Gay Rumors & Net Worth Premiered on the USA network in 2014, Chrisley Knows Best is one of the most watched family reality TV shows in the U.S. The series which is currently in its sixth season is centered around U.S real estate mogul Todd Chrisley and his family. The show reveals Todd the patriarch of the Chrisley family as a strict dad who rules ...

Who Is Shannon Bream Of Fox News? Her Husband, Children & Net Worth Shannon Bream who hosts the iconic primetime program started her journalism career in the late 1990s debuting as the evening and late-night news reporter for the CBS affiliate, WBTV. The beauty from America currently works for the Fox News Channel and she is best known for anchoring the primetime program. She also hosts Americas News ...

Is Troye Sivan Gay, Who Is His Boyfriend and What Is His Net Worth? Troye Sivan is an Australian singer and songwriter best known for songs like Happy Little Pill, Youth, Heaven (with Betty Who) and The Boyfriend Tag (with Tyler Oakley) which have all garnered him different awards and ranked on the Billboard Charts. Sivan, who was born in South Africa but now resides in the United States, is ...

Did iDubbbz Have Cancer, Is He Gay and Who Is His Girlfriend Now? iDubbbz is one YouTuber who has made a career out of courting controversy. Renowned for his absurdist channels and comedy video series, the Los Angeles based personality is the owner of two channels, iDubbzTV, and iDubbzTV2, as well as the brains behind comedy video series such as Content Cop, Kickstarter Crap, Gaming News Crap, and ...

Inside Greg Gutfelds Love Story With Wife Elena Moussa and Why Fans Thought He Was Gay Greg Gutfeld is a seasoned American television producer whose career in the media industry has spanned over a decade. He is a man of many talents who makes extra income through comedy, journalism, and editorial works. Gutfeld regularly appears on Fox News Channel as a panellist and co-host of the political talk show The Five ...

Works That Made Bo Burnham A Household Name and How Much He Is Worth Now One of YouTubes first viral stars and the worlds most exciting young comedian, Bo Burnham, has always amazed critics and comedy aficionados alike. Often regarded as the Justin Bieber of comedy, thanks to his fresh looks, floppy blond hair and hoodies, he has a multi-faceted career bigger than many comedians twice his age. It wouldnt ...

Is Louie Anderson Gay And What Is His Net Worth? Louie Anderson has one of the most abstract faces in the industry and equally knows how to use it to his advantage. He is not only a stand-up comedian but also an actor and television host who is known for his distinctive comic wits. Some of his notable projects include Family Feud, where he was ...

Is Don Lemon of CNN Gay, Who is His Partner and What Is His Salary? Don Lemon has risen to become one of the most recognizable faces on CNN over the past few years. The fiery journalist, who anchors CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, is liked and somewhat disliked for his strong and candid opinions on a variety of matters that do not just include politics but also race, significantly, matters that ...

Is Rachel Maddow Gay, Who is the Wife and How Much Does She Earn in Salary? Rachel Maddow is an award-winning American journalist, political commentator, and television news anchor. She is best known for hosting the popular nightly TV show The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Prior to this, she hosted a talk radio program on Air America Radio from 2005 to 2010. As of now, the TV sensation co-anchors MSNBCs ...

Demystifying Pokimane  Her Real Name, Ethnicity & Boyfriend Like most social media celebrities in this digital era, Pokimane Thicc is one of those stars who took advantage of the internet to make a name for herself. Given the unlimited potentials which the social media space offers, many people have been instantly propelled to fame just by posting creative online contents. Not only has ...

A Breakdown of Kris Jenners Net Worth, Sources Of Income and Relationships Over The Years Standing outside and looking in, Kris Jenner looks like the oil that greases the wheels of the entire Kardashian/Jenner machine. She has been dubbed a momager and rightfully so because she seems to have had a part to play in the trajectory of each and every one of her daughters individually and the Kardashian brand ...

Pursuits That Brought Liza Koshys Fame To its Zenith and Her Love Life Since David Dobrik Liza Koshy is an American actress who has leveraged YouTube as a platform to promote her comedy while also serving as a television host on occasions. She is talented and funny and has gathered a lot of fans from around the world. Koshy started on Vine in high school and was able to get millions of ...

Alex Aiono Biography  Inside The Life Of The American Singer Not everyone who started from the streets has attained the heights where Alex Aiono is currently. His story could be referred to as the perfect definition of rising from Grass to Grace. He came into the limelight after he started out as a YouTuber, singer, and producer. One fascinating thing about the young YouTuber is ...

Virginia Vallejo Biography And Her Love Story With Pablo Escobar Virginia Vallejo can be referred to as one of the oldest whistleblowers in history after her involvement with Pablo Escobar which made her famous. Over the years, many questions have been raised about her relationship with the drug lord and why she endangered her life to be with him despite his notorious acts. The death ...

Princess Love Bio  Ethnicity, Real Name & Parents For many people, Princess Love is simply Ray Js wife but there is so much more to this feisty lady than meets the eye. She is a star in her own right and has many feathers on her cap. Princess Love is a reality TV star, a model, video vixen, and fashion designer. She and her ...

Who is Papa Franku Also Known As Filthy Frank or Joji, Where is He Now? The social media as we all know today has given people the opportunity to be creative and innovative and at the same time, make something of themselves. YouTube is one of the known social platforms we have today that makes it possible for people to express their God-given talents and post videos they created to ...

Who Is Molly Qerim, How Did She Become a Famous Sports Anchor and Who Is Her Husband? Molly Qerim is an American sports anchor popularly known for moderating First Take, a highly rated sports talk show, on ESPN. Prior to joining ESPN, Qerim hosted Fantasy Live and NFL AM on NFL Network. It is quite obvious that the widely acclaimed television personality is in a class of her own when it comes ...

Safiya Nygaard  Height, Parents & Net Worth Safiya Nygaard is an American YouTuber, writer, content producer, and director who is popular for posting makeup, beauty and fashion videos on YouTube. Her videos regularly top at least one million views, thanks to her lively character as well as her willingness to experiment with outrageous outfits and different beauty products. Here are the things to ...

The Rigors of Sunlen Serfatys Career Journey Until CNN and Fun Facts About Her Personal Life CNN correspondent, Sunlen Serfaty is an Emmy Award-winning journalist known for covering a broad range of breaking news stories, national news, and Washington politics. She has been able to garner widespread recognition for herself which even goes beyond the sphere of her work. Her profile also increased with the extensive work she did in covering ...

Demystifying Jazz Jennings Real Name, Boyfriend & Family Of One The Youngest Transgenders Jazz Jennings is an unusual personality who became famous as a transgender activist and was recorded as the youngest documented public figure to be seen as transgender. She is also a YouTube personality and spokesmodel for brands, her fans, and other transgenders. She fought for acceptance in her high school with her super supportive family for over ...

Inside Fred Armisens Life  Ethnicity, Romantic Relationships and Gay Rumors Fred Armisen is an award-winning American comedian, he is also a writer, an actor as well as a musician. He was a cast member of the legendary comedy show, Saturday Night Live for 13 years and also one of the brains behind the successful satirical show Portlandia. Find out more about this incredibly talented guy ...

Ed and Lorraine Warren Biography: Cases, Kids, and Family Life Have you ever woken up with fear you could not explain, or felt a strange presence that made the hair at your nape rise or even experienced strange occurrences around you? Well, these were some of the promptings that made the well-known paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren delve into trying to explain the ideas ...

Truth About Tony Romos Wife, Kids and Life Since His NFL Retirement Tony Romo grew from the field as a quarterback to the screens as an American Football Analyst. He was a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the richest football league in the world (NFL) before retiring. As a junior, he was honored as an All-Ohio Conference Member, an Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and ...

Who is Brittany Venti, The Controversial Game Streamer and YouTuber? In recent times, many people live stream themselves playing video games. This has become a popular pastime on the internet and many highly skilled gamers have become internet celebrities through this means. However, some of them rather than becoming renowned for their gaming skills and great commentary, have become controversial and infamous. A good example ...

Rob Dyrdeks Family: His Kids And Relationship With Wife Bryiana Noelle Flores A multi-talented star and an elite pro skateboarder, Rob Dyrdeks success story began at a remarkably young age. Yet another proof that schooling doesnt always correlate with success, Rob has established himself not just as a phenomenal sportsman but also as a successful entrepreneur. Besides perfecting his skill as a natural talent on the board, ...

xChocobars  Biography and Everything You Should Know About Her Having distinguished herself and recorded massive successes in an industry notably dominated by men, it is very safe to say that Xchocobars deserves all the attention and cash she makes from her career. A household name on Twitch (a smart live streaming video platform), the online-gamer is popularly known for streaming classic games such as Stardew ...

Everything To Know About Mary Padian, Her Boyfriend and Net Worth Mary Padian is a famous American television reality personality best known for her involvements on the Reality show Storage Wars. She also has her own shop called Mary finds where she displays her antique collections. Since her childhood, Padian has been a creative learner. At the time, she used to create new items out of reusable ones and ...

Betsy Woodruffs Family Life: Is She Married or Related To Bob Woodruff? An old name in the world of journalism, Betsy Woodruff has warmed her way into the hearts of many with her impressive talents. Through hard work, Woodruff has carved a niche for herself in a very competitive field. Betsy has strong family and work values and is also an advocate for equal opportunities for everyone ...

Matpat (Matthew Patrick)  Wife, Height & Net Worth As far as internet business is concerned, Matpat remains one of the most dynamic and seasoned figures. He boasts a wealth of experience that has helped him in growing his business from one level of greatness to another. Like most successful people, MatPat started out small but today, he makes millions of dollars from his ...

Facts About Ricegum  His Girlfriend, Real Name & Net Worth Ricegum is an online gamer and YouTube sensation who ditched college; took advantage of the digital era, and made a name for himself on the internet. Though he began as a gaming YouTuber, Ricegum soon gained recognition as a controversial internet star following his many diss tracks. Here is everything you need to know about the youngster ...

Joy Taylor Once Married MLBs Richard Giannotti  Inside Look At Her Love Life and Family The erosion of the sexist idea that women have no business in sports broadcasting created a host of women celebrities who attained fame outside of modeling and acting. One of them, Joy Taylor, a radio personality and TV host for Fox Sports 1, has been in the industry since 2009, becoming one of the most ...

What To Know About Conan OBriens Wife, Kids & Family Today The name Conan OBrien is one that jumps right at you almost immediately you start talking about the most popular television hosts in the USA and this is no surprise because the man behind that name has risen to become one of the most admired men in the business. Known for hosting the late-night talk ...

David Letterman  Net Worth, Wife & Son In all of American, one man whose face has been seen frequently by late night TV talk show lovers is none but David Letterman. The comedian and TV show veteran has been hosting late night talk shows for more than three decades. His Late Night with David Letterman show began on February 1st, 1982 aired ...

Demystifying Sssniperwolfs Family Background And The Boyfriends Shes Had Since she launched her eponymously named channel in 2013, Sssniperwolf has been on the rise when it comes to video game influencers. She is one of the biggest names in the online gaming subgenre of YouTube videos. Real name Lia Shelesh, she started with Call of Duty: Black Ops II but has diversified with other ...

Lester Holt  Wife, Family & Net Worth Lester Holt is a multiple award-winning journalist, newscaster, reporter, and actor who has worked for notable media houses like WCBS TV, CBS, MSNBC and among others. His remarkable feat in journalism has endeared him to the hearts of many and earned him some awards and recognitions. Read on to get acquainted with his biography, ethnicity, ...

What Is Louis C.K. Doing Now, Where Are His Family And How Much Is His Net Worth? It is not easy to make it in comedy. It takes more than a funny bone and the ability to elicit a few giggles from a listening audience. For all the complexities that go into making a successful career in comedy, Louis C.K, the Washington D.C-born comedian, did it. For years, he was at the ...

The Progression of Hoda Kotbs Career, Her Ancestry and Family Life Hoda Kotb gained fame as a television host and news anchor for NBC. She anchors the shows signature show Today, and it has been an excellent vehicle for her skills in front of a camera. Kotb has won several awards, including Daytime Emmys and Peabody Awards. Simply put, she is one of the most successful ...

Jerry Seinfelds Family: All About The Amazing Comedians Wife and Kids Apparently one of the highly important entertainers in America, Jerry Seinfeld is a man of many talents. A very funny man, he is considered to be one of the most successful comedians in the USA who has been in the business as a professional rib-cracker for more than 40 years. As an actor, he has ...

The Rigors Of Sarah Silvermans Rise To Prominence And Rundown Of The Men She Has Dated A comedian, writer, and actress, Sarah Silvermans art and craft is as unique as you would ever find. Her poignant use of comedy to discuss social issues such as race, sexism, politics, and religion has gained her an impressive following. As unorthodox as her style is, so is her life experiences. She previously suffered from epiglottitis ...

Who Is Hannibal Buress, Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend & Why Was He Arrested? Making people laugh when they are tense or not in the mood is a tough order and to ply the trade, it must indeed take some guts and expertise, this is what the humor maker, Hannibal Buress has been able to achieve and sustain after his inital teething process. The African-American is a screen writer, stand-up ...

The Success of John Mulaneys Career Efforts Since His Work On Saturday Night Live and Facts About His Wife John Mulaney had been working as a professional comedian for years before Saturday Night Live changed his status for life and like many who are now his fans, you probably did not know of him then. However, that changed when he joined the sketch comedy show in 2008. Since then, he has been one of ...

Jeff Dunham  Wife, Children and Net Worth Ventriloquism is a very subtle method of making an inanimate object (like a puppet, doll or dummy) appear to be saying words which are actually coming from the person (holding the inanimate object). In effect, the individual throws his/her voice to the puppet and can even appear to be having a conversation with it. Not ...

Ellen DeGeneres  Net Worth, Wife  Portia de Rossi & Parents Ellen DeGeneres is an American female standup comedian who has proven that whatever a man can do, a woman can also do. Since her journey as a standup comedian started in 1981, she has held swirl as one of the finest comedians America and the world at large has seen. She is often referred to ...

Revisiting Joan Rivers Death  The Daughter, Husband & Net Worth She Left Behind Joan Rivers was a renowned American comedian, TV host, writer, and actress. Her brand of comedy consisted of scathing one-liners and no individual or topic is spared. She hosted her own talk shows in the 80s and 90s and was a pioneer for women in stand up comedy. She was the first woman to host a late night ...

The Struggles of Margaret Chos Childhood, How It Influenced Her Career Growth and Love Life Margaret Cho is best described as a comic star who knows how to maneuver everything related to life into a rib-cracking joke. She is also known to criticize every social and political problem, especially those involving race and sexuality. Apart from her talents as a comic actress, she does amazingly well as a singer and ...

Where Is Eric Bolling Today? Who Is His Son & What Is His Net Worth? Eric Bolling who was once a notable figure on Fox News, is an American TV personality, an author, and versatile Journalist. As a political and financial analyst/commentator, he anchored discussions bothering on finance for Fox Business Channel. Here is everything there is to know about his career, family, and allegations that led to his exit ...

Who Is Chelsea Handler and Does She Have A Husband or Boyfriend? Chelsea Handler is one of Americas top female comedians. She is also an actress, writer, television host, producer, and activist. She is known to be very outspoken even with things that are very personal. In separate interviews with The New York Times, Handler revealed that she had an abortion twice when she was 16. She has authored five books ...

How Did Laura Lee Achieve Fame, How Much is She Worth and Who is Her Husband? Laura Lee is a popular American YouTuber, make-up artist and beauty blogger. From posting videos of her makeup routines on Instagram, Lee has transformed into a beauty influencer and a YouTube sensation. Today, her YouTube Channel has over 630 million views and 4.5 million subscribers. Asides having millions of followers across all social media platforms, ...

Madison Gesiotto Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Measurements Madison Gesiotto is no ordinary woman; although she excelled in quite a number of pageants and competitions while she was in school, it is her views on politics and issues in America that has made her name known to most people. She possesses beauty and intelligence in a seemingly equal measure and has been able ...

Who Is Lil Tay? Parents, Brother, Sister, Age, Net Worth, Ethnicity Child stardom is nothing new in the entertainment world. With the advent of social media, we have seen more stars made from the internet than ever before, and Lil Tay is one of them. Her uploaded rap videos trademark is cursing, swearing, cash-throwing, and use of obscene languages. Her fame went wild after she dropped ...

What To Know About Tig Notaros Wife, Kids and Family Today Tig Notaro is an American stand-up comic star, writer, actress, and radio analyst. Since she started her career in 2001, she has become one of Americas best comedians, particularly when it comes to observational comedy. One prominent aspect of her routine involves her family, which includes a wife and two children. Interestingly, Tig Notaro is part ...

Who Is Chantel Jeffries? What To Know About Her Age, Ethnicity & Net Worth Chantel Jeffries is a lady of many talents. Beyond being celebrated as a DJ, she has fared well as a model, an actress, musician, and as an artist. She first rose to fame on Instagram where she has a large following. However, in recent times, she has hit the spotlight for her rumored relationships with some ...

Is Ellen DeGeneres Married, Who Is The Brother  Vance DeGeneres and Family Members? Ellen DeGeneres is one of a kind celebrity in todays world as she has used her wealth for the greater good for many people. She has served a host of famous awards shows like the Grammy, Primetime Emmy and Academy Awards. Moreso, she is probably one of the most decorated entertainment personalities around the world and ...

Carli Bybel Bio  Height, Boyfriend & Net Worth Video blogging is now on the rise and YouTube is the place where most of it happens. If you are a lady who cares about her looks or a guy who likes to help his woman out with her looks, then one person whose name rings a bell when it comes to giving beauty tips ...

Who Is Lexy Panterra? What To Know About Her Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth Lexy Panterra is one of the YouTube personalities whose breakout came through the Twerk dance videos she posted on her social media handles and YouTube which has so far generated over 13 million views for her. From there on, she created her LexTwerkOut workout program in 2014. She is sure very talented as she as moved ...

Who Is AnneMunition? What Is Her Ethnicity & Does She Have A Girlfriend or Boyfriend? AnneMunition is a professional gamer and content creator of American origin. She is one of the most sought-after streamers on Twitch  a popular online platform for watching and streaming videos, especially video games. AnneMunition has almost half a million followers on Twitch and her channel has accumulated at least 13 million views. Her favorite games ...

Norm MacDonald  Former Wife, Son & Net Worth Recently, 59-year-old former Saturday Night Live stand-up comic Norm MacDonald caused a not-so-funny stir when he expressed his personal opinion about the #MeToo movement speaking in defense of Louis CK and Roseanne Barr. Following the backlash of his actions, he is diligently doing damage control for his questionable opinion by posting a public apology on ...

Inside Iliza Shlesingers Life With Husband and How Much She is Worth Now Witty, spontaneous, and truly humorous, Iliza Shlesinger is an American comedian who is clearly proving that the stereotypical claim that women are not really funny is not only incredibly wrong but completely outrageous. Having been in the game for more than 10 years, Shlesinger has grown bigger with each step, stunning fans with her incredible ...

Who Is Nessa Diab? Details of her Parents, Ethnicity & Relationship With Colin Kaepernick Nessa Diab has gained more fame as the girlfriend of different footballers than in her career. She is currently with the popular National Football League (NFL) player, Colin Kaepernick, and has stood by his side during his most trying times. Also known for her mononym, Nessa, she recently engaged in a tweet battle with the ...

Samantha Bee  Inside the Life of Full Frontal Comedian and Presenter We have over the decades seen various brands of humor and personalities who have walked the ropes. One of the formidable forces in the world of comedy is no other than the iconic Samantha Bee of the Daily Show who now runs her own television show on TBS channel. She is a Canadian-American political commentator, ...

What Happened To Jessica Williamss Boyfriend And Which Are Her Best Works? Jessica Williams is a woman who has a lot of feathers in her cap  and keeps acquiring more. The former senior political correspondent of the comic Daily Show, who is also a comedian and actress whose recent movie appearance include starring as a playwright just recovering from a recent split with her boyfriend, Damon, and ...

Who is Nicole Byer? Here are 5 Facts You Need To Know About The Comedian Nicole Byer, an American comedian, actress, and writer, made a name for herself after she played supporting roles on MTVs prank show Ladylike and the reality show Girl Code. The latter was a series that featured comedians who analyzed in minute details, all the issues that young women deal with daily, from period to dating, to weird friendship dynamics and questions about sex. Currently, ...

A Closer Look At Bart Kwans Ethnicity, Height & Personal Life Bart Kwan is one of few Asians who is known for being successful in the comic industry at an international level. His fame broke out after the YouTube channel which he created with his close pal Joe Jo garnered up massive followings. The talented duo has been running the channel since 2007 and their success ...

Heres How VanossGaming Achieved Fame Online, His Worth and Other Facts About The Gamer For many years, the decision to drop out of college to pursue an online career was considered to be foolish and self-destructive by conventional wisdom. It was no different when Evan Fong, popularly known as VanossGaming, dropped out of college to pursue a YouTube career. However, that radical move paid off, and he stands shoulder to ...

Desi Perkins  Ethnicity, Net Worth & Husband YouTube is littered with videos of makeup tutorials by different people but if you are interested in learning how to do your makeup like a pro, there is just one person on that platform who you must follow. She is none other than Desi Perkins! She is a popular make-up artist, Instagram star, and vlogger. Desi, ...

The Phases of Casey Neistats Pursuits and His Love Story With Candice Pool YouTuber, vlogger, filmmaker, and creator extraordinaire; these are just a few hats that Casey Neistat wears and the story of how he got here is incredible. A native of Connecticut, Neistat started out by making refreshingly-authentic short films and videos that featured content that was based on everyday life and called attention to serious issues. He ...

Connor Franta  Inside The Life of American YouTuber YouTube has produced a lot of young celebrities in modern times and Connor Franta happens to be one of them. Apart from being a YouTuber, the young American is also an entrepreneur, entertainer, and writer. His journey to fame began almost a decade ago when he started a self-named YouTube channel where he uploads content ranging ...

Rhett and Link  Bio, Who are Their Wives, Net Worth and Family Facts Rhett and Link refer to an American comedy duo who are very popular on YouTube. They are known for their comic songs, viral commercials, skits and the daily show, Good Mythical Morning. Good Mythical Morning is the most watched daily show online, averaging 100 million views in a month. The show has featured guests such ...

A Walk Through The Maze of Ryan Higas Career Pursuits And Relationship With Arden Cho Ryan Higa is not only celebrated as a YouTube star, but he is also famed for appearing on television screens as an actor and comedian. Nigahiga, his Youtube channel, has gathered over 20 million subscribers and billions of views with his different comic acts, short films, and music videos uploads. With the rise in his career, ...

What to Know About The Shows That Made Craig Ferguson a Star and His Family Ties Rising to the top of your profession can sometimes be a hard and difficult process. It requires days and nights of working consistently hard to be better than what you were yesterday. It requires not giving up when all of your experiences seem to be pushing you to quit. It is because of these challenges ...

David Dobrik Married Liza Koshy for One Month  Inside His Family and Relationships David Dobrik is a YouTube sensation who has garnered fame not just for his vlogs but his love life too. Given his career as a YouTuber, his channel is one place where he shares his romantic escapades. With a cute boyish look like his, this Slovakian young man is definitely a good catch, and not ...

Merrell Twins Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Boyfriend One of the beautiful things about modern life is social media. As rudimentary as it might seem, it could turn out to be the greatest thing that would be invented in the next 50 years because of its impact on human life. Very few tools have revolutionized human behavior and culture as much as social ...

Who Is Bunny Meyer, Is She Married & What Is Her Net Worth? Bunny Meyer is a YouTube celebrity who has amassed over 8.8 million subscribers with 1.5 million viewers on her channel. She is popularly known as Grav3yardgirl and is one of the highest-paid YouTubers in the world. She initially started out as a fashion designer and later chose the path of a YouTuber. Grav3yardgirl has used her knowledge on fashion, makeup, ...

Ninja  Inside The Life of The American YouTuber and Internet Personality Ninja is a talented video game player known for his mastery of Fortnite and other seemingly difficult games he plays with ease. The video gamer made a career out of what is ordinarily the hobby of many people and has since then amassed a huge online following. Find out about him here, including the controversies that ...

What Is Eva Gutowskis True Sexuality and How Did She Rise So Fast As an Influencer? Ever since Eva Gutowski joined YouTube in 2011, it has been an interesting journey for her, moving from one milestone to the other. Backed by an army of young women and teenage girl fans known as Evanators, she has risen to become one of the most-talked-about personalities in the digital stratosphere. She has also leveraged ...

Emma Chamberlain Biography  Age, Height & Net Worth Before now, people in the entertainment industry could only achieve popularity after many years of dedication and hard work but since social media came into the scene, massive success and overnight popularity became possible. That is the story of Emma Chamberlain who encountered fame as a fifteen-year-old. Emma is one of the many young people who became ...

Anna Akana  Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth There is a new crop of YouTubers known by their different contents with a very strong uniqueness that stands every one of them out, some upload video games, some fashion while some others have comedy video contents to showcase on their channels. Anna Akana has used her platform to showcase her comedy contents to the ...

Revealing Truths About Lilly Singhs Ethnic Background, Family and Her Relationship With Yousef Erakat Lilly Singh is an Indian-Canadian YouTube personality, actress, and comedian also known as Superwoman. She kicked off her YouTube career in 2010 with the launch of her channel IISuperwomanII and followed it up with a vlog channel in 2011. This paved the way for her fame and success which led to a world tour. The ...

Who Is Andrea Constand, Is She Married and What Is Her Connection With Bill Cosby? Many people got sexually molested but could not voice out due to the stigma victims suffer and what will become of them thereafter. Very few of the victims danm every consequence to seek justice and bring the perpetrator to the book, like Andrea Constand. She never got any media buzz, not until her friend cum molester; ...

Who Is Lazarbeam (Lannan Eacott)? Here Are Facts You Need To Know Lannan Eacott became a person of interest after his YouTube channel, LazarBeam pulled him to the limelight. Initially, he started with uploads of Madden Challenge videos before deciding to build his own channel in January 2015. Within the space of three years, his YouTube channel had gathered over 7 million loyal subscribers. Today, he has not ...

Puzzling Facts About Wengies YouTube Success and More About Her Fiance Among the many YouTubers who have succeeded in winning the hearts of millions of people is Wengie. She is a Chinese-Australian YouTube personality, vlogger, singer, and voice actress. Wengie is famous for a lot of things, from her simple life hacks, DIYs, craft ideas to fun experiments, tricks and pranks. Her content portfolio also includes hair tutorials, diet & fitness tips, lookbooks, ...

Is Jeffree Star A Billionaire and How Much Does He Make On YouTube? If looks can be deceptive then theres no other person who proves this maxim better than Jeffree Star. A quick look at Stars pictures would likely leave you wondering whether or not to tag him a male or female. But who says being controversial has to be a curse? For Star, his looks have caught ...

The Place of Rosanna Pansinos Career Hats In Her Rise To Fame and Facts About Her Personal Life There are a few phrases that could summarize Rosanna Pansinos rise to fame. None of them can do it better than the famous axiom, no knowledge is lost. Her popularity YouTube comes out of her foray into other professions, specifically acting. Although acting now occupies one of the major professional hats in Rosannas resume, it was ...

Muselk (Elliott Watkins) Biography  Age, Girlfriend and Net Worth The new and best in-thing in terms of career is video gaming and we have over time seen young men and women make massive income from an activity that was purportedly designed to serve as a hobby or a relaxation activity. One of such individuals is the Australian-born YouTube Celebrity and Twitch streamer, Muselk, whose ...

PopularMMOs Biography: 5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know We have over the years seen social media millionaires, especially on the YouTube social platform. These celebrities cum millionaires have made names for themselves after carving out niches on the internet, and a typical example of one of such exciting media personality on the YouTube is American Minecraft gamer and YouTube star, PopularMMOs whose channel ...

Jason Nash Once Married Marney Hochman  What To Know About His Ex-Wife and Kids The now-defunct video-sharing app Vine was the path that led Jason Nash to fame. With it, he built an audience of over two million followers, which he parlayed into a significant YouTube career. That move has seen him become one of the most popular personalities on the internet, with the cash income to go with ...

Where Does Dantdm Live? What Do We Know About His Net Worth, Wife and Brother? Most parents buy video games for their kids to occupy their time leisure, while other parents frown at their kids when they play video games. Despite the disparity, every parent would be proud of their child if he/she eventually turns a celebrity or millionaire through playing video games like Dantdm. Biography of Dantdm Dantdm was born Daniel ...

LaurDIY  Biography: 5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTuber LaurDIY is the YouTube channel of Lauren Riihimaki which she created on December 1, 2011, when she was still a college undergrad with the sole aim of giving Do It Yourself (DIY) as well as practical fashion and beauty tips to her followers. She has used the channel to establish herself as a YouTube personality ...

Lachlan Ross Power  Bio And Family Life Of Australian The YouTube Star It is amazing the varied sources of income that the internet has made possible in this day and age. Internet fame can get its holder a whole lot of monetary and social benefits, but it must be noted that it does not come easy or cheap. For those who desire fame, content is the sacrifice ...

Alfie Deyes  Bio and Net Worth: Everything You Need To Know Alfie Deyes is one internet personality you definitely would like to know about. He boasts of over 10 million subscribers on three of his YouTube channels and has three bestseller books to his name. He is probably the most renowned young personality on YouTube today and his vlogging empire continues to grow by the day. ...

Colleen Ballingers Love Story With Husband Erik Stocklin and How Much She Is Worth Now Colleen Ballinger is an American comedian and YouTuber who is a very funny, adventurous, and highly talented woman. She is also an actress, singer, and writer. Collen is widely known for her work on YouTube where she posts content on her channel, Miranda Sings. The comedian has gained many subscribers over the years and has ...

Who Are The Dude Perfect Members and How Much Are They Worth? Entertainment in the 21st century can be digested in many forms and with platforms like YouTube, the creators and purveyors of entertainment have been democratized. Today, one of the most popular platforms to exhibit ones creative talents is YouTube, even though there are other platforms like Twitter, Facebook, who suffer in comparison to YouTube because ...

Who Is Rudy Mancuso, What Is His Earning Power and What Do We Know About His Girlfriend? Rudy Mancuso started his internet journey on Vine. He would later transition to YouTube where he solidified his place among the internets most beloved comedic creators. He is now regarded as one of the renowned internet personalities in the world, with a presence in mainstream TV and film projects like Comedy Centrals Drunk History and ...

Vsauce (Michael Stevens) Biography and Net Worth: All You Need To Know The advent of YouTube and the internet as a whole revolutionized how human beings consume information. With each passing year, the percentage of learning that is done in a traditional classroom decrease as a seismic shift to internet-based learning happens in our education industry. From open courses online to YouTube classes and videos, there are ...

How did Jake Paul Make His YouTube Big Break and Who is His Wife? One of the most interesting Social Media personalities of the 21st century is the young and popular Jake Paul whose elder brother is the famed Vine star, Logan Paul. Jake has utilized the power of the internet to bring himself to the limelight with a channel named JakePaulProductions that has amassed up to six billion ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About Reaction Time (Tal Fishman)  The American YouTuber Before 2015, the leading meaning of reaction time was the amount of time it takes to respond to a stimulus, until Tal Fishman started his channel, Reaction Time on YouTube and the dominant meaning changed. Today, a google search of Reaction Time would deliver Tal Fishmans videos and YouTube channel link with a few physics ...

Grace Helbig  Net Worth, Boyfriend and Family Life of The YouTuber Grace Helbig is an American internet personality, comedian, actress, and writer. She became popular due to her daily vlog series, DailyGrace, which ran on My Damn Channel from 2008 to 2013. Helbig is also popular for her own indie series on YouTube, ItsGrace, which she launched in 2014. Her vlogs which feature random stuff such as ...

Mark Wiens Bio  Ethnicity, Wife and Parents Food is a great way to connect with people. We all love to eat, if not for the pleasure of food, the satisfaction of quenching hunger, and the very process of providing and sharing that food is part of the strongest bonds that bind humanity together. Maybe it is our historical connection to food, where ...

Is Filthy Frank Dead, What Happened To Him and How Much Is He Worth? As George Kusunoki Miller, he was a nobody. However, as Filthy Frank, George was one of the most famous internet personalities on the planet. The Filthy Frank Show, a sketch series on his YouTube channel, TVFilthyFrank, was one of the platforms most influential creations. He is the reason a crazy dance song, Harlem Shake, made it ...

CaptainSparklez Bio  Net Worth, House and Cars of The Famous YouTuber Sometimes, what society wants from its citizens is quite different from what the citizens want for themselves. This is evident in the life and career of video blogger and American YouTube personality, Jordan Maron famous for his YouTube channel CaptainSparklez. He dropped out of school after discovering his talent in playing an online game called Minecraft. ...

Who is Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg)? Here are Facts You Must Know Canadian Youtube personality, Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg) originally started out polishing and designing nails even before it became a trendy culture in the social media. Simply Nailogica started out her showbiz career in her early days as a child actress, acting in commercials for game and toy companies. Aside from acting, she is blogger, vlogger, specializing ...

5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know About Huda Beauty In the world of entrepreneurship, it is interesting when an individual has a mentor who he/she looks up to, this yield more productivity on the part of the individual. The iconic and rich American beautician and makeup artist Huda Kattan nicknamed Heida is the founder of the Huda Beauty blog which is number one Instagram beauty blog ...

Is Dino MasterChef Gay? Details About His Ethnicity, Girlfriend, Where He Is Now Food, for the better part of the early years of human life, was nothing more than what we needed for survival. There was no artistry or curation to the method of cooking. The scarcity of food left no room for artistic expression until we figured out agriculture and we could make as much as we ...

Who Is Gabbie Hanna And How Did She Become Famous? As the world shifts to digital media and depends more and more on streaming services for its news and entertainment content, YouTubers have become one of the leading creators in the new media world. Their understanding of the online audience: how to create, maintain, and increase followers, are all handy skills that have primed them ...

Jacksepticeye  Height, Girlfriend & Net Worth Jacksepticeye is a YouTuber and actor who gained popularity with a series of gaming videos he uploads on his channel to the delight of millions of his subscribers. He is Known primarily for his comic video game series titled Lets Play and his vlogs. His channel was formerly ranked 46th in the list of most subscribed ...

Chris Heria Personal Details: About His Wife, Height & Ethnicity Background In this generation, keeping fit has become one of the major criteria for being hale and hearty. In fact, most occupations these days are majorly concerned with ones body mass, weight and looks. Unlike the past where most people have to register in a gym to keep fit, social media has made it quite easy ...

Everything You Need To Know About Game Grumps Gaming is becoming incredibly popular on YouTube these days with game vloggers make millions of dollars out of them yearly. One of the most popular up-coming gaming YouTube channels is Game Grumps. The Lets Play series was created in 2012 and celebrated its fifth anniversary on July 18th, 2017. In six years of its existence, the ...

Daithi De Nogla Biography, Girlfriend and Net Worth YouTube has created an avenue for many to make wealth and become famous from the comfort of their homes while having fun. Many have built a career out of the platform, uploading numerous videos that have earned them the admiration of viewers across the globe. For Daithi De Nogla, he is loved for his humorous commentary on ...

Does Phoebe Robinson Have A Boyfriend or Husband and What Do We Know About Her Family? Phoebe Robinson is a New York-based comedian, writer, and actress. She is best known as the co-creator and co-host of the WNYC Studios podcast 2 Dope Queens. Just like some other female comedians, she never had any original plans of becoming a stand-up comedian even though, according to her, she took a class on a whim at Carolines on Broadway. After ...

Who Are Lex and Alana from Listed Sisters? What Is Their Ethnicity & Is the Show Cancelled? America is a country built on diversity. Everywhere you look all over the country, a countless number of immigrants or children of immigrants have become an integral part of the fabric of the country. From entertainment to business, immigrants are creating a niche for themselves and climbing to the summit of their respective professions. One ...

Riveting Facts About Danielle Lombard And What She Is Best Known For The American entertainment industry is one that provides many avenues for aspiring hopefuls to express their talents and become famous. From films to television shows and game shows, there is no shortage of ways for men and women who desire fame to pursue and earn it in the United States of America. Another tested medium ...

Unearthing New Details About The YouTube Success And Personal Life of Alex Burriss of Wassabi Productions Wildly hilarious and truly audacious, Alex Wassabi is an American YouTuber who has become a very popular face on the video-sharing platform after having garnered millions of subscribers over the years by keeping people glued to his channel with his witty parody video releases. If you have always loved parody videos, there is every chance ...

Everything You Need To Know About H2O Delirious H2O Delirious whose full birth name is reported to be Jonathan Gormon Dennis has successfully kept himself mystified by hiding his face behind the masks leaving his loyal fans speculating who he really is for many years. The American YouTube star is easily identified by the Jason Mask Style with make-up which he wears on his ...

Who Is HolaSoyGerman and What Happened To Him? German Garmendia has certainly seen it all when it comes to internet success. His channels, HolaSoyGerman and JuegaGerman are in the top twenty most subscribed channel on YouTube. The Chilean YouTuber found a way to tap into one of the worlds greatest inventions and make a living from it. He has been able to build ...

Who Are Glenn Becks Family, What Is His Net Worth And What Happened To Him? The American political commentary space is filled with different personalities. A few of them, through their rhetoric, charisma, and resources have been able to build a large following of men and women who listen to them for insight and direction for various political and social issues in the United States. For Conservatives, the story is ...

Following Charissa Thompsons Rise Through The Ranks Of Sports Casting and All About Her Boyfriend Superstar TV host and sportscaster, Charissa Thompson, has been hailed as one of the highest-profile women journalists in America, and the reason is there for all to see. She has worked for popular establishments such as Versus, Yahoo! Sports, ESPN, GSN, and Big Ten Network. She currently hosts the popular pre-game show, Fox NFL Kickoff, ...

Is Chris Kattan Gay or Does He Have A Wife? What Is His Net Worth? Chris Kattan is a popular American comedian and actor. He has appeared in several comic movies and TV series such as The Middle, A Night at the Roxbury and Bunnicula. Kattan is, however, most popular for his six-year stint as a cast member of Saturday Night Live. During his time on the legendary show, he ...

Everything You Should Know About the Rise of Insta Star Claire Abbott and Why She Gave It All Up A lot of young Americans have shot into the limelight for uploading different kinds of videos on YouTube. Some of these young stars include Connor Franta, Desi Perkins, Emma Chamberlain, the Dolan Twins (Ethan and Grayson), and Claire Abbott. The latter became a social media celebrity for uploading sexy bikini pictures of herself on social media. Apart from ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTube Channel  h3h3Productions H3h3Productions is a YouTube channel that specializes on Comic responses or reactions of other contents or trendy stories. The celebrity couple that created the channel has over time racked up sizable views for their commentaries and contents. Even though they had their own fair share of copyright cases, thankfully they scored an unprecedented victory in all ...

Lilypichu Bio  Height, Brother and Love Story With Albert SleightlyMusical Chang Like most popular internet celebrities, Lilypichu is one of those Twitch streamers who spend their lives on camera. From daydreaming about the possibility of becoming a full-time professional streamer, she grew to live out her dreams on the popular live streaming platform where people play games, make crafts, and showcase their day-to-day activities. Given the rise of ...

KSI  What To Know About His Girlfriend, Brother  Deji Olatunji & Net Worth Assuredly, when Internet inventors Vint Cerf and Bob Khan created the technological masterpiece, they probably did not know how massive the creation will be harnessed by many for different purposes including as a platform for earning money through content creation. One of such person who smiles to the bank regularly today for spending time creating ...

The Interesting Progression and Highlights of Carrie Keagans Career as a Host and Actress Carrie Keagan has garnered huge fame through her various stints on television. She is not just your regular TV host but one with a difference. Keagan has hosted several high profile events and TV shows, including VH1s Big Morning Buzz Live and Fox News Channels Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld. However, not many know she ...

The Gist On Elise Jordans Marriages And Her Rise To Prominence Political commentaries tend to be boring when it is handled by someone who does not have a knack for it. However, when you see the likes of Elise Jordan run the same commentary, you will have a lot of reasons to look forward to watching her again as the journalist is well-versed in the field ...

What Is Timmy Thick Best Known For and How Successful Is The Star? Thanks to the internet, many people whose talents would have ordinarily gone unnoticed have become famous. A very good example of this modern-day internet celebrity is Timmy Thick, an American social media star. He became popular on Instagram due to his penchant for posting raunchy pictures of himself. He also often posted videos of himself ...

What Does Heather Storm Do For a Living and Who Is She Dating? Reality Television is a great way to make a name for oneself as well as amass a fortune. Heather Storm can attest to this as she is one of those who have made a name and earned a lot from reality TV. She made her name appearing on shows like Car Fanatics, Awesome Autos, and, ...

Matt Carriker Biography  Net Worth, Wife & Height Unlike your regular veterinary doctor next door, Matt Carriker chose to spice up his noble profession with the unusual. Though he is known to many as a medical practitioner, Carriker is better renowned as a YouTube star and an animal lover. Having recorded huge successes on his various YouTube channels, the vet doctors name and ...

Jillian Mele of Fox News Career Achievements, Husband & Measurements There are quite a good number of presenters on radio and television who listeners and viewers may never wish to miss any of their shows because of their sensational golden voice, beauty or the special way or artistry they anchor their shows. Jillian Mele is one of such. She has been at the top of ...

Who is Gillian Turner of Fox News? Her Fiance or Husband and Net Worth Gillian Turner is well-known as a news correspondent for Fox News Channel but before she became a TV personality, she built an intimidating resume working for different institutions, including the American government. She served in different capacities at the White House National Security Council during the administration of former US Presidents  George W. Bush and Barack Obama. ...

Gloria Govan Bio  Age, Ethnicity & Height Even as Gloria Govan is famous as an American actress, author, a TV host, and reality television star, shes more popular as the wife of the former NBA player, Matt Barnes. She became known after appearing on the Florida version of the reality television series, Basketball Wives and later, Basketball Wives: LA  after Matt was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Sadly, ...

Michael Fishmans Interesting Start as an Actor and Why He Divorced His Wife of Many Years When one door closes, another one opens. As silly as that axiom may seem, it is the story of the resurgence of Michael Fishman, who plays D.J Conner on the popular show, Roseanne. Having played the character for several years as a child actor into his teenage years; when the show originally ended, Michael did ...

Who Is October Gonzalez  Tony Gonzalezs Wife? All You Need To Know October Gonzalez is a popular American TV host and media personality. Additionally, she is also a model. Gonzalez has hosted several TV shows such as Beat Shazam, Entertainment Tonight, and Rachel Ray. She has also featured in several reality TV shows. Gonzalezs fame is not just due to her profession but also because of her ...

Who Is Tony Berlin  Harris Faulkners Husband: His Children and Family Facts Tony Berlin is a popular American media guru. He has variously worked as a reporter, anchor, and producer for some of the biggest TV networks in America. They include CNN, CBS, NBC, and ABC (where he hosted the popular Good Morning America). Berlin has now diversified into public relations and owns his own PR firm. ...

The Progression of Gianna Tobonis Journalism Career and Details About Her Marriage to Kyle Buckley Gianna Toboni may not be your ideal newscaster but her unusual reporting is what made her a household name. The American journalist is renowned for her hard-hitting and authentic reportage. A motivator and activist for total press freedom, Gianna loves to explore pervasive cultural issues. Not only does this unique and ambitious journalist call for all ...

Dog The Bounty Hunters Family Including Details of His Late Wife and Kids Popularly known as Dog, a name which he got from the television series, Dog The Bounty Hunter, Duane Chapman, an American bounty hunter, and one-time bail bondsman, went from being convicted for a felony to being a reality TV star. He was brought to the limelight following the capture of the convicted criminal, Andrew Luster in 2003 and this eventually made ...

Vicky Karayiannis, Chris Cornells Wifes Bio, Children and Family The world of showbiz is made up of different people who serve different roles, and function in a variety of capacities, and one of the most important people are those in the background. Publicists are undoubtedly one of these background people yet they are vital to the life and fame of most of our favorite ...

Joe Rogan Has A Step-Daughter and 2 Other Kids With Wife Jessica Ditzel  Meet His Family Joe Rogan is a popular American stand-up comedian and TV host. His journey to stardom began in the late 80s and has seen him host several shows, the most popular is the game show titled Fear Factor. The exciting show dares contestants to face some of their greatest fears and embark on challenging stunts. The ...

Josh Gates and Wife Hallie Gnatovich Have 2 Kids But Who Has the Higher Net Worth? Best known for his explorations and adventures, Josh Gates, is a television presenter with a voracious appetite for seeing the world and the beauties in it. Some of that beauty, however, is in his home, in the form of two children he shares with his wife, Hallie Gnatovich. Not excluded is their marriage which has lasted ...

Holly Sonders Wiki, Plastic Surgery & Why She Divorced Her Husband  Erik Kuselias After trying everything within her capacity to have a low key wedding, Holly Sonders was drawn to the public because of her husbands controversy at his workplace. Well, the two are rumored to be divorced but the article below will give more light on how true these rumors are. Meanwhile, Holly Sonders is yet to ...

Nadeska Alexis Bio  Age, Boyfriend & Net Worth Journalism is one diverse profession that allows the practitioners to choose their area of specialty, build a career on it by reporting the truth and facts which in the long run will distinguish them as deserving commendation and recognition among their peers. Some choose to specialize in political journalism, while to others it is sports ...

Media Platforms Charlamagne Tha God Has Explored and All The Controversies He Has Courted Charlamagne Tha God is an American on-air personality, radio presenter, and more recently, author. He is popularly known as a co-host on New York radios nationally syndicated show, The Breakfast Club, a program he has been hosting alongside DJ Envy and Angela Yee since 2010. However, his early years had no connection to his current career ...

A Look At Jimmy Fallons Net Worth and Family Including His Wife & Kids Sometimes, a childs passion for something is a pointer to what he/she would become in the future. As a child, Jimmy Fallon was literally obsessed with watching the late-night comedy program, Saturday Night Live (SNL). Then, his parents would tape the clean parts for him to watch and later, he and his sister would re-enact sketches from the ...

Kay Adams Biography  Does The Sportscaster Have A Husband or Boyfriend? When you hear the phrase sports enthusiast, women are hardly the first group that comes to mind. Well, thats changing pretty fast. Especially with the rise of female sports analysts and broadcasters like Kay Adams who is famed for knowing more about sports than most men do. And why not, shes paid handsomely for it ...

Ben Shapiros Family  Meet His Wife, Kids and Sister Who is Popular for the Wrong Reasons A multi-talented man, Ben Shapiro is a man of controversial nature, an attribute that has made him an unusual public figure. An intellectual whose career path was clearly defined even before he became a man, the Jewish conservative commentator has always had his way with words. He became popular by sharing his critical and often ...

QVC Shawn Killinger Bio  Husband, Net Worth & Facts To Know Shawn Killinger is a prominent TV personality who has worked her way to the top. Though not initially a journalist by training, she defied the odds and today has established herself as a household name, as well as, worked alongside some industry legends. More than just being a reporter, newscaster, and anchor, heres all you ...

Liv Lo  Dissecting the Ethnicity, Parents and Personal Life of Henry Goldings Wife While many are aware that Liv Lo is the better half to Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding, only a few understand why his beautiful wife appears increasingly endearing to fans. A former model turned TV personality, and fitness star, Liv has an impressive resume which when combined with that of her statuesque spouse is considered a perfect ...

Stpeach Age, Husband and Other Facts About The Twitch Streamer Lisa Vannatta, famously known by her online alias, STPeach is a Canadian video game streamer cum vlogger who has garnered fame through her appearances on different video-sharing/social networking platforms such as Youtube, Instagram, Twitch, Reddit, and Twitter. The beautiful lady got her career to a start in August 2015 when she joined the live streaming video platform, Twitch. She rose to ...

Insights into Seth Meyers Wife, Family and What His Net Worth Is Celebrities are mostly remembered and known for the work they do. For Seth Meyers, his career as a comedian, writer, actor, TV host, and producer is his biggest identifier. He was on Saturday Night Live SNL show as a head writer and cast member for more than ten years during which he built a reputation ...

Who Is Jessica Gadsden  Age, Net Worth & All About Charlamagne tha Gods Wife Jessica Gadsden is an American fitness coach as well as a personal trainer. She is better known as the spouse of popular American media personality, Charlamagne Tha God. Charlamange Tha God is a well-known TV and radio personality in the U.S. He has featured in several shows (both on the radio and TV) and is ...

Who Is Collins Tuohy  Michael Ohers sister ? Her Wedding, Husband & Net Worth Collins Tuohy is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, blogger, and social media personality. She is also better known as the adoptive sister of NFL player, Michael Oher, whose life story inspired the Hollywood blockbuster The Blind Side. The Blind Side tells the true life story of Oher who grew up in an impoverished background consisting of a ...

Eye-Popping Facts About The Personal Life And Career Success Of Sportscaster Heidi Watney Heidi Watney is a media personality who has created a niche for herself as a sportscaster. Starting out as a radio presenter, the brilliant young lady has gone on to work for several prominent sports networks, and currently, she is with the MLB. The sportscaster is also known to have been an avid sports lady right ...

Marty Lagina Bio  Siblings (Martina and Rick Lagina), Net Worth and Wife Marty Lagina is an American engineer and businessman who has risen to fame as a reality TV star. This is thanks to his involvement in the adventure TV series, The Curse of Oak Island. The Curse of Oak Island is a long-running TV series which airs on the history channel. The show aims to solve ...

Is Jordan Schlansky Just A Character or a Real Life Person and What Does He Do? The world of late-night television is an interesting one. Shows during that time are geared towards giving viewers comedic relief from a long day at work through interviews and comedy sketches. The often charismatic host of this show requires the balancing talent of a producer whose primary job is to deliver great episodes. It is ...

Heres How Wealthy Jimmy Kimmel Is From All The Phases of His Career, Marriages and Sons Health Jimmy Kimmel is a renowned late-night talk show host known for his charm, wit, and the A-list guests he features on his show. As the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! On ABC, Jimmy has been serving comedy to television viewers for years which played a pivotal role in launching him into mainstream fame and enabled ...

Natasha Bertrand Biography  Is She Married? Who Is the Husband & What Is Her Age? Natasha Bertrand is not just a young prominent journalist but a first-rate investigative reporter. With her natural beauty and smile, Natashas sharp, insightful political commentary also makes her a thorough reporter. Her sound political perspective and coverage in the country have made her a force to be reckoned with in the profession. Renowned for her ...

What Happened to Shane Kilcher? His Injury Update, Net Worth and More Shane Kilcher is well-known thanks to the Discovery Channel series Alaska: The Last Frontier. It is a show that documents the daily lives of the extended Kilcher family, people who live without plumbing or modern heating. The episodes follow their routines as they rely on hunting and farming for their nutritional needs as well as ...

Is Stephanie Gosk Gay or Lesbian, Who is the Wife or Partner  Jenna Wolfe? In August 2013, NBCs Today viewers were greeted with two shocking news. Today weekend anchor, Jenna Wolfe, announced that she was as a lesbian, introducing her partner as NBC News correspondent Stephanie Gosk, and said the two are expecting their first child. A long time has passed since then and certainly, a lot of things ...

Nikki Mudarris  Bio and Net Worth: 5 Interesting Facts You Need to Know Nikki Mudarris, also known as Miss Nikki Baby, is a reality television star, model and fashionista. Shes best known for VH1s reality TV series Love & Hip-Hop: Hollywood. Her entrepreneurial skills enable her to create and run a successful lingerie line Nude by Nikki. Not only that, but Nikki has also successfully run the Las ...

5 Interesting Things You Need To Know About Kelly Nash Ever heard of the lady who gained national prominence for taking a selfie with a dangerous ball just a few inches away from hitting her? Its no other person than Kelly Nash, an American sports broadcaster currently working as host of The Rundown show which airs on MLB Network every weekday at 2 pm ET. ...

Understanding The Height of Fame John Oliver Achieved With The Daily Show and How He Met His Wife Without knowledge of who he is and his exemplary career, John Oliver cuts an unassuming figure of a regular man but he is one of the most influential personalities in America, especially on television. Since he began his career in 1998, he has been a loud and unapologetic agent of change, using his wit and ...

Why Did Big Chief Leave Street Outlaws, Where Is He Now And Why Did He Divorce His Wife? Justin Shearer, otherwise known by his professional name Big Chief is a famous street racer and television personality. He is famously known for being one of the main characters on the racing reality television series, Street Outlaws. Justin, who had been a significant part of the show since its premiere in 2013, appeared in a ...

Who is Josina Anderson of ESPN? Her Husband and Family Facts There has been a gradual paradigm shift in the world of sports which has today produced the likes of Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and other female athletes that are pulling great feats in different sporting fields. Their achievements have also been followed by the emergence of female sports journalists such as Jillian Mele, Eboni Williams, ...

Is Brittany Wagner Married, Who Is The Husband, How Old Is She? Brittany Wagner has been an inspiration to a lot of sports youngster. She has won the hearts of many athletic students with her role as a life coach and an academic counselor. She is well groomed in her career and has worked over a decade for The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and The National ...

Tati Westbrook Bio  Age, Husband & Net Worth With five videos dished out every week, alongside running her own brand, beauty guru, and YouTube superstar Tati Westbrook has proved to the world that theres utterly no impossibility or limit to whatever one is passionate about. Tati is best known for being the owner and manager of the worlds most-viewed beauty and lifestyle YouTube channel, ...

Cathy Areus Long Road to Becoming a Freelance Journalist and What to Know About Her Kids An American freelance journalist, news analyst, and author, Cathy Areu has built a lasting reputation for herself on cable television. Popular for her skillful and sassy presentation of professional views on varying topics including cultural and feminist issues, Cathy is an inspiration to many women across the globe. In addition to being a journalist, she ...

Tucker Carlsons Love Story With Wife Susan Andrews, their Children and Net Worth Today On the TV screens, Tucker Carlson is that fiery fellow who passionately dishes out his conservative and often controversial views on issues of national importance. Such brazenness has fetched him many enemies, especially on the left-wing, but it has also helped him cement a reputation as one of the foremost broadcast journalists in America. His ...

Paige Wyatts Net Worth, Boyfriend and Where She Is Now Paige Wyatt became popular after the Wyatt family began running the reality television show, American Guns. The Wyatt family comprises Rich Wyatt (father), Renee Wyatt (mother), Paige and Kurt Wyatt (children). Rich Wyatt originally ran a gun shop, the Gunsmoke Guns in Wheat Ridge, Colorado which is outside of Denver. The business which he ran together ...

The Progression of Howard Sterns Career As A Media Personality And Why He Divorced His First Wife Howard Stern is a legendary American radio host, who has also done some notable work as an actor, producer, author, as well as photographer. The radio personality achieved worldwide fame as a result of his self-titled radio program, The Howard Stern Show. As a professional radio personality, he has worked in different radio stations. Since 2006, ...

Lisa Joyners Biography  Ethnicity, Net Worth and Other Key Facts Lisa Joyner is an American Journalist, TV talk show host, and actress. Some of her well-known works are her correspondences for the Los Angeles based TV KCBS, inFANity show, Find My Family Show including her film and television appearances in Brimstone, American Sweetheart, The Bold and The Beautiful among others. Lisas passion for reconnecting people with their biological families ...

Amanda Balionis Rise Through the Ranks of Sportscasting and the Identity of Her Boyfriend Amanda Balionis is an American sportscaster currently working as a golf broadcaster for CBS Sports. Among so many of her works in the field of sports reporting, Amandas PGA Tour coverage seems to be the most popular so far. She covered the Super Bowl working with CBS Sports social media team in Atlanta, where she ...

Dissecting Charles Paynes Sexual Allegations, Its After Effects and More About His Wife Charles Payne had a respectable career as an analyst on Wall Street before he made the transition to television and became a contributor and later a host on Fox. In that time, his expertise has come under scrutiny, and he has been at the center of at least one major controversy. The major controversy in question ...

Erik Asla And Tryra Banks Split: Everything You Need To Know Tyra Banks and Erik Asla have called it quits! The couple, who began dating in 2013 and have a son named York Banks Asla, has decided to end what everybody taught was the perfect relationship. Neither person has come out to give a reason for the breakup, but what is obvious right now is that ...

What to Note About Dr Terry Dubrows Qualifications, TV Works and Marriage to Heather Kent In the realm of people that we expect to see regularly on our screens, medical doctors are closer to the bottom of the list. Aside from the fact that their work has little correlation with TV, they are presumably too busy to pursue life as TV personalities. Yet, a few of them have usurped this ...

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Is Simon Cowell Gay? Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend and Why is He Famous? Simon Cowell is a well-known talent show judge, TV producer, entrepreneur and one of the most popular TV personalities that Britain has ever produced. In conjunction with his company, Syco, Cowell is the brain behind hugely successful talent hunt shows such as The X-Factor UK, The X-Factor US, Britains Got Talent, Americas Got Talent and ...

Everything To Know About Joanna Gaines Life With Chip Gaines, Their Business Pursuits and Kids Joanna Gaines and her husband Chip Gaines became celebrities after their television show Fixer Upper began airing back in 2013. The show which was about home renovation and decoration ran for about 6 seasons with a total of 79 episodes before the couple bade farewell to it in April 2018. Apart from their appearances on ...

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Morocco's Environment Minister Hakima El Haite speaks during an interview with Reuters at the UN Climate Change Conference 2016 (COP22) in Marrakech, Morocco, Nov 8, 2016.[Photo/Agencies]

MARRAKECH - The Climate Change Conference (COP22) in Morocco celebrated Forest Action Day on Tuesday.

COP22's Forest Action Day celebrations are a part of the Global Climate Action Agenda to protect, restore and sustainably manage forests.

Launched earlier on Tuesday by the climate champions for Morocco and France, Hakima El Haite and Laurence Tubiana, the Agenda aims to boost cooperation between governments, cities, businesses, investors and citizens to cut emissions and help vulnerable nations adapt to climate impacts and build their own clean energy and sustainable futures.

Speaking at a special event entitled "Global Climate Action Launch Event," Abdeladim Lhafi, Morocco's High Commissioner for Water, Forests and the Fight against Desertification, said that conserving, restoring and managing forests is essential to meeting global sustainable development goals, including combating desertification and water insecurity.

Lhafi announced that Morocco will launch a new initiative called "Strengthened Action in Favor of Forests in the Mediterranean-Sahel Region in the Context of Climate Change" (AFMS).

He elaborated that the initiative aims to help countries meet multilateral commitments to forests, including adaptation and mitigation actions under the Paris Agreement, and to facilitate climate change investments to improve forest management and build the resilience of forest-dependent communities.

Helen Clark, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Administrator, said that forests are one of the largest and most cost-effective responses we have to climate change.

"Countries, civil society, the private sector and indigenous peoples are working powerfully together to protect forests to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement," he stressed.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Assistant Director-General, Forestry, Rene Castro Salazar, stressed that healthier forests will also contribute to many other global development goals by providing food, income, fuel and shelter.

"The Zero Hunger goal of the SDGs cannot be achieved by 2030 without addressing climate change, and climate change cannot be addressed without managing the world's forests in a sustainable manner," he said.

Deforestation and forest degradation currently contribute up to 12 percent of carbon emissions, more than the entire transport sector.

However, by halting deforestation, reducing and reversing forest degradation, forests could contribute significantly to the climate solution in the coming decades.

The COP22 Global Action Agenda will feature eight other theme days, namely water, industry and businesses, as well as resilience in cities, buildings, energy, transport, oceans and agriculture.
Trondheim (Norway) has hosted the first meeting of the working subgroup for the conservation of the polar bear population and of the working group for cooperation in biodiversity, which were established as part of the Joint Russian-Norwegian Commission on Environmental Protection, the Russian Natural Resources and Environment Ministry's website reported.

The discussion covered the conservation, detailed study and monitoring of the Barents Sea polar bear population. The meeting resulted in the development of a draft plan of joint work for polar bear protection in 2017-2018.

The parties exchanged information and coordinated the 2017-2018 action plan on different species  the black-backed gull, walrus and other animals inhabiting the Barents Sea region  which are indicators of climate change in the Arctic region.

Special attention was given to cooperation in the Pasvik-Inari cross-border specially protected natural area.

Russia was represented at the meeting by a delegation consisting of representatives from the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources, Russian Arctic National Park, the Pasvik State Nature Reserve, the Kandalaksha State Nature Reserve, the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute and WWF Russia.

The Norwegian delegation included representatives of the Ministry of Climate and Environment, the Norwegian Environment Agency and the Polar Institute.
SHOW LOW, Ariz. (AP)  Authorities say a Show Low police officer has been critically wounded in a shooting outside a fast-food restaurant in the city and the suspect remains at large.

Show Low police didn't immediately identify the wounded officer or release details of Tuesday afternoon's shooting.

They identified the suspect as 36-year-old Daniel Erickson and say he was seen leaving a Show Low hotel in a vehicle.

Police say Erickson was dressed in a long, dark trench coat and he's reportedly armed with a handgun.

Authorities say the police officer was shot near the hotel about 1:30 p.m.

The motive for the shooting isn't immediately clear.

Arizona Department of Public Safety officials say the officer is in critical condition at a Show Low hospital.

Show Low is in Navajo County in east-central Arizona.
SHOW LOW  A Show Low police officer has died after being shot outside a fast-food restaurant in the city and the suspect remains at large.

Show Low police say Darrin Reed was taken to a hospital after Tuesday afternoon's shooting and later died from his injuries.

Authorities say Reed was shot about 1:30 p.m. and the motive for the shooting isn't immediately clear

Police have identified the suspect as 36-year-old Daniel Erickson and say he was seen leaving a Show Low hotel in a vehicle.

They say Erickson was dressed in a long, dark trench coat and reportedly armed with a handgun.

Police say the car Erickson drove from the scene was found Tuesday evening and he's believed to be driving another vehicle.
Finland's Ministry of the Interior is learning from Russian experience in equipping Arctic rescue teams, said Minister Paula Risikko during a meeting with Russian Minister of Emergency Situations Vladimir Puchkov.

"We have used Russia's experience to support our own solutions, in particular concerning the replacement of equipment for the rescue group currently operating in the Arctic," she said, according to RIA Novosti.

She also expressed hope that Russia will bring its experience and knowhow to cooperation between the Arctic states. "Arctic cooperation is an important platform for interaction. Finland will take over the chairmanship of the Arctic Council in May 2017, and will simultaneously chair the Arctic Economic Council and the Arctic Coast Guard Forum," Risikko said.

She added that the program of the Finnish chairmanship will focus on climate issues and sustainable development of the Arctic.

Russia's emergencies minister proposed expanding the format of cooperation as part of the Arctic Council. "The Emergencies Ministry of Russia has a new strategy and approach to dealing with emergencies and ensuring the safety of the population that lives in the Arctic zone. We are implementing infrastructure projects in these latitudes and I think Russia and Finland's cooperation in this area will be useful and constructive," he added.
We don't care if you voted by mail, voted early, waited for election day, argued politics with your friends until 2 a.m., covered your ears until Nov. 8, rocked the vote, dapped the vote  WHATEVER. Just vote. For these ladies and the next. Prepare to get goosebumpy:

"I vote for me, my daughter and my grandmother Sarah (1913-2007) who never voted because her husband told her once that her vote wouldn't count and wouldn't ever be counted."

Kenya Johnson, Associate Director of Development Communications, UA Health Sciences Department. Also, dancer, dreamer and mom.

"If silent in the face of injustice and intolerance, I am to blame. I speak, instead. I act. I vote."

Kelly Fryer, CEO YWCA of Southern Arizona

"At Habitat Tucson, we teach the importance of civic engagement and its impact on the community as a whole. From neighborhood meetings, to voting in local and national elections, its crucial that we all participate."

T. VanHook, CEO of Habitat for Humanity

"Take that. And that. And that. Take that for our infrastructure. Take that for our schools. Heh. For this moment I'm in charge of the world. My world."

Lisa Waite Bunker, Pima County Public Library Social Media Librarian

"I am voting to exert my power in electing who will lead my beloved country for the next four years."

Heather Hiscox, Tucson entrepreneur

"Before I decide how to vote, I read about who stands for what. That keeps me up to date on candidates and issues."

Jill Jorden Spitz, Arizona Daily Star Editor

"I'm voting because I'm committed to civil and human rights and reject political tactics that use fear to manipulate voters. I want to see our country progress and our first woman president!"

Regina Romero, Tucson City Council Member

"I want my son to learn about the importance of being an engaged and informed citizen, because thats how change happens."

Kylie Walzak, lead program manager for Living Streets Alliance and Cyclovia Tucson coordinator

"The night my daughter was born, my friend was shot to death in a movie theatre. Thats why I no longer vote party lines. Instead I choose candidates wholl fight for common-sense gun legislation, like background checks for all gun sales and safe storage laws."

Missy Paschke-Wood, volunteer, Moms Demand Action

"I'm voting to express my support for the democratic process, even if some of my votes are in the minority. Every vote counts!"

Shirley Muney, League of Women Voters/AAUW/Pima County-Tucson Women's Commission

"Each Arizonan's vote weighs more than usual in this year's Presidential election! We can keep Trump from winning a typically red state!"

Julie Reed, tucsonmama.com

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"To help make our criminal punishment system more just for all who are vote-less, and thus voiceless in our democracy."

E. Liane Hernandez, Community Life Director, Frances McClelland Community Center, YWCA of Southern Arizona

I am voting for equality and solidarity.

Sandy Ochoa, Mi Familia Vota Tucson Coordinator

"I want a President with a heart, whose decisions are not based on 'locker-room conversations.'

Anita Marie Smith, daughter, mother, grandmother and true friend

"Voting is a silent, but powerful political action. As an American citizen, I have the right to make my opinion count."

Audrey De La Cruz, artist

"I am voting because it's a serious privilege and I promised my Bernie-supporting dad before he died that Trump wouldn't win."

Jade Beall, photographer and mother

"I value that we have the privilege to validate our concerns and voice our opinions by taking the initiative to vote."

Tatum Hammond, Administrative Vice President of the Associated Students of The University of Arizona

"Voting is our right many sacrificed for; I take it seriously! My vote is for Trump to preserve our freedom!"

Gini Crawford, conservative community organizer and owner of BecauseofGod.com

"I believe kindness is the foundation of our democracy. I vote for kindness to prevail."

Jeannette Mare, founder and executive director of Ben's Bells

"The power of my single vote will help elect an educated and articulate first woman President with a small family business background. Resonates highly here!"

Linda Mazon Gutierrez, President and CEO of the Hispanic Womens Corporation

"Even if you do not like the choice of candidates, remember it is a privilege to have a choice."

Sherry Downer, secretary of the Tucson Metro Chamber board and attorney

"Teachers are the largest voting bloc by profession, a profession dominated by women. When teachers turn out in high numbers  and we know they do  they shape the future and the decisions made that impact their homes, classrooms, and communities."

Katie Rogerson, director of Tucson Values Teachers

"Ive voted in every election since turning 18, because the opportunity to have a say in the policies and leaders that will impact my family, community and country, is a responsibility that shouldnt be squandered."

Veronica Cruz-Mercado, Zia's Mama and the program coordinator for UA BookStores
Help India!

By TwoCircles.net news desk,

New Delhi: The President of India Mrs. Pratibha Patil, has said that education is essential for preparing a population that is not only knowledgeable and skilled but is aware of its responsibilities and willing to contribute to the growth of the nation and as well as well being of society.

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Paying rich tributes to the great freedom fighter, visionary and the First Education Minister of Independent India, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad while inaugurating the First National Education Day here at Vigyan Bhavan today, Patil said, Education should be a process that imparts knowledge, develops the personality of the individual and opens up new opportunities. She called upon all stakeholders involved in the field of education to come together to seek ways to advance Indias prestige in the world, as a knowledge society and to focus on how to educate our people.

Paying rich tributes to Maulana Azad, Arjun Singh, Minister of Human Resource Development, said, The vision that Maulana Abul Kalam Azad set out for education is that of universal education of the basic pattern for all children of school-going age, followed by a diversified secondary education. He believed that an unsatisfactory system of Secondary education undermines the entire system of education in the country. Arjun Singh expressed the hope that the dedication of Maulana Abul Kalam Azads birth anniversary as Indias National Education Day would inspire us to commit ourselves to his goal of achieving quality education for all as a birthright.

Union Ministry of Human Resource Development had decided to observe 11th November, the Birth Anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, as the National Education Day as a befitting tribute to this great son of India. Educational institutions throughout India were involved in organizing seminars, symposia, workshops, rallies on importance of literacy and nations commitment to all aspects of education on National Education Day. The function was presided by Arjun Singh, Minister of Human Resource Development. A. Raja, Minister of Communications & IT was the Guest of Honour. A special cover on Maulana Azad was released on the occasion by the President. A set of books on Maulana Azad, published by National Book Trust of India, were also released on this occasion. The National Book Trust also organized a photographic exhibition on Maulana Azad on this occasion at Vigyan Bhavan.

The function was also attended by Vice Chancellors of state and central Universities, heads of central educational institutes, eminent educationists and school children. Similar functions were also organized in many states.

Following is the text of the Presidents speech:

It is a great privilege and honour for me to participate in the First National Education Day celebrations.

Today is the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a great visionary, freedom fighter, scholar, secularist and eminent educationist. As Indias first Education Minister, he was convinced that education is a tool of social transformation. He had a clear vision that all individuals should have a right to education that would develop their faculties and enable them to live an enriched life. His well-rounded view of education prompted him to set up apex education bodies like the All India Council of Technical Education and the University Grants Commission. It is befitting that this day, a day on which this great son of India was born, should be celebrated this year onwards as the National Education Day. I congratulate the Ministry of Human Resource Development for taking this initiative.

The objective of celebrating National Education Day should be to strengthen our educational institutions and to raise the quality of education to greater heights. It should be an occasion to remember Maulana Azads contribution in laying the foundations of the education system in an independent India as well as to evaluate our current performance in this field. Henceforth, on this day, all stakeholders involved in the field of education should come together to seek ways to advance Indias prestige in the world, as a knowledge society and to focus on how to educate our people.

When we look at the legacy of Maulana Azad, we need to look at his contribution to education and to other diverse spheres of life. He was born in a family of noted Islamic scholars and though he did not receive formal education in a regular school, Maulana Azad was a scholar of several languages, including Urdu, Persian, Arabic and Hindi as well as of mathematics, philosophy, world history and science. He rose to prominence as a journalist who extensively published works advocating the cause of Indian nationalism. In the Urdu weekly newspaper Al-Hilal, which he started in 1912, he espoused the cause of freedom as well as Hindu-Muslim unity.

With his involvement in the Khilafat Movement, he came into close contact with Mahatma Gandhi. It is important to recall that Maulana Azad always took an uncompromising position against communalism and supported an India that was secular. He was firmly committed to the ideas of equity and equality, endearing him to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who fondly called him Mir-i-Karawan  a leader of the mission.

Maulana Azad recognized the link between education, expanding mental horizons and national development. He was clear in his mind that in the advancement of nations there is no greater hindrance than narrow mindedness. He emphasized that independent India would need people with a broad outlook since it is a nation with a vast comprehensive culture, where it is often said  there is no school of philosophical thought that is not found here. It is these liberal thoughts that have created the conducive conditions for this vast array of thinking to flourish. This has enriched the country. It has given us our identity. It has given us a cultural heritage, which is looked upon with admiration the world over. We have to ensure that our institutions of learning reflect the true values of our heritage and civilization.

Teaching has been a fundamental tool for the entire human race for passing on knowledge and experiences to the next generation. Its importance has been recognized by all cultures at all times, which has given teaching a special place of honour. In our country, the teacher is addressed as Guruji, which shows the level of respect for them. Our education system must focus on the upgradation of teaching methodologies of teachers as well as their training and sensitization to social issues, including to gender-equality.

Education is essential for preparing a population that is not only knowledgeable and skilled but is aware of its responsibilities and willing to contribute to the growth of the nation and as well as well being of society. Education should be a process that imparts knowledge, develops the personality of the individual and opens up new opportunities. This can be possible only when education makes one aware of the many colours of life and its realities, and the interdependence between people and between the environment and humankind.

Education and awareness would be necessary if peace is to be ushered into society, in the country and on the globe, and if future generations are to be empowered with spreading and maintaining prosperity and development. The creation of future generations, which are capable of facing the challenges of the future, is indeed, an investment.

In todays age that is dominated by knowledge and high technology, the real challenge before our educational system is to create a human resource that can take advantage of new opportunities and face new challenges. Our education system should have the dynamism to be able constantly to adjust to the rapid changes.

It is equally important that education has to be all encompassing and efforts must be made to reach its benefits to the weakest sections of society. I reiterate my view that it is important that every citizen of our country, whether man or woman, boy or girl, must have the opportunity of receiving education.

With the flagship programme Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, we have taken an important step forward in providing education to all children in the age group of 6 to 14. The success in the implementation of this programme would also require that due attention be given to the quality of education along with the emphasis on building a national character which has been defined through the ages as one of tolerance and of respect for the vast diversity that exists in our country.

In addition, the National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level, the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme and the Mid-Day Meal Scheme for all children in elementary education are widely recognized as steps towards universalization of school education. The nation can be proud that the Global Monitoring Report 2008 of UNESCO has projected India as one of the 28 countries, which have a high chance of achieving universal primary education enrollment by 2015, under the Millennium Development Goals. We must work sincerely for achieving this goal.

I am happy to have released a Special Cover of the Department of Posts, along with a set of books on Maulana Azad, published by the National Book Trust on this occasion. I am sure that the Special Cover and the books will help carry forward the message of Maulana Azad and be a source of inspiration for young minds in the country.

In conclusion, I once again congratulate the Ministry of Human Resource Development for initiating a tradition of tribute to Maulana Azad, as National Education Day, on his birth anniversary.

Human Resource Development Ministers speech is also being reproduced below:

It is a privilege for me to be here today, to play a part in such a historic ceremony. Today, the 11th of November is being dedicated to the nation as the National Education Day. What marks the day as special is not merely because it is the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a great leader and Indias first Minister of Education, but also because we are rededicating ourselves to what Maulana Abul Kalam Azad stood for and struggled to achieve.

This is for the first time that the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad is being observed as the National Education Day and I am really grateful to all of you, particularly Her Excellency, Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the President of India for being kind enough to accept my request to grace this occasion as the Chief Guest in spite of her multifarious prior engagements. Your Excellencys presence here, has given us the strength and confidence to move forward on the path shown by our great leaders like Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. I would also like to inform this distinguished gathering that this National Education Day is being celebrated all over the country. I am also happy to note that the Board of Management of National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) in their meeting held on 8th October, 2008 had created a Chair in the name of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

While we celebrate the birth anniversary of Maulana Azad as the National Education Day, some of us may not be aware that Maulana Azad never attended a formal educational institution. He was schooled at home, and was thereafter self-taught; yet he was known for his scholarship, vision and humanism. He wanted a common system of education, based on equality, and without distinction of race religion, caste, class or occupation.

A great lover of books, Maulana Azad realised the value of suitable books for children and neo literate adults. I am glad to inform this distinguished gathering that National Book Trust of India has prepared a set of books Nehru & Azad on 1857 in Hindi and English as also a book Nadir-e-Tahrir in Urdu which will be released at this function. The National Book Trust is also organizing a photo exhibition titled Maulana Abul Kalam Azad  Architect of Modern Education in India which will be inaugurated by Her Excellency, the President of India. I am sure these books and the photographic exhibition will ignite the young minds and inspire them to follow the ideals of our great leaders.

To reflect on Maulana Azads contribution to education in independent India, we have to survey the post-independence educational scenario in India when he became its first Education Minister. After 1947 it was felt that there was a need for careful prioritization in planning, so that our limited resources are not frittered away in doing too many things simultaneously. His vision for the reconstruction of education in independent India was centered around the creation of a common identity and purpose. The vision that Maulana Abul Kalam Azad set out for education is that of universal education of the basic pattern for all children of school-going age, followed by a diversified secondary education.He believed that an unsatisfactory system of Secondary education undermines the entire system of education in the country. In the Central Advisory Board of Education in 1955, he said, You will remember that at the last meeting of the Board, I placed before you my ideas on Secondary education.

This is the stage up to which all should have the opportunity to go. In any case, it is the stage, which marks, and will continue to mark the end of education for the vast majority. It should, therefore, prepare them for life.

While Maulana Azad envisioned a modern India built through strengthening higher and technical education, he also held the belief that along with training engineers and technicians for the development of the industries, it is equally necessary to spread general education for raising the general level of economic activities in the country.

Maulana Azad advocated religious teaching in schools, not from a narrow, factional sense of religiosity, but from a liberal and open perspective. His definition of secular was different even from the mainstream opinion of the period, for he believed and worked for multi-culturalism and interfaith understanding. A strong advocate of the need to transcend narrow provincialism, he declared, We want to build in India a national outlook which will transcend the limitations of province, State, religion, caste or language. He believed that the solution to the problems created by religious fanatics lay not in rejecting religious instruction in elementary stages but in imparting sound and healthy religious education so that children in their formative stages would not be misguided to fanaticism and intolerance of other religions. Maulana Azad was perhaps the only one of our leaders who was jailed during both World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-45) for campaigning for Swaraj. As Education Minister, he chaired 9 of the 12 meetings of the CABE held during his period as education minister. Throughout his life, he lived a frugal life, and apart from books and papers; there were hardly any other effects that the Maulana possessed at the time of his demise.

Before I conclude, I once again express my heartfelt thanks to Her Excellency, Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the President of India for being kind to inaugurate this function as the Chief Guest. I also express my sincere gratitude to my colleagues A Raja, Honble Minister for Communications and Information Technology and Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia, Honble Minister of State for Communication and Information Technology for getting a Special Cover issued on this occasion by the Department of Posts.

I hope that the dedication of Maulana Abul Kalam Azads birth anniversary as Indias National Education Day would inspire us to commit ourselves to his goal of achieving quality education for all as a birthright.
Help India!

By Mudassir Rizwan, TwoCircles.net,

Patna: He comes from a humble family and studies about 16-18 hours a day. The result must not be unexpected. Hammad Ali of Rajender High School in Siwan has got sixth position in Bihar board examination 2010 for class X. With 90.4% marks, he has created history for the Muslim community in the state.

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Ali, in fact, is among 11 students in entire state who have got 90% or above marks this year, first time in the history of Bihar School Examination Board. And he is only Muslim among them. The highest marks getter among the Muslim students last year was Muhammad Shah Jahan. He had got rank 9 with 86.6% marks. The results for Bihar board examination 2010 were declared on May 22.

I feel good, says Ali expressing his feeling on this achievement. Eldest son of a high school teacher and part time homeopathy doctor, Ali (14.5 years old) gives credit for his success to his father and homemaker mother.

I did hard work. I study about 16-18 hours a day, says Hammad Ali.

About his ambition, he tells TCN: I want to crack IIT-JEE and become an engineer.

Out of total marks of 500, Ali has got 452: Urdu (90) Hindi (87) Maths (86), Natural Science (93), Social Science (96) and English (60).

Alis father Khursheed Anwar spends most of what he earns on the education of his four children. He has high dreams about them. Alis elder sister is doing IA from Islamia College, Siwan. His two younger brothers are also studying in schools.

Topper in Bihar board exam this year is Anupam Neha (92.8%) of SS Girls High School, Biharsharif. In top five there are four girls and one boy.
Help India!

By Shafeeq Hudawi, Twocircles.net

What would you call a district where female literacy is more than 90%? Where the sex ratio is much better than the national average, and the number of homeless people in less than 1,000 out of a population of over 40 lakh? A district, which has no history of communal riots, where people from various communities live in peace and which boasts of number of colleges and universities?

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If you are Subramanian Swamy, you would ask for AFSPA in the region. Because the district is Malappuram, the only Muslim majority district in the country. Makes sense? No? Yes? Either ways, read on.

Swamy has never been known for his rational arguments, but in response to a small blast in the district, the BJP leader was of the opinion that the situation in the district is deteriorating and hence, it must be handed over to the Army and come under AFSPA.

It is not a coincidence that the response to one small blast was so over the top: remember, we have Swamy on one side and a prosperous, Muslim majority district on the other. Things are unlikely to ever be harmonious between the two.

The district, which has close to 70% Muslims, has always been painted as a hub of anti-national activities by the right-wing, and it is not even a new phenomenon.

Malappuram formation was opposed for creating a mini-Pakistan

Malappuram district was carved out of Kozhikode and Palakkad districts for easier administration and development in 1969. The saffron fringe as well as Congress extended stiff protest against the decision to form a new district citing Malappuram will turn into a, you guessed it, mini Pakistan. Led by Madan Lal Khurana at the national level and locally by O Rajagopal, it was the Bharatiya Jan Sangh which extended stiff opposition against the move to form the district. The 14th annual session of the party, held in Kozhikode in 1967, marked strong ire against the move. Even the Communist chief minister EMS Namboodiripad tried to draw back his decision to form the district following he was pressed by the Congress and Sangh leaders, says TPM Basheer.





IUML leaders Panakkad Syed Hyderali Shihab Thangal and KPA Majeed congratulating A P Unnikrishnan when he was selected as Malappuram district panchayat president



Basheers recently published book Malappuram District, Birth and Journey points out how political leaders tried to nip the demand for the district in the bud.

Wayanad district and Idukki district were carved out from Kozhikode and Kottayam districts. But, no one complained of these two districts, he adds.

There is also the history of armed struggles in the region during the British period, which was later presented as a communal issue. During British regime, the Madras Government had set up a special wing of police named Malabar Special Police (MSP) taking note of the resistance, extended by Muslims here against the invaders.

Muslims of Malappuram, better known as Mappilas, were one of the real threat for British in the country. Led by Ulemas, the extended stiff resistance against British and Hindu landlords. Muslims here turned to be peasants after they lost monopoly as merchants in sea following the invasion of Europeans. The farmers here had to pay huge amount as tax to both British and Hindu landlords, says Basheer.

Fed up with the injustice, a series of armed campaigns were carried against Hindu landlords.

These erupted due to no communal motive. But, British rulers gave them communal colour. And Sangh-leaning historians misinterpreted the history and they are still doing it for the sake of Sangh Parivar saying Hindus are mistreated by Muslims in Malappuram, Basheer adds.

In lines with British, the first Congress government also did injustice to the district by setting up a unit of Rapid Action Force (RAF) here after independence citing Malappuram was one of sensitive areas in the country with vulnerability to communal riots.

In fact, both RAF and MSP assume no importance in the present scenario of Malappuram. With no riots reported, RAF and MSP are functioning like reserve battalions, which support the state police in emergency matters across the state. But, the authorities are following the footsteps of colonial rulers, says Malappuram municipal councilor Advocate Abdul Majeed.

But let us come back to AFSPA.

Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) grants special powers to the Indian Forces in what each act terms disturbed areas. If the data, published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) is an indication, there is no room for even an argument of AFSPA to be imposed in the district. The district tops while it comes to the population in the state. But, other districts have left it behind in crime rate, says former Kerala Public Relations Department additional director P A Rasheed.





The Kaliyattakkavu Bhagavathi Temple in Malappuram. The festival is considered as the symbol of communal harmony in the district



And this figure is backed by statistics. According to NCRB data, Malappuram is ninth in crime rate with a rate of 433.76 while Eranakulam, Thrissur, Kottayam, Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam recorded rate of 851, 760, 623, 620 and 570. But no one would suggest AFSPA for other regions of Kerala, right? Because, you see, not enough Muslims.

Prosperous district built on remittances

What makes Malappuram stand out in terms of economy is remittances of the expatriates from Gulf countries. The district, that once was known mainly for backward Muslims in terms of money and education, has now developed as an upwardly rich and middle class area inhabited mostly by educated Muslim traders, professionals, government employees and sportsmen too.

Malappuram is ninth among the ten towns with highest per capita bank deposits in India. Gulf money has brought a boost to the economy of Muslims here and the whole district. Muslims have turned strong trader community and taken over the hotels, bakery, textile and medical sectors, which were once mainly handled by Hindus here. This might have turned a provocation for the Sangh fold, says Rasheed.

According to Basheer, the educational explosion that the district has been witnessing for the past few years adds to the apprehension of Sangh Parivar. Presently, Malappuram is one of the leading districts in India with the most number of medical students as undergraduates studying at various colleges across the country and abroad. The district has added two medical colleges, Government Medical College, Malappuram and MES Medical College, and two universities, University of Calicut and Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University to its credit. In lines with Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh and Bhatkal in Karnataka, they are taking up efforts to demonise the people here through wide campaigns. They are carrying campaigns of atrocities after taking cue from exodus stories of Khairana, Basheer added. A few months back, Subramanian Swamy had alleged that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) was not allowed to organise its state conference here. In fact, the vehicles which carried participants from across the state were given parking area at the compound of an educational complex, run by Muslim scholars here. The Hindutva forces are trying an hand with the Fascist theory of establishing a lie as truth by repeating the lies  Basheer said.

Dalit leader speaks out against Swamys lies

If one follows the argument of Swamy, it would seem that no non-Muslim has any chance of living a life of dignity in Malappuram, and that they have no chance of being elected for any office. So, to get the view of the non-Muslims, Twocircles.net spoke to AP Unnikrishnan, who is a Dalit and President, District Panchayat. Unnikrishnan, who has been working with Indian Union Muslim League and its feeder organizations for last 38 years, won the election on the partys ticket. I am sure that Malappuram is the safest place in the country for a Hindu to lead his life. Here mosques and temples are standing in one line, where lamps of interfaith harmony are shining, Unnikrishnan said rubbishing the campaigns of atrocities against certain community.

Unnikrishnans two sons are functioning with IUMLs youth and students outfits Youth League and Muslim Students Federation (MSF). The district panchayat goes on to say that dalits are not facing any kind of discrimination from upper castes due to the presence of Muslims.

Malappuram is not perfect, of course: in July this year, Muslim organisations joined hands to ensure that all children, especially Muslims, get their vaccines in time as the district had seen a rise in Diphtheria cases. Though the health department officials refused to name anyone, they said that anti-vaccination campaigns by orthodox Muslim groups lead to the resistance in Muslim strongholds. The district needs to fight against these issues, but not even the most bigoted person would say that this needs the Armys attention.

But when did Swamy bow down to logic?
Help India!

By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net

New Delhi: Saurabh Kumar Sharma, ex-joint secretary of JNU Students Union and a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) wrote a letter to the University VC leveling serious allegations against students of Aligarh Muslim University of being involved in pistol episode which was recovered from the JNU campus.

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On Monday, November 7, a pistol, seven cartridges and a screw driver were found in an abandoned bag on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus in the early hours. The pistol and cartridges were spotted by a security guard at 2 a.m. The guard immediately alerted his seniors, who informed the police.

The copy of letter has also been submitted to SHO, Vasant Kunj police station.

Last night (November 6) there was a delegation from AMU that visited our campus late in the night. The visits could be one of the opening links in the whole story behind the recovery of arms within a few hours after they gained entry into the campus, alleged Sharma, a PhD student at the University, in his letter.

The ABVP member also asked JNU authorities to keep a check on the involvement of outsiders in the affairs of JNU. In his letter, he added, especially when there has been a large influx of students from AMU and Jamia since Oct 14, followed by a series of secret and open meetings by such students inside our campus.

Repeated attempts to reach SHO Vasant Kunj and AMUSU President, Faizul Hasan for their side of versions didnt materialise as our calls remained unanswered.

Importantly, according to a news report carried in The Hindu, senior police officers said that they have not found any link between the recovered items and the missing JNU student Najeeb.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Defense of Nagorno Karabakh told Armenpress the Azerbaijani forces made more than 40 ceasefire violations across the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.

The Ministrys announcement reads: Overnight November 8-9 the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime more than 40 times by firing over 670 shots from various caliber small arms at the Armenian positions in the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.

In the north-eastern direction (Talish) of the line of contact, the Azerbaijani forces fired also anti-tank grenade launcher (1 grenade).

The Defense Army forces are in full control of the situation in the frontline and continue confidently fulfilling their military duties.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. US Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump scored a series of shocking wins in battleground U.S. states including Florida and Ohio on Tuesday, opening a path to the White House for the political outsider and rattling world markets that had counted on a win by Democrat Hillary Clinton, Reuters reports.

With investors worried a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, the U.S. dollar sank and stock markets plummeted in wild Asian trading. Opinion polls before Election Day had given Clinton a slim lead.

Mexico's peso plunged to its lowest-ever levels as Trump's chances of winning the presidency increased. Concerns of a Trump victory have weighed heavily on the peso for months because of his threats to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico and tax money sent home by migrants to pay to build a wall on the southern U.S. border.

Trump surged to wins in Florida, Ohio, Iowa and North Carolina, and Fox News projected a win for him in Wisconsin. With voting completed in 49 of the 50 U.S. states, he also narrowly led in Michigan and New Hampshire, edging him closer to 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the state-by-state fight for the White House.

Shortly after Fox called Wisconsin for Trump, supporters at his election evening rally in New York began to chant "lock her up" - a common refrain on the campaign trail for the former U.S. secretary of state repeatedly dubbed "Crooked Hillary" by Trump.

A packed crowd in the lobby of Trump's new hotel in Washington D.C. chanted "lock her up, lock her up," and "USA, USA, USA" as state after state was called for Trump.

Clinton still had ways to reach 270 electoral votes, but she would have to sweep the remaining battleground states including Pennsylvania, Michigan and Nevada, and pull off an upset win in Arizona.

Trump captured conservative states in the South and Midwest, while Clinton swept several states on the East Coast and Illinois in the Midwest.

After running close throughout the night in Virginia, Clinton pulled out the swing state that is home to her running mate, Senator Tim Kaine.

At 8:55 p.m. EST, Clinton acknowledged a battle that was unexpectedly tight given her edge in opinion polls going into Election Day.

She tweeted: "This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything."

As of 11:40 p.m. EST, Trump had 244 electoral votes to Clintons 209, with U.S. television networks projecting the winner in 41 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

A wealthy real-estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to challenge Clinton, whose gold-plated establishment resume includes stints as a first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state.

Both candidates had historically low popularity ratings, although Trump's were worse than Clinton's, in an election that many voters characterized as a choice between two unpleasant alternatives.

Before Tuesday's voting, Clinton led Trump, 44 percent to 39 percent in the last Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll. A Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation poll gave her a 90 percent chance of defeating Trump and becoming the first woman elected U.S. president.

Also at stake on Tuesday was control of the U.S. Congress.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. 96 convicts have been released on parole in Armenia during the period of January 1  November 1. Bills are currently being elaborated in the parole system of the Justice Ministry, which will lead to several reforms, Deputy Minister of Justice Suren Krmoyan told ARMENPRESS.

According to Krmoyan, a legislative bill package has been put into circulation by the ministry, aimed at increasing the parole institution.

It is planned to form a clear differentiation mechanism of functions of the administration of correctional institutions and independent commissions, as well as facilitating the system, which suggests the presence of two circles in granting parole to convicts  independent commission and court, Krmoyan told ARMENPRESS.
An Englishman nicknamed The Last Lion Tamer by the British press has become the latest star of one of Europes most famous circuses, Circo Moira Orfei, for a four month winter season in Italy.

Thomas Chipperfield, 26, joined the show in Novara, in the north west of the country, on November 4, working with five tigers, including three rare white tigers.

His stint with the circus is a meeting of two of the worlds greatest circus dynasties.

Circus celebrities

Chipperfield comes from a family that, during the 1950s and 60s owned Europes largest circus, with a tent that held 6000 spectators and a menagerie of hundreds of Animals from elephants and horses to giraffe, hippos and chimps.

His great-uncle Jimmy Chipperfield pioneered the concept of the drive-through wild life park at stately homes including Longleat and other locations. His familys association with animal training in fact stretches back to 1684, when his ancestor James Chipperfield presented animals at the frost fair on the frozen river Thames.

Training

Thomas Chipperfield himself grew up travelling with Tom Duffys Circus in Ireland, where he learned his craft from his parents Tommy and Marilyn who together presented the shows big cats.

Chipperfield made headlines in 2015 when he toured Wales with An Evening With Lions and Tigers, a show with two lions and three tigers in which he demonstrated the humane way animals are trained for film and television work as well as circus performances.

One of his lions, Tsavo, appeared in the television comedy Plebs.

Film star

Circo Moira Orfei is named after the horse rider, trapeze artiste, elephant trainer and film star Moira Orfei who was regarded as the symbol of the circus in Italy. The circus matriarch died in 2015 and the show is now run by her son Stefano Orfei.

Every nation tends to have its own speciality in the circus world, with the best springboard acts coming from Hungary and flying trapeze artistes often hailing from south America.

Britain is renowned for its animal trainers, and the two big cat trainers widely considered the best in the world are Englishman Alexander Lacey, currently appearing in America with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, and his brother Martin Lacey Jr who is a director of Circus Krone in Germany.

Chipperfield says he intends to return to the UK with a new show in 2017.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel urged Turkey to protect the fundamental freedoms of people after the detentions of opposition lawmakers and Cumhurriyet reporters, Deutsche Welle reports.

During a joint press conference with the Norwegian PM, Merkel said recently she receives alarming reports from Turkey regarding fundamental freedoms.

Speaking about Germanys Minister of State of Europe Michael Roths announcement, who said Germany is willing to provide asylum to Turkish asylum seekers, Merkel said :  First of all we are putting efforts to create an environment in Turkey so that people arent forced to seek asylum and so that fundamental freedoms are maintained in the country.

Germanys Minister of State for Europe Michael Roth said journalists, politicians and scientists who have been critical of the Turkish government and fear persecution are welcome to apply for asylum in Germany.

Germany is a cosmopolitan country and is open to all politically persecuted people. They can apply for asylum in Germany, Roth told newspaper Die Welt in an interview published Tuesday.

Roth said Erdogans post-coup backlash against members of the media, political opponents and academics has nothing to do with our understanding of European values, the rule of law, democracy and media freedom, Politico reported.
In what could only be described as the political surprise of the century, Donald Trump has become the next president-elect. Election 2016 is now in the books, and the United States is at a standstill.

Trump questions

Heading into the 2016 presidential election, the idea of a Trump presidency was met with laughs from millions who never thought it would be possible. Heading into Election Day, all signs pointed to a Hillary Clinton victory. Most polls showed Clinton with a solid lead, prompting the campaign to schedule a firework celebration earlier in the week.

As the night went on, the reality began to set in. At around 2:30 a.m. EST, Clinton conceded to Trump via the traditional phone call, and the Republican nominee gave his victory speech. As reported by LawNewz on November 9, Trump might have even more legal problems in his future.

Law Prof Says There is Already Enough Evidence To Impeach Donald Trump https://t.co/GcEl7KOS4B pic.twitter.com/VxWBZCyjLC  LawNewz (@law_newz) November 9, 2016

LawNewz referenced a 23-page article written earlier this fall by Christopher Lewis Peterson, a law professor at the University of Utah. Peterson argued that it would be "proper" for Congress to impeach Trump, citing Article II of the United States Constitution which gives the right to impeach due to "high crimes and misdemeanors."

Peterson's argument is based on the upcoming Trump University fraud case where nearly 5,000 former students from the school filed a lawsuit claiming they were scammed out of as much as $35,000 each.

"The illegal acts in Trump's high pressure wealth seminars have already occurred," Peterson writes, before adding, "Trump's alleged actions, if true, constitute fraud and racketeering."

Trump University fraud suit to go to trial, judge rules https://t.co/z41MW0kqCs via @WSJ  Ron Watson JD MEd (@superior701) October 31, 2016

Peterson also makes note that the United States Constitution does give Congress the right to impeach a president due to actions that took place before they were elected, stating that they are "well within its legal rights under the Constitution to insist upon a President who is not a fraudster or a racketeer as defined in its own law."

Moving forward

Despite Peterson's detailed analysis, it's unlikely that Trump would be impeached by a Congress that is controlled by his own political party.

As far as the Trump University trial, it will begin later this month in San Diego, with jury selection taking place on November 28. Represented by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Trump faces a $40 million lawsuit. The Trump University lawsuit is just one of 75 pending legal actions against Trump, which is the most of any president-elect in the nation's history.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. President Obama sent a message to Americans: The sun will, in fact, come out tomorrow, Los Angeles Times reported.

In an election night message he recorded for BuzzFeed News, Obama sought to sooth any angst among voters as they cast ballots on Tuesday after what's been a contentious presidential race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

"This has been an exhausting, stressful and sometimes downright weird election for all of us," Obama said. "We've been through tough and divisive elections before and we've always come out stronger for it."

In recent weeks, Obama has hit the trail for Clinton in several battleground states. On Monday, Obama, joined by his wife, Michelle, campaigned alongside Clinton in Philadelphia.

"Whether your chosen candidates win or lose tonight, let's all agree, not only to stay engaged, but to push ourselves to do even better," he said.

In closing, he added, "no matter what happens, the sun will rise in the morning."
Sri Lanka records strong growth in tourist arrivals from China, India Updated: 2016-11-09 09:43 (Xinhua)

A tourist poses for a photograph during a visit at Gangaramaya Buddhist temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sep 7, 2016. [Photo / Agencies]

COLOMBO - Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka rose by 13.7 percent in October year-on-year with Indian and Chinese markets recording a commendable growth, statistics from the Tourism Department showed on Tuesday.

More than 20,000 Chinese tourists arrived in Sri Lanka last month, up 19.8 percent from the same period last year.

Indian tourist arrivals were 36,471 in October, a 19.3-percent increase year-on-year.

Overall, Sri Lanka received 150,419 visitors last month and tourist arrivals in the first 10 months of this year have risen 14.6 percent to over 1.65 million.

The number of tourists from traditional markets such as Germany also rose 26.5 percent to 12,246 while the numbers from Britain were up 10 percent to 10,964.

China, which has become the second largest source of tourists to Sri Lanka, has helped improve the island nation's tourism industry once heavily scarred by a 30-year civil war between the government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels which ended in May 2009.

Last year, Sri Lanka was able to attract 200,000 Chinese tourists.

An estimated 1.8 million tourists arrived in Sri Lanka last year, contributing $2.98 billion to government revenues.

The government expected to attract at least 3 million tourists by the end of this year, and it has set a target of 4 million by 2020.
Central authorities resolved to fight against "Hong Kong independence": People's Daily Updated: 2016-11-08 15:44 (Xinhua)

BEIJING -- The Chinese central authorities has underscored that it has no tolerance for those calling for "Hong Kong independence," according to a commentary in the People's Daily Tuesday edition.

On Monday, China's top legislature adopted an interpretation of Article 104 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), clarifying the implications and requirements of the oaths taken by legislators-elect.

The interpretation was issued following the behavior of a handful of legislators-elect during the election of Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LegCo) and the subsequent swearing-in ceremony. These individuals had publicly voiced support for "Hong Kong independence," intentionally violated the oath and insulted the Chinese nation.

Clarifying the implications of relevant provisions in the Basic Law and reiterating those rules by issuing an interpretation is a crucial move by the legislature in response to the current situation in Hong Kong, the commentary said.

"The adoption of the interpretation is representative of the aspirations of the Chinese people, the call of the rule of law, and the power of justice," it continued.

The "Hong Kong independence" is driven by the desire to split the nation, undermining the country's unity, territorial integrity and sovereign security, as well as the fundamental interests of all Chinese, including the compatriots of Hong Kong, according to the article.

The interpretation provides a precedent and guidance for handling issues related to the taking of official oaths in the SAR, and outlines ways in which the "Hong Kong independence" should be dealt with, a clear sign from the central government that it will uphold national unity and security, it said.

To ensure the implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle and the Basic Law, and safeguard the nation's core interests as well as the fundamental interests of Hong Kong, the central authorities will eliminate any "Hong Kong independence" activities, said the commentary.
China asks relevant countries not to support 'Hong Kong independence' forces Updated: 2016-11-09 06:08 (Xinhua)

BEIJING -- China on Tuesday asked relevant countries to be cautious with their words and actions, and not to offer any support to forces advocating "Hong Kong independence."

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the remarks at a regular briefing when commenting on reports saying that Britain on Monday said that it recognized the right of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee to interpret the Basic Law of Hong Kong SAR and expressed concern on recent developments in Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LegCo) and the timing of the interpretation. The spokesperson of the U.S. State Department had said it was "disappointed" by recent developments concerning the LegCo.

Lu said that the heinous move by forces advocating "Hong Kong independence," attempting to split the country and publicly seeking external support was the biggest threat to the "one country, two systems".

On Monday, China's top legislature adopted an interpretation to Article 104 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), clarifying the implications and requirements of the oaths taken by legislators-elect.

Lu said that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, and its affairs fall within China's domestic domain. The adoption of the interpretation was a move made by China's top legislature to exercise its lawful right endowed by the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR and to fulfill its constitutional responsibility. "It is completely within China's sovereignty and other countries have no right to interfere."

He said, "We demand all relevant countries to honor their open commitments, mind their own words and deeds, not interfere in Hong Kong's domestic affairs nor give support to 'Hong Kong independence' forces."
Lovable cub Pandora recalled 78 years later Updated: 2016-11-09 07:41 By Huang Zhiling in Chengdu(China Daily)

A delegation of Canadians, including children of missionaries who lived in the area in the 1930s, visits the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan province on Tuesday.An Yuan / China News Service

Marion Walker was all smiles when she saw a small panda at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan province on Tuesday.

The 86-year-old Canadian said the young panda reminded her of Pandora, the cub with whom Walker and her elder sister Enid Walker played frequently in 1938. At that time, the Walker family lived at West China Union University in Chengdu.

Pandora was very cute and, like the pandas at the base now, liked climbing, Walker recalled.

Panda cub Pandora with Marion Walker (left) and her elder sister Enid in 1938.

This was Walker's fourth visit to the city since childhood. After an absence of 70 years, Walker revisited Chengdu, her birthplace, for the first time in 2008.

Walker and 16 other Canadians returned to Chengdu at the invitation of the School of Public Health of Sichuan University. They will attend the opening ceremony on Wednesday of a museum about the "CS Kids", as Walker and her fellow former students of the Canadian School in Chengdu are known.

The museum also tells the story of Pandora, according to Shen Zaiwang, a senior official with the Sichuan Provincial Association for Friendship With Foreign Countries.

More than 100 years ago, a group of Canadian missionaries came to Sichuan, establishing West China's first Western clinic and West China Union University, which featured a strong dentistry department.

Their children were born and brought up in Sichuan.

Some of the CS Kids frolicked with Pandora when the captured panda stayed temporarily at West China Union University before heading to the United States in May 1938.

In March 1938, the university had received a request from the New York Zoological Society, which wanted a baby panda or a pair, if possible. With the help of hunters who obtained the panda in the mountains in Guanxian (now Dujiangyan), the wife of Frank Dickinson, a professor of biology, took the cub to her home at the university. She kept it like a pet and named it Pandora.

Until Dickinson's colleague Roy Spooner, a chemistry professor, took Pandora to the United States in May 1938, many of the CS Kids played with it after school.

"When it was sunny, we would take Pandora to the lawn," Beth Leach, one of CS Kids born in Chengdu, said on Tuesday. "Local residents flocked to see it, and it became a fad for locals to see Pandora."

Spooner flew with the cub from Chengdu to Chongqing, where they boarded a ship to Hong Kong via Shanghai and changed to a ship to the United States. Pandora died on May 13, 1941.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Hillary Clinton said she's willing to bury the hatchet with Donald Trump after a campaign season filled with vicious rhetoric and personal attacks, Politico reported.

Well, I would hope so, Clinton said Tuesday morning when asked if she could be friendly with Trump again. I have to confess, I  and I think you could talk to a lot of people in New York who also knew him. We just have been surprised by a lot of what he has said and the kind of things that hes done in this campaign or that weve learned about.

Clinton and Trump have traded harsh invective for months. Clinton has called him temperamentally unfit for the presidency and mocked him for losing money in the casino business. Trump has called Clinton the most corrupt candidate to ever seek the presidency and threatened to jail her, if elected.

Asked to say something nice about each other at the second presidential debate last month, Clinton said, I respect his children. For his part, Trump praised Clintons toughness, calling her a fighter who doesnt quit and doesnt give up.

After the final presidential debate, both candidates attended the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner. According to its host, the two also had nice things to say to each other privately. Cardinal Timothy Dolan recalled Trump telling Clinton shes tough and talented, and Clinton telling Trump that whatever happens, we need to work together afterwards.

Clinton broached her daughters friendship with Trumps daughter as she explained her goal to unify the nation.

My daughter is a good friend of his daughter, and I hope that when its over, all of America comes together, Clinton said.

Chelsea Clinton said Monday that shell absolutely talk to [Ivanka Trump] after Election Day.

Our friendship started before politics, so it will last beyond politics, she said.
British banker found guilty of murder in Hong Kong Updated: 2016-11-09 07:42 By Jon Lowe in Hong Kong(China Daily)

A jury at Hong Kong's High Court returned a unanimous guilty verdict on Tuesday in the trial of British banker Rurik Jutting, for the murders of Sumarti Ningsih, 23, and Seneng Mujiasih, 26, in 2014.

Jutting, a 31-year-old British investment banker, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the judge, Justice Michael Stuart-Moore, who said he is "an extreme danger to women".

His lawyer, Tim Owen, said his client will apply to serve his sentence in the United Kingdom under the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement between Hong Kong and Britain.

In a dramatic, high-profile trial lasting more than two weeks, which the judge said "must rank as one of the most horrifying cases that has come to the courts of Hong Kong", the Cambridge-educated highflier - who earned more than $500,000 a year working for Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Hong Kong - was found guilty after less than six hours' deliberation by the jury of five men and four women.

Jutting - as he had been throughout the trial - was calm during his 45-minute final appearance in court. His lawyer read out a statement in which the 31-year-old accepted the verdict as just and said he was "sorry beyond words".

However, the judge rejected the sincerity of Jutting's statement, saying the latter is "the archetype of a sexual predator" and an extreme danger to women.

Jutting pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Oct 24, but this was rejected by the prosecution, which went on to detail the murders in an explicit manner.

The jury was shown videos from Jutting's iPhone, the audio of which was heard throughout the courtroom. Some clips depicted him torturing Ningsih, his first victim. In another, a naked Jutting pointed the camera at her body, lying in a shower area with her throat cut.

Other videos featured what Jutting later called his "narcissistic ramblings" on subjects such as his sadistic urges, his addictive use of prostitutes, sexual interest in meeting transsexuals and black male escorts, as well as his abuse of cocaine and alcohol.

In the second week of the trial, the defense called two expert witnesses from the UK, who testified that Jutting suffered from a combination of mental problems, including narcissistic personality disorder and sexual sadism disorder, as well as disorders relating to cocaine and alcohol abuse.

But their testimony was largely called into question by two psychiatrists from Hong Kong called by Prosecutor John Reading. They judged that Jutting's disorders did not render him "not in control of his actions".

In his summing up on Monday, the judge warned the jury not to allow thoughts of the victims or Jutting's "appalling lifestyle" to sway their judgment. He urged them to focus only on whether the case had been made that the accused's mental responsibility was substantially impaired when he carried out the killings.

The gruesome nature of the crimes shocked Hong Kong, a city with a low murder rate, and also sparked considerable international interest, with many media reports focusing on the extravagant lifestyles of highly paid expatriates working in banking and finance in the city.

jon.lowe@chinadailyhk.com
Hong Kong oath-taking farce violates law Updated: 2016-11-09 08:25 By ZHANG DINGHUAI(China Daily)

Kowloon West lawmaker-elect Priscilla Leung Mei-fun (second right) celebrates with her party colleagues after winning a seat in the Legislative Council election during a press conference of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong at Admiralty on Monday. Parker Zheng / China Daily

People generally agree democracy is a good but not a perfect political system. When applied in accordance with the social conditions, it is conducive to social development. Otherwise, it could impede and even undermine social development. That's why there is "good democracy" and "bad democracy", as is evident from the history of political development across the world.

On Oct 12, two elected members of the Hong Kong Legislative CouncilSixtus Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-chingdeliberately violated the oath-taking procedure and content requirements of the oath. They even insulted the country and the Chinese people in words and deeds while taking the oath of office. Worse, they advocated "Hong Kong independence".

However, the pursuit of "independence" has nothing to do with democracy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In fact, it violates the basic political principle of "One Country, Two Systems".

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, as the top legislature of the country, has the full right to interpret the Basic Law, by which the SAR is governed, when the basic political principle is severely challenged.

The Hong Kong SAR is the fruit of the People's Republic of China's "One Country, Two Systems" principle aimed at resolving the reunification issue. The central authorities have charted out the path of democracy for Hong Kong, especially because the region's economy is rooted in capitalism. The objective of "One Country, Two Systems" principle is to ensure the SAR enjoys long-lasting prosperity and stability under the premise of national unity. And according to the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, democratic political development in Hong Kong started after the region's reunification with the motherland.

Moreover, Hong Kong's democratic political development should be in accordance with its actual situation. And democracy in the SAR should develop step by step.

These principles will help Hong Kong achieve quality democracy, which is the aim of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle.

The central authorities' stance takes into consideration the fundamental interests of Hong Kong people as well as those of their compatriots in the rest of the country. However, Hong Kong's pan-democracy camp has different views on democracy.

In the legal realm, political differences should be resolved through talks. But the pan-democracy camp began opposing the central authorities' arrangement even before political reform was launched and has resorted to political confrontations through agitations, such as the "Occupy Central" movement in 2014.

On June 18, 2015, the pan-democracy camp rejected the universal suffrage plan of the Hong Kong chief executive, resulting in the suspension of the SAR's political reform. And the latest pro-"independence" farce of the two legislators-elect while taking oath has created a rift in Hong Kong. What they have done goes against the interest of Hong Kong residents.

The political bottom line in Hong Kong is the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, so by advocating "Hong Kong independence" the legislators-elect not only violated the basic political and legal principle, but also threatened national unity.

Some attribute the recent chaos in the SAR to people's frustration with Hong Kong's political reform. But that should not be a reason for disrupting the SAR's normal political order. All political moves of the central authorities, the pan-democracy camp rejected the universal suffrage plan of the Hong Kong chief executive, the SAR government and the pan-democracy camp should be within the framework of the law. This makes the pan-democracy camp's actions illegal and harmful to the SAR's political order.

The Basic Law of Hong Kong makes the direction of the SAR's political development clear. And the central authorities want democracy to develop in the regionwhich is also the goal of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle. Whether or not it will be a "good" democracy depends on whether it is conducive to national unity and long-term prosperity of Hong Kong. And the latest wave of moves by the pro-"independence" forces show how urgent for the Hong Kong legislation to accelerate the lawmaking process to implement Article 23 of the Basic Law, which bans treason and separatism.

The author is a professor at Shenzhen University and a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies.
Trade, climate change and nuclear weapons key issues for whoever wins White House Updated: 2016-11-09 10:40 By Wang Mengzhen(chinadaily.com.cn)

The US ambassador to China, Max Baucus, has named trade, climate change, and nuclear testing in the Korean Peninsula as top priorities for his country's newly-elected president.

US ambassador to China, Max Baucus (L), addresses to the press in the US embassy in Beijing on Wednesday.[Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

As American voters cast their ballots yesterday, Baucus predicted the US and China would have a close relationship regardless of the results.

"No matter who is elected, the US and China will work more closely together and join hands to address bilateral trade, which is worth $600 billion. Also, both countries would work on the important climate change issue, and if possible, the North Korea nuclear issue," Baucus said,

When asked about the future of bilateral economic ties, the ambassador added that he hoped the BIT (bilateral investment treaty), essential to economic and trade ties, would be passed soon thanks to the hard work of negotiators on both sides.
Cambodia marks 63rd Independence Day Updated: 2016-11-09 10:48 (Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH - Cambodia commemorated the 63rd anniversary of the declaration of the Independence Day on Wednesday with the participation of approximately 10,000 people.

King Norodom Sihamoni, accompanied by Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and National Assembly President Samdech Heng Samrin, laid a wreath and ignited the victory torch inside the Independence Monument to symbolize the country's independence from the colonial rule.

The victory flame will be kept burning for three days.

Live broadcast on the state-owned National Television of Cambodia (TVK), the celebration was attended by senior officials, diplomatic corps, armed forces, civil servants, residents and students.

Pigeons and balloons were released at the end of the event as a sign of independence and freedom.

In the evening, there will be a fireworks show over the Tonle Sap River in front of the Royal Palace.

The Southeast Asian nation gained full independence from the French protectorate on Nov. 9, 1953 during the reign of then-King Norodom Sihanouk.
Looking ahead - Nov 9 Updated: 2016-11-09 19:14 (China Daily UK)

Events and stories coming up in the next few days

Oxford forum eyes innovation, investment

The Oxford Sino-UK Innovation and Development Forum on Thursday in the Nissan Lecture Theatre within St Antony's College, Oxford, will be chaired by Professor Fu Xiaolan, director of Oxford's Technology and Management Centre for Development. Pan Jiaofeng, director-general of the Institutes of Science and Development at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Ian Walmsley, pro-vice-chancellor of Oxford University, will also attend. The day will feature several presentations from esteemed experts in the political, academic and business fields and a Q&A session with attendees.

Sheffield firming up links to China

The Confucius Institute at the University of Sheffield is hosting a seminar on Thursday, titled Business Gateway for China in the North. The new gateway is the result of a partnership between the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, the local Confucius Institute and others. It will take place in the university's Diamond building, on Leavygreave Road, Sheffield.

Summit aimed at infrastructure funding

The China-Britain Business Council is hosting the High-Level Belt & Road Infrastructure Financing Summit: Matching UK and Chinese Expertise on Thursday at the Institute of Directors building on Pall Mall in London. The session will offer an opportunity for delegates to discuss China's infrastructure financing ambitions, particularly in relation to its Belt and Road Initiative and talk about the possibility of establishing a UK-China Infrastructure Alliance. The initiative is a development strategy and framework that champions connectivity and cooperation.
Environmental activists say US election will not impact climate change talk Updated: 2016-11-09 22:02 By Wang Yanfei in Marrakech, Morocco(chinadaily.com.cn)

Donald Trump is not able to fundamentally change the trend of united global efforts to combat climate change, environmental activists said on Wednesday.

As a global community, we can and must solve the climate crisis, Mariana Panuncio, climate change director with the World Wildlife Fund, said after news of Donald Trumps victory reached Marrakech, Morocco, where delegates from more than 190 countries gathered at the United Nations climate change conference to discuss details of implementing the Paris Agreement in the next two weeks.

In politics we know the pendulum swings from one side to the other, but science keeps moving in one direction, she said.

Trumps denial of manmade activities causing climate change could hardly strip the progress being made by more than 100 countries, according to Panuncio.

As of Wednesday, a total of 103 out of 197 parties have ratified the agreement.

Panuncio said that although election results will impact the tone of negotiations at the climate change conference, it will not stop global cooperation on tackling climate change.

The tasks ahead on tackling climate change challenges remain the same, she said.

In line with her remarks, Alden Meyerdirector of strategy and policy for Union of Concerned Scientists, a Washington-based NGO, said that Trump needs to acknowledge the reality of climate change.

Meyer said if he insists upon his current attitudes, it would cause a negative impact to US collaboration with countries in other fields.

I assume that other countries of the world will move ahead with climate ambition, because its in their own self-interest to protect their citizens and reap economic benefits, he said.

If President Trump were not to honor US commitments, it will negatively impact his ability to negotiate on other priorities of international collaboration he has, Meyer said.
If nothing else, Election Day is fodder for memorable quips Updated: 2016-11-09 22:56 By Chris Davis(China Daily USA)

When I lived in Kenya, there was a sign often posted on the walls of bars and saloons, large and small, an admonishment apparently aimed at keeping the peace. "Never argue with a fool," it read. "People might not know the difference."

I thought about that tidbit of tribal wisdom more than once during this past presidential campaign cycle, most of the time not sure which side was the one that should be heeding the advice.

Whoever moves into the White House next, the sure winner of this US presidential race has been rancor. And just like listening to next door neighbors quarrel through paper-thin walls, it's a relief when its finally ends.

One good thing about elections is that they are a time for famous quotes. Hearing them in the midst of the process, especially one as intense as this has been, reminds us of the power that words have to carry wisdom down through the ages. They also remind us that very little is new under the sun.

The quip of the late great George Carlin  comedian, actor, social critic and author  couldn't be more apropos than today. "In America," he said, "anyone can become president. That's the problem."

Winston Churchill left behind a record of opinions that might be seen as contradictory. "The best argument against democracy," he said on one occasion, "is a five-minute conversation with the average voter."

Yet at a different time, he reportedly said, "It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried."

Adlai Stevenson had a famous quip that sounds so perfect for this race that it's hard to believe neither side ever co-opted it. "I offer my opponents a bargain," he said. "If they stop telling lies about us, I will stop telling the truth about them."

Even famous Communists have weighed in on the electoral process. Joseph Stalin said, "The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything." How do you say "the whole system's rigged" in Russian?

And one of Karl Marx's lines sounds right in tune with the anti-political elitism sentiment that echoed through some of this past year's stump speeches. "The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them," he wrote.

Writing in his book Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time, Georgetown history professor Carroll Quigley (and apparently Bill Clinton mentor) gives Marx a backhanded slap on the back. Political "parties should be almost identical, so that the American people can throw the rascals out' at any election, without leading to any profound or extensive shifts in policy."

Mark Twain said, "If voting made any difference they wouldn't let us do it," a sentiment that was echoed by anarchist Emma Goldman: "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal."

What quotes will Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump be remembered for when this election is finally in the books?

"As everybody knows," Trump tweeted, "but the haters & the losers refuse to acknowledge, I do not wear a wig. My hair may not be perfect but it's mine."

Some of his quotes, of course, are too vulgar to repeat, and for a sign of how far the boundaries of what's acceptable have been stretched, sometime google Earl Butz, who served as secretary of agriculture under president Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and see how quickly he got summarily drummed out of office for his garbage mouth.

Clinton's biggest gaff is one she probably won't live down any time soon and like Mitt Romney's celebrated "47 percent" line was probably not put out there for public consumption. "To just be grossly generalistic," she said, "you can put half of Trump supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables."

But the all-time winning Election Day quote is attributed to Henry Cate VII (whoever that is): "The problem with political jokes is they get elected."

Contact the writer at chrisdavis@chinadailyusa.com.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The US Senate will remain in Republican control, after Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey (R) beat out his Democratic challenger Katie McGinty to retain his seat, dashing the Democrats hope of a return to power in Congress next year, Washington Post reports.

The House will remain in Republican control next year, after Democrats made only modest pickups, as Democrats also faced bleak odds of wresting the Senate from GOP control.

Nevada Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto is projected to win the states open Senate seat over Republican Rep. Joe Heck, but returns in other races suggest it would be exceptionally difficult for Democrats to carve out a pathway to majority control in the Senate, even if Hillary Clinton wins the White House.

Cortez Masto likely benefited from a powerful turnout machine built by current Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, who is retiring from the Nevada seat Cortez Masto won.

But elsewhere, Democrats were not scoring the victories they had hoped for.

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson beat out former senator and favored Democratic candidate Russ Feingold to hold onto his seat.

Democrats can at best hope to pick up four seats, which would give them 50 seats in the Senate against the GOPs 50, with Clinton vice-president pick Tim Kaine breaking the tie in the case of a Clinton win.

But election returns did not seem to favor that outcome Tuesday night at either the Senate or the presidential level, where by midnight, Donald Trumps electoral vote count was higher than Clintons.

With about two thirds of the vote in, New Hampshire Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte was polling about three points ahead of Democratic challenger Gov. Maggie Hassan. In Missouri, GOP leader Sen. Roy Blunt was also polling significantly ahead of Democratic challenger Jason Kander.

Democrats have a chance to pick up a seat in Pennsylvania, but with 96 percent of ballots counted, Republican Sen. Pat Toomey held a slim lead over Democratic challenger Katie McGinty, who had been polling above Toomey in recent days.

Democrats also suffered losses in other Senate races that they had sought to contest more closely during the campaign season.

Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain was projected to cruise to an easy victory Tuesday night over Democratic challenger Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, despite months of polls showing the two were neck-and-neck.

McCain had broken ahead of Kirkpatrick in the most recent polls, but the race was still considered to be among the more competitive ones in the country.

North Carolina Republican Sen. Richard Burr held onto his Senate seat after coming under a serious challenge from Democrat Deborah Ross, holding an important seat for the GOP as they try to keep Democrats from taking over the Senate majority.

Burr, the Senates top Republican on intelligence matters, including cybersecurity, has comfortably held his seat for two terms. Democrats had hoped to oust him in a wave of swing-state victories to take back the Senate majority.

Democrats scored their only official pickup thus far from the GOP when Illinois Democrat Rep. Tammy Duckworth beat out incumbent Republican Sen. Mark Kirk for his Senate seat. Duckworth was a safe bet against Kirk, who had been flagging in the polls against the combat veteran and two-term congresswoman from Chicago.

But Democrats had a setback earlier Tuesday night, when Republican Rep. Todd Young beat out Democrat and former senator Evan Bayh in the Indiana Senate race.

Bayh, who served two terms in the Senate and hails from one of Indianas most powerful political families, was recruited as one of the Democrats stronger candidates, but ultimately fell short against Young, a three-term congressman from the southern part of the state.

In Florida, Republican Marco Rubio, who ran an unsuccessful presidential campaign earlier this year, was reelected to his Senate seat Tuesday night, keeping it in the GOPs column as he overcame a challenge from Democrat Rep. Patrick Murphy.

But in the House, Florida Democrat Stephanie Murphy staged an upset against one of the GOPs veteran members, Republican John Mica, who has held his seat since 1993. Micas race in part was fueled by redistricting that led to a defeat for the normally safe incumbent, who ultimately lost by nearly three points.

Democrats also picked up a House seat in Florida from Republican Rep. David Jolly, who lost his reelection battle to former Florida governor Charlie Crist. Crist, who was a Republican and an Independent while governor, joined the Democratic Party in 2012. But Democrats lost the House being vacated by Rep. Patrick Murphy, who lost to Rubio in the Senate race, when Florida Republican Brian Mast beat out Democrat Randy Perkins.

In Virginia, Republicans also overcame a Democratic effort to oust Rep. Barbara Comstock, who easily rode to a nine-point victory over Democratic challenger LuAnn Bennett.

The parties held onto their seats in several other high-profile Senate races. Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, who just a few months ago was on the shortlist of incumbents most in danger of losing their seats, was reelected to a second term in one of the earliest races to be called Tuesday night. And in Iowa, Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley was projected to win a seventh term over Democrat Patty Judge, despite earlier fears that his tenure was in jeopardy.

In Maryland, Democrat Chris Van Hollen was elected to his first term as a U.S. senator in the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D), while in California, Democrat Kamala Harris was elected to her first term in the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer.

Democratic Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.), who is expected to replace Reid as the Senates top Democrat next year, won a fourth term while Washington Democrat Patty Murray, also a member of the leadership team, won her fifth term. The Senates No. 3 Republican, John Thune (S.D.) was reelected to his third.

In Georgia, Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson was reelected to a third term in a race against Democratic challenger Jim Barksdale. While Isakson was not in grave danger of losing his seat, it was not clear that he would clear an an-important 50 percent threshold to avoid a runoff until the last days of the election.

Elsewhere in the Senate, Vermonts Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy was reelected to his eighth term, while Alabama Republican Sen. Richard Shelby won his sixth, and Idaho Republican Mike Crapo won his fourth. Republicans Tim Scott of South Carolina and James Lankford of Oklahoma and Democrat Brian Schatz of Hawaii were reelected to their first full terms in the Senate, while Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal and Republicans Rand Paul (Ky.), Mike Lee (Utah), Jerry Moran (Kan.), John Boozman (Ark.), and John Hoeven (N.D.) each won a second Senate term.

In general, Democrats performed better in Nevada, which boasts a large Latino voting population, than they did nationwide.

Early Wednesday morning returns were also inconclusive in Minnesotas 2nd District, where Democrats backing Angela Craig tried to link Republican talk radio host Jason Lewis to Trump over his comments about not-thinking women and cultural suicide by the white population. One of them will replace outgoing Rep. John Kline (R).
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Recently a decrease in diesel fuel prices is being documented in Armenia.

ARMENPRESS spoke to economists and corresponding state agencies to inquire about the reasons of the price reductions.

RPA lawmaker, economic Khosrov Harutyunyan says the decrease of diesel fuel prices is associated with the calls that are until now heard in the Government.

The Governments signals on decentralizing the market and making the customs border available for everyone can lead to businessmen revising their price policy. As result, the consumers and the economy benefit, he said.

Linking the price reduction with the new economic mentality and open urges of the PM, Harutyunyan also doesnt rule out that the reduction may have occurred due to decrease of consumption volumes.

Economist Tatul Manaseryan welcomed the reduction and expressed conviction that nothing happens coincidentally in Armenia, and said the state is realizing its control function very strictly.

Spokeswoman of the State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition Gayane Sahakyan says the diesel fuel market is under the constant spotlight of the commission.

The commission carries out monitoring three days a week, therefore is notified on changes in prices.

We also documented some changes of petrol prices, particularly, the price has decreased by 20-30 drams in one month period. After documenting the decrease, the commission was notified that a new company is operating in the market, she said.

Sahakyan says the reduction of prices is exclusively due to competition.

According to her, the new company is making imports comparably with lower prices. She said the company began operating in September and has already had positive impact on the market.

She said the monitoring and analyses continue and no problems or abuses have been documented. According to her, the field is open.
With the enhancement of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership, the two countries share ever more exchanges and cooperation in culture, art and film, said Tong Gang, the deputy director of State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of China during the opening ceremony of the China Film Festival in Moscow on Tuesday.

Being held in the Russian capital and Rostov-on-Don, the festival lasts from Nov 8-27. Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong and her Russian counterpart Olga Golodets attended the opening ceremony in Moscow, and jointly announced the start of the festival.

The ceremony started with Jackie Chans new movie Skiptrace, which attracted not only Chinese audiences, but lots of Russian fans of the film star as well.

So popular was the movie, that fans with tickets were gathering and waiting outside the Kocmos Cinema three hours ahead of its showing. But apart from the lucky ones who had tickets, there were many others who did not have tickets standing outside the cinema, just to get a glimpse of Chan.

Nataliya Noskova, a Russian translator, said at present there are not so many Chinese films broadcast in Russia, but the market potential market in Russia is huge, and stars, such as Chan and Jet Li, are extremely popular in Russia.

Jackie Chan is the most famous Chinese actor in Russia, she said. Russian kids have been watching his action movies for decades.

Vladimir Medinsky, Minister of Culture in Russia, said the fundamentals of the China-Russian film exchange have progressed since President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in 2013 to hold a film festival in each country every other year.

Medinsky said Russian films have won lots of Chinese admirers in the past few years, and the two countries have started to make movies together, telling the stories about both countries.

Tong added lots of films which were shot in cooperation have drawn widespread praise in both countries.

Chinas film administration selected seven movies for the 2016 China Film Festival, Tong said.

The atmosphere during the opening ceremony was electric when Chan, the promotional ambassador for the festival, showed up in the cinema. He said China and Russia share common attributes, like the hospitality of their people, both countries cover vast tracts of land, and both have a long history of culture.

Chan said by watching these seven movies and more in the future, Russian people can understand more about Chinese culture and history.

Noskova agreed. Having studied Chinese in Moscow State University and lived in China for years, she said China has an attractive culture and history and watching films is one of the best ways for people in Russia to learn Chinese about culture. She suggested the film administrations of both countries need to have deeper cooperation.

I think there should be more Chinese movies in Russian cinemas, and I believe Russian audiences would like to watch good Chinese films, Noskova said.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta said there is no military solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

The Co-Chairs continue making efforts aimed at organizing meeting of Foreign Ministers and Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan. One thing is definitely clear: the Karabakh conflict cannot be settled through military means. Thats why the sides must sit around the negotiation table to reach the peaceful settlement of the conflict. It is extremely necessary, he told the Azerbaijani APA news agency.

Cekuta also stated that for reaching the peaceful settlement and progress it is necessary to hold a meeting in near future.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Canadas official website providing information on immigration and citizenship has been experiencing repeated outages, presumably due to a surge in traffic as Donald Trump grabbed an early lead in the US presidential race, RT reports.

Just as the race was kicking off many Americans joked that they would move out of the US, namely to Canada, if Trump won the presidency.

It may be a coincidence, and may not be, since the site already crashed earlier this year  when US presidential candidate Donald Trump declared victory on Super Tuesday. Surprisingly, the search trend how can I move to Canada spiked violently that day, just as it is doing at the moment, according to Google statistics.

Searches for the word emigrate also jumped in the United States as the Republican steamed ahead in Tuesdays election, the Telegraph reported.

Even ahead of election day, many celebrities expressed their discontent with Trump's anti-immigration and borderline racist remarks, and have threatened to leave the US if the Republican wins.

The Breaking Bad TV series actor Bryan Cranston suggested that he would leave the US for Canada if the Republicans win. Other US stars like actress Barbara Streisand and Stephen King said they were planning to leave the US should Hillary Clinton lose.

In September the master of horror said that a Trump presidency scares him more than anything else.

It scares me to death. To the point where I've actually thought of moving to Canada, which is close to Maine, he told The Washington Post. And I can hear a lot of my conservative friends saying, 'Ah, good! Go! Get out of here!'

Streisand told Australian journalist Michael Usher that she will either move to Australia or Canada, in order not to be under Trumps rule.

Im either coming to your country, if you'll let me in, or Canada, Streisand said in a 60 Minutes' interview in August . "He has no facts. I don't know, I can't believe it.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The European Union has added all deputies of the State Duma, the lower house of Russias parliament, elected from Crimea and Sevastopol, to its sanctions blacklist, according to an EU Council decision published in the EUs official journal on Wednesday, reports TASS.

The sanctions blacklist includes five deputies from Crimea: Konstantin Bakharev, Ruslan Balbek, Andrei Kozenko, Svetlana Savchednko and Pavel Shperov and deputy from Sevastopol Dmitry Belik.

Two more Crimean deputies - Natalia Poklonskaya and Mikhail Sheremet - were included in the EUs sanctions blacklist earlier.

The decision takes effect from the moment it is published, i.e. from Wednesday, the EUs statement said.

Therefore, starting from November 9, the EUs sanctions blacklist includes 157 citizens of Russia and Ukraine and 37 organizations, mostly state structures and military formations from the Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics.

Special attention in the EUs blacklist is paid to the State Duma deputies: the leadership of the lower house of Russias parliament, including the leaders of the basic parliamentary factions, comprised the basis of the EUs first blacklist approved in March 2014 immediately after Crimea reintegrated into Russia.

All the blacklisted persons are denied access to the EU territory and its banking system. The EU Council extends the effect of this sanctions measure every six months. Now its effect will last through March 17.






YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. On November 8 the cancellation of the Special cover issued by Haypost CJSC that is dedicated to the GIT Award of the President of the Republic of Armenia for outstanding contribution to humanity through IT took place, Haypost CJSC told Armenpress.

The Special cover represents a unique philatelic product - a thematic cover, on which 2 stamps dedicated to the theme GIT Award of the President of the Republic of Armenia for outstanding contribution to humanity through IT and issued in 2013 are attached and which will be cancelled with a Special postmark.

The Special cover was designed with a print run of 500 pcs. It depicts the Laureate of 2016 Global Award of the President of the Republic of Armenia for Outstanding Contribution to Humanity through IT Louis Pouzin, the Chief Executive Officer of Open-Root company, the French scientist, and the inventor of datagram, one of the co-founders of the web. The Special cover also depicts six Laureates of the previous years.

The cover signing ceremony has been attended by: Louis Pouzin, President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies Vahan Martirosyan, President of the Union of Philatelists of Armenia Hovik Musaelyan, HayPost CJSC Trust Manager Juan Pablo Gechidjian.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. NEFCO (Nordic Environment Finance Corporation) and the Armenian Government have signed a framework agreement on November 9 in the Finance Ministry of Armenia that acknowledges NEFCOs status as an international financial institution in Armenia. This will pave the way for new projects with environmental benefits in the country, the official NEFCO website reports. Minister of Finance of Armenia Vardan Aramyan and NEFCO Managing Director Magnus Rystedt signed the agreement.

The newly signed framework agreement and NEFCOs expanded geographic mandate conform to the objectives of the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) to extend operations to other countries in South-Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region. NEFCO has co-financed a range of E5P-initiated projects in Ukraine in the last four years.



The agreement between NEFCO and the Armenian Government will enter into force after ratification by the Armenian Parliament, which is expected to take place early next year.

We look forward to building on the good co-operation we have had during the negotiation process led by the Ministry of Finance of Armenia, said Vice President Tita Anttila from NEFCO.

We are delighted about the possibility to expand our activities to Armenia. Our strengthened presence here in the Caucasus region is well in line with NEFCOs new strategy that is in the making. We hope to be able to finance a range of new energy efficiency projects in Armenia in the near future, said NEFCOs Managing Director Magnus Rystedt in Yerevan today.

Presently, the bulk of NEFCOs investment operations is concentrated in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In 2014, NEFCO signed a framework agreement with Georgia. The Corporation has also initiated negotiations on signing a framework agreement with the Moldovan Government.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The working meeting of representatives and heads of payment systems and national banks of CIS countries was held in Yerevan November 7-8, entitled Prospects of possible integration of payment area.

A formula on payment infrastructure cooperation relevance was adopted aimed at forming a common payment area (technological environment operating on unified standards).

The formula will allow CIS national bank payment card holders to freely implement all usual transactions, receive cash, make purchases, pay for services and other transactions through ATMs and trade terminals of member-states of the working meeting.

The Central Bank told ARMENPRESS the meeting was organized by  - (Operator of Russian Mir payment system) and Armenian Card (Operator of Armenian ArCa payment system.

National Bank and payment system representatives from Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Russia, Belarus, Tajikistan took part in the meeting.

Opening remarks were delivered by representatives of Central Banks of Armenia and Russia.

A road map was adopted as result of the meeting, under which the technical compliance will be completed until mid-2017 and the mutual-acceptance of cards of Mir and ArCa payment systems in the infrastructures of members.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan arrived in the United Arab Emirates on an official visit on November 9, press service of the Presidential administration told Armenpress.

After the official welcoming ceremony the extended format meeting between the Armenian President and Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Al Nahyan was held with the participation of the official delegation members of the two countries. Thereafter, President Serzh Sargsyan and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Al Nahyan held a private meeting.

President Sargsyan said Armenia is interested in intensifying the political dialogue and developing the comprehensive mutual cooperation with the United Arab Emirates and expressed hope that the talks and the agreements within the framework of this visit will have their contribution to the further development of Armenia-UAE relations.

Serzh Sargsyan said with satisfaction that in the last decade the relations between Armenia and the UAE underwent a new development and more practical stage, more than two dozen documents related to cooperation in various sectors were signed between the two states.

The sides agreed that due to the firm friendly relations of the Armenian and Arabic people, today the interstate relations between Armenia and the Arabic states, including the UAE are successfully developing. They also attached importance on holding regular political consultations, as well as mutual visits at different levels aimed at boosting the bilateral cooperation.

To boos the current trade-economic cooperation rates, the sides attached importance to the activity of the inter-governmental commission which will help to explore each others markets, carry out beneficial investments in a number of sectors, as well as follow the ongoing reforms and innovations in the economies of the two states.

The sides agreed to intensify the works aimed at including the UAE investments in Armenias economy and find effective mechanisms to carry out investment projects.

Issues of mutual interest, as well as contemporary international issues, the Middle Eastern crisis, the events in the region, the existing issues and challenges in the South Caucasus, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement process were discussed at the meeting.






YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan addressed a congratulatory telegram to President-elect of the United States of America Donald Trump on November 9.

The telegram reads:

Dear Mr. Trump,

I cordially congratulate you on being elected as President of the United States of America. The American people highly appreciated both your knowledge and experience, and your vision and approaches, trusting you the honorable responsibility of leading the country. I am sure you will spare no effort in making the coming years a period of highs and achievements for the USA.

Today, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between Armenia and the United States, I express gratitude for the significant assistance which your country has provided during the last quarter century, aimed at establishment of Armenias democracy and economic growth. We highly appreciate the important role of the United States, as a co-chairing country of the OSCE Minsk Group, in the peaceful settlement process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

I am sure during your Presidency the friendly Armenian-American relations will continue to strengthen and gain new achievements in various fields. I am convinced the involvement of Armenian-Americans will remain strong in our partnership. Once again I congratulate you on the occasion of being elected to the post of President of the USA and I wish you productive work  for the glory of the United States of America and prosperity of the American people.

Please accept, your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of Poland to Armenia Jerzy Marek Nowakowski hopes that the Armenian products will be presented in the Polish market with greater quantities.

2015 can be identified as a period when the Armenian-Polish economic relations achieved growth. Of course, that figure is not so satisfactory: the annual commodity turnover is 60-80.000 USD. There has been a significant growth especially in the export from Armenia to Poland. If the annual figure rises to 200-250.000, it can be considered as a real growth, therefore, it is possible to triple the commodity turnover. There are certain sectors that are interested in making investments in Armenia especially in construction, high technology sectors, the Ambassador said, reports Armenpress.

He said the development of the Armenian-Polish economic relations depends on two factors, one of which is the psychological.

For instance, Lyubava-Armenia military-industrial enterprise carries out investment here, cooperates with the Defense Ministry. Our businessmen are carefully following the success of that enterprise whether it is profitable investment or not. It can be said that here this enterprise is an example of experience on how to successfully act in Armenias market. The second factor is, probably, linked with the signing of the EU-Armenia framework agreement. The European Commission puts a special emphasis on Armenias competitiveness, and if customs tariff issues are settled, it will significantly ease the entry of the businessmen to the Armenian market, the Polish Ambassador said.

He said Poland is also interested in cooperating with Armenia in tourism sector.

If Armenia wants to become a member of Europe, it must also pay an attention to the road infrastructure, he said adding that Armenia needs to be presented as a brand in Poland.

It will be quite difficult if the Polish market will not be filled by the Armenian products. The problem is that the buyers are not aware about the existence of such product. They become aware by news on TV. Armenia, of course, is well known in Europe, however, it is not associated with concrete products, Jerzy Marek Nowakowski said.

The Ambassador emphasized that for Poland it was a surprise that Armenia as well produces its own drones.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. On November 9 Ucom has officially launched the sales of new phone numbers, commencing with 044 prefix, press service of Ucom told Armenpress.

Moreover, the platinum and gold numbers can be acquired absolutely free of charge in case of subscription to one of the Ucoms Universal tariff plans for a period of 12 or 24 months.

In addition to the nice phone numbers the subscribers of the Universal Postpay tariff plans will receive on a monthly basis a lot of minutes to call all local networks, NKR, USA and Canada, a lot of megabytes to use the mobile internet and a lot of SMSes to send to all local numbers.

A few days ago 33 special phone numbers were sold in an electronic auction.

After the auction of special numbers with 044 prefix we have a total amount of 104 mln 900 thousand AMD reflected on 044.ucom.am website at the moment. We intend to transfer the entire income to Ucom Foundation for the realization of its charitable projects. That amount will allow us implementing a number of important projects in the education and health sectors, as well as continuing the opening march for the engineering laboratories, Hayk Yesayan, Director General at Ucom said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed a report from a project under King's College London on Wednesday, saying its allegation about China's role in Pakistan's nuclear programs "cannot bear closer analysis".

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang made the remarks when asked to comment on the report prepared by Project Alpha of the college's Centre for Science and Security Studies, which suggests China's "complicity in Pakistan's strategic programs".

The report "has evaded the most fundamental question" of whether China's exports to Pakistan have breached China's laws and regulations on nonproliferation export control or its commitments according to the UN Security Council's resolutions and under frameworks including multilateral export control regimes, Lu said.

"If not, then things China has exported to Pakistan, however many, are within normal trade between two friendly neighbor countries and are beyond reproach," Lu said.

China has always pursued a serious and responsible nonproliferation export control policy and has set up a sound legal system in this regard, he said.

Once finding people, companies or organizations that violated China's laws and commitment on nonproliferation export control, the country will hold them accountable, the spokesman said, adding that individual cases of violation are inevitable in any country.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The Government of Poland supports signing Armenia-EU framework agreement, Ambassador of Poland to Armenia Jerzy Marek Nowakowski told reporters, reports Armenpress.

2017 is a significant year for us since we are going to celebrate the 650th anniversary of the establishment of Armenian community in Poland. I hope before that the agreement will be signed. I would like to state that especially businessmen are waiting for the signing of the document since it will contribute to the development of bilateral economic relations. I also hope that there will not be any problem over the signing of this agreement, the Ambassador said.

In 2015 official Brussels announced the official launch of the EU-Armenia talks on new framework document.
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YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The election of Donald Trump to the presidency sparked protests early Wednesday across California, drawing crowds to city streets and college campuses, LA Times reports.

The demonstrations reflected sadness, anger and bursts of rage. Crowds openly disavowed the president-elect and a few resorted to vandalism.Shortly after Trump delivered a victory speech in New York, up to 1,500 people gathered at UCLA. The demonstration peaked about 1 a.m., when a Trump pinata was set on fire in a trash can outside a Westwood Boulevard store.

The small blaze aside, no major incidents were reported and police said the crowd was peaceful.In Oakland, demonstrators smashed a window at the Oakland Tribune newsroom and ignited trash containers and tires.About 500 students marched through the La Jolla campus of UC San Diego, protesting Trumps win and chanting his name with an expletive.

In downtown L.A., anger simmered as a crowd gathered near City Hall. Some property was defaced, including a fence scrawled with graffiti insulting Trump.

Similar protests were also reported in Oregon.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. French president Francois Hollande said Trumps win opens up a period of uncertainty that must be faced with lucidity and clarity, Armenpress reports, The Guardian informs.

Hollande congratulated Trump as is natural between two heads of state, but showed little enthusiasm. Hollande had openly endorsed Clinton. Certain positions taken by Donald Trump during the American campaign must be confronted with the values and interests we share with the United States, he said.

What is at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East. It is economic relations and the preservation of the planet.

Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said European politicians should heed the message from Trump votes. There is a part of our electorate that feels abandoned, including people who feel left behind by globalisation, he said.
Some commercial banks have reported high profits in the first nine months of the year thanks to a restructuring effort which focuses on services instead of lending as previously done.  VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI  Some commercial banks have reported high profits in the first nine months of the year thanks to a restructuring effort which focuses on services instead of lending as previously done.

According to financial reports released recently, the Commercial Joint Stock Bank for Foreign Trade of Viet Nam (Vietcombank) posted profit of VN4.5 trillion (US$200.357 million) in the first nine months, up 13.6 per cent year-on-year.

Of the total, services made up $521 billion, up more than 18 per cent. Securities business also represented VN203 billion.

Vietcombanks profit was nearly equal to that of the Commercial Joint Stock Bank for Industry and Trade of Viet Nam (Vietinbank) and the Commercial Joint Stock Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BIDV), although its total outstanding loans in the period were less than VN440 trillion, equal to only two-third of Vietinbank and BIDVs.

Last year, services also accounted for 30 per cent of Vietcombanks profit.

The same trend was seen in Techcombank, which reported profit of VN279 billion from services in Q3 and VN911 billion in nine months.

With the contribution from services, Techcombank posted net profit of more than VN2 trillion in Q3 and VN6.23 trillion in nine months, up 29 per cent and 21 per cent year-on-year, respectively.

The financial report from the Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) also showed that the bank posted profit of VN236 billion from services in Q3, helping the bank make total profit of VN415 billion in the period, up 15.5 per cent year-on-year.

ACB general director o Minh Toan said his bank is boosting services with a focus on financial services and individual customers.

According to independent expert inh The Hien, while lending has shown signs of risk due to a rise in non-performing loans, increasing revenue from boosting services would help banks achieve healthy and sustained development in the future.  VNS
There will be no real estate bubble in HCM City in the last quarter of this year, the HCM City Real Estate Association has assured.  Photo motthegioi.vn

HCM CITY  There will be no real estate bubble in HCM City in the last quarter of this year, the HCM City Real Estate Association has assured.

Le Hoang Chau, its chairman, said the year-end is always a time of growth for the market and this year is no different.

But the market is showing signs of slowing down compared to last year, and this would continue into 2017, he said.

He dismissed fears of a bubble, saying it would only form in a rapidly growing economy.

This year it is difficult to achieve the countrys GDP growth target of 6.7 per cent. Our economy is still in recovery mode.

Furthermore, credit policies are being tightened, he said.

But there is a risk in the high-end segment due to an imbalance between demand and supply, he said.

The associations latest report clearly reveals this imbalance. With a mushrooming of high-end projects, supply exceeds demand, it said.

On the other hand, there is a shortage in the segments in which there is high demand -- social housing and housing costing VN15 million per square metre.

The association said high-end projects are now proliferating not only in the city centre but also elsewhere, especially in the east.

Chau said: The Government should have policies to balance the market and developers should restructure their projects, moving into segments with real demand and high sales.

Consumers should decide carefully and not just follow trends.

The market has recently seen a slight increase in prices in many projects, but it is a normal trend during the year-end, traders said.

Prices are up by VN1-3 million (US$45-136) per square metre, they said.

Brokers said prices are up compared to the rates initially offered by developers at many projects like Centana, Palm City, Moonlight Residences, and Hung Phat Silver Star.

Nguyen Van uc, deputy director of brokerage at Lanh, said prices are now up by 5-15 per cent. They are mostly mid-end projects by prestigious developers at good locations that have made good construction progress.

According to uc, prices have increased most in the east and south where transportation is excellent.  VNS
A worker at Van ien Fused Magnesium Phosphate Fertiliser JSC packages products for export.  VNA/VNS Photo Hoang Hung

HA NOI  Domestic fertiliser producers are facing many difficulties to make their business viable in the face of fierce competition from importers, according to the Vietnam Competition Authority (VCA).

In a report on the possibility of applying trade defence instruments for imported urea and diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilisers sent to its authorised body, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, VCA said the import of such fertilisers had sharply increased since early this year, affecting domestic production.

According to primarily analysed data, VCA said the main reason for heavy losses incurred by domestic fertiliser producers was the suddenly increased import of fertilisers.

The price of imported fertilisers is cheaper than the domestic rate because of the worlds prices of input materials such as coal and gas, which have sharply reduced. This had resulted in domestic consumers buying imported fertilisers, mainly from China.

In the first nine months of this year, Viet Nam imported 443,000 tonnes at a total value of US$103 million, a year-on-year increase of 60 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively.

VCA said Viet Nam had two DAP fertiliser producers -- inh Vu DAP Joint Stock Company and Lao Cai Fertiliser DAP No. 2 Joint Stock Company. They had been incurring significant losses since 2013 due to the rapid increase of imported products. They had to continuously reduce selling price to match the rate of imported products and were forced to maintain it at a rate lower than the production price.

Competition with imported products has caused domestic DAP producers to cut productivity by half since early this year. Meanwhile, consumption productivity and average selling price also reduced by more than 40 per cent and 23.8 per cent, respectively, compared with the same period last year.

The import of DAP fertiliser this year is estimated to make a year-on-year increase of 184.6 per cent, VCA said.

VAC recommended that if there was no method to help the two DAP producers overcome difficulties, it would be difficult for them to be viable, leading to the possibility of them being unable to control fertiliser prices for domestic agriculture.

There are four urea producers in Viet Nam -- Ca Mau Gas-Power-Fertiliser Industrial Group and Phu My Fertiliser Plant, which have annual production capacity of 800,000 tonnes each, and Ha Bac Nitrogenous Fertiliser and Chemicals Company Limited and Ninh Binh Nitrogenous Fertiliser Plant, with the capacity of 480,000 tonnes and 560,000 tonnes per year, respectively.

Phu My and Ca Mau plants, which have used gas as input material for fertiliser production, still benefit from production with the selling price at VN5,600 per kg, higher than the production price of between VN4,500 and VN4,800. However, profit was seen declining in recent times.

Ninh Binh and Ha Bac plants, which use coal as input material for production, have failed to compete with imported products. Ninh Binh plant has stopped its operation, while Ha Bac plant halted production in August and September due to inventory.

According to VCAs analysis, both urea and DAP were used for agriculture and the application of trade defence instruments should be considered because it would lead to the increase of input costs for the agricultural production industry.  VNS
HA NOI  Firms that do not put profits above communities and promote sustainable development are now recognized by a new ranking announced by the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) yesterday.

The Top 100 Sustainable Businesses 2016 listing will honour Vietnamese firms for demonstrating corporate ethics mooted recently by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the VCCI said.

VCCI Chairman Vu Tien Loc said sustainable development had become an indispensable path to success for businesses around the world at a time when abundant natural resources and cheap labour were no longer advantages.

Firms that focus exclusively on profit and ignore communities interests were not good businesses, Loc said, adding that recognition by the society that a business was engaged in sustainable development would be an important type of capital that firms needed in the future.

Nguyen Quang Vinh, Secretary General of the Viet Nam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD), told vccinews.com that in order to rank the 100 most sustainable companies in 2016, VBCSD had developed the Corporate Sustainability Index (CSI) based on 151 quantitative criteria.

Vinh, who is also Deputy Secretary General of VCCI, said companies could highlight their sustainability via three inter-related pillars: economy, society and environment.

This is the first time VCCI is coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies such as the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour to set up a benchmarking committee.

Some 400 companies, most of which are listed firms, have been assessed, Vinh said, adding that After nearly a year of preparation and careful selection, we have short-listed the 100 most sustainable companies in Viet Nam.

These 100 winners were expected to exert a positive influence on more than 500,000 Vietnamese enterprises, most of whom were small and medium-sized enterprises, he said.

In the coming time, we will coordinate with international organisations such as the UN, the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to nominate these companies for the rating so that they can compete with other brands in the world.

We will use the index to encourage corporate compliance and capacity building, foster sustainable development strategies, and introduce good sustainable development practices to enterprises, especially SMEs, Vinh said.

ao inh Thi, Chairman of the Bao Viet Group, said that through the new ranking, customers, investors and employees can identify ethical businesses, increasing their brand visibility and making them more competitive.

Sustainability forum

Earlier yesterday, the Viet Nam Corporate Sustainability Forum 2016 opened in the city, focusing on the importance of creativity in realising sustainable development goals.

Addressing the forum, Deputy Prime Minister Vu uc am highlighted the events significance, saying that it would foster connectivity among public and private sectors, social organisations and the community.

Through the forum, many initiatives to improve the business climate in Viet Nam and step up sustainable development of Vietnamese business community had been submitted to the Government, he said.

Tran Hong Ha, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, asked the business community to get involved in economic use of energy so as to reduce emissions and effectively adapt to climate change.

The minister presented the countrys plan to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, describing it as a strategic orientation to thoroughly address issues concerning climate change in the next decades.

It also shows Viet Nams responsibility in dealing with major challenges that threaten humankind, he said.

The third edition of VCSF 2016 was organised by the Viet Nam Business Council for Sustainable Development under the VCCI in collaboration with the British Council in Viet Nam and Unilever.

Corporate Culture Day

On Monday, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc launched a campaign to build corporate culture in Viet Nam. The campaign aims to raise public awareness, shake up trade and production and boost the role of state agencies.

At the event, Phuc said building a business culture would improve Viet Nams image and make it more competitive as it integrates into the global economy.

This is one of the tasks for Viet Nams Government and its business community. It is part of the effort to turn the country into a start-up nation, the PM said.

The Government will pay special attention to business ethics with the core values of transparency, creativity, competency and sustainability, he stressed.

The campaigns organising board also announced the PMs decision to observe November 10 as Viet Nam Corporate Culture Day. The purpose of the day will be to promote the building of a favourable business climate in the country, where the law, business ethics, social responsibilities and healthy competition are respected.

The Viet Nam Association for Business Culture Development, the Viet Nam Association for Women Entrepreneurs and the Voice of Viet Nam signed co-operation pacts to conduct the campaign.  VNS
HA NOI  The Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam (CAAV) has proposed to hike aviation service fees by 15 to 40 per cent from 2017.

The proposal, submitted to the transport ministry, has met with stiff resistance from domestic airlines as the CAAV has said that hike was needed for them to develop aviation infrastructure. The CAAV also wants the ceiling price for tickets will not be changed.

As per the classification made by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, airports fall into four groups (A, B, C and D), based on the length of their runways. Group A airports have the longest runways.

The CAAV wants to raise take-off and landing service fees by 15 per cent in all Group B airports. These include Phu Bai, Lien Khuong, Phu Quoc, Buon Ma Thuot, ong Hoi, Pleiku, Tuy Hoa, Chu Lai, Phu Cat and Tho Xuan.

Viet Nams Group A airports are Noi Bai, a Nang, Tan Son Nhat, Cam Ranh, Cat Bi, Vinh and Can Tho, and the fee there is expected to be 115 per cent of Group Bs fees. Group Cs fees will be 60 per cent of Group Bs.

The CAAV has also proposed to hike fees for aviation security and airfield and domestic passenger services.

Lai Xuan Thanh, director of CAAV, said the adjustment was suitable in the current context. The take-off and landing service fees for domestic flights have remained untouched for five years now. It is 32 to 72 per cent of the regions average level, depending on the kind of aircraft. The aviation sector is growing rapidly and putting a lot of pressure on the infrastructure. The adjustment of service fees in domestic routes is necessary, Thanh said.

The flight management service fee for aircraft A320 and A321 on domestic routes less than 250km is on average VN1.35million for one-time take-off and landing, Thanh said. In the ASEAN region, it is more than VN4.7million. For distances greater than 250km, its VN3.02million in Viet Nam, lower than the VN5.35million in ASEAN countries. While the take-off and landing service fee for an A320 is US$111.57 per flight in the country, its $204 in the ASEAN region.

Budget carrier Vietjet Airs managing director Luu uc Khanh said that if the proposal was approved, his firms expense would rise by more than VN200 billion (US$8.95 million) in 2017. The increased cost will affect our business as around 90 per cent of our business is flying domestic routes. Such a high rise in expenses will certainly have a huge impact on the business and operations of Vietjet Air as well as other airlines, Khanh said.

A representative of Jetstar Pacific said the increased fees would definitely impact ticket prices. However, its difficult for the airlines to adjust the price immediately because of competition and the carriers growth strategy.

On October 1, domestic air fares were cut by around 4 per cent following the drop in fuel prices, according to the CAAVs dispatch No 5010/CHK-TC. The ceiling price for economy class tickets is adjusted based on flight distances. It currently stands at about VN1.6 million for a one-way ticket for the shortest distance of 500km or less, and VND3.75 million for a one-way ticket for 1,280km and more.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nams Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund (SMEDF) will partner with Koreas Small & Medium Business Corporation (SBC) to promote development of SMEs.

Their co-operation will also help the SMEs seek partners in both countries.

Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Ha Noi on Tuesday, SMEDF and SBC will also exchange information about business supporting policies and assist each other in conducting surveys in their respective nations.

SMEDF Director Hoang Thi Hong said South Korea is now the largest foreign investor in Viet Nam, with a large sum of investment poured into the electronics, energy and manufacturing sectors.

The flow of Korean investment into Viet Nam has given a boost to the development of local SMEs and enabled them to join the global supply chain and get access to advanced technologies, she added.

Meanwhile, SBC Vice President for Global Marketing Yong Seung Lee said SBC has accompanied South Koreas SMEs by assisting them in export marketing and setting up a centre for SME development in Ha Noi in 2014.

Established in 1979, SBC is a non-profit, government-funded organisation. It is tasked with implementing government policies and programmes for the sound growth and development of South Korean SMEs as well as providing them with financial support.

Total capital that SBC poured into SMEs or start-up firms this year amounted to 4.5 trillion won.  VNS
HCM CITY  The Orient Joint Stock Commercial Bank, consultancy Fintek Company Limited and its Malaysian principal TESS International yesterday signed an agreement for an anti-money laundering project at OCB.

Nguyen inh Tung, OCBs CEO, said When the banks scope and scale are increasingly widening, it means the bank has to face the increased risk of money laundering, terrorist financing, and trading fraud, which are alarming problems worldwide.

The anti-money laundering system provides many different models and methods to filter customer information based on black lists, warning lists, embargo lists, and others, and discover and investigate any suspicious transactions such as inconsistent or misleading customer information and cash transactions or deposits not in line with customers business operations.

Implementing an AML system would help the bank create a solid foundation in terms of risk management activities and the systems transparency and safety, Nguyen Hoang Ly, Fintek founder and chairman, said.

The AML project has been implemented at OCB since September, and is expected to be applied bank-wide by February next year.

Le Thi Kim Xuan, chief representative of the Viet Nam Banks Association, said along with increasing integration, money laundering has also gone up and become more sophisticated. According to financial experts, money laundering activities target developing countries and countries with a habit of using cash like Viet Nam, she said.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan received on November 9 French scientist, the inventor of datagram, one of the five forefathers of the internet, Executive Director of Open-Root organization Louis Pouzin and his spouse Chantal Lebrument.

As Armenpress was informed from the press service of the Government of Armenia, the PM greeted the guests and congratulated Louis Pouzin on receiving Armenian Presidential Award for the global contribution to the area of Information Technologies for year 2016. Karen Karapetyan highlighted the continuous development of the IT sector in Armenia and mentioned that a new format for public-private cooperation has been established and issues and proposals aimed at further developing the IT sector are discussed on weekly basis. The head of the Executive expressed conviction that Armenian IT companies have great development potential and noted that the Government has numerous plans with their initiatives. Karen Karapetyan also added that he would be grateful to Mr. Pouzin if he shares his experience and knowledge with his Armenian partners.

Louis Pouzin thanked the Armenian Premier for the reception and added he impressed by the targeted steps of Armenia for developing the IT sector. He stated that he ready to closely cooperate with his Armenian partners and foster their international connections.
HA NOI  A Vietnamese light industry zone was inaugurated in Serpukhov city, Russias Moscow region yesterday, hosting garment and textile firms that employ 280 workers, mostly Vietnamese.

The zone covers an area of about two hectares and will be expanded in the future. Each month, factories in the zone supply about 60,000 products to the market with a value of about 40 million rubles (US$627,741).

The project is expected to boost friendship between Russian and Vietnamese people, while solving illegal labour problems.

Addressing the launch ceremony, Moscow Region Vice Governor Denis Butsaev said that Moscow strongly supports the project, which was initiated in 2013, and wants to develop its partnership with Viet Nam.

Vietnamese businesses operate actively in Moscows outskirts with many investment projects in various fields, he noted.

The inauguration of the zone reflects the efforts of Vietnamese investors in making their business operation in the host country transparent and legal, he said.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Nguyen Thanh Son thanked leaders of the Moscow region for backing Vietnamese enterprises.

He said that the operation of the zone is part of co-operation between Vietnamese localities and Moscow.

Last year, leaders of Moscow region and HCM City signed an agreement on the establishment of the light industry zone, he said, revealing that administrative procedures for the project are being finalised.

On the occasion, the diplomat asked the Vietnamese community working in the zone to abide by the law of the host country, thus fostering the friendship between the two countries.  VNS
HA NOI  It is necessary to place automobile manufacturing, assembly and import in areas where enterprises must satisfy specific conditions to do business in, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment ang Huy ong said on Tuesday.

ong told reporters during a meeting at the ministrys headquarters in Ha Noi that the ministry came to the conclusion after considering the impacts such a requirement would have on consumers, businesses and the nation.

The Government has presented a scheme to add automobile manufacturing, assembly and import into a list of investment and business areas with conditions to the National Assembly.

This list is attached to the latest Investment Law, which took effect on July 1, 2015. It concretises Article 7, which says conditions for certain business fields are needed to ensure national defence and security, social order and ethics, and public health.

If adopted by the National Assembly, the areas supplemented to the list will be a basis for the Government to build a decree with detailed terms for automobile business activities, ong said.

For example, bodywork welding and painting is to be subject to regulations that assure living quality near residential areas.

When building the decree, authorities will take every car workshop into account and make sure that it cares about peoples lives and health, and social order, he said.

ong said applying conditions for automobile businesses will protect consumers against poor quality vehicles and promote safety.

While official automakers guarantee customers various parts of a car such as tyres, brakes and airbags, many unauthorised dealers sell cars under cursory contracts that do not provide customers with guarantee services in case their vehicles break down.

It is hard for customers to be protected by law in the latter circumstance, he said.

Healthy competition

Proper regulations will also foster healthy competition, a factor likely to facilitate cost reductions in the automobile market, he added.

ong said there will be conditions to boost the development of automobile manafacturing and assembling enterprises in Viet Nam, and create equality between these firms and car importers.

He said manufacturers and assembling companies have to do many things from developing factories and distribution systems to training workers, while importers only buy cars from abroad and sell them on to earn profits.

We dont think this is equality. If this continues, no one will pour capital into production and assembly anymore, he said.

Over the last few months, some citizens said that future conditions could hinder small businesses from entering the automobile market, as the conditions are difficult to fulfill.

They also argued that the conditions might go against national efforts to create a better business environment, where the Government aims to supervise enterprises in post-licensing phases instead of controlling their establishment.

Regarding these, ong said: Conditions doesnt equal restrictions. Anyone can do business if they meet the conditions. Every country must have business standards and they should be easy to follow with low performance costs and without gaps for mercenary administrative officials.

There are some tycoons who import cars opposing the conditions, and they overlook national interests for their own profits, he said.

We as a State management agency must listen to all, while putting national interests first, he added.

Car industry

As to the impact of automobile business conditions on the economy, ong said an important thing is that they encourage the development of a car industry in Viet Nam.

A ministry statement said the Government plans to have long-term policies to drive manufacturing and assembling companies to invest in the automobile industry as part of a national strategy to develop this area.

The strategy stimulates production establishments, technology transfer and development of part industries to increase domestic contents in future vehicles.

ong said Viet Nam, with about 94 million people and a growing economy, is a very promising market for automobiles. The industry is expected to contribute about 5 per cent, or US$30 billion, to national gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030.

Currently, the area contributes about 2 per cent of GDP and generates jobs for roughly 100,000 workers.

There are 46 companies authorised by global automakers, such as Audi, BMW, Renault, Ford, Mercedes, Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Kia and Huyndai, to deal their vehicles in Viet Nam.

Some firms involved in Audi, BMW and Renault focus on imports, while the other businesses prioritise domestic production.

The Viet Nam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA) with 17 members including GM, Suzuki and Vinamotor produced 173,000 car last year, representing more than 70 per cent of the vehicle supply in the local market.

ong said if the domestic automobile industry is developed, it will enrich the State budget, guarantee the national balance of payment, and help the country avoid becoming an industrial waste ground.

He affirmed that business conditions are indispensable premises for the quality development of the industry, although to some extent, they may discourage some small businesses, constrain product diversification, and reduce budget collection from imports.

In its statement sent to the National Assembly, the Government also proposed lawmakers retain car warrantees and maintenance services among areas subject to business conditions.  VNS
HA NOI  The Belgian Embassy in Ha Noi is for the first time organising Belgian Week in Viet Nam to celebrate its Kings Day on November 15. Festivities will begin on Saturday.

Events will be held in both Ha Noi and HCM City to showcase Belgiums culture to Vietnamese people.

The cultural week will kick off on Saturday with Belgian DJ-producer ATTAR! performing at Hanoi Rock City; he will perform at Piu Piu Club in HCM City on November 18. ATTAR! is one of the driving forces of Brussels electronic music scene and has played across the world. In the late 80s, the Belgians pioneered the electronic music scene. The country hosts one of the biggest electronic music festivals in the world, Tomorrowland.

To introduce Belgium to Viet Nam, a .be Belgian Day will be organised on Sunday at the Summer Park, Ecopark, Hung Yen Province. Visitors can sample Belgian specialties like chocolate, waffles and beer, among other things, and will have the chance to win various prizes. People will get the chance to learn about Belgian culture, literature, cinema, education, regions, cities, nature and enterprises as well as the relations between their country and Belgium. A wide variety of activities will also be organised for children in the outdoor park to introduce them to Belgium.

The event will sport a book corner, there will be games on traffic safety, helmet decoration and quizzes. Winners of the photo contest, My Belgium, which began in August, will be announced during the day. An exhibition showcasing the best pictures of Belgium through Vietnamese eyes will also be open to the public.

To conclude the week-long event, famous Jazz pianist Jef Neve will play at the official reception that marks Kings Day on November 15 at the Temple of Literature in Ha Noi. The performance will be held next Friday at the Opera House in HCM City. Neve is Belgiums most renowned Jazz talent. He has performing in many countries and has collaborated with various artists. VNS
HCM CITY An exhibition by artists of the HCM City Fine Arts Association has opened in HCM City to raise funds to help disadvantaged children in Ta Nung Open House in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.

The event displays 40 paintings by Nguyen Thi Tam, Co Van Hau, Nhu Khoi, Hong Phuong and Ha Nguyen, and its underlying theme is All for Children of Ta Nung Open House.

All the paintings were selected from their latest collections of landscapes, daily life and ethnic minority women and children in remote areas across the country.

These works are by artists who want to show their love for life, women and children. They have captured the hearts of viewers," said Tran Tuan Anh, a first-year student at the HCM City University of Fine Arts, who visited the events opening ceremony on Monday.

Some paintings were sold for more than VN170 million (US$7,600) on the first day.

The exhibition is on display at the HCM City Exhibition House, 92 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1.

It will close on November 13. All proceeds will be used to buy food, clothes and 1,000 books for the children.  VNS
The third Viet Nam-China Youth Festival kicked off at the Huu Nghi (Friendship) International Border Gate in Viet Nams northern province of Lang Son on November 7, bringing together thousands of young people from the two countries.  Photo giaoduc.net

LANG SON  The third Viet Nam-China Youth Festival kicked off at the Huu Nghi (Friendship) International Border Gate in Viet Nams northern province of Lang Son on November 7, bringing together thousands of young people from the two countries.

Addressing the ceremony, Permanent Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee (HCYUCC), Nguyen Manh Dung, hailed the Viet Nam-China friendship nurtured by Presidents Ho Chi Minh and Mao Zedong together with generations of revolutionaries.

The strategic partnership has overcome multiple challenges to gain achievements in many areas, including youth collaboration, he said.

He added that the youth festival has contributed to enhancing mutual understanding and trust, becoming a friendship bridge in the two countries people-to-people diplomacy.

Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, Wang Hongyan, stressed that the Chinese Party and Government attach importance to the friendship and cooperation between the two countries young people.

According to the official, Chinese delegates to the festival are outstanding representatives of different sectors like politics, economy, education, communications, science-technology and culture.

The festival will give Chinese young people a chance to learn about Viet Nams rich history and culture and witness the achievements of its 30-year renewal, he said.

The two sides will also learn about the history of the long-standing friendship between the two countries, contributing to developing the comprehensive cooperative partnership in times ahead.

The festivals major activities will take place in the Vietnamese provinces of Lang Son, Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh, Phu Tho and Lao Cai, focusing on youths role in environmental protection, sustainable development, cultural protection, tourism development and socio-economic development. After participating in activities in other localities, the 1,000 Chinese delegates will join their peers in Ha Noi for a closing ceremony.

The first Vietnam-China Youth Festival was organised in Guangxi province, China, in August 2010, and the second took place in the Zhuang Autonomous Region in Guangxi province, in November 2013.VNS
HA NOI  Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong yesterday called on Viet Nam and Ireland to step up co-operation in many areas including agriculture, clean energy, high technology and climate change adaptation.

The two countries should also strengthen co-operation in education and fulfilling sustainable development goals, Trong told visiting Irish President Michael Daniel Higgins in Ha Noi.

The Party chief praised bilateral trade growth between the two countries as well as the results of talks between President Higgins and his Vietnamese counterpart Tran ai Quang. He also welcomed the agreements reached between the two sides during Higginss visit.

Development projects funded by Ireland had contributed to Viet Nams poverty alleviation and socio-economic development, Trong said.

Higgins said the Irish Government considered Viet Nam an important partner in the region and wished to increase co-operation with Viet Nam in many fields, including trade, investment, development and education and training.

Later, at a reception for the visiting Irish President, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed that Viet Nam wished to nurture all-round ties with Ireland and welcomed Irelands policy of strengthening collaboration with the Asia-Pacific region, including Viet Nam.

In the first nine months of this year, two-way trade between Viet Nam and Ireland was almost US$800 million, triple the 2015 figure. Irish investment in Viet Nam, which currently stands at nearly $21 million, needs to increase in the near future, he said, pledging all possible support to Irish investors.

The PM also suggested that Ireland make it easier for Viet Nam to export farm produce to the country. He said both sides needed to promote trade and business connectivity, share experiences in agriculture and technology transfer in agro-forestry-fisheries.

Phuc also expressed his wish that Ireland urges the EU to promptly sign the free trade agreement with Viet Nam. He hailed Irelands national strategy on development cooperation with Viet Nam for the 2017-2020 period, and hoped that Ireland would continue assisting Viet Nam in poverty reduction, climate change responses, and education.

Higgins briefed his host on talks held with Vietnamese President Tran ai Quang. He also said that he was keen on continuing to work closely with Viet Nam on supporting the needy in remote and mountainous areas, and sharing experiences with Viet Nam on gender equality and institutional building.

Ireland wanted to share its experiences in green economy, privatisation, merger and acquisition, and technology transfer, he said.

The country also supported early signing of the Viet Nam-EU FTA.

Both Phuc and Higgins agreed to intensify multifaceted co-operation, back each others bids for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council, share experiences in agriculture, study the law of the sea, and boost cultural ties to enhance mutual understanding.

Talks with students

In an exchange with lecturers and students of the Vietnam National University (VNU) in Ha Noi, Higgins said Viet Nam and Ireland were actively engaged in climate change adaptation activities and realising the UNs sustainable development goals to build a green and peaceful world for future generations.

The Irish President also spoke highly of the co-operation between Vietnamese and Irish universities and research institutes, and encouraged Vietnamese students to actively acquire knowledge and integrate into the world.

VNU Director Nguyen Kim Son said collaboration in education and vocational training between Viet Nam and Ireland had expanded in recent years with support from the Irish Embassy in Viet Nam, Enterprise Ireland, and Irish Aid under the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The co-operation with top Irish universities opened up numerous opportunities for students and young lecturers to meet each other, and facilitated the establishment of new training programmes in Viet Nam, he said.

A day earlier, the VNU and the Cork University of Ireland signed a comprehensive co-operation agreement in the presence of presidents Quang and Higgins. - VNS
HA NOI  The Vietnamese parliament always wishes to promote co-operation with the National Peoples Congress of China towards increasing mutual understanding and trust between the two countries, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said yesterday.

Welcoming Zhang Dejiang, Permanent Politburo member and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress of China, she said increased parliamentary co-operation would also improve the effectiveness of legislative activities.

Ngan proposed that the two sides increase exchanges of delegations at all levels as well as the exchange of information and experience, particularly in law building and supervision.

She appreciated the signing of a co-operation agreement between the two sides, saying it would lay a firm foundation for speeding up co-operation.

The NA Chairwoman emphasised that Viet Nam attaches great importance to maintaining exchanges and meetings between high-ranking leaders, thereby increasing political trust and facilitating timely handling of existing and emerging issues between the two countries.

She said she was confident that the Viet Nam visit by Zhang Dejiang would contribute to maintaining and promoting the traditional friendship between the two countries, which would, in turn boost sustainable development of their comprehensive, strategic partnership.

The visit would also foster co-operation between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the National Peoples Congress of China, she said.

Zhang Dejiang said his visit was an opportunity for both sides to discuss strengthening and developing relations between the two Parties and States as well as increasing co-operation between the two legislative bodies.

He said he would work with the Vietnamese NA to actively implement parliamentary co-operation agreements and increase exchanges of high-ranking delegations and relevant agencies.

The National Peoples Congress of China would share with its Vietnamese counterpart its experiences in managing and building the country as well as in legislative activities, he said.

He said the two countries should prioritise stability at sea, consider co-operation in exploitation as a common target, place sea disputes under control and not allow them to expand and get more complicated.

He proposed that the two countries continue promoting maritime co-operation including joint exploration and exploitation of resources.

Echoing the visitors sentiments and views, Chairwoman Ngan said Viet Nam supports friendly and constructive exchanges, frank discussions about peaceful settlement of disputes in line with the law, placing disagreements under control and maintaining a peaceful environment.

She agreed that both nations should resolutely abide by common perceptions of high-ranking leaders, particularly the Agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of issues at sea; respecting the legitimate interests of each other in line with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Viet Nam wished to continue to work with China and ASEAN to fulfill and effectively implement the Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and speeding up the building of a Code of Conduct (COC), she said.

The two leaders agreed that with joint efforts, the relations between the two Parties, States and legislative bodies would develop positively.  VNS
HA NOI  Delegations from Viet Nam and China discussed the potential for trade and tourism co-operation between the two countries in a meeting held on Wednesday morning in Ha Noi.

The meeting, aimed at boosting the friendship relation and exploring more opportunities for cooperation, was organised by the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations in collaboration with the Chinese Peoples External Friendship Association.

It was held as a Chinese delegation, led by Zhang Dejiang, chairman of Chinese Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (NPC), is visiting Viet Nam from November 8 to 11.

The meeting included representatives from six Chinese regions of Guangxi, Yunnan, Guangdong, Hainan, Sichuan and Shandong, delegates from Cao Bang, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Quang Ninh, Nghe An and Khanh Hoa provinces in Viet Nam and from the three cities of Ha Noi, Hai Phong and HCM City.

Speaking at the meeting, Nguyen Thien Nhan, President of Viet Nam Fatherland Front, said Viet Nam attached special importance to its friendship with China and gave it a top priority in its foreign policy.

Nhan said Viet Nam as well as China were embarking on an important phase of the renewal and open-door process thus ensuring a peaceful, stable and cooperative environment for national construction and development were the common interests.

Fostering friendship and developing relations in a healthy and sustainable manner are crucial for both countries development and would also contribute to peace, stability and development in the region and the world, Nhan said.

He said, bilateral trade between Viet Nam and China touched over US$51 billion in the first nine months of this year, adding that Viet Nam is Chinas biggest partner in the ASEAN region.

It is estimated that nearly 2 million Chinese visited Viet Nam between January and September 2016, ranking first among the number of foreign visitors to Viet Nam, Nhan said.

Zhang Dejiang said the meeting would help in raising mutual understanding and trust between the two sides.

The two countries need to continue strengthening strategic co-operations, boosting co-operations at local level, and organising more Viet Nam  China Peoples Forum in order to consolidate the relationship between Viet Nam and China, he said.  VNS
A company may wish to use some staff of another company, especially when they belong to the same group. What form of Labour exchange is recognized by Vietnamese law? This practical note tries to provide an answer to the question.

Bui Duc Giang, Ph.D, Attorney at Law

A company may wish to use some staff of another company, especially when both companies belong to the same group. What are the forms of labour exchanges recognized by Vietnamese law? To answer this question, this practical note provides an overview of the relevant legal provisions.

As a matter of principle, under Article 18 of the Labour Code, before accepting an employee to work for it, an employer and the employee must enter directly into a Labour contract. A Labour contract means an agreement between an employee and an employer on a paid job, on working conditions, and on the rights and obligations of each party to the Labour relationship.

The only exception to this principle is a Labour sublease scheme whereby a company may use staff of another company. Under Clause 1, Article 53 of the Labour Code, Labour sublease means the scheme under which an employee recruited by a company licensed to carry out the Labour sublease (the staffing company) shortly thereafter works for another company (the subleasing company), and is immediately subject to management by such other company but maintains the Labour relationship with the first company.

Clause 2, Article 53 of the Labour Code further indicates that Labour sublease is a business subject to conditions and may only be carried out in respect of a number of specified jobs. Clause 1, Article 25 of Decree No 55/2013/ND-CP dated May 22, 2013, on Labour sublease, as amended in 2014 (Decree 55) provides a list of jobs for which Labour sublease is permitted.

These jobs include:- Translator, interpreter, stenographer; Secretary, administrative assistant; receptionist; tour guide; sales assistant; project assistant; programmer for manufacturing machinery systems; technician for manufacture or installation of television or telecommunications equipment; technician for operating, testing or repairing construction machinery and equipment or manufacturing electrical systems; sanitation worker for buildings and factories; data editor; security guard/bodyguard; telemarketer/customer service worker via telephone; processor of financial or tax issues; technician for repairing or testing automobiles; industrial technical scanner or drawer, interior designer; and driver.

Legal requirements: Article 54 of the Labour Code requires the staffing company to pay an escrow and be licensed to carry out Labour sublease activity. The escrow amount must be VND2 billion (Clause 1, Article 5 of Decree 55) and shall be deposited at a commercial bank where the staffing company has opened its main current account (Clause 1, Article 16 of Decree 55) to secure the staffing companys obligation to pay wages to subleased employees or to pay compensation to subleased employees in case it breaches the Labour contract already signed with such employees or if it causes damage by its failure to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of its subleased employees (Article 15 of Decree 55).

Furthermore, under Clause 2, Article 5 and Clause 1, Article 6 of Decree 55, the staffing company must maintain a charter capital of at least VND2 billion throughout its term of operation. The Minister of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs has the authority to grant Labour sublease licenses which are valid for a maximum period of 36 months (Articles 12 and 13 of Decree 55).

Under Article 55 of the Labour Code, the staffing company and subleasing company are required to enter into a Labour sublease contract made in two written copies, with each party holding one copy, and such contract must have the following principal details: Workplace, and the job which requires a subleased employee; description of the job, and specific requirements on the subleased employee; term of the labour sublease, date of commencement of work by the employee; working hours, rest breaks, and conditions on occupational safety and hygiene at the workplace; and obligations of each party toward the employee.

It is also prescribed that a Labour sublease contract must not contain provisions on the rights and interests of the employee which are less favourable than those provided in the Labour contract which the staffing company has signed with the employee concerned. The consent of the employee to be subleased is required for the validity of the labour sublease contract and the staffing company may not collect any fee from the subleased employee (Point c, Clause 1, Article 4 of Decree 55).

With regard to sublease term, under Clause 2, Article 54 of the Labour Code, the term of any Labour sublease must not exceed 12 months. Upon the expiration of the term, the staffing company may not continue to sublease such subleased employee to the subleasing company (Clause 2, Article 26 of Decree 55).

For a staffing company established as a joint-venture between an overseas company and a local company, Clause 3, Article 6 of Decree 55 imposes the following conditions on the overseas company: It must be a company specializing in the business of Labour sublease, with a capital and total asset value of at least VND10 billion; It must have at least five years experience in providing Labour sublease services; and itt must have a certificate granted by an authority in its home country proving that it and the representative of its contributed capital portion in the joint venture have not breached the law of the country of origin or the law of the related country.

Article 56 of the Labour Code imposes various obligations on the staffing company, including paying compulsory social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance premiums in favor of the subleased employee as well as giving notice of contents of the Labour sublease contract to the subleased employee.

Pursuant to Clause 4, Article 57 of the Labour Code, the subleasing company may not supply the subleased employee to other companies. It is noteworthy that the subleased employee may enter directly into a Labour contract with the subleasing company once he has terminated his Labour contract with the staffing company (Clause 6, Article 58 of the Labour Code).

Labour sublease between ordinary companies: In practice, companies, especially those belonging to a same group, may wish to exchange employees with one another in order to save labour costs. Is such staff exchange lawful? In light of the above-mentioned legal provisions, a company which has not registered sublease as its business line and has not obtained a Labour sublease license may not sublease its employees to another company.

Is it possible for a company to lend some staff to another company without collecting any fee or financial consideration for doing so? Obviously, as this kind of agreement doesnt generate any income in favor of the lending company, one may argue that it would not qualify as a business line (requiring registration) and the parties would avoid the regulated restrictions stated above. However, this scheme is not lawful as well since as mentioned above, Labour sublease remains the only way a company may use staff of another company.

Under Clause 1, Articles 3 and Clause 5, Article 9 of Decree No. 95/2013/ND-CP dated August 22, 2013, on administrative sanctions in the fields of Labour, social insurance and overseas manpower supply, as amended in 2015, a fine of between VND100 million and VND150 million will be imposed on a company which subleases Labour without having been granted a Labour sublease license. It should also be noted that intra-group Labour sublease is prohibited (Point e, Clause 1, Article 4 of Decree 55). Failure to comply with this prohibition will result in a fine of between VND80 million and VND100 million (Point d, Clause 6, Article 9 of Decree 55).

What are the alternatives?

Article 21 of the Labour Code allows an employee to sign Labour contracts with more than one employer at the same time. However, this alternative is beneficial exclusively to the employee at stake and the second employer will have to pay him a salary (because as mentioned above, a Labour contract implies necessarily payment of a specific salary). Nevertheless, the companies concerned may limit their pay in the following ways: The second employer pays the employee a symbolic salary which must however be equal at least to the law-prescribed minimum salary.

If they belong to the same group, another alternative consists in deducting part of the employee salary with the first employer which will then be used to pay the employee salary with the second employer, which results in no further financial charge for the group. Please note that this requires the employees consent.

Point a, Clause 1, Article 4 of Decree No. 44/2013/ND-CP dated May 10, 2013, on Labour contracts (Decree 44) provides for the payment of insurance premiums when a worker signs Labour contracts with multiple employers and the employee and employers are eligible for subscribing compulsory social insurance and unemployment insurance as follows: The employee and employer signing the first Labour contract have to pay social insurance and unemployment insurance premiums; and, the employers of the subsequent Labour contracts have to pay, at the same time as the date of payment of salaries to the employee, an amount corresponding to the amount of social insurance and unemployment insurance premiums prescribed by law as payable by employers.

Likewise, with regard to health insurance coverage, Point a, Clause 2, Article 4 of Decree 44 states: The employee and employer of the Labour contract with the highest salary have to pay compulsory health insurance premium; and, the employers of the subsequent Labour contracts have to pay, at the same time as the date of payment of salaries to the employee, an amount corresponding to the amount of health insurance premium prescribed by the law on health insurance as payable by employers. -- VNS
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Years ago Armenian paintress Lilia Karchikyan drew the portrait of the newly elected US President Donald Trump, who promised to hang it at home. The paintress is very happy Trump has been elected US President, and wishes to draw another portrait of his and send to him as a gift on the occasion of the victory in the presidential campaign. In an interview with Armenpress Lilia Karchikyan told details of how it happened that she met with Trump and drew his portrait.

Karchikian told that she is a member of Unicorn Childrens Foundation, a very reputable organization in the USA, which closely cooperated with Donald Trump. For years I had very good relations with the leaders of the organization, Valeria Rosenbloom and Mark Rosenbloom, while they closely cooperated with Donald Trump since he donated huge sums for helping children suffering autism. He also allocated the Meralco Business Center belonging to him and based in Florida to the organization for holding charity events. Before I drew Trumps portrait, I had drew the portraits of many others at the request of the organization as a sign of gratitude for the support to the organization. And in order to express our gratitude to Trump as well, the leaders of the organization had asked him first if he would like paintress Lilia Karchikyan to draw his portrait. Trump accepted the offer with great pleasure as he had seen my previous works, Lilia Karchikyan told.

She added that the presentation of the portrait took place in 2007 and was attended by Trump. I left for the USA just to participate in the presentation ceremony. Trump was also there and spent 45 minutes with us. We had a very sincere conversation during that time. He liked the portrait very much and he was very satisfied. He promised that he would hang the portrait on a wall of one of his New York flats. He wanted me to draw some more portraits, but I refused saying that I have to go to Armenia since my family is there, Karchikyan recalled.

The Armenian paintress met with Donald Trump once again in 2013 during a charity event organized by the Unicorn Childrens Foundation. We again had a conversation and his friend bought one of the pictures of my daughter, Svetlana. Trump asked a photographer to take a group photo of all of us. Two years ago I introduced the copy of the portrait of Donald Trump and some photos during my exhibition which illustrate that particular moment of my life, she said.

She added that she wants to draw a picture with Armenian colors for Donald Trump as a gift on the occasion of his victory in the presidential campaign, as Trump liked the colors of Armenia very much which he saw in the pictures of Karchikyan.
HCM CITY  Forty-seven poor patients from the Mekong Delta region last week received free cataract surgery at FV Hospitals Ophthalmology Ward in HCM City.

The surgery was performed by the hospitals doctors in co-operation with the Singapore National Eye Centre.

The two hospitals provided free medical instruments and consumables for the operation as well as travel and accommodation costs for the patients.

The hospital partnership, which focuses on quality eye care in Viet Nam, has existed for the last 10 years. VNS
HA NOI  Construction violations have been rampant for years in Ha Noi but lax management and irresolute solutions have left the problem unresolved.

According to the citys Department of Construction, from 2014 to early 2016, over 3,000 construction projects violated regulations. The violations ranged from building without permissions or not complying with permits, to failing to meet the demands of environmental sanitation or labour safety.

Violations not only occur in household construction but also on big-scale commerical projects. In 2015 alone, the city found violations in 18 urban area building projects, of which six did not have building permission.

A recent study by the Department of Urban Areas, under the citys Peoples Council, found the same result.

In the districts of Cau Giay, Hoan Kiem, Tay Ho and Hoang Mai, investors deliberately defied the law or sought ways to rationalize their violations, opting to pay fines and enjoy the huge profit potential of their projects, according to the study.

In ai Kim Ward, Hoang Mai District, 37 projects covering 6.5 ha violated building regulations.

In Hoan Kiem District, a hotel complex of over 10 floors at 126-128 Hang Bong Street failed to comply with architectural management regulations of the Old Quarter, which require that buildings facing the street have at most four floors and six at the back. But the demolition of the extra floors remains slow at this and other buildings that have violated building codes.

The study points out that careless management at various authority levels and irresolute handling of violations remain common, allowing them to continue.

Tran Ngoc Hung, Chairman of the Viet Nam Federation of Civil Engineering, concurred, adding that imposing administrative fines while allowing construction to exist have made it easy for violators.

As a consequence, the citys urban planning is spoiled. Other infrastructure, including electricity, water, schools, and roads suffer whereas benefits go to certain groups, he said.

Super-skinny houses

The problem of super-skinny and oddly-shaped houses also mars the face of the capital city.

Under existing regulations, houses cannot be built on a plot smaller than 15 sq.m. However, the study by the Department of Urban Areas found 75 such houses in Hoang Mai District, 51 in Thanh Xuan District, a majority along Ring Road 2. In Hai Ba Trung District, there are 70 land areas which do not meet the requirements for construction.

According to an official of the municipal Department of Architectural Planning, owners of land not meeting construction standards are required to negotiate with adjacent households to merge their lands together for a bigger land area. In case they can not reach consensus, local authorities must seize the land and use it for public services.

Nguyen uc Hai, Vice Chairman of Hoang Mai Districts Peoples Committee, said the district already has a plan for using seized or merged lands, but lacks the money for land clearance.

Bui Xuan Tung, Deputy Director of the Department of Architectural Planning, attributed the problem to the fact that capital for land-clearance is not allocated in road construction projects. Road planning is out of sync with that of the roadsides, he said.  VNS
The National External Information Service Awards 2016, held by the Party Central Committees Commission for Popularisation and Education and the Steering Committee for External Information Service, launched its official call for submissions yesterday. Photo ictvietnam.vn

HA NOI  The National External Information Service Awards 2016, held by the Party Central Committees Commission for Popularisation and Education and the Steering Committee for External Information Service, launched its official call for submissions yesterday.

The awards, first held in 2014, will honor the best works either in Vietnamese or foreign languages targeting foreigners and overseas Vietnamese.

Speaking at yesterdays press conference, Pham Van Linh, deputy head of the commission and head of the organisation board said that the national award for external information service aimed to define the important role of the press service in introducing Viet Nams image, culture, history and Vietnamese people.

Besides, the service is a channel to disseminate policies and stands of the Vietnamese Government toward the regional and international issues as well as to fight against false news about the country, he said.

The annual award offers five sets of prizes for five categories of print media, radio broadcast, television broadcast, electronic media and photography.

This year, the Commission for Popularisation and Education and the Steering Committee for External Information Service extended the scope of the awards to other fields related to foreign information and communications, including programmes, events and publications.

Two years ago, the award was offered to press products. However, many books were also interested in by foreign readers, said Linh.

These included books about President Ho Chi Minh, General Vo Nguyen Giap or Vietnamese culture, he added.

Submissions must have been published or broadcast either by domestic or international licensed press agencies between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016, according to Linh.

Submitted articles must be accurate, persuasive, influential nationally and internationally and positively appreciated by the public.

They should promote a truthful image of the country, its people, history and culture as well as domestic realities and achievements during its national construction and defence, portraying a nation of peace, stability and active international integration.

Submissions should provide accurate and in-depth information of the Partys policies, laws and its stance on regional and international issues.

In particular, the organisation board looks for submissions that give informative value, gaining support from the international community for Viet Nam and creating favourable conditions for the countrys national defence and construction cause.

Submissions may be made by individuals or a group of persons living in or outside the country.

Submissions that have received other awards at other competitions may still enter the National External Information Service Awards 2016, but information of the prize type, the competitions organising board and time frame must be included in the submission dossier.

Each category consists of first, second, third and fourth prizes. The awards presentation ceremony will take place in May next year.

The Radio Voice of Viet Nam will chair the competition.

The competitions in 2014 and 2015 were chaired by the Vietnam News Agency and Vietnam Television, respectively.  VNS
Gia Loc

HCM CITY  The rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the country fell by 16 per cent between 2009 and 2015, but health experts have said that more needs to be done to reach the goal of having a transmission rate of under 2 per cent by 2020 nationwide.

Many pregnant women in the country are not aware that they are infected with HIV until they are diagnosed during labour or after birth.

A 24-year-old pregnant woman from Nha Trang in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa, for example, was diagnosed with HIV in the operating room prior to delivery.

The woman had been advised to test for HIV infection during her pregnancy, but she had refused.

After birth, the baby was given a preventive drug, and four weeks later, the infant tested positive for HIV.

Dr Raphael Landovitz of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles, said it was very dangerous if pregnant women with HIV do not know their status and go without treatment.

The chance of infecting the baby is 25-30 per cent if untreated. In the case of treatment, the chances are small, he said during an interview at a recent HIV research conference in Chicago.

Dr Du Tan Quy of HCM Citys Paediatrics Hospitals Neurology and Infectious Diseases Ward said that the hospital had admitted nine children with HIV since the beginning of the year, an increase of two cases compared to the same period.

Of these, six cases were from other provinces and the rest from the city, he said, adding that two of the nine children had died due to severe complications caused by HIV.

In the first eight months of the year, seven new HIV infections were diagnosed among children, according to the HCM City AIDS/HIV Prevention Centre. Compared to the same period last year, the city has not seen an increase in the number of cases.

During the same time period, the citys hospitals admitted 15 new HIV-infected cases from other provinces and cities, a rise of four cases against the same period last year.

Of the 15 cases, eight children died because HIV was detected too late.

Dr Truong Huu Khanh, head of the Paediatrics Hospitals Neurology and Infectious Diseases Ward, warned that more serious measures to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV should be taken.

If not, the rate will not continue to fall, he said.

Provinces capabilities

Dr Tran Thi oan Trang, who is in charge of the AIDS/HIV Prevention Centres programme on the prevention of mother-to-children transmission of HIV, said that many of the 15 pregnant women had never been tested for HIV.

The 15 women were from provinces that lack funds and medical tools for HIV tests for pregnant women.

Funds have also fallen because international aid for HIV testing to Viet Nam has been cut or reduced in recent years.

Unlike HCM City, many provincial Peoples Committees do not allocate funding for free tests, she said, adding that such tests are provided at district-level health facilities in HCM City.

As the city cannot financially support the large number of pregnant women from neighbouring areas, the Ministry of Health has approved a plan by the HCM City Department of Health to collect fees for the tests at large obstetrics hospitals like Tu Du, Hung Vuong and others.

HCM City is now integrating MTCT prevention into its reproductive health care. Trang said that more emphasis would be given to the importance of prenatal examinations, early HIV tests and anti-retroviral (ARV) therapy. The rate of MTCT in HCM City is under 3 per cent, she said.

Private health facilities

Trang of the citys AIDS/HIV Prevention Centre said that HIV tests for pregnant women were not available at many private health facilities.

The centre has organised many workshops to provide information on the MCTC programme to private health facilities, but only several of them have attended, she said.

To carry out the programme more effectively at private health centres, she said the Department of Healths division for private health facilities management should work with the Peoples Committee and the Centre for Reproductive Healthcare.

Catherine Hankins, deputy director of science at the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, said: We do not have a vaccine yet, so the best approach is to strengthen the offering of an HIV test in antenatal care and to strengthen antenatal care first, if needed.

All pregnant women should be offered the HIV test routinely at the first doctors visit, she said.

The father of the baby should also be offered the test at the same time, she said, adding that this could help identify HIV-negative women who are at risk from an HIV-positive regular partner.

A second test should be taken later in pregnancy for those at ongoing risk (either from themselves or from their partners, who may be at risk from use of injected drugs or sex with other people).

This can help women who tested negatively during the first test to receive anti-retroviral medication quickly, to protect both her health and the babys.

As for taking the medication, its not just for pregnancy. It is taken for life, she said.

Hankins said that focus groups should be conducted in Viet Nam to discover what barriers and facilitators exist for women who must take the medicine regularly.

At an HIV Research for Prevention conference held in Chicago in mid-October, promising early reports on antibodies that might reduce the need for anti-retroviral medication were presented. But these studies were in animals only, so more research is needed.

Improving awareness

Trang said that awareness about testing and medicine among pregnant women was still low.

Of the seven babies born with HIV in the first eight months of the year in HCM City, four of the mothers had not taken their medicine as required.

Temporarily stopping the use of medicine can lead to further resistance, Trang said, adding that the women need more community support and counselling from health centres about these issues.

Community and health centres have been told to focus on raising awareness as well as the use of contraceptive methods as several women with HIV have had multiple pregnancies.

At the HIV Research for Prevention conference in Chicago, experts also discussed the effectiveness of silicone vaginal rings for HIV prevention and a paediatric vaccine to prevent breast-milk transmission of HIV type 1.

Engaging male partners and fathers as parents who want healthy children is also vital to continued success, according to UNAIDSs 2016 Prevention Gap report.

Successfully engaging men in testing and treatment to prevent HIV transmission reduces the number of new infections in women, and the greater engagement of men can improve results at every step.

Men need to be involved in family planning, with reproductive health positioned as the domain of both sexes, and more emphasis should be placed on promoting and facilitating couples testing, according to the report.

Scientific advancements and experience have shown that immediate and lifelong antiretroviral therapy for pregnant women diagnosed with HIV is more effective than on-again, off-again approaches.

In 2015, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended that all pregnant women be provided with what WHO calls Option B+, an approach that involves an immediate offer of lifelong anti-retroviral therapy, going beyond pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding, regardless of the patients CD4 white blood cell count.

The global roll-out of Option B+ in 2015 improved suppression of viral loads during both the breastfeeding period and afterwards, making future pregnancies safer.

Viet Nam is one of 10 countries in the Asia Pacific region (along with China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Thailand) that accounted for 96 per cent of the regions new HIV infections in 2015. --VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam has successfully produced a combined vaccine against measles and rubella (MR) that can benefit around 1.5 million children and thousands of women preparing to get pregnant.

Domestic production of this vaccine will allow for cheaper, more timely vaccinations, experts said at a conference held in the capital city yesterday.

The MR vaccine, produced by the Ha Noi-based Centre for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals (POLYVAC), has received the Health Ministrys approval of its clinical trial results, confirming safety and quality standards.

The achievement was made possible by a technology transfer project aiming to strengthen the nations capacity to produce MR vaccine. It was funded by the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA).

Rubella has become a highly communicable disease in Viet Nam in recent years; we experienced a large nationwide rubella epidemic in 2011, POLYVAC director Nguyen ang Hien told the media yesterday.

The disease is specially dangerous for pregnant women as it may cause miscarriages and stillbirth. For babies, theres the risk of congenital rubella syndrome, and they could suffer hearing loss or brain damage, Hien said.

Many expecting mothers in Viet Nam had to end their pregnancy during the 2011 rubella epidemic due to a shortage of imported vaccines, he added.

Seeing the urgent need for the vaccine, the Ministry of Health assigned POLYVAC, which had successfully produced the measles vaccine in 2009, to carry out a project to research and produce a combined vaccine against both measles and rubella. The project began implementation in May 2013 with an investment of JPY700 million (around US$6.7 million).

Hien said that after receiving the Health Ministrys approval for its clinical trial results, the centre was preparing an application for getting a product licence so that it could be used for the national expanded immunisation programme, which gives free vaccinations to Vietnamese children.

We are still calculating the price of the vaccine, but our experience is that locally-made vaccines are always cheaper than imports, Hien said.

With the MR vaccine, Viet Nam now has the ability to produce 11 of the 12 vaccines used in the national expanded immunisation programme.

This is very significant because it shows that Viet Nam can take the initiative when faced with emergency situations, Hien said.

A batch of MR vaccines can be produced in a month at home as against the six months it takes for importing it after completing due procedures.

POLYVAC plans to produce 7.5 million doses a year and with annual demand estimated at 3-4 million people a year, the centre can think of exporting it to other countries, according to Hien.

During project implementation, Kitasato Daiichi Sankyo Vaccine Co. Ltd (KDSV) sent 197 experts to Viet Nam to assist POLYVAC with technology transfer and received 36 POLYVAC staff for training in Japan.

Project director Arai Setsuo had high praise for how POLYVAC had co-ordinated and co-operated with project partners.

He said the production of MR vaccine would help control measles and rubella outbreaks in Viet Nam.

Iizima Makiko, an immunisation expert with the World Health Organisation (WHO), said the production of MR vaccine has been a big success.

It is great that from now on, not only children can benefit from this locally-made vaccine but also adults, especially pregnant women, she said.

She noted that Viet Nam was among the few countries that can produce vaccines domestically and carry out an efficient national immunisation programme.

Last year, the countrys National Regulatory Authority of Vaccines was officially certified by the WHO, an important step towards exporting vaccines, she added.

Viet Nam is one of 25 countries in the world that can produce its vaccines and the fourth country in Asia which can manufacture the MR vaccine, alongside Japan, India and China.  VNS
Vietnamese and Chinese youth exchanged views and experiences on environmental protection at a forum in Ha Long City yesterday.  Photo dantri.com.vn

QUANG NINH  Vietnamese and Chinese youth exchanged views and experiences on environmental protection at a forum in Ha Long City yesterday.

The forum was part of the third Viet Nam-China Youth Festival that opened in the northern province of Quang Ninh on Monday.

Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Unions Quang Ninh chapter, said the festival has educated Vietnamese and Chinese youth about the bilateral, comprehensive, strategic and co-operative partnership between the two countries.

It also allowed them to discuss ways to promote their respective roles in building socialism, she said

Li Guoyang, Deputy Secretary of Chinas Communist Youth League in Anhui Province, stressed the important role played by young people in environmental protection and sustainable development and said increased public awareness was needed on these issues.

He also spoke of the need to improve communication between the young generations.

Also yesterday, more than 600 Vietnamese and Chinese youth participated in forums on upholding cultural traits and developing tourism. These forums were held in the provinces of Ninh Binh, Bac Ninh and Phu Tho.

The forums contributed to improving the ties of friendship between the two countries.  VNS
HA NOI  The Peoples Court in Ha Noi has sentenced a husband and wife to prison for abusing trust and cheating their acquaintances of more than VN15.2 billion (US$181,000).

Mai Thi My Hanh, 39, and her husband, Pham Van Thuy, 44, residents of Thach Ban Ward in Long Bien District, on Tuesday were sentenced to eight and 15 years in prison, respectively.

According to the indictment, in 2008, Hanh established a company that trades in building materials and freight. Later, after some losses, she and her husband converted it into a real estate business and started borrowing money from acquaintances for the business. Hanh committed to pay high interest.

Between 2009 and 2011, the couple cheated five people of more than VN15.2 billion (US$181,000). They absconded to the southern province of Binh Phuoc after they were implicated for cheating and their company became insolvent.

A wanted notice was issued against them, and last December, the couple was arrested.  VNS
HA NOI - The Viet Nam Standards and Consumers Association (Vinastas) survey which released misleading test results of fish sauce and caused public fear was not independant, reliable or transparent, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has said.

The statement came after an investigation by the ministry following a national Vinastas survey on fish sauce.

On October 18, the association published on its website a story named Nearly 85 per cent of fish sauce samples of 88 enterprises fail to meet standards. The story revealed misleading information in which 104 fish sauce samples (out of 150 tested) failed to meet arsenic standards.

The survey showed that 95.65 per cent of fish sauce samples had nitrogen level above 40 per cent and contained arsenic higher than permitted level.

The survey defined organic arsenic of Viet Nams standard 8-2:2011/BYT as similar to inorganic arsenic which is considered to be highly toxic.

However, the information was misleading since the survey made no distinction between organic and inorganic arsenic content in fish sauce. The arsenic in traditional fish sauce surveyed was organic arsenic, which is safe for humans.

The MoIT slammed the Vinastas survey, saying that it was incorrect without scientific and legal basis, causing confusion and fear among consumers.

The inaccurate information about the quality of fish sauce indicates Vinastas violated the Food Safety Law, according to the MoIT.

The ministry said that although the survey was conducted on behalf of Vinastas, it was not clearly planned and conducted mainly by the associations president and individuals. Many steps of the process were not approved or monitored by the association.

According to the ministrys investigation, all 150 fish sauce samples were bought without proper receipts as regulated by Finance Ministry. Among that, 89 samples were bought in the market with only retail sale bills, 61 others were purchased independently by individuals.

The survey did not ensure independence as regulated in provision 28 of the Law on Consumers Right Protection because Vinastas said that the survey was done under financial sponsorship of other organisations.

The MoITs investigation also found that Vinastas violated its association regulations from 2011 to 2015.

After concluding the investigation, the MoIT reported to Prime Miniter Nguyen Xuan Phuc, asking the association to publicly correct the information on mass media and clarify who was to blame.

The MoIT also asked that the Ministry of Home Affairs verify and clarify the legal status of Vinastas in regards to consumers rights.

The Health Ministry and MoIT are in charge of imposing punishments on violations of Vinastas in accordance with law.

On October 22, the Health Ministry announced that all 247 fish sauce samples  randomly collected from markets and supermarkets in five provinces and cities - Ha Noi, HCM City, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan  were tested and no inorganic arsenic was detected. -- VNS
By Hong Minh

HA GIANG  Teacher Nong Thi Va is early riser.

She has no choice because her 12km daily commute to work involves driving her motorbike through rough mountain roads and crossing the local river on a small suspension bridge.

She has to do all this to get to a class of 12 Tay ethnic minority students in Then Phang Commune, Ha Giang Province.

As someone belonging to an ethnic minority community (La Chi) herself, Va knows how important education is for people like herself. It is a ticket out of poverty, so she does not want to miss a class or be late for one.

Last Sunday, life got much easier for Va, 46, a resident of Coc Pai Town in Ha Giang. A new bridge over the Chay River opened to traffic that day.

The old bridge was narrow and dangerous. On rainy days, it got really bad. I would have to wait for hours to get across, Va said.

The Coc Pai Bridge on National Highway 4 connects Ha Giang and Lao Cai provinces, and is also a link between the mountainous Xin Man District and its surrounding areas.

I can reduce my travel time by more than half an hour, Va said, adding that this gave her some time in the morning for herself.

The bridge has put smiles on students faces too.

Ma Thi Thien, a ninth-grader at the Xin Man Boarding School, said she felt safe on the new bridge. The old one was especially dangerous during the flooding season, the Nung girl said.

In the past, my parents and other villagers of Xin Man District had to carry their agriculture produce and handicraft products on their back or lead horses carrying the products for hours to the market Thien said.

But now, with the Coc Pai Bridge, it is much easier and faster. Vegetables and other agricultural produce get to the market still fresh, fetching higher prices.

Hard work

The Coc Pai Bridge is one of 76 planned under Phase 2 of a 2013-2020project that rehabilitates and rebuilds bridges on the national road networks. Up to144 national highway bridges were completed in Phase 1 of the project.

The Coc Pai Bridge was built at a cost of nearly VN160 billion (more than US$7 million), financed with a loan from the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and counterpart funds from the Vietnamese Government.

Pham Ngoc Bien, Deputy General Director of Project Management Unit 6, under the Ministry of Transport (MoT), said the 9m wide, 337.28m long bridge was constructed with reinforced concrete using advanced technology.

I still remember clearly that in February last year, when the first trucks carrying equipment and materials arrived at the construction site, we saw the obstacles posed by the complicated location and terrain.

We had to take the roads from Lao Cai Province and transfer all materials to other trucks when it was 15km away from the site, he said, adding that the harsh weather in Xin Man District also slowed construction.

The bridges project manager, Ryoji Takeuchi of the Joint Venture KEI-OCG-TEDI, also spoke of the difficulties they faced, including piling at the location of a steep hill slope and launching girders in deep, dangerous and narrow areas.

It was very complicated, he said.

He said that construction of the 65m pier, second tallest in northern Viet Nam, could be compared to building a skyscraper, with the deployment of helicopters and tower cranes.

Our project has 50 bridges across Viet Nam, but this Coc Pai Bridge has demanded maximum attention and care.

Huge difference

Xin Man District, a direct beneficiary of the Coc Pai Bridge, is located 160km west of Ha Giangs centre. It comprises 18 communes and a town. It is home to 16 ethnic minority communities, with the Tay and the Nung constituting the majority.

Hoang Nhi Son, Chairman of the District Peoples Committee, said that it had a population of around 65,000, of which 62.2 per cent were listed as poor. This poverty had a lot to do with the difficult terrain of high slopes and scarce transportation means, he added.

Son saw the new bridge connecting the district with a great development potential for the local economy.

This is a strong bridge and constructed at solid location to avoid landslides and flooding, so it is safe for people.

Now heavy trucks can go on the bridge, carrying goods straight to the border gate with China and other neighbouring provinces; it will surely contribute to the districts growth.

I also see it as a very beautiful bridge at a scenic location, and it can attract more tourists to Xin Man.

Son said that in the first six months of the year, the number of tourists coming to Xin Man was just 9,000. But since the bridge was built, even before its official opening, the number of visitors increased markedly to more than 11,000 in the last three months.

Fujita Yasuo, Chief Representative of JICA Viet Nam Office, said the bridge would contribute a lot to improving the lives of local residents because of better logistics, greater tourism opportunities and socio-economic development.

Our official assistance to Viet Nam is not only for economic benefit but also for a better life for local people, he said, adding that aim of projects in mountainous areas such as Xin Man District is to narrow the gap between remote and developed areas.

Fujita said the new bridge would also enhance bilateral co-operation between Viet Nam and Japan.

Japanese people mainly live in Ha Noi and HCM City and surrounding areas. Their access to areas like Xin Man is very limited, he said.

With this bridge I think there will be more opportunities for local people to know about Japan while more Japanese people will be interested in Xin Man District in particular and Ha Giang Province in general, he added.

Teacher Va said she had indeed seen more people coming to the district these days.

We used to be quite remote before as the road here is not easy. I really hope the new bridge will remove peoples concerns about coming to Xin Man, she said.

My students can easily get out of their villages and visit local towns. The bridge has opened a whole new world for them. -- VNS
BASHIQA - Iraqi Kurdish forces have seized the town of Bashiqa near Mosul from the Islamic State group, an official has said, as US-backed militia forces advance on the jihadists Syrian stronghold Raqa.

Capturing Bashiqa would be a final step in securing the eastern approaches to Mosul, three weeks into an offensive by Iraqi forces to retake the countrys second city.

Iraqi troops have also seized the town of Hamam al-Alil south of Mosul, and on Tuesday, investigators carried out an initial examination of a mass grave site discovered in the area.

Bashiqa was under the "complete control" of Kurdish peshmerga forces, Jabbar Yawar, secretary general of the Kurdish regional ministry responsible for the fighters, said.

"Our forces are clearing mines and sweeping the city," Yawar said.

An AFP correspondent on the outskirts of Bashiqa said clashes were ongoing, with three air strikes hitting the town and gunfire and an explosion heard.

The peshmerga said there were still some suicide bombers and snipers there, and that about five percent of Bashiqa remained under jihadist control.

Iraqi forces have been tightening the noose around Mosul since launching the offensive on October 17, with elite troops last week breaching city limits.

Upping pressure on the jihadists, the Kurdish-Arab Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia alliance on Saturday began its own offensive on ISs other main bastion, Raqa in Syria.

Raqa and Mosul are the last major cities in Syria and Iraq under IS control, and their capture would deal a knockout blow to the self-styled "caliphate" it declared in mid-2014.

Determined to succeed

The US-led coalition that launched operations against IS two years ago is providing crucial backing to both offensives, with air strikes and special forces advisers on the ground.

SDF forces have been pushing south from areas near the Turkish border towards Raqa, and alliance spokeswoman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed said Tuesday they had moved to within 36 kilometres of the city.

"Two more villages have been taken since yesterday," she said, adding that SDF forces had so far advanced 14 kilometres closer to Raqa from Ain Issa, the operations main staging point.

"The fighting continues; morale is good and our fighters are determined that this offensive will succeed," she said.

The fighting has prompted a steady trickle of civilians to flee IS territory, most heading towards Ain Issa.

"We were afraid of the planes, and we were afraid of the IS fighters," said 34-year-old Wazira Al-Jeely from Al-Tuwaila village.

"When the strikes started, we took off our burqas and said were done with you, and we ran away."

Like in the battle for Mosul, the goal of the Raqa offensive is to surround and isolate the jihadists inside the city before mounting a street-to-street assault.

In both cases officials are warning of long and bloody battles ahead, with IS expected to put up fierce resistance and use trapped civilians as human shields.

More than a million people are believed to be in Mosul. Raqa in 2011 had a pre-war population of some 240,000, and more than 80,000 people have since fled there from elsewhere in Syria.

Iraqi forces scored another victory against IS on Monday by establishing full control over Hamam al-Alil, about 15 kilometres from the edge of Mosul and the last town of note on the way to the city from the south.

Mass grave site

They said a mass grave was found at an agricultural college in the area, with the offensives Joint Operations Command saying "100 bodies of citizens with their heads cut off" had been uncovered.

A journalist on Tuesday said body parts and bones were visible among rubbish dumped there.

Men in Iraqi security forces uniforms used ropes to pull two bodies, one headless, from the grave, and also removed a decapitated head.

"Today, the team conducted an initial examination," said Mohammed Taher al-Tamimi, an Iraqi cabinet official.

Tamimi said the victims had been blindfolded with their hands and feet bound.

He said around 25 bodies were initially visible, but investigators believed there "very large numbers" of corpses there.

Dhiyab Tareq, a 32-year-old from the area, said he had heard shots when IS carried out executions at the site.

"I was sitting close to the door and heard the gunshots," Tareq said, adding that the next day IS members boasted about killing security forces members.

ISs rule has been marked by atrocities including mass beheadings and other executions that it has documented in photos and videos that its supporters share online.

The United Nations said on Tuesday that IS fighters "forcibly moved about 1,500 families from Hamam al-Alil town to Mosul airport" on November 4.

The UN has warned for weeks that IS is making civilians living in districts around Mosul move into the city.  AFP
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, who is on an official visit to the United Arab Emirates, visited Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque on November 9. Armenpress correspondent informs the mosque, covering 22 thousand and 412 square meters, is the third largest in the world coming after Grand Mosque of Mecca and Prophet's Mosque in Medina.

The idea of constructing a Muslim shrine belongs to late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan. After long searches the specialists finally managed to find a proper place for its construction in capital Abu Dhabi. It can be seen almost from every part of the city.

The mosque has 82 domes, one of which is the largest in the world. Gold and other precious metals and stones were used in the construction of the domes and minarets.

The tomb of Sheikh Zayed is located in this mosque. Visitors are banned to take a photo of it. This place is also unique as Islamic music is performed live 24 hours long near the tomb of the Sheikh. After touring in the mosque, President Serzh Sargsyan was presented with a symbolic gift, a book about the mosque.

President Sargsyan also visited the Holy Martyrs Armenian Church of Abu Dhabi. The foundation of this church was anointed by the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I on May 4, 2012, while the church was anointed on December 12, 2014 by Aram I.

Ara Khandoyan Sunday school operates adjunct to the church since May, 2016. Director of the school Avetis Muradyan told Armenpress that nearly 40 children attend the school. Armenian language, history, and folk music and dances are taught at this school. This is the first Armenian school in Abu Dhabi. It plays a vital role for the preservation of the Armenian identity, Avetis Muradyan said.

A cross-stone dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 donated by Ambassador of Armenia to the United Arab Emirates Gegham Gharibjanyan is locate in the backyard of the church.
ROME  Italian rules which mean children of married couples are automatically given only their fathers surname are unlawful, the countrys constitutional court has ruled.

The judgement was welcomed by campaigners on Tuesday as a milestone in a long legal and political battle to overturn regulations and practice they say are based on outdated patriarchal ideas.

"The court has declared the unlawfulness of rules providing for the automatic attribution of the paternal surname to legitimate children, when the parents wish otherwise," the court said in a statement.

The court made its judgement in a case referred to it by a Genoa appeals court in which an Italian-Brazilian couple wanted to give their son both their surnames, as is traditional in Spain and much of South America and increasingly common among younger couples in northern Europe and North America.

The couples lawyers had argued that not allowing the son to have his mothers surname, as well as his fathers, violated the principle of equality between the sexes.

As the court did not publish its reasoning immediately, there was still a question mark as to whether the case had opened the door to Italian parents being automatically able to give their kids double surnames, or whether the equality requirement could be met by offering only the right to choose between the mother and fathers surname.

Campaigners said the courts ruling showed the urgent need for clear legislation after decades of parliamentary stalling on reform.

Legislation allowing children to be given their mothers surnames was first proposed 40 years ago. A draft bill has since been approved by the Chamber of Deputies but has been blocked for years in the Senate.

"The Constitutional Court has taken a decision of great importance for our society," said Democratic Party deputy Fabrizia Giuliani.

"The Senate no longer has any excuse for not abolishing this anachronism and giving women their right in this matter."

How quickly things will change remains to be seen. The constitutional court ruled in 2006 that the automatic attribution of paternal surnames was not consistent with the principle of equality between the sexes.

Italys rules have also been condemned by the European Court of Human Rights, which ruled in 2014 that they could be used to discriminate against women.

Neither of those rulings led to reform of either the law or administrative practice.  AFP
NEW YORK  Donald Trump has stunned America and the world, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States.

The Republican mogul defeated his Democratic rival, plunging global markets into turmoil and casting the long-standing global political order, which hinges on Washingtons leadership, into doubt.

"Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division," Trump told a crowd of jubilant supporters in the early hours of Wednesday in New York.

"I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans." During a bitter two-year campaign that tugged at Americas democratic fabric, the bombastic tycoon pledged to deport illegal immigrants, ban Muslims from the country and tear up free trade deals.

His message appears to have been embraced by much of Americas white majority, disgruntled by the breath and scope of social change and economic change in the last eight years under their first black president, Barack Obama.

Trump openly courted Russian leader Vladimir Putin, called US support for NATO allies in Europe into question and suggested that South Korea and Japan should develop their own nuclear weapons.

The businessman turned TV star turned-politico  who has never before held elected office  will become commander-in-chief of the worlds sole true superpower on January 20.

The results prompted a global market sell-off, with stocks plunging across Asia and Europe and billions being wiped off the value of investments.

Although he has no government experience and in recent years has spent as much time running beauty pageants and starring in reality television as he had building his property empire, Trump at 70 will be the oldest man to ever become president.

Yet, during his improbable rise, Trump has constantly proved the pundits and received political wisdom wrong.

Opposed by the entire senior hierarchy of his own Republican Party, he trounced more than a dozen better-funded and more experienced rivals in the party primary.

During the race, he was forced to ride out allegations of sexual assault and was embarrassed but apparently not shamed to have been caught on tape boasting about groping women.

And, unique in modern US political history, he refused to release his tax returns.

But the biggest upset came on Tuesday, as he swept to victory through a series of hard-fought wins in battleground states from Florida to Ohio.

Legacy of ashes

Clinton had been widely assumed to be on course to enter the history books as the first woman to become president in Americas 240-year existence.

Americans have repudiated her call for unity amid the United States wide cultural and racial diversity, opting instead for a leader who insisted the country is broken and that "I alone can fix it."

If early results hold out, Trumps party will have full control of Congress and he will be able to appoint a ninth Supreme Court justice to a vacant seat on the bench, deciding the balance of the body.

So great was the shock that Clinton did not come out to her supporters poll-watching party to concede defeat, but instead called Trump and sent her campaign chairman to insist in vain the result was too close to call.

"I want every person in this hall to know, and I want every person across the country who supported Hillary to know that your voices and your enthusiasm mean so much to her and to him and to all of us. We are so proud of you. And we are so proud of her," chairman John Podesta told shell-shocked supporters.

"Shes done an amazing job, and she is not done yet," he insisted.

The election result was also a brutal humiliation for the White House incumbent, Obama, who for eight years has repeated the credo that there is no black or white America, only the United States of America.

On the eve of the election, he told tens of thousands of people in Philadelphia that he was betting on the decency of the American people.

"Im betting that tomorrow, most moms and dads across America wont cast their vote for someone who denigrates their daughters," Obama said.

"Im betting that tomorrow, true conservatives wont cast their vote for somebody with no regard for the Constitution," he added. -- AFP
02:22 Taronga Zoo lions back in their enclosure after escaping Reports have surfaced five lions which escaped from their enclosures at Taronga Zoo have now been recaptured.

00:27 Albanese rejects calls to issue one-off cash handouts Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected calls to issue one-off cash handouts as he prepares to detail plans to find sensible reforms to...

00:28 RBA consulting with government over $5 note A decision is yet to be made if King Charles III will replace his mother Queen Elizabeth II on Australia's $5 note.

01:59 Active cyclone season predicted for northern Australia Tropical cyclones could cause major destruction across northern parts of the country this summer.

00:32 Netanyahu seeks return to office as Israel heads to polls Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is bidding for a return to power in the country's fifth election in four years.
Waterloo

Fire Alarms Nov. 5

Ambulance runs: 15

1:50 a.m., 2600 Washington Street., grass fire.

Fire Alarms Nov. 6

Ambulance runs: 14

8:13 a.m., 358 California St., house fire, started with toaster.

11:22 a.m., 203 Fairfield St., unauthorized burning.

11:48 a.m., 924 Dawson St., unauthorized burning.

2:04 p.m., 1131 Patton Ave., unauthorized burning.

6:16 p.m., 711 Wallgate Ave., controlled burning.

Fire Alarms Nov. 7

Ambulance runs: 11

12:57 p.m., 12214 Randolph St., investigate complaint.

2:33 p.m., Broadway and West Parker streets, automobile accident.

7:16 p.m., 808 N. Barclay St., cooking fire.

Police Log

Sarah Anne Medina, 30, of 805 W. Fourth St., was arrested Nov. 7 at the police station for simple assault. She allegedly assaulted Dana Ivey.

Robert Eugene Schultz, 33, of Waterloo, was arrested Nov. 7 at 1304 W. Fourth St. for serious domestic assault and possession of marijuana. He allegedly assaulted Kayleigh Schultz.

James Arthur Roberts Jr., 48, of 3350 University Ave., No. 228, was arrested Nov. 6 at his home for simple assault. He allegedly assaulted Arthur Hanson, 65.

Adam Thomas Caviness, 33, of 615 W. Fifth St., was arrested Nov. 4 at 1013 W. Mullan Ave. for assault. He allegedly assaulted Lauren Niewierowski, 35.

Htein Lwin Kyan Win Shwe, 34, of 124 Lincoln St., was arrested Oct. 28 on Elmwood Street for child endangerment. He allegedly kicked a 4-year-old child.

Burglaries: Francis Phillips reported the theft of shoes, clothing, video game items and a safe during a burglary to his home at 1811 Locke Ave. on Nov. 2. Donald Bogue reported the theft of two TVs, tablet computer and medication during a burglary to his home at 1125 Dixon Drive on Nov. 7.

Counterfeit: A counterfeit $20 bills was discovered at MidwestOne Bank, 3110 Kimball Ave., on Nov. 7.

Black Hawk County Sheriffs Log

David Ray Murley, 53, of 9805 W. Marquis Road, Janesville, was arrested Nov. 6 for assault and fourth-degree criminal mischief. He allegedly swung a metal pipe at Mark Jirbks head and allegedly hit a semi trailer with the pipe.

Andrew Dennis Washburn, 38, of Parkersburg, was arrested Nov. 2 at 3400 W. 27th St., Cedar Falls, for first-degree theft and public intoxication. He allegedly took glasses from his girlfriends face.

Raymond Earl Holmes, 65, of 930 Logan Ave., Waterloo, was arrested Nov. 1 at the jail for third-degree theft, assault and reckless use of fire. He allegedly attempted to take $282 worth of liquor from Wal-Mart in Waterloo on July 22 and took liquor from Wal-Mart on Sept. 15. He allegedly assaulted Mary Essman and placed a dishcloth on a lit stove burner at 2235 Lincoln St. on Sept. 14.

Nicholas Steven Lathrop, 18, of 150 Faber Road, Waterloo, was arrested Nov. 7 at the jail for aggravated theft and public intoxication. He allegedly attempted to take a bottle of whisky from Hy-Vee on Ansborough Avenue and swung at an employee who confronted him on Sept. 20.

Willie James Denton Jr., 28, of Waterloo, was arrested Nov. 7 at the jail for first-degree burglary, domestic assault with strangulation and obstruction of emergency communications. He allegedly forced his way into 1132 Steely after being told to leave and assaulted Danielle Ungs on March 26.

Rudy Ramos-Ramos, 28, of 1027 1/2 Jefferson St., Waterloo, was arrested Nov. 6 on Sergeant Road for first-offense operating while intoxicated following a traffic stop.

Cedar Falls

Police Log

Carl Duane Clausen Jr., 37, of Waterloo, was arrested Nov. 3 for two counts of third-degree theft. He allegedly took $15 worth of items from Wal-Mart on Oct. 21 and took $72 worth of items from Wal-Mart on Nov. 2.

Shesters Ken Panduro, 23, of 323 E. 12th St., was arrested Nov. 5 at Utility Parkway for first-offense operating while intoxicated and possession of marijuana following a traffic stop.

Gary Eugene Murphy, 53, of Iowa City, was arrested Nov. 3 for forgery. He allegedly passed a stolen check for $2,699 in September.

Lucas John Rannells, 19, of 1500 W. Fifth St., Cedar Falls, was arrested Oct. 28 in the 1400 block of Fifth Street for first-offense operating while intoxicated following a traffic stop.

Elisabeth Lee Tonner, 22, of Iowa City, was arrested Oct. 29 in the 2200 block of College Street for assault on a peace officer, interference and public intoxication.

Shantellia Monique Walker, 28, of 320 Oaklawn Ave., was arrested Oct. 29 at 214 Viking Plaza Drive for third-degree theft. She allegedly took $95 worth of clothing from Target.

Tara Yolanda Clark, 49, of Waterloo, was arrested Oct. 14 at 5911 University Ave. for third-degree theft. She allegedly took $68 worth of items from Kohls department store.
OSAGE -- Shannon Henaman, 42, of Osage, has pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide by way of reckless driving, a Class C felony.

Hanaman entered the guilty plea during a plea hearing Tuesday at the Mitchell County Courthouse.

According to officials, Hanaman, was the driver in a single-vehicle accident that took place at 3:19 a.m. on March 4, at the intersection of Kirkwood Avenue and 370th Street.

Theodore McPhail, 50, Osage, a passenger in the vehicle, was killed when he was thrown out of the vehicle when Henaman drove it into the ditch.

According to the Mitchell County Sheriff's report, alcohol played a factor in the accident. Court records state that a breath test following the crash showed a .170 blood-alcohol level.

Vehicular homicide by way of reckless driving is a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $10,000. Henaman will be sentenced at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 24.
WATERLOO  An Arizona man has been arrested for allegedly striking a woman with a gun in August.

Orlando Antwon Stokes, 54, of Glendale, was arrested Oct. 27 for willful injury causing serious injury. He remains at the Black Hawk County Jail with bond set at $25,000.

Court records allege Stokes struck Kimberly Ellis twice in the face with a handgun during an argument at a home at 56 Lafayette St. on Aug. 14. She suffered a broken orbital bone, according to court records.
WATERLOO  Military veterans will be honored Thursday during a 1:45 p.m. ceremony at Columbus Catholic High School.

The event, to be held in the gym, will include a group of honored guests representing conflicts from World War II through Operation Desert Storm and multiple branches of the military as the school marks Veterans Day.

Students and staff will recognize loved ones who have served or are serving in the military. All members of the community are welcome to attend.

An official announcement also will be made at the ceremony that Columbus will be the future home of the Sullivan brothers memorial statue, which is currently located at the recently closed Knights of Columbus Hall in Waterloo.

The statue depicts Mary, the mother of Jesus, and is dedicated to the five Sullivan brothers  George, Francis, Joseph, Madison and Albert  who perished during World War II after their ship was attacked Nov. 13, 1942. It was imported from Italy in 1956 and was made possible through a fund drive by Sullivans from across the country. The statue will be officially rededicated at Columbus in a later ceremony.

Columbus is located at 3231 W. Ninth St.
DUBUQUE  U.S. Rep. Rod Blum, R-1st District, will get to keep his title for another term, after besting Democratic opponent Monica Vernon on Tuesday night.

According to unofficial results, with 341 of 436 precincts reporting, Blum won 158,088 votes, or 54.4 percent, to Vernons 132,187 votes, or 45.5 percent. There were 524 write-in votes.

This is really, really rewarding, because weve been targeted since January of 2015, Blum said to the crowd of more than 100 gathered at Blums victory event in his hometown in Dubuque.

He said he was confident hed be sent back because hes gone to Washington, D.C., and done what hes said he was going to do: work on reforming Congress and balancing the budget.

Blum, 61, also was excited about the news of a potential, and likely, victory for Republicans across the board, including for president of the United States.

This could turn out to be an amazing night for America, couldnt it? Blum said as one of the first statements of his about 20-minute speech.

Iowas 1st District is one of the most Democratic congressional districts in the state, but the Dubuque businessman has twice beat the demographics to represent the 20 counties of northeastern Iowa. Blum won his first bid for the office by 2.2 points in 2014.

The mood was euphoric at Blums victory party, as the odds kept improving for both Blum and for the race for the White House. Cheers went up as swing state after swing state went for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

The race initially looked good for Vernon, 59, a former Cedar Rapids City Council woman, but as results kept pouring in her lead diminished. Nearly two hours after polls closed, the state was called for Trump and Blum continued to lead.

We had a great run and I will continue to work on all of these issues, Vernon told the crowd at her Cedar Rapids event after conceding to Blum.

Chants of Blums name and of President Trump broke out periodically through the night, as the crowd waited for the candidate to take the stage. He finally spoke at 11:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Dan Whetstone, of Cedar Rapids, has been a supporter of Blum since his first bid in 2012 when he lost the primary.

Hes in Washington to clean it up, Whetstone said, adding he was pleased with Blums first vote against then-House Speaker John Boehner.

Blum addressed that first vote saying, Ive got news for them: John Boehners not there anymore, and Im still standing.

Sarah Tareen, who came from Virginia to support Blums bid, said she was pleasantly not surprised by Tuesdays results, both in the 1st District and across the nation.

She particularly wasnt surprised the polling got wrong the national race wrong, as she saw that people who hadnt voted before would turn out and those who had voted would sit out this race.

We need a conservative in the White House, Tareen said, adding, It starts at the bottom of the ticket to the top of the ticket.

Polls in Iowas 1st District had shown an uncertain race; some had Blum up by a healthy margin, while others showed Vernon slightly ahead.

Blum is a Dubuque businessman in his first term, while Vernon is a former Cedar Rapids City Council member and founder of a consulting business.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The visit of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to the United Arab Emirates is of historical importance, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the United Arab Emirates Gegham Gharibjanyan told Armenpress.

The visit is historical as it will be a turning point for bringing economic cooperation to a new level. The political relations between the two states are on a quite high level and currently efforts are made to increase the level of the economic relations, Gegham Gharibjanyan said.

According to the Ambassador, the relations of the two countries enter a new phase. There had been no official visits between the states since 2002.

For years Armenia  UAE relations were focused on tourism. Now new directions are being developed. The United Arab Emirates are interested in agriculture, IT and so on. They express clear readiness for cooperation, the Ambassador said.
WATERLOO  Republicans will control both chambers at the Statehouse in the 2017 legislative session, and their victories Tuesday were due in part to their partys successes in Iowas Democrat-leaning 1st Congressional District.

Three of the six seats Republicans gained in the Senate came from Northeast Iowa. Republicans are expected to control the chamber 29-19, with one independent and one vacancy due to the passing of Davenport Sen. Joe Seng that will be filled before the next session gets underway.

Heres a look at the races that flipped in Northeast Iowa:

Senate District 36

Incumbent Sen. Steve Sodders, D-State Center, came closest to retaining his seat. According to unofficial results, Republican challenger Jeff Edler bested Sodders 14,704 votes to 13,070, or 52.9 percent to 47 percent. There were 33 write-in votes.

I think theres just an overwhelming urge to take some common sense back to how we do things, Edler said Wednesday as he picked up yard signs in the district.

Edler, a farmer from State Center, attributes his success to hard work, particularly knocking on 21,657 doors to deliver his message.

Sodders, a deputy sheriff in Marshall County, said in a statement serving in the Senate has been one of the best times of my life. He offered his congratulations to Edler and offered to help him with the transition. Sodders has been serving the district, which covers Marshall and Tama counties and the southern part of Black Hawk County, since 2008.

Edler said hes excited for the opportunity to serve the people of the district.

Im rarin to go, he said.

Senate District 32

Sen. Brian Schoenjahn, D-Arlington, first elected in 2004, lost to Republican challenger Craig Johnson, who previously lost a close bid for an Iowa House seat in 2014.

His victory Tuesday night left him thrilled.

Johnson won with 18,605 votes, or 59.9 percent, according to unofficial results. Schoenjahn received 12,408 votes, or 40 percent. There were 29 write-in votes.

What went on yesterday was amazing. The people spoke, and were ready to go to work, Johnson said. This is just amazing.

Like Edler, Johnson is ready to get to work. Johnson, executive director of Heartland Acres in Independence, said his top priorities will be jobs, education and the budget.

Schoenjahn said it has been one of the great honors of my life to be your voice in the Senate. He offered his congratulations to Johnson and also offered to do everything he could to make the transition easier.

The district covers Bremer County and parts of Buchanan, Fayette and Black Hawk counties.

It was an exciting night, said Johnson, who celebrated his victory at home surrounded by family and friends.

I dont know where I start. Its an honor, a pleasure. Its been a long process, and were ready to serve.

Senate District 26

Republican Waylon Brown won a decisive victory in Senate District 26, which covers Worth, Mitchell, Howard, Floyd, Chickasaw, and parts of Cerro Gordo and Winneshiek counties. He bested incumbent Sen. Mary Jo Wilhelm, D-Cresco.

Brown received 19,127 votes, or 62.3 percent, according to unofficial results. Wilhelm received 11,531 votes, or 37.6 percent. There were 28 write-in votes.

Brown, of St. Ansgar, who owns and operates a construction company and farm, said the area has potential.

I think it is my responsibility to share the successes and struggles of our district and show legislators from our more urban districts why a strong rural Iowa supports growth in their districts, Brown said.

Wilhelm has served for two terms and also works as a residential real estate appraiser.
WATERLOO  Iowa may have gone red, but the Black Hawk County Courthouse is staying blue.

Democrats swept all three county Board of Supervisors up for grabs Tuesday as Tom Little won for the fourth time, Linda Laylin was re-elected to her second term and newcomer Chris Schwartz picked up the seat vacated by John Millers retirement.

Im really humbled that the citizens of Black Hawk County re-elected me, said Little, who was the nights top vote-getter. Theyve shown their faith in me and Im very thankful.

Little saw the results as an affirmation the current board policies are on the right track.

Laylin, the current board chair, will no longer be the newest board member.

Theres lots of great projects weve got going on so Im glad to have another four years, she said. Im grateful to the people of Black Hawk County.

Unofficial results, with one precinct outstanding, showed Little with 30,804 votes, followed by Laylin with 29,265 and Schwartz with 27,434.

Republicans John Dodge, Terry Scheffert and Chad Folken came up short with 24,625, 22,857 and 22,538 votes respectively.

Schwartz chalked up his victory to a strong campaign.

I think we worked harder than everybody else in this race, he said. We knocked on more doors, we made more phone calls, held more meetings and had the biggest social media effort as well.

Schwartz, who is openly gay, saw his home vandalized in what he believed was a hate crime during the campaign.

Certainly nobody should be asked to be put through what we were put through, to have that kind of hatred and even death threats, he said. But I think tonight proved that this community is accepting, this community is progressive, this community is ready to move forward and start to heal.

Dodge and Scheffert, both attending the Black Hawk County Republican watch party at Park Place Events Center in Cedar Falls, were still in high spirits about the election.

It was a good fight, said Scheffert, noting the three were first-time candidates. I dont think we lost by much.

Scheffert said he wouldnt likely run again.

Ill leave it to the younger people, he said. Im gonna enjoy my retirement.

Dodge said he was surprised by the number of votes the GOP supervisor candidates received.

Im so thankful that that many people found out about me, Dodge said.

Dodge wasnt sure if hed run again, noting the last four months of campaigning had taken a toll on his family. But he was excited to see Republicans win federal and state offices.

I already won because my goal was to help our county be better, he said. And just by talking about the issues, I think Ive done that.

Three other Black Hawk County officials, all Democrats, were re-elected while running unopposed.

County Auditor Grant Veeder won his eighth straight term in office, while Sheriff Tony Thompson will begin his third consecutive term in January.

County Attorney Brian Williams was elected to fill out the remaining two years of the current term. Williams was appointed last year after former county attorneys Tom Ferguson, who was elected in 2014, and his appointed replacement Linda Fangman both resigned to take other positions.
CEDAR FALLS  Incumbent Republican Walt Rogers will return to the Iowa State House to represent District 60 in Cedar Falls. Rogers won with 10,072 to 7,200 for about 58 percent of the vote against Democratic challenger Gary Kroeger.

Rogers said with Republicans apparently taking control of the Iowa Senate, he expects leaders from both chambers to begin to plan their agenda.

I think well stay focused on making sure our budget stays balanced, Rogers said.

Other priorities include tax reform including a possible flat income tax and creating legislation for education savings accounts for parents to use toward private schools.

Another issue Rogers expects to see bipartisan support in addressing is water quality. He said he expects to see funding legislation pass including using money from the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund toward water quality initiatives.

Bipartisan legislation including millions from RIF going toward water quality initiatives has been vetoed in the past by Gov. Terry Branstad.

Rogers said he expects to see similar legislation come out of Des Moines this next session.

If the issue does come up, challenger Gary Kroeger said he expects to weigh in  as Rogers constituent.

Just because we didnt win doesnt mean our issues are defeated, Kroeger said. Its my responsibility and others to make sure our elected officials are doing the right work.

Incumbent Rep. Bob Kressig, D-Cedar Falls, also will return to the statehouse to represent House District 59. He defeated Republican challengers Drew Speer and independent Nick Taiber in a three-way race. Kressig will likely be one of Rogers allies in working to pass a water quality initiative. That, mental health funding and education funding will be his focus, Kressig said.

Were going to have to work together along with cities and counties, Kressig said. We need to create partnerships to address water quality and put adequate funding toward them.

Challenger Drew Speer said he was happy to see other state and national races go Republican.

"Obviously, I'm disappointed with our particular race," he told the GOP crowd at Pipac in Cedar Falls. "It's a hard process, it really is. You're not everybody's favorite sometimes, but you gotta go out there and do your thing."

In Waterloo, Democrat Ras Smith won the open House District 62 seat. Smith said he was honored to be nominated and elected to represent the district. He said he hopes to help restore education funding and opportunities including trade opportunities for students.

These are all tools we have to make sure students arent missing out on opportunities to learn skills, he said. When we dont have options to learn trades, we funnel students in one direction.

Smith said the Republican control of both chambers and the executive office will make things challenging.

It makes things more divisive, he said, adding he hopes to work to find common ground on both sides of the aisle.

Smith said he plans to work to keep constituents informed of legislative initiatives. He plans to do more than attend legislative forums but hold meetings around the district.

I think its important voters are informed, he said.

Republican challenger Todd Obadal said he was happy to take up the GOP torch and make it a contest.

"We knew getting into this that it was going to be an uphill battle," he said, speaking to supporters at the Pipac Center in Cedar Falls. "But it was something to do on principle."

Timi Brown-Powers, D-Waterloo, from House District 61, won unopposed.

From the Iowa Senate, incumbent Jeff Danielson, D-Cedar Falls, also won, defeating Republican challenger Bonnie Sadler in District 30.

Danielson said he stuck to the tried and true in winning his fourth term in Senate District 30.

I have a basic formula that Ive stuck to over the years: Do your homework, treat people decent and solve problems, Danielson said. Sometimes its hard to break through the noise and all the drama of other campaigns.

Danielson said he campaigned by having a conversation with voters.

I also managed my own campaign, he said. I think this has gotten way out of hand with the out-of-state consultants and everybody else rolling into town.

Danielson said he believes premium increases in the Affordable Care Act, which he believes needs to be reformed, was a key issuing hurting Democrats with voters in Iowa and across the country.

In her race to unseat Danielson, Republican Bonnie Sadler of Cedar Falls said she saw a very negative campaign against her.

I call it a false campaign, she said Tuesday night at the Black Hawk County Republican watch party at Pipac in Cedar Falls.

After the results came in showing a decisive victory for incumbent Jeff Danielson, Sadler blamed negative mailers in the final days for her loss.

I think that Jeff Danielson had a lot of money, and he spent it on false mailings, she said. I guess thats what it takes to win.

She said it was too soon to know if shed run for office again, but said she had done everything I could do to win.

In other races, incumbent Sens. Brian Schoenjahn of Arlington and Steve Sodders of State Center were defeated as the Iowa Senate flipped to Republican control.
DAVENPORT  U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, cruised to re-election to a sixth term Tuesday night over Republican challenger Christopher Peters in a low-key 2nd District congressional contest.

Loebsack, the only Democrat in Iowas congressional delegation, had 180,025 votes, or 54 percent with 86 percent of districts 424 precincts reporting, according to unofficial results from the Iowa Secretary of States office, while Peters, a physician from Coralville, had just 151,781 votes, or nearly 46 percent.

Still, late Tuesday the Associated Press called the race for Loebsack.

In Iowa City late Tuesday, Loebsack said he was grateful and planned to go back to Washington, D.C., and work for his constituents. But he acknowledged Democratic losses across the state and the country.

Im disappointed that Democrats didnt do better in Iowa or across the country, but Im going to go back and do what Ive been doing, he said.

That means pursuing improvements to infrastructure, especially expanded broadband access, he added.

The 2nd District race was one of the tamest in memory. Loebsack didnt even run a television ad, according to his campaign. And part of his time was spent campaigning for candidates in other parts of the state.

Loebsack has been one of the most bankable Democrats in Iowa in recent years. Twice, in the Republican wave years of 2010 and 2014, he survived GOP challenges.

And in this cycle, he won his race while Democrats in two Iowa districts the party thought were winnable went down to defeat.

Peters was an unconventional GOP candidate. He previously ran for the state legislature as a Libertarian, and this year sought to slice into Loebsacks base of support in Johnson County by emphasizing his differences with him on national security, privacy and other issues.

Loebsack, though, won Johnson County and also defeated Peters by more than 4,000 votes in Scott County, a swing county.

Loebsack, who was first elected in 2006, was better positioned financially for the race than Peterson.

The Democrat raised nearly $1.6 million for the campaign cycle through mid-October, compared with $200,000 for Peters through mid-October, according to the Federal Election Commission.
STEM festival is

set for Thursday

WATERLOO  The fourth annual Cedar Valley Family STEM Festival will be Thursday at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center.

The festival, from 4 to 7:30 p.m., is free and open to the public. The convention center is located at 200 W. Fourth St.

Goals of the festival are to promote, inspire and engage youths in science, technology, engineering and mathematics activities and to introduce children and parents to related careers in their communities.

More than 70 organizations from the Cedar Valley and throughout Iowa will present exhibits and hands-on activities for all ages. Attendees can drive robots, use a welding simulator, conduct amazing science experiments, learn about small animals, explore the nursing field and much more. In addition, the festival showcases STEM programs in local schools and offers engaging shows throughout the evening.

Sheriff will host town hall event

WASHBURN  Sheriff Tony Thompson will host a town hall meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Moose Lodge, 6636 La Porte Road.

People are free to ask questions about county law enforcement, neighborhood watch and burglary prevention, budget, weapons laws and other topics.
ROCKWELL CITY (AP)  At least 1,000 law enforcement officers and much of the small Iowa community of Rockwell City gathered Tuesday to mourn the death of a 24-year-old police officer nearly a week after he and another officer were gunned down in their patrol cars.

Residents and officers packed into a middle school gymnasium to remember Justin Martin, a rookie officer in the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale who grew up in Rockwell City. The community of 1,700 people is about 75 miles northwest of Des Moines.

Urbandale Police Chief Ross McCarty told mourners that his department and Rockwell City had both suffered a tremendous loss.

"This past week, the Urbandale Police Department lost our young man, but the community of Rockwell City lost their son," McCarty said.

An Urbandale man is charged with first-degree murder in the Nov. 2 shooting deaths of Martin and 38-year-old Des Moines police Sgt. Anthony Beminio. A funeral for Beminio was held Monday.

Few knew Martin as well as Urbandale officer Brady Farrington, who also grew up in Rockwell City. The Des Moines Register reports (http://dmreg.co/2fAsmka ) he spoke at the service about first meeting Martin in kindergarten and remaining close throughout their lives.

Farrington was "born to serve," Farrington said, and loved his hometown and adopted city of Urbandale.

"Justin was intense, in all facets of his personality," Farrington said. "Justin wanted to be part of something bigger than himself."

After the funeral, Martin's body was driven across town along flag-lined streets and through farmland for burial in Rosehill Cemetery.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Over 10 thousand Armenians live in the United Arab Emirates, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the United Arab Emirates Gegham Gharibjanyan told Armenpress.

The Armenian community started to develop here in 1970s. Armenians from mainly Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and partially from Iran came to live here. The local Armenians are mainly engaged in construction, banking and trade sectors and are known for their diligence, the Ambassador said.

According to him, the local Armenians try to unite around national organizations. The role of the Armenian Apostolic Church cannot be underestimated in that mission. Two churches have been constructed during these years; the last one was the Holy Martyrs Church of Abu Dhabi constructed a year ago. The Ambassador told that Sunday schools operate in both churches.
Car wash slated for Honor Flight

WATERLOO  Miracle Car Wash, 2727 University Ave., will have the seventh annual fundraiser for the local Sullivan-Hartogh-Davis Post 730 Honor Flight on Friday, Veterans Day.

Proceeds of each paid full service wash will go to the local Honor Flight program.

The honor flight program serves veterans on Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Tama and Grundy counties.

AMVETS dinner set for Friday

EVANSDALE  The Evansdale AMVETS Post 31 will serve all-you-can-eat barbecued ribs and wings with sides from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Veterans Day.

Cost is $10. There will be music by the Get Away City Band from 7 to 11 p.m. with a raffle and 50/50.

Museum to serve pancakes Sunday

LA PORTE CITY  The FFA Historical & Ag Museum will host a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon Sunday at 408 Main St. The FFA will offer fresh pancakes, sausages, fresh fruit, baked items and beverages. Admission is a donation, and all proceeds go to the museum.

Support group

to meet Monday

WATERLOO  The Macular Degeneration/Low Vision Support group will meet from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Monday in the board room at Kimball Ridge Center, Kimball and Ridgeway avenues. Josh Nelson from The Low Vision Store in St. Paul will be the speaker. He will bring low vision aids and devices to try. All are welcome. Call Barb at 230-4499 with questions.

Chorus concert set for Nov. 17

WATERLOO  The Hawkeye Community College Chorus will present A World of Music at 7 p.m. Nov. 17 in Brock Student Center on Hawkeyes main campus. There will be music from Africa, the West Indies and Ireland performed by Hawkeye chorus students.

Ticket information is available at www.hawkeyecollege.edu/go/world-of-music. All ticket proceeds go toward fine and performing arts scholarships.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The report on Turkey by the Executive body of the EU, the Commission, has been published. Armenpress reports the Turkish demokrathaber.org informs that the report includes tough criticism.

The report focuses on the absence of independence of the judiciary, freedom of speech and other fundamental human rights in Turkey.

The report, referring to the mass arrests in the framework of the emergency situation declared after the coup attempts on July 15, 2016, says, Turkey's judicial system is at an early stage/has some level of preparation. There has been backsliding in the past year, in particular with regard to the independence of the judiciary. The extensive changes to the structures and composition of high courts are of serious concern and are not in line with European standards. Judges and prosecutors continued to be removed from their profession and in some cases were arrested, on allegations of conspiring with the Gulen movement. This situation worsened further after the July coup attempt, following which one fifth of the judges and prosecutors were dismissed and saw their assets frozen. The judiciary must work in an environment allowing it to perform its duties in an independent and impartial manner, with the executive and legislature fully respecting the separation of powers. Under the state of emergency, Turkey has further extended for certain offences the pre-trial detention to 30 days without access to a judge against European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) case law and an important part of the judiciary is subject to these measures, reads the report, adding that There has been serious backsliding in the past year in the area of freedom of expression. Selective and arbitrary application of the law, especially of the provisions on national security and the fight against terrorism, is having a negative impact on freedom of expression.Ongoing and new criminal cases against journalists, writers or social media users, withdrawal of accreditations, high numbers of arrests of journalists as well as closure of numerous media outlets in the aftermath of the July attempted coup are of serious concern. Freedom of assembly continues to be overly restricted, in law and practice.

European Parliament's Turkey rapporteur Kati Piri noted, The doors of the EU are shut in front of Turkey if it does not respect these values and all the accession talks should be suspended until the Turkish authorities return to the right path.

MEP Markus Ferber condemned the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stating that took advantage of the failed coup attempt to reconstruct the country.
TWH After a high-profile campaign that lasted far longer than many Americans might have preferred, Donald J. Trump won the U.S. presidential election yesterday. While Pagans and polytheists held widely divergent views about who they wanted in the White House, it is now time to consider what a Trump presidency means to members of minority religious groups.

Before turning to the national election, we look at the local level, where politics begins and where many candidates are tested and vetted.has been following the campaigns of two members of our collective communities: Heathen Matt Orlando, who was running for a seat in the House of Representatives, and Cara Schulz, a Hellenic polytheist (andreporter) running for the Burnsville City Council.

Orlando, running in Michigans ninth district, was not successful. In a statement released on his Facebook page, he wrote, While I did not win a seat in the house I do not consider the campaign a total loss. We were able to reach more people this election, and show them that the Libertarian Party has so much to offer those that love freedom and that are tired of the big overreaching federal government.

Schulz, on the other hand, was victorious in her second attempt to join the Burnville, Minnesota city council. She said, I am so thankful to the residents of Burnsville for supporting me, donating to my campaign, putting one of my signs in their yard, and for voting for me. The trust they have placed in me is deeply humbling and Ill work hard to be worthy of it. Ive made a commitment to serve all residents in as open, honest, and transparent way as Ive run my campaign.

She also noted, Not once during the race did any of my opponents or their supporters attempt to use my faith in an appeal to bigotry. This was attempted in my last run for office, but residents here firmly rejected bigotry as a campaign tactic. I encourage those who feel called to public service and happen to be Pagan to run for office. Run, be open and honest, and trust your neighbors. If you arent elected the first time, run again.

* * *

Now, we move to the national election. Below a number of Pagans and polytheists share their views on the results. The statements are a collection of early thoughts from a variety of people who fall under  or near  the Pagan umbrella about the future under a Trump presidency. Some of these passages express strong emotion.

Christine Hoff Kraemer

The election of Donald Trump lets us know that the recently-won rights of women and racial, sexual, and religious minorities are extremely fragile. Based on polls I saw last night, some voters cast their ballots for Trump even while claiming that his treatment of women and minorities bothered them. Even more frightening is the thought that many voted for Trump because of his racism and misogyny, rather than despite them.

This election comes at a time when we need decisive government action to address climate change. If the United States continues to exploit our last remaining fossil fuels instead of aggressively pursuing clean energy and protecting our air and water, the economic and environmental impact of climate change will be much more damaging. Americans have apparently elected Trump in the hope that, despite his callous disregard for working-class people in his business dealings, his administration will recreate traditional working-class jobs. But pollution, food crisis, and the failure to create jobs in important new energy industries will cause enormous suffering among the very people who have rallied around him. This is a dark day for us, and especially for our grandchildren, who will wonder what madness caused the United States to elect a leader so obviously intent on . . . abusing the powers of the presidency.

Yet, looking at history, our ancestors all survived conditions that are now difficult for most Americans to imagine: epidemics, wars, and disasters that destroyed the very fabric of societies. We can survive Trump and a Republican Congress. But to cope with climate change, there is no more time for internet polemic, no time to fight among ourselves, no time for business as usual. Gather your loved ones and neighbors to make shelter: the first drops of rain are falling; the coming storm is here.

Jose Adastra

Im mostly feeling nauseated. Its hard to really think clearly through all the fear and worry. When Im not feeling scared Ive felt pretty upset. Puerto Rico was thrown into poverty by those seeking to profit from the natural resources on the island, and those wishing to use it as a tax haven.

Understanding why we came from Puerto Rico to Massachusetts is difficult enough. It was difficult to transition but my family figured it out. We made our new home and we adjusted. But now the country that took my birthplace (by force) as a territory and that has effectively stifled trade and installed business legislation that allows people to benefit from the poverty of Puerto Ricans has just finished electing a President that has expressed aggressive policies for deporting immigrants, and that has displayed on various occasions that his respect for women and people of color is completely lacking.

I love Puerto Rico, but we left because the economy was completely destabilized and there were more opportunities in the states. But now after watching my birthplace be taken advantage of and ripped apart by corporate interests for years, I fear that we will be completely abandoned to our current chaotic state. Although I have made my home in Massachusetts now, it is concerning that someone might try to make me leave this home. I must be feeling what a lot of displaced immigrants are feeling right now. America wages wars and claims territory, and then people are displaced. To displace a group of people and then not feel responsible for providing them with homes and a solid support system is completely backwards. We as a country have been displacing people for an absurd amount of time.

We just so happened to, as a country, elect a misogynist, white supremacist, anti-immigrant President. It must feel like a slight to everyone who has already had to start their lives over again. The threat of being deported and having to do it all over again when you have already reestablished your home is unacceptable, and inhumane. While I am optimistic, and enthusiastic about establishing grass root movements to counteract the hate, it is worrisome that there is so much of that hate to counteract.

Lisa Roling

I am truly concerned about the immediate and long-term ramifications of this election. How many people will die as a result of repealing the ACA? How many women will lose their already-limited access to safe abortions, will lose their voice in standing up to sexual violence, will lose the battle for equal pay? How many gay and lesbian couples will see their marriage licenses dissolved and see their rights to their non-biological children threatened? How many religious minorities will face intimidation, deportation, and be forced underground for their (our) own safety?

Ive been told that I am overreacting, that my fear is unfounded, that change is slow and this President-elect will not be able to pull off the promises for which he was elected. That this is simply a rebuke of the status quo in politics, not a rebuke of the values that I depend on for living freely and safely. Goddess, let that be the case. Let me wake in four years and look back to see you having mangled, beheaded, and devoured us today as an act of destruction that opens the door of creation. And let us be better for it.

Aline Macha OBrien

I served as an election worker yesterday. It was a long day (6:00 a.m.-8:30 p.m.), one in which we were surrounded by voters, ballots, and voting apparatus, yet not permitted to speak of the election at all. [] Some voters spoke to us clerks sotto voce about their anxieties and fear for the future. Im sure they werent feeling that way any more than I was. Ive seen the suns annual return for more than seven decades now, and never, never since the first election in which I was eligible to vote - voters had to be 21 back then - have I sensed among the people I encounter, and within myself, such anxiety about the election and beyond.

For the first time in the many elections Ive worked, we had men - no women did this  coming in expressing distrust of the voting process, certain that their vote wouldnt be counted. This is offensive to the elections office and all the many workers who strive to conduct the polls with integrity.

I live in a rarefied environment where the voter turnout tends to 80-90%. My fellow Mariners voted nearly 78% for Clinton, but we werent worried about Marin; we were worried about the country. We were worried about the future. I worry about what kind of world we are leaving to our children and grandchildren. I can only hope they have the ingenuity to meet the challenges of climate change, social disruption, cynical disengagement.

To the question of what the results might mean for us as American citizens, or as Pagans, I can only say dread. I fear for the reversal of the many programs and policies implemented over the last fifty years. I fear for the health and well-being of all kinds of minorities: ethnic, sexual, religious. I fear for women. We have a few generations of women who have never not known reproductive choice, whereas in my young womanhood safe, legal abortions did not exist. Acceptance of single parenthood didnt exist. I am appalled at the level of misogyny surrounding this entire election season.

I fear for the health of our planet. I fear the day when we might have no government regulations on toxic emissions. I fear losing clean water. I fear reductions in spending and quality education for all. An educated public benefits everyone.

I sympathize with todays young parents who try to teach their children kindness and good social skills when they see so-called leaders regularly bully, intimidate, and humiliate other people. I fear that the dystopian society that the incoming President describes in his speeches only serves to further alienate young people. It feeds disengagement and mistrust among a cynical citizenry.

I have an investment in this country thats given me a comparatively lavish life, an education, health. My ancestors and yours died so that we could enjoy such luxuries. This is our home, one that should show hospitality to others. Our bounty is to be shared.

I am not normally a pessimistic person, but this election gives me pause. If this country manages to survive the incoming administration, if it hasnt caused irreparable damage to environment, economy, human rights, international relations, then I console myself with two certainties: a lot of these fearful conservative older white men are, and will be, dying off. (So might I.) The other is that those younger citizens who follow will be more colorful and diverse. Minority populations will increase and our country will have no single majority, rather a rainbow of diversity. They are our hope.

Dr. Bones

A massively corrupt technocrat ran for the highest office in the country. According to leaked emails, her team decided to puff up the most repulsive enemy combatant they could find, a mulligan of a competitor so vile America would have no choice but to elect her to save themselves.

They focus-grouped almost every issue, had paid internet shills call people anti-woman if they dared not toe the line, and exposed every bit of material they could proving their opponent was a rapey, racist misogynist. He didnt deny it. And he won.

The United States is a nation of barbarians, a warlike people full of gun-toting madmen high on meth and college intelligentsia that prefer airborne robots do their killing for them. The fatal flaw was the Democrats could never admit they were just as war hungry and greedy as the Republicans, that they were cut from the same stock. They tried to pretend Obama didnt bomb Libya, didnt fund Nazis in the Ukraine, even tried to deny that the US created Daesh. They broke the con-mans only rule: never believe your own bullshit.

The United States will be ruled by the Republicans for the next four years and liberals of all stripes will be forced to confront the grim reality that they have no idea what country they live in. They sold their soul and a movement that was openly socialist to a neo-liberal devil and they came up empty handed. They were worse than stupid and deserve to be punished, and I wont shed a single tear for them.

There are silver linings here: we can now freely admit a revolution cannot depend on someones gender alone, we have seen that the United States is still a gleefully racist country that has no problem backing killer cops, we have learned the lesser of two evils doesnt mean jack when the greater evil can at least admit to being evil, and we have learned that real change is not going to come out of a ballot box.

You want to keep people safe? Start forming solidarity networks. You want to keep emboldened racists from getting froggy? Buy a gun. You want to radically change the structure of the country you live in? Get organized, start conspiring, and make insurrection great again.

Kenya Coviak

To my fellow Americans, I say to you this: I am deeply disappointed in you. But I believe in the goodness of the human soul and heart and it will prevail. I will hold space for all of us, and ask you to do the same and keep us safe as we move forward in the vision of alchemizing the next four years. We are the children of the revolutionaries, always have been, and surviving is what revolutionaries do best.

Be the revolution you want to see. Be the love you want to receive. Be safe, be good to each other, and blessed be. [Coviak published a full editorial at PBN]

Rapid Cabot Freeman

Right now I am so grateful to my god the lord Woden, to all my Pagan & Heathen brothers and sisters at American Pagans For Trump, and all the honest, hardworking Americans that voted for this good and courageous man, Donald J. Trump, who will protect this country I love by making sure no one comes here that doesnt show good will and an honest desire to be a contributing citizen that respects our laws and customs.

Mr. Trump will put America first by making sure any trade deal we enter into is fair and protects the American worker and American jobs. He will the protect Second Amendment and thus every American citizens inborn right to protect themselves & their families. For the first time in awhile I feel very optimistic [about] the future our country will offer to my godson Zakk & all young Americans like him. The first 100 days of Mr. Trumps good works, I believe, will bear fruit that silences any naysayers. As a proud son of an American combat vet[eran], I hope he passes a law protecting the American flag from being stomped upon and burned because this disrespect to those that serve/served our country I personally find . . . to be revolting and unacceptable.

Mark Green

What we saw last night is that for nearly half of voting Americans, character doesnt matter. Bigotry and misogyny dont matter. Even basic human decency doesnt matter. All that matters is self-interest, and rage.

Many progressives helped to do this to themselves, promulgating right-wing lies about Hillary with glee. And they are left with exactly the ashes in their mouths that Nader voters tasted in 2000.

The most qualified person running was defeated by a human dumpster fire, and now all the things we thought we had secured in the name of progress are on the chopping block. Way to go, America.

Star Foster

Between Sanders and Trump, the American people have made it pretty clear they are sick of both major parties and politics as usual. I was hoping it was a Lincoln election, but Giuliani had it right: this is Andrew Jackson all over again.

Also, tonight was a pretty clear sign that our democracy works, because the nation exercised its right to elect someone that no one in establishment wanted.

The role of media in this election is fascinating, but they didnt just get it wrong, they were crafting the narrative rather than reporting the reality. Very embarrassing election for mainstream journalism.

Unlike in 2000, the third party impact probably didnt swing the election to either candidate. Stein was statistically unimportant. Johnson drew votes pretty equally from both sides, and theoretically should have hurt Trump more than Clinton. McMullins major impact was in traditionally-conservative Utah.

I spent the Saturday before election with Pagans all voting for Clinton, Johnson, or Stein, in that order of popularity. I think it is safe to say that most folks in the greater Pagan community are unhappy with the election results, and that vote-shaming of third party supporters already seems to be taking place. I expect the already pronounced emphasis on liberal politics in modern Paganism to become stronger in the next four years, and it will be interesting to see if the theological/worldview schism in Paganism deepens in the next four years if moderates and conservatives no longer feel welcome under the big umbrella.

Byron Ballard

Some people are afraid and shocked at this outcome. Others are relieved, feeling they  at last!  have some agency in their lives. Everyone is on edge because these are challenging times. But heres the truth: all of us are stronger than we know, and this is an opportunity to break down all the imposed barriers and build the world we want and need. That will take courage and hard work and resilience.

A political savior is not coming, and we cant wait around for that. For a decade Ive been writing about Tower Time and the fall of patriarchys toxic systems. It is writ large today; our longing and fear and need. These are the times we were made for. Were rolling up our sleeves and creating a new way to be. Per ardua ad terra.

Elena Rose

I am so scared, and so angry, and so sad. This election was a referendum on the people I love, on whether or not we deserve to live and exist as human beings, and I have been watching those percentages of our neighbors pile up, and it is hard not to succumb to that collapsing feeling that lets me know it will be people I love with our backs first against the wall. There is no unlearning this, un-confirming this thing I already knew, about this place I live.

I am at a loss, friends. One way or another, we will make it through. One way or another, we will be looking after each other.

Those of you they wont come for first: I hope youre ready to watch out for those of us at the top of the list.

* * *

The conversations will continue as the government transitions, and the election day fog lifts. This 2016 election may continue to bring controversy and even stories yet unwritten. Media channels, such as NPR, are now reporting that Clinton lost the election, but won the popular vote; she would be the fifth candidate in U.S. history to lose in this fashion.

As in this case, the Electoral College results can vary widely from the popular vote, because most states award all electoral votes to the winning candidate. While electors are pledged to vote for a particular candidate, so-called faithless electors have occasionally abstained or voted for someone else entirely. However, they typically act alone, impacting only one election in 1836.

The electors will cast their votes Dec. 19, and the ballots will then be counted January 6, making the 2016 election results official. The new president takes the oath of office Jan 20.
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NorthStar to take on Vermont Yankee for decommissioning

09 November 2016

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The decommissioning of the shut down Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant will be significantly accelerated through its sale to dismantling and remediation firm NorthStar Group Services, plant owner Entergy announced yesterday.

Vermont Yankee (Image: Entergy)

The company said it had reached an agreement with NorthStar to sell Vermont Yankee and transfer the plant's licences to subsidiaries of NorthStar. The transaction is subject to closing conditions, including from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Vermont Public Service Board. Entergy and NorthStar will also seek approval from the Public Service Board for proposed site restoration standards. They expect the transaction will close by the end of 2018.

The price that NorthStar will pay for the Vermont Yankee plant was not disclosed. However, Entergy said it would "receive nominal cash consideration and a promissory note payable to Entergy in an amount equal to the amount owed at the time of the closing under a credit facility to finance Vermont Yankee's dry fuel storage costs". This credit facility will be either assumed or refinanced by an Entergy subsidiary at or before the closing. The transfer of Vermont Yankee to NorthStar will include the plant's nuclear decommissioning trust and its obligations for used fuel management and decommissioning.

Entergy said the transaction "is expected to result in a loss at closing, the amount of which cannot be determined at this time, based on the difference between Entergy's book basis in Vermont Yankee at the time of closing and the sale price plus any agreed adjustments".

New York-based NorthStar is partnering with Areva, Waste Control Specialists (WCS) and Burns & McDonnell to perform specialized services drawing on each company's core competencies. Areva will be responsible for reactor vessel and internals segmentation and used fuel management support, including waste disposal transportation services. WCS will be responsible for waste management, packaging, transportation and disposal, while Burns & McDonnell will provide engineering and regulatory support.

Vermont Yankee, a single-unit 604 MWe BWR, generated its last power in December 2014. Although safety regulators had granted a licence for the unit to operate until 2032, Entergy decided to close it early for economic reasons.

Under Entergy's original decommissioning schedule for Vermont Yankee, decontamination and dismantling was set to begin in 2068, with decommissioning and site restoration expected to be completed by 2075.

NorthStar, under its agreement with Entergy, has committed to start decontamination and dismantling work at Vermont Yankee by 2021 and to complete decommissioning and site restoration - with the exception of the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSF) by 2030. NorthStar would then continue operating and maintaining the ISFSF "until the US Department of Energy fulfils its statutory and contractual obligations" to remove all of the used nuclear fuel from Vermont Yankee. The company would then decommission the ISFSF, terminate the NRC licence and complete site restoration.

Entergy has also said it will accelerate the transfer of all used fuel to dry cask storage at Vermont Yankee from 2020 to 2018. Last December, the company announced plans to start transferring used nuclear fuel from the plant from wet to dry storage in 2017, two years earlier than originally planned. According to that timetable, the transfer of all fuel in the plant's used fuel pool to dry cask storage would have been completed by the end of 2020.

Bill Mohl, president of Entergy Wholesale Commodities, said: "By accelerating decommissioning, we are fulfilling a commitment we made in 2013 to decommission Vermont Yankee as soon as reasonably possible. Decommissioning and site restoration, drawing on NorthStar's expertise, will provide economic development for the region." He added, "For Entergy, this transaction enables us to manage financial risk and reduce our company's merchant power footprint."

NorthStar CEO Scott State said, "Our in-house expertise, combined with the proven track record of our partners, provides the complete package of skills needed to ensure the timely, safe, cost-efficient decommissioning and restoration of the Vermont Yankee site. Our primary objective is to complete the decommissioning of the non-Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation portion of the site decades earlier than originally planned so that the majority of Vermont Yankee can be redeveloped to promote business for the region."

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

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STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 8, ARTSAKHPRESS: The report was with respect to the completion of the development of a program aimed at sharply increasing the state insurance payment for cases of the countrys soldiers losing their lives, or becoming disabled, during military actions and combat duty.

Defense Minister Sargsyan noted that as result of works a formula was elaborated, under which significantly higher payments for occurring incidents will be planned starting January 28, 2017  the 25th anniversary of the Armed Forces of Armenia.

Families of fallen soldiers and soldiers who suffered 1st degree disabilities will receive a lump sum of 10 million AMD. 5 million AMD is planned for soldiers suffering 2nd degree disabilities. Monthly insurance payments in case of death or 1st degree disability will comprise 300 thousand AMD for officers, 250 thousand for corporals and 200 thousand for privates. In case of 3rd degree disabilities, the insurance payments will comprise 250,200 and 150 thousand AMD respectively. This amount  as insurance payment- will be provided for 20 consecutive years. For disabilities, in case of the effective functioning and presence of financial resources of the fund, the council of the foundation will be able to make a decision after 20 years for providing the continuation of these payments. Otherwise, after 20 years disabled servicemen will begin receiving social welfare  as defined by the state at that time. The program will be financed by a special fund, with each employee paying 1000 AMD every month. The fund will also collect voluntary donations. The sum will be spent exclusively on insurance fees. A council of the program will be formed, including individuals who enjoy the respect and trust of the public, which will supervise this transparent and public process.

The President, for his part, underscored the respective work that was done, and gave new instructions for the implementation phase of this program.

In my opinion, yes, the time has come when we are able to drastically improve this situation with the help of our citizens. We have always tried to do the maximum. In any case, the fact that we were able to solve the apartment problem for the fallen, 1st degree disabled, and the numerous 2nd degree disabled people is the result of the so-called desire and willingness of the state, and the formula is very correct  state-private cooperation. That is, when we say nation-army, even if we say that our army is a peoples army before this slogan, this ideology, that our army is the guarantor of our security, then it must be manifested not only by moral speech, but also, of course, participation. In this context I find extremely important the adoption of the law, but at the same time we need to work with the Finance Ministry and the Government. Lets see, to what extent we can improve also the condition of families of soldiers, officers who have fallen before", the President said.
Africa Development Bank launches Africa Fashonomics targeting job creation

The African Development Bank launched Fashionomics, a platform to develop the African fashion industry for jobs creation, at Lagos Fashion and Design Week.

The launch included the dissemination of the final report and findings on Fashionomics, a demonstration of the dedicated online sharing platform and a panel discussion featuring designers from Nigeria, Ethiopia and South Africa, alongside relevant Nigerian policy-makers.

The event brought together around 300 designers, entrepreneurs, fashion bloggers, investors, and representatives of international organizations, as well as stakeholders from the textile and fashion industry.

The high-level panel comprised the Minister of State for Industry Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar; the Permanent Secretary in the Education Ministry, Folasade Yemi-Esan; Chioma Dike, Special Assistant to the Commissioner of the Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry; the CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Olusegun Awolowo; the AfDB Nigeria Country Office Director, Ousmane Dore; and Omoyemi Akerele, Founder of Lagos Fashion and Design Week.

Lagos Fashion and Design Week (LFDW) aims to promote the Nigerian and, ultimately, the African fashion industry by bringing together fashion producers, consumers and the media to review the collections of African designers in Lagos, Nigerias economic hub. LFDW is supporting initiatives to strengthen and develop the fashion industry. The annual event provides a physical platform that is repositioning the fashion industry for commerce and creativity.

The decision to use this event as a launch pad for Fashionomics in Nigeria ensured the maximum use of both the AfDB convening power and the presence of Africas vibrant creatives looking to unleash the economic potentials of the fashion industry. Designers, investors, policy-makers and media representatives from all over the continent participated in the event.

Addressing the panel, Minister Abubakar recalled that Nigeria was once a major producer of cotton and had a vibrant textile industry that has declined from over 135 industries to seven that are barely functional. This is why the government has been making concerted efforts to address the challenge by including the cotton, textile and garment (CTG) industry under the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP). A dedicated Fashionomics platform will shore up government efforts and those of other players in the sector to support the growth of the textile and garment industry. The Fashonomics online platform will expose designers and other stakeholders to the global market, attract international investment and improve skills development.

In her opening remarks, the AfDB Special Envoy on Gender, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, sounded a wake-up call. Fashion is not only about design or inspiration. Its also a multi-billion dollar industry that creates millions of jobs, she said, noting that the combined apparel and footwear market in Sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to be worth $31 billion.

At the interactive panel discussion, young designers agreed that the platform indeed had a two-way advantage in that they could both reap from and contribute to the industry across the continent and indeed worldwide. Omoyemi Akerele, the founder of the event, remarked that the platform would position African couture on the global fashion stage where it belongs.

The designers and budding entrepreneurs appealed to the media to assist in building and enhancing their work. Haowa Bello, a Nigerian handbag designer who rears her own goats and processes her leather into beautifully finished pieces, urged Nigerians to drop the big brands and showcase local talent. Please dont give me money. Instead, when youre jetting off to New York to seal that all-important deal, drop the Louis Vuitton and wear one of my creations, she said.

Fashionomics aims to create an enabling environment, where all players in the industry are connected to foster peer-to-peer learning, mentoring, information- and knowledge-sharing, and access to markets across borders with the click of a button.

www.afdb.org
STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 9, ARTSAKHPRESS: The Ministrys announcement reads: Overnight November 8-9 the Azerbaijani side violated the ceasefire regime more than 40 times by firing over 670 shots from various caliber small arms at the Armenian positions in the Nagorno Karabakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.

In the north-eastern direction (Talish) of the line of contact, the Azerbaijani forces fired also anti-tank grenade launcher (1 grenade).

The Defense Army forces are in full control of the situation in the frontline and continue confidently fulfilling their military duties."
Nov 9, 2016 | By Alec

Is France the next up-and-coming industrial 3D printing hub? It certainly seems that way, as various high profile 3D printing initiatives have recently kicked off in France. Just a few months ago, for example, French startup XtreeE and various high profile construction companies launched a serious construction 3D printing initiative, benefiting from the innovation-friendly climate in France. But the French aerospace sector is not far behind. Safran, one of the biggest manufacturers in that field, has just signed a collaborative partnership deal with Australias Amaero Engineering and Monash University to start 3D printing space-bound aerospace components  including gas turbines for jet engines.

Safran itself is a major manufacturer especially focused on aerospace, defense and security. With more than 70,000 employees and a 2015 sales revenue that clocked in at 17.4 billion euros, they are one of the biggest players in Europes aerospace manufacturing sector. Their Power Unit department is especially known for their innovative turbojet engines for civil and military aircraft, missiles and target drones, and they will play a key role in this new 3D printing initiative.

Amaero itself is a spin-off company that grew out of Monash research that will now be setting up a Toulouse facility to support Safran. Our new facility will be embedded within the Safran Power Units factory in Toulouse and will make components for Safrans auxiliary power units and turbojet engines, CEO Barrie Finnin revealed. Aside from Monash University, this collaboration is also supported by the Australian Government through the Entrepreneurs Programme, while CSIRO, SIEF and Deakin University are also involved.

Specifically, Amaero will provide access to Safran Power Units with two industrial SLM 3D printers and bring their know-how and intellectual property to their Toulouse factory. Through the work of Monash and Amaero scientists, these 3D printers have also been specifically customized to meet the strict requirements of Safran Power Units engine manufacturing systems. Whats more, Amaero will be actively involved in the manufacturing process. As part of the deal, Safran will design the parts, and Amaero will 3D print them and remain in charge of post-processing and assembly. Safran will subsequently test and validate the 3D printed components, with an eye on serial production starting in 2017.

This deal can be traced back to 2015, when Monash University, Amaero and Safran Power Units presented what they called the worlds first printed jet engine mock up at the Melbourne International Airshow. Essentially, they took a Safran Power Units gas turbine from a Falcon 20 executive jet and 3D printed two copies after 3D scanning them  a project that demonstrated their collaborative ability to 3D print major and critical jet engine components. Combustion chambers, air inlet casings and nozzles were also on their hitlist. Along with Safrans certification process, it enabled quick serial production.

That initial success paved the way for this new stage in their partnership, which Monash Universitys Vice-Provost Professor Ian Smith called an excellent example of how research can have commercial impact on a global scale. I am delighted that Monash is contributing to global innovation and attracting business investment with our world-class research. The Amaero-Safran collaboration is a fabulous example of how universities and industry can link together to translate research into real commercial outcomes, Professor Smith said. The new venture is part of Monash Universitys large-scale investment in innovation on our Clayton campus, which brings together a dynamic cluster of research, research infrastructure and industry partners. Collectively we and our industry collaborators are driving technological change and advancing manufacturing  delivering real social and economic impact.

Professor Xinhua Wu, of Monashs Centre for Additive Manufacturing echoed those statements, adding that they are very closely collaborating with Safran. Im delighted to see our technology leap from the laboratory to a factory at the heart of Europes aerospace industry in Toulouse, he said.

But even before that initial success, Monash had been working with Safran on bringing 3D printing to the production stage. As Francois Tarel, CEO of Safran Power Units, declared, the technology has been way up on their list of targets over the past five years. The stakes are high: weight reduction, huge production cycles shortening and designs innovation. Safran Group advances and our partner leading-edge expertise allow us to stay ahead and to supply the most sophisticated components. This is not just a matter of 3D printing, the 3P rule applies: setting the right parameter for the right part and the right expected performance Tarel. The first results of this collaboration could go into production as early as the first quarter of 2017.

But Amaero and Monash are not completely focused on Toulouse, as they are also bringing their aerospace 3D printing innovations to various Australian industries. Among others, they are working on a range of biomedical devices, customized surgical tools and scaffolds that can replace large tumors that are surgically removed. Mining and food processing applications are also on the agenda. Were getting closer and closer to large scale metal manufacturing through 3D printing.

Posted in 3D Printing Application

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Nov 9, 2016 | By Alec

Its been anticipated for a long time, but Xjets NanoParticle Jetting metal 3D printing technology is finally ready for primetime. First announced about a year ago, this proprietary inkjet printing technology for liquid metal promised to make the large scale manufacturing of custom metal parts cheaper and more efficient than ever before. While first unveiled at RAPID in Florida, visitors of next weeks Formnext in Frankfurt (to be held from 15 to 18 November) will be able to see a completely new and unexpected side of this 3D printing technology: the 3D printing of ceramic materials with the same level of detail and efficiency.

Xjet itself is an Israeli startup with the ambition to do for metal 3D printing what fellow Israeli company Objet (now part of Stratasys) did for plastic manufacturing. This ambition transformed into NanoParticle Jetting or NPJ 3D printing, which the company hailed as a groundbreaking new metal 3D printing solution back in May  one that could even bring 3D printing to mainstream manufacturing. In a nutshell, NPJ uses nanoparticles to create special liquid metals that are 3D printed into one-of-a-kind metal parts on the fly whilst introducing a new level of throughput and speed, unequaled accuracy and surface finish. Whats more, the technology should become significantly cheaper than Direct Metal Laser Sintering, as well as easier and safer to use.

As a result, NPJ 3D printing was immediately hailed as being perfect for the 3D printing titanium medical devices, such as knee implants, and even for aluminum parts for automotive and aerospace applications. Using our inkjet technology we will be able to make customized metal manufacturing affordable for even small companies, said Xjet CBO Dror Danai.

But it doesnt end there, as Xjet has just announced that ceramic parts 3D printed with the same technology. Using the same principles, the NPJ 3D printer 3D printed these objects from layers of droplets containing ceramic nanoparticles. The extremely high temperatures within the build envelope subsequently cause the liquids to evaporate, forcing the ceramic nanoparticles to form a true ceramic and highly detailed part. These parts are subsequently sintered and supports are removed by hand.

This is a huge breakthrough, exactly because ceramic isnt easily 3D printed at very high accuracy. After many years of research, we are excited to have reached this milestone of development, producing another high quality material through NanoParticle Jetting (NPJ), Hanan Gothait, CEO and Founder of XJet explained. NPJ is a truly disruptive technology as it offers a totally new level of fine details, material properties and simple clean operation without the need to design or remove complex support structures.

This ceramic breakthrough makes NPJ 3D printing even more widely applicable. The expansion of NanoParticle Jetting to include ceramics will allow XJet to address an even wider range of applications, such as dental, medical and specific industrial applications, added Xjet CBO Danai. At formnext we will demonstrate how the usage of ink-jet technology, and it's very large tray, will encourage more industries to look at Ceramic Additive Manufacturing as an option for both customized parts and relatively large scale manufacturing of small parts.

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STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 9, ARTSAKHPRESS: The telegram reads:

Dear Mr. Trump,

I cordially congratulate you on being elected as President of the United States of America. The American people highly appreciated both your knowledge and experience, and your vision and approaches, trusting you the honorable responsibility of leading the country. I am sure you will spare no effort in making the coming years a period of highs and achievements for the USA.

Today, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between Armenia and the United States, I express gratitude for the significant assistance which your country has provided during the last quarter century, aimed at establishment of Armenias democracy and economic growth. We highly appreciate the important role of the United States, as a co-chairing country of the OSCE Minsk Group, in the peaceful settlement process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

I am sure during your Presidency the friendly Armenian-American relations will continue to strengthen and gain new achievements in various fields. I am convinced the involvement of Armenian-Americans will remain strong in our partnership. Once again I congratulate you on the occasion of being elected to the post of President of the USA and I wish you productive work  for the glory of the United States of America and prosperity of the American people.

Please accept, your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration."
Fall is a wonderful time of year for being outdoors. The summer crowds thin, the temperatures mellow, and, depending on the region, the fall foliage traverses the color spectrum from green to radiant gold and red hues. In Santa Barbarahome to sycamore, cottonwood, liquidambars, vineyards, and even the sanguine poison oakthe forests of the Santa Ynez mountains erupt with color, and the Pacific, having slumbered for much of the spring and summer, awakens with the best breaks of the year. With the arrival of the sometimes howling Santa Ana winds, which actually make fall the hottest time of year to visit Santa Barbara, the mountains and ocean are yours for the taking.

Here are some adventures to get you going!







The surf at El Capitan State Beach turns on from time to time (Photo by Aron Bosworth)

1) A Real Blue Flame Special

The unfortunate orientation of the Channel Islands south of Santa Barbara doom ideal point breaks to semi-annual dormancyBut guess what? That happens during the spring and summer. Western swells begin to roll onto Santa Barbara beaches in the fall, when the big ole blue transforms from flaccid to fantastic. Check out El Capitan State Beach. Alternatives: Sands, Campus Point, Tarpit and world-famous Rincon, among others.





2) Old Standby

Where there are wild places, there are trails to explore them. Santa Barbara is backed by the Los Padres National Forest and has dozens of trails to wander. By Thanksgiving, these trails through sycamore and cottonwood will be alive with color. Head to Inspiration Point for an easy hike to a view of the Santa Barbara area, too.







3) More Than Just Hot Air

The Sundowner winds of autumn bring hot blasts of air and the highest temps to the normally mild Santa Ynez Mountains. In fact, the hottest temperature recorded in Santa Barbara, and for 75 years the hottest recorded on earth, occurred when desert air exploded over the range in June of 1859 and spiked temperatures up to 133 degrees. Higher temperatures have happened only twice since, so the event is exceedingly rare, but when the Santa Ana winds breathe fire into Santa Barbara, you'll want to be near water. The ocean is always a great idea, as is Red Rock Pool.





Sunrise from the dunes of Jamala Beach Photo by Denis LeBlanc

4) Thou That Madly Seekest

The California Coast is a year-round destination for humans, yes, but far larger and more dramatic visitors can be spotted in the waters of the Pacific. According to a recent census, a gray whale herd numbering around 28,000 whales passes the coast of Santa Barbara twice annually during their winter and summer migrations, and that's just one species. Take a whale-watching tour to get up close to these giants, or grab a handy pair of binoculars and scoot on over the Jalama Beach.







5) Continental Wrinkles

We're regularly reminded that Southern California is a place designed, forged, and remade by fragmented crust that just can't stop reshuffling, but there are benefits to living and visiting one of the most tectonically active regions in the world: mountains and rocks. The Santa Ynez Mountains have both, and as long as the Santa Ana winds aren't blowing, the conditions in the fall are perfect for throwing up a line. Word is there are easy bouldering problems at Inspiration Point. Trad and sport climbers should head on over the Gibraltar Rock or the Toxic Waste Wall.





6) Pitch a Tent

The beaches of Southern California have been hotspots for campers for decades, and the allure of an oceanside campsite isn't out of style. There's always something nearby to do, whether it's picnicking or hiking along the sandy shores. Try El Capitan State Beach Campground or Carpinteria State Beach Campground, which is one of the few to have direct views of the ocean.





Safari Tent at El Capitan Canyon Nature Resort Photo by Aron Bosworth

7) Or Don't

If a camping setting without the camping stress is more your style, there are options for that, too. West of Santa Barbara, the El Capitan Canyon Nature Resort offers pre-pitched safari tents, yurts, and they have cabins for a backcountry camp with more structure to it.







8) Watch the Pincers

The California crabbing season wraps up in the fall, when the six-legged crustacean makes a break for deeper waters, but you might be able to find stragglers hanging loose in the waters at Mesa Lane. While you might be out of a meal, the bird watching at Mesa Lane is excellent, and late in the fall the birds should be in the middle of their winter migrations.







9) Astride the Cycle

Southern California's rolling hills and open chaparral are ideal for mountain biking. Ride the shuttle up Downieville, an advanced, 16-mile ride with fun drops and water sections. The Forest of Nisene Marks and the Demo, or the Soquel Demonstration Forest, offers fantastic and technically advanced mountain biking trails, but be ready to tackle longer ascents.







Sunset from the castle remains at Knapp's Castle Photo by Shaun Hunter

10) In Nomine Patris

California has a colonial history dating to the 16th century, and Native American tribes have lived there for tens of thousands of years. While this hasn't always been a harmonious relationship, the Old Mission Santa Barbara offers an escape in the city to a Catholic mission established around the time of American independence and still run by Franciscan friars. Knapp's Castle is another Southern California vestige, the ruins of a mansion built by a petrochemical executive and largely destroyed in a wildfire.


As shorter days and cooler temperatures slowly push us indoors, it's time to hunker down with friends and family, cook hearty meals, and savor the darker, richer beers of fall. Thankfully, local brewers are crafting delicious seasonal beers to help smooth the transition. We picked seven toasty brews that bring autumn to your glass.







21st Amendment's Camino (Un) Real

21st Amendment, in collaboration with Stone Brewing and Firestone Walker Brewing Co., created this dark, strong ale that combines the meaty richness of a stout with the assertive hoppiness of an IPA. An additional melange of dried mission figs, pink peppercorns, fennel and chia seeds brings herbal, fruit and spice notes to this sumptuous 9.5 percent ABV beer. The brew takes its name from the historical mission trail, El Camino Real (now highway 101), which linked California's 21 Spanish Missions and also links the three breweries. Four packs of the beer are available locally now. // 563 2nd St. (SoMa), 21st-amendment.com





Photo courtesy of Anchor Brewing Co.

Anchor Brewing Co.'s Barrel Aged Old Foghorn Barleywine

Anchor resurrected the American barleywine style more than 40 years ago and is harkening back to the past again to release a barrel-aged version later this month. Anchor aged this heady 11 percent ABV barleywine in Old Potrero Rye Whiskey Barrels for a year to make a velvety-smooth sipper with a subtle rye whiskey bite. If you can't wait for the 22-ounce bombers to drop on store shelves, visit the brewery on Wednesday, November 16 for the bottle-release party. Get tickets and details here. // 1705 Mariposa St. (Bernal Heights), anchorbrewing.com





Almanac Beer Company's Grand Cru

Almanac recently released two Grand Cru beer-wine hybrids: a red and a white. The red, an imperial sour ale fermented with California Zinfandel and Petite Sirah grapes, raspberries and vanilla beans, was aged in French red-wine barrels for 12 months. The white is an imperial sour blonde ale fermented with California Muscat grapes and apricots, also aged in French wine barrels for a year. Both of these meticulously crafted ales are bottled in 750 mL and have limited availability. However, with 10.5 percent ABV, they will age well, so if you like barrel-aged sours, pick up what you can now. // almanacbeer.com





Photo courtesy of Speakeasy Ales and Lagers.

Speakeasy's Betrayal Imperial Red Ale

After a two-year hiatus, Speakeasy is again releasing their Betrayal Imperial Red Ale again later this month. Betrayal has a deep-amber color and a creamy head. Aromas of tropical fruit and orange blossom mingle with caramel and toasted malts. A juicy burst of stone fruits and citrus balance the crisp rye notes. If you want an early taste, visit the tap room next Saturday, November 12. // 1195 Evans Ave. (Bayview-Hunters Point), goodbeer.com







Drake's Brewing Co.'s Jolly Rodger Imperial Dark Ale

Each fall, for more than 20 years, Drake's has used a different recipe to brew Jolly Rodger. Brewmaster John Gillooly describes this year's version as a "Transcontinental Winter Warmer." It's made with a hearty concoction of specialty malts, candi sugar, and an especially aromatic yeast strain. The 2016 Jolly Rodger has notes of caramel, earthy spice, and sun-dried raisins. Drake's is hosting a free and family-friendly release party at their San Leandro location on Saturday, November 12, starting at noon. It's a Caribbean feast as well, so come dressed as a pirate for a chance to win some Drake's loot. // 1933 Davis St. (San Leandro), drinkdrakes.com







Local Brewing Co.'s Excelsior! Vienna Lager

Named after Vienna Street in San Francisco's Excelsior neighborhood, this hearty, amber-hued Vienna Lager is available at Local's brewery now. The beer's firm, malty backbone is brightened by aromatic notes of cherry and toasty malt, making it a tasty and comforting autumn brew. // 69 Bluxome St. (Mission Bay), localbrewingcom





Photo courtesy of Nick Gingold.

Firestone Walker Brewing Company's Merlin Oatmeal Stout

Firestone Walker recently released its 2016 version of Velvet Merlin, a silky oatmeal stout specially brewed to warm you on a cold night. "I have a real soft spot for oatmeal stouts," said brewmaster Matt Brynildson. "The Velvet Merlin recipe is from my homebrew days. It's pretty straightforward, and it's all about the malt." This decadent beer offers robust cocoa and espresso aromas with subtle American hop nuances. Rich dark-chocolate and roasted-coffee flavors accentuate a creamy mouthfeel and dry finish to create perfect balance in this full-bodied stout. Available in 22 ounce bombers now. // 1400 Ramada Dr. (Paso Robles) firestonebeer.com


Your guide to the tastiest foodie happenings going down this week. Bon appetit!





August 1 Five Opens Friday

August 1 Five opens this Friday bringing contemporary Indian food to Civic Center. Chef Manish Tyagi, who has cooked at Rasika in Washington D.C. and worked with Taj Hotels, is at the helm. Wine and cocktails will be available to help wash down the spice of Kashmiri chili wings and crispy Bori Shrimp. // Open daily, 524 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center), august1five.com





The Saucy Awards

The Golden Gate Restaurant Association is celebrating its 80th anniversary by hosting their first ever awards gala. Categories include nominees for Chef of The Year and Restaurant of the Year among others. Tickets grant you access to the award ceremony and post-ceremony reception which will include bites by Estate Events by Meadowood and cocktails by Campari America, as well as an after-party, where things could get, ahem, saucy. // $150, Monday Nov.14, 7pm, 401 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center), Get tickets here.









The Complete Cocktail Book Signing at St. George Spirits

San Francisco drinks writer and man about town Lou Bustamante just released a book about cocktails, and is doing a signing at St. George Spirits in Alameda. The event will include a Q&A, book signing, and a short presentation on cocktail planning for the holidays. There will of course be a mini cocktail flight and light bites to soak it all up. // $10, Sunday Nov. 13, 5:30-7:30pm, 2601 Monarch St. (Alameda), thevillagedrunk.com









Sipping Spain at Teleferic Barcelona

Walnut Creek purveyor of Spanish tapas and pintxos Teleferic Barcelona will be holding a Sipping Spain event next Monday. The party will take place on the second-story patio and feature an exclusive Catalonian wine tasting and pairing menu with six courses. You'll be sipping the same wine as Salvador Dali, so that could be cool. // $65, Monday Nov. 14, 6:30pm, 1400 Mount Diablo Blvd. (Walnut Creek), sippingspain.splashthat.com





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Ijji Refocuses Menu to 19-Course Omakase

Haight Ashbury's Ijji has changed its menu to a 19-course omakase prix fixe. If this sounds like too much, 13 of the courses will be nigiri, in addition to a soup and five starters, so the meal should be fairly balanced. // $135, 252 Divisadero (Lower Haight),
Two decades later in Vietnam, Ramon "Tony" Nadal and his outnumbered troops are in a fight for survival in the Battle of Ia Drang. After heavy fighting and casualties, Nadal recounts how he led his tired troops on a harrowing rescue of a platoon trapped behind enemy lines.

In the Battle of Tal Afar, Sgt. Gary Villalobos and Lt. Col. Terrence Crowe are leading their men in searching the town when insurgents ambush them in an alley. Crowe is hit numerous times and falls to the ground 10 feet from Villalobos. Villalobos tells how he returned fire and refused to retreat until he could evacuate Crowe.

Read more about these brave men, and nine other heroes, as they recall their fiercest battles.
Two Cayuga County-area school districts are among 25 high-need districts that have been awarded grants to expand pre-kindergarten programs for 3-year-olds.

The Auburn Enlarged City School District will receive $820,384 and the Jordan-Elbridge school district will get $510,912 from the state to open up pre-kindergarten to more 3-year-old students.

The funding was part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's 2016 agenda, which focused on promoting early childhood education.

School districts had to apply for the funding and the state considered several factors, including the district's need and maximizing the total number of children served.

"Every child deserves a fair shot at a high-quality education," Cuomo said in a statement. "This funding will help level the academic playing field for children in these underprivileged communities, giving them opportunity to succeed, thrive and ultimately lead in New York."

Auburn and Jordan-Elbridge weren't the only central New York school districts to receive grants for pre-K programs. The Syracuse City School District was awarded $1,245,461, according to the governor's office.

Overall, the state awarded $10.4 million in grants to high-need school districts. This will allow more than 1,500 children to enroll in pre-kindergarten programs.

MaryEllen Elia, the state education commissioner, touted the role of pre-K in the development of children.

"High-quality prekindergarten programs, especially those that provide full-day services and serve low-income or high need students, help those students stay on track to graduate from high school and, over the long term, significantly reduce costs for remedial education, social services, health and criminal justice programs," Elia said.
When U.S. Rep. John Katko decided he wouldn't vote for Republican nominee Donald Trump in the presidential election, he said he would support either a third party candidate or submit a write-in vote.

On Election Day, he chose the latter. Katko, R-Camillus, said Tuesday he voted for South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a fellow Republican.

"I saw what she did with respect to the church shooting and the whole Confederate flag issue. She handled it well," Katko said, referring to Haley's response in the aftermath of the 2015 shooting at a Charleston church.

Katko met Haley when she testified at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing in April. The hearing focused on the proposed transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba to sites in the United States, including the Naval Consolidated Brig in Charleston.

At the hearing, Katko asked Haley questions about the potential impact of housing the detainees in South Carolina.

Katko said he approached Haley after the hearing.

"I went up to her, shook her hand and said, 'Why aren't you running (for president)?" And she laughed," he said. "I thought she was strong."

Earlier this year, Katko pledged to support the Republican nominee for president. But he backed off that commitment when it became clear Trump would secure the party's nomination.

Katko expressed concerns about Trump, but didn't rule out supporting him. He said Trump would have to earn his vote.

And then came the release of a video showing Trump making sexually aggressive comments about women. Katko condemned the remarks.

The next day, he made his decision: He wouldn't vote for Trump in the presidential election.

Democrats criticized Katko for months and attempted to link the GOP congressman to his party's nominee for president. Even after Katko said he wouldn't vote for Trump, Democrats doubled down on the line of attack.

Tying Katko to Trump, as it turned out, wasn't enough to derail the GOP congressman's re-election bid. He defeated his opponent, Democratic challenger Colleen Deacon, by 20 points.

Katko did need a couple of tries to cast his ballot with a write-in vote for president. Because he wrote outside of the write-in margin, the machine wouldn't accept his ballot. He completed a second ballot and it was successfully submitted.
Home On App  To Buy and Let the Properties & Services

Goldlit Direction LTD today is proud to announce the release of Home On App, an update to their popular business app developed for iOS and Android devices. The Home On App offers a better solution to help seekers buy or let the home they need, and connect directly with property owners who are looking for the perfect place for their listings  and the perfect match.

Londoners know that in the United Kingdom, quality housing is often pricey enough without having to pay expensive fees to find a home through a broker site. Now, the Home On App offers a better solution to help seekers buy or let the home they need, and connect directly with property owners who are looking for the perfect place for their listings  and the perfect match.

Its simple: Just list the properties you have available, and interested parties can contact you directly via text message or phone call. Home On App cuts out the middleman, and streamlines the housing search process without the time, expense or inconvenience. The app also lists providers of housing-related services and their profiles, so information about services connected to your search is at your fingertips.

Theres no reason to go through a cumbersome and expensive process on an agent or broker website, said Yu Qin, Director for the Home On App. The mobile app delivers listings with detailed information and images, with easy-to-use filters to help sort by geographic location or the features you most want.

Home On App will help to recommend services as well as properties, with a comprehensive and easy-to-navigate directory of electricians, moves and other housing-related businesses. With a simple tap, a Home On App user can compare services and experience, pay rates per hour and all contact information.

For complete details, see the Home On App in iTunes, where it is available in English, or at the GooglePlay store. The basic app is easy to install and free.

Features:

Comprehensive lists of properties to fit your preferences, timeline and budget

Easy to use filters for finding the perfect home and comparing your options

Connect directly with landlords or sellers by text and phone, without the agent expense

Explore quality service providers for cleaning, carpentry and related housing needs

Pricing and Availability: The app is currently available for Free and available at both iTunes App Store and Google Play Store in the Business category.

Device Requirements for iPhone:

Size: 21.7MB

System requires iOS 7.1 or later.

Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Device Requirements for Android:

System requires Android 3.0 and up.

Download from iTunes

Download from Google Play

App Icon

Screenshot

About Goldlit Direction LTD:

The business focuses on property development, real estate investment and IT platform for property related business. The projects have been spread in the UK from conversion, renovation, the new builds and IT platform etc. The successful business relies on people working together, the talented members form a great team. The company will continue growing as a specialist in real estate investment area. All Material and Software (C) Copyright 2016 Goldlit Direction Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks may be the property of their respective owners.

Media Contact

Company Name: Goldlit Direction LTD

Contact Person: Y Qin

Email: homeonapp@gmail.com

Phone: +44 7736 758793

City: London

State: London

Country: United Kingdom

Website: http://homeonapp.com/
Retail Banking Country Snapshot: Hong Kong 2016 reviews the retail banking sector in Hong Kong, with a particular focus on the current account, savings, mortgage, and personal loans markets

Hong Kongs retail financial services landscape is very concentrated, with the top four banks accounting for the bulk of the market. HSBC in particular holds a dominant position in all four product sectors we examined. Consumers have traditional attitudes and tend to favor banks with established reputations and branch networks. Most products are still purchased in-branch, and this poses challenges for newer, digital-only providers.

Browse the Full Hong Kong Retail Banking Market  Global Scenario, Industry Outlook, Share, and Industry analysis, Size, Trends and Forecast Report at  http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/retail-banking-country-snapshot-hong-kong

Radiant Insights Retail Banking Country Snapshot: Hong Kong 2016 reviews the retail banking sector in Hong Kong, with a particular focus on the current account, savings, mortgage, and personal loans markets. It includes both market-level data and insight from our Retail Banking Insight Survey.

The report offers insight into:

 How consumers in Hong Kong take out and use their financial products, and how this has changed in recent years.

 Which providers dominate the current account, savings, mortgage, and loan markets, and what factors persuaded their customers to choose them.

 The extent to which consumers are using online and mobile channels to research, take out, and use their financial products.

Browse All Reports of This Category @ http://www.radiantinsights.com/catalog/financial-services

Key Findings

 HSBC commands a 37% share of the current account market, making it the leading provider by a significant margin. Consumers tend to be cautious in their choice of provider, with reputation and branch location being the two most important drivers. The branch is still the only significant channel for current account acquisition, with 70% of consumers using this as their main channel in 2013-16.

 When deciding where to place their savings, consumers focus first and foremost upon branch location and reputation. Personal treats and protection against unexpected events are by far the two biggest reasons for saving, each cited by well over half of savers. Overall, 22% of savers claim to be very or quite willing to entrust their savings with a peer-to-peer lender, although only 4% state that they are very willing to do so.

 Of mortgages taken out in 2013-16, around one in four were arranged online, a far higher proportion than previously. Overall, around two thirds of mortgages are arranged via direct channels, and just under a fifth through an independent financial advisor (IFA), although IFAs account for a greater proportion of mortgages arranged more recently.

Request a Free Sample Copy of this Report @ http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/retail-banking-country-snapshot-hong-kong/request-sample

Reasons To Buy

 Future proofs your strategy with market sizing, forecasts, and analysis of key developments currently affecting Hong Kongs retail banking sector.

 Target consumers with inside knowledge of their true behaviors and attitudes, with detailed analysis from our proprietary insight.

 Learn about the impact new entrants and distribution channels will have on the market.

Read more related reports by Radiant Insights:

 Norway Debit Cards Market

http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/debit-cards-usage-analytics-by-card-scheme-visa-bank-axept-norway

Debit Cards Usage Analytics by Card Scheme (VISA-BANK AXEPT): Norway; is an exhaustive research report outlaying Debit Cards usage in Norway. The report provides year on year statistics on Average Transaction Value, Frequency of Use, Number of Transactions, and Turnover per card, Cards Issued and more by Card Scheme / Association covering VISA and BANK AXEPT CARD.

 Norway Credit Cards Market

http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/credit-cards-usage-analytics-by-card-scheme-amex-visa-master-norway

The report Credit Cards Usage Analytics by Card Scheme (AMEX-VISA-MASTER): Norway report is the result of Verdict Financials extensive market research covering the cards and payments industry in Norway. It provides detailed credit cards usage statistics by Card Scheme / Association covering American Express (AMEX), VISA and MASTER CARD on parameters like Average Transactions value and Number of Transactions, Frequency of Use, Turnover per card, Card Issue and Value of Transactions.

Media Contact

Company Name: Radiant Insights, Inc.

Contact Person: Michelle Thoras, Corporate Sales Specialist  USA

Email: sales@radiantinsights.com

Phone: (415) 349-0054, Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Address:28 2nd Street, Suite 3036

City: San Francisco

State: California

Country: United States

Website: http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/retail-banking-country-snapshot-hong-kong
Inspur International (HKG:0596) is a leading IT and Outsource Software development company with a large international client base across the world, including Microsoft, Toshiba and Hitachi. Apart from servicing the MNEs market, the company is also engaged in a lot of government projects in China. Inspur has been named one of Fortune Magazine's top 100 software companies in the world for 3 consecutive years. In FY 2008, the company has experienced outstanding growth in its revenue and EPS, rising by 99.7% and 590.5% respectively.


Valutrades to Integrate iSignthis Paydentity

Melbourne, Nov 9, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - iSignthis Ltd ( ASX:ISX ) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with UK FCA regulated Valutrades, which offers FX & CFD trading.



Highlights:



- ISXPay to process payments to Valutrades nominated acquirers



- iSignthis to remotely verify Valutrades customers



- Valutrades to meet the EU's 4th AML Directive and PSD2 via iSignthis



iSignthis will be providing Valutrades with its full range of Paydentity services, including Digital KYC, Strong Customer Authentication, Fraud Prevention, Payment Gateway and Card Tokenisation. The service is set to go live within the next 3 months.



Valutrades CEO Graeme Watkins comments: "Valutrades is excited to be working with iSignthis to implement their cutting edge Paydentity services. We see this as an important step in improving our customer experience, reducing the time to completion when signing up for and funding accounts, whilst at the same time enhancing our due diligence process keeping our business safe and secure for all our clients."



iSignthis Managing Director Mr. N J (John) Karantzis commented "We are delighted to reach agreement with Valutrades, one of the newer and dynamic brokers in the FX sector. We look forward to working with them to provide a positive customer experience in addition to compliance to AML/CTF regulations, payment processing and fraud mitigation solutions. Valutrades customers will benefit by way of fast, efficient on boarding whilst meeting regulatory requirements".



About Valutrades



Valutrades is headquartered in London, authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under license number 586541. Offering the award-winning Metatrader 4 terminal, Valutrades is a transparent no dealing desk broker, with up to 1:400 leverage and providing clients with over 50 financial instruments.



Read more about the company at http://www.valutrades.com/en/about



About iSignthis Ltd





iSignthis Ltd (ASX:ISX) (FRA:TA8) is a hybrid monetary financial institution and also a RegTech leader in remote identity verification, payment authentication with deposit taking, transactional banking and payment processing capability. iSignthis provides an end-to-end on-boarding service for merchants, with a unified payment, electronic money and identity service via our Paydentity(TM) and ISXPay(R) solutions.

By converging payments and identity, iSignthis delivers regulatory compliance to an enhanced customer due diligence standard, offering global reach to any of the world's 4.2Bn 'bank verified' card or account holders, that can be remotely on-boarded to meet the Customer Due Diligence requirements of AML regulated merchants in as little as 3 to 5 minutes. Paydentity(TM) has now onboarded and verified more than 1.5m persons to an AML KYC standard.

iSignthis Paydentity(TM) service is the trusted back office solution for regulated entities, allowing merchants to stay ahead of the regulatory curve, and focus on growing their core business. iSignthis' subsidiary, iSignthis eMoney Ltd, trades as ISXPay(R), and is an EEA authorised eMoney Monetary Financial Institution, offering card acquiring in the EEA, and Australia.

ISXPay(R) is a principal member of Mastercard Inc, Diners, Discover, (China) Union Pay International and JCB International, an American Express aggregator, and provides merchants with access to payments via alternative methods including SEPA, Poli Payments, Sofort, PRZ24 and others.

Probanx Solutions Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of iSignthis Ltd, provides API based access to CORE Banking solutions, SEPA Core, SEPA Instant and SEPA business scheme, for neobanks, banks, credit unions and emoney institutions, and provides a bridge to the Eurosystem's Central Bank of Lithuania's CENTROLink service.


Sales of Starter Kits to Two Key Institutions

Melbourne, Nov 9, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Bluechiip Limited ( ASX:BCT ), a leader in the development of sample tracking technology for harsh environments, today announced that it has sold three Starter Kits, which include Bluechiip readers and 4,000 associated consumables.



One, via the Chinese distributor, went to the Chinese Centre for Disease, Control and Prevention (CCDC), an agency of the Chinese Ministry of Health based in Beijing.



This was the second sale to the CCDC, which previously bought a kit in July 2016. Two Starter Kits went to the Prague-based subsidiary of SIAD, a European biobank solution provider for the life sciences sector, manufacturer of technical gases and medical gases, healthcare provider and medical devices distributor. SIAD-CZ has signed a distribution contract with Bluechiip, and aims to distribute the company's technology in Eastern Europe, with exclusivity in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary.



Bluechiip and SIAD-CZ are looking to collaborate with respect to sales and marketing of Bluechiip's products.



Andrew McLellan, Bluechiip's CEO, said the three sales continue Bluechiip's momentum.



"We are thrilled to have made a repeat sale to the Chinese Centre for Disease, Control and Prevention. This will provide a further reference point for both OEM partners and end users. We are also excited to have sold kits to a distributor in Europe, which will eventually lead to more sales; Starter Kits are the first step toward a successful rollout of our full suite of products," he said.



"Importantly, Starter Kits allow purchasers to become familiar with Bluechiip's technology and to train staff in their use. These sales continue to confirm the value of Bluechiip's technology to OEM partners and end customers that need to effectively control sample integrity through the chain of custody."



About Bluechiip Limited





Bluechiip Ltd (ASX:BCT) understands that every sample - stem cells, blood, eggs, sperm and other biospecimens - is critical, so our objective is to manage each one with optimal quality in the most efficient way. Bluechiip's advanced management solution is the only one that provides sample temperature with ID in cryogenic environments to. Most importantly, this delivers confidence in every sample.

Bluechiip's unique patented technology is a MEMS-based wireless tracking solution that contains no electronics. It represents a generational change from current tracking methods such as labels (hand-written and pre-printed), barcodes (linear and 2D), and Radio Frequency Identification. Bluechiip tags are either embedded or manufactured into storage products such as vials or bags. Each product can be easily identified, and critical information such as sample temperature, is detected by readers and stored in the Bluechiip software. In addition to functioning in extreme temperatures, the Bluechiip(R) Advanced Sample management solution can survive autoclaving, gamma irradiation sterilization, humidification, centrifuging, cryogenic storage and frosting.

Bluechiip's technology has applications in healthcare, including in cryogenic storage facilities (biobanks and biorepositories), pathology, clinical trials and forensics. Other key markets include cold-chain logistics/supply chain, security/defence, industrial/manufacturing and aerospace/aviation.

Bluechiip: Delivering confidence in every sample.
(Bloomberg) Donald Trumps surprise election Tuesday as U.S. president means the repudiation of Barack Obamas legacy and a strong likelihood Republicans will undo many of his accomplishments, including Obamacare and trade deals, and seek tax cuts for the rich.

While Trump has made broad promises, he has offered few details of how he would execute them. Even though Republicans hold control of both chambers of Congress, its unclear Trump will have devoted partners. Most lawmakers from the party, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, havent embraced his highest-profile ideas, such as building a wall on the Mexican border.

Its also not clear who will populate his cabinet. He has a small cadre of close advisers, while many prominent Republicans have said they dont intend to serve with him.

Heres a look at Trumps top priorities:

Taxes

Trumps tax plan largely adheres to Republican doctrine, offering a historic across-the-board cut in rates. He would reduce the number of federal tax brackets to three from seven, with a top rate of 33 percent for married couples earning $225,000 or more. The current top rate is 39.6 percent.

Hes called for reducing the U.S. corporate tax rate to 15 percent, down from 35 percent, in an effort to keep companies from leaving for countries with lower rates. Trump supports a one-time repatriation of U.S. companies corporate profits held overseas, taxed at 10 percent.

His plan includes ending the carried-interest provision of the tax code, which eases the tax burden for hedge-fund managers. Trump would also repeal the estate tax and offer new tax deductions for childcare expenses.

The conservative Tax Foundation found that Trumps tax plan may reduce federal revenue by at least $2.6 trillion over 10 years, after accounting for economic growth that his proposals might stimulate.

The center-left Tax Policy Center found that the 10-year reduction in revenues would be $6.2 trillion, and that the top 1 percent of taxpayers would receive almost half the benefits.

Trade

Trump has pledged to end decades of American orthodoxy on trade policy, charging that past deals have decimated the U.S. manufacturing sector.

He says hell take a hard line against U.S. trading partners, including top allies, by seeking to renegotiate or nullify existing trade deals, and he plans to take a protectionist approach with China, which he has accused of manipulating its currency to undercut U.S. industry. Hes said he would label China a currency manipulator, bring trade cases against it at the World Trade Organization and potentially slap new tariffs on the countrys goods.

One of Trumps top targets: The North America Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, a deal between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993. Trump has said the agreement is the worst trade deal in U.S. history and that his administration would immediately call on Mexico and Canada to renegotiate.

Hes also promised to abandon the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal between the U.S. and 11 Pacific Rim nations. Congress has yet to ratify the pact, which was supported by President Barack Obama and opposed by both Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Health Care

Trump says hell ask Congress to immediately repeal the Affordable Care Act, Obamas signature domestic achievement. He has criticized the law for large premium increases in its government-run insurance markets.

Even if Democrats in the Senate are able to block wholesale repeal, Republicans could gut some of the laws key provisions, such as premium subsidies for insurance, a requirement that Americans carry insurance and an expansion of Medicaid for the poor.

Some of the laws popular consumer protections would likely remain in place, including the requirement that insurers cover everyone regardless of their health and the prohibition against charging sick people higher premiums. Its not clear how or if his administration would help insurers struggling to cope with those rules.

His replacement plan for Obamacare, he has said, would include more widespread use of health savings accounts, which allow people to sock away money in retirement-style accounts to spend when they need care, along with a national market for health insurance.

Insurers in any state would be allowed to sell plans in all others, ending the current system of state-level regulation. State insurance regulators, including Republicans, have criticized that idea, a longstanding Republican proposal, because they say consumer protections would be weakened and out-of-state insurers would have trouble assembling sufficient networks of doctors and hospitals.

About 20 million people who didnt previously have health insurance gained coverage under Obamacare. Trump has offered no estimate of how many of them would be insured under his approach.

Immigration

Trump surged to the Republican nomination in part based on a hard-line immigration policy that he framed as a rejection of Obamas more welcoming posture.

Trump said his first day in office would be devoted in large part to beginning an overhaul of the U.S. immigration system, setting aside funding to triple the number of immigration control agents and deporting more than 2 million people with criminal records. Hes declined to say whether his administration would pursue deportations of the millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. who havent committed crimes.

He has also said the Mexican government would pay at least part of the expenses for construction of a border wall. The Mexican government has said it will pay nothing.

Legal immigration from several countries will be completely banned for an indefinite period in the interest of national security, Trump has said. He once pledged to ban all Muslims from entering the U.S. but has since modified his position and now says he would impose extreme vetting to keep out terrorists. Entire countries that have been compromised by terrorism would be blacklisted from sending immigrants to the U.S. under Trumps policy. Its not clear how he would implement such a ban or whether its constitutional.

Other than saying the U.S. would stop accepting refugees from Syria, Trumps campaign hasnt specified which countries would be on the list.
It had been 10 years since an incumbent won in the Syracuse-area congressional race.

U.S. Rep. John Katko ended that streak Tuesday.

Katko, R-Camillus, scored a resounding victory over Democratic challenger Colleen Deacon in the 24th Congressional District race. With 99 percent of districts reporting, Katko received 161,076 votes  nearly 61 percent of the vote  in his first re-election bid.

Deacon, D-Syracuse, received 104,408 votes.

With the win, Katko is the first incumbent to win the seat since former U.S. Rep. Jim Walsh narrowly won re-election in 2006. Since that election, the district hasn't been won by the incumbent party.

"I just think it's a stamp of validation that people in this district reward independence, they reward bipartisanship, they reward rational leadership and they reward people who go to Washington and deliver on what they say they're going to do," Katko said in a phone interview.

Katko attributed the win to the work of his staff, which he called an "awesome team."

"We had a great strategy and it worked out well," he said.

The margin of victory is slightly better than Katko's 2014 win over then-U.S. Rep. Dan Maffei. He won that race by 20 points, 60 to 40 percent.

As of midnight Wednesday, he received 61 percent of the vote in the 24th District race. Deacon was at 39 percent.

In Onondaga County, Katko won by more than 29,000 votes, 108,774 to 79,520. He won Oswego County by a 17,169 to 8,506 margin.

Katko also was dominant in Cayuga County. He received 19,972 votes  10,316 more than Deacon. He cited his work on the heroin epidemic and Owasco Lake as reasons why he was successful in Cayuga County.

"I'm extraordinarily proud because that means I went to Cayuga County, I spent time in Cayuga County, I paid attention to them and I listened to their concerns and I helped address them," he said.

Deacon couldn't be reached for a phone interview, but she told the crowd at her election night party that the campaign was about central New York. She left her job as U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's central New York regional director to run for Congress.

She thanked her supporters and urged them to continue to focus on key issues, such as paid family leave and raising the minimum wage.

"Your work was not done in vain," she said.

The victory was an early birthday present for Katko. He turns 54 today.

Not everything went smoothly for him on Election Day, however. As he was on the way to deliver his victory speech, he got stuck in an elevator at the Sheraton hotel in Syracuse.

There were 15 people in the elevator when it broke down, according to Katko's spokesperson. Syracuse firefighters had to come and assist Katko, his family and staff exit the elevator.
Carlton, the premium luggage brand from the house of V.I.P. Industries, has released the 3rd episode of the series LegendSpeak with Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO - OYO. LegendSpeak aims to be an interactive reference point for aspiring young business entrepreneurs, where they will be able to gain inspiration from the success stories of some of the most well-known and respected homegrown entrepreneurs. The property has been conceptualized and created exclusively by Carlton, The Venturator the online entrepreneur networking portal and is hosted at Tata Starbucks.

Speaking about his groundbreaking journey on LegendSpeak, Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO - OYO said, Starting out requires a great deal of conviction and self-belief. We faced considerable challenges in the initial phase including lack of funds and resources. It was also tough to convince hotel-owners to participate in a new model of doing business. But through sheer grit and the teams commitment, we pulled through to create what is today Indias largest hotel-network.

Speaking to upcoming entrepreneurs he added, Its important to have an idea that solves a real problem but that is only half the battle. The real test of an entrepreneur is execution. People say you need experience to start your own business, but what really helps you grow are your failures. It is only when you come to terms with them and see them as something to gain from, that you will really be on the path to success.

Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3HeolCR2vc

Elaborating on the digital property Mr. Sudip Ghose, Vice President-Marketing, V.I.P Industries said, We are extremely thrilled to provide our audience an access to some of the most creative minds in the entrepreneurial eco-system in our country. As a brand, we simply aspire to fuel the passion within the startup community which is currently growing at a rapid pace. Ritesh Agarwal is one of the youngest entrepreneurs this country has seen and he truly has a compelling success story. With LegendSpeak we want to inspire the future entrepreneurs of India who will be the New Face of Business.
Innocean Worldwide India the Indian arm of the Seoul headquartered communication network has put in motion a grand plan for its transformation into an agency better equipped to take on the mandate of brands that are looking at ever newer ways of connecting with the hyper connected consumers of today and tomorrow. The process began with the advent of the much renowned former creative boss at DDB London Jeremy Craigen as the Global CCO at Innocean headquarters in Seoul. A well thought out action plan has been drawn at a global level with India as an important arena.

Under this strategic plan the emphasis is on upping the ante on the creative product in geometric proportions. Handpicked by Jeremy and IWIs management for the task of leading the creative function in India is S M Talha Nazim from Ogilvy Mumbai who joins as the Senior Executive Creative Director. With a stellar career spanning 21 years at Leo Burnett, Bates, McCann and Ogilvy and having worked in Kolkata, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kuala Lumpur & Mumbai, Talha has been responsible for some amazing work on brands like McDonalds, Dutch Lady, Siemens, JSW, Exide, General Motors, Fiat, Asian Paints, Reebok, Penguin, Coca Cola and Philips, among others.

This has resulted in over 180 metals and nominations in international and domestic award shows at most major shows such as Cannes, D&AD, The One Show, Clio, LIA, Andys, Adfest, Spikes, NY Festivals, Kyoorius & Abbys. The Gunn Report listed his work as one of the most awarded pieces in 2004 & 2013. In 2006, Campaign Brief Asia ranked him among the top 10 creatives in India. In 2014, The One Show ranked him No.2 as a creative director, No.6 as a writer. His Penguin Author Audiobook campaign which he did with his ex-art partner Rohit Devgun is Indias most awarded campaign internationally yet.

Expressing his delight and confidence at this significant development Vivek Srivastava Joint Managing Director of Innocean adds, We are delighted to have SM Talha Nazim as the leader of our Creative Team. Not only that he will play a crucial leadership role in taking Innocean Worldwide India to the next level in terms of creative excellence as a part of the core team. Our entire team feels energised with his presence and we are sure that together we will build Innocean into a bigger creative power house with a larger footprint.

Reflecting on the opportunities at Innocean Worldwide India SM Talha Nazim said, "Working on brand Hyundai is a huge incentive. It allows me to work on the most promising brand in the promising automobile market. Then, the opportunity to work with Jeremy Craigen (global CCO, Innocean Worldwide) was another reason I joined the agency. Talking to him, and learning plans about India, was very interesting." He added, "My philosophy is 'Work heart, play heart and find the pearls from the ocean'. It is about having fun and bringing great work. We want to make Innocean into a strong creative agency."

In his spare time Talha pursues collecting the 'new' which has recently resulted in him teaming up with a friend, Nasheet Shadani, to conceptualize an Urdu book for beginners that'll be launched shortly.
WASHINGTON  The FBI's handling of its Hillary Clinton email probe has undercut the bureau's carefully crafted image as a respected law enforcement organization unquestionably outside the political fray.

The yearlong investigation thrust the FBI into the thick of an already fractious presidential race, entangled in a way that strained its vaunted independence and cracked its prized reputation for silence about its work.

Even after Tuesday's election, FBI Director James Comey is sure to face second-guessing over his public statements that opened the curtain on normally secret investigative details.

"This has been a very difficult election process. Unfortunately, the FBI has been drawn into it," said Leo Taddeo, a retired FBI supervisor.

Although Comey signaled a conclusion to the Clinton email matter with a letter to Congress on Sunday, the discussion continues. Lawmakers demand answers to questions left unresolved by two vague and ambiguous Comey letters. Clinton and her aides feel wronged by the disclosure of "new" emails less than two weeks before Election Day. And ex-prosecutors of both parties are concerned the bureau's actions strayed from its mandate to steer clear of politics.

If Clinton should win on Tuesday, could the investigation follow her into the White House? Comey said Sunday that agents had finished reviewing all newly found emails to and from her while she was secretary of state and had found nothing to change his conclusion from July  no charges. A senior law enforcement official said the letter meant an end to the email review, rather than a simple status update. There was no suggestion any of Clinton's aides were being scrutinized, indicating the investigation was again closed.

It's hard to gauge the political impact of Comey's recent announcements. In the nine days between Comey's initial statement that he was looking at more emails and his all-clear announcement on Sunday, nearly 24 million people cast early ballots  about 18 percent of the expected total votes for president.

The controversy, coupled with leaks that laid bare internal squabbling, suggests a tough road ahead for FBI leaders regardless of who wins Tuesday.

Then came Sunday's statement, in which Comey effectively cleared the Democratic presidential nominee by saying the new review had done nothing to change the FBI's July recommendation that she not face charges. Though a relief to Democrats and Clinton, the news also raised skepticism among Republicans and questions among others why the issue had been raised again.

Comey has said he felt obligated to alert Congress after having previously testified that the investigation had been closed. Supporters say had he kept silent until after the election, he would have faced partisan allegations of stifling a bombshell announcement and perhaps given fuel to allegations of a "rigged" election. He also would have risked the chance of the news leaking out.
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays are continuing to expand their operations and build on their recent launch from Birmingham Airport, with the launch of their first ever full winter flights and holidays programme for 2017/18.





This includes seven brand new routes across winter sun (Madeira), city break (Krakow and Prague) and ski destinations (Grenoble, Geneva, Salzburg, Turin).



The leisure airline and package holiday company is building on the successful launch of its Summer 2017 programme, by announcing that over 325,000 seats are now on sale from Birmingham Airport to a choice of 16 winter destinations across the Mediterranean and Europe.



The programme means Jet2holidays is offering its first ever winter range from Birmingham Airport, and with everything wrapped up in one package, holidaymakers have access to great value package breaks across thousands of 2-5 star hotels, with Jet2.com flights, industry leading 22kg baggage allowance and airport transfers included. Offering full ATOL protection, Jet2holidays also includes free infant places on all holidays as well as 0% credit card fees.



Next winter will see Jet2.com and Jet2holidays operate their first ever winter sun programme from Birmingham Airport, with over 255,000 seats to winter sun destinations. This includes a huge number of seats to the Canary Islands, with up to 13 weekly flights and over 115,000 seats in total. The programme also consists of frequent flights to popular winter sun destinations such as Alicante (five weekly flights), Malaga (three weekly flights) and Faro (three weekly flights). The addition of weekly flights to Madeira is a brand new route from Birmingham Airport.



The programme is not just limited to winter sun destinations as 40,000 ski seats will be available on the companys Winter 17/18 programme from Birmingham Airport, including new routes to Grenoble, Geneva, Salzburg and Turin. The popularity of Jet2CityBreaks means that there are over 30,000 seats to city break destinations next winter, including brand new Krakow and Prague.



Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: This is a very exciting time for Jet2.com and Jet2holidays and todays announcement is yet another step on our ambitious growth plans from Birmingham Airport. The launch of flights and holidays for Summer 2017 from Birmingham Airport has been an enormous success, and we expect our first ever Winter programme to be just as popular. This programme gives local people more opportunity than ever to visit their favourite sun and city destinations all-year-round, as well as more choice for hitting the best slopes in Europe. With seven brand new routes and a fantastic range of flights and holiday options available, were delighted to offer customers the chance to enjoy the best that Europe has to offer on our award winning airline.



William Pearson, Aviation Director, Birmingham Airport, said: As more and more people escape the winter and head for the sun, slopes or city break, we are delighted that our newest carrier, Jet2.com, has launched its winter 17/18 programme adding Madeira, Grenoble, Geneva, Salzburg, Turin, Krakow and Prague from Birmingham. These services are in addition to 15 sunshine routes starting when the carrier arrives at Birmingham for the first time in March 16, and shows confidence by the airline in the Midlands.


A new flight from London Stansted will open up popular destinations in the Middle East including Dubai and Doha for people living in the East of England.





Turkish full service carrier Atlasglobal launched a new daily flight to Istanbul from Stansted on Sunday, October 30. The route allows passengers to seamlessly connect to onward flights to northern Cyprus, Dubai, Doha in Qatar as well as over 35 other destinations.



Flights include a choice of business class or ekonomiplus, in-flight meals, a flying chef service, generous leg-room and a 30kg luggage allowance. Fares from Stansted to Istanbul start at 86 one-way including tax.



Mark Souter, Head of Aviation Development, said: We are delighted to welcome Atlasglobal as the latest airline to join us at London Stansted. I am sure this will be a popular route for the Turkish expat community living in north and East London. It will also give both business and leisure passengers from the region access to the airlines extensive route network from its Istanbul hub, including northern Cyprus, Dubai and Doha, Qatar.



John Bennett from Colchester Travel, which owns four long-established local travel agency branches throughout Essex, said: We are always delighted to welcome any new airline to our local airport, London Stansted. I am sure that our clients will be very happy to fly with Atlasglobal as it opens up lots of interesting connections via Istanbul. Atlasglobal has a great reputation for service and it will be fantastic to have a local option which is not a low-cost carrier.



The airline is transferring flights to London Stansted from Luton, where it has been operating since 2014. Speaking about the move, Atlasglobals Head of Sales and Marketing, Tuna Tunca said: It has been a strategic decision to start flying from London Stansted to Istanbul Ataturk and we feel very positive about this move. Atlasglobal is responding to passengers demands and transit requirements by continuing to develop our operations and open new routes.


GUANGZHOU, China, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Chamber of Commerce in South China (AmCham South China) today held its U.S. Presidential Election party from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the China Hotel by Marriott, Guangzhou, attracting over 1,000 people. The grand celebration, scheduled to coincide with the closing of polls in the United States, enabled the audience to watch history as it was made.

Similar to an event held for the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election, which drew more than a thousand people over the course of several hours, this year's undertaking included live Q&A sessions and activities to educate guests about the election processes at work when the U.S. selects its newest leaders.

In addition to interacting with other guests and enjoying complimentary refreshments, guests were encouraged to cast their own ballot in predicting the next president, and those who guessed correctly were entered into a "Lucky Draw" for round-trip air tickets to the United States courtesy of Hainan Airlines.

Besides the election party, AmCham South China has hosted hundreds of events of various types for its business community. As a leader in promotion of free trade, the chamber will host the 2017 APCAC Asia Pacific Business Summit from April 19 to 22 in Guangzhou. Representing 22 economies, the APCAC Asia Pacific Business Summit is the largest and most influential annual Business Summit in Asia Pacific.

The 2017 Business Summit will be attended by business and industry leaders in Charge of US$620 billion in annual FDI management and more than US$1 trillion in annual trade, as well as policy experts, media, academia, and top government officials from the U.S., China, and from across the Asia Pacific Region.

An "Economic Powerhouse", the Asia Pacific Council of American Chambers of Commerce (APCAC) represents 29 American Chambers of Commerce from 22 economies in Asia Pacific, consisting of 15,000 Member Companies, 50,000 Overseas American Executives, and 10 million Employees that generate US$620 billion in annual FDI management, and more than US$1 Trillion in annual trade.

About The American Chamber of Commerce in South China

The American Chamber of Commerce in South China (AmCham South China) is a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating bilateral trade between the United States and the People's Republic of China. Certified in 1995 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C., AmCham South China represents more than 2,300 corporate and individual members, is governed by a fully-independent Board of Governors elected from its membership, and provides dynamic, on-the-ground support for American and International companies doing business in South China. In 2015, AmCham South China hosted more than 10,000 business executives and government leaders from around the world at its briefings, seminars, committee meetings and social gatherings. The American Chamber of Commerce in South China is a fully-independent organization accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. All AmChams in China are independently governed and represent member companies in their respective regions.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161109/437366

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161109/437367

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amcham-south-china-hosts-a-thousand-people-at-live-us-election-party-300359696.html

SOURCE AmCham South China
BEIJING, Nov. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- China unveiled Monday a big data zone being built in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.



The Inner Mongolia zone, centered at the regional capital Hohhot, is one of the seven under construction in China and will focus on analysing data on energy, meteorology and geology to help energy conservation and cooperation.

Xu Shaoshi, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said the commission will draw up policies to bring big data products, industry, and technology to the zone. Businesses, research institutes, and universities are also encouraged to participate.



A number of information industry heavyweights including Alibaba, Baidu, China Telecom and Tencent have offices in the zone.

The authorities aim to make the Inner Mongolia big data zone north China's big data center and a leading global big data base by 2020.



According to a previous estimate, China will account for 20 percent of the world's data capacity by 2020.







To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/china-sets-up-big-data-zone-in-inner-mongolia-300359563.html

SOURCE The People's Government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
As we approach the end of the year, federal civil service employees should examine their accrued annual leave, and make plans to use it if they are approaching the maximum.

Employees may carry over to the new leave year a maximum of 240 hours of annual leave. Under certain circumstances, some personnel may carry over to the new year up to 360 hours. All use-or-lose annual leave in excess of the maximum carry-over amount that is not used by the end of the leave year, is automatically forfeited.

If, however, you forfeit annual leave because your supervisor cancelled your leave because of an emergency or urgent situation (or Exigency of the Service"), or because you became ill, the leave may be restored under the following circumstances:



a. Request and Schedule Leave. You must have requested the leave and it must have been scheduled and approved in writing before the beginning of the third biweekly pay period prior to the end of the leave year. The 2016 leave year ends Jan. 7, 2017. Therefore, you must have your use-or-lose annual leave scheduled and approved no later than Nov. 26 to be eligible for restoration if the leave is subsequently forfeited. Your supervisor is responsible for ensuring that you have an opportunity to use all of your use-or-lose leave before the end of the leave year.

b. Forfeiture Because of an Exigency of the Service. Before canceling your scheduled annual leave, your supervisor must have the "Exigency of the Service" approved in writing. Normally an exigency must be approved in advance. Promptly after the end of the leave year, you must submit a written request to your supervisor to have your forfeited use-or-lose leave restored. You will need to attach a copy of your approved leave schedule, your leave request (such as an approved Office of Personnel Management Form 71 or other proof the leave was scheduled and approved), and a copy of the approved "Exigency to your leave restoration request. You must specify in your request the dates that you lost scheduled leave, the number of hours that were lost on each date and why the leave could not be rescheduled before the end of the leave year. Your supervisor will be required to endorse your request and forward it to the Civilian Personnel Section.

c. Forfeiture Because of Illness. Promptly after the end of the leave year, you must submit a written request to your supervisor to have your forfeited use-or-lose leave restored. To your request, you must attach a copy of your approved leave request, such as an OPM 71. You must specify in your request the dates that you lost scheduled leave and numbers of hours that were lost on each date. For illnesses in excess of three consecutive workdays, you must attach a copy of the medical documentation from your doctor certifying your incapacity. If you are a bargaining unit employee covered by the Master Labor Agreement and you were not seen by a doctor, a personal statement self-certifying the incapacity is acceptable.

d. Taking Restored Leave. As a rule, you should use restored leave before using regularly accrued leave. Furthermore, you must use your restored use-or-lose leave within two years.

If you wish to donate use-or-lose annual leave at the end of the leave year, please remember that you can donate only the number of hours that you are scheduled to work and receive pay. For example, if two weeks before the end of the leave year you have 100 hours of use-or-lose leave and you are scheduled to work for 60 hours, you may donate up to 60 hours. Moreover, the amount of annual leave you may donate cannot exceed one-half the amount of leave you accrue during the year. For example, if you will accrue 104 hours of annual leave you may donate up to a total of 52 hours.

The form for donating leave is the Office of Personnel Management Form 630-A. It can be found at http://www.opm.gov/forms/OPM-forms/.

For questions, contact your servicing EMR specialist in the Civilian Personnel Office.
The King Mohammed VI has sent a message of congratulations to Donald Trump following his election as President of the United States of America.

In this message, the Sovereign expressed to Trump His best wishes for success in this new mission and endeavors to lead the American people towards further progress and prosperity.

Your election as President of the United States of America attests to the American peoples trust in you and the high esteem in which they hold you, thanks to your true commitment to serving their lofty interests and your extensive professional experience, the King said, adding that these qualities will enable Trump not only to help them make further achievements in all fields, but also to consolidate the countrys status as an influential global player.

The Sovereign also seized this opportunity to highlight the close friendship and mutual esteem between the two peoples, as well as the solid, historic bonds between the two countries, expressing His determination to work with Trump to achieve optimal implementation of the strategic partnership between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States of America.

I am also keen to enhance dialogue, coordination and consultation between our two countries on all issues of common interest, particularly with regard to the growing challenges posed to world peace and security, in order to counter all forms of extremism, violence and terrorism and to help find just and peaceful solutions to conflicts and tensions around the globe, the Sovereign stressed.

The King also expressed His appreciation for USAs continued support and keen interest in the major structural reforms initiated in the kingdom with a view to promoting Moroccos comprehensive development, as well as in efforts aimed at achieving peace and stability in the region and in the various initiatives to build an integrated Maghreb Union that can help protect the region against the security threats it is facing and ensure the progress and prosperity of its peoples.

It is to note that U.S. Ambassador to Morocco Dwight L. Bush has released a statement on Tuesday, November 8 to express the importance of the bond between the United States and Morocco ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

Morocco and the United States are strong partners and will continue to be because we have a long history and a deep, enduring friendship, Bush said in a statement sent to Morocco World News.

The areas of cooperation between our countries, whether its fighting terrorism, advancing trade and entrepreneurship, or improving the access to education, have a firm foundation, he added.

On what can be expected following the results of the election, Bush emphasized the embassys commitment to strengthening cooperation between the two nations, saying, While I cant speak to the specific priorities of the next administration, I can assure you that, as an Embassy, we will continue our work here to promote democratic values, and strengthen cooperation between our countries.

My focus and the focus of my staff of career diplomats and public servants will be to ensure that the new administration understands the strength and importance of our bilateral relations to ensure a smooth and efficient transition, he continued.
A US-led coalition air strike killed 20 civilians, including two children, overnight in a village near the Islamic State groups Syrian stronghold of Raqqa, a monitor said Wednesday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said dozens of people had also been wounded in the strikes on Tuesday night on the village of Al-Heisha, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Raqqa.

The toll has risen to 20 civilians, including nine women and two children, Observatory chief Rami Abdul Rahman said.

The monitor had earlier given a toll of 16 dead.

Abdul Rahman said 32 people had also been injured in the strikes, adding that all the casualties were civilians.

Al-Heisha is controlled by IS and has been a target of a new assault by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as it pushes to capture the jihadists Syrian bastion of Raqqa.

A spokeswoman for the Kurdish-Arab alliance dismissed the reports of civilian deaths.

There is no such thing, and any such claims are IS news, Jihan Sheikh Ahmed told AFP.

The SDFs media account said at least six IS fighters had been killed by US-led coalition strikes in the village and accused the extremist group of preventing civilians from leaving Al-Heisha in a bid to use them as human shields.

The US-led coalition had no immediate comment on the report.

The SDF announced Sunday it had begun an operation to capture Raqqa from IS, as the jihadist group also comes under pressure across the border in Iraq, where its bastion Mosul is under attack.

Civilians fleeing Al-Heisha told AFP on Tuesday that IS fighters had brought heavy weaponry into the village when the SDF operation began.

Daesh fighters brought heavy weapons to our village and stayed among us so that if there were strikes they would hit us, 45-year-old Saada al-Aboud said.

They wouldnt let us leave. We had to escape by running out into the fields, with our children and old people. What else could we do? We left everything behind.
In a three-way race for the 54th Senate District, Pam Helming will take on the long-held seat of former Sen. Michael Nozzolio.

Unofficial results Tuesday showed Helming acquiring 59 percent of the vote.

Thank you to the residents of the 54th State Senate district for putting their faith and trust in me today and throughout the entire primary and general election campaigns," Helming said in a statement late Tuesday. "I am humbled by the support I have received over the last six months and am truly honored the voters of this great region have chosen me to represent them in the New York State Senate. Our Upstate way of life is worth fighting for and tonight the voters sent a clear message that they want a strong, common sense conservative to fight to clean up Albany and make our region a better place to live, work and raise a family."

The road to Election Day was not easy for Helming. It took five voting rounds before she secured the GOP endorsement. After fending her claim to the Republican nomination against six other Republicans, rival Republican Floyd Rayburn came running back to the race on the Reform Party line.

Helming had beat Rayburn by 210 votes for the Republican designation in May, and also ran on the Conservative and Independence lines. The 54-year-old has been the Canandaigua town supervisor since 2014, and prior to that she was served on the town council from 2010 to 2013.

Helming has been a strong advocate for ethics reform in the state, supporting an amendment that would keep state officials convicted of corruption from keeping their pensions. She also supports longer terms for senators, suggesting four years instead of two. Besides ethics reform, Helming said she would not support any more unfunded state mandates imposed on local governments.

Helming did not return The Citizen's calls Tuesday night for comment.

Rayburn, who is the founder, CEO and president of F.G. Rayburn Mason Contractors in Canandaigua, received about 6 percent of the unofficial vote tally. He said he'll go back to his day job, but in the meantime he'll be watching the Senate floor closely.

"She (Helming) won fair and square," Rayburn said. "Pam works, I got to give her that. She works her butt off. Sen. Nozzolio got the person he wanted in there."

Democratic candidate Kenan Baldridge tried to upset the traditionally Republican seat, but the 67-year-old ended up with about 35 percent of the unofficial voting results. The Rose town supervisor had hoped his position on a majority Republican board would prove he works well across party lines.

Late Tuesday night, Baldridge was reluctant to comment, but said "the trend is not great."

The 54th District covers 12 municipalities in Cayuga County include Sterling, Victory, Conquest, Mentz, Montezuma, Throop, Aurelius, part of Auburn, Springport, Fleming, Scipio, Ledyard, Venice and Genoa. It also covers Seneca and Wayne counties, plus parts of Tompkins, Ontario and Monroe counties.

Nozzolio, who has served in that seat for more than two decades, announced his retirement earlier this year following heart surgery.








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Here, at The Canadian, we're covering the on-going horrific oppression of the human rights of Dezrin Carby-Samuels in her Ottawa home. It is important to consider just what kind of Hell this poor woman has been subjected to. Think, for a moment, you not being able to walk, write or talk for more than 500 days. For most of us, that would be Hell enough. But, for Dezrin Carby-Samuels the hell created for her by Horace her own husband, and Marcella her very own daughter is even worse.



Let's just imagine that you have been slaving for over 50 years to cook, clean and go everything you possibly could do for your significant other. You ever quit your career. Add to that you having literally saved the life of your significant other more than once.



Imagine yourself 5'0 tall and just over 100 lbs compared to your significant other who is 6'4 and nearly 200 lbs with a large build having been a former athlete.



Then imagine you developing an illness that with the proper treatment and right balance of nutrition could be managed or even cured. Now imagine that just when you learned of this ailment you became the target of psychological abuse which morphed into physical abuse by the partner that you had been supporting emotionally and economically for more than 50 years.



Now imagine your son stepping up to the plate by ensuring your access to medical services and even doing grocery shopping and then cooking for you as your husband further neglected you. Then imagine your husband getting jealous that your son was helping you manifesting in your husband attacking your son with a kitchen knife almost severing off one of his fingers.



Then imagine that your jealous husband plotting to get rid of your son by calling and lying to the police that your son suffers from mental illness which made him, your son, violent and that he has holding him and you hostage resulting in the police evicting your son from the premises, and you never seeing your son again  or at least for more than 500 days.



Then imagine that with your son now evicted, your husband accelerated his torture and neglect of you resulting in you totally losing your ability to walk, write and talk. You are now the captive of an abuser.



A doctor recommends you get weekly speech therapy to save your voice, but your husband who you have done everything for, blocks it! No speech therapy for you!



Then imagine that your husband hires a dirty cop like Detective Robert Griffin to ensure that your son is threatened not to try to visit you. You hear of your son trying to call and reach you but you can't run to the door, you can't scream, and you can't sneak notes to anyone.



You're now the prisoner of an abuser, who screams at you morning, night and day -- Telling you how worthless you are. As you get more and more sick, he ridicules you and even physically abuses you. When you're hungry and becoming thin from a lack of food, you significant other cooks for himself, eats, and watches TV downstairs - totally oblivious to your needs upstairs. You only see him when he remembers you to shout, scream and further ridicule you.



Social services comes to your door several times but like your son, they too are blocked by your significant other / husband.



Conditions around you start to become unsanitary because after all, it was you and not your husband which kept things clean.



For days and weeks you are without to any proper access to the food you need to reverse your condition. Your only access to food consists of little more than potato chips and other junk food.



You want to cook for yourself, but can't. You are either ignored or attacked where you live. Your health worsens. Your spouse instead of showing the love and empathy of most husbands ridicules and screams at you.



You want to take a shower, but your husband interest in you is for little more than abuse. Soon you begin to smell of feces since you have become immobilized.



Your daughter rather than trying to help you like your son, sees this as an opportunity to send you to an early grave so she can seize control of assets. Your daughter decides to support her father's abuse of her Mother so that her father will sign over the family will in her name only. Your daughter makes up stories to embellish the lies of her father and presides over you as a co-abuser simply to ensure that she gets the control of family assets.



Your own brother, sister and the rest of your extended family and friends either don't want to get involved because they don't care or are apparently too scared of your husband and threats by his dirty cop to get involved.



You have been deserted by everyone accept your son and social service personnel that have been blocked in getting you the support that you need.



Finally, you hear your son at the door after nearly one year who has a court order to get you the support that you need. He is with the regular police rather than the dirty cop that your husband has been using. However, your husband refuses both their access. You are powerless to scream out for the help the police would need to enter the premises.



This is the kind of Hell that Dezrin Carby-Samuels has been living under for more than 500 days! The video above show Raymond attempting to visit his Mom at 30 Jarlan Terrace in Ottawa, with the support of a Court Order.



Do you agree that Dezrin has been living a Hell? Help support her civil and human rights not to be controlled by an abuser.



Support an online petition against her abusive husband.



http://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/takeaction/865/478/452/



Or, make a donation here -



https://www.generosity.com/emergencies-fundraising/liberate-dezrin-from-spousal-abuse-legal-fund



Look at the above video to see Raymond being blocked from seeing his Mom having received a court Order on 11 February 2016.
AUBURN  A local law that would allow Cayuga County to charge interest instead of a service fee on those paying their taxes in two installments has failed to pass through three Cayuga County Legislature committees so far.

The resolution unanimously failed the Judicial and Public Safety Committee on Tuesday night, and failed to make it to a vote at the Public Works Committee meeting. The resolution also failed at the Government Operations Committee meeting on Nov. 1.

The law would bring the county into compliance with the state by charging interest to property owners who pay their taxes in two installments. Currently the county charges a 1 percent service charge on the second half of a person's tax bill. The new interest charge would be 1 percent per month on the tax bill, which is the equivalent of 3 percent of the balance of a person's bill.

Proposed but not supported by the county Treasurer's Office, legislators had discussed it at last month's Ways and Means Committee meeting as a way to increase revenue. Roughly, the change would bring an additional $200,000 to the county.

Neither committees discussed the resolution on Tuesday night. There are three more committees the resolution could be passed through to make it to the full county Legislature meeting and the public hearing on the law that is already scheduled for Nov. 22.

In other news:

 Plans for a new boat launch at Emerson Park are moving forward, but with a cost hike. The project was originally approved at $210,460, but architects finalizing the request for proposals have estimated it to cost $376,697 without contingency and $505,829 with contingency. Legislators at the Public Works Committee meeting Tuesday night passed a resolution that would take up to $105,279 from the county's fund balance to help finance the launch.

Gary Duckett, superintendent of the county's Parks & Trails, said he is applying now for permits with the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the Army Corps of Engineers. The state Department of State has approved designs for the boat launch.

 Legislators at the Judicial and Public Safety Committee meeting authorized District Attorney Jon Budelmann to accept a $30,000 anti-drug, anti-crime grant from the state. That money will go toward increased hours of a part-time clerk and coordinator in the DA's office to for the persecution of drug and violent crimes. The extended hours are to end when grant funding runs out.
Are we all ready to accept these newborns as Europeans? So asks photographer Thomas de Wouters, who spent several months this year in Greece, Macedonia and Serbia photographing migrant mothers-to-be, whose children will be born in Europe. De Wouterss current series is part of a larger project that reflects 
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
Aiken, SC (29801)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable.
AUBURN  Two years after closing its Central New York office, the Stardust Institute for Entrepreneurship has decided to donate its former home in Auburn.

On Dec. 31, 2014, after several years of investing millions of dollars in Cayuga County projects and initiatives, the Stardust Foundation of Central New York shut its doors. However, its partnering nonprofit organization  the Stardust Institute  continued to operate in Auburn, and shared its space at 2 State St. with the county's Chamber of Commerce.

And now, the institute has donated that space to the Chamber.

According to the Chamber's executive director, Tracy Verrier, Stardust moved from its State Street location over a year ago, leaving the second floor of the building  about 3,000 square feet  mostly vacant.

"They were discussing how the building might be able to continue having tenants in it that are active and utilizing the space for the community," Verrier said. "So this (transfer of property) has been in the works for a while, but it just recently came together."

The Chamber closed on the building  assessed at more than $440,000  late last month for $25,000, which Verrier said is actually to purchase some leftover furniture.

"Stardust actually donated the building to us, so that was a very generous gift from them," she said. "It will certainly help with the sustainability of our organizations in the long run."

For the past few years, Verrier said the Chamber has also shared the space with SCORE, a nonprofit that helps start small businesses, Onondaga Small Business Development Center and a tenant from Cornell University and  other than looking to rent the second floor space  that will not change.

"Occasionally a nonprofit will come in and out of the space on the first floor, but there will not be any changes," Verrier said. "We're just happy for it to finally come to fruition."
November 9, 2016

In reaction to the result of the US presidential election, President Hassan Rouhani said Nov. 9 that Irans policies do not change because of changes taking place in the leadership of other countries.

Our foreign policy is based on constructive interaction with the world and lifting the international sanctions on Iran. This is an irreversible path, and [due to that] our economic relations with other countries have expanded, Rouhani said.

Regarding Iran's nuclear deal with the world powers, Rouhani asserted that the agreement has been reflected in a UN Security Council Resolution and therefore is not a deal with a single country.

He also noted that Washington cannot continue spreading Iranophobia to win an international consensus against Iran.

Americas position in the international community and worlds public opinion has been weakened because of wrong policies, Rouhani said, adding, This situation could become worse if the rift between the US and the global community increases.

The result of the election, its impacts and the US domestic instability will remain for a long time, added Rouhani.

In another related comment Nov. 9, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, argued that Donald Trumps victory was a sign of the distrust of the majority of Americans in the countrys establishment.

He also stressed that the election result has no effect on Iran's policies in economic and security issues.

Unlike certain regional countries, Irans independent policy has never been affected by the changes occurring in other governments, said Shamkhani.

Far away from the capital of Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a Nov. 9 press conference in Romania that regardless of who becomes president and according to international multilateral obligations, the US should fulfill its commitment to the nuclear deal.

This was the choice Americans made. But the president-elect should understand the reality of the world and our region, whoever the president is, he added.

Meanwhile, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi also emphasized US obligations to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Iran is ready for all developments, Kamalvandi stated. Iran will keep implementing the JCPOA. We have long-term plans, he added.

Also reacting to the US election results, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi focused on the role of Americans in Middle East conflicts.

The current instability in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea shows that the US government needs to reform and rethink its policies in the Middle East, Ghasemi said.

Iranians have bitter and unpleasant experiences [with] US policies, he added. More important than what the candidates said during their presidential campaigns are the next administrations policies and the measures it will take."

Iranians reactions to the US election have spread quickly on social networks through serious and also sarcastic posts.

After Donald Trumps Nov. 9 victory speech in New York City, the political deputy of Irans Presidential Office, Hamid Aboutalebi, tweeted, The image that Trump displayed of himself in his victory speech as the president-elect was different from his image in the election campaign. This is a considerable point.

Masuma Ibrahimi, an Iranian who lives abroad, said in a tweet, Democracy defeated on the day that Sanders defeated, not now.

Some other Iranians have compared Trumps victory to former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejads victory in 2005. A Twitter user called Samanta posted on her account, For eight years Ive been asked where [I was] from. I said Iran, and they said, Oh, Ahmadinejad!? ... Now I can tell them, Oh oh, Trump?

Mamadpori, another Iranian user, tweeted sarcastically, ISIS claimed responsibility for Trumps victory.
November 9, 2016

BEIRUT  Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was the first foreign minister to congratulate newly elected Lebanese President Michel Aoun in person in Beirut on Nov. 7. It was a significant step for Iranian diplomacy to convey a message of support to Lebanons new head of state and to hint that Lebanese-Iranian relations will improve. This was echoed by outgoing Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil on Nov. 8 at a conference for Lebanese and Iranian businessmen in which Zarif was in attendance. Bassil called on Lebanese investors to go to Iran. We need to boost our economic relations to parallel our political relations, the Lebanese official said, adding, Iran was encircled for years, and this gave the Iranians great benefits in relying on themselves. Now it's time to share it with the world.

Zarif began his visit to Lebanon on Nov. 7 by meeting Aoun at the presidential palace and describing his hosts election as a victory for all the factions of the dear Lebanese people. Aoun vowed that Lebanon will continue its fight against terrorism, reiterating that theres no substitute to a political solution in Syria. Zarifs meeting with Aoun came just hours after a Syrian presidential envoy delivered to the new Lebanese president a congratulatory message from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Mansour Azzam, the minister of Syrian presidency affairs, told reporters there was no need to open a new page in bilateral ties following the election of Aoun. There was no old page in order to open a new page. It is a continuing page of constant and balanced relations, he said.

Zarif also met Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, along with senior party officials in what is seen as an obligatory stop for any Iranian official visiting Lebanon. Additionally, the top Iranian diplomat held meetings Nov. 8 with Speaker Nabih Berri and outgoing Premier Tammam Salam. It was Zarifs visit to Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri that raised eyebrows in Beirut, given Hariris affiliation with Saudi Arabia, which is in the middle of a bitter war by proxy with the Islamic Republic around the region. According to an Iranian official who spoke with Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, Iran wanted to say clearly that it is committed to Lebanons stability and to dealing with all branches of the state regardless of any external aspects. The source added, Iranian diplomacy has a message of peace to all parties in Lebanon. The only enemy in this region is Israel. Therefore, Tehran is going to exert all possible effort to help the new government in Lebanon succeed. After the meeting, Zarif told reporters that he discussed with Hariri the crises in the region, We stressed the importance of having closer views on regional issues to reach appropriate solutions.

The Syrian-Iranian rush to Lebanon was immediately mirrored by ambassadors of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states to Lebanon, who paid a visit to Hariri on the same day, expressing support for him and the president. The Iranian-Syrian-GCC race in Lebanon confirms fears that the new Lebanese administration is going to face serious challenges with respect to regional differences. A Lebanese political source close to the presidency told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, Lebanon is going to stick to what the president said in his inaugural speech: Well have good relations with all sides, and we might play a role in bridging the gaps. Yet its better for everyone to rid Lebanon of the burden of taking one side against the other; this is not to the benefit of the new administration if they care for its success.

Indeed, while many observers have suggested in local and international media that the latest developments in Lebanon highlight an Iranian victory, there is a point of view that suggests this might be an overstatement. Stances expressed by Bassil in an interview with the Saudi daily Asharq al-Awsat over relations with Saudi Arabia and Aouns alliance with Hezbollah could be an indication of the repositioning of the presidents camp. For instance, Bassil called on all factions involved in the Syrian war to withdraw and leave Syria for Syrians. When asked to comment on several GCC countries dismay with the position adopted by Lebanon at the Arab League after the attacks on the Saudi Embassy in Iran in January, Bassil said, We cannot build on a mistake that was committed in the past. The Lebanese foreign minister, who heads the Free Patriotic Movement  which was founded by Aoun  said that the president was Hezbollahs ally when he was the leader of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc, but after his election, Aoun became the ally of all Lebanese.

Indeed, while Aoun need not necessarily have to give up his old friends, being president and having to successfully cross the minefield before him entails giving up some liabilities. If anything, letting go of commitments that dont fit his new position might lift a heavy burden.
November 8, 2016

Chairman Ayman Odeh of the Joint List, the unified slate of predominantly Arab parties, was invited to tour the Arab American University in Jenin on Nov. 6, and to a meeting with the universitys heads. The objective of this get-together was not a mere courtesy or get-to-know you visit, but to show Odeh the integration of Israeli-Arab students in the only private academic institution in the West Bank.

The Arab American University in Jenin was founded in cooperation with California State University, Stanislaus, in 2000, just before the start of the second intifada, in the city that is at the forefront of the armed struggle against Israel. In fact, Jenin was often called by Israeli media the capital of suicide terrorism. In the universitys early years, it operated in the shadow of a complex security situation involving frequent closures, encirclements and military operations. In the past two years, with the aid of contributions from all over the world, the university built itself up to the position of a leading academic institution in the territories. In this way, it also became attractive to Arab students with Israeli citizenship.

According to the universitys communication office, half of the 10,000 students who are currently enrolled are from Israel. Most of them enrolled in degree programs such as nursing, pharmacy, engineering or law  majors that give them a high chance of finding employment in the future. But the department that is most attractive for Israeli students is dentistry. This is a profession that will  most probably  allow them to make an honest living within the supportive Israeli-Arab sector, without having to "ask favors" of Jewish employers or being subject to frequent discrimination during the process of finding work.

Other universities in the West Bank, such as An-Najah University in Nablus and Birzeit University just outside Ramallah, also have many students from Israel. These students decide to study in the West Bank for two main reasons. Some feel that the incitement messages advocated by the Israeli right-wing government have infiltrated academia. Thus, Israeli academic space has become much less tolerant of them. Others find it extremely difficult to pass the acceptance exams of the Israeli universities. These young people feel that the exams are tailored to Hebrew speakers and those who grew up in the Jewish-Zionist culture, without making allowances for minority groups. For example, Technion, the Haifa technology institute, raised the bar of its entrance exams in Hebrew this year.This change mainly harms members of minority groups who want to study at Technion.

A comprehensive document was released in 2013 by the Sikkuy Association for the Advancement of Civic Equality in Israel regarding the representation of Arab citizens in institutions of higher learning. In this document, Nohad Ali lists the barriers faced by young Israeli-Arabs who want to study in Israels universities. The first obstacle is the huge gaps in terms of budgetary investment, and subsequently the academic level, between high schools in the Arab sector and the Jewish sector. These gaps are making it difficult for the students to pass university acceptance tests. Even the psychometric tests  a university entry requirement  are adapted to Jewish culture and society and do not take into consideration the cultural backgrounds of young Arabs.

I mainly prefer that Arab students study in Israel, Odeh told Al-Monitor. He said that studying in Israel would assist these young people in retaining their national identity and becoming familiar with the "Israeli experience"  elements that would, in turn, help promote the integration of Israeli-Arab students into society. We have requested that a university be founded in Nazareth for young Arabs who want a higher education, but the state has been ignoring us for years, Odeh said.

He added that Ramzi Jaraise, the former mayor of Nazareth, submitted his last application for the university to the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education in 2013. Jaraise even set aside a large area and resources for the founding of an Arab university in his city, to enable young Arabs to acquire an education under conditions that are consistent with their culture and language. Odeh said, "Jaraise told the committee, 'We are a national minority group. We can teach in Arabic and we have the ability to teach various subjects, because professional manpower is available that has acquired an education and has specialized in institutions of higher learning in Israel. But nothing helped. Israel still thinks that this is part of national rights that shouldn't be given to the Arabs.

At this point, the founding of a university for the Arab minority is not even on the agenda. By contrast, Al-Monitor published an article about Ariel University (situated beyond the Green Line) that received clear budgetary preference from the state in comparison with the rest of Israels institutions for higher learning.

Al-Monitor spoke with a female resident of Umm al-Fahm who just started studies for a degree in computer science at An-Najah University in Nablus. Her father, a well-known figure in Israel, tried to persuade his daughter to study in one of Israels institutions of higher learning, but she insisted on studying in the West Bank. She told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that three years ago her sister completed her degree in English language and literature at Tel Aviv University; she subsequently taught at the citys Kibbutz College of Education.

Her life with the Jews was a nightmare. She was isolated the whole time and the Jewish students didnt exchange a word with her, the female resident of Umm al-Fahm said. She said that she did not want to have the experience her sister had, even though she knows that an Israeli degree is viewed as more prestigious than a degree from a West Bank university. Something has happened in recent years, especially this past year. No one gives us the time of day  they view us as a threat. Arabs are scary [in the eyes of Israeli Jews]. We  the members of this generation  feel more and more distanced from the Jewish youths. We have nothing in common, so I prefer to study in Nablus even though it makes it more difficult for my family. And my father says it makes him very sad.

In general, many of the Israeli Arab students encounter their Israeli peers for the first time at university. Despite rifts between Israeli Jews and Arabs, universities remain the best place for them to meet. Pushing the Arab students to West Bank universities will end this bridge between communities. If Arab students study in Israeli universities, Israeli students then gain a greater understanding about the condition and mood of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. The unique Israeli-Arab identity, developed over the years, will be fractured and shattered.

The father of the student from Umm al-Fahm told Al-Monitor, also on condition of anonymity, that he is angry at Israeli society for rejecting his children despite his efforts to integrate them in the society. He said that the exodus of Arab young people to study in the territories and in Jordan en masse will deepen further the gap between Jews and Arabs in Israel. I tried to raise my children with the great ambition of becoming fully integrated into the State of Israel. Instead they are thrust aside to the territories where the reality is different  ideals and viewpoints on all subjects are different [than here]. My daughter is going to be taught there. I have no idea what she will be like upon her return, he concluded.
November 9, 2016

BAGHDAD  Jasim Mohammed Jaafar, a member of parliament close to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and a leader of the Shiite National Alliance, told local media Oct. 20 that the proposal to appoint a military governor in Mosul after its liberation from the Islamic State (IS) is a realistic solution that Abadi seeks to bring about.

The political forces are focused on this proposal, particularly since some of them believe that the security conditions and regional ambitions in Ninevah province require a customary military rule that would put the security situation under control and protect Iraq's second-largest city in terms of population from fragmentation and partition.

The other parties are all ears when it comes to this perspective, with every advancement of the Iraqi forces battling IS to restore the city and with the Turkish interference in Iraqi affairs and the future of Ninevah.

In an interview on Al-Ahed satellite TV Oct. 31, Kadhim al-Shammari, the head of Al-Watnayh coalition, said that his bloc supports the appointment of a military governor for Mosul, as a part of Abadis constitutional powers.

Jaafar told Al-Monitor, The only solution to protect the future of Mosul lies in Abadis proposal during the National Alliances meeting on Oct. 17. The proposal provides for selecting a citizen of the city who would be widely acceptable by the various political parties and not affiliated with any of the political parties to serve as military governor in Ninevah. His task would be to govern Ninevah militarily, until the provincial councils are elected, hopefully next year.

Through this proposal, Abadi seeks to distance Mosul from the regional and local conflict that started to escalate, especially following Qasem Soleimanis visit to military units taking part in the operation to liberate Mosul, said Asia News Aug. 1, which is affiliated with the Iraqi National Congress. Some observers interpreted this news as a response to the Turkish intervention in Iraq and stated ambitions in Mosul, particularly in light of the weak and timid statements on the part of the Iraqi government.

Taking into account all of these considerations, which seem logical, Abdul Aziz Ithawi, a member of the Al-Nahrain Center for Strategic Studies, told Al-Monitor, Such a call is contrary to the constitution and is an overlook of all powers granted to the prime minister. He ruled out the possibility that Abadi would make such a move.

In light of the conflict flaring in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region, there are several proposals to guarantee the future of the disputed city. The Kurds believe that declaring Sinjar an independent province is a logical solution that would meet the partners desires. The Turkmens and Christians perceive that turning Tal Afar and the Ninevah Plains into provinces will ease the fears of the political partners. Also, former Governor of Ninevah province Atheel al-Nujaifi desires to turn Ninevah into an independent region.

Yet Ninevah provincial council member Hossam Abbar told Al-Monitor that a political dialogue based on common foundations is the best solution to break the impasse in Ninevah. He added that the appointment of a military governor in Mosul is a legal violation and overlook of the rights of [the party entitled] to form the local government in the province, which is originally formed in accordance with the law and constitution.

This view is in line with that of parliamentarian for Ninevah province Jamila Obeidi. She refuses any action or decision by the central government before Ninevah is completely free. Obeidi told Al-Monitor, There must be an extensive and comprehensive discussion with all political forces on Abadis project. She argued, It is a critical issue and is everyone's concern.

She added, It seems that Abadi has concerns about publicly putting forward this proposal, out of fear of causing reactions that could affect the course of the events in the battle. She concluded that the city's residents will agree on any solution that could preserve the city and warned against the appointment of a figure hailing from outside Ninevah.

This proposal seems acceptable for some Sunni parties in the Iraqi National Forces Alliance. Raad al-Dahlaki, a member of parliament of the alliance, said that there is a need to listen to the Iraqi National Forces Alliances perspective in regard to the selection of a military governor for Ninevah.

Dahlaki stressed to Al-Monitor the alliance's rejection of any scenario for Ninevah province before its liberation, saying, The National Forces Alliance does not oppose any proposal that would serve the interest of the city and its people.

According to legal expert Tareq Harb, the military governor does not have authority over civilians and his task is purely military, similarly to the tasks of the military operations chief.

In case Abadi fails to appoint the Mosul military governor, other scenarios will be put forward to manage the city, including that the former governor takes over his previous tasks, which is rejected by some parties that accuse Nujaifi of collaborating with neighboring countries. Moreover, the provincial council could resume its work and hold elections to choose a new governor. This would be accompanied with the federal police, which will be under the command of the commander in chief of the armed forces, taking control over the city, out of fear of any conflict between local officials and the forces there.
November 9, 2016

NAJAF, Iraq  On Oct. 31, the Iraqi National Alliance announced the Historical Settlement document it recently drafted. The alliance has been working for more than a year to finish this document in order for it to be a national anchor to reach a final historical settlement for the post-Islamic State (IS) phase.

Today, as IS is about to be completely eliminated from Iraq, one must wonder whether it is finally the time for Iraqis to achieve a historical settlement in order to put an end to their conflicts that have accumulated over the years.

The document states that it represents the National Alliances consensual vision aiming to achieve a national settlement that would result in a historical Iraqi reconciliation. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) has pledged to make political efforts, such as rallying support for the process of national reconciliation and pushing this initiative forward locally, regionally and internationally.

All of the National Alliances components have agreed to allow UNAMI to define and settle the official representation of all Iraqi components and parties, in a way that suits everyone, as well as address the parties disrupting the settlement, as per the measures adopted by the UN.

Thus, UNAMI will draft the final version of the national settlement as long as it is approved by both the parliament and the Cabinet and all Iraqi parties abide by it. UNAMI will raise support and insurance from international and local institutions, namely the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. It will work also on rallying the necessary support from the regional countries in order for the agreed-upon national settlement to succeed.

In addition, the UN via UNAMI will take it upon itself to support the government and the Iraqi parties taking part in the national settlement in order to achieve it, in addition to exercising all its powers to promote and protect the settlement from any party that wishes to disrupt it or threaten to prevent implementing its provisions, be it Iraqi parties or regional countries.

The document stated that all Iraqi parties are included in the settlement, pointing out that the National Alliance wishes to reach an understanding with all active forces in Iraqi society, whether they are within the frameworks of the government or the political process or outside of it, including the opposition forces, even the armed groups, with the exception of IS. The settlement shall be achieved in virtue of the constitution in order to reach a historical agreement with all parties committed to the principles of the initiative.

The document has developed practical and realistic topics for the settlement to tackle, such as, working on the distribution of powers and the decentralization that would govern the relationship between the federal government, the [Kurdistan] Regional Government [KRG] and provinces according to the federal system, as well as actually committing to the need for equitable distribution of wealth according to the population in each province, and considering "the oil, gas and water wealth such as rivers, lakes and dams in addition to monuments and archaeological sites a national treasure for all Iraqis, and finally working on addressing all forms of demographic change, the return of displaced people to their homes and the reconstruction of damaged areas.

Head of the National Alliance Ammar al-Hakim began to show openness toward the political blocs outside of the coalition and held meetings with them. However, Nazem al-Saadi, a member of the National Alliance, told the media that the alliance will not deal with neither those involved with foreign intelligence services nor those who do not believe in the political process and are rooting for division. He added that the alliance will launch the Historical Settlement initiative once Ninevah province is completely liberated.

In an Oct. 24 press statement, Hakim expressed his optimism about the settlement, saying, The relationship between the Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq is almost mature and on the right track. All parties have started letting go of their illusions and fears. This relationship is at a very advanced stage and we will move forward from here on out.

The background of the Historical Settlement document went back to the time that the government of Haider al-Abadi was formed, following an agreement between the Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish political forces, through which Abadi committed to proceed with a project of national reconciliation within the consensus government, as per the principles of federalism and the distribution of powers and wealth equitably among all of the countrys components.

Abadi has already shown that unlike his predecessor, Nouri al-Maliki, he is committed to his obligations toward his partners in power. He has achieved important parts of the reconciliation project, including the Amnesty Law that parliament voted on in August. The government also completed the project of Public Authority to monitor the allocation of federal revenue law for the equal distribution of wealth among the various Iraqi provinces and the KRG, which the parliament voted on on Nov. 5.

Abadi has relatively succeeded in curbing the Shiite militias operating under the umbrella of the Popular Mobilization Units, which has legally become a part of the Iraqi state under the authority of the prime minister. Abadi was able to recently resolve most disputes with the KRG after a historical visit by KRG President Massoud Barzani to Baghdad Sept. 29. This is in addition to his success in reuniting all Iraqi military forces, including the army, the peshmerga forces, militias and Sunni tribes as well as others in the fight against IS, especially in the ongoing battle to liberate Mosul.

However, this does not mean that the road is paved for the achievement of national reconciliation, especially if we take into consideration the post-2003 phase that included several unsuccessful experiences in achieving national reconciliation, leading up to the recent disasters such as the emergence of IS among other similar groups.

This is confirmed by one of the most prominent professors in Middle East Studies at Brandeis University, Kanaan Makiya, a major contributor to rallying the military alliance that toppled the Baathist regime in 2003, headed by the United States.

Makiya told Al-Monitor that although the "Historic Settlement" initiative giving the UN a role in Iraq is a positive matter, the situation on the ground is more important; the national reconciliation efforts made since 2003 are yet to result in concrete and practical measures.
November 8, 2016

Todays guest roster at the Turkish parliament offered an intriguing glimpse of President Recep Tayyip Erdogans New Turkey. While Western ambassadors in Ankara showed solidarity with the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) over the detentions of its leaders, in a nearby chamber the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was hosting Russian President Vladimir Putins special adviser Alexander Dugin.

Posing for photographers with Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, the militantly anti-American Russian academic told reporters that Putin was proposing a strategic alliance to Turkey and extending the hand of friendship. Asked whether such an alliance would not conflict with Turkeys NATO membership, the man also known as Putins Rasputin responded, That is your decision. You will decide who stands by you, who is your friend, who is your foe. Dugin added, You know who stood behind the people who bombed the Turkish parliament. Definitely not Russia.

Dugin has become the new darling of the AKP for echoing its claims that the Pennsylvania-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen and the United States were behind the botched coup attempt on July 15. He was invited to testify before a parliamentary committee that is investigating the incident.

But the seeds of the love affair with Dugin were planted before July. In a June interview with his own site Katehon, Dugin had already claimed that the Americans and the Gulenists were responsible for Turkeys downing of a Russian fighter jet over the Syrian border, all part of a plot, he insisted, to send Turkish-Russian relations into a tailspin.

It did. In the same interview, Dugin also claimed that Ahmet Davutoglu, the former prime minister who was shoved out last year, had plotted with the United States to overthrow Erdogan. The duly chastened Turkish president, he said, would now be pivoting toward Russia. The next logical step for Turkey would be to withdraw from NATO and to become part of a completely different Eurasian, rather than pro-Western, Atlanticist way of development.

Until recently, all of this might have been shrugged off as so much blather. But the doggedly anti-intellectual Dugins vision of a Russian-led Eurasian Union as an alternative to the US-led Atlanticist bloc has long resonated among ultranationalists in Turkey and especially in the military.

These Eurasianist officers argue that the now dismissed Ergenekon and Sledgehammer cases were not about defanging the generals but rather bolstering the influence of the Atlanticists in their midst. Having been cleared of the charges, the Eurasianists are said to have growing influence over policy including rapprochement with Moscow and recent overtures toward Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Alexander Dugin appearing in these various AKP forums is the most public sign that there could be some depth to the Turkish-Russian rapprochement, said Nate Schenkkan, project director for Nations in Transit for Freedom House, a New York-based human rights watchdog. Dugin himself is not necessarily that influential in Moscow right now, but as a symbol he represents particular anti-Western ideology that could be attractive to some elements in Turkey that are gaining influence. His appearances in Turkey must come wth the allowances of the Kremlin, Schenkkan told Al-Monitor in an interview.

Erdogan and his allies may well find some of Dugins views attractive too. They make no secret of the fact that they see the United States' hand in the coup. Washingtons failure to unequivocally condemn the putschists in the early hours of the attempted takeover, which included plans to murder Erdogan and his family, clearly didnt help. This may in turn explain why, as Al-Monitors Metin Gurcan recently noted, so many US-trained officers have been targeted in the latest wave of purges.

While Ankara is not about to heed Dugins calls to withdraw from NATO it obviously wants to send a clear signal that it has other options. Indeed, the view among some Westerners that Turkeys values may no longer be compatible with those of NATO is apparently shared by Ankara as well. But then, Turkeys adhesion to the military bloc was never solely about values. It was mainly about real estate  that is, Turkeys strategic position at the crossroads between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. And that remains unchanged.
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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is hosting the "Hiring Our Heroes - Huntsville" job fair for veterans and military spouses.

More than 40 employers are expected to take part Nov. 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. A workshop begins at 8:30 a.m. covering topics like resume building, networking, interview tips, background and lifestyle.

The event will take place at the Alabama Army National Guard Armory, 2499A Johnson Road in Huntsville.

"Hiring Our Heroes" is a nationwide program to help veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses find jobs. The program has staged 950 job fairs in all 50 states and military installations overseas.

Interested job seekers should pre-register online here. Veterans must provide proof of service.

For more information, contact elombardi@uschamber.com.
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The Rev. Dave Barnhart, pastor of St. Junia United Methodist Church, and the Rev. Jennifer Sanders, pastor of Beloved Community Church, talk about the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election.

(Photo by Greg Garrison/AL.com)

The Rev. Jennifer Sanders, pastor of Beloved Community Church in Avondale, opened up the church Wednesday morning for those suffering in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election.

"We're creating space to pray or come in and talk," said Sanders.

Next door at The Abbey coffee shop, a ministry of the Episcopal Church, clergy were also talking about the election of Republican nominee Donald Trump and the defeat of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

"There's a lot of fear and a lot of anger, but mostly fear," said the Rev. Dave Barnhart, pastor of St. Junia United Methodist Church. His Crestwood congregation includes many members concerned about gay rights and bullying of minorities.

He said his son, 13, told him that he and a friend at school who supported Trump agreed they would still be friends after the election.

"Thank God for the next generation," Barnhart said. "They get it better than the parents. The kids are very resilient."

The Rev. Katie Nakamura-Rengers, associate rector of young adults at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Mountain Brook, serves coffee at The Abbey coffee shop on the morning after the 2016 presidential election.

The Rev. Katie Nakamura-Rengers, associate rector for young adults at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Mountain Brook, said she had hoped to celebrate the election of the first woman president with her daughter, who is almost four.

"I hoped that's something special we'd be able to share together," she said. While her daughter may not be old enough to fully comprehend, other young people are struggling with the election.

"There's immense concern among young people about the atmosphere in our country," she said.

Mark LaGory, retired chairman of the sociology department at UAB and now a deacon at St. Luke's, said churches need to help smooth over hurt feelings from the campaign.

LaGory has eight grandchildren. "The grandkids are crying and asking why this happened," he said.

"It will take a toll on families for awhile," he said. "I think churches have a responsibility to help people deal with it."

Mark LaGory, retired chairman of the sociology department at UAB, worked as a sociologist for 30 years before becoming an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church.

LaGory said he arrived at The Abbey this morning depressed. "I openly cried this morning," he said. "We're called to help people love God and love our neighbor."

As a sociologist, LaGory felt the election was oversimplified.

"It's too simple to say this election was about race or racial prejudice," he said. "It's about a feeling of powerlessness. If it's not addressed, we're doomed to relive a grim past."

Sanders said that she's worried the bullying tone of the campaign will carry over into a Trump presidency.

"There's fear and anxiety; there's a lot of belief in continuing to work for change," Sanders said.

"There's concern about what we say to our kids and for the future of our children," she said. "Kids are pretty savvy about what's going on in the world. They have a lot of wisdom. I have a lot of trust in the generation coming up."

Nakamura-Rengers said she's encouraged by the prospect of a peaceful transition of power from President Obama to President Trump.

"This is the most contentious election I've ever experienced," she said. "It's so important that a peaceful transition happen. This is how our government works and how we keep the peace."

But the anxieties raised by Trump's campaign themes created tension that will be hard to calm. "I think there's going to be more anxiety," she said. "Was his hateful rhetoric just rhetoric, or how is he going to act on it?"
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A 10-year-old boy was wounded Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, when a bullet entered his Hoover apartment, apparently fired from inside an adjacent unit.

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A 10-year-old boy was wounded by gunfire Tuesday night when a bullet entered his apartment, apparently from an adjacent unit.

The shooting happened at 10:32 p.m. in the 3200 block of Warringwood Heights Apartments on Warringwood Drive, said Hoover police spokesman Lt. Keith Czeskleba. The boy was in the living room of his home when a bullet came through the wall from an adjacent apartment and struck him in the groin.

Hoover paramedics treated the boy at the scene, and then took him to Children's of Alabama. Czeskleba said the boy was conscious and alert when he was taken to the hospital.

The person in the apartment from where the gunshot originated fled the scene before police arrived. He later turned himself into Hoover police and was taken into custody for questioning.

Detectives are still on the scene investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting. More information will be released as it becomes available.
Bank of Ghana to introduce corporate governance guidelines for banks

Bank of Ghana is set to unveil a new corporate governance guideline that that will ensure financial soundness in the banking sector and improve economic efficiency and growth is in the works and expected to be introduced by January next year.

Speaking to stakeholders in Accra, at an IFC and BoG partnership event to boost good corporate governance, Bank of Ghana (BoG) second governor, Dr Johnson P. Asiama emphasized that in contemporary banking, sound corporate governance was particularly important as the rapid changes brought about by globalization, deregulation and technological advances are increasing the risks in banking.

According to the deputy governor, the BoG issued a Corporate Governance Exposure Draft in 2014 to elicit comments and constructive contributions from the industry.

The draft document has incorporated suggestions from industry, including a review by the IFC, and remains work-in-progress that would be issued appropriately when completed.

Some of the highlights in the guidelines, Dr Asiama said will address: the tenure of CEOs which is expected to be capped at a maximum of three terms of 5 years per term. Also, Non-Executive Directors shall have a tenure of three years for no more than two terms, and shall be in the majority on every Board.

Others in the case of foreign banks, the positions of Managing Director and Board Chair cannot be occupied concurrently.

Additionally, the size of bank Boards shall be limited, as well as the retiring age for Directors prescribed; as well as the Disclosure of attendance at Board meetings by Directors in annual accounts.

Banks need sound corporate governance practices in order to build public trust and confidence, as well as credibility in their operations, to promote the safety and soundness of the entire banking system. Without sound governance structures, banks stand the chance of eroding public trust and ultimately put shareholders investments and depositors funds at risk.

To underscore the importance of corporate governance in the industry, Dr Asiama also added that the new Banks and Specialised Deposit-taking Institutions (SDI) Bill, which has been passed by Parliament, has explicit provisions on corporate governance, which suggests a shift from a principle-based approach to that of rule-based.

I must say that the Bank of Ghana will adopt a combination of the two approaches in developing a sound and effective corporate governance framework for the industry he said.

Senior Country Officer for IFC, Joseph Akwasi Kuma, highlighted that the partnership was a technical assistance programme with funding coming from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs(SECO), while the BoG is the implementing institution.

He also added that there was the need to engage the regulator (BoG) who will get the buy in from the financial institution to help build a robust corporate governance.

www.bog.gov.gh
Frances far-right leader is likely to reach second round of presidential run-off, but the race could be tougher than Trumps.

Nobody is rushing to make political predictions now. But with the French presidential election less than six months away, shockwaves from Donald Trumps victory are already striking Paris.

Inevitably, Marine Le Pen is being touted as the main benefactor. Like Trump, shes a populist nationalist, and a far-right political outsider. Few people now doubt she will reach the second round presidential run-off.

Whether she can win the thing is another matter. I will preface what comes next with the usual caveats about the electoral unpredictability of our time.

But the French electoral system does not favour Le Pen in the same way that the Electoral College favoured Trump.

For two reasons: First, the French president is elected by popular vote. Second, France has more than two credible parties and these have a long tradition of setting aside their differences to block Le Pen from winning.

This happened in 2002 when Jean-Marie Le Pen lost to Jacques Chirac. He was crushed 82-18 percent by a Republican Front. You would not expect Marine Le Pen to poll as low as that in 2017. But it is a big leap to 50 percent from there.

OPINION: Marine Le Pens victory is a bigger threat than ISIL

The real beneficiary of Trumps victory could be Nicolas Sarkozy. His political comeback is sputtering. Hes well behind former prime minister Alain Juppe in the primary race for the Republican Party nomination. But Juppe is the establishment pick, a safe pair of hands.

After Trump, that looks anything but a selling point. Sarkozy is seen as a maverick with the political edge to veer strongly to the right and engage with Le Pen on her own turf. He did it in 2012 and will now be emboldened to push that tactic even further.

That could energise the party base to pick Sarkozy over Juppe. Theyre fearful of Marine Le Pen and may now question whether Juppe has the muscle to take her on and appeal to angry voters.

And angry they most certainly are. A prominent former minister said on Wednesday that 11 million French people finish every month with less than $15 in their bank account. That precariousness will drive the election.

READ MORE: Dutch, French far-right parties call for EU referenda

So the clearest lesson of all to take from Trump is that the mainstream candidates need to listen, and fast. If not, they could be heading for the same fate as Hillary.

Essayist Ivan Rioufol wrote on Wednesday that to hear one presidential hopeful propose post-Trump that a digital economy policy might be the solution to the current crisis is to measure the blindness of Frances centrist politicians.

Marine Le Pen isnt the favourite to win the Elysee in the wake of Donald Trump. But the French presidential race has been energised since Tuesday.

Its looking increasingly certain it will be fought over hard right approaches to immigration and security, and that Le Pen will be an actor on the stage until the very final moments of the race.
After a divisive presidential campaign, Donald Trump became the 45th US president-elect, securing the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election on Tuesday night. Muslim Americans greeted the news with a mixture of emotions, with some reacting positively and others with great concern.

The leader of the Republican Muslim Coalition, Saba Ahmed, told Al Jazeera that she is super-excited that Republican candidate Donald Trump had won the presidency.

The Republican Muslim Coalition is looking forward to working with president Trump.

While most Muslim Americans appeared to have been insulted and turned off by Trumps offensive remarks against the community, especially when he said he wants to ban Muslims from coming to the US should he win the elections, Ahmed argues that Muslim Americans should put that behind them and stop playing victims.

Muslims in this country should become more proactive and have strategic outreach to the Republicans, she said. We cannot afford to remain partisan and support only the Democratic Party.

But for Moussa ElBayoumi, who heads the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR) branch in the state of Kansas, Trumps win is unsettling due to the anti-Muslim sentiments he expressed during his presidential campaign.

Elbayoumi called on president-elect Trump to respect the United States constitution and the values upon which it is built.

If the new president failed to live up to his duties as a president of all Americans regardless of their racial, religion and national background, Elbayoumi said, CAIR would stand ready to defend the civil liberties of all American citizens, including Muslim Americans.

Basil al-Qudwa, who teaches economics at Al Huda University in Houston, Texas, on the other hand, sees no immediate threats coming from a Trump administration against Muslim or Arab Americans.

Qudwa thinks that Muslim American numbers in the US are comparatively small and statistically insignificant. He argues that Trumps win is not an anomaly given the economic stagnation in the US over the past decade.





Once you have economic crises in a society, nationalism spikes which then leads to the emergence of populist leaders such as Trump.

Latinos stand to lose the most during a Trump administration, Al Qudwa argues, because of their numbers.

Other issues Trump used to energise his supporters, such as building a wall on the border with Mexico and deporting illegal aliens, are more prominent.

Arab-American journalist Ray Hanania, who supported Trump all along, faults the mainstream American media for misleading and conditioning the public that Hillary Clinton win would be an inevitable conclusion.

Trumps rhetoric has been exaggerated by the media to help Clinton  the quintessential insider  hold on to power,  Hanania said.

Hanania also argued that Trump received more support from women, Latinos and blacks than Mitt Romney did in 2012, which shows how deceptive American mainstream media were.

The bottom line is that Trumps election is a slap on the face of American media which feeds on anti-Arab, anti-Muslim racism more than Donald Trump ever did.

Hananias optimism about Trump was not shared, though, by fellow Chicagoan Shadin Maali, a well-known social activist. Maali said she was in a state of disbelief.

How is it possible that here in America in 2016 could a man who has based his campaign on hatred, bigotry and divisiveness win the hearts and minds of so many American people? she said.

Follow Ali Younes on Twitter: @ali_reports
Kabul, Afghanistan  With local media closely following elections results overnight, Afghanistan started its day on Wednesday watching a nail-biter of a presidential race which resulted in a victory for Republican nominee Donald Trump.

In the day leading to the elections, Afghans told Al Jazeera that Trump is an X factor  his stance on refugees from Muslim countries and reports of his treatment of women are offensive to people in this area. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, is a known entity with a long political curriculum vitae.

The potential change represented by Trump comes at a precarious time for Afghanistan, which is seeing spikes in attacks from the Taliban as well as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) fighters.

The security issue is a major concern not only in the capital, which is seeing a regular occurrence of car bombs targeting security vehicles  about two a week  as well as around a dozen provinces where attacks by Taliban and ISIL fighters have seen over a million Afghans displaced.

While the countrys chief executive officer Abdullah Abdullah issued an official congratulatory statement on Trumps victory, the reaction among ordinary Afghans was mixed.

Abdulghafoor Qazniwal, 56, said he was disgusted with the race.

I didnt think it was good from the start. I thought they ran a rotten race, said Qazniwal, who owns a construction logistical firm. He said he supported Clinton and added that he did not even like saying his [Trumps] name.

The length and negative tone of the campaign caught the attention of Fawzia Koofi, a parliamentary member for Badakhshan.

US elections are confusing, said Koofi. Indeed, a correspondent tried to explain the US system, which uses the electoral college over popular vote, to viewers on Tolo TV on Tuesday night before giving up and just calling the system complicated.

It was a very unpredictable election because it was just yesterday that we saw that Madam Clinton was ahead, said Koofi.

Koofi said she does not expect that US policy will change towards Afghanistan, but whats clear from this race, she said, is that the world is still dominated by men  I was disappointed to see how, at the end of the day, the gender issue mattered. In most cases, I think, Hillary Clinton was not voted for because shes a woman.

The expectation from the US, she added, is that they will get past this headache of the elections and get down to business, which will include working on the issue of security in Afghanistan.

Chaos anticipated

Although the US system seems complicated, the fact that the results were uncontested and that a winner was immediately declared made Nadim Fazli, 23, have some faith in it.

There was a fast result and didnt seem to be any fraud, said the grocery store owner.

While he said he is not a fan of Trump because, Fazli said he did not believe the president-elect would haul Clinton to prison over her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state.

Politicians say such things to get votes. I dont really think he will do any of those things, he said.

Trumps lack of political experience left Afghans with little substance to weigh him on against Clinton, other than his statements against Muslim refugees and reports of his treatment of women.

Im not even sure if theyre true, but the reports of his harassment of women made me not want to support him, said Jan Begum, 23, who studies economics at Maiwand University, adding that she saw Trump as someone who does not support refugees and humanitarian efforts in war-torn countries such as Afghanistan.

Her concerns were echoed on local news channels, which featured wall-to-wall coverage of the race on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Afghans are concerned about Trumps campaign promises and slogans  this is why they are following the news very carefully and Afghan media has a sharp eye on it, said political analyst Ahmad Saidi.

Trumps views were dangerous for America and world, he said, noting that Afghanistan had never seen such a tight race between two such divergent candidates.

No matter what they thought of the candidates, Afghans paid close attention to the election coverage because, said jeweler Mohammad Fahim, Our future is tied to Americas.

He is among those who anticipated some chaos after the vote but was ultimately relieved with the peaceful transition of power.

We were concerned that there would be chaos  for America and for us, said Fahim. But after Clinton conceded, saying she would accept the results, we felt more assured.
Syrians and Palestinians to suffer most with the doors to refugees slammed while US-Israel relations are in question.

Regarding foreign policy in general and the Middle East in particular, Donald Trump, as the new president of the United States, would stand out as the most unpredictable man to have occupied this position ever since his country started deploying an overseas imperial policy in the late 19th century.

Trump has contradicted himself and changed positions and/or tone on several issues time and again during the electoral campaign. Judging, however, by a few key themes that he persistently reiterated over the past year, here is what can be guessed at this point about the way his presidency may affect the Middle East:

The Syrian people will be the first to suffer from his election. The doors of the United States will be slammed shut in the face of would-be Syrian refugees, with maybe an exception made for Christians as Trumps agitation against Syrian refugees has always centred around Islamophobia.

To stop altogether the outflow of refugees from Syria, Trump has advocated the creation of a safe zone within the countrys borders, where Syrian displaced persons would be concentrated rather than allowed to go abroad as refugees. He boasted that he would make the Arab Gulf states pay for this as he would make Mexico pay for the wall that he intends to build on the border between the two countries.

ANALYSIS: How will US election affect Middle East policy?

Secondly,Trump will inaugurate a new policy of friendship and collaboration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, based on accommodating Russias interests. In the Middle East, this includes accepting Russias role in Syria as positive and supporting Bashar al-Assads regime as the lesser evil.

It would logically involve demanding from the United States traditional allies in the region that they cease supporting the Syrian armed opposition. Washington would then co-sponsor with Moscow a Syrian coalition government that would include conciliationist opposition members. This could open the way to US collaboration with the Assad regime in the name of the war on terror.





Pursuing the policy of favouring strong men in power, which he shares with Putin, Trump will want to improve Washingtons relations with both Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He may try to mend fences between the two men and coax them into adhering to a joint effort against terrorism that would accept each presidents definition of what he regards as terrorism in his own country.

Since Trump is poised to antagonise Iran by revoking the nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration, he may even try to entice Saudi Arabia into joining what would emerge as a Sunni triangle of Ankara, Cairo and Riyadh backed by Washington.

Herein lies the principal inconsistency in Trumps vision for the Middle East (whereas his hostile stance towards China is the principal inconsistency of his global vision): overcoming it requires luring both Moscow and the Assad regime into breaking with Tehran.

Lastly, another regional strong man whose relations with Washington will greatly improve under Trump is Benjamin Netanyahu. Thus, another direct victim of Trumps election will be the Palestinian people as Netanyahu will be given more of a free hand in dealing with them than any Israeli prime minister has had since Ariel Sharon in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Gilbert Achcar is professor at SOAS, University of London and the author most recently of Morbid Symptoms: Relapse in the Arab Uprising (Stanford University Press, US and Saqi Books, UK).
New York, US  In the early hours of November 8, long lines snaked through the streets of New York as the citys residents headed to the polls to vote in the presidential election.

New York is a largely Democratic city and state, but every vote matters, said Jon Lewis, 52. Its our democratic right to make our voice heard. Lewis says he voted for the Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Shes no Obama, but shes the best we got right now. Its been a deeply divisive election filled with falsehoods, scandals, racism and inequality. It showed us just how divided our country is.

Tensions are running high in the city of 8.5 million people. Hundreds of restaurants and cafes had signs up encouraging people to go out and vote, and the streets have been filled with people proudly wearing their I Voted stickers.

Polls in the city are open from 6am until 9pm.

At polling stations across the city, hundreds of people have waited peacefully for their turn to fill in their ballots at the booths.

While the race for the White House is mainly between the Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and the Republican candidate Donald Trump, there are also third-party candidates such as Jill Stein of the Green Party and Gary Johnson of the Libertarians.

If Hillary Clinton wins, she will become the first female president.

Angie Rosario, an 18-year-old student, said she was looking forward to the elections being over. Everyone is quite tense right now, she sighed. Its been stressful and chaotic, to say the least.
While Trumps presidency might be more isolationist on foreign policy, it will be disastrous for human rights at home.

Lauren Carasik is the Director of the International Human Rights Clinic at Western New England University School of Law.

Despite tightening polls in the days leading up to the US presidential election, many believed that Hillary Clinton would eke out a victory, in part because she had been consistently ahead in predictions, and in part because the alternative was an unthinkable descent into fascism and hatred.

In the end, voters embraced Donald Trumps intolerance and vitriol, in a campaign that edged political discourse into a mockery of truth, civility and substance. His presidency will be a catastrophe for human rights and the rule of law.

Trump denigrated African Americans as monolithic denizens of inner city bedlam, demonised immigrants and Muslims, mocked a man with disabilities and degraded women.

He turned unbounded greed into a virtue, elevated for-profit business to a governance model, and threatened to sue his critics.

His bellicose language translated into behaviour in a climate of increased bullying in schools against populations he targeted and a surge in hate crimes against Muslims.

A black church in Mississippi was burned , with Vote Trump inscribed on the wall, and Trump fans called for Clintons incarceration and even execution.

Make America hate again

The first presidential election held since a 2013 Supreme Court decision gutted the Voting Rights Act occurred amid alarming efforts to suppress votes among those most likely to cast democratic ballots.

Yet Trump continued to stoke fears of a rigged election, and issued dog-whistle calls to monitor polls in urban areas , raising the prospect of voter intimidation. His unfounded claims of voter fraud were intended as a bulwark against the humiliation of defeat.

Yet, there are real threats to democracy that went unaddressed, including the influx of money into politics that uphold the interests of the 1 percent and a craven media that failed miserably to hold him to any standard of veracity.

He will now govern a bitterly divided country that has completely lost sight of its founding ideals, exacerbate its existing troubles, and imperil its very democracy. by

Trump positioned himself as an authentic, anti-establishment candidate who can Make America great again, but as critics grimly joked, the more honest slogan was to Make America hate again.

His victory has caused panic for many vulnerable groups: Muslims, African Americans, LGBTI people, women, immigrants and others in the US petrified of the fallout from the nationalism, xenophobia, misogyny and racism that he has unleashed.

He will now govern a bitterly divided country that has completely lost sight of its founding ideals, exacerbate its existing troubles and imperil its very democracy.

Economic and social inequality will continue to subvert the American dream and racial tensions will grow worse. Trump was never the outsider who could fix the nation. It was former democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders who represented the opportunity to uproot the status quo by confronting crony capitalism and the institutions that entrench it.

For some with a more global view, Trumps victory presents some solace. Clinton is generally viewed as more of a hawk than Trump. She supported the Iraq war, which provoked a humanitarian catastrophe and is partially responsible for the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), promoted regime change in Libya to disastrous effect, and has called for a no-fly zone in Syria, which could lead to more serious confrontation with Russia.

OPINION: Donald Trump  The Islamophobia president

Her Latin American policies have been dismal. Some leftists feared a Clinton presidency would continue to project its military might and economic priorities across the globe, engage in endless war, and undermine, not advance, human rights in places like Honduras and Haiti.

As they are right to note, the human rights of those living outside the US also matter. Hawkish international policies have domestic implications as well: costly military entanglements deplete coffers that could be used instead to fill the gaping shortages in funding for job creation, education, healthcare, infrastructure and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

What will become of America?

But though he espouses a more isolationist foreign policy, Trumps vindictiveness, impulsivity and incoherence make it hard to fathom how people feel safe entrusting him with the nuclear codes or with stewardship of a planet imperilled by the climate change he denies.

OPINION: The US is not a post-racial society

Under Trump, the US will probably continue to fall short of international human rights ideals. He has evinced his hostility to even the small number of Syrian refugees admitted to the US, suggesting that the desperate families fleeing the same extremist terrorism from which he wants to keep American safe pose a danger to us instead, and has threatened to Muslims from entering the country.

Trump seems likely to continue the use of drones for extrajudicial assassination despite civilian casualties: in fact, he once said the families of terrorists should be targeted as well.

He has called for the waterboarding of terrorists, despite its lack of efficacy and illegality, and said that Guantanamo Bay prison will be expanded under his watch, where even US citizens could be tried and held.

Many Americans will start their new day in a state of shock and despair, fearing what will become of their country.

The US does not always live up to its vaunted ideals, but a Trump presidency will trample them altogether. Those who believe in a more just and equitable world will have their work cut out for them.

Lauren Carasik is a clinical professor of law and the Director of the International Human Rights Clinic at Western New England University School of Law.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Trump rose to power with an Islamophobic campaign and Islamophobia now will become his official policy.

Khaled A Beydoun is a law professor, and author of American Islamophobia: Understanding the Roots and Rise of Fear.

Islamophobia won resoundingly tonight. Instead of the first female president, the United States got its first Islamophobia president.

From start to finish, the 2016 presidential election vividly revealed that Islamophobia is alive, and potent and politically resonant as ever. Scapegoating Islam and vilifying Muslims was far more than merely campaign messaging; for Donald Trump it was a winning strategy.

Trumps full-blown Islamophobia resonated deeply with voters. Moreover, it mobilised more than just a fringe or rabid demographic, but a sizable segment of the American polity to cast votes in his favour.

It helped him carry Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, and virtually every battleground state.

Long before election night, earlier numbers indicated that Trumps deployment of Islamophobia as a primary campaign strategy would pay dividends and register votes.

An NBC poll conducted in December 2015 found that 25 percent of Americans supported Trumps Muslim ban. A March 2016 poll indicated greater support, with 51 percent favouring Trumps Ban  until our countrys representatives can figure out what is going on.

Trump interpreted these staggering figures, which rose as the campaign progressed, as strong support for his Islamophobia campaign.

Trump will bring an administration that is entirely devoid of Muslim Americans and at minimum, individuals without genuine reach into or backing from Muslim Americans. His campaign lacked any bona fide Muslim American involvement, and the Trump administration will likely reflect that. by

He delivered what the market demanded, and doubled down on his anti-Muslim rhetoric. He fed the Islamophobia his loud and angry base demanded, and as indicated by election results, a sizable portion of the silent, white majority.

Trump won because he was willing to deliver Islamophobia in the blatant and brazen terms his Republican peers and predecessors would not fully commit to.

Instead of adopting George W Bushs or Mitt Romneys cautious Islamophobia, or Barack Obama or Hillary Clintons exclusive mention of Muslims from the lens of national security policy  Trump went all the way.

He stripped any mitigating rhetoric, aimed to placate liberals and moderates, from his message. He did away with staple qualifiers like peace loving and moderate when talking about Muslims.

In fact, Trump swept aside every political platitude and carefully crafted talking point for a blatantly hateful grassroots framing.

Instead of Islam is peace, Trump declared that, Islam hates us, giving disaffected bigoted voters exactly what they wanted.

OPINION: A dismal day for human rights in the US

He embraced the hateful language of Quran-burning rallies, anti-mosque protests, and perhaps most violently, the ugly underbelly that is the comments sections of news articles. Trump sounded more like the Islamophobes on-the-ground torching mosques, instead of Islamophobes in political offices supporting surveillance of mosques.

This presidential campaign foreshadows what is sure to follow. Hate crimes against Muslims rose considerably in 2015 and statistics show a similar trend in 2016. If a Trump presidential campaign resulted in an unprecedented number of hate crimes against Muslims, one can only imagine what a Trump presidency will bring.

It will bring an expanded surveillance state, where counter-radicalisation policing in Muslim communities will be more pervasive and far-reaching. This will make it far more difficult for Muslims to freely exercise their faith, and the most benign symbols of Muslim identity will trigger suspicion.

It will bring in extreme vetting of Muslim immigrants, and very likely, entirely bar the entry of refugees from war-torn states. Therefore, even if a fully-fledged Muslim ban is not enacted  sweeping, strident policies impairing legal admission of Muslim immigrants will be law.

OPINION: The US is not a post-racial society

It will bring an administration that is entirely devoid of Muslim Americans and at minimum, individuals without genuine reach into or backing from Muslim Americans. The Trump campaign lacked any bona fide Muslim American involvement, and the Trump administration will likely reflect that.

Most alarmingly, it will usher in a cultural movement (and moment) whereby the highest office in government authorises discrimination and violence against Muslim Americans. If the president of the US is the very archetype and orchestrator of Islamophobia, then assailing Muslims, torching mosques, and attacking anybody who looks Muslim is fair game.

What seemed a far-fetched idea is in fact Americas reckoning. The absurd is reality. Islamophobia is no longer campaign messaging or strategy, but come January, formal, full-blown White House policy.

I watched the election night returns alongside 200 Muslim Americans in Dearborn, Michigan  the most concentrated Muslim American community in the country.

Fear was palpable. Adults cried. Young people led prayers. What loomed tomorrow was bleak, and the wedge between Muslim and American seemed never stronger.

Enter Donald Trump, American President. Brace yourselves, Muslim Americans.

Khaled A Beydoun is an Associate Law Professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. He is also Affiliated Faculty at the University of California-Berkeley.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Pakistani and Indian forces trade fire along LoC in disputed Kashmir region, killing at least nine over past two days.

India and Pakistan have accused each other of violating a ceasefire along the Line of Control  the de facto border  separating the two South Asian rivals.

The Indian army said on Wednesday that one of its soldiers was killed by Pakistani sniper fire in the Machil sector of Indian-administered Kashmir. The Indian army said two of its soldiers were killed in a separate Pakistani attack a day earlier in Naushera sector.

Army spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia told the AFP news agency that the Indian soldiers retaliated by targeting the Pakistan army posts across the Line of Control, or LoC, that divides the disputed Kashmir region between the two nations.

On Wednesday, Pakistan accused India of a ceasefire violation after at least four of its civilians were killed in cross-border firing.

The dead included a 10-year-old girl and her mother, according to Pakistans foreign ministry, which said that a senior Indian diplomat was summoned for the unprovoked ceasefire violation on November 8.

Seven others were also injured in the incident, which occurred in the Khuirata and Battal sectors of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

READ MORE: The doctors treating Kashmiris blinded by pellets

In a separate incident, Indian troops shot dead two suspected fighters in a gun battle in the Sopore area of Indian-administered Kashmir after receiving a tip-off.

Two terrorists were killed and two weapons were recovered from their bodies, Colonel Kalia said.

The latest exchanges of fire come as ties worsen between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Tensions between the two countries have soared since September when fighters attacked an Indian army base in Kashmir, leaving 19 soldiers dead.

Since then the two sides have engaged in cross-border fire almost daily leading to the deaths of soldiers and civilians on both sides.

OPINION: Two centuries of oppression in Kashmir

New Delhi blamed the September attack on Pakistan-based armed groups and attacked what it called terrorist launching pads along LoC in retaliatory strike.

Pakistan denied the strikes took place and the two sides have since expelled diplomats from their countries in a tit-for-tat row.

The border attacks come against the backdrop of months of protests against Indian rule in Kashmir, sparked by the killing of a popular rebel leader in July.

Nearly 90 people, most of them young protesters, have been killed in clashes with security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir since then.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in full and have fought two wars over the mountainous region.
Projections show Republican scoring major victories in key states as the race for president edges to a close.

Republican nominee Donald Trump is projected to have won several key victories against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as the race for US president pushes towards a close.

Projections show Trump winning the battleground states of Ohio, Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania  four crucial states in the race for the Oval Office.

At 266 Trump is now only four Electoral College votes away from clinching the White House. It takes 270 votes to win the presidency, and Clinton only has 218.

At Clinton headquarters in New York early on Wednesday morning, Clinton campaign manager John Podesta told supporters to go home and get some sleep.

Several states are too close to call so were not going to have anything more to say tonight, he said.

Clinton carried Virginia, Colorado and California. Her campaign had expected easy victories there, but the states took on new urgency as Trump picked up votes elsewhere.

The uncertainty sent Dow futures and Asian markets tumbling, reflecting investor concern over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.

Projected election results Clinton wins: Maine, Nevada, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, California, Virginia, New Mexico, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Vermont, Delaware and the District of Columbia Trump wins: AlPennsylvania, Utah, Iowa, Georgia, Wyoming, North Carolina, Idaho, Florida, Ohio, Missouri, Montana, Louisiana, Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana

As Clintons team anxiously waited for results to roll in, the candidate tweeted to supporters, Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything.

Florida is the largest of the swing states with 29 electoral votes.

The sunshine state is a make or break state for Trump, according to analyst Allan Lichtman, who has correctly predicted the outcome of the elections for the past 30 years.

Al Jazeeras Gabriel Elizondo, reporting from Columbus, Ohio, said that the candidate that wins Ohio traditionally wins the election.

If you win Ohio, you win the presidency.

US television networks have projected that Republicans will retain control of the lower chamber of Congress known as the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs.

While the state of Ohio was blue in the two previous elections, Tuesdays result was not an unexpected loss for Clinton.

Eighty percent of the population in the state of Ohio is white  compared to 65 percent nationally  a demographic that favoured Trump.

Trump hinted again on Tuesday that he would refuse to accept election results if he loses.

Were going to see how things play out, Trump told Fox News on Tuesday, alleging that there had been voting irregularities. I want to see everything honest.

Trump filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against the Clark County Registrar of Voters in the state of Nevada, alleging that early voting stations were open longer than the designated time.

A Nevada judge denied Trumps request for state voting records on the grounds that the request would potentially put voters at risk of ridicule and harassment.

Radically different visions

As a nervous world watched and waited, Americans chose between radically different visions of the future offered by Clinton and Trump.

The 69-year-old former first lady, senator and secretary of state  who is backed by incumbent President Barack Obama  on Monday urged the country to unite and vote for a hopeful, inclusive, big-hearted America in her last effort to woo voters.

Trump, meanwhile, pressed his message with voters who feel left behind by globalisation and social change, wrapping up with a flourish on his protectionist slogan of America first.

Promising to end years of betrayal, to tear up free trade deals, to seal the border, to halt the drug trade and to subject Syrian refugees to extreme vetting, Trump told his supporters in New Hampshire: I am with you and I will fight for you and we will win.

Trump has repeatedly warned that a corrupt Washington and media elite is seeking to rig the race and he said last month that he may not concede defeat if he thinks voting is unfair.

When he was asked: will he concede the elections, his response was We will see, Saloomey said.

The Al Jazeera correspondent said that Trump has continued with the same theme that has got him this far.

He has showed his lack of faith in the polls that show him slightly behind Hillary Clinton. He has made some advances in areas that we call Rust Belt here in the US  all the industrial cities and towns where there are lots of working-class voters.

This has been his strongest area of support, she said.

READ MORE: Twitter blows up  US election scarier than Halloween

Clinton has pushed a more optimistic vision, despite a wobble in the final weeks of her campaign when the FBI reopened an investigation into whether she had put US secrets at risk by using a private email server  only to close the probe again on Sunday.

The email investigation allowed Trump to recover ground lost in a series of recent scandals.

Since announcing his presidential campaign in June 2015, Trump, a billionaire businessman from New York, has consistently alienated minority groups, refused to release his tax returns, and remained seemingly unapologetic for leaked tapes in which he brags about sexually assaulting women.

Voters are also electing candidates for 34 seats in the 100-member Senate and the entire 435-member House of Representatives. Both the House and Senate are now controlled by the Republicans.

With a dominance in Congress, the Republicans frustrated outgoing President Obama by rejecting many of his key legislative agendas.

A Trump victory, along with a Republican Congress, could mean a swift end for Obamas Obamacare health reforms.

To win control of the Senate, Democrats would have to score a net gain of five seats. Republicans currently hold 54 Senate seats to 44 Democratic seats and two independents who align themselves with Democrats.
Al Jazeera looks at some of Donald Trumps most outrageous and memorable campaign quotes.

US presidential hopeful Donald Trump has been repeatedly criticised for making lewd, racist, sexist, xenophobic, Islamophobic, and otherwise hateful comments during his presidential campaign.

When Trump first proposed the idea of building a wall along Americas southern border, he said: I will build a great wall. Nobody builds walls better than me, believe me.

Trumps border wall was slammed as just fantasy by Clinton, who was also quick to mock the business tycoons claims of a winning temperament.

The former reality TV star has apologised for some of the foolish things hes said, but has mainly defended himself, saying he is more level-headed than his election rival Hillary Clinton.

Heres a montage of some of Trumps most outrageous comments.
We asked people in Gaza, Yemen and Tunisia what they think about Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and the US election.

As Americans voted to elect their new president, Al Jazeera asked people from across the Middle East for their opinions on the US election and what, if any, expectations they had.

One Gazan resident told Al Jazeera that Palestinians didnt expect or want any assistance from the US administration since Washington helps the Israeli authority in its occupation and suppression of Palestinians.

Another said: US politics has not changed in the last 100 years, from George Bush senior to his son and other presidents  the US will always remain loyal to Zionism and unfortunately violence will continue in the Middle East.

The mood was similar in war-ravaged Yemen, where residents criticised the US for supporting dictators and its targeting of Muslim-majority countries.

We hope the US and Americans generally leave Muslims alone. All the calamities we suffer are the result of US, Iranian and Western policies; and it all boils down to their enmity to Islam and the Muslims, said a Yemeni national.

READ MORE: Clinton vs Trump on foreign policy

Another said: I expect no change in US foreign policy, namely towards the Muslim world; especially with Trump. As for Hillary Clinton, I believe she will follow the same policies of Obama, namely to cause a rift among the Arabs and cause them to fight each other, while they stand as spectators.

Meanwhile, a Tunisian national told Al Jazeera that as long as US foreign policy remained the same, then it wont matter to [Tunisians] who becomes the next US president.
Claudia Ruiz Massieu says a wall not part of our vision as President Pena Nieto says he is ready to work with Trump.

Mexicos foreign minister has reasserted that her government would not pay for a wall along the US border  a promise made by US president-elect Donald Trump during his election campaign.

Paying for a wall is not part of our vision, Claudia Ruiz Massieu told local television on Wednesday, after Trump triumphed in the US election.

Trump had vowed that he would build a massive border wall, and make Mexico pay for it.

Massieu said that the government had maintained communication with Trumps campaign team since the property mogul paid a visit to Mexico in August.

There has been a fluid, daily communication with different members of the campaign, she said.



Mexicans react to Trump winning US election

Separately, Mexicos President Pena Nieto said that he was ready to work with Trump to improve bilateral relations, and that the two countries would continue to tighten bonds of cooperation and mutual respect.

Nieto was heavily criticised for receiving Trump in Mexico during the campaign, after the Republican candidate called Mexican immigrants rapists.

Mexico and the United States are friends, partners and allies and we should keep collaborating for the competitiveness and development of North America, Nieto said on his Twitter account.

Trump has said that he would rescind the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which has increased commerce between Mexico, the United States and Canada, saying that it has killed US jobs.

READ MORE: Trump for dummies  Its about the economy, stupid

Having hitched its fortunes to free trade with the US for more than two decades, Mexico faces a hard road to find new markets if Trump carries out threats to force significant changes to the terms of the deal.

Pitching a protectionist message to US workers disaffected by globalisation, Trump has vowed to nullify NAFTA if he cannot renegotiate it and halt the migration of jobs south to cheaper Mexican factories.

If Trump follows through, Mexican policymakers say they will have to try to offset losses in US trade by promoting closer commercial ties with Asia and Latin America, as well as seek to work alongside Canada to defend NAFTA.

From 1994, NAFTA united Mexico with the US and Canada in a single free trade area, modernising its economy. Backers argue that it made the whole continent more competitive, but Trump complains it hollowed out US manufacturing.





The US presidential campaign, which culminated with Republican nominee Trumps surprise victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, has been steeped in protectionist rhetoric, shaking Mexicos government and battering the peso currency. It dropped to a historic low after Trumps victory.

But Mexican officials were quick to try to curb fears of an economic slowdown.

Al Jazeeras John Holman, reporting from Mexico City, said that the countrys central bank chief and finance minister held a conference after the peso value plummeted in a bid to assuage public concerns.

Basically they were saying to investors and the market in general that was everything was okay, that their institutions were strong, that they wont need to borrow money externally and they would cope fine from this, he said.

Mexico had hoped that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a broader accord signed this year  but not ratified  between the NAFTA partners and nine other nations, could serve as a forum to tweak US trade ties and extend Mexicos reach into Asia.

WATCH: Top Republican Hindu defends Trumps Mexican wall

Derided by Trump and even Clinton, TPP now looks to be a hard sell.

If TPP doesnt flourish, Mexico needs to have another strategy to strengthen trade with Asia, Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo told the Reuters news agency a few days before the US election.

Mexico would also seek to be twice as aggressive in strengthening trade ties with both Asia and Latin America if the next US government is against NAFTA, he added.

Trump has called NAFTA the worst deal ever and threatened to impose tariffs of up to 35 percent on Mexicos goods.

On a visit to Mexico to meet President Nieto in late August, he struck a more conciliatory tone, stressing the importance of keeping manufacturing wealth in North America, but also highlighting the need to update NAFTA.

Mexico has said it could modernise NAFTA if the other two members agree. But officials are opposed to changing the basics of the agreement, and hope Canada will back them up.

Closing ranks with Canada will be vital for upholding NAFTA, Victor Manuel Giorgana, a politician from the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party who heads the lower house foreign relations committee, said last week. We cant have one of the countries trying to impose its own particular vision.
Sharbat Gula, a symbol of her countrys wars since featuring in National Geographic cover photo, sent back via Torkham.

Pakistan has deported Sharbat Gula, the green-eyed Afghan girl in the renowned 1985 National Geographic photo, for using fraudulent identity documents, according to officials.

Police escorted Gula on Tuesday from a Peshawar hospital, where she had been staying since her arrest last month for living illegally in Pakistan.

Gula, who had become the symbol of her countrys wars, was handed over to Afghan authorities at the Torkham border.

READ MORE: Sharbat Gula  The iconic face of the refugee struggle

Gulas deportation comes amid Pakistani pressure to send 2.5 million Afghan refugees back home even though Afghanistan is facing a struggle with Taliban fighters in the country.

We took Sharbat Gula from the hospital in a convoy and delivered her to the Afghan border authorities at Torkham, said a senior Pakistani security official told Reuters news agency.





Speaking to the AFP news agency last week, Gula said she was heartbroken at the prospect of returning.

Afghanistan is only my birthplace, but Pakistan was my homeland and I always considered it as my own country, she said.

I had decided to live and die in Pakistan but they did the worst thing with me. Its not my fault that I born there [in Afghanistan]. I am dejected. I have no other option but to leave.

Gula said she first arrived in Pakistan an orphan, some four or five years after the Soviet invasion of 1979, one of millions of Afghans who have sought refuge over the border since.

She is expected to be flown back to Kabul later on Wednesday, where President Ashraf Ghani would host a function in her honour and her four children are expected to follow her shortly.

Public billboards were already up welcoming her back home.

Gula was for years an unnamed celebrity after an image of her as a teenage Afghan refugee was featured on National Geographic magazines cover in 1985, her striking green eyes peering out from a headscarf with a mixture of ferocity and pain.









The image became a symbol of Afghanistans suffering during the 1980s Soviet occupation and US-backed armed struggle against it.

The Soviet withdrawal in 1989 led to the collapse of the Kabul government and years of civil war until the Taliban movement seized power in the mid-1990s.

After the Taliban government fell to the US-backed military action in 2001, National Geographic sent photographer Steve McCurry to find the girl in the photo, eventually identified as Gula.
Cell that staged deadly attacks had received orders from very high in ISIL command, Belgiums federal prosecutor says.

The cell that launched deadly attacks on Paris and Brussels had received its orders from very high in the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) command, according to Belgiums federal prosecutor.

Late last year a wave of bombings and shootings killed 130 people and injured hundreds more across the French capital. And in March suicide blasts struck an airport and a metro station in the Belgian capital, leaving about 30 people dead.

We know that the orders came from the Islamic State zone  We know that it went very high in the command, Frederic Van Leeuw said in an interview with the AFP news agency in Brussels on Wednesday.

He could not say exactly who gave the orders or whether they sent them from a base in Syria or Iraq, the territory run by ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

READ MORE: Belgium charges three men linked to attacks in Brussels

He said the command moved around to dodge US-backed strikes. Baghdadi was for a while in Mosul [in Iraq], sometimes in Raqqa [in Syria], he said.

We dont know at all who are the people who really gave the orders. ISIL, also known as ISIS, claimed responsibility for the attacks in Paris on November 13 last year as well as for the blasts in Brussels on March 22.

Van Leeuw said the attacks were carried out by the same Franco-Belgian cell in which the logisticians in one case became the operational ones in the following case.

With authorities still looking for suspects, he said: The investigation is far from having ended, as much at the Belgian as at the French level.





French sources told the AFP on Tuesday that French investigators had identified Oussama Atar, a Moroccan-Belgian fighter based in Syria, as a coordinator of attacks in Paris and Brussels.

Van Leeuw said Atars suspected role is one of the working theories among others. There are a whole series of checks to be done.

Atar, believed to go by the pseudonym Abou Ahmad in Syria, has been on the radar of European security forces for more than a decade.

Abou Ahmad is suspected of having sent two suicide bombers to the national stadium in Paris as well as another pair of potential assailants, who were delayed on their way to Paris and arrested in Austria in December.

READ MORE: Paris attacks  Salah Abdeslam arrested in Brussels

After being arrested in Iraq in 2004 following the US-led invasion of the country, Atar spent time in various jails including the notorious Abu Ghraib prison used by American forces.

After being released in 2012 he returned to Belgium before apparently making his way back to the Middle East but intelligence services lost track of him months ago.

Asked why Atar had not been under surveillance, the prosecutor said even the French, who had more manpower, could not monitor someone round the clock.

We must abandon this idea that it is possible to follow people 24 hours a day  even when a legal case is opened, he said.

Van Leuw said Belgium had made enormous progress in the investigation into the attacks.

The goal is effectively to understand and retrace everything that happened before, to retrace the entire chain of command, he said, adding that much police work lay ahead.
A selection of news stories that may have been blindsided by the US presidential election.

While the US presidential race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton dominated international headlines on Tuesday, Russia announced that it was preparing to renew its air strikes on Syrias Aleppo and Kurdish troops in Iraq declared that they had seized the town of Bashiqa near Mosul.

Here is a selection of news stories that you may have missed:

Russia preparing renewed strikes on Syrias Aleppo in coming hours



Russia is preparing to resume air strikes around the Syrian city of Aleppo in coming hours, the Interfax news agency cited a source in the Russian defence ministry as saying on Tuesday.

On Monday, the Kremlin had said Russias air force would maintain a moratorium on strikes in Aleppo unless opposition fighters launched an offensive.

Syrian army takes strategic Aleppo district

Meanwhile, the Syrian army said on Tuesday it had taken a strategic district of Aleppo, in what would mark the most important advance in the divided city by Syrias government and its allies in weeks. Yet, rebels said the battle was not over.

The 1070 Apartments district is on the southwestern outskirts of Aleppo and lies alongside the governments corridor into the parts of the city that it controls.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group that monitors the war, said government forces and their allies had seized full control of 1070 Apartments.

But officials in two rebel groups fighting in Aleppo said their forces were still trying to fight back.

Iraqi Kurds say they seized ISIL-held town near Mosul



Iraqi Kurdish forces have seized the town of Bashiqa near Mosul from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group, an official said on Tuesday.

Capturing Bashiqa would be a final step in securing the eastern approaches to Mosul, three weeks into an offensive by Iraqi forces to retake the countrys second city.

Bashiqa was under the complete control of Kurdish Peshmerga forces, Jabbar Yawar, secretary general of the Kurdish regional ministry responsible for the fighters, told AFP news agency.

READ MORE: Battle for Mosul  Who controls what

Our forces are clearing mines and sweeping the city, Yawar said.

An AFP correspondent on the outskirts of Bashiqa said clashes were ongoing, with three air strikes hitting the town.

Peshmerga fighters said there were still some suicide bombers and snipers there, and that about 5 percent of Bashiqa remained under ISIL control.

Iraqi forces have been tightening the noose around Mosul since launching the offensive on October 17, with elite troops last week breaching city limits.

Venezuela says oil spill controlled, Orinoco unaffected



Venezuelas state oil company PDVSA said on Tuesday it had controlled a crude spill in a northeastern state and ruled out any contamination of the massive Orinoco river.

A pipeline leak at the locality of Santa Clara, in Anzoategui state, was fixed and even though rains carried crude into the nearby Aribi river, that is still 80km from the Orinoco, PDVSA said in a statement.

Opposition politicians and local media have accused PDVSA of covering up an ecological disaster with up to 100,000 barrels spilt since the leak began last week.

Though it did not give figures, the company denied that.

Germany rejects Turkeys assertion that Berlin backs the PKK



German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday rejected a claim by his Turkish counterpart that Germany supported the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), saying such extremist parties were banned in Germany.

The PKK and other extremist parties are banned as terrorist groups here. They are criminally prosecuted, Steinmeier said.

READ MORE: Erdogan  Syrian Kurd forces used to take Raqqa naive

That is why I cannot understand the comments made about Germany today in Turkey. Repeating the claims does not make them right.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu accused Berlin on Tuesday of allowing the PKK and leftist DHKP-C, both of which have carried out attacks in Turkey, to operate on German soil with impunity

European Union agrees on new sanctions for Crimea



European Union finance ministers agreed on Tuesday new targeted sanctions against Crimean officials, adding to restrictive measures adopted after Russias annexation of Crimea in 2014.





The Council adopted new listings under the restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining Ukraines territorial integrity, Slovakias Finance Minister Peter Kazimir told a news conference at the end of a meeting of the Council of EU finance ministers.

He was replying to a question on whether new sanctions have been imposed on Crimean officials. Slovakia holds the rotating presidency of the EU until the end of the year.

A list of 151 people and 37 entities are already subject to visa bans and an assets freeze in the EU for their role in the annexation of Crimea or the Russia-backed rebellion in eastern Ukraine.

The annexation of Crimea has not been internationally recognised and the region is also subject to economic sanctions including bans on importing goods produced in Crimea, investing or providing tourism services there.

Indias Modi pulls 500, 1,000-rupee notes to fight graft



Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that 500 and 1,000-rupee banknotes would be withdrawn from the financial system at midnight, saying it was part of a crackdown on rampant corruption.

The surprise step appears to be designed to bring billions of dollars worth of cash in unaccounted wealth into the mainstream economy.

Black money and corruption are the biggest obstacles in eradicating poverty, he said in an address to the nation.

New 500 and 2,000-rupee denomination notes will be issued later, he added.
Reports suggest Assad forces and allies have seized control of 1070 Apartments but armed groups say they are resisting.

The Syrian army says it has taken a strategic district of Aleppo in what would mark the most important advance in the divided city by the government and its allies in weeks.

However, anti-government fighters say the battle is not over.

The 1070 Apartments district is located on the southwestern outskirts of Aleppo and lies alongside the governments corridor into the parts of the city that it controls.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based group that reports on the war, said government forces and their allies seized full control of 1070 Apartments on Tuesday, calling it the most significant gain by the government in Aleppo since September.

A Syrian military source said the army and allied forces were in complete control of the area and surrounding hills.

They have made repeated efforts to force opposition fighters from the 1070 Apartments area since summer.

A military media unit run by Hezbollah carried a similar report.

Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia group, is fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad in Syrias war, now well in its sixth year.

But officials in two anti-government groups active in Aleppo  Syrias largest city and commercial hub before the war  said its fighters were still trying to fight back.

The clashes around 1070 Apartments are still going on, Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of the Fastaqim group, said, while confirming that Assads army had taken the district.

Yasser Alyousef from the political office of the Nour al-Din al-Zinki armed group said fighters had recovered positions they had lost on Monday.

Syrian government forces, backed by allied militias and Russian air power, launched a major assault on eastern Aleppo in September after besieging the area, which the UN says is home to 275,000 people.

READ MORE: Fighting intensifies in Syrias Aleppo

On October 29, fighters counterattacked in an effort to break the siege, targeting government-held western districts of Aleppo in an offensive under the Free Syrian Army banner. But their progress slowed after early gains.

There were conflicting accounts of fighting on Tuesday in the village of Minian, also on the western edge of Aleppo.

Syrian state media said the army had advanced into Minian, which was taken by opposition groups at the start of their campaign.

The SOHR said the army and its allies had captured around half of Minian after heavy air strikes. The fall of Minian to the government would reverse some of the gains the anti-government groups have made during their offensive.

But Malahifji, of Fastaqim, denied there had been any clashes inside the village. Minian is still with the rebels, he said.

The regime is trying to take it, but its still with the rebels.

READ MORE: Russia offers humanitarian pause

Russia says its air force has been observing a moratorium on air strikes on opposition-held eastern Aleppo since October 18.

The SOHR and emergency workers in eastern Aleppo said heavy air strikes had killed hundreds of people, and hit hospitals and other civilian facilities before that.

Russia is preparing to resume air strikes around Aleppo in coming hours, the Interfax news agency quoted a source in the Russian defence ministry as saying on Tuesday.

A senior US official reacted harshly to that possibility, saying the US had repeatedly sought to de-escalate the violence, only to see Russia flex its military muscle in support of Assad.

An escalation would make it harder to resolve the brutal civil war in Syria and raise more doubts about Russias commitment to a political solution, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Rebel shelling of government-held western Aleppo has meanwhile killed dozens of people, the UN said last week in an update on the humanitarian situation in the city.

Further east, fighters aligned with the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were pushing ahead in an offensive towards Raqqa, ISILs de facto capital in northern Syria.
Right after the US election results were clear on Wednesday, Bernie Sanders supporters rushed to social media to say: We told you so!, using various hashtags such as #DontBlameMeIVotedForBernie,

#StillSanders and #BringBernieBack.

Donald Trumps victory in the US presidential election came as a shock to many Democrats, some Republicans and generally a whole lot of people around the world, but not to the supporters of the Vermont senator who lost the Democratic nomination to Hillary Clinton in June.

The campaign of Sanders repeatedly argued that Clinton was not fit to be a presidential candidate due to her track record of political scandals, as well as her Wall Street and corporate ties.

https://twitter.com/dxguy7/status/794344008432631808

the #BernieSanders fans told U #ImWithHer idiots a year ago & y'all refused 2 listen 2 us THIS IS ON YOU pic.twitter.com/VogI4mykWo  Tod Moore (@TodMoore3) November 9, 2016



https://twitter.com/Bernie4Indiana/status/796229497343381504

Clinton was forced to respond to many issues that she had been associated with during her campaign; from the millions of dollars she earned from speeches, accusations regarding the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, more recently controversies with her aides, and most seriously, using a private email server for official communications when she was the secretary of state.

In addition, Bill Clinton, former president and husband of Hillary, has a collection of his own.

The supporters of Sanders were already frustrated even before the election as throughout the Republican campaign the same argument Sanders used against Clinton was echoed loudly by Trump.

Trump depicted the former secretary of state as a corrupt politician of what he called the Washington establishment, also saying that Clinton was not fit to be a president, as Sanders did.

Hilary Clinton is being protected by a totally rigged system, Trump said, in one of his final rallies in Florida, criticising the FBIs rapid review of a Clinton aides emails over her and her teams handling of classified information.

The FBI said the discovery of new emails on the disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiners computer warranted no new criminal action against Clinton.

My contract with the American voter begins with a plan to end government corruption, and take back our country  from the special interests, who I know so well. When we win tomorrow, we are going to drain the swamp, Trump said, revisiting Sanders rhetoric.

Many on social media also argued that votes that the Republican candidate secured were not pro-Trump votes, but were anti-Hillary votes.

https://twitter.com/Thomas_Conerty/status/796219072346210304

https://twitter.com/ClassySnobbb/status/796219869377261568
Leaders, many of whom had criticised the Republican in the run-up to the election, express wish to work with him.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Republican leader Donald Trump on his election as the 45th president of the United States.

The Kremlin said Putin sent Trump a telegram of congratulation, expressing his hope to work together for removing Russian-American relations from their crisis state.

In the aftermath of a hard-fought and often divisive campaign, it is worth recalling and reaffirming that the unity in diversity of the United States is one of the country's greatest strengths. I encourage all Americans to stay true to that spirit by Ban Ki-moon, the UN chief

The Russian leader said Moscow was ready to try to restore good relations with the US but added that it must be based on principles of equality, mutual respect and a real accounting each others positions.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement that he congratulates the elected American president, Donald Trump, and hopes that peace will be achieved during his term.

An Abbas aide, Saeb Erekat, said on Wednesday that he did not expect US positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to change under Trump.

Erekat said the Republican and Democratic parties were both committed to a two-state solution of the conflict and I think this will not change with the coming administration.

READ MORE: What now for the far-right movement?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated the billionaire businessman on his elevation to the White House, calling him a true friend of the State of Israel.

President-elect Trump is a true friend of the State of Israel  I am confident that president-elect Trump and I will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights, he said.





United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he hoped the administration of Trump will strengthen the bonds of international cooperation and described Hillary Clinton as a powerful symbol of womens empowerment.

In the aftermath of a hard-fought and often divisive campaign, it is worth recalling and reaffirming that the unity in diversity of the United States is one of the countrys greatest strengths. I encourage all Americans to stay true to that spirit.



The new president of the US

Major world leaders, many of whom had publicly criticised Trump in the run-up to election day, have lined up to express their wish to work with him.

Here are some more reaction from around the world:

NATO

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he was looking forward to working with the US president-elect and that US leadership was vital to the worlds biggest military alliance.

Stoltenberg said on Wednesday that it is important that the Transatlantic bond remains strong and that US leadership is as important as ever.

US leadership is as important as ever  I look forward to working with president-elect Trump.

The European Union

European Union leaders have invited Trump to visit the 28-nation bloc to assess transatlantic ties.

With sincere congratulations, EU Council President Donald Tusk and his Commission counterpart Jean-Claude Juncker said that, despite Trumps campaign talk of protectionism and isolationism, both sides should consolidate the bridges we have been building across the Atlantic.

The EUs foreign policy chief said that ties with the US go beyond the election of Trump.

Federica Mogherini said on Wednesday on Twitter that EU-US ties are deeper than any change in politics. Well continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe.

Germany

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has offered President-elect Trump close cooperation on the basis of shared values that she said included respect for human dignity regardless of peoples origin, gender or religion.

READ MORE: Mixed reaction to Trump from prominent Muslim Americans

Germany and America are connected by values: democracy, freedom, respect for the law and for the dignity of human beings, independently of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views.

France

French President Francois Hollande said the election opens a period of uncertainty.

Hollande said certain positions taken by Donald Trump during the American campaign must be confronted with the values and interests we share with the United States.

The French leader had openly endorsed Hillary Clinton.

What is at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East. It is economic relations and the preservation of the planet, he said.

Iran

Irans semi-official news agency Tasnim quoted the countrys foreign minister as saying that the US needed to implement its part of multilateral international commitments under last years historic nuclear deal.



Mexicans react to Trump winning US election

During the campaign, Trump had criticised the deal and suggested that he would try to renegotiate it.

Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying that any US president should have a correct understanding of realities of the world and our region and face them realistically.

Canada

We look forward to working very closely with President-elect Trump, his administration, and with the United States Congress in the years ahead, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

The Taliban

The Taliban armed group called on Trump to withdraw all US forces from Afghanistan once he takes office as president.

In a statement sent to The Associated Press new agency, Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that a Trump administration should allow Afghans to become a free nation and have relationships with other countries based on non-interference in each others affairs.

READ MORE: Shock for DC millennials as Trump wins US election

The Afghan conflict is in its 16th year. The Taliban have spread their footprint across Afghanistan in the two years since most international combat troops withdrew.

Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he hoped that the Republican leaders election as president marked a new era in the US that he hoped would lead to beneficial steps for fundamental rights, liberties and democracy in the world.

Personally and on behalf of the nation, I wish to consider this decision by the American people a positive sign and wish them a successful future.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said a new page would be opened in US-Turkey relations if Washington extradited the Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah Gulen who Turkey blames for orchestrating the July 15 failed coup.





China

Chinese President Xi Jinping conveyed his congratulations to the president-elect, saying that he looked forward to working with Trump on promoting ties in a constructive way that avoided conflict and confrontation.

During his campaign, Trump accused China of illegally subsidising exports, manipulating its currency and stealing intellectual property.

State broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday that Xi said the two biggest economies in the world shared common interests and shouldered a special and important responsibility in upholding world peace.

I highly value China-US relations and am looking forward to working with you to expand cooperation in all fields, including in bilateral, regional and global aspects.

Britain

Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise, British Prime Minister Theresa May said.

South Africa

Looking forward to working with president-elect [Donald] Trump to build on the strong relations that exist between the two countries, South African President Jacob Zuma said.

Kenya

I highly value China-US relations and am looking forward to working with you to expand cooperation in all fields, including in bilateral, regional and global aspects by Xi Jingping, the Chinese president

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta sent a message of congratulations to Trump, saying: The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.

The ties that bind Kenya and the United States of America are close and strong. They are old, and based in the values that we hold dear: in democracy, in the rule of law, and in the equality of peoples.

Japan

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent his heartfelt congratulations to the property tycoon-turned-politican on his election.

As a very successful businessman with extraordinary talents, you not only made a great contribution to the growth of the US economy, but now as a strong leader, you have demonstrated your determination to lead the United States.

IN PICTURES: Shock and euphoria as Trump wins White House

Philippines

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has lashed out at Democratic president Barack Obama for criticising his anti-drug crackdown, congratulated Trump.

Duterte said he looked forward to working with the new American leader to enhance relations.

The 71-year-old Philippine leader has announced his desire to scale back joint combat drills with the US military and end the presence of foreign troops, including Americans, in the country in two years.

India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Trump on Twitter. Modi tweeted that we appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign.

Trump had reached out to Indian-American voters at a rally in New Jersey in mid-October, praising Modi and vowing to defeat what he called terrorism.

In the Indian capital on Wednesday, some from right-wing Hindu nationalist group Hindu Sena celebrated Trumps victory at a central protest ground.

Egypt

[Egypt] now hopes that Donald Trumps presidency will breathe a new spirit into Egyptian-American relations, an Egyptian presidency statement said.
On Wednesday morning, New Yorkers woke up to a stunning victory as voters in the United States elected Donald Trump as the 45th president.

As women and men rush to work, children are on their way to school and pupils hurry to their classes, many wear sombre looks on their faces.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning on November 9, the Republican nominee Trump defeated his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

Unforeseen by most pollsters, he claimed victory in states that traditionally voted Democratic. He managed to flip states like Ohio, which voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.

To all Republicans and Democrats and Independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people, Donald Trump said in his victory speech shortly before 3am Eastern Time in New York City.

I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be President for all Americans.

In a call for unity, the Republican, 70, said: It will be a movement comprised of people from all races, religions, backgrounds and beliefs who want and expect our government to serve the people. And serve the people we will.

Just as the sun is rising, electro tunes are booming inside an industrial building in Hells Kitchen over Manhattans miles of glass and steel skyscrapers.

Inside, the ground is shaking along with the beat as more than two hundred people jump up and down, throwing their hands up in the air.

As the DJ yells hugs, hugs, hugs people start embracing each other on the dance floor.

Strobe lights are dancing across the room as blue balloons saying When they go low we go high are bouncing through the air.

It was supposed to be a party celebrating Hillary Clintons victory. But things turned out differently. Yet 240 people still showed up in defiance.

Im in a state of shock right now, Daybreaker chief executive Radha Agrawal told Al Jazeera. I knew it was going to be a close race, but I definitely didnt expect him to win. We actually thought about cancelling it for a second.

But Daybreaker is all about building a community and creating a safe space for everyone, Agrawal said, dressed in a bright-yellow pineapples onesie.

The first Daybreaker started as an art project in New York in 2013, now their events in 16 cities across the world bring thousands of people together.

The concept is the same from London to Hong Kong: People come together in the early morning to do yoga and then dance, before everyone rushes off to work.

I now want to launch Daybreaker in all red states, to bring people together and help understand each other better.

People of all age groups and ethnicities are among the morning ravers.

Joe Liu, 26, an accountant, said he got tickets for Daybreaker to celebrate the democratic nominee, who he voted for.

Being an Asian voter he said: The protection of civil rights of minorities in the US matters most to me. But I have to admit, New York is a bubble and this result shows just how divided this country is.

New York, a city of 8.5 million people, is one of the largest democratic metropolises in the country. It also happens to be the city where Trump was born in 1946.

Clinton, 68, won New Yorks 29 electoral votes. Statewide, 58.9 percent voted for the former secretary of state, first lady and the former senator for New York, according to the New York Times.

As New Yorkers headed to the polls on Tuesday, many said the main issues that matter to them are education, healthcare and safety.

But as New Yorkers cast their ballots, many were aware that their city isnt representative of the rest of the country.

The underlying idea of it is the urban-rural divide red state, blue city, meaning larger cities vote predominantly Democratic, whereas rural areas vote Republican.

By electing Donald Trump, an outsider who upstaged the political establishment, American voters showed that they wanted change.

As the result of the election is slowly sinking in, police officers are patrolling the streets around Times Square. Both candidates spent election night in Manhattan.

The Clinton campaign threw a big election party at the spacious Jacob K Javits convention centre, which quickly turned into a sombre event as more and more states were called.

Trump held his post-election rally at the Hilton Midtown hotel just two miles away.

The city saw its largest-ever police deployment during an Election Day with 5,000 officers on duty.

Initially, the city was abuzz with excitement.

Hundreds of election parties took place across the city and many offered Hillary and Trump themed cocktails called Nasty Woman, Bad Hombre and Putins Puppet.

During the third presidential debate, Trump insulted Clinton by breathing into his microphone: Such a nasty woman.

Julia Nethero, 26, wears a glowing necklace while dancing. She voted for Hillary Clinton.

Im devastated and shocked, but also theres no point in being afraid because we dont know exactly whats to come, she said.

I came here today because I didnt want to sit alone on my couch in sadness today but instead be with like-minded people. This event is the complete opposite to all the negativity and anger of this race.

Nethero is originally from Georgia and works for a nonprofit womens rights organisation. She admitted thinking that Trumps victory speech was gracious.

But like many attendees the result hasnt really sunk in yet.

I dont know how were going to go forward from here, she said. A large percentage of the population is clearly upset and disappointed in the political establishment. Its now on the new leadership to bring our country together. Looks like both the Democratic and the Republican party have a lot of soul searching to do.
After a year-and-a-half-long battle, Donald Trump will become the next president of the United States.

Thanks in part to surprise victories, including Florida, the Associated Press called the election for Trump based on a projected 276 electoral votes. Hillary Clinton had 215 electoral votes, according to the New York Times.

America will no longer settle for anything less than the best, Trump told supporters after the announcement. He said Clinton called earlier to concede and congratulate him.

In Alachua County, about 59 percent of voters supported Clinton.

As of press time, Republicans were expected to take at least 227 of the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, according to the AP. Republicans were also projected to take the majority of the U.S. Senate.

At Big Daddy Warehouse, about 100 Trump supporters  dozens donning red Make America Great Again hats  gathered to watch the Fox News coverage of the election. White-and-blue campaign signs lined the walls, and American flags hung from the ceiling.

Lamar Moon, a 59-year-old Gainesville resident, said he was hopeful Trump would revitalize Washington and bring business back to the U.S.

I think the American people are tired of the establishment from both sides, he said.

Joshua Sookraj, a 21-year- old Newberry resident, said he would sleep easily if Hillary Clin- ton didnt become president. A naturalized citizen from Guyana, Sookraj said Trump would curb illegal immigration and help legal immigrants like him achieve the American Dream.

I love what Donald Trump stands for, he said. Hes what people aspire to be. Hes the

ican Dream.

For Kristina Thompson and Ni- cole Serrano, Clinton supporters, Tuesday night was one they could not spend alone.

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Scared of the prospect of Trump becoming president, the couple joined a gathering of about 250 people at First Magnitude Brewing Company to drink their stresses away.

Serrano, a 22-year-old UF alum- na, said she would be crying at the end of the night no matter the out- come. For Thompson, 23, a Trump presidency was unthinkable. He said watching Trumps debates with Clinton proved to her that his political rise has been influenced by bigotry.

I cant fathom a country that is run by him, said Thompson, a Santa Fe College anthropology sophomore. In my mind, theres nothing scarier than a Trump presidency.

In the thick of the crowd, Gainesville Mayor Lauren Poe, a Democrat, appeared with a growler of beer, praising Clintons campaign. He said she did a good job reaching groups like Hispanics and African-Americans, but the race was too close to call at the time.

We knew it was going to be razor-thin, he said.

When he thinks back on the election, he will be reminded of his daughters and what kind of country they will grow up in. Despite

the outcome, he said he would look forward to the day that the the most powerful person in the U.S. is a woman.

If that ceiling got crushed, it would be a remarkable day in our nations history, he said.

At 101 Cantina, about 200 bodies dressed in red and blue stood pressed together as people drank and celebrated the candidates wins state by state.

Bartenders stood on top of the bar outside the Midtown hotspot, pouring blue and red drinks into peoples mouths. Cheers for Clinton and Trump were mostly even, but when Trump took Ohio, a key swing state, supporters jumped up and down on tables and cheered.

Olivia Johnson sat with her friends, shaking a Trump-Pence sign and screaming each time a state turned red.

The 19-year-old UF business

sophomore said she supports Trump because she believes there needs to be a change in the way politics are conducted in the country.

Im not looking out for me; Im looking out for my children, she said. If Hillary wins  it aint good.

Across the deck, Michael Reyes sat wearing all black with one strand of blue beads. The UF his- tory junior said he was not affiliated with a political party, but that he wanted Clinton to win.

Obviously, Im not gonna vote for Donald Trump ever, the 20-year-old said. Im really nervous for this right now.

He said he registered to vote in Alachua County, but as it seemed

Trump would win the presidency, he wished he had cast his vote in his home county of Miami-Dade.

I messed up, he said. My vote would have weighed really heavily there.

Despite a large turnout from both sides of the aisle, once Trump took Florida, many Clinton sup- porters, including Reyes, left the bar disappointed.

I cant watch anymore, he said.

For Jeffrey Maldonado, a 22-year-old UF student who voted for Clinton, a victory for Trump would have lasting effects on the countrys political system.

From now on, you dont have to be a career politician to be president, the political science junior said. This is going to change politics forever.

President-elect Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech during his election night rally, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in New York.
While the presidential race was still unclear early Wednesday, Floridians soundly said yes to medical marijuana and Republican candidates.

Republicans Marco Rubio, Ted Yoho and Keith Perry came out victorious, with Rubio defeating Patrick Murphy for U.S. Senate by 8 percent, Yoho defeating Ken McGurn for the District 8 Florida Senate seat by 17 percent and Perry beating Rod Smith by 6 percent, according to the Associated Press.

Voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 2, which will allow doctors in Florida to prescribe medical marijuana to patients with debilitating conditions, while Amendment 1, a utility-backed attempt to limit rooftop solar-power expansion, failed to gain the 60 percent it needed to pass.

Alachua County Question 2, Wild Spaces and Public Places, passed with 60.4 percent of the vote.

For sheriff, incumbent Democrat Sadie Darnell defeated Republican challenger Jack Jacobs with 66 percent of the vote.

With about 73 percent voter turnout, 129,977 votes were cast in Alachua County, according to the Supervisor of Elections Office.

Moments after learning he would keep his seat in the Senate, Republican Ted Yoho circled the inside of The Social at Midtown  drinking beer from a clear plastic cup and taking selfies with friends and supporters.

I feel good, Yoho said. We ran on a simple platform. Theres been some mudslinging, but I refuse to do negative campaigns.

He said going into his next term, hes excited to build on work he has already done, and he is hoping for Trump to win the presidential election. As of press time, Trump was poised to clinch the 270 votes needed for victory.

Our legislature will go after the major things we need to go after as a nation, he said. We should get a lot done. If Mrs. Clinton wins, well adjust.

In Newberry, at Ballyhoo Grill, Perry  joined by family members  told his supporters that he felt honored to represent them after a hard-fought race.

It certainly is a relief, but short-lived because now you put the politics behind you and look at policy  and that means also taking people who opposed you, he said. You dont represent just the people that voted for you.

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His daughter, Alexis Perry, a 19-year-old UF biochemistry sophomore, said her fathers election has taken away from her studying time.

I havent been to the library for a while because of the election, she said. So Im gonna go back to the library.

Downtown at The Warehouse Restaurant and Lounge, Darnell smiled and hugged staff members before receiving a call from Jacobs, who congratulated her on the victory for her fourth term as the head of the countys law enforcement arm. She then gave an acceptance speech.

Thank every single one of you in this room for this journey, this uphill journey, she said. The next four years are going to be absolutely great.

Sipping red wine and wearing all white, a nod to the womens suffrage movement, 71-year-old Maggie MacDonald watched election results pour in at the Gainesville Womans Club, where McGurn hosted a watch party.

Although she is heavily invested in the presidential election  she wore a laminated Nasty Woman sign around her neck  she said locals should show concern for who becomes their local leaders.

Its so important because thats where you live and this is where we have to work to put things in the right direction, she said.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., addresses supporters after winning a second term in the U.S. Senate on Nov. 8, 2016 in Miami. Rubio defeated U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, a two-term congressman.
A UF program is working to decrease the states divorce rate and allow for healthier relationships.

UFs Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences recently announced that Christina Collingwood, a UF/IFAS assistant professor in family, youth and community sciences, received a $5 million grant for her project, Strengthening Marriages and Relationships Training Couples Florida. The program allows couples across the state to sit through workshops on dating violence, communication and sexual decision-making.

The program will run for the next five years, with couples coming from the Florida counties of Santa Rosa, Citrus, Manatee, Palm Beach and Duval, Collingwood said. She said these counties are socioeconomically and ethnically diverse.

Participants will go to weekly sessions for five weeks in their counties, she said. High-schoolers can also participate.

The program started in July after Victor Harris, a UF/IFAS family, youth and community sciences assistant professor, saw that Floridas divorce rate is one of the highest in the country, she said.

Harris started the program because helping couples have healthier relationships helps families as well, Collingwood said.

Its kind of like a meeting of the minds, she said. Youre able to meet your goals and get along. It reduces the stress that youre under and the overall well-being of the relationship.

Kristin King Kennington, a 57-year-old Gainesville resident, wrote in an email that she attended a workshop with her husband in August and September and found the communication strategies taught to be helpful.

A lot of issues that my husband and I were experiencing could have easily been prevented if we had known the communication strategies that we know now after training, she said. It's fun to go to the classes because we've noticed the benefits.

Staff writer Caitlin Ostroff contributed to this report.

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On Election Day in Gainesville, as droves of voters cast their ballots in national and local races, Alex Visaggio, a UF construction management junior, hung a Donald Trump campaign sign over the front door of his house.

The 24-year-old, who voted for the Republican presidential candidate, said he was hoping to sway undecided voters passing by Southwest Sixth Avenue.

The long-time Republican said his friends Trump banner was recently vandalized with eggs, which emboldened him to hang his. To him, Trumps unwavering political views make him a more suitable presidential candidate than Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, who Visaggio said often changes her mind on issues.

"I've been a Republican my entire life," he said. "My mom has been a Republican her entire life, (but) she's voting for Hillary."

Apart from deciding who would wind up in the White House, voters are also choosing candidates to represent them in the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives and the Florida Senate. They are also selecting the next Alachua County sheriff, among other ballot initiatives.

Tonight, Visaggio will watch the election results with his friends at 101 Cantina, where supporters of both parties will take free red or blue shots of alcohol as results from each state are announced.

Nicholas Bruce, a member of Ignite Life Center, stood outside First Lutheran Church, a polling center, campaigning for Keith Perrys run for the Florida Senate despite not wanting to vote for him.

Bruce, 18, said he admires Perrys initiative to rehabilitate prisons, but that he cannot overlook a video he saw of the candidate slapping a man who took down one of his political signs.

Speaking about the presidential election, Bruce said hes happy its almost over. A Puerto Rican and an African-American, he said the election has caused tension between races, which has been especially pronounced because the majority of his church is Latino.

"I see how easily divided we are as people, communities  even churches," he said.

Bruce said not many church members would vote for Trump following the controversial comments the candidate has made about immigrants. However, Bruce said he prefers Trump over Clinton because Clinton doesnt support his personal beliefs, including opposition to abortions.

"I know the guy has a notorious record, he said, noting he disagreed with Trumps comments on Mexican immigrants. To be in leadership, you have to be bold. He's bold."

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Chris Ott, a 62-year-old Gainesville resident, campaigned for the Alachua County Democratic Party outside of the Florida Museum of Natural History on Tuesday. He said hed been there since 7 a.m., reminding UF students and young voters the ballot holds more than just the next president.

I feel like Im making a difference here, Ott said.

Outside the Phillips Center, Ott got involved in the election after hearing Trump announce his candidacy and call Mexicans rapists and criminals. A former kindergarten teacher of 20 years at Archer Elementary School, he said Hispanic children worked just as hard in his classes as any other students. He campaigned for three half-days of early voting as well, educating voters at Millhopper Library.

As Ott handed pamphlets out, he walked up to a woman in a Wendys employee uniform and asked if she was coming to vote, handing her a thin blue flyer and pointing her to the entrance.

Thank you for voting, Ott said.

At the Reitz Union, Bradley Kutsmeda, a UF biology freshman, said he waited about 25 minutes to reach the end of the line to vote. He said he felt like it was important to vote in this election.

I think its one of the most American things to do, the 19-year-old said. I feel like one of the candidates doesnt deserve to be president, referring to Clinton.

Linda McGurn, the wife of Democratic congressional candidate Ken McGurn, stood outside the Phillips Center holding a sign that said Vote for my husband.

Campaign members made the sign for her, she said, wielding it while she spoke to voters outside.

It seemed a little too cutesy, but now I like it, she said, after stepping away to ask a voter, Do you know who youre voting for down the ballot? Three-time Gator.

By 2 p.m., McGurn said she had been standing outside the center for three hours, and she had been campaigning all over Gainesville since 7 a.m.

Im just so glad its over, she said of the general election. We got in it. Weve been in it, and were working hard."
For the past two Wednesdays, Scott Stinson wrote coupled columns titled Secular self-reflection is necessary in which he replied to an editorial written by the Alligators editorial board titled Religious self-reflection is necessary. Stinson remarks that Mr. Editorials article bases its argument on multiple empty assumptions. While Stinson is right to critique Mr. Editorials assumptions, Stinsons arguments need critique as well.

The first assumption Stinson addresses that Mr. Editorial does inherently make is regarding the existence of God or any gods. Stinson shows why Mr. Editorials assumption God(s) do not exist is wrong by arguing fallaciously. Stinson cites Mr. Editorials argument that we have created 3,000+ gods throughout history, not as proof against the existence of God or gods, but as proof for them. Stinson continues to cite this quantitative data as a proper argument for the existence of gods by asking rather foolish and fallacious rhetorical questions: Why would an overwhelming majority of human beings throughout time and in most cultures form these perceptions if they were not true? Would we have hunger if food did not exist, or sexual desire if sex did not exist? Before I begin my critique, Mr. Stinson, please take a philosophy of religion course. You must accept and learn there are no proofs for the existence of or against God or gods.

Anyway, Stinsons argument rests in the ad populum fallacy  the bandwagon fallacy that claims a proposition is true simply because many people believe it to be so. Let me remind you that bloodletting  the surgical removal of a patients blood  was the panacea until the 1800s, the Ptolemaic system of the universe in which Earth is the center of the universe was our understanding of astronomy and even recently Americans used to believe smoking was safe and healthy. As we can see, many things we believed were correct werent so. Also, Mr. Stinson, sexual desire is not present in some people, whom I believe would identify as asexual, even though sex does exist.

Stinson explains the reasons behind his views in the second part of his column. He notes that Mr. Editorials innate sense of equality must come from somewhere: a somewhere he claims to be from the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and the Christian tradition.

Yes, I agree that if the rapid growth of Christianity and its cultural influence had not occurred, the West may be radically different, and it is important to note this. However, we would need only to look before Christianity to see that other cultures and people were sharing similar, if not the same, messages. Confucius, Laozi and Siddhartha Gautama all preached messages of egalitarianism, showing equality doesnt originate solely from Christianity.

The larger issue with referencing Christianity for egalitarianism is when Stinson writes, I believe God created all of mankind in His image. For a religion so egalitarian, many times the diction seems a bit masculine, doesnt it? Here, Stinson is referencing Genesis 1:27: God created mankind in His own image. This gets problematic as God  who is typically seen as male  is creating mankind, not humankind, in His image. Its a bit male-centric, and the Old Testament is known for oppressive messages. For example, theres the ubiquitously cited message against homosexuality in Leviticus 20:13: If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death.

I understand citing the Old Testament, especially Leviticus, is improper because in the New Testament, Paul says Christians are free from the cursed book of the law and Christ redeemed humankind from the law by becoming a curse for humankind. However, it is important to note that the Old Testament is the foundation of Christianity, and the New Testament isnt so perfectly egalitarian either. Corinthians 11 should be enough to prove my point. Theres Corinthians 11:3: The head of every man is Christ, and the head of a woman is man, and Corinthians 11:7: A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man.

I am not stating that because of these minor instances the Bible is evil. That would be foolish, as the rest of the Bible shares moral messages I align myself with and live my life by. I also want it to be known I am not writing to attack Mr. Stinson for his beliefs.

Im writing this because, as both Mr. Editorial and Mr. Stinson have noted, I think a bit of reflection is due: not of the religious self, not of the secular self, but of our own reasons for believing what we believe. If you, Mr. Stinson, believe Christianity to be an egalitarian way of life, then you cannot cherry-pick what you like and disregard what you dont like. If we as Americans wish to claim this country as the best there is, we must acknowledge our foolish faults of the past  Japanese internment camps, slavery, segregation  and move forward from them. Change is possible, and we shouldnt be judged by who we were in the past, but by who we are now. Yet if we cannot acknowledge our own past mistakes, its impossible to say weve changed.

James Hardison is a UF English sophomore.

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Donald Trump's win in the presidential race on Tuesday is likely to embolden his followers to push for changes to internet law that could significantly alter how financial technology is conceived, built and delivered to market.

Technology startups across the payments and financial services industries rely on an open internet to develop, market and deliver their services. Although a partisan battle over internet access predated Trump's candidacy, he provided a key boost to the issue, setting a stage for a larger battle still to come  a battle that will be fueled by Trump's victory.

The stakes are particularly high for fintech firms, a large portion of which rely on open-source development or technology toolkits that decentralize innovation, allowing businesses to become payment companies with minimal coding. A significant amount of money has already poured into this market, notably PayPal's transformative $800 million acquisition of Braintree, the development platform used by Uber, Airbnb, OpenTable and TaskRabbit.

In other words  without an open internet, there would be no Uber.

"Fintech startups want access to global markets," said Richard Crone, a payments consultant. "So anything that speaks of any kind of isolation is not good for fintech."

At issue is net neutrality, which refers to the treatment of the internet as an impartial utility, which bars internet service providers from setting up tiered lanes that favor access based on pricing or other factors. Democrats are mostly in favor of net neutrality; President Obama and Clinton have both supported it.

Republicans are generally opposed to net neutrality. Sens. Ted Cruz and Mitch McConnell have stated a strong opposition, but Trump upped the ante, comparing net neutrality to the defunct Fairness Doctrine and stating that net neutrality would allow parties to target conservative content on the internet.

Fintech firms fear that if anti-net-neutrality sentiment grows in the U.S., it could lead to the kind of uncertainty already plaguing the U.K., where British fintech companies were hard hit following the Brexit vote. In addition to open source, much of the current innovation in payments is geared toward cross-border transactions, using blockchain and cloud technology to ease execution and erase artificial borders. The idea that there may be even a digital wall built around the U.S. could further chill the market.

GOP lawmakers already introduced a bill this year to end net neutrality, a bill Trump would likely sign into law if passed.

"The internet is based on the premise of 'open,' " said Jordan Lampe, director of communications for Dwolla. "To censor the internet or place restrictions on its current existence disregards nearly 30 years of economic prosperity and threatens the future of nearly every industry."

The technology industry is mostly in favor of net neutrality, and even the largest Silicon Valley companies generally express support for the concept. Cable companies and telcos oppose net neutrality, as does Peter Thiel, a PayPal co-founder, who endorsed Trump and donated to his campaign.

Thiel argues net neutrality is an unnecessary regulation, insisting that despite appearances, many in the tech world agree with him, though "it's certainly been hard to accept for Silicon Valley, where many people have learned to keep quiet if they dissent from the coastal bubble," he said in an Oct. 31 speech making the case for a Trump presidency.

He also holds that Trump is a movement as well as a candidate, and will long outlast his candidacy. "No matter what happens in this election, what Trump represents isn't crazy and it's not going away," Thiel said.

Trump and Clinton have not had a lot to say specifically about financial technology. Clinton has called for deregulating smaller financial institutions, a plea that included support for more online financial services and other financial technology. Clinton has also visited a financial technology startup during a broader tour in Denver to support new technology development.

"If net neutrality is challenged by a Trump [administration], the perceived impact on net neutrality could have nearly as much impact on innovation and creativity as actual regulation," said Thad Peterson, a senior analyst at Aite Group. "It would be possible that individuals seeking to start a firm in the U.S. might look to another market where access is more available."

Even slight changes to the law could cause major problems, Lampe warned.

"Business and app makers rely on the internet to grow not only their revenues, but the deposits of 'Bank A' or 'Credit Union' B," Lampe said. "Tinkering with the principles of a fair and open internet means tinkering with the fair market principles that led to one of the greatest eras of economic prosperity this nation has had."

The mere perception that net neutrality is in play could cause some companies to rethink doing business in the U.S., according to payment experts. Combined with Trump's isolationist position on trade policy and that policy's impact on the broader Republican party as GOP members seek support from Trump's base, Trump's presence in the White House could tip the scales.

The partisan rancor leaves little room for compromise, though the threat of cyberattacks and data breaches could lead the parties to come together in the next year.

There is a silver lining in some of the more dangerous turns of the campaign, particularly for those in the cybersecurity industry. The stories of political hacking during the campaign, especially from outside the U.S., are likely to draw attention to cybersecurity in financial services, payments and other industries.

"I think that fact that Russia has been able to influence this election through hacking will serve as a sharp wakeup call that we need to significantly up our game in this regard," said Julie Conroy, research director at Aite. "I think cybersecurity is probably one topic that will see some bipartisan middle ground."
Tesco Bank in Edinburgh, Scotland, has refunded 2.5 million pounds (about $3 million) to 9,000 customers who were affected by a large-scale online banking cybertheft last weekend.

In a statement, the bank said it has resumed full service following its temporary suspension of online transactions.

"We've now refunded all customer accounts affected by fraud and lifted the suspension of online debit transactions so that customers can use their accounts as normal," said CEO Benny Higgins. "We're also keen to reassure our customers that none of their personal data has been compromised."

The bank also said it is working with authorities and regulators in their criminal investigation of the incident.
CLEVELAND  Donald Trump's decision to embrace the reinstatement of the Glass-Steagall Act is part of an effort to cast him as the champion of community banks, according to his top advisers.

While the move came as a surprise to the banking industry, a Trump campaign adviser said Wednesday that it was part of a broader focus on helping small businesses.

"It is not just about community banks, it is about who really understands local communities," Stephen Moore, a senior economic contributor for the conservative and libertarian activist group FreedomWorks, said in an interview here. "Community banks are critical to small business."

Moore said the Trump campaign will highlight the issue over the next few months as emblematic of a stark difference between the Republican nominee and his rival Hillary Clinton.

"We are going to hammer them on that," he said.

That may be difficult to do, as the Democratic platform also calls for restoring Glass-Steagall, and Clinton has joined calls to grant regulatory relief for small institutions.

But Moore's comments echo those of Paul Manafort, Trump's campaign manager, who said during a press briefing here on Monday that Clinton is the candidate of the big banks.

"They know she is their champion and they have supported her fully; we are supported by small banks and Main Street," Manafort said.

Although big banks have never been fans of the Dodd-Frank Act, both Manafort and Moore sought to portray the 2010 financial reform law as a boon for big financial institutions.

"We have created a posture where we are actually rewarding the big banks like B of A and Citi and we are seeing the sharks swallow up the minnows," Moore said. "That is horrible because you are going to get a Fannie Mae situation where you are going to have five megabanks that are regulated like utilities."

He argued that big banks want to preserve Dodd-Frank because it hurts their competitors.

"That is why a lot of times you see big industry supports regulation," Moore said. "What regulation does is it keeps out the smaller competitors."

Beyond calling for a repeal of Dodd-Frank, Trump himself has not engaged substantively on financial issues during his primary campaign. But embracing Glass-Stegall, which separated commercial and investment banking, may be a smart move politically.

Most Wall Street banks are big donors to Clinton's campaign, giving Trump nothing to lose by embracing a populist position that would damage them. Community banks, meanwhile, are popular with members of both political parties but tend to have Republican leanings.

Whether Trump can actually become the community bank candidate is up for debate, however.

Camden Fine, president of the Independent Community Bankers of America, noted that Trump has yet to speak on the issue and his record is unclear.

"We've only seen these statements the past couple days and we don't know what his policies would be if he were president," Fine said. "We have statements made by his top people at a political convention, but during the primary process, there was nothing."

Brian Gardner, an analyst at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, said it is possible for Trump to become the community banking champion because neither candidate has taken that mantle. But reinstating Glass-Stegall appears to be more directed at playing to the public's anger over the 2008 government bailout, he said.

"I would argue that there is a downside to" reinstating Glass-Steagall for community banks in that "the large banks would be solely be focused on commercial banking; they may actually then have room to buy banks and then they may get back in the M&A business," Gardner said.

Some community bankers are backing Trump, arguing that he is better positioned to help their interests.

H. McCall Wilson Jr., president and CEO of the $390 million-asset Bank of Fayette County in Piperton, Tenn., said "maybe a businessman can really help our industry," because "politicians and academics have not been kind to us."

Michael Olson, vice president of the $830 million-asset Lincoln Savings Bank in Grinell, Iowa, said, "My hope is that he would champion community banking."

"Working with Congress to dump Dodd-Frank would be a great start," Olson added.

Whether the restoration of Glass-Steagall would help community banks is unclear.

"We would not be in favor of restoring the exact Glass-Steagall law that was repealed in 1999," said Fine. "Conceptually, we favor a restoration, but what I would call a 21st-century version. It would depend on the language of the bill as to whether we could get behind it."

But Wilson said anything might be worth a try.

"Maybe Trump can help us, but we have one hell of a hole to dig out of first," he said.


In a message to employees Wednesday morning, JPMorgan Chase Chief Executive Jamie Dimon said the election of Donald Trump as president reflects a "deep desire for change."

Drawing a comparison to the populist waves that have recently swept Europe, Dimon said that the results send a clear message about the economic challenges  and lack of opportunities  facing voters across the country.

"We have heard through democratic processes in both Europe and the United States the frustration that so many people have with the lack of economic opportunity and the challenges they face," Dimon said. "We need to listen to those voices."

Trump's victory  which shocked the political establishment  had undertones of the surprise vote by U.K. voters in June to leave the European Union. Dimon, notably, warned U.K. voters in the lead-up to the referendum that leaving the EU bloc could create years of economic uncertainty

In the memo, Dimon did not specifically address what the results of the election mean for JPMorgan  or for the industry as a whole. He did, however, say that the company will continue to support its communities and focus on public policy issues "underlying the economic challenges throughout the world."

Dimon  who has previously backed Democrats but this year did not endorse Hillary Clinton, though he had hinted he thought she would win  also struck an optimistic tone, saying that the country must now put aside its differences and recognize that diversity is the "core strength" of the nation.

He also called on civic leaders to address the problems stemming from the recent period of sluggish economic growth.

"Leaders from across the public, private and nonprofit sectors need to collaborate to find meaningful solutions that create economic growth and greater opportunity for all," he said.
The federal government requires structural reform. Because it is very expensive and time-consuming to fire anyone, bad behavior is not just tolerated but propagated. Civil Service protections originally intended to guard against a politicized bureaucracy have now become guarantors of the high-handedness and lack of accountability we saw with Lois Lerner, now retired with a six-figure pension after pleading the Fifth Amendment.

Government employee unions have become a mainstay of the Democratic Party, with employee dues, harvested from taxpayers via salaries, laundered into the partys coffers. So the Democrats will fight like hell, up to and including a filibuster, mass demonstrations, and possible violence. Donald Trump will need to persuade the public, and mobilize public opinion against those Democrat senators who resist the reform movement. There are 23 Democrat senators up for re-election in 2018, and some of them must be made to get very nervous.

I would suggest beginning with a bill to fire any federal employee who takes the Fifth Amendment with regard to behavior related to duties in office. The Democrats will cry that the Fifth Amendment is a constitutionally guaranteed right, so no retaliation is possible, of course. But there is a well-known precedent to the contrary: breath or blood tests for drivers suspected of driving under the influence. They retain their right to not incriminate themselves, but in most states they lose their drivers license. That license is not a right. And neither is a federal job.

Lois Lerner is the ideal object lesson to close the argument. She persecuted ordinary Americans and got away with it.

Donald Trump has pledged not to fire people, but rather rely on attrition with the federal workforce, but that does not mean tolerating misbehavior. Firing for cause is always an option. And Trumps most famous catchphrase used to be Youre fired before it morphed into Make America Great Again.

Real change in the behavior of federal employees will require what organizational change experts call unfreezing. This means that old habits and assumptions must be broken. Nothing works better than fear.

The Inspectors General of the various federal bureaucracies are a huge asset, one that Barack Obama has tried to neutralize. The IG corps ought to be beefed up, and they need to be given the resources to go after corruption and incompetence. Armed with the power to fire people, after a few prominent malefactor bureaucrats lose their sinecures, behavior will start changing.

But negative incentives like firing are only half the story. They are very useful for getting peoples attention and willingness to change, but positive incentives have a large role to play. This will require further re-design of civil service laws.

While government bureaucracies dont have a profit or loss bottom line, they do have goals to which they can be held accountable. Costs are the obvious place to start, with incentives for bureaucrats who save money for the taxpayers. How about cash bonuses for identifying and eliminating waste?

There are many other sorts of factors that can be quantified and rewarded. But it is a complicated and risky matter, something not to be enacted without long and careful thought. As a consultant, I worked with some very large corporations on the issue of incentives. A direct link between reward and a certain numerical goal usually means that people will be very creative in getting to that number, often confounding the intentions of the designer of the rewards. Be careful what you measure and reward, because you may not like what you get, is a message I have repeated many times.

So, the initial focus has to be on cost saving. Legislation should be introduced to authorize cash rewards to federal employees who save money. This would put Democrats in the position of opposing rewards to those who save taxpayers money if they want to fight reform.

Then there is the nuclear option: de-unionize federal employees.

The supreme irony of President Obamas Ive got a pen, Ive got a phone exultation of executive orders is that President Trump could ban federal employees from union membership with an executive order.

No less than the Federal Labor Relations Authority reminds us:

on January 17, 1962, Federal employees first obtained the right to engage in collective bargaining through labor organizations when President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 10988, "Employee-Management Cooperation in the Federal Sector." Executive Order 10988 issued as result of the findings of the Task Force on Employee-Management Relations in the Federal Service, which was created by a memorandum issued to all executive department and agency heads by President Kennedy on June 22, 1961. In this memorandum the President noted that, "The participation of employees in the formation and implementation of employee policy and procedures affecting them contributes to the effective conduct of public business," and that this participation should be extended to representatives of employees and employee organizations.

Executive orders giveth, and executive orders taketh away.

Scott Walker and the GOP-led legislature in Wisconsin enacted limits on collective bargaining by government employees, survived recalls, and helped Trump take Wisconsin last night. Civil service reform is popular.

Sure the Democrats and unions will scream bloody murder, but they can be reminded that FDR, the founder of the modern Democratic Party, argued against collective bargaining for government employees. When Scott Walker enacted limits in Wisconsin, he cited FDR. Politifact examined his claims and supported them:

The presidents Aug. 16, 1937 correspondence with Luther C. Steward, the president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, is bluntly worded -- to say the least. Roosevelt was responding to an invitation to attend the organizations 20th jubilee convention. In the letter, FDR says groups such as NFFE naturally organize to present their views to supervisors. Government workers, he observed, want fair pay, safe working conditions and review of grievances just like private-industry workers. Organizations of government employees "have a logical place in Government affairs," he wrote. But Roosevelt then shifted gears, emphasizing that "meticulous attention should be paid to the special relationships and obligations of public servants to the public itself and to the Government." Then, the most-famous line and the one directly on point to Walkers comment: "All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service," he wrote. "It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public personnel management." Roosevelt didnt stop there. "The very nature and purposes of Government make it impossible for administrative officials to represent fully or to bind the employer in mutual discussions with Government employee organizations," he wrote. When Walker claimed FDR said "the government is the people," he had Roosevelts next line in mind. "The employer," Roosevelts letter added, "is the whole people, who speak by means of laws enacted by their representatives in Congress. Accordingly, administrative officials and employees alike are governed and guided, and in many instances restricted, by laws which establish policies, procedures, or rules in personnel matters." Roosevelt concluded with a strong stance against strikes by unions representing government workers, noting that NFFEs bylaws rejected strikes. The letter, the FDR Presidential Library site points out, was released publicly by the Roosevelt White House and became the administration's "official position" on collective bargaining and federal government employees. Roosevelt had previously laid out his views on public-sector unions at a July 9, 1937 news conference. His statements there add more weight to Walkers claim. A reporter directly asked Roosevelt "whether he favored government employees joining unions to the extent of collective bargaining with the government." Roosevelts response made clear he thought managers should listen to worker concerns, whether raised by union representatives or not. Federal workers are free to join "any union they want," he said. But he recalled that in 1913, when he was Navy assistant secretary, he told a union official the Navy would not enter into a contract with the union because it had no discretion under federal law. "The pay is fixed by Congress and the workmen are represented by the members of Congress in the fixing of Government pay," Roosevelt said. His thinking then still applied, Roosevelt told the reporters in 1937. At the end of news conference, Roosevelt was asked, after making the point that Congress sets compensation: "In other words, you would not have the representatives of the majority as the sole bargaining agents?" Roosevelt: "Not in the government, because there is no collective contract. It is a very different case. There isnt any bargaining, in other words, with the government, therefore the question does not arise." Taken together, the letter and news conference remarks positioned Roosevelt as deeply skeptical of the need and wisdom of collective bargaining power for unions in the federal system. When he wrote that the unique circumstances would make it "impossible" for government officials to make a binding deal on behalf of the government, that didnt leave a lot of ambiguity.

This is a fight worth waging and winning. The public does not like federal bureaucrats. With the White House and Congress in GOP hands, now is the time to make lasting reforms that will, coincidentally, weaken the Democrats financially.
Harassed as she is by the constitutional and economic problems of Brexit, British prime minister Theresa May, like Margaret Thatcher a generation ago, is a lady not for turning. She is fully capable of stiffening the sinews and summoning up the blood of a ruler to meet and overcome the asinine legal challenge of Riyad al-Maliki, the so called Palestinian foreign minister. This dignitary in July 2016 at the Arab League summit in Mauritania stated he is planning to sue the United Kingdom over the Balfour Declaration issued on November 2, 1917.

The Arab leaders are no more likely to hear P.M. May utter the words "from the bottom of my heart I apologize" for that declaration than to hear the American president apologize to leaders of Latin America for the Monroe Doctrine, or the president of France for his country's role in the Sykes-Picot Agreement of May 1916, by which Britain and France agreed on the future division of the Ottoman Empire that was allied with Germany in World War I.

What those Arab leaders did hear was a not so subtle call for the elimination of the State of Israel. Those leaders, some of whom have made friendly overtures to Israel, must have realized that a Palestinian leader genuinely interested in peace with Israel would not act in such a bellicose and aggressive manner rather than seek help in resolution of a final status agreement with Israel.

Maliki, disposing of or neglecting 100 years of complex Middle East history, argues a simple proposition in his biased, incorrect view of relationships between Arabs and Jews. The Balfour Declaration, he holds, was responsible for mass Jewish immigration into the British Mandate of Palestine. The immigration was at the expense of "our Palestinian people." The U.K. was therefore responsible for all the "crimes" committed since the creation of Israel in 1948.

Maliki called on Arab governments to prosecute the British government for publishing the Balfour Declaration, "which caused the nakba, the catastrophe against the Palestinian people."

The argument is yet another element in the absurd Palestinian Narrative of Victimhood. Everyone will agree that the declaration was a crucial step in the Zionist movement. But Maliki, ignoring historical development, overstates his case that on the basis of the declaration, "this ill-omened promise," hundreds of thousands of Jews were moved from Europe and elsewhere to where Palestinians had lived for "thousands of years on the soil of their homeland." The late Joan Peters would have been amused that the vague time period, thousands of years, at least is no longer "from time immemorial."

Those really interested in a peaceful solution of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the famous document, which was not a formal legal statement of policy, but a short letter of 67 words written on November 2, 1917 by the British then-foreign minister, Arthur Balfour, to Lord Rothschild, then honorary president of the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland.

Three points may be immediately made. The declaration did not itself call for a Jewish state or make the creation of a Jewish homeland or state in Israel inevitable. Nor was British policy always supportive of such a development of Jewish sovereignty and statehood. Indeed, British actions, especially the 1930 Passfield White Paper, during the interwar period often restricted Jewish immigration into the disputed area.

The third factor is that other statesmen in the international arena had understood the situation and the persecution of Jews. On June 4, 1917, Jules Cambon, French foreign minister, wrote to Nahum Sokolow, head of the executive of WZO, stressing French support for Jewish immigration "into that land from which the people of Israel were exiled so many centuries ago."

Similarly, President Woodrow Wilson in October 1917 expressed approval of the draft text of Balfour and remarked that Jewish aspirations fit his concept of national self-determination and democracy. Later, in 1922, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution that a national home for the Jewish people should be established in Palestine.

Essentially, the Balfour letter is important for two assertions. Most important was that the British government "viewed with favor" the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people and would use its best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object. Secondly, it also stated that nothing should be done that may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, still an administrative district of the Ottoman Empire at that time.

Maliki ignores the reality that some Arab leaders were aware of Jewish immigration into the area and the benefit it brought, and the value of it. This is best illustrated by the Agreement of January 4, 1919 between Chaim Weizmann, head of British Zionist Federation, and Emir Faisal ibn Husain, head of the Arab delegation to the Paris Peace Conference, which decided that provinces of the Ottoman Empire should be separated. Among other issues, it agreed to encourage and stimulate immigration of Jews into Palestine: "We will wish the Jews a most hearty welcome home."

In a letter of March 3, 1919 to Felix Frankfurter, then president of the Zionist Federation of America, Faisal wrote that the Arabs, "especially the educated among us," look with the deepest sympathy on the Zionist movement. That movement, like the Arab movement, was "national and not imperialist."

The Balfour Declaration is an important document, but the legal approval of a national Jewish home came not from Balfour, but from international agreements, particularly the 1920 San Remo Conference and the1922 British Mandate from the League of Nations. The San Remo Conference agreed to create a mandatory power that would put in effect the Balfour principle of a homeland for the Jewish people. This was to be done by Britain under the League of Nations Mandate.

Finally, the UNGA's Resolution 181 of November 29, 1947 approved partition into two states, one Jewish, one Arab. The real catastrophe, the real nakba, was that the Arab and Palestinian leaderships rejected the partition plan and an Arab state.

The motivation for the Balfour Declaration has been explained in a variety of ways  political, international, personal  but it was not penned by an individual ignorant of the Jewish dilemma. Arthur Balfour came from a well connected aristocratic family in Scotland, had a privileged background, well educated at Eton and Cambridge, and was financially independent. Though shy and diffident, he was not a lukewarm dilettante; rather, he had a long political career. Above all, he was influenced by his mother, an enthusiastic evangelical  he had a keen knowledge of biblical stories and of the geography of the area of Palestine.

Balfour's concern for the Jewish people and the Jewish nation was real even if interrelated with concern for British political interests in the Middle East during World War I. The Palestinians would do well to honor the 100th anniversary of the declaration.
In a news conference held after signing the nuclear deal with Iran, President Obama, who had reached the pinnacle of his foreign policy toward Iran, expressed hope to have conversations with Iran that incentivize them to behave differently in the region, to be less aggressive, less hostile, more cooperative, to operate the way we expect nations in the international community to behave.

He also stipulated that the U.S. would continue to engage Iran to cooperate in resolving issues in Syria and Iraq, and to stop encouraging Houthis in Yemen.

Last Thursday, State Department spokesman Mark Toner admitted just how misplaced those hopes were by saying, [W]e continue to see Iranian behavior in the region that is, frankly, not positive, that is unconstructive.

A year after the nuclear deal came into effect, not only has the Iranian regime failed to manifest a modicum of cooperation on the crises riddling the region, but it has also grown bolder in its efforts to expand terrorism, to fan the fires of sectarianism in neighboring countries, and to threaten global peace and stability.

During this time, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which controls a large portion of Irans economy and has benefited the most from the economic incentives of the nuclear deal, has spent the cash windfall to send arms to the Houthis in Yemen, which the latter fires at U.S. ships off the coast of Yemen.

Irans contribution to the resolution of the Syrian conflict has been the dispatch of tens of thousands of troops to shore up the Assad regime and prolong a crisis that has helped a despot maintain his rule and has so far claimed the lives of nearly half a million Syrians.

And in Iraq, Iran-backed militias continue to keep the country on the precipice of sectarian strife while national security forces are pushing forward a campaign to root out the Islamic State.

Obama thought Irans agenda in the Middle East would change on the morrow of the nuclear deal. The past years events only show how much the estimation was far off the mark.

General Hossein Salami, the deputy chief of the IRGC, boasted of Irans expansionism in the region during a speech he delivered on the anniversary of the occupation of the U.S. embassy in Tehran. He also threatened that Iran would scrap the nuclear deal and reactivate its centrifuges if the U.S. didnt stand up to its commitments.

Salamis remarks are only the latest in a wave of menacing and insulting rhetoric being spewed out by top Iranian regime officials.

The threats were taken a step farther by another IRGC commander, who recently promised that elite fighters would be in the U.S. and Europe very soon, alluding to possible terrorist activities being carried out in those regions.

However, in contrast to the powerful image that Tehran is trying to exude, Iran is engulfed in economic and social crises, and its increased hostility toward its neighbors and the international community is not a display of its might, but rather a testament to the failure of the West  especially the Obama administration  in adopting a decisive plan of action toward Tehran and opting to curb the nefarious deeds of the Iranian regime through incentives and leniency.

This is yet more proof of the reality that the Iranian regimes belligerence cannot be undercut through appeasement and concessions, and only a firm policy will force Tehran to retrace their steps and toe the line. Anything less will further drive the region into chaos and mayhem.

After eight years, the Obama administration has run its course. The next president will have the chance to right the wrongs and correct past mistakes by taking the right side and standing with the people of Iran and the region, who have suffered the most at the hands of the mullahs and have the greatest potential to bring change that can put Iran and the Middle East on the path toward the re-establishment of peace and stability.

Amir Basiri is a human rights activist. Follow him on Twitter at @amir_bas.
Despite all the Democratic babble of the value of diversity, not to mention its siblings pluralism and multiculturalism, for the Democrats, it is babble  meaningless babble that sounds good to accuse others of lacking. But for themselves  hmm, not so much. Nothing demonstrates this as well as the pale skin, so to speak, of the employees and volunteers of President Barack Hussein Obama (D)'s presidential campaign office in Chicago back in 2012.

Civil rights lawyers told The Daily Caller that President Barack Obama's 2012 campaign managers may have violated employment law by hiring an overwhelmingly white office staff for his campaign headquarters in Chicago. That skewed workforce is starkly visible in an April photo released by Obama's Chicago office, which shows roughly 100 of the office's staff. Only two of the people in the photo, far in the back, are clearly African-American, far below their 13 percent of the national population, and their 33-percent representation in Chicago.

This is despite  or because of?  the race of Obama, which is African-American.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic candidate for president, has sadly embraced this bigotry, judging by the photos. Kristinn Taylor has posted on The Gateway Pundit:

Photos: Black Workers Scarce at Clinton HQ as Official Tweets 'America is Killing Black People' The Hillary Clinton campaign posted photos of workers at the campaign's Brooklyn headquarters Monday night that shows hardly any Black workers. Four photos posted by Addisu Demissie, Clinton's National Voter Outreach and Mobilization Director, shows dozens of mostly white workers. Also Monday night, Jessica Morales Rocketto, Clinton's Digital Organizing Director, posted that "America is killing Black people." Demissie's tweet was meant as a jab at the Trump campaign over a photo that alleged to show an empty New Hampshire campaign office, but the photos posted of the Clinton campaign office show a stunning lack of diversity for a campaign that is desperately trying to motivate African-Americans to get out and vote for Clinton. (snip) This picture shows about thirty people with only one African-American, a male, readily visible in the foreground.

Clinton, who is a white, elderly female, has numerous white females plus males, all who are definitely not elderly, hard at work on her campaign in these pictures. Oh, and not a wheelchair or cane in sight.

Is she ageist and ableist as well as racist?

With Democrats, all forms of bigotry, warped as inclusiveness, are possible.
The usual suspects turned out for riots last night, protesting the peoples choice. Hardcore leftists combined with students brainwashed by far-left faculties and held protest marches that turned violent in the Bay Area and Eugene, Oregon, grabbing headlines around the world.

I am very familiar with the modus operandi of the hard leftsists in the East Bay, where apparently the biggest riot took place, and last nights riot was quite typical, but a bit understated if anything. I have seen the script play out many times. They marched down Telegraph Avenue from Berkeley to downtown Oakland, lit some garbage on fire in the street, smashed a few shop windows, and generally acted out like spoiled children.

Given the eliminationist rhetoric that has been bandied about, further outbreaks of violence can be anticipated. Hillary Clinton should speak to this, as should President Obama.
Yesterday my blog post at American Thinker, Trump will win, predicted that Trump would win. Last week, my blog post at American Thinker, Hillary worried about Pennsylvania, discussed that Pennsylvania would vote for Trump.

Trump has won thanks my home state, Pennsylvania, where I proudly voted for him. The two Republican Senate candidates who came out strongly against Trump, Heck in Nevada and Kirk in Illinois, lost. Trump and his supporters owe no thanks to the Republicans like Kasich; McCain; the Bushes; much of the conservative media; all of the MSM; and, of course, the D.C. insiders.

Trump will have a Republican Congress to repeal Obamacare, reduce taxes, build the wall, rescind the Iran appeasement deal, and rescind many of the regulations issued by Obamas agencies and his executive orders.

Trump should pardon as soon as he takes office the Navy seaman, Kristian Saucier, in prison for one year for taking photos of a submarine. Maybe Hillary can take his place. Look for Obama to pardon Hillary.

Next, the House should replace Paul Ryan as speaker, and the Senate should replace McConnell as majority leader. Anyone is better than these two. They have no fight and no vision, and they did not help Trump. Jeff Sessions should replace McConnell.

The Supreme Court and Second Amendment are safe.

Comey should resign to avoid hearing, Youre fired.

It was fun to watch Karl Rove and his ilk, look miserable, and fun to watch Lou Dobbs and Hannity look happy.

Time now to make America great again.
Below is a smattering of reaction from leaders and ordinary people around the world to Donald Trump's stunning win.

Many leaders mouthed platitudes and soothing sentiments of congratulations.

Fox News:

"Russia is ready and wants to restore full-format relations with the United States. Let me repeat. We proceed from the fact that this will be an uneasy way but we're ready both to cover our part of the distance and do everything to return the Russian-U.S. relations to the steady development trajectory."  Russian President Vladimir Putin ___ "Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise. We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defense."  British Prime Minister Theresa May ___ "As a very successful businessman with extraordinary talents, you not only made a great contribution to the growth of the U.S. economy, but now as a strong leader, you have demonstrated your determination to lead the United States."  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ___ "Congratulations to the new president of the United States Donald Trump and the American people, free!"  France's populist, anti-immigrant politician Marine Le Pen ___ "Germany and America are connected by values: democracy, freedom, respect for the law and for the dignity of human beings, independently of origin, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views. On the basis of these values, I am offering the future president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, close cooperation."  German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Merkel's qualified congratulations will probably be echoed by other Euro leaders, who will accept Trump as long as he doesn't say or do anything nasty against minorities, gays, women, or liberals.

Then there's the predictable reaction of our enemies:

"This is the American people's choice. But a person who is the president of the United States should have a correct understanding of the realities of the world and our region and face it realistically. America has accepted the nuclear deal as a multilateral international commitment and it will have to implement the nuclear deal."  Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif ___ "The U.S. presidential election results have shown that this country's sickness and civil instability will persist for a long time, and it takes a long time to solve these disagreements and internal problems."  Iranian President Hassan Rouhani "And so ends the influence of America on international affairs. Good luck America. You need it."  Canadian climate scientist and British Columbia parliament member Andrew Weaver. ___ "He should withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan, should not praise defeated generals as previous administrations have done, and also should refrain from harming American's dignity, economy or soldiers any further in this fight."  The Taliban in Afghanistan, in a message to Trump

At least they're consistent.

The reaction of ordinary people reflects the extreme bias against Trump they were bombarded with in their media:

"His (Trump's) opinion about the nuclear deal was clear. Very extremist, very pessimistic. Hillary Clinton didn't see it that way. Although we don't have political ties, Ii think (Trump's election) will negatively impact the nuclear deal."  Shirin Maleki, Tehran resident ___ "The little we've advanced, if he reverses it, it hurts us. You know tourism will go down. If Donald Trump ... turns everything back it's really bad for us."  Oriel Iglesias Garcia, Cuban taxi driver ___ "I fear bad things for the world and Europe, both in the economic and in other areas affected by crises. He has announced a couple of things which send a shiver along the spine."  Ralph Jonck, Berlin resident. ___ "Today there is war on this planet and the United States is not innocent in these wars. Maybe in the end Trump will bring more solutions than problems, I don't know."  Kamal Jaja, resident of Pantin, a Paris suburb

There will be a short, steep decline in world markets. But the comeback will be swift once a Trump presidency is factored in and uncertainty becomes less uncertain.

Trump may have won the American election. But proving himself to leaders around the world is going to be one of his major challenges.
About 300 km east of Mumbai, in the remote Indian village of Shani Shingnapur, crime is a concept so alien that villagers here have stopped guarding their houses, their properties and their valuables. Nobody locks their cars and motorbikes anymore. Shopkeepers leave cash in unlocked drawers overnight, and housewives keep jewelry in unlocked boxes, inside houses that have no doors just a wooden door frame with a curtain drawn across to protect the privacy of the residents. Such is the faith the villagers have on their heavenly guardian, Lord Shani, who they believe protects them from thieves. The belief, that whoever steals anything from this place will incur the wrath of Lord Shani a Hindu god known for his mad temper and penchant for revenge and will have to pay dearly for their sins, has kept wrong doers away from Shingnapur for the last 300 years.

A home in Shani Shinganapur, India, where nearly all residences have no doors. Photo credit: Shashank Bengali / Los Angeles Times

Legend has it that hundreds of years ago, after a period of intense rain and flooding, a heavy slab of black stone was found washed up on the shores of a river that runs through the village. When locals touched the stone, the story goes, that blood started oozing out of it. Then one night, the village head had a dream in which Lord Shani spoke to him and revealed that the slab was, in fact, god himself. Shani instructed the villagers to keep the stone in the village because he wished to stay there, and protect its people. But they should keep the slab in the open so that he could oversee the village.

The next day, the villagers dragged the stone to dry land and installed it on a roofless platform at the center of the village. They also decided to do away with all doors and locks on their houses. With the Lord watching over them, they didnt need doors anymore. The tradition has continued since then.

Over the years, the lore has grown. Villagers are full of tales about failed robbery attempts where thieves walk all night thinking they have left the village only to find themselves still in the village in the morning. Apparently, they were walking in circles. Another local lore says that one villager installed doors on his house and had a car accident the very next day.

The slab of stone, now a shrine. Photo credit: www.mouthshut.com

Shingnapur remained in obscurity until the 1990s, when it appeared on a Bollywood flick, after which it began drawing thousands of tourists and pilgrims from across the country. But according to some residents, the villages crime-free image is just a ploy to bring more tourist. They claim that petty crime and thefts occur all the time but temple officials keep everything hushed up to protect Shinganapur's reputation.

When a journalist visited Sonai Police Station last year, under which the jurisdiction of the village fell before Shingnapur got its own police station, he found 46 criminal cases registered from the village in the last six year, out of which 11 were cases of thefts. As one probes deeper, more instances of crime begin to emerge. One Shingnapur resident recalls how his mother's gold necklace got stolen one night from their house when he was still a teenager. Pickpocketing is also rampant around the temple area but they are seldom reported. The fact that Shingnapur has a police station is a sign in itself that its image of a crime-free utopia is a myth.

The first public incident to rock the villages reputation occurred in 2010 when cash and items worth Rs. 35,000 were stolen from a vehicle. Then in 2011, cash and valuables were stolen from the home of a former temple trustee, and then again in January 2012 gold ornaments were stolen from within the temple.

Another doorless house in Shani Shingnapur. Photo credit: Punit Paranjpe/ AFP / Getty Images

Shani Shingnapur is now changing. When a local bank opened a branch in the village in 2011, they installed a Plexiglas front door with no padlocks to respect the villages tradition, but the door is held shut by a remote-controlled electromagnetic lock. Many houses and local business, especially hotels, began installing sliding doors that slipped back behind the wall, creating an illusion of a doorless entry. Even the temple keeps security guards in the premise along with baggage checks and security cameras. Their donation box is kept locked.

Temple trustees and villagers, whose economy depends on tourism, try hard to keep the village's reputation up. The police station and the increased security is for crowd management, not crime patrol, they say. Some still maintain that there are no crimes in the village, and that the police station in Shingnapur is the only one in the entire country without doors, blatantly ignoring the solid wooden panels guarding its entrance.

Photo credit: www.surfolks.com

Sources: BBC / LA Times / Open
The election is over and Donald Trump is the winner and that means a whole new set of rules when it comes to rulings on acquisitions and the major carriers working with the new administration. John Stephens, the CFO of AT&T, who are currently in the process of trying to acquire Time Warner for $85.4 billion, was noted today saying that they (AT&T) are looking forward to working with Trumps transition team. Stephens positioned AT&T as a large investor in the US and how they were looking for ways of providing benefits to our customers and shareholders.

However, reports this morning note that AT&T and Time Warner shares had slipped in price. AT&T was down 1.2-percent and Time Warner was down 3.1-percent. These drops show there are real concerns as to whether this deal will ever happen under a Trump administration. Trump has already been accredited with stating that the AT&T/Time Warner deal was an example of too much concentration of power in the hands of too few. Trump also said it was not a deal that helped the American people, but just gave more power to AT&T. Even Bernie Sanders has been noted raising a red flag concerning this merger.

However, the issues for carriers are not resigned to just AT&T. Sprint CEO, Marcelo Claure, was recently reported to have held a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton and saying that Trump was just too risky. Now that Trump is going to be the next President, it will be interesting to see how Sprint is treated in any mergers they may want in the future. Not to mention that Trump does not seem to be a T-Mobile fan as he recently did get into a heated exchange with T-Mobiles CEO, John Legere. Trump Tweeted him saying, John, focus on running your company, I think the service is terrible! Try hiring some good managers.

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As it stands, Verizon seems to be the only safe carrier right now  no mergers or mudslinging going on. Trump is a business man and should know if a merger is good or bad for the people that elected him. As he surrounds himself with his cabinet, it will be interesting to see what kind of mergers in the wireless world take place, as carriers continue to try to branch out into other industries.
Samsungs mysterious Kevin device taunted Chromium code snoopers for months before finally being outed as the premium Samsung Chromebook Pro. The device packs one of Samsungs own in-house Exynos processors, along with 4GB of RAM and a 2K screen, into a highly appealing metal shell that can twist around into a tablet form factor. Like almost any other convertible Chromebook, Android apps are on board, despite the OS being Chrome OS. While the device runs Chrome OS, it could just as easily make a good device running Android, and a leaked benchmark shows that Google may agree. A mysterious device called Google Kevin has showed up on a benchmark recently, wielding what seem to be the exact same specs as Samsungs new Chromebook Pro.

The hexa-core Exynos processor running in the Google Kevin seems to be clocked between 1.8 and 2.0 GHz, and managed to net the device some very respectable scores in both 3D rendering and more intensive benchmarks, such as driver overhead. The device was benchmarked running some form of Android, and its scores are very close to those of the Samsung Chromebook Pro, which runs what seems to be the same hardware. The Samsung Chromebook Pro performed the benchmark under Android 6.0.1 (Marshmallow), though its unknown if it was actually running that OS during the test, or if it was running the test through the Android compatibility layer within Chrome OS.

At this time, thats about all thats known about the interesting new Google Kevin. Given the codename and spec sheet, one cant help but speculate that we are looking at some sort of offshoot of the Samsung Chromebook Pro, though this could just be a reference device or a software variation with the exact same hardware for testing. If the Samsung Chromebook Pro and Google Kevin do both hit the consumer market, one is left to wonder how exactly the Google Kevin will differentiate itself from Samsungs offering, with options like a spot in the Pixel lineup and running Android all on the table, among others. For now, we have no choice but to sit back and watch to see if anything else comes through on this.
KnowRoaming has become a pretty popular service for those that travel internationally often. Essentially what KnowRoaming does is it gives you deeply discounted roaming rates in most countries and in many countries you can get unlimited data for just $7.99/day. Which is pretty low, considering most carriers will charge you by the megabyte to roam in other countries. KnowRoaming is effectively a sticker that goes on your SIM card and it remains dormant while youre in your home country. But as soon as you land in another country, it activates and starts working. Its simple, and low-cost.

Now, KnowRoaming is offering another service that is going to definitely get plenty of attention. As long as you are paying for KnowRoaming, youll get WhatsApp usage for free. This means that it wont count against your data usage. So you can keep up with your friends and such while traveling abroad, without having to pay any extra money. Now WhatsApp doesnt use a whole lot of data anyways, so this isnt really a big deal  its not like streaming video or streaming music  but its still a nice feature to have.

KnowRoaming works in over 80 countries right now, and on any unlocked GSM smartphone. The only limitations are the bands that your smartphone supports. So if you are using a phone from the US, and are traveling to Asia, you may have trouble getting decent speeds since the bands are a bit different in Asia compared to North America. With KnowRoaming you can choose the network you want to use in each country. So if youre in Germany and dont like using Vodafone, or they have less than great coverage, you can switch over to O2 or T-Mobile pretty easily.

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You can pick up a KnowRoaming SIM sticker from the link below. For those that have not used KnowRoaming before, you can get a credit when you open your account. Getting a sticker is only about $10 and it ships pretty quickly. KnowRoaming is actually based in Canada, and has continued to gain popularity and users. Adding free WhatsApp usage is definitely going to make it even more popular.
The Google Pixel and the Pixel XL mark a turning point for Google. Not only are they the first smartphones to be genuinely marketed as made by Google products, but they showcase what Google expects from Android manufacturers at every level of the process, from the software down to the hardware. In short, they are the closest to a Google vision of an Android device as possible. While that was also widely thought to be the case with the Nexus line, the big difference with the Pixels is that Google really is slapping their name on them. They are truly, Google-approved. Of course, that does not mean that they are without their faults and in spite of only being on the market for a limited time, user complaints have been coming through. The camera in particular has drawn a lot of criticism, as some owners have been reporting a halo type effect which is present when images are taken. Although, Google quickly came out and said they were hoping to fix this with a software update.

Now it seems another set of user complaints are coming through and these largely relate to LTE connectivity issues. First off, there is no firm confirmation on this from Google directly. That said, what the bulk of the issue seems to stem from is that the Pixel (and the Pixel XL) is having an issue in connecting to the LTE band 4. Whats more is that there seems to be varying reports on this with some users reporting band 4 issues and others not. In the US, this is a band which is somewhat used by the likes of T-Mobile, among others. Although the strength of reports coming through are reportedly coming from North and South America in general. Not the mention, there are some instances of other bands also proving problematic to some users. Although again, the wealth of the complaints seem to fixate on band 4.

As mentioned, the details on this are still quite vague and do seem to be somewhat inconsistent across Pixel owners. So at present there are no real explanations as to why this might be happening or even whether a fix is on the cards or to be expected. In fact, it would seem that if you do own a Pixel or Pixel XL and do make use of LTE band 4, then whether this affects you or not, will be highly individual. Although at the very least, if your device is encountering the issue, then it is probably (somewhat) reassuring to know that it is not just your device. If you are experiencing the issue, then it is also worth knowing that there are a number of Google Support posts currently discussing the issue. In one of those posts in particular, one of the users who is experiencing the problem notes that that a Google Support representative said Yes, we are aware of the issue and this will be resolved very soon via update. So it could be the case that an update will roll out and will solve the problem, in due course. Either way, you can check out that particular Pixel support thread by heading through the link below.
LG has been a bit weird with the V series smartphones. Last year, they launched the V10 in South Korea and then shortly after it came to the US. But it didnt launch in any other country, and was only available on 3 of the four US carriers. For a smartphone that got glowing reviews from just about everyone, it was pretty puzzling to see the availability of that device. Then came the LG V20, announced in September, and launched by the end of October. But once again, its only launching in a handful of markets, none of which are in Europe. Which makes todays news a bit stranger. LG has trademarked V20 S in Europe. Could this mean that a V20 variant is heading across the pond to Europe?

So far, there havent been any leaks about a LG V20 S. Making it tough to decipher what this trademark could be used for. However, there is the LG V34 that is sold in Japan. Its smaller than the original V20, and is waterproof. That could be what is coming to Europe, if it does actually exist. Its important to remember that trademarks are filed all the time, but they dont always correlate to devices that actually see the light of day. So its important to take this all with a grain of salt for now. And since its for the V20 S its not likely that it would be the V series smartphone that LG will debut next Fall. As that should be the LG V30, if the current naming scheme continues. Either way, those in Europe that have been wanting to get their hands on the LG V20 may want to cross their fingers and hope this means good news for them.

LG has had a pretty interesting year, to be honest. They launched the LG G5 at Mobile World Congress in February. It received quite a bit of coverage from the press, as it was one of the first modular smartphones. But it didnt turn out to be as good as everyone had hoped it would be. Then there came the LG V20. Which was essentially everything that everyone had wanted out of LG. But unfortunately the fact that it was announced well ahead of release, and is only available in two countries, made it tough for many people to get excited about it. Hopefully LG can close the year out on a high note and get ready for 2017.
Samsung, along with LG, have been one of the few firms that has been pushing flexible display technology forward in the general market. Weve seen LG hit the market with the G FLex series of devices, and where Samsung is concerned, theyve turned to using flexible displays in their mainstream products, such as the Galaxy S7 Edge. For some time, however, rumors surrounding an upcoming foldable smartphone from Samsung, ready for a possible 2017 release, have been swirling. Codenamed Project Valley, and also known as the Galaxy X, we got another glimpse of the device earlier this week, in some pretty rational and possible patent filings. Now, building on those patents, we can see some renders of what a final device could look like.

Surfacing from reports in South Korea as well as content from analysts over the world, these renders show off what a foldable Galaxy smartphone from Samsung might look like. Using a hinge system in the center of the device to fold over, it appears as though key components of the device will be split into the two different halves of the device. When fully-folded in on itself, the below renders might remind some readers of Microsofts Surface Book hinge design, and while the device appears to be thinner than it is wide, these are just renders, and the final design is likely to change over time. The patent filings show this hinge to be pretty well thought out, and feature a design that would probably work if put into production, and patenting such a design to prevent others from using a similar design is a good sign that Samsung is looking to go down this route.

Analysts in South Korea remain bullish over this new device, and many believe a release during H2 of 2017 is very realistic target, once the Galaxy S8 line has been released in the Spring, of course. Considering that Samsung is unlikely to release another Galaxy Note device following the Galaxy Note 7s problems, its possible that Project Valley, or Galaxy X, could be the start of a whole new line for Samsung, and that this is just the first of many devices to sport a fully-flexible frame. Of course, patents and predictions dont automatically guarantee a devices launch, and we have a long way to go before these devices hit the market this time next year, but if Samsung wants to compete with and perhaps best Apple in the mobile market, a device like this might just do the trick.
Samsung has been throwing design patent applications at the wall to see what sticks in a number of areas lately, and one such area is foldable smartphones. Samsungs portfolio of folding phone designs is already plenty thick, and a new one, put out in May and recently approved by the US Patent Office, points to a feature-rich design centered around a mutli-part hinge resembling a nautilus shell, not unlike Microsofts Surface Book. Interestingly, the same batch of patents also contains a design for an AMOLED TV with a screen that can be rolled up like a scroll, making for a large-screen television that could actually be considered marginally portable.

The new smartphone hinge design cuts a phone almost in half, but not quite at an even halfway through. Phones sporting this design would be able to fold to a deeply acute angle, but not quite flat. The design ends up resembling an old-fashioned billfold wallet when folded up, but with room for a user to slide it down a hair thanks to the aforementioned multi-part hinge. There, theyll find an auxiliary display and camera poking up from behind the folded portion. The extra display panel looks to be even smaller than the one on the LG V20, but could easily be used for things like time, weather, notifications, and even confirmation that a selfie being lined up contains faces and is in focus, among other possibilities.

A scroll-like design, where a flexible OLED panel rolls up into another part of the design, is already a proud member of Samsungs smartphone patent portfolio, but they decided to bring it to an interesting place indeed by dreaming up a scrollable television. The TV in question would be a horizontal widescreen display with solid bars on either side that it could recede into when not in use. If an otherwise average TV is about 52 inches diagonally, its height is usually about half of that amount if not less. This means that a scrollable television unit would be incredibly portable compared to a more traditional model. As with any other patent applications, there are absolutely no guarantees that these will ever see the light of day, but if they do, theyll be Samsung products.
Now that Google has slowed down the way that major updates are released to Android, with one major release hitting each and every year, it can feel like a long time between Android updates, even more so for those that dont have a Nexus or Pixel device. For Samsung users, theyll be hoping that despite all of the Galaxy Note 7 fallout, the South Korea firm is hard at work to bring Android 7.0 Nougat to the device, with Android 7.1 following swiftly behind. We first heard of Samsung testing an update to Android 7.0 Nougat for the Galaxy S7 Edge a month or two ago, and we also got word of the new Grace UX coming along with it. The Grace UX was the tweaked and updated version of TouchWiz that ran on the ill-fated Galaxy Note 7, and given that the Galaxy S7 Edge was a flagship-level device as well, it shouldnt be too much of a surprise that this would be trickling down to the Galaxy S7 line. Now, weve got out first look at the new update.

SamMobile have managed to get their hands on some screenshots of the new update to Android 7.0 Nougat, which of course includes the new Grace UX, too. As we can see from the gallery  as well as the videos  below, it looks like the new update will bring an even more minimal look and feel to the software on the Galaxy S7 Edge. The screenshots show us a look at the notification shade and toggles, while the shorter video shows it in motion, and there appears to be a much more fluid and natural movement to the whole software, which will appeal to those looking for a smoother experience. Elsewhere, things appear to be much the same, but there are a lot of subtle changes here, including more white space, less onscreen and a general speed boost for the most part.

In the UK, the beta test of Android 7.0 Nougat for the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge kicks off this week, and is set to end at some point during December, which could mean an update to Android 7.0 Nougat is to land before the year is out, but a more realistic time frame would of course be early 2017.
Opportunity Bank of Malawi launches credit facility targeting SMEs

Opportunity Bank of Malawi has introduced a credit facility targeting SMEs which will see the banks customers get up to $140,000 loan to expand their businesses.

The bank while launching the new facility pledged to continue introducing new products aimed at transforming peoples lives.

According to OBMs chief executive officer Kwanele Ngwenya, the new loan facility is targeted at the banks customers, who have migrated from macro business entrepreneurship to small medium enterprises (SMEs).

We have had customers, who have grown with us from small scale to small medium enterprise but they have ended up going to other banks in order to access bigger loans. We want such customers to remain with us so that we help them migrate to large corporate businesses, said Ngwenya.

The OBM CEO further said the bank would be offering free training on entrepreneurship and management of finances to the loan beneficiaries to enable them make good use of the finances.

Under the new loan scheme, customers can borrow money from the bank ranging from $14,000 to $140,000.

The launch was presided over by Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) president Karl Chokotho, who described SMEs as a crucial sector of the countrys economy.

Research that was conducted in 2012 showed that there are over 700,000 small medium enterprises in Malawi employing over one million people. The figures could be higher by now because the research was done four years ago. SMEs are a major driver of the economy and empowering these groups will contribute to economic growth.

As a Chamber, we are pleased with the strides being made by OBM, which started as a micro-finance bank but has now graduated into a fully-fledged commercial bank, said Chokotho.

www.oibm.mw
Despite the global market downturn this year, China still saw a 30% growth in the heavy truck market this year. Klaus Paur, Regional Director of TNS North Asia, forecasted that Chinese commercial vehicle(CV) market would maintain growth amid the global financial crisis in an exclusive interview with gasgoo.com.

FORECAST ON 2009 CV MARKET

Gasgoo.com: As the ongoing global financial crisis impacts the real economy, what do you think of the Chinese commercial vehicle market trend next year?

Klaus Paur: As you know, the Chinese government has adopted a financial support program, and will inject around $580 billion into the market to boost the infrastructure and the economy, which will indirectly have a positive impact on the Chinese commercial vehicle market. And this is why we expect that next year will be not as tough as you could have imagined if there was no such a boost from the government.

Gasgoo.com: But the grow rate would come down?

Klaus Paur: We have seen this year a relatively good growth rate in the commercial vehicle, specifically in the truck market. You can imagine from the development of the overall market that it will be slowing down next year, but still we expect in the truck market, specifically in the heavy truck market, a quite considerable growth rate. This year you can see a growth of about 30% in the heavy truck market, probably it would not have such a high rate next year, but still I think it could have a double digit growth.

REACTION OF CV MAKERS AND SUPPLIERS

Gasgoo.com: How should Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers react to the new situation, such as how to adjust production capacity?

Klaus Paur: They need to be careful and adapt their strategy to the market development. It is clear that you have to make adjustments in your production capacity, because if you have overproduction, then obviously you are sitting on stock, and this is always painful and costs a lot of money. So I think what the commercial vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers have to do is to evaluate the opportunities for sales and to adapt capacities sufficiently early in order to avoid to suffer from overproduction at a certain moment of time.

They also need to adapt their production range. For example, we could see that there are more construction activities, and probably there would be more demand on heavy trucks, so you may need to shift the capacity to the products that are needed in the market, in order to avoid that you have a shortage of attractive models. So I think this is a very important exercise that the commercial vehicle manufacturers have to do in order to be well prepared to the situation in the future.

POTENTIAL FOR CHINESE CV MAKERS TO BE GLOBAL GIANTS

Gasgoo.com: Do you think the Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturers have the potential to become world class?

Klaus Paur: In the long term, we can expect at least one or maybe two companies to be world class, but it still takes some time. I think there is still a lot of development to do, the Chinese vehicle manufacturers today are having the right products for the emerging and the lower-tier market places, but as markets become more sophisticated, customers become more demanding in terms of products, safety, and other aspects. I think in the long term, we will have Chinese manufacturers present, but they are not yet in this position.

Gasgoo.com: The "at least one or maybe two companies" would be FAW, or Dongfeng, or Zhongqi, or Foton or any others?

Klaus Paur: It's difficult to say, but what is always important to develop into a world class company, is that you have got the investment and the power to do it. And you have FAW, which is extremely powerful, and I could imagine that they are having the substance to have such a development over the long term.

As for Beiqi Foton, they had some decreasing sales this year, and they may have to put much more efforts in order to sustain the substance and this power, because it is always important for the commercial vehicle as for the passenger car market, that you only can be successful in the foreign market, if you are successful at home already. So the first condition for your success abroad is that you are successful at home.
How the deplorables broke Hillary Clinton and the Lefts glass ceiling

Big media cheered for Hillary Clinton. Then Donald Trump won. The blinkered, biased and monocular media missed the story. Unable to examine, understand and sympathise with Trump voters, they echoed Hillarys description of them as deplorables. White working class Americans were just another problematic special group in a top-down, divisive, barrier-building, illiberal, condescending narrative guffed out by a coterie of know-alls under whose wings these lesser people  Latinos, blacks, gays, Muslims and women  could be protected, cosseted and above all kept in their place. Hillary wanted to smashed a glass ceiling. She represented an elite that doesnt allow the great unwashed to see that high.

Every American makes the same pledge of allegiance. There are no caveats for every focus group and  dread word  community? You get one vote each.

Today the Guardian faced the facts. Democracy won the day. Trump  that terrifying and marvellous orange lunk- will be President Trump:

The polls were wrong. And because we are obsessed with predicting opinions rather than listening to them, we didnt see it coming.president will be Donald Trump.

Salon notes:

President Trump: A colossal failure for democracy, and our terrifying new reality

No. Still not getting it. Democracy won.

Simon Maloy laments the millions and millions and millions of idiots that failed to, well, agree with him:

all the democratic institutions that are supposed to prevent something like this from happening, or at least warn us about it. Donald Trump, a candidate who ran an openly racist campaign, who is as proud a misogynist as youll find anywhere, who is manifestly ignorant of public policy, who is brusquely authoritarian, who has little respect or understanding of democratic norms, and who embodies every moral failing thats supposed to disqualify a candidate from higher office, has apparently been elected the next president of the United States. The markets are collapsing, the globe is reeling, and nobody can quite explain what the hell happened. But heres what this failure will mean. The climate, which is warming precipitously, is now guaranteed to continue along that trajectory toward global catastrophe.

Why America failed, says Think Progress.

The only comfort anyone can feel tonight is that the human brain lacks the capacity to process true enormity. We will not understand what this election means.

And back in the Guardian:

The above gem is via Brendan ONeill, who notes:

From the Guardian. The poor lambs of the liberal elite feel hated. Well, now they know how millions of Americans felt for decades when they were written off as dumb, backward, lizard-brained rednecks and cretins and made into the butt of every East Coast comics joke and the target of every decent politicians sneer. Sow hatred, get hatred.

You laughing yet? How about now?

Joel Kotkin:

America is a nation of many economies, but those that produce real, tangible things  food, fiber, energy and manufactured goods  went overwhelmingly for Trump. He won virtually every state from Appalachia to the Rockies, with the exceptions of heavily Hispanic Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico, and President Obamas home base of Illinois. Some of his biggest margins were in energy states  Texas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Wyoming, North Dakota  where the fracking revolution created a burst of prosperity. . . . Class has been a bigger factor in this election than in any election since the New Deal era. Trumps insurgency rode largely on middle- and working-class fears about globalization, immigration and the cultural arrogance of the progressive cultural elite. This is something Bill Clinton understands better than his wife. Trump owes his election to what one writer has called the leftover people. These may be deplorables to the pundits but their grievances are real  their incomes and their lifespans have been decreasing. They have noticed, as Thomas Frank has written, that the Democrats have gone from being the party of Decatur to the party of Marthas Vineyard. Many of these voters were once Democrats, and feel they have been betrayed.

The voters were looked down on. You do that for long enough, and the people look elsewhere for some of that change and hope.

Oh, and get this: the new Presidents wife, well, shes an immigrant! Spin your head on that.

Paul Sorene

Posted: 9th, November 2016 | In: Key Posts, Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
(ANSA) - Rome, November 9 - Italy on Wednesday tried to absorbe Donald Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton in the United States Presidential election.

Premier Matteo Renzi on Wednesday congratulated Trump.

"The world is saluting Trump's election," said Renzi, who had said he hoped Trump's Democratic rival Hillary Clinton would win. "In Italy's name I congratulate him and wish him well for his work, convinced that our friendship remains strong and solid. "This is a starting point for the whole international community... "It's a new political development which, along with others, show that we are in a new season".

Matteo Salvini, the leader of the right-wing Northern League, on Wednesday hailed Donald Trump's election as United States president as the "revenge of the people". "It's a blow to globalization," Salvini told the League's Radio Padania. "It's a win for courage, pride and labour and security issues against the banks, speculators, journalists and pollsters. The people have beaten the powers-that-be 3-0". Salvini added that his party, which, like Trump, takes hard-line stances on migration, should follow the lead of the U.S. president elect. "It's time to be more daring," he said.

Former Italian premier Enrico Letta on Wednesday described Trump's win as the biggest political development since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

"The greatest political breakage since the fall of the Berlin Wall. A big wake-up call for Europe," Letta said via Twitter.

Italian Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Benedetto Della Vedova said Wednesday that Trump's win meant Europe was now more alone. "The United States will survive Trump," Della Vedova said. "My concern is what will happen in our home. As of tonight, Europe is more alone and I don't think it's equipped to be so. "We'll have a political season in which everyone will be a little Trump, isolating one EU country from another and making Europe weakener at a time in which we will be called on to play a crucial match for democracy, tolerance, multilateralism and international trade".
(ANSA) - Brussels, November 9 - European Council President Donald Tusk and Commissione President Jean-Claude Juncker sent a joint letter on Wednesday to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected United States president. "The strategic partnership between the European Union and the United States is rooted in our shared values of freedom, human rights, democracy and a belief in the market economy," the letter read.

"Over the years, the European Union and the United States have worked together to ensure peace and prosperity for our citizens and for people around the world.

Today, it is more important than ever to strengthen transatlantic relations," the letter read. "Only by cooperating closely can the EU and the US continue to make a difference when dealing with unprecedented challenges such as Da'esh, the threats to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, climate change and migration... we should spare no effort to ensure that the ties that bind us remain strong and durable"
EU-Turkey tension. Juncker says Ankara moving further away Mogherini 'concerned' but Ankara says 'they don't understand'

(by Cristoforo Spinella) (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, NOVEMBER 9 - Tension is rising between the EU and Turkey. After the arrests over the past few days of Kurdish opposition lawmakers and journalists who are hostile to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - Brussels did not spare fresh criticism.



''I verify with bitterness that Turkey is moving farther every day from the European Union - said European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker - It will be necessary for the Turks to clearly say one day yes or no to Europe. Today it looks like they don't want to adapt to the rules''.



After the failed coup on July 15, Ankara has increasingly tightened its harsh anti-terrorism laws - a tool used to silence any form of opposition to Erdogan, who is opposed by domestic opponents and Brussels, with increasing strength.



Such tension is shaking up the March accord on migrants. The pact ''works'', stressed Juncker, ''but there will not be the liberalization of visas for Turkish citizens if agreements are not respected'', and without a ''review of anti-terrorism legislation''.



EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini also spoke about the latest developments in Turkey, stressing ''grave concern'' over facts that ''compromise parliamentary democracy and worsen tensions in the south-east of the country''. The alarm had already been sounded shortly after the arrest of lawmakers with pro-Kurdish party HDP, including leader Selahattin Demirtas. In a message delivered from prison, he asked Brussels to have more courage: ''We expect and wish that the European people and European institutions will show a much more effective and productive approach against illegal oppression acts'' carried out by Erdogan. Ankara however does not back down and slammed as ''unacceptable'' Mogherini's words. ''The EU, which did not give us the support we expected after the coup attempt on July 15 and adopted a prejudicial attitude, insists unfortunately in not understanding Turkey's sensitivity in relation to the fight against terrorism'', accused the foreign minister, saying Brussels ''has lost credibility in the eyes of the Turkish people'' over its 'double standard' with the Kurdish PKK, considered on the one hand as a terror organization and on the other 'supported' by several European countries. (ANSAmed).




Egyptian President Sisi congratulates Trump on victory Calls for stronger Egypt-US ties

(ANSAmed) - CAIRO, NOVEMBER 9 - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi congratulated Donal Trump on his victory in US presidential elections, the president's office in Cairo said Wednesday. Sisi ''wished Trump success in his work and called for a new era in relations between the two countries with stronger cooperation relations on all levels between Egypt and the United States'' as well as ''peace and stability in the southern region give the great challenges it is confronting''.



(ANSAmed).




Era of Palestinian state over after Trump win, Israeli min. Mayor of Jerusalem calls for US embassy in city

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, NOVEMBER 9 - The era of the Palestinian State ''is over'', said Education Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the far-right Jewish Home religious party close to the settlers' movement after Donald Trump's win in US elections. His victory - he added - ''is a formidable occasion for Israel to announce the immediate suspension of the concept of a Palestinian state in the heart of our land, which goes straight against our security and our just cause''. ''This - he continued - is the perception of the president-elect as it appears in his political program and it surely must be his policy''.



The mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat also welcomed Trump's election and expressed the wish, as promised during the electoral campaign, that the US president will ''move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem''. (ANSAmed).




(by Cristoforo Spinella)

ISTANBUL - Tension is rising between the EU and Turkey. After the arrests over the past few days of Kurdish opposition lawmakers and journalists who are hostile to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - Brussels did not spare fresh criticism.



''I verify with bitterness that Turkey is moving farther every day from the European Union - said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker - It will be necessary for the Turks to clearly say one day yes or no to Europe. Today it looks like they don't want to adapt to the rules''.



After the failed coup on July 15, Ankara has increasingly tightened its harsh anti-terrorism laws - a tool used to silence any form of opposition to Erdogan, who is opposed by domestic opponents and Brussels, with increasing strength.



Such tension is shaking up the March accord on migrants. The pact ''works'', stressed Juncker, ''but there will not be the liberalization of visas for Turkish citizens if agreements are not respected'', and without a ''review of anti-terrorism legislation''.



EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini also spoke about the latest developments in Turkey, stressing ''grave concern'' over facts that ''compromise parliamentary democracy and worsen tensions in the south-east of the country''. The alarm had already been sounded shortly after the arrest of lawmakers with pro-Kurdish party HDP, including leader Selahattin Demirtas. In a message delivered from prison, he asked Brussels to have more courage: ''We expect and wish that the European people and European institutions will show a much more effective and productive approach against illegal oppression acts'' carried out by Erdogan. Ankara however does not back down and slammed as ''unacceptable'' Mogherini's words. ''The EU, which did not give us the support we expected after the coup attempt on July 15 and adopted a prejudicial attitude, insists unfortunately in not understanding Turkey's sensitivity in relation to the fight against terrorism'', accused the foreign minister, saying Brussels ''has lost credibility in the eyes of the Turkish people'' over its 'double standard' with the Kurdish PKK, considered on the one hand as a terror organization and on the other 'supported' by several European countries.
Migrant relocations from Italy drop to 230 in October EU says drop is an exception due to August lull

(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, NOVEMBER 9 - There were 230 migrants relocated from Italy in October and 549 relocated from Greece, a drop compared to the 1,372 relocations in September, according to a statement from the European Commission on Wednesday.



"The lower number of transfers in October reflects in particular the low number of pledges made during the month of August, which has had a knock on effect in terms of lower transfer rates," it said. "Nevertheless, the number of relocations planned and carried out so far in November indicates that this downturn should be an exception  a dip rather than a long-term drop". It said the downward trend "confirms that further efforts are needed to increase the number of transfers per month and to sustain a steady relocation pace". It also said that "more needs to be done" to transfer unaccompanied minors, although the number of their relocations "has begun to increase".



"There are currently around 24,000 people of nationalities eligible for relocation in Greece and around 20,400 of nationalities eligible for relocation who have arrived in Italy since January 2016. If relocation efforts are stepped up, it should be possible to relocate all those eligible within the relocating period (until September 2017)," the statement said.



"With the ongoing arrival of migrants in Italy, now at 29,844 persons since 26 September, and the still challenging humanitarian situation in Greece which currently hosts over 61,700 migrants, relocation remains crucial to alleviating the pressure in these countries".(ANSAmed).




ATR said it is an integral partner and advocate in the global aviation communitys fight against climate change.

ATR designs and builds more eco-efficient means of transport to connect people and communities and strives to reduce the environmental impact of its airplanes throughout their life-cycle. Today, ATR 72-600 has the lowest fuel consumption per seat in its category.

These actions are part of ATRs broader strategy built around the global environmental targets set for the industry, said Tom Anderson, ATR senior vice president commercial and customer support. Together with other airframe and engine manufacturers, airlines, fuel suppliers, airports, and governments, ATR is working toward collective industry goals. These include 1.5% average annual fuel efficiency improvement through 2020, carbon neutral growth from 2020, and a 50% reduction in CO2 by 2050 relative to 2005 baseline levels.



Anderson took the floor to present ATRs key environmental priorities at the COP22 aviation side event.

ATR is fully committed to responsible travel. Each year 300 million passengers travel on regional aircraft that serve around 3,500 airports across the world. We strive every day to promote solutions that facilitate the development of regional connectivity in a sustainable way, said Tom Anderson.
The new BBJ, which boasts a front-end bedroom, eight VIP, eight business class and 18 standard seats, arrives in the UAE capital as Royal Jet announced a leadership shake-up with its first managing director appointment going to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan. He will join forces with recently-appointed President and CEO Rob DiCastri who says the award-winning carrier is entering a new era where change is in the air.

With bespoke interiors by noted New York designer Edese Doret and fitted out by Lufthansa Technik, the new BBJ also features Enhanced Vision System cockpit technology. Royal Jet is the first UAE charter operator to receive GCAA regulatory approval to use the thermal imaging camera capability that helps pilots better navigate poor weather conditions.

DiCastri says Royal Jet management is now reviewing the companys strategic fleet plan announced two years ago to bring it up to date with todays commercial realities. We are actively looking at the overall size and mix of our fleet and are constantly consulting with our wide range of customers to ensure we have a product and a service which satisfies their diverse needs, he said.
The Emirates Group revenue was AED 46.5 billion (US$ 12.7 billion) for the first six months of its 2016-17 financial year, up 1% from AED 46.0 billion (US$ 12.5 billion) during the same period last year.

Following one of its best ever half-year profit performances last year, the Group for 2016-17 reported a half-year net profit of AED 1.3 billion (US$ 364 million), down 64%. The Groups cash position on 30th September 2016 was at AED 14.9 billion (US$ 4.1 billion), compared to AED 23.5 billion (US$ 6.4 billion) as at 31st March 2016. This is due to ongoing investments mainly into new aircraft, airline related infrastructure projects, business acquisitions, and the repayments of bonds totalling AED 4.1 billion (US$ 1.1 billion), loans and lease liabilities.

Our performance for the first half of the 2016-17 financial year continues to be impacted by the strong US dollar against other major currencies. Increased competition, as well as the sustained economic and political uncertainty in many parts of the world has added downward pressure on prices as well as dampened travel demand, said His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group.

He added: The bleak global economic outlook appears to be the new norm, with no immediate resolution in sight. Against this backdrop, the Group has remained profitable and our solid business foundations continue to stand us in good stead. In the first six months of this year, both Emirates and dnata continued to grow in capability and capacity. Our past investments in product and services are now paying off, enabling us to retain valued clients and attract new customers - reflected in the airlines passenger growth of 2.3 million. We continue to make strategic investments, because we know we have to work even harder for every customer, and make every dollar spent go even further through innovation and driving efficiency across our business.

In the past six months, the Group continued to develop and expand its employee base, increasing its overall staff count to over 103,000, a 9% increase compared with 31 March 2016. This was mainly due to recent acquisitions in dnata businesses, and also required support for Emirates growing fleet.

Emirates airline

Emirates continues to invest in the most advanced wide-body aircraft to improve overall efficiency and provide better customer experience. During the first six months of the financial year, Emirates received 16 wide-body aircraft  8 Airbus A380s, and 8 Boeing 777s, with 20 more new aircraft scheduled to be delivered before the end of the financial year. It also retired 19 older aircraft from its fleet with further 8 to be returned by 31 March 2017.

Emirates expanded its global route network by launching passenger services to four new destinations  Yinchuan, Zhengzhou, Yangon, and Hanoi. As of 30 September, Emirates global network spanned 155 destinations in 82 countries, with Fort Lauderdale to come online on 15 December 2016.

Operating the worlds largest fleet of A380s and the largest fleet of Boeing 777s, Emirates continues to provide ever better connections for its customers across the globe with just one stop in Dubai.

Overall capacity during the first six months of the year increased 9% to 30.2 billion Available Tonne Kilometres (ATKM). Capacity measured in Available Seat Kilometres (ASKM), grew by 12%, whilst passenger traffic carried measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKM) was up 8% with average Passenger Seat Factor dropping to 75.3%, compared with last years 78.3%.

Emirates carried 28.0 million passengers between 1 April and 30 September 2016, up 9% from the same period last year. The volume of cargo uplifted remained stable at 1.3 million tonnes, a solid performance in a challenging air freight market.

In the first half of the 2016-17 financial year, Emirates net profit is AED 786 million (US$ 214 million), down 75%, following one of the airlines best half-year performances during the same period last year.

Emirates revenue, including other operating income, of AED 41.9 billion (US$ 11.4 billion) was slightly down by 1% compared with AED 42.3 billion (US$ 11.5 billion) recorded last year. This is due to the unfavourable currency environment - where the US dollar continued to strengthen against most other major currencies; and increased competition resulting in lower average fares. The airline was also impacted by currency devaluation and hard currency shortage in some African countries, as well as dampened travel demand due to the ongoing economic malaise and looming security concerns across major markets in its network.

Emirates operating costs grew by 5% against the overall capacity increase of 9%. On average, fuel costs were 10% lower compared to the same period last year. However, fuel remained the largest component of the airlines cost, accounting for 24% of operating costs compared with 28% in the first six months of last year.

Analyst Saj Ahmad commented: Emirates first half profit decline of 75% comes against a combination of a challenging environment as well as the realisation that last year's performance was always going to be a battle to replicate.

With currency fluctuations hitting the bottom line, coupled with a dent in the cash balance reduction to $4.1bn on expenses such as new airplane procurement, Emirates still managed to increase capacity by 9% while curtailing fuel costs by 10% as a result of its new and fuel efficient fleet.

Ahmad added: While revenue declined only slightly, Emirates has also been hit by declining yields as competition hots up and the drive to win more passengers means fares have come down sharply - this is also reflected in the lower load factor to 75.3% for the first half of the year.

Looking forward, Emirates has expedited the retirement of older airplanes and the planned production slow down at Airbus for the A380 as well as 777s from Boeing means that the airline can better anticipate capacity growth going forward so as no to erode yield and load factors even further.

Heavy investment in its new business class cabins which will debut this year as well as launching a new first class product next year will see Emirates recoup that investment next year once those costs have been absorbed.

As it stands, the airline is in great shape to modify and alter it's goals going forward. The agility and swift movement to respond to economic and market difficulties underlines the cut-throat competitive landscape prevalent now across the GCC and beyond. Emirates may not be immune, but its adaptability given its massive widebody fleet and rate of organic growth means that the airline is primed to make good on its investments and capital expenditure to rebound profitability in the second half of the year.
Sources at the airline say the 30 jets comprise 12 Airbus A330-200s, two A340-300s, 10 A319s and six Boeing 737-800s, and that all bar the A340s belong to leasing companies.

Of the 22 destinations to which Turkish has cancelled flights, 17 are international. Decreasing demand is the reason given by the airline for the route closures.

The 17 cancelled international destinations are spread across Algeria (Batna and Tlemcen), Denmark (Aalborg), France (Bordeaux), Germany (Friedrichshafen, Karlsruhe and Munster), Iran (Kermanshah), Italy (Genoa and Pisa), Jordan (Aqaba), Kyrgyzstan (Osh), the Netherlands (Rotterdam), Nigeria (Kano), Saudi Arabia (Qassim), Tajikistan (Khujand) and Ukraine (Ivano-Frankivsk).

Domestic routes to Edremit, Eskisehir, Siirt, Tokat and Usak have also been cut in a move to reduce costs for the winter season, which began on 30 October.


YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of the US House of Representatives Paul Ryan called Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to congratulate him on his strong showing in Tuesdays presidential election, according to the US media, Sputnik News reports.

Speaker Ryan has spoken via phone with Trump and [vice presidential candidate Mike] Pence tonight; had very good conversations, congratulated Trump, NBC News correspondent Kelly ODonnell reported on her Twitter page.

With votes still being counted in some states early Wednesday, Trump was leading Democrat Hillary Clinton in the quest for 270 electoral votes.






YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a message of greeting to Donald Trump upon his victory in the US presidential election, TASS reported.

As the Kremlins press-service has said Putin expressed hope for joint work to steer Russian-US relations out of the critical condition and also to address crucial issues on the international agenda and identify effective responses to challenges to global security.

Putin also expressed the certainty that "a constructive dialog between Moscow and Washington, based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and realistic attitude towards each others positions meets the interests of the people of our countries and the entire world community."

Putin wished Trump success in his new capacity as the head of state that implied treat responsibility.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Parliament Speaker of Armenia Galust Sahakyan on November 9 received newly appointed Ambassador of Kuwait to Armenia Nawaf Alenezi, press service of the Parliament told Armenpress.

Welcoming the guest, Galust Sahakyan congratulated him on new post and wished him success in his diplomatic mission in Armenia.

The Parliament Speaker expressed hope that during his tenure the Ambassador will do everything possible to further develop and deepen the existing friendly relations in a number of sectors between the two countries. The Speaker also attached importance to the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation, as well as intensifying the active ties of the parliamentary friendship groups.

Galust Sahakyan expressed readiness to assist implementing joint projects between the parliaments of the two states.

In his turn, the Ambassador of Kuwait expressed gratitude for the warm reception and assured that he will contribute to further expansion of the bilateral cooperation through his activities.

The Ambassador stated that the Armenian community of Kuwait plays a key role in the development of their state.

Issues related to upcoming joint projects were discussed at the meeting.






YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. On the morning of November 9, a diverse group of government officials, politicians, civil society representatives, students, educators, and members of the press joined U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills, Jr. for an Election Watch Party at the U.S. Embassy, the Embassy told Armenpress.

As the results of the U.S. presidential and congressional elections were broadcast live from the United States, both American staff and our Armenian guests experienced the excitement of the democratic process in action as polls closed and votes were tabulated across the U.S.

More than 800 invited guests had the opportunity to interact with American diplomats and discuss the elections as real-time results were reported by various U.S. TV channels. In addition to the live coverage, the Embassy provided a range of informational materials about the U.S. elections and the U.S democratic process, many of which are available in English and Armenian at the U.S. Embassy website at (https://armenia.usembassy.gov/).

In his remarks to the assembled audience, Ambassador Richard M. Mills, Jr. emphasized that today is a special day, one that comes along every four years, when the United States reaffirms and celebrates its democratic tradition, 240 years strong, of calling upon the people to elect their next president. As passionate and intense as this years election campaign has been, Americans know that as a result of yesterdays vote, executive power will be transferred peacefully on January 20, 2017 in accordance with the U.S. Constitution and rule of law. As Secretary Kerry said just last week, were now engaged in the 58th free and open presidential selection process for the 58th consecutive time. Compared to a lot of places in the world, thats pretty amazing.

President Obama, who is nearing the end of his second and last term, will step down when his successor is inaugurated on Friday, January 20, 2017. Ambassador Mills reaffirmed to the gathered Armenian guests that the excellent partnership between the U.S. and Armenia, which are celebrating their 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, will stay strong regardless of who is elected the next president of the United States.

The U.S. remains committed to our shared goal of an independent and prosperous Armenia at peace with its neighbors, and regardless of who the next president is, the U.S. government and the U.S. Embassy will remain steadfast partners and friends to Armenia, as we work together to ensure the democratic and prosperous future that the Armenian people deserve.
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Agriculture of Armenia Ignati Arakelyan on November 9 held a meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Armenia George Saganelidze to discuss the prospects of bilateral cooperation, press service of the Ministry told Armenpress.

Welcoming the guest, the Minister expressed satisfaction on the Armenian-Georgian high-level relations and expressed hope it will be continuous.

Armenia and Georgia have always been closely linked both historically and geographically, close cooperation has been established in the agricultural sector, mutual visits of Agriculture Ministers were organized. However, there are wide range of opportunities between the two states in the agricultural sector and there is a great potential which is still not utilized, and it is necessary to take measures for further intensifying the bilateral cooperation, the Minister said.

In his turn the Georgian Ambassador said the Georgian market is always open to the Armenian agricultural products and assured that during his tenure he will do everything possible to deepen the bilateral agricultural relations, as well as expand and strengthen the Armenian-Georgian business ties.

The Georgian Ambassador invited Ignati Arakelyan to visit Georgia to get acquainted with the current situation in the countrys agricultural sector. In response the Minister asked the Ambassador to convey the invitation on visiting Armenia to his Georgian counterpart.
The biannual Exercise Cerberus is taking place in Germany this year. It is the largest British Army Field exercise of the year and the largest to take place in central Europe for more than a decade.
Singapore: Tax Authority to Step Up GST Audits

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) stated they will step up GST audits for large businesses in 2016 and 2017. While large businesses form only 2 percent of the GST taxpayer base, they contribute more than 50 percent of revenues from GST. Although large businesses have complex business arrangements and high-value transactions, most of them outsource finance functions to locations outside Singapore, which may not be fully compliant with Singapores GST rules, and thereby increasing risks of error.

Companies that are found to have discrepancies during the audit will attract fines of up to two times the tax underpaid and a 5 percent late payment penalty. The IRAS has encouraged GST taxpayers to participate in its Assisted Compliance Assurance Programme (ACAP) to avoid audit exemption and one-off full waiver of penalties. Large companies operating in Singapore, including multinational corporations, should ensure they are compliant with all relevant rules and regulations related to GST.

Philippines: Central Bank Tightens Rules on Inactive Deposits

The countrys central bank Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has issued new guidelines on dormant deposit accounts and related fees charged by banks through Circular 928, which was signed on October 24. As per the new rules, banks, non-stock savings and loan associations (NSSLAs) can impose up to US$ 0.6 (PHP 30) as a monthly dormancy fee and will require a longer notification process before such accounts can be labelled as dormant.

The monthly fee can only be charged if the there is no deposit or withdrawal from an account for five years, if the deposit is below the minimum monthly average daily balance and if the depository bank or NSSLA has complied with the notification requirements. The rules apply to retail customers. Banks will have to notify customers at least two months in advance of the accounts becoming dormant and before charging a dormancy fee. Banks will have to notify through postal mail, courier, email, telephone or any other means. In addition, for local remittances, only the sender will be charged transaction fees as compared to the previous rule where both senders and receivers were charged fees.

Malaysia and China strengthen bilateral ties

Malaysia signed 14 Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) in defense, economy, agricultural, education, finance and construction sectors worth US$ 34 million (RM 143 billion). The MoUs were signed during Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razaks visit to Beijing. Among the agreements signed were renewal of education cooperation with China, a financial agreement with Malaysia Rail Link and Export-Import Bank of China. In addition, a two-year deal in defense to supply and build four ships was also signed. China will also fund the planned East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) in Malaysia by giving US$ 13 million (RM 55 billion) in soft loans for the project. It will also provide engineering and design for the ECRL, procure all materials and equipment and deliver the facility to Malaysia.



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Annual Audit and Compliance in ASEAN

For the first issue of our ASEAN Briefing Magazine, we look at the different audit and compliance regulations of five of the main economies in ASEAN. We firstly focus on the accounting standards, filing processes, and requirements for Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. We then provide similar information on Singapore, and offer a closer examination of the city-states generous audit exemptions for small-and-medium sized enterprises.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership and its Impact on Asian Markets

The United States backed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) includes six Asian economies  Australia, Brunei, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, while Indonesia has expressed a keen willingness to join. However, the agreements potential impact will affect many others, not least of all China. In this issue of Asia Briefing magazine, we examine where the TPP agreement stands right now, look at the potential impact of the participating nations, as well as examine how it will affect Asian economies that have not been included.

An Introduction to Tax Treaties Throughout Asia

In this issue of Asia Briefing Magazine, we take a look at the various types of trade and tax treaties that exist between Asian nations. These include bilateral investment treaties, double tax treaties and free trade agreements  all of which directly affect businesses operating in Asia.
by Kamel Abderrahmani

A young Muslim shares his thoughts upon the Islamic State. "My Islam prefers living together in a contest governed by peace, brotherhood and tolerance." Meanwhile, French and Belgian police believe that a 32-year-old Belgian-Moroccan, Oussama Atar, aka Abou Ahmad, was behind the bloody attacks in Paris and Brussels.

Paris (AsiaNews)  Anti-terrorism units of the French and Belgian police have identified the mastermind of the bloody attacks in Paris and in Brussels, a 32-year-old Belgian-Moroccan, Oussama Atar, aka 'Abou Ahmad'.

Despite his young age, Atar was already known to Belgian anti-terrorist services. In 2005 he was sentenced to ten years in prison by an Iraqi court for illegally entering the country and was held in prisons run by the US Army. Inside, he might have met future "Caliph" Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

In detention Atar benefited from a wide campaign of support, seeking his release on medical grounds (he allegedly had kidney cancer). In 2012, the Belgian Government, under pressure, called on Iraqi authorities to release Atar. Once free, the latter came back to Belgium where he was arrested again in 2013 for attempting to join a jihadist group. After his release from prison, he joined the ranks of the Islamic State (Daesh) in their Iraqi-Syrian stronghold where he started to recruit aspiring suicide attackers.

Abderrahmani Kamel, a young Muslim who lives in Paris reflects on the false religious motivations behind the attacks and expresses his personal opposition to a kind of Islam that is reduced to its legal form and is an enemy of reason.

A year after the attacks at the Bataclan in Paris, French and Belgian police identified a certain Osama Atar, aka Abou Ahmad, as the mind behind the attack. He had left Belgium at 20 to fight in Iraq when the US was still involved there. During that period, he was arrested for trying to join jihadists in Syria, and sentenced to ten years in prison.

It is amazing: How someone who calls himself a believer in God can commit atrocities in the name of religion? An group of mentally ill madmen murdered 130 innocent evening on 11 November 2015. How horrible it is that they are capable of doing anything.

As a Muslim, I think that religions were revealed to propel humanity forward, to help them evolve and especially promote coexistence between all segments of human society. In other words, religions stand for peace, not violence.

If we look at the three revealed books, we discover that the war is recommended only in self defence. How is it possible that the prophets who carried the divine messages could incite hatred? They too were subjected to violence and even persecution. They too lived through conflicts and wars, but they never abandoned their goal, which was to achieve peace. Jesus said, "Love your enemies." The Qur'an says, will you then force men till they become believers? [. . .] You are naught but a warner. There are many examples like these in the revealed books.

Today we are witnessing a very serious phenomenon, that of killing and offending the innocent in the name of the one who created the heavens and the earth. This phenomenon calls on every normal person to think and reflect upon it. As a Muslim, I choose to speak about terrorist groups that our religion has known, including Daesh.

Daesh, after having exterminated groups of Iraqi Christians, continues to slaughter its fellow Muslims and exert tremendous pressure on people and this in the name of Islam. Personally, I am outraged and normally every believer should be so. Denouncing this barbarism committed in the name of religion is my sacred duty.

I have the "nerve" to say that Daesh applies Sharia to the letter. I confirm it. This is why I am sure that even if Daesh disappeared, its obscurantist ideology would remain because its seeds have always existed in our so-called Islamic jurisprudence.

My Islam is an Islam of peace, an Islam of logic and reason. My Islam makes me think about the Qur'an, analyse it. My Islam teaches me that there is "no compulsion in religion," it teaches me that we should offend no one. It teaches me that I have to defend myself when someone wants to harm me, and pave the way to peace when my enemy seeks peace.

My Islam questions the apocryphal texts and teaches me that between me and God, there is no place for the clergy (imam or other)! My Islam prefers living together in a contest governed by peace, brotherhood and tolerance.

Finally, my Islam is Daeshs first enemy because, in its eyes, I am an enemy to defeat.
by Nirmala Carvalho

The stunt is the work of Fr Frank Pavone, head of Priests for Life, in New York. Before the US election, he posted a video to warn voters against Hillary Clinton. This is a double injustice to the unborn child. For theologian, " Respect for all life extends to the body of deceased persons."

Mumbai (AsiaNews)  Just before the presidential elections in the United States, a New York Catholic priest placed an aborted foetus on an altar and asked voters to cast their ballot for Donald Trump. Fr Frank Pavone, head of Priests for Life, videotaped naked body of the foetus and then posted it on Facebook.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Dr Pascoal Carvalho, a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, said: "I am deeply saddened by this gross show of disrespect towards this unborn child.

The little baby suffered a double injustice, he explained. First, his precious life was snuffed out in the initial phase of his or her existence. Secondly, the unborn was reduced to an object and this is a gross violation of the unborn childs rights, [as he or she] was used as an exhibit and denied the sanctity and dignity of a human being.

The shocking video was posted two days before the US elections. In his Facebook appeal, Fr Pavone wrote, we have to decide if we will allow this child killing to continue in America or not. Hillary Clinton and the Democratic platform says yes, let the child-killing continue (and you pay for it); Donald Trump and the Republican platform says no, the child should be protected.

In the last TV debate between the two candidates for the White House, Clinton surprisingly did not come out against partial birth abortion, i.e. late abortion up to the ninth month. Instead, she said that no one should step in and make those most personal of decisions for women.

For Dr Carvalho, The unborn has an unequivocal right to a full human life. [. . .] The little defenceless and vulnerable baby (he refuses the term foetus) was a human being at the very beginning of life. The position of the Church is clear. Human life begins from the very moment of conception. This means that from the moment of conception and along the path of embryonic and foetal development.

This precious baby already has the full genetic code of a human being, Dr Carvalho added, and is already human in view of this uniqueness.

In 1987, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued Donum Vitae, which says that The corpses of human embryos and foetuses, whether they have been deliberately aborted or not, must be respected just as the remains of other human beings.

A Catholic theologian who teaches moral theology at an Indian seminary said Fr Pavones action left him speechless. In his view, this goes against everything the pro-life movement to which I belong holds dear.

In the first place, "Respect for all life extends to the body of deceased persons. There is no excuse to do something that is disrespectful to the person (exhibiting a dead foetus on its way to burial) to argue for greater respect for others (unborn babies). The end never justifies the means."

The theologian believes that we "need a consistent ethic of life" and "Using fear and hatred is the last thing we need to make people see the value of life. [. . .] if we want others to believe in the gospel of life we need to show life in Christ and all life.

Speaking about the vote, he noted that "Respect for the individual conscience is supreme in voting matters. I don't think anyone should be forced either way. [. . .] this means that even if the one I support does not win I will respect the decision of the majority. [. . .] No matter who my president or prime minister is God is still God.
by Christopher Sharma

Indias Pranab Mukharjee visited Nepal on 2-4 November. Afterwards, the Nepali Congress leader visited India where he met the Dalai Lama. Beijing reacted by calling on Kathmandu for explanations. Nepal responded reiterating its support for the One China policy.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews)  The visit of Indian President Pranab Mukharjee to Nepal led to controversy over the Himalayan nations relations with its neighbours, first and foremost China, which stressed its hold on Nepal and the terms of their future cooperation.

Mr Mukharjee was in Nepal from 2 to 4 November in a visit hailed as one of the most significant moments in recent history, which had been marked by a bitter bilateral dispute last year over tribal minorities in Nepals Terai region.

Indo-Nepali relations became so bad that Delhi imposed an embargo on goods going to Nepal, causing hardship for ordinary Nepalis and businesses.

Since then, tensions de-escalated but at the expense of government stability. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who had encouraged working with China during the embargo, was forced to resign and parliament named to the post veteran leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, aka Prachanda, who is more pro-Indian.

"Nepal has entered a new era, Mukharjee said during his visit. India welcomes the initiatives by the government to include all strata of society."

After the presidents visit, Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba travelled to India where met with the Dalai Lama and some Tibetan leaders, sparking Beijings anger.

Chinese authorities reacted strongly, calling on Nepali authorities to reiterate their support for the one China policy.

A Chinese embassy note condemned "the meeting with the Dalai Lama and the presence of Taiwan's flag at an art exhibition in Kathmandu whilst ignoring Chinese concerns and the presence of a Chinese delegation during the visit of the Indian President."

What irked Beijing the most was Taiwan's flag and the visit of the Tibetan Buddhist leader. Nepal responded by renewing its commitment to the One-China policy, adding that it would no longer undertake activities that go against its neighbours.

"Nepal is in a very delicate and sensitive geo-strategic position, said Prof Shreedhar Khatri. Maintaining relations with ones neighbours and other friendly countries is challenging. If Nepals diplomats and political leaders fail to take this into account, our immediate neighbours might clash with us and we wouldnt be able to protect our interests.

The government should work with one country and not upset the other, said Nepals former ambassador to India Lokraj Baral. Nepal must take seriously the interests of other countries."
by Wang Zhicheng

The new bishop worked for years as a doctor before discovering his vocation. Msgr. Ding received the papal mandate two years ago. The ordaining bishops are all in communion with the Pope. Local authorities try to curb the participation of the faithful. Thousands expected to attend.

Changzhi (AsiaNews) - Everything is ready in Changzhi (Shanxi) for the ordination of the new bishop, Msgr. Peter Ding Lingbin, who discovered his vocation while he was working as a doctor. His appointment dates to 2013. During the same period he received papal mandate and in the interim served as the Apostolic Administrator of the diocese. Beijings green light for the ceremony came a few weeks ago.

His ordination is to fully reconcile the situation of the diocese, where Msgr. Andrea Jin Daoyuan, ordained illicitly January 6, 2000 was bishop. Later Msgr. Jin asked to return to communion with the Pope, however has been retired for several years being 87.



All of the bishops in communion with the Pope will attend the ordination: Msgr. Giuseppe Li Shan, Archbishop of Beijing, who will preside; Msgr. Meng Ningyou Taiyuan (Shanxi); Msgr. Wu Junwei Yuncheng (Jiangzhou, Shanxi), Msgr. Li Shuguang of Nanchang (Jiangxi); Msgr. Zhang Yinlin of Anyang (Henan). The retired bishop Msgr. Jin will also attend.

The local government is taking steps to ensure transport and safety. Civil authorities have mandated that all participants in the ceremony must have a pass and want to limit the number to a few hundred believers for the ceremony, which will take part in the cathedral dedicated to the Sacred Heart. But there are at least 5 thousand Catholics in Changzhi and it will be difficult to stop them.



Msgr. Lingbin Ding is 54 years old and was born on 20 July 1962. In 1982 he received his degree in medicine and until 1988 worked as a doctor in the hospital. In 1992 he finished his studies at the seminary in Wuhan (Hubei) and in that same year he was ordained priest. From 1995 to 2011 he was president of the Saint Anthony dispensary, owned by the diocese, for the medical service to the population, especially the poor. In 2011 he was secretary of the diocese and then apostolic administrator.



The Diocese of Changzhi, with a population of 3.5 million inhabitants was founded in 1946. But the Church has been present there since 1830 and was part of the Shansi Apostolic Vicariate, evangelized by the Franciscans. At present it has 51 priests, 22 seminarians, who serve more than 50 thousand faithful.
New Delhi (AsiaNews / Agencies) - In an attempt to curb the phenomenon of counterfeit money circulating in the country, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the withdrawal of the 500 and 1000 rupees banknotes. All those who possess such banknotes can exchange them from November 10, until December 30. After this period, they will forfeit the legal value of the old rupees.



The decision announced yesterday has already raised numerous concerns. The alleged cuts are the ones most used by the Indian population in their daily purchases. Also for this reason, the banknotes of 500 rupees (6.70 euro) and 1000 rupees are the most falsified.



Speaking to the press, Modi said that "black money [ Indian expression for the money resulting from black market operations] and corruption are the biggest obstacles to poverty eradication."



In the hours following the announcement, citizens stormed the ATMs to withdraw denominations of 100 rupees, the easiest to use in the coming weeks. The government announced today that banks and ATM will be closed to allow the distribution of the new banknotes.



From tomorrow, everyone can meet in banks and post offices to deposit old coins. They will receive in exchange new notes of 500 and 2000 rupees.



The financial move is part of the promises made by the Prime Minister after his election in 2014, when he assured he would fight against counterfeit money and the black market. Last month the government has managed to recover almost $ 10 billion (8.9 billion euro) through a tax amnesty on previously undeclared assets and earnings.
by Mathias Hariyadi

Three "study days" to explore one of the principal emergencies in Indonesian society. Ignatius Jonan, Energy Minister, a Catholic and "an example of good administration among the speakers. Analysts: "Compared to the past, corruption is widespread at all levels."

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Fighting corruption by taking a lead from the good politicians who operate within the law. This is the appeal that comes from the encounter recently organized by the Indonesian bishops, attended by several members of the government and the organizations fighting lawlessness. Each year, before the annual assembly, the Bishops' Conference (KWI) devotes three "study days" to the most important issues affecting life of the country. This year's theme is corruption, which is still a plague in Indonesia.

The first to intervene was Ignatius Jonan, former transport minister and now head the department of Energy. The Catholic politician is considered a rising star and a great example of how to restore the public administration. He is credited with having revived the fortunes of the national railway company (Pt Kai) and to have ensured a functional performance, with clean and punctual trains. He is now doing the same in the one of the nations most strategic ministries, as Indonesia is very rich mineral deposits, such as gold and oil.

Jonan stated that "corruption that stems from need, which is a result of social injustice, and the corruption that comes from greed. This is in close relation with the low quality of the person ". The best solution to reduce the first type of corruption, said the politician, is "to improve the conditions of society providing a system that works and with a transparent administration."

Other speakers were drawn from among the Anti-Corruption Commission (Kpk) and other observers. Everyone gave their full support to Bhumiksara Foundation, created by the Episcopal Conference in order to educate new leaders among Catholics who can lead society and prevent corruption.

According to the Kpk judge, Alexander Marwata, "compared to the period of Suharto's presidency (1967-1998), where most of the corruption was concentrated in Central Jakarta, now it has spread everywhere and there are many who behave improperly without hesitation". Other analysts have pointed out that while in the past corruption was recorded in political circles, now even the government officials are not alone in committing abuses.

The three days was attended 36 bishops. Earlier this year they had criticized the plan of anti-corruption reform, which "is manipulated for political interests" and provides for a reduction of the Kpk powers.

According to data from Transparency International, updated to 2015, the Indonesian public perceives the public sector as highly corrupt, ranking the country 88th place out of 168. In addition, politics appears to be often used for personal purposes and in this ranking Jakarta totalizes -0.7 points, on a scale from -2.5 to +2.5.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Sharing with people who are sick or in prison to become an instrument of mercy, following the example of Jesus, who devoted a special place to the sick and who experienced prison.



This was the topic of Pope Francis catechesis for the general audience on works of mercy. He said that carrying these out would actually "do more good for us than to others because mercy passes through a gesture, a word, a visit and this mercy is an act that restores joy and dignity to those who have lost it."



"Jesus life he told 40 thousand people in St. Peter's Square - especially in the three years of his public ministry, was an incessant meeting with people. Among these, he had a special place for the sick. How many pages of the Gospels tell us of these meetings! The lame, the blind, the lepers, the possessed, the epileptic, and countless sick of all kinds ... Jesus became close to each one of them and healed them with his presence and his healing power. Therefore, works of mercy cannot leave out the call to visit and assist the sick ".



"Along with this we can also add that of being close to the people who are in prison. In fact, both the sick and prisoners experience a condition that limits their freedom. And it is only when we no longer have this that we realize how precious it is! Jesus gave us the opportunity to be free of disease despite the limitations and restrictions. He gives us the freedom that comes from the encounter with him and the new sense that this meeting brings to our personal situation. "



"With these works of mercy the Lord invites us to an act of great humanity: sharing. Remember this word: sharing! Those who are sick, often feel alone. We cannot hide that, especially today, how illness deepens peoples experience of that loneliness which runs through much of our life. A visit can make people feel less lonely and a little 'company is good medicine for the sick person! A smile, a caress, a handshake these are all simple gestures, but just as important for those who feel abandoned to themselves. How many people are dedicated to visiting the sick in hospitals or in their homes! It is priceless volunteer work. When done in the name of the Lord, then it also becomes eloquent and effective expression of mercy. Do not leave sick people alone! Do not prevent them from finding relief, and ourselves from being enriched by being close to those who suffer. Hospitals are now 'cathedrals of pain' true, where, however, the strength of charity that supports and has compassion also becomes evident. "

"By the same token, I think of those who are locked up in prison. Neither did Jesus forget them. By including visiting prisoners among the works of mercy, he wanted to invite us, first of all, not to hold court over anyone. Of course, if one is in jail, it is because they were wrong, they did not comply with the law or civil coexistence. Thus in prison, they are serving their sentence. But whatever a prisoner may have done, they are still loved by God. Who can enter in the depths of their conscience to understand what ? Who can understand their pain and remorse? It is too easy to wash our hands saying that they are wrong. A Christian is called rather to take charge, because those who did wrong to include the evil done and returns in himself. The lack of freedom is undoubtedly one of the greatest hardships for the human being. If added to this is the deterioration in the conditions often devoid of humanity in which these people find themselves living, then it is indeed the case in which a Christian feels led to do everything to restore their dignity. Visiting people in prison is a work of mercy that especially today is of particular value given the various forms of justicialism to which we are subjected. So no one should point the finger at others. Rather we should all be instruments of mercy, with attitudes of sharing and respect. I often think of those in prison. I often think about them. I carry them in my heart. I wonder what led them to commit a crime and how they could succumb to different forms of evil. Yet, along with these thoughts I feel that they all require closeness and tenderness because the mercy of God works wonders. How many tears I've seen on prisoners cheeks who perhaps had never wept in their lives; and this only because they felt welcomed and loved. "



"And do not forget that Jesus and the apostles experienced prison. In the stories of the Passion we know the suffering to which the Lord was subjected: captured, dragged like a criminal, mocked, scourged, crowned with thorns ... He, the only Innocent! And Saint Peter and Saint Paul were imprisoned. Last Sunday - that was the Sunday of the Jubilee of Prisoners - in the afternoon a group of Paduan prisoners came to see me. I asked them what they would do the next day, before returning to Padua. They told me: 'We will go to the Mamertine prison to share the experience of St. Paul'. ... It's nice to feel this was good for me. These prisoners wanted to find the prisoner Paul. It's a nice thing. They did well. "



"And even there, in prison, they prayed and preached. The page in the Acts of the Apostles which speaks of Pauls imprisonment is moving to, he was lonely and wanted some friends to visit him (cf. 2 Tm 4.9 to 15). He felt alone because the vast majority had left him alone ... the great Paul. "



"These works of mercy, as we see, are ancient, yet timeless. Jesus left what he was doing to go and visit Peter's mother-in-law; an ancient work of charity. Jesus did it. Let us not become indifferent, but instruments of God's mercy. We can all be instruments of God's mercy and this will do more good for us than others because mercy passes through a gesture, a word, a visit and this mercy , is an act to restoring joy and dignity to those who have lost it. "
A coalition of Canadian groups has joined the growing chorus of condemnation against President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines whose brutal drug war has bodies piling up everywhere in the Southeast Asian nation.

Police estimate that more than 3,600 suspected drug dealers and users have been killed since Duterte took office on June 30. Many of those killed in the initial months of the crackdown were poor drug suspects, and police said high-value targets, including mayors and drug lords, would be their next target in a new phase of the crackdown that was launched late last month.

The unprecedented crackdown and killings have helped ease crime, but the U.S. and other Western governments, along with human rights watchdogs, have been alarmed and called for an end to the killings. One human rights advocate has called the killings under Duterte a human rights calamity.

The open letter calling for an end to the killings was signed by the Canadian Association of People Who Use Drugs, Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, South Riverdale Community Health Centre, Toronto Drug Users Union, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, and the Canadian Harm Reduction Network.

The group is demanding; An immediate end to the extrajudicial killings, harassment and violence against people who use drugs by the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and its linked paramilitary forces;

prosecution of those responsible for the extrajudicial murders of people suspected of selling or using illicit drugs;

and that the Canadian government end its training of and cooperation with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines implicated in the recent extrajudicial killing of people who use drugs.

It is urging the Canadian public to show support for those actions by sending emails, letters, and tweets to the Philippines embassies and Canadian government representatives indicated at the bottom of this letter.

The groups open letter states; We offer the deepest condemnation of the atrocities being committed against people accused of using or selling illicit drugs under President Dutertes regime.

We urge the Canadian government to press the Government of the Philippines to stop these extrajudicial murders, and institute a drug policy that respects the human rights and dignity of people who use illicit drugs.

These murders are occurring within the context of the ongoing Philippines civil war, which has featured brutal counterinsurgency operations that have violated the human rights of the Philippines citizenry. We are steadfastly in support of further peace talks to end this protracted civil war. The people of the Philippines suffer from widespread economic inequality, and this issue must be addressed through economic and social reforms that would accompany a peaceful end to this conflict. Furthermore, we do not support foreign (U.S. or otherwise) military intervention or regime change operations, as these would only exacerbate neocolonial oppression and reduce the potential for a long lasting and just end to this civil war.

There are over 600,000 people of Filipino descent living in Canada, making them one of Canadas largest immigrant communities. Canada and the Philippines have important economic, social and cultural links.

We urge the Canadian public to foster closer ties and support grassroots organizations that are resisting drug war violence and fighting for social and economic justice within the Philippines.

Duterte has lashed out at President Barack Obama and other critics, saying he was dealing with a pandemic that has afflicted politics, corrupted even generals and threatened to turn the country into what he describes as a narco state similar to some Latin American countries.

Duterte, who assumed office last June, promised during his election campaign that he would kill 100,000 drug addicts and dealers within the first six months of his term.
Guest Commentary

By Mike Morris

Solicitor General and Minister of Public Safety

With Crime Prevention Week in British Columbia, I want to thank everyone, in and out of uniform, whose efforts have helped to make our communities safer  and to encourage others to get involved.

The contributions made by thousands of peace officers each year are invaluable, and my ministry formally recognizes, in a number of ways, the exceptional work and sacrifices made by these professionals. Their efforts are supported by countless volunteers from all walks of life  and each year at this time, as will happen later this week, we honour some of B.C.s most exceptional crime-prevention volunteers.

Crime Stoppers is among the best-known, most enduring groups dedicated to helping to solve crimes of all kinds, from gang-related shootings to acts of vandalism. Their prominent wanted ads, information-seeking re-enactments, and 24/7 anonymous tip lines have helped to bring many dangerous criminals safely into custody and solve many serious crimes.

In support of these efforts  and a significant, multimedia campaign that will launch next year  our government has recently committed another $450,000 to Crime Stoppers.

Block Watch offers another opportunity to get involved, right where you live. The small time commitment required of a Block Watch captain can pay many dividends: a chance to get to know your neighbours, have them look out for you and your property as you do for them and theirs, and receive helpful information and timely updates from your local police. As a bonus, your home insurer may provide a discount on your annual premium if youre part of an active Block Watch program.

In many communities, becoming a Speed Watch volunteer is another way to make your local streets safer. Join up, don a vest, hold a radar gun and, using a large display, let drivers know how fast theyre going. You may help make local children safer by monitoring school and playground zones, or help prevent serious injuries by watching known, high-crash locations. I know many seniors find Speed Watch a fulfilling way to become involved in promoting safety; the hours they dedicate helped this program to speed-check nearly 300,000 vehicles in 2014.

Of course, as an observant driver, cyclist or pedestrian, you can help police to save lives on our roads by reporting dangerous driving behaviours  particularly signs of impairment, distracted driving and excessive speeding. But please remember, if youre travelling alone and need to use a handheld device to report behaviour, make sure you have safely pulled over before making that call.

There are many other ways to help ensure the safety of you, your friends and your family. For example, the RCMP and many independent municipal police departments offer online tips on personal safety, protecting your home and business, and road safety. You may also want to call the non-emergency line of your local police, to inquire about crime prevention services they may offer, such as a safety audit to help you crime-proof your home.

If you are already involved in furthering local public safety, or you plan to become involved, my hats off to you.
To celebrate Canadas 150th anniversary in 2017, the Royal Mint announced Dr. Timothy Hsias northern lights design will grace the reverse (or tails) side of the 2017 two-dollar circulation coin.

To me, this radiant light display embodies Canadas unity and beauty, said Timothy Hsia. He called his design Dance of the Spirits after how the Cree people attribute the northern lights to the special moment when the spirits manifest themselves, dancing, to the human eyes and minds below.

Hsias design shows a pair of paddlers dwarfed by a night sky alive with the Aurora Borealis while the paddlers are awestruck.

In March, the Mint launched a national contest for a 2017 circulation coin series celebrating Canadas 150th anniversary from five theme perspectives: Our Wonders, Our Character, Our Achievements, Our Passions, and Canadas Future.

For more information, visit www.mint.ca.
By Catherine Sas Q.C.

Special to The Post

Last week was full of announcements on the Immigration front for the Liberal government. On Monday, October 31, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Minister John McCallum, tabled his annual report to Parliament setting immigration levels for the year ahead.

The next day, Minister of Finance Bill Morneau introduced his Global Skills Strategy to make it easier and faster for companies to bring foreign workers to Canada.

Minister McCallum surprised many by holding fast the number of permanent residents to be welcomed to Canada next year.

Many had expected him to increase immigration levels to 400,000 or more. The Liberals have long held that Canada's immigration levels should be set at 1% of the population - 360,000 immigrants per year.

While 300,000 is about 40,000 more applicants per year than under the former Conservative government, it was widely expected that there would be a further increase from last year's threshold.

The Minister also emphasized economic and family immigration over refugees and humanitarian cases shifting his targets as follows:

2016 2017 Economic 160,000 172,500 Family 80,000 84,000 Refugees 55,800 40,000 Humanitarian 3,600 3,500

While the increases to the economic program are always welcome in Canada's aging population, the increase in the family class category is not significant enough to likely bring any improvement of processing times in reuniting families in Canada. Notwithstanding a slight reduction planned admissions for refugees, 2017's target of 40,000 is double that of 2015 and previous years signalling a continued strong support of Canada's refugee program.

For Minister McCallum's full levels plan see this link: http://news.gc.ca/web/articleen.do?crtr.sj1D=&crtr.mnthndVl=12&mthd=advSrch&crtr.dpt1D=6664&nid=1145319&crtr.lc1D=&crtr.tp1D=930&crtr.yrStrtVl=2008&crtr.kw=&crtr.dyStrtVl=1&crtr.aud1D=&crtr.mnthStrtVl=1&crtr.page=1&crtr.yrndVl=2016&crtr.dyndVl=31

On Nov. 1, 2016, Finance Minister Bill Morneau showcased his Global Skills strategy to help Canadian businesses attract the talent that they need to succeed. The new strategy is aiming for an ambitious two-week standard for processing visas and work permits for low-risk, high skill talent for Canadian businesses specifically targeting:

 growth Canadian companies that need to access global talent in order to facilitate and accelerate investments that create jobs and growth including companies that can demonstrate labour market benefits such s increasing investments, knowledge, and Canadian job creation; and

 Companies that are making large investments, relocating to Canada, establishing new production or expanding production, and creating new Canadian jobs.

The announcement was short on details of exactly what Canadian businesses will benefit from their new strategy or when the program will be implemented. http://www.budget.gc.ca/fes-eea/2016/docs/themes/skills-competences-en.html

In addition, Minister Morneau indicated that a new short-duration work permit exemption will be introduced to allow for companies to bring in workers or academics for up to 30 days without the need for a work permit. This will relieve companies of the effort, expense and in some cases, lengthy wait times, of making work permit applications on behalf of their personnel who will only be in Canada for a short period. The speedier process in of applications (or doing away with the need for them) is always welcome news for Canadian employers. Let's hope these changes come in sooner rather than later!
Phoro caption: Family Reunification: Chuqiao Li teaches her Canadian-born grandson, Qianshan Qiao, from a Chinese language book. Li arrived in Canada from Shanghai on a 10-year visitor visa.NCM Stock Photo by Shan Qiao, @dmaomao, Toront

News Analysis by NCM Newsroom,

Special to The Post

Days after being sworn in as prime minister on November 4 last year, Justin Trudeau listed priority tasks for his ministers.

Like that of his colleagues, the list for John McCallum, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, drew much from the Liberal partys election promises.

While resettling Syrian refugees was the number one priority, McCallum was told that his overarching goal was to reopen Canadas doors to welcome those who want to contribute to its success.

The wording was clever. While it tried to highlight the previous Conservative governments reluctance to open Canadas door to refugees, it retained the essence of what the countrys need for immigrants has always been: Its the economy, stupid.

And, McCallum has stuck to the time-tested script. Tabling this years report on immigration targets in parliament, he said the government is boosting the base number of immigrants to be admitted next year to 300,000. The previous annual targets from 2011 to 2015 was 260,000, but it swelled to 300,000 this year on account of the Syrian arrivals. The last time this base figure was reached was way back in 1913.

Attempting to give this annual setting of targets a more long-term view, the minister told reporters that it lays the foundation for future growth." What was unsaid is that last years election rhetoric for letting in more refugees was a one-off political gesture meant to to induce a feel-good across the country and reinforce the "Canada is back" mantra.

Although the 2017 intake targets includes 40,000 refugees and protected persons, it is down from nearly 56,000 this year. Also slightly down is the number of people who would be let in on humanitarian or compassionate grounds: 3,500 against this years 3,600.

And when it comes to government-assisted refugees, the numbers are far lower. The number for 2017 is 7,500, down from nearly 20,000 admitted so far this year, and still fewer than the nearly 10,000 admitted in 2015.

Like the previous government, the targets focus on boosting entries for those in the "economic" class. It has been increased to 172,500 from 160,600. In the family class, the number of sponsored spouses, partners, children, parents and grandparents will climb to 84,000 from 80,000.

Signalling left, turning right

While people in the settlement sector would bemoan the cuts to refugee intake given the continuing crises around the world, others would call it pragmatism. Those less charitable to the Liberals would say they are back at their game of signalling left, turning right.

The Liberals know that Canadians will not continue to be supportive of refugee resettlement. Reports about the government being caught off guard by the large number of children each Syrian family had in tow would cast doubts about the whole manner of bringing them in, starting from the vetting process.

Keeping both public perceptions and capacity constraints in mind, the government has astutely kept in abeyance its own economic growth councils recommendation to raise annual immigration levels to 450,000 over the next five years.

However, it is doubling down on bringing in economic immigrants. Early on, Ottawa indicated that it would be more positively inclined towards international students becoming permanent residents, with McCallum terming them as the perfect immigrants.

The Express Entry immigration selection system, the key change to the economic immigration stream made by the previous government, is now being seen as a tool to also promote family reunification. The idea is to give candidates with family members already in Canada additional points.

Discounting citizenship

The unsettling thing about the emphasis on immigration levels is the indifferent attitude towards the very feature that makes our system unique: one of the shortest paths to citizenship, that over 80 per cent of immigrants eagerly choose to take. At least until recently.

The number of citizenship applicants has plummeted for the second year in a row after the more than a doubling in the application fee from $300 to $630. For a while it was $200, after being at $100 for a long time.

Evidently, citizenship applications are down. Only 36,000 citizenship applications were received from January to June this year, a little more than one-third of the number for the same period last year, according to data obtained for policy analysis by Andrew Griffith, a retired immigration department director-general. In 2015, a total of 130,000 applications were submitted compared to an average of 200,000 in the previous years.

While $630 itself is a hefty sum, the actual cost incurred could be much more if one includes the fee (around $200) for a language proficiency test that many applicants would need to take, and further for the Canadian passport (minimum $120). And, in the case of persons from source countries like India that do not allow for dual citizenship, the expenses add up. The fee to process the giving up of Indian citizenship and obtaining a new visa would take the costs to well over $1,500.

Self-defeating

Imagine a family of four needing to spend $6,000 when struggling economically to put roots in a new country. No one is suggesting that citizenship should come cheap, but forcing those on the cusp of becoming citizens to bear the whole cost of the process is rather unfair. Especially when the government is ready to waive or subsidize fees for refugees. How much more do new Canadians need to do to become citizens of a country they cheerily chose?

More importantly, isn't ultimate citizenship the whole point of welcoming new immigrants in the first place?

Whereas the Liberals were critical of all the changes to immigration rules made by the Harper government, they were coy about reviewing the citizenship fee during the election campaign. Now that they hold the reins and are reviewing Bill C6 to amend the Citizenship Act, there is still no mention of any adjustment to the fee.

While tax-paying permanent residents are already an underclass unable to vote even in local elections, this disenfranchisement is now set to grow and become a permanent feature of our polity. It calls into question our own understanding of democracy and surely not something we should be proud of.

This piece was originally appeared in New Canadian Media (newcanadianmedia.ca).

The views, opinions and positions expressed by all NCM columnists and contributors are the authors alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of New Canadian Media.

See http://www.newcanadianmedia.ca/item/39078-high-on-immigration-low-on-citizenship-high-on-immigration-low-on-citizenship
Australian State Pushes To Ban Offensive Ads On Campervans

Trending News: Meanwhile In Australia, Rude Slogans On Vans May Become Illegal

Long Story Short

The Australian state of Queensland is pushing to ban Wicked Campervans, a rental company that dispatches vans with rude and offensive slogans.

Long Story

"How about sex and pizza? Or don't you like pizza?"

That's just one of the many misogynistic, sexist or just plain rude slogans on rental vans rolling on highways across the globe  and one state has had enough. Officials in Queensland are pushing to ban Australian-based Wicked Campervans from driving through their state due to the offensive nature of the writing on the vehicles, writes Mashable.

The vans can be rented in Australia, New Zealand, North America, South America, Japan, Africa and Europe (so pretty much everywhere), according to the company's website.

"With this legislation, vehicles registered in Queensland that display sexist, obscene or otherwise offensive advertising will face the prospect of having their registration canceled," said Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in a statement.

To be fair, some of the slogans aren't that bad. For example, one says: "save a tree, eat a beaver." I mean, that's only offensive if you're trying to apply for Canadian citizenship, so upset Americans beware. But a lot of them are, well, I can see why the government wants to ban them.
Conor McGregor's Take On The US Presidential Election

Trending News: Why The Election Mattered, Regardless Of What Conor McGregor Says

Long Story Short

UFC fighter Conor McGregor made a thought-provoking statement about the election, but it was a dangerous oversimplification.

Long Story

Like millions of hungover people today, I've had my eyes glued to Facebook and Twitter for reactions about yesterday's historic election. I've seen every point in the stages of grief, including anger, disbelief and playing the blame game from my friends, people I follow on social media, and yes even, celebs.

Lots of athletes and celebrities took the not-stepping-on-anyone's-toes route of telling you to vote while others pledged to flee if Trump wins. But one athlete took a fascinating perspective just before the vote that really stuck with me.

Ahead of his big UFC 205 matchup on Saturday, Irish fighter Conor McGregor told BT Sport that he couldn't give a damn about the election because it doesn't matter who runs the world's most powerful nation.

I just could not give a bollocks, with all due respect, the whole thing is weird to me," he said, as I saw via BroBible. "The public are just brainwashed into thinking something is going to happen with this one.

I dont think either of those two contenders, or whatever they are, have power in anything, anyway. But whatever, it is what it is.

Sure, McGregor punches people's faces in for a living and has every right to be more focused on a big fight than an election for a country he's not even a citizen of. But I've heard opinions similar to this nihilistic take on the election and it just pisses me off.

Something is going to happen with this one.

Let's say Donald Trump can't do many of the things he promised. He can't build a wall or ban all Muslims because it's unconstitutional. He can't even quit NATO because his party doesn't want him to. Something that he definitely will do is appoint ultra-conservative Supreme Court justices "in the mold of Justice Scalia." In doing so, Trump hopes to "uphold gun rights, walk back the 18-month-old decision allowing gays and lesbians to wed and 'automatically' overturn Roe v Wade, the 1973 right to abortion choice," according to The Economist.

That's something. Know what else is something? Trump's refusal to accept climate change, which now means direly-needed legislative decisions, including abiding by the Paris climate deal, will likely be delayed by another four to eight years.

Many people, including outgoing President Barack Obama, are saying the sun will continue to rise and that electing President Trump is not the end of the world. They say there are checks and balances to make sure that he doesn't do all the crazy things he's promised he'll do.

One of those checks and balances is the Senate, the other is the House. Oh wait, Trump controls both of those.

Another check and balance is the president's veto  whoops.

Sure, there may be a revolt within the Republican Party, but nothing like what Obama faced without controlling the House and he still did many of the things he promised (Obamacare, Iran peace deal, Cuba, etc.).

I hope I'm wrong, I really do. Trump could be a moderate in demagogue's clothing and Hillary Clinton could have ended up being the corrupt and brutal leader many people feared she'd become. But saying who you vote for doesn't matter is a dangerous self-fulfilling prophecy, especially when you're speaking as a celebrity. If more people voted  the voter turnout was a pitiful 55%  who knows what the result could have been.

Let's hope that this election will be a wake-up call that yes, voting matters, and yes, who you vote for matters, too.

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question

If elected officials are such puppets of a well-oiled party machine, then how did Trump get to the point of leading the party when so many members of the Republicans were against him?

Drop This Fact

Besides the president, voting on Tuesday led to major changes in marijuana policy in several states.
The 'You've Got Mail' Voice Actor Is Now An Uber Driver

Trending News: Anyone Born Before 1990 Will Recognize This Uber Driver's Voice

Quick Take

Remember all those times your parents warned you about not getting into a strangers car? Now that were all using our phones to summon a strange car to our exact location, were all learning that mom was wrong: sometimes those strangers can be awesome.

For instance, a woman in Ohio got into her Uber and got into conversation with her friendly driver, only to learn that hes the voice of a catchphrase burned into the memories of an entire generation of Internet users. So famous is this uber drivers voice, that it spawned its very own Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks rom com (or, at least named it).

The driver and former voice actor, Elwoods Edwards, recorded the famous email greeting (among others) in his living room, after his wife recommended him for the job. Edwards is now semi-retired, and still bringing people email joy  and drives home.

Drop This Fact

Edwards was paid $200 for his work recording the famous greetings.
By Howard Fischer

Capitol Media Services

PHOENIX -- The state's largest electric company is going to get at least one of the utility regulators it wants for the $4 million it spent on the campaign for Arizona Corporation Commission.

And probably a second.

Preliminary results show incumbent Bob Burns winning a second four-year term. Burns was supported for reelection by Pinnacle West Capital Corp., parent of Arizona Public Service, which put $4 million into TV commercials and other media to ensure that the commission remains an all-Republican affair.

Incumbent Republican Andy Tobin, also supported by Pinnacle West, was running second among the five contenders. But remained unclear late Tuesday whether all that spending would also mean the utility would be successful in replacing retiring commissioner Bob Stump with Boyd Dunn, the third Republican in the race and also backed by Pinnacle West.

It didn't hurt Burns that he also was the beneficiary of some of the $2.4 million that Save Our AZ Solar put into the race on his behalf as well as Democrat challenger Bill Mundell. While Pinnacle West got behind Burns financially, Kris Mayes who is running the Save Our AZ Solar campaign, said both he and Mundell have been consistent supporters of solar energy.

Left out in the financial cold in all of this heavy spending was Tom Chabin, the other Democrat running for one of the three seats up for grabs.

SolarCity itself spent $41,000 on his behalf along with Mundell and Burns in mailings to the company's customers. But Chabin was not part of the bigger ad campaign by Save Our AZ Solar, with only a late-in-the-campaign $1,200 expenditure for signs.

Mayes said that with less money to spend than Pinnacle West, it came down to a question of priorities.

"We wanted to be sure to support two very pro-solar and pro-consumer advocates for the Corporation Commission,'' she said. And there's also the fact that both have a record: Mundell with his prior service on the panel and Burns who was first elected to the commission four years ago.

All that support by both sides for Burns appeared to be paying off: Preliminary results showed him in the lead in the five-way race for the three available seats. The vote tallies among the rest of the field, however, were too close to each other to make predictions.

That question of who are the pro-solar and pro-consumer candidates got muddled during the extensive campaign.

The Pinnacle West-financed TV ads promoted Burns, Dunn and Tobin as "Arizona's sustainable solar team,'' complete with pictures of commercial-scale solar power collectors. And it says the trio will represent Arizona taxpayers, not out-of-state special interests,'' a slap at California-based SolarCity.

But the truth of it all comes down to the more difficult question of balancing the goal of diversifying the state's sources of energy with the costs.

Most directly at issue is that customers who generate their own rooftop power get a credit for anything they do not need and sell to the utility. That is a credit at retail rates.

Then, on an annual basis, all accumulated excess credits are paid off in cash, albeit at a lower wholesale rate.

All Arizona utilities contend that essentially requires the customers who cannot afford rooftop solar to pick up more than their fair share of the cost of building and operating the grid. They want a change in the reimbursement formula.

Mundell and Chabin, for their part, argue that any electricity produced by homeowners means less need for utilities to build expensive power plants and then charge customers for their construction.

Utility policy aside, the race has featured echoes of what happened in 2014 when two organizations that refuse to disclose donors spent $3.2 million to help elect Republicans Tom Forese and Doug Little.

An APS spokesman has refused to confirm or deny that his company or its parent was the source of that cash. And the FBI has opened a probe into the 2014 race, though it remains unclear whether the "dark money'' is at the center of that or some activities by a now-retired commissioner.

Burns, in turn, has subpoenaed the records of both companies. They have produced some already public documents but have turned around and sued Burns to block any further efforts to get into their books.

Attorney General Mark Brnovich has issued an opinion saying that Burns is entitled to certain records from APS as a regulated utility. But he said it will take the votes of three of the five commissioners to get at the books of Pinnacle West, votes that, date, Burns has been unable to get.

Mundell and Chabin have vowed to provide those votes if elected.

Pinnacle West backed Burns despite the subpoenas. Company CEO Don Brandt has said he finds Burns preferable to either of the Democrats, contending that their statements during the campaign show they cannot be trusted to be fair.

The new commission will be the one to review a request by APS for an 8 percent rate hike as well as rate requests by other Arizona utilities.
ACCC boss announces tougher scrutiny of supermarket chains





The chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Rod Sims, has warned Australias major supermarket groups this week of a tougher enforcement approach against their breaches of the Food and Grocery Code (FGC). Sims also identified which aspects of the FGC were being breached.

Sims was addressing the Leaders Forum of the Australian Food and Grocery Council which was held in Canberra this week.

Although the FGC is a voluntary code, its 3 signatories, Aldi, Coles and Woolworths, have signed up and committed to its enforcement through the ACCC.

In addition, Metcash committed in March 2015 to adopt all elements of the coded for a 12-month trial, but has not yet signed the Code.

The FGC came into effect in March 2015 and transitional arrangements were allowed to the supermarkets until 1 July 2016.Meanwhile the ACCC has been providing education and training for suppliers.

Despite the allowance of a 15-month transitional period, and the high profile enforcement action taken recently by the ACCC against Coles and Woolworths for unconscionable behaviour, Sims said there appeared to be major breaches in these areas:

When a signatory delists a supplier, it should be for genuine commercial reasons, the supplier should receive reasonable written notice in order to deal with stock levels that may have been maintained by the supplier, and the supplier should be informed of their right to a review of the decision by a senior buyer.

Requests by the supermarkets for payment by the suppliers to make up shortfalls in supermarket profits.

Requests by the supermarkets for extended payment terms.

Misleading health claims

Sims also warned suppliers that they cannot make misleading health claims for their products and cited the successful prosecution of Reckitt Benkisser (Australia) Pty Ltd for its misleading representations for Nurofen Pain Specific products.

Misleading health claims are always a serious issue but especially so for products marketed for children. During the past 12 months, infringement notices have been issued against Unilevers Rainbow Paddle Pops and The Smiths Snackfood Companys Sakata Paws Pizza Supreme Rice Snacks.

Arnotts Biscuits Ltd paid penalties and provided a court-enforceable undertaking following the issue of 5 infringement notices for misleading representations on the packaging of Shapes Light and Crispy products.

Related articles:
An Adelaide lawyer found guilty in 2014 of possessing child pornography has been struck off the roll.Gregory Donovan Gwynfor Morcom is not fit to be a lawyer, the Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner told the South Australian Supreme Court, ABC reports.Morcom, who practiced law from his home, was found guilty of six counts of possession of child pornography and possession of an unlicensed firearm in 2014.The full court noted that Morcom spent some time in jail after violating a suspended sentence not long after he became a law practitioner in South Australia in 2005.The child pornography and firearm charges are both offences of a nature that carry such a stigma, and reveal such defects of character, that they tend to undermine the ability of the practitioner to command the necessary respect of clients and other members of the legal profession, wrote Chief Justice Chris Kourakis, Justice Malcolm Blue and Justice Sam Doyle.Allowing practicians with convictions of this nature to continue to practise also carries a risk of damaging the reputation and standing of the legal profession in the public eye, they added.The pornographic material was discovered on two computers when the Organised Crime Investigation Branch searched Morcoms home in 2011. Morcom, after being found guilty, denied he had any sexual interest in children.Offences Morcom had done according to the Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner includes breaching a suspended sentence bond and a bail agreement, practicing law despite undertaking not to, testing positive for methylamphetamine and falsifying a customs declaration to import 12 ice pipes and an electronic shock device.Morcoms past offending and his conviction on possession child pornography charges were all considered by the Supreme Court in the decision to strike him off the roll.
Gilbert + Tobin advised Scott Kershaw, Amrit Bahra and Ryan Rabbitt from KordaMentha which advised in the dual-track IPO and trade sale process of Arrium Limiteds mining consumables business Moly-Cop.The highly competitive dual-track process for Arrium Limited which is in administration culminated in funds advised by American Industrial Partners acquiring Moly-Cop for an enterprise value of US$1.23 billion (about $1.6 billion.The multi-faceted, cross-border transaction with concurrently run IPO and trade sale processes  was coordinated across teams of lawyers drawn from G+Ts corporate advisory practice.The Gilbert + Tobin trade sale transaction team was led by partners David Clee and Hiroshi Narushima, in conjunction with Special Counsel Elizabeth Hill, and assisted by lawyers Tim Kennedy, Wendy Hsu, Catrina Yu, Mack Wan, Laura Bacon, Evan Jones and Melissa Baxter.Partner Dominic Emmett and lawyers David Kirkland and Jessica Kim led the Gilbert + Tobin team advising on the financier consent process and the implications of running the dual track process out of a group in administration.The Gilbert + Tobin IPO process team was led by partners Peter Cook and Adam DAndreti, and assisted by lawyers Kathryn OBrien, Madeleine Brett-Williams, Olivia Blakiston, Laura Bacon and Clare Harris. Partner Simon Lynch and lawyers David Kirkland and Jessica Kim led the Gilbert + Tobin team advising on the debt financing.It is a great achievement for both streams of a dual-track process to run right to the wire and to attract such strong market support. Achieving an outcome of this kind requires a high degree of coordination and dedication from all transaction participants and our team worked together to provide seamless support to Moly-Cop and KordaMentha and the team of advisors. We are pleased to have played our part in achieving a favourable outcome for all stakeholders, Cook said.The Moly-Cop sale is the largest and most complex sale out of administration since the collapse of Ansett. We are grateful to KordaMentha for their support and we look forward to working with them and the Moly-Cop team to bring the transaction to a successful conclusion in the coming period, Narushima and Clee added.
Refugee and Sydney criminal lawyer Deng Adut is the 2017 NSW Australian of the Year.In a ceremony Monday night in Sydney, a teary Adut received the top honour from Premier Mike Baird and said he was stunned.Shocked, Adut said, according to SBS. I never dreamed of anything. Even (being) a fisherman.At just 6-years-old, Adut was taken from his family and forced to become a child soldier in Sudan. He was eventually smuggled into Kenya and made it to Australia in 1998.The 33-year-old co-founded AC Law Group, a law firm in Blacktown, Western Sydney, with fellow solicitor Joseph Correy. The firm often represents members of the Sudanese community.Adut, now in the running for Australian of the Year, said that the award means he has his work cut out for him.It means a lot. It means that I have to work extremely hard because I don't think I deserve it, so I have to work to deserve it, the lawyer said, according to ABC.I've lost 17 other members of my family when the war broke out in 2013, I could be dead like them, that is what it means.I have a lot on my shoulders.Adut beat out an renowned fellow nominees for the award. Also considered for the NSW Australian of the Year title were journalist Stan Grant, biomedical engineer Dr Jordan Nguyen and Ironwoman Turia Pitt.Meanwhile, the 2017 NSW Senior Australian of the Year award was given to 89-year-old Dr John Knight AM. The 2017 NSW Young Australian of the Year is 27 year old reconciliation champion, Arthur Alla while the 2017 NSW Local Hero is volunteer, Josephine Peter of Broken Hill.
South Australias court-ordered home detention sentencing is being reviewed as part of a broader probe into the Sentencing Act after uproar and two appeals of high-profile cases.Attorney-General John Rau had said that SA is reviewing how new laws are being applied where courts have the option of sentencing an offender to home detention, according to ABC.The government allocated $15 million for home detention and had described new laws which came into effect in September as a way to improve rehabilitation prospects of offenders.Offenders sentenced to home detention have to wear electronic monitoring devices and can leave home for work or for an emergency.However, the home sentencing laws have sparked public outcry because its characterised as unclear about what offences and type of offenders qualify under the law.Attorney-General Rau said the government has been in discussion with other parties in the justice system about the laws. The intention of home sentencing remains the same, he said.The intention of the policy remains the same because home detention improves prospects of rehabilitation with suitable candidates remaining within a supportive community rather than being locked up with hardcore offenders, Rau said in a statement."The Director of Public Prosecutions is appealing in two cases and the Court of Criminal Appeal may give more guidance on when a home detention sentence is appropriate, he added.In an interview with The Advertiser, Rau said that he is virtually certain the legal framework for home detention in the Sentencing Act will be modified.He noted that the government can probably give more guidance to the court about what circumstances the Parliament had in mind for this type of sentence.The Court of Criminal Appeal is yet to decide on the two appeals which may give clarity and guidance, Rau said.The reason the legislation left a fair bit to the discretion of the court was it is impossible for me to foresee every single other offence and circumstance, he said.I am reviewing that because I think there are some here that do give rise to concern, including the ones the subject of appeal.
Hi Guys,I am a PR holder but my girlfriend is a Bulgarian National (Danish PR holder too) and she wants to move here and live with me. We have known each other and lived together only since last couple of months in Europe and are quite keen to continue together but it might be bit early to think of going for partner visa at the moment.Is there any way she could stay here for more than 3 months (actual permitted time for Bulgarian Nationals on Tourist Visa) in a year? Will her 3 months stay here count as an evidence for special request for de facto visa?I am really concerned and looking for options. Appreciate smallest of the help in this regard.
Hi,To my understanding after some research, visa subclass 190 doesn't require work experience at all. But I still need to apply for skill assessment by VETASSESS (for Environmental Health Officer [251311], still listed in CSOL), which requires the applicants to have at least one year work experience.I just want to clarify: do I still need work experience even if I don't claim points for it? Thanks
Heres what the all-new Toyota Fortuner looks like on paper when compared to its opponents  the Endeavour, the Trailblazer and the Pajero Sport.

Just as the popular, albeit long-in-the-tooth Fortuner was beginning to lose ground, Toyota replaced its stalwart SUV with an all-new model. Its bigger, more luxurious, tougher, and priced between Rs 25.92 - 31.12 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), is costlier than its predecessor. But how does it stack up against its rivals on the spec sheet? Heres what the numbers say.

On the outside

As mentioned earlier, the new Fortuner is bigger than the SUV it replaces. Its longer and wider, which should translate into more interior space. However, it is built on the same wheelbase (the shortest among the four SUVs here) as the old car. Also, with a height of 1,835mm, it is not only shorter than the old Fortuner, but ranks last in this comparison as well.

If outright size is what youre looking for, the new Fortuner is still no match for the Ford Endeavour and the Chevrolet Trailblazer, with both SUVs being longer (in length and in wheelbase), taller and also wider. Where the Endy is the longest (both in length and wheelbase), its the Chevy thats the tallest and widest.

Dimensions Toyota Fortuner Ford Endeavour Chevrolet Trailblazer Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Length 4795mm 4892mm 4878mm 4695mm Width 1855mm 1860mm 1902mm 1815mm Height 1835mm 1837mm 1851mm 1840mm Wheelbase 2745mm 2850mm 2845mm 2800mm Ground Clearance 225mm 225mm 253mm 215mm

The new Fortuners ground clearance of 225mm is identical to that of the Endeavours. This leaves the Trailblazer the clearest off the ground at a massive 253mm, while the Pajero Sport has the lowest ground clearance among the four at 215mm.

Under the hood

Unique to the Fortuner here is the option of a petrol engine  a 2.7-litre, four-cylinder motor that it shares with the Innova Crysta. It produces 166hp and 245Nm of torque and can be had with either a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, but doesnt get an all-wheel-drive version. A smaller 2.4-litre diesel engine is also likely to be offered in the Fortuner at a later stage.

The diesel engine that the Fortuner has been launched with is a 2.8-litre unit. Like the petrol engine, this motor too is shared with the Innova Crysta. It pumps out 177hp and 420Nm of torque (450Nm in the automatic) and gets the option of six-speed automatic and manual gearboxes and all-wheel drive as well.

Its power output of 177hp is a close match for the 178hp that the Pajero Sports 2.5-litre diesel produces. However, the Pajero Sports 350/400Nm (for AWD) of torque is lower than that of the Fortuner. The Mitsubishi gets a six-speed automatic gearbox on the 2WD versions while the AWD versions can he had only with a five-speed manual.

The Ford Endeavour offers two diesel engines  a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder motor and a 3.2-litre, five-cylinder unit. Of these, only the 3.2-litre is being considered for comparison with the range-topping engine of the Fortuner. This Endys motor can be paired only with a six-speed automatic gearbox, and rated at 200hp and 470Nm, is clearly more powerful than the Fortuners and the Pajero Sports.

Engine and Gearbox Toyota Fortuner diesel Toyota Fortuner petrol Ford Endeavour Chevrolet Trailblazer Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Displacement 2755cc 2694cc 3198cc 2776cc 2477cc No. of cylinders 4 4 5 4 4 Power 177hp at 3400rpm 166hp at 5200rpm 200hp at 3000rpm 200hp at 3600rpm 178hp at 4000rpm Torque 420Nm/450Nm (AT) at 1600-2400rpm 245Nm at 4000rpm 470Nm at 1750-2500rpm 500Nm at 2000rpm 350Nm at 1800-3500rpm(2WD)/400Nm at 2000-2500rpm(AWD) Gearbox 6-speed MT/AT 5-speed MT/ 6-speed AT 6-speed AT 6-speed AT 5-speed MT(4WD)/ AT(2WD)

The most powerful engine in this comparison, however, is 2.8-litre, four-cylinder unit of the Chevrolet Trailblazer, which produces 200hp and a healthy 500Nm of torque. The Trailblazer gets a six-speed automatic and is the only SUV here to miss out on an all-wheel-drive system.

Speaking of all-wheel-drive systems, the Ford Endeavour and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport feature permanent AWD. The system offered in the Fortuner, however, allows you to switch between rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive to improve efficiency during everyday driving.

Money wise

Priced from Rs 27.52 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the base variant of the Toyota Fortuner diesel is more expensive than the Chevrolet Trailblazer, and the 3.2-litre diesel-powered Ford Endeavour by about Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh respectively. Its only the ageing Pajero Sport that matches the new Fortuners pricing.

The only SUV that can be considered a close rival to the petrol-powered Fortuner is the smaller and more affordable Honda CR-V.

So yes, the Fortuner is costlier than the original that proved to be a runaway success with Indian buyers. What remains to be seen, however, is whether the strong fan following of the brand will give the new model an edge over its rivals. To know what the new Toyota Fortuner is all about, check out our review of it here.

Heres a look at the ex-showroom, Delhi price range of the SUVs in this comparison.
MPV

The model is supposed to combine a spacious cabin, clever design, and good fuel economy within Honda's smallest crossover body. Some would argue that it does the same job as the HR-V, but the emphasis has clearly been placed on space, as there's no slope to the roof of the car.And just to show you how important the WR-V's debut at the Sao Paulo Auto Show was, Takahiro Hachigo, Honda Global's CEO, attended the event.Here's what he had to say: "Ever since we began business in Brazil in 1971, Honda has been supported by a total of 24 million customers in Brazil through their purchase of our motorcycles, automobiles and power products. The introduction of this all-new WR-V is a testament to Hondas commitment to the South American market, and we will continue to deliver more products unique to Honda that please our customers."Production is scheduled to star in early 2017 at a factory in Brazil. So far, none of the important technical specs have been made available. However, the local media has learned that power will come from a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with flex-fuel capabilities that produces up to 116 horsepower (while running on ethanol).The design of the WR-V was executed in Brazil, so there's not much in common with global models. Next to the all-new CR-V , it's going to look outdated already. But we find it odd that it's very similar to the Honda Mobiliothat's sold in places like Thailand and Malaysia. There's also the BR-V crossover from Asia that probably shares the roof rails.The WR-V is characterized by typical crossover frills, like black plastic fender flares. Honda's trademark winged grille plays a relatively small esthetic role between two oversized headlights with LED daylight running signatures.
Its tough to give a poll worker your street address when you dont live on a traditional street, but thats just one of the challenges that Native American voters who live on a reservation can face.

A lack of voting information, vast distances to polling places, different languages -- all are challenges that voters in urban areas dont face, and all combine to make a voting experience that advocates say should be as easy as possible anything but.

Thats a major issue in the Native American community, said Chris Fields, the lead organizer for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which organizes a hotline to handle questions from voters and deal with possible voter suppression at polling places around the country.

Local elections officials in Arizona concede that there are a number of issues with voting on reservations, but they said they are doing what they can to make Native Americans have the same opportunities to cast a ballot as voters in more densely populated areas.

In Coconino County, for example, elections officials make a point of flying polling machines on Election Day to the Havasupai tribe settlement at the bottom of the Grand Canyon -- a hike of several hours for the poll worker who will man the machines -- for about 100 voters there.

Apache County election officials said they and others take a number of steps to address the voting issues on the reservations in the state, including voter outreach and early voting initiatives.

We have outreach offices, we have workers there that can do interpretation and translation for the Navajo language, said Apache County Recorder LeNora Fulton.

Those efforts do not go unnoticed, said Arusha Gordon, an attorney who represents the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission. But she and Leonard Gorman, the commissions executive director, said the obstacles are still large.

Gordon said Native voters living on a reservation may be registered to vote using a non-traditional address, like an intersection, which complicates the voting process because traditional addresses are used to verify a persons polling location and voting eligibility.

Coconino County Recorder Patty Hansen said that is not untypical.

Several people may work off the reservation, like in Flagstaff, but they keep their reservation address on the registration so their ID doesnt match, Hansen said. We usually get those updated but that causes a little bit of a delay at the polling place.

Gorman said overlapping tribal and state election districts can also cause problems, with voters having to travel an hour and a half between polling places.

The hour and a half not including the distance from their home to the first polling location, Gorman said. Thats a challenge in itself.

And Dorian Spence, counsel in the voting rights project of the lawyers committee, said Native Americans on reservations are usually less likely to have access to reliable transportation.

Not to say that anyone who lives in those areas doesnt have transportation. But the further away a polling location or even a satellite voting office, the less likely those people are to vote, Spence said.

If they show up, and if they are allowed to vote, there can still be challenges with language, advocates said.

Assistance is important when a voter cant read or understand the ballot. Gorman said some counties have taken initiatives to have the Navajo language recorded, only to have poll workers who are not given the opportunity to learn how to work those gadgets.

While help is available at the polling place, election officials said there is no easy way to translate a mail-in ballot that reaches someone at home on the reservation.

We have language interpreters so language is not a barrier, but it is a barrier for early voting by mail, Hansen said. Translating the ballot into Navajo, its a very long ballot, and it doesnt translate word for word like Spanish would. Its an oral language, its not written.

Despite the many challenges, advocates, tribal leaders and election officials said they will continue working to make the voting process as convenient as possible.

We have to all start off on this common value system where access to voting should be as easy as possible, Spence said. Eligible voters should be put in a position, where anyone can cast a ballot without additional hurdles being put in the way.
You may have heard about the model, which is expected to be called 960 if we were to trust the fact that the automaker has trademarked that name.We also knew it would be a mid-engined vehicle , which would come with a different engine design than what one might find in Stuttgart's current lineup.Porsches potential Ferrari 488 rival is reportedly expected to hit the market in 2019 or 2020, and it should bring the introduction of a flat eight engine . The unusual cylinder configuration could be derived from the new flat-four units created by the German brand, and the resulting power plant would exceed the top level provided by the 911 Turbo.Other rumors claim that the new flat eight unit from Porsche could feature a variable compression ratio, which would blend in perfectly with the two turbochargers linked to the engine.The explanation behind this is tied to a patent filed by the German brand in April 2015, when Porsche and Hilite International secured the idea using adaptive connecting rods.For the moment, Porsche has not commented the rumors concerning the engine of 960 model , preferring to explain that it just wanted to preserve its nameplate identity.Because of the lack of official comments, there is no word from the Zuffenhausen brand regarding the flat eight engine and its potentially variable compression system.If you put two and two together, it is plausible for Porsche to launch a supercar with the described characteristics, though. The new unit would also fit in with the latest downsizing trends, but only if it had variable compression.Expect to learn more about the potential McLaren 650S competitor from Porsche as we get closer to 2020, the year when it is expected to reach showrooms.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be holding a public meeting on Nov. 10 to gain input on the Department of Transportations Federal Automated Vehicles Policy.

The policy was released on Sept. 20 and aims to promote the safe and efficient development and deployment of highly automated vehicles.

The public meeting will be held in Washington, D.C., from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the General Services Administration's Regional Office Building. All comments at the meeting will be given orally and any presentation materail should be submitted to the docket (NHTSA-2016-0090) for inclusion. All attendees must register by Nov. 8. NHTSA also said the meting will be webcast.

If it is too late to register for the Nov. 10 meeting, written statements can be submitted during the comment period. NHTSA said these will be considered with the same weight as oral comments at the public meeting. All written comments must be submitted no later than Nov. 22, 2016.

For more information, click here.
Sofico has opened a new office in the Netherlands in order to better service its Dutch fleet, retail, and wholesale customers.

The global software solutions provider opened Sofico Services Netherlands in Houten, a municipality in the Netherlands, in October, according to the company. The office is headed by Rene Vermeij, the companys business unit leader.

The new subsidiary replaces the unit based at the companys head office in Ghent, Belgium that is dedicated to the Dutch market. The addition of the office is designed to keep Sofico abreast of the latest developments in the national automotive market more easily, according to the company.

Soficos current portfolio of six Dutch customers manages a total of around 140,000 leasing contracts and 145,000 retail finance contracts. These include Volkswagen Pon Financial Services NL (VWPFS), Soficos first retail customer in the Netherlands.

VWPFS will shortly be joined by BMW Financial Services which has just begun its initial implementation of Miles, Soficos hybrid contract management system for its customers.

There was a clear need to open a new local office focused solely on the Dutch automotive market which has huge potential for us, especially on the retail side, said Vermeij.

Vermeij said the Dutch automotive market offered Sofico opportunities in the retail finance sector and within personal leasing. Personal leasing has grown by around 37% in the first half of 2016, and currently stands at about 50,000 contracts. Estimates suggest that this will pass the 100,000 contract mark by the end of this year.

We are currently talking to a number of customers who are interested in Miles and who want to provide a customer service across all channels to market, including fleet, retail, mobility and personal leasing, said Vermeij.

In line with the needs of a rapidly evolving European automotive market, the scope of the Miles system has broadened from a solely leasing and fleet management focus to include retail, mobility management, and personal leasing.

We believe the opening of a new office in the Netherlands is a natural progression for our business and we see considerable growth for Miles in the Dutch market, especially in the retail and personal leasing channels, said Gemar Hompes, Sofico managing director.
The 2017 Honda Civic hatchback had finally arrived in the US. It is just a must to write a review of it now after a few months of its availability in the market. With its aggressive new image and perfect engineering, the Civic Hatchback is definitely the most fun and useful civic of all. Read our full review here.

Bigger Is Better

The 2017 Honda Civic hatchback now measures 4.50 meters long and will will be the largest in its class where it can rival with the Mazda 3, the only one close enough at 4.45 meters, according to Auto Express.

With that starting point, the new Honda Civic will be one of the roomiest compact both in terms of internal width at shoulder height, and legroom for rear passengers. Its new trunk of 478 liters capacity is also the most useful in its class and complete the family feels. It is true that it has lost the system folding rear seats of the previous generation, but this decision, far from being a saving grouper, has its technical justification on the new platform on which the Civic is made and the search for the lowering of the center of gravity.

The new generation of Honda Civic hatchback is well built with a new platform that also serves as a basis for the next Accord and CR, among others. It is characterized by a revolutionary way of assembling sheet metal panels, the massive use of high strength steels that allow lower weight and a structure rear suspension (something not available in the past two generations of Civic) and that can offer a better adaptation in irregular asphalt with a better response to changing asphalts.

Fun And Safe To Drive

The Honda Civic 2017 appear initially with two petrol engines VTEC a 1.0 three - cylinder 1.5 four cylinder with which had already been sold. Both are supercharged direct injection, and apparently sought more driving refinement and push the maximum fuel economy. its average consumption is below 6 l / 100 km for the version of 182 hp which will give its owner a fun drive, according to Autocar.

Both engines will be associated with manual six-speed changes and exquisite touch for precision and short trips although somewhat open the proven developments associated with the engine 1.5. Nevertheless, given the time variable valve timing and good turbo boost can pull both consumption and saving significant developments as stretching until after 6,000 rpm, just as the discharge valve, electric, it opens to ensure engine longevity. Fans of automatic transmissions may opt for a continuously variable CVT with a seven-step present to assimilate to a sequential change.

For added fun, the Civic Hatchback is equipped with cutting edge technology and has connectivity carplay and Android Auto. And what is fun without knowing that one will be safe? So Honda equipped the Civic with driving aids such as the steering wheel recognition system signals, active cruise control with braking function based on the joint action of the front camera and technology radar, and protection systems for pedestrians. a control most sophisticated traction, called AHA, it will influence driving offering a more natural control of driving

All in all, the 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback is a fun car to drive without losing its usability and family orientation at all. It is truly a must-buy car this year.
Nissan Group retains top spot for the third consecutive year as the most fuel efficient full-line automaker in the United States, according to the recently released 2016 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) "CO2 and Fuel Economy Trends" in the EPA annual fuel economy review. Nissan's fleet-wide fuel economy rating of 28.3 adjusted combined miles per gallon was highest among all full-line automakers in the annual report, which is the authoritative reference on new light-duty vehicle carbon dioxide emissions, fuel economy and powertrain technology trends in the United States.

Every year the EPA releases its findings on fuel efficiency for automobiles sold in the United States. The EPA report included progress made by automakers since 1975 and also revised figures if EPA efficiency ratings are not met. Nissan group has retained its tops sport for the third year running. According to a report by Nissan News, Nissan is the only automaker among top seven manufacturers on the list to offer a full vehicle lineup, including mid and full-size trucks and SUVs. Nissan sells passenger cars, CUVs, pickup trucks, compact and full-size vans, SUVs, vehicles with V-8 engines, 600-horsepower supercar and a zero-emissions plug-in battery electric vehicle, varieties of products to meet consumer needs across the full spectrum of product segments.

Nissan posted an overall efficiency of 28.3 combined adjusted miles per gallon. Based on the 2015 model-year Nissan and Infiniti vehicles rating, Nissan marks 1.3 of combined adjusted miles per gallon improvement over 2014 model-year Nissan and Infiniti vehicles, the second largest year-over-year gain in the industry. The 28.3 combined adjusted mpg mark moves Nissan up one position on the list this year to the third place spot overall.

It is reported by 4-traders that Michael Bunce, the vice president of Product Planning for Nissan North America, said lots of customers are now asking for options that are fuel-efficient, but the company will continue to include engineering advancements like reduced powertrain friction, improved aerodynamics and using efficient Xtronic transmissions for every new model. "Evolving industry regulations continue to challenge us to provide the safest, most efficient products to our customers, and this distinction reaffirms the exemplary effort our engineers and designers have taken to ensure continuous vehicle improvements and owner satisfaction."

Nissan has employed an engineering light-weight strategy for its new models, so as to reduce their curb weight, whereas, reducing curb weight is a key factor to increasing fleet fuel economy. Next year, Nissan's report will include its redesigned 2016 Maxima and the new 2016 TITAN full-size pickup truck which is expected to boost and improve ratings for future model years, according to 4-traders.
2017 Honda Odyssey and 2017 Toyota Sienna ended up as being runners-up behind the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. Chrysler's minivan took the top spot for being the "Best Minivan Of the Year" for 2016.

The award focused on calculating real-life fuel efficiency and need-suitability tests for all vehicles. The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica emerged almost always on top in every result. The 2017 Kia Sedona was seemed snubbed of any award from the organization.

Not long ago, Chrysler came up with the first minivan. The minivans were the go-to car for families who wants comfortable car seats for everyone, without having to break the bank.

The Pacifica's reign wasn't long, as its lead was overtaken by the Japanese minivans. Honda came up with its Odyssey armed both with performance and a top-notch design, still evident with its 2017 Honda Odyssey. Toyota released an all-wheel-drive minivan, the Sienna.

Well, it looks like Chrysler has earned its crown back. The award was concluded based on a series of test results, during Cars.com's "Ultimate Minivan Challenge."

The winner was hailed as the "Best Minivan of The Year." Perhaps Chrysler's innovation for its 2017 minivan has helped snagged the award. Not far from acing the test result was the 2017 Toyota Sienna.

The magazine's editor-in-chief, Patrick Olsen have disclosed that "The Chrysler Pacifica out-styles, out-drives and just plain out-wows the rest of the pack." He further added, "It is a true joy to drive something not often used to describe a minivan," PR Newswire reported.

The 2017 Pacifica seamlessly balances bold designs, functionality, performance and technology. It perfectly matches what Cars.com is looking for in a minivan.

Olsen has been quoted to say, "Behind the engine, the van is versatile and packed with impressive family-friendly features," as he referred to the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica.

Olsen's last statement may have some confused. One may wonder, then why did the 2017 Honda Odyssey's predecessor get the "Best Car for Big Families" award?

These top-notch compact vans are undoubtedly winners in each of their own fields. It is also a matter of being the right match for a prospect buyer's needs.

The 2017 Toyota Sienna remains the powerful being an all-wheel-drive with 296 horsepower. Not far behind, the 2017 Kia Sedona has always been the best alternative if a buyer is after a lesser price tag.

If one is after both design and performance, the 2017 Honda Odyssey could very well be the best bet.
It was recently reported that EV makers in China such as BYD and Kandi will have a run for their money as Renault announced they will be selling low-cost EV cars in China soon. In fact, the models will be sold at a whopping low price of at least $8,000.

Through Renault-Nissan chief executive officer, Carl Ghosn, it was announced during the New York Times Energy for Tomorrow Conference held in Paris this week that the company would make entry into China's market with low-priced EV cars.

Although EV cars have been prevailing in the market from makers such as Kandi and BYD, the entry of Renault into the EV China market was considered as a threat. In fact, the efforts of these makers were deemed as lucrative since China would become the region with the largest EV market by the end of 2020, reported Auto Blog.

On top of the Renault company, Volkswagen Group also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese company. Jianghuai Automobile (JAC) which indicated that the company would also be entering the China Market for plug-in vehicle production, reported Reuters.

To remedy the incoming market player, Singulato Motors has also raised $600 million during a fundraising to market all-electric battery cars. In fact, Chinese electric car start-ups have been raising funds for the Chinese government who, in turn, have created positive policies to accommodate the entry of EV cars into the market.

Furthermore, China has shown attention to making smart, connected electric cars that Renault's entry signaled the growth of this industry which could also form as a positive impact to the Chinese economy.

With EV makers crowding in China, will the entry of Renault pose a threat to local EV cars producers? Will electric cars be the next thing not just in China but all over the world especially when low-cost vehicles are offered by Renault?
Ford may be gaining an edge in the race to be the first mass-producers of the cars of the future in light of a new partnership forged with BlackBerry.

The former mobile giant announced on Monday that it would provide Ford with a crew of engineers who would assist it in integrating already-existing BlackBerry software into future models, reported CNBC

The car manufacturer recently revealed a roadmap for the company's future that included mass-creation of driverless cars that would be available to ride-sharing services like Uber by 2021, according to The Verge. Even more ambitious, Ford hopes to be shipping self-driving cars to the public by 2025.

Ford has matched its bold plans with dedication on the ground, recently beefing up its Silicon Valley research center with 60 new autonomous test vehicles and doubling its number of employees working on the self-driving cars.

Ford now has BlackBerry's QNX Neutrino operating system in its infotainment systems, but the use of the software will expand under the new partnership. It also aims to include other BlackBerry technology like its Certicom security tech and audio processing software.

Google, Baidu and Mercedes-Benz have all announced similar plans to create driverless vehicles amid pressure to innovate brought on by competition like Tesla. Many car manufacturers have also partnered with technology companies in these efforts.

This partnership, in particular, is a welcome revival of Canadian company BlackBerry as it transitions its core product from cell phones to software. 40 auto companies are now using its QNX software, and BlackBerry expressed optimism that the Ford deal could pave the way for future partnerships with other manufacturers.

John Chen, BlackBerry's chief executive, said the company's knowledge in secure embedded software made them the top choice for automakers seeking to partner with tech companies to create the automobiles of the future.

Ford and BlackBerry did not reveal the terms of their partnership or the scope of the software's use.
Buzz surrounding Apple's rumored iCar reignited after the tech giant poached BlackBerry software engineers to work at an Apple center in Kanata, Canada. The center is home to Apple's current efforts to develop a self-driving car operating system (OS), popularly known as Project Titan.

The new hires were from QNX, a BlackBerry subsidiary, and numbered in the dozens, according to Macworld. The most high-profile of these hires, Dan Dodge, stepped down as QNX's CEO last September.

The BlackBerry subsidiary made news last Monday when it announced a partnership with Ford that would see the expanded use of its software in Ford's future models. The carmaker has announced plans to mass ship driverless vehicles by 2021.

40 auto producers are currently using QNX software, the new focus of BlackBerry after the company failed to steady its grip on the cellphone industry. It is unclear, however, if Apple's mission in the Kanata-based center is to simply create an OS or a full-fledged iCar.

Rumors about a possible iCar have been running wild since February 2015, when an anonymous source from Apple spoke to Business Insider about "vehicle development" in the company.

The Apple insider said it would "give Tesla a run for its money." At the time, LinkedIn showed that Apple had an estimated 50 employees who had once worked at Tesla.

More recently, the Financial Times reported a month ago that Apple was looking to buy a "strategic stake" in luxury carmaker McLaren. It was unclear if this was simply an investment in the company or a total buyout, and McLaren has since denied the rumors, according to PC Advisor.

The New York Times also reported last September that Apple may buy a Bay Area startup, Lit Motors, a company with a range of self-driving patents around the world.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has neither denied nor confirmed the rumors of an iCar, stoking the fire. His coy responses have ranged from saying that exploring new ventures is part of Apple's nature as a curious company to teasing shareholders that it was "going to be Christmas Eve for awhile" as consumers wait for Apple's next big thing.
In a calculated scheme that tricked testers into thinking its cars emitted less pollutants than it actually did, Audi had placed illegal software in several of its vehicles, German newspaper "Bild am Sonntag" reported on Sunday. A Reuters report on the issue said the California Air Resources Board (CARB) found the device in an automatic transmission Audi last summer.

The discovery came to light only a year after Audi's parent company Volkswagen (VW) found itself in hot water for placing similar emmisions-control software in over 11 million diesel cars it sold across the globe. The scandal nearly forced the German company into bankruptcy.

An investigation revealed the VW vehicles release levels of nitrogen oxide that were 40 times the limit imposed by law, reported Deutsche Welle. Nitrogen oxide has been found to trigger respiratory problems.

Audi, the VW group's biggest moneymaker, confessed the pollutant controls had also been placed in its 3.0 liter V6 diesel engines. The illegal software, although located first in the U.S., is in gasoline and diesel engines across Europe as well.

Both Audi and CARB provided no comment to Bild am Sonntag when their report was released. A spokesperson for the carmakers did confirm, however, that it now negotiating with U.S.-based regulators on possible ways to address the 3.0 liter engines with the illegal software.

The German media said the steering wheels of the concerned vehicles were used to deactivate the device, which lessened the Audi's carbon dioxide emissions. When the steering wheel was not being used, as is the case under laboratory testing conditions, the software remained active.

Once the wheel had been turned by over 15 degrees, the gear-shifting device shut down.

Audi discontinued its use of the illegal device in May 2016, but its presence in a previous make enabled CARB to uncover it anyway. In connection with the case, Audi suspended engineers who had been involved in the deceptive controls.
For the third time, Coconino Community College has been denied a property tax override that would have added $3 million to the operating budget each year for seven years.

With more than half of the votes counted, Proposition 410 was trailing by more than 3,000 votes, 54 percent no to 46 percent yes.

The measure would have provided $3 million a year for seven years to help the college expand existing programs and create new ones.

The last time the initiative was voted on was during a special election in 2014. Those results showed 45.2 percent of voters in favor of it and 54.8 percent opposed.

CCC President Colleen Smith had said during the campaign that the college was planning to introduce an automotive repair program and manufacturing systems program to meet the needs of the community while expanding the pre-existing programs of construction trades, nursing, veteran services and dual enrollment for high school students. They also hoped to revive their early childhood development program, continuing education by industry, and community and lifelong learning.

Without the extra funds that the override would have provided, CCC will have to continue to scrape by on the meager amount of state aid set aside for them. CCCs property tax rate is the lowest of all community colleges throughout Arizona and, combined with large cuts in state aid, its tuition is the highest to make up for those losses.

After preliminary results were posted on the Coconino County Elections website, CCC Governing Board member Nat White said that they would "continue to provide the best services that we can with financial restrictions."

Well have to really analyze everything and continue to work with the community to find something that fits," Smith said to the group of employees and CCC supporters who had gathered at the Fourth Street campus to watch election results come in.

Mayor Jerry Nabours and Stuart McDaniel, vice president of government affairs at the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce, expressed surprise that Prop 410 did not pass.

"The community supported the courthouse, Buffalo Park, minimum wage and NAIPTA (initiatives) but not the community college?" McDaniel said.

"One way or another were gonna keep moving onward, said Smith.
President Serzh Sarkisian on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election, expressing confidence that U.S.-Armenian relations will continue to develop dynamically during his tenure.

The American people have enthusiastically voted in support of your outstanding leadership qualities, your experience and vision, thus entrusting you with the honorable responsibility to lead the nation, Sarkisian said in a telegram made public by his office. I have no doubt that under your able leadership the United States will achieve further progress and advancement in the years to come.

I am confident that during your presidency the close U.S.-Armenia partnership will continue to develop dynamically  expanding and reaching new heights in different areas, he wrote.

Throughout his rule, Sarkisian has sought closer ties with the United States despite Armenias political and military alliance with Russia. He has repeatedly said in recent years that U.S.-Armenian relations have reached the highest level in their history.

We will continue to work together to help Armenia realize its full potential, President Barack Obama said in a September 21 letter to Sarkisian.

As Americans went to the polls on November 8 the U.S. ambassador in Yerevan, Richard Mills, said U.S. foreign policy is unlikely to undergo fundamental changes regardless of the outcome of the presidential election. The U.S. government will remain committed to our friends around the world and certainly to our friend Armenia, he said.

Citing Trumps conciliatory rhetoric on Russia, some analysts in Armenia suggested, however, that the election outcome heralds major changes in that policy.

Richard Giragosian of the Yerevan-based Regional Studies Center said Washington could become less engaged in the ex-Soviet space -- and the South Caucasus in particular -- and acquiesce greater Russian presence there. If we look at this region, clearly we should expect a significant shift in U.S. policy in one key regard: U.S.-Russian relations, he told RFE/RLs Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).

Giragosian said the Trump administration could specifically allow Moscow to take on an even greater role in international efforts to end the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In this context, it is dangerous for the region, but also concerning Nagorno-Karabakh, he said.

In his congratulatory message to Trump, Sarkisian praised the important role played by the U.S. in the Karabakh peace process. He also said the influential Armenian-American community should continue to serve as a strong bridge between our nations.

In contrast to past U.S. presidential races, neither Trump nor his Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton have pledged to officially recognize the Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey if elected president. A formal U.S. recognition of the genocide has for decades been a key goal of Armenian-American advocacy groups.

One of those groups, the Armenian Assembly of America, congratulated Trump later on Wednesday. We commend American Armenians who participated in the election process throughout the country," its two co-chairmen, Anthony Barsamian and Van Krikorian, said in a joint statement.

Barsamian and Krikorian said that Armenias two arch-foes, Turkey and Azerbaijan, pose a threat to stability in the region. They also urged the incoming Trump administration to protect Armenian and other Christian minority communities in the Middle East.
9 November 2016 14:11 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The standard of living in Armenia is getting worse from year to year due to unwise policy of the countrys leadership. The population is already accustomed to think that their country has no future, as Armenia is on edge of bankruptcy, and consequently, the standard of living in the country will only fall but not rise.

It is no secret that the Armenian economy is in ruins. Most lucrative industries have long been taken over by foreign companies, and the rest was embezzled by Armenian oligarchs.

Small and medium businesses, which should provide a substantial share of tax revenues to the countrys treasury, are simply dying in conditions of continuous pressure from the authorities and monopolists, and in lack of fair competition.

Few people dare to invest in the impoverished and corrupt Armenia. However, the Deputy Minister of Armenian Diaspora, Serzh Srapionyan, recently announced that the government works for attraction of foreign investment through the Diaspora, including the Syrian Armenians.

It is unclear what the Armenian government hopes for. Even the richest foreigners from affluent countries hesitate to invest their money in a country known for extreme corruption and huge number of citizens living below the poverty line.

The World Bank released in April that 76 percent of the Armenian population spend less than $5 per day and 26 percent  even less than $2.5.

Secretary of the Armenian National Congress parliamentary faction Aram Manukyan has recently admitted that today Armenia remains left out of all regional projects, and nothing is expected in the long term.

He noted that the countrys neighbors successfully develop political ties and economic cooperation, but Armenia remains an outcast of the region.

Armenia has become nothing due to the current authorities, and Armenia has no influence on these players so as to strengthen its independence. That is a real loss of independence. Today there is no country that is completely would be a support for Armenia, Manukyan underlined.

By and large, the conflicts with neighbors, including occupation of Azerbaijani territories, territorial claims and nonsense about the so-called Armenian genocide do not satisfy anyone in the region, including the Armenian people themselves. That is the wrong policy of the Armenian authorities.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
9 November 2016 14:15 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Dilgam Asgarov, one of the two Azerbaijanis for over two years kept hostage by Armenian armed forces, has written a letter to his family, his nephew Movlud Musayev has told reporters.

His health condition is normal, Musayev said.

A few days earlier, the second hostage Shahbaz Guliyev wrote in his letter that Asgarov had been taken to another place because of worsened health status. In this context, it seems that not the whole truth was stated in Asgarovs last letter.

"We wanted to send him winter clothes, but he said he already has them," Musayev added.

The two citizens of Azerbaijan Asgarov and Guliyev were taken hostage by the Armenian armed forces in July 2014 while visiting their native places and graves of loved ones in the occupied Azerbaijani Kalbajar region. Moreover, Armenian forces killed the third Azerbaijani citizen Hasan Hasanov.

Later, Guliyev and Asgarov were judged illegally by the unrecognized courts of a separatist regime in occupied Nagorno-Karabakh. Following an expedited judicial process" in December 2015, Asgarov was sentenced to life imprisonment and Guliyev  to 22 years. Attempts of Azerbaijan to provide justice and to free its citizens are still unsuccessful.

Azerbaijans State Committee on Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, the State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons and other agencies have repeatedly urged international organizations, including the ICRC, to assist in release of Guliyev and Asgarov, whilst the problem remains actual yet.

Azerbaijan, whose over 4,000 citizens were taken captive, hostage, or went missing as a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh war, has repeatedly declared its readiness to begin negotiations with Armenia on freeing the captives and resolving the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

However, the Armenian side keeps ignoring all the attempts of Azerbaijan and international organizations, thereby disrespecting the international law and hindering the settlement of the conflict.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
9 November 2016 14:01 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

The state-owned rail transport operator Azerbaijan Railways implemented a testing of one of the sections of North-South railway project.

Spokesman for Azerbaijan Railways Nadir Azmammadov said that the procedure was carried out on the 8.3 kilometer section of the railway running from Astara till the border with Iran.

He added that work on the construction of the railroad bridge over the Astarachay River nears completion.

The construction of the bridge, which forms the border between the two similarly-named towns of Astara in Azerbaijan and Iran, was launched in April 2016. Some four bridge footing, as well as abutments and concrete bridge railings have already been installed. The length of the railroad bridge is expected to reach 82.5 meters, while its width will amount to 10.6 meters.

The bridge, which is funded and built jointly by the two countries under the terms of an inter-governmental agreement, bears strategic importance, as it will serve as a connector of railways of Azerbaijan and Iran. The facility will be an integral part of the Astara (Azerbaijan) - Astara (Iran) railway, which is part of the North-South international transport corridor.

Moreover, during the testing, a delegation of railway employees headed by Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways Javid Gurbanov held a meeting with the head of the Iranian railways, Mohsen Purseid Agai.

The role and participation of Azerbaijan in such international transport corridors as North-South and West-East was hailed during the meeting. The sides also made an inspection of the area, which is allocated for the construction of freight terminal.

The North -South, which will serve as a link connecting the railways of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia is expected to bring huge benefits to the Azerbaijani budget. Some five million tons of freight per year is expected to be transported by means of the corridor in the initial stage with the further increase to more than 10 million tons.

The route enjoys several advantages compared to other transport corridors, as it is considered to be more profitable for each parameter than other alternative routes, including reduction of the distance and delivery time two or threefold

--

Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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9 November 2016 10:52 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

YARAT Contemporary Art Space is delighted to invite everyone to the screening of 'Mustang', directed by Turkeys Deniz Gamze Erguven.

The screening will be organized as a event of YARAT Film Club on November 15.

There are some days that, like a gust of wind, will suddenly upend your entire life  for better or worse.

Mustang, directed by Turkish director Deniz Gamze Erguven, has been described as the Virgin Suicides in Anatolia.

The film is set in rural south-eastern Turkey and tells the story of five sisters, who are raised by their conservative grandmother and uncle, who together are intent on marrying them off and protecting their honor. Provoked by the girls frolicking on the beach, the story unfold to bring up issues of family honor, forced marriages and the demonization of female sexuality in Turkey - striking a chord too with problems faced by young Azerbaijanis.

The film will be followed by a short discussion with local experts on these issues to discuss some of the questions raised by the film.

The film will be shown in Turkish with English Subtitles.

The venue isYARAT Contemporary Art Centre, Multifunctional Room. The entrance is free.

---

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9 November 2016 14:23 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan's feature film The Lesson has won the prize of Minsk International Film Festival "Listapad", Trend Life reported.

The film was screened at children's and youth competition.

Along with Azerbaijan, the festival was attended by filmmakers from Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, France and the United States.

"The Lesson" was shot upon the order of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism by the Azerbaijanfilm studio named after Cafar Cabbarli.

The storyline is about the life of Baku schoolchildren, friendship and responsibility for their actions.

Khalid becomes a target of ridicule for his classmates. No-one wants to become friends with him. He dreams of making friends with the most popular boy in the class. "If I have such a friend, I'll be respected and loved by everyone," the kid once told to his granddad.

In the end, the naive boy realizes that respect and recognition come only to those who have self-esteem and who value and remember their roots.

The film was scripted by Elza Agayeva and Anastasiya Volkova, directed by Rafiq Aliyev and Cavid Tavakkul, produced by Musfig Hatamov and photography by Rauf Qurbanaliyev.

Minsk International Film Festival Listapad is the biggest and high-status cinema event held annually in November.

More than 200 screenings take place at 6 venues. Various workshops, retrospectives and exhibitions complement the programme. The best works from the region recognized by the most prestigious festivals in Europe are competing for the main award of the Festival.

---

Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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Most employers inside Flagstaff city limits will be required to pay a higher minimum wage starting next July of $12 and rising to $15 by 2021.

Flagstaff voters approved Proposition 414 Tuesday night with 53.26 percent voting in support and 46.74 percent voting against the local initiative, as of press time. The measure raises the minimum

Its been a long process to get to this point, said Eva Putzova in press release. Putzova is a Flagstaff city councilmember and the chair of the Flagstaff Living Wage Coalition.

The Coalition stated in its release that it plans to stay active to help educate workers and employers about their rights and responsibilities under the new law and to ensure the voters will is carried out as intended by proposition 414. Exempted are state and federal employers.

Stuart McDaniel, the treasure of BizPac, said he was surprised by the results for the Flagstaff minimum wage proposition. BizPac is a political action committee supported by the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce.

"That will end up hurting the community," he predicted. "The town has shifted to the left."

The proposition will change city ordinances to set a local minimum wage. The citys minimum wage will increase from $8.05 an hour to $15 an hour by 2021. It will also raise wages for tipped workers, such as wait staff at restaurants, to $15 an hour by 2026. It also requires that the citys minimum wage always be at least $2 above the state minimum wage and that it be increased based on the cost of living each January.

That last clause will wind up accelerating the Flagstaff wage hike to $12 on July 1, 2017, when Prop. 414 officially takes effect. That's because Prop. 206, calling for a $12 minimum wage, passed statewide, and it raises the minimum wage initially to $10 an hour on Jan. 1, 2017.

413: Greater Buffalo Park

The passage of the Greater Buffalo Park proposition was not a surprise to many at the Republican election watch party.

McDaniel said the organization had a great marketing campaign.

Prop. 413 is a measure designating 300 acres of city-owned land near Buffalo Park as passive recreation open space. It would allow the city to donate 10 acres of land for the construction of a veterans home on the property by Arizona and federal government. Changing the use would require the city council to get voter permission.

412: New Municipal Court

The city of Flagstaffs Municipal Court will have a new home in the new year. Voters approved a $12 million bond issue from the city to help fund a new courthouse, with 52.39 percent voting in favor and 47.61 percent voting against.

The cost of the new courthouse will be built next to the existing Coconino County Superior Court on the site of the old jail. The $40 million cost of the new building will be split between the city and the county, with $12 million of the citys share coming from the bond and $11.5 million from court fees, property sales, redevelopment funds and a capitol funding transfer.

411: Bus tax renewal

The wheels on the Mountain Line and Mountain Lift buses will continue to go round for another 10 years. Voters approved a renewal of a 0.295 sales tax for transit services Tuesday night with 71.35 percent voting for and 28.65 percent voting against the proposition.

The sales tax was due to expire in 2020. The Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Transportation Authority will use the funds to continue and an expand Flagstaffs bus service.
9 November 2016 11:16 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs continue to work hard to bring the sides of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict together, U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Robert Cekuta told reporters in Baku on November 9.

He noted that the MG co-chairs are working on a new meeting of the foreign ministers and presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The diplomat added that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict may have only peaceful solution within the framework of international law: There is no military solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Two meetings between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia took place after the "Four-Day War" in April this year. After the meetings in Vienna and St. Petersburg in May and June 2016, the presidents were expected to meet in August also; however, it did not happen due to ignoring from the Armenian side, which tries to hinder the negotiations process.

After visiting the region in late-October, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs said they plan to set up a meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in the framework of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg with a view to meet the presidents of both countries at the earliest opportunity.

The Azerbaijani side has already given its consent for the meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister. The meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council will take place on December 8-9.

Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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9 November 2016 11:37 (UTC+04:00)

The OSCE is expected to monitor the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops on November 10, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry reported on November 9.

The monitoring will be held under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative.

On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring will be held by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Gennady Petrica and Simon Tiller.

On the Armenian side, the monitoring will be carried out by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Hristo Hristov and Jiri Aberle.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

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9 November 2016 09:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

On November 9 Azerbaijan marks the 98th anniversary of the Azerbaijani flag -- its main state symbol. The tricolor flag is one of the greatest attribute of Azerbaijan, representing the nation throughout the world.

From the very ancient times flags had a military significance. They were particularly protected during battles, their fall or capture by the enemy meant defeat.

Back then the flag symbolized the victory and one's identity. Nothing has changed today. Still, the national anthem and country's flag are raised in honor of the winner meaning the love and respect towards the flag.

Azerbaijanis always place their flag over their heads as a reminder of national martyrs and a symbol of the countrys victories.

The current national flag, which was inherited from the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), was adopted on November 9, 1918, at a meeting of ADR's government.

A new state flag was raised over the building of the Parliament on December 7, 1918.

"Once raised flag never falls!" was the motto of the glorious independence movement in Azerbaijan in the beginning of the 20th century, pronounced by Mammad Amin Rasulzade, brightest and most prominent political figure, while declaring Azerbaijan's independence.

In his speech, Rasulzade said: "... this tricolor flag, symbolizing the independent Azerbaijan, raised by the National Council and meaning Turkic freedom, Islamic culture, and modernity, will always wave over us ...".

However, after the establishment of Soviet power in April 1920 in the country, the ADR fell and all the attributes of independence and statehood were also eliminated. But, as the history shows, fortunately, it was only for a while

After regaining independence in 1991, Azerbaijan's flag once again waved over the Land of Fire.

In accordance with a presidential decree on November 17, 2009, Azerbaijanis celebrate National Flag Day in memory of the ADR.

The citizens of an independent Azerbaijan regard this tricolor banner, symbolizing the independence of Azerbaijan, as a source of pride, freedom, unity and the glory of many generations.

During the event, Azerbaijanis remember their loyalty to the nation, reaffirm their belief in liberty and justice, and observe the nations unity.

Many people in the country honor this day by displaying the national flag in homes and public buildings.

The first blue stripe stands for the Turkic origin of Azerbaijani people and its Turkic heritage and is connected with the idea of Turkism. The middle red stripe means building a modern society, developing a democratic and modernized country. The third green stripe expresses affiliation with Islamic civilization and the Islamic religion.

The crescent on the flag is a symbol of the Turkic people. The eight-pointed star has two meanings: One is related to the way of writing the word "Azerbaijan" in the old alphabet, which was written with eight letters. The second meaning is connected to the principles of Mammad Amin Rasulzade, the founder of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic: Turkism, Islamism, modernity, statehood, democracy, equality and culture.

Today the Azerbaijani flag is recognized worldwide. The symbol of an independent Azerbaijan rises above many political tribunes and international organizations.

Azerbaijanis are proud of their flag and show it by waving the flag in every country they visit and live in around the world.

The capital Baku has one of the tallest flags in the world.

On 17 November 2007 the president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, signed a directive to create State Flag Square in Baku.

In December of the same year, the foundation of State Flag Square was laid near the Naval Base in the Bayil settlement of Baku. The directive defined the dimensions of the state flag as follows: the flagpole is 162 meters high, the flags dimensions are 35x70 meters, its area 2,450 square meters, its weight 350 kg.

The ceremonial opening of State Flag Square took place on 1 September 2010.

Moreover, the National Flag Museum, opened in 2010, was built under the flag pillar in the form of an eight-pointed star. The museum features flags, symbols, state emblems and the banknotes of states that existed on Azerbaijan's territory from ancient times until its independence.

The celebration of the 98th anniversary of the flag is a great pride for Azerbaijanis, as they owe the people who carried it through the years of prosperity and oblivion, fall and revival of the Azerbaijani statehood.

---

Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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9 November 2016 10:04 (UTC+04:00)

A new print edition of the AZERNEWS online newspaper was released on November, 9

Baku braces for Islamic Solidarity Games; The new edition includes articles about: FMSB prepares mechanism to improve bankimg sector; SOCAR to attract foreign banks for carbamide plant; Baku to host international

conference on Ali and Nino etc

AZERNEWS is an associate member of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).

The online newspaper is available at www.azernews.az.
9 November 2016 12:05 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

A new ecological project will be presented at Baku Music Academy on November 18-19, Trend Life reported.

The project organized with the financial support of the Youth Foundation under the Azerbaijani President , aims to promote creativity of young generation, respect for nature as well as the cleanliness of the city.

The two-week workshop on the beneficial use of waste will be held as part of the project.

Below you will find information about how to register:

[email protected]

The deadline is November 10.

Tel: +994(050) 5855133

+994(055) 9553153

050 417 77 75.

Media partners of the event are Trend.az, Day.az and Milli.az

Azerbaijan was ranked the 31st among 180 countries in 2016 Environmental Performance Index  ranking, evaluating how nations protect their ecosystems and human health, prepared by researchers from Yale and Columbia University.

Over the past decade, the number of protected areas, national parks and nature reserves has increased significantly in Azerbaijan, which is very helpful to prevent the deforestation.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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9 November 2016 12:32 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijans Parliamentary Speaker Ogtay Asadov has met with Romanian Ambassador in Baku Dan Iancu and Austrian Ambassador Axel Vex, Azertac reported.

During the meeting with the Romanian ambassador, Asadov expressed confidence that Iancu will do his utmost to strengthen strategic and partner relations between Romania and Azerbaijan.

The speaker noted that relations between the two countries reached a new level of development.

"Next year Romania and Azerbaijan will mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, he mentioned.

Asadov believes reciprocal visits of heads of state and negotiations between them laid a good basis for the expansion of relations between Romania and Azerbaijan. "The legal framework between the two countries makes around 60 documents., he said.

"Azerbaijan strives to develop both political and economic ties with Romania." He commended the role of the Joint Economic Commission in expanding economic relations between the two countries. Asadov also hailed the role of the parliaments of Romania and Azerbaijan in developing intergovernmental relations.

Ambassador Iancu vowed to do his utmost to strengthen relations between Romania and Azerbaijan. He said that Azerbaijan is a friendly and brotherly country for Romania.

He said that the strengthening of relations in the political, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres serves common interests of the two countries. He also praised the role of the parliaments in raising bilateral relations to a higher level.

During the meeting with the Austrian ambassador, Asadov emphasized that relations with Austria are important from the point of view of both bilateral cooperation and cooperation with the European Union. He praised political, economic and cultural relations between Romania and Azerbaijan.

Asadov said that Azerbaijan is a reliable energy partner of Europe. He noted that TANAP and TAP projects will play an important role in ensuring energy security of the whole continent.

Ambassador Vex noted that Austria is interested in developing relations with this part of the Caucasus.

We fully recognize and appreciate the role Azerbaijan plays in the energy architecture of Europe. Our relations in economic and cultural spheres continue developing. And we intend to continue our activity on this front, he added.

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9 November 2016 16:00 (UTC+04:00)

Relations between the cities of Nakhchivan and Batumi have been developing since the signing of a memorandum on cooperation. The bilateral relations are expanding in the fields of politics, economy and tourism, said Azerbaijani Consul General in Batumi Rashad Ismayilov as he met with Mayor Giorgi Ermakov, Azertac reported.

Rashad Ismayilov spoke of the work done towards improving the cooperation between Azerbaijan and Georgia.

The sides shared views over the future bilateral projects that may be realized.

The parties also stressed the importance of expanding economic and cultural cooperation.

---

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9 November 2016 18:10 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani Ambassador to Spain Anar Maharramov has met with President of EFE news agency Jose Antonio Vera, Azertac reported.

They discussed cooperation between Azerbaijan and Spain in the field of information exchange, as well as issues of promotion of Azerbaijan in the Spanish press.

The Ambassador expressed concern over the tendentious articles published by the local media against Azerbaijan, saying these posts do not describe the reality.

The Ambassador stressed the importance of the support of EFE news agency in terms of bringing the Azerbaijani realities to the Spanish people.

Anar Maharramov also spoke of the 5th News Agencies World Congress (NAWC) to be held on November 16-17 which would gather over 100 news agencies.

He noted that a document on cooperation will be signed between AZERTAC and EFE as part of the congress.

The EFE President thanked the Ambassador for visiting the news agency, and spoke of the importance of the document to be signed with AZERTAC.

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9 November 2016 18:13 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Nov. 9 sent a congratulatory letter to Donald Trump, the newly elected US president.



"I cordially congratulate you on the occasion of your election as the US president, President Aliyevs congratulatory message said. Your victory testifies to the friendly US peoples trust and support.



I hope that the US-Azerbaijani bilateral relations will continue to develop successfully, President Aliyev said.



Ilham Aliyev reminded that the US-Azerbaijani relations have a 25-year history, and during this period, the relations of friendship and cooperation reached a high level.



We actively cooperate in political, economic, energy, security spheres, as well as in the fight against international terrorism and NATO peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan, said the president said.



According to the President Aliyev's message, Azerbaijan has been suffering from Armenias aggressive policy for many years. Twenty percent of Azerbaijani lands are under occupation, more than one million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced people, the message said.



According to the message, despite the UN Security Councils four resolutions calling for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the territory of Azerbaijan, Armenia ignores those resolutions.



Azerbaijans territorial integrity has been recognized by the world community and international organizations, the message said.



According to the message, Azerbaijans firm position is that the UN Security Councils four resolutions related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as well as the resolutions and decisions of the UN General Assembly, OSCE, Council of Europe, NATO, the European Parliament, Economic Cooperation Organization, Non-Aligned Movement and other international organizations must be implemented.



The conflict must be resolved within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in accordance with the norms of international law, the message said.



I hope that as a co-chairing country of the OSCE Minsk Group, the US under your leadership will contribute to the fair settlement of this conflict in accordance with the norms of the international law, within Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, the message said.



Once again, I extend my sincere congratulations and wish you robust health, happiness and success in your future activity for the sake of welfare of friendly US people," said Ilham Aliyev.

---

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Citizens and officials in Flagstaff Tuesday seemed to agree that both presidential candidates were disappointing, even though they wound up voting for one or the other.

Married couple Chase and Becca Adams both voted for Republican candidate Donald Trump at Federated Community Church on west Aspen Avenue. Chase Adams said the presidential election was pretty crazy, and he is, not a big supporter of either candidate.

Flagstaff voter Celia Garcia said the presidential race was, just really silly, but she is glad she voted anyway. Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton got Garcias vote, calling Clinton, the lesser of two evils. Garcia said she was anxious about voting all day.

Nat Bransky also voted at Federated Community Church and said this was his first time voting for a president. Bransky said, I feel like you are not going to find the perfect candidate in any presidential race. Bransky also said he thinks Clinton did a good job in the first debate holding her ground while Trump berated her. He also believes Clinton is more professional of the two candidates and therefore more fit for office.

Dylan Hiatt was voting at Christs Church of Flagstaff and said both candidates were, kind of weak, and that he is not too confident, in either of them. Hiatt wanted to get the experience of voting in person and did vote for a presidential candidate but declined to say who he voted for.

Bronwin Floyd voted at Christs Church of Flagstaff too and called the presidential election, a mess, because there was, a lot of badmouthing and undercutting. Trump got Floyds vote but overall she said it was a negative campaign.

Flagstaff City Councilmoman Karla Brewster said, I think the whole thing is scary, and, both [candidates] very strange in a presidential election. Brewster went on to say, One candidate got people upset with what he said. Brewster declined to say who she voted for.

Legislative District 6 Rep. Bob Thorpe was also at The Oakmont on Tuesday and has put his support behind Trump. Thorpe said, He wasnt my first choice, because he originally liked Ted Cruz. Thorpe also said he has serious concerns with the FBIs investigation into Clintons emails. Thorpe even uttered the word, impeachment if Clinton wins the presidency.

Charlie Odegaard is up for Flagstaff City Council and said he didnt even vote for President this year. Odegaard called the presidential election, an unfortunate scenario that has played out in our country.

Jim McCarthy was celebrating his win as a new member on the Flagstaff City Council at the Orpheum Tuesday evening. McCarthy said, I dont think Donald Trump even meets the minimum qualifications to be president of the United States, and said he voted for Clinton. McCarthy said he believes Clinton will be a better president than what people think but did admit that the email scandal was foolish on her part. However McCarthy said Clinton is experienced and her heart is in the right place.

Newly elected Mayor Coral Evans was not shy in expressing her views on Trump, saying, Trump is a racist and a bigot. Evans said, [Trump] doesnt reflect the majority of the United States, because we are a country of immigrants.
9 November 2016 12:33 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

The Southern Gas Corridor, the gas pipe project aimed at improving the security and diversity of the EUs energy map, may involve new routes.

PR Specialist at Slovakias Eustream Company Pavol Kubik told Trend that there is significant potential for the delivery of gas via the SGC to Europe through the Eastring gas pipeline.

Kubic said that the Eastring project will be open for every source on the non-discriminatory basis in full compliance with EU legislation as it is not linked to any supplier, underlining that this creates a significant potential for the Caspian region and Southern Gas Corridor route.

Bulgarian and Slovak natural gas transmission system operators Bulgartransgaz and Eustream signed a MoU on November 4 on the cooperation to improve security of natural gas deliveries in Central and Southeastern Europe and the implementation of gas infrastructure projects, namely Balkan Gas Hub and Eastring gas pipeline.

Eastring, which has obtained status of the Project of Common Interest (PCI) for the European Union, will be ready for future gas imports to Europe from well-established, alternative sources - the Caspian Sea region and the Middle East.

Commenting on the link between Balkan gas hub and Eastring project, Kubic said that the common aim of both projects is to provide European customers with transparent and non-discriminatory access to a wide range of supply sources and therefore both companies recognized synergies of the projects.

He added that the Eastring pipeline will serve as a priority western route for the interconnection of the regional markets and the Balkan Gas Hub (the new gas hub needs to be connected to sufficient infrastructure).

The issue of energy security bears pivotal importance for Europe and raises certain concerns, as the energy dependence leaves the countries vulnerable to supply disruptions.

The EU imports more than half of all the energy it consumes. The dependency is particularly high for crude oil (more than 90 percent) and natural gas (some 66 percent), while many countries are heavily dependent on a single supplier. Energy Security Strategy of the EC aims to address the concerns and ensure a stable and abundant supply of energy

Eastring is expected to connect Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia, taking gas in either direction, while the planned capacity stands at some 2040 bcm, the volume which is fully sufficient to meet the demand of the countries.

Eastring will offer direct and cost-effective transportation route between the Balkans and the rest of Europe, as well as enhance the security of supply.

--

Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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9 November 2016 13:01 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

Azerbaijans energy giant SOCAR seeks to strengthen its cooperation with Pakistan, which is a strategic partner of the country.

Head of SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev held a bilateral meeting with the oil minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi within his visit to the UAE, which hosted the International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference.

Abdullayev said that Azerbaijan and Pakistan enjoy amicable relations and the cooperation between the countries is developing steadily.

He further informed the minister about the global and regional projects implemented by the company, underlining that the projects serve for the development of energy security in the international scale.

Abbasi, in turn, said that his country is interested in cooperation with the company.

SOCAR and Pakistan State Oil Company (PSO) earlier agreed on facilitating negotiations and subsequent signing of MoU to implement trading of crudes, refined oil products, LNG and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as well as joint development of new facilities for their import.

SOCAR Trading S.A, SOCAR`s wholly owned affiliate is expected to execute the relevant activities in the country.

Moreover, Azerbaijan is also among the countries that participated in Pakistan's tenders for liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies. Pakistan has already decided to negotiate with the worlds six energy companies to import LNG, including Gazprom, Engie, Eni, Otto and SOCAR. Negotiations on price and other significant aspects is planned to be firstly conducted with Petronas and Gazprom.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Pakistan amounted to $1.8 million in the first quarter of 2016, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan.

--

Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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9 November 2016 10:12 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta told reporters in Baku on November 9 that he cannot comment on the future US election results, adding that the country will watch the election live.

It is obviously a very exiting day for the Americans, Cekuta noted.

The US election is really a conversation within the country about the countrys future, he said.

Democracy is not about election only, it is about rule of law and principles, the US ambassador added.

Democracy is about peoples ability to say what they say and leaders ability to hear them, he noted.

On Tuesday, November 8, the US citizens have gone to the polls to cast their votes for the 45th president of the US.

Americans are choosing from Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, as well as third party and independent presidential candidates, including Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson, Green Party nominee Jill Stein, and Independent candidate Evan McMullin.

---

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9 November 2016 12:38 (UTC+04:00)

Trump describes a national project of renewal, the Guardian reported quoting President-elect Donald Trump.

Trump says he will gather the best and brightest.

We will double our growth and have the strongest economy in the world, he added. At the same time, we will get along with all other nations willing to get along with us.

America will no longer settle for anything less than the best, Trump noted. We must reclaim our countrys destiny, and dream big, and bold and daring. I want to tell the world community that while we will always put Americas interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone.

And now, Id like to take this moment to thank some of the people who really helped me, he said.

Trump begins with his parents. His sisters and brother. His late brother.

Now Trump thanks Melania and Don and Ivanka and Eric and Tiffany and Barron - I love you and I thank you. And especially for putting up with all of those hours. This was tough, he said.

Youve all given me such incredible support, he says. Then he thanks his staff  and Kellyanne and Chris and Rudy and Steve and David  we have got tremendously talented people.

Trump thanks senator Jeff Sessions, saying hes as smart as you get. Great man.

Another great man, very tough competitor, he was not easy, he was not easy... oh, Rudy get up here, he said. Another great man who has been really a friend to me but Ill tell you I got to know him as a competitor. Dr Ben Carson.

Its a litany of what were thought to be peripheral figures from the conservative stale bread box. Not any more, Trump said.

Now Trump is on to Reince Priebus, RNC chair.

Trump says that Reince is a superstar. Ill tell you Reince is really a star, and he is the hardest working guy. Get over here Reince.

Reince gets over there. Trump gives him the microphone.

Priebus: Ladies and gentlemen, the next president of the United States, Donald Trump!

---

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9 November 2016 14:53 (UTC+04:00)

By Nigar Abbasova

The Islamic Republic of Iran is gradually restoring its commercial ties with world energy giants, in the wake of easing of sanctions and implementation of the Joint Plan of Action (JCPOA).

France's Total signed a deal with Iran on the further development of a large on-shore field in the Persian Gulf, becoming the first western energy company to sign a major investment deal with Iran since the lifting of international sanctions.

Deputy Head of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Gholam-Reza Manouchehri said that the agreement covers the Phase 11 development of the South Pars.

The agreement was signed with a consortium (headed by Total), which includes China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and Iranian Petropars.

The consortium is reportedly expected to invest some $4.8 billion in the implementation of the project. Total will possess a 50.1 percent share, while the shares of Petropars, a subsidiary of NIOC, and CNPC will amount to 19.9 and 30 percent respectively.

The French company has already made a key contribution to the energy industry of Iran, including the development of phases 2 and 3 of South Pars in the 2000s. Moreover, Total earlier became the first European energy company to resume buying Iranian oil after the sanctions were lifted.

South Pars is considered to be the world's largest gas field, which also extends into Qatari waters where it is known as the North field. The field, which is divided into 29 phases contains some 14 trillion cubic meters of gas, which stands for about 8 percent of the total global reserves.

--

Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova

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Opinions expressed in this column are those of Lois Henry. Her column runs Wednesdays and Sundays. Comment at http://www.bakersfield.com, call her at 395-7373 or email lhenry@bakersfield.com

LOIS HENRY ONLINE Read archived columns by Lois Henry at Bakersfield.com/henry.
Bakersfield, CA (93308)

Today

Cloudy. Periods of light rain early. Low around 50F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Cloudy. Periods of light rain early. Low around 50F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
PHOENIX -- State water officials did not properly consider the rights of the Bureau of Land Management when it gave the go-ahead for a 7,000-home development in Sierra Vista, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.

The judges on one hand said the Department of Water Resources did nothing wrong with determining that the Pueblo del Sol Water Co. showed the water is "legally available'' and it is able to provide water to the development.

But Judge Jon Thompson, writing for the unanimous court, said DWR did not consider that the BLM has a claim on some of the underground water, a claim based on Congress having established a conservation area along the San Pedro River. Thompson said only after the state takes that into account can it determine if there is still enough water left over to allow for the Tribute development.

Yet the appellate court said while the BLM's interests need to be taken into account, the state does not have to separately consider the potential impact of the proposed groundwater pumping on the San Pedro National Conservation Area.

"It's a partial victory,'' said attorney Joy Herr-Cardillo of the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest, representing those challenging the department's original decision to allow the development.

She said while the ruling does not specifically protect the riparian habitat, any decision giving the BLM the water it needs effectively accomplishes the same purpose.

A spokesman for the Department of Water Resources said his agency was still studying the ruling and had no immediate comment.

Tuesday's ruling is the second setback this year for efforts by Castle & Cooke to develop the property.

Earlier this year, Gov. Doug Ducey vetoed a measure which would have allowed Sierra Vista to decide that the developer did not need to prove it had adequate water, a move that would have effectively short-circuited any legal challenges.

"Ensuring the certainty and sustainability of Arizona water is a top priority,'' the governor wrote. "I will not sign legislation that threatens Arizona's water future.''

The issue has its roots in the 1980 Groundwater Management Act that resulted in creation of five "active management areas.''

For the Phoenix, Prescott and Tucson areas, the goal is "safe yield'' by 2025 when the amount of groundwater withdrawn is no more than recharge. Pinal and Santa Cruz have other goals.

Outside those areas, developers must get a determination from DWR of whether there is a 100-year assured water supply.

The lack of that, however, does not prevent them from building. They do, however, have to disclose that fact to initial buyers.

And what's important here is a change in that 1980 law that allows counties to actually mandate that 100-year showing before development can occur, something Cochise and Yuma counties have done.
Tony Vaccaro

I've been asked the questionand people think I'm going to answer [it] in some salacious waythey say, 'Tell me something that nobody knows about O'Keeffe.' And I [answer]   Carolyn Kastner, curator at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, let those words hang for a moment before she whispered, She's an abstract painter. The legacy of Georgia O'Keeffe is a rich and complicated one, often approached by the average viewer through her intensely close studies of flowers (commonly equated with sex organs, though that is a largely gendered and outdated notion, O'Keeffe having said many times, When people read erotic symbols into my paintings, they're really talking about their own affairs). In actuality, the scope of her work is so much broader and full of depth than is allowed by contextualizing her work solely as vaginas transcribed into flowers. Considered one of the first Americans to practice abstraction, O'Keeffe is a singular figure, a woman who cut her own path in life and in the art world at a time when it was rare for anyone to do so, electrifying and forever changing art history along the way. Nov. 15, 2016 would mark O'Keeffe's 129th birthday.

Kastner is saddled with considering the range of O'Keeffe's work and the expansiveness of her life, and winnowing that down to exhibitions that express the fullness of both through a set of pieces. We just recently moved from the idea of exhibitions as focused ideas about a specific period in her life to telling the story of her life  [People] want her whole life every time they come in our museum, Kastner articulated, just hours before hanging the museum's latest exhibition, O'Keeffe at the University of Virginia, 1912-1914 which will be on view until September 2017. This exploration of her early career, largely composed of watercolors, expresses something important to Kastner: That even at a young age, O'Keeffe had all the toolsthe process, imagination and dedicated practicethat would take her to the end of her life, that created the power  for her to be an iconic artist. Because the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum owns two of her homes, a massive collection of preliminary sketches and drawings, as well as all O'Keeffe's tools, they have the ability to tell a more complete and expansive narrative of her life.

Her immediate response to abstraction arises in her teens, when it was at its earliest point of discussion among artists Kastner explained. She had a vision of where she was headed  when very few people embraced that idea. [It] moved the art world forward. Throughout the 20s while O'Keeffe lived in New York, she was directing the course of American modernism, along with others who haunted the circle of Alfred Stieglitz. It was during this time (and beyond it) that she began magnifying natural forms with her artistic eyeforever denying the assessment of her work as being in some way somatic. In the later half of the 1920s, she created her unprecedented monochromatic series of New York buildings, which almost seem to be at odds with more natural subjects, yet if you consider the intentional design of each piece, you see the deft hand of O'Keeffe working in synchronistic ways. Over the course of her career, one can consistently observe her working out these very specific ideas about how to experiment with composition  not how to represent the world you see, but how to make the world you see into an impressive composition that transfers something to viewers other than exact replication of it, Kastner said. Where it takes you is back into your own perception, not into an exacting representation of what you're looking at.

By 1924 she was one of the most famous artists in the United States, and that would sort of ebb and flow for the rest of her life. But she was never really far from the cutting edge of art in the United States, Kastner summed up. Yet, eventually she sought new inspiration, and found it in the environment of New Mexico. By locating herself and her work in a very specific landscape, she again contributed a new idea to American modernism, applying the abstract structure she'd always been interested in to canyons, landscapes painted through the aperture of bones, rock formations and more of what awed her here. Across gender, across cultural identity, artists [that visit the museum] talk about how you cannot paint the New Mexico landscape without at least reflecting on O'Keeffe's contribution to that idea  They know there's a reckoning there, Kastner explained. Considering how many American modernists traveled to the Southwest and painted, it is considerable that O'Keeffe's contributions are most remembered.

But as Kastner said, people want O'Keeffe's whole life. The persona of Georgia O'Keeffe can't be ignored when discussing her legacyand her personality surfaces as nearly as inspiring as her work. She frequently hiked and camped in the snow, rain and heat, journeying to paint terrain like what she called the Black Place, about 150 miles west of Ghost Ranch. At the age of 74, she rafted down the Colorado River through Glen Canyon for 10 days. She travelled to New Mexico time and again on her own, leaving behind her partner, Alfred Stieglitz. In her life and in her work, O'Keeffe never capitulated or tired. She worked very hard to become Georgia O'Keeffe, Kastner explained. When you come here you might only know her flowers, but what you see is a very active creative mind  She had such a long and successful career, and if we tell her story well enough, people leave understanding that she made that career for herself. That's a very powerful idea.
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There are big races occurring all around the country, including some in our sister station markets that include Texas, North Carolina, and New York.

NEW YORK RACES TO WATCH



One of the state's most hotly contested races is taking place in New York's 19th Congressional District north of New York City, where Democrat Zephyr Teachout is battling Republican John Faso to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of Republican Rep. Chris Gibson. Faso, a former minority leader of the New York State Assembly, has been polling just behind Teachout, a Fordham University law professor who's received strong support from Bernie Sanders.



In southern New York's 22nd Congressional District, Republican state Assemblywoman Claudia Tenney and Democrat Kim Myers are battling it out to replace retiring Republican Richard Hanna. Polls show Tenney, a Trump supporter, outpacing Myers, a county legislator, although there are still a large percentage of undecided voters.



New York's senior Senator, Chuck Schumer, is facing a challenge from Republican Wendy Long as he seeks his fourth term in Congress. Interest in the race is high, not because it's close -- Long, who supports Trump, has been trailing in polls by as much as 45% -- but because if Schumer wins, the 65-year-old would be poised to become majority leader next year should the Democrats win control of the Senate.



More details on NY races to watch.







NORTH CAROLINA RACES TO WATCH

U.S. Senate Race

Former state house legislator Deborah Ross (D) is challenging incumbent Sen. Richard Burr (R). Burr, who is seeking his third term in the senate. Libertarian Sean Haugh is also on the ballot. The polls show theres a chance this seat could flip from Republican to Democrat, so it is being closely watched around the country.



North Carolina Gubernatorial Race

Republican incumbent Pat McCrory is running against Democratic challenger Attorney General Roy Cooper and Libertarian Lon Cecil. The gubernatorial race is being called a virtual tie. One of the biggest issues in the campaign has been the governors support of the bathroom bill, which bans transgender people from using public restrooms that dont follow their gender. The democratic challenger has said the bill is discriminatory and has vowed to repeal it if elected.



More details on NC races to watch.







TEXAS RACES TO WATCH

Austin:



Prop 1 Mobility Bond Package: Prop 1 is billed by proponents as "a transportation bond package that will change the face of the city." The plan aims to address congestion along some of Austin's biggest roads as well as include safety improvements such as bus pull-outs, wider bike lanes and sidewalk improvements. However, opponents of the measure say the plan is about 15 years premature and doesn't address other congestion issues.



Congressional District Races:



District 10: District 10 incorporates portions of Bastrop, Harris, Lee and Travis counties and all of Austin, Colorado, Fayette, Waller and Washington. The incumbent is Michael McCaul (R), who faces Tawana Cadien and Bill Kelsey in Tuesday's election. McCaul is chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security.



District 21: Lamar Smith hopes to retain his seat in the House of Representatives. Smith says he still needs more time to keep Washington working, but three others hope to end his reign, including Green Party candidate Antonio Diaz. Smith is chair of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. He also serves on the Judiciary Committee and Homeland Security Committee. Congressman Smith is also former chairman of the Judiciary and Ethics Committees and a former member of the Budget Committee.



District 25: District 25 stretches from Austin to Fort Worth as the result of redistricting signed into law in 2011. Tuesday's election will see incumbent Roger Williams challenged by Kathi Thomas and Laren Marc Schneiderman. Williams has recently come under fire by ethics investigators over a proposed amendment that would benefit automotive dealers. Williams owns a dealership in North Texas.



District 35: Lloyd Doggett seeks re-election in the Bexar/Comal/Hays/Caldwell district, another product of recent redistricting. Republican Susan Narvaiz again hopes to take over the district seat, as do Libertarian Rhett Rosenquest Smith and Green Party candidate Scott Trimble. Doggett serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and is a ranking member of the Subcommittee on Human Resources.



More details on Texas races




Allied Bakeries owner Associated British Foods (ABF) has reported 5% year on year growth in group revenue to 13.4bn in the 53 weeks to September 17 2016.

Revenues at Allied Bakeries rose thanks to an increase in Kingsmill sales, boosted largely by the success of Kingsmill Sandwich Thins that led to the creation of a second production line.

ABF also reported a strengthening of its sugar division thanks to an increase in world sugar prices and a reduction in EU stock levels, which benefitted its Spanish business.

Chief executive George Weston said it had been a year of progress for ABF, with structural changes at AB Sugar and increased margins in all of its food businesses.

He added: The diversity of our operations and our broad geographical footprint, combined with a strong balance sheet, equip us well to take advantage of these opportunities as they arise."

The company also announced growth of 3% in its adjusted operating profit to 1.1bn. This was in line with its predictions in its last trading update, released in September.

But these results will not bear fruit in the UK until the end of the next financial year, as its sugar contracts are agreed on an annual basis.

ABFs profits fell by 30m last year due to a significant weakening of the euro, but a weaker pound following the UKs decision to leave the EU benefitted it during the third quarter of the year.

Weston said the Brexit referendum had created some short-term uncertainties, adding: The current level of sterling offers UK food producers significant opportunities to replace imported food and build export markets.

This month Allied Bakeries unveiled a new Kingsmill loaf that it claims offers consumers the best ever toast.
Eileen Macbride will hold a presentation for her work done in Sierra Leone during the Ebole epidemic.

Upcoming Talk Provides Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Ebola Epidemic

ALBUQUERQUE, NM  Eileen MacBride, MD, MPH, will bring you behind the scenes in Sierra Leone during the Ebola epidemic in an upcoming public presentation regarding her work there.

MacBride, an internist in UNMs Department of Internal Medicine, will be joined on November 9 by Dr. Barry Ramo, KOAT-TVs medical editor and medical director of the Health Center for Wellness, Fitness and Cardiac Rehabilitation, as they discuss why such an epidemic couldnt happen here and take questions from the audience.

The Albuquerque Academy Community Academy event will run from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. at the Simms Center for the Performing Arts, 6400 Wyoming Blvd NE. The event is free on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please register for this free public event at http://www.aa.edu/Page/Community/Community-Academy. For more information, contact Lori Peterkin at 505-272-8085 or lpeterkin@salud.unm.edu.
It didnt take long for settlers of Beatrice to establish their first school.

Beatrice Public Library Director Laureen Riedesel said thats unique to Beatrice compared to other towns in the mid to late 1800s.

They didnt have to recruit a teacher, Riedesel said. They already had a teacher built in right from the start.

Settlers founded Beatrice in 1857. The first public school building opened in 1862.

A priority for them was schools, Riedesel said. Other towns took a while to get organized.

The first attempt for a school in Beatrice was even earlier than 1862.

Within two years after Beatrice was founded the first attempt to build a schoolhouse was made at the corner of Fifth and Ella streets. Before it was completed, however, it was destroyed by fire, according to a 1957 Beatrice Daily Sun article.

Public school was taught in a building at Fourth and Court streets until the new schoolhouse was built in 1862, where Charles Park is today, according to Gage County Historical Society records.

Oliver Townsend was the teacher among the men who founded Beatrice. In the first year of the 1862 schoolhouses existence, Townsend taught 35 students. Students continued to learn in that building for about eight years.

Outgrowing the space, students were then taught for two years in the upper level of a sandstone structure at Fourth and Market streets, which held a printing office below.

The Beatrice school district was the first school district in Gage County. It was officially organized May 10, 1868. A 1902 fire destroyed the old Masonic Temple building and all previous records of the city schools, as the superintendents office was then in that building.

The number of students increased as Beatrices population grew from 85 in 1860 to more than 11,000 in 1890. U.S. Census data for this year burned. Some estimate as many as 13,826 people lived in Beatrice at that time.

The first high school (kindergarten through 12th grade) was built of brick in 1870 on the north side of Ella between Eighth and Ninth streets with 125 students and three teachers. The upper floor was for the older students and the lower floor was for the younger students.

Central School was built in 1883 just north of present day Charles Park.

The three-story brick school had 10 classrooms and a large assembly hall on the third floor, records say of Central School. It was designed for the Central Grade School to occupy the first floor on the east side and the remainder for the High School. This school was torn down and the Junior High was built (in its place) in 1924-25.

Riedesel said the schools  big, brick and beautiful in photos  that were torn down were done so because they were in poor shape, too small or too dated as an educational facility.

The thought was that when demands changed, they didnt retrofit what they had; they built new, Riedesel said, citing the need for a laboratory for upper-level students as the local example of the time.

After women gained the right to vote, they petitioned for a new school as Central School was in poor shape, Riedesel said.

The new high school, this time specifically tailored for older students, was built on Fifth Street in 1909.

It was designed with the curriculum to prepare students to earn a living and become useful members of society as well as a good base for college preparedness, records say. The school had a state-of-the-art laboratory for chemistry, physics and botany classes.

That school stood until 1950, when it was torn down to make room for the new high school built in 1952.

The Junior High School (now called Beatrice Middle School) was on Fifth Street from 1925 to 1998, when it was torn down. The Beatrice Public Schools Administration Building was erected on those grounds and the middle schoolers moved across the street into the old high school in 1998, when the new and present day Beatrice High School was completed on Orange Boulevard.

Elementary school students were also moved into new spaces in the 1950s.

Before construction of the city's current four elementaries, students attended Harrington, South, East, West, Fairview, Belvidere and Glenover schools, each built in the late 1880s.

In 1956 and 1957, the four public elementary schools were constructed. Cedar, Lincoln, Paddock Lane and Stoddard elementary schools continue to serve students today. These buildings were paid for with a $1 million bond issue.

It took four bond issues to pass the latest Beatrice public school, Beatrice High School, which opened in 1998 thanks to a $9.5 million bond.

In his 1918 book, History of Gage, County, Nebraska, Hugh Dobbs, also a Beatrice Public Schools superintendent starting in 1878, explains the timeline of the schools and the cost of construction of the most recent schools at the time.

But the marshalling of physical assets, however impressive the array, can at most indicate only the wealth and power of the community, Dobbs wrote. They are not the glory of our schools. For this we must look to the character of the men and women who have received their training for the affairs of life.

Measured by this standard alone the record is most excellent. Students from the public schools of Beatrice are to be found everywhere in the world of work; they honor the professions as lawyers, physicians, preachers, teachers and they swell the ranks of whose who, in the great world war, are fighting for human liberty.
Courtney Peveto said he typically mows about 100 yards a month. Last month he had six.

"The grass is turning brown right now, it's real dry," said Peveto, owner of Peveto Lawn Service in Buna. "When you walk on it or try to run your mowers on it, you can hear it crunch."

The majority of Southeast Texas is in a moderate drought, with northern parts of Jasper and Newton counties in severe droughts, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

County officials are watching for brush fires and considering burn bans, while local farmers are hoping for rain.

Tim Humphrey, a National Weather Service forecaster in Lake Charles, said that Beaumont-Port Arthur's last significant rainfall was on Sept. 16. Since then, the region hasn't had a rain of more than a quarter of an inch.

The dry spell comes just after what the NWS called the fifth-wettest summer on record for Beaumont. The region received a year's worth of rain from January through August, according to forecasters.

Although that rain is helping keep water tables and well levels up, grass is drying out, which hurts farmers and increases the chances of brush fires.

Orange County Emergency Management Coordinator Charlie Cox recommended a burn ban for the county's Emergency Services District 1, which covers Vidor, Pine Forest and Rose City, after the district's chief reported "quite a few" small brush fires.

Humidity helps prevent fires because morning dew on the grass keeps it from drying out, said Cox. A brief period in October with lower humidity, less rain and higher wind likely contributed to the concerns now in ESD 1, he said.

The Commissioners' Court issued the ban last week, extending it through Tuesday. The ban applies only to ESD 1 and not to the rest of the county. Cox said that was because other areas did not report the same issues.

Jefferson and Hardin counties have not issued burn bans, but Jasper County Judge Mark Allen said that while the county does not have one yet, "we're very close to pulling the trigger."

"Right now, we haven't heard anything from local fire departments," he said, but he's monitoring the situation and hoping for rain, especially in the northern parts of the county.

Jefferson County AgriLife Extension Agent Allen Homann said that while the drought has not yet caused major problems, it is making people more cautious.

"People are holding back on when they rotate their cattle" to preserve grass in fields where it's not growing as much, and some are having to switch their cattle over from grass to hay earlier than usual. That could cause problems in a few months if they run out of hay too early, or if the soil gets too dry now which could hurt their grass in the spring."

Larry Folmar, of Buna, said he had to switch to hay earlier than he'd planned but expects to be fine. He's hoping for rain soon so that the grass he planted for the spring starts growing, because now "it's basically just sitting there," he said.

Rodney Dishman, of Beaumont's Dishman and Sons Farm, said he'll get concerned if the drought continues.

"We could use a little rain for the crawfish, so we wouldn't have to buy as much water," he said. "If it stays like this, it could get bad, but we're in good shape."

The drought is helping out mosquito control departments, by eliminating standing water where mosquito eggs hatch. Jefferson County Mosquito Control director Kevin Sexton said that the department is still spraying as a precaution but that the weather has helped keep numbers low, especially after the heavy rain earlier this year.

"It makes a huge difference. You have to have water to make a mosquito," he said.

The rapid change from frequent rain this spring to a dry fall is hurting trees, especially older ones, Homann said. "When you get that much rain and then hardly any rain, it's hard for trees and some pastures, and they're just dying," he said. "You see leaves falling off way before they're supposed to, it's dead and it couldn't take the sudden switch," he said.

The contrast between summer and fall precipitation levels could also make it harder for hunters, said Hardin County Game Warden Michael Boone, because the rain helped vegetation and acorns grow, which have not yet rooted because of the dry weather. That provides an easy food source for deer, who aren't attracted to corn feeders that hunters put out for them, he said.

Longer term affects of the drought on the deer population likely won't be visible until next year or the year after, said Jasper County Game Warden Morgan Inman.

Anglers are likely benefitting from the spring's rain, which has helped keep lakes full despite the drought, JInman said.

For now, officials and farmers are both closely watching the forecasts for rain, though Humphrey said they'll likely be waiting a while longer for anything substantial. Chances of precipitation are less than 40 percent through Wednesday, and he expects rainfall totals to stay on the low side through the end of the week.

LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/LizTeitz
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Hardin County Judge Wayne McDaniel said last week the county would no longer do business with Texas Code Blue and would take steps to protect its federal grant eligibility after the state sanctioned the police equipment supplier for a "fraudulent transaction" involving Silsbee police chief Mark Davis, the county's soon-to-be sheriff.

McDaniel said he feared the county's grant applications could be jeopardized because of Davis.

"It is something we've worried about," McDaniel said. "We certainly don't want to be eliminated from Homeland Security grants."

A spokesman for the governor's office, which administers such grants, said last month it considers the history of any individual or organization when approving grant applications but declined to comment specifically on Davis' situation.

Davis is running unopposed for Hardin County Sheriff in Tuesday's election. He did not return multiple phone calls seeking comment.

In October, Code Blue was banned from doing business for five years with state agencies and federal grants after the Homeland Security grants division accused it of altering an invoice at the request of Davis in May 2015.

County officials already have considered whether Davis can oversee grants when he takes over as sheriff next year, McDaniel said.

One option, McDaniel said, would be for McDaniel to administer sheriff's department grants himself or have them handled by the purchasing department rather than by Davis.

McDaniel said Hardin County's purchasing policy does not cover banned vendors, but he has made department supervisors aware of the ban.

"It's something that's already in the works," he said last week.

Purchase history

Hardin County made $5,600 in small purchases on equipment and uniforms with Texas Code Blue in the last three years. That includes two recent transactions while the state comptroller's office considered the supplier's failed appeal of its debarment.

Hardin County has no outstanding orders with Code Blue, McDaniel said.

In approximately the same time period, the Silsbee Police Department purchased about $6,200 worth of supplies and equipment, including almost $1,600 on Sept. 20, less than three weeks before the state debarred Code Blue.

That total didn't include almost $21,500 in purchases made using money from the federal Homeland Security grants division, whose director identified the "fraudulent transaction" and reported it to the governor's office, which administers the grants.

The federal agency was tipped off about a possible "fraudulent transaction by a recording of the conversation between Davis and Code Blue's owner.

In the recording in which they discussed the transaction, Davis asked Code Blue owner Tony Cervantes to overcharge the police department by about $500 for several items and issue a credit to spend the rest of the grant on later department purchases.

Davis was investigated by Texas Rangers. However, Davis has faced no civil penalties nor been accused of any crime. Prosecutors in Hardin and Jefferson counties have declined to pursue a case against him.

Gary Reaves, an assistant district attorney in Jefferson County, said the action by Davis and Cervantes was inappropriate but did not warrant criminal prosecution.

Silsbee city manager DeeAnn Zimmerman - Davis' direct supervisor - deferred the issue of possible punishment of Davis to the City Council, which in August took no action against its chief.

In its appeal to the comptroller's office last month, Code Blue's attorney characterized Davis as a powerful manipulator who took advantage of the dealer, only to suffer no consequences himself.

"Texas Code Blue's sole source of income comes from sales to police departments and a falling out with or negative comments from a person like Chief Davis would be devastating to its viability," attorney Kristi Morgan Aronica wrote in the appeal.

"(Cervantes) believed that he needed to comply with Chief Davis in order to satisfy his customer and not be on the wrong side of a man that wielded power and influence in the community to which Texas Code Blue belonged."

Other counties

Also last week, Jefferson County rescinded contracts with Code Blue worth more than $50,000 a year. Orange County has suspended its business relationship with Code Blue, according to Sheriff Keith Merritt.

The Lumberton Police Department also makes purchases from Code Blue.

Lumberton Police Chief Danny Sullins said Code Blue has been a strong business partner and the city would continue to make purchases there without federal grant funds.

McDaniel called Code Blue's reputation before the state ban "outstanding."

"They've always been good to deal with, good with their prices, and I just hate this for them," McDaniel said.

Code Blue is the only police equipment dealer in the three-county Southeast Texas area.

McDaniel sent an email Oct. 12 telling county officials not to do business with the company until it was removed from the state's debarment list.

Earlier that day, the sheriff's office sent Code Blue an invoice for $172 - for four dark-colored uniform shirts.

The following week, McDaniel lifted Code Blue's Hardin County ban while the state debarment was on appeal.

On Oct. 20, four days before the appeal was denied, Hardin County spent another $88, for two uniforms.

"I allowed them to make purchases during the appeal since Code Blue was briefly taken off the debarment list and as soon as we found out the appeal had been denied, we stopped placing orders," McDaniel said.

Imposing financial penalties on companies in highly regulated industries like government purchasing often is more efficient than pursuing criminal charges, according to David Kwok, an assistant professor at the University of Houston School of Law.

Davis beat Beaumont Police Department Lt. Bryan Skinner in the May 24 runoff election for the Republican nomination with about 55 percent of the vote.

He will replace Sheriff Ed Cain, who retires Dec. 31 after 20 years.

No Democrat is on the general-election ballot this month.

Skinner sold himself as the outsider candidate whose Beaumont experience prepared him for the county's growing population.

Skinner won at every ballot box outside of Silsbee.

About 76 percent of Silsbee voters supported their city's police chief. Skinner's victories elsewhere in the county were more modest.

"He'll answer to the voters," McDaniel said of Davis.

Commissioners could take action against a sheriff for misconduct during his tenure, but not for something that happened almost two years before the sheriff is sworn in, McDaniel said.

BScott@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/BrandonKScott
Tyler Ousley placed a jug of scent killer near the washing machine and set aside a bottle of doe urine. On the eve of open season on white-tailed deer, the strange thing was Ousley wasn't going to use either. He was going duck hunting.

Ousley, 24, nearly hit his limit after bow season opened Oct. 1, beating the challenges expected to define this as a harder-than-average deer season.

With well-fed deer ranging far from feeders and a regulation in place to produce bigger, better animals, experts say hunters might have to do more classic hunting this year.

"It's just going to be about how much people are willing to hunt," said Gary Calkins, district leader for the Texas Parks and Wildlife department of Pineywoods, the East Texas region.

That's because deer are less likely to be attracted to feeders, having plenty of access to acorns, which thrived during a wet year and dropped in an almost rainless October.

"They're scarce because they're not eating off the feeders," said Melissa Nance, of Nance's Meat Processing in Orange.

Hunters who traditionally prop up in deer blinds or stands might be well-advised to follow the bowhunting tactic of walking the woods.

"You're closer to the animals and you have to be more still," said Bridge City resident Jerry Davidson, 67, who has bowhunted for 32 years. "It's a little different kind of hunting."

Ousley found success by playing to the deer's high sense of smell. He washed his clothes with scent killer and poured doe urine on the forest ground to attract bucks who were in rut.

"They'll jump in front of a car chasing after that smell without even thinking about it," Ousley said.

If deer aren't attracted to set-up spots like deer feeders, they might be further away. That means hunters could have to decide quickly whether they are on the legal side of a rule adopted in 2009, which requires a buck's antlers to be spread at least 13 inches from ear-tip to ear-tip.

Some hunters expect the rule to be applied more this season, but Jasper County Game Warden Morgan Inman said it has always been enforced.

"The purpose of the law is to help the deer become more mature," said Inman, who said the penalty is a Class C misdemeanor, which carries a $25-$500 fine and a possible $840 restocking fee.

"They'll have bigger antlers, you get more bang for your buck for your harvest, and it gives the deer a chance to be savvier," Inman said.

Local meat processors have been nervous since the spread rule was implemented.

"When we went to that 13-inch spread rule, a lot of processors said, 'This is going to kill our business,' " said Dale Stewart of Zummo Meat Company. "We grew through it. Now, with the big crop of animals out there, hunting should be real good for both hunters and processors. The deer will be bigger, and we can make more money out of them."

The average age of deer has risen from 1 years to 3 years since the rule's implementation. Paired with the big acorn crop, it should help produce an even stronger deer season next year, according to TPWD's Calkins.

"What this means is a good carryover to next year," said Calkins, who estimated deer population across the Pineywoods at about one deer per 43 acres. "And the food supply will help the deer's body condition, and more of their babies will make it over the winter."

An increase in the deer population would be good for both hunters and deer processors.

Zummo's expects to process 2,400 to 2,500 deer this season. Taylor's Deer Processing - which opened in Vidor three years ago - has experienced a 30 percent growth in business every year, and Nance's Meat Processing has seen 10-15 percent growth.

Nance said the big acorn crop may benefit the future but could slow the present.

"There's more deer yes, but they may be harder to kill" because they're on the move, Nance said.

"You have to be more careful," said Vidor hunter Tinker Davis, 50. "Ease through the woods, careful with your movement. But you still got to see the deer."

BKubena@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/BKubena
The Baytown Police Department is searching for a 16-year-old girl believed to in immediate danger.

An Amber Alert was issued Tuesday for Kristen Nicole Fritch, who was last seen in Baytown with a suspect driving a cream-colored 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser with the Texas license plate FPN 8281, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Silsbee Police Chief Mark Davis, who was named in a state comptroller's report last month announcing sanctions against a Beaumont police equipment vendor, was elected Hardin County Sheriff after drawing no Democratic opponent. Davis replaces Sheriff Ed Cain, who retires Dec. 31 after 20 years.

In May 2015, Davis instructed Code Blue owner Tony Cervantes to overcharge his department by $500 for a purchase made with grant funds and issue a credit for later use by his department, according to the comptroller's findings.
In recent years the oldest name in Beatrice manufacturing has received new life under new owners set to make Dempsters once again prominent in the ag industry.

As new faces focus on new forward directions for Dempsters, a dedicated group of volunteers has spent years focusing on the past, cataloging the companys storied history that dates back to 1878.

The project began in 2014, when current Dempsters president Ryan Mitchell discovered many of the companys records dating back to the 1800s stored in the building.

Mitchell partnered with the Homestead National Monument of America to preserve the documents. The goal is to have a searchable database that can be used for education and research.

We do anticipate there will be a lot of interest in these archives and learning more about industry in the late 1800s and early 1900s in the United States and how that developed, said Mark Engler, Homestead park superintendent. It also gives a glimpse into the relationships between industry and their employees.

Among the records being sorted are meeting minutes, operators manuals, blueprints, brochures and personnel records.

But just how large is the collection of Dempsters records?

In total, there are 500,000 documents being sorted through.

Volunteers removed all paperclips and staples from the documents. When complete, they had 103 pounds of discarded metal.

We kept it, all the staples and paperclips, said volunteer Sally Diekman. It was just mountains. You couldnt believe the metal we took out. It was just unbelievable.

The project was made possible by a grant from the Margaret and Martha Thomas Foundation, and is being done by around 30 volunteers.

Cataloging efforts began more than two years ago, and will hopefully be finished in the coming weeks.

While the name lives on, Dempsters, LLC. is a different company than Dempster Industries.

Charles Dempster founded Dempster Industries in 1878 in Beatrice.

He became a pioneer in the windmill industry. While the company also produced water pumps, cisterns and other tools for pioneer life.

Dempster Industries is credited with developing a water pumping system that provided Beatrice with clean water from the Zimmerman Springs, a natural spring in the area, when the Big Blue River became too difficult to properly filter.

In 1898, the company moved to its current location at Sixth and Perkins streets. Several expansions were completed over the years as the company grew.

At its peak, more than 500 workers were employed at Dempster Industries in Beatrice.

The company changed hands several times, even being led for a short time by billionaire Warren Buffett.

In 2008, Wallace and Felicia Davis purchased Dempster Industries for $3 million. Five years after acquiring the company, Dempster Industries liabilities far exceeded its assets, its list of debts swelling and its credit lines and business partnerships evaporated.

The company failed to follow through on multiple contracts and fell further into debt.

In 2012, Donald E. Clark of Frederickstown, Ohio, the former owner of Dempco Inc. and the mortgage holder of the Dempster building, sold the mortgage for the building to Sunny Green LLC, a Mount Vernon, Ohio, company, before he passed away.

Ryan Mitchell came into the picture in 2013, and has been a driving force in reinventing the Dempster name, in part by focusing on innovative products, with a focus on spreaders.

Dempsters latest spreader utilizes GPS technology to map a farmers fields. This allows areas in need to receive more fertilizer, while less is spread in areas with adequate soil tests.

Robin Matty, Homestead museum technician, said the attention to detail is one thing that makes the collection so interesting to look through. She gave an example of blueprints for a device called the hog waterer, which she thought was a fascinating invention.

The blueprints to me, especially the older ones, its just the detail in them, she aid. Like the hog waterer, one of the reasons I loved it is because he didnt just draw wood, he drew the actual grain. He didnt just draw squiggly lines. He drew burrs and knots. They were really detailed with all of their blueprints.

Other findings detail just how different working conditions were more than 100 years ago, when safety wasnt a top concern.

The records really show a lot of things and I think theyll interest a lot of people, Matty said. Like when OSHA came around, because it wasnt in 1890, and said, You have to wear eye wear and you have to wear steel-toed boots. Its amazing how injuries just dropped overnight. Its cool that we have records to support findings like that and interesting things that you dont even think about.

Engler added that insights from searching board minutes are also interesting, and shed light on unique problems of the day.

From the early board meeting minutes there is a discussion that we can follow through meeting minutes where they actually discussed if they should electrify the hand pump, he said. They set up a committee to go out and study it. Its that kind of stuff that I think is really going to give researchers, scholars insight into all sorts of things.

This is really a treasure trove of information where they can learn about the history of industrial development, the sociology as it relates to industry and even how it relates to a community like Beatrice.

Engler noted that while most of the information will be made available to the public, personnel records are being sealed for an additional 75 years.
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Zena Stephens on Tuesday became Texas's first black female sheriff, by narrowly turning back the county's strongest Republican challenger ever in Ray Beck.

The race was close throughout the night, with Stephens leading early, boosted by leads in Port Arthur and Beaumont's northern and southern precincts. She finished with 51.4 percent of the vote.

Beck took the lead late in the night with strong support in Beaumont's West End, the county's western precincts and in Mid-County, before Stephens closed and then expanded the gap in the final four precincts.

Stephens ultimately won by 2,431 votes out of a total 86,701 ballots, completing a Democratic sweep of the county's three competitive local races.

The current police chief at Prairie View A&M University and former Sheriff's Office chief deputy will replace Mitch Woods, who is retiring after 20 years.

According to the Sheriff's Association of Texas, which tracks the history of the office, Stephens is the first black woman elected sheriff in the state.

"I think it is important, because I never saw anybody who looked like me in this role, or as a police chief, when I was growing up," said Stephens. "And so the idea, not just for girls but for any minority, that you can obtain these jobs at this level, I think that's important. And it's important for these jobs in law enforcement and any job to reflect the community they serve."

Stephens beat former constable Joe "QB" Stevenson and Woods' assistant chief deputy Rod Carroll in the Democratic primary and run-off elections this spring.

She made national headlines when 19-year-old Adam Carver of Vidor allegedly fired a shot at her campaign headquarters the night before the March primary while shouting a racial slur. Carver was indicted in March on a charge of deadly conduct and is scheduled for his next hearing on Nov. 28.

With a $13.1 million dollar budget and more than 400 employees, the sheriff's office is the county's largest department. The sheriff also oversees the jail and its $27.6 million budget. Those budgets combined make up about one-third of the county's general fund budget.

Stephens said that one of her first priorities after taking office will be to address concerns within the department.

"Generally, the people who work there are nervous anytime there's a changing of the guard," she said. "I want to get in there and make people feel normal again, and evaluate how we move forward."

Replacing Woods, who has served since 1996 "is going to be a little difficult," she said. "Anytime you institute change, there may be some opposition to that, but I understand that, and I don't plan to get in there and make any sweeping changes."

She said she plans to evaluate training and operations at the county jail, as well as consider recommendations from President Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing report, which was released in May.

The narrow victory for the Democrats came as a result of a large Republican turnout, with Beck getting more than 42,135 votes to Stephens' 44,566.

Jefferson County GOP Chair Garrett Peel said "we've never had such great voter turnout," and noted the 24,598 straight-ticket votes for the party, an increase from both 2012 and 2008.

Jefferson County Democratic Party Chair Cade Bernsen was thrilled by the night's sweep for his party. "Tonight, we made history in Texas," he said.

LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/LizTeitz
Authorities in Louisiana have named three suspects wanted for questioning in connection with the Oct. 25 death of a Vidor man whose body was found inside his abandoned truck in Abbeville, Louisiana.

Amber L. Lee, 19, Kenton Crooms, 36, and Robert Crooms, 37, have been named persons of interest in the homicide investigation of Eric Stansbury, 61, according to a Wednesday news release from the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

All three are from Abbeville, but the Crooms brothers have ties to the Houston area, the release said. The Orange County Sheriff's Office is working with the Abbeville Police Department to find the suspects, according to the release.

Stansbury, a pipefitter for RCI, was on his way to work in Beaumont around 4 a.m. on Oct. 25 when authorities believe he came across at least two people who had run out of gas. Stansbury pulled over somewhere along Interstate 10 West between the exits for Highway 1132 and Main Street in Vidor, according to the sheriff's office.

Police believe there was some sort of altercation because one of Stansbury's work boots and his cowboy hat were left behind. Detectives suspect Stansbury was taken against his will in his blue Ford F-250 pickup truck, according to the sheriff's office.

His truck was seen heading eastbound in Lake Charles around 8 a.m. with a gray 2016 Dodge 4-door pickup truck following close behind.

Stansbury's body was found later that day inside his abandoned truck. He'd been shot in the head.

Authorities are asking anyone in Southeast Texas who might have seen Stansbury, his truck or the suspects' truck between the hours of 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. Oct. 25 to call the Orange County Sheriff's Office at 409-670-4125.

Anonymous tips can be made by calling Crime Stoppers at 409-833-TIPS (8477).

Abbeville police detectives are asking witnesses in Louisiana to call them at (337)-898-4214.

According to his obituary, Stansbury was born in Port Acres but was a longtime Vidor resident. He worked in the construction field for 40 years and enjoyed shooting pool, music and rodeo.

Stansbury is survived by his wife, one daughter and two sons, according to his obituary.

He was cremated following an Oct. 30 funeral service in Vidor.

SFlores@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/_saraeflores
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Check back throughout the night for Election Day news regarding races in Jefferson, Hardin and Orange counties. Follow @bmtenterprise or the hashtag #SETXVotes on Twitter for live updates.

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9:50 p.m.

With all precincts reporting:

Democrat Zena Stephens wins by more than 2,000 votes for Jefferson County sheriff against Republican Ray Beck. Stephens had 55.4 percent of votes (44,566).

Democrat Terrence Holmes wins the County-Court-At-Law No. 2 judge race with 50.92 percent of votes. Holmes had 43,666 votes and Republican Luke Nichols had 42,090 votes.

Democrat Baylor Wortham beats Republican Dana Timaeus in the 136th district court judge race by more than 10 percent. Wortham received 47,770 votes (55.54 percent), and Timaeus received 38,240 votes.

In the United States presidential race, Donald Trump recieved 424 more votes than Hillary Clinton. Gary Johnson received 1,711 votes.

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9:18 p.m.

With 107 out of 109 precincts in, Democrat Zena Stephens leads by 2,240 votes in the Jefferson County sheriff's race. She's up 51.32 percent to Republican Ray Beck's 47.68 percent, with one precinct each in Port Arthur and Mid-County still to report.

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9 p.m.

Democratic sherif canddiate Zena Stephens is back in the lead for sheriff by one percentage point now, with 3 precincts left to report. She leads 40,663 votes to Republican Ray Beck's 39,566 votes.

Precincts 101 and 97 in Port Arthur and 107 in Mid-county will be the last three to report.

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8:36 p.m.

With 105 of 109 precincts reporting in Jefferson County:

Republican Ray Beck takes lead in sheriff's race with 38,640 votes (50.5 percent) over Democrat Zena Stephens, who has 37,869 votes (49.5 percent).

In the County Court-At-Law No. 2 race, Republican Luke Nichols leads with 50.92 percent of votes over Democrat Terrence Holmes.

Democrat Baylor Wortham keeps the lead in the 136th District Court judge race with 53.85 percent of votes. Dana Timaeus has 46.15 percent of votes.

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8:31 p.m.

With Port Arthur waiting for only one precinct, of 33, to report votes for the proposed amendment change, residents voting in favor of downsizing the City Council are 31.22 percentage points ahead of those who oppose. Residents who voted yes are at 65.61 percent, and voters who voted no are at 34.39 percent.

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8:25 p.m.

With 96 of 109 precincts reporting in Jefferson County, Democrat Zena Stephens continues to lead Republican Ray Beck in the sheriff's race, by less than one percent. Stephans has 36,697 votes (50.33 percent) and Beck has 36,217 votes (49.67 percent).

Beck is leading in most mid-county precincts, while Stephens is winning precincts in Port Arthur. She's also leading in southern parts of Beaumont, and the county's northernmost precincts. Results are still coming in from the western part of the county.

Republican Luke Nichols takes the lead over Democrat Terrence Holmes by 83 votes in the County Court-At-Law No. 2 judge race. Nichols has 36,121 votes, and Holmes has 36,038 votes.

In the 136th District Judge race, Democrat Baylor Wortham continues to lead Republican Dana Timaeus with 54.62 percent of the vote.

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7:31 p.m.

Early voting figures in Orange County, where local races are dominated by Republican candidates, show Donald Trump gaining 80 percent of the vote. Of the 22,940 early votes cast in Orange County, only 2,593 voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton. There are no Democratic challengers in the local races.

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7:20 p.m.

More than 47,000 Jefferson County voters cast straight-ticket ballots in early voting.

According to the Jefferson County Clerk's Office, the majority of the straight party voters are Democrats, with 26,538 straight-tickets cast between Oct. 28 and Nov. 4.

County Republicans cast 20,286 straight-ticket ballots during early voting.

A little more than 250 straight-ticket Libertarian ballots were cast and 97 voted straight-ticket Green Party.

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7:05 p.m.

With only early votes counted, Democrat Zena Stephens narrowly leads Republican Ray Beck in the race for Jefferson County Sheriff by less than one percent.

Democrat Baylor Wortham leads Republican Dana Timaeus in the race for 136th district court judge. Wortham gained 38,118 early votes, or 54.7 percent, compared to Timaeus' 31,541 (45.28 percent).

The race for County Court-at-Law No. 2 is a narrow one with early voting figures in. Democrat Terrence Holmes is ahead of Republican Luke Nichols with just four more votes (34,731 to 34,727).

Early voting numbers show that 65.57 percent of Port Arthur residents are in favor of downsizing its City Council from nine to seven council members.

If Port Arthur voters decide to eliminate the two positions that represent overlapping districts, Councilman Willie "Bae" Lewis Jr. and Councilman Osman Swati will conclude their current terms in the May 2018 election, followed by the elimination of the two positions.

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Click the links below to see other Election Day coverage:

- Results: How Southeast Texas voted in local, state and national races

- How Texas counties voted in the 2016 presidential election

- The latest developments in the US presidential election
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Port Arthur's City Council will downsize from nine members to seven in May 2018 after 66 percent of the city's voters cast ballots in favor of a charter amendment to eliminate two council positions.

Council seats for Districts 5 and 6 - which are held by Councilman Willie "Bae" Lewis, Jr. and Councilman Osman Swati, respectively - will be eliminated when their terms end in 2018.

Lewis represents overlapping Districts 1 and 4, and Swati represents overlapping Districts 2 and 3.

Swati, who proposed the charter amendment this summer, said the current council's composition is "outdated."

The elimination of the two council positions will save the city $23,436 annually, according to city records. The two councilmen earn $976.50 each in monthly salaries.

With Port Arthur's elimination of two council seats, the City of Victoria is the only Texas city that still uses a council system with overlapping districts.

Port Arthur's charter amendment will now call for City Council to be composed of a mayor and six council members to serve three year terms. Members of the council are not allowed to serve more than two consecutive terms.

Swati's ballot measure, which the City Council approved Aug. 9, prevailed over a citizen petition to eliminate the two at-large council positions. Both efforts sought to downsize the city's government by two seats, but there was disagreement on which ones should go.

The citizens group, which failed to collect the 1,400 signatures required, sought to remove at-large positions because of how the votes are tallied. Currently, four council members are elected from single-member districts, two from combined districts and two at-large.

The mayor and at-large council member positions are elected by majority vote from all districts, according to the city's charter.

SFlores@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/_saraeflores
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UPDATE: Police said early Wednesday investigators have found a "person of interest" being sought in the Baytown double slaying, but an Amber Alert remains in effect for missing 16-year-old Kristen Fritch. Authorities were looking for 21-year-old Jesse Dobbs in connection with the case. They found him in Texas City and are interviewing him. Also in Texas City police recovered a car missing from the home where the bodies were found.

PREVIOUS REPORT:

A mother and her 13-year-old daughter were found shot to death inside a Baytown home Tuesday, according to authorities.

Hours later, police issued an Amber Alert for the family's other daughter, 16-year-old Kristen Fritch. Police believe she may be in grave or immediate danger.

Police identified Cynthia Morris, 37, and her daughter Breanna Pavilicek as the victims of the Louise Street slaying.

Just after 10:30 a.m., a worried family member reported that they hadn't been able to reach their granddaughter and daughter. The daughter hadn't shown up for work, and when the family went to the Morris' home, they found the front door ajar.

Officers responded to the home for a welfare check around 11 a.m., according to Lt. Steve Dorris.

But when they went inside, police made the grisly discovery.

Neighbors watched in shock as authorities carried out the bodies.

After combing the scene all day, police revealed that Morris' white Chrysler PT Cruiser was missing, along with her oldest daughter.

Police believe the missing girl is with 21-year-old Jesse Dobbs, who neighbors identified as the teen's boyfriend. According to the Amber Alert, Dobbs should be considered armed and dangerous.

Dobbs is considered a person of interest in the case, which investigators are looking into the case as a double homicide.
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We're smack in the middle of 2016 election madness, and Texas Twitter is a mix of pride, anxiety and ongoing commentary as the nation waits for either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump to be named the next commander in chief.

RELATED: With fossil, Donald Trump becomes 'permanent part of the scientific record'

Americans woke up Tuesday morning to the climax of this election season's political social media conversations.

"I voted" sticker selfies, last-minute jabs at both presidential candidates and various election-centered hashtags were rampant across the country and online.

RELATED: Texas 'trend': Women go under the knife to look like Ivanka Trump

Texas Twitter has been pushing the conversation with #TexasVotes2016 and #GoVoteTexas, revealing Willie Nelson and Chuck Norris jests, cries to "#TurnTexasBlue" and live Tweets from the polls.

RELATED: The Latest developments in the US elections

See how Lone Star State residents are celebrating their civic duty and reacting to the election in the gallery above.

mmendoza@mysa.com

Twitter: @MaddySkye
Veteran ASC administrators shared 10 key steps healthcare leaders can implement today to improve financial performance for ASCs during a presentation at Becker's ASC Review 23rd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs in Chicago Oct. 27.

1. Leadership. "Leadership is the process of influencing people to accomplish goals," said Ann Geier, RN, CNOR at SourceMed. Engaged and effective leadership plays a fundamental role in guiding healthcare staff through times of instability and change. Oftentimes, successful change management largely depends upon a leader's ability to show staff why change is necessary and positive.

2. Managing change. Process improvement doesn't happen overnight. Implementing too much change too quickly can alienate staff and negatively affect employee morale. Ms. Geier recommends ASC administrators break down big picture goals into many smaller, achievable goals to rally employee support.

3. Materials management. Materials expenses consume between 17 percent to 25 percent of an ASCs net revenue, making supply chain the second greatest expense after labor. Ensuring ASC supply chain and spend programs operate smoothly and efficiently is key to healthy financial and business performance. To improve supply chain processes, Ms. Geier said administrators should focus on implementing best practices in their inventory and preference card management systems. Best practices include: ordering supplies as needed to avoid waste, utilizing group purchasing organizations, digitizing and maintaining detailed preference cards and putting price tags on supply crates to raise price awareness among staff.

4. Case costing. Case costing gives ASC surgeons and nurses valuable insight into how their day to day activities impact the organization's business model. Through case costing, Rob Westergard, CFO at Ambulatory Surgical Centers of America, discovered each minute an operating room was in use at his facility cost the company $18. Using this data, Mr. Westergard was able to explain the critical importance of starting surgeries on time to his surgical team and improve punctuality among staff.

5. Recruiting new physicians. With the increase in physician employment and heavy competition for ASC investors, recruitment efforts are increasingly becoming more complicated. To successfully recruit physicians, ASCs should develop partnerships with regional hospitals to leverage recruiting opportunities, Mr. Westergard said.

6. Staffing. Staffing and labor account for the highest business expense for ambulatory facilities. ASC administrators should deploy creative scheduling solutions to use staff as efficiently as possible, thereby keeping labor costs as low as possible without threatening clinical quality. Ms. Geier suggested administrators implement vertical scheduling, cross-train employees to fulfill dual roles, consider using per diem staff when necessary and restricting employee overtime.

7. Schedule Compression. Vertical scheduling and compression can drive optimal efficiency in the OR. By compressing multiple surgeries back to back during the course of the week, the ASC can close for a few days each week. This reduces the amount of time an OR is open but not in use, saving ASCs significant overhead expenses.

8. Financial management. Many administrative tasks fall under the umbrella of financial management, but Mr. Westergard pointed to four fundamental issues ASC administrators should focus on: the relationship with their banker, financial benchmarking, billing and reporting. Providing surgeons with case costing reports can get physicians' support for process improvement initiatives, Mr. Westergard said.

9. Billing and collecting. As patient financial responsibility continues to increase, ASCs should revisit their collections practices to ensure they recoup patient payment in full. By providing patients financial counseling, alternative payment options and by implementing point-of-service collections, ASCs can significantly increase their chance of receiving optimal reimbursement.

10. Benchmarking. By comparing ASC operations to regional competitors, national averages and industry best practices, administrators can identify and address core areas for improvement, such as quality, performance or billing and collections.
On Nov. 8, 2016, Colorado voters rejected Amendment 69, which would have created a universal healthcare system, ColoradoCare, according to The Denver Post.

Here are four points:

1. The amendment would have eliminated a majority of private health insurance companies operating in Colorado, and replace these plans with ColoradoCare, a taxpayer-funded cooperative. Colorado would have provided every state resident coverage.

2. To pay for ColoradoCare, the government would have implemented a 10 percent payroll tax, with employers responsible for 66 percent of the tax and workers paying the remainder.

3. ColoradoCare would have cost $36 billion a year if it came to fruition.

4. Last night around 8:30 p.m., the number of residents voting in favor of the amending was dwindling, with the final vote this morning cementing the amendment's defeat.
A group of senators are demanding a $50 million refund from Mylan for the company allegedly charging the Department of Justice "exorbitant rates" for EpiPen at retail pharmacies, according to STAT.

Here are five takeaways:

1. A recent Reuters report found the Pentagon spent $57 million on EpiPen over the last year. This figure is up from $9 million in 2008.

2. The department spent more on EpiPen due to Mylan raising the prices as well as more sales. Additionally, Mylan paid lowered debates to the Defense Department because the company misclassified the drug as a generic.

3. Mylan recently agreed to pay a $465 million settlement for its EpiPen misclassification. Last year, Medicaid paid $797 million on EpiPen, after rebates and dispensing fees. CMS found, however, Medicaid should have paid much less for the drug.

4. In their letter to Mylan Chief Executive Heather Bresch, the senators wrote they were "alarmed that Mylan may have overcharged our military for this life-saving drug." This group of senators also asked the DOJ to look into whether Mylan violated the False Claims Act by knowingly misclassifying EpiPen as a generic.

5. Earlier this month, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrissey claimed Mylan's settlement to the federal government is "woefully deficient," and vowed to reject the settlement. West Virginia Attorney General Morrissey said the payment does not make up for Mylan's actions and does not send the right message to other pharmaceutical companies operating in the Medicaid market.
The United States will soon face a physician shortage and health experts may have to revamp the healthcare system to combat this gap, according to The New York Times.

Here are five key points:

1. The Association of American Medical Colleges expects the nation to face a shortage of between 46,100 physicians and 90,400 physicians by 2025, with primary care having a shortage between 12,500 primary care physicians and 31,000 PCPs by this time.

2. Compared to some other nations, the United States currently has more physicians per individual, with the nation currently having 2.56 physicians per 1,000 people. This figure is more than Canada (2.46), Poland (2.24), South Korea and Mexico (both 2.17).

3. However, the United States trails behind other countries including Austria (4.99), Norway (4.31), Sweden (4.12), Germany and Switzerland (both 4.04).

4. Many medical students opt to specialize to make more money, with a 2016 Medscape survey finding orthopedic surgeons under 40 make an average salary of $329,000. Medical students are also going into specialty care due to large amounts of debt, with the average debt for a medical school last year totaling more than $180,000.

5. The New York Times reports our healthcare system is inefficient, and may not be well prepared to deal with the shortage. NYT states, "We rely too heavily on physicians and not enough on mid-level practitioners, like physician assistants and nurse practitioners, especially because evidence supports they are just as effective in primary care settings."

More healthcare news:

16 benchmarks for ASC balance sheets  2016

Providers oppose Advocate Sherman Hospital's proposed $12.7M ASC  6 takeaways

3 recent ASC acquisitions  November 4, 2016
Those individuals, like me, fortunate enough to work in the ASC industry over many years have long known surgery centers are the model for providing high-quality, low-cost care.

Now the rest of the healthcare industry is starting to recognize that as well.

The hospital industry, once adamantly opposed to the development and growth of ASCs, has in recent years increasingly embraced surgery centers. More hospitals are partnering with existing ASCs in joint venture surgery centers and some hospitals are building their own from the ground up. It is now increasingly common for hospitals to segregate their outpatient surgery into freestanding units that, while staying on the hospital license, mimic ASC operations. And as we all know, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. In many areas, hospitals are moving away from the traditional "facility on the hill" model and developing alternative models for delivering care that are spread throughout their market, in more convenient and smaller facilities, and closer to where the patients and providers live. In these instances, ASCs are often the anchor tenant in a new medical office building in the suburbs.

Unlike a few years ago, ASCs are now also becoming sought after by payers, Looking for lower facility fees, many commercial payers are trying to steer their members toward ASCs. As the national ASC Association notes, "ASC prices are significantly lower than hospital outpatient department prices (HOPD) for the same procedure in all markets, regardless of payer." Other reasons for this new alignment include the low infection rate associated with procedures performed in ASCs, and extremely high satisfaction of patients and providers with the ASC experience. As we are seeing with new initiatives, such as the Global One Ventures/Blue Shield of California partnership on an ASC bundled fee program, commercial payers are starting to view ASCs as an integral part of their portfolio.

Another new fan of ASCs is the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). As noted in our infographic on the history of ASCs, there are now more than 3,500 procedures on the CMS ASC-payable list. The first 200 procedures were approved in 1982; that figure shot up to more than 1,500 procedures only five years later. In just the past few years, a number of outpatient spine procedures have been added to the list, and CMS is considering other procedures to move off of the inpatient-only list, such as total knee arthroplasty. With a heightened interest in finding lower-cost alternatives for healthcare and increased technology improvements, it will be no surprise if the list of procedures approved for payment when performed in an ASC continues to grow each year.

There is also the matter of the recent site-neutrality provision. Included in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 within Section 603, it essentially states that off-campus outpatient facilities acquired or established by hospitals on or after the date of enactment of the law (November 2, 2015) are not eligible for Medicare reimbursement under the outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS). These new off-campus HOPDs would be eligible for reimbursement from the ASC or physician payment systems, both of which typically pay less  sometimes substantially less  than the OPPS for like procedures. Implementation, which was recently approved, is scheduled for January 1, 2017. It has fueled increased interest in the development of ASCs rather than more HOPDs.

Data further supports the care migration to outpatient settings, including ASCs. From 1988 to 2015, the number of Medicare-certified ASCs more than quintupled, from 1,000 to 5,400, as the number of community hospitals declined. The number of procedures performed in ASCs has been on the rise as well, with surgery centers now performing more than 20 million surgeries annually, while the number of outpatient surgeries performed in hospitals is on the decline. The ratio of outpatients to inpatients in some health systems is at or approaching 10 to 1, and many hospitals are deriving a healthy majority of their revenue and profitability from outpatient care.

Also supporting the migration is renowned economist Michael Porter of the Harvard Business School. He is on a crusade to help find ways to address the nation's out-of-control healthcare costs and encourages the movement of low-acuity surgical cases to ASCs as a part of the solution.

What it all means

Healthcare policy makers and providers are focused on ways to reduce costs while maintaining quality. This is putting ASCs increasingly in the spotlight. The traditional inpatient-centric system is being replaced by one that delivers non-acute care in settings that better match the scope and acuity of the problem. Payers and patients are no longer willing to pay more for care than is necessary. Hospitals, CMS and commercial payers are increasingly considering the role ASCs can play in a value-based care strategy.

ASCs have long led the way in cost-effective, efficient ambulatory surgical care. They are becoming increasingly vital to any organization's successful outpatient surgery strategy, and should be viewed as role models for other providers trying to determine how best to navigate today's evolving reimbursement landscape that is shifting payment toward lower costs and rewarding quality rather than quantity.

From their inception ASCs have had to deliver care under one payment for each CPT code performed. They have never had the luxury of operating under a "cost-plus" reimbursement model, like hospitals did for many years. The lower overhead enjoyed by ASCs has enabled them to operate under a fixed fee reimbursement and still enjoy healthy profit margins. To maintain profitability and efficiency, well-run ASCs, expect their staff to know the costs of every supply used on a case, and cross-training is standard operating practice. Other healthcare providers, now getting squeezed by reimbursement reductions, can learn a lot from their ASC peers.

Those of us who have been in the ASC industry for a long timesome even as far back as 1970, when the first freestanding ASC opened in Arizona, or 1974, when the Federated Ambulatory Surgery Association was formedare not surprised by the shift of care toward ASCs. We just wonder why it took so long. Fortunately, it would appear that the momentum driving the migration is showing no signs of slowing down.

Joan Dentler (jdentler@avanzastrategies.com) is president and CEO of Avanza Healthcare Strategies, which provides healthcare organizations with strategic guidance, with a focus on outpatient services and population health management. For more than 25 years Ms. Dentler has been consulting on, developing or operating ambulatory surgery centers, hospital outpatient services and community health initiatives.
Investors are selling healthcare stocks prior to hearing the final election results today, despite the odds shown in polls over the recent weeks, according to Montecito Medical Real Estate to acquire neurology & orthopedic-focused ASC.

Here are five things to know:

1. All of the S&P 500 sectors were down on Oct. 27  the closing bell sounded before the FBI reported new evidence into Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton's email scandal  and healthcare was down the most, declining 3.9 percent. Overall, S&P 500 companies reported an average 2.2 percent drop.

2. The "prevailing wisdom," according to the WSJ, is the Democrats will win the White House and Congress; the Democratic platform has historically been "unfriendly to drugmakers," including support for the medical device excise tax.

3. Even though the new look at Ms. Clinton's email is thought to help the Republicans, the healthcare sector didn't benefit.

4. Healthcare stock weakness reflects investors looking to dispose of risky positions before the election, which has an uncertain outcome at this time.

5. Healthcare rallied for a time on Monday, increasing 2.4 percent, but was near the bottom again on Tuesday ahead of the election results.
President-elect Donald Trump's triumph over Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton last night should fare well for the European pharmaceutical industry, according to Business Insider.

Here are four key points:

1. Some major companies' stocks have soared following the news of a Republican win, with Roche and Novartis, both based in Switzerland, shares both jumping 4 percent.

2. British-based GlaxoSmithKline shares are trading 1.8 percent higher.

3. Business Insider reports this pricing surge following the election results is due to the fact that President-elect Donald Trump will likely not pass very controlling drug pricing legislation.

4. Chicago-based Deutsche Bank analysts had said, "European healthcare would likely outperform under a Trump win, given it has moved inversely to the probability of a Clinton victory over the past couple of months and has historically done well in periods of rising macro uncertainty and dollar strength."

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A New Jersey father who admitted to executing a $140,000 fraudulent billing scheme received a three-year prison sentence Tuesday, according the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.

Steven Herder, 41, pleaded guilty to insurance fraud for filing five false medical claims with Aflac during a period from June 2012 to November 2014. The bogus claims were for lengthy hospital stays, ranging from 11 weeks to 26 weeks, for his twin sons at VirtuaHospital in Voorhees, N.J.

The court sentenced Mr. Herder to three years in prison and mandated he repay Aflac $140,000 in full.

"What makes this case especially distasteful is that this man not only cheated and lied to his insurance carrier, he used his young sons as props to carry out the illegal scheme," Attorney General Christopher Porrino said.
Ridding your company of some HR practices may improve your chances of snagging tremendous employees.

According to an article in Forbes, eliminating certain HR policies from the company allows employees to feel valued and useful.

Here are 10 HR policies companies should consider abolishing to start 2017 off with a bang.

1. Don't associate time off from work with a disciplinary infraction. Allow your employees time to deal with unexpected personal issues, like a child's illness of a car repair. You don't have to pay the employee if they've used all of their paid time off, but don't put a black mark in their personnel file for needing a day off.

2. Making if difficult for employees to apply for internal transfers may push them away. You can't control your employees from applying for jobs with outside competitors, but necessitating a manager's approval to transfer internally may push employees toward leaving the company.

3. Don't pit your employees against one another. Stacking employees against each other promotes unhealthy competition that ends up being ineffective, expensive and trust-killing, according to the article.

4. Don't require employees to bring a funeral notice to prove a family member's death. The employer-employee relationship works on trust. If you can't trust them when tragedy strikes, when will you ever trust them?

5. Don't nit pick the dress code policy. As a manager, talking with employees about the dress code policy is inevitable. Detailing the dress code policy in extreme detail won't prevent those conversations, according to the article. Instead, advise employees to "dress appropriately for a business office and to err on the side of caution."

6. Try not to be hypocritical about salary employees' hours. Rid your company of policies that allow salaried employees to stay at work late into the evening but censure employees that walk into work five minutes late in the morning.

7. Allow your managers to give recommendations to great employees after they leave. Policies that prevent managers from doling out recommendations to valuable employees that chose to move on may place your company in the uncomfortable position of being sued for defamation, according to the article.

8. Don't base an employee's salary off of any factor except for their market value. If a company gives employees across-the-board pay raises, the best employees may venture back into the job market for a company that recognizes and values their talent and skill and pays them what they're worth.

9. Don't force your employees to come into the office. You may find that some of your employees are much more productive working outside the office at home or after hours.

10. Rid your company of policies that treat your employees like criminals. Recognize that you and your employees are on the same side. Treating them otherwise may lead them to believe they're replaceable and may lead them to find work elsewhere.
Republican nominee Donald Trump was officially elected president of the United States Tuesday.

The presidential election results were met with mixed reactions in the healthcare industry. Here we highlight six initial responses.

Bea Grause, president of the Healthcare Association of New York State

"As a result of yesterday's election, the healthcare sector in New York will face a significantly different landscape.



In this regard, HANYS has a long history of working with both sides of the aisle and will use that experience in working with the new Trump administration as soon as its transition team is in place.



Our strong partnership with the American Hospital Association and state associations will be critical in protecting hospitals and health systems across New York and the rural, suburban and urban communities they serve. We will work with these key partners to meet head on any challenges to the Affordable Care Act, as well as budgetary pressures on providers, while striving to achieve regulatory flexibility across programs."



Rita Numerof, PhD, global healthcare strategist

Mr. Trump during his campaign has repeatedly promised to work with Congress to repeal the ACA. Here, Dr. Numerof addresses what comes next.



"The ACA's approach was doomed from the start. It achieved the goal of reducing the number of Americans without health insurance, but took an approach of adding narrowly prescriptive regulations that shifted the focus from care delivery to compliance with rules.



What we need moving forward is a market-based model that promotes competition and increased value at lower cost, like in most industries. Fee-for-service provider reimbursement, disconnected from outcomes that matter, needs to be put out of its misery in favor of bundled payments and other approaches that link costs to outcomes.



If we are serious about reform, we need to move beyond the current obsession with coverage to a real debate about choice, accountability, transparency, cost and quality."

Donald W. Fisher, PhD, president and CEO of AMGA

"AMGA offers its congratulations to President-Elect Trump on his victory. We are excited to work with his new team to continue to transition the financing of our healthcare system from volume-based to value-based payment. AMGA members are focused on providing quality health care to their 130 million patients. Every administration brings change, and I am confident that multispecialty medical groups and integrated delivery systems will play a key role in shaping the future of healthcare in the country."



Chip Kahn, president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals

"As we look forward  past the campaign and toward governing  we are confident that President-elect Trump will keep his focus on consumers and patients. We need to maintain access to health care coverage for millions of Americans, while at the same time protecting Medicare for seniors, as well as Medicaid for those with lower incomes. Any re-examination of ACA will take time to develop and require a workable transition for those who depend on the coverage and those providing the care. Hospitals share the President-elect's commitment to assuring access to care and look forward to working with him and the new Congress."

Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, president of the American Nurses Association

"As President-elect Trump looks to improve Americas healthcare system, we are ready to work with his administration to advance healthcare that is accessible, affordable, equitable, integrated and innovative. This new administration also has an opportunity to unite the country around a shared vision that puts protecting and promoting quality healthcare for all Americans above partisan politics. ANA stands ready to offer support and assistance to make this opportunity a reality."

Ted Shaw, president and CEO of the Texas Hospital Association

"While the election results were decisive, there is considerable uncertainty about what the future of healthcare looks like. Texas hospitals will continue to provide the highest quality care to anyone who seeks it, but that care requires stable and adequate funding. Repeal without replacement of the ACAs provisions that have reduced the number of uninsured would be problematic for any leadership be they Republican or Democrat.

Any replacement needs to ensure that patients can get the care they need and providers are fairly paid for services provided. At the same time, cutting Medicaid funding would undermine the innovations, care improvements and cost efficiencies achieved by Texas Medicaid since 2011. Nonetheless, Texas hospitals will welcome a discussion about how entitlement programs can be reformed and improved so they are financially sustainable.

For almost a decade, hospitals have adjusted in an age of reform as healthcare professionals strategized and adjusted to new priorities in quality and patient safety brought on by the ACA. While the law isnt perfect, the opportunity now exists to engage consumers and political leaders on policies that go beyond whether you do or do not support Obamacare. Instead, we must fully invest ourselves in what it means to be healthy, what it means to provide healthcare, and how we want to pay for it."

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How Ascension's chief communications officer successfully rebranded the system
It's not easy to bring nearly 141 hospitals together under one name, but St. Louis.-based Ascension Health has attempted to just that. One leader took that goal to heart, and his effort paid off.

Ascension Health's Chief Marketing and Communication Officer Nick Ragone said that to rebrand the system, he had to foster an atmosphere of communication between the health system's 160,000 employees and executives as well as the public, according to a Medical Marketing & Media article.

Here are five things Mr. Ragone did to successfully rebrand the health system.

1. Integrate the national marketing and communications divisions. Mr. Ragone said to make the individual hospitals operate as one unit, they must have access to, and use, the same resources to accomplish their goals, especially in terms of marketing and communicating the brand aesthetic. In July, he integrated the national marketing and communications teams and created a shared services model, where leaders from several markets work together and share campaigns.

"We realized it was wildly inefficient if our health system in Texas wanted to do a campaign on primary care, it would hire its own agency and do its own research and media buying. Then if another market wanted to do a similar campaign, it would do everything on its own as well," Mr. Ragone told Medical Marking & Media.

2. Bigger emphasis on analytics. While the teams did not see many staff changes, the new model created new positions around analytics, which Mr. Ragone said has saved the health system a lot of money because it allowed executives to understand what was working and what wasn't.

"[Utilizing analytics] has already paid dividends, and we've saved a lot of money," Mr. Ragone explained. "We are more consistent in our approach, for example with digital and social. We have much better analytics because we have one set of media buyers. It has made a world of difference, and it's where we need to go."

3. Connecting the different brands. According to Mr. Ragone, the biggest hindrance to the health system being widely known was its disconnected hospital brands. Since September, each hospital in the Ascension family will have the brand's name before the individual hospital's name. St. JohnProvidenceHospital in Warren, Mich., for example, became Ascension St. Joseph Providence. The national rebrand made it easier for patients to easily identify Ascension hospitals and will raise the profile of the brand by bringing each hospitals' innovation and work under a single name.

4. Speaking up about issues in the industry. Mr. Ragone claims speaking up about recent healthcare issues with the ACA, drug pricing scandals and cybersecurity problems makes the brand a much more reputable source. It also increased the health system's leaders' visibility on a national scale, according to the article.

5. Putting the brand's mission front and center. Mr. Ragone said where the brand differs from other health systems is in its Catholic roots. Ascension places its faith-based heritage first.

"We are the largest Catholic and nonprofit healthcare system in the world," said Mr. Ragone. "People trust us to care for them, not just their physical needs, sometimes their emotional needs or their spiritual needs, too. We care for the whole person, and that really comes out of our Catholic heritage."
An arbitrator has ordered Paramus, N.J.-based Bergen Regional Medical Center to compensate a nurse after she was assaulted by a patient and accused the hospital of violating safety rules, according to a report on NJ.com.

The arbitrator ruling, which included necessary medical and other expenses not covered by workers' compensation and back pay, came as a result of a grievance filed by the Health Professionals and Allied Employees, the union said in a news release. The union, which represents hospital employees, announced the decision Nov. 4.

The union said the arbitrator's award also affirmed HPAE's claim that BRMC failed to implement workplace violence prevention measures based upon New Jersey state law and recommendations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. "It was incumbent upon the hospital to address the known risks of violence  but there was no evidence presented that it did," arbitrator Lisa C. Charles wrote in the final decision, according to the union.

The incident at issue involved Sandra Giancarlo. Ms. Giancarlo has worked as a nurse at BRMC for more than a decade and reported that she was attacked in January 2015 by a patient, according to the NJ.com article, which cites arbitration documents.

The patient, who was reportedly physically larger than Ms. Giancarlo, scratched her face, ripped her hair out, and caused injuries to her knee and back, according to the report. The injuries required surgery. Afterward, Ms. Giancarlo took medication to deal with the physical pain and underwent sessions with a psychiatrist to quell her mental distress.

In a statement cited in the report, BRMC spokeswoman Donalee Corrieri said: "BRMC has and will be supportive of Ms. Giancarlo in the aftermath of her ordeal. The breadth of that support extends well beyond, and is irrespective of, the full compensation and expense coverage addressed within the award."

The hospital, which oversees long-term behavioral health and acute term care, also is contesting citations issued by OSHA for instances of workplace violence and argued that the arbitrator, "unfortunately predicated her determinations on allegations from OSHA," Ms. Corrieri said, according to the report.

Meanwhile, state officials have extended the deadline to submit a prospective contract to the Bergen County Improvement Authority, which owns BRMC, to operate the hospital. The 19-year contract between county officials and the current hospital operator expires in March 2017.
Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreens filed a civil lawsuit in federal court in Delaware against Palo Alto, Calif.-based blood testing startup Theranos, alleging breach of contract and seeking $140 million in damages, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The lawsuit is sealed so as not to violate the companies' confidentiality agreement, according to the report. Sources told WSJ the lawsuit alleges Theranos misrepresented the readiness of its technology when it struck a deal with the drug retailer and continued to do so as doubts were raised over the past year about Theranos technology.

Walgreens ended its three-year partnership with Theranos in June after the blood testing startup voided tens of thousands of tests and issued corrections. Walgreens had Theranos blood-draw sites in 40 stores in Arizona and one in California.

"We are disappointed that Walgreens filed this lawsuit. Over the years, Walgreens consistently failed to meet its commitments to Theranos," the company wrote in a statement on the lawsuit. "Through its mishandling of our partnership and now this lawsuit, Walgreens has caused Theranos and its investors significant harm. We will respond vigorously to Walgreens' unfounded allegations, and will seek to hold Walgreens responsible for the damage it has caused to Theranos and its investors."

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It's no secret that Uber is partnering with hospitals to get patients to their appointments on time. Veyo is doing something similar  but with a slightly different plan of attack.

Veyo, a San Diego-based nonemergency medical transportation provider, is specifically geared toward providing transportation to Medicaid members, as well as Medicare and interfacility hospital transfers, who need to get to medical appointments. The company, which employs 400 individuals, will celebrate its first anniversary on Nov. 9. Although it's a relatively young company, it already operates in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan and Texas. On top of that, it's not new to the NEMT space  its strategic investor, Total Transit, was in the business for 15 years.

Becker's Hospital Review spoke with Veyo CEO Josh Komenda, who previously served as president of GoFastCab, a national taxi booking service for retail customers. Mr. Komenda discussed Veyo's background, purpose and goals for the future.

Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Question: How was Veyo founded?

Josh Komenda: Veyo was founded because we saw a major need in the NEMT space. Broadly, it includes nonemergency medical transportation, but a large chunk of that is Medicaid-eligible patients. The $5 billion industry is a lifeline to Medicaid recipients so they can get to dialysis, stay compliant to their treatment plans and avoid the most expensive way to treat patients: the ambulance.

Even though it's a noble idea, NEMT services haven't been delivered well over the past 20 to 30 years. As we explored this more and more, we saw a poor level of service was rampant in the industry, as was people not using the benefit properly. Over the past five years, we noticed companies on the consumer side of transportation setting the standard of economic transparency suited to retail passengers. We wondered, "Can we take those things and bring them to Medicaid passengers?"

We're now the first in the country to bring the ridesharing model specifically to the NEMT space. We conduct over 15,000 trips per day and have done over 2 million total trips.

Q: Where does the name "Veyo" come from?

JK: We went through a naming process last summer. We all started to coalesce around "Veyo," which is a play on the word "conveyance."

When we saw the name with the logo beside it, we felt it clicked with our company. We think of ourselves as a data-oriented company, and the logo and name invoke imagery of math and science.

Q: What's the process of using Veyo like for patients, providers and drivers?

JK: We have an extremely streamlined, transparent system that takes over 15,000 requests per day. Veyo matches patients seamlessly to a massive track of drivers and uses predictive analytics to make sure everything is happening on time. Overall, we want to take the level of service people expect on the consumer side and bring it to healthcare.

The Medicaid population has a broad, diverse array of needs. You have people who are able-bodied all the way to people who are in wheelchairs or bariatric wheelchairs. In addition, there are different types of geographies depending on where patients live. Patients are traditionally used to using a call center, which we still make available. But they can now use mobile phone apps or a web portal when requesting service. We also do a will call option through which a person can make a phone call, send a text or push a button on the app when they're ready to be picked up. In addition, we develop portals and tools for families of patients.

Our customers are primarily large insurance plans or state agencies that have multimillion budgets to deliver a transportation benefit.

We have different types of drivers. Our traditional commercial providers are wheelchair companies, and our independent driver model is our healthcare version of the Uber or Lyft model. We oversee our drivers directly  we recruit them, train them and make sure they're fully qualified and background checked.

Q: Where does Veyo hope to be five years down the road?

JK: When we first started on this journey, the ability to change the Medicaid spend was our first goal. For a long time, the Medicaid world saw NEMT spending as a necessary cost. We knew if we could deliver the NEMT benefit with the same reliability as on the consumer side, it could help reduce healthcare costs.

Now we're asking questions like, "Can we use the Veyo model to keep more people mobile longer?" or "Can we use our efficient logistics platform to put together prescription delivery services, improve people's lives and cut healthcare costs even more?"
President-elect Donald Trump's unexpected win Tuesday night served up a large dose of uncertainty for U.S. businesses with rumors of updated trade pacts and crackdowns on overseas manufacturing operations circling his campaign platform.

Throughout his campaign, Mr. Trump expressed a critical view of global trade, including treaties like the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership  a trade agreement to lower or eliminate tariffs between the U.S. and 11 other countries, reported The Wall Street Journal.

Efforts by a Trump administration to create new trade agreements could impact large businesses  like General Electric Co. and Caterpillar  who support free trade as a means to access overseas markets, according to the report. Mr. Trump has also criticized companies like Ford Motor Co. and United Technologies for moving jobs and operations overseas, WSJ reports.

China, one of America's biggest trading partners, is also under fire from the president- elect. Mr. Trump has said he will instruct the U.S. Trade Representative to initiate trade cases against the Chinese for allegedly using unfair subsidies to help their companies, WSJ reports. Tension with China could bring issues for companies like Apple and Procter & Gamble, which use Chinese factories to manufacture many of their products and rely on consumers to buy them.

During a business-school commencement address in May, General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt said companies should react to the growing call for policies to restrict international trade by manufacturing more goods closer to where they will be bought to reduce exports, among other strategies, according to the report.

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Some of Marks & Spencer's stores in Northern Ireland could be adapted to sell food instead of clothes while others could face closure as the retailer embarks on a major overhaul.

The company has eight Simply Food stores in Northern Ireland, three of them in Belfast.

There are another 10 stores around the province which sell food and other lines. The company employs around 1,000 people here.

UK-wide, it is to axe 30 stores and slash shop space devoted to its ailing clothing ranges as it focuses more on food under the shake-up.

The high street giant also warned of around 2,100 job losses overseas under plans to shut 53 shops across 10 markets, including China and France.

Chief executive Steve Rowe announced the latest restructure plans as he revealed that half-year profits crashed 88.4% to 25.1m, partly due to higher pension costs, while earnings fell 18.6% to 231.3m on an underlying basis.

It has said that clothing departments would be shut in 60 of its 304 full-line stores across the UK, with 30 stores closing altogether, and 45 shops to be converted into Simply Food outlets, downsized or relocated.

Around 100 stores overall will be affected by the changes over the next five years, it said. The group remained tight-lipped on the number of UK staff expected to be impacted or which stores would close.

But it said that, where possible, it would keep "job continuity" for affected employees.

The retailer yesterday revealed yet another fall in sales for the division, this time of 5.9% in the first half.

It narrowed the sales decline from 8.9% in the first quarter - its worst performance for a decade - to 2.9% in the second quarter.

Northern Ireland retail expert Donald McFetridge said it was "inevitable" stores here would be affected. "Merchandise - which includes fashion and homeware ranges - has been struggling for years and no one at M&S has been able to sort out the problem.

"So, chief executive Steve Rowe is taking a much more pragmatic and sensible approach to the fortunes at M&S and plans to concentrate on what they're good at: food.

"It is more than likely that some floor space in some of the bigger, mixed-line/full-range stores here will lose square footage to food, but, in the long-term, that's no bad thing.

"In fact, it could very well safeguard jobs for the future."

Shopworkers' trade union Usdaw said M&S staff would be "extremely concerned" about where the axe will fall.

Mr Rowe, who took over from Marc Bolland in April, said it was "not about the M&S brand disappearing", adding that the group would have more stores overall under aims to open 200-plus Simply Food outlets.

He said: "These are tough decisions, but vital to building a future M&S that is simpler, more relevant, multi-channel and focused on delivering sustainable returns."

Shares in the group fell 2% as the firm's half-year results underlined the woes facing its clothing arm.

Mr Rowe - a company veteran with 26 years' service - is aiming to turn around its clothing arm and get profits back on track.
Next year marks a decade since Amy Adams enraptured audiences as a fairytale princess thrust into modern-day New York by Susan Sarandon's evil queen. The role of perennially perky Giselle in Enchanted remains a favourite for the actress.

"It really is," exclaims Adams, a five-time Oscar nominee (for Junebug, Doubt, The Fighter, The Master and American Hustle), who's currently in talks to star in the sequel, Disenchanted.

"I've had conversations with Adam Shankman, who's been brought on as a director. He's a dear friend of mine, so that's exciting to me and I'm open to see what they bring," reveals the 42-year-old, wearing a plunging black dress, her beautifully blow-dried auburn hair draped over one shoulder.

"You know, I was always really scared to revisit it because I didn't think it was time, but there's been so much going on in the world that I'm feeling it might be," she continues in a melodious voice.

Adams' new movie Arrival, a grown-up sci-fi tale based on a short story by Ted Chiang, examines humanity's response to fear.

The actress, who was born in Italy and raised in Colorado, says: "It doesn't make a political statement, more a human statement about the importance of uniting against a shared threat or problem.

"Whether it's coming together over policies or to help solve a problem with your friends, we're always stronger when we work together, and I think (the film)does comment on that, but it's not necessarily zeroed-in on politics. It's a hot topic right now."

Adams, who reprises her role as Lois Lane in next year's Justice League, wasn't planning on taking on any new projects when the script for Arrival appeared.

"I didn't know what I was going be doing next and it was at a time when I really wanted to take a break and just be a mum for a while," reveals the actress who has a daughter, Aviana (6), with husband Darren Le Gallo.

"Then I read the script. It spoke to me really deeply and I felt I had to do it."

She plays Louise Banks, a linguist mourning the loss of her daughter. When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, Louise is hired by the US government to make contact with the aliens and try to understand the purpose of their visit.

"Denis (Villeneuve, the director) is a huge reason I was attracted to this," says Adams, who had aspirations of becoming a ballerina before turning to musical theatre.

"He really wanted to tell it as an intimate story of this woman, it just happens to be placed in this amazing sci-fi universe."

Arrival is far from your usual popcorn alien fare. It explores the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, the idea that the language you speak determines how you perceive the world and the thoughts that you have.

The shoot had a profound effect on Adams, who met a linguist in preparation.

"My character studies the anthropological significance of language and culture, how people speak to one another, and how languages originate," she says. "I did a lot of reading and realised I wouldn't be a good linguist, but I found it fascinating."

She also learned from watching her own daughter interact with other children.

"I've brought Aviana to several different countries now for work and watching her and other kids who cannot speak the same language, but who end up communicating; you start to learn communication and language are based on so much more than the words we speak," she explains.

Villeneuve, who has directed movies such as Prisoners and Sicario, explained his reasons for choosing Adams as the film's protagonist.

"She brought a lot of humanity, profoundness and a beautiful vulnerability to her character, a melancholia that I was looking for," says the film-maker.

It's a sentiment shared by Tom Ford, the fashion designer and director who cast her as his lead, Susan Morrow, in Nocturnal Animals.

"Amy has a spectacular ability to telegraph emotion without a word of dialogue, but with just her face and soulful eyes," observes Ford.

He wanted the character to be sympathetic, because in Ford's own words, "it would be very easy to hate her".

On the surface, Susan looks like she has it all. In truth, she's in a loveless marriage and feels disenchanted by her lavish existence.

One day, she's sent a book written by her ex-husband, Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal), which he's dedicated to her. It's a brutal story of what happens to a man, Tony (also played by Gyllenhaal), when he and his family are taunted by a gang.

The drama switches between Susan's current life, flashbacks to her past relationship with Edward and the story Edward has written.

Adams admits she was intrigued when she heard Ford, who directed 2009's A Single Man to great acclaim, was keen to cast her.

"I really wanted to hear Tom's perspective and how he intended to tell the story, because it was a beautiful script, but there's a lot of going back and forth between past and present," she says.

"When I spoke to him, he had such a wonderful way about him and such a personal relationship with the story, I was like, 'Yes, I want to be a part of this'."

The movie invites people to ruminate on how decisions made in youth can have a lasting impact much later.

"I have a lot of regret over people I may have hurt," says Adams. "Situations I maybe didn't handle well. It also helped remind me about hanging onto the things that are valuable to you now, even if fear gets in the way of trusting those things."

In 2014, emails were leaked as part of the Sony hacking scandal which revealed that Adams and Jennifer Lawrence were paid less than their American Hustle male co-stars.

It understandably caused worldwide furore and lengthy debate.

Adams didn't react publicly at the time, but has since revealed she knew she was being paid less and it was her decision to appear in the movie anyway.

"You have to decide if it's worth it for you - It doesn't mean I liked it," she told GQ earlier this year.

Today, Adams says: "The issue is not about pay, it's about treatment and what we allow, and what we've been trained to allow.

"That's that thing I wish I had a stronger voice about (when I was younger). If we're treated differently, then the pay will follow."

Nocturnal Animals is at cinemas now, with Arrival out tomorrow
More than 125 PSNI officers have lodged formal complaints over neck and back injuries caused by "unsuitable" police cars, it has emerged.

Police officers suffered the injuries while patrolling in armoured Insignia cars since 98 of the Vauxhall vehicles were purchased by the PSNI in December 2012.

Many others - who have not submitted complaints - believe the vehicles are unfit for purpose because of difficulties getting in and out while wearing full body armour and a rig belt with a gun, magazine, baton, CS spray, handcuffs and first aid pouch.

Complaints centre around the interior space of the hatchbacks, as officers say it is seriously reduced by the ballistic protection fitted to the doors and windows of the cars.

A source told the Belfast Telegraph that accessing the seats requires "considerable physical effort", and that when another officer or a prisoner is in the back seat the space is so cramped that they cannot sit up straight.

A number of the officers have launched legal proceedings seeking compensation for the often prolonged effects of spinal, neck and other injuries sustained on duty in the vehicles.

The issue was first raised by DUP MP Jim Shannon in the House of Commons last year.

He said that the Insignias were "completely unsuitable" for policing and that average-sized officers cannot get out if the car is attacked.

There are also fears that officers could be trapped inside in an emergency, following claims from the PSNI source that it is "impossible" to escape through the rear hatch.

"This is because of the cramped interior and the bulk of the equipment," the source said.

A PSNI Freedom of Information disclosure revealed that, given the level of ballistic protection and the quantities required, the armoured Vauxhall Insignia was the only hatchback vehicle available at the time of purchase.

The Insignias are specially designed and manufactured for police use to a specification set out by national police contracts. However, the FoI response revealed that the PSNI did not test the car's suitability for its unique role in Northern Ireland by having people enter and exit and sit inside in the full protective equipment and rig belt they are required to wear at all times. PSNI health and welfare specialists have ordered many injured officers not to deploy in Insignias except in the case of an emergency.

Ulster Unionist MLA Ross Hussey, who is a member of the Policing Board, said he had serious concerns over the vehicles.

"I would have thought by 2016 someone would have developed a system where the car can be armoured and also comfortable for the officers to use," he said. "I can understand an officer who has to wear full body armour, including a gun belt and other equipment, that it can be quite difficult to get in and out of a confined space.

"The safety of the officers while travelling is vital and if we are in the position where an officer can cause damage to their neck, back or spine because of the vehicle, I would have serious concerns."

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd said all armoured vehicles in the PSNI fleet were designed to keep officers and staff safe, and to be "serviceable across a range of geographical areas".

"The work to ensure that this is and remains the case is continuous, and is overseen at the most senior levels within PSNI," he said.

"Where concerns are raised by officers, staff or those acting on their behalf, these are considered as part of this ongoing development process.

"To illustrate this, Insignia estate cars with additional rear compartment space are now the preferred purchase, and further makes and models are also being developed with manufacturers."
One of the two helicopters outside Titanic Belfast in Northern Irelandt.

Northern Ireland's new air ambulance could save up to 50 lives every year, it was claimed during a public unveiling.

The EC135 Airbus helicopter touched down outside Titanic Belfast before flying to Enniskillen and Portstewart as part of a three-day visit.

It is one of two specially designed aircraft to be permanently based in the region and comes after years of campaigning.

Ian Crowe, chairman of Air Ambulance Northern Ireland charity, (AANI), said: "The service will bring us into line with other regions in the UK and Ireland, and will help save an expected 18 to 50 lives every year.

"The support we've received from the public and local businesses has been fantastic, and this visit is an opportunity to say thank you and encourage others to get involved."

An announcement on when the air ambulance will be operational is expected later this month.

Stormont Health Minister Michelle O'Neill said: "I hope to be in a position to make a further announcement about the implementation of the service in the coming weeks, once I have fully considered the medical advice regarding the operating model."

Provision of an air ambulance became a reality when former Chancellor George Osborne pledged 4.5 million towards the project earlier this year.

The helicopters will be based at Belfast International Airport at Aldergrove, Co Antrim - where it will be within a 25 minute flight time of any part of Northern Ireland - and will transport patients to Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital.

The aircraft and pilots will be supplied by Babcock Mission Critical Services while medical staff and equipment will be provided and funded by Health and Social Care services.

Annual costs are estimated at 1.8 million with much of the money being generated through charity fundraising.

Ray Foran, an AANI trustee, said: "These modern twin-engine helicopters were designed specifically with emergency services operations in mind and come fully equipped for HEMS and air ambulance operations.

"The main helicopter will also be equipped with weather radar to maximise its effectiveness."

It was previously agreed the air ambulance would have the call sign "Delta 7", in memory of Dr John Hinds, one of the so-called "flying doctors" of Irish motorcycle racing who campaigned tirelessly for the service before his tragic death last year.
Mr Justice Colton is expected to announce his final determination next wee

A Belfast grammar school has won a legal challenge over being forced to admit an Asian boy whose home came under racist attack.

The High Court ruled on Wednesday that the decision taken by an Exceptional Circumstances Body (ECB) who assessed the 12-year-old pupil's case was procedurally unfair.

However, a judge was urged not to make any order requiring the child's transfer to another school amid fears of causing further trauma.

Mr Justice Colton is expected to announce his final determination next week.

Anonymity orders imposed in the case prevent any of the parties being identified.

The boy, whose family have been granted political asylum in the UK, failed to gain the required score when he sat the AQE transfer test last year.

Despite scoring well below the minimum entry level, he was given a place based on circumstances linked to suspected hate crime against his family after they arrived in Northern Ireland.

Their home was attacked, a car was burnt and a threatening racist letter left at the door of the property.

The boy, referred to only as AA, developed psychological symptoms.

He was in constant fear and could not be left alone, the court heard.

His parents applied to the ECB in a bid to to get him into the grammar school, citing the psychiatric trauma suffered.

The board considered the case twice over the summer and issued the same direction both times that the boy should be admitted to the school.

It concluded that it was essential for him to retain a close network of close friends also being educated there.

Following emergency court action taken by the family in August the school agreed to let him enter first year.

But it made clear that consent was given "under protest" and without prejudice to its own challenge to the ECB.

In its application for judicial review counsel for the school argued that it was not in AA's best interests to remain there due to his low academic performance.

Concerns were raised over the child's own welfare if he continues to fall behind classmates.

The school's lawyers argued that it knew nothing about the first ECB hearing in July.

It was also claimed the principal was wrongly "kept in the dark" about the so-called network of friends during the second tribunal in August.

Mr Justice Colton backed submissions that there had been a procedural flaw in the ECB procedure.

He said: "By failing to inform the school of the basis for its decision in July prior to the August hearing, and thereby failing to give the school an opportunity to meet this submission I have come to the conclusion there has been a procedural unfairness in the decision making process."

The judge stressed, however, there remained significant issues about what relief should be granted.

Counsel for the boy's family, Fiona Dohery QC, argued that the judgment should be left to "speak for itself" without any further order.

She said: "To do otherwise would heap further distress and trauma on this already traumatised child."

But a barrister representing the school countered that the ECB decision should be quashed and reconsidered.

He added: "The applicant's contention is that (AA's) interests are better served in another school environment."

Mr Justice Colton told the parties he wanted to reflect on their submissions before issuing a final judgment "very shortly"
The brother of a man missing from his home for a year has marked the anniversary with a fresh call for tracking devices for people diagnosed with dementia.

John Concannon (72) failed to return to his home in the Galliagh area of Londonderry after a visit to the city centre one year ago this week.

He was last seen getting off a bus that was not the usual one he took, at a stop a short distance from his home.

Since then, despite extensive searches on both sides of the Irish border, Mr Concannon has never been found.

His brother, Robert, said his family could have been spared months of pain and anguish if tracker devices were given to people with dementia.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Concannon raised questions over a pilot scheme by the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB).

It had been planned to test the use of tracker devices as a way of maintaining independence and safeguarding dementia sufferers.

He said: "Within days of me calling for tracker devices for people with dementia like my brother, John, this pilot scheme was announced by the Health Board but I haven't heard a single word about it since."

"No one can begin to imagine the turmoil we have endured over the past 12 months since John went missing. We have searched and searched every street, field and ditch," he explained.

"We still wake every morning and go to bed at night thinking about him and wondering if we will ever find him."

Mr Concannon said a growing number of people are being diagnosed with dementia "and they are getting younger and younger".

"That makes it all the more important that, if the technology is there that could help them, then they must get it.

"These devices would help keep people with dementia safe and secure and it would spare their families the pain and anguish our family continues to go through.

"It makes me angry that the Health Board has these devices but they seem to be allowing them to gather dust rather than help save lives," he added.

In January 2016, Seamus McErlean, Commissioning Lead for Older People and Adult Services at the Health and Social Care Board, announced its intention to launch the scheme across all five Health Trust areas in Northern Ireland.

However, the pilot scheme was not run in the Western Trust area and it remains unclear if it was ever rolled out across any of the other four Trusts.

No-one from the HSCB was available for comment when contacted.
A fake Facebook account, claiming to be that of First Minister Arlene Foster, contacted former Special Branch Agent, Martin McGartland, and asked him to reveal the secret identity under which he is living in England.

A DUP spokesman last night confirmed that the account was "in no way connected to Arlene Foster or to our party" and described the messages to Mr McGartland, who is in hiding from the IRA, as "very concerning".

The fake profile boasted dozens of politicians, journalists, and ex-police officers as friends and was almost identical to the DUP leader's genuine Facebook account.

Mr McGartland, who has previously survived two IRA murder attempts, said he believed his life was once again under threat, and he urged the PSNI to investigate the matter immediately.

He said: "Whoever opened that account went to great lengths to make it appear as if it was the real Arlene Foster. Their motivation in contacting me, and asking for my personal details, can be nothing other than sinister. If they want that type of information from me, the only reason is to harm me."

The profile, in the name of Mrs Foster, had lifted personal photographs from the DUP leader's genuine Facebook page. It accurately listed her date of birth and other details, and posts date as far back as June 2014.

The fake account contacted Mr McGartland on Monday night asking him if he would like the First Minister's help in claiming a grant.

The former British agent, who has been engaged in a battle with the security services over his personal situation, replied that he would be most grateful for her assistance.

He explained that he is barred from claiming disability allowance even though he cannot work due to injuries he suffered when seriously wounded in an IRA gun attack in 1999.

The fake Arlene Foster profile then asked Mr McGartland to send her his real name, and also to forward details to a certain email address. "Alarm bells started to go off in my head," the ex-agent said. "Had I revealed the identity under which I am now living, or emailed a message disclosing my IP address, I would have seriously endangered my own life. I had contacted Arlene Foster's office a few years ago, asking for assistance, and had spoken to her secretary.

"So I asked the person purporting to be Arlene Foster for details of that. There was no response and I was then blocked by the account."

When contacted by the Belfast Telegraph, Mrs Foster immediately reported the fake account to Facebook which has since removed it. The DUP said it was pleased the social media giant had responded so swiftly.

In 1991, Mr McGartland escaped from an IRA unit, who were planning to kill him, by jumping 40ft out a bathroom window in Twinbrook where he was being held.

He was resettled in England under the name Martin Ashe.

In 1999, the Provos traced him to Whitley Bay, near Newcastle. An IRA gunman shot him seven times but he survived. The former agent was moved again by the security services and now lives elsewhere in England under a new identity.
A Co Tyrone woman who travels to the US for special treatment for her infant son's health condition has said she is "absolutely gutted" over the end of the Belfast to Newark air route.

Charlie Ferris, from Ballinderry, makes the journey to Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia with mum Donna and dad Jody every eight weeks.

Taking the flight from Belfast International Airport can mean a saving of as much as 1,500 compared to other routes.

The 15-month-old suffers from infantile scoliosis, which if not treated properly means his spine could become severely twisted, leading to breathing problems and decreased life expectancy.

Donna said she was devastated to learn about the decision to withdraw the route after a 9m Stormont funding package to United Airlines was deemed in breach of European Commission rules.

The US route was described by the Belfast International managing director Graham Keddie as a "vital link".

Charlie's plight moved many people, including tragic road racer Malachi Mitchell-Thomas, who helped the family raise money for the little boy's treatment. He posed with a teddy bear for a fundraising photo just 48 hours before dying in a crash at the North West 200 earlier this year.

Mr Keddie said: "To block a support package for an airline that delivers direct access to the US is almost beyond comprehension.

"We have worked tirelessly to safeguard the service, but Brussels took a different view, believing the support package gave United an unfair advantage over services from elsewhere.

"The package in no way competes or conflicts with competitors within the UK."

Mrs Ferris told of her shock. "I was absolutely gutted," she said. "We chose the route because it was the cheapest option for us. We had good flight times for Charlie and it meant we weren't getting up at ridiculous hours.

"Because Charlie wasn't out of his routine and was able to sleep on the plane, it meant everything worked so smoothly for us, even down to picking up our hire car and driving to Philadelphia. It all worked out so much better for us as a family, as opposed to making the flight from Dublin."

Charlie is responding well to treatment, but the family still face a long and arduous journey over the coming months and years, with additional costs now added to their problems.

"Our next trip out will be on November 30 and I am feeling anxious about it because, on this occasion, due to the date and time of Charlie's appointment, we had no other option but to fly from Dublin," Donna explained. "I have seen the difference in cost from Belfast to Dublin airports being as much as 1,500, so when I heard the news about the Newark flight I was devastated because I thought the route was safe for the foreseeable future due to the funding package. Now that we are going to have to use a different route, we don't know how Charlie will cope with that.

"With the flights and car hire, each trip usually costs around 3,000, and it's heartbreaking for our other children every time we have to leave them behind."

As part of an initiative with Shriners Hospital, the family bring gift bags with them for children receiving treatment there. Details of how to send a bag can be found on Donna's Facebook page, Charlie's Journey with Infantile Scoliosis.

The Ferris family have set up a fundraising appeal to help with travel and associated costs, which can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/25pt3jg
Caoimhe OBrien, who was killed in a car crash last month

A Co Tyrone family have been hit by a third tragedy in as many months after a loved one who was hit by a car in Newtownstewart died after two weeks in intensive care.

Eugene O'Brien (44) was left critically injured following the incident on Monday, October 24.

He passed away on Monday.

His death is a second blow for the family in less than a month.

Mr O'Brien's niece Caoimhe O'Brien (23) died after her Ford Focus crashed on Victoria Road, between Derry and Strabane, on October 13.

And in August Mr O'Brien's uncle Frank died suddenly.

He was described by family members as "legend", a "great uncle" and a man who was "always smiling".

Fr Roland Calhoun, from Newtownstewart Parish, where the O'Brien family live, said they were devastated.

"Death is a blow to any family but a sudden death is even more so," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"Eugene was 44 years old, he was a twin and one of eight siblings.

"Both his parents, Bridget and James, are dead and he felt their loss very grievously.

"He buried his uncle in August and his niece in October, and now he's dead.

"So, the family has had three deaths in almost as many months."

He described Eugene as a "very civilised and decent individual", who had endured two bouts of cancer.

"He really suffered a lot," he said.

"He didn't have the energy to be out and about much. He was living a quiet life.

"So death has intervened prematurely and poor Eugene has been taken from us."

Fr Calhoun offered his condolences and support to the family, most of whom live in Newtownstewart.

"He's left a big gap in their lives - a big void," added the priest.

"They will miss him dearly."

West Tyrone SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan said he was "deeply saddened" by news of Eugene's death.

"This is another very tragic and difficult loss for the O'Brien family in such a short time," he said.

He added: "It is my understanding that Eugene had been on life support in the Royal Victoria Hospital since the accident until his passing.

"My prayers and sincere thoughts are with the entire O'Brien family circle, friends and wider community."

Meanwhile, police are looking for witnesses to the collision in which Eugene died.

They issued a fresh appeal for anyone who was travelling on the Strabane Road between 6.20pm and 6.35pm on Monday, October 24 and who may have witnessed the incident - which involved a black Vauxhall Vectra car - to contact police at Strabane on 101.
A man charged with murdering his neighbour at flats in west Belfast is to undergo psychiatric assessment, a court heard today.

James Devine's lawyer revealed tests are to be carried out on his mental health as he appeared in the dock accused of killing 62-year-old James Hughes.

Mr Hughes' body was discovered at the weekend on the 14th floor of the Divis Tower where he lived.

Devine, 42, with an address is in the same apartment block, is understood to have been a friend of the victim.

He appeared before Belfast Magistrates' Court to face a single charge of murdering Mr Hughes on November 5.

Bearded and with a black eye, he spoke only once during the brief hearing.

Asked if he understood the alleged offence, Devine replied: "Yes."

Relatives of the victim sobbed in the public gallery as the charge was put to him.

A detective sergeant confirmed he could connect the accused to the case against him.

No details were disclosed about the circumstances surrounding Mr Hughes death.

Defence solicitor Michael Madden confirmed he was not seeking bail for his client at this stage.

He also disclosed that assessments will be carried out to establish if the accused should be transferred to psychiatric hospital accommodation.

At this stage, however, Devine was remanded into prison custody to appear again by video link on December 7.

District Judge Fiona Bagnall added: "If he's in a hospital setting obviously he is excused (from attending)."
The body of James Hughes, 62, was discovered on the 14th floor of Divis Tower in Belfast

Forensics at the scene at Divis Tower in west Belfast. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

Police officers at the scene of a murder in the Divis Flats area of West Belfast on November 6th 2016 in Lisburn , Northern Ireland (Photo by Kevin Scott / Presseye)

A 42-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a man found dead in a Belfast tower block.

The body of James Hughes, 62, was discovered on the 14th floor of Divis Tower at the weekend.

Mr Hughes was a resident of the flats. The accused, who was arrested on Sunday, was charged by detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland's serious crime branch.

He is due to appear before a district judge in Belfast on Wednesday.
Launching judicial review proceedings, his barrister contended that there had been a breach of his rights to life and privacy under European law

A Co Tyrone man's life was put at risk by alleged police attempts to recruit him as an informer, the High Court heard on Wednesday.

Brian Sheridan's lawyers claim undercover PSNI officers made unsuccessful approaches in Oslo and Armagh in a bid to gain intelligence.

The 39-year-old is taking legal action against the Chief Constable, arguing that a lack of policy to regulate the practice is unlawful.

He is also challenging the Police Ombudsman's decision not to uphold his complaint about the officers' actions.

Mr Sheridan, from Blackwatertown, claims he was approached in February and October 2015 by police seeking either intelligence or information.

Launching judicial review proceedings, his barrister contended that there had been a breach of his rights to life and privacy under European law.

Hugh Southey QC stressed the concern that people might wrongly think Mr Sheridan had done a deal with police.

"They might have been pursuing him to act as an informer, but I can't know that because the approaches didn't get very far," he said.

Mr Southey argued that the police conduct had the potential to cause serious risk of harm.

The alleged encounters continued despite his client asking officers to stop, the court heard.

"The complaint was that he was placed in danger by these approaches," counsel said.

According to Mr Sheridan's case the Ombudsman failed to properly investigate his grievances before reaching a decision in February this year.

His lawyers claim the watchdog wrongly focused on misconduct rather than considering any human rights breaches.

Counsel for the Chief Constable, Tomny McGleenan QC, countered by claiming delays in bringing the case.

He argued that Mr Sheridan had enough information to bring proceedings back in October last year.

"The applicant now says 'Im not actually complaining about the contact between the police officers and myself'," the barrister said.

"He says he complaining about the policy or absence of policy dealing with approaches of this type."

Judgment was reserved following all submissions.

Pledging to give his verdict as quickly as possible, Mr Justice Maguire said: "I don't intend to try to deal with the outcome of the leave hearing without giving the case more attention."
Schools have hit out at a teaching union for putting them on its list of institutions which could be hit by its forthcoming strike.

On Monday the NASUWT union said its members will take part in major strike action at the end of the month over pay, workload and job security - which could close schools.

It listed 232 schools across Belfast and Newtownabbey which it said would be impacted by the action.

However, a number of those schools have complained to the Belfast Telegraph that no members of their staff are NASUWT members and therefore could not be impacted by the action.

One head teacher said she was surprised at some of those other schools included on the list.

"We have had to field calls all day from parents wondering what is happening because of this," she said. "As the unions are all too aware, we are overworked and could do without the extra work of having to deal with incorrect information being put out there. And it is all down to the information from the union - they are just wrong."

The NASUWT was unapologetic. A spokesman said parents should confirm with their schools how they will be impacted, if at all. He added that staff in those schools listed can still join the NASUWT at any stage.

The strike arose following a breakdown in negotiations between unions and employers over a pay offer of 0% for 2015/16 and 1% for 2016/17.

Meanwhile teachers from 60 schools - who belong to different unions not involved in the planned strike - staged pickets during lunch times and pick-up times yesterday.

This was part of a joint initiative organised by four unions - INTO, ATL, UTU and the NAHT.

The Belfast Telegraph visited a number of schools where teachers were due to take part in the pickets and found varying levels of participation.

At Our Lady and St Patrick's College in Knock, teachers held banners and handed out flyers to parents as they collected their children from school. Edmund Cowan, the INTO representative for the school, said that the picketing is a way for the teachers to say "enough is enough, especially the last pay offer".

At Orangefield Primary School, teachers handed out the same flyers to the parents and carers of the children, but they didn't hold up signs or demonstrate.

Most parents of children at the school supported the teachers, but said they were concerned about childcare arrangements if the school closed.

Mother Nicola Moore said: "I do sympathise with the teachers and I know what they're going through. It's just as parents it would be hard for us. But if we could try and find a way to sort it out without the school closing, it would be ideal."

Parents at Killyleagh Primary school were unanimous in their support for higher teacher pay.

William Walker (53), who was collecting his daughter Zoe (nine) from school, said teachers needed to be properly valued.

Emily Mills (33) - who has two daughters at the school - said she felt teachers in Northern Ireland should get equal pay to those in England.

Grandmother Pauline O'Prey (56), who was collecting Sophie (eight), commented: "I think they work hard and have a lot to put up with, I certainly wouldn't want to be a teacher nowadays."
A councillor who fought to legalise homosexuality has described plans to pardon men in Northern Ireland with convictions for now-abolished same-sex offences as a "step forward for fairness and justice".

The Executive has now backed legislation already introduced in England and Wales last month.

Veteran gay rights activist Jeffrey Dudgeon welcomed yesterday's announcement which comes weeks after he called on the Department of Justice to pardon men convicted under the now defunct laws.

Justice Minister Claire Sugden secured the approval of fellow Executive ministers in the DUP/Sinn Fein-led administration to extend to Northern Ireland the provision for pardons in the Government's Policing and Crime Bill.

Under the legislation, posthumous pardons will be granted to all those convicted of relevant offences who have since died. Those still alive can make individual applications for similar pardons.

The motion for legislative consent will now go forward for consideration by the Assembly.

Mr Dudgeon, an Ulster Unionist, said: "The announcement is a step forward for fairness and justice.

"It's good to see the Department of Justice living up to its name, delivering justice for those who were previously convicted for no more than being in consensual same sex relationships.

"It is now up to the Northern Ireland Assembly to deliver fairness for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community."

Speaking about the legislation, Ms Sugden said: "Pardon arrangements should be brought to Northern Ireland as soon as possible to ensure that there is equal treatment for gay and bisexual men here as for their counterparts in England and Wales.

"This is an opportunity for the criminal justice system to try and right the wrongs of the past and one which will allow for much earlier resolution than that presented by way of an Assembly Bill."

Northern Ireland-based LGBT organisation the Rainbow Project welcomed the news.

Rainbow Project director John O'Doherty, said: "This is the first time that the Northern Ireland Assembly has made positive moves in respect of LGBT legislation and we are hopeful that with cross-party support the pardons will be applicable to convictions made against gay men living in Northern Ireland.

"It was only in 1982 that the criminalisation of gay and bisexual men in Northern Ireland was ruled unlawful by the European Court of Human Rights and we are pleased to see these homophobic and discriminatory convictions quashed, especially as they ruined the lives of so many men in Northern Ireland at the time."

Alliance leader Naomi Long also welcomed the announcement.

The East Belfast MLA said: "They were convicted of a crime which should never have been an offence in the first place.

"I believe as well as a pardon, an apology from the Government should also be given to those who did nothing other than form consenting relationships with other adult males.

"The hurt caused by these convictions may never be eradicated, but a pardon and apology could go a long way to making amends."
The Queen has been praised for helping to set Anglo-Irish relations on a firmer footing, as she unveiled a stunning portrait of herself commissioned to mark the work of a charity promoting reconciliation in Northern Ireland.

In the remarkable setting of Crosby Hall, the home of Henry VIII's former chancellor Sir Thomas More, the Queen pulled a velvet cloth from the striking image painted by internationally acclaimed artist Colin Davidson.

The large canvas, measuring 4ft by 5ft, depicted the Queen wearing a turquoise Karl Ludwig day dress and in reflective mood, with a hint of a smile on her face.

The Belfast-born artist, who has painted leading figures such as actors Liam Neeson and Brad Pitt, German chancellor Angela Merkel and Nobel Laureate poet Seamus Heaney, said after the unveiling: "I jested with her she was still talking to me, which was good, and she absolutely agreed she still was talking to me - so I took quite a bit of heart from that."

Davidson, who had one 90 minute sitting with the monarch in May, added: "She commented on the scale and most sitters comment on the scale, she had no idea I was going to make her so big. I told her that's the size I usually paint and I couldn't possibly paint her any smaller."

He added: "What I hope, is that my painting in some way acknowledges the actions she has taken to advance healing in the Anglo-Irish relationship."

The guest list for the event in Chelsea, London included First Minister Arlene Foster, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire, and Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald.

The Queen, who was joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, is joint patron of Co-operation Ireland, with Irish president Michael D Higgins, which commissioned Mr Davidson to paint the monarch.

The Queen made a historic state visit to Ireland in 2011 when her presence on Irish soil - which was the first by a British monarch since Ireland gained independence from Britain - heralded a new chapter in Anglo-Irish relations.

Mr McGuinness said: "I think she's made a tremendous contribution to support the whole process of peace and reconciliation."
Geoffrey Ellison, 58, was found in his cell in Magilligan, Co Londonderry, on March 28 last year

The death of a prisoner who hanged himself in Northern Ireland was predictable but information was not properly shared between staff, a watchdog said.

Geoffrey Ellison, 58, was found in his cell in Magilligan, Co Londonderry, on March 28 last year, nine weeks before he was due for release.

He had received an upsetting letter from home in England which left him looking for new accommodation, the Prisoner Ombudsman said. The information was not passed to a senior manager or healthcare expert.

In an answerphone message left with the author of the letter, he said he was going to put a rope around his neck. By the time the person phoned the prison the following day to express concern, he was dead.

A reviewer for the Ombudsman said: "Despite Mr Ellison's past history and other risk factors being present... it seems that information was not shared, or recorded systematically or appropriately between prison staff, or from prison staff to healthcare staff."

Ellison had a history of self-harm and attempting suicide and a number of triggers and risk factors were present, yet a Supporting Prisoners At Risk (Spar) file was not opened.

The review noted the prison officer in the censor's office had told the wing staff that the letter containing upsetting news was on the way to Ellison and advised the staff to keep an eye on him.

"The wing staff, although sharing this information verbally between themselves at the time, did not share or record it anywhere, pass the information on to oncoming staff, or consider escalating the information to a senior manager, or anyone in healthcare.

"Despite a number of risk factors described in the Northern Ireland Prison Service (Nips) Suicide and Self-harm Prevention policy, particularly previous suicide attempts, history of mental health issues and (upsetting news), being present, further action to monitor these risks was not considered necessary."

During his time in custody, Ellison did not appear to be someone who was contemplating suicide. He had appeared content in Magilligan, got along well with staff and other prisoners and was actively planning to return home to England after release.

He lived in a low supervision area and worked as an orderly.

However, shortly before his death he received the upsetting letter from home.

One implication was that he might have had difficulty obtaining an address following release.

Although that concern was quickly dispelled, other important aspects of his future remained uncertain.

He tried to address them by phone but was unable to do so.

The report said: "Between March 23 and 26, Mr Ellison made 33 unanswered calls and left an answerphone message on almost every occasion.

"These messages again evidenced that he was becoming increasingly anxious, suspicious, frustrated and upset that his calls were not being answered.

Two officers on his landing did not have undue concerns for Ellison as they thought his main anxiety about obtaining an address had been resolved.

After receiving the letter, other inmates said he smashed gifts which he had made to take home and ripped up photographs. However, they did not alert prison staff to Mr Ellison's deteriorating mood, the report said.

It added: "While our clinical reviewer felt Mr Ellison's death was predictable, she concluded that it could not be determined with any certainty that it could have been prevented."

The report makes nine recommendations for improvement, all of which have been accepted.

Ombudsman Tom McGonigle said: "Mr Ellison was not believed to be at risk in terms of suicide and his death came as a shock to everyone who knew him at Magilligan.

"Suicidal ideation that had been apparent before he came into custody was not evident during this prison sentence."
The National Crime Agency has been refused money by Stormont, it has been claimed.

The gang-busting body - the UK's answer to the FBI - was only allowed to operate in Northern Ireland in 2015 after a two-year political stand-off.

An MLA told the Assembly yesterday the refusal of cash by the Department of Justice was "absolutely extraordinary".

Ulster Unionist Doug Beattie said: "We are talking about ending organised crime, paramilitarism and criminality, yet we have not funded the NCA at the very start. The NCA brings a certain expertise and strategic intelligence; its raison d'etre is dealing with organised crime, and we have not funded it.

"It did put in for funding, but was taken out because it is a non-devolved body, so it has to apply through the PSNI to get funding."

Sinn Fein and the SDLP opposed the NCA operating in the province over fears about lack of accountability.

But a breakthrough was achieved 20 months ago after then Justice Minister David Ford insisted the body would be subject to the same code of ethics that applied to the PSNI.

Mr Beattie's claim came as the Assembly debated the Executive's blueprint for tackling paramilitarism - a plan that the UK Government is refusing to release 5m for until it has been improved upon.

Alliance's Stewart Dickson said: "The plan fails to identify which departments have responsibility for specific actions. There is little evidence of fresh thinking or a willingness to even engage in that."

Referring to Arlene Foster's recent photograph with UDA leader Dee Stitt, he added: "When we see ministers, including our First Minister, posing for photographs with current paramilitaries, a wrong and destructive message is being sent out."

Paul Frew (DUP) rounded on the UUP and SDLP, saying they had been in charge in the years after the Good Friday Agreement when "more people were recruited into loyalist paramilitaries" than during the Troubles.

The SDLP's Alex Attwood said Justice Minister Claire Sugden and the Executive "cannot run or hide from that fact" that the Government was holding onto funding "until the Executive agrees a more detailed action plan".

Ms Sugden said the Executive had not yet asked for the Westminster money because it still had "preparation work" to do, but 4m had already been spent on new forensic equipment for the police and on the start of an anti-paramilitary public awareness campaign.
Air Ambulance Northern Ireland unveiled its primary helicopter at Titanic Belfast on Wednesday.

Two air ambulances, providing 24-hour cover across Northern Ireland are set to enter service.

It's hoped the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) will save up to 50 lives a year.

A date has not been set for it to begin operations, however, the health minister is expected to make an announcement later this month.

One of the two helicopters arrived in Belfast today for a three-day flying visit. It will be the primary aircraft with the second on standby to ensure no break in cover.

The two EC135 twin-engine Airbus helicopters were designed specifically with emergency services operations in mind and come fully equipped for HEMS and air ambulance operations.

The main helicopter will also be equipped with weather radar to maximise its effectiveness.

Ian Crowe, Chairman of Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, said: Were delighted to publicly unveil the actual helicopter which will provide Northern Irelands first HEMS service. The service will bring us into line with other regions in the UK and Ireland, and will help save an expected 18 to 50 lives every year.

The support weve received from the public and local businesses has been fantastic, and this visit is an opportunity to say thank you and encourage others to get involved. Annual running costs for the service will be 1.8m and were relying on the generosity of local people to help us raise these funds.

AANI is continuing to work with our partners in Health and Social Care to establish this lifesaving service, and we expect that the Health Minister will make a further announcement about the commencement of the service by the end of November.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close One of the two helicopters which will deliver Northern Ireland's first ever Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) was in Northern Ireland for a three-day flying visit last year. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 9th November 2016 One of the two helicopters which will deliver Northern IrelandAos first ever Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) is in Northern Ireland for a three-day flying visit. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 9th November 2016 One of the two helicopters which will deliver Northern IrelandOs first ever Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) is in Northern Ireland for a three-day flying visit. Pictured with the Airbus helicopter is Air Ambulance Northern Ireland Chairman Ian Crowe and Trustee Ray Foran. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 9th November 2016 One of the two helicopters which will deliver Northern IrelandOs first ever Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) is in Northern Ireland for a three-day flying visit. Pictured with the Airbus helicopter is Air Ambulance Northern Ireland Chairman Ian Crowe. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 9th November 2016 One of the two helicopters which will deliver Northern Irelands first ever Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) is in Northern Ireland for a three-day flying visit. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye Press Eye Belfast - Northern Ireland 9th November 2016 One of the two helicopters which will deliver Northern IrelandAos first ever Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) is in Northern Ireland for a three-day flying visit. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye The Northern Ireland Air Ambulance takes its first flight in Belfast on November 9th 2016, Northern Ireland (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Northern Ireland Air Ambulance takes its first flight in Belfast on November 9th 2016 , Northern Ireland (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Northern Ireland Air Ambulance takes its first flight in Belfast on November 9th 2016 , Northern Ireland (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Northern Ireland Air Ambulance takes its first flight in Belfast on November 9th 2016 , Northern Ireland (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Northern Ireland Air Ambulance takes its first flight in Belfast on November 9th 2016 , Northern Ireland (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Northern Ireland Air Ambulance takes its first flight in Belfast on November 9th 2016 , Northern Ireland (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The Northern Ireland Air Ambulance takes its first flight in Belfast on November 9th 2016 , Northern Ireland (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

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Whatsapp One of the two helicopters which will deliver Northern Ireland's first ever Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) was in Northern Ireland for a three-day flying visit last year. Picture by Jonathan Porter/Press Eye

The helicopters and pilots will be supplied by Babcock Mission Critical Services, the leading provider of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) across the UK. Operating from more than 20 bases Babcock responds to hundreds of emergency calls every week. The medical staff and equipment will be provided and funded by Health and Social Care services.
Inmates jailed for burglary and similar offences had the highest re-offending rate

Almost half of prisoners released from Irish jails carry out another criminal offence within three years, latest official figures reveal.

The 45% reoffending rate for inmates let out in 2010 was down slightly on the previous year.

Men are more likely to break the law again than women, with nearly half of all males reoffending within three years compared with four in 10 females.

Younger prisoners were much more likely to reoffend than older inmates after they were let out.

The figures, based on crime incident and court conviction records up to the end of 2015, were released by the Central Statistics Office.

They show that those put behind bars for burglary and similar offences had the highest rate of re-offending. Almost seven in 10 went on to be convicted of another crime after being released.

Similarly, almost four in 10 offenders who were handed probation or community service orders in 2010 went on to commit another offence within three years.

This number was up very slightly on the previous year.

Again, men and younger offenders were more likely to commit another offence than women or older people.
Five people are trapped and 40 people have been injured after a tram overturned in a tunnel in Croydon (Picture: Metropolitan Police)

At least seven people were killed when a tram sped ro und a sharp bend and derailed during the morning rush hour.

Investigators said the vehicle was travelling at a "significantly higher speed than is permitted", and are probing whether the driver, who has been arrested, may have fallen asleep.

Scenes on board have been described as "total carnage" and "like something out of a film" as the two-carriage tram tipped onto its side in heavy rain next to an underpass near the Sandilands stop in Croydon, south London.

The 42-year-old male driver, from Beckenham, is being held on suspicion of manslaughter and is currently in custody, British Transport Police said.

One of the injured passengers described the terrifying scenes inside the tram.

Martin Bamford, 30, from Croydon, who was among more than 50 injured, said he recalled it "speeding up", adding: "Everyone just literally went flying."

Speaking outside Croydon University Hospital, where he is being treated for fractured or broken ribs, he said people were screaming and there was "blood everywhere", describing the scene as "like something out of a film".

Asked what he had seen e added : "There was a woman that was on top of me ... I don't think she made it at all. She wasn't responsive. There was blood everywhere."

Asked about the driver, he said: "I asked him if he was okay. He said 'yeah'. I said to him 'what happened?' He said he thinks he blacked out."

London mayor Sadiq Khan, who visited the scene earlier, warned the death toll "may well increase".

The tram was operating from New Addington to Wimbledon via Croydon when the accident happened at 6.10am on Wednesday.

British Transport Police's assistant chief constable Robin Smith said they were investigating whether the driver of the Wimbledon-bound tram fell asleep at the wheel, alongside "a number of factors".

Initial findings of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) show that the tram came off the tracks as it was negotiating a "sharp, left-hand curve" with a speed limit of 12mph.

An RAIB spokesman said: "Initial indications suggest that the tram was travelling at a significantly higher speed than is permitted."

Mike Brown, the commissioner of Transport for London, said: "I am devastated for the families and friends of those who have lost their lives and those who have been injured.

"Clearly something has gone catastrophically wrong and we will work tirelessly and quickly with the emergency services, the tram operator FirstGroup and others to establish the cause."

The Wimbledon-bound tram, one of the first services of the morning, was travelling from New Addington.

Some local people raised concerns after the crash about speeds at the corner where the carriages derailed.

Pat Rooke, 72, described the scene in the wake of the incident as "pandemonium", adding: "They (some trams) do come around that corner very fast sometimes, and it is quite a sharp bend."

Sue Patel, who lives near the station, said: "I heard a noise at around 6am and I thought maybe it was a car or something. But then I saw there were helicopters."

She described the sound as "very loud" and a "very big bang".

Ms Patel, who said she regularly takes the tram line, said: "There's quite a big bend. You come through the tunnel and there's quite a sharp bend."

A passenger on a tram told how, less than a fortnight ago, he was left shaking as it travelled through the same area.

Andy Nias wrote on Facebook that he and 29 fellow travellers feared the worst when their tram "took the hard corner to Sandilands at 40mph".

He added: "I swear the tram lifted onto one side."

Wednesday's crash is believed to be the first tram crash involving fatalities on board since 1959, when two women passengers and the driver died after a tram caught fire in Shettleston Road, Glasgow, following a collision with a lorry.

Kudirat Okesola, 46, rushed to her husband's side as soon as she heard he had been caught up in the incident.

Taiye Ajibola, who was on his way to work, was "very anxious", Ms Okesola said, adding that there was a lot of blood.

"Even my husband was covered with blood," she said, adding that some people were trapped underneath the tram calling for help.

"People were screaming. People were crying," she said.

She said her husband has a "massive" cut on his face.

The Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said the "vast majority" of people have been discharged from hospital or transferred elsewhere for ongoing care.
A former government adviser cleared of rape charges has backed calls for a change in the law to give those accused of sex crimes anonymity.

Farooq Siddique, 47, was exonerated of three rapes, two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and one charge of making a threat to kill after prosecutors offered no evidence at Bristol Crown Court.

Mr Siddique, a high-profile member of the Muslim community in Bristol who had previously advised the government on radicalisation, described the last two and a half years as "sheer hell".

And he has now added his name to calls for those accused of sexual offences to be given similar protection as complainants.

"The past two-and-a-half years of my life have been turned upside down by allegations made against me," Mr Siddique said in a statement read outside court.

"I am pleased the Crown Prosecution Service has finally reached the common sense conclusion that there is no case for me to answer based on evidence that was both in its and the police's possession from the very outset.

"Whilst today I have been totally exonerated of these allegations and formally acquitted on all of the charges against me, this is not a time for celebration.

"I have spent nearly two and a half years fighting to clear my name. It has taken far too long to get to this point. I am satisfied this travesty has ended today. I can now begin to rebuild my life after 900 days of sheer hell.

"These two and a half years have been an enormous struggle both mentally and physically."

Mr Siddique said he wanted to see victims of crime supported through the legal process but added: "It cannot be right that a person making allegations of this nature has a right to anonymity for life while the person accused has their name and reputation dragged through the gutter.

"Therefore, I will be voice to the growing chorus of calls lobbying for a change in the law, demanding anonymity to all parties in cases of this nature, until trial at the very least."
(FILES) This file photo taken on May 27, 2014 shows Donald Trump at a National Press Club Newsmaker Luncheon in Washington, DC, on May 27, 2014. AFP/Getty Images

(FILES) This file photo taken on May 5, 2016 shows US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaking during a rally in Charleston, West Virginia. AFP/Getty Images

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump holds a LGBT rainbow Pride flag given to him by supporter Max Nowak during a campaign rally at the Bank of Colorado Arena on the campus of University of Northern Colorado October 30, 2016 in Greeley, Colorado. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - NOVEMBER 08: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway (L) and his daughter Tiffany Trump attend Trump's final campaign rally on Election Day in the Devos Place November 8, 2016 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Trump's marathon last day of campaigning stretched past midnight and into Election Day. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - NOVEMBER 08: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump leaves his final campaign rally on November 8, 2016 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. With less than 24 hours until Election Day in the United States, Trump and his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, are campaigning in key battleground states that each must win to take the White House. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - NOVEMBER 08: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump leaves his final campaign rally on November 8, 2016 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. With less than 24 hours until Election Day in the United States, Trump and his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, are campaigning in key battleground states that each must win to take the White House. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI - NOVEMBER 08: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump addresses supporters during a campaign rally on November 8, 2016 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. With less than 24 hours until Election Day in the United States, Trump and his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, are campaigning in key battleground states that each must win to take the White House. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

US Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump checks his watch to see if it is election day as he addresses the final rally of his 2016 presidential campaign at Devos Place in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 7, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / JEFF KOWALSKYJEFF KOWALSKY/AFP/Getty Images

Madonna sings a song as she campaigns for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a surprise performance at Washington Square Park in New York, Monday, Nov. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Lady Gaga performs during a campaign rally for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton hold hands as they walk off stage after both spoke at a rally at Independence Mall in Philadelphia. Monday, Nov. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Bruce Springsteen performs during a Hillary Clinton campaign event at Independence Mall on Monday, Nov. 7, 2016 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, center, is joined on stage by first lady Michelle Obama, left, President Barack Obama, second from left, Chelsea Clinton, second from right, and former President Bill Clinton, right, after speaking at a rally at Independence Mall in Philadelphia, Monday, Nov. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 08: Musician Lady Gaga performs during a campaign rally with Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at North Carolina State University on November 8, 2016 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The midnight rally followed Clinton campaigning in Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina in the lead up to today's general election. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

WHITE PLAINS, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) and her husband former U.S. President Bill Clinton arrive at Westchester County Airport on November 8, 2016 in White Plains, New York. Hillary Clinton wrapped up her campaign by greeting hundreds of supporters at the Westchester County Airport after campaigning in Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina in the lead up to today's general election. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 08: Musicians Jon Bon Jovi (L) and Lady Gaga perform during a campaign rally with Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at North Carolina State University on November 8, 2016 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The midnight rally followed Clinton campaigning in Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina in the lead up to today's general election. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton hugs her husband, former President Bill Clinton as their daughter Chelsea Clinton looks on during a campaign rally in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Traditional Russian wooden nesting dolls, Matryoshka dolls, depicting Russia's President Vladimir Putin, US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump are seen on sale at a gift shop in central Moscow on November 8, 2016. A nervous world turned its gaze to America's 200 million-strong electorate November 8, 2016 as it chooses whether to send the first female president or a populist property tycoon to the White House. / AFP PHOTO / Kirill KUDRYAVTSEVKIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images

A man takes pictures of traditional Russian wooden nesting dolls, Matryoshka dolls, depicting US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, US President Barack Obama and former US presidents at a gift shop in central Moscow on November 8, 2016. A nervous world turned its gaze to America's 200 million-strong electorate November 8, 2016 as it chooses whether to send the first female president or a populist property tycoon to the White House. / AFP PHOTO / Kirill KUDRYAVTSEVKIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images

People vote at the Brooklyn Museum polling station in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on November 8, 2016. With an anxious world watching, Americans began voting Tuesday on whether to send the first female president or a volatile populist tycoon to the White House. The kickoff marks the end to a campaign like no other -- exhausting, often bitter -- as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump presented radically different visions of how to lead the world's greatest power. / AFP PHOTO / ANGELA WEISSANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

People vote at the Brooklyn Museum polling station in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on November 8, 2016. With an anxious world watching, Americans began voting Tuesday on whether to send the first female president or a volatile populist tycoon to the White House. The kickoff marks the end to a campaign like no other -- exhausting, often bitter -- as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump presented radically different visions of how to lead the world's greatest power. / AFP PHOTO / ANGELA WEISSANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

People arrive to a poll station where Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is expected to vote in Chappaqua on November 08, 2016. With an anxious world watching, Americans began voting Tuesday on whether to send the first female president or a volatile populist tycoon to the White House. The kickoff marks the end to a campaign like no other -- exhausting, often bitter -- as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump presented radically different visions of how to lead the world's greatest power. / AFP PHOTO / EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZEDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/AFP/Getty Images

People arrive to a poll station to vote in Arlington, Virginia on November 8, 2016. With an anxious world watching, Americans began voting Tuesday on whether to send the first female president or a volatile populist tycoon to the White House. The kickoff marks the end to a campaign like no other -- exhausting, often bitter -- as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump presented radically different visions of how to lead the world's greatest power. / AFP PHOTO / Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDSANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images

People wait in line to vote at a poll station in Arlington, Virginia on November 8, 2016. With an anxious world watching, Americans began voting Tuesday on whether to send the first female president or a volatile populist tycoon to the White House. The kickoff marks the end to a campaign like no other -- exhausting, often bitter -- as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump presented radically different visions of how to lead the world's greatest power. / AFP PHOTO / Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDSANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images

People wait in line to vote at a poll station inside of a fire station in Arlington, Virginia on November 8, 2016. With an anxious world watching, Americans began voting Tuesday on whether to send the first female president or a volatile populist tycoon to the White House. The kickoff marks the end to a campaign like no other -- exhausting, often bitter -- as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump presented radically different visions of how to lead the world's greatest power. / AFP PHOTO / Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDSANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images

ALEXANDRIA, VA - NOVEMBER 08: Voters wait in-line for casting their ballots outside a polling place on Election Day November 8, 2016 in Alexandria, Virginia. Americans across the nation are picking their choice for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

People wait in line to vote at a poll station inside of a fire station in Arlington, Virginia on November 8, 2016. With an anxious world watching, Americans began voting Tuesday on whether to send the first female president or a volatile populist tycoon to the White House. The kickoff marks the end to a campaign like no other -- exhausting, often bitter -- as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump presented radically different visions of how to lead the world's greatest power. / AFP PHOTO / Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDSANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 8: People vote at a polling site at Public School 261, November 8, 2016 in New York City. Citizens of the United States will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 8: People wait in line to vote at a polling site at Public School 261, November 8, 2016 in New York City. Citizens of the United States will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The White House as seen on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 in Washington. After nearly two years of bitterness and rancor, America will elect its 45th president today, making Hillary Clinton the nation's first female commander in chief or choosing billionaire businessman Donald Trump, whose volatile campaign has upended U.S. politics. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: The stage is set for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trumps' election night party at Hilton Midtown hotel in Manhattan on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Today Americans will head to the polls and vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton (L) greets supporters after casting her vote in Chappaqua, New York on November 8, 2016. After an exhausting, wild, bitter, and sometimes sordid campaign, Americans finally began voting Tuesday for a new president: either the billionaire populist Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, seeking to become the first woman to win the White House. / AFP PHOTO / EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZEDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/AFP/Getty Images

OAKMONT, PA - NOVEMBER 8: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton cookies are on sale at the Oakmont Bakery on November 8, 2016 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. Trump leads the cookie-purchase tally with 63% of the purchases, with a total of 2609 Trump cookies and 1512 Hillary cookies sold as of election day as Americans go to the polls to decide on their next president. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

OAKMONT, PA - NOVEMBER 8: Donald Trump cookies are on sale at the Oakmont Bakery on November 8, 2016 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. Trump leads the cookie-purchase tally with 63% of the purchases, with a total of 2609 Trump cookies and 1512 Hillary cookies sold as of election day as Americans go to the polls to decide on their next president. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

OAKMONT, PA - NOVEMBER 8: A Hillary Clinton cookie is prepared before sale at the Oakmont Bakery on November 8, 2016 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. Trump leads the cookie-purchase tally with 63% of the purchases, with a total of 2609 Trump cookies and 1512 Hillary cookies sold as of election day as Americans go to the polls to decide on their next president. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

CHAPPAQUA, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greets supporters after voting at Douglas Grafflin Elementary School on November 8, 2016 in Chappaqua, New York. Hillary Clinton cast her ballot in the presidential election as the rest of America goes to the polls to decide between her and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

CHAPPAQUA, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Huma Abedin, aide to Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, walks to the motorcade after Hillary voted at Douglas Grafflin Elementary School on November 8, 2016 in Chappaqua, New York. Hillary Clinton cast her ballot in the presidential election as the rest of America goes to the polls to decide between her and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

MANCHESTER, NH - NOVEMBER 08: An early morning voter casts her vote at the Bishop Leo E. O'Neil Youth Center on November 8, 2016 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Voters will choose between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump for president, as well as important races for Congress and Senate. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Last minute preparations are being made for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trumps' election night party at Hilton Midtown hotel in Manhattan on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Today Americans will head to the polls and vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 08: Voters wait in line to cast their ballots on November 8, 2016 Kansas City, Missouri. Americans will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton today as they vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Whitney Curtis/Getty Images)

KANSAS CITY, MO - NOVEMBER 08: A voter looks at a sample ballot as he waits in line at a polling location on November 8, 2016 Kansas City, Missouri. Americans will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton today as they vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Whitney Curtis/Getty Images)

Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) and her husband former U.S. President Bill Clinton greet supporters after voting at Douglas Grafflin Elementary School on November 8, 2016 in Chappaqua, New York. Hillary Clinton cast her ballot in the presidential election as the rest of America goes to the polls to decide between her and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

A "representative" in a mock election of US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump pretends to weep November 08, 2016 following the outcome of a street popularity ballot in Kenya's lakeside town of Kisumu, in which Democratic Candidate Hillary Clinton emerged the winner. Sentiment at the lakeside town and the country at large appeared to remain strong in favour of US' Democratic party, whose outgoing President, Barack Obama is considered a son given his father's Kenyan heritage, more so at Kogelo, about 60 kilomtres from Kisumu, the birthplace of his father, Obama Snr. / AFP PHOTO / TONY KARUMBATONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images

Republician presidential nominee Donald Trump waves he leaves after voting in the presidential election at a polling station in New York, November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Robyn BeckROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

A "representative" in a mock election of US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (C) pretends to weep November 08, 2016 following the outcome of a street popularity ballot in Kenya's lakeside town of Kisumu, in which Democratic Candidate Hillary Clinton emerged the winner. Sentiment at the lakeside town and the country at large appeared to remain strong in favour of US' Democratic party, whose outgoing President, Barack Obama is considered a son given his father's Kenyan heritage, more so at Kogelo, about 60 kilomtres from Kisumu, the birthplace of his father, Obama Snr. / AFP PHOTO / TONY KARUMBATONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 8: People arrive to vote at the Beckman Hill International School in New York City. . After a contentious campaign season, Americans go to the polls today to choose the next president of the United States. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 8: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump departs after voting at the Beckman Hill International School in New York City. After a contentious campaign season, Americans go to the polls today to choose the next president of the United States. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

Voters wait in line in front of a polling station to cast their ballots in the US presidential election in Scottsdale, Arizona on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Laura SEGALLLAURA SEGALL/AFP/Getty Images

TOPSHOT - People cast their votes for US president November 8, 2016, at Centerville High School, in Centreville, Virginia. Polling stations opened Tuesday as the first ballots were cast in the long-awaited election pitting Hillary Clinton against Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL J. RICHARDSPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images

An Iraqi man follows the US presidential elections on television at his home in Baghdad on November 8, 2016. Almost half the population of the Middle East and North Africa would abstain if given the right to vote in the US presidential election, an opinion poll revealed on November 3. / AFP PHOTO / SABAH ARARSABAH ARAR/AFP/Getty Images

SARASOTA, FL - NOVEMBER 07: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump holds up a rubber mask of himself during a campaign rally in the Robarts Arena at the Sarasota Fairgrounds November 7, 2016 in Sarasota, Florida. With less than 24 hours until Election Day in the United States, Trump and his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, are campaigning in key battleground states that each must win to take the White House. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***

RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 07: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump takes the stage during a campaign rally at the J.S. Dorton Arena November 7, 2016 in Raleigh, North Carolina. With less than 24 hours until Election Day in the United States, Trump and his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, are campaigning in key battleground states that each must win to take the White House. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) ***BESTPIX***

Republician presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives at a polling station in New York to cast his ballot in the presidential election November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Robyn BeckROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 08: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) greets Lady Gaga backstage after a campaign rally at North Carolina State University on November 8, 2016 in Raleigh North Carolina. With one day to go until election day, Hillary Clinton is campaigning in Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 08: Musician Lady Gaga performs during a campaign rally with Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at North Carolina State University on November 8, 2016 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The midnight rally followed Clinton campaigning in Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina in the lead up to today's general election. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

OAKMONT, PA - NOVEMBER 8: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton cookies are on sale at the Oakmont Bakery on November 8, 2016 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. Trump leads the cookie-purchase tally with 63% of the purchases, with a total of 2609 Trump cookies and 1512 Hillary cookies sold as of election day as Americans go to the polls to decide on their next president. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump departs after voting at the Beckman Hill International School in New York City. After a contentious campaign season, Americans go to the polls today to choose the next president of the United States. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during a campaign rally at North Carolina State University on November 8, 2016 in Raleigh North Carolina. With less than 24 hours until Election Day in the United States, Hillary Clinton is campaigning in Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

A voter fills his ballot in the US presidential election at a polling station in Temple City, California, on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / RINGO CHIURINGO CHIU/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump casts his vote on Election Day at PS 59 November 8, 2016 in New York City. Trump's marathon final two days of campaigning marched through 10 cities in two days, stretching into Election Day. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Melania Trump, wife of Republician presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives with her husband(not seen) at a polling station in New York to cast his ballot in the presidential election November 8, 2016. AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Microphones stand on stage where Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton will give her election night address on November 8, 2016 at the Javits Center in New York City. Both Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump are scheduled to hold election night events in Manhattan. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Mayor of Bordeaux and candidate for the right-wing Les Republicains (LR) party primaries ahead of the 2017 presidential election, Alain Juppe (C), flanked by Juvisy-sur-Orge's mayor Robin Reda (L) and Viry-Chatillon's mayor Jean-Marie Vilain (2ndL), shakes hands with a commuter on November 8, 2016 at the RER train station in Juvisy-sur-Orge, outside Paris. / AFP PHOTO / Thomas SAMSONTHOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Images

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his wife Melania leave a polling station after voting in the 2016 presidential election November 8, 2016 in New York. / AFP PHOTO / US-VOTE / Bryan R. SmithBRYAN R. SMITH/AFP/Getty Images

Mayor of Bordeaux and candidate for the right-wing Les Republicains (LR) party primaries ahead of the 2017 presidential election, Alain Juppe (C), flanked by President of the Ile-de-France region Valerie Pecresse (2ndR), LR party's member Dominique Perben (L), Juvisy-sur-Orge's mayor Robin Reda (5thL) and Viry-Chatillon's mayor Jean-Marie Vilain (4thL), visits Juvisy-sur-Orge on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Thomas SAMSONTHOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Images

TALLAHASSEE, FL - NOVEMBER 08: Florida voters mark their ballots at the Leon County Courthouse on November 8, 2016 in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. Americans across the nation are picking their choice for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)

Voters cast their ballots at the Sutton town hall in the US presidential election November 8, 2016 in Sutton, New Hampshire. Eager voters crowded into polling stations to choose a new US president Tuesday after a wild and bitter contest between the billionaire populist Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the Democrat seeking to become the first woman to win the White House. / AFP PHOTO / Ryan McBrideRYAN MCBRIDE/AFP/Getty Images

TOPSHOT - Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton speaks during a rally outside the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning November 7, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. / AFP PHOTO / Brendan SmialowskiBRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 8: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump departs after voting at the Beckman Hill International School in New York City. After a contentious campaign season, Americans go to the polls today to choose the next president of the United States. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

A woman looks at the ballot at a polling place at a high school in McLean, Virginia during the US presidential election on November 8, 2016. AFP/Getty Images

PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 08: Hillary Clinton supporter Jorge Mendez of Glendale, Arizona wears a dress and Hillary Clinton mask while holding a makeshift doll of Donald Trump after voting on November 8, 2016 in Phoenix, United States. Americans across the nation are picking their choice for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

Tom Davis reaches for a flag from Judy Lehman as they ride in a pickup truck and put up 108 American flags for Election Day along a street Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in Brentwood, Tenn. The flags are installed by the Hillsboro-Brentwood Exchange Club. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Law enforcement officers stand outside Jacob Javits Center in New York, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, before Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's election night rally. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

People cast their votes at Echo Park Pool on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

The liberty bell is seen as voters head to the polls in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on election day November 8, 2016. America's future hung in the balance Tuesday as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. As the world held its collective breath, Americans were called to make a historic choice between two radically different visions for the most powerful nation on Earth. / AFP PHOTO / DOMINICK REUTERDOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images

Voters head to the polls in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on election day November 8, 2016. America's future hung in the balance Tuesday as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. As the world held its collective breath, Americans were called to make a historic choice between two radically different visions for the most powerful nation on Earth. / AFP PHOTO / DOMINICK REUTERDOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on November 8, 2016, shows the ballot box of the Harry's New York Bar in Paris where a straw vote for US citizens living in France, has been organized for the US Presidential elections. Expatriate Americans monitor the US election returns at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, which prides itself on having correctly predicted the outcome of US elections all but twice since launching its traditional "straw poll" in 1924. / AFP PHOTO / PHILIPPE LOPEZPHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images

FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 08: Nicolette Janoski displays a sticker after voting on November 8, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. Americans across the nation make their choice for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

Ranelle Taylor points to her "I Voted" sticker after voting in the US presidential election at Santa Monica City Hall on November 8, 2016 in Santa Monica, California. America's future hung in the balance Tuesday as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. BROWNFREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 08: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton (R) and musician Lady Gaga look on as Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a campaign rally at North Carolina State University on November 8, 2016 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The midnight rally followed Clinton campaigning in Pennsylvania, Michigan and North Carolina in the lead up to today's general election. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

TALLAHASSEE, FL - NOVEMBER 08: A voter marks her ballot at the Leon County Courthouse on November 8, 2016 in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. Americans across the nation are picking their choice for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)

A multi-language"Vote Here sign" leads to the voting room as a man who'd just cast his vote steps out on election day at Brooklyn Avenue Elementary School in the primarily Latino East LA neighborhood of Boyle Heights on November 8, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. / AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. BROWNFREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

TALLAHASSEE, FL - NOVEMBER 08: Poll worker Claudia Roberts, with the Leon County Supervisor of Elections office, hand a voter his ballot at the Lafayette Park precinct on November 8, 2016 in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. Americans across the nation are picking their choice for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)

CRAWFORDVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 08: Voters arrive at the Wakulla County Polling House on November 8, 2016 in Crawfordville, Florida. Americans across the nation are picking their choice for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)

A woman, dressed in colours of the US national flag, is pictured outside the Harry's New York Bar in Paris on November 8. AFP/Getty Images

The Netherlands' Minister of Culture Jet Bussemaker, dressed as Hillary Clinton, speaks during the President's Night in Amsterdam, where participants can follow the presidential elections in the United States, on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / ANP / Olaf Kraak / Netherlands OUTOLAF KRAAK/AFP/Getty Images

A man, dressed in colours of the US national flag, speaks to a journalist outside the Harry's New York Bar in Paris on November 8, 2016 where a straw vote for US citizens living in France has been organized for the US Presidential elections. Expatriate Americans monitor the US election returns at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, which prides itself on having correctly predicted the outcome of US elections all but twice since launching its traditional "straw poll" in 1924. / AFP PHOTO / PHILIPPE LOPEZPHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images

LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 08: Poll worker Jim Callahan (R) uses an American flag to direct voters to available voting machines at a polling station at John W. Bonner Elementary School on Election Day on November 8, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Americans across the nation are picking their choice for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV - NOVEMBER 08: Voters cast their ballots at voting machines at Cheyenne High School on Election Day on November 8, 2016 in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Americans across the nation are picking their choice for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Counterterrorism police patrol near Trump Tower on Election Day on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Throughout the country, millions of Americans are casting their votes today for either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Dump trucks filled with sand sit outside of Trump Tower as security is increased in the area on Election Day on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Ed Cottril, 19, of Canonsburg, PA, a freshman, stands outside the polling location on Penn State University's campus hoping to convince fellow students to vote for Donald Trump in the presidential election on November 8, 2016 in State College, Pennsylvania. Students were experiencing waits of up to 45 minutes to an hour during peak times.(Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

A group of Penn State students march through campus imploring voters to cast their ballots for Hillary Clinton in the presidential election on November 8, 2016 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

A member of the US Secret Service Uniformed Division locks a construction gate in the middle of Lafayette Square Park,near the White House as construction has started on the Presidential reviewing stand, November 8, 2016, in Washington, DC. / AFP PHOTO / PAUL J. RICHARDSPAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images

A pumpkin with a painted Hillary Clinton logo is seen on the sidewalk on November 8, 2016 in Manchester, New Hampshire. / AFP PHOTO / Ryan McBrideRYAN MCBRIDE/AFP/Getty Images

A worker sreams a US flag at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016 where Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's election night event is held. Eager voters crowded into polling stations to choose a new US president Tuesday after a wild and bitter contest between the billionaire populist Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the Democrat seeking to become the first woman to win the White House. / AFP PHOTO / Angela WEISSANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump pumps his fist as he and his wife Melania depart a campaign rally Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, in Wilmington, N.C. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, speaks as his wife, Melania, walks off the stage during a campaign rally in Wilmington, N.C., on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, left, kisses his wife Melania during a campaign rally, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, in Wilmington, N.C. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 07: former President Bill Clinton speaks before his wife Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during an election eve rally on November 7, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As the historic race for the presidency of the United States comes to a conclusion, both Clinton and her rival Donald Trump are making their last appearances before voting begins tomorrow. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Ivanka Trump (L) places a sticker on the jacket of her daughter Arabella Rose Kushner watched by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump (2nd R) and his wife Melania after voting at a polling station in a school during the 2016 presidential elections on November 8, 2016 in New York. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

NASHUA, NH - NOVEMBER 8: New Hampshire citizens cast their vote at Amherst Street Elementary School on November 8, 2016, in Nashua, New Hampshire. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Kayana Szymczak/Getty Images)

Voters line up to cast their ballots in the US presidential election at a polling station at Delano Recreation Center in Los Angeles, California, on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / RINGO CHIURINGO CHIU/AFP/Getty Images

*** BESTPIX *** PROVO, UT - NOVEMBER 08: A couple shows off their "I Voted" sticker as they leave Wasatch Elementary school after casting their ballot in the presidential election on November 8, 2016 in Provo, Utah. Americans across the nation make their choice for the next president of the United States today. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)

Guest passes and information guides on a table at the US presidential election night party at the US Embassy in London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday November 8, 2016. See PA story POLITICS President. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire

People cross the street outside the Hilton New York Midtown hotel where US Presidential nominee Donald Trump is holding an election night event in New York, November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEBSAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: The American flag is projected on to the United States Embassy during an election night party on November 8, 2016 in London, England. Americans have gone to the polls today, November 8, to elect the 45th President of the United States. Hillary Clinton represents the Democrats and, if successful, would be the first woman president in American history. Donald Trump represents the Republicans and his campaign has been dogged by bad publicity, despite this the polls show that either of the two contenders could win with the election too close to call. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: Information leaflets on display at a US election night party at the United States Embassy on November 8, 2016 in London, England. Americans have gone to the polls today, November 8, to elect the 45th President of the United States. Hillary Clinton represents the Democrats and, if successful, would be the first woman president in American history. Donald Trump represents the Republicans and his campaign has been dogged by bad publicity, despite this the polls show that either of the two contenders could win with the election too close to call. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

A group of volunteers for Hillary Clinton, from left, Kelley Layton, Steve Haerter, and Joyce DeVane wave to passing traffic on 3rd Street in Neptune Beach, Fla., Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, near the polling place at the Beaches Branch of the Jacksonville Public Library. (Bob Mack/The Florida Times-Union via AP)

Volunteer Linda Morton makes calls to registered Democrats in the Hillary Clinton headquarters on University Blvd. in Jacksonville, Fla., Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. Bob Mack/The Florida Times-Union via AP)

Volunteer Gay Browne peeks through her signs supporting Donald Trump outside a polling place for Precinct 109 at University Blvd and Floral Avenue in Jacksonville, Fla, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Bob Mack/The Florida Times-Union via AP)

New York Police Officers patrol the area outside Trump Tower on election day November 8, 2016 in New York. / AFP PHOTO / DOMINICK REUTERDOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images

A young visitor takes a photo of a giant cutout of Republican candidate for president Donald Trump in front of the Trump House owned by Lisa Rossi in Youngstown, Pa, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gather outside Trump Tower in New York City on election day November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / DOMINICK REUTERDOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images

Poll worker Paris King passes out "I Voted" stickers on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, at the Crystal Spring public library voting precinct in Crystal Springs, Miss. (Justin Sellers/The Clarion-Ledger via AP)

A supporter of Democrat candidate, wearing a hat with colours of the US national flag, is kissed during the US Election Night Celebrations in Switzerland in Geneva, on November 8, 2016. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINIFABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

A supporter of Democrat candidate, wearing a hat with colours of the US national flag, poses for a picture during the US Election Night Celebrations in Switzerland in Geneva, on November 8, 2016. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINIFABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

PENACOOK, NH - NOVEMBER 8: Bessy Jones, 101 years old, fills out her ballot at the Immaculate Conception Church on November 8, 2016, in Penacook, New Hampshire. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Kayana Szymczak/Getty Images)

NASHUA, NH - NOVEMBER 8: New Hampshire citizens stand in line to cast their vote at Amherst Street Elementary School on November 8, 2016, in Nashua, New Hampshire. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Kayana Szymczak/Getty Images)

PENACOOK, NH - NOVEMBER 8: Bev Heath, 82, receives a sticker after casting her vote at the Immaculate Conception Church on November 8, 2016, in Penacook, New Hampshire. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Kayana Szymczak/Getty Images)

A man wearing a shirt adorned with skulls gives thumbs up during the US Election Night Celebrations in Switzerland in Geneva, on November 8, 2016. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINIFABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

NASHUA, NH - NOVEMBER 8: New Hampshire citizens rally for their candidates at the polls on November 8, 2016, in Nashua, New Hampshire. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Kayana Szymczak/Getty Images)

NASHUA, NH - NOVEMBER 8: New Hampshire citizens stand in line to cast their vote at Amherst Street Elementary School on November 8, 2016, in Nashua, New Hampshire. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Kayana Szymczak/Getty Images)

NASHUA, NH - NOVEMBER 8: New Hampshire citizens cast their vote at Amherst Street Elementary School on November 8, 2016, in Nashua, New Hampshire. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Kayana Szymczak/Getty Images)

PENACOOK, NH - NOVEMBER 8: Hayley Bruneau receives a sticker after casting her vote with son Tayvin Faris, 1, at the Immaculate Conception Church on November 8, 2016, in Penacook, New Hampshire. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Kayana Szymczak/Getty Images)

People attend a gathering at the Maison de la Radio, the French public service radio broadcaster Radio France's headquarters, to follow the results of the final day of the US presidential election, on November 8, 2016 in Paris. / AFP PHOTO / Thomas SAMSONTHOMAS SAMSON/AFP/Getty Images

BERLIN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 08: Guests Philipp Koerner and Mareike Bake attend the U.S. elections party hosted by the Aspen Institute Germany at the Baden-Wuerttemberg State Representation on November 8, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. Many Germans are watching the U.S. elections closely and a majority are hoping Hillary Clinton will defeat Donald Trump. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

BERLIN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 08: U.S. presidential election campaign buttons lie in a jar at the U.S. elections party at the Bertelsmann Representation on November 8, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. Many Germans are watching the U.S. elections closely and a majority are hoping Hillary Clinton will defeat Donald Trump. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Supporters of Democrat candidate attend the US Election Night Celebrations in Switzerland in Geneva, on November 8, 2016. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINIFABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

A bartender works at Harry's New York Bar in Paris late on November 8, 2016 during a straw vote for US citizens living in France, organized for the US Presidential elections. Expatriate Americans monitor the US election returns at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, which prides itself on having correctly predicted the outcome of US elections all but twice since launching its traditional "straw poll" in 1924. / AFP PHOTO / PHILIPPE LOPEZPHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump(2nd R) and his wife Melania fill out their ballots at a polling station in a school during the 2016 presidential elections on November 8, 2016 in New York. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

Supporters of Democrat candidate, including one wearing a hat bearing colours of the US national flag, attend the US Election Night Celebrations in Switzerland in Geneva, on November 8, 2016. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINIFABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images

People prepare the stage for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton before her election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Jewel SAMADJEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

BERLIN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 08: A guest dressed as Donald Trump (R) clowns with a cardboard effigy of Hillary Clinton at the U.S. elections party at the Bertelsmann Representation on November 8, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. Many Germans are watching the U.S. elections closely and a majority are hoping Hillary Clinton will defeat Donald Trump. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

People in patriotic top hats take photographs next to cardboard figures depicting Donald Trump the Republican, left, and Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidates, during the Election Night Party at the US Embassy in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Balazs Mohai/MTI via AP)

Two woman watch news on TV to follow the results of the final day of the US presidential election, on November 8, 2016 in Abidjan. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / SIA KAMBOUSIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images

BERLIN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 08: A guest clutches a magazine showing a stylized Hillary Clinton and that reads: "Madam President" at the Democrats Abroad U.S. elections party on November 8, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. Many Germans are watching the U.S. elections closely and a majority are hoping Hillary Clinton will defeat Donald Trump. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

A woman, supporter of the Democrat candidate, thumbs up after voting during a straw vote organized for the US Presidential elections on November 8, 2016 during the US election night event in Abidjan. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / SIA KAMBOUSIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images

A man, supporter of the Democrat candidate, shows his ballot before voting during a straw vote organized for the US Presidential elections on November 8, 2016 during the US election night event in Abidjan. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / SIA KAMBOUSIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 08: Latinos vote at a polling station in El Gallo Restaurant on November 8, 2016 in the Boyle Heights section of Los Angeles, California. In addition to choosing between Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton for President of the United States, Californians are deciding on 17 ballot propositions. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

A woman, supporter of the Democrat candidate, shows her ballot before voting during a straw vote organized for the US Presidential elections on November 8, 2016 during the US election night event in Abidjan. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / SIA KAMBOUSIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images

The White House in Washington,DC is seen during the US presidential election night on November 8, 2016. Millions of Americans turned out Tuesday to decide whether to send Hillary Clinton to the White House as their first woman president or to put their trust in maverick populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / YURI GRIPASYURI GRIPAS/AFP/Getty Images

A woman, supporter of the Democrat candidate, shows her ballot before voting during a straw vote organized for the US Presidential elections on November 8, 2016 during the US election night event in Abidjan. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / SIA KAMBOUSIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images

The White House is seen during the US presidential election night on November 8, 2016 in Washington,DC. Millions of Americans turned out Tuesday to decide whether to send Hillary Clinton to the White House as their first woman president or to put their trust in maverick populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / YURI GRIPASYURI GRIPAS/AFP/Getty Images

CAVE CREEK, AZ - NOVEMBER 08: Motorists pass campaign signs in front of a polling station on November 8, 2016 in Cave Creek, Arizona. Throughout the country, millions of Americans are casting their votes today for either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

The White House is seen during the US presidential election night on November 8, 2016 in Washington,DC. Millions of Americans turned out Tuesday to decide whether to send Hillary Clinton to the White House as their first woman president or to put their trust in maverick populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / YURI GRIPASYURI GRIPAS/AFP/Getty Images

The White House is seen during the US presidential election night on November 8, 2016 in Washington,DC. Millions of Americans turned out Tuesday to decide whether to send Hillary Clinton to the White House as their first woman president or to put their trust in maverick populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / YURI GRIPASYURI GRIPAS/AFP/Getty Images

A man speaks into a microphone as he prepare the podium for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton before her election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Jewel SAMADJEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Media stand on risers below an American flag ahead of Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's event on election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Workers vacuum the stage at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016 where Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's election night event is held. AFP/Getty Images

View of the stage at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016 where Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's election night event is held. Eager voters crowded into polling stations to choose a new US president Tuesday after a wild and bitter contest between the billionaire populist Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the Democrat seeking to become the first woman to win the White House. / AFP PHOTO / ANGELA WEISSANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 08: The U.S. Captiol is seen November 8, 2016 in Washington, DC. Voters go to the polls today for the U.S. presidential election. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 08: The White House is seen November 8, 2016 in Washington, DC. Voters go to the polls today for the U.S. presidential election. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People wait for voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People wait for results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

A screen displaying the election results is seen over the stage that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will speak later during election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Jewel SAMADJEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Signs in support of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump read "Hispanics for Trump" at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Jake Krupa colors in an electoral map as states are projected for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump or Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at an election watching party in Coconut Grove, Florida, on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / RHONA WISERHONA WISE/AFP/Getty Images

Jake Krupa colors in an electoral map as states projected for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump or Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at an election watching party in Coconut Grove, Florida on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / RHONA WISERHONA WISE/AFP/Getty Images

Workers prepare the stage at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will hold her election nigh party at the convemtion center / AFP PHOTO / DON EMMERTDON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Two women watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Guests take a selfie at a US election party organised by the US Consulate General in Scotland at the University of Edinburgh where party-goers watched TV screens beaming results live from across the Atlantic. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday November 9, 2016. See PA story POLITICS President. Photo credit should read: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale poses with a cardboard cut-out of Hillary Clinton at a US election party organised by the US Consulate General in Scotland at the University of Edinburgh where party-goers watched TV screens beaming results live from across the Atlantic. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday November 9, 2016. See PA story POLITICS President. Photo credit should read: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

People watch elections returns during election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will hold her election night event at the convention center. / AFP PHOTO / DON EMMERTDON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images

A cake moulded into the shape of Donald Trump's head, and made by Melissa Alt, 24, from New Jersey, delivered to his election night event, billed as the Republican's "victory party" at the Hilton Midtown hotel in Manhattan, where Trump supporters have gathered to await the presidential election result. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday November 8, 2016. See PA story POLITICS President. Photo credit should read: David Mercer/PA Wire

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: A supporter of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump attends the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

A person photographs the 30 Rockefeller building illuminated in patriotic lights during an Election Night gathering at Rockefeller Center, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

A guest with pro-Hillary Clinton badges attending the US Embassy's election night party in central London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday November 8, 2016. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: A Democrat checks election results on his phone next to a cardboard cut out of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at the Democrats Abroad US election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill on November 8, 2016 in London, England. Americans have gone to the polls today, November 8, to elect the 45th President of the United States. Clinton is running against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

People watch elections returns during election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will hold her election night event at the convention center. / AFP PHOTO / Don EMMERTDON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images

WOODWARD, IA - NOVEMBER 08: Iowa voters head to polling locations in expected record numbers on November 8, 2016 in Woodward, Iowa. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Steve Pope/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: A Democrat at the Democrats Abroad US election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill on November 8, 2016 in London, England. Americans have gone to the polls today, November 8, to elect the 45th President of the United States. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, if elected, would be the first woman president in American history. Clinton is running against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: Democrats dress up including Wonder Woman at the Democrats Abroad US election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill on November 8, 2016 in London, England. Americans have gone to the polls today, November 8, to elect the 45th President of the United States. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, if elected, would be the first woman president in American history. Clinton is running against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

REDFIELD, IA - NOVEMBER 08: Voters head to the polling place on November 8, 2016 in Redfield, Iowa. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Steve Pope/Getty Images)

A supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton raises her arms with boxing gloves on during election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Jewel SAMADJEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: A Democrat holds up a home made anti-Trump sign at the Democrats Abroad US election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill on November 8, 2016 in London, England. Americans have gone to the polls today, November 8, to elect the 45th President of the United States. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, if elected, would be the first woman president in American history. Clinton is running against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

People watch elections returns during election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / ANGELA WEISSANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: A Democrat dressed as Wonder Woman and her friends celebrate Hillary Clinton winning the state of Vermont at the Democrats Abroad US election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill on November 8, 2016 in London, England. Americans have gone to the polls today, November 8, to elect the 45th President of the United States. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, if elected, would be the first woman president in American history. Clinton is running against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: MTV News Senior Political Correspondent Ana Marie Cox hosts MTV News Election Night: "The People's Playhouse" at MTV Studios on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images for MTV News)

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: A Democrat holds up a home made anti-Trump sign at the Democrats Abroad US election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill on November 8, 2016 in London, England. Americans have gone to the polls today, November 8, to elect the 45th President of the United States. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, if elected, would be the first woman president in American history. Clinton is running against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: A guest is pictured wearing a 'Trump / Pence' sticker during a US election night party at the United States Embassy on November 8, 2016 in London, England. Americans have gone to the polls today, November 8, to elect the 45th President of the United States. Hillary Clinton represents the Democrats and, if successful, would be the first woman president in American history. Donald Trump represents the Republicans and his campaign has been dogged by bad publicity, despite this the polls show that either of the two contenders could win with the election too close to call. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: A cake in the shape of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's head is displayed at his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. The cake weighs 40 pounds, and the $7,000 was donated to the campaign. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 08: A Donald Trump supporter wearing a 'Vote Republican' t-shirt gestures during an US election night party at the United States Embassy on November 8, 2016 in London, England. Americans have gone to the polls today, November 8, to elect the 45th President of the United States. Hillary Clinton represents the Democrats and, if successful, would be the first woman president in American history. Donald Trump represents the Republicans and his campaign has been dogged by bad publicity, despite this the polls show that either of the two contenders could win with the election too close to call. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

People watch the US election results live at the Sydney University on November 9, 2016. Australian stocks climbed 0.80 percent at the open Wednesday in anticipation of a victory for Hillary Clinton in the US presidential election. / AFP PHOTO / SAEED KHANSAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: A supporter of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump watches results during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

A Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's supporter watches result unfold on a screen during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Mandel NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

A man vacuums US national flags on the stage that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will speak later during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSONJIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

BERLIN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 08: A guest dressed as Donald Trump (R) clowns with a cardboard effigy of Hillary Clinton at the U.S. elections party at the Bertelsmann Representation on November 8, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. Many Germans are watching the U.S. elections closely and a majority are hoping Hillary Clinton will defeat Donald Trump. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

People prepare the stage for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton before her election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Jewel SAMADJEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

People in patriotic top hats take photographs next to cardboard figures depicting Donald Trump the Republican, left, and Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidates, during the Election Night Party at the US Embassy in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Balazs Mohai/MTI via AP)

BERLIN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 08: A guest clutches a magazine showing a stylized Hillary Clinton and that reads: "Madam President" at the Democrats Abroad U.S. elections party on November 8, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. Many Germans are watching the U.S. elections closely and a majority are hoping Hillary Clinton will defeat Donald Trump. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Two woman watch news on TV to follow the results of the final day of the US presidential election, on November 8, 2016 in Abidjan. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / SIA KAMBOUSIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images

A woman, supporter of the Democrat candidate, thumbs up after voting during a straw vote organized for the US Presidential elections on November 8, 2016 during the US election night event in Abidjan. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / SIA KAMBOUSIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 08: Latinos vote at a polling station in El Gallo Restaurant on November 8, 2016 in the Boyle Heights section of Los Angeles, California. In addition to choosing between Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton for President of the United States, Californians are deciding on 17 ballot propositions. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)

A man, supporter of the Democrat candidate, shows his ballot before voting during a straw vote organized for the US Presidential elections on November 8, 2016 during the US election night event in Abidjan. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / SIA KAMBOUSIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images

A woman, supporter of the Democrat candidate, shows her ballot before voting during a straw vote organized for the US Presidential elections on November 8, 2016 during the US election night event in Abidjan. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / SIA KAMBOUSIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images

A woman, supporter of the Democrat candidate, shows her ballot before voting during a straw vote organized for the US Presidential elections on November 8, 2016 during the US election night event in Abidjan. America's future hung in the balance on November 8, 2016 as millions of eager voters cast ballots to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president, or hand power to the billionaire populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / SIA KAMBOUSIA KAMBOU/AFP/Getty Images

The White House in Washington,DC is seen during the US presidential election night on November 8, 2016. Millions of Americans turned out Tuesday to decide whether to send Hillary Clinton to the White House as their first woman president or to put their trust in maverick populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / YURI GRIPASYURI GRIPAS/AFP/Getty Images

CAVE CREEK, AZ - NOVEMBER 08: Motorists pass campaign signs in front of a polling station on November 8, 2016 in Cave Creek, Arizona. Throughout the country, millions of Americans are casting their votes today for either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

The White House is seen during the US presidential election night on November 8, 2016 in Washington,DC. Millions of Americans turned out Tuesday to decide whether to send Hillary Clinton to the White House as their first woman president or to put their trust in maverick populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / YURI GRIPASYURI GRIPAS/AFP/Getty Images

The White House is seen during the US presidential election night on November 8, 2016 in Washington,DC. Millions of Americans turned out Tuesday to decide whether to send Hillary Clinton to the White House as their first woman president or to put their trust in maverick populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / YURI GRIPASYURI GRIPAS/AFP/Getty Images

The White House is seen during the US presidential election night on November 8, 2016 in Washington,DC. Millions of Americans turned out Tuesday to decide whether to send Hillary Clinton to the White House as their first woman president or to put their trust in maverick populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / YURI GRIPASYURI GRIPAS/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Media stand on risers below an American flag ahead of Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's event on election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

A man speaks into a microphone as he prepare the podium for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton before her election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Jewel SAMADJEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

Workers vacuum the stage at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016 where Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's election night event is held. Eager voters crowded into polling stations to choose a new US president Tuesday after a wild and bitter contest between the billionaire populist Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the Democrat seeking to become the first woman to win the White House. / AFP PHOTO / ANGELA WEISSANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 08: The White House is seen November 8, 2016 in Washington, DC. Voters go to the polls today for the U.S. presidential election. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 08: The U.S. Captiol is seen November 8, 2016 in Washington, DC. Voters go to the polls today for the U.S. presidential election. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

View of the stage at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016 where Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's election night event is held. Eager voters crowded into polling stations to choose a new US president Tuesday after a wild and bitter contest between the billionaire populist Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the Democrat seeking to become the first woman to win the White House. / AFP PHOTO / ANGELA WEISSANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

Workers prepare the stage at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will hold her election nigh party at the convemtion center / AFP PHOTO / DON EMMERTDON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People wait for results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People wait for voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

'Uncle Sam' poses with cardboard cut-outs of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump at a US election party organised by the US Consulate General in Scotland at the University of Edinburgh where party-goers watched TV screens beaming results live from across the Atlantic. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday November 9, 2016. See PA story POLITICS President. Photo credit should read: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

A Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's supporter watches result unfold on a screen during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Mandel NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

A woman with the mask of US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton is seen at a bar in Mexico City where peaople, including US citizens, are gathered as US poll results come in, on November 8, 2016. Millions of people in the United Stated turned out Tuesday to decide whether to send Hillary Clinton to the White House as their first woman president or to put their trust in maverick populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / Pedro PARDOPEDRO PARDO/AFP/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 09: Texan musician Josh T. Pearson watches the results come in at a US election night party at the United States Embassy in the early morning hours on November 9, 2016 in London, England. Americans have gone to the polls on November 8 to elect the 45th President of the United States. Hillary Clinton represents the Democrats and, if successful, would be the first woman president in American history. Donald Trump represents the Republicans and his campaign has been dogged by bad publicity, despite this the polls show that either of the two contenders could win with the election too close to call. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 09: A man shows off his anti-Donald Trump socks at a 'Democrats Abroad' function at the Kingston Hotel on November 9, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. There has been huge interest in the U.S. Election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in Australia, with many people arranging viewing parties around the country to watch the results live. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump react as they watch sate by state results unfold on a TV screen during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Mandel NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Three women watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - NOVEMBER 09: People watch an election broadcasting on November 9, 2016 in Seoul, South Korea. South Koreans and Americans have been paying close attention to the U.S. presidential race between Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

A police officer stands outside Trump Tower in New York City on election day November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / DOMINICK REUTERDOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: A man reacts as he watches voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Two women hold their faces as they watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

People watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump watch early results during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

A "Naked Cowboy" performer sings about Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump outside Trump Tower in New York City on election day November 8, 2016. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were running neck and neck in early results November 8th as polling stations closed in the eastern United States, with the world waiting anxiously to see who will win the historic White House clash. / AFP PHOTO / DOMINICK REUTERDOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images

A police officer stands outside Trump Tower in New York City on election day November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / DOMINICK REUTERDOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

Girls wear jackets with the image of Hillary Clinton during Democratic presidential nominee's election night rally in the Jacob Javits Center glass enclosed lobby in New York, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: An attendee holds up a sign in support of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump that reads "Women For Trump" during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 09: Democrat supporters cheer an early poll result at a 'Democrats Abroad' function at the Kingston Hotel on November 9, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. There has been huge interest in the U.S. Election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in Australia, with many people arranging viewing parties around the country to watch the results live. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 09: A woman wears her anti-Trump cap at a 'Democrats Abroad' function at the Kingston on November 9, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. There has been huge interest in the U.S. Election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in Australia, with many people arranging viewing parties around the country to watch the results live. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People cheer as voting results for Virginia come in at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump react to Fox News calling Ohio for Trump at the Trump Bar inside Trump Tower in New York City on election night, November 8, 2016. Millions of Americans voted November 8th for their new leader in a historic election that will either elevate Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president or hand power to maverick populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / DOMINICK REUTERDOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - NOVEMBER 09: A woman watchs an election board on November 9, 2016 in Seoul, South Korea. South Koreans and Americans have been paying close attention to the U.S. presidential race between Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton react during election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Jewel SAMADJEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

Julio Jacot wears a hat in support of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at an election night watch party Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

A guest picks up a cookie depicting Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton prior to watch a live broadcasting of the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election results at U.S. Ambassador's residence in Tokyo, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

JANESVILLE, WI - NOVEMBER 08: With his wife Janna by his side Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Paul Ryan (R-WI) greets supporters at an election-night rally on November 8, 2016 in Janesville, Wisconsin. Ryan said recently that he would like to remain in his current position as House speaker. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Emily Lindahl hugs and kisses her daughter Maureen Liccione as voting results for Virginia come in at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: An attendee holds up a sign in support of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump that reads "Bikers For Trump" during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 09: People attend an election event at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney on November 9, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. Americans go to the polls today to choose between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton for president. (Photo by Daniel Munoz/Getty Images)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 09: A man sleeps during at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney on November 9, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. Americans go to the polls today to choose between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton for president. (Photo by Daniel Munoz/Getty Images)

Sri Vasamsetti, 22, of Seattle and a supporter of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, watches televised coverage of the US presidential election at the Comet Tavern in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Jason RedmondJASON REDMOND/AFP/Getty Images

Singer Katy Perry waves after speaking in support of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during election night outside the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Kena BetancurKENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images

Khizr Khan speaks in support of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during election night outside the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Kena BetancurKENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: An attendee holds up signs in support of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Trump campaign co-chair for Seminole County, Fla., L.A. Key, listens to incumbent Rep. John Mica of Florida's 7th congressional district concede defeat to Democratic challenger Stephanie Murphy, at the election watch rally for the Republican Party of Seminole County in Altamonte Springs, Fla., Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

Khizr Khan gestures after speaking in support of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during election night outside the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Kena BetancurKENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images

Two embassy staffs follow the results of the US presidential elections during an election watch event at the US embassy in Hanoi on November 9, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / HOANG DINH NAMHOANG DINH NAM/AFP/Getty Images

Sri Vasamsetti, 22, of Seattle and a supporter of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, watches televised coverage of the US presidential election at the Comet Tavern in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Jason RedmondJASON REDMOND/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

New York governor Andrew Cuomo speaks in support of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during election night outside the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Kena BetancurKENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People cheer as voting results for Florida come in at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Two Vietnamese students take a selfie with a paper model of the US Republican presidential candidat during an election watch event at the US embassy in Hanoi on November 9, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / HOANG DINH NAMHOANG DINH NAM/AFP/Getty Images

New York governor Andrew Cuomo looks on after speaking in support of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during election night outside the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Kena BetancurKENA BETANCUR/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People cheer as voting results for Florida come in at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People cheer as voting results for Florida come in at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

People cheer as voting results come in at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People cheer as voting results for Florida come in at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump watch the results during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSONJIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: An attendee holds up a sign in support of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump that reads "Make America Great Again" during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump cheer during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSONJIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People cheer at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Tattoo artist Gene Coffey attends MTV News Election Night: "The People's Playhouse" at MTV Studios on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images for MTV News)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People cheer at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. Americans today will choose between Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton as they go to the polls to vote for the next president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Brent Peterson of Las Vegas, watches results during an election night watch party hosted by the Nevada GOP, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, at South Point hotel-casino in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)

Trump supporter David Ramirez of Longwood, Fla. reacts as Fox News announces Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will win Ohio, at the Republican Party of Seminole County, Fla. election watch event in Altamonte Springs, near Orlando, Fla. Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: People watch voting results in front of an American flag at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump react as they watch the election results during Trump's election night rally, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/John Locher)

American flags are handed out during Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's election night rally in the Jacob Javits Center glass enclosed lobby in New York, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: A group of women react as voting results come in at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 8, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Supporters react to election results during Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's election night rally in the Jacob Javits Center glass enclosed lobby in New York, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cheer as they watch election returns during an election night rally, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Howard Nizebeth waves a U.S. flag during an Election Day gathering at Rockefeller Center, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

People gather around Times Square to view televised results of the US presidential election on November 9, 2016 in New York. Millions of Americans voted November 8th for their new leader in a historic election that will either elevate Democrat Hillary Clinton as their first woman president or hand power to maverick populist Donald Trump. / AFP PHOTO / EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZEDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/AFP/Getty Images

Journalists and media crew memebers wait for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton declaration during election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Robyn BECKROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Musician Cher is interviewed at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 9, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - NOVEMBER 08: Supporters of U.S. Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin cheer him on at an election night party on November 8, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Republican candidate Donald Trump was declared the winner in Utah late in the evening. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gather during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 20
Student Catherine Glen from South Carolina with Dan Lawton, US Consul General and Prof Alastair Adair, Deputy Vice Chancellor at an election night event at Ulster Universitys Belfast campus

The most divisive US Presidential election campaign in history went down to the wire last night - bringing months of bitter political battles to a close.

The ugly and unpredictable White House race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was branded the election of fear - with many people admitting they were voting to keep a candidate out, rather than voting for who they wanted to see in office.

The election marked 575 days since Mrs Clinton formally announced she was running and 510 days since Mr Trump announced his candidacy.

And in that time their bids to claim the position of the most powerful leader in the world were plagued with scandals, from FBI investigations into Mrs Clinton's emails, to Mr Trump being forced to apologise for obscene comments he made about women over a decade ago.

The election will make history no matter who the victor is - Mrs Clinton was hoping to become the first woman to serve as commander in chief, while Trump, the billionaire businessman who tapped into a searing strain of economic populism, is the oldest candidate.

In recent days the election which has captured the attention of the world saw both candidates target the traditionally Democratic state of Michigan as it became a last minute battleground.

They embarked on a frenzied final day of campaigning on Monday, jetting across the country to lock down support and votes. In the early hours of Election Day, Mr Trump was still addressing his supporters after they queued for hours to see him in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Meanwhile Mrs Clinton was joined by President Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen in Philadelphia in her last bid for support.

"I know how much responsibility goes with this," Mrs Clinton said after voting at her local polling station in Chappaqua, New York, with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at her side.

"So many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country, and I will do the very best I can if I'm fortunate enough to win today."

Millions of voters turned out to have their say on who would become the 45th President of the United States of America - but while Mrs Clinton had been leading in the polls, with one leading statistics site giving her a 71% chance of victory, few dared predict the outcome.

Experts had predicted there would be a record turnout for the 2016 vote and that it was on course to be the most expensive campaign ever for the two least popular candidates in US history.

Mr Trump was met with some heckles in New York as he cast his vote.

Meanwhile his son Eric Trump was forced to delete a tweet he posted of his ballot which showed his vote for his father - something that is illegal in 18 states, including New York where he cast his vote.

Voter queues snaked around buildings amid fears of voter intimidation which hung over the election following consistent claims from Mr Trump's campaign that the process was rigged and that he would not accept the result if Mrs Clinton won.

Voters in Florida, a key battle ground, reported multiple issues of voter intimidation with people at stations claiming they witnessed aggressive behaviour.

Mr Trump claimed yesterday that votes were being changed from Republican to Democrat on the machines. He told reporters: "It's happening at various places today, it's been reported.

"The machines, you put down a Republican and it registers as a Democrat, and they've had a lot of complaints about that today."

The 2016 Election has seen a series of issues, such as race, come to the fore.

This year the Latino vote was set to be a heavy influence on the result, especially in Florida.

In Detroit, Ray Sanchez who is of Mexican descent said the Latino community felt passionate about voting in this election

"You can feel the presence of the Latino community because they are voting with their heart. They are voting because they know we can't go back to the way it was."

Mr Trump and Mrs Clinton both awaited their fate in New York less than two miles apart.

Mrs Clinton gathered her support at the Javits Centre meanwhile Mr Trump was at the Hilton Midtown Hotel.

But for one it was a party - and for the other it was a wake.

Sex, lies and videotape... a look back at one of the nastiest election battles in the history of American politics

July 19: Businessman Donald Trump is declared the official Republican candidate, having pledged a year earlier to make America great again when he announced his intention to run.

July 26: Hillary Clinton is declared candidate for President at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, fending off stiff competition from her rival Bernie Sanders, who gave his public backing saying he was proud to stand with her.

August 12: Clinton and her husband former President Bill Clinton release their tax returns, showing they earned $10.6 million (8.2 million) last year.

Trump continues to refuse to make public details of his own finances, breaking tradition with previous campaigns, saying he will not reveal them before a routine audit is completed.

September 11: Clinton has to leave a memorial event for 9/11 victims early. Video footage appears to show her being helped by aides after she stumbles outside and it later emerges she had been diagnosed with pneumonia.

October 7: Trumps bid is plunged into crisis when a 2005 tape emerges in which he is heard talking about groping women and saying he could grab them by the p**** because he was a celebrity.

A number of women come forward in the weeks following the tape leak, accusing Trump of unwanted advances or sexual assault. He denies all allegations, saying he believes the election is being rigged against him.

October 20: In the third and final debate Trump suggests he may not accept the election result.

When pressed on it later he assures those gathered at a rally in Ohio that he will accept the final vote if I win.

October 28: The FBI announces it will look at whether there is classified information contained in newly discovered emails, to see if they are relevant to its investigation into Clintons private email server.

The gap in public opinion polls narrows afterwards, but Clinton remains in the lead.

November 6: The FBI found no criminal wrongdoing in Clintons emails two days before the polls opened.

November 7: Presidential hopefuls spend the last few hours campaigning in key battleground states.

Clinton urges voters to embrace a hopeful, inclusive, big-hearted America. Trump calls for support to beat the corrupt system.

November 8: Over 100 million American voters go to the polls to decide whether Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will be the next President of the United States.
Edward Snowden will discuss the future of privacy under US President Donald Trump.

StartPage.com will host the exclusive post-election livestream Q&A with Snowden on Thursday.

The event begins at 9:30pm in the UK and Ireland (4:30 PM Eastern time in the US) on November 10.

The feed will be broadcast from the Pathe Tuschinski in Amsterdam where Snowden will be patched in to a live theatre audience via satellite transmission from Moscow.

Edward Snowden became world famous after he handed journalists classified documents detailing the global espionage activities of the United States National Security Agency (NSA).

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Snowdens exposure of covert government surveillance put privacy firmly on the map, but also put him at great risk. He was forced to flee the US in 2013 to avoid arrest and currently resides in Russia, where he has been given asylum.

Robert Beens, CEO of StartPage.com, said: "There is no one better than Edward Snowden to comment on how recent world developments like the US election will affect consumer privacy.

"This will be an historic event, and we are honoured he accepted our invitation.

"Edward Snowdens revelations about government spying and mass data collection are of crucial importance to our society, but he had to sacrifice his free life for it.

Expand Close Edward Snowden on a video feed broadcast from Moscow at an event sponsored by ACLU Hawaii in Honolulu. (AP) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Edward Snowden on a video feed broadcast from Moscow at an event sponsored by ACLU Hawaii in Honolulu. (AP)

"We are proud to honour his service and help bring his privacy message to the world."

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The Freedom of the Press Foundation and Edward Snowdens attorney Ben Wizner of the ACLUs Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project have been instrumental in helping make this historic event possible, Beens added.

He also expressed gratitude to Amnesty International and PardonSnowden.org for spearheading a petition drive that calls on US President Barack Obama to pardon Snowden before leaving office in January 2017.
During the Sept. 27 Berkeley Soil & Water Conservation meeting, the group's District Land Services Specialist Nick Yoder apprised colleagues of the efforts to add a beehive and other additions to the rear outdoor area of The House of Smiles at 215 Carolina Avenue in Downtown Moncks Corner. Read moreOperation beehive: Local stakeholders hoping to spruce up child care recreation area
A bid from Pulte Homes to rezone and add 465 residences and possibly a school near Sandy Run Creek on Jedburg Road wasn't met with open arms at a Oct. 26 community meeting on the part of local homeowners seeking to preserve the area's rural characteristics. Read moreJedburg Road residents tell Pulte Homes: 'Keep it rural'
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The Legislature took it away. But on Tuesday, Nebraska voters handed back execution as an option for judges and juries to consider for the most heinous murders.

Even as support for the death penalty among states is said to be waning -- the lowest it has been in decades, according to a Pew Research Center poll -- Nebraska voters said by a convincing margin they want to keep it.

Bob Evnen, who has worked for the past 17 months on behalf of repealing the law, said he hopes the unicameral Legislature will respect the will of the people and cooperate with the governor to establish a successful, humane method of carrying out the death penalty.

We also hope that the judiciary will look for ways to end interminable appeals while maintaining the due process rights of defendants, he said. We know that this can happen, because it happens in other states.

Stephen Griffith, director of Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, said Nebraskans across the political spectrum worked together to call for its end.

"But it's still a broken system," he said. "And we look forward to continuing this conversation with Nebraskans."

Sen. Ernie Chambers, who has worked more than 40 years to eliminate capital punishment, said Monday the circumstances that led him to fight for the repeal of the death penalty had a hiatus with the Legislature's action. With the return of those circumstances, he plans to renew his efforts.

"And I will have a bill to repeal the death penalty ready for introduction in January, he said.

Nebraska's Catholic bishops said they, too, will continue to call for repeal of the death penalty.

The referendum, which gained more than enough signatures in summer 2015 to get the question on the ballot, passed despite being outspent nearly 5-to-1 by the opposition, Peterson said.

The Retain A Just Nebraska campaign spent about $2.2 million compared to about $450,000 by the referendum campaign.

Even with a green light to put the death penalty back into play, opponents believe it will be a long time, if ever, before an execution takes place. Ten men are on death row, most with remaining appeals.

The last time Nebraska executed a man was in 1997. The state has since put its electric chair in storage because its use was found to be unconstitutional by the Nebraska Supreme Court. Lethal injection has become the execution protocol, but has never been used and the state has had trouble getting the necessary drugs.

Lincoln attorney and longtime death penalty opponent Alan Peterson said several legal issues could prevent any potential execution.

For one, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a Florida case the U.S. Constitution requires juries to make those decisions. In Nebraska, judges decide one or more statements of fact in death penalty sentencing.

These and other issues may take years to resolve, and the lack of acceptable lethal drugs is just one of many additional barriers to Nebraska killing anyone for a long time, if ever, Alan Peterson said.

Officials have said they are working on a new drug protocol that would allow the state to carry out the death penalty, but many opponents say that's unlikely because of the difficulty in getting the drugs.

Gov. Pete Ricketts dug into his own bank account to donate $300,000 to Nebraskans for the Death Penalty. His father, Joe, donated another $100,000.

On Friday, the governor said that over the past several weeks, he has stepped up conversations with Attorney General Doug Peterson and Corrections Director Scott Frakes about a thorough review of the capital punishment protocols used in other states.

My administration will continue to review potential protocol changes, Ricketts said.
Service and sacrifice. This week, we honor our nations current and past members of the military during annual Veterans Day observances across Nebraska and the United States.

In the past year, weve seen terrible acts of terrorism at home and abroad, and now more than ever we owe our Nebraska Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen a heartfelt thank you. These men and women, as well as their families, continue to make daily sacrifices on behalf of the freedoms that we as Americans hold so dear.

This past weekend, I had the privilege to help honor one of our Nebraska veterans. Spiro Moustakes of Omaha fought in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, and applied years ago for medals he earned in the line of duty. Now, 71 years since his service concluded, he finally received his medals thanks to the assistance of the Nebraska National Guard, which presented them to him at his home on Sunday.

Recently, Lt. Gov. Mike Foley and Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac traveled with a contingent of Nebraska National Guard senior leaders to Fort Riley, Kansas. They were there for the assumption of command of Maj. Gen. Joseph Martin to the head of the First Infantry Division. The event included a ceremony for this division headquarters as they deploy overseas in support of our nations ongoing operations against ISIS. Among our Soldiers deploying with the First Infantry Division are approximately 90 from our Nebraska Army National Guards newly organized First Infantry Division Main Command PostOperational Detachment.

These Soldiers and their families are joining a long, unbroken line of Nebraska citizen Soldiers who have time and time again placed their lives on hold. They have made sacrifices that few truly understand or appreciate, and pledged their lives to the protection of our nations Constitution and the American people. It is a noble calling that few of us ever undertake, but it makes freedom possible for all of us.

On this Veterans Day, I encourage all Nebraskans to join together to honor and thank our veterans and their families for their service, their sacrifices, and their leadership. As President John F. Kennedy said, A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers. If you know a veteran, take time to shake their hand, thank them for their service, and listen to their stories. If you are able, attend one of our states many Veterans Day observance ceremonies or take time out to volunteer at one of our Veterans Homes or Veterans Service Agencies. And if you know someone you believe would benefit from serving in the military, provide them encouragement to do so.

We must seize this opportunity to honor our veterans now. Many who served our country in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam are in their golden years. This Veterans Day is also important for the new generations of servicemen and women returning home, often directly from combat service. They need to know how much we appreciate them. No matter to which generation of American veterans they belong, each one of them have added immeasurably to our communities. Their commitment to service before self has strengthened our state.

After Veterans Day concludes, lets not forget the significance of these sacrifices. All year long we enjoy freedoms such as the ability to vote, to assemble, and to worship. These freedoms were made possible by the actions and commitment of our veterans. We can continue to support our Nebraska veterans year round. The nearly 200 Nebraska Army and Air National Guardsmen who are currently deployed and in harms way need our prayers each and every day. Our veterans who live with the physical and psychological effects of war need our love and support as they return to our communities. Veterans Day brings a renewed focus on the sacrifices our veterans make and the challenges they face. We cannot forget to continue to support them throughout the year.

On Veterans Day in Lincoln, the State Capitol will be lit up in green light. Its one simple way we can honor our servicemen and women, and draw attention to the significance of this day. Throughout the state, Nebraskans will be celebrating and honoring our veterans in numerous communities. This week, I would love to hear about how youre honoring our veterans. If youd like to share your activities, please email me at pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov or call 402-471-2244.
Donald Trump's election as president sent the message that Americans are "looking for a different direction for the country," Gov. Pete Ricketts said Wednesday.

"I think it's very exciting," the governor said during a conference call from China, where he is on an agricultural trade mission.

In fact, he noted, he had the opportunity to do just that during a conversation in advance of Trump's address to a rally in Omaha last May.

Trump has expressed his opposition to the proposed new Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement that is viewed as a potential bonanza for U.S. beef and pork exports.

"Trade is an important way we can grow Nebraska," Ricketts said.

While expanding opportunities overseas, it creates jobs at home and investment in the state, he said.

As Ricketts and his fellow Republicans celebrated Tuesday's presidential victory, Nebraska Democrats viewed Trump's election with alarm and mourned the defeat of Democratic Rep. Brad Ashford of Omaha after a single House term.

Ashford fell to Republican nominee Don Bacon, a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general. Bacon's election signals the return of Nebraska's five-member congressional delegation to all-Republican in January.

Democratic State Chairman Vince Powers of Lincoln said Trump's victory "will fundamentally change the course of the country," wiping out expanded health care coverage that benefits millions of Americans under the Affordable Care Act and eventually threatening abortion rights and gay marriage protections.

Trump's future appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court could lead to decisions that turn abortion and gay rights over to the states, Powers said.

"Immigration is going to be a big change," he said, along with environmental protection.

The nuclear deal with Iran, adherence to the Paris climate change agreement and treaty commitments with U.S. allies are all now at risk, Powers said.

Republican National Committeeman J.L. Spray of Lincoln said Trump's big win reflects voter demands for "honesty from their government" and an overriding desire for change.

"He clearly is a change agent," Spray said. "He does represent change, hopefully for the better."

Issues that may have dominated voter decisions were future U.S. Supreme Court nominations, immigration policy, gun policy and social policies, Spray said.

Electing Bacon was the state party's No. 1 priority, he said, followed by winning the 2nd Congressional District's presidential electoral vote for Trump.

"The party played hard," Spray said.

Incoming Democratic State Chairwoman Jane Kleeb of Hastings said "the biggest lesson is that the national party does not get rural voters (and) better start investing significant resources in rural states."

Despite Tuesday's losses, Kleeb said, "there are many silver linings," including gains for Democrats in the Legislature and a growing progressive voter base in Omaha that should assist Sen. Heath Mello in his bid to be elected mayor of Omaha next spring.

"We had some good wins," she said, "and we'll build on it."

Sen. Ben Sasse, who opposed Trump from the beginning of his presidential campaign in Iowa, said voters "demanded disruption" and pledged to "do everything in my power to hold the new president to his promises."

Sasse said he will "fight for an ethics reform package that upends cronyism and enacts term limits (and) lead on repealing and replacing ObamaCare."

Sen. Deb Fischer said "the American people have spoken, and they have spoken with unmistakable clarity," sending a message that "it's time to shake up Washington (and) change the direction of this country."
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For Immediate Release, November 9, 2016 Contact: Kieran Suckling, (520) 275-5960 Center for Biological Diversity Statement on Election of Donald Trump TUCSON, Ariz. Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, released this statement today on Tuesdays election: Donald Trump is a disaster for public lands, wildlife and climate. But America is a nation of laws, not men, and virtually all his environment-destroying policies run contrary to our nation's bedrock environmental laws. In the face of Trump's disturbing authoritarianism, the Center for Biological Diversity today redoubles its commitment to upholding the rule of law and the right of all Americans to clean air, clean water, healthy forests, rivers and deserts, and thriving wildlife. The hill before us on the most important environmental issues of our age  climate change and the global extinction crisis  just got unquestionably steeper. But this election will spark millions of new people to join us in storming that hill. We will not stand down. We will grow bigger, louder, fiercer.



Its no accident that Trump has declared war on both environmental protection and social justice. They are deeply intertwined. The Center for Biological Diversity will redouble its work with the communities Trump has preyed upon  women, African Americans, American Indians, Latinos, Asians, LGBT people and marginalized faiths  to build an enduring freedom and justice movement. In the next four years, we will double the number and power of our supporters from 1.2 million to 2.5 million people. Trump's vision is dark. Dangerous. His election shocks our deepest moral values. But American democracy is strong and its commitment to wildlife, wild places, clean air, clean water and social justice is unwavering. We will regroup, reenergize and carry on the good fight to save life on Earth. We will win. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with 1.1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
For the second time in about a year, Beatrice Public Schools district voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposal for a new elementary facility.

A total of 4,224 voted against the measure and 1,969 voted for.

The general obligation bond of $34.88 million would have funded a new elementary school for all preschoolers through fifth graders (roughly 1,000 students) of the Beatrice Public Schools district.

The measure needed more than 50 percent voter approval to pass. The same proposal was voted down by 60.79 percent of voters in September 2015.

I was hoping the bond issue would pass because I think its a need in the district, but I would say that on behalf of the board and our School District 15, I think were happy that everybody voted, said BPS Superintendent Pat Nauroth.

BPS Board of Education President Lisa Pieper said she's disappointed but not shocked.

"From what I heard, people are not disputing the need, but we are continually hearing that property taxes are too high," Pieper said. "There were just a lot of things going on outside of our bond, including the SCC bond. And until we have a resolution on the Beatrice 6 case, that will loom over our heads as well."

School officials had hoped to build on land north of the high school, which is owned by the district and leased to farmers. Included in the $35 million figure were costs to demolish each of the existing four elementary schools, built in the 1950s.

The estimated tax levy (property tax) for the project was estimated between 16 and 18 cents, depending on the repayment schedule.

A package with a 30-year repayment timeline had an estimated tax levy of 16.26 cents. That meant owners of a property in the district valued at $100,000 would have paid $162.60 annually toward the project for the next 30 years.

Talk of a consolidated elementary school began five years ago in discussion by groups comprised of community members with a goal of helping the district map out its five-year strategic goal.

Proponents of the proposal said a single-site school would be more efficient in terms of energy usage, shared resources and staffing. Employees such as the media specialist and the head nurse split time between the four schools, as do the two elementary principals. They also like that the plan for the new school included a cafeteria (food is prepared at the high school and sent daily to the four elementary schools), more space and modern technology.

Opponents of the single-site school said in community discussions and at school board meetings that they prefer the small, neighborhood schools and that the new school would be too large, impersonal and hectic in terms of traffic and other logistics. Other concerns were rooted in the price tag and the tax burden, especially on farmers of the district.

Officials have cited major repairs to the four schools such as a $800,000 roof needed at Paddock Lane and new heating, ventilation and air conditioning units needed in all four of the schools.

They have also called for electrical, technological and security upgrades, improved vehicle access and parking, and cafeterias, as elementary students currently eat food transported from the high school into their school gyms. Additionally, a priority goal of the school board is to group all preschoolers under one roof. Currently, they are taught in classrooms at two of the elementary schools and in Southeast Community College in Beatrice.

Three alternative ideas to the consolidated elementary school were presented at a July community meeting held at the high school. The alternatives involved renovations and additions to the existing schools, each with price tags ranging from $18 million to $33 million. A paper survey filled out by 92 people of the total 140 at the meeting showed support for the consolidated elementary school.

I think any time you do work to fix up buildings that are 60 years old, when youre done, youre still going to have 60-year-old buildings, so the board will have to look at whether they want to invest money in that, Nauroth said.

Nauroth said the districts architect and maintenance employees project the four schools needing $12 million in maintenance costs through the next 10 to 15 years.

We know the need is still there. The question is what the best solution will be, Nauroth said. I think the board will look at all of its existing options. They will look at everything from a small bond to do some minor work on the elementary schools and get things updated that way all the way up to a single-site K through five and pull pre-K out of that.

The board will ask the public what they want, Nauroth said.

The board takes this very seriously and will move forward in a transparent and measured fashion.

Something has to be done, Pieper said.


For Immediate Release, November 9, 2016 Contacts: Julie Light, Food & Water Watch, (415) 215-5737, jlight@fwwatch.org

Patrick Sullivan, Center for Biological Diversity, (415) 517-9364, psullivan@biologicaldiversity.org Landmark Victory: Monterey Becomes California's First Major Oil-producing County to Ban Fracking SALINAS, Calif. Voters in Monterey County, California's fourth-largest oil-producing county, on Tuesday passed Measure Z to ban fracking and other dangerous extraction techniques. The measure won with more than 55 percent of the vote, despite supporters being outspent 30 to one by oil companies, including Chevron and Aera Energy. Measure Z also phases out toxic wastewater injection and prohibits new oil wells in the county. Monterey is the sixth county in California to ban fracking. We congratulate the people of Monterey County for banning fracking and protecting Californias water, agriculture and public health, said Adam Scow, California director of Food & Water Watch. This campaign proves that everyday people can defeat Big Oils millions, even in a place where it is actively drilling. We look forward to seeing Californians build on this momentum towards winning a statewide ban on fracking. Residents put Measure Z on the ballot after county supervisors in 2015 rejected the unanimous recommendation by the planning commission to enact moratorium on fracking and wastewater injection. David beat Goliath in Monterey County's stunning victory against oil industry pollution, said Kassie Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity. Despite spending millions, oil companies couldn't suppress this grassroots campaign. This triumph against fracking will inspire communities across California and the whole country to stand up to this toxic industry. While oil companies have fracked in Monterey County, current production in the countys San Ardo oilfield relies on cyclic steam injection, a process that uses massive amounts of water containing toxic chemicals and generates significant greenhouse gas pollution. Measure Z bans this environmentally destructive type of extreme extraction. Many wells in the county re-inject toxin-laden oil wastewater, contaminating the aquifers below. Oil companies have been improperly injecting toxic oil wastewater into local aquifers that were supposed to be protected under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Measure Z will phase out wastewater injection to ensure that such disasters will not be repeated. The grassroots Protect Monterey County coalition built a powerful alliance of businesses, labor, students, Latinos, homeowners and environmental organizations. In the days leading up to the election, coalition members fanned out across the county going door to door to drum up support for the measure. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.


For Immediate Release, November 9, 2016 Contact: Nathan Donley, (971) 717-6406, ndonley@biologicaldiversity.org EPA Approves Use of Dangerous Herbicide Dicamba on GE Crops Agency Opens Door to Massive Increase in Pesticide Use, Fails to

Examine Threat to Endangered Species WASHINGTON Ignoring the legal requirement to examine threats to endangered species, the Environmental Protection Agency today approved the use of the dangerously toxic herbicide dicamba on crops genetically engineered to tolerate the pesticide. Dicamba has been around for decades, but this new EPA decision allows the herbicide to be sprayed directly on genetically engineered cotton and soybeans  opening the door for dicamba use to jump from less than 1 million pounds to more than 25 million annually on these two crops. Todays decision comes on the heels of the agencys recent decision to expand approval for a new pesticide called Enlist Duo, made for use on GE corn, cotton and soybeans. Once again the EPA is allowing for staggering increases in pesticide use that will undoubtedly harm our nations most imperiled plants and animals, said Nathan Donley, a scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity. Iconic species like endangered whooping cranes are known to visit soybean fields, and now theyd be exposed to this toxic herbicide at levels theyve never seen before. In recent months dicamba has made headlines because its illegal use has caused extensive damage to crops in the Midwest due to spray drift. Although the approved dicamba has been formulated to reduce spray drift, the massive projection in increased use will be an ongoing cause for concern to the farming community. The EPAs analysis also indicated that some threatened and endangered species  including birds and mammals  may be harmed by the massive increase in herbicide use. The agency has not yet complied with its obligation to consider impacts to these species under the Endangered Species Act. Monsantos own conservative estimates predict that dicamba use on soybeans would go from 233,000 pounds per year to 20.5 million pounds per year, and dicamba use on cotton could go from 364,000 pounds per year to 5.2 million pounds per year. Todays approval covers 34 states. This next generation of crops has been genetically engineered to resist dicamba because the use of crops genetically engineered to resist glyphosate has resulted in the development of glyphosate tolerant superweeds, which now infest nearly 100 million acres of farmland in the United States. We cant spray our way out of this problem. We need to get off the pesticide treadmill, said Donley. Pesticide resistant superweeds are a serious threat to our farmers, and piling on more pesticides will just result in superweeds resistant to more pesticides. We cant fight evolution  its a losing strategy. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with 1.1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
MARRAKESH - Four of the 10 countries hammered hardest in 2015 by climate-boosted extreme weather are in Africa, according to a report released on Tuesday at UN climate talks in Marrakesh.

Image by 123RF

"Africa is especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change," said Sonke Kreft, lead author of the Global Climate Risk Index 2017 report, issued annually by risk analysts Germanwatch.

Poor countries in general are more exposed to the ravages of superstorms, drought, heatwaves and flooding, all of which have become more intense and frequent due to human-induced global warming.

"The distribution of climatic events is not fair," Kreft said, noting that the world's least developed countries have emitted only a small fraction of the greenhouse gases heating up the planet.

Mozambique tops the list of nations most affected on the 2015 climate risk index, followed by Dominica, Malawi and India. Myanmar, Ghana and Madagascar are also among the top 10. The index measures level of exposure and vulnerability to extreme events.

Climate models predicting that global warming enhances both the intensity and frequency of such events have been borne out by a crescendo of deadly weather, especially over the last decade.

More than half-a-million people worldwide died as a direct result of almost 11,000 extreme weather events from 1996 to 2015, according to the report, which has been tracking risk, country-by-country, for more than a decade.

Storms, heatwaves, floods and other climate-related natural disasters caused upwards of three trillion dollars (2.7 trillion euros) damage over the same period. During those two decades, the countries worst hit were Honduras, Myanmar and Haiti.

The Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand were also among the worst affected, taking into account both lives lost and the cost of damage.

The report does not factor out what percentage of the damage done can be attributed directly to global warming.

The UN talks, tasked with implementing the landmark Paris Agreement inked last December, run through November 18.

Source: AFP.
The media plays a huge role in shaping society, whether as a result of its utilisation as a propaganda or educational tool. The media has the potential to bring a JSE listed company to its knees as witnessed in the African Bank (ABIL) case in 2014.

United States president elect, Donald Trump has always been viewed as an unlikely candidate as a result of his persona which was laid out for the whole world to see on social media networking site Twitter. None of us had the belief that the ex Apprentice TV star and business mogul had the required capability to get far in his endeavour to be the most powerful man in the world. We all believed this was simply another one of his publicity stunts when he announced his intention to run for the highest office in the world.

Evgeny Gromov via 123RF

Fact is, the media too doubted this act of ambition and also realised its consumers would probably want to witness this lunatics escapades turn into a comedy show. Now I am not saying the medias intention was to see Trump go all the way, but their desire to give us media consumers what we need and ultimately grow ratings and readership, fed the Republican monster. While the media covered his antics which upset numerous demographics, Trump realised he could have them eating right out of his hand as his controversial statements drew a flurry of outcries from critics, while also drawing the ire of numerous powerful and influential leaders from across the globe.

Upon feeding this monster, there was no turning back for media outlets where journalists had to keep their bosses happy by covering the most important event in the world, the run up to the US presidential race. At this stage nobody believed Trump was going to win as a result of the negative coverage he was receiving prompted by his comments on a wide range of issues.

Fact is, the 21st century human being is inquisitive and with an array of digital platforms can now conduct his/her research and come to their own conclusion on different matters without having traditional media outlets dictate to them. As the presidential election stepped up a gear, more and more people decided to go online to get a glimpse of this lunatic known as Donald Trump. With numerous individuals diving on the web to conduct their own research, this gave the democratic candidate an opportunity to own his brand with traffic to his online platforms recording a sharp increase. Owning your brand is ensuring you utilise different platforms to drive your message as opposed to idly standing by and hoping media outlets will do the work for you.

From the onset, Donald Trump knew the key to his victory over his fellow Republican candidate rivals and ultimately the Democrats would require the media following him everywhere he went. Trump knew that the more coverage he received, the more people would be intrigued by his views and ultimately conduct research and be converted to voters. Donald Trump has always known his tweets were controversial and he used this to gain a large following on the social media network which gave him an opportunity to drive his message.
Eyewitness News (EWN) has created a web tool that will empower citizens to be more active in the fight against corruption. Visit http://ewn.co.za/tools/municipal-audits/

SALGA CEO Xolile George, Deputy Auditor General, Tsakane Ratsela and Primedia CEO, Roger Jardine click to enlarge

This tool, which was created in partnership with the Auditor General, translates the complex data from the Auditor Generals report into easily accessible information on the state of expenditure at a municipal level was launched at a breakfast in Sandton on 4 November 2016.

In attendance were academics in the field of public management, the heads of NGOs working in anti-corruption and public accountability spaces, business leaders, senior journalists as well as institutions responsible for good governance and accountability.

Katy Katopodis, EWNs group-editor-in-chief stressed the importance of the role that independent media can play to ensure that information is made accessible to the public.

This portal empowers our users with knowledge and comes at a critical time in our country when we demand transparency and accountability  as South Africans  and as a free media, she explained.

The tool allows you to see in a glance what has happened in your municipality in respect of unauthorised, irregular and fruitless expenditure.

The portal gives you the AGs granular municipal audits for the 2014/2015 year highlighting fruitless, irregular and wasteful expenditure.

The AG, Kimi Makwetu has previously said accountability is not at an acceptable level in South Africa and discipline goes hand in hand with strong leadership.

Speaking on his behalf at the event, the deputy AG, Tsakane Ratsela commended Primedia Broadcasting for putting resources towards a project like this. We need more and more collaborations like this and we commit to working with the Primedia Group as all of us have an enormous responsibility to contribute to building our democracy, she said.

Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Themba Godi stressed that the major challenge remains on how we respond to audit reports and manage the consequences of the report. He praised the step that Primedia Broadcasting has taken to give the information in the AGs reports to the people, to ensure that there are consequences.

This tool puts information in the hands of ordinary people and when people know whats happening, no-one can lie to them, claiming they are doing the right thing because the people can turn around with facts that they arent doing the right thing and demand better from their municipalities.

During the launch it was noted that the data also highlights good work that is being done. There are municipalities like Tsantsabane who have managed to claw back a massive R31 million and areas like Swellendam that have managed 2 consecutive years of no wasteful expenditure at all after R6.3m was spent unproductively during 2011.

EWN is proud to be a part of this initiative that makes available this information in a user-friendly, accessible way, said Katopodis.

The AG does amazing work and what we are trying to do through this partnership is ensure broader public awareness of this work by encouraging actively involved citizens, people can dig into publically available information to ask their public officials detailed questions.

To explore the tool click here http://ewn.co.za/tools/municipal-audits/




Artisan products and handmade things are becoming increasingly sought after as the quality of such items improve and exceedingly match that of their commercial counterparts.

Elsabe LemmerPicture: Supplied

Elsabe Lemmer recently founded an online marketplace in support of local artisans specialising in clothing and accessories, and homeware. Wearels.co.za offers a carefully curated selection of brands in each respective category that reflect the various values, perspectives and styles of South Africans.

Elsabe strongly believes in this up-and-coming industry as holding much promise for the future of the local economy. Artisans and their skills are vital for our economy and will always be needed. Innovators are constantly coming out with a better solution to creating a product, and this challenges the more advanced manufacturing companies. South Africa needs to focus more on the training of artisans otherwise we cannot grow the economy like we want to, she said. This echos Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimandes sentiment at this years National Artisan Development Conference, where he said, There is nothing more patriotic than developing artisans, they are the heart of South Africas economic development, and will be the main driver behind the manufacturing sector in years to come.

She founded the boutique e-commerce store in June this year with the hope to provide a unique perspective that speaks to those of a similar mind, and to showcase local artisans and their contribution to the creative South African community. South Africa is such an amazing country with so many different talents... We want to make the rest of the country, and world, aware of the talent that we have. We want everyone to support our local artisans and appreciate their work.

We just need more platforms to help each other to grow and expand one anothers small businesses.

Here, a Q&A with Elsabe on the challenges to starting the business and the opportunity selling online presents.

What gave you the idea to start an online shop, and when was this? What gave you the idea to start an online shop, and when was this?

Its funny, because an online shop was never my dream, it all just came together at the right time in my life. I relocated about two years ago and struggled to find something I was passionate about in the area. I am very focused on the quality and the beauty of a product, and saw that there was a gap in the market for an online shop that sells unique, excellent quality, stylish products.

How did you decide on the name? How did you decide on the name?

Its a mixture of my nickname and wear for the clothing and accessories, and a play on words for where else would you find products similar to ours online?

What were some of the challenges to starting the business, and how have these changed since launching a few months ago? What were some of the challenges to starting the business, and how have these changed since launching a few months ago?

Every day I face different challenges. Starting a business on your own with not much experience in business is challenging as a whole, but if youve set your mind to it, you will find ways to deal with your challenges. There are new and more hurdles since I have launched, but its exciting and we have great ideas for the future.

Competing with the likes of Superbalist and Hello Pretty, what is your competitive advantage? Competing with the likes of Superbalist and Hello Pretty, what is your competitive advantage?

We are a small business, and thats a great advantage as we can focus on each customer and have a more personal relationship to them. We also have the advantage of being more selective with the products we sell, to ensure its not too commercial.

In an effort to showcase the entrepreneurial talents of South Africa to the rest of the world, do you also ship your products to international locations? In an effort to showcase the entrepreneurial talents of South Africa to the rest of the world, do you also ship your products to international locations?

Yes, we ship internationally, and we are aiming to target the rest of the world and wow them with African products.

According to the launch release sent to Bizcommunity, you believe that selling online is the future for shopping. If a customer cannot view your brand online, you will be losing out on the opportunity to grow your business to its fullest potential. Why did you decide to start online, and do you plan to open a brick-and-mortar store at a later stage? According to the launch release sent to Bizcommunity, you believe that selling online is the future for shopping. If a customer cannot view your brand online, you will be losing out on the opportunity to grow your business to its fullest potential. Why did you decide to start online, and do you plan to open a brick-and-mortar store at a later stage?

I decided to only go online, because my husbands job could cause us to be relocated at any time, and because e-commerce is the way forward!
PARIS - This year's French wine harvest is among the smallest for 30 years, down 10% on last year although not quite as bad as feared, authorities said Tuesday.

PARIS - This year's French wine harvest is among the smallest for 30 years, down 10% on last year although not quite as bad as feared, authorities said Tuesday.

French grape growers have produced 43.2m hectolitres, according to data released by the French agriculture ministry, saying the November 1 harvest estimate was six percent lower than the average of the last five years.

Hail, frost and mildew have ravaged French vineyards since the spring, even if "precipitation since mid-September has benefited vines where harvest had not yet started," said the ministry's Agreste statistics service.

The result is "one of the weakest (harvests) for 30 years," even if not as bad had been forecast, said the ministry.

In September experts said the growing season had been challenged by frost and hail although capped by abundant sunshine, predicting a small yield but one of "great quality".

On Tuesday the ministry said the output slump "is mostly due to the springtime frost" which notably hit the Champagne, Bourgogne (Burgundy) and Loire Valley regions, and the lack of rain further south near the Mediterranean.

But in the Champagne region, while the fall in production was significant, it was not as severe as feared due to "very favourable weather conditions at harvest time," it said.

France is the world's top wine exporter by value, accounting for 29% of the market at 8.2bn euros ($9.1bn) in 2015.

In terms of volume, France ranks third with 14m hectolitres last year, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine.
Lewis Group has dismissed allegations of wrongdoing relating to the practice of cancelling credit transactions in default and reinvoicing them as cash sales, saying this did not affect provisions for future bad debt.

In an interlocutory application that will be heard in the high court on Thursday, Lewis has applied to have a request for detailed information on this practice denied.

David Woollam, a director of Summit Financial Partners, who has brought the request, has said that Lewis had been understating its bad debt.

This comes after current and former Lewis employees told Summit that the practice of cancelling nonperforming credit transactions and restating them as cash sales was common.

In an affidavit, Leon Mocke, Lewiss regional manager for the West Coast, said that R1.7m in credit transactions across seven branches were cancelled during the February-March 2016 internal "write-off period". These were restated as cash transactions to avoid writing them off as bad debt, Mocke said.

Payments made in respect of these credit transactions were then reflected as settlements of the reinvoiced cash transactions, he said.

Reasons staff gave for restating transactions in this way included unresolved stock complaints or unhappiness with the quality of the goods. But, according to branch reports, the restatements sometimes took place more than three years after the original credit sale.

There was no proof that any of these reasons were valid, said Mocke, suggesting that customers were not aware of restatements, nor were they refunded for faulty goods.

Woollam said this practice amounted to accounting fraud and was artificially improving the quality of Lewiss debtors book. The practice contravened International Financial Reporting Standards, he said.

It was not generally accepted accounting practice to reverse a sale because of nonpayment, said Charles Hattingh, managing member of PC Finance Research and former chairman of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants international accounting standards harmonisation committee. "That is a bad debt and should be treated as such," Hattingh said.

Woollam, who lost a high court application in October to have four Lewis directors declared delinquent, has made a second demand along the same lines in light of new evidence, including the cancelled credit invoices. He is requesting that the high court order Lewis to furnish Summit with reinvoicing reports for all 760 of its branches for the period January 15 2016 to March 30 2016.

Lewis argued in court papers that Woollams application was an abuse of process and that such reports would not implicate any of its directors, which is his ultimate aim.

The documents Woollam sought would "merely show how frequently credit transactions were cancelled and

reinvoiced as cash transactions", which was irrelevant to the fraud charge, Lewis said.

Two senior staff members had been issued with final written warnings for improperly approving such cancellations, illustrating that Lewiss senior management could not have supported such conduct, it said.

In an independent review, KPMG found cancelling a credit sale and reinvoicing it as a cash sale would have no effect on Lewiss impairment provisions.

KPMG and Lewiss auditor, PwC, would not comment, citing client confidentiality.

Lewis declined to comment on specific questions, saying the matter was sub judice.
Selected from 90 offices around the world, KFC's Story of Hope campaign is named as Ogilvy PR's creative effectiveness campaign of the year.

Ogilvy Public Relations Johannesburg has won the top creative and effectiveness award at the 2016 Earnie Awards, Ogilvy PRs network-wide internal excellence programme. The Earnie Awards build on Ogilvy PR's long-standing tradition of recognising and honouring the outstanding work done on behalf of its clients across the network.

Ogilvy Public Relations Johannesburg was shortlisted for five Earnie Awards in 2016.

Creative effectiveness in an evolving PR landscape has become even more important if we are to truly ensure measurable and impactful value for our clients from public relations as a discipline. Creative effectiveness is what clients value most, which means that the work we do must trigger original, one-of-a-kind solutions for business problems, said Ogilvy PR National Managing Director Joanna Oosthuizen.

As competition intensifies the need for intense curiosity, originality, and creative thinking increases. It is not enough to do the same thing better, its no longer enough to be efficient and solve problems. This award recognises original thinking, curiosity and the ability to find unique solution to a client's challenge - something we cannot do without trust and collaboration with our clients like KFC, she said.

Ogilvy Public Relations Johannesburg was recognised in the following categories:

Creative Effectiveness Campaign of the Year 2016  KFC Faces of Hope (winner)

Social Change Campaign of the Year 2016  KFC Faces of Hope (winner)

Social Change Campaign of the Year 2016  Domestos Donate your Pee/World Toilet Day (Shortlisted)

Corporate Campaign of the Year 2016  Anglo American The Anglo American Story (Shorlisted)

Corporate Campaign of the Year 2016  Anglo American Working Towards an HIV Generation (Shortlisted)



Ogilvy Public Relations Johannesburg is very proud of its work being shortlisted and awarded amongst some of the great work in the EMEA region and globally. We are proud of the level of quality work coming from our talented teams, not just in their creative and strategic input, but also in the real business impact they have with client brands, added Oosthuizen.




Keimon Blount

Jermaine Norfleet Zaquan Patrick



Lieutenant Jim VanLandingham

Beaufort County Sheriff's Office

On Thursday, September 8, 2016 the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call reporting a man shot at 116 Baker Drive in the River Road Estates Mobile Home Park off of River Road in Washington. Deputies along with Troopers from the North Carolina Highway Patrol responded to the scene, located the victim and immediately began lifesaving efforts. Emergency medical personnel also responded and continued those lifesaving efforts, but were not able to save the victim. Joshua Rashawn O'Neal, age 22, was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS personnel.Beaufort County Sheriff's Investigators were summoned to the scene to process for physical evidence and interview witnesses. On Friday, September 9, 2016 Investigators received a tip in the case from a Washington Police Department Detective. With assistance from the Washington Police Department, Investigators were able to gather sufficient evidence to locate and charge Jeffery Lamar Sawyer, age 24 of Plymouth, with one count each of Murder, First Degree Burglary and Attempted Robbery with a Dangerous weapon. Sawyer is currently being held without bond in the Beaufort County Detention Center.At the time of his arrest Sawyer was wanted by the Washington Police Department for one count each of Possession of a Firearm by a Felon and Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, for an incident that occurred on September 3, 2016 in the city limit of Washington.After a nearly two month long investigation in this case, on Monday, October 31st, 2016, Beaufort County Sheriff's Investigators also charged Jermaine Anthony Norfleet, age 25 of Greenville NC, Keimon Rashae Blount, age 22 of Plymouth NC and Zaquan Lavon Patrick, age 16 of Greenville NC, with one count each of 1st Degree Murder, Attempted Robbery With a Dangerous Weapon and First Degree Burglary.On Friday, November 3rd, 2016 Jermaine Norfleet was arrested in Greenville by the Greenville Police Department's Violent Fugitive Task Force. Zaquan Patrick who was already in custody was served with the warrants by the Washington County Sheriff's Office and Keimon Blount was arrested in Plymouth by the Washington County Sheriff's Office. All three suspects are being held without bond. One more arrest is expected in this case.
SolarWorld, a global solar PV manufacturer, has donated a solar electricity system to the Grootbos Foundation, a non-profit organisation in the Western Cape. Solek, the manufacturer's distribution partner, provided free of charge installation and engineering expertise.

SolarWorld solar panels installed at the Grootbos Foundation.

This donation assists the Grootbos Foundation in its continued work towards our vision and brings us closer to living our commitment to sustainability and conservation, says Julie Cheetham, Grootbos Foundation MD.

The project includes a 5kWp solar system, which will generate sufficient energy ensuring the NPO has a fixed monthly electricity cost. Apart from assisting the Grootbos Foundation in saving on their electricity bill, the project contributes to conserving the environment, which forms part of their vision.

Economic and social sustainability

Gregor Kuepper, MD of SolarWorld Africa explains, Our commitment to sustainability begins on the inside. It starts with how we manufacture our products, choose our materials and treat our employees, then it extends to the communities we serve. Our commitment encompasses both economic and social sustainability which includes our factories, suppliers and employees. It is part of our identity and this is what sets SolarWorld apart from the rest of the solar manufacturing industry.

The Grootbos Foundation solar system is operative and will generate clean renewable energy for the training centre for 25 years and more. We are extremely proud of our new environmentally friendly, energy efficient office and training facility which is complete with a brand new solar system, and we are extremely grateful to SolarWorld and Solek Innovations, concludes Cheetham.
Choosing a career path after matric or entering the workplace after studying can be intimidating, and many people are not necessarily sure of exactly what they want to do. Being forced into making a rash decision can lead to dropping out of a course or going into a career with no job satisfaction, warns Manpower SA Managing Director, Lyndy van den Barselaar.

South Africas high unemployment rate puts more pressure on students and job seekers to make careful decisions around what career path to pursue. Factors such as job availability, job security and future of the position or industry all have to be considered, which can make the process overwhelming, she says.

ENCA last year reported that 50% to 60% of students at higher learning institutions drop out during their first year. This is often owing to students realising quickly into their first year of study that the course they have chosen is not something they want to pursue.

Further, those working without job satisfaction are less likely to be productive in their positions and passionate about their jobs. Since we spend a large portion of our lives in the workplace, it is important to have a job one is passionate about.

Owing to this, many students who complete their matric or their tertiary education choose to spend some time overseas before settling into a course or a career. Contrary to the beliefs of some, this can be a positive experience in terms of the travellers future career development, says van den Barselaar.

Besides assisting to develop ones interpersonal and social skills, independence and confidence, finding work overseas can assist in gaining valuable, worldly experience. Taking up part time work will introduce the traveller to the workplace and could even assist them in figuring out what their chosen career path may be, whether this is an internship or contract position.

Platforms such as oDesk, now Upwork, are evidence of the evolving workplace and the digital transformation in practice. These platforms allow job seekers to create profiles, citing their skills and experience in any particular field, from anywhere in the world. Those seeking professionals for casual jobs can then interview, hire and work with jobseekers through the platform  the process is completely digital, making distance between the employee and employer superfluous. With upgrades such as real-time chat, it is now more convenient for potential employers to find and hire employees.

Platforms such as these ensure that time spent overseas will not be time wasted, where one could be gaining work experience, explains van den Barselaar. For example, a student who was part of the school newspaper may be able to assist a business looking to expand their social media footprint.

Van den Barselaar suggests that matriculants or graduates look for work within their field of interest and where their strengths lie. This will ensure that the traveller also becomes an asset to the business they are looking to work for.

She explains that many businesses have cultural exchange programmes in place that will facilitate for work experience for graduates from other countries, while other businesses offer internship programmes.

Volunteer programmes also offer a positive way to explore the world while working and making a difference to the community in which you are living at the time.

The digital nature of the evolving employment landscape makes overseas travel a valuable part of ones personal development and even ones career path, she concludes.
May an employee who uttered racist statements be placed back into the same workplace? This is the question the Constitutional Court answered in its judgment delivered on 8 November 2016. Issues a day before the national elections across the pond that has been marked with vitriol and bigotry, our own highest court left everyone in no doubt that racist behaviour will not be tolerated in our country.

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) dismissed Jacobus Johannes Kruger for making racist comments. He took issue with his dismissal as he agreed to a sanction of a final written warning, 10 days' suspension without pay and counselling. The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) agreed with Kruger that SARS could not unilaterally amend the sanction to dismissal. The CCMA awarded Kruger reinstatement. SARS, in turn, took the decision of the CCMA commissioner on review to the labour court. Both the labour court and labour appeal court held that, lamentable as Kruger's conduct was, SARS could not interfere with the chairperson's finding.

SARS then approached the Constitutional Court where it argued that the CCMA commissioner erred ordering Kruger's employment to be reinstated. Adapting its approach used in the earlier courts, SARS attacked the award by stating that the decision to reinstate Kruger was a finding at which no reasonable commissioner could arrive. It abandoned its attack on the substantive fairness of the commissioner's finding but focussed on her order to reinstate him into the workplace.

The Labour Relations Act provides that reinstatement is the appropriate remedy for unfair dismissal. This is so unless:

the employee does not seek reinstatement,

the circumstances surrounding the dismissal are such that a continued employment relationship would be intolerable,

it is not reasonably practicable for an employee to be reinstated, or

the dismissal was unfair only because the employer did not follow a fair procedure.



The Constitutional Court considered the CCMA commissioner's award and Kruger reinstatement she ordered. Kruger complained that, at the CCMA, SARS did not adequately show why he should not be reinstated. In an unanimous judgment the ConCourt held that "[i]t cannot be primarily the duty of the employer to explain the intolerability that flows effortlessly from the obvious repugnant conduct of the employee." It does thus not lie in an employee's mouth to bemoan the evidence produced by the employer (or absence thereof) to show that reinstatement should not be awarded as a continued working relationship would be intolerable. Such an employee would need to go to great lengths to explain away the obvious intolerability, the ConCourt stated.

The judgment explains and underlines the damaging effect of racism in our society. It warns employees exhibiting such behaviour in a workplace that there should be no room for them to hide. It extends a hand to embattled employers who have to show why reinstatement is not appropriate by placing a burden on employees to show why continued employment is not intolerable where they dispute this assertion by the employer.

Employers and employees alike should welcome the judgment. It leaves no doubt as to the view of our highest court on a scourge that still plagues our nation. Eradicating racist behaviour is critical in our process of building an open and democratic society based on human dignity, equality and freedom. Whilst others are contemplating building walls, we should welcome any opportunity to build bridges instead.
The already saturated South African automotive filters aftermarket is being flooded with low-quality, low-cost imports following the lifting of sanctions.

The lack of standardisation and control over imports is hindering the competitive manufacturing of filters locally, as imports are priced 20 to 30% lower than local filters and original equipment (OE) filters. The drop in filter prices encourages commodity pricing in the domestic market. This is a significant challenge as local manufacturers account for 80% of the market and imported brands hold the remaining 20%.

The independent aftermarket is fragmented, and the entry of cheap imports into this segment affects the reputation of all participants, noted mobility research analyst Sundar Shankarnarayanan. On the flip side, the withdrawal of global sanctions has opened up the South African automotive market, stimulated the diversification of car brands and models, and intensified the demand for automotive filters.

Strategic Analysis of the South African Automotive Filters Aftermarket is part of Frost & Sullivans Automotive & Transportation Growth Partnership Service programme, which includes insights on engine oil, a dashboard of selected automotive aftermarket parts, retailing strategies, brake rotors, drums and callipers, as well as the medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicle aftermarket.

The proliferation of diesel cars in the South African market is driving the demand for diesel filters. Consumers and OEMs are also seeking eco-friendly, metal-free filters that have a longer operational life expectancy in vehicles, said Shankarnarayanan. This is compelling manufacturers of high- and low-end filters to enter into partnerships to develop accessories and innovative filters for OE manufacturers (OEMs).

Distributors stock filters that directly affect the operation of the car, like oil and air filters, as opposed to luxury filters, like cabin filters, because of the high demand and the turnover of these products. Fuel filters are stocked less frequently due to the long change interval. In terms of volume, air and oil filters are rated the 'best-selling' products in the South African aftermarket, comprising 34.5% and 42.4%, respectively, of the total filter aftermarket. Fuel filters account for 17.8% and cabin filters for 5.2%.

OEMs are fitting filters in passenger vehicles in greater numbers, raising the penetration rate of filters. Demand is expected to reach 50.3 million units by 2022, of which passenger vehicles will account for 93% and commercial vehicles 7%.
PARIS: US electric car maker Tesla on Tuesday said it would buy German engineering firm Grohmann to help ramp up production at its heavily-automated factories.

"Several critical elements of Tesla's automated manufacturing systems will be designed and produced" in Pruem, Rhineland-Palatinate state, the California-based firm said in a statement.

Tesla, founded by tech billionaire Elon Musk, aims to produce 500,000 cars per year by 2018 after taking some 370,000 pre-orders for its mass-market Model 3, which will sell for around 35,000 dollars (just under 32,000 euros). This year, the firm hopes to build between 80,000 and 90,000 units of its luxury Model S and Model X vehicles, 50,000 of them in the second half.

Neither Tesla nor Grohmann offered details of how much money is to change hands in the transaction.

According to founder and chief executive Klaus Grohmann, the German company employs around 700 people. The firm had revenues of 123 million euros in 2015.

"While the agreement is contingent on clearance from regulators, including in Germany, we hope to have full approval and close the acquisition by early 2017," Tesla said.

It added that it hopes to create "over 1,000 advanced engineering and skilled technician jobs in Germany over the next two years".

Germany has been racked by angst in recent months over its high-tech firms being snapped up by foreign buyers, blocking two high-profile deals after failing to hold up the sale of industrial robotics firm Kuka.

So far Berlin's fears have been directed at China, whose firms spent 11 billion euros on German takeovers between January and October according to consultancy EY.

Source: AFP
With the opening of the new 15-storey tower addition at the Protea Hotel by Marriott Durban uMhlanga, the restort town is set to meet the demand for accommodation in what looks to be a bumper tourist season.

Mark Satterfield

According to Mark Satterfield, chief operating officer, Africa, for Marriott International: Durban has experienced significant growth in its tourist numbers in recent years, and tourism statistics reflect that the December 2015 period saw an 8% increase in visitor numbers compared with the same period the previous year. This is in line with our own research, which predicts rising visitor numbers and increased travel related spending patterns in the years ahead.

Durban recorded its highest tourist numbers in December 2015, with a total of 1.4 million visitors to the city. The increase in year-on-year figures bodes well for the future.

Doubling capacity

The large building project at the hotel, which involved two years of work, entails a substantial investment from the hotel owners into uMhlanga, which is well set to position itself as an upmarket location for both international and domestic travelers.

The construction project is so large that it is equivalent to constructing a whole new hotel, according to Satterfield. Through the addition of an entire new tower adjacent to the existing building, the hotel will be doubling its capacity for visitors.

In addition to a new reception area and lobby, the project has added an extra 130 bedrooms and a restaurant, lounge and bar. This brings the accommodation to 250 bedrooms in total, with amenities to suit both corporate and leisure travellers. With the positive spin-off for the tourist market of the additional accommodation, the business travel market will benefit too.

Reflecting the mood of the destination, the design of the new internal spaces embraces a relaxed yet modern style, complementing the sun-filled image of uMhlanga. With its blue and white striped wallpaper, and walls lined with wooden sailing oars, the nautical theme of the decor creates a fresh and relaxing mood.

Expanding and cementing our strong brand presence in the KwaZulu-Natal area has been on the cards for many years, adds Satterfield. With the opening of the expanded hotel, Protea Hotels by Marriott is certainly well set to service the traveller market in the most sought-after areas of the province.
The first annual The Business of Food and Wine Tourism Conference saw representative from the wine, food, tourism and hospitality industry gather at Spier Wine Farm on 1 to 2 November. Here, national and international speakers shared valuable insights with the industry including international best practice; food, wine and travel trends; digital marketing; festivals and events, service excellence and training.

Matome Mbatha of Wines of South Africa says: The conference was a much needed initiative and stimulant to drive tourism to the Winelands. The innovation shared around communicating what we have to offer, inspired me. We have made good strides towards a balanced South Africa, but it is work in progress.

Wine tourism a national asset

The Business of Wine and Food Tourism Conference was a wonderful opportunity for the industry to get together and debate the various facets of wine tourism, international best practice and benchmarks, getting to grips with digital aspects, and the importance of service excellence to name but a few. What I hope everyone took away from these two days, is that wine tourism is a national asset that requires commitment and strategy and very importantly, cooperation  between industries, between disciplines and also between Cape Town and the Winelands. We need each other  not only to create a successful and profitable wine tourism industry, but also to sustainably have a quality offering that will result in job creation and that will make a difference to the lives of our people and communities, says La Motte and Leopard's Leap CEO, Hein Koegelenberg.

Investing in staff to improve the cellar door experience

Peter McAtamney of Wine Business Solutions says that 88% of direct revenue starts with a visit to the cellar door. Peter believes that one of the most important changes that could be made, in order to improve the cellar door experience, would be to invest in staff training and make the consumer the hero of the narrative. This sentiment was echoed by Felicity Carter, editor-in-chief of Meiningers Wine Business International, who emphasised that the single most important investment a business can make, is staff training.

Promoting a unique destination

Clay Gregory, CEO of Visit Napa Valley, shared the inspirational story behind the Napa Valley, which used wine tourism to set itself apart as a unique destination. The visionary Robert Mondavi, whose community spirit succeeded in putting Napa Valley on the map, can be seen as an example for all modern wine regions who wish to market themselves, and certainly as an inspiration for our local initiatives. He believes that the key to the success of the Napa Valley is collaboration, above all else.

Wesgros Research Unit undertook a research study with 60 tourism experts. Their findings are very relevant to the industry. CEO Tim Harris says that it is clear from the data that the Western Cape as a wine region holds special significance in the mind of the visitor, with a demand for food and wine tourism experiences being dominant.

The key take-outs of this conference is that collaboration is everything, training is imperative and international marketing needs to be prioritised.

Peter McAtamney says: South Africa boasts the most spectacularly beautiful winelands in the world, but it is crucial to visually promote it. When asked about the next big thing in marketing, Paula Hulley of gloo singled out short form video, stressing the importance of visual storytelling in a content-cluttered world.

The conference ended on a high note with an awards ceremony celebrating South Africas 2017 Great Wine Capitals Best of Wine Tourism Award winners, with our own global and regional winners honoured.

The Business of Wine and Food Tourism Conference vision

If business in the wine and food tourism industry does well, then more jobs will be created. More jobs translate into dignity for more people. This is the vision of The Business of Wine and Food Tourism Conference, says Margi Biggs, MD of Specialised Tours and Events.

The next conference will be held at the Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town on 19 and 20 September 2017.
The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector is not doing well in terms of transformation, Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Siyabonga Cwele said on Tuesday.

Minister Siyabonga Cwele. Image via Times Live

Addressing delegates at the launch of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) ICT Sector Council at Gallagher Estates, in Midrand, the Minister said a report has shown that there is not enough transformation. The Sector Monitoring Report which outlines the status of the implementation of BBBEE in the ICT Sector, showed that efforts by ICT companies were not sufficient.

The report reflects the transformation efforts of ICT companies that were gleaned from 200 BEE verification reports. This is a small sample but it provides a good measure of where the sector is in relation to transformation. The report shows that the ICT sector is performing poorly on transformation by all measures, said the Minister.

On Tuesday, the Minister formally launched the BBBEE ICT Sector Council  that is tasked with broadening the meaningful participation of blacks, women, youth and people with disabilities in the ICT sector  that was appointed in September 2015.

The Council that came up with the report said the Minister is working on discussing constraints to transformation with all stakeholders. Minister Cwele thanked all companies that provided information, as well as the South African National Accreditation Services approved agencies that contributed to the report.

I urge all the companies in the sector to provide information to the Council for future monitoring reports so that we can have a more accurate and broader picture of how the sector is contributing to transformation.

While the ICT still has a long to go with regards to transformation, there is no shortage of young entrepreneurs who are pursuing their dreams by establishing ICT businesses that seek to solve local challenges. They need a hand up not hand-outs. And these dynamic youth are present in all provinces.

Among the functions of the Council which functions independently, is to measure the progress the country is making towards an inclusive digital economy. The work of the Council is predicated on the principle of building progressive partnerships that deliver measurable outcomes towards a transformed society by radically altering the ICT landscape.

While technology has evolved over the last 22 years, it has left scores of people in rural areas behind, mostly in developing countries. We cant afford to allow new digital divides to form because we wont be able to achieve a more inclusive digital society. We need to embrace technology to bridge the digital divide.

The Council is made up of representatives from government including the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, telecommunications, electronics, youth, organised labour and broadcasting sectors.

Since the establishment of the Council in September 2015, it has worked to a point where Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies approved the Amended BBBEE ICT Sector Code for gazetting for immediate implementation.

The advantage of sector specific code is that it brings regulatory certainty and enables the sector to maximise its transformative impact by focusing on opening up participation in the sector for designated groups that include women, youth and people with disabilities.

The Councils members include Council Chairperson Nokuzola Ehrens, Gavin Pieterse, Lucky Masilela and Morwesi Ramonyai.
The 2016 Sunday Times Top 100 Companies Awards recognised Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan as the Business Leader of the Year. Other top winners included Johann Rupert, who won the Sunday Times Lifetime Achievement Award, and CalgroM3, awarded the Sunday Times Top Company for 2016.

The Sunday Times Top 100 Companies tracks the best-performing businesses on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), acknowledging those with the highest shareholder returns over the past five years.

Bongani Siqoko, editor of the Sunday Times says, This year's Top 100 Companies rankings prove two things - that no single sector of the JSE has outperformed another over the last five years, and that greater-than-usual volatility has become the new normal. Investors have had to be on their toes in choosing stocks that will outperform within each industry, but in general performance on the JSE seems to have gone back to primary roots, with companies that service basic demands - like housing, schooling and infrastructure - making their way to the head of the pack.

The Sunday Times Business Leader of the Year Award is considered the ultimate accolade as recipients are decided by CEOs of the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies from the previous year. In receiving the vote, Gordhan joins an elite list of prominent business leaders including Johan van Zyl, Michael Jordaan, Phuthuma Nhleko, Johann Rupert, Brian Joffe, Graham Mackay, Maria Ramos, Adrian Gore, Whitey Basson and Christo Wiese.

Gordhan said that the recognition by SAs business leaders exemplifies the fact that our wider message has now resonated with the business community. A message that says we are all in this together, that its up to us to change South Africa for the better  not just business people, but for all constituencies. Its a recognition that we need an inclusive form of transformation, where all South Africans feel that they are part, not only of a process, but part of the beneficiaries of the process as well. He continued, So Im very grateful for this award, but I dont see this as a personal thing. I think its a huge acknowledgement by the business community that we are in this together and that collectively we have the will to change South Africa into a better place.

Johann Rupert, chairman of Swiss-based luxury-goods company Richemont and South Africa-based Remgro accepted the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contribution to the countrys economy. Rupert says his success has been achieved with leadership that understands the value of creating a culture and tone that resonates with employees and customers, and is set right at the top in the head office. He says: If you set the right culture for an organisation, then the loyalty that must go both ways can set in.

Previous winners of the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies Lifetime Achievement Award include Christo Wiese, Bobby Godsell, Brian Joffe, Nelson Mandela, Allan Gray, Stephen Koseff, Richard Maponya, Bill Venter, Nthato Motlana, Donald Gordon, Sam Motsuenyane, Koos Bekker, Raymond Ackerman and Anton Rupert.

This year, CalgroM3 Holdings (Pty) Ltd received the Sunday Times Top Company accolade, edging last years winner, Fortress Income Fund Limited into second place. Curro Holdings placed third.

Calgro M3 (JSE: CGR) is a property developer specialising in integrated developments aimed at the entry-level consumer. The companys performance in the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies over the past five years shows that an initial investment of R10,000 in 2011 has achieved a value of R150,000 in 2016. The opening value of the share in 2011 was 120 cents, with a closing value of 1,800 cents in 2016, and compound annual growth of 71.88%.

The Sunday Times Royal Companies are those which have placed in the top twenty positions of the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies for three consecutive years. In 2016, the companies that have maintained consistency include Coronation Fund Managers, EOH Holdings Limited, Naspers Limited, Mondi Group, New Europe Property Investments PLC and Afrimat Limited.

The Sunday Times Top 100 Companies Awards were presented in association with Johnnie Walker. The event was MCd by Nik Rabinowitz, and included a performance by Johnnie Walker brand ambassador and Joy Walker, Lira.

Full results of the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies will appear in the 13 November 2016 edition of the Sunday Times newspaper.
Contact: Crystal Feldman

Crystal Feldman govpress@nc.gov

Raleigh, N.C. Governor Pat McCrory's request was approved today to extend the statewide hot food waiver until November 30. This measure will help meet the needs of individuals and families still affected by Hurricane Matthew.Governor McCrory said.The U.S. Department of Agriculture previously approved North Carolina's request for a hot meal waiver in all 100 counties until November 14. This waiver allows Food and Nutrition Services recipients to purchase hot meals prepared for immediate consumption from authorized Electronic Benefits Transfer retailers.Many citizens continue to feel the effects of Hurricane Matthew, with residents in several counties still suffering from property loss and damage. More than 1,800 families continue to live in temporary housing, and 175 citizens remain in shelters in eastern North Carolina. To continue accommodating all Food and Nutrition Services recipients impacted by the hurricane, Governor McCrory requested and received approval from U.S. Department of Agriculture for the hot food waiver extension across the state.The governor has encouraged individuals and groups to help in the relief efforts by making a financial or other contribution. Monetary contributions to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund for Hurricane Matthew can be made by texting NCRECOVERS to 30306 or by visiting NCDisasterRelief.org . This is one of the best ways to help fund long-term recovery efforts.
Regardless of who was your champion in this past presidential election: Will you recognize the duly elected leader of the Free World? I will never recognize President Donald J. Trump because he is not worthy. I will recognize President Donald J. Trump, providing he respects the office in which he holds. "At this point, what difference does it make?" 89 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?



FBI Director James Comey on Sunday announced that his agents found nothing in the 650,000 Hillary Clinton emails that were obtained from the laptop computer belonging to the husband, former Congressman Andrew Weiner, of her top adviser, Huma Abedin.There are many who believe that Comey allowed the nation's interests to take a backseat to his own career interests and he was pressured to stop the legal system from exacting justice from Hillary Clinton for her illegal and unethical actions. There are those who also believe that Comey is afraid for his own life since there is a long list of people who got in the way of the Clintons' alleged crime spree such as the 27-year-old whistleblower from the Democratic Party's headquarters, who met a horrible death. The 27-year-old, Seth Rich, allegedly sent material to infamous watchdog Julian Assange founder and operator of Wikileaks.In fact, on Sunday it was quietly reported that the parents of slain Democratic National Committee staff and whistleblower Seth Rich is being aided by a well-known "Beltway Insider" in their quest to solve the murder of their child and bring their son's killer or killers to justice.Jack Burkman, a professional lobbyist with numerous Washington, DC, contacts told the media Sunday that he will appear at a press conference later thismonth with Joel and Mary Rich in order to call on the public to come forward with any information about the case. Seth Rich held a managerial position at the DNC and part of his job was investigating fraud and other misconduct in the election process for the Democrats.Yet, his murder received minimal news coverage and a tepid police investigation that attributed Rich's death to a robbery gone wrong.Burkman is also offering a new $100,000 dollar reward out of his own pocket for any information that leads to the apprehension of the killers. His reward is in addition to those already being offered by Washington DC's Metropolitan Police Department ($25,000) and by Wikileaks ($20,000). Wikileaks founder and director Julian Assange has embraced several conspiracy theories surrounding Rich's murder. Assange believes, based on reading thousands of pages of Hillary Clinton's and the DNC's emails, that Rich wasn't killed in a random robbery.said former homicide detective Benjamin Figueroa.As reported in August by Jim Kouri, Julian Assange implied in an interview that a murdered Democratic National Committee staffer was the source of a trove of damaging emails the rogue web site posted just days before the party's convention.Speaking to Dutch television program Nieuswsuur after earlier announcing a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Seth Rich's killer, Assange said the July 11 murder of Rich in Northwest Washington was an example of the risk leakers undertake.The 27-year-old man who worked for the Democratic National Committee was shot and killed as he walked home in the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Northwest Washington, D.C., police and his family said.Seth Conrad Rich died after he was shot multiple times three blocks east of Howard University Hospital, said members of the Metropolitan Police Department on Sunday, July 11.The victim's mother, Mary Rich, said police told her family her son may have been the victim of an attempted robbery.DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz issued a statement on Monday mourning the death of Rich, who worked as voter expansion data director:she said.said Wasserman Schultz, who is having political problems of her own thanks to a Wikileaks document dump.Meanwhile, presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton spoke about Rich:she said.Clinton added, even though police didn't identify the weapon in the few news reports on the killing.said police forensic expert Saul Levinson.He was talking on the phone with his girlfriend when she heard noise on Rich's end of the line, Mary Rich said. Her son told his girlfriend not to worry about it.she said.said LevinsonMary Rich said during a press briefing.Rich lived in the neighborhood, Acting Capt. Anthony Haythe of the Metropolitan Police Department's homicide branch said at a news conference Monday morning.Fifth District police officers were patrolling the area about 4:20 a.m. when they heard gunshots, police said.When police arrived on Flagler Place, they found Rich suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Police have no witnesses and searched the area for surveillance video footage, Haythe said. The acting captain said he could not comment on whether the killing was related to recent robberies in the area.Rich worked for the Democratic National Committee, his father said. He graduated from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, and previously worked on Democrats' campaigns, for the U.S. Census Bureau and as a boating instructor at a summer camp, according to his LinkedIn page.Rich wrote on the page.Seth Conrad Rich was the Voter Expansion Data Director at the DNC and had been working on exposing the recent cases of election fraud and voter suppression during the recent primaries around the country, according to his LinkedIn.com listing. Some Internet web sites that cover politics have said Rich was a whistleblower who discovered irregularities in Democratic Party voting patterns.
The first article I read during this election season that predicted a Hillary Clinton victory (using voter turnout) in North Carolina was dated October 12 and written by Jeremy W. Peters of the New York Times News Service . In his story, titledPeters suggested that North Carolina is a win or die state for Trump and the early numbers were troubling for Trump.Pushing the same narrative, two more articles were published the very next day, one from CBS News and the other on the Bloomberg Politics site titledIn all these stories, the mainstream media would have us believe that all Democrats voted for Clinton, all Republicans voted for Trump, etc and all one would have to do is count the number of voters by their political party to determine the winner.All three stories were based on 29,246 absentee ballots returned by mail at that time. That number, we now know, was less than one percent of the final tally for all early voting, including in person voting, that ended on November 5. Early voting turnout topped 3,102,834 ballots cast - a record in North Carolina.It didn't take long to realize that Peters' story was the beginning of a political strategy that seemed to promote a win for Clinton by using early turnout numbers at the same time ignoring voter turnout history, especially in battleground states like North Carolina.While we might want to blame the shoddy reporting and predictions on writers who don't understand North Carolina's political landscape, we need only look to the News and Observer to see similar reporting on North Carolina early voting turnout. In the October 26 story, six days into early voting, the first line;is a reflection of the rest of the story - mainly comparing turnout with voter registration percentages.Traditionally, early voting turnout has favored Democrats because of their superior use of get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts by affiliated nonprofits, such as Democracy NC, League of Conservation Voters, Planned Parenthood, NAACP and the ACLU among others. Election Day has tended to favor Republican turnout and the percentages in the chart below always change as voting ends on Election Day.For instance, in 2012 at the end of Election Day, the percentage of Democrats voting dropped to 44.2 percent from 47.5 percent after early voting. The African American percentage dropped from 27.3 percent to the post early voting percentage of 23.1 percent.To understand voter turnout, at least in North Carolina, its best to compare past elections' turnout, because in North Carolina Democrats far out-number Republicans and have since 1898. Democrats always vote in higher numbers because there are so many more of them and it has only been in the last eight years where we have observed a major shift in voter registration, with Democrats losing ground, Republicans holding steady and the unaffiliated rolls growing by leaps and bounds.So, what should we make of the last two months of early voting? The chart below allows you to become the political pundit and decide what the 2016 early voting numbers might mean.Comparing early voting in 2016 to 2012, a year where Mitt Romney won North Carolina by nearly 100,000 votes, the state Senate and House solidified their numbers with super-majorities and a Republican Governor and Lt. Governor were elected is where we begin. At this point, Republicans appear to hold the winning cards. Especially if they turn out on Election Day in the way that they have done since the implementation of early voting in North Carolina. While they make up nearly the same percentage of the early vote as they did in 2012, Republicans have increased their numbers during early voting by nearly 115,000 votes compared to 2012. Democrats, on the other hand haven't reached their 2012 numbers, falling about 23,000 votes short of that year's tally. Furthermore, in 2016 Democrats make up only 41.7 percent of the early vote compared to 47.5 in 2012.Perhaps most notable in these comparisons are the unaffiliated voting numbers and the African American turnout. Unaffiliated voters have increased their voter registrations by more than 300,000 since 2012, they have also increased in voter turnout in 2016. This year they make up 26.07 percent of the overall early voting turnout compared to 20.8 percent in 2012. Unaffiliated voters show an increase of 225,000 votes cast in the early voting period compared to 2012.The African American voting bloc, a very important segment of the Democrat's vote, is down in the 2016 early voting period compared to 2012 in both numbers and percentage. In 2012 they made up 27.3 percent of the early voting totals compared to 22.2 percent this year. This year they lagged behind the 2012 total by more than 68,000 ballots.No one knows what Election Day will bring. Will Republicans turn out in much higher numbers than the Democrats or will the Democrats use their once legendary GOTV efforts to rally their less than stellar numbers? Or will the unaffiliated voters surprise even the most knowledgeable political experts?
Contact: Attila Nemecz

Attila Nemecz (252)-940-6387

WASHINGTON, NC The signature piece of the proposed capital projects funded by the Connect NC bond was approved by the Beaufort County Commissioners on Monday, November 7. Development had stalled on the project while the commissioners studied the implications of the project. While planning, design and construction will all be paid for with bond funds, Beaufort County will be responsible for future maintenance of the new development.The driving pad will be used to train emergency personnel to drive firetrucks, ambulances and police cars. It will also be used during commercial driver's license classes and future motorcycle safety classes. Currently, students must drive to over an hour to Edenton to use a training facility. The driving pad will also help volunteer fire fighters from across BCCC's service area and beyond to receive mandatory annual training locally.The Connect NC bond passed with a 30 point margin, a landslide by all accounts, during March 2016. The $2 billion package funds capital improvements to community colleges, universities and parks across the state. BCCC was allocated $6.5 million for accessibility upgrades, including the replacement of broken elevators, and the development of the driving pad, along with a storage facility for emergency training vehicles, additional infrastructure for the fire training facility, several additional classrooms and a minor parking lot expansion.said BCCC President Barbara Tansey.The commissioners also appointed Rev. Robert Cayton to the Beaufort County Community College Board of Trustees. Board Chair Laura Staton had suggested Rev. Cayton for appointment. He will fill the position left open by resignation of Cynthia Davis, who was appointed in 2014 and whose term expires in 2018. As the board searches for a new president, Rev. Cayton will help guide the process, as he has helped with searches for both BCCC and Barton College.wrote Staton in her letter of recommendation to Chairman Jerry Langley.The Beaufort County Commissioners had previously appointed Rev. Cayton to the BCCC Board of Trustees in 1991 where he served until 2003. In 2003, he was appointed by the Governor to continue serving on the board until 2014. He served as board chair from 2002- 2007.
First segment originally written, I reckon in the 12 o'clock hour, as soon as Trump won Democrat Wisconsin.

Updated, November 9, 2016 at 7:44 am

Regardless of who was your champion in this past presidential election: Will you recognize the duly elected leader of the Free World? I will never recognize President Donald J. Trump because he is not worthy. I will recognize President Donald J. Trump, providing he respects the office in which he holds. "At this point, what difference does it make?" 89 total vote(s) What's your Opinion?



A few moments ago, I wrote those spare words on Facebook. I am confident that those words will serve as truth.What has occurred is that the greatest presidential long shot in modern history will be the next president of the United States.Donald J. Trump will not only be elected the 45th president of the United States, but he will have a Republican House and a Republican Senate at the ready to what is prudent and right to save the Republic. To be successful, Mr. Trump will need to work with the most powerful branch of government - congress.Big changes are in store for this nation, or Republicans will retire Trump and many of the congressional leaders that are not part of the solution that must occur. It is time to work together as Republicans, and to work with Democrats that care about their Republic, even if drug 'kicking and screaming to that point patriot status, regardless how lowly their position of passion for out Republic.There is so little time left to save this Republic. If it can be saved, the time is now, and it can not be delayed.Much rides on the man's shoulders, and I think he knows there will be no honeymoon. He will get none from me.As many people who know me well, know well my strident, unwavering political principles, they know that Donald J, Trump was far from my first choice to guide and govern from the executive branch.Even though my favorite Republicans seeking the nomination did not succeed, I went with the nominee knowing well the talent level of Republicans that Trump should surround himself with, and therein will be the man's strength.America will change; it has to to survive. Trump will surround himself with some incredible people: Jeff Sessions, Newt Gingrich, Kellyanne Conway, Chris Christie, Rudy Giuliani, Ben Carson, Mile Huckabee (he'll bring along Chuck Norris), Michael Flynn, Mike Pence, Reince Priebus, etc., etc.Trump will either be a grand bust or a good to great president, there will probably be no middle ground. There will be none with me. The man will get no honeymoon here; not from me.In Conclusion, I am putting up Old Glory and it fly every sunny day as long as I have hope. It has been more than a decade since I have sincerely felt this way.
Of 18 ethnic political parties in Shan State, thirteen have joined the new League for Shan State Ethnic Political Parties (LSSEP), said Sai Ai Pao.

 We invited all 18 parties to join, he said. At the first meeting, 13 parties attended. But at this meeting, only 10 parties were represented. However, we still welcome the absent parties to join us.

The SNDP chairman said he also wanted to urge all groups and individuals in Shan State  civil society organizations, political parties, and members of parliament both at union and state levels  to join the new coalition.

 As the second national conference is slated for February, we have to start working and making preparations together, he explained.

 This is a critical time for our Shan State, he said.

According to Tun Naing, the leader of the Kokang Democracy and Unity Party, which has joined the coalition, all ethnic parties in Shan State have a responsibility to support unity in Shan State.

 If we all just worked independently, it would be impossible to reach our goals, he said. We must work together to achieve our aims.

According to an LSSEP statement issued on November 4, only eight signatories had officially joined the coalition.

The 18 parties based in Shan State are: Shan Nationalities Democratic Party, Lahu National Development Party, Kokang Democracy and Unity Party, Inn National League, Danu National Organization Party , Federal Union Party , Danu National Democracy Party, Pa-O National Organization, Lisu National Development Party, Inn National Development Party, Wa National Unity Party, Taang (Palaung) National Party, Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, Wa Democratic Party, Eastern Shan State Development Democratic Party, Akha National Development Party, Union Pa-O National organization, and Shan State Kokang Democratic Party.
A Billings man suspected in the murder of a man outside his apartment last year will spend five years in federal prison for firearms crimes.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters on Tuesday sentenced Ross Duane Breshears, 37, to the term after he pleaded guilty earlier to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to possessing a firearm after having been convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence.

In addition to the federal case, Breshears is facing state drug charges related to his July 25, 2015, arrest on weapons violations.

Breshears also is a suspect in the Oct. 16, 2015, shooting death of Clinton Old Bull, 25, whose body was found near an apartment complex at 2316 Sixth Ave. N. He had a gunshot wound in this abdomen, was not breathing and was pronounced dead at St. Vincent Healthcare.

A second suspect, Garrett Lee Crandell of Laurel, has been charged with deliberate homicide in Old Bulls death.

State prosecutors allege Old Bull was shot during a dispute over a methamphetamine deal.

Watters sentenced Breshears near the low end of the guideline range, which was 57 months to 71 months, saying she was saddened to see him before her again. Breshears had successfully completed a drug court program when Watters was a state district judge.

Watters asked Breshears what happened to get him totally off track again and noted he was looking at a deliberate homicide charge.

It really kind of blows me away, to be honest, Watters said.

Breshears answered it was his addiction. I just lost everything, he said.

If convicted of deliberate homicide, Watters said, Breshears will begin serving his federal sentence after a state sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sullivan recommended a 71-month term saying Breshears had an escalating series of contacts with law enforcement over six months last year that led to him being a suspect in the murder.

Breshears has an affinity for drugs and guns, was a danger to the community and needed a high-end sentence, Sullivan said. Breshears was not somebody that needs to be walking around the community anytime soon, he said.

Assistant Federal Defender Dave Merchant argued for a three-year term saying he had a drug problem and had completed a number of programs while in custody.

The federal charges came from July 25, 2015, arrest when a Billings police officer saw a suspicious-looking motorcycle parked on the side of the road. The motorcycle was running, no one was around and it appeared to have been spray-painted black, prosecutors said.

While the officer was running a registration check, Breshears called out from where he was seated on a hill. When the officer asked Breshears to come down so he could talk to him, Breshears, who was wearing a large backpack and heavy sweatshirt, took off running when the officer asked for identification.

Law enforcement officers chased and eventually caught Breshears. During a scuffle, Breshears reached into his waistband and discarded a 9mm semi-automatic pistol. Later, he consented to a search of his backpack and officers found two boxes of ammunition and two fully-loaded pistol magazines.

Breshears has prior felony drug convictions and a misdemeanor conviction for domestic abuse.

In December 2015, federal officers arrested Breshears on a felony warrant after shutting down the 100 block of Broadwater Avenue and surrounding a house where he was hiding. Breshears refused to leave the house but eventually surrendered after officers entered the residence.
HELENA  Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock was declared the winner of the governor's race with 50 percent of the vote on Wednesday morning.

While thanking supporters in Helena, Bullock called on political leaders to rise above the toxicity of a bruising election season.

Bullock said he is optimistic that Democratic and Republican leaders can show the people they represent that they are individually and collectively better than the fear, incivility and innuendo that marked the campaigns.

Bozeman businessman Greg Gianforte released a statement in which he said he knew taking on an incumbent would be a challenge, but he believes in the potential of the state and that hasn't changed.

Bullock was the only Democrat elected among the five Montana statewide offices retaining his seat, at one point falling behind in voting returns.

However, as returns trickled in, Bullock regained ground, going ahead of Gianforte by more than 12,000 votes, a commanding enough lead for the Associated Press to call the race for Bullock.

As of 11 a.m., Bullock had 232,318 votes to Gianforte's 220,144, for 47 percent of the vote.

Bullock took an early lead Tuesday night as results from a few larger counties in the state started to roll in when polls closed at 8 p.m., but Gianforte clawed his way back, first to within a few thousand votes, then dozens and then took a slight lead of a few hundred votes after 1 a.m. He held it for about 20 minutes until more results came in, pushing Bullock back ahead.

Two key counties remained unreported until after 4 a.m., Park County, which includes Livingston, and Glacier County, which includes Browning and much of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Bullock lost Park County by just one vote in the also-close election against Republican Rick Hill that made Bullock governor back in 2012. He won Glacier County with more than 70 percent of the vote that year.

By 6 a.m. Wednesday, the counties had reported. Bullock won Park County 50 percent to Gianforte's 45 percent, picking up 418 votes in the process. He won the smaller Glacier County with 67 percent of the vote, adding 1,479 to his total.

Bullock is no stranger to tight races. In 2012 he won the governorship by beating Hill with 48.9 percent of the vote to Hills 47.3 percent, a difference of just 7,571 votes.

Jeremy Johnson, an associate professor of political science at Carroll College in Helena, said Bullock "is popular, but it looks like the vote totals were very high in Montana and Trump did very well, which helps Republicans across the board."

Johnson said that though the last incumbent Democrat governor, former Gov. Brian Schweitzer, won in a landslide in 2008 with about 65 percent of the vote, it'd be hard for Bullock to duplicate.

This election also shows the reluctance of Montanans to split tickets, Johnson said. "That's hurting Bullock. It would be very hard for any Democrat to win in a landslide in Montana today."

"We're so grateful for all that you have done," Bullock told supporters after 11 p.m., Tuesday. "We're not going to wake up the day after the election saying 'If only we'd done a little bit more.'"

For much of the night, Gianforte supporters were also occupied with the presidential race. The cheers grew louder with each state Republican nominee Donald Trump won.

But around 10:50 p.m., as the presidential returns stalled and as the gubernatorial result had yet to be called, that excitement was tempered.

Anticipating a long night, Gianforte took the stage to address supporters, to thank his family and the family of his running mate, Lesley Robinson.

Theres still a lot of stuff coming in, Gianforte said. Were going to have to wait a little bit longer. I didnt want to miss the opportunity of saying thank you to all of you. Its been tremendous the support weve received.

Bullock and Gianforte battled for almost a year in a bruising and expensive campaign that in its final months shifted from talk about issues to attacks.

Candidates raised $15 million during the election, highest in a Montana governor's race.

Gianforte poured more than $5 million of his own cash into the race and ran 34,661 television ads, the most in the country for a governor's race, according to the Center for Public Integrity.
By 1 a.m. Wednesday, most of Yellowstone County's votes were counted while statewide totals remained at just over 47 percent.

In the battle for southcentral Billings, Democrat Jen Gross leads Republican Donna Huston 3,345 votes to 3,204 in Senate District 25. Both parties had circled the district as a potential battleground after incumbent Sen. Robyn Driscoll withdrew in August to become the newest Yellowstone County commissioner. Driscoll replaced Bill Kennedy who resigned mid-term.

Driscolls resignation put Gross in the race with less than three months to campaign. Gross, however, an employee of the nonprofit Planned Parenthood Montana, quickly raised $13,305.

Im feeling really good. I have hustled. In 82 days, I think Ive accomplished more than some campaigns do in six months, Gross said Tuesday night. I Knocked on almost 4,000 doors, registered 150 new voters. I went out every single day.

Huston, the former CEO of the Center for Children and Families, raised $10,000 for the race.

In south Billings, Democratic Rep. Margie MacDonald leads Don Roberts 3,631 to 3,504 in her bid to move to Senate District 26. MacDonald represented the southern half of the district as Representative of House District 51, where her races were extremely close.

Roberts is also a former legislator. He represented Billings House District 56 in 2011.

South of the Yellowstone River, where Senate District 28 stretches from Lockwood to the CHS refinery before jumping the river and heading to Laurel, Republican Tom Richmond was leading Democrat Deborah Abbey 5,457 votes to 2,705. Richmond represented Lockwood and Briarwood as House District 56 legislator in 2015.

In Billings Heights, incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Webb was easily defeating Democrat Paul Van Tricht 6,362 to 3,279 in Senate District 23. Webb survived early October news that he pleaded guilty to poaching in April.

At a GOP watch party at Lone Wolf Energy, Roger and Peggy Webb were understandably excited to make history as the states first married couple elected to the Montana Legislature.

The couple said they checked with every source they could think of, including the Montana Historical Society and the Legislative Services Division, to verify that no other married couple had ever been elected to the statehouse.

One couple, Ernie and Peggy Bergsagel, got married after theyd each been elected.

Republican Peggy Webb, a political newcomer, was holding off Democratic and Libertarian candidates in the open House District 43 seat. She was leading Elizabeth Pincolini and Libertarian Josh Daniels in House District 43 in the east portion of Billings Heights. Webb had 2,360 votes to Pincolinis 1,444 and Daniels 299.

When Roger ran four years ago, I went to so many training events with him that I got the bug, Peggy Webb said as election results began trickling in. He told me, If youre going to spend so much time here, you might as well run.

During the 2015 legislative season, Roger Webb, who represents the Heights, said, I ran 52 bills, and I couldnt have done it without her. We mothballed our Billings home for four months.

All three HD 43 candidates were members of the Yellowstone County Republicans at the beginning of the year. Pincolini and Daniels opted out of the GOP after failing to gain support for medical marijuana.

In key House races, Democratic incumbent Jessica Karjala leads Republican Robert Saunders 2,435 to 1,959 in House District 48. The north Billings district, which stretches from the medical corridor to West Park Promenade, was identified as a swing district by both Republicans and Democrats.

It looks like its close to the data that we collected as we were campaigning, Karjala said. Its six months of basically pounding pavement. It was a rough start to knocking on doors, after getting caught out in a May hailstorm.

Karjala unseated Republican Dennis Lenz in the district in 2014. The GOP was hopeful Saunders would reclaim the district. The race soured for Saunders after his former classmates from Patrick Henry College in Virginia came forward with stories of racist remarks made by the candidate.

Earlier, Karjala revealed that Saunders, in response to an online survey, had suggested that only rich people should vote. Saunders attorney wrote Karjala a warning letter accusing her of attempting to damage his reputation.

It was different this year. It was much more adversarial. Folks that opposed me were hostile, Karjala said. If Yellowstone County is true to the absentee ballots, that gives me confidence, but presidential election years change that up a bit. Im really hopeful for Democrats. Honestly, Im really hoping for our statewide races to pull out wins.

In other Billings House races, Republican Barry Usher leads Democrat Sue Olson 2,762 to 1,505 in House District 40, which stretches from Buffalo Trail to Melstone. Returns were only in from Yellowstone County and were likely to change as votes from Musselshell County are added to the mix. Olson was a Musselshell County commissioner.

Incumbent Republican Dale Mortensen leads Democrat Kari Boiter 2,571 to 1,526 in House District 44, which is also in the central Billings Heights. Mortensen is a former Hardin police officer first elected in 2014.

In the western reaches of Billings Heights, incumbent Republican Daniel Zolnikov leads Ken Crouch 3,123 to 1,385. Crouch is a former member of the Billings City Council.

Im happy. Its exciting when you get that kind of support out of a district. Thats unheard of, Zolnikov said.

Republican incumbent Don Jones was leading Democrat Angie Buckley 3,430 to 1,882 in House 46, which includes northwest Billings.

Democratic incumbent Kathy Kelker was leading Republican Jason Lee Thomas 2,145 to 1,508 in North Billings House District 47, which stretches from Berrys Cherries to Forrest Park.

In central Billings, Democratic incumbent Kelly McCarthy leads Republican Benjamin Hunter 1,747 to 1,304 in House District 49. The district is the first of three Democratic House districts at Billings core.

In south central House District 50, incumbent Virginia Court leads Republican Kerri Seekins-Crowe 1,639 to 1,200.

Democrat Shoots Veis was trailing Republican Adam Rosendale 1,873 to 1,670 in south Billings House District 51. Veis is a former Billings City Council member. Rosendale is the son of Republican candidate for state auditor Matt Rosendale.

In House District 52, Billings southernmost district, Democrat Chris Goodridge was trailing Republican Jimmy Patelis 1,699 to 1,826. HD 52 is in a district that in recent elections has been close enough qualify for recount, Democratic Rep. Margie MacDonald kept the district blue before opting for a Senate race this year.

After Republican Dennis Lenz was unseated by Democrat Jessica Karjala in 2014, he turned to rural and far west Billings in House District 53, where Republicans have been unstoppable for several elections. Lenz was crushing Democrat Jordan Matney 5,017 to 1,498.

In Laurel, Democrat Ryan Arnold trailed Republican incumbent Vince Ricci 1,099 to 3,227 in House District 55.

South of the Yellowstone River, Republican Sue Vinton leads Democrat Daryl Templet 2,797 to 1,177 in House District 56, which included Lockwood and Briarwood.

Elsewhere:

In Carbon County, Republican incumbent Seth Berglee leads Democrat Mike Crabtree 1812 to 900 in House District 58, which also includes part of Stillwater County.

In neighboring Carbon and Stillwater counties, Republican incumbent Forrest Mandeville leads Libertarian Andrew Forcier 2,295 to 361 in House District 57, which includes Columbus and Absarokee.

In Sweetgrass and Park counties, Wilsall Democrat Dirk Adams trailed incumbent Republican Alan Redfield 368 to 931 in House District 59.

In Eastern Montana, Democrat Carolyn Pease-Lopez was trailing Republican Jason Small, 2,888 to 2,965 in Senate District 21, which includes both the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian reservations.

On the Hi-Line, Republican Mike Lang was leading Democrat Douglas Adolphson, 6,039 to 1,771 in Senate District 17, which stretches from Hill County to Sheridan County.

In Senate District 16, which stretches from Box Elder to Brockton, Democrat Frank Smith was leading Republican Bruce Meyers 3,161 to 2,091. The district includes the Rocky Boy, Fort Belknap and Fort Peck Indian reservations.

In central Montana, Republican incumbent Ryan Osmundson led Democrat Sean McConah 2,008 to 578 in Senate District 15, which includes Stanford and Buffalo.

In Rosebud County, Republican incumbent Geraldine Custer led Democrat Bruce Miller 3,500 to 791 in House District 39, which includes Forsyth and Colstrip.

In Sidney, Republican Scott Staffanson leads Democrat Chris Trumpower 3,807 to 877 in House District 35, which spans Richland County.

Glendive Republican incumbent Alan Doane led Democrat Mike Ruddy 3,707 to 1,171 in House District 36.

Further east, Republican Bill Harris led Democrat Judi Cramer, 2,827 to 583, in House District 37, which includes Winnett and Fallon.

In Miles City, Republican incumbent Ken Holmlund leads Democrat Steve Muggli 2,242 to 1,906 in House District 38.

In the northeast corner of Montana, Republican House Speaker Austin Knudsen crushed Democrat Evelyn Carlisle 4,267 to 1,242 in House District 34, which includes Culbertson and Plentywood.

In Malta, Republican Casey Knudsen, no relation the House speaker, leads Democrat Mike Finley, of Havre, 1,876 to 610 in House District 33.

In Martinsdale, Republican Wylie Galt was leading Democrat Linda Johnson, of Moccasin, 1,056 to 360 in House District 30.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/11/2016 (2183 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Kate Hill was optimistic watching the U.S. election results roll in that shed witness Hillary Clinton elected to become the countrys first female president  but she wasnt confident.

I dont gamble, said the North Carolinian who has called Brandon home for two years. I wouldnt bet money on this, not even 10 bucks.

Hill watched the TV nervously Tuesday night at the Double Decker Tavern in Brandon during a public viewing party she helped organize, attended by approximately 20 people.

Colin Corneau/The Brandon Sun Svitlana Maluzynsky and Jason Fiedler join others in the Double Decker Tavern to watch results from the U.S. election roll in on Tuesday evening. Fiedler hails from Detroit and immigrated to Canada this spring.

Hills mother and grandmother are staunch Democrats like her, living in a state that historically leans red. She presumes they were nervously rocking back and forth watching the results.

She was anxious herself early in the evening, after watching Republican candidate Donald Trump take a number of southern states.

Im hopeful but Im terrified, she said.

Hill, who works at the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba, also kept an eye on the other ballot choices in her state. It is in North Carolina where a bathroom bill perceived as anti-transgender was instituted, which she finds offensive.

John Scott, a Brandonite wearing a Bernie Sanders T-shirt, said he didnt have a horse in this race after his preferred Democratic candidate didnt win the nomination.

Still, he couldnt imagine someone voting for Trump, the Republican nominee, instead of Clinton.

I cant believe anybody is taking him seriously, he said.

John Hempton, a dual citizen in Canada and the U.S., said he was distracting himself from the tragedy unfolding by eating chicken wings.

And I dont mean tragedy only in the sense of Trump winning but of him being a viable candidate receiving roughly half of the popular vote.

The bar crowd, largely a younger audience, heavily supported Clinton, but Trump had a mild defender in Everett Schwab, who said he appreciates the real estate moguls business background, but isnt impressed the GOP nominee denigrates minorities.

Though he gave Trump the slight edge, he said he wasnt worried about who wins this bitter election.

I think most people are thinking, Oh no, the sky is falling, Schwab said. I think Americas going to be all right.

 ifroese@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ianfroese
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/11/2016 (2183 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Gone are the dull walls, dim lighting and bolted-down furniture.

Brandon University biology students now have a modern lab space to work in, thanks to a $70,000 overhaul.

We didnt have a whole lot of money, but we wanted to have as much impact as possible, said Bernadette Ardelli, chair of the biology department and associate professor at BU. So what we decided to do was to buy all new chairs for every lab and lecture hall in biology  which might not seem like a big deal, but when youre sitting at microscopes and computers for hours on end, having the proper chair makes a huge difference.

Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Bernadette Ardelli, Chair of the Department of Biology at Brandon University, gives a speech during a pizza party in celebration of the opening of the newly overhauled lab spaces in the university's Brodie Building on Tuesday.

Approximately $50,000 came from the biology departments endowment fund, plus another $20,000 funded by the dean of science, according to Ardelli. A program through Manitoba Hydro allowed for updated, energy-efficient lighting.

As part of their strategic plan, Ardelli said they wanted to focus on first-year lab space to better engage these students and hopefully retain them so they will continue on to become majors in biology.

The new flexible furniture allows students to more easily manoeuvre, work in groups and interact with professors. Ardelli said it also complements the modern equipment used in the Brodie Building.

We do different kinds of labs in first year, not all of them are sitting looking at a microscope, she said. We have different sorts of things that we do, and this really gives us that flexibility, and it just looks really nice and modern.

The overhaul began when classes ended last May, and went through the summer. Tuesday marked the official grand opening.

Fourth-year biology student Carrie Bergen said the change will have a positive impact on students.

When you walk in, its a much more welcoming space to be in, she said. The lights and the room, even the chairs and the workspace  you can interact with people more easily.

Bergen, who is planning to attend medical school in the fall, said its nice to see the university invest in the first-year classes, which may help attract more potential students.

Submitted Brandon University's biology lab pictured before the renovation.

If they see theyre putting money into the spaces that theyre using, it shows that the  department cares, she said. And we have the money to invest and things are happening here at BU.

Mousumi Majumder, an assistant professor in biology, just started working at BU in August. She said she was pleasantly surprised to see the revamped lab space, compared to when she did her initial tour back in May.

Everything is mobile, which makes life really easy, she said. The students are really happy  We are literally thinking to even have our lectures in here. I just love this room.

 jaustin@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @jillianaustin
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Four students from Assiniboine Community Colleges Manitoba Institute of Culinary Arts are heading to Toronto later this week to compete in the 2016 Taste Canada Cooks the Books contest.

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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/11/2016 (2183 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After nearly 600 days of the most tumultuous and, quite frankly, odd presidential election in recent history, voters witnessed a highly unlikely result  President-elect Trump is coming to Washington, and one fears nothing will ever again be the same.

Few pundits, myself included, got this one right. I never foresaw someone as limited as Donald Trump becoming president. Given that, how did such a flawed candidate as The Donald win?

Let us firstly admit that no one took his candidacy seriously in the early going. With some 15 candidates running for the Republican nomination, and a dozen of them policy wonks to one degree or another, there were a number of qualified candidates. Governors and Senators were in the running, as well as several odd-lotters, Donald Trump, Carly Fiorina and Dr. Ben Carson.

President-elect Donald Trump smiles as he arrives to speak at an election night rally, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

The serious policy wonks took themselves, well, seriously. So while they battled over roughly 55 per cent of the Republican primary voters, the remaining 45 per cent sought a candidate who spoke their anti-Washington, anti-Establishment, Tea Party rhetoric. For these aggrieved people, a mouthpiece for their grievances was needed.

The math is simple  55-60 per cent divided among a dozen candidates makes it very tough for any one to win a majority. On the other hand, Trumps notoriety made him the odds-on popular choice of the disaffected. One by one, the serious candidates fell by the wayside and Trump, like a delusional Energizer Bunny, kept on going. He benefited from a loyal base that was willing to ignore his shortfalls, countless as they may be.

The Republican Party is, in many respects, a combination of two opposing forces whose sole shared characteristic is a hatred of people like President Obama and Hillary Clinton.

There are so-called Country Club/Establishment Republicans who are social moderates to the point of not caring, but are fiscal conservatives who seek smaller government, fewer regulations and lower taxes. They are moderate in outlook and find comfort with candidates like Ohio Governor John Kasich and Jeb Bush.

Then there are the Tea Party Republicans  socially conservative, less educated, more angry, and less financially established. These are facts. They support candidates like Donald Trump and Sarah Palin.

After the disastrous 2012 election in which Mitt Romney lost to Barack Obama, the Republican Party essentially did an autopsy of their results. The diagnosis was evident  if the Party did not reach out to the cities, millenials, people of colour, and more socially moderate people with a compendium of new ideas, then the party was condemned to a future of losing presidential races.

These autopsies are always performed by the Establishment, and so while the Party apparatchiks thought they were really on to the next big idea, they failed to consult with the so-called little people. And those people, with respect, were not in the mood to listen to the party pooh-bahs.

Trump, the successful New York City real estate mogul, appealed to Tea Party voters with his straight shooting and call-it-like-it-is manner. Short of the final vote at the Republican Convention, Donald Trump never won a majority of his own partys vote.

So how did he win?

Well, at risk of being too focused on realpolitik, Trump appears to have a visceral understanding of the anger out there. With his calls of rigged election, biased media and tough talk about throwing people out of rallies, Trump simply rode to power on the coat-tails of an angry constituency that has not participated in the economy for far too long.

Hillary Clinton was the perfect opponent for Trump in an anti-Washington, grievance election. Highly educated, well-placed, and not particularly likeable, Clinton has been a fixture of Washington power circles for decades. Shes not a populist, which made the vast chasm between her public appeal and Trumps all the more tangible.

Hillary is a most conventional Washington politician in a year in which conventional is a curse. Gender aside, Hillary is virtually indistinguishable from countless pols who view themselves as entitled to power without properly outlining a vision Americans seek.

The Democrats are also experiencing their own culture war  between the left wing of Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and moderates like Hillary who is hawkish on defence and no real social activist. While she pivoted to make her out to be someone she clearly is not, voters have always doubted Hillarys authenticity.

We could focus a lifetime on the various mistakes and small ball politics of this election, but the big picture is the most important  people are so angry with Washington and their lives that they are prepared to hand over the highest office in the land to an undisciplined, overwhelmingly-flawed Trump.

Will the Establishment listen? If it chooses not to, it does so at its peril.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/11/2016 (2183 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Illegal drugs including cocaine  brought to Manitoba for distribution as part of a large-scale drug trafficking network  were stashed in an abandoned church just down the block from the Brandon courthouse.

Those allegations and others are detailed in publicly available court documents filed in an effort to freeze the primary suspects assets.

They describe how police used tactics such as tracers, bugs and sneak peeks into homes during an investigation into a drug operation that brought kilograms of illegal drugs into the Brandon area for distribution.

Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun A former church at the corner of 11th Street and Lorne Avenue was a stash spot for illegal drugs including cocaine being brought to Manitoba for distribution as part of a large-scale drug trafficking network.

Details of the investigation are contained in civil court documents that were filed in court by the provinces Director of Criminal Property and Forfeiture as it sought to freeze funds, and prevent the sale of real estate and other property belonging to the main suspect in the case and his wife.

An interim order to that effect was granted in Winnipeg Court of Queens Bench on Monday.

What follows are allegations based on civil court documents. They are not criminal allegations, and havent been proven in court. The accused are presumed innocent.

A statement of claim asserts that large amounts of illegal drugs were brought to the Brandon area by couriers.

They were taken to an apartment and an abandoned church in Brandon, and a farm near Griswold, where they were stored, processed, repackaged and distributed to others including drug dealers.

The elaborate police investigation focusing on two men is detailed in an affidavit, written by an official with the provinces Civil Law Division Criminal Property Forfeiture.

It states that in January 2016, members of the Manitoba Integrated Organized Crime Task Force (MIOCTF) began Project Derringer, which targeted a drug network and one particular Brandon-area man who was their primary suspect in the operation.

Police placed the man on surveillance, attached tracking devices to his vehicles and tracked his cellphone.

As a result, police believed they had identified the mans drug customers and a Toronto courier  a man they believed to be supplying him with multi-kilogram amounts of cocaine.

Investigators planted tracking devices on the couriers car, tracked his cellphone, and followed his movements using his credit card use.

During the months that followed, police observed the courier and prime suspect meet at a gas station, then a hotel parking lot in Brandon.

Vehicle and cellphone trackers also led police to believe the men had met near a Griswold farm where the main suspect lived.

Police believed the meetings were drug deals and they video-recorded a meeting at a hotel parking lot, during which they observed the two men exchange large bags.

Investigators also located stash locations in Brandon. One was an apartment on the 100 block of 10th Street, while the other was the former First Baptist Church at 1037 Lorne Ave.

Police obtained warrants that allowed them to do covert entries/surreptitious searches at the church and apartment. They also hid cameras at those locations.

Those strategies allowed them to track the transport of drugs and equipment that would ultimately lead to a raid of the Griswold-area farm.

In August, they entered the 10th Street apartment and found a hydraulic press contaminated with cocaine and a cutting agent (benzocaine). They also found scales, grinders and packaging materials.

No drugs were found that time, but electronic surveillance tipped off investigators to another meeting between the courier and main suspect near the Griswold farm. The courier was seen placing at least one bag into the back of the other mans truck.

Based on that, police returned for further sneak peeks inside the apartment. During one visit they found four kilograms of vacuum-sealed cocaine with a street value of $260,000. Two bricks of cocaine were marked with a Nike stamp and numbered.

Also in the apartment was four pounds of marijuana with a street value of $8,000, and two pounds of psilocybin worth $4,000.

Psilocybin is a psychedelic compound often known as psilocybin mushrooms.

Later, the main target of the investigation was seen moving the drugs and hydraulic press to the church. A covert entry into the church turned up the two kilograms marked with the Nike logo, seven more ounces of cocaine (including one pressed into a puck), bags of psilocybin and equipment.

About a week later, the suspect moved the press and drugs to the Griswold farm.

In mid-September, police ramped up their investigation.

They secured warrants to intercept hundreds of communications from the suspects cellphone, and planted listening devices in his vehicles and in a machine shed at his farm.

Police allege that they captured messages or calls that showed the man dealing in cocaine and marijuana with customers.

Another covert search at the farm led to the discovery of six guns  a semi-automatic rifle, two shotguns and three rifles  in the trunk of a car.

Then, intercepted communications and tracking of his phone and credit card told police that the Toronto courier was going to make another trip to Manitoba.

On Oct. 13, investigators were video-recording as the courier and suspect met once more near the Griswold farm.

Intercepted communications and the audio bug inside the suspects truck seemed to confirm it was a drug deal.

The two men travelled to the farm where members of the Brandon Police Service Tactical Response Unit arrested them as they sat in the truck discussing the drug deal.

Police then searched the property and vehicles that were parked there, including the couriers 2012 Audi Q7.

In the truck they found a jacket with $20,000 to $25,000 cash in the pocket and about 359 grams of marijuana in a shoebox.

On the suspects or inside the truck, they also found several cellphones believed to be encrypted BlackBerry PGP devices.

In another pickup truck, police found a duffel bag that held three kilograms of vacuum-sealed cocaine worth $195,000, one kilogram of methamphetamine worth $55,000 and a rifle.

They found the hydraulic press in a machine shed on the property with scales, grinders and packaging materials. Also in the shed was one of the numbered kilograms of cocaine marked with the Nike logo that was found earlier at the church and Brandon apartment.

In a U-Haul vehicle also at the farm was a money counter and two packages of marijuana with a total weight of one pound.

There was one more interesting find  in the couriers Audi, police found a hidden compartment believed to be used to conceal drugs for transport.

Leslie Gerald Bisson, of Griswold, is charged with offences related to drug trafficking and weapons. He currently remains in custody.

Javed Ali of Georgetown, Ont., who faces six charges related to drug trafficking, has been released on bail to live with his family in Toronto.

Justin Tyler Reimer, of Brandon, is also charged with drug and weapon offences. He too remains in custody.

On Tuesday, as Project Derringer continued, RCMP announced that they and MIOCTF made an arrest and performed two other searches in Dauphin. They seized an undisclosed amount of cash.

Christopher Charles Bilay, 32, is charged with conspiracy to possess cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, conspiracy to traffic a controlled substance, and possession of proceeds of crime.

 ihitchen@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @IanHitchen
CHEYENNE, Wyo.  Liz Cheney has won the Wyoming U.S. House seat formerly held by her father.

Cheney beat Democrat Ryan Greene of Rock Springs. Greene is an employee in his family's oilfield services business.

Neither Cheney nor Greene has held elected office, but Cheney prevailed with much wider name recognition. She is former Vice President Dick Cheney's daughter and a former Fox News commentator.

Cheney's campaign took a tough stance against the federal government. She says too much regulation is killing Wyoming's coal industry.

The 50-year-old Republican will occupy the seat her father held from 1979 to 1989. In electing her, Wyoming will continue a recent tradition of selecting a woman for the seat  following Barbara Cubin, who was the representative from 1995 to 2008, and current U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis, who has served from 2008 and has decided to return to Wyoming at the end of this term.

Greene, 34, of Rock Springs, billed himself as a Wyoming Democrat who diverges from his national partys energy agenda. He said his career helping run his familys energy service company sent him regularly into oil fields and coal mines. He said he supports fossil fuels but that the market determines demand for renewable and nonrenewable energy. He believes humans are contributing to global climate change.

Cheney, in contrast, said she does not believe in people's contribution to climate change. She does not believe the government should regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant. Shes said she wants to reduce the size and scope of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Libertarian candidate in the race is Libertarian Lawrence Struempf, a teacher with management experience. He had 4 percent of the vote in early results. The Constitution Party candidate is Daniel Cummings, a Casper physician, who had 3 percent of the vote in early results.

Republican voters outnumber Democrats three to one in Wyoming, which was expected to give Cheney the edge. Wyoming has sent Republicans to the U.S. House for the last 40 years.

Throughout the campaign, Cheney was dogged by accusations that she moved to Wyoming in 2012 only to win federal office. She calls Wilson home. In 2013, she challenged U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, and faced a barrage of criticism by the states Republican establishment. She dropped out of the race, saying she had to tend to a family health issue.

Cheney was born in Wisconsin and lived much of her life in the Washington area, during her fathers career as chief of staff to President Gerald Ford and later as a congressman. She lived in Casper as a child, attending fifth and sixth grades at Park Elementary and seventh grade at Dean Morgan Junior High.

She received an undergraduate degree from Colorado College in 1988 and a law degree from the University of Chicago in 1996.

Cheney was principal deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs when her father was vice president. Under President George H.W. Bush, she also worked in the State Department. Shes been employed by the Agency for International Development and the International Finance Corp., which invests in developing countries, wrote books with her dad and was a Fox News contributor.

Cheney is married to Phil Perry, a partner at a Washington law firm. The couple has five children and own a house in McLean, Va.

Cheney broke fundraising records for the U.S. House seat in Wyoming, raising nearly $2 million. Much of that money came from high-ranking Republicans, including George and Barbara Bush. Cheney and her father campaigned at exclusive events outside of Wyoming. Her campaign was always quick to note that she raised more money in Wyoming than any of her competition in the primary or general elections.

Cheney will join a U.S. House that has a Republican majority.
A ballot initiative that would have banned the trapping of animals on public lands in Montana appeared headed for failure in early returns Tuesday night.

A total of 169,789 "no votes" on Initiative I-177 had been counted as of 11 p.m., compared to 103,112 yes votes. However, those numbers were from only 33 percent of registered voters in the state.

A group called Montanans for Trap-Free Public Lands gathered enough signatures to get I-177 on the ballot this year. It was opposed by the Montana Trapping Association and the the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Roughly a dozen trapping organizations from all over the U.S. contributed large sums of money to oppose the measure. For example, an organization called Big Game Forever in Utah contributed $50,000 for media time for an anti-I-177 campaign.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks keeps track of trapping statistics and oversees the statewide licensing program. Every year, an average of a little more than 50,000 furbearing animals are harvested every year in the state, and between 5,000 and 6,000 people get their trapping licenses every year. In the trapping season from 2013 to 2014, 52,922 furbearing animals were taken. The previous year, 72,591 were taken, and the year before that, 66,919 were taken. The lowest number in the last decade came in 2008-2009, when only 37,201 were harvested.

The vast majority of animals trapped are muskrats and coyotes, two species that generally comprise more than half of all harvested furbearers combined.

Raccoons and beavers are the next most-harvested species, with about 6,000 each taken every year. Red fox, bobcats, skunks, badgers, marten and mink are each harvested in numbers ranging from about 1,000 to 2,000 every year. There is a quota of only seven fishers in Montana every year, and wolverine harvests have dropped from 11 in 2005 to zero in 2014 after a temporary ban was put in place on those animals.

Toby Walrath, the president of the Montana Trapper's Association, did not return a call seeking comment.

Connie Poten, a Missoula resident who took part in efforts to get I-177 passed, said her group will try again in another four years.

"I think it had plenty of support but the trappers had a lot of money from out of state," she said. "They were running TV and radio and billboard ads that were completely deceptive. There were misleading ads that said I-177 could lead to poison on playgrounds, skyrocketing predator numbers and would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Total falsehoods."

Poten said that the ads against I-177 amounted to "fear mongering."
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 09/11/2016 (2183 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Montreal Police Chief Philippe Pichet had a difficult meeting last week behind closed doors with city councillors at the citys Public Security Commission.

Opposition councillors, unimpressed with his explanations for the forces electronic surveillance of La Presse columnist Patrick Lagace, were urging him to step aside while the matter was investigated.

On Sunday, Mayor Denis Coderre came to the chiefs defence: there should not be a public lynching of the chief, Mr. Coderre said; therefore, he would not ask Pichet to resign. He echoed the words of Quebec Public Security Minister Martin Coiteux, who also did not want Pichet suspended.

We are not going to indulge in a public lynching operation, Mr. Coiteux said a week ago.

As public lynchings go, this one was more like a private committee meeting. La Presse reporters had noticed the name of their colleague Mr. Lagace in records of police investigations into alleged planting of evidence by their anti-gang squad. After Mr. Lagace asked what was going on, the department explained to him that they had been monitoring his cellphone in order to target a police officer who was under suspicion. Mr. Lagace hit the roof.

Reporters have to be free to talk to sources without the fear of police looking over their shoulders. If every reporter is inadvertently wearing a wire on behalf of the police, no source will talk to them.

As the story snowballed, it came to light that the Montreal police had obtained warrants from justices of the peace 24 times this year to track Mr. Lagaces whereabouts using the location chip in his cellphone, and to obtain the identities of everyone he had contacted through the phone.

Then the Quebec provincial police force confirmed that it had been spying in the same way on the cellphones of six reporters at Radio-Canada, La Presse and the Journal de Montreal. Crime beat reporters who were not on the surveillance list began to wonder why they had escaped attention.

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard announced new restrictions on police surveillance of journalists, putting them on the same footing as lawyers and members of the Quebec assembly. Freedom of the press had to be protected, he said.

But if reporters are to be exempt from surveillance, it may be hard to show why the rest of the public should not also be exempt. The needs of a reporter are not different in kind from the needs of any conscientious citizen who is trying to find out what is going on in the community.

Especially in this era of information websites and private bloggers, anyone can do at least some of the work of a reporter and distribute the results of inquiry.

Some people are paid for this work and some are not. Some do it better than others. But if a legal privilege such as an exemption from surveillance is to be extended to journalists, the same privilege should probably be available to any private citizen. After all, the fourth pillar of democracy  a free media  doesnt just defend the public interest, but also represents the public.

Attempts to curb press freedom by a police force or by government is thus an attack on a free society, just as much as any media organization or individual journalist.

Cellphone users  including reporters  need to be aware that these devices are broadcasting their signals to a worldwide communication network. They are vulnerable to hacking by the Russians, the Chinese, freelance hackers, intelligence agencies, criminal gangs and the local police force.

Police surveillance should be restricted, but cellphone users should also find out what precautions would better protect their privacy.

Its a shame that Lagace and other journalists have learned that these are steps they may have to take to protect themselves from the actions of the state.

 Winnipeg Free Press and The Brandon Sun
Donald Trump has been urged to commit to strengthening relations with the European Union, including on Russia's actions in the Ukraine and the future of the troubled US-EU trade deal.

European Council president Donald Tusk and his European Commission counterpart, Jean-Claude Juncker, invited Mr Trump to visit Europe for a summit meeting with the EU.

They offered their "sincere congratulations" to the new US president-elect and stressed it was "more important than ever" to work together to tackle problems including Islamic State, also known as Daesh.

The two leaders said: "The strategic partnership between the European Union and the United States is rooted in our shared values of freedom, human rights, democracy and a belief in the market economy. Over the years, the European Union and the United States have worked together to ensure peace and prosperity for our citizens and for people around the world.

"Today, it is more important than ever to strengthen transatlantic relations. Only by co-operating closely can the EU and the US continue to make a difference when dealing with unprecedented challenges such as Daesh, the threats to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, climate change and migration.

"Fortunately, the EU-US strategic partnership is broad and deep: from our joint efforts to enhance energy security and address climate change, through EU-US collaboration on facing threats to security in Europe's eastern and southern neighbourhoods, and to the negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership - we should spare no effort to ensure that the ties that bind us remain strong and durable.

"We should consolidate the bridges we have been building across the Atlantic. Europeans trust that America, whose democratic ideals have always been a beacon of hope around the globe, will continue to invest in its partnerships with friends and allies, to help make our citizens and the people of the world more secure and more prosperous.

"We would take this opportunity to invite you to visit Europe for an EU-US summit at your earliest convenience. This conversation would allow for us to chart the course of our relations for the next four years."

European Parliament president Martin Schulz expressed surprise at the result, saying it had been "another Brexit night".

"We are seeing a wave of protest against established politics which is also reflected in this election result," he said.
The number of Americans searching for jobs in Canada surged to 10 times the usual level after it became clear Donald Trump was going to win the US presidency, according to a jobs site.

Indeed said the spike happened at about 5am GWT, shortly after it emerged that Trump was on course for victory.
For those of you who don't know, Donald Trump has been elected the 45th President of America.

Donald Trump is a man known for many things, a bizarre hairdo, a rude, uncensored manner of speaking and of course having lots of money.

But that is just how he is known globally.

In the Scottish county of Aberdeenshire, Mr Trump is simply a local business owner and when he became President of America, that is how it was reported.

Take a look.

He might have billions in the bank, a crazy hairstyle and an acerbic tongue, but he better know his place when he visits Aberdeenshire!

Classic 'keeping it local' reporting.

Hilarious.
Donald Trump is to be elected the 45th President of America and while there are many elated Americans about this democratic decision, there are also many people around the world reeling in shock and despair.

One American publication with a strong political message for the citizen's of the United States, has released a cartoon which articulates so much by saying very little.
The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has congratulated Donald Trump on his election as President of the United States.

In a statement, he said: On behalf of the Government and the people of Ireland, I am pleased to offer our sincere congratulations to Donald J. Trump on his election as the 45th President of the United States.

Ireland and the United States have enjoyed a very close and warm relationship for many generations and I am confident that under his leadership our bilateral relations will continue to prosper.

He spared a thought for Hillary Clinton, described as a friend to Ireland who fought such a tough campaign.

Referring to global relations and specifically to immigration reform, the Taoiseach said: We are all acutely conscious of the particular responsibility of the United States for leadership and engagement across the globe in our endeavours to address shared challenges. I look forward to working with the new administration in the time ahead in the cause of international peace and security.

I also intend to work closely with the new Administration and newly elected United States Congress to pursue comprehensive immigration reform, an issue that is so important to tens of thousands of Irish people who are making a major contribution to America.

The Taoiseach also referred to Mr Trumps running mate Mike Pence, saying: The Vice President-elect is a proud Irish American who spent many summers in Ireland as a child.

The statement concludes: "The Government looks forward to working closely with our new colleagues in the White House. In the meantime, the Government will continue to engage actively and constructively with the administration of President Obama, until he completes his term on January 20."

Speaking to TV3 this morning Mr Kenny said he does not believe Donald Trump winning the election will be a problem for Ireland, saying the strong relationship between the two countries will continue.

He added he intends to call Mr Trump this morning to offer his congratulations.

Other Irish political leaders have also given their reaction to Mr Trumps shock victory.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has said we have to deal with the fact that the people in the US have spoken, whatever we think about the outcome.

Mr Adams said we have to work with Donald Trump and continue the focus on the peace process and the plight of the undocumented Irish.

Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have expressed hope that the North's long-standing relationship with the US would be strengthened during Mr Trump's time at the White House.

"I congratulate Donald Trump on his historic election as the 45th President of the United States of America," said Democratic Unionist leader Mrs Foster.

"We are a small region but we are fortunate to have strong historical, economic and political ties to the United States.

"Northern Ireland has developed a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States and I look forward to working with Donald Trump's administration to continue this.

"As our largest inward investor the United States plays a massive role in our economic progress."

Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness said: "I congratulate Donald Trump on his election victory.

"I will work constructively with President Trump to maintain and strengthen our well established and deeply valued relationship with the United States.

"Over many years successive US administrations have made a major contribution to both our peace process and economic development and I expect this to continue.

"I commiserate with Hillary Clinton who showed unwavering commitment to the north of Ireland as Secretary of State and First Lady."

Read More:
The Government's appeal of the Apple tax ruling will be lodged in the European Courts today.

In August, the European Commission ruled that Apple should pay 13bn in back taxes to Ireland.
Health Minister Simon Harris has appealed for nurses to "work with the Department" as their ballot for industrial action commences.

Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) are currently being balloted in a dispute over what they describe as "chronic overcrowding and insufficient staffing". A result is expected by December 15.

The industrial action would first take the form of a work-to-rule, followed by one-day stoppages. The INMO said it was confident members will vote in favour.

Health Minister Simon Harris (pictured) said the HSE is continuing to implement schemes and programmes to attract nurses back to Ireland.

INMO General Secretary Liam Doran said: "We are not going to continue to pretend the existing staffing levels can provide safe care and meet demands.

"So if they don't expand the nursing and midwifery workforce, they're going to have to contract the health service. It's as simple as that."

Sinn Fein's health spokesperson Louise O'Reilly said the nurses' decision is a direct result of government failure to deal with the problems facing the health service.

"The ballot is born out of frustration with a government that doesnt seem to be listening to their own workers," she said.

"There was recently a recruitment fair in the RDS and the HSE didnt even have a stand.

"The private hospitals had stands; hospitals from England, America. England, Saudi Arabia - all these people seem to want our nurses, but the message they're getting from the HSE is 'we dont want you'."
A 42-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a man found dead in a Belfast tower block.

The body of James Hughes, aged 62, was discovered on the 14th floor of Divis Tower at the weekend.
Update: 6.15pm At least seven people were killed when a tram sped round a sharp bend and derailed during the morning rush-hour.

Investigators said the vehicle was travelling at a "significantly higher speed than is permitted", and are probing whether the driver, who has been arrested, may have fallen asleep.

Scenes on board have been described as "total carnage" and "like something out of a film" as the two-carriage tram tipped onto its side next to an underpass near the Sandilands stop in Croydon, south London.

The 42-year-old driver, from Beckenham, is being held on suspicion of manslaughter and is currently in police custody, British Transport Police said.

Earlier: A tram which derailed killing at least five people was travelling at a "significantly higher speed than is permitted", accident investigators said.

The driver of the south London tram has been arrested and London mayor Sadiq Khan has warned that the death toll is likely to rise even further.

Sources at the scene said eight people were feared dead after the tram tipped on its side next to an underpass near the Sandilands stop in Croydon.

More than 50 people were injured, some seriously.

Martin Bamford, 30, from Croydon, was on the tram and recalled it "speeding up", adding: "Everyone just literally went flying."

He said people were screaming and there was "blood everywhere", describing the scene as "like something out of a film".

Speaking outside Croydon University Hospital, where he is being treated for fractured or broken ribs, Mr Bamford said: "It was just terrifying."

Asked about what he witnessed as the incident unfolded, he said: "There was a woman that was on top of me ... I don't think she made it at all. She wasn't responsive. There was blood everywhere."

Asked about the driver, he said: "I asked him if he was okay. He said 'yeah'. I said to him 'what happened?' He said he thinks he blacked out."

Mr Bamford, who described the scene as "total carnage", said injuries appeared to range from broken legs to head injuries.

He said the hospital was "manic" when he arrived but praised the staff for how they dealt with the situation.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said the tram derailed as it was negotiating a "sharp, left-hand curve" with a speed limit of 12 mph.

A spokesman said: "Initial indications suggest that the tram was travelling at a significantly higher speed than is permitted."
CHEYENNE, Wyo.  Trump takes Wyoming easily as state again goes Republican for White House.

6:55 p.m.

Wyoming officials say they haven't heard reports of problems at the polls during Tuesday's election.

Will Dinneen is spokesman for the Wyoming Secretary of State's Office in Cheyenne. He says more than 78,000 absentee ballots had been cast across the state by Monday evening, easily exceeding the 64,600 cast in the 2012 presidential election.

John R. Powell, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Cheyenne, said late Tuesday that his office had received no complaints of problems. The office had attorneys on standby to respond to any voter complaints.

2:55 p.m.

County election officials are reporting heavy voter turnout across Wyoming with wait times of more than an hour in some places.

The heavy turnout mirrors the heavy absentee voting seen before Tuesday's election.

Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee says polling stations were swamped Tuesday morning in Cheyenne.

She says there were people waiting for an hour or more is some places.

Lee also noted a lot of new voters this election.

Natrona County elections clerk Chris Lindsey says this year's election turnout seems even more than in 2008 when President Barack Obama was first elected.

Election officials in Campbell, Park and Uinta counties also report a busy day of voting.

1:45 p.m.

Wyoming Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi says Election Day is a lot easier when his name isn't on the ballot.

Enzi was re-elected to a fourth six-year term two years ago.

There's a lot of tension in running for office, he said.

On Tuesday, Enzi continued his tradition of voting early in the day and then went fishing.

Enzi says he's done everything he can to get people elected and when he's fishing he doesn't have to worry a lot about the election.

Enzi showed up at the poll in Gillette with his wife, Diana. He noted that there was an unusually big number of early voters.

___

11:15 a.m.

A sampling of voters in Wyoming's struggling oil patch indicates strong support for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton for president.

Most voters casting ballots at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds in Natrona County on Tuesday morning seemed to be choosing Trump over Clinton.

Natrona County has been hit hard by the downturn in the energy industry. The county had been enjoying a booming oil industry before prices collapsed last year, causing companies to lay off thousands of workers. Trump is considered more favorable to the industry than Clinton.

Raelene Shreve says she voted for Trump because she believes he will be good for Wyoming.

___

10:30 a.m.

The Wyoming Secretary of State's Office says it hasn't heard of any problems around the state with voting.

Agency spokesman Will Dinneen says he's only heard that polling places in the Cheyenne area have been busy.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

The Secretary of State's Office says more than 78,000 ballots had already been cast across the state by Monday evening through absentee voting.

The agency says 94 percent of absentee ballots requested had been received by county clerks.

Besides the race for president, Wyoming residents will be selecting a replacement for U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis, who did not seek re-election this year.

They also will decide one state constitutional amendment, state legislative seats and various local offices and issues.

___

7:30 a.m.

Wyoming voters won't have any problems getting to the poll thanks to pleasant fall weather statewide on this election day.

Polls opened at 7 a.m., but many voters have already cast their ballots.

The Wyoming Secretary of State's Office says more than 78,000 ballots had already been cast across the state by Monday evening through absentee voting.

The agency says 94 percent of absentee ballots requested had been received by county clerks.

Besides the race for president, Wyoming residents will be selecting a replacement for U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis, who did not seek re-election this year.

They also will decide one state constitutional amendment, state legislative seats and various local offices and issues.
Donald Trump has been elected America's 45th president in a remarkable victory for the celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalised on voters' economic anxieties to win the race for the White House.

Mr Trump, the Republican candidate, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations during a gruelling contest with Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton.

His triumph will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House and threatens to undo the achievements of President Barack Obama.

Mr Trump has pledged to act quickly to repeal Mr Obama's landmark health care law, revoke the nuclear agreement with Iran and rewrite important trade deals with other countries, particularly Mexico and Canada.

Most battleground states went with Trump

The tycoon blasted through Democrats' long-standing firewall, carrying Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that had not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since the 1980s.

He needed to win nearly all of the competitive battleground states, and he did just that, claiming Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and others.

Global stock markets and US stock futures plunged deeply, reflecting investor alarm over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.

A New York real estate developer who lives in a sparking Manhattan high-rise, Mr Trump forged a striking connection with white, working class Americans who feel left behind in a changing economy and diversifying country.

He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of the problems plaguing many Americans and tapped into fears of terrorism at home and abroad.

Vice president-elect Mike Pence declared Mr Trump's victory "a historic night".

Mr Pence, Indiana's governor, addressed Mr Trump's victory party in New York City early on Wednesday.

President-elect Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech during his election night rally. Vice-presidential elect Mike Pence is in the background. Picture: AP

Mr Trump's running mate said "the American people have spoken and the American people have elected their new champion".

Mr Trump said Mrs Clinton had congratulated him on his victory, as he declared it was "time for us to come together," and pledged to be president "for all Americans".

The president-elect, addressing cheering supporters at his victory party, asked the nation to come together, and promised to "represent every citizen of our land".

He said that it was "time for America to bind the wounds of division" and promised that his administration will be a time of "national growth and renewal".

Mr Trump said "America will no longer settle for anything but the best" and that the nation will "dream big and bold and daring".

In this Instagram picture posted by Donald Trump Junior, Donald Trump watches election results with family and supporters. Picture: PA

Mr Trump will take office with Congress expected to be fully under Republican control. Party Senate candidates fended off Democratic challengers in key states and appeared poised to keep the majority. Republicans also maintained their grip on the House.

Senate control means Mr Trump will have great leeway in appointing Supreme Court justices, which could mean a shift to the right that would last for decades.
Hillary Clinton is to address reporters from a hotel not far from where she planned a New York party to celebrate on election night.

On the eve of the election, Hillary Clinton was standing behind a podium bearing the presidential seal. By the time the votes were counted, Donald Trump had captured the White House in a political earthquake.

Mrs Clinton conceded the presidency to Mr Trump in a phone call early on Wednesday morning, a stunning end to a campaign that appeared poised right up until election day to make her the first woman elected US president.

Mrs Clinton, who watched the returns with family and close aides at a Manhattan hotel suite, made no public appearance before supporters who had gathered under the glass ceiling of the Jacob K Javits Convention Centre planning to celebrate what was expected to be her historic victory. Mrs Clinton planned to make a statement later on Wednesday morning.

The mood inside the convention centre grew increasingly grim as Mr Trump captured battleground states like Florida, North Carolina and Ohio and shattered a long-standing "blue wall" of states in the Upper Midwest that had backed every Democratic presidential candidate since her husband, Bill Clinton, won the presidency in 1992.

Democrats - starting with Mrs Clinton's campaign and the White House - were left wondering how they misread their country so completely. Aides stopped returning calls and text messages. Supporters left election night parties in tears.

"My disappointment makes me not trust the rest of the world," said Katie Fahey, who had flown to New York from Grand Rapids, Michigan, wearing a red pantsuit, expecting a victory party. "I don't even want to go out. I want to wear sweatpants and curl myself up in a corner."

The results were startling to Mrs Clinton and her aides, who had ended their campaign with a whirlwind tour of battleground states and had projected optimism that she would maintain the diverse coalition assembled by President Barack Obama in the past two elections.

On the final day of the campaign, Mrs Clinton literally followed Mr Obama to stand behind a podium with a presidential seal at a massive rally outside Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

As she walked up to the lectern, the president bent down to pull out a small stool so the shorter Mrs Clinton could address the tens of thousands gathered on the mall. Before leaving the stage, Mr Obama leaned over to whisper a message in Mrs Clinton's ear: "We'll have to make this permanent."

Mrs Clinton's stunning loss was certain to open painful soul-searching within the party, which had endured a lengthy primary between Mrs Clinton and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who drew strong support among liberals amid an electorate calling for change.

"The mistake that we made is that we ignored the powerful part of Trump's message because we hated so much of the rest of his message. The mistake we made is that people would ignore that part and just focus on the negative," said Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis, who was not affiliated with the campaign.

The tumultuous presidential cycle bequeathed a series of political gifts for Clinton's Republican rival: An FBI investigation into Mrs Clinton's use of a private email server, questions of pay-for-play involving her family's charitable foundation, Mr Sanders' primary challenge, Mrs Clinton's health scare at a September 11 memorial ceremony and FBI director James Comey's late October announcement that investigators had uncovered emails potentially relevant to her email case.

Yet her team spent the bulk of their time focused on attacking Mr Trump, while failing to adequately address Mrs Clinton's deep liabilities - or the wave of frustration roiling the nation.

Every time the race focused on Mrs Clinton, her numbers dropped, eventually making her one of the least liked presidential nominees in history. And she offered an anxious electorate a message of breaking barriers and the strength of diversity - hardly a rallying cry - leaving her advisers debating the central point of her candidacy late into the primary race.

Mrs Clinton's campaign was infuriated by a late October announcement by Mr Comey that investigators had uncovered emails that may have been pertinent to the dormant investigation into Mrs Clinton's use of private emails while secretary of state. On the Sunday before the election, Mr Comey told Congress that the bureau had found no evidence in its hurried review of newly discovered emails to warrant criminal charges against Mrs Clinton.

But the announcement may have damaged Mrs Clinton while her campaign tried to generate support in early voting in battleground states like Florida and North Carolina.

In the nine days between Mr Comey's initial statement and his "all clear" announcement, nearly 24 million people cast early ballots. That was about 18% of the expected total votes for president.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has spoken to US President-elect Donald Trump and has already received an invitation to meet.

Mr Netanyahu said Mr Trump invited him to meet "at the first opportunity" in a phone call on Wednesday.
Two teenage girls have died after being struck down by a car while out jogging.

Hampshire police said the victims, who have not been named, were out running when they were hit by a black Ford Focus in Aldershot at around 7.10pm on Tuesday.
Update: 1.40pm Five people have died after a tram derailed in Croydon, south London, British Transport Police said.

More than 50 people were injured, some seriously, when the crowded rush-hour tram tipped on to its side next to an underpass near the Sandilands stop in Croydon, south London.

British Transport Police said: "At present, we can confirm five people have sadly died following this incident."

Sources at the scene said eight people were feared dead.

The driver of the derailed tram has been arrested.

Update: 1.05pm The driver of the tram in England which derailed, killing several people and injuring dozens of others, has been arrested.

Emergency services are still working at the scene near Sandilands tram stop in Croydon, south London, to free people trapped in the two-carriage vehicle.

More than 50 people were injured, some seriously, when the crowded rush-hour tram tipped on to its side next to an underpass near the stop shortly after 6.10am on Wednesday.

British Transport Police confirmed the man had been arrested but did not give any further detail.

Earlier: There has been "some loss of life" and dozens of people have been injured after a tram derailed in south London.

Emergency services are still working at the scene near Sandilands tram stop in Croydon to free people trapped, British Transport Police said.

More than 50 people were injured when the crowded rush-hour two-carriage tram tipped onto its side next to an underpass near the stop at around 6.10am on Wednesday.

Robin Smith assistant chief constable of BTP said: "It is too early for us to confirm numbers but we are working hard to assess the ongoing incident and we are continuing to focus on recovery efforts."

He said: "A number of people have been taken to hospital with injuries and sadly it looks as though there has been some loss of life.

"It is too early for us to confirm numbers but we are working hard to assess the ongoing incident and we are continuing to focus on recovery efforts."

Accident investigators have gone to the scene to probe how the derailment happened.

People living nearby told of hearing a loud noise and seeing the injured being carried away on stretchers.

The tram appeared to have derailed at a point where the track branches.

London Fire Brigade sent eight appliances and more than 70 firefighters to the scene in Addiscombe Road.

Croydon resident Hannah Collier, 23, said: "I heard a massive crash at about 6.15am, then heard shouting, then the emergency services arrived.

"They started bringing up the casualties, some very seriously injured. People were carried away on stretchers."

Adil Salahi, whose property overlooks the track, said the noise he heard was "sudden".

The 76-year-old said: "It was about 6.10 or 6.15 and because I was praying. I could not move and try to check what it is. I thought it was something in the garage doors. Then I thought it was some lorry."

Transport for London said the line is suspended between Reeves Corner and Addington Village/Harrington Road.

British Transport Police said they are working to set up a number for friends and relatives to call but until then anyone with concerns is advised to call 101.

St George's Hospital in Tooting, south-west London, is treating 20 people.

A spokesman said: "Of these 20 patients, four are seriously injured. All patients are being cared for by our clinical teams."

Liam Lehane, from the London Ambulance Service, said a number of people were seriously injured.

He said: "We have transported over 50 patients to a number of hospitals.

"Most of those patients were walking wounded. But there are, however, a number of patients with serious injuries. We will continue to work on the scene with the other emergency services during the recovery operation."
SINGAPORE: US oil may drop into a range of $85.67 to $86.38 per barrel, as a bounce from $82.63 has completed. The...
Medical marijuana advocates saw early, big returns for Montana ballot initiative 182, which would expand the use of cannabis for medical purposes.

Voters favored the measure, 263,621 to 199,168  a 56 percent lead with 462,789 ballots counted.

Montana Citizens for I-182 treasurer Jeff Krauss said he believed Montanans voted on conscience.

"They're compassionate," he said. "They know people who are sick. They're close to people with cancer, (multiple sclerosis) or other debilitating diseases, and they don't want to see them suffer."

The initiative got a boost from larger counties that reported partial results early. Missoula, Gallatin and Lewis and Clark Counties showed strong leads for the initiative. Yellowstone County was the closest race early on with I-182 holding a narrow 1 percent lead.

Petroleum County was the first to come out against the measure. It reported 62 percent of its 329 votes against I-182. Wibaux County followed suit, fully reporting 64 percent against.

Dawson, Stillwater and Musselshell counties also trended against I-182.

The passing of the initiative will reverse provisions of a bill passed by the Montana Legislature in 2011. Earlier this year, the Montana Supreme Court upheld parts of the bill that were challenged in a five-year legal battle.

The passing of I-182 means that providers of the drug will not be limited to the number of patients they can serve. The previous restriction imposed a limit of three, which was sharply opposed by patients and providers in the program.

Most medical marijuana patients were left without a registered provider under the restrictions. Since they went into effect, patients have left the program. More than a third of patients registered in September left over the next month  7,785 remained in October, according to the state health department.

I-182 adds post-traumatic stress disorder to the list of eligible conditions, allows for lab testing for marijuana and orders annual health department inspections of providers.

The opposition group to I-182, Safe Montana, was principally funded by Billings businessman Steve Zabawa. He did not return calls for comment.

Marijuana measures were successful across the country. Florida and North Dakota voters passed medical marijuana provisions on Election Day, according to projections at press time. California and Massachusetts recreational marijuana measures were also projected to pass.

Arkansas voters also considered a medical marijuana program. Voters in three other states  Maine, Nevada and Arizona  had legal recreational marijuana on the ballot.

Krauss said that the preliminary tally indicated a distaste for the revised, more restrictive program.

"I think once voters saw the results of that in August, they rejected that," he said. "And that's a pretty strong message for the next legislature or the next governor."
The uncertainty on the economic front is growing. The date of the IMF review (expected by the end of October) is yet...
Rep. Ryan Zinke won re-election to the U.S. House as Montana's lone congressman.

Though all the ballots had not been counted, Zinke never fell behind as results came in across the state. As of press time, he had a commanding 57 percent lead to Democrat Denise Juneau's 39.

Juneau, the state's superintendent of public instruction, called Zinke to concede the race at 12:20 a.m. Wednesday.

Zinke started focusing on his second term.

"The big challenge is how we heal and unite," Zinke said before taking the podium. "This is an American issue when the national anthem becomes political, when law enforcement isn't respected  we're going to have to unite as Americans."

About 150 supporters gathered in the Lodge at Whitefish Lake to watch the national poll results with Zinke and several Flathead County legislative candidates. The room grew increasingly jubilant as the presidential vote solidified around Republican Donald Trump. By 10:30 p.m., many were already heading home before Zinke made his public remarks.

Juneau would have been the first Native American woman elected to Congress.

Zinke said he was ready to work with Gov. Steve Bullock and the rest of the state leadership, acknowledging that Montana ranks No. 1 in the nation for political ticket splitting. He was also interested to see how the House of Representatives settled its leadership order.

"We'll have to see where (Speaker of the House) Paul Ryan is," Zinke said. "He did endorse Trump, but then the narrative he followed afterward was not very strong. He's got to convince the caucus that he's capable of leadership."

As to his own ambitions, Zinke said he'd wait to see which way the wind was blowing.

He said he was more focused on infrastructure issues in Montana, including improvements to Glacier and Yellowstone national parks, national forest amenities and other public lands.

"It's time to show leadership," Zinke said. "It's time to put politics in the back seat."

A Republican has held Montanas House seat for two decades.

The election for the House seat came one day after the anniversary of Montanas Jeannette Rankin being elected to Congress in 1916  the first woman ever elected to Congress.

After 23 years in the U.S. Navy SEALs, Zinke served one term as a state senator. In 2012, he ran for lieutenant governor, but failed.

He snagged Montanas House seat in 2014 with a 55 percent win over Democrat John Lewis and Libertarian Mike Fellows. He filled a seat left vacant by Republican Steve Daines, who resigned to run successfully for his current U.S. Senate position.

Juneau has termed out after serving two terms as Montanas state schools chief. During that time, graduation rates have increased to a record high of 86 percent. She started out as a high school teacher for seven years before moving on from education to law in 2004. After working as division administrator at the Office of Public Instruction, she was elected to lead OPI in 2008.

In a Montana State University Billings poll conducted Oct. 3-10, Zinke held a 19 percent lead over Juneau, with 19 percent undecided. A Lee Newspapers poll conducted Oct. 10-12 found that lead had narrowed, with Zinke holding a 13 percent lead over Juneau, and 6 percent undecided.

Analysts predicted that gap would be hard for Juneau to close in the final weeks.

This has been the most expensive House race in recent Montana history, with both campaigns raking in about $8.13 million through Oct. 19.
LONDON: Russia said on Saturday that the accelerated deployment of modernised US B61 tactical nuclear weapons at...
Wednesday marked the day of the shareholder revenge  shareholders democracy in action. Some voted against the Commonwealth Bank's remuneration report because they believe executives' pay simply didn't meet their performance. For others it was a protest about the conduct-related issues that have embroiled the bank over the past few years. While for some it was as simple as a lack of transparency.

Having already seen the magnitude of the impending train wreck, the CBA directors withdrew one of the resolutions which was set to be put to shareholders. This related to increasing the weighting of "soft targets" in awarding a performance bonus to its chief executive, Ian Narev. It was pulled only hours before the shareholder annual meeting, which was held in Perth, was set to start.

But the more important primary remuneration report remained on the agenda and almost 50 per cent voted against it . It needed 75 per cent in favour to pass.

Well before then the CBA had known that resolution 4 had plenty of critics. This resolution dealt with the soft or so-called culture bonus which would allow Narev to earn additional financial rewards based on "diversity inclusion, sustainability and culture" and less of his bonus would rely on "hard" and more measurable criteria of total shareholder returns.
European shares fell on Wednesday after Republican nominee and political outsider Donald Trump won the US presidential election, bringing uncertainty that roiled global markets.

However, the market rallied off its lows, with traders saying Trump's acceptance speech was balanced and conciliatory, raising hopes that some of the more fiery rhetoric of his campaign might be behind him.

The STOXX Europe 600 was down 0.6 per cent at 8:00pm, having been down as much as 2 per cent in early trade. Growth-sensitive sectors such as autos, financials and oil were among the biggest fallers.

Markets had priced a win for Democrat Hillary Clinton, who was seen as a status quo option. There is substantial uncertainty about Trump's policy positions, as well as market scepticism over his views on topics such as trade.
So, you've decided to watch the results creep in for the United States election because, presumably, you think that your life has been too laid back and blissful to this point and that the one thing that would really put a spring in your step is watching the end of western democracy play out in real time before your terrified gaze.

Naturally you need a little something-something to take the edge off, and it's with this in mind that a hive-mind of Australia's best and drunkest political observers have lovingly constructed The US Election Drinking Game in order that you, the desperate democracy-consumer, might appreciate the woozy, nauseous experience that is American politics in action.

Many of the polls close in the US about 11am (AEDT), so you'll possibly be rolling drunk before the sun is over the yardarm, but this is a moment to celebrate.

After all, the actual election is now pretty much the only period in which US presidential candidates are not on the campaign trail  although there's a good chance that Paul Ryan will have launched his campaign for 2020 by the time you read this.
It was the August of 2015 when Josh Frydenberg, then the assistant treasurer, called Donald Trump a "dropkick" on national television.

"We'll remind you of that when he comes here on a state visit," Q&A host Tony Jones replied. "I'm sure my colleagues will remind me tomorrow," Mr Frydenberg laughed.

Maybe they'll remind him again today.

The unorthodox conduct of the most-disliked presidential candidate in US history has pushed Australia's political leaders to break with the diplomatic niceties that usually accompany a political contest in Australia's most important ally.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Globally, stocks fell off a cliff, with $US2.5 trillion wiped off values as investors ran for the exits at the sheer unpredictability of a Trump administration. During the longest and most bitterly fought campaign in US political history, Mr Trump had expressed contempt for America's security role in the world, floated the idea of giving nuclear arms to South Korea and Japan, vowed to keep North Korea and China in check, and proposed to tear up various trade agreements. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten met in the Mr Turnbull's office late on Wednesday, ostensibly to discuss constitutional recognition of Australia's first peoples. However, it is understood the US election was also up for discussion. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson was among the few elected figures in Canberra's political establishment to enthuse about the Republican's rise.

Clutching a glass of Champagne on the forecourt of Parliament House, Ms Hanson said: "Why I am celebrating is that I can see that people are now around the world saying we've had enough of the establishment, we're sick and tired of the elites, give power back to the people to have their own democracy. And I think Donald Trump will bring that to America. "I can see in Donald Trump a lot of me, what I stand for in Australia, and I think it's great." Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop struck a more cautious note, revealing Canberra remained in the dark on Mr Trump's foreign policy stances in trade and security, and could not predict what these policies would look like. Choosing her words carefully, she signalled that Australia was banking on Mr Trump tempering aggressive policy stances if elected, in the hope that his professed isolationism and protectionism had been exaggerated for political campaign purposes. "We can judge from some of the statements and the speeches made during this very long presidential campaign, but it will be a responsibility of the Australian government and other governments in the region to impress upon the new administration the importance of US leadership in our region, the importance of the United States continuing to maintain a strong presence in the region," she said.

"The new administration will have a number of challenges, including in our region, and we want to work constructively with the new administration to ensure the continued presence and leadership of the United States in our region." Ms Bishop denied that the government had been caught out by American voters, while issuing a none-too-subtle call for like-minded countries to join Australia in pressuring Washington to stay engaged with the world in economic and strategic spheres. "We have been preparing for either a Clinton administration or a Trump administration," she said. "We have been reaching out to both the Clinton teams and the Trump teams, and we are prepared and ready to work constructively with either administration. "It will be incumbent upon all countries that have deep interests with the United States to ensure that they press upon the administration their concerns, their interests, but that's my expectation over the transition period." Ms Bishop's opposition counterpart, Penny Wong, said the count in the US had thrown up a result that was not predicted in the plethora of opinion polls.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has sought to reassure Australians its alliance and deep relationship with the US will continue after the shock election of Donald Trump as its next president.

Hailing the victory as a "great and momentous choice", Mr Turnbull said the two countries shared "enduring national interests" no matter who was in power in Canberra and Washington.

"This is an historic moment. It has been a long campaign, one that Australians have witnessed with awe - with consternation, indeed - from time to time," he said in a statement shortly after Mr Trump declared victory.

"But let me reassure all Australians that the ties that bind Australia and the United States are profound, they are strong, they are based on our enduring national interests.
We've just witnessed the second American Revolution. The first, between 1765 and 1783, was a bloody, cathartic affair that not only threw the British out, but created a new nation and eventually a new world.

That country would come close to destruction through civil war a century later, but the USA would become the most militarily powerful and economically successful country in history - the quintessential great republic, and protector of allies.

Its technical prowess would eclipse all, putting a human on the moon, while enforcing an economic and strategic realpolitik beyond successful challenge.
Meanwhile far from reality, attendees at US consular events in Sydney and Canberra overwhelmingly voted for Hillary Clinton.

Of 103 votes cast in Sydney, Trump got 23 against Clinton's 80.

But at the US embassy event in Canberra, Clinton romped in with 60 votes, leaving Trump to limp home with nine.

Attendees took their cue from the US: most didn't bother to vote.
A Brisbane mother who found out on Twitter that a paedophile teacher had been working at her daughter's school says she may never send her child there again.

Crossbench senator Derryn Hinch used parliamentary privilege on Tuesday night to accuse the Brisbane school of lying to parents about the teacher by telling them he was on long service leave when he was actually behind bars.

Crossbench senator Derryn Hinch used parliamentary privilege on Tuesday night to accuse the Brisbane school of lying to parents about the teacher. Credit:Jesse Marlow

Senator Hinch told the upper house the teacher was convicted after grooming a boy and sexually abusing him for several years.

But when a concerned parent told the school he planned to tell other parents the truth he was threatened with legal action, the Senate heard.
Police have not given up hope of finding a skipper who has been missing at sea off Queensland's Fraser Island for more than 48 hours.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority called off its air search for the 53-year-old Yeppoon man Brett Munn based on medical advice the missing man could not have survived past Wednesday.

The prawn trawler Seabring capsized about eight kilometres off Fraser Island's east coast early on Tuesday morning.

Two fishermen aboard the vessel were saved when they set off flares that caught the attention of a nearby trawler, however their skipper remained missing.
Pauline Hanson wants Queensland to have a One Nation Premier.

Speaking to 612 ABC Brisbane following Donald Trump's shock win in the US election race, the One Nation leader said Australia "need(ed) change".

"If it means we can get a One Nation person to lead the state of Queensland," she said.

"I've got policies, I've got issues to try and get some prosperity back to Queensland, give people hope."
Did you get today's Mystery Melbourne.

Yes, this one was slightly misleading because the Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet is not in Melbourne.

You might also recognise it as the lighthouse from the classic kids' series 'Round The Twist'.

As an aside, a couple of people who answered the question recommended this podcast, in which reporter Spencer Howden tracked down the three actors who played Bronson in the series. Check it out here.
Elsie Arntzens first 180 days in office as Montanas Superintendent of Public Instruction will be the first governed by a Republican in almost 30 years.

After defeating Democrat Melissa Romano handily in Tuesdays election, Arntzen said that shes putting together a plan to ensure a seamless transition with a legislative session looming.

When I come into office, the school years going to be half over, she said. My purpose is to serve and to make sure its a seamless transition.

Arntzen campaigned largely on promoting local control and flexibility for school districts and expressed reservations about Montana Common Core standards and Smarter Balanced standardized tests, though she didnt say shed push to replace either.

Arntzen claimed 52 percent of the vote to Romano's 48 percent.

On Wednesday, Arntzen said shed review the contract with testing vendors, examining whether or not the effort educators put into administering the tests is worth it. New federal education legislation, the Every Student Succeeds Act, continues to require states to give a standardized test, but doesnt necessarily link scores to consequences for schools. Its unclear how Donald Trumps presidential victory will affect rulemaking for the legislation, which is ongoing.

Montana is putting together its own plan for how to comply with ESSA, which the Office of Public Instruction has been planning to submit to the Department of Education before current Superintendent Denise Juneau leaves office. Its unclear what influence Arntzen could have on retracting or changing that plan, but shes said she believes that process is moving too fast.

An OPI spokeswoman said that the state's submission timeline has not changed.

She said that shes talked to officials in Washington who indicated that Trumps election could mean submission deadlines for the plans are delayed.

It needs to be a plan that reflects Montana, she said.

The superintendent typically plays a large role lobbying for educational initiatives during the legislature. Arntzen said shes looking to put together a bipartisan education caucus to discuss issues, and that shell be participating in upcoming Republican caucuses.

During the campaign, Romano and the state teachers union, MEA-MFT, worked to emphasize Arntzens legislative votes supporting tax credits for donations to private schools and education savings accounts, which could send public money typically allotted to public schools on a per-student basis to private schools.

Arntzen didnt specifically address school choice measures during the campaign, calling them legislative issues.

Romano called Arntzen Wednesday morning to concede the race; with more than 450,000 votes counted, Arntzen led by almost 20,000 votes, outperforming Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte.

Romano congratulated Arntzen on her campaign Facebook page.

"There aren't enough words to express my deep gratitude to all of you, my tremendous supporters, during this campaign to represent public education," the post said. "Congratulations are due to Elsie Arntzen as she takes on the role of State Superintendent of Public Instruction."

Arntzen said she believed national flavor helped tip the superintendent race toward Republicans, in addition to debate about Common Core standards, which have been strongly endorsed by many education groups but widely criticized outside the education sphere.

More individuals have looked at education more than theyve done before, Arntzen said.

Romano was backed by big spending from the state teachers union, fueled in part by donations from national teachers unions. Overall spending between candidates and the union appeared to reach record highs for the superintendent's race. Arntzen, a union member when teaching in Billings, has repeatedly characterized the union as a special interest group.

Arntzen said shes looking to bring all parties to the table when discussing educational issues, including the union.

My job is to make sure teachers have what they need and go forward, she said.
A young man with suspected links to the Apex gang and who has been accused of organising criminal activity has again been denied bail, despite a magistrate's concerns the teenager could become an "acculturated criminal" if kept in custody.

Mahmoud Taha, 19, faces more than 20 charges and is accused of having an involvement in a series of armed robberies and carjackings across Melbourne where cars, jewellery and cash were stolen.

Police allege teenager Mahmoud Taha regularly paid others to commit crimes on his behalf, much like the character Fagin in 'Oliver Twist'. Credit:Greg Newington

Police allege he was either the main offender or organised other teens  including those with Apex links  to commit crimes.

Among the charges is an allegation Mr Taha robbed a security guard at gunpoint in May and stole more than $220,000.
A young armed robber who escaped from Malmsbury youth jail into an awaiting car on Tuesday has been pursued by police in Ballarat.

Fairfax Media understands Lachlan Mitchell, 20, was in a wheelchair and then on crutches when he left Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre about 2pm.

A prison source said Mitchell, from Warrnambool, talked on a telephone in a prison office, before casually leaving and getting into a black Holden ute bearing South Australian number plates XAA 230, and with a black hard top canopy and roof racks.

Two police pursuits were conducted in Ballarat on Tuesday afternoon after news broke that the young inmate was on the run, The Courier reports.
Budapest: MPs in Hungary on Tuesday rejected a proposed national ban on refugees relocated from the rest of the European Union, dealing a rare defeat to Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Mr Orban submitted a plan to ban the refugees, in the form of a constitutional amendment, last month, after a similar proposal failed to pass by referendum because of insufficient voter turnout.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has failed in his bid to ban asylum seekers from entering Hungary. Credit:AP

He has vowed to block a European Union program that would resettle migrants from the Middle East and Africa who have gone to countries like Greece and Italy. Under that program, Hungary, a nation of 10 million, would have to accept 1294 of a total of about 160,000 migrants.

The amendment needed two-thirds of sitting members of the 199-member parliament to pass. It got 131 votes on Tuesday - two short of the threshold. Three MPs voted no and the rest abstained.
Washington: While all eyes are on the US presidential race, Washington's foreign policy machine is grappling with a 'day-after' humanitarian crisis in a northern Iraqi city poised for liberation from the Islamic State.

As Iraqi security forces fight their way street-by-street into the IS stronghold of Mosul, the United Nations, international NGOs and the US are mustering as much preparation as possible to deal with the aftermath of the city's liberation.

Iraqis displaced by fighting in Mosul carry mattresses at a camp for internally displaced people in Hassan Sham, Iraq on Tuesday. Credit:AP

"We've known for weeks and months [Mosul's liberation] is coming," a senior US State Department official said. As such, the international community has "one of the best prepared responses to a humanitarian emergency that is expected that we have seen, certainly in a long time," another senior US State Department official added. Both officials spoke on condition of not being identified by name.

Planning has not been Washington's strong suit when it comes to Iraq. The Pentagon fretted in 2002 that Bush administration policymakers had not clearly thought through what would happen after the March 2003 invasion. As it turned out, the US military remained in Iraq for nearly nine years, costing taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars and suffering the deaths of nearly 4500 American troops.
All the dazzling technology, the big data and the sophisticated modelling that American newsrooms bring to the fundamentally human endeavour of presidential politics could not save American journalism from yet again being behind the story, behind the rest of the country.

For not the first time this year, the news media by and large missed what was happening all around it, and it was the story of a lifetime. The numbers weren't just a poor guide for election night  they were an off-ramp away from what was actually happening.

The night isn't over as of this writing, but even if Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, pulls off a squeaker, no one predicted a night like this.

Tuesday night's misfire was about a lot more than a failure in polling. It was a failure to capture the boiling anger of a large portion of the American electorate that feels left behind by a selective recovery and betrayed by trade deals that they see as threats to their jobs.
Is it all a bad dream? Hang on, this is no joke people!

We heard Canada's immigration website crashed ... Don't worry America, the Scots welcome you. And so does the Northern Territory.

The folks in Ireland aren't sure which way to look. Some have made their predictions for Mr Trump's pick for Supreme Court Justice.

Former PM Tony Abbott was quick to weigh in, throwing his support behind the new president. Australia's Pauline Hanson rolled out the welcome mat. Fish and chips for two, perhaps? Yeah, yeah, there was something rather large taking place in the United States today. But what about the bloke who was too lazy to find a carpark at Bunnings, and sent his drone over to pick up a snag instead? That's the guy that should be president - Of Awesomeness.

If Trump can do it, so can Kanye West #Kanye2020

Speaking of music, a little victory dance never goes astray. Building a nation is hard work, folks, but it doesn't mean you can't enjoy it. Dunno if Shane Warne had any money riding on this one, but the betting enthusiast has added this helpful infographic.

It might be a historic day for Donald J Trump. But history also seems to be popping up across the interwebs, with reminders like these. Hang on, back-track a minute. Here's a handy roll-call, via emoji, of the States' presidents. Poor Hillary, we would have liked to see her in emoji form too.

Earlier, pre-result, some unkind souls were suggesting that the options weren't all that terrific. Thought the Simpsons' writers had good imaginations? More like powers of clairvoyancy, apparently. In 2000, they aired this episode, predicting a future Trump presidency. Dan Greaney, a writer on that episode, told The Guardian this year that it had "just seemed like the logical last stop before hitting bottom". "It was pitched because it was consistent with the vision of America going insane," he said.
In Britain, the primary backer of the campaign for the UK to leave Europe, the UK Independent Party's Arron Banks, was gloating, and also expressing what some see as a global movement of "people power". Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. Credit:AP "Trump followed our Brexit playbook to the letter," he said. Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders tweeted to announce Trump's win "A historic victory! A revolution. We also will give our country back to the people of the Netherlands." British Prime Minister Theresa May. Credit:AP

Greece's far-right Golden Dawn party hailed Donald Trump's election, calling it a victory against "illegal immigration" and in favour of ethnically "clean" nations. Greece's third-largest party took its first seats in parliament in 2012. German Justice Minister Heiko Maas. Credit:AP "This was a victory for the forces which oppose globalisation, are fighting illegal migration and are in favour of clean ethnic states, in favour of self-sufficiency in the national economy," a spokesman of the party said on YouTube. "A great global change is starting, which will continue with nationalists prevailing in Austria, Marie LePen in France and Golden Dawn in Greece."

Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders. Credit:AP Putin's telegram Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Mr Trump via a telegram. "Putin expressed hope for joint work to restore Russian-American relations from their state of crisis, and also to address pressing international issues and search for effective responses to challenges concerning global security," the Kremlin said in a statement. Russian President Vladimir Putin: aware of situation. Credit:AP

Putin also said he was sure a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington would serve the interests of both countries, the Kremlin said. The leader of Russia's nationalist Liberal Democratic party, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, said he hoped Mr Trump's victory would mean US Ambassador John Tefft left the country. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault. Credit:AP According to the Interfax news agency, Zhirinovsky said: "We of course regard with satisfaction that the better candidate of the two presented to the American voters was victorious."

He said: "We hope that this ambassador leaves Russia ... he hates Russia." United Kingdom Independence Party donor Arron Banks. Credit:Getty Images Germany, France in shock German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, an ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, described Mr Trump's victory as a "huge shock" and questioned whether it meant the end of "Pax Americana", the state of relative peace overseen by Washington that has governed international relations since World War Two. The German Justice Minister Heiko Maas tweeted that the world won't end but things will get more crazy.

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se with US Secretary of State John Kerry. Credit:Reuters French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault pledged to work with Trump but said his personality "raised questions" and he admitted to being unsure what a Trump presidency would mean for key foreign policy challenges, from climate change and the West's nuclear deal with Iran to the war in Syria. "Looks like this will be the year of the double disaster of the West," former Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt said on Twitter, pointing to Britain's vote in June to leave the European Union. "Fasten seat belts," he said. Britain diplomatic British Prime Minister Theresa May congratulated Donald Trump and said the two countries would remain "strong and close partners on trade, security and defence".

This was a backflip - before becoming prime minister, May had criticised Trump's call for a ban on Muslims from entering the United States, saying it was divisive, unhelpful and wrong. But since Britain's surprise vote to leave the European Union in June led to her appointment as leader, May has been measured. She said Trump had won a "hard-fought campaign" and that she wanted the "special relationship" between Britain and the United States to endure. "I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead." Scottish anxiety

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said many would feel anxious about his victory. "It is normal in any election for those on the losing side to feel disappointment, but today, many in America and across the world, will also feel a real sense of anxiety," Sturgeon said in statement. Trump's mother was Scottish. He owns two golf courses on the west and east coasts of Scotland. Sturgeon has long been vocal on her distaste for Trump and endorsed his opponent Hillary Clinton as recently as Tuesday. "While this is not the outcome I hoped for, it is the verdict of the American people and we must respect it." Asia considers its future

South Korean foreign minister Yun Byung-se predicted Trump would maintain the current US policy of pressuring North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests. "Candidate Trump has expressed his clear position by saying after North Korea's nuclear test that such provocation by the North is a direct threat to the United States." However a government spokesperson also expressed concern he may make an unpredictable proposal to North Korea on their on nuclear program. During the campaign, Trump threatened to slap punitive tariffs on Chinese imports, discard a regional trade pact and review key security alliances with Japan and South Korea. South Korea's National Security Council planned to meet to discuss the impact of the election results, the president's office said. Trump had said the US needs to talk with allies such as South Korea and Japan about taking more responsibility for their own defense. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said he looked forward to continuing a partnership with the United States under Trump's presidency.

"Those who want to see their government more focused on their interests and welfare, and less embroiled in foreign interventions that proved to be against US interests - have won Mr Trump the White House," Najib said in a statement. Japan pledged unity with the US Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said: "Japan will keep working closely with the United States for peace and prosperity, for Asia-Pacific and the world." Firebrand Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte offered "warm congratulations" to U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and looks forward to working with him to enhance relations, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement. Duterte, who has expressed outrage almost daily with the Obama administration and threatened repeatedly to end one of Washington's most important Asian alliances, hailed the success of the US democratic system and the American way of life, the statement said. During the US election campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested that Japan and South Korea should be allowed to develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defence burden.

He has vowed to undo a global deal on climate change struck by world powers in Paris last year and renegotiate the deal between Tehran and the West which eased sanctions against the Islamic Republic in exchange for allowing close monitoring of its nuclear program. But many western governments are unsure whether Trump, a real estate mogul and former reality TV star with no government experience, will follow through on his campaign pledges, some of which would turn the post-war order on its head. 'A very uncertain situation' "We're realising now that we have no idea what this American president will do if the voice of anger enters office and the voice of anger becomes the most powerful man in the world," Norbert Roettgen, a conservative ally of Merkel and head of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee, told German radio. "Geopolitically we are in a very uncertain situation." The European Parliament's president, Martin Schulz, said Mr Trump would be "harder" to work with. "People say a lot of things in the heat of a campaign that are not quite as feasible as they think when they are elected," Mr Schulz said.
Donald Trump arrives to speak to an election night rally with his family and third wife, Melania. Kushner is third from right. Credit:AP Yes, that Donald Trump is going to be the most powerful person in the United States  and maybe the world  for the next four years. What Donald Trump has done is nothing short of cataclysmic. He has fundamentally reshaped the political map. He has broken the Republican Party into pieces  and its shards still remain scattered everywhere. He has proven that the political polling and punditry industries need a deep re-examination. Hillary Clinton conceded defeat. Credit:AP But, even more than all that, Trump's victory reveals that many of the assumptions that people have long made about who we are as a country and what we want out of our politicians, our political system and each other are, frankly, wrong.

Trump's candidacy was premised on the idea that everyone  politicians, reporters, corporations  is lying to you, and lying to you to feather their own nests. It was a Holden Caulfield campaign: Everyone, except Trump and his supporters, were phonies. President-elect Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech during his election night rally in New York. Credit:AP In short: Trump played on the deep alienation and anxiety coursing through the country. Globalism, immigration, a growing chasm between the haves and the have nots, a rejection of political correctness in all its forms. A prevailing sense that things were so screwed up that radical change  and make no mistake that is what Trump cast himself as in this contest  was the only option left. Consider this: Just 38 per cent of voters in the national exit poll said that Trump was qualified to be president. (52 per cent said the same of Clinton.) And yet, he won the White House on Tuesday night. President-elect Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech. Credit:AP

That disconnect can only be explained by a desire to blow up the whole system. And I don't just mean the political system. I mean every elite and establishment institution that's ever assumed they know best  the media very much included. Trump is the collective middle finger from all the people who think the elites have laughed them off and dismissed them for too long. It is the average man's revenge  made all the more remarkable by the fact that the vessel of this rage against elites and the establishment is a billionaire who tells anyone who asks how smart and rich he is. How Trump happened then, while remarkable, can be understood and analysed. What Trump will do as president is a far more difficult question to answer. Trump's policy positions were loosely defined, at best. His lone consistent position throughout his life is on trade, where he has long favoured a more protectionist view, suspicious of broad trade deals like NAFTA or the Trans-Pacific Partnership. His immigration stance  build a wall and make Mexico pay for it  seems far-fetched. His plans on taxes, on education, on energy are all sketches of ideas as opposed to specific policy proposals. How does Trump relate to the GOP congressional majorities he is going to enjoy? He ran against the Republican establishment  in the primary and general election campaigns. He vilified them as tone-deaf to the changes happening not only within their party but also in the country. What now? Trump sits in the catbird's seat. Republican leaders need to come to him  but is he willing to accept them into the new Republican Party he has forged? And what of the Democratic Party? Hillary Clinton began the 2016 campaign as the strongest non-incumbent front-runner in the history of modern politics. Her presumed strength glossed over the fact that a) a significant amount of liberal unrest  represented in the primary by Bernie Sanders  remained toward her and b) the Democratic bench is remarkably thin.

What does it mean for world markets, that plunged as the likelihood of a Trump victory shaped up? Or the U.S. relationship with foreign countries? Or our involvement in foreign conflicts? There are many questions that Trump's victory creates. And more I can't even think of. Here's what I do know: Trump's victory is the single most stunning political development I have ever witnessed. And it's not close. This is the equivalent of dropping a refrigerator  or maybe 10 refrigerators  into a small-ish pond. There are obvious, giant waves. But there are 1,000 other ripples that we might not even see today  or might not even exist today. Loading Cataclysm. Plain and simple.
The Buckeye State can lay claim to seven presidents and 24 astronauts, and to being the world's first city to have electricity, hot dogs and chewing gum.

On Wednesday, Ohio added party slayer to its list.

As the midwestern swing state turned Trump red, the conversation at a Canberra event hosted by the US embassy and the United States Studies Centre became muted.

The largely Australian crowd at the party, held at the National Press Club, turned to the Americans in the room, as phones were checked, predictions were cross-checked and mouths gaped.
British politician and leader of the UK Independence Party Nigel Farage talks to members of the media as he launches his party's campaign for Britain to leave the EU. Credit:AP Arron Banks, the main backer of the UK Independence Party, even claimed the win, tweeting: "Trump followed our Brexit playbook to the letter." Daccord put it down in part to the global economy. The reality for most of the people around the world is that their situation has not improved since the 2008 crisis, he said. National Front leader Marion Marechal Le Pen - the rise of the far right in Europe mirrors Trump's rise in the United States. Credit:AP

"Tomorrow doesn't look 'cool' in terms of economic and social opportunity," he said. "And that's what we reflect, that's what we hear, that's why people are coming back somewhat to what they know: 'my community, my own interests, my border'. "It's easier to come back to something which gives a sense 'at least I know what is happening  in my community'." Boris Johnson, One of the most prominent proponents of the "Leave" campaign in Britain. Credit:Getty Images At the moment the nationalist, populist message strikes a resonant chord. It mobilises voters who blame immigration and globalisation for the decay of social services, the price of housing and the lack of jobs.

It mobilises voters who feel the pace of social change has been too fast and want a return to an ill-defined but deeply felt "good old days". It is fairly safe to predict that President Trump found his core support in the same demographic wells as Brexit (and Front Nationale and Alternative for Germany). Uneducated, ex-urban, white. Those whom society has not equipped for the 21st century, who don't see its benefits and who feel sidelined by its trajectory. Who want to build a wall and have someone else pay for it. France's National Front leader Marine Le Pen tweeted her congratulations to Mr Trump, and to the "free" American people.

Anti-Islam Dutch politician Geert Wilders tweeted: "A historic victory! A revolution! We, too, will our country back for the Dutch!" And because President Trump came from the same place as Brexit, America will now travel a familiar path. There will be a lot of soul-searching among pollsters, who will eventually, amid much mathematics and sociology, end up shrugging and pointing out that lots of people voted in a way they didn't used to. There will be a new, toxic atmosphere. The racist minority among the revolutionary majority will think the result was all about them, and amounts to a licence to behave badly.

So there will be a rise in racist incidents, of immigrants (and people who look like immigrants, or even don't except a bit, or who happen to have learnt a foreign language or chosen a different lifestyle) being publicly insulted. A lot of people will be told to "go back to where you came from", and be too terrified to reply that America is their home. There will be  there already has been  an economic reaction. Modern Western economies are based on assumptions about trade and tariffs and mutual trust that Trumpism and Brexitism are opposed to. Though dismantling the global economy is almost certainly not on the table, Trump implies things that markets hate: uncertainty, hostility between countries, barriers to the free flow of capital. After Brexit that market reaction was felt in the currency, in business investment, and sooner or later in the household budget.

But there is a new element in this mix too. One that was hardly a factor in Brexit. Judging by the overwhelming tone and focus of the Russian media, especially the more propagandist arms, the Kremlin very much wanted a Trump presidency. This means they figure Trump is more likely to give them what they want: a weaker, less assertive NATO, an end to economic sanctions, a capitulation in the face of Russia's Crimea land grab. Loading If the US retreats to its own borders, Russia can look more confidently across its own.
A ballot measure to make recreational marijuana legal for adults has been approved in California, opening the most populous US state to a burgeoning commercial cannabis market in a major victory for supporters of liberalised drug laws.

Proposition 64 passed easily as statewide returns from the election showed nearly 56 per cent of voters favouring the measure and 44 per cent opposed, according to results on Wednesday morning reported from more than 90 per cent of precincts.

California was by far the largest of five states with ballot measures seeking to legalise the use of marijuana for the pleasure of its intoxicating effects, and approval there extends legalisation to the entire US Pacific Coast.

Recreational marijuana was first approved in 2012 by Washington state and Colorado, and later by voters in Oregon, Alaska and the District of Columbia.
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Catch some rays!

A group of Park Slope property owners are looking for eco-friendly Kings County residents to join them in going solar, and share in a discount that grows as more people sign up  and the organizer says it is the cheapest chance youll have to go green.

We believe the residents in our district deserve the best price and solar products that we can get, said Community Board 6 district manager Craig Hammerman.

Community Board 6 kicked off the first round of the program for people within the district in 2014, which saw 26 property owners strap solar panels to their brownstones.

Those arrays are currently generating 176,250 kilowatt-hours annually, which is enough juice to take 28 homes in New York state off the grid, according to a 2009 federal survey.

This time around, anyone from the Borough of Kings can join in the program. Hammerman doesnt expect that quite as many will sign up as the first time, but hopes to attract customers that were unable to participate before.

Its hard to replicate the success of the first one, he said. It was something that exceeded everyones expectations. Were just glad that we had access to another program to try to capture as much residual interest as we couldnt in the first round.

Five people within Community Board 6 have already signed up, who are receiving a 19 percent discount through contractor American Solar Partners  $20,835 versus $24,750.

If more Brooklynites join in, the discount could rise to more than 27 percent below market rates, according to American Solar Partners project manager Paige Alderoty.

Anyone interested in joining or learning more about Solarize Community Board 6 can contact Alderoty by phone at (914) 6993366 or e-mail paige @amer icans olarp artne rs.com .
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84th Precinct

Brooklyn HeightsDUMBOBoerum HillDowntown

Thanks for nothing

A woman lent a pair of jerks her cellphone and they repaid her by stealing it then beating her up in an attack on Sands Street on Nov. 5.

The victim was near Pearl Street at 7:05 pm when the two wretches asked to use her phone, but when she handed it over, the louts fled with her cell in hand, police said.

She ran after the thieves and one of the rogues punched her in the face while the other pulled her hair, officers reported. The lady kept chasing the nogoodniks but she eventually lost them, authorities said.

Snatched

Cops cuffed a guy who allegedly snatched a womans phone as she was walking on Bridge Street on Oct. 31.

The woman was strolling on the sidewalk near Front Street at 9:05 pm when the suspect and a group of other people  who were not apprehended  approached her, took her phone, and fled, police said.

Bad time

A sneak stole pricey jewelry and a passport from a Bergen Street residence on Nov. 1.

The victim told cops he left his apartment near Boerum Place by 9 am and returned at 4:30 pm to find a thief had taken his Rolex watch, four other watches, three pairs of cufflinks, the passport, and a Social Security card.

Soul eater

Some reprobate stole a guys expensive Jordan sneakers on Bond Street on Nov. 5.

The victim was strolling by Fulton Street at 9:30 am carrying the kicks  which he bought for $160  when the snake snatched the sneakers from his hand and fled, according to a report.

Bad ride

A filcher stole a womans wallet as she was aboard a Downtown-bound A train on Nov. 5.

The woman boarded the locomotive at High Street and someone stood next to her, bumping her several times until she was able to move, police said. When she arrived at Jay Street, she realized her wallet was missing, according to a report.

 Lauren Gill
The latest World Series ever? What rainout means for Astros, Phillies
The hit ABC series Designated Survivor will tackle one of the most shocking events of season 1 as shots are fired during a peaceful governors summit at the White House. Is former designated survivor and now-President Kirkman (Keifer Sutherland) the target of the latest attack on the United States government?

In episode 6, The Interrogation, President Kirkmans plans for electing a new Congress will be thrown into turmoil. How will he handle feeling powerless in a job where he should be the most powerful person in the United States?

Also in The Interrogation, FBI Agent Hannah Wells (Maggie Q) continues investigating the Capitol bombing and makes one of her most shocking discoveries yet about just why Room 105 was secretly added to the renovation plans for the Capitol building.

In prior episodes, Hannah found that the only survivor of the attack on the Capitol, Congressman Peter MacLeish (Ashely Zukerman), knew that the Capitol was being attacked and hid in a bomb shelter recently constructed inside the building moments before the explosion occurred.

Who Will Become Vice President?

In a shocking twist, Chief of Staff Aaron Shore (Adan Canto) and the Presidents special advisor Emily Rhodes (Italia Ricci) will ask MacLeish if he is interested in taking the position of Vice President, as per orders from President Kirkman.

Designated Survivor Recap: Are the Darkest Days of Kirkmans Presidency Behind Him?>>>

During Designated Survivor season 1, Kirkman, the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, has had to make difficult decisions that will define his presidency and the legacy he will leave behind as the leader of the United States.

After feeling secure in thinking he had captured Majid Nassar, the leader of a terrorist group called Al-Sakar, Kirkman is relieved he has moved the United States away from any further terrorist threats. In episode 5, he seemed to finally relax in his ability to tackle the presidency effectively.

Did Kirkman Capture the Real Terrorist Behind the Capitol Bombing?

Kirkman will soon realize that the real terrorist is still out there and Nassir was just a shield to cover the real killers when he attends a governors summit in The White House. This event will be the first time Kirkman will be appreciated for his attempts at leading the government in the right direction after what he feels is his victorious capture of the lead suspect in the bombing.

Just when Kirkman is giving a moving speech at the event, shots are fired. Will they be directed at the president or someone close to him?

Designated Survivor and Speechless Picked Up for Full Seasons>>>

Also, episode 6 will delve further into the reveal that an affair between First Lady Alex Kirkman and Jeffrey Meyers led to the conception of her son Leo (Tanner Buchanan). Will President Kirkman learn he may not be Leos biological father?

Catch a brand new episode of Designated Survivor on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 10/9c on ABC. Want more news? Like our Designated Survivor Facebook page.



(Image courtesy of ABC)
The Brick Development Association (BDA) has called for a lifetime guarantee to be offered on newbuild homes, after reports that government ministers are planning to tackle the housing shortage by funding prefabricated homes

According to reports, Ministers are planning to meet their target of providing one million new homes by 2020 by funding the production of prefabricated homes, which are then delivered to building sites, cancelling much of the subcontracting and speeding up the build process.

Prefabrication advocates claim that the process offers benefits such as speed and cost compared with traditional masonry builds. However, the BDA is asking whether the issue of sustainability has been taken into consideration?

Over 39% of UK housing is over 65 years old and the BDA believes that tackling the housing shortage with newbuild homes that suggest an acceptable lifespan of just 50 years does not satisfy demand in the long term.

Keith Aldis, chief executive officer of the BDA, said: "We urgently need new housing to cope with a growing population. All construction uses resources, but surely the less often buildings are replaced the better. It is not a sustainable approach to accept that new buildings could need replacing after just 50 years.

"Our focus must be on building sound structures that will last several lifespans and we know from history that brick built housing boasts excellent longevity. Brick buildings are the ultimate demonstration of a circular economy. The robust and durable nature of brick allows homes to withstand the rigours of a number of different families over time, providing the housebuilder and occupier reassurance of both a solid structure and investment.

"Therefore, the Brick Development Association would like to call on the government to address the issue and offer lifespan guarantees for newbuild homes to meet the long-term needs of our population, not just a quick fix."

Mr Aldis continued: "Re-openings and development of new brick plants are an incredibly positive sign in the revitalisation of the housebuilding sector. When the volume of new housebuilding starts to grow closer to the 200,000 a year target, I am positive brick manufacturers have the capacity to increase production. The BDA would welcome government initiatives to use the resources in which our members have invested."

Housing Minister Gavin Barwell was recently reported as urging grandparents to leave their estates to their grandchildren, assisting the next generation onto the property ladder. But without sustainably built homes that can withstand multiple owners or tenants, the houses to be passed down will not be fit for this purpose.

The most recent statistics from the National House Building Council (NHBC) housebuilders survey, regarding modern methods of construction, show that masonry construction continues to account for the majority of new residential build and the proportion has remained fairly constant over the last eight years.

Indeed, money and time are two often-cited reasons for turning to prefabrication to help address the housing shortage. However, the BDA said a 'quick fix' approach feeds the psyche of a throw away culture and risks leading to environmental degradation and wasteful economics.
Allowing local authorities to borrow to build homes could both help tackle the housing crisis and mitigate any emerging economic uncertainty, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said ahead of the Autumn Statement.

Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said: The Autumn Statement presents an opportunity for the new Chancellor to think creatively about how to address the countrys growing housing crisis. We simply arent building enough new homes to meet current demand, which is why were calling for the Chancellor to empower local authorities to borrow money to build thousands of new social homes.

Mr Berry said that the gap between the number of homes being built and the current target of 250,000 a year is significant, an issue that he says needs to be addressed by investing in a longer term solution and by increasing involvement of local authorities.

At a time of political and economic uncertainty, a sensible programme of investment like this could both significantly boost housing output and provide a welcome shot in the arm to a sector that is still jittery over its prospects for the next few years, he said.

The construction industry is among the first major areas of the economy to be affected during an economic downturn and even a minor dip in confidence could be disastrous for the government, if it is to meet its target of one million new homes by 2020. The Chancellor has spoken of a fiscal reset ahead of his statement. In this spirit, we hope he seriously considers a policy that would both act as a simple low-risk stimulus and would help the government achieve its housing targets.
A study by IronmongeryDirect has found that homeowners are still impressed with the work that is being carried out by trade professionals, despite noticing that the numbers of tradespeople available are dwindling.

According to the study, nearly 90% of the public gave praise to the high quality of service they received once they had sourced someone to complete the job. 88% said they were happy with the finished result, 9% said it was satisfactory and 3% said they were not happy with the work undertaken.

The survey of 1,000 people, who have required the services of a tradesperson over the past year, also revealed the increasing difficultly in hiring a skilled professional to carry out home renovations and repairs.

One in six people spent more than three weeks looking for someone suitable to undertake the work, and 36% said they noticed a significant shortage of skilled professionals when trying to find a person for the job.

Wayne Lysaght-Mason, managing director at IronmongeryDirect, said: The lack of skilled tradespeople in the industry is a huge concern, especially as the public is now starting to see evidence of this. Despite there being fewer skilled tradespeople around to meet existing work requirements, its encouraging to see that the ones who are available are doing a good job and managing to keep up excellent standards of work, despite the pressures being put upon them.

Having said this, we urgently need to attract more talent to the sector to ensure standards dont slip and prevent people from having to wait for long periods of time to get a job completed. Steps must be taken to encourage more people into the industry to develop the skills needed for a sustainable future, perhaps by inspiring young people into a construction career or creating more apprenticeship opportunities.
Why do people keep leaving their cars unlocked in NJ? We asked

Vehicle thefts have steadily risen since 2020. To counteract that, the state Attorney General's Office is urging people to lock their cars.
Improving Montanas criminal justice system must be high on the priority list for the 2017 Legislature and governor. Whoever is elected must confront these challenges:

The state prison system continues to be at or above its capacity of 2,580 inmates month after month, year after year.

Overflow state prisoners are housed at county jails, adding to overcrowding in those facilities, including the Yellowstone County jail.

General fund spending on corrections increased from $131 million in fiscal 2006 to $182 million in fiscal 2014.

Montanas prison population has grown faster than the national average.

Most of the people getting locked up have failed at probation or parole.

Growth in the corrections population  in prison and the much larger number in community supervision  coincides with an increase in District Court felony cases. Nowhere has the increase been bigger than in Yellowstone County. Last year, 2,291 felony cases were filed in Yellowstone County District Court.

The surge in criminal cases is driven largely by drug offenses. More than 500 people were arrested last year in Yellowstone County on methamphetamine charges alone.

Montana incarcerates offenders at a higher rate than any of its neighboring states. Between 2004 and 2013, Montanas property crime rate dropped substantially, while its violent crime rate increased  even though more people were locked up. Montana crime rates remain below national averages.

The justice system is overloaded and understaffed at almost every level. Billings has struggled to recruit and pay for adequate police protection. The county attorneys office has seen its workload double without a commensurate increase in staff. The Montana Public Defender Office doesnt have enough money in its budget to last this fiscal year. Yellowstone County District Court judges each handle double the caseload that is considered full time by national standards. The Department of Corrections has struggled with staffing shortages and its probation-parole officers have too many people to supervise adequately.

Many of those offenders on probation and parole are parents involved with the child protection system, which is overwhelmed with huge increases in reports of child abuse and neglect. Drug addiction is a major factor in the child welfare crisis.

In fact, methamphetamine, opioids or alcohol figure prominently in most criminal cases in Montana. The vast majority of people in our prisons, jails and on probation or parole have substance abuse issues that are the root of their recidivism.

Created by the 2015 Legislature, the Commission on Sentencing has been developing solutions to Montanas justice problems. The commission received research assistance from the Council of State Govermments Justice Center, which has helped 20 other states with comprehensive policy reviews. Montana must look to other states that have successfully reduced recidivism.

Yellowstone County was well represented on the 15-member commission by District Judge Ingrid Gustafson, Billings attorney Majel Russell, probation officer Jennie Hansen and Rep. Margie MacDonald.

Last month, the commission agreed to support a dozen bills in the 2017 Legislature, so the next steps will depend on lawmakers. Republicans, Democrats and many people outside of the Capitol will need to come together to stop the revolving door of prison, release, prison.

Otherwise, Montanas justice system will continue to cost taxpayers more each year  without reducing crime, drug abuse or recidivism. The system needs adequate staffing at every level so cases move expeditiously, rendering swift justice for victims and communities. Offenders who are addicted to alcohol and other drugs must be compelled to enter effective treatment with aftercare. Montana needs more probation officers to closely supervise offenders in the community.

Montana cant keep locking up so many drug addicts. We must move toward a system in which offenders who are a danger to the community are incarcerated and nonviolent offenders have speedier opportunities for drug treatment and rehabilitation. Lets put more offenders to work and fewer in prison.
Mahindra HZPC (MHZPC), a 60:40 JV of Mahindra Agri Solutions Limited (MASL) and Dutch firm HZPC that brings new varieties of potato to India, yesterday opened Aeroponics facility in Mohali. Aeroponics is a plant cultivation technique in which plant roots are suspended in the air while nutrient solutions are delivered to them in a fine mist.
HELENA  A judge has ordered the case against an East Helena police officer charged with punching a 70-year-old man after a vehicle collision to proceed to trial.

Robert John Gutowski was expected to plead guilty to an assault charge at a change of plea hearing Monday. But the 27-year-old maintained his innocence.

Gutowski had been involved a four-vehicle crash while he was off-duty in September.

Gutowski admitted shoving the victim "a few times." He says he had been concerned about his mother at the time, who was a passenger in his vehicle and had been recovering from brain surgery.

East Helena Police Chief Dale Aschim says he wants Gutowski fired, but Mayor James Schell reinstated the officer after a week of unpaid leave.
The agitating workers of India (HMSI) have ended their demonstration, including hunger strike, on Wednesday. Hundreds of workers, who were sacked by the company from its Tapukara plant in Rajasthan, have been protesting against the company since September 19.



These workers had been camping at Jantar Mantar in the capital and succeeded in mobilising support from various trade unions and some political parties though the company has declined to take them back. The workers will now shift their protest to Rajasthan in due course.
The $108-billion Indian IT services has congratulated Donald Trump for his victory in the US presidential polls, but fears of a cap on work visas or changes in immigration rules were evident in the stock performance of the countrys top IT .
The 10th dean of Harvard Business School, Nitin Nohria, 54, has served as co-chair of the leadership initiative and head of the organisational behaviour unit at the prestigious institution in Boston, US. But if the former chairman of Tata Sons, Cyrus Mistry, is to be believed, Nohria failed to practise some principles of corporate governance.
Nusli Wadia, a veteran of many a corporate battle that earned him the title of Corporate Samurai, is likely to throw his weight behind Cyrus Mistry in the latters war against Tata. Wadia, an independent director on the boards of Tata Chemicals, Tata Steel and Tata Motors, gave favourable reports on Mistry as chairman of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee (NRC) of the three listed companies for FY16.
The board of Tata Chemicals is meeting here on Thursday to take a call on Chairman who was ousted as the chairman of Tata group holding company, Tata Sons, on October 24. The independent directors were likely to support Mistry as chairman, considering his performance over the last four years,
After Swedish retail chain reported profit in the first year of operations, its Indian rivals said, It is too early to call it profitable.



"It's too early to say. We need to see another few years pan out," said Jaydeep Shetty, chief executive of fashion chain Mineral.
Countries should develop and implement an index which will help in monitoring conservation and use of the vast agricultural diversity spread across the globe.
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Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from circulation. The chief minister on Wednesday night hailed the decision and termed it "historic and cleanliness drive". Chouhan said the move would help the government to deal with black money, corruption and fake currency that largely come through Pakistan.


Panic-stricken citizens across cities rushed to ATMs, leaving their favourite TV soaps or post-dinner walk on Tuesday night, as word spread that the Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes in their wallets may not be accepted by shopkeepers anymore.
BOZEMAN  Hours after the Gallatin County sheriff said he and four deputies would be helping to keep the peace during an ongoing oil pipeline protest in North Dakota, he said they might not because of a miscommunication over whether an agreement between the states meant their expenses would be covered.

Sheriff Brian Gootkin said Wednesday morning that he expected to spend about a week at the Dakota Access oil pipeline protest site on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.

North Dakota requested help under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, an agreement among all 50 states that requires the governor and the Department of Emergency Services to approve any mutual aid.

The Montana Highway Patrol sent 10 troopers to help at the protest site last month. However, the compact doesn't authorize local law enforcement assistance.

Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder said his office also got the email seeking help, but does not have the officers to spare. The request came through the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, according to their Executive Director Jim Smith. The association was passing on the request for help from one of the local sheriff offices in North Dakota, Smith said. The email was sent out to sheriff's offices across Montana.
With a sudden rush for railway bookings through the ticket counter, there was shortage of lower denomination currency with the Indian Railways forcing it to knock at the doors of the Reserve Bank of India.
There is a widespread panic among farmers, who had recently harvested their paddy crop, and were preparing for the next Rabi season. They fear that in the absence of new currency notes they will miss out on the crucial sowing time. This is most crucial time for a farmer when he not only sells his paddy crop, but also makes purchases for seeds, fertilizer and diesel for the next crop.
Meghalaya and Tripura top in terms of the labour participation rate and the employment rate. At over 60%, Meghalaya has the highest LPR

A healthy debate: The case for and against interest rate hike Sajjid Chinoy

Having raised policy rates to about 6 per cent, does India's Monetary Policy Committee need to do more? And, if so, is more front-loading ...
Looking to set up infrastructure faster, in a bid to improve service quality, the department of telecommunications (DoT) has framed the Right of Way guidelines to facilitate quicker acquisition of land for setting up mobile towers and laying fibre.
Ones true character is revealed in the face of adversity, they say, and Indians, as they deal with the shock of the governments announcement late last evening that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes would be demonetised, are showing themselves as resourceful people.
The demand of the Government of Madhya Pradesh and the farmers in the State to include its 13 districts under the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Basmati rice is being considered by the . Meetings were held for three days in October and is scheduled for another three days in November, informed the representatives of the state in the Madras High Court on Wednesday.

The development comes in a case, which was filed by the state government and the farmers who want the court to set aside an order of Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB), issued in February, allowing GI registration for Basmati rice grown in various parts of seven States, in an application by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
Black money holders will not get any relief from the existing provision of up to 90 per cent tax on unaccounted income for cash deposits above Rs 2.5 lakh. The finance ministry on Wednesday warned that any mismatch between the deposited sum and income declared would attract up to 30 per cent income tax and 200 per cent of tax liability as penalty. Also, jewellers not furnishing the permanent account number (PAN) of buyers would face action, the ministry cautioned, even as there was rush to buy gold on Wednesday.
The humble Rs 100 bill had several takers on an otherwise normal weekday evening in the financial capital on Monday, even as police had to be deployed outside ATMs to control the crowd waiting eagerly to get their hands on the banknote.





There was a beeline to acquire the 'hottest commodity' or dispose-off the high value Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes, which will become illegal tender at midnight.


A sub-committee formed under the Consultative Committee, a statutory body under the and Cosmetics Act, has recommended that low-risk medicines or non-scheduled such as Crocin, cough syrups and similar drugs could be sold online, a source in the know of the matter told Business Standard.
An Ashland woman admitted on Wednesday that she sold methamphetamine in a federal drug case in which her mother and mothers boyfriend also admitted charges.

Troy Dee Wilson, 21, pleaded guilty to two counts in an indictment that charged her with distribution of meth. Wilson appeared during a hearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn Ostby.

Wilsons mother, Georgia Ann (Annie) Wilson, 41, and her mothers partner, Joshua Don Ray, 37, both of Ashland, also indicted with Wilson, have pleaded guilty to drug charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Suek said that in March, the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs drug unit used a confidential informant to make three meth buys from residents at an Ashland residence. Two of the purchases were from Wilson, who twice sold two grams of meth for $200 each time, she said.

On Monday, Annie Wilson pleaded guilty to distribution of meth and to possession with intent to distribute meth.

Annie Wilson sold about two grams of meth for $200 to the informant on March 13, Suek said in court records.

Ray pleaded guilty in August to possession with intent to distribute meth.

Prosecutors said investigators executed a search warrant at the Ashland residence on March 18 and that Annie Wilson and Ray were home at the time.

Agents found six grams of meth in the bedroom where Ray was located. They also found $765 hidden in a Pepsi can and some miscellaneous pills.

In interviews with agents, Ray said he had been in a relationship with Annie Wilson for more than two years and ultimately identified the supplier. He also admitted that from December 2014 through March 2016, he and Annie Wilson had been getting from 3.8 grams, or an eight ball, to a half-ounce of meth from the supplier one to two times a week, Suek said in records.

At Wednesdays hearing, Troy Wilson admitted she violated conditions of her pre-trial release by using methamphetamine. Wilson admitted she was pregnant at the time and tested positive when she went into the hospital but was negative when her baby was born on Sept. 13.

Wilson told Ostby she has three other children, ranging in age from one to three, and that she dropped out of high school at age 17 because she was pregnant.

The crime requires mandatory detention upon conviction unless there are extraordinary circumstances.

Ostby continued Wilsons release pending sentencing but issued her a warning, If you test positive, you will be in jail. I promise you.

Wilson faces a maximum 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Ostby said she would recommend that U.S. District Judge Susan Watters accept Wilsons guilty plea. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
Early Wednesday morning the biggest concern for the common man was purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables along with everyday grocery items as vendors across the country refused to accept Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes after the government rendered the two denomination notes as invalid.

Most of the people did not have many notes of Rs 100 denomination, which made them rush to the ATMs.

Vegetable vendors, pharmacy shops, grocers refused to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency on Wednesday. This has become a major problem for the people to manage their daily expenses. Panic-stricken citizens across cities rushed to ATMs, as word spread that the Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes in their wallets may not be accepted by shopkeepers anymore.

Even though neighbourhood corner stores were not part of the government list to accept the demonetised currency, many loyal shoppers were spotted racing to grocery shops to stock up their kitchens.



I am confused on what to do now. We have several transactions to make in the next two days for purchasing fruits from the market, for which we have already withdrawn money, said Anil Yadav, a fruit shop vendor, while he waited outside an ATM. Namrata, a college professor, had earlier in the day withdrawn Rs 7,000 and was planning a shopping spree on Wednesday. Now all she was thinking of how to get the currency exchanged from banks.

Since the ATMs will remain closed in November 9th and 10th, there is a dearth of the once modest Rs 100 currency notes. The poor are going to get affected immediately. Most wont even have the correct information till Wednesday  also, many people keep liquid cash with them as their banks are located in far away places. What will happen to them? said Arunima Sengupta, a clinical researcher residing in Kolkata.

47 % #Indians do not have a #bankaccounts. Most from marginalised sections or #women. #ModiFightscorruption by penalising small money bags?  Neha Dixit (@nehadixit123) November 9, 2016

Currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination that are currently in circulation will no longer be legal money and cannot be used as medium of exchange from Tuesday midnight, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a surprise move clamped down on black money as well as counterfeit notes in circulation. Instead, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will issue new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 currency notes.

Existing currency notes of Rs 1, 2, 5, 10 and 100 denomination as well as coins continue to be legal and could be used for buying and selling.
Taking the nation by surprise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced the demonetisation of Rs 500 and 1,000 currency notes. The banknotes of these denominations would no longer be legal tender, and people would have to exchange these notes at banks within 50 days from November 10.
Rs 14 lakh croreor $217 billion, 86% of the value of Indian currency currently in circulationwill become useless from midnight of November 8, 2016, part of the governments crackdown on black, or unaccounted, money.

Rs 500 notes amount to Rs 7.85 lakh crore (approx. $120 billion), while Rs 1,000 add up to to Rs 6.33 lakh crore ($97 billion), according to Reserve Bank of India data.

Here are three ways in which this move should affect the black-money economy, which according to this 2016 report by Ambit Capital, a financial research company, forms a fifth of the Indian economy:
A day after the government announced scrapping existing Rs 500 and 1,000 currency notes from Tuesday midnight onward, Finance minister Arun Jaitley said people with are worried. He also said political funding would be impacted by the move too.
Clean Energy initiatives and investment which were promoted by outgoing US President Barack Obama could take a major hit with Republican, Donald Trump, becoming the 45th President of the United States of America. In a report by S&P Global compiling the campaign statements of Trump indicate that fossil fuel would be the focal point of energy regulations and policies of the US hereafter.
(UP), which slipped in the 2016 business reforms ranking of Indian states/Union Territories (UT), has a silver lining in its score improving by almost 100% over last year.
The government on Wednesday tried to calm people who might have to queue up to withdraw money from banks on Thursday when they open a day after Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes were scrapped.
Even though the goverment has decided to demonitise Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes from midnight, November 8, 2016, there are certain outlets that are still accepting notes till Friday midnight on humanitarian grounds.
As the country comes to terms with Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes no longer being legal tender, have stepped up the activity to ensure that the ATM networks and the branches are replenished with smaller denomination notes.
Disbursements and collections in the sector, which operates almost entirely on cash, came to a near-halt with the voiding of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.
Wyoming hasnt voted for a Democratic president in over four decades -- and its safely red this year, too. One election forecast ranked Wyoming as the least important state in the presidential election given its relatively tiny population and its consistency in voting for Republicans in national races.

In other words: Theres no reason for presidential candidates to fight over Wyoming because the stakes are so low and the result is viewed as already decided.

But while Wyoming has always leaned conservative, presidential contests in the state used to be competitive.

Lyndon B. Johnson visited Casper and spoke at the county courthouse just weeks before the 1964 election, expressing confidence not only that he would win but that Wyoming was a reliably blue state.

"This looks to me like it is Democratic country," Johnson said. "I know now how we are going to win the West -- right here."

Johnson did win, with a comfortable 56 percent of the vote, and he was hardly a conservative Democrat.

In many ways Johnson embodied modern Democratic Party politics: pushing through civil rights legislation and waging the War on Poverty, which included the creation of Medicare and Medicaid.

But Johnson, originally a senator from Texas, was the last Democrat who Wyoming would vote for in a presidential race. Richard Nixon's statewide victory in 1968 was the start of 12 consecutive presidential elections where Wyoming's three electoral votes went to the Republican.

Support for Democrats hasnt climbed above 40 percent since then, and the candidates don't make much of an effort to campaign in the state anymore. According to the Wyoming State Archives, Bill Clinton was the last Democratic president to campaign in the state for a general election. He didn't leave the Cheyenne airport.

University of Wyoming professor James King said that the states shift to solid red in presidential contests was a result of the Democratic Partys growing focus on big cities for support.

The Democratic Party of the Roosevelt and Truman era was much more of a coalition of urban, southern and western rural districts, King said. Wyoming voters supported Franklin D. Roosevelt three times and went for Harry Truman in 1948.

King said the transition took place across the country, and by the time Ronald Reagan was reelected with over 70 percent of the Wyoming vote in 1984, the entire country had divided along new regional lines.

Republicans had become the party of international engagement during the Cold War and began emphasizing their small-government, libertarian ethos.

Through the Reagan years you get a shift where a lot of the rural western and Midwestern areas that had been marginally Democrat become pretty substantially Republican, King said.

(This was also when abortion and other social issues started dividing voters along cultural lines, though King said this was less of a factor in the Mountain West than in southern states.)

Reagan visited Casper in 1982 for a local Republican Party fundraiser and referred to Wyoming as a state where "farmers and ranches and workers and small business people dream big and toil hard to make dreams come true."

"You all live in a world that Washington will never quite understand," Reagan said.

While Democrats have topped 30 percent of the Wyoming vote only once since 2000 -- when Barack Obama ran in 2008 -- King said it is possible that a Democratic presidential candidate could win in the Cowboy State.

It would likely take a popular Democratic governor or senator from the Mountain West or agricultural Midwest, King said. Such a candidate might better relate to issues important in a state like Wyoming -- energy and gun rights, for example -- and draw traditionally Republican voters.

But King said that once a politician rises to the national stage they usually lose their regional appeal and begin to associate with the policies of their partys mainstream. Once that happens, Republican candidates become more attractive to Wyoming voters because of the partys libertarian orientation -- one that resonates across the Mountain West.

Still, King said there is plenty of unpredictability when it comes to which candidate each party promotes to the national stage. That makes it hard to know how long Wyoming will stay red -- even if it seems locked into Republican politics for the moment.

In any given election you can have a different type of candidate that could appeal, King said. Theres always a possibility.
The past 24 hours have done for digital wallets what 10 years of existence could not. The Modi government's blitzkrieg on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes has pumped new life into the slowly unfolding digital money revolution.
Who wouldnt wish to be part of a central organisation that is responsible for framing policies, issuing currencies & managing the economic activity of the country.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the nation's central bank has issued a new notification for the recruitment of 610 Assistant posts.

Unlike other public sector banks, working in Reserve bank of India is different & carries its own benefits.That is one of the primary reason for aspirants to look forward for recruitment news from RBI.

Here are the important details about the hiring at RBI, which you can go through to decide on the applications.

Post & Vacancies: Assistant (610 Posts)

Dates: Online registrations from November 7  28, 2016

Preliminary Test on December 23 & 24

Main Exams in January 2017

Qualifications: Candidates with a Bachelors Degree in any discipline are eligible. The minimum Marks required in graduation is 50%

Age Limit: Candidates who are between 20  28 years are eligible.

For SC/ST category candidates upper age limit is relaxed by 5 years & 3 years age relaxation for OBC candidates.

Selection Procedure : Candidates must appear for Preliminary Examination initially & those who qualify in it need to site for the Main Examination.

The final selection shall be based on your scores in main exam & personal interview.

Registration Process: Candidates who fulfill all these eligibility criteria can apply online through the RBI website. Those who belong to the General/OBC have to pay Rs. 450 Fee & other applicants (SC/ST/PWD/EXS) have to pay Rs.50 as application fee.

For official notification: Click here to read online

Source: BankExamsIndia.com

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Recognising the growing stature of Competition Commission of India (CCI) in the world, International Competition Network (ICN) has accepted the proposal and decided that Competition Commission of India would host the 2018 ICN Annual Conference. This will be held at Delhi in March April 2018. ICN is an international body comprising 132 members from 120 competition jurisdictions exclusively devoted to international competition enforcement. .

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By virtue of this event, CCI has also been inducted as an ex-officio member of the steering group member of the ICN for a period of 3 years. CCI eagerly looks forward to hosting this international event which will provide a rare opportunity to attract domestic and international competition enforcement experts to deliberate on international best practices and host of competition issues being faced by the Competition agencies the world over. .

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CCI has been set-up to prevent practices having adverse effects on competition and to promote and protect interest of consumers and to ensure freedom of trade carried on by other participants in markets in India. The Act also mandates an extra territorial jurisdiction to the Commission. .

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CCI has been engaged with competition authorities of other jurisdictions and also multilateral agencies like the Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development (OECD) and the International Competition Network (ICN). .

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CCI is a member of the ICN since 2003. ICN provides competition authorities with a specialised yet informal platform for addressing practical competition concerns, sharing experiences and adopting international best practices. Its members are national competition authorities and NGA (Non-governmental Advisers) which include reputed law firms, eminent persons, and think tanks of international repute. .

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The ICN holds an Annual Conference which is hosted by a member competition agency. The last such Conference was hosted by Competition Commission of Singapore in April 2016 and Portuguese Competition Authority is hosting the next conference in May 2017. .

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Former PM of Nepal Shri Sher Bahadur Deuba calls on PM

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Shri Sher Bahadur Deuba, former Prime Minister of Nepal, called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi yesterday. .

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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi said that India is fully committed to supporting Nepal in the post-earthquake reconstruction effort. .

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The Prime Minister appreciated the progress achieved in resolving outstanding Constitutional issues in Nepal, and expressed hope that all such issues would be resolved at the earliest in a spirit of cooperation and collaboration. .

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Mr. Meng Jianzhu, Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China met Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today. The Prime Minister welcomed the intensive exchange of high level visits between India and China over the last two years, and said that such visits contribute to building strategic understanding between the two countries. The Prime Minister fondly recalled his successful bilateral visit to China in May 2015, as well as his visit to Hangzhou in September 2016 to attend the G-20 Summit. .

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The two leaders discussed issues of mutual interest, including bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation. The Prime Minister said that terrorism poses the gravest threat to international peace and security, and welcomed increased cooperation between India and China on counter-terrorism related matters. .

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The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh had a bilateral meeting with Mr. Meng Jianzhu. Raising Indias concerns on terrorism, the Union Home Minister appealed the Chinese leader to support the international communitys efforts to designate as a dreaded terrorist the leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed, a terrorist group already designated under the UN Resolution 1267. Underlining that Pakistan is patronizing and financing terrorist groups, Shri Rajnath Singh said that leaders of terrorist groups including JeM leader Masood Azhar, Lashkar-eTaiba leader Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen leader Salahuddin roam freely in Pakistan and preach terrorism. Even the Tehreek-e-Taliban and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, blamed for terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, were financed and sponsored by the ISI, he added. Pointing out that there can be no good or bad terrorist, the Union Home Minister said terrorism is not one or another countrys problem, rather it is a threat to global peace and security. .

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Shri Rajnath Singh also solicited Beijings support to flush out ULFA leader Paresh Barua, who is believed to be taking refuge in the trijunction between India, Myanmar and China, to face trial in India for heinous crimes including murder. He also asked China to clamp down on arms smuggling to insurgent groups operating in Indias North-East. .

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Referring to the recent arrest of a Pakistani national in Guangzhou with fake Indian currency, Shri Rajnath Singh asked Beijing to clamp down on Pakistans nefarious designs to smuggle fake Indian currency into India through China. .

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Recalling his visit to China in November last year, the Union Home Minister expressed satisfaction that the two neighbours are holding their first high-level dialogue on Security Cooperation. Shri Rajnath Singh hoped India and China will be able to conclude negotiations on the Agreement on Security Cooperation soon. He proposed that the Agreement include cooperation on tackling transnational crimes and cyber crime. The Indian delegation included the Union Home Secretary Shri Rajiv Mehrishi and Senior Officials of the MHA. .

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The Chinese delegation led by the Vice-Minister of Public Security, Mr. Fu Zhenghua met the Indian delegation led by the Union Home Secretary Shri Rajiv Mehrishi. Both sides discussed the setting up of two Joint Working Groups to deal with the Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) and the setting up of a 24 x 7 hotline to exchange information. They also discussed issues relating to e-Visa, telecom fraud and security matters. .

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Shri Bandaru Dattatreya Launches Kahin Bhi-Kabhi Bhi medical facilities for ESIC beneficiaries of Delhi

Labour and Employment Minister Inaugurates Six bed Day Care Unit of ESI Dispensary

The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour and Employment, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya launched the Kahin Bhi-Kabhi Bhi medical facilities for ESIC beneficiaries of Delhi and Inaugurated the 06 bedded Day Care Unit of ESI Dispensary here yesterday.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Bandaru Dattatreya informed that ESIC Dispensary Dwarka has now become a complete unit in itself with medical facilities like General OPD Care, Family Welfare Services, full time Laboratory and X-Ray and Diagnostic care. Now, insured persons and their family members of Delhi need not to visit ESIC Hospital for minor ailments requiring only day care like Diarrhoea, high grade fevers, acute asthama attacks, abdominal pain, chest pain etc. Besides this, in future, Day Care Centres will be developed in three more ESIC Dispensaries in Delhi having high OPD attendance in Nandnagari, Mangolpuri and Jwalapuri which will cover all zones of Delhi. The Minister further said that ESI Corporation has decided to open six bed Day Care Centres in various ESI Dispensaries, all over the country. These Centres will become a complete unit in itself with medical facilities. To further improve the medical services to patients from working class, facilities like Dental Care, Physiotherapy, Yoga, X-Ray Plant on PPP Model, Mother and Child Tracking, courier services to deliver medicine at Insured Person doorsteps will also be provided. All 04 ESIC Hospitals of Delhi at Basaidarapur, Rohini, Okhla and Jhilmil will also be converted into Super Speciality Hospitals. Shri Dattatreya also said that ESIC has become one of the largest social security organizations, offering a better and brighter service for all the ESIC beneficiaries making every Insured Person feel like a VIP. The Minister informed that ESIC has taken an initiative in the form of Kahin Bhi Kabhi Bhi for ESIC beneficiaries of Delhi. Kahin Bhi means- any dispensary/Hospital and Kabhi Bhi means any time. Now, all the network of dispensaries of Delhi has been made accessible to insured persons and their family members all the time. It will save his/her time and effort to avail services it closer to his workplace or home or any place. Shri Ramesh Bidhuri, the Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha and officials from the Ministry of Labour and Employment were also present on the occasion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Swedish Business Delegation calls on PM

A Swedish Business Delegation called on the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today. This delegation comprised some of the CEOs who are in New Delhi for the India Sweden Business Leaders Round Table.

The Prime Minister welcomed the Delegation members. Long term business opportunities for Swedish manufacturers, including in defence manufacturing and solar energy, came up for discussion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Vijay Goel calls for timely implemetation of projects Eleventh meeting of the Special Committee for Inter-Linking of Rivers held

Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Vijay Goel has called for timely implementation of projects. Chairing the Eleventh meeting of the Special Committee for Inter-Linking of Rivers held in New Delhi today the Minister said that mutual consent is necessary for smooth implementation of projects. He said interlinking of rivers is an attempt to boost the surplus water availability to the needy states. The Minister said, for this we will require a detailed study of countrys agricultural land including irrigated land, non-irrigated land, agricultural produce and their market. Resources Shri Goel expressed the hope that National Water Development Agency will work with more vigour and will complete the delayed inter linking projects in a time bound manner."

The meeting confirmed the minutes of the 10th meeting of the Special Committee for Interlinking of Rivers held on 26th July, 2016 at New Delhi.

It also reviewed the Follow-up action on the decisions taken during the last meeting. The other issues taken up included Ken-Betwa Link Project Phase-I-Status of various statutory clearances, Ken-Betwa Link Project Phase II Present status of DPR , Damanganga-Pinjal and Par-Tapi-Narmada Link Projects Present status of DPRs System Simulation Studies of Mahanadi-Godavari, Surplus Water in River Basin for Interlinking of Rivers, Status of Intra-State link proposals, Restructuring of National Water Development Agency.

Union Cabinet in its meeting held on July 24, 2014 approved the constitution of the Special Committee on ILR. Accordingly, Special Committee on ILR was constituted vide order dated September 23, 2014. The first meeting of the committee was held on October 17, 2014 and its last meeting was held on April 29, 2016. The committee, after considering the views of all the stakeholders, is proceeding ahead to expedite the objectives of the interlinking of rivers as per terms of reference. Vigorous efforts have been made for generating consensus with development of alternative plans and also setting out road maps for implementation of projects.

Samir/jk
Donald John Trump defied the skeptics who said he would never run, and the political veterans who scoffed at his slapdash campaign.
It's official now - has been elected the 45th President of the United States of America after pulling off a stunning victory. This is indeed a historic moment for the US. Despite the groundswell of negative reaction from around the world there was also support for a Trump victory. Twitter, as expected, was flooded with opinion.
RAWLINS  A Wyoming woman has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of her infant child.

The Rawlins Daily Times reports that Meagan Lubbers on Monday admitted to using methamphetamine and neglecting her son, who died in July at five days old.

As part of a plea agreement, Lubbers is expected to receive five to 15 years in prison. Carbon County District Judge Wade Waldrip says Lubbers' sentencing will be held at a later date.

Lubbers' child was found dead July 31 in the back seat of a car parked outside a gas station. Lubbers was arrested Aug. 3. She has four other children under the age of six.
Europe must not flinch in defending its interests and people now that Donald Trump's election win has added to the uncertainty created by Britain's decision to exit the European Union, France's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

France is a key American ally, and its officials had in recent weeks openly endorsed Hillary Clinton for US president and warned that Trump's "confused" foreign policy objectives were alarming for the rest of the world.

"We have to meet the challenge for a Europe that must be able to better defend its citizens and its interests," Ayrault told France 2 television.

"Europe cannot blink after Brexit, after the election of with all the questions being raised, Europe must stand together more, be more active and go more on the offensive even if it is just to protect itself."

President Francois Hollande, who has yet to announce whether he will run for a second term in next year's French presidential election, said Paris wanted to immediately begin talks with Trump to clarify his stance on key affairs.

"This American election opens a period of uncertainty," the Socialist president told reporters. "In the context we need a strong France and a united Europe capable of expressing and carrying out its policy everywhere where its values and interests are put into question."

Trump's campaign was marked by insults and inflammatory rhetoric with regard to radical Islam, while on affairs he has brought into question US policy on everything from Syria to Iran, Mexico and North Korea.

France, which vies with Britain for status as the world's fifth largest economy, has itself been reeling in the wake of several deadly attacks claimed by Islamic State militants since last year.

Trump's comment in July that "France is no longer France", and that if it had looser gun laws then the attacks would not have happened, upset French officials.

"The U.S. is a vital partner for France and what's at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, economic relations and the preservation of the planet," said Hollande. "On all these levels, I will begin immediately discussions with the new American administration, but I will do it with vigilance and frankness."

NO IMPOTENCE OR WEAKNESS

With just six months to go before France goes to the polls, likely conservative candidates also sought to stress the importance of a stronger France and more united Europe.

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy, who is trailing rival Alain Juppe in opinion polls as they campaign for the conservative presidential ticket, said France must tackle the new world order head on.

He said it was clear that with Trump now joining Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping as leaders determined to defend their country's interests, France could no longer sit passively on the sidelines and blindly accept the impact of globalisation, immigration and Islamist militancy.

"Times will be tough. France must play its role to re-establish authority. My belief is that there will be no place for impotency, weakness or surrender," Sarkozy told reporters.

Juppe, a former prime minister, said it was too early to give a view on Trump in light of the US Republican's contradictory comments especially with regard to France and Europe, which he "appears to know pretty badly".

"It forces us to reorganise ourselves because the United States will defend its interests so we will need to defend ours, those of France and Europe, so in a way the ball is in our court," Juppe said.
California's Attorney General on Wednesday scripted history as she won the US Senate seat from the state, becoming the first Indian-American to reach the feat.
Moving away from fossil fuel reliance could be hit by the election of Donald Trump as US President, says New York-based S&P Global, a financial information and analysis entity.
Republican Donald Trump stunned the world by defeating heavily favoured rival Hillary Clinton in the US presidential election, ending eight years of Democratic control of the and sending America on a new, uncertain path.
As the US awaits the results of a bitterly fought presidential campaign, Republican Donald Trump issued a last-minute appeal to voters to cast their ballots, urging them to not "let up".

Trump, who needs to win in key battleground states including Florida in order to chart a viable course to the White House, sent out a 11th hour tweet saying the election was far from over.

"Don't let up, keep getting out to vote  this election is FAR FROM OVER! We are doing well but there is much time left. GO FLORIDA!" he tweeted in the evening.

He said in another tweet that he would be following the election results from the Trump Towers in Manhattan along with his family.

"I will be watching the election results from Trump Tower in Manhattan with my family and friends. Very exciting!" he tweeted.

Soon after he voted at a school in Manhattan in the morning, the Republican presidential nominee had taken to twitter to say, "Today we make America Great Again."

A video captured by a news network of Trump glancing over at his wife's ballot as the two cast their votes, went viral on social media.

Meanwhile there were reports that former US president George Bush and his wife Laura Bush did not vote for Trump.

The column on the ballot was left blank, his spokesman said.

"President and Mrs Bush voted two weeks ago (not today) and did not vote for Hillary Clinton," said Freddy Ford Communication director for the former US President.
triumphed over Hillary Clinton while defying all poll projections. Post the result declaration, Trump delivered a speech at the Hilton Hotel in New York City on Tuesday during a victory party organised by his campaign.
jumped more than three per cent to its highest in five weeks on Wednesday as Republican Donald Trump held slight leads in some battleground states in the race for the White House against Democrat Hillary Clinton, sending investors to safe havens.

Trump held small leads in the vital states of Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio, with voting completed in more than two-thirds of the 50 US states.

Spot rose as far as $1,316.10, its strongest since October 3, and was trading up 2.9 per cent at $1,312.04 by 0321 GMT.

If Trump wins "there's more uncertainty in his platform and the direction that his policy may aim, so there may be more volatility with risk assets and over the short-term you may have investors flock to gold," said Mark Watkins, regional investment manager with The Private Client Group of US Bank.

The US dollar sank and stock retreated in wild Asian trade. Much of the action was in currencies where the Mexican peso has become a touchstone for sentiment on the election as Trump's trade policies are seen as damaging to its export-heavy economy.

US for December delivery was last up 3.1 per cent at $1,313.70 an ounce, after earlier hitting $1,317.

Vishnu Varathan, senior economist at Mizuho Bank, said the reaction in the gold market to the outcome of the US vote may be more limited compared to its surge when Britain decided to leave the European Union in June.

Spot gold jumped as much as 8 percent on the British decision to a two-year high of $1,358.20.

"In this case whether it's a Clinton win or a Trump win, at this point beyond just unravelling some of the very tail-risk events, there's really nothing left in the tank to aggressively trade gold," said Varathan.

Spot silver rose as far as $18.77 an ounce and was last up 1.5 per cent at $18.62.
Early voters in Burleigh County set a record as about 8,805 early ballots were cast as of 5 p.m. Monday, according to Kevin Glatt, county auditor. Another 8,808 absentee ballots also were turned in by Monday, also a record, said Glatt, adding that more absentee ballots are expected in the mail.

On Tuesday, voter turnout in Burleigh County has been characterized as strong, Glatt said.

"We had a lineup at 6:30 a.m. waiting. After the polls opened, the lines were steady," said Glatt, adding the average wait time Tuesday was 10 minutes.

At the Bismarck Event Center voting site, Darryl Dolan, poll inspector, said 2,300 people had voted by 3:30 p.m. The location is the voting site for five southside precincts. He said the voters were quickly processed with a voting wait time of about three minutes.

"It's been very steady," he said. "It's been good, real good."

Voters leaving the polls said they felt a keen interest in the election.

"If you don't vote, you don't have a right to complain about it," said Gary Shafer, of Bismarck. "I don't care who you vote for. The measures were important and so was the president."

Adam Fisher of Bismarck said he felt he needed to vote.

"I just felt it was a very important election. There were two different sides. It's very important we have a choice this election. Measure 4 was important," he said.

"It's my right. It's my privilege, and I'd like to think every vote counts," said Laurie Wolfe, of Bismarck.

Ree Hosie had strong opinions about the presidential race.

"It's important as an American to use your right to vote who you think is right. I think that is not Trump. Hopefully, anybody but him," she said.

As of noon Tuesday, 608 voters had cast their ballot aTuesday at Lincoln City Hall, a very high turnout for the bedroom community.

"Twenty minutes before 7 a.m., we had people lined outside the door waiting to get in and vote," said Sarah Maenza, acting city auditor. "At 7:30 a.m., we had a crowd of people waiting to fill out their ballots."
American voters are doing what Indians did in 2014  elect an outsider. While the American establishment, particularly its journalists grapple with their shock of a Donald Trump victory, just as many among Indian journalists found it difficult to digest a Narendra Modi victory two-and-a-half years back, the Indian foreign policy minders, whatever their personal distaste might be for Trumps misogyny and his anti-immigrant stand, think his victory could be a blessing in disguise.
Bucking media opposition, popular perception and Hillary Clintons vicious campaign, has emerged as the 45th president of the United States of America. Trump elucidated on his 15-point agenda in the run-up to the elections. If he decides to implement them, it could impact the Indian government, people and businesses in several ways.



Here is a lowdown on the implications Trumps policies as the US President could have for India.


staged a mild recovery after Donald Trump was announced as the winner in the US elections to become the 45th president of the United States. Further, the surprising move by the government on banning high denomination currencies also dampened investor sentiment.
The Registration Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly collaborate on initiatives and efforts that further bolster the developments and opportunities between India and the UAE.

The MoU was signed on 8 November by Mr. Madhav B Shriram, Chairman (Delhi State), Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry and Deputy Managing Director, DCM Shriram Industries Ltd. and Mr. Martin Tidestrom, Development Director of the Registration Authority of ADGM, during the ADGM delegation's visit to Indian from 7 to 16 November.

The ADGM delegation, led by Mr.Tidestrom, is meeting the key local authorities and business leaders in the cities of Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Trivandrum, to create awareness and bolster investment and business between the closely related economies of India and the UAE.

The MoU will enable both ADGM and CII to facilitate greater exchange of information, collaborate on activities and areas that enhance the growth in both markets, share best practices and explore bilateral business opportunities.

This partnership reinforces Abu Dhabi's long-term positive relationship with India; it also underscores ADGM's commitment as an IFC to enhance and build stronger collaborations with global financial and commercial markets and with leading business organizations. The agreement provides a framework for Registration Authority and CII to provide mutual assistance, exchange relevant information and co-operate on cross-border initiatives.

Mr. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry stated, "With the UAE transforming itself into a knowledge based economy and given India's leadership in key sectors such as ICT, biotechnology, drugs and pharmaceuticals among others, stronger bilateral economic ties can only produce a win-win relationship. CII is committed to facilitating such linkages between Indian and Emirati companies."

Mr. Dhaher bin Dhaher, Chief Executive Officer, Registration Authority of ADGM added, "The growing economies of India and UAE continue to offer exciting business and growth opportunities for companies, corporates and investors worldwide. With the markets getting inter-connected and more entities operating globally, ADGM is committed to support more corporates and investors in India to take advantage of the opportunities in Abu Dhabi and the region.

Since ADGM went fully operational last year, we have been strengthening our partnerships with key Indian stakeholders and business communities to address their needs and growth ambitions in the UAE. Augmented by mutually-beneficial tax treaties, efficient regulations and access to wide-ranging financial and professional services, ADGM serves to be an attractive base for Indian in- and outbound investments. As an IFC, ADGM is committed, and will continue, to provide a business-friendly, efficient and transparent platform for companies to anchor their presence in Abu Dhabi and fulfill their business growth in the region."

The ADGM Registration Authority is responsible for the development of non-financial services sector of ADGM, the international financial centre (IFC) of Abu Dhabi. The Authority handles all aspects of incorporation, registration and licensing of legal entities in ADGM.

ADGM provides an attractive and pro-business platform that caters to an extensive range of business sectors, along with professional services, family businesses, corporate headquarters and various management functions. The ADGM platform offers a beneficial environment for domicile holding companies, special purpose vehicles and other structures to hold and protect their assets.

To-date, ADGM has successfully registered about 170 companies, non-financial and financial, since it began operations a year ago. Recently, ADGM was also voted the "Financial Centre of the Year (MENA)" by the Global Investor/ISF publication. The strong endorsement by the regional business industry bears testament to ADGM's attractiveness and value proposition as an IFC.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Newly-crowned World No.1 Andy Murray has been drawn in a group with Stan Wawrinka, Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic for next week's season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London.

On Monday, Murray ended Novak Djokovic's 122-week reign to become the second-oldest player since John Newcombe in 1974 to debut at World No. 1.

The Briton will start his group round-robin matches against Croatian Cilic at the O2 Arena on November 14,Sport24 reported.

In contrast, things look slightly easier for current second-ranked Djokovic as he has been placed with tournament debutants Gael Monfils, Dominic Thiem and Canada's Milos Raonic.

What makes the Serbian the likely group winner is the fact that he had never suffered a defeat to any of the players in his group before with a 23-0 record.

Djokovic will kick off his campaign with a clash against Austria's Thiem.

Murray is currently 405-point ahead Djokovic in the race to finish the year ranked in the top spot, with 1,500 points up for grabs for a champion who goes undefeated at the World Tour Finals in London.

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Aryanav Paper Mills Private Limited of India has entered into a long term financial association with Linetrust International Offshore Limited of the UK. Under this association the UK based firm will provide 21 million dollar as long term debt.

The Telangana based Aryanav Paper Mills is engaged in the of manufacturing of Hi-BF Kraft Liner and Top White Liner in the state. The company will use the money to setup a 54,000 TPA Hi-BF Kraft Liner and Top White Liner manufacturing unit.

This was announced at a function to organize the Joint Association Ceremony at the Inter-Continental Mid Plaza Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia. Director of Capitico PRG Pvt. Ltd., Dhruv Goel, who was presenting the association says, "This association can change the dynamics of the paper industry in India. Currently banks and financial institutions lend to corporate at around 11 and 12 percent p.a. With Linetrust providing long term debt at four percent max p.a. will have a huge impact on the bottom-line of the company.

This will help Aryanav Paper to leverage its strength by filling the vacuum created by the debt ridden paper manufacturing companies in India who have either reduced their production capacities due to increased raw material costs or have been forced to shut down operations due to dearth of cheap working capital."

Citing the example of Ballarpur Industries Limited, one of the largest makers of writing and printing papers in India, who have run into problems recently due to a heavy debt burden and are forced to sell its holding companies to raise capital, Goel says, "other companies too are facing similar problems. Low cost debt will definitely help companies to turn around."

According to "India Paper Industry Forecast and Opportunities, 2017" the paper industry in India is expected to grow at the CAGR of around 9.6 percent. This will make the revenues of paper industry of India to reach up to USD 11.83 Billion by 2017. About 70 percent of the total installed capacity of paper production in India is accounted by Gujarat, West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Linetrust International in its statement has underlined the need for low cost debt for corporate to fight rising cost of recycle waste paper pulp, one of the raw material for manufacturing Kraft Liner paper. With affordable debt under four percent p.a. to corporate, Linetrust will help create a major impact on the top-line and bottom line of companies.

The Linetrust Group, whose ASEAN office is in Jakarta, Indonesia, has been in the of lending in the traditional brick and mortar sectors has now seamlessly aligned its strategies to adopt to the new age technology financing viz. bio-technology, e-commerce and other information technology related business verticals. The trade finance business of the firm finances cross border transactions. It's a form of working capital.

The group has decided to open a close ended fund to the tune of USD 600 million to exclusively cater to the ASEAN markets with prime emphasis on the Indonesian Markets, shareholder Manoj Todi said. "Sailesh Hiranandani , another shareholder handling ASEAN debt fund market has been of the opinion that all these will help improve the manufacturing sectors which are fighting increasing interest costs and rising raw material prices affecting the domestic industries."

Amit Gupta, Director, Aryanav Paper Mills opines "This association with Linetrust will help us to create a venture which will be useful in creating the best Liner Papers in the market. With the cost of debt coming down drastically, it will have a direct bearing on our top line and bottom line thus enabling us to compete healthily vis-a-vis our peers who have been battling rising raw material costs and high interest debt burden." Gupta expressed his immense happiness and thanked Linetrust in placing its faith in a green-field venture and help realize his dreams.

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In the wake of rising levels of air pollution in the capital, environmentalist Vimlendu Jha on Wednesday said both the Centre as well as the state government have failed to provide better air quality in Delhi.

"Good news is the courts have taken cognizance of the situation. Bad news is that this is the responsibility of the state and it should not be the court that should actually be held responsible or should come to our rescue. We have elected governments in different states. We have elected government at the Centre and they are the ones who are responsible for better air quality, better firm governance, better vehicular governance and they have indeed failed," Jha told ANI.

Expressing displeasure over the fact that the Supreme Court and the Green Tribunal has to actually intervene on day to day issues of governance, Jha said the situation that we are in today is the responsibility of respective state governments and the Central Government and they all have totally failed and that's why the air pollution levels have peaked.

"Although we see a little bit of improvement in visible air quality but otherwise if you actually look at all the air quality indicators, air quality still remains very poor to severe statistics in most areas. The Supreme Court has clearly asked the Central Government to come up with a common minimum programme in terms of air pollution in next 48 hours because the Central Government has not been able to really mobilise all the states to bring them all on one table and look at tangible solutions," he added.

The Supreme Court yesterday defined pollution in Delhi as "dreaded", "severe" and "disaster", and asked Centre to response on its policy to tackle pollution.

The apex court also noted down the suggestions made by Sunita Narain, the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) to come up with a Common Minimum Programme in next two days to come with a solution to tackle the situation.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung earlier on Monday ordered to de-registrar old diesel vehicles to counter smog levels that touched an alarming level after Diwali celebrations.

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It's official! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are in a relationship.

The 32-year-old British Royal heir confirmed, in a statement released by Kensington Palace, that the 'Suits' star is now his girlfriend, leading bookies to slash odds of the pair marrying, reports the Mirror.

Prince Harry also came to the defense of his girlfriend after seeing the "abuse" and "harassment" she has received in the last week.

He took the unusual step of issuing a public plea for her to be left alone insisting a "line had been crossed" with certain media coverage. There were even accusations of racial attacks in some of the commentary about the mixed race 35-year-old star.

"His girlfriend, Meghan Markle, has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment," the statement reads, "Some of this has been very public-the smear on the front page of a national newspaper; the racial undertones of comment pieces; and the outright sexism and racism of social media trolls and web article comments."

"Prince Harry is worried about Ms Markle's safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her." it continued, "He has asked for this statement to be issued in the hopes that those in the press who have been driving this story can pause and reflect before any further damage is done."

Prince Harry and Markle reportedly met in London in June after being introduced by his friend, New York fashion designer Misha Nonoo.

Details of their relationship broke as they were spending the Halloween weekend together attending a party in Toronto.

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Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting M. Venkaiah Naidu has commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to scrap Rs. 500 and 1,000 notes, saying genuine people will not have any problem and only corrupt and people with illegal money need to worry.

Naidu said on Twitter, "Historic revolutionary bold step by prime minister to cleanse public life from money power. Hats off to our Prime Minister for the bold decision. Prime minister forewarned the people, given enough time to declare their money and pay taxes. Demonetisation of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 is aimed at rooting out black money. Genuine people will not have any problem, only corrupt people and people with illegal money only need to worry."

"Historic step to fight corruption, only Prime Minister Modi can do it. Entire country is very happy about it. Everybody is sending message congratulating historic step of the Prime Minister, only corrupt can weep and do not sleep, for entire country is rejoicing. Honest tax payer nothing to worry, every care will be to take to care of your interest. War on black money started, be aware it will continue," he added.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: "Historic and courageous decision on Rs. 500 and Rs 1000 notes to stop corruption and flow of black money. Hats off Hon @narendramodi ji ! People of our nation would support and participate like true soldiers in this war against #blackmoney. This is a milestone in nation's progress. Hon @narendramodi ji's decision is revolutionary. No reason to panic at all. Let us together fight this war against corruption& #blackmoney!"

BJP president Amit Shah took to twitter to congratulate Prime Minister Modi on the announcement: "PM @narendramodi ji's decision to discontinue Rs. 500 & Rs.1000 rupee note will immensely help eliminating the corruption. On behalf of all BJP Karyakartas, I compliment the Central Govt & PM @narendramodi for taking tough but timely & path-breaking measures," he tweeted. "Announcements made by PM @narendramodi are exactly what is needed to uproot corruption, black money, hawala & fake currency rackets. These announcements will go long way in bringing economic prosperity in the lives of the poor, middle class and neo-middle class. We can no longer let corruption & black money slow down our development journey. We must create a prosperous India for future generations. The elimination of black money will help boosting the development with justice."

Minister of State for External Affairs and former Army Chief V K Singh said: Historic step by the PM @narendramodi. Will surely go a long way in fighting #BlackMoney. Thank you for your visionary leadership.

The government yesterday took a bold step of discontinuing with Rs. 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from midnight in a move to curb black money and counterfeit currency.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation, explained the move as the government's attack on black money.

These notes can be exchanged for lower denomination notes at post offices and banks from November 10 till the end of March 2017.

The Prime Minister also added that all banks will remain closed for public work on Novermber 9.

Prime Minister Modi said notes of Rs. 2000 and Rs. 500 will be circulated soon.

"The RBI has decided to limit the notes with higher value. There will be more purification the more we get support from you. Let's continue the process of cleanliness and work together for successful completion of this initiative. We want to take this fight against corruption even ahead," he added.

The Prime Minister further said ATMs will not work on November 9 and in some places on November 10.

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Villagers in Himachal Pradesh celebrated the 100 years of apple cultivation recently. Farmers gathered at Thanedhar in Shimla to hail the landmark.

Vijay Kumar Stokes, a progressive farmer and grandson of Satyanand Stokes, said, "The Stokes have contributed not only in the field of apple cultivation, but also in the area of social reform. The apple has brought prosperity and this celebration has brought all farmers and people together, it is a big achievement."

Amar Singh Nalwa, a village chief, said, "The contribution of Satyanand Stokes family can never be forgotten. We have requested the people not to give a political twist to this function, as it has been arranged to pay tribute to Satyanand Stokes. Life cannot be imagined had the apple seed not been planted in this region."

Vidya Stokes, the Horticulture Minister of Himachal Pradesh, said she felt happy and privileged that the people of the state had taken time out to remember her father-in-law Satyanand Stokes for his contributions in the horticulture sector of the state.

Satyanand Stokes planted the first delicious varieties of apples in the Barubag region of the Kotgarh Valley in 1916. Samuel Evans Stokes popularly known as Satyanand Stokes brought apple seeds from the United States and planted them in various parts of Himachal Pradesh. After that Kotgarh and other regions of Shimla district emerged as the apple bowls of the state. Today, apple production contributes Rs. 5,000 crores to the state's economy.

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Lines formed inside many polling places in Mandan on Tuesday, with a heavy voter turnout reported.

"We have not had a lull," election official Cheryl Souther said between manning the voting machine at Midway Bowl Club. Since opening at 7 a.m., the location has seen steady streams of voters.

As of 3 p.m., 1,063 votes had been cast, according to Souther.

"More than we've had all day in the past," said Souther, who has worked as an election official for several years. "We're definitely getting more voters and probably a younger group."

Outside the bowling alley, Joey Risch stood with a pen and clipboard. He flew to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation yesterday from Colorado for poll watching.

Risch, who is with the Native American Rights Fund, said he and a group flew to North Dakota. He waited outside the bowling alley starting at 8:45 a.m. to help any protesters or Native Americans who may have issues voting.

"Today, there haven't been any issues," said Risch, indicating, in past elections, he's seen some issues with Native Americans using their tribal IDs to vote.

Souther said she anticipated more protesters from southern Morton County to cast votes.

"We were planning on at least 400 extra to come," said Souther, adding that, as of 3 p.m., only three or four protesters had filed affidavits. "We are ready."

Spirit of Life Catholic Church in Mandan was also overflowing with voters.

"Busy, yes," said Bernice Thomas, who was working at the polling place.

A man slid his ballot into the polling machine. "1,001 and it's only 3 o'clock!" she said, and then slapped an "I voted" sticker on him.

"It is a much higher turnout than I've ever seen," Thomas said.

Mike and Julie Heid live a couple blocks away from the church and came to cast their votes then head home to watch things unfold on television.

"We always vote; it's important for us to exercise that right," said Mike Heid, a self-employed electric contractor.

Mike and Julie Heid said the measures were extremely important to them, especially measures 4 and 5. Both agreed cigarette tax should not go up, but disagreed on medicinal marijuana, which Mike Heid said "is beneficial to a lot of people."

Neither was happy about the choices for president.

"We don't have a good one. We have largely a choice of who do you want to vote against," said Mike Heid, adding that it was his first time voting for a Republican presidential candidate. "I'm not liking what I see coming out of the criminal campaign."

"Evil versus dangerous, that's how I look at it," Julie Heid said.

Some younger voters turned out Tuesday, including Dylan Stevens, a senior at Mandan High School, who came with his mom Amy Larsen after school and before going to work at Sears.

"I turned 18, so I might as well," said Stevens, who marked the moment with a mother-and-son selfie outside of the polling place after they voted.
Welcoming the government's decision to ban currency notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 from tomorrow, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah described the war on black money as being no less than a surgical strike.

"I welcome the decision of the government to ban Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes. On behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), I congratulate the Prime Minister for taking such a brave step. This fight against black money will continue. Decisions like forming SIT were earlier taken for the same," Shah told ANI.

Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking forward the battle against corruption and black money.

"I believe his step against black money is no less than surgical strike. It will not only be a problem to those keeping black money, but also give a major blow to those indulging in the business of fake currency. It will give a strong message to those having black money," he added.

In an unexpected address to the nation, Prime Minister Modi last night announced that from November 9, 2016, existing Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes will no longer be legal tender.

Describing the move as essential to fight "the disease of black money", Prime Minister Modi said all such currency notes must be deposited in banks and post offices starting Thursday (November 10) and through till December 30.

A proposal for issue of new Rs. 500 and Rs. 2,000 notes has been cleared by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

"Your money will remain yours...you need have no worry on this account. The new notes will be in limited supply at first and will then be increased," Prime Minister Modi said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An expert on security and defence on Wednesday said a majority of Indians are of the view that a suitable lesson needs to be given to Pakistan for its ceasefire violations.

"Pakistan is trying to escalate tension in the border area. It's time to wake up to the possibility of something much worst happening and restrain the state and the Pakistan government which has been subsidizing such acts, because Indian patience also has a limit. Public demand is building up for teaching Pakistan a lesson," said defence expert M.M. Khajuria.

Echoing similar sentiments, Brigadier (Retired) Anil Gupta said the time has come for India to take strict action against Pakistan.

On Tuesday, Pakistani Rangers again resorted to heavy shelling and gunning at Jammu and Kashmir's Nowshera Sector.

No casualty or injuries have been reported so far.

On Monday, the Pakistan Army violated ceasefire and resorted to unprovoked firing in Mendhar Sector, Jammu and Kashmir, to which the Indian troops gave a befitting reply.

This is the 101st incident of ceasefire violation by Pakistan, following India's surgical strike across the Line of Control (LoC) on September 29.

No casualties have been reported on the Indian side till last reports came in.

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The Indian-Americans have expressed their delight on the election of Republican candidate Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States.

"Satisfied and happy that outcome of all the efforts was good," said Shalab Kumar, Indian-American industrialist.

Talking about the relationship between India and the United States post Trump's victory, Kumar said the first effort should be to remove trade barriers so that both nations benefit.

Former Miss India Manasvi Mamgai, who campaigned for Trump, said: "Happy that our efforts have finally paid off, we cannot be happier.'

Trump was today elected as the 45th president of the United States.

Trump's surprising performance at the polls ended Hillary Clinton's quest to make history as the first female president of the United States.

Trump, a 70-year-old celebrity businessman who had never before run for office, is poised to become the oldest President ever elected to a first term, reports the Washington Post.

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The Indian-Americans have lauded Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's move to scrap Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 currency notes while dubbing the initiative as a bold move to curb corruption.

"I congratulate PM Modi for this, big action against black money," Dildar Singh, an Indian American told ANI when asked about his view on New Delhi's decision.

Another Indian American Amarjit echoing similar sentiments said it is a good move to unearth the black money.

"It was a sudden decision but it is a bold move to curb corruption," added another Indian American Shakeel Abbasi.

Meanwhile in India, long queues were noticed outside cash deposit machine counters, ATMs and petrol pumps across various cities.

Depositors supporting the swift decision of the Prime Minister expressed that initially common people may have to face a little problem but ultimately it will benefit the nation.

Prime Minister Modi in a televised address to the nation from New Delhi declared the ban on Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes from midnight as part of his government's efforts to crackdown on black money.

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The body of Kannada actor Uday, who went missing after he jumped from a chopper into Thippagondanahalli Reservoir on Monday during a movie shoot was found here.

The incident happened when the crew of upcoming Kannada film 'Masti Gudi' was shooting the climax scene.

The scene had two actors jumping out of a chopper into the reservoir.

Lead actor Duniya Vijay along with co-actors Uday and Anil had to jump off from the helicopter from a height of over 100 feet. While Vijay, swam to safety, Anil and Uday, failed to surface.

The video shows three of the actors jumping into the water but only Vijay managing to swim ashore.

According to reports, filmmakers may be charged with negligence as they did not provide for safety nets in place.

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A recent study has found that male chimpanzees are more concerned about their own offspring than previously thought.

The research suggested that the male, associated with mothers of their offspring early in infancy and interacted with their infants more than expected.

The study comes on the backdrop of question that whether male chimpanzees could recognize their offspring.

Because males spending time with nursing mothers did not increase the likelihood that they would be the father of that mother's next infant, the findings support the paternal effort hypothesis, in which males associate more with mothers in order to protect their offspring, rather than curry favor with the female.

The research contributes to the broader anthropological question of why human fathers invest so much in offspring.

Using more than 25 years of behavioral data, the researchers examined patterns based on 17 father chimpanzees and 49 mother-infant pairs to see if the males could recognize their offspring and if the male's behavior was different around them.

"As anthropologists, we want to understand what patterns could have existed early in human evolution that help explain how human behavior evolved," said Carson Murray, "This research suggests that males may sometimes prioritize relationships with their offspring rather than with potential mates. For a species without pair-bonds where it was assumed fathers didn't know which infants were their own, this is an important finding."

The significance of the finding lies in the evidence that chimpanzees, one of human's closest living relatives, not only have paternal recognition but also invested in offspring rather than only focusing on future mating effort. The researchers found the males would spend time grooming and caring for their offspring.

"Our findings are not only further evidence that chimpanzee fathers recognize their offspring in a promiscuous species, but also that fathers behave differently around their offspring," said Margaret Stanto.

The study has been published in the Royal Society Open journal.

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Kendriya Vikas Party workers in Nagpur on Wednesday celebrated the victory of Republican candidate Donald Trump who has been elected as the 45th president of the United States.

"We are celebrating the victory of Donald Trump. We welcome Trump on behalf of our party. We believe that his victory will have a great impact on the relation between India and US," said a party worker.

After the media exploded with Trump's victory, Trump took to the stage surrounded by his family and party workers and pledged to begin the "urgent task of rebuilding our nation" while also bringing Americans together.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Trump and asserted that he looks forward to working him to elevate India-US bilateral ties.

Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minster extended his wishes to the triumphant president-elect.

"We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign. We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height," he said.

After the media exploded with Trump's victory, Trump took to the stage and pledged to begin the "urgent task of rebuilding our nation" while also bringing Americans together.

Speaking at his victory party in a New York hotel ballroom, Trump said Democratic rival Hillary Clinton called him to concede the race.

"I just received a call from Secretary Clinton," Mr. Trump said. "She congratulated us-this is about us-on our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign," Trump said.

Trump, who has in the past threatened to punish his critics, said he was seeking to appeal even to those who hadn't supported him.

Trump's surprising performance at the polls ended Hillary Clinton's quest to make history as the first female president of the United States.

The 70-year-old celebrity businessman who had never before run for office, is poised to become the oldest president ever elected to a first term.

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President Barack Obama has congratulated his newly-elected successor, Donald Trump, and invited him to the White House on Thursday.

Obama also called Hillary Clinton to express his "admiration for the strong campaign she waged."

Obama and the First Lady Michelle were highly involved in Clinton's campaign, hosting rallies and making speeches on her behalf for months, reports the Guardian.

According to a statement from the White House, "Ensuring a smooth transition of power is one of the top priorities the president identified at the beginning of the year and a meeting with the president-elect is the next step."

President Obama will address the public later in the day on how the country can "come together" after this bitter election.

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India Skills Report 2017 - a joint initiative by PeopleStrong, a leading HR solutions and HR Technology company from India, and Wheebox, a Global Talent Assessment Company, in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), was launched by Hon'ble Union Minister of Labour Bandaru Dattatreya at CII's Global Skills Summit in Hyderabad today.

India Skills Report 2017, in its fourth season, captures insights from the largest employability test that was spread out to 3000 educational campuses, assessing five lakh students across 29 states and seven union territories from noteworthy educational universities and professional institutes in the country along with the India's hiring intent survey that reached out to over 125+ employers across 11 major sectors.

According to the study, employability amongst the talent pool joining the workforce every year is increasing significantly. While in 2014 the percentage of employable population was at 33 percent, it has increased significantly to 40% this year. This is a decent increase considering that all the initiatives in this space are yet at a very nascent stage.

The report also shared that the female candidates seem to be more employable than their male counterparts. "Employability" here does not include only domain excellence but also takes into consideration other aspects like communication skills, logical and analytical ability and several other aspects.

India Skills Report 2017 is backed by various other renowned partners like LinkedIn, United Nations Development Programme, AICTE, AIU and various state governments.

From the demand side, the study forecasts an overall increase of about 7-10% in the hiring intent for year 2017 when compared to the current year. Despite the kind of turbulence which is shaking the global market, it is a very good sign to see a moderate increase in hiring in the coming year. Though at an overall level, almost all sectors except Telecom (which expects high growth in hiring) expect a steady or moderate growth. For example, allied sectors in telecom, auto ancillary, quick service restaurants, and power and energy management are expected to lead the growth in hiring. This brings good news to the candidates who are on a look out for job opportunities.

Year 2016 under the Modi Government has seen lot of initiatives in the space of skilling, job creation and most importantly in terms to linking skilling to jobs. The Government has taken steps to bridge the gap between talent supply and demand. While it is too early to predict the results of these initiatives, this focus from the top is showing some early positive signs. At least the results from India Skills Report 2017, one of the most comprehensive reports that provides a consolidated view of the talent landscape of India suggest so.

The report also shares that Maharashtra as a state will not only have the highest percentage of employable workforce but it will also see high frequency in hiring in the coming year. However, when it comes to the preferred places to work, Bangalore seems to be the preference for the talent pool, which will start joining the workforce shortly.

The report also tried to identify the preferred sourcing channels of the employers. For the fourth consecutive year Internal referrals came across the most preferred sourcing channels. Though both traditional channels (job boards, consultants) and new channels (digital channels) are picking up pace every year, internal referral because of their cost and quality benefits are shadowing all other channels. In addition to this the report this year had special focus on the current state of gender diversity in organizations across sectors and the initiatives employers are taking to improve this number. According to the study, though the gender diversity in almost all sectors has still not touched the number of 33%; not many organizations are looking to resolve this issue right at the source. Only 40% of the employers who participated in India Hiring Intent survey, have defined targets to hire women candidates. And even in organizations where this number is right there on the KPI charts the target ranges from 10-40% (depending on the industry and the kind of work).

Mr. Pankaj Bansal, Co-founder and CEO of PeopleStrong, said" It feels great to see yet another version of India Skills Report. The results look positive despite the turbulence in global markets, and this surely reinstates the belief that the time of India is here and we are moving in the right direction. It is especially interesting to see a positive hiring intent for the third consecutive year, and also the focus that is expected to increase towards women hiring and entry-mid level jobs. With jobs at the center of every skilling and employability related initiative I am sure that results will improve and with each year we will see the impact of matchmaking initiatives which have started ".

Dattatreya said, "Government is focussed on employment generation which can be enabled through Make in India and Skill India. India must become the skill capital of the world. Skilling isn't only a government agenda. It cannot be done without industry partnering and investing in training.

Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry said "CII is proud to be a partner to the India Skills Report 2017. The report, now in its 4th edition, is a joint initiative to address the common goal of quantitatively analyzing the mismatch of jobs and skilled workforce across India. The report is consistently quoted by Industry & Government across forums in India and this is the real testament of its success. I congratulate the ISR team for providing the Industry with such comprehensive data of the supply side that directly helps Industry to hire skilled youth across domains".

Nirmal Singh, Founder and CEO of Wheebox said" If we look at the current stock of the Skill landscape in India, the situation is alarming. As per India Skills Report 2017, we found out that of all the students entering the job market across the country, hardly 2 out of 5 meet the criteria of the employment set by the employers. The severity of the situation is accentuated by many levels when the economy is looking up, new jobs are getting generated in ecommerce, energy, retail, telecom, hospitality and financial industry; but there are not enough "skilled" people available. Many jobs are getting mechanized and can be managed by a few people and intelligent algorithms then we are heading to a large challenge where many of us do not know the unknown future. We may have plenty of low to moderately skilled people for jobs that may not exist in future".

"The need of the hour is to evangelize the large challenge that is just round the corner. All countries experience demographic dividend once in their lifetime and India's demographic dividend is just an opportunity for next 25 years, once gone it will never come again. Though we are late in identifying the opportunity still if we do not prepare ourselves rapidly to reap the benefits" said Nirmal Singh.

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A three-day international event of 'Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM)' for farmers will begin here today which will showcase best global practices and technologies suitable to farmers.

Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh will inaugurate the event, a platform for farmers, investors, manufacturers and the academicians and researchers.

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, union ministers, yoga guru Baba Ramdev, agriculture experts and others will attend the event.

The inaugural session will be followed by an exhibition focused on livestock, post-harvest technologies, agri-inputs and protected cultivation, among others.

A conference on 'Sustainable and Innovative Agriculture Practices for Doubling Farmers' Income' will also be held.

Themes such as 'Sustainable Agriculture: Towards an Evergreen Revolution', 'Innovative Agriculture: Leveraging the Technology Frontiers' and 'Rajasthan-Israel Collaboration for Agriculture Development - Way Forward' will also be discussed.

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Incumbents Ron Leingang, Bruce Strinden and Cody Schulz were re-elected unchallenged as they were reinstated to the Morton County Commission. Each will serve four years. Leingang and Schulz will each serve a second four-year term.

Bruce Strinden won a third four-year term and Cody Schulz and Ron Leingang were re-elected to a second term.

Leingang carried 34.42 percent of the vote, Schulz received 33.35 percent and Strinden received 31 percent of the vote.

Burleigh County

Ken W. Royse was elected uncontested for the director of Garrison Conservancy for Burleigh County, and he won with more than 99 percent of the vote with 36 of 38 precincts turned in.

Jeremy Saeman received more than 99 percent of the vote for the Social Conservation District office for Burleigh County.
Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today categorically stated that Rajasthan stood committed to transform its agricultural landscape by actively promoting global best practices.

"With surplus production of food grains, milk and pulses, the state is geared up to adopt multiple innovations such as digital soil mapping, use of drones for effective input management, employing innovative protected cultivation methods, zero budget natural farming or technology enabled traceability systems. The end objective of these interventions in farming will be increasing efficiency, reducing costs and ensuring sustainability," she said while speaking at the inaugural session of the 'Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet' 2016 (GRAM 2016) today in Jaipur.

Raje said the primary objective of GRAM is to ensure economic empowerment of the people through accelerated yet focussed growth in agriculture and to double farmer's income. The state has conceived GRAM 2016 as an agri technology and business event that provides a platform to transform and catalyse sustainability and economic viability of farming.

She also said that Rajasthan has evolved as a strong investment friendly state, adding the government is constantly working towards ensuring that these investments benefit all stakeholders.

"Within just one year of holding the Resurgent Rajasthan Summit 2015, projects valued at almost Rs. 5,000 crores have already been implemented and projects worth Rs. 54,000 crores and Rs. 49,000 crores are under construction and under various stages of clearance respectively. Excluding the solar energy projects, the total likely investment to be grounded is Rs. 1.08 lakh crores or 74 percent of the investment commitments. This would be one of the fastest and highest conversion rates for any State in the country, she added.

Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh, who was the chief guest on the occasion, said that for a smart nation it is imperative to develop not only smart cities but also smart villages.

"Development of road, irrigation, education, electricity, health, security, employment, self-reliance are 8 major tenets which should be focused for developing a smart village," said Singh.

He further said the farmers, industry leaders, scientists and the government will have to join hands together to pave the way for doubling the farmers' income by 2022. He also emphasized on increasing per acre products and productivity.

Minister of State, Agriculture Farmers Welfare and Panchayati Raj Parshottam Rupala said that Rajasthan is ahead of many other Indian states in the field of agriculture and is a leader in various agriculture products.

"The state government has successfully implemented all the Central Schemes in and has taken many decisions favorable for the welfare of the farmers," said Rupala.

Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev during his address announced setting up a mega food park. He said Rajasthan is working aggressively towards making the state agriculturally strong.

"I along with Patanjali will support the Rajasthan Chief Minister in all her endeavors. The company is entering into milk industry and Patanjali would be keen to make Rajasthan a part of its journey," he said.

He further said that if given an opportunity Patanjali is ready to work with the state government in all the agricultural produce of the state including Aloe Vera Isabgol, Bajra and Amla.

"Rajasthan ke bajre ko toh hum poore desh mei khilangey" he asserted.

Minister for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Government of Rajasthan, Prabhu Lal Saini, in his welcome address said that GRAM has brought together all stakeholders from farmers, academicians, technologists, agri business companies and policy makers to accelerate development of sustainable agriculture and allied activities through innovative methods and best practices.

Israel's ambassador to India Daniel Carmon, who was also present on the occasion, said Rajasthan is a perfect example of Indo-Israel cooperation.

"Israel is a natural partner to the state. We are with the Government of Rajasthan in all their efforts for the welfare of the farmers," he added.

He further said Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will also be visiting India next week with two major agenda of discussion -- agriculture and water.

A presentation was also made by Rajasthan Chief Secretary O.P. Meena, who highlighted the investment prowess and potential in the Agriculture sector of Rajasthan.

Rajasthan Knowledge Papers on Agriculture were also released during the mega agri event jointly organized by the Government of Rajasthan and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

Earlier, a colourful Rajasthani cultural presentation was also made.

The Vote of Thanks was proposed by President, FICCI, Harshvardhan Neotia.

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Following the Supreme Court's orders, RJD MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav, who is accused of raping a minor, surrendered today before the Bihar Sharif court here.

He will be sent back to prison for two weeks to enable the rape victim to record her statement before a trial court.

The minor girl, the victim in the alleged rape case had expressed concern for her and her family's safety.

She said she was scared that her family might be "eliminated", along with her, after the Patna High Court granted bail to Yadav on September 30.

In April, Yadav was named as one of the main accused in a charge-sheet filed by Nalanda Police, after he allegedly raped a minor girl at his residence on February 6th, following which he was immediately suspended by the party.

After absconding for almost one month, Yadav had surrendered in March before a chief magistrate's court in Bihar Sharif in Nalanda and was sent to jail.

However, he was granted bail by the Patna High Court on September 30, which the opposition used to criticize the state government for not placing facts against the RJD MLA before the Patna High Court.

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Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari termed the move by the government to abolish Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as a completely imbecile and hilarious and branded Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "modern day Tughlaq."

Mohammed bin Tughlaq was a ruler in medieval India who was known for his eccentric decision to shift the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad, in south India, and change the currency. The decisions had misfired.

"It seems that the spirit of Muhammad bin Tughluq has entered our honourable Prime Minister on night of November 8, this decision is completely imbecile and hilarious. So, tomorrow you will hear the capital has been shifted from Delhi to Daulatabad," Tewari said.

"Modern day Tughlak has thrown a nuclear trident at poor people of India. 1000 Rupees of today is what 100 Rupees was 20 yrs back. Insanity!," he added.

"This disruptive step would completely subvert the Indian economy so under those circumstances government should reconsider this move and if the government insists this Tughlaqi farman then courts need to intervene," Tewari told ANI.

In a major step to check black money, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced demonetization of Rs 500 and 1000 currency notes with effect from midnight, making these notes invalid in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption.

In his televised address to the nation, the Prime Minister said that people holding notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 can deposit the same in their bank and post office accounts from November 10 till December 30.

Following the announcement, there were huge crowds outside ATMs across the country as people lined up to withdraw currency of smaller denominations.

He also announced that new notes of Rs 2000 and Rs 500 will be introduced.

ATM withdrawals will be restricted to Rs 2000 per day and withdrawals from bank accounts will be limited to Rs 10,000 a day and Rs 20,000 a week.

Besides depositing money in bank accounts, the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes can also be exchanged with lower denomination currency notes at designated banks and post offices on production of valid government identity cards like PAN, Aadhaar and Election Card from November 10 to November 24 with a daily limit of Rs 4000.

Those unable to deposit Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes till December 30 this year can do so in designated RBI offices till March 31 next year after filling a declaration form along with proof and reasons, the Prime Minister said.

President Mukherjee said Prime Minister Modi called on him on Tuesday evening and briefed about the government's decision to declare that all Rs. 1000 and 500 currency notes will cease to be legal tender from midnight on Tuesday.

"We welcome bold step of Government of India which will help unearth unaccounted money and counterfeit currency," he said.

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Lauding the Center's move to stop circulation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, the Congress party on Wednesday said that the initiative would curb the slush of funds of political parties.

Congress leader P.L. Punia told ANI, "There are many parties, whose priority is to give importance to money during elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party and Bahujan Samaj Party are amongst them and they play this game openly. Now, these parties will face difficulties."

"During elections, people of these parties are busy distributing money because money power is the utmost priority for many. Using money for corrupt practices in politics should be stopped and through this initiative, it will also make our political system corruption free and free from money power," he added.

Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday announced demonetization of Rs 500 and 1000 currency notes with effect from midnight, making these notes invalid in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption.

In his televised address to the nation, the Prime Minister said that people holding notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 can deposit the same in their bank and post office accounts from November 10 till December 30.

Following the announcement, there were huge crowds outside ATMs across the country as people lined up to withdraw currency of smaller denominations.

He also announced that new notes of Rs 2000 and Rs 500 will be introduced.

ATM withdrawals will be restricted to Rs 2000 per day and withdrawals from bank accounts will be limited to Rs 10,000 a day and Rs 20,000 a week.

Besides depositing money in bank accounts, the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes can also be exchanged with lower denomination currency notes at designated banks and post offices on production of valid government identity cards like PAN, Aadhaar and Election Card from November 10 to November 24 with a daily limit of Rs 4000.

Those unable to deposit Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes till December 30 this year can do so in designated RBI offices till March 31 next year after filling a declaration form along with proof and reasons, the Prime Minister said.

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A soldier was killed in firing by the Pakistan Army in Machhal Sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district this evening.

In retaliation to the firing, the Indian forces carried out fire assault with heavy weapons on many Pakistani posts.

Meanwhile, two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists have been killed in an encounter with security forces in Watergam area of Baramulla district. As per latest reports, the encounter has ended.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Pakistan Army initiated indiscriminate and unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naushera Sector. In the ensuing unprovoked shelling, a Non Commissioned Officer Naik Prem Singh was martyred while Naik Harindra Kumar Yadav sustained grievous injuries and was immediately admitted to the hospital.

However, the brave heart succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.Naik Prem Singh, aged 26 years, is survived by his wife, The soldier hailed from Village Shahar, Tehsil Bayatu, District Barmer, Rajasthan.

The other martyr, Naik Harindra Kumar Yadav, aged 30 years, is survived by his wife and three young children. Naik Harindra Kumar Yadav hailed from Ballia District, Uttar Pradesh.

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Dubbing the election of Donald Trump as the 45th United States President as 'surprising', the Congress on Wednesday said it reflected the rejection of politics by the people of America.

"It's an amazing result. No one would have expected this a year ago. Even after he became the Republican nominee, the expectation was that Hillary would win. I have stuck my neck out and said in a number of public forums that I was expecting her to win. So, this is quite a surprise," Congress leader Shashi Tharoor told ANI.

"The hostility that they (people) feel has expressed itself on a strong vote for Trump. In many ways, it may be the last stand of white America because demographics will make America progressively less and less white in the years to come. Finally, it is also a rejection of politics as usual. Increasingly, around the world voters are saying we don't like the way our lives are. Whether from the left or the right, there is a rejection," he added.

Tharoor said the win is a surprise because Trump is so untypical of even the party which nominated him.

"The Republican mainstream establishment does not look like Trump, doesn't behave like Trump, doesn't speak like Trump. But he has somehow struck a chord with the electorate. Partly, I am afraid it is negativism. He has given expression to fear, to hatred, to racism, to bigotry against foreigners and immigrants and refugees, to xenophobia," he added.

Tharoor asserted that there is a lot of unpleasant stuff that has come out in the air because of Trump's campaign and the language of his supporters which now cannot be put back in pandora's box.

"It is out there and we have to live with it. It will certainly affect the perception of America around the world. If we look at the exit polls, Hillary has swept the minority by large margins. Trump has a won a majority of white voters including surprisingly white women. One of the striking things about this is of course he has dominated the non-college educated white blue collared working class vote, which is the section of society that has felt most affected by the recent developments," he added.

Asserting that there is a sense of uncertainty around the world, the Congress leader said how it all will end up will depend on how things stabilise and what kind of administration Trump brings in.

"Will he bring in those kinds of Republicans who work for George Bush who know how to deal with the world or is he going to bring in a cast of characters who are hostile to the world, hostile to globalization.that may create a different world altogether," he added.

After the media exploded with Trump's victory, the new U.S. President took to the stage and pledged to begin the "urgent task of rebuilding our nation" while also bringing Americans together.

Speaking at his victory party in a New York hotel ballroom, Trump said Democratic rival Hillary Clinton called him to concede the race.

"I just received a call from Secretary Clinton," Mr. Trump said. "She congratulated us-this is about us-on our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign," Trump said.

Trump, who has in the past threatened to punish his critics, said he was seeking to appeal even to those who hadn't supported him.

Trump's surprising performance at the polls ended Hillary Clinton's quest to make history as the first female president of the United States.

The 70-year-old celebrity businessman who had never before run for office, is poised to become the oldest president ever elected to a first term.

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Sales rise 2.52% to Rs 3066.36 crore

Net profit of Apollo Tyres declined 7.15% to Rs 260.04 crore in the quarter ended September 2016 as against Rs 280.07 crore during the previous quarter ended September 2015. Sales rose 2.52% to Rs 3066.36 crore in the quarter ended September 2016 as against Rs 2990.90 crore during the previous quarter ended September 2015.3066.362990.9014.3016.26455.04477.30349.27369.77260.04280.07

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Many countries in Asia and the Pacific need to expand their social protection programs to ensure adequate coverage for most of their populations, according to two Asian Development Bank (ADB) reports released today. The studies, The Social Protection Indicator (SPI): Assessing Results for Asia, and Social Protection Indicator (SPI): Assessing Results for the Pacific incorporate data from 25 countries in Asia and 13 in the Pacific on central government support for social insurance, such as pensions and health insurance; social assistance, such as child welfare programs and assistance to the elderly; and labor market programs, such as cash-for-work programs. This updated, comprehensive set of indicators gives governments an effective mechanism for devising new and improved social protection programs, which are an essential element of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and go to the heart of efforts to promote inclusive growth and reduce poverty, said Sri Wening Handayani, Principal Social Development Specialist with ADB's Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department. The studies find that on average government expenditure on social protection programs in Asian countries is equivalent to 3.7% of GDP per capita and 1.9% in the Pacific, in both cases far too low to ensure sufficient coverage for most of the population. Social insurance continues to dominate social protection spending in Asia and the Pacific. Almost three-quarters of GDP per capita spent on social protection is allocated for social insurance. Social assistance accounts for only 0.9% GDP per capita, while active labor market programs account for only 0.1% GDP per capita. For the first time, the 2016 SPI report assesses progress on social protection over time by tracking spending for 14 countries in Asia between 2004 and 2012.

Mongolia, the People's Republic of China, and Viet Nam made appreciable progress, while the low income countries, Cambodia and Nepal, made significant progress primarily through cash or in-kind transfers. Social protection coverage levels remain weak in other countries, particularly in the Pacific, where little progress was made between 2009 and 2012 (the latest year for which data are available). Across Asia and the Pacific, national social protection systems fail to effectively reach poor and vulnerable persons, and deliver more benefits to men than women. Social assistance in Asia-Pacific countries provides limited support to people with health problems who lack social insurance and to persons with disabilities. This highlights the importance of expanding coverage to support low-income and vulnerable groups, including the elderly and persons with disabilities. The two reports recommend more ambitious active labor market programs, as these tend to be small and weak in most countries, and that unemployment insurance and social assistance benefits be extended to include employment promotion measures such as vocational training and support for entrepreneurship. Furthermore, it is important to expand the coverage of social assistance to support broader groups of the poor and vulnerable and move beyond the usual narrowly targeted programs that do not reach many people in need. The use of noncontributory cash benefits can help support vulnerable groups left out of formal social insurance schemes. The studies conclude that effective and inclusive contributory systems are crucial for building comprehensive social protection to address vulnerabilities at all stage of life.

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On 12 November 2016

Hindalco Industries announced that a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company, scheduled on 12 November 2016 will consider among other items, approval of raising of funds by issue of Equity Shares, Global Depository Receipts/ American depository receipts/, Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds/, fully convertible debentures/partly convertible debentures/ preference shares convertible into Equity Shares, and/or any other financial instruments convertible into Equity Shares (including warrants, or otherwise, in registered or bearer form) and/or any security convertible into Equity Shares, combination of any of the aforementioned securities by way of one or more public and/or private offerings, Qualified Institutions Placement and/or on preferential allotment basis or any combination thereof or any other method as may be permitted under applicable law, subject to such approvals as may be required, and to approve ancillary actions for the above-mentioned fund raising including approval of the notice for the Extra-Ordinary General Meeting for obtaining shareholder's approval.

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At meeting held on 08 November 2016

Tata Communications announced that the Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting held on 08 November 2016 recommended to shareholders of its subsidiary, Neotel, the sale of entire shareholding of Neotel to Liquid Telecom, a pan-African telecoms group, majority owned by Econet Wireless Global, subject to approval of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa.

The deal has already been cleared by the Government of India and Competition Commission of South Africa.

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Hindalco Industries skidded 6.47% to Rs 156.95 at 11:30 IST on BSE on equity dilution concerns after the company announced that board of directors will consider raising of funds by issue of equity related instruments.

The announcement was made during market hours today, 9 November 2016.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 947.46 points or 3.43% at 26,643.68.

On BSE, so far 7.72 lakh shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 13.42 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 163.40 and a low of Rs 151.05 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 172.25 on 8 November 2016. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 58.85 on 12 February 2016. The stock outperformed the market over the past one month till 8 November 2016, gaining 6.17% compared with the Sensex's 1.67% fall. The scrip also outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 12.54% as against the Sensex's 2.1% decline.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 206.52 crore. Face value per share is Rs 1.

Hindalco Industries announced that a meeting of the board of directors of the company is scheduled on 12 November 2016 to consider among other items, approval of raising of funds by issue of equity shares, global depository receipts/American depository receipts/, foreign currency convertible bonds/, fully convertible debentures/partly convertible debentures/ preference shares convertible into equity shares, and/or any other financial instruments convertible into equity shares (including warrants, or otherwise, in registered or bearer form) and/or any security convertible into equity shares, combination of any of the aforementioned securities by way of one or more public and/or private offerings, qualified institutions placement and/or on preferential allotment basis or any combination thereof or any other method as may be permitted under applicable law, subject to such approvals as may be required.

Hindalco Industries' net profit jumped 381.3% to Rs 294.07 crore on 11.9% decline in net sales to Rs 7501.39 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. The company is scheduled to announce Q2 September 2016 results on 12 November 2016.

A part of the Aditya Birla Group, Hindalco Industries is the world's largest aluminium rolling company and one of the biggest producers of primary aluminium in Asia. Its copper smelter is amongst the largest single location custom smelter globally.

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Hinduja Foundries tumbled 5.99% to Rs 32.95 at 12:07 IST on BSE after the company reported net loss of Rs 24.69 crore in Q2 September 2016 compared with net loss of Rs 95.72 crore in Q2 September 2015.

The result was announced during market hours today, 9 November 2016.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 864.98 points or 3.13% at 26,726.16.

On BSE, so far 4,735 shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 15,177 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 35 and a low of Rs 30 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 27.30 on 12 February 2016. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 65 on 7 July 2016. The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 8 November 2016, sliding 1.41% compared with 1.67% fall in the Sensex. The scrip had, however, underperformed the market in past one quarter, declining 36.39% as against Sensex's 2.1% fall.

The small-cap company has equity capital of Rs 207.05 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10.

Hinduja Foundries' total income from operations declined 1.07% to Rs 155.57 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015.

Hinduja Foundries is one of the India's leading foundry group with the capacity to produce cylinder block and head ranging from 25 kilograms (kgs) to 500 kgs. From castings for automobiles and tractors to industrial engines, construction equipment and power generation equipment, Hinduja Foundries meets the stringent requirement of diverse segments. It even caters to the exceptionally high standards of defence applications.

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A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) and the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India has been approved by the Cabinet.

The advancement of academic research in the field of Earth Sciences for the benefit of the peace and human welfare is the prime objective of the MOU.

The collaboration with JAMSTEC will not only enhance capability in the field of atmospheric and climate research, ocean technology observation and hazard mitigation but also provide much needed exposure and hands-on experience to Indian scientists.

The cooperation between parties and under Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be pursued primarily through joint survey, cruise and research and development activities, exchange of scientific visits, joint scientific seminars, workshops and meetings or exchange of information and data.

Earlier, a Letter of Intent (LOI) was signed between Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India and Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) in 2014 to encourage collaboration in the areas of mutual interest. A joint statement was signed by the Prime Ministers of India and Japan during the annual summit meeting held in New Delhi during 11-13 December, 2015.

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L&T announced after market hours yesterday, 8 November 2016, that it has signed a long-term Technical Licence Agreement with Chiyoda Corporation for its 'Chiyoda Thoroughbred 121TM (CT-121TM)' Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) Technology. The agreement grants L&T exclusive rights to undertake EPC of CT-121TM FGD Systems. The new emission norms for coal-based thermal power plants in India, notified vide MoEFCC Gazette dated 7 December 2015, introduced new limits on sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions. The move which makes Indian emission norms among the most stringent in the world, has called for mandatory installation of FGD systems in upcoming power plants, including those currently under construction and many that are already operational.

L&T and Chiyoda's relationship dates back over two decades with L&T-Chiyoda Limited, a JV that has come to be an internationally reputed design and engineering consultancy organisation catering to the Hydrocarbon sector. Through the signing of this agreement, the two companies have extended their association into the power sector as well.

Bosch and Lupin will announce Q2 results today, 9 November 2016.

Bank stocks will be in focus after the ruling NDA government yesterday, 8 November 2016, announced that it is banning use of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, in its fight against the corruption, fake currency and black money. The legal tender character of the notes in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 stands withdrawn. In consequence thereof withdrawn old high denomination (OHD) notes cannot be used for transacting business and/or store of value for future usage. The OHD notes can be exchanged for value at any of the 19 offices of the Reserve Bank of India or at any of the bank branches or at any Head Post Office or Sub-Post Office. As soon as the announcement was made, the Reserve Bank of India came out with a ready reckoner on the government's move.

ICICI Bank clarified after market hours yesterday, 8 November 2016, on recent media reports regarding cyber-attacks that there was no breach incident within the control of the bank pertinent to this news item which would have required reporting. The incident reported relates only to a small segment of customers of the bank who used the other bank ATM.

HDFC Bank clarified after market hours yesterday, 8 November 2016, on recent media reports regarding cyber-attacks that the bank has taken appropriate steps in this regard. There has been no breach of HDFC Bank systems and the incident is an outcome of possible compromise at a third party payment processor. The impact for the bank is limited owing to various steps taken by the bank.

Repco Home Finance's net profit rose 17% to Rs 45.69 crore on 20.01% rise in total income to Rs 259.74 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 8 November 2016.

InterGlobe Aviation's profit after tax rose 23.6% to Rs 139.84 crore on 17.7% rise in total income from operations to Rs 4166.93 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 8 November 2016.

UFO Moviez India's consolidated profit after tax rose 23.1% to Rs 20.30 crore on 6.9% rise in revenue to Rs 159.90 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 8 November 2016.

Tata Communications' consolidated net profit fell 64.4% to Rs 39.96 crore on 1.08% decline in total income to Rs 4581.92 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 8 November 2016.

VA Tech Wabag's consolidated net profit jumped 69.65% to Rs 24.04 crore on 31.05% rise in total income to Rs 777.60 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 8 November 2016.

Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals reported net profit of Rs 415.86 crore in Q2 September 2016 compared with net loss of Rs 913.38 crore in Q2 September 2015. Total income rose 10.61% to Rs 14082.70 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 8 November 2016.

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On 09 November 2016

Monotype India has obtained the approval from the Regional Director, Eastern Region, for shifting of registered office from the state of West Bengal to the state of Maharashtra, at Mumbai.

The order confirming the alteration to the situation clause of Memorandum of Association for the shifting of registered office from the state of West Bengal to the state of Maharashtra, at Mumbai has been issued by the Regional Director, Eastern Region, Ministry of Corporate Affairs vide order dated October 06, 2016.

Further, ROC Mumbai has issued the Certificate of Registration of Regional Director Order for Change of State dated 09 November 2016.

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Marking the 2nd Foundation Day of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Minister of State(I/C) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, launched the Pradhan Mantri YUVA Yojana, MSDE's flagship scheme on entrepreneurship education and training.

The scheme spans over five years (2016-17 to 2020-21) with a project cost of Rs. 499.94 crore, and will provide entrepreneurship education and training to over 7 lakh students in 5 years through 3050 Institutes. It will also include easy access to information and mentor network, credit, incubator and accelerator and advocacy to create a pathway for the youth.

Shri Rudy said, with this the government has taken important strides to scale up entrepreneurship in the country. He said, Pradhan Mantri YUVA Yojana has national and international best practices of learning in entrepreneurship education.

He said, MSDE's two institutions dedicated to entrepreneur education and training - NIESBUD and IIE- have trained more than 7 lakh trainees including 2,600 persons from more than 125 countries in the field of entrepreneurial skills till date. After becoming a part of this Ministry, these two institutes are now focusing on mentorship of budding entrepreneurs across the country. We have seen success so far and we are determined to create more opportunities of employment for our youth through this initiative, he further added.

The institutes under the PM's YUVA Yojana include 2200 Institutes of Higher Learning (colleges, universities, and premier institutes), 300 schools, 500 ITIs and 50 Entrepreneurship Development Centres, through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).

The announcement on scheme was made at a day-long national conference of State Ministers on Skilling with quality which saw more than 80% of the States making their representations. The conference emphasised on the need for strengthening institutional mechanisms for skill development at the State level and bringing in a more robust framework ensuring quality output, outcome and impact on the youth of our country.

The conference explained Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship's (MSDE) efforts in ensuring alignment to common norms, district level committees, best practices, special projects, disadvantage groups and a robust model for monitoring and validation and emphasised the needs for States to come forward and handhold districts in making all skill initiatives a success at the local level.

MSDE communicated that it has plans to disburse around INR 7000 crore to states to help align them with the centre's skill development agenda and work in conjunction with them to ensure a robust ecosystem.

Secretary MSDE Shri Rohit Nandan, said, Skills have to maintain a certain baseline standard and we should not get caught in the numbers. Skills cannot be compromised at any cost and States should partner with the Centre to verify and grade ITIs and Training Partners so that quality and standards can be maintained. The Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) will work closely with the local authorities and industries towards job aggregation. Those who perform well will be incentivised while those who do not perform will have to exit.

The conference also saw Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, unveil the guidelines for State Engagement under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 2.0 (2016-2020) in the presence of State Ministers. The guidelines provide a framework for the State Government's role and processes, the funding support and the scheme's implementation and monitoring mechanism.

MSDE has allocated around 3000 crore of 25% from the funds earmarked for the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) to the States, to achieve its target of training 10 million people over 4 years.

MSDE also unveiled the Lab Guidelines towards standardisation of lab equipment across skill development training centres in India at the conference. These guidelines specify the number of job roles that can be done in a lab, standard lab layout, and available brands of equipment which should be used. These guidelines will pave a pathway in increasing the employability of trained candidates across States ensuring industry standards.

Emphasising on the importance of being self-sustainable, MSDE announced the institutionalisation of National Entrepreneurship awards for first generation achievers below 30 years, for the very first time. The Entrepreneurship Awards are proposed to be given on 16 January 2017. The young entrepreneur will be awarded in various sectors contributing to the economy of our country. Equal emphasis has been given to recognize the meaningful contribution of ecosystem builders in this award process. Equal focus has been given to recognize young people from socially disadvantaged groups.

We believe that this initiative will motivate first generation entrepreneurs to improve and excel in their entrepreneurial pursuits, and inspire those who are a part of the country's entrepreneurship ecosystem to excel even further, said Secretary Shri Rohit Nandan.

States like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh participating in the conference lauded the Centre's endeavour to bring about convergence across regions and also shared their best practices on Quality Assurance for others to follow. States stated that the quality has to be engrained into the system right at the planning level and also ensured that the skilled workforce will be used for infrastructure and other developments within the region. State Minister from Uttar Pradesh also shared how there skilled workforce is being given international exposure by sending them abroad for training courses in skills like perfumery.

The Ministry also emphasised on increasing engagement with apprentices under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme under which the Government of India will share 25% of prescribed stipend subject to a maximum of Rs. 1500 per month per apprentice with the employers. In addition, Government will also support basic training, which is an essential component of apprenticeship training. It was advised that States may create a State Apprenticeship Cell and encourage engagement of apprentices to the maximum of 10% of total strength of private establishments and State Public Sectors.

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With Delhi and NCR getting the descriptive titles like 'gas chamber' and the world's most polluted city, the entire area of National Capital Region encompassing not only Noida, Gurgaon and Faridabad but also right up to Meerut, Panipat, Bhiwadi and Rohtak is likely to face a crippling economic impact more in sectors like tourism, transport, automobile and real estate, an ASSOCHAM paper has said.

While it may be difficult to hazard a figure of economic loss since the exact period of dangerous levels of pollutants would depend on the weather conditions along with administrative measures, there is no doubt that several billions of dollars of fresh investment and GDP loss would occur, besides causing a loss of confidence among the citizens, said ASSOCHAM Secretary General Mr D S Rawat.

In the immediate run-up, the ongoing tourism season which is yet to pick up, could see a maximum hit with the Delhi and NCR pollution making global headlines and creating an impression to avoid the area for visitors. The maximum foreign tourists visit the 'Golden Triangle' of Delhi-Agra-Jaipur (entire Rajasthan). The ASSOCHAM feedback from tour operators and hoteliers clearly point out a deep concern over the negative impact the pollution can cause to the economy.

If urgent steps on emergency scale are not taken, the economic impact arising out of the health issues could be catastrophic for the NCR, one of the important pillars of the national economy. Besides, this is also a wakeup call for other regions around Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata, adds ASSOCHAM Secretary General.

There are already requests from global tour operators to Indian counterparts to re-align the itinerary of the international tourists to the 'Golden Triangle'.

Instead of the tourists dividing period of stay between Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan, there have been enquiries where the visitors can avoid Delhi, excepting the touch-down options at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital.

Along with the tourism, the transportation linked to the tourism, would also take a hit if investment and tourists traffic gets a setback. The transportation is one of the key contributors to the national economy in the services sector. Both transportation and tourism are highly employment-oriented and jobs may be a casualty of the pollution, the ASSOCHAM paper noted.

Surely, the maximum impact would be felt by the Delhi economy which had the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Rs 558745 crore in 2015-16 at current prices. The GSDP of Delhi has been among the fastest growing in the country, but such a growth cannot be taken for granted, the paper cautioned.

The chamber suggested a holistic set of measures for short-term and long -term to tackle pollution in the NCR. It should not be taken as a Delhi problem or a Noida problem; it must be handled at the top level in all the neighbouring states of Haryana, UP, Punjab and Rajasthan along with active intervention of the Centre.

Besides, measures like ban on construction activities are sustainable as it affects the daily wage earning construction workers because causing delays in national projects like Delhi Metro, adds the chamber.

The challenge lies in changing the adversity of pollution into an opportunity for good health by sustainable development model, the ASSOCHAM said.

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Total Operating Income decline 8.17% to Rs 2046.45 crore

Net profit of Punjab & Sind Bank declined 50.24% to Rs 61.89 crore in the quarter ended September 2016 as against Rs 124.37 crore during the previous quarter ended September 2015. Total Operating Income declined 8.17% to Rs 2046.45 crore in the quarter ended September 2016 as against Rs 2228.62 crore during the previous quarter ended September 2015.2046.452228.6270.6477.5075.07143.3975.07143.3961.89124.37

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Tata Communications slumped 7.88% to Rs 563 at 9:30 IST on BSE after consolidated net profit tanked 64.4% to Rs 39.96 crore on 1.08% decline in total income to Rs 4581.92 crore in Q2 September 2016 over Q2 September 2015.

The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 8 November 2016.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 1,019.52 points or 3.7% at 26,571.62.

On BSE, so far 7,200 shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 1.59 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 576.75 and a low of Rs 550.05 so far during the day.

Tata Communications reported Rs 125 crore as an impairment on investment in Neotel in Q2 September 2016.

Tata Communications along with its subsidiaries is a leading global provider of communications.

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Rome, Nov 9 (IANS/AKI) A child cannot automatically be given its father's surname if its parents are married, Italy's constitutional court has ruled.

"Norms which automatically attribute the paternal surname to legitimate children against the parents' wishes are unconstitutional," the court said in its landmark ruling late on Tuesday.

The top court upheld a ruling by an appeals court in the northwest city of Genoa in favour of an Italian-Brazilian couple who wanted to give their child both their surnames.

A bill allowing children have the surnames of both parents has been stalled in the Italian parliament's upper house Senate since 2014.

In 2006, the constitutional court ruled that making parents give children their father's surname was "a remnant of a patriarchal conception of the family" but stopped short of declaring the practice unconstitutional, asking the Italian parliament to legislate on the issue.

--IANS/AKI

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Seeking to heal the national rift, an emotional Hillary Clinton offered to work with Donald Trump but added a note of caution saying that her supporters should be ready to defend American values.

As she began her speech to her supporters here on Wednesday, she appeared to wipe a tear from her eyes and fight back tears while her lips quivered during pauses. "I hope he will be a successful president for all Americans," she said. "We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead."

She was responding to Trump's call to bind the wounds inflicted on the nation by the harsh campaign and heal them, with a graciousness that matched his.

But she tempered that with a veiled warning to Trump against acting on what were seen as his aggressive stances towards some people like Muslims and immigrants. Important American values were the rule of law, freedom of worship and equality and respect for all, she said. "We cherish these values and must defend them," she commanded her supporters.

Before her defeat, she had been expected to make history by becoming the first woman to be elected president. "I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but someday, someone will, and hopefully sooner than we might think right now," she said.

"And to all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and to achieve your own dreams," she added.

--IANS

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As the government tightened its noose on black money, India's corporate sector cutting across the spectrum gave a thumbs up to the steps taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on demonetization of high value currency in the country.

Here is what they said:

Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman, Bharti Enterprises:

This is a very thoughtful and bold move by the Prime Minister, which will reinforce the faith of the people in the ideas of transparency and governance. This step will not only clean up the scourge of parallel economy, but will also provide a major fillip to the nation's transition into a cashless digital economy. This is the time for the business and people of the country to rejoice the transformational initiative by the government, rather than worry about the short term inconvenience that they may face.

Somasundaram PR, Managing Director, India, World Gold Council:

The act of demonetising high value currency notes by the government of India is a decisive and welcome step to curb tax evasion and improve compliance, an important milestone in the journey towards the vision of becoming a cashless economy. This will be transformative for gold as this has the potential to squeeze out the unofficial trade, and drive greater transparency across.

Porush Singh, Country Corporate Officer, India and Division President, South Asia, Mastercard:

Mastercard welcomes and supports Prime Minister Modi's announcement regarding the ban on high value currency notes as it fundamentally addresses the underlying 'cash engine' that drives the shadow economy. It will enable further growth in the Indian economy by encouraging cashless transactions and reducing crime rate.

T.R. Ramachandran, Group Country Manager, India & South Asia, VISA:

We welcome this bold move by the government towards eliminating black money and accelerating India towards a cashless economy. This is one of the most significant steps that we have seen so far towards India becoming a cashless economy.

Ashish Sarin, CEO, Alpha Corp:

There is widespread corruption in the system and the government had to take stern measures to weed out corruption from the grassroots level. Demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes will be instrumental in eradicating black money out from the transactions and strengthen the banking channel as moneys will get in to the banking system.

Dhruv Agarwala, CEO, PropTiger.com and makaan.com:

We don't see an immediate fall in land prices, but transactions will certainly freeze. The overall decline in land prices will have a cascading effect.

Shishir Baijal, Chairman and Managing Director, Knight Frank India:

The broader effects of this move will help the sector (real estate) grow in the long run. Firstly, it will create a level playing field amongst all stake holders in the sector. Institutional funding to developers which till present day came with a higher risk weightage is bound to see some softening with the increased transparency.

Sathvik Vishwanath, CEO and Co-Founder, Unocoin:

The intentions are good but very difficult to achieve. If going cashless is the only way forward, certainly the bitcoin which is borderless trustless and transparent currency makes more sense.

Manavjeet Singh, CEO and Founder, Rubique:

This is a promising move made by the government towards cashless economy. This will boost innovation in the nascent electronic payment industry. Without doubt, this will bring down frauds and thefts and costs of printing cash. A great blow to black money. If executed well, the costs of doing transactions between buyers and sellers will lower significantly by 2019.

Ranjit Punja, CEO and Co-founder, Creditmantri:

Sweeping step taken by the PM, but this should have a positive impact in curtailing black money and reducing corruption. Likely to cause some temporary hardship, and with the introduction of the Rs 2,000 note, along with the security and tracking features, currency will be used as intended.

Sanjay Sethi,Co-founder and CEO, Shopclues:

This is a master stroke by the BJP government and a very bold move indeed. Even though this is not the first time such a move has been made by a sitting government, what is significant this time is that it is built on the JAM trinity - Jandhan, Aadhar and Mobile - making it hard for the country to regress.

Vineet Relia, Managing Director, SARE Homes:

This is a very bold move taken by the government and we truly support the decision of moving towards cash less economy. The move will have a major impact in secondary sales especially in the high value segment.

Anshuman Magazine, Chairman, India & South East Asia, CBRE:

It is a bold move. While it may cause some pain in the short-term, the long-term outlook for the industry looks positive. It certainly helps that the real estate industry has already moved towards transparency in its operations.

--IANS

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Industry organisation CII on Wednesday said the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes will have a positive impact on the economy, as it will help tackle corruption that has taken roots over the last several decades.

"The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has always supported measures to root out corruption and black money. CII's code of conduct for ethical business prohibits bribery and money laundering and promotes ethical business dealings and compliance with laws on terrorist financing," the industry body said in a statement.

The business body pointed out that the positive impacts of the decision to invalidate Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as legal tenders will be felt in addressing the issues of terrorism, counterfeit currency and arms smuggling, as mentioned by the Prime Minister.

On Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination currency notes will cease to be legal tenders from the midnight of November 8 as part of a string of measures to fight black money.

According to Naushad Forbes, President of the CII, the Prime Minister's epochal move to stamp out black money means a definitive and impactful end to the parallel economy and to promote wider use of cashless transactions.

The Prime Minister's address to the nation on demonetising Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes sends out the strong message that corruption and underground transactions will no longer be tolerated, said Forbes.

"Prime Minister's resolute action infuses huge confidence among honest tax payers, legal industry and the public at large that India means business when it comes to halting corruption and black money."

Congratulating the Prime Minister on the reformist measure, CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said: "It truly proves to the citizens and the world that India can take strong economic measures when required, and underscores the will of the government to undertake big bang reforms."

"We are confident that Prime Minister Modi will continue to take tough steps with huge macro impact on the economy in the future," Banerjee said.

Banerjee added that the CII believes that the disruptions and hardships that are being feared are only transient and only for the next couple of days, and the whole country should welcome this move in the interest of the larger good.

--IANS

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The government decision to axe Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will not unearth black money and "is more like political posturing", the CPI-M said on Wednesday.

"The claim that the demonetization will check black money, fake currency,

corruption and terrorism lacks substance," the Communist Party of India-Marxist said in a statement.

"By the Prime Minister's own admission, the bulk of black money generation and storage is in off-shore accounts in foreign currency.

"Counterfeit currency can be generated for any denomination. The announcement of a new Rs 2,000 note alongwith another Rs 500 note does not in any way prevent future possible counterfeit circulation.

"It's an established fact that terrorist funds flow through electronic transfers and not through currency transactions," the party said.

It said that by allowing the conversion of the existing 1,000 and 500 currency notes within the prescribed time limit, no effective measure was there to prevent benami conversions.

"In effect what this would result in is a total disruption of the payments

and settlements that are part of daily life of our economy," the CPI-M said.

"It will burden the vast mass of our people from daily wage labourers, fishermen, small businesses, traders and vendors selling at the door step. What is going to happen is the disruption in livelihoods and bureaucratic harassment of ordinary people who wish to change the currency notes.

"The basic avenues for money laundering through participatory notes and

diversions through tax havens remains untouched. There is no attempt to

curb the roots of generation of black money such as in the real estate sector.

"This is a measure to cover up the utter failure of the Modi government on

the economic front, of joblessness, high prices and no pick-up in domestic

demand, crippling all sections of our population, especially the working

classes, and ruining the peasantry," the CPI-M said.

The CPI-M urged the government to make public forthwith the names of

those holding bank deposits and accounts in tax-havens and those refusing

to return humongous loans from nationalised banks estimated at over Rs 11 lakh crore "if it is really committed to recover and curb black money".

Earlier, CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted: "This is attempted as a gimmick to divert attention from serious social and political failures of this government in the past 2.5 years.

"What is the cost of withdrawing currency notes and replacing them with Rs 2,000 notes? Also, its economic and social costs must be made public," he said, dubbing the move to be another "jumla".

"What are the estimates of black money that will be curbed by this move? Government should make the figures public."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday night that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes will cease to be legal tender from midnight of Tuesday. He said this was aimed at battling black money.

--IANS

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The US Embassy here was abuzz with activity since early morning on Wednesday as the close contest between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton during the counting of votes in the US presidential elections surprised many who came visiting.

The lawn of US Ambassador to India Richard Verma's residence at the Roosevelt House, within the embassy precincts in the Chanakyapuri diplomatic enclave here, was decked up with a giant screen providing live updates on the counting of votes cast during the November 8 presidential election.

Both Verma and another US official said that US-India relations were bound to grow, irrespective of who eventually won the close contest.

Staff and guests thronged the venue since early morning hours. As updates continued to pour in, the neck-and-neck race only deepened the suspense over the eventual winner.

Many expressed surprise over the really close contest.

"We expected the competition to be close, but we are a bit surprised how close it (really) is," said Katie Walker, the Programme Director of Indo-Genius.

The lawn was festooned with thousands of balloons of blue, white and red hues, as well as ones with the American flag. Life-sized cutouts of both Clinton and Trump stood at two ends of the lawn, with visitors lining up to click photographs with them.

Interestingly, even as Trump promised during his campaign to impose a 45 per cent tariff on Chinese imports if elected, the caps with red, white and blue colours of the American flag distributed on the occasion were made in China.

As it became clear that Trump was going to pip Clinton to the post, murmurs laced with disappointment as well as gasps of sheer surprise filled the air.

Embassy staff and officials, however, maintained neutrality amid the hum, maintaining they will serve whoever is elected the US President.

While opinion polls had largely forecast Clinton's victory, Deputy Chief Of Mission MaryKay Loss Carlson said many Americans were not ready to tip their cards and hence the opinion polls went wrong.

"I fear opinion polls this time were misleading. Some people may not be able to admit they are against a woman candidate; or some may not admit they are pro-Clinton or pro-Trump," she said.

"Just like Brexit where in opinion polls people did not want to admit they were pro-Brexit," she said in reference to the referendum in the United Kingdom over the country's exit from European Union.

Carlson said the elections were "historic", as it was a first when a woman candidate came so close to being elected the US President.

Strategic expert C. Raja Mohan, present at the embassy, said the US is a complex county.

"The US is a complex country and very diverse like India. This election is important because three ideas of US are being challenged. First, that capitalism will work for everyone... here we had a candidate (Trump) saying the working class will rally behind him. Second is about free trade and open border... Trump is questioning that. And third is about America being the policeman... Trump is questioning that as well," he said.

While Trump's campaign had an anti-globalisation tone, George N. Sibley, Minister Counsellor, Economic, Environment, Science and Technology Affairs at the American Embassy, said a change in the trade policy is expected to be only moderate.

"India and the US have both benefited from an open trade regime. So, I will anticipate only moderate changes," Sibley told IANS.

"In terms of India, there seems to be a broad consensus this is an important, valuable and meaningful relationship for both countries and it should continue and grow," Sibley said.

Ambassador Verma also said the bilateral relations were only going to grow.

"The gains in the US-India relations for decades have been on bi-partisan basis, with Republican as well as Democrat Presidents, and different parties controlling the House and the Senate. I would even say that the US-India relationship is now a non-partisan issue," Verma said.

Verma, an American of Indian origin, also congratulated Kamala Harris, who made history by becoming the first Indian American to be elected to the US Senate.

"We offer special congratulations to Senator Kamala Harris on her election," the US Ambassador said.

--IANS

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After crashing 1,688 points, or 6.12 per cent, in early trade on Wednesday, a key Indian equity index, the 30-share sensitive index (Sensex) of the BSE, regained a large part of the losses to trade around 383 points, or 1.39 per cent, lower over the previous close.

Following global cues, as also domestic developments, key Indian indices had reacted adversely to the government's decision the previous evening to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, as also on clear lead Republican candidate Donald Trump established in the US presidential election.

The 30-share Sensex opened as much as 1,339.76 points, or 4.86 per cent lower on Wednesday, at 26,251.38 points, against the previous close at 27,591.14 points. It then drifted 350 points further immediately after. But gradually, a large part of the losses were recouped.

By the time Democratic Hillary Clinton conceded defeat and Trump gave his victory speech, the index had significantly risen from the lows, and was quoting at 27,207.92 points, down 383.22 points, or 1.39 per cent.

Initially, all the 30 shares that go into the Sensex basket were quoting in the red. But upon the recovery, four stocks were in the green, three of them in the pharma space -- Dr. Reddy's, Sun Pharma and Lupin. The State Bank of India was also in the positive territory.

"The initial lead of Trump in US elections sent markets into a tizzy. Now since the lead has been materialised in him winning the election, the market is adjusting itself to changed economics and decisive ways the policies will be implemented," said Mustafa Nadeem, CEO of Epic Research.

"Winning of Donald Trump has had a negative impact on the global markets," Astha Jain, Senior Research Analyst, Hem Securities, told IANS.

At the National Stock Exchange, the Nifty was quoting at 8,414.35 points, down 129.20 points, or 1.51 per cent.

Jain, however, sounded positive on the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. "The announcement on Tuesday evening on demonetisation will have a good impact on the overall economy in the long run. In the short term, the impact is, however, negative," Jain said.

"The sectors which involve cash transactions are the worst affected, mainly the real estate and IT sector."

The situation was no different at other global markets.

At one point, the US Dow was down nearly 4 per cent, Australia's S&P ASX/200 lost 1.2 per cent, Japan's Nikkei was down 4.5 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 2 per cent, South Korea's Kospi was down 2.3 per cent and the Shanghai Composite fell 0.6 percent.

--IANS

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Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said his country expects respect from the US president-elect Donald Trump for the international deal which put an end to the nuclear disputes of the Islamic republic.

"The nuclear agreement between Iran and the world powers, including the outgoing US administration, is a reflection in a UN Security Council Resolution," Rouhani was quoted as saying on Wednesday by Xinhua news agency.

The accord cannot be dismissed by one government's decision, Rouhani said referring to Trump's disapproving comments of Iran's nuclear deal during his presidential campaign.

Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is the nuclear agreement sealed between Iran and the major world powers including China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States and Germany in July 2015 and was implemented on January 16, 2016.

Rouhani stressed that the result of the US presidential election will have no impact on the Islamic republic's policies.

"Iran's policy of constructive interaction with the world and breaking up nuclear sanctions has placed Iran's economic ties with all countries on an improving and irreversible course," he said.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also said that the upcoming US administration should observe the country's commitments pertaining to the nuclear deal.

"Iran and the US have no political relations, but the US must carry out what it has undertaken as an international multilateral commitment in the JCPOA," said Zarif.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will visit India from November 14 to 21 at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee, it was announced on Wednesday.

This follows the visit of Mukherjee to Israel in October last year, the first ever presidential visit from India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold bilateral discussions with Rivlin on November 15 and President Mukherjee will host a banquet in his honour.

Vice President Hamid Ansari and External Affairs Sushma Swaraj will also call on the Israeli leader.

Sushma Swaraj visited Israel in January this year.

According to the External Affairs Ministry, President Rivlin is expected to meet business leaders of both India and Israel during his visit.

He will also visit the Centre of Excellence in Agriculture in Karnal in Haryana and will take part in Agro Tech 2016 organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry in Chandigarh.

"India and Israel enjoy excellent relations marked by strong ties in the areas of economy and commerce, science and technology, research and innovation, culture and tourism, education etc," the ministry said.

"Rivlin's visit is an important event which signifies the growing and sustainable relations between our two countries," Israeli Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon said.

"It is part of a historical process, and the next chapter is enhancing cooperation on agriculture, water and education; from defence and security to food security," he added.

According to the embassy, Rivlin will head business and academic delegations including 15 heads of Israeli universities as well as companies, some of which are active and successful in India.

"The visit will focus on strengthening the ever growing economic ties between India and Israel in agriculture and water, and promoting academic cooperation pursuing the MoU signed by President Mukherjee in Israel in 2015," it stated.

Rivlin will also visit the Taj Mahal in Agra and the adjacent Israeli water treatment plant "Aqwise".

This will be the first Israeli Presidential visit to India in nearly 20 years since Ezer Weizman came in January 1997.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Indian film industry mirrors the same class and caste divisions as the country's society, says industry professional Udayan Baijal, who has contributed to stunt-heavy international productions like "Zero Dark Thirty" and "The Dark Knight Rises".

Baijal, who is a producer, and has worked as first assistant director on films like "The Reluctant Fundamentalist", "Point Break" and "London Has Fallen" too, told IANS: "Unfortunately, there are no health and safety protocols that we follow as filmmakers in this country."

"The film crew hierarchy mirrors the same class and caste divisions as our society - and unfortunately the lower down the film food chain one goes, the lesser the regard for health and safety."

His comment comes after two actors drowned in a lake near Bengaluru after leaping off a helicopter for a crucial climax scene of Kannada movie "Masthigudi". While the hero swam to safety and even had a life jacket, the two others who drowned had no prior training and they reportedly didn't even know how to swim. Besides that, the safety measures were almost nil.

Commenting on this, Baijal said: "Filming can be dangerous work, but there are protocols and standards in place to prevent such accidents. For any stunt sequence, there are certain non-negotiable must dos before you star filming."

Sharing these, he pointed out:

* The first thing that should have been done in this situation is a health and safety assessment. A swimmer with a life vest should have been sent out to assess the water - check depth, the presence of nets, silt and anything else that could prevent the actors from swimming to the surface. For a stunt like this, the first thing you need is to make sure your stuntmen and actors are strong swimmers. They shouldn't even be allowed to perform the stunt without certifying their swimming skill level.

* You must have a crew meeting/ briefing on set before the stunt is shot. The first assistant director and stunt director need to take everyone through the plan in detail and present a plan to the crew if and when things go wrong. It is the job of the first assistant director and stunt director to visualise what the plan of action will be if things go wrong (and they often do). The primary responsibly to ensure that all of this happens is the producers.

* Next, it is essential to do a half-speed rehearsal. This is to make sure that backup plans that have been put in place work. So in the case of 'Masthigudi', they should have played out the stunt at a safe speed. The jump should have been at half the height - with the chopper flying low and rescue boats should have been up and running, engines on and the boats should have gone through the drill of moving in and helping the stunt men/actors to safety. The reason it is called a rehearsal is so we can tweak and adjust things if they didn't work properly (for example, faulty rescue boats).

* Only once the rehearsal is complete to the satisfaction of the first assistant director and stunt director, should you start filming. From what I have read, none of this was followed in the case of "Masthigudi".

* Lastly, I think majority of film crews in India suffer from a dangerous complacency towards health and safety on set. It's considered uncool, weak and unnecessary to rehearse, plan, have health and safety meetings and assessments.

'Ho jaayega' (It will happen) is the constant refrain from producers and crew. This extends beyond stunts -- it applies to grips, electrics, art, special effects and production. To see any real change in the way we work, we need to first address, challenge and change this attitude.

--IANS

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Within moments of Donald Trump being declared the new US President, China on Wednesday said it looks forward to working with the new US government to promote bilateral relations for the benefit of both countries and the world.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said it expects to make joint efforts with the new US government to maintain sustained, healthy and stable growth of China-US relations, and benefit people of the two countries and the world.

Republican Donald Trump won the US presidential election, defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton in an upset win.

--IANS

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Rep. Kevin Cramer can only lose if he follows through with plans for congressional hearings on bias by the major broadcast networks. The North Dakota Republican has announced he wants to review coverage by Fox Television Stations Group, NBCUniversal, ABC and CBS.

In a letter explaining his plans, Cramer said "I am alarmed by recent polls and studies, which seem to confirm that our national network news has devolved from fact-based journalism to surreptitious propaganda."

While many Americans may agree with Cramer, hes going to have a hard time avoiding the appearance of partisanship by seeking the hearings. Cramer said his focus is on national, not local, coverage. He cites what he considers the lack of coverage of the Hillary Clinton email controversy. He also pointed to a Harvard study that found coverage of Donald Trump turned more negative after he had defeated his Republican primary opponents.

Cramer has been closely associated with Trumps campaign and that can only fuel allegations that the hearings are a partisan effort.

Its unclear what Cramer hopes to achieve. Cramer said he doesnt want to go back to the Fairness Doctrine, a past federal regulation requiring television and radio stations to air opposing views on controversial matters. He did say in his letter, Your FCC license and the liberty that comes with your First Amendment rights are not a license to broadcast anything you want or in any way you choose."

That sounds like hes trying to cast a chill on networks, threatening their licenses if they dont meet some standard. Whose standard? Theres no doubt the publics critical of the media, but they also are unhappy with government. The public wont have any more confidence in the media if its perceived as influenced by the government. Both the government and media would slide in the opinion polls.

The increase in social media has changed how many people get the news. While they may not admit it or realize it, not everyone is looking for unbiased sources, instead they seek out news sites that confirm what they believe. This just fuels their belief of network bias because the network reports dont match their beliefs.

The media and press need to operate without government interference. Efforts, such as Cramer plans, tug at the separation of government and news operations.

Chase Iron Eyes, Cramers Democratic opponent in Tuesdays election, was right when he said: "I think it's an utter waste of North Dakota taxpayers time and money for a sitting congressman to threaten national media .

The Tribune editorial board agrees and thinks Cramer should drop his plans.
Terming his government's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes as a "historic step to fight corruption", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called upon people to work together for a corruption-free India.

"A historic step to fight corruption, black money and terrorism," Modi said on Twitter a day after announcing the decision to axe Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

With megastar Rajinikanth joining a host of actors to laud the Prime Minister for the move, Modi took the opportunity to call upon the people to join the fight against corruption and black money.

"Thank you. All of us have to work shoulder to shoulder and create a prosperous, inclusive and corruption-free India," posted Modi in reply to Rajinikanth's tweet, "Hats off Narendra Modiji. New India is born, Jai Hind".

Among the other Bollywood stars to hail the move were Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor and Anushka Sharma.

--IANS

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday discussed business opportunities in India with a Swedish business delegation that called on him here.

The delegation comprised some of the CEOs from Sweden who are in the city for the Sweden-India Business Leaders Round Table conference.

The Swedish-India Business Leaders Round Table or SIBLERT is a high-level platform for business leaders from Sweden and India to identify joint challenges in the fields of research, innovation, investments, financing, trade, business, industrialisation and regulation.

--IANS

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Pakistan on Wednesday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh for the second time in less than 24 hours to lodge a "strong" protest over "unprovoked" ceasefire violations across the Line of Control.

Foreign Officer Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Singh and "strongly" condemned Indian ceasefire violations on Tuesday in the Khuirata and Battal sectors, resulting in the deaths of four civilians, including a 10-year-old girl, a statement said.

The Director General urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire agreement, investigate the continued incidents of ceasefire violations, instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, and stop targeting villages and civilians along the LoC, the statement added.

The statement said that India has so far this year, "committed 222 ceasefire violations out of which 184 have been on the LoC and 38 on the Working Boundary, resulting in shahadat of 26 civilians and injuries to 107 others".

The envoy was summoned on Tuesday over the ceasefire violations that led to the deaths of three people, including a woman, and injuries to four others.

The Indian Deputy High Commissioner has been summoned to the Foreign Office four times in the past weeks, amid rising tensions between the two neighbours.

--IANS

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With ATMs shut after the demonetisation move, the ripple effect was felt among the city's lawyers community too, some of whom had to borrow small change from their children and friends to reach the court complexes while some even took money from their children's piggy banks.

Advocate M.S. Khan told IANS that he borrowed three notes of Rs 100 and some Rs 10, 20 and 50 rupee notes from his three children so that he could reach the court premises and do his work.

"Generally we have notes of either Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 with us. I did not have any single note of Rs 100 or other notes of smaller value," Khan told IANS.

The government on Tuesday night declared that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes have been demonetised from midnight, in an effort to fight black money.

Khan said: "As Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes would not be legal tender after midnight on Tuesday and ATMs will remain closed for two days, I requested my children early this morning to give me some notes of small value which I had given them earlier as pocket money."

Khan said he profusely thanked his children for saving from their pocket money which helped him reach the court.

Another lawyer S.P.M. Tripathy also borrowed money from his son.

"I had notes of Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 only, so I asked my son to give me some money," Tripathy told IANS.

He was thankful for having a 'gullak" (piggy bank) in the house, and said that finally the saving of coins and notes of small value helped them manage the day.

Another lawyer said that he borrowed money from his friend to reach the court complex.

"When I saw a huge crowd outside the ATMs last night I requested my friend to give me some notes of Rs 100, 50, 20 and 10," the lawyer said.

Even the court staff who did not want to be quoted said that money deposited in the home piggy banks and savings by their children helped them reach the court premises as they are also in the habit of keeping big notes in their wallets.

One of the court staff said the sudden announcement of demonetising Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes and ATMs being shut for two days created problems in the morning as it became difficult for him to purchase bread and butter.

Despite the difficulty, court staff as well as lawyers welcomed the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes and said it will help in curbing black money.

"People who have collected huge amounts and hide it in safe places to evade taxes will face problems. The steps will help in checking the huge unaccounted amounts," a lawyer who did not want to be quoted told IANS.

"For us, it is a problem for a day or two as the ATMs will remain closed, but soon after the ATMs start functioning smoothly, everything will come back on track," a court staff said.

Recalling Tuesday night's chaos, one staffer said: "Did you ever see long queues outside ATMs before last night."

People in the court complexes were seen discussing about the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes.

(Amiya Kumar Kushwaha can be contacted at amiya.k@ians.in)

--IANS

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Ro Khanna defeated the eight-term veteran Mike Honda on Tuesday in his second try to enter the House of Representatives after a bitter contest.

Khanna, who served as former Vice President Al Gore's chief of staff, will represent the heart of Silicon Valley in a constituency where many tech giants like Apple, Facebook, Google and Oracle are located. It is also the only one in mainland America with an Asian American majority.

Former President Jimmy Carter endorsed Khanna, while Honda failed to get President Barack Obama's backing this time.

During the heated campaign, Honda filed a federal suit against Khanna's campaign manager, Brian Parvizshahi, alleging that he illegally accessed Honda's list of donors and other records. Parvizshahi resigned from the Khanna campaign.

Honda was under an investigation by the House Ethics Committee on allegations that he used Congressional staff for campaign work.

Forty-year-old Khanna has a law degree from Yale University and specialised in intellectual property law.

He has been a Deputy Assistant Commerce Secretary and a member of the White House Business Council. He teaches economics at Stanford University and law at Santa Clara University.

Khanna is married to Ritu Ahuja.

--IANS

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Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on his election as the 45th President of the US and hoped that bilateral relations will be strengthened during his presidency.

Sonia wished him a great tenure at the Oval Office.

Republican Trump was on Wednesday elected the new US President, proving wrong the forecasters who predicted Hillary Clinton's win in one of the most bitterly fought presidential elections.

--IANS

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Dhanush and Soundarya Rajinikanth on Thursday announced they are collaborating for the sequel to the 2014 Tamil action drama "Vella Illa Pattathari" aka "VIP".

Soundarya will be directing the sequel.

"Proud to be directing Dhanush in this cult franchise for V Creations and Wunderbar Films," Soundarya wrote on her Twitter page on Thursday.

Along with the tweet, she also shared the motion poster of the film.

Dhanush wrote that the film's regular shooting will commence from December.

"Kabali" producer Kalaipuli S. Thanu will be bankrolling the project, which will be shot in Tamil and Telugu.

While Sean Roldan will compose its music, Anirudh Ravichander's background score from the first part will be retained.

--IANS

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As the way has been cleared for Republican Donald Trump to become the next US President, delegates attending the COP22 here are counting on the "moral obligation" of the new American administration and its commitment to honour the Paris Climate Agreement.

Trump -- a climate change sceptic -- has threatened to cancel the Paris deal if he cames to power. This would mean the threshold achieved for the Paris Agreement would be jeopardised as America accounts for 17 per cent of the global emissions, the biggest chunk after China.

"Trump will soon be the most powerful person on the earth, but he doesn't have powers to change the physics of climate change, emission or the global warming. If he will not honor the Paris Climate Agreement then it would have a negative impact on his credibility in the world leadership," Alden Meyer, Director of Washington's Union of Concerned Scientists, told IANS on the sidelines of a US Climate Action Network event.

He further said that the US has a moral responsibility and obligation towards the world. Like it or not, Trump has to honour that anyway, he added.

"The US has a moral responsibility to cope with climate change. Evangelists, religious leaders and many members of the Republican Party are concerned. So, Trump can't simply do as he likes," Meyers contended.

However, even if Trump opts out of the Paris Climate agreement -- which entered into force on November 4 and became a law at Marrakech -- it would take at least four years for the process, the expert said.

"For years, the US has been accusing China for the climate change. It would be hypocritical if it pulls out the of the Paris agreement action," Li Shuo, an observer at COP22 and Policy Advisor of Greenpeace-China, told the media here.

He further stated that the Climate Change action plans would not be impacted by the US stand and that Beijing would continue its commitment nonetheless.

"The world shouldn't wait for anyone and it should move on, no matter what. It's important that countries like India and China remain committed to combat global climate change," Li told IANS.

Katherine Egland of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAAC) "demanded" that the Paris agreement be honoured.

The experts said Trump has more reasons to "honor" the Paris Climate Agreement, not just because of the US obligation to the world but because of his promises to the American people.

"Trump has promised a lot of jobs in the US through clean energy programmes, which means that the private investment has to continue. The President-elect has to recognise this. If he has to grow, he has to grow with the system," Meyer said.

Clementive Renevia, from the French Ministry of Environment, also said that Trump becoming President would not have any impact on the Paris Climate Agreement.

"Our minster and COP21 President, Segolene Royal, has already said that Trump's becoming the US President will not change anything. I feel that we should keep moving on," Renevia told IANS.

Shigeru Ushio, a senior official at the Japan's Foreign Minister, told IANS, "I don't see any dark clouds over Paris Climate Agreement due to Trump becoming the new President, as the US simply can't avoid this treaty."

(Kushagra Dixit is in Marrakech at the invitation of TERI. He can be contacted at kushagra.d@ians.in)

--IANS

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US President-elect, Donald Trump, who scripted an amazing victory, on Wednesday said that America will no longer settle for anything less than the best, and told the world community that the US will deal "fairly with every one".

In his first speech to ecstatic supporters after being elected the 45th President of the US, Trump said: "No dream is too big, no challenge too great. America will no longer settle for anything less than the best. We will reclaim our country's destiny."

"I want to tell the world community, that we will deal fairly with everyone.. We will seek partnership, not confrontation", he added.

--IANS

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Volunteers from five villages adopted by Rashtrapati Bhavan completed their training in traditional therapies and first aid on Wednesday, an official statement said.

Omita Paul, Secretary to President Pranab Mukherjee, on Wednesday presented certificates to village volunteers who participated in the internship programme at AYUSH Wellness Centre in the President's Estate under the Smart Gram Initiative.

"Fifteen volunteers from the five villages -- Dhaula, Alipur, Harchandpur, Rojka Meo and Taj Nagar -- adopted by Rashtrapati Bhavan under its Smart Gram Initiative, were given training in therapies under Ayurveda, Unani, Yoga, First Aid and Physiotherapy for two months.

"Today, they were awarded certificates and First Aid kits. These trainees will now run the Smart Gram Wellness Centres being opened and inaugurated in the villages on November 11, 2016 by the Haryana Chief Minister," the statement said.

Speaking on the occasion, Paul said that volunteers must utilise their training to serve the people of their respective villages with dedication.

"Rashtrapati Bhavan will continue this endeavour and efforts were already underway to train the second batch of volunteers," she added.

--IANS

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A former government official of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation accused of accepting bribes and kickbacks from a construction contractor has pleaded guilty to federal charges in North Dakota. Randall Phelan was an elected representative of the governing body of the Three Affiliated Tribes from the end of 2012 to the middle of 2020. Investigators say Phelan used his official position to help the contractors business by awarding contracts, fabricating bids and managing fraudulent invoices. His trial had been scheduled to begin Tuesday. Phelan and two others were originally charged with receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from the bribery scheme on the oil-rich Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The contractor has pleaded guilty to bribery.
POTUS is the shorthand the Secret Service employs to describe its chief client. Its the acronym for President of the United States. With Donald Trumps against-all-odds victory, the 151-year-old organisation could well change that abbreviation to LOUTUS, short for Lout of the United States. That, in effect, describes the nature of the man the majority of the American people have chosen to govern them. This would not have mattered had their choice not impacted global politics. But now, the worlds most powerful nation is in the hands of a man who represents the lowest common denominator in public life. Which is to say, the majority of the American people have ended up endorsing the crudest kind of misogyny, racism, communalism, nationalism and protectionism. The commentators call this a vote of the disaffected. But the message the world is getting from this mandate is that American values have acquired another dimension; here are rewards to be reaped from indulging in overtly uncouth behaviour: to sexually harass women, abuse foreigners, Muslims and pretty much anyone who does not conform to an approved alt-right vision of an American citizens, to lie and indulge in questionable business practices. If this is how disaffected Americans think, then the world should be seriously worried about disaffected Russians, French, Dutch, British and even Chinese and Indians.
As India scrambled to figure out what to do with Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes after the government announced that these bank notes would be withdrawn from circulation starting November 8 midnight, marketers fell over themselves to announce offers so that consumers could quickly dispose of their stash. Our stores are open till midnight today for shopping, messaged Big Bazaar right after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement during an unscheduled television appearance on the evening of November 8. Note kadak ho na ho, aapki chai rahegi hamesha kadak. Use your Rs 500/1,000 notes to buy Chaayos prepaid gift cards and enjoy meri wali chai without any break, said Chayoos, the gourmet tea chain, in a message. Couldnt withdraw cash yesterday? Walk into any Dunkin Donuts, get 25 per cent off on payment through credit/debit cards, SMSed the doughnut brand.
The Mimosa (sparkling wine with orange juice, for the uninitiated) began getting warm as the election temperature rose. The Bloody Marys (complete with pepper, tabasco, celery sticks and cherry tomatoes) were already hot. The cut-outs of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton that greeted visitors at the gate of the US Embassy grinned even wider. And say this for the Americans: Nobody does elections like they do. Amid the fragrance of the maple-cured ham, cheeseburgers and pancakes, what would have been a celebratory breakfast for US Ambassador in New Delhi, Richard Verma, (who is a Democrat nominee) became funereal, and Verma swallowed as he announced with a brave face, that Indo-US ties would continue to go from strength to strength, regardless of which government was in power. You could almost see him barking at his staff: start packing up.
I have applied for an auto loan. The verification executive insisted that he needs to talk to my neighbours and take their details as well. It was quite shocking to hear such requests when my credit score is above 800 and I have not missed a single repayment on my equated monthly instalments ever. Are such practices necessary?
At least one person was killed and three others injured in an explosion followed by fire at a factory in China's eastern Anhui province, state media reported today.

So far, four persons have been rescued while 11 remain unaccounted for, state-run Xinhua agency reported.

The explosion occurred at 5:15 (local time) yesterday afternoon at a factory on an industrial park in Tangshu Township, Shucheng county.

Police have cordoned off the scene of the incident, and ambulances have begun to arrive.

Fire fighters continue to fight the fire.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As many as 20 of the UK's most innovative companies will be on a two day visit to Kochi from November 11 to explore partnership opportunities.

The business delegation will be in New Delhi from November 7-9 to showcase their high tech smart city solutions at the India-UK Tech Summit.

They will then travel to Kochi, where they will meet representatives from government and industry, the British High Commission in Chennai said in a press release.

The mission will build on existing UK support to Kochi, including for their smart city bid and work on urban master-planning in Aluva.

"Theresa May's visit to India, her first visit outside Europe since she became Prime Minister, reflects India's importance as a strategic partner," Bharat Joshi, British Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai said.

The UK invests more in India than the US and Japan combined and India is the thirdlargest investor into the UK, he said.

"We have already supported the Kochi Smart Cities Project and I'm excited to be bringing more than 20 first-rate UK companies with expertise in transport infrastructure, built environment, energy, water, waste management and sanitation, technology infrastructure and securities and cyber solutions to see for themselves the opportunities this extraordinary city offers," he said.

"This is the first and largest business delegation of its kind to Kerala. The companies visiting Kochi will pitch the latest in cutting edge smart city solutions to both government and industry," Tammy Sandhu, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Department for International Trade, Chennai said.

The UK's companies offer development of autonomous vehicles, intelligent transport systems, data analytics and smart energy.

"We look forward to explore partnership opportunities that Kochi Smart City has to offer," she said.

The UK is country partner at this year's Tech Summit, India's premier science and technology showcase.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the partnership between the two countries during his visit to the UK in November 2015.

The UK companies are showcasing a variety of innovative solutions at the Tech Summit. Exhibits include smart meters, a self-driving vehicle, solar-powered grids and advanced technology mobile devices.

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Mizoram Excise and Narcotics



department's Anti Narcotic Squad with the help of local members of civil societies seized 276 gm of heroin at three different places in Aizawl today, department spokeperson said.

The spokesperson said that the contraband worth around Rupees ten lakh in the local market was reportedly smuggled from neighbouring Myanmar via the border district of Champhai.

Five persons, including one Myanmarese national, were arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

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An unprecedented 'desi' wave hit the US general elections as a record number of four Indian- Americans were today elected to the US Congress, while the fifth candidate's election results have gone for recounting.

Indian-American women put up a good show in the 2016 elections, with Kamala Harris, 51, a two-term attorney general from California, creating history by winning the US Senate seat from the state.

Pramila Jayapal, 51, won the Congressional seat from Seattle to enter the House of Representatives, the first Indian-American woman to accomplish this feat.

Jayapal would be joined in the House of Representatives by Raja Krishnamoorthi, who made it to the highest citadel of democracy in their second attempt.

Ro Khanna, the democratic candidate from California's 17th District, defeated his party colleague Mike Honda by nearly 19 percentage points.

Meanwhile, Democratic Congressman Ami Bera's election results have gone for recounting. Bera was contesting against Republican Scott Jones for the House of Representatives.

"I have full confidence that the professionals who work at the Sacramento County Registrar will ensure that every ballot is counted, and right now we need to let them do their job," said Bera.

"As the first votes were counted on Election Day, I had the greatest lead I've ever had at this stage, so I'm confident that we're again headed toward victory. After months of a divisive national election, our job starting tomorrow is to bring our country back together," he said.

In 2012, and again in 2014, Bera's race was too close to call on election night. In both years, Bera emerged as the winner -- in 2012 by a margin of 9,191, and in 2014 by a margin of 1,455 votes -- after the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters counted these provisional and vote by mail ballots.

If re-elected for the third term, Bera would equal the record of Dalip Singh Saund, who was elected to the House of Representatives from the 29th Congressional District of California from January 1957 to January 1963.

Jindal, who later went on to become the two-term Governor of Louisiana, was elected to the US House of Representatives twice in 2004 and 2006.

Outgoing US President Barack Obama had endorsed Harris, Krishnamoorthi and Bera. Senator Bernie Sanders and former US President Jimmy Carter had endorsed Jayapal.

Harris, who was born in Oakland, California, is the daughter of an Indian mother who emigrated from Chennai in 1960 and a Jamaican American father.

California Democrats had overwhelmingly endorsed Harris for US Senate, solidifying her front-runner status in the race to become California's next Senator.

Endorsing Harris, Obama had said "Kamala Harris fights for us. Thats why I am so proud to endorse her for United States Senator. And if you send her to the Senate, she'll be a fearless fighter for the people of California, all the people of California, every single day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
41 people were held in the National Capital for consuming liquor in public places by the Excise Department on the second day of its special drive against open drinking, taking the total numbers of people arrested to 77.

The action was taken against the violators under section 40 of the Delhi Excise Act and they were handed over to police in different police stations for further action as per law.

The arrests were made from Nand Nagri, Prasad Nagar, Ranjeet Nagar, Govindpuri, Badarpur, Vasant Kunj, Janakpuri, Katju Marg, Subhash Place, Mukherjee Nagar, Naraina, Burari, Timarpur, Mayur Vihar, New Ashok Nagar and Anand Vihar, yesterday.

On first of the drive launched on Monday, 36 people had been caught drinking alcohol in the open.

In North-East Delhi, three persons were arrested while six persons were caught for the same.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia yesterday had made it clear that the government is sending a clear message to violators that they should clean up their act, or face the music.

There will be zero tolerance against such behaviour and the government will keep an eye out for miscreants who violate the Excise act, he has said.

Delhi Government had announced a three-fold action plan for crackdown on illegal consumption of liquor and violation of the Excise Act.

A week long awareness drive had been launched in this regard following which arrests have been made and more arrests are likely.

The government said earlier anyone caught drinking publicly will have to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 and anyone creating nuisance in public will be fined Rs 10,000 and face arrest.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least seven persons were killed and over 50 others injured today when a tram derailed inside a tunnel in south London during an early morning rainstorm, police said.

The tram driver from Beckenham has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

British Transport Police said they were investigating whether he fell asleep.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said the tram was travelling at a "significantly higher speed than is permitted".

Deputy Chief Constable Adrian Hanstock said: "After liaison with the coroner, we can confirm that at least seven people have lost their lives as a result of this incident."



London Ambulance Service said eight people have serious or life-threatening injuries, while a total of 51 had been taken to two hospitals.

Emergency services rushed to the scene near the Sandilands tram stop on Addiscombe Road in the small town to free people trapped in the two-carriage vehicle.

Transport for London (TfL) said the incident occurred inside a tunnel.

"The Rail Accident Investigation Bureau is now investigating this incident and will work out how this tragic incident has occurred," TfL said.

Witnesses reported hearing a bang at the scene, where police were called at 6.13am GMT on Wednesday.

The tram appeared to be on its side next to an underpass, and there was a large police cordon in the area with scores of emergency vehicles nearby.

The tram seemed to have derailed at a point at which the track diverges.

British Prime Minister Theresa May offered her thoughts and prayers and said the government was "closely in touch with the emergency services and other authorities to ensure that all is being done that is necessary to deal with this terrible incident".

London mayor Sadiq Khan said: "My thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of those who have lost their lives today, and everyone involved in this incident.

"I am in close contact with the emergency services and Transport for London, who are working extremely hard under very difficult circumstances to get the situation under control and treat those who have been injured.

"The police have set up a number for friends and family to call for information," Khan said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Less than 10 months after launching his Republican gubernatorial campaign as a self-styled political outsider, Fargo businessman Doug Burgum is on his way to stepping inside as North Dakota's governor-elect.

Burgum and his running mate, Watford City Mayor Brent Sanford, took a commanding lead immediately in the North Dakota gubernatorial race Tuesday night and never looked back.

Unofficial results as of 10 p.m. had Burgum and Sanford carrying 76.8 percent of the vote, cruising past the 18.8 percent tally for his Democratic-NPL Party opponent, state Rep. Marvin Nelson of Rolla, and his running mate, state Sen. Joan Heckaman of New Rockford.

Libertarian Party candidate Marty Riske and running mate Joshua Voytek were at 4.2 percent.

Nationally, this has been a crazy campaign year. As a nation, were more divided than weve been in over a century, Burgum said in his victory speech before a crowd of supporters in Fargo. Regardless of tonights outcome in national races, tomorrow brings a new day, and we as North Dakotans have the power to choose our destiny.

Burgum repeated his pledge to forge a new path for the state by addressing the states tough fiscal situation and looking at ways to improve state government efficiency.

By making the tough choices today, we can reset our budget for the future and ensure we fund our most important priorities. We can do that by embracing new solutions, making sure we better drive value for taxpayers and treating taxpayers like the customers we are, Burgum said.

GOP leaders gathered at the Bismarck Ramada hailed Burgums victory.

Im very optimistic about how hell do as governor, said Gov. Jack Dalrymple. He has the background and the experience and the intelligence to do the job very well.

Dalrymple said hes met with Burgum on a few occasions to discuss whats needed to do the job effectively.

North Dakota Republican Party Chairman Kelly Armstrong praised the energy of Burgums campaign.

From the time of the primary and during the general election, Doug Burgum has worked harder than just about any candidate weve had in a long time. Im excited to work with him, Armstrong said.

Burgum, 60, was able to bring establishment Republicans on board with him after scoring an upset in a bruising and contentious GOP primary fight against Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem. His victory keeps the North Dakota governorship in Republican hands, a position the party has held since 1992.

A top priority for Burgums administration when the Legislature convenes in January will be getting the state on a steady fiscal path. In the past year, the state has twice tapped deep into rainy day funds to address a nearly $1.4 billion budget shortfall stemming from a slowdown in oil activity and lower agricultural prices.

Burgum also will need to step up and work to find a solution to the ongoing Dakota Access Pipeline protests. The protest movement in Morton County near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation has resulted in hundreds of arrests since August and several million dollars in law enforcement costs, drawing global attention.

Democratic-NPL Party Chairwoman Kylie Oversen called Nelson's defeat a letdown.

Were incredibly proud of the race that Marvin Nelson and Joan Heckaman ran, she said. Were not disappointed in the race that they ran.

Multiple calls to Nelson for comment werent returned by press time.

When Burgum takes office Dec. 15, hell have the Republican-dominated state Capitol and Legislature that outgoing Gov. Jack Dalrymple has been able to enjoy. The party maintained its hold on every statewide elected office Tuesday.

Burgum received a bachelors degree from North Dakota State University and a masters degree in business administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

In 1983, he joined Great Plains Software, where, as chairman and CEO, the company grew. In 2001, it was sold to Microsoft for $1.1 billion. He served as a senior vice president of Microsoft until 2007.

In 2006, he founded the Kilbourne Group, which works to redevelop downtown Fargo. In 2008, he co-founded venture capital firm Arthur Ventures.
To avoid long queues at toll plazas Pan India, the government today asked them to accept the old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes till November 11 midnight.

The decision was taken after Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Chairman Raghav Chandra took up the matter with the Prime Minister's Office after being flooded by calls from states over the grim situation at toll plazas.

"We have issued instructions to all 365 toll plazas across the country to immediately accept currency denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 till November 11 midnight to ease the situation of jams and long queues at toll booths," Chandra told PTI.

Chandra said he contacted the PMO as well as the Finance Ministry to apprise them of the condition at the plazas after being inundated by calls from commuters as well as state government officials over traffic congestion.

"Several Chief Secretaries including Chief Secretaries of Haryana and Gujarat besides commuters contacted us about the situation. Many travelers narrated their plights," he said.

On being apprised of the situation, the government allowed toll plazas to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations.

"NHAI has issued instructions to all concessionaires and developers including people managing toll plazas to abide by the instructions to ensure that travelers do not face any problems due to traffic hazards," he said.

The Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes are legally accepted tenders at plazas till November 11 midnight, he explained.

"Meanwhile we are strictly monitoring the situation and keeping a close eye so that commuters can travel without any inconveniences," Chandra said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night announced the decision to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes from last midnight.

Declaring a "decisive" war against black money and corruption, Modi also listed a raft of steps to assure commoners that their money is safe.

In his first televised address to the nation two-and-a- half-years after assuming office, he had announced a 50-day window from November 10 to December 30 for those having these notes to deposit them in their bank and post office accounts "without any limit".
Hundreds of activists from over 40 NGOs and civil society today gathered at Jantar Mantar here, appealing to end an environment of alleged war-mongering and jingoism in the country and strive for peace.

"We gathered here to send out a message that the climate of war-mongering has taken over the country post the Uri attack in Kashmir and the subsequent military stance by India. We need to be wary of that and go for peace," alleged Shabnam Hashmi of Anhad, one of the co-organisers.

Besides, Amhad, AIDWA, AIPF, AISA, All India Catholic Association, IPTA Delhi, SFI, Pehchan, NAPM and other organistions also participated in the event -- Citizens Joint Action Against War Mongering.

Former Navy chief Admiral (retd) Lakshminarayan Ramdas, author Achin Vanaik, activists Medha Patkar and Kavita Krishnan, Prabir Purkayastha, among others, spoke on the occasion.

"Admiral Ramdas said that no one likes a war-like situation. And, we should certainly be wary of it," Leena Dabiru of Dwarka Collective, one of the organiser said.

"We are already running a campaign on the theme on Facebook, and today also poets, artists and musicians came together to send out the message of peace and love," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Air India plans to rope in consultant for hand-holding and to help it chalk out short and long-term business plan strategy as it seeks to turn profitable by March 2019, much ahead of the original deadline of fiscal 2021-22.

The government-owned carrier has recently issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the purpose of selecting a consulting entity that has expertise in airlines sector in this regard.

Air India, which has reported an operating profit of Rs 105 crore for the fiscal ended March 2016, the first time since Indian Airlines merged with it in 2007, is staying afloat on a Rs 30,000 crore government bailout.

"The consulting firm shall review existing internal processes and prepare business plan strategy for short and long-term (10 years), engagement would also include benchmarking as per industry standards," Air India said in the RFP document.

Besides, the firm would also carry out gap analysis, recommendations for changes and detailed implementation blue print, keeping in mind current and future market scenario, handhold Air India in implementing these plans, it said.

Air India along with its two subsidiaries --Air India Express and Alliance Air -- at present has a fleet of over 130 aircraft in its fleet, comprising Airbus, Boeing, ATR and CRJ planes. The airline commands 14.7 per cent market share in the domestic air space.

In addition, the carrier plans to add another 100 planes in its fleet, including smaller ones for the regional connectivity over the next four years, to take on the competition in the fast growing domestic market, which is seeing over 20 per cent growth for nearly two years now.

In 2012, the then UPA government had granted over Rs 30,000 crore to Air India under a turnaround and financial restructuring plan, stretching over a period of nine years, to turn around the company.

These funds are to be infused over till the fiscal 2021, of which the carrier has so far utilised Rs 21,000 crore.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Expressing optimism for a victory for Donald Trump, Indian-American industrialist Shalabh Kumar said the US is witnessing a "movement" where people want a businessman and a non-politician to run the country and bring it back on its feet.

"The country is crippled despite what President Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton say," Kumar, founder of the Republican Hindu Coalition told PTI in an interview here as the US awaits the results of the presidential elections.

Claiming that the there is a huge amount of debt and unemployment in the country, he said, "there is a movement in America that a vast majority of the people want to have a businessman, a non-politician and an outsider to run the country so that it could be back on its feet".

The industrialist said that the world is facing a "third world war" that the Islamic State terror group has brought in and the "radical Islamic extremists have declared a war on the free world".

"Keeping all this in mind, the country must give a chance to a non-politician and see if he can straighten out these things pretty much in the same light as Prime Minister Narendra Modi did two years ago," Kumar said.

Expressing confidence that the election picture is "looking very good" and the normally blue states have Hillary Clinton defending them, he said, "This is a good sign. The overall voter turnout is very strong. It is looking pretty good, it may be a big surprise from the traditional polls".

Kumar had organised a rally in New Jersey last month in support of Trump, where the Republican presidential nominee told around 5,000 people that he is a "big fan of Hindu" and India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Assam Public Service Commission member Samedur Rahman was arrested today from Rangia near Guwahati on alleged charges of corruption in the organisation as the state government has formed a Special Supervisory Team (SST) to monitor the ongoing probe.

On Nov 7, the state government had formed a Special Supervisory Team (SST) to monitor the ongoing probe into alleged corruption in Assam Public Service Commission by its beleaguered Chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul.

Police said Rahman who was declared an 'absconder', was apprehended from his house in Rangia around 1 am and taken to Guwahati for interrogation.

Police from neighbouring Baksa district, where he was reportedly in hiding, surrounded Rahman's house in Rangia acting on a tip-off. They informed police in Guwahati and the special investigating police team from Dibrugarh which earlier arrested APSC Chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul on November 4, police said.

Rahman was brought to Guwahati for interrogation to the 4th Assam Police Battalion (APBN) in Kahilipara where the APSC Chairman was also being questioned, the sources said.

Rahman's name came to light in connection with the cash-for-job scam when his personal security officer Mabud Ali Choudhury was arrested, based on arrested Dibrugarh Town Planning engineer Naba Kanta Patir's statement.

According to Investigating Officer Dibrugarh district, Additional Superintendent of Police Surjit Singh Paneshar, on October 27, Patir was arrested on a complaint filed by a dental surgeon that he had promised to give her a job through the APSC for a bribe of Rs ten lakh.

Based on Patir's statement during interrogation, Samedur Rahman's personal security officer Mabud Ali Choudhury was arrested the next day, Paneshar said.

Interrogation of Patir and Rahman and phone conversations about money transactions between Patir and the APSC Chairman, revealed strong evidences about a big racket involving Rakesh Paul and Rahman, the police official said.

Paul,who was picked up from his office before his arrest, was being currently interrogated at the 4th APBN and he is stated to have disclosed the names of politicians, government officials, film personnel involved in the APSC recruitment racket.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag today reviewed the operational preparedness and the infrastructure development along the northern borders with China.

Suhag visited the forward areas of Uttarakhand and was received by the formation commanders and later given a detailed brief on the operational and administrative preparedness of the forces.

He also interacted with the troops at various locations he visited and enquired about their well being, a statement by the army said.

Suhag expressed satisfaction with the efforts being made to ensure capability enhancement and operational effectiveness to meet all contemporary and emerging challenges in the forward areas along the LAC, the statement said.

He appreciated the efforts of the formations deployed in the remote and difficult areas and exhorted them to continue their selfless service to the nation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hinduja Group flagship firm Ashok Leyland today said it has been awarded the prestigious Deming Prize 2016 for its Pantnagar manufacturing facility.

Ashok Leyland Pantnagar has become the first truck and bus plant in the world and also the only CV manufacturer outside of Japan to win the Deming Prize, the company said in a statement.

Ashok Leyland Managing Director Vinod K Dasari said: "It is indeed a proud moment for all of us at Ashok Leyland to receive this coveted prize. Being the first truck and bus plant in the world and the only CV manufacturer outside of Japan to win this prize, adds another feather to company's achievements of delivering industry firsts."



Equipped with the latest technology and processes, the Pantnagar plant is afully-integrated plantcapable of manufacturing all future-ready products across trucks and buses, he added.

The Deming Prize is a global quality award and the oldest and most widely recognised quality award in the world. It is awarded to companies that have established TQM in their business operations.

The prize was established in 1951 by Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) to honor W Edwards Deming, who contributed greatly to Japan's proliferation of statistical quality control after World War II.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Asian Americans, including Indian Americans came out in large numbers to vote against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, according to a report based on early voting trends.

Early vote analysis by TargetSmart indicate that Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters are responding against 70-year-old Trump and the Republicans by voting in record numbers, AAPI Victory Fund said yesterday.

In Nevada and North Carolina, the per cent of AAPI voters is outpacing Hispanic voters, who are turning out in high numbers, the report said.

In Nevada, AAPI early vote is 42.7 per cent of the registered electorate and Hispanic vote is at 39.7 per cent.

In North Carolina, AAPI early vote is 37.7 per cent versus 30.2 per cent for Hispanics. The participation in the state is up 74 per cent in comparison to AAPI voter turnout in 2012, the report said.

One of the critical investments made this cycle was providing AAPI ethnicity data about our fast-growing electorate, which more than doubled the number of people identified as AAPI in the voter file, it said.

"There will be many story lines out of this election and the most important to us is that our early investments in registering and turning out the AAPI community has paid precious dividends," said Shekar Narasimhan, chairman and founder of the AAPI Victory Fund.

"More than anything it shows that despite the lack of targeting of our communities by establishment political entities, our vote share toward Democrat candidates is creating an emerging AAPI voting block that has profound implications on this and future elections," he said.

"The miracle of our democracy is unfolding today as Asian Americans are voting in record numbers across the country and could provide a winning margin in states like Nevada and North Carolina to elect Hillary Clinton as our next president," said Dilawar Syed, co-founder and vice chair of the AAPI Victory Fund.

Syed said Trump and the Republicans debased immigrants and women and built their campaign on a platform of hate and fear against an entire faith with even denigrating an AAPI Gold Star family.

"It has not gone unnoticed. Our community is mobilised and poised to emerge as a powerful member of the winning coalition," he said.

Using the newly created voter file to target AAPI voters, the AAPI Victory Fund published a number of online viral informational videos, including "What Does Donald Trump Think About Asians," targeted at AAPIs in swing states.

With nearly a half million views on Facebook alone, it is the most widely viewed AAPI targeted election ad in history.

A day earlier, the Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook credited Asian Americans as part of the "Clinton Coalition" of high early voter turnout.

"If Secretary Clinton does win this election... It will in part be because of enormous turnout... In the Asian American community," Mook said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kevin Cramers early support of Donald Trump has had many people speculating that he might land a Cabinet post in the president-elects administration.

Could he trade in his new third term as North Dakotas lone member of the House of Representatives for the title of Secretary of Energy? Never say never, he said Wednesday.

While Cramer said he would not rule out an opportunity before it comes along, he likes where he is. His conversations about the matter with Trump  and other people in the president-elect's inner circle  have been few, and Cramer thinks he may be able to accomplish more as a member of Congress.

My preference is to be North Dakotas lone representative in the House with a friend in the White House, he said.

Cramer, who was elected in 2012, walked away with the Tuesday election for the House with more than 69 percent of votes cast in his favor. Democrat Chase Iron Eyes landed more than 23 percent of votes, and Libertarian Jack Seaman got more than 6 percent.

Cramer serves on the House energy and commerce committees, and he says those are good places to be to represent North Dakota and to use the good deal of political capital he has with the White House.

But he doesnt think hell have to use that capital to sway Trump.

He pretty much thinks like we do on energy and agriculture policy, he said.

Cramer foresees a rollback of regulations -- mostly environmental ones, but some financial ones, too -- happening within his third term. He says he is excited about tweaks that can be made to farm programs in negotiations for the new Farm Bill and what that can mean for the states agricultural producers.

Cramer sees better trade deals to benefit farmers in North Dakota and beyond, a replacement to the Affordable Care Act and much more on the horizon to benefit the state. He says he is thankful for the chance to represent North Dakota again and believes his four years of experience have made him better at his job.

Im in a pretty good stride, he said. Now to have a friend in the White House, thats very opportunistic for North Dakota.
Celebrities like Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Karan Johar and Anurag Kashyap among others have praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to abolish Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency in war against black money.

In his first televised address to the nation, two-and-a- half-years after assuming office, the PM declared a "decisive" war against black money and corruption with abolishing high denomination currency being a part of it.

"Hats off @narendramodi ji. New India is born #JaiHind," Rajinikanth tweeted.

Megastar Bachchan wrote, "The new 2000 Rs note is PINK in colour...The PINK effect!!!"



Kashyap, who tweeted to Modi amid the controversy surrounding ban on the release of films with Pakistani artistes, also hailed the step taken by the PM.

"Ballsiest move I have ever seen from any leader.. It will cause a lot of heart ache but Kudos..Super way to make the black money redundant."



Madhur Bhandarkar wrote, ""Congratulations to @PMOIndia @narendramodi for this bold move to ban 500 and 1000 notes to counter #BlackMoney and strengthen our economy."



"A welcome bold&courageous step by PM Modiji towards nation building. Each one of us shld cooperate in d larger interest of d nation #BlackMoney," Anushka Sharma tweeted.

Southern superstars Kamal Haasan and Nagarjuna thanked the PM for rewarding the tax payers.

"Tweeting frm Paris/congrats @narendramodi Ji!!for rewarding us tax payers/india on the way to become a super economy #IndiaFightsCorruption," Nagarjune wrote.

"Salute Mr Modi. This move has to be celebrated across political party lines. Most importantly by earnest tax payers," Haasan tweeted.

Johar called the step a 'masterstroke,' "This is truly a masterstroke move!!!! @narendramodi hits it out of the stadium!!!!"



Rishi Kapoor tweeted, "PM Modi ji. Ball out of the stadium. Wohaaaaaa!!!! De monetisation is the right answer. Congratulations!"



Actress Bhumi Pednekar termed the decision brilliant.

"Brilliant brilliant brilliant @PMOIndia ,let's break corruption bit by bit . No more Kala dhan or Mann #500And1000rupee," she wrote.

Suniel Shetty tweeted, "9/11 jab bhi aata hai hila dalta hai bhai...This 9/11 some will lose...

Riteish Deshmukh said it is a bold move.

"Bold move by PM @narendramodi ji as the #1000rs #500rs notes become invalid/redundant. #NewIndia" he wrote.

Actor Arjun Kapoor praised the step, but feels a lot more is to be done to control the black money.

"The timing of the PM is interesting but the question is what will the government provide back to its fair & honest citizens after all this ?



Reducing black money is much needed but eventually we need better infrastructure & way more inroads in other aspects not only money matters," he wrote.

The actor said he hopes everyone will come together to work against the menace.

"Hoping we can all work in harmony to see out this change & it pays dividends to each & every citizen in the future. No more #BlackMoney !!!"



Comedian-actor Kapil Sharma said he is proud of the decision.

"Have never seen such long lines in front of ATM machines before... We are very proud of u sir @narendramodi #saynotoblackmoney,"



Actress Sonali Bendre Behl tweeted, "Couldn't agree more!!! Historical move @narendramodi @PMOIndia it's a beginning of new India...Jai Hind"



"Neerja" producer Atul Kasbekar tweeted, "And a word of praise for the brilliant move from PM @narendramodi The gentleman takes the hard calls that need to be implemented."



Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar praised the decision with a funny twist.

"Today my daughter running the house as she owns all the smaller notes in her piggy bank. One little piggy bank has made us all redundant.

"Today husbands are begging their wives to give all the smaller notes that they have secretly saved for years," he wrote.

Signer Kailash Kher tweeted, "This is a historical day in the history of mankind. Our Nation Bharat will soon be at par with developed countries @narendramodi GodBlessYou".

Randeep Hooda wrote,"A master stroke by our hn'able PM @narendramodi #ModiFightsCorruption #IndiaFightsCorruption @PMOIndia #proud".

"History is made by bold masterstrokes like these. Respect @narendramodi sir May this be a step forward to a corruption free future," Kunal Kemmu wrote.
BJP MP Ravindra Kumar Rai today said what the BJP had promised during the Lok Sabha elections was delivered with Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking several steps in the interest of the country.

He said the Modi government had promised to work for national security and strengthening economy - after the surgical strike against terrorists across the border and the demonetising of Rs 500/Rs 1,000 notes was a historic step and was another surgical attack.

People would remember November 8, he said adding, the Modi government got congratulations from patriotic people and blessings from the honest.

The former Jharkhand unit president said in press release that the step would herald a new economic dawn for villages, the poor, farmers, mazdoor and unemployed youth.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Flagging the "murderous" attacks by "Jihadi forces" on BJP and RSS activists in Congress-ruled Karnataka, a state BJP delegation today asked Home Minister Rajnath Singh to order an NIA probe into the incidents.

"The perpetrators of the crime belong to PFI (Popular Front of India), SDPI (Socialist Democratic Party of India) and KFD (Karnataka Forum for Dignity). These organisations have roots in Kerala," the delegation said in a memorandum submitted to Singh in New Delhi today.

Charging that it was beyond the capacity and reach of the state police to expose the "conspirators and handlers", the memorandum said if they and their "overground supporters" were to be exposed, "it is imperative that these 17 murders have to be handed over to National Investigation Agency."



The memorandum submitted by the delegation led by state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa and Union Minister Ananth Kumar comprised opposition leader in the Assembly Jagadish shettar, MPs Prahlad Joshi, Shobha Karandlaje and Bhagavanth Khuba and MLAs Aravinda Limbavali, C T Ravi and Aravinda Belladh.

Giving the list of murders, it said "what is atrocious" on part of the Congress government was that they had been attributed to personal rivalry, thus "trivialising" the deaths of nationalist activists and allowing the criminals to escape the clutches of law.

"The hands of police are tied and they are forced to dance to the tune of their political boss," it said.

The memorandum said besides 17 murders, there had been as many as six attempts to murder BJP/RSS activists, adding, "we fear that Karnataka is fast turning into Kerala, where political and ideological murders are the order of the day."



It further alleged that the Congress government had made all preparations to engineer riots during Tipu Jayanti celebrations and blame BJP and Sangh pariwar for it.

BJP has been opposing the celebrations of "Tipu Jayanti" tomorrow with Yeddyurappa asking the party cadre to scale up the protests against it and observe November 10 as a "black day" and court arrest.

Tipu Jayanti, slated to be celebrated across the state, is being observed since last year following a Congress government decision, which had triggered a major row and caused violence in Kodagu district in November last.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In the wake of government's decision to ban Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes, people formed a beeline at jewellery shops, resulting the prices of the precious metal zoom to Rs 34,000 per 10 grams here.

"People with unaccounted money to dispose rushed to purchase gold last night as soon as the broke. Whatever registered gold was available with limited jewellery houses was sold last night within couple of hours," claimed president of Gems and Jewellery Trade Council of India (GJTCI), Shantibhai Patel.

"With the high demand the price peaked at Rs 34,000/10 gram last night. Buyers also included those who rushed to markets out of panic post the announcement," Patel added.

However, he said it is difficult to estimate the amount of gold and jewellery sold last night post the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement.

"Jewellery houses have stopped selling gold, saying that the bullion is no longer available in the market," he said.

A number of jewellery houses stayed open till 11 pm yesterday to cater to the rush of clients, Jewellers' Association of Ahmedabad, President Rohit Jhaveri said.

"A few jewellery house remained open till 11 pm last night, till police forced them to close. They generally down shutters by 9 o'clock, but rush of buyers forced them to open till late night," he said.

"Jewellery purchase remained brisk since last night especially as people who have to make purchases for marriage understand that the price of gold will only go up due to large-scale purchase after the currency demonetising decision," Jhaveri said.

Industry experts claimed many of the buyers last night were those who had to dispose the demonetised currency, which they could not have done through banks.

"People who have no black money do not need to panic as the currency continues to remain in operation till the time banks accept them for conversion, that is December 30," Patel said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night announced demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, setting in panic among hoarders of black money.

According to market sources, people were seen outside the jewellery houses with stacks of notes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A polling station in California has been placed on lockdown following a nearby shooting that left one person dead and three wounded, authorities and reports said.

The shooting took place in early afternoon yesterday in the city of Azusa, 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, Vanessa Lozano, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department told AFP.

She said three people were transported to a hospital with gunshot wounds and one was dead on arrival.

Details about the incident, which happened in a residential neighborhood, were sketchy.

A polling station in the area was placed on lockdown as was a school, according to local reports.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two polling stations in California were placed on lockdown following a nearby shooting that killed one person and wounded three, the authorities have said.

The shooting took place in early afternoon yesterday in the city of Azusa, 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, Vanessa Lozano, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, told AFP.

Officers arriving at the scene found "multiple shooting victims" and came under fire, Azusa police tweeted.

Three people were transported to a hospital with gunshot wounds and one was dead on arrival, Lozano said.

Details about the incident, which happened in a residential neighborhood, were sketchy.

Two polling stations in the area were placed on lockdown along with nearby schools, according to local officials.

Azusa police advised residents to stay clear of the area and shelter in place as officers combed the neighborhood for at least one suspect believed to be heavily armed.

Local government official Dean Logan advised voters to find other polling sites to cast their ballots.

"Voters should avoid the area and, if necessary, cast a ballot at an alternate polling location," he tweeted.

A woman inside one of the affected polling stations said she heard shots ring out before officials placed the area on lockdown. Some 30 people were inside when the incident unfolded, she said.

"At first, I thought it was construction but people came running into the room saying they see a guy with a bulletproof vest and a white shirt," she told CNN. "As of right now, they just have us in the voting room and are trying to keep us calm.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Canadian Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship minister John McCallum today called on Haryana Governor, Kaptan Singh Solanki at the Raj Bhavan here.

They discussed issues of mutual interest in a very cordial atmosphere, an official release said here.

McCallum evinced keen interest in culture and customs of this region, it said.

During his visit to India from November 4 to November 11, McCallum met senior government functionaries and discussed various issues at length, the release said.

"Cultural connections of Canada with India is growing as a number of Indians live there. Moreover four cabinet ministers of Canada are of Indian-origin," the Governor said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"It's a complete lull and we do not know if opening the banks and ATMs will change things," a worried trader at the Lamington Road in south Mumbai, arguably the country's biggest market for electronic items and computer peripherals, said today.

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's widely welcomed move to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes, there was an eerie calm in the market, where hard currency rules settling trades worth crores daily.

"There is panic in the market because of the over- dependence on cash and lack of accountability where not every sale is reported," Mitesh Mody, secretary of the All-India Radio and Electronics Association, a traders' body, told PTI.

Mody said that half the transactions that happen in the market go unreported due the dominance of cash, which explains why getting an exact hold on the turnover is impossible.

He feared the impact of the move will be felt for long as consumers go slow on discretionary spending to concentrate on essential spending in the days of low-cash availability.

Mody said that in the face of a sustained dip in demand, inventory management and payments to suppliers -- most of whom are in China, Taiwan and South Korea -- will be the biggest concerns for the trade.

It was a similar, gloomy picture across the city's markets which sell expensive electronic goods, with a near-complete halt in purchases due to the ban on high value bank notes, even though some mobile sellers saw brisk business last night.

A trader in south Mumbai's Manish Market said, "There has been no sale since morning. Some customers are coming with Rs 500 and 1,000 notes and we are sending them back. Our whole business has been affected and we fear this impact to continue till next month."



The angst of the shopkeepers was very visible when some of them stopped mediamen from clicking pictures and threatened to delete memory cards.

The Irla market, known for electronic gadgets in the suburban Vile Parle area, saw good footfalls last night and a trader said there will be a shift to card-based payments from the cash side now.

Vinay, a store manager of Mobile Point NX, said his shop has decided to accept cash till the end of the day.

Sikandar, the manager of the famous mobile shop Alfa Stores, said it will take 10 days for the confusion to settle down and he also expects a shift to card-based transactions.

A senior official at the DB Marg Police Station, located right in the middle of the Lamington Road market, also said there is a huge drop in footfalls in the market and the traders are an anxious lot.

He, however, said things should return to normal once the banks reopen, probably oblivious to the fact that despite the crores that exchange hands under his jurisdiction every day, the market is decoupled from the formal financial system. Till now, at least.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Male chimpanzees - a highly promiscuous species - are more devoted to protecting their offspring rather than building relationships with females, a new study on humans' closest living relatives suggests.

Researchers at George Washington University in the US also found that chimpanzees spend time with non-mating female chimpanzees which are caring for their successors.

This finding is unexpected since the species is highly promiscuous and researchers previously questioned whether male chimpanzees could recognise their offspring.

Since males spending time with nursing mothers did not increase the likelihood that they would be the father of that mother's next infant, the findings support the paternal effort hypothesis, in which males associate more with mothers in order to protect their offspring, rather than curry favour with the female.

The research contributes to the broader anthropological question of why human fathers invest so much in offspring.

Researchers conducted the study based on long-term data from Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania in Africa.

The study used more than 25 years of behavioural data. Researchers examined patterns based on 17 father chimpanzees and 49 mother-infant pairs to see if the males could recognise their offspring and if their behaviour was different around them.

The researchers found the males associated with mothers of their offspring early in infancy and interacted with their infants more than expected.

They found the males associated with mothers of their offspring early in infancy and interacted with their infants more than expected.

"As anthropologists, we want to understand what patterns could have existed early in human evolution that help explain how human behaviour evolved," said lead author Carson Murray, assistant professor at the George Washington University.

"This research suggests that males may sometimes prioritise relationships with their offspring rather than with potential mates. For a species without pair-bonds where it was assumed fathers did not know which infants were their own, this is an important finding," said Murray.

The significance of the finding lies in the evidence that chimpanzees, one of human's closest living relatives, not only have paternal recognition but also invested in offspring rather than only focusing on future mating effort.

The researchers found the males would spend time grooming and caring for their offspring.

"Our findings are not only further evidence that chimpanzee fathers recognise their offspring in a promiscuous species, but also that fathers behave differently around their offspring," said Margaret Stanton, postdoctoral scientist at George Washington.

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Courts in north China's Tianjin city today sent 49 people to prison, including 25 government officials, for last year's deadly warehouse blasts which killed 165 people and injured 798 others.

The Second Intermediate People's Court of Tianjin sentenced the 49, including 24 company managers and staff members as well as 25 government officials, after finding them guilty of various crimes that led to the city's warehouse blasts in August, 2015.

As the rulings were made, all accused agreed with the verdicts and expressed remorse, state-run Xinhua agency quoted officials of Higher People's Court of Tianjin as saying.

A series of explosions on August 12 last year ripped through a warehouse of Ruihai Logistics in Tianjin Port, leaving 165 people dead, eight missing, and 798 injured.

The majority of those killed were firefighting crews who went to douse the flames.

The blasts also damaged 304 buildings, 12,428 cars, and 7,533 containers, incurring economic losses amounting to 6.87 billion yuan (USD 1.01 billion).

The court found Yu Xuewei, chairman of Ruihai Logistics, guilty of bribing port administration officials with cash and goods worth 157,500 yuan (USD 23,333) to obtain a certificate to handle hazardous chemicals at the port.

Yu was convicted of illegal storage of hazardous materials, illegal business operations, causing incidents involving hazardous materials, and bribery.

He was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve.

The deputy chairman and general manager of Ruihai Logistics and three other employees of the company were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 years to life.

Seven staff members directly responsible for the incident were sentenced to between three and 10 years in prison.

Eleven people with a safety evaluation company that provided Ruihai Logistics counterfeit safety reports were also jailed, Xinhua reported.

Twenty-five officials, including head of Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission Wu Dai, were sentenced to prison terms lasting from three to seven years for dereliction of duty, abuse of power, and accepting bribes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As election results for those vying for positions in state agencies rolled in Tuesday night, counted votes revealed no unlikely surprises.

Public Service Commission

Public Service Commission Chairwoman Julie Fedorchak was in the lead for a new, six-year term in office as of 9:45 p.m.

With 61 percent of precincts reporting, Fedorchak held nearly 70 percent of the vote.

She called the results "gratifying to see" and attributed her strong lead to her focus on affordable, reliable utilities and stringent project reviews to balance industry development and environmental safety.

"The (Dakota Access Pipeline) project has shined a light on our commission," Fedorchak said. "I think it's shown that we do hard work .... I've received a lot of favorable comments through all of this saying, 'Wow, you guys did your jobs.'"

Fedorchak said she will continue that focus as the utilities industry goes through a major transition nationally, driven by regulations, new technology and a need to refresh existing systems.

"That's all going to cost customers money," she said. "I really want to work hard so they understand what's driving it and give them a voice in the process."

Fedorchak ran on a promise of strong but efficient regulation of the states utilities through reclamation, safe construction and operation of pipelines, improving rail safety and continuing work to maintain low prices for energy.

Fedorchak was appointed to the office in December 2012 to fill the opening left by Rep. Kevin Cramer, when he was elected to Congress. She was later elected to a two-year term in 2014 by 66 percent of the vote.

State Treasurer

Incumbent Republican Kelly Schmidt led the state treasurers race with 64 percent of the vote at 9:40 p.m., preserving the office against opponents who wanted to eliminate it.

With 60 percent of votes counted, Schmidt said she was feeling confident but was not taking the results for granted until all votes were counted.

"We believe the people of North Dakota honored the work we're doing in the office of the treasurer by giving us their vote tonight," Schmidt said.

Schmidt said the people of North Dakota have voted on her office's elimination twice before, most recently in 2000, and has maintained it both times.

When she was first elected state treasurer in 2004, Schmidt said she set out to give people something to be proud of and she thinks she has accomplished that. If officially elected, she says she will continue to push for transparency within the office.

State Auditor

Republican Josh Gallion, 36, was leading the State Auditor race with 76 percent of the vote at 9:40 p.m.

The first-time candidate works for the North Dakota Public Service Commission as accounting manager and director of the agency's weights and measures program.

On the campaign trail, Gallion advocated limited, accountable and responsive government. In light of recent reviews of state agencies, he has called for doubling agency staff of the states performance audit division to allow multiple audits to be done at once.

Insurance Commissioner

Republican Jon Godfread will likely fill the seat of Adam Hamm in the North Dakota Insurance Department.

Godfread, 33, led the state Insurance Commissioner race with 65 percent of the vote at 9:40 p.m.

"I'm still cautiously optimistic, but I like the spreads," he said. "We're feeling good."

Godfread said he thinks his success has a lot to do with his experience working with the insurance commissioner's office previously as vice president of governmental affairs for the Greater North Dakota Chamber. He ran on the platform of working with providers to improve affordability of insurance, competition in the marketplace and accessibility.

Department of Public Instruction

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler led her bid for re-election as of 9:45 p.m., with about 74.5 percent of the vote.

"I'm feeling good and am very grateful it looks like I've been chosen to serve a second term," she said.

Under her leadership, Baesler said the state has re-written education standards, regaining local control for schools. Now, she wants to implement those changes.

Next year, the state will be contacting testing organizations for proposals for a new state standardized test that meets North Dakota standards.

"I think people in North Dakota really do support education," Baesler said.
China will establish 2,000 vehicle campsites by 2020 in the wake of increasing number of tourists opting for road travel in the country.

The National Tourism Administration and 10 ministerial departments issued guidelines yesterday, calling for the development of car camping areas as a way of boosting domestic tourism industry.

China aims to develop destinations that are suitable for road trips, introduce dozens of routes for road travel and build 2,000 campsites for cars by 2020, according to the guidelines.

Road trips have gained popularity in recent years due to higher car ownership and toll-free roads during holidays.

The number of tourists taking road trips reached 2.34 billion last year, accounting for 58.5 per cent of total tourist journeys, state-run Xinhua agency reported.

Caravan tourism has also developed at a staggering speed over the past two years with an annual growth of 85 per cent.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hillary Clinton just couldn't woo African-American, Latino, Asian and younger voters and that contributed a large part of her undoing in her race to the White House against Donald Trump, US media said today.

"African-American, Latino and younger voters failed to show up at the polls in sufficient numbers on Tuesday to propel Clinton into the White House," CNN reported.

Before polls closed the Clinton campaign had been confident of victory. In the end, however, she lost even some states thought to be safely in her column, like Wisconsin. She trailed in others, like Pennsylvania and Michigan, it noted.

While Clinton, 69, won the key demographic groups her campaign targeted, she underperformed President Barack Obama across the board, even among women, the network said in a report based on exit poll data.

A slightly larger share of black and Latino voters cast ballots for Trump than supported Mitt Romney in 2012, despite Trump's disparaging remarks on African-Americans, Mexicans and undocumented immigrants, it said.

President Obama, who captured the presidency with the help of the African-American and Latino communities, issued several personal pleas to black voters to back the Democratic Party nominee in recent weeks.

But not enough African-Americans, along with Latinos, heeded the first black American president's call.

Some 88 per cent of African-American voters supported Clinton, versus 8 per cent for Republican Trump, as of early Wednesday morning. While that's a large margin, it's not as big as Obama's victory over Mitt Romney in 2012. Obama locked up 93 per cent of the black vote to Romney's 7 per cent.

Some 12 per cent of the electorate was African-American this year, compared to 13 per cent four years ago. That's a key drop, especially when paired with a smaller-than-expected growth in Latino votes, the report said.

This lowered turnout happened even after Trump repeatedly made sweeping comments about how black communities were in the worst shape ever. Referring multiple times to "inner cities," Trump said black people live in poverty, have no jobs and get shot walking down the street. "What do you have to lose?" he asked.

Asian voters, which made up a tiny 4 per cent of the electorate, were also less supportive of Clinton than of Obama. Some 65 per cent of Asian voters cast ballots for her, as opposed to 73 per cent for Obama in 2012.

Clinton's support among Latinos was even more tenuous,



despite Trump pledging to build a wall on the Mexican border, accusing undocumented immigrants of being criminal aliens and promising to deport them.

Only 65 per cent of Latinos backed her, while 29 per cent cast their votes for Trump. In 2012, Obama won 71 per cent of the Hispanic vote and Romney secured 27 per cent.

Hispanics inched up to 11 per cent of the electorate, up from 10 per cent in 2012.

Beyond the Obama coalition, Clinton was also not as popular with white voters as Obama was. She won only 37 per cent of the white vote, compared to Obama's 39 per cent.

Surprisingly, Trump also garnered a slightly smaller share than Romney, capturing 58 per cent of the vote to Romney's 59 per cent. White voters made up 70 per cent of the electorate this year, down from 72 per cent four years ago.

Clinton also failed to capture as many young voters, who flocked to her rival Bernie Sanders in the primary and to Obama four years ago.

She won 55 per cent of voters age 18 to 29, compared to 37 per cent who cast ballots for Trump. But Obama secured 60 per cent of these young voters to Romney's 37 per cent.

When it came to women voters, Clinton won 54 per cent compared to Trump's 42 per cent. Even though 70 per cent of voters said that Trump's treatment of women bothered them, they still didn't flock to the woman who could have broken the glass ceiling. Obama won 55 per cent of the women's vote in 2012.
A special court today granted bail to three persons, including two directors of a private firm accused in a coal block scam case relating to alleged irregularities in allocation of a coal block in Jharkhand.

Special CBI Judge Bharat Parashar gave the relief to two directors M/s Pawanjay Steel and Power Ltd (PSPL) -- Gyanchand Prasad Agarwal and Umesh Prasad Agarwal, and S K Kanungo, Chief Manager (Marketing) of M/s Hari Machines Ltd (HML) after they appeared before the court in pursuance to summons.

The court had earlier summoned them and the firm as accused for alleged offences under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC, saying "prima facie there were sufficient incriminating evidence on record warranting summoning of accused."



While granting them bail, the court noted that the accused were not arrested during the course of investigation and there was also no charge that they had not join the probe.

"I am of the considered opinion that the interest of justice will be suitably met if the accused persons are ordered to be released on bail upon their furnishing a personal bond and a surety bond each in the sum of Rs one lakh each, to the satisfaction of this Court," the judge said.

The court, however, directed them not to leave the country without its prior permission and not tamper with evidence or approach prosecution witnesses. It supplied the copies of charge sheet to the accused and fixed the matter for December 19 for scrutiny of documents.

CBI had registered the case for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy and cheating under the IPC and section of the Prevention of Corruption Act against PSPL, its officials, Kanungo and other unknown persons.

CBI prosecutor AP Singh opposed the bail pleas saying the accused were influential persons and could tamper with evidence and may also delay the trial.

CBI, however, had said that charge sheet against some other officials and public servants against whom it had initiated the probe, could not be filed as sufficient evidence could not be brought on record.

It had also said it may file supplementary charge sheet in the case pertaining to irregularities in allocation of North Dhadhu coal block in Jharkhand.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With chaos prevailing in the state post the Prime Minister's demonetisation drive, the Odisha government today asked the district collectors and superintendents of police to ensure smooth functioning of banks which open tomorrow.

"We have asked the district collectors and SPs to make arrangement so that bank functioning is not affected due to rush," Finance Secretary T K Pande said after attending a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary A P Padhi.

Padhi through video conferencing told the district collectors and SPs to deploy forces near petrol outlets, ornament shops, corporate houses and other places where heavy transactions were expected to take place.

Finance Secretary Pande said the people can get currency notes of Rs 100 and Rs 2,000 from tomorrow. The banks have stored more such currency notes for the benefit of customers. A person can exchange old currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 worth Rs 4,000 a day by producing identification, Pande said.

Padhi said the banks are told to cooperate with people who do not bring xerox copies of their ID cards. The banks can note down their ID card number.

He said that banks are suggested to extend their banking hours till 6 pm in the evening.

Pande said the people should not panic by the demonetisation of the currencies. The Government of India has made it clear that the people can exchange their old currency with the new one in the banks.

Director General of Police K B Singh said he has received a call from the Union Home secretary in this regard.

"Due to demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes long queues of customers are expected in the banks, ATM counters, filling stations, hospitals and other places," he said.

Keeping this in view, all district Superintendents of Police have been instructed to provide necessary security and control the rush of customers in these places. In such situations, the duty of the police will be to manage the crowd, he added.

"I would request the people that whoever is coming to the banks with huge amount of cash for exchange, should inform the police in advance so that adequate security arrangement can be made," the DGP said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maharashtra Government today directed all private hospitals and blood testing laboratories to submit a daily report of dengue patients to local municipal corporation or local governing body.

The decision was taken during a meeting on the issue with senior officials by state Health Minister Deepak Sawant.

"A state-level committee to investigate the cause of death (of patients) is also formed as a part of keeping a check on medical services," Sawant said.

He said of total dengue patients, 69% are from urban areas while rest are from rural areas.

"There were some 5,653 patients in the entire state by October end, out of which 941 are in Brihanmumbai Municipal corporation area alone.

"The other corporations like Nashik and Pimpri Chinchwad had 775 and 596 patients of dengue till October end. Hence the decision is taken to generate a daily report to corporation so that we will have real-time data," Sawant said.

Health department from Thursday onwards will write to all municipal corporations for submission of the required information.

Commenting on setting up of state-level investigation committee, Sawant said, "There have been instances where cause of death is suspected to be either H1N1 infection, dengue or chikungunia. In such cases, the investigation will be undertaken by state level committee."



The minister has also maintained that malaria cases in the state are not rising seriously except Gadchiroli.

"I have asked the officials concerned to undertake necessary measures. I have also asked the testing laboratory operators not to charge exorbitantly to the patients suspecting H1N1 infection," he said.

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Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will travel to India on November 14 for an eight-day trip, the first presidential visit from the country in nearly 20 years that will enhance bilateral cooperation in diverse areas from "defence to food security".

Announcing the State visit, the External Affairs Ministry said President Rivlin will be accompanied by his spouse Nechama Rivlin, apart from a high-level delegation comprising officials, academicians and business leaders.

Asserting that the visit symbolises the growing partnership, an Israeli Embassy statement said it will focus on strengthening the ever growing economic ties between India and Israel.

Ambassador of Israel in India Daniel Carmon, in the statement, said, "President Rivlin's visit to India is an important event which signifies the growing and sustainable relations between our two countries. It is part of a historical process, and the next chapter is enhancing cooperation on agriculture, water and education; from defence and security to food security."



During his visit, Rivlin will meet President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other government officials in Delhi, apart from travelling to Mumbai and inaugurating the Agro Tech conference in Chandigarh alongside President Mukherjee.

Business and academic delegations including 15 heads of Israeli universities as well as Israeli companies, some of which are already active and successful in India, are part of the Presidential entourage.

"India and Israel enjoy excellent relations marked by strong ties in the areas of economy and commerce, science and technology, research and innovation, culture and tourism, education etc," the MEA release said.

The visit will include meeting business representatives and heads of universities in New Delhi, a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra and the adjacent Israeli water treatment plant "Aqwise".

There will also be a visit to the Indo-Israeli Agricultural Project's Center of Excellence in Karnal, the inauguration of Agro Tech 2016 in Chandigarh, and meetings with Indian industry representatives and the Jewish community in Mumbai.

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Union Minister Harsh Vardhan today visited a slum in Sadar Bazar area to check the relief operation and rehabilitation work being carried out after the fire incident which had gutted 300 jhuggis on Monday.

Vardhan, who is an MP from Chandni Chowk, also visited Tibetan Refugees Market to check relief work after yesterday's fire incident.

Both Sadar Bazar area and Tibetan Refugees market fall under his constituency.

The Union Minister also praised Delhi fire brigade for swift action at Sadar Bazar fire incident in which there was no loss of life.

"I talked to those affected by fire and inquired about their and children's condition and whether they're being provided food,medicine & milk," Vardhan tweeted on Sadar Bazar fire incident.

"Wasn't happy with the hygiene so reprimanded the officials- can lead to diseases. Asked them to ensure the victims are taken proper care of," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi Government will soon send a team of teachers from its schools to Finland to observe and assess the education system there and suggest measures for implementation of same in the national capital, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said today.

Sisodia, who is also the Education Minister of Delhi, made the comments while addressing through video conferencing, the Fourth International Symposium on Creative Education being held in Finland.

"I went to Finland for a visit and I realised teacher-training is one area where we (Delhi) do not focus at all. I am planning to send few teachers to Finland who will visit schools and assess the best measures adopted in their education system. They will interact with and learn from the head of schools there," Sisodia said.

"I was quite impressed at a Govt. School in Finland. Teachers were using tablets for maintaining the database of students. When I asked if I can take a picture of the student, she checked in her tablet if the parents had given the permission or not.

"I was impressed with that idea. I came back and had a discussion with my officers if we can do similarly in Delhi," he further said.

Sisodia, had visited Finland in September this year study the schooling system. He had visited various schools, universities during the visit and interacted with education experts and officials.

"Another thing I observed in Finland was the teacher-parent engagement which I tried to implement in Delhi by organising mega PTMs as festivals.

"The classroom teaching methodology was very poor in government schools. It wasn't centered on student but on curriculum. There is a huge gap between the market demand and the higher education. Conventional courses are being continued," Sisodia said.

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Anticipating a huge rush in banks which are reopening tomorrow following scrapping of high value currency notes, the Gujarat police have been directed to extend help to such institutes in managing the crowd.

A high-level meeting between representatives of banks and top government officials, including Additional Chief Secretary (Home) M S Dagur, was held in Gandhinagar today to discuss the overall arrangements for tomorrow.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last night announced demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as part of his government's clampdown on black money, corruption and counterfeiting.

The meeting was held to assess the readiness of both banks and the government to handle people who would rush to banks in large numbers to withdraw money in the wake of sudden demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, an official release stated.

The state has assured people that all necessary arrangements have been made by banks as well as the government to ensure hassle-free transactions.

Additional DGP (Law and Order) Tirth Raj said banks will be given police bandobast upon request to handle possible chaos.

"Police personnel will do patrolling in areas where banks are situated. We have asked our men to be prepared to handle any situation. Upon request, police will reach any bank and help the management to control crowd. Our focus is to avoid any confrontation," said Raj.

The government has also issued advisories for authorities to make sure that no citizen faces hardship due to shortage of cash, especially smaller denomination currency notes.

As per the release, the government has asked all hospitals (including private ones) not to deny treatment to patients if they do not have money. Hospitals are also asked not to demand cash upfront, and instead accept payments through cheques, credit or debit card.

In another decision, the government will not levy any interest on unpaid bills of essential services such as drainage, water, electricity and gas connection. This relief will remain in effect till November 24.

Banks will reopen tomorrow so that public can tender their now invalid Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

They can deposit any amount of the invalid currency in their bank account till December 30 and also exchange them for lower banknotes at special counters at banks and post offices till November 24 but with a limit of Rs 4,000 per day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar today urged people not to panic in the wake of demonetisation of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as the state government has made elaborate arrangements for their exchange at bank branches.

Mungantiwar said that besides nationalised and private banks, state government has asked its central district cooperative banks and district cooperative banks to accept the old demonetised currency notes.

He also said the government has asked Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) Satish Mathur to deploy police personnel at banks to deal with law and order situation.

"The government will also depute its Revenue Department officials at banks to assist them and the people in filling up the currency notes exchange forms," he told reporters here.

Commenting on the problems being faced by people, Mungantiwar said the government will intervene if required.

He clarified that there is no restriction imposed on the amount of money people can deposit in their bank accounts.

He said that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has deputed three nodal officers and three cash vans per division to ensure smooth transporting of currency notes to banks.

Mungantiwar said there is adequate stock of Rs 100, Rs 50, Rs 20 and Rs 10 denomination notes for the next five days.

He said while depositing old demonetised currency notes, one has to fill up a small form and will have to attach copy of any proof of identity like Aadhar Card, passport or PAN card.

The minister also said the RBI has issued circulars asking banks to open one hour earlier than their scheduled opening hours.

Mungantiwar said there will no restriction on overdraft, demand draft, card transactions and Internet banking.

He termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's move to demonetise old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as a day of economic freedom for the country.

He said the move will put an end to tax evasion, corruption, counterfeit notes and parallel economy.

It will deal a death blow to terror financing and illegal hawala operations, said the minister.

Mungantiwar said the state government expects an increase in Sales Tax revenues in the next two days as traders will have to reflect the same in their books and pay the tax.

Commenting upon the stranded tourists at various places, he said instructions have been issued to the Tourism Department officials to help them with food.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes was "morally, politically and financially brave".

"It is a decisive blow against corrupt and dangerous individuals, organisations and mafia who have harmed the country and the people through corruption and black money," he said.

This massive blow, and sharp and stunning "strike" by the Prime Minister has shown that he possesses exemplary courage to take on external and internal enemies of the country alike, Badal said.

"The war against corruption and black money has to be fought with the same courage and at the same level as the war against external enemies," he said, adding the PM's move would hit fountainheads of the "dangerous phenomenon" (corruption and black money) that had deep roots in the system.

Terming November 8 as "a historic and watershed moment" for the country, the Chief Minister said," For the first time since 1947, a prime minister has demonstrated courage and statesmanship of a visionary leader and has lend meaning and substance to the concept of independence for the poor and common Indian."



He (Modi) has sought to clear the path for economic equality and justice for all Indians, he said.

"Freedom has no meaning without economic independence and equality. This was the dream of great heroes and martyrs of freedom struggle. The Prime Minister has taken the country and its people closer to the realisation of that dream," Badal said.

Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today described the Prime Minister's decision as historic.

"This is an audacious step taken by the Prime Minister in the interest of the country to hit back at black money," he said.

The Chief Minister appealed to the people to keep calm in the prevailing situation and contribute toward the bright future of the country and consolidation of the economic structure.

"People might have to face difficulty for two to three days, but it would prove beneficial in the long-run," he said.

This move will hit those hard who have black money and will also diminish the possibilities of tax evasion, he said.

(REOPENS NRG9)



Meanwhile, Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij claimed that the "bold and historic" decision of the Prime Minister was "bothering" Congress leaders.

"This decision is bothering the leaders of the Congress Party," he alleged in a statement here.

The BJP has fulfilled its pre-poll promise to keep a check on black money and corruption, Vij said.

"The decision will further strengthen the economic condition of the country," he said, adding adequate arrangements have been made to ensure people do not face any inconvenience.

Deputy Commissioners have been directed to ensure currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 are accepted by petrol pumps, hospitals and by other necessary services till November 11, he said.
Yoga guru Ramdev today hailed the government's move to scrap Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes, saying it will have far-reaching impact and curb economic crimes as well eliminate the resources of Naxals.

Speaking at the inauguration of Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM) here, he described as "courageous" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to demonetise these denominations.

"This is a great decision and will have far-reaching impact. It will curb economic crime and the resources for Naxalism will be curbed by this," he said, adding, "It is not a mere change but a direction of transformation."



He also requested the government to avoid releasing currency notes in 500 and 1000 denomination in future. "If it is necessary, I request the government to release notes in those denomination in minimum quantity," he said.

Ramdev, referring to an RBI report, said out of the total currency notes printed by October 28, 2016, 86 per cent were the notes of 500 and 1000 denomination and 15 lakh crore such notes were in circulation.

Prime Minister Modi yesterday announced that denomination notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 will no longer be legal tender, as he declared a "decisive" war against black money and corruption.

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Taking a jibe at the SP and the BSP, Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya today said Prime Minister Narendar Modi's decision to demonitise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes was a "surgical strike on their business of trading tickets for cash" for the upcoming Assembly elections.

"It is nothing less than a surgical strike on their (SP and BSP) business of trading tickets for cash," he alleged, adding now elections cannot be won with muscle power and black money.

"How will they (SP and BSP) now sell tickets to aspiring candidates for the elections and collect crores of rupees," he said.

The decision to demonitise these notes will not affect the day-to-day affairs of common people. But it is a big blow to those hiding crores of black money, he claimed.

"Leaders of the SP and BSP have only looted public money during their respective regimes and have amassed huge wealth. There was no development in the state as the money earmarked for it was siphoned-off by them," he alleged.

The Prime Minister's decision will check the menace of fake currency being smuggled into the country by Pakistan to disrupt theIndian economy, he alleged.

"Even they (Pakistan) will not be able to finance terrorism in our country," Maurya added.

Lashing out at the Congress, the state BJP chief said, "It has looted the country for almost 60 years. There was no difference in the working of SP, BSP and Congress."



Maurya claimed BJP would win over 300 seats in the 2017 UP elections and will have amajority government.

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The Department of Telecom has firmed up uniform rules for rolling out telecom networks across the country and will notify them by tomorrow.

"We have finalised Right of Way guidelines. It will be notified either today or tomorrow," Telecom Secretary JS Deepak said at Broadband India Forum.

The proposed policy aims to facilitate expeditious roll out of telecom infrastructure so as to help improve quality of service, reduce call drops as well as cost of setting up networks.

In the draft framework, the DoT has proposed that authorities involved in granting RoW permit will have to grant permission within 60 days of application. In case of rejection of the application, they should record reasons in writing.

Telecom companies often blame local authorities in the states for creating unnecessary hurdles in roll-out of telecom infrastructure, specially in granting RoW permission.

Most of the complaints have been made regarding abnormally high price for RoW as well as different levies or fee imposed by various authorities other than charges prescribed under telecom licences. In some cases, the charges have been as high as Rs 7 crore per kilometre for laying underground cables.

DoT has also proposed that authorities concerned should not impose any fee, charge, lease rental, licence fee other than the expense that they incur as consequence of the proposed work.

Deepak said the government is looking at reforms in spectrum allocation part.

"In area of spectrum, substantive measures have been taken. Most important reform in last one year was harmonisation of spectrum. It has been fragmented since the time we started wireless telephony. Harmonisation is going to show up in form of better quality of service for consumers," Deepak said.

He said that after last auction average spectrum holding per telecom operator has gone up by 10 Megahertz.

"We are now looking to effectively utilise higher frequency band starting 2100 Mhz onward to V band (57-64 Gigahertz band)," Deepak said.

He said the government is doing away with some of the licensing requirement for ease of doing business in the country.

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Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) today said it has won a Rs 1,119-crore contract for dredging of a shipping channel at Kolkata Port in a global bidding in which seven players participated.

"Kolkata Port has called for global competitive tenders for maintenance dredging in the shipping channel leading to Haldia Dock Complex in the Hooghly estuary for a period of five years from January 2017. DCI is the successful lowest bidder," DCI said in a BSE filing.

It said seven Indian and foreign players participated in the pre-bid meeting for the tender and only two parties participated in the tender including DCI.

"DCI is the only party which has been technically qualified for the tender and price bid of the DCI was opened by port...With this DCI which is the only PSU in the dredging field in India is securing all major contracts on open competitive bidding process," it said.

DCI has been carrying out the maintenance dredging works for Kolkata Port channels for the past 30 years, awarded on nomination basis by the government.

In the past, DCI used to dredge about 24 mn cubic meter per year by deploying six dredgers at Jellingham and Auckland bars.

Under the new contract, the quantum of dredging has been reduced to about 8 mn cubic meter per year consequent to opening up of the Eden channel and DCI will execute the contract by deploying three dredgers, the statement said.

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E-commerce companies are struggling to handle cash on delivery (COD) orders, following the government's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, with firms like Amazon and Paytm temporarily halting the facility for customers.

Some companies like Uber and BigBasket have issued advisories urging customers to pay in lower denominations, while others like Flipkart and Snapdeal have set limits to the value of orders that can be delivered through COD.

According to industry estimates, about 70 per cent of the shoppers opt for cash while buying a product.

"We have temporarily stopped cash as a payment option for new orders. Customers who had already placed COD orders before midnight 8/11 can pay for their orders using debit or credit cards or currency of valid denominations (at the point of delivery)," an Amazon India spokesperson said.

The official added that the company is working on alternatives to make doorstep payments easier for customers by introducing a variety of electronic payment options for future orders.

Flipkart and Snapdeal have capped COD orders to Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 respectively, and asked customers to pay using lower denomination notes.

Shopclues CBO Radhika Aggarwal said the company is accepting COD orders upto Rs 999 in government-approved denominations.

In a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption, Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday took the nation by surprise by announcing the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes with effect from midnight, making these currency papers invalid.

Saurabh Vashishtha, Vice President at Paytm, said the company has also temporarily disabled COD orders to avoid inconvenience to consumers at the time of delivery.

He added that over 98 per cent of items bought on its platform are through wallet and other pre-paid payment instruments.

While customers of Flipkart will be able to pay for their orders in cash, the Bengaluru-based company has set a limit of Rs 1,000 on the same.

"We are no longer accepting COD payments in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. In order to enable customers to conserve smaller denomination notes for daily essential use, we are restricting COD on orders below Rs 1,000," the spokesperson added.

They added that customers are being urged to opt for alternative payment modes like internet banking, credit and debit cards, gift cards and PhonePe wallet.

"We are also working on a slew of measures to help customers easily transition from cash to digital payments," the spokesperson said.

Snapdeal said it will give its users the option to defer



the delivery by a few days till new currency notes become easily available.

"Also, as an interim measure, we have restricted new COD orders to Rs 2,000 to make it convenient for the buyers and delivery personnel. The COD limits will get increased gradually over the next few days," a Snapdeal spokesperson said.

Autorickshaw aggregator Jugnoo said post the announcement, it has stopped accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. But since over 70 per cent of its customers prefer cash payment, it has started pushing for other mode of payments to deal with the situation on hand.

According to a consumer research conducted by RedSeer, nearly 70 per cent of customers buying goods online pay through COD mode with maximum mileage coming from tier I and II cities.

Sreedhar Prasad, Partner (E-Commerce and Start-ups) said the decision to discontinue Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes could impact the number of new orders for e-commerce companies from tomorrow till the fresh currency is out.

He said many online customers use wallets more because of cashbacks and convenience than for not having another digital mode of payment like cards/online transfer.

He added that over 30 lakh orders in the pipeline to be delivered as COD from tomorrow.

"Unless an immediate 'wallet pay on delivery' model is devised, many of them may get cancelled, or clog the logistics network with significant delays in delivery. Many customers may still be hesitant to adopt wallets in a short span of time," he added.

Craftsvilla CEO Manoj Gupta agreed. "E-commerce companies that see a huge chunk of payments happening through CoD mode will face some challenges in the initial few days. In the long run, this move will only bring about positive changes," he added.

IT industry association Nasscom has said the withdrawal of the old high-denomination notes will accelerate the push towards electronic payments.

"This is a welcome move for the e-commerce industry, where a large number of deliveries in India are COD, raising logistics costs and risks," Nasscom said.

While other reasons for use of cash may take longer to alleviate, the present announcement could mitigate a significant factor driving COD -- availability of unaccounted cash, it added.
Election night fever gripped New York City as residents flocked to iconic addresses from Times Square to The Empire State Building to watch the results unfold in the close contest between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

City landmarks such as The Rockefeller Centre and The Empire State Building were lit in blue, red and white - colors of the American flag as the nation got ready to elect its 45th President.

At Times Square, billboards transformed into giant TV screens as leading networks beamed their election night coverage to the crossroads of the world.

Media outlets set up base across Times Square and tourists and residents alike gathered around the TV set-ups, taking photos and videos.

Shop owners at Times Square occasionally walked out of their shops to watch the election results on the giant LED screens, and people cheered and booed as TV networks began calling out states and projected winners between Clinton and Trump.

Several vendors were seen selling special election night paraphernalia including T-shirts, badges, caps and flags.

Security was particularly tight across the city as New York Police Department personnel and law enforcement officials manned streets and key locations.

Police cordoned off the streets near Trump Towers on the posh Fifth Avenue, the campaign headquarters for the real estate tycoon.

Groups of protesters and supporters gathered across the street from the towers as they demonstrated, drawing the attention of passersby who stopped to take pictures.

Security was unprecedented near the Hilton Hotel in Midtown and the Jacob Javits Convention Centre, the venues for the election night events for Trump and Clinton.

A large number of TV crews stationed themselves around the two locations providing election coverage.

Election night parties were hosted across the city by various groups where supporters gathered to wait for a long night as the results unfolded.

The city's streets were more crowded than usual with residents and tourists pouring on to the roads and taking in the election which has been unprecedented from the word go and whose results will go down in history as game changing for America.

Whilesomeresidents were keenly watching theresults, others expressed a sigh of relief that the long cycle was finally coming to an end.

JohnMartineze, acorporate executive, said he was glad that the elections were coming to end "even though Americans have had to choose between the lesser of the two evils" in Clinton and Trump.

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An automobile engineer, who went to Saudi Arabia for better job opportunities, has allegedly been "sold" to a Saudi national as a slave to work in his camel farm.

The family members of Jayanta Biswas have approached the Ministry of External Affairs for help in bringing him back from Saudi Arabia.

However, they are yet to receive a word from the ministry.

"We appeal to the Indian government to initiate action in order to bring my brother back. We are at our wit's end," Gouri Biswas, elder sister of Jayanta, said.

According to Gouri, earlier this year Jayanta got in touch with agents in New Delhi and Mumbai, who had taken Rs one lakh from him to help him get a plum job in the automobile sector in Saudi Arabia.

"The agents had put Jayanta on a plane to Riyadh on a tourist visa. They had promised that he would get a work visa after staying there for three months and find a job at an automobile service centre. On their assurance, Jayanta reached Riyadh on May 15. He was conned by the agents," she alleged.

She said that after he reached Riyadh, he was sold to a Saudi national to work in his camel farm.

"He was forced to work as a labourer in the farm and was given food only once. The person who bought him also tried to sexually abuse him. Jayanta once tried to flee his master's house but failed and was severely beaten up," Gouri claimed.

Later, however, he managed to escape and sought help from the Indian Embassy in Riyadh which recorded his statement and sent him to an NGO in the Saudi capital.

Infuriated over Jayanta's escape, his master lodged a police complaint accusing him of stealing 10,000 Riyals, following which he was put behind bars, she claimed.

"From the prison he managed to get in touch with us and this is how we got to know about his ordeal. When we got in touch with the agents, they demanded Rs 35,000 for my brother's release. We paid the amount and he was released from prison on October 27," Gouri said.

However, though he is now out of jail, the family is clueless about his return. His father, Rabindranath Biswas, wrote to the External Affair Ministry seeking their help in ensuring Jayanta's return.

"We have written to MEA and Union Minister Sushma Swaraj. But our pleas are yet to be heard. We want the MEA to take swift action," Gouri said.

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EU foreign ministers will hold a special meeting on Sunday following Donald Trump's win in the US presidential election, a German diplomat said today.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier "welcomes that an EU foreign ministers' meeting will take place Sunday," said a ministry source.

The talks will be held in Brussels, where the foreign ministers of the 28 EU member states will hold a regular meeting on Monday, reported German national news agency DPA.
The European Union today added six MPs from Crimea who were recently elected to Russia's parliament to its sanctions blacklist for their role in supporting Moscow's seizure of the region from Ukraine.

"In line with its non-recognition policy, the EU considers that the persons who became members of the State Duma as a result of the elections in Crimea should be placed under sanctions," said a statement issued by the European Council of the bloc's 28 member states.

"These sanctions consist of an asset freeze and a travel ban which will now apply to a total of 152 persons and 37 entities," it added.

The EU refuses to recognise Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea and insisted Russian parliamentary elections held there in September were illegal.

In June, it rolled over for another year asset ban and travel freeze sanctions against individuals and companies said to have aided Russia's takeover of the Black Sea peninsula.

In September, the EU extended by six months similar sanctions against Russian and Ukrainian individuals for aiding and abetting pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine.

In July, the bloc extended much more damaging economic sanctions against Russia for another six months, citing a lack of progress in resolving the Ukraine conflict.

EU leaders are due to review these economic sanctions at a summit in December amid sharp differences over how effective they are.

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With citizens all set to deposit and exchange now-defunct old high-denomination bank notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 at banks and post offices for new notes starting tomorrow, city police here today held discussions on various related matters.

Chennai Police Commissioner S George held a meeting with senior police officers and discussed about bandobust arrangements for the smooth exchange of cash at various banks and post offices, a police release said.

"Bank Security In-charge Officers were summoned and senior Bank Officers were contacted to work out the modalities to be followed in transporting cash from cash chest to various branches of Banks and ATMs in the city.

"Adequate bandobust arrangements have been made at all the branches of banks and Post Offices, to regulate the crowd and to prevent any untoward incident," it said.

"About 3,000 cops were deployed for the above duty and patrol vehicles and special mobile units are instructed to frequent the banks," it said, adding, Home Guards have also been pressed into service.

Traffic police personnel have been instructed to regulate the traffic near the banks and ATMs to ensure smooth movement of traffic, it said.

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Five students were shot and seriously hurt and 18 others injured today during clashes with police in DR Congo's capital Kinshasa during protests over tuition fees, a doctor said.

The protests at the Higher Institute of Applied Technology (ISTA) university came after administrators decided to alter the exchange rate applied to student fee payments, significantly increasing costs - a decision that has now been reversed.

"We received 23 injured students of whom five had serious gunshot wounds and were transferred to the Kokolo military hospital," said a doctor at the university's medical centre.

An AFP correspondent saw seven students - including a woman who had lost consciousness - under observation at the university medical centre.

More than 100 police officers surrounded the university site and fired teargas at classrooms.

"We are protesting against the application of an increased (exchange) rate decided by the academic authorities," said Patrick Makonzo, vice-president of ISTA's student union.

Administrators had moved to change the Congolese franc exchange rate applied to student fee payments, which are fixed at USD 300 for the year, and would have resulted in a real-terms fee increase of around 16 per cent.

"In the interests of social harmony at ISTA we have decided to revise the exchange rate (back)," said ISTA director general Kasengedia Mutumbe.

Anger at the university's initial decision led to several incidents including the burning of two vehicles and attacks on some nearby shopfronts.

"The police were called to re-establish order, disturbed by the students," said the officer in charge of the operation.

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Four members of a family - a couple and their two children - were killed and another three-year-old son was seriously injured in a road mishap at Haladiapadara near here in Odisha's Ganjam district today.

The mishap took place when the family members were proceeding in a motor-cycle and a private bus ran over their two-wheeler, said S B Das, the inspector in-charge of traffic police station here.

The dead were identified as Santosh Gouda (40), a mason, his wife Tukuni (35), son Krushna (7) and daughter Mama (5), he said.

Another son Rahul (3) sustained serious injuries in the accident and was rushed at MKCG Medical College and Hospital here, police said.

The district administration sanctioned Rs 10,000 to the kin for each of the deceased for immediate expenditure. "We also sanctioned Rs 3000 from the Red Cross fund for the treatment of the child," said sub collector (Berhampur) Sidhartha Shankar Swain.

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French Ambassador to the US Gerard Araud appeared to have deleted a controversial tweet that expressed dismay at a collapsing world order as the counting of votes were going on in the US presidential polls.

"After Brexit and this election, anything is now possible. A world is collapsing before our eyes. Dizziness," the 63-year-old diplomat tweeted.

The original tweet which was in French read as, "Apres Brexit et cette election, tout est desormais possible. Un monde s'effondre devant nos yeux. Un vertige."



Later, the veteran diplomat deleted the tweet.

In a result that stunned the world, Trump was today elected the US President crushing strongly-favoured Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Araud was appointed Ambassador of France to the US in July 2014.

He had served as France's Permanent Representative to the United Nations as well as Director General for Political and Security Affairs of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development.

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A gang allegedly involved in cheating a distributor of Patanjali products to the tune of Rs 23 lakhs by floating a fake trading company has been busted with the arrest of seven persons from west Delhi, police said today.

The complainant Pradeep Batra approached the police last month alleging that his distribution shop 'SDS Enterprises' in Janakpuri was cheated by one Vijay Agarwal by taking orders of Patanjali products for his firm 'Krishna Trading Company'. He said that his company was cheated to the tune of Rs 23 lakhs by the accused.

One of the gang members Ankit Jain was arrested recently. On the basis of the information provided by him, other gang members-Surender, Sushil, Ravi, Krishanpal, Sanjay Kumar and Bharat Bhushan were arrested later, Vijay Kumar, DCP(west) said.

During interrogation, the accused revealed that Ravi impersonated as Vijay Agarwal while Sushil disguised himself as former's elder brother Ajay Agarwal. They started a fake firm after opening bank accounts and obtained PAN card and TIN number for it.

They used mobile numbers obtained through fake IDs. Surender allegedly financed the whole activity which was run from a shop rented by them in Majlis Park area of Adarsh Nagar, said the officer.

After several transactions with different distributors including the complainant, the accused issued them cheques when the banks were to be closed for 4-5 days due to festive season. The gang finally disappeared after vacating their shop on the night of October 9-10.

Surender Jain and Sushil were arrested in a similar case of cheating in Punjabi Bagh area in 2010, police added.

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today shot up to 3-year high of Rs 31,750 per ten gram, gaining a whopping Rs 900, following the government's scrapping high-denomination notes to curb black money and a firming trend overseas in view of Donald Trump's victory in US presidential election.

In a surprise move, the government banned Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in a bid to curb black money.

It was gold's highest closing level of Rs 31,820 after November 19, 2013 in the bullion market here.

"The bullion demand has got a boost as people having huge funds in cash, were seen converting their wealth into gold as a safe-haven", said Rakesh Anand, a Delhi-based jeweller, reflecting the market mood.

Moreover, the rupee weakening against the US dollar by 23 paise to 66.85 (intra-day) at the forex market, made dollar-quoted precious metal expensive. India imports huge quantities of gold to meet domestic demand.

Sentiment also got a boost after gold jumped nearly 5 per cent in global market to its strongest in more than five weeks as investors sought safe havens in view of Trump's victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the US election.

Investors have been diverting funds from stock markets, which were down amid US election trends since morning, to bullion.

Gold in Singapore, which normally sets the price trend in the market here, soared as much as 4.8 per cent, the biggest intra-day surge since June to USD 1,337.38 an ounce.

Silver also reclaimed Rs 45,000 per kg mark by registering a steep rise of Rs 1,150, largely in tandem with global trend as money flew to safe-haven investments following melting global equities.

On the domestic front, gold of 99.9 and 99.5 per cent purity rallied by Rs 900 each to Rs 31,750 and Rs 31,600 per 10 gram, a level last seen on November 19, 2013. Sovereign also shot up by Rs 200 to Rs 24,700 per piece of eight grams.

In a similar fashion, silver ready surged by Rs 1,150 to Rs 45,000 per kg and weekly-based delivery by Rs 1,225 to Rs 44,275 per kg. Silver coins too spurted by Rs 1,000 to Rs 77,000 for buying and Rs 78,000 for selling of 100 pieces.

Bullion traders said a significant rise of 3.43 per cent on the Multi Commodity Exchange further supported the uptrend, indicating more demand for the in coming sessions.
With the government's latest measures expected to take the sheen off physical gold, investors today flocked to buy gold ETFs and sovereign gold bonds on stock exchanges.

The gold exchange traded funds gained as much as three per cent in early trading on the BSE, with HDFC Mutual Fund - HDFC Gold Exchange Traded Fund jumping to Rs 2,900 per gram.

Sovereign gold bonds were also trading higher with gains up to 4 per cent in early trade.

While gold was trading higher, gold futures were marginally lower at MCX.

Apart from the government's move to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes to fight black money, the initial trends of the American elections that indicate a possible win for Republican candidate Donald Trump seemed to have a bearing on investor sentiments.

Starting off on a weak note, key 30-share Sensex witnessed significant volatility and shed over 820 points or nearly 3 per cent to 26,770.69 points in early trading hours.

Trading in Gold ETFs has been tepid in the last three financial years.

In September, investors pulled out Rs 77 crore from Gold ETFs taking the total withdrawal to Rs 539 crore in the first six months of the current fiscal.

The assets base of gold-linked ETFs account dropped to Rs 6,295 crore at the end of September from Rs 6,349 crore in August-end.

Mutual fund sector has 14 gold-based schemes, which have been in the market since 2006-07.

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Gujarat government will start 'Deendayal generic medicine stores' to sell generic medicines to the poor patients at 40 to 80 per cent lower rates, minister of state for health, Shankar Chaudhary said today.

In the first phase, 52 stores will be opened in cities and towns, an official statement said quoting him.

Trained staff will operate these computerised stores which will remain open 24 hours and sell around 1,000 generic drugs for now. Number of drugs would be increased to 2,000 in the second phase.

"The number of stores will be increased to 500-1,000 in near future and they will be opened at tehsil level, apart from multiple stores in one city," the release said, adding that the stores will also operate on franchise model.

Generic, branded generic, over-the-counter medicines and surgical implants will be available at stores.

Mobile application 'G-Dava' was also launched today by the minister. It will act as a search engine for information on branded and generic medicines, price difference, chemical composition, availability, etc.

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The Gujarat unit of BJP today hailed the Centre's decision to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes saying it is a courageous move to weed out black money.

"It is a courageous move to weed out corruption and it will have significant long term benefits for the economy," Gujarat BJP chief Jitubhai Vaghani told PTI.

"This is a brilliant move to end menace of black money menace," he added.

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Nitin Patel said "With this, quantum of India's economy moving through the digital pipes will witness massive growth"



Vadodara Mayor Bharat Dangar said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a historic decision which will eradicate corruption and prevent laundering of money through Hawala racket".

Amit Patel, President of Federation of Gujarat Industries termed the decision as a bold and as a far-reaching one against untaxed money, which was need the hour.

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Three history-sheeters were today arrested from Gurugram for their involvement in incidents of loot, dacoity and kidnapping, Haryana Police said.

Two of the accused carried cash rewards of Rs 50,000 each on their heads as announced by Delhi Police, they added.

Arms and ammunition and a stolen car were seized from the possession of the accused, a Haryana police spokesman said.

He said, acting on a tip-off, police set up a temporary checkpost on the Dhanwapur village-Rajendra Park road. The three accused were travelling in the stolen car which did not have a number plate. When the police signalled the driver of the car to stop, he sped away.

Police launched a chase and the three accused were nabbed after the driver of their vehicle lost control over it, the spokesman said.

During interrogation, the accused -- Shakti alias Sharda, a resident of Kharhar Bahadurgarh village, Jhajjar, Kushal alias Kimmy, a resident of Karnal, and Gaurav, a resident of Matapuri Road, Panipat, told the police that they had stolen the car from the Farrukhnagar area on September 4, he added.

They also confessed that on September 27, along with another accomplice, they had kidnapped Akash and Vikas from Punjab, the spokesman said.

However, the other accomplice, identified as Deepak alias Bhanda, a resident of Sampla, Rohtak, was shot at and arrested during a confrontation between the accused and Gurugram Police at Sampla, Rohtak, he added.

Investigations revealed that Shakti and Kushal were wanted in four cases of murder and were carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 each, the spokesman said.

It was also revealed that all the accused had committed several acts of kidnapping, loot and dacoity in Delhi, Gurugram, Rohtak and Jhajjar areas, he added.

A pistol, a revolver and nine live cartridges were seized from the possession of Shakti and two pistols and six live cartridges were seized from Kushal, the spokesman said, adding that the key of the stolen vehicle was recovered from the possession of Gaurav.

The accused could not produce the licences for the arms seized from them, the spokesman said, adding that a case was registered against the three at Rajendra Park police station.

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North Dakota voted for a Republican for the 13th straight presidential election.

As of 9:45 p.m., Donald Trump had claimed 64.24 percent of the states vote to Hillary Clintons 25.31 percent with 261 of 432 precincts reporting.

Likewise, the U.S. Senate race quickly was called for incumbent Sen. John Hoeven and the U.S. House race for incumbent Rep. Kevin Cramer.

None of that surprised North Dakota Republican Party Chairman Kelly Armstrong, who says he believes the Republican edge is here to stay.

North Dakotans believe in conservative values, he said.

By 9:45 p.m, Hoeven had claimed 80.33 percent of the vote to Democrat Eliot Glassheims 15.08 percent.

Hoeven, in his pep rally-like acceptance speech, talked about bringing the fundamentals that have helped North Dakota to the federal level.

Were going to continue to grow and prosper, he said.

Hes just a rock. He runs a solid campaign, hes great for North Dakota. Its almost boring, hes so good at it, Armstrong said about Hoeven.

Glassheim said he congratulated Hoeven by phone and asked him to take a leadership role in finding compromise for the nations problems.

Cramer had 70.59 percent of the vote as of 9:45 p.m. to Chase Iron Eyes 22.17 percent.

Cramer said in his acceptance speech that he strives to listen to constituents. Armstrong said Cramers accessibility is appreciated in light of the publics frustration with the federal government.

Democratic-NPL Party Chairwoman Kylie Oversen said Glassheims and Iron Eyes campaigns lay a foundation for future campaigns.

Were very proud of the very strong substance they brought, she said. We came up short, but were not disappointed in the candidates we had.
With alarming levels of pollution due to smog in Lucknow, the Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to immediately explore all measures to deal with the "unprecedented" situation.

The Lucknow bench of the court directed the UP chief secretary to instruct the appropriate departments and also inform the court about the outcome of measures that the state intends and proposes to take.

The order was passed by a division bench of Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi and Justice Anil Kumar Srivastava yesterday on two PILs seeking directions for taking appropriate action in the matter.

"..... The state government is required to take up immediate remedial measures for the purpose of meeting this unprecedented situation," the bench observed.

The court order came as a blanket of smog engulfed parts of Uttar Pradesh, with state capital Lucknow bearing the brunt of thick haze and air pollution.

People in the city are finding it difficult to breathe as smoke emanating from burning of crop and cow dung in the countryside have added to their woes.

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Hillary Clinton today called her Republican rival Donald Trump in the wee hours to concede defeat after the veteran Democrat lost out to the political outsider in the bitter US presidential elections.

The 69-year-old former secretary of state and the First lady, who was aiming to break the highest glass ceiling in the US by becoming the first woman president in the country's history, will give her concession speech later today, her aide said.

Clinton's call to Trump came after her Campaign Chairman John Podesta told her supporters gathered at an arena in New York for victory celebrations that they would wait till all the votes are counted.

"We're still counting votes. And every vote should count. Several states are too close to call. So we're not going to have anything more to say tonight," Podesta said.

"We are so proud of her. She's done an amazing job. And she is not done yet. So thank you for being with her. She has always been with you. I have to say this tonight. Good night. We will be back. We will have more to say. Let's get those votes counted and let's bring this home.

"Thank you so much for all that you've done," Podesta said in his brief remarks.

"I want every person in this hall to know and I want every person across the country who supported Hillary to know, that your voices and your enthusiasm means so much to her and to Tim (Kaine, Clinton's running mate) and to all of us," he said.

There has been no official word from Clinton herself but her aide said she will deliver concession speech later today.

In his victory speech, Trump said he also congratulated Clinton and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign.

"I mean, she fought very hard," he said. "Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very sincerely.

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Karnataka unit of BJP today sought a probe by NIA into killing of 17 party workers and activists of different Hindu organisations and appealed to the government to keep a tab on activities of jihadi elements during celebration of Tipu Sultan Jayanti scheduled tomorrow.

Accusing the Congress-led Karnataka government of playing 'vote bank' politics, the party said its workers will stage a protest wearing black band at the event.

This was conveyed to Home Minister Rajnath Singh by a delegation of Karnataka BJP leaders led by State President B S Yeddurappa and Union Minister Ananth Kumar here.

"Over 17 party workers and activists from various Hindu organisations have been killed in the last one year. Some were killed during the Tipu Sultan Jayanti held at Madikeri last year. It is repeating this year as well. We have requested the Home Minister to initiate NIA probe into the killings," Yeddurappa told reporters after the meeting.

BJP worker Sunil Dongre from Bidar district is the 17th and latest murderous attack been perpetrated by jihadi forces in Karnataka. Besides, there have been six attempts to murder BJP and RSS activists, he said.

The party is the of firm view that all these murders were perpetrated by workers belonging to Popular Front of India (PFI), Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD) and Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI), he alleged.

In a representation made to the Home Minister, Yeddurappa claimed that the state government's move to organise Tipu Sultan Jayanti is "beginning of communalisation" in the state.

Stating that violence had erupted during the same event held at Madikeri last year, he said: "But a year elapsed, no probe has come out with the truth, either about the presence of large number of Muslim at Madikeri having come from Kerala or about the motive behind all 17 murders and six attempts to murder."



Seeking the central government's help to check activities of jihadi forces this time at the event, Yeddurappa said, "I have learnt from reliable sources that a very large number of Muslim youths in their mid-20s have entered Karnataka a few days back from Kerala and are stationed in different parts of the state ... Their conduct and behavior evokes suspicion."



"These dubious elements need to be apprehended immediately before they carry out their sinister design and nefarious activities on November 10," he said.

He also alleged that the Congress government has made all preparations to "engineer riots" during Tipu Jayanti and blame BJP and Sangh Pariwar.

On Monday, the Karnataka government had sought 1,600 central paramilitary personnel for deployment during Tipu Sultan Jayanti, which is expected to face protests from some organisations.

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Hyderabad's culture to embrace those who make the city their home will continue to flourish under the Telangana Rashtra Samithi rule, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said today.

Observing that many people from all corners of the country were settled here, he said the city has now gained a place of prominence due to the contribution of all such people.

Rao, who was the chief guest in the meeting 'Half decade of journey' of Raju Kshtriyas, said the community members had an important role in the development of Hyderabad, which is the lifeline of Telangana, a release from his office said.

Recalling that TRS had stated at the time of its formation that it would not have any problem with those who came in search of livelihood, the Chief Minister said the party treated all those who settled in Hyderabad like flowers in a bouquet.

Hailing the contribution of Raju Kshatriyas (who came to Hyderabad from Coastal Andhra), the CM said the community members had introduced grape orchards and poultry farms to the city here.

The community members are doing well in Information Technology, cinema and construction sectors, he said, adding that the government would stand by Kshatriyas.

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International Computer Driving License (ICDL) Foundation has launched a module to certify essential digital marketing skills in India.

The Foundation said its training and testing centers across Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore will deliver the ICDL digital marketing module to get students certified on international standards.

The certification is aimed at imparting digital marketing skills to entrepreneurs, business workforce, students, and marketing & communications professionals working in the public and private sectors.

"Effective use of digital marketing tools and techniques will enable small and medium organisations in particular to succeed online and benefit from the digital economy," Damien O' Sullivan, the CEO of ICDL Foundation, said.

The module covers core digital marketing topics, including maintaining online presence, using social media to promote a business and using online advertising and marketing services.

"This Digital Marketing module provides the key skills that are relevant for roles in sales, marketing and communications. It certifies a candidate's skills to an internationally recognised and industry standard that is both relevant and comprehensive," Sayem Mehmood, the Managing Director of ICDL India, said.

Earlier this year, ICDL signed an MoU with National Skills Development Corporation to certify one million Indians on international standards for digital skills.

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With Donald Trump set to become the next US President, India Inc today sought greater access for the country's pharmaceutical products in the US market and mobility of skilled labour.

The industry also tried to allay concerns related to the billionaire businessman, expressing confidence that apprehensions linked to him would "certainly prove wrong", saying it looks forward to take the bilateral economic engagement to a greater level under the Trump administration.

"We hope that challenges relating to mobility of skilled labour, market access for pharmaceutical products from India, and financial services institutions and SMEs will be addressed," CII President Naushad Forbes said.

"Our primary focus areas with the US have been standards, manufacturing competitiveness, defence collaboration and mobility of high skilled labour. We look forward to working with the Trump administration to further cement this critical partnership."



In a stunning result, Trump beat seasoned politician Hillary Clinton in the knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President after starting off as a rank political outsider.

Seeking to "bind the wounds of division" after a bitter and divisive campaign, Trump pledged to be the President for all Americans and asked Republicans, Democrats and independents across the country to come together as one united people.

Skipping policy issues in his victory speech, the 70-year-old President-elect congratulated his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton with whom he had crossed words during the long, often ugly campaign, saying she fought very hard.

"We saw a different Trump who as President-elect of the United States of America sounded so conciliatory and sober promising a fair deal with the rest of the world," Assocham President Sunil Kanoria said.

"His words appeared so convincing that the financial markets which were nervous in the beginning recovered quite a ground rightly hoping that the Republican inmate of the White House has a great plan for America up his sleeve."



Engineering exporters' body EEPC India Chairman T S Bhasin said: "Trump has stated clearly that his focus would be to spend huge funds on building the US infrastructure like highways, airports and the like. That would generate great demand for engineering exports in areas like steel, machinery and high technology domains."



Bhasin added: "The Indian industry would certainly look forward to be a partner in that great endeavour of the next US President.

"I am certain that Trump will further strengthen the ties between India and US that have been on an upturn in the last decade reflecting convergence of interests on bilateral, economic, regional and global issues," said Yes Bank MD and CEO Rana Kapoor.

"From an economic perspective, India enjoys a trade surplus of USD 20 billion with the US, with the latter being the 5th largest contributor to FDI inflows in our country. The symbiotic dependence between India-US is only bound to increase as India remains the fastest-growing economy in the world."



He said leaders of both India and the US must galvanise fresh efforts on unfinished agenda such as the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and explore newer avenues of trade and investment.

CMD of trading and investment firm Amrapali Aadya Capt Sanjeev Sinha termed Trump's victory as "a rescuer" for the Indian pharmaceutical sector.

"We are expecting some sign of relief for pharma after the victory of Trump," he said.

Regarding the outlook for the global equity and currency markets, Sinha said going forward, the dollar is likely to strengthen and emerging markets will fall.

"Hence, financial conditions are likely to tighten a lot, which could affect growth negatively. We expect the Fed to wait and watch for any hike to see how growth is going to turn post election, he said.

Industry body Ficci said Trump's victory comes at a time when relations between India and the US are witnessing a paradigm shift marked by significant convergence on strategic perspectives and enhanced economic engagement, expressing confidence that India and the US will reach higher trajectories of growth in bilateral ties and economic cooperation.

Fortis Healthcare Ltd Executive Chairman Malvinder Mohan Singh said that under Trumps' dynamic leadership, India-US business relationships will be further strengthened.

"India maintains a good relationship with the US and we hope that under his dynamic leadership, India-US business relationships and other strategic ties will be further strengthened. Together, we will celebrate our shared principles, bilateral interests and prosperity," said Singh.
Continuing the blame game, India and Pakistan today summoned Deputy High Commissioners of each other to express concern over ceasefire violations even as India protested the manner in which the information of eight of its officials in Islamabad was made public, thereby, endangering their security and safety.

The Ministry summoned the Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan and conveyed the strong concern of the Government of India on the continued violation of ceasefire along the International Border and the Line of Control by Pakistan, MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in New Delhi.

"Despite calls for restraint, Pakistan forces have committed 16 ceasefire violations since 3 November 2016 alone. As a result, there have been three fatal casualties during this period among Indian security forces.

"The Government conveyed that such loss of life is unacceptable and is strongly protested. In addition, the injuries to civilians during the shelling by Pakistan forces are deplorable and strongly condemned," he said.

Swarup said India has also protested the manner in which the photographs of eight officials of the High Commission of India in Islamabad were prominently displayed in newspapers in the wake of factually incorrect allegations by Pakistan government, and conveyed that this is against basic norms of diplomatic practice and courtesy, besides having the potential to endanger their security and safety.

"It is expected that the Pakistan side will desist from such actions in the future and will ensure the safety and security of all members of the High Commission of India in Islamabad and their families," Swarup added.

Earlier, in Islamabad, Foreign Office (FO) said Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh to "strongly condemn the unprovoked ceasefire violations on November 8 by the Indian Forces on the Line of Control (LoC) in Khuirata and Battal sectors".

This is the sixth time in over two weeks that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner was summoned to the FO.

The FO said the violation by India resulted in the death of four civilians, including a woman and a 10-year-old girl, besides causing injuries to seven others.

On his part, Singh protested against the unprovoked firing from Pakistani Rangers, saying it was primarily to give cover to infiltrators.

He also said casualties on the Indian side include both civilians and security forces in the ceasefire violations by the Pakistan.

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Thirty-two companies from various sectors across the country, including Indian Railways were today named 'Healthy Workplaces' 2016 by a global body working to prevent non-communicable diseases through education and lifestyle change.

Amid growing challenges posed by NCDs, including diabetes and cancer, Arogya World, a non-profit organisation today brought together top industry speakers to deliberate on improving the health of employees at workplaces during a conference organised here.

"32 companies from a variety of sectors across India are being named as 2016 Healthy Workplaces in the fourth year of a pioneering public health program underway by Arogya World.

"This brings the total number of Healthy Workplaces that the global health non-profit has recognised to date to 79, with a total workforce of approximately 2 million.

"Importantly, one of the world's largest employers, Indian Railways, with an employee strength of 1.3 million, is one of this year's Healthy Workplaces," the body said while commending the winners for their commitment to employee health and wellness.

Founder and CEO, Arogya World, Nalini Saligram said that this year's Healthy Workplaces have brought us to an exciting inflection point in our journey to prevent chronic disease and create a Healthy India.

"Working with these pioneering companies, and our partners, we are on our way to building an ecosystem for NCDs prevention in the workplace. No one entity can do it alone, but together, we can make a profound public health impact," she said.

The 2016 Healthy Workplaces winners include Hindustan Unilever Limited, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, Reliance Industries Limited, Dow Chemical International, NTPC Limited, Britannia Industries, IOCL, Corporate Office, Tata Power Solar, Columbia Asia Hospital - Hebbal, Indian Railways among others.

"What is noteworthy this year is the foray we have made into new sectors in our Healthy Workplaces, especially large government agencies and public sector organisations," said Geeta Bharadwaj, Head, Healthy Workplace initiative, Arogya World India Trust.

Arogya World targets workplaces for chronic disease prevention because work is where so many people spend a large part of their day.

An estimated 20 per cent of Indians have at least one chronic condition. 60 plus million Indians live with diabetes, and one million die from it each year.

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has welcomed the decision of the Central Government to withdraw currency denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, saying the step was needed to check the scourge of black money and corruption in the country.

The Chief Minister described corruption as a "vicious menace" which eats up the vitals of growth and development of a society and the country.

She hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his bold steps to check corruption, illegal transaction of money and other such evils which hamper the development of the country.

The Chief Minister said though the step would entail temporary inconvenience to people but its positive effects would be in the larger and long-term interests of the country and people.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh today welcomed the decision of the Central Government to withdraw currency denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 maintaining that the step would go a long way in eradication of money laundering and corruption.

While describing the step as a historic, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister has taken several measures to end the menace of corruption.

He said that corruption is the scourge which is eating into the vitals of the country thereby hampering its overall development. He said the historical initiative should be welcomed by one and all.

The Deputy Chief Minister informed that he has already taken up the issue of inconvenience being faced by certain traders at toll posts with the State Finance Minister.

He said the remedial measures in this regard would be soon taken.

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Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav today held deliberations with RLD chief Ajit Singh and senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav in separate meetings as leaders of 'Janata Parivar' outfits look to form an alliance for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls early next year.

Yadav's younger brother and his party's UP unit chief Shivpal Yadav, a keen votary of the alliance, was also part of the confabulations held at the residence of Mulayam, who later left for Lucknow, the SP sources said.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad is also in the capital.

In a show of solidarity, all these leaders besides JD(S) chief and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had come together for the SP's silver jubilee celebrations in Lucknow on November 5 after Shivpal Yadav gave a call for unity among erstwhile Janata Dal leaders.

The key to any unity will be how many seats Mulayam Singh Yadav is willing to concede to parties like RLD, which has influence in western UP, and JD(U), which has little traction in the state but is making concerted efforts under its president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to carve a niche for itself.

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The jewellery industry welcomed government's decision to scrap the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes citing it as a bold move to curb tax evasion and improve compliance.

"It is a welcome step to curb tax evasion even as people will be inconvenienced for a short period. It is a very bold step for the long run and will benefit people," All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF) Director Ashok Minawala told PTI here.

He said after the announcement made by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night, people thronged to jewellery shops, which remained open till midnight.

"According to reports from across the country, the business were substantially high, went up around 200 per cent last night. On an average day, the industry does a business of around 2 tonne," he added.

Last night, the Prime Minister announced that high denomination notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 will no longer be legal tender from midnight as a "decisive" war against black money and corruption, while disclosing a raft of steps to assure commoners that their money is safe.

Mumbai Jewellers Association Vice-President Kumar Jain said the prices are soaring in the domestic market and due to demand supply gap gold is being sold at a higher premium.

"Gold price is ruling at Rs 31,900 level per 10 grams, however, in the market gold is sold at a premium of Rs 10,000 per 10 grams taking the total price to over Rs 40,000 per 10 grams," Jain said.

"The act of demonetising high value currency notes by the government is a decisive and welcome step to curb tax evasion and improve compliance and an important milestone in the journey towards the vision of becoming a cashless economy," World Gold Council Managing Director, India, Somasundaram PR said.

"This will be transformative for gold as this has the potential to squeeze out the unofficial trade, and drive greater transparency across," Somasundaram said.

"It is a wonderful move and long overdue. We were seeing a lot of counterfeit currency, which made it difficult for common individuals. (This is) a bold decision, which might cause short term difficulty but is good for long run and will help strengthen our currency," Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) Praveenshankar Pandya said.

The government's decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes is a bold and welcome step and good move in the long run, GJF Chairman Sreedhar G V said.

"We were getting reports of shops being open till mid-night till currencies were accepted. Customers buying increased and people did good business," he added.

India Bullion and Jewellers Association Director



Saurabh Gadgil said its a welcome move and will make the market clean.

He said in the short term it may be a pain, but will help the organised sector and provide a level playing field.

"There was a lot of panic among people last night, who were holding a lot of cash, especially farmers and those who were preparing for weddings etc, and people flocked to convert the notes in gold. However, most of these purchases were compliance driven," he said.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today asked the Food Department to gear up for purchase of paddy, a day after announcing bonus to farmers.

Reviewing the work of the Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Department, Das asked officials to ensure that grains are distributed to tribal families.

He called upon farmers who do not have bank accounts to open one under Jan Dhan Yojana to facilitate cashless transaction.

The biometric mode, he said, could be difficult for lepers and labourers working in quarry, so iris mode could be the system to deliver grains to them.

He also asked the department to increase facilities for labourers working in godowns, like providing restrooms and drinking water and also see if they can be covered under group insurance.

Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Minister Saryu Roy stressed the need for modern godowns.

The Kadru-based godown in Ranchi is being modernised, he added.

The chief minister directed the department to open godowns in districts, depending upon the requirement and suggested studying the food distribution system of Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu.

Chief Secretary Rajbala Verma, Development Commissioner Amit Khare and department Secretary Vinay Kumar Choubey were present at the meeting.

Jharkhand is expecting 4 lakh metric tonnes of paddy following a good monsoon.

This was informed in a review meeting of the agriculture department, chaired by the Chief Minister yesterday.

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A street hawker allegedly sustained injury in a scuffle with a knife wielding man outside Shivaji Stadium metro station on Airport Line here this evening.

The incident occurred outside the emergency exit gate of the metro station around 5.15 PM when the accused Pawan was seen scuffling with a street hawker.

A private security guard of the station informed the CISF personnel on duty about the incident, following which CISF sub inspector John Singh rushed to the spot along with a quick reaction team and a marshal.

An inebriated Pawan started hitting the CISF personnel when they tried to intervene in the matter. Meanwhile, Pawan's brother Ravi reached there and started scuffling with Singh.

In the melee, Pawan managed to escape while Ravi was nabbed by the security personnel. A PCR call was made by the CISF personnel and Ravi was handed over to Delhi Police.

The street hawker who reportedly sustained injury in the fight was not found on the spot when a PCR team reached there. No arrest has been made so far in this connection, said a senior police officer.

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Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya today said he will hold a review meeting with senior officials of his ministry in day or two to study the impact of banning Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from circulation, and also on payments to people working in the unorganised sector.

There are about 390 million people working in the unorganised sector and that includes agricultural as well as construction labour, he said.

"We need to create certain systems to take the policy (banning the notes) for better implementation at grassroots. We need to have a comprehensive understanding on the subject," he said.

"We will have meeting within our ministry in a day or two. People will eventually get used to the system. Even an agricultural labourer will also be able to transact through banking system with the help of Jandhan Yojana bank account," Dattatreya told reporters on the sidelines of 7th CII Global Summit of Skill Development here.

About 21 crore bank accounts have been opened under PM Jan Dhan Yojana so far, he said.

Shekhar Reddy, former president of CREDAI, apex body of Private Real Estate Developers Associations, while welcoming the government move, said there may be some initial glitches with regard to the payments to construction labourers.

He said the move will have a positive impact on the industry.

"Most of the contractors pay weekly wages to workers in cash. Now since there is restriction on withdrawing limits there may be some problems for some days. But as the Prime Minister mentioned that the restrictions will eventually be lifted, there should not be any problem," Reddy told PTI.

According to Labour Ministry figures there are about 47 million construction workers in the country.

Meanwhile, Ravindra Modi, President, Federation of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry said the Government's move to curtail the black money is probably the boldest move in the history of independent India.

The surprise element to ban with immediate effect will bring out the desired effect. The PM's promise that honest people shall not be harassed has to be ensured effectively as small and medium traders exchange is through cash currency only, he said.

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The eight-year-old India boy Sunny Pawar, who plays an important role in Nicole Kidman starrer "Lion," is not getting the visa to enter the US.

The movie revolves around the story of Saroo Brierley, an Australian man who uses Google Earth to find the family that he was separated from in India and Sunny, who plays the role of young Saroo in the movie, was supposed to be a part of the promotional events for the film, reported Variety.

As per the schedule, Sunny was supposed to fly to Los Angeles this week with his father, Dilip, to attend the film's screening at AFI. He was then going to travel to New York City for the film's premiere at the Museum of Modern Art.

"We are devastated that Sunny, an 8-year-old boy who is part of this amazing film and who is garnering such strong reactions from his performance, cannot be here to be a part of this experience.

"We are doing everything we can to fight this; we believe it must be the effect of immigration paranoia. He, of course, poses absolutely no threat to anyone. We want him to be a part of the celebration of this film and his performance. We fully intend to go through the proper resources and appeal with the State Department for assistance," said David Glasser, Weinstein Co. President and COO, in a statement.

Sunny dominates the screen for much of the movie's first hour, playing five-year-old Saroo lost on the streets of Calcutta.

The project marks his acting debut and has already earned him raves.

Sunny and his father still need to undergo an interview before they can get a visa. The Weinstein Co. Is reaching out to contacts in India to try to see if they can expedite the process.

Directed by Garth Davis, "Lion" also stars Rooney Mara and Dev Patel. The film is scheduled to release on November 25.

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Lt Gen Devraj Anbu was today appointed as new chief of strategically important Northern Command in place of Lt Gen D S Hooda, who retires this month end.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleared the name of Anbu for the post of General Officer-in-Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) with effect from December 1.

Udhampur-based Northern Command is a strategically important army formation which overlooks the functioning of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Jammu-based 16-corps and Leh-based 14-Corps.

Anbu was posted as the Corps Commander of Tezpur-based 4 Corps. His last posting in Jammu and Kashmir was as a Brigadier in 2008-09.

He takes over at a time when exchange of fire along the Line of Control has been happening quite frequently especially after the Indian army carried out surgical strikes on September 29 this year killing at least 19 Lashker-e-Taiba militants inside the territory in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

Lt Gen Anbu Commissioned in the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment in June 1980 has had a distinguished military career in which he has executed important Command and Staff appointments in India and abroad.

He has participated in Indian Peace Keeping Operations (IPKF) in Sri Lanka, United Nations Peace Keeping in Namibia, Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorist operations in Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir.

He was awarded the Sena Medal Gallantry for operation in Siachen Glacier.

The General has also been awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Yudh Seva Medal for his distinguished service.

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The Madras High Court today gave its nod for the release of Tamil movie "Kadavul Irukan Kumaru" as it vacated the stay granted against its release with a condition to deposit Rs 35 lakh in the court within four weeks.

The court had yesterday granted interim stay for the release of the film for two weeks, when film distributor R Singavadivelan filed a suit for recovery of Rs 82.38 lakh from producer Senthilkumar of G&7G Films.

Singaravadivelan had submitted that he had entered into a contract with producers of Tamil film "Lingaa", starring Rajinikanth, for exhibition and distribution rights in Trichy-Thanjavur area. He was authorised to deal with theatre collections.

However, Senthilkumar did not pay Rs 61.25 lakh in December 2014. The petitioner paid the money to the producer after Senthilkumar assured that the amount would be paid as soon as possible. The suit was filed after he heard that Senthilkumar was about to release "Kadavul Irukkan Kumaru" featuring G V Prakash and directed by M Rajesh on November 10.

Referring to Senthilkumar's letter dated June 18 giving an undertaking that he will not release the film without clearing dues of Singaravadivelan, the latter said, "Contrary to the promise, Senthilkumar abruptly, with a view to defraud the petitioner, has fixed the date of release of the film as November 10."



Vacating the stay today, the court said, "While permitting the movie to be released by way of an interim order the G&7G Films is directed to deposit Rs 35 lakh in the court within four weeks from the date of receipt of the copy of this order without prejudice to the contention of the parties which should be taken note of while disposing of the application."



The G&7G Films is granted further four weeks of time to file counter affidavit and posted he mater for further hearing after six weeks, it said.

After hearing arguments on behalf of the two plaintiffs --



Amla and Dinesh -- and Shemaroo as well as the three defendants -- Gitanjali Shaily Shailendra, Riddhima Shaily Shailendra and Priyanka Shaily Shailendra -- who had assigned their one-sixth share in the copyright to the company, the court listed the matter for framing of issues on April 12, 2017.

Gitanjali is the wife of late Hemant Shaily Shailendra, the eldest of Shankar Shailendra's children, and Riddhima and Priyanka are their daughters.

According to the suit filed by Amla and Dinesh, prior to his death, Hemant used to get the royalties for the use of the film.

In their plea, they have sought total damages of Rs 1,00,01,000 from all the defendants, including Shemaroo and Maru.

Amla Shailendra Mazumdar has claimed that she came to know about the violation of her copyright in the film when she saw that the movie was being offered as in-flight entertainment on an Emirates flight.

When she contacted the Dubai-based airline, it said it had got the right to show the film from Shemaroo which, according to the suit, has uploaded the entire movie on YouTube and also sells its DVDs on Flipkart.
In the wake of demonetisation of certain currency notes, a group of activist from Maharashtra said they had campaigned for scrapping of high denomination notes and even written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra on the issue as recent as October 26.

Arthkranti, a group of like-minded activists that was founded by Aurangabad-based activist Anil Bokil, has been campaigning for the scrapping of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denomination for some time.

"Arthakranti on October 26 had sent a letter asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement the demands of Arthkranti specially the scrapping of denominations. The Jan-Dhan yojana was also part of our demand and it has covered maximum population so far," Yamaji Malkar, trustee of Arthkranti said,



"The denominations like Rs 500, Rs 1,000 and Rs 100 cover 95 per cent value of Indian economy. The average daily income of common man is Rs 150; hence we argued that higher denomination notes are more used for stashing cash. It was more helpful for black-money generation than any use to the people," Malkar said.

Bokil first met Modi in 2012 when he was Gujarat CM and he had assured Bokil of implementing his recommendations, according to Malkar.

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said all state roads will be toll tax free till November 11 midnight.

"Government Of Maharashtra decides that all State roads will be toll tax free till 11th November midnight," Fadnavis tweeted.

"This includes all the tolls in Mumbai (entry points and within Mumbai) and Maharashtra," he added.

Earlier the Chief Minister had said directions were issued that all tolls must accept Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes and no inconvenience be caused to the people.

Strict action will be taken against tolls who do not accept 500 & 1000 notes. GoM doing best to ensure that there's no chaos and inconvenience, he had tweeted earlier in the day.

"Mumbai Metro was not accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. Directions have been issued to MMOPL," Fadnavis had said in another tweet earlier in the day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Maharashtra government today signed an agreement with Canada to implement a joint action plan on urban infrastructure development in the state.

The Canada-Maharashtra action plan seeks to introduce companies, solutions and financing from the North American country for urban development and implementation of state-led infrastructure projects.

The plan envisages supporting Indo-Canadian partnerships, including private sector companies, universities and colleges to speed up project implementation, promote economic development and contribute to rising standards of living in the state.

"We are implementing a joint action plan and target areas for collaboration include affordable housing, urban infrastructure including smart cities, project financing, training and skills development," Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters here.

The action plan will allow world class, innovative Canadian companies to find new partners and projects, visiting Canadian Minister of Economic Development Navdeep Bains said.

A working group comprising officials from the Consulate General of Canada and Maharashtra's home, urban development, housing, labour, information and technology departments and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority will oversee implementation of the projects.

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With her husband Donald Trump triumphing in the US presidential polls, Melania Trump was set to become the first foreign-born First Lady of the US in almost two centuries.

46-year-old Melania will be the first foreign-born First Lady since Louisa Adams -- the wife of John Quincy Adams, the sixth US president (1825-29).

Louisa was born in London to an English mother and an American father who served as US consul, according to the White House. Till date, Louisa was the only First Lady to be born outside the United States.

Melania, a Slovenian former model, was born in 1970 in communist Yugoslavia.

She is the daughter of Viktor Knavs, a car and motorcycle dealer and a member of the Slovenian Communist Party, and Amalija Knvas, according to media reports.

Melania began her modeling career when she was 16, and at the age of 18 signed with a modeling agency in Milan, Italy.

Melania has her own jewellery and skin care line and speaks five languages-- Slovenian, Serbian, English, French and German.

She met Trump at a Fashion Week party in New York in September 1998, when he was separated from his second wife Marla Marples.

They were engaged in 2004, and were married in a church ceremony in Florida the following year.

In March 2006, she gave birth to their son Barron.

Melania got her Green Card in 2001 after moving to the US five years earlier and became a US citizen in 2006, a year after her marriage.

She has insisted that she is not shy about giving her husband political advice, despite avoiding the limelight for much of the presidential campaign.

In an interview with CNN, she said, "I give him my opinions, many, many times."



"I don't agree with everything he says, but, you know, that is normal. I'm my own person, I tell him what I think. And I think that's very important in a relationship," she said.

Melania had made headlines in July after she was accused of plagiarising parts of a speech made by Michelle Obama in 2008.

She had stood by Trump after video footage emerged of his boasting about groping women.

Melania is also stepmother to Donald Jr, 38, Ivanka, 34, Eric, 32, from Trump's first marriage to Ivana, and Tiffany, 22, from his marriage to Marla Maples.

It was a heart-break for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who was hoping to become the first woman president of the US, as the 70-year-old business tycoon edged past her in a see-saw battle.

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Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto reached out to US President-elect Donald Trump, agreeing to meet with the Republican billionaire whose anti-immigrant rhetoric has infuriated Mexicans.

Pena Nieto said he had congratulated Trump on Wednesday for his election victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton during a "cordial, friendly and respectful" phone conversation.

"I agreed with the president-elect to meet, preferably during the transition period, to define with clarity the direction that the relationship between both countries should take," he said from his official residence.

"I am optimistic. It's clear that a new phase in relations opens with the arrival of a new government, but I also think that there is a great opportunity" for the development of both countries, Pena Nieto said.

A government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the two men did not talk about Trump's pledge to force Mexico to pay billions of dollars for a giant border wall.

But Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu reiterated earlier to the Televisa network that "paying for a wall is not part of our vision".

Pena Nieto had told Trump during a controversial visit by the candidate in August that Mexico would never pay for the wall.

That previous visit had angered Mexicans, who slammed Pena Nieto for inviting a man who described migrants from their country as rapists and drug dealers.

Trump has also unnerved markets by vowing to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

He also pledged to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and threatened to freeze billions in remittances that migrants send to their families back home.

After the election, Mexico's currency fell 7.18 per cent to 20.20 pesos per dollar, while the Mexican stock market tumbled 2.2 per cent.

But Finance Minister Jose Antonio Meade said the government did not need to take "premature actions" as the country's economy was robust enough to cope with the market upheaval.

"Mexico has lived through challenges of volatility in the past that we faced with unity, seizing on our economic strength and taking correct and prudent policy decisions, and this won't be an exception," Meade said at the National Palace.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today claimed that sale of milk has increased by 11 per cent in the last seven months since ban on alcohol came into effect in the state.

"Sale of milk has increased by 11 per cent in the past seven months since ban on alcohol in Bihar," Kumar said addressing a "Chetna Sabha" on the launch of "Nishchay Yatra" here in West Champaran district.

Consumption of sweets and honey have also witnessed a tremendous rise, he said counting virtues of ban on alcohol, spiced and domestic as well as Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) since April this year.

Kumar said that earlier a sum of over Rs 10,000 crore was wasted annually by citizens on liquor which now they are utilising on healthy foods and thus boosting the state's economy.

The "Nishchay Yatra" of Kumar is aimed at taking feedback from people on prohibition as well as on "seven resolves" which has been adopted by the government as "policy of governance" for next five years.

The "seven resolves" also include civic amenities like drinking water, toilet, roads and electricity for every household.

With the BJP staging a sit-in in Patna against "Nishchay yatra", Kumar, who is also JD(U) national president, took potshots at the rivals, saying they were suffering from "vikrit manuvriti" (perverted mentality).

"These are programmes of good governance and social and economic well being of all citizens...These are 'nishchays' (resolve) of Bihar and not only of me," he said, hitting at political rivals who he said were "unable to digest it."



Kumar said prohibition has been promulgated when Bihar was bracing to observe centenary of Mahatma Gandhi's champaran satyagraha against British rule early 2017 and asserted that it is aimed at "realising dreams of Bapu".

Claiming that Bihar has become a shinning example of prohibition, Kumar said a rally by OBC in Gujarat recently demanded making prohibition more effective like in Bihar in that state where it is in action since its inception.

Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Prem Kumar alleged in Patna that Kumar "is making fun trip on money provided by the NDA government at the Centre for developmental purposes.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Japan tomorrow for a three-day visit which is expected to see the signing of civil nuclear deal between the two countries besides discussions on ways to step up cooperation in the areas like economy and security.

Modi will be holding the annual Summit meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and have an audience with the Emperor of Japan.

During the visit, the two countries are expected to sign civil nuclear cooperation agreement which will facilitate leading US-based atomic companies to set up plants in India.

The two countries had sealed a broad agreement during Abe's visit here last December but the final deal was yet to be signed as certain technical and legal issues were to be thrashed out.

Both the countries have completed the internal procedures including legal and technical aspects of the text of the pact, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said last week.

When specifically asked whether the pact will be signed during Modi's visit, he only said, "I cannot pre-judge outcome of the talks."



Negotiations for the nuclear deal between the two countries have been going on for a number of years but the progress on these was halted because of political resistance in Japan after the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant.

Japan, the only country to have been hit by atom bombs, has immense sensitivity on the issue and a nuclear deal with India will be significant since it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Japan is a major player in the nuclear energy market and an atomic deal with it will make it easier for US-based nuclear plant makers Westinghouse Electric Corporation and GE Energy Inc to set up plants in India as both these conglomerates have Japanese investments.

Cooperation in the fields of economy and security, particularly in the context of continuing cross-border terrorism in India from Pakistan, are also expected to come up for discussions between Modi and Abe.

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Leading milk supplier Mother Dairy today said its milk and Safal outlets will accept old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes till mid-night of November 11.

However, these notes will be accepted subject to availability of smaller denominations that will be needed to return to consumers on purchases made at the company's booths, it said in a statement.

"In reference to the latest announcement by the government of India to cease Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 as legal tender, we at Mother Dairy would like to inform that all our milk and Safal booths will be accepting these aforementioned denominations till the midnight of November 11," the company said.

Mother Dairy also said the company has been providing convenient cashless transaction solutions to consumers over the last two years with SBI SmartChange Cards, which are accepted at around 730 booths in Delhi-NCR.

"We plan to further increase acceptance and availability of these cash cards," it said.

Recently, the company also introduced mobile wallet payment solution through Paytm, thereby allowing them to stop worrying about the cash handling in times of transition and thereafter. The service is currently available at more than 710 booths across the NCR region.

"We request our valuable consumers to make use of these cashless transaction options for your daily consumption and usage," the company said.

Mother Dairy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), has diversified portfolio with presence in dairy products, edible oil, fruits and vegetables -- fresh as well as frozen -- and pulses.

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Navy's Annual Logistics Conference (ALC) was today inaugurated at the city-based Eastern Naval Command.

The two-day conference was inaugurated by ENC's Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Vice Admiral HCS Bisht.

Controller of Logistics, Integrated Headquarters, Min of Defence(Navy) Vice Admiral Jaywant Korde and all the stake- holders from Naval Headquarters, three Naval Commands and Material Organisations of the Navy attended the conference, an official statement said.

With a theme of 'Striving to Achieve Total Logistics Solutions', this year's ALC deliberates the operational logistic imperatives for functional and maintenance issues of ships, submarines and aircraft of the Navy and formulate logistic roadmap for inventory augmentation to meet growing requirements of the Navy, it said.

Bisht lauded the vital role played by the logistics planners in development of credible operational capability and to maintain the desired level of operational readiness of the Navy.

He also emphasised on the need for transforming logistics processes to keep pace with the requirements of a blue water Navy, said the statement



Important logistics issues pertaining to material and personnel logistics including inventory management were deliberated.

The conference would also discuss issues related the progress on e-Tendering and e-Procurement process in the Navy, it added.

Lanba said India had always been a maritime nation, but



it "lost focus" in the past.

"We had become land-centric and (with a) continental mindset, which had shifted now. India as a nation...Our destinies linked to the ocean. That is why, there is a renewed focus on maritime," he said.

Emphasising on the sea lanes of the Indian Ocean Region, known as the economic highways and critical to the global economy, Lanba said as the strategic and economic values of these sea lanes increase, the challenges entailing them will also rise.

"To address these challenges, it is imperative that the navies and maritime agencies of different countries join hands to anchor collective security, stability and sustained growth for the entire region.

"The Indian navy will continue to accord greater focus to enhance collective ability of countries in Indian Ocean region to monitor and secure the maritime zones," Lanba said.

Speaking at the conference, Union Minister for Skill Development Rajiv Pratap Rudy emphasised on organising an international skill conference on blue economy and maritime activities, in which aspects like skilling retired navy personnels could be discussed.

This could further be taken up with the Skill Development Ministry, he said.
Nepal's former premier Sher Bahadur Deuba today said the Nepalese government and his party Nepali Congress are "firm" on the "one-China" policy, denying reports that he met Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in India.

Deuba, who returned to Nepal after concluding a three-day visit to India, said this after his arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu from New Delhi.

"Tibet is an integral part of People's Republic of China and personally I am firm on one-China policy," Deuba said.

The Nepali Congress president expressed his displeasure at media reports in Nepal for "disseminating false reports" about his remarks at an event in Goa organised by India Foundation, a research body focussed on the issues and challenges of the Indian polity.

Some of the Nepalese media had reported that he met the Tibetan exiled leader Dalai Lama during his visit to India.

Deuba claimed that he "had no such meeting with any person that would breach the one-China policy" pursued by Nepal.

The local media had also reported that China was miffed at Deuba following reports that he attended a programme where the exiled Tibetan leader was present.

Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs too has denied the reports in a statementyesterday.

During his India visit, Deuba met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders and officials. He told reporters that his meeting with Modi focused on consolidating bilateral ties and on Nepal's ongoing post-quake rebuilding efforts.

He said he felt the Indian Prime Minister has a "high goodwill" towards Nepal.

This is Deuba's first official visit to India after he was elected Nepali Congress chief in March. The visit came at a time when political parties in Nepal have been working to register a Constitution Amendment motion in Parliament to address the demands of Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, seeking more representation in Nepalese politics.

Beijing views the Dalai Lama as separatist and aiming to split Tibet from China. It is also opposed to any foreign leaders meeting the Dalai Lama.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Health and industry experts today called for meaningful collaborations among stakeholders for building an ecosystem for prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes and cancer, at workplaces.

Amid growing challenges posed by NCDs, Arogya World, a non-profit organisation brought together top industry speakers to deliberate on improving the health of employees at workplaces during a conference organised here.

Dr Sadhana Bhagwat (WHO India) said it was imperative that every workplace, big or small, provides health promotion and preventive initiative.

"Because it is the workplace where a person spends a good part of their time when they are active and this can provide a good platform to inculcate healthy habits among them.

"Also, expenditure in healthcare for the employees leads to reduction in sick absentism and also their moral remains high which in turn leads to high productivity. So it should be seen as an investment, and not as an expenditure," she said at the Arogya World Healthy Workplace Conference and Award Event.

Vivek Jha, Director of George Institute of Public Health said the senior management of companies should realise the value of having health employees and priortise preventive healthcare.

"Most of the organisations provide insurance to their employees and spends lot of money on curing diseases after they have developed. Rather, a preventive ecosystem needs to be created by which they should encourage employees to undergo preventive assessments so that the amount of money spent on serious diseases can be saved," Dr Jha said.

32 companies from various sectors across the country, including the Railways, were today named 'Healthy Workplaces' 2016 by Arogya World, working to prevent NCDs through education and lifestyle change.

Dr Nikhil Tandon, Professor and Head, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, AIIMS, while giving away the awards, said, "Efforts like this that promote prevention in the workplace are smart solutions to the NCD crisis our country faces. This kind of multi-sector action with many companies and organisations collaborating to improve the health of employees and their communities is what is needed to make a real difference to the health of future generations in India."



"The misery of non communicable disease as we see today, you are not curing anybody. You are just trying to keep their issues under control, therefore, the continuity of care management of risk factors become very important.

"So at the workplace, where you are not only looking at the promotive and preventive therapy aspects, that continuity has not only to be established, more importantly it has to be done in a fashion which is acceptable, culturally and contextually appropriate and sustainable," he said.

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Terming the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes as an "attack on terrorism", Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said it has got Pakistan "worried".

The minister also said the demonetisation of higher currency notes is a step towards making the country an "economic super power".

"Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes give strength to those patronising terrorism... Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken away this strength by banning these notes. Fake Indian currency notes are printed in Pakistan and circulated in the country to destroy its economy," Rajnath said at BJP's 'Parivartan Yatra' held in the poll-bound state.

"Yesterday was a historic moment and with the ban on these notes, a surgical strike has been conducted on corruption. This can create inconvenience for a few days, but this is certainly going to help the country in becoming an economic superpower," he said here and claimed that "poor are happy" with the decision.

Rajnath said Pakistan was "worried" about the development.

On US elections, Rajnath noted that the President-elect Donald Trump had appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies.

"During US Presidential election Donald Trump had said that he would work on politics of Modi. Now he has become the President. We should feel proud," the Home Minister said.

He said Modi had invited heads of different countries, including Pakistan, not just for "shaking hands" but to give them a message "of connection through hearts".

"This initiative was not felt by Pakistan. For improving relations, Modi had accepted telephonic invitation of his counterpart Nawaz Sharif and visited Pakistan but it did not mend its ways," the Home Minister said.

Fake currency notes with face value of Rs 400 crore are in circulation across the country, Minister of State for Finance Arjun Ram Meghwal recently told Parliament, citing a government-mandated study.

The study on Fake Indian Currency Note (FICN) issues, including estimation of FICN in circulation, was conducted by Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata under the overall supervision of NIA (National Investigation Agency).

"As per the study, the face value of FICN in circulation was found to be about Rs 400 crore. It was found the value remained constant for the last four years," Meghwal had said.

(REOPENS DEL84)



All high quality FICN seized in India and abroad originate only from Pakistan which has created a self sustaining criminal network in the South and South East Asian region for infusing fake India currency notes into India via Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates, according to a senior Home Ministry official.

On OROP, Singh today said, "Neither Army nor soliders want politics. But some persons are playing politics on OROP, which was given by BJP and no other government earlier could give it."



Attacking Uttar Pradesh government, Rajnath said the state government was "not utilising" the money being sent by Centre.

"SP should end its family dispute or it should immediately recommend elections," he said.

Rajnath said if BJP formed government in the state, it would do away with the system of interview in appointment of fourth class employees and constables and only written examinations would be held.

Union ministers Kalraj Mishra and Manoj Sinha, BJP state president Keshav Prasad Maurya and MP Adityanath also addressed the gathering.
Government's move to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes is expected to have a positive impact on the economy in medium to longer term, however, there could be some short-term volatility in stock markets, Citigroup said in a report.

According to the global financial services major, the potential impact of the government's move on certain sectors like real estate, housing finance, banks, fintech/payment space and consumer discretionary space is expected to fuel volatility in the markets.

"This event, along with US election results coming out now could result in short term volatility in the markets," Citigroup said in the research note adding "however, we do expect longer-term positives for equities".

The Sensex opened sharply lower at 26251.38 points this morning and moved further down within seconds to touch a low of 25902.45 points -- down 1,689 points from its previous close -- with all 30 stocks from the benchmark index trading deep in the red.

In a bid to fight against black money, fake currency, corruption and terror financing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night announced demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes with effect from today.

The key sectors that could be impacted because of this move are real estate (likely near-term negative demand impact), housing finance companies (likely near-term negative impact) banks (positive for deposit growth but could result in negative impact on margins given the slow loan growth).

Meanwhile, rural focussed NBFCs could see near-term impact, while segments of consumer discretionary will likely be negatively impacted.

As per various estimates, the size of the parallel economy in India is estimated at more than 20 per cent of GDP and the stock of existing Rs 500/1,000 notes accounts for over 85 per cent of the total currency in circulation.

"Apart from the operational/logistics challenge in the conversion of this massive amount in a relatively short period of time (50 days), what we do not know at this point is how much of it will even come up, which will depend on the kind of scrutiny," the report said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The opposition was smoking proponents of a 400 percent tax increase for tobacco products as of 10 p.m. Tuesday.

With 299 of 432 precincts reporting, 62.5 percent of North Dakota voters were saying no to Measure 4.

Mike Rud, an organizer of the coalition Vote No on 4 ND, said he thinks his group did a great job educating the public.

"We all want kids to quit smoking, but with this measure, the devil was in the details," he said.

Measure 4 would boost the state tobacco tax on cigarettes from 44 cents per pack to $2.20, and increase taxes on other nicotine products from 28 percent of the wholesale purchase price to 56 percent. The state hasnt raised its tobacco tax, one of the lowest in the nation, since 1993.

The opposition came to a lack of clarity on how the money would be spent, with the only stipulations named in the measure being health-related programs in the states Community Health Trust Fund and a Veterans Tobacco Tax Trust Fund.

Rud, who is also president of the North Dakota Petroleum Marketers Association, said his group's members do their best to keep tobacco out of the hands of kids, "but the fact of the matter is a 400 percent tax increase is not how North Dakota does business," especially when it only affects a small portion of the state's population.

Kristie Wolff of the American Lung Association, one of the lead partners in the coalition that introduced the measure, said her organization remained optimistic as it waited for final election results from major population areas.

Should the measure be officially defeated, the organization will have to regroup and decide what to do next.

"We do know that this is a good policy," said Wolff, adding that a higher tax is considered the most effective way to prevent kids from starting to use tobacco.
Hailing the government's move to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes, India Inc today said it will have a debilitating impact on the parallel economy and deal a bodyblow to terror financing.

Experts termed the decision as an "unprecedented reform" that will check accumulation of wealth in cash, saying its impact could be bigger than GST, but at the same time added that it is bound to cause hardships in the interim.

Taking the nation by surprise, in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption, Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday announced the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes with effect from midnight, making these currency papers invalid.

"This will lead to surge in tax collections as paying taxes will be the only way to legitimise the cash of 500 or 1,000 now onwards," said Girish Vanvari, Partner and Head, Tax, KPMG India.

Walmart India President and CEO Krish Iyer termed it as "the most significant and impactful" move to curb the flow of black money and fight corruption.

"This is in the long term interest of the country and will help develop more visible, transparent and formal economy," he said.

CII President Naushad Forbes said the government has taken a measure aimed at the heart of the black cash economy.

"There could be some inconvenience that this change may lead to for the people of our country for a few days. However, we are sure that the government and RBI will take adequate measures to ensure the transition happens smoothly," Ficci President Harshavardhan Neotia said.

PHD Chamber President Mahesh Gupta said the decision to scrap the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will address the issue of black money, curb financing of cross-border terrorism and equally tackle the issue of fake currency that has acquired a serious and dangerous proportion.

"This a strong step taken by the Modi government and will benefit the growth of digital payments and digital banking in India," said Bipin Preet Singh, CEO of MobiKwik.

Assocham President Sunil Kanoria expressed hope that the disruptions to the trade will settle once the banks are geared up to meet the demand for the currency swap.

Markets went into a free-fall today with the Sensex taking 1,689-point hit in early trade, mirroring global weakness after Donald Trump was elected US President and the withdrawal of high-denomination notes, but late buying by domestic institutions in key stocks helped them recoup most of the lost ground.

The BSE Sensex still ended the day about 339 points lower.

The rupee plummeted 23 paise to 66.85 against the US dollar in early trade on the government's surprise move to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in a bid to curb black money.

Suzlon Group CMD Tulsi Tanti termed the decision as a much needed and opportune move as a follow-up to the one-time compliance window that recently shut.

"The country's growth agenda will receive a major boost and the impact of this decision, while creating discomfort in the short term, but will have far reaching benefits in the long term.

"It will certainly enable a shift of all transactions to a more transparent and compliance driven mechanism as a whole," Tanti said.

JCB India MD & CEO Vipin Sondhi said it is a "very bold and ambitious step by the Government to curb black money", adding that it will help the country move towards more digital transactions and become a cashless economy.

Pramod Chaudhari, Executive Chairman of Praj Industries said it will enhance India's global standing and help to improve country ranking in ease of doing business while attracting investments.
The government's move to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes to curb black money led to temporary closure of about 5 per cent of total petrol pumps in Tamil Nadu as they ran out of cash following panic buying and were unable to make cash transactions, a senior official said.

Petroleum Dealers Association for Tamil Nadu Vice President Suresh Kumar said that soon after the government announcement, a large number of people thronged the outlets in the state. "There was panic buying and the outlets were dispensing fuel with the currencies they had."



He said problems arose after customers insisted on filling fuel for lesser amounts like Rs 100 and Rs 200 by giving Rs 500 cash, leading to chaos.

He pointed out that the outlets themselves did not have enough cash to make such transactions.

"We advised some fuel outlets to shut down after people insisted on filling fuel with lesser denominations. At least five per cent of outlets are now shut", he said.

He said the Association has directed fuel outlets to set up registers to collect details of customers, vehicle number and the amount to be filled in denominations in order to check fake currencies.

A petrol pump owner in Vadapalani said that at one stage, the announcement prompted many to come there under the impression that they could fill fuel for lesser amount and exchange Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

"People think we have currencies for exchange. But that is not true. We do not have cash", he said.

Tamil Nadu has about 6,000 outlets, including 700 in Chennai and its neighbouring districts.

Meanwhile, the three Oil Marketing Companies, in a joint statement urged the public not to panic and said the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations will be accepted till midnight of November 11.

"There is no shortage of petroleum products. Consumers need not panic and may purchase only the quantity of fuel required to meet the demand", the statement said.

"All retail outlets and CNG stations of IndianOil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, GAIL will accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination currency from consumers till midnight of November 11", it said.

All LPG distributors of the three OMCs would also accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination currency from consumers for purchase of LPG till midnight of November 11, 2016, the statement added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Orient Cement today reported a standalone net loss of Rs 29.4 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2016, against a net profit of Rs 28 crore in the year-ago period.

Total standalone income of the company rose by 11 per cent to Rs 445 crore in April-September quarter this fiscal from Rs 400 crore during the same quarter in 2015-16.

Total expenses of the CK Birla Group was higher at Rs 460 crore against Rs 374 crore during the period under review.

Orient Cement Managing Director and CEO Deepak Khetrapal said that volumes continue to be higher across all markets versus the corresponding quarter last year due to utilisation of the firm's new capacity at Chittapur.

"The increased volumes to Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh enabled by the new plant have improved our geographic spread. The quarter ended September 30 has expectedly seen seasonal lower volumes due to an intense and extended monsoon affecting construction activities," he added.

The price environment in core markets has been stable to better, particularly showing signs of improvement in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and West Maharashtra towards the end of this quarter, Khetrapal said.

The cement Industry expects demand to improve in the October-December quarter due to favourable rainfall, which is expected to provide a strong boost to demand, he added.

Various government projects for low cost housing, roads, irrigation, metros as well as new initiatives like Smart Cities and Swachh Bharat are also expected to resume in full swing and result in improved demand for cement in Telangana, AP and Maharashtra.

The construction of the new capital of Andhra Pradesh at Amravathi is also expected to contribute to higher cement appetite in Southern India, Khetrapal said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Over one crore free cooking gas (LPG) connections have been given to poor rural women in six months since the launch of Pradhan Mantri Ujwala Yojana.

Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the ambitious scheme to give 5 crore women free LPG in next three years was launched in May this year. The total outlay for the scheme is Rs 8,000 crore.

"As of date, 1.01 crore LPG connections have been given under the scheme," he said.

As many as 20,000-25,000 connections are being given every month and at this pace, the target of 1.5 crore connections for the year would be surpassed by a big margin, he said.

Pradhan said Uttar Pradesh has got the biggest chunk of the free connections at 34.59 lakh, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 13.32 lakh. As many as 12.94 lakh connections were given in Rajasthan, 10.34 lakh in Bihar and 7.66 lakh in West Bengal.

Of the 638 districts in the country, those getting the most number of free connections are in Uttar Pradesh - Sitapur (1.29 lakh), Allahabad (1.26 lakh), Khusinagar (1.16 lakh), Unnao (87,752) and Gonda (84,173).

"More than 1.81 crore application for availing of LPG connections were received. Out of these, 1.5 crore applications were cleared and 1.01 crore connections released so far," he said.

Further analysis of the refill purchase status of the beneficiaries revealed that more than 80 per cent have purchased their refills.

The major beneficiaries of this scheme are from weaker sections of the society, that is SC/ST who accounted for 44 per cent of the connections released.

The minister also said that a massive safety awareness campaign will be carried out over a period of four months starting from November to educate all LPG consumers on importance of safety following norms.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi has alleged that the BJP-Sena government in Maharashtra has ignored the woes of Muslims as well as the Dalit community across the state and discriminated them.

Addressing an election rally of MIM candidate Azmat Sohel Siddiqui for Jalna Municipal Council polls yesterday, Owaisi said both the political combines (BJP-Sena and Congress-NCP) in the state kept aside the interest of these communities all these years.

"They are twin brothers and have turned a deaf ear to the problems of Muslims and Dalits," he said, urging people to vote them out of power.

Owaisi alleged that BJP wanted to run the country on principles of Manu (an ancient Hindu legal code) by scrapping the Atrocities Act, which protects the Dalits.

Also, they want to dilute the Constitutional framework, he alleged.

On reservation issue, he sought to know why the former Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra did not ensure reservation to the Maratha community during their rule.

He also slammed the current BJP dispensation in the state for skirting the issue of giving reservation to Muslims in government-run and aided educational institutes and jobs.

Muslims have been demanding implementation of the Sachar Committee and 5 per cent quota for the community in Maharashtra.

He also criticised the Maharashtra government for "allowing" the release of Karan Johar's 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil', which featured Pakistani actor Fawad Khan in a cameo.

Owaisi also came down heavily on the government over the 'settlement deal' of Rs 5 crore proposed to be paid by the filmmakers to the Army Welfare fund and said," Its extortion in the name of Indian Army. Its an insult to the soldiers who are sacrificing their lives on the border.

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The long-serving Governor of Pakistan's volatile Sindh province was today fired after 14- years in power by the Nawaz Sharif government, amid reports that he was trying to reunify MQM under former dictator Pervez Musharraf's leadership.

The government confirmed that Ishrat ul Ebad, 53, has been replaced by former chief justice of Pakistan Justice Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui as the Governor of Sindh.

Siddiqui was among the aspiring candidates for the post of President in 2003 and 2008.

The decision comes just one day after it emerged in the Pakistan media that the warring factions of the Mutthaida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which has a strong presence in Sindh, had approached former army chief Lt General (retd) Musharraf to head a combined MQM.

Pictures were published of senior MQM leader Izhar ul Haq Siddiqui, the opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, meeting with Musharraf in Dubai yesterday.

Political analysts commented that the move to ditch Ebad perhaps came after rumors that he was behind the move to unify the MQM under the leadership of Musharraf.

Meanwhile, Justice Siddiqui told media that he had accepted the post and the government would issue a notification soon.

"My top priority is going to be restoration of law and order in Karachi," he said.

Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city and financial hub, has been hit by sectarian violence, target killings, terrorism and widespread street crimes since the last few decades and the central government in October 2014 launched a operation clean-up by paramilitary Rangers which has been accused by the MQM of victimising and getting involved in politics.

The nominated Governor also said that besides restoring peace in the city so that businesses flourish and people feel secure he would also like to see the local government get more powers and funds to carry out development work in the city.

He said Ebad was removed due to "recent controversies".

Ebad, a former leader of the MQM students wing and a former MPA who won on a MQM ticket in 1990, has held onto his post despite growing pressure from the Sindh government to replace him.

He was also considered very close to former MQM chief Altaf Hussain who resigned recently.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's stock exchange shed nearly 800 points on the KSE 100-index after Donald Trump's stunning victory over Hillary Clinton in the US presidential elections.

Trump relied heavily on anti-Muslim rhetoric during his election campaign and has pledged to ban the entry of Muslims in the US.

Stock market dealers said the Karachi Stock Exchange which is now renamed the Pakistan Stock Exchange had lost around 770 points or 1.8 per cent since early morning trading.

Many Pakistanis consider Trump as no friend of Muslims or Pakistan and fear his reckless policies could wreck the world's top economy and hit world markets.

The KSE-100 Index, however, recovered almost half its losses, but was still down 428 points, or 1.02 per cent before closing bell.

In a stunning result, billionaire businessman Trump beat seasoned politician Clinton in the knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President after starting off as a rank political outsider.

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Pakistan has deported Sharbat Gula, National Geographic's iconic green-eyed 'Afghan Girl', days after authorities temporarily halted her deportation for using fake ID cards to stay here, media reports said today.

Gula was handed over to Afghan security personnel at the Torkham border yesterday after she refused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government's offer to stay in Pakistan, Dawn reported.

Gula, who was immortalised after her haunting picture taken at a refugee camp in Pakistan in 1985 was carried by the magazine on its cover and became a symbol of her country's wars, was arrested last week from her home here and faces deportation as early as Monday.

She and the Afghan government, in an application submitted to the provincial government, pleaded to allow her to leave Pakistan on completion of her 15-day sentence today.

The decision of stopping her deportation was taken on Saturday by the provincial government on humanitarian grounds and as a goodwill gesture towards Afghanistan. However, she refused to stay in Pakistan.

A special anti-corruption and immigration court here ordered Gula's deportation to Afghanistan on Friday after serving a 15-day jail sentence besides slapping a fine of 1,10,000 rupees (USD 1,100).

The spokesperson for the provincial government Mushtaq Ghani had said that directives not to deport Gula for the time being had been forwarded to the Home and Tribal Affairs Department, adding that the case needed to be taken up at the federal level.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had indicated that Gula may be released on humanitarian grounds.

However, officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said that the court orders would have to be carried out in letter and spirit.

Another official said that the special court's decision could only be challenged in the Supreme Court. However, he said, because Gula admitted to the crime, any appeal would only lengthen her stay in jail.

Gula, who was dubbed as 'Mona Lisa of Afghan war', was arrested by the FIA for alleged forgery of a Pakistani Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC).

She gained worldwide recognition when her image was featured on the cover of the June 1985 issue of National Geographic Magazine at a time when she was approximately 12 years old.

According to interim charge sheet submitted on November 1, the prosecutor said that she accepted the main charge of faking her identity to get the CNIC.

Gula said that her late husband, Rehmat Gul, had earlier made a manual national identity card in 1988, which was used to get the CNIC with the help of an agent who was bribed.

Pakistan has been tackling the Afghan refugee crisis for over three decades. It is estimated that some three million Afghan refugees are living in Pakistan, half of whom are unregistered.

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Pakistani security officials say five more Indian diplomats have returned to their country amid a deepening diplomatic row.

The two officials said Wednesday the five were among eight diplomats whose names were publicised by Pakistan, which said they were spies. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to the media.

A diplomatic row between Pakistan and India has deepened since October 27, when they each expelled an embassy staffer for spying.

The situation worsened when Pakistan withdrew six of its diplomats after their names were released to Indian media amid tensions over Kashmir.

Islamabad reciprocated by publishing the names of the eight diplomats. India protested the move, and what it called "factually incorrect allegations.
Long queue of vehicles could be seen at petrol pumps across Bihar to encash Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes while markets witnessed depressed sale and purchase in the wake of Centre's decision to withdraw higher denomination currency.

All petrol pumps in Patna were flooded with vehicles for panic buying of fuel and also with an intent to encash Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.

The officials of petrol pumps were accepting Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes but asking buyers to purchase fuel worth that amount.

"What can I do, some people are asking for petrol worth Rs 100 and giving us Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes so that they can get back Rs 100 notes. We have limited notes of Rs 100 and lower denominations and hence asking buyers to purchase fuel worth Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes," a petrol pump official at busy Boring road here said.

In Nalanda, policemen have been deployed at petrol pumps to prevent outbreak of any clashes.

There has been report of inconvenience faced at toll plaza at Express way from Patna to Bakhtiyarpur where Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes were being given by vehicle owners in expectation of exchange in lower denomination currency.

Retail and wholesale markets saw depressed trading over non-use of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes and shortage of cash of lower denominations and also closure of banks.

Reports from districts echoed similar situation.

A report from Muzaffarpur said that trading was at lower side in wholesale clothes market Suttapatti due to inoperation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes.

In Begusarai, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga and Hajipur, long queue of vehicles were witnessed at all petrol pumps often leading to heated exchange over return of notes of small denomination against payment of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency.

In the state capital, attendants had a verbal duel with officials at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) over for not accepting Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes due to shortage of change.

"There was some problem initially as cash counters faced problem returning change against payment of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 even for a small sum of deposit," PMCH Principal S N Sinha told PTI.

"I myself visited the cash counters and instructed officials not to deny accepting Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes," he said.

There have been reports of inconvenience faced at cremation centres in Gaya and elsewhere over refusal to accept Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated Donald Trump on being elected as US President, saying he looks forward to working with him closely to take Indo-US ties to a new height.

"Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on being elected as the 45th US President," Modi said in a tweet.

He said the country looks forward to working closely with Trump to strengthen bilateral ties.

"We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height," the Prime Minister said.

"We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign, @realDonaldTrump," he said.

Trump today beat seasoned politician Hillary Clinton in the knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Protests erupted in the US state of California after Donald Trump was declared the winner of the presidential polls with some demonstrators shouting "not my president".

Protesters gathered in Oakland and sought to block freeways and create a commotion.

The protesters forced Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to shut down and at least one demonstrator was struck by a vehicle, KTVU-TV reported.

The 20-year-old woman was among 200 protesters who surged onto Highway 24 at the border of Oakland and Berkeley when she was struck by a car.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) momentarily shut down the highway as they tended to the woman, who was rushed to an area hospital with what Sgt. Matt Langford described as "major injuries".

The CHP moved the protesters off the freeway and they dispersed throughout the area, the SF Gate reported.

It was also reported that some cars were set on fire and other vehicles had broken windows.

KTVU said that Trump supporters hosted a watch party at the Twitter headquarters in San Francisco and some protesters were seen in masks.

Protesters were also seen in Berkeley, chanting "not my president."



It was a heart-break for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who was hoping to become the first woman president of the US, as the 70-year-old business tycoon edged past her in a see-saw battle.

The election saw the ugliest campaign in US history with Clinton and Trump trading personal attacks and allegations. Violence also hit Trump's rallies many times during the course of the campaign.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin today congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in US elections, hoping to work with him to improve relations, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin "expressed hope for mutual work on bringing US-Russia relations out of their critical condition as well as on working out outstanding issues on the international agenda" in his congratulatory telegram, the Kremlin said.

"The President of Russia also expressed certainty that building constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington" would "be in the interest of the people of our countries and the entire world community."



Putin has tacitly supported Trump during the campaign, while Trump repeatedly flattered and praised the Russian leader and said he was willing to work with him.

Russia's parliament today broke into applause upon learning of Trump's stunning upset victory over Hillary Clinton, who is seen as anti-Russian by many in the Russian establishment, mostly due to her stint as Secretary of State in 2009-2013.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today said the state will sign Rs 3,500 crore-worth of MoUs to strengthen and boost the agriculture sector.

"The government will sign Rs 3,500 crore-worth of MoUs to to not only strengthen the state's agriculture sector but also promote innovations and entrepreneurial solutions," she said in the inaugural session of the three-day Global Rajasthan Agrotech Meet-2016 (GRAM) here.

MoUs will be signed on the second day of the event tomorrow, she informed.

"Rajasthan has successfully cultivated olives and a refinery has been set-up and results are encouraging," Raje said, asking farmers to opt for organic farming.

The state had launched the 'Nyay Apke Dwar' and 'Jan Kalyan Panchayati Shivir' to address problems of farmers, she said.

GRAM was inaugurated by Governor Kalyan Singh and attended by the union and state ministers, and Yoga Guru Ramdev.

"Farmers, experts, industrialists and the government will have to take collective efforts to double the income of farmers by 2022," Singh said.

Alternate employment opportunities should also be provided to farmers to curb their migration, he said.

"Road, irrigation, power, education, health, safety, self-employment and self-reliance were needed to make villages smart," the Governor said.

On central initiatives, Union Minister of State for AgricultureParshottamRupala said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken several decisions and initiatives to double the income of farmers by 2022."



Meanwhile, Yoga Guru Ramdev asked farmers to grow Aloe-vera, gooseberry and other crops.

"I will procure them in large quantities. Patanjali will foray into the market of spices and milk under its expansion plans," he said.

Ramdev said he was willing to start work on cow conservation in Rajasthan with the assistance of the state government.

State Agriculture Minister Prabhu Lal Saini said, "New crops have been cultivated in the state. This includes olive, date and palm, and their plantations are delivering encouraging results."



The three-day event is likely to see a footfall of around 50,000 farmers from across the state. An exhibition showcasing new technologies and solutions in the farming sector has also been set up at the GRAM venue.

Ambassador of Israel to India, Daniel Carmonsaid, "Rajasthan and Israel have a long partnership. The Centre of Excellence was being run in cooperation with Israel which has trained many farmers."



The climate of Israel and Rajasthan are similar. Israel has brought water saving and farming technologies into practice in Rajasthan, he said.

Rajasthan is far ahead than other states in taking advantage of the farming techniques used in Israel.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Yoga guru Ramdev today announced plans to set up a mega food park in Rajasthan and said his Patanjali group, which is entering into dairy and spices segments, can buy farm produce worth Rs 5,000-10,000 crore from farmers in the state.

"I along with Patanjali will support Rajasthan Chief Minister in all her endeavours. The company is entering into milk industry and Patanjali would be keen to make Rajasthan a part of its journey," Ramdev said at the Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet here.

"Patanjali is coming in large scale in spices. We will purchase them from Rajasthan and other states and process," he said. He added that besides spices, the company will also make available cow milk.

Ramdev said his group is gearing up to buy milk from the state from next year. "If we get sufficient milk, we can leave behind amul though we have no competition with Amul."



He also asked farmers of the state to grow aloe vera, gooseberry, giloy, ashwagandha, pearl millet and said that he was ready to purchase the produce in maximum quantity. "We are ready to purchase those produce worth even 5 to 10 thousand crores rupees," he said.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje stated that the state stand committed to transforming its agricultural landscape by actively promoting global best practices.

"With surplus production of food grains, milk and pulses, the state is geared up to adopt multiple innovations such as digital soil mapping, use of drones for effective input management, employing innovative protected cultivation methods, zero budget natural farming or technology enabled traceability systems," she said.

Raje also said that Rajasthan has evolved as a strong investment friendly state and the Government is constantly working towards ensuring that these investments and benefit all stakeholders.

"Within just one year of holding the Resurgent Rajasthan Summit 2015, projects valued at almost Rs 5,000 crore have already been implemented and projects worth Rs 54,000 crore and Rs 49,000 crore are under construction and under various stages of clearance respectively.

"Excluding the solar energy projects, the total likely investment to be grounded is Rs 1.08 lakh crore or 74 per cent of the investment commitments. This would be one of the fastest and highest conversion rates for any State in the country," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A bank employees' association has said the Reserve Bank of India should look into enhancing the withdrawal limit to Rs 40,000, post scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes from circulation.

All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) Secretary B S Rambabu said the task of exchanging notes and accepting old notes is not an easy one as most of the employees have not been prepared for this.

"Frankly speaking nobody discussed this with us (bank employees). Currently all banks are concentrating on recovery of bad loans. At this juncture, employees are unprepared... . We are ready to serve the people. We should have enough liquidity in lower denomination.

"Banks do not have such stock as of now. Pressure should be put on RBI to supply enough currency. This Rs 10,000 (in a day) or Rs 20,000 (in a week) withdrawal should be enhanced to either Rs 30,000 or Rs 40,000 immediately to withstand the pressure and panic among the public," Rambabu said.

On war footing the lower denomination should be supplied in large number to meet the demand, added Rambabu.

State Bank of Hyderabad managing director Santanu Mukherjee said they are making arrangements to shift employees from other activities to assist the staff in cash exchange counters for the next few days.

"We are putting the currency in ATMs so that when they open people can take money. We are trying to mobilise people who are doing other jobs. We will be opening extra number of counters also," Mukherjee told PTI.

According to him, SBH has about 2000 ATMs and nearly equal number of branches across the country.

According to RBI norms a person can exchange only Rs 4,000 of the old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 with lower denomination.

G Kranti, Secretary Reserve Bank of India Hyderabad Employees Association said the central bank is making elaborate arrangements to cope with the situation.

"We are ready work extra hours to meet the demand," Kranti said.

He said the RBI has taken all measures to distribute Rs 2000 notes to most of the cash chests of various banks in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

There are over 400 cash chests under RBI Hyderabad region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An unprecedented 'desi' wave hit the US general elections as a record number of five Indian- Americans were all set to be elected to the US Congress today.

Indian-American women put up a good show in the 2016 elections, with Kamala Harris, 51, a two-term attorney general from California, creating history by winning the US Senate seat from the state.

Pramila Jayapal, 51, won the Congressional seat from Seattle to enter the House of Representatives, the first Indian-American woman to accomplish this feat.

Jayapal would be joined in the House of Representatives by Raja Krishnamoorthi, who made it to the highest citadel of democracy in their second attempt.

Ro Khanna and Ami Berawere leading in the race for the House of Representatives from their districts in California.

With 56 per cent of the votes counted in California's Silicon Valley, Democratic Congressman Bera was leading with 54 per cent votes at 47,427, ahead of his Republican party rival Scott Jones who got 46 per cent votes.

If elected for the third successive term, Bera would become the longest serving Indian-American Congressman ever.

Khanna, the democratic party candidate from California's 17th District, was leading with 58 per cent votes at 50,952 after 72 per cent of the votes were counted.

His closest rivalMike Honda, also of the Democratic Party, had so far garnered 42 per cent of the votes.

Interestingly, the outgoing US President Barack Obama had endorsed Harris, Krishnamoorthi and Bera.

Senator Bernie Sanders and former US President Jimmy Carter had endorsed Jayapal.

Harris, who was born in Oakland, California, is the daughter of an Indian mother who emigrated from Chennai in 1960 and a Jamaican American father.

California Democrats had overwhelmingly endorsed Harris for US Senate, solidifying her front-runner status in the race to become California's next Senator.

Endorsing Harris, Obama had said "Kamala Harris fights for us. Thats why I am so proud to endorse her for United States Senator. And if you send her to the Senate, she'll be a fearless fighter for the people of California, all the people of California, every single day."



Jayapal entered the US Congress on her maiden try.

Born in Chennai, she left India at the age of five for Indonesia, Singapore and eventually for the US.

Jayapal says her life transformed for the better after she spent some time in India when she returned to the country after a gap of 25 years in April 1995.

Her book-- "Pilgrimage to India: A Woman Revisits Her Homeland" was published in 2000.

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The 25th Meeting of ICAR Regional Committee meeting of Zone VIII, to be held here from November 11, will analyze, discuss and draw a road map on agricultural research and educational issue specific to the region.

Puducherry Agriculture minister R.Kamalakannan will inaugurate the two-day meeting which will be presided over by Dr Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary, Department of Agriculture Research and Education, Government of India and Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Delhi.

S.K.Singh, Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor, ICAR, Deputy Director Generals and Assistant Director Generals of ICAR will alsoparticipate, Sugarcane Breeding Institute Director Bakshram, the joint organisers, said.

Around 150 delegates including Vice Chancellors, Directors of Research, Directors of Extension Education and Deans of the State Agricultural Universities (SAU), Directors of CAR Institutes, Project Coordinators and Heads of ICAR Regional/Research Centres and officials of the development departments of agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries and forestry from the region will take part in the event.

The meeting, conducted once in two years, will discuss and review the current status of agricultural research, education and extension education to take decisions on various problems faced by the region, comprising Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Puducherry and Lakshadweep, in the execution of approved programmes and in tackling the emergent problems.

It will also identify gaps for research by State Agricultural Universities/ICAR institutes and constraints in transfer of agricultural technology by extension agencies.

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A day after Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denomination notes ceased to be legal tender, shops and other commercial establishments here bid adieu to the high valued currencies amidst speculation that Rs 100 notes were being sold at a premium and Rs 1000 denomination being undervalued.

However, the wholesale vegetable supplier to Chennai and its neighbourhoods, the Koyambedu market, had no apprehensions accepting the said denomination notes amidst a spike in sales of the greens.

Most of the shops--retail, jewellery, supermarkets and petty shops in the city told their customers that they are not accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000, prompting many to opt for debit and credit card payments.

"We accepted Rs 500 and Rs 1000 till 12 last night yesterday for our transactions but have stopped accepting them today," a jeweller at the gold hub of T Nagar said on conditions of anonymity, adding, card payment was a preferred mode.

Most of the supermarkets here also declared they were not accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, and customers, who did not want to part with their precious Rs 50 and Rs 100 notes, most of them drawn from ATMs after a long wait last night, opted to pay through credit and debit cards.

"I hope things settle as quickly as possible as there are still places like small shops where they don't accept cards," M Subha, a homemaker purchasing goods at a supermarket said.

The Koyambedu market vendors are accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, an association representative said.

"We don't have a problem in accepting the notes as most of the traders are Income Tax Assesses and we will just deposit the money in bank," said VR Sounderrajan, President, Koyambedu Vegetable Wholesale Association.

There were around 350 such traders and "most of them" were I-T assesses and were accepting the currency of said denominations, he told PTI.

Sales of vegetables during the day has also doubled from around Rs 10 crore to Rs 20 crore, he said.

Many of the vendors and traders also acknowledged that they had heard about Rs 100 being sold for a premium or that Rs 1000 was being "undersold" but denied any direct knowledge.

"This could be a rumour or speculation," Sounderrajan said.

Meanwhile, Milk vendors clarified that they were not accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, contrary to public perception.

SA Ponnusamy, Founder and President, Tamil Nadu Milk Agents Welfare Association, asked people to not believe "rumours" that milk vendors were accepting the notes with said denomination.

"When the agents already have these notes, paid by milk



firms and retail outlets for distribution, it is impossible to further accept notes of this denomination. Therefore we request people not to trade in these currencies," Ponnusamy said.

Traders and buyers at the busy Chintadiripet fish market also experienced problems in dealing with Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes.

Many flashed the notes to the electronic media, suggesting difficulties in trading in these currencies.

Customers at various hotels found the going tough as many of the eateries refused to accept the high denomination Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

A hotel here displayed a notice stating "Government ordered withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes", making it clear it would not accept these from customers.

(reopens MES2)



Meanwhile in Erode district,the Centre's move to ban



Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes, has affected trade activities.

The government announcement upset the traders, who were unable to purchase turmeric, copra, edible oils, leather and other essential commodities as farmers refused to accept high denomination currencies.

The sellers are even apprehensive about accepting cheques, since only limited amount can be withdrawn for a week, as per the new order.

Even as most petrol outlets were willing to accept Rs 500 or Rs 1000 notes from customers, they could not give the balance amount as they were short of Rs 100 currency notes.

Customers at textile shops and jewellery outlets also had a tough time as demonetized currencies were not accepted.
A right-wing outfit today celebrated the victory of Republican Donald Trump in the US polls, saying his Presidency would "further boost" the Indo-American ties.

"We are very happy on the election results and we have been cheering him (Trump) during the campaign period too. Today, we gathered in the streets and played drums and distributed sweets," said Vishnu Gupta, chief of Hindu Sena group.

Gupta said, his group was confident of the Republican's win in the US polls.

"The victory also means that now, India has one of the biggest friend in the White House. And, now, India and the US would together work for banishing terrorism," he said.

The right-wing outfit had in May conducted a special prayer meeting ('havan') for the victory of Trump and in June celebrated Trump's birthday with cake, posters and balloons.

In a stunning result, the billionaire businessman today beat seasoned politician Hillary Clinton in the knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President after starting off as a rank political outsider.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Allaying the fears of consumers, public sector oil companies today said all their authorised outlets will accept the now demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bills till the midnight of November 11.

"All retail outlets and CNG stations of Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, Gas Authority and other public sector oil companies will accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes from fuel consumers till the midnight of November 11," Bharat Petroleum said in a statement on issued on behalf of the oil marketing PSUs this evening.

Similarly, all LPG distributors of IndianOil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum will accept these notes from consumers till midnight of November 11, it added.

The companies also said there is no shortage of petroleum products. Consumers need not panic and may purchase only the quantity of fuel required to meet their need.

Meanwhile, Shell India, which has marginal presence in the fuel retail space, said its outlets will not be accepting the demonetised notes.

Only the outlets of national oil companies will be accept these notes, not Shell outlets, as private oil and gas firms are not authorised to accept Rs 500 and 1,000 bills from customers at their retail stations, Shell India Director (Retail) Ravi Sundararajan said.

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Expressing grief over the demise of two Kannada stuntmen during a film shoot, Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has said it is sad that in India, there are not enough measures to ensure an actor's safety.

Actors Uday and Anil drowned while shooting for a Kannada movie after they jumped off a helicopter into the Tippagondanahalli reservoir, 35 kms west of Bengaluru,on Monday afternoon.

A motorboat stationed on the banks to pull the actors out of the water developed a last-minute snag and remained ashore, resulting in the tragedy.

Sonu said he himself has been part of many such films which did not have a safety net for its cast and crew.

"I feel so bad. I watched the videos. It's pure negligence and I can't believe people can be this negligent that two stuntmen were diving and they were saying that they didn't know how to swim. They didn't have the safety measures.

We do so many films, even I have realised that sometimes we are made to do stunts which do not have adequate safety measures," the 43-year-old actor told reporters.

Citing an example of his upcoming Indo-Chinese project "Kung Fu Yoga", co-starring action star Jackie Chan, Sonu said there was a not a single day when an ambulance and doctors weren't present on the set and he feels it is high time such measures are adopted for actors in India.

"I did a film with Jackie Chan and saw that every day there was an ambulance, doctors on the set. But in India, sadly these precautions are not take care of. We don't have the equipments, measures, or those people who are very important for an actor's safety," he said.

"It is high time we got on our toes and adopt safety measures.If an actor is not taken care of, who will take care of the stuntman? No excuses. Strict action should be taken," Sonu added.

He was speaking at an event of fruit importer IG international and BelOrta where the actor launched the fruitBelgian conference pears.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The prestigious Golden Peacock Award for Corporate Governance for this year has been conferred upon the 'Maharatna' firm, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).

Set up by the Institute of Directors, India, the award was received by Ashwini Kumar, CEO of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) on behalf of SAIL during the 16th London Global Convention on Corporate Governance and Sustainability held in London recently, said a release from RSP.

SAIL was presented the award on account of its exemplary performance in the field of corporate governance that is for balancing the interests of all the stakeholders of the company -- shareholders, management, customers, suppliers, financiers, government and the community, it said.

The event was attended by leaders, policy makers, academicians, jurists and social thinkers, professionals in business, finance, corporate governance and sustainability from across the world, the release added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court would next month take up the pleas filed by social activist Teesta Setalvad and her two controversial NGOs challenging the freezing of their accounts by the Ahmedabad Police for final disposal.

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Amitava Roy directed Gujarat government to file its response on the pleas by November 16 and rejoinder thereafter in a week, while fixing December one for final disposal of the pleas.

Senior counsel Kapil Sibal appearing for Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand alleged that Gujarat government had taken three adjournments in the matter, after notice was issued to them and their accounts have remained frozen for nearly three years.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Gujarat government, said the state needed some time to file the reply to the pleas.

The bench granted time till November 16 to the state government to file the response and posted the matter for final disposal on December 1.

Teesta, her husband and the two NGOs -- Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace -- have approached the apex court challenging the October 7, 2016, verdict of the Gujarat High Court which had rejected their pleas for defreezing their personal bank accounts.

One of the residents of Gulberg Society, Firoz Khan Pathan, had filed a complaint against Setalvad and others alleging that money was raised to make a museum at Gulberg Society in the memory of those who were killed during the 2002 Gujarat riots, but it had not been utilised for the purpose.

The action of the Ahmedabad Police had come soon after its Crime Branch had started probing a case in which Setalvad and others were accused of embezzling Rs 1.51 crore collected to convert Gulberg Society -- where 69 people were killed during the post-Godhra riots -- into a 2002 riots museum.

The high court had upheld the verdict of a lower court in this regard observing that the probe was at a serious point in the alleged case of Gulberg society fund embezzlement.

In their plea before the apex court, the petitioners have alleged that their accounts were "illegally freezed" without following the due process of law.

"The accounts of the petitioner have been frozen by the respondents without any prior notice and this act of freezing her personal accounts is not pursuant to the discovery of any offence but is in terms of a fishing expedition as an attempt to find out if any offence has been committed," the plea has said.

The pleas have claimed there was no nexus between the



alleged offence and their accounts which have been frozen.

"The freezing of the accounts of the petitioner has led to personal hardship and humiliation. It is also a violation of the fundamental rights of life, association and assembly.

"The aim of the respondents was and is to humiliate and defame the Petitioner in every way possible as also to financially cripple the Trusts and even block her personal finances so that legitimate activities come to a standstill," it alleged.

In the embezzlement case lodged by the Gujarat Police, the couple had challenged the cancellation of bail in the apex court, while in the alleged FCRA violation case, CBI has challenged the anticipatory bail granted to them by the Bombay High Court.

Both the matters are pending before a three judge bench of the apex court.

Gujarat Police has filed an affidavit in the apex court alleging that the funds collected by them for setting up of museum in memory of the riots victims of Gulberg Society was spent on personal use.
Government's step to scrap Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes will hurt economy in the short run specifically discretionary consumption, gold and property demand, but the measure in the long term will help formalise the economy, according to global financial services majors.

"In the near-term, this move may hurt economic activity, specifically discretionary consumption, gold and property demand," UBS said in a note adding in the long term it would result in efficiency and access to lower cost of capital.

"We view it as a positive for financials potentially but over the longer term. Combined with GST and Aadhaar driven financial inclusion," it said.

UBS also noted that the measure would not have "material impact" on Indian capital markets and the stock trading would be driven more by global factors and earnings.

Similarly Japanese brokerage Nomura said while citizens will be inconvenienced in the short term and the move could hurt consumption demand, this is a big medium-term positive in the government's effort to crack down on black money and corruption.

It also noted that as the old currency notes are deposited with banks, the deposit growth will witness a pickup and currency in circulation will moderate - a positive for banking sector liquidity.

Moreover, it said as rural households open new bank accounts to deposit old notes, this may also end up giving a boost to the government's financial inclusion thrust.

It also noted that since black money played a role in real estate transactions, this crackdown is very likely to hurt the real estate market, which is already reeling under high inventory in top tier cities such as Mumbai and Delhi.

Besides, the move will help boost the government's tax revenue collections as some of the black money is brought under legitimate channels, Nomura said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao's grandson N V Subhash has been named a spokesperson in the new team of Telangana BJP office bearers announced here today.

Subhash, who joined BJP ahead of 2014 elections, had worked with the Congress earlier.

"I joined BJP after the process of nominations (for 2014 elections) was over. Because, some might would say I joined BJP for party ticket. The party (BJP) is encouraging me. I am looking forward to my job," he told PTI.

"I see him (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) in the shoes of my grandfather. My grandfather took the historic step of liberalising the economy. This demonetisation of big notes is one such bold step by Prime Minister Modi," Subhash said.

The BJP state office bearers have been announced seven months after K Laxman took over the reins of the party.

Laxman, who became state BJP president in April last, sought to balance caste equations in the party executive, giving representation to backward classes, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

The vice presidents are G Ramakrishna Reddy, T Rajeswara Rao, M Dharma Rao, S Malla Reddy, Venkataramani, Vanitha, Sankineni Venkateswara Rao, Y Geetha, Kasam Venkateshwar Yadav and P Mohan Reddy.

The General Secretaries are Chinta Samba Murthy, Premender Reddy, G Manohar Reddy and T Achary.

The other members of the state BJP team comprise 10 secretaries and 10 spokespersons, among various other committees.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP president Amit Shah will take part in the workers' meet of the party's Punjab unit here on November 20.

Union minister and Punjab BJP chief Vijay Sampla said this after a meeting of the party's state unit here today.

He said Shah will address the gathering at the day-long meet which will be attended by the party's booth-level workers.

Besides Shah, BJP national general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal will also address the gathering at the meet which will be attended by central and state ministers and senior BJP leaders, said Sampla.

(Reopens CAL 4)



Shah also cited some examples to highlight how BJP was a party with a difference.

"BJP is the only party which launches andolan (agitation) not keeping in mind some personality but on issues concerning poor and masses," he said and referred to the Ayodhya agitation and recent campaign to surrender gas subsidy so that poor could get LPG connections.

"BJP is the only party where election takes place on time within the organisation," he added.

Praising the Modi government, Shah said the government has set a target to provide bank accounts to 60 crore people who are still deprived of it, even after 70 years of Independence.

"So far 27 crore bank accounts under Jan Dhan yojna have already been opened," he said.

On appeal of the PM, over 1.37 crore people have already given up subsidy on LPG to help poor get LPG connections, Shah said.

Earlier, the BJP chief talked to state party leaders at the party office. New Bihar BJP President Nityanand Rai, Sushil Kumar Modi, and Union Ministers Radha Mohan Singh and Ravishankar Prasad were present there.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today congratulated Donald Trump on being elected as the US President, saying he looks forward to working with him closely as strong bilateral ties is critical for regional peace and security.

"On behalf of the government and people of Pakistan, and on my own behalf, I wish to extend to you and the people of the US, our most sincere felicitations on your election as the 45th President of the US," Sharif said in his message.

"Your election is indeed the triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights and free enterprise. Most importantly, your momentous success is a testimony to the confidence that the people of the US have reposed in your leadership, vision and commitment to serve your great country," he said.

Sharif also said that strong relationship between Pakistan and the US was critical for regional peace and security.

"Over the past seven decades, Pakistan and the US have enjoyed a strategic partnership, rooted in the shared ideals of freedom, democracy, mutual respect and commonality of interests.

"Our deep seated conviction that a strong partnership between the two countries remains critical to promoting and sustaining peace, security and stability in the wider region, continue to underpin the resilience in Pak-US ties," he said.

Sharif expressed desire to expand relations with the US under Trump.

"I wish to re-affirm my government's commitment to further strengthening and deepening our relations, in a manner truly reflective of the aspirations of our two nations. I am looking forward to closely working with you, to bring our two countries closer and making our partnership an important vehicle for the realisation of peace, security and prosperity in the region and beyond," he said.

Trump today beat seasoned politician Hillary Clinton in the knife-edge polls, defying the odds to become the 45th US President.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Punjab Shiv Sena today demanded that either the Chief Minister or at least the Deputy Chief Minister of the state should be a Hindu.

The demand was raised by Punjab Shiv Sena's president Sanjiv Ghanauli and chairman Rajiv Tandon in a state-level meeting at the Hanumangarhi temple complex here.

"Even though Hindus constitute 45 per cent of Punjab's population, no political party has given a thought about the issue after the creation of 'Punjabi Suba' in 1966," they said.

"Political outfits are doling out sops and largesse even to those communities whose population is just two to 12 per cent in the state and are conveniently ignoring Hindus," they alleged.

Sena activists will gherao the residence of Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh at Moti Mahal in Patiala on November 22 for their demand of a Hindu deputy chief minister, they announced.

"If Amarinder promises that the Deputy Chief Minister will be a Hindu if Congress was voted to power, the Sena will support the party in the upcoming assembly elections", they claimed.

"If he does not do so the Sena will 'gherao' residences of chiefs' of other political parties to secure the promise," they said.

In case no one promised so, the Sena will call upon the Hindu community of Punjab to boycott polls, they declared.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Border Security Force (BSF) personnel under Guwahati Frontier seized silver weighing 20.940 kg near the international boundary in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal.

On specific input provided by BSF intelligence team of Cooch Behar Sector in Bengal, security forces seized 20.940 kg silver having an approximate value of more than Rs 9,21,360 from the border area of Choudhuryhat last evening.

The consignment was being thrown over the border fencing when alert BSF personnel rushed to the area and seized the consignment, which was abandoned by the smugglers.

The smugglers fled from the spot, an official release said.

The seized silver has been handed over to Customs Department for further disposal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As, no doubt, many readers are getting flooded on social media with think pieces and hot takes (not to mention apocalyptic worry or celebration), the point of this post is simply to look at what the data seems to indicate about those who voted for President-elect Donald Trump and his opponent, Sec. Hillary Clinton. Ill add a few thoughts at the end, but I am mostly just fascinated with the result, which shows more diverse support for each candidate than I had expect. However, I am also, like many, disappointed at the passions, particularly anger, that motivated some voters and which will remain with us, no matter what our party preferences, if we do not make a point to address them.

That said, there is a temptation, especially as of late, to paint supporters of either candidate with broad brushes (often unfavorably but sometimes overly flattering too). Neither serves the virtues of wisdom, prudence, or love, which ought to be at the forefront of any Christian social engagement. So, with the encouragement of those virtues as my goal, lets look at that some of the most interesting demographic groups this year.

Ill be using New York Times exit polling data throughout. You can view it all and compare with past elections here.

Whites without a college degree

While this group has been getting a lot of attention, it is notable that whereas Donald Trump won 67%, Mitt Romney won 61% in 2012. That 6% difference was significant, of course, but it is not as if Republicans didnt already do well among this group. (By contrast Trump won 49% of white college graduates, down 7% from Romneys 56% in 2012).

Small city/rural vs. urban

Donald Trump won 62% of those who reside in rural areas or small cities. The NYT unfortunately doesnt have data for place of residence from 2012 to compare, but Republicans have done much better in rural vs. urban areas for a long time. A glance at a 2012 map broken down by county (select counties on the left here) makes this clear.

White evangelical

Donald Trump won 81% of white evangelical voters. Compared with Romneys 78% in 2012, that is an improvement, but a small one. White evangelicals voting Republican are not an anomaly.

Income

The story here is not one of a majority for Trump, but of a general shift. Trump won significantly fewer upper and middle income voters and significantly more lower income voters than Mitt Romney. Perhaps surprisingly depending on who youre reading, he still did not win a majority of low income voters. Voters with incomes of $50k/year and up were basically split between him and Sec. Clinton.

Roman Catholics

In an unexpected shift (to me, at least), Donald Trump won a majority of Roman Catholic voters, 52% to 45%, compared to Obama in 2012, who narrowly won this group by 50% to 48% over Romney. Thats +4% for Republicans and -5% for the Democrats.

Non-Jewish or Christian (but not no religion)

Trump did not win a majority of this demographic, but the shift is striking (and, again, surprising to me). In 2012, Obama won this group, listed as something else, 74% to Romneys 23%. Clinton beat Trump by 62% to 29%. Thats a 6% gain for Republicans and a staggering 12% loss for Democrats. (These numbers do not add up to 100% due to those who voted for neither candidate. This is true for many categories examined here.)

Men vs. women

This one might be surprising as well, given Clinton being our first major party woman candidate and the controversy surrounding her opponents comments and conduct toward women. In 2012 Romney won men 52% to 45% while Obama won women 55% to 44%. This year, Trump won men 53% to 41%. Thats only a 1% gain for Republicans but a 4% loss for Democrats. Women voted by about the same margins as 2012, 54% for Clinton compared to 43% for Trump, a loss of 1% for Democrats and a loss of 2% for Republicans.

Black

In 2012, President Obama won black voters 93% to 6%. This year Clinton won them again, but the margin was 88% to 8%, a 5% drop for Democrats and a 2% gain for Republicans.

Hispanic/Latino and Asian

Clinton won 65% of both groups, but that is down 6% among Hispanic voters and 8% among Asian voters for Obama in 2012. Perhaps surprisingly given his restrictionist immigration stances, Trump marginally improved over Romney, gaining 2% and 3%, respectively, for 29% in both. Significantly more of both groups did not vote for either major party candidate.

Religiosity

Donald Trump won a majority of voters who attend religious services once a week or more and a plurality of those who attend a few times a month. He and Sec. Clinton basically split those who attend a few times a year, and she handily won those who never attend 62% to 31%.

Married vs. unmarried

Donald Trump won the married vote 53% to 43%. Hillary Clinton won the unmarried 55% to 38%.

LGBT

Hillary Clinton one the gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender vote 78% to 14%. Thats a 2% gain for Democrats but an 8% loss for Republicans compared to 2012.

Country off track

Donald Trump won among those who say the direction of the country is seriously off track 69% to 25%. Thats a big margin, but it is a loss of 15% for Republicans and a gain of 12% for Democrats compared to 2012.

Most important issue

Donald Trump won those who listed immigration and terrorism as their most important issues while Hillary Clinton won those who listed the economy and foreign policy.

Condition of economy

Donald Trump won those who rated our economy as poor or fair. Clinton won those who rated it good and excellent.

Outlook for future generations

Donald Trump won the pessimists, Clinton the optimists, by wide margins.

View of family finances

Trump won those who said they are worse off today while Clinton won those who said they are better off, but wide margins as well. It should be noted, with reference to income above, that this does not necessarily map onto lower vs. middle/upper class. It measures the perception of the relative change in ones familys financial situation, not income level. A family that saw its income shrink from $150k to $140k would rate themselves as worse off, even though they would not be considered lower income. Similarly, a family who saw their income increase from $40k to $50k would say better off, even though theyd still be considered lower income.

International trade

Hillary Clinton won those who have a positive view of trade, Trump those who dont, again by wide margins.

Illegal Immigration

Clinton won those who want to offer a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants, Trump won those who want to deport them, again by wide margins.

Feelings about federal government

Clinton won those who said they were enthusiastic (78% to 20%) or satisfied (75% to 20%) with the federal government. Dissatisfied was about split (44% for Clinton, 49% for Trump). Trump, however, soundly won those who are angry with the federal government 77% to 18%.

Voting for ones candidate vs. against opponent

Clinton won those who said they were voting for (strongly favor) their candidate 53% to 44%. Trump won those who said the were voting against the other candidates (dislike other candidates) 51% to 39%.

Age

The story among younger voters here is Democratic loss and third party gain. Obama won 60% of 18-29 year-olds in 2012. Clinton only won 55% this year. In both years 37% voted Republican, making that a %5 gain for non-major party candidates. 30-44 voted less for both major parties (about 2% each) as well. As for older voters, Trump made modest gains among the 45-64 group (+2%) but loss ground (while still winning the group) among 65 and older voters (-3%). Thus, increased Millennial and Gen X support for third parties or independent candidates seems to have hurt Democrats while Baby Boomers turned out a little better for Trump.

Most important candidate quality

Hillary Clinton won three out of four categories: cares about people like me (58% to 35%); has the right experience (90% to 8%); and has good judgment (66% to 26%). Who did Trump win?  can bring needed change (83% to 14%). For better or worse, I am reminded of Trumps claim when he accepted the GOP nomination: I alone can fix it (referring to the system). I doubt those words will be forgotten by anyone.

Decision of when to vote

Trump voters came lately. He won a majority or plurality of voters who came to their decision in the last few days, in the last week, in October, and in September. Clinton only won those who had made up their minds before that.

Concluding thoughts

What does this tell us? Well, it tells us a lot of things. Some trends have continued and sharpened, such as the divide between rural vs. urban and college educated whites vs. whites without a college degree. Younger voters were less partisan this year, voting far less for the major party candidates than older age groups, though third party voting was up among all ages as well.

Most within the realm of Actons mission, those specifically angry with the federal government preferred president-elect Trump. Those with a favorable view of international trade preferred Sec. Clinton. High religiosity correlated with voting for Trump as well, more so than with Romney in 2012. Trump won Roman Catholic voters whereas Romney did not. Trump increased Republican support from white evangelicals over Romney. Trump won those with a negative view of the economy and their own finances, but that doesnt exactly map onto income brackets. Those optimistic about the future and their own finances preferred Clinton.

In all, despite sharp division and incisive rhetoric, the electorate was far more diverse in their voting this year than I, at least, expected, and than many made it seem in their reporting last night.

To me, the perhaps most interesting division is on the level of the passions that motivated voters: Trump voters were angrier and more pessimistic. They were also more opposed to Clinton than in favor of Trump. Clinton voters were more satisfied or enthusiastic with the status quo, more supportive of their candidate, and more hopeful for the future. However, these numbers were not always as sharply divided between parties as they were in 2012.

Nevertheless, those passions deserve our attention in the aftermath of such a heated and drawn-out campaign season. They may be moral or immoral, depending on whether or not they inspire virtue. Positive emotions do not necessarily indicate virtue, and in fact sometimes can be quite vicious. Conversely, negative emotions can be used virtuously, but I will confess I personally find this more difficult in practice than the opposite, especially with reference to anger. As Abba Agatho, one of the ancient Christian desert fathers, put it, If an angry man raises the dead, God is still displeased with his anger.

Dissatisfaction is one thing, but anger is of another class. It is spiritually dangerous, even when righteously motivated. As St. John Cassian put it, Leaves, whether of gold or lead, placed over the eyes, obstruct the sight equally, for the value of the gold does not affect the blindness it produces. Similarly, anger, whether reasonable or unreasonable, obstructs our spiritual vision.

After those who were hopeful are now disappointed and those who were pessimistic have now won the day, there likely will still be a lot of anger on all sides, not just one or the other. It may be cliche, and Im sure many others will say the same thing, but from a Christian point of view, whatever our political preference or affiliation, if we care for our souls above all (though not in any way to minimize the importance of principles and policies), and if we want to grow in wisdom, prudence, and love, we need to do better at finding ways to learn to listen, work with, and love our neighbors, even our enemies, who by the data are likely more diverse than we assume. If not, anger will continue to win the day, and God will be as dissatisfied with us as we are with each other.
A local court today allowed the lawyer of five SIMI activists in judicial custody to meet them after he alleged they were beaten up by guards following the escape of eight other members of the banned organisation from prison before being killed in an alleged police encounter last month.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Bhubhaskar Yadav gave permission to advocate Parvez Alam to meet Adil, Irfan, Javeed, Zuber and Mohammed Sadiq at Bhopal Central Jail.

He can meet them for 20 minutes, the court said, and adjourned the matter to November 17.

Alam alleged in his application that these five men were beaten up by jail guards after the other eight SIMI activists escaped from the jail on the intervening night of October 30 and 31 after allegedly killing a jail warden.

The five SIMI activists had gone on hunger strike after the incident, he said.

Alam represented the eight slain SIMI accused too.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nepal's central bank today asked banking and other financial institutions in the country to immediately stop transacting in Indian currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations, a day after India demonetised them.

The Nepal Rashtra Bank (NRB) in a written directive to the financial institutions as well as currency exchange offices said all business transactions in Indian currency notes having the denominations should be stopped with immediate effect.

NRB further decided to write to the Reserve Bank of India for the management of the banknotes with higher denominations in Nepal, the Himalayan Times reported.

A limited use of Rs 500 Indian currency notes was allowed in Nepal in August 2015, after being prohibited since 2002. The ban was imposed after several reports of counterfeiting.

India's ban on the currency notes yesterday is likely to trouble traders in the border areas, who relied heavily on Indian currency because of their businesses and imports from India through the "open borders".

Indian currency is widely used in Nepal for day-to-day transactions, especially in the border areas.

Also, a large number of Nepalese citizens working in India send remittances to their family in Nepal in higher denomination notes.

Nepal, a landlocked country, depends on India for trade and supplies.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the world was today stunned by Donald Trump's jaw-dropping victory in the US presidential election, world leaders were guarded in their reaction to the development while allies congratulated him.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was accused by Hillary Clinton of closeness to Trump, sent the winner a telegram to congratulate him and said Moscow is "ready to do our part and do everything to return relations to the trajectory of development".

Putin "expressed hope for mutual work on bringing US- Russia relations out of their critical condition as well as on working out outstanding issues on the international agenda" in his congratulatory telegram, the Kremlin said.

Congratulating Trump, British Prime Minister Theresa May saying the UK and US had an "enduring and special relationship" and would remain "close partners" on trade, security and defence.

China's President Xi Jinping sent congratulations to Trump and said he looked forward to working with him, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

"I highly value China-US relations, and look forward to working together with you, and holding fast to mutual respect and non-conflict, non-confrontation," the channel cited Xi as saying in its nightly national broadcast.

During the campaign, Trump had accused China of snatching the jobs of the Americans. He had earlier claimed that Americans are living through the "greatest jobs theft" in the history of the world, saying US companies were moving out jobs to countries like China, Mexico and Singapore.

French President Francois Hollande, who had earlier said Trump made him want to retch, warned his victory "opens a period of uncertainty."



"This American election opens a period of uncertainty," he said in a statement that offered only brief congratulations to the controversial billionaire.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said there was "no possibility" of its nuclear deal with world powers being overturned by Trump despite his threat to dismantle it.

"Iran's understanding in the nuclear deal was that the accord was not concluded with one country or government but was approved by a resolution of the UN Security Council and there is no possibility that it can be changed by a single government," state television quoted Rouhani as telling his cabinet.

Saudi King Salman, meanwhile, expressed hope that Trump would bring stability to the Middle East.

"We wish your excellency success in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide," Salman said.

(Repeating after adding para 4, 5, 6)



German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that any "close cooperation" between the US and her country must be based on shared democratic values, and reminded him of the global responsibility he carries.

"Germany and America share the values of democracy, freedom, respect for the rule of law and human dignity, regardless of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political belief.

"On the basis of these values, I offer close cooperation to the future president of the United States of America, Donald Trump," she said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also congratulated Trump on his "historic victory", saying his election is "indeed the triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights and free enterprise".

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to work "very closely" with Trump, saying "Canada has no closer friend, partner, and ally than the United States.

"We look forward to working very closely with President-elect Trump, his administration, and with the United States Congress in the years ahead, including on issues such as trade, investment and international peace and security," Trudeau said in a statement.

Turkey also joined other countries in sending congratulatory message to Trump, expressing hopes for a "new page" in relations.

"I congratulate Mr Trump and I wish him success," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in a speech in Ankara. He said that he has urged Trump to extradite as soon as possible the US-based Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of masterminding the July coup bid.

Meanwhile, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt invoked Brexit on Twitter, saying, "looks like this will be the year of the double disaster of the West.
Gunmen believed to be cattle rustlers have killed 36 miners in northern Nigeria, the government and residents have said, the latest in a long-running series of such raids.

Motorcycle-riding attackers struck late on Monday at a goldmine outside Bindin village in northern Zamfara state, shooting dead miners and gold merchants, they said.

The state governor condemned the attack "in strongest terms" in a government statement, describing it as an "act of terrorism".

The statement said an investigation had been launched, while local residents said it was just the latest deadly raid by cattle thieves on herding communities in the state.

"We have no doubt that the cattle thieves that have been terrorising us were behind the attack," resident Lawwali Usmanu told AFP.

"We buried 36 bodies of those killed in the attack today. For us it is a day of mourning," he said.

Zamfara is known for its huge gold deposits and mines still using traditional methods. A local chief said the gunmen entered the mine tunnels, shooting dead the miners after killing traders standing at the surface.

Many local herders and subsistence farmers turn to gold mining to boost their income.

Rural communities in the state have long been plagued by cattle thieves, who kill villagers, loot and torch homes, prompting locals to form vigilante groups to fight off the gangs.

In July, Nigeria deployed troops to rid the state of cattle rustling and other criminal activities.

Attacks by nomadic Fulani herdsmen on farmers have been a persistent headache for Nigeria this year, adding to security woes in a country already grappling with the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency.

The mainly Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farmers have clashed for decades over increasingly scarce land and resources, particularly in Nigeria's religiously mixed central states.

But the violence has escalated in recent months and spread further south.

In February, hundreds of people were said to have been killed and about 1,000 homes destroyed in central Benue state in a wave of attacks blamed on Fulani.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Indian woman in the US who gave birth to a baby girl few days ago weeks after her husband died of a hurt attack was today assured by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj of all possible help.

Swaraj has already directed Indian Embassy in Washington to help Deepika Pandey, who hails from east Uttar Pradesh, and now residing in New Jersey in the US.

The woman's husband Hariom Pandey, who was a software engineer, had died of a hurt attack on October 19 in Boston and days later his friends had taken her to New Jersey to ensure her better care as they stay there. Deepika has a four-year-old son also.

"Deepika - We are with you in this hour of tragedy. I have asked @IndianEmbassyUS to help you," Swaraj tweeted.

Deepika's family had initially requested the minister to arrange for medical insurance for her as the insurance she had for Boston was not valid in New Jersey.

Now the family has requested the government to ensure early grant of passport to the new born by the US authorities who by birth is an American citizen.

The family also requested the government to ensure expeditious issuance of Overseas Indian Card to the new born so that Deepika and her two children can return to India at the earliest.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian steel-giant Tata Steel may be planning to close down the deficit-hit pension fund at the heart of its UK steel crisis, according to a media report today.

'The Financial Times' quoted people briefed on the issue as saying that Tata Steel intends to close the 15-billion- pound British Steel Pension Scheme to future contributions before a 60-million-pound payment deadline on March 31, 2017, in order to plug the mounting deficit.

A 60-day legally required consultation period means an official announcement of the closure is expected by the end of the month, the newspaper said.

"Tata continues to be in active dialogue and engagement with all relevant stake-holders to develop options to support a sustainable future for the business and find a solution to address the costs, risks and volatilities of the British Steel Pension Scheme and the risk this brings to the future of the Tata Steel UK business," a Tata Steel UK statement said, adding that it will keep exploring "viable alternatives" for the pension scheme.

The future ofTataSteelUK and its nearly 11,000 workers have been on the line since the Mumbai-headquarteredfirm announced in March that it would be reviewing the future of the business.

The UK media has earlier reported that RatanTata, the interim chairman, is analysing whether to go ahead with a potential ThyssenKrupp joint venture deal for the Port Talbot plant in Wales - the UK's biggest steelworks - and proposals to sellTataSteel's specialitysteelarm, which employs 2,000 people in north-east England.

He is expected to make a decision within weeks.

The biggest obstacle in the way has been the BritishSteelPension Scheme, one of Britain's biggest with 130,000 retired and working members and a deficit that is expected to have increased significantly from last year's level of 700 million pounds.

A closure to future contributions would mean that those who have already paid into the scheme will be paid their pensions but further financial burden would be considerably arrested.

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All Commissioners and SPs in Telangana have been asked to provide sufficient security at banks and post offices to ensure that there is no stampede or any other law and order issue tomorrow.

Telangana DGP Anurag Sharma today directed that all unit officers must monitor developments closely.

"Tomorrow please make sufficient bandobust at banks and post offices to ensure that there is no stampede or any other law and order issue," he said in a text message to officers.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner M Mahendar Reddy held a meeting and issued instructions to all DCPs, ACPs and Station House Officers to make adequate security arrangements.

The entire police force would be on stand by for next three days, he said in a release.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
32nd edition of the Jamshedpur Book Fair, to be organized by Tagore Society here, will begin from November 11 at Rabindra Bhawan premises here.

Seventy publishers from across the country including Kolkata, Delhi, Patna, Mumbai will display their publications in over 250 stalls during the ten-day long fair, to be organized by Tagore Society, Jamshedpur, Ashis Chowdhury, General Secretary of the Society said.

Chowdhury, who was flanked by the President of the Society Dr H S Paul and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the fair Abhoy Shankar Sarkar, told newsmen that Jamshedpur Book Fair has gained popularity in the steel city and surrounding region and was registering an increase in the the sale of books year by year.

Chowdhury, however, admitted that the fair largely depended on general masses and student community as big corporate houses have stopped bulk purchasing of books.

Asked whether the Union Government's decision to withdraw Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes would have any impact on the fair, Chowdhury said such possibility was likely in the first couple of days.

The exchange of old currency notes of the denomination will consume at least two/three days, which was likely to impact on the purchase of books, he said.

Chowdhury said the last edition of the fair had witnessed sale of book to the tune of around Rs 80 to 90 lakhs during the ten-day fair and expressed confidence that figure was likely to go up to Rs 90 lakh this year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Describing as "shambolic" British Prime Minister Theresa May's just-concluded visit to India, former Liberal Democrats leader Paddy Ashdown today criticised her hardline stance on immigration as "damaging" to UK's economy.

Ashdownspoke ashe accompanied the party's Richmond Park and North Kingston by-election candidate Sarah Olney to a curry restaurant in the constituency.

The pair spoke with the owner and head chef of theRoz Ana restaurant in Kingston about its problems recruiting chefs from abroad and the impact of Brexit on rising food prices.

"May's dogmatic approach on immigration is damaging Britain's economy and letting down businesses, including by undermining trade talks during her shambolic trip to India this week," Ashdown said.

He said May's reluctance to liberalise the visa policy was "totally at odds" with the stand 'Leave' camp had taken during the referedum campaign to break out of the European Union.

"Leading Brexiteers like Priti Patel said a vote to 'Leave' would saveBritish curry houses struggling with a shortage of skilled chefs; now as senior ministers at the heart of this government these 'Brexiteers'are failing the very businesses they promised to help.

"The Liberal Democrats will hold this Conservative Brexit government to account for the cynical attempts made to mislead voters during the referendum campaign."



May, during her three-day visit to India from November 6, had said her government will consider further improvements to its visa offer to India if the South Asian country steps up efforts to take back Indians "with no right to remain" in UK.

Britain's 4-bn pound curry industry, which campaigned for the UK to leave EU, feels it has been betrayed by politicians over immigration, in the wake of the Brexit vote.

Curry house owners are worried about the post-referendum clampdown on immigration, as they are already struggling to hire chefs from abroad and are facing mass closures.

According to a recent survey cited by The Independent, the number of licensed curry restaurants has declined by 13 per cent in the last 18 months, with over 1,000 restaurants closing their doors for good.

"Small local businesses are struggling at the hands of this Conservative government'sreckless and divisive approach to Brexit," Olney said.

"A vote for the Liberal Democrats will send a clear message to Theresa May that the people of Richmond Park and North Kingston want to stay in the Single Market and keep our country open, tolerant and united.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Panchayati Raj Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has assured to strengthen the three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Arunachal Pradesh.

Tomar's assurances came when a delegation of All Arunachal Pradesh Panchayati Parishad (AAPPP) led by its secretary general Sangha Tagik called on him at New Delhi yesterday and apprised him about the dismal affairs of PRIs in the state.

Tomar was shocked to known that though district planning committee (DPC) was constituted on December 04, 2006 to decentralise planning in all districts but presently they were headed by deputy commissioners, instead of Zilla Parishad chairpersons.

He immediately asked the panchayat secretary Jitendra Shankar Mathur to take up the issue with the state government to transfer the DPC chairmanship to Zilla Parishad chairperson forthwith as it had violated Article 243ZD of Constitution, an official release said here today.

Tagik, in a memorandum, on behalf of state's 9,372 elected PRI leaders, urged the union minister to sanction Rs 200 crore for setting up of a tribal skill development and capacity building centre to hone the skills of the indigenous tribal people of the state to tap the vast natural resources to join nation building mission.

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 In Haaretz Headline, Alleged Attack Becomes Fact | Main | International Business Times Pulls a UNESCO on Temple Mount 

November 09, 2016

German Authorities Investigate Facebook for Allowing Holocaust Denial



German officials are investigating four Facebook executives, including the companys founder Mark Zuckerberg, over allegations that the social media network tolerates hate speech, Holocaust denial and incitementviolating Germanys national hate speech laws.

A report by United Press International (UPI) (Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg investigated in Germany for allegedly allowing hate speech,? Nov. 7, 2016), noted that a lawyer named Chan-jo Jun filed a complaint with German courts listing 438 offensive posts that were not deleted by Facebook despite repeated requests from users. Prosecutors in Munich subsequently took action and announced their investigation on Nov. 4, 2016.

In addition to Zuckerberg, three other top Facebook executives are named in the suit: chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, European policy director Richard Allan and Eva-Maria Kirschsieper, the companys head of public policy in Berlin.

As UPI pointed out, German law bans hate speech targeting groups, glorification of the Nazi regime and Holocaust denial.? As such, Heiko Maas, Germanys Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection, said that Facebook has until March 2017 to comply with demands to address the problems noted in the suit. After that point, Maas said he would take action, according to UPI.

Facebooks rules forbid bullying, harassment and threatening language. However, the social media organization has been criticized for failing to remove antisemitic posts and apologia and propaganda from terrorist groups. In one January 2014 example that CAMERA documented, an image posted on Facebook celebrated Nazi violence against civilians; perversely using Nikes swoosh logan and slogan Just Do It.? Initially, Facebook refused to remove the image, stating that it didnt violate community standards.? Eventually, the organization reversed course, removing the post and banning the user (Facebook Admits the Obvious,? Jan. 9, 2014).

Facebook has also been used by Palestinian terrorist groups to organize and plot attacks against Israelis, as CAMERA noted in an Aug. 17, 2016 article (Israel Busts Terror Cells Sponsored by Hezbollah, Recruited via Facebook?).

A company spokesman responded to the investigation: We are not commenting on the status of a possible investigation but we can say that the allegations lack merit and there has been no violation of German law by Facebook or its employees.?

A previous complaint by Jun was rejected by Hamburg on the grounds that the regional court lacked jurisdiction because Facebooks European operations are based in Ireland. Yet, Bavarian Justice Minister Winfried Bausback disagreed with the Hamburg ruling, The Jerusalem Post reported (Germany probing Facebook over lack of removal of Nazi, hate postings,? Nov. 5, 2016).

The ramifications of the current investigation by Munich authorities will, perhaps, reverberate beyond Facebooks extensive holdings and influence. Stay tuned for updates.





Posted by SD at November 9, 2016 01:33 PM

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Hillary Clinton

Clinton and Trump were locked in a fierce battle for the White House with razor thin margins separating the two in a series of battleground states that will determine the outcome of the presidential contest.

Donald Trump, 70, was ahead in the key battleground state of Florida while Clinton was projected to win in delegate-rich New York, the home state of both the candidates.

69-year-old Democratic nominee was leading Trump by 197 electoral college votes to 187, CNN reported.

To win the presidential election, a candidate needs 270 of the 538 electoral college votes.

CNN projected that Trump had won 21 states while Clinton emerged victorious in 16.

According to the channel, Trump won Ohio (18), North Carolina (15), North Dakota (3 electoral college votes), South Dakota (3), Nebraska (4), Kansas (6), Oklahoma (7), Texas (38), Wyoming (3), Indiana (11), Kentucky (8), Tennessee (11), Mississippi (6), Arkansas (6), Louisiana (8), West Virginia (5), Alabama (9), South Carolina (9), Montana (3), Idaho (5) and Missouri (10).

Clinton emerged victorious in California (55), Hawaii (4), Illinois (20), New York (29), New Jersey (14), Maryland (10), District of Columbia (3), Vermont (3), Massachusetts (11), Connecticut (7), Delaware (3), Colorado (9), New Mexico (5), Virginia (13), Oregon (7) and Rhode Island (4).

Virginia, won by Clinton, has a significant Indian- American population and is home to Democratic vice- presidential nominee, Senator Tim Kaine.

In terms of overall vote percentage, Trump has so far received 49.2 per cent of the votes counted so far as against 46.5 per cent gained by Clinton.

The incoming returns follow a frenzied day of voting across America marked by long lines and last-minute appeals for support from both campaigns.

While the race has tightened in recent days, the Democratic nominee still seemed to enter Election Day with the edge on the electoral map in her quest to become the first woman elected US president. But Trump, a rank political outsider, voiced confidence yesterday about his chances in key battlegrounds.

"We're going to win a lot of states," the Republican nominee told Fox News as he aims for an upset victory to cap his improbable campaign which came from behind to vanquish 16 competitors in the rowdy Republican primaries.

Sporadic complaints of equipment failures and long lines also greeted voters across the country Tuesday as they headed to their polling centers to cast their vote.

However, much of the country experienced a relatively smooth Election Day.
Engineering Export Promotion Council of India (EEPC) today said it sees great promise in infrastructure focus by US President-elect Donald Trump in the world's largest economy as reflected in his election campaign.

Congratulating Trump on his historic victory in the Presidential elections, EEPC India Chairman T S Bhasin said America is among the largest trading partners for India and engineering exporters would like to lap up the opportunities promised in new investment in building the US infrastructure.

"Trump has stated clearly his focus would be to spend huge funds on building the US infrastructure like highways, airports etc. That would generate great demand for engineering exports in areas like steel, machinery and high technology domains.

"The Indian industry would certainly look forward to be a partner in that great endeavour of the next US President," the Chairman of apex engineering organisation said.

The engineering exports to the US had been slowing, but that was in sync with the rest of the globe, Bhasin said, adding, with the new administration, "We expect a great recovery in the US economy, which is a great for India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
British Prime Minister Theresa May congratulated Donald Trump on his victory today in the US presidential election, saying Britain and America had an "enduring and special relationship".

"I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next US president following a hard-fought campaign. Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on values of freedom, democracy and enterprise," May said in a statement issued by Downing Street.

"We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence. I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead," she said.

She has in the past, as UK home secretary, criticised Republican Trump's call for a ban on Muslims entering the US as "divisive, unhelpful and wrong".

"I just think it shows he does not understand the UK and what happens in the UK," she had said in reference to his claims that police in London feared entering some parts of the city due to ghettoisation.

Opposition Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn described the US election result as an "unmistakable rejection of a political establishment".

"This is a rejection of a failed economic consensus and a governing elite that has been seen as not to have listened. And the public anger that has propelled Donald Trump to office has been reflected in political upheavals across the world," he said in his statement.

He, however, stressed that he did not agree with all of Trump's views.

"But some of Trump's answers to the big questions facing America, and the divisive rhetoric around them, are clearly wrong. I have no doubt, however, that the decency and common sense of the American people will prevail, and we send our solidarity to a nation of migrants, innovators and democrats," he added.

Other leading figures from the UK also reacted to the that the American billionaire will take over as the 45th President of the US.

"I believe passionately in the importance of the UK-US relationship and am confident we can take it forward together," said Boris Johnson, UK foreign secretary.

Some others were more candid in their shock withCaroline Lucas, the UK's Green Party co-leader, describing the win as a "dark day".

She said, "On this dark day we extend the hand of friendship to people in the USA who wake up in fear - we know that you are not defined by the hatred espoused by your new president".

"But it's at times like this when we need to unite, learn, resist and hope more than ever before. Today, in whatever ways we can, let's light a candle rather than curse the darkness".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Strong macroeconomic fundamentals will safeguard the country's securities market as global volatility is likely to persist in the near term with Donald Trump winning the US presidential race, brokers said.

"While this global market volatility may continue for some time, Fundamentals of Indian economy are only getting better," Motilal Oswal Financial Services CMD Motilal Oswal said, adding that good monsoon and 7th Pay commission has started showing some impact on the economy.

"We think this volatility only gives an opportunity for long-term investors to commit more money to their equity investment," he added.

Noting that global markets have been volatile for the past few weeks, based on US opinion poll results, Angel Broking chairman and MD Dinesh Thakkar said, Trump's victory today has ended the uncertainty even as his policies would be tracked going ahead.

"The Indian markets in the last one month have corrected about 5 per cent indicating that Trump's victory is now discounted and focus will now turn towards Fed policy which is due next month," he said



"Though some volatility is expected going ahead, one should not ignore strong domestic consumption story and improving fundamentals. Any further dip should be used to buy quality stocks," he added.

Geojit BNP Paribas chief investment strategist V K Vijayakumar told PTI that focus would be on what the new US President says after the result.

"It would be difficult to put a number to the crash. But 5 to 7 per cent correction can happen. Within the emerging markets, India is likely to be the least affected," he said, advising the investors to stay calm and buy if the market corrects by around 5 per cent.

According to Kotak Securities chief executive Kamlesh Rao, the country's IT sector could remain under pressure in the short run on Trump's speeches favouring restricted entry of skilled labour from overseas with a view to protect jobs in the US.

"Having said all this, the tone of the introductory speech was more welcoming where he did mention working with all nations together though there was a distinct mention of keeping US interests in the mind first. Markets will watch closely now about what the President elect says over," Rao said.

Trump's poll pitch has been centred around protecting the domestic industries in US and reducing off-shoring of jobs; as also on clamping down on immigration.

"An impact of that is likely to come only on the



IT/Software industry where we see some possible negative policy action in coming months/years which may increase the cost of doing business for these companies and shrinking of market," Systematix Shares & Stocks MD Nikhil Khandelwal said.

HDFC Securities managing director and CEO Dhiraj Relli said Trump winning the US Presidential elections could be a mixed bag for India.

"On the one hand, India could get impacted by the ripples caused by the (much feared) policies sought to be implemented by Trump. On the other hand, India could grow as an important ally for US going by his views on China and Middle East," Relli said.

Looking at previous trends, Sanctum Wealth Management CIO Sunil Sharma noted that in almost every case back to 1880, equity markets in the US have risen on that Republicans win elections and fall when Democrats win.

"This time around as well, a Republican win is likely to lead to massive tax cuts (promise to reduce the US corporate tax rate from 35-15 per cent), and markets love lower taxes," Sharma said.

In a result that stunned the world, Donald Trump was today elected the President crushing strongly-favoured Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, raising questions over US' equations with other countries given his hardline stance on tackling terrorism, immigration and protecting domestic jobs.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has telephoned Donald Trump to congratulate the triumphant US president-elect, as Ankara expressed hope for a new start in relations that were strained considerably under the presidency of Barack Obama.

The warm reception from Ankara for Trump's stunning win came as the two key NATO allies seek to overcome disputes ranging from Syria to the extradition of the alleged mastermind of the July 15 failed Turkish coup.

Erdogan swiftly telephoned Trump to pass on his congratulations and wish him success, the Turkish presidency said in a statement yesterday.

The pair expressed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and continue cooperation on regional and international issues, including the "fight against terrorism", the statement added.

Erdogan has in the past lambasted the Islamophobia that Trump's critics have accused the tycoon of espousing.

Trump caused consternation in December 2015 by mooting a ban on all Muslims travelling to the United States.

But Erdogan had said in a speech in Ankara earlier that "a new era is beginning" in the United States with Trump's victory after two terms of Democrat-held presidency.

He expressed hope the election of Trump "will help the taking of good steps regarding rights and freedoms in the world and also developments in the region."



Prime Minister Binali Yildirim earlier also congratulated Trump but also urged the president-elect to as soon as possible extradite the US-based Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of masterminding the coup bid. Gulen denies the charges.

"If you extradite in a short time the head of a terror organisation who has damaged our historic friendship, I am sure that you can give Turkish-US relations a new start and open a new page," Yildirim said.

American authorities are studying the evidence against Gulen provided by Turkey before deciding on extradition. The slowness of the process has caused frustration in Ankara.

US-Turkish relations have worsened since the July 15 coup, which some ruling party figures even suggested Washington had a hand in instigating.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A free trade agreement between the UK and India implemented post-Brexit would increase trade between themby 25 per cent, an analysis by the Commonwealth shows.

UK's exports to India would increase by 50 per cent, from USD 5.2 billion to USD 7.8 billion, according to the research estimates.

Exports of UK products such as cars, beverages and spirits are expected to rise.

The Commonwealth also predicts a 12 per cent annual increase in India's exports to the UK.

The new paper, "Brexit: Opportunities for India", was presented in New Delhi, where the Commonwealth brought Indian and UK industry representatives together to explore opportunities under a post-Brexit bilateral trade deal.

Rita Teotia, the Government of India's commerce secretary, said: "Brexit has induced a degree of uncertainty. We have already chosen to engage, look at the opportunities and to deepen our relationship and to explore the opportunities that both countries offer to each other."



She said:"If we look at the health sector, increasingly India provides both on the goods side and on the services side, win-win situations for its partner countries."



Dr Rashmi Banga, adviser and head of trade competitiveness at the Commonwealth Secretariat, said: "If India has an FTA with the UK post-Brexit they are both going to gain - it's going to be a win-win situation. This new research identifies the specific opportunities of a bilateral agreement for India and the UK to boost trade in goods as well as services, benefiting both their national economies."



Thirteen new products have been identified which India can increase export to UK, including textiles and clothing, footwear, turbojets and transmission shafts, compression-ignition internal combustion piston engines and taps, cocks and valves.

The value of India's exports of these products to the UK is currently around USD 404 million, which could be increased to USD 2.1 billion, an increase of USD 1.7 billion.

Trade in commercial services, construction services and financial services will also experience a boost.

To turn this potential trade into reality, the Secretariat has opened the membership of India-Commonwealth Association for Indian industry.

This association provides a sustainable common platform for the members of Commonwealth to trade, form joint ventures, exchange technology and knowledge and harmonise existing standards.

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A British police dog run over by a vehicle while trying to track down intruders has died.

Merseyside Police dog Ghost was searching for offenders who had entered premises in Southworth Road in St Helens yesterday early morning.

Police said the three-year-old German shepherd was found shortly afterwards on the M6 nearby with traumatic injuries after being hit by a vehicle.

His handler Police Constable Dave Bartley was extremely upset over the incident, the BBC reported.

Police said no vehicles stopped at the scene where Ghost was found.

Ghost had been a serving police dog for most of his three years and worked on numerous jobs.

He recently helped apprehend a car thief in St Helens while off duty.

Inspector Tony Byrne said he feared Ghost would have to be retired after suffering a lot of damage to his tail and a torsion in his stomach last year.

"It is rare for dogs to recover from things like this but he was big strong dog and came back from it."



He added: "Ghost and his handler were a prolific team and he was a much valued member of our team and will be sorely missed.

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UN chief Ban Ki-moon today congratulated President-elect Donald Trump on his victory after a "hard-fought and often divisive campaign", emphasising that unity in diversity is US' greatest strengths and hoped his administration will strengthen the bonds of international cooperation.

"I congratulate Mr Donald Trump on his election as forty-fifth President of the United States of America," the UN Secretary-General said in a statement.

Ban said given the hard-fought and "often divisive campaign" to elect the new US President, it is "worth recalling and reaffirming that the unity in diversity of the United States is one of the country's greatest strengths. I encourage all Americans to stay true to that spirit."



The UN chief, who will not be able to work alongside a new administration in the White House as his tenure is ending this year, said the current global challenges demand concerted global action and joint solutions.

"The United Nations will count on the new Administration to strengthen the bonds of international cooperation as we strive together to uphold shared ideals, combat climate change, advance human rights, promote mutual understanding and implement the Sustainable Development Goals to achieve lives of peace, prosperity and dignity for all," Ban said.

Ban underscored that as a founding-member of the UN and a permanent member of the Security Council, the US is an "essential actor" across the international agenda and people globally look to America to "use its remarkable power to help lift humanity up and to work for the common good."



"Now more than ever, we must mobilise around the principles and common values of the United Nations Charter," Ban said.

The UN chief also expressed his "deep appreciation" to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for a "lifetime commitment to peace, the advancement of women and the well-being of children.

"She has been a powerful global symbol of women's empowerment, and I have no doubt that she will continue to contribute to our work across the world," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Panchayati Raj Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has pledged to strengthen three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in Arunachal Pradesh.

Tomar made the assurance to a delegation of All Arunachal Pradesh Panchayati Parishad (AAPPP) led by its Secretary General Sangha Tagik as they called on him in New Delhi yesterday and apprised about the dismal affairs of PRIs in the state.

Tomar was shocked to known that though district planning committee (DPC) was constituted on December 4, 2006 to decentralise planning in all districts, presently they are headed by Deputy Commissioners, instead of Zilla Parishad chairpersons, an AAPPP release said today.

The minister immediately asked the Panchayat Secretary Jitendra Shankar Mathur to take up the issue with the state government to transfer the DPC Chairmanship to Zilla Parishad Chairperson forthwith as it had violated Article 243ZD of Constitution, an official release informed here today.

The memorandum was signed by ZPCs including Tagik from Kurung Kumey district, Jowkhong Singpho (Changlang), Santung Lowang Yagsia (Tirap) and Yaman Bagra (West Siang).

The memorandum further stressed on the need for close cooperation between the Army and security forces with civilians as the state shares borders with three countries and requested the minister to move the home and defence ministries for creating provision to exclusively recruit locals in group 'C' and 'D' posts to serve as the bedrock of the Army and security forces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Uttar Pradesh police has been alerted to maintain strict vigil near banks and other places to maintain law and order in the wake of decision to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes from today.

After the announcement caught people by surprise, long queues were seen at ATMs and petrol pumps last night.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has urged the Centre to ensure that the decision to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denomination currency notes did not have an adverse impact on the poor, farmers and villagers.

He urged the Centre to arrange for special camps in villages for exchanging currency notes saying banks were not easily accessible in the rural areas.

The situation became difficult for commuters this morning with many petrol pumps closing down claiming that they were out of stock, while in shops, customers were turned away by traders, who were not ready to accept notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations.

"Director General of Police Javeed Ahmad has issued directives to all district police chiefs stating that there may be serious law and order issues after the announcement.

"Patrolling and visibility (of force) should be there at market areas, near banks, post offices," Additional Superintendent of Police in DGP office Rahul Srivastava said.

He said police officers have been directed to talk to traders bodies and petrol pumps and keep an eye on situation in rural areas.

Police has been deployed at petrol pumps to control the crowd.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US-backed forces pressed offensives today on the Islamic State group's strongholds in Syria and Iraq, as a strike by the American-led coalition was reported to have killed 20 civilians near Raqa.

Supported by coalition air raids, Iraqi forces have pushed into IS's Mosul stronghold and a Kurdish-Arab militia alliance has been advancing on the jihadists' de facto Syrian capital Raqa.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a coalition strike overnight had hit the IS-held village of Al-Heisha, about 40 kilometres north of Raqa.

Rami Abdul Rahman, the head of the Britain-based monitoring group, said nine women and two children were among the 20 dead civilians and that 32 others had been wounded.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which Washington is supporting in the assault, denied the civilian deaths.

"There is no such thing, and any such claims are IS news," SDF spokeswoman Jihan Sheikh Ahmed told AFP. The US-led coalition said it was checking on the report.

The SDF's online media account said at least six IS fighters had been killed by coalition strikes in the village and accused the extremist group of preventing civilians from leaving Al-Heisha in a bid to use them as "human shields".

Civilians fleeing Al-Heisha told AFP on Tuesday that IS fighters had brought heavy weaponry into the village when the SDF operation began.

"Daesh fighters brought heavy weapons to our village and stayed among us so that if there were strikes they would hit us," 45-year-old Saada al-Aboud said, using an Arabic acronym for IS.

"They wouldn't let us leave. We had to escape by running out into the fields, with our children and old people. What else could we do? We left everything behind."



The SDF launched the drive towards Raqa on Saturday, upping pressure on the jihadists three weeks after Iraqi forces began their assault on Mosul.

Raqa and Mosul are the last major cities in Syria and Iraq under IS control, after the jihadists suffered losses that greatly reduced the size of the self-styled "caliphate" they declared in mid-2014 following their seizure of large parts of both countries.

The US-led coalition, which launched the air campaign against IS two years ago, hopes that driving the group from the two cities will deal it a knockout blow.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister Harish Rawat today conferredthe Uttarakhand Ratna award on his arch rival and former chief minister Narayan Dutt Tiwarion the occasion of the state's 17th foundation day here.

The gesture was interpreted in the political circles as a smart political move ahead of next year's Assembly election in the state to capitalise on the Congress veteran's influence in the Kumaon region.

Though the nonagenarian leader could not attend the function, Rawat said it was an "expression of gratitude" to Tiwari (91) in recognition of his "outstanding contribution" to the state's development.

"The state salutes him for laying a strong foundation for its development," he said while announcing the award at a function at the chief minister's official residence.

Tiwari had become the first elected chief minister of Uttarakhand after the 2002 Assembly polls, beating then state Congress chief Rawat in the race for the top post.

The rivalry between the two leaders continued even after Rawat was made a Rajya Sabha MP.

When asked about Tiwari's absence from the function, Rawat's media advisor and spokesman Surendra Kumar said the award will soon be handed over to him.

Apart from Tiwari, several other renowned people from Uttarakhand were also honoured on the occasion, some of them posthumously, including freedom fighter and Peshawar Kand hero Virchand Singh Garhwali, leading freedom fighter Shridev Suman, statehood movement leader Indramani Badoni and Chipko movement protagonist Gaura Devi.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A weight loss condition that affects cancer patients may make immunotherapy ineffective, according to a new study which explains why the approach boosting a patient's immune system to treat the disease fails in a lot of people.

Cancer immunotherapies involve activating a patient's immune cells to recognise and destroy cancer cells.

They have shown great promise in some cancers, but so far have only been effective in a minority of patients with cancer. The reasons behind these limitations are not clear.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have found evidence that the mechanism behind a weight loss condition which affects patients with cancer could also be making immunotherapies ineffective.

The condition, known as cancer cachexia, causes loss of appetite, weight loss and wasting in most patients with cancer towards the end of their lives.

However, cachexia often starts to affect patients with certain cancers, such as pancreatic cancer, much earlier in the course of their disease.

Scientists found that that even at the early stages of cancer development in mice, before cachexia is apparent, a protein released by the cancer changes the way the body, in particular the liver, processes its own nutrient stores.

"The consequences of this alteration are revealed at times of reduced food intake, where this messaging protein renders the liver incapable of generating sources of energy that the rest of the body can use," said Thomas Flint, from the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine.

"This inability to generate energy sources triggers a second messaging process in the body - a hormonal response - that suppresses the immune cell reaction to cancers, and causes failure of anti-cancer immunotherapies," Flint said.

"Cancer immunotherapy might completely transform how we treat cancer in the future - if we can make it work for more patients," said Tobias Janowitz, from University of Cambridge.

"Our work suggests that a combination therapy that either involves correction of the metabolic abnormalities, or that targets the resulting hormonal response, may protect the patient's immune system and help make effective immunotherapy a reality for more patients," said Janowitz.

"If the phenomenon that we have described helps us to divide patients into likely responders and non-responders to immunotherapy, then we can use those findings in early stage clinical trials to get better information on the use of new immunotherapies," said Duncan Jodrell, from the Cambridge Cancer Centre.

"Understanding the complicated biological processes at the heart of cancer is crucial for tackling the disease - and this study sheds light on why many cancer patients suffer from both loss of weight and appetite, and how their immune systems are affected by this process," said Nell Barrie, from Cancer Research UK.

The research was published in the journal Cell Metabolism.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Forest Service officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi, whose appointment as OSD to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was shot down by the Centre, has been promoted by the Uttarakhand government, a move which will pave way for his posting.

The officer has been promoted as Conservator of Forests. Separate order will be issued regarding his posting, as per an order issued by Uttarakhand government.

Chaturvedi, a 2002-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer of Uttarakhand cadre, has been awaiting a posting for past over three months.

The promotion is important as he was at loggerheads with the Centre and had approached courts against some of the Centre's decisions of allegedly denying him due service- related benefits.

Chaturvedi worked as Chief Vigilance Officer and then as Deputy Secretary in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here from June 2012 to June 2016. Last year, he had sought inter-cadre deputation to Delhi government.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet-led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declined the proposal for inter- cadre deputation of Chaturvedi (for appointment as Officer on Special Duty to the Delhi Chief Minister) from Uttarakhand cadre.

He is at present working without any post in the Uttarakhand government.

As per norms, an officer of Indian Foreign Service is appointed to the post of Conservator of Forests after completing 14 years of service. However, the Annual Confidential Report of the officer concerned need to be outstanding.

The Supreme Court had recently sought responses from the Centre, AIIMS and the Central Vigilance Commission on the plea of the officer who has alleged that he was not given any work at the premier medical institution here despite having an exemplary service record.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A draft decision of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) has urged nations to monitor waterpipe tobacco through their respective national surveillance systems and also ban the use of flavourings in such products.

"Concerned about the growing use of flavoured waterpipe tobacco among youth and the increasing influence of the tobacco industry over waterpipe regulation and production, we invite parties (nations) to continue to monitor waterpipe tobacco use through national surveillance systems to cover all age groups and all policy aspects in an integrated approach, and submit the findings to the COP through the reporting instrument of WHO FCTC," the draft said.

It also stressed on the need for inter country and regional coordination in sharing of experiences and knowledge to prevent and control waterpipe tobacco use.

The draft decision also asked the nations to include perils of waterpipe use under the 'ban of tobacco use in public places' as per Article 8 of the convention and its guidelines.

A study conducted earlier in the year had warned that even light-use hookah or waterpipe smokers may develop lung function abnormalities, including marked changes in cells lining the airways.

A senior WHO FCTC official said that the draft decision was being discussed and the final decision may come out soon.

The seventh session of Conference of Parties (CoP7) of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) is being hosted by India for the first time.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Singaporean woman was jailed for two weeks for failure to take care of her 39 pet cats, a media report said today.

Roslina Roslani, 34, together with other drug-related charges, was sentenced to a total of five years, six months and four weeks' jail on Monday, Channel Asia reported.

She could have been sentenced to up to 18 months in jail and fined a maximum of 15,000 Singapore dollar (USD 10,783) if convicted of animal cruelty.

The case came to light after the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) inspected her apartment in the Yishun housing estate on February 25, following public feedback about animal faecal odour coming from her unit.

AVA found the cats housed in cages, many of which were caked with faeces. All the felines were in poor health and physical condition. Four died shortly after due to underlying medical conditions and another had to be euthanised.

The remaining 34 cats were released to the Cat Welfare Society (CWS) for rehoming.

CWS, which helped care the cats before they found new homes, had spent nearly 40,000 Singapore dollar (USD 28,757) on their medical and boarding fees.

"We can really attest to the suffering and trauma of the cats that were rescued from this hoarder," CWS committee member Veron Lau was quoted as saying.

For those survived, the transformation over the past few months was "tremendous", although many of the cats had various medical issues that took a while to clear up, she said.

Nine of the cats are currently living with fosterers who are likely to adopt them and 18 will be up for adoption as part of the Fur Friends Fiesta carnival at the HomeTeamNS Sembawang Clubhouse on November 26.

"We urge cat owners who are breeding and have not sterilised their cats to do so to avoid a situation when cat keeping spirals out of control to the detriment of everyone - cats, owner and community," Lau said.

"Hoarding of pets may also cause public safety, nuisance and hygiene issues to the community, such as pests. AVA urges pet owners not to hoard animals and be responsible and considerate pet owners so as not to cause inconvenience to the community," AVA authorities said.

If convicted of animal cruelty, first-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of 15,000 dollar and up to 18 months in jail.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese President Xi Jinping today congratulated Donald Trump on becoming president-elect of the US, calling for cooperation between the top two economies of the world to maintain global peace and stability as well as improving bilateral ties while shunning confrontation.

In his message to Trump, Xi hoped they could work together to boost China-US relations so as to better benefit peoples around the world.

Normally Chinese leaders wait for entire official process of elections to be over to greet world leaders. Xi's greetings came hours after Trump victory over Hillary Clinton.

In his congratulatory message, Xi said that while China is the world's largest developing country and the US the largest developed power, both, as the world's top economies, bear the special responsibility of maintaining world peace and stability and boosting global development and prosperity, and share extensive interests.

To develop a long-term, healthy and stable China-US relationship is in line with the fundamental interests of the peoples of the two countries as well as the general expectations of the global community, Xi said.

"I highly value the relations between China and the United States, and I am looking forward to working together with you to expand China-US cooperation in every field, at the bilateral, regional and global levels, on the basis of the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, with differences controlled in a constructive manner, so as to push China-US relations further forward from a new starting point, better benefiting the peoples of the two countries and other countries," state-run Xinhua agency quoted Xi as saying. China watched the run-up to the election between Trump and Hillary Clinton with a sense of unease as both promised to pursue strong policies against China.

Generally the Chinese official commentaries reflecting public opinion favoured Trump as Clinton was widely regarded as someone who pursued tough line against China with Asia Pivot strategy under which 60 percent of American military assets would be deployed in the region to contain China.

Strategically, Trump's vision of reorienting ties with allies like China's arch rival Japan and South Korea as well as his pledge to scrap Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) which excluded Beijing suited China.

At the same time Beijing is also apprehensive about how Trump's promise of US-centric global development and military development would pan out fuelling the confrontation between the two countries.

Equally there are apprehensions about Trump who branded China a currency manipulator and promised tough measures against cheap Chinese goods into US.

The countries have over USD 600 billion annual trade with balance of trade heavily tilting towards China. Successive US leaders also criticised China for keeping its currency too low against dollar to reap maximum benefit out of the trade.

REOPENS FGN 71



Vice President Li Yuanchao also congratulated Mike Pence on his becoming US vice president-elect.

Earlier Chinese foreign ministry reacted guardedly to the election of Trump saying that it will work with the new US government to ensure steady development of bilateral ties to benefit people of both the countries.

A commentary in Xinhua on China-US relations said Trump should work to maintain the eight year momentum for improving bilateral relations so that the world's most important bilateral relationship continues to advance.

"China-US ties have witnessed remarkable progress since the ice-breaking visit to China in 1972 by then US President Richard Nixon to establish a relationship that in the decades to come would have global consequences. That is why Beijing and Washington have also demonstrated an unmistakable desire in recent years to improve communication and better cooperate with each other," it said.

"Of course, the relationship between the world's top two economies isn't without friction. Washington's rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, under which it plans to relocate a large part of its diplomatic and military resources to the region, is widely interpreted as targeting China," it said.

While Washington has done little to dispel such doubts in Beijing, its warships, not long after the announcement of the pivot, have begun to appear in the South China Sea at an increasingly higher frequency, all under the false pretext of maintaining "freedom of navigation" in the area, it said.

Such actions have emboldened some claimants in the South China Sea, effectively stirring up tensions in the mostly peaceful Asia-Pacific region and dimming the prospect of a peaceful solution to the region's maritime disputes, it said.

China has repeatedly said it welcomes the United States to play a constructive role in the Asia-Pacific, and stressed that the Pacific is vast enough to accommodate both, the Xinhua commentary said adding while the two sides will always have disagreements, they are definitely not stuck in a zero sum game.

It said by properly managing their disputes and working to enhance mutual trust, the incoming US government and Beijing can jointly build a new paradigm of major power relations.

"Meetings between top leaders are often seen as a barometer of bilateral ties. The long walks and conversations conducted in a hearty atmosphere between Xi and US President Barack Obama on several occasions were evident of growing China-US ties," it said.

In the past three years since the Sunnylands summit between Xi and Obama, China and the US have achieved new highs in bilateral trade, two-way investment, and personnel exchanges, it said.

They have also scored progress in establishing a bilateral investment treaty, made headway strengthening mutual trust between the two militaries and achieved some breakthroughs regarding cyber security cooperation.

Working hand in hand, and with other global players, the two countries signed a historic climate deal and jointly brought the Iran nuclear issue to a positive end through diplomacy, the commentary said.
Did you recently buy a new iPhone? You may be programmed to upgrade your smartphone irrespective of whether you need it or not, a new study suggests.

Decades of research supports the theory that people tend to rely on comparisons when making decisions, researchers said.

However, when one of their options is a perceived upgrade over the status quo, consumer's rationality disappears, they said.

Marketing professor Aner Sela from the University of Florida and Robyn LeBoeuf of Washington University in the US, examined the phenomenon of "comparison neglect," where people favour an upgraded product without evaluating the one they own.

In Sela's work, 78 per cent of consumers in one study readily admitted that "comparing the upgrade to the status quo option is a necessary component in the decision," and 95 per cent agreed that comparisons were important.

However, when faced with that decision, consumers fail to practice what they preach, researchers said.

"We do not do as well as we know we should. People know this is important; there is a consensus about it. But, in the moment of truth, we're susceptible to these biases. That's the striking thing: Knowing is not enough," Sela said.

The researchers conducted a series of five studies of more than 1,000 smartphone users aged between 18 and 78.

When consumers were asked to select the status quo or an upgraded smartphone or app - even when they were supplied with a list of features of both products - the majority chose the upgrade.

Only when consumers were explicitly reminded to compare the status quo's existing features with the upgrade's features did the likelihood of upgrading decrease.

Considering people's tendency to use comparisons - and the high value people place on the status quo - Sela said the study's findings were unexpected.

"We were not asking people to recall existing features from memory. We put them in front of people side-by-side. But unless we tell them to compare, they do not do it. They do not use the information in the way they themselves say they should be using it. That's what makes this so surprising," Sela said.

Sela noted that comparison neglect only occurs when a perceived upgrade is one of the options.

When the same decision is perceived as a "choice" between two options - one more advanced than the other - comparison neglect is not influential.

Overcoming comparison neglect is a difficult hurdle for consumers, Sela said.

The study appears in the Journal of Marketing Research.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Elzio Barreto

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Oaktree Capital Group LLC, the world's largest distressed debt asset manager, is looking to make its first ever investment in India, focusing initially on direct lending for real estate projects, a top company executive told .

The company, which has invested in Chinese non-performing loans (NPLs), Japanese equities as well as Australian private equity and distressed debt, had looked at India before, but had yet to make an investment in the country, said Rajath Shourie, co-portfolio manager in Oaktree's distressed debt team.

"We have people who are actively exploring (in India)," Shourie said in an interview on Wednesday. "Historically in new countries, office real estate is easier to get our arms around first and where we would start, that would be a reasonable guess."

When Oaktree looked at India previously, the returns did not justify the risks, partly because of volatility in the local currency and uncertainties over its legal system, he said.

India's government earlier this year eased rules for bad-loan buyers. Companies including J.C. Flowers & Co LLC, Apollo Global Inc and Brookfield Asset Management Inc have flocked to the country as local banks were ordered to clean up an estimated $120 billion of bad and troubled loans.

In China, most of Oaktree's investments in NPLs have been small to test the market, but the firm is "encouraged by our experience so far," he said. Oaktree is also looking at real estate direct lending in Australia, he said.

"China is definitely a focus, Australia also. Japan is a possibility as well," Shourie said, adding that stock market valuations there were quite reasonable, given improved corporate governance and outlook for the country after economic measures implemented by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, known as "Abenomics."

Oaktree was "very active" in buying oil and gas distressed debt in the United States at the beginning of 2016 and sold part of the assets after a rally in the market, Shourie added.

He also said the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President will likely create a sell-off in equities and credit, but the outlook is less clear in the longer term.

"We don't really know what a President Trump's policies would be. Some of the things he says are actually quite business-friendly, however, his position on trade is clearly not," Shourie said. "I think the outcome will depend on what part of his rhetoric actually turns into policy."

(Reporting by Elzio Barreto; Editing by Lisa Jucca and Christopher Cushing)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Neha Dasgupta and Nidhi Verma

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that 500 and 1,000 rupee banknotes would be withdrawn from circulation at midnight to crack down on rampant corruption and counterfeit currency.

The surprise move was designed to bring billions of dollars worth of cash in unaccounted wealth into the mainstream economy, as well as hit the finances of militants who target India and are suspected of using fake 500 rupee notes to fund operations.

"Black money and corruption are the biggest obstacles in eradicating poverty," Modi said in a hastily convened address to the nation after a cabinet meeting.

Nearly 40 percent of India's economy is driven by small- and medium-sized enterprises that largely run on cash transactions. Economists said the move could impact these businesses, and in turn have a knock-on effect on economic growth.

There was concern among members of the public about changing larger denomination banknotes for new ones once they expired.

Around a dozen people lined up to use an ICICI cash deposit machine in suburban Mumbai soon after the announcement, trying to deposit bundles of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes.

The machine stopped working after 10 minutes. Only two customers managed to deposit their money, and a security guard informed the rest that the cash dispenser has reached its limit and would not accept any more.

Delhi taxi driver Anu Choudhury said his boss called to say he should not accept 500 or 1,000 rupee notes from customers.

"This is not a good step for business. The prime minister did not think about people like us."

BIG MONEY OUTFLOWS

Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party came into power in 2014 promising to bring black market money into the regular financial system, but critics said it had failed, with government data showing the cash economy outpacing the formal economy.

A report by Washington-based think-tank Global Financial Integrity estimated that India lost $344 billion in illicit fund outflows between 2002 and 2011.

The finance ministry said India would introduce new banknotes of 500 and 2,000 rupees from Nov. 10. The old notes can be deposited in banks and post offices from Nov. 10 to Dec. 30. All cash machines will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday.

The head of the Reserve Bank of India, Urjit Patel, said he saw no impact on liquidity in the wholesale market and that the bank had ramped up production of the new series of notes over the last few months.

Modi said militants operating against India were using fake versions of the 500 rupee note, worth about $7.50 at current exchange rates.

"Terrorism is a frightening thing ... But have you ever thought about how these terrorists get their money? Enemies from across the border have run their operations using fake currency notes. This has been going on for years," Modi said.

India accuses its neighbour Pakistan of harbouring militants who have launched attacks on its troops, particularly in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir which both countries claim. Pakistan denies the accusations.

CAUGHT BY SURPRISE

Some officials and experts said Tuesday's move was the biggest in decades aimed at fighting graft.

"It is like a surgical strike on black money," said Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia.

But the head of a state-run bank said it was not fully prepared for the change.

"This is for us also. I'm not aware how much stock we have in our chest. The Reserve Bank will have to provide us with required cash to meet the demand. The demand will be very high no doubt," said the bank chief, who did not want to be named as he was still awaiting details.

Government data show circulation of current notes has outpaced the expansion in India's economy.

In the past five years, circulation of all currency notes grew 40 percent, compared with 30 percent growth in Asia's third-largest economy.

The growth in 500 and 1,000 rupee banknotes was even steeper; 500 rupee notes grew 76 percent between 2011 and 2016, while in the same period, 1,000 rupee notes rose by 109 percent.

The head of the country's largest government-owned lender, State Bank of India, said she had just been advised about the government's decision.

"We have handled demonetisation earlier and will do so again. Tomorrow banks will remain closed in order to withdraw these notes from counters and ATMs. We will strive to restock ATMs at the earliest and make them operational," said chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya.

(Additional reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh, Tony Tharakan, Sanjeev Miglani in NEW DELHI and Devidutta Tripathy, Abhirup Roy and Euan Rocha in MUMBAI; Writing by Sanjeev Miglani; Editing by Mike Collett-White)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Oaktree Capital Group, the world's largest distressed debt asset manager, is looking to make its first ever investment in India, focusing initially on direct lending for real estate projects, a top company executive told .

The company, which has invested in Chinese non-performing loans, Japanese equities as well as Australian private equity and distressed debt, had looked at India before, but had yet to make an investment in the country, said Rajath Shourie, co-portfolio manager in Oaktree's distressed debt team.

"We have people who are actively exploring (in India)," Shourie said in an interview on Wednesday. "Historically in new countries, office real estate is easier to get our arms around first and where we would start, that would be a reasonable guess."

(Reporting by Elzio Barreto; Editing by Lisa Jucca)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Steve Holland and John Whitesides

- Republican Donald Trump stunned the world by defeating heavily favored Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's presidential election, ending eight years of Democratic rule and sending the United States on a new, uncertain path.

A wealthy real-estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to win the White House race against Clinton, the Democratic candidate whose gold-plated establishment resume included stints as a first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state.

Worried a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors were in full flight from risky assets such as stocks, and the U.S. dollar sank. U.S. stock futures dived 5 percent at one point, worse than the sell-off caused by the British vote to leave the European Union in June that wiped trillions of dollars off world markets.

Trump collected enough of the 270 state-by-state electoral votes needed to win a four-year term that starts on Jan. 20, taking battleground states where presidential elections are traditionally decided, U.S. television networks projected.

Trump, appearing with his family before cheering supporters in a New York hotel ballroom, said it was time to heal the divisions caused by the campaign and find common ground after a campaign that exposed deep differences among Americans.

"It is time for us to come together as one united people," Trump said. "I will be president for all Americans."

He said he had received a call from Clinton to congratulate him on the win and praised her for her service and for a hard-fought campaign.

His comments were an abrupt departure from his campaign trail rhetoric in which he repeatedly slammed Clinton as "crooked" amid supporters' chants of "lock her up."

At Clinton's election event at the Javits conference center a mile away from Trump's event, an electric atmosphere among supporters expecting a Clinton win slowly grew grim as her losses piled up.

Clinton opted not to appear at her event, instead sending campaign chairman John Podesta out to tell her supporters to go home. "We're not going to have anything more to say tonight," he said.

Clinton was expected to speak on Wednesday morning, an aide said.

Victorious in a cliffhanger race that opinion polls had forecast was Clinton's to win, Trump won avid support among a core base of white non-college educated workers with his promise to be the "greatest jobs president that God ever created."

In his victory speech, he said he had a great economic plan, would embark on a project to rebuild American infrastructure and would double U.S. economic growth.

His win raises a host of questions for the United States at home and abroad. He campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist "America First" path. He has vowed to impose a 35 percent tariff on goods exported to the United States by U.S. companies that went abroad.

Trump, who at 70 will be the oldest first-term U.S. president, came out on top after a bitter and divisive campaign that focused largely on the character of the candidates and whether they could be trusted to serve as the country's 45th president.

The presidency will be Trump's first elected office, and it remains to be seen how he will work with Congress, even though Republicans were set to retain control of both chambers. During the campaign Trump was the target of sharp disapproval, not just from Democrats but from many in his own party.

Television networks projected Republicans would retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs. In the U.S. Senate, the party also put up an unexpectedly tough fight to protect its majority in the U.S. Senate.

CLINTON'S WEAKNESSES

Trump entered the race 17 months ago and survived a series of seemingly crippling blows, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologized but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, allegations he denied. He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Clinton.

A Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day poll offered some clues to the outcome. It found Clinton underperformed expectations with women, winning their vote by only about 7 percent, similar to President Barack Obama when he won re-election in 2012.

And while she won Hispanics, black and millennial voters, Clinton did not win those groups by greater margins than Obama did in 2012. Younger blacks did not support Clinton like they did Obama, as she won eight of 10 black voters between the ages of 35 and 54. Obama won almost 100 percent of those voters in 2012.

TOUTS HIS BUSINESS ACUMEN

During the campaign, Trump said he would "make America great again" through the force of his personality, negotiating skill and business acumen. He proposed refusing entry to the United States of people from war-torn Middle Eastern countries, a modified version of an earlier proposed ban on Muslims.

His volatile nature, frequent insults and unorthodox proposals led to campaign feuds with a long list of people, including Muslims, the disabled, Republican U.S. Senator John McCain, Fox anchor Megyn Kelly, the family of a slain Muslim-American soldier, a Miss Universe winner and a federal judge of Mexican heritage.

A largely anti-Trump crowd of about 400 to 500 people gathered outside the White House after his victory, many visibly in shock or tears. Some carried signs that read "stand up to racism" and "love trumps hate."

The election was unprecedented in the way it turned Americans against each other, according to dozens of interviews in rural United States and across some of the most politically charged battleground states.

Throughout his campaign - and especially in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in July - Trump described a dark America that had been knocked to its knees by China, Mexico, Russia and Islamic State. The American dream was dead, he said, smothered by malevolent business interests and corrupt politicians, and he alone could revive it.

He has vowed to win economic concessions from China and to build a wall on the southern U.S. border with Mexico to keep out undocumented immigrants.

As financial markets absorbed the prospect of Trump's win during Tuesday evening and into the early hours of Wednesday, the Mexican peso plunged to its lowest-ever levels. The peso had become a touchstone for sentiment on the election as Trump threatened to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico.

His triumph was a rebuke to Obama, a Democrat who spent weeks flying around the country to campaign against him, repeatedly casting doubt on his suitability for the White House. Obama will hand over the office to Trump after serving the maximum eight years allowed by law.

Trump promises to push Congress to repeal Obama's troubled healthcare plan and to reverse his Clean Power Plan. He plans to create jobs by relying on U.S. fossil fuels such as oil and gas.

CLINTON'S FAILED SECOND BID

Trump's victory marked a frustrating end to the presidential aspirations of Clinton, 69, who failed for the second time to be elected the first woman U.S. president.

In a posting on Twitter during Tuesday evening, she acknowledged a battle that was unexpectedly tight given her edge in opinion polls going into Election Day.

"This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything," she tweeted.

The wife of former President Bill Clinton and herself a former U.S. senator, she held a steady lead in many opinion polls for months. Voters perceived in her a cautious and calculating candidate and an inability to personally connect with them.

Even though the FBI found no grounds for criminal charges after a probe into her use of a private email server rather than a government system while she was secretary of state, the issue allowed critics to raise doubts about her integrity. Hacked emails also showed a cozy relationship between her State Department and donors to her family's Clinton Foundation charity.

Trump seized on the emails to charge that Clinton represented a corrupt political system in Washington that had to be swept clean.

Trump's national security ideas, opposed by most of the elite voices across the political spectrum, have simultaneously included promises to build up the U.S. military while at the same time avoiding foreign military entanglements.

He wants to rewrite international trade deals to reduce trade deficits. He has taken positions that raise the possibility of damaging relations with America's most trusted allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

He has promised to warm relations with Russia that have chilled under Obama over Russian President Vladimir Putin's intervention in the Syrian civil war and his seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region.

Putin sent Trump a congratulatory note on Wednesday, saying he hoped that they can get the U.S.-Russian relationship out of crisis.

Other governments reacted with stunned disbelief.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, an ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, described the result as a "huge shock" and questioned whether it meant the end of "Pax Americana", the state of relative peace overseen by Washington that has governed international relations since World War Two.

(Writing by Steve Holland and John Whitesides; Additional reporting by Amanda Becker, Emily Stephenson and Christopher Kahn in New York, Letitia Stein in St. Petersburg, Florida, Luciana Lopez in Miami, Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem and Kim Palmer in Ohio; Editing by Howard Goller and Frances Kerry)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Steve Holland and John Whitesides

(Reuters) - Republican Donald Trump stunned the world by defeating heavily favored rival Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's presidential election, ending eight years of Democratic rule and sending the United States on a new, uncertain path.

A wealthy real estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to win the White House race against Clinton, the Democratic candidate whose gold-plated establishment resume included stints as a first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state.

President Barack Obama, who campaigned hard against Trump, telephoned the Republican to congratulate him on his victory and invited him to the White House for a meeting on Thursday, the White House said in a statement. Obama is due to speak later on Wednesday about the election.

"Ensuring a smooth transition of power is one of the top priorities the President identified at the beginning of the year and a meeting with the President-elect is the next step," the White House said.

Worried that a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors were in full flight from risky assets.

The U.S. dollar, Mexican peso and world stocks fell on Wednesday but fears of the kind of shock that wiped trillions of dollars off global markets after Britain's "Brexit" vote in June have failed to materialize so far.

Trailing in public opinion polls for months, Trump pulled off a major surprise and collected enough of the 270 state-by-state electoral votes needed to win, taking battleground states where presidential elections are traditionally decided, U.S. television networks projected. His four-year term starts on Jan. 20.

Trump appeared with his family early on Wednesday before cheering supporters in a New York hotel ballroom, saying it was time to heal the divisions caused by the campaign and find common ground after a campaign that exposed deep differences among Americans.

"It is time for us to come together as one united people," Trump said. "I will be president for all Americans."

He said he had received a call from Clinton to congratulate him on the win and praised her for her service and for a hard-fought campaign.

His comments were an abrupt departure from his campaign trail rhetoric in which he repeatedly slammed Clinton as "crooked" amid supporters' chants of "lock her up."

But Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, on Wednesday did not rule out the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton's past conduct, a threat Trump made in an election debate last month.

Republicans also kept control of the U.S. Congress. Television networks projected the party would retain majorities in both the 100-seat Senate and the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs.

Despite losing the state-by-state electoral battle that determines the U.S. presidency, Clinton narrowly led Trump in the nationwide popular vote, according to U.S. media tallies. It would mark the second time in 16 years that a Democratic candidate lost the presidency despite winning more votes than the victor. In 2000, Democrat Al Gore got more votes than Republican George W. Bush.

At Clinton's election event a mile away from Trump's victory party, an electric atmosphere among supporters expecting to see her become America's first woman president dissipated.

Clinton did not immediately make a concession speech, instead sending campaign chairman John Podesta out to tell her supporters to go home. "We're not going to have anything more to say tonight," he said. Clinton was to speak to staff and supporters on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. (1430 GMT), an aide said.

Prevailing in a cliffhanger race that opinion polls had clearly forecast as favoring a Clinton victory, Trump won avid support among a core base of white non-college educated workers with his promise to be the "greatest jobs president that God ever created." He did well in "Rust Belt" states such as Pennsylvania and Ohio.

"Such a beautiful and important evening! The forgotten man and woman will never be forgotten again. We will all come together as never before," Trump wrote on Twitter early on Wednesday.

In his victory speech, he said he had a great economic plan, would embark on a project to rebuild American infrastructure and would double U.S. economic growth.

Trump, who at 70 will be the oldest first-term U.S. president, came out on top after a bitter and divisive campaign that focused largely on the character of the candidates and whether they could be trusted in the Oval Office.

The presidency will be Trump's first elected office, and it remains to be seen how he will work with Congress. During the campaign Trump was the target of sharp disapproval, not just from Democrats but from many in his own party.

STUNNED WORLD

Foreign leaders pledged to work with Trump but some officials expressed alarm that the vote could mark the end of an era in which Washington promoted democratic values and was seen by its allies as a guarantor of peace.

During the campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested that Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defense burden.

Russia and Putin appeared to be winners from Trump's victory. Defying years of U.S. foreign policy orthodoxy, the Republican has promised much warmer relations with Moscow, despite Russia's intervention in the Syrian civil war and its seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region.

Russia's parliament erupted in applause after a lawmaker announced that Trump had been elected, and Putin told foreign ambassadors he was ready to fully restore ties with Washington.

"It is not an easy path but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development," Putin said.

Russia is hoping that improved relations could yield an elusive prize: the lifting or easing of sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union to punish Moscow for its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Governments in Britain, China, Germany, Israel, Japan and Turkey also congratulated Trump and said they would work with him.

Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped to reach "new heights" in bilateral ties under Trump. Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing and Washington shared responsibility for promoting global development and prosperity.

Other officials, some of them with senior roles in government, took the unusual step of denouncing the outcome, calling it a worrying signal for liberal democracy and tolerance in the world.

"Trump is the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement. He is also a warning for us," German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said in an interview with the Funke newspaper group.

U.S. neighbor Mexico was pitched into deep uncertainty by the victory for Trump, who has often accused it of stealing U.S. jobs and sending criminals across the border.

Trump wants to rewrite international trade deals to reduce trade deficits and has taken positions that raise the possibility of damaging relations with America's most trusted allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

The Mexican peso plunged more than 13 percent before recovering some ground. The peso had become a touchstone for sentiment on the election as Trump threatened to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico.

Trump's win raises a host of questions for the United States at home and abroad. He campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist "America First" path. He has vowed to impose a 35 percent tariff on goods exported to the United States by U.S. companies that went abroad.

CLINTON'S WEAKNESSES

Trump survived a series of seemingly crippling blows on the campaign, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologized but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, allegations he denied. He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Clinton.

A Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day poll offered some clues to the outcome. It found Clinton badly underperformed expectations with women, winning their vote by only about 2 percentage points.

And while she won Hispanics, black and young voters, Clinton did not win those groups by greater margins than Obama did in 2012. Younger blacks did not support Clinton like they did Obama, as she won eight of 10 black voters between the ages of 35 and 54. Obama won almost 100 percent of those voters in 2012.

During the campaign, Trump said he would "make America great again" through the force of his personality, negotiating skill and business acumen. He proposed refusing entry to the United States of people from war-torn Middle Eastern countries, a modified version of an earlier proposed ban on Muslims.

His volatile nature, frequent insults and unorthodox proposals led to campaign feuds with a long list of people, including Muslims, the disabled, Republican U.S. Senator John McCain, Fox anchor Megyn Kelly, the family of a slain Muslim-American soldier, a Miss Universe winner and a federal judge of Mexican heritage.

A largely anti-Trump crowd of about 400 to 500 people gathered outside the White House after his victory, many shocked or in tears. Some carried signs that read "stand up to racism" and "love trumps hate." About a dozen Trump supporters began shouting "U-S-A" and the competing demonstrators briefly pushed each other.

The election was unprecedented in the way it turned Americans against each other, according to dozens of interviews in rural United States and across some of the most politically charged battleground states.

Throughout his campaign, and especially in his acceptance speech at the Republican convention in July, Trump described a dark America that had been knocked to its knees by China, Mexico, Russia and Islamic State. The American dream was dead, he said, smothered by malevolent business interests and corrupt politicians, and he alone could revive it.

He has vowed to win economic concessions from China and to build a wall on the southern U.S. border with Mexico to keep out undocumented immigrants.

His triumph was a rebuke to Obama, a Democrat who spent weeks flying around the country to campaign against him, repeatedly casting doubt on his suitability for the White House. Obama will hand over the office to Trump after serving the maximum eight years allowed by law.

Trump promises to push Congress to repeal Obama's troubled healthcare plan and to reverse his Clean Power Plan to curb greenhouse emissions mainly from coal-fired power plants. He plans to create jobs by relying on U.S. fossil fuels such as oil and gas.

Trump's victory marked a frustrating end to the presidential aspirations of Clinton, 69, who also launched an unsuccessful White House bid in 2008.

The wife of former President Bill Clinton, voters perceived her as a cautious and calculating candidate with an inability to personally connect with them.

Even though the FBI found no grounds for criminal charges after a probe into her use of a private email server rather than a government system while she was secretary of state, the issue allowed critics to raise doubts about her integrity. Hacked emails also showed a cozy relationship between her State Department and donors to her family's Clinton Foundation charity.

Trump seized on the emails to charge that Clinton represented a corrupt political system in Washington that had to be swept clean.

(Writing by John Whitesides and Alistair Bell; Additional reporting by Amanda Becker, Emily Stephenson and Christopher Kahn in New York, Letitia Stein in St. Petersburg, Florida, Luciana Lopez in Miami, Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem and Kim Palmer in Ohio; Editing by Frances Kerry and Will Dunham)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Steve Holland and John Whitesides

(Reuters) - Republican Donald Trump stunned the world by defeating heavily favored rival Hillary Clinton in the U.S. presidential election, ending eight years of Democratic control of the White House and sending America on a new, uncertain path.

A wealthy real estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to win Tuesday's White House race against Clinton, the Democratic candidate whose gold-plated establishment resume included stints as a first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state.

Trump's victory marked a crushing end to Clinton's second quest to become the first woman president. She also failed in a White House bid in 2008.

"Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead," Clinton, 69, said in a concession speech in New York on Wednesday morning, joined by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and daughter Chelsea.

Speaking in front of a row of American flags, she told supporters her loss was painful "and it will be for a long time," and that she had offered to work with Trump on behalf of the nation.

President Barack Obama, who campaigned hard against Trump, invited him to the White House for a meeting on Thursday.

"We are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country," Obama said at the White House, saying he and his staff would work with Trump to ensure a successful transition. "We are not Democrats first, we are not Republicans first, we are Americans first."

Trailing in public opinion polls for months, Trump pulled off a major surprise and collected enough of the 270 state-by-state electoral votes needed to win, taking battleground states where presidential elections are traditionally decided, U.S. television networks projected.

His four-year term begins on Jan. 20 and he will enjoy Republican majorities in both chambers of the U.S. Congress. Television networks projected the party would retain control of the 100-seat Senate and the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs. [nL1N1DA1BW]

"He just earned a mandate and we now just have a unified Republican government," House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters in Wisconsin, crediting Trump's Election Day momentum with helping Republican victories that maintained the party's control of Congress.

Worried that a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors fled risky global assets.

The U.S. dollar, Mexican peso and world stocks fell on Wednesday but fears of the kind of shock that wiped trillions of dollars off world markets after Britain's "Brexit" vote in June failed to materialize immediately. [nL8N1DA4GC]

But U.S. stocks were little changed on Wednesday, rebounding from stunning overnight losses fueled by the election result. Sectors such as banking and steel that appeared poised to benefit from a Trump presidency led the charge.

Trump appeared with his family early on Wednesday before cheering supporters in a New York hotel ballroom, saying it was time to heal the divisions caused by the campaign and find common ground after a campaign that exposed deep differences among Americans.

"It is time for us to come together as one united people," Trump said. "I will be president for all Americans."

He said he had received a call from Clinton to congratulate him on the win and praised her for her service and for a hard-fought campaign.

His comments were an abrupt departure from his campaign trail rhetoric in which he repeatedly slammed Clinton as "crooked" amid supporters' chants of "lock her up."

But Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, on Wednesday did not rule out the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton's past conduct, a threat Trump made in an election debate last month.

Despite losing the state-by-state electoral battle that determines the U.S. presidency, Clinton narrowly led Trump in the nationwide popular vote, according to U.S. media tallies.

Republican National Committee senior strategist Sean Spicer told MSNBC that Trump and his senior aides were meeting at Trump Tower in New York on Wednesday to "start the proper transition" to a Trump presidency.

Prevailing in a race that opinion polls had clearly forecast as favoring Clinton, Trump won avid support among white non-college educated workers with his promise to be the "greatest jobs president that God ever created."

"Such a beautiful and important evening! The forgotten man and woman will never be forgotten again. We will all come together as never before," Trump wrote on Twitter early on Wednesday.

In his victory speech, he said he had a great economic plan, would embark on a project to rebuild American infrastructure and would double U.S. economic growth.

Trump, who at 70 will be the oldest first-term U.S. president, came out on top after a bitter and divisive campaign that focused largely on the character of the candidates and whether they could be trusted in the Oval Office.

The presidency will be Trump's first elected office, and it remains to be seen how he will work with Congress. During the campaign Trump was the target of sharp disapproval, not just from Democrats but from many in his own party.

GOOD FOR RUSSIA

Foreign leaders pledged to work with Trump but some officials expressed alarm that the vote could mark the end of an era in which Washington promoted democratic values and was seen by its allies as a guarantor of peace. [nL8N1DA2TG]

During the campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested that Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defense burden.

Russia and Putin appeared to be winners from Trump's victory. Defying years of U.S. foreign policy orthodoxy, the Republican has promised much warmer relations with Moscow, despite Russia's intervention in the Syrian civil war and its seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region.

Russia's parliament erupted in applause after a lawmaker announced that Trump had been elected, and Putin told foreign ambassadors he was ready to fully restore ties with Washington. [nL8N1DA219]

"It is not an easy path but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development," Putin said.

Russia is hoping that improved relations could yield an elusive prize: the lifting or easing of sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union to punish Moscow for its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine. [nL8N1DA219]

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped to reach "new heights" in bilateral ties under Trump. Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing and Washington shared responsibility for promoting global development and prosperity.

Iran urged Trump to stay committed to the nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers. Several authoritarian and right-wing leaders hailed Trump's victory.

Other officials, some of them with senior roles in government, took the unusual step of denouncing the outcome, calling it a worrying signal for liberal democracy and tolerance in the world.

"Trump is the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement. He is also a warning for us," German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said in an interview with the Funke newspaper group.

U.S. neighbor Mexico was pitched into deep uncertainty by the victory for Trump, who has often accused it of stealing U.S. jobs and sending criminals across the border. [nL1N1DA1LA]

Trump wants to rewrite international trade deals to reduce trade deficits and has taken positions that raise the possibility of damaging relations with America's most trusted allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Trump campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist "America First" path.

Trump survived a series of blows on the campaign, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologized but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, allegations he denied. He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Clinton.

A Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day poll offered some clues to the outcome. It found Clinton badly underperformed expectations with women, winning their vote by only about 2 percentage points. [nL8N1DA31D]

And while she won Hispanics, black and young voters, Clinton did not win those groups by greater margins than Obama did in 2012. Younger blacks did not support Clinton like they did Obama, as she won eight of 10 black voters between the ages of 35 and 54. Obama won almost 100 percent of those voters in 2012.

During the campaign, Trump said he would "make America great again" through the force of his personality, negotiating skill and business acumen. He proposed refusing entry to the United States of people from war-torn Middle Eastern countries, a modified version of an earlier proposed ban on Muslims.

His volatile nature, frequent insults and unorthodox proposals led to campaign feuds with a long list of people, including Muslims, the disabled, Republican U.S. Senator John McCain, Fox anchor Megyn Kelly, the family of a slain Muslim-American soldier, a Miss Universe winner and a federal judge of Mexican heritage.

A largely anti-Trump crowd of about 400 to 500 people gathered outside the White House after his victory, many shocked or in tears. Protests against Trump also broke out overnight in downtown Oakland, California, where demonstrators set ablaze a likeness of him, smashed store front windows and set garbage and tires on fire. [nL1N1DA12C]

Throughout his campaign, Trump described a dark America that had been knocked to its knees by China, Mexico, Russia and Islamic State. The American dream was dead, he said, smothered by malevolent business interests and corrupt politicians, and he alone could revive it.

He has vowed to win economic concessions from China and to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants.

His triumph was a rebuke to Obama, a Democrat who spent weeks flying around the country to campaign against him, repeatedly casting doubt on his suitability for the White House. Obama will hand over the office to Trump after serving the maximum eight years allowed by law.

Trump promises to push Congress to repeal Obama's signature healthcare law and to reverse his plan to curb greenhouse emissions mainly from coal-fired power plants.

Even though the FBI found no grounds for criminal charges after a probe into her use of a private email server rather than a government system while she was secretary of state, the issue allowed critics to raise doubts about her integrity. Hacked emails also showed a cozy relationship between her State Department and donors to her family's Clinton Foundation charity.

(Writing by John Whitesides and Alistair Bell; Additional reporting by Amanda Becker, Emily Stephenson and Christopher Kahn in New York, Letitia Stein in St. Petersburg, Florida, Luciana Lopez in Miami, Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem and Kim Palmer in Ohio; Editing by Frances Kerry and Will Dunham)

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President-elect Donald Trump will have an early Capitol Hill honeymoon with Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress when he takes office in January, but a long-term romance may be more challenging.

A president whose party controls both the Senate and House of Representatives can generally count on getting things done fairly quickly, and Trump likely will not be an exception, despite starting with unusual handicaps.

Many Republicans in Congress only backed Trump after he became the candidate. Some never fell in line. He offended and attacked others while running as a Washington outsider, including House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, who did not campaign with him.

On top of that, the New York real estate businessman and former reality television celebrity, who will head the world's most powerful government and largest economy, has no governing experience.

On Wednesday, party leaders were quick to back the victor, and they are expected to find more common ground than differences once he takes office.

"Donald Trump will lead a unified Republican government," Ryan told a news conference in his home state, Wisconsin, promising to "work hand in hand."

Ryan said his relationship with Trump "is fine," the transition is under way, and he has already spoken to the president-elect twice, and to his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, a former House member.

"Most of the things he's likely to advocate, we're going to be enthusiastically for," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told a news conference on Capitol Hill.

OBAMACARE IN CROSSHAIRS

Trump and Republican leaders in Congress agree on one major policy: They want to repeal Democratic President Barack Obama's landmark Obamacare healthcare law, enacted in 2010.

Ryan and McConnell both pledged to deal quickly with the law.

They will also move quickly to confirm a Trump nominee for the Supreme Court, after McConnell refused to consider any Obama nominee to replace conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February, infuriating the White House and Senate Democrats.

Other issues might be more contentious within the party.

While campaigning, Trump spoke extensively about scrapping trade deals and building a wall along the U.S.- Mexico border, but some Republicans are sceptical about both those pledges.

The party has long been in favour of free trade, and Trump's wall scheme would bear a $25 billion price tag and anger Mexico, an important ally and trading partner.

McConnell said on Wednesday he wanted to achieve border security in whatever way was most effective. And he said the new president was free to negotiate trade pacts.

Trump will also have to work with Democrats, who made narrow gains on Tuesday that reduced the size of the Republican majorities in the House and Senate.

With some votes still being counted, they won a handful of new seats in the House.

In the Senate, they seemed to secure at least 48 seats, up from 46, on Wednesday when the New Hampshire secretary of state called a close race for New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan, a Democrat, over incumbent Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte, although Ayotte had not conceded.

Controlling only 52 seats, Republicans will need Democrats to reach the 60 votes needed to advance most legislation in the 100-member Senate.

"Trump will have to work with a fair number of Senate Democrats to get things done," said William Galston, an expert in governance studies at the Brookings Institution think tank.

One of those things could be infrastructure spending, which Trump promised in his victory speech. Spending on infrastructure to fuel job growth is popular with lawmakers from both parties, possibly funded by ending a law that lets corporations hold profits offshore without paying U.S. taxes on them.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called Trump Wednesday to say she wanted to work with him on a "robust infrastructure jobs bill," and she told her fellow Democrats that this should be done very fast. "We're not starting a campaign against the Republicans right now," Pelosi told Democratic lawmakers in a conference call, according to a Democratic aide.

PARTY UNITY

Trump's Republican critics in Congress said they hoped Trump would work toward party unity, but they would be watching him.

"Starting today, I will do everything in my power to hold the President to his promises," including fighting to enact term limits and repealing Obamacare, Senator Ben Sasse, who opposed Trump from the start, said in a statement.

Repealing Obamacare would shake the U.S. healthcare and insurance industries, which have broadly called for measured reforms, although not for its full-scale elimination.

America's Health Insurance Plans, or AHIP, a trade association that represents insurers such as Anthem Inc and Cigna Corp in Washington, said late on Tuesday that it would work with any new administration on the issue.

Trump has called Obamacare a "disaster" and vowed to repeal and replace it. House Republicans have already voted more than 50 times to repeal all or part of the law.

Senate Democrats were certain to fight an Obamacare rollback, but could be outmanoeuvred by Republicans at the procedural level with Trump's cooperation.

"It would be a tragedy, and I certainly won't in any way cooperate or work with an effort to take health insurance away," Senator Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats, told CNN.

Trump and congressional Republicans will find common ground on taxes. Trump generally sees eye to eye with Republicans in Congress in calling for major tax cuts, including those for the wealthy, although details of their plans are not an exact match.

Trump has called for cutting the U.S. corporate income tax rate to 15 percent from the current level of 35 percent; Ryan's tax plan proposes going to 20 percent.

Trump has also said he wants to do some things as president, such as ban Muslims from the country and allow torture in the fight against terrorism, that some legal experts say are legally questionable.
Following its $450-million joint venture (JV) with Dutch pension fund manager APG Asset Management, global private equity investor Group is looking to float new India-focused funds, both domestic and offshore, to invest in Indian real estate and allied sectors. It will invest $1.1 billion (Rs 7,260 crore) from its existing entities in the country in the next two years.
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On Wednesday morning, BT Online spoke to some people to find out troubles they were facing in making monetary transactions after the government's decision to demonetize Rs 500 and Rs 1000 yesterday evening.

People faced problems in buying grocery, medicines, paying for transportation and making any sort of cash transaction. With the ATMs shut today and tomorrow, a lot of people who did not have Rs 100 or Rs 50 denominations notes, found themselves without money.

Kanpur-based businessman Pawan Tiwary who deals with selling dye machines said that he was supposed to buy products from his supplier, but he couldn't because his Rs 500 notes had become worthless overnight.

Also, the limit on ATM withdrawal of Rs 2000 has become a cause of concern as he needs the money immediately.

"I can wait for two days, that's not a problem. But what worries me is the limit that stops me from exchanging more than Rs 2000. Now, I don't know how long I will have to wait," Tiwary said.

During the late night press conference on Tuesday, RBI Governor Urjit Patel said that the Central bank had ramped-up production of the new higher security currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 that will replace the old notes being taken out of circulation.

Despite the assurance, a lot of people are trying not to spend the Rs 100 and Rs 50 notes they possess unless it's completely necessary. Even though a lot of people use credit and debit cards, not everyone is familiar with cashless transactions.

This has left a lot of people, especially those with low income, utterly confused.

A lot of people, who had withdrawn cash from ATMs on Tuesday but had received Rs 500 notes, were frustrated as they said that they could not do anything about it.

"I withdrew Rs 3000 for the next few days just minutes before Modi's announcement. Minutes later, the shopkeepers in my locality refused to accept the currency as they," Gopesh Dubey, a resident of Laxmi Nagar area in New Delhi said.

"Today, I took a cab and the driver was not ready to accept Rs 500 note. I do not have a Paytm account and the app was not registering my debit card for some reason. I always pay by cash. He called the customer care, but the customer care executive was also unable to help. The driver finally agreed to drop me if I recharged his phone for the bill amount," he added.

A resident of Dwarka in Delhi, Kundan Jha, said that places like petrol pumps and CNG stations that were supposed to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes had stopped taking it fearing the shortage of smaller currencies. "I just visited Gurgaon millennium petrol pumps where they refused to accept Rs 500 notes saying that they don't have change," Jha said.

But despite all these issues, people still seem to praise the government's move. "I think this is a good move. People like us, especially those in service sector, pay our taxes on time. But because of black money everything is expensive. This was a much needed decision. I want the frauds who evade taxes to get busted," he said.

Another Delhi-based IT professional Sarvjeet Singh said: "Yes, some citizens are facing problems while buying medicines and other grocery items, however, it is manageable. Don't forget, this is a revolutionary step to curb the black money in India's financial history. And, change comes with a cost".
Rupee plummeted by 23 paise to 66.85 against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday on the government's surprise move to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in a bid to curb black money.

Besides, an early trend suggesting Republican Donald Trump's lead in US presidential election also influenced the trading sentiment.

However, a fresh demand for the American currency from importer weighed on the domestic currency, but dollar's tumbling against other rivals overseas on strong Trump showing in US election minimised the fall, traders said.

On Tuesday, the rupee had ended higher by 12 paise to close at one-month high of 66.62 following heavy dollar unwinding by banks and exporters amid capital inflows.

Meanwhile, the benchmark BSE Sensex crashed below the 26,000-mark by plunging 1,688.69 points, or 6.12 per cent, to 25,902.45 in opening trade.
At the stroke of eight on 8th November night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that all 500 and 1000 rupee notes that are in circulation will cease to be legal tender by the midnight. Lengthy queues in front of bank ATMs and the scramble to withdraw lower denomination currencies followed. High value denomination rupee notes losing validity were sold at huge discounts in wholesale markets across the country and people, in hundreds, with unaccounted cash in their hands, were left dumbstruck.

The fact that the announcement came from none other than PM Modi was enough indication of the critical nature of the problem. India was taking an unprecedented step of withdrawing or demonetizing 16.5 billion 500 rupee notes and 6.7 billion 1000 rupee notes - which together accounts for over 80 percent of the value of cash that was in circulation in India to tackle the twin menace of fake currency, and black money. In a press conference the same night, finance ministry officials made it very clear that the objective was to curb financing of terrorism through the proceeds of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) and use of such funds for subversive activities such as espionage, smuggling of arms, drugs and other contrabands into India, and for eliminating black money which casts a long shadow of parallel economy on India's real economy.

ALSO READ: Five key impacts of currency announcement THE PROBLEM OF FICN In spite of the additional workload that he anticipates, Pradip Thakur (name changed) is happy about the government's decision to invalidate existing 500 and 1000 rupee currencies. As the branch manager of a public sector bank in Delhi, he was getting overtly worried about the fake currency problem. The counterfeit notes were increasingly becoming more difficult to detect, and his officials or key customers with mass customer interface (like petrol pumps) were increasingly losing money because they had to destroy such currencies. "Fake notes were becoming a bigger problem each day. While we are supposed to file police case against the customer if we detect more than five pieces of counterfeit notes in single transaction, we could not do that all the time as it puts our genuine customers - traders, hotel operators, petrol bunks, etc., in trouble. They have been coming across fake notes on a daily basis". What made the problem worse was the increase in the supply of high denomination currencies. According to the finance ministry, while the total number of bank notes in circulation rose by 40 percent between 2011 and 2016, the increase in number of notes of Rs.500 denomination was 76 percent and for Rs.1,000 denomination was 109 percent during this period. Thakur's worry is something that will resonate with the opinion of almost every bank manager in charge of retail operations across the country. The decision of the government to take the ultimate step to counter fake currency menace has only endorsed this reality. Or else, if one goes by the official statistics, there was no need for such a hard step as the seized and recovered fake FICN was only 0.003 percent of the Rs 1000 notes that were in circulation in the last three years (2015, 2014 and 2013). As percentage of notes in circulation, fake Rs 500 notes were also in the same range, o.002 percent in 2015 and 2014, and 0.003 percent in 2013. Fake 100 rupee notes accounted for about 0.001 percent of the total 100 rupee notes in circulation during these years. ALSO READ: Banks to remain open this Saturday, Sunday: RBI



The trends in FICN seizures points to the states where the fake currency problem was severe. While Delhi saw 66 police complaints filed in this connection in 2015, it was over 100 in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Overall, 788 fake currency related police cases were filed in India last year. The value of the currency, mostly 1,000 and 500 rupee notes, seized was Rs 30.44 crore. The fact that the value of seizures has been decreasing over the years - Rs 36.11 crore in 2014 and Rs 42.9 crore in 2013, thus do not reflect the magnitude of the problem.



The government has stated that the New Series bank notes of Rs.500 and Rs.2,000 denominations will be introduced for circulation from 10th November, 2016. Since the infusion of Rs.2,000 bank notes will be monitored and regulated by RBI and the new series of banknotes will be distinctly different from the current ones in terms of look, design, size and colour, the current move will bring be the strongest move to tackle the fake currency problem. Will that be a permanent solution? Especially if the source of fake currency is a hostile neighbouring country as is often reported? Hard to say, but there is no doubt about its positive impact in the short and medium term.

Thakur has a tough job ahead. He will have to do lot of due diligence while exchanging the invalid notes with either smaller denomination or freshly minted 500 rupee or 2,000 rupee notes of equivalent value for several weeks now. It is easy, when the amount that needs to be exchanged is small, but that may not always be the case as the cash that is lying outside the banking system is astronomically huge.

BLACK MONEY

Every bank manager in India will tell you, the locker facility is not only for securing your gold or valuable documents. Across the country, bank lockers also serve as a storage space for hard currency for some people who possess unaccounted money. As a study published by industry chamber Ficci last year indicates that India's black economy estimates can be anywhere between from 75 percent of the economy to 20 percent. Finance ministry quotes the World Bank study which pegged the size of the shadow economy for India at 20.7 percent of the GDP in 1999 and rising to 23.2 percent in 2007. And 20 percent of GDP means Rs 22.7 lakh crore, today. The large swathe of unaccounted hard currency, which forms part of the shadow economy, lying in outside the banking system - be it lockers or houses or offices, will now have to emerge or perish forever. Since the government has allowed exchange of old currencies only through the banking or post office channels, that too with proper documentation and KYC (know your customer) norms, banks will have a tough time managing such funds. By making the decision a surprise, the government has effectively plugged the possibility of hitherto loss making establishments earning huge revenues, and business suddenly flourishing to push some portion of such unaccounted money into the system.

As the Ficci study states, the sectors that are going to be most affected due to the purging of black money would be the real estate, manufacturing, jewellery and consumer goods segments, with real estate accounting for about a third of India's black money transactions. "We have just witnessed a tremendous step towards increased transparency in the Indian real estate industry. Stricter measures against black money have for long been required to help bring about greater transparency, give the Indian real estate sector more credibility and make it more attractive for foreign investors", says Anuj Puri, Chairman and India head of global real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL).

ON PREDICTED LINES

The government has been adopting a series of measures in the last two years, to curb the menace of black money in the economy. It began with the setting up of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the enactment of a law regarding undisclosed foreign income and assets. The amendment of the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between India and Mauritius and India and Cyprus followed and India reached at an understanding with Switzerland for getting information on bank accounts held by Indians with HSBC. It has been encouraging the use of non-cash and digital payments; amended the Benami Transactions Act and implemented the Income Declaration Scheme 2016. After the closure of the Income Disclosure Scheme, operational from 1st June to 30th September, 2016, the government had hinted that it would like to focus all our resources for bringing people with black money to books.

The ban on 500 and 1000 rupee notes is the latest. Will that be the end of black money?



Unlikely, though, with strict monitoring and enforcement of tax laws, the government can have a better control over the generation of black money, and to that extent, a welcome move.


Republican Donald Trump edged closer to winning the White House with a series of shocking wins in battleground states such as Florida and Ohio on Tuesday, rattling world markets that had counted on Democrat Hillary Clinton defeating the political outsider.

With investors worried a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors fled risky assets such as stocks. In overnight trading, S&P 500 index futures fell 5 percent to hit their so-called limit down levels, indicating they would not be permitted to trade any lower until day-side trading resumed on Wednesday morning.

Mexico's peso plunged to its lowest-ever levels as Trump's chances of winning the presidency increased. Concerns of a Trump victory have weighed heavily on the peso for months because of his threats to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico and tax money sent home by migrants to pay to build a wall on the southern U.S. border.

Trump surged to wins in Florida, Ohio, Iowa and North Carolina, and Fox News projected a win for him in Wisconsin. With voting completed in 49 of the 50 U.S. states, he also narrowly led in Michigan and New Hampshire, edging him closer to 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the state-by-state fight for the White House.

Shortly after Fox called Wisconsin for Trump, supporters at his election evening rally in New York began to chant "lock her up" - a common refrain on the campaign trail for the former U.S. secretary of state repeatedly dubbed "Crooked Hillary" by the volatile Trump.

A packed crowd in the lobby of Trump's new hotel in Washington D.C. chanted "lock her up" and "USA, USA, USA" as state after state was called for Trump.

Clinton still had ways to reach 270 electoral votes, but she would have to sweep the remaining battleground states including Pennsylvania, Michigan and pull off an upset win in Arizona.

As of 12:25 a.m. EST (0525 GMT on Wednesday), Trump had 244 electoral votes to Clinton's 215, with U.S. television networks projecting the winner in 42 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Trump captured conservative states in the South and Midwest, while Clinton swept several states on the East Coast and Illinois in the Midwest. Clinton won Nevada and Virginia.

At 8:55 p.m. EST, Clinton, acknowledged a battle that was unexpectedly tight given her edge in opinion polls going into Election Day.

She tweeted: "This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything."

A wealthy real-estate developer and former reality TV host, the 70-year-old Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to challenge Clinton, whose gold-plated establishment resume includes stints as a first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state.
What looked like an easy election for Hillary has turned upside-down. Not only is the media expressing shock, the social media is expressing a disbelief and dissapointment on the election of Donald Trump as the President elect.



Here are the Twitter reactions to Trump's victory by people all over the world:



We stand together. We stick up for the vulnerable. We challenge bigots. We don't let hate speech become normalised. We hold the line. https://t.co/ro9AkRSc9Q - J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 9, 2016

This feels like when Voldemort killed Dumbledore. #ElectionNight - Professor Snape (@_Snape_) November 9, 2016

Is it too soon to tell my Mexican boyfriend I'm just not ready to be in a long distance relationship??? #ElectionNight - Bree Essrig (@BreeEssrig) November 9, 2016

Canadians have up' their game on the border ... they're looking out for Democrats jumping the border #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/ftqvLV3vkS - Villi Wilson (@Conservative_VW) November 9, 2016

I want riots... I want people to be angry, I want everyone's voices to be heard for once. I'm so disappointed in America. #ElectionNight - cami (@M3aningfulyrics) November 9, 2016

The next President wants to deport 11M ppl. The VP standing next to him thinks you can electrocute gay children straight. #ElectionNight - Gabe Ortz (@TUSK81) November 9, 2016

Black lives

Female lives

Special needs lives

Gay lives

Hispanic lives

Muslim lives clearly don't matter much in America.#ElectionNight - Ulrich J van Vuuren (@UlrichJvV) November 9, 2016
In a bold step, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has banned Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes to clamp down on the black money menace. This is going to impact the real estate sector, which is used by individuals to park black money, the hardest.

Pankaj Kapoor, MD, Liases Foras, a real estate consultancy, said "Land prices may crash 30 per cent in the next 3-6 months. It will have a big impact especially on the land prices and luxury market . They were used as avenues to hoard black money."

Samtak Das, Chief Cconomist and National Director, Research of Knight Frank, says, "Land prices will be under pressure as if we assume the unaccounted money is 30 per cent in residential sector, in case of land it is much higher at 50 per cent."



"The construction cost will also go down by 20-25 per cent as the money that the builder has to pay in black to get the approvals from the authorities will not happen now as people will be scared of taking cash," said Kapoor.

Real estate is already going through a tough phase. Sales growth has been muted and the prices have stagnated over the past two years. There is a huge pile-up of inventory, which is likely to go up further as this move will impact the transaction volumes.



Unsold stocks in Tier-1 cities climbed by 12 per cent on a year-on-year basis as per a report by Liases Foras. Currently, there are around 1 million unsold units in the eight cities including Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai Metropoliton Region (MMR), National Capital Region (NCR) and Pune. Given the current rate of sales, it will take another 46 months (almost four years) to sell the current inventory.

"Transaction volumes are expected to go down although for the long-term it is a good move . It was a necessary action needed," said Surabhi Arora of Colliers international.

However, experts are hopeful that over the long term, this step by the government along with the other measures taken in the past will help bring in more transparency in the market.

Anuj Puri, Chairman & Country Head, JLL India said, "The banning of higher currency notes is a major move which will help curb unaccounted-for cash in the real estate sector. We have just witnessed a tremendous step towards increased transparency in the Indian real estate industry."

"It will not only bring transparency but will also provide a level playing field to cash and non-cash buyers. Earlier a buyer having cash had an advantage over other buyer who could not make payment in cash," said Das.

Certain measures introduced by the government in the past have already limited the use of unaccounted money to some extent. Now the Registrar has to inform the tax department for any property sold or purchased for over Rs 30 lakh.

Also, now the buyer has to deduct a TDS (tax deducted at source) of 1 per cent from the seller on purchase of property worth over Rs 50 lakh and has to submit the money with the tax department. This way the transaction gets recorded with the tax department.


Gold, which is considered as safe haven under uncertain circumstances, saw a surge in demand on Wednesday due to both global and domestic factors.

Internationally, the major driver of gold prices was the victory of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the US. Apart from this, the surprise ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes by the government to clamp down on black money and fake currency led to a surge in domestic prices.

Gold prices today shot up to a three-year high of Rs 31,750 per 10 gm, gaining a whopping Rs 900 following the government's scrapping high-denomination notes to curb black money.

Experts believe that gold prices are poised to move higher as uncertainties prevailing in the domestic as well as international market are unlikely to die down anytime soon.



"Prices are poised to move higher towards the level of around Rs 31,200 per 10 gm initially with Rs 29,700 per 10 gm as a very strong support area. In coming days, we may see levels of around Rs 31,800 per gm and eventual breach of this level will pave way for higher level of Rs 32,500 per 10 gm," says Sugandha Sachdeva, AVP and incharge- metals, energy and currency research, Religare Securities.

Kunal Shah, Head of Commodities Research at Nirmal Bang, says, "Investment demand in gold is likely to remain robust. Moreover, whatever has happened in India is causing surge in gold demand. Overall the trend in gold should remain bullish."

However, the physical demand for gold has shot up overnight as people rushed to convert their black money into gold. Prices of physical gold have shot up to Rs 45,000 to Rs 60,000 per 10 gm due to tight supply in the physical market. As per sources, there was record buying of around 250 kg of gold in around three and half hours yesterday after the announcement.

However, experts believe that ban on high denomination currencies will have short-term impact as there is a limit of Rs 2 lakh on how much a person can buy gold in cash without disclosing the PAN card number.

"There has been a risk aversion in the market and turmoil like situation because of the shock victory of Donald Trump. It ignited the safe haven demand for gold and prices rose to a five-week high," says Sachdeva. "Trump's victory is in favour of gold as there are a lot of uncertainties prevailing in the market about his policies. Uncertainties are good for the safe haven demand for gold."

Apart from this, experts are expecting that the US Fed may delay its rate hike decision, which will favour the support the gold prices.

Sachdeva says, "Trump may try to have more control over Fed as he may chalk out his own policies. It is expected that the rate hike which was expected to happen in December may be postponed. If the current run in gold prices continues and if the current high of the year $1,377.5 an ounce seen in July is breached , it would actually usher in an era of firm bull run in gold prices where in prices can even move to a level of $1,460 as well."

Experts say that investors should use these corrections as good buying opportunities for medium to long term prospective.

With PTI inputs
Bank of Ireland said it is winding down its shipping business, joining other banks looking to cut non-core lending and exposure to an industry suffering its worst downturn.

Many European banks are already bogged down by a sluggish economy and face tough capital demands from regulators which are eroding profitability, leaving many looking for ways to shore up their balance sheets.

Parts of the shipping industry are suffering their deepest ever downturn as international trade slows. Around 90 percent of world trade is transported by sea.

"As previously stated, Bank of Ireland no longer lends within the shipping finance sector and we have been winding down the portfolio," the bank, Ireland's largest by assets, told Reuters on Tuesday.

According to data from industry publication Marine Money and shipping sources, Bank of Ireland's shipping finance portfolio reached close to $2 billion at its peak before 2009.

The bank declined to comment on the size of the remaining portfolio but finance sources estimate it has less than $500 million left in shipping loans.

Bank of Ireland led a return to profitability following years of losses after the country's 2008 banking crash.

Ireland's two main lenders, Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland, were among European banks that fared worst in the last European stress test in July.

Separately, South African bank and asset manager Investec , which is also listed in London, told Reuters it had decided not to take on any new shipping lending after conducting an assessment of the portfolio.

"We are not taking any new loans in shipping at this time," she added, declining to provide details on how big the firm's existing portfolio was but confirming that Investec's head of shipping, Jeremy Dean, had left.

Finance sources said at its peak Investec's shipping portfolio was estimated to be in the region of $1 billion.

"What we are seeing is smaller banks are also cutting new lending to shipping. It means there are even less options around for shipping companies at such a tough time," one source said.

In a further sign of the stress, German shipping group Marenave said this week two of its banks had rejected a restructuring plan aimed at repaying loans and the company was examining "whether the positive going concern forecast for Marenave can continue to be upheld."

In September, Royal Bank of Scotland said it had begun winding down its shipping business after decades of being a top lender to the sector.

Meanwhile German banks - behind up to a quarter of the world's $400 billion of outstanding shipping debt - are struggling to recoup their loans.

Sources told Reuters last month that Deutsche Bank was among more than 20 bidders in talks to buy a 3.2 billion euro loan portfolio, which included shipping debt, from state-owned rival HSH Nordbank. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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It was announced yesterday that a number of Enterprise Ireland client companies have signed contracts worth 7m with Vietnamese partners and companies.



The signings took place at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi in the presence of President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins and the President of Vietnam, Tran ai Quang,



Companies who signed contracts included University College Cork, Anam Technologies, Escher Group, Novaerus, ECDL (ICDL Asia) and Mainstream Renewable Power.



Bilateral trade between Ireland and Vietnam has increased five-fold over the last eight years across a range of sectors, notably education, agri-food, aviation and ICT. Last year, over 60 Irish companies exported to Vietnam and 15 of them established a presence in the country, signifying the great potential that exists to further increase a successful collaboration.



Vietnam has a population of over 90 million people, a growing middle-class and a young, dynamic workforce. Enterprise Ireland say demand for new technologies and more sophisticated products and services provides significant opportunities for Irish companies with niche, high-added value offerings.



Welcoming the contract announcements, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Julie Sinnamon said, "A key objective for Enterprise Ireland is to help companies scale their exports in global markets. The range of sectors represented in the contracts signed in Hanoi demonstrates the competence and innovation of Irish companies, and underpins the growing business links between Ireland and Vietnam."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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Ireland's government will this week formally submit its appeal against the European Commission's multi-billion-euro demand for back taxes from Apple , Finance Minister Michael Noonan said on Tuesday.

Ireland's cabinet agreed in September to join the iPhone maker in appealing the Commission's order that the U.S. tech giant pay up to 13 billion euros to Dublin after ruling the firm had received illegal state aid.

Dublin is seeking to protect a tax regime that has attracted many multinational employers. The European Commission decision has also angered Washington, which accuses it of trying to grab tax revenue that should go to the United States.

"The government fundamentally disagrees with the European Commission's analysis and the decision left no choice but to take an appeal to the European Courts and this will be submitted tomorrow," Noonan told a European Parliament committee in Brussels. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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The latest Morgan McKinley Monthly Employment Monitor has been released today.



The Morgan McKinley Irish Employment Monitor measures the pulse of the Irish professional jobs market by tracking the number of new job vacancies and new candidates within the Republic of Ireland each month.



The availability of professional job opportunities in October 2016 (10,772) rose by 2% when compared to September 2016 (10,541) according to the Morgan McKinley Irish Employment Monitor. There were 8% fewer professional jobs available when compared to October last year (11,746). The number of professionals seeking new roles rose by 4% in October (8,358) compared to the same month last year (8,020), while there was a 5% increase on September 2016 (7,943).



This month, the most active sectors nationally were Life Sciences, Technology / IT and Financial Services. In IT, almost one in two permanent jobs came from indigenous companies this month, surpassing jobs created by the multinational sector for the first time this year.

The monitor shows that Irish Diaspora continue to return, with the greatest number coming back to take roles in IT, Financial Services, Accounting and Marketing. There has also been a notable increase in the number of senior profiles returning from abroad.

Director of Inward Investment at Morgan McKinley Ireland, Trayc Keevans commented, "Indigenous companies and SMEs across a number of sectors, including IT and Life Sciences performed above expectation in relation to hiring activity. A focus on geographic expansion, outside of the UK, is driving much of this activity with companies keen to diversify their business development opportunities. Growth within financial services was steady rather than exuberant."

She added, "There has been an increase in enquiries from companies in this sector considering relocation post Brexit however, uncertainty over the passporting rights for UK based Financial Services Organisations and their ability to do business with the 27 other States will have a direct impact on the number of jobs Ireland is likely to attract from the UK."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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US president-elect Donald Trump's plans to slash corporate tax rates should not keep companies from setting up operations abroad, a move that would damage a key plank of Ireland's industrial policy, the Irish finance minister said on Wednesday.

Ireland has a decades-old policy of attracting multinational investment with a corporate tax rate of just 12.5%. That has made Ireland a hub for U.S. companies - including heavyweights like Apple, Google and Pfizer - which account for one in 10 local jobs. But it also makes the country vulnerable to any global tax changes.

Before his victory on Wednesday, Trump said he wanted to cut the U.S. corporate tax rate to 15% from the current 35% and encourage U.S. companies with operations abroad to repatriate profits at a reduced tax rate.

"It's the repatriation of profits that is the primary issue. Now, if you reduce that to 15 percent, it seems to me that that is not an disincentive for setting up abroad," Michael Noonan told a parliamentary committee.

"As a matter of fact, it could work the other way because you pay much less tax if you repatriate profits from Ireland in the future."

Trump will enjoy majorities from his Republican party in both chambers of Congress, potentially helping him push through reforms relatively quickly. But Noonan said he would "wait and see" whether the plans come to pass.

"I spent all my life listening to United States election campaigns where there was a commitment to reform corporate tax. I've yet to see tangible measures and I was first elected to a local authority in 1974," he said.

Noonan said the pipeline of multinational investment was strong at present, but the uncertainty before Trump takes office in January might slow down that down, PWC Ireland Managing Partner Feargal O'Rourke warned.

"For Ireland, broadly speaking, it (Trump's plans) will take away the tax plank of our foreign direct investment offering," said O'Rourke, who has advised a number of major U.S. companies with operations in Ireland.

"Am I worried about jobs suddenly being sucked back to the U.S. from Ireland? No. You can't run a global operation from California. But for the next five or six months, U.S companies are going to say 'let's just press the pause button for the moment'." (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
The Irish Sponsorship Awards 2016 will take place on Wednesday, November 23rd at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin.



The awards bring together the brightest minds in sponsorship to celebrate excellence across all sectors of Irish sponsorship landscape. The gala awards ceremony will feature 23 separate categories.

Winners will be decided by a leading panel of recognised and distinguished experts drawn from the highest echelons of the sponsorship industry including Ronan O'Donoghue, Head of Brand Partnerships at UTV Ireland, Lorraine Walsh, Head of Marketing at Laya Healthcare and Paul Dermody, Head of Commercial & Marketing, Leinster Rugby.



This year the awards will be sponsored by Livewire.



Furthermore, Livewire have also been nominated in five separate categories for their extensive work in the Irish sponsorship sphere in the last twelve months. Nominations include:

 Best Sponsorship Team  Agency

 Rising Star in Sponsorship  Bethany Corrigan

 Best TV Broadcast Sponsorship  McDonald's for RTEs The Big Big Movie submitted by Livewire and Mediaworks

 Best Radio Broadcast Sponsorship  Lloyds Pharmacy for RTE Radio 1's Liveline submitted by Livewire

 Best Low Budget Sponsorship  Durex for UTV Ireland's Love Island submitted by Livewire



Managing Partner with Livewire, Jill Downey says, "Livewire are thrilled to be associated with the Irish Sponsorship Awards 2016. We know that sponsorship works. It enhances brand equity, establishes consumer engagement and, if executed properly, can deliver real bottom line impact for both the sponsor and the rightsholder."

She added, "A gala awards ceremony such as this is a great way for everyone associated with Irish sponsorship to gather together and celebrate the stellar work that has been completed by the entire industry over the last year."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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Two and a half months prior to parliamentary elections in Georgia, on July 21, 2016, Russias State Duma recommended the government to once again ban imports of Georgian wines and mineral waters. Introducing embargos on Georgian wines and mineral waters is a proven tool of the Kremlins foreign policy towards its southern neighbor. It was first used in 2006, under the pretext of poor standards of Georgian exports, dealing significant damage to Georgias economy. However, three months after this statement, Moscow still has not applied this tool for exerting economic pressure on Georgia. The question is whether Moscow could afford such an embargo  especially given the rising significance of Chinas market for Georgian exports.

BACKGROUND: In 2006, before the first embargo was issued, Russia was Georgias largest trade partner with regard to wine and mineral water export. This dependence was one sided; as much as 80 percent of Georgias exports in this segment went to Russia, but only 10 percent of the wines on the Russian market originated in Georgia. Meanwhile, the export of wine amounted to 10 percent of all Georgian exports at that time. The introduction of a ban under these circumstances cost Russia little, while Georgias wine producing sector took severe damage and its exports fell significantly.

In fact, prior to 2006, Georgian wines had serious problems with quality  especially regarding counterfeit products. The Russian embargo and the subsequent thrust for new markets forced Georgian producers to increase the quality of their wines significantly and in only a few years Georgian wines earned back their good reputation. However, despite some success, Georgian producers did not manage to find an adequate alternative to the Russian market and by 2012 exports still did not reach the pre-2006 figures. Despite high hopes attached to expansion to the United Kingdom and the U.S., Georgian wines saw much less success on Western markets than Moldovan wines. Georgian wines instead increased sales mostly in post-communist countries, where they were already more or less well known brands.

On average, Georgian and Moldovan vineyards have a smaller yield per hectare than their Western European competition. This has been reflected in the prices  for example, on the very lucrative British market, Georgian Saperavi was offered for US$ 15.3 on average, while the better known French Cabernet Sauvignon cost only US$ 9.07. In Western markets, Georgia betted on dry red Mukuzani and semi-sweet Kindzmarauli and belatedly started to explore other dry varieties of local wines. In comparison to post-Soviet markets craving for traditional Georgian sweet and semi-sweet wines, Western Europeans prefer dry wines. As a result, Georgias re-orientation towards lucrative markets in Western Europe has been much slower and less successful than many in Georgia hoped. Yet this process is well underway and could be successfully concluded if given enough time and resources.

IMPLICATIONS: Following Georgias 2012 parliamentary elections, which brought the Georgian Dream coalition to power; Tbilisi and Moscow launched intense negotiations on removing the Russian ban. In result, in fall 2013, 65 Georgian wine companies received a license allowing them to renew exports to the Russian Federation. However, the position of Georgian companies on the Russian market had changed since 2006. The significantly increased quality of Georgian wines had also caused a rise in their prices. While in 2006, the price of a bottle of Georgian wine in Russia averaged between 150 and 200 rubles, after 2012 the price had increased to 250-300 rubles. Moreover, during the embargo, wines from Western Europe had found their way to the Russian market, creating stiff competition for Georgias production.

Yet the current situation confirms the remaining preference for Georgian semi-sweet wines among Russian consumers and Georgian wines have celebrated a swift success in Russia. Today, Georgian wines are once again exported mostly on prepayment terms on the Russian market, which has reemerged as the most important market for Georgian exporters, consuming more Georgian wines than the other top four importers (Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Poland and China) combined. Only in the last two months, Georgias wine export to Russia doubled, increasing by 154 percent in comparison to 2015.

Especially in comparison to the limited ability of Georgian wines to compete on Western markets, it is a valid question why they are so successful in Russia and whether this state of affairs is firmly given. It is actually not true that Georgian wines would not a priori be competitive on Western markets. In 2012, Georgian wineries won 28 medals at the Decanter World Wine Awards, including two silver medals. Moreover, Georgia offers more than 400 varieties of grapes, although only 38 are grown officially for commercial purposes. Most of these grapes and wines are traditional in the Caucasus and mostly unknown in the West. In Russia, several generations grew up drinking Georgian wines and are well acquainted with specific local grapes such as Mtsvani or Rkatsiteli, which most of Westerners find difficult not just to recognize, but even to pronounce. As mentioned above, most of the 38 commercially grown grape varieties are sweet and semi-sweet, which makes Georgian wines very popular in the post-Soviet countries.

However, it would be a mistake to assume that from the several hundreds of grapes grown in Georgia, it would not be possible to produce high quality dry wines, potentially able to succeed on West European markets. The already mentioned Mtsvani among white wines and Mukuzani among reds, are both dry and widely considered to be of high quality, with a fair export potential.

In fact, before Russia lifted the ban on Georgian wines, local producers and companies started to experiment with the drier varieties that might have succeed on Western markets. However, switching from one type of grapes to a new one is always risky and takes years at best to finalize. Therefore, an often overlooked effect of the lifted embargo in 2013 was that experiments with drier wines were to some extent held up in Georgia as producers returned to older, well-known varieties popular in the post-Soviet markets. In result, after 2013 the reorientation towards alternative markets in Western Europe slowed considerably and in the case of a renewed Russian embargo, Georgian wine exports would face similarly severe consequences as they did in 2006. A proper introduction on Western European markets would take years and could have a devastating effect on many local producers and companies.

However, Russias dominance with regard to consumption of Georgian wines is increasingly challenged not from the west but from the east. A free trade agreement between Georgia and China is expected to be implemented by mid-2017, removing the current 48.5 percent customs fee on Georgian wines. This should provide a substantial boost to the export of Georgian wines to the Chinese market, which is already rising steadily. In turn, this could seriously alter the dependence of Georgian producers on Russia.

CONCLUSIONS: By lifting the embargo on Georgian wines and mineral waters in 2013, Russia slowed down the difficult but steady reorientation of Georgian wine producers towards Western markets to some degree. Today, Georgias wine production and export is once again deeply dependent on the Russian market. Moscow managed to make its point by punishing Georgian producers with a ban lasting for 5 years. Moreover, the Kremlin was fairly successful in renewing this tool of political blackmail by lifting the embargo before Georgian producers managed to successfully establish their products on new markets. However, this tool is double-edged and overusing it would likely make Georgian producers see the painful and lengthy reorientation towards Western markets, or to a growing degree towards China, as more advantageous than the profitable but uncertain Russian market. Under these circumstances, and especially in light of the free trade agreement between Georgia and China, Russia would indirectly strengthen the economic independence of this key country by issuing a new ban on Georgian wines, instead of drawing it deeper towards its own orbit. In this perspective, the State Dumas recommendation in July appears to have been an instance of saber-rattling ahead of Georgias parliamentary elections on October 8, rather than a statement of intent to introduce a new ban on Georgian wines.

AUTHORS BIO: Tomas Baranec is a graduate of Charles University in Prague. His research interests include nationalism and factors of ethnic conflicts and separatism in the Caucasus.

Image source: upload.wikimedia.org, accessed on November 8, 2016
This is a key housing market to follow since Phoenix saw a large bubble / bust followed by strong investor buying.



Inventory was up 1.0% year-over-year in October. This was the eighth consecutive month with a YoY increase in inventory, following fifteen consecutive months of YoY declines in Phoenix.



The Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service (ARMLS) reports (table below):



1) Overall sales in October were up 12.6% year-over-year.



2) Cash Sales (frequently investors) were down to 21.0% of total sales.



3) Active inventory is now up 1.0% year-over-year.



More inventory (a theme in 2014) - and less investor buying - suggested price increases would slow sharply in 2014. And prices increases did slow in 2014, only increasing 2.4% according to Case-Shiller.



In 2015, with falling inventory, prices increased a little faster - Prices were up 6.3% in 2015 according to Case-Shiller.



Now inventory is increasing a little again, and - if this trend continues in Phoenix - price increases will probably slow in Phoenix. According to Case-Shiller, prices in Phoenix are up 2.7% through August (about a 4.0% annual rate) - slower than in 2015.





October Residential Sales and Inventory, Greater Phoenix Area, ARMLS Sales YoY

Change

Sales Cash

Sales Percent

Cash Active

Inventory YoY

Change

Inventory Oct-08 5,384 --- 1,348 25.0% 55,7031 --- Oct-09 8,121 50.8% 2,688 33.1% 39,312 -29.4% Oct-10 6,591 -18.8% 2,800 42.5% 45,252 15.1% Oct-11 7,561 14.7% 3,336 44.1% 27,266 -39.7% Oct-12 7,020 -7.2% 3,081 43.9% 22,702 -16.7% Oct-13 6,038 -14.0% 1,910 31.6% 26,267 15.7% Oct-14 6,186 2.5% 1,712 27.7% 27,760 5.7% Oct-15 6,308 2.0% 1,570 24.9% 24,702 -11.0% Oct-16 7,102 12.6% 1,494 21.0% 24,950 1.0% 1 October 2008 probably includes pending listings
Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world. Approximately one in six people speak Chinese. But did you know that not all Chinese speakers use exactly the same written Chinese language? For example, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau use Traditional Chinese, whereas Simplified Chinese is used in China, Malaysia, and Singapore. This blog will mainly focus on the difference between Traditional Chinese (Taiwan) and Simplified Chinese (China).

As far as communication is concerned, we can communicate with each other without any problems if we are using Mandarin (dialects, such as Shanghainese, Taiwanese, are a different story), but we can always detect different accents, terms and phrases used, style, and handwriting.

Here are some differences between Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese:

Character

The most obvious difference is the appearance of the characters. Simplified Chinese, as it indicates in the name, simplifies each character, so they are easier to write and memorize. Traditional Chinese, on the contrary, keeps the original forms which have evolved over the course of a thousand years. Therefore, it is easier for people who understand Traditional Chinese to pick up Simplified Chinese, but it will be more difficult for people who understand Simplified Chinese to learn Traditional Chinese. Some examples include:

Character Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese Turtle   Orchid   Dragon  

Style

Just like British say chips and Americans say French fries, there are many terms and phrases that differ in meaning between Traditional and Simplified Chinese. For example, potatoes in Simplified Chinese means peanuts in Traditional Chinese.

The Chinese phrase  has completely the opposite meaning in Traditional and Simplified Chinese. Its literal translation is nested heart. In Traditional Chinese, it means heartwarming feelings (you feel so touched that the feelings reach the deepest parts of your heart), but it means someone is upset because he/she is wronged in Simplified Chinese (you feel like all your anger and grievances are gathered in your heart).

Phonetic Symbols

We have different learning systems when it comes to pronunciation. In Taiwan, we start with phonetics (bopomofo). We have 37 phonetics, and each of them represent a sound. For example, if we want to pronounce (dad, which is pronounced as ba), we have the phonetics for  (b) and (a) plus the tone . Children are required to learn phonetics at elementary school prior to learning characters.

For Simplified Chinese, once again, its a bit simpler. China uses pinyin for pronunciation, which utilizes a Romanized alphabet to constitute the pronunciation of each character. Therefore, ba is the phonetic symbol for . However, not all the alphabets are pronounced exactly the same as they are in English. Take q for example, in pinyin, the pronunciation of q is more similar to that of ch.

Summary

As a localizer, it is extremely important to understand the differences between languages even if they are minor deviations. As far as Chinese in concerned, keep in mind that there are also Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong) and Simplified Chinese (Singapore) and so on. Each of them differs from the others and has its own flavor and cultural implications. Chinese in each country can be so similar yet so different. Understanding these differences will help you select the suitable resources for the locale; and more importantly, convey the correct meaning to the target audience.
The protest of November 8, 2016, was to demand the respect of the bi-jural and bi-cultural nature of Cameroon.

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Street demonstrations, protest messages and tear gas by security officers summed up the protest by Common Law Lawyers in Bamenda on November 8, 2016. The day was early to break for the lawyers who assembled in the premises of the North West Court of Appeal. The over 500 lawyers were both from the North West and South West Regions. They thereafter marched from the Court of Appeal through Commercial Avenue to T Junction, then Food Market and back to the City Chemist Roundabout.



Their leader, Barrister Harmony Bobga, said they were peacefully marching to raise awareness on their plight that has allegedly been ignored by the government. Placards carried by the lawyers featured messages like Stop injustice against Anglophone Cameroonians, Leave our Common Law alone; we love it, we cherish it, Stop the blatant disregard of the Constitution, Dont destroy our Anglo-Saxon universities of Buea and Bamenda. They are nurseries of Common Law lawyers. Other messages were, Our demands are genuine and in the interest of all, Remove Francophone Magistrates who do not know the Common Law System from Common Law Jurisdictions, etc.



Barrister Harmony Bobga saluted the gentlemanly attitude of security forces who accompanied the protesting lawyers along the streets. He then went on to revisit their grievances, which he said were genuine. Among them the lawyers said government is ignoring their memos requesting that Francophone Magistrates trained in the Civil Law system and serving in the Common Law Jurisdiction should be redeployed to Civil Law Jurisdictions.



The lawyers therefore want government to respect the bi-jural and bi-cultural nature of Cameroon by reinstating values they consider to be the core of practice of Common Law. The protest stretched the lawyers strike that began on Tuesday, October 11, 2016 into the fifth week. Ever since, they have been boycotting court hearings.

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| BY Ricki Green |

The announcement comes off the back of a host of new business wins and expanded client relationships for Engine from clients like Woolworths, MTV, and NBN.

Newly promoted ECD, Connelly boasts 20 years of industry experience across Sydney, San Francisco and Los Angeles, working across a range of global brands that include MTV, CNN, VW, Fox Sports, Nissan and CBA. Having joined Engine in 2014 as creative director, Connellys passion for storytelling and his extensive background in design and visual effects have produced outstanding work, whether its live action, broadcast design, channel branding or character animation.

Says Connelly: This is an exciting time for Engines incredible 25-year history and Im looking forward to creatively leading us into new territory. Taking our renowned expertise in storytelling, were pushing more and more of our creative ideas across all media platforms, making it so much easier for clients to get the most out of their content  from cinema ads to cinemagraphs, from video games to music videos, from commercials to comics.
| BY Ricki Green |

Rialto Channel is the storyteller and curates movies that provide the audience with a deeper, more meaningful experience. They took this to a new level last week with a groundbreaking research event via DDB New Zealand, that made the audience itself part of the story.

While enjoying the emotional rollercoaster of the critically acclaimed romantic-drama Brooklyn, cinemagoers in New Zealand also donated their tears to researchers pioneering a breakthrough breast cancer diagnosis device.

Ascendant Dx, an American research company on the cutting-edge of breast cancer detection technology have discovered that tears could potentially be used to detect breast cancer with up to 90 percent accuracy. But the research team have been on the lookout for willing donors whose tears will help the scientists conduct much needed experiments to refine the test.

Rialto Channel decided to bring the power of film to the cause and help further this amazing research, because nothing makes you cry like a good movie. So in partnership with Ascendant Dx and The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation they hosted The Breast Cancer Screenings; a cinema event that provided Ascendant Dx scientists the opportunity to collect the tears of around 400 New Zealand women over the course of three film screenings throughout the day.

Says Roger, general manager, Rialto Channel: Were in the business of emotional journeys. When the DDB team told us about this incredible research, we were so excited. We realised that our stories are producing an abundance of tears across the country  were the perfect partners to help this research come to fruition.

Omid Moghadam, founder and CEO of Ascendant Dx, says that the key to surviving breast cancer is early detection.

Says Moghadam: A fast, accurate and inexpensive diagnostic test like ours could help save lives, in both advanced countries like New Zealand and the United States by making current breast cancer screening methods more efficient, and in the developing world where it can democratise breast cancer screening by giving women an option beyond a self-exam.

Were so thankful to DDB NZ for connecting us with Rialto Channel and having this crazy idea that, through the power of film, you can bring two groups together from across the globe and make a real difference.

Damon Stapleton, CCO at DDB New Zealand says the event took months of research and planning to pull off and also included a month of curated emotional films on Rialto Channel over the course of Breast Cancer Awareness month and an integrated campaign to invite women to the event.

Says Stapleton: This was a big idea. I mean, this really shows what happens when you have a big idea, a piece of magic, and you dont say to yourself, oh, thisll never happen, lets try something easier.

It was such a team effort. From everybody involved  and there were a lot of people. Rialto Channel, Ascendant Dx, and the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation, whose support was invaluable in making this happen. And of course the team at DDB, who can go from reading esoteric medical research on an obscure website on some corner of the internet to bringing an incredible event like this to life. Its a beautiful thing.

Rialto Channel

General Manager: Roger Wyllie

Marketing Executive: Natalie Crane

New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation:

CEO: Van Henderson

Research and Communications Manager: Adele Gautier

Ascendant Dx:

CEO: Omid Moghadam

Chief Scientist: Anna Daily

Senior Scientist: Linsday Rutherford

Executive Assistant: Jen Morio

DDB:

Chief Creative Officer: Damon Stapleton

Executive Creative Director: Shane Bradnick

Creative Director: Brett Colliver

Creative Director: Mike Felix

Creative Director: James Connor

Creative Director: Christie Cooper

Art Director: Jake ODriscoll

Copywriter: Sylvia Humphries

Lead Business Partner: Nikki McKelvie

Senior Business Manager: Demi Nielsen

Business Manager: Bella Macdonald

Studio Manager: Marcel de Ruiter

Print Producer: Julz Lane

Executive Producer: Judy Thompson

Agency Producer: Alva Casey

Agency Producer: Jane Mill

Editor: Steve Gulik

Editor: Mark Tretheway

Sound Engineer: Dan Partington

Digital Director: Liz Knox

Executive Digital Producer: Johannes Gertz

Head of Digital Design: Jason Vertongen

Digital Designer: David Kirschberg

Mango PR

General Manager: Sean Brown

Account Manager: Max Burt

Other credits

Illustrations: Minky Stapleton

Photography: Mat Baker

Retouching: Carl Baker

Presenter: Helene Ravlich
Federal Legislation / Sep 22, 2022

Accountability is key to our efforts to secure the passage of animal-friendly federal legislation. We are accountable to our supporters as well as to the animals we seek to defend, and we never forget who were working for. We also work continuously to hold elected officials accountable for their track records wherever the interests of animals are concerned. Our annual Humane Scorecard is a tool to gauge where members of the House and Senate stand on our core priorities, and its publication makes their records plain to the world.

 Read More
Tuesday, November 8, 2016 at 11:51PM

The Moto brand might not just be limited to Lenovos premium smartphones. A new report from China claims Lenovo might make use of the Moto brand to market its smartphones, with hopes of putting the acquisition to better use. Aside from the possible branding change. The report from Campaign claims Lenovo is switching up its mobile executives in China. Xudong Chen, co-president and SVP of Lenovos Mobile Business Group in the country, is being replaced by Gina Qiao, former SVP of human resources. While Qiao may have an HR title at the moment, she was once Lenovos chief strategy officer and head of marketing. We cant say how this will affect the companys mobile strategy but it might help Lenovo leverage the long established Moto name in its favor.
Mrs Soares-Amoral said she was grateful for the help from hospital and support staff, as well as Mrs Pearson and Mrs Malberg, and that despite some nervousness about coming to Australia for the surgery, she was glad to be returning with her healthy and happy daughter.




The second Japan Travel Fair Malaysia took place in One Utama Shopping Mall from 9-13 November 2016 with a mission to provide information about Japan's tourism, Japanese Culture and also the many beautiful destinations from all over Japan to the general consumers.









Japan Travel Fair Malaysia

Having the second fair at the end of this year is to promote Japan's Winter and also Springtime which is said to be two of the most beautiful and best time to visit Japan, namely the snowy areas and also for the Cherry Blossom or Sakura Season in Spring. This is also the second time that the Japan Travel Fair Malaysia is taking place in just one year where the first fair was held in February at the same venue and was received well by the Malaysian consumers.Having the second fair at the end of this year is to promote Japan's Winter and also Springtime which is said to be two of the most beautiful and best time to visit Japan, namely the snowy areas and also for the Cherry Blossom or Sakura Season in Spring.





At the five-day travel fair, anyone buying any Japan travel packages, tours or even airline tickets, JNTO will be giving out a free gift during the JTF2016.



To add on, there will also be a lucky draw for the mentioned purchases where you stand a chance to also win return airline tickets to Japan, a Canon Digital Camera and Japanese souvenirs.





At the official launching of Japan Travel Fair 2016 in One Utama Shopping Mall in Petaling Jaya





The Japan Travel Fair November 2016 event was also launched by the Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia and JNTO's Executive Director Mr. Masatoshi Miyake together with the specially invited guests on the 9th of November at 3.00pm.



Media from mainstream and electronic, representatives from tour companies, invited guests and shoppers were treated to a Japanese drum performance and also the unveiling of Dr. Soo Wincci's new music video which was shot entirely in Japan.





As for the events happening during the Japan Travel Fair 2016, there will be a special live performance by Dr. Soo Wincci, a Blogger Talk Show featuring Kampung Boy City Girl , demonstrations on food and craft, quizzes, and many others listed below;

11 - 13 Nov, 1.00PM - 1.30PM: Hand-Made Wagashi (Japanese Sweet Making Technique)

11 - 13 Nov, 2.30PM - 3.00PM: Art of Shodo (Japanese Calligraphy Performance)

11 - 13 Nov, 7.00PM - 7.30PM: Bon Odori Performance

12 - 13 Nov, 4.00PM - 4.30PM: Mochi Pounding Performance

12 Nov Saturday, 6.00PM - 6.40PM: Soo Wincci Performance

13 Nov Sunday, 6.00PM - 6.30PM: Blogger Talk Show featuring Kampung Boy City Girl

Japan Yes-No Quiz Event

11 Nov: 11.30-12.00, 4.00-4.30, 6.00-6.30

12 Nov: 11.30-12.00

13 Nov: 11.30-12.00





Canon Photo Booth at JNTO Booth

Visitors can also experience dressing in a Japanese Yukata and have their photo taken at the Canon Photo Booth during the event.





Visitors to the JNTO Booth at the Japan Travel Week Fair in One Utama

Visitors checking out the booths at the Japan Travel Week November 2016





Where is the Japan Travel Fair in Malaysia?





The Japanese travel fair () is located on the High Street on the first floor of the One Utama Shopping Mall where a total of 21 booths offering information and also sales on Japanese destinations.



Out of the 21 booths, 11 of them are tour companies that specialize in selling Japan Travel Packages to multiple prefectures. The other 10 booths are occupied by the various Japanese tourism prefectures.





Visitors can walk in as it is free and you can obtain information on multiple places around Japan here. Prior to the recent Matta Fair 2016, the Japan National Tourism Organization or JNTO has taken added steps to promote Japan aggressively as it is one of the top destinations for Malaysian tourists heading outbound.





In 2015, the number of Malaysians that visited Japan had surpassed 300,000 and from January to September 2016, the number had already reached around 250,000 visitors to Japan from Malaysia.



A growing number of Muslim visitors to Japan has also contributed to these numbers as Japan has seriously taken into consideration about Muslim Travel around Japan.



Many restaurants now offer a special Halal menu while there are Muslim Prayer Rooms (Surau) available in almost all prefectures and also in some shopping malls and airports.





VIP's, Tourism Organizations and Malaysian Travel Agents during the launching of Japan Travel Week in One Utama





Vendors at Japan Travel Fair Malaysia



The list of vendors and travel agents participating at the Japan Travel Fair 2016 Malaysia is below and you can visit them to obtain more information about the places or packages around Japan.





Travel Agents

Apple Vacations & Conventions

Golden Tourworld Travel

Hello Holidays

HIS Malaysia

Japan Travel Bureau

J-Horizons Travel (M)

Malaysian Harmony Tours and Travel

Parlo Tours

Pearl Holiday Travel and Tour

Reliance Travel

Sunrise Tours and Travel

Japanese Exhibitors

JETRO

Mitsukoshi Isetan Holding

Shizuoka Prefectural Government Office

Okinawa Convention and Visitor Bureau

The Flower of Japan

Wakayama City

Yokohama City

Hoshino Resort Tomamu, Sapporo

Vision Data (Samurai WiFi)

Trip Designer

One the first day of Japan Travel Week in One Utama Shopping Center, Bandar Utama

Japan Travel Fair Malaysia

Venue: Highstreet, Ground Floor One Utama Shopping Mall, New Wing

Date: 9-13 November 2016





Conclusion Time: 10.00 AM to 10.00 PM









However, for those planning a trip in mid or late next year, you can also visit the If you are planning to visit Japan anytime soon, this would be a great place to start as there is much information about many places.However, for those planning a trip in mid or late next year, you can also visit the Matta Fair 2017 as JNTO will also be there featuring more booths during the travel fair in Kuala Lumpur in March.





Alternatively, the Japan Travel Fair Malaysia is created in-between the main travel fairs to capitalize on the months where there are no other travel events going on and has been much welcomed by the local consumers who want to visit Japan.
The Spanish operators Business Solutions arm said the deployment of Nokias VSR in a Provider Edge application for fixed networks was a significant step forward in the evolution of telecoms infrastructure.

It means Telefonica can now deploy and configure vPEs, expanding their VPN offerings o new locations more rapidly. It will also allow the operator to deploy on-net points of presence in areas with lower customer density.

Telefonica said it will also use the technology to deploy new PoPs in both Spain and other countries, although locations were not revealed.

Javier Gavilan, Telefonica's global CTO planning and technology director, said: "We have been working together with Nokia in our NFV Reference Implementation Lab for some time in order to advance the availability of virtualized solutions and, in fact, the Virtualized Service Router was successfully tested in 2015 and the current deployment is UNICA-ready as part of the overall strategy of the company."

The news comes just weeks after Nokia helped Telefonica achieve 4G download speeds of up to 800Mbps in network tests carried out with Qualcomm. It has also been involved in the process of upgrading the Spanish firms 4G network across its home market.

General manager for Nokia's IP routing business, said: "When multinational companies want to extend their VPNs - or add capacity to those already deployed - speed, performance and reliability are all essential.

Telefonica has taken a leadership role in virtualization, and with the certification and deployment of the Nokia VSR, they are well positioned to expand the range and reach of their VPN services and address their customers' evolving needs."
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Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing.

You are our people. You Care. We Care2.
Careerindia interviews Prof. Manoranjan Dhal of IIM Kozhikode regarding reskilling manpower in India, Indian Institutes of Mangement and more.

CI: Does IIM Kozhikode stand out compared to other IIMs? If yes, kindly elaborate.

Prof. Dhal: In the year 2001, IIMK conceived a new model of management education for working executives. Executive Management Education Programme (EMEP) marked the beginning of IIMK's Executive Education activities and IIMK pioneered management education through a synchronous interactive learning mode (IL) in the Asia Pacific region. Participants have the flexibility to choose the class room centers based on their city of residence or work.

With over a decade and a half years of experience in interactive learning methodology, over 3000 plus alumni from these programmes and the programme growing from strength to strength is a true testimonial to the success and industry acceptance for these programmes.

IIMK in association with Times Centre for Learning Ltd. has announced admissions to the 9th batch of the EPGP two year programme.

CI: What do you mean by reskilling? Brief us about its importance and need in India.

Prof. Dhal: With a population of 1.3 billion, of which about 0.8 billion are in the working age, youthful India is surely going to be the youngest country in the world. Between now and 2025 over 250 million young people are estimated to enter the Indian workforce, while only 5% of youth aged 20-24 have obtained vocational skills through a formal training system.

The existing educational system is not sufficient and effective enough to cater to the need of skilling India. India is facing an acute skill shortage (64%) and is placed second amongst most skill scarcity nations behind Japan (81%) despite having a demographic dividend.

CI: How can reskilling millions of Indian citizens be realised and how will it help India meet global standards and face the cut throat competition?

Prof. Dhal: Globalisation has increased the exposure of Indian Businesses to various methods and management techniques applied internationally. It also demands local skills to match or be even better than the global standards and competition.

The increased requirements from the industry for an efficient workforce added with increased aspiration of the managers seeking knowledge and improved exposure in management techniques augurs well for reskilling in India, which is a fundamental component of the skilling cycle.

CI: What perspective do IIMs hold towards the changing trend today?

Prof. Dhal: The number of seats in IIMs put together is not sufficient enough to cater to the need of management education in India. Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK) pioneered the Interactive Learning mode in the Asia Pacific region way back in 2001, a new model of management education for working executives.

The Executive Post Graduate Programmes are the perfect option for working professionals and executives to enrich their skills and strategies to take their organizations to the next level around work. Admissions to the 9th batch of the EPGP 2 year Executive Diploma programme are currently open.

Apart from this, IIMK also offers the One year Certification programmes & executive Management Development programmes.

CI: Who are mid-career executives? What is an executive programme and why are the mid-career executives opting for it?

Prof. Dhal: Management is a science as well as an art. It requires multi-disciplinary approach to achieving various organizational goals. Mid-career executives are professionals looking at enriching their knowledge to grow within or outside their organizations. An Executive programme in management is the best option for one to do so.

With over a decade and half experience in the conduct of Interactive Learning programmes, there has been a steady increase in the number of mid-career executives opting for an Executive programme.

The rising aspirations of our youth who seek better jobs and higher incomes and the requirements from industry for knowledgeable & efficient work force coupled with the changing demographic profile of the country has increased the demand for executive MBA amongst working professionals.

The trend work life following education cycle has changed to simultaneous process of learning while doing. Increased monetary and personal commitments are also a major reason for the preference shift from a full-time MBA to an Executive MBA amongst working professionals.

IIMK association with TSW a part of Times Centre for Learning Ltd (TCLL) is an endeavour to cater to the rising demand in executive programmes among working professionals.

CI: What is the current scenario of executive programme in India and abroad? Does it add weightage to the portfolio of those who pursue it?

Prof. Dhal: Easing trade barriers and growth in the emerging markets has fuelled the demand of executive education and EMBAs. European and U.S schools are seeing a huge increase in demand for executive education. However, expatriation cost is much higher than managing the people locally wherever there is no skill shortage. India needs to gear up for not only increasing the skill supply but also up-skilling the existing working population in the changing market environment.

About Prof. Manoranjan Dhal:

Prof. Manoranjan Dhal has done his Ph.D. from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in the area of Trade Union and Labour Management Relations after getting awarded the Junior Research Fellow from UGC. He holds a master degree in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management from Berhampur University, Odisha.

He is working with Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode as (EPGP -Chairperson). Prior to joining IIMK, Manoranjan was working as Manager - HR for GE Capital and handled the functions of Employee Relations, Compensation and Benefits Management, and Learning & Development.

In GE he was awarded as best retention manager, and special recognition award by HR Leader of Business Vertical USA for streamlining Payroll Process in Manila site. He was invited to conduct research on 'Labour Management Relationship in Japanese Automobile Sector' by Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training in 2015.

Prof. Dhal had started his career with KIIT School of Management in 2003 and had taught various courses in HR. He has several research publications to his credit. He was a consultant to MILControls Ltd, Peekay Steel Pvt. Ltd. Kerala State Electricity Board and Kudumbshree - Kerala Govt. He has conducted training programme in various capacities for companies like NTPC, Kerala Health Services, BEL, NHPC, IOFS, Indian Army, ECIL, KANAN DEVAN TEA, ASIANET, L& T - ECC, Department of Atomic Energy, DRDO, Reliance Industries Ltd., Indian Railways, Nuclear Power Corporation Ltd. etc.
India

Date: November 14

The birth anniversary of Former Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru is celebrated as children's day. Nehru was noted for his fondness for children. This day is otherwise commemorated as Baal Divas in Hindi. Cultural activities in schools mark the celebrations of the occassion during this time.

Bangladesh

Date: March 17

The birth anniversary of the first President of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is commemorated as children's day in Bangladesh. It was formulated by JAAGO Foundation, a volunteer organisation in Bangladesh that works for the welfare of its people. The country celebrates the day with child well being campaigns during that time.

Australia

Date: Fourth Wednesday of October

Australia celebrates children's week during October with a common theme, 'A caring world shares.' Decades ago, different states of the country celebrated Children's day on different days in October. After Commonwealth government requested them to have it on a common day, they fixed it on fourth Wednesday of October. Nevertheless, Australia has a week long celebration to compensate for it.

Canada

Date: November 20

In accordance with United Nations' decision, the country celebrates child day with the idea of protecting the rights of the children as the theme. It was registered in Bill C-371, otherwise known as the Child Day Act, by the Parliament of Canada in 1993. The motive of the day is to focus on child poverty and eradicate it.

Germany

Date: September 20

East Germany and West Germany celebrate it in different ways. While the former focus on presents from parents, the latter focussed more on political efforts to safeguard the rights of children. After both the parts united, they commonly hold public events on September 20 while some parents still continue to celebrate their children on June 1.

Also Read:

Celebrate your Children on Children's Day

Children's Day: Tips to Make the Day a Colourful Journey
The UK-based Staffordshire University, having a proud heritage of delivering quality skills-based vocational education for more than 100 years through its specifically designed coursework and world renowned faculty, is going to conduct on-spot admissions for the students who want to make their career in the field of Science and Engineering. The on-spot admissions will be held in Chennai and Coimbatore on 9th and 12th November 2016 respectively.

The on-spot admissions will be undertaken by Mr. Martin Fiddler, who is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering (Aeronautical Engineering) within the Faculty of Computing Engineering and Science (FCES) at the University.

Mr. Fiddler will inform the students about the wide range of industrially relevant undergraduate and postgraduate courses which the University has in store for the students. Besides this, he will update the potential students with the admission procedure, entry requirements, essential educational qualification(s), fee structure and scholarship criteria for the Indian students at the University.

Join our Study Abroad group for more discussions and updates.

Following is the schedule for Staffordshire University's on-spot admissions:

9thNovember 2016 (Wednesday): Chennai

Venue 1: Global Opportunities, Eldarado Complex, 112 Nungambakkam High Rd, Nungambakkam, Chennai

Timings: 10 A.M. to 11 A.M.

Venue 2: IEC Abroad, Bhavani Mansion, Nungambakkam High Road, 4th Lane, Nungambakkam, Chennai

Timings: 11:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.

Venue 3: Edwise, Pioneer Sudarshan Plaza, 9 Mohan Kumaramangalam Street, Nungambakkam High Rd, Chennai

Timings: 1 P.M. to 2 P.M.

12th November 2016 (Saturday): Coimbatore

Venue 1: The Chopras, 725D/I, S.R. Complex, Avinashi Road, Coimbatore

Timings: 10:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.M.

Venue 2: IDP, 1055/7, Gowtham Centre, Avinashi Road, Coimbatore

Timings: 12:15 P.M. to 1:15 P.M.

Venue 3: Edwise, Ashirwad Building, 36 Diwan Bhadur Rd, R.S.Puram, Coimbatore

Timings: 2 P.M. to 3:30 P.M.

Situated in the heart of England, Staffordshire University is a global university with an international reputation of equipping students with not just professional qualifications and academic knowledge, but also with requisite practical skills to carve their niche in the global socio-economic scenario.

The University comprises of several departments such as Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Sciences, Faculty of Business, Education and Law, Faculty of Arts and Creative Technologies and Faculty of Health Sciences which offer a variety of professional courses.

With coursework specifically designed to provide maximum advantage to graduates with hands-on professional skills, Staffordshire University boasts of one of the highest levels of employability, with over 71% of its graduates finding graduate level jobs within 6 months of graduation.

New Merit Scholarship of up to 2,000 is available for the postgraduate and 1,000 for the undergraduate Indian students enrolling for the first time in January 2017 session of the University. All students applying to the University will be taken into consideration for financial support, provided that they must meet the entry requirements. For further information on the University, please visit http://www.staffs.ac.uk/.
Kestone, a pioneer in Integrated Sales & Marketing Services along with CL Educate is organizing a two day innovation summit, MeltingPot2020. The summit will be held on 24th and 25th November at Taj Vivanta in New Delhi. This is a first of a kind platform that aims to bridge the gap between academia & industry through innovation in different fields.

It brings together top minds from academic institutions, corporates, government bodies, NGOs and edu-promotion societies to a single platform for the core purpose of catalyzing innovation through dialogue and collaboration. The summit will see a confluence of ideas to drive innovation and catalyze India's transformation into one of the top 10 Innovative countries of the world.

The focus is to identify and discuss in detail key drivers, challenges and game changing solutions that have the potential to pave a roadmap to create an innovation fueled global economy powered by break through research at the institutional and corporate level. The key research areas that will be discussed at the summit will include IoT, FinTech, EdTech, Healthcare, Renewable Energy, Automotive & Material Sciences and Big Data.

Speaking on the initiative Piyush Gupta, President, Kestone IMS Pvt. Ltd. said, "With almost 2 decades of experience of working with Industry & Academia, we have realized that if we are able to bridge the gap between the two in a manner where the strength of each other can be maximized, India will be one of the strongest economies in the world. While working closely with young minds through our research firm, we are amazed to see the hunger for creating something new that can bring significant change in common man's life. Our aim is to give direction to this creativity."

He further said, "Through Melting Pot, we intend to take our commitment, a few notches higher by offering a unique dialogue between the daring young innovators from leading universities in India and corporate leaders to encourage innovation and start- up ecosystem."

To know what's happening around Melting Pot, you can visit our website at Melting Pot 2020 Innovation Summit
The government of Telangana yesterday launched its digital classroom programme in 3,352 high schools in the state. The scheme was formally inaugurated by education minister K Srihari and IT Minister K T Rama Rao.

The programme of on its first day covered 3,352 out of the total 5,400 Government-run high schools. Under it, students would get to watch teaching of various subjects via Mana TV, an educational channel started by the government.

The digital classroom programme would be extended to all schools by the beginning of 2017 academic year said the officials.

The initiative is in accordance with the CM's emphasis on human resource development for realizing the dream of making Telangana a 'golden' State.

Observing that a digital revolution is taking place across the world, the IT Minister said rapid growth can be achieved with the help of modern technology.

The government is also working on providing Internet connection to all households in the state, Rao added.

The Telangana government with an aim to improve quality of education across the state has decided to implement digital classroom in all the schools. Digital classroom will be introduced in about 1,500 schools in the first phase on November 14, 2016.

Deputy Chief Minister K Srihari said in Hyderabad on Monday, that the implementation of digital classroom across the state is a part of the government's resolve to improve quality of education.

The government has also quoted that it will set up computer labs in schools as a part of the initiative.

The minister also stated that the official notification for District Selection Committee for teachers' recruitment would be announced soon. The notification was delayed due to re-organisation of districts in the state.

In another bid to improve education quality in the state, the government of Telangana entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to improve services of its educational channel 'Mana TV'.

The MoU was singed by the officials of the Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communication of the state government, and ISRO's Development & Educational Communication Unit (DECU).

With the help ISRO 6,000 schools in the state will launch digital classes from October 14, 2016.

Read the complete story here.

Will these measures to digitalise classrooms help to improve the quality of education? Or is it more important to improve the syllabus and provide better infrastructure a better way to improve education quality in the state?

Let us know your views on this in the comments section below.
| The video game industry has gone from a mole hill to a mountain in no time flat, Chris DiMarco is your Sherpa as you endeavor to scale Mount Everquest
Here are some interesting stories.

The US presidential election is finally over.

So is IPv4!

GTT is buying Hibernia Networks for $590 million (mostly cash). Hibernia adds sub-sea assets to GTT's Tier 1 global network. This move also adds IRUs across Europe to GTT's network. It also adds "about $185M in revenue and $65M in EBITDA." What is that 9x EBITDA and less than 3x revenue. This feels strategic as opposed to other M&A that feels defensive. (EarthLink-Windstream was both!)

More M&A: Lumos Networks, a fiber player in the mid-Atlantic region signed an LOI to "acquire Clarity Communications Group, which operates a 730 mile fiber network with 75 on-net locations located across four states in the south-eastern United States. The vast majority of Clarity's operations and fiber mileage is in the state of North Carolina." [PR} This is a strategic fill-in move. Lumos has been growing the fiber biz for about 5 years. It has a wireline business that was formed in 2011 as a spin-off of nTelos. LUMOS is trying to figure out what to do with its RLEC business.

Zendesk re-branded to pivot beyond just help desk ticketing. They added some analytics and business intelligience (BI) to improve customer experiences. It is about UX/CX now more than ever - especially if one company KPI is LVC (lifetime value of the customer).

In a similar vein, Why the goal should be unified experiences - not just unified communications.

BIG STATISTIC (for Agents especially): "40-75% of audio calls in the enterprise are conference calls - and its growing! [source]

75% of users communicate at work with 3 or more devices! [source]

"All are chasing the UCaaS growth opportunity. UCaaS is expected to grow from USD 17.35 Billion in 2016 to USD 28.69 Billion by 2021. The market is transitioning from the "early adopter phase" to the "early mainstream phase" for enterprise delivery." [source]

Google parent, Alphabet, is pulling back on projects - from Google Fiber (aka Alphabet Access) to Project Wing (drone delivery) - as it strains to build profitable business lines beyond Google and search.

Dave's update on Polycom.
Teachers unions are known for giving millions in campaign cash to the candidates they endorse. But they actually may have a more powerful tool in their arsenal: shoe leather, said Patrick McGuinn, a political science professor at Drew University.

So how many teachers and retired educators decided to pound pavement for the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers this election season on behalf of Hillary Clintonthe Democratic nominee endorsed by both unionsand other candidates?

Here are some quick numbers:

The National Education Association reported about 64,418 volunteers. Thats seven times higher than back in 2012.

The union has gotten better at figuring out which of its members are likely to engage in get-out-the-vote efforts. But the uptick could also be due to enthusiasm for Clinton and worries about her GOP opponent, Donald

Trump.

NEA is also reporting 144,941 volunteering shifts, 885,652 doors knocked on, and more than 3.3 million voter outreach calls made.

The American Federation of Teachers reported 97,000 volunteering shifts, including more than 80,000 in the general election. Union members made 1.6 million in Cleveland alone.

And the Through for Our Future Political Action committee, which both teachers unions belong to along with other unions and left-leaning groups, reported more than 9 million attempted get-out-the-vote conversations, and more than 2 million actual conversations.

Photo: National Education Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia, left, and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten in Philadelphia during the Democratic National Convention in July. (Andrew Ujifusa/Education Week)

Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .
Debuting at the ongoing Sao Paulo Motor Show 2016 is a new version of the Fiat Mobi, dubbed the Drive.



The model is fitted with the companys familiar 1.0-liter three-cylinder Firefly engine albeit with a few updates to provide better fuel economy, lower emissions, less noise and greater performance. All told, it has 77 hp and 78 lb-ft of torque on tap and can run on 100 per cent ethanol.

Another upgrade for the Fiat Mobi Drive compared to the other six Mobi variants is that it has electric steering rather than hydraulic steering. Fiat says that the new electric steering is much lighter than a traditional system and includes a special city function where the effort to move the steering wheel is significantly reduced to aid in parking.

Elsewhere, the model includes an LCD screen and digital gauge cluster as standard. Theres also electric windows up front, a rear window defroster, height adjustable front seat belts, bluetooth connectivity, USB and auxillary inputs, rear parking sensors, fog lights and 14-inch alloy wheels.

Optional extras include a magazine rack in the front seat backrests, a cup holder and glossy back trim.

The yet-to-be-priced model will arrive at Brazilian dealerships later this month.

PHOTO GALLERY
Honda has unveiled the WR-V sub-compact SUV at the Sao Paulo International Motor Show 2016, a vehicle which the brand plans to launch exclusively in South America next year.



The models name is an acronym for Winsome Runabout Vehicle and Honda says it offers both excellent utility and a spacious cabin within a compact body size.

Few details have been provided about the model other than the fact that it is being pitched to customers who enjoy active lifestyles and recreational activities.

The design of the WR-V is the only real talking point at the moment. The initial display car (pictured above) in finished in an intriguing shade of maroon which helps to accentuate many of the models sharp styling cues, such as its angular front end and eye-catching lines along the sides.

As with many utility vehicles already on the market, the WR-V also includes some black exterior elements, including the front and rear wheel arches, side skirts and the front lip.

Discussing the model, president, chief executive and representative director of Honda, Takahiro Hachigo said Ever since we began business in Brazil in 1971, Honda has been supported by a total of 24 million customers in Brazil through their purchase of our motorcycles, automobiles and power products. Introduction of this all-new WR-V is a testament to Hondas commitment to the South American market, and we will continue to deliver more products unique to Honda that please our customers.

PHOTO GALLERY

Video
Illinois attorney general Lisa Madigan has filed a lawsuit against Volkswagen over the dieselgate scandal, meaning the U.S. state becomes the 19th to sue the German automaker.



Madigan filed the complaint in Cook County Circuit Court and is asking for civil penalties against Volkswagen for violating state environmental laws. Approximately 29,800 cars sold by the Volkswagen Group with their emissions cheating device are believed to reside in Illinois.

In a press release, Madigan said Volkswagen promoted its cars as environmentally friendly, clean diesel vehicles that in fact, polluted our air and our communities by breaking state and federal emissions laws.

The lawsuit asks the court to assess a penalty of up to $50,000 for any violations of regulations as well as an additional $10,000 penalty per day which the regulation was being violated.

In a statement, VW spokesperson Jeannine Ginivan said Volkswagen is committed to reaching a fair and efficient resolution of remaining federal and state diesel claims in the United States.

[We] will review Illinois complaint and respond appropriately, she said.

PHOTO GALLERY
Massachusetts voters appear to have been headed toward a solid rejection of a bid to raise the cap on the number of charter schools allowed to open in the state, with supporters of the measure known as Question 2 conceding before all votes were even counted.

With more than 40 percent of precincts reporting results, 62 percent of voters had cast their ballots to block the measure, and 37 percent had voted in favor, according to the Associated Press.

The ballot question to expand the presence of charters in the state had drawn national attention : political heavy-weights such as U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and billionaire and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg weighed in on the initiative, and millions have poured in from out-of-state organizations and donors to sway voters on the issue.

As of Election Day, campaigns for and against Question 2 had collectively spent more than $41 million.

Groups supporting lifting the charter school cap raised more than $26 million, while opponents of the measure raised a little over $15 million, according to the most recent campaign finance records.

In the end, the additional money didnt pay off.

Although we are disappointed with tonights result, the work being done by Massachusetts best-in-the-nation public charter schools continues, the Vote Yes on 2 Campaign said in a statement. These great schools will continue to provide first-rate education choices to kids stuck in failing schools. The creation of the charter movement, and the effort to reform a system that has changed so little in a hundred years isnt easy, but we know the thousands of parents, teachers and students that have fueled this campaign will press on.

The most recent poll from Suffolk University and the Boston Globe showed voters evenly split on the charter cap question, but with 9 percent still undecided when the poll results were released two weeks ago.

The statewide cap on charter schools is set at 120 campuses under current lawwhich is a fairly restrictive cap compared to many other states. Even though Massachusetts hasnt hit that ceiling of 120 schools yet, some areassuch as Bostonhave reached separate, regional limits.

Question 2 would have allowed the state to approve 12 new charter schools a year.

This is the culmination of a three-pronged push started by advocates last year to raise the cap that included legislation and a lawsuit in addition to the ballot initiative .

But the bill fizzled last legislative session, and a Suffolk County Superior Court judge recently dismissed the lawsuit.

Related stories:

Photo: A sign promoting a ballot question to eliminate the cap on charter schools is seen outside a polling station in Dudley Square in Boston, on Nov. 8. Michael Dwyer/AP
A vfx film called M.A.M.O.N.Monitor Against Mexicans Over Nationwide, lampooning U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trumps stance on immigration and his proposal to build a U.S.-Mexico wall, has surpassed one million views on YouTube since being posted 10 days ago.

The short features a zany, raging battle between a giant mecha-Trump and stereotypical members of the Mexican and Latino community, including the quinceanera, the quetzalcoatl, the lucha libre, the mariachi, and the chapulin colorado.

The team behind M.A.M.O.N is Uruguayan production house Aparato. The film, directed by Ale Damiani, is part of the companys Wecanfixit project. Its stated mission is to change the world using our geeky weapons: cinematography, visual effects and CGI. Our motto: Making the world a better place, one pixel at a time.
One of the animation highlights of the just-concluded election season was The Late Show with Stephen Colberts frequent conversations with Republican candidate (and as of last night, President-elect) Donald Trumpthe cartoon version, that is. A frequent and hilarious guest, cartoon Donald has talked with Colbert about various issues in his campaign, including his contentious relationship with the media and his strategy to win over Sanders supporters.

Cartoon Donald Trump is the brainchild of lead animator Tim Luecke and senior digital producer and writer Rob Dubbin. Veterans of The Colbert Report, both have enjoyed creating something outside the realm of what people expect to see on televisionreal-time interaction with an animated character. Cartoon Brew spoke with them about how Adobe Character Animator helps them break new ground in late night television.

Cartoon Brew: How did you first get interested in working with Adobe Character Animator?

Tim Luecke: Id been reading about Character Animator before the initial preview launch. As someone who used to build complex After Effects rigs to accomplish 2D animation, this sounded like a tool that would make my life easier. The day the first preview launched I downloaded it, rigged up some characters Id animated in After Effects, and showed them around the office. Everyone was excited but we didnt know what to do with it at the time. Six months later we decided to look into it again and it was exponentially more sophisticated.

Rob Dubbin: We started up a little skunkworks to figure out if it was something we could do on the live show. We looped in producers, crew, the control room, and the director to set up a cartoon that Stephen could interact with from his desk.

What were the previous challenges working with live animation?

Tim Luecke: On The Colbert Report, we always wanted to do animated bits, but they required so much preplanning and preproduction. We did one three-and-a-half minute short that took a few months to create. We had aspirations to do more, but its so hard to think ahead three days, let alone three months with late night TV.

Rob Dubbin: I worked on a series of cartoons on The Colbert Report that were tightly scripted and highly orchestrated. But whenever Stephen tried to interact with a cartoon, the delay between the animation and his jokes always bugged me. You just didnt feel like the two characters were in the same room with each other.

When did you realize you could add live animation to the show?

Tim Luecke: The big breakthrough moment was when we figured out we could rig it so the character was actually in the physical studio space with Stephen live.

Rob Dubbin: In March, we came up with the silly idea of creating an Irish ancestor for Stephen to talk to. Tim rigged up a cartoon and we tested it in our spare time. It was successful in practice but didnt end up airing for St. Patricks Day. We had a hiatus right after that and Tim took it upon himself to create a cartoon Donald Trump with his vacation time.

Tim Luecke: Brian Stack, one of our excellent writers who is also a voice actor and improviser, does a great Trump voice. It seemed like a good idea to have a cartoon Donald Trump at the ready for Stephen to talk to whenever he wanted. For me, it was largely an opportunity to dig deep into the program and see how sophisticated we could get with it.

What was the first animation you did on the show?

Tim Luecke: We did a live cartoon bird in one of the cold opens. We ran into a couple of glitches when streaming and the next day we contacted Dave Simons, one of the main creators of Character Animator. The team at Adobe responded quickly and offered help. They added us to the prerelease program and weve been working closely ever since to make sure were working on a build that will work the best for our needs. We did the cartoon bluebird on Monday and on Wednesday we did a full-fledged cartoon Donald Trump.

Tell us about the first cartoon Donald Trump segment.

Rob Dubbin: It all happened pretty quickly. I was in Tims office playing with the character and noticed that when you angled away toward the edge of the camera field the cartoon recoiled as if it were deathly afraid of something. In the news that day was a story about Trumps security removing a reporter because she was holding a ball point pen that Trump speculated could have been a little bomb. I thought if we had Stephen hold a pen toward cartoon Donald Trump it would be fun to watch the cartoon recoil in fear.

Tim Luecke: We performed it in front of Stephen on a laptop with Brian doing Trumps voice and one of the producers holding the pen. It got a good laugh and we made the decision to do it that day. Its both weird and wonderful to have live physical comedy with a cartoon character.

What do you like about working with Adobe Character Animator?

Rob Dubbin: Its really breathtaking to see the possibilities Character Animator opens up for someone like Tim, who is so talented and prolific. The software is a magnifier of his talent and ability to turn things around in a day. As a writer, I love the gestures. Brian does the voice and the shoulders and another writer does the control of the gestures, keyboard triggers, and whatever other surprises we have baked into the puppet. Watching the way a performer can use those expressively is enjoyable.

Tim Luecke: Character Animator gives us freedom to be really nimble and swift. Once you have a puppet you can try out a gesture in Adobe Photoshop CC and within five minutes see if it works in Character Animator. I feel like Im building a cool toy; when I hand it off to the team they can spend 15 minutes and come up with something Im not expecting them to do.

If needed, we can also rewrite a whole segment between rehearsal and taping and the cartoon will act accordingly. Its been a perfect fit for this world of improvisation that we live in where things get changed at the last minute.

Is there anything that has surprised you in Character Animator?

Tim Luecke: As soon as I figured out you could do frame by frame animation and trigger it in the program livethat really made it invaluable. Recently we put a Rastafarian hat on Trump and the ease with which we could make the dreadlocks dangle and put physics on them was amazing. It makes it look like Im doing something really cool, but Im just using the dangle command in Character Animator!

What else do you have planned leading up to the election?

Tim Luecke: We recently introduced Cartoon Hillary Clinton during our live DNC shows. It was very nerve-wracking from a production standpoint, because it was the first time we used Character Animator to do a live-to-air bit. But it worked great. Half an hour before we went live, Bill Clinton made a speech that drew a contrast between the real Hillary Clinton and the cartoon version of her. Thankfully, Id been working on a Cartoon Hillary, and we had a writer, Jen Spyra, who could do the voice, so we got to comment on the speech less than an hour after Bill delivered it. The audience loved it.

What does Stephen think of these special guests?

Rob Dubbin: His joy interacting with a cartoon that is both in front of him and not in front of him is palpable. He thrives on that sort of thing.

Tim Luecke: We got some big hugs!

Learn more about Adobe Character Animator and try it for yourself. Also, read the Character Animator data sheet and watch this video of Character Animator tips and tricks.
Photo: Contributed

Most of the time, attention and treatment in mental illness focus on obvious primary symptoms such as mood, anxiety or psychosis.

However, another important aspect of these conditions involves cognitive function and it deserves a much closer look.

Typically, treatment of psychiatric disorders focuses on symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, delusions, mania or hallucinations.

We know how to treat these and most of the time can reduce or eliminate these symptoms in the short term.

While patients often improve in these areas, they still have problems with memory, learning new information, finding words, staying focused or some other aspect of what we call cognitive functioning.

We are not good at measuring cognitive function or treating it when it is impaired. It is a complicated problem because we almost never have a pre-illness baseline measure of cognitive ability to work with.

As a result, when we measure it post-illness, we dont know how it compares with functioning at its best.

Often, a patient reports impaired cognitive functioning, but when it is measured, it appears to be average. Without a history we dont know how their normal ability compared to the average for the test norms.

It could be that their functioning has declined from an earlier level or that it has been affected in some way we are not identifying with our crude measurements.

In other cases we can clearly see a decline in cognitive functioning, but we cant see why the decline has occurred. An example is pseudo-dementia.

I had a patient who was recovering from a serious bipolar depression and having significant memory problems.

We did the same kind of testing we use for dementia patients and these showed the individual to be suffering moderate impairment indistinguishable from what would be seen in Alzheimers disease.

It was severe enough that I thought the person may soon be unable to look after themself. I continued to modify the bipolar medications and eventually, and rather abruptly, the cognitive functioning returned to normal.

It seems to be fairly common for cognitive impairment and mood to improve at different rates.

In other cases we see patients who have suffered a head injury. but who also are depressed or suffering PTSD.

Cognitive testing shows impairment. but often it is not clear whether the problems are related to the head injury or to the mood and anxiety disorders that have come on at the same time.

This can have implications for compensation related to the accident as well as for the most appropriate treatment.

Our assessment of the problems with thinking (cognitive dysfunction) can be complicated by the presence of possible effects of medication, lack of sleep, depression, anxiety, head injury or pre-existing conditions such as ADHD or learning disabilities.

Much more research is needed on this aspect of psychiatric treatment and assessment.

It would be helpful if we had easy to use, generally accepted, inexpensive methods to assess cognitive functioning at multiple points in time.

There are some methods in existence, but they are generally not covered by provincial health plans and are not readily available to most patients.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Photo: Larisa Sollib-Gagner William Sollib-Gagner shows off his potatoes.

A local young chef is hoping to spread his potato recipes across the country after making it to the top 10 in the Marilyn Denis Show's Little Chef competition.

Kelowna's 12-year-old William Sollib-Gagner recently submitted his video to the national morning show, showing four different recipes for creating Hasselback potatoes.

Voting has now begun in the Little Chef competition. The top two aspiring chefs will head to Toronto to film a cook-off on the show with Masterchef Canada judge Michael Bonacini.

The winner of the cook-off will be sent to Rome, where they'll receive lessons with an Italian chef.

William has his fingers crossed that he'll make it into the top two, as he's been passionate about cooking since he was very young.

He's been cooking with me since he could stand on the stool, said Larisa Sollib-Gagner, William's mother. For the last couple years he cooks one night a week ... he picks things like sushi and wonton soup and meatballs.

Larisa has been fostering a healthy familiarity in the kitchen with her three children, encouraging them to help with meals and even adding secret ingredients to dinners so the kids can guess what the mystery flavour is.

She says William has really taken to the kitchen.

He's the one that has really gotten into it, Larisa said.

William is also very adventurous when it comes to trying new foods. One birthday, he begged his parents to let him try escargot, and another time, he had his parents find several types of edible bugs to top his birthday cake with.

I remember going out for my dad's 65th birthday and William was about eight, and he misread the menu and ordered the lion, because he thought it was lion, but it was loin of something, Larisa said laughing.

While his mother says he's still young, William is definitely considering a career in the food industry when he grows up.

And lessons with a chef in Rome would be a great head start for that dream.

People can see William's video and vote on the Marilyn Denis Show's website. Votes can be cast once per day until Nov. 27.
Photo: Contributed

In just one month, there will be eight new support recovery beds coming to Kelowna to service the Central Okanagan.

The Bridge Youth & Family Services successfully created the spaces to provide clients a safe, substance-free setting while they await residential treatment, return from residential treatment, or transition to a more stable lifestyle.

In April, Interior Health announced its plan to open 73 new substance use treatment beds, including 57 support recovery beds and 16 withdrawal management beds.

Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick says the eight beds are part of the provinces commitment to add 500 substance use beds by 2017.

They will help transition those in the Central Okanagan requiring help to get back on their feet and to their loved ones, said Letnick.

The Bridge Youth & Family Services anticipate the eight new support recovery beds will begin receiving clients in December.

IH Board Chair Erwin Malzer explains that IH is working to shift the health-care system away from hospitals and towards care being provided in a community setting.

Having these beds available in the Central Okanagan meets our goal for helping our clients directly within the communities and areas they call home, she said.

A new Joint Task Force on Overdose Prevention and Response was announced by Premier Christy Clark in July, to help support and treat residents of B.C. with substance use issues.

Having Canadas leading economy gives us the ability to make investments that help people who need it, including those suffering from mental health or substance use, said Clark, MLA for Westside-Kelowna. Its about helping people  and the people who love them  on the journey towards recovery.

In the past two years, the Province has opened more than 220 new beds as part of the commitment to add additional substance use spaces and ensure better access to appropriate substance use supports.
Dustin Godfrey

A Penticton startup lighting company, which recently took a prize at an international competition, says its lamps are the first of their kind.

Loom Inc.'s prototype Diaphanous lamp took second place in one of three categories at the LAMP 2016 competition in Vancouver last week.

The startup is looking to patent its designs, which run LED lighting through what would normally be the lampshade. CEO Matthew Kennedy says that makes for a more efficient light source.

Typically, a lightbulb would run about 80 lumens per watt, but when that bulb goes into a fixture with a lampshade, that's reduced to as low as 40 lumens per watt, according to Kennedy.

"Our products, on the other hand, we're offering between 100 and 130 lumens per watt," he said. "In essence, we're capable of getting the same amount of light for one-third of the energy."

On top of that, the fixture's lack of a bulb also means consumers won't have to worry about buying new bulbs, and it also means fewer bulbs being tossed.

"Around 30,000 hours is a typical longevity for our products, and there's around 8,000 hours in a year at full operating time," he said. "That's ... over three-and-a-half years of continuous use."

But because people typically just use lamps during darker hours, about a third of the day, Kennedy says that could mean up to a 10-year lifespan.

Kennedy says the lamps are expected to cost about $1,300.

The company has seen 10 pre-orders so far, most of which have come from the Toronto area, but Loom president and COO Yves Gagnon said some interest is coming in from local showrooms as well.

"It's nice to get involved with the local companies; we get a lot of positive response," he said. "It just makes our venture move forward that much faster."

The company hopes to have a salable product by the end of March.
Photo: Contributed

The Penticton Okanagan Rotary Club has recognized a local resident for his work with youth and the Boy Scout movement.

Alan Dawkins has been awarded the Paul Harris Award, the second of such awards being presented to honour unsung citizens in the city who selflessly volunteer their time and effort.

The award is named after the founder of the Rotary movement, Paul Harris, and it has often been used by Rotary Clubs around the world to recognize people who exemplify the Rotary motto of Service above Self.

Recipients are known as Paul Harris Fellows, and include people such as Jonas Salk, inventor of one of the first vaccines for polio.

Dawkins was born in London, England, where he joined the Scouts program as a Wolf Cub. He stayed involved in the program after emigrating to Calgary and the age of 15. He eventually moved to the Okanagan where he became a Cub leader in Penticton in 1975.

He rose through the volunteer ranks, becoming the Assistant Regional Commissioner for Rovers in 1980, the oldest section of Scouting for young men and women.

He lead the management and fundraising for Scouting properties in the South Okanagan, such as Camp Boyle near Summerland, two cabins at Apex, and Camp Secrest near Oliver. In all, 45 years of his life was dedicated to youth.

He has also been a volunteer at the Soup Kitchen and volunteered as stage manager for the Community Concerts organization.

The Paul Harris Award was presented by Jean Jacobsen, President of the Penticton Okanagan Rotary Club, who congratulated Alan for his years of service and noted that nominations from the public for future Unsung Citizen awards are welcome. The group plans on handing out about four awards a year.

Nominations can be submitted by letter or email at [email protected]
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

A Penticton judge sentenced a man to 157 days in prison on Tuesday for a series of thefts.



With credit for time served, Benjamin Joe, 38, will be behind bars for 44 more days.



Joe pleaded guilty to several charges of theft, fraud and possession of stolen property, connected to incidents that took place in late 2015 and early 2016.

He was caught with a backpack full of merchandise at The Urban Dollar Store, dined and dashed at Sushi Genki in Penticton and stole wallets from both the Rosedale Medical Clinic in Summerland and a locker at the community centre. He went on to use the stolen credit cards for purchases.



Judge Meg Shaw said she took the accuseds history of theft, dating back to years, into consideration, what she described as a sad history.

She pointed to a pattern where alcohol has been a problem, adding Joe also gets aggressive when confronted for his criminal behaviour, raising safety concerns.



His defence lawyer explained that alcoholism is at the root of his client's problems and that he has been accepted to Discovery House in Penticton. Joe admitted that he was aware he needed to make changes.



Shaw also handed him 18 months probation, with conditions prohibiting him from attending the sites of the thefts.
Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet File Photo Wendi Swarbrick will remain on as treasurer of the Rutland Park Society.

The Rutland Park Society has a new board of directors.

Elections at the recently held annual general meeting concluded a tumultuous year that included public finger pointing and accusations by supporters of then-president Todd Sanderson and treasurer Wendi Swarbrick.

Much of it had to do with the state of Centennial Hall and whether to renovate it or completely rebuild it.

It culminated with most of the previous board resigning en masse during a meeting July 20. Sanderson tendered his resignation a month later.

Ross Kulak was elected the new president of the society.

We have seen a great influx of members and support from our community over the past few months, said Kulak. We are looking forward to a positive year moving forward and are anticipating beginning renovations on Centennial Hall right away.

Also elected to the new board, Dawn Thiessen (VP), Wendi Swarbrick (treasurer), David Buckna (secretary) plus five directors at large, Bob Dhanwant, Traci Savel, Suhkdev Goraya, Steve Swarbrick and Chase Jestley.

The society also launched a new website, which will feature updates on coming events, the community market, Centennial Hall and the 58th annual May Days celebration.

We are all looking forward to a great year with lots of great activities for the entire community, added Kulak.
We often write about the trouble that school districts around the country have finding qualified people to teach science and the other STEM subjects of technology, engineering, and math.

Michael Marder , the co-founder and co-director of UTeach , a program that prepares STEM students at 45 universities to become middle and high school teachers, argues that the problem is our countrys single biggest obstacle to progress.

But why is it so hard to find STEM teachers? And what can be done to make it easier?

To find out, Education Week Commentary editors went to the source, asking classroom teachers, researchers, and those charged with preparing teachers these questions. The editors also brought together a panel of leaders in the STEM field from the world of business to get more insight on the problem and possible solutions.

But even when schools find STEM teachers, those educators may not be prepared to do the job well.

A researcher who leads professional development for science teachers, Kirsten Daehler , just flat out says, "...its tough to teach science well.

Daehler is a professional learning specialist at WestEd where she directs Making Sense of Science, a professional development program for teachers . She says the key to making sure all students have outstanding science teachers is continuous learning.

Please check out this special section, Science Learning: Under the Microscope , and share your thoughts with us on this very important topic in education.
Photo: Contributed

A Kelowna couple will be appearing on Canadian television later this month  thanks to their savvy business skills.

Louis-Philippe Lavoie and his wife, Ruthy Penner, were invited to appear on Dragons Den, a popular CBC show, last May to try their hand at launching the family company Nooks Design.

Just this week they found out they made the cut and will premier on the show Nov. 30.

While they cant say much about what happened, they are both excited to have had the opportunity to appear before the Dragons.

Lavoie is hoping local residents will tune in and support their homemade business that uses upcycled material for childrens clothes.

Nooks, named after their oldest daughter Anouk, are shoes and clothing for children made out of pre-loved items.

Their business spawned out of a trip to the thrift store three-years-ago to buy shoes for their new baby.

Penner is a former seamstress who used repurposed items from the thrift store to make shoes and clothes for her children.

Now the company has nine seamstress and a growing client base thanks to Etsy and other local Canadian stores.

Back in May Louis-Philippe said they are looking for a Dragon who can help them locate material and distribute the product.
Photo: Facebook - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Food security experts will flock to Kelowna next week to speak about the future of food in the province.

The annual BC Agrifood and Seafood Conference will be held at the Coast Capri Hotel Nov. 14-15, where more than 35 experts from across North America will speak on a variety of issues.

The theme of the conference, titled Growing the Future Together, revolves around strengthening food supply security through technology, planning, urban agriculture and climate change mitigation.

The conference will include an exhibitor showcase where B.C. Companies with innovative practices and technologies can show off their innovations.

The two-day event will also feature the Agritech Innovation Challenge, where entrants develop a product or process that enhances productivity and profitability, minimizes losses, or promotes more sustainable practices.

Submissions will be judged by a panel of experts with possible funding opportunities for the winners.

Agrifood sales in the province surpassed $13 billion in 2015. The province hope to help grow the sector to a $15 billion industry by 2020.
Photo: Facebook

The only two female candidates in the Alberta Progressive Conservative leadership race are calling it quits, one of them citing Trump-style intimidation tactics in the campaign.

Sandra Jansen, a Calgary member of the legislature, says she was harassed at a party policy convention in Red Deer on the weekend and has been attacked on social media.

Jansen says volunteers from another campaign attacked her for speaking up for women's reproductive rights and children's rights.

Former Tory cabinet minister Donna Kennedy-Glans says she is also withdrawing from the race because politics in Alberta is polarizing and there is limited opportunity for centrist voices to be heard.

Neither candidate mentions former Conservative MP Jason Kenney by name, but Jansen says party members should work for a candidate who opposes the "Trump-style politics imported to Alberta from Ottawa."

Kenney could not immediately be reached for comment.
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

The Penticton RCMP arrested an impaired driver over the weekend, after a witness reported seeing a vehicle run several red lights.

The grey Honda was observed running the lights near Haynes Street and Nanaimo Avenue on the night of Nov. 6, eventually colliding with a parked Ford F-150.

The witness saw the driver get out, monitoring the individual until police arrived.

The driver failed a breathalyzer test and was charged with impaired driving, receiving an immediate driving ban.

There were no reported injuries.

Community Policing Coordinator Rick Dellebuur applauded the witness for reporting the driver and maintaining continuity of the incident.
Photo: Contributed

Motorists who routinely use Pleasant Valley Road may want to alter their commute.

Crews from WPT Electronics will be installing new overhead fibre along Pleasant Valley Road from 20th Street to the 4400 block Nov. 13-14.

Single-lane closure will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Photo: The Canadian Press Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr

The Liberal government has named a diverse, five-person panel to make recommendations on overhauling the national energy regulator.

The group appointed Tuesday by Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr will examine the structure, role and mandate of the National Energy Board, which has become embroiled in controversy over its reviews of contested oil pipeline proposals.

The panel is to report to Carr by March 31  not by the Jan. 1 deadline initially announced by the government back in June when it made public the draft mandate for the NEB review.

The Trudeau government announced last January that it was augmenting the existing oversight process for major energy projects, adding an examination of upstream greenhouse gas emissions and providing further public consultation in addition to the National Energy Board hearings.

But a more fundamental restructuring of the board, which was first created in 1959, was promised by the government pending a wide-ranging public consultation by a panel of experts.

"The panellists have maximum independence and liberty to be creative and I know they will be, by virtue of who they are and their disparate backgrounds," Carr said in an interview.

"So what we're saying to them is, 'Go recommend the best regulator in the world.'"

The panel is co-chaired by Helene Lauzon, president of the Quebec business council on the environment, and former Liberal MP Gary Merasty, a Saskatchewan Cree who is president of Des Nedhe Development.

There are three women and two indigenous persons on the five-member panel, which includes: David Besner, a chemical engineer who is chairman of the New Brunswick Energy Institute; Wendy Grant-John, a three-term chief of Vancouver's Musqueam who is currently senior aboriginal adviser at Deloitte; and Brenda Kenny, the former president of the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association.

In the meantime, ongoing reviews of existing energy project bids continue amid great public turbulence.

Carr has said a cabinet decision will come by mid-December on the proposed tripling of Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain oil pipeline from Alberta to Burnaby, B.C.

The looming decision has spawned protest marches and sit-ins. The city of Vancouver and the Squamish First Nation have both filed legal challenges to the NEB's conditional approval of the Trans Mountain expansion.

The board's examination of TransCanada's proposed Energy East pipeline, meanwhile, was temporarily put on hold this fall after the three panellists hearing the bid stepped down over an appearance of conflict of interest.

Pipeline protesters say the Trans Mountain and Energy East reviews lack legitimacy.
Photo: Jason Spencer

A man who rammed a fire hydrant with his pickup last year sending water spewing into the air has had his day in court.

Bradley Dean Smart, 54, has been found guilty in Vernon provincial court of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and assault of a peace officer.

RCMP officers headed to the scene on Nov. 18, 2015 after reports of a pickup "driving erratically" on the 1700 block of Kosmina Road.

"The vehicle was reported to be speeding and doing doughnuts," said Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy. "It had struck a pole, a fire hydrant, a tree and another vehicle and then fled the scene. There were numerous other people in the area at the time." No one was injured.

Although Smart had left the scene, he was located and arrested by RCMP a short time later.

A pre-sentence report has been ordered by the court. Smart's next appearance is on Dec. 19.
Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

The City of Penticton denies wrongdoing in its recent response to a lawsuit from the owners of two car dealerships, diverting the responsibility to contractors.

RJS Holdings operates Sentes Automotive, a group that owns the Penticton Honda and Penticton Hyundai dealerships. In its original suit, filed on Oct. 3, the company claims its cars and building suffered paint damage from nearby sandblasting.

The city, the lawsuit claims, owns the waste water treatment plant at 459 Waterloo Ave., in close proximity to the two dealerships.

The RJS claim says the city contracted Penticton Sandblasting and Painting to do work at the treatment plant, on or about April 30, 2015, but in doing its work, over-spray fell onto the premises, building and vehicles.

The damage resulted in costs to repair and clean the vehicles and building, engineering and consulting costs associated with the repair work and costs from disruption to business, according to RJS.

The city's response denies the claims, saying it has not had any hand in wrongdoing against the dealerships, including denying that any loss or damage has been done as a result of negligence by city employees.

However, if damage has been done, the city's claim places the responsibility on Penticton Sandblasting and Painting, "for whom the city is not responsible."

The city's response came on Nov. 1, 29 days following the lawsuit. However, the original document says the response was to be filed within 21 days of the suit.

It's not immediately clear whether the city will receive any punishment for going outside the allotted time, and Penticton Sandblasting and Painting has yet to respond to the claim.
Photo: CTV

A chief says it's about time for indigenous leaders to take charge of the youth suicide crisis in northern Saskatchewan instead of going to funerals.

Ron Michel, grand chief of the Prince Albert Grand Council, says advice from young people on how to stop kids from taking their own lives will be critical.

Michel and Chief Bobby Cameron, of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, have announced a community medicine gathering in Prince Albert for Dec. 5 and 6.

Cameron says his group needs to gather input directly from youth, parents, experts and educators as it deals with the deaths of six young girls since mid-October.

Michel says he knows there are many young people who are role models in their communities.

He hopes they'll come away from the conference inspired to be sources of support for their peers.

"All of us around here were kids at one time, and you would sooner talk to your friend sometimes," he said Tuesday at a news conference in Saskatoon.

Michel said he wants to assure young people that their voices will be heard and their suggestions taken seriously.

"We cannot stand by as leaders ... to go to funerals. We have to start doing something."

Cameron said the gathering is to feature presentations from experts and include a wide-ranging open forum for youth to bring their concerns and ideas to their leaders. It's to be the first of many meetings and indigenous leaders plan to keep the premier and children's advocate involved.

Cameron suggested a big part of the solution lies with the RCMP shutting down drug sales in the North.

He said if police can stop someone for not using a seatbelt, they should have no issue arresting people selling drugs to youth.

Cameron said he has received word that some of the recent suicides involving girls between 10 and 14 were related to drug use. Four of the girls were from the Lac La Ronge Indian band.

Cameron and Premier Brad Wall are to be in La Ronge on Wednesday.

Wall has said plans are in the works to increase mental-health resources and he's interested in the idea of a mental-health and addictions centre in the North.

Tammy Cook-Searson, chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian band, said last week that the key to stopping suicides will be letting young people know that people want to help them, their friends or family if they are hurting.

Last month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the suicides in northern Saskatchewan a tragedy and said the federal government is committed to working with indigenous communities to deal with the problem.

Health Canada has said more mental-health workers and other health-care professionals have been sent to communities that have requested them.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A bitterly fought election campaign with no equal in modern American history is finally nearing its long-awaited conclusion  and the ballots are being counted.

Friendly and even-tempered is not how anyone would describe the 2016 presidential battle between Donald Trump, the brash businessman-turned-improbable Republican nominee, and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

U.S. Ambassador Bruce Heyman, who is hosting a viewing party at Ottawa's historic Chateau Laurier hotel next to Parliament Hill, predicted a smooth transition regardless of who wins.

The hotel ballroom was festooned with red, white and blue balloons and bunting, along with video screens showing live CNN coverage and a rolling Twitter feed.

Before guests arrived, Heyman paced the room talking to staff and surveying a large board showing a map of the U.S. Electoral College.

"Having gone through the day, watching Americans coming out all across the country in record numbers and seeing the large number of votes that were in early, I'm very relaxed," Heyman said in an interview.

"One of the things we have to be most proud of is the smooth transitions in our government."

Early results saw Trump claim victory in Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia, while Clinton won Vermont. Polls also closed in North Carolina and Ohio, each expected to be among the night's most competitive races.

A winner likely won't emerge until after 8 p.m. local time.

One Canadian official, who was not authorized to discuss the election publicly and so spoke on condition of anonymity, described a Clinton win as "same old, same old" when it comes to Canada's foreign-policy priorities.

Clinton will have her hands too full with domestic matters, to say nothing of a vitriolic political climate at home post-election, to make much progress or put much focus on bilateral relations.

"She's coming in with a lot of baggage attached," the official said. There's going to be so much animosity... She's going to be in a straitjacket."

Should Trump manage to pull out a victory, Canadians can take some measure of comfort in the fact Trump apparently has a lot of respect for Justin Trudeau and his international celebrity status, added the official, who has spoken to the Trump campaign about the prime minister.
UPDATED

Georgia voters soundly defeated a measure sought by Gov. Nathan Deal to change the state constitution to create a special district to take over low-performing schools.

Unofficial election results from Georgias secretary of state on Wednesday showed that, with all precincts reporting, the measure to create a so-called Opportunity School District was defeated, with 60 percent of voters rejecting it, and 40 percent voting in favor.

The Opportunity School District was expected to be a signature piece of education policy for Deal .

He had framed the districts creation in personal terms, arguing that it was the states moral duty to rescue some 68,000 or so students who attend schools that were among the lowest-performing for three consecutive years, and to provide those students with better education options.

The measures defeat was foreshadowed in a poll the Atlanta Journal-Constitution published on Oct. 21, which showed that 59 percent of the 1,000 likely registered voters it polled opposed the Opportunity School District. Thirty-four percent were in favor, and 8 percent were undecided. (The paper, for its part, has been assiduously covering every twist and turn in this debate for nearly a year.)

More than $7 million had been raised through early November by groups both for and against the measure, the AJC also reported this month.

An unlikely, but formidable, coalition of teachers unions, school boards, district administrators, the state PTA , and some conservative Republicans strongly opposed the measure. But, illustrating how fraught the issue was, some school boards and district superintendents backed Gov. Deal. The governors allies also included Democrats and Republicans, as well as national education reform groups such as 50CAN.

The Opportunity District was modeled in part on Louisianas Recovery School District and Tennessees Achievement School District.

However, two things had to fall into place before Georgia could follow Louisianas and Tennessees lead. The legislature had to pass a bill to create the new statewide district. And Georgia had to amend its constitution to create the district, precipitating the need for the ballot question.

The district would have been run by a superintendent who would have reported only to the governor. Up to 20 schools would have been selected annually. Schools would have been subjected to a number of interventions, including closure, charter conversion, or collaboration with the local district to improve them.

While the law required the superintendent to hold community meetings and get feedback from parents and the community on what was best for targeted schools, the final decision about what schools to include in the district and the interventions they would get would have been left to the sole discretion of the superintendent.

Proponents argued the takeover was a temporarybut necessarymeasure to provide a better education for students who languish too long in failing schools. They also argued that it would give parents and communities a greater voice in how schools would be run.

Opponents, however, argued that the proposal was an attempt to wrest local control and tax dollars from districts. Some educators, including DeKalb County superintendent Stephen Green and Valarie Wilson of the Georgia School Boards Association, told Education Week last month that districts were already working to turn around chronically low-performing schools, and some had started new programs, including principal support, wraparound services, and teacher-training, in some of those schools. The ballot questions language was also criticized for being vague and prompted a lawsuit.

Will the rejection of Georgias proposal deter other states from considering this kind of turnaround approach?

Probably not. Georgia&dmash;with the additional layer of the constitutional amendmentmight just be a special case, Nelson Smith, a senior adviser to the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, told us last month as the debate heated up in the Peach State.

I do think the fact that [Georgia] requires a constitutional referendum may make it an outlier, and reduce the impact that it might have on other states, because states can go a long way toward doing this administratively or through simple statutes, without having to go through the kind of protracted debates that Georgia is going through, Smith said.

The Georgia effort had to cross two hurdles.

It basically requires two political debatesone about the legislation itself, and then the second about the constitutional measure, the referendum, Nelson said at the time. Its before the public for a long time. And, in a sense, thats very healthyit lets everybody get their views on the table. But it does make it a more pointed political issue.
Photo: Facebook

A Montreal woman with ties to an international feminist group was arrested Tuesday after staging a topless protest inside a New York City polling station being used for the U.S. presidential election, police said.

Neda Topaloski, 30, and Tiffany Robson, 28, from Seattle, took off their tops and started chanting slogans against Donald Trump inside the building where the Republican candidate was scheduled to cast a ballot, according to New York City police.

The police source, who did not want to be identified, said Topaloski and Robson were arrested and charged with electioneering, a disorderly conduct-related violation.

They were released and given a criminal summons to appear in a Manhattan courtroom at a later date.

It is a crime in New York to disrupt a polling station but not for women to be topless.

Topaloski has previously disrupted events in the Commons and at the Quebec national assembly.

Last April, she posed as a journalist to get into a news conference inside Quebec's legislature and began screaming to raise awareness about what she described as an anti-abortion bill.

Topaloski is known for her role in the international feminist group called Femen, whose members stage topless protests around the world.

Femen tweeted about the incident later on Tuesday, posting a photo of one of the women being arrested at the polling station.

"Femen activists protest Trump at the voting station shortly before his arrival," the group tweeted. "HATE OUT OF THE POLLS!"
Castanet's Wayne Moore is giving live U.S. election updates on the hour.

As the votes pour in Tuesday night, Moore will update on the latest numbers and key developments.

For the 10 p.m. update, watch below.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Chinese state media and government-backed commentators are continuing to signal Beijing's preference for a Donald Trump win in the U.S. presidential election.

Like Russia, China is seen as favouring Trump because he appears less willing to confront China's newly robust foreign policy, particularly in the South China Sea. Clinton, by contrast, is disliked in Beijing for having steered the U.S. "pivot" to Asia aimed at strengthening U.S. engagement with the region, particularly in the military sphere.

Writing in the Communist Party newspaper Global Times, scholar Mei Xinyu says: "From a comprehensive view, it would make it easier for China to cope if Trump is elected. This is because under the policy line advocated by Obama and Clinton, the political and military frictions between China and the U.S. will be more frequent.
Photo: The Canadian Press

UPDATED: 8:40 p.m.

The increasingly likely prospect of a Donald Trump presidency roiled North American futures markets and sent Asian stocks and oil prices tumbling in Wednesday trading, setting up what was likely to be a rough ride for investors in Canada, where energy and commodity prices are key.

After scoring gains earlier  when it seemed like Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton would thump her Republican foe  Japan's Nikkei 225 index dropped 2.2 per cent, while market benchmarks in Australia, South Korea's and Hong Kong tumbled similar amounts.

Dow and S&P futures also plunged after safe-play stocks, such as utilities and phone companies, were among the biggest gainers on Tuesday as investors focused on the U.S. presidential election.

Wall Street had largely seen Clinton as more likely to maintain the status quo, while viewing Trump's polices as less clear.

"Rightly or wrongly, markets are going to be concerned about a Trump victory, particularly given the potential consequences for world trade and its impact on many large companies in the U.S. stock market," said Ric Spooner, chief analyst at CMC Markets in Sydney.

"Like Brexit, the rally over the last two days increases the downside potential."

Spooner compared the situation to the sharp global market declines following the Brexit vote in which Britain unexpectedly voted to leave the European Union.

Currencies also took a hit as Trump edged toward the winner's circle.

In overnight trading, the Canadian dollar dipped a full cent against the greenback before recovering slightly.

The Mexican peso, which had been viewed as a proxy for Trump's chances of winning, plunged about 10 per cent, while the U.S. dollar also fell against the yen.

The concerns over Trump spread to oil prices, which saw benchmark U.S. crude futures down $1.05 to $43.93 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Photo: Ray Hammond A notice from City of Vernon bylaw has been taped to a tree, giving residents of a tent city five days to vacate.

They have been told to get out, but where are they going to go?

Those living in a tent city behind London Drugs have been given five days to clear out, but Ty Hero wonders where they are going to go.

Hero is a member of the Okanagan Chapter of the Soldiers of Odin and he and other members visited the London Drugs camp and the tent city at Polson Park Tuesday to check in on the inhabitants and to see what they needed.

What he saw was a letter taped to a tree by City of Vernon bylaw warning the inhabitants they have five days to move out.

Those five days are up on Sunday, the same day members of the SOO will be at the London Drugs camp distributing warm clothing and food.

Where are they supposed to go? That's my concern, said Hero. It's not going to solve anything. They will still be homeless. Regardless of your position on our homeless, we can all agree that this will cause immediate issues in our neighborhoods as panic sets in and many  if not all  of these people have nowhere to go.

Hero said part of the reason for their visit on Tuesday was to get a better idea of just how many people are homeless in the community. The numbers surprised him.

The numbers are roughly 25-30 that stay in the camps between the two tent cities  the one behind Polson (Park) and the London Drugs one, said Hero, adding he was told there was at least another 20 people living rough in the city.

We did a coat drive a month ago. We bought 40 coats and we got rid of all of them. Those were people we actually met up with, he said.

My group usually goes out biweekly, for the past three months or so.

Hero and his fellow SOO members are getting to know the area's homeless and he is taking note of what they need, especially with winter on the way.

A lot of guys want to work, but they need steel-toed boots. Foamies are the biggest things. Warm clothing, gloves, toques; sleeping bags are a preferred item, he said, adding the donated goods do not even have to be in top shape.

Anything to get under their body and over their head helps. Even plain old tarps help.
Photo: The Canadian Press

UPDATE: 10:45 p.m.

California, Massachusetts and Nevada voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, giving a huge boost to the campaign to allow pot nationwide. Six more states also voted on marijuana measures, while others voted on gun control and capital punishment.

In Nebraska, voters reinstated the death penalty, reversing the Legislature's decision last year to repeal capital punishment. Nebraska has not executed an inmate since 1997; 10 men currently sit on death row.

Colorado voters approved a measure that will allow physicians to assist a terminally ill person in dying. That's already a practice in five other states. Coloradans defeated a proposal that would have set up the nation's first universal health care system.

In all, there were more than 150 measures appearing on statewide ballots. California led the pack with 17 ballot questions, including one that would require actors in porn movies to wear condoms during filming of sexual intercourse. Another would ban single-use plastic grocery bags.

UPDATE: 9 p.m.

California and Massachusetts voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, giving a huge boost to the campaign to allow pot nationwide. Seven other states also voted on marijuana measures; others were voting on gun control and the death penalty.

In Colorado, voters approved a measure that will allow physicians to assist a terminally ill person in dying. That's already a practice in five other states. Coloradans defeated a proposal that would have set up the nation's first universal health care system.

In all, there were more than 150 measures appearing on statewide ballots. California led the pack with 17 ballot questions, including one that would require actors in porn movies to wear condoms during filming of sexual intercourse. Another would ban single-use plastic grocery bags.

Five states, including Arizona, Maine and Nevada, considered whether to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.

Voters in Florida and North Dakota approved measures allowing marijuana use for medical purposes. Voters in Arkansas were considering a similar proposal. Montanans voted on whether to ease restrictions on an existing medical marijuana law.

The measure in Florida, a constitutional amendment that needed more than 60 per cent support to prevail, made the state the first in the South with a full-scale medical marijuana program.

Collectively, it was the closest the U.S. has ever come to a national referendum on marijuana, which remained prohibited under federal law.

If "yes" votes prevailed across the board, more than 23 per cent of the U.S. population will live in states where recreational pot is legal. The jurisdictions where that's already the case  Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state and the District of Columbia  have less than 6 per cent of the population.

Another hot-button issue  gun control  was on the ballot in four states, including California, which already has some of the nation's toughest gun-related laws. Proposition 63 would outlaw possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines, require permits to buy ammunition and extend California's unique program that allows authorities to seize firearms from owners who bought guns legally but are no longer allowed to own them.

UPDATE: 8:25 p.m.

California voters passed a ballot measure to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, giving a big boost to the campaign to end the drug's national prohibition.

Adults older than 21 can legally possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow six plants.

California was one of five states where votes were considering the legalization of recreational marijuana Tuesday. Four other states were considering measures to legalize medicinal marijuana.

So far, voters in Florida and North Dakota have also passed marijuana measures Tuesday.

Collectively, it's the closest the U.S. has ever come to national referendum on marijuana.

ORIGINAL: 8 p.m.

The movement to legalize marijuana faced its biggest test yet Tuesday as voters in nine states, including the nation's most populous, considered proposals to expand legal access to the drug, which is still forbidden by the federal government.

California, the first state to approve medical marijuana two decades ago, was among five states weighing whether to permit pot for adults for recreational purposes. The other states were Arizona, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada.

Florida, one of three states deciding whether to permit marijuana for medical purposes, approved the idea. Montana voted on whether to ease restrictions on an existing medical marijuana law.

If California votes "yes," recreational cannabis would be legal along the entire West Coast, giving the legalization movement powerful momentum. That could spark similar efforts in other states and put pressure on federal authorities to ease longstanding rules that classify marijuana as a dangerously addictive drug with no medical benefits.

In general, the proposals for recreational pot would treat cannabis similar to alcohol. Consumption would be limited to people 21 or older and forbidden in most public spaces. Pot would be highly regulated and heavily taxed, and some states would let people grow their own.

State-by-state polls showed most of the measures with a good chance of prevailing. But staunch opponents that included law enforcement groups and anti-drug crusaders urged the public to reject any changes. They complained that legalization would endanger children and open the door to creation of another huge industry that, like big tobacco, would be devoted to selling Americans an unhealthy drug.

According to national polls, a solid majority of Americans support legalization. Gallup's latest survey gauged support at 60 per cent, up from 14 per cent from when the question was first posed in 1969. Gallup says 13 per cent of U.S. adults currently report using marijuana, nearly double the percentage who reported using pot in 2013.

Proposition 64 would allow people 21 and older to legally possess up to an ounce of weed and grow six marijuana plants at home. Varying tax rates would be levied on sales, with the money deposited into the state's marijuana tax fund.
Photo: Contributed

Canada's immigration website appears to have crashed under a heavy load of traffic.

As the U.S. election appeared to increasingly show a possible Donald Trump presidency, the federal government's Citizenship and Immigration site crashed.

The website showed an internal server error Tuesday night.

Throughout the U.S. election, many Americans said they would emigrate to Canada if Hillary Clinton lost.

Punctuating the trend, a new dating site even launched  called Maple Match  that offered to hook up Americans wishing to move with Canadians looking for love.
Photo: The Canadian Press

The market-shaking, expectations-defying prospect of a Donald Trump presidency appeared well within the realm of possibility Tuesday, hinging perhaps on the outcome of a state rarely deemed a major electoral battlefield: Michigan.

If Trump wins Michigan, where he and Hillary Clinton were within a mere handful of votes, the billionaire showman is almost guaranteed to be president.

Trump was written off again and again, repeatedly shocking the political establishment since last year  first by running, then by becoming a contender, winning the nomination and now knocking on the door of the White House.

He vastly outperformed electoral prognostications and market forecasts that viewed a historic Hillary Clinton victory as a fait accompli, leading in Florida, taking Ohio, and mounting surprisingly strong challenges in places like Michigan, which hasn't gone Republican in decades.

Suddenly, Clinton became the underdog.

The prospect of a Trump presidency jolted the markets: futures markets plunged hundreds of points, as did the Mexican peso.

His threat to scrap trade deals and slap tariffs on foreign-made goods as punishment for job outsourcing might have dismayed many economists, businesses and brokers. Yet it was central to his message to white working-class voters in the old industrial belt.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Expectations of a shattered glass ceiling gave way to shock and disappointment Tuesday as women in Canadian political circles waited for a historic Hillary Clinton election victory that was looking less and less likely.

"I was so confident, you know? A woman president!" Olivia Chow, the former NDP MP from Toronto, said before letting out a big sigh.

"People are not ready for female leaders," Chow said as she thought about why this was happening.

"People that are not doing well are looking for someone to blame and it must be the migrants, it must be the refugees, it must be the latte-drinking city worker," said Chow, who was defeated in the 2015 election after trying to regain the seat she had given up to run unsuccessfully for mayor of Toronto.

"It's both sexist and racist elements being combined  the fear of it all," said Chow, who said she was remaining hopeful, even as the results coming through on TV spun an increasingly disappointing story.

Nancy Peckford, executive director of Equal Voice, agreed that sexism likely played a role in the result.

"If she doesn't win tonight, clearly a formidable and talented woman with a tremendous campaign team  it makes us wonder if the U.S. electorate was ready for a female president," Peckford said.

"We always thought it would be close. We saw some momentum in the fall that hasn't held. Clearly the voter base for Mr. Trump likely was more faithful and more loyal to him, despite everything, despite all the racism and misogyny.

"It is no doubt a tremendous missed opportunity for the U.S. electorate."

At one election-watching event in Toronto, Elizabeth Littlejohn broke into her boxes of Kleenex. "If a man with 20 years White House experience was running, we would be far in the lead."

Clinton had to fight a lot harder  and face "a lot harsher criticism"  because she is a woman, Emily Lukaweski added as she watched the returns at a crowded hotel bar in Toronto.

"I had this argument with someone the other day who said, 'It can't be harder for a woman to get elected than a black man,'" she said. "But look at this today."

Susie Erjavec Parker, who organized an election-watching party in Winnipeg for "nasty women" and "bad hombres"  a nod to insults Trump used in one of the presidential debates  described the mood Tuesday night as one of "nervous trepidation."

"I'm frankly still shocked that it's this close," she said. "It's a shame, because his entire candidacy has overshadowed what should be a historic win for her."

Even if Clinton loses, women can take heart at the campaign and her accomplishments, she added.
Photo: The Canadian Press

UPDATE: 11 p.m.

News of Trump's widening lead hit hard in Cuba, which has spent the last two years negotiating normalization with the United States after more than 50 years of Cold War hostility.

Normalization has set off a tourism boom in Cuba and visits by hundreds of executives from the U.S. and dozens of other nations newly interested in doing business on the island. Trump has promised to reverse Obama's opening with Cuba unless President Raul Castro agrees to more political freedom on the island, a concession considered a virtual impossibility.

While many Cubans were unaware of the state of the race early Wednesday morning, those watching state-run Telesur or listening to radio updates said they feared that a Trump victory would mean losing the few improvements they had seen in their lives thanks to the post-detente tourism boom.

"The little we've advanced, if he reverses it, it hurts us," taxi driver Oriel Iglesias Garcia said. "You know tourism will go down. If Donald Trump wins and turns everything back it's really bad for us."

ORIGINAL: 10:25 p.m.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says at this stage, it would appear that Donald Trump is most likely to claim the presidency.

Bishop told reporters in Canberra, Australia's capital, that her government is ready to work with whomever the American people, "in their wisdom," choose to be their president.

She says a U.S. presidential election is always a momentous occasion, and in this instance, "it has been a particularly bruising, divisive and hard-fought campaign."

She also says the new administration will face a number of challenges, including in Asia-Pacific, and Australia wants to work constructively with the new administration to ensure the continued presence and leadership of the United States in the region.

She calls the U.S. "our major security ally" and the largest foreign direct investor and the second-largest trading partner.

She says: "The United States is also the guarantor and defender of the rules-based international order that has underpinned so much of our economic and security issues. And interests."

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has told an aide that "the competition is closer than expected" in the U.S. election.

Aide Tateo Kawamura tells Japan's Kyodo News service that Abe is following the vote count in his office.

The Japanese government has remained neutral in public statements, but analysts on both sides of the Pacific have talked about a possible change in U.S. policy toward Japan and the rest of Asia if Republican candidate Donald Trump should win.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga is reaffirming his government's commitment to the U.S.-Japan security alliance. He tells reporters that whoever is the next president, the Japan-U.S. alliance will remain the cornerstone of Japan-U.S. diplomacy.
Head Start, the federally funded preschool program for children from low-income families, is sometimes thought of as a single entity, particularly in discussions of funding or new regulations .

But Head Start is operated by individual grantees, which have some flexibility to make the program fit the needs of the communities where they operate. And those differences can be seen in an analysis of Head Start programs in southern states, written by the Institute for Child Success, an early-childhood policy and research organization based in Greenville, S.C.

All Head Start programs are required to submit annual program information reports to the federal Office of Head Start. A Portrait of Head Start in the South draws on the reports that were submitted by Head Start programs operating in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

One interesting fact that the analysis turned up is that Head Start children in southern states are poorer than Head Start children nationwideabout 81 percent of enrollees in southern states qualified for Head Start because they came from families that have incomes equal to or below the federal poverty line, which in 2016 is $24,300 a year for a family of four. Nationally, about 72 percent of children are qualified for Head Start by virtue of their familys income.

Though Head Start is primarily for children from low-income families, there are a handful of other ways that children can qualify for the program. For example, being homeless or in foster care makes a child eligible. Head Start programs are also allowed to enroll children from slightly more affluent families if the program can show that they enrolled all income-eligible children first, or if it can be demonstrated that such children would benefit from the program.

The difference between the southern and national numbers on enrollment based on poverty raises interesting policy questions, said Megan Carolan, the author of the report and the associate policy director for the Institute for Child Success.

Its a little hard to know exactly why it works out this way. Is there a more concentrated effort in the South to find kids from low-income families, as opposed to kids who qualify in some other ways? Do we want to see higher enrollment rates for foster care/homeless children, because we know they need stability? Carolan said in an email. To me, its a starting point for a new conversation on how to reach kids who can benefit: we know there are generally more low-income children than Head Start can serve, so how can we do better?

Other information from the analysis:
Photo: The Canadian Press

Americans emphatically declared their anger at government and their desire for change Tuesday as they decided between two presidential candidates who failed to generate much excitement.

Exit polls recorded the simmering discontent of the American electorate.

Four in 10 voters said they were hungry for change, and those voters overwhelmingly favoured Republican Donald Trump. Smaller voting blocs who were seeking a candidate with good judgment, experience or who cared about them favoured Hillary Clinton.

Nearly 7 in 10 voters said they were unhappy with the way the government is working, including a quarter who said they were outright angry, according to preliminary results of exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.

Three-fourths of those angry voters backed Trump.

Six in 10 voters said the country is on the wrong track.

Other findings from the exit poll:

WORKING-CLASS WHITES vs. CLINTON COALITION

Trump dominated among white voters, especially non-college-educated men; Clinton's coalition was made up of women, minorities and young people.

RACIAL SPLIT

Even with his tough talk about Mexican immigrants, Trump held on to roughly the same share of Hispanic voters as Romney had claimed four years ago. Likewise, he was drawing about the same levels of support from black voters as Romney won.

The Republican was drawing about a quarter of Hispanic voters and about less than 1 in 10 black voters.

TO BE HONEST ...

Neither Trump nor Clinton gets bragging rights when it comes to honesty.

About 6 out of 10 voters said they don't view Clinton as honest and about the same share felt the same way about Trump.

THE GENDER GAP

It was the working-class white men backing Trump who helped to produce a gender gap with a capital "G'' for Clinton.

Clinton's support among women was roughly even with the support that women gave Obama in 2008 and 2012.

MILLENNIALS VS. ELDERS

Clinton managed to hang on to the millennials who were such a big part of Obama's winning coalition.

HOLDING THEIR NOSES

Americans held their noses as they picked between Clinton and Trump: More than half of voters cast their ballots with reservations about their candidate or because they disliked the others running.

The results among all those voting have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
Photo: Contributed

UPDATE: 12:05 a.m.

In his victory speech, Donald Trump spoke of co-operation and a national growth.

"It is time for us to come together as one united people," he said. "I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans."

He also said he wanted to work together with those who didn't support him during the campaign.

"Ours was not a campaign, but rather an incredible and great movement," he said. "It's a movement comprised of Americans of all races, religions and backgrounds," who want the government to serve the people.

"The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer," he said, pledging to fix inner-cities and rebuild infrastructure like roads and hospitals  which will become "second to none."

He added they will put millions of Americans to work.

"America will no longer settle for anything less than the best."

Trump also had a message for the nations of the world.

"We will deal fairly with everyone, all people and all other nations. We will seek common ground, not hostilities."

ORIGINAL: 11:30 p.m

Donald Trump was elected America's 45th president Tuesday, an astonishing victory for a celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalized on voters' economic anxieties, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations on his way to the White House.

His triumph over Hillary Clinton will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House and threatens to undo major achievements of President Barack Obama. He's pledged to act quickly to repeal Obama's landmark health care law, revoke the nuclear agreement with Iran and rewrite important trade deals with other countries, particularly Mexico and Canada.

The Republican blasted through Democrats' longstanding firewall, carrying Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that hadn't voted for a GOP presidential candidate since the 1980s. He needed to win nearly all of the competitive battleground states, and he did just that, claiming Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and others.

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged deeply, reflecting investor alarm over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.

A New York real estate developer who lives in a sparkling Manhattan high-rise, Trump forged a striking connection with white, working class Americans who feel left behind in a changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of the problems plaguing many Americans and tapped into fears of terrorism emanating at home and abroad.

Trump will take office with Congress expected to be fully under Republican control. GOP Senate candidates fended off Democratic challengers in key states and appeared poised to maintain the majority. Republicans also maintained their grip on the House.

Senate control means Trump will have great leeway in appointing Supreme Court justices, which could mean a major change to the right that would last for decades.

Trump upended years of political convention on his way to the White House, levelling harshly personal insults on his rivals, deeming Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers, and vowing to temporarily suspend Muslim immigration to the U.S. He never released his tax returns, breaking with decades of campaign tradition, and eschewed the kind of robust data and field efforts that helped Obama win two terms in the White House, relying instead on his large, free-wheeling rallies to energize supporters. His campaign was frequently in chaos, and he cycled through three campaign managers this year.

His final campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, touted the team's accomplishments as the final results rolled in, writing on Twitter that "rally crowds matter" and "we expanded the map."

The mood at Clinton's party grew bleak as the night wore out, with some supporters leaving, others crying and hugging each other. Top campaign aides stopped returning calls and texts, as Clinton and her family hunkered down in a luxury hotel watching the returns.

At 2 a.m., Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta told the crowd to head home for the night. "We're still counting votes and every vote should count," he said.

Trump will inherit an anxious nation, deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has offered his congratulations to U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and says he will work with the new administration.

Trudeau said Canada looks forward to working "very closely" with Trump, his administration and with the U.S. Congress in the coming years.

"Canada has no closer friend, partner, and ally than the United States," Trudeau said in a statement issued Wednesday morning.

The prime minister appeared later at a WE Day rally at Ottawa's Canadian Tire Centre, where he was greeted by roars from an energized crowd of young people.

When he acknowledged that many of them might have been up late watching the U.S. election returns, there were scattered boos from the crowd. He tried to wave off the booing and offered some encouraging words:

"The relationship between Canada and the United States is based on shared values and shared hopes and dreams and we will always work well together," he said. "We are strong because we listen to each other and we respect each other."

He said he sees a message in the election, in which Trump campaigned against perceived political elites and for ordinary folks.

"The fact is, we've heard clearly from Canadians and from Americans that people want a shared shot at success," Trudeau said. "People want to succeed. People want to know that themselves, that their families, that their kids, that their grandkids will be able to succeed and we need to work together to get that.

"We share a purpose, our two countries, where we want to build places where the middle class and those working hard to join it have a chance."

He said it is time to work together.

"We're going to keep working with people right around the world, we're going to work with our neighbours and I'm going to work with president-elect Trump's administration as we move forward in a positive way, not just for Canadians and Americans but for the whole world."

Trump claimed his election victory as America's 45th president early Thursday, after beating out Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

After he won, Trump urged Americans to "come together as one united people" despite a deeply divisive campaign.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce urged Trudeau's government to get Canada's priority issues on Trump's agenda early, to ensure they didn't get lost in the global chatter.

"Measures that improve Canada-U.S. trade should be our priority with this new administration, but there is a long list of topics we will need to address, from softwood lumber to NAFTA to pipelines," said CEO Perrin Beatty. "It will be important for our government to build a solid relationship with the new administration and to demonstrate the benefits both our countries receive from our common ties."
Photo: The Canadian Press Incumbent congressman John Mica, of Florida gets a hug from his wife, Patricia, after conceding defeat.

Republicans retained their lock on the House for two more years early Wednesday as GOP candidates triumphed in a checkerboard of districts in Florida, Virginia and Colorado that Democrats had hoped Donald Trump's divisive comments about women and Hispanics would make their own.

Democrats who'd envisioned potentially big gains in suburban and ethnically diverse districts instead were on track for disappointingly modest pickups. Republican contenders were buoyed by Trump's surprising victory in his White House bid against Democrat Hillary Clinton and his appeal to white working-class voters.

Expectations had been low that Democrats would win the 30 seats they'd needed to capture House control. But both sides had anticipated they'd cut the historic GOP majority by perhaps a dozen seats, which now seemed unlikely. Republicans currently hold a 247-188 majority, including three vacant seats, the most the GOP has commanded since their 270 in 1931.

By Wednesday morning, Republicans had at least 233 seats  guaranteeing control  and just five of their incumbents had lost. The GOP retained seats in Minnesota, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Iowa and Wisconsin that Democrats coveted, and Republicans prepared to build on their six-year run of House control.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who won a 10th term, called Trump to congratulate him on his win, and pledged to work together.

"We are eager to work hand-in-hand with the new administration to advance an agenda to improve the lives of the American people," Ryan said in a statement. He said Trump's victory "marks a repudiation of the status quo of failed liberal progressive policies."
Photo: The Canadian Press

Pakistan on Wednesday deported National Geographic's famed green-eyed "Afghan Girl" to her native Afghanistan after a regional court had convicted her on charges of carrying a forged Pakistani ID card and staying in the country illegally.

The case of Sharbat Gulla has drawn international attention and criticism of Pakistani authorities over their perceived harsh treatment of the iconic refugee.

Gulla and her four children were handed over to Afghan authorities at the Torkham border crossing, about 60 kilometres northwest of the Pakistani city of Peshawar, before dawn Wednesday.

Earlier, a visibly unhappy Gulla, clad in a blue, all-encompassing traditional women's burqa, and her children were taken from Peshawar to the border in a convoy, which included several Afghan officials, said a local government administrator Fayaz Khan.

At the crossing, Gulla turned once to look back at Pakistani territory and softly murmured good wishes for the people of Pakistan  her home of many years, according to two customs officials at the scene. The officials spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

Gulla was arrested in late October on charges of carrying fake Pakistani ID papers and staying in Pakistan illegally. A Peshawar court later ordered her deported.

She gained international fame in 1984 as an Afghan refugee girl, after war photographer Steve McCurry's photograph of her, with piercing green eyes, was published on National Geographic's cover.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Candidates vying to replace Stephen Harper as leader of the federal Conservatives are about to face off in the first of five official leadership debates organized by the party.

A dozen people have registered for the race and are expected to participate in the debate in Saskatoon tonight.

The list includes Conservative MPs Lisa Raitt, Maxime Bernier, Steven Blaney, Michael Chong, Kellie Leitch, Deepak Obhrai, Erin O'Toole, Andrew Scheer and Brad Trost.

Others who have officially joined are former immigration minister Chris Alexander, former MP Andrew Saxton and Dr. Daniel Lindsay.

One topic likely to come up is the question of Canadian identity: Leitch has said would-be immigrants and refugees should be screened for anti-Canadian values and Blaney has said he would set up a royal commission to explore the issue.

The Conservatives are to elect their new leader May 27.
Photo: Contributed

Republicans held onto their slim Senate majority Wednesday, a stinging blow to Democrats in a night full of them. Democrats had been nearly certain of retaking control but saw their hopes fizzle as endangered GOP incumbents won in Missouri, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and even Democrat-friendly Wisconsin.

GOP-held New Hampshire remained too close to call in the early morning hours Wednesday, but even if Democrats eked out a win there it would not make a difference.

Republicans started the night with a 54-46 majority in the Senate and were on track to end up with at least 52 seats, presuming they win a December runoff in Louisiana, as expected.

The outcome added to a debacle of a night for Democrats, who lost the presidency and faced being consigned to minority status on Capitol Hill for years to come.

Republicans celebrated their wins, already looking ahead to midterms in 2018 when Democrats could see their numbers reduced even further with a group of red-state Senate Democrats on the ballot.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who will serve in that role next year under a President Trump, issued a statement congratulating the president-elect.

"After eight years of the Obama administration, the American people have chosen a new direction for our nation. President-elect Trump has a significant opportunity to bring our nation together," McConnell said. "It is my hope and intent that we succeed in the years ahead by working together with our colleagues across the aisle to strengthen our national and economic security."
UPDATE: 9:10 a.m.

Hillary Clinton says she's "sorry" she didn't win the election, adding "this is painful, and it will be for a long time."

The defeated Democratic candidate gave a sombre address to supporters and staffers in New York on Wednesday, delivering what her campaign billed as a concession speech to Republican Donald Trump after his upset victory in Tuesday's election.

She urged her supporters to accept the results, saying they owe Trump an "open mind" and a "chance to lead." She says American democracy depends on "peaceful transition of power."

Clinton acknowledged that America has not "shattered that highest and hardest ceiling" with her failed bid for the White House. But she says, "someday, somebody will."

Ashen-faced aides sat in the front row as supporters in the audience sobbed at the emotional event.

She directed comments to the "little girls who are watching." She said, "you are valuable and powerful and deserving" of every opportunity in the world.

Clinton said the campaign has been "one of the greatest honours" of her life. She describes the outcome as "painful," but says the effort was not about her but "the country we love."

With her onstage are husband Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton.

Meanwhile, Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine, said the defeated Democratic candidate has made history by paving the way for women to run for president.

Speaking ahead of Clinton to a room of supporters and aides in New York Wednesday, Kaine prompted a standing ovation when he noted Clinton is leading in the popular vote in the race against Donald Trump.

He hailed Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton's loyalty to their staff, and praised their dedication.

His voice shaking, he said that Clinton "knows the system we have. She's deeply in love with it and she accepts it."

UPDATE: 8:15 a.m.

On the eve of the election, Hillary Clinton was standing behind a podium bearing the presidential seal. By the time the votes were counted, Donald Trump had captured the White House in a political earthquake.

Clinton conceded the presidency to Trump in a phone call early Wednesday morning, a stunning end to a campaign that appeared poised right up until Election Day to make her the first woman elected U.S. president.

Clinton, who watched the returns hunkered down with family and close aides at a Manhattan hotel suite, made no public appearance before supporters who had gathered under the glass ceiling of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center planning to celebrate what was expected to be her historic victory. Clinton planned to make a statement later Wednesday morning.

The mood inside the convention centre grew increasingly grim as Trump captured battleground states like Florida, North Carolina and Ohio and shattered a longstanding "blue wall" of states in the Upper Midwest that had backed every Democratic presidential candidate since her husband, Bill Clinton, won the presidency in 1992.

Democrats  starting with Clinton's campaign and the White House  were left wondering how they misread their country so completely. Aides stopped returning calls and text messages. Supporters left election night parties in tears.

"My disappointment makes me not trust the rest of the world," said Katie Fahey, who had flown to New York from Grand Rapids, Michigan, wearing a red pantsuit, expecting a victory party. "I don't even want to go out. I want to wear sweatpants and curl myself up in a corner."
Photo: Twitter

Donald Trump's ground-shaking election win sent shockwaves around the world, jolting markets and stunning political leaders around the globe. America's neighbours could feel the effects more than most.

Here are some ways Canada could be affected by a Trump win:

Climate policy: Trump promises to pull the U.S. from international climate agreements. He says he'll shred President Barack Obama's greenhouse-gas policies, and gut the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Canada has numerous climate projects with the U.S.

Trade: Trump has repeatedly demanded a renegotiation of NAFTA  or he says he'll cancel it. That may cause jitters to the north, given that Canada sends three-quarters of its exports south.

Keystone XL: Trump has said several times he favours construction of the Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta. A campaign document suggested he'd invite TransCanada Corp. to reapply. If he's serious about proceeding, it could be a bit of welcome news for the Canadian government. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had supported the pipeline, and now faces political dilemmas at home related to new pipelines.

Syrian refugees: Trudeau went to the airport to welcome Syrian refugees. Trump refers to the refugees as a Trojan horse. His son tweeted a comparison to a bowl of Skittles, where only one bad one can kill you. Canada works closely with the U.S. on intelligence and screening of foreigners. It's an integral part of ongoing plans to thin the Canada-U.S. border and facilitate trade. It's far from certain a Trump administration would be keen on more refugees next door.

Defence: Trump has threatened to leave allies to their own devices if they fail to meet the agreed-upon NATO target of spending two per cent of GDP on the military. Canada is nowhere close and recently said it had no current plans to get there.
Five people were killed and more than 50 injured when a tram derailed in south London during a heavy rainstorm early Wednesday, police said.

Emergency workers were still at the scene of the derailment in Croydon more than six hours after the crash, trying to free two people trapped in the wreckage of the two-carriage tram that tipped on its side next to an underpass. It appeared to have come off the rails on a sharp bend.

British Transport Police said they had arrested a man  reportedly the tram's driver  and rail accident investigators were working to determine the cause.

"five people have sadly died following this incident," and more than 50 others were taken to local hospitals with injuries, police said.

Liam Lehane of the London Ambulance Service described many of those hurt as "walking wounded" but said others suffered serious injuries.

Prime Minister Theresa May and London Mayor Sadiq Khan sent condolences to the injured and the families of the dead.

London's fire department said eight fire engines and four specialist rescue units were at the scene. The rescue units, which are used in complex incidents, are equipped with heavy lifting and cutting tools, together with longer duration breathing apparatus and floodlighting.

Emergency services called to the Sandilands tram stop at around 6:10 a.m. (0610 GMT, 1:10 a.m. EST).

"I heard a massive crash at about 6.15 a.m., then heard shouting, then the emergency services arrived," said resident Hannah Collier, 23. "They started bringing up the casualties, some very seriously injured."

The British capital's only tram network operates in the southern end of the city, serving 27 million passengers in the last year.

Trams were largely phased out in British cities decades ago, but have made a comeback in recent years. Wednesday's derailment is the first tram accident with onboard fatalities since the 1950s.
North Carolinas Democratic state schools chief June Atkinson, the nations longest-serving superintendent, was ousted in her re-election bid by Republican Mark Johnson, a member of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education, according to the Associated Press.

Atkinson was elected in 2005 and was twice re-elected. During her tenure, she fought to raise teacher pay and helped North Carolina gain a waiver from the No Child Left Behind Act and a federal Race to the Top grant.

But a Republican-dominated legislature sent down a wave of funding cuts and accountability measures to the states public schools in recent years, expanding charter schools footprint and including test scores in teachers evaluations.

Johnson, a former teacher, had been critical of standardized testing in his campaign, said the state should move away from the Common Core State Standards, and favored improving the screening process for hiring teachers.

Atkinson may have lost Tuesday night in part due to the large Republican turnout in North Carolina. State analysts said last month that the governors race overshadowed the states superintendents race. In that race between incumbent Republican Pat McCrory and state attorney general Roy Cooper, a Democrat, candidates fought over which party had done more to raise teacher pay.

The superintendents only had one debate during this election.

Across the country, the average tenure for state superintendents is just three years .

In 2012, Education Week published a Q&A with Atkinson .
Photo: Contributed

A captain at New Brunswick's Gagetown military base has been charged with sexual assault.

The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service says the charge relates to an alleged sexual assault at the 5th Canadian Division Support Base near Oromocto in December 2010 or January 2011.

It says the victim is also a member of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Capt. Simon Duvall faces one count of sexual assault under the Criminal Code.

Lt.-Col. Francis Bolduc, the investigation service's commander, said in a statement that the charge reflects the Forces' support for victims against "harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour" in the military.
Photo: Getty Images

A tractor crash into the Shuswap River last week caused a diesel spill that forced regional officials to shut off the normal water intake to Enderby and Grindrod customers for 24 hours.

The North Okanagan Regional District and Interior Health have confirmed the Grindrod Water Utility water intake was turned off on Thursday, Nov. 3 and turned back on the next day.

The intake was turned off to avoid contaminated water entering the water system, the release stated. The Ministry of Environment provided the necessary response to the spill, and on Friday, after consultation with Interior Health it was determined there was no further risk to the water quality at the intake. The intake was turned back on and service has returned to normal.

There was no service interruption as there was sufficient treated water in the reservoir to supply water needs to customers, according to a NORD press release.

The spill was handled by the Ministry of Environment and I was told it was fairly minimal, said James de Pfyffer, NORD's small utilities manager. They used mats to try to collect the diesel.

Enderby RCMP reported that a farmer was driving a tractor that lost its grip on a steep slope. The farmer ended up in the river and had to extricate himself from his cab.

Members of the Armstrong-Spallumcheen fire department used a rope to pull the farmer up the steep, muddy bank before he was looked over by an ambulance crew.

He was cold but uninjured, police said. The tractor was pulled out using a winch.
Photo: Contributed

The Kelowna business community will get a chance to hear from senior government representatives at a special Chamber of Commerce luncheon today.

Local MPs Stephen Fuhr and Dan Albas will be joined by MLAs Norm Letnick and Steve Thomson.

Each are expected to discuss their priorities in addressing opportunities and challenges facing our economy in 2017.

The luncheon begins at noon at the Delta Grand Hotel.
Photo: Ray Hammond

Homeless camps in Vernon have been ordered vacated, but it is not a case of heartless officials harassing those living on the fringes of society.

Agencies that work with the homeless, say a lot of work is done with those in the camps before the notice is given.

Annette Sharkey, with the Social Planning Council, said the COOL Team, which is made up of various agencies, is aware of the eviction notice.

The outreach team is working closely with the campers to ensure that they know about the newly opened mat program at the Gateway Shelter and to assist them with dealing with their possessions, said Sharkey. The COOL team works closely with campers to help them keep their camps small, safe and clean and away from high-profile areas.

Sharkey said if a camp becomes an issue and needs to be decommissioned, the bylaw department notifies the outreach team and provides time to connect with the campers.

This is a unique model to Vernon and we are appreciative of the co-operation between the City of Vernon and community agencies, said Sharkey.

Kelly Fehr, with the John Howard Society, said there has been an increase in the number of beds available to the homeless, but he admits there is still more demand than supply.

Funding has been provided through B.C. Housing to provide the additional beds that are available at Howard House and the Gateway Shelter.

However, a recent survey of homeless was conducted when the shelters were full and Fehr said there were still 31 people living rough.

Fehr said outreach to the local tent cities is conducted every week in an effort to connect people with available resources to help them get off the streets.

Along with additional shelter space, facilities like Blair Apartments filled 32 units with people needing a low-income place to live.

Fehr said bylaw has ordered the camp behind London Drugs be emptied at a time when the vacancies at area shelters are at their highest, but even that is not enough to house everyone leaving the camp.

They will be couch surfing, in hotels and in (other) camps, admitted Fehr, adding there are concerns emptying the camp will simply move the problem elsewhere.

Fehr defended the bylaw department, saying there is a lot of pressure from the public on city officials to do something about the tent cities. City officials then apply that pressure to bylaw, which he praised for their handling of the situation and treatment of people in the camps.

He said bylaw officials are in constant communication with shelters and other agencies in an effort to find accommodations for the homeless.
Photo: Library and Archives Canada

As we get set to honour our veterans and those who didn't return from the field of battle on Remembrance Day, Castanet wants to share your special memories.

Almost everyone has a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent who served in one of the World Wars or other conflicts since then, from the Gulf Wars to peacekeeping missions around the globe.

We're opening our photo gallery to create some special memories  and asking you to share wartime photos of your family members and loved ones who served our country.

Whether it's a portrait in uniform or a gritty photo from the front lines, email your images to [email protected] and we'll create a special gallery to honour our men and women in uniform.

Include a hi-res photo, the name of the family member, their regiment and where they fought.

We look forward to sharing your photos.

Lest we forget...
Photo: Contributed

The election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president could be a wait-and-see situation for Canada, believes North Okanagan-Shuswap MP Mel Arnold.

And the MP's main concern locally is that the election of a new government could lead to a further delay in the effort to reach a new Canada-U.S. softwood lumber agreement.

It has a huge impact on B.C. and across Canada and we need to get that agreement moving, get on with its implementation, Arnold said just hours after Trump's victory.

Last month, Canadian and U.S. officials agreed to further talks even though a one-year extension to the 2006 softwood lumber agreement ended on Oct. 12.

It's unfortunate if the election means a delay to the process and if the U.S. decides to impose tariffs.

Canada has traditionally accounted for about one-third of the U.S. lumber market, but the U.S. wants less Canadian lumber to enter its market.

On Trump's threat to end the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Arnold said he had heard that might mean (Trump) wants to renegotiate.

There is a lot of rhetoric in these campaigns and that may be tempered later on.

Arnold said it was too early to tell what Trump's priorities and agenda would be.
Photo: George Mapson

UPDATE: 3:40 p.m.

RCMP say the truck driver, a man in his early 50s, was assessed and treated at the scene by emergency paramedics for minor injuries.



"The tractor itself sustained significant damage during the crash, while the trailer, which contained a load of furniture, was practically un-damaged," said Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey.

"The investigation into the crash is ongoing, RCMP Central Okanagan Traffic Services remain on scene along with Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement  a clear cause is not yet known."

Crash witnesses are asked to contact the RCMP at 250-980-5353.

UPDATE: 1:45 p.m.

Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey confirms West Kelowna RCMP are at the crash scene.

"Preliminary information suggests that a west-bound semi-tractor-trailer unit lost control and collided with the centre median barriers," says O'Donaghey.

"The crash scene has spread across both west and east bound lanes, blocking traffic at this time. Crews are reportedly also dealing with a fuel leak from the crash."

Motorists heading in and out of the Okanagan can expect closures and delays at this time.



Castanet will have more details as they become available.

ORIGINAL: 1:20 p.m.

Lane closures are in effect on the Okanagan Connector after a semi-truck crashed, smashing the centre divider into the other lane.

There are few details at this time, but photos show a jackknifed truck about two kilometres west of the Trepanier Creek exit on Highway 97C.

Several sections of the centre median are strewn across the highway, blocking traffic.

George Mapson tells Castanet it was a strange accident scene as it appears to him that the truck was climbing the hill out of West Kelowna when it lost control. The truck smashed into the centre median, pushing concrete pieces into the oncoming lane before bouncing back into the westbound lanes and coming to a rest.

Mapson say the accident only involved the truck and the driver appeared to be OK when he left the scene.

Castanet will have more details as they become available.

Send your news tips, photos and video to [email protected]
Do Court-Ordered DUI Courses Work?

It's pretty common for someone convicted of a DUI to attend some kind of DUI class, where instructors and attendees discuss the reasons for and consequences of drinking and driving. The hope is that those attending a DUI course will learn and implement strategies to avoid future drunk driving incidents.

However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that a third of all DUI arrests every year are repeat offenders. Which begs the question: If so many DUI offenders are taking drunk driving courses, why are they drinking and driving again?

Court-Ordered Courses

Kentucky's WDRB looked at DUI courses in the state, and the requirements based on DUI convictions. Those who plead guilty to or are convicted of a DUI generally must complete a 20-hour class, which includes fees for assessments, class materials, and each class session:

In the assessment, the instructor will ask questions about how often a person drinks, whether or not the person uses drug and if there are any known triggers. The classes and book cover facts about alcohol, drugs and legal consequences. But it also is designed to spark discussions about what triggers a person to drink and drive, the risks they take and better choices.

Repeat DUI convictions can trigger additional courses. In Kentucky, a second DUI conviction could mean an additional 50 sessions, which generally lasts six months. A third or fourth DUI offense, and one-year courses are mandatory.

No Change in Course

Despite all this coursework, many DUI offenders are attending classes for the third or fourth time, according to Richard Epley, the director of the Kentucky Driving School. "You got a lot of people that come to these classes," Epley told WDRB. "And they don't think they should be here. And they have a bad attitude." For Epley, all the courses in the world won't help if the person doesn't want to stop drinking. "If they don't want to stop," he said, "the only way they're going to do it is either go to prison for however long the judge wants to put them there, or they go out and kill themselves or someone else, and they have to go to prison."

So why keep assigning classes if they don't seem to work? And are repeat offenders better suited for addiction therapy rather than class sessions? Or, as Epley suggests, is prison the only answer?

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San Francisco Surgeon Arrested on Suspicion of 99 Felony Narcotics Crimes, Won't Be Charged

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that a local surgeon, Christopher Owens, was arrested last week on suspicion of 99 felony crimes related to prescription opioids. Owens was jailed, but later released and the San Francisco's District Attorney announced on Monday they won't be filing criminal charges yet.

So what put Owens behind bars in the first place, and why is he out?

Blurry Background

Owens was a vascular surgeon and associate professor of surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, working at the USCF-affiliated Veterans Affairs Medical Center. According to the university, Owens was placed on "investigatory leave" in June of this year and then put on unpaid leave in September. UCSF told the Chronicle it terminated Owens's physician privileges two weeks ago and fired him from the faculty.

Owens was arrested last Thursday by SFPD and booked on suspicion of numerous felonies, including the illegal sale or transfer of narcotics. The Chronicle reported that his bail was set at $1.98 million. At the time, details of the specific accusations against him were murky, and prosecutors declined to file formal charges after Owens's arrest.

Prohibited Prescriptions

As it turns out, any clarity or formal charges may not be coming any time soon. The D.A.'s office said his case remains open, but it had insufficient evidence to charge Owens. It is unclear whether his arrest has any connection to the death of his girlfriend, Danielle Pattillo. In June, Pattillo was found dead from an overdose of the drug GHB (commonly known as the "date rape" drug) in the couple's home.

In a statement, UCSF said "takes this incident very seriously ... and urges its entire clinical staff, including physicians, nurses and other care providers, to be alert for signs of opioid misuse by any member of the clinical team and to report any such suspicions confidentially." The university also said its own police force had been working with the district attorney's office in connection with the opioid investigation.

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Rolling Stone Loses Defamation Case Over UVA Rape Story

When a female University of Virginia student came forth with allegations of a brutal sexual assault at a frat party, Rolling Stone thought it had a bombshell on its hands. But the story blew up in its face, as those claims unraveled in the weeks after it was published. After a police investigation found no evidence of the alleged crime and Rolling Stone retracted the story, UVA administrator Nicole Eramo, sued the magazine, its publisher, and the author, Sabrina Rubin Erdely, for defamation.

Eramo, who oversaw on-campus sexual violence cases when the article was published, won her case last week, with a jury finding Rolling Stone knew or should've known elements of the story relating to Eramo were false.

Magazine Malice

It's not easy to win a defamation case, especially against a news publication. Not only do you need to prove the published assertions are false, you need to prove the writer, magazine, or publisher acted with "actual malice" (meaning that they knew the statements were false), or a "reckless disregard" for the truth (meaning that they had reason to doubt them, but failed to investigate further and published them anyway).

Eramo's lawsuit alleged that Rolling Stone defamed her by casting her as a villain in the article, making her the public face of a UVA administration indifferent to the accuser and other rape victims. Erderly's article claimed Eramo discouraged the accuser -- referred to as "Jackie" in the piece -- from reporting her allegations to police. It also contained a reference to Eramo's "nonreaction" when Jackie brought other allegations of gang rape at a fraternity to her attention.

The jury found that Erdely acted with actual malice when she published the statements about Eramo, and either knew or should have known the statements about Eramo were false.

Defamation Damages

The jury verdict isn't the end of the case, however; it must now decide what damages Erdely, Rolling Stone, and parent company Wenner Media owe. Eramo initially asked for $7.5 million, but may argue for a different amount following the verdict. In a statement following the verdict, the magazine said:

"For almost 50 years, Rolling Stone has aimed to produce journalism with the highest reporting and ethical standards, and with a strong humanistic point of view. When we published 'A Rape on Campus' in 2014, we were attempting to tackle the very serious and complex topic of sexual assault on college campuses, a subject that is more relevant today than ever. In our desire to present this complicated issue from the perspective of a survivor, we overlooked reporting paths and made journalistic mistakes that we are committed to never making again. We deeply regret these missteps and sincerely apologize to anyone hurt by them, including Ms. Eramo."

There is no rest for the weary magazine, as the fraternity implicated in the story, Phi Kappa Psi, filed a $25 million lawsuit that is expected to go to trial next year.

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3 Best Employee Retention Strategies

You work hard to hire the best employees. But are you working hard enough to keep them? As it turns out, getting a great staff into the office is only half the battle. Not only do you have to make your company attractive to applicants, you have to make it a great place to work and stay long-term.

Running a successful small business means fostering a fantastic work environment that attracts, and retains, the best talent. So here are three ways to do just that.

It's not just the work these days -- it's the perks. Employees in this job market are looking at their careers more holistically, and are looking beyond just pay and the possibility for advancement. This may mean offering new benefits or extending existing coverage. From paid parental leave and telecommuting options to tuition reimbursement and health plans, know which job benefits will keep your employees happy.

Want your employees to be invested in the success of your company? Make sure they have an ownership stake. Be careful about how you apportion ownership and shares in your startup -- it's up to you decide how much, and decide when those shares might vest -- but offering employees a part of the company will earn their trust, their hard work, and their continued interest in the success of your small business.

A diverse and inclusive workplace is a happy and productive workplace. Even leaving aside the fact that your small business can face lawsuits for discriminating based on race, sex, age, and gender identity, the best employees are going to come from all backgrounds and countries. Creating a corporate culture where everyone feels welcome, supported, and valued is essential to your small business's success.

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5 Laws From Obama's Administration With an Uncertain Fate

Today is Election Day. And once Barack Obama's tenure in office comes to a close over the next few months, a new president will take over the Oval Office and nominate a new Supreme Court justice as well. This could mean that some of the initiatives from the Obama administration may either be repealed in Congress or overturned by the Court.

Here's a look at five of those laws and what the future may hold for them in the next presidency.

This is the one Republicans have been trying to defeat since it was announced. The Affordable Care Act already survived one Supreme Court challenge, and that was with conservative Justice Antonin Scalia in the fold. But a Republican president may have more of an impact on Obamacare's future.

It was the hysteric outcry after every school and mass shooting: Obama is coming for your guns. Firearm and ammunition sales would spike, but no meaningful gun control legislation would follow. Executive orders merely interpret existing law and aren't themselves new laws, so while they can provide direction to enforcing authorities, they can also be reversed much more easily by a new administration.

The Obama administration has been progressive on the rights and protections for federal LGBT employees and contractors, and has sided with transgender students in their fight for access to the bathrooms and facilities of their choice. That case is now before the Supreme Court, with a ruling expected in June. While the new administration may not have an impact on the ruling (absent future legislation mandating what schools must do), the current Republican Congress' intransigence on Obama's Supreme Court nominee could mean the Court can't reach a majority decision in the case.

All presidents commute sentences and issue pardons, and not just at the end of their tenure. That said, Obama, as of June, has commuted a total of 348 prison sentences, more than the past seven presidents combined. His administration's focus has been on nullifying mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenses, and there's no overturning a presidential pardon, no matter who wins the election.

This wasn't Obama's law, seeing as how he tried to block it, but considering many congresspeople were regretting their vote to override his veto immediately afterwards, the statute allowing the families of American victims of the 9/11 attacks to sue the Saudi government may not have a long future.

When Obama nominated Garland, it was largely seen as an attempt to placate conservative opposition and quickly restore the Court to the full nine justices. That didn't quite happen. The Republican Senate vowed to block any and all Obama nominees, and some have hinted they'll do the same for any that Hillary Clinton would nominate as well. How long we'll go with just eight Supreme Court justices could very well depend on today's election results.

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Can You 'Un-Adopt' a Child to Avoid Child Support?

Most adoptions are warm, loving arrangements that permanently add more life and happiness to a family. But not all of them, and perhaps not one in particular in New York. According to court filings, investment banker Robert Roever is attempting to reverse the adoption of a 10-year-old boy, ostensibly to avoid paying the boy and his mother child support.

Can he get away with it? From the judge's comments and legal precedent, probably not.

Deadbeat Banker Dad

As reported by the New York Post, Roever is the president of Capitoline Advisors Manhattan, a position he claims makes him $300,000 a year. He is accused of paying only $1,200 in child support over the last 17 months, just 1.5 percent of the court-ordered amount. Last week he tried to low-ball his ex with a $2,000 offer, and asked the judge for another month to come up with the $20,000 outstanding balance.

According to the Post, Roever's ex Alisa Cawley had the boy from a previous relationship, but Roever raised the boy as his own since the child was four months old and legally adopted him in 2011. But Cawley says Roever has refused to see his adopted son, is blocking text messages from him, and in May he filed papers to reverse the adoption.

Reversal Restrictions

Considering the extensive pre-adoption screening process and most parents' desire to make the relationship work, adoptive parents rarely attempt to have an adoption vacated. But if the relationship between the child adoptive parents is truly fractured, they may petition the court to dissolve the adoption. When considering adoption and custody decisions, all courts must consider the child's best interests, and if reversing the adoption is better for the child's wellbeing, a court may terminate the adoption.

But that doesn't appear to be the case here. Reversing Roever's adoption could mean ending or reducing the child support his mother is owed, which would not be in the child's best interests. And the judge in the case does not seem swayed by Roever's arguments.

Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Lori Sattler already dismissed an affidavit submitted by Roever that supposedly showed the boy's birth father was also paying child support, and felt the need to remind Roever just how much is at stake if he continues refusing to pay. "You're not understanding the severity of this particular motion," the judge told him in a recent hearing regarding enforcement of the child support order. "They're asking you to be sent to jail because I have issued an order and you have not complied with that order." Apparently Roever has until November 22 to pay his outstanding child support debt, or risk spending Thanksgiving in jail.

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What Causes Ingrown Hairs on Your Head | And What Doctor do You See for Ingrown Hairs

What Causes Ingrown Hairs on Your Head | And What Doctor do You See for Ingrown Hairs

What Causes Ingrown Hairs on Your Head

Have you ever experienced ingrown hairs? This disorder is quite common and can happen to anyone. Therefore, it is important to know What Causes Ingrown Hairs on Your Head | And What Doctor do You See for Ingrown Hairs.

In the article What Causes Ingrown Hairs on Your Head | And What Doctor do You See for Ingrown Hairs, you can also find various information such as, ingrown hair on scalp female, ingrown hair on head symptoms, ingrown hair bump treatment, and how to prevent ingrown hair.

So, lets look at the full review of What Causes Ingrown Hairs on Your Head | And What Doctor do You See for Ingrown Hairs, in the following article.

What is an Ingrown hair on your head?

The hairs you grow on your head can be irritating, itchy, red bumps that hurt on the top of your scalp. Ingrown hair can occur anyplace hair follicles are present, including on your scalp. The condition is usually caused by issues in the removal of hair by shaving your scalp using a dull razor.

Are you suffering from your head hair that is ingrown? The removal of hair using the dull blade of a razor is the most common reason for hair growth that is not properly. Most often, ingrown hairs disappear in a couple of days by themselves.

The majority of the time the pesky bumps pop on the side of your head, and on the neck, making it difficult to determine if its an ingrown hair issue or the scalp is achy.
WordPress Hosting ,This contrast of the best WordPress holding service companies is based upon pure efficiency information, real speed test experiments, user scores from the biggest WordPress holding survey to this day, plus our own experience operating websites regularly visited by 670,000+ individuals each month.

Dig into find out which firm is mosting likely to be the best WordPress holding suit for your individual needs:

1. SiteGround (www.SiteGround.com)

Best overall WordPress hold ($4.99/mo)

No list of best WordPress holding could be complete without SiteGround having fun a popular role. The company is producing a name on its own in the WordPress community for some time currently. And not without a factor. Their holding system is solid when it comes to for-WordPress optimized web servers, plus they offer managed WordPress holding at price factors that are unprecedented (read: you will not find a less expensive managed to hold of the same quality anywhere else).

Whats also well worth explaining is that SiteGround is among the minority formally suggested holds by WordPress.org.

For the tests, we went for the StartUp package. Although for a typically more WordPress-optimized package, wed suggest the GrowBig or GoGeek plan. They are a little more expensive, but come with additional benefits such as advanced caching (custom-built by SiteGround), hosting, premium wildcard SSL certifications, and free PCI conformity  should you want to run an e-commerce store.

WordPress installation

Obtaining WordPress working with the integrated installer took simply a couple of clicks. There truly isnt anything more to say here  the installation process truly was as smooth as feasible.

Throughout this configuration process, you also reach choose your web server place. There are 5 information centers available  in the USA, Australia or Europe and Europe.

Client support

SiteGround offers what they call unrivaled support (via chat, telephone, tickets, social media), and it is hard to suggest keeping that, truthfully. Aside from having the ability to access your account and fix any problems, the support representatives are also well-informed about WordPress and WordPress holding and will help you out with a variety of various other problems that might not be purely hosting-related.

In our little test, the SiteGround client support had the ability to help us obtain a short-term URL functioning quickly and efficiently.

Unique mention needs to go bent on the slickness of their client support software and the extra mile the staff were ready to enter offering detailed account advice and providing screenshots. (This makes it a great HostGator alternative, for circumstances, if you want a more refined support environment.)

SiteGround

Cost / mo. (12 months) $4.99

Cost / mo. (24 months) $9.99

Cost / mo. (36 months) $10.49

Cost month-to-month $19.99

Websites 1

Space 10GB

Bandwidth 10,000 visits

Free domains 

Free WP installation, movement, auto-updates, free SSL and CDN, everyday back-ups, free e-mail

Most likely to SiteGround

Efficiency and uptime

Online reputation inning accordance with our holding survey

Ranked 8.38/10 overall by survey participants (top-rated company) 

Used by 4.83% of survey participants

No.2 most popular hold in the UK 

One of the most popular hold in Spain 

93% of users will prolong their holding membership when it is for revival

2. Flywheel (getflywheel.com)

Great entry-level managed WordPress hold ($13/mo)

Flywheel provides an extremely attractive offer for individuals that want to enter into managed WordPress holding but also do not want to invest too a lot in it.

Feature-wise, there is absolutely nothing missing out on with Flywheel, and you can anticipate piece de resistance as well (more on which in a min). The $13 / month plan allows you to hold one WordPress website, and you can handle up to 5,000 site visitors monthly (20GB of bandwidth). You also obtain 5GB of disk space and free website movement. The web servers run on Msn and yahoo Shadow System.

Concentrating on the managed features particularly, Flywheel gives you points such as everyday back-ups, multisite support, hosting (very cool if you want to test new points out before rolling them bent on public), SFTP, plus there is also a free SSL certification. They also look after your WordPress updates via the main Flywheel panel instead compared to allowing you to tinker keeping that from the wp-admin.

Whats truly outstanding is the ease of use of Flywheels system and user panel. Everything is clear, easy to browse, and you do not need to be a web server professional to perform basic modifies or set up this or that.

WordPress installation

This literally could not be easier. There are a pair of methods by which you can obtain WordPress installed. First, you can move your current website from your previous hold (for free), you can also produce a brand-new website from the Flywheel control panel in a pair of clicks, or you can use a device called Local by Flywheel to develop a website in your area (on your PC or Mac) and after that export it for your live Flywheel configuration.

Client support

Live chat is available 24/7. You can also send support tickets whenever you wish. Since Flywheel allows just WordPress websites, you can anticipate the support group to know their way about WordPress.

To earn points also easier, there is a comprehensive database with great deals of helpful articles about their WordPress holding system.

3. Bluehost (www.Bluehost.com)

Most affordable WordPress holding ($2.75/mo)

We went for the basic package here. As you can see, an extremely inexpensive WordPress holding option  a common WordPress holding plan, to be exact.

One immediate indication keeps in mind is that Bluehost is the just alternative on the list that does not offer a regular monthly package. Twelve-month dedications are minimal, however, thats offset rather by a solid cash back guarantee plan that I have directly invoked without issue.

WordPress installation

Along with the standard cPanel options in position, Bluehosts one-click WordPress setups are handled by a solution called MojoMarketplace.

The MojoMarketplace user interface for installing WordPress left a great deal to be preferred. It was feasible to install several circumstances unintentionally, and overall comments on what was happening at any provided point were inconsistent and confusing. (For circumstances, when we appearance at Bluehost vs SiteGround, the last gives you WordPress sets up in simply a couple of clicks.)

On the plus side, this gave us an instant opportunity to speak with support!

Client support

Solution via chat support was fast and pleasant and assisted us with clearing up the initial WordPress installation problems and establishing a short-term URL to view our website.

Online reputation inning accordance with our holding survey

Ranked 8.38/10 overall by survey participants (top-rated company) 

Used by 4.83% of survey participants

No.2 most popular hold in the UK 

One of the most popular hold in Spain 

93% of users will prolong their holding membership when it is for revival

4. Hostinger (www.Hostinger.com)

Most affordable WordPress holding on the marketplace ($1.99/mo)

Hostinger is an extremely attractive option when it comes to best WordPress holding, and their beginning pricing has a great deal to do keeping that. At simply $1.99 / month, you reach develop one website and invite up to 10,000 site visitors (/mo). You also obtain one e-mail account and a free SSL.

Hostinger also has a handful of WordPress-specific features for you. These consist of a directed installation with a site-building wizard to speed points up.

With WordPress operating, you do not need to do a lot of upkeep of your own. Most points such as core and plugin updates are handled by Hostinger and occur immediately. To earn certain that the website runs fast, Hostinger uses LiteSpeed Cache and has it pre-configured.

For those that want to tinker under the hood, there is an entire data source of WordPress tutorials, plus you obtain access to WP-CLI.

WordPress installation

Hostinger offers one-click installation, so there is very little to discuss in this division.

Whats well worth mentioning, however, is that you do reach choose from 8 information facility locations worldwide  in the US, UK, Indonesia, India, Singapore, Brazil, the Netherlands, and Lithuania.

After that, when you log right into your user panel for the very first time, you can also undergo the site-setup wizard. You will reach choose from Hostingers collection of pre-approved themes and pick the one that suits you best.

Client support

Hostinger offers 24/7 support. The support group is easy to contact and theyll help you with basic queries (WordPress related and or else). However, you might need to delay a pair of mins before obtaining a reaction.
Shobbir, a businessman from Maungdaw Town said that the army is attacking the Rohingyas under the pretext of searching for militants who attacked three Burmese Border Guard Police (BGP) camps on 9 October.

On 5 November at about 9 am Burma Army and BGP troops surrounded KoeTan Kauk (Don Say) Village and detained all of the 1,000 villagers.

Soldiers then seized four men and tortured them before taking them to Inn Din BGP Camp. Later, through the Burmese media, the army identified two of the men, Salim Ullah (40), son of Mohamed Sharif and Mohamed Nabi (42), son of Nabi Hussain as Rohingya militants.

On the evening of 5 November the female villagers were allowed to return home, but the army continued to detain the male villagers in the school, according to one of the villagers, Rakib Hassan.

On 6 November at 3am Burma Army soldiers and BGP troops surrounded and then raided Naya Para in Myient Hlut Village Tract, according to Mohin who lives in the area. He said that many villagers fearing arrest and torture fled, leaving mainly old people in the village.

Despite this the troops still entered the village. They shot dead two villagers and beat up and tortured others. One of the villagers who was killed was Rahamat Ullah (45), son of Eliyas. His son, Mohamed Shohid is also in a critical condition after soldiers beat him with their rifle butts because he started crying when his father was killed.

At 7am hundreds of Burma Army soldiers surrounded the Maungdaw South villages of Padin, Boddil, Gojzon Dia and Du NNyaung Pyin Gyi (Shaira Para), according to people from those villages.

At around 9am 30 soldiers entered Zurforza Village in Aley Than Kyaw Village Tract, but fortunately the villagers saw the soldiers approaching and many fled the village before the soldiers arrived, according to a youth from the village who did not want to be named.

At about 10.30am soldiers also raided the village of Thawan Chaung (Bossara) in Maungdaw South, said a village elder who did not want to be named.

Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
Researchers from Dalhousie University (Canada) and the Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel) have published a working paper detailing a proof-of-concept attack on smart lightbulbs that allows them to wirelessly take over the bulbs from up to 400m, write a new operating system to them, and then cause the infected bulbs to spread the attack to all the vulnerable bulbs in reach, until an entire city is infected.

The researchers demonstrate attacking bulbs by drone or ground station. The demo attacks Philips Hue lightbulbs, the most popular smart lighting system in the market today.

Philips Hue use Zigbee for networking. Zigbee is a wireless protocol designed for low-powered Internet of Things devices, and it has many built-in security features. The most important of these is that once a device is initialized as part of a Zigbee network, it can't be hijacked onto a rival network unless you can bring a controller into close proximity to it (a couple centimeters away). However, there is a fatal flaw in the Zigbee implementation in the Hue system, and the researchers showed that they could hijack the bulbs from nearly half a kilometer away (this attack is only possible because Zigbee doesn't encrypt all traffic between devices).

The Hue system also has safeguards to prevent malicious tampering: updates have to be cryptographically signed using a very strong algorithm or they will be rejected by Hue systems. The researchers were easily able to extract the signing keys  which are the same for all Philips Zigbee products  and use them to sign their own malicious updates.

Thus armed, the researchers were able to take over any Philips Hue system.

There are many ways that a hijacked Hue system can be used to cause mischief. Zigbee uses the same radio spectrum as wifi, so a large mesh of compromised Zigbees could simply generate enough radio noise to jam all the wifi in a city. Attackers could also brick all the Hue devices citywide. They could use a kind of blinking morse code to transmit data stolen from users' networks. They could even induce seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy.

The fact that the attack targets devices by Zigbee signals  rather than over the internet  means that it is virtually impossible to defend against through traditional methods like firewalls.

Like many IoT companies, Philips' business model for its smart lights involves controlling who may make and sell the lightbulbs (Philips charges a very high markup on its own bulbs). Last December, the company covertly updated its lights to reject third party bulbs (it later walked this back after public outcry).

Companies that use encryption to prevent third-party consumables can use laws like Section 1201 of the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act to threaten competitors with lawsuits and even prison sentences for breaking the crypto; this right extends to threatening security researchers for revealing embarrassing defects in their products. It's probably not a coincidence that one of the researchers on this paper is affiliated with an Israeli institution, as Israel is the only major US trading partner that has not been forced to adopt a version of DMCA 1201 by the US trade representative (it's no coincidence that a six-year-old showstopper bug in the DRM in Google's Chrome was revealed by another Israeli). Canada has had its version since 2011, meaning that the Canadian author has done something exceptionally brave (and maybe foolhardy) by putting his name to this paper.

The worm spreads by jumping directly from one lamp to its neighbors, using only their built-in ZigBee wireless connectivity and their physical proximity. The attack can start by plugging in a single infected bulb anywhere in the city, and then catastrophically spread everywhere within minutes, enabling the attacker to turn all the city lights on or off, permanently brick them, or exploit them in a massive DDOS attack. To demonstrate the risks involved, we use results from percolation theory to estimate the critical mass of installed devices for a typical city such as Paris whose area is about 105 square kilometers: The chain reaction will fizzle if there are fewer than about 15,000 randomly located smart lights in the whole city, but will spread everywhere when the number exceeds this critical mass (which had almost certainly been surpassed already). To make such an attack possible, we had to find a way to remotely yank already installed lamps from their current networks, and to perform over-the-air firmware updates. We overcame the first problem by discovering and exploiting a major bug in the implementation of the Touchlink part of the ZigBee Light Link protocol, which is supposed to stop such attempts with a proximity test. To solve the second problem, we developed a new version of a side channel attack to extract the global AES-CCM key that Philips uses to encrypt and authenticate new firmware. We used only readily available equipment costing a few hundred dollars, and managed to find this key without seeing any actual updates. This demonstrates once again how difficult it is to get security right even for a large company that uses standard cryptographic techniques to protect a major product.



IoT Goes Nuclear: Creating a ZigBee Chain Reaction (paper)

[Eyal Ronen, Colin O'Flynn, Adi Shamir and Achi-Or Weingarten/IOT Worm]

Creating a ZigBee Chain Reaction

IoT Goes Nuclear: Creating a ZigBee Chain Reaction (discussion)

[Eyal Ronen, Colin O'Flynn, Adi Shamir and Achi-Or Weingarten/IOT Worm]

(via /.)
In this great essay, lawyer and writer Mirah Curzer examines the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Remember Me" from a feminist lens. The episode centers on Dr. Beverly Crusher, who begins to notice that people are disappearing and she's the only one who can remember that they ever existed. Curzer writes:

What surprised me the most about the episode was how long it took for anyone to question Beverly's reliability.

She says someone is missing, but no one remembers him coming onto the ship, and they can't find any record of him ever being born. And yet they mobilize all resources to find him and the other missing people only Beverly remembers. They sideline their mission and change course more than once based on her unconfirmed claim that something is wrong. It is only 20 minutes into the episode that Picard gently and hesitantly suggests that maybe the problem could be her memory.

And even after Picard has asked Beverly to see the counselor because he thinks she may be having memory issues, he still trusts her. She asks him to turn the ship around even though she has no evidence to present but her own memorywhich is contradicted by everyone else's memory as well as all the physical evidence. And still, he responds:

"Your word has always been good enough for me."
Theranos, led by charismatic founder Elizabeth Holmes, became a billion-dollar startup on the promise of a pinprick blood test that doesn't work. Walgreens, a retailer suckered into partnering the scam, is suing what's left of it for $140m.

Walgreens has filed suit against Theranos in Delaware district court, asking for $140 million and alleging a breach of contract. Walgreens successfully moved to seal the complaint, citing the non-disclosure agreement, so the details of the alleged contractual breach are still unknown. A Walgreens spokesperson confirmed that the company had filed the lawsuit, but declined to add further comment.

Walgreens operated the "Theranos wellness centers," but apparently never bothered to validate the technology. (Previously)

Photo: Steve Jurvetson (CC BY 2.0)
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In his 1854 book, Walden, Henry David Thoreau wrote, "Men have become the tools of their tools." Thoreau's assertion is as valid today as it was when he made it over one hundred and sixty years ago. Whenever we shape technology, it shapes us, both as individuals and as a society. We created cars, and cars turned us into motorists, auto mechanics, and commuters.

Over the centuries we've populated our world with machines that help us do things we can't or don't want to do ourselves. Our world has become so saturated with machines that they've faded into the background. We hardly notice them. We are reaching a new threshold. Our machines are getting networked, and enabling new forms of human machine symbiosis. We're entering a new era where fifty billion machines are in constant communication, automating and orchestrating the movement and interactions among individuals, organizations, and cities.

Institute for the Future (IFTF) is a non-profit think tank in Silicon Valley, that helps organizations and the public think about long term future plans to make better decisions in the present. Mark Frauenfelder, a research director at IFTF interviewed Rod Falcon, IFTF's Director of the Technology Horizons Program, which combines a deep understanding of technology and societal forces, to identify and evaluate these discontinuities and innovations in the near future. Rod discussed Tech Horizon's recent research into how machine automation is becoming an integrated, embedded, and ultimately invisible part of virtually every aspect of our lives.

What was IFTF's motivation for exploring what automation might look like in the future?

When people hear the word automation, they often think about the future of jobs. And certainly,

automation will impact what it means to have work as well as how meaningful that work might be. But our research motivation was to go beyond the debate over whether or not humans are in a zero-sum race against machines. Instead, we are interested in the future of human-machine symbiosis and moving the conversation to a place where humans and machines will coevolve. We're raising the questions, "What does it mean to be human in an age of machines, and can we coevolve?"

As we design new things, new services, and new experiences with technology, how can we design those with principles that optimize for symbiosis? Right now, a lot of our machines and technology experiences are encoded with notions of productivity, efficiency, and optimization, but different possibilities open up when we think about encoding those systems with values and principles that ensure equity and inclusivity.

The Automated World Project looked at the way machines can change our behavior in ways that we didn't anticipate. Could you talk about that?

We often underestimate how we accommodate technology in our lives and how it changes the way we go about our lives. Technology often disappears into the background. For example, we don't think of clocks as a technology. If we take a step back and look at clocks in our lives today, they're pervasive. They're everywhere. They're next to our beds, they're on our wrists, they're on our phones, they're on our microwaves, they're in our cars. The role of clocks is supporting our productivity and efficiency. In many ways, clocks govern our lives but they also help us connect with one another. It's because of clocks I can say, "Let's meet today at two o'clock and have this interview," and we know where to show up. Clocks have become a coordination platform that all of us know how to use.

Clocks are a good example of how technologies also evolve. It turns out that clocks weren't always a technology for efficiency. One of the earliest mechanical clocks was created in the twelfth century by Al-Jazari, an Islamic scholar and inventor, who is considered by many to be the father of robotics. Al-Jazari's clock wasn't for productivity, it was built to serve as a reminder for adhering to religious ceremonies, customs, and rituals. It was not until the industrial revolution that the the role of the clock changed from a religious technology to a work and coordination tool. As part of that transition, we humans also became workers, managers, and supervisors. We learned how to clock-in and clock-out every day for work.

Now we're at a phase where machines have become networked. I took a look at my desktop before we started this call and I counted eight different motors, all inside devices controlled in one way or another by networks. How will the networked machines we interact with every day change our behavior?

As everything becomes networked, machine will have access to cloud intelligence, will collect data, and will make inferences and identify patterns in that data. Your mobile phone does this now. There's a project underway that listens to small changes in your voice patterns and by doing so can detect and diagnose the early onset of Parkinson's disease before any human diagnostician could. That hints at a world where not only is everything listening, but something like a phone can essentially become a diagnostician. We can begin to see the value of collecting data and automating processes that quietly run in the background, yet provide huge value when we think about public health or public safety. They could detect not only diseases, they could also detect risks or dangers.

I have a blood pressure monitor at home. It's in my drawer and it stays there most of the time. It's a hassle to pull it out, put in on, and plug it into my phone. It would be better to have a device that senses and collects that data automatically, without me having to do anything.

I think so too, but it's not without controversy. A world where everything's listening raises questions about who's listening and why, and about whether or not we're ready for things like this. But that's always the case  technology is always ahead of our acceptance, whether or not we're ready, individually or collectively as a society, for the things that technology can do, either on its own or with us.

As part of your research, you looked into the way products will change when they become networked with the result that people are not buying products anymore, they're buying outcomes, and the products themselves are always improving.

We call this "evolvable hardware." One of the best examples is Tesla, the car, which is networked and collects data. Tesla, the company, can modify the cars through over-the-air software updates that enhance and update the experience. This kind of thing is not limited to cars. We already see it with our phones. Part of this research is to challenge us with the idea that the capabilities we currently find in our phones are going to find their way into in everyday objects. New toys will continuously capture and sense data and use that data to enhance the experience with the child. It will also access cloud intelligence to be able to have those interactions with your child. It will also evolve and as we create new software or as the manufacturer of that toy creates new software.

I want to go back to jobs again, because that's on everybody's mind. What did your research show about people losing their jobs to smart machines?

Experts are divided. On the one hand, you have experts arguing that 45% of the jobs we know today  not just manual jobs but jobs in the more professional sector like lawyers and doctors  will be automated away. What that means, one argument goes, is that humans need to keep moving up a scale of value and focus on things that machines can't do. Then there's another camp that says, "Yes, jobs may go away and be destroyed, but in the process, we'll create new kinds of jobs that will replace the jobs that are destroyed." And again, what that means is that humans need to level up in order to fill those new opportunities.

One of the interesting signals that you found was a hospital robot that workers like so much they have given it a name.

You can think of them as robot orderlies. They're at the new UCSF Hospital in San Francisco, which has completely automated its pharmacy. When an order comes in from a doctor who, let's say, is in a patient's room, it goes to the pharmacy. But instead of error-prone humans reading the script, sorting out the pills on multiple shelves, packaging the pills, and delivering them back up to where they're needed, this is all now automated. Machines with mechanical arms put the pills into little packs that are handed over to little robotic orderlies that have full reign across the hospital to deliver the drugs to where they're needed. The physician or the nurse that has the appropriate ID can open up the robot and select the prescription that they need for their patient that's in front of them.

Again, this is not without controversy. Optimization, efficiency, and accuracy are great things, especially in a hospital setting, but it raises questions. How do we balance these high tech approaches that are coming to healthcare with more high touch, more human approaches that we all like when we experience illness or are in a hospital?

How do you envision this kind of automation moving from the enterprise into our homes?

That same automated prescription service, which is inside the hospital, is also coming directly to the consumer in the form of automated shopping systems. In this case, an automated system will organize all your prescriptions and seal them into daily packets that are delivered to you with the date and time they should be taken. This not only makes the process of ordering and getting your pills much easier, it goes a long way in supporting the issue of adhering to your medical treatment.

The orderly bot is a great example of human-machine symbiosis, and its job is one that you would expect a robot to be able to do, because it's based on following specific instructions. But you also found that intelligent machines have a place in more creative environments, too, such as website design. What happens when artificial intelligence gets better at creativity? Will this will make things better for artists or if they should be nervous about losing their jobs?

Again, another highly controversial area. How do we balance the affordances of technology with the affordances of human touch? As in hospitals, there are going to be similar debates in the art world. Art has been held up as one of those last frontiers. The example of the automated web designer and other examples like robots that paint good forgeries of interesting art pieces, point to the possibility that machines are a creative class. Whether they're designing websites on their own or creating their own art, machines and automation are moving into the creative artistic realm, and it's an area we're going to have to contend with. We need to be open to thinking about how can we create new music and new art with machines.

As we see more automation in the world, and as jobs are automated away, humans need to keep jumping to the next step of value and search for the things that humans are uniquely capable of doing on their own without machines. Our research found that not all automation leads to the destruction of jobs. We can evolve together and we can design for symbiosis rather than the opposite.

Let's talk about how machines can make complex decisions. In your research, you reported on a machine that helps people stop smoking. What's the significance of that?

This signal comes from a startup in the Bay Area called Chrono Therapeutics. In the same way we think about enterprise level support systems for decision-making, we can now begin to think about individual or body-area support systems for decision-making. Chrono Therapeutics has created a system that combines a phone app with a wearable patch. It's networked with physicians and pharmacy. The most fascinating thing about it is that it's a system that is constantly on and monitoring your body and any cravings you might get that would lead you to picking up a cigarette and smoking. As the system anticipates a craving, it will give you a dose of nicotine through the patch and hopefully that's sufficient to overcome the urge to smoke.

In the past we had systems that might have simply delivered a message like, "Don't smoke," but in this case, it's a completely closed loop system that skips over the need to change behavior and instead monitors the body, anticipates urges, and delivers the nicotine to prevent smoking.They're starting with tobacco and nicotine, but you might see a similar system for people that have hypertension, for example. There are many kinds of illnesses and conditions where we can just skip over the need to rely on behavior change and simply automate adherence to taking medication.

A lot of IFTF's work makes use of something called combinatorial forecasts. Could you explain what combinatorial forecasts are and how IFTF uses them?

One of the things that we do at IFTF, especially as we think about the future of technology in any area, is ask ourselves, "What are some of the major foundational technologies that are shaping the future of technology in our world?" You can think of each of these foundational technologies as being a force for change and possibility in their own right, but oftentimes in combination, they open up totally unexpected, unprecedented possibilities. So as a practice, we take these foundational technologies and combine them and look at the possibilities that might emerge as we combine or think about their intersection.

Walk me through the process of a combinatorial forecast.

For this body of research, we produced a map that describes the future of the automated world, and we also created a toolkit as a companion piece. It's about 18 to 20 different foundational technologies on cards. For example, you might lay out three cards that say "machine learning" and "computer vision" and "human machine interfaces." The challenge is to think about what would emerge at the intersection of these things.Machine learning's going to give us more anticipatory systems, computer vision is going to make every kind of data about the human experience computable, and human machine interfaces are going to open up new kinds of interactions with everyday objects. If you're coming at it from an issue of the future of work and jobs, you might think about new jobs at that intersection. If you're thinking about it from, let's say, from the future of food, you might think about packaging, and what does that look like?

At IFTF we went through that same exercise and came up with our own combinatorial forecasts, which are reflected on the map. We ended up with five building blocks for the automated world. We called them: Encoded Judgements, Continuous Capture and Sensemaking, Simulating Complex Decisions, On Demand Intelligence, and Evolvable Hardware.

I've participated in a number of expert workshops at IFTF. The workshops include IFTF staff members, experts from IFTF's extended network, and representatives from member organizations ranging from Fortune 100 companies to government departments. What impresses me is the way IFTF designs the workshops to stimulate everyone's process of discovery and decision-making. The exercises encourage everyone to combine ideas and signals and get some cross pollination and get their creative juices flowing. Is that something that IFTF has been doing since it started almost 50 years ago?

At the institute, we're always trying to bring the best tools and the best strategies together to immerse people in our community into future possibilities, and a lot of these strategies and new tools are things that anyone can use. We're always trying to model things so that our members and the people that we work with can do similar exercises back home, whether that's with their teams or in their neighborhoods with community groups. A lot of our work has moved toward being more visual, being more modular. Our toolkits are made with the notion that the future belongs to everyone, that we're all capable of thinking systematically about the future, and a lot of our maps and tools reflect that thinking.

We find that people like to be provoked and surprised, and there's a big wow factor to thinking about the future, but ultimately people want to create their own futures. I often tell people I don't think there's any point in anticipating the future unless they're going to do something about it today and a lot of our tools and processes have been developed to build that capacity in people, not only to anticipate the future, but to start working on it today and bring it forward.

How should organizations prepare for the future of human machine symbiosis?

Focusing only on how automation will transform the enterprise and the future of work tells an incomplete story. The challenge is to think about the future of automation at different scales: at the scale of the individual, the scale of the enterprise, and at the scale of cities. By moving up and down scale that way, it will open us up to new possibilities in ways that we might not have seen before.
Within the next five years, BASF plans to invest globally more than 200 million in its plastic additives business, approximately half of which in Asia, focusing on capacity expansions and operational excellence. Plastic additives improve product properties such as scratch resistance or light stability, and optimize plastics manufacturing processes.

BASF will strengthen its plastic additives business with investments in additional capacities to meet increasing global demand for antioxidants, as well as light stabilizers. Moreover, we will invest in digital processes and technology to support our customers as a reliable supplier in all regions, said Dr. Christian Fischer, President, BASF Performance Chemicals division.

The planned set of measures focuses on capacity expansions at sites in North America and Europe as well as investments in automation, digital technologies and modelling. In addition, BASF plans to strengthen its plastic additives production footprint in Asia.
Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence welcomes presidential nominee Donald Trump to the stage during a campaign event about the Affordable Care Act at the DoubleTree by Hilton Nov. 1, 2016 in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Trump and Pence both highlighted what they see as the failures of Obamacare. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

Illinois consumers battered by higher health insurance prices and dwindling options in recent weeks woke up Wednesday with a new concern: Will their Obamacare coverage vanish altogether amid Donald Trump's presidency?

Trump, elected president Tuesday, has promised to erase President Barack Obama's signature health care law, the Affordable Care Act. He's said he will repeal and replace it immediately, calling the law "a catastrophe."

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Those words are causing concern among the hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans who depend on health insurance bought through the Obamacare exchange.

Miranda Wilgus, of North Chicago, worries about the stability of her coverage for next year.

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"We are in uncharted waters, and what's going to happen come January, frankly, scares me because you have a lot of people who are very ill, who need benefits and were able to finally do it in a way where they weren't bankrupting themselves, and that might disappear," Wilgus said.

Most people still get insurance through their employers or state or federal programs, but more than 300,000 Illinoisans and 12.7 million Americans bought coverage through the Affordable Care Act's online exchange for this year. The Obama administration has predicted even more will sign up for next year. Open enrollment for exchange plans is going on now through Dec. 15.

Legal experts say it's unlikely Trump will be able to quickly and totally repeal the health care law, even with a Republican-dominated Congress.

Republicans don't have enough seats in the Senate to stop a filibuster over legislation to repeal the law, so they would need to get some Democrats onboard with their plan, said Laurel Harbridge Yong, an associate professor of political science at Northwestern University. To do that, Republicans would likely would have to propose a replacement for the Affordable Care Act that would appeal to Democrats, she said.

Or Republicans could avoid a filibuster altogether by putting changes into a budget reconciliation bill, but they wouldn't likely be able to repeal the entire law that way. They could seriously damage it, however, said Timothy Jost, a law professor at Washington and Lee University in Virginia and expert on the Affordable Care Act.

"If I had coverage through the Affordable Care Act, I would be very worried this morning," Jost said Tuesday.

Nurse Monsurat Okesanjo prepares cancer patient Kathleen Duffy,46, for her IV treatment at the Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago on Friday, June 19, 2015. Duffy had insurance because of the Affordable Care Act. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

Jost said he's more concerned about the Trump administration doing everything it can make the Affordable Care Act fail than about a quick, total repeal. "An administration that wants to make it fail can do a lot to make that happen," Jost said.

Despite those and other worries, Wilgus said she'll still likely buy coverage on the exchange for 2017 because it's her only option, and she'll continue to advocate for sensible changes rather than a repeal. She remembers what it was like not to have insurance for 10 years because her small employer didn't offer it and she had a pre-existing condition. She wants to fight for the Affordable Care Act's survival.

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The Affordable Care Act requires all Americans to carry coverage or pay a penalty, prohibits insurers from denying people coverage based on pre-existing conditions and allows parents to keep children on their insurance until age 26, among other things.

"If we all just give up and curl up under our blankets, then that's not an acceptable solution no matter how enticing it may be," Wilgus said. "If we don't participate, we're giving in, and I can't do that."

Not everyone on the exchange is fearful of what a Trump presidency might bring.

Char Schoenbach, of Chicago, was one of the 49,000 Illinoisans forced to switch insurers midyear after insurer Land of Lincoln failed.

"It's a big mess," Schoenbach said. "I'm hoping there's a better chance with Trump in this situation."

In a statement Wednesday, Scott Serota, CEO of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, said the association looks forward to working with Washington to ensure Americans have access to high-quality care at affordable prices. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is the largest health insurer in Illinois.

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"In particular, we are sharing ideas for improving the individual market, so that consumers have more choices, better prices and a robust private marketplace that is predictable and stable," Serota said.

Illinois hospital systems Advocate Health Care and Presence Health both said in statements that the systems will continue to provide quality care, regardless of changes.

lschencker@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @lschencker
As the election results rolled in last night, it became increasingly clear that America  and the world  would never be the same. The American people overlooked all of Republican nominee Donald Trump's faults and elected him to office in the belief that he will fix the nation's deep-seated problems of inequity and injustice. And they rebelled against the business interests and corruption that they believed Hillary Clinton represented.

Trump's victory was enabled by technology  everything from his use of social media to Clinton's email scandals to Russian hacking. But advancements in technology and how they reshape our economy may also keep him from delivering on some of the major promises that made him so popular during the campaign season.

The truth is that, over recent decades, the rich have been getting richer. Power has shifted to Wall Street and business. Globalization has caused the loss of millions of jobs in the United States. Some white Americans have also been terrified at the changing complexion  and values  of the country. Trump very smartly played to these fears and promised his supporters what he knew they wanted: greater economic opportunity by bringing back jobs shipped overseas.

But those jobs, many in the manufacturing sector, are increasingly done by technology. Machines are learning to do the jobs of manufacturing workers; artificial intelligence-based tools are mastering the jobs of call-center and knowledge workers; and cars are beginning to drive themselves.

Over the next decade, technology will decimate more jobs in many professions, inequality will increase and more people will be disadvantaged.

Some robots already cost less to operate than the salaries of the humans they replace, and they are getting cheaper and better. Boston Consulting Group predicts that, by 2025, the operating cost of a robot that does welding will be less than $2 per hour, for example.

That's more affordable than the $25 per hour that a human welder earns today in the U.S., and even cheaper than the pay of skilled workers in the lowest-income countries.

Trump may be able to keep immigrants out, but how will he stop the advance of robots?

Uber and many other companies are working on developing cars and trucks that don't need a driver in the driver's seat. According to the American Trucking Associations, approximately 3 million truck drivers were employed in the United States in 2010, and 6.8 million others were employed in other jobs relating to trucking activity, including manufacturing trucks, servicing trucks and other types of jobs.

So roughly one of every 15 workers in the country is employed in the trucking business. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly another 300,000 people work as taxi drivers and chauffeurs. We could be talking about millions of jobs disappearing in the early 2020s.

And then there is the "gig economy" that has some businesses shifting toward part-time, on-demand employment. Uber has already done this to taxi drivers, and other technology companies are doing it to a wide range of jobs.

A study by software company Intuit predicted that by 2020, 40 percent of American workers will be independent contractors, temps or self-employed, and that full-time jobs will be harder to find. We are talking about 60 million people in this category. The problem is that not only do such part-time workers lack reliable full-time jobs and sick pay, but they are not entitled to health insurance and longer-term benefits.

Even if President Barack Obama's health care plan continued, they would not be able to afford it.

The remedies that are being proposed are to impose trade barriers. But closing the doors to foreign trade won't bring jobs back. It will only slow the global economy and hurt American exports, thereby shrinking the U.S. economy and accelerating job loss.

The silver lining to this dark cloud is that these technology advances also provide solutions to the problems of humanity, such as a lack of energy, food, education and health care. The production costs of clean energies, such as solar and wind, will keep falling till they are almost free. With artificial intelligence-based applications, we will have digital doctors advising us, and advances in medicine will allow us to live longer and healthier lives.

Robots will do our chores; digital tutors will teach us new skills. It becomes possible to provide for everyone's needs. But all of this requires understanding the cause and effects of inequity and applying more carefully the technologies that are going to change the equation.

We now need a nationwide conversation on how we can distribute the prosperity we are creating. We must create equity and fairness in our legal, justice and economic systems. And, recognizing that technology will disrupt entire industries and wipe out millions of jobs, so we must ease the transition and pain for the people most affected and least prepared.

Wadhwa is Distinguished Fellow and professor at Carnegie Mellon University Engineering at Silicon Valley and a director of research at Center for Entrepreneurship and Research Commercialization at Duke. His past appointments include Stanford Law School, the University of California, Berkeley, Harvard Law School, and Emory University.
Beer taps feature company brands at the Constellation Brands office in Chicago in 2015. Constellation, parent company of Mexican import beers like Corona and Modelo, saw its stock drop Nov. 9, 2015, after Donald Trump's election victory. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

Shares of Constellation Brands, parent company of popular Mexican import beers like Corona and Modelo, plummeted Wednesday after President-elect Donald Trump's surprising victory, outpacing losses for other giant beer companies with fewer ties to Mexico.

At the end of the day of trading, Constellation stock was down 7.6 percent to $153.91 per share. From the campaign trail, Trump's rhetoric about mass deportation of immigrants and building a massive wall along the Mexican border seemed, to some, far-fetched to the point of absurd.

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Constellation's stable of Mexican beers, which is headquartered in Chicago, has exploded in popularity in recent years, in part because of a growing population of Latino immigrants. The Mexican brews, like craft beer, have been gaining market share from mainstream domestic beers like Budweiser and Miller Lite.

But as the dust continued to settle Wednesday, the specter of possible widespread policy changes appeared to trigger fear on Wall Street for the top seller of imported beer in the U.S.

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Speaking at a previously scheduled investor day Wednesday, CEO Rob Sands cautioned against worries that Trump's victory would hurt Constellation beer sales.

"It's way too early to understand how (Trump's) positions on Mexican trade and immigration will affect our business," Sands said. "We've all heard the campaign rhetoric and we all have our own thoughts on that. ... But I don't expect it to affect our business in the short term, and as new policies are presented, we will respond accordingly."

To the contrary, Sands said he believed a Republican-led White House and Congress would help the business because of the party's approach to more business-friendly taxation.

In the meanwhile, Constellation will continue to invest in its growing network of Mexican brewing facilities, he said.

Last month, the company announced plans to acquire a brewery in Obregon, Mexico, for $600 million as it continues to gain independence from an interim supply agreement with the Anheuser-Busch InBev-owned Grupo Modelo. Constellation also recently expanded its brewery in Nava and has plans to build a new facility in Mexicali.

In a separate interview, Constellation spokesman Mike McGrew pointed out that Constellation, which also sells wine and spirits, has grown its beer business over the years while working with elected officials on both sides of the partisan divide.

"Mexico is obviously an important trade partner to the U.S. and we remain very optimistic that the new administration will want to maintain that trade relationship. ... Each and every year, there are things said on the campaign trail that change once the candidate gets in office," McGrew said.

Months ago, Pablo Zuanic, an analyst with Susquehanna International Group, raised the possibility of a Trump presidency hurting Constellation's beer sales should Hispanic consumers leave the county  either through deportations or of their own will. In a research note Wednesday, Zuanic maintained that Constellation had "well above average" exposure to such risks.

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Ordinarily, Constellation's investor day concludes with a cocktail reception.

Before addressing the country's largest elephant in the room Wednesday, Sands quipped to investors that they should start off with drinks instead.

gtrotter@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @GregTrotterTrib
President-elect Donald Trump has called for dramatic changes in U.S. trade policy.

He's labeled the North American Free Trade Agreement and other U.S. trade deals a disaster. He's threatened to levy high tariffs on Chinese imports, at times up to 45 percent. He's promised to charge a 35 percent tax on goods from Mexico. He's even suggested pulling out of the World Trade Organization, the global body that includes most countries around the world and helps coordinate trade disputes.

"We're going to renegotiate or we're going to pull out," Trump told NBC's Chuck Todd in July.

Those positions seemed to receive a lot of support Tuesday. Trump's strong performance in Rust Belt states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin suggest the depth of frustration among American workers with waning manufacturing jobs  seemingly part of a backlash against globalization that has emboldened populist movements in France, the United Kingdom, Germany and elsewhere.

And while it's too soon to say whether Trump will do what he promised on trade, he will have a lot of authority to follow through.

"He could do a lot. The presidential powers in the area of restricting trade  not liberalizing trade  are as great as his powers in commander in chief," says Gary Hufbauer, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

According to Hufbauer, there are at least four legal provisions that would allow Trump, as president, to impose tariffs or take retaliatory actions as soon as he enters office. Trade-related acts passed in 1917, 1962, 1974 and 1977 give the president the ability to impose import restrictions, tariffs or other retaliatory measures without the approval of Congress.

However, Hufbauer says, "my guess is that he won't do all the bad things he talked about in the campaign right off."

Trump's trade-related campaign promises have mainly focused on two countries: China and Mexico.

Hufbauer says Trump could stick with his promise of declaring China a currency manipulator on his first day in the White House. That would begin a process of re-evaluating the trade relationship with China. He might be unlikely to follow through on his proposal of a 45 percent tariff on Chinese goods, which would greatly increase the price of many goods for American consumers. But Trump might impose a lower tariff, say 5 percent  which by itself could also spark a trade war with China.

With Mexico, Trump has repeatedly threatened to pull out of NAFTA if Mexico and Canada don't negotiate with the U.S. and offer it more favorable terms. He's also threatened to impose a 35 percent tariff on Mexican imports.

As president, Trump would have the authority to renegotiate NAFTA and withdraw if the terms aren't to his liking. Under the rules of the trade pact, any member can withdraw with six month's written notice, and the American president can call for additional duties if trade terms unfairly advantage Canada or Mexico.

Hufbauer says Trump could start trying to renegotiate NAFTA immediately, but he's skeptical that Trump would immediately start the process to exit the agreement, since doing so could be catastrophic for stock markets and the economy.

"We are going to have a financial hit in the markets. And he will be concerned, rightly so, that if you get a big enough financial drop you can go right into a recession, not only in this country, but around the world," Hufbauer said. "The last thing he'd want to do is start his presidency off with a recession."

These trade policies are likely to face an immediate outcry from the global business community, including companies like General Motors and Coca-Coca, which manufacture products in Mexico for American consumers. Global businesses are likely to seek an injunction in the courts against tariffs or import restrictions. But it remains to be seen whether their opposition would prevent Trump from pursuing these policies.

If Trump follows through on his trade-related campaign promises, the threat of recession is very real, economists say. The Peterson Institute of Economics has estimated that Trump's trade policies, if enacted, could cost the U.S. 4 million jobs and start a recession.

Tariffs or import quotas of any kind will translate into higher prices for American consumers, who purchase a lot of imported goods. They could also easily cost American workers, by provoking retaliatory tariffs from other countries and thus lowering purchases of American products around the world.
Paul Gustab, a volunteer for Hillary Clinton's campaign, reacts to the news that Donald Trump won the presidential election early on Nov. 9, 2016, at Moe's Cantina in Chicago. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

The somber mood was palpable when Neal Sales-Griffin arrived at the office Wednesday, hours after Donald Trump won the presidential election most pollsters had predicted he would not.

Several of his employees hadn't slept. Those who had tried to go to bed couldn't stop their minds from racing. One employee, an immigrant, was visibly shaken and hurt, questioning her safety and comfort living in the United States, said Sales-Griffin, CEO of CodeNow, a Chicago-based nonprofit that teaches computer science and coding to high school students from under-represented backgrounds.

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In multiple meetings with his employees throughout the day, Sales-Griffin fielded questions: What does this mean? Does this change what we do?

He encouraged them to talk. He reassured them. And his team resolved to double down on the nonprofit's mission and expand its services to communities outside the urban centers, whose struggles seemed to usher in Trump's win.

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"None of us can deny that we weren't paying enough attention to them," he said.

As Chicagoans returned to work after a long and emotional night spent watching election results, employers across this heavily Democratic city were met with a mix of shock and despondency from employees deeply upset by the Republican nominee's stunning upset over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Though many of Illinois' rural counties went red, Cook and the surrounding counties carried the state for Clinton. As other states battled, there was little doubt even early Tuesday evening that Clinton had won in Illinois.

Adam Ochstein, CEO of Chicago-based human resources software company StratEx, fought back tears as he described the "heavy, sad" mood at his office, and his own despair at the "big step back" he feels the nation took this week after electing the nation's first black president eight years ago.

Ochstein said employees got choked up as they hovered around TVs at work to watch Clinton's concession speech. He was crafting an email Wednesday afternoon to send to his staff expressing his concern about the result, revealing that it was the first time he had voted for a Democrat for president, and encouraging people to talk it out.

"I want people to feel free to discuss it and know that it's not taboo," Ochstein said. That includes Trump supporters. "I'd like to at least foster an environment here that will allow that and not make them feel like a pariah."

Though the advice about talking politics at work is usually to stay away, employers said it is key to healing.

"The worst thing you can do is to pretend that it's not there or to be afraid to talk about it," said Claire Lew, CEO of Know Your Company, a Chicago-based software tool for employee feedback.

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Lew believes part of the reason behind much of the surprise at the election result stems from a culture that discourages political discourse in polite conversation. She urged employers to encourage kindness and empathy and remind their workers of what they have in common as a company.

"The only way we make progress is if we have a civil and respectful place" to discuss politics, she said, and apart from family and social communities, the workplace is often it.

Some employers whose workers have diverse political views reported a more constructive coming together after a brutal campaign season marked by vicious rhetoric.

"Pretty much stunned silence in the office, even the Trump supporters couldn't believe he won," Ravin Gandhi, CEO and co-founder of Chicago-based GMM Nonstick Coatings, said of his office climate Wednesday. "Best news was that everyone on (the) left and right really seems to take unifying now seriously, and the mood is quite optimistic because everyone is sick and tired of arguing and contention."

Others were not so positive.

Philippe Weiss, managing director of Seyfarth Shaw at Work, the law firm's Chicago-based workplace consulting arm, said some Clinton supporters were calling company employee assistance programs and "reporting depressing thoughts or even sinking feelings of doom" after nights spent in a "Facebook-fueled sadness spiral."

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One marketing firm, he said, reported that employees were experiencing stress reactions such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath and sweaty palms.

On the victorious side, some Trump supporters were celebrating, Weiss said. He described a cargo hauler based south of Chicago that reported "high-fives and cheers as well as some over-the-top gloating," including terms like "losers."

The employees at PricewaterhouseCoopers had a lot on their minds when they got to work Wednesday morning, and U.S. Chairman and senior partner Tim Ryan knew it. He sent out an email to staff members encouraging them to discuss the election but to be mindful. This was a long and emotional campaign, after all.

"There's angst in certain pockets without a doubt," he said. "What we're doing is helping people focus on what our purpose is."

The firm sent out a similar email earlier this year, too, saying it was OK to talk about the racial tensions rearing up around the country. It helps staff members figure out what these events mean to them and to PwC's clients, Ryan said.

Dorri McWhorter, CEO of the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago, sent out an organization-wide email at 6 a.m. Wednesday expressing appreciation for everyone's work and recognizing that the day might be difficult for employees, some of whom have been dealing with divisiveness within their families.

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But the outcome is "definitely calling us to rally around the work that we do and making sure our clients are supported," McWhorter said.

Leaders need to make sure to address the emotions that hang so heavy in the wake of the election, said Laura MacLeod, CEO and founder of New York-based employee relations consulting firm From the Inside Out Project.

"There's an elephant in the room," MacLeod said. "Any time there's an elephant in the room, you can't get past it; you need to deal with it."

aelejalderuiz@chicagotribune.com

amarotti@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @Alexiaer

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Twitter @AllyMarotti
Death penalty dramas tend to fall into two camps. There is the "Dead Man Walking" variety, in which we are asked to view the impact of a heinous crime through dual lenses on the surviving loved ones as well as on the condemned and their families. Or they explore miscarriages of justice in the application of the death penalty, as in the documentary theater piece "The Exonerated."

Chicago-based writer Mia McCullough took a different approach in her award-winning 2001 drama, "Chagrin Falls," now in a revival with the Agency Theater Collective. Set in a fictional town in Oklahoma (though there is an actual Chagrin Falls in Ohio), where the two main employers are the slaughterhouse and the prison, McCullough's play takes a sympathetic look at some of the residents at the granular level.

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The physical setting is a diner/hotel run by Irene (Denise Hoeflich), who finds her business picks up whenever there's an execution. The latest imminent execution involves a man, Jonas, who raped and killed an 8-year-old girl. Yet we never meet the parents of the child, and we see and hear Jonas only in silhouette during a jailhouse visit. (Jonas, usually played by John-Paul Kostecki, was performed by Gino Generelli at the performance I attended.)

That visit is from Vietnamese-American Patrice (Jennifer Cheung), a grad student who is writing an article on the town and Jonas' case. Since Irene's place is where the guards go after work, Patrice goes to work to persuade first the light-hearted Henry (Merrick Robison), who jokes that "Every day I get out of jail free" and then the moodier Thaddeus (Cody Lucas) to get Jonas to talk to her. The regulars at Irene's are rounded out by Riley (Robert Koon), a Vietnam vet and recent retiree from the slaughterhouse, and the prison chaplain (Joe Lino), who finds himself ministering to tortured souls outside the prison walls.

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Thaddeus, whom we first see reading "Crime and Punishment," planned to go to college until his mother became terminally ill. Riley has lost his wife to cancer, and his experiences in the war and the countless animals he dispatched in his career are catching up to him, especially when he drinks. Which is nearly all the time.

Director Sommer Austin's staging generally succeeds at building the connective tissue between these characters. But the production is sometimes hampered by overly hesitant performances, particularly from Cheung's Patrice. She does well at conveying the contained outsider/objective observer in the early scenes. But when we find out that Patrice's involvement with the case is more complicated than that of a curious journo, Cheung's flat affect keeps us from fully investing in the revelation.

Koon's Riley, Hoeflich's Irene and Lucas' Thaddeus all deliver engaging and solid work as people struggling for a toehold of decency and community in a town built around death  one that seems to be dying around them, too. Thaddeus, in describing the actual procedure for the executions, refers to the old firing squads where one gun was loaded with blanks  meaning no one on the execution team was sure if they'd actually killed someone.

"They do their best to divvy up the guilt," he notes  and that is what the Chagrin Falls folks, along with Patrice, are trying to do, too, with varying degrees of success and failure. The reverend says of Jonas: "Some very small part and dark part of me will be glad when he's dead." After witnessing Jonas' execution (not a spoiler  this isn't a play about eleventh-hour redemption) and being told, "You'll be a different person now, seeing what you've seen," Patrice says, "But not a better one."

McCullough has a strong gift for the apt metaphor, as well as the operatically grotesque/comic visual. A cow's head, a joke retirement gift for Riley left on Irene's wall, throws him into a near-catatonic state as he stares into its eyes, as if seeing every creature and human he helped kill stretching back in the glassy orbs.

But her writing doesn't feel belabored, and these characters aren't political mouthpieces. (That again is why some of the stiffness in the performances here work against what's best in the writing.) Greg Pinsoneault's suitably tatty diner set provides a quotidian counterpoint to the existential moral qualms and gnawing sense of bone-deep irrecoverable loss driving these characters.

There may not be secrets in Chagrin Falls, as one character claims. But there are things almost too painful to bear. Ultimately, McCullough's intelligent, probing and compassionate play leaves us with a disquieting sense that humans have commodified the business of death for millennia  and at some point, there will be a reckoning.

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Kerry Reid is a freelance critic.

ctc-arts@chicagotribune.com

When: Through Dec. 11

Where: The Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

Tickets: $28 at 773-680-4596 or wearetheagency.org

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
When it comes to Judy Garland and the theatrical depiction thereof, there are any number of highly discriminating experts living within a few blocks of Stage 773, the North Side theater playing host to the Chicago premiere of "End of the Rainbow." This play with music re-creates the iconic entertainer's final 1968 stand at the Talk of the Town cabaret room in London, a multiweek engagement peppered with pills, bolstered by booze, marred by an impending, unwise, mostly impecunious marriage and, to put the history bluntly, immediately preceding an early surrender to the state where troubles melt like lemon drops.

Or so one hopes.

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There have been so many shows about late-in-life Judys Garland over the years that there is reason to wonder why one should subject oneself to another, especially since "End of the Rainbow," a piece by Peter Quilter that originated in London as a vehicle for actress Tracie Bennett, moved to Broadway in 2012 and now is being directed by Michael Weber for the Porchlight Music Theatre, is no work of eye-popping profundity. It's a three-hander set alternately in Garland's hotel suite, where she vacillates between neediness and aggression, and on stage at the Talk of the Town, where her forgetful and crisis-strewn suite of performances relies on the performer's innate genius and the audience's ability (at the time, limited) to understand that personal pain informed all of her singular interpretations of the American songbook.

Quilter's point  at worst stereotypical, at best reductive  is that Garland was ill-served by two competing groups. One was gay men, as represented here by the piano player Anthony Chapman, who (the show asserts) never loved Garland so much as when she was in the throes of tragic crisis. The other was her collection of spouses and other heterosexual hangers-on, represented by Mickey Deans, who saw in Garland nothing so much as opportunities for themselves. Faced with that push and pull, the show suggests, Garland found herself always alone, and, like most of us, she hated to be alone. It's all a bit too much on the nose on me, if not without a grain of truth.

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But I should get to the heart of the matter. "End of the Rainbow" is a vehicle for an actress not only to be Garland, but also to sing and perform as Garland, with the subtext of everything falling apart. Body and soul.

Garland is here performed by Angela Ingersoll. It is a simply magnificent portrayal, especially vocally, which is really what matters the most. It will, I think, be enough to make this show a huge hit as we go into the holiday season and, by rights, it should transform Ingersoll's career in this town.

What makes it so great? It's never useful to discuss these things from a point of view of impersonation, since, especially half a century on, they're all just interpretations, as beholden to the legend of Garland as to her quotidian reality. I just found this to be a remarkably profound dive into this very familiar character  at once honest, earnest, vulnerable and live. That last adjective is the one that matters most. Anyone doing Garland in this play has to figure out how to make her come alive in the moment, to make all these tired cliches feel fresh and present tense. That's what Ingersoll nails in a performance that wisely stays away from the crumbling-building approach  Garland was, after all only just 47 when she died  in favor of capturing a vitality, even a joie de vivre, that kept having to fight off all of the noxious substances entering into her lifeblood.

You might find Ingersoll a little young. You'll get over that. Actually, that youth is what makes the performance work  well, that, and Ingersoll's near-flawless command of the songs in the show-within-the-show, as performed here with a live orchestra. The last time I saw this show, at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, it was done to tape, ruining everything. It's not a matter of Ingersoll's voice being a re-creation of Garland's instrument  although if you must go there, you will be impressed  but that Ingersoll works shrewdly on both required levels, singing the songs well and, with equal bravura, singing them as Garland would have sung them in that moment. Ingersoll's lower register is especially formidable. But none of that would matter a hill of beans if Ingersoll did not seem to be improvising everything in the moment, which is pretty much all Garland was doing in 1968 at the Talk of the Town.

The three guys in the show  Jon Steinhagen plays Chapman, Kyle Hatley is Deans and Felipe Jorge essays a variety of cameos  know that job one is making Ingersoll shine and so they do, getting out of the way, even if there are available depths and subtexts that remain unexplored. I neither know nor care how much Steinhagen, who is also the musical director, influenced Ingersoll's vocal interpretations, but I would assume there was team play, and whatever they tried together worked. Extraordinarily well.

This did not come easy to Ingersoll. To be that on, while playing one who was more off than on, takes enormous work and a rich reservoir of interpretative talent. What a performance!

Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.

cjones5@chicagotribune.com

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Twitter @ChrisJonesTrib

Review: "End of the Rainbow" (3.5 stars)

When: Through Dec. 9

Where: Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave.

Running time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

Tickets: $45-$51 at 773-327-5252 or porchlightmusictheatre.org
Philip Levine, who died last year, was as successful as an American poet can get without winning the Nobel Prize: two National Book Awards, a Pulitzer, a poet laureateship. His best-known poem, They Feed They Lion, written in the aftermath of Detroits 12th Street Riots of 1967, rolls all his strengths into one ball. (Gary Kazanjian / AP 2006)

Philip Levine, who died last year, was as successful as an American poet can get without winning the Nobel Prize: two National Book Awards, a Pulitzer, a poet laureateship. His best-known poem, "They Feed They Lion," written in the aftermath of Detroit's 12th Street Riots of 1967, rolls all his strengths into one ball. It begins Walt Whitman-wide:

Out of burlap sacks, out of bearing butter,

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Out of black bean and wet slate bread,

Out of the acids of rage, the candor of tar,

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Out of creosote, gasoline, drive shafts, wooden dollies,

They Lion grow.

From the material ground of working-class life  into which "rage" so naturally slots  the oppressed feed their fury: "From 'Bow Down' come 'Rise Up.' " The poem's a tremendous performance, a sustained litany whose tension builds until the final lines bring it all home:

From my five arms and all my hands,

From all my white sins forgiven, they feed,

From my car passing under the stars,

They Lion, from my children inherit,

From the oak turned to a wall, they Lion,

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From they sack and they belly opened

And all that was hidden burning on the oil-stained earth

They feed they Lion and he comes.

Levine knew from the candor of tar: He grew up in Detroit, where he began working in auto factories at 14. After graduating from Wayne State University, he worked for Chrysler and Chevrolet. "Stupid jobs," he called them. Eventually he made his way to the University of Iowa, where he met John Berryman, whom he would name his "one great mentor." He never worked in a factory again, but his poems never entirely abandoned the working class. "Let Me Be," from 1979, tropes the opening of Whitman's "Song of Myself" to stage solidarity:

the separate atoms that held

my name scattered into

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the mouths of bus conductors

and television repairmen.

The people in his poems linger on barges, wait in line for food stamps, eat lunch "on the loading docks/ at Mavis-Nu-Icy Bottling."

The Last Shift, by Philip Levine, Knopf, 96 pages, $26.95. (Handout)

As much as I love his best poems, and honor their industrial candor, Levine had a maudlin streak as broad as a double-wide trailer, and it got broader with time. The critic Helen Vendler rightly found some of "his sentimental endings  a step away from  Rod McKuen." So, alas, are too many lines in "The Last Shift," his posthumously published final collection. There is goo about "the children/ of the world" and "the music of eternity" and how "the world seems/ full of possibility." The same monotone of breathless epiphany keeps sounding, and a million master of fine arts students gasp. A poem will end, "a man dreams, and no birds sing as they please"; or "The day will become something/ it's never been before, something for/ which I have no name."

These are generic birds in whose song, forced or free, I cannot believe, and I'd much rather the poet find a name for whatever the already-vague day is alleged to become for the first time.

Executed skillfully, as in James Wright's better work, this effect can wreck the decks despite its obvious contrivance. (All poetry is contrived, of course.) And Levine's last poems do crack off some doozies. My favorite piece here is a sequence of brief, loosely connected poems called "A Dozen Dawn Songs, Plus One," in which Levine tweaks Andrew Marvell:

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 at my back I always

hear Chevy Gear & Axle

grinding the night-shift workers

into antiquity.

Something about this form shakes Levine into specificity: "If I had/ a Milky Way I'd share it/ with the sparrows picking/ about the piss-speckled/ snow." His little visionary bursts pan from cosmic to particular: "War is/ everywhere but we don't go because/ the streetcar won't come."

Philip Levine at the San Joaquin River Center in Fresno, Calif., where he recited many of his poems. (Gary Kazanjian / AP 2006)

"The Last Shift" is more or less the epitaph you might expect from Levine, a mix of fine and feckless. And how welcome are the essays collected in "My Lost Poets: A Life in Poetry," in which Levine writes feelingly of the surprising vocation he found "on the outskirts of my city, Detroit, in an almost undeveloped area." With only Robert Service and Francis Thompson for models, the teenage Levine's "dark-time psalms" were "Whitmanian without the benefit of Whitman." Here we find Levine coming to terms with Dylan Thomas by way of a lachrymose Berryman, who observes to Levine's classmate Donald Justice that Thomas' "A Refusal to Mourn the Death, by Fire, of a Child in London" does both John Donne and John Crowe Ransom "better than they do themselves"  a possibly insane insight no one else could have had. And here he remembers Thom Gunn, who informed Berryman that Levine was going around doing an "almost perfect" imitation of the "particularly hysterical style that marked his reading." Here are memories of Lester Young "playing at a toilet on Grand River" in Detroit and reflections on the poetry of the Spanish Civil War, in which Federico Garcia Lorca's influence on "They Feed They Lion" is confirmed.

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In the essays, too, Levine is given to occasional bromides: "Poetry is like truth," he writes, not long after asking if "lovers stop loving because Time Warner sees them only as consumers." I do not think the former is a serious proposition or the latter a serious question. But it is almost as if Levine needed platitudes in order to produce lasting perceptions. America "murdered" Whitman in the simplest fashion  "they made him assigned reading." Levine's own poetry, "original and audacious enough to be American," deserves a better fate.

Michael Robbins in a freelance writer and author of the poetry collections "The Second Sex" and "Alien vs. Predator."

'The Last Shift'

By Philip Levine, Knopf, 96 pages, $26.95

'My Lost Poets'

By Philip Levine, Knopf, 224 pages, $26.95
The majority of Illinois voters may not have wanted a Donald Trump presidency  but could his victory offer a ray of hope for imprisoned former Gov. Rod Blagojevich?

Blagojevich needs either the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in his case or a presidential pardon or clemency to cut short his recently reimposed 14-year sentence for public corruption offenses.

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While it's hard to imagine President Barack Obama tossing Blagojevich a bone before he leaves office (the optics wouldn't be good), and Hillary Clinton would likely have faced similar outcry, Trump's shoot-from-the-hip style and Republican Party affiliation may give him more latitude.

Trump and Blagojevich have history. The latter appeared as a contestant on Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" in 2010, while he was awaiting trial. Though Trump fired Blagojevich after he bungled a task at Universal Studios Florida and revealed he didn't know how to send an email or text, Trump had some kind words for Blagojevich.

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"I think you're a guy with great courage," Trump told Blagojevich at the time. "Because I know people who get into trouble, and they just want to go home to mommy. I see them fold like a tent."

Blagojevich's lawyer Sheldon Sorosky said Wednesday that he'd yet to discuss the possibility of appealing to Trump with the former governor but noted that clemency "would just mean Rod gets to go home" without removing the conviction from his record.

Even if it's likely not top of Trump's to-do list, such a move is "theoretically possible," Sorosky said.

kjanssen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kimjnews
President-elect Donald Trump arrives at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on Nov. 8, 2016. Trump stunned America and the world Wednesday, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States. (SAUL LOEB / AFP/Getty Images)

It is the day after the election. When we look in the mirror, what do we see?

A family so scarred that it is barely recognizable.

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The fighting has gone on for months. The meanness has taken a toll.

We are so wounded that we can barely stand. But faltering is not an option.

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Americans have done the unexpected. We chose Donald Trump's message of exclusion over Hillary Clinton's vision of inclusion. We chose promises that cannot possibly be kept over what seemed to be a solid path to prosperity.

For many of us, this is hardly a day to celebrate. We have a difficult task ahead, gathering up the pieces and putting our broken family back together again.

The bigotry, misogyny, divisiveness, anger and fear that gripped us during this volatile election have pierced our soul. We wonder if we can ever heal. Yet we know that somehow we must.

This will be President Donald Trump's greatest challenge over the next four years. As the patriarch of the American family, he must reach out to all of us, take us by the hand and lead the way.

I am still not sure he can.

When the dust settles over his shocking victory, Trump's legacy ultimately will be determined by how well he mends a country ripped apart by opposing ideologies. It is a tall order for a president who nearly half the nation loathes.

To begin with, he must convince Americans who did not vote for him that there are no losers here. He has to make us see that there can be no "us against them" in America. Though we may look different, think differently and see the world through a different lens, in the end we are all one family.

He has to prove to people who can barely stand the sight of each other that the family can survive only if it stands together. He must make us understand that our enemies are not the ones with whom we disagree, but rather those who seek to use our differences to tear us apart.

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Surely, Trump understands the magnitude of the task that lies ahead. The majority of Americans did not vote for him.

He is convinced, though, that he can fix what is wrong with America. We have to give him credit for overcoming all kinds of odds so that he could give it a shot.

In his victory speech early Wednesday, Trump talked about healing and uniting Americans. He said what all of us needed to hear.

"Now it's time for America to bind the wounds of division; have to get together," he said. "To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.

"It's time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans, and this is so important to me."

We owe it to our American family to give him a chance.

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Certainly, Trump doesn't bear all of the responsibility for the volatile family feud that erupted during the presidential campaign. It was the combustible combination of a candidate viewed as untrustworthy and another seen as a bigot that brought the anger to a head.

But make no mistake; discontent was always there, simmering beneath the surface.

If we had opened our eyes, we would have seen some among us struggling to make ends meet as the nation boasted of a revived economy. There is no question that life for most Americans is better today than it was eight years ago. But not every member of our family was invited to the table to share in the bounty.

If our politicians in Washington had paid closer attention, they would have noticed the discontent brewing back home. They would seen that many of us were growing increasingly frustrated as partisan politics took control and looking out for the family's best interest was put on hold.

If we had only known then what we are sure of todaythat a family squabble carries a hefty price.

Political dysfunction is the price we paylawmakers who refuse to compromise for fear they will alienate half of the family if they keep the middle ground. And for every minute this squabble goes on, we will lose a little bit of ourselves.

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Family squabbles are as American as our wonderful flag. We have fought over our political differences from the moment our great nation was formed. We even fought a civil war over them.

No doubt, this won't be the last time we disagree. But perhaps we have learned a lesson.

On the morning following an election, we always have to look at ourselves in the mirror.

We can blame no one but ourselves if we don't like what we see.

dglanton@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @dahleeng
Thank you, Hillary.

Thank you for not giving up. For giving it your all. Thank you for giving us hope that one day, if not this day, a woman will run the United States of America.

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Thank you for getting up day after day and girding for battle, in your pantsuits of many colors, for doing it when you were exhausted and insulted, for doing it with pneumonia and in heels.

Those of us who believed in you  believe in you  are so, so sad today, sad to the point of sick, but also grateful.

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When I say "we" I mean women and men, but for women this is especially personal.

Thank you for giving us a reason, during this exhausting campaign, to think about what our mothers and grandmothers endured in the march toward women's equality, for reminding us that it wasn't so long ago that women in this land of liberty were denied the right to own property, the right to serve on juries, the right to birth control, the right to vote.

Thank you for the lessons you helped us to teach the girls of 2016.

One of those lessons is that their opportunities are so much greater than the opportunities of the women who came before them  because of those women who, like you, were often belittled, pushed to the side, told no way.

Another lesson, as your loss shows, is that progress for women is not done. Not yet. Not close.

Progress comes slowly, through the work of one woman at a time, with many women joining forces, aided by men, and even then, as we have learned once again, an army of believers may not be able to breach the barriers.

On Election Day, crowds gathered in a cemetery in Rochester, N.Y., to lay flowers and their "I Voted" stickers on the grave of Susan B. Anthony, who campaigned for women's right to vote then died before her dream came true.

In Chicago, voters flocked to the grave of Ida B. Wells, the black feminist and activist who campaigned for the rights of black women.

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Thank you for giving us this chance to revisit our history. It fortifies us.

Not all women voted for you. But you inspired legions of us to rise up and say it's time, time for a woman  at least one as qualified as you, so much more qualified than her opponent  to lead this country that for all its 240 years has been run by men.

You inspired women of a certain age to fish their old pantsuits out of the closet and women of a younger age to go to the vintage store and buy one. You inspired us to laugh, ruefully, at the pantsuit, a symbol of how careful a woman must be in how she presents her body when she seeks power.

Thank you for helping us keep our sense of humor.

And thanks for showing how it's possible to stay classy in a fight. For standing on public stages with a man who called you a nasty woman and not sinking to his low ground.

We thank him for giving us a rallying cry. The nasty women are sticking around as the fight goes on for a country that respects its women, its immigrants, people of all kinds.

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By Wednesday morning many people were publicly vowing to work harder on behalf of the people the next president has disparaged and who will be more vulnerable with him in charge.

Oh, and thank you for not being afraid to talk about love and kindness, for reminding us that those aren't girly words  they're the words of a leader, the bedrock of a vision.

Your loss will be analyzed and reanalyzed for years. Was it because you were too establishment? Because you didn't connect with a certain swath of Americans, mostly white, who feel their way of life is threatened? Because you were a Democrat?

Was it because the labels "crook" and "liar" stuck, even when the facts weren't there to back them up? Because, for reasons that mystify the legions of us who found you to be smart and genuine, your smile struck many people as fake, your voice struck them as shrill?

Was it because you were a woman?

The fact that you are a woman doesn't explain it all, but it figures in.

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On Tuesday night, as the votes piled up, I went to bed. What would be would be. I couldn't sleep, though, and kept glancing at my phone as my dearest friends, from around the country, started to text.

I will save those texts as testament to the moment the dream of 2016 died.

"This is terrifying."

"I can't even begin to fathom this."

"Should I just pour myself a drink and go to bed?"

"Just heard that the Canadian immigration site has crashed."

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"May you wake up to a happy surprise."

There was no happy surprise, just the news that the next president of the United States will be a man, a man who denigrates women.

And yet progress comes anyway. You have been part of our progress.

On the morning after your defeat, I re-read an email from a friend who wrote this to me after she voted:

"I don't know if Hillary is going to win on Tuesday or even if she does, what kind of continuing nonsense she'll have to overcome from Trump and his followers.

"I just know that when I marked that circle and put my ballot in the machine, there was a sense that there was and is no going back. Hillary may not win, but we as women will win. Maybe not this election, but because of this election, there's no going back  no putting this genie back in the bottle."

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Thank you, Hillary, for letting the genie out of the bottle.

We owe you.

mschmich@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @MarySchmich
Trump supporters celebrate early on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, as they leave a private watch party at Mack'ss Golden Pheasant restaurant in Elmhurst. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune)

As the presidential election results rolled in late Tuesday night, and state after state turned red on the Electoral College map, Illinois supporters of Donald Trump grew giddy.

Trump claimed victory early Wednesday morning, an outcome his confident supporters around the state predicted hours earlier.

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A dedicated group of Trump backers, about two dozen of them in suits and jeans and "Make America Great Again" caps, congregated around the big-screen television in the basement hall of Mack's Golden Pheasant restaurant in Elmhurst, hooting, clapping and clinking glasses.

"It's looking so good right now, I think we're in really good shape," said Trump elected delegate and supporter Mark Fratella. "He had a good message that resonated with blue collar, with white collar. It's not surprising that he's winning, but I'm a little surprised with the wall of red throughout the country."

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Fratella said that Trump voters were dissatisfied with the Democrats' handling of the economy and frustrated with stagnating wages and stalled incomes.

As results streamed in state by state, the enthusiastic Trump voters gathered in DuPage County said the nationwide results mirrored their feelings about the Republican candidate.

"What it comes down to is jobs," said Trump supporter Val Ojeda. "It's a new beginning."

Ojeda, of Mexican descent, said the Barack Obama administration forgot about Hispanics, and Trump would do better.

"What Trump wants to do is build," Ojeda said.

Retired Cook County Circuit Judge Anthony Iosco, sporting a "God Bless America" lapel pin and holding a Trump yard sign under his arm, remained "cautiously optimistic" as midnight neared and neither presidential candidate had reached the electoral threshold to win.

"What Mr. Trump has been saying," Iosco said, "has been resonating with the average, everyday person."

Chris Cleveland, chairman of the Chicago Republican Party, echoed those thoughts.

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"Nobody expected this," Cleveland said. "We didn't expect it to be easy. The media has been calling (Hillary) Clinton for a long, long time, but the people have spoken. The Republican Party now speaks for those dispossessed working people, those left out of this economy. Finally, the election results reflect that."

In the lobby of Trump International Hotel and Tower late Tuesday, supporters waited in line to get into a watch party at the hotel's bar. They roared with each electoral vote that came in, shouting, "He's done it! He's done it!"

Adam Keene, 32, traveled with his wife from Palatine to be at the tower "to watch history"  the moment Trump won the election. They donned Trump shirts and checked their phones for updates.

"I'm not shocked," he said with a smile. "I predicted it'd be a landslide victory from the beginning. Obviously the media had a biased opinion. ... But look where we are now. He's gonna win."

Earlier in the day, other Republicans in Illinois said they voted for their party's nominee, even if they were not enthusiastic about Trump's candidacy.

"At this point, I think he's the candidate I disagree less with," said Jack Stucky, president of the Northwestern University College Republicans. "I don't think I'd say Donald Trump is going to be the best president ever, but I did think he'd be better than Hillary Clinton."

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Stucky, 20, voted early by mail. The college group, he said, did not formally endorse a candidate in the presidential election because membership was split on its feelings about Trump. Some in the group, Stucky said, did not think Trump was a true conservative. Some members planned to back Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson; a few voted for Clinton.

For other Illinois voters, the decision to vote for Trump came down to a view that he was a change of pace from the ordinary politician.

Binyomin Weisswasser, an ultra-Orthodox Jew who voted at the Croatian Cultural Center on Chicago's North Side, said he had a difficult time deciding whom to vote for but ultimately chose Trump.

"This was not an easy election for me," said Weisswasser, 39. "We have seen our country take a downturn in the eyes of the world. We need to go in a different direction. Trump's not a politician, and he has shown it in good ways and bad ways. ... I like that he is not always politically correct and speaks his mind. It gives me the feeling you know what you see is what you get. You may not like it, but you know what it is."

Chicago Tribune's Marwa Eltagouri and Jodi S. Cohen contributed.

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DePaul University senior Sara Frankiewicz, seen Nov. 9, 2016, in Chicago, originally was a Bernie Sanders supporter but she came to support Hillary Clinton. Although very unhappy about the election results, she is determined to work harder to help people. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune)

For the friends who bought matching pantsuits just for the occasion, for the mothers who dreamed new possibilities for the young daughters they brought to the polls, for the women in their 90s overjoyed that they lived long enough to vote for a female president, Tuesday was a day of optimism.

Then, as they watched state after state turn red on the Electoral College map, the women became sick with anxiety, realizing that what they thought was impossible was reality.

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Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States, a shocking loss for women confident that at last, after 240 years, they would elect the country's first female president, Hillary Clinton . Instead, they struggled to fathom how the nation's highest office could be filled by a man whose misogynistic behavior came without apology.

Hannah Doty, seen at the Chinatown branch of the Chicago Public Library on Monday, Nov. 7, 2016, is a Republican who has volunteered for the Hillary Clinton campaign and who voted for Clinton. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

"It's sad. It's just sad," 29-year-old Hannah Doty, a Republican who campaigned for Clinton, said Wednesday morning. "We've put a man in office who's not only spoken about women in problematic ways but gloated about sexual assault. We've said, 'No, that's OK, that's not a big deal.'

"I'm worried about what kind of message this sends to our country. What kind of message that sends to our kids."

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Doty, who teaches first grade at a Chicago private school, said her students, after looking at a poster of the presidents during an election lesson, noted matter-of-factly Tuesday that "there was no girl." Doty then read to her students "Grace for President," a book about a girl who learns the U.S. has never had a female president and decides to be the first by running for her school's mock election.

Doty held a mock election for her own classroom, where students voted for either Grace or a male character from a different book. Grace won the election, and a little boy said he thought Grace was the best person for the job, Doty said.

"At the end of the book I almost started crying," she said. "I thought, 'Hopefully, the girl wins tonight.'"

Allie Colina, a DePaul University student studying for a master's in counseling, wrote a senior thesis as an undergraduate on women in the 1920s and the suffrage movement. She felt like she was part of history in voting for Clinton, so much so that she bought two bottles of Chardonnay to celebrate with a friend.

"The physical act of voting for Hillary Clinton felt historic. I was so confident my click would be part of a national historic moment," said Colina, 24. "For that to be robbed of so many women because of fear is just so sad. There is a coming down from that loss. I am still in shock. I don't think I have fully processed it."

Women in Chicago who said they expected to see history move forward, not backward, woke up Wednesday morning at a loss for words, still recovering from the sting of election night. They questioned how Americans could elect someone so brutish: Trump has derided women for their appearances and, in a 2005 video released in October, bragged about using his fame to sexually abuse women.

They wondered about key congressional races going in Republicans' favor, and if checks and balances would go out the window as a result. On social media, they expressed their frustrations  how they had to wake their sleeping daughters with the news, how they were scared for the future of women's issues such as reproductive freedom.

With tears in her eyes, Lina Parnell, of the Lakeview neighborhood's Southport Corridor, said she was devastated to see Trump prevail.

"He's racist, misogynistic and pretty much every other adjective you could say. I don't understand it," said Parnell, 47. She immigrated to the United States from Colombia 17 years ago and said she's grappling to explain Trump's victory to her children.

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"They're asking me, 'He doesn't respect women. Why is he president?'" she said.

On Election Day, older women at the polls said they never believed a woman could realistically enter the Oval Office in their lifetime. With Trump's election, younger voters are wondering the same thing, unable to name other women with Clinton's capability and experience.

Experts say that gender stereotypes, such as the notion that women are less competent than men, have likely delayed the election of a female president. Women in reach of the few political offices that would put them on track for the presidency, such as those of governor or U.S. senator, face heightened attacks from the press and their opponents and have greater difficulties raising money, in part due to the greater concentration of wealth among men.

Women also are slower to decide to run for office, even at the local level, and have to be asked more times than men, said Rebecca Sive, a lecturer at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. She invites women in public office to speak to her students about women in leadership, and among the issues they discuss most is women's struggle to find time to run for office because they continue to have primary care responsibilities.

Experts also agree that there is something to be said for the idea of the Founding Fathers  that Americans still have not moved entirely away from the notion that a woman shouldn't lead the country.

Jennifer Brier, who directs the Program in Gender and Women's Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago , feared that, had Clinton been elected, misogynistic ideas and rhetoric would increase. A female leader doesn't necessarily mean the end of sexism, just as Barack Obama's presidency didn't mean the end of racism, she said.

At DePaul University, senior Sara Frankiewicz walked by chalked messages on the sidewalk on her way to the student union: You are valid! Keep breathing. Keep smiling.

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A Clinton supporter, Frankiewicz, a 21-year-old Chinese studies major from Elmhurst, had trouble starting her day Wednesday. The messages provided some hope amid her fear of the future, particularly for her classmates and friends in minority groups.

"It feels so heavy. I didn't think in the end he would win. This is a day to be sad," she said.

But tomorrow, she said, is the day to mobilize. She plans to pursue a career in public service and volunteer with a local refugee organization.

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"I keep telling myself, 'stronger together.'"

The election outcome also has Carrie Brasser, an Elmhurst mother and fitness instructor, planning a career change. She left the legal profession about a decade ago and considered going back in a few years when her three young boys are older.

Instead, she plans to reactivate her law license within the next few months. She hopes to do public interest work, including on behalf of immigrants, refugees, minorities or women. She may work on a political campaign or advocate on Capitol Hill for a group whose rights are being threatened.

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"After last night happened, I said I guess I am not going to wait. The time is now," Brasser, 41, said. "Now with this election, we can't just sit here. To me, this is the future that my kids are going to grow up in. I have to do something."

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Hillary Clinton may have lost the presidential race, but women exiting the polls Tuesday in Chicago could not mask their wonderment at being able to vote for the first female major-party nominee.

The women who voted for Clinton, 69, viewed her as their champion: a candidate who they hoped could bridge female Democrats and Republicans, and someone who, after puncturing a hole in the glass ceiling, could widen it for women behind her by advocating to protect reproductive freedoms and close the pay gap.

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Although Donald Trump was elected president, the women who voted for Clinton say they feel lucky to have been able to vote for a woman at all.

"It was a thing I always hoped to see. I could never understand why it wasn't a possibility," said 31-year-old Kristina Rago, of Chicago. "I felt chills. I had tears in my eyes. I didn't realize I would have that type of physical reaction when I actually saw her name on the voting ballot."

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Women's ability to vote for a female major-party nominee to the presidency confirms the country's growth since 1913, when Illinois, where Clinton was born, became the first state east of the Mississippi where women could vote. Women then could only vote for presidential electors, mayor, aldermen and most local offices, but not for governor, state representatives or members of Congress. It was reported that women used a separate ballot box, and that they faced insults, dirty looks and, in one instance, snowballs thrown in their direction, according to Tribune archives.

Women now vote freely and in larger numbers than men, with 43 percent of women voting in the 2014 congressional election compared with just under 41 percent of men, according to U.S. Census data. And yet the nation in some ways has not changed that much. In 2014, women made 79 percent of the earnings of their male counterparts.

Women like Beatrice Lumpkin, 98, said they were overcome with relief when a woman's name at last appeared on the presidential ballot. Born before women had a constitutional right to vote, Lumpkin remembers working in a factory during World War II and watching the tail of her dress sweep the floor as she worked, because it wasn't acceptable for women to wear pants. She wanted to study chemistry in college in the 1930s but knew it wasn't practical, as the local engineering colleges admitted only men.

She recalls being fired from two jobs around that time, one on an assembly line and another as a typist, for being pregnant. And she can still recite the words the president of a company told her when it came time for a promotion  "For what I'm paying you, I could hire a man."

Younger women now look at Clinton's achievement as one more step toward gender equality. In casting her vote, Julie Smolyansky, the CEO of Illinois-based Lifeway Foods, was reminded of the steps women before her took to ensure the most basic of rights  the right to apply for credit, for example, which women did not gain until 1974.

"There are so many times like that in history, where our rights have been disrespected or we've been thought of as less than, or that we don't have stamina or aren't intelligent or can't handle it. Pick your negative," she said. "The way we got here is small steps."

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She has instilled in her young daughters, ages 8 and 6, that "girls can do anything boys can do." That's apparent even in the girls' Halloween costumes: They've dressed as little suffragists, as women who could potentially be on the $20 bill like Sally Ride and Amelia Earhart, as Rosie the Riveter.

Three generations of women went to a West Rogers Park polling place together Tuesday to vote for Clinton. Azra Colpa, a 30-year-old Bosnian refugee who came to the United States in 1999, brought her mom and two young daughters with her.

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"This is going down in history. I brought my girls to see it. It's empowering," Colpa said.

"Girls rule, right?" she said to her elder daughter who turned 5 on Election Day.

Chicago Tribune's Jodi S. Cohen contributed.

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Dajuan Key, 32, in a photo from earlier incarceration in Wisconsin, was sentenced Wedneday, Nov. 9, 2016, to nearly 22 years in prison for forcing a 15-year-old girl from Madison, Wisconsin, into prostitution in the Chicago suburbs. Key is from Chicago but had most recently lived in Milwaukee. (Wisconsin Deparment of Correctio / )

A Milwaukee man who used a classified ad site to meet a 15-year-old Madison girl, then forced her into sex work at Chicago-area motels, was sentenced Wednesday to almost 22 years in prison, according to federal officials.

Dajuan Key, also known as Dejuan Key, was convicted in February of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in prostitution.

Romeoville police rescued the girl in September 2013 at a local McDonald's after she called her mother to ask for a ride home to Madison. Prosecutors said Judge Virginia Kendall sentenced him Tuesday to 262 months in prison  the maximum amount recommended for his crimes under federal sentencing guidelines, according to court records.

Key, 32, met the girl in early September 2013 at a Madison apartment complex after communicating with her regarding an ad she had posted on backpage.com, a classified advertising site, according to the complaint against him. Key's last known address was in Milwaukee, but he is from Chicago, according to the complaint.

Key had been pimping other women and looked for another person to make money from after one of them left, according to court filings. He found the girl, an emotionally vulnerable 15-year-old girl, with an unstable family, who had run away from homethe perfect prey, according to a court filing from prosecutors.

Under the pretext of visiting his family in Milwaukee, Key drove the girl to Romeoville, where he forced her to prostitute herself at two different Romeoville motels for two days, according to the complaint.

While in Romeoville, (Key) capitalized on (the girls) desperate situation  brought her lingerie, forced her to pose for photos that he used on Backpage.com and instructed her (on) what to tell clients who replied to the advertisement, according to the filing.

The girl told investigators she started getting calls and arranged to meet men at one of the motels, according to the complaint.

Key promised to let the girl keep the money from her prostitution so she could use it for a bus ticket home, but he instead took it from her each time and forced her to keep prostituting herself. She called her mother and a friend of her mother's, and her mother called Romeoville authorities, telling them that her daughter had fled the motel where he had been, and was at a local McDonald's.

Police went to the hotel, Extended Stay America, and found Key and a woman Key had forced into prostitution, and the woman told police where to find the girl.
Chicago police were investigating after a student at a West Eldson neighborhood high school found a camera device in a girls' restroom, officials said.

The girl reported finding the "device resembling a camera" in a washroom at the school, said Officer Thomas Sweeney, a Chicago police spokesman.

The camera was found in the first-floor girls' restroom at John Hancock College Prep High School, 4034 W. 56th St., late Monday afternoon, according to a letter to parents from the school's principal, released by Chicago Public Schools.

The girl told school staff, and they reported it to Chicago police, Sweeney said. Police were informed about 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Based on the type of camera found, we are confident that no images have been transmitted, school Principal Karen Boran said in the letter to parents.

We alerted the authorities, including the Chicago Police Department and CPS Office of Safety and Security, as soon as we became aware of the situation, Boran said in the letter.

All other restrooms and locker rooms at the school have been checked for cameras, and none were found, according to the letter.

This is an upsetting situation for our students and staff, which is why members of the CPS Crisis Intervention team were at school [Tuesday] to provide assistance, Boran said in the letter.
Voters wait in line to cast their vote at the 17th precinct, in Little Village on Tuesday Nov. 8, 2016. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

In yet another embarrassment for the Cook County judiciary, a law clerk accused of posing as a judge was elected to the bench Tuesday, even though she is under indictment, her law license has been suspended and the state's highest court has barred her from being sworn in.

Rhonda Crawford, who was charged after she put on a judge's robe and allegedly presided over suburban traffic cases in August, turned aside a challenge from Maryam Ahmad, a sitting judge in Maywood who launched a spirited but long-shot write-in campaign, according to unofficial results.

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With about 85 percent of the precincts reporting, Crawford received about 74,000 votes in balloting for the 1st Judicial Subcircuit, which includes the city's South Side and some suburbs.

Election officials did not immediately know how many voters wrote in Ahmad's name but said the total number of write-in ballots cast was most likely far lower than Crawford's vote total, meaning that even if Ahmad captured every one of those write-in ballots, she still would fall short.

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Ahmad, in an interview Tuesday, calculated she received "several thousand votes" but did not have nearly enough to beat Crawford. She said that in talking to voters, she was shocked by how many did not follow the news and were unaware of Crawford's troubles.

"It's very sad given the awesome responsibility that judges have," Ahmad said. "She's not the winner. She can't take the bench. She's just the person who got the most votes."

Crawford could not be reached for comment.

Crawford, 45, was dogged by scandal in her bid to become a judge. A week before the election, the Illinois Supreme Court barred her from taking the bench even if she won and suspended her law license. The court's unprecedented action came after state lawyer disciplinary officials asked the court to suspend Crawford and after Cook County prosecutors charged her with one count of official misconduct, a felony, and one count of false impersonation, a misdemeanor.

Crawford has pleaded not guilty to both charges.

The state Board of Elections said this week that it would declare Crawford the winner if she received the most votes, although the seat would remain vacant since she is barred from taking office.

If she is declared permanently ineligible, the Supreme Court could appoint someone to fill the vacancy until the 2018 election.

If Crawford ultimately loses her law license after a disciplinary hearing or if she is convicted of a felony, she cannot preside as a judge, a position that pays about $190,000 a year. Crawford has acknowledged she made a mistake while job shadowing a judge after winning the Democratic primary in March.

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The incident that set up the bizarre election began Aug. 11 when Circuit Judge Valarie Turner handed her robe to Crawford, who put it on. According to the state Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, Crawford heard and ruled on three traffic cases from the village of Dolton.

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Chief Judge Timothy Evans, whose office had hired Crawford, responded to the embarrassing incident by firing her from her $57,000-a-year law clerk/staff attorney job. He reassigned Turner to administrative duties. Turner has been on medical leave since Aug. 22.

Meanwhile, the Judicial Inquiry Board, which oversees judicial conduct, is investigating Turner's conduct.

In other balloting, Evans and 56 other Cook County sitting judges  including several whom a leading bar association found unqualified to be a judge  appeared to be on their way to retaining their seats.

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Rescue personnel work at the scene of a crash involving an unmarked Chicago police car and a CTA Brown Line train at the Kedzie station in August 2012. (Reid Compton / For the Chicago Tribune)

The city of Chicago must pay almost $2.5 million to a CTA train operator who was injured after a police car chasing a bicyclist crashed into a Brown Line train, a jury found.

A Cook County jury last week found in favor of CTA worker Jeffery Bryant, who suffered a serious spinal injury after the August 10, 2012, crash in the Albany Park neighborhood, Bryant's attorneys said Tuesday.

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Chicago police Officer Charlotte Gonzalez crashed into a CTA train seconds after she drove past activated safety gates, lights and bells and onto the railroad tracks near the Kedzie Brown Line station, according to a statement from the law firm of Aleksy Belcher. Gonzalez was chasing a bicyclist, who was also a suspected gang member, for riding on the sidewalk, said attorney Bryant Greening, who represented the CTA worker with lead attorney Matt Belcher.

Jeffery Bryant was thrown forward and suffered disk herniations in his lower back, requiring surgery, and has not been able to return to work, Greening said.

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The lawsuit hinged on an interpretation of Chicago Police Department General Order 03-03-01  official policy  that requires officers to weigh the need to pursue a fleeing suspect against the level of danger created by a motor vehicle chase.

The city argued that the pursuits rule was to be considered narrowly and apply only to cases in which a police car pursues another motor vehicle. So the rule would not have prevented Gonzalez from pursuing a person on a bicycle, the city argued.

Gonzalez testified that she did not violate any safety rules given the plain language of the general order, the law firm statement said. She said she would have ended the pursuit and not driven onto the tracks had the suspect been in a car and not riding a bicycle. The bicyclist was not caught.

Bryant's attorneys argued that the general order should govern all police car operations, regardless of the suspect's mode of transportation  whether it is a car, a bicycle or a skateboard.

"The City's position allows an alleged offender to decide when the rules apply," said Belcher in the law firm's statement. "Community safety requires that police officers, not suspects, govern the safe operation of department vehicles."

The jury agreed, finding that Gonzalez, who is an active tactical officer, acted with conscious disregard for the safety of herself and others in driving onto the CTA tracks, Greening said.

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The $2.48 million in damages was for medical expenses, pain, suffering and a loss of normal life.

Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi deferred comment to the city's Law Department.

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"We are disappointed in the jury's decision and are evaluating our legal options," said Law Department spokesman Bill McCaffrey.

Cyclists age 12 and older are not allowed to ride their bicycles on city sidewalks, and fines range from $50 to $250. Riding on a sidewalk is the most common type of citation against bicyclists, with 2,820 citations issued in 2015 for riding on sidewalks or on roads that do not allow bicycles, according to police statistics.

Kenneth Franklin, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308, which represents CTA rail operators, said he was glad that Bryant succeeded in his lawsuit.

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Manuel Chavez, 73, who grew up in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood, talks about the presidential election with a Tribune reporter Nov. 9, 2016. "Once Trump stood to accept the final results, he looked shocked as if he asked himself, what have I gotten myself into?" said Chavez. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

Like many other Americans on Tuesday night, Berto Aguayo stayed up late watching the presidential election results on TV with his family.

As the early returns favoring Donald Trump began to trickle in, his mother started to cry. By 8 p.m. she started calling friends and family in Mexico who reassured her that Trump was not going to win, Aguayo recalled.

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Later they would tell her that Mexico would always be home. She could leave the U.S. and go back if she felt she needed to.

Although Illinois voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton, many Latinos and immigrants questioned Wednesday morning how they would fit into a Trump-led country, considering that the president-elect has pledged to restrict immigrant entry into the U.S.

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"I haven't gone to work yet, and my family is just silent," said Aguayo, 22, of Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood. "It's almost like the day after 9/11 happened. It's a tragedy to us. It's absurdity. It's fear, and it's just a very sad day in America and the American Dream that we came out here looking for."

Aguayo's 15-year-old sister told him she was afraid to go to school Wednesday morning, saying she had already been bullied by people who said they hope she gets deported. Aguayo's other sister, a sophomore at Cornell College in Iowa, told the family she was thinking about coming back to Chicago because people had painted graffiti on her school, calling for a wall to be built between Mexico and the U.S., as Trump has pledged, and to kick out all the minorities.

His uncle, who is on a temporary visa, called his pregnant girlfriend, telling her that if he left the country, he might not be able to come back to her, Aguayo said.

"For people like us, it's not just policies that might affect us a little bit," Aguayo said. "This is our lives. This is our family. This is very personal to us."

At a press conference in Chicago, Lawrence Benito, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, stood with activists, community organizations, businesses and politicians, and committed to continue fighting for immigration reform.

"You are not alone," Benito said, addressing the immigrant community. "We are here with you. We are here for you. We are not going away. We will continue to fight to keep families together, to protect workers, to protect those seeking refuge and opportunity and we are committed in the long haul for this effort."

Wilfredo Rosario Sr., of Berwyn, stayed up late watching TV news as results were reported, and then, the Hillary Clinton supporter found himself unable to sleep once the presidential race was called in favor of Trump.

Rosario, who lives with several physical handicaps, said his primary concern is whether he'll be able to afford the cost-of-living scaled-back government assistance.

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Donald Trump addresses supporters the morning of Nov. 9, 2016, at the New York Hilton Midtown. (Jabin Botsford / The Washington Post)

"I don't know man," said Rosario, 54, of Berwyn. "I'm on disability, so I'm afraid is that going to get cut? The only reason I can eat every month is because I get a Link Card. Is that going to get cut? I'm worried about what kind of coverages my insurance is going to cover, since I have so many things wrong with me physically."

A former resident of Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, Rosario struggled to pay $985 rent for his two-bedroom apartment. He later began subleasing both bedrooms and turned the living room into his makeshift bedroom to have enough money to make ends meet. But ultimately Rosario's financial situation prompted him to move in with his son and daughter-in-law in Berwyn, who converted a laundry room into a bedroom.

"I can't afford that high rent," Rosario. "I get $733 a month on Social Security and I'm afraid that's going to get tampered with. I can barely survive on that.

"My son is a mechanic and drives Uber at night because it's hard for him. ... Can we afford to live in Illinois anymore? Or will we be the next ones moving out?" he said.

Aguayo, who once belonged in a gang, works now as a community organizer for the Resurrection Project, promoting peace in traditionally violent Chicago neighborhoods. Last year, Aguayo was appointed to sit on Mayor Rahm Emanuel's My Brother's Keeper Cabinet.

"It's kind of a slap in the face when you've been doing this kind of work," Aguayo said. "It's like, 'Wow, it wasn't good enough.' And the faith that you had that this country would live up to its ideals is crushed. ... It seems almost ironic that when I'm promoting peace in our community, the leader of our country is promoting division and fear and scapegoating."

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Enver Agic, a Bosnian immigrant who left his war-torn country in the 1994, called the past 24 hours "the worst day of my life." He had been so adamant about the importance of Clinton winning that he made 11 trips to the polls. He took three dozen of his West Rogers Park neighbors to vote, translating the ballot for those who needed help.

Though Agic is a U.S. citizen, he said he fears for his friends who did not yet have citizenship. He sat around his home Wednesday worrying about changes that Trump may make to immigration policies and disability benefits, which he receives.

"These four years will be very bad," Agic, 48, said. "I am scared and I am scared for all my family and my friends, not only here but in the whole world. You never know what will happen."

While she will try to put her faith in Trump, Veronica Sanchez, 31, of the Little Village neighborhood, said she has serious doubts and worries about her parents, who have immigrant parents, and her children.

"I can only hope for the best and I just hope they don't take it out on my kids," Sanchez said, gesturing to her three children. "I'm still in shock."

The outcome of the election was unexpected and a travesty, said Rich Lo, 59, who believes that Trump is underqualified.

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"There is an underlying culture that this man has exposed," Lo said. "I'm definitely not a stranger to racism. I grew up here in Chinatown during the 60s so I sort of understand the feelings against minorities but to elect somebody that is actually endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan is somewhat strange to me and it saddens me today."

Aguayo said he plans on using Trump's election as motivation to work harder and inspire minority groups.

"For too long in this country, Latinos and, to some extent, other minority groups have been very quiet and very humble in their approach of it," Aguayo said. "It's time to be radical. ... It's time to stand up and fight back and take back this country."

Although Illinois voted Democrat, Aguayo said he still remains on edge because Congress has a Republican majority.

"The balance of this country relies on Congress stopping any crazy orders from a president like Donald Trump," Aguayo said. "Well, now the House and the Senate are Republican. What happens to the checks and balances now? It makes it harder to be hopeful."

Aguayo said he plans on talking to his youngest sister when she comes home from school because he struggled to find the words Wednesday morning.

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"This was one of the most awkward breakfasts in the history of breakfasts, because how do you explain and justify and try to instill hope and optimism after a day like yesterday?" Aguayo said.

Other Latinos in Illinois urged calm and unity.

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Robert Renteria, a Latino author and activist from North Aurora, said the country needs to try to stay together and work for the common good.

"Donald Trump, without question, woke up the silent majority who believed that their voices and votes did not matter," Renteria said. "But because people finally had a chance to be heard, America will hopefully have a president who can unite a divided nation."

Jodi Cohen and The Beacon-News' Denise Crosby contributed.

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Bruce Rauner did not attend the Republican National Convention and did not endorse Donald Trump as the party's nominee. (AFP/Getty Images, left; Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

The impending arrival of Donald Trump in the White House is creating a strange political landscape for Bruce Rauner to navigate at the governor's mansion.

The Republican governor spent the better part of a year refusing to discuss the eventual GOP presidential nominee and wouldn't even speak Trump's name. At the time, Rauner was trying to walk the tightrope of not providing Democrats with fodder to attack him during their budget battle while also not invoking Trump's wrath by directly criticizing him.

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Now not only will Rauner continue to be asked to weigh in on Trump and every controversial move the future president makes, but he'll be doing so with his own 2018 re-election bid at stake.

Rauner remains the undisputed leader of the Illinois Republican Party, and Trump enjoyed widespread support Downstate in Tuesday's election, even if he lost badly to Democrat Hillary Clinton in Chicago and the suburbs. Trump won 92 of 102 Illinois counties and racked up 50- and 60-percentage point margins in far southern Illinois. Disagreeing with Trump carries great political risk for Rauner among a key voting bloc two years from now.

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The great irony of Tuesday's election for the governor is that as much as he and other top Illinois Republicans avoided or ran away from their party's presidential nominee, Trump and his strong showing Downstate is a big reason Rauner was able to cut into Democratic nemesis Michael Madigan's supermajority.

Rauner wasn't quite ready to field a spate of Trump questions the day after the election. The governor has kept a low public profile the past few weeks, and that continued Wednesday. His office issued a statement that didn't mention the president-elect and said only that after "a long, grueling campaign cycle, both nationally and locally," it was time to "put the election behind us" and "come together."

In the years ahead, Rauner may find himself more reliant than ever on Trump as he seeks state assistance from Washington. The election of two-term U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth of Hoffman Estates to join Sen. Dick Durbin in the U.S. Senate means Illinois will have two Democratic senators who will both be serving in the minority and not likely to work with Trump.

Rauner is in "an embarrassing situation right now," said Chris Mooney, director of the Institute for Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois.

"If he wants to deal with the president and to some extent pass a big highway or infrastructure bill like Trump wants to do, we want a piece of that," Mooney said.

"Part of it, too, is how the Trump administration deals with people like Rauner. We don't know what he's going to do," he said of the president-elect's reputation for seeking retribution. "There are a number of (Republicans) who did what Rauner did  the sort of Rauner 'see-no-evil, speak-no-evil' sort of thing. Now they're trying to do some fast footwork to see if they can work with the new White House."

Rauner and wealthy allies poured tens of millions of dollars into Republican legislative campaigns this year, but given the Democratic tide in Illinois, still attempted to keep expectations low ahead of Tuesday's vote counting. A memo from the state GOP suggested that a pickup of a single seat in the House, "if it's a good night," would be an acceptable result because it would rob Madigan of his supermajority.

The Trump factor, however, helped Rauner avoid, in president-elect's parlance, a "total disaster." The GOP gained a net of four seats in the House, taking Madigan's Democrats from 71 members down to 67. In the Senate, Republicans gained two seats, taking Senate President John Cullerton's Democrats from 39 down to 37.

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Among the seats Republicans won on Election Day were those of veteran Democratic Sen. Gary Forby of Benton and state Rep. John Bradley of Marion, a top Madigan deputy, in far southern Illinois. In many of the counties in Forby's Senate district and Bradley's House district, Trump rolled up 70 percent of the vote or greater against Clinton, unofficial results showed.

Trump also won Kankakee County by 13 percentage points. House Republicans backed by Rauner picked up the Kankakee seat held by Democratic Rep. Kate Cloonen. The GOP had tried and failed twice before to get that done, each time losing by about 100 votes. Trump carried LaSalle County by 14 percentage points.

In addition, Republicans narrowly knocked off appointed Democratic Rep. Andy Skoog of LaSalle. And the GOP easily downed Democratic Rep. Mike Smiddy of Hillsdale, and Trump carried four of the five counties in the district, including three of them by 20 points or more.

State Sen. Bill Brady, a Bloomington Republican who backed Trump, said the GOP nominee played a significant role in the gains made against Downstate Democratic legislative candidates.

"We had three things  an anti-Madigan message, the money behind it and Trump. I would say Trump was one of the strongest parts of that. I'm not sure that our guys would have won without all three," Brady said. "Without Trump, I'm not sure the other two (factors) would carry the day."

Rauner has vowed to seek a second term in 2018, and his funding of House and Senate candidates this year were viewed as a practice run. There already are questions about how a political relationship with the president-elect will play out.

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Democrats sought to link Republican legislative candidates to Rauner and, in some cases, Rauner and Trump. Democrats didn't let their lack of video of Rauner saying Trump's name stop them, with a multimillion-dollar federal super political action committee airing ads to remind voters Rauner previously declared he would support the Republican nominee for president.

Democratic state Sen. Daniel Biss of Evanston, who led that effort, said Wednesday that Rauner can no longer try to ignore Trump.

"This is why I felt so strongly about the ad campaign we ran for the election," Biss said. "You can't pretend that somebody's not the major party candidate for president. You can't pretend he's not the president. He's the president now. We have a real obligation to live in reality now and make the best of it."

The U. of I.'s Mooney noted that presidents usually receive negative reviews from voters come the midterm elections.

"If Trump follows normal pattern  in two years' time his numbers would be low and Rauner is going to have to run with that on his back, and that won't help him," Mooney said. Still, he said the governor's office is such a high-profile position that a re-election contest would be largely a referendum on Rauner, and "I'm not sure how much (Trump is) going to hurt him."

Like Rauner, Republican U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, who lost re-election to Duckworth on Tuesday, also sought to distance himself from Trump, going so far as to un-endorse the GOP presidential nominee. Rauner's handpicked comptroller appointee, Leslie Geissler Munger, also would not discuss Trump in her bid for election and lost to Democrat Susana Mendoza, the Chicago city clerk.

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But Kirk and Munger, along with defeated anti-Trump North Shore Republican U.S. Rep. Robert Dold, were more victims of Illinois' propensity for going Democratic in presidential years than any kind of Trump factor.

Duckworth won seven of the state's eight most populous counties, including all of the traditional Republican-leaning collar counties except for McHenry County. In a closer race, Mendoza won only six counties statewide but carried a 700,000 vote advantage out of Cook County.

Concerns about Trump's election leading to a loss of clout in Washington extended to City Hall, where Emanuel will no longer be able to pick up the phone and call President Barack Obama, whom the mayor worked for as White House chief of staff. Emanuel, who also was a top aide in the Bill Clinton White House, was a supporter of Hillary Clinton's presidential bid.

Trump regularly excoriated Chicago's crime and violence and used the ugliness of a canceled pre-primary rally planned for the UIC Pavilion to try to buttress his point. Aldermen responded last week by voting to remove the remaining honorary "Trump Plaza" sign outside the GOP nominee's eponymous Near North tower on Wabash Avenue. The other sign was stolen.

On Wednesday, 36th Ward Ald. Gilbert Villegas said with Trump's win, "Illinois lost a lot of clout, and the spigot from the federal funds is going to be turned off."

"I think when you take a look at CTA projects, other federal highway administrative projects, that we're going to be at the bottom of the list. Just because of the simple fact we don't have the Illinois connection, and the fact that, from what I heard from (Trump's) discussions, he's someone that if you're not with him, he's against you and he's going to seek revenge. And I think Illinois is going to pay the price for that," Villegas said.

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"We're in trouble," said West Side Ald. Emma Mitts, 37th. "Infrastructure, any funding that's coming that they have control over (is in jeopardy). Democrats are in trouble. With Trump and Rauner together, you bet they'll get even."

But only minutes after Clinton delivered her concession speech Wednesday, Emanuel told reporters, "I'm not worried about Donald Trump trying to somehow penalize Chicago."

"I'm not sure President-elect Trump will listen to me, but I would say that you're president for all of America, and that includes your third-largest city in the country," the mayor said.

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Republicans watch as U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk concedes his race at Mama Vesuvio's East restaurant in Palos Heights on Nov. 8, 2016. (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune)

Backed by tens of millions of dollars from Gov. Bruce Rauner and his allies, Republicans appeared poised to gain at least three House seats and two Senate seats from Democrats led by House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Late Tuesday evening, the Republicans looked like they had picked up four Democratic seats in the House, lost one of their own and two races were too close to call. Republicans picked up seats in McHenry County, Kankakee, the Quad Cities and downstate Marion, but appeared to lose one near St. Louis. House races in Grayslake and LaSalle went down to the wire.

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Both sides had poured tens of millions of dollars into the contests, shattering previous records for the amount of cash spent on state legislative offices and highlighting the larger political fight that's gripped state government and left it clunking along without a complete budget for nearly 18 months. Republicans had hoped for at least a net gain of one to take away Madigan's 71-member supermajority in the House.

"We were able to compete financially, no mistake about it," said House Republican Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs. "I would say that the organization of the Republican Party is something which I have never witnessed before in Illinois."

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Madigan noted that come January, Democrats will still have strong control of the House. He blamed the Republican gains on the influx of money from Rauner and Downstate enthusiasm for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

"Republicans' millions spent, coupled with the Trump headwind in downstate Illinois, created a difficult environment for many Democratic candidates," Madigan said in a statement. "Rauner and his billionaire allies spent unprecedented millions  outspending Democratic candidates by wide margins  to push their agenda of increasing profits for big corporations at the expense of middle-class families."

Rauner's attempt to revitalize the Republican Party in Illinois fueled campaigns up and down the state. The governor has sought to use the yearly budget-making process as a bargaining chip to push his economic agenda, saying he won't sign off on a spending agreement unless lawmakers approve several of his ideas.

Rauner contends the state can't flourish unless its business community is prosperous, and he has pushed plans to limit collective bargaining rights and curb payouts for workers injured on the job.

Madigan-led Democrats have repeatedly rejected Rauner's proposals, saying they would undermine unions and weaken the middle class. Given both parties agree that cuts and a tax hike will eventually be needed to bail the state out of billions of dollars in debt, Democrats argue the governor's plans should be considered separately from the yearly budget.

And so the fight at the Capitol spilled on to Main Street, with voters bombarded by mailers and television advertisements as Republicans and Democrats pleaded their case.

Rauner and his Republicans viewed this election as the first step in a long game to flip control of the House. They sunk massive amounts of cash into key races aimed at linking Democratic candidates to Madigan, whom they have spent years branding as the reason for all of the state's financial woes.

They faced an uphill battle. Democratic candidates typically do well in Illinois during a presidential election year, and Trump was unlikely to help drive moderate Republicans to the polls in tight suburban races, though he did provide a boost in far southern Illinois.

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On top of that, Democrats benefit from legislative boundaries they drew, and a historically strong ground game to help drive voter turnout.

Election 2016 Results Local election results Cook County States Attorney Comptroller U.S. Senate Get all election results

Moments after the polls closed, the Illinois GOP was already working to manage expectations, firing off an email statement reminding that "Democrats control the money, the map and the political environment" in Illinois.

Rauner hoped his money could get around the traditional Republican disadvantage here. Since winning election in 2014, Rauner, along with wife Diana, have spent more than $32.5 million to support the Republican Party, GOP candidates and conservative groups in Illinois. During that same time, the GOP also got an $8 million boost from Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein, who own a packaging supply company, and another $20 million from hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin.

Despite the challenges, Durkin said the wins for Republicans "prove there is a demand for change in the legislature."

"People want compromise, negotiation, a balanced budget and reforms in government," Durkin said.

Democrats, meanwhile, relied on tens of millions of dollars from allies in organized labor and personal injury attorneys in an effort to fend off Republicans, blaming Rauner for pain caused during the budget impasse and linking him and Republican candidates to Trump.

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Madigan indicated he was prepared to continue the fight.

"Democrats value the voters' trust and we will continue to protect the middle class and those who don't have access to billionaires and lobbyists," Madigan said in a statement.

While all 118 House seats were on the ballot, most were uncontested. Just two dozen were up for grabs in competitive races, but they broke numerous fundraising records. Two House races on the city's Northwest Side and in Lake County surpassed more than $4.5 million each, with several more topping the $3 million mark.

In Kankakee, Democratic Rep. Kate Cloonen trailed Republican attorney Lindsay Parkhurst 46 percent to 54 percent. In the Quad Cities, with 92 percent of precincts reporting, Democratic Rep. Mike Smiddy had 38 percent of the vote to 63 percent held by Republican Tony McCombie.

In McHenry County, Democrats were unable to hold on to the seat now held by Democratic Rep. Jack Franks, who decided not to seek reelection. With all but one precinct reporting, Republican Steven Reick appeared poised to seize the seat with 56 percent of the vote compared with 44 percent of the vote for Democrat John Bartman. And in Marion, longtime Rep. John Bradley, a member of Madigan's leadership team, conceded to Republican Dave Severin, a school board president.

Republicans braced for one loss with Rep. Dwight Kay of Glen Carbon, who had 48 percent of the vote compared with Democrat Katie Stuart's 52 percent. The GOP appeared likely, though, to hold on to the seat once held by former Rep. Ron Sandack, who resigned earlier this year following a social media scandal. With 92 percent of precincts reporting, Republican David Olsen had 53 percent of the vote to Democrat Greg Hose's 47 percent.

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In the Senate, Republicans were poised for a gain of two seats.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 22 Democrat Brad Schneider, flanked by his son Daniel and wife Julie Dann, celebrates his win in the 10th Congressional District during a victory party at the Northbrook Hilton Hotel on Nov. 8, 2016. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

Democratic Sen. Gary Forby conceded to Republican Dale Fowler. The GOP also picked up a Senate seat in northwestern Illinois in which Democrats did not field a candidate. But with 94 percent of precincts reporting, Democratic Sen. Tom Cullerton of Villa Park was holding on to a razor-thin lead against Republican Seth Lewis.

Republicans needed a net gain of four seats to erase Senate President John Cullerton's veto-proof majority.

Among the most expensive races, Rep. Michael McAuliffe, the lone Republican state lawmaker from Chicago, fended off a challenge from Democratic activist Merry Marwig, who conceded the race about two hours after the polls had closed. With 76 percent of precincts reporting, McAuliffe led with 58 percent of the vote to Marwig's 42 percent.

McAuliffe took in more than $2.5 million, including $2 million from the House Republican Organization. He labeled Marwig as Madigan's "hand-picked" candidate and criticized her for seeking a lower reassessment of her property, which all homeowners can seek.

Marwig, a political newcomer, raised more than $1.6 million, with more than $190,000 coming from Madigan's Democratic Party of Illinois and another $67,000 from the campaign finance arm of the House Democrats. She also got sizable donations from other House Democrats, unions and law firms.

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Democrat Kim Foxx on Tuesday declared victory over her Republican opponent in the contest for Cook County state's attorney. Nov. 8, 2016. (AP) (Associated Press Video)

Democrat Kim Foxx on Tuesday declared victory over her Republican opponent in the contest for Cook County state's attorney, putting her on a path to become the first African-American to win the high-profile office that prosecutes criminals and defends the county against civil litigation.

With 82 percent of precincts reporting, Foxx  a protege of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle  had 71 percent of the unofficial vote to 29 percent for Republican Christopher Pfannkuche, a retired assistant state's attorney who was little known among the electorate.

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"Ladies and gentlemen, this night is just the beginning. This night is the start of a journey to fix a broken system in need of repair," Foxx, flanked by her husband and two daughters, said after declaring victory at a River North restaurant.

While reminding supporters that she had pledged to reform the criminal justice system and work to mend police-community relations, Foxx also noted that the work would take time. Those problems, she said, had taken years to develop and ran deep in the community.

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"The good thing about me is that I'm a patient woman, but I'm also relentless," she said.

Foxx's compelling history of rising from a childhood spent partly in the violence-scarred Cabrini-Green housing development and her reform agenda in the wake of the fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald  coupled with Preckwinkle's backing  propelled her to victory in the costly, hard-fought primary contest against two-term incumbent Anita Alvarez and boosted her in the general election against the meagerly financed Pfannkuche.

In what would be a significant change for the office, Foxx backs having special prosecutors investigate cases involving officers who have shot someone, contending assistant state's attorneys have an inherent conflict of interest because they work closely with police.

She also has talked about beefing up the division that investigates wrongful prosecutions, stopping the automatic prosecution of kids who fight in school and diverting more people out of the criminal justice program and into mental health and substance abuse treatment.

In other county races, Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown had 66 percent of the vote compared with 34 percent for Republican Diane Shapiro as Brown sought to win a fifth term, in spite of a federal investigation into her office. In March, Brown won a three-way Democratic primary, even after her party withdrew its support because of the probe.

Recorder of Deeds Karen Yarbrough, who was unopposed, was winning her bid for a second term, but it likely would be her last, as about nearly two thirds of voters were saying yes to a referendum that would require the recorder's duties to be folded into the county clerk's office by 2020.

And city voters were voting overwhelmingly in favor of three advisory referendums put on the ballot by aldermen loyal to Mayor Rahm Emanuel to block another question he opposed.

In the expensive, three-way primary for state's attorney, Foxx handily defeated Alvarez, who was a target of public outrage after the release of the police dashcam video showing a white Chicago police officer, Jason Van Dyke, shooting and killing 17-year-old McDonald, who was black.

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Alvarez charged Van Dyke with murder just hours before the court-ordered November 2015 release of the video, which came 13 months after the shooting occurred. That sparked allegations, strongly denied by Alvarez, that she sought to cover up the incident and prompted calls for her resignation.

Foxx ran on a platform of reforming a criminal justice system that she and Preckwinkle contended unfairly treated minorities, rather than the typical issue of who was best qualified to put criminals behind bars. Alvarez was a career prosecutor. Though Foxx had been an assistant state's attorney, she also had worked in the public guardian's office and, as Preckwinkle's former chief of staff, pushed criminal justice reform legislation in Springfield.

During both the primary and general election campaign, questions were raised about Foxx's experience as a prosecutor because the bulk of her time in the state's attorney's office was spent handling child protection cases and prosecuting juveniles. Foxx maintained that she was well-qualified, both as an attorney and administrator. After she is sworn in next month, she will take over an office with a $148.5 million budget and approximately 1,100 employees.

Cook County voters by a margin of 64 percent to 36 percent were backing the referendum to eliminate the recorder of deeds' office. Proponents said the move to combine the office with the clerk's office, as has been done in other large counties around the country, would save up to $2 million a year. Opponents said it could diminish the county's efforts to combat mortgage fraud and assist veterans  two areas Yarbrough has stressed.

Putting the three city advisory referendums on the ballot prevented other aldermen from asking voters if they wanted to transfer control of the city's two contract-rich airports to an elected airport authority. Instead, voters were asked if the state should increase penalties for illegal firearms trafficking and require background checks for gun dealers, whether the state should provide "fair and equitable funding for the Chicago Public Schools" and whether the city should work with the state and federal government to make a priority of transportation projects, river and lakefront development and open spaces. Unlike the recorder's question, none has the force of law.

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Democrat Susana Mendoza won the race for state comptroller Tuesday that turned strikingly combative thanks to its connection to Illinois' bigger political and financial fights between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Incumbent Republican Leslie Geissler Munger conceded around 11 p.m., and Mendoza took the stage at a downtown hotel a few minutes later to thank supporters. "We really made a big difference today in the state of Illinois," she said.

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With 94 percent of precincts reporting statewide, Mendoza, the Chicago city clerk, had 49 percent of the vote to 45 percent for Munger, according to unofficial results.

The race has been unusually high-profile for an office that's poorly understood by many Illinoisans. The comptroller campaign often draws scant attention from voters and boasts relatively little political spending.

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But the blood sport this election season between Rauner and Madigan pulled the race into its orbit. The state's political power-brokers poured more than $12 million into the campaign, and Munger and Mendoza took out TV ads trying to tie the other to the controversial leaders of their respective parties.

The office cuts the checks for the state to those it owes money. And though it does so with authorization from the legislature and approval of the governor's office, Illinois' $9 billion in debt and ongoing financial mess as many vendors go unpaid further heightened the scrutiny of the contest.

Mendoza, 44, is a two-term clerk known for overhauling Chicago's vehicle sticker system. Before that, she served 10 years in the Illinois House. There, she was an ally of Madigan, the longtime Democratic House speaker who has been locked in an unprecedented state budget impasse with Rauner.

Munger raised $8.9 million since the beginning of 2015  $8 million of it from Rauner, hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin and conservative Lake Forest businessman Richard Uihlein  and used it to launch a series of TV attack ads linking her opponent to Madigan.

Munger says Mendoza contributed to the state's current financial distress after repeatedly voting "in lockstep" with Madigan's House Democrats on numerous unbalanced budgets. Munger maintains she can serve as an independent voice, pointing to her relative outsider status.

One Munger TV ad labeled Madigan the "captain of cronyism" and Mendoza his "trusty sidekick" and "super career politician." Another quoted Mendoza's effusive praise for Madigan while giving a speech to second his nomination for House speaker.

Munger, 60, is a former executive at beauty products company Helene Curtis/Unilever who was semiretired and had just lost a bid for state representative when Rauner appointed her to succeed the late Judy Baar Topinka in January 2015. She's tried to swim against the current in Illinois this election to get the win, overcoming the heavier Democratic turnout in presidential election years and the problems Donald Trump's presidential candidacy has caused for down-ticket Republican candidates.

Mendoza struck back by attempting to turn the focus in the race to Rauner. "I'm running against (Rauner), and when this election is over and I beat him on Nov. 8, he's not going to be able to hide behind some story that he got beat by the big powerful Irishman named Mike Madigan from the South Side," Mendoza told the Tribune last month. "I'm going to make sure he owns the fact that he lost to a little 5-foot-3 Mexican woman called Susana Mendoza from the city of Chicago. So he'll know my name then."

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During her victory speech Tuesday night, Mendoza promised to fight the good fight.

"Win, lose or draw I stay true to my cause," she said. "And I know how to stand up to big bullies."

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 13 Susana Mendoza, Democratic candidate for state comptroller, enters the Empire room with husband David Szostak on Nov. 8, 2016, at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune)

Mendoza has a reputation for political ambition, and has long ties to Chicago's City Hall. In 1998, Mendoza took a job coordinating business outreach for the Department of Planning and Development. She also ran that year for a House seat with the support of 14th Ward Ald. Edward Burke. Mendoza lost by a narrow margin but won two years later, with Burke, 25th Ward Ald. Danny Solis and then-Mayor Richard M. Daley backing her.

During her decade in the General Assembly, Mendoza kept her city job while also getting paid as a state legislator, leading to charges of double-dipping from Munger.

Mendoza's victory sets up a situation where Mayor Rahm Emanuel will choose who serves the remainder of her term as clerk, which ends in 2019. The seat has been held by a Latino since Daley appointed Miguel del Valle in 2006, and hopefuls have already been jockeying for the support of Emanuel and the City Council's Latino Caucus in anticipation of Mendoza winning.

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Voters wait in line to cast their vote at the 17th precinct, in Little Village on Tuesday Nov. 8, 2016. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield.

Topspin

What you need to know about the Illinois election:

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*Democrat Hillary Clinton cruised to an expected easy victory over Republican Donald Trump in the state where she was born. She wasn't as fortunate in the rest of the country.

*Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth dispatched Republican Sen. Mark Kirk by about 15 percentage points. She won the crucial swing territory of the suburbs, where he previously had run well. Duckworth crushed Kirk in Chicago but he did better Downstate. You can read more about Illinois' new junior senator-elect here.

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*Gov. Bruce Rauner and his allies spent tens of millions of dollars to try to take away power from Democrats led by House Speaker Michael Madigan. What did all that money buy? Looks like a net pickup of at least three House seats and two Senate seats, with a handful of other races too close to call. Madigan said GOP money and Trump were tough to overcome Downstate but indicated he wasn't backing down from a fight with Rauner over the budget.

*The Illinois congressional delegation will have an 11-7 split in favor of the Democrats. Former Rep. Brad Schneider reclaimed his seat in the 10th District along the North Shore from Republican Rep. Robert Dold in their third meeting. Democrats also kept Duckworth's seat, with Raja Krishnamoorthi winning the 8th District. The rest was status quo.

*Illinois is getting a new state comptroller, the office that controls the government checkbook, a not-insignifcant job at a time of a budget standoff. Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza claimed victory over Republican Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger, an appointee of Rauner. Mendoza has backing from Madigan, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel showed up at her victory party, returning the favor from when she was his 2015 re-election campaign co-chair. It wasn't a landslide, with less than 5 percentage points separating Mendoza and Munger. Mendoza was outspent, and Munger had some of the sharpest TV ads of the campaign. The contest was viewed as a proxy war between Rauner and Madigan. Read more about the new state comptroller-elect here.

*The Illinois Constitution will be changed as voters approved an amendment requiring that gas taxes, tolls and the like be spent on transportation projects. The measure was backed by road builders and labor unions. It will further tie the hands of lawmakers and the governor during the budget standoff because it prevents them from diverting hundreds of millions of dollars from the road fund, a practice that has been used to paper over shortfalls in the past.

*Cook County report: Kim Foxx became the first African-American elected Cook County state's attorney, saying in her victory speech that it would take years to fix the system she has pledged to reform. "The good thing about me is that I'm a patient woman, but I'm also relentless," she said.

Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown won a fifth term, despite a federal probe of her office. Karen Yarbrough won a second term as recorder of deeds, but it'll be her last term in that post be because voters approved a referendum requiring it to be folded into the clerk's office by 2020.

*The law clerk in 'fake' judge case wins real judge election in Cook County. But she's not about to take the bench -- she is under indictment, her law license has been suspended and the state's highest court has barred her from being sworn in.

*Strong voter turnout in Chicago unhampered by problems at polls.

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*Illinois Trump supporters were buoyed by early returns.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel welcomed the latest building development on Nov. 7, 2016. One Bennett Park is going up at 451 E. Grand Ave. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday predicted that President-elect Donald Trump would work with Chicago rather than penalize a city where many officials and voters opposed his candidacy.

Emanuel, who worked in the Clinton White House, was outspoken in his support for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during the campaign. Yet the mayor said he doesn't think the incoming president will seek retribution, perhaps by cutting Chicago out of federal funding for infrastructure and other big-ticket projects.

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"I'm not worried about Donald Trump trying to somehow penalize Chicago," Emanuel said at a City Hall news conference minutes after Clinton gave her concession speech.

Still, Emanuel noted that he won't exactly have the Republican president's ear. The mayor has traveled to Washington, D.C., many times under the administration of his former boss, President Barack Obama, securing meetings with Cabinet officials as he pressed for more federal money and attention for Chicago.

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"I'm not sure President-elect Trump will listen to me, but I would say that you're president for all of America, and that includes your third-largest city in the country," said Emanuel, who was Obama's first White House chief of staff.

Some aldermen, however, were less sanguine about what a Trump administration has in store for Chicago the next four years.

"We're in trouble," said West Side Ald. Emma Mitts, 37th. "Infrastructure, any funding that's coming that they have control over (is in jeopardy). Democrats are in trouble. With Trump and Rauner together, you bet they'll get even."

Ald. Danny Solis, 25th, held out hope that many of Trump's pronouncements turn out to be campaign rhetoric rather than real policy ideas.

"If everything Trump talked about he's going to push for, it's a disaster," Solis said. "Obamacare, the Dreamers, any type of items that we have in our budget that depend on federal moneys. I'm hoping that what Trump talked about and how he talked about it was more show than reality. I can't believe he's actually going to build a wall."

Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th, said Emanuel won't have the ear of Trump administration officials as he hunts for funding.

"Illinois lost a lot of clout, and the spigot from the federal funds is going to be turned off," Villegas said. "I think when you take a look at CTA projects, other federal highway administrative projects, that we're going to be at the bottom of the list. Just because of the simple fact we don't have the Illinois connection, and the fact that, from what I heard from (Trump's) discussions, he's someone that if you're not with him, he's against you and he's going to seek revenge. And I think Illinois is going to pay the price for that."

The Chicago City Council last week voted to remove the remaining honorary "Trump Plaza" sign outside the GOP nominee's eponymous River North tower on Wabash Avenue in retaliation for his comments on Chicago violence and immigration in general. The other sign was stolen.

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For his part, Emanuel also continued to stake out positions in opposition to Trump, on immigration and public safety. Trump has promoted get-tough tactics like stop-and-frisk to deal with violence, often singling out Chicago in his speeches as a city where crime is rampant.

"I'm going to stand up and speak for Chicago. I don't believe his policy recommendations are the solutions to our economic strength or, more importantly, on the particular subject, safety," the mayor said. "The reason is because the key part to Chicago dealing with public safety is building trust between the community and law enforcement because of community policing."

Emanuel took the rare step of giving a speech at the start of Wednesday morning's City Council meeting. The mayor argued that the multicultural slate of politicians who won in Illinois on Tuesday shows the strength of the immigrant ideals he said give the area its vitality. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Emanuel said he understands unauthorized immigrants' anxiety about Trump's win and pledged to fight forcefully for immigrants' rights in light of the anti-immigrant rhetoric Trump used throughout his campaign.

The mayor noted that Chicago, a sanctuary city, has passed legislation protecting unauthorized immigrants and said he will defend it.

"We are a welcoming city (for immigrants), not just in the language and the rhetoric the mayor used, but it's clear in the ordinance I passed, and we will stay a welcoming city," he said.

"Do not lose hope, because America embraces you," said Emanuel, a remark aimed at immigrant families who have been waiting for an immigration reform deal that could protect them from deportation.

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jebyrne@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @_johnbyrne
The man who styled himself "America's toughest sheriff" lost his job in Tuesday's election.

Maricopa County, Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio was defeated Tuesday in his bid for a seventh consecutive term by his Democratic challenger, Paul Penzone, a 21 year veteran Phoenix police officer.

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Penzone campaigned on a reform agenda, promising tough law enforcement without racial profiling, a practice for which Arpaio became notorious as he crusaded against undocumented immigrants, sometimes in defiance of the federal government.

"I come from a law enforcement background," Penzone told his supporters late Tuesday, the Arizona Republic reported. "I pursued this because I want to restore the respect, the transparency" of the sheriff's office.

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"No longer will we be known by the notoriety of one," he said.

Arpaio's defeat was no big surprise. He had trailed in some polls by double digits.

And, as the Los Angeles Times noted, the demographics of Maricopa County changed dramatically, becoming more liberal with an increasing number of Latino voters and more youthful voters.

Democratic hedge fund billionaire George Soros pumped tens of thousands of dollars into the campaign against Arpaio, with his spokesman denouncing him as "a stain on the justice system" in the state.

But, as the Republic reported: "It was likely Arpaio's aggressive immigration stance that was his downfall. It alienated him from Hispanic and Democratic voters. And eventually, Republican support split as Arpaio's enforcement measures spawned a long-running racial profiling case."

Arpaio took office in 1993. His predecessor fell to a scandal in which two men, falsely charged with murder, won $2 million from Maricopa County. Arpaio was then 60, retired from a career with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Over the next two-dozen years as sheriff, Arpaio's own reputation would not remain untarnished.

Under Arpaio, the county jail once again found itself paying out lawsuit settlements. A man named Scott Norberg, restrained in a chair with a towel placed over his mouth, died in 1996 of what the medical examiner determined was "positional asphyxiation," reported The Arizona Republic. The settlement with Norberg's family cost the county $8.25 million.

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One racial profiling case, which began in 2007, ultimately cost the county more than $41 million, according to the AP. A lawsuit filed by Hispanic plaintiffs argued that the sheriff's deputies unconstitutionally targeted Latinos at traffic stops.

In 2011, U.S. District Court Judge G. Murray Snow ordered the sheriff's office to stop detaining people solely on suspicion that they were undocumented immigrants, without reference to whether they had reason to believe they had committed a crime.

In October, Arpaio was charged with criminal contempt of court for resisting Snow's order.

If convicted, his sentence could include jail time of up to six months. He pleaded not guilty at the end of October; the trial is planned to be held Dec. 6.

The lawman was also known for a handful of strange and divisive stunts.

He clothed inmates in pink undergarments. More than 2,000 inmates lived in a "tent city" in the Arizona desert - even when the heat, the men living in the desert said, melted their sneakers. They were fed twice a day; meals included sandwich meat that had reportedly turned green with age. Arpaio reinstituted chain gangs for men, and later expanded them to include women and juvenile offenders.

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The sheriff was never one to shy away from the spotlight. He recruited actor and martial artist Steven Seagal to train a volunteer posse how to breach rooms and carry guns. One of the tasks given to the 3,500-strong posse was patrolling local malls during the winter season, the Los Angeles Times reported in 2013.

Arpaio became a hero of the right wing both for his militance against undocumented immigrants and for his railing against President Barack Obama.

Even after President-elect Donald Trump conceded that President Obama was born in the United States, Arpaio clung to the birther myth.

But of all the mantles he took up, Arpaio's cause celebre was tackling illegal immigration. This also meant he was an early and outspoken Trump supporter.

In a speech at the Republican National Convention, the sheriff declared that, "We are more concerned with the rights of illegal immigrants than we are the citizens of our own country."

Penzone, who failed to beat Arpaio in 2012, won by about 10 percentage points, Reuters reported.

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"We want to congratulate Paul Penzone on his victory and look forward to working with him on a seamless transition," Arpaio said in a statement released Tuesday. "My thanks and appreciation to the people of Maricopa County for the faith and trust they put in me over the years."
One person was killed and two others were wounded Tuesday when an assailant armed with a military-style rifle opened fire in a residential area of Azusa, forcing authorities to secure the neighborhood and shut down nearby polling places  sending voters scrambling to find alternate locations.

After a standoff at a home that lasted several hours, police announced that the gunman had been found dead in the residence. Officials said they didn't know whether the man  who was described as heavily armed  was killed by police during a short but furious gun battle or from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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"We're in the process of figuring out why this happened," Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. John Corina said.

By Tuesday afternoon, Azusa police said it was too early to determine a motive. At least one victim had been on his way to vote, a law enforcement source told The Times. Sheriff's Capt. Steven Katz said the violence was not related to the election and the location near a polling place was merely a coincidence, though he warned that all of the information was preliminary.

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Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Ron Singleton said that two people were airlifted to a hospital. The third victim, a man in his 70s, was dead at the scene, he said.

The shooting began about 2 p.m., when gunfire was reported in the 300 block of North Orange Avenue.

Responding officers were tending to the victims when they were met with a hail of gunfire by a gunman armed with an assault rifle with "a rapid-fire capability," acting Azusa Police Chief Steve Hunt said. The shooter immediately fired at least 20 shots at police, a law enforcement source said.

Officers took cover and returned shots at the assailant, who retreated into a home in the 500 block of Fourth Street. No officers were injured.

"I heard this 'boom boom' like a rifle or shotgun, and then I heard 'pop pop' back, then boom boom again," said neighbor Hector Serrano, 21.

"I came outside and [police] were throwing gas at the house."

Roberto Chavez, 67, and his wife were sitting on their porch when they spotted a heavily armed man fire at least 10 rounds at a group of people.

The gunman, who wore a white shirt and black pants, ran into a home about three doors down from his house, Chavez said.

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Chavez said he didn't know the man's name but recognized him as someone who frequently visits and hangs out at his neighbor's home.

Police told Chavez to remain indoors because the gunman had barricaded himself inside a home, he said.

Another neighbor saw the same man as he was walking away from the Memorial Park parking lot.

"I just ran inside," Fabiola Morena, 47, said after the man stopped to reload his weapon and glanced her way. "I secured the door, grabbed my granddaughter and ran into the bathroom, and we locked ourselves there."

Inside the home, she heard police sirens and more gunshots.

"I don't know if he shot at the police or they shot at him, but it was several gunshots," said Morena, who spoke to The Times by phone while locked in the room. "I was afraid a bullet would come through the walls of the house."

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Liberata Collela, who lives next to the residence that the shooter entered, said she was at home with a friend and heard dozens of shots. She also said a vehicle smashed into her parked car.

"Someone got out of the car. It was really scary," she said. "All the guns were targeting the house next door. The shots were going back and forth."

Collela said she saw a body lying near the front door of the next-door house. She was startled when officers knocked on her window. They escorted her and the friend into an armored car.

Authorities had not identified the victims by early Tuesday evening, but two women were in critical condition. Paramedics airlifted them to a hospital. The vehicle that crashed in front of the home was driven by a motorist who was hit by gunfire from the shooter, according to Katz, who oversees the Sheriff's Department homicide unit.

Sheriff's officials sent a robot with a camera toward the suspect late Tuesday afternoon and were able to confirm he was dead. The shooter, who was not identified, was found in an entryway to the home, lying next to a rifle, Katz said.

Officials said that an earlier report by authorities that the shooter was a woman was the result of "misinformation" as the events were unfolding.

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Police believe the home where the suspect was found was empty when he broke in. It was not clear whether the suspect resided there or even lived in Azusa, Katz said.

The shooting unsettled Azusa  a bedroom community of 50,000 that marks the entrance of the San Gabriel Canyon  on the eve of a contentious election.

The Azusa Unified School District issued a lockdown for Slauson Middle and Mountain View Elementary schools about 2:15 p.m., officials said. A nearby daycare center and preschool was also locked down.

As helicopters droned above, residents attempted to navigate around sheriff's cruisers stationed in multiple intersections, cutting off traffic. Some approached officers outside the city's police headquarters, searching for a place to vote. Residents were told they could cast a provisional ballot anywhere in the county.

Rosa Valdovinos, 62, said she had raced to Memorial Park, where some children who attend nearby schools huddled on a bleacher, and was relieved to learn her grandson had already been picked up by a relative. Still, she was rattled by the violence.

"We never have this happen before here in Azusa. Especially with the election? It's weird," Valdovinos said. "There are so many crazy people, acting emotionally."

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Los Angeles Times staff writers Ruben Vives, Corina Knoll and Matt Hamilton contributed to this report.
Todd Kohlhepp's enters the courtroom of Judge Jimmy Henson for a bond hearing at the Spartanburg Detention Facility, in Spartanburg, S.C.on Nov. 6, 2016. (Richard Shiro / AP)

SPARTANBURG, S.C.  Two bodies found on the rural property of a South Carolina man linked to five other deaths were a couple who had a history of panhandling and had been buried there for nearly a year, authorities said Wednesday.

One of the victims was a 25-year-old woman who appears to have died from a gunshot wound to the head and the other was her husband, a 29-year-old man who was shot in his chest, Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said. Their families have been told the couple was killed.

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"It's bad news but also they have questions that we're able to give them answers to. This isn't a run of the mill case. It never has been," Clevenger said.

Authorities got a break last week when investigators searching the property discovered a woman alive and chained in a large storage container, yelling for help. Her boyfriend's body was later found in a shallow grave on the land. That couple had disappeared about two months earlier.

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The property owner, Todd Kohlhepp, was arrested at his home in a nearby suburb. After his arrest, deputies say he confessed to killing four other people in the county at a motorcycle shop in 2003. He confessed to the cold case after they granted him several requests, including letting him speak to his mother. He also led authorities Saturday to the graves on his property.

Kohlhepp was denied bond Sunday on four murder charges in the killing of the motorcycle shop's owner, service manager, mechanic and bookkeeper. He has chosen to represent himself. More charges are expected.

As a teen, Kohlhepp was sentenced to 14 years in prison in Arizona for binding and raping a 14-year-old neighbor at gunpoint. Released in 2001, he managed to obtain a real estate license in South Carolina in 2006.

Associated Press
President Truman laughs as he holds an early edition of the Chicago Tribune for Nov. 4, 1948. The newspapers headline jumped to an erroneous conclusion as early election returns came in.

President Truman laughs as he holds an early edition of the Chicago Tribune for Nov. 4, 1948. The newspapers headline jumped to an erroneous conclusion as early election returns came in. (Frank Cancellare/UPI // Getty Images)

As a presidential candidate, Gov. Thomas Dewey of New York was not a glad-hander, not a flesh-presser. He was stiff and tended toward pomposity. The only man who could strut sitting down was the crack that made the rounds. But on Nov. 2, 1948, Election Day, an overwhelming sense of inevitability hung about the Republican nominee. The polls and the pundits left no room for doubt: Dewey was going to defeat President Harry S. Truman. And the Tribune would be the first to report it.

Arguably the most famous headline in the newspapers 150-year history, DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN is every publishers nightmare on every election night.

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Like most newspapers, the Tribune, which had dismissed him on its editorial page as a nincompoop, was lulled into a false sense of security by polls that repeatedly predicted a Dewey victory. Critically important, though, was a printers' strike, which forced the paper to go to press hours before it normally would.

RELATED: Dewey defeats Truman Chicago Tribune print page

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As the first-edition deadline approached, managing editor J. Loy Pat Maloney had to make the headline call, although many East Coast tallies were not yet in. Maloney banked on the track record of Arthur Sears Henning, the papers longtime Washington correspondent.

Henning said Dewey. Henning was rarely wrong. Besides, Life magazine had just carried a big photo of Dewey with the caption The next President of the United States.

The ink was hardly dry on 150,000 copies of the paper when radio bulletins reported that the race was surprisingly close. The headline was changed to DEMOCRATS MAKE SWEEP OF STATE OFFICES for the second edition. Truman went on to take Illinois and much of the Midwest in this whopping election surprise. Radio comedian Fred Allen noted Truman was the first president to lose in a Gallup and win in a walk. The Tribune blamed the pollsters for its mistake.

RELATED: Dewey defeats Truman jigsaw puzzle

The headline might well have been quickly forgotten but for a chance encounter two days later in St. Louis.

Truman, traveling by rail to Washington, stepped to the rear platform of the train and was handed a copy of the Tribune early edition. He had as low an opinion of the Tribune as it did of him. Truman held the paper up, and photographers preserved the moment for history.

This story was originally published on Dec. 19, 2007.
Hillary Clinton met with supporters and voters outside a Chappaqua, New York polling station after she cast her ballot in the election. She said she knows how much responsibility goes with the job as president. Nov. 8, 2016. (AP) (Associated Press)

NEW YORK  As the night wore on and things looked progressively worse for Hillary Clinton, her aides stopped taking calls or answering text messages. Ordinarily they would have been busy offering their spin to reporters, but as the presidential race slipped away from her and toward Republican Donald Trump, they went dark.

When finally a call went out from the Clinton camp, it was from the Democratic candidate herself to the New York businessman, who claimed the presidency in a stunning outcome fueled by disaffected white, working-class voters who saw Clinton as an embodiment of the political establishment they disdain.

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Among the thousands of Clinton supporters who had gathered outside New York's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, the intended site of her election night party, enthusiasm turned to despair. Some stared quietly at the election maps and data on their smartphones. Others cried as they filtered out of the convention center.

By the time Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta spoke in the early hours of Wednesday morning, there were only about 150 Clinton supporters were left in the huge outdoor pens that once held thousands of people expecting to see the first woman elected president. Custodians began sweeping up.

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Podesta said the Democratic nominee would not speak.

"My disappointment makes me not trust the rest of the world," said Katie Fahey, who had flown to New York from Grand Rapids, Michigan, wearing a red pantsuit, expecting a victory party. "I don't even want to go out. I want to wear sweatpants and curl myself up in a corner."

As the night wore on, the shape of the contest was startling to Clinton and her aides, who ended their campaign exuding confidence. Clinton, her family and close aides were hunkered down to watch returns at a Manhattan hotel suite.

Her supporters became increasingly despondent as they watched key swing states Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Florida go for Trump on Tuesday night. Then Pennsylvania and Wisconsin  both reliably Democratic states  also went to Trump, and The Associated Press called the race for Trump around 2:30 a.m. EST.

"I'm terrified," said Niki Rarig, 34, who traveled to New York City from Portland, Oregon, for what they thought would be a victory celebration. "I just can't even imagine what a Trump presidency would look like."

Earlier in the day, Clinton voted at an elementary school near her suburban New York home with her husband, ex- President Bill Clinton. She spent Tuesday afternoon and in a Manhattan hotel suite, watching, waiting, and playing with her grandchildren.

Her dark Election Day was a stark contrast from Clinton's confident final days on the campaign trail. The former secretary of state and New York senator dashed through battleground states, encouraged get-out-the-vote efforts and campaigned with a star-studded cast of celebrities. The eve of the election included appearances with President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen and Lady Gaga.

Some good news boosted Clinton's spirits in the final moments of the campaign. On Sunday, FBI Director James Comey sent a letter to Congress, informing lawmakers the bureau had found no evidence in its hurried review of newly discovered emails to warrant criminal charges against Clinton.

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The late October announcement of a fresh email review rocked the race just as Clinton appeared to be pulling away from Trump in several battleground states. The update from the FBI may have come too late: In the nine days between Comey's initial statement until his "all clear" announcement on Sunday, nearly 24 million people cast early ballots. That's about 18 percent of the expected total votes for president.

Associated Press
Even before the election results were tallied, some clear winners and losers emerged from the 2016 presidential campaign .

Not many survived this tumultuous and dispiriting race with their reputations intact. Republicans performed pretzel-like contortions to accommodate Donald Trump , and Democratic leadership was bruised by a series of controversies that raised questions about the fairness of their primary process.

Meanwhile, Americans continued to lose faith in their most important institutions. So it shouldnt be surprising that this list is heavier on the losers than the winners. As one candidate might say: Sad!

Hope, fear, pride -- even some nausea. This is how America feels on election day 

Winners

Bernie Sanders : The Vermont senator started his campaign for president as a curiosity, a septuagenarian socialist with little influence in Congress. But his unkempt demeanor and passionate message about economic inequality struck a chord with disaffected young voters and unsatisfied liberals who viewed Hillary Clinton as insufficiently honest or progressive.

After a near-tie in Iowa and a resounding victory in New Hampshire, Sanders fell behind and never seriously threatened Clintons chances at the nomination. Yet he remained a force until the end, using his political clout to drag the Democratic Party further to the left on issues such as increasing college affordability and raising the minimum wage. If Democrats retake the Senate, Sanders could be in line to lead the powerful budget committee.

Michelle Obama speaking in New Hampshire last month. (Jim Cole / Associated Press)

Michelle Obama: Once a reluctant political wife, the first lady has been a force to be reckoned with on the campaign trail. It began with a stirring speech at the Democratic convention, which included a phrase that became a mantra for Clintons team  when they go low, we go high. But Obama solidified her standing as Democrats moral messenger in October when she targeted Trumps boasts about sexual assault, which were revealed in a leaked recording from Access Hollywood. In a bluntly emotional speech, Obama said she was shaken to her core.

Now is the time for all of us to stand up and say, enough is enough. This has got to stop right now, she said. Obamas strong performances on the campaign trail had some speculating about whether she would launch her own political career. There seems to be little chance of that, but shes already carved out her place in political history.

Megyn Kelly: Fox News was rocked this year when longtime chief Roger Ailes was ousted over a series of sexual harassment allegations. The scandal tarnished not only Ailes but others at the conservative network who rushed to his defense even as more stories of his inappropriate behavior emerged.

But anchor Megyn Kelly helped bring Ailes reign to an end by quietly telling investigators that she herself had been the victim of his unwanted advances. It was one episode in a turbulent year for Kelly, which included a barrage of insults from Trump after she aggressively questioned him in a primary debate about his track record of making offensive and dismissive comments about women. The exchange drew attention to an issue that eventually proved to be one of the most damaging to Trumps campaign.

Now, her star power intact, shes poised to sign a lucrative new contract with Fox News.

Election day 2016 live updates 

Losers

Reince Priebus: When Mitt Romney lost the 2012 election, the Republican National Committee chairman pledged to chart a new course for his party. In a widely circulated autopsy report, Priebus said Republicans must reach out to minorities in a country that was becoming more diverse, and he urged compromise on controversial immigration policies.

Reince Priebus has struggled to follow through on his vision for the Republican Party (Win McNamee / Getty Images)

None of that came to pass. Instead, Republicans nominated Trump, who alienated blacks, Latinos and women. Public polls show that even college-educated white voters, a group that has backed Republicans for decades, were leaning toward Clinton. The party still faces a reckoning with the countrys changing demographics, a problem that only worsened while Priebus was in charge.

Ted Cruz : It wasnt long ago that the Texas senator took a stand, refusing to endorse Trump in a high-profile speech at the Republican convention. The decision made sense for personal and political reasons. First, Trump had insulted his wife and spread false conspiracy theories about his father. Second, Cruz was positioning himself as someone who could lead conservatives-in-exile disappointed by Trumps lack of ideological fervor.

But Cruz threw all that away in September when he issued a widely mocked endorsement of Trump. It remains to be seen how wide the fallout will be  Cruz faces reelection in two years  and whether it will affect any chance to run for president in the future.

Democratic Party leaders: It was a rough year for chairwomen of the Democratic National Committee. First Debbie Wasserman Schultz , a Florida congresswoman, faced withering criticism for appearing to stack the deck in Clintons favor during the primary. That perception only grew when WikiLeaks released hacked emails showing her staff members discussing ways to undermine Sanders. Schultz was ousted and denied a speaking role at the partys convention. Her interim replacement, Donna Brazile, worked to mend fences but ran into her own WikiLeaks-related problems. More hacked emails showed she leaked questions to Clintons team before primary debates while she worked as a CNN contributor.

Donna Brazile (Paul Sancya / Associated Press)

Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Richard Drew / Associated Press)

Democratic institutions: If there was a word of the year, it was rigged. At one point or another, almost every important American institution was accused of being rigged  the two major political parties, Wall Street, the election process, the polls, the media, the FBI.

FBI Director James Comey faced withering criticism this year. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)

Democracy hinges on the publics faith in institutions, and that took a beating during this fractious campaign. Trump was the primary instigator, sometimes using a flamethrower of falsehoods to torch what he saw as standing between him and a shot at the White House. He spread conspiracies about rampant voter fraud and accused reporters of unfairly covering his campaign.

Federal law enforcement took a bipartisan drumming. When FBI Director James Comey declined to recommend criminal charges against Clinton over her handling of classified material, Trump accused him of covering for her. Then when Comey announced Oct. 28 that investigators were taking a look at newly discovered emails, it was Democrats turn to raise questions about his motivations so close before the election. By the time he announced over the weekend that he was standing behind his original recommendation of no charges, Comey had managed to anger all sides.

chris.megerian@latimes.com

Twitter: @chrismegerian

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Dr. B. Herold Griffith launched the plastic surgery residency program at Northwestern University and was chief of the division from 1970 to 1991. He also taught at what is now the university's Feinberg School of Medicine for 38 years and maintained a private clinical practice, focusing on reconstructive surgery.

"He was an extremely talented guy and did a broad swath of plastic surgery," said Dr. Peter McKinney, who was recruited by Griffith to help start the plastic surgery program at Northwestern. "He did some cosmetic surgery, but most of his work was reconstructive."

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Griffith, 91, often called Hal, died of complications from pneumonia Oct. 30 in Evanston Hospital, according to his daughter Tristan Griffith-Boyde. He was a longtime resident of Evanston.

He was born in Brooklyn and grew up mostly on the East Coast. He attended high school in New Jersey before leaving midway through his senior year to enter a four-year undergraduate program at Johns Hopkins University when programs were accelerated for World War II. His daughter said he finished the program in 16 months, going on to Yale School of Medicine.

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Griffith went through school as part of the Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps, so after graduating in 1948, he went into active service as a surgeon at the Naval Submarine Base in New London, Conn.

In the rush to get through school, he didn't get his official undergraduate degree document until it was mailed to him in 1992, his daughter said. After leaving active service in 1952, Griffith went to what was then New York Cornell Hospital in a program for plastic and reconstructive surgery.

In 1957, Northwestern recruited him to start a plastic surgery residency program. McKinney joined him 10 years later and was also in private practice with Griffith.

Dr. Gregory Dumanian, who succeeded Griffith as chief of Northwestern's division of plastic surgery, cited his predecessor's accomplishments in all areas of the field.

"He was into research, into pushing the borders of plastic surgery," Dumanian said.

Griffith also was active academically nationally, serving as chairman of the American Board of Plastic Surgery from 1981 to 1982 and also putting in a year as head of the Plastic Surgery Research Council, Dumanian said.

With all that and the growth of the program, the administrative load on Griffith also grew. "It was hard to find him at home," McKinney said.

Griffith did, McKinney said, find time to spend Friday nights at the opera and also to attend occasional meetings of the Chicago branch of the Civil War Roundtable.

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He was also what Dumanian called "an extreme gentleman," whose genteel ways seemed from an earlier time.

But of all his accomplishments, Dumanian said, Griffith was most proud of the residents who graduated from his program, at least two a year for the 21 years he headed the program.

The Corporation for Plastic Surgery Education and Research, affiliated with Northwestern, recently made a $1 million commitment to the Feinberg School of Medicine to create the B. Herold Griffith, MD, Annual History of Medicine Lecture and the B. Herold Griffith, MD, Scholarship Fund.

Griffith also is survived by another daughter, Susan Ritter; a granddaughter; and a great-grandson.

His wife, Jeanne, died in 2013.

A service will be held at 2 p.m. Dec. 4 in St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 1509 Ridge Ave., Evanston.

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Graydon Megan is a freelance reporter.
Donald Trump will be the Republican Party's presidential nominee. Within the party, talk of a brokered Republican National Convention or even a supporting a third-party candidate has circulated among those hoping to stop him from becoming the next president, leaving Trump antagonists across the spectrum to ponder whether there's any fail-safe left, after November, to stop a Trump administration from becoming a reality.

There is. The Electoral College.

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If they choose, state legislators can appoint presidential electors themselves this November, rather than leaving the matter of apportioning Electoral College votes by popular vote. Then, via their chosen electors, legislatures could elect any presidential candidate they prefer, no matter who wins the majority vote in their respective states.

Remember that Americans don't directly elect the president. The Electoral College does: Slates of electors pledged to support presidential and vice presidential candidates are voted upon in each state every four years. Each state, and the District of Columbia, is apportioned at least three of the 538 electors, allocated by the total number of U.S. Senators and Representatives each state has.

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In December, these electors will gather in their respective states and cast votes for president and vice president. And in January, Congress counts these votes, determines if a candidate has achieved a majority  at least 270 votes  and then certifies a winner.

We take it for granted that the individual votes we cast will be the ones that select the slate of presidential electors in our state. But the Constitution makes no such guarantee. In fact, it says the states appoint electors "in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct."

Some founders worried that rash decision-making by the collective body politic would be "radically vicious" or "liable to deceptions" if they directly elected the president, for the people would lack the "capacity to judge" candidates. While members of the House of Representatives would be accountable directly to the people, presidential elections would occur indirectly. Electors, not the people, would elect the president. And state legislatures could decide how. (Most states now have laws binding electors to vote for the candidate who wins their state's popular vote  but many states don't.)

In the earliest presidential elections, many states did not have popular elections for electors. Their legislatures simply chose electors. Over time, states gradually moved toward the popular elections we now take for granted.

But state legislatures have occasionally retained the power for themselves. In 1876, for instance, the new state of Colorado opted not to hold a popular election for electors, with the legislature claiming publicly that it lacked sufficient time to organize an election. It's more likely that Republican legislators worried that the people would vote for three Democratic electors and move to end Reconstruction in a closely contested election. The state legislature chose to retain the power to choose electors for itself - just that one time.

And state legislatures have modified the rules for the selection of presidential electors when they worry that the people of the state will vote for a disfavored candidate. In 1892, for instance, Democrats gained control of the Michigan legislature. They decided that presidential electors should be appointed according to popular vote totals in each congressional district, as opposed to the statewide winner-take-all system that had previously existed. Michiganders had consistently voted for a slate of Republican electors in the recent past, and the move to elections by district guaranteed that Democrats would win at least a few of electoral votes.

State legislatures should consider whether to retake this authority in the 2016 election in an effort to stop Trump. Republicans control 31 state legislatures. Many could consider this proposal, but the Texas state legislature is a natural place to start. It could easily pass a law returning power to the legislature. After Election Day, the legislature could decide whether to vote for Trump or Mitt Romney, the prior Republican nominee; former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who dropped out of the 2016 race early on; a popular GOP figure like Condoleezza Rice, whose name has recently been floated as an alternative; or their own junior Sen. Ted Cruz, presently trailing Trump in the Republican Party delegate count.

Texas' 38 red-state electoral votes are almost assuredly required for any Republican to get the 270 electoral votes needed to win. Casting them for someone other than Trump doesn't help likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, because she also needs 270. So while one state's electoral votes may not seem like much, it might be enough to deprive either candidate a majority.

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And in the event no candidate wins a majority of the electoral votes, the House of Representatives selects the winner. Each state's delegation of representatives gets one vote and selects among the top three electoral vote-getters  which would include the candidate who receives Texas' 38 votes. Republicans control these House delegations, and they could select from Trump, Clinton and Texas's preferred non-Trump candidate.

The decision need not rest with a single state, of course. Many state legislatures may worry about voters choosing between Trump and Clinton. It'd be a long shot, to be sure, but if enough state legislatures voted for their own electors this year, they could collectively secure the 270 electoral votes for their preferred candidate, which may not be either of these two candidates.

To take this extraordinary step, state legislators would have to decide that this election calls for an extraordinary change. And, of course, acknowledge that it could be deployed against any candidate in any presidential election  this year, four years from now and onward. It has seldom been used. But perhaps  just this once  legislators will conclude that the times call for a change to how we vote for the president.

Clearly, Trump supporters and, potentially, anyone who sees this sort of procedural move as a dirty trick, would object to this as antidemocratic. But voters' preferences would still be reflected  albeit indirectly  in the decisions made by the state legislatures, whose members are elected by the people. And the existence of the Electoral College, no matter how electors are chosen, means that the people, technically, have already been indirectly selecting their presidents.

Trump hasn't won yet. But it is increasingly likely that we will reach precisely the kind of scenario that the founders worried about  divisive political discourse threatens to thrust a dangerous candidate into office who appears inclined to govern more like a monarch than a president. Opportunities remain for cooler heads to prevail in our presidential election. And state legislatures should consider doing so this year.

Washington Post

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Derek T. Muller is an associate professor at Pepperdine University School of Law.
President-elect Donald Trump addresses supporters at an election night event at a New York hotel on Nov. 8. He was elected the 45th president of the United States. (Ricky Carioti, The Washington Post)

You have to feel bad for the Republican Party. Since 1992, only one of its presidential nominees has gotten the most votes for president  George W. Bush in 2004. Donald Trump was the latest also-ran, losing nationally to Hillary Clinton by more than 200,000 votes.

It didn't matter, of course, any more than it mattered in 2000, when Bush trailed Al Gore by an even bigger margin. Too many of Clinton's votes came in places like California, New York and Illinois, and too few in Wisconsin and Florida. The result was that Trump outdid her in the Electoral College, which is the only place that counts.

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He won the election fair and square under the antiquated rules established by the Framers  who, it should be noted, had only a dim and inaccurate conception of how their creation would work. But Republicans should not be too smug about the outcome.

In the coming weeks and over the next four years, we will often hear them justify their policies by reminding us, "The American people voted for Donald Trump." No, they didn't. They voted for Clinton. But the Electoral College gave them Trump.

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GOP politicians and sympathetic commentators will endlessly claim that he won a popular mandate and that Clinton and her party proved they are out of step with most Americans. Neither is true, and the myth should be nipped in the bud.

Twice in this century, the Electoral College has overruled the American people, handing the White House to someone they rejected. The outcome of this election is ominous. But let's not blame the voters.

Follow Steve Chapman on Twitter @SteveChapman13 and Facebook.
Khizr Khan, whose son was killed in Iraq and who criticized Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's statements about Muslims, joins in prayer at the Masjid William Salaam mosque during a campaign stop for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in Norfolk, Va., on Oct. 26, 2016. (Steve Earley, AP)

In the seismic aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, there is a silver lining for millions of women, African-Americans, Hispanics, people with disabilities and 7 million American Muslims like me. These groups must feel a sense of collective urgency to mobilize for the future of our multicultural society based on what we witnessed during this presidential election.

In addition to blatant misogyny and anti-immigrant xenophobia, we have also seen Donald Trump's political campaign normalize Islamophobia as part of the current national Republican Party platform.

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It is important to keep in mind that Islamophobia in America did not begin with Trump, and it will not end with Trump. Former presidential speechwriter Michael Gerson once noted in a Washington Post column that Islamophobia is becoming an entrenched platform within the Republican Party. During the last two presidential nomination cycles, Gerson observed, Republican candidates have proposed requiring a loyalty oath for Muslims to serve in government and ruled out Muslims serving in their administration; called sharia law "a mortal threat to the survival of freedom in the United States"; described Muslim immigration as "colonization" warning that Muslim immigrants "want to come and conquer us"; said there were only a handful of "reasonable, moderate followers of Islam," and described Islam as "a religion that promotes the most murderous mayhem on the planet."

Trump took these Islamophobic tendencies to new levels when he famously proclaimed that we needed to implement "a total and complete shutdown" of Muslims entering the United States. After the emotional speech from Khizr Khan at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, instead of praising the Muslim Gold Star family, Trump publicly suggested that Ghazala Khan  Khizr's wife  was not "allowed to speak" at the convention because of her Muslim culture.

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He also said he would consider requiring Muslim-Americans to register with the government or to carry special identification cards with us at all times.

After Trump confirmed to reporters that he would set up a database for Muslim Americans, an NBC News reporter asked him point-blank: "Is there a difference between requiring Muslims to register and Jews in Nazi Germany?"

"You tell me," Trump replied, walking away.

Aside from his blatant Islamophobia, we have also seen Trump make abhorrent statements about many other groups in America. From referring to Mexicans as "rapists" to suggesting that we implement a national policy of "stop and frisk," which disparately impacts the African American community, Trump's campaign revealed a critical mass of white nationalists who don't care if their presidential candidate shows a blatant disdain for women, Hispanics, people with disabilities or Muslims.

In the air words of CNN contributor Van Jones on election night, Trump's presidential campaign was a successful "white-lash" against immigrants, African-Americans and Muslims.

But we will not be afraid of demagogues like Trump. Muslims have mobilized at the local grassroots level in ways that have never been seen before. We saw major voter registration drives at mosques and Islamic community centers across the country as American Muslims realized the potential stakes of a Trump presidency.

Some rays of hope at the political level included Ilhan Omar, a 34-year-old Muslim woman, who became the first Somali-American woman elected to a state legislature in Minnesota. In Michigan, professional WWE wrestler Terrance "Rhyno" Guido Gerin was handily defeated by Muslim-American Abdullah Hammoud in the race for Michigan's 15th House District seat. And Muslim Rep. Keith Ellison retained his congressional seat in Minnesota's 5th district.

There are millions of Americans, including myself, who are stunned that we have just elected a misogynistic and xenophobic polemicist as our commander in chief for the next four years. But we shouldn't let our shock or despair paralyze us. Now more than ever it is a civic duty and moral imperative for Hispanics, women, Muslims and others to band together to neutralize the effect of Trump's rise on our great nation.

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Washington Post

Arsalan Iftikhar is an international human rights lawyer, founder of TheMuslimGuy.com and author of "Scapegoats: How Islamophobia Helps Our Enemies & Threatens Our Freedoms."
President-elect Donald Trump arrives at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on Nov. 8, 2016. Trump stunned America and the world Wednesday, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States. (SAUL LOEB / AFP/Getty Images)

Midway through the 2016 presidential campaign, when it became clear Donald Trump would claim the Republican nomination, a rueful joke circulated among disbelievers: "Can we just admit that we may have taken this 'Anybody can grow up to be president' thing a bit too far?"

The disbelievers have gone from laughter to shock. On Tuesday, Americans put the future of their nation in the hands of Donald Trump, an untested leader with deep character flaws and no experience in governance or national security. Voters delivered a humiliating rebuke to America's political establishment and to the hangers-on  the pollsters, the pundits, the media elites, the celebrities who surrounded Hillary Clinton on stages even as Trump stood alone.

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Humbled Democratic leaders and others who had predicted Clinton would win 300 electoral votes or many more instead watched, agape, as Trump picked off states that Barack Obama had won handily. This wasn't a landslide, but it buried Democrats under plenty of rubble. All that talk of taking back the U.S. Senate and just maybe the House? The assumption that a Democratic president would reshape the U.S. Supreme Court? All gone. Let the Democrats form their circular firing squad for the volleys of blame that now commence.

It's a monumental win for a candidate many Americans didn't take seriously. How did he do it?

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Trump, a brash real estate billionaire and media personality whose biggest previous achievement was building his glitzy Trump brand, has pulled off the greatest marketing feat of all time: the creation of Donald J. Trump, president-elect of the United States of America.

Shudder if you will, but recognize Trump's talents as a communicator. With his defeat of Clinton, his vision  his branding of the country  is now America's chosen path. The people have spoken. The next president will be an ego-driven outsider, a name-caller who struggles to control base impulses, who avoids self-reflection, and who shows little interest in policy, diplomacy or the accuracy of his statements.

Trump's crowning ability, which led him to victory, is salesmanship. Our brightest hope is that the president-elect will harness his gift for connecting with disaffected voters in the service of all Americans. It will be a tremendous stretch; we do not see in Trump the capacity to lead or commit to any cause beyond his own self-interest.

His appeal is rooted in a long-standing fantasy about how to improve our imperfect republic: Wouldn't it be great, many voters came to believe, if they could elect a hard-charging business executive as president, someone who knows the value of a buck, has no patience for politics as usual and just ... gets things done?

But will much of anything get done? Both parties are divided internally; Democrats surely will try to thwart this new Republican monolith in Washington. Think back to Obama's first two years, when Democrats held the Congress  until the tea party movement rose from the ashes of Republican defeats.

The last eight years have seen politics outmuscle policy and gridlock imperil growth. We have no illusion about the challenges Trump will face. But surrendering to divisiveness, with a shrug and dim hope for the future, would condemn America to more of the same.

Donald Trump has defeated Hillary Clinton to be elected the 45th president of the United States. And Scott Stantis has ordered his ticket to Estonia. (Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune)

None of Trump's grandstanding would have worked if Americans were united in their optimism. But ours is a fractured country. On Tuesday many voters declared themselves frustrated  worried that their standard of living is falling, angry at politicians who put their own interests first. Voters rebuked that political establishment. Beyond the usual divides between conservative and liberal, religious and secular, urban and rural, Americans signaled deep fears about the prosperity and security of their nation.

So Donald Trump will be president. And it is up to all America to accept the decision of the voters, because that is the keystone of our democracy. In return, the president-elect should relinquish his identity as an impetuous, tactless force of destruction and accept with newfound humility the grave responsibility he has been given. This is a new day. Let it be a healing day for America. Godspeed, Mr. President-Elect.

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Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.
President-elect Donald Trump arrives at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on Nov. 8, 2016. Trump stunned America and the world Wednesday, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States. (SAUL LOEB / AFP/Getty Images)

President-elect Donald Trump?

Well, whaddaya know. There really was a "hidden Trump vote" after all.

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For months almost every opinion poll had Democrat Hillary Clinton firmly holding onto her No. 1 position in the presidential race. No problem, said Republican Trump's team, which claimed a "hidden vote": Trump voters who didn't want to admit their choice to pollsters.

Preposterous thought. Numerous pollsters had sophisticated computers constantly belching out data; there was no way a hidden block of voters was eluding their scrutiny.

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Until President-elect Trump.

Somewhere, I imagine, Mike Royko is smiling.

The late Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and champion of working stiffs in his beloved Chicago and elsewhere used to be so annoyed by political pollsters that in the early 1980s he urged his readers to lie to them.

At that time he didn't have much success, perhaps because people were not sufficiently embarrassed by whom they were voting for. Today's Trump voters apparently don't share that same level of enthusiasm.

What they do share is a towering discontent with the political status quo and the leaders of both parties' establishments. Why not lie to pollsters? By Trumpian reasoning, the pollsters are part of the "corrupt establishment" too.

Whether by accident or design, Trump tapped into that discontent and, along the way, flagrantly demonized immigrants, Latinos, Muslims and at least one "nasty woman," in his view, Hillary Clinton.

And the more we media workers and other critics criticized him, the more his loyal base embraced him and cheered him on.

I and numerous other commentators criticized him as a flawed messenger for otherwise legitimate issues, but now I eagerly wait to see how well he delivers on his grandiose promises.

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With that in mind, it was a relief to hear the softened tone of his acceptance speech. He did a darn good job of praising Clinton's public service, which he had repeatedly ridiculed as "just words" during their debates. Maybe he won't appoint a special prosecutor to go after her for allegedly mishandling classified material in her emails.

We'll see.

I appreciated his call for unity and a binding of wounds with people from both parties, many of whom he had trashed. And I can hardly wait to see his outreach to the Muslims and immigrants whom he repeatedly stereotyped as murderers, rapists, etc.

But I really look forward to how he is going to "repeal Obamacare and replace it with something terrific," as he has promised the millions of people who now rely on President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act for health insurance coverage.

I look forward to how he is going to "open the coal mines again" and "bring our manufacturing jobs back from overseas" and other miracles.

And I want to see how he is going to "defeat ISIS and do it quickly." After all, he says he knows "more about ISIS than the generals do," right? But he can't tell us how he's going to deal with Islamic State until after we elect him. OK, Donald, it's your move.

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Trump even became something of a culture warrior, when he wasn't bragging about groping women. He battled against political correctness and pinned breathtakingly obnoxious nicknames on his rivals, like "Lyin' Ted," "Little Marco," "Low-energy Jeb" and "Crooked Hillary."

The Manhattan billionaire is, in short, a class clown who  to everyone's great astonishment  has been elected class president.

"Now it's time for America to bind the wounds of division," he said in his acceptance speech, using a voice of reason that we seldom have heard from him before. "We have to get together. To all Republicans, Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people."

Right. Now that he has trashed mercilessly those who dared to get in his way, he wants us to get together. Fine. But a bigger job soon will rest on his shoulders. Whether he ever really expected to get this far or not, he now has to deliver.

Otherwise he risks disappointing and even offending the folks who elected him. Yet some already have told me they don't really expect him to make good on all of his promises to bring back the coal mines and steel mills and build a border wall and "make Mexico pay for it."

Whether he delivers on that or not, they say, they're just happy that Trump, unlike his more conventional office-seekers, was willing to say what they've been thinking.

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Clarence Page, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/pagespage.

cpage@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @cptime
The battle between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton goes to the polls Tuesday, where voters in the Fox Valley and throughout the country will decide who should be the next president. (JAY LAPRETE / AFP/Getty Images)

I'll be updating this page every so often this evening. If you want to send me an observation or a question to ericzorn@gmail.com I might use it.

12:32 a.m. I'll have a column posted here in a short while -- assuming the trends hold and Trump is declared the winner -- but in the meantime, one last look at the state results:

It now looks like the 76th House District will switch from Democratic to Republican control, meaning a net GOP pickup of 4 Illinois House seats and 2 Illinois Senate seats.

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Therefore, in all probability:

Old Democratic advantage: House 71-47, Senate 39-20

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New Democratic advantatge: House 67-51, Senate 37-22

By the way, all the districts taken by Republicans were districts in which Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner beat Democrat Pat Quinn in 2014 and so, I argued, were particularly ripe for the anti-Michael Madigan message.

11:45 p.m. The models are now saying that, once again, the winner of the popular vote for president will not win the presidential election.

11:30 p.m. State race update. Looks like the GOP will take House districts 63, 71, 79, 117 and maybe 76 from the Democrats while losing the 112th, making for a net pickup of 3 or maybe 4 seats in that chamber. And the GOP will take Senate district 59 from the Democrats as well as the 47th, which was already conceded when the Democrats didn't run anyone to replace the seat vacated by a retiring senator. They might also take the 23rd Senate district wheer incumbent Sen. Tom Cullerton holds a 41,721 to 40,599 lead over Republican Seth Lewis with 94 percent of precincts reporting. Net pickup of 2, maybe 3 seats in that chamber.

This will still leave the Democrats with comfortable majorities in both chambers but Gov. Bruce Rauner will have at least gotten a loud warning shot for his money.

10:38 p.m. On my Facebook page, Jim Strickler writes "" But now that the networks are calling Florida for Trump, I doubt even a deluge will help. Where have you gone, Jason Heyward, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

10:02 p.m. The New York Times is basically calling the election for Donald Trump. There's a sliver of solace in knowing that, if the projection is accurate, many of those who voted for him will come to hate him as much as liberals and most Democrats now hate him.

He is, you see, a spectacular liar, a grotesque fraud. And I say this without anyone thinking I'm trying to influence their vote. He had made many promises on which he will not deliver -- more and better jobs being the main one.

He will not build a wall. He will not have a better jobs record than Obama. He will not decrease the debt. He will not Make America Great Again, or even make America greater.

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He is a rabid dog that the New York Times all but tells us has chased and caught a car. He will have no idea what do now. He is going to be, to use his favorite word, a disaster.

9:43 p.m. Mendoza with a 51-43 lead over Munger for comptroller with 73 percent of the vote in.

9:36 p.m. Now all the talk is about how Clinton has a narrow, nearly impossible path to victory. This is just what everyone was saying about Trump 24 hours ago.

9:30 p.m. Now 538 gives the general election edge to Trump, 55 percent. The New York Times has it at 87 percent, which is President Donald Trump territory.

9:28 p.m. FIrst pass through the state races. Democrat Susana Mendoza leads in early returns in the comptroller's race. Republicans hold early leads in five Illinois House districts now held by Democrats (63, 71, 76, 79 and 117) while the Democrats lead in two districts now held by the GOP (81 and 112). If these results hold -- and they may not, of course -- Gov. Bruce Rauner would pick up three House seats and lose the comptroller's office, a small net positive for him in his proxy war against Michael Madigan. See my checklist . and the Tribune results page .

8:48 p.m. Free Press projection: Hillary Clinton wins Michigan and newspapers never get it wrong, do they?



8:42 p.m. The meter here is making me nuts. Was up to 61 percent for Trump, just ticked backdown the 58 percent. Yet it has Clinton winning the popular vote by about 2 percent. Most of the "too-close-to-call" major states are favoring Trump.

8:35 p.m. The map mavens on NBC just explained how Clinton could win Florida. It sounded like wishful thinking.

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8:33 p.m. Now the New York Times has Trump with a 53 percent chance of winning. Stunning. And the markets are reportedly already tanking.

8:27 p.m. Team Clinton may not have any fingernails left among them. NYTimes now has the race as 50/50.

8:26 p.m. I know Mark Kirk had his faults as a politician, but he was in many ways my kind of Republican -- not a "values" warrior and someone who struck many bipartisan notes. The Senate needs more folks who can straddle those lines, and now it has lost one and will be a slightly more polarized body.

I feel bad for him personally. The stroke he suffered in 2012 was devastating and unfair, and his courage in coming back from it admirable. That said, he should have stood down for re-election or the party should have put him to a stern primary test to see if he was going to be ready for the inevitably tough challenge of beating a Democratic challenger in a presidential year.

8:18 p.m. I'm getting a sinking feeling about the presidential race. The New York TImes now says Clinton has only a 61 percent chance to win. It really is stunning and very sad, to use an overused word, that so many Americans are showing a willingness to roll the dice on this intemperate thug. I stopped working on my "Trump wins" column about two hours ago. Now I'm working on it again.

8:03 p.m. No surprises at the top of the hour again. Lots of talk about record turnout. Watching those percent-chances meter. NYT Clinton 68 percent. 538 Clinton 73 percent.

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7:43 The New York Times' Upshot site gives Trump an 83 percent chance to win Florida. But still has Clinton at 73 percent chance to win the presidency.

7:36: Associated Press calls Indiana U.S. Senate race for Republican Todd Young. 538 now gives the GOP a 69 percent chance of taking the Senate, which means tough times ahead for Democrats, even if Clinton wins the White House (which 538 says is 75 percent likely)

A tweet from MSNBC's Steve Kornacki: "Early national exit:

Whites w/ college degree --Trump +1

2012: Romney +14

Whites w/out college degree -- Trump +36

2012: Romney +26

7:18 p.m. Slate's VoteCastr is done for the day, and has Clinton with more projected votes in Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. If this method proves accurate, it's easily the ballgame, but...

7:13 As James Carville just said, so far we've seen nothing particularly surprising or significant in the national returns.

7:08 p.m. Republican Sen. Marco Rubio will win re-election in Florida says the Associated Press.

7:04 p.m. NBC calls a bunch of states. Included in the rundown is Illinois called for Clinton. But none of the top-of-the-hour calls are in the major swing states. NBC and ABC are also calling Democrat Tammy Duckworth the winner in the Illinois U.S. Senate race over incumbent Republican Mark Kirk, but I stress that this is not yet a Tribune call.

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6:55 p.m. Nate Silver at 538.com's live blog writes that "Clinton is really overperforming a typical Democrat in wealthy, highly educated areas....If anything, these dremographic shifts look even more profound in the vote so far than they did in pre-election polls."

538 now gives the Democrats just a 45% chance of taking the U.S. Senate.

Polls close in five minutes in Illinois.

6:48 p.m. My recommended source for the latest local returns is the Trib's Election Central. . Matt Drudge seems to be much more enthusiastic about Trump's chances than the TV folks.

6:43 p.m. Real Clear Politics numbers do not look for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Evan Bayh in Indiana. With 21 percent reporting he is losing to Republican Todd Young 55 percent to 40 percent. Not that long ago, Bayh looked like a shoo-in for this seat. Could spell trouble for the Democratic bid to take control of the Senate nationwide.

6:39 Eyes are now on Florida, virtually a must-win for Trump. TV numbers say Clinton has a narrow lead without some likely Clinton areas yet reporting. Politico shows Trump up narrowly. Slate's thing also suggests Clinton is doing well in Florida. Ohio not looking as good for Clinton. say the TV talking heads.

6:18 p.m. Exit-poll reporting shows Clinton is winning with college educated white women-- who went for Republican Mitt Romney four years ago -- losing with non college-educated white women. So it's looking more like an education gap than a gender gap. Please don't ask me about white men. I'm embarrassed for my demographic.

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6:09 p.m. No surprises yet in as the polls close in a few states. Indiana and Kentucky in the Trump column. Vermont in the Clinton column. Georgia looking too close to call. It continues to look like a very tough needle for Team Trump to thread. Nothing yet, of course, from Illinois.

Also no major reports of voter harassment, which doesn't surprise me. That threat never seemed based on any real plan. A relief.

5:13 p.m -- Not much solid information so far. I've been following Slate's VoteCastr projections ("based on the number of ballots cast during early voting and on Election Day at a sampling of polling places; voters candidate preferences as derived from pre-election polls and microtargeting models; and the projected likelihood that residents in the sampled precincts will cast a vote.") which so far show Hillary Clinton with a narrow advantage in the seven key states they are following.

The caveats with this data are so numerous that it would be wise not to make too much of them.
An estimated 15,173 early voters, some of whom are pictured here, cast ballots in early voting which was held from Oct. 24 - Nov. 7 at the Arlington Heights Village Hall. (Karen Ann Cullotta / Pioneer Press)

For the steady stream of voters who cast ballots Tuesday in Arlington Heights, reaching the end of the tumultuous 2016 presidential election campaign season seemed to elicit a collective sigh of relief.

"I felt good about voting today, but I'm glad it's over," said Arlington Heights resident Bill Noonan, 78.

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"With all the name calling, it's going to take a while for the country to heal, but I hope it happens soon," Noonan said.

Rob Vinopal, 51, a middle school teacher from Arlington Heights, recalled watching all of the presidential debates, an experience he described as "painful."

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"It was nasty and uglyvery teenage behavior and everything that as middle school teachers we are trying to fight against," Vinopal said.

For the steady stream of voters who cast ballots Tuesday in Arlington Heights, including at the First Presbyterian Church, pictured here, reaching the end of the tumultuous 2016 presidential election campaign season seemed to elicit a collective sigh of relief. (Karen Ann Cullotta / Pioneer Press)

In past presidential elections, Vinopal said teachers were able to encourage respectful classroom discussions about the voting process, but he said that this time around, the divisive tone of the campaign season forced teachers to avoid the subject.

"I think with the 2016 presidential election, the fringe groups have been given a voice, which is unfortunate," said Vinopal, who said the key issues for him this election season are climate change and a woman's right to choose.

"I believe in the First Amendment, but this was pandering to certain groups of people that represent the worst part of the constituency," Vinopal said. "It's will take some time for the country to heal."

Elizabeth Andrykowski, 79, a retiree from Arlington Heights, said as a Roman Catholic who is opposed to abortion, she does not agree with all of the positions of the presidential candidate she voted for on Tuesday, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

"I'm praying that she does the right thing," Andrykowski said. "I think she really got beaten up this election season, which was horrible. People are so angry and saying terrible things about her. Maybe she's made some mistakes, but every politician makes mistakes. Even President Kennedy made a mistake with Cuba.

For the steady stream of voters who cast ballots Tuesday in Arlington Heights, reaching the end of the tumultuous 2016 presidential election campaign season seemed to elicit a collective sigh of relief. (Karen Ann Cullotta / Pioneer Press)

"I think it's wonderful that we might have a woman president," Andrykowski said. "I don't agree with everything she supports, but she's tried very hard and I think she's done very well. Mr. Clinton made some personal mistakes when he was president, but he did very well with our country."

Arlington Heights resident Steve Kyska, 81, cast his ballot Tuesday afternoon at the polling place in Thomas Middle School, but for the first time in more than five decades of elections, he decided against voting for any of the presidential candidates.

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"To be very truthful, I didn't vote for any of them, because I didn't want to responsible for any of them, and the candidate I wanted  Bernie Sanders  got bumped out of the race," said Kyska, a retired HVAC worker.

Smiling as he acknowledged he was perhaps among the older Sanders' supporters, Kyska said he liked and trusted Sanders because "he came across very honest."

Among the key issues for Kyska during this general election are the future of the nation's immigration policy and the economy, which he said "could use a little boost."

For the steady stream of voters who cast ballots Tuesday in Arlington Heights, including resident Elizabeth Andrykowski, 79, pictured here, reaching the end of the tumultuous 2016 presidential election campaign season seemed to elicit a collective sigh of relief. (Karen Ann Cullotta / Pioneer Press)

"I'm definitely glad this campaign season is over, as I'm tired of hearing people slander and pick on each other," Kyska added.

Resident Laurie Ayers, 61, agreed with Kyska that the tenor of the 2016 presidential campaign season has often been disheartening for voters.

"I'm glad all the bashing is finally over, and whoever wins, I'm willing to follow them and be a good American," said Ayers, who said in addition to providing more support for veterans, she is hopeful that whoever is elected president "will improve Obamacare," which she said has had a negative impact on her life.

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While Arlington Heights resident Veronika Weithofer, 48, was not eligible to vote on Tuesday  she and her husband are German citizens who are living in the U.S. on work visas  she and her dog Mirka spent part of Election Day observing voters as they arrived to cast ballots at the First Presbyterian Church.

"We've lived all over Europe, and this presidential election in America is very different, but the U.S. is so diverse, you really can't compare it to other countries," Weithofer said. "Every time Trump said something offensive, we would think, 'well, this is going to be it. The voters won't go with this.' But that just didn't happen."

Village Clerk Rebecca Hume said an estimated 15,173 voters cast early ballots at Village Hall during the official early voting period, which this year ran from Oct. 24 through Nov. 7.

On Monday night, about 1,600 voters packed the first floor of Village Hall, enduring hour-long lines, determined to cast their ballots, down-to-the-wire, on the final day of early voting.

"They added so many early voting locations this year, we thought our numbers would be down, but they were actually up from the 12,878 early voters we had in 2012," Hume said.

kcullotta@tribpub.com

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Twitter @kcullotta
President-elect Donald Trump arrives at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on Nov. 8, 2016. Trump stunned America and the world Wednesday, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States. (SAUL LOEB / AFP/Getty Images)

An Aurora area Latino activist is calling for unity in the wake of the election of Donald Trump Tuesday to be the next president of the United States.

Trump's call to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and to crack down on immigration has some Latino leaders concerned. Robert Renteria, a Latino author and activist from North Aurora, said the country needs to try and stay together and work for the common good.

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"Donald Trump, without question, woke up the silent majority who believed that their voices and votes did not matter," he said. "But because people finally had a chance to be heard, America will hopefully have a president who can unite a divided nation."

dcrosby@tribpub.com
Some tourists get into a car with a U.S. flag in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday. A trip to Havana is being offered as an auction item at an upcoming food pantry fundraiser. (Ernesto Mastrascusa / EPA)

I don't normally pay that much attention to auctions at local fundraisers, but this one caught my eye for its news value alone.

The sixth annual gala for the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry, which will be held Saturday evening at Pipers Banquets in Aurora, offers a trio of live-auction items -- including a vacation to Cuba  sure to draw attention because of their relevancy to how the world is changing.

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One item guaranteed to garner impressive bids: Four tickets to a Friday night game in April or May at Wrigley Field, courtesy of Dr. Cary Frazer of Fox Valley Care Clinic.

The package also includes a night at the Westin Hotel on Michigan Avenue and brunch at Shaw's Crab House. But the real draw, of course, will be those four seats in April or May to see The World Series Champion Chicago Cubs  how weird does that still sound?  an experience that likely rose in value now that the team has reached such a historic pinnacle.

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Speaking of historic significance, a second auction item is a day spent with the Aurora Police Department, which includes lunch for five with Chief Kristen Ziman, the first female chief in Illinois' second largest city.

This package also offers a chance for a tour of the police department and ride-along with officers, which may not sound like it is news worthy in itself. But it wasn't all that long ago  at least for those of us who went on gang stakeouts or drug busts with Aurora cops back in those ugly days  when you couldn't have paid a resident for a ride-along in a squad car  much less expected someone to pay out big bucks  tax deductible, of course  for the experience.

But the streets have become less violent and those negative perceptions have changed here in Aurora, thanks to a lot of hard work by officials and community members. This is the second year the APD has offered a day with police as an auction item for the pantry's gala, and that fact alone say something significant at a time where there is so much tension and mistrust between officers and residents in other communities.

Then there's the really big ticket item: a week-long trip to the once forbidden Havana, Cuba.

There, the winner will stay in a two-bedroom apartment located in the center of the city offering restaurants, shops, theater and cultural centers that have only been open to American tourists in a gradual and limited way since President Obama re-established the relationship with this Communist-ruled Caribbean island two years ago.

It was the suggestion of Sherry Truhlar, an auctioneer with Red Apple Auctions out of Washington, D.C., who the food pantry hired to handle the main event at the gala on Saturday, to offer this unique vacation.

While there's still "a lot more paperwork" to make this sort of trip happen, compared to Mexico or Canada, for example, Truhlar noted that it's becoming easier to visit the once off-limits island, with more major airlines recently beginning to promote direct flights from places other than Miami or Tampa.

"It's been incredibly popular" on the fundraiser circuit, she added, with many not for profits organizing their themes around the exotic "Havana Nights" experience. In fact, just last Friday, a week-long stay in a three-bedroom apartment in the island city went for $9,400 at the fundraising auction she led for 360 Youth Services in Naperville.

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"People are excited to go now and see Cuba like it was, before it becomes too Americanized, as is sure to happen," Truhlar said. If for no other reason, men especially want to get to the island to see those 1950s cars. And that curiosity is good for events trying to raise money for worthy causes.

The whole idea is to get "fresh auction items that appeal to a large crowd," that are "relevant for the times" and "set you apart from the other fundraisers," she noted.

Looking over the three main auction items, Truhlar praised this local food pantry committee for doing an "excellent job" of meeting that criteria.

Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry Executive Director Marilyn Weisner credits her gala committee, in particular the two auction chairwomen, Tina DeGustino and Kate Peters, who were able to snag Ziman for lunch since Peters also happened to be the chief's eighth-grade teacher. For more details on the gale, go to www.aurorafoodpantry.org

Truhlar, who does these auctions all around the country, was impressed.

"When you have a lot of support from the community," she said, "it really does make a difference."

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Dcrosby@tribpub.com

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Barrington voters nearly are split on the advisory referendum question of whether Barrington officials should spend public money on a multi-million dollar railroad underpass project, based on unofficial election results from Lake and Cook counties.

As of 9:35 p.m. Tuesday, 50.08 percent of the 4,461 ballots cast on the question voted "no," while 49.92 percent voted "yes."

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Barrington resident Deborah Cotopolis, who along with other residents collected 575 signatures to put the non-binding question on the ballot, said they were just pleased to be able to pose the question to voters, while Barrington Village President Karen Darch said the close vote reinforces her criticism of the advisory referendum and its ambiguous wording.

The question Barrington voters considered on the ballot asks whether village officials should spend public funds to construct the proposed underpass, which would carry traffic beneath Canadian National Railway tracks, "and/or" the re-routing of Lake Zurich Road through Citizen's Park and a part of the Barrington Library property, according to clerk's offices in Cook and Lake counties.

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Darch said in October the question confused her because it asks for a yes or no answer to two questions  the underpass and realigning Lake Zurich Road.

"And I see voters support for the project, but they want (Canadian National) to pay for it or get state and federal dollars, which is what the village of Barrington is pursuing," Darch said Tuesday night.

If constructed, the underpass and grade separation would allow motorists to pass through Route 14 without interruption when freight trains rumble over the Canadian National Railway crossing above. Currently, motorists have to stop at all four rail crossings on Barrington roads and wait until trains pass.

Local taxing dollars could cover about $403,317 of the project, Darch has said.

Barrington officials still have to negotiate funding, but they have said they want federal and state agencies, as well as Canadian National Railway, to cover an additional $45 million for the project.

The Lake Zurich Road project is estimated to cost $5.4 million, moving it southeast to the intersection of Route 14 and Berry Road. The realignment would allow the more than 3,000 vehicles that travel daily on Lake Zurich Road to share a traffic light at Berry Road that meets Route 14, near the proposed underpass, Darch said.

Some voters at polling locations in Barrington didn't want to comment on the advisory referendum. Others questioned the necessity of the project.

Resident Janet Hursch said that spending public money on the underpass and grade separation was fiscally wrong.

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"I don't think public funds should be going to it," she said. "There are too many other things that need fixing in or area."

Barrington resident Laura Dragosz said she saw both sides of the issue.

"I have mixed feelings about it," she said. "Something has to be done about the traffic, but it's impinging on Citizens Park."

The Lake Zurich Road realignment, which is needed for the underpass project, would reroute the road farther east and through a portion of Citizens Park, a 45-acre park that was dedicated in 2007.

Cotopolis said her group will be watching the "very close" results into the night on Tuesday.

"We're pleased the referendum provided a formal process to quantifiably access the community's position," she said.
News / Africa

by Thabo Kunene

Johannesburg - More than 10 Zimbabwean opposition activists are missing in South Africa after they were promised military training in Mozambique by a mysterious man they met on social networking site, Facebook recently.The faceless Facebook man claimed he was close to the top leadership of the former Mozambique rebel movement, the Mozambique National Resistance (MNR). The so called MNR agent who used the name Hosia on facebook told the Zimbabwean activists that he could facilitate military training for them in Mozambique to fight president Robert Mugabe's army.The naive Zimbabweans believed the man even though they had not met him face to face.The missing activists belonged to different opposition groups.According to friends of the missing men,the so called MNR agent befriended the activists on facebook and earned their trust.During their regular chats on Facebook,the Zimbabweans and their new found friend discussed ways of fighting president Robert Mugabe and removing him from power. It was at that point that the mysterious MNR agent told the Zimbabwean activists that he could help arrange military training for them in Mozambique.The training was to be conducted at the former bases of MNR. The former rebel movement which was backed by apartheid military might in the 80s fought the Mozambique government for more than a decade.During the Mozambique civil war, Zimbabwe government sent troops to help Frelimo soldiers fight the rebels who had their headquarters in Gorongosa, a former national park which they converted into a military base.After the bogus MNR agent earned the trust of his Zimbabwean friends who were itching for military training,he arranged to meet them in the South African town of Zeerust in North West province.According to one of their friends, when the Zimbabwean activists arrived in Zeerust, the MNR agent was nowhere to be found.While waiting for the alleged MNR agent to arrive for the meeting,the Zimbabweans who were eager to meet the man found themselves surrounded by armed men in military camouflage.That was the last communication with their friends.Cosmas Ncube who leads one of the opposition groups said they had warned the impatient youths about their Facebook contact.Ncube said others had strong suspicions that the mysterious Hosia could have been an undercover agent of the Zimbabwe spy agency,the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).The CIO stands accused of being responsible for the abductions of thousands of supporters of the then opposition Zapu party of Joshua Nkomo in the 80s.Now the friends of the missing activists believe their colleagues were abducted by the Zimbabwean agents who lured them to a trap in Zeerust. This is not the first time Zimbabwean activists have been abducted on South African soil.Police in Zeerust said they had no records of Zimbabweans detained in local camps.In 2010 some members of the South African police from the elite crime fighting unit, the Hawks were implicated in illegal arrests of Zimbabwean activists exiled in the country and handing them over to security police in that country.Four Zimbabweans who were handed over to that country's security police were later found dead.When the illegal deportations were expossed, police minister Nathi Mthethwa suspended the then Hawks head, Anwa Dramat and some of the officers in the unit.But Dramat successfully challenged his suspension in court. He later resigned.
A Country Club Hills man was found guilty of first degree murder Tuesday after being accused of slaying a teen he believed robbed his younger brother, according to Will County State's Attorney spokesman Chuck Pelkie.

Tommy Crockwell, 46, faces 45 years to life in prison after Will County judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak found him guilty of murdering 19-year-old Johnny Rouse in University Park in 2011, officials said.

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"Crockwell hid in the bushes and crept up behind Rouse as (he) walked down a path in the park on the evening of Oct. 26, 2100," according to a statement from Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow's office. "The defendant, who was 41 at the time, shot the young man once in the back of the neck."

Glasgow called Crockwell a "spineless murderer," who "is the absolute definition of cowardice."

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During a 33-minute recorded conversation, which was played in court, between Crockwell and an informant who was wearing a wire, Crockwell admitted to shooting Rouse, and other details only the murderer would know, the statement said. The details included the manner Rouse fell, that he was wearing headphone still connected to his MP3 player, and the type of weapon used, a .40-caliber handgun, the statement said.

Crockwell is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 1.

Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Korean War veteran Ken Anderson sits next to a welcome home sign made by his family members after Anderson returned from an Honor Flight Chicago trip to Washington, D.C. Anderson served four years in the U.S. Navy, three on the submarine USS Greenfish. (Ginger Brashinger / Daily Southtown)

Ken Anderson, 86, has little more than a Thanksgiving dinner menu and his Navy pin to commemorate his service on the submarine USS Greenfish SS-351, but more importantly, the Korean War-era veteran has a treasure trove of memories from that time, and he's willing to share.

Anderson, a resident of Smith Village in Chicago's Morgan Park neighborhood, said it all began not long after his graduation in 1948 from St. Rita High School.

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He and his friends applied to the University of Illinois, he said, and then promptly enlisted in the service rather than take a chance on where they might land when the inevitable military draft notice arrived.

Anderson chose the U.S. Navy  for no particular reason  but he took to it like a duck to water, even though he had no idea what a submarine even looked like when he volunteered to train for submarine duty, he said.

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After 11 weeks of basic training, he found himself at a naval base in New London, Connecticut, where he learned that submarines "looked like big cigars."

A personal tour through a submarine left him "absolutely overtaken and amazed," he said, and he was ready to begin his on-the-job training.

"To qualify takes a lot of study and it takes about a year if you work hard," Anderson said. "(I was) looking forward to understanding all the complicated procedures."

Recruits were required to learn everything about each of the submarine's nine compartments, their contents and how everything worked, Anderson said.

"If they ask you a question about a certain valve or piece of gear and you don't have the proper answer, then you don't pass," he said.

Anderson passed the test, but he said there was one more trial  an initiation that still causes him to chuckle.

"What they do with you when you qualify is they throw you overboard," Anderson said. "Literally, even if you can't swim."

Then there was the serious stuff: The Korean War was raging on the other side of the world, and Cold War tensions with the U.S.S.R. and China were erupting.

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The Greenfish was stationed out of Pearl Harbor, an exotic and unfamiliar place to the Chicago native.

"I couldn't even spell Honolulu," Anderson joked.

But, he didn't spend much time there.

His job during patrols "to Alaska and beyond" was "maintaining the main power  the generators and the motors," Anderson said. He was in the "battle station" compartment, the maneuvering room  the heart of the submarine.

But Anderson didn't consider his work special.

"Every job on a submarine is important," Anderson said. "That's why you have to qualify."

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There was never daylight for the crew on those 59-day patrols. The submarine came up only at night because of the oxygen requirements. It was then that the impact of where they were and what they were doing was clear.

"We went up beyond the Bering Strait," Anderson said. "We were taking photos. We came up at night (and) we could see the mountains. The quartermaster said, 'You're looking at Siberia.'"

Anderson said several times "silent running" was necessary to avoid detection. That meant no talking, no smoking, just sweating. Anderson said the heat from the diesel engines could bring the temperature inside the submarine to about 130 degrees, but it could not be relieved until the sub surfaced.

Was he scared?

"I wasn't old enough to be scared," he said.

It all worked out. Anderson and his shipmates came back from every patrol every time during his three years of duty. He said the sailors would emerge from the submarine to face a daylight sun that was almost too bright, scrape the paint and rust off the ship, shave their beards and eventually go into town.

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And then they would do it all over again.

There was no complaint, no whining from Anderson, even though his original terms of enlistment were for one year and he was recalled a year after his discharge for another three years.

"When I saw the postcard I pinched myself," Anderson said.

But, he went, he served, and he came home to Chicago in December 1953 and married his sweetheart, Pat, who has since died.

Anderson finished his electrician apprenticeship with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 134 and worked for about 10 years for various contractors before becoming the city of Chicago's foreman of electrical machinery for the movable bridges on the Chicago and Calumet rivers, he said. He retired from that job in 1991.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Ken and Pat Anderson raised five children in Chicago's Mount Greenwood neighborhood, later moving to Oak Lawn. Anderson moved in 2014 to Smith Village.

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Anderson, who has 11 grandchildren and five great grandchildren, along with another one on the way, takes no credit for setting a good example, but something may have rubbed off.

One of his grandsons is in Korea with the U.S. Army as a physical therapist; another grandson is a West Point graduate studying to be an Apache helicopter pilot, and a third is in the Marine Reserves.

As a Korean War veteran, Anderson was a recent guest of Honor Flight Chicago.

He said he was impressed and honored by his treatment and that of all the veterans onboard. Like all of his fellow veterans, who have their own unique story of service and who have sacrificed for the freedom of all Americans, he wasn't expecting any reward for his service.

"I just consider I paid my dues for everything we have here," Anderson said. "We're living in the best country in the world. We need a few adjustments, but we're doing pretty good."

Ginger Brashinger is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
A majority of Orland Township residents appeared to be in favor of breaking off from Cook County and becoming part of Will County, while voters in three suburbs endorsed term limits for elected municipal officials.

With 61 of 75 precincts reporting, 54 percent of Orland Township voters supported the secession question while 46 percent were opposed.

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The referendum is only an advisory question, meaning the township will stay in Cook County for the time being no matter the result of the vote, according to Township Supervisor Paul O'Grady.

The township includes all or portions of Orland Hills, Orland Park and Tinley Park.

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He said that if voters had strongly favored breaking away from Cook to become part of Will County, that would determine how aggressively the township would proceed.

Orland Township voters also supported a proposal to have their congressional representatives sponsor and support measures acknowledging, the "serious threat posed by climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a clear, transparent and effective way." With 61 of 75 precincts reporting, 71.2 percent of voters were in favor while 28.8 percent were opposed.

Term limits were strongly endorsed by voters in Crestwood, Harvey and Calumet City.

With eight of nine precincts reporting, 88.7 percent of Crestwood voters backed limiting the terms of elected municipal officials while 11.3 percent were opposed, while in Calumet City, with 18 of 24 precincts reporting, 66 percent were in favor of term limits while 34 percent voted against the proposal.

In Harvey, with 11 of 18 precincts reporting, 84.7 percent endorsed term limits, and 15.3 percent were opposed.

Crestwood would restrict all elected officials to three consecutive terms, while Harvey and Calumet City would set a limit of four consecutive terms. Term limits in Calumet City and Crestwood would start with officials elected next spring, while Harvey's proposal would begin with the April 2019 municipal elections.

Olympia Fields voted on a village proposal to establish a 1 percent non-home-rule sales tax in order to fund road and infrastructure improvements.

With four of five precincts reporting, 59.4 percent of voters backed the tax while 40.6 were opposed.

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The tax is expected to generate an additional $750,000 in annual revenue for the village, according to village Administrator David Mekarski. The new tax would not apply to groceries, prescription and nonprescription drugs.

Voters in Crete also appeared to support that community's proposal to establish a half-percent non-home-rule sales tax chiefly to fund road repairs and improvements.

With seven of eight precincts reporting, 51.5 percent of voters were in favor of the new tax while 48.5 percent were opposed. Groceries and prescription drugs would be exempt from the tax, which the village expects will generate $400,000 a year.

Crete Park District turned down a proposal to establish a new property tax to provide recreational programs for persons with disabilities with seven of eight precincts reporting, 45.3 percent of residents were in favor while 54.7 percent were opposed.

Voters in the Homer Township Fire Protection District approved a measure that asked them whether district trustees should be elected instead of appointed. With all 12 precincts reporting, 87.1 percent of voters favored elected district trustees while 12.9 percent were opposed.

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Voters in Palos Community Consolidated School District 118 were supporting a proposal by the district for permission to sell $6.5 million in bonds to fund a school addition and other school repairs. With 18 of 21 precincts reporting, 55.5 percent of voters supported the bond sale while 44.5 percent were opposed.

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Thornton Township residents supported proposals to help residents with mental health issues, the homeless and the township's youth.

With 94 of 123 precincts reporting, 90.2 percent of voters favored the township creating a mental health committee and partnering with area providers to offer mental health, substance abuse, counseling, crisis intervention and psychiatric services to township residents.

A proposal for the township to establish an emergency housing shelter and offer other assistance to the homeless was supported by 89.7 percent of voters, with 10.3 percent voting against the plan.

Also, 93 percent of voters supported an effort by the township to provide additional educational and employment opportunities for township youth.

The township includes all or parts of Burnham, Calumet City, Dixmoor, Dolton, East Hazel Crest, Riverdale and South Holland.

mnolan@tribpub.com
When I opened my front door Wednesday morning after little sleep and numb from a bad dream that wasn't a dream, a dreary rainfall glazed the sidewalk as two neighbors gazed blankly in my direction.

As I leaned down to pick up my newspaper, a Carole King song filtered through my pre-coffee brain fog: Something inside has died, and I can't hide, and I just can't fake it. Oh, no, no. Good ol' Carole King.

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From there, my morning proceeded mechanically: Find remote control, turn on "Morning Joe," fix coffee, open refrigerator door, close refrigerator door, turn off sound on ringing cellphone, turn off TV, lie on floor. I'm guessing this routine sounds familiar to fellow election-dazed denizens.

As regular readers of this column know, I rejected Donald Trump on Day One and have spent the past year  in columns, on TV and in speeches across the country  highlighting the many reasons I found him unacceptable for the job of president.

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My opinion hasn't changed, but as Hillary Clinton said in her acceptance speech, "Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead." And Trump, in his victory speech, said without irony that now it's time to heal the wounds of division.

Head hurting, but OK.

To begin, there needs to be an honest assessment of what just happened. It isn't really that complicated or mysterious, if you've spent any time in the America where Trump voters live. As one who ventured inside the Beltway only 12 or so years ago  as a "spy for Bubba," I introduced myself  I've spent most of my life among the indigenous peoples.

Two weeks ago, I began saying that Trump would win, whether I liked it or not. Today, I offer a clarification: He didn't win the election. Clinton lost it.

For voters who couldn't stand Trump, she was a terrible alternative. Never a great candidate, she was also, tragically, a Clinton when people were ready to move on. She received several million fewer votes than Obama did in 2012.

And speaking of Obama, he also lost this election to Trump, despite exit polling that showed the president's approval rating at 50 percent-plus.

The 2016 election was as much a referendum on his legacy as it was on the candidates themselves. When people want the country to change course, they don't typically vote for a third term of the current president.

Thus, a vote for Trump was really a vote against Obamacare and the rising costs of health insurance. It was a vote against the doubling of the national debt to nearly $20 trillion under Obama. It was a vote against a foreign policy that saw the Islamic State's expansion rather than its defeat.

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Clinton's promise to continue Obama's policies was a suicide agenda to a majority of Americans, especially those whose lives haven't improved during the economic recovery of the past eight years. Clinton also embraced much of Bernie Sanders' socialist platform, which no conservative-leaning voter could support.

And, yes, too, some Trump voters probably resented the exacerbation of racial discord under Obama's watch when Americans had hoped for the opposite result. Race as a factor in Republican opposition to Obama can't be ignored or minimized. Nor can Trump's role in nurturing hostility toward Muslims and Mexicans  or his antipathy toward women, the disabled and even a war hero's parents  be dismissed in victory.

Minorities have reason to feel threatened in a Trump-inspired environment of hostility toward "the other."

But leaning primarily on racism, bigotry or sexism to explain what happened Tuesday is too facile by half. Missing from the audiences that television cameras focused on were millions of others  Republicans, independents, libertarians and maybe even some Democrats  who would rather be horse-whipped than attend a Trump rally but were compelled to vote "R" against the likelihood of a liberal Supreme Court, lax immigration laws and an increasingly costly health care system, among other concerns.

The giant X-factor about which I have written  the however many who would never admit to voting for Trump but did  was enormous, indeed.

Trump captured a moment and promised to make America great again. He also said that he'll be the president of everybody. Let's hope he wasn't just reading from a teleprompter  and that the word trickles down.

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Kathleen Parker is a Washington Post columnist.
Tinley Park Trustee Jacob Vandenberg announces his bid for mayor Saturday. He is running as part of the Concerned Citizens for Tinley Park slate. (Alicia Fabbre / Daily Southtown)

Many voters weary of campaign ads and election coverage are glad the presidential race is over.

Others on this morning after are hoping to harness some of the energy that voters displayed in the presidential election and channel that enthusiasm into contests next April. Turnout will be much lower then, and local elections are much more competitive. A handful of votes can decide the outcome.

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For south suburban residents who want to make a difference, here's your chance.

The April 4 consolidated general election will decide local races in dozens of towns throughout the south suburbs. This is a chance for voters to actually do something about issues that create conflict and controversy in their communities.

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In Orland Park, for example, a standing-room-only crowd of residents protested the Village Board's unanimous decision Oct. 17 to increase the mayor's salary 275 percent to $150,000 a year.

Mayor Dan McLaughlin, who ran unopposed in 2013 and who won by a 2-1 margin in 2009, will find out whether he continues to enjoy enough broad support to keep his job.

Scores of Tinley Park residents have mobilized this year over how their village leaders handled a proposed low-income housing development. On Saturday, critics of incumbent Mayor Dave Seaman and his Tinley First allies announced their slate of candidates.

Led by first-term Trustee Jacob Vandenberg, the Concerned Citizens for Tinley Park slate includes candidates for three seats on the Village Board and the clerk position. This will be the first mayoral election in Tinley Park since longtime Mayor Ed Zabrocki stepped down last year for health reasons.

The Tinley Park elections are shaping up to be hotly contested races. But historically, challengers face uphill battles. Groups in power tend to stay in power. Toppling the status quo is not easy.

The electorate might be riled about a particular issue, but the question becomes whether opponents can muster the organizational support and resources to oust entrenched incumbents from office.

"Don't boo  vote," President Barack Obama said at various times during this presidential campaign. It's easy to complain. It's harder to win elections.

Small numbers of votes make a big difference in local elections. In Ford Heights, for instance, residents have been hit with steep increases in their water bills. Some citizens have criticized the administration of Mayor Charles Griffin.

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Critics seeking change in Ford Heights, here's your chance. In 2013, Griffin won the mayor's race by 37 votes.

Many people in Hazel Crest also are unhappy about the leadership in their community. The town has faced lawsuits from ex-employees, paid a hefty settlement to a former village manager and racked up costly legal bills, all at taxpayer expense.

Former Trustee Rod Bashir has announced his challenge to incumbent Mayor Vernard Alsberry, who won election to his first term in 2013 by a mere 105 votes.

Presidential elections attract more media coverage and higher voter turnout, but local elections arguably have a greater direct impact on daily lives. Property taxes may be the biggest reason to vote in local elections, but everything from what children are taught in schools to what books you can check out from your local library may be at stake.

In addition to municipal seats like mayor and trustee, local offices up for election in April include seats on school, library, park district and fire protection district boards.

In the Southland, five seats on the Lincoln-Way School District 210 board are up for election. This will be the first election since the board voted to close a high school and the district landed on the state's financial watch list.

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Outraged community members have sharply criticized district leaders. But to what extent will criticism translate into activism? Bringing about change require not only votes, but qualified candidates willing to run for office and supporters willing to work to get them elected.

Aspiring candidates have been able to circulate nominating petitions since Sept. 20. They need to collect signatures and file other paperwork to make their candidacies official. For the April elections, petitions must be filed between Dec. 12 and Dec. 19.

Yet as of Monday, only one person  Ben Yomtoob  had signed out a packet indicating his intention to run for the Lincoln-Way school board, according to the Will County clerk's office.

It's not too late for people who want to serve in local offices to gather enough signatures and file the necessary paperwork next month. There's time for individuals to meet requirements if they want to run.

But those serious about challenging incumbents should have already started their campaigns by now by gathering a group of supporters. Individual voters can make a difference. But a group of people working together  there's no telling what they could achieve.

tslowik@tribpub.com

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Twitter @tedslowik
Ginger Carpenter (from left), Loraine Abbott and Vernette Cohen watch election results during a viewing party at GreenFields of Geneva on Tuesday. (Rafael Guerrero / The Courier-News)

Some of the area's older voters were engrossed in Tuesday night's election results, along with the rest of the world.

At GreenFields in Geneva, three residents took advantage of the senior assisted living facility's 7 p.m. viewing party. The three were the only residents to stay for more than 30 minutes. The low turnout at the party, they said, was likely due to election fatigue.

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"The choices we had to make (on the ballot), it was killer," said 88-year-old Vernette Cohen.

All three agreed: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were some of the worst presidential candidates they had seen on a ballot.

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Loraine Abbott, 79, has been voting since 1958. While she usually votes Republican, she voted for John F. Kennedy on her first presidential ballot. Ginger Carpenter, 80, cast her first votes around the same time.

"I think when you get adults acting like little children, you need to think of setting some requirements (to be president)," Carpenter said. "Even people around the world are noticing."

The growing possibility that Trump was about to pull off the upset loomed over Cohen's mind. She muttered "Oh my" a few times as races in Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and other battleground states became too close to call.

"By the time I get upstairs, the whole electoral map will change," she joked.

Abbott said her Christian faith kept her spirits afloat as results and electoral votes changed.

"Whether this election gives us hope or continue the message of a downward spiral, it is his will," she said.
The board of education approved a new contract for District U46 Chief Executive Officer Tony Sanders, shown at a meeting last month. (Megann Horstead / The Courier-News)

Discussion of a new contract for Elgin-area District U46's Chief Executive Officer Tony Sanders stirred debate between supporters and opponents of the agreement Monday at the board of education meeting, on the basis of timing the matter too close to the local school board election in April.

In a 5-2 vote, school officials and Sanders agreed to a multi-year extension.

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"U46 is my home now, this is truly my home," Sanders said.

Board action follows legislation that paves the way for Sanders to continue to run the state's second largest school district.

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Board member Cody Holt said he wouldn't support a decision to approve a new contract.

Holt questioned the district's decision to act now, rather than late spring or early summer.

"I know that has been (the case) with some of our previous superintendents and even when we extended Tony's contract originally," he said. "(The constituents I've spoken to) were kind of just curious as to why the board was making this decision as of today as of November, midway through the school year."

Board member Jeanette Ward agreed.

"I think it's not wise to tie the hands of the next board with respect to the decision to offer this CEO a contract until 2020," she said. "Like I said, this current contract is good until June of 2018, so why do we have to be in a hurry. The next board will be place as of May of 2017 with enough time to hold a search if they so choose."

The matter arose late in the spring when the board discussed and approved superintendent Dr. Kenneth Arndt's contract

Board member Sue Kerr said holding off on Sanders' contract extension came down to district's need to iron out the details.

"It's much more specific than any goals you see on most superintendent's contracts," she said. "It took us a while to come to an agreement on this."

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The multi-year performance-based employment contract, in effect Nov. 1, 2016 runs retroactively until June 30, 2020, establishes several conditions to allow for continued employment and compensation, starting with a $221,708 base salary for the 2016-17 academic year, the amount already provided as a foundation in Sanders' previous contract. Reaching the new agreement also calls for a 2.75 percent increase on July 1, 2017, in addition to future raises based on performance.

Sanders' performance goals align with U46's strategic plan and target district needs, to include program oversight for full-day kindergarten, pilot program evaluation for the new elementary science curriculum and talent management.

Board President Donna Smith said approving the extension provides stability and leadership for the district.

"I just want to point out that the goals we had in his previous contract were put there because it was an interim position and they were not real detailed," she said. "They were more general goals. I think that there are several examples of where he showed progress toward the priorities in the strategic plan."

Smith cited a few notable areas of progress for Sanders' work to this point include curriculum and resource approvals, the rebranding of the district's DREAM Academy and the launch of full-day kindergarten.

Legislation signed into law earlier this year stipulates that a CEO is allowed to run a district, provided that strong administrative abilities and proven management experience is demonstrated. It is also mandated that a qualifying individual hold a Master's degree, serve as a district employee for a minimum of five years and have all other powers and duties ascribed to a superintendent.

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Sanders has served in an interim role for U46 the last two years and previously worked as Chief of Staff. Additionally, he served as Acting Director of Governmental Relations and Public Information for the Illinois State Board of Education and other positions at the Department of Professional Regulation and the Illinois Department of Health.

By approving the contract in accordance to state law, Sanders' position will hold more permanence by June, at which time interim superintendent Dr. Kenneth Arndt will be leaving his post.

Sanders said he's pleased to continue serving the district.

"It's where my kids have been served well since second and fourth grades, respectively. I have two high schoolers  one is going to graduate this year, which is just hard to believe. So, U46 is home, is my family's home. I'll be here as long as the board wants me."

Megann Horstead is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa returned home from Geneva, Switzerland with acclaim from some United Nations (UN) member states who celebrated Zimbabwe's effort in the promotion of human rights.The Vice President arrived back home last night having attended the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) meeting on human rights and presented the national report on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe.At the close of the UPR session at the Geneva UN headquarters, Zimbabwe accepted to implement 142 recommendations on how to improve the human rights situation.The country rejected 18 recommendations including one on same sex marriages proposed by western countries.100 other recommendations were put on hold as they are subject to further consideration.Zimbabwe's national human rights report courted favour from a number of countries which called for the lifting of western imposed sanctions on the country, saying the embargo is in itself is a violation of human rights.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Feathers are expected to fly when Team Lacoste, the Zanu PF faction rallying behind Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa's mooted presidential aspirations, comes face to face with the under-fire Generation 40 (G40) group - which rabidly opposes the Midlands godfather - at tomorrow's politburo meeting in Harare.This comes as the tribal, factional and succession wars devouring President Robert Mugabe's ruling party have become even more intractable over the past few weeks, amid damaging public accusations and counter-accusations between the two of corruption and abuse of State institutions.A politburo member who spoke to the Daily News yesterday said he expected "fur to fly" at tomorrow's meeting, given the alarming deterioration in the relationship between the two factions over the past few days."I feel for President Mugabe as he is in the middle of all this, and definitely I expect fur to fly (at the meeting)," the cagey bigwig linked to Team Lacoste said.In the past week alone, alleged G40 kingpins - Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo and his Local Government counterpart Saviour Kasukuwere - have come under the cosh, as the fortunes of Team Lacoste have increasingly appeared to soar both within Zanu PF and the government.Moyo was arrested and charged with corruption by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) last Wednesday, while the anti-graft body has also threatened to nab Kasukuwere, a message relayed through State media, on account of alleged shady land deals that the Zanu PF national political commissar has been involved in.On his part, Moyo has been hitting back with venom, stunningly accusing Mnangagwa and Team Lacoste of using Zacc and other key State institutions to grab power from Mugabe.And Kasukuwere took the war a notch higher at the weekend. Addressing thousands of Zanu PF supporters at a rally in the Harare small dormitory town of Epworth on Sunday, Kasukuwere made the startling claim that some ruling party bigwigs who are angling to take over from Mugabe wished death upon the increasingly frail nonagenarian.Party insiders at the rally told the Daily News that the shocking claim was "the beginning of the public outing of Team Lacoste"."Despite the fact that people voted for President Mugabe in 2013 and the party declared that he is our 2018 candidate . . . there are some among us who are now losing sleep each time mudhara (Mugabe) goes out of the country inquiring whether he is still alive or not."Is that politics to wish others dead so that you can assume power? Isn't it that you have to work for the people to get to the top?" Kasukuwere asked cryptically."However, he is not dying anytime soon. He will be there even to bury some of you and some of us will not be moved from the position that we have taken to let him rule forever."I will face my accusers head-on. Let those who are saying and writing what they want do so. But be warned, I am ready for you."Now they are using State institutions such as the police and Zacc to fight a political war. But we know what you are up to. I am in politics for life, not for the short term. This is our game," he added.Kasukuwere also suggested that Mnangagwa's allies had sabotaged Zanu PF in the Norton by-election which was won by independent candidate Temba Mliswa.Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo was not reachable yesterday when the Daily News tried to get a comment from him, as well as the agenda of tomorrow's politburo meeting.However, a senior party official linked to the G40 did not mince his words, saying they would now take the war to Team Lacoste, including at tomorrow's meeting."While in the past we have had heated politburo meetings, this time it will be different because the factions will confront each other over succession like never before."There will be war, and if the president does not handle it well, it may even turn physical. There has never been so much animosity going into a politburo meeting," the official said.And writing on his Twitter account after the tumultuous events of the past week, Moyo launched yet another scathing attack aimed at Team Lacoste, and also making it abundantly clear that the fallout between the two camps could now be irreconcilable."The capture and abuse of State institutions to target perceived opponents for factional purposes risks triggering irreconcilable differences!" he said.In another thinly-veiled attack against Mnangagwa - who last week attended a United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva Switzerland, where he advocated for the abolition of the death penalty - Moyo said, "It's phoney to call for the abolishment of an unenforced death penalty when you're brazenly assaulting liberty. No life without liberty!"All this came after his hard-hitting statement on Tuesday last week in which he also threatened to sue Mnangagwa, other senior government officials and State media.And provocatively responding to one of his followers on Twitter who had appeared to suggest that Mnangagwa's famed toughness did not equate to cruelty, Moyo said, "Your lot will be taught a hard lesson. Make no mistake about it. Your cruel and murderous regional project won't succeed. This time hamulume (this time you will not win)!"Respected University of Zimbabwe lecturer, Eldred Masungure, said the fact that the party's fights were getting uglier were a sign that the situation had now reached "boiling point"."By the time this year's (December Zanu PF) conference is held, we could see worse things in terms of the factional fights because as it is, Lacoste is going all out to obliterate G40 which is also fighting for sheer survival."It is also indisputable that Zanu PF's performance come 2018 will not be as clinical as they would want even in the face of rigging, because there is too much discord and the players involved are too suspicious of each other, especially in terms of who will benefit from the victory when it is delivered," he said.
News / National

by Simbarashe Sithole

Notorious robber from Earling Farm in Mvurwi, Mashonaland Central, was finally arrested yesterday (Monday) after robbing a woman of her groceries worth US$69.00.It is alleged Anyway Mwanze was hiding in a bush when the complainant Sibongile Jamu was coming from Mvurwi town with her groceries and Mwanze pounced on her and assaulted her before robbing her of her groceries.Sources close to the investigations said Mwanze is an alleged notorious criminal who is on record of robbing people in broad day light and disappearing in surrounding bushes."Mwanze was on our wanted list as he is on record of robbing people during the day and basing on descriptions given by complainants and his modus operandi he matches the culprit."He should face the full wrath of law as he once assaulted another woman who was on her where to fetch her son at Earling primary before taking her phone and disappearing in the bushes."Some time early this year he also robbed a woman only identified as Mrs Mutandadzi who had an undisclosed amount of cash intending to pay her farm workers," explained the source.Meanwhile, cases of robbery are on the increase in Mashonaland Central and police is on high alert.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

A political analyst Vince Musewe has said the Zimbabwean politics has stooped so low to be concerned about brands and personalities without focus on policies which may bring progress to the nation."Many a time I have expressed my dismay at the skills level and competencies of those whom we elect to govern us both at local and national level . Our politics is such that we vote for brands and personalities at leadership level and we forget about delivery," he said."This is turning out to be the case as we move to 2018 elections. At leadership level we look at the past and at local govt level we look at the political brand. The disaster at Harare City Council is costing us much because of sheer lack of requisite skills of councillors."Musewe said at national level loyalty to the party leader plays a big role in critical appointments of ministers and state enterprises."As long as we do not address these issues we will continue being governed by the unskilled popular loyal incompetent. We have work to do," he said.
By Mike Vinkenborg

Chinese e-commerce sales are expected to reach new heights on the countrys upcoming Singles Day shopping festival, with analysts predicting sales to reach US$20 billion (around RMB 135 billion) on Alibabas platforms alone. This figure represents continued growth at remarkable speeds for the landmark online shopping event. Since Alibaba popularized the former small Nanjing University tradition in 2009, revenues grew from almost RMB 1 billion in 2010 to 5.2 billion in 2011, 19.1 billion in 2012, 35.2 billion in 2013, 57.1 billion in 2014, and 91.2 billion in 2015.

Each year Alibaba utilizes Singles Day to launch new innovations in the e-commerce scene, and this year it plans to launch, amongst others, a new virtual reality (VR) shopping experience, which the company claims will transform how people shop both online and offline. Ongoing innovation in Chinese e-commerce signals the intense competition among online retailers to capture the lucrative market, as well as offering a preview of possible ways consumers will embrace technology to shop in the future.

Big data and e-commerce innovations

On the coming Singles Day, Alibaba asserts that it will show China and the world the future of online shopping. Through its integrated e-commerce, social media, payments, and location-based services, Alibaba has managed to gather immense amounts of data, which it plans to leverage to personalize the shopping experience. This creates opportunities for retailers to engage on a deeper level with their customers by allowing them to customize their online stores based on individual preferences.

Whats more, on Singles Day the company will introduce Buy+, a VR technology that creates a virtual shopping environment. Following a US$793.5 million investment in Florida-based VR startup MagicLeap, Alibaba opened its own GnomeMagic Lab in March 2016, a research laboratory working on VR and augmented reality (AR) technologies. Thus, Singles Day will unveil the worlds first complete VR shopping experience on Alibabas Tmall and Taobao platforms.

RELATED: Information Technology-based Solutions from Dezan Shira & Associates

The experience utilizes a cardboard glasses frame in which a smartphone can be inserted, thereby creating a makeshift VR headset that shoppers can use to enter the digital shopping environment. Shoppers can virtually visit shopping malls all over the world and have a 360-degree panoramic view of products during the process, and with Alipay integrated into the platform, a simple nod of the head can be used to make a purchase.

In addition to this, Alibaba wants to show its progress on its ability to integrate online data with offline activities by launching a location-based AR game similar to the popular mobile video game Pokemon Go. In this game, consumers can follow the Tmall Cat mascot on an adventure across both its online marketplace and physical stores such as Suning, and at other locations such as Starbucks and Disneyland Shanghai. Furthermore, to lead up to Singles Day, Alibaba hosted an eight-hour live stream of a fashion show where shoppers were able to buy what they liked at high discounts on demand, in what was called a See Now, Buy Now promotion.

Competing platforms are not just sitting in waiting either: JD has announced its own investment into VR and AR technologies last September to keep up with Alibaba, and electronics retailer Suning invested in Shenzhen-based VR camera maker Insta360 last August. But while competing companies are investing in their own research and development capabilities, it is evident that Alibaba is leading the way in innovation.

The future of e-commerce

Successful implementation of VR and AR technologies will contribute to the gamification of shopping, leveraging technology to make the online shopping experience more social and interactive. Forward-thinking investors keeping up with the latest trends in Chinas dynamic e-commerce market can benefit from proactively embracing emergent technology and consumer habits, and gain from the visibility of being on the forefront of the next generation of e-commerce innovation. However, the full-blown integration of VR and AR into shoppers daily habits have not yet been realized. Regardless, by setting up stores on one of the platforms, retailers will have access to large amounts of data and be able to market their products in an effective and personalized way.

These innovations in conjunction with the use of big data will facilitate the continuing growth of the e-commerce sector. Annual online retail sales in China reached US$622.5 billion last year, solidifying the countrys status as the largest e-commerce market in the world. Sales are predicted to double by 2020, reaching US$1.3 trillion. Cross-border e-commerce sales are set to make a major contribution to this growth, with sales expected to almost triple in the same period, going from US$57.1 billion in 2015 to US$157.7 billion in 2020. As such, the e-commerce sector in China remains a highly captivating sector with opportunities abound for foreign investors.



About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email china@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight.



China Investment Roadmap: the e-Commerce Industry

In this edition of China Briefing magazine, we present a roadmap for investing in Chinas e-commerce industry. We provide a consumer analysis of the Chinese market, take a look at the main industry players, and examine the various investment models that are available to foreign companies. Finally, we discuss one of the most crucial due diligence issues that underpins e-commerce in China: ensuring brand protection.



Selling, Sourcing and E-Commerce in China 2016 (First Edition)

This guide, produced in collaboration with the experts at Dezan Shira & Associates, provides a comprehensive analysis of all these aspects of commerce in China. It discusses how foreign companies can best go about sourcing products from China; how foreign retailers can set up operations on the ground to sell directly to the countrys massive consumer class; and finally details how foreign enterprises can access Chinas lucrative yet ostensibly complex e-commerce market.

An Introduction to Doing Business in China 2016

Doing Business in China 2016 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in China. Compiled by the professionals at Dezan Shira & Associates in June 2016, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Chinese market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to keep up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes
Amazon has revealed that products from its UK store will become available for sale in China for the first time.

The announcement means that over 1 million items will be added to Amazon Global, which can then be purchased in China at VAT-free prices.

Products will be dispatched by Amazon fulfillment and available in as few as 7 days.

In August, media reported that demand for British products in China had grown to the extent that UK supermarket Sainsbury's had begun selling groceries via Tmall. Perhaps surprisingly, British tea is apparently amongst their most popular items.

Amazon's new venture will make it even easier for Chinese consumers to get their hands on British products. However, Amazon has also been pitching the benefits of the plan to businesses in the UK.

Traditionally, selling outside of the UK (and in particular, outside of the EU) has been a complicated process, with business needing to spend a lot of time filling-in paperwork and ensuring that they comply with all relevant laws.

Amazon will now do this on behalf of businesses (for a fee, of course.) The retail giant hopes that this service will make it easier for firms to manage trading relationships around the world.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

The Southern Africa Journalists Association (SAJA) in collaboration with the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and hosted by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) held at two-day workshop on Climate Change Reporting from 3 - 4 November, in Harare, Zimbabwe, under the Union to Union Project (2014 -2016).IFJ in a statement said the workshop which brought together 11 journalists from six countries in the region, namely Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, the Republic of South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe was aimed at building the capacities of journalists in the region to reporting more effectively on climate change issues.In delivering the official opening address to the participants of the Workshop, the Acting Director of Rural Communications, Alois Chamboko, who spoke on behalf of the Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Dr. Mushohwe, said that climate change is a reality which cannot be second guessed by anyone as its adverse effects are being experienced by everyone. "Our sub- region is currently suffering from the worst drought in over 35 years as a result of the El Nino phenomenon". This therefore calls for urgent and comprehensive measures to be taken at all levels.Journalists, he said, are a very important constituency in any country and to any society in general, because they are opinion drivers. "The role of journalists is not limited to pointing out the ills found in our societies, although that is important to ensure that corrective actions are taken". Climate change reporting is not about criticizing governments for not doing enough to curb gas emissions. "Journalists should help everybody, including governments by explaining what the challenges are and how they can be resolved. He emphasized that journalists play a crucial role in combating climate change.SAJA President, Michael Chideme, in his address of welcome to the participants, said that despite the challenges that confront the regional association, SAJA, is very much committed in mobilizing its members in the fight against climate change. He called on journalists and the media in the southern African region, to give more focus to climate change in their reports, while emphasizing that these reports must be made in the local languages, most especially on radio and television and must address the issues of adaptation and mitigation.The representative of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) at the Workshop, Nathan Banda in his intervention at the opening ceremony, said that in recent years forests have been cleared in preparation for agriculture, for fencing and for use as firewood mainly for tobacco curing and brick making. "It therefore remains our responsibility as trade unions and journalists to alert the nations about the disadvantages of deforestation and how it contributes to global warming and climate change.In a similar vein, the Senior Programme Office at the IFJ Africa Office Pa Louis Thomasi, said that the African media can no longer remain silent when it has become evident that the consequences of climate change will affect more adversely the poorer and vulnerable regions of the world. It is in the light of these challenges, he said, that the IFJ has taken the bold initiative to build the capacities of journalists across the continent to report more effectively on climate change. The African media and journalists in particular must be able to play a significant role in the fight against climate change.The training was conducted by the Director of the UNESCO Office in Namibia, Dr. Jean Pierre Ilboudo, who took the participants through three different models in reporting climate change with particular emphasis on; Why climate change matters to every journalists and the media; Radio as the most important medium for reporting climate change in Africa; The seven things that every journalists should know about climate change and the Twelve Tips for writing good climate change stories.The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is the world's largest organisation of journalists. First established in 1926, it represents around 600,000 journalists in 179 unions and associations accross 140 countries worldwide. You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook and subscribe to our news updates.
Over 70 math teachers from primary schools in the United Kingdom arrived Monday, November 7 at Shanghai Normal University, at the start of a third period of a teaching and learning maths exchange program, reports thepaper.cn.

Photo shows teachers from the UK arriving in Shanghai for maths training. [Photo: thepaper.cn]

In July this year, the British government announced that 41 million pounds (about 51 million USD) would be allocated to adopt the Shanghai Mastery Model nationwide in the next four years to improve students' maths proficiency.

The teaching and learning exchange program has been ongoing for two years between China and UK, but has now been given a new name - "Shanghai Mastery Model for Teaching and Learning". The 70 maths teachers are the first group to come to Shanghai.

After one day's training, the maths teachers will go to 43 primary schools in Shanghai to experience "immersion" teaching and learning activities.

By the end of this month, 71 teachers in Shanghai will go to 35 primary schools in the UK as part of a two-week maths teaching and learning exchange program.

Clare Fowler, director of maths education policy at the UK Education Department, says teaching methods for maths in UK schools have changed a great deal, and is hoping that about half of primary schools in UK will see the benefits from the "Shanghai Mastery Model for Teaching and Learning".

In 2009 and 2012, students from Shanghai exhibited outstanding performances in the PISA, the Program for International Student Assessment, which is organized by the OECD to assess the skills of 15-year-old students in mathematics, science and reading.

In the PISA 2012 test, 55% of students from Shanghai were deemed as excellent in maths, while the figure in the UK was only 12%. This caused a fierce response in UK and in 2013, a delegation from the University of Nottingham visited maths classes in Shanghai, Zhejiang and Hubei on a fact finding mission.

In the spring of 2014, maths teachers in primary schools in the UK came to Shanghai to learn maths teaching and learning methods for the first time. In February 2015, Nicky Morgan, the then British Minister of Education, set goals for students to master the multiplication table by the age of 12.

In 2015, according to a report by Sheffield Hallam University, the Shanghai teaching and learning project was "the most creative one by UK Education Department".

Zhang Xuanmin, a professor from Shanghai Normal University and the person in charge of the project on the Chinese side, said the "Shanghai Mastery Model for Teaching and Learning" was better, especially in terms of maths teaching.
Three provincial authorities have been chosen to try out a new anti-graft commission next year as a way to streamline efforts to combat major corruption, the top discipline watchdog said on Tuesday.

The commissions, to be tried in Beijing and in Shanxi and Zhejiang provinces starting in January, will be independent from local government to prevent interference, according to a source that declined to be named with the Communist Party of China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Members will be elected by local legislators in December and headed by the provincial Party chief, the source said.

The CCDI said the commissions "will integrate local anti-graft resources and expand the scope of investigations, to ensure full coverage of all government officials and public servants involved".

The bodies will work together with provincial discipline inspection commissions, while local government supervision departments may be wound down. Several agencies are now tasked with tackling corruption, including supervision, auditing and prosecuting departments, and often their work overlaps.

Ma Huaide, vice-president of the China University of Political Science and Law, said the pilot commissions will run parallel to local government, prosecutors and courts, so they can "independently exercise their duty to effectively monitor government officials and public servants, prevent them abusing their power, and build a clean government".

Since November 2012, when the nation's new leadership was elected, CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping has conducted a sweeping campaign against corruption.

In 2013, Zhao Zhongquan, senior official at the top anti-graft watchdog, published an article in the Study Times, saying that "the anti-graft mechanism in operation is not clearly defined by law, and has low efficiency or scattered forces to handle graft issues".

Zhao cited the urgent need "to draft an anti-corruption law and integrate separate anti-corruption agencies to improve efficiency".

This January, Xi, at a key meeting of the top anti-graft watchdog, pointed to the need for "a top supervision mechanism to have full coverage of all the state organs and its governmental officials aimed at eliminating corruption".

Legislatures in Beijing, Shanxi and Zhejiang are expected to hold meetings in December to set up the new commissions, the CCDI said.

Hong Daode, a law professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, said, "The new anti-graft commissions will be supervised by the provincial legislative body, the public and the media."
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Zhang Lijun, former vice minister of environmental protection, has been sentenced to four years in prison for accepting bribes amounting to 2.43 million yuan (around 354,000 U.S. dollars) by a court in Beijing on Wednesday.

Beijing Second Intermediate People's Court also fined him 500,000 yuan.

All illegal gains and resultant profits must be turned over to the state, the court ruled.

The court found that from 1998 to 2013, Zhang took advantage of various positions to seek profits for others in product distribution, project approval, job promotion and employment.

The court showed leniency as Zhang admitted to his crimes and voluntarily turned over the proceeds.
China's law enforcers on Tuesday responded to questions about how overseas NGOs will operate in China once the new law on overseas NGOs takes effect in January 2017.

At a briefing held by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and Shanghai Public Security Bureau in Shanghai on Tuesday, the MPS said there will be no "transitional period" for overseas NGOs.

Overseas NGOS in China are expected to prepare for the new regime and authorities are working on ways to assist them, said the MPS.

The representative offices of overseas NGO can organize activities within registered regions, the MPS said.

Citing articles 10 and 13 of the law, the MPS stressed that overseas NGOs can establish one or more representative offices in China, and should disclose and register the areas where they will operate.

The registered regions of two or more representative offices affiliated to the same overseas NGO should not overlap, it said.

According to the MPS, a catalogue of fields and activities in which overseas NGOs are allowed to operate in China, as well as a list of authorities in charge of their operation, is being drafted.

This will clarify the agencies responsible for the management of overseas NGOs' activities in various fields, including the economy, education and disaster relief, it said.

The ministry is pondering more details on supervising overseas NGO activities.

Officials from consulates of 11 countries in Shanghai, including the United States, Britain, Germany and Japan, attended the briefing.
 Flash

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is in good shape as American voters head to polls Tuesday, but her slight lead over Republican rival Donald Trump is no guarantees for a win in a tight election.

Clinton is leading Trump by 3.2 percent points in the RealClear Politics average of national polls on Monday. That means that while Clinton may squeak by, the election may still be up for grabs.

Trump' s campaign has seen more ups and downs than a busy elevator. Some polls in recent months have seen the brash billionaire leading Clinton by a point or two. And while it seemed just a few weeks ago that his campaign was doomed after the release of tapes in which he made outrageous sexist comments, Trump was able to spring back and resuscitate his campaign.

After that, Trump's numbers surged recently after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) re-opened its investigation into Clinton's email scandal. Still, Clinton is ahead and looks to be in good shape as Americans head to the polls, experts said.

"Clinton appears to be in good shape for Election Day," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

"The FBI has dropped its investigation into her emails and said there was no basis for an indictment." Clinton has high-profile surrogates on the campaign trail including Beyonce, Lebron James, and Katy Perry, West said, referring to U.S. celebrities who are wildly popular.

He added that Clinton has a fundraising advantage over Trump that has allowed her to outspend him considerably in the campaign.

Democrats have a much stronger turnout operation than Republicans, which in swing states will help them mobilize Clinton's supporters. "Based on early voting numbers, Latinos seem to be turning out in record numbers and most of them are expected to vote Democratic," West said.

Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua that if the polls hold true and Hillary does win by a hair, it will reflect both the strength of an ascendant Democratic voting coalition of young people, minorities, and more educated voters that has a lock on the Electoral College.

"It will also represent a huge missed opportunity for the GOP, given that there are still many dissatisfied Americans who want change. Yet (the GOP) channeled it into the most unconventional-and ultimately unelectable-GOP nominee in recent history," West said, referring to the Republican Party.

When asked whether the FBI's recent dropping of its case will help Clinton, Mahaffee said that it will help her slightly, but the damage was still done. The controversy gave some moderate Republicans a reason to vote for Trump rather than staying home, voting for a third-party candidate, or crossing over to Clinton.

"With such high disapproval numbers for both candidates, neither has benefited from extended media attention to one scandal or another, and the FBI refocused attention back on the emails," Mahaffee said, referring to the very high negative rates of both candidates.

The 2016 race for the White House will be remembered for being the contest in which both candidates have unusually high negative rates, with each being despised by certain demographics.

While Trump is highly popular among white blue-collar Americans, he is hated by many single women and Latinos. For her part, Clinton is somewhat popular among her own supporters, but deeply distrusted by much of the public.
 Flash

A Palestinian diplomat denied on Tuesday that Israel had frustrated an attempt by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to join the international police organization Interpol.

Ammar Hejazi, advisor of Palestinian Foreign Ministry and member of the Palestinian delegation to the Interpol general assembly meeting currently held in Indonesia, said some Israeli reports regarding the issue "are incorrect."

Hejazi's remarks came as Israeli public radio reported that the Israeli diplomacy had convinced a majority of Interpol members to vote against putting the Palestinian request to join on the meeting's agenda.

"The Palestinian request was not achieved in this session because the Interpol Executive Committee said it would study new membership requests next year," he said.

The Palestinian diplomat said Israel is incapable of frustrating the Palestinian membership into any international organization, stressing that Israel is trying to register baseless victories.

The Interpol, established in 1923 and based in the French city of Lyon, is considered as the world's largest international police organization with 190 member states.
 Flash

The Russian military forces are going to launch a strike against the militants around the Syrian city of Aleppo in next few hours, the Interfax News Agency reported Tuesday.

"The Admiral Kuznetsov's deck-based aircraft and Russian Navy ships armed with precision weapons are preparing to strike militants in the suburbs of Aleppo within the next few hours. The strikes will be directed upon the periphery of the city area,"a source from the Russian Defense Ministry was quoted as saying.

Russia has halted air strikes on the rebel-held eastern Aleppo since October 18, and an additional 10-hour humanitarian pause was introduced on Friday under the order of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that the Russian air forces would not carry out strikes on eastern Aleppo if militants did not start offensive actions.
 Flash

The relations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia have recently been going through ups and downs due to their different visions on various issues including the Syrian crisis, the war in Yemen and others, said Egyptian political experts.

The first clear sign of unharmonious ties was revealed after Egypt voted in October for two rival draft resolutions at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for a relief in Syria, including one proposed by Russia, whose military is currently assisting Bashar al-Assad's forces in Syria.

Although Egypt later explained that its supports for both the Russian and the French-Spanish draft resolutions were based on their contents in favor of calm in Syria. Despite the fact that the UNSC disapproved both, the Egyptian position was criticized by Saudi representative to the UN as "painful."

Different priorities

"I believe that the core difference lies in the priorities of each country. While the Yemeni war, the Iranian regional influence and the Syria issue are Saudi priorities, Egypt is more concerned with fighting terrorism in Sinai, the Libyan crisis and the River Nile water issue," said Mohamed Gomaa, a researcher at the Arab and Regional Unit of Cairo-based Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies.

The expert continued that other issues like the Saudi-Turkish approach in light of Turkey's support for Egypt's currently-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group is not less influential on Egyptian-Saudi ties than their different views on Syria.

"The growing Iranian influence in the region played a key role in Saudi priorities, while Saudi Arabia and Turkey found greater chances for approach based on their positions on the Syrian issue that is not equally important to Egypt," Gomaa told Xinhua.

For Medhat Hammad, professor of Iranian and Gulf studies at Egypt's Tanta University, the main disagreement is related to the difference between Egypt and Saudi Arabia over the Syrian crisis, but their difference on the Yemeni issue has been compromised by Egypt's naval presence at the Red Sea's Bab al-Mandab Strait "that provided a kind of reassurance and support to the Saudi-led strikes on Yemen."

"Saudi Arabia has decided for years Assad's departure as the solution for the Syrian crisis and supported anti-Assad 'free Syrian army' financially and logistically. But for Egypt, Syria's unity, even if fragile, is vital to the Egyptian northeastern national security," the professor told Xinhua.

Hammad argued that Saudi Arabia "fights against Iran in Syria" as Iran is considered "a strategic threat" to the oil-rich kingdom, stressing Egypt's recurrent reiteration that the Gulf national security is part of the Egyptian and Arab national security.

Media backlash

Gulf states led by Saudi Arabia, excluding Qatar, supported the Egyptian military-oriented administration with billions of U.S. dollars and tons of oil supplies following the military removal of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 and the consequent crackdown on his Brotherhood group.

The Egyptian media lashed out at the Saudis for their criticism of the Egyptian position on Syria and the halt of oil shipments of a Saudi national oil company, Aramco, to Egypt for the second consecutive month in November "until further notice" as stated by Egyptian Oil Minister Tarek al-Molla.

In late October, at a recent national youth conference in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi blamed the country's media for "causing Egypt severe harms" and "harming our warm relations with some friends."

Iyad Madani, a former Saudi minister who was in charge of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), made remarks during a conference in Tunisia in a mocking tone about the Egyptian president, yet the issue ended up with his resignation earlier in November after an Egyptian campaign against the man.

Egypt later welcomed Saudi Arabia's nomination of another ex-minister for the OIC top post "out of Egypt's appreciation of the important role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in supporting the activities of the OIC," as the Egyptian foreign ministry said.

On Tuesday, despite the plea of the Egyptian government, an Egyptian court confirmed nullification of an Egyptian-Saudi deal signed in April, during a rare visit of Saudi King Salman to Cairo, to transfer the controversial two Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir to the kingdom.

Mohamed Nehad Asqalani, Egypt's former assistant foreign minister, said that the Egyptian-Saudi relations are deep-rooted and highly valued by both sides, and both states are aware that they cannot do without each other.

"Unfortunately, we have a group of media people who exaggerate things and portray the situation as a Saudi attempt to control Egypt's political decision, which is not true," the ex-diplomat told Xinhua.

Asqalani continued that the Egyptian leadership made positive attempts to contain any disagreement with Saudi Arabia, explaining that the depth of their ties does not necessarily mean they have to follow in the same footsteps. "Each country has its own assessment of things."

As for Aramco suspension of oil shipments to Egypt, the former diplomat said that it came before Egypt's vote for the Russian draft resolution on Syria.

"I am optimistic that things between Egypt and Saudi Arabia will come back to normal and Aramco will resume its oil supplies to Egypt as per the signed agreement," Asqalani added.
 Flash

"More disgusted than excited" has recently been a much-used phrase for U.S. media describing majority of likely voters' mood about the 2016 presidential election.

Yet there is no lack of black humor when referring to both major candidates, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, who have the highest disapproval ratings in U.S. history.

One can easily catch some while walking through the streets around the Times Square, one of the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world on Tuesday as tens of thousands Americans went to polling stations.

"Give me a dollar or I'm voting for Trump," is the sentence written on the cardboard in front of two beggars sitting on east sidewalk of the Square Tuesday morning.

"Please help! Stranded need buss fare to get to Maine. Any thing at all adds up. Please God Bless." Reads another cardboard meters away held by a young couple with their heads ducking behind it.

Against the backdrop of bright billboards and advertisement on skyscrapers, the act of the four serves as a reminder why so many low-income, undereducated whites leaned towards Donald Trump, who has no government service experience but feeds their anger and disappointment towards the so-called traditional politicians.

"They are going fast," said gift shop owner Ahmad, pointing to the T-shirts printed with either Hillary or Trump's cartoon image."15 dollars only."

On one T-shirt, "Trump" is flushed into a toilet with a caption "DUMP TRUMP". On another, below "Hillary" writes "For president, let's make history."

But Ahmad, who immigrated to U.S. from Pakistan more than 20 years ago, said he did not bother to vote on Tuesday. His daughter, Alander, a college student, said Hillary is more qualified for the country's top post but she did not cast her vote either.

What entices more fun are the Presidential Parody Pet Toys featuring Hillary and Donald in a variety of sizes. Some of them are being hung high on the giant glass window of a gift shop a few blocks west of the Square.

The Hillary toy is the heat to beat with her red pantsuit ablaze, and her fiery gaze fixed on the Oval Office, as the producer's ad goes, fling her into the ring ... and watch the fur fly.

The Donald toy is styling with his golden tan, quaffed plush hair, and flashy garb. His well-heeled foot will inevitably end up in pets' mouth, the ad says.

Americans have every reason to try to joke about this year's election as many pundits say it is hard to find a clean spot on either candidate in this campaign of so much mudslinging.

"It's a mistake to think that democracy is 'clean'," said Michael Munger, professor of political science at Duke University, in an interview with Xinhua through email. "In fact, this election is NOT especially dirty, by the standards of history."

for Clinton and Trump, it does show that voters do not trust the two 'major' parties, which have been corrupted by their own power and ability to raise money," Munger said.

The Duke professor might have driven his point home, the tasks including economy, immigration and social issues, are daunting for the new president, whoever wins the painfully long election on Tuesday.

The nonstopping clicking of the National Debt Clock, installed on the Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, silently suggests the not-so-pinky future of the sole superpower. The U.S. national debt has surpassed 19 trillion U.S. dollars, the largest debt in the nation's 240-year history.

The huge amount alone could not be shunned away by any kind of black humor.
 Flash

Voters in the second largest U.S. state of Texas cast their ballots for the presidential election on Tuesday, while many of them considered the election both unconventional and critical.

Braving cold wind and rain, voters in Houston, the state's largest city, went to polling stations across the greater Houston area. In the two main polling stations in the southwestern part of Houston, many voters told Xinhua that this election was very important and critical in terms of deciding the direction the United States would go in the next few years. And they had no choice but to choose from the two unpopular nominees.

"This year's presidential election is very unique in the U.S. history with both candidates of the two parties being very unpopular. The new president, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, will have to pay more attention to the relationship with China as ties are the most important for the two countries," said Jingjing Clemence, Republican Precinct chair and vice president of Texas Asian Republican Club.

Peter Li, tenure professor of the University of Houston, told Xinhua that "this year's presidential election is unarguably the most unconventional one and no matter who will be the new president of the nation, she or he has to establish a positive relationship with China as U.S.-China relations are the most important one in the world and a good U.S.-China relationship is a bipartisan consensus in the nation."

Michael Gibson, chairman for the Republican Party in Fort Bend county, southwestern part of Houston, told Xinhua that "I think it is absolutely critical that everybody gets out to vote. This election will decide not only who will be the next president, but also to decide what direction the country will go."

Jan Cramer, a 72-year-old white woman who favors Trump, told Xinhua that "I really have never seen a thing (election) like this before. The elections like this is unbelievable. I cannot close my eyes to a lot of things Hillary Clinton did."

Dorothy cock, a 68-year-old Black woman who voted for Clinton, told Xinhua that "This is the worst election I have ever seen in my life. It makes me not glad to be here because I am really sick of it."

As a Republican support base, Texas, which has 38 electoral votes, has been a die-hard red state for many presidential elections. Barack Obama failed to win the Lone Star State in his 2008 and 2012 elections. But many voters in the state might cast "unconventional" ballots in the unconventional elections this year.
News / National

by Stephen Jakes

A Headmaster at a school in Mhondoro Ngezi ward 5 has been warned by the ruling Zanu PF official to stop receiving donations from opposition political parties.Heal Zimbabwe Trust reported that Muchema Primary School headmaster a Mr Shindi was told by Zanu PF Councillor, Ephraim Pepukai Chengeta that he must stop receiving any donations from opposition political party members if he wanted to keep his job."The news was delivered to him on 23 October 2016 by a messenger only identified as Blessing, who said he had been sent by Councillor Chengeta. Chengeta also accused the headmaster of allowing people from Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) to be part of the School Development Committee," said the trust.The warning came amid reports that the ZimPF members were donating to the communities and schools they operate from.
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Photo taken on Jan. 29, 2016 shows the UK and EU flags outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.[Photo/Xinhua]

The highest law court in Britain, the Supreme Court, announced on Tuesday that the crucial Brexit hearing will start on December 5 in London and last four days.

Officials set the timetable after confirming that the court had now received a formal notification of the British government's intention to appeal last Thursday's decision in the High Court over the triggering of Britain's exit process from the European Union.

The High Court ruled that British Prime Minister Theresa May's government cannot use a royal prerogative to trigger the so-called Article 50 mechanism that starts the Brexit process. The three judges instead said the parliament had to be involved in the process.

An official at the Supreme Court said the permission for the government appeal has been granted by a panel of three justices, Lord Neuberger, Lord Mance and Lord Kerr, and the case can now proceed to a full hearing.

It also emerged Tuesday that the regional government of Scotland will seek to oppose the British government in the Supreme Court. Scotland's most senior law officer, Lord Advocate, is to apply to be heard in the case.

In the June 23 referendum, the majority of people in Scotland voted to remain in the EU, but the overall vote across Britain was in favor of leaving by a 52-to-48 margin.

A spokesman at the Supreme Court in London said four days, December 5 to 8, have been earmarked for the appeal hearing.

The spokesman added: "The exact number of days and timings will depend on further submissions received from the parties on the precise legal arguments to be considered, the number of interveners and whether any other related cases are joined to this one. However, at this stage we expect the hearing may well last all four days from Monday 5 December."

The lead claimant in the case against the government next month will be investment fund manager Gina Miller, one of the individuals who won in the High Court case last week. She has insisted that she took the case to court because she believes the parliament should trigger Article 50.

Theresa May has indicated that she believes the government can start the process without seeking a decision in the parliament.

The fear is that if the decision has to be put before the pre-remain houses of Parliament, some politicians will attempt to sabotage the process to keep Britain in the European Union.

The Supreme Court also confirmed that all 11 justices will sit on the panel considering this appeal, which will be chaired by Lord Neuberger, president of the Supreme Court. It will be the first time in history all justices have sat together, a sign of the significance of the appeal hearing.

The Supreme Court will sit in its largest courtroom and make available a live video feed in the other two courtrooms in the building to enable as many members of the public as possible to observe proceedings.

Like all Supreme Court proceedings, the appeal will be live streamed on the court's website.

After hearing legal submissions and arguments, the 11 judges will reserve their decision and expect to announce the result early in the new year.

Prime Minister May has already said she still aims to stick with her timetable to trigger Article 50 by the end of next March.
 Flash

A police car is seen near the site of a shooting near a polling station in Asuza, California, the United States, on Nov. 8, 2016. One people was killed and two others were critically injured in a shooting outside a polling location in Asuza, California, police said. [XInhua]

One people was killed and two others were critically injured in a shooting outside a polling location in Asuza, California, police said.

The incident occurred at 2:02 p.m. (2202 GMT) in Azusa, about 50 kilometers from Los Angeles, they added. No more details are available now.
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 Flash

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will visit Cuba on Nov. 15 to deepen economic and political ties between both countries, Cuba's foreign ministry announced on Tuesday.

Trudeau will meet with Cuban President Raul Castro to discuss economic cooperation between Havana and Ottawa, according to a government statement.

In his short visit to the island, the Canadian prime minister will also meet with other Cuban government officials, visit Havana and the University of Havana to interact with local students and young people.

The Cuban government also hoped that the visit will highlight potential trade and investment opportunities for Canadian businesses in Cuba, particularly in the biotechnology, nickel development and tourism sectors.

In 1994, a joint venture was formed between the Cuban Nickel Union and Canadian firm Sherritt International, which operates a mining and processing plant in the city of Moa, about 920 km east of Havana.

A second enterprise, Cobalt Refinery Co. Inc., was created in Alberta for nickel refining.

A total of 85 Canadian companies and subsidiaries are operating in Cuba, including Labatt Breweries and Pizza Nova.

Over 1 million Canadian tourists visit the island each year, making it the largest and most stable market for the Caribbean nation.

Trudeau will most likely meet with former Cuban President Fidel Castro, an old acquaintance of his deceased father, former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

Pierre Trudeau became the first NATO and Western leader to visit Cuba when he stayed in Havana for three days in January 1976. Fidel Castro attended Trudeau's funeral in 2000, a sign of his respect for the Canadian family.

Canada also hosted secret talks between the United States and Cuba for 18 months that led to both governments deciding to normalize relations in December of 2014.

Ottawa has been criticizing the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba, and strongly objected to the Helms-Burton Act in 1996 which limits trade with the island by other nations.

After visiting Cuba, Trudeau will visit Argentina and then Peru to participate in the 2016 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting.

Also on Tuesday, Trudeau announced in Ottawa that he will pay official visits to Cuba and Argentina on Nov. 15-18 before travelling to Peru to attend the 2016 APEC summit.
 Flash

China donated Liberia office equipment worth about 8 million RMB (1.2 million U.S. dollars) Tuesday in the capital of Monrovia.

The donation, which included 900 desktop computers, 450 laptops, 100 monochrome laser printers and 50 monochrome copiers, was presented to the Liberian government at a brief ceremony.

Liberian Deputy Foreign Minister for International Cooperation and Economic Integration Dehpue Zuo said the donation came at the appropriate time as the Liberian government faces serious financial constrains in budgetary allocation, especially for the procurement of office equipment, and extended his thanks to the Chinese government and people.

Receiving the items on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Marjon V. Kamara, Zuo hailed them as "one of the largest donations to the government of Liberia when it comes to office equipment."

Zuo assured Chinese Ambassador to Liberia Zhang Yue that his ministry would work together with other governmental departments to ensure a fair distribution of the donated equipment.

He also expressed his appreciation for the Chinese government for the progress being made at the ongoing construction projects -- the ministerial complex and extension of the Capitol Building.
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Donald Trump takes the stage on the last day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, the United States, July 21, 2016. [Xinhua]

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump defeated his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, in a close race for the White House, showed preliminary results released early Wednesday.

Major U.S. broadcasters projected that Trump has secured more than the 270 electoral votes needed for presidency, while Clinton has conceded defeat.

Trump's election headquarters burst into cheers as news of his victory came in from different states. Waving to an elated crowd of supporters, Trump, in his victory speech, vowed to be a president for all Americans.

It was "time for America to bind the wounds of division" and "time for us to come together as one," said Trump.

However, his victory speech failed to dispel the concerns over the grave divisions across the country.

Trump's victory wrapped up an unprecedentedly repugnant race for the top job in a country. With all guns blazing on personality insults instead of policy debates, the two candidates waged a highly negative tug of war that has visibly fractured U.S. society, leaving voters with a tough job of picking from two most disliked candidates in modern history.

Throughout his campaign, Trump was embroiled in an eye-popping slew of racist and sexist remarks as well as charity and tax scandals that offended and outraged many Americans.

Clinton, for her part, was beleaguered by an email controversy and questionable overseas donations to the Clinton Foundation that made a hole in her integrity as a trustworthy leader.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry commented days earlier that the election was "difficult for our country's perception abroad" and sometimes "downright embarrassing."

"There are times when it steps out of any norm that I've known -- and I ran for president in 2004," Kerry said in Britain.

Unlike many other countries, the U.S. president is not elected directly by voters, but rather by an Electoral College, whose 538 votes equal the number of Congressional representatives and senators. The official voting by the Electoral College is held on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December, and the new president is normally sworn in on Jan. 20 of the following year.

Taking over the Oval Office from outgoing President Barack Obama, Trump will find himself surrounded by a raft of challenges ranging from weak economic growth and widening wealth inequality to escalating racial tensions and mounting anti-terror pressures.

Also on Tuesday, U.S. voters elected 34 senators and all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Major U.S. news networks projected that the Republican Party will keep control of both houses of Congress.
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South Korean prosecutors on Wednesday widened its ongoing investigation into a scandal involving President Park Geun-hye's longtime confidante, Choi Soon-sil.

Investigators raided the homes of two former key aides to the embattled president on alleged involvement into Choi's influence peddling and the leakage of confidential presidential documents to the 60-year-old private citizen.

Computer hard discs, diaries and mobile phones were seized from the homes of Lee Jae-man and Ahn Bong-geun, former presidential secretaries who had assisted President Park for about two decades together with Jeong Ho-seong.

Jeong has been placed under custody for allegations that he had brought secret presidential reports on defense, diplomatic and economic affairs to Choi on a daily basis.

The three aides are dubbed "three knobs of a door" that lead directly into President Park thanks to their longtime assistance.

Choi Soon-sil, whose friendship with the president dates back to the mid-1970s, is suspected of exercising undue influence for personal gains and meddling in state affairs from the shadows though she has no public position.

Choi has been formally arrested since she came back to Seoul in late October. The woman had stayed in Europe for about two months before coming back to her home country.

Public attention is centered on whether prosecutors will investigate President Park, who said last Friday that she would accept a direct probe into herself "if necessary."

Local media reports estimated that prosecutors would decide next week on whether to investigate the president.
News / Regional

by Staff reporter

State security agents confiscated hundreds of pencils, pens, markers and eyebrow pencils from National University of Science and Technology (Nust) graduands on Friday, as the writing utensils seem to have become a threat to President Robert Mugabe.Mugabe was the guest of honour at the university's graduation ceremony.After the graduation, piles of the impounded pens were dumped at security checkpoints together with other sharp objects that were thought could pose a security risk to the 92-year-old leader.The tight security measure comes on the back of protests - right in Mugabe's face - over unemployment by graduands at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ)'s graduation ceremony last month.One of the students - who have since been dragged before UZ's disciplinary committee - waved an A4-sized placard inscribed "graduates today, rovha mangwana (loafer tomorrow)", as Mugabe watched from the top table.However, the pens seizure did not dissuade the Nust students from registering their concern over the high unemployment rate in Zimbabwe, as some shouted "mabasa ngaadzoke president (bring back the jobs president)" .The action resulted in the arrest of Advance Musoki - a Bachelor of Commerce Honours Degree in Risk Management and Insurance graduand.On Saturday, prosecutors accused Musoki of having shouted the words three times during the graduation ceremony and that got him charged with committing criminal nuisance in contravention of Section 46 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.Zimbabwe has an estimated unemployment rate of over 90 percent, with government failing to deliver on its 2013 election campaign promise to create 2,2 million jobs.Meanwhile, the 23-year-old-Musoki, who was being represented by Mehluli Dube from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), pleaded guilty to criminal nuisance charges when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Adeline Mbeure.Mbeure said the way Musoki handled himself was uncalled for as it interfered with the peace at such a big event.In her ruling, Mbeure sentenced him to two weeks' imprisonment with an option of $50 fine payable before December 6.
Zhang Ziyu prepares food for customers at the noodle restaurant she owns in Beijing. Even though she does not hold Beijing hukou, the Chongqing native has been pursuing her dreams in the capital city for four years.Photos By Cao Yang / For China Daily

As the capital's population grows the city government is facing a growing challenge arising from the application of the household registration system. Du Juan reports.

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of reports looking at the effects of hukou, China's household registration system, on the lives of ordinary citizens who have left their homes to work in other areas and regions. More reports will follow in the weeks to come.

More than 20 million people live in Beijing, the capital of China and one of the world's great cities.

There are many ways to define the city's residents: gender; age; employment status; interests; and personality. One category stands above all others, though - the hukou, or household registration, system.

Unlike people's personal ID cards - similar to a social security number in the United States - which can be used on most occasions to determine a person's identity, the hukou system can affect life at a much deeper level.

Under the system, which was introduced in the late 1950s, people are awarded hukou in the place their parents are registered, irrespective of their place of birth. As long as the person remains in the area in which they are registered, the system provides them with access to services such as education, healthcare and public housing, along with employment opportunities and retirement benefits.

However, it is hard to transfer hukou, which means people who relocate for work or family reasons are often unable to register with the local authority, which denies them access to social and education services.

The problem is particularly acute in Beijing, which sees thousands of new arrivals every year, swelling the population and presenting the government with a major challenge.

There are only a few ways of obtaining Beijing hukou. First, people can apply if their parents were registered in the city at the time of their birth. However, people born in the capital to unregistered parents are ineligible.

Second, graduates can apply if they land a job in a government department, educational institution or a company that has been allocated a hukou quota for Beijing.

Third, the Beijing government has the option of granting hukou to successful entrepreneurs and industry leaders, in bid to attract them to work or invest in the capital.

China Daily canvassed the views of unregistered citizens in Beijing to discover how they face the challenges presented by a lack of hukou and how they see their lives developing.

Wang Xin, graduate student

Wang is searching for a job in Beijing. "To be honest, my main priority is not a large salary or career development opportunities, but whether the employer can offer me Beijing hukou or not," said the graduate media student at Beijing Normal University.

Wang, 25, was born in Harbin, in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, which means he is registered there.

The greater number of opportunities on offer in the capital means he is reluctant to return to his hometown.

"If I returned to Harbin, I could only get a job with a local TV station at best. The platform in Beijing is much wider," he said. "I want to stay in the city after graduation, so Beijing hukou would give me a sense of security, and the right to buy property. Moreover, if I get married here, my child will be able to attend a public school in Beijing."

He added that making money is not his prime consideration at this stage in his life. Even so, it's still getting more and more difficult to find a job that offers hukou.

The reason is simple: Too many people live in the city and the number is growing.

Faced with limited land, transportation, medical services and education resources, the government has stepped cautiously with regard to population management.

As a result, companies that were previously able to offer a job with a Beijing hukou can no longer do so, because the city government has cut the quota in recent years.

Meanwhile, government departments and municipal-level bureaus no longer accept applications from job seekers without Beijing hukou, which has closed the door to students such as Wang.

"I know that smog is a serious problem in Beijing and it's harmful to people's health, but I still want to make every effort to stay because it offers opportunities that are not available anywhere else."
In August, the Beijing government published a new policy that allows people who meet certain criteria to apply for hukou in the city.

The policy, which will come into force on Jan 1, specifies that applicants should be younger than 45 and they must have paid social insurance contributions for at least seven consecutive years. People with criminal records are barred from applying.

Applicants are graded according to points, which are awarded based on their age, level of education and living standard. However, selecting thousands of "winners" from millions of qualified candidates is a difficult task, especially as it's possible that many applicants will have accrued the same points tally.

"It's a hope, even though it's a very dim one," said one young woman who preferred not to be named. She meets all the qualifications to apply for Beijing hukou, but won't bother to do so.

"I don't think I will be able to get it. Just look at the number of applicants. The answer is so clear," she said.

Given the city's rapidly rising population, limited resources mean sectors such as education, healthcare, transportation and environmental protection face huge challenges to satisfy demand.

The situation means that people who live in Beijing without hukou and have made a contribution to the city's development are denied equal access to public services, including medical care and education for their children, and the right to buy property.

The government is working cautiously to solve the problems, but it will take time. As the anonymous interviewee pointed out, the solution is obvious: "As long as a person pays taxes, they should have equal access to public services wherever they are in the country."
Opinion / Columnist

Future Msebele Zulu is ZAPU Deputy Secretary for International Relations a Cadre Member of Zimbabwe Communists League. He writes in his personal capacity.

At the time of writing, the US elections are still in progress with the expectation that the 'respectable' Hilary Clinton will defeat the crude racist, sexist redneck Donald Trump.Many liberals are dismayed by the fact that many on the hard left - including most Communists that the writer has spoken to - actually prefer Trump to Clinton. Not because he embodies any noble values, but simply because he seems less likely to start a Third World War, and seems more interested in the internal politics of the USA than in foreign wars.Is it alarmist to talk about a Third World War or a Cold War?Let us look at recent developments.At present 300 000 NATO troops on high alert preparing for the invasion of Russia. Russia, in self-defence, has now developed a bomb big enough to blow up almost the entire island of Great Britain. Russia has also developed a ground breaking Tank. Armata represents the most revolutionary step change in tank design in the last half century. Firstly, it is the first tank designed with an unmanned turret. Secondly, it appears to be the first tank designed from the outset with an active protection system, to intercept incoming anti-tank guided missiles and shoulder-launched anti-tank weapons. The tank is also reckoned to be lighter, faster and lower in profile than Western rivals. Analysis for Western military leaders has suggested Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - all NATO member states - would be overrun by Russian tanks within 60 hours of an invasion. And it is not Russia which is threatening the rest of the world. It is NATO which is threatening Russia. Following the counter-revolution of 1994 and the dismemberment of the Soviet Union, the West has operated a programme of regime change in all of the former Soviet republics. The most obvious was the Nazi coup in Ukraine of 2014 where the democratically elected government of President Yanukovich was removed by a coup led by the Banderovtsy (followers of the wartime Nazi collaborator Stefan Bandera) and other extreme fascist and openly Nazi forces with the support of the USA, Germany, Britain and NATO. The Russian speaking eastern section of the country broke away with the Crimea (which had only become part of Ukraine in the 1950s) voting overwhelmingly to join Russia.Those whose ancestors had fought the Nazi invasion of 1941 resolutely opposed the Nazi coup and have been made to suffer by the Western former allies. Clinton has been one of the leading warmongers.At present, it is Russia which is assisting the secular government of Syria to fight off the regime change agenda funded both by the West and the sectarian Sunni governments of the Arabian Peninsula which have armed ISIS, al-Nusra and other Islamic extremists. ISIS went a little too far - but the possession by ISIS of the latest US weaponry - and lots of it - indicates the massive backing which it had externally. It must also be said that only a minority of ISIS and al-Nusra fighters are Syrians. What is also strange is that al-Nusra, a branch of al Qaeda is presented in the western-controlled press as 'moderate' opposition!One of the most interesting facts is that the ancient Christian population of Syria (about 10%), overwhelmingly support the Syrian government and both President Assad and Syria and President Putin of Russia against the Western and Saudi backed forces which have been systematically exterminating them.Needless to say, Hilary Clinton has been one of the most vocal supporters of regime change in Syria while Donald Trump has talked about his admiration for President Putin.Clinton has in fact given full support for Israel and its ruthless programme to remove the Palestinian people from their homeland. Again, the Palestinian Christians (about 15% of the population), the world's oldest Christian population have remained steadfast members of the Palestinian population alongside their Muslim countrymen while Western 'Christians' continue to support the racist Zionist State of Israel.Again, it was Hilary Clinton as US Secretary of State, together with President Barack Obama, French President Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Cameron who are responsible for the bombing out of existence of Libya, the country with the highest Human Development Index in Africa and the subsequent organized genocide of black Libyans.Lastly, it was her husband, Bill who initiated the 1998-2003 DRC War, which according to UN sources killed 5.4 million people. He armed Uganda and Rwanda because President Laurent Kabila was re-negotiating the mining contracts for those companies plundering the Congo for rare minerals used in cellphones, aeronautics and the arms industry. President Kabila believed that Congo should benefit from its natural resources: President Clinton thought otherwise.It was during that conflict, started by her husband, that the 'humanitarian' Hilary Rodham Clinton, started a campaign against rape being used as a weapon of war!Let us look at how American psychologist L. Michael Tompkins describes a psychopath:"It's not easy to spot a psychopath. They can be intelligent, charming, and good at mimicking emotions. They may pretend to be interested in you, but in reality, they probably don't care."At worst, they're cold, calculating killers... Others...are skilled at climbing their way up the corporate ladder, even if they have to hurt someone to get there."They're skilled actors whose sole mission is to manipulate people for personal gain," Some experts see sociopaths as "hot-headed." They act without thinking how others will be affected.Psychopaths are... "cold-hearted" and calculating. They carefully plot their moves, and use aggression in a planned-out way to get what they want. If they're after more money or status in the office, for example, they'll make a plan to take out any barriers that stand in the way, even if it's another person's job or reputation."Does this description not fit Hilary Rodham Clinton?
Education

Children with Beijing hukou can attend local public primary schools at no cost.

Children without hukou have to pay between 20,000 yuan ($2,950) and 250,000 yuan to qualify for enrollment at public primary schools.

The children of wealthy parents can attend private international schools at an annual cost of 90,000 yuan to 240,000 yuan.

Medical care

Premier hospitals in the capital will only accept expectant mothers with hukou in the district where the hospital is located. Natural births are free, but a cesarean section costs about 2,000 yuan.

Pregnant women without hukou have to return to their hometowns to obtain permission to give birth in the capital. If permission is granted, they can only attend public hospitals in suburban districts.

Wealthy people without hukou can have a natural birth at a private hospital in Beijing for about 35,000 yuan, while a c-section costs 50,000 yuan.




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By ZHONG NAN in Zhuzhou and JING SHUIYU in Beijing | China Daily | Updated: 2016-11-09 06:50

An export-oriented toy-making plant in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province. SI WEI/FOR CHINA DAILY

As both exports and imports failed to meet early forecasts, China foreign trade decreased to 2.05 trillion yuan ($307.2 billion) in October, down 0.6 percent from the same period last year, Customs data showed on Tuesday.

China's exports declined 3.2 percent year-on-year to 1.19 trillion yuan in October, the seventh straight month of decline, and imports increased by 3.2 percent, according to the General Administration of Customs.

Data showed the foreign trade surplus narrowed to 325.25 billion yuan in October, down 16.8 percent from last October.

The leading index for China's exports shrank to 35.6 from 35.8 a month earlier, the first month-on-month decline since the past three months.

Wang Dongtang, deputy director-general of the Ministry of Commerce's Department of Foreign Trade, said the government would continue to help processing trade move further up the value chain by introducing new supervision and control models in the processing, logistics and the service sector.

"The government has already started to optimize the industrial structure across the country. It has worked with related government branches in making adjustments to nearly 2,000 items on the processing trade negative list to phase out high-energy-consuming, highly polluting and resource-hungry industries," said Wang.

In the first 10 months of this year, China imported more commodities at cheaper prices.

China's exports to its top trading partners varied across the regions in January to October. Exports to the European Union grew 1 percent and to Japan by 0.5 percent from the same period last year, while export to the United States fell 2 percent, and export to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations declined 1.8 percent.

Eager to restore their earning strength, Chinese manufacturers are upgrading their products to cope with the challenge.

Liu Yang, deputy general manager of CRRC Zhuzhou Institute Co Ltd, an electric bus manufacturer in Hunan province, said the company will establish between seven and 10 sales and service branches in Southeast Asia, India, Canada and Middle East over the next three years as many countries are keen to adopt electric buses to further cut carbon emissions and reduce fuel costs.

"Traditional industries must extend cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, energy, environment and services," said Liu.

CRRC Zhuzhou Institute has already exported electric buses and related power systems to Brazil, Canada and Southeast Asian countries over the past three years.

As a subsidiary of China Railway Rolling Stock Corp, the country's largest train manufacturer, CRRC Zhuzhou Institute will also invest 1.5 billion yuan in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei, to build another manufacturing base to focus on domestic demand from the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province. These cities are also facing severe environmental issues.
A Chinese company will have dual corporate hubs for the first time, expert says

China's Baosteel Group will have dual headquarters following its merger with smaller rival Wuhan Iron and Steel (Group) Corp, according to Shanghai-based newspaper The Paper.

The newly merged steel giant will have headquarters in both Shanghai and Wuhan in Hubei province, it said, citing anonymous sources.

A leading industry analyst said it was the very first time a Chinese company would have two corporate hubs.

"Having two headquarters for the newly merged steel giant will substantially boost its efficiency in management and operation," said Wang Guoqing, director of the Lange Steel Information Center.

The two State-owned steel-makers will form the largest steel company in China by capacity.

Despite the fact that Baosteel is taking over Wuhan Iron and Steel Group, the smaller rival will retain some influence following the takeover, Wang added.

An official with the Baosteel's PR department declined to confirm the report on Tuesday. But he said on condition of anonymity that Baosteel will make official announcement on this issue soon.

According to Wang, the dual headquarter operation is also based on an evaluation of the impact of large scale corporate headquarter on local government.

"Local governments prefer corporate headquarters, as they contribute more tax revenue than branch offices," said Wang.

"Wuhan Iron and Steel Group has contributed substantially to the local government, and moving its headquarters from Wuhan would have a major impact on Hubei province financially."

Wuhan used to be the home to several other State-owned enterprises' headquarters. However, China Changjiang National Shipping Corporation and Gezhou Dam have since relocated to other cities.

First announced in June, the plan to combine the two State-owned steel firms is part of the Chinese government's push to consolidate the vast, fragmented industry to get rid of excess capacity.

The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission approved the joint restructuring of the two steel-makers to form the largest steel company in China by capacity in the same month.

Based on 2015 capacity, the two companies will produce around 60 million metric tons a year, leapfrogging Hebei Iron and Steel to the top spot among China's steel-makers, according to Reuters.

Wang Ying in Shanghai contributed to this story.
An employee works on a drilling rig at the Rosneft-owned Prirazlomnoye oilfield outside the Siberian city of Nefteyugansk, Russia. [Photo / Agencies]

Rosneft PJSC agreed to sell 20 percent of its Verkhnechonsk oil and gas field in Siberia for about $1.1 billion to Beijing Gas Group Co in a deal that may give the Russian producer access to China's natural-gas market.

"The competences and capabilities of our partner in the key distribution market will generate significant synergies from our joint operation," Rosneft Chief Executive Officer Igor Sechin said in a statement on Monday. Sechin and Beijing Gas Chairwoman Li Yalan signed the agreementoutlined back in Juneduring a meeting in St. Petersburg.

Workers stand next to a logo of Russia's Rosneft oil company at the central processing facility of the Rosneft-owned Priobskoye oil field outside the West Siberian city of Nefteyugansk, Russia, August 4, 2016. [Photo / Agencies]

The sale will help Rosneft manage the largest debt load in Russia's oil industry. It has accumulated total debts of more than $40 billion, mainly from its $55 billion acquisition of TNK-BP in 2013.

This year it also agreed to buy Russian oil producer Bashneft PJSC and Indian refiner Essar Oil Ltd. While the Verkhnechonsk deal will bolster the balance sheet, it also helps Russia boost energy ties with China, after trade between the two countries declined last year.

This deal, with one of China's largest distributors of natural gas, gives Rosneft a strategic partner in exploiting the unit's reserves of the fuel. Rosneft gains the possibility of accessing China's local gas market, including end-customers, through gas-supply swaps, according to the statement.

Bloomberg
Evergrande Life Insurance told to strengthen its risk management

China's insurance regulator said on Tuesday that it does not support short-term speculative stock trading by insurance funds.

It will strengthen regulations about the use of insurance funds in stock market trading, a move that market analysts believe will help to reduce risky and speculative trading.

The key problem is that risky investments may yield short-term profits, but the danger of losses could endanger the company's ability to pay out money owed to its customers in the long-term.

A circular posted on the official website of the China Insurance Regulatory Commission said that it gave a verbal warning to Evergrande Life Insurance Co about the short-term speculative trading activities of the company.

CIRC also urged Evergrande to examine deeply the negative effects of the company's trading activities on the industry and demanded that the insurer stick to long-term value investment, which serves the core business of an insurance company and also promotes social and economic development. The insurer is also required to strengthen its risk management and investment planning.

Evergrande said it will implement these regulators' requirements and will strictly prevent similar activities in the future.

Analysts said that the regulatory move benefits the overall stability and healthy development of the A-share market and will guide investors to focus on value investment and analyzing the fundamentals of companies.

"Regulators have underlined the importance of managing the liabilities of insurers in recent months, urging insurers to strengthen risk management. Insurers with stronger capabilities to balance portfolios amid economic changes will be more likely to be able to adjust to the new environment and be less affected," said Luo Yi, an analyst with Huatai Securities
A tourist poses for a photograph during a visit at Gangaramaya Buddhist temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sep 7, 2016. [Photo / Agencies]

COLOMBO - Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka rose by 13.7 percent in October year-on-year with Indian and Chinese markets recording a commendable growth, statistics from the Tourism Department showed on Tuesday.

More than 20,000 Chinese tourists arrived in Sri Lanka last month, up 19.8 percent from the same period last year.

Indian tourist arrivals were 36,471 in October, a 19.3-percent increase year-on-year.

Overall, Sri Lanka received 150,419 visitors last month and tourist arrivals in the first 10 months of this year have risen 14.6 percent to over 1.65 million.

The number of tourists from traditional markets such as Germany also rose 26.5 percent to 12,246 while the numbers from Britain were up 10 percent to 10,964.

China, which has become the second largest source of tourists to Sri Lanka, has helped improve the island nation's tourism industry once heavily scarred by a 30-year civil war between the government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels which ended in May 2009.

Last year, Sri Lanka was able to attract 200,000 Chinese tourists.

An estimated 1.8 million tourists arrived in Sri Lanka last year, contributing $2.98 billion to government revenues.

The government expected to attract at least 3 million tourists by the end of this year, and it has set a target of 4 million by 2020.
Stewardesses of Tianjin Airlines walk down the stairs of an A330 aircraft at Tianjin Binhai International Airport in Tianjin, May 5, 2016. [Photo / VCG]

LONDON - China's Tianjin Airlines on Tuesday announced launching a new flight route from London to Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province in May 2017.

The new flight service will be operated on an Airbus A330-200 aircraft with 18 business class and 242 economy class seats. The total flight time to Xi'an is around 10 hours and the aircraft will then continue onto Tianjin.

The airline, which launched its first British route from London Gatwick airport this June, will also increase its twice-weekly service to three flights per week in next summer. The service currently departs every Wednesday and Saturday from Gatwick, arriving in China the following day.

Robert Chen, British general manager for Tianjin Airlines, said: "We're delighted to announce yet more new services for British travelers following the hugely successful launch of our first ever flights from Gatwick to Tianjin and Chongqing in China. We're proud to be helping introduce British travelers to our fascinating country through our high quality service and unbeatable flights."

Guy Stephenson, Gatwick's chief commercial officer, said: "We are delighted that Tianjin has announced a new route from Gatwick to China. Tianjin Airlines now connects Gatwick to three of China's megacities, including the UK's only direct flights to Xi'an, home of the Terracotta Army, and Chongqing, southwest China's commercial capital. Our passengers will value the increased frequency of services to China announced today."

Tianjin Airlines, a subsidiary of HNA Group, currently operates a fleet of nearly 90 aircraft to more than 100 destinations throughout China from its eight hubs.

China and Britain have been strengthening the aviation cooperation. Officials from both sides agreed on a deal to more than double the number of flights allowed to be operated between the two countries last month.

In a statement the British Department for Transport (DfT) said under the new deal passenger flights can now be increased from the current maximum of 40 per week for each nation to up to 100. There will be no limit on the number of all-cargo services, creating new opportunities for British trade and businesses.

Meanwhile, a restriction on the number of destinations that airline can serve has also been increased, meaning services can be operated between any point in Britain and any point in China.
Li Xiaowen (left) and Liang Yongying work in their paddy fields in Shanghang county of Fujian province, Nov 8, 2106. [Photo/Xinhua]

Li Xiaowen and Liang Yongying are a post-1980s couple.

They both graduated from China's top universities and like many of their well-educated peers worked in big cities for many years.

But in 2013, they left the metropolis to return to their hometown, a village in Shanghang county of Fujian province, to start farming. Most people who knew the couple well struggled to understand their decision.

The first three years on the farm were difficult for the couple. Their attempts to grow vegetables and breed animals failed many times. But they never gave up. Finally, the couple succeeded after learning the ecological agriculture skills to plant rice. Now, they are stars in the village because of their rice planting skills.

At present, they have 58 hectares of paddy fields, and the average rice output is increasing at 5 percent year-on-year.
BEIJING - As small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) enjoy many advantages and could tap great economic potential, both Chinese and Russian prime ministers called for more cooperation between the two countries' SMEs to create new sources of growth.

During Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's official visit to Russia this month, where he also attended the 21st China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting, Li and his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, simultaneously attached importance to enhancing SMEs cooperation.

The premier pointed to SMEs and innovation in particular as the areas where the two countries should step up efforts to exploit new potential besides major strategic projects.

To respond to Li's calling, Medvedev said the two countries would make more efforts to boost cooperation in SMEs' innovation, while actively conducting cooperation in major projects in the areas of oil and gas and nuclear energy.

In fact, the trade volume between the two countries fell a bit in 2015, mainly due to sinking prices of commodities, which were usually traded through large enterprises.

SMEs, which are relatively not sensitive to commodity prices, could not only create more jobs, but also provide complementarity for large enterprises to reduce their costs, so as to better boost their cooperation.

Besides, SMEs are more flexible, allowing them more accurately to sense market need and carry out cooperation more on the basis of business principles.

Furthermore, if SME cooperation, featuring more people-to-people exchanges, goes well, the foundation of economic cooperation between two countries can be expanded, which, in turn, enlarges nongovernmental exchanges.

Su Xiaohui, research fellow at China Institute of International Studies, said it is notable that the two countries' premiers have agreed to exploit potential in SME cooperation to energize innovation cooperation and increase employment, besides traditional cooperation in energy and major projects.

China and Russia have deep cooperation in political area, she said, adding more cooperation space in economy is expected.

In fact, Li has also talked about SME cooperation with other heads of governments, including Germany and South Korea, to serve China's domestic policy of mass entrepreneurship and innovation.

In the context of fragile world economic recovery and slowing global trade growth, China and Russia should further give full play to their complementary advantages, so as to add new vitality to each other's development, revitalization, and economic transformation and upgrade, Li said.
SHANGHAI - China's courier services are planning ahead to cope with Singles' Day, an annual e-commerce shopping spree in China that falls on Friday.

Alibaba's Cainiao logistics network forecast that the industry will handle 1.05 billion packages for Singles' Day this year, up 35 percent year on year.

Singles' Day eclipses its US equivalents Black Friday and Cyber Monday. On November 11 last year, Alibaba saw $13.5 billion worth of goods paid for on its online payments platform.

Courier services have been renovating their delivery network capable of covering long-distance and huge volumes.

Wang Wenbin, chief technology officer of Cainiao, said the company has adopted a series of new digital solutions to help monitor, distribute and trace e-commerce deliveries.

"The new technology helps capture and collect orders from certain regions so that logistics firms can arrange the distribution and loading facilities to improve efficiency by at least 10 hours," Wang said.

China courier firm Yunda Express said the company has added 10,000 delivery vehicles to cope with the extra demand.

The company's logistic center in Shanghai has installed a 200-meter automatic line to "smart sort" the packages.

Delivery staff have become the most wanted resources across the sector. Nearly all major delivery firms have put out recruitment notices ahead of the shopping spree. The monthly salary offered for delivery staff is between 5,000 yuan ($739) and 8,000 yuan, on par with salaries for university graduates.

Couriers are in short supply especially at busy times and during major Chinese holidays such as Spring Festival.

Gao Zhenhai, secretary general of the Shanghai Express Industry Association, said online shopping revenue has shown explosive growth around Singles' Day, when millions of packages need to be delivered to shoppers in a few days, which is an enormous challenge for courier services.

Singles' Day purchases last year amounted to 780 million packages. The maximum daily deliveries handled by courier services reached 160 million.

China's railway transport network has opened special services to help courier services cope with the shopping spree this year.

China Railway has launched an "E-Commerce Golden Week" service to facilitate express services. From November 11 to 20, high-speed passenger trains with speeds between 160 and 300 km per hour will provide express services. The service reaches 505 cities.

The Guangzhou Railway (Group) Corp has signed with express firms, JD Express, SF Express, STO Express and YT Express, to provide three daily train trips linking south China's manufacturing center Shenzhen with Beijing from November 11 to 20.
BEIJING - China is pushing for medium and long-term contracts between coal producers and buyers to stabilize supply and rein in market volatility as surging coal prices have heated concerns about the industry's ongoing cuts on excessive capacity.

Major coal miners Shenhua Group and China National Coal Group Corp on Tuesday inked such contracts with China Huadian Corp and State Power Investment Corp, both thermal power conglomerates.

The two sides specified the amount of coal supply for the contract length and set a basic price of 535 yuan ($78.87) per ton, with clauses to allow for market-oriented price adjustments. No further details were disclosed.

The cooperation of State-owned coal and power companies is the latest push by the authorities to ease the current coal shortage.

"It will help maintain the stability of coal prices and the market," Xu Kunlin, deputy secretary general of the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a press conference Wednesday.

Xu promised policy support and encouraged more mid- and long-term contracts to be inked in the sectors.

Coal prices are on the rise due to a temporary supply shortage, as well as temperature drops and speculative activities.

The Bohai-Rim Steam-Coal Price Index, a gauge of coal prices in northern China's major ports, rose to 607 yuan per ton last week, the 18th consecutive rise and about 63.6 percent up on the start of the year.

Xu described the price hike as "irrational." China's coal reserves generally remained stable as effective production capacity stood at around 5.4 billion tons after outdated and under-performing mines were shut down.

"We are completely capable of guaranteeing coal supply," Xu said, citing relaxed daily output limits for efficient coal producers and huge untapped potential of clean energy.

Xu also dismissed concerns that surging prices will have a negative effect on the overcapacity reduction drive.

"It (the price rise) will not last in the long run and the coal industry is still plagued by overcapacity. The government's resolution (on excess capacity cut) is unwavering," Xu said.

China is downsizing its coal industry, planning to cut coal capacity by half a billion tons in the next few years.
A leading Chinese bank opened a London branch on Wednesday, a move seen as a sign of confidence towards UK as a leading financial center despite Brexit uncertainties.

Bank of Communications, founded in 1908 in Shanghai, entered London initially in 1993 with a representative office, which was upgraded to a subsidiary in 2011.

Its launch with full branch status rides on a wave of booming UK China financial collaboration in recent times. The news came as high level UK and Chinese government officials met this week for the 8th UK China Economic and Financial Dialogue in London.

"Since our subsidiary's launch, we've been providing quality, convenient and efficient services to support China UK economic and trade cooperation," said Song Shuguang, chairman of the supervisory committee of Bank of Communications.

Song said the bank's early entry into London in 1993 identifies how important the UK market is.

Bank of Communications ranked 17th in tier 1 capital globally, according to 2015 statistics by London-based magazine, The Banker. The bank became listed on the Hong Kong and Shanghai stock exchanges in 2005 and 2007 respectively.

So far five other Chinese banks in London have branches. Unlike subsidiaries, branches have lending and financing capacities proportional to the bank's headquarters asset base, which gives them much greater capacity for growing service volumes.

Bank of Communications currently has 15 overseas institutions, and later this month it will open a branch in Rome and another in Paris, signaling its fast international expansion.

The bank's UK services in the future will include commodities trading, currency clearing and settlement, investment loans and trade financing.

Zhu Qin, a minister at the Chinese Embassy in London, said the growing number of Chinese banks establishing London branches "is concrete evidence that China's banking sector is steadily expanding international business, and the financial cooperation between China and the UK is growing even closer by the day."

Zhu said Bank of Communications' branch establishment will help it provide more diversified options to renminbi cross-border trade settlement, investment and financing services.

"This will be a further boost for London as an renminbi offshore center and make this city even more competitive as a global financial center," he said.

Sherry Madera, deputy director-general for the UK government's Department for International Trade, said the Bank of Communications' continued commitment to London is evidence of London's leading role as a global financial center, marked by its openness for foreign investment. It is a move "the government applauds and welcomes".

Wang Lianghua, a partner at the law firm King and Wood Mallesons, said the branch launch also demonstrates British financial regulators growing trust and understanding of Chinese banks.

He added that Brexit uncertainties could be both a challenge and opportunity for Chinese banks in the UK.

"Chinese banks need to consider how to best coordinate their UK and EU branches' strength towards an overall group strength."

"Collaboration between their UK and EU branches could face potential policy obstacles post Brexit, but effective structuring of activities can also be their opportunity to excel," Wang added.

To contact the reporter: Cecily.liu@mail.chinadailyuk.com
The government of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region is encouraging the development of a big data industry and is introducing a series of policies to attract investment and skill, with an aim to make the region a big data center in northern China by 2020.

The cooperation agreements, which involve 93 projects and 50.8 billion yuan ($7.5 billion) of investment, were signed at the 2016 Inner Mongolia Big Data Promotion Conference held in Beijing on Monday.

Inner Mongolia's big data and cloud computing industries are expected to have more than 3 million servers in use over the next three to five years.

The local government has announced preferential policies designed to attract talent and investors, covering land use, electricity utilization, talent, innovation, taxation, investment and financing related to big data and information industry.

Li Jiheng, Inner Mongolia's Party chief, said: "The region has undertaken the big data industry as a major initiative to promote industrial upgrading and transform the economic development pattern. We have accomplished obvious achievements."

Li added that the region enjoys unique conditions and advantages to develop the big data industry.

A number of information industry heavyweights, including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, Baidu Inc and Tencent Holdings Ltd, have set up offices and three major telecom carriersChina Mobile Communications Corporation, China United Network Communications Group Co and China Telecom Corphave established data centers in the region.

"The output of the big data industry in the region is expected to surpass 100 billion yuan by 2020," said Bu Xiaolin, chairwoman of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Hohhot, as the capital of Inner Mongolia, has also made great strides in cloud computing and big data development. It has established a 10-billion-yuan big data industrial development fund to encourage the construction of cloud computing centers and big data demonstration areas.

The city is trying to build a cloud platform for industries such as clean energy, dairy, biological medicine and rare earth to exhibit their products, management experience and marketing skills.

Sun Pishu, chairman of Inspur Group Co, China's largest server maker based in eastern China's Shandong province, said that Inner Mongolia has an abundant electricity supply and enjoys an advantageous geographical location, both of which are beneficial for big data center construction.

"Inspur has already participated in the construction of the cloud computing and big data base in Inner Mongolia and owns three government service cloud platforms in Hohhot, Wuhai and Manzhouli," said Sun.

Sun added that the region's excellent investment environment had attracted the company and it will invest 5 billion yuan to build a big data industrial park and cloud computing center in the region.

Jin Jianhang, president of Alibaba, said the company is now working together with Hohhot to promote the application of big data in agriculture e-commerce.

It is estimated the annual growth rate of China's big data industry will be over 50 percent in the next five years, and China will account for 20 percent of the world's data capacity by 2020.
Excavators work at the rescue site in Zhongmengchang village of Lixian county in Baoding, North China's Hebei province, Nov 8, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

SHIJIAZHUANG - Rescuers in the northern province of Hebei are racing against the clock to rescue a boy who has been trapped in an abandoned well for over 60 hours.

Over 500 rescuers and some one hundred excavators are working at the 40-meter deep dry well in Lixian County, Baoding City.

The boy, 6, fell down the well on Sunday morning when helping harvest vegetables with his father. His father put out a call for help on the social-networking app Wechat and rescuers and the public rushed to the scene to help in any way they could.

As the 30 centimeter-diameter well was too narrow for any adult to climb into, rescuers are digging out the well to try and reach the boy.

Thus far, the shaft has been widened to 100 meters, and oxygen is being pumped into the well. Signs of life have not yet been found, although the rescuers are nearing the bottom of the well.

The rescue has been hampered by the soft sandy soil, which is prone to collapse. Measures have been taken to support the shaft during the excavation.

During the past three days, many members of the public have volunteered to help the rescue by donating food and money. Locals also rushed to the scene to prepare food for the rescue team.

The story is being widely shared and discussed.
A delegation of Canadians, including children of missionaries who lived in the area in the 1930s, visits the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan province on Tuesday.An Yuan / China News Service

Marion Walker was all smiles when she saw a small panda at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan province on Tuesday.

The 86-year-old Canadian said the young panda reminded her of Pandora, the cub with whom Walker and her elder sister Enid Walker played frequently in 1938. At that time, the Walker family lived at West China Union University in Chengdu.

Pandora was very cute and, like the pandas at the base now, liked climbing, Walker recalled.

Panda cub Pandora with Marion Walker (left) and her elder sister Enid in 1938.

This was Walker's fourth visit to the city since childhood. After an absence of 70 years, Walker revisited Chengdu, her birthplace, for the first time in 2008.

Walker and 16 other Canadians returned to Chengdu at the invitation of the School of Public Health of Sichuan University. They will attend the opening ceremony on Wednesday of a museum about the "CS Kids", as Walker and her fellow former students of the Canadian School in Chengdu are known.

The museum also tells the story of Pandora, according to Shen Zaiwang, a senior official with the Sichuan Provincial Association for Friendship With Foreign Countries.

More than 100 years ago, a group of Canadian missionaries came to Sichuan, establishing West China's first Western clinic and West China Union University, which featured a strong dentistry department.

Their children were born and brought up in Sichuan.

Some of the CS Kids frolicked with Pandora when the captured panda stayed temporarily at West China Union University before heading to the United States in May 1938.

In March 1938, the university had received a request from the New York Zoological Society, which wanted a baby panda or a pair, if possible. With the help of hunters who obtained the panda in the mountains in Guanxian (now Dujiangyan), the wife of Frank Dickinson, a professor of biology, took the cub to her home at the university. She kept it like a pet and named it Pandora.

Until Dickinson's colleague Roy Spooner, a chemistry professor, took Pandora to the United States in May 1938, many of the CS Kids played with it after school.

"When it was sunny, we would take Pandora to the lawn," Beth Leach, one of CS Kids born in Chengdu, said on Tuesday. "Local residents flocked to see it, and it became a fad for locals to see Pandora."

Spooner flew with the cub from Chengdu to Chongqing, where they boarded a ship to Hong Kong via Shanghai and changed to a ship to the United States. Pandora died on May 13, 1941.
Anti-graft watchdogs named the first two high-level provincial officials to be investigated following the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC on Oct 24 to 27, which emphasized the fight against corruption.

Chen Shulong, a vice-governor of Anhui province, is under investigation for violating Communist Party of China codes of conduct, the CPC's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced on Tuesday.

The CCDI also said Tuesday that Zhang Wenxiong, a member of the Hunan Provincial Party Committee, is being investigated on suspicion of severely violating Party discipline.

Chen, born in 1962, joined the Party in 1985. He served in multiple positions in the province starting in 1989, including in the provincial government's finance department, State-owned investment companies and a securities company. He was appointed deputy mayor of Hefei, capital of Anhui, in 2002, and mayor of Wuhu in 2006.

Chen became a member of the standing committee of the CPC Anhui Provincial Committee in 2011 and vice-governor in 2012.

Zhang was born in Hunan province in 1962 and had worked there since 1982.He joined the Party in 1985, became Party chief of Huaihua in 2006 and was appointed Party chief of Hengyang in 2008. In 2011, he was elected a member of the provincial Party committee.

Also, Zhang Qingjun, former mayor of Hefei, was put under investigation in July for suspected serious violations of discipline, according to provincial disciplinary authorities.

Ni Fake, a former vice-governor of Anhui and a colleague of Chen's, was sentenced to 17 years in prison on corruption charges in February 2015.

(China Daily 11/09/2016 page3)
Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

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..Across the Great Divide..09 November '16..Suddenly everyone wants to talk about a letter written 99 years ago. As Israelis and Zionists worldwide begin the countdown to the 100-year anniversary celebration of the Balfour Declaration, several campaigns have been launched that seek to persuade the British Government to apologise.The Balfour Declaration was a letter, written by the United Kingdoms Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to Walter Rothschild. It is recognised as having started the international process that would be undersigned through the San Remo conference, underpin the British Mandate of Palestine, the 1947 Partition and see the creation of the State of Israel in 1948.One of the apologise for Balfour campaigns was launched by the Palestine Return Centre in the House of Lords. It was to give a platform to vile comments and would lead to the suspension and resignation of Baroness Jenny Tonge.Another of these campaigns, the Balfour Project held an event at Southwark Cathedral last weekend. This itself part of a worrying trend of anti-Israel events recently held in Christian places of worship in the UK. Reports from that event suggest the campaign is yet another vehicle for the vilification of Israel.Israel exists. The Jewish home was eventually created (albeit in a circular route), and is without much argument, the most liberal nation in the entire region. So just what should the UK Government apologise for?
By Zhang Yan in Beijing and Sui Ruisheng in Taiyuan | China Daily | Updated: 2016-11-09 07:41

Independent commissions will work without interference in pilot programs

Three provincial authorities have been chosen to try out a new anti-graft commission next year as a way to streamline efforts to combat major corruption, the top discipline watchdog said on Tuesday.

The commissions, to be tried in Beijing and in Shanxi and Zhejiang provinces starting in January, will be independent from local government to prevent interference, according to a source that declined to be named with the Communist Party of China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Members will be elected by local legislators in December and headed by the provincial Party chief, the source said.

The CCDI said the commissions "will integrate local anti-graft resources and expand the scope of investigations, to ensure full coverage of all government officials and public servants involved".

The bodies will work together with provincial discipline inspection commissions, while local government supervision departments may be wound down. Several agencies are now tasked with tackling corruption, including supervision, auditing and prosecuting departments, and often their work overlaps.

Ma Huaide, vice-president of the China University of Political Science and Law, said the pilot commissions will run parallel to local government, prosecutors and courts, so they can "independently exercise their duty to effectively monitor government officials and public servants, prevent them abusing their power, and build a clean government".

Since November 2012, when the nation's new leadership was elected, CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping has conducted a sweeping campaign against corruption.

In 2013, Zhao Zhongquan, senior official at the top anti-graft watchdog, published an article in the Study Times, saying that "the anti-graft mechanism in operation is not clearly defined by law, and has low efficiency or scattered forces to handle graft issues".

Zhao cited the urgent need "to draft an anti-corruption law and integrate separate anti-corruption agencies to improve efficiency".

This January, Xi, at a key meeting of the top anti-graft watchdog, pointed to the need for "a top supervision mechanism to have full coverage of all the state organs and its governmental officials aimed at eliminating corruption".

Legislatures in Beijing, Shanxi and Zhejiang are expected to hold meetings in December to set up the new commissions, the CCDI said.

Hong Daode, a law professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, said, "The new anti-graft commissions will be supervised by the provincial legislative body, the public and the media."
Guizhou province became on Tuesday the first of seven pilot areas to make it easier to force polluters to pay for damage they cause.

The plans allow provincial governments to sue companies that cause environmental destruction, or negotiate an out-of-court settlement, to obtain money needed to fix damage they caused. Previously, that power was reserved for the State Council, the highest executive organ of State power.

Xiong Dewei, director of the Guizhou Environmental Protection Bureau, said the plan is a major step forward in that it smooths the process and clearly stipulates the responsibilities of all parties in a dispute.

Damages awarded by a court will be put into a fund controlled by the local government and used to pay for a third party to fix problems. Remediation jobs will be put out to tender, the plan says.

Currently, there are no regulations on how to file a claim, so governments, not polluting companies, pay for remediation, officials said.

The other six regions releasing plans are Chongqing and the provinces of Jilin, Jiangsu, Shandong, Hunan and Yunnan.

The compensation reform was launched a year ago. Guizhou is the first to release the final version of a reform plan. In 2018, the reform will be expanded nationwide.

Other governments also have pushed forward with additional reforms, including Shaoxing in Zhejiang province. On March 15, the city's environmental inspectors found illegal discharges from Zhejiang Lexiang Aluminum Co had contaminated a near-by water channel, and the authority assessed 688,000 yuan ($101,400) in damages.

"The new reform can facilitate environment remediation, but there are still some obstacles to implementation," said Ma Yong, an environmental researcher at the Supreme People's Court Law Center. He said in Shaoxing, the remediation went slowly after the companies paid up. Additional work is needed in designing remediation plans and making them happen.

While provincial governments will be able to sue, it requires a vast a mount of time and energy, he said, adding that it would be better to pay for NGOs to sue polluters.

Contact the writers at zhengjinran@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/09/2016 page3)
Move expected to cut 'dirty and smelly' emissions, help region improve air quality

A year from now, Hebei province will cut out all household coal-burning activities in areas surrounding Beijing, a move to reduce pollution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

The areas, mainly in Langfang and Baoding, include 3,749 villages where coal is used in households for heating and cooking.

By the end of October next year, the villages will use gas for heating and cooking, or employ electric devices, according to a plan released recently by the provincial government.

As motivation, villagers will receive electric or gas subsidies for three years based on the cost of replacing their coal-burning devices.

At the same time, places designated as "coal-restricted areas" will accelerate the development of central heating fueled by clean energy. For power plants and central heating stations that are using coal as fuel, they can still use coal, but must meet the lowest emission standard.

By the end of 2020, all fuel for producing heat in the area should be clean energy, according to the plan.

Gao Hongchao, whose parents live in Zhoumafang village, Langfang, which is in the coal-restricted area, said that her parents welcomed the change, because "coal-burning at home was dirty and smelly".

According to Wang Wei, a professor at the School of Resources and Environmental Sciences of Hebei Normal University in Shijiazhuang, coal-burning for heating is "the chief culprit of air pollution in winter", as the cold weather conditions inhibit pollutants from dispersing.

Household coal-burning devices discharge emissions directly into the air, without any treatment for environmental protection, he said.

"If they are replaced by clean energy, it will help to improve air quality," he said.

In addition to Hebei, Beijing and Tianjin are also reducing coal consumption.

According to the 2016-2017 Strengthening Measures Guide for the Control of Air Pollution in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region released by the Ministry of Environmental Protection in July, Beijing will basically eliminate the use of coal by the end of October next year, and Tianjin will tighten regulation of coal-burning for heating in the rural Wuqing district, which is near the capital.

According to the guide, next year's average annual concentration of PM2.5 - hazardous particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter - will be reduced to 60 micrograms per cubic meter in Beijing and Tianjin, and 67 in Hebei.

With the arrival of cold weather, heavy smog has already hit the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area several times this year. More smog is expected after the central heating system is switched on next week and villages' coal-fueled heating starts.

zhangyu1@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/09/2016 page4)
Twenty national scientific and research organizations from countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative issued a declaration on Tuesday, establishing an alliance of international scientists to promote cross-border cooperation.

The declaration was made after a two-day forum attended by more than 350 scientists from 40 countries and regions.

"The declaration not only represents the scientists' and research organizations' willingness to strengthen international cooperation among countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative, but also includes mechanisms that will enhance cooperation," said Tan Tieniu, vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which co-organized the forum.

The mechanisms include holding the forum every two years, multilateral personnel exchange and student training programs, and joint scientific research projects.

"The Chinese Academy of Sciences has been expanding cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road Initiative since 2013, and proposed this international scientific alliance, so we hope to play a leading role in the cooperation," Tan said.

The academy started a project in 2013 that offers 200 full scholarships per year to overseas candidates.

"Science and innovation not only holds the promise of solutions to complex scientific challenges in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, but can also be of significant value to the upgrading of the capacity and quality of cooperation between China and other countries," said Bai Chunli, president of the academy.

"Scientific organizations, scientists and experts from diverse backgrounds should enhance their efforts and cooperation in developing communities of common interests, responsibility and goals, and in providing a strong scientific basis for construction of the Belt and Road Initiative," he said.

Scientific organizations that issued the declaration include the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyzstan Academy of Sciences, the Pakistan Academy of Sciences, the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Russian Academy of Sciences.

chengyingqi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/09/2016 page4)
An armed policeman guards the entrance as a prison vehicle carrying British former banker Rurik Jutting departs the High Court in Hong Kong on Tuesday after a jury unanimously convicted him of murdering two Indonesian women in 2014.Roy Liu / China Daily

A jury at Hong Kong's High Court returned a unanimous guilty verdict on Tuesday in the trial of British banker Rurik Jutting, for the murders of Sumarti Ningsih, 23, and Seneng Mujiasih, 26, in 2014.

Jutting, a 31-year-old British investment banker, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the judge, Justice Michael Stuart-Moore, who said he is "an extreme danger to women".

His lawyer, Tim Owen, said his client will apply to serve his sentence in the United Kingdom under the Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement between Hong Kong and Britain.

In a dramatic, high-profile trial lasting more than two weeks, which the judge said "must rank as one of the most horrifying cases that has come to the courts of Hong Kong", the Cambridge-educated highflier - who earned more than $500,000 a year working for Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Hong Kong - was found guilty after less than six hours' deliberation by the jury of five men and four women.

Jutting - as he had been throughout the trial - was calm during his 45-minute final appearance in court. His lawyer read out a statement in which the 31-year-old accepted the verdict as just and said he was "sorry beyond words".

However, the judge rejected the sincerity of Jutting's statement, saying the latter is "the archetype of a sexual predator" and an extreme danger to women.

Jutting pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Oct 24, but this was rejected by the prosecution, which went on to detail the murders in an explicit manner.

The jury was shown videos from Jutting's iPhone, the audio of which was heard throughout the courtroom. Some clips depicted him torturing Ningsih, his first victim. In another, a naked Jutting pointed the camera at her body, lying in a shower area with her throat cut.

Other videos featured what Jutting later called his "narcissistic ramblings" on subjects such as his sadistic urges, his addictive use of prostitutes, sexual interest in meeting transsexuals and black male escorts, as well as his abuse of cocaine and alcohol.

In the second week of the trial, the defense called two expert witnesses from the UK, who testified that Jutting suffered from a combination of mental problems, including narcissistic personality disorder and sexual sadism disorder, as well as disorders relating to cocaine and alcohol abuse.

But their testimony was largely called into question by two psychiatrists from Hong Kong called by Prosecutor John Reading. They judged that Jutting's disorders did not render him "not in control of his actions".

In his summing up on Monday, the judge warned the jury not to allow thoughts of the victims or Jutting's "appalling lifestyle" to sway their judgment. He urged them to focus only on whether the case had been made that the accused's mental responsibility was substantially impaired when he carried out the killings.

The gruesome nature of the crimes shocked Hong Kong, a city with a low murder rate, and also sparked considerable international interest, with many media reports focusing on the extravagant lifestyles of highly paid expatriates working in banking and finance in the city.

jon.lowe@chinadailyhk.com
Nearly 35 percent of all complaints are related to fake job advertisements

A website run by cybersecurity company Qihoo 360 that helps fraud victims is expanding its reach after a positive response from police and the public, the team behind the site has said.

110.360.cn, the first platform of its kind in China, accepts reports of telecom, online and offline scams, and provides tips on how people can avoid falling prey to con artists.

The service was launched in May last year in partnership with the Beijing Public Security Bureau and has so far received more than 180,000 reports from victims, according to Liu Yang, a Qihoo 360 data analyst who works on the platform.

He said all the information is passed on to local authorities. "The data we gather provides clues for the police, and, if they need us to, we also work with them to conduct further research," he said, adding that his team has taken part in investigations into more than 30 fraud cases.

As of October, the website was working with police departments in 162 regions nationwide, he said, adding that he predicts the number will continue to increase.

Ye Manqing, head of cybersecurity for the Beijing Public Security Bureau, said the platform unites three forces against fraud - police, the public and online companies.

"It's a quick way to collect evidence of fraud and saves us time uncovering security problems," he said, explaining that authorities are stepping up efforts to combat con artists, especially those operating online, after two tragedies in August.

Xu Yuyu, an 18-year-old from Linyi, Shandong province, died of a heart attack after losing 9,900 yuan ($1,500) in a phone scam. The money had been intended to cover her college tuition fees. Song Zhenning, a college student in the same province, also died of cardiac arrest five days after being swindled out of 2,000 yuan.

The Supreme People's Court has since called on judges to get tough with fraudsters, while Xinhua News Agency reported on Nov 2 that police across Guangdong province had busted 60 gangs involved in online fraud in the past five months.

"To quickly and accurately find fraudsters, and to protect victims, we've upgraded the platform to allow users to report crimes via text messages or voice messages," said Pei Zhiyong, a cybersecurity specialist at Qihoo 360, who is in charge of the website.

"We encourage people to report any losses, even amounts as small as 2 yuan," he said, as the same con can be used many times, culminating in a potentially huge income for crooks.

According to data compiled by 110.360.cn, almost 35 percent of complaints filed last year were about fake job advertisements that phish for personal information. Other common scams were related to online games and fake prizes.

"Many fraud cases are a result of people releasing their personal information," Pei said. "In the internet age, it's hard to avoid giving out our details, but we should always ask for verification that someone is who they say they are. Double-checking is key."

caoyin@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/09/2016 page5)
A guideline to establish a system of disciplinary measures for judicial personnel has been issued, a move designed to address violations of law and dereliction of duty among judges and prosecutors.

The document, published on the website of the Supreme People's Court on Tuesday, provides experimental guiding principles to courts and procuratorates at all levels across the country as a means to address errors, incompetence and dereliction of duty among judges and prosecutors.

A means to file grievances for those being investigated for alleged misconduct or wrongdoings was also stipulated in the document.

A committee on judicial discipline is required to be set up at courts and procuratorates at the provincial level as well as in autonomous regions and municipalities.

The office of the committee will be set up at the high people's courts and procurator-ates at the provincial level.

The decision on misconduct cases, including dereliction of duty, must be made by more than two-thirds of all members of the committee.

Judges and prosecutors determined to be deliberately making wrong decisions in court cases that have brought severe consequences will face disciplinary measures.

Punishments include suspension, deferred promotion, removal from their posts, resignation and termination of employment.

"The decision to set up a committee on judicial discipline is of great significance in preventing judiciary power being misused," said Jiang Ming'an, a law professor of the Constitution and administrative law at Peking University.

Jiang said more-detailed regulations should be made regarding the punishment of judiciary personnel who are guilty of misconduct.

"For example, the criterion for 'major mistakes' made by judges and prosecutors should be more specific. The consequences brought by such mistakes, therefore, need to be narrowed down, too."

The committee on judicial discipline was set up in Qinghai province on Wednesday last week. It is comprised of 15 members including one director and four deputy directors.

The need for an accountability system for judicial personnel has become more urgent as a few wrong court rulings had been exposed in the past couple of years.

In the latest case, 27 judiciary staff were punished in January for a wrong decision that resulted in the execution of an innocent teenager in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region in April 1996.

Hugjiltu, the teenager, was executed for murder and rape, but was declared innocent in December 2014, when it was announced that he was wrongfully convicted.
Pei Zhiyong, 36, is a cybersecurity specialist at Qihoo 360 and head of 110.360.cn, a website set up to tackle online and offline fraud.

I've been working in internet-related jobs since graduating from college with a major in multimedia telecommunications, but it was an incident six years ago that made me want to take on online fraud.

In 2010, my two air-conditioners at home broke. After searching online, I found a repair company that sent over some workmen. The company appeared professional, but I was surprised when the workmen asked for more than 4,000 yuan ($615) upfront to carry out the repairs.

They claimed I needed new parts. I refused to pay that amount and we later settled on 600 yuan, covering the repairs and additional coolant for the air-conditioners.

I thought I'd been smart, as I hadn't paid the money they asked for. Later, I discovered the service shouldn't have cost more than 200 yuan and that the workers had not even fixed the machines properly. I'd been cheated.

After this experience, I never laughed at others who had been swindled. I'd met these people face to face, and I was still defrauded, let alone those whose money has been taken after they just replied to a text message or answered a stranger's call.

In 2012, I started working at Qihoo 360 and saw a chance to fulfill my wish to fight online fraud.

I was put in charge of a group to look at fake information on the internet and we established links with other internet enterprises in Beijing to share information.

Many people are swindled, and not because they are foolish or naive. Instead, it comes down to their lack of knowledge of how to distinguish between fake and real information, and carelessness in releasing personal data.

Finding fraudsters is the first step, but arresting them and helping others to avoid being cheated is the key.

I'm in charge of analyzing reports and uncovering new kinds of fraud, and then sharing solutions for netizens.

Fighting fraud is a battle. As we learn how fraudsters operate, they change their behavior. It's this change that motives me to analyze more and share more, and coordinate with police to stop them.

Pei Zhiyong spoke with Cao Yin.
Over 70 math teachers from primary schools in the United Kingdom arrived Monday, November 7 at Shanghai Normal University, at the start of a third period of a teaching and learning maths exchange program, reports thepaper.cn.

In July this year, the British government announced that 41 million pounds (about 51 million USD) would be allocated to adopt the Shanghai Mastery Model nationwide in the next four years to improve students' maths proficiency.

The teaching and learning exchange program has been ongoing for two years between China and UK, but has now been given a new name - "Shanghai Mastery Model for Teaching and Learning". The 70 maths teachers are the first group to come to Shanghai.

After one day's training, the maths teachers will go to 43 primary schools in Shanghai to experience "immersion" teaching and learning activities.

By the end of this month, 71 teachers in Shanghai will go to 35 primary schools in the UK as part of a two-week maths teaching and learning exchange program.

Clare Fowler, director of maths education policy at the UK Education Department, says teaching methods for maths in UK schools have changed a great deal, and is hoping that about half of primary schools in UK will see the benefits from the "Shanghai Mastery Model for Teaching and Learning".

In 2009 and 2012, students from Shanghai exhibited outstanding performances in the PISA, the Program for International Student Assessment, which is organized by the OECD to assess the skills of 15-year-old students in mathematics, science and reading.

In the PISA 2012 test, 55% of students from Shanghai were deemed as excellent in maths, while the figure in the UK was only 12%. This caused a fierce response in UK and in 2013, a delegation from the University of Nottingham visited maths classes in Shanghai, Zhejiang and Hubei on a fact finding mission.

In the spring of 2014, maths teachers in primary schools in the UK came to Shanghai to learn maths teaching and learning methods for the first time. In February 2015, Nicky Morgan, the then British Minister of Education, set goals for students to master the multiplication table by the age of 12.

In 2015, according to a report by Sheffield Hallam University, the Shanghai teaching and learning project was "the most creative one by UK Education Department".

Zhang Xuanmin, a professor from Shanghai Normal University and the person in charge of the project on the Chinese side, said the "Shanghai Mastery Model for Teaching and Learning" was better, especially in terms of maths teaching.
A man was sentenced to 14 years in prison with a fine of 60,000 yuan ($8,850) by a Beijing court on Tuesday for illegally buying and selling artworks made from wildlife products, according to The Beijing News.

The 38-year-old man, surnamed Teng, was convicted of trading about 500 kg of ivory as well as other items including rhino horns, bear's paws and pangolins.

He was caught after approaching a craftsman to make the artworks from raw materials last July. Two other men helped to sell the goods, the court said.

The artworks involved in the case are said to be worth nearly 16 million yuan  the biggest seizure in Beijing forestry police's history.

Tian Yuan contributed to this story.
 make sure the Israeli prime minister is among the first foreign leaders received at the White House and leave no doubt that the days of public backbiting and distancing from Americas most important and capable Middle Eastern ally are over.

Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

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..pjmedia.com..07 November '16..Most Israelis will be relieved when Barack Obama leaves the White House. Although few are brimming with confidence about either of the candidates to replace him, Israelis will not miss much about Obama: the eight years of constant friction with a four-times-elected Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu; severe and obsessive public criticism for such actions as building homes for Jews in supposedly proscribed parts of Jerusalem, and the like.There is also concern that the lame-duck Obama will take a pernicious parting shot at Israel from the United Nations.As John Hannah notes in aarticle on restoring Americas role in the world, the next U.S. president should:But public frictions, and even harmful diplomatic moves, are not the worst of Obamas legacy for Israel.Far more serious is the deteriorating security environment he leaves in his wake.
BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday talked with the two astronauts in the space lab Tiangong-2 at the command center of China's manned space program in Beijing.

The two astronauts, Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong, embarked on the space trip aboard the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft on Oct 17. They entered Tiangong-2 on Oct 19.
BEIJING -- An extra 75,000 households in Beijing can use clean-energy-fueled heating facilities instead of highly polluting coal stoves this winter, local authorities said Wednesday.

In a campaign to replace coal with cleaner fuel, Beijing has phased out coal-fired heating facilities in 75,000 households during the first ten months of this year, reducing the city's annual coal use by 225,000 tonnes, according to Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau.

Small stoves in Beijing's suburban and rural areas, not covered by the central heating system, have been blamed for worsening the city's smog during the winter.

By shifting to clean fuel, such as electricity and gas, the city can cut the annual emission of 2,250 tonnes of smoke and dust, 1,530 tonnes of sulfur dioxide and 450 tonnes of nitrous oxide.
SHANGHAI -- China's law enforcers on Tuesday responded to questions about how overseas NGOs will operate in China once the new law on overseas NGOs takes effect in January 2017.

At a briefing held by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and Shanghai Public Security Bureau in Shanghai on Tuesday, the MPS said there will be no "transitional period" for overseas NGOs.

Overseas NGOS in China are expected to prepare for the new regime and authorities are working on ways to assist them, said the MPS.

The representative offices of overseas NGO can organize activities within registered regions, the MPS said.

Citing articles 10 and 13 of the law, the MPS stressed that overseas NGOs can establish one or more representative offices in China, and should disclose and register the areas where they will operate.

The registered regions of two or more representative offices affiliated to the same overseas NGO should not overlap, it said.

According to the MPS, a catalogue of fields and activities in which overseas NGOs are allowed to operate in China, as well as a list of authorities in charge of their operation, is being drafted.

This will clarify the agencies responsible for the management of overseas NGOs' activities in various fields, including the economy, education and disaster relief, it said.

The ministry is pondering more details on supervising overseas NGO activities.

Officials from consulates of 11 countries in Shanghai, including the United States, Britain, Germany and Japan, attended the briefing.
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The award ceremony for the 7th National Foreign Language Teaching Contest (NFLTC), which was co-hosted by the Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press, was held in Shanghai on Nov 7.

The organization and implementation of the contest have been supported by the Ministry of Education,the National Foreign Language Teaching Advisory Board and provincial education departments.

In his written remarks, Wu Qidi, former vice minister of education and honorary director of the organizing committee of NFLTC, said: "Since its establishment seven years ago, NFLTC has had a tremendous impact on the reforms of Chinas foreign language teaching, the training of teachers, the improvement of higher educationquality in China and the cultivation of teacher morals.

Since March,the regional semi-finals and finals have been held in 29 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions across the country, making the contest the one with the largest number of participating provinces.

To further implement the principles of NavigatingCollege English Teaching, which wereformulated by the Ministry of Education, the contest included for the first time side competitionsin microlecture, an online and mobile learning methodfeaturing a constructivist approach, to encouragecollege English teachers to utilizemultimedia teaching resources and innovative teaching philosophy and methods.

According to officials, the NFLTC hasconstantly been adhering to the principles of impartiality, authority, rigorousness and pragmatism. In addition, as Chinas largest, highest-level and most influential foreign language teaching competition, the NFLTC has played a vital role in supporting efforts in English teaching in higher education, from college English to professional English as well as vocational English teaching.

Industry experts have said that the NFLTC has developed over the years to become more than just a contest  the initiative has now become a major platform to cultivate quality foreign language teachers and an important way of exploring a foreign language teaching system with Chinese characteristics.

Its a huge encouragement and honor for me, said Liu Wenbo, one of the grand-prize winners.I learned a lot from the judges and other contestants. Im very grateful for this opportunity.

Wen Wenyi contributed to this story.
President Xi Jinping greets two Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong II space lab during a video call on Wednesday afternoon. [Photo/Xinhua]

President Xi Jinping greeted two Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong II space lab during a video call on Wednesday afternoon.

Xi asked about the physical condition, living conditions and work progress of Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong during the half-month they have been in space so far. The mission will last a month.

"We are in good health. And our work is going smoothly," Jing said. "We can even watch live broadcasting of Xinwen Lianbo (CCTV's flagship news program at 7 pm) on the spaceship with a smooth and clear picture."

He said the two are enjoying better working and living conditions aboard the space module, which is linked to the Shenzhou XI spacecraft, than their predecessors, adding, "We feel so proud of our country."

Xi encouraged the astronauts to redouble their efforts and cooperate with each other closely to complete the mission successfully.

The Shenzhou XI space mission is China's sixth manned space mission. In the course of these missions, technology for ground-to-space calls has developed rapidly.

Yang Yu, a CCTV commentator, said, "For the audience, the most impressive part about the space-ground calls is the emotional communication that was supported by technological breakthroughs."

chengyingqi@chinadaily.com.cn
Premier Li Keqiang met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in Moscow, continuing bilateral high-level exchanges and signaling a desire for further cooperation.

Moscow was Li's second stop in Russia and the last stop of his eight-day Eurasian trip, which has also taken him to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Latvia. Li also met with Putin in June during the Russian president's visit to China.

A major characteristic of the China-Russia relationship is that high-level meetings are frequent between leaders of the two countries, which has become the "locomotive" that pulls bilateral ties forward, Jiang Yi, a Central Asian studies researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said on Tuesday.
Michael J Jordan is a seasoned American journalist, storytelling specialist and is currently based in Beijing as a communications consultant whose strategic advocacy has ranged from raising awareness of HIV orphans in Africa to environmental protection in China. Besides tea ching International Journalism at three of China's leading universities, he is also trying to inspire more individual Chinese to protect the environment through a Youth Environmental Education workshop, which is sponsored by the US Embassy in Beijing. How does his Advocacy-through-Storytelling formula work? And how effective is a good story in achieving transformation in this digital era when people's attention is so easily fragmented?

Host: Hu Zhe

Guest: Michael J Jordan

Camera: Cong Ruiting

Editing: Yu Xiaoou

Subtitles: Xu Xin (Intern)

Producer: Hu Zhe

Executive Producer: Feng Minghui

About Easy Talk:

Easy Talk is a talk show program covering the latest living-related issues in today's China. Foreigners living in China are invited to share their life experiences and observations on a variety of light topics. The discussions revolve around the cultural differences that exist between China and other countries, covering various aspects and the implications they have on China's cultural exchange with the world.
A Su embroidery work that describes the ancient daily life of Suzhou people. [Photo by Zhang Xingjian/chinadaily.com.cn]

Zhenhu, located in the west of Su Zhou new district, is a time-honored ancient town with typical Wu and Taihu culture. It is also reputed as a land of milk and honey.

As the hometown of Su embroidery, Zhenhu boasts a 1,700-meter-long embroidery street, appreciating the magnificent Chinese Embroidery Art Gallery and listening to the stories behind each works, you will definitely be amazed by the long-living Su embroidery culture.
The opening-up of Chinas financial sector entered a new phase recently when Yicai Wealth Management Co Ltd completed its registration in Qingdao, Shandong province, becoming the first ever wholly foreign-owned wealth management company to be established in China.

The registration of the new 146 million yuan ($21.5 million) venture marks the start of a new era for Chinese finance and the city of Qingdao, and the culmination of a long journey for Yicai's backers, Italy's largest banking group Intesa Sanpaolo.

How Qingdao trumped the first-tier cities to attract Intesa Sanpaolo

Qingdao proved to be the perfect fit for Intesa Sanpaolo, whose relationship with the city goes back to 2007 when the group acquired a 15-percent stake in the Bank of Qingdao.

The coastal city is already characterized by widespread wealth, and the Italian bank believes that it has very high potential to continue growing rapidly in the coming years.

A recent report by the Economist Intelligence Unit predicts that by 2030 Qingdao will have more than 2 million high-income residents earning more than 200,000 yuan per year, and this is also likely to lead to a surge in the number of high net worth individuals (HNWI) living in the city.

Qingdao also offers Intesa Sanpaolo a very favorable business environment thanks to the Chinese government's recent decision to name the city a wealth management pilot zone, giving the city the freedom to introduce innovative policies in a bid to attract local and international wealth management companies.

One senior manager from Intesa Sanpaolo shared that the bank expects Qingdao's pilot zone status to lead to more relaxed restrictions on setting up new companies in the city, more favorable new regulations, and a more open market for foreign companies within the zone.

The pilot zone could also help Qingdao turn into a financial hub attracting HNWI customers from across mainland China, according to the senior manager.

The city also has the advantage of providing easy access to the rest of Shandong province.

The vision and support of the Qingdao government was also a crucial factor in Intesa Sanpaolo's decision, the senior manager added. The bank was impressed by the city's plans for the wealth management sector and its strong support for Intesa Sanpaolo's projects.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province, May 14, 2015. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi starts his three-day official visit to Japan on Thursday, he will be expecting to see the already close bilateral relationship rise to a new height, with several major deals set to be inked.

Among them will be a civil nuclear cooperation agreement, which allows Japan to export its nuclear plant technologies to India, and one on India's purchase of 12 amphibious rescue aircraft from a Japanese manufacturer worth up to $1.6 billion.

These deals are especially significant given that India has yet to ratify the international Non-Proliferation Treaty, and that the aircraft deal will be one of Japan's first sales of military equipment since it lifted a 50-year ban on arms exports.

The very good personal chemistry between Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is said to have played a part in deepening relations between the two nations. It is reported that Modi is one of the few people Abe follows on Twitter. Modi, on his part, first visited Japan back when he was chief minister of India's Gujarat province.

It would be just another diplomatic anecdote if it stopped there.

Yet some have tried to describe the visit as a mutual effort by New Delhi and Tokyo to "counter an assertive China", or "to keep a rising China in check". They hope that an anti-China alliance could be forged between the world's second most populous nation and third-largest economy, because of China's longstanding territorial dispute with India and its spat with Japan over the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

People with such thinking have too simplistic an idea of international relations that are not a zero-sum game.

Modi has always sought "to lead India's foreign policy with its economic interests in mind". And Japan's trade with India is still less than a quarter of that between India and China.

China, as the top trade partner of both, is more than happy to see deepened economic, trade and political relations between its neighbors if they contribute to peace and stability in the region.

While some in Japan may continue to trumpet "the rule of law in the South China Sea" or "freedom and openness in the Indian and Pacific Oceans", as Abe did with Modi in September on the sidelines of a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Laos, Sino-Indian relations are strong enough to withstand differences and external interferences.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton (L) and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump arrive before the second presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Sunday, Oct 9, 2016. [Photo/IC]

The result of the US presidential election will be known soon, but no matter who wins, it will not be a victory for democracy.

The poorly contrived tactics employed by the two parties for the nomination of their respective candidates, as well as the slurs used by Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump against each other in their debates have exposed the "nasty aspects" of US democracy.

To ensure Clinton's successful nomination, Bernie Sanders was sacrificed by the Democratic Party.

Within the Republican Party some big-wigs openly expressed views to Trump's disadvantage and even extended support to Clinton.

Worse, Clinton's email scandal and claims that she is in poor health along with the sexual harassment accusations against Trump, as well as emotive and extremist opinions and undisguised personal attacks have reduced the US presidential race to a chaotic political farce in many people's eyes.

This should be attributed to the deeply rooted malaise in US society. Many ordinary people in the US are yet to benefit from its economic recovery after the financial crisis and structural problems are widening the gap between the rich and poor, leaving the younger generation particularly bewildered.

And US President Barack Obama's eight-year rule has not fundamentally eased the contradictions in US society, failing to meet his promises to bring in changes.

Instead, the contradictions among races, generations, genders, regions and classes have been exacerbated. It is the pervasive sense of anger, anxiety and pessimism among people in the US, along with the prevalence of isolationism, protectionism and populism that have contributed to Trump's political rise.

Such problems plaguing the US have resulted from its sluggish action to push forward institutional reforms on such issues as immigration, gun control, tax and education. The new US president still has to tackle these thorny issues.
Tourists visit the Badaling Great Wall in Beijing, capital of China, Oct 23, 2016.[Photo/Xinhua]

THE FORESTRY Bureau in Laishui county, North China's Hebei province, uses poisoned bait to kill mice, rats, rabbits and hares to protect local woods. There must be better ways to care for the forests, says Beijing News:

Environmental experts warn the poison may harm other wild animals, too, and it is a threat to both the ecological balance in the province and humans.

Because of the lack of predators, it is necessary to control the number of small mammals that are damaging the forests. But, having said that, the forestry bureau needs to carefully assess the environmental impact of using poisoned bait and consider whether it is the best means of pest control.

If it does use poison, the bureau needs to be prudent and choose the least toxic poison that is effective. It should also identify the ranges where the animals are being most destructive. To prevent any accidents, local residents must be kept informed of the areas where poisoned bait is being used and warned to keep livestock away.

While it is easy to bring down the number of pests by poisoning, it should be borne in mind that herbivores are important parts of the local biosystem. It is wrong to simply try and exterminate them.

Instead, the bureau may think of introducing some small predators to conserve the ecological equilibrium in a more environmentally friendly way.
Wu Run, a 6-year-old girl from a poor family, buries herself among garbage at a residential community in Guiyang, Guizhou province, on Feb 25. Wu Dongjun / for China Daily

The very heart of the Sustainable Development Goals is to end poverty in all forms everywhere by 2030. To do this we must break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by putting children first. Not only because it's legally and morally the right thing to do, but also because it makes economic and social sense.

Children are more likely to be poor. Whether using the extreme poverty line or the Multidimensional Poverty Index, children are more likely to live in poverty than other groups. According to China's sixth national population census in 2010, the number of children living in poverty-stricken areas is estimated to be 70 million, accounting for about 25 percent of the child population nationwide. The mortality of children living in the poorest counties at each age is higher than the national average by 50 percent or more. About 5 percent of children in poverty-stricken areas do not complete compulsory education. Only 64 percent of children live with both parents.

Poverty goes beyond economic indicators. While inadequate household income is a significant driver of child poverty, poverty is about the set of deprivations that boys and girls experience across different aspects of their lives. These deprivations occur for children living within and outside designated income poor households, in rural areas and in cities, and include, hunger, lack of loving care, exposure to violence or abuse, social discrimination and exclusion, and poor access to basic services like education, water and sanitation.

Children suffer from the effects of poverty more than adults because even short periods spent in poverty in childhood can have irreversible effects on a child's physical, cognitive and social development. Poverty sets children on a life-long path of low educational achievement and reduced productivity, and undermines their physical and mental health. Children who grow up in poverty are more likely to become poor adults and have poor children, creating and sustaining intergenerational cycles of poverty.

While the largest costs are born by children themselves, society also pays a high price through loss of productivity, untapped potential and the costs of responding to chronic poverty.

We congratulate the government for its continued progress on poverty and for keeping poverty high on national and global agendas. The government has in place many plans to benefit children; poor children, children who have been left behind, orphans, and children with disabilities.

To ensure these plans reach every girl and boy with the services they need at the right time, they require good evidence. The child poverty analysis that the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development and UNICEF conducted in Hubei province in 2015, examined the drivers of child poverty. Evidence from this analysis showed policymakers which children were at greatest risk, the kinds of deprivations that they experienced, and at which age interventions must be tailored to be most effective. This analysis was critical to develop effective and integrated child poverty programming in Hubei.

Decision-makers should commit to widespread use of the child poverty analysis, which is the basis for effective and efficient multi-sector programming. National, provincial and local plans and budgets for children need to be fully funded, implemented and evaluated. Lastly, if poverty is measured nationally, not only in rural areas, and a measure of child poverty is adopted to identify and track the children making the least progress, this would allow programs to steer investments first to the poorest children to help them catch up. It will also allow robust measurement toward achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal One, which includes a target to track multidimensional poverty for children as a specific group.

Making the choice to put children first in national development and poverty alleviation strategies is essential. With economic growth decelerating, policy choices will become harder. Investment in children ensures the best returns.

No strategy is more effective than to give every child a fair start in life. UNICEF is a proud partner in China and supports National efforts to realize child rights and end child poverty for good.

The author is UNICEF Representative in China.
SONG CHEN/CHINA DAILY

The China-US relationship on the whole has been stable during the eight years of Barack Obama's presidency, even achieving some major breakthroughson climate change for instance. However, strategic mutual suspicion has increased and bilateral ties have encountered huge difficulties on many occasions.

Although the possibility of a military conflict between China and the United States is slim, whether the China-US relationship will focus on strategic competition with only minimal essential cooperation, like the one between Washington and Moscow after the Ukraine crisis, has become a theoretical but serious question.

The rapid rise of China has prompted the US to believe that China will challenge its hegemony while Beijing is worried that Washington will go out of its way to disrupt or prevent China's rise. The relationship seems to have entered a dim "strategic tunnel", in which both have to feel their way and collide from time to time.

However, there are also signs of an emerging new strategic equilibrium. Despite their differences, the two countries have not come close to a direct confrontation. And although none of the key problemssuch as the US arms sales to Taiwan, the South China Sea issue and cyber securityhas been fundamentally resolved, some have gradually stabilized or cooled down.

There are some reasons for this emerging strategic equilibrium.

First, leaders of both countries are aware that the stakes of China-US relations are so high that neither side, nor the rest of the world, could afford a full estrangement. As such, whenever the relationship seemed to have reached a "cliff", leaders have shown a strong desire to put it back on track. Several times in the past few years, both governments have signaled at critical moments that no matter what is being disputed that measures must be taken to de-escalate the situation.

Second, leaders of the two countries have established fairly stable high-level exchange mechanisms. The number of meetings between Obama and two Chinese heads of state has been record high. Xi Jinping and Obama have had a series of long, informal and in-depth meetings to develop interpersonal trust.

The annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue and High-Level Consultation on People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges play an important role in promoting inter-agency coordination and advancing bilateral cooperation between the bureaucracies of the two countries. Indeed, the strategic significance and efficiency of these dialogues have to be improved.

Third, China and the US have maintained strong cooperation in major global issues. The agreement on climate change is regarded as the highlight of their relationship over the past few years. Similar cooperation has been seen in product coverage expansion under the World Trade Organization Information Technology Agreement, the Iranian nuclear issue and the response to Ebola outbreaks in West Africa. On the Democratic People's Republic of Korea nuclear issue, the two countries have acute differences over the deployment of the US' Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system in the Republic of Korea, but it has not changed their shared position against the DPRK carrying out nuclear tests.

That bilateral disagreements on some issues have not seriously affected their cooperation on major global and regional issues testifies to the increasing maturity of their relationship.

And the steadily growing military-to-military relations between the US and China will help them avoid conflicts and confrontations. Given their not-so-friendly military-to-military relations in the past, it is gratifying to see them improve over the past more than four years.

Some disagreements on military-to-military exchanges do remain, but political and military leaders have increased contacts and continue their joint efforts to manage and control crises, and build confidence. For example, despite their disagreements over the South China Sea issue, the two countries' navies have been engaging each other in a professional manner.

No matter who is elected to the White House, so long as the new US president sees this silver lining, bilateral ties will continue to be stable for the next four years. If not, Washington could shatter the fragile new equilibrium and push the China-US relationship toward confrontation.

The author is director of the Institute of American Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

Courtesy: chinausfocus.com
Kowloon West lawmaker-elect Priscilla Leung Mei-fun (second right) celebrates with her party colleagues after winning a seat in the Legislative Council election during a press conference of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong at Admiralty on Monday. Parker Zheng / China Daily

People generally agree democracy is a good but not a perfect political system. When applied in accordance with the social conditions, it is conducive to social development. Otherwise, it could impede and even undermine social development. That's why there is "good democracy" and "bad democracy", as is evident from the history of political development across the world.

On Oct 12, two elected members of the Hong Kong Legislative CouncilSixtus Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-chingdeliberately violated the oath-taking procedure and content requirements of the oath. They even insulted the country and the Chinese people in words and deeds while taking the oath of office. Worse, they advocated "Hong Kong independence".

However, the pursuit of "independence" has nothing to do with democracy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In fact, it violates the basic political principle of "One Country, Two Systems".

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, as the top legislature of the country, has the full right to interpret the Basic Law, by which the SAR is governed, when the basic political principle is severely challenged.

The Hong Kong SAR is the fruit of the People's Republic of China's "One Country, Two Systems" principle aimed at resolving the reunification issue. The central authorities have charted out the path of democracy for Hong Kong, especially because the region's economy is rooted in capitalism. The objective of "One Country, Two Systems" principle is to ensure the SAR enjoys long-lasting prosperity and stability under the premise of national unity. And according to the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, democratic political development in Hong Kong started after the region's reunification with the motherland.

Moreover, Hong Kong's democratic political development should be in accordance with its actual situation. And democracy in the SAR should develop step by step.

These principles will help Hong Kong achieve quality democracy, which is the aim of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle.

The central authorities' stance takes into consideration the fundamental interests of Hong Kong people as well as those of their compatriots in the rest of the country. However, Hong Kong's pan-democracy camp has different views on democracy.

In the legal realm, political differences should be resolved through talks. But the pan-democracy camp began opposing the central authorities' arrangement even before political reform was launched and has resorted to political confrontations through agitations, such as the "Occupy Central" movement in 2014.

On June 18, 2015, the pan-democracy camp rejected the universal suffrage plan of the Hong Kong chief executive, resulting in the suspension of the SAR's political reform. And the latest pro-"independence" farce of the two legislators-elect while taking oath has created a rift in Hong Kong. What they have done goes against the interest of Hong Kong residents.

The political bottom line in Hong Kong is the "One Country, Two Systems" principle, so by advocating "Hong Kong independence" the legislators-elect not only violated the basic political and legal principle, but also threatened national unity.

Some attribute the recent chaos in the SAR to people's frustration with Hong Kong's political reform. But that should not be a reason for disrupting the SAR's normal political order. All political moves of the central authorities, the pan-democracy camp rejected the universal suffrage plan of the Hong Kong chief executive, the SAR government and the pan-democracy camp should be within the framework of the law. This makes the pan-democracy camp's actions illegal and harmful to the SAR's political order.

The Basic Law of Hong Kong makes the direction of the SAR's political development clear. And the central authorities want democracy to develop in the regionwhich is also the goal of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle. Whether or not it will be a "good" democracy depends on whether it is conducive to national unity and long-term prosperity of Hong Kong. And the latest wave of moves by the pro-"independence" forces show how urgent for the Hong Kong legislation to accelerate the lawmaking process to implement Article 23 of the Basic Law, which bans treason and separatism.

The author is a professor at Shenzhen University and a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies.
WASHINGTON -- US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is in good shape as American voters head to polls Tuesday, but her slight lead over Republican rival Donald Trump is no guarantees for a win in a tight election.

Clinton is leading Trump by 3.2 percent points in the RealClear Politics average of national polls on Monday. That means that while Clinton may squeak by, the election may still be up for grabs.

Trump' s campaign has seen more ups and downs than a busy elevator. Some polls in recent months have seen the brash billionaire leading Clinton by a point or two. And while it seemed just a few weeks ago that his campaign was doomed after the release of tapes in which he made outrageous sexist comments, Trump was able to spring back and resuscitate his campaign.

After that, Trump's numbers surged recently after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) re-opened its investigation into Clinton's email scandal. Still, Clinton is ahead and looks to be in good shape as Americans head to the polls, experts said.

"Clinton appears to be in good shape for Election Day," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

"The FBI has dropped its investigation into her emails and said there was no basis for an indictment." Clinton has high-profile surrogates on the campaign trail including Beyonce, Lebron James, and Katy Perry, West said, referring to US celebrities who are wildly popular.

He added that Clinton has a fundraising advantage over Trump that has allowed her to outspend him considerably in the campaign.

Democrats have a much stronger turnout operation than Republicans, which in swing states will help them mobilize Clinton's supporters. "Based on early voting numbers, Latinos seem to be turning out in record numbers and most of them are expected to vote Democratic," West said.

Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua that if the polls hold true and Hillary does win by a hair, it will reflect both the strength of an ascendant Democratic voting coalition of young people, minorities, and more educated voters that has a lock on the Electoral College.

"It will also represent a huge missed opportunity for the GOP, given that there are still many dissatisfied Americans who want change. Yet (the GOP) channeled it into the most unconventional-and ultimately unelectable-GOP nominee in recent history," West said, referring to the Republican Party.

When asked whether the FBI's recent dropping of its case will help Clinton, Mahaffee said that it will help her slightly, but the damage was still done. The controversy gave some moderate Republicans a reason to vote for Trump rather than staying home, voting for a third-party candidate, or crossing over to Clinton.

"With such high disapproval numbers for both candidates, neither has benefited from extended media attention to one scandal or another, and the FBI refocused attention back on the emails," Mahaffee said, referring to the very high negative rates of both candidates.

The 2016 race for the White House will be remembered for being the contest in which both candidates have unusually high negative rates, with each being despised by certain demographics.

While Trump is highly popular among white blue-collar Americans, he is hated by many single women and Latinos. For her part, Clinton is somewhat popular among her own supporters, but deeply distrusted by much of the public.
Voters cast their ballots in the 2016 Presidential Elections at a polling station in Chicago, United States on November 8, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Voters headed to the polling stations all over the United States on Tuesday, but many still felt disappointed by the presidential candidates and found it a hard choice to decide who should become the country's next leader.

Both U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump cast their ballots along with their families in the empire state on the morning of election day on Tuesday.

However, their fate as well as the country's future will be decided by the American voters across the country. Although Clinton is leading Trump by a few percent points in the latest national polls, the competition is still considered neck-to-neck.

At a local polling place in the Borough of Brooklyn, New York, dozens of voters had been lining up outside the building as early as 7:00 a.m.. Many poll workers were busy helping voters to find their registration, fill in their ballot and cast their vote.

Peter Vanden Bos said he voted for Hillary because he thought Trump was divisive, totally unqualified and unfit for the presidency.

"I wish the campaign would not have been so contentious and negative," he said, "I'm just glad it's over."

Wearing a bright red cap with "Make America Free Again," Trump supporter Alex Burlak was a rare sighting in the Borough that was considered more liberal than the rest of the city.

Burlak, a pharmacy owner, said he believed Hillary Clinton was the most corrupt politician in U.S. history and "never told the truth in public, ever."

Burlak said he have met plenty of Trump supporters in his daily life, and even though New York is a deep blue state that will eventually go to Hillary Clinton, he still wanted his voice to be heard.

In Frederick Samuel Community Center in Harlem, northern New York City, voter Desiree Kennedy did not want to disclose whom she had voted for, but said that "honestly, I don't care about either of the candidates."

"It is very scary that in 2016, there are still a lot of people who have very racist views, negative views and sexist views," Kennedy said, adding that "hopefully it will change."

At the same polling station, 44-year-old Pauline Grant said she voted more for moral than for value.

She said, for five generations since her great great great parents, her family had voted for the Democrats. "It's a family tradition."

When asked whether she thought Clinton can reunite the country and make the country great if Clinton was elected, she said she didn't think so. She said she believed that the media was biased against Trump.

In Williamsburg Community Center in Brooklyn, Scott, a startup owner in his 30s who only gave his first name, said: "I voted for Donald Trump, because I want something completely different."

"I appreciate Trump's business spirit because I am a small business owner. It was a difficult choice for me because they both want to get a lot of media attention. You cannot get to know the truth. I think media has been manipulated towards Clinton," Scott said.
HOUSTON - Voters in the second largest US state of Texas cast their ballots for the presidential election on Tuesday, while many of them considered the election both unconventional and critical.

Braving cold wind and rain, voters in Houston, the state's largest city, went to polling stations across the greater Houston area. In the two main polling stations in the southwestern part of Houston, many voters told Xinhua that this election was very important and critical in terms of deciding the direction the United States would go in the next few years. And they had no choice but to choose from the two unpopular nominees.

"This year's presidential election is very unique in the US history with both candidates of the two parties being very unpopular. The new president, Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, will have to pay more attention to the relationship with China as ties are the most important for the two countries," said Jingjing Clemence, Republican Precinct chair and vice president of Texas Asian Republican Club.

Peter Li, tenure professor of the University of Houston, told Xinhua that "this year's presidential election is unarguably the most unconventional one and no matter who will be the new president of the nation, she or he has to establish a positive relationship with China as US-China relations are the most important one in the world and a good US-China relationship is a bipartisan consensus in the nation."

Michael Gibson, chairman for the Republican Party in Fort Bend county, southwestern part of Houston, told Xinhua that "I think it is absolutely critical that everybody gets out to vote. This election will decide not only who will be the next president, but also to decide what direction the country will go."

Jan Cramer, a 72-year-old white woman who favors Trump, told Xinhua that "I really have never seen a thing (election) like this before. The elections like this is unbelievable. I cannot close my eyes to a lot of things Hillary Clinton did."

Dorothy cock, a 68-year-old Black woman who voted for Clinton, told Xinhua that "This is the worst election I have ever seen in my life. It makes me not glad to be here because I am really sick of it."

As a Republican support base, Texas, which has 38 electoral votes, has been a die-hard red state for many presidential elections. Barack Obama failed to win the Lone Star State in his 2008 and 2012 elections. But many voters in the state might cast "unconventional" ballots in the unconventional elections this year.
Police officers are seen at the scene of a shooting near a polling station, in Azusa, California, US November 8, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

LOS ANGELES - A polling station in Southern California was locked down on Tuesday following a shooting in Azusa, leaving one people killed and two others critically injured.

The incident occurred in a restaurant near W 5th street and N Orange Avenue, some 1.5 km away from the nearest polling station in Azusa, a small town about 50 km from Los Angeles, witnesses told Xinhua,

A person with an assault rifle left the scene and hide inside a two-floor apartment one block away, they added.

Police have surrounded the building, where a body was found lying on the ground outside.

Los Angeles Times quoted fire officials as saying since the situation was not "contained," not all the injured have received treatment.

Azusa, located in Los Angeles County, has about 46,000 residents.
An electronic billboard displays a vote hashtag at Times Square in New York City, US, November 7, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

NEW YORK - "More disgusted than excited" has recently been a much-used phrase for US media describing majority of likely voters' mood about the 2016 presidential election.

Yet there is no lack of black humor when referring to both major candidates, Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, who have the highest disapproval ratings in US history.

One can easily catch some while walking through the streets around the Times Square, one of the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world on Tuesday as tens of thousands Americans went to polling stations.

"Give me a dollar or I'm voting for Trump," is the sentence written on the cardboard in front of two beggars sitting on east sidewalk of the Square Tuesday morning.

"Please help! Stranded need buss fare to get to Maine. Any thing at all adds up. Please God Bless." Reads another cardboard meters away held by a young couple with their heads ducking behind it.

Against the backdrop of bright billboards and advertisement on skyscrapers, the act of the four serves as a reminder why so many low-income, undereducated whites leaned towards Donald Trump, who has no government service experience but feeds their anger and disappointment towards the so-called traditional politicians.

"They are going fast," said gift shop owner Ahmad, pointing to the T-shirts printed with either Hillary or Trump's cartoon image."15 dollars only."

On one T-shirt, "Trump" is flushed into a toilet with a caption "DUMP TRUMP". On another, below "Hillary" writes "For president, let's make history."

But Ahmad, who immigrated to U.S. from Pakistan more than 20 years ago, said he did not bother to vote on Tuesday. His daughter, ?lander, a college student, said Hillary is more qualified for the country's top post but she did not cast her vote either.

What entices more fun are the Presidential Parody Pet Toys featuring Hillary and Donald in a variety of sizes. Some of them are being hung high on the giant glass window of a gift shop a few blocks west of the Square.

The Hillary toy is the heat to beat with her red pantsuit ablaze, and her fiery gaze fixed on the Oval Office, as the producer's ad goes, fling her into the ring ... and watch the fur fly.

The Donald toy is styling with his golden tan, quaffed plush hair, and flashy garb. His well-heeled foot will inevitably end up in pets' mouth, the ad says

Americans have every reason to try to joke about this year's election as many pundits say it is hard to find a clean spot on either candidate in this campaign of so much mudslinging.

"It's a mistake to think that democracy is 'clean'," said Michael Munger, professor of political science at Duke University, in an interview with Xinhua through email. "In fact, this election is NOT especially dirty, by the standards of history."

for Clinton and Trump, it does show that voters do not trust the two 'major' parties, which have been corrupted by their own power and ability to raise money," Munger said.

The Duke professor might have driven his point home, the tasks including economy, immigration and social issues, are daunting for the new president, whoever wins the painfully long election on Tuesday.

The nonstopping clicking of the National Debt Clock, installed on the Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, silently suggests the not-so-pinky future of the sole superpower. The US national debt has surpassed 19 trillion U.S. dollars, the largest debt in the nation's 240-year history.

The huge amount alone could not be shunned away by any kind of black humor.
PHNOM PENH - Cambodia commemorated the 63rd anniversary of the declaration of the Independence Day on Wednesday with the participation of approximately 10,000 people.

King Norodom Sihamoni, accompanied by Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and National Assembly President Samdech Heng Samrin, laid a wreath and ignited the victory torch inside the Independence Monument to symbolize the country's independence from the colonial rule.

The victory flame will be kept burning for three days.

Live broadcast on the state-owned National Television of Cambodia (TVK), the celebration was attended by senior officials, diplomatic corps, armed forces, civil servants, residents and students.

Pigeons and balloons were released at the end of the event as a sign of independence and freedom.

In the evening, there will be a fireworks show over the Tonle Sap River in front of the Royal Palace.

The Southeast Asian nation gained full independence from the French protectorate on Nov. 9, 1953 during the reign of then-King Norodom Sihanouk.
LIMA - Peru is set to be the focus of global attention for the week starting Nov 14, when the 2016 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting gets underway.

Under the theme of "Quality growth and human development," the 21 member economies of APEC will seek to make decisions to facilitate trade and investment as well as consolidate liberalization policies.

During the week, APEC leaders and government officials will focus on the modernization of micro, small and medium-sized companies within the territory and their inclusion into global value chains, the strengthening of regional food market and food security, human capital development and regional economic integration.

The APEC members also aim to coordinate their stances on the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) during the meeting.

Meanwhile, in the APEC CEO Summit, a parallel business forum, a number of high-profile business leaders are set to make relevant advice and recommendations to the participating world leaders.

There will also be an informal dialogue between APEC leaders and presidents of the countries within the Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru). The first such a meeting was held during the 2015 APEC Week in the Philippines.

The 21 members of APEC account for 39 percent of world population, 57 percent of global GDP and 49 percent of global trade.
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President Xi Jinping will pay state visits to Ecuador, Peru and Chile later this month.

The president will attend APEC leaders meetings in Lima, Peru as part of the week-long trip starting Nov 17, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Wednesday.

The Foreign Ministry will hold a news conference on Thursday morning to detail the president's trip to Latin America, Lu said.

After becoming the Chinese president in March 2013, Xi has already visited Latin America twice, after going to Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica and Mexico in 2013, and to Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Cuba in July the following year.

China is a strong supporter of Latin American stability, unity and development.

Last month, Xi said China was ready to work with Latin American countries to forge a community with a shared future, when he met with Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez in Beijing.

China and Uruguay would maintain high-level exchanges and enhance communication at all levels to promote mutual understanding and trust, he said during the meeting.
US ambassador to China, Max Baucus (L), poses for group photos with guests in the US embassy in Beijing on Wednesday. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Observers in both China and the US have expressed mixed view on the looming Donald Trump presidency, due to his lack of governing experience.

It came as a traditional election event was being held on election night at the US Embassy in Beijing.

Jean Cockroft, a Fullbright US scholar who is teaching political science at the Southwest University of China, suspects US-China relations could become more difficult amid a Trump presidency.

During a video Q&A, Thomas Schaller, political Science professor at the University of Maryland, also pointed out that US-China policies would be very different under the Trump administration, compared to a Clinton alternative.

"I expect Trump could be a bit more aggressive about trade deals. Trade relations would be different not just from the Obama tradition, but also from the Republican traditions including the Bush administration," Professor Schaller commented.

Apart from the trade issue, there is also general concern about whether the next US president would cast a shadow on the Sino-US climate cooperation. In 2012, Trump tweeted that "the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive".

"It generally postures a American first or American alone, and there is a sort of policy isolationism in Trump's policy announcement. Given that he proclaims to call climate change 'liar', I cannot imagine that he would continue to be a dreamiest within his party," Professor Schaller said during the video interview with chinadaily.com.cn.

But, "How much Trump's words would turn into action is a different thing because of the congress and the division of his own party," Professor Cockroft stressed.

Despite all the political uncertainties facing the Republican leader, Zhang Wei, professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, remains optimistic. "As a business person, Trump's thinking is naturally different from traditional US politicians. Theoretically, Trump would bring more new ideas to the US political system, which could be a good thing," Zhang said.

"Plus, Trump knows how to do business with other countries unlike some ideal politicians without down-to-earth experiences. So, this could also contribute to better economic and trade ties between China and US."
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives for his election night rally at the New York Hilton Midtown in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 9, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

European Council President Donald Tusk has invited the next American President Donald Trump to hold an EU-US summit as soon as possible, at the same time urging him to put trans-Atlantic relations high on his agenda.

Tusk sent the invitation shortly after Trump won Tuesday's election to be the 45th President of the United States of America.

"Today, it is more important than ever to strengthen transatlantic relations. Only by cooperating closely can the EU and the US continue to make a difference when dealing with unprecedented challenges," said Tusk in his congratulation letter.

Tusk has listed the shared challenges as so-called Islamic State, the threats to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, climate change and migration.

"Fortunately, the EU - US strategic partnership is broad and deep," said Tusk.

Tusk said both sides have delivered joint efforts to enhance energy security and address climate change, through EU-US collaboration on facing threats to security in Europe's Eastern and Southern regions, and on the negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

" We should spare no effort to ensure that the ties that bind us remain strong and durable," said Tusk. "We should consolidate the bridges we have been building across the Atlantic."

Tusk said Europeans trust that America, whose democratic ideals have always been a beacon of hope around the globe, will continue to invest in its partnerships with friends and allies, to help make our citizens and the people of the world more secure and more prosperous.

"We would take this opportunity to invite you to visit Europe for an EU - US Summit at your earliest convenience," said Tusk. "This conversation would allow for us to chart the course of our relations for the next four years."

To contact the reporter: fujing@chinadaily.com.cn
Chinese mergers and acquisitions in the UK reached a record high this year, according to a new study.

The report by Cass Business School, which is part of City, University of London, found that the first half of the year saw 23 such deals involving Chinese buyers, worth a total of $3.3 billion.

The M&A experts who authored the report, Zhu Lin and Scott Moeller, noted that the boom began in late 2015, following the visit of President Xi Jinping that October. They said that, as a result of the visit,"Sino-British relations were elevated to new heights in politics and business".

"Whenever a leader of a country visits another, there tends to be a boost in trade deals," Moeller told China Daily.

The research was based on data compiled from a sample of 44 UK acquisitions by Chinese publicly-listed companies, with deals worth more than $5 million.

Despite concerns about the British vote to leave the European Union, activity continued to boom, even after the Brexit decision, with five deals announced by Chinese acquirers. These included Dalian Wanda Group's bid of $1.2 billion for Odeon & UCI Cinemas.

The report said the deals might be an indication that Chinese investment in the UK remained resilient, "with new opportunities continuing to be pursued despite-or perhaps because ofthe turmoil in the UK markets post-Brexit".

The study also highlighted the fact that Chinese companies had bucked the trend that usually sees acquiring companies lose share value when deals are announced.

It found Chinese companies that bought UK businesses saw a significant rise in the value of their shares.

Moeller said: "This research breaks new ground because it focuses on the performance of Chinese acquirers in the UK, a relatively recent phenomenon."

The report said the volume and value of Chinese investment into the UK was "remarkably steady".

The consumer and real estate sectors accounted for almost three-fourths of deal value, while industry and the financial sector together accounted for 15 percent.
Pedestrians walk past a Marks & Spencer store on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris. [PHILIPPE WOJAZER/REUTERS]

Marks & Spencer says it plans to shut all of its 10 stores in the Chinese mainland as the emblematic UK home, food and clothing retailer continues to record heavy losses in its international business.

The Chinese stores are among 53 international branches that face closure in 10 underperforming foreign markets, as owned-store(those that are not franchises or joint ventures) international losses reached 31.5 million pounds ($39 million) in 2015-16 and total international operating profits were down 39.6 percent to 55.8 million pounds.

In its half-year sales report issued on Tuesday, the company revealed that sales grew by 0.3 percent at M&S.com, fell 0.9 percent in the food section, and that the worst losses were reported in the clothing division, where they fell 5.9 percent.

"Internationally, we propose to cease trading in 10 loss-making owned-markets, but intend to continue to develop our presence through our strong franchise partners," Steve Rowe, M&S CEO, said."These are tough decisions, but vital to building a future."

M&S opened its first store in the Chinese mainland in Shanghai in 2008, when the long-term plan was to open 50 stores in China. It joined Alibaba's online site Tmall. com in 2012. The company's online sales grew by 200 percent between 2014 and 2015, and in 2014 M&S identified China as key to its international plans.

In March 2015, however, M&S announced plans to close five of 15 branches in the Chinese mainland as brick-and-mortar stores struggled to perform.

The company plans to continue operation of profitable owned-stores in the Czech Republic, the Republic of Ireland and China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, where the company enjoys "strong brand awareness, established store estates and loyal customers".

The company's flagging clothing and home divisions have also led to a restructuring of its domestic estate in the UK, where the company plans to open 200 new food locations by the end of 2018-19, but remove clothing and home spaces from 60 locations.
China hopes to work with the new US government to promote continuously healthy and stable development of China-US ties, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular news conference.

Lu made the remarks in Beijing Wednesday afternoon, after Donald Trump claimed victory in the US presidential election.

Trade between China and the US benefits both peoples, and this is why trade has been growing significantly during the past four decades, Lu said.

"As to specific discrepancies in bilateral trade, China and the US, as important members under the World Trade Organization framework, already have got some mature ways to deal with them," said the spokesman, adding that trade has helped increase jobs, rather than the opposite.

US Ambassador to China Max Baucus says "the world's most important relationship" between Beijing and Washington will remain stable regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday.
US and global youth protested inside the UN climate change conference in reaction to Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election on Wednesday. [Photo by Wang Yanfei/China Daily]

Donald Trump is not able to fundamentally change the trend of united global efforts to combat climate change, environmental activists said on Wednesday.

As a global community, we can and must solve the climate crisis, Mariana Panuncio, climate change director with the World Wildlife Fund, said after news of Donald Trumps victory reached Marrakech, Morocco, where delegates from more than 190 countries gathered at the United Nations climate change conference to discuss details of implementing the Paris Agreement in the next two weeks.

In politics we know the pendulum swings from one side to the other, but science keeps moving in one direction, she said.

Trumps denial of manmade activities causing climate change could hardly strip the progress being made by more than 100 countries, according to Panuncio.

As of Wednesday, a total of 103 out of 197 parties have ratified the agreement.

Panuncio said that although election results will impact the tone of negotiations at the climate change conference, it will not stop global cooperation on tackling climate change.

The tasks ahead on tackling climate change challenges remain the same, she said.

In line with her remarks, Alden Meyerdirector of strategy and policy for Union of Concerned Scientists, a Washington-based NGO, said that Trump needs to acknowledge the reality of climate change.

Meyer said if he insists upon his current attitudes, it would cause a negative impact to US collaboration with countries in other fields.

I assume that other countries of the world will move ahead with climate ambition, because its in their own self-interest to protect their citizens and reap economic benefits, he said.

If President Trump were not to honor US commitments, it will negatively impact his ability to negotiate on other priorities of international collaboration he has, Meyer said.
Hillary Clinton, accompanied by her husband former U.S. President Bill Clinton (L), addresses her staff and supporters about the results of the U.S. election at a hotel in New York, November 9, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

NEW YORK - Democrat Hillary Clinton conceded the 2016 U.S. White House race to Republican Donald Trump on Wednesday and offered to work with the president-elect, who she hoped would be a successful leader for all Americans.

Clinton, appearing at midday after a bruising election loss to the New York real estate magnate, urged supporters to keep an open mind on Trump and give him a chance to lead.

"Last night I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country. I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans," Clinton told hundreds of supporters and staff at a Manhattan hotel.

"This is not the outcome we wanted or we worked so hard for, and I'm sorry that we did not win this election for the values we shared and the vision we hold for our country," she said to cheers.

Possibly facing her last opportunity for a presidential run, Clinton, 69, acknowledged Tuesday night's results were painful and that she was disappointed.

She urged her assembled staff and supporters, deflated after recent national opinion polls indicated a good chance at victory, to continue to work for a better nation.

"This is painful and it will be for a long time," Clinton said. "But I want you to remember this: Our campaign was never about one person or even one election. It was about the country we love and about building an America that's hopeful, inclusive and big-hearted."

The former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state said the election results showed the nation was deeply divided, but the voters had spoken.

"Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead."
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama hopes the US tradition of people in power not using the criminal justice system against their opponents will continue, the White House said on Wednesday when asked about Republican President-elect Donald Trump's pledge to jail his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

"We've got a long tradition in this country of ... people in power not using the criminal justice system to exact political revenge. ... The president is hopeful that it will continue," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a news briefing.
(Photo : Getty images) Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak (L) meets China's President Xi Jinping.

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Investment deals worth billions signed between Malaysia and China last week are still not picking up as expected, according to Monday business reports. Analysts argue that a lot of factors might have triggered this.



The RM 144 billion ($47 billion) investment between China and Malaysia was signed off last week and incorporated 30 projects. This, some analysts argue, could work against the intended growth of the bilateral relationship.



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As of Friday last week, the FBMKLCI benchmark dropped by 1.3 percent. On Monday, however, there was slight change after it rose by 0.14 percent with 366 gainers and 388 losers.



According to one analyst, a great number of investors were paying greater attention to the American elections and how they can benefit from it.



"Our clients are more interested in external developments to see how they can position themselves to capitalize on the changes," the analyst said.



Malaysia's former finance ministry deputy secretary general Ramon Navaratnam brought up issues to do with transparency while addressing national news agency Bernama journalists.



"Spell out the details of how these massive infrastructure contracts would be priced," he said. "If the contracts are to be negotiated then the concern is that we may pay much more than international market prices."



He recommended open tenders strongly because it reduces the possibility of being overpriced and corrupt.



While using the East Coast Rail Link as an example, Hong Leong Investment Bank Research head, Sia Ket Ee, said that in as much as the investments deals were friendly, they were long-term with most still in the discussion stage.



"While the aggregate figures are enormous, it is difficult to ascertain how much of it will be executed," said Sia. "Their true economic potential is also uncertain given their lack of specification."



Another key factor questioned is the fact that China was in quite a rush to sign off on the agreement. Also, the fact that China has the tendency to import both materials and labor from home was greatly criticized.



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(Photo : Getty images) China's nuclear workers at Guo Liming of Taishan Nuclear Power Joint Venture

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China has officially kicked off the construction of a floating nuclear plant under China's leading nuclear company, China General Nuclear Power Corp (CGN).



According to the deputy chief engineer of CGN institute, Rui Min, the ACPR50S reactor is a diverse energy system that requires state of the art nuclear security. It has a small reactor and will require a floating platform.



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The concept is ready and the design is set. The preliminary work is expected to be completed soon. The whole project is scheduled to be completed by 2020.



The floating nuclear plant will be developed ideally for the supply of heat, electricity, and desalination. It can be used in coastal regions and islands as well as offshore for gas and oil research.



The 200 MWt (60 MWe) reactor comes as a key essential to the country's marine strategies. The offshore nuclear power plant has been welcomed well by those in the nuclear industry.



In a statement, officials in the nuclear industry said, "The construction in a shipyard should bring efficiencies, sitting is simplified, the impact is extremely low and decommissioning can take place at a specialized facility."



They further added that in offshore environment, factors such as access to laborers and equipment need to be put into consideration. Radio active materials are also another factor.



CGN is also working on the ACPR100 small reactor for use on land. With an output of 450 MWt (140 MWe), it is highly recommended for power supply in large-scale industrial parks.



The floating nuclear reactors are a concept that was established in USA in 1970's. Russia will, however, be the first to launch the technology next year.



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Tagschina, nuclear energy, CGN, Floating Nuclear Power Plant
(Photo : DanKitwood/GettyImages) A $12.4 billion agreement between Scotland and Chinese firms SinoFortone Group and China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group (CR3) has been called off.

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A deal signed between Scotland and China has apparently been called off. Both parties have exchanged blame over the collapsed $12.4 billion deal. The agreement was signed by Scotland with SinoFortone Group and China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group (CR3). The opposition parties in Scotland had raised concerns about the collaboration.



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After less than five months of signing the deal, both Chinese companies signaled their withdrawal from the agreement through an email on August 15. However, the news of collapse of the deal remained under the cover until now.



A spokesman for the cabinet secretary for the economy, jobs and fair work, Keith Brown said, "We are sorry if the partners consider the MoU to be cancelled and we remain open to working together on projects in the future."



The failed deal has also caused a massive rift between various parties in Scotland. The Liberal Democrats have asked the Scottish ministers to clarify the situation. Liberal Democrats, along with Labour and Amnesty International, had called out CR3 for alleged human rights violations in Democratic Republic of Congo.



It is reported that deal has been labelled as the "Scottish shambles" in China. The opposition parties in Scotland have accused the government of keeping secrets.



A labour economy spokeswoman accused the government of changing the information about the pact. She also added that government should come clean on the matter and provide full details.



The Scottish government spokesman said that opposition parties have done "Scotland down." However, Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said that it is the Scottish government that should be "ashamed."



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TagsScotland, china, China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group
(Photo : GettyImages/ Sean Gallup) The China's standing committee of the parliament has introduced a new cyber security law on Monday despite receiving strong opposition from foreign firms and authorities.

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The Chinese government approved a new cyber security law, rattling foreign firms operating in the country. The new law has been passed by the standing committee of the parliament and was made public on Monday. Among other things, the law deals with censorship and security reviews in strategic areas.



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The Cyber Security Law will be effective starting on June 2017. It requires internet providers to extend support to investigators pursuing cases related to national security and crime. It also makes it mandatory for the service providers to test and certify the computer equipment. In case of any wrong-doing, the government investigator will have unfettered access to the data.



According to the cyber security law, the business information and data related to Chinese citizens will be required to be kept within the country on domestic servers. It also requires prior approval for any overseas transfer of such data.



Meanwhile, the new policy has evoked strong reaction from foreign firms and authorities. James Zimmerman, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, said in an email, "This is a step backwards for innovation in China that won't do much to improve security."



However, Zhao Zeliang, director-general of the bureau of cybersecurity for the Cyberspace Administration of China, said that the law is in accordance with international trade protocol. He also added that the law is meant to "safeguard national security."



China's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lu Kang said that the cyber security law is similar to the rules enacted by other countries. He also said that the law does not provide differential treatment to domestic and foreign companies.



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Tagschina, Cyber Security Law, American Chamber of Commerce in China
(Photo : CAS) Tiangong-2 as seen from its companion satellite, Banxing-2.

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Unbelievable as it may sound, there are media reports claiming China is testing its own version of an EmDrive thruster on its new Tiangong-2 space station in low earth orbit.



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Unbelievable because China's few laboratory tests of the EmDrive all failed to replicate the results achieved by the EmDrive's inventor Robert Shawyer in 2006. An EmDrive engine also wasn't on the publicly declared manifest of items taken aboard Tiangong-2 by two Chinese "taikonauts" ferried to the space laboratory by Shenzhou 11 last Oct. 17.



But since China's "civilian" space program is a space weapons development program run, managed and funded by the People's Liberation Army (PLA), an EmDrive could have been smuggled onto Tiangong-2 by the taikonauts.



While news China might indeed be testing an EmDrive thruster in secret aboard Tiangong-2 seems implausible, it is nevertheless lent some credence by China's persistent attempts over a decade to build an EmDrive that actually works.



The driving force behind China's passion for the EmDrive is Prof. Yang Juan of the Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU) in Xi'an province.



Prof. Yang and his NWPU team were one of the first in the world to try to build their own version of the EmDrive. In 2008, Prof. Yang and his team allegedly verified the theory behind RF resonant cavity thrusters.



From 2010 to 2014, Prof. Yang's team published a series of theoretical and experimental papers reporting they had measured net thrust.



They then built their own EmDrive thruster in 2010, testing the drive multiple times from 2012 to 2014. Tests results published by the Chinese Academy of Sciences were said to be positive, achieving up to 750 mN (millinewtons) of thrust, and requiring 2,500 watts of power, comparable to conventional ion thrusters.



In 2014, however, they found the thrust measured was a false positive experimental error due to a power cable.



When they revised the study with an improved EmDrive prototype, they found any possible thrust being emitted by the device was far too small for their laboratory experiment to measure.



Invented by British scientist Robert Shawyer, an EmDrive is a propelantless propulsion system where a rocket engine doesn't burn any chemical propellant to cause a reaction that pushes a rocket forward. Theoretically, an EmDrive can reach extremely high speeds that will allow astronauts to journey to Neptune in only a few months.



The EmDrive is a "reactionless" drive in conflict with the law of conservation of momentum, which states that within a closed system, linear and angular momentum remain constant regardless of any changes that take place within said system. In other words, unless an outside force is applied, an object will not move.



The EmDrive is what is called an "RF resonant cavity thruster." It works by having a magnetron push microwaves into a closed truncated cone, then push against the short end of the cone to propel a spacecraft forward.



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TagsEmDrive, Tiangong-2, Shenzhou 11, Prof. Yang Juan, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Robert Shawyer
(Photo : Getty Images) The Cadillac corporate logo is seen at the International Car Show (salon des voitures) at Heysel, on January 22, 2008 in Brussels, Belgium.

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Cadillac believes that his company can compete with Silicon Valley giants like Apple and Google in developing future automobile technology, Jonathan de Nysschen, the company's president, said.



Although Cadillac has the ability to create its own technology, de Nysschen said he will not rule out any possibilities of partnersips from any of these firms.



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"I think that in the future there may indeed a market for autonomous driving enabled vehicles that provide transportation from A to B but that's not the market Cadillac is in," he told CNBC.



While noting that Cadillac is a luxury brand, De Nysschen said the firm wants to offer all of its benefits but in a rather emotionally engaging manner.



Currently, tech giants such as Google has been working on driverless car technology, while Apple is rumored to be contemplating a foray into the auto space arena.



Dy Nysschen insisted that although his comments appear to be bold, Cadillac has competitive knowledge on connectivity and autonomous driving and technologies just like other tech giants in Silicon Valley. He also added that Cadillac also knows a lot in integrating the said technologies into automobiles and as well as developing and manufacturing automobiles.



The Cadillac top man further revealed that his company is working on a new shared ownership model. De Nysschen said that service companies like Uber and Lyft are "brand agnostic" and about functionality, unlike his company.



He was, however, quick to note that his comments do not mean that Cadillac cannot cultivate a product and a way of owning a Cadillac "that allows people who want to move from A to B in the luxury of a Cadillac" equipped with all the safety and connectivity benefits.



The product is likely to be a shared ownership model, in which consumers can get access into Cadillac ownership and obtain guaranteed availability of a variety of Cadillac models, he said.



Last year, General Motors, the owner of the Cadillac brand, announced its very shared ownership scheme program called Maven, which permits consumers to part-own new Micra.



The new ownership scheme is part of the car makers' initiative to adapt current strategies similiar to that of Uber and Lyft. Most automakers admit that in the future, many people would not want to own cars, instead they would opt to share them.



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(Photo : Russian Aerospace Forces) First photo of the RS-28 Sarmat released by the Russian government.

(Photo : Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau ) Sarmat or SATAN 2 illlustration.

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For some reason, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is lavishing praise on Russia's new RS-28 Sarmat (NATO reporting name, SATAN 2) intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) still under development.



One of the PLA's more important websites on Nov. 8 published a lengthy story about SATAN 2, claiming this heavy ICBM "will be the new trump card in Russia's nuclear arsenal and pose an immense deterrent on the U.S."



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The Chinese hallelujahs praising SATAN-2 were apparently triggered by Russia's publishing the first photo of this hush-hush missile last Oct. 25 on its state-owned propaganda websites.



One website said Sarmat is designed to carry a hypersonic glider warhead. The missile is expected to go into production as early as 2018 and is being developed at the Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau in the city of Miass.



The first image of the new missile was declassified by the Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau on Oct. 23.



Chinese state-owned media revealed that Russia began to develop the new heavy liquid-fueled ICBM 2009 to replace the R-36M2 Voevoda (NATO reporting name, SS-19 SATAN) and UR-100N UTTH (NATO reporting name, Stiletto), both of which will soon be decommissioned.



The PLA said Sarmat "has a dead load of 100 tons; uses liquid-propellant engine, and can carry 10-15 independently targetable nuclear warheads that adopt advanced penetration technology and can allegedly penetrate all existing anti-missile systems and identify and strike multiple targets in different directions.



"With a shooting range of 17,000 km, the missile can fly over the South Pole or North Pole and accurately hit any target on earth."



The PLA quoted one military experts as saying that once Sarmat is deployed, it will be the new trump card in Russia's nuclear arsenal and pose an immense deterrent on the U.S. Sarmat will be commissioned in its Strategic Missile Force in 2018-2019.



It said Russia is developing the new strategic missile and accelerating the upgrade of nuclear weapons mainly "to preserve national security and maintain its position as a major nuclear power."



Russian President Vladimir Putin made it clear SATAN-2 will remain a key element to prevent nuclear and conventional military conflicts. He said Russia's main task is to "maintain sufficient potential of nuclear containment."



Putin said Russia's new strategic weapons will be able to "penetrate any anti-missile defense system," and its development of new strategic missiles in recent years is focused on such penetration capability.



Russia's Topol-M, Yars strategic missile and Sarmat "boast powerful strike capability, high speed and strong penetration capability," said the PLA.



The PLA said Russia's efforts to preserve its position as a major nuclear power are focused on developing new land-based strategic missiles.



Russia will invest some $700 billion in upgrading its weapons and equipment, 10 percent of which is for strategic nuclear force. This includes the research and development of new land-based strategic missile that can carry nuclear warheads, equipping the navy with new-generation Borei-class strategic nuclear submarine, and deploying the new Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).



Speeding up the upgrade of strategic missile is a necessary step for Russia to deal with the missile defense system deployed by the U.S. and other NATO members in East Europe, and the new geopolitical situation.



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TagsPeople's Liberation Army, RS-28 Sarmat, SATAN 2, intercontinental ballistic missile, ICBM, Russia, R-36M2 Voevoda, Vladimir Putin
(Photo : ITBP) Indian Army soldiers on mountain patrol at 15,000 feet.

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Senior defense officials from China and India pledged to enhance strategic mutual trust and boost pragmatic cooperation between their two countries to scale down simmering tensions along their common border at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).



China and India share broad common interests on international and regional affairs, said Sun Jianguo, deputy chief of the Joint Staff Department of China's Central Military Commission, at the recent 8th meeting of China-India Defense and Security Consultation.



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The annual dialogue was co-chaired by Sun and Indian Defense Secretary Shri G Mohan Kumar.



China's president Xi Jinping and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi have maintained frequent exchanges of visits and reached consensus on the development of bilateral ties in recent years, said Sun.



He said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is willing to join hands with the Indian Army to maintain exchanges on border defense; improve the mechanism of communication and strengthen border management and control to safeguard peace and stability in their border areas.



Kumar said the exchanges of visits and interactions between Chinese and Indian leaders have promoted the India-China strategic partnership of cooperation, which has also contributed to the common prosperity of the two countries.



India is ready to take effective measures to boost communication and coordination between border guards with China, and properly manage and control disputes in order to ensure the border peace and tranquility.



The meeting follows some three months of heightened tensions along the LAC that has seen both India and China significantly strengthen their armed forces in the region.



Last July, India reinforced Indian Army units defending the LAC in the tense Ladakh region with more tanks, troops and armored fighting vehicles amid an ongoing Chinese military build-up.



The Indian Army deployed some 100 specially modified Russian-made T-72 main battle tanks along its mountainous frontline border in Ladakh, a key geostrategic region located along LAC in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.



This is only the second time in half a century India has deployed tanks to this region, a signal of the unease China's unceasing military build-up over the past few years is causing in Delhi. The Chinese build-up focused on improving the logistics and infrastructure such as roads and bridges its troops will need for a war in this unimaginably difficult terrain.



The armored regiment to which the newly deployed troops and tanks belong will raise to a full brigade the Indian Army units in the region. Two infantry regiments are already in place.



These three regiments have taken-up positions in eastern Ladakh where temperatures can plummet to -45 degrees Celsius during winter.



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TagsIndia, china, Line of Actual Control, Sun Jianguo, Shri G Mohan Kumar, People's Liberation Army, Indian Army, Ladakh region
(Photo : Getty images) Starbucks is planning to expand and more than double its store count in China in five years' time.

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Starbucks is looking to make China the main hub of its operation. While at it, they also plan to add over 10,000 new employment opportunities every year.



Currently, Starbucks is a coffee guru in the US. The company is, however, looking to create a 30,000-square foot state of the art coffee house in Shanghai and double its store count to 5,000 by 2021.



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Belinda Wong, the recently appointed head of operations in China, described the projected coffee house as "the second Disneyland." In an interview with the Post as reported by the South China Morning Post, Wong, who was featured on Fortune China's annual list of most influential businesswomen since 2012, explained the companies' long-term projects.



"In China in the coming five years, we are definitely adding 10,000 plus new jobs every year. We open 500 stores a year and our goal is by 2021... to have 5,000 stores," she said.



"This is the early chapter of our China growth right now. We have barely touched the surface," she added.



According to Starbucks CEO Howard Shults, the mainland China outlets were already the most profitable. A post-earning report presented last week showed that China has a potential to overtake its home market in the US. This is strongly attributed to the middle-class' love for coffee since Starbucks opened in 1999.



In 2013, the company came under scrutiny by the state broadcaster after it allegedly had "inflated prices." However, such accusation did not interfere the company's growth.



Meanwhile, Starbucks has also accomplished on adding a local touch to their Chinese stores such as mooncakes and tea-flavored beverages that include mocha and oolong.



"We want to make sure we open stores that are not cookie cutters. There is plenty of space to infill in first and second tier cities where we have already opened," Wong said.



On the other hand, Wong also revealed that the Shanghai Roastery is going to be much better than the Seattle one, adding that it would attract both locals and tourists.



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Tagschina, Starbucks, Shanghai, Second Disney Land
(Photo : Getty Images) An American Airlines jet lands at O'Hare International Airport on September 19, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois.

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American Airlines snatched a coveted Los Angeles to Beijing route on Monday after the US Transportation Department proposed to award the Texas-based company with the new schedule over its rival Delta Air Lines.



Both companies have reportedly been competing over the said flight since March. Delta initially submitted its application and was closely followed by American Airlines two weeks later. The government had to interfere as only 154 US flights are allowed to Beijing and Shanghai per week.



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As for American Airlines, awarding the route to them would not only increase competition but also give consumers more options. Delta, on the other hand, argued that American's interest was a move to stymie competition and that the company could better provide connectivity to passengers bound outside Beijing through its two major Chinese airline partners.



While both applications have been considered, the government proposed to award the schedule to American Airlines as it lacks a flight between the West Coast and China. Furthermore, Delta already has a daily nonstop route from Seattle to China, and United Continental Holdings Inc from San Francisco, according to Reuters.



"The Department tentatively finds that the potential benefits of selecting American, and thereby adding a third U.S. competitor to the West Coast-Beijing market, outweigh the benefits that would be achieved through selection of Delta," the government said as quoted by the Skift.



Matt Miller, a representative from American Airlines, said "This new service further underscores American's commitment to providing customers with a world-class global network from our Los Angeles hub."



Meanwhile, a representative from Delta said that the company is "disappointed" over the government's decision. However, the resolution last Monday is still tentative, and Delta still has until Nov. 22 to file an objection, the Dallas News noted.



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TagsAmerican Airlines, Delta Air Lines, airline industry, Beijing
(Photo : Getty images) Chinese Premier Li Keqiang shakes hands with Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera

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Sri Lanka on Wednesday issued a stern warning to China over Chinese ambassador in Colombo, Yi Xianliang, comments about the financial relationship between the two countries.







The warning comes after China defended Yi on his views in local media last week. In his remarks, Yi said that Colombo should stop criticizing Beijing's loaning system.



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A phone call conversation between Foreign Secretary Esala Weerakoon and Yi on Tuesday was aimed at creating room for communication in regards to the matter.



A Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson later revealed that Weerakoon had explained to Yi that any unsettled matter should be addressed directly to the Foreign Ministry, not through the media.



China, however, defended the Yi adding that his comment was not aimed at embarrassing the country, but a comment in regards to China-Sri Lanka relation.



"The Chinese Ambassador to Sri-Lanka exchanged views with friends from the media on China-Sri Lanka relations and the status quo of bilateral cooperation," said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang. "He clarified some misunderstanding and misleading remarks regarding China-Sri-Lanka cooperation at a seminar."



Lu later wrote that exchange of views in regards to the relationship is conducive as it aids bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation. He said this enhances the friendship of the two while building a symbiotic relationship.



In response to a question he was asked the previous week, Yi explained that China had a direct agenda. He also warned that Sri Lanka was at risk of losing direct investments if it does maintain a uniform policy.



"We give loans to developing countries at 2% interest and not 5% like other countries," Yo said. "If you do not like this one, why come again and talk about another one?"



In his remarks, he also disapproved of allegations that Chinese firms were corrupt. He said that their main interest was to work with the current Sri Lankan government through various projects.



"China has no hidden agenda in Sri Lanka and conducts its affairs with the government in an open and transparent manner," he said.



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(Photo : Getty Images ) Philippines resumes patrols at the Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea.

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Philippines Coast Guard has started patrolling the controversial Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea.



The coast guard said that it had started patrols at the disputed territory last week. It also confirmed that two patrol ships are currently deployed at at the Scarborough Shoal, which is commonly known as Panatag Shoal in Philippines.



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"The patrol vessels, including newly-acquired 44-meter BRP Tubbataha and monitor, control and surveillance (MCS) 3010 boat, arrived at the disputed territory last Saturday," Philippines Coast Guard commandant Rear Admiral William Melad said. "The ships have already contacted the PCG headquarters and reported that sea condition in the disputed shoal was bad and they sighted only one Filipino fishing boat."



Melad further informed that six coast guard ships will be involved in patrolling the shoal. Out of which, three will be patrolling the controversial territory on a regular basis, while the other three will be used for monitoring and surveillance purposes.



"Their deployment to the Scarborough Shoal is in compliance to the instruction of Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade for the PCG to conduct patrol at the Exclusive Economic Zone," he added.



The Scarborough Shoal has been the center of a long standing bitter territorial dispute between the Philippines and China. In July, the Hague-based International Court of Arbitration had ruled in favor of the Philippines with regard to its territorial dispute with China over the ownership of the South China Sea. Beijing, which continues to stake claim over 80 percent of the territory, rejected the ruling and called it illegal and 'null and void.'



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TagsSouth China Sea, South China Sea Dispute, Philippines, china, Scarborough Shoal
(Photo : Saudi Arabian Army) Saudi M1 Abrams.

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Foreign weapon sales by the United States to its allies plunged to $33.6 billion in fiscal year 2016, down from the record-setting FY 2015 sales of $47.085 billion.



The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said it cleared $2.9 billion of Foreign Military Financing-funded cases; $5.0 billion in Building Partner Capacity-funded cases and $25.7 billion funded by partner nations.



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DSCA, a part of the Department of Defense (DoD), provides financial and technical assistance; transfer of defense materiel; training and services to allies, and promotes military-to-military contacts.



Among sales cleared in fiscal 2016 were $785 million from the UAE for munitions such as the GBU-10 Paveway II laser-guided bombs announced in July; $1.2 billion from Australia for AIM-120D advanced medium range air-to-air missiles and $1.15 billion from Saudi Arabia for M1A2S Abrams tanks and M88Al/A2 recovery vehicles.



The drop from the 2015 total was predicted last month by DSCA head Vice Adm. Joseph Rixey, who said the total overall figure isn't a barometer his agency uses to judge its success.



"We don't look at sales like a benchmark we're trying to capture. It's not a number we're trying to go for," he said.



"Sales is really a fundamental result of foreign policy. We just have to understand what kind of workforce we're going to need to prosecute those sales.



"It's nothing more than a tool for us to anticipate what we're going to anticipate and work with."



In fiscal 2015, DSCA had sales of $47.085 billion for fiscal year 2015. Sales under the government-to-government Foreign Military Sales Program totaled $35.359 billion.



Sales executed using U.S. government appropriations under various security cooperation and security assistance authorities such as Foreign Military Financing and DoD programs totaled $11.726 billion.



During the year, demand for U.S. defense products and services remained strong, as the U.S. share of total global arms transfer agreements has increased over the last decade.



With a number of partner countries looking to modernize, the U.S. share of transfers to partners and allies in emerging defense markets in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America continues to increase.



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TagsDefense Security Cooperation Agency, DSCA, United States, department of defense, Vice Adm. Joseph Rixey
(Photo : Getty Images) China has warned the international community not to support Hong Kong's pro-independence movement.

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China on Tuesday cautioned relevant countries not to offer any support to forces advocating "Hong Kong independence" movement. The warning comes amid growing protests across the semi-autonomous city against the Chinese government following the oath-taking ceremony controversy.



China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the remarks at a regular briefing, when asked to comment on a report that several important countries such as Britain and U.S. have expressed concern over the ongoing crisis in Hong Kong.



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"We demand all relevant countries to honour their open commitments, mind their own words and deeds, not interfere in Hong Kong's domestic affairs nor give support to 'Hong Kong independence' forces," he said.



Lu reiterated that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of Mainland China and its affairs are China's internal matter. He added that the interpretation of Hong Kong's Basic Law or mini-constitution is the lawful right of the Chinese government.



The international community, especially the U.S. and Britain, has so far taken a critical view of recent developments in the former British colony. The U.S. State Department said it was "disappointed" by recent developments concerning the Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LegCo).



China's special administrative region has been on a boil ever since the oaths of two pro-independent legislators were declared "invalid," after they allegedly used derogatory words and unfurled anti-Chinese banners during the ceremony.



Following the controversy, China's top legislative body on Monday interpreted Hong Kong's mini-constitution, also known as Basic Law. The move was unprecedented, given that this was only the second time that Hong Kong's constitution had been interpreted since 1997.



Monday's landmark ruling said that Hong Kong citizens advocating independence from Mainland China cannot hold any public office, directly banning the two pro-independent legislators from taking office.



Ahead of the landmark ruling, hordes of protestors gathered outside Hong Kong's highest court on Sunday to protest against the Chinese government.



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TagsHong Kong, Hong Kong Independence Movement, China and Hong Kong, china
(Photo : DavidMcNew/GettyImages) Total SA will lead the consortium consisting of China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) and Iran's Petropars.

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China and Total SA have signed a gas deal with Iran. The deal marks the first natural gas joint venture for Iran after the U.S. eased the sanctions it imposed on the country. The agreement is related to the 11th phase of the offshore South Pars gas field.



Total SA will lead the consortium consisting of China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) and Iran's Petropars. Total SA will hold a 50.1 percent share while CNPC will hold a 30 percent share in the joint venture. The remaining share of the Iran gas deal will go to Petropars. The deal is expected to be worth nearly $6 billion.



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Total and CNPC signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Tehran on Tuesday. The final agreement is likely to be signed by early next year. According to the International Energy Agency, South Pars may contain up to 51tn cubic meters of gas. Total SA has previously worked in the region with Statoil of Norway.



The deal will pave the way for other international companies to invest in Iran. The country is looking to attract $200 billion worth of investments into its oil and gas sector.



Under the new investment model, Iran will permit foreign companies to have wider participation in the projects than were approved under its previous "buyback" model. However, international companies are still in the contemplative mode. Nureddin Wefati, Shell's head of media relations for the Middle East and North Africa, recently told CNBC, "It is much too early to discuss potential Shell investment in any project."



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TagsIran, Total SA, China National Petroleum Corp.
(Photo : SKA Organization) An aerial view of the SKA dishes and MeerKAT dishes in South Africa (illustration).

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A conference of astronomers and scientists that will support the world's largest radio telescope -- the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) -- is ongoing at Goa, India.



The SKA project's 2016 science conference, "Science for the SKA Generation," has drawn some 200 scientists to the week-long conference that focuses on bringing early career and senior researchers together to develop new collaborations and preview the science SKA will do in 2023 and beyond.



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SKA is a large multi radio telescope project to be built in Australia and South Africa. When completed in 2023, SKA will have a total collecting area of one square kilometer.



It will operate over a wide range of frequencies and its size will make it 50 times more sensitive than any other radio instrument on Earth. More important, SKS will be able to survey the sky more than 10,000 times faster than ever before.



Engineering teams from around the world are currently finalizing the design of the telescope, while the international astronomy community prepares to use this next-generation facility.



The conference has brought together PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from the radio astronomy community to foster new collaborations for the SKA era.



"This week's meeting in Goa is an excellent opportunity to highlight results obtained with SKA pathfinder and precursor telescopes from around the world, as well as further advance the planning of our Key Science Projects," said Robert Braun, SKA Science Director.



"The next few years will see a wave of new results emerging from the suite of powerful radio telescopes such as FAST in China, GMRT in India, LOFAR in the Netherlands, MeerKAT and HERA in South Africa and MWA and ASKAP in Australia. Scientists who are using these facilities will become the first generation of users to make exciting discoveries with the SKA."



Key science projects are large observing campaigns focused on answering specific high priority objectives that will utilize a large fraction of the first five years of SKA operations.



Many areas of astrophysics will be covered throughout the week. These include the epoch of re-ionization and the study of the cosmic dawn (the first billion years of the universe); the distribution of hydrogen in the universe; the study of transient phenomena such as fast radio bursts; cosmic magnetism; monitoring the Sun's activity; mapping pulsars in our galaxy and the search for life in the universe.



The meeting is organized by the international SKA Organization with the local support of the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA-TIFR) in Pune, India, which represents India in the SKA project.



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TagsSquare Kilometer Array, SKA, Science for the SKA Generation, astronomers, Robert Braun, SKA Organization
(Photo : WikiMedia Commons) The image of a $5,000 dollar bill.

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A high school club from Maryland has received an $8000 grant from an MIT-administered program.



The grant will fund the efforts of the club to create a device that promises to help blind people identify and sort paper currency.



John Stansbury, a former software engineer turned math and computer science teacher at Poolesville High School in Maryland, is leading the effort.



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"What we wanted to do was build a wallet billfold device- about that size, we are hoping- that you would take the bill, and feed into it, like a printer feeding paper in, and it would the denomination," Stansbury said.



He added that there are currently no good solutions, saying that the aim of the device is to help boost the independence of blind people.



The current solution involves a visually impaired person folding different denominations of money in unique ways, using a currency identification smartphone app like MoneyReader which identifies each bill using the camera and then speaks it loudly using the device's speaker. A device called ibill identifies the bills one at a time.



The device that Stansbury and his team are building is expected to identify more than one bill.



Advocates of the blind have, however, expressed frustration that such solutions are even necessary. This led to a lawsuit by the American Council of the Blind against the Secretary of the Treasury in 2008.



The advocates won the case, with the federal court ruling that the U.S government was violating a law called the Rehabilitation Act with its inaccessible currency.



More than eight years later, advocates are still frustrated by the fact that there still not a single currency that is accessible to the blind.



However, the Department of Treasury maintains that they are already ensuring "meaningful access" for the blind.



At the present moment, advocates for the blind say that the current solutions fall short of real meaningful access.



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(Photo : VCG/GettyImages) Chinese business regulators have cautioned e-commerce companies against dubious tactics during Singles Day.

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Chinese business regulators have issued a stern warning to online retailers. Major e-commerce companies such as JD, Amazon, and Alibaba Group Holding have been told to refrain from adopting dubious sales practices during the upcoming Singles Day festival on November 11.



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The Singles Day sales numbers are taken as a yardstick of the consumer economy in China. It also acts as an indicator for the performance of the e-commerce industry in the country. The State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) said that the companies have been asked to look out for fake goods. E-commerce companies have also been asked to desist from posting misleading sales figures.



In a statement posted on its website, SAIC said, "The SAIC will strengthen market supervision ... monitor and manage online marketplaces according to law." The companies were warned against other fraudulent activities as well.



While other companies including Tencent Holdings and Alibaba have not commented on the directives, a JD spokesman said that the company's commitment to quality products and services is its unique selling point.



The Singles Day event was launched seven years ago by Alibaba. It sold $14 billion worth of items during last year's event. However, the company was scrutinized by the US Securities and Exchange Commission for its accounting practices.



The SAIC has issued similar warnings in the earlier years as well. The regulator will be joined by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) in managing Singles Day sales. The NDRC will focus on controlling the problem of fake reviews. Singles Day sales in China is reportedly higher than the combined volume of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.



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(Photo : Getty Images/Bill Pugliano ) The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration submitted a new law requiring both hyrbid and electric cars to make noise when travelling at low speed to alert pedestrian and avoid accidents.

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Faced with growing demands even before hitting the market, General Motors has announced that it is ramping up the production of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The electric car received an EPA rating of 238 miles and stands to be one of the premier competitors to Tesla-branded electric vehicles.



The first batch of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV is expected to be released before the end of the year. As expected, the first Bolt EVs will be released in California, the state which is home to about half of all electric and plug-in hybrid cars in the United States. There are reports claiming that the Chevy Bolt will be rolled out in Oregon at the same time as California as well, according to Hybrid Cars.



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The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV are being assembled at the Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan. This same facility is where the Sonic subcompact cars were assembled, according to Green Car Reports.



The Orion Assembly Plant has a production rate of 90,000 cars per year with the current single shift of operations. While this figure is not official for the Chevy Bolt, it will give some analysts a hint of how much units the facility can assemble within a given period.



Regarding the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, the car is expected to cost $37,495 before the $7,500 federal tax. Except for California and Oregon, which are expected to receive the Bolt EV before the end of the year. The car is expected to be rolled out in other states by early 2017. GM is yet to confirm how many of its dealers will sell the Chevy Bolt. GM has a total of around 3,000 dealers across the country.



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TagsGM, General Motors, Chevrolet, Bolt, electric vehicle, Chevrolet Bolt, chevrolet bolt ev
(Photo : Getty Images) Men of Hezbollah at the funeral of a fellow fighter killed in combat.

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An Iranian "Foreign Legion" consisting mostly of Shia Muslim mercenaries from Pakistan and Afghanistan and aided by the terrorist group Hezbollah, continues to fight in Syria on the side of beleaguered Syrian president Bashar-al Assad, who is also supported by Russia.



The Shia Foreign Legion now consists of more than 25,000 men, a number equal to the strength of two conventional motorized rifle divisions of the Russian Ground Forces.



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This Shia fighting force, however, battles exclusively against Syrian rebel forces allied with the United States and not against ISIS, said Avi Dichter, chairman of Israel's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and former head of Shin Bet, Israel's domestic intelligence agency.



"This is a foreign legion of some 25,000 militants, most of whom have come from Afghanistan and Pakistan," said Dichter. "They are fighting in Syria only against the rebels and not against ISIS."



Dichter apparently drew on his extensive contacts in the Israeli intelligence community (of which he was a part for some three decades) as the source of this information. During his term as Shin Bet director, the spy agency spearheaded counter-insurgency and intelligence operations deep inside the West Bank and Gaza Strip, reducing the number of attacks against Israel during the Second Intifada that began in September 2000.



Dichter also said Iran has the support of Hezbollah in the fight against anti-Assad rebels in the Syrian Civil War. A Lebanese militant group declared a foreign terrorist organization by the West, Hezbollah is heavily supported with weapons and training by Iran. Hezbollah is based in Lebanon



Hezbollah, which was declared a terrorist group by the Sunni-dominated Arab League in March 2016, has extensive combat experience in Syria, having fought on the side of Assad since 2013. Dichter said 1,600 Hezbollah fighters have been killed in Syria.



The Arab League and the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council have been increasing the pressure on Hezbollah to leave Syria, which is backed by Saudi Arabia's regional rival Iran, with whom relations have worsened this year.



On the other hand, Hezbollah has blamed Saudi Arabia for pressuring Lebanon into silencing it.



"The Iranians enlisted Hezbollah ... to fight in Syria because the Iranian army is better suited to fight as an army against another army, while the Hezbollah militants are adept at fighting against terror groups," said Dichter.



"The fighting has made (Hezbollah) a better fighting force and more adept in conventional military warfare."



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TagsIran, Foreign Legion, Shia Foreign Legion, Syria, Syrian Civil War, Hezbollah, Shin Bet, Avi Dichter, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Pakistan
Intrepid local councillor did sixteen-day trek to Everest base camp for disaster relief

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Southfield Ward Lib Dem councillor Gary Malcolm had his 'head in the clouds' recently, but for a good reason.

Avid trekker and mountaineer, Gary's Nepal Trek has collected over 1500 for charity, Disaster Emergency Committee, which gives vital help when earthquakes, tsunamis and floods take place around the world.

He said: "I was inspired to visit Nepal to raise money and was glad that I successfully trekked to Everest Basecamp. The scenery was amazing and I hope the money raised will help many people who suffer when earthquakes occur."

You can still donate to Gary through his Just Giving page.

He had to train hard for his sixteen-day trek in October to Everest Basecamp in Nepal!

Says Gary: "A Norwegian mountaineer friend was caught up in Nepal half way up Mt Everest when the earthquake struck and he told me that Nepal needs visitors, tourists and mountaineers so I thought trekking there to at least see Mt Everest would be a wonderful way to raise money for DEC who do loads of good work all around the world."







November 9, 2016








(Photo : Courtesy of Christ Central of Southern California)

Christ Central of Southern California held an official launch service for its Placentia site at Valencia High School on October 30.

Christ Central of Southern California, five years after its independence from its mother church Cerritos Presbyterian Church, has begun its journey as a multisite church as it launched its second campus in Placentia on October 30. Some 240 people attended the first official service at the Placentia site at Valencia High School.

"If you've ever had the unforgettable experience of holding a newborn baby in your arms ... you just wish and hope for the best for the newborn child," Harold Kim, the lead pastor of Christ Central, said during the service which marked both the fifth anniversary of Christ Central and the launch of the multisite. "That's how I have been feeling along with the leaders as we have relaunched and rebranded our service in Artesia, and our first official service at Placentia."

In a sermon titled 'Happy Birthday, Christ Central,' Kim focused on what it means to be a church, and who a church is for, as he spoke from 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5.

"The church is a community of people called by God and changed by God, through the gospel of Jesus Christ," said Kim.

In particular, Kim shared four commitments that Christ Central has as a church, as he emphasized that the church is "not just for us [Christians]," but also "for our friends": communicating the gospel clearly and truthfully; connecting everything "to the centrality of Jesus Christ"; existing for the common good; and practicing real community.

(Photo : Courtesy of Christ Central of Southern California)

Christ Central of Southern California held an official launch service for its Placentia site at Valencia High School on October 30.

"Christ Central will never claim to be better than any other ... church down the street," he said. "We are far from perfect, but we are here. We are far from perfect, but you are here. And there are a lot of friends who need to be here with you."

Meanwhile, the launch is a product of some two years of planning, but Kim has stated that he had always thought of how to lead Christ Central into being a "reproducing" church since he first came to the church.

"We found that church planting or having a multisite are among the best ways to reach more people for Christ," Kim said at a vision casting meeting in July.

Kim will be preaching at both sites. The Artesia campus has recently changed its service times to 11:30 AM and 12:45 PM, while the Placentia campus will be holding services at 10 AM. The Placentia campus offers nursery and children's ministry at the same time (10 AM), and youth group will launch in 2017.

    press@cdaily.co.kr



- Copyright ,    

#Placentia
An Iowa church is taking back its lawsuit against the governments of the state and the city of Des Moines after a District Court judge ruled on October 14 that churches are not public accommodations and that their religious views must not be interfered with.

Earlier this year, Fort Des Moines Church of Christ had filed a lawsuit seeking to be exempt from Iowa Civil Rights Act, a legislation which the church felt could have compelled churches to change their restrooms and showers to unisex facilities, and prevented them from freely stating biblical teachings.

The church considered establishing clear guidelines of bathroom and shower use by members in accordance with their biological sex. However, the church foresaw the legal implications of such a move by the state if such guidelines were to be reviewed by the state commission on civil rights.

"This lawsuit was necessary to ensure that the state won't try to enforce the law against churches, and we're pleased that Iowa churches now have the reassurance and clarity that they need," said Christiana Holcomb, Legal Counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom which is representing the church in the court.

The church's request for a preliminary injunction against the law was denied by the court, but the case was permitted to be heard in the court and subsequently the church was protected from any future government effort to regulate the churches' stance on sexuality.

Judge Stephanie M. Rose considered the city officials' claims that the legislation was not meant for churches as unsubstantiated, because there was no provision in the law to explicitly prevent the authorities from enforcing the Act on churches.

"The government acts outside of its authority when it attempts to control churches," said Steve O'Ban, senior counsel with ADF. "Neither the commission nor any state law has the constitutional authority to dictate how any church uses its facility or what public statements a church can make concerning sexuality."

Holcomb said that it was necessary for the church to file such a lawsuit in anticipation of any future government action on the church's freedom of expression.

"Churches should be free to talk about their religious beliefs and operate their houses of worship according to their faith without fearing government punishment," said Holcomb.
Donald Trump won the general elections 2016 and is set to be the next President of the United States of America.

"I have just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us on our victory and I congratulated her on a very hard fought campaign," he said in his victory speech in New York. "Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service."

"It is time for us to come together as one united people. I pledge to every citizen in our great land that I will be a president for all Americans. This is so important to me," Trump said.

The Senate and the House were also won by the Republicans for the first time in decades.

Christian leaders expressed their hopes for the future of America.

"We have joined in prayers and watched with keen interest the US elections, it is now over and one person Donald Trump is elected. The parties may be different but the overriding interest is the nation of America. America has a God-given place in the history and affairs of the world," said Ben Kwashi, Archbishop of Jos in the Anglican Church of Nigeria. "We have high hopes that the plight of troubled parts of the world will be priority of foreign policy, we hope that terrorism around the world and especially in Africa will be of concern to America."

"We also hope that freedom of religion and thought will be upheld and seen to be in practised in all democratic nations in the world. America has another chance to show its best in generosity, sacrifice, excellence and leadership in all goodness and faith," Kwashi added.

Trump called on Americans to come together to "bind the wounds of division."

He said that the new government will work to "fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals," and rebuild the country's infrastructure.

"As I've said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement," he added.

"It is a movement comprised of Americans from all races, religions, backgrounds and beliefs, who want and expect our government to serve the people, and serve the people it will."
home US Atheist group complains about use of houses of worship as polling places

An atheist organization has sent letters to two municipalities to express its view that churches, mosques and synagogues should not be used as polling places.

The Freedom of Religion Foundation (FFRF) has written to the officials in Palm Beach County, Florida and Washington County, Arkansas, requesting them to refrain from selecting houses of worship as polling locations, Christian News reported.

In the letter to Palm Beach County, dated Oct. 20, FRFF noted that the officials have selected the Islamic Center of Boca Raton as a polling place but it was changed after complaints from local residents. The organization then pointed out that Christian churches and Jewish synagogues are still being used as polling venues.

"As the governmental body charged with selecting polling places in your county, we ask that you seriously reconsider selecting any houses of worship as polling places. The debacle over the selection of the Islamic Center of Boca Raton showed precisely why this practice is unwise," FRFF wrote.

The organization argued that non-believers do not feel at ease when voting inside a church. It noted that 16 of the 17 polling places in Fayetteville, Arkansas were churches.

"Selecting churches as polling places can serve as unduly influence voters to vote in a particular way that they might not otherwise. This is especially true if the churches themselves are promoting or demonizing a particular side of an issue," FRFF stated in its letter to Washington County.

"Additionally, voters, who may be non-believers or non-Christians, could feel intimidated when they must vote at a church and view Christian messages while voting," it added.

FRFF also requested the removal of religious messages from polling places and suggested that permanent religious displays should at least be covered if churches continue to be used as venues for the election. It recommended the use of secular establishments such as public schools, firehouses, public libraries and private businesses as alternatives to churches.

The organization had also sent 15 electioneering complaints to the IRS to report the campaigning activities of churches in different parts of the U.S.
home US Donald Trump stuns the world, defeats Hillary Clinton in U.S. presidential election, heads for the White House

Republican Donald Trump stunned the world by defeating heavily favored rival Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's presidential election, ending eight years of Democratic rule and sending the United States on a new, uncertain path.

A wealthy real estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to win the White House race against Clinton, the Democratic candidate whose gold-plated establishment resume included stints as a first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state.

Democratic President Barack Obama, who campaigned hard against Trump, telephoned the Republican "to congratulate him on his victory" and invited him to the White House for a meeting on Thursday, the White House said in a statement on Wednesday. Obama will make a statement later on Wednesday about the election, the White House said.

"Ensuring a smooth transition of power is one of the top priorities the President identified at the beginning of the year and a meeting with the President-elect is the next step," the White House said.

Worried that a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors were in full flight from risky assets.

The U.S. dollar, Mexican peso and world stocks fell on Wednesday but fears of the kind of shock that wiped trillions of dollars off global markets after Britain's "Brexit" vote in June have failed to materialize so far.

Trump collected enough of the 270 state-by-state electoral votes needed to win a four-year term that starts on Jan. 20, taking battleground states where presidential elections are traditionally decided, U.S. television networks projected.

He appeared with his family before cheering supporters in a New York hotel ballroom, saying it was time to heal the divisions caused by the campaign and find common ground after a campaign that exposed deep differences among Americans.

"It is time for us to come together as one united people," Trump said. "I will be president for all Americans."

He said he had received a call from Clinton to congratulate him on the win and praised her for her service and for a hard-fought campaign.

His comments were an abrupt departure from his campaign trail rhetoric in which he repeatedly slammed Clinton as "crooked" amid supporters' chants of "lock her up."

Republicans also kept control of the U.S. Congress. Television networks projected the party would retain majorities in both the 100-seat Senate and the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs.

At Clinton's election event a mile away from Trump's victory party, an electric atmosphere among supporters expecting to see her become America's first woman president dissipated.

Clinton did not immediately make a concession speech, instead sending campaign chairman John Podesta out to tell her supporters to go home. "We're not going to have anything more to say tonight," he said. Clinton was expected to speak on Wednesday morning, an aide said.

Prevailing in a cliffhanger race that opinion polls had clearly forecast as favoring a Clinton victory, Trump won avid support among a core base of white non-college educated workers with his promise to be the "greatest jobs president that God ever created."

In his victory speech, he said he had a great economic plan, would embark on a project to rebuild American infrastructure and would double U.S. economic growth.

His win raises a host of questions for the United States at home and abroad. He campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist "America First" path. He has vowed to impose a 35 percent tariff on goods exported to the United States by U.S. companies that went abroad.

Trump, who at 70 will be the oldest first-term U.S. president, came out on top after a bitter and divisive campaign that focused largely on the character of the candidates and whether they could be trusted to serve as the country's 45th president.

The presidency will be Trump's first elected office, and it remains to be seen how he will work with Congress. During the campaign Trump was the target of sharp disapproval, not just from Democrats but from many in his own party.

STUNNED WORLD

World leaders pledged to work with Trump but some officials expressed alarm that the vote could mark the end of an era in which Washington promoted democratic values and was seen by its allies as a guarantor of peace.

During the campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested that Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defense burden.

Trump has promised to warm relations with Russia that have chilled under Obama over Russia's intervention in the Syrian civil war and its seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region.

Governments in Britain, China, Germany, Israel, Japan and Turkey, as well as Russia, congratulated Trump and said they would work with him.

"It is not an easy path but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development," Putin said.

Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped to reach "new heights" in bilateral ties under Trump. Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing and Washington shared responsibility for promoting global development and prosperity.

Other officials, some of them with senior roles in government, took the unusual step of denouncing the outcome, calling it a worrying signal for liberal democracy and tolerance in the world.

"Trump is the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement. He is also a warning for us," German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said in an interview with the Funke newspaper group.

U.S. neighbor Mexico was pitched into deep uncertainty by the victory for Trump, who has often accused it of stealing U.S. jobs and sending criminals across the border.

Trump wants to rewrite international trade deals to reduce trade deficits and has taken positions that raise the possibility of damaging relations with America's most trusted allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

CLINTON'S WEAKNESSES

Trump entered the race 17 months ago and survived a series of seemingly crippling blows, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologized but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, allegations he denied. He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Clinton.

A Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day poll offered some clues to the outcome. It found Clinton badly underperformed expectations with women, winning their vote by only about 2 percentage points.

And while she won Hispanics, black and young voters, Clinton did not win those groups by greater margins than Obama did in 2012. Younger blacks did not support Clinton like they did Obama, as she won eight of 10 black voters between the ages of 35 and 54. Obama won almost 100 percent of those voters in 2012.

During the campaign, Trump said he would "make America great again" through the force of his personality, negotiating skill and business acumen. He proposed refusing entry to the United States of people from war-torn Middle Eastern countries, a modified version of an earlier proposed ban on Muslims.

His volatile nature, frequent insults and unorthodox proposals led to campaign feuds with a long list of people, including Muslims, the disabled, Republican U.S. Senator John McCain, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, the family of a slain Muslim-American soldier, a Miss Universe winner and a federal judge of Mexican heritage.

A largely anti-Trump crowd of about 400 to 500 people gathered outside the White House after his victory, many visibly shocked or in tears. Some carried signs that read "stand up to racism" and "love trumps hate." About a dozen Trump supporters began shouting "U-S-A" and the competing demonstrators briefly pushed each other.

The election was unprecedented in the way it turned Americans against each other, according to dozens of interviews in rural United States and across some of the most politically charged battleground states.

Throughout his campaign - and especially in his acceptance speech at the Republican convention in July - Trump described a dark America that had been knocked to its knees by China, Mexico, Russia and Islamic State. The American dream was dead, he said, smothered by malevolent business interests and corrupt politicians, and he alone could revive it.

He has vowed to win economic concessions from China and to build a wall on the southern U.S. border with Mexico to keep out undocumented immigrants.

As financial markets absorbed the prospect of Trump's win, the Mexican peso plunged to its lowest-ever levels. The peso had become a touchstone for sentiment on the election as Trump threatened to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico.

His triumph was a rebuke to Obama, a Democrat who spent weeks flying around the country to campaign against him, repeatedly casting doubt on his suitability for the White House. Obama will hand over the office to Trump after serving the maximum eight years allowed by law.

Trump promises to push Congress to repeal Obama's troubled healthcare plan and to reverse his Clean Power Plan. He plans to create jobs by relying on U.S. fossil fuels such as oil and gas.

CLINTON'S FAILED SECOND BID

Trump's victory marked a frustrating end to the presidential aspirations of Clinton, 69, who failed for the second time to be president.

In a posting on Twitter during Tuesday evening, she acknowledged a battle that was unexpectedly tight given her edge in opinion polls going into Election Day.

"This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything," she tweeted.

The wife of former President Bill Clinton, she held a steady lead in many opinion polls for months. Voters perceived in her a cautious and calculating candidate and an inability to personally connect with them.

Even though the FBI found no grounds for criminal charges after a probe into her use of a private email server rather than a government system while she was secretary of state, the issue allowed critics to raise doubts about her integrity. Hacked emails also showed a cozy relationship between her State Department and donors to her family's Clinton Foundation charity.

Trump seized on the emails to charge that Clinton represented a corrupt political system in Washington that had to be swept clean.
home World ISIS urged American Muslims not to vote in elections

The Islamic State has released a document warning American Muslims not to participate in the U.S. elections and threatened to "slaughter" those who plan to vote.

The document titled "The Murtadd Vote" explained that those who participate in the democratic process are acting against Allah and the Muslim brotherhood, The Christian Post reported.

"We denounce your democratic kufr. Enmity and animosity have forever emerged between us and you until you disbelieve in 'the people' and believe in Allah alone. Indeed, we have come to slaughter you and smash your ballot boxes," the terror group declared.

ISIS criticized western Muslims who allied themselves with both Republican and Democratic presidents in the last 16 years. It pointed out that former President George W. Bush had broken his promise not to intervene in Somalia and to stop sending out troops around the world to participate in nation-building missions.

The terror group reminded its supporters that U.S. President Barack Obama also worked against the interests of Muslims by supporting Israel and interfering in Libya. It also noted that Obama continued the drone strikes initiated by Bush as well as the proxy wars in Yemen, Afghanistan and Somalia.

ISIS warned that both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton will be no different from the past presidents.

"The only differences between Trump and Clinton are that Clinton is more skilled in 'political correctness,' giving her leverage in the sorcery of hypocrisy, that she is a female feminist a and the Prophet said, 'Never shall a people who give their leadership to a woman be successful' (Reported by al-Bukhari from Abu Bakrah) a and that Trump is impulsive and unpredictable," ISIS remarked.

According to MEMRI, the videos and documents by ISIS are being being distributed by its new media arm, Al Hayat Media Center, which was established in May 2014. It specifically targets non-Arabic speakers by distributing its audio and video in several languages via numerous channels.

The media outfit is believed to be an initiative of Abu Talha Al Almani, a former German rapper known as Deso Dogg, who fought with ISIS in Syria.
home US Less than half of practicing American Christians read the Bible, study says

The Bible is considered as the most printed and most sold book in 50 years but a new study has shown that less than half of American Christians take the time to read it.

Samuel Harrell, director of Project Ignition at the American Bible Society, revealed the results of a six-year assessment of the state of the Bible conducted by the Barna Group at the Movement Day Global Cities conference on Nov. 2, according to a report from The Christian Post.

"We have been having the honor of walking for a number of years with Barna Group and studying the state of the Bible in America. I know that you and I are feeling the change in the winds and the trends that are affecting us, so you probably had conversations about just what feels very real about the Bible in our culture," Harrell said.

The study shows that just 18 percent of Americans 18 years old and above read the Bible. Among practicing Christians, only 37 percent admit engaging with the Holy Scripture. Fourteen percent of Bible readers are male and 22 percent are female.

When broken down by age, millennials appear to be the least engaged with the Scripture with only 12 percent of them reading the Bible. The number is higher among older adults at 26 percent.

Harrell said that the study also revealed that only 38 percent of Americans considered themselves to be friendly with the Bible. As many as 62 percent have said that they want to read the Bible more.

Harrell admitted that there are challenges especially when it comes to millennials.

"Millennials, they are reading you and me. Millennials are looking at us, millennials are saying, hey, one fourth of millennials are skeptics. There are those who are indicating that not only do they not believe the Bible, but they categorize the Bible as just another book or fairytale," he said, adding that some millennials consider the Bible as a dangerous book.

Harrell said that millennials are more likely to immerse themselves in the Bible when they see its impact on the lives of others.

The American Bible Society is making use of modern technology and social media to counter the rise of skepticism against the Bible. It has developed a Bible-based online game for teens and has taken ownership of .bible, a top-level domain.
home World Missionary reflects on her experience as captive of terror group in Philippines

Gracia Burnham, author of "In the Presence of My Enemies," was kidnapped, along with her husband Martin, by a jihadist group in the Philippines 15 years ago. She now travels regularly to share what she has learned while she under the captivity of the terror group, the Abu Sayyaf.

Gracia and Martin were kept hostage for a year and the rescue attempt conducted by the Philippine army led to Martin's death. Gracia said that The Voice of the Martyrs, USA, was one of the first to reach out to her after the event so she now follows many of the organization's conventions across the nation.

In an interview with Mission Network News, she revealed that she has learned more about herself during her captivity.

"In my case, what I learned was who I am. I think if you were to ask my children, they would say a different mother came out of the jungle than went in. I was always a real black-and-white person," she recalled.

"Then all of a sudden the bottom dropped out from me, and I saw myself at my lowest and I saw my sin and my hatred for those guys [our captors], and it was shocking. So when I saw myself for what I really was, then I learned God's grace in a whole new way," she recalled.

Gracia discovered that she was not the only one who learned about the grace of God. She said she has found that four of her captors, who are currently in a maximum security prison in Manila, have come to know Jesus as their Savior.

She now prays for other missionaries, who are working in more volatile mission fields, to have their basic needs met and for them to be encouraged that God is with them.

Gracia still receives news about her captors from the FBI. Sometimes, her Facebook followers share news about the terror group on her Facebook page.

Despite her experience, her son and daughter answered God's calling to be missionaries. Her son, Jeff, served as a missionary pilot in Botswana while her daughter, Mindy, spent eight months on a mission trip to Bolivia.
home World Nigeria assigns female police to protect Boko Haram victims following reports of abuse

The Borno Police Command announced on Sunday that 100 female police officers have been deployed to the state's Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp to protect victims of Boko Haram.

The announcement came after the Human Rights Watch (HRW) released a report that the displaced women were being sexually abused by camp officials. The humanitarian organization stated that that 43 women and girls living in the IDP camps in Maiduguri had been raped and exploited.

"It is bad enough that these women and girls are not getting much-needed support for the horrific trauma they suffered at the hands of Boko Haram. It is disgraceful and outrageous that people who should protect these women and girls are attacking and abusing them," said Mausi Segun, senior Nigeria researcher at HRW.

According to a research conducted in July by NOI poll, 66 percent of 400 displaced people in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states suffered sexual abuse from camp officials.

Residents of the Arabic Teachers Village camp in Pompomari have told HRW that the camp has not received any food or medicine since May. Aid workers have already reported in early 2016 that displaced women have been forced to engage in sex in exchange for basic necessities.

Chaloka Beyani, U.N. special rapporteur on the human rights of IDPs, visited Nigeria in August and asserted that the Nigerian government has "a tendency to downplay the problem of sexual violence and abuse" of the displaced people.

Damian Chukwu, the commissioner of police in the state, said that he has assembled a high-powered committee to oversee the operations in the camps, The Premium Times reported.

"I have constituted a committee, led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), with Divisional Police Officers (DPO) and other senior officers, to take over the daily running of the camps," he said, adding that most of the committee members are females.

He stated that the policewomen will be handling the day-to-day interaction in the camps while the male police officers will be limited to handling territorial coverage and patrolling.
home US Pro-life campaign saves 717 babies from abortions

The 40 days for Life campaign concluded with 717 babies saved from abortion from Sept. 29 to Nov. 6. Campaign volunteers prayed and fasted outside 367 abortion facilities in 270 U.S. cities and over 20 countries.

Pro-Life Action Ministries (PLAM), a major sponsor of the campaign, estimated that 676 mothers have been persuaded not to abort their babies but the official 40 Days for Life website puts the final count at 717.

"The numbers are reported by our local leaders and volunteers. There are a variety of ways leaders learn of babies saved from abortion. Perhaps the most typical is when a woman leaves the abortion center and thanks the on-site volunteers for being there to change her mind," Steve Karlen, North American campaign director of 40 Days for Life, told Baptist Press.

The 2016 campaign included the 40 Days for Life United bus tour that stopped at Planned Parenthood facilities in 127 U.S. cities. The tour began in Washington D.C. on Sept. 28 and concluded in Richmond, Virginia on Nov. 6.

"The greatest blessings of the tour were seeing unprecedented hope and enthusiasm from pro-lifers across the country. We saw consistently large crowds at the 127 cities we visited. People traveled from miles away to join our rallies a many of them who have never been involved in pro-life activism before," said Karlen.

The bus gathered numerous signatures during the campaign. Some of the signatures were accompanied by notes from women to their aborted babies while others came from children who were saved from abortion in the previous runs of the 40 Days for Life campaign.

Other sponsors of the tour included March for Life, Heartbeat International, Silent No More Awareness, Students for Life and Susan B. Anthony List. The 40 days for Life website contains several stories from campaign volunteers about mothers who decided at the last minute not to terminate their pregnancies.

PLAM announced that the next campaign will begin on Dec. 1. Over 700,000 people from 18,500 churches have participated in the prayer vigils in 636 cities and 36 countries since 2007. The campaign has prevented at least 11,796 babies from being aborted, according to PLAM.
home World Vatican condemns the unauthorized ordination of Chinese priest as bishop

The Vatican has issued a statement condemning the decision of a priest of an underground church in China to ordain himself as a bishop without the approval of the Pope.

The statement released on Monday was seen as an attempt by the Vatican to diffuse tensions with China as it negotiates with authorities to reach an overall agreement on bishop nominations, Crux reported.

"In recent weeks, there has been a series of reports regarding some episcopal ordinations conferred without Papal Mandate of priests of the unofficial community of the Catholic Church in Continental China," the statement said.

"The Holy See has not authorised any ordination, nor has it been officially informed of such events. Should such episcopal ordinations have occurred, they would constitute a grave violation of canonical norms," it continued.

Rumors have circulated that Father Dong Guanhua, an underground priest in Hebei, ordained himself as bishop "in private" and offered to ordain others. He was immediately criticized by the underground church and some have suspected that he is a government spy whose aim is to create confusion and division in the Church.

The statement mentioned that it had no confirmation of the rumors but reiterated that the Vatican considers any ordination without Papal approval to be illegal.

"The Holy See hopes that such reports are baseless. If not, it will have to await reliable information and sure documentation before adequately evaluating the cases. However, it is reiterated that it is not licit to proceed with any episcopal ordination without the necessary Papal Mandate, even by appealing to particular personal beliefs," it concluded.

It is estimated that there are currently 12 million Catholics in China, many of whom are members of independent congregations outside the control of the communist party's Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA). Priests who refuse to put themselves under the authority of the party run the risk of severe punishment.

Cardinal Joseph Zen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong has cautioned against striking a deal with the CCPA. He argued that such a deal could potentially allow the communist leaders to elect Catholic Bishops. Zen added that it would risk alienating the authentic Catholics in China from the Vatican.
10-Year-Old Girl, Kayla Gomez-Orozco, Abducted During Church Prayer Meeting Found Dead In Well; Cousin Charged With Murder

The 24-year-old cousin of Kayla Gomez, who went missing during a church prayer service, has been charged with murder after her body was discovered in a well at the weekend.

An amber alert was raised last week after Gomez disappeared from a service at Bullard First Assembly Church, East Texas, that was also being attended by her parents. At the time the alert went out, authorities had feared she was snatched by a stranger and warned she was in "grave danger".

Her disappearance shocked the small community of Bullard, with hundreds joining prayer vigils and assisting in the search for her.

Now, according to KETK, Gustavo Zavala-Garcia, a Mexican national and cousin to Kayla by marriage, has been taken into custody at Smith County Jail after her body was found in the grounds of a home on FM 2493, just a few miles away from the church where she was last seen.

Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith told the news network: "A family member resides at the residence that we conducted the search where the body was recovered.

"He voluntarily accompanied law enforcement officers to be interviewed. Upon the completion of the interview, a federal immigration detainer was issued for his detention.

"He is now in the Smith County jail, without any possibility of making bond at this time."

CBS19 reports that in the arrest affidavit, a church member said they saw Kayla leave the church on the night of her disappearance with Zavala-Garcia and his 3-year-old daughter.

According to KLTV, U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement understands Zavala-Garcia to be in the country illegally. An autopsy is being carried out at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas to establish the cause of death.
As Christians Flee The Middle East, The Church Is Full Of New Believers

As Christians flee war and persecution in Syria, a Christian from Aleppo says new believers are coming to faith in the country's churches.

Rami (whose name has been changed for security reasons) co-ordinates 'Hope for the Middle East', a seven-year advocacy campaign from charity Open Doors which works with the persecuted church. He hopes to gain a million signatures backing the Christian church remaining in the Middle East.

Though people are coming to know God in the midst of extreme hardship, he says the Syrian church needs the support of Christians around the world if it is to stay.

He told World Watch Monitor (WWM): "I'm originally from Aleppo. About five years ago I moved to the UK to study. In the summer of 2012 I finished my Masters and planned to go back. At the same time, the protests against the Assad regime started to escalate. Flights were cancelled and borders were closed. I had my heart set on returning, but suddenly I couldn't go back. My family and friends still lived in Aleppo. I felt so disconnected. Whenever I read about something that had taken place, I asked myself: 'Where did this happen? How does this affect the people I know?'"

He went on: "Some have left [Aleppo], but many remain in the government-controlled Western part of the city. My parents too. They don't want me to worry and usually talk about general things. If I want to know specific things such as: 'Do you have enough food and water?' I need to ask them specific questions. I think that's only natural."

But though hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing Syria, its churches remain full, Rami said. "God has been very faithful. Newcomers fill the gap. Some are Christians from other churches, others are new believers with a Muslim background. The way the church functions has changed drastically of course. It's not secure to travel at night. That's why all evening services and activities have been cancelled or changed to earlier during the day."

Rami says that while Christians are leaving the Middle East en masse, those who remain are "God's ambassadors". He told WWM: "We see something in the Middle East that is probably unprecedented: the enormous exodus of Christians. At the same time the global Church recognises how important it is that the Christians' presence is preserved in the Middle East. We are God's ambassadors. If the Christians leave the Middle East it's like God's presence is leaving the Middle East. The presence of the Church is vitally important. People are desperate and see very little hope. The fact that there still is a Church gives them encouragement and hope."

Describing the campaign, he said: "We call it the One Million Voices petition and we want to present it to the new UN Secretary General on 20 June 2017, World Refugee Day. The petition aims to underline the three points about discrimination, dignity and recognition. Open Doors is just one relatively small organisation. Why would the UN listen to us? Our voice is soft among the thousands of other organisations which try to influence them. Our voice will only be heard if it's louder  that's why we need at least one million signatures. The second reason is that it encourages Christians in the Middle East. They also participate in the One Million Voices. Let's follow their example, come alongside them and show them they are not alone."
Christian Leaders Pledge To Pray And Support The New Trump Presidency

Christian leaders around the world have pledged to work with and support Donald Trump as the new President of the United States. Evangelical Christians were credited by prominent religious leaders as being key to his victory.

Tony Campolo, former spiritual adviser to Bill Clinton, credited evangelical Christians for the win. He said: "The triumph of Donald Trump may signal 'the last hurrah' of white male evangelicals in America, or it may mean that their influence is once again on the rise. We will have to wait and see. But there is no question that his victory was largely due to their support.

"His victory is likely to get evangelicals to do some soul-searching as to who they are, and why they were swept up in supporting a man whose rhetoric played upon fear of immigrants, fear of Muslims, an anti-scientific disbelief in global warming, overt racism and sexist attitudes that are contrary to Scripture."

Amaris Cole, editor of Evangelical Alliance IDEA, told Christian Today: "The presidential campaign has been fraught, divisive and long. Even among the evangelical community there was a huge divide, with 65 per cent of white evangelicals voting for Trump and 62 per cent of non-white evangelicals voting for Clinton.

"Now the decision has been made, and it's time for both sides to come together and pray for their new president, and all those who have woken up feeling disappointed with this result. Wouldn't it be great if the Church led the way in demonstrating reconciliation between those who have been at war in the last few weeks?

"We know the Church is on the front line, serving those in need. I'm praying the Church in America will come together to ensure this vital work continues  whatever policies the next four years will bring."

Ben Kwashi, Archbishop of Jos in the Anglican Church of Nigeria, said: "We have joined in prayers and watched with keen interest the US elections, it is now over and one person Donald Trump is elected. The parties may be different but the overriding interest is the nation of America. America has a God-given place in the history and affairs of the world.

"We have high hopes that the plight of troubled parts of the world will be priority of foreign policy, we hope that terrorism around the world and especially in Africa will be of concern to America.

"We also hope that freedom of religion and thought will be upheld and seen to be in practised in all democratic nations in the world. America has another chance to show its best in generosity, sacrifice, excellence and leadership in all goodness and faith."

Barack Obama tried to reassure Americans following the shock result. He said in a video recorded for BuzzFeed: "Let's face it. This has been an exhausting, stressful and sometimes downright weird election for all of us.

"But here's what I want everybody to know: While we've certainly seen some new things this time around, what isn't new is that our democracy has always been rowdy and raucous. We've been through tough and divisive elections before and we've always come out stronger for it. Remember, no matter what happens, the sun will rise in the morning and America will still be the greatest nation on earth."

There were many comparisons with the UK's Brexit upset when a majority of voters defied pollsters and pundits to take the country out of the European Union.

UKIP's Nigel Farage said Trump's win in Florida was like the Brexit vote in Sunderland, when 61 per cent thwarted expectations by voting to leave the EU, and tweeted that the election result was even bigger than Brexit:

Looks like 2016 is going to be the year of two big political revolutions @realDonaldTrump. Would be bigger than Brexit! pic.twitter.com/jqANN6UU49  Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) November 9, 2016

Dr Mike Evans of Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem said he offered his support to the president elect. "I would also like to reiterate one simple truth believed by hundreds of millions of Christians around the world: the success of this new administration will remain fully centered upon its commitment to the State of Israel. May the new administration be a friend and an ally to Israel to a greater degree than any previous administration. The clearest indication of this commitment would be the immediate transfer of the Embassy of the United States to Jerusalem."

Dr Ronnie Floyd, senior pastor of Cross Church and immediate past president of the Southern Baptist Convention, congratulated Trump. "I pray sincerely that God might grant wisdom to our new commander in chief to lead our nation in righteousness and toward peace and justice. This is a time to rebuild and to reconcile, to lock arms with our fellow Americans and work with our elected officials for a better future," he said. "We must remember that the task of protecting our rights to life and religious freedom is as much the responsibility of the average American as it is of the individual sitting in the Oval Office."

Fear and worship should be reserved only for God, who alone deserves to be our source of ultimate hope and security, he added.

Pastor Paula White of New Destiny Christian Center said: "Far more than what divides us, this election has revealed what unites us. I have never seen such solidarity between evangelicals and Catholics, Pentecostals, charismatics and Baptists. We were brought together with a mutual love for our country and through a mutual faith in God. The election started the conversation but what will come from these new and renewed relationships will have far more impact than anything that could be realized through the election of any politician. We aren't ending this season so much entering a new one, ready to love the world together to a degree greater than we ever could alone."

Bishop Joseph D'Souza of the Good Shepherd Church of India said: "Over the span of my life, I have respected and admired the office of the US presidency. Perhaps no other individual has a greater responsibility and expectation bestowed upon himself to lead. I wish Donald Trump the fortitude needed to carry such an enormous task.

"Today, the world needs America's strength more than ever. We are living in tumultuous times, and it is in moments like these that international cooperation for the sake of peace and justice is imperative. But we also need America's kindness. The United States, though relatively young historically, has long been a source of hope to all those who desire their countries  and indeed, their children have a future filled with opportunity."

Hispanic evangelical leader Samuel Rodriguez told Christian Today: "Now that the presidential election is finally behind us, our nation must put partisan politics and divisive rhetoric behind us as well." Referring to the symbols of the Republican and Democratic Parties, he said: "Instead of the agenda of the donkey or the elephant, Christians must be about the Lamb's agenda.

"We can and we must continue the fight to reconcile Billy Graham's message of righteousness with Dr Martin Luther King's march for justice. The moment we, as Christian voters, are co-opted by any given political party or ideology, we lose our legitimacy to speak truth to power. Looking ahead, now is the time to rise up as the Body of Christ and as an independent voice that holds political leaders on both sides of the aisle accountable to policies that don't aim left or right, but toward righteousness and justice, for all.

"We pray for the safe keeping of our democracy as we transition to the new Donald Trump Administration and we pray that God will continue to bless and prosper our nation in the coming months and years ahead."

Dr David Jeremiah, senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church, said: "This presidential election has been a moment in history when God has reminded us that our ultimate citizenship is indeed in heaven, and not on earth. While we love America, as Christians we are sojourners and pilgrims, and like the heroes of our faith we are looking for a better country beyond this earthly one, to the heavenly city God has prepared for us. Let us then continue walking by faith, not by sight, placing our trust in God's eternal promises and not in the fleeting machinations of men."

He committed his church to praying for the Trump administration: "We pray that God might have mercy on our nation and that our leaders might know and fear Him, for as the Scriptures say, blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. This is a time when we must hold fast to our calling to be good citizens and to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, pointing those around us toward our hope in Christ and breathing life wherever there is despair. Presidents come and go, but our God remains forever and he will be on his throne on November 9 as he was on November 8 and as he will be for all of eternity."
Evangelicals Hand Victory To Donald Trump

Donald Trump is set to be the next President of the United States of America.

The shock result unravelled over a dramatic night where the Republican candidate dominated across key swing states including Ohio, North Carolina, Iowa and Pennsylvania. The crucial states of Florida and Wisconsin also went to the New York billionaire who began the night a rank outsider according to most pollsters.

Evangelical Christians turned out in large numbers to vote for Trump and were pivotal as he swept to power. They backed the Republican by 81 per cent to 16 per cent, according to ABC News. This is a bigger margin of the evangelical vote than was achieved by George Bush, John McCain and Mitt Romney.

In Florida 85 per cent of white evangelicals voted for the Republican, according to early exit polls. In North Carolina that figure was 78 per cent as the state went to the Republicans by 50 per cent to 46 per cent.

The political earthquake is the most remarkable election result in recent history.

The horror show for Democrat supporters began after Trump seized the bellweather state of Ohio early on by a huge margin of nearly 10 points.

The vote was entirely unprecedented as pollsters overwhelmingly backed Clinton in the run up to the vote.

Several Democrat wins came from the more populous states and it looks likely Clinton will win a larger share of the popular vote. But because the US has an electoral college system, Trump's victory in key swing states handed him the keys to the White House.

Tony Campolo, the American author and advisor to President Bill Clinton, said Trump's victory was "no question largely due" to the support of "white male evangelicals".

He told Christian Today: "His victory is likely to get evangelicals to do some soul searching as to who they are, and why they were swept up in supporting a man whose rhetoric played upon fear of immigrants, fear of Muslims, an anti-scientific disbelief in global warming, overt racism and sexist attitudes that are contrary to scripture."

Jerry Falwell Jnr, president of the evangelical Liberty University, who had publicly backed Trump, said the support from evangelicals was "really encouraging". He told the BBC: "The evangelicals were largely supporting Trump well before the evangelical leadership was. The divide has been in the evangelical leadership, not the rank and file."

When asked allegations of sex abuse and his multiple marriages Falwell responded: "Evangelicals believe all people are sinners. We've all done wrong, we all need forgiveness. The Donald Trump I know has a big heart, he loves people, he loves this country."
Exclusive: Obama Faith Adviser Blasts Hillary Clinton's 'Disregard' For White Evangelicals And Catholics

Barack Obama's former faith adviser has blamed the high Christian support for Donald Trump in last night's election victory on the Hillary Clinton campaign's "almost complete disregard" for engaging with faith communities  especially white evangelicals and Catholics.

Michael Wear, who was 'head of faith outreach' for the outgoing President, told Christian Today: "I am sad for my country and for those who went to bed scared last night."

Wear, who also served on both of Barack Obama's successful presidential election campaigns in 2008 and 2012, said: "The high Christian support for Trump is the result of many factors, but certainly one has to be her [Hillary Clinton] campaign's almost complete disregard for showing empathy or earnestly engaging faith communitiesparticularly white Catholics and evangelicals."

He added: "This must be part of the discussion of where the [Democrat] Party goes from here."

Wear's comments about the Hillary Clinton campaign reflect tensions within the Democratic party that will doubtless emerge in the coming days, and especially between Obama and Clinton, who stood against one another for the Democrats' nomination in 2008.

Wear went on to say that he would pray for the incoming Republican president and emphasised the role of the church in healing America's wounds. "I will pray for Donald Trump, as I will pray for the nation and the church. This will be a moment for the church to lead, to support our political leaders when possible, and to oppose them when necessary," he said. "We must heal in the church across the political and racial lines that have overwhelmed our unity in Christ, and come to agree on some basic public implications of our faith. I remain ever hopeful about the future of the church."

In an interview with Christian Today on 30 September, Wear said: "Donald Trump is the most secular, least prepared, least qualified and most dangerous nominee either party has nominated in the modern era. He abuses those who stand in his way, and he shames those who stand with him. He has stoked America's most tender divides for his own personal benefit. Whether the racism, xenophobia and misogyny of his campaign is one of intention or ignorance does not matter, as it would not matter if he was making decisions for our country. He does not contain an ounce of the grace or thoughtfulness of the man he wants to succeed, the understanding of the job and the aspirations to service of the woman he is running against, or the character and commitment to conservatism of the Republican Party's previous nominees. He lacks substance, and we sorely need leaders of substance in the United States today."

Evangelical Christians turned out in large numbers to vote for Trump and were pivotal as he swept to power. They backed the Republican by 81 per cent to 16 per cent, according to ABC News. That is a bigger margin of the evangelical vote than was achieved by George Bush, John McCain and Mitt Romney.

In Florida 85 per cent of white evangelicals voted for the Republican, according to early exit polls. In North Carolina that figure was 78 per cent as the state went to the Republicans by 50 per cent to 46 per cent.

Meanwhile, an ABC-Washington Post poll showed 54 per cent of white Catholics voting for Trump, with 38 per cent voting for Clinton.

Wear, who was born into a Catholic family but became an evangelical, has a new book coming out in the UK early next year: Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House About The Future of Faith in America.
Hillary Clinton Quotes Passage From Galatians In Concession Speech

Hillary Clinton quoted from scripture today in her first speech since she lost the presidency to Donald Trump.

Quoting from Galatians 6:9, she said: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

She added: "Let us have faith in each other. Let us not grow weary. Let us not lose heart. For there are more seasons to come and...more work to do."

The lines came at the end of an unusually emotional and graceful speech in which she said that "we owe [Trump] an open mind and a chance to lead".

She said: "Last night I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country. I hope that he will be a president for all of our country."

Addressing her supporters, she acknowledged that the defeat was "painful".

"I'm sorry that we did not win this election for the values we all share," she said. "You represent the best of America, and being your candidate has been one of the greatest honours of my life. I know how disappointed you feel, because I feel it too...This is painful, and it will be for a long time. But I want you to remember this. Our campaign was never about one person... it was about building a country that we love."

Flanked by her husband Bill, daughter Chelsea and running mate Tim Kaine and his wife Anne Holton, she conceded that the country was bitterly divided.

"We have seen that our country was more deeply divided than we ever thought...We must accept this result... Donald Trump is going to be our president... we owe him an open mind and a chance to lead," she said.

Aiming her comments at women, she went on: "And to all the women... who put their faith in this campaign and me... I want you to know that nothing has made me prouder than to be your champion. I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but I know someday someone will, and hopefully sooner than we might think right now. And to all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable... and deserving of every chance... to pursue your own dreams."

Clinton received one of the biggest ovations from her supporters gathered at a New York hotel when she paid tribute to the outgoing President, Barack Obama.

"To Barack and Michelle Obama - our country owes you an enormous debt of gratitude," she said. "We thank you for your graceful determined leadership that has meant so much."

She went on to thank her family for their support. "And to Bill and Chelsea, Mark, Charlotte, Aidan... my love for you means more than I can ever express. You criss-crossed this country on my behalf and lifted me up when I needed it most."

She added of her staff and her campaign: "You poured your hearts into this campaign... you were the best campaign that anybody could have ever expected or wanted.

"And to the millions of volunteers, community leaders, activists and union organizers... I want everybody coming out... and make sure your voices are heard going forward."

Addressing young people, she said: "You will have successes and setbacks too. This loss hurts. But please never stop believing that fighting for what's right is worth it."
Iraqi Priests Celebrate Mass In Destroyed Church For First Time Since ISIS

After more than two years of ISIS control, priests today held mass at the Mart Shmoni Church in Bashiqa, east of Mosul, for the first time since it was liberated.

Photographs showed priests inspecting the church, which had been ransaked by militants. Icons could be seen hanging off the walls, chairs broken and trash littered the floor.

Flanked by Peshmerga forces, the priests rang the bell of the church, echoing the bells rung last month in Bartella  another Christian town recently liberated from Islamic State.

Bashiqa was retaken from ISIS as part of the offensive to capture Mosul  ISIS' last stronghold in Iraq  that began on October 17.

Mosul and its surrounding towns and villages, many of which were occupied primarily by Christians, were overrun by ISIS in 2014.

Though many of these towns have now been liberated, it is still considered too dangerous for civilians to return. However, church leaders have begun to return to their churches.

On 30 October, dozens of Iraqi Christians celebrated mass at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Qaraqosh, which was once home to Iraq's largest Christian population.

"Today Qaraqosh is free of Daesh (Islamic State)," Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Mosul Butrus Moshe  who was born in the town  told worshippers.

"Our role today is to remove all the remnants of Daesh," he added. "This includes erasing sedition, separation and conflicts, which victimised us.

"Political and sectarian strife, separating between one man and another, between ruler and follower, these mentalities must be changed."

The head of the Orthodos church in Bashiqa, Father Bools Mate Afram, told the Guardian in October that he would one day return to his town, but feared that many of his congregation may not.

"I know many families who want to go back but they need international protection to be able to live in Nineveh plains again," he said.

"Many Christians say that under no conditions will they return to Mosul city itself because the chances that it will be a secure and safe city, even after Daesh is gone, are very weak," he said.
ISIS Crucify Five In Mosul For 'Giving Information To Apostates'

The crucified corpses of five people accused of giving information to "the enemy" have been displayed by ISIS in the city of Mosul in Iraq.

"I saw five corpses of young men which had been crucified at a road junction in east Mosul," not far from districts which had seen heavy fighting, a resident told Reuters over the phone.

"The Daesh people [ISIS] hung the bodies out and said that these were agents passing news to the infidel forces and apostates," he said referring to the Western allies backing the campaign and the Shi'ite-led government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Brutal killings have become a hallmark of ISIS' campaign to create a caliphate in the Middle East. On Monday, 100 beheaded bodies were found in a mass grave at a college near Mosul.

Mosul is ISIS' last stronghold in Iraq, and has been run by militants since they conquered large parts of Northern Iraq in 2014. It has seen intensified violence since an offensive to retake the city was launched on October 17.

At least 34,000 civilians have fled Mosul in the weeks since, and are said to be in desperate condition after living under ISIS rule for more than two years. Up to 700,000 more are expected to flee in the coming weeks.

The militants are putting up a fierce defence after their leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, told them in a speech last week to remain loyal to their commanders and not to retreat in the "total war" with their enemies.

He urged ISIS fighters to "turn the nights of the unbelievers into days, to wreak havoc in their land and make their blood flow as rivers".

The gruesome public display of the bodies appeared to be a warning against other potential informers, and a clear message to the city's remaining 1.5 million residents that the ultra-hardline Islamists are still in charge, despite losing territory to the east of the city.

Residents contacted by telephone late on Tuesday said many parts of the city were calmer than they had been for days, allowing people to venture out to seek food, even in areas which have seen heavy fighting over the last week.

"I went out in my car for the first time since the start of the clashes in the eastern districts," said one Mosul resident. "I saw some of the Hisba elements of Daesh (ISIS) checking people's beards and clothes and looking for smokers".

Islamic State's Hisba force is a morality police unit which imposes the Sunni jihadists' interpretation of Islamic behavior. It forbids smoking, says women should be veiled and wear gloves, and bans men from Western-style dress including jeans and logos.

Hisba units patrol the city in specially marked vehicles.

"It looks like they want to prove their presence after they disappeared for the last 10 days, especially on the eastern bank," the resident said.

Mosul is divided into two halves by the Tigris river running through its centre. The eastern half, where elite Iraqi troops have broken through Islamic State defences, has a more mixed population than the western, overwhelmingly Sunni Arab side, where Islamic State fighters are believed to be strongest.

Additional reporting by Reuters.
Muslims Fear Trump Victory Will Give 'Green Light For Bigotry'

Muslims in the US and Britain have voiced their fears after the election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States.

Harun Khan, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said there is "justifiable concern" about the election.

"It is hugely worrying that a man who has openly called for discrimination against Muslims and other minorities has become the leader of a superpower nation. We hope the bombast and rhetoric we have seen from Mr Trump in the last few months gives way to a more reconciliatory approach. The President-elect must demonstrate that his election is not a green light for bigotry for the rest of the world."

US Muslim YouTube star and rapper tweeted the fearful response of his five-year-old daughter:

Reema is only 5 years old. She knows that we're Muslim and started crying when she saw Donald Trump winning...

Al Jazeera presenter and Ed Miliband co-biographer Mehdi Hasan drew comparisons between a surge of racist attacks in Britain after the Brexit vote.

Brexit was followed by a sharp uptick in racist attacks. Be careful out there on Wednesday, non-white Americans. Be careful. https://t.co/U5GREWYz3t  Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) November 9, 2016

Tell Mama, which monitors anti-Muslim hate crime, told Huffington Post: "Today in America, the politics of hate have trumped love." Tell Mama described a climate in Britain "where extremism, terrorism and the press, have fuelled anti-Muslim sentiment". Trump's victory had made the fight "much, much harder" because of the extent that what happens in the US influences life in the UK.

The charity tweeted:

If we are to fight extremism of any kind, we MUST hang onto our values of pluralism. If not, then years of divisions lie ahead  TellMAMAUK (@TellMamaUK) November 9, 2016

Moussa ElBayoumi, of the Kansas branch of the Council on American Islamic Relations, called on President-elect Trump to respect the United States constitution and the values it is built on.

If the new president failed to live up to his duties to be President for everyone, irrespective of race of religion, Elbayoumi pledged that the council will "stand ready to defend the civil liberties of all American citizens, including Muslim Americans."

However, the leader of the Republican Muslim Coalition, Saba Ahmed, told Al Jazeera that she is excited by the result. "The Republican Muslim Coalition is looking forward to working with president Trump."
Northern Ireland To Follow England And Wales In Pardons For Gay Men

Northern Ireland is to follow England and Wales in giving retrospective pardons to gay men convicted of offences that have since been abolished.

Northern Ireland's parliament, Stormont, has backed the provision for pardons set out in the Policing and Crime Bill in Britain last month.

A "consent motion" will now go forward but is expected to be passed, Irish News reported.

Justice minister Claire Sugden, who proposed the provision to grant posthumous pardons to all those convicted of homosexual acts, said: "Pardon arrangements should be brought to Northern Ireland as soon as possible to ensure that there is equal treatment for gay and bisexual men here as for their counterparts in England and Wales."

"This is an opportunity for the criminal justice system to try and right the wrongs of the past and one which will allow for much earlier resolve than that presented by way of an Assembly Bill."

Anyone still alive with a conviction can also apply for the same provision, known as "Turing's Law" after Alan Turing, the computer scientist, mathematician and wartime British code-breaker who was prosecuted in 1952 for homosexual acts and died two years later from cyanide poisoning. He was granted a posthumous pardon by the Queen in 2013.

Many thousands of men throughout the UK were convicted under the anti-gay "gross indecency" laws.

Homosexual acts were decriminalised in England and Wales in 1967 and in Northern Ireland in 1982.
Senior Syrian Priest Shot As He Enters Aleppo

A senior Syrian Orthodox cleric has been shot as he entered the city of Aleppo.

Mgr Raban Boutros Kassis, patriarchal Vicar of Aleppo, was returning to the city from Homs in an area controlled by Syrian government troops but closed at night because of the activity of rebel forces, described as "terrorists" by regime supporters.

Kassis was wounded by two bullets in the shoulder on November 6, according to the Fides news agency. He was taken to the St Louis Catholic Hospital where he underwent surgery to remove them.

He told Fides: "I thank God who protected and kept me alive. I thank God because in this condition and in this experience I can share the cross with so many people that today suffer in Syria, especially in Aleppo.

"Every day we suffer assaults and bombings, every day people are wounded and die. I am happy to taste the bitterness of the cross, in communion with Christ and with so many innocent people who suffer. We have the certainty that death is not the last word, but that the end is Resurrection."

The Syrian army has made significant gains in Aleppo and claims to have captured a strategic district in what could be a decisive blow against the rebel forces.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it most significant gain by the government in Aleppo since September.

Rebel sources said the fighting in the area claimed by the regime was still continuing.
What Do We Know About Trump's Faith?

Donald Trump will be the 45th President of the United States. After defeating Democrat hopeful Hillary Clinton in a shock win overnight, the New York billionaire will in January be inaugurated and move into the White House.

And one of his main supporter groups? White evangelical Christians. According to polls, they backed Trump by 81 per cent to 16 per cent  a larger margin of the evangelical vote than was achieved by a Republican candidate in the past three elections.

Trump's relationship with US Christians has been somewhat rocky. He campaigned hard for the evangelical vote, and initially managed to gain widespread support  winning the endorsement of Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr, author Eric Metaxas and pastor of First Baptist Church Dallas, Robert Jeffress. And they weren't the only ones. As the world watched on in bewilderment, numerous leading Christian figures lined up to gush over Trump's candidacy.

But he was mocked a fair amount, too, and questioned about his self-proclaimed Christian faith. When asked to name his favourite Bible verse in August last year he refused to respond, saying the answer would be too personal, leading critics to ask whether he actually knew any. A few weeks later he said he liked Proverbs, in particular "the chapter 'never bend to envy'", which doesn't actually exist.

Then in April, he was asked again by a US radio station whether he has "a favourite Bible verse or Bible story that has informed your thinking or your character through life?". Trump responded "an eye for an eye", failing to note that Jesus shut down that verse from Leviticus pretty swiftly, urging Christians to respond with forgiveness and love  not vengeance.

Of course, Trump himself has admitted that he has never actually asked God for forgiveness, so perhaps no surprises there.

He committed another faux pas and was ridiculed by Christians for referring to a chapter in the Bible as 'Two Corinthians'  the usual phrasing in Britain, but Americans typically refer to it as 'Second Corinthians'. He was derided by commentators, and students at Liberty University, whom he was addressing, openly laughed at the perceived error. (It's important to note that more than 2,000 Liberty students  one of America's largest Christian colleges  signed a petition opposing Trump, in doing so critiquing Falwell Jr's support).

Trump even got into a spat with Pope Francis over his repeated promises to build a wall dividing the US from Mexico, and a senior official in the Presbyterian Church  into which Trump was baptised as a child  slammed the candidate's hardline immigration policies.

So he wasn't always considered the true 'Christian candidate', despite running under the Republican banner, which has typically enjoyed the majority of white evangelical support. And yet, in the midst of this fragile relationship, Trump evidently won the evangelicals over.

His declarations of personal faith appeared to gain more credence among evangelicals as his campaign went on.

Evangelist Paula White was credited with leading Trump to faith, and though she refused to comment specifically, she told the Christian Post: "I can tell you with confidence that I have heard Mr. Trump verbally acknowledge his faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of his sins through prayer, and I absolutely believe he is a Christian who is growing like the rest of us. I know that from many personal conversations."

James Dobson, founder of the conservative Focus on the Family, called Trump a "baby Christian", waving away his more controversial statements by saying the candidate simply "doesn't have a clue about how believers think, talk and act".

"All I can tell you is that we have only two choices, Hillary or Donald," Dobson added. "Hillary scares me to death. And, if Christians stay home because he isn't a better candidate, Hillary will run the world for perhaps eight years. The very thought of that haunts my nights and days."

Support did appear to be crumbling just a few weeks ago following the release of a video tape from 2005 in which Trump could be heard openly speaking about groping women and trying to seduce a married woman. It caused particular waves among conservative voters and previously supportive voices, including theologian Wayne Grudem, began to waver.

Grudem announced that he was withdrawing his support for the Republican candidate and urged Trump to pull out from the race. (He then later changed his mind again  announcing that he would vote for Trump after all.)

Evangelical author Beth Moore spoke publicly of her own experience of sexual assault and said to evangelical leaders who still supported Trump: "Try to absorb how acceptable the disesteem and objectifying of women has been when some Christian leaders don't think it's that big a deal." Russell Moore, of the Southern Baptist Commission's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, reiterated his own opposition to the candidate.

But yet more stood by him.

One classic trope espoused by Trump-supporting Christians was that they weren't necessarily endorsing his 'lifestyle' by giving him their vote. Trump's repeated promises to protect Christianity hit the spot with evangelicals convinced they've been persecuted under the Obama administration, but arguably abortion won out as the key electoral issue. Many Christians consider abortion  and therefore the appointment of conservative Supreme Court justices  as the main issue. Trump's apparent pro-life stance against Clinton's pro-choice saw him clinch their votes.

Jenn Johnson, of Bethel Church in Redding, California, and daughter-in-law of leaders Bill and Beni Johnson, posted on Instagram yesterday suggesting that voting for Trump was the real way of supporting the 'Black Lives Matter' movement because of the high number of black women who have abortions:

A photo posted by Jenn Johnson (@jennjohnson20) on Nov 8, 2016 at 6:10am PST

A petition signed by nearly 80 evangelical leaders last month said Trump's candidacy had "given voice to a movement that affirms racist elements in white culture." "This is a campaign run on racial resentment and white nationalism," Jim Wallis, founder and president of Sojourners, told Christian Today. And yet, abortion evidently remained the key issue for evangelical voters  over and above the treatment of minority groups.

Jeffress told National Public Radio: "What they're [evangelicals] saying is this is a binary choice between one candidate, Donald Trump  who is pro-life, pro-religious liberty, pro-conservative justices of the Supreme Court  and another candidate, Hillary Clinton, who has an opposite view on all of those issues."

Falwell even said he would continue to support Trump if the numerous allegations of sexual assault lodged against him proved to be true, because he was better "qualified" for presidency than Clinton  a viewpoint directly contradicted by 50 former national security officials, among numerous others. In a letter published in August, the signatories warned that Trump "lacks the character, values and experience to be president... He weakens US moral authority as the leader of the free world."

Of course, whatever Trump's true faith  or the legitimacy of the reasons behind his evangelical support  it remains that he will take office in January and lead the US for the next four years, at least.

Evangelical figures across the political spectrum today signed a declaration calling for unity amid the "deeply divisive nature of this election cycle". Christians around the world will be looking to these leaders to see how gracefully they live that out.
World Leaders Congratulate Donald Trump, Archbishop Of Canterbury Prays For Reconciliation

The Archbishop of Canterbury called for "reconciliation" in the United States after the most bitter election campaign in modern history.

Justin Welby pledged to "pray for all the people of the United States" in the wake of Donald Trump's victory.

Following the result, Archbishop Welby said: "As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, my continuing prayers are that the United States of America may find reconciliation after a bitter campaign, and that Mr Trump may be given wisdom, insight and grace as he faces the tasks before him."

His statement was muted and contained no message of congratulations.

Archbishop Welby will tomorrow host a live video discussion on Facebook on the subject of "Jesus calming the storm".

Prayers following the US election result: pic.twitter.com/G4mSeDAup5  Justin Welby  (@JustinWelby) November 9, 2016

British Prime Minister Theresa May was among the first to congratulate the new president.

She said: "I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next President of the United States, following a hard-fought campaign.

"Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.

"We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence.

"I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead."

Rock star Mick Jagger, who has objected to Donald Trump repeatedly playing his Rolling Stones hit You can't always get what you want at his rallies, tweeted:

Just was watching the news... maybe they'll ask me to sing 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' at the inauguration, ha!  Mick Jagger (@MickJagger) November 9, 2016

Evangelical Christian blogger Ian Paul said: "The election of Trump is a stand against the relentless march of globalisationjust as was the vote for Brexit for many peopleand the havoc it has wreaked in many parts of Western society. The impact of neo-liberalist economic policy is desperately divisive, creating a smaller and smaller elite acquiring greater and greater share of a nation's wealth, and creating a wider and deeper underclass of those who struggle and feel marginalised, and by and large destroying key structures within society, including traditional patterns of family relating."

Chine McDonald, director of communications at the Evangelical Alliance in the UK, tweeted:

Sad day to be a woman. Sad day to be black. Sad day to be an evangelical. Feeling numb #USElection2016  Chine McDonald (@ChineMcDonald) November 9, 2016

In Israel, the right-wing minister Naftali Bennett tweeted that the era of the Palestinian state is now over:

Israeli Education Minister @naftalibennett, on @T

rump victory: "The era of a Palestinian state is over."  Raphael Ahren (@RaphaelAhren) November 9, 2016

Russia's President Vladimir Putin was also quick to welcome Trump.

He said in a congratulatory telegram to the President-elect that he looked forward to working with him on international affairs and to a "constructive dialogue" between the US and Russia in the interests of both nations.

In a statement, the Kremlin said: "Putin expressed hope for joint work to restore Russian-American relations from their state of crisis, and also to address pressing international issues and search for effective responses to challenges concerning global security."

Putin himself said on television later: "It won't be easy." But he wanted to restore "full relations" to the US and he wanted Russia to "do its part".

Other European leaders also welcomed the result.

Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister who had backed Trump during the campaign, wrote on Facebook: "Congratulations! Very good news. We still live in a democracy."

Antoni Maczerewicz, the Polish defence minister and a fierce critic of Russia, said he expected an improvement in the already good Polish-US relationship. He added that Trump had stressed Poland was a close ally of the United States and "that the US never abandons its allies".

Jiri Ovcacek, spokesman for Milos Zeman, the Czech president, said "normal Americans have shown you can beat the lying media conglomerates".

But in France, Segolene Royal, the environment minister, issued a warning to Trump that he cannot reverse the climate change deal reached in Paris last year to limit global warming. One of the promises Trump made during his campaign was to cancel it.
Yes, God Is Sovereign. That Doesn't Mean He Chooses Who Runs America

President Trump? Surely some mistake?

No, says the American electorate. Come January, this serial sex pest, braggart, narcissist, bully and all-round loose cannon who has been described as the most unqualified person ever to seek high office will be sworn in.

There is despair among Democrats, alarm among Republicans  Trump ended up running effectively as an independent  panic in the financial markets and profound unease in every world capital except Moscow. The world has suddenly got less safe.

But there are still Christians who are urging us not to worry. And it's not because they are Trump supporters, but because God is sovereign.

Hopefully people have learnt from Brexit - some of the reaction then from Christians seemed to forget the sovereignty of God  Peter Lynas (@peterlynas) November 9, 2016

Everything that happens, happens because He ordained it. If he is sovereign, that means everything that happens ought to have happened. It is God's will.

I have a prediction. I know exactly what November 9 will bring. Another day of Gods perfect sovereignty.#MaxLucado  Micky Messer (@MickyMesser) November 9, 2016

CH Spurgeon put it like this: "I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam does not move an atom more or less than God wishes  that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit, as well as the sun in the heavens  that the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as the stars in their courses.

I wholeheartedly trust in the sovereignty of God, but I must admit that I am feeling pretty numb this morning #howdidthishappen  Jenna Ellison (@jellison52) November 9, 2016

"The creeping of an aphid over the rosebud is as much fixed as the march of the devastating pestilence  the fall of sere leaves from a poplar is as fully ordained as the tumbling of an avalanche." And, he might have added, the election of an American president, too. So even for Christians who have argued, begged and pleaded passionately for a contrary result, there is nothing to regret and nothing to worry about. God is sovereign. But is it really true that God dictates the results of elections, by steering voting patterns in key states in exactly the right direction? Does He overrule the free choices of individuals to bring about a particular result? Is that what sovereignty really means?

I'm in the safest place in the whole wide world & it's the Will of God. I don't fear what man can do to me but rest in His sovereignty.  Nathan F. Wilkes (@nfwilkes) November 9, 2016

That Spurgeonic version of sovereignty has plenty of defenders. Take John Piper, the noted Calvinist teacher and pastor. In a sermon posted online he said: " God has the rightful authority, the freedom, the wisdom, and the power to bring about everything that he intends to happen. And therefore, everything he intends to come about does come about. Which means, God plans and governs all things.

"When he says, 'I will accomplish all my purpose,' he means, 'Nothing happens except what is my purpose.'"

But just pause for a moment on that. Does God purpose evil things, like cancer, or murder? What about genocide? Does God purpose Islamic State? Are we really supposed to believe that it's His divine will that little Yazidi girls are raped, or that Christians are beheaded on a Libyan beach?

What sort of God would we be worshiping if we believed that  and how could we ever call Him good?

This election has been nasty but Christians...you should be resting peacefully in the sovereignty of God whether your "team" won or not!  Hannah Collins (@h_mcollins) November 9, 2016

The trouble is that the view of God's sovereignty that claims He controls everything relies on a reading of Scripture that is fundamentally mistaken. It takes verses out of context. It misunderstands the use of language in different types of biblical literature. It generalises from particular verses. It assumes that because the Bible is clear about God's purposes regarding Israel, God must have plans for everyone and everything. It leaps from the belief that because God can intervene and shape the destiny of nations and individuals, he invariably does. It's this belief in a particular form of divine providence that has driven the idea of American exceptionalism  that the US is a nation particularly favoured by God  and drove the British Empire in its day as well.

Believing in God's sovereignty doesn't mean he controls everything. That leaves believers with moral problems that are impossible to resolve with any degree of credibility. No matter what subtle word-play is used to avoid the charge, it makes God the author of evil.

The truth is both more and less comforting than that.

It's more comforting because it means our wills are genuinely free. God has not overridden our choices at the ballot box. He has not decided who will win the US election, or which way the Brexit vote would go. He does not decide who will get cancer or which race will suffer genocide. We don't have to engage in complicated verbal gymnastics to try to resolve the hoary old question of free will versus predestination. Leave aside the philosophical conundrum of how to understand God's foreknowledge and whether it necessarily fixes our activity. We have freedom to choose.

It's less comforting because it means our wills are genuinely free. God's sovereignty cannot be used as a comfort blanket, something to wrap around us in the darkness of this election result with the assurance that everything will be alright in the end. In the very end, it will be, because Christians look for an eternal home in heaven. But God's sovereignty does not guarantee that in this world He will preserve us from devastating climate change, from nuclear war, from poverty, from violence in the streets. People do that, not God.

We have absolutely no grounds for saying that He decided who would win this election. He gave the American people the freedom to choose their future, and it was a real choice. Many of them are looking forward with hope; many others with fear. They, and the world, will have to stand the consequences of their choice. Christians cannot assume that God's sovereignty is a safety-net for their own errors; it doesn't work like that.

And the fact that it was a real, human choice means that the election isn't the last word. One of the problems with this mis-application of the doctrine of God's sovereignty is that it can be used to shut down reactions to it. Because it must have been God's will, it's wrong to grieve or lament, or feel shame at what America has done. It's faithless if not actually rebellious: God is sovereign, and all we can do is submit to his will. It's reminiscent of what was said to Remain voters after the European Union referendum in the UK: "You lost the vote, so kindly be quiet." But it wasn't the argument that was lost, it was the vote  and right and wrong aren't decided by a majority.

This has implications for Christians in the US. It can't be assumed that because Trump won the election, he must have won the arguments and that Christians have nothing more to say. On the contrary, Christians are called to think deeply and pray passionately about what God might be saying to them through what has happened. And in some areas they will be called to resist the Trump agenda, with its hatefully divisive rhetoric and policies that split communities and harm the poor. In other areas they may not. Because what has driven his victory is a widespread perception  far more widespread than anyone realised  that for large numbers of people, the brave new world of globalisition and international free trade just hasn't worked. Too much money and power has been concentrated in the hands of too few people. The rich are very rich and the poor are increasingly poor. The system has worked for the few, not for the many, and the many have risen up to take their revenge at the ballot box.

The idea of the billionaire property developer Donald J Trump as a standard-bearer for income levelling is laughable. But US Christians need to hear the strength of their belief and their sense of outrage that things are as they are. And surely, justice, equality and decency are causes any Christian can work with. In his sovereignty, God allows us freedom to do the right thing.

Mark Woods is the author of Does the Bible really say that? Challenging our assumptions in the light of Scripture (Lion, 8.99). Follow him on Twitter:@RevMarkWoods
Rediscovered: The vast John Minton painting unseen in public for 65 years

John Mintons exceptional Jamaican Village has been announced as a highlight of Christies Modern British & Irish Art Evening Sale on 23 November

John Mintons large-scale painting Jamaican Village is to be seen in public for the first time in 65 years, when it comes to auction at Christies Modern British & Irish Art Evening Sale on 23 November. The work was last exhibited at Londons Royal Academy in 1951, its year of production.

The artist gifted Jamaican Village to his friend Professor John Norris Wood, a distinguished natural history illustrator, who taught at the Royal College of Art. Wood made one attempt to sell the painting in order to fund a nature reserve, placing an advert in The Times. It was answered by art critic Brian Sewell, who described Jamaican Village as splendid and said he would very much like to have it, but they could not agree a price. Although the advert attracted further responses, no sale was forthcoming, and the painting never left Woods possession. It has remained in the Wood family ever since, although due to its exceptional size  it measures nearly 12 feet across  it has been kept in storage, unseen by its owners or visitors. The work is a depiction of a village in Jamaica, a country that fascinated Minton after he visited it in 1950. Its landscape and villages inspired a new palette of sharp colours  from acid yellows to rich greens and magentas. The artist discovered the Jamaicas beauty against a backdrop of political and racial tension. Writing in Vogue in 1951, Minton commented: The island, like everywhere else, faces the problem of its equilibrium in a mad world.

Critics have seen in Jamaican Village Mintons own search for equilibrium. Towards the end of his life, the artist, who committed suicide in 1957, admitted to struggling with the instant recognition his talent had brought him at a young age. This painting is rare among Mintons works for its serenity; beneath its silent twilight exchanges, however, he identified a disquiet that is potent and nameless. Though success may at times have troubled him, Jamaican Village was a powerful reiteration of Mintons talent. Art historian Frances Spalding notes: The fact that Minton chose to submit the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 1951 suggests that the artist regarded it as a significant work with hindsight, it is possible to view it as a bid to reaffirm his status in 1951 as one of the most notable artists of the day.

Ive discovered I can paint anything as long as its BIG, John Minton
In the days before the Presidential election, it was pretty clear what the economy under a Hillary Clinton administration would mean for America: We're already living in it. The consequences of a Donald Trump administration, however, will be radically different.

In many respects, the change could look similar in Texas to what it looks like across the country, since the Lone Star state is increasingly tied to the national economy. The most fundamental impact, in the near term, will be a dramatic chilling in investment, since businesses have only the fuzziest ideas of what the new policy landscape will look like.

But three issues that Trump made cornerstones of his campaign matter more here than in other places: Trade, immigration, and energy. We'll have much more to say as reactions come in throughout the day. Here's what we know already.

Trade: Borders matter again

One of the easiest, quickest things Trump could do is rip up our trade agreements  most immediately the North American Free Trade Agreement, which over the past two decades has created a trading union with Canada and Mexico. Those countries are now our second- and third-largest trading partners respectively, after China. Raising tariffs on imports, as Trump has proposed, would immediately raise the price of consumer goods such as cars and electronics.

That could have a strong negative impact on Mexican manufacturing  the peso plunged to a record low following the election news  and the Texas border towns that have benefited from the business of transporting goods to the rest of America. If foreign imports are curtailed, that would also negatively impact Houston's port, which drives a large chunk of the local economy.

Will manufacturing move back to the United States, as Trump has predicted? Maybe, some. But factory investments are necessarily long-term. It's unclear how long the Trump regime will last, and if domestic production isn't competitive on its own, it would just leave again if tariffs were repealed.

More likely, manufacturing would shift to Asia, where lots of factory infrastructure already exists, and labor costs are even lower. A Trump administration could impose tariffs on Asian countries as well, but would then risk retaliatory measures that would tank major U.S. exporting industries such as agriculture, machinery, cars, and pharmaceuticals.

Energy: Unfettered access, but is there demand?

A Trump administration is a surprisingly mixed bag for the energy industry, and therefore the Texas economy.

On the one hand, Trump has promised to rescind President Obama's environmental regulations, rubber-stamp pipelines, and throw open federal lands to drilling, which oil and gas companies would welcome. He will also likely torch the new Iran nuclear agreement, which could cut off a large new source of oil, potentially helping to buoy prices. Trump's main energy advisor is Harold Hamm, a billionaire independent oil producer who could well become the secretary of energy.

But it's pretty clear that regulatory restrictions on supply weren't holding the energy industry back anyway. Crude oil inventories are still high. A slow global economy has dulled appetite for fossil fuels, keeping the price below what it costs to profitably produce. That's why Ed Hirs, a fellow in energy economics at the University of Houston, thinks Trump's win won't matter much for oil and gas in the short term.

"With the huge capital hits that the industry has endured the last three years and the huge number of layoffs, just opening up these lands does not give the nation new supplies for years," Hirs wrote in an email. Offshore projects, for example, have been put off for economic reasons. "They are too expensive to do in this price environment."

Meanwhile, renewable energy  which has become increasingly important to Texas' economy, and is close to being cost competitive with fossil fuels in some instances  will see no encouragement in a Trump administration. Although Trump has said little about wind or solar, he has expressed a disbelief in the reality of global warming, dimming the prospects for any further tax credits or government-sponsored research into more efficient technology that could speed adoption on a mass scale.

Immigration: potential loss of an essential workforce

As we've written before, Trump's plan to deport immigrants living in the U.S. illegally would have a disastrous impact on Texas' economy. Few states depend more on immigrants, who work in industries ranging from agriculture to construction to landscaping to food service. Those jobs will not all be filled by out-of-work American citizens if Trump gets his way, although wages may rise slightly in low-skilled occupations as businesses desperately try to recruit staff to replace them.

Even if they're not rounded up and sent back over the border  Trump suggested in the latter stages of his campaign that he would focus on those who had committed crimes  immigrants could well decide to go back themselves. If living and working in the United States becomes more difficult, the promise of taking advantages of the opportunities America offers may not be enough to keep them here.

Everything else

It's hard to comprehend just how far-reaching the impact of this election could be. For healthcare: Tens of millions of people could lose their insurance, when the Affordable Care Act is repealed. For education: Trump has promised to redirect funding into private and charter schools end national educational standards, allowing communities to decide what their kids learn. For the distribution of income: Trump has proposed a national tax overhaul, not dissimilar to the one offered by Congressional Republicans, that would slash taxes on corporations and add trillions of dollars to the deficit.

We'll update more as news merits.
Pets for Vets

In observance of Veteran's Day, the Houston Humane Society honors veterans with free pet adoptions.

When: 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Thursday-Sunday

Where: Houston Humane Society, 14700 Almeda

Information: houstonhumane.org

Now That's What I Call Zine Fest Houston 23

Zine Fest Houston exhibits a collection of over 20 years of ephemera featuring posters, hand bills, compilations, comics and Zines.

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: Matchbox Gallery, 6100 Main

Information: matchbox.rice.edu

The Australian Bee Gees Show

A multimedia theatrical concert experience that takes audiences on a nostalgic trip through the legacy of the Bee Gees.

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Where: Miller Outdoor Theatre, 6000 Hermann Park Drive

Information: milleroutdoortheatre.com

Diwali: The Festival of Lights

Learn about Hindu deities celebrated on Diwali and create your own art projects to take home.

When: 12:30-2:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Asia Society Texas Center, 1370 Southmore

Information: asiasociety.org
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Throughout the election season, many people, including celebrities, said they would leave America for Canada if their candidate of their choosing wasn't elected as president.

The Hillary Clinton supporters are now being called on their bluff with Donald Trump being the president-elect of the United States of America.

AMERICA SHOCKED: Interesting firsts that come with a Donald Trump presidency

With the flood of social media reactions, both good and bad, Facebook group Viral Thread has won with the best reaction.

They are streaming a live video of a countdown of the slowly decreasing population of America and the steadily increasing population of Canada. As of right now, the Facebook Live has been going on for an hour and it has already been shared over 54,000 times.

"When Donald Trump becomes president, this is what happens.." the video is captioned. Viral Thread later follows up with a comment saying, "When it [America's population count] hit 1, we riot..."

We would like to note that on the video it shows that the numbers counting down and up aren't "entirely accurate," according to Viral Thread. Nonetheless it's still funny.

This reaction is among the many social media reactions the presidential results have prompted. To see the other hilarious memes and reactions of the election, click through the gallery above.

JEERS AND CHEERS: Social media weigh in on President Trump
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"Bayou Billionaires" cast member Valerie Dowden Wells was found dead in her car at a McDonald's in Shreveport, La.

She was reportedly shot multiple times while sitting in the parked vehicle Monday afternoon.

Officers believed that she was murdered by Robert Paul Gaddy, with whom she had a relationship. Police say Gaddy then turned the gun on himself after shooting Wells.

REALITY WEDDING: 'The Hills' star Audrina Partridge marries BMX rider

"We know they had a relationship of some type, but I can't tell you if they were friends having a dispute or formerly intimate. We simply don't know at this moment," police Sgt. Rod Johnson told People Magazine. "We have some guesses, but we'd like to back that up with hard facts."

Wells' parents, Kitten and Gerald Dowden, shared a post on Facebook that reads: ""This is really hard on us and her children. It is out of order. No parents should have to go through this."

Wells is known for her role in the 2012 CMT show that focused on the income she received from Haynesville Shale natural gas development. She's survived by her three children.
Historically, American politicians have downplayed their wealth.

Former presidential candidate John McCain tried to re-connect with his supporters after being mocked for not remembering how many homes he owns. Billionaire Ross Perot emphasized his Texarkana, Texas roots, delivering speeches with a heavy Texas drawl and sharing his preferred "folksy" aesthetic. Mike Huckabee spoke of his small-town roots without mentioning the $3 million mansion he bought in his hometown of Hope, Ark.

Donald Trump, however, will tell you that he's "very rich," in fact, that's "the beauty" of him.

WHITE HOUSE, Y'ALL: Texas has its own White House replica, and it's heading to the auction block

And Trump's homes will tell you the exact same thing. They'll even scream it out loud.

A look inside his Palm Beach resort The Mar-a-Lago Club reveals a gaudy, Versailles-inspired interior outfitted with gilded moldings, massive crystal chandeliers and tall marble columns.

His three-story Manhattan penthouse  take a look around in the gallery above  mimics that decor. It's the design motif that's echoed in every home he's shown to the public. And he's welcomed the press inside many of his residences. (Remember, he's "very, very rich.")

That's leading some to wonder, will he convert the neo-classical Federal-style house at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. into a 24-karat-filled palace?

(Story continues below.)

"If I were elected I would probably look at the White House, and maybe touch it up a little bit," Trump told People Magazine in 2015. Although it's not clear what "a little bit" means to a man who plates almost everything with gold.

STATEMENT FASHION: Melania Trump sends message with $4,000 white jumpsuit

To cover the costs of updating the White House's interior, the incoming president and first lady can dip into funds provided by Congress, which typically allocates $100,000 for transition expenses. First families have significant say over renovations made to the living quarters, but they must consult with the Committee for the Preservation of the White House before altering any of the historic guest suites.

The White House Historical Association, an agency that assists first families when they move into the White House, is responsible for state room renovations every decade. This organization also offers some guidelines for restoration.

"The President can decide on changes to furniture, artwork, coverings for walls and floors and more," a spokeswoman for the organization told the Daily News, adding that the president and first lady have "tremendous decorating discretion."

That could mean some "bigly"  or even "big-league"  changes are coming to the Oval Office. Or at least the living spaces.
Houston Fire Department arson officers are continuing to investigate a blaze that sent one person to the hospital and damaged several units at an apartment in the Museum District, HFD officials said Tuesday.

The fire was reported about 2:30 p.m. as heavy smoke clouds rose out of the The Hamstead apartments in 1500 block of Blodgett.
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The Nov. 8 election results for San Jacinto County are in.

The State Representative for House District 18 ended in San Jacinto County with Republican Ernest Bailes taking 8,185 votes over 653 votes for Libertarian Evan Nagel. Bailes received 40,911 total votes while Nagel received 5,573 votes.

Republican Kelly Selmer won the County Tax Assessor-Collector race with 88.71 percent of the votes. Her total is 7,579 as opposed to 965 write-in votes.

The Pct. 4 Constable race ended with Democrat incumbent Alvin Wyatt winning 61.88 percent of the votes for a total of 1,979 votes. His opponent, Republican Haney Wilkerson, received 1,219 votes.

The City of Shepherd Aldermen election ended with Jody Holloway winning with 282 votes, which is 34.18 percent of the total. Second place goes to C. Mark Porter with 142 votes followed by Walterine Brooks Carr at 125 votes, W. Williams at 110 votes, Chester Holden at 92 votes and Cecil Barnett at 74 votes.

Shepherd ISD had three trustee position elections. Two of them ran unopposed with Dwayne Wright winning the first position with 1,819 votes and Michael Courvelle elected into the third position with 1,848 votes.

Trustee position two had three candidates with David Smith winning with 723 votes. This is 35.25 percent of the total as Daniel Brown has 665 votes and Brian May has 663 votes.

San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers ran unopposed with 8,458 votes. The Pct. 1 Commissioner race has Republican Laddie McAnally running unopposed and receiving 2,021 votes. Republican Thomas Bonds ran unopposed in the Pct. 3 Commissioner race and received 2,138 votes.

Pct. 1 Constable Roy Rogers ran unopposed in his reelection and received 2,071 votes. Pct. 2 Constable Roy Pippin, Jr. also ran unopposed with 1,612 votes as did Pct. 3 Constable Sam Houston with 2,240 votes.

Earl Brown ran unopposed in the Shepherd mayoral race with 480 votes.

Republican President and Vice President nominees Donald Trump and Mike Pence received 77.72 percent of the votes for a total of 8,050 votes from San Jacinto County. Democrat nominees Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine received 2,034 votes.

Trump and Pence received 4,587,272 votes from Texas and secured the state's electoral votes. Clinton and Kaine received 3,780,620 votes. Trump won the national election with 276 electoral votes. Clinton had 218 electoral votes.

Libertarian nominees Gary Johnson and William Weld received 169 votes and Green Party nominees Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka received 52 votes. There are 53 write-in votes.

United States District 8 Representative Kevin Brady ran unopposed for reelection. He received 8,210 votes from San Jacinto County.

The election for Railroad Commissioner ended with Republican nominee Wayne Christian winning with 7,295 votes in San Jacinto County, which comes out to 73.98 percent. Democrat nominee Grady Yarbrough received 2,057 votes followed by Libertarian Mark Miller at 391 votes and Martina Salinas of the Green Party with 118 votes.

Christian received 3,416,557 votes statewide while Yarbrough received 2,451,189 votes. Miller and Salinas received 307,406 votes and 177,795 votes respectively.

Place 3 in the Justice, Supreme Court race ended with Republican Debra Lehrmann winning with 7,423 votes at 75.42 percent of the total in San Jacinto County. Democrat Mike Westergren received 1,981 votes in San Jacinto County. Libertarian Kathie Glass received 319 votes while Green Party candidate Rodolfo Munoz received 119.

Lehrmann won 3,535,262 statewide votes followed by 2,462,214 for Westergren. Glass won 222,514 votes and Munoz received 137,927 votes.

Place 5 in the Justice, Supreme Court race went to Republican Paul Green with 7,563 votes from San Jacinto County. Democrat Dori Contreras Garza received 1,952 votes. Libertarian Tom Oxford received 254 votes while Green Party candidate Charles Waterbury has 78 votes.

Green earned 3,492,076 votes statewide with Garza receiving 2,615,261 votes. Oxford earned 182,329 votes while Waterbury received 66,116 votes.

Place 9 in the Justice, Supreme Court election has Republican Eva Guzman getting 7,343 votes from San Jacinto County followed by Democrat Savannah Robinson with 2,031 votes. Libertarian Don Fulton has 314 votes and Green Party candidate Jim Chisholm has 126 votes.

Guzman's statewide victory sits at 3,571,976 votes with Robinson receiving 2,511,035 votes. Fulton has 193,121 votes while Chisholm received 73,016 votes.

The Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals has three elections. For place 2, Republican Mary Keel wins San Jacinto County with 7,412 votes. Democrat Lawrence "Larry" Meyers received 2,024 votes while Libertarian Mark Ash has 294 votes followed by Green Party candidate Adam Reposa with 85 votes.

Keel won statewide with 3,501,379 votes, thereby defeating incumbent Meyers who received 2,517,092 votes. Ash received 202,866 votes and Reposa sits at 73,794 votes.

The place 5 election ends with Republican Scott Walker winning with 7,484 votes from San Jacinto County followed by Betsy Johnson of the Democratic Party with 2,010 votes. Libertarian William Strange III has 224 votes while Green Party candidate Judith Sanders-Castro has 102 votes.

Walker's statewide totals come in at 3,509,974 votes while Johnson's votes sit at 2,551,753 votes. Strange has 154,835 votes while 108,124 votes went to Sanders-Castro.

The place 6 election goes to Republican Michael Keasler with 7,358 votes from San Jacinto County. He is followed by Democrat Robert Burns with 2,049 votes and Libertarian Mark Bennett with 360 votes.

Keasler has 3,510,942 statewide votes. Burns has 2,581,730 votes while Bennett received 223,631 votes.

The District 8 State Board of Education race has Republican Barbara Cargill running unopposed with 8,104 votes in San Jacinto County.

The Justice, Ninth Court of Appeals has place 2 up for election with Republican Charles Kreger running unopposed with 8,173 votes.

Republican Kaycee Jones ran in the District Judge race for the 411th Judicial District unopposed. She received 7,672 votes as opposed to 676 write-in votes.
Election night in Liberty County came without many of the usual stresses. With no local contested races, except for a handful of school board elections, Republicans sat casually at the Opry Cafe in Liberty Tuesday night, watched Fox News reporters deliver updates and discussed the "what ifs."

If Hillary Clinton won, what could Republicans in Congress do to block her from making Supreme Court nominations and potentially challenging Second Amendment rights, and if Donald Trump won, what should be the next step for the Republican Party?

For many Republicans, the focus was on races in neighboring Harris County where Democratic challengers Kim Ogg and Ed Gonzalez unseated Republicans Devon Anderson and Ron Hickman in their respective district attorney and sheriff races.

The Democratic successes, while few in the still-red state of Texas, suggest a shift might occur down the road as the state's population becomes more of a majority-minority of Hispanic residents.

"We've lost ground the last couple of elections. That's probably due to the growing Hispanic population to the south," said longtime Republican Terri Bivins. "We are by no means a blue state. We're definitely a red state but we will have to look at this down the road. How do we get the Hispanic vote?"

Bivins sees similarities between traditional Republican voters and non-Republican Hispanics that could help them find common ground.

"They are a very conservative people. They are very family-oriented and many are faith-based Christians," she said.

Liberty County Republican Party Chairman Ryan Daniel agrees that the party needs to work on expanding its base.

"We need to shore up our base and expand it," he said. "We can do this by offering a message of conservative government, lower taxes and strong national security. That's pretty much how we get to the basics."

He believes that leadership changes might also be inevitable.

"As far as the party goes, the party can only do so much. The candidates, that is where we have more ability to change," he said.

Liberty County Judge Jay Knight, while not suggesting major changes in leadership, said the Republican party would definitely benefit from stronger and more visible leadership.

"I look at what happened the last election when Obama was elected. He was a rock star. We hadn't seen anyone with that much charisma and so adept at speaking since John F. Kennedy. There was no one in the Republican party who matched up to him," Knight said.

Then along came Donald Trump, an unconventional candidate who turned national politics on its ear.

"I think Trump resonates with people. I think people are angry about how things are going in this country," Bivins said.

That sentiment was shared by Klint Bush, another longtime Republican from Hardin.

"Both candidates this year were polarizing. Trump is not normal. He is not a politician, but he's something," said Bush. "Just look at the turnout in his election. Trump is definitely getting the votes. Out of the 41,000 or so registered voters in Liberty County, 24,000 showed up to vote. That's huge."

Results of the local elections are as follows:

COUNTY ATTORNEY

Matthew Poston (R) -- 19,671 votes

SHERIFF

Bobby Rader (R) - 20,025 votes

TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR

Richard "Ricky" L. Brown (R) - 19,688 votes

PCT. 1 COMMISSIONER

Mike McCarty (R) - 4,394

PCT. 3 COMMISSIONER

James "Boo" Reaves (R) - 4,206 votes

PCT. 1 CONSTABLE

Justin Johnston (R) - 2,831 votes

PCT. 2 CONSTABLE

Les Hulsey (D) - 849 votes

PCT. 3 CONSTABLE

Mark "MADDOG" Davison (R) - 2,402 votes

PCT. 4 CONSTABLE

Robert E. "Robby" Thornton (R) - 6,689 votes

PCT. 5 CONSTABLE

David Hunter (R) - 3,440 votes

PCT. 6 CONSTABLE

John Joslin (R) - 3,417 votes

TARKINGTON ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Position 4 - Kevin Johnson, 2,311 votes

Position 5 - Pete Vandver, 2,381 votes

Position 6 - Sean McDonald with 959 votes, Jeremy Spoerle with 441 votes and Marcus King with 1,358 votes

Position 7 - Grant Cook, 2,454 votes
The Harmony School of Discovery, a northwest Houston campus, was selected by the Shell Oil Company to host this year's Viva Technology Program. The program is an interactive project day for students focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). This was the first time the campus hosted the Viva program. The day of approximately 120 Discovery students putting their young minds to work on STEM projects took place was held this month.

"We are a STEM school that promotes STEM related activities in our school. (Some) female students don't like to be in STEM related projects, but (approximately) 65 percent of our students are female. So, we are (also) promoting our female students to be involved in the Viva Technology program," said Adnan Karanci, principal of The Harmony School of Discovery. "There is active project based learning style in the Harmony Public Schools. The program is actually project-based learning. There are 12 stations with 12 different projects and participating students actively work on those projects."

The Harmony Public Schools consists 48 high performing K-12 college preparatory charter schools throughout Texas that is a public charter network funded by the state and federal governments.

Shell's Viva Technology is a program through Great Minds in STEM, a program based out of California, an educational organization that has a vision to be a national leader in keeping America technologically strong by promoting science, technology, engineering, and math careers especially in underserved communities.

"The Viva Technology program is a program that helps students the various technical degree paths that are available to them and it helps to build enthusiasm around the math and sciences," Evette Torres said, Shell education program manager. "What we hope will happen is that is that the program will spark an interest for the students and will ignite their interest in seeking STEM careers.

In 2009, President Obama and his administration furthered their commitment to encouraging youth in STEM education by launching the Educate to Innovate initiative "to move American students from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math achievement over the next decade." The campaign's efforts include the Federal Government, leading companies, foundations, non-profits, as well as science and engineering societies.

Viva Technology, a national K-12 education program designed to engage students, teachers, and parents with STEM challenges, aims to provide STEM-focused career pathways. Through the program students are provides with awareness and education of STEM careers.

"It's a nation-wide issue that we are helping to contribute to the solution. Nation-wide there are not enough qualified young STEM professionals. Communities of minorities that include women, different races and ethnic groups, those communities are not producing STEM professionals at the rate to meet the demand of the job market," Ernesto Preciado said, Great Minds in STEM associate director. "This is just one of the variety of programs we run nation-wide with the sole purpose of increasing the STEM awareness within communities and creating excitement for students to want to pursue a career in STEM."

The core values of Harmony Public Schools includes high expectations for every student to learn and grow into a successful and productive citizen, dedicated staff to help students reach their goals, working together to create a strong community of success, guiding students to value characteristics such as integrity, and leading students to graduate with a strong understanding and appreciation of STEM and how it connects to the real world.

"Shell is pleased to sponsor the Great Minds in STEM, Viva Technology program for the students of the Harmony School of Discovery. This program is proven to inspire enthusiasm in math and science and exposes students to various technical careers," Frazier Wilson said, director of workforce and community strategy at Shell. "Shell is committed to supporting programs that focus on student achievement and building a diverse talent pipeline of the future."

Harmony School of Discovery Houston

6270 Barker Cypress Rd

Houston, TX 77084

281-861-5105

Great Minds in STEM: http://www.greatmindsinstem.org

Learn more about Harmony Public Schools:

www.harmonytx.org

Twitter at @HarmonyEdu

Like' on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HarmonyTexas
Max's Wine Dive began business in December 2006 with a serious lowbrow/highbrow premise: "Fried chicken and champagne  why the hell not?"

The slogan epitomized the new business' clever stab at providing elevated comfort food with fine wine in a casual setting.
Joe Paneitz and a group of friends headed to float the river in Concan, Texas, on Memorial Day 2015.

Before stepping foot in the Frio River, the group was warned by several law enforcement officers about the possibility of flash flooding. However, they, among many others, agreed to continue their floating expedition since the water wasn't bad at that time.

Their group of five began the normally two-hour float down the river, which lasted 10 minutes due to the rushing waters. As they reached their ending point, the calls to get out of the water started and the group exited immediately before a large wall of water came down the river.

That's when the flash-food reality sank in.

"We were staying in a cabin, and our objective was to float the river the next day," Paneitz said. "The two companies were renting the tubes and no one knew there was the possibility of a flash flood. Normally the Frio River runs an estimated 400 to 500 cubic feet per second; and when the flash flood came, it was well over 25,000 cubic feet per second of water. The water went from clear to brown, there were trees, rocks and debris rushing past us. It seemed as the water went from 30 feet wide to 100 yards in width."

Once they got out of the water, there were approximately 20 people who had gotten out at the same place. Paneitz, a longtime Boy Scout and Eagle Scout, began to work to find ways back to their vehicle and comfort others in the group.

All of a sudden, Paneitz's girlfriend alerted him there was a woman floating down the river as people were running down the river bank trying to get to her in the rushing water.

"I went after her," Paneitz said. "I got to her and somehow pulled her to shore and began CPR, which people assisted me. I felt like we did CPR forever; we did this for 45 minutes, but she didn't survive. I have no clue how I was able to get to her and pull her to shore."

Paneitz helped comfort the woman's grieving friends and family, and he later led the group in a prayer on her behalf.

Just when Paneitz thought that was it, there was another woman spotted floating down the water, and Paneitz got back in the and swim to save her life.

"I swam to her, brought her back to shore and she lived," Paneitz said. "My girlfriend told me she thought, for sure, I would be dead after I got in the water because it was powerful. After a while, medical services showed up but couldn't get down to us so we were able to transport the first victim up to a house on a hill for the waiting medical personnel. The same weekend the first victim was buried was the weekend she was supposed to get married. It was rough. It took a while to heal from what happened that day."

Because of the magnitude of the flooding and damage, Paneitz and his group were stuck in the area for another three days and were finally taken from the area by high-water rescue vehicles.

Just recently, Paneitz received the Honor Medal with Crossed Palms for his heroic actions in 2015, one of the highest honors in scouting. According to Paneitz, there are only an estimated 300 people who have received the award.

Paneitz's story was featured in several local newspapers and televisions stations which brought attention to his actions, leading to his nomination for the award and even having a comic strip drawn, featuring him and his actions on the river that day.

This is Paneitz's first year in Humble ISD, teaching Concepts of Engineering and Technology/Robotics and Automation at CATE center and an adult leader of Troop 64 in Humble.

"Though this happened in 2015, it takes a while to get all of the information together for the award," Paneitz said. "I was blown away when they announced I would receive the Honor Medal with Crossed Palms. Scouts has always been a big part of my life and my hope is this inspires others to become involve in scouting and also, never take one day for granted. This incident was life changing for me. You realize the fragility of life and I appreciate every day even more now."

For more information, visit http://scoutingmagazine.org/2016/10/scouter-helped-people-caught-flash-flood/.
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Even 70 years after U.S. Gen. George S. Patton's Third Army liberated the city of Pilsen from Nazi occupation on May, 6 1945, the city, in what is now the Czech Republic, still celebrates the historic event the first week of May.

The annual Liberation Festival draws thousands of people from around the world each spring.

Darrell Hancock, of Kingwood, received the opportunity of a lifetime when he was granted press credentials allowing him to photograph the 70th anniversary Liberation Festival in May 2015.

"It was an astonishing experience," Hancock said. "It's something that I had never experienced before and may never again. The celebration lasts for several days. The two big events were a re-enactment of the liberation and a very long parade: the Convoy of Freedom. It was about two miles long; and all along the path, Czech people were lined up waving American flags and cheering. This is the third generation, at least, since the liberation and they're still celebrating it."

On Saturday, Nov. 19, from 6-9 p.m., the Czech Center Museum Houston will host a reception and grand opening for "Day of the Lilacs: A Celebration of the Liberation of Pilsen by the United States Army, May 6, 1945." The photography exhibit will remain open through January 2017 and features the photographs Hancock took at the festival.

During the grand opening, Hancock will deliver a lecture discussing the historical context of the liberation, the lasting effects on the Czech population and his personal experience witnessing the celebration.

"In the lecture, I will explain what they did and explore how that joy of liberation managed to stay alive for seven decades," Hancock said. "The interesting thing is that the liberation was militarily insignificant. The war was going to end anyway in just two more days. There was a strong argument not to do anything in Czechoslovakia and just wait. But Patton desperately wanted to go in.

"It was not a bloody liberation. There was relatively little resistance, but an enormous reaction. Entire towns turned out and they put lilac blossoms on the U.S. tanks and trucks. Lilacs, which were in bloom at that time, became a symbol of liberation."

Day of the Lilacs will be Hancock's first photography exhibit.

From photos of living American veterans of the liberation to Czech re-enactors of U.S. soldiers liberating Pilsen, Hancock is excited to share his experience of the Liberation Festival with others through his exhibit.

Hancock's journey to Pilsen was inspired by his father and made possible with the help of the Czech Center Museum of Houston.

"My father served during World War II; and one of my goals is to go to all 11 countries he served in overseas," Hancock said. "Czechoslovakia was the last country he served in. My father was not at the front of the liberation force; but he was right behind it. My wife and I wanted to go visit what is now the Czech Republic in May 2015 when Pilsen was having the 70th anniversary of their Liberation Festival."

Hancock's love of photography began at the age of 10 when he received his first camera. Although he still considers himself just an advanced amateur photographer, Hancock wanted an opportunity to photograph the Liberation Festival from close range.

He reached out to the Czech Center Museum of Houston's founder, CEO and Chairman Effie Rosene, who wrote to authorities in Pilsen to acquire the credentials he needed.

"When he told me his cause, it struck a bell," Rosene said. "It's an incredible story; one that's re-enacted and relived every year. It's a story of interest not only for Czech people, but for anyone interested in history."

The Czech Center Museum Houston is located at 4920 San Jacinto St.

The exhibit is free, but donations are welcome.

For more information about the Day of the Lilacs exhibit, visit http://czechcenter.org/exhibits/upcoming.asp or https://www.facebook.com/events/1787959314794842/.
As Houston Children's Charity's founding chairman, Tilman Fertitta was a shoo-in for the organization's 20th anniversary "Man of the Year" award.

On Saturday, in celebration of two decase of serving underprivileged youth, 705 black-tie supporters packed into the Hyatt Regency hotel downtown and ultimately raised $1.76 million for the cause. The live auction, helmed by Gallery's Vikki Vines, alone brought in $426,000 within a 30-minute window.

The non-profit's founding executive director, Laura Ward, booked a big-name performer to match the occasion: Foreigner.

"We wanted to change the direction. We had never put rock 'n roll onstage before," she said. "It was overwhelmingly well-received. The dance floor was packed from the first 10 minutes through the end of the 75-minute set."

Her husband, KTRK-13 news anchor Dave Ward, presided over the celebration. Honorary chair and Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa offered poignant remarks on HCC's "A Better Night's Sleep" program, which provides beds to disadvantaged children. Every time the 2015 Rookie of the Year scores a hit, "A Better Night's Sleep" scores individual donations up to $20 through pre-committed pledges and sponsorships.

The evening's other big draw was the chance to appear on Fertitta's reality TV show, "Billion Dollar Buyer." CNBC producers handed out video release forms and filmed throughout the night.
In League City, newly elected council members say they hope to be part of a new era in a city government that has been plagued by recent tension between its leaders.

After a year that included council accusations against the Mayor Pat Hallisey and increasing acrimony between the mayor and City Manager Mark Rohr, the Nov. 8 general election resulted in some newcomers filling council seats.

Todd Kinsey of Position 4, the only incumbent in the race, said he was looking forward to helping establish a more stable climate in council, including tentative plans with the mayor to organize a retreat for members "to hunker down and get to know each other."

Kinsey, a writer by occupation, praised his opponent, medical technician Rudy Salcedo for a clean campaign, which he said signaled a step in the right direction.

"Neither one of us felt the need to go negative, and there was absolutely no mud-slinging," Kinsey said. "I think we set an example for what future campaigns can be if candidates choose to do so."

Larry Millican defeated port captain Brian Andrew Brown and sales representative Brenton Lee Spry for Position 3 to replace Heidi Hansing, who did not seek re-election. Throughout his campaign, Millican was vocal about wanting to focus on communication within the council.

Millican, a real estate manager, has been a consistent presence at City Hall, having regularly attended council meetings and workshops for six years. He said that experience was a valuable education into the workings of local government and into this chapter in the city's government.

"One of the determining factors for me is because the way the council has performed in this last year," he said, citing dysfunction in the group.

Millican is confident new dynamics will be at work on the council because of the election.

"I feel like with the input from the new council people and council in general, when you start opening up discussion and working with other members, cooler heads will prevail instead of the backroom activities that were happening over the course of the last four years," Millican said.

Business owner Greg Gripon, who defeated League City entrepreneur Debbie Drury to take Geri Bentley's seat in Position 5, used the recent tensions in council as a backdrop of his campaign mantra.

"My goal is to work with the other councilman, to set up more of a checks and balances for our city manager, to make sure he knows what his role is and the council members to know what their role is," Gripon said.

In October, the council voted 4-2 to reject a motion to the investigate the mayor on whether he violated the charter policy by discussing details of a supposedly confidential development plan on a podcast. Hallisey denied the allegations and at the time said of the city government, "We're the laughingstock of the region, from Galveston to Houston."
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10:50 p.m. - Harris Co. voters pick new sheriff; HISD won't give tax dollars to state

The dust is settling on another robust campaign season, with Harris County voters opting for a new sheriff and those HISD thumbing their nose at the way the state wants to take local tax dollars.

In the race to lead the Harris County Sheriff's Department, homicide investigator-turned-city councilman Ed Gonzalez edged out a victory. Incumbent Ron Hickman conceded the race just before 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to Jeff Yates, his campaign manager.

"He thanked the hundreds of volunteers who helped with his campaign," Yates said. "And he said how proud he was of their accomplishments while in office, and he will continue to work hard until Mr. Gonzalez takes over."

Hickman was appointed sheriff after his predecessor, Adrian Garcia, resigned in 2015 to pursue a mayoral bid.

In another closely watched race, voters in the Houston Independent School District refused to authorize the district to forfeit millions in local property tax dollars to the state next year, setting up uncertainty over the fate of the money.

Under the state's current funding formula, HISD is considered so property wealthy for the first time that it must forfeit money to help fund the state's poorer districts  whether or not voters here approve.

Since the ballot measure has failed, the state education commissioner now has the power to obtain the money from Houston by removing pricey commercial properties from the school district for taxing purposes. The scenario would be unprecedented.

The property removal would not have to take place until the summer, leaving lawmakers time to act.

10:15 p.m. - Heights residents vote to go wet

Residents of one dry stretch of the Heights have voted to overturn a century-old ban on alcohol sales for off-premise consumption. Proposition 1 passed by a 2-to-1 margin.

The vote clears the way for H-E-B and other grocers interested in building in the neighborhood to do so and sell alcohol. H-E-B put more than $60,000 behind the Houston Heights Beverage Coalition, a political action group sponsoring the efforts to pass the reversal, the Houston Chronicle has reported.

The Texas grocery chain has said it will pursue property on North Shepherd for its first store in the area.

10 p.m. - Patrick speech energizes GOP faithful on big night

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick whipped the crowd at the Harris County GOP headquarters into a frenzy, chanting "Trump! Trump! Trump!" as Fox News called North Carolina for the Republican.

He said Trump's Texas victory, by several percentage points, proved Democrats have been unable to turn the state purple, as some had projected.

"We are a battleground county in a crimson red state," Patrick said. "What's important is we always hold the line because we always have to keep whatever Democratic victories there are to a minimum so we win the state of Texas."

As all eyes turned north, to Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, Patrick, Trump's Texas chairman, said the candidate has "a chance of having the upset of all upsets in political history."

But those races were too close to call, and probably will be for some time, he acknowledged.

"Let's just keep the champagne on ice for a few more hours."

9:52 p.m. - Devon Anderson concedes in DA's race

Incumbent District Attorney Devon Anderson just conceded her race. To applause from her supporters, she quipped that she was just told Donald trump had a 91 percent chance of winning the presidency, so clearly nothing was going as expected that night.

She went on: "This is not what I want to be saying to you."

"It has been my honor to be district attorney," she said. "I feel like we have changed the landscape of criminal justice and what we've done is going to last for many, many years to come."

"Prosecution is a calling," she added. "It's a calling to seek justice. It does not change with who the district attorney is. So please keep doing what you're doing. Please keep making us proud every day. Please keep fighting for justice."

"You made us proud," one person in the crowd cried.

Anderson spoke for less than a minute. After she left the stage, supporters lingered.

"Shes the best," said one. "That's a mistake."

9:50 p.m. - Republicans grow confident as national polls skew toward Trump

The crowd of about 200 at the Harris County Republican watch party is palpably energized, especially now that the major networks have called Ohio for Trump.

They're waiting for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to take the podium.

At the Harris County Democratic Party's watch event, the dancing stopped and crowded around the dancehall's TVs.

Andy Lorenz, 55, buried his head in his hands when MSNBC called Ohio for Trump.

"It's a grave disappointment," Lorenz said. "At this point, I don't see how Hillary can win. He's leading in the battleground states."

Lorenz said he was not overtly surprised at Trump's good showing. He said pollsters in the U.S. and elsewhere chronically undercount the radical right vote. He said he was physically uncomfortable thinking about the future with Trump as president.

He said he would become more involved in politics if Trump wins, in hopes of electing people to oppose his views in Congress.

In the race for Precinct 3 Harris County commissioner, Republican Steve Radack was comfortably ahead Tuesday night. Other local races remained close. The longtime incumbent is being challenged by Democrat Jenifer Rene Pool, who owns a construction consulting business and has been a prominent activist for LGBT issues.

"It's not what you call a squeaker of a victory, if it holds," Radack said.

With nearly 60 percent of precincts reporting, incumbent Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Mike Sullivan was still in a neck-and-neck race with Democrat challenger Ann Harris Bennett. The two faced off in 2012, when Sullivan won by fewer than 2,400 votes.

Democrat County Attorney Vince Ryan held a slim lead to retain his seat on Tuesday night against former Assistant District Attorney Jim Leitner.

9:35 p.m. - Kim Ogg feeling good about early results in DA's race

Though she wasn't ready to call the race yet, Kim Ogg, the Democratic challenger for Harris County district attorney, said she felt good about the results. With about 60 percent of the vote in, she was ahead with 54 percent of the vote.

"To have a commanding lead is invigorating," Ogg said, as supporters waited to shake her hand and pose for pictures.

The candidate said she believed voters had noticed the difference in her campaign from incumbent Devon Anderson's. Ogg said her own policies were fair and rooted in common sense.

"I think her record stands in stark contrast to the platform I set," she said, speaking over a jubilant crowd that had grown to more than 100.

Supporters still greeted Anderson with cheers as she entered her watch party for the second time, in the Houston Police Officer's Union Hall. But shortly after 9 p.m., the mood was decidedly less cheerful.

Supporters continued to say they were optimistic. But they acknowledged early returns weren't in Anderson's favor.

"We're still going to pull this through," said Matt Alford, 50, a criminal defense lawyer. Alford is now in private practice, going up against the DA's office. But he and Anderson have been friends for over 20 years, since they started at the DA's office within a year of each other.

"If she loses, it's a travesty," Alford added, citing her skill as a prosecutor. "I think Devon should have been and could have been a legend."

9:10 p.m. - Anxiety over national polls at Democratic watch party

About 75 people bought their tickets ahead of time and about 100 others RSVP'd that they would come over email and social media. The free event collected donations for People with AIDS Holiday Charities.

A few vignettes:

- Donna Hackemack Bryant, president of the Cy-Fair Area Democratic Club, said she was still not ready to give up hope that Texas could swing toward presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. "I might not give up until tomorrow morning some time," the 65-year-old said. "I was convinced even very committed Republicans would not vote for Trump. But there's still hope, especially with a big Hispanic turnout."

- Rebekah Grelen, 23, originally thought she would support Trump. After her preferred candidate, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, dropped out of the Republican primary, she got behind Trump. But the more controversial statements he made, the more her support wavered. His performance at the first Presidential debate was the final straw.

"I had to ask myself what mattered to me, and he just kept getting more and more out there," Grelen said. "I switched my party registration from Republican to Democrat in September."

She and Veronica Welch, 25, thought they'd spend their time at the Harris County Democratic watch party celebrating an obvious Clinton win.

But as the night progressed, and as the race got closer, the two young women were practically silent as they watched results roll in.

"I thought surely not enough people will vote for Trump," Welch said.

8:55 p.m. - Incumbent leading in Houston's State Ed Board race

The State Board of Education's top Republican, chairwoman Donna Bahorich of Houston, has a commanding lead over her Democratic opponent. Bahorich led R. Dakota Carter by 13 percentage points in early and absentee voting for the District 6 seat.

Four Republican seats on the board are up for grabs, although most look likely to stay red, according to preliminary vote totals.

In one of the races expected to be the most competitive, incumbent and conservative Republican Ken Mercer is leading Democratic challenger Rebecca Bell-Metereau in District 5 that stretches from Austin to San Antonio. He now leads by 4 percentage points after a 20 percentage point lead in early and absentee votes.

Republican Keven Ellis in District 9 north of Austin is trouncing Democrat Amanda Rudolph with more than 70 percent of the vote, and incumbent Republican Tom Maynard is crushing his Democratic challenger Judy Jennings with a 9 percentage point lead in the district wedged between Houston and Austin.

A fifth and final race features Democrat Georgina Perez, who is poised for an easy win against Green Party candidate Hugo Noyola Jr. in West Texas. Perez was expected to coast to a win running against the third party contender and has more than 80 percent of the vote.

8:45 p.m. - A dry strip in the Heights may go wet

Early votes show 2 in 3 voters in a dry part of the Heights are in favor of allowing beer and wine sales for off-premise consumption.

If the proposal is approved, big retailers like H-E-B, which contributed to the effort to overturn the century-old ban, say they it would make opening stores there more financially feasible.

Opposition groups like "Keep the Heights Dry" say the change would allow unwanted development and ruin the charm and small-town feel residents have worked to preserve. Critic Bill Baldwin says opponents are not making moral judgments about alcohol.

8:35 p.m. - Voter tries 3 polling places before giving up

Juana Maria Morales, who lives in Humble, went to three different polling places to vote today before giving up without casting a ballot.

The United Airlines housekeeper said she called last week to figure out where to vote and was directed to a local library. When she went there this morning, she realized that would have applied only for early voting. Officials there sent her to a school near Deerbrook Mall. She had voted at the school in March, for the Democratic primary, but today, her name did not appear on the voting list.

She was then told to go to another library. By that point, she said, she had to get to work. When she went to the third polling place after work, she was once again told that she was in the wrong place. When she was directed to another precinct at Cypresswood Point Avenue, she said, she gave up.

"I'm not going to waste more gas or time," she said.

Morales, a native of Mexico who became a citizen in 1996, had planned to vote for Hillary Clinton.

8:20 p.m. - More results expected around 8:30 p.m.

Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart said he expected the first results from the polls to be issued about 8:30 p.m. "We're just waiting for election workers to take the results to the four dropoffs," Stanart said.

The clerk's office picked up a batch of several hundred absentee ballots at 7 p.m. just as the polls closed and added them to about 7,500 uncounted absentee ballots that Stanart said would be counted before the night was over.

Stanart expects the absentee ballot count to top 100,000, topping the number of absentee ballots cast during the last election.

So far there have been no reports of problems at the polls, he said.

8:10 p.m. - Anderson, Ogg square off in DA's race

At a restaurant in the Heights, more than 50 people snacked on sliders, chicken wings and chips and queso, as they watched national election results come in and waited for Democratic district attorney candidate Kim Ogg.

Austin Bastida-Ramos, 24, sat with his girlfriend and sipped from a glass of Pinot Grigio after a day spent campaigning for Ogg in Montrose. Clad in a campaign T-shirt, he said he began volunteering after the primary because he liked Ogg's progressive views and her announced focus on fighting major crimes like human trafficking rather than small drug violations.

"I think we put in the blood, sweat and tears," he said.

Wayne Dolcefino said he felt great about how the campaign had gone.

"It is so overdue for the criminal justice system to get back to fairness," he said, "to get back to justice."

Standing with a campaign volunteer Katherine Mize, 49, the two discussed how Ogg would improve the office. An attorney, Mize said she had leaned on Ogg in the past to help get cases to the DA's attention.

Just before 8 p.m., Ogg entered the building and was rushed by supporters and media.

"I am anxious to say hello to all of these supporters and friends," she said, looking beyond the camera lights.

Earlier, incumbent District Attorney Devon Anderson toured polling locations with a childhood friend and dog, Ellie.

Anderson, appointed by former Gov. Rick Perry in 2013, has been criticized for her office's jailing of a rape victim to ensure her testimony. Her office was also in hot water for the destruction of evidence back in 2007 in Harris County Precinct 4.

Anderson was accompanied on her stops by Carlos Hooks, a life-long friend according to an official with the campaign. She said wanted to come out and thank her supporters as the election winds down.

"The last three years have been really hard, I'm hoping all the groundwork will pay off," said Anderson.

8 p.m. - Incumbent constables fare well early

Incumbent constables are leading in early voting.

- Precinct 1 incumbent Democrat Alan Rosen leads Republican Joe Danna.

- Precinct 2 incumbent Democrat Christopher Diaz leads Republican Daniel Vela.

- Precinct 4 incumbent Republican Mark Herman leads Democrat Jeff McGown.

- Precinct 8 incumbent Republican Phil Sandlin leads Democrat Heather Perry.

- In Precinct 3, Democrat Sherman Eagleton leads Republican Dan Webb.

- In Precinct 6 - Democrat Silvia Trevino leads Republican Richard "Rick" Gonzales.

- In Precincts 5 and 7, respectively, Republican Ted Heap in Precinct 5 and incumbent Democrat May Walker faced no challengers.

7:55 p.m. - School board race sets up

In the special election for the Houston school board, Anne Sung and John Luman were leading in the four-way race. The candidates are seeking to replace District 7 trustee Harvin Moore, who served for 13 years and is resigning his term a year early.

The district includes the Briargrove, Tanglewood, River Oaks and Memorial neighborhoods.

Luman, an attorney and lobbyist, earned Moore's endorsement, agreeing on a key point that teachers should be paid based on performance.

Sung, a former high school science teacher who lost to Moore in 2012, has the backing of the teachers union and opposes performance pay.

A runoff election is expected to take place in December if one candidate does not win more than 50 percent of the vote.

7:45 p.m. - Bellaire bonds off to strong start

Early results show all three bond propositions in Bellaire are heavily favored.

A $24 million bond, Proposition 1, to continue the Bellaire Millennium Renewal (2000) and Rebuild Bellaire (2005) bond programs received 85 percent support. The work would improve streets and drainage systems to limit future flooding damage.

Proposition 2 allows allocation of $2.6 million for a new city hall, civic center, police and municipal court building had 68 percent approval in early voting.

Proposition 3, for $24.4 million, is for water and wastewater improvements to old and deteriorated water lines, meters and facilities and shows an 83 percent approval.

Official records show that about 50 percent of registered voters, about 6,000, cast an early ballot in the area on the bond issues.

7:40 p.m. - Gonzalez off to early lead in sheriff's race

Early returns showed Ed Gonzalez leaping to a narrow but concrete lead in the race for Harris County sheriff.

By 7 p.m., county totals showed 47-year-old Gonzalez in the lead with about a 4 percent lead over the incumbent, Ron Hickman, who was appointed sheriff after his predecessor, Adrian Garcia, resigned in 2015 to pursue a mayoral bid.

The totals do not include Election Day votes.

In one of the county's hardest fought races, Kim Ogg, Democratic challenger for Harris County District Attorney, pulled ahead of GOP incumbent Devon Anderson in early voting to take the county's top law enforcement post.

Early returns showed Ogg with more than 53 percent of the votes to Anderson's 47 percent. With almost a million votes cast, the gulf between the candidates was more than 66,000 votes.

In other results from early and absentee voters, Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Mike Sullivan was neck-and-neck with Democrat Ann Harris Bennett. The election is a rematch of 2012's contest, in which Bennett lost by fewer than 2,400 votes.

Voters were leaning toward Democratic incumbent Vince Ryan, running for his third term of county attorney, over challenger former Assistant District Attorney Jim Leitner, a Republican.

Longtime Republican Harris County Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack was leading Democrat Jenifer Rene Pool.

State Sen. Rodney Ellis ran unopposed for Precinct 1's county commissioner's seat held for years by El Franco Lee, who died in January.

7:35 p.m. - History repeats itself?

Early Harris County voting results showed Democrats leading every one of 2 dozen local judicial races. Twenty-four civil, criminal and family court judges were up for election, with 10 Democratic incumbents, 11 Republicans and three open seats.

Political scientists had predicted a strong showing for Democrats, based on early voting figures and county political leanings. They said judicial candidates' themselves carry little name recognition and are often at the mercy of straight-ticket voting or voter preference for top-of-the-ticket presidential candidates  in this case Hillary Clinton.

In 2008, President Barack Obama's coattails' helped Democrats sweep 22 out of 26 Harris County district benches on the ballot.

7:30 p.m. - Houston school-funding measure

Houston voters were leaning against granting the school district authorization to forfeit millions in local property tax funds to the state next year, according to early voting totals released Tuesday evening.

Several school board members and Mayor Sylvester Turner urged voters to reject the ballot measure, gambling that state lawmakers would revise the funding system to keep the district from having to pay an estimated $162 million.

However, a rejection of the proposal comes with a risk. If the Legislature does not act, the district still owes the money because it is considered so property rich under state law that it must share the wealth with poorer school districts.

Without voter approval, the education commissioner has the power to obtain the money by removing high-value commercial properties from the Houston school district for taxing purposes. The scenario would be unprecedented  and it would hurt the Houston district's ability to pay down its debt, likely leading to a small tax rate increase for local homeowners and the remaining commercial property owners.

The school district would have the option of calling another election before the commissioner removed the property.

7:10 p.m. - Last-minute frenzy

Chronicle reporters are continuing to file reports from the field, giving a glimpse of the frenetic end of voting. Among the highlights:

- The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office tweets that a man who claimed he voted for Donald Trump and was "testing the system," was arrested today for attempting to vote a second time. The man was not identified.

- In the warehouse that serves as Harris County GOP headquarters near Northwest Mall, half a dozen volunteers made last-ditch phone calls to get Republicans to the polls. Chris Broussard sat in front of a laptop and two phones, listening to incessant dial tones as he waited for someone to pick up. With the help of his laptop, he made 2,200 phone calls since 9 a.m. About 200 people answered. He said he'd probably hear the sound in his dreams tonight.

- Nine minutes to poll closing, voters were still arriving at the West Gray Multi-Service Center, hurrying into the building to cast their ballots. There were no lines outside the building. Nearby, two Department of Justice employees stood by, monitoring the polls and ensuring that voting was going smoothly.

7 p.m. - Polls close

County residents turned out in record numbers on Election Day, though not everyone walked away from the polls feeling inspired.

"It went fine," Michelle Loeza said about 5 p.m. as she left the Westside church where she cast a vote for Donald Trump. "It's just sad we don't have better candidates. This is the first time I'n leaving (the voting booth) feeling sad."

As polls closed at 7 p.m., the Loeza joined others from across the region in waiting for the results to trickle in.

Loeza, a third-generation Mexican-American, said she was recently laid off from her job in the oil and gas industry.

"Everyone says we need change," she concluded, "but there wouldn't be change with Hillary."

ProPublica's Electionland project provided sources and tips for this story.
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Armand Bayou Nature Center is engaging in a bit of time travel this weekend when it presents the annual Martyn Farm Harvest Celebration.

"What we try to do is bring the history of the Texas Gulf Coast to life," volunteer coordinator Liz VanOrstrand said of the event, which is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 12-13 at the Armand Bayou Nature Center, 8500 Bay Area Blvd., Pasadena.

The celebration gives guests a chance to try their hands at skills common in the 1880s and '90s, such as blacksmithing and quilting, Visitors also can learn how to mak soap, candles and butter. Volunteers dressed in period costumes are there to guide guests and answer questions.

"We actually grew our own sugar cane this year - and there's a gentleman who grows in it La Porte; so we'll be pressing it and making syrup," VanOrstrand said.

Also planned are music, games, a scarecrow-making contest, food and vendors.

This event, launched in 1981, is modeled after a 19th century harvest celebration. The activities, organizers say, give guests a taste of some of the challenges, and the fun, of those times.

Admission is $12 general admission; $8 for ages 60 and older or ages 4-14; and free for children under age 4.

For more information, visit abnc.org or call 281-474-2551.

Army of volunteers

Organizers also honor the legacy of area settlers, including Jimmy Martyn, who lived in a house near the banks of Middle Bayou from 1894 until his death in 1964.

Today, Armand Bayou hosts a recreation of a typical 19th century farm named in Martyn's memory.

Guest to the harvest celebration will be encouraged to visit the farm and other historical buildings on the grounds, including the 1890s-era Middle Bayou School building.

For nature center volunteers, the celebration is the culmination of nearly a year of planning, VanOrstrand said.

"It takes about 60 to 70 volunteers to put this on. It's the volunteers' one event to give to the community."

The celebration is one of numerous educational opportunities offered at the nature center, education director Heather Millar said.

The center's Hana Ginzbarg Environmental Education Center has hosted children's environmental classes since it opened about 1 years ago. The classes include EcoTots for children ages 18 months through 3 years, EcoKids for ages 3-6 and EcoSchoolers for ages 7-12.

The EcoSchoolers program is geared for home-schooling families, Millar said.

"We have a lot of people switching to home schooling," she said. "We provide them an extension of what they're doing."

Armand Bayou Nature Center also offers programming in its newly renovated John P. McGovern Children's Discovery Area, Millar said.

"That area is available for the public," she said. "Everything is child-size there."

Armand Bayou is accepting registrations for its full-day Winter EcoCamp, "Expedition Apocalypse," for children ages 11-15. This hands-on program, set for Dec. 27-30, will cover practical survival skills and traditional living skills.

Also available are multiple Winter EcoCamp programs for children ages 3-13, including "Ninjas of the Wilderness" Dec. 19-22, in which children explore plants and animals that live at the nature center, and "Creative Nature Odyssey," which will explore the connection between nature and people.

Visit http://www.abnc.org/education/winter-ecocamp.html for price and registration information.
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Thirty-two contestants will compete in the Nov. 19 Miss Tomball pageant.

The event, which is a Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce fundraiser, offers a $1,000 scholarship to the winner.

The Chamber of Commerce will present the 51st annual contest at 7 p.m. in the Salem Lutheran Church Worship Center.

"This is an elegant evening suitable for the entire family," Miss Tomball Pageant Chair Sandy Krug said. "The lighting and sound are outstanding, truly live theater quality. We are proud to present 32 beautiful ladies vying to become the next Miss Tomball."

Last year, Miss Tomball 2015, Julia Gimblet, handed off her crown to 2016 Miss Tomball Hanna Carroll. On Saturday, Carroll will step aside for a new winner.

Tickets are $20 each and are available now at the Chamber offices located at 29201 Quinn Rd., Ste. B.

For more information about the 2017 Miss Tomball Pageant or tickets, call the chamber at 281-351-7222.
A person of interest in Baytown's brutal double murder is being held on a charge of resisting arrest, police said Wednesday.

Jesse Dobbs, 21, was questioned about the murders and the whereabouts of a missing 16-year-old girl, but refused to provide any information, authorities said.
Voters lured by a presidential year largely kept the status quo when it comes to electing members of the Texas House of Representatives from the Houston area.

A single seat appeared headed to change parties, with Democrat Mary Ann Perez likely reclaiming her Pasadena post in District 144, two years after a surprise defeat by State Rep. Gilbert Pena.

Perez, 54, rode strong turnout from the Pasadena area, but was reluctant Tuesday night to declare her sizable lead would hold, despite she said success in getting voters to support her.

"I feel wonderful, but I am cautious," she said. "I think there were a lot of people who were confused about the race and I had a chance to talk to them... I kind of ran my own race."

The self-styled pro-business Democrat ran a street-level campaign that included near-daily block walks, aimed at attracting people to her pro-education message.

Pena, who narrowly won by 152 votes two years ago in a race Republicans barely paid attention to at the time, focused on a core social conservatism message, building on his legislative reputation that included a proposed law fining people who do not use the bathroom based on the gender on their birth certificate. His campaign did not respond to requests for comment.

In one of the most closely-watched races, State Rep. Sarah Davis, R-Houston, was leading to remain the representative for District 134.

Davis, a moderate, was clinging to a decent lead, but challenger Ben Rose remained within reach, with 80 percent of the election returns reported. The district has flipped parties three times since 2007, and the moderate Davis spent most of the campaign shoring up support and combatting Rose's claims that she was too conservative for the district, which leans Republican but has strong Democratic pockets in the area from Tanglewood to Meyerland.

In Galveston and Chambers counties, incumbent State Rep. Wayne Faircloth, R-Dickinson, was in a close but comfortable contest with former lawmaker Lloyd Criss, who was seeking the seat lost by his daughter Susan Criss to Faircloth in 2014.

The Houston area will send newcomers to Austin in four districts, none of which flipped to the opposed party because of safe, entrenched bases. In District 126 in northern Harris County, Kevin Roberts will take over from State Rep. Patty Harless, who did not seek reelection.

Briscoe Cain, who beat 14-year statehouse veteran State Rep. Wayne Smith in a tough primary election in District 128, handily defeated challenger Ken Lowder. Valoree Swanson also knocked off incumbent Debbie Riddle in the March 1 primary, and will assume her District 150 seat in January.

Democrats will send Shawn Thierry to the Capitol in District 146, to replace State Rep. Borris Miles, who won the seat opened by Rodney Ellis' departure from the Texas Senate.

Other incumbent members of the House, meanwhile, either ran unopposed or faced noncompetitive challenges for their seats. In some cases, a handful of competitors, including Libertarian and Green Party opponents, made incumbents work to keep their seats.

Republicans Gary Elkins and Mike Schofield and Democrats Gene Wu and Garnet Coleman all easily beat challengers. Suburban elected officials in Fort Bend and Brazoria counties defended their seats as well, including State Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, despite a misdemeanor barratry conviction and his filing for bankruptcy in September, stemming from the conviction. Reynolds had strong support from his local voters in the primary, runoff and general elections.

In Montgomery County, none of the three Republicans up for reelection  Cecil Bell, Mark Keough and Will Metcalf  drew a general election challenger. Veteran Austin Democrats from Harris County such Harold Dutton and Senfronia Thompson also eased to victory unopposed.

Despite a Democratic gain in the Houston area, Republicans have a lock on a majority of House seats, meaning the upcoming legislative session will not be significantly affected by any of Tuesday's results. Still, both parties will examine the results closely, said Bill Miller, an Austin-based lobbyist active in statewide elections.

Within Republican ranks, Miller said alarm could come from Democrats taking seats from moderate Republicans  like Davis, who fended off the challenge  and from losses by Hispanic members of the GOP who fell victim to a strong Democrat turnout.

"They are going to have a very, very strong majority and a state that hasn't had a statewide Democrat elected official in what, 25 years," Miller said. "They won't panic."
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Fear and uncertainty swept through portions of Houston Wednesday as Latinos, especially immigrants, wondered what would come under a President Donald Trump.

"It is going to be difficult, but hopefully God put some goodness in his heart," said Maria Angiano, 62, who came to the United States from Mexico. "People are scared about what he'll do," she continued in Spanish.

In September Trump outlined a 10-point immigration plan, promising to create a deportation task force and remove 2 million immigrants who have committed crimes on "day one." He said he would offer "no amnesty" and would repeal President Barack Obama's executive action that gave temporary work permits to about 700,000 young immigrants here illegally. Now that he has been elected as the nation's 45th president his plans will please millions of Americans who had supported his presidency and his calls to toughen enforcement of illegal immigration.

But his stunning ascendancy o the White House will also likely ignite widespread worry among Houston's large Hispanic community.

Jose Campos, 32, who was born and raised in Houston, said Trump "talked way too much" about Hispanics during the election.

"He should deport people who get in trouble with the law  criminals," Campos said. "But others come here to make a living, they are just trying to survive."

Campos said he hoped that most of Trump's campaign rhetoric would remain just rhetoric.

"A lot of things won't happen unless it gets through Congress, he needs them," Campos said.

"There is an expression in Spanish, the dog that barks doesn't bite; I think he is just barking."

Dayra Gonzalez,23, a program assistant for Neighborhood Centers Inc, which among other efforts, helps immigrants with work permits and other paperwork, said people are anxious and their future hang in the balance."

"Families are scared today," she said. "There is an aura of , 'Dear God, what is going to happen?"

Gonzalez said she was still trying to come to terms with the election of Trump and what it could mean for not only Latinos, but other members of society who were also targeted during the campaign.

"I can't believe we were given these two choices, clear-cut choices, and we decided to go with fear and hatred," she said.
A man was taken into custody after a brief police chase late Tuesday night in north Houston.

The chase began about 11:50 p.m. when officers stopped a driver for traffic violations on Shepherd near the North Freeway, said Lt. Larry Crowson of the Houston Police Department.
A man was shot to death late Tuesday night during a robbery outside at an apartment complex in north Houston.

The shooting happened about 10 p.m. at 197 Goodson near Imperial Valley, according to the Houston Police Department.
Police are searching for a woman suspected of sexually assaulting a 4-year-old child late last year at an apartment in northwest Houston, officials said.

Caitlin Morrison, 26, is charged with super aggravated sexual assault of a child Dec. 4, 2015, from an incident in the 2000 block of Ojeman Road near Hammerly, according to the Houston Police Department.
There was some speculation this election that Texas may become a swing state, possibly turning blue instead of red.

But just after 8 p.m. on election night, Trump was declared the winner of Texas.
This election was filled with surprises beyond Donald Trump's unexpected win, as six states loosened marijuana laws. California, Massachusetts and Nevada all approved recreational marijuana on Tuesday night, something The New York Times said "could echo nationally."

While pot smokers rejoice nationwide, a recent country song by a group of Central Texas lawyers might serve as a sobering warning to Texans who are thinking of celebrating by chowing down on some weed-infused brownies.

TRAIL-BLAZING: Voter support of marijuana reaches new high

Dan Stokes, Will Hutson and Chris Harris are all lawyers from Hutson & Harris, a law-firm that has been making waves on the internet by promoting its legal advice through song.

In their latest video, the group of attorneys warn of the extreme legal consequences for being caught with pot brownies, a second degree felony.

Still, even the Lone Star State's strict marijuana polices may soon change, thanks to states that legalized the drug for recreational use.

"This represents a monumental victory for the marijuana reform movement," Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, told The Washington Post. "With California's leadership now, the end of marijuana prohibition nationally, and even internationally, is fast approaching."

CLOSE TO TEXAS: Arkansas voters bring medical marijuana to the Bible Belt

But despite the trend towards marijuana favorability, reformers are worried about Trump's unannounced cabinet.

"The prospect of Rudy Giuliani or Chris Christie as attorney general does not bode well," Nadelmann said. "There are various ways in which a hostile White House could trip things up."

Click through above to see the strangest names for marijuana strains.
AUSTIN  Former Gov. Rick Perry, who has made it known hed be interested in a job in the Trump administration, hinted Wednesday that he might be on his way.

Just got a call to #makeamericagreatagain Saddle up & ride, bro!!, Perry wrote on Twitter and Instragram, with a photo of himself being handed a pay phone by close friend and former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell.
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To celebrate the birthday of the Marine Corps weve compiled a list of celebrities and notable names who have served in the Marine Corps.

On Thursday the United States Marine Corps celebrates its 241st birthday.

Every Nov. 10 is a holiday for Marines, even years after being discharged or retiring. Its in their blood.

The birth of Americas elite fighting force is traditionally marked with a formal ball and a cake-cutting ceremony, and a whole lot of revelry. Theyre Marines, they party hard.

SHOCK: Marine Corps looking for a few new advertising slogans?

The first ball was held in 1925 but it wasn't until 1952 that then-Commandant, General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr., formalized the cake-cutting ceremony, which honors the youngest and oldest Marines in the room.

Depending on the crowd, the honorees could be an 18-year-old fresh out of boot camp and a tattooed 97-year-old World War II veteran, with the oldest passing a piece of cake to the youngest.

You are never an ex-Marine, but a resting Marine. The title doesnt go away no matter how much weight you gain or how awful a shot you become. "Once a Marine, always a Marine, as the saying goes.

IMPROVISE AND ADAPT: Young Marine from Houston finds way to save the military $15 million

The Corps was born in a bar  naturally  called Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. Thats where the first recruitment drive, in 1775, was held for the Continental Marines, with the bar manager as the recruiter. The original Tun Tavern burned down in 1781.

That first collection of Marines disbanded in 1783 and was later resurrected in 1798 as the United States Marine Corps. The rest is leatherneck history.
Lisa Lindstrom, 47, a nurse practitioner and registered Democrat in D.C., picked out her Election Day outfit carefully: a pantsuit (the only one she owns) to signal her support for Hillary Clinton; a white ruffled blouse to evoke the suffragettes; a jacket she wore to the White House last year when she met President Obama; and a pearl necklace that had belonged to her grandmother, Harriett, who died in 1996.

"She would have killed to vote for Hillary today," Lindstrom said. "I'm a lot more overcome with emotion than I expected to be. I didn't think this election was going to mean as much to me as it has."

"Pantsuit Nation" was out in force Tuesday. Women supporting Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, posted photos on social media, often with their young daughters in tow. Some wore "Nasty Woman" T-shirts, in reference to Donald Trump's growling insult during the third presidential debate.

Honoring a pioneer

In Rochester, N.Y., women covered the gravestone of Susan B. Anthony with "I voted" stickers. Many wore white in honor of Anthony, who fought for women's suffrage, an effort that culminated with the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920. Women have been on the national ballot before, but never as the presidential nominee for one of the two major parties.

"I never cried when I filled out my ballot before," a woman named Jodi Atkin told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. "But I realized my daughters - and I have three of them - have the right to vote for a woman. It made me cry."

Even though Clinton would be the first woman to serve as president after 43 men preceded her, the groundbreaking - or ceiling-shattering - nature of her candidacy was never the most dominant feature of the 2016 campaign. Clinton and her surrogates in recent weeks more eagerly embraced gender politics after her GOP rival became entangled in sexual assault allegations. On the eve of the election, at her rally in Philadelphia, Clinton repeated one of her favorite lines, saying that if Trump accused her of playing the woman card by advocating for equal pay for women, "Deal me in!"

But for much of the past year, Trump's polarizing message and unpredictable campaign style soaked up most of the media attention. Clinton is such a familiar figure that the novelty of her White House bid might have been lost in the chaos.

On Election Day, though, many women pondered what a big deal this is for a country that's never had a female chief executive. In interviews, women who support Clinton described being caught off-guard by the emotional resonance of their vote.

Emotional moments

Twitter users deployed the hashtag .DedicateYourVoteToAWoman to do just that, paying tribute to women who inspired them to vote for Clinton.

"I had tears in my eyes as I was sitting there in our local community center filling out the ballot," said Bethany Usher, 46, a university administrator who lives in Springfield, Va., and is the mother of two teenage daughters. "It is overdue.

"She was bullied and degraded in public by a less qualified man. The fact that she was able to overcome that, and maintain her poise and her confidence.  Watching this has made it more inspiring, watching one more barrier get broken."
Desperate Americans watching the election results may have to wait until Wednesday to research a possible move to Canada, as the website is having server errors.

While some on Twitter linked the crash to election night results, others joked that Canada may have shut the site down on purpose.
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The Rangers hit a home run Election Night after a majority of Arlington voters approved public funding for a new $1 billion stadium.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that in unofficial returns, from 41 of 137 precincts reporting, 60 percent of voters approve paying taxes to help build the stadium.

PANICKED INVESTORS: Financial markets shaken by strong Trump showing in election returns

Should the ballot item officially pass, Arlington residents will pay a half-cent sales tax on most items sold, a 2 percent hotel occupancy tax and 5 percent car rental tax to help pay for a new stadium with a retractable roof.

The new stadium will keep the Rangers in Arlington until 2054. The team's existing lease at Globe Life Park in Arlington ends in 2024.

2016 PRESIDENTIAL RACE: Full election results

News station WFAA in Dallas questioned the stadium's proposed 50-50 cost, where the city would pay for half the stadium while the new sales tax picked up the other half. WFAA reported that Arlington could end up losing nearly $1.7 billion over 30 years in expenditures and lost revenue.

Supporters maintained that voting for the proposed stadium would mean no new taxes and no tax increase to pay the city's part of the cost.
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WASHINGTON - Democrats' path to retaking the Senate majority narrowed Tuesday as Republicans held on to key seats in North Carolina, Indiana and Florida.

Democrats grabbed a Republican-held seat in Illinois, but as Republicans defended a slim 54-46 majority in an unpredictable election year, key races in Missouri, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Nevada remained too close to call.

In North Carolina, Democrats had high hopes of unseating entrenched GOP incumbent Sen. Richard Burr, who infuriated his own party with his laid-back campaign style. But in the end he had little trouble holding off the challenge from Democrat Deborah Ross, a former state legislator and director of the North Carolina ACLU.

Bayh loses in Indiana

In Illinois, GOP Sen. Mark Kirk had long been considered the most endangered Republican incumbent, as he faced a strong challenger in a state that favors Democrats in presidential election years. Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a double-amputee Iraq war veteran with a compelling personal story, ousted Kirk.

In Indiana, GOP Rep. Todd Young beat former Democratic senator and governor Evan Bayh, who mounted a much-ballyhooed comeback bid, but wilted under scrutiny.

And in Florida, GOP Sen. Marco Rubio beat Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy, giving Rubio a platform from which he could mount another bid for president in 2020. The outcome was not unexpected because Murphy had been abandoned by his own party in the final weeks of the campaign, but polls had tightened heading into Election Day.

In Arizona, meanwhile, GOP Sen. John McCain, 80, won his sixth term in quite possibly his final campaign. The 2008 GOP presidential nominee was re-elected with little difficulty despite early predictions of a competitive race, and struck a reflective note ahead of the outcome.

"While as Yogi Berra said, 'I hate to make predictions, especially about the future,' I'm not sure how many more I have in me," McCain said.

Schumer cruises to win

In New York, Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democrats' leader-in-waiting for a new Congress, easily won re-election. Results elsewhere would tell if Schumer leads a Democratic majority in the Senate next year, or a minority when he replaces retiring Nevada Sen. Harry Reid in the leader's role.

"I hope the voters of America will bless us with a Democratic majority in the Senate," Schumer told cheering supporters in Manhattan.

GOP incumbents around the country faced energized Democratic challengers trying to oust them in costly and caustic battles shadowed every step of the way by the polarizing presidential race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The races were close in GOP-held Missouri, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania as voting progressed, as well as Nevada, the one Democratic-held seat that was hotly contested this election.

And in Wisconsin, where Democrats were counting on a pickup, polls closed toward the end in favor of GOP Sen. Ron Johnson.

Democrats need to pick up four seats to take the majority if Clinton wins the White House and can send her vice president to cast tie-breaking votes in a 50-50 Senate. Democrats would need to pick up five seats if Trump wins.

The GOP retook the majority just two years ago. And even though control of the Senate is likely to be razor-thin whichever party ends up on top, the advantages of being in the majority are significant. The controlling party holds the committee chairmanships, sets the legislative agenda and runs investigations. First up is likely to be a nominee to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court.

Democrats fight for Nevada

Republicans were on the defensive, trying to hold 24 seats to the Democrats' 10.

Reid was retiring after five terms and trying to engineer a Democratic successor in Nevada. Democrats were optimistic that a strong Latino vote, and Republican hopeful Rep. Joe Heck's stumbles with Trump, would keep Nevada in their column.

Missouri, like North Carolina, was a GOP-friendly state that turned unexpectedly competitive as incumbent Republican Sen. Roy Blunt seemed caught unaware by the nation's restless mood.

Throughout the campaign the Senate races provided moments of drama, not least as GOP candidates grappled with sharing a ticket with Trump. That tripped up Sen. Kelly Ayotte in New Hampshire after she asserted at one point that Trump could "absolutely" be a role model for the nation's youth.

In Nevada, Heck removed his endorsement of Trump to boos after audio emerged of Trump boasting of groping women, but later seemed to backtrack. He ended the campaign refusing to say whether he would vote for Trump. Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Pat Toomey, too, kept voters in suspense until the 11th hour before disclosing late Tuesday that he voted for Trump.
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Houston voters refused Tuesday to authorize the school district to forfeit millions in local property tax dollars to the state next year, setting up uncertainty over the fate of the money.

Under the state's current funding formula, the Houston Independent School District is considered so property wealthy for the first time that it must forfeit money to help fund the state's poorer districts  whether or not voters here approve.

Since the ballot measure has failed, the state education commissioner now has the power to obtain the money from Houston by removing pricey commercial properties from the school district for taxing purposes. The scenario would be unprecedented. Yet the property removal would not have to take place until the summer, leaving lawmakers time to act.

The Houston school district also could call another election before the education commissioner took the property, giving voters a second chance to authorize payment to the state.

The district's budget manager has said that the loss of commercial property in Houston likely would necessitate a tax rate increase to make up roughly $30 million to repay debt.

Several school board members and Mayor Sylvester Turner had urged voters to oppose the ballot measure, gambling that state lawmakers will revise the education funding system to spare the district from having to forgo an estimated $162 million in 2017.

However, Houston's rejection of the ballot proposition comes with a risk that could lead to a small property tax rate increase in coming years if lobbying in Austin is unsuccessful.

Houston school board member Mike Lunceford, who did not the support the opposition campaign, said he doubted state lawmakers would act.

"HISD is clueless if it thinks anyone else in the State of Texas cares about it," Lunceford tweeted. "No local legislator has the clout" to get the state to change its school funding formula.

"Today is a win for our schools, students and the community, but the fight is not over," Houston school district trustee Jolanda Jones said in a statement Tuesday night. "We must now lobby the Texas Legislature to ensure that HISD has the appropriate level of funding to create opportunities for all of our students."

Turner, a former Democratic state lawmaker, appeared in a television commercial urging voters to reject the school funding measure. That opposition campaign spent more than $142,500 through October, according to public filings.

"I am so proud of the people of Houston who voted against this measure with the understanding that this is just the first step in our fight for justice for the many students and families that depend on us," Turner said late Tuesday night in a statement.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican from Houston, had expressed concern for the opposition approach before the election. Patrick has focused largely on trying to find a way to fund private school options through voucher-like programs.

State lawmakers are under less pressure to revamp the school funding system next year since the Texas Supreme Court ruled in May that it was constitutional, though flawed. The Houston school district was among the roughly 600 statewide that had sued.

Turner and Houston school officials have noted that although the district is property rich, most of the students served come from low-income families.

In the special election for the Houston school board, Anne Sung and John Luman were leading in the four-way race, according to 80 percent of the election returns. The candidates are seeking to replace District 7 trustee Harvin Moore, who served for 13 years and is resigning his term a year early.

Luman, an attorney and lobbyist, earned Moore's endorsement, agreeing teachers should be paid based on performance.

Sung, a former high school since teacher who lost to Moore in 2013, has the backing of the teachers' union and opposes performance pay.

A runoff election is expected to take place if one candidate does not win the majority of the vote.
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In one of the Houston area's hardest-fought races, Democratic challenger Kim Ogg ousted GOP incumbent Devon Anderson on Tuesday to take control of the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

Although the campaigns sparred over policy - especially diversion programs for low-level drug offenses - the closing months focused on Anderson, who came under fire for missteps by prosecutors in her office.

Ogg touted those issues in her victory speech after a jubilant night with more than 100 supporters at a Heights-area restaurant.

"This election is a mandate from the people," Ogg said. "They want fairness. They want justice and they want safety."

At a nearby table, her father, former state senator Jack Ogg, praised her.

"I'm so proud of what she's done, and I know she's going to do a fantastic job in the future," he said. "She has integrity and honesty."

Of several big changes expected when Ogg takes office Jan. 1, the most significant is likely to be the end of jailing suspects in low-level, nonviolent drug cases. Ogg plans to implement what is essentially a "cite and release" program that would see police officers ticket offenders caught with small amounts of marijuana.

She also has campaigned on increasing transparency in police shootings and wants to ramp up prosecutions of burglars and white-collar criminals, in a bid to combat cartels and human trafficking.

Although those policies were lightly debated, the race's most heated controversy was the revelation earlier this year that trial prosecutors under Anderson had jailed a mentally ill rape victim in general population for almost a month to make sure she would testify against her attacker.

Anderson also had come under fire for the way she handled the destruction of evidence at the Precinct 4 Constable's Office and was attacked from the right over a case involving the videotaping of Planned Parenthood officials.

About 60 Anderson supporters gathered at the Houston Police Officers' Union Hall to watch the returns with the candidate. They started the evening optimistic, but after early results came in, some had tears in their eyes.

"We have changed the landscape of criminal justice," she said in her concession speech. "Prosecution is a calling. It's a call to seek justice. And it doesn't change with the district attorney."

Television commercials from both candidates in recent weeks have focused on the jailing of the rape victim, known as "Jenny."

The issue had become a flashpoint between the two campaigns, with liberal billionaire George Soros spending almost a million dollars for ads and mailers to paint Anderson as a win-at-all-costs prosecutor.

Anderson also had peppered local TV markets with commercials explaining that "Jenny" had to be detained to ensure she would testify against a serial rapist who was ultimately sentenced to life in prison.

Before that issue emerged, both women had campaigned more closely on their criminal justice credentials.

Ogg, 56, was a prosecutor in the District Attorney's Office from 1987 to 1994. From there, she spent five years as the city's first gang task force coordinator.

She also spent seven years as the head of CrimeStoppers of Houston. Since 2006, she has been in private practice.

Anderson, 50, spent a dozen years as a prosecutor before becoming a felony district court judge. She also spent five years as a defense lawyer before being appointed to DA.

Anderson also had been criticized for allowing cases to proceed without telling defense attorneys that evidence in the property room of the Precinct 4 Constable's Office had been destroyed. The unauthorized destruction was revealed by a defense attorney seven months after Anderson found out.

And in the final months of the campaign, Anderson was attacked by Republicans who questioned her public stance of being pro-life.

Last year, Planned Parenthood of the Gulf Coast came under investigation after the release of inflammatory undercover videos by anti-abortion activists.

In January, a grand jury cleared Planned Parenthood and chose instead to indict the activists. Although the charges were later dismissed, Steven Hotze, president of Conservative Republicans of Texas, issued an open letter that was widely circulated among the GOP faithful withdrawing his support for Anderson.
The country's most populous swing county turned a shade bluer Tuesday, when Hillary Clinton trounced Donald Trump in Harris County despite trailing nationally.

Clinton's commanding victory here is a watershed moment for local Democrats who have struggled mightily to translate recent demographic shifts into gains at the ballot box.

It also is seen, by some, as a harbinger of potential political change across Texas.

Against the state's crimson backdrop, Harris County has waffled between red in recent mid-term election years and light blue in presidential ones.

President Barack Obama broke the county's 44-year Republican presidential voting streak when he won by less than 2 percentage points eight years ago. The offices of sheriff, county attorney and district clerk fell into Democratic hands then, too, as did a swath of judicial posts.

This year, Democrat Kim Ogg ousted Republican Devon Anderson in the highest-profile countywide contest, for district attorney, and Democrat Ed Gonzalez bested Ron Hickman for sheriff.

Meanwhile, Democratic County Attorney Vince Ryan won re-election, Democrat Mary Ann Perez reclaimed her post from Republican state Rep. Gilbert Pena in District 144, and Democrats were leading in nearly all two dozen district court benches on the ballot.

In the race for county tax assessor-collector, Democratic challenger Ann Harris Bennett was narrowly leading Republican Mike Sullivan.

"This progression in Harris County ... happened earlier, sooner, and stronger than I at least had predicted," said former Harris County Democratic Party Chair Gerry Birnberg, who served from 2003 - 2011. "We replicated 2008 and 2012 and carried it to the next level. You don't have to be a Ph.D. in math to plot this one out on the graph and see where it's going."

And yet, Republican state Rep. Sarah Davis held on in west Houston's District 134, and four of five members of Harris County's commissioners court remain Republican - something unlikely to change anytime soon.

The Republican county clerk, district clerk and county treasurer were not on this year's ballot.

Harris County Republican Party Chair Paul Simpson emphasized that the party's local candidates outperformed Trump in Harris County.

"With such a big headwind at the top of the ticket, we're still doing fairly well down-ballot," Simpson said, noting he believes this year is an aberration. "One election alone doesn't tell you everything about the future."

As Republicans prepare to battle back in two years, Simpson said the party will be eyeing where and why Harris County voters turned out, as Democrats focus, in part, on Hispanic voter participation.

"The question is whether or not these results were driven by disaffected conservative Republican voters that for this cycle voted Democrat, or is it something structural?" Texas Southern University political scientist Jay Aiyer said. "Are we seeing the beginning of that demographic shift that's been written about for a very long time as an inevitability?"

An ethnic breakdown of Election Day voters was not immediately available, but the county's early voting returns already point to steep Hispanic turnout gains.

Seventeen percent of Harris County's in-person early voters have a Spanish surname, up from 11 percent in 2012, according to Hector de Leon, director of communications and voter outreach for the county clerk. Overall, voters with a Spanish surname cast 15 percent of the vote four years ago.

De Leon said 21 percent of Harris County's more than 2.2 million registered voters have a Spanish surname, a 2 percentage point increase since 2012.

"We've been slowly chipping away at the deficit in Latino voter participation," said Crystal Zermeno, director electoral strategy for the Texas Organizing Project.

The challenge for TOP, which aims to boost minority turnout, has been converting emotion into votes.

"You knock on voters doors and they're angry, but the where and the how and the when to vote is still a critical piece," Zermeno said. "Once you vote once, you've broken that barrier."
A record surge in early voting appeared to give way to a modest Election Day in Harris County and across Texas, leaving the Lone Star State - despite a profoundly atypical campaign at the top of the ballot - on pace for a relatively typical turnout tally.

The local elections administrator, County Clerk Stan Stanart, said shortly before the polls closed Tuesday that he had revised his initial estimate of Election Day ballots down from 500,000 to 400,000. Those figures would combine with an early vote total - including mail ballots and those cast in-person - of nearly 1 million, by far a county record.

"It seems quieter than what it should be for the turnout we were expecting. But with as many locations as we have, it's less than 700 average (votes) per location, so you can get to half a million," Stanart said. "We're just waiting and seeing. This election is the weirdest election. It doesn't follow the models very well at all."

State and county voters increasingly have chosen to vote early rather than on Election Day in recent elections, with presidential contests no exception.

Tuesday's results were on pace to dramatically accelerate that shift in Harris County. Stanart said it was hard to interpret the causes behind that apparent movement, but he said voters' desire to cast their ballots and wash their hands of the divisive contest likely contributed.

"That's probably as much as anything: 'I want to do my civic duty, but I also want to get this over with so I can get on my life,'" Stanart said. "Or it's just the enthusiasm. 'I want to get my voice out there and get it heard.' There's two ways of looking at it. It's only individual voters who have the answers to it."

Jim Granato, a political scientist with the University of Houston's Hobby Center for Public Policy, had a similar take. Some data showed a spike in early turnout from Hispanic areas of the city, Granato said, and local polling from six weeks ago suggested the voters most likely to cast ballots also tended to be more enthusiastic about GOP nominee Donald Trump.

It may be that these two motivated groups may have voted early in unusual proportions, Granato said, simply leaving fewer votes to be cast on Election Day from the rest of the voting public.

"There's probably some convenience issues - that's why early voting is there," Granato said. "There were probably some people who said, 'I just want to get it done,' and then there might be a segment of the population, first-time voters, that just were so excited to do this."

Even if late-night returns reveal a higher than expected turnout Tuesday, the state and county seemed extremely unlikely to approach the more than 70 percent turnout figures seen in 1992, when local luminary George H.W. Bush lost a narrow reelection bid to Bill Clinton.

The tallies seemed likely to continue Texas' ongoing lag in voting civic engagement.

The United States Election Project, the effort of University of Florida political scientist Michael McDonald, tracks turnout back to the founding of the republic.

The project shows that, including the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Texas has ranked 50th in voter turnout in each presidential contest since 2000; that year, when then-governor George W. Bush was on the ballot, the state ranked 48th.

McDonald's model addresses the portion of people who voted from among the pool of citizens eligible to cast ballots. Local governments, by contrast, often report turnout as the portion of those who cast ballots compared to the number of registered voters. Estimates show only 86 percent of the Texans who are eligible to vote are registered.
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Former Houston homicide investigator-turned-city councilman Ed Gonzalez edged out a victory in the race for Harris County sheriff.

Incumbent Ron Hickman conceded the race just before 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to Jeff Yates, his campaign manager.

"He thanked the hundreds of volunteers who helped with his campaign," Yates said. "And he said how proud he was of their accomplishments while in office, and he will continue to work hard until Mr. Gonzalez takes over."

Gonzalez held a solid lead throughout the night over Hickman, who was appointed sheriff after his predecessor, Adrian Garcia, resigned in 2015 to pursue a mayoral bid.

"Things look great - we had a plan in mind that we executed well," Gonzalez said in a phone interview from his victory party at Fitzgerald's in the Heights.

The 47-year-old former police officer now faces the challenge of bringing leadership to a department that has seen three different bosses in less than two years, uniting a wary pool of employees and bringing operations at the jail back under control while convincing county commissioners to devote more resources to the department.

The sheriff's race, which came as something of a surprise given Hillary Clinton's lackluster performance, attracted little of the fervor associated with the national presidential race, but observers say it was one of the most competitive races in the state and a possible bellwether for Democrats' hopes of turning the state blue in future elections.

"I ran before and I'm confident in my ability to be able reach voters for a number of years now," said Gonzalez, who spent the day visiting with voters in the Heights, east Harris County and Sunnyside.

Gonzalez, who ran as a self-styled progressive, repeatedly criticized operations at the Harris County jail, where overtime has risen dramatically under Hickman's tenure as the jail population swelled.

The challenger also made political gains criticizing decisions by the Harris County District Attorney's Office and the Sheriff's Office to jail a rape victim until she could testify against the man accused of assaulting her.

The contest came in an election cycle when criminal justice emerged as a critical issue for voters nationwide, particularly as law enforcement has come under increasing scrutiny over police officers' use of lethal force.

Over the course of the race, Gonzalez drew heavy support from the local Democratic establishment, including former Mayor Annise Parker, state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, and the Harris County chapter of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats.

Hickman, however, drew support from key local law enforcement groups, including the Harris County Deputies Organization, Houston Police Officers' Union, the Mexican American Sheriff's Officers, and the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police.

Gonzalez, who spent 15 years at the Houston Police Department before entering politics, had to battle his way out of a contested primary that led to a runoff before he could turn his attention to the general race, and he entered the campaign with less name recognition than Hickman, who had already served as appointed sheriff for months.

For Hickman, a former Precinct 4 constable, the defeat came just 18 months after county commissioners appointed him as the county's top cop. He has struggled to rein in the swelling population of inmates at the county's jail even as he has taken steps to try to modernize the department.

Hickman may have suffered from a series of scandals that have plagued the sheriff's office in recent years, said Brandon Rottinghaus, a professor of political science at the University of Houston.

"It has been similar to the DA's race," he said. "There have been a kind of rich number of criticisms Democrats could levy at incumbent Republicans."

District Attorney Devon Anderson, a Republican, was also defeated in her bid for re-election by Democratic challenger Kim Ogg.
Houston voters refused Tuesday to authorize the school district to forfeit millions in local property tax dollars to the state next year, setting up uncertainty over the fate of the money.

Under the state's current funding formula, the Houston Independent School District is considered so property-wealthy for the first time that it must forfeit money to help fund the state's poorer districts - whether or not voters here approve.

Since the ballot measure has failed, the state education commissioner now has the power to obtain the money from Houston by removing pricey commercial properties from the school district for taxing purposes. The scenario would be unprecedented. Yet the property removal would not have to take place until the summer, leaving lawmakers time to act.

The Houston school district also could call another election before the education commissioner took the property, giving voters a second chance to authorize payment to the state.

The district's budget manager has said that the loss of commercial property in Houston likely would necessitate a tax rate increase to make up roughly $30 million to repay debt.

Several school board members and Mayor Sylvester Turner had urged voters to oppose the ballot measure, gambling that state lawmakers will revise the education funding system to spare the district from having to forgo an estimated $162 million in 2017.

However, Houston's rejection of the ballot proposition comes with a risk that could lead to a small property tax rate increase in coming years if lobbying in Austin is unsuccessful.

"Today is a win for our schools, students and the community, but the fight is not over," Houston Independent School District trustee Jolanda Jones said in a statement Tuesday night. "We must now lobby the Texas Legislature to ensure that HISD has the appropriate level of funding to create opportunities for all of our students."

Turner, a former Democratic state lawmaker, appeared in a television commercial urging voters to reject the school funding measure. That opposition campaign spent more than $142,500 through October, according to public filings.

"I am so proud of the people of Houston who voted against this measure with the understanding that this is just the first step in our fight for justice for the many students and families that depend on us," Turner said late Tuesday night in a statement.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican from Houston, had expressed concern for the opposition approach before the election. Patrick has focused largely on trying to find a way to fund private school options through voucher-like programs.

State lawmakers are under less pressure to revamp the school funding system next year since the Texas Supreme Court ruled in May that it was constitutional, though flawed. The Houston school district was among the roughly 600 statewide that had sued.

Turner and Houston school officials have noted that although the district is property-rich, most of the students served come from low-income families.

In the special election for the Houston school board, Anne Sung and John Luman were leading in the four-way race, according to 80 percent of the election returns. The candidates are seeking to replace District 7 trustee Harvin Moore, who served for 13 years and is resigning his term a year early.

Luman, an attorney and lobbyist, earned Moore's endorsement, agreeing teachers should be paid based on performance.

Sung, a former high school since teacher who lost to Moore in 2013, has the backing of the teachers' union and opposes performance pay.
Voters lured by a presidential year largely kept the status quo when it comes to electing members of the Texas House of Representatives from the Houston area.

A single seat appeared headed to change parties, with Democrat Mary Ann Perez likely reclaiming her Pasadena post in District 144, two years after a surprise defeat by State Rep. Gilbert Pena.

Perez, 54, rode strong turnout from the Pasadena area, but was reluctant Tuesday night to declare her sizable lead would hold, despite she said success in getting voters to support her.

"I feel wonderful, but I am cautious," she said. "I think there were a lot of people who were confused about the race and I had a chance to talk to them... I kind of ran my own race."

The self-styled pro-business Democrat ran a street-level campaign that included near-daily block walks, aimed at attracting people to her pro-education message.

Pena, who narrowly won by 152 votes two years ago in a race Republicans barely paid attention to at the time, focused on a core social conservatism message, building on his legislative reputation that included a proposed law fining people who do not use the bathroom based on the gender on their birth certificate. His campaign did not respond to requests for comment.

In one of the most closely-watched races, State Rep. Sarah Davis, R-Houston, was leading to remain the representative for District 134.

Davis, a moderate, was clinging to a decent lead, but challenger Ben Rose remained within reach, with 80 percent of the election returns reported. The district has flipped parties three times since 2007, and the moderate Davis spent most of the campaign shoring up support and combatting Rose's claims that she was too conservative for the district, which leans Republican but has strong Democratic pockets in the area from Tanglewood to Meyerland.

Safe bases

In Galveston and Chambers counties, incumbent State Rep. Wayne Faircloth, R-Dickinson, was in a close but comfortable contest with former lawmaker Lloyd Criss, who was seeking the seat lost by his daughter Susan Criss to Faircloth in 2014.

The Houston area will send newcomers to Austin in four districts, none of which flipped to the opposed party because of safe, entrenched bases. In District 126 in northern Harris County, Kevin Roberts will take over from State Rep. Patty Harless, who did not seek reelection.

Briscoe Cain, who beat 14-year statehouse veteran State Rep. Wayne Smith in a tough primary election in District 128, defeated challenger Ken Lowder. Valoree Swanson also knocked off incumbent Debbie Riddle in the March 1 primary, and will assume her District 150 seat in January.

Democrats will send Shawn Thierry to the Capitol in District 146, to replace State Rep. Borris Miles, who won the seat opened by Rodney Ellis' departure from the Texas Senate.

Other incumbent members of the House, meanwhile, either ran unopposed or faced noncompetitive challenges for their seats. In some cases, a handful of competitors, including Libertarian and Green Party opponents, made incumbents work to keep their seats.

Republicans Gary Elkins and Mike Schofield and Democrats Gene Wu and Garnet Coleman all easily beat challengers. Suburban elected officials in Fort Bend and Brazoria counties defended their seats as well, including State Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, despite a misdemeanor barratry conviction and his filing for bankruptcy in September, stemming from the conviction. Reynolds had strong support from his local voters in the primary, runoff and general elections.

Democrat gain

In Montgomery County, none of the three Republicans up for reelection - Cecil Bell, Mark Keough and Will Metcalf - drew a general election challenger. Veteran Austin Democrats from Harris County such Harold Dutton and Senfronia Thompson also eased to victory unopposed.

Despite a Democratic gain in the Houston area, Republicans have a lock on a majority of House seats, meaning the upcoming legislative session will not be significantly affected by any of Tuesday's results. Still, both parties will examine the results closely, said Bill Miller, an Austin-based lobbyist active in statewide elections.

Within Republican ranks, Miller said alarm could come from Democrats taking seats from moderate Republicans - like Davis, who fended off the challenge - and from losses by Hispanic members of the GOP who fell victim to a strong Democrat turnout.

"They are going to have a very, very strong majority and a state that hasn't had a statewide Democrat elected official in what, 25 years," Miller said. "They won't panic."
The Texas Senate's party makeup remained unchanged Tuesday as 13 incumbents prevailed and three newcomers held onto their predecessors' seats.

The victors included eight Republicans and eight Democrats, most of whom did not face a major-party opponent. The results leave the Senate mix at 20 Republicans and 11 Democrats.
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In a campaign season dominated by an anti-establishment outsider who promised to "drain the swamp" in Washington, it appears Texas voters chose to send all of the state's sitting congressional representatives back for two more years.

Incumbents won all nine U.S. House races in districts covering parts of Harris County by wide margins; with more than 90 percent of precincts reporting, no challenger was within striking distance in any of those contests.

"The public likes to criticize members of Congress, but traditionally they like their own member," said U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, a Republican who easily defeated his Democratic challenger, Pat Bryan, and two other candidates in the 2nd District. "It's not surprising incumbents are winning across Texas."

Poe won decisively even though he wasn't able to campaign as aggressively as in years past. He's been undergoing chemotherapy at MD Anderson Cancer Center since being diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year: "The good Lord is taking care of me," he said Tuesday while celebrating his victory with friends in Humble.

Texas' most competitive congressional race was headed to a close finish late Tuesday as District 23 voters in 29 counties decided whether to re-elect Republican congressman Will Hurd or replace him with his Democratic predecessor, Pete Gallego.

With 80 percent of precincts reporting, Hurd was narrowly ahead of Gallego, with a small fraction of the vote going to Libertarian Ruben S. Corvalan. The majority-Hispanic district runs along the Mexican border from San Antonio to El Paso.

Craig Goodman, a political scientist at the University of Houston in Victoria, said it's not surprising that the populist wave that swept the country, elevating the presidential campaigns of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, didn't lead to upsets in Texas congressional races.

"One of the reasons for that is members of Congress are really good at making elections about their home district," Goodman said.

Like-minded districts

Another reason incumbents do well: District boundaries drawn five years ago by Republican state officials clump like-minded voters together in solidly Republican or Democratic districts, minimizing competition in the general election and giving Republicans an overall advantage. If Hurd prevails, Republicans will continue to hold 25 of the state's 36 House seats.

Democratic congressman Gene Green knows he benefits from the concentration of left-leaning voters in the 29th District. In his race against Republican Julio Garza and two other candidates, Green was on pace to receive a decisive majority of votes.

A victory celebration was dampened by the growing possibility of a Trump victory over Hillary Clinton.

"I really didn't expect this to be such a long night," said Green, who lamented Trump's derisive comments about Mexican immigrants, who make up a large portion of his district. "It concerns me a lot."

Incumbents celebrate

In other Texas races, Republican incumbent John Culberson won re-election in the 7th District by a wide margin over Democrat James Cargas.

U.S. Rep. Al Green, the Democrat who's represented the 9th District since 2005, won easily against Republican challenger Jeff Martin.

U.S. Rep. Mike McCaul, a Republican, will continue representing the 10th District after defeating Democrat Tawana W. Cadien and Libertarian Bill Kelsey.

In the 18th District, Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee won big in her contest with Republican Lori Bartley and Green Party candidate Thomas Kleven.

Republican incumbent Pete Olson defeated Democrat Mark Gibson in the 22nd District.

In the 36th District, Republican congressman Brian Babin defeated Green Party candidate Hal Ridley.

U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, a Republican who staved off a tough primary challenge, did not have a general election opponent.

John W. Gonzalez and Vianna Davila contributed to this report.
Red State Texas stayed solidly in the Republican column, even though urban areas such as Houston and Fort Bend County were turning varying shades of purple with initial election results tallied.

Even as Donald Trump was maintaining a steady lead over Hillary Clinton statewide, the Democrat was ahead in all of Texas' urban areas except Fort Worth.

The Texas Senate was expected to remain in conservative Republican hands. And in Texas House races, only a few Republican incumbents were running behind, a clear signal Republicans would continue to hold a significant majority, as they have for more than a decade.

Even the single chance that Democrats held at holding on to their only statewide office was in jeopardy. Mary Lou Keel, a veteran GOP district judge in Houston, held a comfortable lead over incumbent Lawrence "Larry" Meyers, who was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals as a Republican in 1992 but switched to the Democratic Party in 2016 after a philosophical row with tea party influence in the GOP.

The last Democrat to be elected to statewide office was in 1994.

"What has happened in this election is unprecedented," said Jerry Polinard, a political scientist at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley who as been watching Texas elections 1972, when Richard Nixon defeated George McGovern. "For the first time, both major-party candidates were not trusted by a large number of Americans.

"Trump, a Republican, attracted the traditional Democratic vote - working-class people. For Texas, this has meant a lot of issues within the Republican party especially."

If Trump's harsh rhetoric and off-the-chart remarks about illegal immigrants, Muslims and women turned off many Texans, who voted for Clinton or someone else, just as many more cast their ballots for him in many parts of Texas.

Margin of victory slim

And whether Trump or Clinton emerged as the eventual victor, consultants on both sides of the political aisle agreed Texas Republicans could face a period of soul-searching and reconciliation no matter who occupies the White House next.

The reason, more than a dozen agreed Tuesday, is that Trump won Texas by the smallest percentage of recent presidential elections, less than the double-digit leads than recent GOP presidential nominees John McCain and Mitt Romney. And because Trump split Republicans so badly, with many moderates, women and minorities who previously had voted Republican publicly supporting Clinton this year.

Case in point: Former President George W. Bush did not vote for Trump or Clinton, but voted for other down-ballot Republicans, said Bush spokesman Freddy Ford. Neither he nor his father, former President George H.W. Bush of Houston, had endorsed Trump.

Democrats said they were elated by early returns showing the close statewide margin, along with turnout gains in Texas' urban areas, they said they hope to capitalize in upcoming elections, a goal they have been unable to capture in recent years.

"The future is best seen in the cities where Democrats continue to grow in strength," said Glenn Smith, director of the political action committee run by Progress Texas, a liberal advocacy group. "The statewide total isn't much of a crystal ball. But the margins in Harris County are the big story in Texas."

Emerging Latino vote

Because Tuesday's election was presidential, when Democrats tend to do better in Texas elections when Democrats win, Austin-based GOP consultant Matt Mackowiak, who had been highly critical of Trump during the campaign, predicted the turnout of Democrats "will probably be the high-water mark for them in urban areas.

"Republicans will probably have a high-water mark in two years" when statewide races are on the ballot in reliably Republican Texas, he said.

Political scientists expect the Latino vote that turned out on Tuesday could be significant in future Texas races, if it turns out again.

"The Democrats' clock has been ticking for some time in Texas, on whether they can someday turn out Latinos," Polinard said. "They've never been able to do it to win statewide in recent years. The test will be to see whether their gains in this election can help them do that."

The consensus Tuesday among other political consultants and experts: Not likely any time soon.

That is, they said, unless conservative Republican leaders push politically charged social issues such as a ban on transgender bathrooms or school vouchers that could bring enough of those new voters - Hispanics, African- Americans, moderate Republicans and millennials - back to the polls.
It's been called a stunning victory, and CNN commentator Van Jones may have become last night's symbol for the people who really did not want to see Donald Trump become the U.S. president-elect.

Jones, a former special advisor to President Barack Obama, went on a 2-minute plus spiel on his personal fears over Trump's win last night, as well as the fears of his friends and colleagues.
The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p.
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Black Lives Matter helped propel Donald Trumps unforeseen ascent to the White House. The public understood the threat to law and order posed by the movements calumnies about the nations policeand so, uniquely in the presidential race, did Trump. Trump repeatedly promised to end what he rightly called the false narrative about the police that was leading to rising homicides and urban riots. During the first presidential debate with Hillary Clinton in September 2016, Trump correctly pointed out that right now, our police, in many cases, are afraid to do anything. In his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in July, Trump announced: I have a message for all of you: the crime and violence that today afflicts our nation will soon come to an end. Beginning on January 20th 2017, safety will be restored. He then articulated a foundational principle of civil society: The most basic duty of government is to defend the lives of its own citizens. Any government that fails to do so is a government unworthy to lead.

By contrast, Hillary Clinton embraced the Black Lives Matter movement. She regularly accused the nations cops of systemic, lethal racism. Last July, when the toll of officers murdered by Black Lives Matter-inspired assassins had reached five in that one month alone, Clinton told the NAACP that we need to root out implicit [police] bias and stop the killings of African-Americans. During a Democratic presidential primary debate in January 2016, Clinton was asked if it was reality that police officers see black lives as cheap. She answered unhesitatingly: Sadly, its reality. At the Democratic National Convention, Clinton glorified as a martyr to racist police violence the mother of Michael Brown, whose justifiable killing by a Ferguson police officer ignited the Black Lives Matter movement. Support for Trump, then, represented a clear repudiation of Clintons (and President Barack Obamas) dangerous validation of a movement built on hate-filled falsehoods about law enforcement.

A Gallup poll in October 2016 proved a harbinger of Trumps victory. The percentage of respondents expressing a great deal of respect for the police had surged to its highest level since 196776 percentin a sharp increase from the year before, when confidence in the police had fallen to a 22-year low. That rise occurred among all racial groupsnonwhites with a great deal of respect for the police increased from 53 percent in October 2015 to 67 percent in October 2016. What was responsible for the change in opinion? Rejection of the Black Lives Matter narrative that was killing cops and civilians alike. Gun murders of officers are up 59 percent this year, through November 8, compared with the same period last year. And black lives are being taken at record and near-record numbers in places like Chicago and Baltimore, as officers back off of proactive policing under the false accusation that they are racist for maintaining order in high-crime neighborhoods.

Though the country has presumably avoided the crippling federal policies that Hillary Clinton would have put in place regarding law enforcement and, as important, a continuation of destructive presidential rhetoric about racist cops, Black Lives Matter is not going to go quietly into the night. The movement may even grow more extreme, fueled by a university culture devoted to racial victimology. Hate-filled chants like the one recently uttered in ChicagoCPD, KKK, How many kids did you kill today?will continue to plague city streets. But the absence of an echo chamber in the White House for such falsehoods may go far toward curbing the rising violence of the last two years.

When it comes to public safety, the ironies of this election have been many. Of the final two candidates for president, only Trump expressed concern about the growing homicide toll in black neighborhoods. He was promptly called a racist for doing so. Undeterred, in his victory speech early this morning, he again pledged to fix our inner citieswhich means, first and foremost, honoring the desire of the millions of law-abiding residents of high-crime areas for assertive, and respectful, police protection.

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Donald Trumps stunning victory represents a tectonic shift in American politics. Against every imaginable odd, and the combined opposition of the political and media establishments, Trump tweeted and elbowed his way to the most extraordinary electoral win in American history.

From the beginning of his campaign, Trumps appeal was characterized as lacking substance, and his supporters as reality-television-besotted fools. Hollywood uber-liberals such as Rob Reiner sneered about the Kardashianization of America, and pundits waxed nostalgic for a lost time when serious debate instead of frivolous chatter dominated.

In reality, Trumps campaign and appeal were always issue-based. From the start, he stressed three fundamental policy points that catalyzed a large base of support. Though he refined and shifted the specifics of how he would implement these policies, his essential message was articulated at least 15 months ago.

The first issue was immigration. The presence of uncounted millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States has long been a sore spot for many Americans. While the dogma of open borders has been received wisdom among the political and economic elites for decades, polls have consistently shown illegal immigration to be a serious concern for the population at large. True or not, open borders have been perceived as an attack on the existing population, and a source of downward wage pressure. It was only a matter of time before some astute politician recognized that the national question was an untapped, undervalued source of concern.

The second of Trumps winning issues was security. The threat of terrorism, appropriately, terrifies Americans. Its a matter of common sense and general perception that terrorism as we face it today is bound up with political Islam. Trumps willingness to speak about Islamic terrorismwithout constant hedging about the miniscule number of terrorists versus 1.6 billion good Muslimsappealed to the population as a recognition of the present danger. Though Trump initially spoke crudely about totally banning Muslims from America, he has softened his position to indicate strict limits on travellers from terrorism source-nations.

Trumps third major issue was trade. Regardless of the merits of trade, its beyond dispute that great swaths of the countrys industrial regions have been hollowed out. Our transition to an information-based finance economyWall Street over Main Streethas created bi-coastal billionaires and left tens of millions of formerly aspirational Americans in the lurch. The perception that America, in Trumps words, doesnt win anymore on the global stage, rings true for people trapped in the lower depths of the service economy. Trumps promise to bring his business prowess to bear on trillion-dollar trade imbalances struck the cognoscenti as hilarious, but the American people have always respectedat least in theoryan individual who understands business at first-hand.

Against Trumps agenda of immigration, security, and trade, his opponents in the Republican primaries and then in the general election attacked his vulgarity, his quick tongue, and his irregular record in business. Hillary Clinton ran a negative campaign based almost entirely on Trumps supposed racism and sexism, and presented herself with a halo of inevitability. The assumption that Clintons gender would drive turnout at Obama-like levels was a fundamental error: women have simply never occupied the same historical role as black Americans, and the ascendency of one woman to high office never carried the same symbolic weight as a black man becoming president.

Trump lost control of his narrative many times throughout the campaign. But he identified three crucial concerns of the common voter and hammered on them all the way to Tuesday nights victory. Will he be a successful president? Thats another matter entirely. But his campaign was far more driven by substance than many have been willing to acknowledge.

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Caritas Cehia in cautarea unui expert/unei experte sau unei echipe de experti in prestarea serviciilor de consiliere psihologica (pe segmentul burnout) pentru echipa mobila de prestare a serviciilor psiho-sociale pentru refugiatii ucraineni
Journalisms moment of reckoning has arrived.

Its inability to understand Donald Trumps rise over the last year, ending in his victory Tuesday night, clearly stand among journalisms great failures, certainly in a generation and probably in modern times.

Reporters eagerness first to ridicule Trump and his supporters, then dismiss them, and finally to actively lobby and argue for their defeat have led us to a moment when the entire journalistic enterprise needs to be rethought and rebuilt. In terms of bellwether moments, this is our anti-Watergate.

Already the finger-pointing deconstructions have begun. Yes, social media played a role, enclosing reporters in echo chambers that made it hard, if not impossible, for them to hear contrarian voices; yes, the brutal economics of the news business hurt all our efforts, decimating newsrooms around the country and leaving fewer people to grapple with what was a gargantuan story; and yes, reporters can be forgiven, at least initially, for laughing off a candidate whose views and personality seemed so outside the norm of a serious contender for the White House.

While all those things are true, journalisms fundamental failure in this election, its original sin, is much more basic to who we are and what we are supposed to be. Simply put, it is rooted in a failure of reporting.

We need to embrace, even relish, our legacy as malcontents and troublemakers, people who are willing to say the thing that makes everyone else uncomfortable

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As much of the countryindeed, apparently, a majority of the countrywas roiling in anger and resentment and racism, too few reporters took the time to seek out people outside major cities on the coasts and listen to them. In this election, as in every election, the voters ultimately were the story that mattered, much more so than the campaign managers or the think-tank talkers or the reporter-cum-commentators with massive Twitter followings.

Too often, the views of Trumps followerswhich is to say, the people who just elected our next presidentwere dismissed entirely by an establishment media whose worldview is so different, and so counter, to theirs that it became chic to belittle them and wave them off. Reporters personal views got in the way of their ability to hear what was happening around them.

Now a new era needs to begin, a period in which reporting takes precedent over opinion, when journalists are willing to seek out and understand people with whom they may have profound personal and philosophical differences. For decades, centuries even, that has been the definition of journalism.

That kind of reporting needs to be accompanied by a return to journalisms oppositional roots; it has done reporters no good to think of themselves as part of the establishment or a megaphone for the conventional wisdom. We need to embrace, even relish, our legacy as malcontents and troublemakers, people who are willing to say the thing that makes everyone else uncomfortable.

There is so much else to do, and so much to learn from last night, including diversifying our newsrooms so they more accurately reflect the country were supposed to be covering; breaking out of the reporting silos of official agencies and spokespeople; and de-emphasizing social media so people can pursue stories that are important and true, but may not result in a flurry of retweets over a 15-minute span.

Over the next two months, Donald Trump will begin preparing for his move into the White House. He already has made clear that he is no friend of the press. He has threatened to sue media outlets he doesnt like, and is on the record opposing some of the libel-law protections that are critical to the press ability to adequately do its job. Our re-invention cant come soon enough.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Kyle Pope is the editor in chief and publisher of the Columbia Journalism Review.
Months after two severe storms flooded basements on Detroits east side, the Michigan citys water department has decided to pay the claims of all residents who arent suing it.

Hundreds of homes were damaged during the July 8 storm, which resulted in many basements flooded with smelly, brown water, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department director Gary Brown said the department, which charges residents for water, plans to settle with 800 people who filed claims and havent sued. They will begin with the 17 whose furnaces and hot water tanks were rendered inoperable. The department expects to spend about $11 million.

Brown said the department will settle all the claims before January, no matter whose fault it is. He said the department isnt waiting for the disposition of ongoing investigations being conducted by the Great Lakes Water Authority, which operates the system and the water department.

We didnt wait to see whose responsibility it was (between Great Lakes and DWSD), he said.

The decision to pay the claims is part of the departments efforts to gain a better reputation after water shutoffs made international headlines.

The department has also instituted a program through the Great Lakes Water Authority to help customers who are behind on their water bills, but are consistent with payments over periods of time, said Brown.

According to Brown, he hired two contractors to help clean, sanitize and throw things away. He said in some instances they had to build stairways in order to get into some of the basements, and cleaned vacant property that the Detroit land bank owned, to ensure no smells would linger near occupied homes.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Louisiana Man Sentenced Nearly 5 Years for Insurance Theft

A federal prosecutor says a Lafayette, La., man has been sentenced to four years and eight months in prison for stealing more than a million dollars from his sisters insurance settlement.

U.S. Attorney Stephanie Finley says in a Thursday news release that 37-year-old Kevin Ralph Andrus pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in March.

He was sentenced Monday and will have to pay nearly $1.5 million in restitution.

Finleys release says Andrus had been placed in charge of his sisters estate after she was incapacitated in an automobile accident. As she recovered, the sister discovered that Andrus had transferred settlement funds to his personal and business accounts.

Finley said Andrus violated an oath to spend the money only on approved expenses benefiting his sister.

Washington Business Owners Charged With 5 Felonies in Workers Comp Scam

The owners of a Mill Creek house-cleaning business face felony charges alleging they refused to pay workers compensation insurance premiums and shorted an employee out of wages.

Blake Joseph Standley, of Bothell, and Monica Ann Covey-Standley, of Mill Creek, have each been charged with four felony counts of filing false reports to evade workers compensation premiums. In addition, they each face a felony count of second-degree theft for allegedly failing to pay one of their workers.

The charges stem from the Standleys operation of their business, Kogaty Interiors. The pair, who were married when they operated the company, were slated to be arraigned in Snohomish County Superior Court on Monday, Nov. 7.

The Washington Attorney Generals Office is prosecuting the case based on an investigation by the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). L&I administers the state workers comp system that provides medical and other services to help injured workers heal and return to work.

L&I began its investigation after the department audited another business that Blake Standley managed; that audit led to questions about Kogaty Interiors.

Standley filed reports to L&I in 2013 and 2014 stating that no employees had worked for Kogaty Interiors. Yet bank records showed they were paying employees to clean houses from April 2013 through early July 2014, while the couple also was depositing income for house cleaning services, charging papers said.

In addition, an L&I investigator spoke to employees who had wage and tax statements and time sheets showing the Standleys paid them for stints in 2013 and 2014. Charging papers said the couple should have paid nearly $12,000 in workers comp premiums, based on the employee payroll records.

L&I records show the couple now owes more than $77,000 when penalties and interest are included.

One employee also told L&I that the Standleys failed to pay her for about two weeks worth of work in late 2014. Though she repeatedly asked to be paid, the woman said the couple ignored her emails and messages, and hung up whenever she called, charging papers said.

She filed a wage complaint to L&I, which determined the Standleys owed her about $1,000. The Standleys havent paid the late wages or a $1,000 penalty plus interest.

Theres simply no excuse for failing to pay workers who did their job and depend on their paychecks, said Elizabeth Smith, assistant director of Fraud Prevention & Labor Standards. We aggressively pursue employers who use deception to get out of their responsibility to pay workers and workers comp premiums.

Refusing to pay premiums raises costs for everyone who contributes to the workers comp system.

Employer false reporting and second-degree theft carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, plus restitution and court costs.

New Jersey Motel Owner Sentenced for Stealing Superstorm Sandy Funds

A New Jersey motel owner who stole more than $81,000 in federal disaster relief funds by falsely claiming he had sheltered Superstorm Sandy victims is now headed to prison.

Sandipkumar Patel received a three-year sentence Friday. The 44-year-old Edison man had pleaded guilty in September to theft by deception and has paid full restitution.

State authorities say Patel fraudulently took $81,567 from a Federal Emergency Management Agency program that paid hotels and motels for rooms temporarily occupied by victims.

Patel and his wife own the American Motel in Toms River.

Authorities say Patel falsely billed FEMA for 11 supposed victims, including eight of whom never stayed at the motel. The three others stayed for shorter periods than were billed or shared a room that Patel had already billed to FEMA.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Donald Trumps surprise election Tuesday as U.S. president means the repudiation of Barack Obamas legacy and a strong likelihood Republicans will undo many of his accomplishments, including Obamacare and trade deals, and seek tax cuts for the rich.

While Trump has made broad promises, he has offered few details of how he would execute them. Even though Republicans hold control of both chambers of Congress, its unclear Trump will have devoted partners. Most lawmakers from the party, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, havent embraced his highest-profile ideas, such as building a wall on the Mexican border.

Its also not clear who will populate his cabinet. He has a small cadre of close advisers, while many prominent Republicans have said they dont intend to serve with him.

For a QuickTake explainer of campaign issues, click here.

Heres a look at Trumps top priorities:

Immigration

Trump surged to the Republican nomination in part based on a hard-line immigration policy that he framed as a rejection of Obamas more welcoming posture.

For a QuickTake explainer on the U.S. immigration debate, click here.

Trump said his first day in office would be devoted in large part to beginning an overhaul of the U.S. immigration system, setting aside funding to triple the number of immigration control agents and deporting more than 2 million people with criminal records. Hes declined to say whether his administration would pursue deportations of the millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. who havent committed crimes.

He has also said the Mexican government would pay at least part of the expenses for construction of a border wall. The Mexican government has said it will pay nothing.

Legal immigration from several countries will be completely banned for an indefinite period in the interest of national security, Trump has said. He once pledged to ban all Muslims from entering the U.S. but has since modified his position and now says he would impose extreme vetting to keep out terrorists. Entire countries that have been compromised by terrorism would be blacklisted from sending immigrants to the U.S. under Trumps policy. Its not clear how he would implement such a ban or whether its constitutional.

Other than saying the U.S. would stop accepting refugees from Syria, Trumps campaign hasnt specified which countries would be on the list.

Trade

Trump has pledged to end decades of American orthodoxy on trade policy, charging that past deals have decimated the U.S. manufacturing sector.

He says hell take a hard line against U.S. trading partners, including top allies, by seeking to renegotiate or nullify existing trade deals, and he plans to take a protectionist approach with China, which he has accused of manipulating its currency to undercut U.S. industry. Hes said he would label China a currency manipulator, bring trade cases against it at the World Trade Organization and potentially slap new tariffs on the countrys goods.

One of Trumps top targets: The North America Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, a deal between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993. Trump has said the agreement is the worst trade deal in U.S. history and that his administration would immediately call on Mexico and Canada to renegotiate.

Hes also promised to abandon the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal between the U.S. and 11 Pacific Rim nations. Congress has yet to ratify the pact, which was supported by President Barack Obama and opposed by both Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Taxes

Trumps tax plan largely adheres to Republican doctrine, offering a historic across-the-board cut in rates. He would reduce the number of federal tax brackets to three from seven, with a top rate of 33 percent for married couples earning $225,000 or more. The current top rate is 39.6 percent.

Hes called for reducing the U.S. corporate tax rate to 15 percent, down from 35 percent, in an effort to keep companies from leaving for countries with lower rates. Trump supports a one-time repatriation of U.S. companies corporate profits held overseas, taxed at 10 percent.

His plan includes ending the carried-interest provision of the tax code, which eases the tax burden for hedge-fund managers. Trump would also repeal the estate tax and offer new tax deductions for childcare expenses.

For a QuickTake explainer on carried interest, click here.

The conservative Tax Foundation found that Trumps tax plan may reduce federal revenue by at least $2.6 trillion over 10 years, after accounting for economic growth that his proposals might stimulate.

The center-left Tax Policy Center found that the 10-year reduction in revenues would be $6.2 trillion, and that the top 1 percent of taxpayers would receive almost half the benefits.

Healthcare

Trump says hell ask Congress to immediately repeal the Affordable Care Act, Obamas signature domestic achievement. He has criticized the law for large premium increases in its government-run insurance markets.

Even if Democrats in the Senate are able to block wholesale repeal, Republicans could gut some of the laws key provisions, such as premium subsidies for insurance, a requirement that Americans carry insurance and an expansion of Medicaid for the poor.

For a QuickTake explainer on the Affordable Care Act, click here.

Some of the laws popular consumer protections would likely remain in place, including the requirement that insurers cover everyone regardless of their health and the prohibition against charging sick people higher premiums. Its not clear how or if his administration would help insurers struggling to cope with those rules.

His replacement plan for Obamacare, he has said, would include more widespread use of health savings accounts, which allow people to sock away money in retirement-style accounts to spend when they need care, along with a national market for health insurance.

Insurers in any state would be allowed to sell plans in all others, ending the current system of state-level regulation. State insurance regulators, including Republicans, have criticized that idea, a longstanding Republican proposal, because they say consumer protections would be weakened and out-of-state insurers would have trouble assembling sufficient networks of doctors and hospitals.

About 20 million people who didnt previously have health insurance gained coverage under Obamacare. Trump has offered no estimate of how many of them would be insured under his approach.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.
The top U.S. counterintelligence official says secret government data is vulnerable to thieves, such as the National Security Agency insider accused of working undetected for 20 years to steal a large trove of classified material, even as he defends the security controls put in place after the Edward Snowden theft.

I believe the reforms are working very well. I think weve done an amazing job in the intelligence community and across the government in executing our reforms, said Bill Evanina, the chief counterintelligence and security adviser to the national intelligence director. However, I will say that if someone wakes up tomorrow and they make a decision that theyre going to steal data from the government, they will be successful at it.

Evanina told The Associated Press in a recent interview that no matter how good security controls are, they will never catch every insider or hacker  and they must be continually improved because of technological advances. His remarks were the most extensive comments hes made since former NSA contractor Harold Thomas Martin III, 51, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, was arrested by the FBI in August.

Federal prosecutors say Martin illegally removed highly classified information, storing it in an unlocked shed and in his car and home. Court documents say investigators seized, conservatively, 50 terabytes of information, or enough to fill roughly 200 laptops.

Evanina said that since the Snowden breach in 2013, enhanced efforts to counter insider threats in the nations spy shops have not only uncovered improper activity and situations ripe for possible breaches, but have identified employees who might need help. He would not detail the activity uncovered.

Yet there are indications the government missed red flags in Martins personal life. Prosecutors have alleged that he had a binge-drinking habit  court records show a 2006 drunken-driving arrest involving someone of the same name  and concealed firearms from his wife. Defense lawyers say Martin, who like Snowden had worked as a Booz Allen Hamilton contractor, had mental health issues that contributed to him being a compulsive hoarder over two decades.

National security breaches have changed in recent years from unearthing moles working for foreign governments to stopping intelligence workers before they leak or share documents with journalists, Evanina said.

Things changed with Chelsea Manning, a former intelligence analyst in Iraq, who was sentenced to 35 years at the military prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, for leaking more than 700,000 secret military and State Department documents to Wikileaks.

It was a leak, he said. It was a big sea change for us.

After Manning, President Barack Obama issued an executive order setting up a National Insider Threat Task Force and requiring federal agencies that handle classified material to seek out possible double-agents or prospective leakers.

Then came Snowden, a man Evanina likens to a shop vac.

Snowden raised the bar and provided a new level of vulnerability of big IT (information technology) systems, Evanina said. Again, it was leaking.

Most of the technological reforms came after Snowden, but others have been in place for several years.

Evanina said agencies are continuously monitoring key indicators like a slowed career, divorce or bankruptcy that could signal a stressed or disgruntled employee on the brink of installing malware, sneaking out with classified material or showing up at work with a weapon.

He shuns requiring body or package searches that would damage trust built with some 4 million Americans who hold security clearances, including 1.3 million vetted to handle top-secret materials.

We have to weigh how do we garner trust without being A Clockwork Orange or Big Brother, Evanina said, referring to a futuristic movie about behavioral modification and George Orwells novel 1984 where every citizen is under surveillance.

V. Miller Newton, chief executive officer of PKWARE, cited a Government Accountability Office report that said the number of security incidents at federal agencies rose from 5,503 to 77,183 between fiscal 2006 and fiscal 2015. Thats a 1,303 percent increase.

The fact that this is not the centerpiece of these (presidential debates) is really disturbing to me, he said.

James Lewis, an internationally recognized expert on cybersecurity, said Martin should not have been able to get the material out of the building where he worked.

Part of what the expanded monitoring would have done is notified NSA that someone was downloading material, he said. It might have worked. Maybe it notified them. We dont know. I kind of doubt it, but that would be the happy face story.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Nicholas York is heading to Cuba today with 20 Cleveland Leadership Center members who are hoping to do business in Cuba someday.



York is a former founding partner at Cleveland law firm Tucker Ellis LLP. But he's turned himself into a United States-Cuba relations expert and co-founder of To Cuba Now, an organization that helps U.S. businesses build relationships with potential partners in Cuba.



He's always had a fascination in dealing with a country that imposed an embargo for more than five decades. The economic embargo previously banned most trade and travel there. But when he met To Cuba Now co-founder Jorge Delgado, several years ago, his interest increased. The Cuban native and former director of international relations at the Cleveland Foundation, also hopes to play a role in rebuilding business ties between the United States and Cuba.



"I think what people have been looking at is that Cuba has been a closed off market for..well everything," York said. "Now it's starting to open up. Cuba is in great need for a lot of different types of goods and services."



Since 2015, York has traveled with groups to Cuba about 20 times. While it's going to take some time for Americans to conduct business in Cuba, York is finding that the first step has to start with travel. Similar to other groups, members of the Cleveland Leadership Center are expected to experience a blend of culture and history through daily, guided tours and authentic meals and activities.



"Cultural exchange is important, but to me its more important to have cross sector of leaders to be away from Cleveland and to have the time and space to think and dialogue about Cleveland's issues," said Marianne Crosley, president and CEO of the Cleveland Leadership Center. "Obviously, what we experience in Cuba provides the backdrop for that to happen."



Leaders on this trip include people from Cleveland's nonprofit, academic and corporate communities. So far York has led tours to members of a variety of groups, including the American Institute of Architecture, the Agronomy Society, Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Kent State University.



Throughout the years, until the Obama administration worked around the edges of the embargo, Congress has created some exceptions, such as allowing U.S. companies to sell food, medicine and other humanitarian goods to the impoverished island.



Change is expected to happen slowly. While companies in some fields are allowed to establish a physical presence on the island, and some can open bank accounts there, most sales to Cuba still require the Havana government to pay cash in advance - a complex transaction often involving third parties.

York said he's optimistic about future opportunities. He traveled with Michael Sherwin, CEO of the Columbiana Boiler Co., to Cuba in the past year, and now Sherwin is expected to join him next week in Cuba for further negotiations. Sherwin is exploring the possibility of selling containers his Columbiana, Ohio company manufactures to transport chlorine for water treatment plants. Columbiana is near Youngstown.

He's not the only one who has taken a trip with York who is cautiously optimistic about eventually doing business in Cuba. Anthony Manna, chairman of Signet Enterprises LLC, an Akron-based private equity firm said he went with York in 2015 and now his company is considering opening an office in Cuba in 2017. The firm invests in real estate development, mergers and acquisitions of manufacturing and service businesses and in new technologies.

"To be candid..It's one of those things that you have to wait for the opportunity. We estimate it's going to take at least three to five years to make any headway," Manna said. "Somewhere along the way the U.S. has to lift the embargo and Cuba has to allow capitalism. Right now you can't invest in real estate except for small things like restaurants. The government owns everything. It's going to take at least a few years to allow outside investments.

"We did find the Cuba people to be very nice," Manna said. "They want to create a great environment for cooperation for investors from the U.S. I'm pretty optimistic that its going to happen."
Donald Trump

Donald Trump's upset victory in Tuesday's presidential election has Northeast Ohio businesses wondering about specifics of his plans on health care, trade, taxes and other issues.

(John Kuntz, cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Incertitude seemed to be the overarching feeling Wednesday in the Northeast Ohio business community, as leaders reacted to Donald Trump's upset victory in the presidential race.

Trump made certain topics - repealing the Affordable Care Act ranks near the top of list - touchstones of his campaign for the nation's highest office. But the outspoken billionaire and real estate mogul has been vague on specifics, making it tough to be sure what he'll do, how he'll do it and when he'll act.

In a 20-page postmortem report on the election, the Greater Cleveland Partnership said it's largely impossible to predict what a Trump presidency will mean for businesses here. One of the nation's largest metropolitan chambers of commerce, the partnership has more than 8,500 members and a board stacked with chief executives of well-known companies in logistics, real estate, manufacturing, finance, energy, real estate, health care and other industries.

"Some of the uncertainty surrounding a Trump presidency is predicated upon the lack of details on his key positions that will make it difficult to make informed business decisions," the chamber's advocacy team wrote in its overnight election report. "Trump's campaign has been infamously short on specifics. While many of his positions are largely in line with Republican orthodoxy, there are some clear distinctions. In these instances, which side will win?"

Corporate leaders didn't necessarily favor Hillary Clinton. But with the former secretary of state, U.S. senator and first lady, businesses had a better sense of the landscape. They saw Clinton as the status-quo candidate, likely to march on with many of President Barack Obama's policies and programs - and, possibly, to get tied up in partisan gridlock and get nothing done.

With Trump, the terrain is more uneven.

Commonly called Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act could be on the chopping block early, changing access to health insurance for millions of Americans and upending regulations that businesses and consumers still are adjusting to. Trump has mentioned eliminating barriers to insurance sales across state lines. He's talked about federal health savings accounts and fully deductible monthly premium payments for consumers.

Changes to the Affordable Care Act will have a ripple effect, impacting the Ohio budget and further shifting the ground under healthcare providers and insurance companies, which are some of Northeast Ohio's largest employers.

On immigration, Trump's calls to build a wall on the Mexican border - and insistence that Mexico will pay for that project - became a rallying cry for voters. He's vowed to deport undocumented immigrants, block Muslims from coming here and squeeze federal funding that flows to sanctuary cities, which provide a safe harbor for people who enter the country illegally.

"Noticeably absent from his plan are any details on high-skilled immigration or legal migrant worker programs," GCP's advocacy team noted.

On energy, Trump has talked up coal and pledged to repeal environmental regulations that he views as harmful to the economy. Such changes obviously could impact utilities such as Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp., one of the companies represented on GCP's board.

On taxes, Trump talks about simplifying the tax code and cutting the corporate tax rate to 15 percent. His proposal calls for a one-time, 10 percent tax on overseas earnings that firms bring back to the United States, though he would close loopholes that companies use to avoid paying taxes on money stashed offshore.

Ohio companies also will be watching Trump's stance on trade, since he's disparaged the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans Pacific Partnership as job-killers for Americans. "The issue of trade is of substantial concern in Ohio, which exports considerable amounts of manufactured products and agricultural goods," the GCP report noted. "Even the hint of trade wars could be a cause for concern for Ohio businesses that depend on exports."

At the local level, the partnership's report cheered the Cleveland school levy renewal and a 0.5 percent city income-tax hike that will take effect Jan. 1. Business leaders came out early on the schools issue and later signed on to the income-tax issue, which will improve city services and make it possible to hire more police and other workers.

The partnership also took the opportunity to sound the alarm, again, about a Cleveland-only proposal to raise the minimum wage. The business group opposes that ballot issue, which is scheduled for a public vote in May, based on grounds that Cleveland will be at a competitive disadvantage with other cities and suburbs if it's the only municipality with such a mandate.

Mayor Frank Jackson, whom many onlookers expect to run for a fourth term next year, also is fighting the single-city minimum-wage hike.
AKRON, Ohio -- A Northeast Ohio man who ripped off hundreds of people in a $65 million Ponzi scheme and fled to Peru for more than a decade was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in prison.

Eric Bartoli, 62, was forced during his sentencing to listen to victims describe how his crimes robbed them, their parents and loved ones of their life savings. Many others did not speak but sat in the viewing gallery.

"Eric, you stole my father's life savings, but make no mistake, you did not take his dignity, self-worth and honesty," Denise Esposito Bossone said.

As part of a plea agreement, federal prosecutors agreed to seek a sentence of up to 10 years. U.S. District Judge John Adams doubled it after hearing from Bartoli's victims.

"It is reprehensible what you have done to this large number of victims," Adams said, adding that in 18 years on the bench, he had never seen the level of victimization that Bartoli caused.

The judge ordered Bartoli to pay more than $47 million in restitution to his victims and the IRS but admitted to the crowd that they would likely never get back all the money they lost.

Bartoli, originally of Marshallville in Wayne County, was charged in 2003 with defrauding 800 investors in Northeast Ohio and Latin America. Many of the Ohio investors were elderly people that invested their entire life savings.

The IRS and FBI said his company, Cyprus Funds, promised investors high yields in conservative blue-chip stocks and raised about $65 million between 1995 and 1999, the year dividend checks stopped being mailed to Ohio investors.

Shareholders received about half of the money raised. Meanwhile, Bartoli used the money to fund his lavish lifestyle, including a farm with a barn decorated with chandeliers and hardwood floors.

He also converted a building into a replica of a 16th century pub. Investigators found jewels and gold coins hidden in a passage behind a wall, authorities said.

He left the United States in 2000 after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission seized his property. He lived in Lima, Peru for most of the past 15 years. He worked as an investment adviser and was arrested in 2013, but not charged, after he concocted a similar investment scheme under several aliases, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christos Georgalis said.

Georgalis said "this is one of the largest and far-reaching and destructive schemes in the history of this district." He likened it to a "nuclear bomb being set off," fueled by greed, which affected generations of families.

Lloyd Smith said during the hearing that losing his savings drove him into a period of anger and hostility.

"Bartoli, I can't call him 'sir' or 'mister' because he doesn't deserve that much respect," Smith said.

Nancy Lyons-Miller said her mother, Etta Smith, lost her savings just before she was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

"It really gives me pleasure to see that guy in an orange jumpsuit," Lyons-Miller said.

Two men who ran Cyprus Funds along with Bartoli, Douglas Shisler of Doylestown and Peter Esposito of Middleburg Heights, served less than three years in prison for their roles in the scheme.

Esposito, Denise Esposito Bossone's brother, said Bartoli's sentencing was a "bittersweet day for everybody." He maintained he was just as much of Bartoli's pawn as those who spoke of losing money.

Bartoli apologized and said once he started taking money, he had tunnel vision and refused to see that what he was doing is wrong. He told the judge he is a changed man based on the three years he has already spent in prison.

"I ignored the voice in my head that said this can't be right," Bartoli said.

Adams did not find Bartoli's apology persuasive. The judge particularly took issue to Bartoli directing his apology to his "clients," and said he should refer to them as his "victims."

Adams' sentence all but guaranteed that Bartoli would appeal his sentence. The judge acknowledged this, encouraging the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to carefully review all of the victims' statements and the breadth of Bartoli's wrath before ruling.

If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section.
DeWine-Fischer.jpg

Judge Pat DeWine, left, won a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday night. At deadline, Judge Pat Fischer, right, was beating John O'Donnell by more than 24,000 votes.

(Submitted)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cincinnati-based Republican appeals court Judge Pat DeWine was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court Tuesday, while a race for another open seat was too close to call at deadline.

With more than 99 percent of precincts reporting statewide, DeWine, who serves on the 1st Ohio District Court of Appeals, garnered more than 56 percent of the vote. He easily beat 11th Ohio District Court of Appeals Judge Cynthia Rice, a Brookfield Democrat.

Meanwhile, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge John O'Donnell, a Democrat, trailed Republican 1st Ohio District appellate Judge Pat Fischer by a small margin of more than 24,000 votes.

The unofficial results came from the Ohio Secretary of State's Office.

Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor, a Republican who has been on the court since 2003, ran unopposed and will serve another six-year term. O'Connor, 65, will be forced to retire after her next term, as she will turn 70 years old during her next term. Ohio law says candidates can only be 69 years old or younger.

Dewine has served on the appeals court since 2013 and will replace retiring Republican Justice Paul Pfeifer. Fischer and O'Donnell are running to replace Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger, who is also retiring.

The Democrats were seeking to gain two more seats and tip the balance of power in the seven-justice state Supreme Court. There are currently six Republicans and one Democrat on the court.

The Republican judges seemed to ride a wave of success that the Ohio GOP had on Election night.

Ohio Supreme Court justices serve six-year terms. Beginning Jan. 1, the salary of an associate justice, will be $156,150. It'll rise annually till it reaches $172,200 in 2019.

De-Wine-Rice race

DeWine a former Cincinnati City Council, Hamilton County commissioner and Common Pleas judge, raised more money than any of the other Supreme Court candidates, bringing in more than $975,000 over the past year.

He also booked more than $670,000 in TV ads, far more than any of the other candidates, according to figures compiled by the Brennan Center for Justice.

During the same time period, Rice brought in nearly $350,000.

DeWine said Tuesday that he was humbled and grateful for being elected.

Rice did not return a phone call seeking comment.

DeWine's candidacy and ultimate victory poses significant questions about how often he would be able to participate in cases in which the Ohio Attorney General's Office. His father is Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.

Pat DeWine told the cleveland.com and Plain Dealer Editorial Board in October that he would decide on a case-by-case basis on whether he needed to recuse himself, but said he would only be required to step aside if his father appeared in front of the court in person.

He reiterated this in a brief interview Tuesday night, and said he has never been asked to step down from a case involving the Attorney General's Office while he was a judge.

"There may be specific cases in which there is some reason, and I would certainly do so," DeWine said.

The Ohio State Bar's Commission on Judicial Candidates rated Rice "highly recommended" and Pat DeWine as "not recommended."

Fischer-O'Donnell race

O'Donnell, a Lakewood resident, is best known in Cuyahoga County for acquitting Cleveland police officer Michael Brelo on manslaughter charges last year for his involvement in a 2012 police chase and shooting that led to the deaths of two people. He ran for Ohio Supreme Court in 2014 and raised more than $318,000 in the past year.

Fischer, who has been on the appeals court since 2011, raised more than two times that amount, bringing in nearly $880,000.

Of the close race, Fischer said Tuesday evening that "not all the votes are in, but we are cautiously optimistic."

O'Donnell did not return a phone call.

The state bar's judicial candidates commission rated Fischer as "highly recommended" and O'Donnell as "not recommended."
crime tape

Parma police Capt. Kevin Riley said police after investigating after a dog was found around 7:20 a.m. behind the 951 W. Pleasant Valley Road T.J. Maxx store shot and skinned.

(File photo)

PARMA, Ohio -- A small female dog was found shot and skinned Monday behind T.J. Maxx in Parma.

Parma police Capt. Kevin Riley said the dog was found around 7:20 a.m. behind the 951 W. Pleasant Valley Road store. A woman who found the dog called police after she happened across it in the dumpster.

Officers later discovered that someone shot the dog once through the abdomen.

The animal was taken to the Middleburg Heights animal control department where officials confirmed the animal was a dog.

Riley said he doesn't know when the dog was killed and doesn't know how long it was there. He said police received tips from the public in the ongoing investigation.

"It's going to be a tough one to follow up on," Riley said. "It's sad."

Riley said tips can be sent in anonymously to (440)887-7340. There is no surveillance video of the area, he said.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section.

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Donald Trump is running strong in eastern Ohio, based on early returns.

(John Kuntz, cleveland.com file)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Belmont and Monroe, two eastern Ohio counties that were among the most reliably Democrat in Ohio until 2012, were going strongly in favor of Republican Donald Trump in early returns Tuesday night.

Belmont and Monroe are often referred to as coal country, because of the once thriving industry there. Coal was a central topic of the campaign in eastern Ohio. Trump promised to help the coal industry.

Returns available by 8 p.m. Tuesday showed Trump leading Hillary Clinton easily in both eastern Ohio counties. In Monroe, he was up, 1,776 to 805. In Belmont, he was up 8,362 to 4,619.

Both Belmont and Monroe voted for the Democratic candidate for president in each election from 1976 through 2008.

However, that changed four years ago, with each county voting for Republican Mitt Romney over Obama.
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Donald A. Finnie Jr.

(Eastlake police)

EASTLAKE, Ohio - A Euclid man in "Joker" make-up pretended to commit a pair of robberies as pranks he could post on YouTube, police said.

The man used green hairspray and had make-up on his face that made him resemble the popular Batman villain during the Monday incidents at a Discount Drug Mart and a Walgreens in Eastlake, police said.

Donald A. Finnie Jr., 18, pleaded not guilty to two counts of inducing panic during his arraignment Tuesday, according to Willoughby Municipal Court records.

Finnie remains in custody at the Lake County Jail on 10 percent of a $35,000 bond, jail records show.

Walgreens employees reported just after 10 a.m. Monday that a green-haired man in make-up chased an employee into the store. The man then approached a pharmacist, sprayed a can of green hairspray and demanded pills, police said.

The man ran from the store without taking anything. He then was involved in a similar incident minutes later at Discount Drug Mart, police said.

Officers arrested the man -- later identified as Finnie -- at the Vineyard Shopping Center. Finnie explained he is an actor and had been in the store as a prank he could post on YouTube, police said.

It's unclear how Finnie intended to film the incidents, but investigators do not believe anyone else was involved, police said Wednesday.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section.
voting stickers

Eight of 10 new school taxes were passing in absentee tallies. All six renewal issues were passing.

(Kathryn Kroll, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Early returns from Tuesday's voting in Cuyahoga County showed most school tax issues fairing well.

In the 10 school districts where voters were asked to increase their taxes, absentee tallies showed eight of those issues - Bay Village, Berea, Cleveland Heights-University Heights, Fairview Park, Mayfield, Olmsted Falls, Polaris Joint Vocational School District and Westlake - were passing, according to absentee tallies posted by the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

New school taxes in Euclid and North Royalton were trailing.

Absentee returns for all six renewal issues for school districts - Cleveland, Cuyahoga Valley Career Center, Garfield Heights, Independence, Parma and Strongsville - showed all were passing.
voting stickers

Voters in Cuyahoga County showed strong support for school taxes Tuesday, according to unofficial returns from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. Fifteen of 16 school issues on the ballot either passed or were leading with about 83 percent of the vote counted.

(Kathryn Kroll, The Plain Dealer)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Voters in Cuyahoga County showed strong support for school taxes Tuesday, according to unofficial returns from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

With nearly 83 percent of the ballots counted, 15 of 16 school tax issues had either been approved or were leading with sizable margins.

Ten school districts asked their voters to approve new taxes. In nine of 10 districts -- Bay Village, Berea, Cleveland Heights-University Heights, Euclid, Fairview Park, Mayfield, Olmsted Falls, Polaris Joint Vocational School District and Westlake -- those issues were approved or leading.

The issues in Bay Village, Cleveland Heights-University Heights and Mayfield will generate money for operating expenses.

The Polaris Joint Vocational School issue is for permanent improvements.

The other taxes - in Berea, Euclid, Fairview Park, Olmsted Falls and Westlake -- involve bond issues

The 10th new tax, a bond issue for North Royalton schools, was rejected by voters.

All of the tax renewal issues for school districts - Cleveland, Cuyahoga Valley Career Center, Garfield Heights, Independence, Parma and Strongsville - were either approved or leading, according to the elections board.

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South Euclid's safety levy renewal is passing, as is Mayfield Schools levy, according to incomplete unofficial election results.

(Adam Ferrise, cleveland.com)

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- It appears that South Euclid and Hillcrest voters are collectively in a supportive mood, according to incomplete, unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

A South Euclid safety levy increase/renewal, Mayfield City Schools levy, and Richmond Heights charter amendment were all ahead with 83 percent of votes counted.

The city of South Euclid asked residents to approve a 5.75-mill safety levy renewal that would bring the city about $2 million per year over the course of its three-year existence.

The levy, at a lesser 3.25 mills, was initially approved three years ago after South Euclid and other Ohio cities experienced lost funding from the state, including a 50-percent reduction in Local Government Funds. That reduction saw state money decrease from the $1 million South Euclid received in 2010, to $475,000 last year.

Mayor Georgine Welo, three years ago and this year, also bemoaned other state cuts, such as real and personal property taxes, which went from $4.6 million in 2010, to $3.4 million in 2015; commercial activity tax (from $170,000 six years ago, to nothing last year); and estate tax (from $500,000 in 2010, to zero in 2015).

Welo, in a release Tuesday night, showed confidence that the levy, passing by an unofficial count of 5,151 votes in favor (51.1 percent), to 4,931 against.

"Because of our residents' support of the safety levy we will be able to maintain safety services and keep South Euclid strong," Welo stated. "Today's new economic realities, including funding cuts from the state of Ohio, and reduced revenues as a result of the national recession and housing/foreclosure crisis have forced us to be more open to change, creativity and innovation.

"In government, just like the private sector, we must find new ways to deliver excellent services to our residents in a more efficient and cost effective manner. As a result, we have been researching and implementing new technologies, organizational efficiencies and new best practices to help reduce costs while maintaining the high-level services our residents expect."

"We are very fortunate to have the support of our residents and as mayor, I say 'Thank you' for keeping our community of South Euclid safe, vibrant and a great place to live, raise a family and own a business."

Money from the levy can only be used for safety forces -- police, fire, emergency medical services, and dispatch -- and cannot go into the general fund.

City figures for 2015 showed that it cost about $10 million to finance the safety forces, $5.6 for the fire department, and $4.5 million for police.

Still upcoming next year are contract negotiations with safety forces.

The 5.75-mill amount will cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $200 per year. Due to the increase in millage over the levy passed three years ago, the owner of a $100,000 home will pay about $87.50 above what that owner had been paying the last three years.

The Mayfield City Schools asked voters within its district -- residents of Mayfield Heights, Highland Heights, Mayfield Village and Gates Mills -- to pass a 6.9 mill combination levy. Of that 6.9 mills, 5 mills goes towards operating. The remaining 1.9 mills is for a continuing permanent improvement levy.

The permanent improvement portion goes towards capital expenditures, such as technology, building maintenance and improved safety at schools.

Tuesday's unofficial totals had 8,511 voters in favor of the levy (54.3 percent), and 7,161 against.

District voters last passed an operating levy, which was to last three years but instead was spread out over four years, in 2012.

Like in South Euclid, Mayfield Schools leaders say that state tax cuts have affected funding. A district release states that Mayfield Schools, over the next two years, will lose $4 million in state funding.

Funds from the operating portion of the levy will allow the district to maintain current programming and staff levels.

The city of Richmond Heights asked voters to approve a charter amendment that would lead to the city collecting about $1 million more in taxes per year and maintain services as they now are.

The unofficial count had the amendment passing by a count of 2,678 votes (68.1 percent), to 1,257.

"It's a good night for Richmond Heights," said Councilman Donald O'Toole, who chairs council's Finance Committee. "It looks like people want to keep the level of police and fire safety they have for the future. I'm happy they decided that way.

"It will keep us where we are right now," he said. "The people of Richmond Heights are the winners."

Voters were asked to reduce the city's 100-percent income tax credit from 2.25 percent, the city's current income tax rate, to 1.25 percent. The income tax credit affects Richmond Heights residents who work in another city and who pay little or nothing to Richmond Heights in income taxes due to the credit.

When City Council passed legislation in July to put the amendment on the ballot, projections showed that city expenditures would exceed revenues in 2017 by $408,000, and by $1 million in 2018.

Final election results for all races and issues are available by visiting cleveland.com/election-results.
For American business interests in Asia, the fate of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal under a Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton administration is a major worry.



"The biggest thing we're concerned about is the TPP," Dwight Hutchins, chairman of the board of governors at the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Singapore, told CNBC's "Squawk Box."

The Singapore branch of AmCham, like its outlets around the world, and the U.S. Embassy were open in early hours of Wednesday in Asia to hold election viewing parties.

"We need to make them [Congress and each candidate] understand that 95 percent of the world's consumers are outside the U.S. and we need to be playing out in that marketplace, so the TPP will help," Hutchins continued.

The world's largest free-trade deal has been a signature economic objective of Democratic President Barack Obama but despite its potential benefits, including the creation of new jobs and a competitive advantage for U.S. firms in foreign markets, it has been opposed by both Trump and Clinton.
Once again, Florida has grabbed the nation's attention as the state with a knack for presidential election cliffhangers.

After months in the spotlight as a key battleground state in the race for the White House between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the vote count in the Sunshine State came down to the wire with little daylight between them. NBC News was calling Trump the apparent winner of the state with 29 electoral votes.

Such a slim margin touched off the prospect of a race so tight that it forces an automatic recount. If so, here's what would happen next.

The last time that happened, in 2000, the race was ultimately decided by just 537 votes out of more than 5 million cast. The recount sparked weeks of close inspection of paper ballots, battles over hanging chads and a legal fight that went all the way to the Supreme Court.

Does this mean we have to go through that whole hanging chad thing again?

Well, no. Florida gave up those punch cards. But the state still relies on paper ballots, which means Florida could provide the nation with another cliffhanger worthy of 2000.

Under Florida law, if the final tally comes in with less a half a percentage point margin, an automatic recount kicks in. That margin is measured by the total votes cast for a particular office, not just the difference between the top two candidates.



But the first recount could happen relatively quickly, because all that's required is a retabulation of the paper ballots by machine.

So this won't take days like the last time, right?

Not necessarily. If the automated recount comes up with a tally that's within a quarter percentage point margin, then Florida law requires a hand recount. That could take a lot longer.
A gunman whose rampage killed one man and seriously wounded two women  leading to the lockdown of two election polling stations in the Los Angeles area  is dead, authorities said.



It is not clear if the gunman, who was armed with an assault rifle, killed himself or was fatally wounded during a shootout with police, according to The Associated Press.

The violence erupted near a middle school in a residential neighborhood in the town of Azusa, in Los Angeles County, after 2 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department tweeted Tuesday night that the shooting "does not appear to have any direct connection to the election/polling places," but the Times quoted a law enforcement source as saying at least one victim was heading to vote.

One of the polling locations was an elementary school. One location has since re-opened.
Billionaire investor Carl Icahn re-emphasized his support for Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee was leading Hillary Clinton in the Electoral College tally Tuesday night.

Icahn said Florida could be a roadblock on Trump's path to the necessary 270 electoral votes, but a victory there would certainly boost his chances.

"If he doesn't get Florida, it's a real problem," Icahn told CNBC in an interview at his election night headquarters at the New York Hilton. "If he gets it, he's got a great shot."

When asked about the futures market plunging more than 600 points as the election results came in, he said that wasn't the issue. He suggested the dip was temporary.

"It's going to cost the rich guys in New York money, and that's too damn bad," he said. "But you have to think about where this country is going to be in the next five, 10 years and you can't have it going the way it's going."

When asked if Trump should publicly accept the results of the election if he loses, Icahn said he wouldn't comment, adding that it was up to Trump himself.
With the stock market driven by politics lately, Jim Cramer wants to get a sense of how it will behave after the election, regardless of who wins.

That is why he turned to Bob Lang, the founder of ExplosiveOptions.net, technician and colleague of Cramer at RealMoney.com, to find out what the charts predict the market will be like when a new President is elected.

Based on historical post-election patterns, Lang believes that the market is likely to improve until the end of the year. But Cramer warned that a post-election rally may not have the staying power to make it through the end of the year.

"Don't be complacent, because the big boys don't like this market for a host of reasons, not just the election, and while they might come back from the sidelines after today, the rest of the indicators say beware of any November rally," the "Mad Money" host said.
FedEx is grounding one of its planes temporarily that has an engine General Electric flagged after a passenger jet erupted in flames last month, a spokesman for the cargo airline told Reuters on Monday.

Engine-maker GE on Friday alerted airlines about a small number of parts under investigation following American Airlines Flight 383, which caught fire on Oct. 28. The parts were made from the same lot of alloy as a turbine disk used by American, which GE subsequently discovered had a "material anomaly."

While U.S. investigators have yet to assign blame for the non-fatal incident, they have found what appeared to be fatigue cracking where the disk had an anomaly. Experts have said the disk's corrupted material may indicate a manufacturing defect, either by the parts or metal maker.

In a statement, FedEx spokesman Chris Allen said the company was notified that an engine in one MD11 aircraft was affected.

"The aircraft associated with the affected engine is temporarily not in service until the engine is replaced. Safety is our top priority," he said.

GE on Friday said all but one of the parts related to the anomalous disk were out of service.

The American Airlines flight from Chicago to Miami aborted takeoff following an "uncontained" engine failure, a rare event in which components spew from an engine and can tear through an aircraft cabin or rupture fuel tanks in the wings. The airline was flying a Boeing Co 767 aircraft with CF6-80C2 engines made by GE.

In this instance, the failure caused a fuel leak that resulted in a fire, though no one aboard was seriously injured.

GE has stressed the reliability of its CF6 engines, which it said had flown more than 400 million hours since the 1970s.
Former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, voted for neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, NBC News confirmed.

Bush, his father  former President George H.W. Bush  and 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney did not support Trump, an unusual move for top GOP figures.

George W. Bush and his wife, however, did vote for down-ballot candidates, according to reports.

Reports had suggested both presidents Bush could vote for Clinton, though it was not immediately known for whom the elder bush cast his ballot.

Trump, who ran on a pledge to shake up an entrenched Washington, has at times worn the lack of support from so-called "establishment" figures as a badge of honor.

Trump defeated the younger Bush's brother, Jeb, in the GOP primary.
Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump during the second presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis, on October 9, 2016. Rick Wilking | AFP | Getty Images

1) Clinton seemingly wins the Electoral College  but two electors in Washington throw the election to Trump



Clinton wins  OR DOES SHE? | (Soo Oh and Kavya Sukumar/Vox)

Clinton wins  OR DOES SHE? | (Soo Oh and Kavya Sukumar/Vox) Keep in mind a key fact about US presidential elections: Voters don't directly decide who becomes president. Instead, voters in each state vote for specific slates of "electors" who, in turn, convene in December to select the next president. The vast majority of the time, these electors vote for the candidates they've previously pledged to support. So if a majority of voters in New York elect the Democratic slate of electors, those electors will almost certainly cast their 29 electoral votes for Clinton. In about half the states, electors are bound by law to keep these pledges. But electors don't absolutely have to follow through. If an elector wants to go rogue and vote for a different presidential candidate, there's really nothing stopping him or her. And in a close race, like the scenario shown on the map above, a couple of "faithless" electors could conceivably swing the entire election. So consider: Right now, in Washington state, two electors on the Democratic slate have suggested that they won't vote for Clinton. Here's Robert Satiacum, a Democratic elector and a former Bernie Sanders supporter: "No, no, no on Hillary. Absolutely not. No way." A second elector, Bret Chiafalo, has also refused to say he'd back her. Under state law, they'd face criminal charges and a $1,000 fine for defying the state's election results, but they could do it. If Clinton only won states worth 270 electoral votes, those two rogue electors could potentially tip the race to Trump. If they voted for Sanders, the final tally would be 268-268, and the race would get thrown to the GOP-controlled House (see below). True, in that situation, as Jeff Stein explained here, these Democratic electors would face enormous pressure from the rest of the party to cast a vote for Clinton. And it seems awfully unlikely that two progressive electors would hand the White House to Trump out of spite. But thanks to the Electoral College, this is all totally possible.

2) The Electoral College ends in a tie  and the House gives the election to Trump



Doomsday. | (Soo Oh and Kavya Sukumar /Vox)

Doomsday. | (Soo Oh and Kavya Sukumar /Vox) Under the Electoral College, a candidate needs 270 out of 538 available electoral votes to become president. But the situation gets more complicated if neither candidate gets to 270. Which can definitely happen  just see the not-implausible electoral map above, where Trump wins Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Florida. So what happens in the event of a tie? Well, assuming that the electors all voted as expected and certify the 269-269 vote, the presidential election would get thrown to  the House of Representatives. On January 6, 2017, the newly elected House members would gather in Washington, DC, to select the next president. Each of the 50 state delegations would get one vote, and the delegations would have to choose among the top three electoral vote-getters. Whichever candidate gets the support of 26 state delegations becomes president. There's a good chance that at least 27 state delegations will be majority Republican come January (especially if the presidential race is so close). So the most likely scenario here is that they'd cast a vote for Donald Trump and he would become president of the United States. It'd be contentious as hell, but it would be perfectly constitutional: it worked for Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams, after all.

3) No candidate wins the Electoral College  and the House gives the presidency to  Evan McMullin?



McMullinmentum. | (Soo Oh and Kavya Sukumar/Vox)

McMullinmentum. | (Soo Oh and Kavya Sukumar/Vox) The House wouldn't have to give the election to Trump, however. The only rule, under the 12th Amendment, is that the state delegations have to vote for one of the top three finalists in the Electoral College. Enter Evan McMullin. The 40-year-old former CIA officer is independently running for president, backed by a few establishment #NeverTrump types like Bill Kristol. And he's doing remarkably well in Mormon Utah, well enough that he could conceivably win the state and be a top three finalist in the Electoral College. In that case, 26 Republican state delegations could in theory decide that they'd prefer an establishment guy over Trump and make McMullin president  even though he'd only won one state. It seems hard to fathom the House GOP would ever do this, since it'd make millions of Trump voters in their districts absolutely livid. But rules are rules, and this one can't be ruled out.

4) The House makes Trump president  and the Senate makes Tim Kaine vice president



Doomsday. | (Soo Oh and Kavya Sukumar /Vox)

Doomsday. | (Soo Oh and Kavya Sukumar /Vox) There's one other important detail about a tie in the Electoral College. The House gets to choose the president. But the Senate gets to choose the vice president  with each senator getting one vote and being required to pick among the top two vice presidential vote-getters in the Electoral College. It's entirely plausible that come January 6, 2017, Democrats will have a thin majority in the Senate. So, yes, they could select Tim Kaine to serve alongside newly installed President Donald Trump. I'll just leave that possibility here.

5) The election hinges on a tied state  and gets resolved by two balls in a jug



Get out the jug. | (Soo Oh and Kavya Sukumar/Vox)

Get out the jug. | (Soo Oh and Kavya Sukumar/Vox) In the election scenario seen above, the race all comes down to New Hampshire. Whoever wins New Hampshire gets 270 electoral votes and goes on to the White House. So let's imagine New Hampshire is  tied. Literally tied. As in: 360,212 people voted for Trump; 360,212 people voted for Clinton. What happens in that case? Most states have their own laws for what to do in the event of a tie. Some, like North Carolina, just redo the election. But others, like New Hampshire, decide the winner by "lot." As in, a coin toss or drawing straws. In the past, New Hampshire's secretary of state has broken tie votes at the local level by gathering the two candidates, placing two numbered balls in a jug, shaking the jug, and then asking one of the candidates to call out a number, before picking out a ball. The statistical odds of a tiebreaker in New Hampshire determining the election are spectacularly low. But sure: President Trump, brought to you by two balls in a jug. That's a thing that could happen.

6) The Supreme Court has to resolve the election  but is deadlocked 4-4



No. Just no. | (Soo Oh and Kavya Sukumar/Vox)

No. Just no. | (Soo Oh and Kavya Sukumar/Vox) If you consult your repressed memories, you may recall that the 2000 presidential election all came down to disputed vote counts in Florida. There were hanging chads. Al Gore wanted manual recounts. And, after weeks of disorder, the Supreme Court eventually resolved these questions in favor of George W. Bush, by a 5-4 vote that still triggers deep loathing to this day. It was bitter, it was divisive, it was not something anyone really wants to repeat again. Here's the bad news: if a similar dispute in Florida happened today, it would be so, so much worse. Because right now, the Supreme Court only has eight members  four liberals and four conservatives  thanks to Senate Republicans' refusal to confirm Merrick Garland. Which means that we could easily see the current Supreme Court reach a 4-4 deadlock over some crucial recount questions. If that happened, any electoral disputes would ultimately get resolved by lower circuit courts or state supreme courts, depending on where the disputed elections occurred. As Darren Samuelsohn and Josh Gerstein explain for Politico, each of these courts has its own particular partisan bent, and litigants on both sides would try to steer any case toward a venue more favorable to their party. It'd be the election that never ended. The legal wrangling and ensuing political circus would drag on for weeks. Eventually, some court somewhere would make a final decision. But it'd get incredibly ugly.

*Important Rutherford B. Hayes footnote
The internet has played an unprecedented role in the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign, and Election Night was no exception.

"Government ethics" was the top policy issue discussed in Facebook posts as of 7 p.m. ET, the company said. Abortion and immigration were the top-searched topics on Google , according to Google Trends.

Over 7.5 million people shared on Facebook in the U.S. that they had voted. Most penned posts about religion, racial issues, crime and criminal justice and the economy, Facebook data showed. The two major party candidates, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, also battled for mentions on the social media platform.

From 12 a.m. ET to 6 p.m. ET, 25 million global tweets were related to #Election2016, Twitter said.

Meanwhile, race issues and the economy also dominated Google search, followed by the Affordable Care Act, ISIS, gun control, climate change, the voting system and the national debt. Other highly searched topics were results in key states, including Florida, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio and North Carolina, Google said.

On a lighter note, searches for "election drinking game" also spiked, Google said, as did searches for "pray for Trump."



Tweet: Some people are starting Election night early: 220 percent spike in searches for election drinking game



Tweet: Pray for Trump is 180 percent higher than Pray for Hillary

Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the effect of the election in the companies' recent earnings reports.

"We saw record-breaking interest from the YouTube community," Pichai said. "In fact, the three debates rank as the three most-viewed political livestreams of all time on YouTube, with over 8.5 million hours watched live, a 5x increase from the 2012 debates."



Zuckerberg estimated that Facebook's "Register to Vote" link helped more than 2 million people sign up to vote, some for the first time.



"Facebook really is the new town hall," he said.
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, left, and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., conduct a news conference in the Capitol after the Senate passed the Energy Policy Modernization Act, April 20, 2016.

Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have wildly different views on regulating the oil and gas industry, but the energy outlook in Congress is unlikely to change much either way.

That's because Democrats and Republicans have been working together for more than a year to advance energy policy reform. The current bill  the Energy Policy Modernization Act  was written by the Republican Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski and ranking Democrat Maria Cantwell, so even if the Senate were to flip to Democratic control, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee would likely push forward with the plan.

The bill acknowledges the shift toward renewable energy by requiring operators to upgrade the nation's electric grid and include more storage capacity to accommodate the growing amount of power generated by solar and wind sources. It would also build on energy efficiency programs for buildings.

Environmentalists won provisions like permanent authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, while the energy industry would see the process for exporting natural gas streamlined.

The Senate is currently reviewing changes made to the bill in the House.

The best opportunity for this type of legislation to pass is under a Democratic White House with Republicans in control of the House and a narrowly Democratic Senate, said David Bernell, a political science professor at Oregon State University. In that scenario, all parties have to compromise, he noted.




President Rodrigo Duterte has decided to retain the Philippines' security alliance with former colonial power the United States, according to the country's defense minister, but joint military activities will be scaled back and less combat-focused.

Duterte has threatened repeatedly to cut defense pacts and end joint drills involving thousands of soldiers, after lashing out at criticism by the Obama administration of his war on drugs, which has claimed more than 2,300 lives in four months.

But Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the security alliance with the United States would not be scrapped, including a 2014 agreement that allows prolonged deployment of American forces in the country.

"It will remain," Lorenzana told reporters, referring to the strategic alliance with Washington. "No, it will not be abrogated. But we will reduce the number of activities."

However, naval exercises known as CARAT, or cooperation afloat readiness and training, and Phiblex, a marine amphibious landing exercise, would be ditched, he said. Both have been held annually.

Lorenzana said the war games called Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder), involving thousands of American and Filipino soldiers and marines, would continue but be re-focused on humanitarian, engineering and civic action activities.
The "Fast Money" traders weighed sectors to buy after Election Day, depending on whether Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump wins the White house.

Trader Guy Adami said that investors can look at defense stocks, regardless of which candidate wins. He said that the sector has fallen as the market has slightly priced in a victory for Clinton, but he noted that it did the same thing ahead of Barack Obama's win. Adami said that those stocks have since rallied and could repeat that pattern again.

While defense companies may sell off with the rest of the market in the event of a Trump victory, Adami said that would only give investors more of an opportunity.

Trader Pete Najarian agreed and said investors should look at stocks like Lockheed Martin .

Big-cap technology stocks might be the way to go if the former secretary of state wins the White House, trader Dan Nathan said, adding that investors should look at those stocks in the event of pullbacks in general.

Trader Karen Finerman said that if Clinton wins, there will be a rush to buy guns, which would be good for stocks like Smith & Wesson , which is changing its name to American Outdoor Brands.
New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte conceded her re-election campaign against Gov. Maggie Hassan, giving Democrats their second Senate pickup of 2016.

The two were separated by just a few hundred votes come Wednesday afternoon. The presidential race in the state is still too close to call.

More from NBC News:

So hard to say goodbye: Concession speeches

Muslim Americans, Allies urge caution in election aftermath

2016 Election: Donald Trump wins the White House in upset



Hassan becomes the second Democrat this year to defeat an incumbent Republican senator. The first came in Illinois, where Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth defeated incumbent GOP Sen. Mark Kirk.
Pot is about to be legal in Massachusetts and Nevada, and a California measure to allow recreational use was leading, according to projections from NBC News.

They were three of five states with legalization for recreational use on Tuesday's ballot, while proposals addressing medical marijuana were voted on in Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota.

If all the proposals are victorious, about 75 million people, or over 23 percent of the U.S. population, will live in states where recreational pot use is allowed, according to .



In Massachusetts, the regulation applies to the use, distribution and cultivation of marijuana for residents who are at least 21 years old.



Voters in Nevada approved the recreational use of an ounce or less of marijuana, with the same age restrictions as Massachusetts. Nevada previously passed medical marijuana legislation.

California residents voted on the right to use pot on a recreational basis.

With 43 percent of precincts counted, the measure was leading by 56 to 45 percent, according to NBC News.
WHEN: TOMORROW, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10

WHERE: CNBC'S "SQUAWK ON THE STREET"

In a CNBC EXCLUSIVE interview, CNBC's David Faber will speak with Liberty Media Chairman John Malone from Liberty Media Investor Day. The interview will run during CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" (9AM-11AM ET) tomorrow, Thursday, November 10. Topics include: Trump's victory, AT&T and Time Warner's potential merger and the future of media, among other topics.

Faber will also speak with Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei tomorrow at 11:40AM ET on CNBC's "Squawk Alley" and Charter Communications CEO Tom Rutledge tomorrow at 1:15PM ET on CNBC's "Power Lunch" live from Liberty Media Investor Day.

About CNBC:

With CNBC in the U.S., CNBCin Asia Pacific, CNBC in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and CNBC World, CNBCis the recognized world leader in business news and provides real-timefinancial market coverage and business information to approximately 381 millionhomes worldwide, including more than 94 million households in the United Statesand Canada. CNBC also provides daily business updates to 400 million householdsacross China. The network's 15 live hours a day of business programming inNorth America (weekdays from 4:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET) is produced at CNBC'sglobal headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and includes reports from CNBCNews bureaus worldwide. CNBC at night features a mix of new realityprogramming, CNBC's highly successful series produced exclusively for CNBC anda number of distinctive in-house documentaries.

CNBC also has a vastportfolio of digital products which deliver real-time financial market news andinformation across a variety of platforms including: CNBC.com; CNBC PRO, thepremium, integrated desktop/mobile service that provides live access to CNBC programming,exclusive video content and global market data and analysis; a suite of CNBCmobile products including the CNBC Apps for iOS, Android and Windows devices;and additional products such as the CNBC App for the Apple Watch and Apple TV.

Members of the media canreceive more information about CNBC and its programming on the NBCUniversalMedia Village Web site at http://www.nbcumv.com/programming/cnbc.

For more information aboutNBCUniversal, please visit http://www.NBCUniversal.com.
Silicon Valley is still the epicenter of innovation in the world, but China  and, increasingly, India and other emerging markets  is catching up. Geri Lavrov | Getty Images

While Donald Trump celebrates his victory in the presidential race, over 4,000 miles away in Portugal's capital Lisbon, the tech industry's A-list gather at the Web Summit, digesting the outcome of his shock win.

On Wednesday, the mood was somber, a far cry from the energy that raced through the conference on the previous day.

"It's like a funeral," one attendee told CNBC, who wished to remain anonymous because they didn't want to give a political view.

It was a shock result, particularly for the tech community who overwhelmingly backed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. A poll carried out by Web Summit of 224 venture capitalists found that 94 percent would vote for Clinton while 89 percent thought that she would win.

"It's a sh-t show, it's a train wreck," a venture capitalist, who also wished not to be named because they didn't want to be seen giving a political opinion, told CNBC.



Worries from the tech industry

Stock markets had a muted reaction after the open as Wall Street digested the result. The same sentiment is feeding through to the private market as venture capitalists (VCs) remain in wait and see mode.

The technology industry has been concerned with Trump's deeply negative rhetoric on immigration and women. If Silicon Valley can't attract talent, this could stifle innovation.

"There's obviously a question over H-1B visas that's going to put people into panic, it might decentralize the Valley a bit more, accelerate that tech movement outside," Tony Conrad, a partner at True Ventures, said during a panel discussion moderated by CNBC at Web Summit on Wednesday.

H-1B visas allows U.S. companies to employ foreign workers. Trump has previously talked about scrapping these.

Another concern from start-ups is whether this could affect their fundraising efforts. One investor told CNBC that companies should start thinking about where their next funding round is going to come from.

watch now

Still, there was some reserved hope from the VCs, hoping the new U.S. president-elect's policies are positive for businesses.

"I think if you look at what Trump should be is pro-business, so based on his speech this morning, you hope that he understands the magnitude of the office he just got. Against that is a liberal Republican, which should be advantageous to business and investment, should be, I would underline that word," Jeff Schumacher, chief executive of BCG Digital Ventures, told CNBC in an interview.

Commentators also noted Trump's calm rhetoric in his victory speech on Wednesday morning, which contrasted heavily from the fiery rhetoric displayed in his campaign. Mood Rowghani, a general partner at Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, said Trump put on a "clinic" in "false advertising" during his campaign, and it's unlikely those policies will be carried out.

"I think actually his policies, I bet you, are going to embrace a lot of Democratic values in terms of how they are enacted. I think a lot of incendiary stuff he put out there was to get elected," Rowghani said in the panel discussion.

"And I just think it's important from a business perspective not to be reactionary on what he said to get elected because he's proven that  he's not going to hold himself accountable to what he has said in the past."
Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell:

Viacom The media company reported adjusted quarterly profit of 69 cents per share, four cents above estimates, although revenue missed forecasts. Viacom said ratings at its networks are stabilizing and that movie studio Paramount is developing successful new films.

Norwegian Cruise Line  The cruise line operator beat estimates by three cents with adjusted quarterly profit of $1.62 per share, with revenue essentially in line. Revenue set a record as the company added new ships, and it issued an outlook mostly above current Street consensus.

JPMorgan Chase  Baird downgraded the bank's stock to "neutral" from "outperform", saying the bank is still a great company and should still be considered a core holding, but that the stock is near fair value.

Walgreens Boots Alliance The drug store operator filed suit against lab testing company Theranos, alleging breach of contract. Walgreens is seeking to recover the $140 million it invested in Theranos, according to the Wall Street Journal.

GoPro  The maker of high definition cameras recalled its new "Karma" drone after some of the remote-controlled jets lost power during flight. The company said it knows of no injuries or damage caused by the problem.

Hertz  Investor Carl Icahn more than doubled his stake in Hertz, in the wake of the stock getting battered in the wake of a disappointing quarter and cutting its outlook. Icahn now holds a nearly 34 percent stake in the car rental company, compared to an earlier stake of about 15.2 percent.

Herbalife Icahn also raised his stake in Herbalife, now holding about 24.2 percent of the nutritional products maker compared to the prior 23.1 percent.

TripAdvisor The online travel website operator earned an adjusted 53 cents per share for its latest quarter, one cent above estimate, while revenue fell short of forecasts. Results were hurt by higher expenses and lower hotel revenue.

US Steel The steelmaker's stock was upgraded to "buy" from "hold" at Jefferies, which said the steel industry may benefit from heightened protectionism and increased infrastructure spending in a Trump presidency.

Dish Network  The satellite TV operator fell four cents short of estimates with quarterly earnings of 64 cents per share, though revenue was very slightly above forecasts. Dish lost 116,000 paid subscribers during the quarter, fewer than expected.

Wendy's The restaurant operator beat estimates by eight cents with quarterly profit of 18 cents per share, and revenue also beat forecasts as North American same-restaurant sales rose 1.4 percent. Wendy's also raised its full-year forecast.
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An upcoming regulation that will affect investors' retirement accounts and the relationships they have with their advisors is hanging in the balance.

The U.S. Department of Labor is scheduled to enable its fiduciary regulation on April 10, 2017. As of that date, broker-dealers and financial advisors will be required to provide advice that is in your best interest.

The White House Council of Economic Advisers estimates that conflicts of interest by advisors cost savers $17 billion each year.

Regulatory upheaval

Now that Donald J. Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the presidential election, financial services industry experts are uncertain about what may happen to the regulation in the new year. "A rule is much more difficult to undo than a piece of legislation, so for now nothing changes," wrote Pamela Sandy, the 2016 president of the Financial Planning Association, in an e-mail. "While it's too early to fully understand the intentions of President-Elect Trump and the incoming Congress with regard to the rule," she wrote, "our hope is he will continue the work of the current administration to safeguard the futures of millions of American retirees."

Close to the finish line

On the flipside, others say that the rule is far along in the process, and it will be difficult to do away with it at this stage. "The rule is becoming effective within 80 days," said Marcia Wagner, managing director of The Wagner Law Group in Boston. "With all this on his plate, there is no way that Trump's going to move for revocation of the rule in that time," she said. "Given the short time frame, I think it will become effective." Knut A. Rostad, founder of the Institute for the Fiduciary Standard, warned against assuming that the fiduciary regulation will be swept away under Trump's leadership. "He is no party loyalist," Rostad wrote in a statement. "His instinct, as the world has witnessed, is more to challenge the Republican party than to go along with it." "Where, exactly, the DOL rule fits in the Trump vision is just not clear as of now," he wrote.

New appointee to Labor?

Experts do warn, however, that things could change based on whom Trump appoints to oversee the Department of Labor. "Trump could instruct whomever he appoints at the Labor Department to work on a new rule that will overturn the previous final rule," said Rhoades. "We had a similar situation nearly eight years ago." Back in 2009, the Obama administration's Labor Department halted a Bush-era investment advice rule before it took effect.

Changes for you

Broker-dealers and financial institutions have been laying the groundwork for following the fiduciary rule, including changing their infrastructure and talking to clients about the regulation. Merrill Lynch, for instance, has said it would stop offering new commission-based IRA brokerage accounts through its advisors as of the April date. As an alternative, clients will have three options for retirement-related advice: They can work with an advisor on a fee-basis, use commission-based self-directed brokerage accounts, or turn to Merrill Edge Guided Investing, a new fee-based robo-advisor. Don't expect firms to scrap those updates, even if the rule is thrown out.
Shares in Germany's top carmakers, meanwhile, underperformed with losses of over 3 percent while the pan-European Stoxx Autos index dipped 2.5 percent one hour into the trading day. Ellinghorst points out that the US is Germany's largest trading partner with the country's car makers exporting about 620,000 cars to the country last year alone.

The key driver for the move lower is currency headwinds, according to Evercore ISI analyst Arndt Ellinghorst, who says German manufacturers have a combined $30 billion net exposure. The greenback fell against other major currencies as momentum moved in Trump's favour overnight, and traded around 0.8 percent lower against the euro early in the European session.

Daimler, whose shares have enjoyed a boost recently on the back of strong US sales for its Mercedes brand, was the worst performer against German rivals BMW and Volkswagen . Ellinghorst says investors will be anxious to assess the overall impact of the election on the economy at a time when anti-trade rhetoric has hit Europe's largest economy.

Germany's largest carmaker, Volkswagen, could be keeping an eye to a changing of the guard in Washington for another reason as it remains engaged in talks with the US Justice Department. Chief executive Matthias Mueller told CNBC in September he was hopeful a settlement will be reached by year end. Ellinghorst says all indications suggest the DoJ also wants to reach a deal with VW under the current administration.

In light of President-elect Trump's rhetoric around Mexico and his pointed comments about Ford's production south of the border, US automakers could gain more attention on Wall Street. According to Evercore ISI, General Motors is set to be the largest producer in Mexico next year, followed by Fiat Chrysler and then Ford.

Nancy Hungerford is a General Assignment Reporter and Anchor covering corporate, economic and geopolitical events. You can follow her on Twitter @nancycnbc.

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.


Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 3, 2015. Gary Cameron | Reuters

As the world awoke to Donald Trump's surprise defeat of Hillary Clinton in the U.S. presidential race, one region of the world in particular wrestled with mixed emotions. Concern, satisfaction and just plain indifference  leaders across the Middle East have expressed wide ranging feelings towards the victory of a man who once called for a ban on Muslims from entering the U.S.



Mixed signals

In Iran, fears that Donald Trump could reverse President Barack Obama's hard-fought nuclear deal were dismissed by the Islamic republic's leader, Hassan Rouhani. The Iranian president said that the results of the U.S. election "have no effect on Tehran's policies," according to state news agency IRNA. He also warned that no one government can dissolve the UN Security Council-backed resolution lifting sanctions. Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, meanwhile, said in an official statement that he was "looking forward to more cooperation and coordination" with America. Sisi, who met Trump back in September and remains the only Arab leader to do so, is said to look favorably on the president-elect's more relaxed approach to human rights violations following his desire to reinstate the torture of terror suspects. Worries over the future of a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel could persist under Trump, who has given mixed signals on one of the Middle East's longest running conflicts. Once pledging to be neutral, Trump also told the Daily Mail in May this year that Israel should continue building settlements in the West Bank  considered illegal under international law - and vowed to call Jerusalem Israel's "undivided capital." Most UN members do not recognize Israel's 1967 annexation of East Jerusalem. The president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, congratulated Trump on his victory in a statement, saying he hoped "peace would be achieved during his term." Israeli counterpart, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who suffered a somewhat tempestuous relationship with the outgoing U.S. president, said Trump was a "true friend of Israel" and that he looked forward to "advancing security, stability and peace in the region."

A new chapter

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House Speaker Paul Ryan said Wednesday that Donald Trump's victory was the "most incredible feat" he had ever seen, and he credited the president-elect with helping Republicans maintain control of Congress.

"Donald Trump provided the kind of coattails that got a lot of people over the finish line so that we could maintain our strong House and Senate majorities," Ryan said at a news conference in Janesville, Wisconsin.

Ryan said, however, that "there is no doubt our democracy can be very messy, and we do remain a sharply divided country." Ryan also said he spoke to both Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence twice in the past day. The House speaker said that he had "great conversations" with the president-elect about how they will work together.

"But now, as we do every four years, we have to work together to heal the divisions of a long campaign," Ryan said, adding that he thinks Trump set the "perfect tone" in his victory speech early Wednesday.

"Now it's time for America to bind the wounds of division  have to get together," Trump said. "To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people."



Trump, who had been criticized by opponents for rhetoric characterized as divisive and racist, pledged, "I will be president for all Americans, and this is so important to me."



Ryan said more needs to be done to restore faith in institutions for Americans who feel alienated by the government.

"Donald Trump heard a voice out in this country that no one else heard. He connected in ways with people no one else did. He turned politics on its head and now Donald Trump will lead a unified Republican government and we will work hand in hand on a positive agenda to tackle this country's big challenges," Ryan said.

 CNBC's Everett Rosenfeld contributed to this report.
President-elect Donald Trump has proposed the largest tax cuts since Ronald Reagan. If Trump were to get everything he has proposed from a Republican-controlled Congress, a taxpayer who makes between $48,000 to $83,000 a year would save about $1,000 under his plan, said Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. People in the top 0.1 percent, making $3.7 million or more in a year, would receive $1 million in annual tax savings. "He is proposing tax cuts for the very people he ran against in his campaign," Gleckman said.



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Expect significant tax changes under a Trump administration, according to Howard Wagner, managing director at Crowe National Tax Services. If Trump sticks to his campaign promises, here are the major things his administration wants to change on individual taxes: Reduce seven federal tax brackets to three with rates of 12 percent, 25 percent and 33 percent. The top rate would fall from 39.6 percent to 33 percent.

Increases the standard deduction from $6,300 to $15,000 for single filers and from $12,600 to $30,000 for married couples filing jointly while ending personal exemptions.

Cap itemized deductions at $100,000 for single filers and $200,000 for married couples filing jointly.

Eliminate the 3.8 percent tax on net investment income on people who have a modified adjusted gross income of over $200,000 for single filers and $250,000 for married couples filing jointly.

Repeal the alternative minimum tax and the estate tax. Trump has also proposed taxing income from carried interest at ordinary income tax rates, which will not only affect hedge fund managers, but high earners with investment income, said Joshua Milgrim, a tax partner in Dechert's New York office.

How Trump will pay for the tax cuts
"Trump the candidate needs to disappear as soon as possible, and re-emerge as not just President Trump, but Trump the leader and statesman."

Trump would also have to immediately move reassure the markets that have sold off drastically in response to his victory. The best way to do that would be by naming well-known and respected choices for Treasury Secretary and Secretary of State.

This is so important that Trump would be well-advised to drastically cut whatever the waiting period presidents-elect traditionally use to announce these appointments and make them almost immediately. He would also be wise to promise not to rush into any legislative agenda without keeping the nation and both political parties informed.

The markets and the international community would be simultaneously pleased if Trump doesn't wait to take the Oath of Office before meeting with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a tri-summit. Mexico's peso is in free fall and presumably that country's citizens and leaders are in serious need of some reassurances that Trump will not push for any quick and rash action along the border. Trudeau and the Canadians need to be in on that conversation because of their role as partners in NAFTA.

Achieving all the above without looking like he's weakening or flip-flopping might seem impossible for someone like Trump. But the title of president-elect and then, of course taking the Oval Office, comes with privileges and good reasons to alter a message that the public will accept.

And that's the key to it all now. Trump the candidate needs to disappear as soon as possible, and re-emerge as not just President Trump, but Trump the leader and statesman. He has achieved the impossible by winning an election no prominent pundit thought he could win. The bulk of the nation's voters have gambled enough to give him the presidency; Trump certainly should at least have what it takes to encourage enough of the people to keep calm and carry on.

Commentary by Jake Novak, CNBC.com senior columnist. Follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny.



For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter.
After months of uncertainty, Main Street finally has some answers in the form of President-elect Donald Trump.

The Republican businessman and Washington outsider took the nation by storm with a surprise victory over Hillary Clinton.

Small businesses may have played a bigger role in electing Trump than many expected. Polls showed the New York tycoon consistently leading Clinton over the past six months. Most recently, data from the Pepperdine Graziadio School of Business and Management found respondents overwhelmingly sided with Trump on fiscal issues, including the economy and regulation, while saying they best trusted his opponent to handle social issues including the gender pay gap.

The hope among advocacy groups is that the nation will move forward and lawmakers will work together to mend a fractured government. Small businesses had been feeling the pressure in this election in particular, with uncertainty hitting a 42-year-high in the latest polling from the conservative lobbying group the National Federation of Independent Business. That sentiment was echoed in data from Pepperdine, in which 38 percent of small companies said they were "very concerned" about the impact the next president might have on their business.

"After a very difficult election season, I urge policymakers to reach across the aisle to work on the important issues facing our nation: reducing the deficit and our long-term debt; reforming our overly complex tax code; reining-in the costs of health care; strengthening our international trade agreements; and streamlining burdensome regulations," National Small Business Association President and CEO Todd McCracken said by email.

During the campaign, advocacy groups, both partisan and nonpartisan, criticized the lack of detail from both candidates in their plans to help spur Main Street growth. Now, small businesses need answers on issues including the federal minimum wage, which Trump has spoken about raising to $10 an hour, and the Affordable Care Act, which he has vowed to repeal.

"Economic and political uncertainty is a huge concern for small businesses, and the top priority for lawmakers today and in the coming months must be to ensure political stability and promote economic growth. NSBA is committed to working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in moving the country forward," McCracken said.

That sentiment is echoed by the National Federation of Independent Business, which congratulated Trump on his win.

"We look forward to working with him on policies to strengthen small business, which represents 99.7 percent of all U.S. employers and which provides jobs for 58 million Americans," NFIB President and CEO Juanita Duggan said in a statement.
The foreseeable future under a Donald Trump presidency will prove beneficial for commodities and emerging markets, investor Marc Faber said Wednesday.

With huge infrastructure expenditures underway in Asia, "within the stock market ... anything that is commodity-related will do well," Faber, who publishes the Gloom, Boom & Doom Report, told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street."

He said that there is another notable trade investors should be eyeing in connection with the Trump win.

"The obvious trade with a Trump victory is to own Russian and Kazakhstan assets  bonds and equities," Faber said. "That is the obvious trade for the simple reason that Mr. Trump has a more benign view of the world and respects the perspective of foreign leaders."

As for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which Trump has notoriously opposed over the course of the presidential race, Faber believes it is off the table.

"But," he noted, "many Asian countries were not all that much in favor of TPP to start with ... so I don't think that it's a negative."

Faber said nowadays, Asia is "China-centric"  in other words, more dependent on the Chinese economy than that of the United States.

Trump's stance on China has been largely negative over the course of his campaign. His seven-point trade plan promises to bring trade cases against the Asian nation and accuses it of currency manipulation, among other claims.

The Republican won the office of president Wednesday morning after a highly contested and polarizing race against his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.
Crushed stones and mined soil are deposited in a pile before being processed at Newmont Mining's Yanacocha gold mine in Cajamarca, Peru, Oct. 21, 2015.

Metal and mining stocks rose on Wednesday as investors grapple with the implications of a Donald Trump victory in the U.S. presidential election.

Shares of United States Steel gained 17 percent on Wednesday. The steelmaker's stock was upgraded to "buy" from "hold" at Jefferies. The firm said the industry may benefit from heightened protectionism and increased infrastructure spending in a Trump presidency. Trump had mentioned rebuilding highways, bridges and other U.S. infrastructures during his election win speech. Nucor and AK Steel Holding shares also gained 12 percent and 13 percent, respectively.



Copper prices surged more than 3 percent Wednesday, its highest level since September 2015 when the metal traded as high as $2.47 per pound. Wednesday's high was $2.47 per pound, as of 10:42 a.m. ET. Shares of Freeport-McMoRan , the world's largest copper producer, and Newmont Mining rose more than 8 percent and more than 2 percent, respectively.

Trump's victory over competitor Hillary Clinton stunned Wall Street elite on Tuesday, as many expected the Democratic nominee would win. Stocks plummeted as investors fled risky assets.
Mylan shares rose more than 1 percent after the company reported third-quarter earnings Wednesday, missing analysts' expectations on both its top and bottom lines.

The drug maker posted adjusted earnings of $1.38 per share on revenues of $3.06 billion. Analysts expected earnings of $1.45 per share on $3.12 billion, according to a Thomson Reuters consensus estimate.

Mylan CEO Heather Bresch reaffirmed the company's 2016 EPS guidance and its 2018 EPS target, saying the company reported strong performance across its "European and Rest of World regions."



"We remain committed to our recently updated full year 2016 adjusted EPS guidance range of $4.70 to $4.90, and to our $6.00 adjusted EPS target in 2018, with targeted growth in the low-teens in both 2017 and 2018," she said.



The company reported a GAAP loss of 23 cents a share, due to a $465 million settlement with the Department of Justice and other agencies over the classification of its EpiPen under the Medicaid Drug Rebate program. The company had recently come under fire from lawmakers for hiking the price of the device by 500 percent, to more than $600 for a package of two, in less than a decade.

The settlement does not provide for any finding of wrongdoing on the part of Mylan, but the company said it expected to enter into a corporate integrity agreement with the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Mylan said at the time it expects full-year 2016 adjusted earnings of $4.70 to $4.90 a share, down from previous guidance of $4.85 to $5.15. The company said the majority of the change was due to previously announced changes in EpiPen Auto-Injector access programs, as well as the upcoming launch of a lower-cost generic EpiPen Auto-Injector.

The company's stock is down more than 27 percent year to date but has recently pared back some of its losses. Mylan shares were up more than 8 percent in the past month and up more than 2 percent this quarter.

CNBC's Christina Cheddar-Berk and Dan Mangan contributed to this report.


In an effort to ensure racial equality in government, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong proposed a new model for presidential elections on Tuesday. The country is set to elect its next president some time in the first half of 2017.

As one of Asia's wealthiest economies, the island-nation is known for successful management of a peaceful multicultural society but race politics remain a hot-button topic in the Chinese-majority country. According to official statistics, 74 percent of the population is of Chinese ethnicity, while 13 percent are of Malay heritage and 9 percent of Indian.

"Presidential elections are generally open to candidates of all races but if we have not had a president from a particular community for five consecutive terms, then the next term will be reserved for candidates from that community. If one of them is elected, we will have a president from that community, " Lee declared in Parliament.



Singapore's first president, Yusof Ishak, who served from 1965-1970, was Malay but he was appointed to his post. Before laws were introduced in 1991 that changed the selection of the president to a public poll, leaders were chosen by Parliament.

Three of the four Presidents since 1991 have been of Chinese heritage, including current head of state Tony Tan Keng Yam, who announced on Tuesday that he would not seek a second term.

Under the new amendments, there will be at least one Chinese, one Malay, and one president who is either Indian or "other minority" within the course of six presidential terms, provided qualified candidates appear.

"So if a Malay candidate steps up to run, or more than one Malay candidate step up to run, who is qualified, Singapore will have a Malay president again," PM Lee said.

He acknowledged that some may knock this arrangement for going against the principle of meritocracy, but he said critics should consider two key points.

The candidate in a reserved election would be required to meet the same qualifying criteria, i.e."be as qualified as any other candidate who stands and wins in a non-reserved election," he said. Moreover, the new model would ensure a mix of different races over time, he added.
Shares of major coal producer Peabody Energy surged more than 49 percent on Wednesday after Donald Trump won a decisive victory.

On the campaign trail, the president-elect promised to bring back mining jobs and lamented U.S. regulations on clean coal. Reuters reported that coal companies donated about $223,000 in support of Trump.

During a debate, the New York businessman criticized his opponent Hillary Clinton and alleged that her plans to shift to clean, renewable energy would put miners out of business.

With Wednesday's gains, the stock is up 66 percent so far this year, but is still down 15 percent over the past year.
Private prison stocks soared Wednesday after Republicans won control of Congress and the White House.

Corrections Corporations of America , which has renamed itself CoreCivic, and GEO Group had suffered some of their biggest declines over the last several months.

But on Wednesday, both stocks recouped some of those losses. CoreCivic gained 43 percent, while GEO climbed more than 21 percent.

In August, the Department of Justice instructed its Bureau of Prisons to begin phasing out the use of private contractors for federal corrections facilities. Both stocks tanked on the news, but analysts called the market reaction overblown, and questioned how feasible it would actually be for the federal government to build new housing for displaced prisoners.

But little more than a week later, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement to "review our current policy and practices concerning the use of private immigration detention and evaluate whether this practice should be eliminated," according to a statement.

The stocks fell particularly far after presidential candidate Hillary Clinton expressed her support for the moves and her intention to build on them.

"I'm glad that we're ending private prisons in the federal system," Clinton had said in her first presidential debate with Donald Trump. "I want to see them ended in the state system. You shouldn't have a profit motivation to fill prison cells with young Americans."



Days after Clinton made her remarks, both stocks posted their worst quarters in more than 15 years.

Now that Clinton has lost, and Democrats failed to gain control of Congress, it appears investors are more sanguine about the future of the businesses.

Correction: This story was revised to correct that Democrats failed to gain control of Congress rather than lost control of Congress. The story was also updated to reflect that the Corrections Corporation of America has renamed itself CoreCivic.
Protesters angry about Donald Trump's stunning presidential election victory hit the streets from northern California to Seattle early Wednesday, in some cases halting transportation.

Up to 100 people gathered in downtown Oakland, Calif., to protest the presidential election result, KTVU reported. As protesters gathered and continued to march on Telegraph Avenue, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) shut down a station near downtown Oakland, KTVU added.



More from USA Today:

Donald Trump stuns the world, elected USA's 45th president

Total global disbelief as Trump is elected president

How did pollsters get Trump, Clinton election so wrong?

Protesters reportedly burned a Trump effigy and smashed windows of the Oakland Tribune newsroom early Wednesday morning, according to NBC Bay Area. Hundreds of students also took the streets in Berkeley and San Jose, with over 200 people spilling into Oakland's city limits, NBC Bay Area added.


Russian President Vladimir Putin takes a glass of champagne during the reception for new foreign ambassadors at Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, on November 9, 2016. Mikhail Svetlov | Getty Images

Russia has been highlighted as one of the big winners of Donald Trump's election victory largely due to the Republican president-elect's warm tone towards President Vladimir Putin during the campaign. Indeed, certain key voices within the world's largest nation, such as the Russian President Vladimir Putin himself, have seen the election outcome as positive for the country. An official statement from the Kremlin paraphrasing a telegram sent from Putin to Trump spoke to the Russian leader's optimistic view. "Putin expressed hope for joint work to restore Russian-American relations from their state of crisis, and also to address pressing international issues and search for effective responses to challenges concerning global security," the statement said.

Kirill Dmitriev, chief executive officer of RDIF, Russia's sovereign wealth fund, highlighted the idea that the economic and political benefits would be felt more widely than within his homeland. In an email to CNBC, Dmitriev said "We believe that election of President Trump will be positive not only for the Russian market but that worldwide markets will restore quickly and will the appreciate pragmatic, growth oriented approach of President Trump." "Trump's focus on win-win solutions, ability to rethink old dogmas and create proper incentives for growth, cooperation and prosperity will be positive for the world economy," he continued. Furthermore, Dmitriev sees upside for the global economy and business as a result of the election of the U.S.'s new leader. "Trump's business background will lead to greater efficiency of U.S. economy and institutions to focus on job creation and better cooperation with other nations through a more pragmatic and honest approach." Charles Robertson, global chief economist at emerging markets investment bank Renaissance Capital, also sees upside potential for Russia's economy, despite a possible short-term hitch. According to Robertson in an email to CNBC, "Trump has been keen to promote U.S. commodity production, such as coal, so we imagine in the longer-term his election will constrain an increase in commodity prices." "But in the shorter to medium-term, the possible removal of sanctions will enable Russia to invest more and grow faster. Global investors have been surprised by the improvement in Russia's economy this year (it shrank by around 0.5 percent while many thought it would shrink 2 percent) and we think growth will be closer to 2 percent in 2017 than the 1 percent assumed by consensus," he added.

Upside constrained

Yet despite the positive reading of the election result for Russia, the country still faces a raft of challenges stemming from longer-term issues blighting its economy such as the effect of sanctions and struggling commodity prices. It is therefore far from certain that the ascendancy of Trump to the White House as of January 2017 will be able to influence Russia's fortunes as much as some commentators anticipate. Chris Weafer, co-founder of Eurasian consultancy Macro Advisory, says while a Trump victory may be good news for the country overall, its capacity to change the situation too much for Russia is constrained. In emailed comments to CNBC, Weafer said, "While a Trump presidency can be expected to lead to less confrontational rhetoric between Moscow and Washington, that will only reduce one of the reasons why investors are wary of Russia. Russia still needs to make itself attractive for investors and that means improving the business and investment climate." "A Trump presidency is not a magic bullet for Russia's economic problems," he cautioned.
Venture capitalist and Hyperloop One co-founder Shervin Pishevar said he wants to help California to secede from the United States and a Donald Trump presidency.



Pishevar tweeted Tuesday night as the election was unfolding that he will be "announcing and funding a legitimate campaign for California to become its own nation," if Trump won the race.

Hours later, Hillary Clinton conceded the election to Trump, and NBC News projected the Republican nominee to win the race.

Pishevar told CNBC he is serious about the proposal, and already has a name for the new sovereign body.

"It's the most patriotic thing I can do," he said. "The country is at serious crossroads. ... Calling it New California."



He went on to describe his plan for California to become the catalyst for a "national dialogue" as the country has reached a "tipping point."

"We can re-enter the union after California becomes a nation," he said. "As the sixth largest economy in the world, the economic engine of the nation and provider of a large percentage of the federal budget, California carries a lot of weight."

He said the country needs to "confront the systemic problems that this election has exposed."

Wednesday morning, Pishevar resigned from the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, telling President Obama he "cannot serve with a good conscious a President Trump in any capacity."

CNBC's Cindy Perman contributed to this report.


Silicon Valley reacted on Twitter to a Donald Trump presidency with a mix of humor, despair and a small trace of hope.

Tech workers gave 60 times more cash to Clinton than to Trump, so it's fair to say he was not the favorite to win among this crowd.

Facebook director and Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel  who addressed the Republican National Convention and spent more than $1 million supporting Trump  got it right, venture capitalist and entrepreneur Shervin Pishevar noted in a Tweet.

Peter Thiel turned out not to be contrarian at all

Pishevar also Tweeted that his next investment will be in support of California's secession from the U.S. He was not joking, it's the most patriotic thing he can do now, he told CNBC.

"We can re-enter the union after California becomes a nation. As the sixth largest economy in the world, the economic engine of the nation and provider of a large percentage of the federal budget, California carries a lot of weight. We can then convene a new constitutional convention to make systemic changes needed to our nation," wrote Pishevar in an email to CNBC.

"At the same time we need to have a serious national dialogue about our culture, values and the rampant sexism, racism and hate that Trump campaign has exposed.This is a tipping point for our nation and we must confront the systemic problems that this election has exposed," wrote Pishevar.
Don't get me wrong, the immediate market reaction suggests Donald Trump running the world's largest economy is a different magnitude of significance. But will the Fed hike in December if there is disorderly and disruptive price action in the world's capital markets? Hard to see it. Will the Yellen Put be effective in tamping down volatility? Probably. Its hard not to imagine the central banks will cling even more closely to their mantra of lower for longer.

And what about the ECB? Does a Trump win give the Mario Draghi cover for further easing, or at least the chance for more verbal intervention? Definitely.

What do markets want? Growth, and ultimately an improvement in corporate profitability. If the private sector can't deliver stronger demand then maybe governments will finally be encouraged to do so through fiscal expansion.

After all, what has the experience of populist success for Trump, Sanders and Brexit revealed? People are angry enough to vote for a step into the unknown rather than endure the status quo. That's a powerful message for the incumbent political class  do something to improve our current economic prospects or you are out of a job!

If the politicians are listening that means shovel ready projects and fiscal stimulus will be coming to a highway, railway or home-building project near you soon. And cheap money could be here for a while yet.

Geoff Cutmore is co-anchor for CNBC's flagship programme Squawk Box in EMEA.



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Donald Trump is going to be the president of the United States.

The big question on everyone's mind is, "What happens next?"

In a typical election, we could look at past statements from the winning candidate to get a good sense about what he would do.

This is not a typical election. Donald Trump is not a typical president-elect.

The challenge for any interested party  which is just about every person on the planet since the president is the leader of the most powerful country in the world  is figuring out what Trump was just saying to win people's votes, and what he really believes.

Our colleagues at NBC News have put together a massive collection of Trump's quotes over the past year or so.

Here's a sample, based on NBC's work, that shows how confounding he is.

Good luck to any investor, business decision-maker, or world leader trying to make plans based off these statements.

BORDER CONTROL AND THE REFUGEE CRISIS

1. The U.S. has a 'humanitarian' obligation to take in some Syrian refugees.

Trump initially said the country should absorb Syrian refugees.

"I hate the concept of it, but on a humanitarian basis, you have to," Trump told Bill O'Reilly on Fox News on a Tuesday night in September. "But you know, it's living in hell in Syria. There's no question about it. They're living in hell, and something has to be done."

2. The U.S. cannot and should not accept Syrian refugees.

The next day, Trump said the country couldn't welcome refugees fleeing the Syrian civil war.

"Look, from a humanitarian standpoint, I'd love to help. But we have our own problems," he said on Fox.

During the March debate, Trump defended his changing view.

"First time the question had been put to me, it was very early on. The migration had just started. And I had heard that the number was a very, very small number. By the second day, two or three days later, I heard the number was going to be thousands and thousands of people. You know, when they originally heard about it, they were talking about bringing very, very small numbers in, and I said, begrudgingly, well, I guess maybe that's OK," Trump said. "By the time I went back and studied it, and they were talking about bringing thousands and thousands, I changed my tune. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that."

3. Close the border.

"I'd close up our borders to people until we figure out what is going on," Trump said on Fox News the morning of the Brussels attacks claimed by ISIS that killed at least 28 and injured more than 270.

4. Don't close the border, just be careful.

"I didn't say shut it down  I said you have to be very careful, you have to be careful on who's coming into our country," he said the same day as the Fox News interview on CBSN, reiterating that people from Syria without papers shouldn't be allowed in.

Current position: Against closing the borders entirely. Against accepting Syrian refugees in the United States.



THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL

1. Keep the current deal with Iran, police it.

Trump was one of the few Republicans who didn't immediately promise to rip up the Iranian nuclear deal. The author of "The Art of the Deal" told his supporters that while it was the worst deal ever, they'd probably have to live with it.

"It's very hard to say, "We're ripping it up.' And the problem is by the time I got in there, they will have already received the $150 billion," Trump said, referring to a high estimate of how many of Iran's assets will be unfrozen as part of the deal (the White House says after Iran's debts are paid, it's closer to $56 billion).

"But I will police that deal," he said, touting his handling of business contracts. "I would police that contract so tough that they don't have a chance. As bad as the contract is, I will be so tough on that contract."

2. Renegotiate the nuclear deal with Iran.

In September, he went further.

"When I am elected president, I will renegotiate with Iran  right after I enable the immediate release of our American prisoners and ask Congress to impose new sanctions that stop Iran from having the ability to sponsor terrorism around the world," he wrote in an op-ed for USA Today.

Current position: Renegotiate the deal.



HEALTH CARE

1. Repeal Obamacare. Look to Canada for inspiration.

In August, Trump was asked repeatedly if he still supported the single-payer health care he'd touted in the past. He said America should have a private system but repeatedly praised Canada and Scotland's socialized system.

"As far as single-payer, it works in Canada. It works incredibly well in Scotland. It could have worked in a different age, which is the age you're talking about here," Trump said. "What I'd like to see is a private system without the artificial lines around every state.  Get rid of the artificial lines, and you will have yourself great plans. And then we have to take care of the people that can't take care of themselves. And I will do that through a different system."

2. Repeal Obamacare. Cover everybody.

"I am going to take care of everybody," Trump told CBS in September. "I don't care if it costs me votes or not. Everybody's going to be taken care of much better than they're taken care of now."

3. Repeal Obamacare, but 'I like the mandate'

During a CNN town hall on February 18, Trump started to answer a question about how he'd replace the Affordable Care Act with health savings accounts, "which are great," but interrupted himself to talk at length about how he's "a self-funder." When pressed by interviewer Anderson Cooper about what would happen when Obamacare is repealed and the mandate disappeared, therefore allowing insurance companies to deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, Trump said:

"Well, I like the mandate. OK. So here's where I'm a little bit different. I don't want people dying on the streets and I say this all the time."

4. Repeal Obamacare. Replace it with something.

Trump was mocked in the February 25 debate for being vague about how he would replace Obamacare.

"You'll have many different plans. You'll have competition, you'll have so many different plans," he said at the debate, earning derision from Sen. Marco Rubio.

5. Repeal Obamacare. Not everyone will be covered.

His health care plan, finally released online in March, has far more in common with the kind of boilerplate health care proposals the rest of the Republican party touts than his earlier praise for Canada suggested it might.

It would likely cause 21 million people to lose their health insurance and cost about $270 billion over 10 years, according to the nonpartisan budget advocacy group Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB).

It offers up unspecified amounts of grants to states to replace Medicaid, but it's not clear how or what those would look like, or how they would cover the millions of people that Trump's plan lets fall through the cracks. CRFB noted that block grants "could generate a wide range of savings" to the federal budget, but without details on them, it is "impossible to score any savings" from his plan.
Following years of impasse between a Republican-dominated Congress and the Obama White House, the incoming government will be led by Donald Trump in the executive branch and the GOP in the House and Senate.

"It is now time for Republicans to govern," the former House majority leader said on " Squawk Box ." "There'll be no excuses now. And I think the number one focus will be repeal and replacement of Obamacare. I think that's where they'll go first."

With Republicans now in control of Congress and the White House, there are no excuses left for the party, Republican former congressman Eric Cantor told CNBC on Wednesday.

An undivided government could pave the path for repealing President Barack Obama's health care reform and engaging in a big infrastructure program, Cantor said. But it comes after many Republicans in Washington declined to support Trump's presidential bid.



Despite differences with Trump, Cantor predicted that Paul Ryan will stay as House speaker.

"Where [Trump] will have to work is bringing along House Republicans, who insist that any additional spending be paid for," the former Virginia congressman said. "In my opinion, the only way they're going to find the money to pay for that is through tax reform, and through ... repatriation on the international front. There'll be a lot of struggle, but I do think there's going to be some progress made."

Democrat George Mitchell told "Squawk Box that partisanship neither began nor ended with this campaign.

He said Trump would be smart to start by focusing on infrastructure, an area where liberals also support investment. Repatriation of funds held overseas could also be an olive branch between the two major political parties, the former Senate majority leader from Maine said.

"A democracy requires an effective opposition to present alternatives to the administration to seek common ground where it does exist," Mitchell said.
An employee of a foreign exchange trading company looks at monitors displaying TV news of Republican President-elect Donald Trump as he gives his victory speech after U.S. presidential election at a foreign exchange trading company on November 9, 2016 in Tokyo, Japan.

Now what?

The markets are grappling with the reality of a Donald Trump victory, which includes:

1) Lower stock indexes, but some clear winners. A drop of 5 percent or so is certainly expected, and there is still the risk of a longer fat tail, but not all stocks are dropping. Defense stocks like Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are likely early beneficiaries. Copper is up 2 percent, along with Caterpillar and Vulcan Materials , a sure sign that infrastructure plays will likely rally as well.

2) Less regulation. Early beneficiaries are likely to be industries that were threatened with heavier regulation under a potential Hillary Clinton presidency. That would principally include pharmaceuticals, but it may also include banks and even oil stocks, since its possible that lower support for renewable energy could benefit Big Oil.

3) Emerging market stock under performance. Developing economy assets are likely to remain under pressure for some time on currency issues, and concerns over trade.

4) Flight to "safety" to currencies like the Japanese yen and the . Both those currencies did strengthen, though both gave back much of their gains. This may force central banks to lower rates even more, or in the case of the Bank of Japan , deeper into negative rates. The European Central Bank may extend its quantitative easing (QE) program, now scheduled to expire in March 2017.

5) Lower chances of a Fed rate hike. With volatility up, the chances of a rate hike in December by the Federal Reserve diminish, though most traders feel the Fed could still make a case for a rate hikethough likely making clear the "glide path" would be even more shallow than it had previously indicated.
The shocking Donald Trump victory in the presidential election has put a rocket under defense stocks all over the world.



In the U.S., defense stocks have soared following Trump's projected victory. Shares of Northrop Grumman , Lockheed Martin and Raytheon gained about 5.4 percent, 6 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively.



These military contractors stood in sharp contrast to the majority of the U.S. market, which was trending down following the news of Trump's presidency.



Leading the way in Europe were U.K. companies BAE Systems and Cobham as well as French company Thales, which rose 3 to 4 percent.



BAE manufactures military hardware ranging from bullets to battleships and counts the U.S. as its largest customer.



Cobham manufactures military communications equipment, while 50 percent of Thales sales are military based.



In September speech, Trump called for 90,000 additional soldiers, 42 more Navy ships and 100 more modern fighter aircraft as well as increased nuclear and missile defense.



Despite Republicans retaining control of both houses of Congress, a new defense budget may not be as simple as it seems, Robert Stallard of Vertical Research Partners wrote in a note Wednesday.



'What remains to be seen is the revenue enhancing offset to this increased spending, and whether Democrats in the Senate will filibuster everything," he said.



Stallard also said there might be some delay before defense companies can start eyeing U.S. government cash.

"The first Department of Defense budget that the Trump Administration can really change would be FY19, as FY17 is almost done, and the FY18 request is due out in February of next year," he said.



During the September speech, Trump attacked both and for allowing defense spending to track to levels as a share of the economy not seen since the end of World War II.



"We currently have the smallest Army since 1940. The Navy is among the smallest it has been since 1915. And the Air Force is the smallest it has been since 1947," Trump said.



Following that speech, Mark Cancian, a former defense budget analyst for the Obama administration, wrote that Trump's military spend would equate to around $93 billion a year more than levels set by the Budget Control Act.



Trump said he wants to remove that limit and will offset the additional costs through "common sense reforms that eliminate government waste and budget gimmicks."


"There is one common theme in all of these reforms," Trump has said repeatedly. "It's going to be America first."

For many of his critics, the list seemed wildly, improbably ambitious. But the Democratic Party's failure to win back control of either chamber of Congress means the Republican Party will control the legislative process. That will likely end at least some of the partisan gridlock that stymied much the Obama administration's agenda.

Still, the Trump White House will face a divided GOP on Capitol Hill, to say nothing of the deep divisions among Americans.

What the president-elect didn't address in his victory speech on Wednesday was immigration.

Trump's signature proposal, building a wall along the southern border, will be problematic. But having won his historic victory on such a singular promise, his supporters will demand that the pledge be more than symbolic.

The obstacles, though, are as large as the barrier he has promised to create for immigrants. Despite his pledge to send the bill to the Mexican government, he will need budget authorization to pay for the project.

More broadly, Trump's anti-immigrant stance will also face pushback from members of his own party's congressional caucus, especially those in states and districts who have been alarmed by the GOP's losses among a growing bloc of Hispanic voters.

Beyond the opposition he'll face from Democrats, Trump will have to contend with the large contingent from his own party who either withheld their support or called on him to step down as a candidate. The list includes some 15 Republican senators, along with dozens of current GOP House members and governors.

It remains to be seen whether Trump can convince enough of those Republicans to adopt his stance on closing the nation's borders to immigrants. Immigration reform could prove to become either a template for the remainder of Trump's agenda or a preview of the impact of divisions in the GOP.

But while Republicans may have split over Trump's candidacy, they remain unified on some of the key issues he campaign on.

The GOP-controlled House has voted more than 60 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration's signature health-care law. Now, that effort becomes much more likely to succeed.

The unity or division of the Republican Party will prove critical even before Trump takes office in January, in one of the most contentious and important issues of the campaign: the nomination to fill the Supreme Court seat left unfilled by the death in February of Antonin Scalia.

Senate Republicans have refused to consider President Barack Obama's nominee, U.S. Appeals Court Judge Merrick Garland, saying the nomination should wait until after the election. Late last month, Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake told reporters that he would press for Garland's nomination hearings in the lame-duck session before Trump is sworn in.
OLI SCARFF | AFP | Getty Images

Donald Trump's shock victory in the U.S. presidential election is already being hailed as "Brexit 2.0"'. Both votes are seen as a rejection of the political establishment, both galvanized the electorate to turn out in record numbers and both took markets and pollsters broadly by surprise. Donald Trump was among the first high-profile politicians to welcome the result of the Brexit vote on June 24. He went on to tell reporters that he saw "a big parallel" between his campaign and the Brexit movement, saying: "People want to take their country back, and they want to have independence."

'Bigger than Brexit'

Nigel Farage, interim leader of the U.K. Independence Party and prominent Euroskeptic, has in turn welcomed Trump's election victory. In an interview with NBC Wednesday he described the result as "bigger than Brexit". "He (Donald Trump) is getting exactly the same kind of voters that we got in Sunderland and those other cities that produce massive shock results. It's people who haven't voted for 20 years, haven't voted in their lives, re-engaging with the process," Farage added. Electoral data suggests similar demographics voted for Brexit in the U.K. and for Trump in the U.S.

Scale the key difference

watch now
While President-elect Donald Trump has proposed the biggest tax cuts since Ronald Reagan, voters in several states approved tax increases on Tuesday. The largest potential state tax hikes came in the form of levies on recreational marijuana sales in at least three states. Voters in California approved a tax increase on top earners and Maine may follow suit. Meanwhile, voters rejected grander tax proposals. A Washington state measure to tax carbon emissions and a Colorado proposal to raise taxes to create a state-run, single-payer health-care system failed at the ballot box.

William Britt (L) and Al Moreno (R) celebrate after Californians voted to pass Prop 64, legalizing recreational use of marijuana in the state, in Los Angeles, November 8, 2016. Jonathan Alcorn | Reuters

"Even as voters defied expectations in the presidential race, they largely eschewed experimentation in tax policy," said Jared Walczak, a policy analyst with the Center for State Tax Policy at the Tax Foundation.



Pot taxes

California, Massachusetts and Nevada voted to legalize and tax recreational marijuana, while Arizona voters rejected a similar measure. A ballot proposal for the legalization and taxation of recreational pot in Maine is too close to call. (Arkansas, Florida and North Dakota approved medical cannabis initiatives.) States that approved recreational pot sales may see a significant boost to their tax revenues. Marijuana Business Daily estimates that the approved ballot measures could eventually lead to an additional $8 billion in annual retail cannabis sales.

The state tax rates on recreational pot are high. California will tax marijuana at $9.25 per ounce of flowers and $2.75 per ounce of leaves. When people buy cannabis at licensed retailers, they will pay 15 percent at the point of retail sale plus the general state sales tax rate of 6.25 percent and local sales tax rate that starts at 1.25 percent and runs as steep as 3.75 percent.

Massachusetts will levy an additional excise tax of 3.75 percent and allow municipalities to levy an extra tax of up to 2 percent on pot. That is on top of the state's 6.25 percent sales tax.

Nevada will tax the wholesale value of cannabis at 15 percent. That is in addition to the state tax rate of 4.6 percent and local sales taxes that can go as high as 3.55 percent. If approved, Maine would tax the sale of the recreational marijuana at 10 percent.

Income taxes

California will continue to have the highest state individual income tax rate in the nation at 13.3 percent, extending a temporary tax that was enacted in 2012.

"An extension of temporary individual income tax increases sailed to an easy victory despite the governor's opposition, a reminder that it is very difficult for states to wean themselves off a temporary tax increase," Walczak said. A ballot measure in Maine to increase the state's top individual income tax rate from 7.15 percent to 10.15 percent for incomes above $200,000 is too close to call. If it passes, Maine would have the second-highest state income tax rate in the country, behind California.

Soda taxes
The move has major implications for Main Street workers and business owners , as pay increases historically rank among the top concerns for America's smallest companies.

Citizens of Arizona, Colorado, and Maine will see pay hiked to $12 an hour over the next four years, while Washingtonians will see wages hit $13.50 by 2020.

Workers in four states will be getting a raise over the next four years. Voters in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington State all passed ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage, as momentum continues to build steadily nationwide in favor of seemingly fairer salaries.

The federal minimum wage has remained stagnant at $7.25 an hour since 2009. Despite the inability to increase the federal minimum, the Obama Administration had taken steps to increase worker protections in recent years, including doubling the salary threshold for overtime eligibility earlier this year. On December 1, under new rules from the Department of Labor, four million salaried employees earning $47,476 annually will be eligible for pay increases.

The conservative lobbying group the National Federation of Independent Business expressed disappointment in the wage increases on Wednesday. Spokesman Jack Mozloom tellss CNBC via email, "The minimum wage increases were a blemish on what was otherwise a very good outcome for small businesses."

The group's President and CEO Juanita Duggan adds that the NFIB looks "forward to working with [Trump] on policies to strengthen small business," at a time when NFIB polling shows small businesses reporting levels of uncertainty not seen in 42 years.

But wage advocates are cheering the votes nationwide, which will likely pressure a Republican-led Congress to take action on the federal wage. President-elect Donald Trump has spoken in support of a $10 an hour federal minimum wage, although it is unclear whether the Republican will take greater action to increase salaries once in office.

"Four very different states passed ballot initiatives today to raise the minimum wage. That speaks volumes," Holly Sklar, CEO of advocacy group Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, said in a release. "Workers are also customers, and increased pay means increased consumer buying power, as well as lower employee turnover and improved productivity. The minimum wage wins today will increase the momentum to raise the minimum wage in more states and nationally."
As the nail-biting election extended into early Wednesday, the rest of the world was contemplating the reality of President Donald Trump in the White House.

Before Hillary Clinton conceded the race, a senior member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government said the geopolitical situation was "very uncertain."

"We're realizing now that we have no idea what this American president will do if the voice of anger enters office and the voice of anger becomes the most powerful man in the world," Norbert Roettgen, a member of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and head of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee, said on Deutschlandfunk radio.

More from NBC News:

Market Turmoil Eases After Trump Victory Speech

Angry Protesters March on University Campuses After Trump Victory

Donald Trump Wins Presidency: Here's How He Might Govern

French Ambassador to the U.S. Gerard Araud foretold of a new world order. "After Brexit and this election, everything from now on is possible," Araud tweeted. "A world is collapsing before our eyes. Vertigo."

"It's the end of an era, that of neoliberalism. What will succeed it, is yet to be known," Araud said in another tweet. Both tweets were later deleted.

Chinese state media outlets cast the result as a sign of America's democracy in crisis in contrast to China's perceived stability under authoritarian rule.

The state-run Xinhua News Agency said the campaign highlighted that, in its words, "the majority of Americans are rebelling against the U.S.'s political class and financial elites."

The official Communist Party newspaper People's Daily said in a commentary that the 2016 race revealed an "ill democracy."

Like Russia, China is seen as favoring Trump because he appears less willing to confront China's newly robust foreign policy, particularly in the South China Sea. Clinton, by contrast, is disliked in Beijing for having steered the U.S. "pivot" to Asia aimed at strengthening U.S. engagement with the region, particularly in the military sphere.

Carlo Angerer tweet

Emmanuelle Saliba tweet

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was watching the "closer than expected" race in his office, his aide Tateo Kawamura told the Kyodo News service.

The Japanese government has remained neutral in public statements, but analysts on both sides of the Pacific have talked about a possible change in U.S. policy toward Japan and the rest of Asia under a Trump presidency.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has pledged the Japan-U.S. alliance will remain the cornerstone of Japan-U.S. diplomacy.

Argentina's Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra said a Trump win would stall recent moves to improve relations between the countries.

She also predicted the "more closed, isolationist and xenophobic" model represented by the Republican candidate would have a major impact on the world and relations with Latin America.
UTICA, N.Y.  Stewarts Shops  an employee and family-owned convenience store chain that has more than 330 shops across upstate New York and southern Vermont  opened a new store at 1210 Culver Ave. in Utica on Wednesday.

That will be followed by a grand-opening event next Friday, Nov. 18, according to a news release from the City of Utica.

The new shop, located on the citys east side, is the second Utica store for Stewarts Shops and it didnt come easy.

The company began planning to expand in East Utica about two years ago, but because of legal delays, its plans shifted to West Utica  opening a store at 425 Court St. in December 2014, the release stated.

There have been a few stumbling blocks, but we are thrilled to finally join the East Utica community, Gary Dake, Stewarts Shops president, said in the release. Stewarts will provide our customers quality, value, and a friendly place to shop. We hope to make their shopping experience in Utica, even easier.

Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri said hes pleased Stewarts Shops is opening its second store in Utica. I thank Gary and his staff for being committed to this project and our community, he said in the release.

Stewarts Shops has also expanded elsewhere in Oneida County this year. It built new shops at 4756 Middle Settlement Road in New Hartford and 5319 State Route 233 in Westmoreland, and also constructed a replacement store for its existing location on Turin Road in the town of Lee.

Stewarts Shops is building 17 shops in total across its market areas in 2016, either as new or replacement shops, plus dozens of remodels or additions, according to the release.

While Stewarts Shops began as an ice-cream shop about 70 years ago, its business has evolved into a full-service convenience store offering groceries, gasoline, coffee, and a variety of quick food options like pastries, eggwiches, subs, soup, deli dogs, chili, salads, and pizza.

Contact Rombel at arombel@cnybj.com
United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA EX REL., CHESTER SALDIVAR, Petitioner-Appellant, v. FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE HOLDINGS, INC., d/b/a FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE NORTH AMERICA, Respondent-Appellee. No. 15-15497 Decided: November 08, 2016

Before ED CARNES, Chief Judge, JORDAN, Circuit Judge, and LAMBERTH, * District Judge.

Relator Chester Saldivar appeals the district court's order granting summary judgment to defendant Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc. (Fresenius). This case is a qui tam action arising under the False Claims Act (FCA), 31 U.S.C.  37293733. This is an appeal of a final judgment pursuant to 28 U.S.C.  1291. Whether or not jurisdiction ultimately exists in this case is the focus of this opinion.

I.

Fresenius is a provider of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) outpatient services. As part of these services, Fresenius administers the drugs Epogen and Zemplar, both of which are distributed in vials. These vials contain slightly more of the drug than is indicated on the packaging, referred to as overfill. In the course of providing its services, Fresenius administered this overfill to patients, and sought and received reimbursement for such overfill from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Relator, Chester Saldivar, filed the instant qui tam action claiming Fresenius violated the FCA by billing the government for overfill that it received for no costallegedly a violation of the statutes governing CMS billing. See U.S. ex rel. Saldivar v. Fresenius Med. Care Holdings, Inc., 972 F. Supp. 2d 1339, 1348 (N.D. Ga. 2013) (Saldivar I). Saldivar filed suit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia in 2010. In March 2011, the Government declined to intervene in this case, its right under the FCA. 31 U.S.C.  3730(b).

Fresenius maintained that the action should be dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction due to the Public Disclosure Bar in the FCA, an argument they raisedunsuccessfullytwice. U.S. ex rel. Saldivar v. Fresenius Med. Care Holdings, Inc., 157 F. Supp. 3d 1311, 1313 (N.D. Ga. 2015). The Public Disclosure Bar prevents qui tam actions if the allegations in question were publicly disclosed. 31 U.S.C.  3730(e)(4). In determining there was jurisdiction under  3730(e)(4), the district court concluded that while Saldivar's allegations of overfill billing were publicly disclosed and the disclosed information was the basis of Saldivar's suit, Saldivar was an original source under  3730(e)(4)(B) and was thus not barred from bringing this action. 157 F. Supp. 3d at 1317-1325.

Specifically, Saldivar alleged improper billing for overfill based on his personal experience tracking the use of overfill along with conversations he had with other Fresenius employees and his knowledge of corporate policies. The district court found that Saldivar's allegationsthat Fresenius was not just using, but billing, for overfillhad been disclosed to the government through several communications between Fresenius and CMS as well as publicly disclosed through a complaint in another case. Id. at 13181321. Moreover, the district court held that given our precedent on the issue, the disclosed information was the basis of Saldivar's suit. Id. at 13211323. However, the district court found that Saldivar was an original source based on (a) his experience ordering and otherwise managing inventory for Zemplar and Epogen, (b) discussions with supervisors and coworkers about overfill use and billing, and (c) his familiarity with Fresenius corporate policies and clinic rankings that factored in the use of overfill. Id. at 13231326.

The proceedings were bifurcated and the parties filed motions for summary judgment on multiple distinct issues. The parties first filed motions for summary judgment on the questions of (a) if submission of claims for free overfill violated the Medicare Act and (b) if it was thus a false claim. The district court found that the submissions did violate the Medicare Act and were, as a result, false claims. Saldivar I. Next, the parties filed motions for summary judgment on the question of whether Fresenius's actions met the intent requirement under the FCA: that the party knowingly take an action. 31 U.S.C.  3729; U.S. ex rel. Saldivar v. Fresenius Med. Care Holdings, Inc., 145 F. Supp. 3d 1220 (N.D. Ga. 2015) (Saldivar II). The court found that Fresenius's actions did not meet the intent requirement and thus granted its motion for summary judgment. Saldivar II. Saldivar appeals that decision to this Court and, in its briefing, Fresenius argues again that there is no jurisdiction due to the public disclosure bar.

II.

In 2007, Saldivar started working at Fresenius as an equipment technician for two clinics, where he later became the chief technician. As an equipment technician, Saldivar repaired dialysis machines and completed other tasks as directed, including placing orders for Epogen and Zemplar. In addition to ordering the drugs, Saldivar was asked to report the Zemplar analysis which included an inventory form. Saldivar would input the vial count at the beginning and end of the month as well as the dosages administered. The form then automatically calculated and displayed the amount of overfill utilized throughout the month. In 2009, Saldivar began inventorying Epogen as well, though he was only responsible for inputting the vial countsothers entered the doses administered throughout the month.

With respect to these inventory forms, Saldivar was told the forms were of particular importance because they were the basis for billing medicare. Indeed, conversations about overfill and billing seem to have been fairly common. Saldivar stated that Fresenius employees talked about the company's overfill policy in meetings, in one-on-one conversations with managers, and in monthly as well as quarterly reports.

Despite being told about overfill billing and the relationship between his inventory forms and billing, Saldivar was not himself directly involved in billing. At his deposition, when asked if the inventory forms he filled out were provided to the government for billing purposes, he responded, I have no idea. I'm pretty sure they filled out a different form for reimbursement. When asked if he had any facts, other than what he was told by managers, to suggest the inventory forms were used as the basis for billing he responded, No. I just go by what my managers told me. At multiple points when asked about billing practices he responded that he was not in the billing department.

Starting before Saldivar was ever hired, overfill was the subject of much discussion. Indeed, a July 2008 BNA article in Pharmaceutical Law & Industry Report stated that the use of overfill was certainly not a secret, that Fresenius had publicly acknowledged its utilizationincluding in a disclosure to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and that overfill had been discussed in two Office of the Inspector General (OIG) reports. Fresenius was also in communication with the OIG about its overfill practices due to a corporate integrity agreement between Fresenius and the OIG which was in place from 2000 to 2008. During a deposition with an official from CMS, Fresenius asked specifically about CMS's knowledge of Fresenius' overfill practices. Specifically, Fresenius asked, throughout the time period of 2000 to 2010 CMS was aware that outpatient dialysis facilities were administering and billing for overfill for Epogen and Zemplar, right? to which the CMS official responded Yes. Fresenius later asked there's simply no question that Fresenius fully disclosed to you that it was using and billing for Zemplar and Epo overfill, right? Response: they did disclose that to me, yes. That same official later stated he wasn't aware of any CMS policy that prohibited the use of billing overfill, that he was under the impression Fresenius had been and still was billing for overfill as of March 2007, and that Fresenius disclose[d] to [him] that they were using and billing for overfill Epogen and Zemplar.

Complicating the facts of this case is the 2003 passage of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA). MMA, Pub. L. 108173, 117 Stat. 2066 (codified in scattered sections of 42 U.S.C. and 26 U.S.C.). As part of this act, Zemplar and Epogen reimbursement were calculated by the Average Sales Price (ASP) beginning in 2006. In 2010, CMS announced a proposed rule, to be effective January 1, 2011, which clarified that billing for ESRD overfill drugs was improper under ASP. Saldivar thus argues that the operative question is Fresenius's behavior and disclosures after ASP reimbursement went into effect in 2006.

III.

We review a district court order granting summary judgment de novo, viewing the evidence and all reasonable inferences drawn from it in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Battle v. Bd. of Regents for Ga., 468 F.3d 755, 759 (11th Cir. 2006). However, to survive summary judgment, the nonmoving party must offer more than a mere scintilla of evidence for its position; indeed, the nonmoving party must make a showing sufficient to permit the jury to reasonably find on its behalf. Urquilla-Diaz v. Kaplan Univ., 780 F.3d 1039, 1050 (11th Cir. 2015). Additionally, [a]s courts of limited jurisdiction, we are obliged to scrupulously confine [our] own jurisdiction to the precise limits which the statute has defined.  Underwriters at Lloyd's, London v. Osting-Schwinn, 613 F.3d 1079, 1086 (11th Cir. 2010) (quoting Healy v. Ratta, 292 U.S. 263, 270 (1934)). As with summary judgment, we review a district court's ruling on questions of jurisdiction de novo, Holston Investments, Inc. B.V.I. v. LanLogistics Corp., 677 F.3d 1068, 1070 (11th Cir. 2012), with the burden of establishing jurisdiction being on the party bringing the claim, Sweet Pea Marine, Ltd. v. APJ Marine, Inc., 411 F.3d 1242, 1247 (11th Cir. 2005).

At the time of the underlying events in this case, the FCA read, in pertinent part:

(A) No court shall have jurisdiction over an action under this section based upon the public disclosure of allegations or transactions in a criminal, civil, or administrative hearing, in a congressional, administrative, or Government Accounting Office report, hearing, audit, or investigation, or from the news media, unless the action is brought by the Attorney General or the person bringing the action is an original source of the information.

(B) For purposes of this paragraph, original source means an individual who has direct and independent knowledge of the information on which the allegations are based and has voluntarily provided the information to the Government before filing an action under this section which is based on the information.

31 U.S.C.  3730(e)(4)(A)-(B) (2006). This Court uses a three-part inquiry to determine if jurisdiction exists under 31 U.S.C.  3730(e): (1) have the allegations made by the plaintiff been publicly disclosed; (2) if so, is the disclosed information the basis of the plaintiff's suit; (3) if yes, is the plaintiff an original source of that information. Cooper v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Fla., Inc., 19 F.3d 562, 565 n. 4 (11th Cir.1994).

As jurisdiction is a necessary prerequisite to addressing the merits, Capron v. Van Noorden, 6 U.S. (2 Cranch) 126 (1804), the Court must begin its inquiry by analyzing each part of the Cooper framework.

a. Have the allegations made by the plaintiff been publicly disclosed?

The district court correctly held that the allegations made had been publicly disclosed. Fresenius maintains that its practices were publicly disclosed in a number of different forums including articles, litigation, and directly to the government through the corporate integrity agreement. As the district court properly noted and as highlighted in deposition excerpts above, it is clear from the record below that OIG was aware that Fresenius was billing for overfill. OIG affirmed that they were aware of the practice generally and that Fresenius specifically was billing for overfill. Indeed, OIG noted that Fresenius disclosed overfill billing for both Zemplar and Epogen, the two drugs at issue in this case. This information, albeit in a more limited form, made its way into public reports. For example, the 2004 OIG report on Medicare Reimbursement for Existing End-Stage Renal Disease Drugs stated providers reported that they are able to lower actual acquisition costs through the utilization of overfill. Moreover, Fresenius was identified in the previously mentioned July 2008 BNA article that discussed the use and profitability of overfill. Geoffrey R. Kaiser, Overfill: A Drug Sample in Sheep's Clothing, PHARMACEUTICAL LAW & INDUSTRY REPORT, July 2008. Fresenius has also noted that information was disclosed through an SEC filing and through prior litigation.

While it is true the law changed with the passage of the MMA, Fresenius' overfill billing was nonetheless disclosed through the avenues discussed above. The fact that the 2011 rule clarified the billing procedure does not change this. While sympathetic to the idea that a disclosure could grow stale due to an intervening change in law, there were repeated disclosures in this case, both before and after the passage of the MMA. Moreover, the statute has no requirement that information be repeatedly or regularly disclosed. Finally, the fact that a new rule was required to clarify ASP billing practices belies the argument Fresenius should have offered some further disclosure. Accordingly, we agree with the district court that the use and billing of overfill was publicly disclosed and decline to analyze each instance of possible public disclosure.

b. Is the disclosed information the basis of the plaintiff's suit?

The district court was likewise correct in holding that the disclosed information is the basis of Saldivar's suit. We have explained that the language of the FCA is most naturally read to preclude suits based in any part on publicly disclosed information, Cooper, 19 F.3d at 567, and that this second prong of the inquiry is a quick trigger to get to the more exacting original source inquiry, id. at 568 n. 10. Here, the claim is based on Fresenius billing Medicare for overfill it received at no cost. The public disclosures reveal it was no secret Fresenius was using and billing for overfill. Accordingly, the disclosed information is the basis of the plaintiff's suit.

c. Is plaintiff an original source of the information?

The third prong of the inquiry is whether plaintiff is an original source, allowing for jurisdiction to exist even when the information has been disclosed. The statute defines an original source as one who has direct and independent knowledge of the information on which the allegations are based. 31 U.S.C.  3730(e)(4)(B) (2006). Here, our holding differs from that of the district court, which held that Saldivar was an original source of the information.

Two of our prior cases help guide our thinking. In Osheroff there was a public disclosure that clinics were providing certain free services. U.S. ex rel. Osheroff v. Humana Inc., 776 F.3d 805 (11th Cir. 2015). Relator, who was not an employee of one of clinics in question, conducted his own investigation into the value of the services being provided. Id. at 808. We held plaintiff was not an original source as background information that helps one understand or contextualize a public disclosure is insufficient to grant original source status. Id. at 815.

Conversely, in Cooper there was widespread disclosure of fraud associated with Medicare Secondary Provider (MSP) laws though none against the specific defendant in question. 19 F.3d at 566. Relator filed suit after repeatedly informing defendant of the regulations and then being sent back his claims with instructions stating Medicare must pay firsta violation of MSP. Id. at 564. In holding relator was an original source we cited with approval it is not necessary for a relator to have all the relevant information in order to qualify as independent.  Id. at 568 (citing and quoting U.S. ex rel. Stinson, Lyons, Gerlin & Bustamante, P.A. v. Prudential Ins. Co., 944 F.2d 1149, 1160 (3d Cir. 1991)).

In this case, Saldivar alleges that Fresenius improperly billed for Zemplar and Epogen overfill. Saldivar was directly responsible for inventory sheets for Zemplar and Epogen. He tracked beginning and end of month inventory, and in the case of Zemplar, included the total dosage administered on his form. There is no dispute that he had direct and independent knowledge of the administration of overfill, as his inventory sheet automatically populated the overflow numbers. Saldivar was also responsible for placing orders for Zemplar and Epogen as inventory ran low. However, he stated he was not privy to price-related contracts between Fresenius and the drug distributors, and his only firsthand interaction with pricing appears to be seeing per-box prices on packing slips. With respect to billing the government, both Saldivar and the district court highlight that Saldivar was told that the forms are the basis of billing Medicare. Moreover, Saldivar had discussions with coworkers about the use of overfill and was aware of corporate policies and reports that rewarded clinics using overfill efficiently. Fresenius claims Saldivar is not an original source because Saldivar's knowledge of the allegationimproper billingwas not direct and independent.

In order to show that a fraud has occurred, one generally must present a submitted statement or claim (X) and the true set of facts (Y), which shows that X is untrue. These two things together allow the conclusion (Z) that fraud has occurred. See U.S. ex rel. Springfield Terminal Ry. Co. v. Quinn, 14 F.3d 645, 654 (D.C. Cir. 1994). In this instance the false claim was the bill to the government. However, the alleged true set of facts was not that overfill was administered, but rather that Fresenius was obtaining drugs at no cost to themselves yet nonetheless billing the government for those same drugs. Given that Saldivar's firsthand knowledge related to inventory and administration of overfill not costs and billing, we now approach a question we have not explicitly addressed previously: whether Saldivar's secondhand knowledge is sufficient to make him an original source.

Several of our sister circuits have addressed this issue. The Tenth Circuit has held that secondhand information is insufficient. In re Nat. Gas Royalties, 562 F.3d 1032, 104546 (10th Cir. 2009) (We conclude that this secondhand knowledge  does not constitute direct and independent knowledge.). It has further explained that to be independent, the relator's knowledge must not be derivative of the information of others, even if those others may qualify as original sources. U.S. ex rel. Fine v. Advanced Scis., Inc., 99 F.3d 1000, 1007 (10th Cir. 1996). Likewise, the Eighth Circuit has held a person who obtains secondhand information from an individual who has direct knowledge of the alleged fraud does not himself possess direct knowledge and therefore is not an original source under the Act. U.S. ex rel. Barth v. Ridgedale Elec., Inc., 44 F.3d 699, 703 (8th Cir. 1995). The Eighth Circuit also took note of the False Claims Act legislative history, which explained original sources as those who were either close observers or otherwise involved in the fraudulent activity. Id. (citing S. Rep. No. 345, 99th Cong., 2d Sess. 4 (1986), reprinted in 1986 U.S.C.C.A.N. 5266, 5269.).

Similarly, the Third Circuit has stated that relators must have direct and independent knowledge of the most critical elements of their claim and that [w]hile it is not necessary for a relator to have all the relevant information in order to qualify as independent, a relator cannot be said to have direct and independent knowledge of the information on which [its fraud] allegations are based if the relator has no direct and independent knowledge of the allegedly fraudulent statements. U.S. ex rel Mistick PBT v. Hous. Auth. of City of Pittsburgh, 186 F.3d 376, 389 (3d Cir. 1999) (internal citations omitted).

Finally, in Glaser v. Wound Care Consultants, Inc., plaintiff was a patient who was treated several times by a physician's assistant. 570 F.3d 907 (7th Cir. 2009). She filed an FCA claim alleging that defendant was overbilling Medicare by having the physician's assistants bill at the rate for doctors. Id. at 911. While the case was extreme in that plaintiff had no knowledge at all of defendant's billing practices until contacted by a lawyer, the Seventh Circuit's holdingthat plaintiff needed to have direct and independent knowledge of the billing, not just the treatment, id. at 921, is persuasive.

We find the reasoning of our sister circuits persuasive when reading the statute. The phrase direct and independent is most naturally read as creating an extreme limit on secondhand knowledge that is sufficient to qualify as an original source. Being told what another department is doing is almost necessarily not direct knowledge of that department's behavior. In this case, Saldivar was told that inventory spreadsheets were used for billing purposes. This is not direct knowledge of the alleged improper billing. Indeed, it is on its face indirect; he was told by another that his work product was used, and it appears he had no direct knowledge of how billing occurred or even how his inventory was factored into the billing.

In addition to being told his inventory was used for billing purposes, Saldivar heard about overfill billing practices from others. This likewise is indirect. Saldivar was the chief technician for two clinics, and while he appears to have had a number of different tasks he stated multiple times that he was not in the billing department and thus could not speak to many billing related practices. As he himself attested, he went by what [his] managers told [him]. This too is attenuated, rather than direct, knowledge.

Finally, Saldivar saw various reports that ranked or scored clinics, including by their efficiency in utilizing overfill. The Court does not doubt that one could easily infer from these, particularly when combined with what was being said by managers and publicly disclosed, that Fresenius was charging for overfill. However, to hold that merely reading a company's quarterly reports grants direct knowledge to the underlying activity would be to create a large aperture, rendering the word direct in the statute near meaningless.

The FCA requires the Attorney General to investigate alleged violations. 31 U.S.C.  3730(a). That is, the mere act of a relator filing under the FCA triggers government action. To open the meaning of direct into something broader would thus not only run contrary to the cardinal canon of construction that the legislature means in a statute what it says there, Con. Nat. Bank v. Germain, 503 U.S. 249, 253254 (1992), but potentially upset the Congressionally determined balance between incentivizing qui tam suits on the one hand and flooding the Department of Justice with required investigations on the other.

While Saldivar had independent knowledge of the administration of overfill, his knowledge of the critical componentthe alleged billing for drugs Fresenius received at no costwas derived from secondhand sources. To the extent Saldivar's information is not secondhand, it appears to be more akin to Osheroff's background information, e.g., what inventory forms looked like or how they were filled out, than the direct knowledge in Cooper. Saldivar thus fails to meet an essential element of the original source requirement, that he have direct and independent knowledge of the information on which the allegations are based. 31 U.S.C.  3730(e)(4)(B) (2006) (emphasis added).

IV.

As we find that the allegations that are the basis of this complaint were publicly disclosed and that Saldivar is not an original source, the Court lacks jurisdiction to hear this case. We do not reach the merits of the motion for summary judgment granted by the court below.

The district court's grant of summary judgment on the merits is REVERSED and the case is remanded for entry of an order dismissing the case for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.

REVERSED AND REMANDED

FOOTNOTES

. This section was amended in 2010. The district court found that the old version of the statute applied in this case, citing Graham Cty. Soil & Water Conservation Dist. v. U.S. ex rel. Wilson, 559 U.S. 280, 283 (2010). Neither party has challenged that ruling. But because the pre-2010 version of the public disclosure bar was jurisdictional and subject matter jurisdiction cannot be created by waiver or forfeiture, we must determine for ourselves whether the district court was correct. See In re Bayou Shores SNF, LLC, 828 F.3d 1297, 1328 (11th Cir. 2016) (When the lower court lacks jurisdiction, we have jurisdiction on appeal, not of the merits but merely for the purpose of correcting the error of the lower court in entertaining the suit.) (internal quotation marks omitted).United States Supreme Court decisions  clearly indicat[e] that statutes that affect substantive, vested rightseven when framed in jurisdictional termsare still presumed to apply only prospectively. Johnson v. Conner, 754 F.3d 918, 921 (11th Cir. 2014). The 2010 amendments to the public disclosure bar changed the scope of the public disclosure defense available to Fresenius under the prior version of the False Claims Act. See United States ex rel. May v. Purdue Pharma L.P., 737 F.3d 908, 91419 (4th Cir. 2013). For that reason, we conclude that it is not retroactive and that Fresenius' conduct should be evaluated under the law as it existed at the time Fresenius submitted its allegedly false claims.As a result, we agree with the district court that the old version of the statute applies to the portion of Saldivar's claims arising from Fresenius' billing before the March 23, 2010 effective date of the 2010 amendments. See ex rel. May, 737 F.3d at 91419. We do not imply any view about whether the issues would be decided differently under the new version of the statute, except to the extent stated in the next paragraph, below.We need not decide what version of the statute applies to Fresenius' post-March 23, 2010 conduct, because Saldivar does not have any viable claims arising from it. Saldivar was terminated on December 18, 2009, so any knowledge he had about Fresenius' billing after that date must have been obtained secondhand or from public disclosures. And his independent knowledge does not materially add to what was already in the public domain. As a result, Saldivar is not an original source as to any of Fresenius' post-March 23, 2010 conduct under either version of the statute.

. Both Fresenius and the District Court note that CMS officials knewdue to the OIG investigationthat Fresenius was billing for overfill between 2000 and 2010. We need not reach the question of whether that alone is sufficient, see United States v. Chattanooga-Hamilton Cty. Hosp. Auth., 782 F.3d 260 (6th Cir. 2015), given that there were a number of public disclosures in this case.

. For example, in his Statement of the Case Saldivar wrote: In this False Claims Act (FCA) case, the Relator Chester Saldivar, standing in the shoes of the United States, alleged that Fresenius violated the FCA by billing the government for the overfill of injectable drugs it received from manufacturers at no cost. Saldivar's brief does not argue that the use of overfill was fraudulent.

ROYCE C. LAMBERTH, District Judge:
United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. SHARON T. THOMAS, Plaintiff - Appellant, v. THE SALVATION ARMY SOUTHERN TERRITORY; F. BRADFORD BAILEY; THE SALVATION ARMY; BOBBY LANCASTER; DERONDA METZ; BARBARA GREEN; VICTORY CHRISTIAN CENTER, INCORPORATED; CHURCH IN THE CITY MINISTRIES; CATHY DOE; FRIENDSHIP COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, My Sister's House Transitional Living Center; IRIS HUBBARD, Defendants - Appellees. No. 14-2214 Decided: November 08, 2016

Before WILKINSON and FLOYD, Circuit Judges, and Irene M. KEELEY, United States District Judge for the Northern District of West Virginia, sitting by designation. ARGUED: Gregory Dolin, UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE SCHOOL OF LAW, Baltimore, Maryland, for Appellant. Matthew David Lincoln, MOORE & VAN ALLEN PLLC, Charlotte, North Carolina, for Appellees. ON BRIEF: Catherine Florea, Third Year Law Student, Marie Langlois, Second Year Law Student, UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE SCHOOL OF LAW, Baltimore, Maryland, for Appellant.

Sharon Thomas appeals the dismissal under 28 U.S.C.  1915(e) of her claims against three charitable organizations, which she says unlawfully refused to admit her to homeless shelters because of her alleged mental health disability. We affirm the judgment of dismissal as modified to indicate that it be without prejudice.

I.

Thomas was receiving behavioral health services from Monarch Mental Health Care, a non-profit organization, when she became homeless on July 10, 2012. Monarch referred her to defendant Salvation Army. When she arrived at the Salvation Army shelter on July 12, 2012, Thomas completed some preliminary paperwork, agreed to follow the shelter's rules, and was admitted.

The Salvation Army shelter was crowded, and on July 16, a Salvation Army staff member informed Thomas that she would be transferred to defendant Church in the City, a shelter run by the third and final defendant, Victory Christian Center. During an intake interview with a Church in the City nurse, Thomas disclosed her mental health issues. In her complaint, Thomas describes Church in the City as having strict rules and as being very clean and quiet. J.A. 13. Thomas stayed at Church in the City for almost a month before being evicted, and she claims that she followed all of the shelter's rules during her stay.

While at Church in the City, Thomas visited the Salvation Army shelter twice. First, on July 19, Thomas completed the Salvation Army's official intake assessment paperwork. In this paperwork, Thomas disclosed that she was receiving behavioral mental health services and authorized the release of some medical information to the Salvation Army. Second, on July 31, Thomas went to the Salvation Army to see a doctor to get medication. Thomas does not specify what medication she was receiving, but she notes that the doctor referred her to a behavioral health center. On the same visit, Thomas met with her Salvation Army case manager. The meeting included a discussion of Thomas's mental health issues.

Thomas's problems with the shelters began on August 12, when Church in the City evicted her. The shelter did not give Thomas a reason for her ejection. Another woman was evicted at the same time for missing the shelter's curfew, though Thomas avers that she never missed curfew. Thomas's complaint notes that she had been given additional chores the day before  cleaning three showers instead of two  by a volunteer who had, a few weeks earlier, told Thomas not to question the Bible during a Bible study class.

From August 12 through August 15, Thomas tried and failed to be admitted to the Salvation Army shelter a number of times. Immediately after being ejected from Church in the City, Thomas went to the Salvation Army shelter. She was told that she would not be allowed to stay there if she had been ejected from Church in the City. That same day, Thomas was hospitalized for chest pains, and a hospital social worker called the Salvation Army on her behalf. The social worker was informed that Thomas's Salvation Army case worker had decided that Thomas would not be admitted to the Salvation Army shelter.

Thomas herself called the Salvation Army twice the next day, August 13. On the first phone call, Thomas's case manager told her that she had been ejected from Church in the City for violating curfew. This call ended after Thomas accused her case manager of acting unethically. On the second phone call, the director of the Salvation Army shelter told Thomas she had been ejected from Church in the City because she was not a good fit.

The following night, August 14, Thomas had nowhere to stay and went to the police department for help. Two police officers escorted her to the Salvation Army shelter, where she was again denied entry. This time, a staff member told Thomas that the director of the shelter had instructed her not to let Thomas stay. The staff member did not give a specific reason for that instruction but apparently believed it was due to mental health issues and that if Thomas received a mental health evaluation, she would be admitted to the shelter. Thomas went to a psychiatric emergency room and was examined by a psychiatrist. The next day, August 15, Thomas returned to the Salvation Army shelter with her psychiatric discharge papers. She was again refused admission to the shelter, though this time Thomas was not given a reason for the denial.

Thomas does not allege that she sought admission at the Salvation Army shelter after August 15, but she did continue to seek an answer for why she had been denied admission. On September 12, 2012, she received an email from the Area Commander for the Salvation Army, explaining that he had investigated her case and that the denial of services was justified because Thomas had exhibited disrespect and hostility toward the staff. J.A. 21. The Area Commander offered shelter if Thomas submitted to a mental health evaluation and stabilization services from a behavioral mental health organization. J.A. 21. In response, Thomas requested records of her stay and of the Salvation Army's relationship with Church in the City. On October 23, 2012, Thomas received an email from another Salvation Army employee, denying her request for records.

Nearly two years later, on July 24, 2014, Thomas filed this action in the Western District of North Carolina, moving to proceed in forma pauperis. The district court granted Thomas's motion. In the same order, however, the district court dismissed all of Thomas's claims under 28 U.S.C.  1915(e)(2)(B)(ii) for failure to state a claim on which relief could be granted. In addition, the district court warned Thomas that if she continued to file meritless lawsuits, it would require her to show cause as to why the court should not enter a pre-filing injunction against her. Thomas now appeals.

II.

Thomas challenges the dismissal of her claims under 42 U.S.C.  1983, 42 U.S.C.  1985, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Fair Housing Act (FHA), and the Rehabilitation Act. The district court dismissed these claims under 28 U.S.C.  1915(e)(2)(B)(ii). The standards for reviewing a dismissal under  1915(e)(2)(B)(ii) are the same as those for reviewing a dismissal under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). De'Lonta v. Angelone, 330 F.3d 630, 633 (4th Cir. 2003). Thus, we review this dismissal de novo and accept pleaded facts as true. King v. Rubenstein, 825 F.3d 206, 212, 214 (4th Cir. 2016). While we construe allegations in a pro se complaint liberally, a complaint still must contain enough facts to state a claim for relief that is plausible on its face.  Id. at 214 (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570 (2007)). We shall address each of Thomas's various claims in turn.

A.

Thomas's  1983 claim cannot proceed because none of the defendants are state actors. To state a claim under  1983, a plaintiff must allege that he was deprived of a right secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States, and that the alleged deprivation was committed under color of state law. Am. Mfrs. Mut. Ins. Co. v. Sullivan, 526 U.S. 40, 49-50 (1999). The color of law requirement excludes from its reach merely private conduct, no matter how discriminatory or wrongful. Id. at 50 (internal quotations omitted). In rare cases, the state can so dominate[ ] [private] activity as to convert it to state action. Philips v. Pitt Cnty. Mem'l Hosp., 572 F.3d 176, 181 (4th Cir. 2009). The defendants here are three private charities, and Thomas has not alleged any facts that even remotely suggest that defendants' actions were attributable to the state. Without state action, Thomas has no  1983 claim.

B.

Thomas's  1985 claim of a civil conspiracy between the Salvation Army and Church in the City must also be dismissed because there are no allegations to support the existence of any conspiracy. To bring a claim under 42 U.S.C.  1985, a plaintiff must show:

(1) a conspiracy of two or more persons, (2) who are motivated by a specific class-based, invidiously discriminatory animus to (3) deprive the plaintiff of the equal enjoyment of rights secured by the law to all, (4) and which results in injury to the plaintiff as (5) a consequence of an overt act committed by the defendants in connection with the conspiracy.

Simmons v. Poe, 47 F.3d 1370, 1376 (4th Cir. 1995). Allegations of parallel conduct and a bare assertion of a conspiracy are not enough for a claim to proceed. A Soc'y Without A Name v. Virginia, 655 F.3d 342, 347 (4th Cir. 2011) (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 556).

Thomas provides no facts to suggest that the Salvation Army and Church in the City conspired to do anything, much less to deprive her of rights because of her alleged mental disability. For example, Thomas claims that her Salvation Army identification badge included a mention of Church in the City and that she was told she could not return to the Salvation Army after being evicted from Church in the City. But these facts do not show any coordination or conspiracy  they simply show two charities working to help the same population of homeless people in Charlotte. Thomas's complaint offers only conclusory allegations that the Salvation Army conspired with Church in the City, and that is not enough to proceed on a claim under  1985.

C.

Thomas also raises a claim under the Americans with Disabilities Act but lacks standing to bring it. Title III of the ADA prevents discrimination on the basis of a disability in places of public accommodation. 42 U.S.C.  12182. It provides a private right of action for injunctive relief but no right of action for monetary relief. 42 U.S.C.  12188; see also Ervine v. Desert View Reg'l Med. Ctr. Holdings, LLC, 753 F.3d 862, 867 (9th Cir. 2014) (Damages are not an available remedy to individuals under Title III of the ADA; individuals may receive only injunctive relief.). Injunctive relief, however, is unavailable absent a showing of irreparable injury, a requirement that cannot be met where there is no showing of any real or immediate threat that the plaintiff will be wronged again. City of Los Angeles v. Lyons, 461 U.S. 95, 111 (1983).

Thomas fails to show any real or immediate threat that she will be wronged again. Any denial of access to the shelters occurred almost two years before Thomas filed this action. Her complaint does not allege that she is still homeless or that the defendants would still deny her access to the shelters because of her disability. Moreover, Thomas indicates that she filed her complaint due [to] the persistent and distressing memories and thoughts about the experiences of abuse and discrimination, J.A. 24, not to prevent future discrimination. Without the threat of future harm, Thomas is not entitled to injunctive relief and thus has no valid claim under Title III of the ADA.

In dismissing Thomas's ADA claim for failure to exhaust administrative remedies, the district court erred by characterizing her claim as an employment claim under Title I of the ADA. The district court was correct that Title I requires a plaintiff to exhaust administrative remedies by filing a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission before pursuing litigation in federal court. 42 U.S.C.  12117; see also Sydnor v. Fairfax Cnty., 681 F.3d 591, 593 (4th Cir. 2012). But because Thomas's claims do not concern her employment, they do not fall under Title I and thus are not subject to the administrative exhaustion requirement. McInerney v. Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., 505 F.3d 135, 138 (2d Cir. 2007) (per curiam) (Title III, unlike Title I, does not require administrative exhaustion.). Nonetheless, we may affirm the district court on alternate grounds, Cochran v. Morris, 73 F.3d 1310, 1315 (4th Cir. 1996) (en banc), and we have done so here.

In her original complaint, Thomas cites the sections of the ADA that comprise Title II. Title II, however, applies only to the services, programs, or activities of a public entity. 42 U.S.C.  12132; see also Pa. Dep't of Corr. v. Yeskey, 524 U.S. 206, 209 (1998). None of the defendants here are public entities, so Thomas cannot proceed under Title II of the ADA either.

D.

Thomas's FHA claim was properly dismissed because her complaint does not contain a plausible allegation of discrimination. As relevant here, the FHA makes it unlawful to make unavailable or deny  a dwelling to any buyer or renter because of a handicap, 42 U.S.C.  3604(f)(1), or to discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling  because of a handicap. 42 U.S.C.  3604(f)(2). A handicap is a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person's major life activities. 42 U.S.C.  3602(h). The Salvation Army argues that homeless shelters are not covered under  3604(f) because the residents are not buyers or renters and because a homeless shelter does not meet the definition of a dwelling under the FHA. Courts have differed on these points. See, e.g., Hunter ex rel. A.H. v. D.C., 64 F. Supp. 3d 158, 177 (D.D.C. 2014) (homeless shelter is a dwelling under the FHA); Intermountain Fair Hous. Council v. Boise Rescue Mission Ministries, 717 F. Supp. 2d 1101, 1109 (D. Idaho 2010), aff'd on other grounds, 657 F.3d 988 (9th Cir. 2011) (homeless shelter is not a dwelling under the FHA). We see no need to reach these questions here because Thomas's complaint independently suffers from serious defects, as discussed below.

One such defect is that Thomas's complaint fails to adequately identify her mental disability. Thomas provides limited evidence in her complaint that she has some type of mental illness  she received care from a behavioral health organization, she had an appointment with a doctor, and she was on medication. In her informal appellate brief, Thomas specifies her mental illness as a mood disorder. This evidence, though, does not suggest that her mental illness is a handicap covered by the FHA. Moreover, Thomas alleges that she was mentally stable and that the mental evaluation requested by the Salvation Army was unnecessary. J.A. 5, 20. These facts do not give rise to a reasonable inference, Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009), that Thomas is handicapped under the FHA.

Another defect is that Thomas's complaint does not draw a sufficient nexus of causation between whatever mental illness she may have and the defendants' actions. To state a claim under the FHA, Thomas must show that the defendants denied her housing because of her handicap. 42 U.S.C.  3604(f)(1). Thomas's allegation against Church in the City on this point is purely conclusory. Church in the City did not give Thomas a reason for the denial of shelter, and nothing in Thomas's complaint suggests that the denial was because of her alleged mental disability. While Thomas's allegations against the Salvation Army are somewhat more detailed, the complaint does not make a plausible allegation that the Salvation Army unlawfully denied Thomas shelter because of a mental disability. Even when construed liberally and with all reasonable inferences made in Thomas's favor, De'Lonta, 330 F.3d at 633, this is not a claim to relief that is plausible on its face, Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570.

The communications between the Salvation Army and Thomas indicate that the Salvation Army had legitimate reasons to be wary of admitting Thomas and sought reasonable reassurance that Thomas would not cause problems as a resident. The most detailed explanation of the Salvation Army's concerns was in the September 12, 2012 email sent by the Area Commander for the Salvation Army summarizing his investigation of Thomas's situation: Your actions during your time at the shelter exhibited disrespect and hostility toward the staff that was endeavoring to help you, therefore you were asked to leave the facility. J.A. 21. The email also offered shelter if Thomas would receive a mental health evaluation and stabilization services. J.A. 21. It is not reasonable to read this email as evidence that the Salvation Army refused to admit Thomas because of a mental disability. Rather, it is clear that the Salvation Army's decision to deny Thomas access was an effort to exercise prudence and to ensure that, with the support of appropriate medical evidence, any mental condition of hers was under control. This is consistent with the only other instance in Thomas's complaint of a Salvation Army staff member referencing her mental illness. In denying her access to the shelter, the staff member suggested Thomas would be readmitted if she obtained a mental health evaluation. J.A. 19.

The Salvation Army was within its rights to require reasonable steps to ensure that Thomas was stable before admitting her to the shelter. The Salvation Army is charged with protecting all of those in its shelters, and it simply cannot run the serious risk of admitting a resident who will be disruptive and may inflict harm on others. Admitting such a resident jeopardizes the safety of other residents and may subject the shelter to significant liability. See e.g. Corporan v. Barrier Free Living Inc., 19 N.Y.S.3d 160 (N.Y. App. Div. 2015) (affirming denial of homeless shelter's motion for summary judgment where factual issues existed as to whether fatal attack by resident was foreseeable); Keri Blakinger & Reuven Blau, NYC Shelter to Pay $1.2M to Stabbed Resident's Kin, N.Y. DAILY NEWS, March 31, 2016, at 22 (describing $1.2 million settlement in Corporan).

If denying access to an unstable applicant subjected a shelter to extended litigation and potential liability, the shelter would be faced with a difficult dilemma. Charitable organizations would be subject to liability whichever way they turned. Denial of access would lead to lawsuits like this one, and ill-advised grants of access could lead to staggering judgments against the charitable organization if another resident was seriously harmed. The time and expense involved in all of this would risk impairing the humane mission of sheltering homeless persons that is these organizations' very reason for being.

In fact, Congress anticipated this very problem and repeatedly declined to extend statutory protection to individuals who present a threat to public health or the safety of others. See 42 U.S.C.  3604(f)(9) (Nothing in [the FHA] requires that a dwelling be made available to an individual whose tenancy would constitute a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals or whose tenancy would result in substantial physical damage to the property of others.); 42 U.S.C.  12182(b)(3) (Nothing in [the ADA] shall require an entity to permit an individual to participate in or benefit from the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages and accommodations of such entity where such individual poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.); McGeshick v. Principi, 357 F.3d 1146, 1151 (10th Cir. 2004) ([I]t is a defense to claims under the Rehabilitation Act that [a plaintiff] may pose a direct threat to the welfare of others.). The district court was right not to put the shelter between a rock and a hard place by imposing liability for exercising prudence in the course of its admissions decisions.

In an effort to clear the bar of plausibility, Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678, Thomas claims in her complaint that [t]here were no instances  of conflict with staff, J.A. 21, but this assertion seems limited to her brief stay at the Salvation Army before she was transferred to the Church in the City. Her own descriptions of her later interactions with Salvation Army staff do not serve to undermine the Salvation Army's explanation. In fact, those descriptions indicate the possibility of hostility, including Thomas's accusations of unethical staff conduct and her threats of legal action. See J.A. 17, 20. Moreover, Thomas's alleged mental health problems are not inconsistent with hostile interactions with staff members. In short, these problems may have contributed to any unfortunate friction.

Thomas argues that she received different explanations from different Salvation Army staff members for refusing to admit her. These explanations, however, show once again the Salvation Army exercising caution when confronted with a potentially disruptive resident, and any minor inconsistencies are evidence of multiple shelter employees dealing with a difficult situation. Cf. Price v. Thompson, 380 F.3d 209, 217 n.5 (4th Cir. 2004) (finding inconsistencies that ar[o]se from reading applications hastily or from being nervous during depositions were not evidence of pretext).

Thomas also complains that the Salvation Army did not accept her discharge papers from the emergency room as a mental health evaluation. These papers were the result of a brief consultation and fell short of being the considered opinion of a mental health professional. The Salvation Army was under no obligation to accept such an abbreviated assessment as an adequate response to its offer of shelter if Thomas submitted to a fuller mental health evaluation from a behavioral health organization.

In sum, Thomas's complaint does not contain factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 678. Because we cannot make a reasonable inference from her complaint  even when liberally construed  that Thomas is handicapped under the FHA or that the defendants impermissibly denied Thomas shelter because of her mental illness, Thomas's FHA claim must be dismissed.

E.

Finally, Thomas's claim under the Rehabilitation Act was also properly dismissed. As with the ADA and the FHA, the Rehabilitation Act forbids discrimination based on a disability. The Rehabilitation Act, though, differs in two key ways. First, it applies only to programs receiving federal assistance. 29 U.S.C.  794; see also Disabled in Action v. Mayor & City Council of Baltimore, 685 F.2d 881, 883 (4th Cir. 1982). Second, the Rehabilitation Act requires that a plaintiff show that the exclusion was solely by reason of her or his disability. 29 U.S.C.  794. This is a stricter causation requirement than the ADA or FHA, under which the disability can be one of multiple causes. Halpern v. Wake Forest Univ. Health Scis., 669 F.3d 454, 461-62 (4th Cir. 2012) (To succeed on a claim under the Rehabilitation Act, the plaintiff must establish he was excluded solely by reason of his disability; the ADA requires only that the disability was a motivating cause of the exclusion.); Asbury v. Brougham, 866 F.2d 1276, 1279 (10th Cir. 1989) (holding the discriminatory reason need not be the only factor in the decision for a violation of the FHA).

Thomas's complaint alleges that the Salvation Army received federal funding; there is no similar allegation for Church in the City or Victory Christian Center. Assuming that the Salvation Army would be subject to the Rehabilitation Act, Thomas's claim should nonetheless be dismissed for the same reasons as her FHA claim. Thomas's complaint fails to allege (1) a mental illness that would qualify as a disability under the Act or (2) a nexus between the Salvation Army's decision not to admit her and her alleged mental disability. The heightened causation required for the Rehabilitation Act claim makes the inadequacy of Thomas's complaint even more apparent.

F.

Because we affirm the district court's dismissal of all of Thomas's federal claims, we also affirm its decision to decline to exercise supplemental jurisdiction and thus to dismiss Thomas's state law claims without prejudice. See Shanaghan v. Cahill, 58 F.3d 106, 110 (4th Cir. 1995).

III.

The district court was right to dismiss the complaint given its multiple deficiencies, namely the omission of the nature of any illness much less the presence of such illness as a causative agent of the Salvation Army's decision. The Salvation Army was justified in exercising prudence, protecting other residents and its staff, and requesting a more thorough evaluation of Thomas's mental health. Thomas has not thrown this reasonable explanation into plausible doubt. Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570. We therefore affirm the district court. We note that Thomas did not have an opportunity to respond before the district court dismissed her complaint sua sponte or an opportunity to amend her complaint. Thus, we modify the judgment only to the extent that the dismissal be without prejudice.

AFFIRMED AS MODIFIED

FOOTNOTES

. Thomas's original complaint named an additional charity  My Sister's House  and various employees of the charities as defendants. Her counseled brief advances arguments only against the Salvation Army, Church in the City, and Victory Christian Center. Because Thomas has waived claims against the other defendants, we address only her claims against the Salvation Army, Church in the City, and Victory Christian Center. See Slezak v. Evatt, 21 F.3d 590, 593 n.2 (4th Cir. 1994).

. Thomas advances arguments for her  1983 and  1985 claims in her informal brief but not in her counseled brief. Appellant's Reply Br. 2 n.1. We have held in similar circumstances that this results in waiver of the claims. Slezak, 21 F.3d at 593 n.2 (declining to consider issues not raised in counseled brief). Nonetheless, we will in the exercise of our discretion address her  1983 and  1985 claims.

. As the district court noted, Thomas has filed at least eight lawsuits in the Western District of North Carolina, prevailing in none, and at least five additional suits in the Middle District of North Carolina. J.A. 59. Our opinion herein does not reflect on whether Thomas should be subject to a pre-filing injunction, a matter we leave to the district court in the first instance.

WILKINSON, Circuit Judge:
Reed, a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania, said his attitude toward the upcoming election could be described in the title of his most recent column on former Sec. Hillary Clinton, "Vote for the Lying Neoliberal Warmonger: It's Important."
Types of obituaries

The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries  family obituaries and life stories.

A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries

A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories.
Pitzer says trash fix a goal by end of tenure

Pitzer still has a goal he would like to accomplish by April: finding a solution to the city's trash collection system.
The contentious presidential election lit up Twitter with users posting more than 1 billion tweets about the election since the Republican debates began in August 2015.

This has been called the Twitter Election, with every step of the campaign playing out in Tweets from voters, candidates, and journalists, wrote Bridget Coyne, Twitter's senior manager of government and politics, in a blog post.

That 1 billion tweets figure, however, was reported Monday night  the eve of the actual election.

That means if the campaigns, as well as everyday American users, take to Twitter to fret, argue and celebrate the results of todays election, that number could jump considerably.

Twitter reported at 11 a.m. today, at its peak, election-related tweets were coming in at 27,000 per minute.

Twitter This was the most retweeted tweet of the whole election cycle, according to Twitter.

At one point this morning, all but one U.S. Twitter Trend was about voting. At 1 p.m. ET, #pantsuit, #ElectionDay and #dedicatethevote were trending.

The presidential election has fueled Twitter over the past 18 months with political memes, live streamed debates, and millions of tweets and retweets praising and griping about the candidates and the issues.

Twitter said there were some spikes in tweets during the primaries, especially Super Tuesday on March 1, as well as during the Republican and Democratic national conventions in July.

However, the biggest spikes came during the presidential debates, when the Clinton and Trump campaigns worked to get out their messages and citizens tweeted their support of their favorite candidate or their derision of the one they opposed.

Twitter This was one of Donald Trump's most retweeted tweets.

The first of the three presidential debates was hailed as the most-tweeted debate in Twitter's history, according to the social media site, although the company did not release specific numbers about the number of tweets posted.

Republican nominee Donald Trump had the most tweeted moments during that first debate. The site lit up when Trump said he had a good temperament, when he commented on stop-and-frisk, and when the candidates talked about their plans for defeating ISIS.

During the course of the campaign however, Trumps most retweeted comments didnt come during the debates.

On July 20, he tweeted one of his most retweeted comments, writing, The media is spending more time doing a forensic analysis of Melania's speech than the FBI spent on Hillary's emails. Trump was referring to reports that his wife's speech at the Republican National Convention plagiarized a speech given by first lady Michelle Obama.

Another of Trumps most retweeted tweets was a comment he made about climate change, saying, The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive.

As for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, two of her most popular tweets were about Trump.

One came on June 9, when she tweeted, Delete your account, a slam to her opponent. Twitter said it was the most retweeted tweet of the entire election.

Another came on Sept. 26, when Clinton tweeted,  "I never said that." Donald Trump, who said that. #debatenight.

The election is dominating many people's thoughts and a lot of discussions so Im not surprised by the Twitter use, said Ezra Gottheil, an analyst with Technology Business Research. People are also using Facebook, but Twitter is better for rapid responses. People tweet about what is happening now, and what is on their minds. Also, Twitter has become a major communications channel for the campaigns.

While Gottheil said both campaigns have used Twitter well to get out there messages, Trump largely built his persona on it.

His tweets were a direct line between him and his core supporters, and his core supporters retweeted, replied, and commented, building the movement, he said. I think Twitter was what brought Trump supporters together, gave them permission to express things they might not otherwise share in public, and built a movement out of millions of disparate people.

Trump also used Twitter to go after his opponents and critics, garnering negative attention for some of his more vitriolic tweets.

I think [Trump's] use of Twitter ultimately hurt him, said Zeus Kerravala, an analyst with ZK Research. Hes viewed by some as a loose cannon and too unstable to be president. He took to Twitter with some crazy tweets, proving the point. Republicans, by definition, are conservative, and his use of Twitter was most certainly not.

But Gottheil said Trumps use of Twitter helped galvanize his political image as a fighter.

Twitter was Trumps most powerful tool, he added.

Even if it sometimes backfired on him, it also kept motivating the base and sometimes amplified his message, Gottheil said. He's a great Twitter stylist.

As for the most tweeted issues, foreign affairs has the most, garnering 50 million tweets; there were 29 million tweets on terorrism, 25 million on the U.S. economy, 19 million on gun issues and 18 million on cybersecurity.
President-elect Donald Trump realized early in his campaign that U.S. IT workers were angry over training foreign visa-holding replacements. He knew this anger was volcanic.

Trump is the first major U.S. presidential candidate in this race -- or any previous presidential race -- to focus on the use of the H-1B visa to displace IT workers. He asked former Disney IT employees, upset over having to train foreign replacements, to speak at his rallies.

"The fact is that Americans are losing their jobs to foreigners," said Dena Moore, a former Disney IT worker at a Trump rally in Alabama in February. "I believe Mr. Trump is for Americans first."

Photo courtesy of Leo Perrero Leo Perrero, center, a former Disney IT employee, is flanked by U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), left, and presidential candidate Donald Trump at a Trump rally where Perrero spoke of his experience of being laid off last year after training his visa-holding replacement.

Trump teamed up with Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) to draft an H-1B platform that makes the visa more expensive to use and protects U.S. workers from displacement. Sessions, who heads the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, was the first senator to endorse Trump.

Trump didn't raise the H-1B issue often in his speeches and during one debate appeared to waver in his support for reform, but for the most part, he was consistent.

Trump, in a speech last month in Ohio directed at millennial-age voters, called the outsourcing of jobs for "college-educated kids" a "tremendous threat."

"Companies are importing low-wage workers on H-1B visas to take jobs from young college-trained Americans," he said at this rally. "You've been seeing that and you've been hearing that. We will protect these jobs for all Americans, believe me."

As president, Trump might be able to work with a bipartisan group of senators who want to see H-1B program reforms. But any reform effort will face powerful and entrenched opposition in Congress from members of both parties. The business opposition will be tremendous.

Trump has not held office and has no real experience in working with Congress. There will be questions, doubt and skepticism about his ability to maintain his campaign resolve as president. Silicon Valley will fight hard, and if an H-1B bill leaves Congress and reaches the president's desk, the visa reforms will likely be aimed at India-based IT services companies that rely heavily on temporary visas.

A President Trump will have powers independent of Congress to change visa programs. The Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension, for instance, was created by executive order under the President George W. Bush administration and expanded by President Barack Obama.

The OPT program allows STEM students on an F-1 visa to work in the U.S. for up to three years without an H-1B visa. Critics have called it a backdoor H-1B visa, and it could be changed by the president's signature.

Curbing the H-1B visa doesn't eliminate offshore outsourcing. Visa restrictions may complicate the ability of the IT services industry to work in the U.S., but they may have little impact on offshore outsourcing. Business models will adjust. The bigger problem facing Trump is making it more attractive for firms to keep the jobs in the U.S.

In dealing with Congress on the H-1B issue, Sessions will play a key role.

Sessions has drawn repeated attention to the use of H-1B workers to replace U.S. IT workers, and made it a mission to give "voice" to displaced workers. His committee reached out to affected workers at Southern California Edison and other companies and heard testimony from one displaced former IT employee at Disney.

Several years ago, Sessions delivered a message to his colleagues that may chill Silicon Valley in the wake of Trump's win.

"The tech industry's promotion of expanded temporary visas -- such as the H-1B -- and green cards is driven by its desire for cheap, young and immobile labor," Sessions wrote in a memo to fellow lawmakers in 2013.

Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton never once mentioned the H-1B issue in this campaign, but she saw the problem.

Clinton, in an interview with Vox, said that "everybody with six degrees of separation either knows or thinks they know someone who knows somebody who lost a job to an undocumented worker or to a worker brought over on a visa to do their job. There's just a lot of churn that suggests this is a real problem."

What Clinton described is the definition of viral, and she was right. For nearly 25 years, IT workers have been complaining of training their foreign replacements and the anger had indeed gone viral. Trump used that, Clinton did not.
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"Star Wars Rebels" season 3 spoilers are out, and the good news for fans of the series is that the Mandalorians will remain a force to be reckoned with. In fact, the warrior race is expected to play a more prominent role in the scheme of things as the series moves forward.

In the meantime, Sabine's (Tia Sircar) heroic efforts during season 2 have increased her importance to the Rebel Alliance. Now that she has proven her worth to the group, more important tasks may lie ahead for her in season 3.

This newfound respect for Sabine's abilities was confirmed by Taylor Gray (voice of Ezra Bridger) in a video posted on the official YouTube channel of the franchise. In a giveaway of "Star Wars Rebels" season 3 spoilers, Gray bared that the shift of Fenn Rau's (Kevin McKidd) alliance to the rebels will strengthen their position against the Empire, according to the International Business Times.

With the Mandalorians and the rebels now united, Gray said the Alliance now has a better appreciation of what Sabine can do for the movement. For his part, Lucasfilm story group member Pablo Hidalgo shared that the third season of CGI-driven sci-fi series has given them a chance to explore Mandalore and look back at the ties that bind the young rebel and her home planet.

In the meantime, the show's Co-executive Producer Henry Gilroy stressed the importance of Sabine to the Rebel Alliance. He also noted how recruiting a fighter from her world will help strengthen the insurgent movement achieve its objectives.

Meanwhile, "Star Wars Rebels" season 3 episode 7 spoilers also disclosed that the Mandalorians will be making a comeback, as the rebels head back to Concorde Dawn after their communication links with the Protectors of the Broken World were cut off, according to Heavy. In the episode, Sabine teams up with Fenn Rau who made his last appearance in episode 2.

It can be recalled that Rau was abducted by the rebels in that particular episode. Due to their alliance, the Protectors gave the Alliance safe passage.

To get your dose of the latest "Star Wars Rebels" season 3 spoilers, please stay locked into this site.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
While Bright School students are too young to vote in the presidential election, they are all old enough to learn about leadership and the right to vote.

Students, teachers and staff cast their ballots on Tuesday for president, selecting from among six candidates who are literary characters and nominated by each grade. The overwhelming winner was Hermione Granger of Harry Potter fame.

The school chose this year to break from tradition of having a mock debate and election using the real presidential candidates. Each grade decided its own candidate based on a book they had recently read and on the qualities they believe good leaders should possess. Students made posters and created a campaign advertisement that was broadcast on WTBS, which is a morning program run by fifth graders on the intercom system.

Finally, the school held a convention last Friday to introduce each candidate to the school. The candidates were Katie Stagliano from Katies Cabbage (kindergarten), Charlotte from Charlottes Web (first grade), Flat Stanley (second grade), Willy Wonka (third grade), Despereaux (fourth grade) and Hermione Granger (fifth grade). Miss Granger, played by Grace Cannon, said at the convention: I promise to work hard for each one of you and make this world a wonderful place to live in.

Our intention is to help our students focus on what is most important in our countrys presidential election. They hear all sorts of comments and explanations of whats happening in our country at the moment, but we want to give them the chance to sort through all of the chatter and come to understand the deep significance of the democratic process, said Head of School O.J. Morgan.

As citizens of the United States, they will soon be given the opportunity to exercise their most precious rightthe freedom to choose their countrys leadersa right for which many have given their lives to protect. As free and educated human beings, they will have a voice in determining their future and the future of their country.

Prior to the election, students filled out a voter registration card, which they presented at the polling location on the concourse. Fifth graders verified and stamped the card, helped younger students take their ballots to the private booths and showed them how to fold their ballots to put into the ballot boxes.

The election project was overseen by first grade teacher Merrill Levine and Math Academy and reading teacher Diane Kemp. Parents, alumni and absent students had the chance to vote online via Facebook and Twitter.
Fernando Alonso has set his sights on getting back into the points for this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix as he looks to consolidate his top ten in the overall standings.

The Spaniard is currently tenth with two races of the 2016 season remaining, but only one point ahead of Felipe Massa coming to his rival's home event in Brazil.

Following a point-less weekend last time out in Mexico, Alonso is optimistic McLaren-Honda will be more competitive at Interlagos.

"Sitting on the grid ahead of the race is one of those unique Formula 1 sensations: the crowd seems to loom over you; really in your face, very close. The atmosphere and intensity are always amazing.

"After a disappointing weekend in Mexico, I think we'll be looking to bounce back in Brazil. One of our aims will be to make the most of practice and qualifying, and give ourselves the best chance of maintaining a better position during the race."

A year on from Alonso inadvertently going viral with his own meme #PlacesAlonsoWouldRatherBe after choosing to 'sunbathe' on a deckchair at the side of the track when his McLaren-Honda suffered another technical issue, Yusuke Hasegawa is hoping this year's event makes headlines for the right reasons.

FLASHBACK: Best of 2015: #PlacesAlonswouldratherbe

What on earth is this hahaha pic.twitter.com/DKDfiIKFpU-- McLaren Soul (@McLaren_Soul) November 14, 2015

"The Brazilian Grand Prix is always a special place for Honda due to our history with the great Ayrton Senna. We receive a warm welcome from the local fans every time we go there and that has always been the power that fuels us over the weekend.

"The classic track at Interlagos, however, is a challenging one. The swooping corners and the consecutive quick elevation changes make for beautiful scenery, but these turns ask a lot of the car balance. The track is also narrow, and the infield section is slow and twisty, so overtaking is always going to be difficult.

"Last year, we made more noise in qualifying with Fernando on social media than we did on the track. This year, we know that we can show our progress to our fans in Brazil with a better performance, and we're hoping for a good weekend of racing."

FEATURE: 6 things to watch out for at the Brazilian GP

Latest Tweets from Crash.net & GPF1rst
Tennessees 2016-17 gun hunting season for deer opens Saturday, Nov. 19. Deer gun season has the traditional opening date of the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving.

During gun season, sportsmen may also use muzzleloader or archery equipment. As the gun season begins, sportsmen are reminded of changes made for the 2016-17 season in regard to the definition of antlered deer.

Anyone born on or after January 1, 1969 is required to carry proof of satisfactory completion of a hunter education class or be in possession of the Apprentice Hunting License (along with other required licenses) while hunting any species in Tennessee.

For more information about Tennessees 2016-17 deer hunting seasons, refer to the 2016-17 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide available at all license agents, TWRA regional offices in Jackson, Nashville, Crossville, and Morristown or on the TWRA website at www.tnwildlife.org.

An antlered deer is now defined as any male or female deer with an antler protruding above its hairline. An antlerless deer is now defined as any deer with no antler protruding above its hairline.

The new definition was established by the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission at its season-setting meeting this past May. The definition is also listed with photo examples on page 23 of the 2016-17 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide as produced by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Male fawns with no antler protruding above the hairline do not count toward a hunters antlered bag limit, rather toward the hunters antlerless bag limits. Deer having already shed their antlers and does without antlers are also considered antlerless.

Male fawns with an antler protruding above the hairline do count toward a hunters antlered bag limit, since the deer does have antler(s) as opposed to hair covered pedicles (i.e., antler attachment point to the skull). Velvet antlered deer are also considered antlered.

This is the second year that the statewide bag limit for antlered deer is now two. The number includes those taken during the archery only, muzzleloader, and gun seasons.

Unit C and D are new management units this year. Unit C includes Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Jefferson, Unicoi, Union, and Washington counties. Unit D includes the four counties of Blount, Monroe, Polk, and Sevier. The complete deer hunting units are listed on page 22 of the Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide.

Since archery only season began in late September, there have been 30,505 deer harvested through the first weekend of muzzleloader season, which also includes the Young Sportsman Hunt in late October. Temperatures have been above normal this fall across the state. The total is 2,341 less than through the same period in 2015.
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Solution Providers: Small Businesses Stand To Gain In Trump Presidency

Kyle Alspach

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President-Elect Donald Trump's background in business and his pledges to lower business taxes and push for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act bode well for small businesses, solutions providers told CRN Wednesday during an SMB-focused trade show in Pennsylvania.

At D&H Distributing's Mid-Atlantic Fall Technology Trade Show in Hershey, Pa., solutions providers who spoke with CRN were mostly upbeat about the implications for the small-business world in Trump's defeat of former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

[Related: Solution Providers Hopeful Trump Presidency Will Bring Tax Relief, Health Care Fixes And Regulatory Reform]

Bob Swensen, president of Towson, Md.-based Total Technology Solutions, said he serves clients with as few as two computers and as many as 120and those smaller-sized businesses "just don't want to spend any more" in the current economic climate. He's optimistic that things will change during Trump's presidency.

"I think we can turn the economy around and grow the economy. I'm hoping it's going to open up some of the wallets," Swensen said. "He's a businessman, and if we run things like a business, I think it's going to help the economy a lot."

Different policies around health careincluding a repeal of the Affordable Care Actwould go a long way to helping the economic situation faced by small businesses, he said. "Costs have gone up incredibly with Obamacare," Swensen said.

Steve Torbick, owner of Blairstown, N.J.-based TESS Associates, echoed the sentiments around the Affordable Care Act and Trump's business background.

"I'm not sure if we should throw the whole [Affordable Care Act] out, but we have to do something about the fact that insurance costs are through the roof," Torbick said.

Meanwhile, Trump "is a CEO, and I'm hoping he surrounds himself with people who are really good in their fields and they start fixing this [expletive]," he added. "For eight years we've had a guy who never ran anything. The U.S. is a business, and it has to be run that way."

Jonathan Brewer, a partner at Elkridge, Md.-based Millennium Computers, said he believes a repeal of the Affordable Care Act might help his own business because it could create an opportunity for providing solutions to small health care agentsmany of which he said have been put out of business by the act.

Lynn Thames, owner of Wynnewood, Pa.-based Thames Computer Consulting, disagreed with the claim that a repeal of the Affordable Care Act would help small businesses, however.

Thames said she works with business owners who receive their health insurance through the system set up by the Affordable Care Act, including one business owner with a pre-existing condition who has seen far lower costs as a result of the federal system.

"If the Affordable Care Act is repealed, that's a big impact" on such business owners, Thames said.

Thames said she also has clients in the nonprofit world who could be hurt under a Trump presidency. "Do I think the Republicans care about nonprofits? No," she said.

Other industries served by solution providers could stand to benefit, however. Christopher Regalis, senior hardware manager for Pittston, Pa.-based C3i, said his firm is focused on serving pharmaceutical clients and said Trump is "probably better for the 'pharma' world" than Clinton.

That's because Trump appears to favor less regulation in the pharmaceutical industry while Clinton has appeared to favor more, said Regalis, whose firm serves both large and small pharmaceutical companies.

Taxes on businesses were another issue raised by a number of solutions providers who spoke with CRN. Trump has at times said he would favor a lower tax rate for all businessesas low as 15 percent.

Lower taxes for small businesses is "always a hope," said Zack Ley, controller at Houston-based PennComp. "Tax reform has been a long time coming."

All in all, for a Trump presidency, "I don't see it hurting" the small business world, Ley said.

Millennium Computers' Brewer is not sure that a tax cut should be the first order of business for the Trump Administration, however.

"We've first got to turn the economy around and start making money again," Brewer said.
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Solution Providers Hopeful Trump Presidency Will Bring Tax Relief, Health Care Fixes And Regulatory Reform

Steven Burke and Michael Novinson

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Solution providers Wednesday said they are hopeful that the election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president will bring much needed tax relief, health care cost improvements and regulatory reform, particularly for small businesses.

"I am excited because I think there is going to be some tax relief and hopefully fewer regulations going forward," said Rick Chernick, CEO of Camera Corner Connecting Point of Green Bay, Wis., a state that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was heavily favored to win but was taken by Trump, the first Republican to win the state since the 1984 election. "I am hoping this is going to make it easier to do business and bring some fun back to doing business."

[Video: What Do Solution Providers Want From The Election?]

"Right now it is so stressful because every time you turn around there are more regulations that we have to deal with to keep up with that the government throws at us," said Chernick, who has grown Camera Corner Connecting Point from a small camera store that his father founded in 1953 into one of the top technology services companies in the country. "It is ridiculous. It truly has taken the fun out of being in business."

Trump won the Nov. 8 election for the 45th president of the U.S. with 279 electoral college votes. He needed 270 to win. Clinton won 228 electoral votes and appears to have won the popular vote with 59,600,327 votes to Trumps 59,389,590 according to results posted by the Journal Wednesday afternoon, showcasing the divisiveness of a campaign that turned caustic at times on issues such as immigration, race and trade policies.

Not all solution providers were ebullient about the Trump victory. "Trump scares me," said the CEO for a large national solution provider, who did not want to be identified. "He has a bad combination of enormous ego and the lack of any true experience and knowledge as to that it really takes to get things done. That is a bad combination. I can't picture Trump running anything. He just can't see out of his shadow."

A CRN poll of 1,300 solution providers that ran from Oct. 6 through Nov. 4 showed 46 percent of respondents felt Trump would be the better candidate for business, with 44 percent saying Clinton would be the better candidate. But that result showed a tremendous narrowing of the gap by Clinton in the month leading up to the election. Clinton trailed Trump by 14 percentage points in the same CRN poll the previous month.

Chernick, who voted for Trump, said he did not tell any of his employees who he was voting for, but did urge his employees to exercise "your God given right to vote. People have fought for our freedoms don't let them down."

Chernick, who Wednesday was at a customer meeting in Louisville, said he has gotten numerous emails from his employees excited about the Trump victory. "People are saying, 'You are quiet, boss," he said. "I never told anyone who I was voting for until now. I just let it go. My people made their own choice. It seems it was a heavy Trump vote. The people spoke last night."

Among the biggest hits to his business in recent years, Chernick said, are the paperwork and expenses associated with the Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as "Obamacare." "There are lots of things that we have to do with filling out forms and record-keeping," he said. "It is a cumbersome amount of things we have to do as a small business. It is miserable."

Another big hit to his business  a $10,000 audit fee that companies with more than 100 employees must undertake to comply with federal regulations related to the company's profit sharing plan. "It's that kind of regulation that makes companies not want to go over 100 employees," he said.

Solution provider Knowledge Information Systems (KIS) is also struggling with government regulation, said President Augie Riolo. KIS is based in Virginia Beach, Virg., a state that went to Trump's Democratic adversary, Clinton. KIS works extensively with the U.S. government, and the terms and conditions for contracts of more than $100,000 require extensive reporting on everything ranging from management salaries to the demographic breakdown of the solution provider's workforce, Riolo said.

"The level of intrusion is incredibly burdensome," Riolo said. "It is a problem for businesses dealing with the United States government," he said.

Major contractors often add the cost of the reporting back to the contract, Riolo said. But for smaller solution providers in a competitive market, adding that reporting cost to the overall contract amount can result in being priced out of the market, Riolo said.

Riolo also hopes Trump will provide relief to the increasing health care costs KIS has faced since the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. KIS has seen its health care costs increase by at least 3 percent every year since then, said Riolo, who is worried that his company could see a double-digit increase in healthcare costs going into 2017. "Anything of that size is a concern," he said.

Michael Goldstein, CEO LAN Infotech, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a state that was also won by Trump, said a mandate from the American people for "change" and relief for small businesses was key to the Trump victory.

"Everyone is looking for change," said Goldstein, noting he is looking for health care, tax and regulatory relief. "Small businesses have been suffering with rising taxes, health care costs and regulations. If we can get tax and regulatory relief, it is going to make us all feel better so we can just get on with doing business. Whether you are for or against Trump, now is the time for us all to come together as a country and get back to business."

Bob Venero, CEO of Holbrook, N.Y.-based solution provider Future Tech, Bob Venero, CEO of Holbrook, N.Y.-based solution provider Future Tech, said he is excited to have a "business man" running the country.

"Finally we are going to have someone bringing a business acumen to a country that drastically needs it," he said. "If you took Americas P and L (profit and loss statement) and put that into most corporations, we would have been bankrupt a long time ago. We have got to be fiscally responsible and make America everything it can and should be again."

Venero said he is also excited about Trump's plan to reinvigorate the economy by bringing more manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. "I applaud his drive to have more manufacturing done in the U.S.," he said. "Letting other countries do the work that should be done with the blood, sweat and tears of Americans is draining our knowledge base and our value."

Future Tech for its part has been driving more jobs for U.S. military veterans through a 10-year-old subsidiary called InSource America Veteran Series. The subsidiary provides technology services training and employment for veterans and has placed 80 veterans with companies throughout the country. "We're continuing to grow InSource America," he said.

Kevin McDonald, executive vice president and chief information security officer at Irvine, Calif.-based Alvaka Networks, said Trump could help ease the regulatory environment that plagues small businesses today, particularly as it relates to the Affordable Care Act and reporting requirements for companies that work with the federal government. Alvaka's home state of California was won by Clinton.

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McDonald sees Trump's conservative positions as a bit of showmanship since the real estate mogul and reality TV personality has occupied the middle of the political spectrum for most of his public career. "I think Trump is a lot less extreme than people think he is," McDonald said.

The CEO for a Southeast solution provider, who did not want to be identified, said he is excited that Trump, who has built a number of successful businesses, will implement policies that will help create more jobs. "Trump is going to be good for businesses," he said. "He is going to reduce taxes, repatriate tax money from overseas. You can't keep taxing businesses and the rich and think you are going to take care of the deficit. That is not the right formula. We need to create more jobs."

A CEO for a large Northeast solution provider, who did not want to be identified, said Trump benefitted from Clinton's focus on redistributing wealth. "The government can't be in the business of redistributing wealth," he said. "It is widely accepted that there is a wage gap, but to redistribute wealth is like going into a top performing school and saying there are too many smart people."

Camera Corner Connecting Point's Chernick has one piece of advice for Trump: "Don't let us down. Follow through and give us what you promised. Deliver tax and regulatory relief. Help small businesses succeed."

Additional Reporting By Phil Harvey
Internet of things News

Solutions Provider GTS and Cradlepoint Help San Antonio Become A Smart(er) City

Lindsey O'Donnell

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Before solution provider GTS Technology Solutions came into the picture, the City of San Antonio's staff members were unable to access almost half of the city's 1,400 intersections to help mitigate traffic.

San Antonio's legacy system, which officials need to access consistently to centrally monitor key applications, troubleshoot problems and adjust the clocks that synchronize traffic lights and flow, was paving the way for disastrous traffic headaches in a sprawling city that is populated by 1.4 million  and still growing.

"As the commutes for our motorists began to slow, we knew we had to implement a new solution that would address our network communication issues. However, this could be a huge, intimidating undertaking for a staff of just 16 individuals," said Marc Jacobson, a manager at San Antonio's Traffic Management Center, said in a press release issued by Cradlepoint.

[Related: Intel To Buy VR Specialist VOKE As It Pushes 'Merged Reality' Vision]

San Antonio began to work with vendor Cradlepoint and solution provider GTS Technology Solutions to modernize its traffic management system to meet high population growth expectations through smart city technology.

Austin-based GTS Technology Solutions, which works with government, education and private entity clients, specializes in rugged mobility and consultative services.

But more recently, the service provider worked with Cradlepoint to streamline San Antonio's traffic management system to support end-to-end communication across the city's network, and reducing the amount of resources needed to maintain the network.

"A lot of cities are starting to realize that the value equation of leveraging LTE is pretty powerful," said Herschel Sova, regional account manager for mobility at GTS Technology Solutions. "We work with Cradlepoint and the carriers to have a consistent message  pick a product we know we can support. Having those relationships with the manufacturers is essential for us to provide consolidated ecosystems of technology."

Before the city began utilizing smart city solutions, San Antonio's legacy network included a mesh of a dozen radio towers and 300 wired and wireless access points that served as reference nodes to the rest of the network. However, its legacy infrastructure performed inconsistently, only allowing staff to engage with about 60 percent of the citys intersections, according to Sova.

That's a big problem for a city that has grown nonstop over the past five years, and whose population is expected to grow by an additional 1.1 million by 2040, according to the San Antonio Express News. Even without that projected growth, San Antonio commuters already currently face an extra 25 minutes of travel time per day compared to uncongested roads, according to navigation solutions company TomTom.

After joining the project in March 2015, GTS Technology Solutions worked with San Antonio to test the Cradlepoint devices the partner recommended for evaluation  the cloud-managed COR IBR1100 LTE routers.

After the testing process, the partner continued to work with San Antonio to plan out how many intersections the city could sustain to deploy and how many resources in the field it needed.

Being able to work with an array of manufacturers is essential for building out smart city solutions, stressed Sova.

"The biggest thing for me and our reps is working with manufacturers that are willing to roll up their sleeves and work arm and arm with us," he said. " GTS has built our name on having those deep relationships and getting that support."

San Antonio began using Cradlepoint solutions for cloud-managed LTE connectivity for its traffic network across the city's nearly 1,400 intersections  totaling about 800 Cradlepoint devices. The city now has visibility, consistently, across its traffic network and it can start gathering data and applying changes that help quicken daily commutes.

"GTS has unique capabilities around cellular capabilities, and that coupled with its knowledge of systems and networking components, professional services, and the relationships with manufacturers is essential to making a smart city work," said Adam Rodriguez, territory manager for Cradlepoint.
Mobility News

VMware COO: New GM Will Take End User Computing Business To '$2B And Beyond'

Joseph F. Kovar

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VMware COO Sanjay Poonen Tuesday told partners in an email blast that his hand-picked successor, Sumit Dhawan, is poised to take the End User Computing (EUC) business from more than $1 billion to "2 billion and beyond."

Poonen, who took the EUC business from $300 million to more than $1 billion in just three years, said he has been "grooming" Dhawan as his successor for the last few years.

In the email, Poonen informed partners directly for the first time about his move last month from general manager of the EUC business to COO of VMware.

[Related: VMware Enhances End-User Computing Capabilities With Improved Container Support, Better Mobility Management]

As COO, Poonen is now responsible for the $7 billion company's software business and all customer operations, including sales, marketing, consulting, ecosystem and portfolio product marketing.

"In my new role as COO, I look forward to driving customer-centric innovation and operational excellence at VMware - which is not just the 4th largest software company today - but is an incredibly dynamic company - with the most talented employees, loyal customers and force-multiplying partners in the industry  all of you!!!," said Poonen in the email.

Furthermore, he urged partners to establish an "active dialog" with Dhawan. "He's going to do a great job and will take EUC, to $2B and beyond!," wrote Poonen. "I will continue to be a strong EUC advocate, as we continue product innovation and share gains in the market."

That message was music to the ears of Jamie Shepard, senior vice president for healthcare and strategy for Lumenate, a Dallas-based solution provider and VMware channel partner which has been building a combined end-user and mobility practice since 2008.

"I wish this would've happened a year ago," Shepard told CRN. "VMware is now a year behind where it could have been, but it's still a year ahead of the rest of the industry."

Shepard and other partners expect big potential sales gains ahead in the VMware EUC business.

London, U.K.-based research firm Technavio, for its part, expects the market for virtual desktop infrastructure, a key component of the future of end-user computing, will enjoy a cumulative annual growth rate of over 27 percent between 2016 to 2020.

VMware has for the last several years been moving aggressively to match business customers' move to connected and mobile devices, and made a couple of key acquisitions, Shepard said. These included the VMware's 2013 buy of Desktone, a provider of desktop-as-a-service technology, and VMware's 2014 purchase of AirWatch, a provider of mobile device and application management technology.

The Desktone and AirWatch acquisitions were made while Poonen was managing VMware's EUC business.

"When VMware acquired AirWatch, it realized desktops were not just being used where they had traditionally been used," Shepard said. "They saw employees working all over the place, with a big mobile focus. Sanjay has proven to be a real stud in this market."

VMware with its Workspace One enterprise mobility management technology, which combines some its end-user computing technologies with things like security and reference architectures, is going beyond what others in the mobile workspace field like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have done, Shepard said.

"This is an evolving space," he said. "It's the start of the evolution of mobility. That's why I wish the re-alignment of VMware's end-user computing business had been done a year ago."

VMware under Poonen knows the key to winning in the mobility market is not to build another virtual desktop, Shepard said. "It's about how to build everything around it," he said. "It's a disruptive business, and it's important to see how a company like VMware approaches it."

Neither Poonen nor Dhawan was available to provide more information.

However, in his email, Poonen wrote that VMware in three years turned its End-User Computing division from a $300-million business that was perceived as an industry "laggard" to a billion-dollar-business leading the market.
Networking News

Cisco's John Chambers Votes For Hillary Clinton

Mark Haranas

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For the first time in his life, John Chambers, Cisco's executive chairman, and former CEO, voted for a Democrat in the U.S. presidential election.

"This will be the first time in my lifetime Im voting for a Democrat," said Chambers, speaking on in front of thousands of attendees inside the MEO Arena in Portugal on Tuesday at Web Summit 2016. "I voted for Hillary Clinton. Ive already voted."

"I hope that the new leader, whoever they are, and I hope that it will be Hillary, will bring our country back to participation by all groups and talk about how technology will enable not just ten percent of our population, but all of our population," said Chambers. "We'll see if that happens or not."

[Related: Which One Of These Security Companies Will Cisco Buy Next?]

Chambers identified himself as a moderate Republican, which is an "endangered species," he said.

"I support both Democrats and Republicans on many issues. Im more interested in where they [stand] on technology," said Chambers. "I think Hillary has the best chance of getting America back on track. We haven't had a pay raise in 15 years that's stuck. And that's why you see a lot of America angry."

Chambers is not the only Republican technology leader who voted for the Democratic nominee.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise CEO Meg Whitman, a lifelong Republican and fund-raising supporter of the Republican Party, has been vocal in supporting Clinton during the 2016 Presidential Campaign once Donald Trump was named the Republican nominee. Whitman went so far to co-hosted a campaign event for Clinton in September in Silicon Valley.

Chambers became president and CEO of Cisco in 1995 when the San Jose, Calif-based networking giant was pulling in $70 million in annual revenue. By the end of his 20-year tenure, Cisco reported revenue of more than $49 billion for the fiscal year 2015, before handing the reigns off to Chuck Robbins.

Chambers was a keynote speaker at the Web Summit taking place in Lisbon, Portugal from Nov. 7 to Nov. 10.
Networking News

Major Nutanix Software Update Expands Hyper-converged Infrastructure With New SDN, Security Capabilities

Joseph F. Kovar

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Nutanix has unveiled some significant new software-defined networking (SDN), automation and orchestration capabilities to its hyper-converged infrastructure appliance line.

The new enhancements, announced Wednesday, include monitoring and managing external physical and virtual networks and micro-segmenting workloads for enhanced security and management. The update is part of a move by Nutanix to better manage modern and enterprise-class workloads, said Greg Smith, senior director of product and technical marketing for the San Jose, Calif.-based hyper-converged infrastructure vendor.

The expanded solution set was unveiled at Nutanix's .NEXT Europe conference in Vienna.

[Related: CRN Exclusive: Nutanix, SimpliVity, Pivot3 Are Tops In New Forrester Hyper-Converged Report ]

Smith told CRN there are three main areas where the Nutanix line of hyper-converged infrastructure appliances is being expanded.

"These three new enhancements fall under our new one-click networking solution," he said. "This is the first time for us to managing the networking. It is part of a longer-term strategy to run our technology across public and private clouds, on-premises and in heterogeneous environments."

The enhancements are in line with what Nutanix channel partners were expecting from the company, said Mike Strohl, CEO of Entisys360, a Concord, Calif.-based solution provider and Nutanix partner. "Nutanix is removing layers of complexity to increase the types of workloads that work on its solutions while adding a more secure environment," Strohl told CRN.

The first enhancement is that Nutanix is adding increased visibility and management across both physical and software-defined networks to which the appliances are connected.

As part of the enhancement, the Nutanix Prism software stack will provide a comprehensive application-centric visualization of the physical and virtual network topology, Smith said. This includes detailed views of how individual virtual machines connect to the physical and virtual network infrastructure, along with detailed networking health and performance data.

"Now we can begin to manage and change policies across the networking infrastructure," he said. "An application running on Nutanix needs APIs to communicate with devices on the network. Now the Nutanix appliances can connect to those devices without the need for manual reconfiguration. This allows the appliance to modify the software and firewalls to support the connections."

The second upgrade to the Nutanix stack new micro-segmentation technology which works with the Nutanix Acropolis hypervisor to statefully inspect, monitor and manage communication between individual workloads to increase the security of the various applications.

The typical data center environment requires a software overlay to monitor and control networking traffic, which increases the operational overhead and cost, Smith said.

"Nutanix is providing a simpler solution to provide security to virtual machines and containers with native networking," he said. "Micro-segmentation increases security by increasing visibility across the entire stack. Prior to this, we could get visibility to the compute, storage, and virtualization. Now we get visibility to the entire networking infrastructure, including physical top-of-rack switches, application delivery controllers, load balancers, and firewalls connected to Nutanix."

The third enhancement is the ability to provide single-click orchestration of networking and security services, Smith said.

New to Nutanix Acropolis are open APIs that allow automated policy updates to top-of-rack switches, application delivery controllers, and firewalls that work with such vendors as Arista, Brocade, Mellanox, Plexxi, Citrix, and F5 Networks to automate network provisioning and modify policies in real-time based on actual application and IT lifecycle changes, he said.

"Now if a customer provisions a new application in a virtual machine that requires security services on the load balancers, for instance, we can now insert the services, find the services, and use them," he said. "Or a new application can find the firewalls, inspect them, and allow them to move. And these services can be chained in the right order to make sure they are done properly."

Entisys360's Strohl said management and micro-segmentation of workloads is a key capability. "In the hyper-converged infrastructure world, if you throw in a cloud, you see a big risk in multi-tenant computing," he said. "This is something that all networking and security people are working on."

There are a lot of different ways to provide the capabilities that are soon-to-be-available through Nutanix, Strohl said. "But being able to create software-defined networking for specific workloads makes the whole concept of managing containers and points of access easier," he said. "There's a lot of opportunities there as hyper-converged infrastructure systems take over more and more workloads."

Nutanix's new APIs will be available shortly, while the Acropolis Microsegmentation Services will be available some time in 2017, Smith said. The enhancements are included as part of the Nutanix operating system, and so will require no additional charges, he said. "Nutanix's technology is 100-percent software-based, and so the changes are backwards-compatible with our existing solutions," he said.

The updates to the Nutanix stack will also be brought to solutions built on non-Nutanix hardware, including solutions sold by Dell on an OEM basis and solutions configured in the channel on Cisco UCS servers.
I moved closer and closer until my toes hung over the edge of the airplane that was two miles in the air. My brain and stomach were swirling with fears very real physical symptoms. I wanted to turn back, not because I thought there was a major problem, but simply because my nerves were stirring.

I have similar feelings in everyday life when I want to try something new or even to speak my opinion if Im afraid of rejection. I also tend to worry about my future or the worlds future.

Feelings of fear seem inevitable.

I have the opportunity to hear Gods Word often--at church, in my Bible, in devotional articles, on the radio and television, and even social media has memes and links that include Bible verses. The opportunity to hear Gods voice and guidance is everywhere.

So, why dont I always feel confident that Im following my Gods lead? The problem is with my heeding, not my hearing. The Word goes in and I get excited but I dont always follow through. Why? Because of fear.

In Hebrews 3, it says, Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion. Fear and worry can harden my heart and keep me from heeding Gods voice. It also says that when this happens, my heart is going astray. My straying heart (or rather my fearful and worrying heart) keeps me from doing the good things I hear and want to do.

Fear and worry seems to always be a part of me. I fear what other people will say, do, or think as a consequence to my actions or speech. I fear for the future and therefore dont want to take too many chances. I fear. I fear. I fear.

But I can stop this constant whirring in my head!

I can put an end to this fearing madness by remembering these three things:

1. I have a great High Priest. His name is Jesus. He empathizes with my weaknesses. He knows my tendency toward fear and worry. He knew those tendencies before I was born. However, he also wants me to fight them. But he doesnt want me to fight them with my own strength. He wants me to approach him daily for the grace and confidence that I need. He wont scold me or say, Buck up! He will respond with mercy and grace that covers my fears (see Hebrews 4).

The more I fill myself up with the mercy and grace of my great High Priest, the less room theyll be for fears and anxieties.

2. I also have an Advocate. Not just in heaven, but also within me. The Holy Spirit is better than near. He is within me. He is always there to guide me into Gods truth and He will always help me with the follow through that I need to accomplish things. Wisdom and truth from within pushes my worries to the side (see John 16).

The more Im guided by wisdom and truth from within me, the less room theyll be for any anxiety or fear.

3. Obeying God is a form of love. Helping other people is a form of love. Living a life that is full of loving deeds displays that I am indeed a child of God. God showed his love by doinghe sent his only Son into the world to die as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. Such love expels all fear. The key is to remember Gods abundant love and then obey him by showing love to people. Love conquers worry (see 1 John).

The more I tell of Gods immense love for mankind, the more Ill remember that his love takes away fear.

When I show Gods love to people by doing good things for them, there will be less time for my worries. And if theres less time for my worrying, than theres more time for my action. Usually, just beginning something takes away most of my worries. Worry takes up a lot of my precious and fleeting time.

I can choose to spend so much time doing good that theres not enough time left for fear, doubts, or worry.

When I jumped from that plane, I did it tandem which means an experienced instructor was with me the whole time. Each day, I also have an experienced Teacher with me. I can feel those anxious feelings and still act anyway.

Jennifer Heeren loves to write and wants to live in such a way that people are encouraged by her writing and her attitude. She loves to write devotional articles and stories that bring people hope and encouragement. Her cup is always at least half-full, even when circumstances arent ideal. She regularly contributes to Crosswalk.com. She lives near Atlanta, Georgia with her husband. Visit her at www.jenniferheeren.com.

Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com

Publication date: November 9, 2016
In celebration of National STEM / STEAM Day on Tuesday, Shaw Industries Group, Inc. announces it has enhanced its STEM / STEAM educational partnerships with new and expanded relationships with City Park Elementary School in Dalton, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy and Great Promise Partnership, Inc.

These programs are part of the Shaws comprehensive and ongoing educational partnerships. Through education, mentorship, and hands-on experience, Shaw is showcasing to students from elementary school to college the careers available within the manufacturing field through an increased focus on science, technology, engineering, math, and arts.

Manufacturing offers a wide variety of career options  from designers to data analysts, marketing to maintenance, said Brian Cooksey, director of operations training and development at Shaw Industries. Our educational partnerships allow students to find their passions and to see how they might apply those interests and skills in their future careers. Were helping develop the workforce of the future and providing students in the regions where we operate the opportunity to expand their horizons in ways they may not have previously considered.

Shaws new educational partnerships include:

City Park Elementary School

In partnership with City Park Elementary School, Shaw has designed a STEM after-school program created to inspire and empower young girls. In its first year, the semester-long class will include 10 rising fourth graders and 21 rising fifth graders. The collaboration positions members of Shaws Women in Leadership program and the companys co-op students as ongoing mentors and leaders during the after-school program.

This program is designed to build confidence, encouraging creative thinking and problem solving, and share the wide variety of possible careers available to these young girls, said Kim Gray, Shaw's corporate event manager and a WiN steering team member. Not only are the students supported, but Shaw associates gain an opportunity to be involved in the community, to further our vision to create a better future, and to draw creative energy outside the workplace.

The elementary school partnership will complement Shaws existing middle school programs, creating a more fully developed STEM education pipeline from kindergarten to college, said officials.

The Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy

In partnership with the Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy, Shaw associates recently introduced a mentorship program for students in the 11th and 12th grades. Designed by the WiN Mentorship Team, the program partners 10 girls from the academy with 10 Shaw leaders for the school year. The Shaw mentors represent all areas of the company, exposing students to a variety of careers and professional perspectives.

It was incredibly rewarding to see the room light up with laughter and nervous excitement as our Shaw associates and CGLA students met for the first time recently, said Melissa Pateritsas, an IT manager at Shaw and a WiN steering team member. Connecting with the students in person and hearing their thoughtful questions and perspectives helped set the foundation for what we hope will become long-lasting relationships to help guide and shape these young womens career paths.

Shaws mentors crafted a program that incorporates opportunity for flexibility and creativity. During monthly mentorship meetings, specific professional growth topics will inspire conversation, but time will also be allotted for open-discussion time.

The Great Promise Partnership, Inc.TM

With Great Promise Partnership, Inc., Shaw provides employment opportunities to current high school students, enabling them to earn wages  while earning their diploma  and develop skills that will help them more readily enter the workforce post-graduation. Students gain hands-on experience in Shaw facilities and receive mentorship from Shaw associates to supplement their classwork.

Shaw began its collaboration with GPP in 2015 with students working in Shaws samples department in Dalton. The program has expanded to additional areas of the companys manufacturing process. Students from Cass and Woodland High schools, in partnership with the Bartow County College and Career Academy, began work at two of Shaws manufacturing facilities in Cartersville, Ga. in fall 2016.

About the Shaw Womens Innovation Network

WiN is a program created to support the development of leaders at Shaw through resources and opportunities that help women drive successful careers. WiN provides access to educational resources and training focused on career development and core competencies, mentorship, volunteerism, networking and more.

Recognizing the contributions of women within the industry and workplace, WiN offers a platform to engage, connect and grow  helping create a better future in the process, said officials.
A record number of Alabamians cast ballots in the general elections on Tuesday. The citizens of Alabama voted in favor of Amendment 2, which will secure the state parks funding and promises a sustainable future for the parks. An overwhelming percentage of Alabamians voted in favor of the Amendment and now for the first time ever, the parks will have secure funding allowing them to properly plan for the future, said officials.

Amendment 2 was included on the ballot after $15 million was transferred from the parks budget to the General Fund between 2012 to 2015. These funding transfers crippled the parks and depleted their reserve funds. Last year, five parks closed and numerous other facilities were shut down. Senator Clay Scofield and Rep. Kerry Rich heard the pleas of thousands Alabamians and sponsored the bill that brought Amendment 2 before the citizens of Alabama.

"Our coalition has been working for nearly two years to educate and engage citizens about the parks funding crisis, said Philip Darden, chair of Alabama State Parks Partners Coalition. We are thrilled for the passage of Amendment 2 and are excited to continue working to promote our parks and help them reach full stability, now that their funding is secured. Amendment 2 passed with the support of diverse organizations including tourism representatives, conservation groups, municipal governments and thousands of park volunteers who worked so hard to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the parks funding. We are very grateful for Senator Scofields leadership on this issue and his continued support of our parks.

The majority of the state park systems budget, about 90 percent, comes directly from guest fees. The passage of Amendment 2 will ensure that these guest fees are only used for the upkeep of the parks. As the parks funding was siphoned from the parks each year, park managers were left with difficult choices and multiple parks were closed and some facilities were shut down. For the last few years, the parks did not know their budget for the following year, making planning for routine maintenance each year - or even long-term planning - impossible for the parks.

In addition to protecting the park systems funding, Amendment 2 included language to open the option for concession agreements at all parks. Many parks already have concession agreements with private businesses, including zip lines, a wakeboarding course, restaurant management, allowing food trucks at parks and ATMs.

Don't underestimate the importance of Amendment 2 for the parks, said Greg Lein, State Park director. Despite a last ditch effort to misinform voters about Amendment 2, the voters heard our plea to protect the parks and I am so grateful for the support our parks have around the state. I'm very optimistic about the future of our parks and I can assure you now that the parks funding is protected, the parks will continue to serve citizens of our state and work to provide guests the best experience possible.

The parks attract millions of tourists each year and contributes $375 million in economic impact to the entire state.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) posted net income of $342.4 million, or $1.50 per share, on revenues of $1.5 billion for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2016, compared to net income of $251.8 million, or $1.09 per share, on revenues of $1.3 billion.

For the full year, NCLH provided guidance of adjusted earnings per share from $3.38 to $3.42, compared to $3.35 to $3.45 provided on the second quarter earnings call.

Expecting to deliver double digit growth in 2017, seemingly lower than previous guidance, Frank Del Rio, president and CEO, said that 2017 was showing commensurate bookings to this year, but at slightly lower prices. He said that for the first half of the coming year, both pricing and occupancy are ahead of this year, while the second half of the year suffers from the heavy concentration of Mediterranean cruises with bookings and pricing below this point last year.

He painted an encouraging picture of European bookings, but said pricing was running behind at this point compared to last year. However, that 2016 momentum couldnt be held as geopolitical events in Europe took their toll on bookings.

In a nutshell, 2017 depends on the Mediterranean, said del Rio, who added bookings over the last eight to 10 weeks had been strong.

Other headwinds going into 2017 include the strength of the U.S. dollar versus the British pound and higher fuel prices, according to Del Rio.

Our expectations for pricing increases in 2017 is very much tempered, he added.

For next year, the NCLH brands will have 37 percent of their capacity in the Caribbean, down from this year due to the Norwegian Getaway being repositioned to the Baltic, meaning that European summer capacity will be 23 percent, up from this year.

China, Asia and Pacific capacity will be 8 percent up from 3 percent this year, driven by the Norwegian Joy going to China and also the build-up in Australia.

Alaska and Bermuda will see flat capacity year-over-year at 7 and 6 percent respectively. Hawaii will have 5 percent, a slight increase, and the balance will be in other markets, according to Wendy Beck, executive vice president and CFO.

Norwegian will not have another ship for Western markets until 2018, when the Bliss goes to Alaska, and Oceania and Regent will not have any new capacity until 2020.

Going forward, Norwegian plans to expand its sourcing in China, Europe and in Australia and elsewhere in Asia outside of China. The company has recently opened sales offices in Tokyo, Singapore and Mumbai.

While the growth in the China market has been impressive it is still in its very early stages of its development, said del Rio, noting the company was pleased with signed charter contracts and pricing on Norwegian Joy sailings in 2017. The Joy will debut in Shanghai at the end of June, and is built specifically for the Chinese market.

We continue to be very bullish on China, del Rio added later on the call.

The company is also laying international groundwork, in an attempt to drive international sourcing.

Del Rio said sourcing is up 20 percent in Australia and New Zealand, and those markets had the lowest customer acquisition cost. The Norwegian Star debuts in the region next year.

There are deployment changes that will benefit 2017 deployment as well, which del Rio referred to as deployment optimization initiatives. These moves include taking the Epic out of Europe for the winter as well as sending the Getaway to the Baltic for Q2 and Q3.

We expect her to garner higher prices than sailings in the Caribbean, added Beck, referring to the Getaway's deployment change.
A Solidarity March will be held on Sunday at Renaissance Park starting at 2 p.m. to show support for Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.

This Solidarity March is part of a nationwide call to action to support the tribe and to voice opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline destroying the Sioux tribes sacred land, said officials.

Energy Transfer Crude Oil Company is building a 1,172 mile pipeline from Bakken in North Dakota to terminals in Illinois. Bakken produces one million barrels of oil a day and the pipeline will move 470,000 barrels of crude oil each day. The pipeline construction is desecrating the Sioux tribes sacred land and will move their water intake 50 miles south, said officials.

Donations will be collected for the Southeast to Standing Rock Supply Mission that will leave to go to North Dakota on Monday to deliver the donations.

The march will go through downtown Chattanooga to show solidarity and educate the public.

For more information visit the Facebook page.


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Not much can trump a national television audience and handsome paycheck from CNBC, but the allure of the West Wing may be too much for financial maven Larry Kudlow to pass up.

Kudlow and Trump are kindred spirits in the fraternity of television and business. The well-known economist served as an informal adviser to Trump during the campaign and embraced Trumps plan to cut corporate taxes, which he characterized as pro-growth and supply-side economics. Kudlow, a regular guest on Squawk Box, has frequently interviewed Trump on CNBC.

Now, some say Kudlow, a one-time budget adviser to Ronald Reagan, could be asked to reprise his role in the administration of President-elect Donald Trump

If the president asks you to serve, its pretty hard to say no, Kudlow, 69, of Redding, said Wednesday. Ive been doing some work with him on his economic and tax plan. Well see what happens.

E. Pendleton James, a longtime Greenwich resident who served as Reagans assistant for presidential personnel from 1981 through 1983, said Kudlows closeness to Trump makes him a logical choice.

If he got the top job at (the Office of Management and Budget) or budget director, hed take it right away, James said. Thats better than being on TV. Hes already made his money.

Trumps upset over Hillary Clinton on Tuesday could grant elite access to a cadre of donors and campaign aides, from plum ambassadorships to White House gatekeepers.

Kudlows not the only Connecticut resident who could be tapped.

Fundraisers

The spoils of victory could be bountiful for Trumps top donors and fundraisers in the state, led by wrestling mogul Linda McMahon.

The two-time U.S. Senate candidate from Greenwich gave $6 million to Rebuilding America Now, a pro-Trump super PAC. That could position McMahon for an ambassadorship.

I think shed be on the list, James said.

Greenwich has long been a diplomatic pipeline, from the pioneering Clare Boothe Luce as President Dwight Eisenhowers ambassador to Italy and then Brazil to several locals under President George W. Bush. Among them was Charles Glazer, who was Bushs envoy to El Salvador and was on Trumps national finance committee.

I have no interest in any ambassadorship, nor has any such offer been made, McMahon said. I am pleased with the outcome of the presidential race as well as other races I supported both nationally and here in Connecticut. Voters across the country have shown they want a change in how government operates. I believe the new Republican leadership in Washington will put a renewed focus on economic growth and job creation.

Political consultants

Less likely to play a role in Trumps administration are perhaps two of the more visible figures from his campaign with Connecticut ties  Paul Manafort and Roger Stone.

Manafort stepped in during the spring to guide Trump to the GOP nomination, but then resigned as campaign chairman in August after his ties to the pro-Russian political party of deposed Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych drew scrutiny. The FBI is probing the foreign connections of Manafort, a New Britain native who has served clients from presidents (Gerald Ford) to autocrats (Manuel Noriega). That inquiry could undermine Manaforts chances of a reunion with Trump, especially if it requires Senate confirmation.

I think my Democratic brothers and sisters would have some questions and they probably wouldnt be nice about it, said Richard Dick Foley, of Danbury, a former state GOP chairman and longtime associate of Manafort.

Stone, an on-again, off-again adviser to Trump and a Norwalk native, also doesnt figure to be part of Trumps administration, either, friends say. Both he and Manafort would likely have to take a pay cut to work for Trump.

Can somebody who makes good money  they make good money  afford to take a step backward? Foley said.

Ben Proto, a Republican lawyer from Stratford who was state director of Trumps campaign, could be a candidate for a greater role in the GOP or with Trump, some say. He declined to comment Wednesday.

Do I think Ben Proto should submit his name for consideration? Foley said. Sure. Hes a logical one and a perfect one.

neil.vigdor@scni.com; 203-625-4436; http://twitter.com/gettinviggy
Voters returned Republican Laura Devlin to represent seat in the 134th District to finish what she started.

I feel if I didnt run again, Id be a quitter, Devlin said during her campaign.
MANDEVILLE, La. - The weekend before the election, David Duke was feeling good. He was confident that Donald Trump, whom he'd endorsed despite the nominee's frequent protests, would win the presidency. He was confident that his own race for the Senate would break his way, too, despite a late start and media coverage that treated him like a curiosity.

"I've always got three or four times what I've got in any poll," the former Klansman said. "It happened last time I ran for Congress, in 1999."

But Trump, who was polling strongly in states across the country Tuesday night and who easily won Louisiana, provided no lift for Duke, undermining the suggestion that Trump's candidacy, with its appeal to white voters, could be a political boon for the far right.

Duke had not won office since George H.W. Bush was president. He had never risen higher than the state legislature - his runs for U.S. Senate and governor drew national attention and ended in landslide defeats. And Duke's latest bid for the Senate was equally unpopular, according to early returns, which had him at about 3 percent.

From the first day of his presidential campaign, with his warning about Mexico "not sending their best" immigrants across the border, Trump echoed some of the rhetoric that white nationalists had pitched for decades.

He never made the strategy explicit. He rejected accusations that his was a racial appeal and denounced Duke specifically, with greater intensity every time he was brought up. In the final week of the campaign, Trump's son Eric said Duke deserved a "bullet," and conservative commentator Ann Coulter, who had backed Trump from the outset, joked that Duke existed only when Democrats needed him.

But the strategy Trump used to come closer to the presidency than any poll had predicted, and any Republican strategist thought possible, was still one people like Duke had dreamed of.

White nationalists had argued that the Republican Party should double down on whites instead of trying to appeal to minorities - indeed, that it had only a few years to do so before being overwhelmed by nonwhites. Jared Taylor, the editor of American Renaissance, wrote column after column, and was ostracized from conference after conference, for saying so.

But voters in Louisiana drew a sharp distinction between Trump and Duke. They embraced the presidential candidate while rejecting Duke's efforts to ride his coattails. The vote could ease concerns that Trump would mainstream some of the white-supremacist movements or ideas that have long existed on the far edges of American politics.

In the early 1980s, when nonwhites made up a far smaller proportion of the electorate, Duke imagined an America that could officially segregate them: Cubans around Miami, blacks in a stretch of the old South.

"The exploding numbers of nonwhites are slowly wrapping formerly white nations in a dark human cocoon," Duke wrote in 1983. "Should a butterfly emerge, or a beast that has haunted the ruins of every great white civilization that submitted to invasion by immigration and racial miscegenation?"

When he entered politics, Duke's tone softened. As a vote-winning politician, he proposed drug tests for welfare recipients, inveighed against Japan taking American jobs and attacked affirmative action.

When he went statewide, however, he faltered. Duke's simple solutions were punctured by journalists who wanted to see how his philosophy could apply to people's lives. And the process repeated itself Tuesday.

After giving out the address of his election night party, at his home north of Lake Ponchartrain, Duke changed course. The party would be limited to family and friends, as the Senate race was falling short of expectations.

But Trump was more than making up for that.

"This is a historic moment," Duke said. "If he goes on to win this race, it is a vital victory for taking America back."
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ANSONIA  In what was billed a race to watch, longtime state Sen. Joseph Crisco, a Democrat from Woodbridge, lost his state Senate seat Tuesday to newcomer George Logan, an Ansonia Republican, in the 17th District.

The unofficial tally was Logan 21,146 to Criscos 19,741.

Logan, an Aquarian Water Company executive, was running his first race but had the backing of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. He called the campaign a long but good journey.

We did it, Logan said, adding that he was the answer to an electorate hungry for change. Folks in the district wanted some action, and we brought it to them.

Crisco, a 12-term incumbent, spent post-election behind doors at Democratic headquarters, but did say he was crushed. Brian Levy, Criscos campaign manager, said he would have no comment.

Earlier in the day, Crisco was in Hamden, which he said had always been good to him.

I think its going well, he said at the time, adding that It gets more exciting every year.

But when the votes came in, Hamden and Woodbridge appeared to be the only towns to go his way. Ansonia, Bethany, Beacon Falls and Naugatuck all went to Logan.

I am really here ... to represent everyone in the district, Logan said. I want to change what we have going on in Hartford right now. We have a lot of partisan politics. I am a problem solver and want to work with everyone to solve problems.

Logan said the big problem in Connecticut is the state deficit. He wants to cut spending and grow businesses and jobs.

During his re-election campaign, Crisco said he was proud of his record on economic issues and his advocacy for children and families. He won a cross-endorsement of the Working Families Party.

Logan had been cross-endorsed by the Independent Party.
WASHINGTON  The Democrats long march to retake the Senate came down to a handful of attempted turnovers of Republican-held seats, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal doing his part to add to the Democratic total by trouncing state Rep. Dan Carter.

But by 11 p.m. Tuesday, with polls closing in the Western states, the odds of a Democratic Senate victory were looking longer and longer.

Democrats succeeded in winning only one seat from Republicans, with Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a veteran who lost both her legs in Iraq, defeating incumbent Republican Mark Kirk in Illinois. Democratic challenger Katie McGinty was ahead of incumbent Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, but the networks deemed the race too close to call.

Democrats needed four turnovers of Republican seats to win the Senate  if Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton won.

If she didnt, they would need to win five Republican-held seats.

But former GOP presidential contender Sen. Marco Rubio, D-Fla., retained his seat. And in Indiana, Republican Todd Young defeated former Indiana governor and Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh. Republican incumbents in North Carolina, Wisconsin and Ohio also won.

Republican victories presented a nearly insurmountable blockade to Democratic hopes or regaining the control they lost in 2014.

Im not going to play pundit on the outcome, Blumenthal said. Whatever the outcome, were going to have to do better at bridging our differences across the aisle. No one is going to have 60 votes. Thats a fact of life.

A Democratic Senate first and foremost would have put neighboring Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., in the drivers seat as Senate Majority Leader, replacing the retiring Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. Democratic control of the Senate would give Schumer virtually complete control of setting the Senates agenda.

Without Democratic control, Schumer would be forced to settle for the position of Senate minority leader, which essentially turns him into a major roadblock for the Republican majority instead of the bodys legislative overseer.

Schumer and Blumenthal are politically very close, owing partly to their common New York outer-boroughs upbringing. In addition to being a chief Schumer acolyte, Blumenthal had been in line to take over the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. If Republicans contain control, Blumenthal will retain his title as the panels senior Democrat.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., the states junior senator, arguably has more name-recognition than Blumenthal, thanks to his leadership of a nearly 15-hour filibuster in June to force Senate votes on gun legislation. The votes didnt go his way, but the episode put him on the nations political map.

A Democratic Senate could have given Murphy important subcommittee chairmanships of the Senate Foreign Relations and Appropriations committees. But without that, he too would have to settle for another two years in minority status until he faces re-election in 2018.

Republicans were holding onto seats they had given up for lost, said Ronald Schurin, a University of Connecticut political science professor. Democrats are going to have to give serious thought to what they can do to regain the luster they had in 2008.

Schurin added: I think people will look back on this election and say the Democrats were too clever by half. They thought they could win through demographics, and that isnt enough. There has to be a more positive and inspiring message than the other guy is awful.

dan@hearstdc.com
More than 300 High School students attended the Transition Fair held at Georgia Northwestern Technical Colleges Floyd County Campus in Rome to learn about the different academic programs and services the college has to offer and other options for life after High School.Students from Armuchee High School, Coosa High School, Model High School, Chattooga High School, and Calhoun High School came to the Floyd County Campus Conference Center to interact with GNTC faculty and staff.Additional representatives from other area colleges, the U. S. Army, and personnel from various businesses and healthcare facilities were there to offer resources for students transferring from K-12 to work or post-secondary education.GNTC academic program representatives included instructors from Auto Collision, Business Technology, Computer Information Systems, Horticulture, Industrial Systems Technologies, Industrial Electrical Controls, Instrumentation and Controls, Machine Tool Technology, Marketing, and Medical Assisting.GNTC staff was also on hand to provide information about admissions, academic support, adult education, disability services, special populations, student life, and additional student services.There also were representatives and vendors from Dalton State College, Dept. of Behavior Health and Developmental Disability, DIGS Rome, Floyd Training Center, Georgia Highlands College, Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, Highland Rivers, Kennesaw State University Academy for Inclusive Learning and Social Growth, Parent to Parent, Regions Bank, the U.S. Army, Watters & Associates Landscaping, and others.This was the ninth Transition Fair offered to area high school students. The first one was hosted at Georgia Highlands College in 2008. There will be upcoming transition fairs offered at GNTCs Gordon, Polk, and Walker County Campuses in 2017.For more information contact Sheila Parker, sign language interpreter and disability services coordinator at 706-295-6517 or via email at sparker@gntc.edu.
Over 900 million dollars to be invested in Cuba's Mariel Development Zone

Submitted by: Juana

Havana

Business and Economy

11 / 08 / 2016



Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM by its Spanish acronym) has currently raised more than 900 million dollars through foreign investment, said Ana Teresa Igarza, director general of the office of that enclave, which has a significant impact on the Cuban national economy.

At Mesa Redonda TV program, Igarza commented that once these investments are made, , driven by companies from Mexico, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Vietnam, Brazil, South Korea and Cuba, 2 837 jobs will be generated.

To date, there are 19 users at ZEDM, seven of them are already in operation, some from a temporary headquarters and others in their permanent offices and most of them are focused primarily on logistics, Igarza noted.

She added that by the end of this month and the beginning of December, the first industrial plant, of medium high technology, devoted to the production of scoreboards and temperature sensors, is expected to start operating at ZEDM.

According to Igarza, projects related to logistics services, the advanced manufacturing industry and biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, which promote clean technologies, innovation and knowledge, are prioritized in this special area.

The users accepted to date at ZEDM are an International Economic Association, 10 entirely foreign capital companies, four mixed enterprises and equal amount of one hundred percent Cuban entities.

Called to be the door of Cuba to the world, this enclave is aimed at encouraging comprehensive projects, promote exports with national products of high added value and generate jobs, in constant articulation with international trade and the domestic economy.

Located 45 kilometers from Havana, this area also reflects the leading role that Cuba today gives to foreign investment to boost key sectors such as agro-industry, biotechnology, energy and tourism. (acn)
In recognition of International Education Month, author and speaker Terri Morrison will present an interdisciplinary conversation on communication across cultures focusing on her most recent book Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands: The Best-Selling Guide to Doing Business in More Than Sixty Countries, at Chattanooga State Community College on Thursday, Nov. 10. Presentations will be offered from 9:30-11 a.m. in the Humanities Auditorium and from 6:30-8 p.m. in room C-30 of the Center for Advanced Technology building. This event is free and open to the public.

Ms. Morrison is co-author of nine books. Her most recent book, Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands: Sales & Marketing, is an Amazon.com best-seller and was #2 on Business Weeks best business book list.

For more information about the event, call Mary Knaff at 423-697-3371, or contact her by email at mary.knaff@chattanoogastate.edu.




ArtsBuild, with support from the Benwood Foundation, has created a new Equity in the Arts grant program to support projects led by local Black and Latino artists.Grants up to $10,000 will be awarded to individual artists and organizations. The goals for the new grant program are to help build the careers of local Black and Latino artists; increase sustainability of cultural organizations that focus on Black and Latino arts; build community awareness of Black and Latino arts within Hamilton County; and to support collaborations between Black and Latino artists and other arts organizations within the community.Those interested in applying for the new grant program are required to attend an orientation meeting held at The Edney Building (Community Room, 5th floor) on Tuesday, November 15 at 5:30 p.m.The meeting will include an overview of the grant categories and process and an opportunity to network with other artists and local arts organizations.To RSVP for the orientation meeting and for additional information about the Equity in the Arts grant program, contact Rodney Van Valkenburg at ArtsBuild: rodney@artsbuild.com or (423) 777-4214.
Democrats saw a surge in new voters in Pennsylvania as midterms near
The University of Memphis Student Government Association is hosting its first sexual assault awareness week.

Sexual assault awareness week includes workshops, films and #TigersWearTeal day, which is an encouragement for all students to wear teal on Thursday in support for the victims and survivors of sexual assault.

Natalie Moore, student government vice president, thinks even if sexual assault awareness hasnt directly affected a person, student government is giving the student body a chance to bring awareness to the issue and not be a bystander if they see something wrong.

It is so rewarding having this week of sexual assault awareness on campus because it is an opportunity for students to take ownership and for the school to join together and put an end to something that directly affects us, Moore said.

Student government has recorded a video to bring awareness and offered students a chance to take a pledge and receive a T-shirt in the University Center that reads Its On Us.

This issue has been very close to many of the student government members. One included is Courtney Blanchard, an at-large senator for student government.

To be a part of an organization supporting sexual assault awareness is amazing, Blanchard said. As an student government senator, I vowed to be the Voice of the Students, and I found this was an issue often overlooked by students, faculty and staff.

Dedicating a week to sexual assault awareness has an affect on the campus atmosphere, and Blanchard believes it brings a sense of unity to the U of M campus.

All issues need to be addressed, Blanchard said. One in five women and one in 16 men will be sexually assaulted in college, and it is still the most under-reported crime. With events like sexual assault awareness week, our campus can come together to educate and support the fight against sexual assault.

This Thursday SGA is hosting #TigersWearTeal, which encourages students to support sexual assault victims by wearing teal, the color that represents the cause.

Student government is also offering the Its On Us pledge in the UC Atrium, which is a pledge to refrain from being a bystander if someone witnesses sexual assault or anything similar. Those who take this pledge will receive a teal ribbon to support victims.
I never thought, except in a few moments of fantasy, that I would be able to say that.

I have been interested in Trump as a phenomenon all year.

In an interview with MSNBCs Chris Hayes, Wilson conceded that Trump is still a very powerful force right now because he appeals to part of the of the conservative base that Wilson said was activated by his nativist message. Wilson insisted that the donor class cant just sit back on the sidelines and say, oh well, dont worry, this will all work itself out.

Theyre still going to have to go out and put a bullet in Donald Trump, Wilson said. And thats a fact.

Wilson is an alleged GOP consultant. Trump may be fatal to many GOP consultants as they were not only mistaken but disloyal to the team they were supposed to belong to.

What happened? Richard Fernandez has a theory.

Hillarys real enemy was Obamas real record of failure added to her own. Low-wage growth, a disastrous foreign policy, a catastrophic Obamacare, and numerous scandals to name a few weighed down on her like an anvil heavier than any insult that Donald Trump could lay upon her.

Its important for progressives to realize this, for they are even now casting about for something to blame. Paul Krugman tweeted: I truly thought I knew my country better than it turns out I did. I have warned that we could become a failed state, but didnt realize  Realize what? That the electorate wouldnt notice the last administrations debacles?

A lot of this can be laid on Obama. He has been a disastrous president. I thought he would be all along.

In February 2008, I posted this.

Jones had served in the Illinois Legislature for three decades. He represented a district on the Chicago South Side not far from Obamas. He became Obamas kingmaker.

Several months before Obama announced his U.S. Senate bid, Jones called his old friend Cliff Kelley, a former Chicago alderman who now hosts the citys most popular black call-in radio program.

I called Kelley last week and he recollected the private conversation as follows:

He said, Cliff, Im gonna make me a U.S. Senator.

Oh, you are? Who might that be?

Barack Obama.

Obama had no record of accomplishment. Jones put his name on bills he had had nothing to do with.

I took all the beatings and insults and endured all the racist comments over the years from nasty Republican committee chairmen, State Senator Rickey Hendon, the original sponsor of landmark racial profiling and videotaped confession legislation yanked away by Jones and given to Obama, complained to me at the time. Barack didnt have to endure any of it, yet, in the end, he got all the credit.

Then his advisor, David Axelrod, got the Chicago Tribune, for which he worked at the time, to sue to open the divorce records of Jack Ryan, the Republican candidate. Ryan had gone through a nasty custody battle with his ex-wife, Jeri who was an actress.

The Tribune played it for all it was worth and it was a lot.

Any man who has been through custody battles with angry ex-wives knows that accusations are thrown around frequently. The absence of evidence is not an issue in politics, as we see with all the women claiming Trump molested them.

Ryan dropped out and Obama had another bonanza that was not his doing. Hillary inherited his failures.

She had her own, of course. They go back to where she fired the entire White House travel office to install her cousin and crony in the office.



Former Travel Office Chief Acquitted : Courts: Billy Dale had been charged with embezzlement. He says he used funds paid to the White House unit to defray costs for journalists.

WASHINGTON  Billy R. Dale, a White House official fired for allegedly mismanaging staff and press travel arrangements, was acquitted Thursday by a federal court jury of charges that he embezzled $68,000.

Culminating a 13-day trial, jurors decided in less than two hours that federal prosecutors had failed to prove charges that Dale stole funds paid to his office by reporters and photographers who traveled with the President.

A White House employee for more than 30 years, Dale broke into tears as the verdict was announced.

Dale, 58, was at the center of a Clinton Administration travel office fiasco two years ago that resulted in seven employees being fired, and later in reprimands for those responsible for the dismissals.

Hillary was responsible. Then there was Hillarys obsession with secrecy.

A good historical account of the task force, and the fight over its proposals, can be found in a 1996 book titled The First Lady: A Comprehensive View of Hillary Rodham Clinton, that I co-wrote with my brother Timothy. Here is Chapter Nine titled Health Care:

Calling it a tour-de-force would be an understatement. There she was, the First Lady of the United States with the media and the entire Congressional leadership eating out of her hand. Flanked by Senators George Mitchell and Ted Kennedy in the Senates Lyndon B. Johnson Conference Room, Hillary stood there as the only First Lady in history to confer with Congress on a crucial domestic policy issue. Only a week before on January 25, 1993, the new President announced that his wife would lead a task force to overhaul the nations health care system.

It was, of course, a fiasco as the Republicans took both houses of Congress in 1994 for the first time in 50 years.

Additionally, Hillary as Secretary of State, initiated the the failed Reset with Russia, That involved the ridiculous mistranslation of Reset.

What the policy did not achieve was its primary goal  to build a solid foundation for a stable relationship. All in all, the reset policy ameliorated relations with Russia only for a limited period of time. As Medvedev received criticism inside Russia for selling out the country to the West and as it became more obvious that Vladimir Putin would assume presidency in 2012, Medvedev slowly withdrew from further engagement with Obama.

Her record with Libya is also famous, especially with the Benghazi disaster.

Despite repeated requests in late 2011 and early 2012 for new agents to help improve the security of the compound, no additional resources or personnel were sent by the administration.

I dont think we yet know what Stevens was doing there. Her record of SoS was a failure.

Then we come to the corruption. The book, Clinton Cash  has not only made the author rich but has aided the FBI investigation of the Foundation, which seems to function as a money laundering operation.

What about Trump ? He has been thinking about this for years. This time, he may have seen an opportunity or it may just be that he is getting older and wanted to try. It may have begun as a lark, as many suspect, or it may have been serious from the start.

What beat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election wasnt Donald Trumps well-oiled machinery, American bigotry or the Republican Party. It was God or, if you prefer, the facts which did it. Hillarys real enemy was Obamas real record of failure added to her own. Low-wage growth, a disastrous foreign policy, a catastrophic Obamacare, and numerous scandals to name a few weighed down on her like an anvil heavier than any insult that Donald Trump could lay upon her.

I tend to agree. He has shown amazing energy and resilience through the campaign, however.

Slate is demonstrating hysteria but also a grain of sense.

We should blame all those people around the Clintons more than the Clintons themselves, and the Clintons themselves deserve a ridiculous amount of blame. Hillary Clinton was just an ambitious person who wanted to be president. There are a lot of people like that. But she was enabled. The Democratic establishment is a club unwelcoming to outsiders, because outsiders dont first look out for the club. The Clintons will be gone now. For the sake of the country, let them take the hangers-on with them.

I can certainly agree with that and I hope some Media people follow.
These Chicagoans Can Barely Keep It Together Right Now

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Nov 9, 2016 3:08AM

As far as we can tell, Chicago is either stress-eating right now, taking deep breaths, googling pictures of cats, or praying for a 9th-inning rain delay.

Polls are closing on the West Coast, the Midwest has long abandoned us for metaphorical parts unknown, (It's been nice knowing you, Indiana...not.) and Chicago is collectively realizing we're in for a very long night.

Our Twitter feed is barely keeping it together, but here's a running tally of the realest comments we've seen on the evening thus far. Hard same, friends:
This was one of the blackest episodes in the history of the Yard. Pictured is Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan Howe

This was one of the blackest episodes in the history of the Yard.

In a blistering report, retired judge Sir Richard Henriques lays bare the appalling failings of Operation Midland, in which innocent reputations were wantonly shattered by police on the strength of uncorroborated child abuse allegations by a complainant known only as Nick.

Listing no fewer than 43 errors of judgment and practice in the 2.5million investigation  which closed without a single arrest earlier this year  Sir Richard sets out in horrifying detail how credulous officers believed Nick long after they should have realised he was a fantasist.

Furthermore, they misled a court to obtain search warrants, ransacking the homes of former home secretary Lord Brittan, war hero Lord Bramall and former Tory MP Harvey Proctor when there were no reasonable grounds to believe any crime had been committed.

Yet only now, with Lord Bramalls wife and Lord Brittan both dead, has Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe offered his unconditional apologies to those hung out to dry in an investigation worthy of East Germanys Stasi.

Officers misled a court to obtain search warrants, ransacking the home of former Tory MP Harvey Proctor

Two mysteries remain. Why have police published only a fraction of this publicly funded report? And how could Sir Bernard himself escape censure, as the man in ultimate charge of this massive botch-up (which can only discourage genuine abuse victims from coming forward)?

Indeed, shouldnt the commissioner resign immediately, instead of clinging on until February?

Meanwhile, shouldnt the BBC and Labours deputy leader Tom Watson, who rushed to give credence to Nicks spurious claims, hang their heads this morning in profound shame?

A hot-headed Prince

Anyone who has been in love will understand Prince Harrys urge to protect his girlfriend, the American TV star Meghan Markle, from unwanted intrusion by the Press and social media.

Wise heads will also know that lovers in the first heat of passion tend to lose their sense of perspective, acting in ways they may later come to see as ill-advised.

Indeed, the Mail believes the Prince may have fallen prey to this most human of weaknesses when he issued his hot-headed statement, firing off scattergun accusations against those who have reported and commented on his affair.

Anyone who has been in love will understand Prince Harrys urge to protect his girlfriend, the American TV star Meghan Markle

True, some remarks posted online have been vile. Nor does the Mail defend anyone who may have breached the strict code of practice governing the British Press. Indeed, the mystery is why, if feelings were so high, the Palace didnt ask the Press regulator, IPSO, to issue desist notices.

That said, the public has a legitimate interest in the life story of a woman romantically connected to the son of our future king  a woman who has herself assiduously courted publicity to promote her commercial interests, accruing more than a million followers on social media.

If ours were a bicycle monarchy, in which minor royals played no role in public life, she and Harry might reasonably expect more privacy. As it is (and as the Prince is first to admit), great privileges attach to his position  and with them comes the public spotlight.

Indeed, there is a worrying tendency, particularly among the young royals, to expect all the advantages that go with their birth, while at the same time wanting to enjoy the privacy afforded to those of the Queens subjects who have to work nine-to-five for a living.

So, yes, this paper commends Harrys gallantry in leaping to protect the new woman in his life, just as we admire his charitable work.
People can tell porkies to Parliament. People can dodge paying millions in tax and besmirch the good name built up over many years by their forebears  and still just about get away with it.

But start messing around with a favourite chocolate brand and youre in real trouble.

That is the mess in which Mondelez, the maker of Toblerone, finds itself as its latest penny-pinching ruse is rumbled by the public.

People can tell porkies to Parliament. But start messing around with a favourite chocolate brand and youre in real trouble

The charge: that the firm is trying to fob off British customers with a shrunken version of the classic triangular chocolate bar at the same price as the old one. Verdict: guilty as sin.

And the shameless excuse? Brexit, of course.

In recent weeks, we have seen increasingly brazen daylight robbery on the back of Britains impending departure from the European Union.

Blame

Some cases have bordered on the comical  such as the gym in Portsmouth that announced it would no longer dispense free towels as a result of the referendum decision, and the Avis car hire desk in Marseille in the south of France, which tried to charge an Oxford academic a Brexit tax.

Much more alarming, however, are the multi-nationals following the biggest democratic mandate in modern UK political history with price rises for everything from Marmite to Walkers crisps.

That is the mess in which Mondelez, the maker of Toblerone, finds itself as its latest penny-pinching ruse is rumbled by the public

These Brexit Bandits prefer not to pin the blame directly on the Leave vote, of course (too divisive) and, instead, put it down to exchange rates.

Mondelez insists it is shrinking the Toblerone bar because of higher costs for numerous ingredients. But the changes apply only to its bars sold in Britain, not anywhere else.

Significantly, this is a company that has told such monumental fibs in the past that we are entitled to question anything that comes out of its corporate mouth.

Mondelez is the new, made-up name for Kraft, the U.S. food giant which snapped up Cadbury for 11.5 billion in 2010, despite concerns that a highly successful, much-loved British institution would be put through the corporate shredder.

At the time, Kraft executives assured the House of Commons Business Select Committee that the company would maintain its factory at Somerdale, near Bristol, and the jobs of the 400 staff working there.

Just days after the deal, however, the company uncrossed its fingers and announced it was shutting the factory after all. Hey, guys, no hard feelings, but weve changed our minds. Production was swiftly transferred to a cheaper plant in Poland.

Confectionery purists were appalled when Cadbury Creme Egg was subjected to a furtive cost-cutting makeover

When MPs attempted, time and again, to get the companys 14 million-a-year boss, Irene Rosenfeld, to appear before them to explain this duplicity, they were ignored. To this day, she has spurned all requests.

A subsequent and deeply damning parliamentary report concluded: Kraft in our view steered close to a contempt of the House.

So much for Cadburys historic Quaker-based culture of high-minded philanthropy. The company which created the model town of Bournville for its employees, which endowed much of Birmingham with public amenities and which inspired a new style of industrial relations across the world had been gobbled up by a bunch of mercenaries. Willy Wonka had been usurped by Willy Wonga.

Since then, Kraft has embarked on a series of sly, cost-cutting tricks with some of the crown jewels in the British national sweet shop.

There was the sneaky scheme to round off the edges of each chunk of Cadbury Dairy Milk to improve the mouth feel. In the process, it shaved almost 10 per cent off the bar, too  though not, of course, the price.

Confectionery purists were appalled when Cadbury Creme Egg was subjected to a furtive cost-cutting makeover. The public werent fooled and sales fell.

Nothing was sacred. The tradition of sending chocolates to Cadbury pensioners  a tiny drop in the chocolate ocean  was stopped to save money. Cadbury even axed its own money to save money. Chocolate coins, some ghastly management consultant decreed, were not cost-effective. So out they went, too.

For Mondelez (as Kraft became in 2012), the real savings were to come at the expense of British taxpayers. Thanks to clever accountancy, Mondelez slashed its tax bill via Switzerland and the Channel Islands. Despite accumulating UK profits of 177 million on sales of 1.7 billion in 2015, its corporation tax bill amounted to nothing at all.

So we should not be remotely surprised that a company with such dubious morals is now using a dip in the pound to shave even more chocolate off its ever-shrinking products.

The British Toblerone, which once looked liked a mini chocolate mountain range, now looks like a bike rack.

The owners of Twinings Tea posted impressive annual results

Yesterdays short, jargon-filled corporate statement says it all: The change is to ensure Toblerone remains on-shelf, is affordable and retains the triangular shape.

Who writes this stuff? And why should the cost of the ingredients or the state of the pound make any difference as to whether British Toblerone is triangular, square or oval?

Its just another example of the growing tendency among certain multi-nationals to pass on all the downsides of the current economic situation to the consumer, while hanging on to all the advantages.

Ruthless

Birds Eye fish fingers and Walkers crisps  having joined Typhoo and pro-EU Unilever (the owner of Marmite)  are asking supermarkets for price rises of up to 12 per cent. Yes, a weaker pound inevitably means imported goods and ingredients become more costly. But there are great opportunities, too.

For shoppers, it is time to reconsider their purchasing habits and to think about buying more British goods.

In any case, its not a new dilemma. After the crash of 2008, the pound took a much heavier pounding  down by 25 per cent, versus the current fall of 15 per cent. Instead of fighting to keep prices down, British supermarkets lazily succumbed to greed and increased them.

German discount retailers such as Aldi and Lidl have stormed the market

It was a fatal move, which allowed new German discount retailers such as Aldi and Lidl to come storming into the market.

And now, I wouldnt be at all surprised if those ruthless German businesses are about to enjoy a fresh surge of enthusiasm from shoppers fed up with Brexit Banditry.

The discounters have a much stronger market position now than in 2008 and they are very good at squeezing costs out of the supply chain, says Richard Lim, CEO of industry consultancy Retail Economics.

If some British producers and retailers are feeling the squeeze, others are plotting exciting new opportunities to sell overseas, where British goods will now be much cheaper.

Cynical

And now, interestingly, Associated British Foods  which owns a host of businesses from Twinings Tea and British Sugar to Primark  posted such impressive annual results that it went soaring to the top of the FTSE Index.

While acknowledging that the state of the pound has created uncertainties and admitting that some food prices will rise, chief executive George Weston added: The current level of sterling offers UK food producers significant opportunities to replace imported food and build export markets.

He was equally confident about the prospects for his business post-Brexit, particularly in the areas of trade tariffs and UK agricultural policy.

In other words, things go up as well as down.

Mr Weston conceded that the current state of the pound might work against Primark, as it buys many of its lines in dollars. But Associated British Foods, he said, was certainly not going to start hiking prices and risk both its market share and the loyalty of its customers.

Outfits such as Mondelez/Kraft/Cadbury would seem to have no such concerns.

Displaying contemptible opportunism, they appear to be using Brexit as a catch-all excuse for exploiting consumers.
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry's girlfriend

Well, that settles it. If there was any lingering doubt about the strength of Prince Harrys feelings for Ms Meghan Markle, we now know for sure: he is madly in love with the woman he has been seeing for a few months.

The extraordinary statement issued on his behalf yesterday by Kensington Palace, in which he denounces the wave of abuse and harassment directed at his new girlfriend, is proof of his emotional involvement.

Love is blind, and lovers cannot see the pretty follies that themselves commit, Shakespeare wrote. Here we have a prime example.

Quite aside from the passionate tone of the tract and the fury of some of his allegations, the idea that Ms Markle is some media ingenue, some hapless victim of unfair and unwarranted scrutiny, is simply preposterous.

The woman  a transatlantic TV star dont forget  has 1.1 million followers on Instagram, where shes shared over 2,000 pictures, and her own website, The Tig, which is not dissimilar to Gwyneth Paltrows Goop.

In fact, Meghan is something of a mini-Gwynnie herself, an actress-turned-product promoter, one of the new breed of online lifestyle gurus  or influencers as they prefer to be known  who profit by cultivating a vast social media following in order to strengthen their selling power.

Thus on The Tig, alongside an atmospheric photo of Meg looking exquisite in a white vest with bed-head hair, we learn that her nickname is Flower, she has two rescue dogs, she likes to give money to charity and her favourite thing is . . . hot sauce. Ooh-la-la!

You can also buy items from The Meghan Markle fashion collection, including a thigh-skimming faux-leather skirt and a cashmere blend poncho (both $68).

She talks  or rather gushes  about her TV role on the American legal drama Suits, her California upbringing, her deeply, deeply caring nature and her work as a UN ambassador, her politics (bleeding-heart liberal meets beauty pageant queen) and, of course, her very real and genuine desire to use her fame as a force for good in the world.

And, oh yes, we can be grateful for her views on the presidential election: its everyones duty to vote. Meanwhile, her Instagram feed, with its million-plus followers, is designed to tease and tantalise in the expectation of revealing more about her.

Not just pictures of Meghan in her humanitarian role, pictures of Meghan in the aforementioned faux leather skirt (surprisingly tight, as it turns out), but also  posted after news of her relationship with Harry leaked out  a pair of bananas embracing, captioned: Sleep tight.

Subtle it wasnt and it predictably got the entire internet fizzing with speculation about the depth of her relationship with the Prince.

Not that there is anything wrong with all of this, you understand. Or that it justifies any sort of abuse, on any level. Its just that its probably fair to say that Meghan Markle is not a shy and retiring individual who hungers for privacy and anonymity.

And with more than a million people following her day-to-day existence via social media, there are bound to be one or two unpleasant elements in the crowd.

But, Meghans propensity for self-promotion aside, this is not how we have come to expect our royals to behave. None of them  not even Charles and Camilla at the height of the ghastly tampon tape recording scandal, or the on-going soap opera that is Andrew and Fergie  have ever issued a statement this raw.

Harry complained that the press has intruded into her privacy but the star (pictured in Suits) is an actress who covets the limelight

You certainly cant imagine either of Harrys two other significant exes  Chelsy Davy or Cressida Bonas  signing up to it.

And for good reason.

Ever since the unchecked emotions of Harrys mother, Diana, strung out the royal laundry for every one of the Queens loyal subjects to pick over, the default setting of the Palace has been at all times to dial down matters of the heart, to maintain a friendly but neutral facade.

Say little, smile a lot and give away nothing. It is a mantra that has served them well in the 19 years since Dianas death.

In this the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are today the exemplar, consummate professionals who present a Barbie and Ken-like image of married life.

PRINCE HARRY: MAILONLINE RESPONSE A MailOnline spokesman later responded to Prince Harrys letter. He said: 'We were very surprised by the Princes comments, particularly as no earlier complaint had been made by the Palace. MailOnline believes it has acted courteously and correctly in its coverage of this story.  We carried no smears  Our articles had no racial undertones  There were no nightly legal battles over stories  We sent no photographers to Ms Markles mothers home  We offered no payments to Ms Markles ex-boyfriend or anyone else associated with this story  And, finally, we certainly made no attempt to gain illegal entry to her home. We wish Prince Harry and Ms Markle well in their relationship.' Advertisement

Reliably dull, diligently dutiful, they are the perfect model of the modern Royal Family, the healing balm for the jagged scars left behind by Diana.

With this one cri-de-coeur, Harry has re-opened those wounds. But then there was always a danger that one day he would. William has his fathers stoicism, his sense of duty and due process.

Harry is more his mothers son: charismatic, impulsive and possessed of a natural ability to empathise with others, a young man who with his wonderful charity work feels things deeply  one of the reasons he, like Diana, is so justifiably popular with the British public.

Exactly how deeply the Prince feels we now see. The language of this statement is not just strong, it has a distinctly Diana-like sense of drama to it.

No understatement here, no princely restraint. He speaks angrily of lines crossed, of outright sexism and racism towards Ms Markle, of nightly legal battles, of the bombardment of nearly every friend, co-worker, and loved one in her life.

Quite how this visceral roar of rage managed to sneak past some of the wise, cooler heads at court remains a mystery. But its out there, and there can be no turning back. For Harry  and perhaps for the Royal Family in general  this changes things.

Not only does it legitimise Harrys relationship with Meghan, it signals a clear shift in attitude not just towards the media, but also the public in general.

Harry is no longer content to be a neutral observer of his own life. He wants to take back control, to be the master of his own narrative  and the narrative of those close to him.

He seems to be saying: Even though I lead a life of unbelievable privilege and could conceivably one day be King, I am entitled to exactly the same privacy the humblest dweller of the humblest bungalow enjoys.

It is hard to imagine either of Harrys two other significant exes  Chelsy Davy or Cressida Bonas (pictured in 2014)  signing up to a statement so raw

His statement also offers an insight into the mind of the young man who many remember as a sweet, sad child, bravely fighting back the tears as he followed his mothers coffin along the Mall.

Because that trauma, I suspect, is where this cry of rage really stems from. From Harry the boy, Dianas brave little soldier, who despite everything could not protect his mummy, as all little boys long to do.

Harry visits Russell Youth Centre on October 26, 2016 in Nottingham, England

No matter that it was a drunk driver who ultimately caused Dianas death. Reason and logic play no part in such human tragedy, especially for those at the heart of it. Psychologically, its all very complicated.

Harry lost the first woman he ever truly loved  his mother  to fame. Now he worries something frighteningly similar is happening to someone else he loves, and it triggers all kinds of painful memories.

Except now hes a man, and he has a chance to save his woman, to protect her, to control her story and be her champion.

This statement is, then, in many ways the most romantic of gestures from the 32-year-old prince. In its own way, its a kind of love letter to Meghan. He is signalling, both to her and to the wider world, that he is prepared to take on the fiercest of media dragons, the foulest of internet trolls on her behalf.

Harry, with the kind of righteous indignation only a young man in the throes of a deep passion can muster, straps on his metaphorical suit of armour, unsheathes his shining sword of truth, mounts his trusty steed and sallies forth to seek satisfaction from all those who dare sully the good name of his noble queen.

I must confess, I have a lot of sympathy for this stance. I know only too well how it feels to see someone you love traduced in the media, lied about on the internet and attacked unfairly.

Meghan Markle launches her clothing range for Reitmans, a Montreal-based company

Its incredibly painful and it stirs deep emotions that can be very hard to control. Harry may lead a life of huge material wealth, he may be lucky in so many ways  but he is still a human being. Yet while I understand, I still believe this statement will, ultimately, prove misguided.

The fact is that both Harry and Meghan are public figures, one through inheritance, the other through choice  and that comes at a price.

What they gain in privilege and status they lose in privacy and the ability to lead a normal life  which, I hate to remind him, brings its own burdens like the tiresome necessity of going out to work every day to pay the bills.

And Harry is an incredibly fortunate young man: he has a protection team, vast financial resources and any number of taxpayer-funded homes available to him in which to hide away with his gorgeous new love. I wish the couple all the luck and happiness in the world.

But, if I were him, I would stop worrying about what everyone else thinks, turn off the wifi, hunker down  and just enjoy the moment.
If you're lucky enough to make a ninth decade, you might expect that your twilight years would be best spent underneath a toasty blanket watching day-time television.

For a band of seriously impressive octogenarians in the public eye however, age is just a number, with the likes of Joan Collins and Judi Dench continuing to outdo women half their age.

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Actress turned politician turned actress again Glenda Jackson is currently winning rapturous applause as King Lear in London's Old Vic. And Mary Berry's status as the nation's favourite maker of cakes has never been more assured.

Add a decade more and you arguably have the most impressive of them all; the Queen, still tackling her royal duties with aplomb and an energy that belies her 90 years.

Here, FEMAIL looks at the women happily cocking a thumb at the ageing process and being as successful than ever.

GLENDA JACKSON, AGED 80

Actress turned politician turned actress Glenda Jackson is treading the boards again at the age of 80...and winning plaudits from critics

The 80-year-old has received rave reviews from critics and theatre-goers for her on stage energy in King Lear, which opened last week. Performing sometimes twice a day in the three-and-a-half hour long Shakespeare classic, Jackson was described by one critic as 'ferocious'.

The actress shunned the stage for nearly 25 years in favour of a career in Westminster and served as Hampstead and Kilburn's Labour MP for 23 years before quitting in 2015. Her latest reincarnation suggests Jackson is only upping the ante when it comes to energy output.

Glenda Jackson's impassioned performance as King Lear at the Old Vic in London has been praised for its energy

MARY BERRY, AGED 81

The Queen of the Bake Off may have bid farewell to the series that reignited her career during her later years but she's shows no signs of slowing down, pictured most recently belting around the countryside in a sidecar with chef James Martin.

Mary credits self-discipline for her fantastic physique despite often eating up to 36 cakes a day while filming the hit former BBC series.

Don't stop me now! Mary Berry is more high profile than she's ever been before after the nation fell in love with her judging style and baking wisdom on the Bake Off

The doyenne of cookery shows (pictured with 2016 Bake Off winner Candice Brown) may have hung up her apron...but only long enough to grab a motorcycle helmet. Her new two-part show for Christmas with James Martin airs next week on Food Network

A happy marriage might also be the reason Mary is still thriving in later life. Her 50-year marriage to husband Paul Hummings has endured, she says, because they know the art of compromise.

'I'm quite a good listener. We have a lot of peaceful times. Were very happy together. We dont argue. We discuss whats going to happen.'

DAME JUDI DENCH, AGED 81

With a stellar career stretching back to her breakthrough in the 1950s, Dench is still Hollywood hot property.

With a gilded stage and film back-catalogue, the 81-year-old continues to add to it. The star is currently filming Stephen Frears' directorial debut Victoria and Adbul, which documents Queen Victoria's unlikely friendship with Abdul Kareem, who became one of her closest confidantes.

A gilded career that she's still adding to: Dame Judi Dench at 81 is still jet-setting the globe to make Hollywood blockbusters, and is currently working on Stephen Friars' directorial debut Victoria and Abdul

Not that Dame Judi is particularly fond of her advancing years. She told US People magazine last year: 'Theres nothing good about being my age.'

Someone said to me, "You have such a wealth of knowledge," and I just said: "Id rather be young and know nothing, actually." Bugger the wealth of knowledge.'

PETULA CLARK, AGED 83

She met Winston Churchill and King George VI as a youngster and Petula Clark, 83, is still going strong, having just completed a UK tour

Petula Clark, 83, has been a star for more than seven decades courtesy of chart-topping hits like Downtown and This is My Song and films such as Finians Rainbow.

The mother-of-three started singing when she was just seven and met historical icons including Winston Churchill and George VI.

What has experience taught her? She told the Daily Mail earlier this year: 'Do what you really love and make your own mistakes - no one elses.'

Currently living in Geneva, Clark has just wrapped up a UK tour promoting new album, From Now On.

JUNE BROWN, AGED 89

Actress June Brown, known for her flamboyant style, has been on primetime television screens for more than 30 years as Dot Cotton in EastEnders

Stepping into the nation's living room in a primetime soap slot is pretty good going when you're flirting with 90.

June Brown has been playing chain-smoking Dot Cotton for more than 30 years, since she arrived in Albert Square in 1985 looking out for her serial bad boy son Nick Cotton.

Made an OBE for services to charity in 2008, the star has hinted at retirement, saying: 'I don't want to end my life on a soap.'

The star has said she doesn't 'want to end her life on a soap' but, at nearly 90, appears to be still going strong as Albert Square stalwart Dot Cotton

DAME JOAN COLLINS, AGED 83

At The Pride of Britain awards two weeks ago, Joan Collins, in a bespangled red gown, sashayed down the red carpet with the best of them.

The brunette beauty, a former child star, who broke into Hollywood at the age of 22, completed her 'final tour' earlier this year.

Red hot: Joan Collins toured her one-woman show this year and regularly tweets about her glamorous life. Her 14-year marriage to Percy Gibson, 50, is credited with keeping her young

However, while Collins, who rocketed to fame as Alexis Carrington in Eighties US soap Dynasty, clearly doesn't intend to stop working. Her Twitter feed, for which she has 155,000 followers, documents a life of glamour, dining and photoshoots, often including husband Percy, 36 years her junior, by her side.

SOPHIA LOREN, AGED 82

Fifties movie icon Sophia Loren is still happy to feel the media spotlight on her. The Italian beauty, 82, filmed a life show earlier this about her life and work.

Age ain't nothing but a number: Fifties screen icon Sophia Loren says people are constantly complimenting her on her looks

The beauty says that she's forever being complimented on her looks, telling W magazine earlier this year: 'I look very well. I look fantastic. Im laughing, but everybody says so. Everybody says so! Sometimes I dont believe them anymore, but they are very convincing.'

In September 2014, in honor of her 80th birthday, Sophia starred in a glamorous Dolce & Gabanna lipstick campaign, having a new shade of red named after her  Sophia Loren N1, a limited-edition color that sold for 29 a go.

DAME MAGGIE SMITH, AGED 81

For a whole generation, Dame Maggie, 81, will always be the Dowager Countess of Grantham, one of hit period drama Downton Abbey's most memorable characters. She garnered an Emmy for the role this year.

Dame Maggie Smith won an Emmy for her role as the Dowager Countess this year, and a Golden Globe nomination for her role in Alan Bennett's 2015 The Lady in the Van

Roll back the decades a little further and Smith's career has been at full pelt for decades, with her peak arguably coming in 1970 when she scooped the coveted best actress Oscar for her role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
There is a focus on

Many would argue there's nothing more Australian than a meat pie, kangaroo or restricting pair of budgie smugglers.

And with the launch of a new app, the Aussie icons can become part of your daily lingo.

Brisbane developer Marvin Reid has created AussiEmoji, an all-Australian keyboard that reflects life down under.

G'day mate! An Australian developer has created AussiEmoji that reflect life down under

Way of life: The app was developed by Marvin Reid who became an Australian citizen in 2014 after emigrating from Jamaica

Culture: AussiEmoji includes stickers of Uluru, kangaroos and Indigenous Australians

ABC News reported Mr Marvin, who moved to Australia from Jamaica eight years ago and became an Australian citizen in 2014, hoped to show the 'quirks' of Australian culture through the app.

The emoji designs are based on the Australian culture and background, with a creative and humorous twist.

'After becoming an Australian citizen I wanted to create something that showcased Australia to the world in a unique and fun way,' he told the publication.

Surfer dude: 'After becoming an Australian citizen I wanted to create something that showcased Australia to the world in a unique and fun way,' Mr Reid said

Flags together: One emoji features an Australian flag and Australian Aboriginal Flag holding hands

Footy culture: One sticker was of a cane toad dressed in a Queensland maroons jersey

'The first [emoji] I created was a kangaroo with an expression of surprise.

'My favourite emoji is the one that showcases the Australian and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flag.'

AussiEmojis first release featured emojis embedded with Australian, Torres Strait and Aboriginal elements, such as Aboriginal art.

Mr Marvin told ABC News he worked together with Indigenous designer Charles Omeenyo on the designs.

AussiEmoji: The app is available to download and costs AUD$1.49

Going forward the emojis will come with a fact sheet that explains their meaning or background.

The app, which costs AUD$1.49, is already available through the App Store, and is available on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

More emojis will be added to the keyboard each fortnight, with users encouraged to submit their suggestions.
Kourtney Kardashian, 37, loves Manuka honey, and not just in her tea - though she does like it in her tea.

On a new episode of Amazon's Style Code Live, the eldest Kardashian sister waxed poetic on the condiment, which differs from raw honey in that it's derived from manuka trees found exclusively in New Zealand and has stronger anti-bacterial properties.

Fittingly, Kourtney serves as ambassador for the skincare line Manuka Doctor, but her love for the ingredient blossomed well before the brand welcomed her on board last April.

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Oh, honey! On a recent episode of Amazon's Style Code Live, Kourtney Kardashian, 37, said that she uses Manuka honey for everything from warding off colds to moisturizing her skin

Speaking to host Frankie Grande, Kourtney revealed that she first discovered Manuka honey after noticing the crew of Keeping Up With the Kardashians eating it by the spoonful.

'I was like, "Why are you guys always eating this honey?" And they would always say, "Because so and so is sick and we dont want to get sick." After I had Mason, I stopped taking medicine, I just changed my lifestyle and felt like I wanted the most natural things that I could find and so I became really into Manuka honey.'

In addition to taking a dose when she feels a cold coming on, the health-conscious reality star blends it into her morning shake along with avocado and almond milk.

'We just discovered that you could do the shake as a mask too and put it on your hair. Mix the avocado and honey,' she said.

To keep her hair sleek and healthy she also employs coconut oil and products from her and her siblings' Kardashian Beauty line.

To get her long hair pin straight for the interview, she used the brand's Black Seed Dry Oil.

'It gives it the smoothness and the shine. You cant really have flyaways and have this straight hair for it to look like silk, you know?' she said.

Generating buzz: The reality star was tapped as skincare brand Manuka Doctor's ambassador back in April

Keeping up with her skin health: Kourtney revealed that she nourishes her eye area at night with a blend of two Manuka honey-infused products from Manuka Doctor

Manuka honey, which can be used to heal acne, prevent signs of aging and to hydrate and repair skin, has a starring role in Kourtney's beauty routine too, in the form of Manuka Doctor products.

Her must-haves from the line are the Replenishing Facial Oil and the Brightening Facial Oil.

'I use them both pretty equally and I use them every night, like under my eyes and on my eye lids. And then Ill rub it on my hands and bring it down [to the decollete area],' she said on Style Code Live.

The brand's Hydrating Facial Cleanser is also a staple in her nighttime routine. After using a face oil and a hot wash cloth to gently remove make-up, she cleanses, tones and finishes with a serum.
A new mother has spoken of the extraordinary moment she gave birth to her baby in the front seat of her husband's car without making a sound.

Ellen Keene, of Helensville, New Zealand, delivered baby Esme on the highway running between Coatesville and Riverhead shortly after midnight on 30 October as her husband Nick drove her to hospital.

'I was like "um, you need to pull over, she's here" and he was still doing 60 kilometres an hour. I said "no, she's here, now",' Ms Keene told the New Zealand Herald.

Ellen Keene, of Helensville, New Zealand, (pictured) delivered baby Esme on the highway

Little Esme, whose middle name is Florence after her great-grandmother, was born weighing 3.54 kilos

The mother had gone through a traumatic 12-hour labour with her first child Arthur, three, and said this time around things were very different.

Her labour lasted just four hours and Ms Keene told Stuff that she spent half that time in the bath at home singing Beatles songs to keep her mind off the contractions.

Just after midnight Mr Keene got the car ready, but his wife wasn't keen to sit down in it.

'I refused to get in the car because I couldn't sit down. I had no idea why but I just didn't want to sit down,' she told Stuff.

Finally, she did get in the car, but then the unexpected happened.

'I found it quite relaxing in the car believe it or not,' she went on. 'I remember waiting for streetlights to know that we were nearly at the hospital and as I am doing that, I'm very quiet, I didn't make any noise in the car, and then I felt the head.'

Little Esme, whose middle name is Florence after her great-grandmother, was born weighing 3.54 kilos.

Ms Keene said she didn't think for a moment she was going to have the baby in the car, but that Esme arrived without her pushing and went 'down into the seat'.

'I'm very quiet, I didn't make any noise in the car, and then I felt the head,' Ms Keene said

Mr Keene stopped the car when he realised what had happened and the couple scooped up the healthy newborn.

'I felt serene. Quite calm. It was not how people would expect,' Ms Keene told Stuff. 'I don't think I had the capacity to think about all the things that could go wrong. All I could do was hold her and keep her warm.'

Recalling the eventful birth, Ms Keene revealed to Daily Mail Australia that she and her husband had the use of her brother, Paul's, car that night.
For the occasion, the 45-year-old Queen opted for an oversized navy hat

They concluded the trip with a visit to training vessel Spirit of New Zealand

The Dutch royals have visited Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington

Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander are visiting New Zealand

On her Royal tour of New Zealand, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands has gained a whole host of new fans, thanks to her propensity to take a fashion risk.

Already in the three-day state visit to the country, she has wowed in a Givenchy green leopard print dress at the National War Memorial, as well as a floor-length red gown, which she wore at Government House.

And now, the stylish Dutch royal has pulled off another fashion coup.

This time, it came by way of an oversized navy blue hat, neutral poncho, skirt and sunglasses.

Scroll down for video

Royals on tour: Queen Maxima (pictured) is currently in New Zealand with King Willem-Alexander on a state visit

All aboard: The couple visited the training vessel Spirit of New Zealand on Wednesday, day three of their state visit (pictured)

Glamorous: For the occasion, the 45-year-old Queen paired an oversized navy blue hat with statement pearl drop earrings, leather gloves and a poncho

Official: She was joined by King Willem-Alexander on board the Spirit of New Zealand Youth Training Vessel at Princes Wharf in Auckland (pictured) on Wednesday

Queen Maxima paired her statement ensemble with neutral heels, large pearl drop earrings and dark leather gloves.

The Queen, alongside King Willem-Alexander, was visiting the Spirit of New Zealand Youth Training Vessel at Princes Wharf in Auckland when she paused for photographs both on board and just outside.

The Queen and King Willem-Alexander, who wore a navy suit and pale blue tie, took time to speak to various students on the ship.

Friendly: While on board, Queen Maxima spoke to students during the visit (pictured)

Conversation: Meanwhile, the Dutch King, who wore a navy suit and pale blue tie, also took time to speak to various people on the ship (pictured)

All smiles: The Queen has shown that she is a fan of an oversized hat on previous occasions

Both were all smiles for the occasion.

The 45-year-old Queen has already shown in New Zealand that she is a fan of an oversized hat.

She opted for a large black headpiece when she visited the National War Memorial and later met with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key.

Enjoyment: Since the Royals landed in New Zealand on Monday, they have enjoyed all sorts of local delights

Busy trip: They have visited Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland in their whistle-stop three-day tour

Since the Royals landed in New Zealand on Monday, they have enjoyed all sorts of local delights.

They have visited Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland in their whistle-stop three-day tour.
Some Chicagoans Were Given Incomplete Ballots When They Voted Today

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Nov 8, 2016 9:23PM



But did you really? Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

Cook County, we have a problem. Many Chicago voters from precincts around the city are reporting that they received incomplete ballots when they voted todayand some of them never got to vote on the ballot referendums at all.

Depending on whom you ask, voting in the Chicago area this Tuesday has been either a walk in the park (or a trip to the brewery), or a rollercoaster of long lines, out-of-line election judges, or incomplete ballots.

But according to some Twitter users and Redditors who commented on the Chicago Board of Election's official election thread, the incomplete ballot problem cited by some voters is worse than we thought:

@ChicagoElection I did not have the Cook County or City referendums on my ballot this morning. Prec 20, Ward 32. approx. 6:30/6:40 AM.  Chris McNamara (@cwilmc) November 8, 2016

We also spoke to a Rogers Park woman this morning who said she was initially handed an incomplete ballot, but the problem was corrected after she pointed it out to an election judge who did not know there was another page, and then received help from a second election judge.

If this happened to you, sorry, but you're out of luck: the Board of Elections says there's no way to recast your ballot, because ballots are anonymous and no one can prove who did not receive the referendums page. Trying to vote again would effectively mean voting twice.



Updated 4:30 p.m.: Voter Lauren Edson, 29, told Chicagoist via email that she was not able to vote on the second page of the ballot at her precinct at St. Matthias School at 4910 N. Claremont Ave. this morning, around 6 a.m.

She wrote: "I received only one ballot (front and back page) containing the official elections. When a fellow voter questioned where the amendments were, the polling official informed us that we needed to ask for the second ballot if we wanted it; it would not be given to us unless we asked. Several of us then asked for the second ballot, and we were given sample ballots to complete. When we stated that this was not the correct ballot, the officials stated these were the only ballots they had on site and that we were essentially out of luck."

Edson says she hopes the problem was corrected quickly, though; her boyfriend voted at the same place about 20 minutes later, and he said that by then the election judges had "found" the second pages and voters were able to complete them.



Updated 4:55 p.m.: Voter Laura Oakley, 27, told us via email that she received an incomplete ballot at Precinct 9, Ward 1 when she went to vote around 6:30 a.m.

"I asked about the Lockbox Amendment not being on my ballot and was told that there was nothing that they could do and I should cast my ballot and then call the Illinois Board of Elections," she wrote in an email. "I called the Board of Elections and was told there was nothing they could do for me because I had already cast my ballot, but they were looking into it."

Oakley says the situation was concerning to her.

"I worry that several hundred people voted within that first hour without having the opportunity to vote on the amendment," she said. "Additionally, what is concerning to me is that the election judges appeared to be aware that they didn't have the full ballot but were not warning voters that they weren't being given the full ballot before voting."

Jim Allen, Board of Elections spokesman, told Chicagoist that the problem was "mostly a morning issue" for precincts with paper ballots.

He said the board did everything it could to train election judges and share signs and graphics with them demonstrating that there would be two paper ballots per voter, not one. Still, some people did not get the message in time.

"We already have one of the biggest ballots in the country and you cannot fit all of the offices, the judges, the retention judges, and this very, very wordy constitutional amendment question plus all the other referendum questions on there on both sides of the same sheet," he said. "We've had two ballot pages before at least three other times," in recent years, he added. "Once [the problem] was caught, the judges gladly provided both ballots."

It is not up to the Board of Elections to determine whether the referendum questions should be thrown out due to the mix-up. Instead, people would have to contest the outcome of the vote in front of a judge.

The referendum questions must receive at least 60 percent of the vote to go through, and a blank ballot equals a "no" vote, he said. "So for some people that may have worked out, for others it may not."

According to the Tribune, election investigators noted that at a 36th Ward precinct, the first 70 voters were not given ballots with the Lockbox Amendment, and at another precinct, an election judge was only giving the second ballot page to voters who asked for it: meaning just 3 out of 128 voters received it.
The Duke of Edinburgh may be 95 but he appears to have a robust constitution after he told a flu expert he has not had the illness for 40 years.

Philip made the revelation about his good health when he joined the Queen on a tour of the 650 million Francis Crick Institute - a major biomedical research centre that aims to develop new ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating disease like cancer, HIV and malaria.

With the flu jab recommended for the over-65s, it is not known if Philip has had the procedure but he chatted about his apparent immunity to flu expert Dr Yi Pu Lin.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh braved the wet weather in London today to visit the Francis Crick Institute

The Queen's consort first asked Dr Lin if someone could develop an immunity or resistance to flu, then added: 'Why haven't I had flu for the last 40 years?'

Philip is now in his 96th year but apart from a few short stays in hospital in recent years appears to be in good health and still leads an active lifestyle.

Later, Dr Lin, assistant director of the London institute's worldwide influenza centre, which plays a part with other global centres in determining the content of flu vaccines, tried to explain the Duke's lack of flu symptoms.

She said: 'He said he was now 95 and he may previously been infected and now he has immunity, even with new viruses coming the immunity can be stimulated, so that's possible.

The couple were greeted by crowds of equally soggy Londoners who gifted the Queen with several bouquets of flowers

The Queen seemed charmed by the young child who presented her with the flowers and the pair enjoyed a lengthy chat

For her engagement today the Queen wore a turquoise coat with a matching hat and accessorised her outfit with black accents

'Different people have different immuno responses and for some people it's probably easier to catch and for some people probably not that (easy).'

She added that Philip might have had a 'sub-clinical infection' where the immune system is strong enough to fight off the virus without the person feeling unwell.

Dr Lin said: 'You don't get symptoms but actually you've had a virus and your body's fought with it and overcome it, so you don't have problems and you don't know you've had flu.'

Senior scientist Greg Elgar from the Francis Crick Institute shows Her Majesty laboratory during her visit today

She joined Sir Paul Nurse, director of the Francis Crick Institute to unveil a plaque to officially open the institute

She joked that environment played an important part and unlike the public, who 'go to the Tube every day' and have more chance of being infected, Philip did not.

The Duke's strong constitution shone through today as he and Her Majesty braved the downpour this morning brolly free.

Despite the rain, the monarch and her husband were all smiles as they arrived at the Francis Crick Institute on Wednesday.

During her visit the Queen was asked to push a button to start sequencing Sir Paul's genome

Senior scientist Aengus Stewart (left) and Sir Paul Nurse show the royal the genome display as she successfully launched it

For her engagement today the Queen wore a turquoise coat with a matching hat and accessorised her outfit with black accents - even adding a pair of black leather gloves.

As is expected with any royal engagement Her Majesty's visit this morning encouraged plenty of well-wishers out into the rain to greet the royal.

Prince Phillip and the Queen were met by a crowd of hundreds of people waving Union Jack flags in honour of their arrival.

During his visit to the centre Prince Phillip revealed that his strong constitution he has avoided flu for 40 years

The Queen looked pensive as she listened to talks from senior scientists Aengus Stewart and Greg Elgar on Wednesday

The Queen was gifted with several bouquets of flowers from school children, which certainly bought a smile to her face despite the wet weather.

Also joining Her Majesty today was her son Prince Andrew who seemed pleased by the warm welcome her received, smiling at the crowds upon his arrival.

Employees of the leading centre for biomedical research welcomed Her Majesty this morning as she arrived to open their latest development.

Prince Andrew also joined his parents for their engagement in London this morning

Prince Andrew who seemed pleased by the warm welcome her received, smiling at the crowds upon his arrival

The 90-year-old royal unveiled the new 650 million development at the building next to Kings Cross St Pancras.

In honour of her visit Her Majesty was asked to start the sequencing of Sir Paul Nurse's genome.

According to the institutes website Paul Nurse, director of the Crick said: 'It was a delight to welcome the Queen to our new building for the Francis Crick Institute and show her some of the science that we are carrying out to understand the human body better in health and disease.'

The Queen arrived by car this morning which was decorated with remembrance poppies
With half of the country in mourning over the outcome of the US presidential election, international spectators are flooding Twitter to offer to marry Americans for citizenship abroad  at a cost.

As Donald Trump inched closer to victory on Tuesday night, Canada's immigration website crashed repeatedly, and when the GOP nominee finally defeated Hillary Clinton in a stunning upset, people from all over the world took to Twitter to suggest some other emigration options.

'Trump is President. If you wish to flee the country, I'm now offering marriage for Canadian citizenship. Place your bids!' Winston Roberts wrote.

Interesting proposal: International Twitter users are offering to marry Americans who are looking to flee the country

Making a deal: Winston Roberts asked people to bid for his hand in marriage, which comes with Canadian citizenship

'Apply below': A Twitter user named Kojey announced that he was also taking bids for a spouse who wants UK citizenship

And Winston wasn't the only one who offered marriage at a price.

'UK citizenship for sale,' A Twitter user named Kojey wrote. 'Marrying the highest bidder. Applicant's please apply below.'

Joel Ephantt added: 'Attention all young American women. Now that Trump is elected I'm offering a Singaporean citizenship via marriage for SGD $100,000.

Meanwhile, another Twitter user named Ramis asked for a deposit up front before agreeing to marry any Americans desperately trying to flee the country.

Headed to the White House: President-elect Donald Trump is pictured during his victory speech early Wednesday morning

Feelings of despair: Hillary Clinton supporters cried as they followed the election's results at Jacob Javits Center in New York

"I'm offering UK citizenship to Americans through marriage. 10,000 deposit in euros please. I accept $ if you're above 8/10 [sic],' he wrote.

However, not everyone was looking for money in exchange for marriage.

'Right... I've got a UK citizenship on offer... who wants to get married?' a Twitter user named Jamie wrote, sharing a photo of Michael Scott, Steve Carell's character from The Office, trying to kiss Oscar to show that he is accepting of him being gay.

Carol Danvers simply tweeted: 'If you lot wanna marry me for UK citizenship, I'm game.'

TWITTER USERS OFFER TO MARRY AMERICANS FOR CASH Advertisement

'Hosting a special #election themed giveaway!' Mia Stammer joked. 'Marry me and I'll give you Japanese citizenship and we can flee the country.'

And while plenty of people started making marriage offers after Hillary's loss, Asaf Goren and Keyser Soze prepared for the outcome in advance.

'In the event that Trump wins tonight, I'm offering marriage for Israeli citizenship. Opening bid starts at $50,000,' Asaf wrote.

Prophesy: Keyser Soze offered to marry an American for $1 million on Tuesday in anticipation of Trump's victory

Looking to leave: Canada's immigration website began experiencing a series of outages early on Tuesday night, presumably because of a high volume of traffic

'In anticipation of Trump winning I am offering marriage for Canadian citizenship... opening bid will start at $1,000,000.00,' Keyser added.

As thousands of Americans have vowed to move across the border, Canada's official website, which contains information on how to emigrate and obtain citizenship, began experiencing a series of outages early on Tuesday night  presumably because of a high volume of traffic.

Those trying to access the 'Citizenship and Immigration Canada' page reported seeing long loading pages or no access to the website at all with messages of internal server errors.
While the world reels from the US presidential election results, a political journalist has emerged as an unlikely hero thanks to his choice of garish knitwear.

Sky News' Faisal Islam was presenting coverage outside Downing Street on Wednesday where he wrapped up against the winter chill in a multicoloured scarf.

Within minutes of his live TV appearance, viewers had taken to Twitter to compliment Mr Islam, 39, on his choice of neckwear.

Kevin Saunders wrote: 'Islam appears to have Dr Who's scarf on from the 1970s' with Katie martin adding: 'On the plus side, @faisalislam has his nice scarf on again.'

While Ben Edmonds tweeted: '@faisalislam Back at it again with the rainbow scarf'.

It was a nod to to a Californian teenager 'Damn Daniel' who shot to fame earlier this year when a clip of his modelling a pair of white Vans trainers to school went viral.

Bluehectare commented: '@faisalislam nice scarf! If the politics business ever goes quiet, you could try for Dr Who.'

Sky News reporter Faisal Islam caused a stir with his rainbow scarf prompting Twitter fans to joke that he could be the next Dr Who

Faisal's colourful neckwear won praise on Twitter with viewers describing it as 'splendid', 'funky' and 'epic', although a handful thought it was a bit too festive

Tom Baker's portrayal of the time-travelling adventurer in the 1970s became synonymous with his stripey knitted scarf.

It is not the first time the political editor and author, from London, has delighted audiences with his colourful neckwear.

Last week viewers commented that his 'warmth, individuality and positivity' was 'shining through' while he delivered gloomy political news.

Within minutes of his live TV appearance, viewers had taken to Twitter to compliment Mr Islam on his choice of knitwear, with many comparing him with 'Doctor Who from the 1970s'

Others dubbed the garment 'splendid', 'funky' and 'epic',

However, some felt it was a 'comedy' scarf unbefitting of someone presenting on the Brexit ruling from outside the High Court.

One commented: 'Can the High Court make a ruling on Faisal Islam's scarf too?'
You can now pick up a soft leather biker jacket for 95 from Sainsbury's

The real leather is soft, with a stylish matte grey finish, the cut is fitted but not too tight and the stud details are catwalk-worthy.

But the most extraordinary thing of all about this biker jacket is not just the price  a surprisingly affordable 95  but that you can pop it in your trolley with your salmon fillets and fabric conditioner.

The jacket will be available to buy from 191 Sainsburys stores, and online, from today. It is the new hero piece in Sainsburys Tu Premium range which also includes, for the first time ever in a British supermarket, a 30 cream shirt made from real silk.

The most extraordinary thing of all about this biker jacket is not just the price  a surprisingly affordable 95  but that you can pop it in your trolley with your salmon fillets and fabric conditioner (95 tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk)

So now you can grab some silk with your milk... and the rest of your weekly shop.

Its all part of the quiet gentrification of Sainsburys, transforming it into a one-stop shop to lure the middle-class woman whose natural habitat is more Waitrose.

The evolution includes new concept stores in London which feature mini Habitat concessions (wood and marble cheeseboard for 30 or an Emerald velvet sofa for 1,600) and  wait for it  a sushi bar with Japanese chefs making fresh salmon Californian rolls and prawn maki.

But the most radical, and some would say exceedingly brave move, is the way Sainsburys is upping the ante on its fashion offering.

The rivals: 330, whistles.com

With swaggering confidence the supermarket has thrown down the gauntlet to upscale High Street fashion retailers LK Bennett, Hobbs and Whistles with its new Tu Premium collection.

The 95 biker jacket is a test-case in itself. Never before has Sainsburys sold such an expensive item of clothing. Until now the sweet spot was around 25.

While the price and quality of the biker jacket compares favourably to other High Street retailers  in many cases its half the price or less  the big question is, are we quite ready to shop for a new season wardrobe next to the three-for-two offer on quilted loo rolls?

If someone stops you to admire your jacket, are you really going to admit it came from Sainsburys?

Hannah Mallett, buying director of Sainsburys, is so confident the premium shopper is ready to drop almost 100 worth of grey leather into her supermarket trolley that she has already ordered a run of a navy version for February.

Her confidence stems from new Sainsburys research which has identified two kinds of premium shopper: The Confident Stylist and the The Inspiration Seeker, who want more than your average supermarket fare of cheap and cheerful disposable fashion.

259, mintvelvet.co.uk

These women are over 35, working, retired or at home with children, and are already doing their weekly shop in Sainsburys and favouring the cut-above-the-rest, Taste The Difference range.

So why not tempt them with status fashion, too? Hannah says: They read fashion magazines, they are aware of new trends and want to look fashionable.

They dont want cheap, throw-away fashion, they want classic pieces of great quality which they can keep in their wardrobe for a very long time. They are very much the kind of woman who shops at John Lewis. So that is what we are giving her  a collection focused on beautiful, elegant investment pieces.

Rather than blindly copying catwalk trends as many High Street stores do for the youth market, Sainsburys head of womans wear design, Toni Salters-Warner, says her team creates a small, 22-piece collection every four to six weeks for a customer who wants classic fashion rather than trendy looks.

They then keep the prices down by sourcing silks and leather from ethical Indian suppliers. Some trends just arent right for our customer, she says. For example, for Spring 2017 we filtered through all the catwalk looks and picked out whats relevant to her and then interpret it for her.

Best-sellers from the first Tu Premium collection launched in September, included a camel wrap coat for 50 and a denim tencel shirt for 25. Looking at the new collection due out next week, youd be hard-pressed to identify which store the pieces came from. The knee-high leather boots with an elegant block heel and rich, burgundy finish (80) could fool even the sharpest fashion eye.

In a UK clothing market worth 35.7 billion, 65 per cent of us buy from supermarkets  1 in every 10 spent on clothing, footwear or accessories is in a supermarket, according to retail analyst Kantar (left is 229, massimodutti.com and right 298 allsaints.com)

Extraordinarily, Toni says The Confident Stylist and the Inspiration Seeker shop for clothes up to 44 times a year  thats almost once a week.

It could be a pair of socks or tights, or something as substantial as a new winter coat, she explains. But you can see why Sainsburys is targeting high-spending, fashion-conscious women  they are gold dust.

In a UK clothing market worth 35.7 billion, 65 per cent of us buy from supermarkets  1 in every 10 spent on clothing, footwear or accessories is in a supermarket, according to retail analyst Kantar.

This includes Tescos F&F range, Asdas George line and even Morrisons has recently launched a Nutmeg line for children. Supermarkets make it almost irresponsibly easy to load more stuff into our trolleys, with offers and the added temptation of store-card points.

I hate to think of the number of times I walked into my local store for a pint of milk and came out 40 poorer with a trolley full of clothing I didnt know I needed.

Now its only going to get worse. But while many of us might fling the odd pair of socks or childrens underwear into our trolleys, seducing us with a serious coat purchase is quite another thing.

But as friend who spent 25 on a Tu black puffa jacket with a faux fur collar said: I love it  but Im never going to tell anyone where it came from.
A retainer has been invented to give men extra pleasure during fellatio.

The plastic contraption fits into the sexual partner's mouth like a normal tooth-protecting device provided by orthodontists.

But this invention, by dentist-turned-artist Kuang-Yi Ku, has an added twist.

Aside from keeping the sexual partner's teeth in perfect condition, the retainer is built with cushioning to feel like human tissue.

It can be customized with different kinds of bumps and curves to suit each user's personal taste.

The plastic contraption fits into the sexual partner's mouth like a tooth-protecting device provided by orthodontists. But this invention, by dentist-turned-artist Kuang-Yi Ku, has a twist

It keeps the partner's teeth in perfect condition, and has cushioning to feel like human tissue

The device, which is not yet available for purchase, was exhibited this week at the Science Gallery London.

One day Ku hopes to apply biotechnological procedures, such as growing cells, to surgically implant lumps of human tissue into a person's mouth, rather than using a contraption with curves and ridges made to mimic them.

Ku graduated with a master degree in dentistry from National Yang-Ming University and a communication design degree from Shih Chien University.

Now he is blending his medical and artistic strands in the Fellatio Modification Project.

It can be customized with different bumps and curves to suit each user's personal taste

The project was designed to look at how dentistry and manipulating oral tissue could affect pleasure, particularly in homosexual relationships.

Speaking to Dazed Digital, Ku said he believes this is the first step, and that there will be similar inventions made to pleasure women in the future.

'I imagine in the future people might modify their tongue's width and length for cunnilingus,' he told the magazine.

Ku said he was inspired by a Taiwanese porn star, who made his straight co-star orgasm during an on-screen blow job.

The event, which made headlines in Taiwan, inspired Ku to think about how sexual technique alone could supersede emotion and attraction.

His invention became a hit during Taiwanese Pride last year.

And this year he was invited to present the project at the Science Gallery in London by the institution's director, Dr Daniel Glaser.

Dr Glaser told Dazed: 'Lots of people won't be familiar with tissue culture and the usage of these designs remains speculative.

'But, this project is not speculative in the sense that the techniques described, exist.

'We think this opens up a really interesting set of conversations which are going to become more and more important as the technology advances.

'The ideas might be controversial because they suggest medical technological design should be about enhancing pleasure and not just reducing harm or pain.'

One day Ku hopes to apply biotechnological procedures, such as growing cells, to surgically implant lumps of human tissue into a person's mouth, rather than using a contraption
Lucozade and Ribena drinks are to have their sugar content stripped by more than 50 per cent, it has been announced.

The makers of the two popular products are set to make the 'game changing' move in a bid to make the drinks healthier and more appealing.

Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS), will make all of its brands, including Orangina and V Energy, contain less than 4.5g of sugar per 100ml.

While all packaging will be changed to ensure the nutritional information of the products can be clearly seen on the front, they say.

The move means none of the brands will fall into the sugar tax category, which is set to come into effect in 2018.

Lucozade Ribena Suntory will make all of its brands contain less than 4.5g of sugar per 100ml - falling just under the Government's sugar tax on products containing 5g per 100ml or more

Peter Harding, chief operating officer at LRS, said the changes would come into measure by next summer, The Times reports.

'Today's announcement is a game changer for our business and for those people who love and enjoy our drinks,' he added.

'The world has changed, with consumers now wanting healthier drinks and more action from the brands they regularly enjoy.'

The Government announced a sugar tax in their childhood obesity strategy to halve the number of overweight children by 2026.

The levy is expected to come into force in 2018 and will affect producers and importers of soft drinks that contain 'added sugar'.

But after LRS' change, all of their drinks will fall below the tax - which is aimed at products contain 5g of sugar or more per 100ml.

The Government announced a sugar tax in their childhood obesity strategy to halve the number of overweight children by 2026. It is expected to come into force in 2018

Currently, Lucozade Energy Orange contains 13g of sugar per 100ml, while Ribena Blackcurrant has 10g over the same measurement.

Orangina also has 10g of sugar per 100ml, while V Energy contains 11.2g.

THE 5 WORST OFFENDERS Product Lucozade Orange Lucozade Tropical Lucozade Melon V Energy Ribena Strawberry Squash Sugar per 100ml 13g 13g 12.4g 11.2g 11g Note: Lucozade Cherry, Strawberry and The Brazilian all contain 12g per 100ml Advertisement

Lucozade Sport already falls under the proposed move, having just 3.6g of sugar per 100ml while their other brand True Nopal water has just 2.2g.

Just earlier this week, Tesco cut the amount of sugar in its own brand soft drinks as part of the fight against obesity.

More than 50 products had seen their levels cut to below 5g per 100ml in the final part of its reformulation.

While the move comes after hospitals could be banned from selling sugary drinks under radical measures to tackle obesity.

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens wants England to become the world's first nation to enforce such a ban, which would see certain fruit juices, fizzy drinks and flavoured coffees outlawed from canteens and vending machines.
A student who developed tumours on her face as a child has undergone her twelfth surgery in a desperate attempt to remove them.

Tina Sajovic, 20, suffers from a rare condition known as neurofibromatosis type 1 - which started showing its first signs when she was a youngster.

The genetic disorder has caused tumours to form along the nerves of her face, leaving it disfigured and lopsided.

People often assume the condition is contagious and are scared of going near her.

During the past decade she has undergone a dozen surgical procedures to limit the growth and improve the structure of her face.

Her latest operation, conducted in London, helped to better the shape and definition of her nose.

Tina Sajovic, 20, suffers from a rare condition known as neurofibromatosis type I - which started showing its first signs as a youngster. During the past decade she has undergone a dozen surgical procedures to limit the growth and improve the structure of her face

Miss Sajovic, from Ljubljana, Slovenia, said: 'The first contact with people is always difficult because they get scared of what I have.

They think that I am, I don't know, contagious, that they will get the disease, but there are also people who accept me and spend time with me. But most of them still look at me sideways.

Sometimes it's hard to go into a new environment, or to a group of people who don't know you because you never know how they will accept you, but I try to force myself to forget about that and try to fit in as much as I can.

She added: As far as the operations go, I am happy that I can have them, but on the other hand they are stressful.

The genetic disorder has caused tumours to form along the nerves of her face, leaving it disfigured and lopsided. People often assume the condition is contagious and are scared of going near her (pictured with her sister Romana)

However, if I couldn't have them, my condition could have been a lot worse.

The condition started showing its first signs when she was just nine years old, but her parents had prepared her.

They informed her that she suffered from the disease at a young age and that when she would grow older her face would look different from others.

NEUROFIBROMATOSIS: THE 'ELEPHANT MAN' CONDITION Neurofibromatosis the name for a number of genetic conditions that cause swellings or lumps and affects just one in 3,000 births. Type 1 is a condition someone is born with, although some symptoms develop gradually over many years. The severity of the condition can vary considerably from person to person, but sufferers are more likely to suffer from behavioural problems, vision difficulties and high blood pressure. Despite the alarming appearance, the growths and swellings - called neurofibromas and caused by a growth of cells - are not cancerous or contagious. The condition has long been associated with the Elephant Man, the name given to Joseph Carey Merrick, who was severely disfigured. Advertisement

Despite the early warning from her parents, she found it difficult to interact with new people.

She was learning to adjust to the growths as well as the unwanted attention they garnered.

But the unwanted attention has not caused her to become a recluse as she is often found outside and lives an active social life.

She says one of her biggest passions in life is jogging as it helps to keep her mind off of the condition.

Jogging is a form of relaxation for me, she added. When I jog I forget about all worries, jogging relaxes me, it fills me with new energy.

Miss Sajovic has undergone six surgical operations in her native Slovenia and six in London.

Her latest surgery was conducted at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London.

Surgeons improved the shape and definition of her nose  which lacked cartilage.

Their approach saw them take a small amount of cartilage from her rib and place it into her nose making sure to be careful as they carved it to size.

Miss Sajovic, from Ljubljana, Slovenia, said: 'The first contact with people is always difficult because they get scared of what I have'

Surgeons say the procedure was a success but that future procedures will be needed to shave off the excess skin (pictured with her mother Tatjana and step-father Jure)

After the operation she was left with a bigger nose  but surgeons have said future procedures will be done to shave off the excess skin.

But although the surgery was a success, Miss Sajovic will have to wait a few weeks before she can run again.

However, the high number of operations she has undergone have done little to dampen her spirit.

Her mother, Tatjana said: Tina is a very pleasant and warm person. She's very strong.

Compared to other children, healthy children, she doesn't have an easy time and goes through a lot. So, I truly admire her.
High dose statins slash the risk of dying by 30 per cent compared to normal pills, a major study has found.

US researchers say there is a 'substantial opportunity' to prevent more deaths through wider use of stronger pills.

The majority of patients on statins take dose of between 5 to 40 micrograms a day, depending on the type of tablet.

But this study, involving half a million adults, looked at patients had been prescribed dosages of up to 80 mg daily.

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Sufferers of a common heart condition were almost 30 per cent less likely to die within a year if they had a high statin dose than those on a low one, a study found

Doctors are reluctant to prescribe the strongest pills unless patients have a very high risk of heart attack and stroke as the side effects are more severe.

These most commonly include muscle tissue damage  and tenderness and soreness  and there is some evidence they harm the kidneys.

Researchers from Stanford University in California looked at 509,766 adults on statins to treat a common type of heart disease.

It is known as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) caused by the blood vessels becoming clogged with fatty substances.

Some 30 per cent were classified as being on 'high intensity' statin therapy, 46 per cent moderate and the remainder on low intensity.

But the high intensity group were 20 per cent less likely to die within a year compared to those on the moderate dose.

And compared to the low dose group, they were 29 per cent less at risk of dying within a year.

The majority of patients on statins take dose of between 5 to 40 micrograms a day for their heart conditions. But this study assessed dosages of up to 80 mg daily

Dr Paul Heidenreich, whose study is published in JAMA Cardiology, said: 'These findings suggest there is a substantial opportunity for improvement in the secondary prevention of ASCVD through optimization of intensity of statin therapy.'

An estimated six million adults in Britain are thought to be taking statins to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Costing less than 6p a day, they work by reducing cholesterol levels in the blood which cause fatty deposits to build up in the blood vessels.

But there has been widespread controversy over their safety and some experts claim the risks outweigh the benefits.

STATINS: THEY ARE SAFE The benefits of statins are hugely underestimated and far outweigh any harm, the biggest ever review into their use found last month. According to Oxford University researchers, the cheap daily pills prevent at least 80,000 heart attacks and strokes in the UK every year. But tens of thousands more could be avoided if a greater number of patients were persuaded to take them, they say. The lead researcher said he believed the number taking the drugs should be doubled to 12 million. Currently, an estimated six million adults in the UK are prescribed the pills. Advertisement

Common side effects include severe muscle pain, type 2 diabetes, kidney damage, liver failure and even death.

Today's study classified 'high intensity' statins as being between 40 and 80 mg of atorvastatin, 20 to 40 mg of rosuvastatin or 80 mg of simvastatin.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: 'Heart disease is incurable  we have no way to reverse the furring of the arteries that can lead to a deadly heart attack or stroke.

'But decades of research, much of it funded by the British Heart Foundation, show that statins can help save lives by slowing the progression of the disease.

'This large study showed that more intensive statin treatment reduced death rates further than low-intensity or no treatment in people with cardiovascular disease.

'While this research confirms the greater benefit of more intensive treatment, decisions on dosage require conversations between patients and their doctors.'

A major study in the Lancet earlier this year claimed the benefits of statins by far outweighed the risk and prevented 80,000 heart attacks and strokes a year.
Floridians have voted to release a batch of genetically-modified killer mosquitoes in Monroe County as part of a clinical trial to fight Zika.

Despite dwindling public interest, the virus has shown no sign of slowing down.

New local infections have been announced every day since the outbreak hit Miami in July this year, and CDC director Dr Thomas Frieden has warned that Zika is 'really not controllable with current technologies'.

Now, in a move that scientists hope could control the virus, some residents have backed a proposal to release a lab-developed group of mosquitoes designed to infect the Zika-carrying mosquito population with a fatal disease.

But confusingly, the county that would host the killer mosquitoes - Key Haven - overwhelmingly rejected the proposal by 65 percent to 35 percent.

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Monroe County residents voted 58 percent in favor of the measure. But Key Haven - where the mosquitoes would be released - resoundingly rejected the proposal by 65 per cent

The people who voted 58 percent in favor of the clinical trial are in Monroe County, more than 100 miles south of the outbreak zone in Miami-Dade County, and a drive from Key Haven.

However, the vote is non-binding. Florida's mosquito control now has until November 19 to reflect on the results, before deciding whether to go ahead with the trial.

Speaking to Daily Mail Online on Wednesday, Dr Derric Nimmo, project leader of the trial by British biotech firm Oxitec, insisted the result was a good one.

Thirty-three precincts voted in Monroe County; only two voted 'no', and only by 0.6 percent

'It was a huge endorsement for the technology,' Dr Nimmo said.

'The Florida Mosquito Control team is one of the best in the world. They spend $1.1 million dollars on mosquito control a year, in just a small area.

'But they can only control 30 to 50 percent at best, which they know is not good enough.

'We are easily the most proven technology to control these mosquitoes because we've got five years of results showing how it works.'

The vote has been a long time in the making.

The FDA approved the proposal from Oxitec at the beginning of August.

The company has spent five years developing a batch of genetically-modified, non-biting male Aedes aegyptis.

They are mutated versions of the species which most commonly carry Zika.

By manipulating the lab insects' genes, the scientists have made sure that their offspring will pass on a mutated gene to the female mosquito that they mate with, meaning their offspring will inevitably die outside of a lab.

The trial involves releasing three million lab-bred mosquitoes into a certain area.

Oxitec's previous trials in Brazil and the Cayman Islands, among other places, have shown a 90 percent reduction in the mosquito population by the end of nine months.

Dr Nimmo concedes that it is not a perfect answer to Zika, but he believes it is the best bet Florida has to date.

'Is it enough for disease control? According to models it is,' he said.

'No technology has shown it can control disease. You need quite a large area to account for the sporadic spread of disease.'

Nonetheless, it was enough for the FDA.

After reviewing thousands of public comments this year, the FDA concluded the gene-edited mosquitoes posed no real public threat to the people of Florida.

However, Governor Rick Scott insisted it needed to be put to a public vote.

Celebrating the 'yes' vote on Wednesday, Oxitec's CEO Hadyn Parry said in a statement: 'The voters of Monroe County have clearly spoken.

'By approving this referendum, they have highlighted the need for new and targeted solutions that will fight against the invasive mosquitoes that carry Zika, dengue and other dangerous viruses.

A batch of mosquitoes have been designed to infect Florida's Zika-carrying mosquito population and their offspring with a fatal disease that will kill them outside a lab

'With vaccines not immediately available and many communities deeply concerned about the effects of extensive chemical spraying, there is a major need for alternative solutions to combat the spread of disease-carrying mosquitoes.'

Addressing the split vote, he said: 'While we did not win over every community in the Keys, Oxitec appreciates the support received from the community, and is prepared to take the next steps with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control Board to trial its environmentally-friendly and non-persisting mosquito control solution.

'At Oxitec, we remain strongly committed to helping Florida find viable solutions for vector control.
Wildlife experts pulled him from the water in a

Army personnel have been drafted in to help a stricken wild elephant fighting for its life in Karnataka after being rescued from a dam.

Locals discovered partially blind Sidda crying out in pain with a broken leg and infected wounds, stranded in the backwaters of the Manchanabele Dam bridging the Arkavathy River in Magadi, Ramanagara, back in September.

He sustained the injuries weeks earlier when he fell into a ditch beside the Savandurga forest, and had waded into the nearby water to use its natural buoyancy to support his fractured limb.

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Sidda the elephant, thought to be around 35 years old, was found stranded in a dam Magadi, Ramanagara, with a broken leg

For weeks, caring locals had been tending to the stricken bull, bringing him food, before rescue efforts began

After weeks spent treating the animal in the water, a committee of experts formed by the Karnataka Forest Department with help from charity Wildlife SOS carried out a grueling four-hour operation to pull the elephant onto the river banks.

Two trained elephants joined the rescue on October 21 to help calm terrified Sidda, whose story has touched animal lovers across India.

Since then, the elephant's condition has continued to deteriorate - despite a few signs of promise - and well-wishers have been flocking to his side, bringing food and prayers.

The Karnataka Forest Department later formed a committee of experts to decide what the best treatment for Sidda would be. It included Wildlife SOS veterinary experts

Now, 50 military officers are now on the site, after a request by former Army Chief and current Ministry of External Affairs minister, General V K Singh, in the face of growing pressure to help the elephant.

Under the command of Brig R K Sachdeva, troops are building a barrier around Sidda to alleviate stress caused by the crowds, as well as constructing a supportive structure to harness the animal and keep him lifted to allow better treatment.

Up until now, vets and wildlife specialists have been using a crane to lift Sidda, who is unable to stand; he is in pain, weak and eating little or no food. An abscess on his back has also become dangerously infected.

Sidda, who is adored by locals, did start to show promising signs of recovery when he was lifted from the dam but has since deteriorated and is unable to stand now

Sidda's prognosis has been described as "grave" with wildlife experts saying the animal is suffering, and questions have been asked about why euthanasia is not being considered as an option if the animal is unlikely to recover.

But strict rules governing wild animals in India mean that any decision on his welfare lay with the chief wildlife warden in the forest department with jurisdiction.

Geeta Seshamani, co-founder of Wildlife SOS, which has been working round-the-clock to help Sidda, said the case had highlighted the need for changes in wildlife conservation regulations.

He has been lying on his side for weeks and Wildlife SOS said he is clearly suffering

Injured Sidda's prognosis is described as "grave" and in recent weeks has only been able to stand with the help of a crane

Caring locals had been trying to help Sidda for weeks on their own after discovering him in the dam, where he spent more than a month.

And Geeta believes that earlier intervention could have given Sidda a better chance of survival and eventual recovery.

She said: "Wildlife SOS has been assisting with medical care and treatment of Sidda with the permission of the Karnataka Forest Department and Chief Wildlife Warden.

Reports claim that anything up to 50 locals a day are visiting Sidda and watching the veterinary experts work round-the-clock to save him

"Being a young tusker, he is extremely valuable for conservation and this incident highlights a need to change the way we look at wildlife conservation.

"Traditional conservationists do not advocate interventions and feel wild animals should be left to survive or perish as per the laws of nature.

"However, when we consider the shrinking numbers of bulls in the Asian elephant population and the value of a young bull like Sidda, perhaps timely intervention is something to have been considered earlier in the day."

Now expert military engineers are building a special structure to keep Sidda on his feet

Kartick Satyanarayan, also a co-founder of the charity, said: "The Wildlife SOS team is monitoring Sidda round the clock and doing all we can to help this poor elephant by providing him treatment and care.

"We hope and pray for his recovery. We have already invested substantial resources in providing treatment including sending a veterinarian with a portable digital x-ray machine by plane.
Tensions Flare In Mt. Greenwood As Protests Over Fatal Off-Duty Police Shooting Continue

By aaroncynic in News on Nov 9, 2016 1:03AM

Demonstrators with both the Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter movements held concurrent protests Tuesday night in Mount Greenwood in the wake of Chicagos latest police shooting.

Over the weekend, an off-duty Chicago police officer shot and killed Joshua Beal, an Indiana man who was with mourners in a funeral procession. Police say they approached Beals vehicle after it was found to be blocking a fire lane, while Beals family says the off-duty officer tried to run the car in which Beal was riding off the road. Tense demonstrations broke out over the weekend.

Those tensions continued Tuesday night as a large portion of Blue Lives Matter demonstrators turned up on the corner of 111th and Kedzie in the mostly-white neighborhood.



Just saw a white man yell "coons" at group of #BlackLivesMatter protestors in Mt. Greenwood. That wasn't even the worst of it. pic.twitter.com/ItX0MKpfRw  Nereida Moreno (@nereidamorenos) November 9, 2016

Chicagoist photographer Tyler LaRiveire said that Chicago Police and the CTA had set up a bus for Black Lives Matter demonstrators if they wanted to leave, but they chose to stay. Father Michael Pfleger also came to the demonstration, and some Blue Lives Matter protesters allegedly could be heard calling the St. Sabina Pastor a traitor and chanting to shoot him. Some also reportedly hurled racial epithets.

Meanwhile, Chicago Bond Fund has announced that they have raised money for bail for Beal's brother, Michael Beal:


As Prime Minister Theresa May finally dropped her grey suit and donned a sari on the final day of her visit to India, she declared the trade mission a success in her drive to build "global Britain".

During a visit that covered trade, IT, terrorism, visas, students and even India's self-appointed The King of God Times Vijay Mallya (hiding in England and wanted for questioning over millions in unpaid loans) there is now a little more clarity as to what each country wants from the other if Britain and India really are to meet on equal terms as trading partners.

As such, India has enjoyed having the full and undivided attention of Britain's leaders and we are now better informed on what India is working towards as we approach 2019 and Article 50.

And while all the talk still revolves around the gargantuan unknown, Brexit, India's priorities have now arrived on the agenda, fully-formed and reasonable.

Prime Minister Theresa May on the final day of a three-day trade mission to India

Nuclear India

India has been trying for a number of years to gain entry into the exclusive Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). In short, this is the exclusive group of nuclear supplier countries that seek to prevent nuclear war by being at the table when the big decisions are made about the buying and selling of the technology and weaponry.

So far just about every world leader from Obama to Putin has endorsed India's entry but after a number of vetoes from China, their application appears to be in deadlock.

China, it would appear, seems keen to curtail India's development as the second power in the region and its blocking of India's NSG entry is one way in which this policy is currently playing out.

However, this issue has become one of national interest for India, and it will resurface as Modi approaches the next general election (also in 2019). India wants to know that Britain has its back for NSG entry as greater backing from another influential voice could help further India's cause and break the deadlock.

Prime Minister Theresa May visits the Sri Someshwara Hindu temple in Bangalore

Terror

India has for a long time felt alone in its own fight against terror. After bloody partition and a number of wars against Pakistan there remains the feeling that the global community tends to view terror attacks, like Mumbai 2008, as a part of a continuum of domestic communal violence, and not a part of the current cycle of Islamic Jihadi terror.

It was long been a sore point that the Mumbai terror attacks are not given the same gravity as Paris, Brussels, London and New York - 9/11.

Britain will need to be careful here but India clearly wants global support from those fighting terror when its troops are attacked and its people are killed.

Visas for India's brightest and best

Quite rightly India wants better terms for its leading business men and top students to study and start their careers in England.

It is currently easier and cheaper for Chinese students to study in England and at 35,000 minimum salary for a working visa, India feels that it is not currently being treated particularly well.

Britain can do better on this, and despite claims that the UK is closing its door on EU migration and opening the doors to India, expect these terms to improve.

Theresa May watches a flypast by the Indian Air Force with pupils at Stonehill Government Primary School in Bangalore

Information Technology and FinTech

India is mighty proud of its IT sector.

There was little surprise that May finished her visit to India in Bangalore, India's IT capital.

And firms like Infosys and its sci-fi campus is very much the India that Indians would like the world to see.

India and Britain are actually natural bed-fellows when it comes to IT, and especially the big-money branch of IT used in the financial services.

Boris, during his tenure as Mayor of London, was never shy to champion the Capital as the world's hub for FinTech and India and the UK, blessed by English as the lingua franca, could form a formidable tag-team against US hegemony in the sector.

Send back our bad boys

India wants its suspected criminals to be sent back for questioning.

There has developed something of a culture for those accused of high-level corruption and tax avoidance in India to find a comfortable and stress-free home under the protection of her Majesty rather liberal extradition laws.

Liquor baron and King of Good Times Vijay Mallya should be expecting a knock on his door.

What we don't know...

At this point the very idea of Britain and India arriving at a free trade agreement is hypothetical to the point of appearing like being a mere daydream during a political process otherwise filled with tedium and deadlock.

A huge question remains as to whether either May or Modi will be in power in 2019 when the Article 50 button is pushed.

The Indian general election - the largest and most chaotic in the world - in set for 2019 and Theresa May will almost certainly have to face an election on the terms of a parliamentary vote on Brexit.

Then comes the dreaded W word.

War.

Back in December 2015, India Prime Minister Modi went for afternoon tea with Pakistan PM Sharif. All seemed well. The fears that Modi and his right-wing RSS backers would take a tough line with Muslims home and abroad seemed, at that point, unfounded.

Nine months later and tensions have again escalated - after the death of Kashmiri militant (and social media star) Burhan Wani - India and Pakistan have retreated to the old playbook of accusation and counter-accusation.

Pakistan seems keen to leverage the Kashmiri crisis to its advantage.

In short, the Kashmiri people consider themselves about as Indian as an Irish man in 1984 considered himself British.

However, India considers Kashmir a part of its sovereign territory. A territory that has been fought for at great human cost, and one that will be fiercely defended.

The bad news for India is that conflicts of national identity really only go one way.

The Kashmiri people simply do not consider themselves to be Indian and the continued unrest in Srinagar - the images of children losing their eyes to Indian Security Force pellet guns, the burnt schools, the grieving women - could lead to a war that India would win militarily, but lose in the global media PR battle.

Modi, already carrying the burden of the 2002 Gujarat 'Massacre' where thousands of Muslims (officially 750, unofficially 2500) died, should be wary that nothing would derail a free trade agreement with Britain quite like the global condemnation that usually follows military aggression.

The PM went to India at the head of a business delegation with the aim of bringing down barriers to commerce and paving the way for a free trade agreement following Brexit

Prime Minister Theresa May at the Sri Someshwara Hindu temple on the final day of a three-day trade mission to India

Trade has been the priority during the trip, with deals sealed expected to create more than 1,300 jobs in the UK

Theresa May at the Sri Someshwara Hindu temple in Bangalore

The Prime Minister was given a tour of the Sri Someshwara Hindu temple

Theresa's final day in India

By PA

British PM Theresa May wore the traditional Indian clothing as she visited the Sri Someshwara Hindu temple in Bangalore, the southern city which has become the IT sector hub of the sub-continent.

The PM went to India at the head of a 33-strong business delegation with the aim of bringing down barriers to commerce and paving the way for a free trade agreement following Brexit.

Speaking to Sky News at the end of her three-day visit, she said: "Leaving the EU presents us with a world of opportunities and I'm determined to seize them.

May went to India at the head of a 33-strong business delegation with the aim of bringing down barriers to commerce and paving the way for a free trade agreement following Brexit

"That's why I'm here in India, delivering on global Britain. And I have to say the response has been very good.

"During this visit, we've seen 1 billion worth of deals being signed and we've come to an agreement with the Indian government that we will work together with them on developing our trade relationship for the future.

"What does that mean? It means more jobs, more investment in the UK, more trade for British businesses and that's good for everyone."

The first leg of Mrs May's visit, in the capital, New Delhi, was dominated by tensions over visas, with Indian PM Narendra Modi putting pressure on the UK to ease restrictions on students and skilled workers coming to Britain.

Mrs May announced new measures to make trips to the UK easier for senior business executives

Mrs May announced new measures to make trips to the UK easier for senior business executives, and she offered to discuss improvements in the visa application process for Indian citizens in return for greater co-operation over the return of migrants who overstay their permission to remain.

But for the Prime Minister, trade has been the priority, with deals sealed during the trip expected to create more than 1,300 jobs in the UK.

Mrs May issued a warning on Monday of the risks of stagnation and falling incomes if the UK fails to make a determined push for new trade opportunities after Brexit.

"As Britain leaves the EU, we're determined not to turn our backs on the world but to forge a new, global, outward-looking role for ourselves," she told a business summit in New Delhi.

"Because we know from history what happens when countries do not embrace the opportunities of the world - they stagnate, they get poorer, they don't protect their people, they make them worse off."

Mrs May said she had detected real interest in India in doing more trade with Britain after its departure from the EU, which she aims to complete by 2019.

She told ITV News: "The message I've had here is that people actively want to do business with the UK."

"The message I'm getting is that everybody wants to build on the trade relationship that the UK has with India. They see opportunities and benefits for India and the UK going forward."

Although EU rules block the UK from entering formal negotiations on a free trade deal with India until withdrawal is complete, Mrs May has made clear she is determined to do the groundwork for an early post-Brexit agreement and to tackle barriers to trade which can be dealt with immediately.

Her trip has seen memorandums of understanding signed on intellectual property rights and the ease of doing business in India, and she and Mr Modi agreed to co-operate on cyber-security and tackling violent extremism online.

In Bangalore, she visited a Dynamatic Technologies factory where Indian workers assemble components machined in the company's Swindon and Bristol facilities for Airbus jets.

And she joined flag-waving children at the city's Stonehill Primary School to witness a flypast of Indian Air Force jets and helicopters in her honour.

The flypast was the first of its kind offered to a visiting head of government, and follows a similar display by the Red Arrows during Mr Modi's visit to the UK last year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking picture of a tiger

The Prime Minister had a garland of flowers placed around her neck as she arrived at the temple to the sound of musicians playing drums and horns.

The visit ended with Mrs May taking part in a Hindu blessing, drawing her hands together across the top of a candle flame and touching her eyes, in a traditional ritual. She was then given red powder to dab a single spot on her forehead.

She later welcomed plans for the Science Museum in London to host a season of exhibitions and events dedicated to Indian innovation next year as part of the UK-India Year of Culture 2017-18.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has cracked the whip on drinking in public as the excise department has arrested 36 people on the first day of their initiative.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia warned that the drive will continue in other market places and he has written to Delhi High Court Chief Justice G Rohini requesting her to provide 10 mobile magistrates so that challans (requests for payment of fines) could be issued on the spot.

Street drinking in India is a real problem and many people complain of abuse and derogatory remarks being made in certain areas of Delhi

Sisodia said 10 excise department teams have been formed to enforce a ban on public drinking.

The teams made the arrests on Monday. According to the government, it will strictly enforce the Excise Act under which consuming alcohol at public places attracts a fine of Rs 5,000, which can even go up to Rs 10,000 with a jail term of three months if the offender causes a nuisance.

On the first day of the drive, raids were conducted at Karol Bagh, Jamrudhpur, Jankapuri, Jahangirpuri and Nehru Place among others.

In North East district, three people were apprehended while in Central and New Delhi districts eight people were caught drinking liquor in public places.

Last month, deputy CM Manish Sisodia (pictured) announced that those consuming liquor in public places would be arrested from November 7 onwards

Already scores of people have been jailed

Ten people were arrested in West Delhi. On Monday night we arrested 36 people for open drinking.

"They were produced before the magistrates and handed over to police in the night.

"I appeal to people not to drink in public places. We will intensify drive against such behaviour, Sisodia said.

Last month, Sisodia announced that those consuming liquor in public places would be arrested from November 7.

The government had since been running an awareness campaign against public drinking.

The arrests should be a warning for all those practising such behaviour.

"The Delhi government is committed to ban drinking at public places. No one will be spared if found drinking publicly, he said.

The deputy CM said that the government is committed to completely stop drinking in public as women feel unsafe because of this and it affects business, in particular markets and places where such a practice is adopted.

It is not that we want to send people to jail. But due to drinking at public places, common people, especially women, feel unsafe.

Keep it behind closed doors: A crackdown on public drinking has been implemented

Sisodia added that he had written to the Delhi High Court requesting 10 mobile magistrates so that a fine could be issued on the spot.

Sisodia had last month announced the drive after he, during an inspection of a liquor shop in Mayur Vihar, found that people were drinking alcohol near liquor shops and creating ruckus, thus causing inconvenience to the residents, especially women.

Excise department officials will also inspect liquor shops to find whether they are following laid down rules.

Officials will also check whether CCTV cameras have been installed or not by the licence holders.
The 500 and 1,000 rupee notes in your wallet are now only worth the paper they are printed on.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that banknotes of these two denominations will be withdrawn from circulation at midnight as part of a crackdown on rampant corruption and counterfeit currency.

The decision is a big blow to those who earn and stash black money, and its implications run far and wide.

The Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 rupee notes in your wallet are now only worth the paper they are printed on after Modi announced that banknotes of these two denominations would be withdrawn from circulation

Firstly, it renders all illicit cash in the form of these notes worthless at the end of December 30, 2016.

Secondly, it immediately invalidates all fake currency floating within the country.

But more importantly, it forces black money hoarders to find new and innovative way to stash their ill-gotten wealth.

Black money and corruption are the biggest obstacles in eradicating poverty, the PM said in an address to the nation after a Cabinet meeting.

The step is an attempt by Modi to fulfill his election promise of curbing tax evasion and recovering black money.

A Rs 1000 rupee Indian currency note (12) which is being withdrawn from midnight Tuesday

A Rs 500 rupee Indian currency note (6) which is being withdrawn from midnight Tuesday

Analysts say the timing of the move is crucial as it comes just before key state elections where parties pump in crores of rupees, often from dubious sources.

The PM also linked the decision to the fight against terrorism, saying enemies from across the border run their operations using fake currency notes.

Indians stand in a queue in front of an ATM machine after Modi's surprise announcement

Honest citizens want this battle against corruption, black money, benami property, terrorism and counterfeiting to continue, he said. Modi said terrorism is a frightening threat.

So many have lost their lives because of it. But have you ever thought about how these terrorists get their money? Enemies from across the border run their operations using fake currency notes.

"This has been going on for years. Many times, those using fake five hundred and thousand rupee notes have been caught and many such notes have been seized.

Currently Rs 17,54,000 crore worth of notes are in circulation, according to the RBIs database.

Your money is no good here: An auto driver refuses to take a 500 rupee note from a passenger in New Delhi, India

Rs 500 notes comprise almost 45% of this, while 39% of the notes were of the Rs 1,000 denomination, in value terms.

In volume, Rs 10 and Rs 100 notes constituted 53% of the notes in circulation.

Only those who have earned their money through legal means will have the courage to deposit it back into their bank accounts by the December 30, 2016 deadline.

Expect the demand for gold and other such investment avenues such as diamonds and silver to shoot through the roof not just until the deadline, but well after that.

That is, until the government finds a way to tap sale of gold across the country as well.

The prices of property, already hitting the trough, are likely to go plummet further as nearly half of all property transactions in India are believed to be done through black money and benami transactions.

The move will set major administrative and logistical challenges in the beginning, with experts saying a series of fresh clarifications and relaxations is possible in the next few days as the step has already triggered chaos in homes and markets.

Denied: A man refuses to take 500 rupees from a customer in New Delhi, India

Twitter was quick to react with the majority expressing positivity about Modi's step

'Well played Mr Modi': His timing of the announcement on US polling day was also welcomed

This may be a radical step with the aim to curb black money but isnt the first such case of currency discontinuation in the world.

Earlier this year, the European Central Bank said it was considering demonetization of 500 notes.

Even in the US, there have been calls to stop fresh issuance of $100 bills for a while now. In 2010, 2.6 billion $1 bills were destroyed in what was one of the worlds biggest currency destruction at that point.

The Centre had in the Budget this year announced a four-month compliance window, allowing domestic black money holders to declare their unaccounted wealth, by paying a tax and penalty of 45 per cent and escape prosecution and harsher punishment.

The apex bank will launch new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 currency notes from November 10

It has also encouraged the use of non-cash and digital payments, amended the Benami Transactions Act and implemented the Income Declaration Scheme 2016.

However, skeptics point out several flaws in the move, saying that it is bound to prove bad news for those who do not have a bank account in the country.

About 49% adults in the country have no bank account while only 22% accounts are with debit cards, according to several research estimates.

In addition to this, the government move will also turn Indian rupee less credible for commoner for the sometime and drive them towards gold, raising the demand for the precious metal.

The Indian rupee will go down at beginning Wednesday against major currencies. Already there is an apparent shortage of low denominations currency which have made presses have worked over time to enhance the supply.

New currency notes to be in use from November 10

Expressing concern over the circulation of fake currency notes, Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel on Tuesday said the apex bank will launch new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 currency notes from November 10.

RBI will launch new currency notes from November 10, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said while unveiling the new notes.

Both Patel and Das were briefing the media after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a sudden address to the nation on Tuesday evening, announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes are being withdrawn from midnight.

Indians stand in queues in front of ATM machines in Ahmadabad, India

He said that such notes will become mere paper. The nations top two financial managers also shed more light on why the step to scrap the old currency notes was necessary, a step they called as bold and decisive.

Patel said that the government had observed that notes of high denomination were being misused and were also being used for terror financing terror.

He said although the security features on the two notes were not breached, it was getting difficult for the common man to differentiate between the real and fake notes, such was the quality of the fakes.

Meanwhile, banks will open additional counters and work extra hours beginning Thursday to make it easier for people to exchange notes that have been declared invalid from Tuesday midnight.

Banks will remain shut on Wednesday to allow stocking of smaller currency notes and the public will be allowed to tender their now invalid Rs 500 and Rs 1000 from November 10.

Banks will however report any unusual transaction to Financial Intelligence Unit and tax authorities for scrutiny.

RBI Governor Urjit Patel said the central bank had ramped-up production of the new higher security currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 that will replace the notes being taken out of circulation.

He linked the government decision to use high denomination currency notes for terrorism financing and also for holding black money.

While overall currency circulation had increased by 40% in last 5 years, Rs 500 banknotes had gone up by 76% and that of Rs 1000 by 109%.

Netas shower PM with barbs and plaudits

Prime Minsiter Narendra Modis big gamble against black money by scrapping currency notes has received a mixed response from across the political spectrum, with some calling it a game changer, while others labeling it as drama and jumla before the UP elections next year.

In what the PM himself said was a stern step in the face of several challenges created by the black market economy of Indiacorruption, unaccounted for money, Pakistani sponsored terrorism (though he did not name the neighbor) buoyed by fake currency notes of these denominationsthe Indian economy stands to be cleansed.

According to political observers, Modi also dealt a hard blow to the prospective use of black money during the UP elections, as also the money involved in fomenting crisis in Kashmir.

An Indian man counts currency notes of 1000 and 500 denominations in New Delhi, India

Twitter storm: Everyone had an opinion about the landmark decision

President Pranab Mukherjee was one of the first to welcome and offer support to the decision.

In a series of tweets, he called upon people not to panic and follow government guidelines for exchange of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes.

He welcomed the bold step of Government of India which will help unearth unaccounted money and counterfeit currency. Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu also welcomed it.

This is a major step forward towards wiping-out black money. This will also pave the way for eliminating corruption, he said.

But opposition parties were quick to denounce the move, saying that the Prime Minister was fooling the nation as most black money exchanges hands through hawala deals and not cash transactions.

Congress national sposkes-person Sanjay Jha questioned the PMs silence over Panama Papers, and asked why the move was not introduced during the September black money declaration window.

#ModiSarkar is truly floated another #Jumla. They collected Rs 65,000 crores on Sept 30,2016; why didn't they do this change at that time? he asked in a tweet. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee called it a drama.

The PM could not get back the promised black money from abroad from the rich so a drama to divert his failure... she tweeted.

I want to know from PM how my poorest brothers sisters will buy atta, chai tomorrow, she tweeted.

UP CM Akhilesh Yadav maintained a neutral stance. Central govt must setup special banking counters in villages & district centres to assist the public, villagers & farmers, he said.
Najeeb went missing on the intervening night of October 14-15 after allegedly being beaten by a 20-strong mob of students

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung said on Tuesday that he doesnt have a 'magic wand' to trace missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed.

However, he said that there is information that the student was seen in Darbhanga, Bihar, and an SIT team has been sent there.

There will be no let up in tracing Najeeb, Jung said after he met Delhi police commissioner to discuss the issue.

He added that one of the largest search operations has been launched, in which more than 200 police teams have fanned out.

Jung said: Efforts have been made to contact the missing students friends and relatives. There were pictures of some dargahs in his wallets, and therefore, all the dargahs have been searched.

Protests have grown since the JNU student went missing after an altercation with ABVP activists.

Referring to claims Najeebs mother was forcibly handled by police, Jung said: There is inevitability about the treatment her mother got when she violated Section 144.

"Najeebs mother wasnt willing to move away from the road. It is unfortunate that she had to be removed in that manner. But such incident should be avoided.

Meanwhile, there are reports that Najeeb was prescribed medication to treat depression and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Medicines and prescriptions found in Najeebs hostel room corroborate this, it's claimed.

Members of JNUSU and other students' organisations during a protest march over missing of JNU student Najeeb

On September 9, Najeeb was prescribed a drug to treat fits, panic attacks and agoraphobia.

Police have found Pari 10, an antidepressant, and another medicine from the missing students room, said sources.

Delhi Police has pinned its hopes on chemist shops in NCR and other places that may have been visited by Najeeb. Officers believe he may buy more, say sources.

Police have also contacted psychologists and mental health experts to understand Najeebs behavioural pattern to find out where he could go.

Najeebs mother after meeting Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday

Chemists have been asked to note down details of any young person who buys both the medicines he had been prescribed. Ahmeds photos have also been shown to find out if he had already visited any of the shops.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday Najeebs mother met Union home minister Rajnath Singh, who assured her of his intervention to find the youth who has been untraceable since October 15.

Fatima and other family members urged Singh to trace Najeeb, a student of the School of Biotechnology in JNU and a native of Badaun in UP.

Singh gave a patient hearing to them, assuring all kinds of assistance, officials said.

That included telling them that Delhi Police has set up a special team to pursue the case and he was personally taking stock of the progress.

Samajwadi Party MP from Badaun, Dharmendra Yadav, who accompanied the family, said that Singh has assured them that efforts are being made to trace him at the earliest.
Anti-Brexit campaigner Nicola Horlick is backing Lib Dem candidate Sarah Olney

City superwoman and anti-Brexit campaigner Nicola Horlick is backing Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Olney in next month's Richmond Park by-election, over her support for Britain's membership of the single market.

20million mother-of-six Nicola, 55, recently forfeited femme serieuse status by declaring the Lib Dem's newt-like leader Tim Farron the 'obvious person' to turn to for leadership. Is she hoping to park her shapely bottom on the House of Lords' red benches?

Addressing the British Science Association yesterday, the UK Atomic Agency's elegant chairman emeritus Lady Judge remarked: 'The nuclear industry is always asking us to trust them. My father always told me: If a boy ever says 'trust me', then don't.' Good to know thrice-married Babs, 69, was listening!

Former Financial Services Authority popinjay Lord Turner ridicules ex-Chancellor George Osborne's pre-referendum pledge to hold a 'punishment budget' if Britain voted for Brexit as 'one of the most politically inept and counter-productive movements I've ever seen'.

He's right, of course, but does baritone-voiced 'red Adair', 61, also harbour a grudge? He was crestfallen not to have even made Osborne's shortlist to replace Lord King as Bank of England governor.

Tesco Bank chief, 2.2million-a-year Glaswegian Benny Higgins, was a keynote speaker at Chatham House last week, just hours before 40,000 of his customers' accounts were breached by Brazilian cyber hackers.

He spoke on the 'critical issues' facing banking, including the effects of Brexit and changing consumer expectations. Critical? How trifling such mundane matters must seem to refined, keen-on-the-lassies Benny, 56, right now.

Distinguished City grandee Lord Rothschild's unassuming daughter Hannah, 54, is chairing the 20million Illuminating River Foundation, an enterprising art project which will light up London's bridges.
Win: Jonathan Dickson got 7K from the firm

A homeowner who sued Scottish Power when an error led to him being turned down for a mortgage has won 7,000 in compensation.

Jonathan Dickson, 67, was given a bad credit rating after the firm claimed he had defaulted on his gas bill.

In fact, it failed for four months to cash a cheque that he had sent in February 2013.

When it finally did process the payment, Scottish Power took just 3.64 from his bank account, instead of the full amount on the cheque of 53.64.

Mr Dickson spotted the error and paid the 50 outstanding bill.

So he was unconcerned when a letter shortly after from Scottish Power warned a 'default of payment' would be placed against him if he did not pay the balance within 28 days.

He heard nothing more, until he tried to remortgage with TSB and was refused with no explanation.

He then applied to Stafford Railway Building Society, which told him about the default on his credit file.

Scottish Power initially offered just 75 compensation. But Mr Dickson pursued the firm through the small claims court.

Two weeks before the scheduled October 31 hearing, Scottish Power settled for 7,000.

A spokeswoman for Scottish Power apologised and said: 'This was due to human error. The default has been removed from Mr Dickson's credit rating.'
JLL Hotels and Hospitality Groups is handling the sale and

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Sydney's historic Hotel Palisade in The Rocks is up for sale - and expected to fetch a whopping $30 million.

After standing vacant for eight years, the 100-year-old multi-storey building on Bettington Street in Millers Point, was purchased by British entrepreneur Richard Sapsford in May 2015, reported the Australian Financial Review.

It reopened 12 months ago after a $5 million refurbishment as a boutique hotel with eight rooms, plus a downstairs bar, Public House, rooftop bar Henry Deane's, a restaurant and private function rooms.

Sydney's historic Hotel Palisade in The Rocks (pictured) is up for sale - and expected to fetch a whopping $30 million

After standing vacant for eight years, the 100-year-old multi-storey building on Bettington Street in Millers Point, was purchased by British entrepreneur Richard Sapsford in May 2015. Pictured is the view from rooftop bar Henry Deane's

The property reopened 12 months ago after a $5 million refurbishment as a boutique hotel with eight rooms, plus a downstairs bar, Public House, rooftop bar Henry Deane's (pictured), a restaurant and private function rooms

The interior was designed by Sydney interior designer and stylist Sibella Court and the rooftop bar is named after the Australian engineer responsible for electrifying Sydney's tramway systems.

The hotel is being sold by JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group and John Musca, the National Director of Investment Sales, said it was the most spectacular asset he had ever had the chance of representing.

'Anyone who has ever been to the Henry Deane roof top bar at 'Palisades' comes away literally speechless at the Harbour Bridge, Barangaroo and city views - it's a one of a kind outlook that can never, ever be built out,' Mr Musca said.

Originally commissioned in the late 1880's to lodge Harbour Bridge workers on top of the pub, Hotel Palisade opened in 1915 and was the tallest building in the city at the time.

The interiors were designed by Sydney interior designer and stylist Sibella Court. Pictured is one of the eight boutique hotel rooms

The rooftop bar Henry Deane's (pictured) is named after the Australian engineer responsible for electrifying Sydney's tramway systems

It was also the place where many diggers had their final drink before heading to down to the docks to board ships before the war.

The historic building has panoramic views over Sydney Harbour and out to Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, the Sydney skyline and Walsh Bay.

Expressions of interest close on November 30.
Seven states have all stuck to their party lines in the gubernatorial races, with Vermont and Missouri turning red.

In Vermont, Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Scott won over Democrat Sue Minter, in one of two party-line flips in the governors' contests.

Firstcomer and Republican Eric Greitens won Missouri, capitalizing on his military service to triumph over Attorney General Chris Koster after Democratic Governor Jay Nixon, who is leaving after two terms.

The GOP retained the governorship in Indiana, with Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb taking control of the office vacated by GOP vice presidential nominee Mike Pence. He beat out Democrat John Gregg.

Heading into Tuesday, Republicans controlled more than two-thirds of the nation's legislative chambers, as well as 31 of the 50 governors' offices.

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The GOP retained the governorship in Indiana, with Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb (pictured) taking control of the office vacated by GOP vice presidential nominee Mike Pence

Republican Gov. Gary Herbert (left) won re-election in Utah, while Republican businessman Doug Burgum (right) will replace Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple in North Dakota

In Vermont, Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Scott won over Democrat Sue Minter, fulfilling what Republicans viewed as their best pick-up opportunity.

Scott is currently the only Republican statewide officeholder in a liberal-leaning state but has tacked to the left by embracing abortion rights and gay marriage. Minter is a former transportation secretary for Shumlin.

In Missouri, Former Navy SEAL officer Eric Greitens won after a close contest against Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster, succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon.

Greitens cast himself as an outsider going up against a career politician, emphasizing his military service and his work as founder of the veterans' charity known as The Mission Continues.

In Indiana, Holcomb's election will continue a 12-year run of Republican governors in Indiana. Holcomb, a former state Republican Party chairman, had had been appointed to the state's No. 2 spot by Pence and later was nominated as his replacement when Pence dropped his re-election bid in July.

Gregg had tried to cast Holcomb as a "rubber stamp" for Pence, pointing out Holcomb's support for a religious-objections law that Pence signed. Opponents said the law, which was later revised, sanctioned discrimination against same-sex couples by allowing businesses to refuse to serve them.

Republican Gov. Gary Herbert won re-election in Utah, while Republican businessman Doug Burgum will succeed Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple in North Dakota after he did not seek re-election.

Democrats, on the other hand, won in West Virginia, Delaware and Oregon.

Jim Justice's victory in West Virginia will continue a 16-year stint of Democratic governors in a state that has otherwise been tilting toward Republicans.

Justice's opponent, Republican candidate Bill Cole, the state Senate president, had hoped to ride Trump's coattails. But Cole's pledge to revive the coal industry was offset by Justice, himself a coal billionaire.

In Delaware, Democratic U.S. Rep. John Carney Jr. was elected to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Jack Markell.

Incumbent Governor Kate Brown won in Oregon, while Jay Inslee, won his re-election as governor of Washington state.

The governors' contests were part of a battle for statehouse supremacy that also included nearly 6,000 state legislative elections.

Jim Justice (left) will continue a 16-year stint of Democratic governors West Virginia. Democrat John Carney Jr. (right) was elected to succeed Gov. Jack Markell in Delaware

In the nation's highest-profile race, Republican Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina faces a strong challenge from Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper.

The race has become a referendum on North Carolina's rightward shift under McCrory, highlighted by a law that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and directs transgender people to use public restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificates.

Cooper has vowed to try to repeal the law as governor.

Recent flooding from Hurricane Matthew has also played into the race, as McCrory has been at the public forefront of response and recovery efforts.

In New Hampshire, the governor's office is open because Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan is trying to oust Republican U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte.

The race to replace her features two members of the governor's Executive Council  Democrat Colin Van Ostern and Republican Chris Sununu, the son of former Gov. John H. Sununu and the brother of former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu.

Democrats have controlled the governor's office for 18 of the past 20 years.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Eric Greitens makes his ballot selections at the St. Louis Public Library Schlafly branch in St. Louis on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016

In Montana, Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock faces a challenge from Republican Greg Gianforte, a businessman who struck it rich when he sold his cloud-based software firm to Oracle five years ago.

Gianforte has poured millions of his own money into the race, airing more TV ads than all other statewide executive candidates in the nation, according to an analysis by the Center for Public Integrity of data from the tracking firm Kantar Media/CMAG.
Republicans will command the House for two more years as they rode Donald Trump's astounding White House triumph to victories in districts in Florida, Virginia and elsewhere that Democrats thought the GOP presidential candidate's divisive campaign would drive their way.

Democrats had envisioned that voters' repulsion by Trump comments about women and Hispanics could yield potentially big Election Day gains in suburban and ethnically diverse areas.

Instead, they were on track for disappointingly modest pickups as the GOP swept to control of both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.

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Gains were well below the 30 seats Democrats needed to capture House control. Republicans currently hold a 247-188 majority, including three vacant seats, the most the GOP has had since their 270 in 1931.

Republicans now have 238 seats  guaranteeing control. The GOP retained seats in Minnesota, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Iowa and Wisconsin that Democrats coveted as Republicans prepared to add to their six-year run of House control.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, who won a 10th term, called Trump to congratulate him on his win, and pledged to work together.

'We are eager to work hand-in-hand with the new administration to advance an agenda to improve the lives of the American people,' Ryan said in a statement.

In Florida, freshman GOP Rep. Carlos Curbelo won a race that showed the GOP presidential candidate's damage to Republicans would be more limited than Democrats hoped

He said Trump's victory 'marks a repudiation of the status quo of failed liberal progressive policies.'

It was initially unclear what impact the marginally smaller size of the GOP majority would have on Ryan, who'd angered some Republican lawmakers by refusing to campaign for Trump.

While one member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus was defeated, several newly elected Republicans could bolster it. That would increase conservatives' leverage to demand their way on issues like curbing spending and government regulations.

In Florida, freshman GOP Rep. Carlos Curbelo won a race that underscored how Trump's damage to Republicans would be limited. With around 7 in 10 of the Miami-area district's voters Hispanic, Democrats targeted it and the race became one of the country's most expensive with an $18 million price tag. But Curbelo distanced himself from his own party's nominee and prevailed.

Virginia freshman Rep. Barbara Comstock kept her seat in the well-heeled Washington, D.C., suburbs despite Democrats' attempts to lash her to Trump.

Democrats defeated two Florida GOP incumbents, but that seemed due to local circumstances.

Tea party-backed GOP Rep. Thomas Massie (left) was easily re-elected in Kentucky. In Florida, Democrat and former Orlando police chief Val Demings (right) won a newly redrawn seat

Rep. John Mica, 73, a 12-term veteran from the Orlando area, was criticized by GOP strategists for a lackluster campaign and lost to Democrat Stephanie Murphy, a political neophyte. Democrat Charlie Crist, once the state's Republican governor, defeated Rep. David Jolly in a St. Petersburg district redrawn to favor Democrats.

Democrats spent $4 million to beat GOP Rep. Scott Garrett, a Freedom Caucus member from New Jersey's New York City suburbs. Also defeated was Rep. Bob Dold, a GOP moderate from outside Chicago, Nevada Republican Rep. Cresent Hardy and Frank Guinta of New Hampshire.

Just one Democratic incumbent had lost by early Wednesday, Nebraska's Brad Ashford.

Both parties' candidates and outside groups spent nearly $1.1 billion combined on House campaigns, shy of the $1.2 billion record in 2012, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group. Republicans had only a slight financial edge.

Even with the Ryan-led House GOP's current formidable advantage, work has stalled this year on spending bills after hitting objections from conservatives.

Moving into 2017, Congress faces a fresh round of budget legislation plus the need to renew the government's borrowing authority or face an economy-jarring federal default. Those are never easy to pass.

Ryan, 46, has said he wants to be speaker in the new Congress and has expressed confidence in doing so. But he is not immune to ire from the Freedom Caucus, which chased former Speaker John Boehner from Congress last year, and other Republicans upset over his frigid treatment of Trump.

Just a handful of disgruntled conservatives could possibly block Ryan from the 218 votes he'd need to retain his post. That would be an embarrassing setback for the GOP's 2012 vice presidential candidate, who may harbor White House aspirations.
A Virginia man who pleaded guilty to killing his parents and his sister at their home last year has been sentenced to 90 years.

Carl V. Hughes IV, 29, was sentenced to 150 years in prison with 60 years suspended after pleading guilty Monday to three counts of first-degree murder, local news agencies report.

Carl V. Hughes IV (pictured left and right) pleaded guilty to killing his parents and his sister at their home last year, and has been sentenced to 90 years

Police discovered Hughes' father, 71-year-old Carl V. Hughes Jr.; his mother, 54-year-old Angela Hughes; and his sister, 22-year-old Bianca Hughes stabbed to death in the family's home on September 23, 2015.

Attorney John Rockecharlie says his client was not in his right mind while on a three-to-four-day crack binge and had convinced himself that he had to kill his family members.

Rockecharlie says Hughes has expressed remorse for his actions.

Police discovered Hughes' father Carl V. Hughes Jr., his mother Angela Hughes, and his sister Bianca Hughes stabbed to death in the family's home. The victims are pictured together here
Tammy Duckworth Defeats Mark Kirk To Win Senate Seat

By Stephen Gossett in News on Nov 9, 2016 2:11AM



U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (IL-8th)

Current, two-term U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-8) has defeated incumbent Sen. Mark Kirk for the United States Senate, according to media reports.

Along with Sen. Ron Johnsons seat in Wisconsin, the Illinois seat was considered the most vulnerable of Republican-held offices up for election heading into Tuesday. That made it more or less a must-win for Democrats if they hoped to take control of the Senate and potentially extinguish the battle of confirming a Supreme Court Justice now and, possibly, in the future. (Twenty-four of the 34 Senate seats up for election on Tuesday were Republican held.) Dems need to gain only five seats in order to flip the Senate majority in their favor.

Kirk notified his supporters at around 8:15 p.m. that he had called Duckworth to concede. "I ran for Congress to make a difference. I ran to be an advocate for Illinois," said in his concession speech.

"Lets celebrate living in the best country in the world," he added.

Duckworth, in her speech, spoke of the importance of the safety net, veteran's rights and economic justice, and she congratulated Kirk for his Senate run and for being a model of recovery. "Thank you for putting your faith in me," she said. "It will not be misplaced."

"Tonight, we showed a campaign that respects the voters and is focused on practical solutions rather than shopworn slogans can be successful. We showed that a relentless focus on rebuilding Illinois' middle class and respecting hard work rather than wealth can be successful, too," Duckworth said.

Duckworth victory HQ pic.twitter.com/vYBt68pE7C  Stephen Gossett (@gossettrag) November 9, 2016

Reports of the victory started to come in only a few minutes after polls closed in Illinois, just after 7 p.m. "I'm surprised it took this long," Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs told Chicagoist. "Duckworth ran a great race, and she'll be very helpful for the state and country in the U.S. Senate."

"I'm very excited for her and for the state," he added.

SEIU Healthcare Illinois President Keith Kelleher praised the win. As the healthcare union that represents caregivers to people with disabilities, it makes us especially proud to welcome Tammy Duckworth as our next U.S. senator," Kelleher said in a statement. "We know Tammys work will be much broader and she will be a fierce champion for the economic security of ALL Illinoisans, but having someone who understands the issues particular to our workforce and our consumers is historic"

Environmental groups joined the chorus, as well. "As a Member of Congress, Tammy Duckworth had a stellar environmental record," said Kevin Curtis, executive director of the NRDC Action Fund, in a statement. "In voting for her, the people of Illinois were casting a vote for climate action and protecting our air, lands and waters. As an experienced legislator, Tammy Duckworth will be able to push for environmental safeguards from her first day in the Senate.

And campaign finance reform group End Citizens United cheered the win on Tuesday night. "She'll help overturn Citizens United and push to make elections more accessible to middle-class Americans," said Executive Director Tiffany Muller in a statement. "We are excited to work alongside her as she continues to be an active voice against the corroding influence of unlimited, undisclosed money in politics."

Democracy for America and the American Federation of Teachers voiced support, as well, among other organizations.

Kirk faced a decidedly steep climb in the race, in both the long term and short. This being a presidential-election cycle (perhaps you noticed), voter turnout was bound to be higher than in 2010, when Kirk won electionnot good news for even a moderate Republican in a blue state such as Illinois. Duckworth led by as much as 13 points heading into Tuesday, according to RealClearPolitics.

Despite his disavowal of Donald Trump all the way back in June, Kirk, like all Republicans up for election this year, also had to contend with the down-ballot repercussions of Trump being on the top of the ticket. And fair or not, voters may also have had concerns about Kirks health after he suffered a major stroke in 2012.

Ever gaffe-able, Kirk of course did himself no favors when, less than two weeks out from Election Day, he called into question the service of Duckworths family with a racially charged comment about the Representatives heritage. When Duckworth, who lost both legs while serving in Iraq, spoke at a debate about her familys history of military service, Kirk glibly replied, "I had forgotten that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington."

The comment cost him the support of both the LGBTQ-rights-focused Human Rights Campaign and the gun-control advocacy organization co-founded by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Both previously likely saw Kirks relative moderation as a means of demonstrating bipartisanship, despite Duckworths consistency on both issues.

Kirk later apologized for the comment. Duckworth accepted the apology, but at the final debate reminded voters about Kirks other controversial foot-in-mouth moments, including his drug dealer in chief line about President Barack Obama, in reference to the U.S.-Iran nuclear deal.

You know youre in trouble when you feel compelled to explain, I am not a racist, as Kirk did on Friday.

Taken all together, it proved too costly for the incumbent. Duckworth will soon switch chambers on the Hill, and Illinois blue streak now extends a bit further on the national level.

This post has been updated.
Eight states have voted to legalize marijuana for recreational or medical use in the closest thing the US has ever come to a national referendum on the drug.

California, Massachusetts and Nevada voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, giving a huge boost to the campaign to allow pot nationwide.

Maine's paper-thin 'yes' vote was also confirmed on Wednesday morning.

The only state to reject recreational use in Tuesday's elections was Arizona.

Meanwhile, medical marijuana use got the green light in all four states that were given the option - Florida, Arkansas, Montana and North Dakota.

It means almost a quarter of Americans (more than 20 percent) now have access to recreational marijuana.

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Historic: California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, giving a huge boost to the campaign to allow pot nationwide. Another four states voted to legalize medical use. Arizona, where medical is legal, rejected a vote for recreational

Video courtesy of WWLP-22 News:

Collectively, it was the closest the U.S. has ever come to a national referendum on marijuana, which remains prohibited under federal law.

Many insist the eight 'yes' votes will place insurmountable pressure on the government to reclassify cannabis, which is currently listed as a dangerous drug with no benefits.

California's vote is one of the most important moves in health and politics this election.

The state, home to 39 million people, is the most populous of the nation, and has an economy bigger than France.

With California joining Oregon and Washington, the entire West Coast is a haven for recreational marijuana.

Massachusetts and Maine are the first East Coast states to allow recreational use, though a smattering of their neighbors already allow medical use of the drug.

Jaime Lewis, a pioneer in the field of cannabis legalization for more than 10 years, was at the election party in Massachusetts when recreational marijuana was passed on Tuesday night.

Speaking to Daily Mail Online hours later, she hailed the 'yes' vote as a victory for advocates, researchers, and medics.

'It changes the conversation,' she said.

'So many of us have been advocates for so long. We knew we were on the right side of the path. This is validation.

'Now over 60 percent of the country has access to medical marijuana in one shape or form. Now you have to pay attention to us.'

Reflecting on Arizona, the only state to reject a marijuana bill on Tuesday, Lewis put it down to miscommunication, with opponents highlighting the flaws in the current medical marijuana system as a reason not to pass recreational just yet.

Lewis insists the state needs to allow time for the system to grow.

The other major obstacle, she said, was a lack of funding.

'When you talk about going against those who are against us, you're talking about funding,' she said.

'We were under-funded in a lot of these states because the industry isn't big enough.

'We were trying to push forward with five states and a lot of us just don't have the capital for that.'

Florida, where the pot measure was backed by 71 per cent of the voters, and Arkansas became the first states in the South with full-scale medical marijuana programs, which exist in 25 other states.

'These votes send a clear message to federal officials that it's time to stop arresting and incarcerating marijuana users,' said Rob Kampia, executive director of the pro-legalization Marijuana Policy Project.

Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state and the District of Columbia - accounting for 6 percent of the population - had already legalized recreational and medical marijuana.

STATE BY STATE: LAST NIGHT'S MARIJUANA REFERENDUMS RECREATIONAL CALIFORNIA YES: 56% NO: 44% Despite legalizing medical use in 1996, a 2010 bid for recreational use failed. The bill passed last night, Proposition 64, fully legalizes the recreational use, possession, cultivation and sale of marijuana for those over 21 years old. Residents cannot drive under the influence of marijuana, and are limited to growing up to six plants in their home. Uniquely, it is also retroactive, meaning thousands of people held on charges related to marijuana sale or possession will be absolved. The law permitting recreational use took effect at 12.01am on Wednesday 9 November, 2016. Recreational sales are not permitted until January 1, 2018. MASSACHUSETTS YES: 54% NO: 46% The bill, Question 4, fully legalizes the recreational use, possession, cultivation and sale of marijuana. It will be regulated like alcohol. The law will take effect on December 15, 2016. NEVADA YES: 54% NO: 46% The bill, Question 2, legalizes the recreational use, possesstion, cultivation and sale of marijuana for those over 21 years old. Residents can possess up to an ounce of marijuana at a time. To sell marijuana recreationally, you need to apply for a sales license. Only medical dispensaries are eligible to apply for one. The law doesn't take effect until January 1, 2018. MAINE YES: 50.3% NO: 49.7% (with 91 percent reporting) This is the latest bid for the pro-Democrat but cannabis-hesitant state to legalize recreational marijuana. Medical marijuana was already legal in Maine. It was the last state of all nine to declare its results, still counting the incredibly tight race late on Wednesday morning. As of 9.45am Eastern Time, officials began confirming the vote as a victory for pro-legalization groups. With 91 percent reporting, the 'yes' vote was edging a 50.1 percent win. The bill, Question 1, will fully legalize the recreational use, possession, cultivation, and sale of marijuana to adults over 21. The law takes effect on Wednesday November 9, 2016. MEDICAL FLORIDA YES: 71% NO: 29% Amendment 2, Expand Medical Marijuana, passed by a landslide on Tuesday. The bill legalizes marijuana use for people with specific medical conditions. These are: cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and related diseases. The Department of Health is obliged to provide the drug. It has been a long sticky battle for Florida. The first medical marijuana bill - the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act - passed easily in 2014, and took effect on January 1, 2015. However, it was extremely restricted. It only allowed for non-smoked, low-THC marijuana - barring many kinds of cannabis that are used to treat the side effects for diseases like epilepsy and cancer. Then, on election day in November 2014, lawmakers put Amendment 2 on the ballot. It passed by 57.62 percent. But Florida's constitution requires a 60 percent majority (139,000 votes more) to let the law pass. The law takes effect on January 3, 2017. NORTH DAKOTA YES: 64% NO: 36% North Dakota is unique in many ways: it was the only Midwestern state voting on medical marijuana. It was also the only state that did not have a campaign against the measure. And it is one of the most conservative states to give pot the green light. The bill, Measure 5, permits patients with specific debilitating illnesses to get marijuana from their doctor. Those who live more than 40 miles away from a dispensary can grow up to eight plants at home. The law takes effect at the end of January 2017. Advertisement

OTHER HEALTH ISSUES ON THE BALLOT

Big win for soda tax: All four cities voting to raise price of sugary drinks say 'yes'

Voters have overwhelmingly backed a soda tax in three Californian cities and one in Coloradan city.

Boulder, Colorado, will add 2 cents of tax per ounce on sugary drinks. San Francisco, Oakland and Albany in California have all passed a penny-per-ounce tax.

It comes weeks after the WHO urged all nations to implement soda taxes.

And health officials insist this is a marker of things to come, as identical votes loom in cities across the nation.

The tax, effective immediately, is part of a growing bid to cut obesity by targeting the price of calorie-high fast food.

It followed a fierce battle between the American Beverage Association and health campaigners.

Money-wise, the fight over this tax in just four cities has proven to be relatively far more expensive than the federal election.

The ABA has spent $37.7 million fighting soda taxes.

More than $20 million was spent on the soda tax battle in California's three cities.

That is far more than the state spent in PAC donations ($18 million).

Nonetheless, voters were decisive. Albany passed the vote by 71 percent; San Francisco and Oakland by 62 percent; and Boulder by 55 percent.

The first ever soda tax in America was a penny-per-ounce tax brought in in Berkeley, California in 2014.

Research published in the American Journal of Public Health last week shows the tax has cut consumption of sugary drinks beyond expectations.

After the tax took effect in March 2015, residents of two low-income areas reported drinking 21 percent less of all sugar-sweetened beverages and 26 percent less soda than they had the year before.

Mexico has also reported an astonishing plummet in soda consumption since implementing a soda tax in 2014 - something health officials hope will combat the country's burgeoning diabetes and obesity rates.

WHO officials insist drinking fewer calorific sweet drinks is the best way to curb excessive weight and prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes.

To make that change, the agency has called for all sodas and fruit juices to be 20 per cent more expensive for consumers.

Temo Waqanivalu, of WHO's department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Health Promotion, said: 'We are now in a place where we can say there is enough evidence to move on this and we encourage countries to implement effective tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to prevent obesity.'

Obesity more than doubled worldwide between 1980 and 2014, with 11 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women classified as obese - more than 500 million people.

The WHO report, 'Fiscal Policies for Diet and Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases', did acknowledge that fat and salt also fuel obesity.

However, it concluded thoughtless habit of including sodas in a standard diet is one of the most dangerous - yet preventable - activities.

Florida voters AGREE to release genetically-modified killer mosquitoes to fight Zika

Floridians have voted to release a batch of genetically-modified killer mosquitoes in Monroe County to fight Zika.

Despite dwindling public interest, the virus has shown no sign of slowing down.

New local infections have been announced every day since the outbreak hit Miami in July this year, and CDC director Dr Thomas Frieden has warned that Zika is 'really not controllable with current technologies'.

Now, in a move that scientists hope could control the virus, some residents have backed a proposal to release a lab-developed group of mosquitoes designed to infect the Zika-carrying mosquito population with a fatal disease.

But confusingly, the county that would host the killer mosquitoes - Key Haven - overwhelmingly rejected the bill by 65 percent to 35 percent.

The voters that voted 58 percent in favor of the release are in Monroe County, more than 100 miles south of the outbreak zone in Miami-Dade County, and a drive from Key Haven.

It is not clear what the next steps will be towards releasing the gene-edited mosquitoes.

The vote has been a long time in the making.

The FDA approved the proposal from British biotech firm Oxitec at the beginning of August.

The company has spent years developing a batch of genetically-modified, non-biting male Aedes aegyptis.

They are mutated versions of the species which most commonly carry Zika.

By manipulating the lab insects' genes, the scientists have made sure that their offspring will carry a fatal disease, which will kill them outside of a lab.

After reviewing thousands of public comments this year, the FDA concluded the gene-edited mosquitoes posed no real public threat to the people of Florida.

However, Governor Rick Scott insisted it needed to be put to a public vote.

Celebrating the 'yes' vote on Wednesday, Oxitec's CEO Hadyn Parry said in a statement: 'The voters of Monroe County have clearly spoken.

'By approving this referendum, they have highlighted the need for new and targeted solutions that will fight against the invasive mosquitoes that carry Zika, dengue and other dangerous viruses.

'With vaccines not immediately available and many communities deeply concerned about the effects of extensive chemical spraying, there is a major need for alternative solutions to combat the spread of disease-carrying mosquitoes.'

Addressing the split vote, he said: 'While we did not win over every community in the Keys, Oxitec appreciates the support received from the community, and is prepared to take the next steps with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control Board to trial its environmentally-friendly and non-persisting mosquito control solution.

'At Oxitec, we remain strongly committed to helping Florida find viable solutions for vector control.

'Communities interested in pursuing our vector control solution have been advised by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services to contact Oxitec directly to access the technology  and we are ready right now to work closely with any community that is in need of a new approach.'

California voters pass extortionate tax hike on cigarettes in nation's biggest smoking market

California - the nation's biggest tobacco market - has approved an extortionate tax on cigarettes.

Proposition 56 will increase taxes on a pack of cigarette from 87 cents to $2.87, bringing it more in line with other states.

It comes just months after the state raised the legal smoking age to 21.

Health officials believe Tuesday's vote could have one of the biggest impacts on the state of American health in the wake of this election - though similar measures fell short in Colorado, North Dakota and Missouri last night.

'This is a huge victory for tobacco prevention effort,' said John Schachter, director of state communications for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

He said that California, which recently raised the smoking age to 21, could inspire other states to pass similar laws.

While U.S. smoking rates have declined significantly in recent decades as more people recognize smoking's links to lung cancer and other diseases, health advocates have sought to prevent a new generation from taking up tobacco.

Healthcare groups say high cigarette taxes discourage smoking, while the proceeds help states pay for smoking cessation and prevention programs.

'Every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes brings about a 7 percent decrease in use by youth and a 4 percent decrease overall,' said Schachter.

California REJECTS condoms for porn actors despite desperate battle by HIV prevention groups

Condoms will not be made compulsory in the porn industry's capital, California.

HIV prevention groups have spent years lobbying for legislation to criminalize unprotected sex on screen to curb the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases.

One in four performers in the porn industry have an STD such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, HPV, HIV or syphilis - far more than the national average - according to the For Adult Industry Responsibility (FAIR) Committee which backed the bill.

However, voters in the state were unfazed by the campaign and resoundingly rejected the law by 54 percent to 46 percent on Tuesday night.

Condoms will not be made compulsory in the porn industry's capital, California

'The diseases contracted in the porn studios don't always stay in the studios or in the porn industry,' FAIR said in its bid to pass Proposition 60.

'In one widely publicized case last year, a porn actor had sex with 17 people outside the industry (and with five others inside the industry) in 22 days before it was discovered he had HIV.'

If Proposition 60 had been passed, actors could have been subjected to criminal charges for not wearing protection on screen.

Many performers and public health experts claimed the new rules would have been less safe than the existing industry standard called 'Performer Availability Scheduling Services'.

Under that system, porn stars are tested fortnightly for STIs and the results are kept in a private database.

Producers then pick actors who are deemed 'available' by the database.

But under the new legislation, they would only have been tested every three months.

Opponents had argued porn stars should wear condoms to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis or human papillomavirus.

Michael Weinstein, president of Aids Healthcare Foundation, claimed the law was 'about protecting the performers'.

He added: 'Many young people get their information from these films, and the message they get is that the only hot sex is unsafe sex.'




Almost 70 motions, documents and orders have been filed in two months

Jury selection was meant to begin Monday but judge held meeting instead

Roof, 22, is accused of killing nine in Charleston church shooting last year

Accused Charleton shooter Dylann Roof's trial could be delayed until next year as a federal judge has ordered a competency exam.

Roof, 22, is accused of killing nine black parishioners at a Charleston, South Carolina church in June last year. He has been charged with hate crimes, obstruction of religion and other counts in the killings at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Federal Judge Richard Gergel's order came one day after a motion from the defense attorneys halted jury selection. Gergel's order may delay opening statements until 2017.

A competency exam is meant to assess a defendant's ability to understand the court process and participate in it.

Accused Charleton shooter Dylann Roof ( pictured posing with a gun and a Confederate flag surrounded by pot plants) could have until next year to face trial

Federal Judge Richard Gergel's order came one day after a motion from the defense attorneys halted jury selection. Pictured, members of the defense team arrive at the federal courthouse in Charleston, South Carolina Monday

The exam for Roof is underway and should be finished by next week. Gergel plans to rule within days whether Roof is competent and, if so, to begin jury selection for Roof's death penalty trial on November 21.

Jury selection was supposed to begin Monday, but instead Gergel held a hearing with only him, Roof and defense lawyers.

During the meeting, Gergel considered the attorney's motion, which has not been made public. Gergel's order indicates he decided to order the exam after that hearing.

The defense motion for the exam is being kept secret, like many recent developments in the case.

Gergel plans to rule within days whether Roof (pictured in June last year) is competent and, if so, to begin jury selection for Roof's death penalty trial on November 21

Roof (pictured burning the US flag) has been charged with hate crimes, obstruction of religion and other counts in the killings at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church

Monday's hearing was held behind closed doors in part so it wouldn't influence potential jurors and in part to protect attorney-client privilege, Gergel said in a memo with large sections blacked out.

Almost 70 motions, documents and orders have been filed in the case since September. All but two have been sealed from view by the public and the media.

Authorities said Roof sat with 12 people in a prayer meeting for nearly an hour before firing dozens of times, killing nine and leaving three people unharmed so they could tell the world the shootings were because he hated black people.

Gergel plans to question the jury pool of 500 in groups of 10 twice a day until he qualifies 70 potential jurors for lawyers to choose from. That process is expected to take several weeks.

Roof's lawyers have said previously that he would plead guilty to the charges in federal court if prosecutors would agree not to seek the death penalty.

State prosecutors also plan a death penalty trial for Roof on nine counts of murder after the federal trial is finished.

Nine people died in the shooting. They are (top row, left to right) DePayne Middleton-Doctor, Tywanza Sanders, Myrah Thompson, (center row) Ethel Lance, Susie Jackson, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, (bottom row) Daniel Simmons, Clementa Pinckney and Cynthia Hurd
Gay YouTube personality Calum McSwiggan (pictured) has pleaded guilty to felony vandalism in an incident in which he claimed he was the victim of a hate crime

A gay YouTube personality has pleaded guilty to felony vandalism in an incident in which he claimed he was the victim of a hate crime.

London native Calum McSwiggan, 26, pleaded guilty Monday and was sentenced to three years of supervised probation and 52 anger management sessions, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said.

McSwiggan was charged with vandalizing a car belonging to a man who he had an altercation with outside a West Hollywood gay club in late June, then falsely claiming he was beaten by the man and his friends.

McSwiggan's YouTube channel has more than 64,000 subscribers and more than 5.7million views.

Its description says: 'LGBT Lifestyle YouTuber, making videos about gay rights, mental health, sex education and everything in between.

'I upload five videos a week, one every week day evening, from my London apartment and invite regular LGBT celebrities, drag queens, YouTubers and guests onto my channel.'

A release from the district attorney's office said McSwiggan 'paid $7,000 in restitution.

'During an altercation with three men on June 27, McSwiggan damaged the car mirror and bumper of the vehicle of one of the men.

McSwiggan claimed in an Instagram post that the men broke his teeth.

He wrote on Instagram: 'After one of the most wonderful weekends at VidCon we went out to a gay club to celebrate, and towards the end of the evening I was separated from my friends and beaten up by three guys.

'The authorities should have been there to help and protect me but instead they treated me like a second class citizen.

'With three broken teeth and six stitches in my forehead, I've never felt so terrified to be a gay man in the public eye.'

McSwiggan claimed in an Instagram post that the men broke his teeth and posted a photo showing him in a hospital bed

He said in a June 29 Facebook post he'd been at a gay club called The Abbey and that 'I found a guy I took a liking to.'

They left the club, according to McSwiggan, who wrote: 'I walked with him to a dark car park no more than five minutes away where, if they weren't already with us, we were joined by two of his friends by his car.

'I know the car belonged to him because at one point he opened the door - I believe he was retrieving something from the glove box but I can't be sure.

'After this I was talking to them, I don't remember about what specifically, but at some point in that conversation his tone and attitude flipped.

'He said something about my friend Melanie and then punched me in the mouth. I blacked out quickly after this but remember being kicked in the body multiple times, I believe by all three men.'

McSwiggan continued: 'Shortly afterwards I regained consciousness and instantly realised one of my front teeth was broken.

'I have spent my whole adult life campaigning for LGBT+ equality and did not take this attack lightly.

'I can not say for 100 [per cent] that this was because I was gay but I can't think of any other justification for this random attack.

'In a moment of devastation, anger and blind rage I kicked the wing mirror of the attacker's car until it broke and then ripped it off with my hands.

'I also scratched the front of the car with the broken wing mirror before returning back to The Abbey for help.'

McSwiggan's YouTube channel has more than 64,000 subscribers and more than 5.7million views. Its description says: 'LGBT Lifestyle YouTuber, making videos about gay rights, mental health, sex education and everything in between'

Authorities said McSwiggan was seen hitting himself with a jail payphone.

In the Facebook post, McSwiggan said he was taken to a police station and put in a holding cell.

He wrote: 'In a moment of desperation to get out of the cell, I took the pay phone off the wall and hit myself once across the forehead with it as hard as I could.

'I knew I had to injure myself to get out of the cell and into a hospital, and it was the only solution I could find to get myself out of there.'

That wound required six stitches, his Facebook post said.

McSwiggan took to Twitter on Tuesday, saying he did not make a false report

As part of the plea deal, a misdemeanor charge which claimed the YouTube star made a false report concerning the men was dismissed, My News LA reported.

McSwiggan said in a series of tweets on Tuesday: 'Five months ago I was accused of the crime of falsifying a police report after I was assaulted outside a nightclub - a crime I didn't commit.'

'After five months of investigation this charge has finally been dropped. I never lied and I'm grateful that the world can now see that.'

'After the assault I made the mistake of damaging the culprit's car. I regret this & have accepted the consequences & paid for the damages.'
Controversial senator Derryn Hinch has used parliamentary privilege to accuse an exclusive Christian school of hiding the truth from parents about a paedophile who was employed as a year two teacher.

The former broadcaster rose after the dinner break on Tuesday night to accuse Redlands College, in Brisbane's east, of pretending convicted paedophile Jonathan Sims was on long service leave when he was in jail.

Daily Mail Australia understands the victim was a student at the school who knew the teacher through family and church connections.

'Surely, if a teacher is charged, convicted and jailed for the prolonged sexual abuse of a student, that school has a duty to inform parents who that teacher is, what he has being doing and why he has taken long service leave, and maybe alert them in case there are other victims as well - and there probably were,' Senator Hinch told the chamber.

A mother has told the media she would withdraw her daughter from the school after learning about the revelations on Twitter.

The Wellington Point school has refuted the allegations, describing them as 'misleading', adding they were following police advice to protect the victim's identity.

Senator Derryn Hinch has used parliamentary privilege to accuse Redlands College of hiding the truth from parents about a jailed former teacher

Senator Hinch accused the school, which charges up to $8,500 a year in fees, of hiding the truth from parents and students to protect its reputation.

'Many of them still do not know why Sims, their teacher, went away, why he went on long service leave and why it seems the school was keen to perpetuate that idea,' Senator Hinch said.

'Maybe they did not want to ruin their image.'

A mother, who declined to be named, said her daughter, a student at the school for several years, would be taken out of Redlands College.

'I never, ever expected to find out via Twitter that there had been a teacher at that school that had abused a child - that's not OK,' she told reporters on Wednesday

'I just couldn't believe it, we were just in shock.'

She said the school had denied parents the chance to talk to their children.

'They just completely swept it under the rug and just negated what's happened,' she said.

The school board had written to the Queensland College of Teachers to have his teaching licence suspended.

However, Senator Hinch said the school board chairman Jamie Ware had threatened to report a parent to the privacy commissioner if he told other parents the truth about Sims.

Redlands College in Brisbane's east (pictured) has released a statement accusing Senator Derryn Hinch of making misleading claims

Redlands College said the teacher had resigned from the school before it was informed about the allegations.

'These events did not take place at the college or at any college-related event,' it said in a statement.

'College leadership co-operated fully with the police during their investigation in accordance with their duty of care and legal imperatives.

'Throughout the investigation and after the trial the college was explicitly directed by police not to make any public statements or to notify the college community.

'This was specifically to protect the identification of the victim.'

The school said it supported the victim and the victim's family once it learned of the allegations.

'We believe we acted properly at all times and that no student was placed at risk,' it said.

'We can assure our college community that the information given by Senator Hinch was misleading and it is unfortunate that the good name of Redlands College has been questioned by misinformation that was provided to him and media outlets.'

Senator Derryn Hinch (pictured) has accused a Christian school of being more concerned about its reputation

Senator Hinch said it was hypocritical of Redlands College to list as a value 'to care for and respect all members of our community'.

'One of the community members whom the principal and board of Redlands have been showing care and respect for is convicted pedophile Jonathan Sims,' he said.

'I guess that is where the care and respect kicks in, even for a child molesting teacherthe ultimate betrayer of trust.'

Senator Hinch said Sims planned to move to the Moreton Bay area, in Brisbane's east, when he was released from prison early next year.

'How do you think that victim and his family feel knowing that the teacher is returning to that area after his 'long service leave'?,' he said.
Republican Marco Rubio secured a key Senate seat in Florida, delivering a crushing blow to Democrats who failed to wrest control of the chamber.

Rubio, who decided to run for re-election in Florida after his failed bid for presidency, beat out Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy, who was abandoned by his own party in the final weeks of the campaign.

The GOP has retained its majority in the Senate, despite energized Democratic challengers who tried to oust Republican incumbents in costly battles.

Illinois flipped to Democrat Tammy Duckworth, but the Democrats' path to retaking the Senate majority narrowed throughout the night as the GOP held onto key seats in Wisconsin, North Carolina, Indiana and Florida.

Ohio Republican Senator Rob Portman also blocked what once looked like one of the Democrats' best bets to flip a Senate seat by ousting former Gov. Ted Strickland.

Rand Paul's is headed back to Washington for a second term as Kentucky's Senator and John Mccain locked down his sixth Senate term in Arizona.

Americans are voting to fill 34 of the 100 Senate seats and all 435 House seats.

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Republican Marco Rubio (center) secured a key Senate seat in Florida, delivering a crushing blow to Democrats tried to wrest control of the chamber

A jubilant Rubio greeted supporters after winning the surprisingly tight race against Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy

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Two weeks ago, Democrats hoped to sharply reduce the Republicans' 246-seat House majority and grab control of the Senate.

But the FBI may have dashed those ambitions by reigniting a controversy about Clinton's emails while she was secretary of state, congressional aides and analysts said.

A Trump victory, coupled with a Republican Congress, could spell a swift demise for Democratic President Barack Obama's health reforms.

Rubio had wavered for months before deciding to run for re-election in Florida after his failed bid for presidency.

He beat back a challenge from Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy, revitalizing his political career with expections that he will launch another bid for presidency in 2020.

His opponent Murphy repeatedly tried to link Rubio to Donald Trump, and the two Senate candidates differed starkly on a number of issues - including guns, health care, foreign policy, economic issues and abortion.

Each sought to leverage voter discontent with both the GOP and Democratic nominees.

Rubio held onto had a narrow lead in polling going into Election Day over Murphy, who was abandoned by his own party after Democratic bosses decided to pull ad money from expensive Florida and invest it in Missouri, North Carolina and Indiana, instead.

Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth (left) has unseated first-term Republican Sen. Mark Kirk in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country

Kirk (pictured) hurt his own campaign and had to apologize to Duckworth last month after mocking her immigrant background and her family's military history.

Catherine Cortez Masto will become the state's first Latina senator, as immigration emerged as a key issue in the race against Republican Rep. Joe Heck.

Masto was supported by retiring Democratic leader Harry Reid, who held onto the seat for three decades.

Nevada was home to one of the most expensive Senate races in the country, featuring lots of TV ads as the seat was viewed as one of the few Senate seats held by a Democrat that Republicans felt they could flip into their column.

Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth has unseated first-term Republican Sen. Mark Kirk in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.

Duckworth, a double amputee who lost both legs in the Iraq war, has served two terms in the House, and will become the second Illinois woman to serve in the Senate.

Kirk, who suffered a stroke in 2012, worked for months to convince voters that he's independent of his party by criticizing GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.

But he hurt his own campaign with a series of controversial statements and had to apologize to Duckworth last month after mocking her immigrant background and her family's military history.

John Mccain (pictured with wife Cindy Mccain at the polls) is projected to lock down his sixth Senate term in Arizona over opponent Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick

Several familiar names will be heading to Washington. Democrat Jimmy Panetta won an open seat in California representing the same region once served by his father.

Leon Panetta had a long career in Washington as congressman, budget director, White House chief of staff, CIA director and defense secretary.

Earlier Tuesday, Republican Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the eldest daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, won her father's old House seat.

The 50-year-old Cheney succeeds Cynthia Lummis who decided not to seek re-election to Wyoming's lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Five-term GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona won yet again, turning away a determined challenge from Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick.

McCain publicly struggled with whether to support GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, who called McCain a loser and criticized him for being captured during the Vietnam War.

The 80-year-old McCain reluctantly stood by Trump for months despite the personal insults, but ended his tepid support last month after the release of a 2005 recording in which Trump used crude, predatory language to boast about groping women.

McCain said Trump's behavior and "demeaning comments about women" made it impossible to support him.

The decision angered some Republicans, who routinely boo when Trump mentions McCain's name.

Republican Liz Cheney of Wyoming (pictured), the eldest daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, has won her father's old House seat

Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman has defeated former Gov. Ted Strickland in a race that once looked like one of the Democrats' best bets to flip a Senate seat.

Portman, a former U.S. trade representative and budget director, was first elected to the Senate in 2010.

He ran a strong campaign, branding Strickland early on as 'Retread Ted' and tying him to Ohio's sinking economy during Strickland's governorship, which coincided with the national recession.

Portman's TV ads touted his work to combat the heroin epidemic, including a new law Portman co-sponsored.

Ohio Republican Senator Rob Portman (left) defeated former Gov. Ted Strickland (right) in a race that once looked like one of the Democrats' best bets to flip a Senate seat

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson has again defeated Democrat Russ Feingold in a rematch of Wisconsin's 2010 Senate race.

The race grew personal in the waning weeks, with Johnson calling Feingold a liar and a phony. Feingold, who was counting on high Democratic turnout for the presidential race, made his pitch to middle- and working-class voters, saying they would have no chance with Johnson in office.

Attorney General Kamala Harris wins the open Senate seat to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer in race that featured two Democrats in California.

Thanks to California's unusual primary system, in which the two top finishers from the June primary advance to the general election, voters were deciding between Harris and Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez.

The victory for 51-year-old Harris makes her the first Indian-American senator. Harris was backed by President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and other top Democrats.

Sanchez, a 10-term congresswoman, tried to consolidate support from Republicans and Latinos, but with little success.

Thanks to California's unusual primary system, two Democrats ran against each other. Attorney General Kamala Harris (left) won over Loretta Sanchez (right) making her the first Indian-American senator.

Democratic Sen. Patty Murray won a fifth term in the Senate, becoming one of the longest-serving senators in Washington state history.

Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon has won a fourth full term, facing little-known Republican Mark Callahan, a former Democrat

Wyden is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee and would become chairman if his party regains control of the chamber. Wyden briefly served as chairman in 2014. He also has served as chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Republican Sen. Mike Crapo cruised to a fourth term in the ruby-red state of Idaho.

Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz also won re-election in Hawaii, defeating Republican John Carroll in heavily Democratic Hawaii to earn his first full term in the Senate.

Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado has won re-election against a tea party-aligned opponent, conservative Darryl Glenn.

At the campaign's start, Bennet was considered one of the most vulnerable Democratic senators in this cycle. GOP leaders criticized Bennet's support for President Barack Obama's deal to ease economic sanctions against Iran and his support for Obama's proposal to close the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba.

But the Republican field was a crowded one, and of the five candidates who made the GOP primary, none had previously held statewide office.

Incumbent Republican Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina (left) has turned away a strong challenge from former state Rep. Deborah Ross (right)

Incumbent Republican Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina has turned away a strong challenge from former state Rep. Deborah Ross.

The 60-year-old Burr has been in Congress since 1994. Ross is a lawyer and former state director of the ACLU who energized Democrats and hoped to score an upset.

Burr was forced to apologize recently after saying he was surprised that a gun magazine with a photo of Hillary Clinton on the cover hadn't put a bull's-eye over her face. Ross had called the comments 'dangerous and irresponsible.'

Republican Charles Grassley of Iowa won a seventh Senate term and retained a seat his party has held for six decades.

Democrats had been optimistic that their candidate, Patty Judge, could break that winning streak on Tuesday, given her previous elections to statewide office as agriculture secretary and lieutenant governor.

Grassley chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. He's sought to tamp down talk among Republicans about blocking nominees to the Supreme Court if Hillary Clinton becomes president.

Grassley said Republicans 'can't just simply stonewall' nominees to the high court, reaffirming the Senate's traditional advise-and-consent role on judicial picks.

Utah's junior senator, Republican Mike Lee, has sailed through his first re-election battle Tuesday.

Lee earned national attention for his sharp criticism of GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. Even so, Lee has been floated as a possible Supreme Court pick by Trump.

Georgia Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson has won a third term against Democrat Jim Barksdale and Libertarian Allen Buckley.

Foster Campbell secured a spot in the runoff election for Louisiana's Senate seat, vying to succeed incumbent Republican David Vitter.

The Public Services commissioner will face Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy in the December runoff.

Republican State Treasurer John Kennedy has advanced to a December runoff election for the Louisiana Senate seat being vacated by incumbent Republican David Vitter.

Two Republican congressmen were among two dozen candidates vying for the Senate seat: Reps. Charles Boustany and John Fleming. White supremacist David Duke was also running but was not among the top-tier candidates in polling.

Arkansas Republican Sen. John Boozman (pictured) has won a second term, fending off a challenge by Democrat Conner Eldridge

Arkansas Republican Sen. John Boozman has won a second term, fending off a challenge by Democrat Conner Eldridge, a former federal prosecutor.

Boozman served five terms in the House before winning a Senate seat in 2010. He campaigned as someone who puts Arkansas first, while Eldridge touted his work prosecuting a county judge for corruption.

Eldridge trailed Boozman in fundraising and faced an uphill challenge in Arkansas, where Republicans hold all statewide and federal offices.

The top Democrat in the Senate, New York's Chuck Schumer, easily beat back a challenge from Republican attorney Wendy Long to secure a fourth term.

South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the No. 3 Republican in the Senate, won a second term during a campaign when he wavered repeatedly in his support of the GOP presidential candidate leading the ticket.

He was among a handful who urged Trump to step aside to allow vice presidential nominee Mike Pence to run at the top of the ticket. He also criticized Trump's refusal to say if he would accept the results of the election. Still, despite his criticism, he said he would vote for Trump.

North Dakota Republican Sen. John Hoeven won a second term against former Democratic state Sen. Eliot Glassheim, who entered the race at the last minute and struggled to raise money.

Republican Rep. Todd Young won in Indiana against Sen Evan Bayh

Kansas Republican Sen. Jerry Moran has won a second Senate term after serving seven terms in the House. Moran easily fended off a challenge from Democrat Patrick Wiesner, an attorney and certified public accountant.

Indiana Republican Rep. Todd Young has defeated former Sen. Evan Bayh in a Senate race that could be crucial to determining party control. The seat is curerntly held by Republican Sen. Dan Coats, who is retiring.

An onslaught of stories about whether Bayh really lived in Indiana and his extended job search in his final year in office undercut his candidacy.

Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, who made an early run for the presidency, is instead heading back to Washington for a second term.

Paul defeated Democrat Jim Gray, the mayor of Lexington, and the two spent a combined $8 million on the race, a paltry sum considering the more than $47 million Kentucky's Senate candidates spent in 2014.

Meanwhile, South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott, the South's first black senator since Reconstruction, has won his first full term.

Scott defeated Democrat Thomas Dixon, a community activist and pastor.

In Kentucky, Republican Rand Paul is headed back to Washington for a second term as Senator

South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott, the South's first black senator since Reconstruction, won his first full term

The Senate's only black Republican, Scott said he would vote for Donald Trump, even as he has characterized some of Trump's statements and actions as 'disgusting,' ''indefensible' and 'racially toxic.'

Scott, one of only two black senators, said on the Senate floor this summer that he has repeatedly been pulled over by law enforcement and was once even stopped by a Capitol Police officer who apparently did not believe he was a senator.

Scott, 51, was appointed to the seat in 2013 following the resignation of Sen. Jim DeMint, then won election to the final two years of that term.

Alabama's veteran Republican Sen. Richard Shelby has easily won a sixth term against a Democratic challenger who advocated legalizing medicinal marijuana in this conservative state.

Shelby, 82, is a one-time Democrat who has one of the most consistent records of voting against President Barack Obama in Congress. He has supported the Republican ticket, including Donald Trump.

In Vermont, Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy has won an eighth term. He's the Senate's longest-serving member. The 76-year-old beat back a challenge from Republican businessman Scott Milne.

Longtime Maryland Democratic Representative Chris Van Hollen won a promotion to the upper chamber, replacing popular Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski, who is retiring after 30 years in the Senate.

Van Hollen, a seven-term Democrat who has focused on budget issues and foreign policy, defeated Republican Kathy Szeliga, minority whip in the state House of Delegates.

Election workers sort ballots at the Salt Lake County Government Center Tuesday, November 8 2016

Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal has coasted to an easy re-election against Republican Dan Carter, a little-known state representative from the western part of the state.

Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford has won a full-six year term in the Senate.

Lankford is a former congressman who was elected to serve the last two years of former Sen. Tom Coburn's term. Lankford won the seat with nearly 68 percent of the vote after Coburn retired in 2014 before his term was up.

In the House, Republicans expected to retain control with Democratic gains that are expected to be modest.

In North Carolina and Missouri, Democrats sought to upset entrenched GOP incumbent senators. In Democratic-leaning states like Wisconsin, Illinois, Nevada, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, Democrats were trying to tie their GOP opponents to Donald Trump.
Funeral for the passionate artist was held in Napier on Wednesday at 11am

Ms Kara's mother Tarnia said it was her daughters third

A young woman has been killed just a week after her 20th birthday in a horrific crash on a rural highway while helping her mother move house.

Taku Manawa Kara was on her third trip from Hamilton to a family property in Mahia, south of Auckland in New Zealand, when she lost control of her car on State Highway 2.

Her mother Tarnia said her daughter had already done the five and a half hour drive twice, but wanted to 'go out of her way to help'.

'I had been given notice to leave my house so she was helping me do trips, taking things back to Mahia where we own some land,' Ms Kara told the NZ Herald.

Taku Manawa Kara was on her third trip from Hamilton to a family property in Mahia, south of Auckland in New Zealand, when she lost control of her car on State Highway 2

Ms Kara celebrated her 20th birthday just a week earlier with her boyfriend and two friends

Ms Kara celebrated her 20th birthday just a week earlier with her boyfriend and two friends.

Her friend Zonny, who chose to keep her last name anonymous, said she adored the family's land in Mahia close to the sea and preferred it to their Hamilton home.

'She was so right, it was beautiful,' Zonny said.

A funeral service was held for Ms Kara on Wednesday at 11am and two of her uncles gave heartfelt eulogies.

Her mother said as a child, her daughter never complained about anything, even when the family could not afford to have a hot water system installed in the house.

Her mother Tarnia said her daughter had already done the five and a half hour drive twice, but wanted to 'go out of her way to help'

A funeral service was held for Ms Kara on Wednesday at 11am and two of her uncles gave heartfelt eulogies

'I had been given notice to leave my house so she was helping me do trips, taking things back to Mahia where we own some land,' Ms Kara said

Aunt Vicky Julian, said even as a young woman Ms Kara had a strong passion for art and would spend hours in the bathroom perfecting her makeup

'She loved to travel and see beautiful things and didn't have a fixed abode. It could have been my influence on taking her to gypsy fairs when she was younger,' Ms Kara said.

Aunt Vicky Julian, said even as a young woman Ms Kara had a strong passion for art and would spend hours in the bathroom perfecting her makeup.

Friends and family posted tributes to the young woman's Facebook with many saying she was now 'resting with her father,' who died when she was just two weeks old.

'Lost for words. Rest in love our beautiful. Our lives are all the better and richer for having had you in them,' a close friend wrote.

'Lost for words. Rest in love our beautiful. Our lives are all the better and richer for having had you in them,' a close friend wrote on her Facebook
But she surpassed him in the popular vote by Wednesday morning

She had just 218 of 270 electoral votes needed to win when Trump took Pennsylvania to secure crucial 274

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A jubilant Donald Trump gave his signature thumbs up as he returned home to Trump Tower this morning as the president-elect of the United States of America.

Alongside his wife and First-Lady-to-be Melania, the businessman and reality TV mogul was met by a crowd of well-wishers, many wearing his signature Make America Great Again baseball caps.

Meanwhile, Hillary supporters at home and abroad woke up shocked and dismayed at the decisive result which confounded the expectations of analysts, pollsters and election experts.

Wall Street also had a shaky start Wednesday morning. Dow Futures initially plummeted by 800 points overnight but the DOW index was up by 0.23 per cent minutes after the bell ringing at 9.30am. It slipped moments later and remained down by 30 points for the next half hour before steadying at around 10am to be up some 50 points.

Earlier in the evening, Trump marked his world-shaking victory over Hillary Clinton with a dramatic peace-making gesture for the rival he had called 'crooked' before promising that America would 'come together as never before'.

After he sensationally won the White House race, Clinton phoned him at 2:30 a.m. to concede she had lost and in the first words of his victory speech he said: 'We owe her a debt of gratitude and I mean that very sincerely'.

She made the private call shortly after sending her campaign chairman to give her supporters exactly the opposite message, that it was not over  a humiliating and bizarre end to a political career which had put her on the verge of being the first female president.

Instead, a jubilant Trump Election Night headquarters party erupted in cheers as the news broke.

Trump's campaign manager said the phone call between Clinton and Trump was a 'very gracious exchange'.

President-elect Trump waved to the cameras as he returned home to Trump Tower early Wednesday morning

America's new President and First Lady returned home to their New York penthouse home after a long election night

Speaking to Good Morning America, she continued: 'As I understand it, Secretary Clinton commended Donald Trump on a hard-fought race and congratulated him for his victory and he told Secretary Clinton shes very smart, very tough, had waged a tremendous campaign. He respects her and her family. It was a very pleasant exchange.'

Hillary aide Huma Abedin, who was at the center of the FBI email probe which plagued Hillary's final weeks of campaigning, put in the call to Conway, who connected the rivals.

Conway added she hadn't yet spoken to Trump about his plan to hire a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton over his email scandal.

She also chalked up Trump's surprise win to the 'secret' or 'undercover' voters who didn't reveal their intentions to vote for Trump, throwing off polls in advance of election night. She compared the vote's result to the Brexit vote made in the UK.

'Its not that theyre embarrassed,' she told Fox and Friends, but that they were 'tired of arguing' and wanted to take the country in a 'new and different direction'.

Trump accepted the mantle of leadership with uncharacteristic humility nearly three hours after the West Coast polls closed.

America will no longer settle for anything less than the best. We must reclaim our country's destiny and dream big and bold and daring. We have to do that. We're going to dream of things for our country, and beautiful things and successful things once again. Donald Trump

'Now it's time for America to bind the wounds of division,' he began his victory speech just before 3am. 'I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans  and this is so important to me.

'For those who have chosen not to support me in the past - of which there were a few people - I'm reaching out to you for your guidance and your help, so we can work together and unify our great country.'

'I promise you that I will not let you down,' he said.

He went on to reiterate his promise to 'Make America Great Again'.

'I've gotten to know our country so well. Tremendous potential. It is going to be a beautiful thing. Every single American will have the opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.'

He added: 'America will no longer settle for anything less than the best. We must reclaim our country's destiny and dream big and bold and daring. We have to do that. We're going to dream of things for our country, and beautiful things and successful things once again.'

Winner: President-elect Trump took to the stage shortly before 3am in New York and surrounded by his family thanked Hillary Clinton for her service to the country - a marked change in tone after the most divisive US election in living memory

Team Trump: The Donald made his victory speech in front of his family and Vice President Mike Pence to a hall filled with supporters

Sealed with a kiss: Donald Trump was warmly congratulated by his daughters Ivanka and Tiffany and Ivanka's husband Jared Kushner

First Lady Melania: Melania Trump beamed as Donald held his signature two thumbs up

New First Family: Donald celebrated with his children and granddaughter Arabella, who was delighted to join her grandfather on stage

He thanked his late parents, saying they were 'wonderful in every regard'. He thanked his sisters, his brothers, his wife and children 'for putting up with all of those hours. ... This political stuff was nasty and it was tough'. He even thanked the U.S. Secret Service.

And in a twist nearly as bizarre as the sum of Campaign 2016, he thanked Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who had called him minutes earlier to concede the presidential race after declining to do it from the stage of what was to be her own victory party.

'Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country.

'I mean that very sincerely. Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division, have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people,' Trump said.

Instead of bluster about her classified emails, Trump brought a gracious acknowledgement of her decades of government service.

No one yelled 'Lock her up!' an aggressive rallying cry from Trump's hundreds of rallies and the Republican National Convention in July.

Hillary finally emerged on Wednesday morning to address her heartbroken supporters.

Addressing a crowd of supporters at a New York hotel, the defeated Democrat said: 'Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.

'I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans.'

'Last night I congratulated Donald Trump and offered to work with him on behalf of our country.

'This is not the outcome that we wanted or worked so hard for. But I feel pride and gratitude for this wonderful campaign that we built together.

Defeated: Hillary delivered a heartfelt speech to supporters on Wednesday morning

Clinton told her supporters to never stop fighting for 'what's worth it', and said 'nothing has made me prouder' than being a 'champion' for other women

'You represent the best of America and being your candidate has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I know how disappointed you feel because i feel it too. This is painful and it will be for a long time. Our campaign was never about one person or one election. We have seen our nation is more deeply divided than I thought but I still believe in America.'

The Trump campaign also revealed that they had received a call from President Obama.

Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway told the Today show that it was a 'very warm conversation' that they were 'happy to receive'.

'They had a great, thorough, conversation about Mr Trump's victory, he was congratulated, and I think they resolved to work together which is exactly what this country needs. To get the current president and the president-elect and others who are in leadership position to help unify and heal the country. we expect that the two gentlemen will be meeting soon,' she said.

Trump is allegedly visiting the White House tomorrow to meet with President Obama to discuss the change of power.

Obama also made a somber election night speech in which he addressed the many disappointed Americans who voted for Hillary.

'Let's face it. This has been an exhausting, stressful and sometimes downright weird election for all of us,' he said in a video message.

'But here's what I want everybody to know: While we've certainly seen some new things this time around, what isn't new is that our democracy has always been rowdy and raucous. We've been through tough and divisive elections before and we've always come out stronger for it.'

'Remember, no matter what happens, the sun will rise in the morning and America will still be the greatest nation on earth'.

Thankful: Donald Trump paid tribute to those who helped him clinch the Presidency including campaign manager Kellyanne Conway

Victory parade: Trump walked on to stage with his wife Melania at his side, their son Barron, and immediately behind them daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner

Thanks: Trump paid tribute to his family, naming his wife and each of their children and thanking them for their support during a 'tough' campaign

Unifying message: Trump told critics: 'For those who have chosen not to support me in the past  of which there were a few people  I am reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so that we can unify our great country'

First tweet: Donald Trump called the night of his sensational victory 'beautiful' and told Americans: 'We will all come together as never before'

Change: This is the banner on Trump's Twitter page, which now has 'President-elect of the United States' as his bio

CLINTON'S BIZARRE ENDING

Clinton has yet to concede the race publicly. Her campaign chairman John Podesta made the trek from a Manhattan hotel to the convention center where confetti cannons were at the ready.

'Several states are too close to call,' he said at the time, 'so we're not going to have anything more to say tonight.'

'Everybody should head home,' Podesta told a ballroom brimming with thousands of hopeful Democrats. 'You should get some sleep. We'll have more to say tomorrow.'

Clinton, he said, 'has done an amazing job, and she is not done yet.'

But she was done, and Trump's crowd knew it the moment their hero spoke.

Bringing all his family members and key staff on stage with him, Trump thanked his senior aides one by one.

Campaign director Kellyanne Conway waved and smiled. She curtsied and held both thumbs up, and then stuck around to talk to TV camera crews until nearly 4 o'clock in the morning.

Dr. Ben Carson, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus and even the 'Bridgegate' scandal-plagued New Jersey Gov Chris Christie got a mention from America's most improbable president.

Priebus, he said, is 'a superstar.' The two men embraced, and then the RNC chief pronounced Trump 'the next President of the United States.'

At 3:08 a.m., with Clintonworld in ruins, Trump descended to the stage into a hotel ballroom and mingled with invited guests and supporters.

Red caps flew in the air. The Rolling Stones played 'You Can't Always Get What You Want,' perhaps a subtle dig at the Democrats or the press.

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Bizarre: US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta, however, said Clinton will not yet concede - 20 minutes later she already had

Going home: Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton walk through convention center at the end of election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York - she did not appear to speak to them

Heartbroken: Hillary Clinton supporters cry as they watch the election results during Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's election night rally in the Jacob Javits Center's glass enclosed lobby

PENCE THANKS GOD FOR VICTORY

And Vice-President-Elect Mike Pence, the governor of Indiana for another 73 days, beamed.

'I come to this moment deeply humbled, grateful to God for his amazing grace,' Pence said as he introduced the man who had vaulted him into the national spotlight.

'The American people have spoken and the American people have elected their new champion,' Pence declared.

'America has elected a new president, and it's almost hard for me to express the honor that I and my family feel, that we will have the privilege to serve.'

When Trump emerged on stage along with nearly 50 aides and family members, he apologized for putting the crowd on pins and needles while the evening's drama played out.

'Sorry to keep you waiting. Complicated business,' he said.

The love-fest continued with his most bitter Republican primary rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, offering his unqualified congratulations.

New White House: 'I come to this moment deeply humbled, grateful to God for his amazing grace', Mike Pence told a packed auditorium

New Vice President: Trump's running mate Mike Pence and his family welcomed Donald to the stage and introduced him for his victory speech

'Americans have resoundingly rejected the Obama-Clinton agenda of bigger government, intrusive regulation, executive overreach, and lawlessness that is killing innovation and jobs, squandering opportunity for working men and women, marginalizing our freedoms, and compromising our security,' Cruz said in a statement.

'This election astonished the pundits. This was a change election. Americans voted for Republicans because of a promise to go to Washington to reverse our current course, and end the Washington cartel  a promise to drain the swamp. Now is the time to follow through on those words with action. We cannot wait even one day to begin implementing a conservative agenda that fulfills those commitments.'

The bizarre ending to Clinton's political career came after Trump confounded pollsters at every turn, capturing one 'swing' state after another in a line of toppled dominoes that stretched across three time zones and now ends at the White House.

The last to fall was the Keystone State  after Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and Wisconsin all went to the Republican. That gave him 274 votes in the electoral college; the winner is the first to reach 270.

He was also winning the popular vote by more than a 1 per cent margin.

Clinton is contemplating a ruinous end to her career, the potential of a renewed investigation into her and Bill's charity and personal riches by a special prosecutor, and the Democrats bring locked out of not just the White House but both houses of Congress.

There will also be a Republican lock on the Supreme Court which could last a generation.

Celebration: Young Donald Trump supporters wearing 'Make America Great Again' hats and lanyards cheer during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on Tuesday

Victory selfie: Two Trump supporters' posed for gleeful pictures - at the Clinton election HQ their opposite numbers wept

Matching: Young Trump supporters  donning suits and red ties similar to the presidential nominee's  celebrate during Trump's election night rally

Drama: People cheer as voting results for Florida put Trump on the path to the presidency as Clinton's campaign floundered

Glee: Supporters of U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump hold a rally in front of the White House in Washington DC on Tuesday evening - it will be his home from January

Disbelief: Ellie Chalphin of Philadelphia, left, breaks down while watching televised election returns during a watch party on the campus of Wellesley College. In New York (right), Hillary Clinton rally attendees acted in the same way

Falling flat: A group of Hillary Clinton supporters comfort one another as they break down in tears over the presidential results

BREXIT-PLUS-PLUS-PLUS IS HERE

The victory Trump predicted as America's version of Great Britain's historic 'Brexit' vote  he said it would be 'Brexit-plus-plus' and 'Brexit times 50'  will be remembered as one of the most astonishing campaigns in American history.

Pennsylvania, the state where he attended the Wharton School of Finance and two of his adult children went to boarding schools, put Trump over the top when the Associated Press declared he had won it early on Wednesday morning.

The last Republican to win the Keystone State was President George H.W. Bush, who snatched it from Democrat Michael Dukakis in 1988.

New York Republican Rep Peter King told DailyMail.com that the nation's next commander-in-chief had seeded the ground for his victory by identifying with disaffected voters who were upset about job losses and the implosion of the Obamacare medical insurance law.

'Donald Trump won because he tapped into the discontent and anger of the American people,' King said. 'It's a wonderful, wonderful night.'

The marathon evening unfolded disastrously for Clinton. With the Democratic nominee holed up in a hotel suite with her husband and family, her aides stopped speaking to the press as the results came in.

The first big state to fall was Florida. It seemed nail-bitingly close for a time  and then Trump won its 29 electoral college votes.

Ohio fell to Trump without putting up a fight. Even North Carolina, a nominally blue state, was no contest for the reality television host and skyscraper-building mogul.

A Clinton supporter covers her mouth as she breaks down with emotion over election results on Tuesday

A Clinton supporter cries after Donald Trump wins the state of Florida at the Democrats Abroad election night party at Marylebone Sports Bar and Grill in London early Wednesday morning

People sit outside the Jacob Javits Center waiting for election results following a rally for Clinton

Two women hug in hopes of comforting one another as Donald Trump wins electoral votes during the presidential election

A woman at Hillary Clinton's New York rally cries as a man comforts her

Guests watch the results on the television monitor during Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's election night rally in the Jacob Javits Center glass enclosed lobby

A Hillary Clinton supporter openly cries at Clinton's election night rally in Manhattan as election results roll in on Tuesday

People in the crowd at Hillary Clinton's 2016 US presidential Election Night event watch in tears as results come in on a big screen at the Javits Convention Center

Clinton supporters watch in shock as Trump gains a lead in several states in the presidential election on Tuesday night

Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton react during election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump react as they watch state by state results unfold on a TV screen during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown

THEY SHOUTED 'CALL IT' - THEN EXPLODED IN CHEERS

As vote-counters repainted the Buckeye State from blue to red  President Barack Obama won it twice  the New York Times' live presidential forecast gave the billionaire builder an 87 per cent chance of winning the White House.

That grew to '>95%,' its highest possible number. Then it was effectively over, but there were hours to wait for confirmation.

America's Electoral College system provides one vote for each member of Congress, including both the Senate and the House of Representatives, plus three to represent the District of Columbia  538 in all.

A candidate needs to claim 270 votes, the smallest possible majority, in order to win the White House. Pennsylvania's 20 votes put Trump over the top with 274.

Long before the end came, aides to Clinton told Fox News that she was 'expecting a long night.'

When North Carolina's result was set in stone on Tuesday night, the Manhattan ballroom where Trump supporters gathered erupted in screams of 'USA! USA!'

As a Florida victory looked imminent, young Trump fans chanted at giant TVs: 'Call it! Call it! Call it!'

They exploded in a mass of cheers when the Sunshine State contest was declared over. A few threw their red 'Make America Great Again' hats in the air.

When Iowa and Wisconsin came through, a spontaneous rendition of 'God Bless America,' earnest if off-key, drowned out Megyn Kelly's voice blasting from a TV tuned to the Fox News Channel.

When Michigan made him the President-Elect of the United States, sternum-rattling bedlam ensued.

Projections making the rounds online and republished by the Drudge Report news website suggested that 140 million voters participated, a new record, far exceeding the 131.4 million total in 2008.

United: Women at Trump's election rally in New York hug as they celebrate the Republican nominee inching ahead in several states

Delight: A woman at Trump's election rally in New York cheers as election results are shown to the Republican nominee's supporters

Triumphant: Young Trump supporters celebrate at the Republican nominee pulls ahead in the presidential race

Excitement: Trump supporters shout with joy as Trump takes the lead in the presidential election on Tuesday night

Support: Robert Herrera, 31, displays his Trump banner on 6th Avenue in New York, not far from where Trump is holding his election night rally

Supporters for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump react as early results come in at a Republican election night party Tuesday

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gather during the election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown

Wellesley College students and supporters of Hillary Clinton, Kumari Devarajan, of Washington, left, and Diana Castillo, of Elgin, Illinois, right, wipe away tears as they watched the results

A woman looks on while awaiting election results at Clinton's rally on Tuesday night

THE MAN WHO BUILT A 'MOVEMENT'

First-time voters, in particular, fueled the massive increase. Fox News exit polls showed that group swinging toward Clinton by a 55-37 margin, according to Fox News Channel exit polls.

Trump's campaign built its momentum in part on the promise of bringing a 'silent majority' out of the woodwork. He may not have needed the help.

Trump, a billionaire first-time candidate whose political debut was initially seen as an ego-stroking circus act, bested 16 other Republicans for the right to face Clinton, who has lived and breathed campaigns and elections for more than 40 years and had only one serious intra-party rival.

The real estate tycoon built a devoted following of tens of millions, including large numbers of Americans who had never voted before.

Along the way he angered some in the Republican Party establishment who saw him as a reckless insult-generator destined to alienate large swaths of the American electorate.

His campaign was less than a half-hour old when he generated headlines by saying some illegal immigrants crossing the US-Mexico border were 'murderers,' 'rapists' and other criminal aliens.

While accurate, the statement was contorted to create the impression that the man who employs thousands of Hispanics at his country clubs and skyscrapers actually hates them.

The label stuck.

Trump gave his enemies ammunition by repeating more than 500 times a pledge that as president he would wall off America from Mexico, stemming the flow of narcotics and human chattel while defending the border from an unchecked flood of immigrants with no legal right to be in the United States.

Hillary Clinton supporters react as election results roll in on Tuesday night

Hillary Clinton supporters hold their hands to their mouths as they react to election results at the Democratic nominee's election night rally

Pedestrians watch the election results on large screens in Times Square, New York, on Tuesday

Hundreds of Hillary Clinton supporters gather to observe the US presidential election results at the corner of President and Clinton streets in the Brooklyn Borough of New York

Clinton supporters react to election results at a rally in the Brooklyn borough of New York on Tuesday night

A supporter of US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is seen reacting to the giant FOX news jumbotron TV in Times Square

Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton look on during election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center

Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton watch and wait at her election night rally in New York on Tuesday

Supporters watch election returns during Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's election night rally in the Jacob Javits Center glass enclosed lobby

Supporters of US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump watch results at his election night rally in Manhattan on Tuesday

The Empire State Building in New york is lit in Red, White and Blue colors as seen from Weehawken, New Jersey, before the closing of polls in the US presidential election

A cake in the likeness of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is on display at his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York

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The brash hip-shooter made his demographic hole deeper by suggesting that a federal judge hearing a lawsuit against a defunct real estate training seminar series that bore his name couldn't decide the case fairly  because his parents were born in Mexico.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, the Republican Party's highest ranking elected official, called Trump's declaration 'the textbook definition of a racist statement.'

More damaging still was a series of episodes that angered feminists and other powerful women in a year when Trump was running against America's would-be first female president.

He feuded with Fox News Channel anchor Megyn Kelly, saying after a testy debate exchange that she had 'blood coming out of her wherever'  a statement that some interpreted as a jab at her menstrual cycle.

His candidacy brought women out of the woodwork to accuse him of sexual misconduct of varying severity, including one woman who sued him for an alleged teen rape  and then withdrew the case when her story fell apart.

Another, a Venezuelan former Miss Universe, alleged that he called her 'Miss Piggy' when she gained weight after winning the crown, and denigrated her Latina heritage by calling her 'Miss Housekeeping' in private.

Trump denied every charge, calling his accusers rank opportunists who sought 15 minutes of fame. Some, he said, were Democratic plants, and others were cashing in.

He had a harder time explaining a hot-mic audio recording from a 2005 taping of Access Hollywood, in which he was recorded lewdly describing the ease with which famous men could sexually assault women in their orbits.

Through it all, Trump's campaign crowds grew, with his reality-show star power outdrawing every other candidate in both parties.

One early rally drew more than 30,000 people to an Alabama football stadium. Late in the general election cycle, 17,500 fans blanketed a field near Fort Bragg in North Carolina to hear him speak.

People in the crowd at Hillary Clinton's 2016 US presidential Election Night event watch results begin to come in on a big screen at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York

Supporters of Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton watch election returns showing Donald Trump winning in Texas at the election night rally in New York

People in the crowd at Hillary Clinton's 2016 US presidential Election Night event watch results begin to come in on a big screen at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York

Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton watch and wait at her election night rally in New York

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gather outside Trump Tower in New York City on election day

THE ATTACK ON THE 'DISHONEST MEDIA' - WHO COVERED HIM WITH GLEE

Ratings-seeking news outlets clambered all year to interview Trump, even while reporters and editorial writers clobbered him as a carnival barker who demeaned the electoral process with a seemingly unsophisticated and unstudied approach to policy and politicking.

In reply he branded them 'the dishonest media,' telling thousands at a time that reporters 'are really horrible people.' In time his crowds began to relate to the press like an opposing sports team, showering them with boos and chanting 'CNN sucks! CNN sucks!'

Trump's massive media exposure created both fans and detractors, hardening positions on both ends of the political spectrum  and inside the GOP, where 'NeverTrump' Republicans pledged not to support him even at the cost of delivering the White House to a second Clinton.

Ultimately Trump won over most of his party's establishment as he lent his charisma to fundraising events that benefited conservative candidates in other races.

But more importantly, an army of torch-bearing, pitchfork-wielding 'Trumpkins,' as his political enemies styled them, embraced his rough edges as signs of solidarity.

When Clinton carped that 'half' of them were backward-thinking enough to be 'irredeemable' and to belong in a 'basket of deplorables,' Trump fans wore the terms like badges of honor.

Those insults from the former Obama administration official they loved to hate fired them up, almost as much as Trump's pledge to 'drain the swamp' in Washington.

Trump rallies created their own subculture, with his self-styled deplorable fans chanting 'Lock her up!' to vent their outrage at Clinton's ability to escape criminal charges over thousands of classified documents found among emails on a homebrew server.

'The system is rigged!' Trump would exclaim, warning that political elites could ultimately cheat on Election Day the way Clinton's campaign cheated by learning debate questions in advance from partisan TV talking-heads.

At every campaign stop, though, the amusements and mob-scene indignation would overshadow serious concerns like jobs, taxes, a pledged repeal of the Obamacare law, and the omnipresent border wall that he pledged Mexico itself would fund.

Luckily for Trump, a handful of swing states, especially Ohio and Michigan, also included economically devastated rust-belt areas from which shifting U.S. trade policy had sent jobs offshore  or south of the border.

His status as a successful real estate tycoon with a payroll in the hundreds of millions of dollars bought him credibility enough to question America's longstanding trade deficits, record law labor participation rates and stagnant economy.

The couple that votes together...: Hillary Clinton was joined by husband Bill as she made her way into their polling station in Chappaqua

Big day: An emotional Hillary Clinton was seen as she head in to cast her vote in Chappaqua, New York (above)

Trump and his wife Melania cast their votes together in at PS-59 New York City on Tuesday

HOW HE MADE 'CROOKED HILLARY' STICK

'I alone can fix it,' he said of the economic system that he successfully manipulated for decades in order to build his company.

He finished his campaign with a pair of five-state barnstorming days, wrapping up his final rally after 1:00 a.m. in Michigan  a state few thought a Republican could win.

Trump contested Minnesota, too, along with Virginia and Pennsylvania, states that the Democratic Party took for granted.

His campaign manager Kellyanne Conway  the third person to helm the operation  led him into those 'blue' states with the same disregard for convention that Trump brought to nearly everything.

The GOP standard-bearer's tactical toolbox, though, wasn't everything a campaign pro could expect, given the candidate's personal wealth.

Trumpworld had virtually no 'ground game' until late in the general election. Clinton and the Democrats enjoyed a huge advantage with phone trees, door-knocking and other retail campaign operations.

As it turned out that was meaningless.

Instead he relied on little more than his rock-concert crowds, his telegenic personality and practiced delivery, his social media accounts that reach more than 20 million people, and his gift for branding.

One of the longer-terms ripples of his victory is a top-to-bottom evisceration of the massively expensive conventional wisdom about how to win an American election.

Trump developed nicknames for opponents who posed threats to his success, beginning with 'low energy' Jeb Bush, 'Lyin' Ted' Cruz and 'Little Marco' Rubio.

In the end the one that generated the most ink was 'crooked Hillary' Clinton, an epithet that encapsulated conservatives' anger at a candidate who seemed to operate by a set of financial and ethics rules that are unavailable to others.

He said on Monday that he's not interested in becoming a chapter in a political science textbook.

'If we don't win, Trump said during his penultimate rally in new Hampshire, 'it will be the biggest waste of energy, time and money in my whole life.'

Right hand woman: Huma Abedin also joined the Clintons as they cast their vote on Thursday, dressed in a unique outfit for the big day

HIS WIFE, HIS ROCK - THE FIRST FIRST LADY NOT BORN A CITIZEN

Trump's Slovenian wife Melania has been his quiet rock since the moment they descended a Trump Tower elevator together in June 2015 to announce his White House run.

She now becomes the first foreign-born First Lady since Louisa Adams, wife of John Quincy Adams, president from 1825 to 1829 - and the first not born a citizen, as Mrs. Adams' father was the American consul in London when she was born.

On that first day of the campaign she stepped aside to let daughter Ivanka give the builder-politician a proper introduction. This dynamic played out throughout the entire campaign, with Melania only speaking publicly a handful of times.

First she addressed a Milwaukee crowd in the spring, and then on the opening night of the Republican National Convention speech in Cleveland  with Donald making the unconventional move to come to the convention stage early to introduce her with his own rock star entrance.

Mrs. Trump impressed the crowd in a white bell-sleeved dress, but it didn't take long for people to notice similarities between her speech and one Michelle Obama delivered at the Democratic National Convention in 2008.

Eventually a longtime Trump employee, the speechwriter, explained that Melania had read passages from the Obama address to her aloud, and took the fall for not checking her final draft closeley enough to be sure she wasn't plagiarizing the first lady.

She said in a statement that she offered her resignation, but the Republican nominee wouldn't take it because 'people make innocent mistakes and ... we learn and grow from these experiences.'

Donald Trump used the incident for fodder when he addressed the Al Smith dinner in October, complaining about media bias in one of his least controversial jokes of the night.

'Michelle Obama gives a speech and everyone loves it. My wife, Melania, gives the same exact speech and people get on her case!' Trump joked.

Through the fall Melania Trump made only rare appearances on the campaign trail, mainly turning up at debates. The heavy lifting was left to adult children Ivanka, Eric and Donald Jr.

But her last campaign speech, an unannounced five minutes in Wilmington, North Carolina, drew out her husband's tender side.

When she was done introducing him, he hugged and kissed her. And his open mic caught a tender moment as he murmured to Melania in a soft voice of thanks: 'Awww, baby...'

Daughter Ivanka's own Republican National Convention speech helped humanize her dad and may have helped him win over some female voters when she rolled out a policy platform that proposed tax deductions for child care.

Vote and shop: Voters cast their ballots on Election Day at the Foodland Grocery Store and Mercado in National City, California

Garage station: Poll worker Bea Iwig helps first time voter John Wickenhiser complete his ballot in San Diego

Melania resurfaced on the campaign trail last Thursday to say that her pet cause as first lady would be an anti-bullying effort to make social media safe again.

'Our culture has gotten too mean and too rough especially to children and teenagers,' she told a suburban Philadelphia crowd, while not mentioning her husband's habit of insulting and baiting his critics on Twitter.

One day later, however, the Associated Press reported that the former model was paid for 10 modeling jobs in the United States before she had legal authorization to work in the country.

She has declined to publicly release her immigration records, but published a letter fom her immigration lawyer saying she never violated the law.

FULL TRANSCRIPT OF DONALD TRUMP'S VICTORY SPEECH Thank you. Thank you very much, everyone. Sorry to keep you waiting. Complicated business, complicated. Thank you very much. I've just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us. Its about us. On our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign. I mean, she fought very hard. Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very sincerely. Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division, have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. It is time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all of Americans, and this is so important to me. For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, I'm reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so that we can work together and unify our great country. As I've said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement, made up of millions of hard-working men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their family. It is a movement comprised of Americans from all races, religions, backgrounds, and beliefs, who want and expect our government to serve the people, and serve the people it will. Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American dream. I've spent my entire life in business, looking at the untapped potential in projects and in people all over the world. That is now what I want to do for our country. Tremendous potential. I've gotten to know our country so well. Tremendous potential. It is going to be a beautiful thing. Every single American will have the opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer. We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals. We're going to rebuild our infrastructure, which will become, by the way, second to none, and we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it. We will also finally take care of our great veterans who have been so loyal, and I've gotten to know so many over this 18-month journey. The time I've spent with them during this campaign has been among my greatest honors. Our veterans are incredible people. We will embark upon a project of national growth and renewal. I will harness the creative talents of our people, and we will call upon the best and brightest to leverage their tremendous talent for the benefit of all. It is going to happen. We have a great economic plan. We will double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world. At the same time, we will get along with all other nations willing to get along with us. We will be. We will have great relationships. We expect to have great, great relationships. No dream is too big, no challenge is too great. Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach. America will no longer settle for anything less than the best. We must reclaim our country's destiny and dream big and bold and daring. We have to do that. We're going to dream of things for our country, and beautiful things and successful things once again. I want to tell the world community that while we will always put America's interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone, with everyone. All people and all other nations. We will seek common ground, not hostility; partnership, not conflict. And now I would like to take this moment to thank some of the people who really helped me with this, what they are calling tonight a very, very historic victory. First, I want to thank my parents, who I know are looking down on me right now. Great people. I've learned so much from them. They were wonderful in every regard. Truly great parents. I also want to thank my sisters, Marianne and Elizabeth, who are here with us tonight. Where are they? They're here someplace. They're very shy, actually. And my brother Robert, my great friend. Where is Robert? Where is Robert? My brother Robert, and they should be on this stage, but that's okay. They're great. And also my late brother Fred, great guy. Fantastic guy. Fantastic family. I was very lucky. Great brothers, sisters, great, unbelievable parents. To Melania and Don and Ivanka and Eric and Tiffany and Barron, I love you and I thank you, and especially for putting up with all of those hours. This was tough. This was tough. This political stuff is nasty, and it is tough. So I want to thank my family very much. Really fantastic. Thank you all. Thank you all. Lara, unbelievable job. Unbelievable. Vanessa, thank you. Thank you very much. What a great group. You've all given me such incredible support, and I will tell you that we have a large group of people. You know, they kept saying we have a small staff. Not so small. Look at all of the people that we have. Look at all of these people. And Kellyanne and Chris and Rudy and Steve and David. We have got tremendously talented people up here, and I want to tell you it's been very, very special. I want to give a very special thanks to our former mayor, Rudy Giuliani. He's unbelievable. Unbelievable. He traveled with us and he went through meetings, and Rudy never changes. Where is Rudy. Where is he? [Chanting "Rudy"] Gov. Chris Christie, folks, was unbelievable. Thank you, Chris. The first man, first senator, first major, major politician  let me tell you, he is highly respected in Washington because he is as smart as you get. Sen. Jeff Sessions. Where is Jeff? A great man. Another great man, very tough competitor. He was not easy. He was not easy. Who is that? Is that the mayor that showed up? Is that Rudy? Up here. Really a friend to me, but I'll tell you, I got to know him as a competitor because he was one of the folks that was negotiating to go against those Democrats, Dr. Ben Carson. Where's been? Where is Ben? By the way, Mike Huckabee is here someplace, and he is fantastic. Mike and his familiar bring Sarah, thank you very much. Gen. Mike Flynn. Where is Mike? And Gen. Kellogg. We have over 200 generals and admirals that have endorsed our campaign and there are special people. We have 22 Congressional Medal of Honor people. A very special person who, believe me, I read reports that I wasn't getting along with him. I never had a bad second with him. He's an unbelievable star. He is  that's right, how did you possibly guess? Let me tell you about Reince. I've said Reince. I know it. I know it. Look at all of those people over there. I know it, Reince is a superstar. I said, they can't call you a superstar, Reince, unless we win it. Like Secretariat. He would not have that bust at the track at Belmont. Reince is really a star and he is the hardest-working guy, and in a certain way I did this. Reince, come up here. Get over here, Reince. Boy, oh, boy, oh, boy. It's about time you did this right. My god. Nah, come here. Say something. [Reince Priebus: Ladies and gentlemen, the next president of the united States, Donald Trump! Thank you. It's been an honor. God bless. Thank God.] Amazing guy. Our partnership with the RNC was so important to the success and what we've done, so I also have to say, I've gotten to know some incredible people. The Secret Service people. They're tough and they're smart and they're sharp and I don't want to mess around with them, I can tell ya. And when I want to go and wave to a big group of people and they rip me down and put me back down in the seat, but they are fantastic people so I want to thank the Secret Service. And law enforcement in New York City, they're here tonight. These are spectacular people, sometimes under appreciated unfortunately. We appreciate them. So it's been what they call an historic event, but to be really historic, we have to do a great job, and I promise you that I will not let you down. We will do a great job. We will do a great job. I look very much forward to being your president, and hopefully at the end of two years or three years or four years or maybe even eight years you will say so many of you worked so hard for us, with you. You will say that  you will say that that was something that you were  really were very proud to do and I can  thank you very much. And I can only say that while the campaign is over, our work on this movement is now really just beginning. We're going to get to work immediately for the American people, and we're going to be doing a job that hopefully you will be so proud of your president. You will be so proud. Again, it's my honor. It's an amazing evening. It's been an amazing two-year period, and I love this country. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you to Mike Pence. Advertisement
A hunter has been left severely injured after he became impaled by an elk he had just shot when he crashed his ATV and fell onto the animal's antlers.

Gary Heeter, 69, was hunting in a remote location with a group in Oregon's Maury Mountains on Saturday when he shot dead the elk.

Mr Heeter had started dragging the elk's carcass behind his four-wheeler up a steep hill shortly after noon when his vehicle flipped.

Gary Heeter was dragging an elk carcass he just shot behind his four-wheeler in Oregon on Saturday when the ATV flipped and caused him to fall back and become impaled on its antlers

The elderly hunter, from Bend, was thrown backwards and landed on the dead elk.

He was impaled in the back by the animal's antlers.

Members of his hunting party rushed to give him first aid and to stop the flow of blood until a rescue helicopter could arrive, KATU reports.

'When the deputy arrived at the crash scene he found Heeter was conscious and communicative, but appeared to be going into shock,' Crook County Sheriff's Office said.

Mr Heeter was flown to St. Charles Hospital where he remains in a stable condition.

Relatives say no major organs were damaged, only his back muscles. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Mr Heeter was flown to St. Charles Hospital in Bend where he remains in a stable condition having suffered injuries to his back
The suspected fantasist who triggered Scotland Yard's disastrous VIP child sex abuse inquiry is facing prosecution. Detectives are probing whether the man known only as 'Nick' should be charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice

The suspected fantasist who triggered Scotland Yard's disastrous VIP child sex abuse inquiry is facing prosecution.

Detectives are probing whether the man known only as 'Nick' should be charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.

His baseless claims about sex abuse and murder involving an Establishment paedophile ring led to the Yard's bungled Operation Midland.

The 2.5million inquiry led to raids on the homes of D-Day veteran Lord Bramall, the late former home secretary Leon Brittan and ex-Tory MP Harvey Proctor.

Last night Mr Proctor, who was falsely accused of rape and murder, described Nick as a fantasist, adding: 'I have called for him to be prosecuted on a number of occasions and I do so again.'

Yesterday, a report by a retired High Court judge savaged the Metropolitan Police Service for giving credence to Nick's wild allegations.

Sir Richard Henriques identified no fewer than 43 separate blunders and said it was time for police to stop automatically believing the accounts of alleged victims.

Nick's baseless claims about sex abuse and murder involving an Establishment paedophile ring led to the Yard's bungled Operation Midland. The 2.5m inquiry led to raids on the homes of D-Day veteran Lord Bramall (left), the late ex-home secretary Leon Brittan and ex-Tory MP Harvey Proctor (right)

In a series of dramatic developments yesterday:

Five Scotland Yard officers were referred to the police watchdog for potential breaches of professional standards;

Met chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe issued a grovelling apology for the bungled inquiry  but escaped any personal blame for the failings;

It emerged that the vast majority of the 400 complaints to wider inquiries lacked merit;

One prison inmate made allegations against 40 people, including celebrities, and all were false;

Scotland Yard faced claims of a cover-up after publishing only 84 pages of Sir Richard's report.

The existence of the inquiry into Nick was revealed following the publication of Sir Richard's report into the Midland fiasco yesterday.

The suspected fantasist had claimed that a string of politicians and military figures murdered three children and abused others at depraved sex parties.

The claims were initially described by senior officers as 'credible and true'. Nick, who could not be contacted last night, was also interviewed by the BBC.

Detectives are expected to interview him under caution and examine his computer, mobile phone records and his previous statements.

Last night Scotland Yard confirmed Northumbria Police was investigating an attempt to pervert the course of justice.

In a barely disguised attack on a now defunct investigative website called Exaro, Sir Richard's report highlighted how their journalists fatally undermined the police inquiry.

Daniel Janner QC, whose late father, the Labour peer Lord Greville Janner (above) was falsely accused by Nick, said: 'I am pleased to hear Nick is being investigated by the police for attempting to pervert the course of justice'

He said they drove Nick around London looking for 'scenes of abuse' and showed him photos of possible suspects.

The retired judge said this 'unwelcome intrusion' should spur policymakers to consider statutory regulation of investigative journalism.

'Had a prosecution resulted from the investigation, very considerable difficulty would have resulted in identification procedures sufficient to render convictions possible,' he said.

Daniel Janner QC, whose late father, the Labour peer Lord Greville Janner was falsely accused by Nick, said: 'I am pleased to hear that Nick is being investigated by the police for attempting to pervert the course of justice.'

Mr Proctor added: 'I hope the Home Office will look at these matters carefully and bring forward proposals to amend the current system where a complainant, even a fantasist and liar, can be given lifelong anonymity and financially benefit while the alleged suspect is routinely fingered and named by the police and in my case left destitute.'

Operation Midland began to unravel after the Daily Mail revealed in September last year that several detectives had 'grave doubts' about Nick's story and the inquiry.

A number of subsequent articles by this newspaper made further revelations about the shambolic investigation, which closed earlier this year without a single arrest.

Sir Bernard said he 'fully recognised' Lord Bramall, Lord Brittan and Mr Proctor were all innocent.

Sir Richard said their reputations had been 'shattered by the word of a single, uncorroborated complainant'.

Condemned, the gullible police: Report blasts detectives' 43 blunders and says: Don't believe EVERY victim's story

By CHRIS GREENWOOD and STEPHEN WRIGHT FOR THE DAILY MAIL

Police handling of the tidal wave of historic sex abuse claims was torn to shreds yesterday in a devastating report.

Retired High Court judge Sir Richard Henriques slammed officers response to the deluge of complaints sparked by the Jimmy Savile scandal, suggesting they should no longer announce they believe every accusation.

He singled out Norfolk Chief Constable Simon Bailey, co-ordinator of a national inquiry into historic child sex abuse claims known as Operation Hydrant.

Sir Richard said the senior officer was wrong to call everyone who says they have been abused a victim and that they should be referred to as complainants instead.

Incredibly, he revealed the vast majority of the 400 complaints to an overarching Scotland Yard inquiry into historic sex abuse were without merit.

He also disclosed how one prison inmate made claims against 40 people, including celebrities, and was interviewed for six days before police concluded his claims were unfounded. Sir Richard said prominent people are more vulnerable to false complaints from attention seekers, the mentally ill and those seeking compensation.

The judge found that the Yard had made no fewer than 43 separate blunders during their ill-fated investigation known as Operation Midland, which targeted former MP Harvey Proctor, retired military chief Lord Bramall and the late Leon Brittan, a former home secretary.

He said: The principal cause of the many failures in this investigation was poor judgment and a failure to accurately evaluate known facts and to react to them. A major contributing factor was the culture that victims must be believed.

Retired High Court judge Sir Richard Henriques's report exonerated the man who commissioned the inquiry, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe (pictured), who is due to retire early in February

The report said baseless accusations by a suspected fantasist known only as Nick should never have been given so much credence, and that the reputations of high-profile figures had been shattered by the word of a single, uncorroborated complainant.

And it added that the Metropolitan Police had made a gross error in describing Nicks claims of child murder and rape by an alleged Westminster-based VIP sex ring as credible and true.

The judge said detectives should have realised much sooner that the allegations were false, and shut down the 2.5million Operation Midland. He also raised concerns about how officers obtained search warrants for the homes of those accused, suggesting a junior judge was misled.

Five officers at the heart of Operation Midland have now been referred to the police watchdog. Among them is Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Rodhouse, who oversaw the inquiry in its early stages. He denies any wrongdoing.

The original senior investigating officer, Det Supt Kenny McDonald, also faces questions over his actions including the use of the notorious credible and true phrase.

Sir Richards report exonerated the man who commissioned the inquiry, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, who is due to retire early in February. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner denied yesterday that he would have resigned as a result of the criticism, had he not already announced his decision to quit.

Officers searched Lord Brittans (above) former North Yorkshire home as if looking for bodies or body parts, the report concluded

The publication of the report yesterday  on the day of the US presidential election  was partly overshadowed by complaints of a cover-up as critics said Scotland Yard was trying to bury its findings. In addition, only parts of the report were released  despite taxpayers footing the bill for the eight-month investigation.

Nevertheless, it laid bare how Sir Richard was stunned at the credulity shown by senior officers in the face of Nicks outlandish claims. In a shocking conclusion, he said a low-key inquiry into the suspected fantasists allegations could have been conducted without ever informing those he accused.

Sir Richard said the principal failings included believing Nick at the outset, interviewing him without knowledge of blog posts he had written and taking 14 months to confront him over his inconsistencies.

He also lambasted police over their searches of the accused mens properties, saying this was the most significant error as without it the disastrous consequences could have been avoided. He said officers had even handed a district judge inaccurate and misleading warrant applications to search the homes.

Officers searched Lord Brittans former North Yorkshire home as if looking for bodies or body parts, the report concluded. And at Lord Bramalls first interview, police did not disclose the location of the alleged crimes, depriving him of an opportunity to say he was not there.

The report said: These men are all victims of false allegations and yet ... the presumption of innocence seems to have been set aside. At a press conference Sir Bernard insisted he had got it right most of the time in his role. But he added: Occasionally you get it wrong ... This is obviously a serious failing.

He was forced to issue public apologies to all of those whose reputations may never recover.

Last night victims groups and charities opposed the recommendation that accusers should not be automatically believed. The NSPCC said the idea could prompt a return to the dark days when we looked the other way and failed to confront the horrors of abuse and bring those responsible to justice.

VINDICATED PROCTOR GETS GROVELLING APOLOGY FROM YARD CHIEF Harvey Proctor received a grovelling apology from Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe yesterday for significant failings in Operation Midland Harvey Proctor received a grovelling apology from Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe yesterday for significant failings in Operation Midland. In a humiliating climbdown, the Met chief admitted it been wrong to search the former Tory MPs home in connection with the bungled VIP child sex abuse inquiry. Mr Proctor staged a press conference in August last year and revealed the extent of the baseless allegations of rape and murder made by his accuser Nick. The following month, Sir Bernard insisted in a radio interview that he had nothing to apologise for. But yesterday in a letter to Mr Proctor, Sir Bernard said: I am writing to formally convey my apologies for the failings by the Metropolitan Police Service  In particular I accept the following points: The approach adopted in believing the complainant at the outset was wrong; insufficient attempts were made to test the credibility of the complainant; the effect of the approach adopted was to unnecessarily prolong the length of the investigation; it was wrong to have searched your property.. Legal sources now believe that Mr Proctor could be in line for a huge payout from the Met. In a statement, the former MP said: I accepted an unreserved apology from Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe. However, I have informed him the detrimental impact of the investigation on the life of my family, friends and myself was irreversible. I believe the police should not be making statements such as they believe the complainant is credible and true whilst the investigation is ongoing. I hope the Home Office will look at these matters carefully and bring forward proposals to amend the current system where a complainant, even a fantasist and liar, can be given life-long anonymity and financially benefit while the alleged suspect is routinely fingered and named by the police and in my case left destitute. As a result of Operation Midland, Mr Proctor lost his job as private secretary to the Duke of Rutland, and also had to give up his grace and favour home on his estate. Advertisement

The real scandal? 90% of the report is being hidden from the public

By CHRIS GREENWOOD FOR THE DAILY MAIL

Police faced a furious backlash last night after publishing just a fraction of the damning report about their sex abuse probes on the eve of the US election.

Entire chapters were withheld, with just 84 pages of the hotly anticipated 500-odd page report published by the Metropolitan Police.

Even on those pages, entire sections were blacked out by censors  who claimed the secrecy was necessary to protect the privacy of those accused.

Other details of the actions of Nick, whose claims sparked the VIP abuse probe Operation Midland, were also stripped out as a result of the live criminal inquiry into whether he perverted the course of justice.

Censored: A page from Sir Richard's report

Those whose lives were wrecked by his allegations branded the move a PR stunt, as the NSPCC said the decision was extremely disappointing. Former Tory MP Harvey Proctor describing the timing of publication as outrageous, and repeated his call for the report to published in full.

They have chosen this date deliberately as a PR campaign, as part of their PR campaign to cover up the disaster that was Operation Midland, he said.

Knowing how disastrous this investigation was, the Metropolitan police service have been pursuing a PR campaign to cover up the horrors that was Operation Midland.

Daniel Janner QC, who is campaigning to clear the name of his late father Lord Janner, also criticised the Met for choosing to publish on the day of the US election. He said: To come out today is, in our view, no coincidence and it is a shame.

An NSPCC spokesman said: Lessons must be learned from this sorry episode, and it is extremely disappointing that this report has not been published in full.

Declining to discuss the full scale of Sir Richard Henriques report, the Met published his covering letter, first chapter and some of his conclusions. These focused on Operation Midland and the inquiry into the historic rape claim against Lord Brittan. Officers refused to discuss the remaining six investigations.

Asked if he had buried bad news on US election day, Met chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said he simply published the report at the first opportunity.

We received the draft report a few weeks ago and the final report on October 31. Here we are eight days later, he said. I said we would try and publish as soon as possible and in an ideal world it would have been some time ago.

Sir Bernard blamed the process of giving those criticised in reports a right of reply for some of the delay, saying it was part of the process with no time limit.
Women have been contacting police to find out if their partner has an abusive past under a trial scheme to tackle domestic violence.

People can apply to learn if their partner has an abusive history in four NSW areas since a trial of the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme began in April.

Of the 43 applications, 13 people were found to have been abusive and their past was disclosed to their current partner.

Women have been applying to police to discover if their partner has an abusive past through a trial scheme to tackle domestic violence

However, the scheme has limitations.

Maria Le Breton, director of Women's Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service director, told Daily Mail Australia police are unable to disclose AVOs or offences perpetrated in other states.

She said she had been disappointed the scheme had not been used more widely and hoped it would be promoted further to encourage use.

Ms Breton noted the rate of those found to have a history of domestic violence was high, and it was likely most of those making applications were acting on red flags they had noticed.

The scheme is for both men and women but Ms Breton said it was primarily women at risk (stock image)

'For the people who had used it it's had quite successful results. It can be quite useful for people in making an informed decision,' Ms Breton said.

Support teams are provided to those at risk, representing a $2.3 million investment over two years in non-government support services.

The scheme has been trialled in Oxley in western NSW, Nowra in south NSW, and Sutherland St George in south Sydney.

There will be an 18-month evaluation into the scheme, which will consider demand and impacts and outcomes.

Pru Goward, NSW Minister for the prevention of domestic violence, said she hoped other states and territories would start similar schemes so information could be shared between them.

NSW Minister for the prevention of domestic violence (pictured with Premier Mike Baird) said she hoped other states and territories would get onboard

The primary person or third parties - from close friends, family, or colleagues - can apply through the scheme.

Police then contact the person who may be at risk directly.

Ms Breton said partners at risk were primarily women.

'The program has increased the safety of people potentially at risk of domestic violence by giving them the opportunity to find out if their current or former partner has a violent past,' Ms Goward told Daily Mail Australia in a statement.
Chicagoans React To Trump's Surprise Upset In The 2016 Presidential Election

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Nov 9, 2016 6:08PM



Photo by Scott Olsen/Getty Images



By Rachel Cromidas and Stephen Gossett

A lot of Chicagoans "woke up despondent and went to sleep that way." That's how Mayor Rahm Emanuel put it this morning, following Donald Trump's surprising victory in the 2016 presidential election.

Some Chicago Democrats stuck around Senator-elect Tammy Duckworth's campaign headquarters into the night, hoping for a different outcome than the one that quickly became apparent. Others began organizing on social media for post-election protests and actions. And we're sure that somewhere, in less-familiar networks to us, people are celebrating.

Luis Colon, 32, a lifelong Humboldt Park resident, said he was too nervous to even watch the final results live on Tuesday. It makes me worried about so many things," Cruz told Chicagoist. "I think about our youth, especially blacks and Hispanics. I think about growing up in Chicago, when this was a not-so-good neighborhood. I feel like weve been knocked back 20 years."

"People say love always triumphs; but hate triumphed last night, he added.

Anthony Cruz, 22, also a neighborhood native, was disillusioned by the result but also the process. It made my vote feel worthless, this whole electoral college BS," he said. (Hillary Clinton led the popular vote.)

Im worried about poor and lower middle-class people, all minority groups" he added. "How fucked are we gonna be? Cruz said Trumps win didnt necessarily make him fear for his or his familys immediate safety, but a lot of people think any government assistance is going to get ripped right from under them.

He never seemed like he gave a shit about poor people. Now that hes president, whats he gonna do?

A 22-year-old Hermosa resident, who asked not to be identified, lamented the stark fault lines illustrated by the presidential electoral map. It kinda sucks living in a bubble, she said, referencing Chicagos political makeup. Hopefully the regressive will lead to the progressive. Or maybe itll just go further down the toilet."

Chicagoans, current and former, joined the national progressive chorus that mourned for what a Trump presidency could hold for people of color, religious minorities, LGBTQ communities and the countless others who find themselves even more marginalized by Trump's normalization of other-izing.

Brian Jordan, 33, a Chicagoan who works in the Loop, told Chicagoist he went to bed before the election was called for Trump.

"I voted for Hillary. when I saw that she was behind, I assumed by the time I woke up in the morning it was going to be a different story," he said. "I wasn't so surprised when I heard that Trump won, when I look at what we value as a society now, reality TV, everything that really doesn't matter. Although trump seems as unfiltered and ignorant as they come, he is kind of like that vessel to get out whatever motions [some people] feel, and that's why they connected with him as a candidate."

Jordan said that others in his social circle are "shocked" and distraught. "My wife especially, I woke up before her and I told her, and she may have let out a curse word," he said.

"I learned about it at about 3:30 a.m. this morning, my dad was screaming, 'Trump won!'" Renee Schmidlin, 18, of Toledo, Ohio, told Chicagoist. "I'd rather Hillary would have won, but to me it doesn't really matter because everyone is stuck in the same situation in the end, no matter who won everyone has to deal with a new president."

Maureen Cahill, 56, of Park Ridge, told Chicagoist she was "very sad" to learn the news this morning. She said family in Ireland had sent her text messages in the night reacting to the news.

"I was shocked at first. I'm very worried about what's going to happen, but hopefully we'll be unified," she said. "I hope Mr. Trump does the right thing."

Muslims, Latinx people, Black people, women, LGBT people, the disabled; have all been told tonight their lives don't matter #ElectionNight  Rev. Jarell (@TheJarell) November 9, 2016

This country just rejected women, black people, muslim people, hispanic people, LGBT people, progressivism, and equality#HesNotMyPresident  Zach (@WalshKnowsBest) November 9, 2016

I have friends who are Female, Latino, LGBT, muslim, and black. I will not support anyone who disrespects my friends.  Jabari Parker (@JabariParker) November 9, 2016

Sadly, not all Chicago-tied famous athletes were so clear-minded, as Cubs Jake Arrieta pitcher dropped this flippant bit of nonsense on Wednesday.
A 24-year-old Mexican national listened through an interpreter as he was arraigned and charged with capital murder in the death of a 10-year-old girl.

Gustavo Zavala-Garcia appeared in court Tuesday in Tyler, Texas, to face accusations that he murdered Kayla Gomez-Orozco, his cousin by marriage.

The little girl's body was found Saturday in a water well near Zavala-Garcia's home. She had been missing since November 1.

Zavala-Garcia, who is currently held at Smith County Jail on a $10 million bond, arrived to his arraignment handcuffed and in an orange jumpsuit.

Gustavo Zavala-Garcia (pictured), 24, was arraigned Tuesday in Tyler, Texas. He is pictured listening to the charge against him through an interpreter

Zavala-Garcia is accused of snatching 10-year-old Kayla Gomez-Orozco (right), his cousin by marriage, killing her and dumping her body in a well near his home

He wore a headphone in his left ear as an interpreter translated the charge against him. The court appointed him a lawyer, Attorney Jeff Haas, KLTV reported.

Zavala-Garcia, a married father, admitted to authorities during a polygraph test he had caused Kayla's death but later recanted his confession, KETK reported based on an affidavit.

A church member saw Zavala-Garcia leave with his daughter and Kayla on the day of Kayla's disappearance, an arrest warrant states.

There is a 17-minute difference between the moment Zavala-Garcia arrived home and the moment his wife said he entered the house, the affidavit shows.

Authorities believe Zavala-Garcia snatched Kayla after church on November 1, killed her and dumped her body in a well near his home, according to an affidavit.

Reports suggest he is in the US illegally, having been deported for a violent crime in 2014.

Reports suggest Zavala-Garcia (pictured at his arraignment Tuesday) is in the US illegally, having been deported for a violent crime in 2014

Jail records indicate Zavala-Garcia (pictured listening to an interpretor during his arraignment) served 30 days behind bars for assaulting his wife

church member saw Zavala-Garcia (pictured Tuesday) leave with his daughter and Kayla on the day of Kayla's disappearance, an arrest warrant states

Jail records indicate he served 30 days behind bars for assaulting his wife.

Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith previously told KETK: 'A family member resides at the residence that we conducted the search where the body was recovered.

'He voluntarily accompanied law enforcement officers to be interviewed. Upon the completion of the interview, a federal immigration detainer was issued for his detention.

'He is now in the Smith County jail, without any possibility of making bond at this time.'

Authorities initially believed that Kayla may have been snatched by a stranger.

Gustavo Zavala-Garcia (center) has been charged with capital murder after Kayla's body was discovered in a well close to his home

Efrain Gomez (center) wipes his eye, while seated next to his wife, Balvina, left, during a vigil for their daughter Kayla on Sunday in Tyler

Hundreds of people joined in searches for 10-year-old Kayla (pictured left and right), who disappeared after a prayer service on November 1

Hundreds of volunteers had joined the search for her when she vanished after a church service in Bullard, about 15 miles south of Tyler.

At a vigil on Sunday, her tearful father, Efrain Gomez, told hundreds of people who attended, the Tyler Morning Telegraph reports: 'Every day was a precious day with her.

'When she disappeared for four days, hundreds and hundreds of people gathered together to help find her, to console the family, to pray together.'

Officers said she was in 'grave danger' when she first disappeared.

Kayla's father told a vigil of hundreds of people after his daughter's death that every day with her was a 'precious day'

Her disappearance sparked a huge response from the community, with volunteers joining in searches for her. Pictured, hundreds of people wait in line to assist in the search last week

Kayla's body was found in a well close to Zavala-Garcia's home. There is a 17-minute difference between the moment Zavala-Garcia arrived home and the moment his wife said he entered the house, an affidavit shows

Hundreds attended a vigil in memory of the little girl.

On a Facebook page, Help Find Kayla Gomez, supporters were urged to rally round the family after the killing.

A post on the page read: 'There is confirmation that Kayla has been found deceased.

'However, please remember that there is a family involved, and respecting this family who is in more pain than you imagine needs considered first and foremost. Thank you for your respect of the family at this time.

'Please focus your efforts on prayer and comfort for this family at this time.'

Cherokee County Sheriff James Campbell described Kayla as a 'sweet little girl, just as cute as she could be'.
Australian woman Sara Connor, who is accused of killing an Indonesian police officer with her British boyfriend, is 'stressed and worried' as she prepares to face an Indonesian court.

On Wednesday morning Ms Connor's lawyer Robert Khuana said: 'She is worried because she hears that many people say our (Indonesia's) legal system doesn't guarantee that a person who is innocent is released', reported Yahoo 7.

'She is actually stressed but she is well... her feeling is she never did it,' Mr Khuana said.

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Australian woman Sara Connor (pictured), who is accused of killing an Indonesian police officer with her British boyfriend, is 'stressed and worried' as she prepares to face an Indonesian court on Wednesday

Ms Connor's lawyer Robert Khuana said: 'She is worried because she hears that many people say our (Indonesia's) legal system doesn't guarantee that a person who is innocent is released'. Pictured is Ms Connor with Mr Taylor in October

Mr Khuana said: 'She (Ms Connor) is actually stressed but she is well... her feeling is she never did it'

The 45-year-old mother-of-two from Byron Bay and British DJ David Taylor are facing court in Bali over their alleged involvement in the death of Wayan Sudarsa.

Mr Sudarsa was found beaten to death with more than 40 wounds on Kuta Beach on August 17.

Ms Connor, who was holidaying with Mr Taylor, claims a fight broke out between the officer and her boyfriend when she tried to intervene. Both deny murdering Mr Surdarsa.

British DJ David Taylor (middle) and Australian mother-of-two Sara Connor (left) will face separate murder trials

The pair (pictured) are facing court in Bali on Wednesday over the alleged killing of Wayan Sudarsa on Kuta Beach in August

Ketut Arsini (pictured), the wife of dead police officer Wayan Sudarsa (right), refuses to forgive Ms Connor and Mr Taylor for their alleged part in his death

Robert Khuana told The Daily Telegraph he had visited her on Tuesday to prepare her for her trial.

'She wants to express her sympathy to the family and if it's possible, if there is assistance that she can give she will give assistance,' Mr Khuana said.

Mr Khuana said he had not yet got in touch with Mr Sudarsa's widow, who said she cannot bring herself to forgive the pair for her husband's death.

It comes as Mr Taylor's lawyer Haposan Sihombing revealed his client still loved his girlfriend.

'Fact is, David loves Sara,' Mr Sihombing told The Sydney Morning Herald after visiting Taylor at Kerobokan jail on Tuesday.

'I asked him 'Do you love her?' He said: "I love Sara. I love her even more'.'

Mr Taylor, 34, (pictured) and Ms Connor took part in a reenactment of 'scenes' from the night Mr Sudarsa was allegedly murdered on Bali's Kuta Beach

Mr Taylor sent a letter (pictured) to Ms Arsini begging for her forgiveness

Ms Connor (left) and Mr Taylor (right) have both denied murdering Wayan Sudarsa in Bali

The heartbroken widow of Mr Sudarsa, Ketut Arsini, believes her husband of 31 years would still be alive if Ms Connor had sought help instead of leaving him dying on the deserted beach.

Ms Arsini rejected a letter sent by Mr Taylor, where he asked for forgiveness for bashing the police officer's head with a beer bottle.

'I really cannot believe that my terrible actions may have contributed to the taking of another life,' Taylor, 34, wrote in the letter to Ms Arsini.

But Ms Arsini cannot find forgiveness for the pair after the father-of-two, who served as a Bali police officer for 35 years, was killed.

'If she is such a good person, why did she leave my husband like that? If she was really trying to help, if she got help, maybe they could have saved [him]. They just left him, he was found much later. No good person would do that. That's just her excuse,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald.

She also felt that Mr Taylor's letter meant nothing and that it was too late now to apologise for his actions.

Ms Connor and Mr Taylor are pictured laying on top of a police officer acting as Mr Sudarsa during the reenactment 'scenes'

Ms Connor and Mr Taylor embrace as a police officer holds up their name tags as they continue the recreation of 'scenes'

Mr Taylor has admitted to brawling with Mr Sudarsa on the sand and hitting him with binoculars, a smashed beer bottle and a sharp object but that he did not kill him.

'I still want to rip the letter [he wrote], I want to rip it. I can't forgive him. We can't forgive him. Whatever they are saying, that it was an accident, [that] they didn't mean it, are all just excuses,' Ms Arsini said.

Ms Connor and Mr Taylor both face charges of unpremeditated murder, group attack or assault leading to death. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail.

In September Connor and Taylor spent several gruelling hours re-enacting 'scenes' from the night Sudarsa was allegedly murdered on Bali's Kuta Beach in August.

Ms Connor, 45, had originally told police Mr Sudarsa was a 'bad cop' who had pinned her down in the sand with his body weight.

But she later changed her story to say she had been trying to separate Mr Sudarsa and Mr Taylor after a fight broke out between the pair.




A teacher who caused a disruptive primary school student to bang his head against a wall during an outburst has been reprimanded.

Juris George Karklins, a teacher for 28-years at Whangarei Primary School in New Zealands North Island, was found guilty of serious misconduct while disciplining a student in November 2015, Stuff reported.

Karklins was working as a relief teacher for the class when he punished a disruptive student after a three strike warning by requesting he sit on the staffroom steps during recess.

Juris George Karklins, has been reprimanded after he banged his student's head against a wall while attempting to take him out of his class (stock photo)

After discovering the boy had disobeyed his order Karklins sought advice from the principal who told him to find the boy.

Karklins was unable to find the student during the break and the boys disruptive behaviour continued when class resumed.

Karklins attempted to ignore the student and continue teaching the class.

'When this did not work [Karklins] lost his temper and forcibly removed the student from the classroom,' the New Zealand Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal Council said.

He did so by walking up to the student, picking him up, and taking him to the cloak room, where he deposited him on the floor.

At this time the student was thrashing around. In the process of being set down on the cloakroom floor, the student banged his head against the wall.

Karklins was acting as a relief teacher at Whangarei Primary School (pictured) where he has worked for 28 years

Karklins acknowledged his actions were inappropriate.

He accepted a censure which will be visible on the teachers register until his practicing certificate expires in April next year.
Jeremy Paxman (pictured) was accused of making misogynistic and sexist comments off camera to a University of Reading student

Students are boycotting University Challenge after accusing Jeremy Paxman of making misogynistic and sexist comments off camera.

The University of Reading team claims the presenter made offensive remarks to female students on set which should not be taken lightly.

However, show insiders said the comments were made during a friendly conversation with the team, and had simply been misconstrued.

It is understood the remarks were made during a break in the show in front of the studio audience and the opposing team, and were not broadcast. The incident happened around 18 months ago, during a previous series of the show.

Leaders of the Reading Students Union, which assembles the team, said they could not reveal what was said because they had signed a confidentiality agreement.

They merely said the comments had the effect of undermining and oppressing individuals due to their gender.

The union said it had complained to producers at ITV, which makes the show, but were unhappy with the response they received.

They said the company simply promised to inform Mr Paxman that he had offended a contestant and did not issue a formal apology.

This week, members of the union voted formally to boycott the show from now on in response to the incident. Niall Hamilton, education officer at the union, said they had been let down by the lack of procedure, complaints process and satisfactory outcome at the show.

He said in a blog: Students voted to boycott BBC programme University Challenge.

This is due to misogynistic and sexist comments made to previous members of the University of Reading team by Jeremy Paxman.

Misogyny and sexism are not about offending contestants, but undermining and oppressing individuals due to their gender.

In such a historical and respected institution as University Challenge, these forms of oppression should not be taken lightly.

Serious investigations and repercussions must be made to ensure women feel comfortable participating in University Challenge.

The Students Union should not be in a position to promote and encourage students to participate in an institution with a serious lack of regard for the equality and accessibility of women on their show.

He said responsibility for compiling Readings team would now rest with the university authorities.

It is understood the undermining' remarks were made during a break in the show in front of the studio audience and the opposing team, and were not broadcast

The show, which is made by ITV but aired by BBC2, has been entered by Reading teams on five occasions. This is believed to be the first time a university students union has ever boycotted University Challenge, which first aired in the 1960s.

Last year, Mr Paxman commented on the lack of women in the later rounds of the competition, and some female students have said they were put off by fears of online abuse.

The University of Reading said it planned to recruit a team if the Students Union refused to.

It added: We are, of course, here to support any students who feel they have been victims of prejudice and investigate any complaints, but none have been reported to us.

The row follows a string of incidents in which students unions have accused high-profile speakers of being sexist, racist or transphobic.

Students recently tried to stop feminist Germaine Greer from speaking at Cardiff University because of her views on transgender people.
Watton's husband has been left in 'total shock' by the loss of his wife

Suspect confessed to killing but on Tuesday in court she recounted the claim telling a judge 'I didn't admit to nothing' and denied pushing Watton

as 'really outgoing and friendly' by the family

Subway push victim, Connie Watton, was the housekeeper for billionaire Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman's (pictured) family for nearly 30 years

The victim who was pushed to her death at the Times Square subway station was the housekeeper for billionaire Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman's family.

Schizophrenic woman, Melanie Liverpool-Turner, 30, allegedly pushed Connie Watton in front of a moving train on Monday.

The 49-year-old victim had worked for Schwarzman's family for 30 years, his daughter, Zibby Schwarzman, told the New York Post.

She said that her ' whole family is really sad and shocked'.

Schwarzman said Watton's horrifying death was outright 'murder'. 'She was murdered,' she said.

She told the Post that Watton was family and she was 'a part of every holiday' and 'every piece of life since I was nine years old'.

Schwarzman said that Watton emigrated from the Philippines and was a skilled cook who worked at the Schwarzman home on Park Avenue.

Watton continued to work at the Park Avenue home with Schwarzman's mom and stepfather, after her parents divorced in 1990, the Post reported.

Schwarzman, who is the CEO of Nene's Treats, told the Post that Watton's death makes her want to 'pack my bags and get out of New York'.

She described Watton as a 'really outgoing, friendly' person who 'just wanted to be really close to everybody'.

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Schizophrenic woman, Melanie Liverpool-Turner (pictured), 30, allegedly pushed Watton in front of a moving train on Monday. Prosecutors said Liverpool-Turner (in court) had confessed to killing the 49-year-old but recounted the claim at her arraignment on a murder charge

Witnesses said Liverpool-Turner (in court on Tuesday) had been arguing with Watton at the Times Square-42nd Street station on Monday, moments before she was 'shoved' onto the tracks

'What happened here today is tragic,' Joseph Fox (center), chief of transit for the New York City Police Department, told reporters at the station

Watton 'was always willing to go the extra mile for everyone', she told the Post.

Stephen Schwarzman's son, Teddy, paid his respects to Watton on Facebook.

'One of the best people in the world, Connie Watton, was murdered yesterday,' he wrote.

'Connie came to America legally from the Philippines when she was 18 years old, became an US citizen, and has had one job for her entire short life  working in my family's home as a housekeeper, friend and surrogate mother for the past thirty years.'

Police charged schizophrenic former health aide, Liverpool-Turner, with murder after she allegedly pushed Watton in front of a subway train.

But on Tuesday, Liverpool-Turner insisted she wasn't guilty.

Prosecutors said she had confessed to killing Watton, of Queens, but she recounted the claim at her arraignment on a murder charge.

'What? I didn't admit to nothing,' Liverpool said in court, before the judge reminded her she had a lawyer to speak for her.

Witnesses said Liverpool-Turner had been arguing with Watton at the Times Square-42nd Street station on Monday, moments before she was 'shoved' onto the tracks.

The victim's brother-in-law said that Watton's husband was devastated by her death.

'He's not doing very well,' said the relative, who declined to give his name. 'He's in total shock,' the relative told the New York Post. 'I hope she gets prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,' referring to Liverpool.

The brother-in-law described Watton as 'the most caring, loving, honest person I ever met' as he tried to understand the senseless crime.

Schwarzman's daughter, Zibby, said Watton's murder was 'horrifying' She said that her ' whole family is really sad and shocked'. Liverpool-Turner is pictured in court on Tuesday

'She would never hurt anybody. She never feared the city. Out of a million people, this had to happen to her?'

Authorities said Liverpool and Watton were talking or arguing on a platform at the at the station before Liverpool pushed Watton in front of an approaching train.

She was found dead under it, and Liverpool was apprehended within minutes.

'This is a strong case, with multiple eyewitnesses' and an admission from Liverpool, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Matthew Thiman said.

Watton was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the incident at 1.20pm on Monday.

A Metropolitan Transportation Authority worker said Liverpool-Turner looked 'proud' as she was led away by police officers moments later.

A motive has not been established, but Liverpool-Turner told authorities she also pushed a German college student to her death last month at Union Square Station, the New York Post reported.

However officers think she is lying as the student is believed to have committed suicide after a breakup.

Authorities have described her as emotionally disturbed, but her lawyer, Mathew Mari, said she had declined to give him any details on her medical history.

Watton was pronounced dead at the scene, and a MTA worker said Liverpool-Turner looked 'proud' as she was led away by police officers moments later

A motive has not been established, but Liverpool-Turner told authorities she also pushed a German college student to her death last month at Union Square Station

'She's adamant that she did not confess and that she's not guilty' and didn't want to discuss anything else, Mari said.

She was ordered held without bail in a death that strikes at New York subway riders' fears, though fatal pushes are rare.

Police said they were looking at video surveillance to try to determine what led to the attack.

Liverpool-Turner, who lives in Queens, worked as a health aide until about three weeks ago, Mari said. He didn't know how her job had ended.

The suspect's boyfriend, Olief Wilson, said Liverpool-Turner was taking the train on Monday to go shopping in Brooklyn.

The suspect is pictured in the back of an NYPD police cruiser after being arrested on Monday

Many of those who saw the attack were visibly shaken.

'What happened here today is tragic,' Joseph Fox, chief of transit for the New York City Police Department, told reporters at the station.

In recent years, about 50 people a year have died after being hit by New York City subway trains, in situations ranging from accidents to willful leaps.

The numbers are small compared with the more than 1.7 billion subway rides taken each year, and officials say a substantial proportion are suicides.

Still, there have been some deadly pushes in recent years. One man, Kevin Darden, is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to manslaughter in a 2014 subway shove in the Bronx.

And in 2012, a mentally ill woman who had a history of attacking strangers was charged in a fatal push in Queens, and a homeless man was charged in a deadly subway shove beneath Times Square.
Channel Nine has enlisted the expertise of a bow-tie wearing, Trump-supporting Democrat for their U.S. election coverage.

Harlan Hill, 25, a self-described 'millennial TV personality' is on the panel alongside veteran political journalist Laurie Oakes and Karl Stefanovic on Wednesday.

Hill, who often appears as a commentator on Fox News, founded a Democrats for Trump coalition after Bernie Sanders lost to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic Primary.

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Harlan Hill, 25, a self-described 'millennial TV personality' is on Channel Nine's election coverage panel with Karl Stefanovic

U.S. citizens Gabby Adams, Lauren Harris and Julie Weitz take a selfie at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney on Wednesday

Rarely seen without his trademark bowtie, the 25-year-old, originally from South Carolina, wrote about switching sides in an August blog, declaring that he had 'made the careful, but personally damaging decision to flip for Trump.'

Since then Hill's business as a startup consultant was affected, and he wrote in The Hill that 'new business dried up and most of my legacy clients had to move on'.

According to his website, Hill is a tech startup founder and political consultant who 'has advised more than 120 campaigns in six countries and 29 US states'.

Hill (left) is on the panel alongside veteran political journalist Laurie Oakes (right)

A woman kisses a life-sized likeness of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney on Wednesday

His entry in to politics came at the ripe age of 15, when he started working in the UK Parliament before helping on his first campaign the next year.

Hill is an outspoken critic of candidate Hillary Clinton, declaring on social media earlier this month: 'We MUST finish strong to beat her,' and calling her 'the queen of conspiracy theory'.

A regular commentator on Fox News and MSNBC, Hill has also appeared on BBC, CNN and been published on a number of other websites.
Athena,was trapped for around 90 minutes and the RSPCA warned she would have been in terrible pain after she was caught in a four-inch trap rabbit trap (pictured)

A teacher whose cat was snared in a rabbit trap fears a sadist is deliberately targeting pets in her town.

Julia Hawkins black cat, Athena, narrowly escaped having her front right paw amputated after it was caught in the four-inch trap.

Another large trap was found nearby and rescuers believe the person responsible is wilfully trying to harm animals.

Fortunately, Athena was discovered by one of Mrs Hawkins neighbours who arranged for her to be seen by a vet.

But her paw was trapped for around 90 minutes and the RSPCA warned she would have been in terrible pain during that time.

Mrs Hawkins, 44, of Alsager, Cheshire, said: Im disgusted by whats happened. To do this to any living creature is wrong, they have to be completely lacking in any empathy to put traps down like this.

We were on half term last week so Id been to Manchester for the day and found a note from a neighbour when I got home asking if I had a black cat. Immediately I thought the worst  I thought someone had found her squished under a lorry.

Athena was taken to the nearby Alsager Animals In Need centre.

Co-ordinator Hilary Baxter, 79, took the cat to a local vet, who warned that she had got to her just in time. Mrs Baxter also revealed that another trap was later discovered and disabled on a path used by dog walkers.

Its very frightening that someone had set it up  some people are very sadistic, said Mrs Baxter. There is something seriously wrong with a person who does this kind of thing to deliberately injure an animal.

Last month the RSPCA launched an investigation after 13 cats went missing from one street in nearby Kidsgrove in the space of a week.

Mrs Hawkins, a married mother of two, said she was now worried about letting Athena and her other three cats outside.

Fortunately, Athena was discovered by one of Mrs Hawkins (pictured) neighbours who arranged for her to be seen by a vet

Athena usually goes out quite a bit, but shes not been out since the incident, she just wants all our attention, she added. I do hope its an isolated incident, but Id rather warn everyone.

The RSPCA said Athena had had a lucky escape. A spokesman said: It is important people are aware of how indiscriminate traps are and the damage they can do  this cat must have been in terrible pain.

The incident in Alsager is the latest report of cat attacks across the UK. There have been similar reports in recent months of cats being mutilated or killed in Burnley, Harwich in Essex, and Caernarfon, north Wales. It also comes after more than 150 cats were killed or mutilated in London and the Home Counties over the past two years by the so-called Croydon cat killer.
Mother Jasmine (Jazz) Walls, 38, has died in hospital after she was allegedly attacked by a 28-year-old man on a meth-binge

A mother has died in hospital after she was allegedly bashed with a brick and guitar in a random household attack by a man in the grips of a meth-fuelled rage.

Jasmine Walls, 38, had reportedly offered to help her friend clean up his Wythburn Avenue home in Balga, Perth, on Monday after the man's housemate allegedly went on a drug-induced rampage and trashed the home.

But the man allegedly returned to the home on Monday night at about 11pm brandishing a kitchen knife - breaking in and hitting Ms Walls with a brick and guitar before slashing her neck, The West Australian reported.

Ms Walls was found by police in a critical condition with severe neck wounds and was taken to Royal Perth Hospital but tragically died from the wounds.

A 28-year-old man was taken in for questioning and has since been charged with her murder, along with assaulting and obstructing a public officer.

He is due to appear before the Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

The alleged attacker had reportedly been kicked out of his home in Balga, Perth, on Monday night but returned at about 11pm brandishing a knife

Ms Walls was reportedly inside the home helping her friend clean up his trashed home when the man allegedly broke in and violently attacked Ms Walls. The man has been charged with her murder and is due to face court on Wednesday

Police do not believe that Ms Walls knew her alleged attacker.

The West Australian was told that the man charged with Ms Wall's murder had been staying at the Balga house, but was kicked out after behaving aggressively while on methamphetamines.

A neighbour, known only as Emma, told the publication she heard a man yelling 'Let me in, I'm not going to hurt you' and 'You don't need to be scared, I just want to talk'.

The next thing she heard was a loud bang followed by the sirens of police.

'There was a bit of commotion going across the road, there was someone in a car revving up and down,' neighbour Dinesh Prasad told 7 News.
An air traffic controller has called the rogue prankster a '

An air traffic controller has spoken out on the rogue prankster that used a portable radio to issue unauthorised directions to pilots landing at airports and labelled him a 'menace'.

An unidentified air traffic controller has emailed Fairfax Media claiming the rogue prankster that used a portable radio to give directions to pilots preparing to land at Melbourne airports would 'eventually compromise safety', according to The Age.

The prankster has a long rap sheet and has allegedly made 15 illegal transmissions over the last month, according to Avalon and Melbourne airport controllers who have been building a profile on the offender.

A person who is using a portable radio to override the air traffic controller frequency and give false directions to pilots preparing to land at Melbourne airports is under investigation (stock image)

The prankster caused one Virgin pilot to pull out of landing just 80 metres before the plane was going to land on the tarmac, according to reports (Stock Image)

It is understood an unidentified person posed as an air traffic controller over the past several weeks and instructed pilots to circle the area before landing and even told one Virgin pilot to abort his landing (stock image)

Hoax pranksters transmissions Up to 15 illegal transmissions to air traffic controllers

Telling a Virgin pilot to abort a landing just 80 metres from the tarmac

Impersonating a pilot from a light aircraft issuing mayday call

Attempting to override ATC controllers to try and cause disruption

Making an aircraft go wheels up and re-attempt landing Advertisement

The Australian Federal Police have launched an investigation into the incidents of illegal transmissions with aircrafts over the past several weeks but it is reported there are no new leads.

It is understood an unidentified person posed as an air traffic controller and instructed pilots to circle the area before landing.

The email outlined that a male was listening to air traffic control and pilots and had enough knowledge to impersonate 'lingo' and attempt to act as an ATC controller.

In one case the air traffic controller told the publication that, 'he was so compelling he made an aircraft go wheels up and go around for another attempt at landing.'

The prankster caused one Virgin pilot to pull out of landing just 80 metres before the plane was going to land on the tarmac, The Age reported.

'Engine failure... Descending passing through 4,500,' the hoaxer said.

Data shows another plane that prepared to land at Tullamarine Airport began ascending suddenly and circling over the airport after the hoaxer instructed the pilot to do so.

The Australian Federal Police are investigating 15 incidents of illegal transmissions with aircrafts over the past several weeks at Melbourne, also known as Tullamarine (pictured), and Avalon Airports.

The AFP said in a statement on Monday travellers should not be concerned (stock image)

President of Virgin Independent Pilots Australia John Lyons told the Sydney Morning Herald an amateur VHF radio could be used in the transmissions, which are worrying for pilots who are unable to verify a controller in the air.

The AFP said in a statement on Monday travellers should not be concerned.

'The AFP, Airservices, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the aviation industry are all committed to ensuring the safety of the travelling public and we are treating this matter extremely seriously,' AFP's head of Crime Operations and acting Assistant Commissioner Chris Sheehan said.

'These incidents are being thoroughly investigated by the AFP, with technical support from the ACMA.' 'The airlines have been briefed to ensure the advice has been passed on to their pilots and to ensure appropriate measures are in place.'

The hoaxer could face up to 20 years in jail, police said.

The hoaxer could face up to 20 years in jail, police said (stock image)
Hospitals could be banned from selling sugary drinks under radical measures to tackle obesity.

The proposals would see certain sweetened fruit juices, fizzy drinks and flavoured coffees outlawed from canteens and vending machines.

They will be outlined today by NHS chief executive Simon Stevens, who wants England to become the world's first nation to enforce such a ban.

He will warn that hospitals have become 'marketing outlets for junk food', which is fuelling obesity-related illnesses and poor dental health among children.

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens who wants England to become the world's first nation to enforce such a ban

Another option under consideration would see hospital canteens, shops or vending machine companies pay a sugar tax for selling sweetened drinks.

The money raised would be used to pay for local slimming clubs and anti-obesity strategies for patients and NHS staff.

Faced with this tax, many shops may decide not to stock sugary drinks  or to raise prices significantly.

More than a quarter of British adults are classified as obese, with rates having almost doubled since the early 1990s.

And figures released last week showed a third of 11-year-olds are now overweight or obese  the highest number on record.

Mr Stevens will point out that more than half of the NHS's 1.3 million staff are themselves overweight. He will add that it is time for the health service to 'practice what we preach' and try to prevent obesity-related illness.

But last night the soft drinks industry said the ban was 'unjustified'  as they are already slashing the sugar content of their products voluntarily. The proposals will be subject to a consultation by healthcare experts, with the NHS to make a final decision next year.

Though the plans only cover sugary drinks, if rolled out successfully they could be extended to include all junk food.

Some hospitals in parts of the US, Australia and New Zealand have already banned sugary drinks.

But if the NHS implements these proposals, England would be the first country in the world to outlaw them nationwide.

Addressing the UK Active national conference in London, Mr Stevens will say: 'Confronted by rising obesity, type 2 diabetes and child dental decay, it's time for the NHS to practice what we preach. Nurses, visitors and patients all tell us they increasingly want healthy, tasty and affordable food and drink options.

The proposals would see certain sweetened fruit juices, fizzy drinks and flavoured coffees outlawed from canteens and vending machines (stock image)

'So like a number of other countries we're now calling time on hospitals as marketing outlets for junk food and fizzy drinks.'

One problem with the proposal is that vending machines are a vital source of income for hospitals, and can bring in up to 8,000 a year.

They are purposely situated in the busiest areas, including A&E units or the main corridors.

Some hospitals have begun trialling either a total ban on sweetened beverages in certain areas or a sugar tax.

They include Shropshire Women and Children's Centre in Telford, where fizzy drinks have been outlawed since August.

NHS officials say the early results from these pilots have been 'positive' and have not hurt the hospitals' financial situation.

The Government is planning to introduce its own sugar tax in 2018, with the levy to be imposed on manufacturers.

Last night Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, said: 'It's hard to see how a ban on soft drinks can be justified given that the sector has led the way in reducing consumers' sugar intake  down by over 17 per cent since 2012.'
Trump Win Prompts Volunteer & Counsel Spike At Local LGBTQ Outreach

By Stephen Gossett in News on Nov 9, 2016 8:22PM



Photo: Rob Hart

The not-an-Onion-article on Tuesday night's presidential election of Donald Trump serves as an alarming reckoning for progressives of all backgrounds. But for many of the often marginalized among us, it feels like nothing short of existential threat. One of the many minority groups in Chicago feeling the immediate worry of a Trump presidency is the LGBTQ community, which now faces a president with a poor-to-hostile record on marriage equality, trans rights, federal protection against gender-identity and sexual-orientation discrimination, et al.

Advocacy and community-center staple Center on Halsted acknowledged the tumultuousness of the new reality and confirmed an immediate uptick in people extending offers both to and for help.

Over the last twenty-four hours many of us have gone through a huge range of emotions, said CEO Modesto Tico Valle CEO, in a statement. As the morning dawned on us, an air of uncertainty and fear was palpable. Values we hold so true to ourselves, that all people are created equal and should be treated with equity, kindness, and compassion, seemed both truer and more vulnerable than ever. Core tenets of our identity have been put at risk. People from across our community are reaching out to Center on Halsted searching for connection to make sense of what has happened.

Anxiety is particularly acute within the trans community, where staggering reports of suicide in the wake of Trump's election continue to prompt local efforts for legal assistance in document/ID changes.

Developing: At least 8 trans youth have committed suicide in the wake of Trump's win, according to a private support group.  Zach Stafford (@ZachStafford) November 9, 2016

If you're a lawyer willing to offer pro-bono services for trans ppl to get their docs now, please use the HT #TransLawHelp. #Election2016  Cishet Gay Squad (@dtwps) November 9, 2016



Peter Johnson, Director of Public Relations, did not have exact figures at the ready, but said the Center saw a certainly greater than normal outreach from Chicagoans, some seeking assistance from counselors and others looking to volunteer.

People specifically reached out because of the election to get involved, he said.

On the one hand, people come in times of need looking for a safe place, looking for refuge, Johnson said. On the other hand, people have been energized. We ve doubled down as weve faced adversity."

The election has proven our work is not done, he said, and that equality is not a given.

"But love always wins and has proven to be win in the past," he said.

"It's been a busy day" for Equality Illinois, too, CEO Brian Johnson told Chicagoist.

Well over 100 supports and stakeholders have reached out to the office, to volunteer," Johnson said. "They want to continue this fight for justice. They're committed now more than ever to make sure we move to a more equitable future for the country." The spike in outreach occurred just "within the first few hours of today."

Johnson echoed the feeling of surprise, combined with a sense of commitment renewed. "There is still a bit of shock that our countryand so many in our countrychose to elect somebody who has maligned so many members of historically marginalized groups, be they Muslims, disabled, women, trans persons, people of color. But we have a deep conviction that we're better than those attacks."

The
Voters may stand outside Parliament and suppose mighty discussions of the utmost consequence are happening beyond its spike-fenced moat. If only.

Our parliamentarians spend hours in rigid boredom, filling the Os of their Hansards and dreaming of dinner while being subjected to tedium and special pleading.

Committee meetings dribble along, no more gripping than a rural brook. Debates in Westminster Hall, that expensive annexe to the Commons chamber, seldom attract more than a handful of speakers.

Even in the main House the business is often so niche that swathes of green bench are visible. I report this not to generate your sympathy  we sketchwriters go into the business fully aware of the daily challenge to remain conscious  but to raise the question: Do our politicians spend too much time at Westminster and does this make them too detached from the public?

Yesterdays Commons Order Paper offered 13 select committee meetings. Visitors could have dropped in on the business committee where all manner of groaners were giving evidence on the subject of Industrial Strategy. Yes, evidence is the word we use here  it has a pleasing aura of judicial truth, does it not?  yet generally it amounts to little more than naked lobbying.

Another phalanx of special-interest types trooped in to the education committee to bore the Y-fronts off one another about selective education. I saw them going in, laden with files and briefcases and expressions of heavy importance. The average age must have been about 30 but I bet they felt older by the time the meeting was over.

Elsewhere, the culture committee was limbering up for a two-and-a-half-hour session on homophobia in sport and the justice committee had sacrificed its morning to some thin-looking stuff about the work of the Victims Commissioner. Each of these committees was staffed by researchers and technicians and tied up about eight MPs.

Greg Clark, the government's Business Secretary, was headed up proceedings in the Commons Chamber

The Commons Chamber offered an hour of spongy Greg Clark, Business Secretary, followed by an Urgent Question on some matter about a United Nations independent expert for the LGBT community. At such times you realise that urgency is a relative concept.

And so I wound my weary way along to Room Five on the palaces committee corridor where former Cabinet Secretary Lord (Gus) ODonnell was due before the public administration and constitutional affairs select committee. It had set aside an hour to talk about the work of the Civil Service  a vast subject on which most Whitehall bods could wheedle for a year.

The event amounted to little. The discussion included endless cliches of the modern bureaucratic elite: cost-benefit analysis, behaviours, the quality of governance, creating cultures and structures, mentoring, focusing your outcomes, customer focus and more.

There was a mildly interesting passage of play when Lord ODonnell talked about David Camerons unorthodox former special adviser Steve Hilton. He had 101 wonderful ideas but a number of them were crazy, said Lord ODonnell in his nasal monotone. He at least had the grace to say you need people like that. I wonder if Mr Hilton used sometimes to give his proposals a little turbocharge of battiness simply in order to provoke a reaction from the Civil Service stodges.

Former Cabinet Secretary Lord Gus ODonnell appeared before the public administration and constitutional affairs select committee

Anyway, the hour passed and (with the meeting still in progress) I left the MPs and their 11 support staff to it. Talk, talk, talk.

Over in the House of Lords the a la carte options offered a further nine select committees. The Upper House currently has 62 Bills in Progress, ranging from the New Southgate Cemetery Bill to the Bat Habitats Regulation Bill and the Bread and Flour Regulations (Folic Acid) Bill.
The Project host Waleed Aly has chosen to head off to Hillary Clinton's Manhattan event as he covers the result of the US election.

Aly, who was sent over to the United States to cover the election campaign for Channel Ten, said he had a hunch Clinton would become the first female president.

'Were heading off to the Hillary Clinton event, which is on the west side of Manhattan, its amazing weve been given access to that so thats going to be incredible,' he told Fitzy and Wippa on Nova.

Waleed Aly will cover the US election results from Hillary Clinton's Manhattan event

The Project host is in the United States to cover the presidential election for Channel Ten

'Unfortunately (I) didnt get access to the Donald Trump event  dont know whats going on there,' he added.

'The Hillary Clinton event will be an amazing place to be especially if she wins and I think she probably will, youll be witnessing history.'

Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton are both from New York, meaning their events will be just a few kilometres apart.

Trump, 70, is hosting an exclusive invite-only gathering for close friends and family at the New York Hilton Midtown hotel, not far from his Trump Tower.

Clinton, 69, is hosting an open-invite event at a six-block convention centre on the West Side of Manhattan, which kicked off at 6pm New York time.

The election results could be called as early as 3pm on Wednesday, Australian time (AEST) - meaning 11pm in New York.

Australian television networks ABC, Channel Nine, Channel Seven, Channel 10, and SBS will all have rolling coverage of the election.
Twitter tried to warn her the feed was still live saying: 'We can hear you'

Television presenter Virginia Trioli has been caught making comments about Donald Trump when she thought she was off air.

The ABC Breakfast host was covering the US election at 10am on Wednesday and assumed the feed had crossed to an advertisement.

Pictures of presidential candidate Donald Trump staring at his wife's ballot paper as she cast her vote in Manhattan went viral on Wednesday, but Trioli accidentally said:

'Do you know there are people on Twitter this morning, and theyre deadly serious, who believe that I am formally spruiking here for Donald Trump to win? I mean you want to subject them to an IQ test dont you  And theyre serious.'

Twitter users tried to alert the veteran Australian journalist the feed was still live, tweeting: 'We can hear you!'

The ABC's Media Manager, Sally Jackson, said they would not be commenting on the gaffe as 'there was nothing to add to what's been said at this point'.

Television presenter Virginia Trioli has been caught making comments about Donald Trump when she thought she was off air

Pictures of Donald Trump staring at his wife's ballot paper as she cast her vote in Manhattan went viral on Wednesday

A member of the crew could be seen bringing a glass of water to Trioli's desk and it is believed she had no idea the live feed was still rolling on the website.

'Careful what you say,' one Twitter user urged the breakfast presenter.

'Your audio is coming through the web feed,' another said.

Other viewers agreed with her comments, saying it was the journalist's 'best work'.

Twitter users tried to alert the veteran Australian journalist the feed was still live, tweeting: 'We can hear you!'

A member of the crew brought a glass of water to Trioli's desk and it is believed she had no idea the live US election feed was still going

Earlier in the day, Trioli tweeted the image of Mr Trump staring toward Melania's voting booth and asked her followers to 'caption it'.

'Happy US election day! Caption suggestions please for this priceless pic. Winner gets coffee,' she wrote.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted ABC News 24 for comment.

A member of the crew brought a glass of water to Trioli's desk and it is believed she had no idea the live feed had continued through the website. Melania Trump is pictured
Pittsburg County Sheriff Joel Kerns, pictured

The son of an Oklahoma state Senate candidate died early Tuesday after being arrested on a drugs complaint.

Pittsburg County Sheriff Joel Kerns said his son Jaelon, 28, died in hospital hours after he was arrested by police.

Sheriff Kerns said Jaelon was arrested at 2.30am for possession of a controlled substance and began suffering convulsions while in jail.

The sheriff and his wife posted bail to take Jaelon to McAlester Regional Health Center.

Doctors treated Jaelon but he later died, the McAlester News-Capital reported.

An autopsy will be carried out to determine the cause of death.

His death comes hours before Sheriff Kerns faces off against Republican incumbent Larry Boggs for the District 7 seat.

The district covers Pittsburg, Latimer and Haskell counties as well as parts of Hughes and Okfuskee counties.

Mr Boggs faces a tough competition for re-election in the district, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than two to one.
This is groundhog day for new broom Steve Rowe at Marks & Spencer. Almost all the ideas he has embraced for turning the tide at Britains still favourite retailer have been tried in one way or another before.

Way back in 2000, the new bosses decreed that despite M&Ss brand strengths overseas they would take an axe to its foreign operations.

Rowe has decided to do more of the same: closing 53 overseas stores including seven in France. Maybe he should have a word with Sir Stuart Rose, the last chief executive to achieve annual profit of 1billion at M&S, who would wax lyrical on how his predecessors had destroyed a decade of investment in building an international presence.

Marks & Spencer announced plans to close 30 stores and convert 45 more to food halls in its biggest shake up on the high street for years

And the junking of a series of clothing ranges announced yesterday, has also been tried before. I can still remember interviewing Rose, in the chief executives office, with a rack of dozens of tops for women. He was deciding how best to whittle down the number of ranges and choices.

Then there is the highly unoriginal idea that food is good and clothing and homewares are a problem. Junking 45 non-food stores and turning them into Simply Food may seem an obvious solution.

After all, consumers across the country can testify to the popularity of M&Ss innovative food ranges. Indeed, in many cities, towns and shopping centres, M&S is the place for that special gourmet treat.

But no one should forget that clothing profit margins are tenfold or so higher than in food. Moreover, German no-frills retailers Aldi and Lidl are re-positioning their stores to sell upmarket goods, from fine Clarets to Swiss chocolate and Atlantic smoked salmon, and upmarket retailers including Waitrose and Whole Foods have parked their tanks firmly on the M&S lawn.

Rowe is sensibly reassessing some of the vanity projects of predecessor Marc Bolland, including the prestige store on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Moreover, closing and revamping some of the older stores on high streets which have seen better days surely makes good sense.

M&S Boss Steve Rowe - who took over from Dutchman Marc Bolland in April - is considering swapping clothes for food in some stores

Despite all the shortcomings, M&S remains the countrys favourite store for basics such as lingerie and winter woollies. What it needs to recognise is the radical transformation on the high street. Zara, owned by Spanish giant Inditex, demonstrates it is possible to do good quality fast fashion on the high street. And Primark shows it can be done at ridiculously low prices.

If Rowe, an M&S lifer, is really intent on making a difference, he should take huge advantage of the billions of pounds of investment which Bolland made in modern warehouses, logistics and an all-singing and dancing website. The successful retailers of the future are going to be those, like Asos, AO, Ocado and even Argos (now part of Sainsburys) which have embraced IT, robotics and logistics to the full. M&S is still in the foothills when it comes to online shopping.

Its click-and-collect services in stores are wholly inadequate: you need a map to find the counter and the patience of Job to stand in line to collect your goods.

It is hard to forget the queues around the block last Christmas as loyal customers had to wait several hours to pick up their turkey or joint ordered online.

Customers of M&S are extraordinarily loyal, and that brand commitment translates into a vociferous army of shareholders.
A remote indigenous community near Uluru has threatened to 'close the rock' if their voices aren't heard and people continue to live in poverty.

The Northern Territory royal commission into juvenile justice has visited, a small community where the Intervention started and is still felt to this day.

The Anangu people who live by Australia's most iconic landmark told the inquiry the NT and federal governments have neglected their community and children are denied basic housing, plumbing, food and healthcare.

Scroll down for video

The Anangu people from the remote indigenous community Mutitjulu,have promised to shut down Uluru if they don't receive extra support from the government

The community believe the NT and federal governments have neglected them leaving them to live in poverty

Traditional owner Rameth Thomas seven per cent of royalties from the Ayers Rock Resort goes to three indigenous communities in the region.

'There is a company making money off a UNESCO-listed natural living landscape and 26km away there is a living culture that's dying,' Mr Thomas said.

'On one side of the rock we are in poverty and the other side is some sort of dream world. They are exploiting our culture here and making millions.'

But a spokesperson for Ayers Rock Resort told Daily Mail Australia the resort does not give out any royalties to the community but they work in close consultation with locals through the Mutitjulu foundation.

According to the foundation's website, since it's establishment in 2013 and 'with the ongoing help of guests, staff and corporate contributions, the Foundation has reached well over $1,000,000 to date.'

Uluru's land title was handed back to traditional owners 30 years ago but was immediately leased to the federal government to be jointly managed as a national park for the 99 years.

'The oldest living culture in the world has been kicked to the curb by the government,' Mr Thomas said.

'It's disgusting how the government has treated our children. They should be ashamed.

'If they don't start listening to us we will close the rock.'

Seven per cent of royalties from the Ayers Rock Resort goes to three indigenous communities in the region

The community said that while they live in poverty the other side of Uluru (pictured) is some sort of dream world where companies are exploiting their culture

Commissioners Margaret White and Mick Gooda are touring indigenous communities across the Territory before the inquiry resumes formal hearings in November, and Mr Gooda described Mutitjulu's as the 'most energetic.'

Women were crying, men were yelling, and government service providers were kicked out of the meeting in the first five minutes.

Residents filled a whiteboard with ideas to help the community, and the first suggestion written was 'decisions to be made by the people.'

'The government has come here time and time again since I was child. I'm 40 years old and nothing has changed,' Mr Thomas said,

'(Service providers) are running amuck here and kicking us in the guts,' he said.

Mr Thomas said the same issues were raised in the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody report yet things are now worse for his people.

Commissioners Margaret White and Mick Gooda have said the Mutitjulu's are the 'most energetic'

Indigenous Australians made up 14 per cent of the national prison population 25 years ago - by 2015 it was up to 27 per cent.

That's despite Aboriginals making up only two per cent of the nation's adult population.

Aboriginal suicides are at record levels in remote Australia, and the Territory has the highest youth suicide rates in the world.

On Thursday, federal Attorney-General George Brandis announced an Australia-wide inquiry to examine the 'national tragedy' of persistently high indigenous incarceration rates.

Mr Gooda says people still feel powerless almost a decade after the intervention, and the inquiry is likely to recommend returning agency to communities.

But he's worried the NT government won't be held accountable to implement the commission's recommendations.

'We have got to put pressure on the government,' Mr Gooda said.
A male-only start-up widely criticised for its 'sexist' workspace has been mocked in a satirical new video.

Brisbane entrepreneurs Samuel Monaghan and Matthew Mercer had claimed the male-only workspace would help stop men's violence against women.

The Nomadic Thinkers social media and websites have since been pulled down, but have not been forgotten as comedic video bloggers Bondi Hipsters base their latest satirical clip in a fictional workspace called 'Brotopia'.

Scroll down for video

Comedic video bloggers Bondi Hipsters have mocked the male-only workspaces proposed by Brisbane entrepreneurs Nomadic Thinkers

The mock promotional video for the workspace, posted online on Tuesday afternoon, shows a group of men playing with toy swords and dinosaurs while one pitches Brotopia.

'It's a scientific fact that females distract males from our work by us wanting to have sex with them all the time,' one of the men joked in the video.

'The world needs more spaces for men to be men because progressive society is crushing masculinity from every angle.

'Things crushing masculinity include feminism, leftards and the female orgasm  whatever that is.'

Nomadic Thinkers were last week cricitised for their proposal for male-only workspaces

'It's a scientific fact that females distract males from our work by us wanting to have sex with them all the time,' one of the men joked in the video

'Things crushing masculinity include feminism, leftards and the female orgasm  whatever that is,' the man jokingly said

In Brotopia, the men cook steaks with hammers, and have a 'wank dungeon', fight club during lunch, and thin walls that won't break your fist if you punch them.

'This is all about creating a stress-free work environment for men like you and me, so that we don't have to go home after a long stressful day and punch a stranger in the face,' the man said.

'Our office proudly has a kind of 1950s energy, in terms of the whiskey drinking, casually misogynistic, ignorant male entitlement kind of vibe.'

Bondi Hipsters had previously criticised Nomadic Thinkers for using their images on the website without permission.

'We've been working on a new male-only cologne called 'Masxulinity Toxique' and your new male-only work space sounds like the ideal place for us to set up shop and work from,' Bondi Hipsters wrote to Nomadic Thinkers on Facebook.

The fictional Brotopia in the video has a 'wank dungeon'

The workspace has thin walls that won't break your fist if you punch them

'Given the office will have a 1950's vibe, in terms of the whole 'whisky-drinking casual misogyny aggressively ignorant male entitlement' will there still be other modern things like Wifi?

'Just kidding... We don't wanna work there. But get our photos off your website or we'll sue you and buy a cheeky baggy with the entire $350 your sausage-sizzling business idea is worth.'

Nomadic Thinkers membership club had been set to launch in January with a gym, cafe, barber and physio exclusively for men.

When asked his inspiration for the plan, co-founder Samuel Monaghan told Junkee they believed it would stop men from abusing their partners.

'We both had a mate who ended up in a violent situation with his wife. He pushed his wife over.'

He said Nomadic Thinkers would help curb the problem by giving men suffering from depression a place to let off steam.

The characters in the Bondi Hipsters video are pictured

'Our office proudly has a kind of 1950s energy, in terms of the whiskey drinking, casually misogynistic, ignorant male entitlement kind of vibe,'

'Depression and suicide result from a lack of social support and community. Having a space where they [men] can be men is more of a preventative measure. Healthy, happy men don't hit their wives.'

There is no evidence to correlate depression with domestic violence, a Parliamentary Library research paper found.

Mr Monaghan said men have been robbed of their masculinity, while women have 'tea parties' to embrace their gender.

'There's a real loss of identity for men. We used to go to war together. Girls do it better naturally, they have tea parties and stuff,' he said.

A Nomadic Thinkers spokesperson last week apologised to those who had apparently misunderstood the message.

'We believe that our space that combines mental, physical and social stimulation will be a catalyst for impact amongst the men of our community. Impact that is not reactive but also preventative,' the spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

'We simply want to play a part in fixing a serious issue.'

The man is pictured tenderising meat on a barbeque at the fictional workspace

Bondi Hipsters had previously criticised Nomadic Thinkers for using their images on the website without permission
A Victorian man is facing up to a $9,000 fine after he flew a drone to a Bunnings sausage sizzle to pick up a sausage in bread, while he lounged in a hot tub.

The drone footage shows the man writing a note reading: 'Please buy snag and put in bag, here's $10'.

He then puts the note and money in a clear plastic bag, before attaching it to a string from the drone, as the drone takes off from his wooden deck.

A man is facing up to a $9,000 fine after he flew a drone to a Bunnings sausage sizzle to pick up a sausage in a bun, while he lounged in a hot tub. The footage shows the man writing a note reading: 'Please buy snag and put in bag, here's $10' (pictured)

Footage shows drone flying high up in the air, over neighbouring houses, a four-lane main road and over the roof of Bunnings Warehouse Sunbury, and down into the large car park

Footage then shows drone flying high up in the air, over neighbouring houses, a four-lane main road and over the roof of Bunnings Warehouse Sunbury, and down into the large car park.

An accomplice then collects the note from the drone as it hovers near the barbecue, before he walks over to collect the sausage and attaches the bag back to the drone.

The drone then flies back to the house and is seen hovering down above a hot tub, before the man unclips the bag, takes a bite out of the sausage and gives a thumbs up to the camera.

Peter Gibson, a spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority, told Daily Mail Australia the incident had three potential breaches of drone use, and they were investigating.

An accomplice then collects the note from the drone as it hovers near the barbecue, before he walks over to collect the sausage in a bun and attaches the bag back to the drone

The drone then flies back to the house and is seen hovering down above a hot tub (pictured)

'The potential breaches are operating beyond a line of sight, because there's obviously no way you could see the drone and the person was using the camera to fly it,' Mr Gibson said.

'That's not allowed because while it's fine that you can see where the drone is going, it gives you no awareness of whats happening around the drone.'

Mr Gibson said the only way to operate a drone in this way is if a person has a separate spotter, and you can't do that with recreational drones.

The man then unclips the bag, takes a bite out of the sausage and gives a thumbs up to the camera

'Another rule is a person cannot fly a drone over a populous area - if you have a drone flying 10 to 20 feet if something went wrong it would fall to the ground like a stone and someone could be hit,' he said.

The other rule states a person is not able to fly a drone within 30 metres of people.

'This was also breached because you can see people walking from their cars and back and the drone hovering above the barbecue before some bloke comes out and takes the note from string.'

Peter Gibson, a spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority, told Daily Mail Australia the sausage sizzle incident (pictured) had three potential breaches of drone use, and they were investigating

Mr Gibson said they have issued fines twice before for people who have broken the rules based on social media videos.

He said the incidents happen from time to time, and there were 15 fines issued last year and about eight or nine issued so far this year.

Daily Mail Australia contacted the Bunnings Head office in Victoria but they were unable to comment on the incident.
Philip Dutton, 47, is accused of being in a gang that snatched Jacqueline Veyrac, 76, from a street in Nice

A former British soldier who is being held in jail in the south of France over a plot to kidnap a wealthy businesswoman can be pictured for the first time.

Philip Dutton, 47, is accused of being in a gang that snatched Jacqueline Veyrac, 76, from a street in Nice.

Two masked men bundled the widow, who owns the Grand Hotel in Cannes, into the boot of a car driven by a getaway driver.

A man with an English accent is understood to have called the Veyrac family and told them: Youll have to pay.

Mrs Veyrac was found by a passer-by two days later in the boot of a car in Nice. No ransom was paid.

Police believe the ringleader of last months abduction was Giuseppe Serena, who allegedly became embittered when the restaurant he ran, owned by Mrs Veyrac, went bust.

He is said to have recruited Dutton, who was sleeping rough in Nice. Other members of the six-strong gang are reported to be a paparazzo turned private investigator, a chef and a former police officer.

The investigator  known as Tintin  is alleged to have placed a tracking device under Mrs Veyracs car.

Two masked men bundled the widow, who owns the Grand Hotel in Cannes, into the boot of a car driven by a getaway driver

Duttons lawyer, Benjamin Charlier, yesterday said his client had been brought into the plot because of his military background.

He claimed he had spent more than two decades in the Army, serving in the special forces for 15 years and touring war-torn countries including Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo.

He said Dutton had been left with nothing on quitting the Army despite suffering serious burns in a bomb blast in Afghanistan in 2011 that claimed two lives.

Yet a Ministry of Defence spokesman yesterday said Dutton had served for just two and a half years.

A man with an English accent is understood to have called Jacqueline Veyrac's family and told them: Youll have to pay'

And his uncle, James Daley, who lives near Langton in Lancashire, said: He has never been in the SAS and as far as I know he has not been to Afghanistan.

He went into the Army at 18 but to my mind he wasnt grown up enough.

Mr Charlier said his client had been desperate, adding: He regrets it deeply he was reassured to know that Mrs Veyrac was OK.

Although he admits he helped with logistics, Mr Charlier said Dutton, who does not speak French, was not involved in the kidnap itself.

Originally from Liverpool, he had split from his Bulgarian wife with whom he has a daughter.

He was doing odd jobs around Nice, including working on a private beach until he was allegedly hired to be part of the kidnap gang and promised a payout at the end of the operation.

Mr Charlier said: He was contacted, I would say recruited for his Army skills, quite simply. I think because he was someone who had nothing  they slightly took advantage of him. He is ex-Army, potentially quite competent so they can convince him to do things. I think it is as simple as that.

I am convinced that this was a desperate act for Mr Dutton. He had lost everything in England, he was homeless, he thought that with a bit of luck it might all work out.

As he waits for the case to go through the French legal system, Dutton has been warned that he may spend the rest of his days in prison. Serena had run Mrs Veyracs restaurant, La Reserve, for several years before it went bankrupt. He had then tried to recoup millions of euros from her through the courts.

The kidnapping in Nice came exactly three years after Mrs Veyrac was the victim of another attempted abduction. Police are investigating whether the two incidents are linked.
Prince Harry is one of the most popular and personable figures the Royal Family has had in years. The public can see he has his mothers touch and that his heart is in the right place  especially in his work on behalf of veterans.

Hes 32 and fifth in line to the throne, so any woman with whom he is serious is bound to attract worldwide attention.

And in yesterdays astonishing statement, you could almost hear his angry voice dictating the words.

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Harry made a furious statement slamming the media and commentators for their coverage of his relationship with Meghan Markle

It did two things. One was to confirm he has been in a relationship with Meghan Markle for several months. The second was to unleash his rage on the worlds media for probing into her background.

Its vituperative tone shocked seasoned courtiers. They wondered why on earth did he do it? And why yesterday, on the day the worlds attention was locked on America choosing a new president?

This was not a case of being a good day to bury bad news. Harry wanted the world to know how he feels. More important, he wanted the world to know how Meghan feels. For the unspoken sub-text was his fear of losing her, just as he lost Cressida Bonas, another beautiful actress, who also couldnt cope with media attention.

But was it the right thing to do? And would he have done it if his father Prince Charles had not been abroad on a Gulf states tour?

PRINCE HARRY: MAILONLINE RESPONSE A MailOnline spokesman later responded to Prince Harrys letter. He said: 'We were very surprised by the Princes comments, particularly as no earlier complaint had been made by the Palace. MailOnline believes it has acted courteously and correctly in its coverage of this story.  We carried no smears  Our articles had no racial undertones  There were no nightly legal battles over stories  We sent no photographers to Ms Markles mothers home  We offered no payments to Ms Markles ex-boyfriend or anyone else associated with this story  And, finally, we certainly made no attempt to gain illegal entry to her home. We wish Prince Harry and Ms Markle well in their relationship.' Advertisement

Harry would not have issued it without making sure his father knew, says a friend of Charles. Unfortunately, being in the middle of an important tour, it is certainly possible that Charless staff didnt give it the attention it required. Otherwise, they would, at the very least, have moderated its language. Im sure had his father been around, he would have urged him to hold back.

For his part, in Harrys mind, the issue was simple: protecting his girlfriend from what he seems to believe are racial and sexist slurs.

Meghan has a black mother and white father and styles herself bi-racial. Most reasonable people would argue that these are unavoidable biographical details.

Harry complains about a wave of abuse and racial undertones in parts of the media.

These sentiments will be familiar to readers of The Guardian newspaper, which said describing Meghan as a glamorous brunette and not in the society blonde style of previous girlfriends was tantamount to trying to say that Markle, actor, global development ambassador and lifestyle blogger, is black.

Do such phrases really suggest that?

Whatever the truth, Harry, who has always hated the media, reads everything that is written about him (just like his mother) and analyses it. He has childhood memories of the uncomfortably close media attention that, ironically, Diana often sought.

But would Harry have made the statement had his father not been away on a tour of the Gulf (pictured with Camilla in the UAE)

Friends see the outburst as a measure of his frustration at being unable to protect Meghan in the way his brother William was able to protect Kate Middleton.

He and Meghan are understood to have had long and emotional conversations about last weeks publicity. This may explain his use of the American phrase co-worker.

At first he was prepared to ignore the inevitable media attention, accepting  as he said in the statement  that there is significant curiosity about his private life.

For ten days, his office in Kensington Palace (which he shares with William and Kate) said nothing.

Then came the statement with all its pent-up fury.

It would have been so much better had he simply instructed his office to confirm the relationship and left it at that, says a royal aide. He could at the same time have asked for restraint in the reporting. I cant help thinking that Harry was motivated by old-fashioned chivalry  she needed help and he wanted to show her he was doing something.

Certainly, it is unprecedented for a royal prince to issue such a forthright official statement naming the new love of his life.

While they were clearly his views, the statement was drafted by Harrys communications secretary Jason Knauf, 34, a former Royal Bank of Scotland public relations chief.

Says a former adviser to Prince Charles: Perhaps an older and more experienced adviser would have been able to steer him away from creating such an ill-advised course.
Maps Show How Illinois Voted In The 2016 Presidential Election

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Nov 9, 2016 6:53PM



ALTON, IL (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)

Illinois is looking redder than ever after Tuesday night's election cycle thanks to the state's longstanding urban-exurban divide.

The state handily went to Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night, with Clinton winning 55.4 percent of the state's popular vote over Trump at 39.4 percent. Nonetheless, maps of how people voted indicate the divide between Cook County, its surrounding suburbs, and the rest of the state is still strong:





Illinois presidential voting results from 2008 compared to 2016 #twill pic.twitter.com/xgkZhiaRlE  ILCampaign (@ILCampaign) November 9, 2016



The Tribune pulled out some notable details from their maps of Illinois' votes. For example, Trump took Wayne County, downstate, with 80 percent of the vote. Peoria, Champaign and East St. Louis were the only blue downstate cities.

Chicago area's votes for Hillary Clinton overtook those for Donald Trump in rest of state, via @ChiTribGraphics. https://t.co/Bl5CNOGFTy pic.twitter.com/AAEts1l4Wx  Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) November 9, 2016

As for the city itself: DNAinfo reports, unsurprisingly, that the city went overwhelmingly blue, with little pockets of Trump voters in places such as Mt. Greenwood on the far South Side, the far Southwest Side, and near the northern suburbs.

According to the Chicago Board of Elections, Chicago voter turnout will be around 70 percent this election, despite previous estimates of 73-74 percent.
Germany's defence minister has said the European Union must match Natos drive to beef up its military capabilities in the face of Russian aggression.

Ursula von der Leyen, who wants the EU to build its own military headquarters in Brussels, said member states needed to invest at least the same energy as the U.S.-led coalition.

Germany will join with France, Germany, Italy and Spain in pushing for the development of a European army at a meeting of ministers in Brussels next week.

Ursula von der Leyen (pictured) wants the EU to build its own military headquarters in Brussels

But they are set for a collision course with Britain, which has warned it will veto any proposals that would threaten Nato while it still remains an EU member.

Mrs von der Leyen yesterday said: We have seen an enormous modernisation drive by Nato over the past three years because of the Kremlins behaviour.

That was correct and important, but I believe that we must invest at least the same energy into a modernisation of the European security and defence union.

However, she claimed the increase should occur knowing that one cannot build up competition between the two bodies, but that they should work in a complementary fashion.

For instance, she said, the EU had a clear mission in working with Africa to stem the steady flow of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea.

I see a big mission for the European Union, which must work for a solution together with the African countries, but to do that, it must better organise and bundle the many instruments it has in the civilian and military realms, actually implement them, and offer a joint European response, she said.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon will attend a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels on Monday to discuss plans.

Proposals include increasing European spending on military missions, jointly developing assets such as helicopters and drones, expanding peacekeeping abroad and building stronger defences against state-sponsored hackers.

Mr Fallon last month said Britain had support from several other countries in opposing any measures that could rival Nato.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (pictured) and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon will attend a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels on Monday to discuss plans

He said: We continue to oppose any new military structure that would introduce a second layer of command and control. Command and control is a matter for the military, it is a matter for Nato.

When it was last discussed by EU defence ministers, there was very strong opposition to any kind of EU military command headquarters from Sweden, Poland, the Baltic states, even from the Netherlands, which is sometimes sympathetic to some of these EU proposals, they very strongly opposed that kind of duplication.
British spies have been enlisted to hunt the criminal gang behind the cyber-attack that saw millions of pounds plundered from Tesco Banks accounts, it was revealed yesterday.

As the search for the international group of hackers widened yesterday, authorities warned that Britains biggest banks could become their next target.

Tesco Bank yesterday confirmed that its security system had fallen victim to a sophisticated, systematic attack that hit more than a quarter of its current accounts.

Tesco Bank yesterday confirmed that its security system had fallen victim to a sophisticated, systematic attack

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) described the security breach as unprecedented and said fraudsters were lining up to exploit weaknesses presented by online banking.

The regulator confirmed that a new branch of GCHQ  Britains digital eavesdropping service that specialises in online crime - had joined the search to find those responsible.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)  led by some of the UKs most senior spies  was recently set up to deal with the increased threat posed by hacking groups, rogue states and terrorists.

Its teams are working alongside the National Crime Agency, which tackles international and organised crime, to determine how the criminals accessed 40,000 customer accounts.

Criminal gangs operating in Brazil and Spain are thought to be behind the attack, after customers described how payments were siphoned from their accounts to the companies based there.

Andrew Bailey, the FCAs chief executive, said that networks of criminals were increasingly trying to infiltrate the complex IT systems developed by companies in the online banks age.

He also refuted suggestions that Tesco bank was targeted because it was a relatively small player in Britains financial market therefore having weaker security systems.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) described the security breach as unprecedented and said fraudsters were lining up to exploit weaknesses presented by online banking

Instead, he said that the more complicated systems adopted by the UKs major banks provided more opportunities for criminals to gain access.

Speaking to the Treasury Select Committee, he said: The people who do this sort of thing are obviously looking for weaknesses in the system and the points of entry.

The more complex your systems are obviously, the more weaknesses and points of entry there may be.

He added: The heart of the concern [about the Tesco hack] is what is the root cause of this is and what does it tell us about broader threats.

The committee has launched an ivestigation into the attack alongside the Information Commissioners Office, which could see the company handed millions of pounds in fines.

Mr Bailey said it was too early to say exactly who was behind the Tesco Bank attack but worryingly claimed that the security breach has broader implications for Britains banking sector.

He also said that more resources may be needed to bolster the cyber security of banks, adding that the fight against fraudsters was never done.

Tesco Bank boss Benny Higgins must face MPs over the crisis - but he has been warned by experts there may be an inside man or woman

FCA chairman John Griffith-Jones added: We [financial services] have a great technological opportunity on the one hand and the opportunity for fraudsters to exploit this weakness.

Fraudsters based in Brazil  a global hub of bank card fraud  began targeting Tesco customers with phishing scams earlier this year.

The schemes try to encourage customers to unknowingly handover sensitive details including personal information and card details.

Tesco Bank has so far refused to give any information on who was behind the attack that engulfed the company in chaos last Saturday but claims to know exactly what the attack was.

Customers described how sums between 20 and 3,000 had been skimmed from their accounts in card transactions seemingly taking place in Brazil this weekend.

Lengthy delays in being able to reach the bank and offers of derisory compensation caused fury amongst customers, as the bank suspended online payments and cancelled some cards.

But despite assurances that all stolen money would be refunded yesterday (Tues) some account holders said they had still been ignored by the bank yesterday.
Devon County Council took Teresa Kirk, 71, (pictured) to court after she refused to remove the 80-year-old man from his care home in his native Portugal

A grandmother jailed by a secretive court for refusing to remove a man from a care home where he is happy has finally been freed.

Teresa Kirk, 71, was sentenced to six months in prison for disobeying a court order to return the elderly dementia sufferer to social services care.

After spending six weeks behind bars, appeal court judges ordered she be released from prison immediately.

The head of the family court, Sir James Munby, said the system had failed her and that he had real concerns and a sense of unease about the case.

He added that it made him very uncomfortable that she was languishing in prison.

Devon County Council took the elderly woman to court after she refused to remove the 80-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, from his care home in his native Portugal.

Mrs Kirk believed that the man - whose relationship to her cannot be disclosed - was happy where he was and that he would not want to be put into council care.

When social services bosses took her to court to compel her, as his legal guardian, to sign papers ordering his return to Britain, she refused.

She was jailed for six months in August for contempt of court and has so far served half of her sentence at Bronzefield prison in Surrey, where serial killer Rose West was once held.

This was despite the judge conceding she believed she was acting in the mans interests and possessed deeply held, sincere beliefs.

Details of the Court of Protection case were kept secret and her sentence was only made public two months after her sentencing when the Daily Mail made enquiries.

The secretive court rules on issues relating to people who might lack the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves.

Mrs Kirk will now be permitted to appeal to allow the man, who cannot be named to protect his identity, to remain in the Portuguese care home.

The three Court of Appeal judges agreed and, after analysing the case at a hearing in London yesterday, said she should be released.

They said they would give reasons for their decision at a later date but Justice Munby said the system had failed in Mrs Kirks case.

She is to be released forthwith, said Sir James, who is President of the Court of Protection and the most senior Court of Protection judge in England and Wales.

The system has failed in this case.

During the appeal hearing another judge, Lord Justice McFarlane, said the process of jailing her had been mechanical.

Ms Kirk was jailed for six months in August for contempt of court and has so far served half of her sentence at Bronzefield prison (pictured) in Surrey

No-one at any stage of it has stood back and said: What are we doing here? Sending this 71-year-old lady to a six-month prison sentence in order to achieve a welfare benefit for (the elderly man), he said.

Barrister Fenella Morris QC, who represented the elderly man, told judges: The possibility that Mrs Kirk wishes to be a martyr is perhaps one that is available.

Her remarks prompted outrage from Mrs Kirks barrister Colin Challenger, who said after the hearing: Sir James was right. The system failed in this case.

Mrs Kirk isnt a martyr who wants to be in prison. She simply wants to do her best for someone she cares about.

This is a superb decision by the appeal court.

At an earlier court hearing, Mr Challenger had told how he had encountered difficulty getting access to Mrs Kirk at the prison where she was held.

Sir James also criticised the courts which failed to produce the transcript of former hearings before yesterday.

Open justice campaigner and former MP John Hemming hailed the decision as a victory for justice and commended the Daily Mail for bringing the case to the publics attention.

Its a victory for common sense and justice and shows the importance of press attention on court cases, he said.

Before the Daily Mail got involved there was no public judgment and she was lost in the prison system - remember she is 71.

Mr Justice Newton (pictured) ruled she had disobeyed orders to move the man from his native Portugal to a care home in Britain chosen by social workers

Later on the prison service prevented her from signing her appeal paperwork and now with public attention she has been released.

We have to ask the question: what would have happened had they done what they used to which was not telling anyone and having reporting restrictions.

There are still many things that happen in English and Welsh courts that would shock people but we are gagged from telling the truth.

Mrs Kirk is the second woman known to have been jailed by the Court of Protection in a dispute over the choice of care home for an elderly individual.
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Donald Trump won the state of Florida after a precinct by precinct battle unfolded. The billionaire successfully clenched the presidency with 288 of the electoral votes, as Hillary only received 215.

The extraordinary battle for the state began after polls closed at 7.30pm  and even as Marco Rubio won the Senate race for the Republicans, the states presidential result became tighter and tighter as the night carried on.

Florida was considered a key to any viable path Trump had to the presidency, and by nearly 11pm with Florida under his belt, it seemed he was just steps away from the White House.

Trump beat Clinton with 49 per cent of the vote, as she received 47 per cent.

The billionaire had scored some gains, as he led in Penellas County, which includes St. Petersburg, by 49 to 47 per cent.

But she also was leading in Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, by 51 to 44 per cent.

Before the race was even called, Trump was running ahead of 2012 nominee Mitt Romney in some of the states rural counties.

Ohio and Florida marked the billionaire's first major swing state victories, as Clinton claimed Virginia and Colorado.

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Winner: Trump identified Florida as the key to victory, criss-crossing the state and staging huge rallies, along with events at his Duval golf course. He is pictured above on Tuesday at a polling station with his wife Melania

Republican Marco Rubio (pictured above on Tuesday) is the winner of the Senate race in Florida as he is the incumbent. Democrat Patrick Murphy only received about 44 percent of the vote, as Rubio took 52 percent

Rubio (pictured above Tuesday night) had wavered for months before deciding to run for re-election in Florida after his failed bid for presidency

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He led Clinton by more than 100,000 votes with more than 90 per cent of the vote in state-wide.

The Clinton campaign was sweating Florida as the returns came in. Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon, had no canned response when asked by DailyMail.com about how he was feeling about the closeness of the race in Florida.

Yeah, he said, his only response, before moving on.

In Florida, state law mandates an automatic recount if the margin of difference between Trump and Clinton comes in at 0.5 per cent or less.

'The law requires that the secretary of state is responsible for ordering recounts in federal, state and multi-county races,' according to the Florida legislature.

'The local board or county canvassing boards for certifying the election is responsible for ordering recounts in all other races. A recount need not be ordered with respect to the returns for any office, however, if the candidate or candidates defeated or eliminated from contention for such office by one-half of a percent or less of the votes cast for such office request in writing that a recount not be made.'

The last presidential election where a recount took place in Florida was in 2000 when George W. Bush first beat Al Gore in the state with 1,784 votes, which was a 0.5 per cent difference.

Turnout in Miami-Dade County had reached 70 percent of registered voters by Tuesday afternoon (above)

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Under the state law, that triggered an automatic recount and Bush won by a close margin. However, Gore ordered recounts to be done by hand, which was allowed by law, and that's when the notorious 'hanging chad' ballots became a problem.

Due to a design issue at the time, some of the ballots were not perforated all the way through when Americans cast their vote, leaving some with holes that were not clear as to who they voted for. In total, there were 9,000 votes that had hanging chads that electoral machines were unable to detect.

Gore ended up filing a complaint in Leon County Circuit Court contesting the recount, and it made its way up to the United States Supreme Court. But on December 12, 2000, the Supreme Court reversed the manual recount and Bush ended up winning the election to become the 43rd president.

Even before the polls closed on Tuesday, half the states 13 million registered voters had cast ballots.

With 97 per cent of the vote in in Duval County, which includes Jacksonville, Trump was leading with 49 per cent of the vote. And he was harvesting votes across the states rural areas.

South Florida was Clintons stronghold, and her campaign made repeated trips to Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and stops around the area in the final week of her campaign.

In Broward, a place Clinton returned to repeatedly, 185,000 people voted on Tuesday alone.

The county set a record with 71 per cent turnout, two points higher than four years ago.

Turnout in Miami-Dade County had reached 70 per cent of registered voters by Tuesday afternoon.

Former Democratic National Committee Chairwoman and current Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (above) said she was cautiously optimistic that her own district, which covers Broward County, would carry the day for Clinton

Rubio held onto had a narrow lead in polling going into Election Day over Murphy (pictured above on Tuesday), who was abandoned by his own party after Democratic bosses decided to pull ad money from expensive Florida and invest it in Missouri, North Carolina and Indiana, instead

The spike appeared to be good news for Clinton, but it didn't hold up. The Clinton camp had identified Florida as critical in the campaigns final weeks.

When Vice president Al Gore finally emerged to offer in-person support for Clinton, the campaign had the two campaign together in south Florida to drive home the message that every vote counts.

Clinton visited Florida more often than any other state.

Trump, too, identified Florida as the key to victory, criss-crossing the state and staging huge rallies, along with events at his Duval golf course.

For the Senate race, Rubio had wavered for months before deciding to run for re-election in Florida after his failed bid for presidency.

He beat back a challenge from Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy, who has repeatedly tried to link Rubio to Donald Trump.

The two Senate candidates differed starkly on a number of issues - including guns, health care, foreign policy, economic issues and abortion.

Each sought to leverage voter discontent with both the GOP and Democratic nominees.

Rubio held onto had a narrow lead in polling going into Election Day over Murphy, who was abandoned by his own party after Democratic bosses decided to pull ad money from expensive Florida and invest it in Missouri, North Carolina and Indiana, instead.

Hillary Clinton visited Florida more often than any other state. She is pictured above on Tuesday morning looking touched by the greeting she received at her local polling place by fellow New Yorkers as she cast her vote

Former Democratic National Committee Chairwoman and current Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said she was cautiously optimistic that her own district, which covers Broward County, would carry the day for Clinton.

In Florida, we live nervous. Every presidential election cycle theres no such thing as a slam dunk. You know youre gonna be biting your fingernails down to the quick all the way down to the wire,' she added.

'Im liking the numbers we see, but untilthey call it, until weve got most of the votes in, you dont count your chickens, said the Florida lawmaker, who was in New York at Clintons victory party, not her congressional district.

'Especially when youve been through what weve been through in Florida in 2000.

Wasserman Schultz was booted as head of the DNC after hackers breached her email and publicized her dirty laundry in July, on the eve of the partys presidential nominating convention.
Aldi discount supermarket has been accused of funneling 'hundreds of millions of dollars' out of Australia by forcing its competitors to cut costs or face financial ruin.

Dick Smith on Wednesday responded to reports Woolworths would cancel its deal with local fruit supplier SPC Ardmona, News.com.au reported.

The billionaire defended Woolworths in a letter, claiming had been forced to move to home brand products and reduce selection 'while sacking most of their Aussie employees'.

Dick Smith defended Woolworths on Wednesday and accused Aldi of driving money out of Australia by forcing competitors to cut costs and import home brand products

Smith said Woolworths and Coles would have to replicate Aldi's model or 'be sent into bankruptcy'

'Don't blame Woolworths for the SPC Ardmona disaster,' Smith said. 'Blame ourselves and capitalism as it gets to the limits of greed.

'It's clear that Woolworths and Coles will have to either replicate Aldi, that is, move to around 90 per cent home brand products and reduce their product selection from over 20,000 to just a few thousand, while sacking most of their Aussie employees, or they will be sent into bankruptcy.'

He said Aldi was one of the world's most 'ruthless' retailers.

'Their greed is unlimited. Aldi Australia is now one-third the size of Coles and they haven't opened in Australia for charitable reasons. They are here to eventually take hundreds of millions of dollars out of our country and repatriate this money to Germany.'

He noted Australian jams sell at nearly three times the price of the Aldi equivalent.

Woolworths had canned its five-year contract to buy SPC tomatoes just two years in, and wouldn't say whether it will honour a $70 million fruit deal signed in 2014

'They are here to eventually take hundreds of millions of dollars out of our country and repatriate this money to Germany,' Smith said of Aldi

Smith also said there will be no jobs for generations to come when the Aldi model takes over because it is 'designed for very low staffing levels'.

An Aldi spokesperson said the supermarket sourced 90 per cent of its groceries from private labels, the majority of which were from Australian manufacturers.

'We only source products from overseas when we cant find the product, quality, efficiency or innovation we seek here in Australia,' the spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia in a statement.

'Aldi directly employs almost 10,000 people throughout our retail stores, distribution centres and corporate offices.

'In addition, over the course of the year we engage with more than 1,000 suppliers, the majority of whom are Australian and have enjoyed growth and success as we have expanded.

'While we are proud of our global heritage, Aldi has established an independent operation here in Australia. All of our profits continue to be reinvested in our Australian operations, funding expansion and growth.'

The contract to take SPC's tomatoes, separate to other canned fruit, has ended and won't be renewed

Woolworths had canned its five-year contract to buy SPC tomatoes just two years in, and wouldn't say whether it will honour a $70 million fruit deal signed in 2014.

Independent MP for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed said it was 'cynical' of the supermarket.

'They really got on board with the Buy Australian campaign at that time and it's pretty cynical behaviour now two years into a deal to back out,' Ms Sheed told reporters on Wednesday.

The Victoria government contributed $22 million to help modernise SPC's operations as part of the 2014 deal.

The supermarket giant on Tuesday said it was in discussions about volumes and prices for the coming season - something it does every year.

But the contract to take SPC's tomatoes, separate to other canned fruit, has ended and won't be renewed.

An Aldi spokesperson said the supermarket sourced 90 per cent of its groceries from private labels, the majority of which were from Australian manufacturers

Woolworths will buy tomatoes from another provider that sources them from the Murray Valley region in Victoria.

The supermarket giant said it remained committed to the 'spirit' of the 2014 deal with SPC.

That deal kept the Shepparton cannery afloat, saving at least 500 jobs and guaranteeing supply from farmers.

Treasurer Tim Pallas says SPC and the state government invested money based on Woolworths' commitment.

'I'm bitterly disappointed with what I hear coming out of Woolworths (now),' Mr Pallas told reporters on Wednesday.

'They were in the media at the time that these arrangements were unveiled, they told the world, they told Victorians that they had a five-year commitment.'
initially refused to concede but at 5pm it was announced there would be no recount and she congratulated Hassan on her victory

she had won Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte's New Hampshire seat in a closely-fought battle

Republicans have won a 51-48 majority in the Senate, as the embattled Kelly Ayotte finally concedes her hotly-contested New Hampshire seat.

Ayotte and Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan, two well-known lawyers, had been battling it out in a too-close-to-call race that has drawn national attention.

At just before 11am morning, Hassan - who was leading by less than one per cent, announced she had won and was 'proud to stand here as the next United States senator from New Hampshire.'

Ayotte, who had held her Senate seat since 2011, initially refused to concede until she had seen the 'official numbers' from New Hampshire's Secretary of State. And with a victory by such a small margin, recount was a real possibility.

But at around 5pm, Hassan released a statement announcing there would be no recount and that Ayotte had congratulated her on her victory.

'I want to thank Senator Ayotte for a hard-fought campaign, for her service to our state, and for her graciousness when we spoke a short while ago,' she said.

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In New Hampshire, Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte (pictured today before hearing that she had lost) narrowly lost out to Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan

The two well-known lawyers had been battling it out in a too-close-to-call race with Hassan (pictrued) leading by less than one per cent in a race that has drawn national attention until the results were declared this morning

This morning, Hassan - who was leading by less than one per cent, announced she had won and was 'proud to stand here as the next United States senator from New Hampshire'

In Pennsylvania, GOP Sen. Pat Toomey won a narrow victory for his second term over Democratic challenger Katie McGinty. It was a race Democrats expected to win going into the night - and one that many Republicans felt nearly as sure they'd lose.

With Toomey's win declared after 1am on Wednesday, the Senate majority was called in favor of the Republicans with several races still to be decided.

The House of Representatives has already locked down the majority with 218 seats as GOP candidates triumphed in a checkerboard of districts in Florida, Virginia.

And with Donald Trump outperforming expectations in a stunning upset, the Republicans pulled off a clean sweep.

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The Republicans declared a majority senate this morning, despite the Democrats' best efforts to win the four seats needed to flip the chamber.

Only one race remains outstanding: In Louisiana, the seat will head to a runoff election next month.

In Missouri, Democrat Jason Kander conceded to incumbent GOP Sen. Roy Blunt, eliminating Democrats' paths to Senate control. Republicans were expected to win an outstanding race in Alaska and a December runoff in Louisiana.

Another upset occurred in Wisconsin, where GOP Sen. Ron Johnson, written off for months by his own party, won re-election against former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold in a rematch.

Rubio celebrated a win that has already sparked expectations of another 2020 presidential bid.

Rubio, who decided to run for re-election in Florida after dropping out in the presidential primaries, beat out Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy - abandoned by his own party after Democratic bosses decided to pull ad money from expensive Florida and invest it in Missouri, North Carolina and Indiana, instead.

In Pennsylvania, GOP Sen. Pat Toomey (pictured) won a narrow victory for his second term over Democratic challenger Katie McGinty

GOP Sen. Marco Rubio, pictured, beat Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy in Florida

Republicans celebrated their wins, already looking ahead to midterms in 2018 when Democrats could see their numbers reduced even further with a group of red-state Senate Democrats on the ballot.

'We ran targeted, data-driven campaigns and communicated directly with voters. Those efforts paid off,' said GOP Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, head of the Senate GOP's campaign arm.

'With the map strongly favoring Democrats and uncertainty at the top of the ticket, we protected our majority and paved the way for a Republican-run Senate for years to come.'

Democrats grabbed a Republican-held seat in Illinois, where GOP Sen. Mark Kirk lost to Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a double-amputee Iraq war vet. That stood as the one Democratic pickup as Wednesday got under way.

Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth (left) has unseated first-term Republican Sen. Mark Kirk in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country

Kirk (pictured) hurt his own campaign and had to apologize to Duckworth last month after mocking her immigrant background and her family's military history.

The other bright spot for Democrats was in Nevada, where Minority Leader Harry Reid's retirement after five terms created a vacancy and the one Democratic-held seat that was closely contested.

Reid maneuvered to fill it with his hand-picked successor, Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada's former attorney general who spoke often of her family's immigrant roots in a state with heavy Latino turnout.

Cortez Masto will become the first Latina U.S. senator. She beat Republican Rep. Joe Heck, who struggled with sharing the ticket with Donald Trump, first endorsing and then un-endorsing Trump to the disgust of some GOP voters.

As the night wore on, Democratic operatives struggled to explain why their optimistic assessments of retaking Senate control were so mistaken.

Some blamed unexpected turnout by certain segments of white voters, or FBI Director James Comey's bombshell announcement that he was reviewing a new batch of emails connected with Democrat Hillary Clinton.

In North Carolina, Democrats had high hopes of unseating entrenched GOP incumbent Sen. Richard Burr, who infuriated even his own party with his laid back campaign style.

But in the end he had little trouble holding off a challenge from Democrat Deborah Ross.

In Indiana, GOP Rep. Todd Young beat former Democratic senator and governor Evan Bayh, who mounted a much-ballyhooed comeback bid, but wilted under scrutiny.

John Mccain (pictured with wife Cindy Mccain at the polls) is projected to lock down his sixth Senate term in Arizona over opponent Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick

In Arizona, meanwhile, GOP Sen. John McCain, at age 80, won his sixth term in quite possibly his final campaign. The 2008 GOP presidential nominee was re-elected without much difficulty despite early predictions of a competitive race, and struck a reflective note ahead of the outcome.

'While as Yogi Berra said, 'I hate to make predictions, especially about the future,' I'm not sure how many more I have in me,' McCain said.

In New York, Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democrats' leader-in-waiting for a new Congress, easily won re-election. But the results elsewhere meant he would be leading a Senate minority when he replaces Reid in the leader's role.

The Senate races were shadowed every step of the way by the polarizing presidential race between Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. Yet in the end, Trump was apparently not the drag on GOP candidates widely anticipated, even though some Republicans struggled with sharing the ballot with him.
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are battling to rule over a 3.8 million-square-mile country - but spent election night just two miles from each other.

Tuesday marked the first election in more than 70 years with New Yorkers as the two major-party candidates.

Clinton's campaign planned an open 'Hillary for America Election Night Event' at the Jacob K Javits Convention Center on 34th Street, while Trump held an invitation-only party at the New York Hilton at 1335 Avenue of the Americas for 'friends and supporters of the Trump-Pence campaign'.

Both candidates started welcoming guests between 6:30 pm and 7 pm as both events started in Midtown.

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Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump waited for the results of the presidential election just two miles away from each other in New York City Tuesday

Clinton's campaign planned an open 'Hillary for America Election Night Event' at the Jacob K Javits Convention Center on 34th Street (left)

Trump's Director of African-American Outreach showed up at the Republican candidate's event and said both candidates have written concession speeches, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The Hilton ballroom's stage was flanked with glass cases containing Trump hats and pins.

There were Trump TV stickers inside the Grand Ballroom, according to Washington Post video journalist Jorge Ribas.

Members of the media had to go through a medal detectors, get patted down by security and turn on their laptops before they were allowed in.

The NYPD worked at the Clinton event as guests and reporters showed up shortly around 6 pm.

Many supporters wore campaign t-shirts or pantsuits in a tribute to the Democratic candidate. They listened to tunes such as Alicia Keys' 'Girl on Fire', Demi Lovato's 'Confident'.

Trump held an invitation-only party at the New York Hilton (left) at 1335 Avenue of the Americas for 'friends and supporters of the Trump-Pence campaign'

The Hilton ballroom's stage was flanked with glass cases containing Trump hats and pins (pictured) for Trump's private event Tuesday night

Trump's event opened on Tuesday evening in Midtown for those who have backed his campaign. Pictured, Trump supporters cheer at the New York Hilton

The GOP nominee's supporters gathered to follow the results of Tuesday's historic election. They are pictured at an election night rally in New York

Clinton's public event opened at the Jacob K Javits Convention Center Tuesday night. Pictured, some of her supporters cheer at her election night gathering

Many Clinton supporters wore campaign t-shirts or pantsuits as a tribute to the Democratic nominee. Some are pictured Tuesday at the Jacob K Javits Convention Center

A mariachi band started playing outside Trump Tower, a few blocks away from the New York Hilton, around 7:30 pm.

Some wondered why Trump wasn't holding his election night party at his own Trump Tower. The building was said to be too small to welcome all his guests.

'The Hilton is huge,' crisis management firm president Helios Fred Garcia told the Washington Post. 'I dont think its so much that hes embarrassed to hold it in his own place or that his brand has been tarnished, but rather that he expects a large crowd. And so he booked the largest venue that he could.'

A cake shaped like a bust of Trump made an attention-grabbing appearance at both venues Tuesday evening. It was wheeled at Trump Tower first, then transferred to the New York Hilton while internet users rejoiced and generated dozens of cake-related memes.

Trump's invitation-only party was equipped with a cash-only bar serving imported beers.

The GOP nominee had announced that his party would be held at the Hilton hotel instead of the Trump Tower, but what he didn't mention was that the imported booze would cost $11.

Prices for the cash-only bar ranged from $7 to $13, with soft drinks going for the lowest price.

Campaign merchandise, including pins and 'Make America great again hats', was displayed at the Hilton hotel for Trump's invitation-only bash

A cake shaped like a bust of Trump (pictured) made an attention-grabbing appearance Tuesday evening. It was wheeled at Trump Tower first, then transferred to the New York Hilton

Trump's invitation-only election day party ws equipped with a cash-only bar serving imported beers and a cake shaped like the GOP nominee (pictured at the New York Hilton)

Probably the weirdest image was of a man selling Cap'n Trump cereal boxes (pictured) outside of his election party. It was reported that part of the money goes to the homeless of New York

Several reporters and other attendees tweeted out some of the most bizarre images they spotted upon their arrival at the hotel on Tuesday.

Probably the weirdest image captured was of a man selling Cap'n Trump outside of his election party.

It was reported that part of the money goes to the homeless of New York.

New York City mayor Bill de Blasio spoke outside of Clinton's bash. 'It's worth waiting hours for a victory party, isn't it?' he asked according to the Hollywood Reporter.

'America will send a message to the whole world about who we are: we will say very clearly, "no" to hatred, "no" to division, "no" to intolerance. And we'll say "yes" to some things: "yes" to unity, "yes" to inclusion, "yes" to love, "yes" to respect, "yes" to diversity, "yes" to hope.'

The mothers of Eric Garner and Trayvon Martin also attended Clinton's event. Garner's mother said the Democratic nominee was the only candidate who had reached out to them, and that she felt and understood their pain.

Clinton spent some time at the Peninsula Hotel with her family while New York senator Chuck Schumer spoke at her event.

'Nobody is more ready or qualified to be president,' Schumer said. 'Hillary Clinton will shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling!'

Earlier this week Clinton announced the cancellation of her election night firework display, which was reportedly shot down by the New York Police Department.

The Republican presidential nominee will speak later during election night at the Hilton once the results are in. A man is pictured vacuuming US national flags on stage

The Hillary for America Election Night Event kicked off at 6pm. She will be preparing for victory under a symbolic glass ceiling within the convention center

Television satellite trucks were seen parked outside the Hilton New York Midtown hotel where Trump is holding his election night event

More than 5,000 NYPD officers were scheduled to patrol the streets of New York City Tuesday as authorities braced themselves for possible unrest on election night.

'We know that the eyes of the world will be on New York City,' de Blasio said, adding that authorities were taking 'extraordinary resources' Tuesday.

'This is by far the largest election detail that the NYPD has ever had,' Chief of Department Carlos Gomez said Monday.

Authorities set up perimeters around both candidate's venues, while scores of streets - including the busy thoroughfares West 34th Street, 57th Street and Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues - all closed at 6 am on Tuesday morning.

The last time the Big Apple hosted both main party candidates was 1944, when New York-born Franklin D Roosevelt saw off the city's Republican governor Thomas Dewey to win his unprecedented fourth presidential term, as the Second World War raged.

This time round, city authorities are worried about trouble caused by voters refusing to accept the result.

Trump's supporters have been stoked by their candidate's repeated claims that the election is 'rigged'. The Republican has refused to say whether he will accept the results if he loses.

Over a fifth of likely Trump voters say they are not prepared to accept the outcome, compared with 10 per cent of Clinton supporters, an ABC News/Washington Post poll showed Monday.

To help manage the night, Police Plaza's situation room will have some fifteen people will be scanning the 8.5 million-strong city for trouble round the clock - a step it has never taken before.
It's one of the chief irritations of modern life: no matter how many TV channels there are, we can never find anything we want to watch.

And thanks to the vast amount of choice, this endless channel-hopping to find something worth viewing takes up 1.3 years of our life.

On average we spend 23 minutes each day choosing what to watch on TV, a study found.

It's one of the chief irritations of modern life: no matter how many TV channels there are, we can never find anything we want to watch. Pictured is Netflix blockbuster The Crown

It revealed that 44 per cent of viewers questioned spent at least part of their day trying in vain to find a show that piqued their interest among the hundreds of options available.

Channel-hopping for 23 minutes every day would amount to 474 days  or 1.3 years  over a lifetime, the study said. And traditional TV channels are not even the only option any more. Around 34 per cent of subscribers to internet on-demand services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime said they could never decide what to watch.

However, the US study found that although these subscribers spent more time hunting for programmes, they were happier with their choice when they did actually find something.

The consumer frustration with hundreds of linear channels and nothing to watch can thus be contrasted with viewers spending 45 percent more time searching in [on-demand] services, the study said.

Channel-hopping for 23 minutes every day would amount to 474 days  or 1.3 years  over a lifetime, the study said

And yet, 63 percent are satisfied with the content discovery in their [on-demand] service, while only 51 percent of consumers say the same for their scheduled linear TV service. The time spent watching programmes on mobile devices rose by 85 per cent between 2010 and 2016, the study said.

And viewers now spend an extra 1.5 hours each week watching shows, compared to 2012.

Although the time spent watching traditional TV dropped by 2.5 hours a week, the study by communications firm Ericsson found average viewers spent four more hours watching on their phones or tablets.

Around 20 per cent of the increased mobile viewing was on subscription services such as Netflix. The study found each viewer spent about 16 a month to access on-demand video, up 60 per cent from 2012. Netflix starts at 5.99 a month in the UK, while Amazon Prime membership costs 79 for a year.

However, the research found viewers were also spending an average of 57 a month on their regular TV service, up from 44 four years ago.

Binge-watching was identified as a growing trend, with 37 per cent of those quizzed admitting they watched two or more episodes of the same show in a row on a weekly basis. More than a fifth said they did so daily.
Donald Trump has put his family front and center in his presidential campaign.

But youngest daughter Tiffany, 23, has been less visible than his other children and it appears she might need to put in a little more legwork if she wants to win her father's affections.

Calling in to speak to Fox And Friends Tuesday, Trump said he was proud of Tiffany to 'a lesser extent' than his other adult children, Donald Jr, 38, Ivanka, 35, and Eric, 32.

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Trump called in to speak to Fox and Friends on Tuesday morning and spoke about his children

Out in the cold: Donald Trump appeared to say he was proud of youngest daughter Tiffany, pictured with him after he won the election, to a 'lesser extent' than his other adult children

Trump (pictured after delivering his acceptance speech, Melania Trump (L), elder daughter Ivanka, (C) Jared Kushner (2nd-R) and Tiffany Trump (R), said he was 'very proud' of Don and Eric and Ivanka but to a lesser extent of Tiffany, ''cause she just got out of school'

In the interview Tuesday he said: 'I'm very proud of my children. I mean, I'm just looking at them right now, as an example for your show.

'But I'm very proud, because Don and Eric and Ivanka and - you know, to a lesser extent 'cause she just got out of school, out of college - but, uh, Tiffany, who has also been so terrific. They work so hard'.

Tiffany, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, is the only child of Trump and second wife Marla Maples.

After keeping a relatively low-profile on the campaign trail, Tiffany stepped out Monday with half-sister Ivanka to campaign for their father in the battleground state of Michigan.

The pair flew to Hudsonville to lead a Women in Business roundtable discussion as they reached out to female voters.

Family portrait (from left to right): Eric Trump and his wife Lara, Donald Trump, son Barron, Melania Trump, Vanessa Haydon and her husband Donald Trump Jr, children Kia Trump and Donald Trump III, Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner and Tiffany Trump

Support: Donald Trump's son Eric, 32, and daughter-in-law Lara vote in New York City

Donald Trump Jr, his wife Vanessa and their children on their way to vote in New York City

Donald Trump with daughter Ivanka, left, granddaughter Arabella Rose and wife Melania

Donald Trump rests a hand on his son Barron's shoulder as he appears at a rally with his family

Both sisters shared photos of themselves puckering up for the camera using one of Instagram Stories' dog filters, and Ivanka also posted a snapshot of them posing with the local businesswomen they met during the private event.

Ivanka looked elegant in a fitted emerald green dress featuring black detailing around the shoulders and a slit on the side of the skirt.

The mother-of three completed her look by adding a pair of dangling earrings and classic black pumps.

Meanwhile, Tiffany, followed her sister's lead and opted for a similarly shaped pencil dress.

However, while Ivanka stood out in a festive shade of green and left her hair loose around her shoulders, Tiffany chose a black and white number and pulled her loose curls half up.

Donald's only daughters were photographed as they listened intently to the local businesswomen, and at one point the two erupted into laughter.

Team Trump - including Donald Trump, his family, and running mate Mike Pence - watches election results
Thousands of tourists flock to Freshwater West Beach in Wales each year to leave tributes, including socks, to the mischievous but loyal character (pictured inset left). The mock grave (pictured left and right) sits above the Pembrokeshire beach where Dobby's death was filmed (pictured inset right: Dobby being buried by Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, played by Rupert Grint and Emma Watson), but concerns about high visitor numbers and pollution led to a survey on its possible relocation. Some locals had branded the attraction an 'eyesore' and compared it to a landfill site, while fans of the show said it 'brings happiness to so many children', labelling 'haters' of the memorial as 'killjoys'. The National Trust had considered removing the tribute, which is constructed from hundreds of painted pebbles, stones and socks, but ultimately ruled it can remain in place on the protected beach for the time being. Dobby was a key character in the Harry Potter films in the struggle against he-who-must-not-be-named, aka Lord Voldemort, and died at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange after rescuing Harry and friends from Malfoy Manor in the Deathly Hallows film. A sculpture was engraved with the words 'Dobby is a free elf in Pembrokeshire' at the spot, however it became the subject of a consultation due to the high number of visitors flocking to Freshwater West Beach to see the 'grave'.
Susana Mendoza Clinches Victory In State Comptroller Race

By aaroncynic in News on Nov 9, 2016 6:00AM



Susana Mendoza speaking at a get out the vote rally on November 7, 2016. Photo by Tyler LaRiviere/Chicagoist.

Democrat Susana Mendoza beat out incumbent Leslie Munger in what was one of the most contentious and expensive races for State Comptroller in recent memory.

We really made a big difference today in the state of Illinois, Mendoza told supporters at her campaign party in Chicago. I know theres a lot of anxiety in this room right with the presidential race and Hillary Clinton, but I think it's important we all keep it together and hold tight.

Mendoza was ahead of Munger 49.2 to 44.8 percent, with more than 95 percent of precincts reporting just before midnight.

In what was essentially a proxy war between Gov. Bruce Rauner and Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, both candidates attempted to assert their independence from their respective party leaders. While the race for State Comptrollers office isnt typically a hot-button election, the position took center stage as Illinois faced a grueling budget impasse until the governor and state legislature came to a temporary stop-gap agreement.

The race turned out to be one of the priciest in recent memory, with both sides putting nearly $10 million into their campaigns. The lion's share of that went to Munger, who had more than $8 million on hand in her campaign war chest as of Sept. 30, according to quarterly filings. The bulk of that money came from Rauner and some of his wealthier supporters such as hedge fund manager Ken Griffin and packaging magnate Richard Uihlein donating more than $9 million in the last 2 months alone.

While Munger, who was appointed by Rauner after the death of Judy Bar Topinka, tried to set her self as independent from the governor, she often framed her comments on the budget crisis in a way that supported his overall agenda. Meanwhile Mendoza, who counted Madigan as one of her political mentors while she served as a state representative also tried to shield herself from criticism of her connection to the Speaker.

Flanked by a smiling Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and and Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, Mendoza thanked Chicagoans for allowing her to serve as City Clerk.

It means the world, it's really truly been my greatest honor to serve the people of Chicago as your City Clerk, she said. But I want to thank the people of the entire state of Illinois for trusting me to represent you, all of you to the very best of my ability as your next Comptroller.
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Donald Trump fans in Australia are celebrating after the American Presidential candidate took out the election race.

Late on Tuesday afternoon Australia time the Republican candidate extended his lead and U.S. expats gathered across Australia eagerly awaiting the results before it became clear he was the 45th U.S. President.

But while Trump supporters were jubilant, Clinton fans were seen wiping away tears - even before the final result hadn't yet been reached.

From a man wearing Donald Trump socks - tufts of hair and all - to women decked out in Hillary Clinton merchandise, Americans put their best foot forward as they gathered in anticipation of the new president.

At the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, people were seen posing up with life-sized cutouts of the candidates, with one lady even kissing Trump on the cheek.

Trump supporters were celebrating early at the uni, with one man wearing a shirt that read: 'Can't Stump The Trump'.

At a 'Democrats Abroad' function at the Kingston Hotel in Melbourne had plenty of Clinton merchandise available from t-shirts to pins emblazoned with 'Hil Yes!'.

Many Clinton supporters appeared others were ashen-faced and even mopping away tears as a tense day of voting appears to have resulted in an unwelcome outcome.

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Donald Trump fans cheer at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney after the Republican won the Presidential election

Donald Trump supporters celebrating at a Republican election gathering in Sydney on Wednesday

A woman in the midst of celebrating Donald Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton to become President of the U.S.

'Can't Stump The Trump': Trump supports are seen here at the University of Sydney

Republican supporters wearing 'Make American Great Again' hats are seen here enjoying themselves in Sydney

A young boy hides under a table at a Democrats Abroad event in Melbourne

Republican fans were seen celebrating on Wednesday as the election results rolled in

Democrat voters in Melbourne look devastated as the news Donald Trump had become President got out

Tears were shed at a Democrat event in Melbourne after Donald Trump became America's 45th President

Two concerned-looking women await the result of the election at the United States Studies Centre

More Trump supporters are seen here celebrating, cleared excited about the early results

One Democrat comforts another at the 'Democrats Abroad' event in Melbourne as a tense day of voting appears to have resulted in an unwelcome outcome

Democrat voters dab away tears as they watch the election results during a 'Democrats Abroad' event in Melbourne

Men wearing 'Make America Great Again' t-shirts and pins in support of Trump cheer at the University of Sydney

A man held a banner above the crowd at the University of Sydney celebrations

In a nondescript bar hidden down a laneway in Sydney's CBD, a small but loud group of Donald Trump's Australian supporters were cheering their hearts out as he inched closer to the White House.

Former Liberal MP Bronwyn Bishop was among about 100 diehard Republican supporters glued to a live feed of election coverage from Fox News in the United States.

The Rugby Club bar is a far cry from the billionaire's glamorous Trump Tower in New York, but each time the outspoken presidential hopeful wins a state they shouted and cheered.

Organised by a group called Trump's Aussie Mates, what started out as a low-key gathering soon took on a party atmosphere as Mr Trump edged ahead of his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton on Wednesday afternoon.

Former Liberal MP Ross Cameron organised the event a week ago as he firmly believed in a Trump victory.

'I feel fantastic. I feel delirious. I'm virtually in tears,' he said.

'I think today is a day of reckoning, where the citizens are saying "This democracy belongs to us and you will not lecture us, and hector us, and judge us because the one freedom we have is to choose who is going to lead our country".'

A Democrat voter reacts as their candidate Hillary Clinton takes the lead in the electoral college

Two Democrat supporters look devastated at the news Donald Trump has become the U.S. President

Trump supporters at the University of Sydney watch the US Election at The United States Studies Centre election party at the Manning Bar

A man in Melbourne shows off his Donald Trump socks - which appear to feature a red cross through the Republican candidate's face

A woman kisses a life-sized cardboard cutout of Trump at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney

Hillary Clinton t-shirts are seen during a 'Democrats Abroad' function at the Kingston Hotel in Melbourne

A man looks on in eager anticipation of the results of the U.S. election on Wednesday from Sydney

As some celebrated, others expressed their disappointment after Trump took a convincing lead in the polls

Democrat voters look on as Trump inches closer to the U.S. Presidency on Wednesday afternoon, Australia time

Mrs Bishop, who joined the crowd around lunchtime, says America is in for a 'shake up' if Mr Trump becomes the 45th president of the United States.

She has fond memories of meeting him in Washington when George H Bush was being inaugurated as president in 1989.

'He was a perfectly reasonable, sensible human being,' she said.

Mrs Bishop likened Mr Trump's critics to those of Mr Bush's predecessor Ronald Reagan when he ran for president.

'Initially they threw a lot of mud at him but he turned out to be a wonderful and much-loved president,' she said.

A stone's throw away at the more upmarket Morrison bar, hundreds of Mrs Clinton's supporters were putting on a brave face despite Mr Trump having won key swing states of Ohio, Florida and North Carolina.

When they began cramming into the bar before lunchtime, the mood was hopeful, and even celebratory.

As the day wore on and Trump pushed into the lead, the mood began to sour amid the American fries, chilli dogs and beer on offer.

Dual American-Australia citizen Catherine Weinress says she's 'distressed' to watch Mr Trump gain more ground.

'Trump's getting a lot more of the popular vote in states that I wasn't worried about before and I am now - like Virginia and Wisconsin,' she said.

'I'm distressed that there are this many Americans who can look past his misogyny and racism.'

The excitement got all too much for one festively dressed punter who took a quick nap as the votes were being counted

Emotions ran high as Trump and Clinton supporters converged in one room as the votes for the presidency were counted

One woman held a napkin over her mouth as she eagerly awaited the results of the 2016 presidential election on Wednesday

One man in a Donald Trump t-shirt that reads 'not all heroes wear capes' checked his phone for the results

A man takes a selfie with a Donald Trump cutout at an event hosted by the US Embassy at the National Press Club in Canberra

The Kingston Hotel in Melbourne had plenty of Clinton merchandise including t-shirts

Pins emblazoned with 'Hil Yes!' were also on display at the Melbourne hotel

US and Australian citizens watch the US election at an event hosted by the US Embassy at the National Press Club in Canberra

Mike Heffron, Canberra chairman of Democrats Abroad, sets up a Hillary Clinton cardboard cutout in an Irish Pub

This man was seen wearing candidate badges from both sides of politics

Women are seen here participates in a mock voting at the University of Sydney on Wednesday

Clinton supporters pose for a photo with a life-size cutout of the Democratic candidate
It may be the American election - but it seems the whole world has an opinion on who should become the next President.

And three Australians even went so far as to travel to New York in order to make their feelings known.

Sporting 'Make America Great Again' caps and Donald Trump badges, the trio were spotted in Times Square stumping for the Republican candidate.

Three Australians were filmed supporting Donald Trump in Times Square in New York, saying it was a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity

Interviewed by 9 News' Tom Steinfort, the group said they had traveled to be part in a 'once in a lifetime event'.

Asked why he is backing Trump, one man responded: 'Horror, repulsion, disgust - there's a lot more I could throw in there as well.

'"Make America great again", absolutely. The ripples will make their way out to Australia.'

Asked why they were supporting Trump, the trio said that 'horror, repulsion and disgust' at Hillary Clinton were among their reasons

Another man added: 'It is a once in a lifetime event. We are never going to see another Donald Trump again.'

The trio may have traveled to the wrong state to for their last-minute push, however, as Clinton comfortably won her adopted home of New York.
A notorious female rapist has been released from prison after serving a 14-year jail sentence for helping her husband abduct and rape a 10-year-old girl in 2002.

The child was playing with their son at their Gladstone home in Queensland in August, 2002, and Jane Maree Farrenkothen lured the girl upstairs where she was handcuffed, gagged and drugged.

Farrenkothen, now 55, restrained the child and held a pillow over her face while her then- husband, Jurgen 'Terry' Farrenkothen, raped her.

As her release date loomed, an application to the Supreme Court by the Attorney General threatened to keep her behind bars, but on Tuesday, Queensland Corrective Services confirmed she had been released, The Gladstone Observer reported.

Notorious female rapist Jane Maree Farrenkothen (pictured) has been released from prison after serving a 14-year jail sentence for helping her husband abduct and rape a 10-year-old girl in 2002

Officers would not confirm when Farrenkothen was released from the Women's Correctional Facility, but it is believed she has chosen to remain in Brisbane instead of returning to Gladstone.

Farrenkothen gave the child the relaxant Mersyndol before her husband raped her and forced her to perform oral sex on him.

When she was arrested by police, Farrenkothen, revealed she believed her husband had planned to kill the girl.

She told officers she was concerned for the 10-year-old as she had interrupted her and her husband having sex, the Courier Mail reported.

In one of her first interviews with police, Farrenkothen said her husband told her they 'couldn't send her [the girl] home'.

Farrenkothen gave the child the relaxant Mersyndol before her husband, Jurgen, (both pictured) raped her and forced her to perform oral sex on him

Farrenkothen had been imprisoned in the Brisbane Women's Correctional Facility since 2002

She took that to mean they would 'do away with her'.

'Most probably have to dispose of her ... kill her, I suppose,' she told them.

Farrenkothen, 55, who now goes by her maiden name, Dunlop, has reportedly lost 70kg since she was incarcerated in the Brisbane Women's Correctional Facility in 2002.

A psychiatric report on Dunlop says the likelihood of her re-offending if released is between one and three percent.

If she were to re-offend, it would be under the influence of a male sex offender, according to the report.

Dunlop has been studying a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Ancient History as a protected prisoner.
Year 12 students at a Queensland school have cut down six trees, sprayed a school bus and water tank with offensive graffiti and and egged buildings in end-of-year celebrations.

Students from Chisholm Catholic College Cornubia have been banned from attending their graduation ceremony after the 'muck-up day' rampage, reported the Courier Mail.

Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia they were called to the school on California Creek Road on Monday about 5.30pm after reports of a vandalism incident.

Year 12 students at Chisholm Catholic College Cornubia (pictured) have cut down six trees, sprayed a school bus and water tank with offensive graffiti and and egged buildings in end-of-year celebrations

Police said there were multiple incidents of graffiti in the school grounds, some trees were damaged and buildings were egged as well.

Principal Martina Millard could not confirm the number of students involved.

She told the Courier Mail none would be expelled but some would be banned from the end-of-year ceremony.

Principal Martina Millard said the school was 'shocked' and 'distressed' at the vandalism, particularly the trees that were cut down

'The school is extremely shocked that they would behave in this way,' she said. 'We are extremely distressed.

'The vast majority of our students had a great day celebrating how we intended.'

Ms Millard said the most distressing damage was the trees, because the other damage could be cleaned up.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Chisholm Catholic College for a comment.

Police said there are no suspects at this stage but they are investigating the incident.
A man who bragged about having sex with a 14-year-old girl after flashing her and her friends at the beach had his rape charge downgraded 23 years after the assault.

Paul Caselli was arrested in 2013 for raping a 14-year-old girl at Thirroul Beach, south of Sydney, in 1993 after a friend told police he exposed himself to a group of girls.

The newlywed, then 27, bragged to his friends about 'picking up a chick' but denied knowing she was underage until taking a plea bargain in the Wollongong District Court on Tuesday, the Illawarra Mercury reported.

Paul Caselli was arrested in 2013 for raping a 14-year-old girl at Thirroul Beach (pictured), south of Sydney, in 1993 after a friend told police he exposed himself to a group of girls

Caselli, now in his 40s, insisted the sex was consensual and the prosecution agreed to drop the charge of rape to having sex with a minor if he pleaded guilty to the lesser offence.

The court previously heard there was 'consensual touching' before the teenage girl 'put his penis into her vagina' when he struggled to penetrate her, the Illawarra Mercury reported.

Caselli's interaction with the young girl started when one of her friend's told him his shorts had turned see-through in the water, according to court documents.

He reportedly responded by pulling his penis out and telling them: 'you can't get much more see through than that can you'.

Caselli insisted the sex was consensual and the prosecution agreed to drop the charge of rape to having sex with a minor if he pleaded guilty to the lesser offence (stock image)

When the girl left the beach through a isolated walkway, Caselli approached her and they went into the bushes and had intercourse, the court heard.

Crown prosecutor Jeffrey Clarke alleged he threatened to 'come back and get' the girl if she told anyone, before telling a friend he 'picked up a chick at the beach last week', according to the Illawarra Mercury.

Caselli was at the beach with his new wife and another couple - one of whom told police about his interaction with the girls at the public shower.

He told police Caselli said 'she played hard to get at first but I knew she wanted it'.

Caselli pleaded guilty to having sex with a minor in the Wollongong District Court (pictured)

The court previously heard evidence that the girl appeared to be pre-pubescent, did not wear make up and had not developed breasts.

But Caselli insisted during a police interview that he thought she was at least 16.

Court documents obtained by the Illawarra Mercury state he now 'accepts that his belief now was not reasonable'.

Caselli is on bail will return to court for sentencing in March 2016.
A judge has slammed a suspected Apex member after he threatened a Melbourne family with beach umbrella poles and tried to steal their luxury car.

On April 23, Bill Tang, 19, and other hooded gang members allegedly broke into the Brighton East home at 3am and pelted rocks at the male resident as he tried to defend his property.

After the group tried to drive his BMW X5 out of the garage, the resident opened the driver door to stop them leaving, but was dragged down the street and suffered injuries to his legs and shoulder, according to The Herald Sun.

On Wednesday, Tang was sentenced in the County Court to two years and eight months in youth detention and Judge Philip Misso said the 'community needs to be protected from people like [him]'.

A judge has slammed a suspected Apex member after he threatened a Melbourne family with beach umbrella poles and tried to steal their luxury car (stock image)

Judge Misso said the Brighton family-of-four were traumatised by the terrifying incident and are continuing to recover.

'Your conduct must be denounced in the most serious way and the community must be protected from people like you,' he said.

Tang pleaded guilty to causing serious injury, car theft and intent to steal.

On April 23, Bill Tang, 19, and other hooded gang members believed to be from Apex allegedly broke into the home at 3am. An Apex gang member is pictured, who was not involved in the Brighton East incident

On Wednesday, Tang was sentenced in the County Court to two years and eight months in youth detention

He will serve his sentence alongside Peter Paulino, 18, who was also involved in the attempted car-jacking and break-in.

Tang will also serve 18 months for a separate incident where he broke into the home of an elderly couple in December.

Judge Misso warned offenders will now face harsher sentences for aggravated burglary and should 'think twice'.
Thank you. Thank you very much, everyone. Sorry to keep you waiting. Complicated business, complicated. Thank you very much.

I've just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us. Its about us. On our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign.

I mean, she fought very hard. Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country.

I mean that very sincerely. Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division, have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.

It is time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all of Americans, and this is so important to me. For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, I'm reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so that we can work together and unify our great country. As I've said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement, made up of millions of hard-working men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their family.

It is a movement comprised of Americans from all races, religions, backgrounds, and beliefs, who want and expect our government to serve the people, and serve the people it will.

Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American dream. I've spent my entire life in business, looking at the untapped potential in projects and in people all over the world.

That is now what I want to do for our country. Tremendous potential. I've gotten to know our country so well. Tremendous potential. It is going to be a beautiful thing. Every single American will have the opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals. We're going to rebuild our infrastructure, which will become, by the way, second to none, and we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it. We will also finally take care of our great veterans who have been so loyal, and I've gotten to know so many over this 18-month journey.

The time I've spent with them during this campaign has been among my greatest honors.

Our veterans are incredible people. We will embark upon a project of national growth and renewal. I will harness the creative talents of our people, and we will call upon the best and brightest to leverage their tremendous talent for the benefit of all. It is going to happen. We have a great economic plan. We will double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world. At the same time, we will get along with all other nations willing to get along with us. We will be. We will have great relationships. We expect to have great, great relationships. No dream is too big, no challenge is too great. Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach.

America will no longer settle for anything less than the best. We must reclaim our country's destiny and dream big and bold and daring. We have to do that. We're going to dream of things for our country, and beautiful things and successful things once again.

I want to tell the world community that while we will always put America's interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone, with everyone.

All people and all other nations. We will seek common ground, not hostility; partnership, not conflict. And now I would like to take this moment to thank some of the people who really helped me with this, what they are calling tonight a very, very historic victory.

First, I want to thank my parents, who I know are looking down on me right now. Great people. I've learned so much from them. They were wonderful in every regard. Truly great parents. I also want to thank my sisters, Marianne and Elizabeth, who are here with us tonight. Where are they? They're here someplace. They're very shy, actually.

And my brother Robert, my great friend. Where is Robert? Where is Robert?

My brother Robert, and they should be on this stage, but that's okay. They're great.

And also my late brother Fred, great guy. Fantastic guy. Fantastic family. I was very lucky.

Great brothers, sisters, great, unbelievable parents. To Melania and Don and Ivanka and Eric and Tiffany and Barron, I love you and I thank you, and especially for putting up with all of those hours. This was tough.

This was tough. This political stuff is nasty, and it is tough. So I want to thank my family very much. Really fantastic. Thank you all. Thank you all. Lara, unbelievable job. Unbelievable. Vanessa, thank you. Thank you very much. What a great group.

You've all given me such incredible support, and I will tell you that we have a large group of people. You know, they kept saying we have a small staff. Not so small. Look at all of the people that we have. Look at all of these people.

And Kellyanne and Chris and Rudy and Steve and David. We have got tremendously talented people up here, and I want to tell you it's been very, very special.

I want to give a very special thanks to our former mayor, Rudy Giuliani. He's unbelievable. Unbelievable. He traveled with us and he went through meetings, and Rudy never changes. Where is Rudy. Where is he?

[Chanting "Rudy"]

Gov. Chris Christie, folks, was unbelievable. Thank you, Chris. The first man, first senator, first major, major politician  let me tell you, he is highly respected in Washington because he is as smart as you get. Sen. Jeff Sessions. Where is Jeff? A great man. Another great man, very tough competitor. He was not easy. He was not easy. Who is that? Is that the mayor that showed up? Is that Rudy?

Up here. Really a friend to me, but I'll tell you, I got to know him as a competitor because he was one of the folks that was negotiating to go against those Democrats, Dr. Ben Carson. Where's been? Where is Ben? By the way, Mike Huckabee is here someplace, and he is fantastic. Mike and his familiar bring Sarah, thank you very much. Gen. Mike Flynn. Where is Mike? And Gen. Kellogg. We have over 200 generals and admirals that have endorsed our campaign and there are special people.

We have 22 Congressional Medal of Honor people. A very special person who, believe me, I read reports that I wasn't getting along with him. I never had a bad second with him. He's an unbelievable star. He is  that's right, how did you possibly guess? Let me tell you about Reince. I've said Reince. I know it. I know it. Look at all of those people over there. I know it, Reince is a superstar. I said, they can't call you a superstar, Reince, unless we win it. Like Secretariat. He would not have that bust at the track at Belmont.

Reince is really a star and he is the hardest-working guy, and in a certain way I did this. Reince, come up here. Get over here, Reince.

Boy, oh, boy, oh, boy. It's about time you did this right. My god. Nah, come here. Say something.

[Reince Priebus: Ladies and gentlemen, the next president of the united States, Donald Trump! Thank you. It's been an honor. God bless. Thank God.]

Amazing guy. Our partnership with the RNC was so important to the success and what we've done, so I also have to say, I've gotten to know some incredible people.

The Secret Service people. They're tough and they're smart and they're sharp and I don't want to mess around with them, I can tell ya. And when I want to go and wave to a big group of people and they rip me down and put me back down in the seat, but they are fantastic people so I want to thank the Secret Service.

And law enforcement in New York City, they're here tonight. These are spectacular people, sometimes under appreciated unfortunately. We appreciate them. So it's been what they call an historic event, but to be really historic, we have to do a great job, and I promise you that I will not let you down. We will do a great job. We will do a great job. I look very much forward to being your president, and hopefully at the end of two years or three years or four years or maybe even eight years you will say so many of you worked so hard for us, with you. You will say that  you will say that that was something that you were  really were very proud to do and I can  thank you very much.

And I can only say that while the campaign is over, our work on this movement is now really just beginning. We're going to get to work immediately for the American people, and we're going to be doing a job that hopefully you will be so proud of your president. You will be so proud. Again, it's my honor.

It's an amazing evening. It's been an amazing two-year period, and I love this country. Thank you.
The self-confessed psychopath who stabbed a young doctor in her own home after dousing her with petrol had a sordid history of stalking women and had even admitted to being 'sick' after punching and stalking his then-wife in February.

Paul Lambert was killed by police following his brutal attack on Port Macquarie doctor Angela Jay last week - but since his death startling details have emerged about the quiet financier's private life.

The man is labelled as a 'serial stalker' by The Courier Mail who revealed old court documents showed he had even stalked his ex-wife after leaving her to chase another love interest.

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Paul Lambert, pictured, assaulted his then-wife Samantha Inkpen in February as the pair drove to a JP to finalise their divorce papers

Lambert who moved on to stab doctor Angela Jay, pictured, admitted to his wife in a barrage of texts earlier in the year that he was a psychopath and a stalker and was getting worse

In February Lambert - who went by the last name 'Scales' at that time - was driving with his then wife Samantha Inkpen when he threatened to crash the car - and punched her twice in the face.

He followed the assault up with dozens of messages begging for forgiveness and admitting fault in their failed marriage.

'I did cheat on you a few times and be a creep and control freak and manipulator. You name it I did it. The whole time I was a sick f---. I've always been sick. I just got greedier and more controlling,' one message said.

He then admitted to being at her house - while threatening to kill himself if she didn't take him back.

'I'm doing this (threatening suicide) because I know I'll never leave you alone. I'm worse than I was years ago. I did go to your house. The side door only had a chain lock.

'I just said all that so you know it's the real me. Shows I'm a stalker and bad person.'

The shocking revelations come after a string of Lambert's ex-partners come out about how their relationships ended with eerie similarity to his fling with Angela Jay.

Paul Lambert harrassed and terrorised Fox News reporter Brittany Ann Keil (pictured left) for months until she could not sleep or eat and was crying daily. Australian woman Tarnie Johnston has told of how she was harassed by the Tinder stalker ten years ago

Dr Jay (left, right) shaved off her hair for a cancer charity a while back and was known for her bright and bubbly personality before being attacked by Lambert

The young doctor has been described as a 'bright and bubbly' Californian who delivers babies for a living and shaved off her hair for a cancer charity.

Port Macquarie obstetrics and gynecology doctor Angela Jay was brutally attacked at her home by her psychopathic date Paul Lambert about 6pm Thursday.

Lambert waited at her home for her to finish her shift, doused her in petrol and stabbed her eleven times.

But the 28-year-old managed to escape the bloody scene - fleeing to a neighbour's house and calmly talking him through first aid until paramedics arrived.

Paul Lambert (pictured) laid in wait when Dr Jay clocked off from work and returned home. He was later gunned down by police - in what is now the subject of a critical incident investigation

Just 18 months ago, her attacker Lambert was kicked out of the United States for stalking a TV news reporter who he had a brief relationship with.

Then going by his birth name Paul Michael Scales, he was arrested in Orlando, Florida, on May 11, 2015 for breaching a restraining order.

This time, the object of his obsession was Emmy award-winning TV reporter Brittany Ann Keil, 32, with whom he had a brief relationship until his 'erratic' behaviour forced her to end it.

The 36-year-old then waged a campaign of 'manipulation, guilt, harrassment, control and emotional terrorism' to compel her to continue their relationship.

He invented dead relatives, a brain injury, and a terminal brain tumour, threatened suicide many times, and even pretended to have nine personalities - all while bombarding her with dozens of calls, emails and messages.

Paul Lambert (pictured) was shot dead by police in Coffs Harbour after the attack

Blood was seen splattered on the streets outside her home in Port Macquarie

'Paul... maliciously threatened her reputation, threatened to expose her to disgrace, expose her secrets which would affect her personally and professionally, with the intention to compel Brittany to see him,' court documents read.

'He also has attempted to extort money in exchange for no contact with her and in exchange for not following through with his malicious attempts to use his personal knowledge to ruin her life.'

It went on for months until he was arrested in Orlando, Florida, on May 11, 2015, charged with stalking and extortion.

He was later deported from the country accompanied by two U.S. federal marshals.

Paul Lambert (police mugshot pictured) continued his campaign of harassment for months until he was arrested, charged with stalking and extortion and later deported from the country accompanied by two U.S. federal marshals

Another victim of Lambert's stalking, Tarnie Johnston, dated the 'psychopath' a decade ago - and told A Current Affair about her troubles.

Ms Johnston said the revelations about the psychopathic stalker have reopened old wounds from her past.

'All of the emotion, fear and memories came flooding back instantly. Paul's behaviour towards Angela and Ann was reminiscent of what I had experienced 10 years ago.'

'What's even worse is we all look the same.'

Experts on the program warned his harassment of Ms Johnston was before the rise of popular dating app Tinder, which played a crucial role in his harassment of his other victims.
Republican Senator Mark Kirk has lost his Illinois seat to Bangkok-born Democratic opponent Tammy Duckworth who he racially abused during a debate.

The win represents the first seat taken by the Democrats from the Republicans. Democrats need to pick up four more seats from Republicans to win a majority in the 100-member Senate.

Kirk was called out by shocked Republicans and Democrats alike after he quipped he'd 'forgotten' that the parents of Duckworth - a Purple Heart Iraq war veteran who lost both her legs in the conflict - 'came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington'.

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Democrat Tammy Duckworth celebrates after winning the Senate seat in Illinois

Republican Senator Mark Kirk looks despondent after losing his seat to his rival

Tammy Duckworth celebrated her win, left, as Mark Kirk contemplated life after the Senate

He made the tone deaf comment in response to Duckworth's summary of her family's impressive military history, dating back to the Revolutionary War.

'My family has served this nation in uniform, going back to the Revolution. Im a daughter of the American Revolution', she had said.

'Ive bled for this nation. But I still want to be there in the Senate when the drums of war sound.

'Because people are quick to sound the drums of war, and I want to be there to say this is what it costs, this is what youre asking us to do.  Families like mine are the ones that bleed first.'

Immediately after making the snide remark an awkward silence fell on the debate, followed by an incandescent Twitter audience venting their fury.

Duckworth was born in Bangkok to a Thai mother of Chinese descent and an American father. She became the first member of Congress born in Thailand and was awarded the Purple Heart for her bravery after the helicopter she was co-piloting was shot down by the enemy.

Her father, Captain Franklin Duckworth, is a veteran of World War Two and the Korean and Vietnam wars.

Sen Mark Kirk made the bizarre remark at a head-to-head debate against Duckworth, left

Duckworth tweeted a photograph of herself with her parents, stating that her father's family has served in uniform since the Revolution

And her ancestor, Jonathan Duckworth, of Burke, North Carolina, is on the rolls of those who received Federal pensions for military service in the Revolutionary War.

Following the debate, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokeswoman Lara Sisselman issued a statement branding the attack 'offensive, wrong, and racist'.

Sisselman continued: 'A struggling political campaign is no excuse for baseless and despicable attacks, and Senator Kirk owes Congresswoman Duckworth and her family an apology.'

The Clinton campaign was quick to pounce on the controversy - hitting right back at Kirk with a tweet which read: 'Thankful for @TammyforIL's - and her family's - service to this country. It's really not that hard to grasp, @MarkKirk.4]

Responding to Kirk's comment, Duckworth said: 'Im proud of both my fathers side and my mother, who is an immigrant.' She also tweeted out a picture alongside her parents - both her and her father in army dress with medals on display.

Iraq 2004 during a break in the mission day: Helicopter pilot Major Duckworth lost both her legs in a helicopter accident later that year and was awarded the Purple Heart for her bravery

Duckworth talks to DAV member and Vietnam Veteran Don Sioss about her injuries and treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC on January 7, 2005

Duckworth arrives (left) to address delegates on the final day of DNC at Wells Fargo Center on July 28, 2016 - and right, pictured with President Barack Obama in 2008 to honor America's veterans on Veterans Day at the Bronze Soldiers Memorial November in Chicago

A statue of the Congresswoman was erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution next to Revolutionary War hero Margaret Ludwig Hay in Mount Vernon.

After the criticism, a statement was issued by Kirk campaign spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis, which did not include an apology - in fact it went on to call Duckworth a liar and a failure.

It said: 'Senator Kirk has consistently called Rep. Duckworth a war hero and honors her familys service to this country. 'But thats not what this debate was about. Rep. Duckworth lied about her legal troubles, was unable to defend her failures at the VA and then falsely attacked Senator Kirk over his record on supporting gay rights'.

The controversy was greeted with glee by Kellyanne Conway, Donald Trump's campaign manager.

Kirk angered Trump earlier this year by un-endorsing him and saying he is unfit to be president.

WHAT SHE SAID, WHAT HE SAID - AND THEN THE SILENCE... Tammy Duckworth: 'My family has served this nation in uniform, going back to the Revolution. Im a daughter of the American Revolution. Ive bled for this nation. But I still want to be there in the Senate when the drums of war sound. Because people are quick to sound the drums of war, and I want to be there to say this is what it costs, this is what youre asking us to do.  Families like mine are the ones that bleed first.' Sen. Mark Kirk: 'I had forgotten that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington' Advertisement

Duckworth pictured with her husband Major Bryan W. Bowlsbey, a signal officer and fellow Iraq War veteran with whom she served in the llinois Army National Guard. After struggling to conceive, Duckworth welcomed her first child, Abigail Okalani Bowlsbey, in 2014

'Gotcha': Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway tweeted a link to the video of Kirk's 'joke'

MAJOR DUCKWORTH: FIRST FEMALE DOUBLE AMPUTEE OF THE IRAQ WAR Duckworth was working towards a Ph.D. in political science at Northern Illinois University when she was deployed to Iraq in 2004. She lost her right leg near the hip and her left leg below the knee from injuries sustained on November 12, 2004, when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter she was co-piloting was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade fired by Iraqi insurgents.She was the first female double amputee from the Iraq war. The explosion almost completely destroyed her right arm, breaking it in three places and tearing tissue from the back side of it. Duckworth received a Purple Heart on December 3 and was promoted to Major on December 21 at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where she was presented with an Air Medal and Army Commendation Medal. She retired from the Illinois Army National Guard in October 2014 as a lieutenant colonel. She returned to school and completed a PhD in Human Services at Capella University in March 2015.[14] Advertisement

Conway tweeted a link to the video, and wrote: 'The same Mark Kirk that unendorsed his party's presidential nominee and called him out in paid ads? Gotcha. Good luck.'

Kirk is no stranger to controversy or racially-charged comments. He previously said Obama was 'acting like the drug dealer in chief' for the administration's cash payment to Iran in exchange for the release of American prisoners.

He insulted African-Americas further by suggesting entrepreneurship within their community should be fostered so 'that the black community is not the one we drive faster through'.

The one that attracted most attention however was his live mic reference during a Senate committee hearing of bachelor colleague Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina who he referred to as a 'bro with no ho'.

Kirk, who also uses a wheelchair due to complications from a stroke, is also a veteran and served as an intelligence officer in the Naval Reserve.

Polls give Duckworth a comfortable lead over the Republican in what is a deep blue state.
Twitter users were quick to blame outage on Americans trying to flee U.S.

Canada's immigration website crashed repeatedly as Donald Trump inched closer to his U.S. election victory - and thousands of Americans vowed to move across the border.

The official website, which contains information on how to emigrate and obtain citizenship, began experiencing a series of outages early on Tuesday night - presumably because of a high volume of traffic.

Those trying to access the 'Citizenship and Immigration Canada' page reported seeing long loading pages or no access to the website at all with messages of internal server errors.

Hours later when Trump secured victory after 2am on Wednesday, the immigration website was still down.

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Canada's immigration website, which details information on how to move to the country, crashed - presumably because of a high volume of traffic - as the U.S. election results came in

Those on Twitter blamed the outage on Americans trying to work out how to flee the United States as Donald Trump secured a White house victory

Twitter users were quick to say the issues with the website were being caused by Americans looking for options on how to flee the United States given Trump's win.

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE TO MOVE TO CANADA? Make sure you are 18 If you have a special skill or profession you may be eligible to become a permanent resident If you are joining immediate family members who already live in Canada you may also be eligible Make sure you speak English or French, as well as a basic knowledge of Canadian history To apply for citizenship, you need to be permanent resident Advertisement

Search traffic on Google increased dramatically as people began searching terms like 'emigrate' around the same time the Canadian website started crashing, according to the Telegraph.

There was also a wave of people searching 'end of the world' as the election results continued to filter through.

Similar trends were seen in the United Kingdom earlier this year in the wake of the Brexit vote.

Those seeking to live in Canada are required to apply for permanent residency in the country.

There is a range of citizenship options that usually involve people coming to work in Canada or move to live with family.

A number of Americans had already threatened to leave if Trump became president.

'Canada's immigration website has crashed. I'm sure that's a coincidence,' one Twitter user wrote.

Another said: 'Guessing Canada's population is going up 40% this week. Whoa not so fast Canada's immigration and citizenship website has crashed.'

After some Americans, often jokingly, said they would move to Canada if Trump was elected, the idea has been taken up by some Canadian communities.

In February, the island of Cape Breton on Canada's Atlantic coast marketed itself as a tranquil refuge for Americans seeking to escape should Trump capture the White House.
Rahm Emanuel Was Sort-Of Comforting This Morning As Election News Sunk In

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Nov 9, 2016 7:41PM



Photo credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Mayor Rahm Emanuel tried to offer the City Council some comforting words this morning during a council meeting, as the outcome of Tuesday night's shocking 2016 presidential election sunk in.

"A lot of people in the city of Chicago woke up despondent, went to sleep that way, wondering whether this country still has them, their future and their childrens future at heart, Emanuel said. He offered up some consolation: the victories of Democrats Tammy Duckworth, Kim Foxx and Susana Mendoza in their respective state and local races.

"I saw the first Hispanic woman elected statewide in Illinois on her own who is the daughter of an immigrant," he said, referring to Mendoza. "And I saw in her mothers eyes the pride and the reward for all of the sacrifice and struggle that she made in coming to America  not just a place, but a set of ideas and a set of values and that was rewarded."

Although this election obviously did not turn out [the way we wanted], I believe that this Republican Congress, Republican Senate and the president have an obligation to work with a city and with cities across the United States," Emanuel said. But, "This America has a future too. The values of who we are still hold true and they still are a shiny, bright beacon in moments for all of us, in moments of darkness.

After the council meeting, Emanuel spoke to reporters about how this election's results might affect immigrantsparticularly the children of immigrants granted asylum in the United States under the Dream Act.

At a news conference after Wednesdays City Council meeting, Emanuel was asked about the deep-seated anxieties of the children of immigrants known as Dreamers for the Dream Act that granted them asylum.

To those families, you are welcomed here in the city of Chicago, he said, according to the Sun-Times. "Your dreams for your children count. Your struggles to give your children a chance at the American dream are heard in this city."

In the same news conference, Emanuel also told reporters that he is "not worried" about Trump trying to harm Chicago in his position as president.

"I'm not worried about Donald Trump trying to somehow penalize Chicago," Emanuel said, according to the Tribune. But at the same time, "I'm not sure President-elect Trump will listen to me, but I would say that you're president for all of America, and that includes your third-largest city in the country."

Ald. Gilbert Villegas, (36th), told the Tribune that he's concerned about Trump seeking revenge.

"From what I heard from [Trump's] discussions, he's someone that if you're not with him, he's against you and he's going to seek revenge," he said. "And I think Illinois is going to pay the price for that."
Maybe some Americans were serious when they threatened they would move to Canada if Republican presidential candidate became successful in his often polarizing campaign for the White House.

Canada's main immigration website appeared to suffer repeated outages on Tuesday night as Trump took the lead in several major states and his prospects for winning the U.S. presidency turned markedly higher.

Some users in the United States, Canada and Asia saw an internal serve error message when trying to access the www.cic.gc.ca/ website.

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Canada's main immigration website appeared to suffer repeated outages on Tuesday night (pictured) as Trump took the lead in several major states

A cake in the likeness of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is on display at his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York

Officials for the ministry could not immediately be reached for comment, but the website's problems were noted by many on Twitter.

After some Americans, often jokingly, said they would move to Canada if Trump was elected, the idea has been taken up by some Canadian communities.

In February, the island of Cape Breton on Canada's Atlantic coast marketed itself as a tranquil refuge for Americans seeking to escape should Trump capture the White House.

Joel Sandaluk, an immigration lawyer from Toronto, said the volume of inquiries to his office had noticeably increased in recent months.

Team Trump - including Donald Trump, his family, and running mate Mike Pence - watches election results. Ivanka Trump posted the image to her Twitter feed

Supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton watch and wait at her election night rally in New York on Tuesday

We got more around the time of the Republican convention. Its slowed down a little bit. There's always an interest in leaving the country if it seems your country is on a path that doesnt please you, he told USA Today.

Mr Sandaluk outlined the various legal routes to Canada, such as management consultant, dentist and disaster relief insurance claims adjuster; enrolling in a university degree program; having a skill that is desperately needed in a certain area of the country; or having a Canadian ancestor.
The father of murdered teacher Stephanie Scott was buried on Wednesday in a private family ceremony at the same venue where his tragic daughter would have been married.

Mourners paid their respects to Mr Scott at a funeral service held at Eat Your Greens, Eugowra, where his daughter had planned to be married before she was brutally murdered

Robert Scott, 59, died in a freak accident after he was struck by a falling tree at the family farm in the New South Wales central west. His dead body was found at the family's Canowindra property about 12pm on November 1.

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Mourners carry the coffin of Robert Scott at a funeral service held at Eat Your Greens, Eugowra, NSW on Wednesday

Mr Scott (left), father of late school teacher Stephanie Scott, has died in a freak accident. Here, he is pictured speaking at a memorial for his daughter in April 2015

Mr Scott's death was a shocking second tragedy for the Scott family, coming just 18 months after his daughter Stephanie was raped and killed.

Mourners were invited to farewell the former high school maths teacher Mr Scott, known as Bob, at the funeral service on Wednesday.

Eat Your Greens, just outside Eugowra in NSW's central west, is the same venue Stephanie Scott's funeral was held in April 2015, and the same venue she was due to be married just days after her tragic death.

What should have been a joyous venue for the Scott family has now been the place for two funerals for two separate family members.

Together for justice: Mr Scott stood by his wife Merrilyn as she read out a statement outside Griffith Local Court on October 13

Robert Scott's funeral will be held at Eat Your Greens, the same place Stephanie's funeral was held and her would-be wedding

In a funeral announcement published in the Central Western Daily, Mr Scott was remembered as a 'much loved husband for 38 years to Merrilyn loved brother, brother-in-law and uncle to all his family loved by all'.

Mr Scott has a beer with family after his daughter's killer is sentenced in October

People who knew Mr Scott, a retired school teacher, have once again been asked to make their way to the Eugowra function centre to pay their respects to a beloved friend and family member.

Mr Scott's family were reportedly 'beside themselves' after learning of his death at the beginning of November.

His family knew something was wrong when he failed to return home from the family's Canowindra property.

Just weeks before his tragic death, Mr Scott stood beside his wife, Merrilyn, and held her hand as she read a victim impact statement about her slain daughter Stephanie.

Mrs Scott detailed the 'harrowing' 18 months her family endured since their daughter's murder.

'So much has been taken away from us. Stephanie has had everything taken away from her,' Mrs Scott said.

'Losing her has shattered so many lives and we are all struggling with the consequences.'

Eat Your Greens should have been a joyous venue for the Scott family but it will now be the setting for two funerals for two separate family members

Eat Your Greens, just outside Eugowra in NSW's central west, (pictured) is the same venue where Stephanie Scott's funeral was held in April 2015

Stephanie Scott planned to get married at Eat Your Greens (pictured), a wedding due to go ahead just days after she was murdered

Stephanie's funeral was held in April 2015 after she was brutally raped and murdered, (her parents, Robert and Merrilyn are pictured at her funeral)

The only sign that Stephanie's wedding was due to take place at the function centre was a touching memorial at the venue's entrance, which was made up of flower bouquets and yellow balloons

Tributes to Ms Scott were left at the gates of her wedding venue. Her big day was supposed to take place on the Saturday after she was killed

Robert Scott (right) pictured with his daughter Stephanie (left) as a child

Stephanie Scott (pictured), a school teacher, was due to get married just days after she was murdered

The next day, Mr Scott and his family sat in court while Vincent Stanford was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Stephanie Scott.

Mr Scott and his family were praised by presiding judge Robert Allan Hulme for their 'inspiring dignity' during the difficult sentencing.
A man who picked up his child from school while high on meth was pulled over for driving dangerously and was unsteady on his feet with puncture marks on his elbow.

Shannon Harris told Gladstone Magistrates Court he has lost his family after police pulled him over on Dawson Highway at the coast of central Queensland last month.

Motorists had spotted him driving dangerously and Harris was pulled over by police on the busy road about 3.45pm on October 18, Gladstone Observer reported.

Shannon Harris (pictured) picked up his child from school while high on meth

He was asked out of his car and was found to be 'unsteady on his feet', police prosecutor Barry Stevens told the court.

'Police also observed needle puncture marks on the inside of his left elbow.'

Harris had told the officers the marks were old, and he'd last used meth four days earlier, Sgt Stevens told the court.

Police searched the vehicle and found small digital scales disguised as a key remote, which were covered in a white residue, police said.

Harris pleaded guilty at Gladstone Magistrates Court (stock) to driving under the influence and possessing property used in connection to drugs

He was arrested and taken to Gladstone Hospital but blood tests have not yet been returned.

Harris told the court he'd been clean for 21 days.

He said he had lost his wife and custody of his children.

'I just want my life back.'

Harris said he had used drugs earlier in the day when he met up with a friend and because of difficulties in his relationship.

He pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and possessing property used in connection to drugs.
Queensland is the only mainland state without a legal nudist beach

in their 80s and foreigners were booked

Beachgoers looking for a skinny dip have been exposed with a couple in their 80s caught by police at an 'unofficial' nudist beach according to reports.

Nudists at Alexandria Bay, a well known 'unofficial' clothing optional beach for more than 50 years, on the Sunshine Coast has reportedly been at the centre of a blitz by police - despite no legal nudists beaches in Queensland.

Local Roger Henderson told the Sunshine Coast Daily police had booked foreigners and two people in their 80s, and he also slammed authorities from deterring tourists and naked beachgoers attending the well known beach.

Queensland are the only state to have no legal legal nudists beaches in Australia (Stock Image)

Alexandria Beach in Nooosa, Sunshine Coast, is a well known 'unofficial' clothing optional beach

'The police have been turning up, hanging around in the bushes for an hour or two and then leaping out and pouncing on unsuspecting beach goers,' he said.

Mark Hayter from the Free Beach Association claimed he was nearby in Noosa and heard about the police targeting the beach, according to the Sunshine Coast Daily.

'I heard they booked a lot of foreigners and two people in their 80s,' Mr Hayter told the publication.

Police were granted the power to crackdown on nudists when Judge DCJ Jones upheld a decision allowing police to charge nude beachgoers.

Earlier in the year, Police Minister Bill Byrne rejected two attempts from the public to create a nudist beach on the Sunshine Coast.

Petitioners were campaigning to form an area on the beach where they could sunbathe or swim nude 'without the fear of prosecution,' according to The Brisbane Times.

The police minister was adamant there were no plans to form such a beach.

Queensland is the only mainland state not to have at least one legal nudist beach.

Daily Mail Australia contacted the Queensland Police for comment.
It appears that the two men spoke shortly before 4am on Wednesday

Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway described the conversation between the two men as 'very warm'

He also invited Trump to the White House on Thursday so they could begin to discuss the transition of power

Obama is due to deliver a statement from the White House with Vice President Joe Biden

President Barack Obama called to congratulate Donald Trump after his surprise victory, and invited him to a meeting at the White House.

A White House spokesperson said on Wednesday morning that the two men had spoken, and that President Obama had asked to president elect to travel to Washington DC on Thursday so they could begin to discuss the transition on power.

President Obama said the two men spoke at 3:30am on Wednesday.

The White House said in a statement: 'Ensuring a smooth transition of power is one of the top priorities the President identified at the beginning of the year and a meeting with the President-elect is the next step.'

That call came after President Obama's somber election night speech on Wednesday, during which he told Americans: 'No matter what happens, the sun will rise in the morning'.

Obama will also deliver a statement, with Vice President Joe Biden, from the White House's Brady Press Briefing Room at 12.15pm ET.

Big win: In a victory that has shaken the world, Donald Trump (pictured giving his victory speech) has swept to power on his promise to 'Make America Great Again'

Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway also spoke about the call between the two men during an appearance on Today Wednesday morning, saying: 'Well, it was a very warm conversation.

'We were happy to receive the call from the President and they had a great, thorough conversation about Mr. Trump's victory, he was congratulated, and I think they resolved to work together, which is exactly what this country needs - to get the current president and the president elect and others who are in leadership position to help unify and heal the country.'

She then added: 'We expect that the two gentlemen will be meeting soon.'

White House press secretary Josh Earnest had told reporters traveling aboard Air Force One last week that the president was leaving his schedule open on Wednesday and Thursday for a possible meeting with the president-elect.

On Tuesday night, Obama said in a video message for Buzzfeed News: 'Let's face it. This has been an exhausting, stressful and sometimes downright weird election for all of us.

Forlorn: Mr Obama looked serious throughout his message, where he urged people to stay calm

'But here's what I want everybody to know: While we've certainly seen some new things this time around, what isn't new is that our democracy has always been rowdy and raucous. We've been through tough and divisive elections before and we've always come out stronger for it.'

He added: 'Remember, no matter what happens, the sun will rise in the morning and America will still be the greatest nation on earth'.

His message was downbeat - and in marked contrast with his buoyant mood on the previous night, where he and wife Michelle joined the Clintons and daughter Chelsea on stage at a final glitzy rally in Philadelphia.

On Tuesday night, Trump said that he had received a call from his opponent, Hillary Clinton. In his remarks to supporters, he praised her for a hard-fought campaign and said Americans owe her a major debt of gratitude for her long service to the country.

It came after the most divisive US presidential election in modern history ended and Trump swept to power and claimed his place as America's 45th president.

Contrast: The night before the Obamas and the Clintons looked buoyant as they attended a rally in Philadelphia - but polls showing she would win were wrong

OBAMA'S ELECTION NIGHT MESSAGE FOR AMERICANS This has been an exhausting, stressful and sometimes downright weird election for all of us. But here's what I want everybody to know: While we've certainly seen some new things this time around, what isn't new is that our democracy has always been rowdy and raucous. We've been through tough and divisive elections before and we've always come out stronger for it. That's what makes America special, the idea that while progress isn't guaranteed, each of us has the power to choose our path, not just on nights like this, but everyday in between. It is a beautiful and fragile gift and we should treat it that way. So whether your chosen candidates win or lose tonight, let's all agree not only to stay engaged, but to push ourselves to do even better. To vote not just when a president's on the ballot, but for Congress and mayor and school board and dog-catcher. To educate ourselves on the issues and to join with our neighbors in tackling the ones that face our communities. And, most importantly, to see each other not simply as Democrats or Republicans, but as fellow Americans. To treat each other with the respect and empathy and kinship that title, Americans, demands. That's especially true here on a place like Twitter, but it's something we can bring with us to everything we do online and off. We can choose to see the best in one another. Have a good night everybody. And remember, no matter what happens, the sun will rise in the morning and America will still be the greatest nation on earth. Advertisement

It is an astonishing victory for the celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalized on voters' economic anxieties, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations on his way to the White House.

Trump's triumph over Hillary Clinton, not declared until well after midnight, will end the Democrat's eight years controlling the executive branch.

He will govern with Congress fully under Republican control and lead a country deeply divided by his rancorous campaign against Secretary Clinton.

He faces fractures within his own party, too, given the numerous Republicans who either tepidly supported his nomination or never backed him at all.

As he claimed victory, Trump urged Americans to 'come together as one united people'.

Secretary Clinton, who hoped to become the nation's first female president, called her Republican rival to concede but did not plan to speak publicly until Wednesday morning.

Trump, who spent much of the campaign urging his supporters on as they chanted 'lock her up', said the nation owed Mrs Clinton 'a major debt of gratitude' for her years of public service.

The Republican blasted through Democrats' long-standing firewall, carrying Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that had not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since the 1980s.
A Kings Cross identity has been fined $1,500 after he illegally entered a casino he didn't know he was banned from.

Bill Bayeh, 58, was on a good behaviour bond when he entered the Star Casino in Sydney while on an exclusion order earlier this year.

But Bayeh's lawyer told court on Wednesday the businessman was 'illiterate' and depended on others to explain documents to him.

In handing down a sentence, Magistrate Glenn Walsh said he believed the man, who spent 15 years in jail for drug trafficking, mistakenly thought the order had expired.

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Bill Bayeh has been fined $1,500 after he entered a casino he didn't know he was banned

The 58-year-old was on a good behaviour bond when he entered the Star Casino in Sydney

'He thought for some reason it would expire,' Mr Walsh said at the Downing Centre Local Court.

'He now knows that's not true.'

The court heard Bayeh did not try to disguise himself as he entered the casino and handed his ID over when stopped.

But Mr Walsh found the businessman could have had someone accurately explain the order to him.

He was on a good behaviour bond when he entered the casino while on an exclusion order

Magistrate Glenn Walsh said he believed the man mistakenly thought the order had expired

In April, Bayeh was given a 12-month bond for making threats involving a dildo to Geoffrey Edelsten's ex-wife Leanne Nesbitt in February 2015.

Earlier this year, he also pleaded guilty to hindering police after he tore up a handwritten note of 'numbers similar to a drug code' before being arrested.

The court on Wednesday heard Bayeh, who was depicted in Underbelly: The Golden Mile, had been trying to rebuild his life since being released from jail in 2011 but his Kings Cross business was suffering under the lockout laws.

He was also stopped at the casino about two years ago but thought his ban finished after court matters were finalised, the court heard.
Wolf Blitzer is being criticized by many on Twitter for his refusal to accept the fact that Donald Trump had won the presidency while hosting CNN's election coverage.

One Twitter used noted that Blitzer was trying to 'desperately resuscitate the Clinton corpse' in response to the fact that he was calling states for Trump long after other networks and major media outlets.

CNN was also also the final network to report that Trump had won the race, waiting until 2:48am, just after he took the stage to make his victory speech in New York.

Just minutes prior, Blitzer was visibly stunned when co-host Dana Bash informed him that Clinton had conceded to Trump in a phone call.

'If Hillary Clinton has conceded, that is dramatic,' said Blitzer, live on air.

'That is a dramatic development, Dana, and to hear the words president elect, we havent yet projected that - but youre saying Clinton made a formal call to Donald Trump to concede?'

Bash then again confirmed that Clinton had conceded, but still CNN did not call the election for Trump.

This despite the fact that Trump had over 270 electoral college votes at that time as well according to all other outlets - except CNN.

As the election results rolled in, Wolf Blitzer was criticized for his coverage of the election as CNN anchors Anderson Cooper and Jake Tapper stayed out of the limelight

One by one, key battleground states like Florida, North Carolina and Ohio went to Trump throughout the night, stunning several anchors and hosts, including Anderson Cooper (right) and Blitzer (left) who anticipated Hillary Clinton would keep the lead

Blitzer was mocked on Twitter about his attempt to 'desperately resuscitate the Clinton corpse', one user tweeted. He was also criticized for repeatedly saying: 'Let's go over to John King (right) over at the "magic wall"'

King then became a US Twitter trending topic during the election coverage as evidence of this tweet

This Twitter user said Blitzer was 'desperately trying to resuscitate the Clinton corpse'

One by one, key battleground states like Florida, North Carolina and Ohio went to Trump throughout the night,but Blitzer constantly reported on the most minimal of results from the swing states that were crucial to both candidates.

CALLING THE ELECTION The Daily Mail: 1:56am Associated Press: 2:31am Fox News: 2:40am The New York Times: 2:41am CLINTON CONCEDES: 2:43 am Reuters: 2:43am PENCE SPEAKS AT RALLY: 2:44am The Washington Post: 2:44am NBC News: 2:44am ABC News: 2:45am CBS News: 2:45am TRUMP SPEAKS AT RALLY: 2:47am CNN: 2:48am Advertisement

Several Twitter users said Blitzer was going to 'need post election therapy sessions, along with many other people probably'.

Some said that his election coverage showed that he was in 'denial' about Trump's success as he picked up key wins across the nation.

At one point in the evening, CNN's Brianna Keilar spoke about how difficult the night had been for Clinton supporters, saying that some were 'crying' after hearing the results at her rally.

'They were coming to this event for what they thought would even be an early night watching Hillary Clinton being elected as the first woman president, and now they are confronting the reality that they could be walking out of here not knowing, or even expecting that Donald Trump will be president,' said Keilar.

Blitzer responded by saying: 'I can certainly understand their sadness.'

Other Twitter users said Blitzer was calling it a 'cliffhanger race hours after it was over as a contest'.

While another user noticed that CNN hadn't called the election for Trump 'because they haven't got enough tissues for Wolf Blitzer's resultant sobbing'

Jake Tapper and Dana Bash also covered the election on CNN, but weren't in the limelight as much as Blitzer

Tapper later tweeted that the results were 'stunning' and went against what many experts and analysis predicted

This user said the entire 'CNN bunch looks suicidal' as the election results came in

Several users said Blitzer was going to 'need post election therapy sessions, along with many other people probably'

Some said that his election coverage showed that he was in 'denial' about Trump's success as he picked up key wins across the nation

Blitzer was also mocked on social media for repeatedly taking about the network's 'magic wall' throughout the night, where the results where being shown to viewers.

'Let's go over to John King over at the "magic wall,"' said Blitzer every few minutes.

King then became a trending topic during the election coverage because as soon as Blitzer would throw to his he would cut him off and start talking again.

This while Anderson Cooper, one of CNN's most prominent personalities and the moderator of the second debate remained largely unseen, leaving Blitzer, Bash and Jake Taper to do most of the coverage.

And despite his long night, Blitzer was back on the air at 10am on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow was visibly upset on election night while talking to her viewers.

At one point she interrupted her election coverage to say: 'You're awake by the way. You're not having a terrible, terrible dream.
Hillary Clintons Midwest firewall collapsed into ashes overnight with Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania going to Trump, as he clinched the presidency.

Trump soared to victory with 288 electoral votes, as the former first lady was only able to get 215.

A prediction made by progressive activist and filmmaker Michael Moore, a Michigan native, came to fruition: Donald J. Trump is going to win.

Last month Moore posted on his website: Whos the candidate with the most rabid supporters? Whose crazed fans are going to be up at 5 AM on Election Day, kicking ass all day long, all the way until the last polling place has closed, making sure every Tom, Dick and Harry (and Bob and Joe and Billy Bob and Billy Joe and Billy Bob Joe) has cast his ballot?

Thats right. Thats the high level of danger were in.

Hillary Clintons Midwest firewall collapsed into ashes on Tuesday evening, with Ohio, Pennsylvania and Iowa going to President-elect Trump (pictured, at his New York victory party)

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Michael Moore (pictured, right) warned last month that Trump would do well in the Midwest. A Trump supporter watching TV in a bar in Bay City, Michigan (left) greets a key result

What did Michael Moore actually say? From Green Bay to Pittsburgh, this, my friends, is the middle of England  broken, depressed, struggling, the smokestacks strewn across the countryside with the carcass of what we use to call the Middle Class. Angry, embittered working (and nonworking) people who were lied to by the trickle-down of Reagan and abandoned by Democrats who still try to talk a good line but are really just looking forward to rub one out with a lobbyist from Goldman Sachs wholl write them nice big check before leaving the room. What happened in the UK with Brexit is going to happen here. Elmer Gantry shows up looking like Boris Johnson and just says whatever s*** he can make up to convince the masses that this is their chance! To stick (it) to ALL of them, all who wrecked their American Dream! And now The Outsider, Donald Trump, has arrived to clean house! You dont have to agree with him! You dont even have to like him! He is your personal Molotov cocktail to throw right into the center of the b******s who did this to you! SEND A MESSAGE! TRUMP IS YOUR MESSENGER! Advertisement

Moore accurately calculated that Trump would do well in the Midwest.

Welcome to Our Rust Belt Brexit, a heading in the article said.

Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are traditionally Democratic states, he observed, but they have Republican governors, indicating a rightward trend.

How can the race be this close after everything Trump has said and done? Well maybe its because hes said (correctly) that the Clintons support of NAFTA helped to destroy the industrial states of the Upper Midwest, he said, referring to the trade deal her husband instituted as president.

The trade policies that Clinton has backed  NAFTA, President Barack Obamas Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership - have royally screwed the people of these four states, Moore said.

Trumps threat to Ford to hit the automobile company with a 35 per cent tariff on cars it built in Mexico after the company said it was building a plant there was sweet, sweet music to the ears of the working class of Michigan, Moore said.

And when he tossed in his threat to Apple that he would force them to stop making their iPhones in China and build them here in America, well, hearts swooned and Trump walked away with a big victory that should have gone to the governor next-door, John Kasich.

Moore also correctly predicted: 'He doesnt need Colorado or Virginia. Just Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. And that will put him over the top. This is how it will happen in November.'

A voter signs in before voting in Knox Township in Alliance, Ohio. The swing state went for Trump by 52.1 percent to 43.5 percent, with many registered Democrats apparently switching their allegiance

Michael Moore predicted last month that Trump would win. But despite his fears yesterday he tweeted this prediction, which was off the mark

Despite Moore's correct prediction, he got it wrong yesterday, when he tweeted this as the polls opened: 'This is America. Don't let me or yourself down. We are a good people & a great country, in spite of whatever. We will not elect a sociopath.'

Clintons campaign acknowledged in the final weeks of the campaign that Trump could seize Ohio.

But aides insisted they had other paths to victory that did not include the state  namely Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania is a state that, if were able to win it, it pretty well blocks his path,' Clintons national spokesman, Brian Fallon, told DailyMail.com at a rally two weeks before the election.

'If you look at the states that are likeliest to support Hillary Clinton based on where the races stands today, if you add Pennsylvania to that, it basically puts us at the doorstop of 270 all by itself.'

But in the event they lost Pennsylvania too.

No politician has won the presidency without Ohio since 1968.

The truism stuck on Tuesday night when Trump conquered the Buckeye State.

With 98 percent of the votes counted in Michigan, the Republican candidate was on top in Michigan aswell.

Minnesota was the sole Clinton hold-out, favoring the Democratic candidate by fewer than a percentage point.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump supporter Robert Barnheiser, (center), celebrates early poll results at a watch party for Trump supporters in Wayzata, Minnesota, a traditionally Democrat state which is still on a knife-edge

Hillary Clinton (pictured, right, with Lady Gaga at a rally in North Carolina) campaigned tirelessly in Ohio but many traditional Democrats deserted her to vote for Trump, just like the 'Reagan Democrats' of the 1980s

Clinton visited Michigan twice in three days at the end of the campaign.

President Obama, Bill Clinton and Chelsea Clinton were also sent to campaign in the state, too  a sure sign of something going wrong in a traditionally Democrat state.

Trump finished his campaign in Grand Rapids, Michigan, just after midnight on Tuesday, saying: 'Today is our independence day.'

Trump's son had gleefully posted this on Twitter after Moore predicted the tycoon would make it to the White House

A prediction made by progressive activist and filmmaker Michael Moore, a Michigan native, came to fruition: Donald J. Trump (pictured above, casting his vote) is going to win.
An Australian mother and her British boyfriend accused of murdering a Balinese police officer have arrived to the first day of trial at Denpasar Court on Wednesday holding hands.

Australia's Sara Connor and her younger DJ boyfriend David Taylor are facing a trial over the alleged murder of local police officer Wayan Sudarsa whose bloodied body was discovered on Kuta Beach on August 17.

After almost three months in custody, Ms Connor, 45, and Taylor, 34, were photographed handcuffed together as they were transferred from Kerobokan prison ahead of their first court appearance.

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Taylor (left) and Connor (right) hold hands as they are transferred from Kerobokan prison ahead of their court appearance on Wednesday

Connor attempts to shield her face as she is transferred to her court appearance

Photos show a serious looking Connor attempting to hide her face with a fan in one hand while seeking comfort from Taylor with the other.

But it appears the pair had little choice but to link up given they were handcuffed together.

Dressed in long white T-shirts and orange vests identifying them as prison inmates, the pair walked silently into the courtroom as a united front.

While Connor donned a big dark pair of sunglasses to hide behind, it was Taylor whose appearance dramatically changed in the lead up to the trial.

The Australian mother (centre left) is seen covering her face as she walks alongside her British boyfriend (centre right)

Holding hands with Taylor in one hand, Connor shields her face from photographers with a hand fan with the other

Connor (left) and Taylor (right) are transferred from prison to their court appearance on Wednesday

His long, matted dreadlocks were completely cut off - leaving him with a short and fresh look for the judges.

Connor, a mother-of-two from Byron Bay, and Taylor, from Stoke Newington who goes by the name 'DJ Nutzo', are charged with three separate charges of murder, torture and assault.

Taylor told police he struck policeman Sudarsa with a pair of binoculars during a late night altercation at a tourist hotspot in Bali.

Taylor said he thought the policeman attacked Connor and tried to steal her bag, but police claim Taylor flew into a rage and hit the policeman repeatedly.

Hiding behind dark sunglasses, Connor (left and right) attempts to avoid the photographers

Connor (pictured) is escorted to a courtroom for her trial at the Denpasar District Court in Bali

British man David Taylor (right) and Australia's Sara Connor (left) arrive to face their first trial at Denpasar Court

Connor has maintained her innocence, claiming her only involvement was to pull her boyfriend off the police officer during the brawl.

Police finalised their case against the pair in October paving way for the murder trial to go ahead on November 9.

The trial is expected to last for months, with the defendants due to appear before the court a couple of days each week.

Connor (right) talks to her lawyer inside a holding cell before her first day at trial on Wednesday

British man David Taylor (right and left) sits in a court room during his first trial at Denpasar court on November 9

Connor (right) talks to her lawyer during her first trial at Denpasar court on November 9

Connor (pictured) sits in a court room during her first trial on Wednesday, November 1

David Taylor (left and right) has cut off his dreadlocks in lead up to the murder trial in Bali

Attemping to shield her face, Connor held a fan on her way into court on Wednesday

David Taylor, 33 (2nd R), and Australian Sara Connor, 45 (2nd L), who are accused of killing a policeman, arrive to attend the start of their trial

British man David Taylor is seen inside holding cell before facing the first trial with his Australian girlfriend at Denpasar Court in Denpasa

A panel of three judges will preside over the trial, and if found guilty of murder, Connor and Taylor will face a maximum sentence of 15 years behind bars.

The pair have been awaiting the murder trial at the notorious Kerobokan prison, a jail known for being overcrowded, squalid and outright dangerous.

Case prosecutors are expected to outline the dramatic lengths the couple went to in order to allegedly cover up the crime, including burning their clothes and getting rid of the police officer's phone and wallet.

Australian Sarah Connor walks out from the jail for her first trial at Denpasar court on November 9, 2016 in Denpasar
Dr Canon Jules Gomes, pictured, made 'angry' and 'foul-mouthed' outbursts against churchwardens and a cleaner, a church disciplinary panel heard

A vicar could be defrocked over a series of abusive outbursts with colleagues, it has been revealed.

Dr Canon Jules Francis Gomes was brought before a Church of England disciplinary panel after being accused of foul-mouthed rants against churchwardens and a cleaner at a parish on the Isle of Man.

The vicar was found to have shown an 'unacceptable level of self-control' over his anger, particularly towards the cleaner, who later quit her job.

Dr Gomes, who was ordained in northern India, is understood to have said f*** repeatedly in an argument with a warden.

He was also investigated for 'malicious' allegations of racism against Venerable Andrew Brown, the Archdeacon of Man, and Right Revd Robert Paterson, the Bishop of Sodor and Man, who both denied the claims.

Dr Gomes served the parish of Arbory and Castletown on the Isle of Man but resigned last December and claimed the complaints against him were 'hearsay' and 'completely false'.

But the tribunal panel upheld the complaints and found 'no evidence' of any bullying or racism against Dr Gomes.

The panel also heard the vicar had been reprimanded by the Archdeacon for 'failing to fulfil his duties' and that senior members of the clergy were 'pulling their hair out' at his performance.

In its conclusion report, the panel said Dr Gomes had 'damaged the reputation of the church'.

The report said: 'Firstly, in exercising a need on his part to assert his authority and with an over-inflated view of his own self-importance, the Respondent [Dr Gomes] has dealt with people with little or no compassion or pastoral concern.

'Secondly, the Respondent has lost his temper and displayed anger, even to those who continued to support him.

'Thirdly, in his behaviour he has caused serious harm to people and has caused them to leave their offices or his church.

Dr Gomes was vicar for the parish of Arbory and Castletown on the Isle of Man and gave services at the Arbory Church of St Columba, pictured

'Fourthly, he does not seem to understand the need to express remorse or amend his ways.'

A decision will be made on whether to defrock Dr Gomes later this month.

Dr Gomes was ordained in 1998 before attending Cambridge University in England to study a PhD between 2000 and 2003.
An export-oriented toy-making plant in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province. [Photo/China Daily]

As both exports and imports failed to meet early forecasts, China foreign trade decreased to 2.05 trillion yuan (US$307.2 billion) in October, down 0.6 percent from the same period last year, Customs data showed on Tuesday.

China's exports declined 3.2 percent year-on-year to 1.19 trillion yuan in October, the seventh straight month of decline, and imports increased by 3.2 percent, according to the General Administration of Customs.

Data showed the foreign trade surplus narrowed to 325.25 billion yuan in October, down 16.8 percent from last October.

The leading index for China's exports shrank to 35.6 from 35.8 a month earlier, the first month-on-month decline since the past three months.

Wang Dongtang, deputy director-general of the Ministry of Commerce's Department of Foreign Trade, said the government would continue to help processing trade move further up the value chain by introducing new supervision and control models in the processing, logistics and the service sector.

"The government has already started to optimize the industrial structure across the country. It has worked with related government branches in making adjustments to nearly 2,000 items on the processing trade negative list to phase out high-energy-consuming, highly polluting and resource-hungry industries," said Wang.

In the first 10 months of this year, China imported more commodities at cheaper prices.

China's exports to its top trading partners varied across the regions in January to October. Exports to the European Union grew 1 percent and to Japan by 0.5 percent from the same period last year, while export to the United States fell 2 percent, and export to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations declined 1.8 percent.

Eager to restore their earning strength, Chinese manufacturers are upgrading their products to cope with the challenge.

Liu Yang, deputy general manager of CRRC Zhuzhou Institute Co Ltd, an electric bus manufacturer in Hunan province, said the company will establish between seven and 10 sales and service branches in Southeast Asia, India, Canada and Middle East over the next three years as many countries are keen to adopt electric buses to further cut carbon emissions and reduce fuel costs.

"Traditional industries must extend cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, energy, environment and services," said Liu.

CRRC Zhuzhou Institute has already exported electric buses and related power systems to Brazil, Canada and Southeast Asian countries over the past three years.

As a subsidiary of China Railway Rolling Stock Corp, the country's largest train manufacturer, CRRC Zhuzhou Institute will also invest 1.5 billion yuan in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei, to build another manufacturing base to focus on domestic demand from the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province. These cities are also facing severe environmental issues.
Donald Trump's stunning victory in the US presidential battle has been hailed as leaving Britain at the 'front of the queue' for a trade deal.

Jubilant MPs pointed to the billionaire's support for a quick agreement with the UK after Brexit as they celebrated his triumph.

Mr Trump's election could also put the final nail in the coffin of the trade package being negotiated between the US and EU - despite pleas from senior Eurocrats for him to change his approach.

In his victory speech Mr Trump insisted America would no longer settle for 'anything less than the best'

President-elect Mr Trump was hailed by jubilant supporters after his stunning triumph over HIllary Clinton was confirmed

The stark turnaround in fortunes comes after warnings from Barack Obama during the referendum campaign that Britain would go to the 'back of the queue' for a deal if it cut ties with Brussels.

Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg told MailOnline: 'Donald Trump has spoken positively about the UK especially regarding a trade deal saying we would be at the front of the line.

'This is more positive than the hostile approach taken by Obama so I am optimistic about Anglo American relations.'

Fellow Tory MP Michael Fabricant dismissed 'hysteria' among left-wingers about Mr Trump's victory.

'We must remind ourselves that many of the comments aimed at Trump by the commentariat were aimed at Ronald Reagan and he turned to be one of America's greatest Presidents,' he said.

'And let's not forget that Donald Trump, unlike Hillary Clinton, is very pro-British with extensive business interests in the UK.

'Trump said he would put Britain first in line for any trade deal. And he means it.'

Barack Obama warned during the EU referendum campaign that Britain would go to the 'back of the queue' for a trade deal with the US if we voted to cut ties with Brussels

Former Conservative Party deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft tweeted: 'So the UK will not be at the back of the queue for a UK/UK trade deal.'

As the impact of the decision by American voters started to sink in, EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk made a desperate bid to revive the stalled TTIP trade deal with the US.

In a joint letter to Mr Trump, they stressed the importance of 'strengthening transatlantic relations'.

Referring to the trade negotiations and cooperation on security, they said: 'We should consolidate the bridges we have been building across the Atlantic.'

Mr Juncker tweeted: 'Congratulations @realDonaldTrump. Only by cooperating closely can EU&US continue to make a difference in dealing w/ unprecedented challenges.'

The billionaire mogul won Pennsylvania just after 6.30am UK time and Wisconsin moments later to take his electoral college count to 274 - taking him past the magic number of 270 and making him president-elect.

Cheering supporters of Donald Trump gathered on Pennsylvania Avenue outside the White House as it became clear he had won

The mood was starkly different at Hillary Clinton's election night rally in New York

Mrs May insisted she wants the special relationship to continue.

'I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next President of the United States, following a hard-fought campaign,' she said in a statement.

'Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.

'We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence.

'I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead.'

Mrs May's careful approach to Mr Trump during the presidential battle was in stark contrast to predecessor David Cameron's public views on the Republican candidate.

Former Conservative Party deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft tweeted about the prospects for a deal with the US

EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker urged Mr Trump to 'cooperate closely' with the Brussels club

Mr Trump was joined on stage at the Hilton Hotel in New York by his family as well as running mate Mike Pence

The then PM joined condemnation of Mr Trump's suggestion that Muslims should be banned from the US 'until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on'.

Mr Cameron said: 'I think his remarks are divisive, stupid and wrong and I think if he came to visit our country I think it'd unite us all against him.'

The barb led Mr Trump to question whether the 'special relationship' would continue.

In May, Mr Trump dismissed Mr Obama's suggestion that the UK would be at the 'back of the queue' for a trade deal outside the EU.

'I dont want to say front or anything else,' he said. 'I mean, Im going to treat everybody fairly but it wouldnt make any difference to me whether they were in the EU or not. Youd certainly not be at the back of the queue, that I can tell you.'

As the night unfolded, Trump won the key swing states of Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina and Florida, as well as a series of states he was predicted to win.

Clinton had little to show for her campaigning, with Virginia and Nevada offering little consolation.

As her party fell flat and supporters streamed away in tears, she was locked in a hotel suite just round the corner from Trump Tower, protected behind a wall of minders and with aides who refused to speak to the press.

At Trump Tower, the candidate retired to his apartment to 'take a moment' with this wife, before taking to the stage to vow to be a 'president for all Americans'

Theresa May (pictured in Downing Street today) congratulated Mr Trump and said the special relationship would continue

He thanked Mrs Clinton for her 'service' to the US, and said now was a time to 'bind the wounds of division'.

Mr Trump insisted America would no longer settle for 'anything less than the best'.

'The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer,' he said.

'We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild ... we are going to rebuild our infrastructure.'

Earlier, supporters chanted 'lock her up' as states after state fell.
Web users shocked at Donald Trump's surprise victory have reacted with a string of tongue-in-cheek memes.

The Republican has sensationally won the White House  taking Pennsylvania to secure 274 electoral college votes in a humiliating defeat for Hillary Clinton.

But while the 70-year-old's supporters were celebrating victory, shocked Twitter users took the opportunity to poke fun at the situation.

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Web users shocked at Donald Trump's surprise victory have reacted with a string of tongue-in-cheek memes. One likened the 70-year-old to Forrest Gump

Online jokers posted a picture of former president George W Bush raising a glass with a caption saying: 'Good luck America... and you thought I was an idiot'

As the 70-year-old's supporters prepared to celebrate the victory, shocked Twitter users took the opportunity to poke fun at the situation

One Twitter user imagined North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-Un with Donald Trump's hair cut

One tweet shows an Air Canada jet taking off alongside two passports - along with the caption: 'Election night starter kit'

One commentator imagined the reaction of Facebook users in the aftermath of the election result

One showed a picture of the one-time Democrat hopeful Bernie Saunders along with the words 'Where are you now that I need you' - lyrics from a Justin Bieber hit.

Another, showing an Air Canada jet taking off alongside two passports came along with the caption: 'Election night starter kit'.

One tweet simply showed a US flag along with the words 'If I'm being honest, I'm terrified'.

Another post suggested an election night drinking game, with the rules being: 'Drink. Then keep drinking'.

Trump was elected America's 45th president in an astonishing victory for a celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalised on voters' economic anxieties, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations on his way to the White House.

A Twitter user defended Trump, remembering his brief appearance in the 1990 movie Home Alone. A clip of the scene was accompanied by the caption: 'Everyone's bashing Trump but I don't remember Hillary helping Kevin find the lobby...'

One showed a picture of the one-time Democrat hopeful Bernie Saunders along with the words 'Where are you now that I need ya' - lyrics from a Justin Bieber hit

Twitter users were quick to point out that The Simpsons predicting Donald Trump would be president of America 16 years ago

One tweet showed a US flag along with the words 'If I'm being honest, I'm terrified'

One Twitter user reworked the design for Fallout, a post-apocalyptic video game, with the faces of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump

Another tweet imagined the possibility of rapper Kanye West standing for election in 2020

A scene from the comedy classic Airplane was used in one tongue-in-cheek meme this morning

His triumph over Hillary Clinton will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House and threatens to undo major achievements of President Barack Obama.

He's pledged to act quickly to repeal Obama's landmark health care law, revoke the nuclear agreement with Iran and rewrite important trade deals with other countries, particularly Mexico and Canada.

The Republican blasted through Democrats' longstanding firewall, carrying Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that hadn't voted for a GOP presidential candidate since the 1980s.

He needed to win nearly all of the competitive battleground states, and he did just that, claiming Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and others.

One Spanish speaking Twitter user posted this picture along with words translated as 'we have a new king of the memes'

One tweet imagined Trump and Clinton as divorced parents battling for custody of their children along with the words '...but we just wanna live with Gradpa Bernie'

Trump was elected America's 45th president in an astonishing victory for a celebrity businessman and political novice

Trumps triumph over Hillary Clinton will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House and threatens to undo major achievements of President Barack Obama

One tweet, showing a content-looking woman sleeping said: 'How Canadians are sleeping tonight knowing they have a chill, dope, Prime Minister eh'

Global stock markets and U.S. stock futures plunged deeply, reflecting investor alarm over what a Trump presidency might mean for the economy and trade.

Trump will take office with Congress expected to be fully under Republican control.

GOP Senate candidates fended off Democratic challengers in key states and appeared poised to maintain the majority. Republicans also maintained their grip on the House.

Senate control means Trump will have great leeway in appointing Supreme Court justices, which could mean a major change to the right that would last for decades.

Trump upended years of political convention on his way to the White House, leveling harshly personal insults on his rivals, deeming Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers, and vowing to temporarily suspend Muslim immigration to the US.

Another Twitter user mocked up Mount Rushmore showing nervous-looking former Presidents
The Hungarian Prime Minister has congratulated Donald Trump on his victory over 'deadly' Hillary Clinton.

'What a great news. Democracy is still alive,' Viktor Orban wrote on his Facebook page following Donald Trump's unprecedented election victory.

Orban, the first European leader to favour one candidate over the other, has said Trump's foreign policies were 'vital' for his nation and branded Clinton's plans 'deadly'.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (pictured) has congratulated Donald Trump on his victory over 'deadly' Hillary Clinton

What a great news. Democracy is still alive,' Orban wrote on his Facebook page following Donald Trump's unprecedented election victory. Pictured: Trump on stage with his running mate Mike Pence

He has upset fellow EU members in the past over policy, most recently with his tough stance on Europe's migrant crisis.

He strongly objected to EU resettlement plans and built a fence along Hungary's southern border.

'The migration and foreign policy advocated by the Republican candidate Mr Trump is good for Europe and vital for Hungary,' Orban said in July.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who welcomed refugees to her country, has offered President-elect Donald Trump 'close cooperation' on the basis of shared trans-Atlantic values.

They include respect for human dignity regardless of people's origin, gender or religion.

Merkel said the conflict in Trump and Clinton's battle for the White House was 'difficult to bear' but stressed her nation's relationship with the US 'is a foundation stone of German foreign policy'.

She said: 'Germany and America are connected by values: democracy, freedom, respect for the law and for the dignity of human beings, independently of origin, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views.'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who welcomed refugees to her country, has offered President-elect Donald Trump (pictured) 'close cooperation'

'On the basis of these values, I am offering the future president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, close cooperation.'

Meanwhile European Union leaders have invited US President-elect Donald Trump to come visit the 28-nation bloc as possible to assess trans-Atlantic ties.

EU Council President Donald Tusk and his Commission counterpart Jean-Claude Juncker said that, despite Trump's campaign talk of protectionism and isolationism, both sides 'should consolidate the bridges we have been building across the Atlantic'.

Tusk famously quoted his wife during the U.S. election campaign, saying that 'One Donald is more than enough.!'
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has congratulated Donald Trump on his shock election win, saying the reality TV star can help enhance relations with the Asian country.

Duterte, who infamously told President Obama to 'go to Hell' last month, has often expressed his outrage with his administration.

Having repeatedly threatened to end his nation's alliance with Washington, he is said to be 'looking forward to working with the incoming administration'.

President Duterte hailed the success of US democratic system and the American way of life following Trump's victory over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (pictured) has congratulated Donald Trump on his shock election win

Having repeatedly threatened to end his nation's alliance with Washington, Duterte is said to be 'looking forward to working with the incoming administration'. Pictured: President elect Trump, right, with his running mate Mike Pence

The Filipino leader, who promised a crackdown on drugs before he was elected in June, blasted President Obama after he criticized Manila's anti-drugs campaign last month.

The controversial leader, dubbed 'Duterte Harry' by his critics, has faced international condemnation over the violent deaths of 3,000 suspected drug dealers or addicts over the past three months.

Duterte has threatened 'to break up with America' and instead seek closer ties with China and Russia, despite the country's long standing relations with the US.

He has previously described Washington as an unreliable ally, saying Filipino forces have not benefited from joint combat exercises with US troops.

'Instead of helping us, the first to criticize is this State Department, so you can go to hell, Mr Obama, you can go to hell,' he said in an inflammatory speech last month.

Global stock markets plummeted after controversial property mogul Trump stormed to the White House on Wednesday.

President Duterte hailed the success of US democratic system and the American way of life following Trump's victory over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Pictured: Trump on stage with his family after shock win

Asian equities kicked off the worrying trend, with Tokyo nosediving on investor concerns over the untested policies of incoming president Trump.

Europe followed suit, tipping two per cent lower in Frankfurt, London and Paris, but the British market rebounded briefly into slender gains after Trump's conciliatory acceptance speech.

'We have seen the market reaction be nowhere near as bad as it might have been - we could yet see a big pullback,' said ETX Capital analyst Neil Wilson.

'Just like Brexit the longer term implications of this vote are much harder to discern and forcing investors to take stock.'
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The odds on the coldest winter on record were slashed today after first major snow shower of the winter swept across Britain along with flooding - causing travel chaos for motorists and those trying to catch planes or trains.

Up to five inches of snow fell across a swathe of the country from the Peak District northwards, leading to school closures and problems on motorways including the M62 and M621 in West Yorkshire and high-level routes.

The Met Office warned that higher snow readings are possible, after up to eight inches was forecast yesterday, while motorists will also have to contend with icy patches expected to form on untreated surfaces tonight.

However, the rain and snow is expected to clear later today to make way for brighter conditions - and the weather is likely to turn milder as the week progresses, bringing a mixture of sunshine and showers.

But bookmaker Coral has cut the odds on this winter being the coldest on record from 16/1 to 12/1 - and the odds on Aberdeen having snow on December 25 are 4/1, while it is 7/1 in Manchester and 8/1 in London.

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Accident: A taxi overturned in the snow today in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, after a cold snap hit parts of the UK overnight

Horses make their way on a road near Middleham, North Yorkshire as heavy overnight snowfalls across northern parts of the UK made travelling difficult

A snowplough clears a road over Grinton Moor near Reeth, blocking the path of a car coming the other way

Slow going: A snow plough makes its way through queuing traffic in Queensbury, near Bradford in West Yorkshire today

Tricky: A Ryanair flight lands at Leeds Bradford Airport in West Yorkshire on the first proper snowy day of the season today

Stuck in the snow: A car abandoned on Ilkley Moor in West Yorkshire today after people woke up to snow on high ground

The Buxton to Manchester train heads into a tunnel just outside Buxton after a cold snap hit parts of the UK today

A snowplough clears a road over Grinton Moor near Reeth , North Yorkshire, today following heavy overnight snowfalls

Up in the air: A flight departs Leeds Bradford Airport in West Yorkshire on a snowy day which saw delays and cancellations

Getting through: A snowplough clears the roads on the A68 at Tow Law in County Durham after a cold snap hit parts of the UK

Mountain Rescue volunteers were credited with saving the life of a missing 77-year-old man after he got lost last night after straying from a path around a reservoir near Sheffield in weather which grounded search helicopters.

Only a dozen miles away in Huddersfield, a taxi driver had a lucky escape when his vehicle overturned in snowy conditions, while there were reports of dozens of other minor road traffic collisions in the worsening conditions.

Leeds Bradford Airport was forced to shut its runway as snow was cleared, causing some delayed and cancelled flights, and the Snake Pass between Sheffield and Manchester was also closed as gritters cleared the road.

Among the motorways worst hit were the M62, which was said to be littered with broken down lorries between Huddersfield and Greater Manchester, and the M621, which saw severe congestion due to snow in Leeds.

The bus firm First West Yorkshire said routes were averaging one-hour delays this morning due to slow moving traffic, and commuters warned of difficult conditions in the Yorkshire Dales and County Durham.

Chilly: The rain and snow is expected to clear later today to make way for brighter conditions - but it will be another cold night

The snow has arrived in Birkenshaw, West Yorkshire, but it did not stop people carrying on with their lives today

Arriving safely: A FlyBe flight lands at Leeds Bradford Airport in West Yorkshire amid snowy conditions

Happy: Imogen Thursfield, who is 21 months old, plays in the snow near her home in Leeds, West Yorkshire

Pheasants in the snow near Hamsterley Forest in County Durham as a blizzard sweeps through today

Sheep in a field near Hamsterley Forest in County Durham as a cold snap hit parts of Britain along with snow

Racehorses return through deep snow following exercise on the gallops on Middleham Moor in North Yorkshire

Wintry conditions: This heart shaped woodland is half covered in snow today in Tebay, Cumbria

Snowy landscape: A beautiful aerial photograph of snow covered pine trees near Appleby in Cumbria today

Highways England issued a severe weather alert urging motorists in the North of England and the Midlands to check conditions before setting out and ensure they have a winter kit in their vehicles.

The deepest snow level seen by the Met Office by this afternoon was 5.1in (13cm) in Barnard Castle, County Durham, while there was also 2.8in (7cm) at Bingley in West Yorkshire and 2.4in (6cm) at Spadeadam in Cumbria.

But Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge stressed there may have been deeper accumulations in other areas, away from recording stations.

Mr Madge confirmed that the wave of snow which began last night and finished today will not be repeated in coming days. He said milder weather was on the way but warned that cold nights would mean frosty conditions.

Snowy landscape: A road near Appleby in Cumbria is pictured today after the first major snow shower of the winter

It's a dog's life: A snowy morning on Ilkley Moor in West Yorkshire after people woke up to snow on high ground

A car winds through snow-covered roads in Castleton, Derbyshire, today as motorists battled with the difficult conditions

Winter weather: A dark cloud hangs over a snow-covered Castleton in Derbyshire this morning as the cold snap continues

The tower of St Mary's Church in Barnard Castle, County Durham, rises above the snow-covered rooftops in the town today

Snow hits Penrith in Cumbria where visibility was clearly reduced on higher ground this morning

Nicky Palmer, 41, walks her children, Lilly and Benedict, to school as they play in the snow in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, today

Construction: A snowman watches over Leeds Bradford Airport on the first proper snowy day of the season today

A stag stands in the snow which covers his autumnal surroundings in Whitworth Park, near Durham this morning

A snow-covered drystone wall in Shap, Cumbria, as Britain was hit by a blanket of snow overnight

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for ice for eastern England between the Humber and the Scottish border as light winds and plummeting temperatures look set to freeze the melting snow and rain.

Police praised mountain rescue volunteers after a man strayed from a path around Langsett Reservoir. The force said helicopters could not be used due to the weather and mountain rescue teams were called in to help.

Inspector Simon Owens of South Yorkshire Police said: Without the massive help offered from Mountain Rescue, who sent 30 people out to help us look for this vulnerable man, this man may have succumbed to the cold.

Thanks to them, the man was found a couple of hours later - cold but uninjured. They helped us save a life yesterday evening and I wish to publicly thank them for their support.

A horse in the snow near Tow Law in County Durham today after a cold snap hit parts of the United Kingdom overnight

People in the Main Street of Bowes, County Durham, clear snow from paths and their cars this morning

The magnificent High Force falls in Teesdale, County Durham today, is dusted in a layer of snow following wintry showers

Early autumn snow makes for a pretty scene on the roads of Leeds during the morning rush hour today

Snow in Foolow, Derbyshire, where three inches fell overnight and temperatures dropped to below freezing

Snow at RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, at the entrance to the woods

A lone farmhouse draped in a blanket of white near Bowes, County Durham, this morning

Horses make their way on a road near Middleham, North Yorkshire, today as heavy overnight snow made travelling difficult

Prepared: A man walks along a snow covered footpath in Buxton, Derbyshire, today, after snow fell in the Peak District

In Surrey, a car which collided with a Drive carefully through roadworks sign at the beginning of the M3. The countys force tweeted: Sometimes you just can't make it up! Single vehicle collision #drivetotheconditions.

In Cowersley, near Huddersfield, police dealing with the overturned taxi tweeted: Snow! And it's causing chaos already. Take it steady and try and avoid steep hills, like Deep Lane where we currently are.

A small number of school closures were reported in West Yorkshire. St Pauls CofE Primary School, in the Wibsey area of Bradford, said on its website that it was shutting due to poor weather conditions and boiler failure.

There were problems on trains, with no services between York and Leeds via Harrogate after a tree fell on the line. And in Cornwall, slippery rails between Truro and Falmouth Docks meant trains could be cancelled.

Making the way safe: A gritting lorry drives today on a road in hills near Buxton, Derbyshire, which have been covered in snow

Driving through the snow: Commuters battle their way to work on a snowy morning on Ilkley Moor in West Yorkshire toiday

Ruff weather: A dog stands in the snow at Otley Chevin in West Yorkshire as the first drifts of the season cause travel mayhem

Dangerous conditions: Motorists take care as they drive through the snow today in Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire

White landscape: The hills near Buxton are covered in snow after a cold snap hit parts of the United Kingdom overnight

Tough work: A motorist clears snow from his car in Tow Law, County Durham, today as the country is hit by the white stuff

Snow in Tow Law: The Met Office issued a snow warning for much of the North and Scotland, which will expire this morning

Operations team: Snowploughs work to clear the runway at Leeds Bradford Airport in West Yorkshire this morning

On the tarmac: There were eight cancellations at Leeds Bradford Airport today as snowploughs worked to clear the runway

Not moving: A car became stuck on a rural road near Leeds, West Yorkshire, today with up to eight inches of snow forecast

A signalling problem is causing 50 minute delays to trains between Margate and Dover Priory and Canterbury. And heavy rain has flooded the railway between Shepperton and Fulwell in Surrey.

Meanwhile South West Trains warned that services across the network will be affected by poor rail conditions. And on the roads, West Yorkshire Police and Durham Police told motorists to allow extra time for your journey.

Forecasters also warned of a risk of gales of up to 50mph developing today before moving along the Channel. It comes after a chilly few days, with temperatures down to -5C (23F) on Monday night in the West Midlands.

Yesterday the AA said it had experienced its busiest day of the year so far with more than 10,000 calls. Many drivers had flat batteries and other cold weather-related problems.

Leeds Bradford Airport: Higher ground in northern England has suffered the brunt of the snow and faced rush hour disruption

Snow joke: A man walks his four dogs this morning through the snow as it continues to fall in Tow Law, County Durham

Blanket: A motorist brushes snow from a car in Tow Law, County Durham, as wintry weather swept across northern England

Going for a stroll: A man walks his dog as snow falls in Tow Law after up to eight inches of the white stuff was forecast

On the roads: A gritting lorry passes snow-covered vehicles in Tow Law as the country was hit by a white blanket overnight

Driving: Snow covers vehicles in Tow Law today as Highways England urged motorists to check conditions before setting out

Snow in Tow Law: The Met Office warned that up to eight inches of snow could fall on higher ground in northern England

Treacherous: Snow created travel chaos today - including in Tow Law (pictured), where driving conditions were dangerous

Driving: A car makes its way along a road in Tow Law, in County Durham, after wintry weather swept across northern England

Walking the dog: Villagers in Middleham, North Yorkshire, wake up to snow today after wintry weather arrived in Britain

Councils are well prepared for the winter, with 1.2 million tonnes of gritting salt stockpiled in England and Wales, according to the Local Government Association (LGA).

The association said its winter readiness survey showed about half of local authorities are at the limit of their storage capacity.

It said the survey also showed more than 80 per cent of councils have placed community grit bins for residents to access salt for pavements and side streets and 75 per cent are using state-of-the-art GPS technology on the gritting fleets.

The LGA said 97 per cent of councils were using Twitter accounts to keep people up-to-date with weather forecasts, road conditions and gritting activity.

Taking care: Residents in the North Yorkshire village of Middleham wake up to snow after wintry weather arrived in Britain

A man sweeps snow from his truck in the Staffordshire village of Flash today as motorists faced dangerous driving conditions

Poor visiblity: Flash in Staffordshire is the highest village in Britain at 1,518ft above sea level - and was hit by snow overnight

Snow in Flash: The white stuff has fallen in the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales overnight, causing travel problems

Down it comes: Snow falls in Tow Law this morning as wintry weather swept across northern England overnight

Gritting the roads: Motorists faced a challenging commute this morning as heavy snow fell in Leeds, West Yorkshire

Snow in Leeds: West Yorkshire Police advised motorists to 'take usual precautions' and allow 'extra time for your journey'

Leeds weather: Yesterday the AA said it had experienced its busiest day of the year so far with more than 10,000 calls

Drivers in Leeds: Many drivers had flat batteries and other cold weather-related problems with their vehicles

No entry: Flooding at London Paddington station saw access restricted to the Bakerloo Underground line this morning

Transport spokesman Martin Tett said: Councils are fully prepared to protect residents and minimise disruption to their residents caused by the drop in temperatures.

They are constantly monitoring up-to-the-minute weather reports to make sure they can stay one step ahead of the weather.

We are well prepared for the cold with 1.2 million tonnes of salt stockpiled and a fleet of state-of-the-art gritters ready to be deployed.

As well as gritting our roads and clearing snow, council teams are ready to be drafted in to help provide a variety of services to ensure we are looking out for the more vulnerable members of our communities this winter, from carrying out emergency household repairs to delivering hot meals and portable heaters.

IT'S THE DONALD'S FAULT! INTERNET JOKERS CLAIM TRUMP IS BEHIND THE SNOW On an extraordinary day of political news across the pond, some social media users jokingly made the link between Donald Trump being elected the US president and the first snow of the season in Britain. Laura Ratcliffe tweeted: So Donald Trump is the new president and it's decided to snow all over Britain... I think hell has definitely opened during the night.' And North Yorkshire-based Twitter user Alison said: Strange isn't it. Donald Trump becomes President. And today in UK. We have snow. Meanwhile Matt Anderson said: 'The world goes into meltdown cos of Trump, Britain goes into meltdown cos of 2 inches of snow #realissues. And Gibbayyy added Can't help feeling that snow in Britain is a metaphor for how cold America will be in its next 4 years... #litstudent #Trump. Advertisement

Is a new mini-ice age on the way? Solar cycle dips into its quietest period for more than a century and scientists fear it could leave us as cold as when the Thames would freeze over

Britain has been plunged into a cold snap over the past week as the country heads towards winter, but things were a lot chillier only a few hundred years ago.

The period from the mid-14th century to the 19th century in Europe was referred to as the Little Ice Age due to the severity of the climate at the time.

Frost Fairs used to spring up on the River Thames in the latter part of this period, with the river freezing over at least 23 times since the 1300s - the last time in 1814.

The structure of Old London Bridge at the time made the river more likely to freeze over because ice chunks got caught between breakwaters which slowed its flow.

But some scientists believe we could now be heading for a 'mini ice age' following concerns that the sun is currently in its quietest period for more than a century.

On the ice: Frost Fairs appaered on the River Thames in the latter part of the Little Ice Age with the river freezing over at least 23 times since the 1300s - the last time in 1814 (pictured)

Earlier this year in June, Vencore Weather claimed the sun had gone into 'cueball mode, with images from Nasa showing no large visible sunspots on its surface.

Astronomers said this was not unusual, with solar activity going up and down in 11-year cycles - with us currently being in Cycle 24, which began in 2008.

However, researchers warned that if the current trend continues, then the Earth could be heading for a 'mini ice age'.

Activity remained low for around four days after June 4, which followed another period of inactivity in February when an image showed the sun in cueball mode.

Vencore Weather, which has worked with the US Air Force Weather Agency, said in June that the blank sun signalled that the next solar minimum is approaching.

Up and down: Solar activity goes up and down in 11-year cycles - with us currently being in Cycle 24, which began in 2008. The previous solar cycle, 23, peaked in 2000-2002

The previous solar cycle, 23, peaked in 2000-2002 with many furious solar storms.

During a solar maximum, huge sunspots and intense solar flares are a daily occurrence, while the opposite occurs during a solar minimum.

Solar flares are almost non-existent while whole weeks go by without a sunspot to break the monotony of the blank sun  and this is what we are experiencing now.

The longest solar minimum on record, the Maunder Minimum of 1645 to 1715, lasted an incredible 70 years, with sunspots rarely observed during this period.

Unlicensed gambling, drinking and dancing were held at the River Thames Frost Fairs, along with stalls selling food and drink, skittle alleys and fairground rides

The period of quiet coincided with the Little Ice Age, a series of extraordinarily bitter winters in Earth's northern hemisphere.

Many researchers believe low solar activity, acting in concert with increased volcanism and possible changes in ocean current patterns, played a role in this.

A study last year claimed to have cracked predicting solar cycles - and says that between 2020 and 2030 solar cycles will cancel each other out.

And this, say experts including Northumbria University's Professor Valentina Zharkova, will lead to another Maunder Minimum.
Trump's victory has sent shockwaves across the world

World leaders have reacted with disbelief after the surprise election of Donald Trump as US president - and Russian President Vladimir Putin has become one of the first to congratulate the Republican on his win.

A senior figure in the German government has described the result as a 'huge shock', and questioned whether it will mean an end to 'Pax Americana' - the state of relative peace overseen by Washington since the end of World War Two.

And the current French ambassador to the United States wrote that the 'world is collapsing before our eyes' in an astonishing attack on the newly-elected President.

In a now-deleted tweet, before Trump's victory was confirmed, Gerard Araud wrote: 'After Brexit and this election, everything is now possible. A world is collapsing before our eyes. Dizziness.'

But the result has been welcomed in Moscow, where Vladimir Putin said he is optimistic of improved relations with the US under a Trump presidency.

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Newspapers in Canada (left) demonstrated their surprise at Trump's victory in the race for the White House

The result has sent shockwaves across the world, with German Justice Minister Heiko Maas tweeted Twitter: 'The world won't end, but things will get more crazy'

'Trumped' was the headline in the Daily News in Barbados, while El Pais in Spain carried a picture of stunned Hillary Clinton supporters

Trump's victory plunges the world into uncertainty, reports Le Figaro in France, whose ambassador to the US, Gerard Araud, wrote: 'A world is collapsing before our eyes'

French President Francois Hollande gave a lukewarm response to the election result, saying it heralded a period of 'uncertainty'.

He said: 'I congratulate him as is natural between two democratic heads of state. This American election opens a period of uncertainty.'

He said France would be vigilant and frank in talks with the new White House administration.

'This American election opens a period of uncertainty,' said French President Francois Hollande after Trump's election victory

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault pledged to work with Trump, but said his personality 'raised questions'.

He admitted to being unsure what a Trump presidency would mean for key foreign policy challenges, from climate change and the West's nuclear deal with Iran to the war in Syria.

France's Liberation newspaper ran with the headline 'Very Bad Trump', echoing concerns in the French administration over the Republican's election

Trump's election has made front pages all over the world, including these from France (left) and New Zealand (right)

Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured today, was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump on his win

'WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY' FOR IMPROVED RELATIONS, CLAIMS MOSCOW Ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the pro-Vladimir Putin Liberal Democrat Party, toasted the result with champagne, and claimed: 'Trump's victory will result in withdrawal of anti-Russian sanctions.' He demanded Trump should axe Barack Obama's ambassador to Moscow, John F. Tefft, and replace him with a more friendly figure to Putin. The Russian leader was known to loathe Hillary Clinton. Moscow hopes above all to see an end to Western sanctions over Ukraine which have damaged the Russian economy, and hopes Trump will turn a blind eye to the Kremlin advancing its interests in its 'spheres of influence'. Vyacheslav Volodin, MP, parliament speaker and a close Putin ally, said: 'I would like to believe that more meaningful dialogue between Russia and the USA will be possible with the new president of the United States.' The result was also hailed by Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the upper house of the Russian parliament. 'I should admit that I was wrong in my forecasts, I didn't fully believe in Trump's victory,' he said. 'Not because he is weaker but because he was against the system.' He claimed 'a window of opportunity' now appears for the USA to improve its relations with Putin. Advertisement

Russian president Putin has sent Trump a telegram of congratulation, and called for relations between the two superpowers - which have been strained during the Obama regime - to be rebuilt.

News agency Interfax reported that the Russian Parliament burst into applause after Trumps victory was confirmed.

Putin was later pictured sipping on a glass of champagne at a meeting for foreign ambassadors in Moscow.

In a speech in the Kremlin, Putin stated: 'We have heard the pre-election statements by then-candidate (Trump), which were directed at rebuilding relations between Russia and the US.

'We understand that this will not be an easy path considering the unfortunate degradation of relations.

'But Russia is ready and wants to restore full-fledged relations with the US.'

The Russian President, who had a frosty relationship with President Obama and Hillary Clinton, continued: 'We are ready to do our part and do everything to return (US-Russian) relations to the trajectory of development.

'This would be in the interest of Russian and American people and would positively affect the general climate in international relations, considering the special responsibility of Russia and the US for ensuring global stability and security.'

Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin voiced hopes for more constructive US-Russian dialogue when the newly-elected president takes office.

He said: 'Current Russian-US relations cannot be called friendly. One would like to hope that a more constructive dialog between the two countries will be possible when the new president takes office.'

British Prime Minister Theresa May has said she plans to speak with the incoming president 'at the earliest possible opportunity'.

In a statement released after Trump's victory she said: 'I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next president of the United States, following a hard-fought campaign.

'Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.

'We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence.

'I look forward to working with president-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead.'

'We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence,' said British Prime Minister Theresa May

French National Front president Marine Le Pen was among the first to voice their congratulations

The election was greeted with delight by far-right leaders in Europe, with French National Front president Marine Le Pen among the first to voice their congratulations.

I think we must expect that American foreign policy will become less predictable for us and we must expect that the United States will be more inclined to make decisions on its own. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier

She tweeted: 'Congratulations to the new President of the United States Donald Trump and the American people, free!'

German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, an ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, described the result as a 'huge shock' and questioned whether it meant the end of 'Pax Americana', the state of relative peace overseen by Washington that has governed international relations since World War Two.

The country's Justice Minister Heiko Maas tweeted: 'The world won't end, but things will get more crazy.'

Chancellor Angela Merkel - denounced by Trump as 'insane' for allowing more than a million migrants into the country last year - hinted at unease when she congratulated the Republican on his election victory.

Merkel said: 'Germany and America are bound together by values - democracy, freedom, respecting the rule of law, people's dignity regardless of their origin, the colour of their skin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views.

'On the basis of these values, I am offering to work closely with the future President of the United States Donald Trump.'

During the presidential campaign, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier branded Trump a 'hate preacher'. He has warned that 'many things will become more difficult'

And Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned that a Trump administration would be more unpredictable, and 'more difficult' to work with.

He said: 'I think we must expect that American foreign policy will become less predictable for us and we must expect that the United States will be more inclined to make decisions on its own.

'In other words, and I will not dress it up, nothing will become easier, many things will become more difficult.'

During the presidential campaign, he branded Trump a 'hate preacher'.

'Looks like this will be the year of the double disaster of the West,' former Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt said on Twitter, pointing to Britain's vote in June to leave the European Union. 'Fasten seat belts,' he said.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Mr Trump's personality 'raised questions', but vowed to work with the newly-elected US President

Chinese President Xi Jinping said he looks forward to working with Trump in a 'constructive' way

Chinese President Xi Jinping said he looks forward to working with Trump in a 'constructive' way.

During his campaign, Trump accused China of illegally subsidising exports, manipulating its currency and stealing intellectual property.

'I highly value China-US relations and am looking forward to working with you to expand cooperation in all fields, including in bilateral, regional and global aspects. Xi Jinping

Xi wrote to the President-elect: 'I highly value China-US relations and am looking forward to working with you to expand cooperation in all fields, including in bilateral, regional and global aspects.'

He said he expects they would 'manage differences in a constructive way, in the spirit of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect, cooperation and win-win'.

State media outlets in China cast the US election as the embodiment of America's democracy in crisis, with the state-run Xinhua News Agency saying the campaign had highlighted that 'the majority of Americans are rebelling against the US's political class and financial elites'.

Donald Trump's election as US President has been branded a 'huge shock' in Europe

The result has sparked alarm among the USA's immediate neighbours, with the Cuban government announcing five days of nationwide military exercises to confront 'a range of actions by the enemy'.

Although it did not explicitly link the announcement to Trump's victory, it was made at the same time as the result. Similar exercises have been carried out at times of high tension with the US.

There has been a normalisation of relations under Barack Obama, but Trump has pledged to reverse this unless President Raul Castro agrees to more freedom on the island.

It has led to fears that tourism, and the benefits it brings, will drop off.

Taxi driver Oriel Iglesias Garcia told Associated Press: 'The little we've advanced, if he reverses it, it hurts us.

Trump has pledged to reverse a normalisation of relations with Cuba unless President Raul Castro (pictured) agrees to more freedom on the island

'You know tourism will go down. If Donald Trump wins and turns everything back it's really bad for us.'

The first Bastion Strategic Exercise was launched by the Cuban government in 1980 after the election of Ronald Reagan.

The announcement by Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces in red ink across the top of the front page of the country's main newspaper said the army, Interior Ministry and other forces would be conducting maneuvers and different types of tactical exercises from November 16 to 20.

It warned citizens that the exercises would include 'movements of troops and war materiel, overflights and explosions in the cases where they're required'.

Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders claimed the 'people are taking their country back', and added: 'So will we'

Far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders welcomed Trump's election, claiming: 'The people are taking their country back'

The result was welcomed by controversial far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who has previously hit out at what he describes as the Islamification of the Netherlands.

After results came in for Florida and Utah, he wrote: 'The people are taking their country back. So will we.'

Trump made statements that were at odds with how we like to see our society and world order. Bert Koenders

The country's Foreign Minister, Bert Koenders said: 'We will judge him on his actions.'

Koenders, of the center-left Labor Party, said: 'Trump made statements that were at odds with how we like to see our society and world order.'

He cited examples including Trump's comments about US relationships with NATO, Russia and the European Union.

But the Dutch minister says it is important for the Netherlands' close relationship with the United States to continue since 'we are facing global challenges such as climate change and the fight against terrorism'.

Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin voiced hopes for more constructive US-Russian dialogue when the newly-elected president takes office

Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon warned of a 'real sense of anxiety' following Trump's election.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Trump's victory has created a 'real sense of anxiety'

After congratulating the Republican candidate, Sturgeon said: 'It is normal in any election for those on the losing side to feel disappointment, but today, many in America and across the world, will also feel a real sense of anxiety.'

Trump, whose mother was Scottish, owns two golf courses on the west and east coasts of Scotland.

Sturgeon has long been vocal on her distaste for Trump, and endorsed his opponent Hillary Clinton as recently as Tuesday.

'While this is not the outcome I hoped for, it is the verdict of the American people and we must respect it. I congratulate president-elect Trump on winning the election,' she said.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the USA's 'unity in diversity' is one of its greatest strengths

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the United Nations will be counting on Trump's administration to meet global challenges - including climate change and human rights.

Ban says after 'a hard-fought and often divisive campaign, it is worth recalling and reaffirming that the unity in diversity of the United States is one of the country's greatest strengths'.

Ban also praised Hillary Clinton 'for a lifetime commitment to peace, the advancement of women and the well-being of children'.

Extreme Australian right-wing Senator Pauline Hanson congratulated Trump on his presidency and thanked Americans for getting it right

Australias extreme right-wing Senator Pauline Hanson congratulated Trump on his presidency and thanked Americans for getting it right'.

Hanson co-opted Trumps controversial statements and demanded that Australia ban all Muslim migration to Australia and once warned that the country was being swamped by Asians.

We have no stronger relationship, whether it is on the battlefield or in commerce, than we have with the United States. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull

Im so excited that Donald Trump looks like he is over the line and Im so happy about it because this is putting out a clear message to everyone around the world that people power is now happening, she said in an online video posted shortly before Trumps victory was confirmed.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull congratulated Trump on his surprise win and promised the two countries would remain allies through any conflict.

'We have no stronger relationship, whether it is on the battlefield or in commerce, than we have with the United States.

'They are a great and powerful nation. They are a great and powerful friend,' Turnbull told a news conference.

News of Trump's election has been greeted with shock in Italy, whose Prime Minister Matteo Renzi had supported Hillary Clinton

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who had openly supported Hillary Clinton, congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the US presidential elections and said Italy's ties with the United States remained strong.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was one of the few world leaders to endorse Clinton, but has today said the Italo-American friendship is 'solid'

'I wish him well. The Italo-American friendship is solid,' Renzi said at the start of a speech in Rome.

Renzi was one of the few world leaders to endorse Clinton and opposition politicians were swift to condemn him today, saying that by doing so, he had weakened Rome's international standing.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto congratulated the US on its election - but did not directly congratulate winner Donald Trump, who alarmed many by describing Mexican migrants as murderers and rapists.

Pena Nieto sent a series of tweets repeating his readiness to work with Trump 'in favor of the bilateral relationship'.

He said Mexico and the US 'are friends, partners and allies who should continue collaborating for the competitiveness and development of North America'.

The value of Mexico's peso currency plunged sharply after the election of Trump, who has denounced the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Trump meeting Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in August. Trump's comments about Mexico, and pledge to build a wall along the US border, have been among the most contentious moments in the race for the White House

Analyst Alejandro Hope described Trump's election as 'probably something as close to a national emergency as Mexico has faced in many decades'.

Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu said today that the country's government would not pay for Trump's proposed wall along the US border.

Trump's threat that Mexico will pay for the wall had become a key feature of his speeches.

Turkey's justice minister said he is cautiously optimistic of improved relations with the US.

Bekiz Bozdag told the state-run Anadolu Agency: 'In essence our relations are relations between two states and we hope that under the new presidential term the Turkish-US relations will be much better.

'That is our expectation.'

Bozdag noted that Trump's win came despite intense campaigning in favor of his rival Hillary Clinton.

'I saw an intense campaign for Hillary Clinton's victory. Artists, sportsmen, all personalities worked for Clinton's victory. But in elections, it is important to embrace the people,' Bozdag said.

'No one has won elections through newspaper headlines, opinion polls or television (campaigns).'

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote on Facebook: 'What great news. Democracy is still alive'

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated Trump with the words: 'What great news. Democracy is still alive.'

The comment was posted on his Facebook page.

Orban said in July that Trump's plans on migration and foreign policy were 'vital' for Hungary, whereas those of rival Democrat Hillary Clinton were 'deadly'.

Orban was then the first European head of state to express a clear preference for either of the two candidates.

Poland's President Andrzej Duda reminded Trump of the 'strategic partnership' between the two nations

The President of Poland has reminded Trump of the 'strategic partnership' between the nations, amid concerns that the region could be more vulnerable if the USA's NATO allies are not protected.

Andrzej Duda wrote to Trump: 'Polish-American relations have become an important pillar of European and trans-Atlantic stability.

'We are particularly pleased that that during this year's NATO summit in Warsaw the United States decided to increase its military presence in Poland.'

The result was also welcomed by controversial far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who has previously hit out at what he describes as the Islamification of the Netherlands

Danish prime minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen said in a written statement that the election had been 'exceptionally tough and confrontational'.

He said: 'When the dust has settled, it is my hope that the next administration would continue the open and constructive cooperation that has characterized the United States for many years.

'Europe needs a strong United States, which is leading the free world and is based on democracy and dialogue.'

TRUMP'S POPULISM CONQUERS THE WHITE HOUSE: EUROPE REACTS TO REPUBLICAN'S SURPRISE ELECTION By Gerard Couzens Catalan daily El Periodico posted a cover picture of Trump on its website above the words: 'God Bless America', claiming: 'The populism of the Republican candidate has imposed itself and provoked the defeat of Hillary Clinton.' Leading national El Mundo proclaimed: 'Hillary Clinton has failed with women and Hispanics.' The papers special envoy to New York Irene Velasco wrote: Lets say it loud and clear. 'Hillary Clinton is a woman who an important part of the United States dont like. 'And its been like that for a while. They dont like her arrogance, they dont like the fact shes been in politics all her life, they dont like the fact she symbolises the Washington establishment.' Right-wing daily ABC said: 'Trumps populism conquers the White House.' Its Washington correspondent Manuel Erice Oronoz posted an article titled: 'Trump, the triumph of the daring narcissist' which began: 'Meglomaniac, big child, egocentric, fraudster, charlatan, Hitlers successor, last fascist, mentally illthe list of definitions and descriptions Donald Trump has accumulated mark an era.' Raphael Minder, the New York Times correspondent in Spain, told a popular Spanish morning TV programme today: 'Its an unexpected victory when you think that two years ago it didnt even like look like Trump could win the Republican primaries and a week ago he was saying he wouldnt accept his defeat.' Trump's victory has split experts across the world this morning, but Spain's Foreign Minister has cautiously welcomed the election result Pilar Garcia de la Granja, US Chief correspondent for leading Spanish TV channel Telecinco, told daily morning show El Programa de Ana Rosa: 'Millions of people in the States are fed up with being lied to. 'Millions of people do two or three jobs just to be able to reach the end of the month. 'Theres a heroin epidemic here among young people. Heroin cigarettes are cheaper in some states than a headache tablet.' But leading Spanish journalist Arcadi Espada said: The largest producer of lies in the history of America politics is Trump. 'Its the spreading of lies that has led this man to the presidency of the United States.' Alfonso Dastis, Spains newly-elected Foreign Minister, said: 'I think things will go well. We at least are going to work in that direction. We have worked hard over these years to consolidate our close relationship with the US.' Advertisement

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has congratulated Trump on his win

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas wrote in a statement that he 'congratulates the elected American president, Donald Trump, and hopes that peace will be achieved during his term'.

An Abbas aide, Saeb Erekat, said Wednesday he doesn't expect US positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to change under Trump.

Erekat said the Republican and Democratic parties are both committed to a two-state solution of the conflict and said: 'I think this will not change with the coming administration'.

Trump has proposed moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, even though the US has not recognized Israel's annexation of parts of the city.

The first Middle Eastern leader to offer congratulations to Trump on winning the presidency was reportedly the Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who telephoned a message of support to the new President.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Trump as a 'true friend of the State of Israel', and said he was confident that his country's relationship with the US would reach 'new heights'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he is confident that he and Trump can bring US-Israeli relations to 'new heights'.

In a statement congratulating the Republican candidate, Netanyahu - who had a difficult relationship with President Barack Obama - said: 'President-elect Trump is a true friend of the State of Israel, and I look forward to working with him to advance security, stability and peace in our region.

'I am confident that President-elect Trump and I will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights.'

Saudi Arabia's King Salman wished Trump luck in his 'mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide'

Congratulating Trump on the win, Saudi Arabia's King Salman praised 'historic and tight' ties with the United States and wished him success 'in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide'.

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan also said his country was eager to strengthen "strategic relations" with Washington.

Iran's President has warned Trump against ripping up last year's nuclear deal, made between his country and world powers - claiming the US no longer has the capacity to create 'Iranophobia'.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned Trump against trying to rip up last year's nuclear deal - saying the US no longer has the capacity to 'create Iranophobia'

Hassan Rouhani said: 'The accord was not concluded with one country or government but was approved by a resolution of the UN Security Council and there is no possibility that it can be changed by a single government.

'The United States no longer has the capacity to create Iranophobia and to create a consensus against Iran.'

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Trump needed to 'understand the realities of today's world'.

'The most important thing is that the future US president stick to agreements, to engagements undertaken,' he said.

A statement from the Taliban has demanded that Trump withdraws all US forces from Afghanistan when he takes office

Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War. I hope Donald Trump will end all wars and become hero of peace in the world. Mohammad Omar Daudzai, Afghanistan's former Interior Minister

Afghanistans former Interior Minister Mohammad Omar Daudzai said: 'Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War.

'I hope Donald Trump will end all wars and become hero of peace in the world. People of Afghanistan are tired of war. We want him to invest heavily in bringing peace to war torn Afghanistan and stabilize our region.'

The countrys president Ashraf Ghani congratulated Trump on his astonishing victory. He stated that USA is a strategic partner of the Afghan government and people  in the fight against terrorism and development.

In a statement issued by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid to Associated Press, the organisation called for Trump to withdraw all US forces from Afghanistan when he takes office.

Trump triumphs: The election result has been greeted with shock across Europe

'WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE FACING': GERMANY'S SHOCK AND UNCERTAINTY OVER SURPRISE VICTORY By Allan Hall in Berlin 'We are heavily shocked,' said Ursula von der Leyen, Germany's defence minister - four words which seemed to sum up the national mood on learning of the Trump White House victory. 'Of course, we Europeans know as NATO partners that Donald Trump will ask himself what we are contributing to the alliance,' the conservative member of Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) told the public TV network ARD. 'But we will also be asking, what is your position on the alliance. Many questions are open. A responsible and open America is in our interests. Ursula von der Leyen, Germany's defence minister, said leaders were 'heavily shocked' at Trump's victory 'I also think that Donald Trump knows that this wasn't an election for him, but against Washington, against the establishment,' von der Leyen added. 'With Mr. Trump we really don't know what we're facing,' said centre left SPD foreign policy spokesman Niels Annen. Green party leader Cem Ozdemir called the possibility of his presidency a 'break with the tradition that the West stands for liberal values,' and he warned that the United States could turn its back on the rest of the world. Left party chairman Bernd Riexinger said: 'He won't be able to offer anything at all to the people who he's promised all kinds of things.' The only German party to welcome Trump's victory outright was the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD). Deputy party leader Beatrix von Storch was quick to draw parallels with the European political situation. "The victory of Donald Trump is a signal that the citizens of the Western world want a clear political change," she wrote on her Facebook page. Her party colleague Marcus Pretzell took to Twitter to ask for more "optimism" and less 'fearmongering' from the German media. In Berlin, the small group Republicans Overseas celebrated the win. 'A Trump victory just goes to show how much Americans hate being told what to do,' the Berlin branch wrote on Facebook. 'If he wins, it's laid directly at the feet of the media establishment, the sneering, snotty coastal elites, and all the social justice warriors whose bigotry against rural America caused small town USA to rise up and say ENOUGH!' Advertisement

Trump supporters celebrate The Donald's surprise election victory

Northern Ireland's political leaders have congratulated Trump.

First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness expressed hope the region's long-standing relationship with the US would be strengthened during Mr Trump's time at the White House.

Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster said she looks forward to working with the Trump administration

Mrs Foster said: 'We are a small region but we are fortunate to have strong historical, economic and political ties to the United States.

'Northern Ireland has developed a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States and I look forward to working with Donald Trump's administration to continue this.

'As our largest inward investor the United States plays a massive role in our economic progress.'

Sinn Fein's Mr McGuinness said: 'Over many years successive US administrations have made a major contribution to both our peace process and economic development and I expect this to continue.

'I commiserate with Hillary Clinton who showed unwavering commitment to the north of Ireland as Secretary of State and First Lady.'

During the presidential campaign, Irish Taoiseach branded comments by Trump 'racist and dangerous', but now said he is happy to work with the President-elect

The Irish Taoiseach has softened his criticism of Trump following the presidential election result.

Enda Kenny has said 'racist and dangerous' remarks made by Trump were made in the 'heat of battle'.

He said today: 'I recall a comment made in the Dail (Irish parliament), when asked if I would agree that comments made in the heat of battle, in a primary election, by the president-elect, before he was nominated formally as a candidate, were racist and dangerous.

'And I said "yes", in respect of those comments. I listened very carefully to the president-elect this morning, and the first thing he said was, it was now time to heal wounds, to build partnerships, to work constructively with people of the US and every other country and people who want to work with him.

'I am very happy that the (Irish) government will work with the new administration when appointed by the president-elect.'

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he will work with Trump not just for Canadians and Americans 'but for the whole world'

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vowed to work with Trump 'in a positive way'.

Trudeau told students in Ottawa that he will work with Trump not just for Canadians and Americans 'but for the whole world'.

The prospect of Americans moving to Canada after Trump's win drew so much online interest it temporarily knocked out Canada's immigration website.

Internet searches for "move to Canada" spiked last night as election returns favored Trump. 'Canada' was a leading US trend on Twitter.

The website for Citizenship and Immigration Canada went down due to a surge in traffic.

Andree-Lyne Halle, a spokeswoman for Trudeau, said staff worked throughout the night to resolve the issue.

A US flag is hoisted in the small town of Sevnica, Slovenia, the birthplace of Trump's wife Melania

The president of Slovenia - the home country of future US First Lady Melania Trump - says he hopes relations with the US will further improve during Donald Trump's presidency.

President Boris Pahor said: 'We are allied as part of NATO and I will strive for the friendship and the alliance to deepen further.'

Melania Trump was born as Melanija Knavs in the industrial Slovenian town of Sevnica before working internationally as a model.

Members of the 'Hindu Sena' group celebrate Trump's victory in New Delhi today

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Donald Trump, who had praised him during his presidential campaign

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has voiced optimism about Trump's election, tweeting that 'we appreciate the friendship you have articulated toward India during your campaign'.

He added that 'we look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height'.

Trump had reached out to Indian-American voters at a rally in New Jersey in mid-October, praising Modi and vowing to defeat terrorism while acknowledging that India had suffered terror strikes, including the deadly 2008 attacks that killed 164 people.

Activists from 'Hindu Sena', or Hindu Army, celebrate Trump's victory in New Delhi, India, this morning

In the Indian capital today, a small group of men from the right-wing Hindu nationalist group Hindu Sena celebrated Trump's victory at a central protest ground, where they brandished posters and photos of the US president-elect while dancing and sharing sweets.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, branded Trump's win 'historic', praising the Republican's commitment to free enterprise.

He said Trump's election 'is indeed the triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights and free enterprise'.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has instructed one of his top aides to visit Washington as early as next week

Japan is set to send a top official to Washington to meet senior figures in the next White House administration.

Katsuyuki Kawai, a political aide to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in charge of diplomacy, told reporters after meeting with Abe that he had been instructed to visit Washington as early as next week.

Abe's instruction came when results showed Republican candidate Donald Trump with a clear lead. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said it was not because Japan was unprepared for Trump's win.

He said: 'We have been preparing so that we can respond to any situation because our stance is that our alliance with the US remains to be the cornerstone of our diplomacy whoever becomes the next president.'

Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has said Trump's victory shows politicians cannot take voters for granted

The prime minister of Malaysia said Trump's victory is a sign that voters cannot be taken for granted by politicians.

Supporter: Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen announced his support for Trump before the election

Najib Razak - who is currently embroiled in a scandal over the alleged theft by his associates of several billion dollars from a state investment fund, which is being investigated by the US Justice Department - congratulated the Republican.

He said Trump's 'appeal to Americans who have been left behind, those who want to see their government more focused on their interests and welfare, and less embroiled in foreign interventions that proved to be against US interests, have won Mr. Trump the White House'.

Cambodia's long-serving authoritarian prime minister Hun Sen described Trump as 'your excellency', and pointed out that he had announced his support days earlier.

On his official Facebook page, the prime minister said: 'American voters have shown their choice to elect your excellency... My support for your candidacy is not wrong either.'

The leader of the world's most populous Muslim nation has vowed to work with Trump's administration - but experts say many in the country are shocked.

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said that he believed Donald Trump would maintain the current US policy of pressuring North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests.

He said: 'Trump has indicated that the greatest problem facing the world is the nuclear threat and members of his national security team hold the position that favours applying strong pressure against the North.'

He made the comments in a meeting with members of parliament scheduled to discuss the results of the U.S. presidential election. The North conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests in January and September, drawing widespread international condemnation.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte offered 'warm congratulations' to Trump and said he looks forward to working with the incoming administration

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte offered 'warm congratulations' to Trump and looks forward to working with him to enhance relations, a Philippine minister said on Wednesday.

Duterte, who has expressed outrage almost daily with the Obama administration and threatened repeatedly to end one of Washington's most important Asian alliances, hailed the success of US democratic system and the American way of life, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.

Indonesian president Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo said 'good relations' would continue with the US

Duterte 'looks forward to working with the incoming administration for enhanced Philippines-US relations anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit and shared commitment to democratic ideals and the rule of law,' he said.

Indonesian president Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo said: 'We will keep good relations, especially in trade and investment as we know the U.S. is one of Indonesia's major investors. I think there will be no change.'

But noted Islamic scholar Komaruddin Hidayat said the outcome was 'shocking' for many. Hidayat, who is also rector of Indonesia's state-run Islamic University, says Trump has signaled backing for ultra-nationalist, isolationist and protectionist policies which could be harmful.

He said: 'Trump's isolationist policy will certainly harm Americans because in the era of globalization no country can live alone.'

SOUTH AMERICA REACTS TO TRUMP VICTORY Argentina's Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra had previously said the country would feel 'more comfortable' if Hillary Clinton won By Gerard Couzens Argentina's Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra, who said before the US elections that Argentina would feel more comfortable with a Hillary Clinton win, congratulated Trump on his election victory, tweeting: 'Congratulations Donald Trump on being elected as the new president of the United States. 'The north American people have spoken at the polls. 'Congratulations to democracy and its institutions.' But she added in a second tweet: 'Congratulations to Hillary Clinton for her great campaign. 'A shame to see such a capable woman not being chosen to fulfill such an important responsibility.' There was no immediate word from Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto. But Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, leader of left-wing political party MORENA, said he was not worried about Trumps election win because Mexico was a 'free, independent and sovereign' country. Donald Trump was congratulated by Argentina's Foreign Minister after his victory in the race for the White House Addressing the nation in a video believed to have been filmed just before the election result was known, he said: 'I feel its important at this time to transmit this message to all Mexicans, to immigrant workers and their families as well as entrepreneurs and investors. 'Theres no need to worry with the result of the US election results. 'Dont forget that Mexico, because of the effort and hard work of our founding fathers, is a free, independent and sovereign country. Its not a colony or a protectorate and is not dependent on any foreign government. We need to be calm.' Colombian political analyst Vicente Torrijos told the countrys leading daily El Tiempo the States was heading down a risky path because Trump was an 'unpredictable person with very individualistic and explosive tendencies'. Rival paper El Espectador, in a piece written by Juan Carlos Rincon Escalante, said: 'The US is a disaster but Trump knows how to fix it (at least he says he does). 'Multi-millionaire. Rude. Misogynist. Xenophobe. Racist. Liar. Whats his appeal?' Advertisement

EU Council President Donald Tusk (left) and his Commission counterpart Jean-Claude Juncker (right) have invited Trump to visit the European Union

Trump has been invited to visit the European Union to assess trans-Atlantic ties.

EU Council President Donald Tusk and his Commission counterpart Jean-Claude Juncker said that, despite Trump's campaign talk of protectionism and isolationism, both sides 'should consolidate the bridges we have been building across the Atlantic'.

I really doubt President Obama had any clear policy to South Sudan other than to destroy it. 'So we will definitely expect better relations with Trump Michael Makuei, Minister of Information in South Sudan

After the shock election result, Tusk and Juncker said that 'it is more important than ever to strengthen trans-Atlantic relations'.

Tusk told reporters in Brussels that 'while respecting the democratic choice of the American people, we are the same time aware of the new challenges that these results bring'.

He spoke of a 'moment of uncertainty over the future of our trans-Atlantic relations'.

Optimism about Trump's forthcoming presidency has been voiced by the Minister of Information in South Sudan.

Michael Makuei said he believed it would be 'better for all' when the new leader is in place, criticising Barack Obama.

He said: 'I really doubt President Obama had any clear policy to South Sudan other than to destroy it.

'So we will definitely expect better relations with Trump... and the USA after the election.'

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said: 'The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly'

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has sent a message of congratulations to Trump, stating: 'The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly'.

Kenyatta said 'the ties that bind Kenya and the United States of America are close and strong'.

Trump was congratulated by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari - with experts believing the uncertainty caused by the Republican candidate's victory will benefit the country.

Lagos-based SBM Intelligence risk analysts say the uncertainty generated by Trump's win should be good for Nigeria, the African oil giant, since it will weaken the US dollar.

But not everyone in Nigeria embraced Trump. At an election watch party organized by the US Embassy in Lagos, Nigerian artist Nike Davies-Okundaye called Hillary Clinton 'my hero'.

Oby Ezekwesili, a founder of the Bring Back Our Girls movement for schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram, also praised Clinton and said 'I can't wait for my friend to be in the White House.'
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Donald Trump is the next President of the United States - but 12 hours before becoming the world's most powerful man pollsters and pundits had already written him off.

As voting ended last night Mrs Clinton was supposed to have a crucial lead but as state after state fell to her Republican rival it soon became clear her campaign was doomed.

Three hours later Trump took Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, Nebraska and then, significantly, Arkansas, where Hillary's husband Bill was governor for more than a decade before winning the 1992 presidential election.

He also took Florida before Mrs Clinton's Midwest firewall of Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Iowa all crumbled and went to Trump, as did her hopes of become America's first woman President.

Despite the writing being on the wall Hillary Clinton's campaign manager John Podesta refused to concede defeat - at 2am telling supporters in New York: 'Let's get these votes counted and let's bring this home.'

But within 20 minutes Clinton had telephoned her rival Trump to end the bout - but has still not faced her supporters.

After victory was confirmed the billionaire President-elect said he was swept into the White House by 'an incredible and great movement, made up of millions of working men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their family'.

This is how the most dramatic and divisive US Presidential election in history unfolded:

The polls close and then Trump's march starts

Scroll down for video

Battle royale: Donald Trump (left during his victory speech) had been written off by pollsters as Hillary Clinton (pictured at her final rally) was told it was her's to lose. Within hours of the polls closing she was humiliated and forced to concede

6.05pm EST (11.05pm GMT) - The polls close with Hillary said to have a narrow lead, which turned out to be false

7.05pm - The first results of the night are in, and they are following the form guide. Donald Trump wins Indiana and Kentucky, while Hillary Clinton takes Vermont, the Associated Press news agency reports.

7.30pm - In a further early - albeit predictable - fillip for the Republicans, Trump takes West Virginia.

7.32pm - Trump wins West Virginia, as expected.

8.02pm - Clinton takes Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and the District of Columbia, while Trump wins in Oklahoma.

8.11pm - South Carolina falls to Trump.

8.16pm - Trump wins Tennessee.

8.30pm - His winning run continues by taking Alabama.

8.42pm - Clinton wins Rhode Island.

8.55pm - Trump wins Mississippi - moments later In a message which appears to betray the nervousness in the Clinton camp, the Democratic nominee thanks her supporters on Twitter 'whatever happens tonight'.

9pm - Clinton wins in Illinois.

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI:Stephanie Baile, intern for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, looks heartbroken as Trump takes the state at 8.55pm EST

False hope for Clinton before states fall fast and then her firewall crumbles

TRUMP HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK: Supporters lose control as Trump takes state after state before crashing through Clinton's firewall

9.05pm - Trump gains victories in Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming and Nebraska. Rival Hillary Clinton takes her home state of New York.

9.11pm - Trump takes Arkansas, where Bill Clinton - husband of the Democratic candidate - was governor for more than a decade before winning the 1992 presidential election.

9.29pm - Clinton hits back by taking Connecticut.

9.31pm - Trump also wins in Louisiana, as financial markets around the globe begin reacting.

9.48pm - Trump follows his presidential rival in posting an image to Twitter. His depicts members of his family gathered at Trump tower to watch the results come in. His wife Melania is among those present, but appears to have her eyes closed.

10.03pm - Trump wins in Montana.

10.25pm - Clinton wins in New Mexico.

10.28pm - But within minutes, Trump claims Missouri.

10.32pm - Layne Bangerter, director of the Trump for President campaign in Idaho, tells the Press Association the Republican candidate has won the race for the White House. He says: 'I'm saying it's over - the voice of the people has risen up.'

10.36pm - And with that, Trump wins Ohio - where voters have correctly picked every single US president since 1960.

10.39pm - Trump wins in Ohio.

10.44pm - Clinton claims Virginia, as expected.

10.46pm - She follows it up, moments later, with confirmation of victory in Colorado - a swing state.

Florida, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania fall - and Clinton's chances vanish

ORLANDO, FLORIDA: Trump supporters react as Fox News predicts Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will carry the state, which is proved correct at 10.54pm EST

EUGENE, OREGON: Trump supporter Robin Bernik reacts as Trump's victory looks assured, even though he lost her home state

10.54pm - But Trump's bid for the White House is boosted considerably by taking the key battleground of Florida.

11.03pm - Trump wins Idaho while Clinton takes California and Hawaii

11.09pm - Clinton takes Oregon.

11.14pm - Trump wins North Carolina - considered a battleground state, having voted Democrat in 2008 and Republican in 2012.

11.33pm - Washington state goes to Clinton.

11.37pm - Trump takes Georgia.

11.56pm - Trump's apparent march towards the White House continues with victory in Utah.

12.06am - He follows it by taking Iowa.

12.26am - Clinton wins Nevada.

1.35am - Trump finally clinches Pennsylvania, another key state, making his lead virtually unassailable.

Podesta's bizarre refusal to concede before victory is confirmed minutes later

CLINTON HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK: John Podesta, chairman of the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, issues a rallying cry 20 minutes before gives in to the inevitable and concedes at 2.35am

2.07am - Hillary Clinton's campaign manager John Podesta refuses to concede defeat, telling supporters in New York: 'Let's get these votes counted and let's bring this home.'

2.30am - Trump wins Wisconsin and effectively becomes the next president of the United States.

2.35am - Hillary Clinton calls Donald Trump to concede defeat.

2.50am - Mr Trump tells jubilant supporters in New York: 'I've just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us - it's about us - on our victory and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard fought campaign.'

He added: 'It's been what they call a historic event - but to be a really historic we have to do a great job. I promise you I will not let you down, we will do a great job - I look very much forward to being your president. And hopefully at the end of two years, or three years, or four years - or maybe even eight years - you will say that so many of you worked so hard, but you will say that was something that you were really very proud to do.'
So there were miserable scenes as result came in around 5am British time

Most of the people at the party seemed to be supporting Hillary Clinton

An American presidential election night party at the U.S. embassy in London turned into a wake last night after Donald Trump's shocking victory, and nobody was looking glummer than ambassador Matthew Barzun.

Mr Barzun was appointed as U.S. ambassador to London in 2013 by President Barack Obama and may have expected to keep the job if Hillary Clinton had succeeded her fellow Democrat.

But as the results came in from the swing states of Ohio, Florida and eventually Pennsylvania the reality dawned on the guests that the White House would not be getting its first woman president.

The US Ambassador Matthew Barzun (pictured) peers at a screen during the election night party at the U.S. Embassy in central London. Donald Trump is set to appoint his own choice for the role

That almost inevitably means that Mr Barzun will be packing his bags in the New Year, to be replaced by a Trump appointee.

The plum job of US ambassador to London is usually given as a reward by the President to someone who has helped with his election campaign.

Among the names in the frame will be the ex-Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Ed Glazer, co-owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and director of Manchester United, who donated $55,400 to Trump's campaign.

Guests react to results at the election night party at the US Embassy in central London

Nigel Farage, leader of the pro-Brexit UKIP party (pictured, left) reacted joyfully to the result as his friend Donald Trump wins the presidency. But the mood at the US ambassador's party (right) was not so happy

Mr Barzun, speaking before the first results came in, said: 'Reflecting more broadly on the politics that I have been privileged to see on both sides of the political spectrum, on both sides of the Atlantic, I would sum it all up by saying: "It has not been overly dull".''

He ended with a toast to another 70 years of the 'special relationship' with Britain.

'That we demonstrate not just on election day or the day after, but every single day by doing the daily acts of disagreeing and dialogue and decency, which are democracy's demand of each and every one of us,' he added.

Mr Barzun, a 46-year-old former business executive with CNET, was warmly applauded by the guests, many of whom may be invited in January to his farewell party.

Women react to the results at an election night party at the US Embassy in London. The reality began to sink in that America would not be inaugurating its first woman president in January

A woman wears badges showing her support for Hillary Clinton during the party at the U.S. Embassy in London

These women's faces at the ambassador's party tell the story of the night as Trump created an enormous political earthquake

A student attending a U.S. election party at the University of Edinburgh calls a relative back in the States as a key swing state result comes in

Malise Sundstrom, chairwoman of Republicans Overseas, was one of the few Trump supporters at the party. She was obviously delighted with the result and said she was feeling 'very good'.

After listening to Mr Trump's victory speech, from London, the 32-year-old said: 'We need to cheer the other side up - it is a very emotional time, it is a very uncertain time.

'It's hard to be a Republican in London, so I think it is up to us to kind of explain how this has come to light - it is up to us to now bring the country together, it is an enormous responsibility.'

She said: 'It's not going to be the end of the world, I promise.'

Ms Sundstrom said: 'A lot of people in the exit polls said that they wanted change. I don't think Clinton was very wise to run as Obama for a third term when the people clearly want change.

'We are voting for positives and for vision and for a clear message. What we saw was Hillary Clinton trying to please everyone and divide people, and a very overwhelming message from Donald Trump and a clear vision on a number of fronts, and that's something that people could buy into.'

A woman wearing a Trump-style Make America Great Again hat reacts as a result comes in at the election party in Marylebone, London

A Democratic Party supporter cries after Donald Trump wins the state of Florida at the Democrats Abroad election night party in London

More than 1,000 diplomats and expats joined the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, at a party at the U.S. embassy in London, which had stars projected onto its roof and was lit in the colors of the American flag.

Christine Sweeney, a 28-year-old Democrat who moved from the U.S. to London two months ago to study at the London School of Economics, said she was in shock.

She said: 'If I were around my peers back in Washington DC, I think everybody would just be in complete shock. There would be tears.'

A woman wears a 'Power To The Girls' sweatshirt during the party at the U.S. Embassy. The result was a big disappointment for women who hoped to see the first female President

Country Musician Josh T Pearson attends the election night party at the US Embassy in London

Ms Sweeney said: 'Trump, through his campaign, has demonstrated that he can be boiled down to some soundbites that, in my opinion, generate misogyny and hate and rejection of a lot of the values that are important to the history of the United States.

'We are a country of immigrants. My grandparents are all from other countries, and this new wave of immigrants he has proposed to ban, so it's really troubling that direction that he wants to go in.'

Dozens of special all-night election parties were held in London, Edinburgh and elsewhere, attended by US expats, students and British people fascinated by the contest.

The balloons at the Democrats Abroad party in London were metaphorically burst by the shocking win for Trump

The TV coverage of the U.S. election results were a hard watch for Democratic Party supporters as Trump won key swing states like Ohio and Florida

A Democratic Party supporter wears a Make America Great Again hat ironically at a party in London

A supporter of Hillary Clinton reacts to the news that Donald Trump has won the state of Florida at the Democrats Abroad election night party at a sports bar in London
Political activist Van Jones has branded Donald Trump's election win a 'nightmare' for America, saying: 'It's hard to be a parent tonight'.

In a passionate speech on CNN, the author and attorney went on: 'You tell your kids, "Don't be a bully." You tell your kids, "Don't be a bigot." Then you have this outcome.'

'You have people putting their children to bed tonight and they're afraid of breakfast. They're thinking, "How do I explain this to my children?"'

Seizing upon Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric, Mr Jones, 48, said minorities were frightened of what the shock victory meant for them.

He said: 'I have Muslim friends texting me tonight saying, "Should I leave the country?" I have families with immigrants that are terrified tonight.'

Political activist Van Jones (pictured) has branded Donald Trump's election win a 'nightmare' for America

Seizing upon Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric, Mr Jones, 48, said minorities were frightened of what the shock victory meant for them. Pictured: Trump giving his victory speech

President-elect Trump has previously called for Muslims to be banned from entering the country and proposed building a wall to keep Mexicans from crossing the border into the United States.

He also pledged to forcibly evict any and all immigrants who were in the country illegally, regardless of whether they had family in America.

The former reality TV star rode to victory on a wave of populist resentment, but Mr Jones claimed his win was down to more than just a backlash against the establishment.

He went on: 'This was a rebellion against the elites, it was a complete reinvention of politics and polls. But it was also something else.

'This was a white lash against a changing country. It was a white lash against a black president in part.

'And that's the part where the pain comes. Donald Trump has a responsibility tonight to come out and reassure everyone that he is going to be the president of all the people who he insulted and offended and brushed aside.

'When you say you want to take your country back, you've got a lot of people who feel we're not represented well either.'

President-elect Trump has previously called for Muslims to be banned from entering the country and proposed building a wall to keep Mexicans from crossing the border

Former Trump campaign chairman Corey Lewandowski, now a CNN analyst, was angered by Clinton's decision not to come out and said Trump would be criticized for making the same decision.

'Corey, you're a horrible person right now,' Clinton supporter Mr Jones told him as they shared the panel on CNN.

In his victory speech, Trump vowed Wednesday to unify a deeply divided nation, having scored a stunning victory backed by extraordinary support from working-class America.

The tough-talking New York billionaire claimed victories in the nation's premier battleground states, but his appeal across the industrial Midwest - Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, in particular - sealed a victory that defied pre-election polls and every expectation of the political establishment.

'I say it is time for us to come together as one united people,' Trump told supporters gathered in a Manhattan hotel near his Trump Tower campaign headquarters.

'For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, I'm reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so we can work together and unify our great country,' he said, the stage crowded with family and his most loyal allies.

Trump addressed the nation after sweeping most of the nation's top battlegrounds - and created some new ones.

He won Ohio, Florida and North Carolina. He also took down the Democratic Party's 'blue firewall' by scoring victories in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that haven't supported a Republican presidential candidate since 1988 and 1984 respectively.

The former reality TV star rode to victory on a wave of populist resentment, but Mr Jones claimed his win was a 'white lash' against a 'changing country' and 'black president'. Pictured: Trump's face beamed onto the Empire State Building

Trump's win shocked political professionals and global financial markets alike. But it created pure joy inside the hotel ballroom where hundreds of Trump supporters waited for hours for his celebration speech.

They hugged each other, chanted 'USA!' and bellowed 'God bless America' at the top of their lungs.

House Speaker Paul Ryan called Trump Tuesday night to congratulate him on his 'incredible victory.'

'We are eager to work hand-in-hand with the new administration to advance an agenda to improve the lives of the American people,' Ryan, who had a rocky relationship with Trump at times, said in a statement.
Theresa May has congratulated Donald Trump on his bombshell election as US President and insisted the 'special relationship' between Britain and the US will remain 'strong'.

The Prime Minister, who has previously criticised Mr Trump, said she looks forward to working with him in the White House and promised Britain will stay as 'close partners on trade, security and defence'.

As she issued her statement this morning - shortly after the Republican's shock victory was declared - other British politicians denounced the new president-elect for his 'racist and sexist' campaign.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn pointedly refused to congratulate Mr Trump in his response this morning but suggested his victory was a good omen for his radical left-wing agenda for Britain.

He said Mr Trump's election was 'an unmistakable rejection of a political establishment,' adding: 'After this latest global wake up call, the need for a real alternative to a failed economic and political system could not be clearer.'

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon did congratulate Mr Trump but urged him to 'reach out to those who felt marginalised by his campaign' and reassure the 'real sense of anxiety' he caused.

Theresa May, pictured in Downing Street today, has congratulated Donald Trump on his bombshell election as US President and insisted the 'special relationship' between Britain and the US will remain 'strong'

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, pictured today, pointedly refused to congratulate Mr Trump in his response this morning but suggested his victory was a good omen for his radical left-wing agenda for Britain

Labour, Lib Dem and Scottish nationalist MPs were united in denouncing Mr Trump's election victory. SNP MP Carol Monaghan warned: Xenophobic, racist, sectarian and sexist rhetoric has just been legitimised. We should all be very afraid,' while Lib Dem MP Tom Brake declared: 'This is the end of the world' and former shadow minister Luciana Berger said she had woken up to a 'nightmare'

Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who also publicly condemned Mr Trump last year after he criticised London's police, wrote on Twitter this morning: 'Congratulations to Donald Trump and much looking forward to working with his administration on global stability and prosperity.'

His welcoming words come less than a year after he became embroiled in a public spat with Mr Trump after the Republican claimed some parts of London were 'no-go areas' because of Muslim extremism.

Mr Johnson, then the Mayor of London, hit back: 'The only reason I wouldn't go to some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump.' He even declared Mr Trump 'unfit' to serve as President.

British MPs were deeply split in their reaction to Mr Trump's shock victory today.

While MPs from Labour, Lib Dem and Scottish nationalists condemned Mr Trump's 'hate-filled campaign,' some Tory MPs hailed the billionaire as the 'Reagan for our times, saying his presidency would be good for Britain as we prepare to leave the EU and praised his 'positive' approach to the UK.

Former Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett didn't hold back in expressing her anger against Mr Trump today. She told Sky News this afternoon: 'This is a vile and horrible man, who fought a vile and horrible campaign.'

Mrs May also criticised Mr Trump last year over his policy to ban all Muslims from entering America, describing him as 'plain wrong'. Former Prime Minister David Cameron described the policy as 'divisive, stupid and wrong'.

But today Mrs May struck a much more conciliatory tone as she responded to his election victory.

In a statement she said: 'I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next President of the United States, following a hard-fought campaign.

Britain's politicians were divided as they reacted to Donald Trump's shock election victory. Pictured, the Republican pumps his fist as he made his first public appearance since the result was announced this morning

Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, pictured meeting with his Croatian counterpart Davor Ivor Stier in Zagreb today, publicly condemned Mr Trump last year after he criticised London's police but congratulated the Republican on his election victory today

Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson congratulated Donald Trump on Twitter and said he was 'looking forward to working with his administration on global stability and prosperity'

'Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.

'We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence.

'I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead.'

Rival political leaders reacted differently, with Lib Dem leader Tim Farron saying the 'liberal values of moderation, freedom, respect for the rule' were 'defeated' in the US last night.

In his statement this morning, Mr Corbyn said: 'Trump's election is an unmistakable rejection of a political establishment and an economic system that simply isn't working for most people.

'It is one that has delivered escalating inequality and stagnating or falling living standards for the majority, both in the US and Britain.

'This is a rejection of a failed economic consensus and a governing elite that has been seen not to have listened. And the public anger that has propelled Donald Trump to office has been reflected in political upheavals across the world.'

Former shadow minister Luciana Berger said she had woken up to a 'nightmare' while Brendan Cox, the husband of the late Jo Cox, who was tragically killed a week before the EU referendum, urged people not to 'mourn' but to 'organise' to fight back against the likes of Donald Trump. Meanwhile the Tory donor Lord Ashcroft said Trump's presidency will be good for Britain

Theresa May, pictured in Downing Street today, said she looks forward to working with Donald Trump after he was elected the 45th President of the United States

He added: 'But some of Trump's answers to the big questions facing America, and the divisive rhetoric around them, are clearly wrong.

'I have no doubt, however, that the decency and common sense of the American people will prevail, and we send our solidarity to a nation of migrants, innovators and democrats.'

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale (pictured) issued a damning statement, saying she had watched 'with great sadness' as the results came in, adding: 'Today is a dark day for those of us who believe in compassion, tolerance and equality'

The Muslim Council of Britain said there is 'justifiable concern' about Mr Trump's election and called on him to take a more 'reconciliatory approach' to ensure his victory 'is not a green light for bigotry for the rest of the world'.

The Scottish government has clashed with Mr Trump for years over his plans to develop luxury golf courses on protected land.

Today Ms Sturgeon, another UK leader who has publicly criticised him, was forced to change her tone towards the billionaire.

She said in a statement: 'While this is not the outcome I hoped for, it is the verdict of the American people and we must respect it. I congratulate president-elect Trump on winning the election.

'We value our relationship with the United States and its people. The ties that bind Scotland and the US - of family, culture and business - are deep and longstanding and they will always endure.'

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale issued a damning statement, saying she had watched 'with great sadness' as the results came in, adding: 'Today is a dark day for those of us who believe in compassion, tolerance and equality'.

'Donald Trump was responsible for a hate-filled campaign that was dominated by lies, misogyny and racism,' she said. As president-elect, he now has a responsibility to America and the world to heal the deep divisions he has caused.'

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon did congratulate Mr Trump but urged him to 'reach out to those who felt marginalised by his campaign' and reassure the 'real sense of anxiety' he caused

Tory MP Jacob Rees Mogg, pictured left, pointed to remarks from Mr Trump that under his presidency Britain would be 'at the front of the line' for a trade deal after Brexit. But Tim Farron, pictured right, condemned Mr Trump and said the 'liberal values of moderation, freedom, respect for the rule' were 'defeated' in the US last night

Lib Dem MP Tom Brake declared: 'This is the end of the world', while former shadow minister Luciana Berger said she had woken up to a 'nightmare'.

And SNP MP Carol Monaghan warned: 'Xenophobic, racist, sectarian and sexist rhetoric has just been legitimised. We should all be very afraid.'

Their scathing comments on Mr Trump contrasted with more positive remarks from Tories, such as David Morris, MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, who told the Mail: 'I think he will be a Reagan for our times and recalibrate America and the world in a steady business-like manner.'

UK ECONOMY IS ROCKED BY TRUMP'S VICTORY AS CHOAS HITS MARKETS When the FTSE 100 opened on Wednesday morning it opened 2 per cent down, wiping 37 billion off the off stock markets. Within half an hour it had risen following Trump's victory speech Britain's unstable economy was plunged further into turmoil today as markets reacted to Donald Trump's shock election as US President. An alarming 37billion was wiped off the UK's top listed companies as London's FTSE 100 Index dropped as much as 2 per cent this morning, but there was a boost for the UK pound this morning as sterling rose to a high of $1.25. In scenes reminiscent of the turbulent market reaction to June's Brexit vote, the UK's blue-chip took a dramatic nosedive, falling 147 points to 6696.3, while the FTSE 250 was down 300 points. But markets recovered some of the earlier losses after Mr Trump delivered a relatively conciliatory victory speech at 8am, which contained none of his confrontational rhetoric from his campaign. Investors were calmed as Mr Trump instead focused on his pledges to reunite America, invest millions in large infrastructure projects and business tax cuts. By 9am BST the FTSE100 recovered slightly and overall losses were around 0.5 per cent at 6810.5 points. The market volatility was likened to the aftermath of June's Brexit vote, although today's reaction was not as drastic and did not have the help of the Bank of England pumping out millions to stave off further losses. But the further uncertainty delivers a blow to Britain's economy as Theresa May prepares to start negotiations to leave the EU. She has already been forced to abandon the Treasury's spending targets and Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, is expected to announce a significant fiscal package in this month's mini-budget. However, Mr Trump's victory delivered a financial boost for British pharmaceutical firms due to his pledge to scrap Obamacare and Hillary Clinton's hardline stance on the industry. Shares in GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca rose this morning. Advertisement

Tory MP Jacob Rees Mogg pointed to remarks from Mr Trump that under his presidency Britain would be 'at the front of the line' for a trade deal after Brexit, in contrast to Barack Obama's pre-referendum warning that the UK would be at the 'back of the queue' if it voted for Brexit.

He told MailOnline: 'Donald Trump has spoken positively about the UK especially regarding a trade deal saying we would be at the front of the line. This is more positive than the hostile approach taken by Obama so I am optimistic about Anglo American relations.'

And Philip Davies, another hardline Eurosceptic Tory MP, congratulated Mr Trump for his 'stunning election victory.'

He said: 'He has always made clear his support for the UK and for our decision to leave the EU and I therefore look forward to very close UK and US relations and I hope we can look forward to a trade deal which is in the best interests of people in the UK and the US.'

Mr Davies, who was the only MP to openly back Mr Trump during the election campaign, added that Hillary Clinton 'represents everything I hate about politics'.

The happiest politician in the UK was undoubtedly Nigel Farage, the interim Ukip leader, who caught the first flight to America this morning after Mr Trump's shock victory.

He hailed Donald Trump's shock election victory as 'bigger than Brexit' this morning as he caught the first flight to America to congratulate his Republican ally.

The Ukip figurehead, who oversaw the first seismic political shock this year with his lead role in Britain's exit from the EU, said it was another victory for the 'little people' protesting against the establishment.

He said Mr Trump's presidency would be good for Britain, saying: 'There'll be a friend in the White House  someone who likes this country  rather than the Obamas and Clintons, who look down on us.'

Mr Farage, nicknamed 'Mr Brexit' by his friend Mr Trump, was all smiles as he watched the results come in at the US presidential election night party at the US embassy in London.

And as he laughed and joked with journalists this morning, he was already outlining a role he could fulfill: President Trump's ambassador to the EU.

Senior Tory MP Steve Baker said the warning signs of a Trump victory were all to clear.

'For all my time in politics, I have said we were heading into a profound crisis of political economy,' he said.

'Big government, high taxes, crony capitalism, excess borrowing and easy money created the present developing global phenomenon.

'The answer is limited government, lower taxes, balanced budgets, honest money and free markets, that is, Conservatism of the old liberal kind.'

Brendan Cox, who has become a figurehead for the fight against hate crime since his wife and Labour MP Jo Cox was tragically killed a week before the EU referendum, urged people not to give up the fight against extremist politicians like Mr Trump.

He wrote on Twitter: 'History will judge us for how we respond. This must galvanise the political centre not shatter it. There is too much at stake.'

Mr Cox added: 'Jo would not want to rest in peace. In death as in life she will forever be an activist. A passionate force for good in the world.'

'This is bigger than Brexit!' Nigel Farage flies to America TODAY in a bid to be Donald's ambassador to the EU

Nigel Farage speaks to the media outside the US presidential election night party at the US Embassy in London earlier this morning

Nigel Farage hailed Donald Trump's shock election victory as 'bigger than Brexit' this morning as he caught the first flight to America to congratulate his Republican ally.

The Ukip figurehead, who oversaw the first seismic political shock this year with his lead role in Britain's exit from the EU, said it was another victory for the 'little people' protesting against the establishment.

He said Mr Trump's presidency would be good for Britain, saying: 'There'll be a friend in the White House  someone who likes this country  rather than the Obamas and Clintons, who look down on us.'

Mr Farage, nicknamed 'Mr Brexit' by his friend Mr Trump, was all smiles as he watched the results come in at the US presidential election night party at the US embassy in London.

And as he laughed and joked with journalists this morning, he was already outlining a role he could fulfill: President Trump's ambassador to the EU.

Nigel Farage has helped Donald Trump in his campaign to win the presidency, joining him on stage in Jackson, Mississippi in August, pictured, where the Republican introduced the interim Ukip leader as 'Mr Brexit'

Appearing on LBC Radio, Mr Farage said: 'Is he going to offer me a job? I'm hoping he might do.

'He will be in need of a proper Eurosceptic ambassador in Brussels for the European Union. I would rather like that job.'

He added: 'Being a foreigner will not disqualify me. As long as we can bring the EU down, it doesn't matter how we do it.'

Mr Farage, who is serving as interim Ukip leader until next month, said he would do the job 'very well' having been an MEP in Brussels for nearly two decades.

Mr Farage was so confident Mr Trump will win the presidential race that he's booked a flight to the US for later this morning.
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Furthering cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, also known as the "16+1" mechanism, will benefit not only the two sides, but also world peace and development, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said in Riga on Saturday.

Addressing the Fifth China-CEE Summit in Riga, Latvia, Li said nations worldwide are facing grave challenges and uncertainties in boosting development against a backdrop of lackluster global economic recovery, frequent regional conflicts and growing non-traditional security threats such as terrorism and refugee problems.

"Under the new circumstances, we have become more mutually dependent as our common interests are growing," said the premier.

The "16+1" cooperation cannot fare well without a peaceful, stable and sustainable global environment, and meanwhile it has grown into a positive force propelling world peace and development, he said.

He called on the international community including the CEE countries to step up coordination to properly resolve hot issues and maintain world peace and regional stability.

Europe as an important polar of the world is highly complementary with China in terms of economy, and the "16+1" mechanism forms an integral part of China-Europe cooperation, which is conducive to the balanced development and integration of Europe, Li said.

The premier also urged the mechanism to stick to the direction of globalization against intensifying protectionism.

"We should actively promote free trade and facilitate investment, open markets wider to each other, deepen regional economic cooperation and oppose trade and investment protectionism to give ourselves growth impetus while contributing to world economic recovery," Li said.

Established in 2012, the "16+1" mechanism of cooperation involving China and 16 CEE countries has seen constant expansion.

Li is currently in Latvia for an official visit and the "16+1" summit.

His trip marks the first time for a Chinese premier to visit the Baltic country since it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Latvia is the third stop of his ongoing eight-day Eurasia tour, which has already taken him to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan and will conclude in Russia.




A keen fisherman was left covered in blood after he was struck in the head with a glass bottle that was thrown from a bridge.

Andrew Muller had gone on a solo fishing trip along the Burnett River in Queensland on Monday afternoon when he was knocked unconscious after the hard object was hurled from the Tallon Bridge.

The 21-year-old man woke to find another fisherman applying a wet cloth to the bloodied cut after he dragged the injured man to the banks of the river.

Andrew Muller went on a fishing trip along the Burnett River on Monday afternoon when he was knocked unconscious after a glass bottle was thrown at the back of his head from a bridge

Mr Muller suffered a concussion but he managed to escape with just a minor cut to the back of his head.

Girlfriend Tamara Gaslevich, 20, was at home when she received a distressing phone call from Mr Muller explaining what had happened.

'He was fishing when someone has thrown a glass bottle off the new bridge and it hit him on the back of the head,' Ms Gaslevich told Daily Mail Australia.

'I didn't believe him at first as it doesn't seem like something that would happen. But once I was reassured, I started to believe [what he was telling me] so I was worried.

Despite the terrifying ordeal, the incident has not deterred the 21-year-old from fishing

'Andrew was knocked out but he woke to find someone trying to wake him back up. The passerby was in a boat and had helped him to shore.'

The young Bundaberg man was rushed to hospital but was discharged after being given the all-clear.

'He's lucky because it could've been worse - it could've killed him,' his girlfriend said.

'If it had been any of a worse cut to the head, God knows what would have happened.

'Very luck we got him to come home and that it didn't happen in the dark. But also very grateful that it was him and not a child.'

Despite the terrifying ordeal, Ms Gaslevich said the incident has not deterred her boyfriend from fishing.

'He loves his fishing. He is a fishing freak. Any spare moment you wouldn't find him anywhere else but at the river,' she said.
Condoms will not be made compulsory in the porn industry's capital, California.

HIV prevention groups have spent years lobbying for legislation to criminalize unprotected sex on screen to curb the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases.

One in four performers in the porn industry have an STD such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, HPV, HIV or syphilis - far more than the national average - according to the For Adult Industry Responsibility (FAIR) Committee which backed the bill.

However, voters in the state were unfazed by the campaign and resoundingly rejected the law by 54 percent to 46 percent on Tuesday night.

Condoms will not be made compulsory in the porn industry's capital, California

"The diseases contracted in the porn studios dont always stay in the studios or in the porn industry,' FAIR said in its bid to pass Proposition 60.

'In one widely publicized case last year, a porn actor had sex with 17 people outside the industry (and with five others inside the industry) in 22 days before it was discovered he had HIV.'

If Proposition 60 had been passed, actors could have been subjected to criminal charges for not wearing protection on screen.

Many performers and public health experts claimed the new rules would have been less safe than the existing industry standard called 'Performer Availability Scheduling Services'.

Under that system, porn stars are tested fortnightly for STIs and the results are kept in a private database.

Producers then pick actors who are deemed 'available' by the database.

But under the new legislation, they would only have been tested every three months.

Opponents had argued porn stars should wear condoms to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis or human papillomavirus.

Michael Weinstein, president of Aids Healthcare Foundation, claimed the law was 'about protecting the performers'.

He added: 'Many young people get their information from these films, and the message they get is that the only hot sex is unsafe sex.'

Opponents had argued porn stars should wear condoms to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, gonorrhea, syphilis or human papillomavirus

In another election day ballot, California voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.

The initiative allows Californians who are 21 and older to possess, transport and buy up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and use it for recreational purposes.

It comes six years after California voters narrowly rejected a similar measure.

Activists said it was an important moment in the fight for legalization across the country.

Massachusetts and Nevada also approved recreational pot, while voters in Florida, North Dakota and Arkansas supported medical marijuana measures.

Voters in California also decided on tougher gun laws, requiring people buying ammunition to undergo background checks.

The vote - which came nearly a year after two terrorists gunned down 14 people in San Bernardino - also outlawed possession of high-capacity ammunition magazines.
A small company has became an unexpected gainer on the Chinese stock market because its name sounds like 'Trump wins'.

The share price of Chuan Da Zhi Sheng, a company which makes software and systems for air traffic control, soared as much as 9.57 per cent today on China's Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

In Mandarin, the phrase 'Chuan Da Zhi Sheng' () can mean 'Trump wins with wisdom'.

While another company, called 'Xi Yi' (), saw limit-down today in China because its name apparently sounds like 'Auntie Hilary'.

A small company in China became the winner on the stock market today because of Donald Trump. Pictured, President-elect Donald Trump smiled as he spoke at an election night rally

Chuan Da Zhi Sheng was a sensation on the Chinese stock market today because its name can be interpreted as 'Trump wins with wisdom'

The company's share price soared as much as 9.57 per cent today and peaked at 1pm Beijing Time when Trump had become the likely elected President of America

Although the firm, based in the mountainous Sichuan Province, is little known to the Chinese public, its phonetic connection to Donald Trump has apparently fueled its price increase as the US election progressed.

According to the market chart on Sina Finance, the share price of Chuan Da Zhi Sheng was 30.10 Yuan ($4.4) when the market opened at 9:30am today Beijing Time (8:30pm, November 8, EST).

The stock saw its first peak in the share price at around 10:30am Beijing Time (9:30pm, November 8, EST), rising by 6.28 per cent to 31.99 Yuan ($4.7).

This was roughly when billionaire Trump won the state of Florida, a key election battleground.

At 1pm Beijing Time, or 00:30am EST, when Trump had become the likely elected President of America, Chuan Da Zhi Sheng's share price soared by 9.57 per cent to 32.98 Yuan ($4.86).

The stock closed at 32.01 Yuan ($4.72) per share at 3pm Beijing Time.

Chuan Da Zhi Sheng's official English name is Wisesoft.

Another company, called 'Xi Yi' (), saw limit-down today in China because its name apparently sounds like 'Auntie Hilary'. Pictured, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton shook hands prior to the start of the Presidential Debate in September

Vanke, a renowned Chinese real estate company, also saw a huge increase in its share price today because its name sounds similar to Ivanka Trump (pictured)

Some Chinese investors were stunned by the share price increase of this obscure stock as they took it to the internet to express their amazement.

One stock analyst, with the screen name of 'gu shi you yao qi', posted on Chinese social media platform Weibo: 'Today the share price of Chuan Da Zhi Sheng suddenly soared, it is hard to explain the increase from an information or technical point of view.

'Then in the afternoon, Trump was elected as the US President in the US election, [I] realised, it was because Chuan Da Zhi Sheng carries an auspicious message for Trump's election.'

Dan Guoqing, chairman of a Shenzhen-based investment company, wrote on his Weibo account: 'Trump won the election, Chuan Da Zhi Sheng nearly reached limit-up; Trump's daughter is called Ivanka, and Vanka's rose limite-up.

'Hilary lost, and Xi Yi met limit-down. China's A-shares are incredible.'
The daughter of a soldier has been reunited with a lost love letter sent from her mother to her father 70 years ago while he was stationed overseas.

Crinkled and coffee stained, the letter to Second World War soldier Harry Hughes from his sweetheart Dorothy was salvaged by supermarket worker Stacie Adamson in Asda's lost property at a shop in Leigh, Greater Manchester.

The couple's daughter Barbara White has now stepped forward to claim it - and reveal how the missive was among hundreds to pass between her parents.

A love letter, pictured, found in an Asda lost property section in Greater Manchester has been reunited with the family of its author

The letter was written by Dorothy Hughes (centre, blue dress) to her husband Harry (left, pictured with their daughters Barbara, Vivien and Gillian)

The couple married (left) after World War Two but Mrs Hughes kept their love alive while her betrothed served in Sri Lanka by sending him hundreds of letters (right)

She said: 'I couldn't believe it when I spotted dad's name and then read the story, it was an emotional moment.

'We think one of my sisters must have taken a letter with her shopping and dropped it accidentally. It's great it's been saved.'

'I'm excited to speak to Stacie. Having worked with young people all my life I've always been very proud of them.

'People speak badly of youngsters sometimes but this just shows. It's lovely that someone of her age was concerned enough to do the honourable thing.'

It concludes an incredible love story spanning 5,400 miles, 70 years and three generations.

Mr Hughes received a letter from his sweetheart in 1945 while based with the RAF in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka.

Addressed to LAC H Hughes, 13 MSU (Torps), Royal Air Force, Ceylon Air Forces, it was one of hundreds he would receive through the Second World War.

In fact, Mr Hughes became the envy of his regiment thanks to the daily post he received from his future wife.

He first met her in their native Moston, north Manchester, shortly before signing up in 1940 - but refused to marry her then for fear he would make her a widow.

But the 5,400 miles between Manchester and Ceylon were no match for the couple's devotion.

Mr Hughes, left, met his future wife, right, in 1940 but refused to marry her then for fear of making her a widow

The couple, pictured on their honeymoon in 1946, went on to have three children together

Mrs White, a retired English teacher, added: 'Mum wrote really well about Manchester and what was happening and how they felt about the war.

'She'd send the local paper and it would get passed around the entire regiment.

'Dad would say the print was virtually off it by the time he got it back.

'Before mum died she talked about the letters and we have them all now, there are hundreds. There are cards too, Christmas and Valentine's Day.'

When the war ended and the pair were reunited, they married and went on to have three children together - Mrs White, now 63, Vivien, 69, and Gillian, 61.

While Mr Hughes worked in insurance before the couple retired to Bramhall.

Harry rarely talked about his service - but he did speak of a friend from his school in Manchester who was one of the first killed.

Mrs Hughes died last year aged 94 and as a grandmother-of-three, while her husband passed away aged 90 in 2011.

Mrs White lives in Nottingham while her sisters are still in Greater Manchester.

She added: 'They were just as much in love at the end as they were at the time of those letters. They were absolutely devoted to each other.'

Supermarket worker Stacie Adamson, who found the letters, said she was thrilled to reunite it with the family of the couple (pictured)

Meanwhile Miss Adamson, 22, is thrilled the letter's owner has been found after she saved it from the shredder.

She said: 'I'm really happy after all the effort not just from but from Asda and everyone that Barbara has come forward

'I'm sad I won't meet Dorothy or Harry but glad it can go back to its rightful home. I'm so glad I saved it.'

When Miss Adamson, who lives with her parents in Leigh, noticed the 1945 date stamp she googled Mr Hughes's name and regiment to find extraordinary footage from 'Calling Blighty' - a scheme which allowed servicemen to send messages to their loved ones from abroad.

The video led her to the North West Film Archive at Manchester Metropolitan University and their 'A Message Home' project.
Conservative Cabinet minister Andrea Leadsom faced mockery on Twitter today after proudly posting statistics on bathing water quality as Donald Trump was elected President.

Ms Leadsom tweeted a YouTube video on the figures and a link to the Government website at 7.31am, adding: 'New stats on bathing water quality show our favourite swimming spots are the best on record.'

Minutes later, Mr Trump appeared on stage for the first time as President-elect.

Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom faced ridicule on social media today after she announced an improvement in water quality while Donald Trump was winning the US election

The message prompted JonP to reply: 'God love you Andrea, great news but today I'm afraid no one is listening.'

Gareth Allen said: 'Mate, wait till you put the telly on.'

Ms Leadsom - who was almost made Prime Minister in July when she got into a run off for the Tory leadership after Brexit - was announcing a surge in water quality across England.

She said: 'Englands bathing waters are enjoyed by millions of people every year, which is why I am delighted the water quality at our beaches and lakes is better than at any time since before the Industrial Revolution.

'This year more than 93 per cent of bathing waters were rated excellent and good, but were not complacent  well keep working to improve our environment and make sure its protected for future generations.'

Andrea Leadsom chose 7.30am today as the right moment to launch new statistics on bathing water quality in England

But the clash with Donald Trump's election as US president prompted ridicule from Twitter users, with JonP telling 'no-one is listening'

Gareth Allen urged for the former Tory leadership contender to go and check the news

Another Government minister appeared to have been left reeling overnight as the results rolled in.

Rory Stewart tweeted at 4.29am that he was 'going for a walk' after tweeting messages through much of the night about the breaking results.

The former diplomat turned MP and Aid Minister noted shortly after ward it was 'cold and raining but by 6.15am was still walking.

Mr Stewart walked across Afghanistan in 2002 in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and during the US invasion.
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Donald Trump's presidential victory has sparked protests across America with some demonstrators setting trash on fire, smashing windows and burning the US flag.

Supporters of rival candidates clashed outside the White House as Americans woke up to the reality of Trump's surprise win after the most divisive presidential campaign in recent history.

Meanwhile, parties held on university campuses across liberal states soon turned into wakes as swathes of red covered the electoral college map.

Hundreds of people on California college campuses and in Oregon marched against the Republican's election in the early hours.

Police says at least 500 people swarmed on streets in and around UCLA early Wednesday morning, some shouting anti-Trump expletives.

Riots are predicted around America after Trump's election. A woman is pictured here running past burning garbage during a demonstration in Oakland, California

Several dozen protesters gathered in downtown Oakland on Wednesday to protest the election of Donald Trump as the next President of United States

A video posted on social media purportedly shows students in Portland burning the US flag as they march and shout 'f*** Donald Trump'

A man marched with a US flag along the streets of Oakland, California, in the early hours of Wednesday morning

Rival supporters of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton clashed outside the White House after today's result was announced

Shortly before 3am EST, Hillary Clinton called her Republican rival to concede defeat after seeing Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida all turn red.

Trump took to the stage and praised Clinton's hard work during her political career.

Demonstrators were held at University of California campuses and neighborhoods in Berkeley, Irvine and Davis and at San Jose State.

Students chanted 'not our President' and reportedly lit flares.

In Oakland, more than 100 protesters took to downtown streets. Local media reported that protesters burned a Trump pinata, smashed windows of the Oakland Tribune newsroom and set tires and trash on fire.

The California Highway Patrol says a woman was struck by a car during the protest and severely injured.

On the Walk of Fame, in Hollywood, a group of around 30 Trump supporters tried to shout down demonstrators, the LA Times reports.

In Oregon, dozens of people blocked traffic in downtown Portland and forced a delay for trains on two light rail lines.

University of Oregon other students shouted obscenities about the president elect.

Margaret Gibson told the Tab Oregon: 'I'm f***** terrified of this whole thing. The mission is to raise support that Donald Trump cannot be our president.

'I think the whole point of this protest is to get awareness that Donald Trump just won. The whole world as we know it for minorities will be uprooted and destroyed as well as our whole economic system and morals being exposed to the world in such a bad way.'

In Pennsylvania, hundreds of University of Pittsburgh students marched through the streets, with some in the crowd calling for unity. The student-run campus newspaper, the Pitt News, tweeted about an event later Wednesday titled "Emergency Meeting: Let's Unite to Stop President Trump."

Students chanted 'No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA'

In Oakland, more than 100 protesters took to downtown streets. KNTV-TV reported that protesters burned Trump in effigy

People marching reportedly shouted 'not my president' and 'who's streets? Our streets!' as they walked through Oakland

Protesters reportedly smashed windows of the Oakland Tribune newsroom and set tires and trash on fire

Trash cans burn in the street in Oakland as residents express their anger at Trump's election as president

Muslim Advocates, a national legal advocacy and educational organization based in Oakland, California, denounced Trump's victory, saying his views violate the foundation of America's democracy. Pictured are protesters in Oakland

Police detain a protester marching against president-elect Donald Trump in Oakland, California

Trump pledged in a tweet Wednesday morning: 'The forgotten man and woman will never be forgotten again. We will all come together as never before.' Pictured are police in Oakland watching over an anti-Trump protest

Protesters attempted to block highways in Oakland by burning trash in the streets on Wednesday

Many of the protesters in Oakland are believed to be students at the University of California

Oakland police officers chase a group of about 50 protesters against president-elect Donald Trump in Oakland

People shouted 'Not our president' on the streets of Berkeley, CA. The man who shared this video said 'Sigh, a little too late America'

During the count migrants protested outside the White House before details of his victory emerged

In the University of San Francisco, hundreds of students gathered to protest against Trump's election has president

In Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, this masked woman protested against the president elect Donald Trump

Protesters lit a fire in Seattle Capitol Hill area as locals reacted with shock to Donald Trump's victory this morning

In London, anti-racist protesters are to stage a demonstration outside the US Embassy in London following the the result.

Activists accused the President-elect of having a long history of 'racist outbursts' as well as his promise to build a wall between the US and Mexico.

Sabby Dhalu, co-convener of the Stand up to Racism group, said: 'Donald Trump used the oldest trick in the book - he stirred up fear and racism in the context of a stagnant economy and the resulting fall in living standards - to mobilise a vote for him.

'The danger now is racists across the globe feel emboldened by Donald Trump's victory and racism and sexism become normalised through the most powerful figure in the world.

'We call on anti-racists and all progressives to join us tonight outside the US Embassy.'

Angry people toured the streets in disbelief such as this person following Donald Trump's shock victory today

Democrat supporters were certain their candidate would win as the polls closed last night before counting begun

Jubilant Trump supporters cheered after it was announced he would become 45th President of the United States

But Democrats consoled each other on Pennsylvania Avenue shortly after Trump took to the stage in New York
A 10-year-old boy could lose his eyesight after a 'freak accident' when a firework exploded in his face.

Tyler Norris-Sayers, from Burnley, was knocked to the floor when the rocket hit him and set him on fire.

The schoolboy suffered horrendous burns to his right eye after the firework exploded in his face when it tipped over during an organised display and flew into the spectating crowds.

Tyler Norris-Sayers (left and right), from Burnley, was knocked to the floor when the rocket hit him and set him on fire

His mother Nicola Sayers, 38,an accounts manager, said she did not blame anyone for what she described as a 'freak accident'

His mother Nicola Sayers, 38,an accounts manager, said she did not blame anyone for what she described as a 'freak accident' - but warned other parents to take extra care with their children during festive season.

She said: 'Obviously accidents do happen - but would I tell other parents to keep an eye on their children, especially around fireworks.

'Over the past few days people have told me similar things with fireworks and horror stories.

'Fireworks now are not like they used to be and they are just getting more and more dangerous - especially the bigger ones made in Japan.'

Adding: 'I do not blame the club or organisers in anyway - I would just advise others to be extra careful and stand well back when watching fireworks.'

Members of the crowd who were watching the displays in Burnley, Lancs., rushed Tyler to the clubhouse and treated him with ice packs - before paramedics took over.

Tyler was hit in the eye by a firework in a freak accident at a bonfire show in Burnley

Doctors have said they do not yet know if Tyler's sight will be affected - but the youngster's tear ducts were damanged and he says he can only see light and shapes

Doctors have said they do not yet know if Tyler's sight will be affected - but the youngster's tear ducts were damanged and he says he can only see light and shapes.

Describing the horror unfold, Ms Sayers said: 'We were stood next to each other behind the safety barrier and all of a sudden the firework seemed to explode.

'As the firework has gone to shoot off, it's come into the crowd - it knocked Tyler to the ground and I could just see him on fire.

'It was awful, I just froze - I couldn't believe what had happened because it just all happened so quick.'

Speaking about her son's injuries, she added: 'The stem cells have been damaged so that it cannot heal itself - the swelling has gone down but there could still be lasting damage.'

Tyler was rushed to Blackburn Royal Infirmary after the accident at the Railway Club in Burnley's Rosegrove

Tyler was rushed to Blackburn Royal Infirmary after the accident at the Railway Club in Burnley's Rosegrove.

The youngster spent time at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital burns unit and his mother has kept a constant bedside vigil since the horror accident.

Speaking after Tyler was discharged from hospital, Ms Sayers said: 'Tyler has been very brave indeed and we have kept his spirits up.

'He knows what has happened to him and we have told him everything the doctors have said.'

Off-duty nurse Billie Jolly was the one who rushed forward to help Tyler into the clubhouse and rallied staff for cold compresses to place on his injuries.

Ms Sayers said: 'Billie was fantastic, she knew just what to do and she was so reassuring to me and Tyler, and spoke to us both to keep us calm.'

Tyler was later transferred to Manchester where specialists cleared debris from his eye to determine the extent of the damage.

But top medics could not examine his eye because it was so badly swollen - surrounding the wound in a special membrane allowing for the stem cell that has been damaged to grow back.

His mother added: 'Tyler's tear ducts have been damaged too so there isn't enough moisture in his eye to help it repair.

'He can see light and shapes but everything is very blurry at the moment.

'Doctors do say that if the membrane doesn't work to repair the eye - then Tyler will have to have an operation to correct it.'

She added: 'The eye is the worst part the firework could have hit - because it's so delicate.'

Whittlefield Primary School Tyler lives with his mum and her partner Chris Evans, who runs his own business A2z Canopies in Burnley, also where Ms Sayers works.

A woman, aged 60, and an eight-year-old girl were also injured during the accident.
Residents have been asked to be vigilant and report

to be behind 17 deliberately lit fires across Queensland

A firebug is behind 17 deliberately lit fires across Queensland, police say.

The firebug's 'reign of terror' has encompassed the Coolum and Marcoola areas on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Police concern was heightened after investigations revealed unexplained fires were started in bins, a car, a childcare centre and bushland, the Sunshine Coast Daily reported.

A firebug is behind 17 deliberately lit fires across Queensland, police say (stock image)

One fire was started after someone placed a phone book under a wheel of a parked car and setting it alight at Coolum Beach on October 20.

Since September 12 authorities have been investigating 17 unexplained fires, with most of them being reported in the past three weeks.

'We think there is some sort of firebug in the area up there and we are honing in on a few people,' Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Byrnes said.

Another fire in a bin near a Marcoola business is being treated as suspected arson.

Sergeant Byrnes said police were reviewing CCTV taken from nearby businesses.

Residents have been urged to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity.
Geelong Grammar valued its reputation over the welfare of students, the child abuse royal commission has heard.

The prestigious Victorian school knew about the conduct of boarding house assistant Philippe Trutmann, who sexually abuse 41 boys, but failed to take any action.

One of the victims, a 14-year-old boarder known as BIW was expelled for speaking out about the horrific abuse.

The response to BIW's 1989 complaint was an appalling failure by the school and revealed 'something troubling' about its culture, Mr Lloyd said in recommending possible findings by the royal commission.

Geelong Grammar valued its reputation over the welfare of students, the child abuse royal commission has heard

'The failure to investigate or report the matter suggests a desire to avoid reputational damage to the school,' Mr Lloyd said in a submission released on Wednesday.

'The fact that there was such a response from the most senior people at the school is consistent with a culture which valued the reputation of the school over the welfare of its students.'

Had Trutmann been removed much earlier than in 1996, it was very likely at least some of his victims would not have been abused, Mr Lloyd said.

A number of students would likely not have been abused had long-time principal John Lewis investigated allegations of child sex abuse that came to his attention, Mr Lloyd said.

He said the 1980-1994 headmaster's handling of abuse allegations fell below the standards expected of a principal.

Mr Lloyd said by September 1991 at the latest, Mr Lewis had reason to believe the school had three current staff members who had been the subject of credible abuse allegations and still had access to vulnerable children.

Long-time principal John Lewis failed to investigate allegations of child sex abuse that came to his attention

The commission heard the school failed to take action against staff member who sexually abused 41 boys

'At that time, Geelong Grammar was an unsafe environment for children,' he said.

Mr Lloyd said Mr Lewis did not treat the issue of child sexual abuse seriously and preferred the school's reputation to the interests and welfare of the students under his care.

He said Mr Lewis had an 'utterly deficient' system in place where Geelong Grammar would not refer child sex abuse allegations to police unless the school was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt the allegations were true.

'The system did not protect and promote the interests of the students and it instead was a system that was designed to protect the reputation of the school in preference to the interests of students,' Mr Lloyd said.

Mr Lewis, who became headmaster of England's elite Eton College after leaving Geelong Grammar, has told the commission the school's number one priority was students' welfare and wellbeing.

His lawyers rejected Mr Lloyd's submissions, saying Mr Lewis acted as best he could in difficult circumstances according to the knowledge and practices of the times.
Television personality Waleed Aly says he is concerned for Muslims in the United States after Donald Trump declared victory in the presidential election.

Reporting live from New York on Wednesday night, The Project host was asked by fellow panellist Carrie Bickmore what he thought about the outcome.

'How do you personally feel being in that country now as a Muslim, knowing who they just elected?' she asked.

'If I'm forced to think about it that way, it's an incredibly confronting thing,' Aly responded.

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The Project's host Waleed Aly (right) has raised concerns for Muslim people after Donald Trump sensationally won the US presidential election

'A lot of minority communities are worried about this tonight. There's no glossing over that.

'This is a clear victory, no doubt about that but there is a lot of real concerns. It is really, in a way, very scary.

'I am not American, I get to get on a plane in a couple of days and come home and so I don't have to live with this day to day but it is particularly frightening.'

During the live cross, Aly did not back down at taking a dig at Trump following the announcement of his presidential victory.

During the live cross, Aly didn't back down following the announcement of Trump's presidential victory, saying: 'I have thoroughly enjoyed my final trip to America'

' I have thoroughly enjoyed my final trip to America,' Aly told the panel, prompting laughter from the crowd.

Waleed, a Muslim, appears to have been referring to Trump's negative stance on those of Islamic faith.

Throughout his campaign, Mr Trump has been a vocal opponent of Muslim immigration in the United States.
 Flash

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Palace in Moscow, capital of Russia, Nov. 8, 2016. [Xinhua]

Premier Li Keqiang met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in Moscow, continuing bilateral high-level exchanges and signaling a desire for further cooperation.

Moscow was Li's second stop in Russia and the last stop of his eight-day Eurasian trip, which has also taken him to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Latvia. Li also met with Putin in June during the Russian president's visit to China.

A major characteristic of the China-Russia relationship is that high-level meetings are frequent between leaders of the two countries, which has become the "locomotive" that pulls bilateral ties forward, Jiang Yi, a Central Asian studies researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said on Tuesday.

In June, Li vowed to further link China's Belt and Road Initiative with the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union and to form an industrial chain for cooperation in gas, nuclear power and electricity. Putin pledged willingness to promote production capacity and third-party market cooperation.

Before his arrival in Moscow on Tuesday, Li visited the Russian coastal city of St. Petersburg, where he attended the 21st China-Russian Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting with his counterpart, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. More than 20 agreements were signed to boost bilateral cooperation in fields such as high-speed railway and nuclear power stations.

A joint statement released after their meeting emphasized further cooperation in major projects, including the 280-seat, wide-body commercial aircraft that is being jointly developed with Russia. The plane will make its first test flight by 2020 and be delivered in 10 years, according to an announcement last week by Commercial Aircraft Corp of China.

"While the cooperation between Beijing and Moscow has already yielded fruitful results in various areas, there remains great potential to be tapped in fields such as energy and neighboring areas," Jiang said.

He added that since China is revitalizing its old industrial bases in the northeast and Russia has a strategy to develop its Far East region, the two countries could work toward interconnection and mutual investment between the areas.

"The two countries could also seek more space for energy cooperation in terms of industrial chains, including investment in energy-related projects and joint exploration of gas and oil," Jiang said.
Voters in Nevada have elected America's first ever Latina senator, Catherine Cortez Masto, who succeeds the former Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid.

On an otherwise disastrous night for the Democrats, Cortez Masto, 52, beat her Republican opponent, Joe Heck, and tweeted: 'Manana la lucha sigue [Tomorrow the fight continues].'

She won 520,403 votes - 47.1 percent - against Heck's 494,200 (44.7 percent) to inherit the seat from the 76-year-old incumbent, who had held the seat since 1987.

Catherine Cortez Masto embraces her husband, Paul, as she becomes the first Latina senator in American history

Cortez Masto, whose grandfather was a Mexican immigrant, immediately promised she would do her best to hold President Elect Donald Trump to account.

She tweeted: 'Our government is based on a system of checks and balances. And trust me, I will be one hell of a check on Donald Trump.'

Cortez Masto, a lawyer and former Nevada Attorney General, added: 'I'm proud to be Nevada's 1st female and our nation's 1st Latina senator. Its about time our government mirrors the diversity of our nation...Thanks for making history with me tonight.'

Catherine Cortez Masto (pictured, right) won the seat, which had been held by the former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (left) since 1987

Cortez Masto's win in Nevada a bright spot in an otherwise miserable night for the Democrats. A Clinton supporter watches the result in Las Vegas (pictured)

Cortez Masto was Nevada's attorney general from 2007 until 2015 and promised to campaign for getting citizenship for undocumented immigrants - something she might find difficult with a Republican President and Congress - raising the minimum wage, and investing in clean energy.

Nevada has the 14th largest Hispanic population in the U.S. - 36% of Nevadans are Latino, according to the Pew Research Center.

Pew said a record 27.3 million Latinos - 12 percent of all voters - were eligible to vote this year and some analysts had been predicting it would prove crucial in sweeping Hillary Clinton into the White House.

But in the event it could not help the Democratic presidential candidate, with one report suggesting a surprising 29 percent of Latino voters actually plumped for Donald Trump.

A second Latina candidate for the Senate, Loretta Sanchez, was beaten by a fellow Democrat, Kamala Harris.
Steve Price clashed with columnist Jamila Rizvi on The Project

Broadcaster Steve Price has shared a tense exchange with former Labor staffer Jamila Rizvi following the shock US election result.

Appearing on Channel Ten's The Project on Wednesday night, the pair clashed after Price claimed Rizvi interrupted him as the panel discussed Hillary Clinton's loss.

Wearing a t-shirt with Hillary Clinton's logo, Ms Rizvi said she was in 'shock' at the result and 'sad' the US hadn't voted in a female president.

After host Carrie Bickmore outlined how women had voted, she seemingly directed to Ms Rizvi for comment - however Price interjected, saying the breakdown showed the underlying discontent within non-metro America.

Broadcaster Steve Price (left) has shared a tense exchange with former Labor staffer Jamila Rizvi (right) following the shock US election result

Appearing on Channel 10's The Project on Wednesday night, the pair seemed to clash after Price claimed Rizvi interrupted him as the panel discussed Hillary Clinton's loss

'Well what that shows you is the people in real America, small town America, weren't buying the bulldust coming out of the elites,' Price began to say, before he was cut off by Rizvi.

'Sorry can we cut this bull**** about the idea of there being a real America,' the news.com.au columinst said.

Price attempted to jump back in, however his efforts were ignored as Ms Rizvi continued to lambaste Price's idea of a 'real America'.

'All America is real - and the question I believe was to me - if you live in a city or you live in a small town you're still American,' she said.

One Ms Rizvi had finished talking, Price then went on the attack.

'This is the reason why Donald Trump won, because people like you lecture and heckle people,' he said.

Clearly taken aback by Price's comments, Ms Rizvi 'apologised' as the studio audience let out a collective 'woah', before host Carrie Bickmore intervened.

'Pricey, we were talking to Jamila and you don't need to keep that tone,' Bickmore said.

The show's host Carrie Bickmore (right) was forced to intervene in the verbal stoush, telling Price off for using 'that tone'

Rizvi pointed out the question was initially addressed at her as the studio audience let out a collective 'woah'

Rizvi later took to social media to defend herself against broadcaster Ben Fordham who criticised her for interrupting Price

'I apologise, I thought I was on to be interviewed, so...' Ms Rizvi said.

Never one to back down from his views, it was the former shock jock Price who had the last word against Kevin Rudd's former media assistant.
Mr Trump was elected as the US president in a

who slammed Donald Trump will now work with him

Donald Trump has been a divisive figure in this year's US presidential election and Australian politicians .

But now they will be forced to work with Mr Trump after he defeated Hillary Clinton in the polls.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has been particularly vocal about the president-elect, labelling Mr Trump as an 'entirely unsuitable to be leader of the free world' and 'barking mad'.

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A month after labelling Donald Trump 'barking mad' and 'unsuitable to be leader of the free world,' Labor leader Bill Shorten (pictured) is preparing to work alongside the new US president

Senator Shorten is just one of several Australian politicians and government officials who have publicly baulked at the possibility of the republican candidate (pictured) being elected president during the lengthy campaign

In a very different tone to his previous comments, Mr Shorten announced Australia will respect America's decision in a statement on Twitter with the headline: 'An extraordinary day in US politics'.

'Every time the people of the United States choose a new president, it has consequences for the world - and for Australia,' he said.

'The American people have spoken and always, Australia will respect their decision. Australians should also know our alliance with the United States has grown and thrived for seven decades - no matter who's in charge.'

'I will always call it as I see it. If I see women being disrespected, I'm going to call it out. If I see people being discriminated against because of the colour of their skin or their religion, I'm going to call it out.'

Australian politicians will now have to work with Mr Trump after he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton (pictured together) in a surprise win on Wednesday

Americans made a momentous choice in selecting Mr Trump to be their next president, but will remain a strong ally and friend of Australia, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) said in an address

In a very different tone to his previous comments, Mr Shorten announced Australia will respect America's decision in a statement on Twitter with the headline: 'An extraordinary day in US politics' (pictured)

'As the alternative Prime Minister of this country, Australians are entitled to know where I stand.'

Mr Shorten has previously called Mr Trump 'barking mad,' during his keynote speech at the State of the Nation forum.

'By his own words and his own actions, he has confirmed the worst fears of millions in the United States and beyond its borders  that he is entirely unsuitable to be leader of the free world,' he said in October.

'Thankfully, with every passing day, with every ridiculous and disgusting remark that is uncovered, the possibility of a Trump administration fades.'

Assistant treasurer Josh Frydenberg labelled Mr Trump a dropkick while on national television and Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne called his success 'terrifying.'

Assistant treasurer Josh Frydenberg (left) labelled Mr Trump a dropkick while on national television and Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne called his success 'terrifying,'

Mr Trump (pictured) beat Democrat Hillary Clinton in a shocking win

'I think Hillary [Clinton] will win and win easily and I think that will be the best outcome for Australia because she does support free trade, she does support the United States being deeply engaged in our Asian region which is critical to us,' Mr Pyne told Channel 10 the night before the election.

Her victory was important to the Australia, he added.

Americans made a momentous choice in selecting Mr Trump to be their next president, but will remain a strong ally and friend of Australia, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an address.

Mr Turnbull congratulated the Republican president-elect and insisted Australia would continue to work with his administration.

Mr Malcolm previously condemned Mr trump's remarks about grabbing women 'by the p***y'.
Mitchel Britten, 24, downed more than half a gallon of beer before going on the Embargo Republica club in Chelseas Kings Road

A farmer who helps a business which sells eggs to Marks and Spencer faces jail after he broke a clubbers nose at a nightclub after he spent all day drinking.

Mitchel Britten, 24, downed more than half a gallon of beer watching England play New Zealand at Lords before going on the Embargo Republica club in Chelseas Kings Road.

Britten, who helps run a farm which sells eggs to M&S and The Happy Egg Co, was on the dance floor with Neil Brotherston when he suddenly attacked his fellow clubber.

Mr Brotherston suffered a broken nose which required surgery and he spent two days in hospital recovering after the attack on May 25 last year.

Britten, who walked off sipping his gin and tonic, claimed he had to push Mr Brotherson with my head into his nose to get some personal space.

The farmer explained he could not use his hands to push him away because he was holding his drink at the time.

A jury of seven men and five women took just over two hours to find Britten guilty of causing actual bodily harm after a two day trial at Isleworth Crown Court.

Britten stood calmly in the dock in a tweed jacket and white shirt as the verdict was read out.

The farmer said he had anything between three and five beers, with food at the match as England bowled out New Zealand to win the Test on the fifth day.

Britten was on the dance floor with Neil Brotherston (pictured) when he suddenly attacked his fellow clubber. Mr Brotherston suffered a broken nose which required surgery

Britten and his friends then went to Pizza Express, where they shared a bottle of wine, before going back to the Chelsea apartment they rented for the weekend to change for a night out.

Stephen Spence, defending, asked Britten if he was drunk, to which he replied: Not at all, no.

Britten described being in a merry sort of state and said: I had one gin and tonic there and thats all I can remember.

I knew what I was doing. They wouldnt have let me in the club if I was too drunk.

Britten accepted that he headbutted Mr Brotherston and that he had not moved towards him.

Mr Wright asked: Why did you move so close to him?

Britten said: I just believed we were dancing at the time.

Mr Wright asked: Why choose him to dance with?

I dont know, I was just dancing in general.

Britten and girlfriend Elizabeth Barber run a pedigree Charollais sheep flock alongside the farms commercial flock of Lleyns sheep in the sprawling Norfolk countryside.

The Barber family have been running the farm since the 1970s, when Ms Barber's grandfather took up the tenancy in 1973.

Her parents Julie and David then purchased the land, and now sell their hand selected eggs to a range of premier clientele, including Noble foods, M&S and The Happy Egg Co.

Britten, of Wymondham, Norfolk, was found not guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm, but convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The insulting chants went viral online inciting huge amounts of disgust

The University of Sydney said those responsible were quickly thrown out

Supporters chanted obscene slogans including 'grab her by the p***y'

Donald Trump supporters at a University of Sydney US election party have been thrown out for chanting obscene slogans including 'grab her by the p***y'.

The party was held at the prestigious university on Wednesday when Donald Trump supporters unleashed a tirade of insulting rants.

A handful of Trump supporters at the university's Manning Bar erupted with uncensored excitement when Trump was projected to win the US election, shouting 'lock her up', 'build a wall', 'drain the swamp' and 'grab her by the p***y', according to event attendees.

Donald Trump supporters at a University of Sydney US Election party have been thrown out for chanting obscene slogans including 'grab her by the p***y (Daily Mail Australia does not claim those pictured are responsible)

But Trump supporters were not the only ones causing a scene at the unruly party.

One particularly stirred up punter, believed to be a Clinton supporter, was captured on film hurling a drink in a Trump supporter's face, shortly after he was declared the president-elect.

She is quickly ushered out of the venue by security, but not before rattling off a string of expletives directed towards the Trump supporter.

One particularly stirred up punter, believed to be a Clinton supporter, was captured on film throwing a drink in a Trump supporter's face

The woman is quickly ushered out of the venue by security, but not before rattling off a string of expletives directed towards the Trump supporter

Perhaps most vulgar and insulting chant was the slogan 'grab her by the p***y', referring to failed democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

The vulgar phrase 'grab her by the p***y' stems from an audio recording of Donald Trump candidly claiming that he could do anything because he was famous including grab women by the p***y.

Australian journalist Georgina Dent, who was at the Sydney University event, claimed watching young men cheer for Trump while chanting 'grab her by the p***y' was just 'as shocking as the result'.

About 500 students and members of the public were in attendance at the Sydney based party when the chants erupted.

Clinton supporters were left devastated at learning the election results on Wednesday

Trump supporters could not contain their joy at learning the election results, some gleefully holding up 'Make America Great Again' signs

Punters watched on as the dramatic election unfolded on the screens in front of them at the University of Sydney

The university was quick to respond to the unruly behaviour claiming it took a 'no tolerance approach to inappropriate or offensive language'.

'Participants have been removed. University does not endorse and will not tolerate such behaviour,' the University of Sydney said.

A spokeswoman for the University of Sydney told Daily Mail Australia it expected students to abide by the code of conduct, and condemned any intimidating, abusive, disrespectful or threatening behaviours.

But the spokeswoman claimed the event was open to the public and could not be certain the offending people were students.

'Trump, Make America Great Again' signs flew in the air at the Sydney university election party

Revelers watched on with baited breath as the election unfolded in front of them

But she said if those responsible for chanting the offensive slogans were in fact found to be students, they could be punished for breaching the code of conduct.

'Any proven breaches would be handled on a case by case basis,' she said.

While the university did not condone the behaviour, it could not stop the insulting rantings from going viral online, inciting huge amounts of shock and disgust.

'I'm ashamed to say I'm a graduate of Sydney University. Horrible,' one woman said.

'Absolutely embarrassed to be an alumna of Sydney University,' another said.

The theme of the day was 'America' and all things american, as this punter donned a top hat and downed a hot dog

Revelers could hardly contain their joy at learning the US election results on Wednesday

'Official event is over but security taking a no-tolerance approach to inappropriate or offensive language for any still watching at Manning' the University of Sydney US Studies Centre wrote

'A one way trip to mars is looking a better option if these guys are the future. And that's Sydney University?' one man said.

'Nice work Sydney Uni. These are the future of political leaders of Australian democracy? Be afraid folks. Hate is contagious,' one woman said.

One woman also called for swift and harsh punishment for the offenders, should they be students of the university.

'I hope Sydney University will be taking hard action against students promoting sexual assault,' one woman said.

The University of Sydney said those responsible for the insulting chants were thrown out of the party

Both Trump and Clinton supporters filled out the Manning Bar at the university to watch on as the election results unfolded on Wednesday

'I'm ashamed to say I'm a graduate of Sydney University. Horrible,' Amanda wrote on Twitter

'I hope Sydney University will be taking hard action against students promoting sexual assault,' Amanda Coles wrote on Twitter
Donald Trump's election victory has resulted in near panic among elite and liberal circles. Some weeping neo-Cons claim this moment marks 'the end of the West'. It is more like the end of them.

It is not the 'end of the West' but the end of a cycle of ill-conceived overseas interventions and fifteen years of incessant war, and the dawn of a harder edged attitude to America's friends, 'frenemies' and foes alike.

Since no one knows who will be in the 70-year-old president-elect's foreign policy team, talk of the end of the West is premature, and the US has powerful institutions, from the courts to Congress, that will check his wilder campaign vows.

Usually world orders are reconstructed only after major wars, as in after the end of the thirty years war in 1648, the Napoleanic Wars in 1815, World War One 1918 and World War Two in 1945. We may be about to experience one that comes about in peacetime.

RUSSIA

Trump used Putin's quite neutral comments about him  'colourful' was the key word  to claim that the two strongmen would strike a grand bargain.

Trump seems to think that they will join forces to defeat ISIS. Some chance of that, but he won't needlessly rattle Putin's chain.

Grand deal: Russian president Putin was one of the first world leader's to congratulate Donald Trump in a telegram sent to Washington that described 'his hope to work together for removing Russian-American relations from their crisis state'

Frosty: Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken today of the 'crisis' state of US-Russian relations, illustrated by the body language in this pictured of the leader with President Barack Obama at the G20 Leaders Summit in Hangzhou in September

Intimidation: A Russian aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, is part of the Russian military buildup that has convinced Nato to put 300,000 troops on alert. It was seen passing within a few miles of Dover on its way to reinforce the attack on the besieged city of Aleppo in Syria

US-orchestrated forces are doing a good job of crushing ISIS already in Mosul, and the Russians are more intent on destroying the so-called moderate Syrian rebels and their jihadi allies.

Today the Baltic State members of Nato are worried that the US cavalry might not ride to the rescue if Putin decides to snatch land from them.

The same goes for Ukraine. In reality, Putin would be well-advised to remember that Trump is an unknown entity and hence unpredictable. Trying to bluff him could be a big mistake.

Trump knows that Russia is both economically floundering, and a proud nation. Perhaps he can strike the right balance in handling that tricky combination better than Obama, and certainly better than Clinton who was squaring up for a fight with the truculent Russian.

SYRIA AND MIDDLE EAST

Trump can do nothing to stop the general entropy affecting the old order in the Middle East, which is likely to accelerate as states fail.

And Trump's 'grand bargain' with Putin faces one major complication in Syria. US-orchestrated forces are doing a good job of crushing ISIS in Mosul, and the Russians are more intent on destroying the so-called moderate rebels and their jihadi allies in Syria.

Devastastion: Syrian pro-government forces were pictured driving past heavily damaged buildings in Aleppo's 1070 district yesterday after troops seized it from rebel fighters. Trump's election may empower Putin to continue his bombardment of the city

Escape: Syrian children flee from a bombsite after the Russian army attacked the opposition controlled Firdevs neighborhood in Aleppo, Syria last month. Trump's victory is likely to hasten the recapture of Aleppo by Assad, Michael Burleigh suggests

Expect the Russians to make a big push to finish off rebel-held parts of Aleppo before Trump is even installed in January, while Obama will claim the destruction of ISIS in Mosul as part of his legacy. Everyone wins, except the devastated civilians in Aleppo.

But the fanatics are not going to just walk out of Aleppo to avoid the civilian suffering. So someone has got to bring this war to an end.

With Trump in control, Putin will gear up to completely smash Aleppo, and from one point of view, the quicker it happens, the better. The humanitarian consequences will be far worse if the war drags on.

Victims: Heartbroken Syrian rescuers hold the body of a girl after pulling her from rubble of a building following a government forces air strike in the rebel-held neighbourhood of Al-Shaar in Aleppo in September. Trump's triumph is likely to have repercussions for the civilians of Aleppo

Generally speaking, a reduced American involvement in global affairs would be a positive development if it meant a less militarised foreign policy.

US military action in Syria was definitely on the cards with Clinton. She is a tricky individual but she was so desperate to seem virtuous and humanitarian that she would very probably have gone down that route.

The neo-Cons had flocked to the Hillary camp, and were getting ready to extend the 15 years of wars we have already had by imposing a no-fly zone in Syria, which would have meant direct conflict with the Russians.

So on one level, Trump's victory is a defeat for the war party in America.

NATO AND THE WEST

First let's put aside our cringing concern with how a Trump victory will affect the 'special relationship'.

Nothing will downgrade close intelligence and military cooperation with this country, and Trump has used Brexit in his own campaign to 'Make America Great Again' or MAGA for short.

Trump's belief that Nato has outlived its usefulness is worrying, as is his refusal to commit to automatic triggering of the alliance's Article 5 if a Nato member is attacked (this ensures if one member is attacked, all countries respond).

Defending the realm: British defence chiefs sent destroyer HMS Duncan, pictured, from Portsmouth to monitor Russian warships as they sailed towards the North Sea

Alliance fractured: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, pictured, will find that Trump is not convinced that the US should fund 70 per cent of the organisation's military budget

Russian power: President Putin sent a fleet to Syria via the Channel, including Severomorsk 619, pictured above, which was seen cruising past the White cliffs of Dover in an image captured by BBC News

Nato is believed to have put 300,000 troops on alert as Russian masses its own forces amid simmering tensions

His belief that the rest of Nato's members are freeloading on the back of a US, which covers over 70% of Nato's budget, must surely result in the other members having to increase defence spending, at the expense of education, health and welfare spending.

Like Russia's President Putin, he is also casual when talking about using nuclear weapons.

During the George W Bush years, Europeans were snooty about the Texan cowboy, and rightly alarmed by the onset of what has been fifteen years of overseas wars.

That rhetoric will revive under Trump, until such time as likeminded leaders, notably Marine Le Pen, the far-right politician who is running in the French presidential elections next year, come to power in Europe.

He certainly wants the end of German chancellor Angela Merkel. I would expect an acceleration of plans for a European army and more independent defence initiatives, particularly by the French.

CHINA AND NORTH KOREA

President Xi Jinping will welcome a Trump victory, since he will not have to endure Hillary Clinton lobbying him about human rights.

The US election campaign itself did much to discredit democratic systems. China is governed by carefully stress-tested technocrats with economics PhDs, who alternate every ten years, not by braggarts and clowns, they claim.

Xi will also welcome the disarray in the regional alliance Obama has crafted to contain China's rise in Asia-Pacific, which a Trump victory will cause.

Distant: China and Britain's relationship has come under strain but Donald Trump's victory is likely to be welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is pictured above with prime minister Theresa May

He has told Japan (of which he is no fan) and South Korea they should stump up for their own defence, up to and including acquiring their own nuclear bombs.

Trump rightly thinks that China and other regional powers should be primarily responsible for dealing with the madman, Kim Jong Un, in North Korea.

Bizarrely, Trump has offered to sit down and 'eat hamburgers' with Kim Jong-un to persuade him to abandon his nuclear arsenal.

Bizarrely, Trump has offered to sit down and 'eat hamburgers' with Kim Jong-un to persuade him to abandon his nuclear arsenal.

That summit is what Kim wants too, as it would massively inflate the importance of his little tyranny.

This prospect will appal North Koreas neighbours. What might Trump have to offer Kim? An Israeli friend of mine who was involved in persuading him not to sell his missiles to Arab states was surprised to be asked for a sum ten times the size of North Koreass GDP.

Far better if Trump were to concentrate on persuading the Chinese that, as many of them want, they should let the Kim dynasty fall, perhaps with a guarantee that the US will never push its forces northwards in a unified Korea.

The Chinese will not welcome any increases in tariffs on their exports, not least because tariffs on steel will badly hit huge state owned enterprises which employ millions of people.

Tumble: Asian markets plunged following news of the victory by Donald Trump in a reflection of the uncertainty that his presidency will bring. However, China will welcome his election if it means a greater US withdrawal from its role as the 'world's policeman'

China wants to wind them down in an orderly fashion, shifting workers to the consumer sector, not turf them out in a blind panic.

Since China wants to assume a greater global role  it is bidding to take over UN peacekeeping operations  a selectively withdrawn US will suit Beijing very well.

IRAN AND CUBA

Trump claims he'll rip up the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and get a 'better one'.

That vow was made to mollify Israel and Saudi Arabia, and their respective lobbies during the election.

US popular opinion on the Saudis has gone freezing cold in recent months, and with a populist in power they will not improve.

No going back: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said there is 'no possibility' of his nuclear deal with world powers being overturned by US president-elect Donald Trump despite his threat to rip it up

Trump won't rip up the deal since many Iranian hardliners would love to rip it up themselves, and they should not be encouraged.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has already made clear that the election results would have 'no effect', insisting that Iran's expanding economic ties with the world were irreversible.

Trump has also vowed to stop Muslim immigration from countries where terrorists thrive.

Allies: Cuban President Raul Castro, right, raises US President Barack Obama's hand during a meeting at the Revolution Palace in Havana in March, which marked a thaw in US-Cuba relations - a deal which Donald Trump has said he will back away from

He should start with Saudi Arabia, which has done more to propagate Islamist poison than anywhere else. Indian Hindu nationalists are already cock a hoop about how Trump will relate to Pakistan. Badly is the answer. Again, US constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion are likely to mean we wont see much of Trumps threats to Muslims.

And he's also likely to renege on the plan to return relations with Cuba to the deep freeze. Once Trump's advisers have made clear that the Obama thaw with Cuba has meant boom-time for the American owners of cruise line , hotels and casinos, the president-elect who relied on job creation promises will surely rethink.

MEXICO

This morning Mexico is a worried place, as one can see from the fall of the peso, and Trump's threats to unravel Nafta.

In reality, more Mexicans have been leaving the US than arriving, as Mexico's economy booms on the back of increased Chinese labour costs.

The obstacles to a wall are actually rivers, lakes and Texan landowners, and that will apply too to the 'biggest wall ever built' that Trump has promised.

US workers replace fencing with a higher new metal wall along the border between Ciudad Juarez and Sunland Park, New Mexico.The obstacles to a 'Trump Wall', which Michael Burleigh believes will not be built, are actually rivers, lakes and Texan landowners
A pregnant woman, who was punched in the face and kneed in the stomach by another mother after she liked a Facebook post about single mums who love to party, has won 200 in compensation.

Natalie Wall, 28, from Cardiff, who was six months pregnant at the time, was attacked by Chantelle Johnson, 27, while on the school run.

Ms Wall told police how after she dropped off son Tyrise, nine, at school she heard Johnson scream her name.

Natalie Wall (left), 28, from Cardiff, who was six months pregnant at the time, was attacked by Chantelle Johnson (right), 27, while on the school run

She said in a statement: 'Her fist came flying towards me and punched me hard in the face and the blows kept coming.

'I cried out and begged her to stop and told her I was pregnant but she carried on attacking me.

'She even kneed me in my bump and I fell to the floor.'

Johnson, of Gabalfa, Cardiff, admitted assault at Cardiff Magistrates Court after the caught heard it was caught on CCTV.

She was ordered to pay 200 compensation and was given a restraining order, banning her from contacting Ms Wall.

Johnson claimed the motivation for her attack was that Natalie had 'liked' someone's post on Facebook.

Ms Wall told police how after she dropped off son Tyrise, nine, at school she heard Johnson scream her name

It was about some single mums partying instead of caring for their children - and Johnson felt it was aimed at her.

After the case, Ms Wall said: 'Chantelle thought I was making a dig at her but it couldn't have been further from the truth.

'I was disgusted that my baby's life had been put at risk over something so petty.'

At the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, Ms Wall was told she may have a fractured eye socket and would need an X-ray.

At the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, Ms Wall was told she may have a fractured eye socket and would need an X-ray

She explained: 'I refused the x-ray because of the radiation. I wasn't going to put my baby at risk.

'The doctors did an ultrasound scan on my bump and thankfully it showed my baby was unharmed. It was such an enormous relief.'

Ms Wall has since given birth to a 'beautiful baby boy' who she has called Rahim.
President-elect Donald Trump has invited Benjamin Netanyahu to the US for talks 'at the first opportunity'.

The billionaire spoke with the Israeli prime minister on Wednesday morning hours after his stunning triumph over Hillary Clinton.

Netanhyahu called Trump a 'true friend of Israel' and said their conversation was 'hearty and warm' and regional issues were discussed.

His spokesman added that 'The Prime Minister congratulated Trump on his electoral win and told him that the United States has no better ally that Israel.'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Donald Trump is a 'true friend' of Israel Jack Guez (AFP)

'I look forward to working with him to advance security, stability and peace in our region,' Israeli leader Netanyahu said in a statement.

He went on: 'The ironclad bond between the United States and Israel is rooted in shared values, buttressed by shared interests and driven by a shared destiny.

'I am confident that president-elect Trump and I will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights.'

Netanyahu avoided controversial topics in his statement, unlike members of his government.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads the hardline Jewish Home party, said Trump's victory eradicated the idea of a Palestinian state.

He said the unprecedented win was an 'opportunity for Israel to immediately retract the notion of a Palestinian state in the centre of the country, which would hurt our security and just cause'.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that he hopes 'peace will be achieved' during Trump's term.

Politicians from Netanyahu's Likud party called for Trump to follow through on his promise to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, in a break with the policies of previous Republican and Democrat administrations.

While the billionaire businessman's triumph was welcomed in some countries, others saw it as a big shock.

Some governments will now have to deal with a man who has cozied up to Russian President Vladimir Putin, told NATO allies they would have to pay for their own protection and vowed to make the Mexican government pay for a border wall.

'I am confident that president-elect Trump and I will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries,' Netanyahu said in a statement

Putin sent Trump a congratulatory telegram Wednesday morning and made a televised statement expressing the hope that frayed US-Russian relations could be put back on track.

His win predictably caused trepidation in Mexico, where his remarks calling Mexican immigrants criminals and 'rapists' were a deep insult to national pride.

Financial analysts have predicted a Trump win would threaten billions of dollars in cross-border trade.

In Iran, leaders emphasized the need to keep the historic nuclear deal between Iran and world powers on track despite Trump's harsh criticism of it during the campaign.
Furious supporters of Hillary Clinton have been lashing out on social media, with FBI director James Comey becoming the number one scapegoat for his famous letter to Congress over her emails.

Boston Globe columnist Michael Cohen tweeted: 'When you look at the likely narrow margin of Clinton's defeat, it's pretty safe to say that the Comey letter tipped the balance.'

Chris Cillizza, author of Washington Post's The Fix, tweeted: 'I asked D strategist close to Clinton WTF is going on. Response "One word: Comey".'

FBI director James Comey (pictured) ignored advice from several senior colleagues in the Department of Justice to send out the letter

Tweets like this were common among Clinton supporters after Trump's victory

'If Trump wins, I suspect he owes a big "thank you" to Jim Comey,' New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof tweeted.

In July the FBI concluded that Mrs Clinton had been 'careless' but not criminal in handling sensitive material on her private email server while Secretary of State.

But only 10 days before the election Mr Comey wrote to Congress members saying he was reviewing the case again after a number of 'pertinent' emails were found.

Comedian Chris D'Elia let out this expletive-laden tweet as the results started rolling in

Supporters of Hillary Clinton at the Javits Center in New York are in despair after Trump's shock victory (pictured). But some Clinton supporters blamed James Comey for costing her the election

Some Clinton supporters claimed Comey (pictured) should have been charged under the Hatch Act

They are believed to have been found on the laptop of Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of Mrs Clinton's closest adviser, Huma Abedin.

Then, at the weekend, Mr Comey wrote a second letter to Congress, confirming that nothing in the new emails gave him reason to change his original conclusion.

But the Clinton campaign team were furious at the October 28 letter and some even claimed Mr Comey may have broken the Hatch Act, which bans federal officials from influencing elections.

Huffington Post columnist Ann Brenoff wrote on Facebook: 'Comey should be charged with interfering with an election. One third of the electorate voted during the 9 days between when he said he was investigating her and then said "never mind".'

But Vice journalist Michael Tracey responded: 'The Clinton loyalist crowd will blame everyone but Hillary - Putin, Sanders, the media, Jill Stein, James Comey, the voters themselves.'

Hillary Clinton (pictured, with husband Bill) has rung Trump to concede defeat but she has yet to make a formal speech or be seen in public since the result was announced

Politico journalist Julia Ioffe tweeted: 'Democrats, stop blaming Comey. He didn't make Clinton have a private server, take $600K for a speech while preparing a presidential run.'

Paul Begala, a former adviser to Bill Clinton, told CNN that blaming Comey was like thinking a faulty washing machine was to blame when an earthquake rocks your house.
A breakdown of those who voted for Donald Trump has revealed how 33 per cent of Latino men and 26 per cent of Latino women backed the Republican at the ballot box.

Despite the 70-year-old's tough talk about Mexican immigrants in the run-up to the election, he held on to roughly the same share of Hispanic voters as Romney had claimed four years ago, exit polls show.

Trump sensationally won the White House this morning as he inflicted a humiliating defeat on Hillary Clinton.

A breakdown of those who voted for Donald Trump has revealed how 33 per cent of Latino men and 26 per cent of Latino women backed the Republican at the ballot box

Trump sensationally won the White House this morning as he inflicted a humiliating defeat on Hillary Clinton

During campaigning, Clinton had said 'half' of Trump's supporters were backward-thinking enough to be 'irredeemable' and to belong in a 'basket of deplorables'.

Statistics show 52 per cent of white women also voted for Trump - despite fury over allegations about his treatment of women , including one woman who sued him for an alleged teen rape  and then withdrew the case when her story fell apart.

Latino activist groups had hoped to showcase their rising political power in the presidential election by blocking Trump in battleground states, and stopping him from ever acting on his tough views on immigration.

The voters came, but Trump won anyway. Reuters/Ipsos Election Day polling showed that America's surging population of Hispanic voters heavily favored Democrat Hillary Clinton across a swath of hotly contested states but may have been overwhelmed by underestimated support for Trump.

The former secretary of state won about 66 per cent of Latino votes nationwide, versus 28 per cent for Trump, according to the survey of around 45,000 people who cast ballots.

During campaigning, Clinton had said 'half' of Trump's supporters were backward-thinking enough to be 'irredeemable' and to belong in a 'basket of deplorables'

But that support lagged President Barack Obama's 70 per cent backing from Hispanics during his 2012 re-election campaign, and was not enough to counter an outpouring of support for Trump among his core demographics - older voters, whites, and those without college degrees.

The election's outcome is a blow for a rapidly growing segment of the population that has for decades relegated itself to the sidelines of American politics, and was looking to use opposition to Trump's fiery anti-immigration rhetoric to broaden its influence.

Hispanics made up 17.6 of the country's population in 2015, according to the Census, making them the largest ethnic minority. That's up 12 percent from 2012. And by 2060, more than one-in-four people in America will be Latino.

Trump's relationship with Hispanic voters began on an awkward footing when he launched his bid for the presidency in June 2015, calling for tighter borders and accusing Mexico of sending rapists and drug dealers into the United States.

Trump held on to roughly the same share of Hispanic voters as Romney had claimed four years ago, exit polls show

He insisted he would force Mexico to pay for a multi-billion dollar wall along the border to keep unwanted foreigners out of the United States, and vowed to round up and deport the 11 million of undocumented immigrants already in the country.

Those positions, which became a cornerstone of his campaign, resonated on Tuesday among voters.

Clinton sought to contrast her campaign with Trump's by advocating for a path to citizenship for most undocumented immigrants living in the country. She also hired immigrant activists to her campaign, and featured undocumented immigrants at rallies.

But she and the Democratic Party had at times raised the ire of Latino activists by focusing too heavily on bashing Trump while putting forward less-than substantive efforts to appeal directly to Latinos.

Latino organizations also lobbied Clinton to pick an Hispanic running mate, floating names like Labor Secretary Tom Perez and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro for the job. She ultimately picked Tim Kaine, a senator from Virginia.

Latino activist groups nonetheless worked hard this year to mobilize a community that has typically voted at lower rates than both white and black voters. In 2008, less than half of Latinos who were eligible to cast ballots actually did - and the rate dipped in 2012, according to the Census.

In contrast, the voting rates for white and black voters were both well over 60 percent.

While Clinton won Hispanics, black and young voters, she did not win those groups by greater margins than Obama did in 2012.

Younger blacks did not support Clinton like they did Obama, as she won eight of 10 black voters between the ages of 35 and 54. Obama won almost 100 percent of those voters in 2012.

Meanwhile, an Associated Press poll found Trump won by dominating among white voters, especially non-college-educated men, trumping Clinton's coalition of women, minorities and young people.

Trump, who once famously declared that he loved the uneducated, got plenty of love back from white voters who never graduated from college: He got 7 in 10 votes from non-college-educated white men and 6 in 10 votes from non-college-educated white women.

Supporters cry during the vote count at Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's election night rally at the Javits Center in New York

The advantage Trump had among whites without a college degree compared with whites who graduated from college was the largest seen in exit polls for a Republican since the surveys started in 1972.

Clinton, meanwhile, got the support of less than a quarter of white men without a college degree; Barack Obama, by contrast, drew about a third of their votes four years ago.

The Democrat did make some inroads with college-educated white women. Just over half supported her, while four years ago just over half of that group had backed Republican Mitt Romney in 2012.

Nearly 7 in 10 voters said they were unhappy with the way the government is working, including a quarter who said they were outright angry, according to preliminary results of exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.

Three-fourths of those angry voters backed Trump. Six in 10 voters said the country is on the wrong track.

Meanwhile, Clinton largely managed to hang on to the millennials who were such a big part of Obama's winning coalition.

Young people age 18-29 supported Clinton over Trump by nearly as strong a margin as their support of Obama over Romney in 2012.
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In a bus accident in the southern Fars province of Iran on Tuesday evening, 20 people were killed and 20 others were injured, semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

The passenger bus was carrying 40 pilgrims from Iran's central city of Yazd to the Iraqi city of Karbala, when it faced the accident in Eqlid region of Fars province.

The emergency aids have been dispatched to the sight of accident and the cause is under investigation, the report said.
A picture has emerged of a British man facing 20 years in jail for drunkenly showing his genitals and making death threats on board an international flight.

Oliver Charles Halliday Gee, 34, was arrested last week when a flight by German charter airline Condor from Cancun, Mexico to Frankfurt, Germany, made an emergency landing in Jacksonville in the US state of Florida.

Witnesses described how Gee, a British national who lives in Mexico, threatened a three-year-old child, slapped flight attendants and said he wanted to urinate in the cabin.

This snap has emerged of the Brit currently facing 20 years in jail for drunkenly showing his genitals and making death threats on board an international flight

A Swiss passenger from the Canton of Vaud who was on board the flight witnessed the incident.

The witness said: 'He got up, took off his t-shirt and his pants, and kept shouting 'I prefer drugs to alcohol.'

According to the passenger, he became very angry and the Swiss man had to prevent him from coming too close to his daughter.

Gee had allegedly demanded to be served alcohol even before takeoff and was behaving aggressively.

After takeoff, Gee allegedly threatened to kill another passenger and threatened and intimidated a three-year-old child.

The British man also insulted flight attendants and started to remove his clothes, exposing his genitals in the process.

According to accounts from other passengers, Gee wanted to urinate in the cabin and therefore was assisted to the toilet by a flight attendant and a passenger who volunteered to help.

Gee then slapped both of them, according to reports, before threatening that he knew people in Mexico who would gladly kill for him.

Oliver Charles Halliday Gee, 34, was arrested last week when a flight by German charter airline Condor from Cancun, Mexico to Frankfurt, Germany, made an emergency landing in Jacksonville in the US state of Florida

Gee was restrained by the passenger and the flight attendant, and the flight was diverted to Jacksonville after the American authorities were warned about the emergency landing.

Gee was arrested by the FBI, after which the Condor flight continued its journey to Frankfurt.
Japanese police have caught a suspected foot fetishist who is accused of sexually assaulting women's toes for four years.

They arrested Akira Nishiyama, 56, better known as 'The Foot Licker', following an audacious 30 minute-long attack on a woman's foot in Kyoto.

He is alleged to have lured his latest victim into his car before grabbing her ankle, removing her footwear and licking the soles of her feet.

Japanese police arrested Akira Nishiyama, better known as 'The Foot Licker', following an audacious 30 minute-long attack on a woman's foot in Kyoto (file photo)

The alleged assault took place in Kyoto's Fushimi Ward. When it was over, Nishiyama told the woman, 'thank you', and let her go.

The woman in her 20s, who he tricked by asking her to check his brakes, said she could not break free, the Asahi Shimbun reported.

She is said to have filmed some of the July attack on her mobile phone and took note of the man's license plate number.

Nishiyama, who was arrested on sexual assault charges on Monday, was arrested on Monday, has denied the allegation and say he 'does not remember' it happening.

Detectives have been searching for the notorious foot licker since 2012, when many other women reported similar attacks.

Police linked the attack to five others in the area over the last four years.
Mr Bulcher was found not guilty after he claimed he was told to 'f*** off you dirty Jew' by the couple he rowed with

The former vice-chair of Tottenham Hotspur has been cleared of punching another customer in a row in Harrods after he claimed he was told to 'f*** off, you dirty Jew'.

David Buchler, 64, who ran Spurs in the early 90s and early 2000s, was accused of punching a shopper after getting into a dispute with his wife at the department store in Knightsbridge.

Mr Buchler was accused of breaking James Birrane's nose after getting into a row with his wife, Rosaria, 54 when she accused him of queue jumping.

But the former Spurs boss claimed that his elbow hit Mr Birrane's face when he raised his arm in self-defence because he feared he was going to be attacked after being told to 'f*** off, you dirty Jew'.

David Buchler, 64, who ran Spurs in the early 90s and early 2000s, was accused of punching a shopper after getting into a dispute with his wife at the department store in Knightsbridge

The Birranes, sitting in the public gallery, stared ahead silently as the jury foreman cleared MrBuchler.

Earlier Prosecutor Tim Naik said: 'The defendant comes to the front of the counter and pushed to the front.

'This leads to a confrontation between him and those near him, in particular with Mrs Birrane. He told her to 'f**k off. Mr Birrane said he heard that, saw how Mr Buchler was behaving, told him not to talk to his wife like that and moved forward to protect her.

'Mr Birrane said that he was then struck by the defendant to the nose, but he cannot say whether is was a closed fist.

Sicilian born Rosaria Birrane was with her husband James when she says his nose was broken by Buchler in a New Year's Eve melee at the luxury store, after a row over alleged queue-jumping

'There's no dispute that there's an injury - he's bleeding from the nose.'

But the granddad-of-seven said there had been a misunderstanding at the queue, which led to Mrs Birrane becoming 'really, really irritated'.

He told Isleworth Crown Court: 'It was just amazing that somebody could become quite so irritated quite so quickly.

David Buchler, 64, was accused of breaking James Birrane's nose' in Harrods by his wife Rosaria Birrane (pictured)

'I'm not a man who swears. I'm not an angry chap. I can be firm if I need to be firm, but I'm always courteous.'

This morning at Isleworth Crown Court, Barrington Black, the former Supreme Court judge of Gibraltar, spoke warmly of Buchler from the witness box.

Mr Black told the jury he had known Mr Buchler for 12 years and had met him after approaching him to work in an inner-London synagogue.

He said: 'David would not only shake a person's hand, he would be more inclined to give them a hug.

'He was very tactile in that respect. I have never seen him in a bad temper or a bad mood. I would describe him as extremely gentlemanly, extremely kind.

'He is a gentle, meek and mild individual who goes about his task with positive endeavour.

'He does not get in the way of people; he's not the sort of person who enter into an argument.'

The court also heard a statement from David Fordham, a solicitor and friend of 20 years, who described Buchler as a man of 'remarkable calm'.

The spat kicked off at the store's hall (pictured) after Buchler pushed to the front of the queue

Paul Bobroff, who worked with Mr Buchler at Spurs, wrote: 'He has always been able to deal with enormous business pressure without losing his temper, sometimes under great provocation that would test the patience of a lesser man.'

He told the court that the two of them now work at a desk ten feet apart and that the staff 'adore him' and think of him as a 'thoughtful colleague'.

Mr Bobroff added: 'I find it out of character that he should be charged with criminal assault. He is a lovely man, a good friend, and I wish him well.'

Lionel Rosenblatt, a partner at the law firm Denton's, wrote: 'I have seen him with his children and he constantly displays exceptional fatherly attributes.'

Buchler, of Mayfair, central London, denied one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He smiled and nodded to the jury at Isleworth Crown Court which took just 90 minutes to returned their not guilty verdict.

Speaking outside court Mr Buchler said: 'I am immensely relieved. I'd like to thank the jury for finding the truth and for voting accordingly.'

He added that he was 'going to have a big glass of wine' to celebrate.
Islamic State's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has privately revealed he fears he will be killed in Mosul and has appointed his first deputy to take over when he dies.

A source, who insisted on anonymity, said the terror group's media networks had been circulating the 'unprecedented' decision.

The identity of the potential future leader will be kept under wraps amid fears it could cause revolts within ISIS.

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The mysterious leader of Islamic State Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been reported to have been killed or seriously injured at least 10 times in the last year and a half

Islamic State's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has privately revealed he fears he will be killed in Mosul and has appointed his first deputy to take over when he dies

Not even the terror group's senior leaders were allowed to discuss al-Baghdadi's successor, the source told Iraqi News.

The announcement comes as coalition forces tighten their grip on Mosul as Iraqi troops have reclaimed chunks of the city.

Flames and smoke were seen rising from a burning oil facility in the town of Qayyarah, near Mosul.

Oil wells in and around the town were torched by ISIS extremists as the Iraqi military began an offensive to liberated the town.

For two months the residents of the town have lived under an almost constant smoke cloud, the only respite coming when the wind changes.

Those in the town, despite having been freed from ISIS occupation, now live with little power, a water supply tainted with oil that only comes on periodically and an oppressive cloud of smoke that coats everything with thick soot.

Many complain of respiratory problems, but the long term health implications for the men, women and children living in the town have yet to be seen as al-Baghdadi's ISIS and coalition forces continue to battle for the land.

Flames and smoke were seen rising from a burning oil facility in the town of Qayyarah, near Mosul

Oil wells in and around the town were torched by ISIS extremists as the Iraqi military began an offensive to liberated the town

For two months the residents of the town have lived under an almost constant smoke cloud, the only respite coming when the wind changes

Those in the town, despite having been freed from ISIS occupation, now live with little power, a water supply tainted with oil that only comes on periodically and an oppressive cloud of smoke that coats everything with thick soot

Machinery, apparently being used to try and extinguish burning oil facilities, is seen in the Iraqi town of Qayyarah, Iraq

Many complain of respiratory problems, but the long term health implications for the men, women and children living in the town have yet to be seen

The mysterious leader of Islamic State Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been reported to have been killed or seriously injured at least 10 times in the last year and a half.

His evasiveness led to the US Government sticking a $10million bounty on his head for anything that would lead to his capture or death.

It turned up nothing, though it is understood that after 13 years as an active terrorist he is cornered in Mosul as the battle continues to liberate the city.

Unlike other leaders of huge terror groups, such as Osama Bin Laden, ISIS head honcho prefers to stay under the radar.

He has only appeared in one video - in Mosul last year - and there are only two authenticated photographs of him.

This ability to go undetected coupled with his alleged likening for wearing masks when addressing his commanders has earned him the nickname The Invisible Sheikh.

There is good reason for his incognito way of life.

In 2006, one of his predecessors and leader of vicious jihadist group in Iraq Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi was tracked down and was killed in a US bombing raid in 2006.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of Islamic State, is shown in a US State Department wanted poster

Zarqawi, like Al-Qaeda's Bin Laden, was a showman, and it caught up with him.

Baghdadi is credited with transforming the breakaway Al-Qaeda group turning it into the independent ISIS group that is arguably the most powerful and wealthiest jihadist organisation in the world.

He started life as Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim and is thought to have been born in Samarra, north of Baghdad, in 1971.

Though there is no official confirmation, he is understood to have gained a doctorate from a university in Baghdad having read Islamic studies.

His classmates described him as a shy, unimpressive religious scholar and a man who abstained from violence.

But by 2003, he was a fully-fledged jihadist, living in a small room attached to mosque.

He had called this his home for a decade.

Reports suggest he was a cleric in a mosque in the city around the time of the US-led invasion that year.

Some believe he was already a militant jihadist during the rule of Saddam Hussein.

Others believe he was radicalised during the four years he was held at Camp Bucca, a US facility in southern Iraq where many al-Qaeda commanders were detained.

His first involvement in an organised terror group came when he founded the Jamaat Jaysh Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamaah (JJASJ) with his friends in 2003.

Here he was given his first role of responsibility - as head of the sharia committee.

By 2006, his group had joined the Mujahideen Shura Council in Iraq, which was then an Al-Qaeda branch.

The terror group was renamed Islamic State in Iraq the same year, and Baghdadi served again on the sharia committee.

By this time, it is thought he was being mentored as a potential member of the jihadist organisation's top brass.

He started life as Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim and is thought to have been born in Samarra, north of Baghdad, in 1971

His time came in 2010 when he emerged as the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

It was the group that became Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) in the same year and rose to prominence during the attempted merger with al-Nusra Front in Syria.

ISIS as we know it was born and Baghdadi's bloody reign of terror was underway.

Between March and April 2011, he had allegedly masterminded 23 attacks south of Baghdad.

He had a penchant for suicide bombings and it took less than a year for the US to officially designate Baghdadi as a terrorist, offering a $10million reward for information leading to his capture or death.

The White House issued a statement with the reward, saying: 'Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, also known as Abu Du'a, is the senior leader of the terrorist organisation, the Islamic State.

'Reflecting its greater regional ambitions, al-Qaeda in Iraq changed its name in 2013 to ISIS and stepped up its attacks across Syria and Iraq.

'ISIS attacks are calculated, coordinated, and part of a strategic campaign. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is in charge of overseeing all operations and is currently based in Syria.

Iraq's Interior Ministry claims this picture shows Baghdadi, the head Islamic State

'Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has taken personal credit for a series of terrorist attacks in Iraq since 2011 and claimed credit for the June 2013 operations against the Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad, the March 2013 suicide bombing assault on the Ministry of Justice, among other attacks against Iraqi Security Forces and Iraqi citizens going about their daily lives.'

Under Baghdadi's leadership ISIS thugs have shocked the world with their sadistic and savage murder of thousands of people in the Middle East and Europe.

Away from the battleground, there are conflicting reports of his private life.

Some believe him to have three wives, some say he has children and last year he was reported to have married a German teenager.

A woman claiming to be his ex-wife Saja al-Dulaimi told how she met and married who she thought was a university lecturer, only to discover seven years later he was 'the most dangerous man in the world'.

Lifting the lid on what she described as their 'shallow' and unhappy marriage, Dulaimi told how Baghdadi had a 'mysterious personality' and she dared not have discussions with him.

'I didn't love him,' she told Swedish newspaper Expressen.

'He was an enigmatic person. You couldn't have a discussion or hold a normal conversation with him  He just asked about things and told me to fetch things. He gave orders, nothing more.'

Al-Dulaimi told how al-Baghdadi would disappear for days at a time but she had no suspicions of his involvement in the Syrian resistance while they were together.

'He was a normal family man,' she added. 'How he could become emir of the most dangerous terrorist organization in the world is a mystery.'

She said that after her first husband died in an Iraqi resistance group her uncle approached her father about a potential new husband looking for a widow.

Al-Dulaimi then moved her and her young twin boys in with al-Baghdadi and his first wife and her children, an arrangement she described as 'tough' in such a small space.

Her children looked at the ISIS leader as their 'idol', she said, but al-Dulaimi told how she fled from him after just a few months while pregnant with a daughter, Hagar.

She claims the last time she spoke to her ex-husband was in 2009 when he asked her to come back and she refused.




Donald Trump happily waved to fans as he returned to Trump Tower early Wednesday morning, after a long night of Election Day returns ended in him being named the 45th president of the United States.

Mr Trump, 70, knew he had the election in the bag around 2:30am, when Wisconsin turned red and all of the major outlets started projecting him as the winner.

He was heading to the New York Hilton Midtown for his victory party when his campaign manager Kellyanne Conway received a call from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's right-hand-woman Huma Abedin. The two candidates were then put on the phone to each other and Sec. Clinton conceded the race.

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Donald Trump returned to Trump Tower around 4am Wednesday morning, after being named the victor in the presidential election

This was Mr Trump's first tweet as President-elect, published just after 6:30am ET

Mr Trump gave his victory speech after 3am, not long after Hilly Clinton called to concede the race

After what Conway called a 'very warm' talk, Mr Trump arrived at his fete and gave a speech flanked by his wife and children.

Mr Trump promised to 'bind the wounds of division' and make sure that 'every single American' has the 'opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential'.

The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer. President-elect Donald Trump

'The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer,' he said.

The move was unusual, since defeated candidates usually give their concession speeches first. But Sec. Clinton refused to address her hundreds of fans, just across town at the Javits Center early Wednesday morning. Instead, she put off an official address until 10:30am.

Not long after Mr Trump's victory speech, well wishes poured in from leaders around the world.

Perhaps the most important was the happy message from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said he hoped Trump's election would hearken a new friendly period of U.S.-Russian relations.

A TIMELINE OF DONALD TRUMP'S FIRST HOURS AS PRESIDENT-ELECT 2:32am: Wisconsin turns red and Mr Trump is officially projected to win the presidency. 2:44am: The Trump family is heading from Trump Tower to the New York Hilton Midtown when they receive a call from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, conceding the race. 3am: Mr. Trump promises 'I will not let you down,' in his victory speech in front of hundreds of supporters at the Hilton. 3:30am: President Obama calls President-elect Trump to congratulate him on his victory. The White House later confirmed the call and said that Mr Trump will be travelling to Washington, DC on Thursday to discuss the change of power with the president in person. 3:55am: Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulates Mr Trump on his victory. He says he is hopeful that good relations will be restored between the U.S. and Russia. 4am: Mr. Trump, his wife Melania and their 10-year-old son Barron arrive home at Trump Tower. 6:36am: Mr Trump sends out his first tweet as President-elect, writing: 'Such a beautiful and important evening! The forgotten man and woman will never be forgotten again. We will all come together as never before.' Advertisement

In his victory speech, Mr Trump promised to 'bind the wounds of division' and make sure that 'every single American' has the 'opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential'

'Trump's first statements give us hope that steps towards improving relations between the USA and Russia are possible,' Putin said via spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the Associated Press.

Trump's first statements give us hope that steps towards improving relations between the USA and Russia are possible. Russian President Vladimir Putin

'The U.S. election result does not mean that all contentious issues in relations between Moscow and Washington will be resolved,' he added. 'The main thing is the intention to resolve them through dialogue.'

In addition to speaking with Sec. Clinton, Mr Trump also had a phone call with outgoing President Obama Wednesday morning.

The White House later confirmed the call, saying Mr Obama congratulated Mr Trump and invited him to the White House for an in-person meeting about the change of power on Thursday.

Donald Trump received well wishes from former Republican rivals Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney on Wednesday morning

Former Republican rivals even stepped up to congratulate Mr Trump, including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

'Best wishes for our duly elected president: May his victory speech be his guide and preserving the Republic his aim,' Romney tweeted around 9am.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who lost to Trump in the Republican primaries, also published a tweet Wednesday morning.

'Congratulations on your victory @realDonaldTrump. As our President, Columba and I will pray for you in the days and months to come,' Bush wrote.

Even Speaker of the House Paul Ryan wished Mr Trump well. Throughout the campaign, Mr Trump complained about not receiving enough support from Mr Ryan.

One of his first moves as President-elect was to change his Twitter bio, reflecting the win

'I want to congratulate Donald Trump on his incredible victory. It marks a repudiation of the status quo of failed liberal progressive policies,' Mr Ryan said. 'We are eager to work hand-in-hand with the new administration to advance an agenda to improve the lives of the American people. This has been a great night for our party, and now we must turn our focus to bringing the country together.'

It's still unclear whether Mr Ryan will be able to maintain his position as Speaker, now that Mr Trump is president.

While Mr Trump was back at his penthouse apartment by 4am, it appears he may have been too excited to sleep.

At 6:36am, Mr Trump issued his first tweet as President-elect, writing: 'Such a beautiful and important evening! The forgotten man and woman will never be forgotten again. We will all come together as never before.'

Mr Trump, an avid tweeter, had been less active on the social network in the final days of his campaign. The New York Times reported that his staffers had taken control of his account so as to prevent any scandals ahead of Election Day.

Mr Trump also took the time to change his Twitter biography to read: 'President-elect of the United States'.
A mother has shared a heartbreaking photo of her son in his hospital bed after he was hit by a car and dragged under a van - leaving him wheelchair bound and begging to die.

Michelle Collins, from Bolton in Greater Manchester, feared the worst when she saw her youngest child, Finlay's 'ripped bloodstained Liverpool shirt'.

She watched him go under the wheels of a van before he came out of the back of the vehicle like a 'crisp packet blowing in the wind'.

Finlay, eight, - who will be in a wheelchair for at least 12 months - was knocked off his scooter in July, fracturing his skull and badly injuring his leg.

Michelle Collins, from Bolton in Greater Manchester, feared the worst when she saw her youngest child, Finlay's (pictured) 'ripped bloodstained Liverpool shirt'

Finlay Collins, from Bolton, with his mother Michelle, brother Zander and sister Sophia

Miss Collins (left with her children) revealed that Finlay (right) is suffering badly since the accident and that he wants to die

Miss Collins revealed that he is suffering badly since the accident and that he wants to die.

He said: 'Finlay's suffering is indescribable, the pain he has to go through on a daily basis is terrible. He screams and begs to die.

Finlay had emerged in front of a Chrysler that had stopped on a pedestrian crossing to pick someone up from Hall i'th' Wood rail station, in Bolton.

He had been riding his scooter while on a walk with his mother and nine-year-old sister Sophia.

Sophia crossed to the traffic island but as Finlay entered the road he was struck by a black Honda before he went under the wheels of a van.

The Honda was in the same lane as the Chrysler but, as the car had stopped in the road, the driver of the Honda had to move into the second lane to get around it.

It was at this point that Finlay was hit by the Honda.

Miss Collins said: 'I saw him enter the road in front of the car and then he was struck and I screamed 'no, no'.

'He disappeared from view and then I saw him come flying out of the underneath of the van like a crisp packet blowing in the wind.

Finlay, of Bolton, was taken to intensive care at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

'I thought the worst, I could see his ripped bloodstained Liverpool shirt and he was unconscious.'

Finlay, of Bolton, was taken to intensive care at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital where he was treated for a fractured skull, a bleed on the brain and partial amputation to his left leg.

He had to have several operations to insert rods and screws into his leg and will have to be in a wheelchair for at least the next 12 months.

Miss Collins has now issued a warning to dangerous drivers who stop in dangerous spots.

She said: 'I just want to get across to everyone that the smallest driving offence that you think is insignificant can cause devastating injuries and have catastrophic consequences.'

'People need to think: 'There's a reason why I shouldn't be stopping here'. If you see other people parked where they shouldn't be then others need to slow down and be aware that there could be a hazard.

'The decision to stop there to pick that person up has destroyed our lives.'

The warning came as the driver of the car that was parked on the main carriageway was sentenced for the part she played in the accident.

Susan Banister, 50, of Bolton, pleaded guilty to causing her Chrysler Voyager to remain at rest in Crompton Way in such a position to involve a danger of injury to other persons using the road.

Finlay - who will be in a wheelchair for at least 12 months - was knocked off his scooter in July, fracturing his skull and badly injuring his leg

Michelle Collins, from Bolton in Greater Manchester, feared the worst when she saw her youngest child, Finlay's 'ripped bloodstained Liverpool shirt'

Banister was fined 750 at Bolton Magistrates Court on Tuesday and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Darin Millar, defending, said: 'This is a desperate tragedy and the defendant is desperately upset.'

Miss Collins, who is also mother to Zander, 11, added: 'All of my children have suffered tremendously because of what has happened.

'The main injustice is the law. We appreciate that the magistrates did all they could with the sentence today but the problem is the laws.'
A second sheriff's deputy has died after a fatal shooting over the weekend in central Georgia, authorities said.

Peach County Sheriff's Deputy Daryl Smallwood died late Tuesday afternoon after he was injured during a shooting on Sunday night that also claimed the life of Sgt Patrick Sondron, Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) spokeswoman Nelly Miles said.

Ralph Stanley Elrod, 57, has already been charged with murder in Sondron's death and four counts of aggravated assault for shooting Smallwood and three police officers.

The aggravated assault charges in connection to shooting Smallwood are expected to be upgraded to murder, The Macon Telegraph reported.

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Peach County Sheriff's Deputy Daryl Smallwood, 39, (left) died late Tuesday afternoon after succumbing to his injuries from a Sunday shooting. Sgt Patrick Sondron (right), 41, was also killed in the shooting in Georgia

Smallwood, 39, was taken to Navicent Health medical center after Sunday's deadly shooting that occurred at about 5.30pm on Hardison Road at Ga. 42.

The divorced father was listed in critical condition that night and remained on life support on Monday before succumbing to his injuries on Tuesday.

Smallwood was engaged to be married, according to myAJC.

He had worked for the Peach County Sheriff's Office since 2015 and previously served as a Lieutenant for eight-and-a-half years with the Dooly County Sheriff's Office, according to WMAZ.

He also worked with the Crisp County Sheriff's Office for five years beginning in 2010.

Sheriff Billy Hancock described Smallwood as a dedicated and knowledgeable officer who was also a kind gentleman, according to WMAZ.

Smallwood, a divorced father who is engaged to be married was listed in critical condition on Sunday night and remained on life support on Monday before passing away on Tuesday

Smallwood (pictured) was transported to Navicent Health medical center after the deadly shooting that happened on Hardison Road at Ga. 42 at about 5.30pm

Sondron, a US Air Force veteran, was pronounced dead at 6.40pm after being taken to Peach County Medical Center on Sunday.

'He was a very good person,' Peach County Coroner Kerry Rooks told The Macon Telegraph of Sondron, who was a married father.

'He was just a great deputy. He did his job well and was always willing to help.'

On Tuesday night, a candlelight vigil was held at North Peach Park in Byron to honor the two deputies who died in the line of duty.

'It hasn't sunk in yet,' Doles said during the vigil, according to The Macon Telegraph.

'I can't wrap my brain around it I know that they'll be looking down on us from upstairs.'

Funeral arrangements for Sondron - a 12-year veteran of the Peach County Sheriff's Office - have since been scheduled for Thursday at 10am at Southside Baptist Church in Warner Robins.

Sondron (left) was pronounced dead at 6.40pm after being taken to Peach County Medical Center. It's unclear how many times he was shot

Sondron (left) was responding to a dispute between neighbors on Hardison Road at Ga. 42 at about 5.30pm when he was shot along with Deputy Daryl Smallwood

He has been described as a 'dedicated public servant' and a 'respected partner to others in law enforcement,' according to his obituary.

It also described him as 'kind' and 'a well-loved friend' by many. He leaves behind his wife and three children.

The two deputies were shot upon approaching Elrod's home while responding to a report that he used a rifle to threaten his neighbor's two nephews who were riding a motorcycle and a four-wheeler near his property.

During the fatal encounter, Elrod fired more than 50 rounds at Sondron and Smallwood from his handgun, according to Action News Jax.

Initially, Elrod had appeared calm when the deputies confronted him on Sunday, GBI Special Agent in Charge JT Ricketson told the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Above authorities are gathered outside the hospital following the shooting

However, Elrod pulled a handgun from his waistband when the deputies informed him that he would be arrested for threatening to shoot a neighbor, Ricketson said.

'The deputies were not on any kind of alert,' Ricketson said told the AJC.

'It appears to us that their guard was not up when they were confronting this guy.'

Elrod reportedly fired every bullet in his handgun as he shot Sondron, who was about an arm's distance away, and Smallwood, who was about 10 feet away, myAJC reported.

He then returned inside his home for a short time.

When he came back out, he was wearing a bulletproof vest and was armed with a rifle, which he allegedly used to fire at Byron police officers who responded after Smallwood and Sondron were shot.

Byron police officers returned fire and Elrod suffered a wound to his abdomen during the exchange, WGXA reported.

J.T. Ricketson, special agent in charge of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) office in Perry, said when the deputies arrived to the scene, 'they were under gunfire.' Above authorities are gathered outside the hospital

The deadly shooting happened on Hardison Road at Ga. 42 at about 5:30pm (scene above)

Elrod, a licensed electrical contractor who has no known criminal history, was later taken to Macon medical center for treatment.

He was conscious after previously being medically sedated and was served with the arrest warrants while in hospital on Monday, according to WMAZ.

He remained in hospital on Tuesday and it is not known when he will be released.

On Monday, authorities obtained security footage from Elrod's home showing him putting on the bulletproof vest after shooting the two deputies, the station reported.

The footage also reportedly shows the deputies and Elrod in a brief exchange before he allegedly opened fire.

The GBI, who is reviewing the footage, is set to release copies of it sometime this week, Ricketson told WMAZ.

At this time it is not clear if Elrod - who is the father of a deputy in Jones County, northeast of Macon - has an attorney, investigators said.

Ricketson said on Sunday he was contacted by the sheriff's office who requested assistance with a shooting around 6pm.

On Sunday night, deputies from the Crisp County Sherriff's Office where Smallwood used to work as a deputy, gathered to pray for his recovery

He explained that the deputies were responding to 'a dispute between neighbors'.

'When they arrived, they were under gunfire,' Ricketson said at the scene, the newspaper reported. 'They returned fire.'

Ricketson explained the deadly incident started with two people who were riding on an ATV and a motorcycle up and down Hardison Road when they were confronted by Elrod who came out of his home.

The GBI said Elrod threatened them with a gun and the two people went home to call 911.

Sondron and Smallwood responded to the scene and spoke to the two people before going to Elrod's home.

As soon as the two deputies got out of their vehicles, Elrod opened fire on them, the GBI said.

The two neighbors who were allegedly threatened by Elrod witnessed the shooting and called 911 again to report that the officers had been shot.

Several law enforcement agencies responded to the scene and opened fire at Elrod, who was hit and taken into custody.

Video courtesy of Action News Jax

Peach County Law Enforcement is being assisted by Bibb and Byron counties deputies (scene above)

On Sunday night, deputies from the Crisp County Sheriff's Office gathered to pray.

'Members of Crisp County Sheriff's Office gathered for prayer tonight in honor of the two Peach County deputies that were shot earlier this evening responding to a disturbance between neighbors,' a post on the Crisp County Sheriff's Facebook page read.

'One of the officers, Deputy Sondron sucummed (sic) to his injuries earlier tonight and the other, Deputy Daryl Smallwood, a former Crisp County Deputy is fighting for his life.

'Please keep these and all our men and women in blue in your prayers.'
The report has only been partially published by the Met Police so far

The Metropolitan Police came under intense pressure today to publish in full a judge-led inquiry into the bungling Operation Midland.

A summary of Sir Richard Henriques review into the investigations of VIPs over allegations of murder and child abuse found officers made 43 separate errors.

Operation Midland was launched on the basis of a single witness known as 'Nick' before the evidence proved not to be credible.

Former judge Baroness Butler-Sloss and Labour peer Lord Cormack, both pictured in the Lords today, led demands for the full report into Operation Midland to be made public

Home Officer minister Baroness Williams of Trafford told peers it was for the Met Police 'to address the findings of that report and to take action where necessary'

In an emergency debate in the House of Lords today, Conservative former MP Lord Cormack said both Lord Bramall and the late Lord Brittan had been 'traduced in a most vile and improper way' when they were investigated under Midland.

He added the reputation of former prime minister Edward Heath had been 'trashed' by accusations while Mr Proctor had 'also had his life ruined'.

Lord Cormack demanded a debate and for copies of the inquiry's report to be made available.

Retired judge Baroness Butler-Sloss, an independent crossbench peer, said: 'It is so patently unsatisfactory that the full report is not produced for the public to read.

'Could I ask the minister whether in fact the Home Office should be urging the commissioner of police to make this report public?'

Met Police chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said he 'accepts accountability for these failures'

Lady Williams said: 'Policing is something that is quite independent of Government.

'In terms of an independent report, it is entirely up to the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police whether he in fact releases it.'

Pressing the Government over the doomed police investigation, Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Dormer said: 'An initial reading of the report suggests that the operation fell short on a number of issues of natural justice.

'The one I would like to ask the minister about, though, is whether she believes and whether she will make sure her department issues guidance that people under investigation should remain anonymous until police are in a position to actually bring charges?'

Home Officer minister Baroness Williams of Trafford said: 'There is a general principle people should remain anonymous before charge, but there are circumstances in which names may be released and it's in order for victims to come forward. Victims' groups support that principle.'

D-Day veteran Lord Bramall (left) and Former Home Secretary Lord Brittan (right) were two of those investigated in the 16-month probe

Conservative former chancellor Lord Lamont of Lerwick said: 'Some of us saw at first-hand the suffering of Lord Brittan, who died before his name could be cleared.

'Can the minister explain why this report which appears to be an appalling indictment of the Metropolitan Police cannot be published fully, absolutely all the text of it?

KEY FAILURES OF THE MET'S OPERATION MIDLAND Sir Richard's report highlights 43 errors made by officers, stretching from the banal to the bizarre. They include:  Sent two officers to Australia to interview someone who, Sir Richard notes, 'must necessarily have survived his childhood' and who 'could have answered any questions by more economical means'.  Asked for warrant on Lord Brittan's property, not realising he could not own property because he was dead.  Conducted a search in North Yorkshire as though looking for bodies or body parts.  Asked a consultant psychologist to assess 'Nick' butthen overruled the expert's concerns over their star witness 'as biased'.  Conducted several hundred door-to-door inquires, 'a poor use of resources'. Advertisement

'Secondly, why couldn't a copy of it have been given to Lady Brittan before it was made public, why could she not see the full report?'

Lady Williams said she could not talk about individual cases but agreed 'suffering arises' when people have their names released and are not guilty.

However, she said victims 'need to feel that they can come forward in these situations'.

In terms of the publication of the report, the minister said it had been commissioned by Sir Bernard and added: 'Therefore, publication arrangements are a matter for him to decide on and who he distributes the report to.'

Labour former attorney general Lord Morris of Aberavon said: 'Since manifest injustice results from the publication of names before charge, is it not a matter of urgency that the whole law and practice be reviewed independently at the highest level and not rely solely on the views of the police?'

Lady Williams said: 'It's actually the view of the Government that there should be a presumption of pre-charge anonymity unless it is for victims to come forward.'

She stressed that victims' groups were 'very supportive' of this position.

The Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Rev Nick Baines, asked the minister over the criteria used in the naming of individuals.

Operation Midland was set up to investigate an alleged 'VIP paedophile ring' who, it was claimed, operated out of a flat in Dolphin Square in Westminster

He said: 'To use the language of victimhood, we are creating victims as well as defending victims.'

Lady Williams said: 'The criteria are that generally it should be in the public interest for a name to be released.'

Opposition spokesman Lord Rosser pressed the Government over what action it would be taking following the release of the report.

He said: 'Surely the government doesn't just intend to sit back and do nothing and say 'it's purely a matter for the Metropolitan Police'?'

Lady Williams said it was for the Met Police 'to address the findings of that report and to take action where necessary'.

Independent crossbencher Lord Dear, ex-chief constable of West Midlands Police, said the report raised questions over the quality of top officers and leadership.
She details a list of ways she saved money, and how other people can too

Her hatred of debt was birthed when her parent's business venture failed

An Australian mother has revealed how she paid off her mortgage by the time she was just 36 years old.

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon has detailed how she turned her ingrained aversion to debt into ultimately owning her own home outright at an extraordinarily young age.

Journalist Pedersen-McKinnon wrote an article on The Sydney Morning Herald detailing how her parent's failed coffee shop venture in the 1980s ingrained in her a fierce hatred for debt.

Journalist and financial collumnist Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon (pictured) said an ingrained hatred of debt was spawned when she began bussing tables at her parent's coffee shop for $5 a day when she was 10-years-old

Pedersen-McKinnon said that hatred was spawned when she began bussing tables at the coffee shop for $5 a day when she was 10 years old.

When the coffee shop venture ultimately failed, she said that deep-seated hatred only rooted itself even deeper.

'Sadly, the world wasn't yet ready for coffee culture, and Mum and Dad ended up with a massive debt and nothing to show for it but some in-no-way-magic beans,' the journalist said.

Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon has detailed how she turned her ingrained aversion to debt into ultimately owning her own home outright at an extraordinarily young age

Pedersen-McKinnon said the next five years were tough going for her family as they clambered their way back out of debt.

She said they mobilised every available dollar in order to contain the extreme loss they faced.

Since then Pedersen-McKinnon said she took advantage of every possible means she had available to her to save money.

The journalist and financial columnist said having a partner to split the bills with was her first foot in the door - and having been with her partner since she was a teenager - she acknowledged she was lucky.

While it might be easy for some to find a partner-in-crime with whom to share the bills, Pedersen-McKinnon's next recommendation for saving was arguably less attainable.

Since then Pedersen-McKinnon (pictured) said she took advantage of every possible means she had available to her to save money

She said she moved abroad to the UK where she was paid in pounds, and pounds converted into Australian dollars turned into a hefty sum.

But in a slightly more attainable method of saving, Pedersen-McKinnon said she simply scrimped and saved every last dollar.

Again cashing in on her family ties, the journalist said she bought her first home with the help of her sister-in-law.

After saving up a 20 per cent deposit for the home - because it meant she could avoid extortionate lender's mortgage insurance - she said they went halves in a small apartment in Sydney.

Next in her saving fuelled escapades, Pedersen-McKinnon said she fixed half of her home loan for three years.

And while she acknowledged fixing rates could prove risky, she said rates rose and she was able to sit back and watch on without being impacted.

To navigate Sydney's high cost of living Mrs Pedersen-McKinnon (pictured) said she made the decision to escape the big smoke and its exorbitant prices

Although she thought of herself as a savvy financier, Pedersen-McKinnon said she still found herself fighting against everyday pressures.

'The numbers of relentless Sydney house prices and two kids and trying to earn enough to even meet a large mortgage repayment, let alone exceed them, didn't add up,' she said.

So to navigate Sydney's high cost of living Pedersen-McKinnon said she made the decision to escape the big smoke and its exorbitant prices, move to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

And with the move  which included selling her Sydney home  Pedersen-McKinnon said she had the money to move her family into a comfortable five-bedroom home, with enough money on the side for airfares back to Sydney.

And while she boasts of some very detailed saving techniques, the journalist said her success all came down to simply not overspending on things she didn't need.
A Chinese toddler has survived a horrific accident after he fell onto a power plug which became stuck in his brain.

The two-year-old boy, reported to be called Chen Chen (not his real name), was playing at his home in Guangzhou when the tragedy occurred last Saturday, according to Chinese media.

Doctors have successfully removed the plug from his head after a three-hour-long operation.

A toddler from China has survived a horrific accident after he fell onto a power plug

According to the report on xkb.com, little Chen Chen was playing on the bed at around 11pm on November 5 in the family's rented home.

His mother claimed that Chen Chen lost his footing after stepping on a plastic ball, which led the toddler to fall off the bed.

Chen Chen's mother, however, did not explain whether or not any adults were looking after the boy when he was playing.

The child fell right onto a power plug which became stuck in his head.

Shocked, his family immediately took him to the hospital.

The plug became stuck in his head and the contacts had inserted into his brain, doctors said

Doctors said the three contacts of the power plug had inserted into Chen Chen's brain and a surgical operation was needed at once.

Doctors performed the operation on November and the power plug was successfully removed after three hours.
A model whose career was destroyed by a brain infection linked to the herpes virus won 5million compensation from the NHS today.

The man was left with barely any memory and severe behavioural problems after suffering from herpes simplex encephalitis, Londons High Court was told.

His lawyers sued Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust, claiming his condition was negligently treated in 2008 at the Royal Hampshire Hospital.

Court case: His lawyers sued Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust, claiming his condition was negligently treated in 2008 at the Royal Hampshire Hospital (pictured)

And, after the trust admitted liability at an early stage, it agreed to settle his case for a compensation package worth 5million.

Judge Neil Bidder QC said that the man has almost no spontaneous recall of recent events after being stricken by severe amnesic syndrome.

He also has only the most fragmented memories of his past life and a moments reflection shows what a devastating impact that can have on a persons life,' he said.

The judge added that the individual was, and no doubt is, a very handsome man and had high ambitions of a top modelling career.

But his memory and behavioural problems meant that even his long-suffering mother was unable to cope with his personality.

The trust agreed to pay the man, who cannot be identified due to his acute vulnerability, a 2.5million lump sum.

Hearing: Londons High Court (pictured) was told that the man was left with barely any memory and severe behavioural problems after suffering from herpes simplex encephalitis

On top of that he will receive 55,000-a-year, index linked and tax free, to cover the costs of his care for the rest of his life.

Those payments will be increased if he goes on to develop early onset dementia, the court heard.

Describing the impact of the virus as quite disastrous, Judge Bidder had no hesitation in approving the compromise.

The mans lawyers had originally claimed about 9.5million, but the trust valued his award at just 1.5million before a compromise was reached.

The judge described it as an extremely difficult case, involving some of the top experts in the field.

The mans lawyers had also faced a demanding task in communicating with the man and keeping him on board with the case.

His behavioural problems meant that he had a tendency not to co-operate with those trying to help him.
A mass brawl involving RAF pilots and British Army soldiers erupted outside a bar following an argument over a lighter.

Four pilots from RAF Shawbury scrapped outside the Montgomery's Tower pub in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, while on a night out.

Pilots James Shrives, 26, Alex Robinson, 26, Joshua Richardson, 28, and Luke Day, 26, were charged with affray as a result of the clash but denied the offence at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

Four pilots from RAF Shawbury scrapped outside the Montgomery's Tower pub in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, while on a night out

Jurors were shown CCTV footage where the men were seen talking and arguing before the fight erupted on September 9 last year.

Opening the case, prosecutor Stuart Clarkson said: 'These four men were from RAF Shawbury and were out celebrating reaching a particular milestone in their RAF training.

'Events took a turn just after midnight. They left the bar which is where events unfolded.

'One of the lads from the Army asked if they had a lighter and one of the other group said something like 'we don't smoke'.

'It turned ugly all over a lighter.'

CCTV footage showed blows being thrown by both groups of men before Shrives is seen lying on the floor surrounded by his three colleagues.

The other three men from the Army were then seen walking off towards the centre of Shrewsbury.

The pilots who were based at RAF Shawbury (pictured) were celebrating reaching a 'milestone' on their training on the night out

Jurors also heard evidence from three witnesses, Lewis Healy, Jamie Simpson and Matt Harris, who were working at Montgomery's Tower on the night.

The trio all said they saw some men trying to calm the situation but were unable to say which group they came from.

A statement was also read out on behalf of Ashley Till, who had been the shift manager at Montgomery's Tower that evening.

He described how he watched the fight unfolding from a first floor office after calling the police.

Pilots James Shrives, 26, Alex Robinson, 26, Joshua Richardson, 28, and Luke Day, 26, were charged with affray as a result of the clash but denied the offence at Shrewsbury Crown Court

The court heard all four RAF pilots claimed they were acting in self-defence and said they were ashamed after being shown the CCTV footage.

But they told police they acted with force they felt was reasonable at the time.

In his interview, Day said: 'I felt that was what I had to do at the time because he was hurting my friend.'

Shrives, from Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, and Robinson, Richardson, and Day, all of RAF Shawbury, deny a charge of affray.
Every single refugee costs the German taxpayer 10,519 a year to look after, according to the government.

That is the average expenditure to feed and clothe each person, provide language lessons and schooling and the care of unaccompanied minors.

It does not include training courses or the costs to the taxpayer to deport failed would-be migrants.

Every single refugee costs the German taxpayer 10,519 a year to look after, according to the government as Incoming refugees wait for a short first medical check after their arrival in front of the main train station in Munich last year

The calculation was provided to The Left party in the German parliament after it made an official request for a breakdown.

German cities are needing ever more financial support from the 16 federal states which make up the country to meet the burden of caring for the new arrivals.

Bavaria is talking of a shortfall in cash this year of over 300 million pounds for refugee care.

In total the German Association of Cities estimates nationwide gaps in their refugee budgets totalling 2.1billion.

Bavaria is talking of a shortfall in cash this year of over 300 million pounds for refugee care

Around 700 representatives from the spheres of politics, administration and refugee organizations met Wednesday in Lubeck for the second refugee conference in the country to plot a new policy on migrants for the coming year.
A Remembrance Day tradition of launching a rocket maroon to mark the start of the minutes' silence is set to be abandoned due to new EU health and safety laws.

For nearly a century, the launching of a rocket has been used in Remembrance Day services in cities and towns across the UK.

But a new EU directive which comes into force next year could see it axed.

For nearly a century, the launching of a rocket has been used in Remembrance Day services in cities and towns across the UK but a new EU directive could see it axed (file picture)

Peterborough City Council in Cambridgeshire has already chosen to abandon the rocket. Officials will use a whistle instead of a rocket during the ceremony at the city's war memorial on Friday.

The maroons are plastic or card tubes filled with powder which can be fired on the ground or launched in the air. They are designed to make a loud bang and a flash.

However, from next year the manufacturers of the rockets will not be able to sell them unless they give specialist training to buyers - a move deemed too expensive.

The new law was slammed as 'scandalous' by Peterborough City Council councillor Graham Casey, Chairman of the council's Armed Forces Committee.

He said: 'I think it is scandalous, I think the EU should remember freedom in Europe exists as a result of people who gave their lives in the world wars.

'Health and safety gone made doesn't help anybody in any way whatsoever.

'Remembrance Day should be about remembering people who made the ultimate sacrifice and I think the EU should worry about issues that are of more significance than a firework.'

Bureaucrats in Europe say businesses supplying fireworks can't legally sell them without providing training to buyers as the Armistice rockets are classed as 'high hazard.'

The ban will come into effect next year when British Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015 act, which mirrors the EU directive 2013/29/EU, comes into force.

The law splits pyrotechnics into two catergories: P1 which are available on general sale and P2, where they can only be bought by people with specialist training.

Last year the maroon, which cost the council 38.30, was fired by council support staff.

This year pyrotechnic specialists Star Fireworks, based in Berkshire, which normally supplies Peterborough City Council with the device didn't order any from Europe, where they are produced.

Members of the public observe the Armistice Day two minute silence in Peterborough

The company want all its stock to be complient with the law.

A council spokesman said: 'Armistice rockets are a specialist product and are manufactured to order and made in Europe.

'From next year EU legislation makes it a requirement that in order for Star Fireworks to legally supply these rockets to us we must have undertaken the training recognised within the industry which we have not yet been offered.

'We understand that Star Fireworks is the only company that has offered this service and imported these rockets and they do not believe there is much, if any, stock within the country.

'We have contacted a local company which supplies rocket maroons however these travel across the ground and not up into the sky.'

A spokesman for the British Pyrotechnists Association said: 'Maroons have often been used for Armistice Day, it has been done for nearly as long as the day has been around.

'But the cost of certifiying each products as P2 is too much for the fifty or so items a company might sell in November, it is not worth the expense.'

EU law still affects Britain despite the Brexit vote in June when 52 per cent of votes were cast in favour of leaving the union.
A man has been jailed after admitting to raping a woman four times and forcing her to carve his name into her flesh after he held her hostage for more than a week.

The Australian Capital Territory man has been sentenced to nearly 14 years' jail after forcing a woman to carve his name into her arm during a week-long ordeal during which he repeatedly raped her.

The 26-year-old Pakistani national had earlier pleaded guilty to unlawfully confining his victim between February 17 and 25 last year, to recklessly inflicting actual bodily harm and four counts of sexual intercourse without consent during that period.

The man kept his victim captive for eight days, raping her and forcing her to carve his name into her arm (stock image)

His behaviour was described during sentencing as 'depraved and seeking to meet warped desires' by a judge, the ABC reported.

The man had also threatened to cut up her body after killing her by cutting off her head.

A judge said the woman now struggled to trust people (stock image)

He said he would dump her body in water at Darwin.

She eventually escaped from his car before asking a passerby for help

In the ACT Supreme Court on Wednesday, Justice John Burns sentenced the man - a Muslim like his victim - to a total of 13 years and eight months' imprisonment, with a non-parole period of eight years and two months.

Last month crown prosecutor Sarah McMurray told the court that the man had taken advantage of his victim's naivety, exerting dominance and control over a vulnerable woman.

Making her carve his name into her arm was a demonstration of that dominance, serving as a permanent reminder to the victim of what she had endured, Ms McMurray said.

'The breach of trust has left her ... finding it hard to trust people,' she said.

He is likely to be deported after his sentence is completed.
Dozens of sorority members on the campus of a prestigious Boston-area university have quit their chapter en masse to protest its policy of excluding a transgender woman.

Sisters at the Delta chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi at Tufts University were outraged last month when the sorority's national office disqualified a candidate that self-identified as transgender because it feared it would lose its Title IX exemption, according to New England Cable News.

Title IX is the groundbreaking 1972 amendment which barred gender discrimination on college campuses, requiring institutions of higher education to equally apportion funds to male and female student bodies.

Two unidentified sorority sisters are seen near the Alpha Omicron Pi house near the campus of Tufts University in Somerville, Massachusetts

The sorority feared that admitting a transgender pledge would endanger its exemption from the statute which allows it and other Greek institutions on campus to maintain single-gender memberships.

The misgivings expressed by the central office prompted 47 members of the Tufts chapter to quit.

Kristin Reeves, the former president of the chapter who led the walkout, said that initially she and the chapter had defied the national office's instruction to deny entry to the transgender candidate.

'They said that they didn't want us to extend her a bid, basically,' Reeves told Tufts Daily.

'They were like, "Well, we're not saying you never could, we're just saying right now you can't."

Kristin Reeves, the former chapter president, and 46 others left the sorority in protest of what they say is a transphobic policy

'I was really mad about this, as was the rest of the chapter, so we unanimously decided to give her a bid anyway.'

Reeves was then warned that the chapter could find itself in legal trouble if it went ahead with plans to admit the transgender member.

'A representative of the National Panhellenic Conference told me that in doing that, that was a risk to their Title IX status as a single-sex organization, and so by extending a bid to a transgender woman, that could potentially bring on the possibility of lawsuits, and I was like, "Okay, well, I'm calling bulls*** on that",' she said.

The pushback from Reeves and her fellow sorority sisters appeared to work, as the international office based in Tennessee reconsidered and decided to allow the process to move forward.

But it was too late for the Tufts students.

'Because of all these conversations about "Are they really not gonna allow us to accept a transgender woman?" then this like kind of veiled threat of would we get our charter pulled? What's going on there? It kind of started a conversation about 'do our values align with AOII international,' Reeves said.

The Tufts chapter (whose members are seen above) wanted to admit a transgender woman, but the central office based in Tennessee said it would threaten its Title IX exemption

'I left because I'm not participating in a system like that,' she said. 'I refuse to take part in it, and by staying, for me, it would be allowing it to happen.'

The sorority's central office denied that it was engaging in transphobic discrimination. It also said that at no point were the sorority members in danger of being sued.

'At no point has the chapter threatened disciplinary action and there is absolutely no scenario where these young women will be sued,' it told NECN.

'We're hoping to move on from this event and that we will come with a very well-researched and organized policy in the future.'

The transgender woman has not revealed herself publicly, choosing to remain anonymous.
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has revealed he called Donald Trump to congratulate him following his shock victory and the pair have agreed to meet before he takes office.

Pena Nieto said they both agreed during the phone conversation on Wednesday to work towards a new work agenda that would include security issues, and that he would seek to protect the rights of Mexicans throughout the world.

Just hours after the United States elected Trump, Mexico began carefully laying the groundwork for a relationship with the new leader who campaigned against its citizens and threatened to wreak havoc with its economy.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto revealed on Wednesday he spoke to Donald Trump over the phone (pictured) following his shock victory and the pair will meet before he takes office

The Mexican president sent a series of messages from his official Twitter account on Wednesday, congratulating not Trump himself but the American electorate.

He said he was ready to work with Trump to advance the countries' relationship.

'Mexico and the United States are friends, partners and allies that must continue collaborating for the competitiveness and development of North America,' Pena Nieto wrote.

It comes as hundreds of cars were pictured waiting to be inspected by U.S. border patrol officers trying to enter from Mexico after Trump was elected.

In the streets, Mexicans fretted about just how many of Trump's promises to deport millions of immigrants, revamp trade relations and make Mexico pay for a border wall would come to fruition.

Mexico's Treasury Secretary Jose Antonio Meade tried to strike a reassuring tone in a news conference by saying that Mexico's financial position is strong in the face of a falling peso. He says no immediate actions are planned.

Hundreds of cars were pictured waiting to be inspected by U.S. border patrol officers trying to enter from Mexico on Wednesday hours after Trump was elected

Prior to being elected as President of the United State, Trump campaigned against Mexico's citizens and threatened to wreak havoc with its economy

But the threat is real. The United States is Mexico's largest trading partner and the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Trump has said he wants to re-negotiate, is the backbone of that commerce.

'The relationship of Mexico and the U.S. is uncertain,' said Isidro Morales, of the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education.

'Donald Trump is not a person of institutions. Surely it will be a unilateral policy worse than (George W.) Bush and we don't know what to expect.'

Mexico's currency appeared to track Trump's rising and falling fortunes throughout the campaign and it fell sharply Tuesday night.

According to Banco Base, the peso dropped 9.56 percent, its biggest daily loss since 1995.

Reyes Isidro, a barista in a small neighborhood coffee shop, said that one way or another he was sure the poor would bear the brunt of Trump's policies, even in Mexico.

Mexicans fretted about just how many of Trump's promises to deport millions of immigrants, revamp trade relations and make Mexico pay for a border wall would come to fruition

A guard stands inside a bank next to a sign displaying the rate exchange of the U.S dollar in Mexico City. The value of Mexico's currency plunged sharply after Trump's election

Pena Nieto said he discussed a new work agenda with Trump on Wednesday that would include security issues, and that he would seek to protect the rights of Mexicans worldwide

'In the end, the most affected are always those of us who have the least,' Isidro said. 'We're the ones that have to take the hits.'

He said the weaker peso would make it more difficult to buy things.

And if Trump follows through on his promise of increased deportations, 'what are those people going to do? They will have to find a way to survive on this side. The possibilities begin to narrow for you,' he said.

Jose Maria Ramos, a professor at the College of the Northern Border in Tijuana, said Mexicans will have to wait and see what Trump really does.

'A lot of proposals had a marketing effect,' he said. 'It's one thing to be a politician and make statements; he managed the media very effectively.'

But things like building a wall and making Mexico pay for it could turn out to be too complicated to carry out.

'Being a candidate is not the same as being president,' he said.

A street vendor hawks a newspaper emblazoned with an image of Donald Trump with a clown's nose, and a headline that reads in Spanish: 'We're screwed!,' in Mexico City
Choi Soon-sil has been charged with abuse of power and fraud

The South Korean offices of Samsung Electronics have been raided - amid allegations that the firm gave $3 million to fund the Olympic dream of a 'Rasputin-like' figure's daughter.

The company is suspected of giving the money to support the 20-year-old daughter of Choi Soon-sil - a friend of the country's president implicated in a wide abuse-of-power scandal.

Choi, described as 'the power behind the throne' because of the influence she had on President Park Geun-hye, is currently facing fraud and abuse of power charges.

It has been alleged that she vetted speeches by the president, and was able to access classified documents.

It is also claimed that Choi used her relationship with the president to encourage donations to two non-profit foundations, but taking the funds for personal use.

Choi and a former aide, who has been charged with abuse of power and extortion, are accused of raising 77.4 billion won ($68 million) from dozens of the country's biggest companies on behalf of two foundations.

Thousands of Koreans have called on Park to resign, and large protests were held over the weekend protesting against Choi's influence over her.

South Korean prosecutors carry boxes containing potential evidence seized from the Seoul office of Samsung Electronics in Seoul, South Korea

It is claimed Choi made millions of dollars through her influence on the president.

Samsung is accused of having given $3.1m to a German-based company owned by Choi.

It is further alleged that the cash was used to pay for Choi's daughter Chung Yoo-ra's training as a dressage rider.

She also bought a horse, Vitana V, reportedly worth $880,000.

The Korean Times reports that Samsung said the money was paid as a 'consulting fee'. The organisation is understood to be cooperating with prosecutors, and denies wrongdoing.

Prosecutors have already questioned a Samsung executive as part of the probe, Reuters reports, citing a prosecution source.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye bows in apology as she addresses the abuse of power scandal involving her close friend Choi Soon-sil

South Korean President Park Geun-hye, third from left front, arrives as the opposition party's lawmakers hold signs reading 'President Park Geun-hye Step Down'

Yonhap news agency said the offices of the Korea Equestrian Federation and the Korea Horse Affairs Association were also raided.

Neither has publicly commented on the claims.

In the face of mounting criticism over her relationship with Choi, the president agreed yesterday to withdraw her nominee for prime minister if parliament can recommend a candidate.

Opposition parties have demanded that she relinquish control over state affairs following the scandal.
upset by Donald Trump' s win have taken to social media

Australian politicians and commentators left reeling after Donald Trump's US presidential victory have taken to social media to slam the American voters' choice.

Senator Derryn Hinch lead the charge and compared the US president-elect's win to the 9/11 terror attacks on America in a heated Tweet on Wednesday after the final votes pushed Mr Trump into the lead.

'Watching Trump's victory speech was as unreal as watching the second plane slam into the World Trade Center,' he said.

'Heaps of us were wrong. Donald Trump elected President. Shock. Disbelief. The people have spoken. Time to eat crow,' he continued.

Australian politicians and commentators took to social media on Wednesday to vent their frustrations over Mr Trump's (pictured) presidential victory

The election of Donald Trump for US president is the comparable to the 9/11 terror attacks on New York's World Trade Center, according to Australian Senator Derryn Hinch (pictured)

'Watching Trump's victory speech was as unreal as watching the second plane slam into the World Trade Center,' Mr Hinch posted on Twitter (pictured)

Greens Senator Larissa Waters voiced her concerns, calling the election results 'utterly horrifying.'

'Deeply worried for future of my children about what will happen to global climate progress under Trump. I can't even,' she said on social media.

'It's a sad day when a sexual predator may lead the world & Lib and Lab just voted against looking at valuing unpaid work mostly done by women,' she added later.

Fellow senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the results made her 'feel sick'.

Former Greens party Leader Christine Milne (left with Bob Brown) and Greens Senator Larissa Waters (right) voiced their concerns about the election results and pondered about what it meant for the rest of the world

Several Greens party politicians reacted to the election on social media (pictured)

'How can a thug who brags about sexually assaulting women get this much power? #AmericaDecides,' she said.

Former Greens party Leader Christine Milne agreed and urged her followers to 'watch WTO [World Trade Organisation], stock markets and corporates reel' after calling Trump 'a crisis.'

But not everyone is upset.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson were quick to congratulate the 45th US president on his win.

'Congrats to the new president who appreciates that middle America is sick of being taken for granted,' Mr Abbott said.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson were quick to congratulate the 45th US president on his win

Senator Hanson thanked Americans 'for getting it right' in a Facebook video (pictured)

Mr Abbott posted his support for Mr Trump online (pictured)

Ms Hanson thanked the American voters 'for getting it right' and asked people to 'give him a go for four years and let's see what happens.'

Mr Turnbull addressed crowds on Wednesday and insisted American and Australia will remain allies.

'Americans have made a momentous choice today. We congratulate president-elect Donald Trump and look forward to working with their administration when it takes office early next year,' Mr Turnbull said.

Mr Turnbull (pictured) addressed crowds on Wednesday and insisted American and Australia will remain allies

Labor Leader Bill Shorten (pictured), who has previously called Mr Trump 'entirely unsuitable to be leader of the free world', said Australia will respect the decision

Labor Leader Bill Shorten, who has previously called Mr Trump 'entirely unsuitable to be leader of the free world' and 'barking mad', announced Australia will respect America's decision in a statement on Twitter.

'Every time the people of the United States choose a new president, it has consequences for the world - and for Australia,' Mr Shorten said.
Ben Bamford, 18, (pictured outside court) has been accused of killing Paul Jefferies, 52, in a cottage after meeting him on Grindr

Images of the blood-spattered cottage where one of George Osborne's advisers was allegedly murdered by a 'drug addict' he met on Grindr have been shown to jurors.

The naked body of senior civil servant Paul Jefferies, 52, was found with his throat cut in the kitchen of his rural home in Mayfield, East Sussex, on February 23.

Ben Bamford, 18, stands accused of killing the senior HMRC official in a 'sustained attack' after meeting on the gay dating website.

A 360-degree image showing inside the blood-smeared Grade II-listed home where Jefferies was found dead was presented at Bamford's murder trial today.

Jurors were shown the blood-soaked bed as well as the blood marks throughout the kitchen and on the stairs leading to the bedroom.

Mr Jefferies, who was openly gay, had his throat slashed and sustained numerous other injuries, including an almost-severed left-hand thumb.

Prosecutors said Bamford had set out to rob Mr Jefferies on the night he was killed after Bamford built up drugs debts of around 400.

Bamford, from Crowborough, denies murder, claiming he was trying to protect himself from Mr Jefferies after he had 'come on to him' and 'tried to rape him'.

At Lewes Crown Court, Adam Newton from Sussex Police took jurors through the cottage pictures taken the morning after Mr Jefferies was found dead.

Mr Newton told the jury: 'The overall state of the property was clean and tidy bar the copious amount of blood and disruption to the various items in the property.

'There was no evidence of any search. We conducted a full review of the windows and doors, and couldn't see any signs of any insecurity or forced entry.'

Images of the blood-spattered cottage (pictured) in Mayfield, East Sussex, where Jefferies was found dead has been shown to jurors at Bamford's murder trial

Bamford, from Crowborough, (pictured both) denies murder, claiming he was trying to protect himself from Mr Jefferies after he had 'come on to him' and 'tried to rape him'

Glass broken into about 49 pieces was found on the double bed and a horizontal cut was seen on a pillow case on the blood-soaked bed, jurors were shown.

Inside a bedside table cabinet were painkillers, lubricant and condoms. Elsewhere in the bedroom, a kitchen knife was found.

Lewes Crown Court heard how police alerted by worried colleagues found blood-covered Mr Jefferies lying naked on his kitchen floor with a tea towel over his head.

Yesterday, Prosecutor Jeremy Carter-Manning QC said Bamford had 'sought out' Mr Jefferies after building up drugs debts.

'Unknown to Mr Jefferies, Benjamin Bamford was desperate for money, say the prosecution,' he said.

'He had involvement in drugs and a drug debt at the time of 400 or so, and was being pressurised by a known person who supplied drugs.'

Mr Jefferies, described by colleagues as 'diligent, personable but very private', moved to Sussex from London about five years before his death following the breakdown of a relationship.

He struck up contact with Bamford through the Grindr website from the early summer of 2014, and they met a number of times either at Mr Jefferies' home or in his car, Mr Carter-Manning said.

In one of a number of text exchanges read to jurors, Bamford asked Mr Jefferies for money. Mr Jefferies replied: 'Oh OK, it's just that introducing money changes the whole dynamic but we can talk about it when we meet.'

A 360-degree image showing inside the blood-smeared Grade II-listed home where Jefferies was found dead was presented at Bamford's murder trial today

On the night Mr Jefferies was killed, the jury was told Bamford was under pressure to pay money to a drug dealer and contacted Mr Jefferies by text, asking whether he wanted to meet up.

Mr Carter-Manning said: 'The indication is, say the prosecution, that this defendant was at the time under pressure to pay money and you will hear from the police that the contact who is relevant to these matters is a known drug dealer.

'He was someone who was going to get his money. This defendant had to pay. He sought out Mr Jefferies that night with the intention of robbing him.'

Jurors heard how after arranging to meet on the night of the killing, Bamford's mobile phone connected automatically to the internet router at Mr Jefferies' home.

'That connection lasted from 9.34pm to 10.57pm, by which time, say the prosecution, Ben Bamford had killed Paul Jefferies,' said Mr Carter-Manning.

'Having struck what was a fatal blow, the defendant left Mr Jefferies lying dead or dying on his kitchen floor.

'He put a tea towel to cover Mr Jefferies and he took from the house his car keys and the house keys. He locked what was a mortice lock and stole the car - an Audi TT.'

A neighbour heard the sound of wheels spinning on gravel as the car pulled out of the shared driveway as Bamford made 'his escape as quickly as possible' and headed off to see two friends.

They took him to Eastbourne Hospital where he told medics he had suffered injuries to his arms and hands by self-harming.

Photographs were taken by his friends and he was later transferred to another hospital where he underwent surgery on his arm.

After he was discharged Bamford had a row with his mother at home where he confessed to attacking a man in his home.

Mr Carter-Manning said: 'He said he had been attacked by a man. He said he had been drinking, taking diazepam and smoking cannabis and the man had come onto him and tried to rape him.'

The jury was told Bamford had tried to escape but had found all the doors locked and had gone back and confronted Mr Jefferies and demanded he open the doors and let him out.

Mr Carter-Manning said: 'There was a struggle and he had stabbed him.'

Mr Jefferies body was found after work colleagues raised the alarm after he had failed to turn up in work on two consecutive days.
He was also detained on Sunday after allegedly knocking on a homeowner's window and asking if the man felt safe

Police said May appeared to be drunk or high on drugs, or both

with victim's co-worker who came to her aid

A New Hampshire man was arrested Tuesday after police say he attacked a grocery store worker while claiming he was a vampire and a host of other fictional characters.

Jacob May, a 21-year-old homeless man from Concord, faces charges of felony burglary and misdemeanor assault in connection to the bizarre altercation that took place just before 1.40am at the Concord Food Co-Op.

According to the Concord Police Department, a female employee at the store was taking boxes out to a Dumpster behind the co-op when May approached her asking if she needed help and telling her he was a vampire.

'Vampire' in Concord: Jacob May, 21, a homeless man from Concord, New Hampshire, was arrested after allegedly attacking a grocery store worker while claiming he was a vampire

The victim made a dash for the door of the co-op, with May running after her while screaming, 'just touch me, I can save you,' reported The New Hampshire Union Leader.

The store clerk yelled to a co-worker for help and then fell to the ground. According to police, once the woman was down, the deranged suspect grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her.

When the victims colleague tried to come to her aid, May allegedly took a swing at him.

As the two men tussled, the store worker pulled out a box cutter and threatened May with it, causing him to flee into a walk-in freezer.

The male co-op employee followed the intruder and attempted to lock him inside the freezer, but May was able to pin him to the ground.

The homeless man was trying to wrest the box cutters from the worker's hands when police officers responded to the scene and restrained May.

After he was taken into custody, the 21-year-old suspect told police he was 'a vampire, Ghost Rider, Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, Mr Miyagi from the Karate Kid and a leader of a band.

The incident took place early Tuesday morning at the Concord Food Co-Op, where police say May ambushed the female employee before getting into a fight with her co-worker

Investigators said in a statement May appeared to be under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both at the time of the attack.

May was ordered held without bail pending his initial court appearance Wednesday.

It was Mays second brush with police in as many days. On Sunday, police picked him up after a homeowner reported that a white male in his 20s with scruffy facial hair had knocked on his window and asked him if he felt safe.

When police tracked down the suspect, later identified as Jacob May, the 21-year-old told them he was drunk and high on marijuana, methamphetamine and the synthetic drug spice.
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Americans and Britons gutted by Donald Trump's seismic White House victory are offering free hugs to cheer each other up - with one well-wisher averaging 40 an hour.

US citizen Maximilian Vermilye, 23, stood outside a London Tube station today waving a flag and clutching a sign offering comfort to those upset about the billionaire becoming the 45th President.

Dozens embraced him after seeing his sign, some out of sympathy for him, which read: 'Free hugs to those who need one on this day - and to all, hug your loved ones and friends'.

Mr Max's stand outside High Street Kensington station in west London is part of a wider international movement now trending on Twitter.

#Freehugs: Max, a US citizen, has been stood outside a London Tube station offering free hugs to passers-by after Trump's triumph

Warm reception: US citizen Maximilian Vermilye, 23, says he hugged about 40 people in an hour and around 60 in total

Message: Dozens embraced him after seeing his sign, some out of sympathy for him, which read: 'Free hugs to those who need one on this day - and to all, hug your loved ones and friends'

Dismay: This pedestrian who was upset by what has happened in America was cheered, slightly, by the gesture

Mr Vermilye, who has an American father and British mother, but was born in Switzerland, told MailOnline: 'I woke up this morning to such sad people on social media. It was such overload. I just got a feeling that people were going to need a hug.

Warm welcome: This man stood outside the Clinton party at 5am offering free hugs to her devastated supporters

'Everyone needed a hug today I felt, so I thought screw it. I'm going to draw a sign on this piece of cardboard I cut out horribly from a bag and give everyone free hugs and brighten up their day.

'I had at least 40 in an hour. It was a lot more popular than I thought it would be. It's good to see everyone having a relief and saying thankyou. It's great support I've been getting back. I'm glad to be able to bring a few smiles to people today.

'I was supporting Hillary in the election although I was not the happiest about both candidates. My choice was pragmatic. When I heard Trump had won I was shocked. I believed the polls. When I was giving out hugs, people were saying thankyou. There was a lot of distress.

'I gave out hugs to 50 or 60 people and it made me happy. I saw so many sad people and wanted to do something about it.

'There were quite a few Americans, a lot of British and Scottish people saying 'we understand,' Bulgarians and even some Russians. They said: 'we're sorry for you'.

Mr Vermilye has lived in England for two years, having initially moved here to study. He now works as a personal stylist.

The hashtag #freehugs was being used all over the world aimed at comforting Clinton supporters.

One even stood outside the Clinton headquarters as people streamed out after her devastating defeat, although one witness said there were 'few takers'.

In America some stood outside public buildings like libraries or went around their offices.

Others made a direct offer to Hillary to ask if she wanted one because she has not appeared in public since her defeat.

Nick Malloy tweeted: Free Hugs for anyone who needs them today. Offer good for 4 years

Toby McMillan said: 'Offering free hugs and crumpets to all you Americans in the UK. #HugAnAmerican

@Rachaboi_87 said: 'Offering free hugs today for those who are freaking out over Trump winning'.
When Hillary Clinton spoke to president-elect Donald Trump in the early hours of Wednesday morning to concede the presidential race, it was trusted aide Huma Abedin who handed her the phone.

On Trump's end of the conversation, campaign manager Kellyanne Conway took the call from Abedin before handing it over to her boss.

Conway, the renowned pollster who shepherded the Republican victor through the final months of his improbable White House quest, said she heard Trump's half of the historic moment  and there was no talk of emails, special prosecutors or indictments.

Donald Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said Wednesday morning that when she fielded Hillary Clinton's concession phone call, it was Huma Abedin on the other end

Conway shepherded Trump to victory Tuesday night as the Republican will become the 45th President of the United States

Huma Abedin (left) is one of Hillary Clinton's closest advisers but had disappeared from the campaign trail following her estranged sexting husband's entry into a sex-addiction clinic

Huma joined other members of the Clinton team to hear her concession speech in New York on Wednesday

After having a 'nice exchange' on the telephone with Kellyanne Conway last night, Huma applauded Hillary as she made her first post-election appearance

Video courtesy of EXTRA

'My phone rang, It was Huma Abedin,' she said on CNN's 'New Day' program, one of five shows she appeared on after getting less than three hours of sleep.

'I was happy to talk with her. I had a nice exchange with Huma, whom I respect very much.'

'And she said, "Secretary Clinton would like to talk to Mr. Trump." So I handed him the phone and they had maybe a one-minute conversation,' Conway said.

'Very gracious. Very warm.'

On ABC's 'Good Morning America,' Conway said the pair's pleasantries didn't devolve into acrimony.

And she didn't hear anything about Trump's pledge to reopen the FBI's investigation into Clinton's classified-email scandal, or her family foundation's alleged ties to a pay-for-play atmosphere within the Obama administration's State Department.

Trump said that 'he respects her and her family,' Conway recalled. 'It was a very pleasant exchange.'

Asked if a special prosecutor is still on the president-elect's mind, Conway shook her head.

'We have not discussed that at all, and he certainly did not discuss that on his brief phone call with Mrs. Clinton,' she said.

Conway said the concession call came while she and Trump were backstage at a New York City hotel where wildly cheering fans awaited him

On MSNBC's 'Morning Joe,' Conway said the brief chat happened while Trump was 'backstage' waiting to emerge for his victory speech.

'Backstage my phone rang, and I handed it to Mr. Trump, and he had a very gracious, very warm conversation with Secretary Clinton,' she said. 'It lasted about a minute.'

'And they commended each other for a hard-fought campaign. I heard his end of it, where he told her she's tough and smart  things that he has said many times before. And I know she congratulated him on his victory.'

Conway told the 'Good Morning America' audience that she felt 'absolutely euphoric' by night's end.

'This really was a campaign for the people, and they have spoken,' she said. 'They want to go in a new and different direction. They want different leadership.'

'We faced an avalanche of criticism, naysayers every single day, and I'm just so proud that the people overcame that. This is really a victory for them.'

She said that while Trump's family members and close advisers were convinced he had won, he himself refused to count his chickens until 'it was clear that we were able to protect our core four  Ohio, Iowa, Florida and North Carolina, those four states.'

Trump finished his first-ever political campaign by claiming the U.S. presidency against overwhelming odds.

Clinton did not concede publicly on Election Night, but left that task for a Wednesday morning speech

Clinton lost despite steep advantages in money, staffing and practical electoral experience.

One of a half-dozen episodes that derailed her White House aspirations was news that Abedin's estranged husband, former Democratic congressman Anthony Weiner, was under FBI investigation for allegedly sexting with a 15-year-old girl.

The resulting probe unearthed a treasure trove of emails that that FBI thought might have bearing on its investigation into Clinton's use of a private server to house material including thousands of classified documents.

The email scandal dogged her for the entire length of her campaign.

Despite the FBI clearing her, Trump repeatedly hinted during his presidential run that he might free his attorney general to have a second look at the case.

That line of attack began exactly one year ago, during an Illinois rally on Nov. 9, 2015.
A teenage lovers who murdered a dinner lady and her daughter have been been driven to the brink of suicide after their shocking crime, a court heard.

The 15-year-old couple, who cannot be named for legal reasons, plotted together to murder Elizabeth Edwards, 49, and her daughter Katie, 13.

The church-going dinner lady and her daughter were found with their throats cut in their beds at their home in Spalding, Lincolnshire on April 15.

After having a bath to wash off the blood, the couple ate tea cakes and ice cream while watching vampire movie Twilight and having sex.

Elizabeth Edwards, 49, and her daughter Katie, 13, were stabbed in their beds at home

The killers - aged 14 at the time - became the youngest double murderer couple in UK history when the girl was found guilty of murder last month.

They are both expected to be jailed for life when they are sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court tomorrow.

Ahead of their sentencing, the court heard how the boy is considered a 'genuine suicide risk' and is feared likely to suffer a breakdown.

The 15-year-old girl meanwhile remains on a five-minute suicide watch in custody, the court heard.

The judge was told the boy is so attached to his lover he 'does not see himself as a separate entity' to her.

Simon Myerson QC, representing the boy, said: 'His personality disorder involves him attaching himself so tightly to [the girl] that he does not see himself as a separate entity.

The boy who killed Katie (pictured) and her mother is on the verge of suicide, a court heard

This is the gruesome weapon used by the boy to kill the dinner lady and her daughter

'My client has said to me "I do not care what happens to me providing [the girl] is acquitted". The psychologist says he means it.

'If rehabilitation is ever going to be achieved for him he is going to have a breakdown.

'Doctor after doctor and social worker after social worker are saying there is a genuine suicide risk... Psychologist Dr King said in a report there is a genuine risk of self harm.'

At a court hearing to decide whether the pair should be identified in reports, judge Mr Justice Haddon-Cave said: 'This case is unique in the annals of recent British legal history.'

My Myerson insisted the pair's identities should remain secret in the hope that it will help rehabilitate them.

He said: 'We submit his rehabilitation is best achieved if he is allowed to do so in private.'

Lawyers for the media insisting naming the pair would help promote 'public confidence in open justice' and allow the possible causes of the crimes to be fully debated.

The hearing continues.
Anchor Peter Hitchener said 'gremlins' in the system caused the glitch

during Nine's coverage of the US Presidential election

It seems calling an election can work up quite an appetite.

With the world's eyes on the US presidential election, Channel Nine's Melbourne bulletin accidentally cut to veteran political reporter Laurie Oakes taking a bite out of a slice of pizza during a technical glitch.

Anchor Peter Hitchener joked about the situation with viewers, saying: 'Thanks for staying with us. Just a few little gremlins here.'

Scroll down for video

With the world's eyes on the US Presidential election, Channel Nine Melbourne accidentally cut to veteran political reporter Laurie Oakes filling his gob with a slice of pizza during (pictured) a technical gaffe

These 'gremlins' in the system meant pre-recorded packages were not playing correctly, leaving just enough time for viewers to catch a glimpse of a hungry Laurie Oakes.

After almost 12 hours on air, Oakes's snack was well-deserved as he sat alongside Today co-host Karl Stefanovic and Trump-supporting Democrat Harlan Hill.

But it did not take long for viewers to take to social media.

'Nicely done Laurie Oakes. Downing pizza like a champ,' one Twitter user wrote.

This comes less than a month after Channel Nine suffered major technical difficulties with its 6pm bulletin when Sydney viewers were left watching Melbourne's news feed.

A technical glitch was blamed for causing television screens in Sydney to go black on before cutting to advertisements and then a live feed to Melbourne's news bulletin.

These 'gremlins' in the system meant pre-recorded packages were not playing correctly- leaving just enough time for viewers to catch a glimpse of a hungry Laurie Oakes (centre) (Karl Stefanovic pictured right)

It didn't take long for viewers to take to social media
The iconic 'girl with the green eyes' from the cover of the National Geographic has been deported from Pakistan to Afghanistan for travelling on a fake passport.

Afghanistan's President today welcomed home Sharbat Gulla just hours after she was deported.

Her deportation came after a regional court in the Pakistani city of Peshawar convicted her on charges of carrying a forged Pakistani ID card and staying in the country illegally.

The case has drawn international attention and criticism of Pakistani authorities over their perceived harsh treatment of Gulla - and other Afghans who Islamabad says will be expelled as illegal immigrants.

Gulla gained international fame as an Afghan refugee girl in 1985, when war photographer Steve McCurry's photograph of her, with piercing green eyes, was published on National Geographic's cover.

McCurry found her again in 2002.

In 2014, she went into hiding after authorities accused her of buying fake Pakistani documents.

The iconic 'girl with the green eyes' from the cover of the National Geographic has been deported from Pakistan to Afghanistan for travelling on a fake passport

Afghanistan's president on Wednesday welcomed home Sharbat Gulla, National Geographic's famed green-eyed 'Afghan Girl,' just hours after she was deported from Pakistan, the latest in the odyssey of the globally recognized refugee

Gulla's deportation came after a regional court in the Pakistani city of Peshawar convicted her on charges of carrying a forged Pakistani ID card and staying in the country illegally

On Wednesday, Gulla and her four children were handed over to Afghan authorities at the Torkham border crossing, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) northwest Peshawar

She was arrested in late October and the Peshawar court earlier this month ordered her deported.

On Wednesday, Gulla and her four children were handed over to Afghan authorities at the Torkham border crossing, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) northwest Peshawar.

From there she was flown to Kabul where President Ashraf Ghani and his wife Rula hosted a reception for Gulla at the presidential palace.

Ghani also handed her keys to a fully-furnished apartment.

'As a child, she captured the hearts of millions because she was the symbol of displacement,' Ghani said of Gulla.

'The enormous beauty, the enormous energy that she projected from her face captured hearts and became one of the most famous photographs of the 1980s and up until the 1990s.'

'It is a privilege for me to welcome her.

'We are proud to see that she lives with dignity and with security in her homeland,' Ghani said.

'As a child, she captured the hearts of millions because she was the symbol of displacement,' Ghani said of Gulla

'We are proud to see that she lives with dignity and with security in her homeland,' Ghani said

She was flown to Kabul where President Ashraf Ghani and his wife Rula hosted a reception for Gulla at the presidential palace

She looked visibly unhappy and before crossing, turned once to look back at Pakistan, her home of many years, and murmured good wishes for the Pakistani people, according to two customs officials at the scene

Peshawar official Fayaz Khan said Gulla, a widow, and her children were taken by convoy to the border with Afghanistan before dawn Wednesday.

She looked visibly unhappy and before crossing, turned once to look back at Pakistan, her home of many years, and murmured good wishes for the Pakistani people, according to two customs officials at the scene.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

After the Peshawar court sentenced Gulla to 15 days in jail and a fine of $1,000, she fell ill and was admitted to the city's Lady Reading hospital.

The hospital staff gave Gulla a bouquet of red roses as she was taken away Wednesday, said Dr Mukhtiar Zaman, who described her as still being weak from her illness.

Around three million Afghans live in Pakistan, most of them as refugees who fled over the almost 40 years of continuous conflict.
Former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke this morning claimed credit for Donald Trump's success claiming his people played 'a huge role' in the shock victory.

Duke, who failed to win a Senate seat in Louisiana, tweeted support for the billionaire businessman as it emerged he was set to defeat Hillary Clinton.

Trump's campaign also received the strong endorsement of the KKK's newspaper The Crusader, although his staff described the publication as 'repulsive'.

Former KKK grand wizard David Duke today praised Donald Trump's victory claiming many of his organizations followers were responsible for electing him to the White House

Duke, pictured center, at a debate at Dillard University in New Orleans last week, failed to get himself elected to the US Senate, despite his claims of mobilizing a movement behind Trump

David Duke spent time this morning tweeting his followers to congratulate them on their success, claiming they had plaid a 'huge role' in making Donald Trump the president elect

Speaking to his fans following this morning's shock announcement, Duke told his followers on Twitter: ' This is one of the most exciting nights of my life. Make no mistake about it, our people have played a huge role in electing Trump.

'Donald J Trump now has the chance to become one of the greatest Americans to have ever lived. We have the moral high ground.

'Make no mistake about it. Donald J Trump owes his victory to The South.'

As well as his followers in the KKK, Duke also praised Julian Assange, founder of WIkiLeaks for the key role he played in Trump's success.

He continued: 'God bless WikiLeaks. Julian Assange is a hero. America owes this man one thing. Freedom. Thank you, sir. Thank you.'

Some of Duke's followers expressed concern this morning after witnessing Trump's acceptance speech, which failed to mention building a wall with Mexico or locking up Hillary Clinton.

Trump's speech even praised Clinton for her lifetime's service to the American people.

Duke tried to assure his followers: 'I'm getting a lot of emails and messages freaking out over Trumps acceptance speech. He did the right thing, he has no power. Yet.'

However, Duke himself said Clinton should be locked up and said she had been exposed as 'a coward who couldnt even face the nation and acknowledge her loss'.

Donald Trump, pictured making his acceptance speech this morning, spoke of the need for him to represent everyone in America as president, although Duke reassured his supporters that yesterday's election was a vote to put 'America First'

Duke tried to reassure his followers about Trump's acceptance speech which failed to mention jailing Hillary Clinton or building a wall with Mexico claiming 'he has no power - YET'

Duke also praised Julian Assange and suggested Trump should grant him his freedom over the WikiLeaks founder's release of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee

The former KKK leader also played down any talk of seeking compromise with Democrats.

He added: 'Anyone telling you this was a vote for unity and blah, blah, blah, is a liar and they know it. This was a vote for America First.'

Trump received the support of The Crusader in its last edition before polling day.

The newspaper bills itself as 'The Premier Voice of the White Resistance'.

Trump's campaign attempted to distance himself from the extreme right wing 'views do not represent the tens of millions of Americans who are uniting behind our campaign'.

Trump has also received the tacit support of the American Nazi Party, whose chairman Rocky J. Suhayda said he likes the fact 'Trump says and talks a lot about issues that the average politician in this sick, twisted, and demented society wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole'.
A video of workers feeding plastic into a machine to produce white, rice-like granules has sparked fears on Chinese social media.

Many people said the factory, thought to be located in China, was producing toxic rice out of sheets of plastic.

Other people, however, said the plastic grains were for industrial use.

A video showing workers using plastic to make white granules has sparked fear in China

The two-minute-long footage was widely shared on WeChat, a Chinese social media messaging app, in early November.

In a version of the video, shared by QQ.com, a topless worker can be seen putting dozens of plastic bags into a machine at a dim-lit workshop.

The bags were soon shredded by the spinning saws of the machine before being turned into a long plastic tube.

The worker used a pair of scissors to cut the long strip before putting it into another machine placed next to the first machine.

A topless worker can be seen putting dozens of plastic bags into a machine at a workshop

The bags were shredded before being turned into a long plastic tube by the machine

The plastic strip was processed by the second machine, which turned it into long, thin strings.

The strings were delivered into cold water in a large sink for for cooling down before being passed onto a third machine.

A second worker, also topless, can be see standing by the strings.

The third machine ground the strings into fine granules and they were scooped into a large fabric bag, often used to carry rice in China, by a worker.

The video ends when the first worker returned to feed the first machine with plastic sheets.

A third machine ground the strings into fine granules. They were scooped into a large fabric bag, often used to carry rice in China, by a worker

It remains unclear where the video was shot or whether or not it was real.

However, the clip has sparked a fear among Chinese people after it became widely shared on social media.

People expressed their concerns over food safety on various social media platforms, including Weibo.

One person wrote on Weibo: 'Maybe we shall start planting our own rice.'

Another commented in a worrying tone: 'I watched this video this morning and I didn't dare eat rice.'

However, some users said the factory was merely producing plastic granules aimed for industrial use. They argued that it wouldn't be economical to produce fake rice out of plastic.

As one commentator said: 'The plastic materials are much more expensive than rice.'

This is not the first time China has been linked to toxic rice.

In 2011, plastic rice was reported in the Chinese city of Nanjing after an elderly woman saw dozen of white grains floating on the water as she washed the rice, Xinhua reports.

In May 2015, a plastic rice scare broke out in Indonesia and the suspect grains were reportedly imported from China.
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More than 1,500 angry California high school students have walked out of classes in Berkeley to protest the election of Donald Trump, chanting 'not our president,' as demonstrations were being held on college campuses around the country.

Berkeley Unified School District spokesman Charles Burress said about half of the school's 3,000 students left at the start of the first period on Wednesday and gathered in the school's courtyard.

Some students held anti-Trump signs that read 'Nasty Women Unite,' 'F*** Donald Trump' and 'No Deportation, No Profiling, No Brutality.' Others waved Mexican flags.

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Youth in revolt: Berkeley High School students begin to march after assembling in front of Sproul Hall on the UC Berkeley campus in protest to the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States in Berkeley, California

Teen rage: More than 1,000 angry California high school students participated in a walk-out this morning

Nasty women unite: Two young women hold up a sign reading 'nasty women unite' in protest of Trump's win

Sign of change: Alice Bynum (C) stands with other Berkeley High School staff members and holds a sign while attending Wednesday's protest in Berkeley

A young man wearing a Berkeley High Class of 2016 shirt wipes away tears during a protest in response to the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States in Berkeley, California, U.S. November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage

Burress said classes were still going on for students who wanted to attend.

He said the district would prefer for students to stay in classes, but school officials understood that extraordinary circumstances prompted the protest. According to the administrator, some teachers demonstrated with students, though he could not estimate the number of staff joining in the action.

Young protesters took turns speaking at a microphone, with one student declaring: 'Donald Trump may be president, but we are going to make sure that this man, that he is going to prioritize the well being of the people, so please join us in this fight,' reported CBS SF.

Another female student told the large crowd: 'We're sitting here, setting our clocks back to 1950 electing this fool. You know? Trump honestly just makes us realize how much hate and ignorance is left,' according to a live stream of the demonstration on the social media app Periscope.

She said people of color were afraid about the potential for discrimination, and immigrant families were now worried about the threat of deportation threatened by Trump.

Making their voices heard: Berkeley High School students were heard chanting 'not our president.' The demonstration was live streamed on social media

Angry and frustrated students took turns speaking at the microphone to the crowd, railing agaisnt Donald Trump

After the demonstration, the students marched to the nearby University of California-Berkeley campus, where they were joined by dozens of college students.

Police say at least 500 people swarmed on streets in and around UCLA, some shouting expletives targeting the Republican president-elect.

Oakland police say they issued one citation but did not make any arrests.

Smaller demonstrators were held at University of California campuses and neighborhoods in Berkeley, Irvine and Davis and at San Jose State.

In Oakland, more than 100 protesters took to downtown streets. KNTV-TV reported that protesters burned Trump in effigy, smashed windows of the Oakland Tribune newsroom and set tires and trash on fire.

The California Highway Patrol says a woman was struck by a car during the protest and severely injured.

Students also walked out of classes in Seattle, Washington, where a group of about 100 protesters gathered in the Capital Hill neighborhood, blocked roads and set a trash bin on fire, while several hundred students at the University of Texas protested as well, according to local reports.

Anti-Trump rallies were planned later Wednesday in New York, Boston, Chicago and other cities, according to social media postings. A Facebook page for a protest scheduled for Manhattan's Union Square Park showed more than 8,000 people planned to attend.

Madeline Lopes, left, and Cassidy Irwin, both of Oakland, march with other protesters in downtown Oakland early Wednesday

Multiple fires were lit in dumpsters and trash cans during protests in downtown Oakland late Tuesday

A protester faces a police line in downtown Oakland early Wednesday after the election was called for Donald Trump

Protesters burned Trump in effigy, smashed windows of the Oakland Tribune newsroom and set tires and trash on fire

University of California, Davis students protest on campus in Davis, California, following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States

The demonstrations followed a night of protests around the San Francisco Bay Area and elsewhere in the country in response to Trump's political upset.

Demonstrators smashed storefront windows and set garbage and tires ablaze late Tuesday in downtown Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco. A few miles away, students at the University of California at Berkeley students protested on campus.

In Oregon, dozens of people blocked traffic in downtown Portland and forced a delay for trains on two light rail lines. Media reports said the crowd grew to about 300 people, including some who sat in the middle of the road to block traffic. The crowd of anti-Trump protesters burned American flags and chanted 'That's not my president.'
A person was hit by a train at Times Square subway station in Manhattan, Transit officials in New York said Wednesday.

The victim, whose name has not been released to the public, was struck by a northbound N train at approximately 9.18am, authorities said.

A spokesperson for the state-run transit agency said it is believed the individual jumped in front of the train, according to DNAinfo.com.

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Transit officials said a person standing on the platform of the northbound N line at the 42nd Street station (above) leaped in front of a moving train on Wednesday

First responders rushed the person to the hospital at approximately 9.34am.

A number of commuters reported delays on Twitter after being informed that an investigation was ongoing at the Times Square station.

Officials said R and W trains were skipping their stops at Times Square due to the latest developments.

The incident happened just two days after schizophrenic woman Melanie Liverpool-Turner, 30, allegedly pushed a housekeeper off of a subway platform and in front of a moving train at the same station.

The victim, Connie Watton, was the housekeeper for billionaire Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman's family.

Prosecutors said Liverpool-Turner had confessed to killing the 49-year-old but recounted the claim at her Tuesday arraignment on a murder charge.

Authorities said Liverpool and Watton were talking or arguing on a platform at the station before Liverpool pushed Watton in front of an approaching train.

She was found dead under it, and Liverpool was apprehended within minutes.

'This is a strong case, with multiple eyewitnesses' and an admission from Liverpool, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Matthew Thiman said.

Watton was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the incident at 1.20pm on Monday.

A Metropolitan Transportation Authority worker said Liverpool-Turner looked 'proud' as she was led away by police officers moments later.

A motive has not been established, but Liverpool-Turner told authorities she also pushed a German college student to her death last month at Union Square Station, the New York Post reported.

However officers think she is lying as the student is believed to have committed suicide after a breakup.

Authorities have described Liverpool-Turner as emotionally disturbed, but her lawyer, Mathew Mari, said she had declined to give him any details on her medical history.

'She's adamant that she did not confess and that she's not guilty' and didn't want to discuss anything else, Mari said.

She was ordered held without bail in a death that strikes at New York subway riders' fears, though fatal pushes are rare.

Police said they were looking at video surveillance to try to determine what led to the attack.

Schizophrenic woman, Melanie Liverpool-Turner (pictured), 30, allegedly pushed Connie Watton in front of a moving train on Monday

In recent years, about 50 people a year have died after being hit by New York City subway trains, in situations ranging from accidents to willful leaps.

The numbers are small compared with the more than 1.7 billion subway rides taken each year, and officials say a substantial proportion are suicides.

Still, there have been some deadly pushes in recent years. One man, Kevin Darden, is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to manslaughter in a 2014 subway shove in the Bronx.

And in 2012, a mentally ill woman who had a history of attacking strangers was charged in a fatal push in Queens, and a homeless man was charged in a deadly subway shove beneath Times Square.
A man who drowned his friend on a fishing trip after suffering an extreme reaction to smoking cannabis and a 'legal high' was today jailed for seven years.

Christopher Davies, 28, of Higher Bebington, Merseyside, had gone out fishing for the day with his workmate and friend Barry O'Reilly when they smoked cannabis.

But after Davies smoked some cannabis - mixed with the now banned legal high Spice - he lost control going off his head and attacked his 37-year-old friend.

Jailed: Christopher Davies (left), 28, of Higher Bebington, Merseyside, had gone out fishing for the day with his workmate and friend Barry O'Reilly (right) when they smoked cannabis

Davies battered the father-of-one who was screaming for help, holding his head under the water until he drowned, according to witnesses who called police.

Officers and paramedics arrived and took over attempts to resuscitate after the attack on May 15 this year, but Mr O'Reilly was eventually pronounced dead.

Davies was jailed for seven years after admitting manslaughter following a loss of control at the fishing lake at Claremont Farm in Clatterbridge, on the Wirral.

A ban on supply and production - but not possession - of Spice and other 'psycho-active' substances, once sold openly in 'Head Shops' came into force 11 days later.

But Judge Clement Goldstone QC, Recorder of Liverpool, said the possession of the drug should also now be banned, as he passed sentence on Davies today.

He told Liverpool Crown Court: This is a case which emphasises, if emphasis were necessary, the truly dreadful effects which can be expected from the use of not just Class A drugs, not just of cannabis and other class B drugs, but of synthetic cannabinoids, and other legal highs as they are called, in this case spice.

I have no reason to believe that if you had not taken spice on this occasion, this crime would have been committed.

Crime scene: Davies was jailed for seven years after admitting manslaughter following a loss of control at the fishing lake at Claremont Farm (pictured) in Clatterbridge, on the Wirral

Everything about this case points to a normal friendly relationship between you and Mr O'Reilly, in which you shared a number of interests in common - work, fishing and of course, the use of cannabis.

I can only on behalf of the right-thinking public in general, and the family of Mr O'Reilly in particular, express the hope that the circumstances of this tragic case will prompt the Government to reconsider its attitude toward the possession of such compounds, as opposed to their supply and production which have recently been criminalised, which are widely acknowledged as being significantly more dangerous than cannabis itself.

The court heard within seconds of killing his victim Davies 'came to' and with other fishermen tried to resuscitate Mr O'Reilly before the emergency services arrived.

Davies also told the court he did not initially know his friend had put Spice, which he had never taken before, into the cannabis pipe they were using to smoke drugs.

Senior District Crown Prosecutor Geoff Fryar, from Mersey Cheshire Crown Prosecution Service, said: Davies was under the influence of the psychoactive drug Spice when he turned on his long-term friend and killed him.

The effects of these drugs are unpredictable and on occasions such as this, tragic. It is illegal to manufacture or supply such drugs. They can, as in this case, be highly dangerous and should not be taken, however harmless the packaging might seem.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Denn, of Merseyside Police, added: During the investigation medical experts working with officers who explained the effects of Spice and they said that the effects can be extreme causing hallucinations, psychosis, muscle weakness and paranoia, as well as many other symptoms.

Our advice to people has always been not to take any substances if they don't know exactly what's in it or where it came from.
Locals who killed a huge snake after suspecting it of having eaten a calf because of its swollen stomach discovered it was pregnant with dozens of eggs.

The incident happened in Nigeria where local media said the snake had been killed over accusations it had been feasting on farmers livestock.

However as these images show, the snake was not overweight because of its last meal, it was actually pregnant.

Locals who killed a huge snake after suspecting it of having eaten a calf because of its swollen stomach discovered it was pregnant with dozens of eggs

After being cut open, dozens of eggs were found and removed by locals who regard them as a rare delicacy.

Although it was not clear what sort of snake it was, many snakes can produce up to 100 eggs at a time.

Online commentators seem to have little sympathy with the snake, with most pointing out that it was a good thing that around a hundred baby snakes would no longer be born.

Judging by the size of the snake, which appears to be almost a foot wide and several metres long, it looks like an anaconda.

But with the species of anaconda restricted to South America, it is likely the pictured snake is an African rock python.

Judging by the size of the snake, which appears to be almost a foot wide and several metres long, it looks like an anaconda. But with the species of anaconda restricted to South America, it is likely the pictured snake is an African rock python

There have been some reports of African rock pythons, which is the continent's biggest snake and one of the world's largest, growing up to a massive 6m in length

Males are typically smaller than females, who can grow up to and beyond 4.8m in length.

There have been some reports of African rock pythons, which is the continent's biggest snake and one of the world's largest, growing up to a massive 6m in length.

Less reliable sources from back in the 1950s claim one 7m pregnant python was killed with a 1.5m infant inside it and a second beast - measuring 7.5m - was also shot dead.

Like all pythons, the African rock python is non-venomous and kills its prey by constriction.

After gripping the prey, the snake coils around it, tightening its coils every time the victim breathes out.

Death is thought to be caused by cardiac arrest rather than by asphyxiation or crushing.

The African rock python feeds on a variety of large rodents, monkeys, warthog, antelopes, fruit bats, monitor lizards and even crocodiles in forest areas,
In custody: Jesse Dobbs, 22, was arrested on double homicide charges in Baytown, Texas

A 22-year-old Texas man has been arrested on double homicide charges after allegedly murdering the mother and sister of his much-younger girlfriend.

However, the girl, 16-year-old Kirsten Nicole Fritch, remains missing, with an Amber Alert still active for the teen in Baytown and its surrounding areas.

The body of her mother, Cynthia Morris, 37, and 13-year-old sister, Breanna Pavilicek, were found shot dead in their Baytown home at about 11 am on Tuesday.

Police later arrested Jesse Dobbs, 22, who was found in Morris' car about 30 miles away in Texas City.

Morris' mother had called 911 saying she was worried about her daughter and granddaughters after she couldn't contact them.

An Amber Alert was issued for Kirsten Nicole Fritch, 16 (left), after the body of her mother, Cynthia Morris, 37 (right), and her 13-year-old sister were found on Tuesday morning

Morris (center) was said to have disapproved of the relationship her teenage daughter (left) was having with an older man. Morris and her other daughter were found shot dead

Police then did a welfare check at the family's home in the 5400 block of Louise Street. Inside they found the bodies of the two victims, who had both suffered at least one gunshot wound, Fox 26 reported.

Investigators then issued an Amber Alert for Fritch, who was last seen with Dobbs.

He was named as a person of interest in the Amber Alert, as was Morris' car - a cream-colored 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser with the Texas license plate number FPN 8281.

Dobbs was found near Texas City at around 9pm Tuesday and was arrested.

Amber Alert: Kirsten Nicole Fritch, 16, remains missing, with an Amber Alert still active for the teen in Baytown and its surrounding areas. Police recovered her mother's car (right), which was listed in the alert

Controversial relationship: Kirsten Nicole Fritch, 16 (left), was dating Jesse Dobbs, 22 (right). He is now accused of murdering her mother and sister

Police said Dobbs' grandmother told them she and Morris did not approve of a relationship between Dobbs and Fritch.

Fritch is described as standing at a height of 5-feet 1-inch tall, weighing 135 pounds, with green eyes and brown hair.

'It's unbelievable,' William Naron, who has known Dobbs for many years, told Click 2 Houston.

'He told me not too long ago that he was going numb. He didn't care anymore. He said he doesn't care what he does.'

Scene: The two bodies were found shot dead in this house in Baytown around 11am Tuesday

Investigation: Police were called to the house after a relative asked them to do a welfare check

Video courtesy of FOX 26

Neighbors said they were shocked to learn there had been a double homicide in their street.

'It really shocks me,' Victoria Wenger, who lives next door to the house, told KHOU.

'I didn't hear of any problems.'

Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Baytown Crime Stoppers at (281) 427-8477 or The Baytown Police Department at (281)422-8371.
Suspected shooter was a 45-year-old Hispanic man with a wife and two children; police initially

A gunman was on a cocaine binge when he randomly opened fire Tuesday near two polling places in Southern California, killing a 77-year-old neighbor and wounding two women at random before police shot him, authorities said.

The unnamed 45-year-old Hispanic man was found dead in the entryway to an Azusa home, ending an hours-long standoff east of Los Angeles.

The shooting erupted at around 2pm on Election Day, disrupting voting at a nearby park and elementary school in the San Gabriel Valley.

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Azusa police revealed the suspect was a 45-year-old former serviceman with a semi-automatic assault rifle

A woman picks up her daughter at Slauson Middle School, which was on lockdown Tuesday

Polling stations were on lockdown and a manhunt was underway for a 'heavily armed' gunman who killed one person and injured another three in California

However, the shooting had nothing to do with the ballot or voting, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. John Corina said.

The man, described as a former member of the military, was a gun fanatic who began binging on cocaine at least a day earlier, prompting his wife and two children to flee their home Monday evening because he was getting out of control, Corina said.

On Tuesday afternoon, the man armed himself with a rifle, a pistol and a knife.

According to witnesses he came out into the street with guns and just started shooting randomly at people and cars,' Corina said.

Police officers are seen at the scene of a shooting near a polling station, in Azusa, California

Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Gustavo Medina said one person was dead on arrival

Police initially said the shooter was a woman, but it later proved to be false.

The gunman shot a woman who was driving a van, which later crashed, then walked up to a 77-year-old neighbor who had stepped outside to see what was happening and shot and killed him, authorities said.

He also shot another woman who was outside down the street, according to a Sheriff's Department statement.

When police from Azusa and neighboring Irwindale arrived to help the victims, the man popped out of hiding and opened fire on them with an assault rifle.

The officers weren't hit and fired back, fatally wounding the man, Corina said. During the gunfight, police deployed tear gas.

He went to a home, where he died in the entryway but was only confirmed dead hours later with the help of a robot equipped with a camera, reported the LA Times.

A SWAT team sniper moves on top of the Memorial Park gymnasium to cover a barricaded suspect on Fourth Street east of Orange Avenue after several people were shot there

Police vehicles outside a middle school in Asuza, California, after the shooting nearby

Police said no arrests have been made and advised residents to shelter in place

Weapons including a shotgun and handgun along with hundreds of rounds of ammunition were found at his home, authorities said.

The wounded women, ages 59 and 65, were hospitalized in critical condition.

Azusa Police said the shooting began at 2.02pm with reports of shots fired near Memorial Park at 320 N Orange Avenue.

Police said no arrests have been made and advised residents to shelter in place until further notice.

Nearby Memorial Park, a polling station, was locked down and later evacuated.

Two schools, Slauson Middle School and Mountain View Elementary School, were also locked down and evacuated.

About 20 people were casting ballots when the gunfire erupted.
Entering to the music of 'Air Force One' Donald Trump stood onstage early this morning alongside some of his closest campaign advisers, many of whom are poised to hold big league jobs in the Trump cabinet come January.

He gave shout-outs to Rudy Giuliani, Chris Christie and Sen. Jeff Sessions, who joined the families of Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, to celebrate their surprise victory on the platform.

All three of these Trump surrogates are being considered for gigs in the new administration, Politico is reporting, along with some of the other conservative prominent talkers that the Republican had deployed on the campaign trail in recent weeks.

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Donald Trump and his family brought a YUGE group of campaign staffers and surrogates onstage with them at last night's New York City victory fete

Donald Trump, celebrating his victory in the early morning hours, could make Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus his White House chief of staff

Many in Trump's inner circle may be making the trek to Washington too. Trump's pollster-turned-campaign manager Kellyanne Conway told DailyMail.com last night that she was open to a White House gig.

Press Secretary Hope Hicks, a breakout political communications star, could also make the move south.

By the end of the campaign Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner had become one of The Donald's most trusted advisers, which means he and his wife, forthcoming first daughter Ivanka Trump, could have a big presence in D.C.

Additionally, Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, who proudly took over the podium at the victory party, is reportedly being considered for the job of chief of staff.

Scottie Nell Hughes, one of Trump's most prominent cable news pundits, said she's game for anything now that her man has won.

'I will support Mr. Trump & his policies in which ever way serves our Country best,' she said in an email with Dailymail.com. 'This could be continuing in the current position I'm very happy with in the media or in another [role] more official with the Trump Administration.'

Team Trump has knocked down all the big names in speculation thus far.

Rudy Giuliani

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, one of Donald Trump's staunchest supporters, is on deck to become the nation's attorney general

'I want to give a very special thanks to our former mayor, Rudy Giuliani,' Trump said, craning his next to find the New Yorker among the crowd that joined the president-elect on the ballroom's platform. 'Unbelievable, unbelievable. He traveled with us and he went through meetings. That Rudy never changes.'

Giuliani is being considered for the role of attorney general, Politico reported.

The former New York City mayor, who helped get the city through 9/11, is a New York Republican also seen at Trump's side.

He had his own presidential ambitions back in 2008, but quickly pulled out after the first couple of primaries.

Hitching himself to the Trump train, Giuliani spoke at the Republican National Convention on behalf of Trump, who considers himself the 'law and order' candidate, a similar line of thinking to when Giuliani cleaned up the streets of New York in the '90s.

He was also the surrogate the Trump campaign sent out when The Donald was at his lowest, in the aftermath of the 'p****' video, when many other Republicans were running from the GOP nominee.

Chris Christie

Among those celebrating was New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, leading Trump's transition team, who could become the nation's attorney general if Bridgegate goes away

Onstage, celebrating his victory, Trump also commended a former political rival, New Jersey's Gov. Christie.

'Governor Christie, folks, was unbelievable,' Trump said, with the New Jersey governor standing in the center of The Donald's pack.

Christie, who ran for the presidency this cycle, stunned the political world by endorsing Trump in late February, months before the GOP primary was over.

He was credited for the demise of the politician once seen as the future of the Republican party, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio  who did win re-election last night  by hitting him again and again during the New Hampshire Republican debate in early February.

Trump also considered the mouthy New Jersey politician, awarding him for his loyalty, for veep.

Christie, who attended the election night fete at the Midtown Hilton in New York, was originally thought to be a shoo-in for attorney general, but with two aides on the hook for the 'bridgegate' scandal, Giuliani may be a more politically-safe choice instead.

Sen. Jeff Sessions

Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions applauds Donald Trump's at his victory party, though Trump applauded the senator for endorsing him before any other politician - and he may be rewarded a cabinet position for it

Besides Sen. Jeff Sessions, Donald Trump could also look to former national security adviser Stephen Hadley (left) or Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn (right) who'd need a pass from Congress to take the job because he hasn't been retired from the military for seven years

Trump also pointed out Sessions, noting how he was the 'first senator, first major, major politician,' to endorse Trump's longshot White House bid.

'He is highly respected in Washington because he's as smart as you get,' Trump said.

As a reward, Trump could appoint the Alabama senator as secretary of defense. The billionaire is eyeing another surrogate too, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, but congress would have to approve to waive a rule that says the secretary of defense has to have been out of the military for seven years.

Flynn had been on the shortlist to be Trump's vice president earlier this year.

Additional names being floated for the Pentagon gig include former national security adviser Stephen Hadley and former Republican Sen. Jim Talent.

Newt Gingrich

President-elect Donald Trump (left) found a valued political ally in former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (right) - who could find himself in Hillary Clinton's old gig as secretary of state

Another Trump ally in the U.S. Senate, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker of Tennessee, coud become secretary of state

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich could go from ruling Capitol Hill to leading Foggy Bottom, as he's reportedly in consideration to become Trump's secretary of state.

In May, Gingrich, still considered one of the thought leaders in the Republican Party, endorsed Trump as the primary was winding down.

The former House speaker had also sought the presidency and briefly looked to be gaining ground on Mitt Romney, the party's eventual 2012 nominee.

On team Trump he became a valued adviser and, like Christie, was on Trump's shortlist to become vice president.

Other prominent Republicans being considered for State include Tennessee Sen. Bob Corker, who also endorsed Trump. Corker is the current head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton has also been named.

Gov. Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin, who endorsed Donald Trump in January, is rumored to be on the list to run the Interior Department. The folksy Palin is pro oil and gas and a big hunter

Other prominent Republican women Donald Trump could tap to come to Washington are former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (left) and Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (right)

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who endorsed Trump in January and this week stumped for him in Detroit, Michigan, a state he's likely to win, is reportedly being considered for the job of secretary of the interior.

Palin is known for her trademark line 'drill, baby, drill,' and her love of hunting game.

She's hinted in the past that she'd be game to come onboard a Trump administration, considering him a kindred rogue spirit in the Republican Party.

Palin, herself a veteran of presidential campaign, was on the Republican Party's 2008 ticket below Arizona Sen. John McCain.

Some Republicans are already worrying that because of the contentious primary and because many in the top-tier of the party didn't endorse Trump, that there would be an issue attracting talent, especially among women.
Dr Andrew Johnson (pictured) sexually abused pregnant teenagers and girls as young as 12 in his surgery, a court heard

A family doctor has admitted sexually abusing pregnant teenagers and girls as young as 12 in his surgery over 20 years, a court heard.

Dr Andrew Johnson, 64, groped their breasts and intimately touched some of his female patients, three of whom were pregnant, during intimate examinations.

The paedophile was jailed for 11 years and eight months in 2014 after being convicted of sexually abusing nine patients between 1978 and 2006, as well as separate offences against a relative.

His jail-term was extended for a further two-and-a-half years at Sheffield Crown Court today after eight new victims came forward.

Judge Peter Kelson described Johnson as a 'sexual predator' who abused the trust of his patients.

The eight new patients, who were abused between 1978 and 1997, complained to police following the publicity surrounding his 2014 conviction.

The court heard a 12-year-old in school uniform, who was being bullied at school, visited the GP about spots on her chest.

Johnson sat on his desk as the girl undressed in front of him and then began massaging her breasts with enough force to leave her with bruising.

A 14-year-old girl with acne on her face was also groped by Johnson who fondled her breasts during an examination.

'She couldn't understand because she had no acne on the front part of her chest,' said prosecutor Nicholas Campbell QC.

He asked a pregnant 16-year-old girl who had removed her top for him: 'Are you going to breast feed? You ought to because you have nice breasts.'

His jail-term was extended for a further two-and-a-half years at Sheffield Crown Court (shown) today after eight new victims came forward

Johnson, who started practising at his surgery in Bawtry, near Doncaster and in nearby Blyth, Nottinghamshire, in 1977, went on to grope her breasts.

Another 18-year-old patient was shocked to find the GP groping her breast with his left hand as he examined her intimately with his right.

He told her: 'It's natural.'

One patient was so shocked at his examinations she vowed never to have children and got herself sterilised.

A 29-year-old woman who went to see him about contraception found herself being massaged intimately as she lay naked on his couch.

She said: 'I lay there thinking what on earth is he doing.'

She added: 'He just looked at me and carried on massaging me. I was dismayed and shocked and asked him to stop.

'He just said: 'This is a recognised method of relaxation.'

Nicholas Campbell QC, prosecuting, said each of the new victims to come forward had been assaulted in the same way in his surgery during intimate examinations.

One 22-year-old woman said as she lay on her back on the couch the doctor told her: 'There is a natural way of doing things.'

The doctor constantly asked another woman about her sex life, rubbed against her and fondled her breasts over her clothing before trying to put his hand up her skirt.

His assault ended when she kneed him in the groin.

When he was arrested by police, Johnson denied any sexual touching had taken place.

'He remembered little of anything of the complainants,' said Mr Campbell.

Graham Huston, defending, said the defendant was 64 and had already been given an extended jail term which would keep him inside until 2020.

He had retired from practice in 2006 and been struck off by the General Medical Council in 2010.

'He has lost his reputation and brought shame on his family,' he said.

Judge Peter Kelson said the new victims had been encouraged to come forward as a result of 'extremely thorough, competent police work' and having previously seen justice done.

He said: 'It was over a shorter period of time than the previous indictment but horrifically it was 19 years of sexual abuse of patients.'

He told Johnson: 'You are not just a sexual predator who grossly abused the trust placed in you as a doctor but a paedophile who also readily preyed on children.

'It must be repugnant to the victims that while each of them will never forget their abuse you abused so many of them that you can simply not remember them. How repugnant that must seem to them.'

He jailed Johnson for a further two-and-a-half years on top of the 11 years and eight months sentence he is currently serving.

Afterwards investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Steve Whittaker said: 'Johnson completely and utterly abused his position.

The past has finally caught up with him and I'm indebted to the victims who reported these horrific crimes committed by a local doctor in a position of trust.

'He preyed on young girls, women and pregnant women who attended his surgery over many years.

'He clearly thought he could get away with this despicable offending. He abused so many women he couldn't remember who he had abused and who he hadn't.
A former steelworker has told his fourth murder trial how he picked up a 23-year-old woman and had 'consensual sex' with her in the back of his car, shortly before she was strangled and drowned in a creek.

Robert Badgerow, 58, claims Diane Werendowicz, a nursing assistant, was alive when he left her after picking her up at a bar, Malarkey's, near Hamilton, Ontario in June 1981.

He is the first person in Canadian history to go on trial four times for the same murder.

Diane Werendowicz (pictured) vanished after going to Malarkey's bar in Stoney Creek, near Hamilton, in June 1981. Her body was found in a creek the following day

Badgerow was first convicted in 2001, after DNA linked him to semen inside Diane's body, and he spent nearly 11 years behind bars before his conviction was quashed.

He has since admitted having 'consensual sex' with her in the back of his car after picking her up in the bar.

A second and a third trial both ended in hung juries.

In 2012 a judge stayed the charge against Badgerow, saying he had been through enough and there was no new evidence.

Robert Badgerow (pictured) is currently on trial for the fourth time for the rape and murder of Diane Werendowicz. He claims she was alive when he left her on June 22, 1981

But the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled he should go on trial again after new evidence emerged about a 911 call.

A man anonymously phoned police after the murder and was able to provide details about the murder scene that had never been made public.

The call was traced to a phone booth near the Dofasco steel mill, only yards from where Badgerow was working.

Today he told the jury he left work at the Dofasco steel mill in Hamilton on June 22, 1981 and went to Malarkey's.

The body of Diane Werendowicz was found face down in this creek the day after she went missing in June 1981

The Hamilton Spectator reported that Badgerow said: 'Depending on the reception I'd decide if I'd stay or go. I would do a walk through. If I did not see anyone I knew I'd scope out the bar.'

Badgerow, who was engaged at the time to Tammy Hunt, who he later married, said he would look for attractive women and he said 'a couple of times' he had had sex with them.

He said he could not remember the night very well but he said he probably put some music on in the car, rolled a marijuana joint, 'told the odd pun' and then 'put the move on' Ms Werendowicz.

Badgerow said that after they had sex she put her clothes back on and he said he 'would have offered her a lift home' but could not remember whether he actually drove her home.

Asked by his lawyer, Russell Silverstein, if he had made the 911 call to the police that night, he said: 'No'.

The jury has heard that Diane never made her way home that night and her body was found face down in water, at Stoney Creek, by children the next day.

The case went cold for 17 years the DNA was matched.
, when Trump won a thin 1 per cent margin over Clinton and took all of the state's 29 electoral votes

So even if the votes are split nearly 50/50, the candidate who wins the

Some Americans may have been confused as to why Donald Trump has been named the winner of the election, despite not winning the majority of the votes.

That's because candidates aren't elected in the U.S. based on the total number of votes. Rather, presidents are elected by the Electoral College, representatives from each state that cast votes on behalf of their constituents.

Each state is given a certain amount of electoral votes, depending on their population. So a populous state like California has 55 electoral votes while a small state like North Dakota has just three.

Hillary Clinton has won the popular vote, but she didn't win the election. That's because presidents are voted according to the Electoral College - a system which awards more votes to certain states

In 48 states, electors must cast a vote for the candidate who wins the state's popular vote. So even if the votes are split nearly 50-50, as was the case in Florida Tuesday night, Trump still won all 29 of the states electoral votes because he won the popular vote by a thin margin

In 48 states, electors must cast a vote for the candidate who wins the state's popular vote. So even if the votes are split nearly 50-50, as was the case in Florida Tuesday night, Trump still won all 29 of the states electoral votes because he won the popular vote by a thin margin.

Maine and Nebraska are the exceptions to the rule, giving out electoral votes to each candidate proportionally, based on the results of the popular vote.

There have been complaints in recent years that this system is perhaps unfair, since it causes some votes to be weighted more than others. One of the issues is that voters in solidly-blue or red states are becoming discouraged to vote, if they are members of a rival party, since their vote likely won't be reflected in the states electoral votes.

Take a Republican voter in Oregon on Tuesday, a state which has voted Democrat in the last four presidential elections. An Oregon Republican may not even bothered to turn their ballot in because the chances of the state's seven electoral votes going to the Democratic nominee are high.

In addition to this year's election, this disconnect between popular votes and electoral votes has happened four other times in U.S. history - most recently in the 2000 election between George W. Bush and Al Gore.

It also happened in 1824, when none of the four candidates running for president secured the plurality of the electoral college votes (you need to hit 270 to become president).

In that case, members of Congress cast their votes for president, and John Quincy Adams was elected president, despite Andrew Jackson having the most electoral votes and popular votes in the general election.
Asian buyer for nearly twice its estimate

An antique used as a table lamp for more than 50 years has sold for a staggering 581,000 after it was revealed to be an incredibly rare 200-year-old Chinese relic.

The 10in tall porcelain figure turned out to be an ornate 'nine dragons' hat stand made for Emperor Dauguang of Imperial China's Qing dynasty.

It is thought that the stand was bought at a country house sale in the 1950s at a time when Chinese artwork was not highly prized.

For 50 years the hat stand (pictured) was used as a table lamp by a Welsh couple who had no idea of its value

The couple took it back to their house in North Wales where they turned it into a lampshade complete with cream, frilly shade.

Incredibly it remained there until several years ago when it was sold to the latest vendor, who bought it after realising its heritage.

The seller then took the piece to experts at Christie's auction house who were able to confirm its 200-year-old history.

The hat stand, made between 1820 and 1850, was tipped to fetch 300,000 when it went under the hammer at Christie's yesterday.

But the final price rocketed to almost double the original estimate after a bidding war broke out at the London salerooms. It sold to an unnamed buyer from Asia.

Ivy Chan, an Asian art specialist at Christie's, said: 'This fascinating object was kept in a house in North Wales for over 50 years, where it was used as a lamp all that time.

'It's actually a Chinese hat stand that is 200 years old. The fact that this hat stand ended up in Britain follows a long continued history of pieces leaving Asia.

'The earliest we can trace it to is 1953 when it was bought in a country house sale by a couple from North Wales.

'The fact that they turned it into a lamp suggests that they didn't pay very much money for it and they didn't realise its importance.

The stand (pictured) was tipped to fetch 300,000 when it went under the hammer at Christie's yesterday but ended up making almost twice that

'It was actually quite common for Chinese porcelain pieces to be turned into lamps and it is very fortunate that no damage was done to this one.

'It is a miracle it has survived in such good condition. It was a very pleasant surprise when the vendor brought the piece to us.

'The piece dates to the Daoguang period, the early part of the 19th century.. It offers a glimpse into the opulence of the Daoguang court, where clothing was used to symbolise rank and status.

'The type of hat you wore was very important and, when not in use, these beautiful and elaborate accessories were displayed on suitably decorative stands.

'The yellow and green hat stand is decorated with nine dragons, which symbolised divine power. This hat stand was made for someone very important, probably the Daoguang emporer himself.

'It is a beautiful work of art in its own right. To think what was achieved in the 19th century under Imperial patronage is amazing, and this piece really exemplifies the technical ability of the craftsmen.

'This spectacular work of art excited collectors because it is a very rare imperial piece and in great condition given its history.

'There was a great buzz in the saleroom at Christie's when the auctioneer opened the bidding, with bidders on the telephone as well as in the room competing fiercely for the hat stand.

'It has been a real pleasure to work with this beautiful piece and to offer it for sale. It achieved a great result.'
Panicked EU chiefs have scurried to invite Donald Trump to discuss trade negotiations over fears he would rather deal directly with Britain.

The move would be a hammer blow to Brussels, which is still reeling from the UK's decision to leave Europe in June.

Referring to Trump's slogan of 'Let's Make America Great Again', Europe's top brass Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk told reporters Europe and the United States 'simply have no option but to cooperate as closely as possible'.

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Referring to Trump's slogan of 'Let's Make America Great Again', European Council top brass Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk told reporters Europe and the United States 'simply have no option but to cooperate as closely as possible'

Panicked EU chiefs have scurried to invite Donald Trump to discuss trade negotiations over fears he would rather deal directly with Britain

Ukip figurehead Nigel Farage, who flew to the US to offer his services to Mr Trump, said Britain would benefit from having a President 'who likes our country and understands our post-Brexit values'.

He said the 'establishment is in deep shock' after Mr Trump's unexpected victory over Hillary Clinton, describing it it as 'bigger than Brexit'.

Mr Farage, nicknamed 'Mr Brexit' by his friend Mr Trump,said: 'Voters across the Western world want nation state democracy, proper border controls and to be in charge of their own lives.

'I commend Donald Trump for the courage with which he has fought this campaign and I look forward to a closer relationship between the US and the UK.

'We now have a President who likes our country and understands our post-Brexit values.

'Prepare for further political shocks in the years to come.'

Ukip figurehead Nigel Farage, who flew to the U.S. to offer his services to Mr Trump, said Britain would benefit from having a President 'who likes our country and understands our post-Brexit values'

Tusk and European Commission boss Jean-Claude Juncker said in a letter that they wanted to discuss 'unprecedented challenges' including the Islamic State jihadist group, the conflict in Ukraine, and a troubled EU-US trade deal under negotiation.

'We would take this opportunity to invite you to visit Europe for an EU-US summit at your earliest convenience.

'This conversation would allow for us to chart the course of our relations for the next four years,' they said in a letter of congratulations to Trump.

Former Polish prime minister Tusk added at the European Union's headquarters added that 'Italians, Irish, Poles, Germans, Spanish' helped build America.

'While respecting the democratic choice of the American people,' he said, 'We are at the same time aware of the new challenges that these results bring.

'One of them is this moment of uncertainty over the future of our transatlantic relations,' he said.

Tusk and European Commission boss Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured, right, with Francois Hollande) said in a letter that they wanted to discuss 'unprecedented challenges' including the Islamic State jihadist group, the conflict in Ukraine, and a troubled EU-U.S. trade deal under negotiation

Tusk added: 'The events of the last months and days should be treated as a warning sign for all who believe in liberal democracy.'

Following Trump's victory, EU foreign ministers will hold a special meeting in Brussels on Sunday at the invitation of the bloc's foreign policy guru Federica Mogherini.

They will have an 'informal dinner to exchange views on the way forward in EU-US relations following the US elections,' a spokeswoman for Mogherini said.

Separately Martin Schulz, the head of the European Parliament, urged Trump to show 'responsibility' after a divisive campaign, adding that he had 'managed to become the standard-bearer of the angst and fears of millions of Americans.'

Mr Farage's claim that Britain is well placed to strike a trade deal with America comes despite the House of Commons ridiculing Mr Trump a year ago.

The 45th President said areas of London had become no-go areas due to Muslims in a speech in which he said all those practicing Islam should be banned from America.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson then dismissed the claims as 'utter nonsense' but today reached out to Mr Trump, saying: 'Congratulations to Donald J Trump and much looking forward to working with his administration on global stability and prosperity.
Jeremy Paxman has hit back at students who labelled him sexist and revealed the comment they took offence at was about a knitted mascot.

The veteran broadcaster said yesterday he was baffled that Reading students had vowed to boycott University Challenge over alleged misogynist remarks.

He said that after racking his brains he remembered talking with the team about their mascot, which they told him was a Jeremy Paxman doll.

And he then asked the mixed-sex team in front of the studio audience if they took it to bed with them, he revealed.

It comes after Samantha Buzzard, the Reading captain and a PhD student working on mathematical modelling of the surface melt of Antarctic ice shelves, took offence to his comments during filming last February. She was the only woman on the team.

Jeremy Paxman (pictured) has hit back at a University Challenge team from Reading who labelled him sexist. He claims they took offence to a comment about a knitted mascot

It comes after Samantha Buzzard, the Reading captain and a PhD student working on mathematical modelling of the surface melt of Antarctic ice shelves, took offence

Mr Paxman released the information in a statement yesterday after the University of Reading student union publically accused him of oppressing women with his comments.

He said no complaint was made at the time and he was surprised that they had brought it up 18 months later.

It is the latest in a string of incidents in which student unions have accused high profile speakers of being sexist, transphobic or racist.

Some critics say the National Union of Students is encouraging todays undergraduates to be too easily offended by throw-away remarks.

Mr Paxmans comments were made during recording for a programme in February last year, when Reading was pitted against Imperial College.

Mr Paxman said he struck up a conversation during a break in the recording which was caused by a technical fault.

He said: I have racked my brains to discover what on earth the Reading Students Union is on about.

I think theyre referring to a recording of University Challenge which took place in February 2015, though I am baffled at why it has become an issue a year and a half later.

The comment was made during filming with Ms Buzzard (pictured) on University Challenge

He said he addressed the entire Reading team - which had three male students and one female  while everyone was still sat at their desks.

He added: In the conversation to fill the void  in a brightly lit studio, in front of all eight contestants, a full studio crew and an audience of several hundred spectators  I asked the Reading team about the mascot sitting on their desk.

One of them said it was a hand-knitted Jeremy Paxman doll.

Across the several yards separating the chairmans desk from the teams, I asked the whole team whether they took it to bed with them.

Though no complaint was made at the time, this, apparently, is what has upset them.

The Reading team lost the round  scoring just 110 against 285 for Imperial College.

He said no complaint about the comment was made at the time and he was surprised that they had brought it up 18 months later

The student union voted earlier this week to boycott the show, saying they had complained to ITV about the remarks and had not received a formal apology.

They said the comment should not be taken lightly and had the effect of undermining and oppressing individuals due to their gender.

They added that the students involved had been let down by a lack of procedure and complaints process at the show.

However, they have refused to give their own account of what was said because they signed a confidentiality agreement with ITV, which makes the programme  although it is aired on BBC2.

University authorities will now take over responsibility of compiling the new team and have said they will of course support any students who feel they have been victims of prejudice.

A University Challenge spokesperson said: 18 months ago producers spoke with a Reading University contestant about a comment made during a conversation with the whole team which would appear to have been misinterpreted.

The Student Union's recent comments are surprising, we are, however, pleased that Reading University continue to apply for the show.

Earlier this year, students tried to stop feminist Germaine Greer speaking at Cardiff University because they said her views on transgender people were offensive.

And gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has complained that he has been no-platformed by students who said he was transphobic and racist.
David Davies, Conservative MP for Monmouth in South Wales, said the 'surprise and anger' of the British media exposed its failure to understand ordinary voters

A Tory MP led a furious backlash against the BBC today over its 'biased' coverage of Donald Trump's emphatic election as US President.

Viewers complained that BBC presenters were unable to hide their displeasure at the Republican's shock victory over Hillary Clinton and had failed to convey the view of the 'silent majority' in the US.

David Davies, Conservative MP for Monmouth in South Wales, said the 'surprise and anger' of the British media exposed its failure to understand ordinary voters.

Singling out the BBC, he said: 'On the BBC it was clear that the TV presenters were appalled by his election.'

He urged the British public to 'see how he performs before condemning him out of hand'.

The hashtag #BBCbias trended on Twitter during its overnight coverage of the presidential election.

Tom Harwood, who led the student Brexit campaign, said the BBC should be 'ashamed' of the way it covered the election, accusing the broadcaster of a 'dereliction of duty'.

But BBC presenters hit back at the attacks, with James Cook, a California-based reporter for BBC News, telling his accusers: 'Pointing out that Trump is a celebrity tycoon with no previous political experience isn't bias. It's fact.'

Viewers watching the BBC's overnight coverage said it was 'time for the Beeb to take a long hard look at themselves and re-evaluate their relevance as an independent news organisation', while viewers were warned: 'Don't be a sheep, be aware of bias'.

Another viewer took to Twitter to accuse the BBC and Sky News of 'trying to call his [Trump's] supporters racist even though Trump won nearly 1/3 of Hispanic vote'.

Tom Harwood, leader of the student Brexit campaign, said the BBC should be 'ashamed' of the way it covered the election, accusing the broadcaster of a 'dereliction of duty

But BBC presenters hit back at the attacks, with James Cook, a California-based reporter for BBC News, telling his accusers: 'Pointing out that Trump is a celebrity tycoon with no previous political experience isn't bias. It's fact'

Expressing his anger at the BBC, Mr Davies told WalesOnline: 'All I know about Donald Trump is what I've seen through the British media, which is heavily biased against him.

'On the BBC it was clear that the TV presenters were appalled by his election.

'Yet many millions  half the American voters  must have believed they had good reasons for voting for him. Let's wait and see how he performs in the job before condemning him out of hand.'

Viewers complained that BBC presenters were unable to hide their displeasure at the Donald Trump's shock victory over Hillary Clinton and had failed to convey the view of the 'silent majority' in the US
A Yale University professor has given his students a reprieve as a result of the controversial US election and made an exam optional for those who are 'in shock' over Donald Trump being named as the President-elect.

The unnamed economics professors email to his students in New Haven, Connecticut, on Tuesday night was posted on Twitter by Jon Victor, an editor at the Yale Daily News.

In it the professor explained that 'many' students had asked to postpone the exam because they were in 'fear. rightly or wrongly, for their own families'.

This is the email that was sent out by the economics professor on Tuesday night. It was Tweeted out by the editor of the Yale Daily News

This is one of the messages from a student concerned about the election, asking that the midterms be postponed for the sake of the student body's 'mental health'

However, the professor - who is in charge of the Econ 115 'introductory microeconomics' unit - said that it was too difficult to postpone the exam.

'Therefore, I am making the exam optional,' the email said.

'I will calculate each student's grade both with and without exam 2, placing all of exam 2's weight on the final exam when exam 2 is omitted.

'I will then take, for each student, the maximum of the two final grades (with and without exam). Those maximum scores will then be used for the final curve.'

The decision was met with mixed reactions, with some saying it was a heartfelt thing to do, while others said it worked against the students who had worked hard preparing for the exam.

The professors email was Tweeted out by Jon Victor, an editor at the Yale Daily News

Furthermore, students heading into other exams also asked their professors for the test to be 'optional' as well, however were not granted the privilege.

Victor later tweeted that students in BIO 114 pleaded for a change to their midterm due to the 'emotional toll' of the election, but it was denied.

One plea, posted to a student forum anonymously, said the result of the election was irrelevant, and that postponing exams was about focus and mental health.

'Given the stressful path of the results of the election thus far, regardless of the outcome, the majority of the student body at Yale will be emotionally distraught and distracted tomorrow, and our performance on the midterm will be hindered massively,' the message said.

Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut, is yet to comment on the 'optional exam'

'Is there nay (sic) hope of postponing the exam to preserve the sanctity and mental health of students in this class?

'Even though the midterm is more about application than fact recall, I am fairly confident that it will be nearly impossible for anyone to focus tomorrow morning.

'I am sure that man students would even make arrangements to come outside of class time if it means that we will be in a better mental state when taking the exam.

'Please consider such an act of kindness.'
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President Barack Obama is rooting for President-elect Donald Trump's success, he said Wednesday afternoon during a nine-minute address in the White House Rose Garden - but his clearly devastated staff didn't look so sure.

With Vice President Joe Biden at his side, a sometimes smiling but always composed Obama said Tuesday's election in which his party's nominee lost the nation's highest office was a setback for his agenda but not for the nation.

'We are now all rooting for his success in uniting the country,' he said.

'Everybody is sad when their side loses an election. But the day after, we have to remember that we're actually on one team,' Obama said.

'This is an intramural scrimmage. We're not Democrats first. We're not Republicans first. We're Americans first. We're patriots first.'

After he spoke some of his staff openly wept at the result, one saying of the day: 'I'm so sad'.

Obama's call for calm came alongside similar statements from both Clinton and Trump. All three combined in a concerted effort to try and bring the nation together after a fractious and bitter election battle.

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Now we must unite: The president promised that he and his staff would make the transition smooth, like the one he had experienced when he succeed George W Bush after the 2008 election

Congratulations: The president spoke at the White House to say that he was rooting for the next president and the rest of the nation should too

Smooth transition: The president said he would give the same orderly handover that he received from George W Bush. He pointedly did not mention how Bill Clinton's staff behaved during the transition to George W Bush

Outgoing team: The president was flanked by his vice-president as he spoke in the Rose Garden of the White House

Weeping: As he spoke, White House aides were seen crying at the outcome. Top aides will all lose their jobs

Grim: Valerie Jarrett (foreground) who is Obama's senior adviser, watched from the side as the president spoke about the Clinton defeat

Listening: White House press secretary John Earnest (right) was among those at the address, while an aide made her feelings clear (second from left)

Audience: About 150 Obama staff and aides were in the Rose Garden to hear the president speak. Some were seen to be in tears

Support: Staffers clung to each other as the President spoke. One was asked if it was 'bittersweet' and said: 'I don't know about the sweet'

Address: For many of the West Wing staff the next 73 days will mark the end of their White House careers

Clapped out: The president got a minute-long ovation from his staff

Trump vowed to 'bind the wounds of division' in his peace-making, but rambling, victory speech after he triumphed over Clinton.

'To all Republicans and Democrats and Independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. It's time,' he said.

Hours later, a shattered looking Clinton told her supporters to accept the shock result - despite winning the popular vote.

Flanked by her husband Bill and daughter Chelsea, she said: 'Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead.'

Obama said he has instructed his entire staff to cooperate with the Trump team during the 73 days before the January inauguration.

'It is no secret that the president-elect and I have some pretty significant differences,' Obama declared.

But he said the same was true about President George W. Bush and himself eight years ago.

'President Bush's team could not have been more professional or more gracious,' Obama recalled, saying he owed Team Trump the same opportunity to 'hit the ground running.'

'The presidency and the vice-presidency is bigger than any of us.

Defeat: Hillary Clinton has conceded her race against Donald Trump for the White House with a speech at New Yorker hotel

Speech: As her supporters cheered and clapped, Clinton thanked everyone who had helped her campaign along the way

Fight: Clinton told her supporters to never stop fighting for 'what's worth it', and said 'nothing has made me prouder' than being a 'champion' for other women

Big win: In a victory that has shaken the world, Donald Trump (pictured giving his victory speech) has swept to power on his promise to 'Make America Great Again'

Promise: Trump vowed to 'bind the wounds of division' in his peace-making, but rambling, victory speech after he triumphed over Clinton

Obama did not mention the less charitable fashion in which Bill Clinton's White House staff greeted George W. Bush's in 2001.

The General Accounting Office later determined that the Clinton-Bush transition left $15,000 in damage to the White House including 'theft, vandalism, and pranks.'

That including prying the 'W' keys off computer keyboards, gluing desk drawers shut and leaving obscene outgoing voicemail messages on key phone lines.

But Obama said the next few months will be different and he will be 'looking forward to doing everything I can to make sure that the next president is successful.'

The president spoke to an audience of at least 150 White House staff, including his close aides.

They lined up in the garden behind the press, listening intently. When he was done, they applauded for a solid minute. Many looked distraught and some were seen crying.

In his victory speech, Trump foreshadowed Obama's call for national unity.

'It's time for America to bind the wounds of division. [We] have to get together,' the president-elect said.

'To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. It's time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans, and this is so important to me.'

Hillary Clinton, too, called for Americans to delete their divisions.

'We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought. But I still believe in America, and I always will,' she said Wednesday morning in a belated concession speech.

Lecture: John Earnest, the White House Press Secretary, said he did not have a clue about the president's legacy - but then said: 'I think it is far too early, at least for me, to discern exactly what message the voters were trying to send last night'

Spectator: Josh Earnest was watching from the side as the president spoke about the succession to the 45th president

'And if you do, then we must accept this result and then look to the future. Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead. Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power.'

After the speech, during a White House press briefing, spokesman Josh Earnest admitted that the administration did not have a clue what would happen to the Obama legacy like his transnational trade deal, his executive actions on immigration and the health care reform law.

Trump campaigned aggressively against Obama's legacy and says he plans to throw them all out.

'It's difficult to offer a lot of precision in answering those questions today,' Earnest stated.

The White House says it has neither has plans to fortify its top policies with new measures or roll them back in the transition period as it makes way for President-elect Trump.

'There's no specific thing that I have in mind that we're gonna do differently,' Earnest said.

Addressing the fate of Obamacare, Earnest said, 'This administration is going to continue to make a strong case that people should go to Healthcare.gov ... and purchase health care.'

He admitted too that White House staff had not seen the result coming and said: 'I think this briefing's going go a little differently than we all thought this would 24 hours ago.'

But that did not stop him trying to deliver a lecture to the media and the country on what to think. Earnest is already contemplating a private sector fortune having signed up for the lucrative after-dinner speaking circuit.

He has never worked outside the Democratic Party or politically-appointed positions.

'I think it is far too early, at least for me, to discern exactly what message the voters were trying to send last night,' he said. 'There certainly is a lot of speculation about what that may have been.'

But a lot of that speculation is coming 'from people who predicted a different result last night,' he pointed out.

Earnest said Obama would plead with Trump about the importance of 'continuity'. Traditionally, there are at least some aspects of executive agreements that are carried over from administration to administration, he argued.

'I don't know whether that will apply in this case,' he admitted.

At his side: Obama joked about his vice-president having never lost an election, prompting laughter when Biden said: 'Remember, you beat me badly.'

Back to work: The Obama administration now has 73 days of its existence left and not a clue what legacy will be left

The administration wasn't ready to feed Clinton to the wolves, at least not publicly, on Wednesday for her contribution to the situation that Obama now finds himself in. The two-term Democrat will leave office knowing that nearly all of his accomplishments will be reversed.

Earnest said that Clinton won the popular vote. Even though it's 'not what gets you the keys to the Oval Office,' he said, 'it does underscore the ... enthusiasm for her campaign.'

It is also true, he admitted, that many of the voters who cast ballots for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 gave their support to Donald Trump in 2016.

'I don't have an explanation for that, to put it bluntly,' he said, ignoring the scandals that dogged Clinton's presidential campaign.

Former President George W Bush issued a statement of congratulations on Wednesday afternoon, following an election in which neither he nor his former-president father supported their own party's candidate.

'This morning I called President-elect Donald Trump and congratulated him on his election as President of the United States of America,' he said.

'Laura and I wish the President-elect, Melania, and the entire Trump family all our very best as they take on an awesome responsibility and begin an exciting new chapter in their lives.

'We pray for the success of our country and the success of our new President.'

Obama pledged that 'a peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy, and over the next few months we are going to show that to the world.'

He said American leadership must feature 'a sense of unity, a sense of inclusion ... a respect for each other.'

'I hope that he maintains that spirit throughout this transition.'

Obama also praised Hillary Clinton, the unsuccessful Democratic candidate whose long career in politics had officially ended minutes earlier with a gracious concession speech.

Contrast: The Obamas and the Clintons looked buoyant as they attended a rally in Philadelphia - but polls showing she would win were wrong. He praised her on Wednesday

Message of support: George W Bush and his wife Laura issues a statement saying that they were behind the president-elect. 'We pray for the success of our country and the success of our new President.'

'I could not be prouder of her,' he said. 'She has led and extraordinary life of public service.'

'A lot of Americans look up to her,' Obama reminded disappointed Democrats, saying that her attempt to break American politics' last giant glass ceiling was commendable and inspiring.

'Her candidacy and nomination was historic, and sends a message to our daughters across the country that they can achieve at the highest level of politics.'

Obama said electoral politics 'is hard, and sometimes contentious and noisy. And it's not always inspiring.'

'But to the young people who got into politics for the first time and may be disappointed by the results, I just want you to know: You have to stay encouraged.

'Don't get cynical,' he said. 'Don't ever think you can't make a difference.'

'Sometimes you lose an argument. Sometimes you lose an election.'

Obama said he had called to congratulate Trump after his surprise victory, and invited him to a meeting at the White House.

A White House spokesperson said on Wednesday morning that the two men had spoken, and that President Obama had asked to president elect to travel to Washington DC on Thursday so they could begin to discuss the transition on power.

President Obama said the two men spoke at 3:30am on Wednesday.

That call came after President Obama's somber election night videoon Wednesday, during which he told Americans: 'No matter what happens, the sun will rise in the morning'.

Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway also spoke about the call between the two men during an appearance on Today Wednesday morning, saying: 'Well, it was a very warm conversation.

'We were happy to receive the call from the President and they had a great, thorough conversation about Mr. Trump's victory, he was congratulated, and I think they resolved to work together, which is exactly what this country needs - to get the current president and the president elect and others who are in leadership position to help unify and heal the country.'

She then added: 'We expect that the two gentlemen will be meeting soon.'

On Tuesday night, Obama said in a video message for Buzzfeed News: 'Let's face it. This has been an exhausting, stressful and sometimes downright weird election for all of us. 'But here's what I want everybody to know: While we've certainly seen some new things this time around, what isn't new is that our democracy has always been rowdy and raucous. We've been through tough and divisive elections before and we've always come out stronger for it.'

He added: 'Remember, no matter what happens, the sun will rise in the morning and America will still be the greatest nation on earth'.

He joked about that on Wednesday, calling it 'an election prognostication' which was actually correct.
Whitehall was placed on lockdown this afternoon after a 'suspicious' vehicle was reported to police.

The road, at the heart of British government, was shut in both directions between 3.30pm due to a 'police incident'.

An area near the Cenotaph was cordoned off while officers investigated the vehicle, with road closures in place between Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square.

Whitehall was placed on lockdown this afternoon after a 'suspicious' vehicle was reported to police

Armed officers were at the scene as the road, a busy tourist hotspot, was closed to both traffic and pedestrians.
Business leaders across the world have reacted to the news of Donald Trump being elected president - led by Clinton supporter Mark Cuban urging Americans to give him a chance.

Stock markets went into turmoil overnight as the billionaire businessman saw off Hillary Clinton to sensationally win the White House - but later stabilized after a conciliatory victory speech from Trump.

Cuban, the billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks, told his followers on Twitter that 'no one is bigger than us all.'

He was at a Mavericks game against the Los Angeles Lakers as the election results rolled in but in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Cuban tweeted: 'We all need to give President-Elect Trump a chance.

'Support the good. Lobby against what we disagree on. No one is bigger than us all.'

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Mark Cuban (left, looking at election results on Tuesday night) urged Americans to come together while Trump backer Peter Thiel congratulated Donald Trump

Cuban, a Clinton supporter and the billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks, urged Americans to give the real estate mogul a chance

'One Nation. Under God. Indivisible. With Liberty and Justice for All.'

Meanwhile, Silicon Valley's most notable Trump supporter Peter Thiel congratulated Trump on his victory, but warned of the 'awesomely difficult task' ahead.

'Congratulations to President-elect Donald Trump,' the Paypal co-founder said in a statement to Business Insider.

'He has an awesomely difficult task, since it is long past time for us to face up to our country's problems. We're going to need all hands on deck.'

Thiel's support of Trump led to calls from Silicon Valley groups for companies to distance themselves from him but he spent the past few months defending his position.

And American business magnate Carl Icahn said Trump's election is 'a step in the right direction.'

In an interview with CNBC, he said: 'I'm certainly happy about it. I really think it's a very important thing for our economy in general.'

'This election has undoubtedly caused lasting damage, both to America's collective psyche and to the political will of its leaders to collaborate,' added Virgin founder Richard Branson

His congratulatory message was echoed by Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who tweeted: 'Congratulations President Trump.

'This is what makes America great - our democracy. Now is the time for us to come together as one country.'

Others were less optimistic, with Silicon Valley tech investor Shervin Pishevar saying: 'We are in extremely dangerous times.

'Hatred emboldened by absolute power that if unchecked will shake the very firmaments of America.'

Richard Branson attacked the 'vicious' nature of the presidential election but said 'now is not the time to create more division.'

'Momentous challenges lie ahead to heal the divide and reinvigorate the belief and faith in the political system,' the Virgin founder said in a lengthy online post.

'This election has undoubtedly caused lasting damage, both to America's collective psyche and to the political will of its leaders to collaborate.

Business leaders including Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff took to Twitter to react to the result

'But there is much to be done: to protect democratic processes, to stand up to intolerance, and to support each other in these challenging times.'

JPMorgan Chase & Co chief executive Jamie Dimon called on employees, business leaders and government officials to work together on solutions to the country's problems.

In a memo to employees on Wednesday, Dimon cited a 'deep desire for change' and a frustration with the economy among the electorate, which voted Republican candidate Donald Trump into office.

'We need to listen to those voices,' Dimon wrote, calling on leaders across public, private and nonprofit sectors to come together.

JPMorgan will continue its own work on public policy issues and economic challenges globally, he said.

Chinese business magnate and Alibaba founder Jack Ma said, according to CNN Money: 'I don't fear, I think a healthy and positive China-U.S. relationship is so critical, especially this century.

'Number one and number two economy in the world if they work together, they solve lots of problems, poverty, disease, environment.

'But if they don't work with each other, it's going to be a disaster.'
Alan Knight (pictured) admitted the murder of his landlord David Bond at Hove Crown Court on Friday

A lodger has admitted murdering his landlord in a row over cleaning.

Alan Knight stabbed David Bond 25 times with a kitchen knife in the house they shared in Worthing, West Sussex.

When officers broke into the home on on August 6 they found Mr Bond lying in a pool of his own blood with his bike on top of him.

The murderer stole the victims van and went on the run for six days before handing himself in to police.

Knight, 51, admitted the murder at Hove Crown Court on Friday and will be sentenced on December 20.

Detective Inspector Mark Cullimore said: 'This is a tragic case where a man has lost his life over an argument over cleanliness of the house.

'I am pleased Alan Knight has pleaded guilty and preventing David's family having to endure the trial.

'I hope David's family can now begin to move on with their lives.'

David, 50, was described as a 'gentle giant' but his family.

Mother Anne Manley-Rollings said: 'He was always happy, cheerful and he enjoyed life.'

Step-father Sonny added: 'He was a gentle giant, kind as well and he liked to help others.'

After murdering Mr Bond, Knight fled in the victim's Ford van to south London before abandoning the van.

He then travelled to Southend where he stayed overnight in a hotel.

The following day he travelled by train to London and onto Luton.

When officers broke into the home in Worthing, West Sussex they found David Bond (pictured) in a pool of blood with his bike lying on top of him

He then went to Bath and after that his movements are unclear but stayed in Blackpool on August 10.

In the early hours of August 12, after seeing the publicity, he handed himself into police in Fleetwood, Lancashire.

He was arrested and charged with murder.
At least seven passengers died and 50 were injured in the

Survivors of the Croydon tram crash, in which at least seven passengers died, have spoken about the scenes of horror inside the blood-soaked carriages.

Martin Bamford, 30, was on his way to work when the tram 'flipped' at 6.13am near Sandilands tram stop.

He told how a girl, who 'did not look very much alive', ended up on top of him after the crash.

Several survivors (Martin Bamford, left; Rhys McClausland, right) were trapped in the wreckage, with a large team of emergency workers battling for hours to free them

Seven people have died after a tram overturned near Croydon, south London, this morning. More than 50 others were injured

Passengers said the tram sped up as it went down a hill, then flipped onto its side as it failed to round a sharp corner

Emergency workers inspect the derailed tram as darkness falls in the Croydon area

Mr Bamford, a gutter cleaner from South London, claimed the driver said he had 'blacked out' before the crash.

'When we were coming through the tunnel we were going at some speed and the tram was speeding up more and more,' Mr Bamford said.

Nathan Gibson, pictured, was one of the passengers on the tram and sustained cuts to his head

'We were coming out of the tunnel and we hit the bend way too fast and the tram flipped. It was extremely frightening, people were screaming and shouting for help.

'The tram was full mainly of people going to work. There was a girl who was on top of me and she did not look very much alive at all.

'She was bleeding all over the place and I don't think she made it. People had broken legs and head injuries.

'When it flipped everything went flying, people were on top of me.

'There was blood everywhere and belongings and shoes. It was absolute carnage.

'I just can't seem to get it out of my head, it just keeps going over and over again.'

The British Transport Police said this evening that the 42-year-old male driver, from Beckenham, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.

Residents said the vehicle was coming down towards a bend on a steep slope and carried on down the hill rather than turning, it then tipped over onto its side at the entrance of a tunnel.

Several survivors were trapped in the wreckage, with a large team of emergency workers battling for hours to free them and ferry the dozens of injured to hospitals across the capital.

Mr Bamford added the crash was 'like something out of a movie'.

'I looked around and there was just blood everywhere I was shouting through to the driver to ask him if he was okay,' he said.

'He was laying on his side and I asked him if he was ok. I think he was in his mid 30s or 40s.

'There was another woman next to me who I think was okay, I pulled the emergency door handle but it didn't work, the doors wouldn't open. I was shouting at the driver to open the doors.

'It was like something out of a movie, you just wouldn't expect it.'

Another survivor, Rhys McCausland, 19, described the terrifying moment he was thrown across the carriage and his head was crushed against the ground as the tram windows smashed behind him.

The crash is believed to have happened as the tram came around a steep bend in Croydon

It was a normal morning for Rhys, who was headed to work from New Addington.

He said: 'I didn't notice we were coming to a corner because I wasn't really paying attention. The next thing I knew the tram was rolling over on its side. There was no attempt to brake or anything like that.

'I rolled on my back. The glass has smashed behind me and my face rolled over the gravel. I was quite lucky not to be trapped like the others.

'There were people flying towards us and bags flying everywhere. It was quite dark at the time and it was still raining.

'At first we didn't know if we were still in the tunnel and we wanted to find a way out. There was no escape from the tram on its side.

'I was in shock. I could feel blood pouring down the side of my face, but I was quite lucky it wasn't worse. I could feel the blood dripping and I was in total shock about what happened.

The chef, who works at Westminster, was treated for a deep gash to his head.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said the tram derailed as it was negotiating a 'sharp, left-hand curve' with a speed limit of 12 mph. A spokesman said: 'Initial indications suggest that the tram was travelling at a significantly higher speed than is permitted.'

Kudirat Okesola, 46, rushed to her husband's side as soon as she heard he had been caught up in the crash.

Rescue workers carry away one of the injured following the horrific accident in south London early this morning

The two-car tram, thought to weigh around 35tonnes, derailed at around 6am after 'going down a steep bend' with fears it may have tipped over at speed

Taiye Ajibola, who was on his way to work, was 'very anxious', Ms Okesola said, adding that there was a lot of blood.

'Even my husband was covered with blood,' she said.

Ms Okesola said some people were trapped underneath the tram calling for help.

'People were screaming. People were crying,' she said.

She said her husband has a 'massive' cut on his face.

The Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said the 'vast majority' of people have been discharged from the hospital or transferred elsewhere for ongoing care.

The Wimbledon-bound tram, one of the first services of the morning, was travelling from New Addington.

Local people have raised concerns about speeds at the corner where the carriages derailed.

Pat Rooke, 72, a nearby resident, described the scene in the wake of the incident as 'pandemonium'.

He added: 'They (some trams) do come around that corner very fast sometimes, and it is quite a sharp bend.'

Sue Patel, who lives near the station, said: 'I heard a noise at around 6 o'clock and I thought maybe it was a car or something. But then I saw there were helicopters.'

She described the sound as 'very loud' and a 'very big bang'.

Ms Patel, who said she regularly takes the tram line, said: 'There's quite a big bend. You come through the tunnel and there's quite a sharp bend.'

A passenger on a tram told how, less than a fortnight ago, he was left shaking as it travelled through the same area.

Andy Nias wrote on Facebook that he and 29 fellow travellers feared the worst when their tram 'took the hard corner to Sandilands at 40mph'.

He added: 'I swear the tram lifted onto one side.'
Today marks the end of a nearly two year

Chelsea Clinton was in a surprisingly gleeful mood on Wednesday, as she returned home after attending her mother's concession speech in New York City.

The 36-year-old mother-of-two held hands with her husband Marc Mezvinsky as they walked into their apartment building after the speech, on a rainy fall day.

Chelsea was set to be the first person in history to have two parents elected to be president.

But those dreams were dashed early Wednesday morning, when Donald Trump - father of her friend Ivanka Trump - was declared the victor.

Chelsea Clinton was surprisingly smiley as she returned to her apartment with her husband, Marc Mezvinsky, after watching her mother's concession speech on Wednesday

Chelsea was in the running to become the first person to ever have two parents as presidents, but that dream ended when Donald Trump won the election early Wednesday

Chelsea has spent most of the past year helping her mother on the campaign trail, while juggling her life as a busy mom. She's pictured above leaving the New Yorker hotel on Wednesday

Trump is the father of one of Chelsea's reportedly close friends, Ivanka Trump

She wore a simple blue dress in the rainy weather

Chelsea has spent most of the past year helping her mother on the campaign trail, while juggling her life as a busy mom.

Her eldest daughter Charlotte, was born just seven months before her mother announced her candidacy in April 2015.

She gave birth to a second child, a son named Aidan, in June.

Chelsea's father Bill Clinton was president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. She lived in the White House for nearly all of his two terms, leaving in the final year to attend Stanford University in California.

Chelsea was by her other's side on Wednesday as she gave her concession speech at the New Yorker hotel

She was right behind her mother as they walked in before the speech

Tuesday smiles: Marc and Chelsea smiled after taking their young children with them to vote on Election Day

In her concession speech, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton thanked her family for all their hard work with the campaign.

'To Bill and Chelsea, Mark, Charlotte, Aidan, our brothers and our entire family, my love for you means more than I can ever express.

'You crisscrossed this country, even 4-month-old Aidan, who traveled with his mom. I will always be grateful to the talented, dedicated men and women at our headquarters in Brooklyn and across our country,' Sec. Clinton said.

She also asked her supporters to give Trump 'an open mind and the chance to lead'.

Her voice broke when she addressed her female supporters directly, those who hoped to see her elected the first woman president.
A man suspected of killing an Arizona police officer was fatally shot by officers who had surrounded a cabin where he was holed up, authorities say.

Daniel Erickson, 36, shot at police after more than six hours of negotiations late Tuesday, and officers returned fire on the man who was barricaded inside a cabin near the city of Show Low, KNXV-TV reported.

There was no immediate word on a motive for shooting the officer, however Erickson also took a 15-year-old girl hostage during the standoff. He was killed as police returned fire.

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Both killed: Daniel Erickson, 36 (left), who shot dead Arizona officer Darrin Reed (right) near an Arby's restaurant in Arizona on Tuesday afternoon

The girl was taken to hospital after Erickson was gunned down, and she is believed to be okay.

Officer Darrin Reed, 50, was taken to a hospital in critical condition after the 1.30pm shooting and later died from his injuries, police said.

Reed was answering a disturbance call in the 400 block of West Deuce of Clubs, near an Arby's restaurant, shortly after noon Tuesday.

Police said Erickson, of Huachuca City, was a convicted felon who has served two prison sentences in Arizona  a four-year term for a drug conviction in 2009 and five months for an endangerment conviction in 2007.

Police said Erickson was seen leaving a Show Low hotel near the scene of the shooting in a vehicle and was dressed in a black leather trench coat and reportedly armed with a silver handgun.

Scene: Erickson holed himself up in a cabin at the Lake of the Woods with a 15-year-old hostage, keeping police at bay for six hours. He then opened fire and was shot dead

The car Erickson drove from the scene was found abandoned Tuesday evening and he was believed to be driving another vehicle with an Arizona license plate, according to authorities

At the Police Department's request, after the shooting the Show Low Unified School District put its schools in lockdown for about an hour, sending phone and email alerts to family, AZ Central reported.

Reed had worked for Show Low police since 2006. Before that, he worked for the Navajo County Sheriff's Office.

He was killed weeks before his planned retirement, officials said.

Reed was answering a disturbance call in the 400 block of West Deuce of Clubs, near an Arby's restaurant, shortly after noon Tuesday, when he was shot and killed

'Our thoughts and prayers are with his family following this tragic incident,' Show Low police said in a news release.
The United States military is investigating a fire that erupted during a mid-air training flight of one of its latest generation fighter jets.

The Marine Corps is trying to figure out what caused the fire to ignite on an F-35B Joint Strike Fighter aircraft that took off from a base in Beaufort, South Carolina, last month, Military.com reported on Monday.

Investigators want to know why the fire spread into the warplane's weapons bay during a training mission.

'The aircraft landed safely and there were no injuries sustained,' a Marine Corps spokesperson said.

The F-35 Lightning II stealth multirole fighter (seen above) is the latest generation of warplanes manufactured by American defense contractor Lockheed Martin

'An investigation is ongoing and we will provide updates as they are available.'

The damage to the plane is estimated to run at least $2million, according to Military.com.

The Beaufort base is home to the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, a fleet consisting of 20 F-35B aircraft.

The Marines are preparing to deploy their first operational squadron of F-35B fighters in Japan beginning in January.

It is expected to be placed into circulation during the corps' flight sorties throughout the Pacific the following year.

The F-35 Lightning II stealth multirole fighter is the latest generation of warplanes manufactured by American defense contractor Lockheed Martin.

The F-35B models are capable of short take offs and vertical landings.

The US military has experienced a number of mishaps in its rollout of the new stealth fighter, which estimates have as costing approximately $100million per plane

These new aircraft are being earmarked for the Marine Corps, which plans on introducing them into service and concurrently phasing out the F/A-18 Hornet and the AV-8B Harrier II.

The US military has experienced a number of mishaps in its rollout of the new stealth fighter.

This past September, an F-35A preparing for a training mission at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho caught on fire just before take off, Defense Tech reported.

During that same month, mechanical failures forced officials to temporarily ground 10 F-35 jets just one month after they were deemed 'combat ready.'
Feminist Clementine Ford said the vote for Trump was one against women

upset by Donald Trump' s win have taken to social media

Australian commentators, journalists and members of the public have taken to social media to express their grief over the election of Donald Trump as American President.

While many have expressed their fears for the future, others have called for compassion in the face of the next four years.

Muslim Sociologist, Susan Carland, who is married to The Project co-host Waleed Aly, summed it up by saying: 'A lot of Muslims kind of wish they could have a stiff drink right now'.

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Australian politicians and commentators took to social media on Wednesday to vent their frustrations over Donald Trump's (pictured) presidential victory

'A lot of Muslims kind of wish they could have a stiff drink right now', Susan Carland tweeted on Wednesday

Carland is pictured here with husband Waleed Aly, co-host of Channel Ten's The Project

Women at the 'Democrats abroad' event in Melbourne are seen here crying after the result was handed down on Wednesday

An earlier tweet from Carland expressed her disbelief at the situation

Aly - who does not use social media - is currently in the U.S. covering the election for the Channel Ten news program.

Reporting live from New York on Wednesday night, The Project host was asked by fellow panellist Carrie Bickmore what he thought about the outcome.

'How do you personally feel being in that country now as a Muslim, knowing who they just elected?' she asked.

'If I'm forced to think about it that way, it's an incredibly confronting thing,' Aly responded.

'I am not American, I get to get on a plane in a couple of days and come home and so I don't have to live with this day to day but it is particularly frightening,' he added.

Mia Freedman, a Hillary Clinton supporter, penned a piece on her website Mamamia, revealing that she was grief-stricken about the election result.

The publisher of the popular women's site admitted that she lived in a 'bubble' as all her friends on social media share the same anti-Trump views, and encouraged her readers to call LifeLine if they were struggling with Hillary's defeat.

'Every single one of my Facebook friends opposes Trump,' Ms Freedman wrote.

#ImWithHer: Mia Freedman is seen in an Instagram post wearing some Clinton campaign merchandise - 'a woman's place is in the White House'

Hillary Clinton supporters across the country were heartbroken and distressed when she lost the election to Trump

Women look on with dismay and shock as they learn that Mrs Clinton would not be the first female president

A Democrat supporter holds her head in her hands in dismay at the result

Another man looks distressed with the outcome of the presidential election

Disappointed Clinton supporters are seen here at the University of Sydney

'I shared polls that said Hillary was going to win and I steadfastly avoided media like Fox News who I found to be distressingly biased.

'This made me feel good. But it wasn't reality.'

She told readers to be kind to each other and said 'it's OK to feel upset and traumatised'.

ABC journalist Virginia Trioli has come under fire since a live broadcast on Wednesday, when she was caught saying Donald Trump supporters should be forced to take an 'IQ test'.

Pictures of presidential candidate Donald Trump staring at his wife's ballot paper as she cast her vote in Manhattan went viral on Wednesday, but Trioli accidentally told viewers he was more likely 'looking at Melania's t**s'.

Television presenter Virginia Trioli (pictured) was caught live on air saying Donald Trump supporters should be forced to take an 'IQ test' and referencing his wife's 't**s'

Pictures of Donald Trump staring at his wife's ballot paper as she cast her vote in Manhattan went viral on Wednesday, but Trioli accidentally told viewers he was more likely 'looking at Melania's t**s'

Social media users were not impressed and called the breakfast presenter 'embarrassingly biased', a 'hypocrite' and 'non-deserving of her $235,664 taxpayer-funded salary'.

Many said it was the 'second strike' for Trioli after she was forced to apologise to Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce in 2009 after making an accidental gesture to indicate he was crazy during a live cross.

On Twitter former lawyer turned diversity practicioner Mariam Veiszadeh was also distressed, saying on Wednesday: 'The last time I felt numb like this was when Pauline Hanson was elected to the senate'.

'Brexit. Hansonism. Trump. There are far too many disillusioned folks out there. Let's work together to bridge the gap #SpreadLoveNotHate', she later tweeted.

Journalist Charlie Pickering claimed there could be even darker times on the horizon.

Former lawyer turned diversity practicioner Mariam Veiszadeh said she 'felt numb' at the decision to elect Mr Trump

Author and feminist Clementine Ford said the vote for Trump was one against women

'I don't even think Trump wants to be president, with all that responsibility. He just wanted to prove people would give it to him,' Ford added

Journalist Charlie Pickering claimed there could be even darker times on the horizon

The Project co-host Peter Helliar admitted he 'underestimated' Trump

'You think this is a shock? Wait until president Trump sells American to Russia', he tweeted.

'Many people are saying they'd rather vote for a tremendously unqualified, racist, sexually assaulting misogynist than an experienced woman,' author and feminist Clementine Ford wrote on Twitter.

'I don't even think Trump wants to be president, with all that responsibility. He just wanted to prove people would give it to him,' she added.

Earlier politicians also headed online to share their views, with Senator Derryn Hinch leading the charge comparing the US president-elect's win to the 9/11 terror attacks on America in a heated Tweet on Wednesday after the final votes pushed Mr Trump into the lead.

The election of Donald Trump for US president is the comparable to the 9/11 terror attacks on New York's World Trade Center, according to Australian Senator Derryn Hinch (pictured)

'Watching Trump's victory speech was as unreal as watching the second plane slam into the World Trade Center,' Mr Hinch posted on Twitter (pictured)

Former Greens party Leader Christine Milne (left with Bob Brown) and Greens Senator Larissa Waters (right) voiced their concerns about the election results and pondered about what it meant for the rest of the world

'Watching Trump's victory speech was as unreal as watching the second plane slam into the World Trade Center,' he said.

'Heaps of us were wrong. Donald Trump elected President. Shock. Disbelief. The people have spoken. Time to eat crow,' he continued.

Greens Senator Larissa Waters voiced her concerns, calling the election results 'utterly horrifying.'

'Deeply worried for future of my children about what will happen to global climate progress under Trump. I can't even,' she said on social media.

'It's a sad day when a sexual predator may lead the world & Lib and Lab just voted against looking at valuing unpaid work mostly done by women,' she added later.

Fellow senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the results made her 'feel sick'.

Several Greens party politicians reacted to the election on social media (pictured)

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson were quick to congratulate the 45th US president on his win

Senator Hanson thanked Americans 'for getting it right' in a Facebook video (pictured)

Mr Abbott posted his support for Mr Trump online (pictured)

'How can a thug who brags about sexually assaulting women get this much power? #AmericaDecides,' she said.

But not everyone is upset.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson were quick to congratulate the 45th US president on his win.

'Congrats to the new president who appreciates that middle America is sick of being taken for granted,' Mr Abbott said.

Ms Hanson thanked the American voters 'for getting it right' and asked people to 'give him a go for four years and let's see what happens.'

Mr Turnbull addressed crowds on Wednesday and insisted American and Australia will remain allies.
Russia has accused a Dutch submarine of trying to monitor its aircraft carrier and follow its vessels in the Mediterranean, branding the manoeuvre 'clumsy' and 'dangerous', and warning of 'grave consequences'.

According to the Russian defence ministry, the Severomorsk and the Vice-Admiral Kulakov, two of its anti-submarine ships, 'spotted a submarine from the Dutch navy, which tried to approach the Northern Fleet's aircraft carrier group in the eastern Mediterranean.'

The Dutch submarine, which was detected by anti-submarine helicopters, was located about 12 miles from the Russian warships, it said.

The Severomorsk, one of the ships which detected the submarine

'The vessels followed its manoeuvres for more than an hour and forced it to leave the deployment area of the aircraft carrier's group,' a ministry statement said.

'These clumsy attempts to carry out dangerous manoeuvres in the immediate proximity of a group of Russian vessels could have had grave navigational consequences,' it continued.

Russian warships 'regularly' detect NATO submarines on their way to the Mediterranean, the ministry said.

The second anti-submarine warfare ship involved was the Vice-Admiral Kulakov, pictured here being inspected by Vladimir Putin in 2014

When contacted by AFP, the Dutch defence ministry had no immediate comment on its naval operations.

In recent months, Russia has reinforced its naval presence in the Mediterranean as part of its intervention in Syria where it has been conducting an aerial campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

Russia also has an airbase in Hmeimim just south of the Syrian city of Latakia from which it has carried out air strikes since the start of its military intervention in September 2015, as well as a naval facility in the port city of Tartus.

Vladimir Putin's defence ministry criticised the 'clumsy attempts to carry out dangerous manoeuvres in the immediate proximity of a group of Russian vessels'

Nato has also said that Russian fighter jets are constantly testing defences over the Baltic states, with more than 600 'interceptions' so far this year.

Nato pilots, most often German, defending the skies over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have said the situation in the Baltic has become serious.

Lieutenant Colonel Swen Jacob, the commander of the German pilots, said they often flew as close as 10 yards from the Russian jets and one occasion a Russian pilot gave him a middle-fingered salute.

The Russian air force is said to be under orders from President Vladimir Putin to be more aggressive in the air.

Given Moscow's aggressive posturing, Nato chiefs are scrambling to put together a force of 300,000 troops which they can put on 'high alert.

At the weekend Russian soldiers, dressed in World War Two era uniforms, commemorate the 75th anniversary of a famous parade in 1941 when the Red Army headed out of Moscow to take on the Nazis

Russia has been bolstering its military capabilities, holding parades involving more than 100,000 troops each year

There are fears that President Putin may launch an attack on the West, after relations with Russia plummeted.

Most Nato members cut their defence spending dramatically since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 but Russia has been bolstering its military capabilities, holding parades involving more than 100,000 troops each year.




William Ellis, 24 (pictured) has been accused of having sex with an underage girl and injecting her with heroin

A Parma, Ohio man has been arrested for having sex with a 13-year-old runaway and injecting her with drugs.

William Ellis, 24, is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday for charges of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, corrupting another with drugs, child porn and other charges.

Prosecutors say the man had a weeks-long sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl who ran away from her home in Cleveland.

The girl was last seen with a man at a McDonalds in Cleveland in August. She was found on October 5 at the home Ellis shares with his aunt and uncle in Parma.

One week after the runaway was found, police arrested Ellis and he said he had a 'consensual sexual relationship' with the girl.

He also copped to teaching her 'how to use heroin' and smoke crack.

The child porn charge stems from a photo of the girl performing a sex act on Ellis, which investigators found on a computer at the home.

Ellis made his first court appearance on November 2, and has pleaded not guilty.
She said the victory is proof people have 'had enough of chardonnay set'

Stefanovic said Hanson went to a 'high pitch' when asked if she had 'crush'

She said a 1998 incident where he 'touched' a yoga teacher was a 'ploy'

Senator Pauline Hanson has continued to celebrate Donald Trump's shocking presidential win and strongly defended his views on women, saying his comments 'are not unlike what a lot of other men would say'.

The One Nation leader appeared on Channel Nine's Today Show on Thursday morning and told host Karl Stefanovic she only saw 'crocodile tears' after yoga instructor Karena Virginia claimed Trump touched her breast in 1998.

'I think it was a political ploy, a beat up and I didn't believe it,' she said.

Stefanovic then asked Senator Hanson if she had a 'crush' on the new president of the United States and accused her voice of 'going to a high pitch' when she denied it.

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Senator Pauline Hanson (pictured at Parliament House on Thursday) has celebrated Donald Trump's shocking US presidential win and strongly defended his views on women

The One Nation leader appeared on Channel Nine's Today Show on Thursday morning and told host Karl Stefanovic, who asked her if she had a 'crush' on the US president

'I swear to God I don't have a crush on Donald Trump,' she said.

The Senator said Australians should now sit back and see how the 45th president 'deals with pulling that country back together again'.

'It is in one hell of a mess, the same as what Australia is,' she told Stefanovic.

'I've got family that live in America and I have seen the decline over the years since I first visited in 1996'.

Senator Hanson also pledged her support for Donald Trump on Channel 7's Sunrise, saying the removal of the Trans-Pacific Partnership will have 'such an impact on' Australia.

She also said the victory was proof people have had enough of 'elites' and the 'chardonnay set'.

The One Nation leader, who rode her own populist wave back to Canberra in the July federal election, says disenchanted voters want their voices to be heard.

Stefanovic then asked Senator Hanson if she had a 'crush' on the new president of the United States and accused her voice of 'going to a high pitch' when she denied it

Senator Hanson said he victory was proof people have had enough of 'elites' and the 'chardonnay set'

One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson (left) has congratulated US presidential Candidate Donald Trump as he closed in on victory in a video posted to her social media on Wednesday

Ms Hanson, who was accompanied by Senator Malcolm Roberts, toasted to Mr Trump in front of Parliament House (pictured)

The One Nation leader posted her statement to Facebook (pictured)

'People around the world are saying 'we've had enough with the major political parties, with the establishment, with the elites, with the chardonnay set',' she told Sky News.

On Wednesday afternoon, the One Nation leader toasted to Mr Trump in a social media video while accompanied by fellow Senator Malcolm Roberts in front of Parliament House.

'I'm so excited that Donald Trump looks like he's just over the line and I'm so happy about it because this is putting out a clear message to everyone around the world that people power is now happening,' she said.

'It's happened in Australia with our elections with Senator Roberts, myself, another two nation senators, we've had Brexit and that's happened and now America  good on you guys, you got it right, I'm so happy that Donald's Trump's there.'

Mr Trump won the US the presidency on Wednesday with 276 electoral votes compared to Democrat Hillary Clinton's 218.

Minutes after Mr Trump was announced as the next president of America, Ms Hanson Tweeted: 'Sometimes dreams do come true. What a historic day.'

Senator Hanson and Roberts were also joined by an American man with ties to Mr Trump's campaign and another man who worked with the campaign.

Ms Hanson exclaimed she was 'so happy' and thanked Americans for 'getting it right'

Mr Trump (pictured) appears to be in place to win the presidency after winning the support of Pennsylvania

he One Nation leader appeared on Channel Nine's Today Show on Thursday morning and told host Karl Stefanovic she only saw 'crocodile tears' after yoga instructor Karena Virginia (pictured) claimed Trump touched her breast in 1998

Minutes after Mr Trump was announced as the next president of America, Ms Hanson Tweeted: 'Sometimes dreams do come true. What a historic day'

Mr Roberts also toasted to Mr Trump's victory and claimed his election would benefit the planet 'because we'll free the world of this rubbish that is climate change.'

After fumbling with a bottle of champagne, the supporters toasted to Mr Trump as Ms Hanson asked people to 'give him a go.'

'As I've always said the more the media, the more the political parties and everyone is against you the more reason that they are there for the people at least give him a go for four years and let's see what happens but to Donald trump, cheers,' she said holding up her glass.

Mr Trump issued an apology for a 2005 video tape of himself talking about making a pass at a married woman, saying: 'I moved on her and I failed, I'll admit it.. I did try and f*** her.

He then spoke about going after women, saying: 'I am automatically attracted to beautiful women. I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss, I don't even wait ... and when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.'

'Grab them by the p***y. You can do anything.'
upset by Donald Trump' s win have taken to social media

Derryn Hinch has compared the presidential election to watching the Twin Towers burn to the ground as Australian politicians reacted to Donald Trump's victory feeling 'sick'.

Senator Hinch was left reeling on Twitter on Wednesday as the final votes pushed the Republican candidate into the lead.

'Watching Trump's victory speech was as unreal as watching the second plane slam into the World Trade Centre,' he wrote.

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Australian politicians and commentators took to social media on Wednesday to vent their frustrations over Mr Trump's (pictured) presidential victory

'Watching Trump's victory speech was as unreal as watching the second plane slam into the World Trade Center,' Mr Hinch posted on Twitter (pictured)

'Heaps of us were wrong. Donald Trump elected President. Shock. Disbelief. The people have spoken. Time to eat crow.'

Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard thanked Hillary Clinton for her 'courage'.

'I'm still with her and her vision of inspiring girls by shattering that high, hard glass ceiling,' Ms Gillard wrote on Twitter.

On Wednesday, Tanya Plibersek posted a picture of Bill Shorten with a Hillary Clinton cupcake.

Greens Senator Larissa Waters called the election results 'utterly horrifying'.

The election of Donald Trump for US president is the comparable to the 9/11 terror attacks on New York's World Trade Center, according to Australian Senator Derryn Hinch (pictured)

Several Greens party politicians reacted to the election on social media (pictured)

'Deeply worried for future of my children about what will happen to global climate progress under Trump. I can't even,' she wrote on social media.

'It's a sad day when a sexual predator may lead the world & Lib and Lab just voted against looking at valuing unpaid work mostly done by women,' she added later.

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the results made her 'feel sick'.

'How can a thug who brags about sexually assaulting women get this much power?'

Former Greens party Leader Christine Milne agreed and urged her followers to 'watch WTO [World Trade Organisation], stock markets and corporates reel' after calling Trump 'a crisis.'

Greens Senator Larissa Waters (pictured) referred to Trump as a 'sexual predator'

But not all Australians politicians were upset by the results.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson were quick to congratulate the 45th US president on his win.

'Congrats to the new president who appreciates that middle America is sick of being taken for granted,' Mr Abbott said.

Ms Hanson thanked the American voters 'for getting it right' and asked people to 'give him a go for four years and let's see what happens.'

Conservative South Australian Senator Cory Bernardi celebrated the win on Twitter.

He posted a picture of his 'Make Australia Great Again' red cap and said it was a 'wonderful morning'.

Tanya Plibersek posted a picture of Bill Shorten with a Hillary Clinton cupcake

Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard thanked Hillary Clinton for her 'courage'

On Sunrise on Thursday morning, former Labor leader Mark Latham wore his 'Make America Great Again' red cap.

Former Liberal Victorian Leader Jeff Kennett said people shouldn't worry about the things Trump has said, but worry about what he represents.

'Today is a fresh start for America and in one sense it's a fresh start for the world,' Mr Kennett told Channel Seven's Sunrise.

He said there was a 'buzz of excitement' in the air after people voted for 'renewed hope'.

'I guarantee Trump will put around him same very experienced people and Trump has the capacity to be a very good president.'

Senator Hanson thanked Americans 'for getting it right' in a Facebook video (pictured)

Mr Abbott posted his support for Mr Trump online (pictured)

Mr Turnbull addressed crowds on Wednesday and insisted American and Australia will remain allies.

'Americans have made a momentous choice today. We congratulate president-elect Donald Trump and look forward to working with their administration when it takes office early next year,' Mr Turnbull said.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who has previously called Mr Trump 'entirely unsuitable to be leader of the free world' and 'barking mad', announced Australia will respect America's decision.

'Every time the people of the United States choose a new president, it has consequences for the world - and for Australia,' Mr Shorten said.

'The American people have spoken and always, Australia will respect their decision. Australians should also know our alliance with the United States has grown and thrived for seven decades - no matter who's in charge.'

Conservative South Australian Senator Cory Bernardi on Thursday posted a picture of his 'Make Australia Great Again' hat

'What a wonderful morning,' Cory Bernardi wrote the day after the election

Bernardi also suggested Bill Shorten should reconsider his position after disparaging Trump

Mr Turnbull (pictured) addressed crowds on Wednesday and insisted American and Australia will remain allies
Drummer Starn was wounded but survived when a round hit his bugle

The incredible story of how a British soldier's life was saved when an enemy bullet lodged in his bugle on the First World War battlefields has come to light 100 years on after the instrument was discovered in a store cupboard.

Drummer William Starn was part of the ill-fated 1st Battalion Dorset Regiment that suffered heavy losses on the Western Front under attack from German machine gun fire in 1916.

Almost 70 soldiers were killed in one day when they were cut down in a hail of bullets before they had even reached the front line in northern France.

Drummer Starn was wounded in the onslaught but he survived when a round hit his bugle and stopped, almost certainly saving him from death.

The story behind the bullet-ridden bugle was only recently revealed when museum curator Chris Copson was researching artefacts for a display commemorating the Battle of the Somme, which began on July 1, 1916.

Mr Copson, curator of Keep Military Museum in Dorchester, found the bugle in a box of Somme-related relics in a store room.

But it was only when he took the brass and copper instrument out to put it on display that he noticed the .765 machine gun bullet lodged firmly in its tubing.

A dog tag attached to the instrument led Mr Copson to identify it as having belonged to Drummer Starn, who would have played 'Strike Tents', the signal to pack up camp, on it the night before battle commenced.

Little opposition was expected to the Allied attack, which involved 120,000 Allied troops, following a week-long barrage of artillery that saw 1.5 million shells fired into enemy territory.

Mr Copson, curator of Keep Military Museum in Dorchester, found the bugle in a box of Somme-related relics in a store room (the bullet is pictured stuck in the instrument's handle)

A 1st Battalion Dorset Regiment trench map for Authuille wood still has the Somme mud on it

But to the shock of the High Command the Germans weathered the assault and responded by killing more than 20,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers on the first day alone.

It was meant to be over in a matter of days but instead lasted almost five months, becoming one of the bloodiest battles of the First World War.

Mr Copson said: 'When I found it I couldn't believe what I saw - there was the bugle in a box, but the most amazing thing was that lodged very firmly in the side of it was a round from a German machine gun.

'On July 1, 1916 the 12th Borders were supposed to have crossed No Mans Land first and taken out the German front line trenches, and the Dorsets, in the second wave, would then take Mouquet Farm.

'It soon became clear something had gone wrong, however, because as the Dorsets advanced through the wood they were cut down by machine gun fire.

'Drummer William Starn, the bugler with the 1st Dorsets, was wounded in the fire but did survive. Incredibly a round lodged right in his bugle, and it is still there to this day.

'Everyone who has visited the museum and seen it on display has been absolutely gobsmacked by it.
Two more victims of suspect serial killer Todd Kohlhepp were revealed tonight to be a newly married couple.

Meagan and Johnny Coxie, aged 25 and 29, were gunned down and buried on Kohlhepp's farmland, close to the metal container where he is accused of kidnapping Kala Brown and keeping her captive for two months.

Meagan was shot once in the head and her husband suffered several bullet wounds to the torso.

Her mother reported her daughter and son-in-law missing on December 22 last year and police are working to establish when they met their deaths.

It was just four months after they had posted pictures of a new baby on social media.

Spartanburg coroner Rusty Clavenger said that he believed the victims had been buried around eleven months ago, shortly after they disappeared.

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Latest victims: Meagan and Johnny Joe Coxie vanished last December and their bodies were found and identified this week

New parents: The married couple, who had a history of petty crime and panhandling, had not been reported missing to police. They had a young baby son born in September

Kohlhepp (left) is alleged to have killed seven people, and kidnapped Kala Brown (right) who was imprisoned in a shipping container for two months. The realtor took the investigators to the woodland where he said he had buried his victims and police said he had been true to his word

Kohlhepp hid the container away from public view on his 95-acre farmland at Woodruff, South Carolina and painted it green to ensure it blended into the foliage. The container is 30 feet long, 15 feet wide and 10 to 12 feet high and a few steps from a shed (seen left) where the kidnapper is thought to have stored food supplies for his captive

A police dig site on Kohlhepp's property. It was at one of these digs that police found the shallow graves with the couple's bodies. Their tattoos and dental records were used to identify them

He said both bodies had been discovered in shallow graves and fully clothed. They had been identified through their 'extensive' number of tattoos and dental records. Kohlhepp had led officers to the two graves and that of his third alleged victim Charles Carver, 32, who was exhumed from a nearby grave at the weekend.

Officers said they did not yet know the motive as to why the married couple were shot dead or the type of gun or bullets used.

But Clavenger added: 'There were some parts of the bodies we were not able to recover. But I really don't want to get into that because there is an open investigation.

Police refused to reveal how the suspect mass murderer came into contact with the couple or how they came to be on Kohlhepp's 95-acre land in Woodruff.

But it was revealed that the victims had been released from jail late last year and had been known to panhandle on streets around Spartanburg.

Warrants had been issued for Coxie and his wife had had a bond paid to be released from a local jail by her mom who was told by her daughter that she had found a job.

Familes of both victims showed 'remorse and extreme grief' when news of their loved ones' deaths were reported to them this morning, Clavenger added.

One family had no suspicion that their relative could be a caught up in the serial killer probe, while the second family had pondered over the possibility of contacting police, before officers called.

Both families had asked police to make a request to the news media to respect their grief and privacy.

'Both had history of pan handling in an effort to make money' said Lt Kevin Bobo.

He said the search had been scaled down and the container in which Kala had been held captive had also been removed.

Bobo said he 'didn't know' how Kohlhepp came to be in contact with the couple and inquiries were continuing.

On the move: The shipping container used by by the serial killer was removed by police for further forensic examination on Wednesday

Kohlhepp entering the court for a bond hearing in Spartanburg, South Carolina on Sunday, Lists of missing persons are being scoured for any possible connection to the serial killer who is said to be responsible for at least seven deaths

But he said Kohlhepp had given no further indication that there might be more bodies buried on his farmland.

Kohlhepp, 45, a convicted sex offender, confessed to murdering four people in 2003 at the weekend after he was allowed by police to see his mother and tell her first of the slayings in a motor bike shop.

He also asked for a photograph of him to be given to his mom and for some money to be taken from his personal bank account to continue to pay for a young woman's college education

Kohlhepp has been charged with the murder of of Brian Lucas, Scott Ponder, Beverly Guy and Chris Sherbert at the motorcycle shop in Chesnee on Nov. 6, 2003.

He also faces a charged of kidnapping Kala Brown and is set to be charged with three more murders.

Bobo confirmed officers are closely examining his social media activity for clues to his crimes and whether he used his work as a realtor to snare his victims making the photograph part if the investigation.

Postings on Amazon by a user named 'Me' on a wish list linked to his name began in 2014, close to the time he purchased the farmland and told local hunters to keep off in future saying: 'You're hunting days are over'

On Amazon and for a shovel with a folding handle, the user posted a review suggesting, 'keep in car for when you have to hide the bodies and you left the full size shovel at home.'

Criminal history: Meagan and Johnny Joe Coxie were known for panhandling and had been released from jail on bond when they vanished. Their disappearance was not reported to police

Buried for almost a year: The couple's bodies were found in shallow graves

Mystery: Police refused to reveal how the suspect mass murderer came into contact with the couple or how they came to be on Kohlepp's 95-acre land in Woodruff.

The same user left a review for a knife that read: 'havnet (sic) stabbed anyone yet...... yet.... but I am keeping the dream alive and when I do, it will be with a quality tool like this...'

In a review about a padlock, the Greenville News reports the user wrote: 'solid locks.. have 5 on a shipping container.. wont stop them.. but sure will slow them down 'til they are too old to care.'

Brown, 30, was found chained by the neck and feet inside a rusty-colored container by officers who entered the land with a warrant last Thursday.

Local sheriff Chuck Wright told Daily Mail Online: 'I'm going to be honest with you. I don't chain my dogs up and I wouldn't treat my dogs the way this lady was treated.'

Further postings by Kohlhepp on Facebook have also been included as part of the investigation.

On September 15, a fortnight after Brown and her boyfriend went missing, he posted: 'Reading the news..this person missing, that person missing, another person missing, oh wait, that person just went to beach with friend, other person found with her parole violation boyfriendin the event I become missing, please note no one would take me.

The 'missing' poster for Brown and her boyfriend Charles Carver. Brown is said to have watched as Carver was allegedly murdered by Kohlhepp in front of her

'I eat too much and I am crabby, they would just bring me back or give me 20 bucks for a cab ride, most likely if I am missing, its because my dumb ass did something on that tractor again and I am too stubborn to go to the doctorI got 9 lives...I ain't done yet.'

On September 30 he added: 'Just admit it..you look at the news, you see the political crap and the school shootings and just general wth (sic) is going onzombie apocalypse is starting to look better and better every day.'

In another posting the same month, he said: 'Another day at camp ohshitthisisgonnahurtinthemorningbushhogged all day yesterdaylooks like another day of it todayI don't care hos sexy she thinks my tractor isby the time you get off the damn thing all you want is a shower and the noise to stopthink I need to invest in concrete and green paint.'

On November 3rd, he added on Facebook: 'We need ebola to come as a huge snowstorm, wipe out half the population, then melt awayjust tired of entitlement, rude ass people for no reason..people who race to cut in front of you to slam on brakes to make right turnand that mother------ that stands in the isle( sic) at the grocery store ( and dude you know who you are) that blocks the isle (sic) checking out the microbrews and blocking everyone on their way to their average Michellobbitch move.'

Sheriff Wright said Kohlhepp had been remorseful and prayed with him at the weekend and was being corporative.

But he stressed that police would continue searching the land until they were satisfied every piece of evidence had been uncovered.
Donald Trump (seen above in New York on Tuesday) will be the first president to have had a Madame Tussauds statue commissioned before entering the Oval Office

Donald Trump stunned the world on Tuesday by conquering the White House. Now he is set to take over Madame Tussauds.

The London-based wax museum announced on Wednesday that it is preparing a real-life replica of the president-elect, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The wax figure depiction of The Donald will be seen concurrently at the museums locations in Orlando, Washington, D.C., New York, and London.

The museum says that it will be ready by January 20, the day on which Trump will be inaugurated and sworn in as the nations 45th president.

Madame Tussauds, which has 17 branches spread out across five continents, will produce the display in London before sending it abroad.

The museum released a picture of the gray clay head that will be used for the sculpture.

It said that it began to construct both the Trump figure as well as a depiction of Hillary Clinton back in June.

Now that Trump has the presidency locked up, the museum will roll out its model of the real estate mogul just as he takes office.

Madame Tussauds sculptor David Gardner works on an unfinished wax figure of Trump at the museum's west London studio in this photo released on Wednesday

Sophie Crudgington inserts hairs onto an unfinished wax figure of Trump. The finished product will be seen at Tussauds locations in London, New York, Washington, and Orlando

The museum, whose main headquarters are in London, said that it began to work on the Trump figure back in June

The finished product will be ready at all four locations by January 20, the day on which Trump takes the oath of office and is officially sworn in as president

Sculptors use hundreds of photographs and measurements in order to gain precise dimensions for their likenesses

All of Madame Tussauds wax figures are initially prepared in its west London studio before being shipped out to any of its 17 locations worldwide

Gardner takes measurements of Trump's head just before hair is applied to his scalp

The process by which Madame Tussauds creates its wax sculptures is painstaking and precise.

Artists use hundreds of photographs and measurements for the purpose of shaping exact replicas of its figures.

The artists use approximately 20 coats of paint in order to create a realistic look for Trump's likeness.
The last 12 months have been filled with events that defied the odds.

From Leicester City triumphing in the Premier League to Theresa May becoming Prime Minister, 2016 has taught Britain to expect the unexpected.

And there were fortunes to be won for those brave enough to take a gamble.

Outside chance: Donald Trump won the US Presidential election after defying the polls

Fairytale story: Former Premier City underdogs Leicester City triumphed last season

Bookmakers Paddy Power has revealed that a 5 treble bet on Britain to leave the EU; Donald Trump to become President and Leciester to win the Premier League would have won 15million.

The company priced the odds of all three events happening at 3,000,000/1.

Paddy Power told the Metro that more than 70 punters put money on the Brexit and Trump victory double although it seems no one backed all three.

It comes after a tumultuous day for bookmakers on Tuesday when Trump's poll-defying performance prompted a turnaround in the odds.

In the morning, anyone betting 1 on Trump would have got odds of 9-2, meaning they would have made a 4.50 profit.

Defying the odds: Voters celebrate after it is declared Britain has voted to leave the EU

But a 1 bet on Hillary Clinton would have netted you a profit of only 40 pence, at her odds of 2-5.

But after surprising pundits to win both Florida and Ohio, by 3.30am Trump was at 1-50, meaning a 1 bet will earn you just 2p profit.

Bookmakers in Britain took around 150million in bets on the election outcome  making it the biggest political event in gambling history.
planned to kill Guardado two weeks before the murder

One of the five Florida teens charged with first-degree murder after a shocking machete attack on a fellow student broke down during her interrogation with police, swearing she did nothing wrong.

Desiray Strickland, 19, has been indicted for first degree murder in the 2015 death of 17-year-old Jose Guardado, who was killed at a live-in school in Miami in June 2015.

Police say the attack was so severe, the victim's face had caved in as a result of the attack.

In the interrogation video after her arrest - released this week - a handcuffed Strickland is seen demanding to be let free, screaming at a detective and crying hysterically, repeatedly saying: 'I have no involvement!'

Hysterical: This is the video of the interrogation of 18-year-old Desiray Strickland, following her arrest in August 2015. In it she cries hysterically and asks for her father

Desiray Strickland, 19, has been indicted for first degree murder in the 2015 death of 17-year-old Jose Guardado, who was killed at a live-in school in Miami in June 2015

Jose Amaya Guardado, 17, was hacked to death with a machete and left in a shallow grave that the suspects had dug in advance. Desiray Strickland (right) is one of the accused murderers

She is heard yelling at the video: 'I did not kill that boy! I promise!'

Strickland also repeatedly asks for her father. She is reportedly the girlfriend of the teen that is the suspected ringleader of the five allegedly involved in the murder, Kaheem Arbelo, 20.

Police say the killing was over a debt owed to Arbelo, a suspected drug dealer.

Jonathan Lucas, 18, Christian Colon, 19, and 23-year-old Joseph Michael Cabrera, 23, have also been charged.

According to the Miami Herald, witnesses told police Strickland 'complained that she had missed the first series of machete strikes because she had walked away for a few minutes to urinate in the woods,' her arrest report says.

After the killing, the group allegedly buried Guardado and to hide evidence, burned belongings as well as their own clothes, according to police. Strickland has pleaded not guilty in the case.

Kaheem Arbelo, 20 (left), a suspected drug dealer, is accused of being the ringleader of the group. Joseph Michael Cabrera, 23 (right), of Key Largo, was also charged

Jonathan Lucas (left), 18, and Christian Colon (right), 19, have also been charged with murder

Strickland and Arbelo are also said to have stayed back while the other three returned to campus, in order to have sex in the woods.

According to the arrest report, the suspects had planned the attack two weeks in advance.

The report accuses them of luring Guardado to a wooded area near Homestead Job Corps, a live-in school and vocational training program for at-risk students run by the U.S. Department of Labor.

That's where Guardado was hacked to death with a machete and left in a shallow grave that the suspects had dug in advance, police said.

Family members began searching for Guardado after he went missing June 28. His brother discovered his body a few days later

Arbelo, the supposed ringleader of the group, is an alleged drug dealer at the school. Police believe the murder may have been fueled by debt owed to him for drugs

Lucas appeared in court in August in connection to the brutal killing of his classmate. He confessed to the murder

Strickland, pictured in court last month, did not cooperate with police following her arrest and is said to have attacked and officer and tried to escape her handcuffs in the interrogation room

Strickland confessed to planning the murder with the others and told detectives they lured Guardado into the woods before the attack took place.

They set fire to the evidence and then Strickland told detectives she had sex near Guardado's dead body, police said.

As for a motive, family said Guardado may have owed them money, but police aren't commenting further.

Last month, Amaya Guardado's mother spoke of the bitter irony of the whole affair saying she had brought her son to the United States nine years ago to escape the violence rampant in their native El Salvador.

'I brought my son from there because they were killing people,' Lucia Guardado said in Spanish at the family's south Miami-Dade home. 'I never imagined they would do something like that to my son here.'

Amaya Guardadoj's body was found in a wooded area near Homestead Job Corps, a live-in school and vocational training program for at-risk students run by the U.S. Department of Labor

Lucia Guardado, the teen's mother, said that their family moved to the United States to escape the violence in El Salvador

Amaya Guardado's father, Santos Amaya, said his son was a quiet boy who kept to himself and tried not to bother others

Amaya Guardado's father, Santos Amaya, said his son began attending the school months before his death.

Amaya said his son - the youngest of six siblings - wanted to learn how to be a mechanic, but the family didn't know the school took in students with criminal records.

He said his son was roommates with Arbelo, who the police report describes as the primary attacker in the group accused of killing Amaya Guardado. Police haven't disclosed any motive in the death.

Amaya Guardado's parents said their son was a quiet boy who kept to himself for the most part and never bothered anyone.

The parents said they believe the suspects had been bullying the younger, bespectacled boy and taking money from him before his death.

Scene: Guardado went missing on June 28 and his body was discovered burned and buried face down in a wooded area along Southwest 268th Street and 127th Avenue

'The body was unrecognizable and decomposed,' cousin Ana Morales wrote on a family fundraising page. Here relatives navigate the wooded area near the school where the dead body was discovered

'When you go there, they only show you the good,' Santos Amaya said of the school, speaking in Spanish. 'They don't show you the ugly.'

Arbelo is an alleged school drug dealer and attack is thought to have stemmed from a debt owed to Arbelo from Guardado.

In the arrest report, police said Strickland complained about missing the start of the beating because she walked away to urinate in the woods.

The school is located in a remote area of Miami-Dade and is surrounded by wooded areas, with small roads leading into the woods but nowhere else.

According to the report, Amaya Guardado was ordered to lie in the shallow grave after the initial attack, but he made one last attempt to fight off the assailants.

That's when police say Arbelo struck Amaya Guardado several more times with the machete until his face caved in. The suspects then pushed Amaya Guardado into the grave and buried him in it, according to the report.
Mark Latham wore his 'Make America Great Again' hat to celebrate Donald Trump's victory with what he called 'the right doctrine'.

The former Labor Opposition Leader and controversial commentator was smiling on Thursday morning as Australia woke up the morning after the presidential race.

Speaking from Sydney, Mr Latham told Channel Seven's Sunrise the U.S. had made the right decision.

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Mark Latham was smiling on Thursday morning as he wore his 'Make America Great Again' hat in support of President-elect Donald Trump

Republican candidate Donald Trump won the presidential election and is pictured earlier wearing the same hat with his campaign slogan emblazoned across it

'Donald Trump is saying that America shouldn't be the global policeman,' Mr Latham said.

He said the country had been interjecting global issues too much.

'It didn't end very well in Iraq, did it. They invaded Iraq and created ISIS, which has made the world a much more dangerous place,' Mr Latham said.

'If you're going to go fight wars on the other side of the world, you better make sure you win them and win them decisively so you don't increase international terrorism.'

Mr Latham said the Iraq war was 'catastrophic foreign policy'.

'[The U.S.] should pull back and take car of itself and look after its own interests and, where possible around the world, let countries sort out their own issues.

'That's the Trump doctrine and it's the right one.'

Mr Latham also said the election showed people should 'abandon this crazy notion of identity politics'.

'It's insufficient to say, "vote for me because I'm a woman".'

At the Australian Mates of Trump event at the NSW Rugby Club near Circular Quay, Latham said he was going to carry a cardboard Trump cutout 'yelling un-PC things'.

'We need a rough guy to get things done,' he said, Guardian Australia reported.

Mr Latham was joined on Sunrise on Thursday morning by former Victorian Liberal Premier Jeff Kennett, who said there was a 'buzz in the air' after people voted for 'renewed hope'.

Conservative South Australian Senator also celebrated Trump's win, and posted a picture of his 'Make Australia Great Again' hat to Twitter.

Conservative South Australian Senator also celebrated Trump's win, and posted a picture of his 'Make Australia Great Again' hat to Twitter
New York City has cut chicken tenders from its public school lunch menus after bones or blue plastic were reportedly found in the chicken.

The Department of Education had ordered for the tenders already at school cafeterias to be destroyed after receiving seven complaints about the alleged bones and plastic earlier this school year, according to City Limits.

However, after sending them to a facility where they were X-rayed, they were reportedly cleared for use and resent to schools.

But staff at a school in Manhattan said bones were found in that same batch of chicken tenders last month, sources told City Limits.

New York City has cut chicken tenders (file photo above) from its public school lunch menus after bones or blue plastic were reportedly found in chicken

SchoolFood originally placed the chicken tenders, supplied by Somma Food Group, on hold on October 29 before temporarily removing them from menus.

A Department of Education spokesperson released a statement to Dailymail.com saying the chicken tenders have been 'temporarily removed' from SchoolFood menus 'out of an abundance of caution.'

'The safety of all students and staff is our top priority. We swiftly took action and are investigating the incident,' the statement read.

'We are working closely with the vendor, and distribution of the item will remain on hold until all concerns have been addressed.'

The chicken tenders incident comes as the city's public schools cut sliced pizza from its menu for the second time since the start of the school year on Tuesday after complaints of discolored slices suspected to be mold (handout photo above)

Somma Food Group spokesman Michael Turley said the company was investigating the situation.

'We have had reports of a few bone occurrences and we are working with the city on additional quality assurance steps,' Turley told the New York Daily News.

The chicken tenders incident comes as the city's public schools cut sliced pizza from its menu for the second time since the start of the school year on Tuesday, Department of Education officials said.

The city first removed pizza from its public school lunches in early September amid complaints of what appeared to be mold in a limited number of cafeterias.

But pizza returned to cafeterias on October 21 before it was reportedly pulled from menus again on Tuesday.

This came after a school employee found another discolored green slice, according to The New York Daily News.

The removal of the chicken tenders and slice pizza (handout photo pictured) is system-wide

Department of Education officials said no mold was found in the pizza, supplied by Schwan's, and that it did not pose any health risks, the newspaper reported.

Officials did not say when pizza would return to school menus.

'Distribution of the item will remain on hold until all concerns have been addressed,' Department of Education spokeswoman Toya Holness told the New York Daily News.

Chuck Blomberg, a Schwan's spokesman, told the New York Daily News the company is working with the city to determine what was wrong with the discolored slice most recently discovered.

Blomberg added the company is conducting a routine review.

The system-wide removal of chicken tenders and pizza from school menus will impact about 1,300 city schools, according to the New York Daily News.
When British explorer Captain James Cook set out through the Bering Strait to find the Northwest Passage in the summer of 1778, his expedition was blocked by an impassable wall of ice, forcing the team to turn around.

Over the 200 years that followed, its thought that ice in the neighbouring Chukchi Sea between Alaska and Russia extended to the southern point where Cook encountered it nearly every August  until the 1990s.

Using records from Captain Cook and other early Arctic explorers, a mathematician has now given a glimpse of the regions historic ice cover, revealing how a barrier that once blocked the expedition has now opened up every year for the last decade.

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When British explorer Captain James Cook set out through the Bering Strait to find the Northwest Passage in the summer of 1778, his expedition was blocked by an impassable wall of ice, forcing the team to turn around

SHRINKING ARCTIC SEA ICE On average, each September, there's about 33,670 square miles (87,200 square kilometers) less Arctic sea ice than the year before, although it varies year to year, according to a 37-year trend line calculated by the National Snow and Ice Data Center. From 1979 to 2000, the lowest sea ice amount of the year averaged about 2.6 million square miles, but this year it was down to the second lowest ever, 1.6 million square miles. That's a loss about the size of the United States east of the Mississippi River. Advertisement

In a paper published to the journal Polar Geography, Harry Stern of the University of Washingtons Polar Science Center traced the cycle of annual ice cover nearly a century earlier than the efforts of previous studies.

Along with the historic maps, the mathematician also used current satellite data to show just how much the area has changed, Popular Science reports.

The researcher determined that up until the 1990s, the Chukchi Sea ice followed a predictable pattern of melting and reforming.

While the extent of the August ice cover varied each year, it almost always reached the zone where Cook had run into it, the researcher found.

Now, this is no longer the case, and the behaviour of the ice is far less dependable.

Using records from Captain Cook and other early Arctic explorers, a mathematician has revealed a glimpse at the regions historic ice cover, revealing how a barrier that once blocked the expedition has now opened up every year for the last decade

The view above shows a closer look at the map, indicating the approximate sea-ice edge August 1778 and July 1779

The ice begins melting earlier and reforms later each year  and, it is much less imposing than it once was.

The Northwest Passage does open up every year nowadays, for the last 10 years, Stern told Popular Science.

In recent years, commercial ships have been able to pass between the Pacific and the Atlantic through this Arctic region.

And, leisure trips through the Northwest Passage are now even available.

Over the 200 years that followed, its thought that ice in the neighbouring Chukchi Sea between Alaska and Russia extended to the southern point where Cook encountered it nearly every August. As shown above, the region now becomes passable every summer

According to Popular Science, a 1,000 passenger cruise ship brought vacationers through the area last summer.

Many companies are now fighting to drill for oil in the region as it becomes more accessible, with up to 27 billion barrels of oil thought to lie beneath the ice.

But, the researcher points out the irony in this behaviour.

CAPTAIN COOK'S LEGENDARY EXPEDITIONS One of Cook's maps, showing part of his 'tropical discoveries' is pictured Captain James Cook set out set out through the Bering Strait to find the Northwest Passage in the summer of 1778. It was hoped that this would open up a shortcut for trade between European and Asian merchants, rather than travelling all the way around Africa. His expedition, however, was blocked by an impassable wall of ice, forcing the team to turn around. Cook was killed the following year during his third voyage in the Pacific, in a confrontation with Hawaiians. Along with his Arctic expedition, the explorer made three voyages to the Pacific, in which he achieved the first known European contact with the eastern coast of Australia and the Hawaiian. And, he led the first known journey around New Zealand. The explorer was a notable cartographer, and created detailed maps throughout his voyages. Cook was killed the following year during his third voyage in the Pacific, in a confrontation with Hawaiians Advertisement

The only reason we can drill in the Arctic is because of the ice weve lost from burning oil, Stern told Popular Science.

Researchers are increasingly warning that human activity is contributing to Arctic ice melt.

A recent study published in the journal science determined that at current carbon emission levels, the region will be devoid of sea ice each September by mid-century.
Samsung is set to begin testing the radical followup to the Galaxy S7 in January - but won't release it until March, it has been claimed.

Samsung's next-generation Galaxy handset will feature a radical 5.5inch ultra HD display - but no home button, the latest rumours have said.

The eagerly anticipated gadget will, the firm hopes, be able to repair some of the damage to the firm's brand caused by the Galaxy Note 7.

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Numerous reports are surfacing about what may be Samsung's saving grace, particularly new renders that suggest it will incorporate a dual-lens camera design and remove the home button for an edge-to-edge screen

According to unnamed sources who spoke to The Investor, Samsung is expected to start testing the Galaxy S8 in January.

'Key suppliers are required to provide an initial batch of their parts for the Galaxy S8 from January,' an official at a component maker said.

'Full volume supplies will start in February.'

'Considering the parts supplies, the phone launch could come in March as usual, unlike an earlier report by the Wall Street Journal,' a second source said.

Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S8 at Mobile World Congress 2017 in February next year.

It could also have a revolutionary processor on board, after it was revealed the firm's system chips business has started mass production of semiconductors using 10 a revolutionary nanometre technology to cram more components on a chip.

The chips are expected to be far more powerful and energy efficient that current designs, and Samsung is the first company in the industry to mass produce them.

Samsung said in a statement a tech product launching early next year will use chips made with its 10-nanometre production technology - as rumours swirl its Galaxy S8 could be the first recipient.

South Korea's Electronic Times reported this month that Samsung will be the sole contract manufacturer of Qualcomm Inc's high-end Snapdragon 830 chips using 10-nanometre production technology, and these processors will be used in half of Samsung's next Galaxy S smartphones expected to launch in early 2017.

'The industry's first mass production of 10nm FinFET technology demonstrates our leadership in advanced process technology,' said Jong Shik Yoon, Executive Vice President, Head of Foundry Business at Samsung Electronics.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 RUMORS? New renders of what could be Samsung Galaxy S8 have surfaced and they suggest the device will incorporate a dual-lens camera design and remove the home button for an edge-to-edge screen. It's speculated that Samsung could design a fingerprint-sensing display or place the feature behind the tempered glass. Because levels of concentration will be increased with a 'full screen', pictures and videos should be much clearer and even go so far as to produce a 3D effect. Rumors suggest that pixels of the dual-cameras will support 16 megapixels and 8 megapixels. Another new addition to the Galaxy S8 could also be an upgraded Application process (AP) that corresponds to handset's brain. Sources say Samsung is going to start mas-producing 10-nano Snapdragon 830s, which will be used for Galaxy S8, at the end of this year at the earliest. The artist impression also shows the handset in four vibrant shades of red, blue, purple and yellow - another feature yet to be seen by Samsung users. Advertisement

'SoCs with 10nm process technology will be used in digital devices launching early next year and are expected to become more widely available throughout 2017,' the firm said.

'We will continue our efforts to innovate scaling technologies and provide differentiated total solutions to our customers.'

The new chips allows 'up to 30-percent increase in area efficiency with 27-percent higher performance or 40-percent lower power consumption,' Samsung said in a press release.

The death of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has put huge pressure on the firm for a new flagship device.

And it's rumored that what could be called the Galaxy S8 will be announced in just a few months  with claims it could feature a radical new design with no bezel.

With the removal of the iconic home button, Samsung will have no choice but to design a fingerprint-sensing display or place the feature behind the tempered glass. because levels of concentration will be increased , pictures and videos should be much clearer

Multiple reports say it will incorporate a dual-lens camera design and remove the home button for an edge-to-edge screen.

The leaked renders were revealed by Vaibhav Jain of Techdroider, who said a report from South Korea predicts the Samsung Galaxy S8 will be designed with a 'completely bezel-less display'.

It's also believed that the handset will have sleek, curved side-edges that could extend from the top to the bottom.

As many hope the Galaxy S8 will put the Apple's 10 year anniversary smartphone to shame, many rumors suggest that the Korean firm will actually follow its lead.

With the removal of the iconic home button, Samsung will have no choice but to design a fingerprint-sensing display or place the feature behind the tempered glass  two strategies Apple has been parading around for quite some time.

Not only could this device be Samsung's first bezel-less phone, but it would also be the first to have rear-dual cameras. Rumors suggest that pixels of the dual-cameras will support 16 megapixels and 8 megapixels

The renders for what could be the Samsung Galaxy S8 also hint at a smartphone that users have yet to experience and most of the changes will be in the design, reports Yun, Keonil with ET News.

And because levels of concentration will be increased with a 'full screen', pictures and videos should be much clearer and even go so far as to produce a 3D effect.

Not only could this device be Samsung's first bezel-less phone, but it would also be the first to have rear-dual cameras.

'Currently Samsung Electronics is deciding whether to use all-in-one dual-cameras or separated dual-cameras.' a representative for a component industry told ET News.

'It already finalized a decision to use dual-cameras.'

Since people are telling stories with pictures more and more, Samsung feels this new technology will be a hit among its users by by improving the quality of their photos.

Rumors suggest that pixels of the dual-cameras will support 16 megapixels and 8 megapixels - the iPhone 7 Plus only supports 12 megapixels.

Another new addition to the Galaxy S8 could also be an upgraded Application process (AP) that corresponds to handset's brain.

According to Samsungs' DS (Device Solution) System LSI Business Department's Foundry Business Team, it is going to start mas-producing 10-nano Snapdragon 830s, which will be used for Galaxy S8, at the end of this year at the earliest.

According to Samsungs' DS (Device Solution) System LSI Business Department's Foundry Business Team, it is going to start mas-producing 10-nano Snapdragon 830s, which will be used for Galaxy S8, at the end of this year at the earliest

WHY ARE LITHIUM BATTERIES SO DANGEROUS? Lithium batteries are use in a range of consumer electronic devices, favored by manufacturers because they are lightweight and pack much more energy into a small space than other power cells. But storing so much energy in a tiny space, with combustible components separated by ultra-thin walls, makes them susceptible to overheating if exposed to high temperatures, damage or flaws in manufacturing. With the nightmare of Note 7 smartphones bursting into flames (pictured), many are sure that the Galaxy S8 will make an appearance much earlier. But, if the South Korean firm is too hasty with manufacturing process, they may experience the same blunders If the separators fail, a chemical reaction can quickly escalate out of control. Koh Dong-jin, Samsung's mobile president, told reporters in Seoul: 'The flaw in the manufacturing process resulted in the negative electrodes and the positive electrodes coming together.' It is unclear how Samsung failed to discover the battery problem before launching the Note 7. Advertisement

The artist impression also shows the handset in four vibrant shades of red, blue, purple and yellow - another feature yet to be seen by Samsung users.

With the nightmare of Note 7 smartphones bursting into flames, many are sure that the Galaxy S8 will make an appearance much earlier.

However, if the South Korean firm is too hasty with the design and manufacture process, they may experience the same blunders.

The artist impression also shows the handset in four vibrant shades of red, blue, purple and yellow - another feature yet to be seen by Samsung users

The firm still has not disclosed what caused the Note 7 to smoke and catch fire  or even whether it knows what the problem was.
The election of a U.S. president who has called global warming a 'hoax' alarmed environmentalists and climate scientists and raised questions about whether America, once again, would pull out of an international climate deal.

Several scientists warned that Earth will likely reach dangerous levels of warming if President-elect Donald Trump fulfills his campaign pledges to undo the Obama administration's climate policies.

Many people at U.N. climate talks in Morocco said it's now up to the rest of the world to lead efforts to rein in greenhouse gas emissions.

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Environmental activists stage a protest against President-elect Donald Trump at the Climate Conference, known as COP22, in Marrakech, Morocco, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016. The election of a U.S. president who has called global warming a 'hoax' alarmed environmentalists and climate scientists and raised questions about whether America, once again, would pull out of an international climate deal.

WHITE HOUSE 'COMMITTED' TO PARIS DEAL The Obama administration remains committed to implementing the Paris agreement on climate change and the Iran nuclear deal through its final months, the White House said on Wednesday after the presidential election victory of Republican Donald Trump. 'This administration will be committed to implementing those policies through January 20th, and we will live up to the commitments that we have made in each of those areas as we do so,' White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at a news briefing. Advertisement

Others held out hope that Trump would change his stance and honor U.S. commitments under the Paris Agreement .

'Now that the election campaign has passed and the realities of leadership settle in, I expect he will realize that climate change is a threat to his people and to whole countries which share seas with the U.S., including my own,' Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine said in a statement.

Small island nations fear they will be swallowed by rising seas.

More than 100 countries, including the U.S., have formally joined the agreement, which seeks to reduce emissions and help vulnerable countries adapt to rising seas, intensifying heat waves, the spreading of deserts and other changes from man-made warming.

'I'm sure that the rest of the world will continue to work on it,' Moroccan chief negotiator Aziz Mekouar said at the climate talks.

Others weren't so sure, with scientists and environmental activists calling Trump's election a planetary disaster.

'The Paris Agreement and any U.S. leadership in international climate progress is dead,' said Dana Fisher, director of the Program for Society and the Environment at the University of Maryland, said in an email. However, the transition toward cleaner energy is so entrenched in the U.S. it would continue without federal money, she added.

The U.S., under the Bush administration, declined to join the previous climate deal, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which greatly reduced the accord's impact. But President Barack Obama made climate change a priority and was instrumental in making the Paris accord come together.

The goal is to keep the rise in global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), compared with preindustrial times.

Temperatures, though, have already gone up by half that amount.

Trump pledged in May to 'cancel' the Paris deal.

'Without U.S. action to reduce emissions and U.S. diplomatic leadership, implementation of Paris will surely slow and avoiding a 2 degree warming, the benchmark of danger, would become impossible,' said Princeton University climate scientist Michael Oppenheimer via email.

About 21 percent of the accord's expected reductions in heat-trapping gases through 2030 were to come from the United States, according to Drew Jones, co-director of Climate Interactive , a group of researchers who model climate emissions and temperatures.

Trump has called for stripping regulations to allow unfettered production of coal, oil and natural gas  a key source of emissions  and rescinding the Clean Power Plan , an Obama administration strategy to fight climate change.

A member of security forces stands guard outside the COP22 village, in Marrakech, Morocco, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. Climate negotiators have started work on implementing the Paris pact on global warming amid uncertainty over how the U.S. election will impact the landmark deal as temperatures and greenhouse gases soar to new heights.(AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Trump told an oil and gas conference in North Dakota he would 'save the coal industry' and stop using tax dollars for global warming programs.

But it's unlikely that Trump's actions would reopen coal mines or coal-fired power plants. What really killed coal in the United States is much cheaper natural gas from hydraulic fracturing or fracking, said former astronaut Jay Apt, now co-director of the Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center.

In a phone interview from Pittsburgh, Apt said it is likely the nation will use even less coal if Trump opens up more drilling and the price of natural gas drops.

The pro-fossil fuels American Energy Alliance said Trump's victory presents a chance to reset 'harmful energy policies' in the U.S.

While shell-shocked American climate activists in Marrakech cried and embraced, U.S. negotiators declined to speak to reporters about the election outcome.

Before the two-week conference, U.S. officials said they expect other countries to stay the course no matter what Washington decides.

Environmental activist Bethany Hindmarsh, 26, cries during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump at the Climate Conference, known as COP22, in Marrakech, Morocco, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016. The election of a U.S. president who has called global warming a 'hoax' alarmed environmentalists and climate scientists and raised questions about whether America, once again, would pull out of an international climate deal. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Li Shuo, a climate policy expert at Greenpeace in China, said his nation  the world's top polluter  would continue to work on climate change 'out of its own very genuine concern.'

Any U.S. withdrawal would take four years  an entire presidential term  under the terms of the agreement.

However, Trump could also decide to simply ignore the U.S. pledge to reduce emissions by 26-28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025.

There is no punishment for countries that miss their targets.

Environmental activists hold a banner during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump at the Climate Conference, known as COP22, in Marrakech, Morocco, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016. The election of a U.S. president who has called global warming a 'hoax' alarmed environmentalists and climate scientists and raised questions about whether America, once again, would pull out of an international climate deal. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

'If the U.S. drags its feet on climate in the next four years, then there is nothing stopping the rest of the world doing an awful lot,' scientist Glen Peters of the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research in Oslo, Norway, said in an email.

Trump's win sparked hopes among the minority of researchers who disagree with the overwhelming scientific consensus that global warming is a major threat.
Machines have already surpassed humans when it comes to mundane tasks such as number crunching and filing, but now they can tell what you are saying just by watching you speak.

A team of UK researchers has created a computer program which can lip read more accurately than experts.

Developed at the University of Oxford, the software, called LipNet is able to work out what people were saying more than nine times out of 10.

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The software, called LipNet is able to work out what people were saying more than nine times out of 10, surpassing humans and previous levels for machine accuracy

While the average accuracy of an experienced lipreader is around 52 per cent, LipNet managed to hit levels of 93.4 per cent accuracy.

LipNet works using a neural network to map mouth movements of people to a database of set sentences.

During the training phase, the AI software was presented with video footage of people giving a strange series of commands, with cryptic phrases such as set blue by A four please.

By breaking down the video frames, LipNet was able to match the movements of peoples mouths with the known commands.

Researchers say it could be used in a range of applications, including silent dictation and improved hearing aids (stock image used)

HOW DOES IT WORK? Researches at Oxford University trained LipNet with thousands of examples. Videos captured volunteers giving vocal commands from the 'GRID' dataset. This contained combinations of words in sentences of varying length, such as 'place red at C zero again'. By using deep learning, LipNet was able to compare what it had learned through the training phase to correctly match the mouth shapes against the database. Using this method it was able to get 93.4 per cent accuracy on the dataset, while human lipreaders scored just 52 per cent on average. Advertisement

In tests, almost 29,000 videos of two men and two women were used to train the AI, with the results compared against the success rate of three hearing-impaired people who can lipread.

The project received funding from Googles DeepMind, among others, and surpassed the previous milestone for machine lipreading accuracy of 79.6 per cent.

But the team says its goal is to train with real world examples, with Yannis Assael, one of the researchers on the project, writing that performance will only improve with more data.

In their paper, posted on online ArXiv server, the researchers say that the technology could have huge potential.

They explain: Machine lipreaders have enormous practical potential, with applications in improved hearing aids, silent dictation in public spaces, covert conversations, speech recognition in noisy environments, biometric identification, and silent-movie processing.

Allaying fears that the software could be used by 'Big Brother' to monitor conversations through the UK's extensive network of CCTV cameras, Mr Assael told The Mirror: 'LipNet has no application in the world of surveillance, simply because lipreading requires you to see the subjects tongue - meaning that the video has to be straight on and well-lit to get a good result.'

Using deep learning, LipNet was able to get 93.4 per cent accuracy on the dataset, while human lipreaders scored just 52 per cent on average

Lipreading is an impressive feat, expanding the repertoire of 'vision'-based learning functions of machines.

Machine learning - learning by example - can help computers to get a good idea of a what an image, situation or the like means, even if they are encountering it for the first time.

Researchers at Google's DeepMind recently boosted this capability by endowing machines with memory to develop 'one-shot learning'.

In this way, systems were able to recognise an object after seeing it only once.

Such steps seem small, but could lead to much faster training of AI systems, pushing the field forward at an even greater pace.
Beyond Earth is stable solar system of rocky inner worlds, churning gas giants and planetary ice cubes at the fringes.

But exactly how planetary systems evolve from a chaotic swirling disc of building blocks to well behaved spheres remains unclear.

Now stunning new images captured from distant young stars shows these protoplanetary discs are sculpted into juvenile planets, which researchers say could deepen our knowledge of planetary formation.

Astronomers have captured images from young stars showing how their surrounding discs of dust and gas are sculpted into juvenile planets. Gargantuan Saturn-like rings were found around RX J1615 (pictured), in the Scorpius constellation, 600 light years from Earth

As the elements in the core of a new star fuse and it bursts into life, huge discs of gas and dust swirl about them.

Just like star formation, this material develops in clumps  colliding, growing and condensing until they form planets.

These protoplanetary discs can be unimaginably huge, reaching out across billions of kilometres.

By tracking three young stars, astronomers at the European Southern Observatory have captured new images of these discs at different stages of their evolution.

HD 135344B, is surrounded by a multi-armed protoplanetary disc with a large central void  a black gulf stretching 25 times the distance from the Earth to the sun  and two huge swirling arms (pictured)

PROTOPLANETARY DISCS When new stars form, huge discs of gas and dust swirl about them. Over time, this material develops in clumps  as the particles collide, growing and condensing until they form planets. These protoplanetary discs can be huge, reaching out across billions of kilometres, and show a variety of patterns and shapes. Astronomers captured images from young stars to show how these discs are sculpted into juvenile planets, as well as how these emerging planets shape their discs. The researchers say the findings could deepen our knowledge of planetary formation. Advertisement

Using observational data captured by the Sphere instrument, at the Very Large Telescope in Chiles Atacama Desert, a team has been able to analyse the fine details of these discs, showing how the emerging planets cause them to change shape.

One group images the star in the Scorpius constellation, 600 light years from Earth.

Led by Jos de Boer at the Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands, astronomers found a series of gargantuan Saturn-like rings around star RX J1615.

Whats more, the system is a baby by planetary standards, at just 1.8 million years old, with the forming planets shaping the disc.

Commenting on how the outermost rings may have been snipped during the planet-forming process, the researchers explain: 'Besides the option of the disk being truncated by a single massive planet ... multiple lower mass planets can provide a similar truncation of the disk.'

A second star, HD 97048, found in the Chamaeleon constellation 500 light-years away, has similar concentric rings, making young systems with these regular symmetrical rings far more common than previously thought.

Describing HD 97048's ring, Christian Ginski of the University of Leiden, wrote: 'We find that nascent planets are one possible explanation for the structures that we are observing.'

Previous images of these young systems had shown discs forming spiral arms, vortices or empty voids.

A second star, HD 97048 (pictured), found in the Chamaeleon constellation 500 light-years away, has similar concentric rings, making young systems with these regular symmetrical rings far more common than previously thought.

A second team in the Netherlands found a striking example of these spiral arm discs, 450 light-years from Earth.

The star, called HD 135344B, is surrounded by a multi-armed protoplanetary disc with a large central void  a black gulf stretching 25 times the distance from the Earth to the sun  and two huge swirling arms.

They believe to be the result of huge protoplanets forming, tugging at the shape and accreting matter as they orbit.

Tomas Stolker, an astronomer from the Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy in the Netherlands, and who led the HD 135344B-group, wrote: 'The spiral arms are best explained by two protoplanets orbiting exterior of the spiral arms.

'Protoplanet solutions inside the scattered light cavity seem unlikely because the spiral arm pitch angles would require unphysical disk temperatures.'

In one stunning example of seeing planets form in 'real time', astronomers observed changes in the protoplanetary disc of one young star over a period of months.

Four dark streaks were seen around HD 135344B, one of which changed between two observations, hinting the disc of free material is being moulded into growing juvenile planets.
With the coldest winter for five years expected in the coming months, people in chilly areas rely heavily on their central heating systems.

But with over 70 per cent of household energy consumption spent on heating homes, there is much to be gained in reducing this figure.

Robert Marchand, a Lecturer in Operations Management at the University of Sheffield, explains the easy ways to keep your house warm, while saving money.

With over 70 per cent of household energy consumption spent on heating homes, there is much to be gained in reducing this figure (stock image)

WHY YOU SHOULD TURN DOWN YOUR HEATING Turning down your heating may seem counter-intuitive but it could save you money. The World Health Organisation previously recommended a minimum temperature of 21C (70F) in the living room, but Public Health England revised this to 18C (61F) in 2014. And research shows that turning your thermostat down by 1C (34F) could cut your heating bill by up to 10 per cent. So keep the dial at 18C (61F), save money and avoid the negative impacts of a cold home. Advertisement

Heating homes accounts for over 70 per cent of household energy consumption.

So reducing this figure  while keeping homes warm enough  not only cuts energy bills, but helps meet the carbon reduction commitments that governments strive to achieve.

So here are 10 simple tips for keeping your home warm for little or no extra cost  just in time for that severe weather warning.

1. USE YOUR CURTAINS

Heat from the sun is free so make the most of it.

Open your curtains and let the sunlight in during the day to make use of this free heat.

When it gets dark, shut your curtains, which act as another layer of insulation and keep warmth in your rooms.

You should also make sure you don't have any leaks or gaps so that the warm air can stay in and the cold air stays out  this also helps to reduce condensation.

It might be a good idea to shut your curtains, which act as another layer of insulation and keep warmth in your rooms (stock image)

2. USE TIMERS ON YOUR CENTRAL HEATING

The Centre for Sustainable Energy advises that programming your boiler to turn the heating on a little earlier  such as 30 minutes before you get up in the morning  but at a lower temperature is cheaper than turning it on just as you need it at a higher temperature.

This is because a boiler heats up at a constant speed whether you set your thermostat to 20C (68F) or 30C (86F).

But don't make the mistake of leaving your heating on low all day  because then you're just paying for heat when you don't need it.

The Centre for Sustainable Energy advises that programming your boiler to turn the heating on earlier  such as 30 minutes before you get up in the morning  but at a lower temperature is cheaper than turning it on just as you need it at a higher temperature (stock image)

WINTER IS COMING: HOW POLAR VORTEX WILL HIT US For more than 30 years, the polar vortex has been weakening because of this sea-ice loss in the Arctic, which is linked to human induced climate change. When this happens, a piece of the vortex can surge to the southern part of the globe, which it then pushes Arctic cold into areas of North America and Europe. This is the event that happened in early 2014 and 2015, and some experts say the polar vortex is already on the move this year  which could be very troubling later on. According to a study out last week, North America is expected to experience bitter temperatures beginning in the late winter and lasting until the early spring - from February to Mach. Advertisement

3. MOVE YOUR SOFA

It might feel great to have your favourite seat in front of the radiator, but it's absorbing heat that could be warming your home.

By moving it away from the radiator, hot air can circulate freely.

The same goes for your curtains or drying clothes  keep them away from the radiator so that you can get the most out of your heat source.

4. MAXIMISE YOUR INSULATION

When it comes to heat, around 25 per cent is lost through the roof.

This can be easily reduced by installing 25cm of insulation throughout your loft.

It's also worth seeing what's going on in your walls, as around a third of the heat in an uninsulated home is lost this way.

Although it's not as cheap to install as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation could save up to 160 ($198) a year in heating bills.

It's also worth checking with your energy supplier to see if they have any insulation schemes running  which can sometimes mean cheap or free installation.

Research shows that turning your thermostat down by 1C could cut your heating bill by up to 10 per cent (stock image)

5. WRAP UP WARM

If you have a hot water tank, make sure it is properly lagged  or insulated.

This will keep the water warmer for longer, and reduce heating costs.

The Energy Community reckons that insulating an uninsulated water tank could save up to 150 ($185) a year  but even just upgrading your tank's 'old jacket' will help to save money.

6. TURN DOWN THE DIAL

This may seem a little counter-intuitive, but bear with me.

The World Health Organisation previously recommended a minimum temperature of 21C (70F) in the living room, but Public Health England revised this to 18C (61F) in 2014.

And research shows that turning your thermostat down by 1C (34F) could cut your heating bill by up to 10 per cent.

So keep the dial at 18C (61F), save money and avoid the negative impacts of a cold home.

Radiator panels are relatively cheap, easy to install, and ensure that heat from your radiators warms up your room and not your walls

7. BLOCK OUT THE DRAUGHTS

Even a simple solution such as a making your own sausage dog draught excluder will help keep the warmth in your home.

The Energy Saving Trust estimates that DIY draught-proofing your doors, windows and cracks in the floor could save 25 ($31) per year.

You can do this yourself for very little cost.

Self-adhesive rubber seals around doors and windows and door draught excluders are relatively cheap and easy to install.

So it's worth getting those doors and windows sealed before winter properly kicks in.

8. INSTALL THERMOSTATIC RADIATOR VALVES

Research at the University of Salford has shown that installing heating controls and theromostatic radiator valves results in energy savings of 40 per cent compared to a house with no controls.

These work by allowing you to programme your heating to come on at predefined times  so you only use energy when you need it.

New smart thermostats can also be controlled remotely via your mobile so you can turn on your heating on the way home, ensuring it's nice and toasty when you arrive.

Depending on your old boiler type and house, you could save up to 350 with a new A-rated condensing boiler  which uses less energy to produce the same amount of heat (stock image)

9. UPGRADE YOUR BOILER

If your boiler is more than 10 years old, it may be time to replace it with a new, more efficient model.

Depending on your old boiler type and house, you could save up to 350 ($433) with a new A-rated condensing boiler  which uses less energy to produce the same amount of heat.

Plus, if it's new, you're less likely to have any issues going into the winter season.

10. REFLECT THE HEAT

Radiator panels are relatively cheap, easy to install, and ensure that heat from your radiators warms up your room and not your walls.
have been growing for 3 years, but now have a new name

A new vegetable has been harvested in time for Christmas as a more appealing alternative to the Brussels sprout.

The creations, called Kalettes, are nutty and sweet tasting and are a cross between kale and the traditional sprout.

It is hoped the new green will be more popular than the classic Christmas vegetable which often proves unpopular among children and adults alike.

A new vegetable has been harvested in time for Christmas as a more appealing alternative to the Brussels sprout. The creation, called Kalettes (pictured), are nutty and sweet tasting and are a cross between kale and the traditional sprout

WHAT ARE KALETTES? A new vegetable has been harvested in time for Christmas as a more appealing alternative to the Brussels sprout. The creations are nutty and sweet tasting and are a cross between kale and the traditional sprout. The veg, which is sold in mainly 200 gram packs, can be steamed or stir fried in two to three minutes. Farmers have been growing the vegetable for three years and it was previously called 'Flower Sprout'. In the UK, Kalettes are grown by Drysdale, Kettle Produce and Staples Vegetables in the areas traditionally dedicated to brassicas: Lincolnshire, the south west and south east Scotland and Aberdeenshire. Advertisement

Staples Vegetables near Boston in Lincolnshire, is behind the idea and hope they will prove popular over the coming festive months.

'We think this will be a really popular choice for Christmas dinners this year,' said Nigel Clare, commercial director at Staples Vegetables.

'The Kalettes are milder tasting than sprouts and so we think it is more friendly for the general public and kids alike.

Both Brussels sprouts and kale belong to the Brassica family of vegetables which also includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, horseradish, turnip, radish and cress.

Brassica vegetables are renowned for their ability to be cross-bred with one another, which occurs because they are all derivatives of a wild cabbage that existed 5,000 years ago.

'From a children's point of view we have this process at Christmas where they will have three sprouts which they push around the plate,' Mr Clare said.

'With Kalettes having a milder flavour we are hoping it will be a hit for Christmas dinners as they are also so simple to cook.'

The small veg has already proved a hit with customers across the UK, continental Europe, Australia and the USA under its previous guise Flower Sprout.

New retailers include Lidl, Morrisons and Aldi after the veg was first sold exclusively to foodies in M&S.

The Kalettes are milder tasting than sprouts so producers think they will be more friendly for the general public and children

The small veg has already proved a hit with customers across the UK, continental Europe, Australia and the USA under its previous guise Flower Sprout. New retailers include Lidl, Morrisons and Aldi after the veg was first sold exclusively to foodies in M&S

The veg, which is sold in mainly 200 gram packs, can be steamed or stir fried in two to three minutes. 'We are very excited about this season with our Kalettes production and we have started harvesting now,' Mr Clare (pictured) added

BRUSSEL SPROUTS AND KALE Both Brussels sprouts and kale belong to the Brassica family of vegetables which also includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, horseradish, turnip, radish and cress. Brassica vegetables are renowned for their ability to be cross-bred with one another, which occurs because they are all derivatives of a wild cabbage that existed 5,000 years ago. The Latin name for the Brussels sprout is Brassica oleracea gemmifera while kale is Brassica oleracea acephala. Advertisement

The veg, which is sold in mainly 200 gram packs, can be steamed or stir fried in two to three minutes.

'We are very excited about this season with our Kalettes production and we have started harvesting now,' Mr Clare added.

The company has been growing and developing this crop in collaboration with independent British seed house Tozer Seeds for three years.

Mr Clare said the company has been immensely encouraged by consumer uplift of the product under its previous name Flower Sprout.

'Changing the name to Kalettes is more characteristic of the product and will help consumers identify the product in-store, which I am sure will help sales.

'We have also developed new packaging that will give a clear point of difference in-store to explain to the consumer the key attributes of the product.

'We believe that building a customer base and differentiating the product in-store will see this as our best year ever with Kalettes sales.'

The company has been growing and developing this crop in collaboration with independent British seed house Tozer Seeds for three years, but it used to be under the name 'Flower Sprout'

Mr Nigel Clare (pictured) said the company has been 'immensely encouraged' by consumer uplift of the product under its previous name

The Kalettes pictured at Staples Vegetables near Boston, Lincolnshire. In the UK, Kalettes are grown by Drysdale, Kettle Produce and Staples Vegetables in the areas traditionally dedicated to brassicas

KALETTES: NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION An 85g serving of Kallettes provides: Calories 45

Saturated fat 0g

Trans fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 80mg

Total carbohudrate 6g

Protein 4g

Viatmin A 4 per cent

Vitamin C 40 per cent

Vitamin K 120 per cent

Vitamin B6 10 per cent

Calcium 8 per cent

Iron 6 per cent Souce: Ocean Mist Advertisement

In the UK, Kalettes are grown by Drysdale, Kettle Produce and Staples Vegetables in the areas traditionally dedicated to brassicas: Lincolnshire, the south west and south east Scotland and Aberdeenshire.

Lynn Jackson, commercial manager at Scottish grower Drysdale, said: 'Last year we ran a trial in a major supermarket, with relatively small volumes and store numbers.

'Our expectation is that we will sell the same volume in a week that we sold in the six-week trial last year.'

Alan Wallace, the National Account Manager at Kettle Produce, is also very positive.

'We are hoping to increase last season's sales between 30 per cent and 50 per cent this year,' he said.
If the plastic is ingested, it can be fatal to the animals

This is a smell that marine creatures usually associate with food

Seabirds and marine animals are eating plastic because they are attracted by its smell, a study has found.

Up to now, it was thought that the creatures were eating plastic dumped in the sea because it looked like prey.

Researchers have now found that the plastic is being eaten because of its smell  which is used by birds to locate their prey.

Seabirds, including blue petrels (pictured) and marine animals are eating plastic because they are attracted by its smell, a study has found

WHY DOES PLASTIC SMELL? Once in the sea, plastics begin to pick up a smell which marine creatures associate with food. Plastic 'nurdles'  as disintegrating lumps of plastic are known  start to pick up a chemical called dimethyl sulphide. This is the same smell marine algae give off that are eaten by small marine creatures called krill, a type of plankton, which are a favoured meal. Advertisement

Pieces of plastic end up in the ocean from a variety of sources.

These include disintegrating plastic bags, microbeads, disintegrating wipes or packaging material.

For seabirds which forage over vast distances of ocean, such as albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters, smell is a vital tool that helps them locate their dinner.

Once in the sea, plastics begin to pick up a smell which marine creatures associate with food.

Plastic 'nurdles'  as disintegrating lumps of plastic are known  start to pick up a chemical called dimethyl sulphide.

This is the same smell marine algae give off that are eaten by small marine creatures called krill, a type of plankton, which are a favoured meal.

In their research, published in Science Advances, they used small pieces of plastic, between 4mm and 6mm, tethered in mesh bags roped to buoys at sea at Bodega and Monterey, off the coast of California.

The nurdles were made of the three main types of plastic, high destiny polyethylene (HDPE), low-destiny polyethylene (LDPE) and polypropylene.

For seabirds which forage over vast distances of ocean, such as albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters, smell is a vital tool that helps them locate their dinner. But the effects can be fatal, if the plastic is ingested

They found that after a month at sea, all three types of plastic picked up the scent, which was not present in virgin plastic.

The authors from the University of California at Davis write: 'Although it is frequently assumed that marine organisms consume plastic debris because it is visually mistaken for prey, our results suggest that chemical cues may also be mediating this maladaptive foraging behaviour'.

The authors, who have previously shown that certain seabirds are guided by the smell of DMS, found that these same birds are six times more likely to eat plastic than those that hunt in a different way.

Scientists exposed the plastic beads in this mesh bag to the ocean for three weeks to better understand why certain birds are drawn to eat them. The nurdles were made of the three main types of plastic - high destiny polyethylene, low-destiny polyethylene and polypropylen

Gabrielle Nevitt, professor of Ecology at UC Davis said: 'This study shows that species that don't receive lot of attention, like petrels and some species of shearwaters, are likely to be impacted by plastic ingestion,' Nevitt said.

'These species nest in underground burrows, which are hard to study, so they are often overlooked.

'Yet, based on their foraging strategy, this study shows they're actually consuming a lot of plastic and are particularly vulnerable to marine debris.'
The biggest family tree of dinosaurs mapped out so far suggests that the origin of dinosaurs may have been 20 million years earlier than previously thought - and could have meant they survived the mass extinction widely thought to have wiped them out.

A study published in the journal Biology Letters says that the origin of dinosaurs was most likely about 250 million years ago.

This means dinosaurs coming into existence during a time prior to the oldest known dinosaur fossil, a Nyasasaurus, which has been dated to just 240 million years ago.

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The new study published in the journal Biology Letters says that the origin of dinosaurs was most likely about 250 million years ago.

THE FAMILY TREE The tree shows dinosaurs first appearing approximately 250 million years ago. This means dinosaurs coming into existence during a time prior to the oldest known dinosaur fossil, a Nyasasaurus, which has been dated to just 240 million years ago. This means researchers will have to rely on math and faith if they are to accept the new treeat least until an older fossil is found. Advertisement

However, the team also believes that there is some evidence that indicates the timeline could be pushed back another 10 million years.

The new timeline, if correct, would mean that the creatures that evolved into dinosaurs somehow managed to survive the Permo-Triassic extinctionbelieved to be the largest mass extinction that ever occurred.

The Permo-Triassic extinction was even more devastating than the mass extinction at the end of the dinosaurs in terms of the numbers of species that were wiped out.

Yet there is a slight chance that dinosaurs were already present on Earth when this earlier extinction happened and they made it through, study author Graeme Lloyd of the Natural History Museum told IBTimes.

The team of researchers from the U.K. and the U.S. mapped the biggest dinosaur tree yet.

In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, the team describes how they created the new tree using probabilistic methods and why the new findings suggest that the dinosaurs might have survived a prior mass extinction.

By examining dinosaur bones, scientists were previously able to establish what they believe are 'reasonable estimates' for the time period that dinosaurs existed.

However, the latest family tree used two probabilistic methods to create a tree representing almost 1,000 species and calculated the date of first emergence of what we now call dinosaurs.

THE FIVE GREAT EXTINCTION EVENTS Five times, a vast majority of the world's life has been snuffed out in what have been called mass extinctions. End-Ordovician mass extinction

The first of the traditional big five extinction events, around 540 million years ago, was probably the second most severe. Virtually all life was in the sea at the time and around 85% of these species vanished. A study earlier this year estimated that 93 per cent of mammal species became extinct following the same asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs 66 million years ago (illustrated) Late Devonian mass extinction About 375-359 million years ago, major environmental changes caused a drawn-out extinction event that wiped out major fish groups and stopped new coral reefs forming for 100 million years. End-Permian mass extinction (the Great Dying)

The largest extinction event and the one that affected the Earths ecology most profoundly took place 252 million years ago. As much as 97% of species that leave a fossil record disappeared forever. End-Triassic mass extinction

Dinosaurs first appeared in the Early Triassic, but large amphibians and mammal-like reptiles were the dominant land animals. The rapid mass extinction that occurred 201 million years ago changed that. End-Cretaceous mass extinction An asteroid slammed down on Earth 66 million years ago, and is often blamed for ending the reign of the dinosaurs. Advertisement

The results from the studies matched, giving credence to the results.

Their tree shows dinosaurs first appearing approximately 250 million years ago.

Furthermore, the tree shows what are believed to have been the first birds branching off the tree approximately 165 to 172 million years ago.

It also shows that the group that includes all known birds came to exist approximately 69 to 108 million years agoduring the Late Cretaceous, which, interestingly, was before the mass extinction that wiped out all the other dinosaurs.

Notably, the tree shows dinosaurs coming into existence during a time prior to the oldest known dinosaur fossil, a Nyasasaurus, which has been dated to just 240 million years ago.
Researchers have warned it is already too late to stop killer robots - and say banning them would be little more than a temporary solution.

University at Buffalo researchers claim 'society is entering into a situation where systems like these have and will become possible.'

Elon Musk and Professor Stephen Hawking have both warned that artificial intelligence could develop a will of its own that is in conflict with that of humanity, and could herald dangers like powerful autonomous weapons.

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University at Buffalo researchers claim 'society is entering into a situation where systems like these have and will become possible.' and say banning them would be little more than a temporary solution.

Killer robots have a Pentagon budget line and a group of non-governmental organizations, including Human Rights Watch, is already working collectively to stop their development, the team say.

They claim governance and control of systems like killer robots needs to go beyond the end products.

'We have to deconstruct the term 'killer robot' into smaller cultural techniques,' says Tero Karppi, assistant professor of media study, whose paper with Marc Bohlen, UB professor of media study, and Yvette Granta, a graduate student at the university, appears in the International Journal of Cultural Studies.

'We need to go back and look at the history of machine learning, pattern recognition and predictive modeling, and how these things are conceived,' says Karppi, an expert in critical platform and software studies whose interests include automation, artificial intelligence and how these systems fail.

'What are the principles and ideologies of building an automated system? What can it do?'

By looking at killer robots we are forced to address questions that are set to define the coming age of automation, artificial intelligence and robotics, he says.

'Are humans better than robots to make decisions? If not, then what separates humans from robots? When we are defining what robots are and what they do we also define what it means to be a human in this culture and this society,' Karppi says.

THE HISTORY OF KILLER ROBOTS Killer robots are at the center of classic stories told in films such as 'The Terminator' and the original Star Trek television series' 'The Doomsday Machine,' yet the idea of fully autonomous weapons acting independently of any human agency is not the exclusive license of science fiction writers. A robot in Parliament Square, central London, during a photocall for the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots. Lethal armed robots which could target and kill humans autonomously should be banned before they are used in warfare, campaigners have said. The Pentagon allocated $18 billion of its latest budget to develop systems and technologies that could form the basis of fully autonomous weapons, instruments that independently seek, identify and attack enemy combatants or targets, according to The New York Times. A diplomatic strike in this potential theater of machine warfare came in 2012 when a group of NGOs formed 'The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots,' charged with banning the development of such weapons. Advertisement

'Previously humans have had the agency on the battlefield to pull the trigger, but what happens when this agency is given to a robot and because of its complexity we can't even trace why particular decisions are made in particular situations?'

The team say the ethics programmed into the machines are key.

'Consider how both software and ethical systems operate on certain rules,' says Karppi. '

Can we take the ethical rule-based system and code that into the software? Whose ethics do we choose? What does the software allow us to do?'

Self-driving cars operate based on the rules of the road: when to stop, turn, yield or proceed, the team points out.

But autonomous weapons need to distinguish between friend and foe and, perhaps most importantly, when one becomes the other, in the case of surrender, for instance.

'The distinctions between combatant and non-combatant, human and machine, life and death are not drawn by a robot,' write the authors.

'While it may be the robot that pulls the trigger, the actual operation of pulling is a consequence of a vast chain of operations, processes and calculations.'

Karppi says it's necessary to unpack two different elements in the case of killer robots.

Professor Stephen Hawking has warned that artificial intelligence could develop a will of its own that is in conflict with that of humanity

'We shouldn't focus on what is technologically possible,' he says. 'But rather the ideological, cultural and political motivations that drive these technological developments.'

Professor Stephen Hawking recently warned that artificial intelligence could develop a will of its own that is in conflict with that of humanity.

It could herald dangers like powerful autonomous weapons and ways for the few to oppress the many, he said, as he called for more research in the area.

But if sufficient research is done to avoid the risks, it could help in humanity's aims to 'finally eradicate disease and poverty', he added.

He was speaking in Cambridge at the launch of The Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, which will explore the implications of the rapid development of artificial intelligence.

All great achievements of civilisation, from learning to master fire to learning to grow food to understanding the cosmos, were down to human intelligence, he said.

'I believe there is no deep difference between what can be achieved by a biological brain and what can be achieved by a computer.

'It therefore follows that computers can, in theory, emulate human intelligence - and exceed it.'

Artificial intelligence was progressing rapidly and there were 'enormous' levels of investment.

He said the potential benefits were great and the technological revolution could help undo some of the damage done to the natural world by industrialisation.

'In short, success in creating AI could be the biggest event in the history of our civilisation,' said Prof Hawking. 'But it could also be the last unless we learn how to avoid the risks.

'Alongside the benefits, AI will also bring dangers, like powerful autonomous weapons, or new ways for the few to oppress the many.

'It will bring great disruption to our economy.

'And in the future, AI could develop a will of its own - a will that is in conflict with ours.

'In short, the rise of powerful AI will be either the best, or the worst thing, ever to happen to humanity.

'We do not know which.'

He continued: 'That is why, in 2014, I and a few others called for more research to be done in this area.

'I am very glad that someone was listening to me.'

He welcomed the launch of the new centre, which is a collaboration between the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, Imperial College London, and the University of California, Berkeley.

REPORT CALLS FOR BAN ON KILLER ROBOTS The report by Human Rights Watch and the Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic was released as the United Nations kicked off a week-long meeting on such weapons in Geneva. The report calls for humans to remain in control over all weapons systems at a time of rapid technological advances. It says that requiring humans to remain in control of critical functions during combat, including the selection of targets, saves lives and ensures that fighters comply with international law. 'Machines have long served as instruments of war, but historically humans have directed how they are used,' said Bonnie Docherty, senior arms division researcher at Human Rights Watch, in a statement. 'Now there is a real threat that humans would relinquish their control and delegate life-and-death decisions to machines.' Some have argued in favor of robots on the battlefield, saying their use could save lives. But last year, more than 1,000 technology and robotics experts  including scientist Stephen Hawking, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak  warned that such weapons could be developed within years, not decades. In an open letter, they argued that if any major military power pushes ahead with development of autonomous weapons, 'a global arms race is virtually inevitable, and the endpoint of this technological trajectory is obvious: autonomous weapons will become the Kalashnikovs of tomorrow.' According to the London-based organization Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, the United States, China, Israel, South Korea, Russia, and Britain are moving toward systems that would give machines greater combat autonomy. Advertisement

'The research done by this centre is crucial to the future of our civilisation and of our species,' he said.

CFI is funded by an unprecedented 10 million grant from the Leverhulme Trust.

Its mission is to create an interdisciplinary community of researchers that will work closely with industry and policy-makers.

It is the first centre of its kind that will examine both risks and benefits, short and long-term.

And Professor Hawking joked: 'We spend a great deal of time studying history, which, let's face it, is mostly the history of stupidity.
With its 13 legs and transparent jelly head, it looks more like an alien from outer space.

And it certainly baffled a deep-sea diver who recorded the peculiar creature squirming on the bottom of the sea off the coast of Bali.

But though it may look like it is from another planet, experts have now revealed it is in fact a sea slug known as melibe viridis.

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Though it may look like it is from another planet, experts have now revealed it is in fact a sea slug known as melibe viridis

MELIBE VIRIDIS The strange sea slug is usually found in the tropical waters in the Indian and Pacific oceans, but has also been spotted in the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and off Mozambique. With 13 legs and transparent jelly head, it looks more like an alien from outer space. The creature swims by vigorously bending from side to side, touching its head to its tail. It is particularly unique in the way it eats, using its transparent head as an 'oral veil', similar to a fishing net. With limited sight, it scans the seabed or sweeps through seagrass hunting for crustaceans or small crabs. Then, when the sensitive hairs in the hood touch its prey touch, the sea slug contracts rapidly to trap it then slowly ingests it. Advertisement

Found in the tropical waters in the Indian and Pacific oceans, the otherworldly creature can grow up to nearly five inches (12.7 cm) long.

It is particularly unique in the way it eats, using its transparent head as an 'oral veil', similar to a fishing net.

With limited sight, it scans the seabed or sweeps through seagrass hunting for crustaceans or small crabs.

Then, when the sensitive hairs in the hood touch its prey touch, the sea slug contracts rapidly to trap it then slowly ingests it.

While it might look like it crawls along the seabed with its tentacle-like legs, these are actually called 'lobes' which can stick to predators and detach.

The melibe viridis has also been spotted in the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, and off Mozambique.

The odd creature can swim, doing so upside down by vigorously bending from side to side, touching its head to its tail.

But viewers of the video on YouTube were baffled as to what it was.

Twas Brillig commented: 'A type of nudibranch or sea cucumber is my guess,' while Joe Gonzalez said: 'Look like it belongs to the star fish family but I have no clue.'

There are more than 3000 different types of sea slugs, which vary widely in shape and colour, and they are mostly found in tropical waters.

The strange sea slug is usually found in the tropical waters in the Indian and Pacific oceans, but has also been spotted in the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and off Mozambique

Sea slugs - which are in fact sea snails that have lost their shells over time - have extremely poor sight that can only detect light and dark, meaning they mostly navigate by scent.

The largest sea slug in the world is the black sea hare, also known as Aplysia vaccaria, which lives on the west coast of America.

The longest ever was recorded at 39 inches in length and weighed nearly 13 pounds.
Samsung is considering boosting the screen size of its Galaxty S8 handset in a bid to appeal to Galaxy Note 7 owners who were forced to return their handset.

It is claimed the firm is planning to make two version of the phone, one with a 5.5inch screen and one with a 6.2 inch screen.

They will dwarf the current models, the 5.1inch S7, and the larger 5.7inch S7 Edge - but it is claimed they will use a new edge to edge screen to make the smaller handset similar in dimensions to the current models.

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It is claimed the firm is planning to make two version of the phone, a Galaxy S8 with a 5.5inch screen and a Galaxy S8 Plus with a 6.2 inch screen.

South Korean news outlet The Bell made the claims, according to The Investor, saying they will help keep disappointed Galaxy Note 7 customers happy.

The company is rumoured to be calling the new devices the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, changing to Apple's naming strategy.

The piece quotes an analyst claiming 'In order to attract potential Note consumers who prefer a large screen, Samsung has decided to adopt bigger screens for both new models of the S8'.

Samsung is expected to begin testing the radical followup to the Galaxy S7 in January - but won't release it until March, it has been claimed.

Samsung's next-generation Galaxy handset will feature a radical 5.5inch ultra HD display - but no home button, the latest rumours have said.

The eagerly anticipated gadget will, the firm hopes, be able to repair some of the damage to the firm's brand caused by the Galaxy Note 7.

Numerous reports are surfacing about what may be Samsung's saving grace, particularly new renders that suggest it will incorporate a dual-lens camera design and remove the home button for an edge-to-edge screen

According to unnamed sources who spoke to The Investor, Samsung is expected to start testing the Galaxy S8 in January.

'Key suppliers are required to provide an initial batch of their parts for the Galaxy S8 from January,' an official at a component maker said.

'Full volume supplies will start in February.'

'Considering the parts supplies, the phone launch could come in March as usual, unlike an earlier report by the Wall Street Journal,' a second source said.

Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S8 at Mobile World Congress 2017 in February next year.

They will dwarf the current models, the 5.1inch S7, and the larger 5.7inch S7 Edge - but it is claimed they will use a new edge to edge screen to make the smaller handset similar in dimensions to the current models. Pictured, the Galaxy Note 7.

It could also have a revolutionary processor on board, after it was revealed the firm's system chips business has started mass production of semiconductors using 10 a revolutionary nanometre technology to cram more components on a chip.

The chips are expected to be far more powerful and energy efficient that current designs, and Samsung is the first company in the industry to mass produce them.

Samsung said in a statement a tech product launching early next year will use chips made with its 10-nanometre production technology - as rumours swirl its Galaxy S8 could be the first recipient.

South Korea's Electronic Times reported this month that Samsung will be the sole contract manufacturer of Qualcomm Inc's high-end Snapdragon 830 chips using 10-nanometre production technology, and these processors will be used in half of Samsung's next Galaxy S smartphones expected to launch in early 2017.

'The industry's first mass production of 10nm FinFET technology demonstrates our leadership in advanced process technology,' said Jong Shik Yoon, Executive Vice President, Head of Foundry Business at Samsung Electronics.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER SAMSUNG GALAXY S8 RUMORS? New renders of what could be Samsung Galaxy S8 have surfaced and they suggest the device will incorporate a dual-lens camera design and remove the home button for an edge-to-edge screen. It's speculated that Samsung could design a fingerprint-sensing display or place the feature behind the tempered glass. Because levels of concentration will be increased with a 'full screen', pictures and videos should be much clearer and even go so far as to produce a 3D effect. Rumors suggest that pixels of the dual-cameras will support 16 megapixels and 8 megapixels. Another new addition to the Galaxy S8 could also be an upgraded Application process (AP) that corresponds to handset's brain. Sources say Samsung is going to start mas-producing 10-nano Snapdragon 830s, which will be used for Galaxy S8, at the end of this year at the earliest. The artist impression also shows the handset in four vibrant shades of red, blue, purple and yellow - another feature yet to be seen by Samsung users. Advertisement

'SoCs with 10nm process technology will be used in digital devices launching early next year and are expected to become more widely available throughout 2017,' the firm said.

'We will continue our efforts to innovate scaling technologies and provide differentiated total solutions to our customers.'

The new chips allows 'up to 30-percent increase in area efficiency with 27-percent higher performance or 40-percent lower power consumption,' Samsung said in a press release.

The death of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has put huge pressure on the firm for a new flagship device.

And it's rumored that what could be called the Galaxy S8 will be announced in just a few months  with claims it could feature a radical new design with no bezel.

With the removal of the iconic home button, Samsung will have no choice but to design a fingerprint-sensing display or place the feature behind the tempered glass. because levels of concentration will be increased , pictures and videos should be much clearer

Multiple reports say it will incorporate a dual-lens camera design and remove the home button for an edge-to-edge screen.

The leaked renders were revealed by Vaibhav Jain of Techdroider, who said a report from South Korea predicts the Samsung Galaxy S8 will be designed with a 'completely bezel-less display'.

It's also believed that the handset will have sleek, curved side-edges that could extend from the top to the bottom.

As many hope the Galaxy S8 will put the Apple's 10 year anniversary smartphone to shame, many rumors suggest that the Korean firm will actually follow its lead.

With the removal of the iconic home button, Samsung will have no choice but to design a fingerprint-sensing display or place the feature behind the tempered glass  two strategies Apple has been parading around for quite some time.

Not only could this device be Samsung's first bezel-less phone, but it would also be the first to have rear-dual cameras. Rumors suggest that pixels of the dual-cameras will support 16 megapixels and 8 megapixels

The renders for what could be the Samsung Galaxy S8 also hint at a smartphone that users have yet to experience and most of the changes will be in the design, reports Yun, Keonil with ET News.

And because levels of concentration will be increased with a 'full screen', pictures and videos should be much clearer and even go so far as to produce a 3D effect.

Not only could this device be Samsung's first bezel-less phone, but it would also be the first to have rear-dual cameras.

'Currently Samsung Electronics is deciding whether to use all-in-one dual-cameras or separated dual-cameras.' a representative for a component industry told ET News.

'It already finalized a decision to use dual-cameras.'

Since people are telling stories with pictures more and more, Samsung feels this new technology will be a hit among its users by by improving the quality of their photos.

Rumors suggest that pixels of the dual-cameras will support 16 megapixels and 8 megapixels - the iPhone 7 Plus only supports 12 megapixels.

Another new addition to the Galaxy S8 could also be an upgraded Application process (AP) that corresponds to handset's brain.

According to Samsungs' DS (Device Solution) System LSI Business Department's Foundry Business Team, it is going to start mas-producing 10-nano Snapdragon 830s, which will be used for Galaxy S8, at the end of this year at the earliest.

According to Samsungs' DS (Device Solution) System LSI Business Department's Foundry Business Team, it is going to start mas-producing 10-nano Snapdragon 830s, which will be used for Galaxy S8, at the end of this year at the earliest

WHY ARE LITHIUM BATTERIES SO DANGEROUS? Lithium batteries are use in a range of consumer electronic devices, favored by manufacturers because they are lightweight and pack much more energy into a small space than other power cells. But storing so much energy in a tiny space, with combustible components separated by ultra-thin walls, makes them susceptible to overheating if exposed to high temperatures, damage or flaws in manufacturing. With the nightmare of Note 7 smartphones bursting into flames (pictured), many are sure that the Galaxy S8 will make an appearance much earlier. But, if the South Korean firm is too hasty with manufacturing process, they may experience the same blunders If the separators fail, a chemical reaction can quickly escalate out of control. Koh Dong-jin, Samsung's mobile president, told reporters in Seoul: 'The flaw in the manufacturing process resulted in the negative electrodes and the positive electrodes coming together.' It is unclear how Samsung failed to discover the battery problem before launching the Note 7. Advertisement

The artist impression also shows the handset in four vibrant shades of red, blue, purple and yellow - another feature yet to be seen by Samsung users.

With the nightmare of Note 7 smartphones bursting into flames, many are sure that the Galaxy S8 will make an appearance much earlier.

However, if the South Korean firm is too hasty with the design and manufacture process, they may experience the same blunders.

The artist impression also shows the handset in four vibrant shades of red, blue, purple and yellow - another feature yet to be seen by Samsung users

The firm still has not disclosed what caused the Note 7 to smoke and catch fire  or even whether it knows what the problem was.
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It is the craft that could one day take man to the red planet - and even beyond.

Nasa today revealed the latest tests of its Orion capsule.

Working with the US Navy, the test saw the amphibious transport dock USS San Diego successfully recover the capsule.

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Working with the US Navy, the test saw the amphibious transport dock USS San Diego successfully recover the capsule.

RECOVERING ORION The USS San Diego has the ability to carry and deploy multiple small boats which aid in the recovery process and contains an advanced medical facility for the returning astronauts. URT-5 testing consisted of launching the test capsule from the well deck, then carefully maneuvering the ship alongside the capsule at slow speed. Then, divers attached lines from the small boats to steady and guide the capsule toward San Diego, where a NASA-designed winch hauled the capsule into the well deck. Advertisement

Known as the Underway Recovery Test-5, it was part of a U.S. government interagency effort to safely retrieve the Orion crew module, which is capable of carrying humans into deep space.

This marks the second time a URT has taken place aboard San Diego, and comes amid final preparations for the Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1) in 2018.

'For me it was a lot of fun being part of the testing because I was onboard this ship when we did the first URT and took the test capsule out to sea in February 2014,' said San Diego Commanding Officer Capt. Carl W. Meuser.

'On that trip, these smart folks from NASA were able to collect data and understand the environment much better, and they designed systems accordingly.

'So it's been fun for me to see the progression of NASA's project from the first time we went to sea together, to this very successful testing that we just finished.'

With their main role of conducting amphibious operations, San Antonio-class ships have many unique capabilities that make them an ideal partner to support NASA.

The most important capability was the ability to recover the test capsule using the ship's well deck, which was originally designed to launch and recover amphibious craft.

San Diego also has the ability to carry and deploy multiple small boats which aid in the recovery process and contains an advanced medical facility for the returning astronauts.

URT-5 testing consisted of launching the test capsule from the well deck, then carefully maneuvering the ship alongside the capsule at slow speed.

Then, divers attached lines from the small boats to steady and guide the capsule toward San Diego, where a NASA-designed winch hauled the capsule into the well deck.

URT-5 testing consisted of launching the test capsule from the well deck, then carefully maneuvering the ship alongside the capsule at slow speed.

Then, divers attached lines from the small boats to steady and guide the capsule toward San Diego, where a NASA-designed winch hauled the capsule into the well deck.

The test allowed NASA and the Navy to continue to demonstrate and evaluate the recovery processes, procedures, hardware and personnel in real, open ocean environment before conducting actual recovery operations for EM-1 and with additional coordination, subsequent exploration missions.

According to Jones, the next test will take place aboard another seasoned NASA recovery ship, USS Anchorage (LPD 23).

Future tests will eventually get NASA and the Navy to arrive at a safe and more efficient way to recover the capsule for the 2021 mission involving a flying crew.

The Orion spacecraft is designed to meet the evolving needs of our nation's deep space exploration program for decades to come.

It will serve as the exploration vehicle that will carry the crew to space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during the space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities.

Last month the capsule, which could one day take man to the red planet, has been put through its paces on the world's most powerful vibration table to simulate launch.

Engineers at NASA Glenn's Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio recently finished a series of tests on a full-size test version of Orion's service module to verify that it can withstand the vibrations it will experience when it launches and travels into space atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket.

The 13-ton service module is an essential part of the spacecraft.

It will propel, power and cool Orion in addition to providing air and water for the crew.

'We're making sure that the structure on the service module will survive the extremely strong vibrations of launch and ascent on the journey to space,' said Nicole Smith, project manager for the Orion testing at Plum Brook.

NASA's SLS rocket will produce more than eight million pounds of thrust during launch, and like all spacecraft Orion will get a good shaking during ascent.

Although NASA has designed Orion and its service module to endure launch and ascent vibrations as Orion travels into space, testing on the ground helps to verify those designs before the mission.

Earlier this summer, the service module test article was placed on a mechanical vibration table in Plum Brook's Space Power Facility.

ORION'S NEXT TEST Nasa's Orion stacked atop a 70 metric ton Space Launch System rocket will launch from a newly refurbished Kennedy Space Center in November 2018. The uncrewed Orion will travel into Distant Retrograde Orbit, breaking the distance record reached by the most remote Apollo spacecraft, and then 30,000 miles farther out (275,000 total miles). The mission will last 22 days and will test system readiness for future crewed operations. Advertisement

At 22-feet wide and 55,000-pounds, the table is the world's most powerful spacecraft shaker system.

Engineers ran a total of 98 vibration tests throughout the summer.

'We needed to see the different ways the service module would dynamically perform during launch when the tanks are full and then later in the mission after it has used some of that propellant,' Smith said.

The test vibration levels started as low as 2.5 Hz and swept up to 100 Hz.

'We eased into it,' said Jerry Carek, the facility manager.

'We started at about 20 percent of the maximum test level and gradually worked our way up to 100 percent with vertical movement.

'Then we did the same thing with lateral movement.'

The vibration tests were part of a series of crucial checks being performed at the Space Power Facility to verify the service module for Orion's first flight atop SLS, known as Exploration Mission-1 or EM-1, which will venture tens of thousands of miles beyond the moon.

Orion will take crew farther in space than they've ever gone before and plays an essential role as part of NASA's preparation for the Journey to Mars.

The capsule, which could one day man to the red planet, has been put through its paces on the world's most powerful vibration table to simulate launch.

The test article's next stop is the assembly high bay area, where engineers will fire pyrotechnics to simulate the shocks the service module will experience as Orion separates from the SLS rocket.

The test article was provided by ESA (European Space Agency) and built by Airbus Defence & Space. As these ground tests continue to verify the service module's design, the first flight unit service module for EM-1 is now being built in Europe.

This unit is expected to be shipped to the United States in 2017.

EM-1 is targeted to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida in late 2018.

Orion will take crew farther in space than they've ever gone before and plays an essential role as part of NASA's preparation for the Journey to Mars.

The spacecraft will carry astronauts to space, provide emergency abort capabilities, sustain the crew during their mission and provide safe re-entry through Earth's atmosphere.

Nasa previously conducted the second to last splashdown test for its Orion spacecraft as the agency prepares to eventually send humans to Mars.

Scientists at NASA's Langley facility on Thursday used a pendulum and explosives to fling a test capsule into a pool of water at about 25 mph.

The 11-foot craft disappeared behind a bowl-shaped splash before bouncing buoyantly against safety netting.

A mockup of NASA's Orion spacecraft, a deep space vessel that is slated to eventually travel to Mars, hits the water in a simulated ocean splashdown test at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. An unmanned test flight is scheduled for 2018 with the first crewed flight is slated for 2023.

More than 500 instruments gauged aspects of the impact, including the level of strain on the carbon fiber heatshield and aluminum cabin.

Crash test dummies were also inside to measure safety designs.

Orion sailed through its first unmanned test flight in 2014, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

Another unmanned launch is scheduled for 2018.

The agency hopes Orion will carry astronauts into space by 2023.

'We're very proud of what we do here and we're happy to be making this contribution to Orion,' said project chief engineer Jim Corliss.

The forces that hit a spacecraft at splashdown determine the design of more than half of its structure, and Nasa says understanding those forces is critical for astronaut safety.

'A water landing is not a trivial event at all,' Corliss said.

'With these tests, we're helping to protect the crew.'

Lara Kearney, manager of the Orion Crew and Service Module Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, traveled to Langley to watch the test.

'Orion is a one-of-a kind spacecraft, and we're testing it in a one-of-a kind facility,' she said.

'Langley has a rich history in impact testing and the Hydro Impact Basin is a world-class facility that gives us the ability to control the specific impact conditions of interest with a high degree of accuracy.'

Eventually, SLS will stand 322ft (98 metres) tall, provide 8.4 million pounds of thrust at lift-off, and weigh 5.5 million pounds.

'Over the course of this test series, the test article and the facility have performed nearly flawlessly,' Kearney said. 'I'm very proud of the team.'

Thursday's drop was the ninth in a series of 10 tests taking place at Langley's Landing and Impact Research Facility.

It was designed to simulate one of the Orion spacecraft's most stressful landing scenarios, a case where one of the capsule's three main parachutes fails to deploy.

That would cause Orion to approach its planned water landing faster than normal and at an undesirable angle.

THE SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM Eventually, SLS will stand 322ft (98 metres) tall, provide 8.4 million pounds of thrust at lift-off, and weigh 5.5 million pounds. It will also carry 70 metric tons or 154,000 lbs of payload - equivalent to approximately 77 one-ton pickup trucks' worth of cargo. To get off the ground, it requires twin solid rocket boosters, powerful engines, flight computers, avionics and the core stage. The core stage, towering more than 200ft (61 metres) tall with a diameter of 27.6 feet (8.4 metres), will carry cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen that will feed the vehicle's four RS-25 engines. Once the crew module passes its structural tests it will undergo final assembly, integration and entire vehicle testing in order to prepare for EM-1, when Orion is launched atop Nasa's Space Launch System (SLS) for the first time. Pictured is the SLS in comparison to other rockets Advertisement

Under ideal conditions, the Orion capsule would slice into the water of the Pacific Ocean traveling about 17 miles per hour.

Thursday's test had it hitting the pool at about 20 mph, and in a lateral orientation. Instead of being pushed down into their seats, astronauts in this scenario would splashdown to the side.

'We're looking at some of the hardest impacts, the ones that could potentially pose the most risk of injury to the crew or damaging the structure,' Corliss said.

A mockup of NASA's Orion spacecraft, a deep space vessel that is slated to eventually travel to Mars, hits the water in a simulated ocean splashdown test at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. An unmanned test flight is scheduled for 2018 with the first crewed flight is slated for 2023.(AP Photo/Steve Helber)

A mockup of NASA's Orion spacecraft, a deep space vessel that is slated to eventually travel to Mars, creates a huge wave as it hits the water in a simulated ocean splashdown test at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. An unmanned test flight is scheduled for 2018 with the first crewed flight is slated for 2023.(AP Photo/Steve Helber)

A mockup of NASA's Orion spacecraft, a deep space vessel that is slated to eventually travel to Mars, floats to the surface after a simulated ocean splashdown test at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. An unmanned test flight is scheduled for 2018 with the first crewed flight is slated for 2023.(AP Photo/Steve Helber)

'That's what we've been doing with these 10 tests.'

In the Apollo era, experiments like this one were commonplace.

Today, the vast majority of NASA's testing is done through digital simulations. However, computer models have some limitations.

'Because we rely so much on computer models now, we need at least some physical tests to anchor those models, to make sure they are accurate,' Corliss said.

With Thursday's success and one final drop in this series scheduled for mid-September, researchers have accumulated a lot of important information.

For each test, they have captured data flowing in through about 535 channels. Each channel represent a sensor calibrated to measure the spacecraft's behavior and condition as well as the experience of its inanimate crew of two heavily instrumented crash test dummies.

The sensors are capable of gathering 10.7 million pieces of high-fidelity data every second.

'We're really ecstatic about the data we're getting and encouraged with how well it's correlating with our computer models,' Corliss said.

The drop tests are the culmination of a three-year collaborative effort among workers at five NASA facilities  Johnson Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Ames Research Center and Langley  along with help from Orion prime contractor Lockheed Martin.

Thousands of work hours have gone into each test, which is over in a matter of seconds.

Since testing began in April, the project has stockpiled 99 percent of its target data, and covered most of the splashdown scenarios originally mapped out.

A worker corrals a mockup of NASA's Orion spacecraft, a deeps pace vessel that is slated to eventually travel to Mars, after a simulated ocean splashdown test at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. An unmanned test flight is scheduled for 2018 with the first crewed flight is slated for 2023.(AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Workers prepare a mockup of NASA's Orion spacecraft, a deep space vessel that is slated to eventually travel to Mars, for a simulated ocean splashdown test at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. An unmanned test flight is scheduled for 2018 with the first crewed flight is slated for 2023.(AP Photo/Steve Helber)

One of that team's biggest challenges was connecting the mock spacecraft  called the Ground Test Article in NASA language  with the heat shield used during Orion's first flight, Exploration Flight Test-1, which took place in 2014.

Leaders realized that matching the heat shield with the mockup could make the tests more accurate and less expensive. But the two elements were not designed to fit together.

Mating them required ingenuity.

First, NASA Marshall removed the remaining thermal protection covering, which was left over from re-entry.

Then, the heat shield was shipped to Langley where extensive integration and sensor installation work took place.

The test flight will send Orion into lunar distant retrograde orbit  a wide orbit around the moon that is farther from Earth than any human-rated spacecraft has ever travelled. It will be be controlled remotely as it flies 43,000 miles (70,000 km) beyond the moon

'There's so much satisfaction watching this test, knowing all the hard work that went into it,' Corliss said. 'This test is complex. The fact that we were able to successfully conduct it, meet our impact conditions, and see it behave the way we expected it to, that's a testament to the whole team.'

The tests at Langley  along with many others across the agency  are leading up to the first integrated flight of the Space Launch System and Orion known as Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1).

For that, Orion will fly atop the Space Launch System, the most powerful rocket in the world.
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Is is set to be the most super of supermoons.

The Monday, Nov. 14 supermoon will be especially 'super' because it's the closest full moon to Earth since 1948, ans we won't see another like this until 2034.

According to NASA, you won't even have to get up early to see it.

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The Monday, Nov. 14 supermoon will be especially 'super' because it's the closest full moon to Earth since 1948, ans we won't see another like this until 2034. Pictured, an image that approximates the look of the Nov. 14, 2016, full moon with data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

WHAT IS A SUPERMOON? Since the moon's orbit is elliptical, one side (perigee) is about 30,000 miles closer to Earth than the other (apogee). The word syzygy, in addition to being useful in word games, is the scientific name for when the Earth, sun, and moon line up as the moon orbits Earth. When perigee-syzygy of the Earth-moon-sun system occurs and the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun, we get a perigee moon or more commonly, a supermoon! Advertisement

On Monday, Nov. 14, the moon is at perigee at 6:22 a.m. EST and 'opposite' the sun for the full moon at 8:52 a.m. EST (after moonset for most of the US).

If you're not an early riser, don't worry, NASA says.

'I've been telling people to go out at night on either Sunday or Monday night to see the supermoon,' said Noah Petro, deputy project scientist for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission.

'The difference in distance from one night to the next will be very subtle, so if it's cloudy on Sunday, go out on Monday. Any time after sunset should be fine.

Since the moon is full, it'll rise at nearly the same time as sunset, so I'd suggest that you head outside after sunset, or once it's dark and the moon is a bit higher in the sky.

'You don't have to stay up all night to see it, unless you really want to!'

The moon's orbit around Earth is slightly elliptical so sometimes it is closer and sometimes it's farther away.

When the moon is full as it makes its closest pass to Earth it is known as a supermoon.

At perigree  the point at which the moon is closest to Earth  the moon can be as much as 14 percent closer to Earth than at apogee, when the moon is farthest from our planet.

The full moon appears that much larger in diameter and because it is larger shines 30 percent more moonlight onto the Earth.

The biggest and brightest moon for observers in the United States will be on Monday morning just before dawn.

HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH A SUPERMOON PERFECTLY Bill Ingalls, NASA's senior photographer Bill Ingalls, NASA's senior photographer, says composition is key. 'Don't make the mistake of photographing the moon by itself with no reference to anything,' he said. 'I've certainly done it myself, but everyone will get that shot. 'Instead, think of how to make the image creativethat means tying it into some land-based object. 'It can be a local landmark or anything to give your photo a sense of place.' Is it hopeless to attempt a supermoon image with a smartphone camera? Ingalls says, it's all relative. 'For me, it would be maddening and frustrating--yet it may be a good challenge, actually. You're not going to get a giant moon in your shot, but you can do something more panoramic, including some foreground that's interesting. 'Think about being in an urban area where it's a little bit brighter.' To get the right light balance of the moon on newer iPhones and other smartphones, 'Tap the screen and hold your finger on the object (in this case, the moon) to lock the focus. 'Then slide your finger up or down to darken or lighten the exposure.' For digital SLR photography, Ingalls uses the daylight white balance setting for capturing moonlight, since sunlight is being reflected. Advertisement

This is actually the second of three supermoons in a row, so if the clouds don't cooperate for you this weekend, you will have another chance next month to see the last supermoon of 2016 on Dec. 14.

It will happen in the morning hours before sunrise in western North America and the Pacific islands to the east of the International Date Line).

The best time to view a super moon is when the moon is low on the horizon where 'an illusion will occur that makes it look unnaturally larger,' according to AccuWeather.

However, the moon will look plenty full and bright all night long on both nights, astronomers say  November 13 and 14  as it rises in the east around sunset, climbs highest up around midnight, and then sets in the west at or near sunset.

On November 14th, the Moon will be the closest to Earth it's been since January 1948. During the event, it will appear up to 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than an average full moon.

The moon will reach the crest of its full phase on November 14 at 1352 UTC.

That translates to 9:52 a.m. AST, 8:52 a.m. EST, 7:52 a.m. CST, 6:52 a.m. MST, 5:52 a.m. PST.

The supermoon of December 14 will beremarkable for a different reason: it's going to wipe out the view of the Geminid meteor shower, Nasa said..

Day and night sides of Earth at the instant of the November 2016 full moon (2016 November 14 at 1352 UTC) via EarthView. At this time, it'll be sunrise on November 14 in western North America. In eastern North America, the moon will have set before the moon turns exactly full, and it'll be a waning moon that rises on the evening of November 14.

'Bright moonlight will reduce the visibility of faint meteors five to ten fold, transforming the usually fantastic Geminids into an astronomical footnote,' it claims.

Sky watchers will be lucky to see a dozen Geminids per hour when the shower peaks.

'A supermoon is undeniably beautiful,' said Nasa.

'And we can multiply that beauty by three as 2016 comes to a close.

A 2014 supermoon over Westminster in London

October 16, November 14, and December 14: mark your calendar and enjoy the super moonlight.

Earlier this year a Hunter's moon and a supermoon combined.

The combination produced a red moon which appears larger than normal, and should be visible in the northern hemisphere this weekend.

A Hunter's moon, which is also a blood moon, rises much earlier in the evening than usual.

It is the first full moon after the Harvest moon.

The best time to view a super moon is when the moon is low on the horizon where 'an illusion will occur that makes it look unnaturally larger,' according to AccuWeather.

Typically, the moon rises 50 minutes later each day, according to Universe Today.

But a blood moon tends to rise only 30 minutes later  shortening the time between sunset and moon rise.

The red colour is caused by the moon's proximity to the horizon.

An article in EarthSky, stated: 'The orange colour of a moon near the horizon is a true physical effect.

'It stems from the fact that - when you look toward the horizon - you are looking through a greater thickness of Earth's atmosphere than when you gaze up and overhead.'

BLOOD MOON TRICKS In February 1504, explorer Christopher Columbus used a blood moon to trick Jamaican natives who had been feeding him and his men, but cut them off when relations turned sour. Columbus knew a blood moon had been forecast, and warned the natives that his god would send an angry 'sign' at their treatment of the newcomers. Legend has it the natives came running with food as soon as the Moon turned red. Advertisement

Blue light is scattered by the atmosphere, which usually makes the moon appear white in the sky.

But when the atmosphere is thicker, it lets red light pass through, which means that when the moon is near the horizon, it appears red.

As well as appearing red, the moon is also predicted to look bigger than usual this weekend due to a supermoon.

The supermoon occurs when the moon is at its closest distance to Earth during its orbit  making it appear larger than normal.

People in the Northern Hemisphere can catch a glimpse of this rare blood and supermoon this weekend.

But there is good news for those in the Southern Hemisphere  a blood supermoon should appear between March and September.

The best time to watch the blood supermoon depends on your location.
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Earlier this week, it was revealed that England's famous White Cliffs Of Dover are now eroding at their fastest ever rate  and man-made changes to the coastline may be to blame.

Research published this week shows the cliffs are retreating by up to 12 inches (32 cm) each year, a huge increase from the 0.8 inches (2 cm) a year the cliffs were losing up until a few hundred years ago.

The coastline is not alone though - climate change, deforestation, tourism and industry are having a devastating effect on many of the tourism wonders of the world.

The famous White Cliffs Of Dover are now eroding at their fastest ever rate  and man-made changes to the coastline may be to blame

For example, just last month an environmental reporter wrote an obituary for the Great Barrier Reef that went viral, after it was revealed that 93 per cent of the largest living thing on Earth has been affected by bleaching, which can kill coral.

Some scientists were outraged by the prematurity of the announcement.

Elsewhere in the Middle East, the Dead Sea which separates Israel and Jordan is retreating by about a metre a year.

Read on to discover which other tourism spots, which we have taken for granted for so long, could also soon be extinct.

Venice is disappearing under water

Venice is sinking into the water more than five times quicker than previously thought

Bustling and beautiful Venice is sinking into the water more than five times quicker than previously thought.

Scientists say the city is also tilting to the east and heading out to the Adriatic Sea by an unprecedented 2mm per year over the last decade.

A new defence system called the Experimental Electromechanical Module (Mose) is now hoping to protect the city of canals from the severe high tides that have plagued it for so long.

Across three inlets that connect the Adriatic sea with the Venetian Lagoon, gates have been constructed on the sea floor.

Housed within these gates are dozens of hollow 'blocks' that sit submerged and filled with water.

The Great Wall Of China is crumbling

Nearly a third of the Great Wall of China has completely disappeared, according to a report last year

It may be one of the Seven World Wonders but nearly a third of the Great Wall of China has completely disappeared, according to a report last year.

Natural erosion, human destruction and a lack of protection means that a total of 1,220 miles of the wall, which dates back more than 2000 years, has vanished.

Only eight percent of the Ming Dynasty wall, which was first built 700 years ago and is the most visible section of the wall, is well-preserved, reported the People's Daily Online.

China has passed legislation in recent years to protect the Great Wall, large sections of which have been bulldozed, pillaged for building materials or heavily restored and commercialised.

In September, efforts by the government to restore parts of the wall attracted huge criticism by Chinese social media users as a 700-year-old section of the Great Wall has been covered in cement, turning it into a smooth, flat-topped path.

The Dead sea is drying up

The Dead Sea's days could be numbered after experts discovered the sea's water level is dropping by an average of one metre every year

The Dead Sea has attracted visitors for thousands of years who come to float in its salty waters and reap its reported health benefits.

But the coastal attraction's days could be numbered after experts discovered the sea's water level is dropping by an average of one metre every year.

The drop in levels is thought to have been caused by more water flowing out of the sea than into it from the Jordan River.

It is estimated that the Dead Seas water level has dropped by more than 131ft (40 metres) since the 1950s.

The Maldives are sinking

Rising sea levels threaten about a tenth of the world's population who live in low-lying areas and islands which are at risk of flooding, including the Maldives

Rising sea levels threaten about a tenth of the world's population who live in low-lying areas and islands which are at risk of flooding, including the paradise islands of the Maldives.

Measures to limit sea rises have focused on lowering temperatures - but this may not be enough.

Even if global average temperatures fall and the surface layer of the sea cools, heat would still be mixed down into the deeper layers of the ocean, causing continued rises in sea levels.

Amid fears many of the islands will soon sink into the sea, the Maldivian government has started to build man-made islands for its inhabitants.

The 18,000-year-old Chacaltaya glacier that has vanished

The snow-covered slopes of Chacaltaya once boasted the world's oldest ski resort, but the glacier has now vanished

Sitting 17,388ft (5,300 metres) up in the Andes of Bolivia, around 18 miles (29km) from La Paz, the snow-covered slopes of Chacaltaya once boasted the world's oldest ski resort.

The 18,000-year-old glacier was also home to the highest ski lift in the world, powered by an old car engine that dragged a tow rope up the mountainside.

While it never attracted vast numbers of skiers, it was a ski adventure for those willing to make the long and often difficult journey to the glacier.

However, between 1940 and 1982, the glacier shrunk from covering an area of 2.4 million square feet (222,967 square km) to 1.5 million square feet (139,355 square km).

By 1996 it had reduced further to 861,000 square feet (79,990 square km) before disappearing completely in 2005.

The Nazca lines in southern Peru were washed away

In 2009, water running off the nearby Pan-American Highway after heavy rain washed away one of the geoglyphs in the Nazca desert

For 2,500 years, they have stood the test of time due to their arid, isolated location in the Nazca Desert in southern Peru.

Around 250 miles (402km) south of the capital Lima, more than a hundred stylised drawings are etched into the Nazca Desert in southern Peru.

These 600ft (182 metres) wide drawings of flowers, whales, llamas, monkeys, hummingbirds and humans have been around for roughly 2,500 years.

But as a result of infrastructure built to cope with visitors to the site, in 2009, water running off the nearby Pan-American Highway after heavy rain washed away one of the geoglyphs.

Damage caused by mining in the area saw a set of geometric figures destroyed as the company dug out construction materials.

Glacier National Park in Montana has lost most of its glaciers

Glacier National Park in Montana may have to undergo a name change soon as its glaciers have rapidly declined in number since its establishment in 1910

What was once a hub for ski lovers and home to more than 100 ice sheets may be stripped of its very identity as climate change affects the ecosystem.

Glacier National Park in Montana may have to undergo a name change in the next 16 years - the time in which the park's namesake glaciers are expected to disappear completely.

According to a report by the U.S. Geological Survey, the park's glaciers have rapidly declined in number since its establishment in 1910. The Times reports that the park was once home to some 150 ice sheets, now that number is less than 30.

The cause of the glacial recession in the park that boasts nearly 1,600 square miles is no secret: climate change.

Small ski areas that once enhanced the park have since closed due to shorter winter seasons and snows too light to keep them open.
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It's easy to imagine that travelling around the world in luxury will cost you a small fortune. And normally, it does.

But one savvy traveller has managed to cut the cost of his trip, which featured stops in Tokyo, Singapore and Dubai, from over $52,000 (41,913) to just $408 (329), paying the equivalent of less than one per cent of the total.

And it was a journey that most people could only dream of as travel hacker Daniel Gillaspia sipped on free-flowing champagne in first class suites and bedded down at luxurious hotels in some of the most expensive cities in the world.

Daniel Gillaspia travelled around the world with his partner and paid just a fraction of what the trip would have cost him. Above, he is pictured in the Etihad Airways Apartment

Gillaspia sampled some of the world's most expensive experiences including flying from Tokyo to Singapore on Singapore Airlines's first class suite, where the seats fold out into double beds

The savvy traveller stopped in Tokyo, Singapore, Cape Town (pictured) and Dubai and paid just $408 for hotels and flights

Gillaspia blogged about the trip of a lifetime on his website, Upon Arriving, where he writes about different ways to accrue points with credit cards, hotels and airlines.

He said he was inspired by other travel hackers and decided to put his own theories into practice.

The US-based blogger, who works as a lawyer by day, had been busy accruing points and rewards on the couple's 45 credit cards before setting out, according to Business Insider.

To keep a track of all of them, he uses an intricate spreadsheet.

The first leg of the journey was from Los Angeles to Tokyo, where the couple flew with Singapore Airlines business class

The Singapore Airlines business class featured spacious seats that folded down into full-sized beds (pictured)

In Tokyo, Gillaspia paid for two nights at the InterContinental Tokyo Bay using 100,000 IHG Points, saving them the equivalent of $1,000

Instead of spending a fortune on hotels and flights, the couple used their hard-earned cash to pay for experiences like a traditional tea ceremony in Japan

And by taking advantage of sign-up bonuses and points boosts, the couple have been steadily accruing rewards.

It's taken around two years but the pair were finally able to set off for their dream trip in September this year.

The first leg of their journey was from Los Angeles to Tokyo, which they reached via Singapore Airlines Business class.

Tickets for Gillaspia and his partner would have cost $4,444 (3,582) but the couple paid just $68 (55) plus 131,750 KrisFlyer Miles.

While on board, they were treated to fully-plated dishes and spacious seats that fully reclined into a bed.

In Tokyo, Gillaspia paid for two nights at the InterContinental Tokyo Bay using 100,000 IHG Points, saving them the equivalent of $1,000.

The next stop on their trip was Singapore and this time, the pair splashed out with the Singapore Airlines First Class Suite. Above, the two suites converted into one

Gillaspia described the suites (above), envisioned by French luxury yacht designer Jean-Jacques Coste, as being like 'a cosy train cabin'

Two adjoining first class suites on the Singapore Airlines flight can be interlinked to create one huge suite or divided to give more privacy

On board the flight, there was free-flowing champagne with choices from Krug and a 2006 vintage Dom Perignon

They were also upgraded during their stay, which meant that, having paid absolutely nothing, they still enjoyed a fantastic view of the city from their deluxe corner room.

Instead, the couple spent their hard-earned cash on experiences such as sushi-making master classes and traditional tea ceremonies.

The next stop on their trip was Singapore and this time, the pair splashed out with the Singapore Airlines First Class Suite.

For two people, the suites would have cost $11,660 (9,398) from Tokyo to Singapore but Gillaspia paid just $108 (87) plus 102,000 KrisFlyer Miles.

Gillaspia described the suites, envisioned by French luxury yacht designer Jean-Jacques Coste, as being like 'a cosy train cabin'.

Each suite, featuring doors and windows, offers complete privacy to well-heeled travellers.

In Singapore, the couple stayed for just one night at Marina Bay Sands Hotel and paid nothing thanks to their Capital One Venture credit - saving them $450 (363)

Marina Bay Sands Hotel has an famous infinity pool that offered spectacular views of the Singapore skyline (above)

There is free-flowing champagne from Krug and Dom Perignon and amenities kit from Salvatore Ferragamo.

The incredible dining menu featured Michelin-quality dishes using ingredients such as caviar.

But perhaps the best part of the trip was nighttime, when the couple's adjoining suite was transformed into a private room featuring a double bed - just like a hotel room.

And they were even provided with pajamas from Givenchy and cuddly toys to help them feel at home.

In Singapore, the couple stayed for just one night at Marina Bay Sands Hotel and paid nothing thanks to their Capital One Venture credit - saving them $450 (363).

Gillaspia took full advantage of the stay by luxuriating in the hotel's infinity pool, which offers astounding views of the Singapore skyline.

After Singapore, it was onto Johannesburg in Singapore Airlines business class.

This time, the couple saved the full fare of $7,676 (6,187) by paying with 38,250 KrisFlyer Miles and used their travel credits against the fees and fuel surcharges that they would normally have to pay cash for.

After Singapore, the couple headed to Cape Town via Johannesburg. Their hotel, The Westin Cape Town, offered views of Table Mountain

To get a closer view of Table Mountain, the pair took a sunset ride on the cable car and captured this spectacular image

Gillaspia admitted that for a connecting flight to Cape Town, the couple had to travel in economy but the journey was also completely free.

The couple spent four nights at The Westin Cape Town, paying in 40,000 Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) points instead of the full price of $1,160 (935).

Their room offered spectacular views of Table Mountain and had club room access where they could indulge in the free champagne and snacks.

After a few days diving with sharks and visiting the penguins on Boulders Beach, the duo headed to the United Arab Emirates on Etihad Airways business class.

They flew from Johannesburg to Abu Dhabi for $104 (84) plus 110,000 AA miles instead of paying the $4,040 (3,256) it would have cost.

According to Gillaspia, the seats weren't as comfortable or spacious compared to Singapore Airlines but they did have the benefit of built-in massage devices.

From South Africa, the couple headed for the Emirates, this time travelling on Etihad business class, which featured seats with built-in massage devices (pictured)

In the Emirates, Gillaspia stayed for two nights at the W Hotel in Dubai, using 40,000 SPG points to pay for their $534 (430) room (pictured)

Their short stay gave them just enough time to see the Burj Khalifa and to enjoy the sunset in the Arabian desert (above)

The couple flew back to the US in first class with Etihad, which meant that they had a chauffeur service (left) and used a dedicated first class entrance (right)

For their homeward bound journey, the couple splashed out again - this time travelling in the Etihad Apartment from Dubai to New York. Pictured is their 'apartments' transformed for bedtime

The Etihad Apartments (pictured) featured a huge 'throne', a spacious seating area, a vanity area plus its own mini bar

One of the best things about flying on Etihad Apartments was the bathroom, which featured a fully-functional shower (right)

And because they flew business class, Etihad Airways also offered them free transfers to their hotel.

In the Emirates, Gillaspia stayed for two nights at the W hotel in Dubai, using 40,000 SPG points to pay for their $534 (430) room.

Their short stay gave them just enough time to see the Burj Khalifa and enjoy the sunset in the Arabian desert.

For their homeward bound journey, the couple splashed out again - this time travelling in the Etihad Apartment from Dubai to New York.

The $18,000 (14,509) fare cost the couple just $104 (84) plus 180,000 AA miles.

As part of one of the most expensive aviation experiences in the world, the couple were chauffeured from their hotel to a dedicated first class entrance at Abu Dhabi Airport.

From there, the private entrance led to the first class lounge where the couple could relax before boarding their flight.

The Etihad Apartments featured a huge 'throne', a spacious seating area, a vanity area plus its own mini bar.

In New York, the duo stayed for a night at the Ritz Carlton Battery Park, paying with free night certificates instead of the $1900 (1,531) that the experience would have cost

Like the Singapore Airlines suites, the seats in the Etihad Apartment folded down into full beds but they were partially divided by privacy screens.

WHERE THE PAIR VISITED ON THEIR TRIP Tokyo Singapore Johannesburg Cape Town Abu Dhabi Dubai New York Houston Advertisement

But the bathroom really trumped the rest of the offering - it had a fully functional shower for guests to freshen up at 37,000ft before reaching their destination.

In New York, the couple stayed for a night at the Ritz Carlton Battery Park, paying with free night certificates instead of the $1900 (1,531) that the experience would have cost.

They also got upgraded so their room offered a view of the Statue of Liberty.

The couple made two final connecting flights before finishing their journey in Houston.

The entire trip would have cost Gillaspia and his partner a staggering $52,294 (42,150) but according to the blogger, thanks to their savvy travel hacks, they paid only $408 (329)
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She may have ditched the northern shores of Home And Away's Summer Bay beach for now.

But Demi Harman proved she has still got what it takes to turn heads, as she enjoyed a steamy day at Coogee beach in Sydney.

The 22-year-old actress took to the sands for a little sun baking and was joined by her boyfriend and Home And Away actor Alec Snow, 23.

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Loved up: Demi Harman proved she has still got what it takes to turn heads in a bikini, as she enjoyed a relaxing day at Coogee beach in Sydney. The 22-year-old actress took to the sands for a little sunbaking and was joined by her boyfriend and Home And Away actor Alec Snow, 23

The couple put on a loved up display as they cuddled up for a hot smooch.

At one point Demi playfully pulled her sunglasses below her nose and stared into Alec's eyes.

He responded with a playful grin, then threw his head back and broke into peals of laughter.

Playful: At one point Demi playfully pulled her sunglasses below her nose and stared into Alec's eyes

Laughing matter: Alec responded with a playful grin, then threw his head back and broke into peals of laughter

Fancy a massage? Alec looks up to Demi as she adjusts her bikini before taking his top off to lie on his back

Things got a little raunchy as Demi later applied sun cream to Alec's back and sat on his thighs while rubbing the lotion into his shoulders.

Alec looked to be enjoying himself as his girlfriend massaged his back and even stood up to work her magic on his neck.

Demi was also treated to a massage as her beau stood up and returned the favour.

Sexy! Things got a little raunchy as Demi later applied sun cream to Alec's back and sat on his thighs while rubbing the lotion into his shoulders

Getting into it: Alec looked to be enjoying himself as his girlfriend massaged his back and even stood up to work her magic on his neck

Your turn! Demi was also treated to a massage as her beau stood up and returned the favour

Demi then stood up to enjoy a drink of water and flaunted her long tanned pins in a tiny floral bikini.

The strappy top also showcased her ample cleavage and toned arms and shoulders.



Since returning to Australia after a stint in LA, the brunette beauty played the role of Riley Hart, an 'effortlessly sexual' character, separating her further from her sweet schoolgirl role in Home And Away.

Demi rose to fame after playing Sasha Bezmel in the long-running soap, where she fell in love off-screen with her cast mate, Alec, almost two-years ago.

In March last year, the Brisbane native told Daily Mail Australia that their relationship was going from strength-to-strength.

She confessed: 'We're very happy, we're best friends which is good, that's really important in any relationship.'
She found time to place her vote on Tuesday.

And Dakota Fanning looked like she was getting ready to keep perky while she watched the results come in.

The 22-year-old put on a leggy display as she collected coffees from a Starbucks in Los Angeles.

Caffeine hit: Dakota Fanning looked like she was getting ready to keep perky while she watched the results come in

The actress was, perhaps, in a rush to get to the polls, as she had an uncharacteristic bad hair day.

Her blonde tresses were messy and unkempt, although it did little to detract from her natural beauty.

She covered her eyes with dark glasses and appeared to be going make-up free.

Messy hair don't care: The actress was, perhaps, in a rush to get to the polls, as she had an uncharacteristic bad hair day

The American Pastoral star showcased her slim figure and toned legs in a flirty dotty wrap-around dress.

She went old school by teaming it with Adidas superstar trainers with red stripes.

Both the drinks appeared to be for the I Am Sam beauty, as she had her name written - surprisingly correctly - on each one.

Looking good: The 22-year-old put on a leggy display as she collected coffees from a Starbucks in Los Angeles

Glum: Her blonde tresses were messy and unkempt, although it did little to detract from her natural beauty

Pretty: The American Pastoral star showcased her slim figure and toned legs in a flirty dotty wrap-around dress

Retro: She went old school by teaming it with Adidas superstar trainers with red stripes

Dakota posted a selfie post-vote, with the sticker on her tongue, captioned: '#VOTE'.

The beauty has had a tempestuous time with her parents filing for divorce - then reportedly changing their minds.

Her father, Steven Fanning, filed for divorce from her mom, Heather, after 27 years of marriage last month.

Civic duty: Dakota posted a selfie post-vote, with the sticker on her tongue, captioned: '#VOTE'

According to TMZ, Steven cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split; Steven and Heather are also parents to Dakota's younger sister actress Elle Fanning, 18.

Then a week later, he reneged on his submission in an attempt to rescue his marriage to wife Heather, according to.

The couple, who have been married for 27 years, have reportedly decided to give their relationship another go, a source close to the family said.

Dakota recently wrapped filming Please Stand By, a comedy drama set to be released next year.
Adam Thomas cut an excited figure as he jetted into Australia ahead of the launch of the latest series of I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old actor couldn't stop smiling while making his way through the airport in casual hoodie and tracksuit bottoms.

He wore a pair of sunglasses and layered bracelets, while wheeling a suitcase through the airport.

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Happy arrival: Adam Thomas cut a cheery arrival as he made his way through the airport after jetting into Australia on Tuesday ahead of the I'm A Celebrity launch show

However, he was perhaps unaware of reports that a large bush fire has been burning just 40 miles where the show is filmed.

Adam will join the likes of Carol Vorderman, Ola Jordan and Larry Lamb to enter the jungle in the Springbrook National Park as the blaze in Tanglewood continues to burn.

Luckily, the 82-hectare fire is under control and being managed by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service, according to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service.

Ready to mingle: Adam will join the likes of Carol Vorderman, Ola Jordan and Larry Lamb to enter the jungle in the Springbrook National Park

Ready for the jungle: Adam puts the thumbs up as he prepares to face the elements in the hit survival show

But according to ITV, there are reports of other fires raging nearby while the country heats up for summer.

Olympian Sam Quek, former England defender Wayne Bridge, Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt, presenter and model Lisa Snowdon are also heading Down Under for the jungle show.

The 10-strong camp will be completed by comedian Joel Dommett and Diversity dancer Jordan Banjo, when the series returns to ITV on Sunday.

Ready to rumble: The ITV show will again be hosted by Ant & Dec

Going wild: Joel Dommett, Scarlett Moffatt, Wayne Bridge, Adam Thomas, Lisa Snowdon, Larry Lamb, Carol Vorderman, Sam Quek, Jordan Banjo and Ola Jordan are all lining up for the show

While Adam looked in great spirits on Tuesday, there are some things he'd rather not face in camp when the show starts on Sunday.

'You know youve got a serious fear of spiders when youve had not one but two hypnotherapy sessions to calm your nerves before entering the Jungle,' he told ITV.

'I tend to run away from them or wake my fiancee up to get rid of them,' he added. 'Ive never faced a spider head on which is why I want to do this show. I want to face up to my fears and there is no better place to do this.'
She touched back down in Australia last week.

And on Wednesday, Jessica Hart tucked into her favourite Aussie breakfast.

While enjoying some down time in Bondi, east of Sydney, the 30-year-old scoffed down avocado and eggs on toast as she dined out at a local cafe.

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Healthy living: Jessica Hart scoffed down avocado and eggs on toast on Wednesday as she dined out at a local cafe in Sydney for breakfast

The former Victoria's Secret model had the look of enjoyment plastered across her minimal makeup face, taking large bites at a time.

While dressed in a black jumper, Jessica pulled her long blonde hair back away from her face by the use of her sunglasses.

She showcased her blemish-free complexion and pierce blue eyes as she opted for very minimal makeup.

Having a mouthful: The former Victoria's Secret model had the look of enjoyment plastered across her minimal makeup face, taking large bites at a time

Out of this world: The 30-year-old looked in deep concentration each time she lent forward to take a bite of the sandwich

Focused: While dressed in a black jumper, Jessica pulled her long blonde hair back away from her face by the use of her sunglasses

As she dined with a group of friends, she rested her black leather handbag on the table, keeping it right beside her.

Days before arriving in Sydney, the runway model finished a shoot near Australia's Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.

She wrote on Instagram alongside a video of herself at the destination: 'That's a wrap!! Although I'm extremely happy here, it's sad to be leaving this beautiful place with all these beautiful soulsIts been a pleasure xx.'

Natural: She showcased her blemish-free complexion and pierce blue eyes as she opted for very minimal makeup

Close-by: As she dined with a group of friends, she rested her black leather handbag on the table, keeping it right beside her

Back home: Jessica arrived back in Australia last week to shoot a campaign near Australia's Great Barrier Reef in Queensland

Sadly, it looks like her Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 'ban' is still in effect as she once again was not selected to walk in the upcoming show.

Jess walked in 2012 and 2013 but after criticising Taylor Swift's addition to the musical line-up she was not asked to return.
She's renowned for her flawless bikini body.

And in an Instagram video posted on Tuesday, Natalie Roser stunned in purple lace lingerie set while playfully frolicking with a wind machine.

The 25-year-old left very little to the imagination as she danced to the camera in the underwear that drew attention to her ample cleavage, taut torso and lean legs.

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Gone with the wind! In an Instagram video posted on Tuesday, Natalie Roser stunned in purple lace lingerie set while playfully frolicking with a wind machine

Meanwhile, Natalie was recently in Sydney for a swimsuit shoot with Frankie Swimwear.

One image saw Natalie flaunt plenty of cleavage in a red triangle style bikini top, with white stitching just under the bust accentuating her taut torso.

Pulling up her high-cut briefs in a seductive fashion, the Sydney-based star elongated her already endless bronzed legs.

Sizzling at every angle! The swimsuit model flaunted the curves that made her famous in a series of skimpy ensembles, in behind-the-scenes snaps taken at a photoshoot for Frankie Swimwear

Leaving little to the imagination! The Sydney-based star drew attention to her ample cleavage in a skimpy grey bikini as she posed playfully for the camera

Another photo saw Natalie draw attention to her cleavage once again, by placing her hands around the straps of her grey triangle top.

High-cut briefs emphasised the Instagram sensation's taut torso and toned legs, playfully pushing out one hip as she looked out into the distance.

With her long locks framing most of her face, Natalie allowed the camera to catch a glimpse of her stunning side profile.

Bold look: Thin spaghetti straps of a third ensemble drew attention to the beauty's toned shoulders and delicate decolletage, while the triangle design accentuated her generous cleavage

The last of the three images saw Natalie modelling a vibrant blue and white striped bikini.

Thin spaghetti straps drew attention to the beauty's toned shoulders and delicate decolletage, while the triangle design accentuated her generous cleavage.

A pair of high-cut briefs once again flaunted Natalie's overall slender frame as she rested her knees on the sand.

Running one hand playfully through her tresses, she appeared content, beaming for the camera.

She's flawless! The former Miss Universe Australia's enviable physique has garnered her an impressive 650,000 Instagram followers

She's got some front! Several snaps on the beauty's Instagram account see Natalie drawing attention to her ample cleavage

The former Miss Universe Australia often flaunts her slim figure in various swimwear brands on Instagram.

But Natalies crowning moment was launching her own clothing label which took over a year of planning and preparation.

'I've been creating the line, Roser, for over a year now, and it's launching she told GQ last month.

'It's been an amazing experience, and I am so excited for the collection to become available,' she added.
David Bowies last creative collaboration, it turns out, was eerily prescient, the final scene featuring a Bowie-ish, other-worldly figure saying, Im done with this life.

He dreams of a better place, an imagined world before departing this planet in a video-projection rocket. Whoosh.

The great Bowies play, Lazarus  written with Enda Walsh  opened in New York last December a few weeks before his death. Last night it had its official opening in London at a big temporary theatre next to Kings Cross railway station.

Michael C Hall (pictured) plays alien, Thomas Newton, who became trapped on Earth and married a human. The story is told via brief scenes interspersed with reworked Bowie classics such as Changes and Heroes

No doubt this show, shrewdly produced and a slick spectacle, will be packed with his bereft fans during its run. But is it any good? Can we even call it a play? A stage work might be more accurate, for the story is told via brief scenes interspersed with reworked Bowie classics such as Changes and Heroes. There is heavy, clever but distracting use of video footage.

A good band plays behind glass and the performances include some decent singing. The tale was inspired by The Man Who Fell To Earth, a novel turned into a film Bowie made in 1976.

In it he played an alien, Thomas Newton, who became trapped on Earth and married a human. Lazarus has Newton still on terra firma, widowed, going mad. He exists in a stuffy room, drinking gin at 9am and eating junk food. He never gets any older. Im a dying man who cant die, he complains. He exerts a strange attraction on his domestic help (Amy Lennox) and in due course a knife-wielding maniac (Michael Esper) turns up to spread murder and mayhem.

Bowies songs are so brilliant, they lift a patchy plot  the production has the narrative elusiveness of a pop video  and help one to overlook the almost non-existent characterisation. Newton is played memorably by Michael C Hall who gives this poor alien a Herman Munsterish voice and a certain detachment from reality. Mr Hall sounds much like Bowie when he sings and this helps to create a shrine-like aura to the whole affair.

Lazarus was inspired by The Man Who Fell To Earth, a novel turned into a film Bowie (pictured) made in 1976

Things look glum for Newton until the arrival of another non-terrestrial called Girl (Sophia Anne Caruso  good surname for an operatic performer). With the enterprise teetering on that frontier between the fashionably cryptic and the maddeningly pretentious, I was not quite sure where Girl came from or went to but at one point she and Newton sit in a puddle of milk which has possibly spurted from her veins. It was not entirely easy to see, for the action occurred low on the stage and the sightlines in the theatre are terrible.

Ivo van Hoves direction is characteristically funky and hi-tech  not flawlessly so, for some video footage seemed to be out of synch with the stage acting.
She's one of Australia's hottest modelling exports.

And Jessica Hart reminded onlookers of her appeal, as she was spotted perfecting the off-duty look at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old opted to go makeup-free, flaunting her trim pins in a pair of tiny denim shorts.

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Leggy lady! Makeup-free Jessica Hart, 30, flaunted her trim pins in a pair of tiny denim shorts, as she was spotted at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Tuesday

Jessica took to the streets of Sydney's eastern suburbs in a pair of tiny denim shorts that accentuated her long and lean legs.

Teaming the Daisy Dukes with a simple round-neck T-shirt and coordinating Nike trainers, the Australian beauty perfected the off-duty look.

Accessorising with a gold statement watch and a pair of Dior sunglasses left to hang on the neck of her shirt, Jessica carried most of her belongings in a black designer bag by Celine.

Off-duty: The Australian beauty teamed the Daisy Dukes with a simple black round-neck T-shirt and a stylish wide-brimmed hat

Enviable: The blonde beauty gave onlookers a good glimpse of her toned legs

Sweeping her signature blonde locks underneath a stylish wide-brimmed hat, the swimsuit model allowed her natural beauty to shine through.

Days before arriving in Sydney, the runway model finished a shoot near Australia's Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.

She wrote on Instagram alongside a video of herself at the destination: 'That's a wrap!! Although I'm extremely happy here, it's sad to be leaving this beautiful place with all these beautiful soulsIts been a pleasure xx.'

Success: The blonde beauty is one of Australia's hottest modelling exports. Pictured attending the Charlotte Olympia show during London Fashion Week in September this year

Sadly, it looks like her Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 'ban' is still in effect as she once again was not selected to walk in the upcoming show.

Jess walked in 2012 and 2013 but after criticising Taylor Swift's addition to the musical line-up she was not asked to return.

It was claimed that Taylor was behind the snub, reportedly demanding the VS bosses cut her from future line-ups.
Australia's biggest regional music festival Groovin The Moo will be back in 2017.

Going into its 13th year, the event will take place at six rural venues across the country in April and May next year.

Announced via the organiser's social media feeds on Wednesday morning, the news sent festival goers into a frenzy.

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Save the date: Groovin The Move will be back in 2017 after event organisers announced six dates across April and May

Despite there being no ANZAC Day gig on the line-up, fans frantically posted thousands of comments on the event's Facebook page.

Oakbank kick-off the national tour on 28 April - the first time since its formation in 2005 that it will start on a Friday.

The South Australian gig will be followed by festivals in Maitland (NSW) and Townsville (QLD) on the 29 and 30 April respectively.

Festival season: Maitland in New South Wales is a staple on the Groovin The Moo calendar and was an original venue when the event was founded in 2005

Headliner: Sydney DJ Alex Scholler aka Alison Wonderland headlined the 2016 tour

Prince of Wales Showground in Bendigo (VIC) takes centre stage on 6 May before the University of Canberra hosts the penultimate gig a day later.

A festival in Bunbury (WA) marks the tour's finale on 13 May when the show rolls into Hay Park.

Groovin The Moo traditionally takes big name international acts alongside local heroes for a road trip of Australia's regional cities, and event promoter Steve Halpin was happy with the scheduling for next year.

Rock on: The Rubens were among the bands to star at the festival in April and May this year

Wrap it up: American rapper Danny Brown was a popular act when he graced the Groovin The Moo stage earlier this year

He said: 'We're thrilled with the tour schedule for 2017. Starting out in Oakbank on the Friday 28 April means South Australians get to enjoy a Moo Weekender.'

Fans will have to wait until 1 February to find out the line-up for the festival.

This year's festival was headlined by Sydney DJ Alison Wonderland, Jarryd James, indie rock band Boy & Bear, The Rubens and Boo Seeka.

Other notable acts that have performed at Groovin The Moo include Charli XCX, The Wombats, Kaiser Chiefs and Example.
He's one of the supposedly one of the hot favourites to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond.

And James Norton looked nothing but debonair when he stepped out in London on Tuesday night to attend a screening at Notting HIll's Electric Cinema.

Heading to a screening of the 1927 silent film The End of St Petersburg, the 31-year-old actor was joined by former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko.

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Dapper: James Norton looked nothing but debonair when he stepped out in London on Tuesday night to attend a screening at Notting HIll's Electric Cinema alongside Olga Kurylenko

The dashing Grantchester star looked the epitome of a 'dapper gent' at the screening, opting for a swish smart-casual look.

Yorkshire-born actor James went for a classic after-hours ensemble, teaming a grey sport jacket with an open-neck white shirt.

He added a pair of fitted black chinos to the mix, before rounding his look off with a pair of tan Oxford lace-ups.

The rugged War & Peace star wore his trademark coppery locks brushed into messy quiff, while he sported a clean shaven jawline.

Suave: Heading to a screening of The End of St Petersburg (1927), the actor, 31, went for a classic after-hours ensemble, teaming a grey sport jacket with an open-neck white shirt

Never a mess: The rugged War & Peace star wore his trademark coppery locks brushed into messy quiff, while he sported a clean shaven jawline

James appeared to be enjoying his evening out at the pictures, and sported a cheeky smile on his face.

Though the actor's mood may have been raised thanks to the presence of former Bond girl, Olga, 36.

The Ukrainian model, who starred with Craig in 2008's Quantum of Solace, cut a chic and fashionable figure in a fitted black trousers suit.

Fashionable star: Olga, who starred with Daniel Craig in 2008's Bond offering, Quantum of Solace, cut a chic and fashionable figure in a fitted black trousers suit

Natural beauty: Olga wore her chestnut tresses in gentle waves down to her shoulders, which framed the Hitman actress' striking features

The Quantum of Solace star wore a white V-neck top beneath the suit, though she did add a high-fashion edge to her look with a pair of black high heels.

Olga wore her chestnut tresses in gentle waves down to her shoulders, which framed the Hitman actress' striking features.

And while Olga is an alumnus of the 007 franchise, it seems that James may have his sets on joining the rarefied group that is the James Bond club.

This summer the actor emerged as a firm favourite to take over from Daniel Craig, having gained critical acclaim for his turns in Happy Valley and the BBC's epic War and Peace.

The actor joined the likes of Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Aidan Turner, Tom Hardy and Damien Lewis in the running for the role.
Will Smith filmed his latest movie in Los Angeles on Tuesday after the death of his father Willard Carroll Smith Sr.

The 48-year-old actor shot outdoor scenes in a police uniform for the upcoming Netflix film Bright.

Will's ex-wife Sheree Fletcher tok to Instagram on Monday night to announce the death of the actor's father.

On the set: Will Smith was spotted filming in Los Angeles on Tuesday after it was announced that his father had died

She posted a throwback snap on Instagram of Will with their son Trey, 23, and his father.

'We're gonna miss you Daddio! You lived & played by your own rules...,' Sheree wrote in the caption.

'You truly were 1 of a kind! You instilled discipline, and a work ethic that has created a legacy in your honor!' she added.

The actor has yet to comment on his father's death, but his work ethic was in full display as he filmed scenes for Bright.

Police officer: The actor portrays police officer Scott Ward in Bright

Darker hair: Will sported darker hair for the role

Getting ready: The actor was surrounded by a makeup team

The actor portrays police officer Scott Ward in the fantasy film due out in 2017.

Bright was written by Max Landis, 31, who previously wrote Chronicle, American Ultra and Victor Frankenstein.

The film is being directed by David Ayer, 48, who previously directed Will in Suicide Squad.

Fantasy film: Bright focuses on a human police officer and his Orc partner

Together again: Will is working with his Suicide Squad director David Ayer on Bright

His prior directing credits include Harsh Times, Street Kings and End Of Watch and he also wrote Training Day.

Bright tells the story of human cop Ward, played by Will, and his Orc partner Nick Jacoby, played by Joel Edgerton.

They team up after discovering a powerful wand that attracts a slew of unsavory creatures.

Netflix earlier this year paid $90 million for Bright.

Paying tribute: Will Smith (left, here with eldest son Trey, centre) lost his father Willard Smith Sr (right) this weekend with his ex-wife Sheree Fletcher confirming the news on Instagram
Jinger Duggar was speechless after being proposed to on Tuesday's special edition of Counting On.

The 22-year-old reality star was profiled on the TLC show ahead of her wedding to Jeremy Vuolo.

The one-hour show opened with family patriarch Jim Bob Duggar, 51, teaching teenage Jinger and her cousin Amy how to drive.

Head over heels: Jinger Duggar was profiled on Tuesday's episode of Counting On ahead of her wedding to Jeremy Vuolo

Amy's driving left Jinger screaming in the backseat as her father noted that Jinger is a 'fun person to be around'.

'Let's turn this baby off,' Jinger said during the crazy driving lesson as her father and cousin laughed.

There was more driving as a more current clip showed Jinger and Jeremy, 29, racing go-carts with her siblings.

Jinger also was shown pursuing her interest in photography that started at age 14.

Surprise proposal: Jeremy surprised Jinger with a rooftop proposal in New York City

Televised wedding: Jinger and Jeremy married earlier this month and the ceremony will be shown on Tuesday on Counting On

She took engagement photos for sister Jessa and her then-fiance Ben Seewald at an old chapel.

Jinger also previously took the engagement photos for her sister Jill and Derick Dillard.

'She's very talented,' said her big sister Jessa.

Driving lesson: Jim Bob Duggar was shown giving Jinger and her cousin Amy a driving lesson

Throwback video: Jinger was shown in the throwback photo talking about driving

'We've tried to pay her before, but she won't take any money,' Jessa added.

Jinger also was shown going on a trip to Laredo, Texas to see Jeremy.

She made nail art as a gift for him and he was waiting for her with flowers.

'I saw Jeremy and my heart was just filled with joy,' Jinger said.

Her turn: Jim Bob encouraged Jinger to give manual driving a shot

Driving test: Jinger was escorted by her father as she took her driver's test

Michelle Duggar was shown in a flashback clip encouraging Jinger and Jessa to help a local business.

Jinger and Jessa organized a fundraiser for a coffee shop that supports an orphanage in Guatemala.

The fundraiser was the perfect occasion for Jinger to indulge her love for coffee.

Good idea: Michelle suggested that Jessa and Jinger volunteer to help a local business

Family recipe: Jinger was shown passing on the family bread recipe to little sister Joy

Jinger also was shown teaching her younger sister Joy how to make bread using the family recipe.

She also traveled to meet Jeremy's grandparents and was taught by his grandmother how to make spaghetti and meatballs.

After meeting his parents in Pennsylvania, Jeremy planned a secret proposal in New York City.

Racing aroud: Jeremy joined Jinger and her siblings in a go-kart race

'Jinger's always been very happy, but since she and Jeremy got together, she's head over heels in love,' Jessa remarked.

Jeremy was worried about rain for his rooftop proposal, but received a respite as a rainbow emerged.

'Ginger Nicole, will you marry me?,' Jeremy asked.

No words: Jinger was speechless as Jeremy proposed

Cute couple: Jeremy and Jinger were excited about their upcoming wedding

'Yes,' she replied as they engaged in a side hug.

'I love you with all my heart,' Jeremy said.

'I don't know what to say,' Jinger replied.

'Yes is good enough. Yes is all i need,' Jeremy responded.

Jinger and Jeremy were married earlier this month and their wedding will be shown on Tuesday's episode of Counting On.
Hillary Clinton supporters were desperate to get the vote out.

So that explains why famed director Darren Aronofsky was wandering around the campus of Duke University offering students the chance to Facetime his movie star girlfriend Jennifer Lawrence in return for heading to the polls on Tuesday.

The 47-year-old was snapped on Instagram offering his phone while the Hunger Games star was on the line as he visited the educational establishment, which is located in the key swing state of North Carolina.

Please vote: Hillary Clinton supporter Darren Aronofsky offered Duke University students the chance to Facetime Jennifer Lawrence in return for heading to the polls on Tuesday

Excited Ethan Udell, who posted the picture, was overjoyed to have gotten the chance to chat with the 26-year-old Oscar-winning actress.

He said: 'I just casually FaceTimed with Jennfer Lawrence. Darren Aronofsky is the man.'

However it seems the filmmaker, who was wearing a flat cap, and puffer jacket, rubbed some up the wrong way with his shameless antics.

One student called Maria Espinsoa said: 'When Jennifer Lawrences boyfriend is on campus bribing students to go vote in exchange for a FaceTime with her.'

'The man': Ethan Udell seemed delighted he got the chance to talk to the star

Shameless: But Maria Espinosa mocked the fact he was on campus 'bribing' students

Happy to help: Jennifer was thrilled to come to her much older boyfriend's aid

Things certainly appear to be heating up between Jennifer and her much older new man.

She enjoyed a romantic date with the Black Swan director in New York last week and could not keep her hands off her beau.

The couple were wrapped up in scarves as they strolled holding hands, stopping every now and again to steal a kiss.

They reportedly grew close when they worked on an untitled movie together this summer.

The drama, directed by Aronofsky, is about uninvited guests that disrupt the lives of a couple. The film also stars Michelle Pfeiffer and Javier Bardem.
They sold their historic Sydney mansion earlier this year after relocating to the USA.

But Baz Luhrmann and wife Catherine Martin's lavish Darlinghurst home is still filled with props from their famous films, such as Australia, Moulin Rouge and The Great Gatsby.

And now movie buffs and decor connoisseurs alike will have the opportunity to buy items used in the couple's past productions as well as furniture from their personal collection.

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Selling up! Baz Lurhmann (R) and his wife Catherine Martin (L) have listed props from their movies as well as their own personal items up for auction

Currently listed online by Lawsons Auctioneers, all the pieces will go under the hammer on November 18 at a Sydney auction.

From small statues and vases to ornate bird cages and grand pianos, it seems a wide variety of items from the pair's nine-bedroom property are up for sale.

Moulin Rouge fans can bid on a small bronze Buddha statue or a brightly upholstered chaise lounge from the film musical.

Up for grabs: This bronze Buddha statue is one of the many props from the director's 2001 movie Moulin Rouge up for sale

Part of history: Items such as this chaise lounge from the cabaret film starring Nicole Kidman can be owned for around $300

Movie buff's dream: The props being sold were used in the 2001 film starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor

A grand piano used in rehearsals for the 2001 cabaret film as well as Strictly Ballroom The Musical is estimated to pick up between $5,000 to $7,000.

Meanwhile, a pink vase, a timber bird cage and a pair of wooden dining chairs are some of the items from the 2008 film Australia, starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, up for grabs.

As it stands, die-hard fans of The Great Gatsby are expected to enter a bidding war come auction day, with only a silver alarm clock from the set being listed for sale.

Big ticket item: The grand piano used in rehearsals for Moulin Rouge as well as Strictly Ballroom The Musical is expected to sell for up to $7,000

The chairs that Hugh sat on? This pair of wooden dining chairs were part of the set for 2008 film Australia, starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman

Bargain: This pink Victorian vase from Australia is listed currently holding an $80 bid

One of the more pricey items listed is a desk from the Deco period, presumably from the home office of Baz himself.

And the 54-year-old director is also set to farewell prized items from his garage.

His 1965 E-type Jaguar convertible is expected to sell for up to $95,000, while a Royal Enfield Class Motor Bike will fetch up to $6,000.

Rare item: There appears to only be one item from The Great Gatsby up for sale and that's this silver alarm clock, which is going for well over its predicted top price of $40

Clearing out the garage: Baz's own vintage E-type Jaguar convertible is also up for grabs, and is expected to be sold for around $95,000

A couple of good taste: This wooden draw is also being sold

Stock-take: Items used in the 2008 film starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman are on sale

Baz and his Oscar-winning wife sold their 2167 square-metre mansion earlier this year for an eye-watering $16 million, having lived there since 1997.

The director penned some of his more famous work at the lavish property and it has also played host to plenty of A-list parties in the years.

The couple, who married in 1997, bought the sprawling pad in 2006 for $10 million after renting it for nine years beforehand.

They had planned to sell it three years ago after listing it for $13 million but withdrew it from sale shortly after the property went up on the market.

Sold: The creative couple's lavish home in Sydney's suburb of Darlinghurst sold for a whopping $16 million earlier this year
She recently confirmed her engagement to Mark Andrew Tabone.

And Lisa Curry was simply beaming with happiness as she flaunted her new engagement ring at her morning bootcamp class.

The 54-year-old wore a bright pink vest teamed with polka dot leggings as she joined the class on The Sunshine Coast's Maroochydore beach.

Simply glowing! Lisa Curry was simply beaming with happiness as she flaunted her new engagement ring at her morning bootcamp class

The blonde beauty wore her hair scraped back from her face and her makeup low key.

Strolling happily along the beach, Lisa's weighty platinum ring was spotted on her left finger.

Recently sharing their wonderful engagement news with New Idea magazine, the couple revealed that Mark popped the big question on July 1 during their holiday in Malta.

'I planned exactly how I was going to do it and booked a yacht, a swim in the Blue Lagoon and a sail along the cliffs,' 50-year-old Mark told the publication.

Bling bling! Strolling happily along the beach, Lisa's weighty platinum ring was spotted on her left finger

With a romantic dinner at sunset, complete with plenty of roses, Mark asked Lisa to marry her, and she accepted while shedding tears of joy.

In August the couple spoke to Daily Mail Australia about that same holiday in Malta - where Lisa was introduced to Mark's family.

'Mark had a couple of shows in Canada and then we decided to go to Malta to see his family,' Lisa said.

Runaway bride to be! For Lisa, who separated from Grant Kenny in 2009 after tying the knot in 1984, this engagement marks a significant new chapter in her life

'He had a school reunion over there as well. It was really nice to see everyone.'

For Lisa, who separated from Grant Kenny in 2009 after tying the knot in 1984, this engagement marks a significant new chapter in her life.

'When I found myself single, I became quite happy doing my own thing and honestly thought I would never find anyone worth loving again,' she admitted to New Idea.

In love: Lisa said: 'When I found myself single, I became quite happy doing my own thing and honestly thought I would never find anyone worth loving again'

Lisa confirmed she was dating Mark back in December, just weeks after splitting with boyfriend of five years Joel Walkenhorst, 33.

Meanwhile, it was confirmed in April that Grant had fathered a child with radio personality Fifi Box, 39, after several years of speculation.
She's preparing to wed former Home And Away star Tai Hara.

And Fely Irvine took to Instagram on Tuesday, to share a snap of her flawless bikini body, after celebrating her THIRD, and final, hen's do.

The 27-year-old flaunted her taut torso and lithe legs, while enjoying a short stay at New South Wales' Terrigal Beach.

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Not an inch to pinch! Fely Irvine took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a flawless bikini snap, after celebrating her THIRD, and final, hen's do on New South Wales' Central Coast

'Bring on summer,' Fely captioned the image, alongside the hash-tag: 'fely's getting hitched'.

The beachside snap saw the brunette flaunting her enviably lean frame in a triangle style bikini by label Tigerlily.

Accessorising with a patterned kaftan by Byron Bay label Spell that draped over her lithe arms, Fely shielded her eyes behind a pair of reflective sunglasses.

Shenanigans: Fely has spent the past three days enjoying hen's celebrations with a close group of girlfriends on the Central Coast in New South Wales

Blue beauty: The starlet took to Instagram to share a series of snaps, that saw her sporting a blue wig and strapless white ensemble

Sweeping her long tresses over one side of her face in beach waves, the personality appeared to sport a makeup-free complexion.

Fely has spent the past three days enjoying hen's celebrations with a close group of girlfriends on the Central Coast in New South Wales.

The starlet took to Instagram to share a series of snaps, that saw her sporting a blue wig and strapless white ensemble.

Unconventional: And while some brides-to-be might not let their partners in on the shenanigans, Fely opted to bring fiance Tai Hara (far left), 26, along for her first of THREE hen's parties

Opting for not one, but THREE, hen's parties, Fely kicked off the pre-wedding celebrations with a trip to Las Vegas in September.

And while some brides-to-be might not let their partners in on the shenanigans, Fely opted to bring fiance Tai Hara along.

Fely wore a pink bob wig and a white polka dot dress with a sash.

She flaunted her diamond engagement ring in the snap as she covered her eyes with white cat eye sunglasses.

Poolside: During her stay in Las Vegas, Fely shared a snap of herself emerging out of the water and flaunting her trim figure

Fely wore a headpiece with two shot glasses on either side, with a cheeky sign on it which read: 'I'm tying the knot, buy me a shot.'

Former Home and Away star Tai was meanwhile seen beaming in the background.

Two days prior saw Fely hit the pool in a bikini as she spent time with two female friends.

Bikini babes: Two days prior saw Fely hit the pool in a bikini as she spent time with two female friends

It seemed her first bachelorette party ran over a few days, with Fely writing: 'Just after we got kicked out of the DJ booth at @wetrepublic. #turntup #jokes #stonecoldsober #neveragain #felysgettinghitched #bachelorette #bridetobe.'

A second hen's bash saw Fely enjoying a girl's night out in London just six weeks ago.

Snaps on the starlet's Instagram page saw Fely gallivanting around the city in flirty attire.

Party mode: A second hen's bash saw Fely enjoying a girl's night out in London just six weeks ago

Posing up a storm: Snaps on the starlet's Instagram page saw Fely gallivanting around the city in flirty attire

Fely and Tai announced their engagement in January last year, after getting engaged in Scotland over the Christmas break.

At the time, Tai told New Idea how he hid the ring from Fely while away.

'I'd been carrying the ring around Europe for two weeks wrapped in three different bags and a sock, because it wasn't as if I could hide it in the hotel safe,' he said.
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They have been working on a side project over the course of her nine months pregnancy.

Now Rebecca Judd and husband Chris have put their refurbished four-level Melbourne townhouse on the market for a whopping $1.9 million, with all interiors and accessories included.

The stunning family home was restored as part of the 33-year-old model's online home style series and they will donate all proceeds made on auction day to a local Victorian-based charity.

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Under the hammer: Rebecca Judd and husband Chris have put their refurbished four-level Melbourne townhouse on the market for a whopping $1.9 million

Situated in Prahran, south-east Melbourne, the stylish property has four large bedrooms, with the main taking up the whole of the top floor, featuring a private outdoor terrace, walk-in wardrobe and ensuite.

Two more rooms are located on the first floor, with the area also including a study looking out to the backyard.

The final bedroom is separate to the building and is homed on the ground floor, backing into the two-car garage.

Lots of room: The stylish property has four large bedrooms, with the main taking up the whole of the top floor, featuring a private outdoor terrace, walk-in wardrobe and ensuite

Separated from the parents: Two more rooms are located on the first floor, with the area also including a study area looking out to the backyard

Privacy: The final bedroom is separate to the building and is homed on the ground floor, backing into the two-car garage

Hard goods: The flooring throughout the home, including the bedrooms, is hardwood oak flooring

The home's second floor has been dedicated to a long open-plan living area, including a stunning all-white kitchen.

The area features new marble island benches and white timbered cupboards that are decked around integrated appliances, including a self-cleaning oven.

With three bathrooms throughout the home, all 'boast with premium fixtures and floor-to-ceiling tiles,' according to realestate.com.

One area: The home's second floor has been dedicated to a long open-plan living area, including a stunning all-white kitchen

Classy: The area features new marble island benches, which have a swirl of grey, and white timbered cupboards

Smart: Integrated appliances, including a self-cleaning oven and black taps are also located in the stunning home eating area

The water areas are also accessorised with gold taps and shower heads as well as a light pink feature tile.

The classic grey-toned living area can be heated up for a cool winter's night via the feature fireplace that is built into a panelled wall in the centre of the room.

The family home has hardwood oak flooring throughout and provides a view like no other through its floor-to-ceiling windows and bi-folding doors.

The location's well secured with an intercom and is well lit, both inside and out.

Easy to clean: With three bathrooms throughout the home, all boast with premium fixtures and floor-to-ceiling tiles

Elegant: The water areas are also accessorised with gold taps and shower heads as well as a light pink feature tile

Relaxing: The classic grey-toned living area can be heated up for a cool winter's night via the feature fireplace that is built into a panelled wall in the centre of the room

Kicking back: The outdoor area also has a comfortable tiled area, which allows for plenty of fresh air

It's a 0.76 kilometre walk to South Yarra Primary School and close to Chapel and Greville Streets, Prahran Market and public transport including a train service.

The home is open for inspection and is set to go under the hammer at auction on Sunday, December 4.

According to the Herald Sun, the funds will be granted to a drug rehabilitation charity based in Pakenham called Windana.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted a representative for Rebecca for comment.
Donald Trump becoming president of the United States could be bad news for Geoffrey Edelsten.

The eccentric millionaire's ex-wife Gabi Grecko hinted she might be forced to move back to Australia if the Republican candidate makes it into the White House.

Posting to her Instagram account on Wednesday, the busty blonde uploaded a photo with the words 'I'm terrified' next to the American flag.

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Terrified: Geoffrey Edelsten's ex-wife Gabi Grecko said she was 'terrified' of the prospect of having Donald Trump as president, hinting she could return to Australia

The model returned to the States after her short-lived marriage to the medical entrepreneur broke down.

After tying the knot with the 73-year-old in June 2015 - shortly before her visa was due to expire - the couple lasted just five months before a split was announced.

The 27-year-old recently told Fairfax Media she's still waiting on Geoffrey to send the relevant papers through so they can make their separation official.

Going their separate ways: Gabi says she is still waiting on her ex to send the relevant papers through so that they can finalise their divorce

Short-lived: After getting engaged at the 2015 Melbourne Cup, Gabi and Geoffrey's marriage lasted for just five months before they announced a split

'I have not done this [been divorced] before so I am hoping after he sees my video he will send me the papers for a divorce,' she said.

The video Gabi is referring to is a soft core pornographic film, which she hopes will serve the dual purpose of boosting her career in the adult film industry.

'As far as Geoff is concerned I'm sure he would have a pretty prude, uptight attitude about my video. He never seemed very sexually experienced despite his age,' she told the publication.

Stateside: The 27-year-old is living in New York after leaving Australia in the wake of her separation from the millionaire

'It's a four-part sexual art piece, it has sex mixed with messages about philosophical subjects,' Gabi said of her upcoming film venture.

Meanwhile, her ex has been linked recently to Playboy model Ashley Kirk.

The blonde has has strongly denied she was ever in a relationship with Geoffrey.

Big plans: The model has said she plans to star in a soft core porn film in order to persuade Geoffrey to send through the divorce papers

New flame? Geoffrey meanwhile has been linked recently to Playboy model Ashley Kirk (pictured), but she has has strongly denied she was ever in a relationship with him

But the Melbourne businessman sensationally hit back on Saturday, claiming he has definitive PROOF their romance was genuine.

'She's a liar!' the 73-year-old told Daily Mail Australia, adding that he has 'many text messages' which confirm they were dating.
Valerie Dowden Wells has been shot dead in an apparent murder suicide.

The 47-year-old was a cast member on the 2012 CMT reality show Bayou Billionaires, which featured their family after they struck it rich thanks to mineral rights.

She was found shot multiple times in her car parked in a McDonald's in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Murdered: Bayou Billionaires star Valerie Dowden Wells (in red) has been 'shot dead in murder-suicide by her boyfriend'. She is pictured with her daughters Nikki (second from right) and Jessica, and her son Devyn

She was killed by Robert Paul Gaddy, pictured, who then turned the gun on himself

Sgt. Rod Johnson revealed she was killed by Robert Paul Gaddy, 46, who then turned the gun on himself.

They were both taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead and he later died.

'We know they had a relationship of some type, but I cant tell you if they were friends having a dispute or formerly intimate. We simply dont know at this moment,' Johnson told People magazine.

'We have some guesses, but wed like to back that up with hard facts.'

Reality star: Bayou Billionaires was the 'modern day rags to riches story' of the Dowden family  a hardworking family of modest means who discover their home sits on the fourth largest deposit of natural gas in the United States

Her body was found here in the parking lot of a Louisiana McDonald's

He said Valerie had pulled up to the parking lot around 4pm on Monday, before Gaddy walked up to the side of her vehicle and fired multiple shots.

They had previously been in a relationship, according to KSLA.

Bayou Billionaires executive producer Brian Flanagan told People that Gaddy 'is a man [Wells] knew from high school, who she recently started dating.'

'She was a sweetheart. Valerie suffered from MS, but she was incredibly strong,' Flanagan said. 'She was ill for a very long time but worked through it. She always had a smile on her face. She was sunshine walking through a room, and its incredibly sad news.'

Flanagan was informed of the news via a text from Valerie's mother Kitten.

'Its complete heartbreak, he said, adding the family 'is not doing well'.

Bayou Billionaires was the 'modern day rags to riches story' of the Dowden family  a hardworking family of modest means who discover their home sits on the fourth largest deposit of natural gas in the United States. The show first aired in 2012.

Valerie is survived by her three children.

Her parents Kitten and Gerald Dowden, wrote on their personal Facebook page: 'This is really hard on us and her children. It is out of order. No parents should have to go through this.'

Valerie worked at a public defender's office. A friend described her in a Facebook post as 'kind and giving'.
Seth Meyers fulfilled his civic duty on Tuesday by voting with his wife and baby boy in New York City.

The 42-year-old comedian carried his seven-month-old son Ashe in a front baby carrier.

Seth was joined by his human rights lawyer wife Alexi Ashe.

Civic duty: Seth Meyers carried his son Ashe on Tuesday while voting in New York City

The Late Night With Seth Meyers host kept it casual in a dark jacket, faded jeans and grey trainers.

The former Saturday Night Live star was clean shaven and smiling as he headed to his polling place.

Alexi was stylish with a black sweater, black skinny trousers and a long beige coat.

She completed her outfit with grey sneakers and had her blonde hair gathered in a low messy bun.

Family affair: The chat show host was joined by wife Alexi Ashe

Ashe was bundled up in a blue jacket and blue and grey beanie cap.

Seth on his late-night NBC talk show has been a consistent critic of Donald Trump.

Back in June he offered the Republican Party presidential nominee his own 13-episode scripted series on NBC if he dropped out of the race.

Cute kid: Ashe was bundled up in blue while being carried by Seth

Holding hands: Seth and Alexi held hands as they headed to their polling place

Seth also impersonated him in August while giving a preview of the proposed show Chicago President.

'He's like a Bond villain, except instead of stroking a cat, he probably uses his own hair,' Seth joked on Monday's show about the GOP candidate.

Seth and Alexi have been married since September 2013 and welcomed Ashe in March.
He plays member of the Ministry of Magic Newt Scamander in his upcoming flick.

And it looks like Eddie Redmayne is a wiz with his co-stars.

The 34-year-old actor cuddled up with Katherine Waterston as they attended the Canadian premiere of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them on Tuesday night.

Wiz team: Eddie Redmayne cuddled up with co-star Katherine Waterston as they attended the Canadian premiere of Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them on Tuesday night

Eddie was happy to be joined by his 36-year-old co-star as they posed on the red carpet of the event held at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto, Canada.

Eddie looked smart in a black suit over a crisp white dress shirt.

The new father finished off the look with with a patterned red tie and black leather dress shoes as his hair was elegantly dishevelled.

Katherine looked fantastic in a matching black jacket and trousers combination over a white T-shirt.

Dynamic duo: The 34-year-old actor and his 36-year-old co-star as they posed on the red carpet of the event held at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto, Canada

Dapper: The actor looked smart in a black suit over a crisp white dress shirt and finished off the look with with a patterned red tie and black leather dress shoes

She sported a pair of black patent leather lace-up booties as her short brunette tresses were combed to the side.

In the new flick Eddie plays the lead of Newt Scamander, a wizard who inadvertently unleashes a plague of magical beasts on the city of New York - seventy years before Harry Potter reads his book at Hogwarts.

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them hits screens on November 17.

A wiz with the fans: He signed autographs for fans waiting outside of the event

Friendly: He even gave some the thrill of a lifetime by posing with them

No doubt it is an exciting time in the actor's life as he welcomed daughter Iris Mary in June with wife Hanna Bagshawe.

Eddie and the 33-year-old PR executive wed in Babington House in Somerset just before Christmas 2014 and confirmed they were expecting a baby in January this year.

Just months after their romantic Winter Wonderland-themed wedding, Eddie went on to win the Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory Of Everything.
There was little sign of the drama that was about to unfold as Karlie Kloss made her way to the polling station on Tuesday afternoon.

The American supermodel, 24, cut a typically stylish figure as she prepared to cast her vote in what has arguably been the most dramatic Presidential race in recent memory.

Opting for a personalised varsity jacket with her first name embroidered into its right breast, Karlie stood out while making her way through a busy downtown Manhattan.

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Casting her vote: There was little sign of the drama that was about to unfold as Karlie Kloss made her way to the polling station in New York City on Tuesday afternoon

An on-trend roll neck sweater and cream slacks completed a rather subdued ensemble, while shimmering silver pumps gave it a distinctive flourish.

In keeping with her understated look the statuesque model opted to select her make-up from a natural colour palette, thus serving to accentuate her naturally pretty features.

Drawing further attention to her features the Chicago born model opted to draw her willowy hair into a stylish top knot.

Looking good: The American supermodel, 24, cut a typically stylish figure as she prepared to cast her vote in what has arguably been the most dramatic Presidential race in recent memory

Personal touch: Opting for a personalised varsity jacket with her first name embroidered into its right breast, Karlie stood out while making her way through a busy downtown Manhattan

Fashion first: An on-trend roll neck sweater and cream slacks completed a rather subdued ensemble, while shimmering silver pumps gave it a distinctive flourish

A single gold pendant provided a focal point as she strolled to the polling booth carrying a tote bag in her right hand.

Meanwhile, Karlie, who was a regular in the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show since 2011 eventually became an official 'Angel' in 2013, only to leave the lingerie brand in 2015.

This year's show will mark her return to the VS runway for the first time since 2014.

Natural beauty: In keeping with her understated look the statuesque model opted to select her make-up from a natural colour palette

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which normally takes place in New York City - excluding the London show in 2014 - will happen in Paris this year.

The 2016 show will tape on November 30 at the Grand Palais, but won't air on CBS until December 5.
Donald Trump isn't the only one celebrating his triumphant win in the US presidential election.

Sunrise presenter Samantha Armytage announced on Wednesday that she is set to bring home a small fortune after betting on Trump winning the election six months ago.

Taking to Twitter, the 40-year-old wrote: 'Would now be a good time to confess that, 6 months ago, I (randomly) put $100 on Trump to win. He was paying 100-1.'

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Cha-ching! Sunrise presenter Samantha Armytage announced on Wednesday that she is set to bring home a small fortune after betting on Trump winning the election six months ago

Comedian Scott Dooley responded to the Tweet by referencing the Sunrise 'Cash Cow' segment, Tweeting: 'The real cash cow?'

'It was a bet I was happy to lose.....,' Samantha responded.

Another fan piped up with: 'Maybe you could set up a fund for those citizens who want to move out of the US!!'

Cash cow! Taking to Twitter, she wrote: 'Would now be a good time to confess that, 6 months ago, I (randomly) put $100 on Trump to win. He was paying 100-1'

Poking fun: One fan responded to the Tweet by referencing the Sunrise 'Cash Cow' segment, Tweeting: 'The real cash cow?'

There's an idea! Another fan piped up with: 'Maybe you could set up a fund for those citizens who want to move out of the US!!'

Donald Trump won the race to the White House race on Wednesday this week.

Taking the stage amid chants of USA from the audience, Trump presented his first speech as President.

'I come to this moment deeply humbled, grateful to God for his amazing grace,' he said.

Trumpland: Donald Trump won the race to the White House race on Wednesday this week

'I am mostly grateful to our president-elect, whose leadership and vision will make America great again,'

'Let me say, it's my high honor and distinct privilege to introduce to you the President-Elect of the United States of America - Donald Trump.

Hours earlier, Trump confounded pollsters at every turn, capturing one 'swing' state after another.
She's set to welcome her first child with fiance Rob Kardashian.

And Blac Chyna has fuelled speculation she might have gone into labour after Keeping Up With The Kardashians star Rob shared a picture of a baby's car seat in their Bentley alongside the caption, 'We ready'.

No sooner had he posted the image on Tuesday that he deleted it again, but not before eagle-eyed fans had spotted it.

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Baby joy? Blac Chyna has fuelled speculation she might have gone into labour after partner Rob Kardashian shared a picture of a baby's car seat in their Bentley alongside the caption, 'We ready'

Blac Chyna's mother Tokyo Toni also added further fuel to the rumours with a since deleted video of herself in her car, informing her Instagram followers, 'Im here, yeah! My baby on her way.'

However, Blac Chyna herself appeared to dispel the claims once and for all by sharing an Instagram video of herself in her car.

'When everybody is waiting for your baby girl to be born, but you're just chilling in your Rolls Royce #Blacchyna', the 28-year-old posted alongside the video of herself pouting said.

Rumour mill: Blac Chyna's mother Tokyo Toni also added further fuel to the rumours with a since deleted video of herself in her car, informing her Instagram followers, 'Im here, yeah! My baby on her way'

Chilling: Blac Chyna herself appeared to dispel the claims once and for all by sharing an Instagram video of herself in her car

MailOnline has contacted Blac Chyna's representative for comment.

This comes after Rob, 29, shared some fun snaps of the pregnant star pulling faces with his 7.5 million followers on Instagram.

The images showed Chyna, 28, wearing a long-sleeved brown maternity tee along with a matching designer cap.

Reality star: Rob also took to Instagram on Tuesday to share snaps of pregnant Blac Chyna

Chyna had her baby bump on display in one picture as she faced the camera with an open mouth smile.

Rob shared another pic of Chyna flashing a dimple as she grinned with her chin resting on her hand.

The photos appeared to be taken in a restaurant during reality show filming.

Chyna is due on November 16.

Cute smile: Chyna flashed a dimple in a tender snap shared by Rob

She took over Kim Kardashian's website this week as Rob's older sister continues her break following her Paris robbery ordeal.

Chyna is expecting a baby girl with Rob.

She also has a four-year-old son King Cairo with former fiance Tyga.

Whirlwind romance: Rob and Chyna, shown in May in Las Vegas, are expecting their first child together

Tyga, 26, after splitting with Chyna has been in a relationship with Rob's half-sister Kylie Jenner, 19.

Chyna and Rob started dating in January, got engaged in April and revealed they were expecting in May.

The couple revealed on their E! reality show Rob & Chyna that they were expecting a girl.
His last single, 'Candle,' under-performed on the ARIA charts.

But it looks like Guy Sebastian is well and truly back on top now after his new track, 'Set In Stone,' shot straight to No. 1 on Australian iTunes this week.

Shortly after the song topped the chart, Guy's wife Jules and their two sons took to Instagram to congratulate the Australian Idol winner on his big comeback.

'Congrats on making it to number 1 babe! We're so proud!' Guy Sebastian's wife Jules and their two sons took to social media to congratulate him on topping iTunes

'Congrats on making it to number 1 babe! We're so proud!' Jules wrote to her 101,000 Instagram followers.

In the image, the 35-year-old blogger and YouTuber holds a large 'number one' balloon while smiling alongside her and Guy's two young boys, Hudson and Archer.

The beauty has every reason to smile, as the romantic power ballad was actually partly written about her.

Hitmaker: Guy's new power ballad 'Set In Stone' was partly inspired by his wife Jules

According to news.com.au, the lyrics were inspired by a few experiences Guy went through which had him missing his wife.

One saw him confronted by a flirty fan, while another, more serious incident, saw Guy witness a young Balinese boy tragically killed in a motor accident while he was on his way to a songwriting camp in Bali.

'When something like that happens, I just want to go home. I hate when Im away,' he told the publication.

The X Factor judge is currently working on a new EP, slated for release later this year.
After seemingly endless weeks of gruelling challenges within the Port Melbourne 1920s art deco building, renovations have come to an end for The Block.

And the twelfth series, labelled as 'the biggest Block yet', saw five teams deliver 60 room reveals over 11 weeks.

As the six apartments get set to go for auction this week, the furnished and finished rooms have been unveiled to the public and potential buyers.

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'The biggest Block yet': After seemingly endless weeks of gruelling challenges within the Port Melbourne 1920s art deco building, renovations have come to an end for The Block, with the auctions of the six apartments, which will air on Sunday

Open for inspection! Take a peek inside The Block couples' Melbourne apartments before they go under the hammer

The Blockheads are believed to be hoping for figures in the millions for their hard work throughout the series, but their official reserve prices are yet to be announced.

The five teams tireless work has transformed the once derelict building into 'the biggest luxury apartments ever seen' according to the Nine Network.

Now, The Block contestants - partners Julia and Sasha, best mates Andy and Ben, married couple Chris and Kim, Baby Boomers couple Dan and Carleen and engaged partners Karlie and Will - are looking forward to their potential pay day, which airs on Sunday.

CHRIS & KIM:

Early struggles: Things weren't easy starting out for the couple from Newcastle, as judges were continually unimpressed by their inability to follow the requested deco style

Things weren't easy starting out for the couple from Newcastle, as judges were continually unimpressed by their inability to follow the requested deco style.

They chose to add a wow factor in their living area with a repurposed brick feature wall and earthy tones.

Despite their attempt to offer a warm, homely and family-friendly vibe in the design, the judges didn't warm to it.

Mixing textures: Their choice of using timber for the breakfast bar among the white marble was the first thing that caught the judges attention

Exposed brick: They chose to make a repurposed brick feature wall in their living room, but the judges were less than impressed

Spacious! Scoring high in the judges books was the team's MASSIVE master bedroom, complete with a walk-in wardrobe, ensuite and lounge room combo

However, they did win the judges over with their winning terraces and glam master bedroom.

Possibly one of the largest master bedrooms of the series' history, it included a walk-in wardrobe and a lounge room combo as well as an ensuite.

Judge Darren's initial reaction to the massive master was 'this is insane', which also led to high votes from the fellow judges.

DAN & CARLEEN:

Seasoned professionals! The baby boomers from Perth had renovated extensively before the show, but struggled to get the judges approval on their rooms earlier on in the series

Much like Chris and Kim, the baby boomers from Perth struggled to get the judges approval at the start of the series.

Dan and Carleen managed to turn their luck around though and received top ratings for their kitchen, living and dining area and main bathroom.

Their entire apartment subtly hints at the original art deco theme of the building, while adding equal masculine and feminine tones throughout.

Modern! Entering their modern dining and living room, judge Neale said: 'They've actually taken the deco theme and turned up the dial... But overall the space feels very modern.'

Comeback! Dan and Carleen managed to turn their luck around and received top ratings for their kitchen, living and dining area and main bathroom

Complimenting tones: Their entire apartment subtly hints at the original art deco theme of the building, while adding equal masculine and feminine tones throughout

Upon entering their modern dining and living room, judge Neale said: 'They've actually taken the deco theme and turned up the dial... But overall the space feels very modern.'

The rest of their design also took on a modern appeal, with thick wood panelling, 1970s touches and patterned textiles.

Their unusual bathroom textiles were also praised by judge Darren: 'They've done a great job of getting all the trend notes touched and still delivered something that feels like it's from a bygone era.'

KARLIE & WILL:

Top scores! Karlie and Will consistently impressed the judges during the series and even scored a perfect 30/30 for their kitchen

While other couples had previous renovating or construction experience going into the hit reality series, it was one of the youngest teams that surprised them all.

The 25-year-old engaged high school sweethearts Karlie and Will impressed the judges from week one, taking out multiple room wins in the process.

Their apartment offered an elegant and expensive decor, using plenty of dark neutrals to tie in each room's looks to the next.

Surprise front-runners! While other couples had previous renovating or construction experience going into the hit reality series, the young team surprised them all week after week with their stunning reveals

Strategic! The pair also made use of their ground-floor apartment, by using the extra outdoor space to install a spectacular terrace that the other couple's couldn't compete with

'It works so well': Judge Shaynna praised their overall colour palette of their apartment working flawlessly through all of their rooms

One of their many triumphant wins included their winning kitchen, which they scored a perfect 30/30 for.

Judge Shaynna praised the colour palette of the kitchen design, adding 'it works so well with what they've been doing in the other rooms'.

The pair also made use of their ground-floor apartment, by using the extra outdoor space to install a spectacular terrace that the other couple's couldn't compete with.

ANDY & BEN:



Winging it: The youngest of the teams, the two male teachers from Victoria, went into the series apparently without any experience, saying: 'you dont need any experience, just a can-do attitude.'

The youngest of the teams, the two male teachers from Victoria, went into the series apparently without any experience.

They claimed on the show to not 'know what they're doing' and were often awarded low scores for their room reveals.

Going into the series, they said: 'Well show you that you dont need any experience, just a can-do attitude.'

Not stylists: While their furnishing choices were questioned by the judges, it appears their core, modern and functional elements could still win them over with buyers or investors

Pricey bachelor pad? The judges did note on more than one occasion that the apartment felt like it was designed for males in mind, calling their master bedroom resembled a bachelor pad

Simple touches: The guys chose a minimal design for their terrace, but Judge Darren thought it was 'an outdoor space made by two men, for a group of men.'

While their furnishing choices were questioned by the judges, it appears their core, modern and functional elements could still win them over with buyers or investors.

The judges did note on more than one occasion that the apartment felt like it was designed for males in mind.

'This is an outdoor space made by two men, for a group of men,' said Darren of their terrace, while the judges all agreed heir master bedroom gave a 'bachelor pad' vibe.

JULIE & SASHA:

Pretty and pastel: Julie and Sasha offered a distinctly feminine feel with their renovations with pastels, soft textures and rose gold accents

Counteracting Andy and Ben's masculine apartment, Julie and Sasha offered a distinctly feminine feel with their renovations.

The fiery couple from Melbourne were seen on-screen with tears, tantrums and tiffs with fellow contestants and tradies, but the rooms always delivered with the judges.

'Julia and Sasha have really walked that line of a really simple palette with luxury touch points,' said judge Darren.

Highest scoring rooms: Their vibrant terrace and master bedroom were the couple's highest scoring rooms of their renovation journey, but their other rooms always delivered well with the show's three judges

'luxury touch points': Judge Darren described the apartment's design as having 'walked that line of a really simple palette with luxury touch points.'

Urban jungle! The sun-drenched terrace incorporated a barbecue, pot plants and leaf design pillows, which the judges praised as: 'This is what you expect a terrace to be in these apartments.'

Their vibrant terrace and master bedroom were the couple's highest scoring rooms of their renovation journey.

The sun-drenched terrace incorporated a barbecue, pot plants and leaf design pillows, which the judges praised as: 'This is what you expect a terrace to be in these apartments.'

While their elegant eye for detail throughout their apartment had the look labelled 'Hollywood Regency.'

What a view! The five couple's apartments, and the surprise sixth apartment, will share a rooftop terrace and garden

Three teams will have a portion of the reserve cut from the auction price, with each team taking home any money a buyer makes over the reserve.

The apartments are believed to be worth $2 million or more, each.

Viewers can tune in for the auction results on Sunday November 13, from 7pm on the Nine Network.

While The Block is set to be renewed in 2017, applications for the next season are yet to be formally announced.
She's a devoted mother, rarely seen without her three children.

But Jennifer Garner, 44, made a rare solo appearance on Tuesday as she enjoyed a shopping spree at Barneys in California.

The 13 Going On 30 actress showed off her natural flare for fashion in a sophisticated turtle neck and skirt combo as she headed out of the LA department store.

Leggy lady: Jennifer Garner, 44, showed off her natural flare for fashion on Tuesday as she enjoyed a shopping spree at Barney's in California.

The Daredevil star looked every inch the yummy mummy as she opted for a monochrome ensemble featuring a white tie-neck jumper and thigh-grazing mini skirt.

Accentuating her long and lithe legs, Jennifer teetered on towering strappy black stilettos, while looking ready for business with a notebook in hand.

The American beauty shielded her eyes from the beaming Californian sun with oversized sunglasses as she kept her makeup simple with just a slick of nude lipstick.

Jennifer's long chestnut tresses billowed in the Autumn breeze while she made her swift exit from the shopping mall.

Stunner: Accentuating her long and lithe legs, Jennifer teetered on towering strappy black stilettos, while looking ready for business with a notebook in hand

Ready for business: The Daredevil star looked every inch the yummy mummy as she opted for a monochrome ensemble featuring a white tie-neck jumper and thigh-grazing mini skirt

Pearly whites: Jennifer looked in high spirits as she shared a joke with her shopping partner

On Tuesday, Jennifer and her estranged husband Ben Affleck exercised their right to vote as they were spotted together after casting their ballots in Brentwood on Election Day.

The former couple proudly brandished their I Voted stickers as they stepped out in the upscale community in West Los Angeles.

No doubt the pair were honoured to have their voices be heard during the 2016 presidential election.

Jennifer kept things sporty for the occasion in a black sweatshirt with a broken heart symbol, leggings, and teal trainers.

Style queen: Jennifer's long chestnut tresses billowed in the Autumn breeze while she made her swift exit from the shopping mall

She means business: The mother-of-three strutted to her awaiting car as she left the LA department store

Casting their ballots: Jennifer and her estranged husband Ben Affleck exercised their right to vote as they were spotted together after casting their ballots in Brentwood on Election Day

Doing their part: No doubt the pair were honoured to have their voices be heard during the 2016 presidential election

If her outfit was anything to go by, it looked like the Alias actress was ready to hit the gym.

She had her brunette tresses pulled back into a ponytail, and topped the look off with black sunglasses.

Her ex-husband, meanwhile, wore his I Voted sticker above his button-up shirt, which he teamed with dark grey trousers and white sneakers.

The Argo actor also rocked a noticeably full beard.

Friendly: Jennifer and Ben, pictured in September in Santa Monica, announced they were splitting last year, but the former couple have remained on good terms ever since then

Jennifer and Ben announced they were splitting last year, but the former couple have remained on good terms ever since then.

The former couple, who were married for 10 years before announcing their split, are rumored to have reconciled.

Their cordial relationship sparked the rumors, especially after Jennifer recently traveled to England at the same time as Ben.

They are parents to three children together: Samuel and daughters Seraphina, seven, and Violet, 10.
They were both guests at the 2016 MTV EMAs last weekend.

And Geordie Shore's Gary 'Gaz' Beadle finally came face-to-face with his ex-girlfriend Charlotte Crosby at the Rotterdam based ceremony on Sunday night, in a meeting that was reported to have been 'frosty'.

The Lothario has now confessed their red carpet reunion wasn't as bad as it seemed, admitting that it 'went fine' considering the animosity between them.

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Red carpet run-in: Geordie Shore's Gary 'Gaz' Beadle finally came face-to-face with his ex-girlfriend Charlotte Crosby at the Rotterdam based ceremony on Sunday night

Speaking on the Kyle & Jackie O Show on Sydneys KIIS 1065, Gaz said: 'We just walked in and kinda gave a nod.

'We sort of been through a lot. But actually no, it went fine.'

The Sun Online previously claimed the atmosphere was 'frosty' when they bumped into one another on the red carpet.

A source told the website: 'It all looked a bit frosty when they met but it was inevitable theyd see each other.

Awards show: Gaz, pictured with Geordie Shore's Nathan Henry and Chloe Ferry, has now confessed their reunion wasn't as bad as it seemed, admitting that it 'went fine' considering the animosity between them

'Charlotte and Gaz walked the carpet alone but when they were inside they ran into each other.

'They gave each other a hug and stood talking for a couple of minutes before they went off in different directions.'

Charlotte and Gaz have had little interaction since the bubbly blonde quit the show this summer in a bid to escape their toxic five-year on/off romance.

Her exit came after she revealed she had suffered an ectopic pregnancy while he appeared on Ex On The Beach this Spring.

The pair ended things when it emerged Gaz had slept with a contestant on the reality show prior to finding out about Charlotte being pregnant - and in hospital.

Moving on: Charlotte and Gaz have had little interaction since the bubbly blonde quit the show this summer in a bid to escape their toxic five-year on/off romance

New man: Charlotte has since moved on, enjoying a string of dates with male model Ash Harrison, who appears to be spoiling her with romantic gestures

Charlotte has since moved on, enjoying a string of dates with male model Ash Harrison.

She told MailOnline the pair were taking things slowly, saying: 'It's lovely. It's great going out and being treated to going out for meals is lovely. So far so good.'

And it seems their blossoming flirtation is going from strength to strength, with the reality star taking to Instagram to share a picture of his latest romantic gesture.

'When your alseep, but get woken up with SUNFLOWERS happiest sleep morning head. Very very lucky girl (sic)', she wrote.

Meanwhile, Gaz appears to be smitten with Emma McVey, who was previously in a relationship with former TOWIE star Mario Falcone.
She shared an impassioned Instagram post slamming Donald Trump following his election as the 45th US President.

Now, Australia's Next Top Model alum Simone Holtznagel has now offered to marry a American man in order to help him gain Australian citizenship in the wake of Trump's presidency.

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday night, the 23-year-old Guess model uploaded a photo of herself posing seductively on a bed with the caption: 'Going to bed to try and forget about this BS day,'

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'If you're looking for an escape plan': Australia's Next Top Model alum Simone Holtznagel has now offered to marry a American man in order to help him gain Australian citizenship in the wake of Trump's election as US President

'BUT BEFORE I GO - PSA: if you're looking for an escape plan.. I'm an Australian citizen & I'm single.'

The busty playboy model continued: 'Pls form an orderly queue 'Merican boyz #wassup #kidding #butseriously #election2016 #tb.'

It's unclear as to whether Simone's offer was made in jest.

For real? It's unclear as to whether Simone's offer was made in jest

Emotional: Hours earlier, the LA-based beauty, penned an impassioned essay on Instagram following the announcement of Trump winning the US election

Hours earlier, the LA-based beauty, penned an impassioned essay on Instagram following the announcement of Trump winning the US election.

'LETS ALL GRAB EACH OTHERS P****** AS WE "CONGRATULATE" THIS ABSOLUTE MONGREL FOR BECOMING THE 45TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,' she wrote.

'I know you can't fight hate with hate, and I know me name calling is just as bad as Trump name calling but I'm at such a loss for words right now that all I can be is angry,'

Back on home turf! Simone recently returned to her Australian homeland to serve as a bridesmaid for her older sister's wedding

'May the odds be ever in your favor America.... #GodSpeed #SickJoke,' she concluded.

Simone recently returned to her Australian homeland to serve as a bridesmaid for her older sister's wedding.

In one photo taken during the ceremony, Simone was seen posing in a powder blue pencil dress with three bridesmaids and her bride-to-be sister.
Penny Lancaster revealed she went to extreme lengths to make sure she experienced a pleasurable birth with her two children.

Talking rather honestly on Loose Women on Wednesday, the 45-year-old said she went to see a doula who taught her to how to massage her perineum, [the area between the anus and the scrotum or vulva.]

She said: 'My mother gave birth drug-free so I wanted to do that. I wanted to feel it all. I went to see a holistic Hindu lady and she taught me meditation.

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'She taught me to massage my perineum': Penny Lancaster told Loose Women on Wednesday she experienced 'euphoric highs' during childbirth after a doula showed her the way

You what? The rest of the panel, including Coleen Nolan were rather taken aback by the revelation

'We listened to calming music and I felt so connected to my baby that tears fell down my face.

'She showed me how to massage my perineum, it can tear when you are forcing the baby out. So you stretch it with oils and lubricant, which can help with childbirth.

Penny and Rod, 71, are parents to Alastair, ten, and five-year-old Aiden.

She said: 'She showed me how to massage my perineum, it can tear when you are forcing the baby out. So you stretch it with oils and lubricant, which can help with childbirth'

Adding: 'We listened to calming music and I felt so connected to my baby that tears fell down my face'

The couple began dating in 1999 and welcomed their children before officially tying the knot in Portofino, Italy in June 2007.

Penny was quick to say that this might not be for everyone and people should feel free to have an epidural if they want one.

And Coleen Nolan asked her how exactly the doula showed her how to do the massage, while trying to suppress her giggles.

Happy families: Penny and Rod, 71, are parents to Alastair, ten, and five-year-old Aiden and Penny said she managed to enjoy both labours after getting into a meditative state

She said: 'She put my finger there and encouraged my hand in the right direction in a circular motion. It did the trick.

'I found it pleasurable,' she continued. 'I went into an almost hypnotic state in labour and I was imagining the baby in my arms. '

Anne Diamond chimed in with: 'I've had five children.'

And Coleen said to her: 'What did you massage?' to much laughter.

She said: 'She put my finger there and encouraged my hand in the right direction in a circular motion. It did the trick'

Oh dear: Anne said she has had five children but didn't have such a good time
The Australian Olympic swimmer kept her engagement a secret for more than three months.

But, Lisa Curry has now begun sharing all the romantic details of the special occasion, which took place whilst overseas with her now fiance.

The Australian champion, 54, spoke to Today Extra on Tuesday to reveal how her Elvis impersonator Mark Tabone sprung a surprise proposal on her.

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'It was at sunset with roses and music': Lisa Curry revealed details about her romantic engagement in Malta and plans for her future wedding with fiance Mark Tabone on Tuesday's episode of Today Extra

They officially became engaged on the July 1st, and Lisa said 'it was pretty hard' keeping it a secret for so long.

The sporting star mentioned to the hosts the pair were overseas in Canada while Mark was performing and he changed plans to go to Malta - where he has family.

Mark, who has a career as an Elvis impersonator, had secretly planned a perfect evening for Lisa where he would ask her to marry him.

Love me tender: Mark, who has a career as an Elvis impersonator, secretly planned the last-minute trip to Malta with a perfect proposal awaiting for Lisa

'He hired a yacht and had his friend play guitar. It was at sunset with roses and music playing,' the golden girl described the setting.

'He held my hand, told me how he felt, got down on one knee and popped the question,' she said while wearing her new engagement ring.

When asked about their upcoming wedding, she kept the journalist's guessing by giving a vague answer.

'He hired a yacht and had his friend play guitar': Lisa described the romantic evening, complete with a serenade, where Mark told her how he felt before getting down on one knee

'To be honest we haven't actually though too much about it, we know where and how, but don't know when. But when might be dependent on where we go on a honeymoon,' Lisa said.

The athlete with 30 international swimming medals to her name recently spoke to New Idea, saying this engagement marked a significant new chapter in her life.

'When I found myself single, I became quite happy doing my own thing and honestly thought I would never find anyone worth loving again,' she admitted.

'He really likes Mark': The swim star has maintained an amicable and supportive relationship with her ex-husband Grant Kenny, who she says is really happy for the both of them

She ended her 23-year marriage with Ironman Grant Kenny in 2009, but have managed to maintain an amicable and supportive relationship since.

Lisa shares three adult children with Grant, who has since fathered a child with Australian media personality Fifi Box.

The former competition swimmer says her whole family is very close and they're all very excited for the upcoming wedding, including Grant.

' Grant and I still get on extremely well. He really likes mark, he's really happy for us,' she told Today Extra hosts David Campbell and Sonia Kruger.

Close family: Lisa says her whole family is very close and they're all very excited for the upcoming wedding

Recently sharing their wonderful engagement news with New Idea magazine, Mark talked about popping the big question during their unplanned European getaway.

'I planned exactly how I was going to do it and booked a yacht, a swim in the Blue Lagoon and a sail along the cliffs,' 50-year-old told the publication.

The happy couple are yet to reveal any further details about their wedding.
Kim Kardashian is still struggling to move past the traumatic events of October 3 when she was robbed at gunpoint in Paris.

The 36-year-old star, who is living a quieter life these days following the incident, is reportedly having daily counseling to help her deal with the aftermath.

'She's been having nightmares and flash-backs' a family source told Us Weekly.

Seeking help: Kim Kardashian is reportedly having daily therapy sessions to help her overcome the trauma of being robbed at gunpoint in Paris last month

Kim is staying largely holed up at home in Los Angeles with her two children North, three and Saint, 11 months.

She has also stopped documenting her life on Instagram and Snapchat and has cancelled all public appearances.

The KUWTK star is reportedly 'paranoid', having trouble sleeping and is 'talking to a therapist every day' usually via Skype, phone or in person.

Another source told the magazine that Kim's therapy session are not as frequent.

However, friends of the star insist she's doing better than she was.

Caitlyn Jenner's BFF Candis Cayne told the website that the I Am Cait star has been checking in with Kim regularly and that the mother-of-two is 'getting through it'.

'She's been having nightmares and flash-backs' a family source said of the reality star (pictured on October 6) since the terrifying ordeal

The 36-year-old KUWTK star is reportedly 'paranoid' and not sleeping well after the incident

For now, Kim is enjoying being a devoted mother and spending quality time with her children as well as husband Kanye West when he's not away on tour.

The rapper has reportedly been 'amazing' in the wake of the horrifying heist.

The couple also believe Kim had guardian angels in the form of Kanye's deceased mother Donda and Kim's late father Robert.

A source said the duo feel like Donda and Robert were 'watching over' Kim and that's why she didn't get hurt.

After staying indoors for almost a month, Kim first emerged in front of cameras on October 24, stepping out with pal Jonathan Cheban to get frozen yogurt.

Kept her out of harm's way: Kanye and Kim believe his deceased mother Donda and Kim's late father Robert were watching over her on the night of the robbery

Low-key life: Kim is staying largely holed up at home in Los Angeles with her two children North, three and Saint, 11 months

The same week she sat in the audience to support West at his Saint Pablo concert in Los Angeles.

On Kendall's birthday last week, Kim avoided cameras by entering restaurant Catch LA through a garage door.

Inside the E! star was reportedly in high spirits and 'very social and smiling'.

She surrounded herself with three off-duty cops acting as bodyguards for the evening after firing longtime security Pascal Duvier.

'The robbery made her reevaluate what's important in life. She will be more careful and more private now.' an insider told Us Weekly.

Kim was robbed at gunpoint by a group of men inside her Paris apartment who made off with $11 million worth of jewelry.
She was rushed to hospital last week with a mystery illness.

And Stephanie Davis revealed she is still feeling 'a little under the weather' despite being discharged from hospital.

The 23-year-old actress was taken into accident and emergency last Wednesday after being struck down with a mystery illness, and although she was discharged on Monday, she revealed she she is still not feeling '100 per cent better.'

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On the mend: She was rushed to hospital last week with a mystery illness. And Stephanie Davis revealed she is still feeling 'a little under the weather' despite being discharged from hospital

Speaking about her well-being on her column with OK! Online, which was published on Wednesday, she wrote: 'Thank you all so much for all your well wishes - and I'm sorry I haven't been able to update the blog for a while.

'I am still a little under the weather, but when I'm feeling 100 per cent, I'll be back updating you with the latest from me and bump!

'Until then, hugs and kisses! Steph and bump x'.

Soon to be parents: Steph, 23, was taken into hospital last Wednesday after being struck down with a mystery illness, but assured fans her unborn baby with Jeremy McConnell is well

This news comes after the former Hollyoaks star, who is expecting a baby boy with her ex-boyfriend Jeremy McConnell, sparked fears she'd gone into early labour after her presence on Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram came to a halt last week.

However, rumours she had welcomed a tiny tot into the world were hushed after a spokesperson for the star spoke out about Stephanie's illness.

They announced: 'We can confirm Stephanie has been in hospital since Wednesday 2nd November due to an illness and is currently undergoing further tests.

'Stephanie has been subject to a number of rumours online the last few days regarding her pregnancy.

'We would like to confirm Stephanie has not given birth and her baby is doing well.'

Bumping along nicely: This news comes after the former Hollyoaks star, who is expecting a baby boy with her ex-boyfriend Jeremy McConnell, sparked fears she'd gone into early labour

Over: The announcement came as Jeremy, 26, - who has denied being the father of her unborn child - took to social media to delete all negative comments about his ex

The announcement came as Jeremy, 26, - who has denied being the father of her unborn child - took to social media to delete all negative comments about his ex.

This wasn't the first time the Celebrity Big Brother star was admitted to hospital during her pregnancy.

She previously revealed that she believed she had gone into early labour and made a dash down to A&E during her second trimester.

She explained: 'I ended up going to hospital. My mum was going to call an ambulance.

'They checked me out and they actually thought I was in early labour because I was having what they thought was early contractions.'
He will step into the shoes of the role that launched Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield into stardom.

And Tom Holland revealed he 'went ballistic' when he found out that he was to be the next web slinging superhero in Spider-Man: Homecoming through a most unconventional way.

'I was in my bed scrolling through Instagram. Marvel just posted a photo saying go to our website and find out who the next Spider-Man is,' the 20-year-old actor said.

'I went ballistic!': Tom Holland learned he would star in Spider-Man: Homecoming through a Marvel Instagram post, according to The Hollywood Reporter

The rising British star told The Hollywood Reporter: 'I went on the Marvel website on my computer and there it was: The new Spider-Man is Tom Holland. I went ballistic, like absolutely nuts.'

Holland's described his unique audition tape as well which showed off some of his impressive skills.

'I was a gymnast when I was a kid, so I did a backflip, just to show Marvel that I could do that sort of stuff,' he boasted.

Superhero genes: Tobey Maguire famously played 'Your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man' in three blockbuster films

Sexy Spidey! Andrew Garfield starred in two of the franchise films for the Amazing Spider-Man

'I was like, "Hi, I'm Tom Holland." Backflip,' the Lost City of Z hunk explained. "I'm from London." Side flip. "I'm five-foot-seven." Front flip. I had a lot of fun making those tapes.'

The highly-anticipated film follows Peter Parker as he attempts to balance being the hero with his high school life.

Holland also revealed that he is signed on for at least three Spider-Man films.

'There it was': The 20-year-old actor was 'scrolling through Instagram when he saw this post by Marvel directing followers to their website to find out who the next Spider-Man would be

Although the award-winning actor has not talked with Maguire or Garfield about their experience playing the iconic Spidey, Holland did his own research.

'It's so lucky because I've got five movies that I can draw from. I watched every single one years before I even got cast in this movie.'

'I've got five movies that I can draw from': Although the award-winning actor has not talked with Maguire or Garfield about their experience playing the iconic Spidey, Holland did his own research

He added: 'And then we watched them all again and just picked little things that I thought was great and that I'd like to keep.'

The film also includes an all-star lineup of Robert Downey Jr., Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Michael Keaton and Jon Favreau.

The untitled Spider-Man reboot - which will be directed by Jon Watts - is scheduled for release on July 7, 2017.
He's currently preparing for the release of his latest film, the highly-anticipated Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

But Eddie Redmayne looked anything but stresses as he stepped out on Wednesday during a break in the big promotional push for the film's launch on November 17.

Braving the grey and dreary weather in New York, the 34-year-old actor cut a dashing figure as he headed for a stroll in New York.

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Easy-going Edward: Eddie Redmayne looked anything but stresses as he stepped out on Wednesday during a break in the big promotional push for the film's launch on November 17

Eddie, who plays legendary wizard Newt Scamander in the film, made sure to leave his wizard's robes at home on his day off.

Instead he opted for a stylish twist on seasonal trends, choosing to team a blue and black checked shirt with a pair of funky cobalt blue jeans.

Clearly mindful of the chill weather setting in, Eddie threw on a heavy, double-breasted grey overcoat.

Dashing gent: Braving the grey and dreary weather in New York, the 34-year-old actor cut a dashing figure as he headed for a stroll in New York

Rounding his look off in a casual manner, the Oscar-winning actor wore a pair of comfy blue trainers.

The actor looked to be full of the joys of life as he chatted to waiting fans before heading off to his next appointment.

As The Danish Girl star steps up the promotional drive for the Harry Potter spin-off, he revealed he almost didn't commit to the film as he went for another role in a different blockbuster franchise.

Casually chic: He opted for a stylish twist on seasonal trends, choosing to team a blue and black checked shirt with a pair of funky cobalt blue jeans

Wrapping up warm: Clearly mindful of the chill weather setting in, Eddie threw on a heavy, double-breasted grey overcoat

Running some errands: The Oscar-winner was clearly catching up on some chores during some free-time away from the Fantastic Beast promo push

Speaking to Mike Ryan in an interview for Uproxx Eddie explained how he nearly ruled himself out of the role of legendary wizard Newt Scamander in favour of playing Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

In their sit down Eddie explained that he and Irish actor, Domhall Gleeson, often go up against each other for the same roles.

Leading to the actor being asked if it was the First Order's General Hux that he was auditioning for, only for the actor to reveal he was in fact reading for Adam Driver's Kylo Ren.

'I did my best "koohh paaah"!': Eddie recently revealed he nearly ruled himself out of the role of legendary Newt Scamander in favour of playing Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Not quite a wand: The actor, 34, revealed he missed out on the role of Kylo after fluffing his audition for the part of the film's villain, saying his 'best "kooh paaah"' wasn't enough

Speaking about his brush with the Dark Side of the Force, Eddie said: ' I was going for, I think, for Adam Driver. They gave me like a Star Trek scene  or like something from Pride and Prejudice.'

He explained: 'It was one of those films. That's so top secret, they dont give you the actual lines.Then they tell you youre auditioning for the baddie.'

But it seems the audition with acclaimed casting director, Nina Gold, didn't go so well, as Eddie revealed he came up short with his villainous inspiration.

'I was going for, I think, for Adam Driver': Asked if it was the First Order's General Hux that he was auditioning for, Eddie revealed he was in fact reading for Adam Driver's Kylo Ren

'If youre me, you then put some ridiculous voice on,' he laughed.

He went on to explain he did his best version of Darth Vader's iconic rasp, the product of James Earl Jones' vocal magic, which didn't impress Nina.

'There was a hilarious moment because it was Nina Gold, who I have to thank a lot because shes cast me in several films, and she was just sitting there and I was trying again and again with different versions of my kind of koohh paaaah voice,' he said.

'If youre me, you then put some ridiculous voice on': But it seems the audition with casting director, Nina Gold, didn't go so well, as Eddie said he came up short with his villainous display

Some inspiration... Eddie revealed it was his Darth Vader impression that let him down, saying: 'I was trying again and again with different versions of my kind of koohh paaaah voice'

'And after like ten shots shes like, You got anything else? I was like, No.'

But luckily for Eddie, his failure to become a Sith Lord meant that he was able to take on the role of Newt, in the Harry Potter spin-off.

Eddie plays the lead of Newt Scamander, a wizard who inadvertently unleashes a plague of magical beasts on the city of New York - seventy years before Harry Potter reads his book at Hogwarts.

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them hits screens on November 17.
She has been staying out of the spotlight and silent on social media since she was robbed at gunpoint last month.

And it seems Kim Kardashian may have lost as much as millions of dollars after taking some time out from her work.

Us Weekly reports that the 36-year-old, who often promotes her favourite brands on Instagram, could be earning hundreds of thousands of dollars less merely due to her social media silence.

Losing money: Kim Kardashian may have lost as much as millions of dollars after taking some time out from her work following the robbery. She posted and then deleted a photo to plug her LuMee phone cases on October 31

' Someone like Kim, with her following and reach across the social channels, could average around $300,000 for a single branded post,' Krishna Subramanian, co-founder of social media management platform Captiv8, told the publication.

However Subramanian added that she may be able to earn even more money from her posts once she returns to social media.

'To be out of the spotlight only draws more interest,' she explained.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star, whose friends and family members have taken over her subscription based app, briefly shared and then deleted a photo to plug her LuMee phone cases on October 31.

Seeking help: The reality star is reportedly having daily therapy sessions to help her overcome the trauma of being robbed at gunpoint in Paris last month

Kim is also missing out on a huge amount of money that she would be earning from promotional appearances, as in July it was claimed that she was paid $700,000 to host a bloggers event in New York.

Since the robbery, she has cancelled a nightclub hosting gig in Las Vegas and a make-up class in Dubai.

Forbes reported that Kim earned $51million last year.

'She has an increasing number of business obligations that can no longer be postponed,' a source told Us. 'She needs to get back out in public to make money again.'

Big bucks: Kim apparently could earn as much as $300,000 for a social media endorsement, and allegedly earned $700,000 to host an event over the summer

The publication claims that Kim 'wants to move on with her life' and will likely attend the Angel Ball in New York City on November 21, which is honouring her late father Robert.

Meanwhile Us Weekly claimed that Kim is struggling to move past the traumatic incident.

'She's been having nightmares and flash-backs.' a source said.

Kim is staying largely holed up at home in Los Angeles with her two children North, three and Saint, 11 months.

The KUWTK star is reportedly having trouble sleeping and is 'talking to a therapist every day' usually via Skype, phone or in person.

'She's been having nightmares and flash-backs' a family source said of the reality star (pictured on October 6) since the terrifying ordeal

Another source told the magazine that Kim's therapy session are not as frequent.

However, friends of the star insist she's doing better than she was.

Caitlyn Jenner's BFF Candis Cayne told the website that the I Am Cait star has been checking in with Kim regularly and that the mother-of-two is 'getting through it'.

For now, Kim is enjoying being a devoted mother and spending quality time with her children as well as husband Kanye West when he's not away on tour.

After staying indoors for almost a month, Kim first emerged in front of cameras on October 24, stepping out with pal Jonathan Cheban to get frozen yogurt.

Low-key life: Kim is staying largely holed up at home in Los Angeles with her two children North, three and Saint, 11 months

The same week she sat in the audience to support West at his Saint Pablo concert in Los Angeles.

On Kendall's birthday last week, Kim avoided cameras by entering restaurant Catch LA through a garage door.

Inside the E! star was reportedly in high spirits and 'very social and smiling'.

She surrounded herself with three off-duty cops acting as bodyguards for the evening after firing longtime security Pascal Duvier.

'The robbery made her reevaluate what's important in life. She will be more careful and more private now.' an insider told Us Weekly.

Kim was robbed at gunpoint by a group of men inside her Paris apartment who made off with $11 million worth of jewelry.
She hinted at her involvement in a popular upcoming TV series, prompting fans to speculate that she was entering ITV's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.

However Vogue Williams was miles away from the Australian jungle as she attended the Boux Avenue Autumn/Winter launch in London on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old model sent pulses racing in a daringly low-cut dress which teased her perky assets and tanned physique.

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Sexy siren: Vogue Williams, 30, sent pulses racing in a daringly low-cut dress at the Boux Avenue Autumn/Winter launch in London on Wednesday

The Irish beauty risked a wardrobe malfunction as she went braless under the deep keyhole neckline which flaunted her impressive front.

The black top half of the number evolved into a red frilled skirt which hugged her curves and fell at a thigh-skimming finish.

Boosting her already statuesque frame in a pair of black stilettos, the ex-wife of Brian McFadden made sure to exhibit her toned legs in all their glory.

Upping the glamour, the Bear Grylls: Mission Survive winner wore her side-parted chestnut locks in glamorous waves down her front.

Peek-a-boob: The Irish beauty risked a wardrobe malfunction as she went braless under the deep keyhole neckline which flaunted her impressive front

Stylish: The black top half of the number evolved into a red frilled skirt which hugged her curves and fell at a thigh-skimming finish

Upping the glamour: The Bear Grylls: Mission Survive winner wore her side-parted chestnut locks in glamorous waves down her front

Risky business: Vogue risked flashing too much flesh as she got out of the car

Enviable stems: Her tanned legs were on full display

Vogue was recently quizzed by Ryan Tubridy on his talk show on whether or not she would appear on RTE's Dancing With The Stars after it was revealed that she and Brian Dowling auditioned to be hosts of the show.

However, the star confirmed that she would not be appearing on the Irish version of Strictly, but teased fans about a new show that she's booked.

'I am doing another show, I can't tell you its a big secret. It's a big secret for about three weeks,' she revealed.

When Ryan asked if the show was over in the UK, she said, 'Yes. I can't divulge anything because people will start guessing. No I can't, its too easy, I can't tell you'.

Details: A gold necklace dangled under her garment's choker neckline

Standing tall: Boosting her already statuesque frame in a pair of black stilettos, the ex-wife of Brian McFadden made sure to exhibit her toned legs in all their glory

Getting lost in the music: The DJ donned a pair of headphones as she exited the event

Pals: Vogue posed with entrepreneur Theo Paphitis - who owns Boux Avenue - who looked dapper in a striped suit

Fashionistas: Made In Chelsea's Tiffany Watson (L) also stepped out for the launch in a figure-hugging pastel pink dress, while Georgia Toffolo (R) bared her long legs in a short skirt

Trendy: Frankie Gaff combined a plunging black lace play-suit with a pair of brown flat shoes

Subsequently people quickly took to Twitter to suggest that she may be heading into the jungle to appear on ITV's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, writes Goss ie.

Fan Maria Nev @youngmaria84 Tweeted: 'Vogue is going into the jungle so #latelate.' while @Padraig_McCann said: 'Vogue Williams is on #ImACeleb ? #LateLate.'

Meanwhile, Made In Chelsea's Tiffany Watson also stepped out for the launch in a figure-hugging pastel pink dress, while Georgia Toffolo bared her long legs in a short skirt.

Oti Mabuse, Emily Blackwell and Frankie Gaff were also in attendance.

Chic: Emily Blackwell paired a sophisticated cream playsuit with knee-high suede boos
It was recently confirmed that Chloe Lewis' ex, Jake Hall, had moved on to a new romance with Real Housewives of Cheshire star Misse Beqiri.

So it made for an awkward night on Wednesday when the lookalike ladies faced a tense run-in as they both attended the exclusive Boux Avenue Autumn/Winter launch party in London.

And, as if the idea of facing off with the girl who's now with her ex wasn't enough for Chloe, she also had to endure the sight of Misse wearing a similar boob-baring outfit.

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Awkward! Chloe Lewis, left, faced an awkward run-in with love rival Misse Beqiri, right, as they both attended the Boux Avenue Autumn/Winter launch party in London on Wednesday

While TOWIE star Chloe, 25, opted for a plunging black dress, in which she flaunted her full cleavage and tiny midriff, lookalike Misse, 29, gave her bosom an airing in a low-cut black top, which she teamed with skintight PVC trousers.

During a recently-recorded reunion episode of Real Housewives Of Cheshire, Misse finally admitted to host Brian Dowling that she and Jake were an item.

'Yes we are dating, we met through common friends,' she said. 'My priority is my son but when I met Jake he made me so happy.'

J for Jake: Real Housewives of Cheshire star Misse took steps to confirm her budding romance with Jake Hall last month as she shared a shot of herself wearing a sweater bearing his initials

But she added that she wasn't rushing the new relationship, explaining: 'Im taking it by baby steps  whatever happens, happens.'

Last month, Misse dropped hints about her romance with Jake, when she took to Instagram to share a shot of herself wearing a sweater bearing his initials.

Sitting on a sofa, the model and reality star - who split from footballer husband Anders Lindegaard in summer - posed in a brooding manner for the photograph.

The ex factor: Jake Hall dumped Chloe on TOWIE in April, saying it wasn't 'working anymore'

Jake and Chloe entered TOWIE last year as a couple, with Jake eventually dumping her on air in April, telling her that their relationship wasn't 'working anymore'.

At the Boux Avenue bash, Chloe's dress boasted a choker neckline which plunged deeply, allowing her sensational front to take prominence.

A thick black belt cinched in her fabulous figure, before the number flared out over her hips before ending at a stylish midi-length.

Fashionista: At the bash, striking brunette Chloe donned a statement camel-coloured coat which was effortlessly draped upon her shoulders

All eyes on her: Chloe oozed sex appeal in an extreme low-cut dress which flaunted her busty cleavage and showcased her tiny midriff

Deadly in denim: Misse cut a stylish figure in her off the shoulder jean jacket as she posed for photos

Good times: The brunette was in high spirits as she prepared to let her hair down on Wednesday evening

Busty display: Misse ensured she caught the eye by sporting a bold plunging top

Upon arrival, the striking brunette donned a statement camel-coloured coat which was effortlessly draped upon her shoulders as she posed in a pair of strappy black heels.

It's been a tough period of time for Chloe on the ITVBe series after her apparent betrayal of the 'girl code' in Marbella when she made allegedly flirtatious overtures about Kate Wright's ex Dan Edgar.

However after reaching out to Kate and meeting up for a showdown Chloe was left in tears as Kate threw even more accusations at her.

Sartorially savvy: A thick black belt cinched in her fabulous figure, before the number flared out over her hips before ending at a stylish midi-length (With Boux Avenue owner Theo Paphitis)

Like a pro! She worked her angles in a pair of strappy black heels

And just over a week ago, Chloe admitted that things were not back on track between the two ladies.

Meanwhile, former TOWIE star Lucy Mecklenburgh looked undeniably chic for the launch in a monochrome number.

The fitness enthusiast showed off her honed figure in the stylish number which boasted a sexy side split and matching choker.

Style queen: Former TOWIE star Lucy Mecklenburgh looked undeniably chic for the launch in a monochrome number

Knows how to dress: The fitness enthusiast showed off her honed figure in the stylish number which boasted a sexy side split and matching choker

Her shoulder-length brunette tresses were poker straight and framed her pretty features which were chiselled to perfection.

Vogue Williams sent pulses racing in a daringly low-cut dress which teased her perky assets and tanned physique.

The Irish beauty risked a wardrobe malfunction as she went braless under the deep keyhole neckline which flaunted her impressive front.

Sexy siren: Vogue Williams, 30, sent pulses racing in a daringly low-cut dress at the fashion launch

The black top half of the number evolved into a red frilled skirt which hugged her curves and fell at a thigh-skimming finish.

Boosting her already statuesque frame in a pair of black stilettos, the ex-wife of Brian McFadden made sure to exhibit her toned legs in all their glory.

Upping the glamour, the Bear Grylls: Mission Survive winner wore her side-parted chestnut locks in glamorous waves down her front.

Peek-a-boob: The Irish beauty risked a wardrobe malfunction as she went braless under the deep keyhole neckline which flaunted her impressive front

Vogue was recently quizzed by Ryan Tubridy on his talk show on whether or not she would appear on RTE's Dancing With The Stars after it was revealed that she and Brian Dowling auditioned to be hosts of the show.

However, the star confirmed that she would not be appearing on the Irish version of Strictly, but teased fans about a new show that she's booked.

'I am doing another show, I can't tell you its a big secret. It's a big secret for about three weeks,' she revealed.

When Ryan asked if the show was over in the UK, she said, 'Yes. I can't divulge anything because people will start guessing. No I can't, its too easy, I can't tell you'.

Striking: Sultry brunette Misse opted to accessorise her ensemble with a retro choker necklace

Fashionistas: Made In Chelsea's Tiffany Watson (L) also stepped out for the launch in a figure-hugging pastel pink dress, while Georgia Toffolo (R) bared her long legs in a short skirt

Trendy: Frankie Gaff combined a plunging black lace play-suit with a pair of brown flat shoes

Subsequently people quickly took to Twitter to suggest that she may be heading into the jungle to appear on ITV's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, writes Goss ie.

Fan Maria Nev @youngmaria84 Tweeted: 'Vogue is going into the jungle so #latelate.' while @Padraig_McCann said: 'Vogue Williams is on #ImACeleb ? #LateLate.'

Meanwhile, Made In Chelsea's Tiffany Watson also stepped out for the launch in a figure-hugging pastel pink dress, while Georgia Toffolo bared her long legs in a short skirt.

Oti Mabuse, Emily Blackwell and Frankie Gaff were also in attendance.

Chic: Emily Blackwell paired a sophisticated cream playsuit with knee-high suede boos
She's had roles recently in Amazon's sitcom Mom and drama The Fosters.

And on Wednesday it was announced that Rosie O'Donnell has been cast in the pilot of a new comedy about a 20-something single mother for Showtime.

She'll play the mother of the show's star and creator Frankie Shaw in SMILF, THR.com reported.

Coming to cable: Rosie O'Donnell, pictured in August, has been cast as the 'unapologetically' unconventional mother of the protagonist in comedy pilot SMILF for Showtime

Based on a film short Shaw unveiled at Sundance last year, the comedy will start shooting soon in Boston.

O'Donnell's character is described as 'unapologetically herself and completely oblivious to social convention.'

Shaw's character Bridgette will be the protagonist as she tries to juggle relationships, sex and career with raising a child.

Semi-autobiographical: The series created by and starring Frankie Shaw, pictured in LA in August, is about a single mother trying to juggle sex, relationships, career and raising a child

O'Donnell will also be seen in the upcoming NBC version of Hairspray

As Variety reported back in August, the former co-host of The View joins Sean Hayes, Jennifer Hudson, Harvey Fierstein, Kristin Chenoweth, Ariana Grande, Martin Short and Maddie Baillio in the production.

Slated to air in December, Hairspray Live will be broadcast from the universal backlot in Hollywood and is based on the Broadway musical, which is based on the 1988 feature film by director John Waters.
She gave birth to a second son just a few weeks ago.

And Lara Worthington (nee Bingle) was spotted arriving at their Manhattan townhouse late at night with her husband Sam Worthington alongside sons Rocket Zot and their newborn.

The 29-year-old beauty covered her svelte post-pregnancy body in a chic black coat while she doted on her firstborn.

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We are family! Lara Worthington (nee Bingle) was spotted arriving at their Manhattan townhouse late at night with her husband Sam Worthington alongside sons Rocket Zot and their newborn

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Looking good! Lara cut a chic figure in the overcoat that finished just at her calves

Lara cut a chic figure in the overcoat that finished just at her calves.

She carried a few shopping bags as well as a winter scarf.

Teaming the look with a pair of skinny-leg jeans and black ankle boots, the entrepreneur held her newborn in a baby carrier, close to her chest.

Baby on board! Teaming the look with a pair of skinny-leg jeans and black ankle boots, the entrepreneur held her newborn in a baby carrier, close to her chest

Lara's short cropped locks were swept over one side of her face, drawing attention to a minimal makeup palette of a flawless complexion, a touch of bronzer on the apples of her cheeks and a coat of nude lipstick over her plump pout.

One-year-old son Rocket Zot, looked cute as a button as he clung onto his daddy Sam.

The parents dressed her toddler in an all black ensemble and white runners.

While out and about in New York, Sam appeared every inch the doting father, while he carried Rocket Zot through the streets.

The sighting comes shortly after a close friend told OK! magazine that the model and her husband Sam Worthington are 'just focused on enjoying this special time together, and settling into a new routine,' as they juggle their newborn with son Rocket Zot.

OK! magazine also claimed that Lara's mother Sharon traveled to New York to assist Lara and Sam during the baby's first few days before jetting back to Australia on October 27.

Support: OK! magazine recently claimed that Lara's mother Sharon (pictured) traveled to New York to assist Lara and Sam during the baby's first few days before jetting back to Australia on October 27

Taking to Instagram upon her arrival Down Under, Sharon proudly shared a selfie on Instagram picturing herself and Lara, accompanied by the telling caption: 'Happy days @laraworthington #ncy#huge.'

Meanwhile, Lara and Sam have remained tight-lipped on the baby's name and gender, despite many publications claiming that they were expecting another boy.

Back to the normal routine: The entrepreneur has been spotted out and about in New York, attending to firstborn Rocket Zot's needs

'Lara was telling some friends from early on that she's having a boy,' a source told Who magazine.

'She was quite open, saying how happy she is,' they added.

In June, the former reality TV star confirmed that she and her actor husband Sam Worthington were expecting their second child together.
Russian consulate employee found dead in New York

An employee of the Russian Consulate in New York was found dead there early Tuesday with a head wound, though police were still trying to determine his exact cause of death.

The man, who was in charge of security at the installation, was found unconscious before 7:00 am (1200 GMT) inside the consulate in the Upper East Side neighborhood near Central Park, a New York Police Department spokesman said.

He has not yet been identified, though his age was given as 63. A source close to the police investigation said the man was apparently in ill health.

An employee of the Russian Consulate in New York was found dead there with a head wound, though police are still trying to determine his exact cause of death Bryan R. Smith (AFP/File)

Police have not yet spoken of a potential crime, and are awaiting the results of the medical examiner's autopsy to determine a cause of death.
NY drug trial starts for two nephews of Venezuela's first lady

The drug trafficking trial of two nephews of Venezuela's first lady got under way in Manhattan Tuesday, with the leftist government in Caracas saying they were essentially framed.

Efrain Antonio Campo Flores, 30, and Francisco Flores de Freitas, 31, were arrested in Haiti in November and flown to New York by US Drug Enforcement Administration agents.

They are sons of brothers of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's wife Cilia Flores. She also served as speaker of the National Assembly from 2006 to 2011.

A member of the US Marshals Service stands outside the Manhattan Federal Court building, where two nephews of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro face allegations that they conspired to smuggle 800 kilograms of cocaine to the United States Bryan R. Smith (AFP/File)

The men have denied charges that they plotted to smuggle 800 kilos (1,764 pounds) of cocaine into the United States.

Prosecutor Emil Bove argued that the men believed they were powerful because they are close to Maduro. Their attorneys suggested however, they were not crafty enough to be plotting or carrying out the business of which they are accused.

The accused also are facing the charges due to political motives, their defense maintains.

Besides the Haiti case, the two men are accused of taking part in meetings to plan a shipment of cocaine to the United States via Honduras.

If convicted they face up to life in prison.

The speaker of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, has likened their arrest at a posh hotel in Haiti to a kidnapping by the DEA, saying they were effectively set up.

Maduro's government is on the defensive in Venezuela after suffering a landslide defeat to the opposition in legislative elections last year.

Venezuela has suffered a spectacular implosion in the past three years as plunging oil prices have pushed it deep into recession, sparking riots, looting and violent crime.

Food and medicine shortages have grown so desperate that Human Rights Watch calls the situation a "profound humanitarian crisis."
In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, declared winner Donald Trump congratulated Hillary Clinton for what he called a hard fought campaign before promising to unify the county and said he would be a president for all Americans.

Except for the city of Menomonie, Dunn County voters favored Trump, 8,533 to 5,167. The reverse was true, however, in all 11 of the citys wards where the tally was 3,858 for Clinton vs. 2,934 for Trump.

Shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday, Democrat Russ Feingold conceded the race to Republican Senator Ron Johnson who said that his second six-year term would be his last.

In a statement celebrating his re-election victory, Johnson said, I made two promises to Wisconsinites  to always tell them the truth, and to never vote with my re-election in mind  and I am honored that they have shown their faith in me for a second and final term. Together, we can find areas of agreement to take on Washington dysfunction and grow our economy, protect our national security, and fix our countrys problems.

In Dunn County, Johnson garnered 11,424 votes to 9,490 cast for Feingold.

As for the countys only contested race, Andrea Nodolf will retain her position as district attorney, winning out over challenger Holly Wood Webster by margins similar to the U.S. Senate race  11,236 votes to over 9,676.

I would like to thank the citizens of Dunn County for entrusting me with this very important position, Nodolf said. I believe the voters responded to my positive, issues oriented campaign, and I will continue holding individuals accountable and ensuring justice.

10th Senate District

Republican Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, 60, of River Falls, will continue to represent the 10th District, a job shes held since 2001. In Dunn County, Harsdorf defeated Democratic challenger Diane Odeen, 56, in Dunn County by a margin of 5,606 votes to 5,129.

Throughout the district as a whole, however, Harsdorf garnered 63 percent of the vote compared to 37 percent cast for Odeen. The 10th Senate District encompasses Assembly districts 28, 29 and 30 and comprises portions of Dunn, St. Croix, Pierce, Polk and Burnett counties. Its border includes the St. Croix River from Webster and Grantsburg in the north to Hudson and River Falls in the south and extends east to Menomonie.

29th District

When incumbent Rep. John Murtha of Baldwin chose not to seek re-election, Democrat Scottie Ard and Republican Rob Stafsholt  both of New Richmond  faced off for the open 29th Assembly District seat. Ard, 57, is a freelance technical and grant writer and has served as an alderperson on the New Richmond city council since 2010. But it would be political newcomer Stafsholt, 40, a fourth generation farmer and small businessman, who would emerge the victor.

Im looking forward to getting to work immediately on important issues such as better paying jobs, creating better educational opportunities for our area, economic development, crime prevention and tackling the state budget, Stafsholt said in a statement Wednesday. Working together we can move our state forward by implementing common sense ideas, watching out for taxpayers and doing whats right for our hard working families.

Stafsholt had captured 62.5 percent of the vote. The margin in Dunn County, however, 52.5 percent with casting 5,488 for Stafsholt, with Ard earning 5,006 nods.

The 29th Assembly district covers parts of Dunn and St. Croix counties, including the cities of Menomonie, Glenwood City and New Richmond and the villages of Boyceville, Knapp, Baldwin, Hammond, Woodville, and Spring Valley.

67th District

Incumbent 67th District Rep. Tom Larson of Colfax did not seek re-election because of health concerns. That set up a race between Hunt, a Democrat who owns a small business in Chippewa Falls, and Rob Summerfield, a Republican small business owner from Bloomer.

In Chippewa County, with 30 out of 32 precincts, Summerfield held a 12,587 to 6,511 lead. Meanwhile in Dunn County, Summerfield won 5,060 to 3,001. Overall Summerfield commanded 65 percent of the vote.

Hunt, 49, was dismissed as Chippewa County finance director and is suing the county over his exit. He owns Chippewa Valley Financial Services, LLC, and is making his first attempt at elective office. Running for office was a positive experience, Hunt said, noting he was surprised to get support from people he did not know. He did say he was taken aback by attack ads in the race, calling them personal and inaccurate.

Summerfield, 36, is also making his first attempt at elected office. He is the owner of Chippewa Valley Land Title Company in Bloomer and the general manager of Two Acres Supper Club in Bloomer.

In Dunn County, the 67th Assembly District includes Colfax, Elk Mound, Sand Creek and Wheeler as well as the northern two-thirds of Chippewa County, including Cornell, Bloomer, Chippewa Falls, Cadott and New Auburn.

-

Rod Stetzer of the Chippewa Herald contributed to this report.
Surprise and euphoria at Trump headquarters

"U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A!"

Euphoric supporters celebrated Donald Trump's shock victory with loud yells and wolf whistles early Wednesday, convinced their president-elect can bring a change that America desperately needs.

A Manhattan hotel ballroom broke into chants, cheers and catcalls as the 70-year-old New York tycoon, the oldest man ever elected to the White House, came onto the balcony above the crowd with his family shortly before 3:00 am.

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump react to early results during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York Mandel Ngan (AFP)

"I'm blown away, I think it's absolutely amazing," said Paul Spagnoletti, a New Jersey business owner in the ballroom for the victory speech.

"It's an amazing win, it's a coup."

All eyes had been on the flag-decked stage, where his running mate Mike Pence had introduced him, but Trump loves nothing more than a grand entrance and keeping his supporters -- and the media -- guessing.

Instead the spotlight suddenly snapped top right where America's soon-to-be 45th president stood on the balcony with his entire family as the theme music to Hollywood movie "Air Force One" blared out.

Dressed in a dark suit and red tie, he waved and smiled, slowly making his way down to the stage, perhaps slightly awed at the monumental responsibility that now falls on his shoulders.

"I've just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us -- it's about us -- on our victory," he said.

The crowd erupted at the mention of "us," waving mini US flags or red "Make America Great Again" trucker hats and catcalling as their new first family beamed, if looking slightly star-struck on stage.

Urging Democrats and Republicans to come together, Trump said the country owed "a major debt of gratitude" to Hillary Clinton for "her service," to which some enthusiastic but isolated applause broke out.

- Incredibly happy -

Just 24 hours earlier at his final rallies, he had castigated Clinton as the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency.

But Trump displayed a presidential demeanor in his victory lap that advisors said was necessary, and supporters in the generally well-heeled crowd lapped up.

"I'm absolutely overjoyed. I've waited for this for many years, I'm incredibly happy," said Carl Lopp, who owns a telecoms company.

Trump's photogenic family stood behind him -- his Slovenian-born third wife Melania in a one-shoulder cream dress; their young son Barron; and his grown daughters Ivanka and Tiffany in blue, together with Ivanka's husband Jared Kushner, one of his father-in-law's closest advisors.

When it was all over, supporters could barely believe it.

He defied the political establishment, the mass mobilization of the Democratic Party, a popular president throwing his weight behind Clinton and a galaxy of superstars performing at her campaign events.

Some were almost speechless, having indulged in a few drinks, or numb from navigating the standing-room venue with vertiginous high heels.

"My prayers have been answered," one woman simply said.

It was not initially clear that Trump would declare victory. Supporters started leaving before Fox News announced -- via giant screens -- that he was on the way to the venue and before US media called the race.

But then Fox News declared the real estate magnate was past the magic number with 274 electoral votes. The room exploded.

- Revolution -

Accompanying him were most of the aides and advisors who have worked tirelessly against all odds to secure his election.

There was campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, credited with helping inculcate some sense of discipline in the final closing weeks of his erratic and insult-dishing campaign.

There was a smiling Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, the head of his transition team disgraced last week by the conviction of two former aides for causing a major traffic snarl-up to wreck political revenge on a Democrat.

Admirers believe a Trump presidency will usher in a new dawn for the working American, fed up with the political elite in Washington and seduced by his promising of bringing back jobs from overseas.

"He's going to give life to their dreams and I think that's what's so critically important here," said Lopp, 61.

"This is a working class revolution in America," said John Fredericks, a radio host and Virginia state chairman of the Trump campaign.

Supporters trashed the American media, which largely predicted a Clinton win, dismissing it as untrustworthy and biased in favor of the Democratic former secretary of state.

While cries of "Lock her up!" have deafened Trump rallies for months, and were yelled in the ballroom before the Republican nominee arrived, Sharon Smith said she felt "sad" for Clinton.

"Her whole career, she's wanted to do this for so long. Anybody who loses is going to be hurt," said the 73-year-old from Nebraska.

On stage, Trump promised a "great economic plan," and said America would no longer settle for anything less than the best.

"This political stuff is tough and it's nasty," he joked, thanking his "wonderful" parents, siblings, wife and children.

But for Trump, the journey is just getting started.

Well-dressed Manhattan women, many in red in homage to the Republican Party and men in suits and Donald Trump trucker hats descended on the Hilton Midtown Timothy A. Clary (AFP)

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump watch news reports as results come in during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown Timothy A. Clary (AFP)

Select Donald Trump supporters, campaign staff and volunteers from across the country descended on Trump's official "victory party" in the Hilton Midtown in New York Timothy A. Clary (AFP)
Rising suicide toll rings alarm bells in Tunisia

Six years since a young Tunisian stallholder set himself on fire, triggering revolutions across the Arab world, his country's suicide rate is surging over economic and social woes, experts say.

Mohamed Bouazizi, who self-immolated on December 17, 2010 in protest at unemployment and police harassment and died a month later, was among hundreds of Tunisians who have killed themselves in recent years.

The rising suicide rate "had already been noticed... over a decade ago", Fatma Charfi, a child psychiatrist and head of the Committee for the Prevention of Suicide, told AFP.

Tunisian protestor and vegetable vendor Mohamed Bouazizi is celebrated each year in the central town of Sidi Bouzid on the anniversary of the start of the revolution, the first of the Arab Spring uprisings, triggered by his suicide Fethi Belaid (AFP/File)

Last year, authorities recorded 365 suicides in a population of 11 million -- around 3.27 per 100,000 people.

While that rate is low compared to other countries, the data is likely skewed by social and religious taboos, meaning the real figure may be much higher.

The toll is particularly high among the young -- around half the victims were aged between 20 and 39.

Charfi said the continuous rise in recorded suicides was "a very serious matter".

The committee she heads was set up in 2015 in response to warnings from experts that suicides were on the rise.

It has been charged by the health ministry with collecting better data and creating a national strategy to tackle the problem.

Tunisia does not yet have a national suicide register.

Under the regime of former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was toppled in 2011 following mass protests sparked by Bouazizi's suicide, the data was incomplete, experts said.

"There was this complex: 'We don't have suicides, we don't have violence'," Abdessattar Sahbani of the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Political Rights (FTDES) told AFP.

But Charfi said comparisons of forensic data from 1990, 2000 and 2010 showed a clear rise.

After Bouazizi's death, self-immolation became the second-most common method of suicide in Tunisia (15 percent of cases) after hanging (60 percent).

Between January and June 2011, several dozen Tunisians set themselves on fire in suicide attempts -- a phenomenon that continues today.

"It was expected that in 2015, we would start to experience a decline (in self-immolations), but it has remained stable since 2011," Charfi said.

Suicides usually have multiple causes, often including depression and other mental illnesses.

But Tunisia's economic woes and high unemployment also appear to be key factors.

"It's definitely linked... the result of an absence of hope," said Sahbani.

Tunisia's economy has struggled to recover since the revolution. Authorities have failed to resolve the poverty, unemployment and corruption that were rife under the Ben Ali regime.

The all-important tourism sector was devastated by a series of jihadist attacks in 2015 that left dozens of foreign tourists dead and slashed visitor numbers.

Some 15 percent of the workforce was unemployed in the second quarter of 2016, according to the National Statistics Institute.

A 2014 World Bank report said joblessness was as high as 30 percent in Tunisia's impoverished interior, which has been the heart of a simmering jihadist insurgency since 2011.

Forensic scientist Mehdi Ben Khelil of the Charles-Nicolle Hospital in Tunis is co-author of a study on the revolution's impact on suicide.

He said he found an increase in suicides between 2011 and 2012, then a small reduction before a second peak in 2014.

He linked the second rise to the country's difficult political transition and the impact of the economic crisis on individuals.

"There are more people without jobs (and) with financial problems," he said.

Historically taboo, suicide has received growing coverage in the Tunisian media. But that itself has its dangers, say experts.

"We are talking about suicide in Tunisia but mostly in an inappropriate way," Ourida Boussada, a lecturer at IPSI, the country's oldest journalism school, said at a recent seminar.

Boussada said too much coverage was sensationalist and revealed intimate details about the victim's life.

IPSI is working with the journalists' union and HAICA, the body responsible for broadcasting, to improve reporting on the issue.

"We must tackle suicide... as a public health problem, not isolating it to a single cause," she said, "so that vulnerable people will not be tempted to take the same course of action."

More than five years after the revolution that ousted former dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisians still doggedly pursue a democratic transition Fethi Belaid (AFP/File)
Pakistan deports National Geographic 'Afghan girl'

Afghanistan's president Wednesday welcomed back Sharbat Gula, the green-eyed woman immortalised on a National Geographic cover, after she was deported from Pakistan to the war-torn homeland she first fled decades ago.

Pakistani officials handed over Gula, whose haunting eyes were captured in a cover photo taken in a refugee camp in the 1980s, to Afghan border authorities after escorting her from a Peshawar hospital where she was being treated for Hepatitis C.

Gula, arguably Afghanistan's most famous refugee, was arrested last month for living in Pakistan on fraudulent identity papers.

Sharbat Gula met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, on November 9, 2016 Shah Marai (AFP)

"Pleased to have welcomed Sharbat Gula & her family back to (Afghanistan)," President Ashraf Ghani said on Twitter. "Her life inspires us all. She represents all the brave women of this land."

The president and first lady Rula Ghani honoured Gula and her children at a ceremony at the presidential palace in Kabul.

Ghani has promised to provide Gula, 45, with a furnished apartment to ensure she "lives with dignity and security" in Afghanistan.

Speaking to AFP last week in Pakistan, Gula said she was "heartbroken" at the prospect of returning.

"Afghanistan is only my birthplace, but Pakistan was my homeland and I always considered it as my own country," she said.

"I had decided to live and die in Pakistan but they did the worst thing with me. It's not my fault that I born there (in Afghanistan). I am dejected. I have no other option but to leave."

Gula said she first arrived in Pakistan an orphan, some four or five years after the Soviet invasion of 1979, one of millions of Afghans who have sought refuge over the border since.

Since July hundreds of thousands have returned to Afghanistan in a desperate exodus amid fears of a crackdown, ahead of a March 2017 deadline for the final return of all Afghan refugees.

Last month UNHCR said more than 350,000 Afghan refugees -- documented and undocumented -- had returned from Pakistan so far in 2016, adding it expects a further 450,000 to do so by the year's end

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani (right) talks with Sharbat Gula (centre) at the Presidential Palace in Kabul, on November 9, 2016 Shah Marai (AFP)
Opposition rejects South Korea president's crisis remedy

South Korean opposition parties on Wednesday rejected President Park Geun-Hye's offer to share power to overcome a crippling crisis, calling in effect for a caretaker government.

In a major climbdown forced by a crippling corruption scandal, Park had agreed to dump her nominee for prime minister, and accept one chosen by the opposition-controlled parliament.

But opposition parties said Park's offer was too "ambiguous", urging her to guarantee the new prime minister would be given a completely free hand in selecting cabinet ministers, handling state affairs and functioning without interference.

Demonstrators gather during a protest calling for the resignation of South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, at Gwanghwamun square in Seoul, on November 5, 2016 Ed Jones (AFP/File)

"It's not even worth consideration", the country's three opposition parties said in a joint press statement.

Park has come under mounting pressure to step down over the scandal involving a close friend, Choi Soon-Sil, who has been arrested on charges of fraud and abuse of power.

The charges relate to allegations that Choi leveraged her personal relationship with Park to coerce donations from large companies like Samsung to non-profit foundations which she set up and used for personal gain.

She is also accused of interfering in government affairs, including in the nomination of senior officials.

Lurid reports of the unhealthy influence Choi wielded over Park have sent the president's approval ratings plunging to record lows and triggered mass street protests calling on her to resign.

In a bid to restore public trust, Park reshuffled her advisers and senior cabinet members, and nominated a liberal candidate for prime minister from outside her conservative Saenuri Party.

But opposition parties had vowed to block her nominee on the grounds they were not properly consulted.

Park Jie-Won, President of the country's second opposition party,the People's Party, said the president is resorting to a divide-and-rule tactic, sowing seeds of discord among her opponents and letting them fight among themselves over who should be the next prime minister.

"We've already fallen into the trap set by the president", the veteran politician told journalists.

"This is also a delaying tactic intended to earn time".

The presidential Blue House said on Wednesday that the president is sincere in her offer to share power with opposition parties, calling for a meeting with heads of both ruling and opposition parties to discuss details.
'Tombs of saints' inspire and divide in northern Nigeria

Pilgrims must walk through three rooms, a foyer and a 200-metre-long corridor before accessing the dimly-lit chamber where Usman dan Fodio and two of his sons are buried in Sokoto, northern Nigeria.

Old women sit against the plastered white mud walls begging for money. Inside the tomb, more than a dozen visitors sit with their palms cupped and lifted upwards in prayer, seeking dan Fodio's blessing.

Textile trader Sammani Yusuf is one of them. He drove more than 500 kilometres (300 miles) from the city of Kano to visit the graves and ask for his bed-ridden mother to get better and his business to pick up.

Tomb of Usman dan Fodio, one of the most famous names in the nation's history, pictured in Sokoto state of northern Nigeria Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP/File)

"Allah is everywhere but tombs of saints have sacred status and one's prayers are more readily answered by Allah through their intercession," Yusuf told AFP.

"I'm very optimistic that Allah will grant my needs by the sacredness of the saint lying in this tomb," he added.

Asma'u Lawwali believes her prayers for a child were granted on a previous visit to the tomb of dan Fodio, also called "Shehu."

"I'm here with more requests to God through Shehu's intercession and I'm confident they will be granted in the same way my request for a child was answered," she said.

Tour guide Isa Abubakar said Yusuf and Lawwali were not alone in their conviction.

"Any person you see here has come for dan Fodio's intercession," Abubakar said. "By his sanctity, when you pray to Allah (at the tomb) your request is granted."

- Revered figure -

Usman dan Fodio is one of the most famous names in Nigerian history -- a fact borne out by the steady stream of visitors who still flock to his final resting place in the heart of the ancient city.

Nigeria's Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo cited dan Fodio in a recent speech, saying his condemnation of corruption and extremism were still relevant today.

Two centuries ago, the reformist scholar, who is considered a saint by many in Nigeria and West Africa, declared jihad or holy war against tyrannical local rulers in the Muslim-majority region in 1804.

The result was the creation of an Islamic state -- the Sokoto Caliphate -- which covered most of modern-day northern Nigeria and parts of neighbouring Niger and Cameroon.

Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the radical Islamist group Boko Haram, whose insurgency has devastated northeast Nigeria in the last seven years, has name-checked dan Fodio in several of his messages.

Shekau himself declared a caliphate in 2014 after his fighters captured swathes of territory in the region.

But the comparisons end there.

And despite reverence for dan Fodio himself, pilgrimages to his tomb have come under attack from religious conservatives, in a sign of the complex mix of Islamic ideologies and affiliations in the region.

Nigeria's north is mainly Muslim and predominantly Sunni but there have been increasing tensions in recent months with minority Shiites.

- Ideological tensions -

The conservative Wahhabist ideology, which is dominant in Saudi Arabia, made inroads in northern Nigeria in the early 1980s. Until then, it had been dominated by the mystical Sufi tradition.

Prayers to dead saints and visits to their tombs were condemned as polytheism and idolatry.

In Sokoto itself, the Saudi-funded World Islamic League set up an office to propagate its views, putting itself at odds with those who revere dan Fodio in the Sufi tradition.

"Some people try to refute intercession but such claim is false because intercession has theological basis in Islam," said the tomb guide Abubakar.

His colleague, Muazu Abdurrahman, added: "They frown at intercession with the Prophet (Mohammed) at his tomb in Medina and it is no surprise if they say the same or worse about Shehu's."

In 2012, Al-Qaeda-linked Islamists destroyed the tombs of Muslim saints in Timbuktu, in northern Mali, condemning them as idols in line with their ultra-conservative Salafist beliefs.

Abdurrahman, however, ruled out similar destruction in Sokoto given dan Fodio's status as "an Islamic scholar of repute and a saint... a reformer who fought to establish pure Islam and justice."

"This is why he is revered even by those who are vehemently opposed to visiting his tomb," he said.

"Yes, we also have elements who share Al-Qaeda beliefs like Boko Haram, which also disapproves of visits to tombs for blessings.
Palestinian stabs Israeli soldier, shot: army

A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli soldier with a screwdriver before being shot and wounded at a checkpoint in the northern West Bank on Wednesday, the Israeli army said.

The incident took place at the entrance to Huwwara, south of the city of Nablus, a military statement said.

"In response to the immediate threat, soldiers fired towards the assailant who was detained and is being treated at the scene," the army said, without providing further details on his condition.

Israeli soldiers patrol a street in a northern West Bank village Jaafar Ashtiyeh (AFP/File)

The soldier was stabbed in his protective vest and was not injured, the army said.

Since October 2015, violence has claimed the lives of 238 Palestinians, 36 Israelis, two Americans, a Jordanian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese, according to an AFP count.

Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Others were shot dead during protests and clashes, while some were killed in air strikes in the Gaza Strip.

Most of the attacks were by lone-wolf assailants, many of them young people, including teenagers.

Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with the Israeli occupation and settlement construction in the West Bank, comatose peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have helped feed the unrest.
Palestinians urge Trump to work towards their state

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's office on Wednesday called on US president-elect Donald Trump to work towards a Palestinian state, with peace efforts with Israel long at a standstill.

"We are ready to deal with the elected president on the basis of a two-state solution and to establish a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders," spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP, referring to the year when Israel occupied the West Bank.

Abu Rudeina said failure to resolve the decades-old conflict would mean "the unstable situation will continue in the region".

A Palestinian boy stands amidst the ruins of a building destroyed during the 50-day war between Israel and Hamas militants during the summer of 2014 Mohammed Abed (AFP/File)

The Palestinians remain deeply divided, with Abbas's secular Fatah party dominating in the West Bank and Islamist movement Hamas in power in the Gaza Strip.

Reacting to Trump's victory, Hamas said it did not expect a change in US "bias" against the Palestinians.

"The Palestinian people do not count much on any change in the US presidency because the US policy towards the Palestinian issue is a consistent policy on the basis of bias," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP.

"Nevertheless, we hope that US president Trump will re-evaluate this policy and rebalance it on the Palestinian issue."

Peace efforts have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in April 2014.

Much remains unclear about how Trump will approach the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, however he has already controversially said that he will move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Such a move would break with decades of precedent and put Washington at odds with nearly all UN member states.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the most difficult issues in the conflict.
UN climate talks to Trump: don't get left behind

Stunned but defiant participants at UN climate talks in Marrakesh said Wednesday that climate change denier Donald Trump can't derail the global shift to clean energy, and that the United States would get left behind if he tried.

The US president-elect "cannot prevent the implementation" of the landmark Paris pact, inked in the French capital last December, said Segolene Royal, France's environment minister and outgoing head of the UN climate forum.

"As I speak, 103 countries representing 70 percent of (greenhouse gas) emissions have ratified it, and he cannot -- contrary to his assertions -- undo the Paris Agreement," she told French radio station RTL.

Solar panels in Tafoughalt, Morocco Fadel Senna (AFP)

Trump has described global warming as a "hoax" perpetrated by the Chinese government, and has said at different times that he would "renegotiate" or "cancel" the 196-nation deal.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon congratulated Trump on his victory and said people everywhere looked to the United States to work for the common good.

"Today's global challenges demand concerted global action and joint solutions," he told journalists at the UN headquarters in New York.

Leaders and diplomats invested in decarbonising the global economy predicted the gathering momentum of that transition -- and the rising danger of global warming -- would carry the United States with it, regardless of Trump's views.

"The election campaign has passed," said Hilda Heine, president of the Marshall Islands, whose nation is slowly disappearing under the waves.

"I expect [President-elect Donald Trump] will realise that climate change is a threat to his people and to whole countries which share seas with the US, including my own," she said in a statement.

Business leaders advanced a similar argument.

"He wants to make America great again," said We Mean Business, a coalition of several thousand companies and investors.

"Climate action provides the basis for new jobs and enhanced competitiveness in the industries of tomorrow," it said in a statement, noting that the sector employs 2.5 million in the US.

Trump has vowed to "bring back coal" and peel back greenhouse gas reduction emissions measures put in place by Barack Obama, saying they choke business growth.

France's top climate negotiator Laurence Tubiana said this "would be a disaster for the US economy."

"If the US wants to go back to coal production, to 19th century industry, fine, but I dont see the future for US industry in this."

"Ask Google, Microsoft, Apple, Walmart  even General Motors. I dont think they agree."

America is the world's second-largest greenhouse gas polluter after China, representing some 13 percent of emissions.

Trump's threats, if carried out, would recast the United States as a climate villain, which is how it was widely perceived after George W. Bush refused to ratify the Kyoto Protocol in 2001.

The Obama administration has been an ardent champion of the Paris Agreement, a role Trump's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, had vowed to continue.

Veteran climate analysts said a Trump White House would pay a heavy price if they simply abandoned the UN talks, today tasked with implementing last year's historic pact.

"If the US pulls out and is seen as going as a rogue nation on climate change, that will have implications for everything else on President Trump's agenda when he want to deal with foreign leaders," said Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists, a Washington-based thinktank.

The election, he added, was certain to put US negotiators in Marrakesh in an awkward position as they defend US policy positions.

"They won't have the ability to ensure their negotiating partners that these will be the positions of the US in three months."

Climate scientists who inform political decisions also expressed alarm, with one noting that Trump's campaign rhetoric on global warming had "strolled into a fact-free zone."

"It is now to be seen how the disinformation and climate change denialism will pan out in actual decisions, actions and appointments," said Joeri Rogelj, a scientist and modeller at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, in Laxenburg, Austria.

Record high for global greenhouse gas emissions Paz Pizarro, Simon Malfatto (AFP)

Trump has vowed to "bring back coal" and peel back greenhouse gas reduction emissions measures put in place by Barack Obama, saying they choke business growth Karim Sahib (AFP)
Iran's Rouhani says Trump cannot reverse nuclear deal

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Wednesday there was "no possibility" of its nuclear deal with world powers being overturned by US president-elect Donald Trump despite his threat to rip it up.

"Iran's understanding in the nuclear deal was that the accord was not concluded with one country or government but was approved by a resolution of the UN Security Council and there is no possibility that it can be changed by a single government," Rouhani told his cabinet, according to state television.

Last year's accord with world powers saw international sanctions on Iran lifted in exchange for guarantees that it would not pursue a nuclear weapons capability.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate who has pushed for closer ties with the West, said the United States' standing in the world had been weakened due to its "wrong policies" STRINGER (afp/AFP/File)

During the election campaign, Trump described the deal as "disastrous" and said it would be his "number one priority" to dismantle it.

Rouhani, a moderate who has pushed for closer ties with the West, said the United States' standing in the world had been weakened due to its "wrong policies".

"The United States no longer has the capacity to create Iranophobia and to create a consensus against Iran," he said.

"The constructive engagement policies of Iran towards the world, and the fact that international sanctions have been lifted, have placed the Iranian economy on a road where there is no possibility of going backwards."

- UN watchdog report -

The latest quarterly report from the UN atomic watchdog, released on Wednesday, meanwhile confirmed that Iran was sticking to its commitments.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said that Iran has not enriched uranium above low purities, its uranium stockpile stayed below agreed levels and it "has not pursued the construction" of its heavy water reactor at Arak.

After the deal came into force in January, Iran reduced by two-thirds the number of uranium enrichment centrifuges, slashed its uranium stockpile and removed the core of the Arak reactor.

Before January Iran had several tonnes of uranium, in theory enough for several bombs if further processed. Arak could have given Iran weapons-grade plutonium.

The removed centrifuges remain in storage in Iran and are under IAEA monitoring. The excess uranium was shipped to Russia.

The report added however that Iran's stock of heavy water had risen to 130.1 tonnes, 100 kilos above the maximum of 130 tonnes, the second time it has exceeded the limit.

IAEA chief Yukiya Amano "expressed concern" to Iran and Tehran has undertaken in a letter to the watchdog to transfer five tonnes outside the country, the report said.
First 100 days of Trump presidency: 'Drain the swamp'

Donald Trump, who defied predictions to claim the White House in a political earthquake, has vowed to bring sweeping changes to the country and begin to "drain the swamp" of Washington politics during his first 100 days in office.

The 70-year-old Manhattan real estate mogul, who has never held elected office, has long promised that "change will begin my first day in office."

"We're going to get to work immediately for the American people, and we're going to be doing a job that, hopefully, you will be so proud of," he said in his victory speech in the early hours of Wednesday.

Donald Trump has vowed to relaunch the Keystone XL oil pipeline project Robyn Beck (AFP)

The Republican president-elect has spelled out his plan to "Make America Great Again" during his first 100 days in office in a document titled "Contract with the American Voter."

The laundry list of ideas was unveiled on October 22 in Trump's own "Gettysburg Address," delivered at the site where Abraham Lincoln tried to unite a divided nation during the US Civil War in 1863.

In his first days Trump promised to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

He vowed to lift restrictions on producing fossil fuels, relaunch the Keystone XL oil pipeline project put on hold by President Barack Obama, and cancel billions of dollars in payments to UN climate change programs.

- 'Drain the swamp' -

The billionaire promised to "begin removing the more than two million criminal illegal immigrants from the country and cancel visas to foreign countries that won't take them back."

He would also "suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where vetting cannot safely occur" and carry out unspecified "extreme vetting" of those seeking to enter the country.

In what became a mantra for his supporters, Trump has vowed to "drain the swamp" of what he sees as systemic corruption in Washington.

He said he'd impose term limits on members of Congress, freeze federal hiring, and ban lawmakers and White House staff from becoming lobbyists for five years.

He also has promised to "cancel every unconstitutional executive action" undertaken by Obama.

"Our failed political establishment has delivered nothing but poverty, nothing but problems, nothing but losses," he said as he wound up his campaign in North Carolina.

Despite tense ties with his own Republican Party, which maintained its control over both the House of Republicans and the Senate, Trump says he will work with lawmakers to introduce measures that would cut taxes and simplify the tax code, which he claims will result in a four percent annual growth for the US economy and create 25 million jobs in a decade.

- Build the wall -

Trump intends to quickly make good on his signature campaign pledge to build a wall along the US border with Mexico, and impose a minimum two-year federal prison sentence on any deported migrant who tries to return.

He also plans to overturn Obama's signature health care reform, known informally as Obamacare.

Trump hopes to spark $1 trillion in infrastructure investment over the next 10 years via public-private partnerships and private sources, spurred on by the tax breaks.

Beyond trade and the Mexico wall, Trump has few foreign policy proposals for his first 100 days, other than declaring China a "currency manipulator" for keeping what he believes is an artificially strong currency.

Many experts doubt that Trump can deliver on his ambitious promises.

One promise he can deliver: lawsuits against the dozen or so women who have accused him of unwanted sexual advances, calling them all "liars."

Trump's first 100 days Kun Tian, Christopher Huffaker (AFP)

Donald Trump aims to "drain the swamp" of what he sees as systemic corruption in Washington Karen Bleier (AFP/File)
BLOOMER  James L. Bischel, 72, of Bloomer died Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, at his residence. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Pauls Catholic Church in Bloomer. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. with a 7:30 p.m. prayer service, Friday at Schriver-Thompson Funeral Home. Burial of cremains will be at St. Pauls Catholic North Cemetery with military honors at a later date.
Uncertainty across Middle East after Trump victory

Uncertainty spread across the Middle East following Donald Trump's US election win, with questions hanging over the war against the Islamic State group, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran's nuclear deal.

In some parts of the region the surprise victory was welcomed with calls for Trump to take action, in others it sparked alarm.

But it was unclear what impact Trump's isolationist views would have on US engagements in the Middle East, adding nore confusion to an already volatile region.

Questions hang over the war against the Islamic State group after Donald trump's election Odd Andersen (AFP)

- 'True friend' of Israel -

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rushed to congratulate Trump on his win, calling him a "true friend" of the Jewish state.

"I look forward to working with him to advance security, stability and peace in our region," the right-wing premier said in a statement.

"I am confident that president-elect Trump and I will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights."

Meeting Netanyahu in New York in September, Trump pledged to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's "undivided" capital if elected, in a break with longstanding US policy.

Trump's adviser on Israel, David Friedman, also said last month the candidate was "tremendously sceptical" about the prospects for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads the hardline Jewish Home party, said that with Trump's election: "The era of a Palestinian state is over."

- 'Nice surprise' in Damascus -

Palestinian reaction to Trump's win was muted.

"We are ready to deal with the elected president on the basis of a two-state solution and to establish a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders," Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's spokesman said.

Nabil Abu Rudeina said failure to resolve the decades-old conflict would mean "the unstable situation will continue in the region".

During the campaign Trump repeatedly pledged to "destroy" the jihadist Islamic State group, but presented no clear plan for how.

A US-led coalition is backing Iraqi forces and a Syrian militia alliance as they battle to drive IS from Mosul and Raqa, its last major strongholds in the two countries.

How Trump moves forward with the anti-IS offensive will depend on how he intends to deal with traditional US allies in the region, in particular Sunni Arab Gulf states, and his approach to the war in Syria.

Washington has backed rebel forces opposing President Bashar al-Assad in Syria's five-year civil war, and Hillary Clinton was especially supportive of regime change.

But Trump has repeatedly voiced admiration for Vladimir Putin and advocated a US rapprochement with Russia -- one of Assad's strongest supporters along with Iran.

Trump said earlier this year that fighting both IS and Assad simultaneously was "madness, and idiocy".

Waddah Abed Rabbo, editor-in-chief of pro-regime Syrian daily Al-Watan, said Trump's win came as a "nice surprise" in Damascus.

"It is time for the policies of the United States to change and stop being hostage to the catastrophic wishes of the Gulf countries, which have destroyed several countries in the region," he said.

A Syrian rebel official said opposition forces were actually hoping for more support from Washington.

"The Americans, by their hesitation, have allowed the regime and its allies to commit barbaric massacres against civilians in Syria," said Bassam Mustafa of the Nureddin al-Zinki rebel group, one of the more powerful factions in rebel-held areas of Aleppo city.

Displaced Syrians near the Turkish border reacted with cynicism to Trump's win.

- 'Not possible' to change Iran deal -

"The new American president won't be any different from the last one," said Abdul Rahman Ahmad, a teacher and one of millions forced to flee their homes since 2011.

"When it comes to us Syrians, both of them have the same viewpoint. They don't care about the Syrian people, all they care about is killing Muslims."

While Trump's intentions elsewhere in the Middle East may be vague, his stand on last year's nuclear deal between world powers and Iran was clear -- Trump described it as "disastrous" and said it would be his "number one priority" to dismantle the agreement.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, who staked his political reputation on the deal in the face of fierce hardline opposition, said there was no way Trump could rip it up.

"The accord was not concluded with one country or government but was approved by a resolution of the UN Security Council and there is no possibility that it can be changed by a single government," Rouhani said, according to state television.

"The United States no longer has the capacity to create Iranophobia and to create a consensus against Iran," Rouhani said.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Trump needed to "understand the realities of today's world."

"The most important thing is that the future US president stick to agreements, to engagements undertaken," he said.

- Saudi king urges 'stability' -

Washington's longstanding allies in the Gulf have bristled under President Barack Obama, who they felt was reluctant to get involved in regional conflicts and did not do enough to check the ambitions of their regional rival Iran.

Congratulating Trump on the win, Saudi Arabia's King Salman praised "historic and tight" ties with the United States and wished him success "in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide."

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan also said his country was eager to strengthen "strategic relations" with Washington.

David Friedman said Donald Trump is "tremendously sceptical" about the prospects for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Ben Gabbe (Getty/AFP)

Washington has backed rebel forces opposing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

Hassan Rouhani says there is no way that Donald Trump can rip up the US deal with Iran
Israeli right seizes on Trump electoral win

Israeli right-wing politicians rushed to capitalise on Donald Trump's election as US president on Wednesday, with one key minister even declaring an end to the idea of a Palestinian state.

Some government ministers also pushed for Trump to follow through on his controversial commitment to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital and to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv.

The move would break with decades of precedent and put Washington at odds with nearly all UN member states, illustrating concerns over the foreign policy consequences of Trump's victory.

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked wants Donald Trump to implement a pledge to move the US embassy to Jerusalem Gali Tibbon (AFP/File)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu steered clear of controversial topics, only congratulating Trump and calling him a "true friend" of Israel while pledging to work with him on security and peace in the region.

The premier's office later said the two men held a telephone conversation in which Netanyahu said "the United States has no better ally than Israel", and Trump invited him to visit Washington.

Members of Netanyahu's government, considered the most right-wing in Israeli history, showed less restraint in their expectations of dividends from Trump's victory.

Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads the hardline Jewish Home party and is seen as seeking to be prime minister one day, said the idea of a Palestinian state was now over.

"Trump's victory is an opportunity for Israel to immediately retract the notion of a Palestinian state in the centre of the country, which would hurt our security and just cause," Bennett said in an apparent reference to the occupied West Bank.

"This is the position of the president-elect... The era of a Palestinian state is over."

- Moving the embassy -

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, also of Jewish Home, called on Trump to follow through on a pledge to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely, from Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party, also called for the embassy to be transferred, as did Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Palestinians see Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, while the Israelis call the entire city their eternal indivisible capital.

Trump has vowed to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Netanyahu had caused controversy when he ruled out a Palestinian state ahead of a 2015 general election, but later backtracked and has since expressed support for a two-state solution, the basis of years of negotiations.

His government, which receives more than $3 billion per year in US defence aid, has faced increasing criticism from President Barack Obama's administration over continued settlement building in the West Bank.

A Trump administration will be far more favourable to the Jewish state, the president-elect's adviser on Israel has said.

Shmuel Rosner, a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, said a Trump administration is likely to be "much more understanding if Israel has to use force in order to tamp down Palestinian violence."

He also said he felt the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would be "much less of a priority, and when it's not a priority, this means that Israel in some ways gets off the hook".

- 'Ironclad bond' -

Netanyahu said in his statement: "The ironclad bond between the United States and Israel is rooted in shared values, buttressed by shared interests and driven by a shared destiny.

"I am confident that president-elect Trump and I will continue to strengthen the unique alliance between our two countries and bring it to ever greater heights."

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas also congratulated Trump and said he hoped peace could be achieved during his term based on the two-state solution.

"We are ready to deal with the elected president on the basis of a two-state solution and to establish a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders," spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP, referring to the year when Israel seized the West Bank.

The Palestinians remain deeply divided, with Abbas's secular Fatah party dominating in the West Bank and the Islamist movement Hamas in power in the Gaza Strip.

Reacting to Trump's victory, Hamas said it did not expect a change in US "bias" against the Palestinians.

"The Palestinian people do not count much on any change in the US presidency because the US policy towards the Palestinian issue is a consistent policy on the basis of bias," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP.

"Nevertheless, we hope that US president Trump will re-evaluate this policy and rebalance it on the Palestinian issue."

Peace efforts have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in April 2014.

Naftali Bennett (left) heads Israel's hardline Jewish Home party Abir Sultan (pool/AFP)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Donald Trump is a "true friend" of Israel Jack Guez (AFP)
Three Indian troops killed in Kashmir border firing: army

The Indian army on Wednesday said that three of its soldiers have been killed in cross border firing with Pakistan in disputed Kashmir, the latest skirmish between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Tensions between the two countries have soared since September when militants attacked an Indian army base in Kashmir, leaving 19 soldiers dead.

Since then the two sides have engaged in cross-border fire almost daily leading to deaths of soldiers and civilians on both sides.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have soared since September when militants attacked an Indian army base in Kashmir, leaving 19 soldiers dead Tauseef Mustafa (AFP/File)

One Indian soldier died after coming under Pakistani sniper fire on Wednesday in Machhal sector, army spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia told AFP.

Indian soldiers retaliated by targeting the Pakistan army posts across the Line of Control -- the de facto border dividing the disputed Himalayan region -- he said.

The sniper attack came a day after two soldiers were killed in Pakistani firing in Naushera sector, a separate Indian army statement said.

Three civilians on the Pakistani side of Kashmir were also killed in that exchange of fire, according to local officials.

In a separate incident, Indian troops gunned down two suspected militants in a firefight in the Sopore area of Indian-administered Kashmir after receiving a tip-off.

"Two terrorists were killed and two weapons were recovered from their bodies," Colonel Kalia said.

The latest exchanges of fire come as ties worsen between the two rivals.

India blamed the September attack on Pakistan-based militants and responded with "surgical strikes" on what New Delhi described as terrorist launching pads across the dividing line.

Pakistan denied the strikes took place and the two sides have since expelled diplomats from their countries in a tit-for-tat row.

The border skirmishes come against the backdrop of months of protests against Indian rule of Kashmir, sparked by the killing of a popular rebel leader in July.

Nearly 90 people, most of them young protesters, have been killed in clashes with security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir since then.
IS 'high' command ordered Paris, Brussels attacks: prosecutor

The jihadist cell that launched deadly attacks on Paris and Brussels received its orders from "very high" in the Islamic State group command, Belgium's federal prosecutor said Wednesday.

"We know that the orders came from the Islamic State zone.... We know that it went very high in the command," Frederic Van Leeuw said in an interview with AFP in Brussels.

He could not say exactly who gave the orders or whether they sent them from a base in Syria or Iraq, the territory run by IS leader and self-declared caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

France has been under a state of emergency after 130 people were killed in the Paris terror attacks in November 2015 Joel Saget (AFP/File)

He said the command moved around to dodge US-backed strikes. "Baghdadi was for a while in Mosul (Iraq), sometimes in Raqa (Syria)," he added.

"We don't know at all who are the people who really gave the orders," he said.

IS claimed responsibility for the attacks across Paris on November 13 last year that killed 130 people as well as for the suicide bombings at Brussels airport and a metro station on March 22 that killed 32 people.

Van Leeuw said the attacks were carried out by the same Franco-Belgian cell in which "the logisticians in one case became the operational ones in the following case".

With authorities still looking for suspects, he added: "The investigation is far from having ended, as much at the Belgian as at the French level."

French sources told AFP on Tuesday that French investigators had identified Oussama Atar, a Moroccan-Belgian jihadist based in Syria, as a "coordinator" of attacks in Paris and Brussels.

- 'Working theories' -

Van Leeuw said Atar's suspected role "is one of the working theories among others. There are a whole series of checks to be done".

Atar, believed to go by the pseudonym "Abou Ahmad" in Syria, has been on the radar of European security forces for more than a decade.

Abou Ahmad is suspected of having sent two suicide bombers to the national stadium in Paris as well as another pair of potential assailants, who were delayed on their way to Paris and arrested in Austria in December.

After being arrested in Iraq in 2004 following the US-led invasion of the country, Atar spent time in various jails including the notorious Abu Ghraib prison used by American forces.

After being released, in 2012 he returned to Belgium before apparently making his way back to the Middle East but intelligence services lost track of him months ago.

Asked why Atar had not been under surveillance, the prosecutor said even the French, who had more manpower, could not monitor someone round the clock.

"We must abandon this idea that is possible to follow people 24 hours a day... even when a legal case is opened," he said.

Van Leuw said Belgium had made "enormous progress" in the investigation into the attacks.

"The goal is effectively to understand and retrace everything that happened before, to retrace the entire chain of command," he said, adding that much police work lay ahead.
MEDFORD, Mass. (AP)  Half the members of a sorority at Tufts University in Massachusetts have quit in protest to their national organization's opposition to a transgender recruit.

The New England Cable News reports (http://bit.ly/2fwG87m) about 46 members of the Delta chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi left the sorority in October after the national headquarters discovered one candidate was transgender.

Former sorority president Kristin Reeves told the news station the national headquarters warned the chapter it was risking its Title 9 status as a single-sex organization.

The Tennessee-based sorority says at "at no point" did it threaten disciplinary or legal action and it eventually reconsidered its opposition.
Walgreens sues Theranos alleging breach of contract

Walgreens has sued its former partner, blood-testing startup Theranos Inc., alleging breach of contract.

The unit of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. is seeking $140 million, the amount it invested in Theranos, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The lawsuit was filed under seal in U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. A spokesman for Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreens declined to comment Tuesday beyond confirming the lawsuit had been filed.

Theranos raised millions of dollars by pitching its technology as a cheaper, faster way to run blood tests. But the companies' yearslong partnership unraveled after questions were raised about the reliability of Theranos' tests.

In June, Walgreens, the nation's largest drugstore chain, severed ties with the company, closing all 40 of its Theranos Wellness Centers

In April, Theranos said it was under investigation or inspection by several government regulators, and in July its founder Elizabeth Holmes was banned from owning or running a medical lab for two years.

Theranos said Tuesday it plans to respond "vigorously" to what it said were unfounded allegations.
Election coverage an unexpected thrill ride on TV

NEW YORK (AP)  Donald Trump's stunning victory against Hillary Clinton in the presidential election Tuesday was a final twist in a made-for TV thrill ride  and a stern lesson to journalists to avoid leaping to conclusions.

Relying on polls and group think, television networks began covering election night with a barely concealed assumption that Clinton would win, only to see the actual results suggest something quite different. Tens of millions of Americans followed the drama on all manner of screens as the drama stretched into the early morning.

The Associated Press declared that Trump had won the presidency at 2:30 a.m. EST. Within 10 minutes, CNN reported that Clinton had called Trump to concede. Except for the AP, the politicians beat media organizations: CNN called the race for Trump as the Republican took the stage at his Manhattan headquarters, and CBS, ABC and NBC did the same as he spoke.

In this image released by CBS, CBS News Contributor Bob Schieffer, from left, CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King, CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley, CBS This Morning co-host Norah O\'Donnell, Face the Nation anchor John Dickerson and CBS This Morning co-host Charlie Rose host 2016 election night coverage on Nov. 8, 2016, at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York. (Michele Crowe/CBS via AP)

"Donald Trump is the first person to be elected president without previously holding office since Dwight Eisenhower," said CBS' Scott Pelley. "And he did it without the advantage of having won World War II.

Less than an hour earlier, Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta had announced that the Democrat would not be addressing her supporters that night. That triggered a bitter argument on CNN that spoke to the challenge in healing the nation after a rough campaign.

Former Trump campaign chairman Corey Lewandowski, now a CNN analyst, was angered by Clinton's decision not to come out and said Trump would be criticized for making the same decision. "Corey, you're a horrible person right now," said analyst and Clinton supporter Van Jones.

The election results offered a stern rebuke to pollsters  few of whom predicted a Trump victory  newspaper editorial boards and the Hollywood establishment, which lined up almost unanimously behind Clinton. The post-election period will include soul-searching for those institutions as well as politicians.

"I am sitting here surprised by the fact that we were surprised by this, in a campaign full of surprises," said ABC News' Cecilia Vega.

The much-followed Upshot blog on The New York Times website had a meter predicting the chances of each candidate winning. It began Tuesday with an 85 percent certainty that Clinton would win, and flipped as the evening went on to a near certainty of a Trump win.

Television networks, concentrating on the electoral college and paths to victory for each of the candidates, also spent virtually no time discussing the possibility that Clinton could win the popular vote and lose the election.

Analysts spoke of Trump's unexpected strength in rural areas, with CNN's David Axelrod calling it a "primal scream on behalf of voters who are disenfranchised with the status quo." MSNBC's Brian Williams called it a failure of prognosticators to take into account how many lawn signs Trump inspired as opposed to Clinton.

"This is a revolt of the unprotected class against the protected elite class," said Fox News Channel's Monica Crowley.

A chorus of I-told-you-so's is also likely in coming days. NBC News' Kasie Hunt noted as she traveled with Clinton during the last week of the campaign that it went from small staged events to other small staged events. She said it did not feel like she was covering a winning campaign. "And I took some criticism for that from some sources," she said.

CNN's Jones grew emotional when talking about how many Americans are going to struggle waking up on Wednesday and telling their children what happened. "This was a whitelash against a changing country," Jones said, and many newer Americans will feel threatened by it.

It was a far different mood while the polls were still open. Vice Media and Slate collaborated on a system that combined exit polling with early voting profiles to project candidate vote totals in seven battleground states and posted the material throughout the day on Tuesday. Clinton was leading Tuesday afternoon in all seven of the states, according to the VoteCastr model.

Television networks vowed to stick with tradition and not reveal that information. But it was hard to miss some foreshadowing.

Trump called in to Fox News Channel shortly after 2 p.m. EST, where he talked about a rigged electoral system and passed up the chance to exhort supporters to vote. Fox interviewer Martha MacCallum asked him four questions about what he might do if he lost.

Shortly thereafter, Republican National Committee aide Sean Spicer on Fox offered a very specific prediction  that Trump's electoral vote total would exceed those of President Barack Obama's two opponents  without predicting victory. Republican pollster Ed Rollins told Fox's Shepard Smith at 3 p.m. EST that it would take a miracle for Trump to win.

CNN correspondent Brianna Keilar, covering the Clinton campaign, told Wolf Blitzer shortly after 5 p.m. EST that the Clinton camp was confident heading into the evening.

"I hear they're confident," Blitzer said. "Are they very, very confident or are they nervous?"

Responded Keilar: "I'm not picking up any nerves."

Five hours later, Keilar noted the stunned faces on people at Clinton headquarters on Manhattan's West Side. They came expecting a party  maybe even an early night  and left contemplating the prospect of a President Trump.

Even before the polls closed, there were warnings not to jump to conclusions too early. "Please keep in mind, exit polls can shift faster than a feather in a tornado," tweeted former CBS News anchor Dan Rather, in his familiar folksy style.

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AP Television Writer Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
Arizona police officer fatally shot; suspect in standoff

SHOW LOW, Ariz. (AP)  A police officer was fatally shot Tuesday outside a fast-food restaurant in eastern Arizona, and authorities were negotiating with a barricaded suspect.

Police identified the suspect as Daniel Erickson, 36, of Huachuca City.

Erickson is a convicted felon who has served two prison sentences in Arizona  a four-year term for a drug conviction in 2009 and five months for an endangerment conviction in 2007.

The shooting occurred in Show Low, and Erickson reportedly was holed up in cabin Tuesday night in the nearby Pinetop-Lakeside area.

Highway 260 was closed in the area of the standoff, which is about 10 miles south of Show Low.

Officer Darrin Reed was taken to a hospital in critical condition after the 1:30 p.m. shooting and later died from his injuries, police said.

The police department didn't immediately release Reed's age or number of years on the force or a list of his survivors.

Details of how the shooting occurred or if Erickson was being sought by authorities prior to the incident weren't immediately released by police.

Police said Erickson was seen leaving a Show Low hotel near the scene of the shooting in a vehicle and was dressed in a black leather trench coat and reportedly armed with a silver handgun.
No verdict in second day of hot car death jury deliberations

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP)  Jurors weighing murder charges against a Georgia man whose toddler son died after being left for hours in a hot car ended their second day of deliberations without reaching a verdict.

Media reports say jurors in the trial of Justin Ross Harris on Wednesday asked to re-watch videos of Harris being interviewed by police and talking with his then-wife at the police station.

Harris faces charges including malice murder after his 22-month-old son, Cooper, died in June 2014 in a parking lot outside Harris' workplace in metro Atlanta.

Harris, who moved to Georgia from Alabama in 2012, told police he forgot to take the boy to day care. But prosecutors say Harris intentionally killed his son to escape his family responsibilities at a time when Harris was pursuing sexual affairs outside his marriage.
3 states OK recreational pot; 2 toughen gun control laws

NEW YORK (AP)  California, Massachusetts and Nevada voted to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, giving a huge boost to the campaign to allow pot nationwide. Six more states also voted on marijuana measures, while voters in California and Washington state toughened gun control laws.

In Nebraska, voters reinstated the death penalty, reversing the Legislature's decision last year to repeal capital punishment. Nebraska has not executed an inmate since 1997; 10 men currently sit on death row.

In all, there were more than 150 measures appearing on statewide ballots. California led the pack with 17 ballot questions, including one that would require actors in porn movies to wear condoms during filming of sexual intercourse. Another would ban single-use plastic grocery bags.

This undated handout photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows Clarence Ray Allen, who was the last person executed in California when he was put to death at San Quentin State Prison in January 2006. California corrections officials announced Friday, Nov. 4, 2016, they have met a legal deadline to switch to a new method of executing condemned inmates, just days before voters decide whether to do away with the death penalty. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP)

In all, five states considered whether to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Arizonans defeated the measure in their state. The outcome in Maine was too close to call early Wednesday.

Overall, the results were hailed as historic by legalization activists, given that California is the most populous state. Massachusetts became the first state east of the Rockies to join the movement.

Voters in Arkansas, Florida and North Dakota approved measures allowing marijuana use for medical purposes. Montanans voted on whether to ease restrictions on an existing medical marijuana law.

Florida, where the pot measure was backed by 71 percent of the voters, and Arkansas became the first states in the South with full-scale medical marijuana programs, which exist in 25 other states.

Collectively, it was the closest the U.S. has ever come to a national referendum on marijuana, which remains prohibited under federal law.

"These votes send a clear message to federal officials that it's time to stop arresting and incarcerating marijuana users," said Rob Kampia, executive director of the pro-legalization Marijuana Policy Project.

The outcome will more than triple the number of Americans living in states where recreational pot is legal. The jurisdictions where that's already the case  Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state and the District of Columbia  have less than 6 percent of the population.

Another hot-button issue  gun control  was on the ballot in four states, including California, which already has some of the nation's toughest gun-related laws. Voters there approved a measure that will outlaw possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines, require permits to buy ammunition and extend California's unique program that allows authorities to seize firearms from owners who bought guns legally but are no longer allowed to own them.

Washington state approved a ballot measure that will allow judges to issue orders temporarily seizing guns from individuals who are deemed a threat.

In Maine and Nevada, a group founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent millions promoting ballot measures that would require background checks on nearly all gun sales and transfers. Both contests were too close to call early Wednesday.

Supporters say the expanded background checks would close gaps in the federal system that allow felons, domestic abusers and the mentally ill to buy firearms from private sellers at gun shows and online without a background check.

Nebraska was one of three states voting on capital punishment. California had two competing measures on its ballot, one repealing its rarely used death penalty and the other speeding up appeals so convicted murderers are actually executed.

Oklahoma residents approved a measure to make it harder to abolish capital punishment. It seeks to ensure the state has a way to execute prisoners even if a given method is blocked.

Colorado voters approved a measure that will allow physicians to assist a terminally ill person in dying. That's already a practice in five other states. Coloradans defeated a proposal that would have set up the nation's first universal health care system.

Among the other topics addressed by ballot measures:

 MINIMUM WAGE: Arizona, Colorado and Maine voters approved measures phasing in a $12 minimum hourly wages by 2020. In Washington state, where the minimum wage is $9.47 an hour, voters approved a measure raising that to $13.50 an hour by 2020. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.

BILINGUAL EDUCATION: California voters repealed a nearly two-decade-old law that limited bilingual education in public schools.

 TAX HIKES: Oregon voters defeated a measure that would have imposed a 2.5 percent tax on corporate sales that exceed $25 million. Washington voters rejected a plan to promote cleaner energy by imposing a tax of $25 per metric ton on carbon emissions from fossil fuels such as gasoline, coal and natural gas.

 TOBACCO TAXES: Voters in Colorado, Missouri and North Dakota rejected proposals to raise taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products. Californians approved a measure that raises cigarette prices by $2 a pack and places new taxes on electronic cigarettes.

FILE - In this June 22, 2012, file photo, a smoker snuffs out a cigarette at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. California's lopsided U.S. Senate is nearing a historic end and voters are pondering a long list of ballot questions that could legalize marijuana, end the death penalty and slap cigarette smokers with a $2-a-pack tax increase. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)
Many months of work to arrive at a solution to space and building needs identified within the Chippewa Falls School District ended with voters defeating two referendums that totaled $159 million.

Question No. 1 was defeated 54.3 percent to 45.7 percent, with a total of 8,002 yes votes and 9,509 no votes.

That question sought up to $61.2 million to replace Stillson Elementary School, and included additions onto Jim Falls and Halmstad elementaries, improvements to several buildings, and bought land for a new high school.

Question No. 2 gained much less support. It drew 61.9 percent no votes, to 38.1 percent approval, with a total of 6,364 yes votes and 10,335 no votes.

The second question, asking for up to $98 million for a new high school and to shuffle students around to other buildings, was the most expensive one proposed this year in the state. Only three other Wisconsin districts have ever asked voters to issue debt for more money than that, and all three of those referendums failed.

In addition to the new high school the second referendum would have: let middle school students move to the current high school building; Hillcrest Elementary students would join adult/community education in the current middle school building; and Chippewa Valley High School and employees at pupil services and Korger Chestnut buildings would join the central office staff in the current Hillcrest building.

Combined, the two referendums were the largest to go before voters of any school district in state history, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Wisconsin school districts have sent 154 referendums to voters in 2016. Not counting the 67 that were on ballots Tuesday, voters had approved 77 percent of the school proposals.

Im very appreciative of everyone who attended an information session and who voted, and the public had a chance to weigh in on the future of the Chippewa Falls School District, School Board President Amy Mason said.

Mason said if both referendums were defeated, the board will need to reassess and prioritize the districts most critical needs.

We will continue to engage the public as we go forward, and continue to work hard to find a solution that will adjust district facility needs and meet the approval of the community, Mason said.

Theres great pride in our schools and high expectations, so well see what we can do to meet those expectations in a way our community would support, and that would include looking at every option.

Superintendent Dr. Heidi Eliopoulos, also contacted with half of the vote yet to be counted, took heart in all the contacts that were made through the process between school personnel and the public.

One incidental benefit of this process is that this is the most engaged our residents have been in the district for a long, long time, she said. While the context of the conversation was facilities, a side effect is learning about whats taking place in our schools. That reconnection with our schools, no matter the outcome, is good.

Reaction mixed

The school questions were met with both support and opposition at the polls.

Im basically for it, said Laury Konwinski. She doesnt have any children who attend the school district, but felt education was very important.

Its kind of a catch-22. Taxes will go up but an actually building investment in our community is more important than what the taxes will be, Damon Brooks said. It creates jobs, which increases property values.

Andrea Finn is a mother of three who understood some buildings have issues with overcrowding. I dont think necessarily that a $98 million new high school and all of that needs to happen, but I know something needs to be done, she said. Im looking for more options.

Alyssa Larscheid was in favor of moving the high school off the congested West Hill, where it sits with an elementary school and a middle school in the district, and a combined middle school/high school in McDonell Area Catholic Schools.

Steve Hennig would have liked to have seen previous school boards address plans for the future. Its too much, too soon, he said of the two referendums.

Randy Meyer also voted against it.

From what I understand, theyre really not in that bad of shape, he said. You dont get a flat tire and then go buy a new car.

But Royce Roberts said it was time for an update for the districts school buildings. Its overdue, he said.

Long, winding road

For Chippewa Falls, it was the first time in 15 years the school district had gone to voters with a referendum. It was a long road to get there.

The School Board authorized the $61.2 million referendum in August after many months of study groups, special meetings, building tours and public surveys, and options considered and then discarded.

Eleven days later, the board approved a second question, for $98 million, to give residents a chance to vote on a proposal that would fix space needs at several buildings, primarily by building a new high school.

More than a dozen community information sessions followed, and signs proclaiming Vote No joined those saying Vote Yes and wound up on lawns across town.

Both of the referendums were spurred by a master facilities plan the School Board authorized in 2014. Once those results were presented to the board in July 2015, a community facilities committee was formed.

It proposed a $167 million recommendation that included a new high school, and a controversial decision to close two elementary schools and turn the middle school into an intermediate school for grades 4-5.
Voter support of marijuana reaches new high

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Voter support for marijuana legalization reached a new high as California, Massachusetts and Nevada approved recreational pot, joining four other states and Washington, D.C., with similar laws.

Voters in Florida, North Dakota and Arkansas passed medical marijuana measures, pushing the number of states with such laws past two dozen.

The California vote makes the use and sale of recreational cannabis legal along the entire West Coast and gives legalization advocates powerful momentum. Massachusetts is the first state east of the Mississippi to allow recreational use.

Krystal Xiques smokes marijuana at a rally in support of Prop 64 at Sparc Dispensary Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in San Francisco. California voters approved a ballot measure Tuesday allowing recreational marijuana in the nation's most populous state. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

The victories could spark similar efforts in other states and put pressure on federal authorities to ease longstanding rules that classify marijuana as a dangerously addictive drug with no medical benefits.

"I'm thrilled," said Northern California marijuana grower Nikki Lastreto. "I'm so excited that California can now move forward."

California was the first state to approve medical marijuana two decades ago. It was among five states weighing whether to permit pot for adults for recreational purposes. The other states were Arizona, which defeated the idea, and Maine, where the question remained undecided early Wednesday.

Montana voted to ease restrictions on an existing medical marijuana law.

In general, the proposals for recreational pot would treat cannabis similar to alcohol. Consumption would be limited to people 21 or older and forbidden in most public spaces. Pot would be highly regulated and heavily taxed, and some states would let people grow their own.

State-by-state polls showed most of the measures with a good chance of prevailing. But staunch opponents that included law enforcement groups and anti-drug crusaders urged the public to reject any changes. They complained that legalization would endanger children and open the door to creation of another huge industry that, like big tobacco, would be devoted to selling Americans an unhealthy drug.

"We are, of course, disappointed," said Ken Corney, president of the California Police Chiefs Association. Corney said his organization plans to work with lawmakers to develop a driving-under-the-influence policy.

The California proposal sowed deep division among marijuana advocates and farmers. In Northern California's famous Emerald Triangle, a region known for cultivating pot for decades, many small growers have longed for legitimacy but also fear being forced out of business by large corporate farms.

"I'm not necessarily stoked nor surprised," said Humboldt County grower Graham Shaw, reflecting the ambivalence of the region to the measure. "I am very happy that the war on cannabis in California is finally over."

If "yes" votes prevail across the country, about 75 million people accounting for more than 23 percent of the U.S. population would live in states where recreational pot is legal. The jurisdictions where that's already the case  Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state and the District of Columbia  have about 18 million residents, or 5.6 percent of the population. Twenty-five states allow medical marijuana.

According to national polls, a solid majority of Americans support legalization.

Proposition 64 would allow people 21 and older to legally possess up to an ounce of weed and grow six marijuana plants at home. Varying tax rates would be levied on sales, with the money deposited into the state's marijuana tax fund.

The exit poll of 2,282 California voters was conducted for AP and the television networks by Edison Research. This includes preliminary results from interviews conducted as voters left a random sample of 30 precincts statewide Tuesday, as well as 744 who voted early or absentee and were interviewed by landline or cellular telephone from Oct. 29 through Nov. 4. Results for the full sample were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points; it is higher for subgroups

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Associated Press writers David Crary in New York and Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco contributed to this report.

Dominic Ripoli, left, and Bella Yousif smoke marijuana at a rally in favor of prop. 64 at Sparc Dispensary Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in San Francisco. California voters approved a ballot measure Tuesday allowing recreational marijuana in the nation's most populous state. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Seibo Shen, at right, provides marijuana to smoke for supporters of Prop 64 during a rally at Sparc Dispensary Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in San Francisco. California voters approved a ballot measure Tuesday allowing recreational marijuana in the nation's most populous state. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Different strains of marijuana are displayed during a rally in support of Prop 64 at Sparc Dispensary Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016, in San Francisco. California voters approved a ballot measure Tuesday allowing recreational marijuana in the nation's most populous state. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Chinese businessman receives death sentence in Tianjin blast

BEIJING (AP)  A Chinese court on Wednesday gave the head of a logistics company a suspended death sentence over a massive explosion at a chemical warehouse in Tianjin last year that killed 173 people, most of them firefighters and police officers.

Tianjin's No. 2 Intermediate Court ruled that Ruihai International Logistics Chairman Yu Xuewei paid bribes to obtain permission to illegally store more than 49,000 tons of sodium cyanide and other highly toxic chemicals at the company's warehouse in the city's port between 2013 and 2015, when the explosion occurred. Such sentences are usually commuted to life in prison after two years.

Various other Tianjin courts gave lesser sentences to 48 other people. They included 25 local government officials and workers accused of dereliction of duty, abuse of power and bribe taking, 12 other Ruihai employees accused of taking part in the scheme and 11 employees of a company that provided phony certificates supporting the company's operations.

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Ruihai International Logistics Chairman Yu Xuewei, center, is led by police officers as he arrives for his trial at the Tianjin's No. 2 Intermediate Court in north China's Tianjin Municipality, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016. A Chinese court on Wednesday gave the head of a logistics company a suspended death sentence over a massive explosion at a chemical warehouse in Tianjin last year that killed 173 people, most of them firefighters and police officers. (Yue Yuewei/Xinhua via AP)

In a video shown on state broadcaster CCTV, Yu told the judges that he regretted his actions and wouldn't appeal.

"I want to use this opportunity to apologize to those who died and were hurt in the blasts and their families, as well as all the citizens of the nation," Yu said.

The explosion was among China's deadliest industrial accidents in recent years and the resulting investigation was directly overseen by the Cabinet.

Investigators found that the blast was triggered when stocks of nitrocellulose, a flammable compound used as a binding agent with medical applications and as an ingredient of lacquer, became too dry and caught fire in the August heat. The flames then spread to illegal stores of the combustible fertilizer ammonium nitrate, triggering a series of blasts that flattened the warehouse, destroyed an adjacent auto lot and caused extensive damage to neighboring apartment blocks.

The dead included 99 firefighters and 11 police officers, who were not informed of the presence of the 800 tons of ammonium nitrate. Another 798 people were injured, largely because Ruihai illegally built its warehouse too close to their apartments.

The blasts contaminated the air, water, and soil in the immediate area but did not affect the environmental quality of the ocean bay on which Tianjin sits, the investigators said.
Israel strikes Syria after rocket hits Golan Heights

JERUSALEM (AP)  The Israeli military says it has struck a Syrian army artillery position after a rocket from Syria hit the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan Heights.

The military believes the rocket attack, which caused no casualties, was errant fire that spilled over the frontier Wednesday from the civil war.

Israel has largely remained on the sidelines of the fighting, but has carried out reprisals on Syrian positions when errant fire has crossed the frontier.

Israel is also widely believed to have carried out airstrikes on arms shipments said to be destined for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, a close ally of the Syrian government.
Syrian activists: Coalition strike kills 20 in IS-held area

BEIRUT (AP)  Syrian activists are blaming the U.S.-led coalition for an early morning airstrike on Wednesday that killed at least 20 civilians in a part of Syria held by the Islamic State group.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 20 people were killed and around 30 wounded in the strike on the village of Heisha. The village is north of the extremist group's de facto capital, Raqqa.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, a local media collective, said 23 civilians were killed.

U.S. Col. John Dorrian, a spokesman for the U.S.-led forces, said the coalition had conducted strikes in the area but could not confirm whether there were civilian casualties. "More information is needed to conclusively determine responsibility," he said.

The international force is flying dozens of sorties in the region in support of a U.S.-backed push by Syrian Kurdish forces on Raqqa. The Kurdish-led Syria Democratic Forces say they have committed 30,000 fighters to the offensive, which was announced Sunday. Iraq is meanwhile waging a major offensive to drive IS from the northern city of Mosul.

In Aleppo, Syria's largest city and one of the focal points of the 5 1/2-year civil war, a rocket attack on a university killed six civilians, according to Syrian state media. The SANA news agency blamed the attack on insurgents, who control the eastern half and much of the western countryside of the contested city.
UN sees small but significant Iranian nuke deal violation

VIENNA (AP)  The United Nations agency monitoring the nuclear pact between Iran and six world powers said Wednesday that Iran is in violation of the deal meant to curb its ability to make atomic arms by storing marginally more heavy water than the agreement allows.

Heavy water is a concern because it is used to cool reactors that can produce substantial amounts of plutonium. That, in turn, can be applied to making the fissile core of nuclear warheads.

The U.N's International Atomic Energy Agency said in a confidential report obtained by The Associated Press that Iran had exceeded the heavy water allotment of 130 metric tons (143.3 tons) only slightly  by 100 kilograms (220 pounds.) The report also noted that Iran had served notice it would resolve the issue by exporting 5 metric tons, substantially over the excess amount.

Wednesday's report said the agency verified the overhang on Tuesday, just days after IAEA chief Yukiya Amano "expressed concerns" to top Iranian officials.

A senior diplomat familiar with the issue said the Iranians had told the IAEA that the shipment would be leaving their country within the next few days. The diplomat requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record about Iran's nuclear program.

Still, with both sides closely watching for violations, the breach was sensitive even beyond the technical uses of heavy water, especially since it was the second such breach since implementation of the deal curbing Iran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

In February, a month after the deal went into effect, the agency noted for the first time that Iran had exceeded its allotted limit of heavy water. The amount was greater in that case and some of the excess was exported to the United States under an arrangement criticized by U.S. congressional opponents as facilitating Iranian violations of the deal.
German Lutheran church rejects efforts to convert Jews

BERLIN (AP)  Germany's Lutheran church is rejecting any efforts to convert Jews, a move that is being welcomed by the country's Jewish community.

The synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany approved the declaration on Wednesday. Synod president Irmgard Schwaetzer said it is "a further step on the path of contemplation and reorientation in our relationship with Jews."

The move to distance the church from the mission to Jews comes ahead of next year's 500th anniversary of the Reformation and follows a declaration last year distancing it from Martin Luther's statements against Jews. The Vatican has also declared it doesn't support official efforts to convert Jews.
Bosnian court convicts hotel owner for pilgrimage extortion

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP)  A Bosnian court has sentenced an Italian citizen to one year in prison after he confessed to being part of a group that extorted money from foreigners escorting pilgrims to a Catholic shrine.

The court imposed the sentence after finding Luca Cobre, the manager of a hotel in Medjugorje, guilty of organized crime.

Medjugorje is a small village where a shrine marks the apparitions of the Virgin Mary that six young people saw in 1981.

The extortion group allegedly threatened to close Italian tourist agencies or non-governmental organizations in Medjugorje and expel their owners if they did not pay. Its members also allegedly tried to force pilgrimage tour operators to rent their hotels.
Lil Wayne's jail memoir details emotional highs and lows

NEW YORK (AP)  As soon as Lil Wayne knew he was going to jail for gun possession, he mapped out his plan to survive.

"There was, 'OK, let's get a plan together ... from when you go in ... and when you get out,'" the rapper said of his eight-month stint in New York City's Rikers Island in 2010.

What wasn't intended was his book detailing his experience. The recently released "Gone 'Til November" is based on his diary from his time inside prison. He writes about disillusionment, disputes between inmates and even a time when he officiated at a gay marriage.

FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2013 file photo, recording artist Lil Wayne poses in New Orleans. The rapper released a memoir titled, Gone Til November," about his 2010 jail stint for gun possession. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

The 34-year-old was skeptical that people would be interested in his diaries.

Then "my best friend Cortez (Bryant) told me: 'You know, people want to know what you did every single day.'"

Lil Wayne sat down with The Associated Press recently to talk about his experience.

AP: Sean "Diddy" Combs and Kanye West visited you in jail. What did that mean to you?

Lil Wayne: When I was there, actually talking to them during the visitation, they made it so real. ... They threw all the 'Who's in this room' out of there. That was thrown out the window. They were like, 'How you feeling? What are you going through? Do you need anything, like do you really need anything? Do your parents need anything?' And then, I said the moment it hit me was going back up to the cell.

AP: How did you get through it?

Lil Wayne: It was due to the people around (me). When I say the people around me, I mean the prisoners, the guards. ... They took all the cliche (out) of whatever I thought it was gonna be, they took that and threw it right out the window. They made me feel like, for lack of a better word, to say like I was at home. And it was everybody. ... Nobody wants to be there, not even the guards. So when you come through there, for everybody to treat you the same. ... Whatever it was, it worked.

AP: How did you keep your seizures under control? (He suffers from epilepsy.)

Lil Wayne: I was on my medicine. I had to take my medicine every single day, not that I don't take my medicine. I guess I was just praying, and I guess God was with me, I don't know.

AP: What did it feel like to perform again after you were released?

Wayne: I'd say it was like, uh, being in an accident and losing ... feeling in your legs and they're telling you (that) you'll never walk again. And coming back eight months and running up. ... That's how that felt.

____

Online:

http://www.youngmoney.com

___

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Trump win echoes Brexit, and boosts Europe's populists

LONDON (AP)  Britain's vote to leave the European Union was a major shock to the global political system. But in a year of political earthquakes, it has just been trumped.

Like Brexit, Donald Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton in the U.S. presidential election was driven by voters turning against the established order and mainstream politicians. Years of uncertainty after the 2008 global financial crisis left some of those voters economically vulnerable, while others were unsettled by terrorism, global instability and the many people fleeing war and poverty.

It all bred a sense of revolt  that there would be no more of the same old, same old.

French far-right leader Marine le Pen makes a statement on the presidential election in the United States of America, Wednesday Nov. 9, 2016 in Nanterre, outside Paris. A French outsider with an anti-system agenda, far-right leader Marine Le Pen, is a candidate in France's spring presidential elections. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Steven Fielding, director of the Center for British Politics at the University of Nottingham, likened the mood to the 1970s film "Network," in which a TV anchor lets out a famous cry of frustration.

"'I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore'  it's kind of like that," Fielding said.

The same populist wave could soon roll over Italy, France and beyond.

Trump's win came as a shock to many, but quite a few watching from Britain felt a strong sense of deja vu.

First came the groundswell of support for figures like pro-Brexit British politician Nigel Farage and Trump, and ideas long-considered on the fringe: leaving the EU, or building a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border. There were pithy anti-establishment slogans: Britons were urged to "Take back control," while U.S. voters were told to "Make America great again."

Details on how to execute such change were often scant. But it didn't matter.

Some resented immigrants or people from different races and backgrounds, and found campaigns that spoke to their anxiety.

In both cases, many commentators refused to believe the challenger could win. Pollsters were fooled. Bookies paid dearly for failing to predict the outcome.

Farage and Trump see themselves as allies on similar missions. The president-elect has likened his campaign to an American Brexit. Farage said Wednesday that 2016 will be "the year of two great political revolutions."

"I thought Brexit was big, but boy, this looks like it's going to be even bigger," he said.

Voters' reasons for embracing Trump, as for Brexit, were complex.

Many parents feared they would leave their children less well-off  unable to buy a house or fund a pension. That was coupled with anxiety about a world changing more quickly than anyone had imagined.

Americans were voting against Washington, just as Britons had voted against the entrenched forces of government in London.

Pollsters and the mainstream media did not hear their voices, said University of Kent political scientist Matthew Goodwin, an expert on the populist right.

"Many commentators in the United States dismissed the Brexit comparison, arguing that Hillary Clinton was in a far stronger position," he said.

But they underestimated the determination "among mainly white, working class and less well-educated Americans who feel under threat from rampant globalization and increasing rates of ethnic and cultural change."

Trump is unlikely to be the last populist to win. Under threat soon is Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, whose government will be shaken if he loses a Dec. 4 referendum on constitutional reform. A loss boosts the anti-EU Five Star movement.

France, Germany and the Netherlands all face elections in 2017. Among the first to congratulate Trump were heads of the nationalist Alternative for Germany, which is expected to take a double-digit share of the vote, and French National Front leader Marine Le Pen. Her far-right party is predicted to do well among voters frustrated with the status quo, economic stagnation and France's shrinking global clout.

Le Pen, a candidate for president, said the U.S. result "buries the old order," as did Brexit.

"What happened overnight in the United States is not the end of the world but the end of a world," Le Pen said.

In the Netherlands, which votes in March, far-right Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders said Trump's win signaled, "Look, it is possible!"

"What the Americans can do, we can, too," he said.

Analysts warn that the hope and anger harnessed by populists are a volatile force, and that outsiders find it far easier to make promises than to deliver on them.

"It's all very well saying no and rejecting something, but to put something in its place is a very complicated process," Fielding said. "We may be entering a period of great anger."

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Associated Press writers Frank Jordans in Berlin, Mike Corder in The Hague, Vanessa Gera and Monika Scislowska in Warsaw, Raf Casert in Brussels, Colleen Barry in Milan, Shawn Pogatchnik in Dublin and Angela Charlton and Elaiine Ganley in Paris contributed.

French far-right leader Marine le Pen makes a statement on the presidential election in the United States of America, Wednesday Nov. 9, 2016 in Nanterre, outside Paris. A French outsider with an anti-system agenda, far-right leader Marine Le Pen, is a candidate in France's spring presidential elections. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

French far-right leader Marine le Pen makes a statement on the presidential election in the United States of America, Wednesday Nov. 9, 2016 in Nanterre, outside Paris. A French outsider with an anti-system agenda, far-right leader Marine Le Pen, is a candidate in France's spring presidential elections. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Haiti vaccinating nearly 1 million for cholera in storm zone

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  Health authorities in Haiti have begun a campaign to vaccinate 800,000 people for cholera in areas hit hardest by Hurricane Matthew.

Ministry of Health nurses are administering the oral medication in the southwestern departments of Sud and Grand' Anse. There have been around 3,500 suspected cases of the water-borne illness since the hurricane. The vaccine provides about six months of protection.

The Pan American Health Organization said Wednesday that international organizations are also assisting with the distribution of clean water, sanitation and treatment for an illness that has killed 10,000 in Haiti since October 2010.
Big victories for legal pot, but path ahead is uncertain

LOS ANGELES (AP)  The number of Americans living in states with recreational marijuana more than tripled after at least three states voted to fully legalize the drug. But the election of Republican Donald Trump and GOP majorities in the Senate and House tempered advocates' excitement about an easing of federal restrictions.

"There is a massive sense of momentum, and this will put a lot of pressure on the federal government," said Ethan Nadelmann, founder of the nonprofit Drug Policy Alliance, a pro-legalization group. What gives him "real concern" is Trump.

Nadelmann and other advocates say the president-elect is "unpredictable," and they are unsure where he stands on marijuana issues, though Trump has said in the past that he supports state laws legalizing medical marijuana.

Louie Gonzales smokes marijuana Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in San Francisco. Prop 64 legalizing marijuana for recreational use passed in California. The number of Americans living in states with recreational marijuana more than tripled after at least three states voted to fully legalize the drug. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Still, analysts and advocates alike say, the industry may be too big and valuable for a Trump administration to stop, especially after California voters legalized the recreational use of marijuana.

Seven states have now legalized recreational pot, and a recent Gallup poll showed close to 60 percent of Americans support the idea.

Colorado, where stores began legally selling recreational pot in 2014, reported almost $1 billion in legal pot sales last year. Arcview Market Research, which tracks the marijuana industry, estimates that legal annual California pot revenues could exceed $7 billion by 2020.

"The black market will not disappear overnight," said California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who helped craft the state's ballot measure. But he said the illegal market will shrink significantly if California can establish its marijuana regulations without federal interference.

"This is the beginning of the end of the war on marijuana in the United States," said Newsom, who is running for governor.

Todd Mitchem, a Denver-based marijuana industry consultant and lobbyist, said the pot business should expect an infusion of new interest from investors and would-be marijuana growers and retailers.

"It's going to be huge," said Mitchem, who pointed out that Colorado's pot industry is worth $1 billion a year but the state has only about a tenth of California's population. "Economically, you're going to see a lot more people enter the space and a lot more money enter the space."

Other states, too, will also look with envy at the taxes generated by California and other states where marijuana is legal, analyst predicted.

"The states that voted yesterday have a lot of work ahead of them to set up a legalization and tax structure, but I expect many more states will follow their lead," said Joseph Henchman of the Washington, D.C., think tank Tax Foundation.

Even the financial industry's reluctance to do business with marijuana businesses may soon disappear. Most banks refuse marijuana-related customers because of the federal ban.

"It is one thing to ignore the millions generated in Colorado. It is entirely a different thing to ignore the tens of billions that the California cannabis industry will generate," said Michael Weiner, a Denver lawyer who represents pot-related companies. "The big national banks will want to deposit those funds and put those funds to work by making loans."

Northern California farmers said they hoped Trump would recognize the business benefits of legalized pot and leave alone the states where it is allowed.

Recreational marijuana is "going to attract a lot of business," said Nikki Lastreto, a Northern California pot grower. "If the Trump thing wasn't hanging over our head, we'd be in heaven."

___

Associated Press Writer Kristen Wyatt in Denver contributed to this story.

A marijuana joint is rolled Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in San Francisco. Prop 64 legalizing marijuana for recreational use passed in California. The number of Americans living in states with recreational marijuana more than tripled after at least three states voted to fully legalize the drug. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Armando Rodriguez, who smokes marijuana for recreational and medicinal purposes, smokes Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in San Francisco. Prop 64 legalizing marijuana for recreational use passed in California. The number of Americans living in states with recreational marijuana more than tripled after at least three states voted to fully legalize the drug. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Dave Jimenez, left, smokes marijuana with his friend Anthony A. Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in San Francisco. Prop 64 legalizing marijuana for recreational used passed in California. The number of Americans living in states with recreational marijuana more than tripled after at least three states voted to fully legalize the drug. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Rudy Rubio, left, and D.J. share a marijuana smoke Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in San Francisco. Prop 64 legalizing marijuana for recreational use passed in California. The number of Americans living in states with recreational marijuana more than tripled after at least three states voted to fully legalize the drug. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Kazakh beer tycoon jailed for 21 years on coup-plotting charges

ASTANA, Nov 7 (Reuters) - A Kazakh businessman was sentenced to 21 years in prison on Monday on charges including plotting a coup against veteran President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Tokhtar Tuleshov, best known for running Shymkentpivo, one of the former Soviet republic's largest breweries, was subjected to a closed trial before a military court in the capital Astana, and reporters were only allowed to hear the verdict.

His detention in January raised eyebrows in the oil-rich nation as observers found it hard to believe a medium-tier businessman could plan and lead a coup against Nazarbayev, in power since 1989.

At the same time, unusually for a Kazakh businessman, Tuleshov ran the Kazakh office of a Russia-based organization called the Centre for the Analysis of Terrorist Threats.

Its website published anti-Western and pro-Russian articles, including one alleging that Islamic State militants were sending reinforcements to Ukrainian nationalists.

Tuleshov has been imprisoned since January but Kazakhstan's National Security Committee accused him in June of inciting and bankrolling a series of protests against land reforms in April and May which forced Nazarbayev to delay the planned changes.

On Monday, Judge Yerbol Akhmetzhanov read out the verdict and a long list of crimes for which Tuleshov had been convicted. Those included planning to violently seize power in the nation of 17 million and running an international criminal group involved in murder and kidnapping.

It was unclear whether Tuleshov had pleaded guilty, and his family's lawyer declined to comment.
Mexicans on U.S. border fear economic catastrophe if Trump wins

By Joanna Zuckerman Bernstein and David Alire Garcia

TIJUANA/NOGALES, Mexico, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Mexicans on the U.S. border anxiously awaited the outcome of the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday, plagued by fears of economic disaster if Republican Donald Trump wins and tries to choke local industry, isolate the country and deport millions.

Trump's campaign has been one of the most unpopular in living memory in Mexico, ranging from stinging verbal attacks on its migrants, threats against its trade agreements, to his repeated vows to seal off the country behind a huge border wall that he insists Mexico will pay for.

Nowhere has the bad-tempered contest been felt more acutely than in the Mexican cities straddling the U.S. border, which hundreds of thousands of people cross for work every day, and acts as a bridge for $500 billion in annual bilateral trade.

Trump launched his bid accusing Mexico of sending rapists and drug peddlers across the border, prompting the government to accuse him of stirring up hatred and fanning concerns on the border that racial prejudice is becoming more acceptable.

The tycoon says he could scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement that took effect in Mexico, the United States and Canada in 1994, and he has threatened to impose tariffs of up to 35 percent on Mexican-made goods to help U.S. industry.

"We're very worried. We know what Donald Trump is looking to do, which is limit the imports, he wants to manufacture everything in the States," said Marcello Hinojosa, president in the border city of Tijuana of industry group Canacintra.

"But this has been analyzed by both the United States and by Mexico and it's suicide for both countries."

Mexican business leaders say about 40 percent of the average Mexican factory export is made of U.S. content and argue the two manufacturing sectors are so closely intertwined that it is impossible to take steps against one without damaging the other.

Trump, who polls show trailing Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in a tight race, says Mexico is "killing" the United States on trade. However, commerce between the two has grown much faster than their respective economies since NAFTA, World Bank and U.S. data show.

Mexico sends more than 80 percent of its exports to the United States, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says roughly 6 million American jobs depend on trade with Mexico.

Trump has also blasted U.S. companies for investing in Mexico, which houses billions of dollars worth of manufacturing plants, especially around Mexico's northern border. Trump blames the Mexican factories for jobs losses in the United States.

If protectionist policies gain ground, prices for products and services would go up, and jobs would eventually be lost in Mexico, putting pressure on people to migrate - or exposing them to the lure of violent crime, Hinojosa said.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Rarely have Mexicans expressed such strong views about U.S. presidential candidates as during the current campaign.

Mexicans favor Clinton in the race by 10 to 1, according to a poll published in Mexico in late September. But the tightening of polls in the last two weeks has rattled their confidence she will win.

"Personally, though I think I speak for many Mexicans, I hope Trump loses," said Rodolfo Monroy, 85, a restaurant owner in the border city of Nogales, opposite Nogales, Arizona. "Why? Because he's rude, because of what comes out of his mouth. He doesn't like us Mexicans," he said, with a flash of anger on his face. "We're going to be in real trouble (if he wins)."

Wadih Kuri, Chief Executive of ABC Aluminum Solutions, a local aluminum company, recalled being labeled "beaner" as a Mexican studying across the border, the sort of prejudice he said Trump's campaign was encouraging again.

"Are we still at the same place where kids need to be ridiculed because they're from Mexico? And that's all he's doing. So If I'm nervous, I'm nervous for the culture that he's inspiring," said Kuri, who now lives in San Diego.

Trump's threats to deport more than 11 million undocumented migrants living in the United States, roughly half of whom are Mexican, could also put Mexican authorities under strain, said Cuauhtemoc Galindo, the mayor of Nogales, Mexico.

Nor was it wise economic policy, he added.

"Having someone govern who feeds racism, hate, this sort of thing ... will also make a lot of Mexicans stop visiting (the United States) out of fear, out of a sense of pride, which will also hurt the U.S. economy," Galindo said.

Crossing into the United States from Tijuana, one of the busiest thoroughfares in the hemisphere, construction worker Alejandro Ortiz said "every aspect" of his life would be affected if Trump wins - which he fears will happen.
Iranian miner seeks up to $4 bln for copper, steel projects

MELBOURNE, Nov 8 (Reuters) - A private Iranian company is seeking joint venture partners to help develop copper, steel and other projects in the country, managing director Ebrahim Sadeghi of Mahan Company for Mines and Industries Development (MACMID) said on Tuesday.

MACMID has two copper mines already under development, the Chah Firuzeh mine and the Daralou mine, both of which are being developed with a conglomerate that includes state-owned National Iranian Copper Industries.

The group is seeking $600 million from one or more international joint venture partners to help develop the two copper mines and associated processing plants, each aiming to produce about 26,000 tonnes of copper a year by about 2019.

"We are looking to bring in international partners to jointly develop local deposits," Sadeghi said through an interpreter on the sidelines of a mining conference. "Iran has some of the richest deposits in the Middle East. Gold, copper zinc."

Construction of the Chah Firuzeh mine is about 20 percent complete, and Daralou is around 35 percent complete, he said.

MACMID was set up in 2013 as a private joint stock company, backed by Iran's Tourism Financial Group.

It eventually aims to put in place a range of projects, including production of steel slab and a fertiliser business, and hopes to raise $4 billion in foreign investment after having secured $1 billion from local investors, Sardeghi said.

MACMID had a mandate to use European technology only in its developments.

Sardeghi said the investment climate in Iran had improved since the lifting of a range of international sanctions in mid-January.

"The climate is not cold, the process just takes time," he said.

MACMID expected commodity prices to increase, while the copper projects would break even at prices as low as $4,000 a tonne, he said. Copper is currently above $5,000.

"In 2018, it is going to be a better market for iron ore and steel. It won't be a return to the golden age, but it won't be as bad as 2016, 2017," he added, due to capacity cuts in China and a global recovery.
As Nigerian sex trafficking rises, Italy tracks crime kingpins

By Tom Esslemont

CATANIA, Italy, Nov 9 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When Italian prosecutor Lina Trovato first came across a sex trafficking suspect called "Mummy", she sensed she was onto something especially sinister.

The code name had appeared several times in wiretapped conversations between Nigerian gang members in Italy and their apparently female boss back in the West African state.

"If one of the (trafficked sex worker) girls went astray, the agents in Italy always informed 'Mummy' - otherwise known as the Queen Bee of Nigerian trafficking - so she could keep them in line," Trovato told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Several months of investigation led police to swoop in and arrest six people in the Italian cities of Rome, Genoa and Catania, she said. The six are awaiting trial.

Nigerian crime gangs have proliferated in Italy, controlling an extensive network of prostitutes and ordering them "on demand" from Nigeria, Italian police and prosecutors say.

But now the Nigerian gangs, who have been active in Italy for more than a decade, are taking on increasingly violent tactics, including knife crime and even forging close relations with notorious mafia groups, the Cosa Nostra and the Camorra, law enforcement agencies in Italy say.

The overlap with home-grown organised crime groups is troubling for police because the Italian mafia dominate the economies in their regions, often with the help of corrupt or complacent administrators, and they have spread their tentacles to northern Italy.

At least 16 Nigerians have been arrested on trafficking offences since the start of 2016 in the Catania jurisdiction in Sicily, up from around 10 the previous year.

"Mummy" is still on the run.

"Sometimes we are good at breaking the cycle (of trafficking). But it is very hard," Trovato, a specialist in organised crime and mafia, said in Catania city.

Italy's government has not disclosed the number of arrests in connection with Nigerian trafficking gangs despite requests from the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Around 12,000 Nigerian women arrived in Italy by sea in 2015 and 2016, data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) shows - a six-fold increase on the previous two years.

Almost 80 percent of the young women are victims of trafficking, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), placing law enforcement agencies under pressure to uproot expanding Nigerian criminal networks, lawyers say.

MAFIA CRIMES

As the number of Nigerian trafficking victims rises, Italian prosecutors - lawyers who gather evidence before presenting it in court - are finding more and more of their time taken up with unpicking Nigeria's criminal networks.

Nigerian prostitutes frequently end up working as recruiters or "madams" for new arrivals from Africa, prosecutors say.

These former sex workers also help with the logistics of slavery, driving trafficking victims to the cities where they become prostitutes, Trovato said.

But trends are changing. Armed robberies, murders and drug-related crime have spread south to the Sicilian city of Palermo from larger Nigerian communities in the northern cities of Turin and Castel Volturno, justice officials say.

"It is a compact community, in which there are lots of people who practice crime," said Leonardo Agueci, prosecutor in Palermo's justice department.

Earlier in 2016, the boss of notorious Nigerian criminal organisation Black Axe was sentenced to 12 years in jail after a number of Nigerian men were brutally attacked in Palermo.

The incident happened late one night in January 2014 in Palermo's Ballaro street market, where police later found the victims with gashed foreheads.

"It was the first time a Palermo court has convicted a Nigerian on mafia-related crimes," said Gaspare Spedale, another prosecutor in the Sicilian city.

Police fear the relatively small-time crimes committed by members of the Nigerian gangs in Palermo might become more serious in a city famous for Italy's most storied mafia organisation, the Cosa Nostra, Agueci said.

For now, the prosecutors said there was no evidence mafia were running the Nigerian sex trafficking network from Palermo, but it could have connections with organised crime gangs on mainland Italy.

"The people who export (Nigerian victims) are in other countries," Spedale said. "But there is a mastermind controlling it in Italy. It exists."

NIGERIAN OMERTA

In Palermo's vibrant Ballaro market, Nigerian shopkeepers and customers brushed shoulders with Sicilian fruit stallholders touting bright pink pomegranates and blood-red tomatoes.

Nigerian women, loading their baskets with sardines and olives, refused to answer questions about the quality of life in Palermo when they were approached by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

At night, a few hundred metres away, West African women in short-cut dresses plied their trade in dimly lit streets alongside the port. Many work for pimps who remain out of sight, local campaigners say.

But the killing in 2011 of one Nigerian trafficking victim still strikes fear in the community.

"Favour" Nike Adekune was murdered in Palermo's historic centre in a crime that shocked the 500-strong Nigerian community, according to Nino Rocca, a local rights activist.

Adekune - from Benin City in Nigeria's southern Edo state - had been working as a sex worker to pay off debts to her pimps, Rocca said.

After one of Adekune's clients was convicted of her murder, something mysterious happened to her body, he said.

"When the corpse was prepared for burial (months after her death), we noticed that only a few bones remained. We do not know why," Rocca told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "We have no idea if the mafia or Nigerian (gangs) stole the body."

But he added that some members of the Nigerian community suspected the local mafia were involved.

MAPPING THE CRIME

The macabre nature of more and more crimes committed against Nigerian women, including black magic or "juju" rituals, is one reason victims are reluctant to come forward, prosecutors say.

Fear plays a large part in Nigerian juju, with pubic hair, fingernails and blood collected from trafficking victims as they are made to swear never to report their situation to authorities, rights groups say.

In some cases, fearing the juju "spell" may be turned on them and they may die, Nigerian parents insist their daughters obey traffickers, testimony from Italian court documents shows.

"One woman we spoke to was made to swallow an egg whole," Kevin Hyland, Britain's anti-slavery commissioner, said in an interview in London.

"It obviously had some kind of drug in it: She was raped daily."

Victims of sex trafficking often do not want to point the finger at the madams or pimps because they are worried about repercussions or juju, Catania-based prosecutor Lino Trovato said.

Even so, the number of trafficking-related cases in her file has risen.

"This year, I handled about 40 cases, compared with 20 the year before," Trovato said.

SPANISH PROBLEM TOO

The problem is not isolated to Italy. The authorities in parts of Spain have also been grappling with Nigerian sex trafficking rings.

In Catalonia, 99 percent of prostitution is controlled by organised crime, much of it by a dominant Nigerian crime group known as the Supreme Eiye Confraternity (SEC) or Air Lords.

It's a criminal network comparable with the mafioso in Chicago in the 1930s, said Xavi Cortes, chief of the central unit of human trafficking at the Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan regional police force.

"Every single Nigerian knows who they are," Cortes said in an interview. "If you ask a Nigerian boy, he will know who an Eiye is."

But many women who are trafficked to Spain end up working as "madams", who are essentially pimps who control prostitutes on the streets of Barcelona, Cortes said.

The Mossos's operations have led to the jailing of 25 trafficking gang members in the Barcelona region, with a further 13 currently under a European arrest order because they are abroad, Cortes said.
Venezuela's PDVSA says oil spill controlled, Orinoco unaffected

CARACAS, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA said on Tuesday it had controlled a crude spill in a northeastern state and ruled out any contamination of the massive Orinoco river.

A pipeline leak at the locality of Santa Clara, in Anzoategui state, has been fixed and even though rains carried crude into the nearby Aribi river, that is still 80 km (50 miles) from the Orinoco, PDVSA said in a statement.

Opposition politicians and local media have accused PDVSA of covering up an "ecological disaster" with up to 100,000 barrels spilt since the leak began last week.

Though it did not give figures, the company denied that.

"The size of the leak announced by right-wing spokesmen is totally false," said the statement from PDVSA, which is the financial motor of Venezuela's socialist government.
German minister says Trump gains a "huge shock", wants clarity on NATO

BERLIN, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Germany's Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen described Donald Trump's gains in the U.S. presidential election as a "huge shock" on Wednesday and asked him for assurances on his commitment to NATO.

Von der Leyen told broadcaster ARD that the Republican candidate's strong showing was "not a vote for him but rather against Washington, against the establishment".

"It was a big shock when I saw the way things are heading," she said as Trump edged closer to winning the White House with a series of shocking wins in key states such as Florida and Ohio, rattling world markets.

Germany, like other European countries, was alarmed by Trump's comments earlier in the campaign that if Russia attacked a NATO member, he would consider whether the targeted country had met its defence commitments before providing military aid.

"Of course we Europeans, as a NATO ally, know that if Donald Trump becomes president, he'll ask: What are you contributing to this alliance?" von der Leyen, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, said.

"But we're also wondering, what's your position on this alliance?" she added, in the first comments from a German minister on the U.S. vote.

Von der Leyen said the German government now needed to find out know who their contact person would be in a Trump government and what campaign announcements he wanted to implement.

"There are many questions yet to be answered," she said.

Regarding Trump's pledge to "Make America Great Again", von der Leyen said that would only be possible with a strong economy and that, in turn, would only be possible if he did not create uncertainty.
S.Korea ruling party says U.S. anti-missile defence to go ahead

SEOUL, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The deployment in South Korea of the U.S. military's THAAD system, designed to counter North Korea's missile threat, will go ahead as planned under a Trump administration, the South's ruling party chief said on Wednesday, citing the defence minister.

Saenuri Party policy chief Kim Gwang-lim said plans for the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence anti-missile system were near complete.

Kim was briefing the media after a meeting by senior party members with national security ministers, including Defence Minister Han Min-koo, to discuss the U.S. presidential election, won by Republican Donald Trump.

"THAAD is all but confirmed so it'll go ahead," Kim quoted Han as saying.

But the South Korean government was concerned Trump may make unpredictable proposals to North Korea over the isolated country's nuclear weapons programme, a ruling party official said, quoting top national security officials.

A Trump spokesman said in September that North Korea's most recent nuclear test was an example of the "catastrophic failures" of his Democratic rival, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Washington and Seoul agreed to deploy the THAAD system in South Korea to protect against North Korean threats. China, North Korea's lone major ally, was angered by the decision as it feats the system's powerful radar will be able to see into its territory.
PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - Nov 09

MOSCOW, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

VEDOMOSTI

www.vedomosti.ru

Russia's agriculture ministry has lowered its forecast for grain exports in the 2016/17 crop year, the daily reports.

Russian Railways expects net profit to increase three-fold in 2016 compared to 2015, according to a plan for the company's board.

Lukoil Vice President Leonid Fedun said the company has no plans to participate in the privatisation of Russian oil major Rosneft.

KOMMERSANT

www.kommersant.ru

Crimeans will have to repay loans taken out from Ukrainian banks. Experts believe this will lead to protests, the daily said.

Kommersant reports that the excise tax on cigarettes in Russia could increase more than originally planned.

Czech company PPF Group is looking for a buyer for its stake in Russia's second-largest gold miner Polymetal, the daily reports.

Russia's energy ministry has started work to include Crimea in the country's common electricity market, the daily reports. Russia's federal anti-monopoly service (FAS) expects electricity prices to increase on the peninsula. Currently, the price of electricity in Crimea is 1.5 times lower than the average national price.

NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA

www.ng.ru

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, former head of Yukos and a political refugee, has published the draft programme of his movement "Open Russia", the daily reports. He said he will not fight the regime in Russia as he believes it will destroy itself.

($1 = 63.7364 Rub)
Voters on Tuesday elected Republican Rob Summerfield of Bloomer as the new 67th District state representative, and gave incumbent State Rep. Kathy Bernier a strong lead in being re-elected in the 68th District.

Summerfield defeated Dennis Hunt of Chippewa Falls in the 67th District, while Bernier had a commanding lead over attorney Howard White of Altoona, a Democrat.

67th District

Incumbent 67th District Rep. Tom Larson of Colfax did not seek re-election because of health concerns. That set up a race between Hunt, a Democrat who owns a small business in Chippewa Falls, and Rob Summerfield, a Republican small business owner from Bloomer.

In Chippewa County Summerfield held a 13,505 to 7,304 lead. That vote total does not include portions of Dunn County. Summerfield defeated Hunt with 64.3 percent, compared to Hunt at 35.6 percent.

Hunt, 49, was dismissed as Chippewa County finance director and is suing the county over his exit. He owns Chippewa Valley Financial Services, LLC, and is making his first attempt at elective office.

Running for office was a positive experience, Hunt said, noting he was surprised to get support from people he did not know. It was absolutely worth it, he said of running for the Legislature.

Hunt did say he was taken aback by attack ads in the race, calling them personal and inaccurate.

Summerfield, 36, is also making his first attempt at elected office. He is the owner of Chippewa Valley Land Title Company in Bloomer and the general manager of Two Acres Supper Club in Bloomer.

The 67th Assembly District covers the northern two-thirds of Chippewa County, including Cornell, Bloomer, Chippewa Falls, Cadott and New Auburn. In Dunn County, the 67th includes Colfax, Elk Mound, Sand Creek and Wheeler.

68th District

Bernier, 60, of Lake Hallie, has been a state representative since she was elected in 2010. She served on the Lake Hallie Village Board for five years, from 2006-10 and again from 2015-16.

Her Democratic opponent, Howard White, 61, is an attorney from Altoona. He served seven years on the Eau Claire City Council, including four as council president.

In Chippewa County, with 8 out of 9 precincts reporting, Bernier led White 3,288 to 2,232. Throughout the district, with 98 percent of the vote total, Bernier led White 13,143-9,437, or 58 percent to 42 percent.

Bernier said if she is re-elected, she wants to look at school aid.

I think we need to deal with the Qualified Economic Offer and the revenue limits on schools, she said.

She said she had a suggestion from a worker in the Altoona School District to separate school choice (voucher) funding and funding for public schools. Thats an option, she said.

She said she would also like to work on Wisconsins tax code, making it fairer and flatter.

Bernier also decried the amount of negative ads in the 68th District race, one of the most expensive run in the state.

The 68th Assembly District covers the southern portion of Chippewa County, including Lake Hallie, Boyd and Stanley and the towns of Hallie, Lafayette, Sigel and Edson; most of Clark County, including Thorp and Greenwood; much of Eau Claire County, including Altoona, Augusta, Fairchild and the towns of Bridge Creek, Fairchild, Otter Creek, Lincoln and Clear Creek; Osseo in Trempealeau County; and the towns of Garfield and Cleveland in Jackson County.
Iran says Trump should stay committed to the nuclear deal - Tasnim news

BEIRUT, Nov 9 (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump should stay committed to the international nuclear deal with Iran, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency on Wednesday.
Egypt's Sisi says spoke to Donald Trump by telephone, congratulated him on win

CAIRO, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi spoke to Donald Trump on the telephone on Wednesday, congratulating him on his victory in the U.S. presidential election and seeking to foster closer diplomatic ties, an Egyptian presidency statement said.

"The U.S. President-elect Donald Trump expressed his utmost appreciation to the president, pointing out that his was the first international call he had received to congratulate him on winning the election," the statement said.
France says Europe must toughen up, protect itself after Trump victory

By John Irish

PARIS, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Europe must not flinch in defending its interests and people now that Donald Trump's election win has added to the uncertainty created by Britain's decision to exit the European Union, France's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

France is a key American ally, and its officials had in recent weeks openly endorsed Hillary Clinton for U.S. president and warned that Trump's "confused" foreign policy objectives were alarming for the rest of the world.

"We have to meet the challenge for a Europe that must be able to better defend its citizens and its interests," Ayrault told France 2 television.

"Europe cannot blink after Brexit, after the election of Donald Trump with all the questions being raised, Europe must stand together more, be more active and go more on the offensive even if it is just to protect itself."

President Francois Hollande, who has yet to announce whether he will run for a second term in next year's French presidential election, said Paris wanted to immediately begin talks with Trump to clarify his stance on key international affairs.

"This American election opens a period of uncertainty," the Socialist president told reporters. "In the context we need a strong France and a united Europe capable of expressing and carrying out its policy everywhere where its values and interests are put into question."

Trump's campaign was marked by insults and inflammatory rhetoric with regard to radical Islam, while on international affairs he has brought into question U.S. policy on everything from Syria to Iran, Mexico and North Korea.

France, which vies with Britain for status as the world's fifth largest economy, has itself been reeling in the wake of several deadly attacks claimed by Islamic State militants since last year.

Trump's comment in July that "France is no longer France", and that if it had looser gun laws then the attacks would not have happened, upset French officials.

"The U.S. is a vital partner for France and what's at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, economic relations and the preservation of the planet," said Hollande. "On all these levels, I will begin immediately discussions with the new American administration, but I will do it with vigilance and frankness."

NO IMPOTENCE OR WEAKNESS

With just six months to go before France goes to the polls, likely conservative candidates also sought to stress the importance of a stronger France and more united Europe.

Former president Nicolas Sarkozy, who is trailing rival Alain Juppe in opinion polls as they campaign for the conservative presidential ticket, said France must tackle the new world order head on.

He said it was clear that with Trump now joining Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping as leaders determined to defend their country's interests, France could no longer sit passively on the sidelines and blindly accept the impact of globalisation, immigration and Islamist militancy.

"Times will be tough. France must play its role to re-establish authority. My belief is that there will be no place for impotency, weakness or surrender," Sarkozy told reporters.

Juppe, a former prime minister, said it was too early to give a view on Trump in light of the U.S. Republican's contradictory comments especially with regard to France and Europe, which he "appears to know pretty badly".
Taliban call on Trump to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan

KABUL, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The Afghan Taliban on Wednesday called on U.S. president-elect Donald Trump to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan.

"Our message is that the Americans should draft a policy not to take away the independence and sovereignty of other nations.
Egyptian president upstages world leaders to congratulate Trump

By Ahmed Aboulenein

CAIRO, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was the first world leader to call to congratulate Donald Trump on his U.S. election victory on Wednesday, in a move welcomed by many Egyptians who shrugged off the president-elect's anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Sisi, who held a friendly meeting with Trump during a visit to New York in September, said he hoped the business magnate's election would breathe new life into U.S.-Egyptian ties.

"The U.S. president-elect Donald Trump expressed his utmost appreciation to the president, pointing out that his was the first international call he had received to congratulate him on winning the election," a presidency statement said.

"Trump said he looked forward to meeting the president (again) soon."

Unperturbed by Trump's call for Muslims to be banned from the United States, many Egyptians welcomed his victory, saying his opponent Hillary Clinton's record in office had won her few friends in the most populous Arab country.

"We, in Egypt, love Trump not Hillary because she is an enemy of the Middle East and we were scared of her presence. Trump's relationship with us is nice and we had hoped for him to win," said 56-year-old Hani Nasr, an accountant.

Asked how he felt about Trump's anti-Muslim comments during the campaign, Nasr said: "These are just words that are spoken during an election campaign. He will not implement any of it."

On the campaign trail, Trump called for a ban on Muslims entering the country after a shooting spree by two Muslims.

The comments drew fire from American Muslims who said his stance had fuelled an atmosphere where people may feel they can openly voice prejudice.

AUTOCRAT

But Clinton, Secretary of State during the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, is unpopular with many Egyptians. Many of those who backed the revolt saw her as a previous supporter of Hosni Mubarak, the autocrat they toppled from power.

Supporters of Sisi, however, consider Clinton too sympathetic toward the Muslim Brotherhood, which won Egypt's first free elections following the revolt. Sisi ousted the Brotherhood in 2013 following protests.

Egypt has close ties to the United States from which it receives military aid to cement its 1979 peace deal with Israel.

But ties have not been as warm under Sisi, with the United States initially uncomfortable with his overthrow of the Brotherhood.

In a mock election at the private American University of Cairo, Trump won, scooping 42 percent of the 153 votes.

But Egyptians also appeared divided as the results came in, with political activists and younger people more concerned about a Trump presidency.

"I was planning to emigrate but the choice of the American people for Trump will affect my decision. Trump is racist, he hates Muslims," said Ali Nabil, a 20-year-old student.

Mahmoud Afifi, a political activist, wrote on Twitter: "A Hillary victory would not have saved anyone, but a Trump victory has confirmed the language of racism, hatred and extremism has become accepted in more educated, aware and democratic societies."

Some Egyptians joked they were preparing for a deluge of American immigrants after an election that had polarised opinion.
Kenya withdraws first batch of troops from U.N. South Sudan mission

NAIROBI, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The first batch of Kenyan troops who had served in a U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan arrived home on Wednesday, after Nairobi ordered them to withdraw in response to the sacking of the Kenyan commander of the UNMISS force.

Kenya said last week it would pull its forces out after a U.N. inquiry accused UNMISS of failing to respond to an attack on a Juba hotel during fighting in July. Kenya's Lieutenant General Johnson Mogoa Kimani Ondieki was fired.

"Today we have started our withdrawal from South Sudan," Kenyan Major General Benjamin Biwott told reporters at Nairobi's international airport as about 100 soldiers flew in.

He said further batches of soldiers from the roughly 1,000-strong Kenyan contingent would arrive in coming days, although he did not give a precise timing for completing the withdrawal from UNMISS, which comprised about 12,000 troops.

The general said Kenyan soldiers had taken part in peacekeeping operations in 44 countries over the past four decades and Kenya was continuing in its other missions.

"We are committed in our peacekeeping operations as a credible and well-trained force," he said.

The Juba hotel attack occurred in July during several days of fighting between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and his former vice president, Riek Machar. The two men have long been political rivals and come from different ethnic groups.

A civil conflict erupted in South Sudan in December 2013, but the two leaders signed a peace deal in 2015 that was meant to halt the fighting, but it failed to stick. Machar has since left the country and sporadic clashes have continued.
EU says Turkey backslides on road to membership since failed coup

By Gabriela Baczynska and Robin Emmott

BRUSSELS, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The European Union voiced grave concern about Turkey's crackdown on opponents since a failed July coup in a highly critical report on Wednesday that made clear that Ankara's prospects of joining the bloc have become ever more distant.

Turkey has rolled back the independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression and other fundamental democratic standards since the coup attempt, the EU said in its most hard-hitting annual report on the country's long-running membership bid.

"The coup attempt of July 15 was an attack on democracy per se. Given the seriousness of the situation, a swift reaction to the threat was legitimate," the EU's top enlargement official, Johannes Hahn, said.

"However, the large scale and collective nature of measures taken over the last months raise very serious concerns.

"Turkey as a candidate country must fulfil the highest standards in the field of the rule of law and fundamental rights. In this year's report we therefore stress Turkey's backsliding in the area of rule of law and fundamental rights."

The report risks further damaging the EU's relations with a country it is relying on to restrict the flow of migrants and refugees from Syria and elsewhere.

Turkey's minister for EU Affairs dismissed the report as "far from constructive" and said that parts of it lacked objectivity.

"The report does not serve to benefit EU-Turkey ties," Omer Celik told a news conference in Ankara, adding the bloc now lacks the vision of its founders. "Stronger bridges need to be built between the EU and Turkey."

Earlier, President Tayyip Erdogan showed his frustration with the long stalemate over membership, saying the EU should take its final decision on Turkey's application quickly.

"Reassess it, but do not delay in reassessing it. Make your final decision," Erdogan said in a televised speech.

"SERIOUS QUESTIONS"

The post-coup crackdown, which has seen more than 110,000 soldiers, judges, teachers, journalists and others detained, dismissed or suspended, has shocked the EU as it tries to work with Ankara on migration and countering terrorism.

The EU has stepped up its criticism of Ankara since its arrest of prominent Kurdish lawmakers last week, and it said it would be Erdogan's fault if Turkey failed to meet criteria for a promised removal of visa requirements for visiting Europe.

The report said Turkey's anti-terror laws were being applied too broadly. "The measures taken since July... raise a number of very serious questions going to the heart of the rule of law," Hahn said.

"These various actions, including considerations on reintroducing the death penalty, seem to be increasingly incompatible with Turkey's official desire to become a member of the EU. It's time Ankara tells us what they really want."

However, Celik said the report's criticisms on Turkey's judiciary and basic rights was "far from objective". He also rejected that Turkey used disproportionate force in the crackdown following the July 15 coup.

In a separate interview with Reuters, Hahn said Turkey's EU candidacy was hanging in the balance.

Luxembourg and Austria, as well as some European lawmakers called on the bloc to halt membership talks with Turkey or punish it with other sanctions.
Trump's triumph puts Italy's Renzi in difficult position

By Crispian Balmer

ROME, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Donald Trump's unexpected victory in the U.S. presidential election is likely to make it even harder for Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to win a crucial referendum on constitutional reform set for December.

Renzi was one of the few world leaders to publicly endorse Hillary Clinton and Trump's triumph has not only put the Italian premier in a difficult diplomatic position, it has also underlined the rise of anti-elite sentiment around the world.

"This factor is weighing against Renzi because at the moment for many Italians he represents the establishment," said Roberto D'Alimonte, politics professor at Luiss University in Rome.

Renzi has said he will resign if he loses next month's ballot and was already facing fierce headwinds, with all opposition parties pitted against him and almost every opinion poll over the past two months showing the 'No' camp ahead.

However, a large number of Italians remain undecided, helping to fuel government confidence that the 'Yes' vote will eventually win and stave off a renewed bout of political uncertainty that is feared by the financial markets.

"The Trump win does show that populism continues in 2016 and suggests a 'no' vote in the Italian referendum could be stronger than we assumed," David Zahn, the head of European fixed income at U.S. fund manager Franklin Templeton, told Reuters.

The spread between Italian and German 10-year benchmark bonds was up 7.8 basis points at 1200 GMT at 154.05, the highest level since June when the closely watched gap jumped in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union.

The constitutional reform proposes drastically curbing the role of the upper house Senate, a move that Renzi says will simplify decision-making and ensure stable government. Opponents say it will make the legislative process more complicated and reduce checks and balances.

"WE ARE THE BARBARIANS!"

Italy's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement currently heads the opinion polls and its founder, Beppe Grillo, hailed Trump's victory, seeing it as a vindication of his own maverick stance.

"It is those who dare, the obstinate, the barbarians who will take the world forward. We are the barbarians! The real idiots, populists and demagogues are the journalists and the establishment intellectuals," Grillo wrote on his blog.

Jumping on the U.S. election bandwagon with an eye to the forthcoming referendum, former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (Go Italy!) party put out Tweets saying "In America, they voted NO".

The group's parliamentary leader Renato Brunetta called on Renzi to resign immediately and not even wait until Dec. 4, saying his pro-Clinton stance had weakened Italy's standing.

"From this day forward Matteo Renzi is politically finished, he is a dead man walking," Brunetta said in a statement. "No other European country sided with one of the two contenders like Italy did. Now Renzi must reap the consequences and take responsibility for his bad choices."

Renzi himself offered Trump his congratulations and said Italy's relations with the United States, its NATO ally, were "solid".
Ukraine says hopes for continued support against Russia from U.S. under Trump

KIEV, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he hoped the United States would continue to support Ukraine in its stand-off with Russia following the victory of Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election.
Trump's energy policies yet to be defined: Kemp

By John Kemp

LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election will trigger a race among journalists, analysts and traders to explain what it means for energy policy and markets.

But the president-elect does not yet have clearly formed policies on most energy issues so the implications will become clear only in the weeks and months ahead as he starts to build an administration.

Energy analysts tend to make the mistake of assuming that everyone thinks about the detail of energy policy as much as they do themselves.

Trump's energy-related policies are probably not even known in detail to the president-elect himself - much less knowable by anyone else.

In contrast to his rival Hillary Clinton, who conducted a classic programmatic campaign, accompanied by highly detailed energy policies, Trump mounted a values-based campaign, with few detailed commitments.

Some of the broad contours of Trump's energy agenda can be discerned from his statements as a candidate and comments made by his advisers.

Trump has promised to end the Obama administration's "war on coal" and overturn unnecessary federal regulations on oil, gas and coal production.

Trump has also promised to overturn the Obama administration's Clean Power Plan, which is being litigated in the courts.

Trump is far less concerned about global warming and climate change than either his rival or the current administration.

He wants to take a much tougher line on Iran, which may include the reimposition of nuclear-related and other sanctions.

Trump also wants big tax cuts and a business-friendly pro-growth agenda, though that is complicated by his instinctive protectionism and hostility to trade agreements.

In general, a Trump administration is likely to be much friendlier towards oil, gas and coal producers, and less receptive to arguments from renewable energy and clean technology firms.

Trump's administration will pay closer attention to the concerns of the American Petroleum Institute and less to arguments from green groups such as the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The rhetoric of energy policy will undergo a transformation as the focus shifts from climate change to energy security and affordability.

But it is much less clear how far and how fast energy policy will change in practice because the incoming administration will face formidable institutional constraints to its freedom of action and difficult policy trade-offs.

CONTINUITY AND CHANGE

The United States is not an elective monarchy, for all the exaggerated attention paid to the occupants of the White House.

The U.S. constitution is one of separated institutions sharing power, and in many areas the president's power is mostly the power to persuade ("Presidential Power and the Modern Presidents", Neustadt, 1960).

Trump's administration must obtain congressional consent if it wants to legislate on energy issues and the Democrats will still have a blocking majority on most issues in the Senate.

The president can issue executive orders and rescind orders issued by his predecessors but in most areas his power is still limited by due-process requirements.

Trump's administration will be entitled to make its own interpretation of statute law, including the Clean Air Act.

But it must still ensure that its interpretations are reasonable and decisions are not "arbitrary, capricious, (or) an abuse of discretion" under the Administrative Procedure Act.

The Trump administration cannot simply rescind or withdraw federal regulations; it will have to undertake a new evidence-based rulemaking process to amend or cancel them.

There is plenty of scope to alter policies towards the production of energy on federal lands, including new leasing rounds, and environmental permitting.

But Trump's administration will have to make the case for its energy policies in the federal courts, where it is likely to be challenged by powerful and well-funded environment groups.

The Obama administration was able to use regulatory powers to help remake the energy landscape mostly because it could persuade the judiciary to agree with many of its statutory interpretations.

There is already a large corpus of judicial rulings on environmental issues which will not disappear and will constrain how much the new president can change domestic energy policy.

Most policies on energy production (including drilling regulations and renewable energy mandates) are set at state rather than federal level.

The president has a lot of power but he cannot remake energy policy on his own, at least not quickly and completely.

The Obama administration, like all its predecessors, has found out the hard way just how difficult it is to push through big changes in energy policy.

FOREIGN ENERGY POLICY

The president's power is greater in foreign policy, where he can draw on the inherent powers of his role as commander-in-chief and chief representative of the United States.

But even here, the president's power is not unlimited, and it depends crucially on his ability to build alliances with other countries to support his goals.

The Obama administration's signature foreign policy, sanctions followed by an agreement with Iran, was made possible because the White House convinced other major powers to back the U.S. policy.

U.S. foreign policy has always been successful and powerful when it can rally allies, and weakest when the United States is isolated.

President-elect Trump may want to reverse all of the Obama administration's domestic and international energy-related policies but in practice may find many of them difficult to alter.

Trump's administration must still deal with the reality of climate change, sluggish global growth, concern about income inequality, and the rising power of China, all of which have challenged the Obama administration.

If Trump wants to be re-elected in four years' time, and most presidents want the vindication of a second term, he must come up with policies to deal successfully with at least some of these issues.

Trump's administration may promise a revolution in energy policy, as in many other areas, but the reality is likely to be messier and involve a lot more compromise.

U.S. energy policy has always involved substantial elements of both continuity and change, and it has rarely been consistent or coherent. The Trump administration will be no different ("U.S. energy policy since 1945", Vietor, 1984).

For that reason, journalists, analysts and traders should be cautious about making firm predictions about what Trump's administration will do in the energy area.

The enormous uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration's energy policies is one reason that oil prices have scarcely moved following the election outcome.

The contours of Trump's energy policy will only become clearer over the next few months as he starts to staff his administration and articulate detailed policy objectives.

It is tempting to assume that a Trump administration would involve a bonfire of energy regulations at home and a complete reordering of energy-related foreign relations abroad.
After Trump and Brexit, populist tsunami threatens European mainstream

By Noah Barkin

BERLIN, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Back in May, when Donald's Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election seemed the remotest of possibilities, a senior European official took to Twitter before a G7 summit in Tokyo to warn of a "horror scenario".

Imagine, mused the official, if instead of Barack Obama, Francois Hollande, David Cameron and Matteo Renzi, next year's meeting of the club of rich nations included Trump, Marine Le Pen, Boris Johnson and Beppe Grillo.

A month after Martin Selmayr, the head of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's cabinet made the comment, Britain shocked the world by voting to leave the European Union. Cameron stepped down as prime minister and Johnson - the former London mayor who helped swing Britons behind Brexit - became foreign minister.

Now, with Trump's triumph over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, the populist tsunami that seemed outlandish a few months ago is becoming reality, and the consequences for Europe's own political landscape are potentially huge.

In 2017, voters in the Netherlands, France and Germany - and possibly in Italy and Britain too - will vote in elections that could be coloured by the triumphs of Trump and Brexit, and the toxic politics that drove those campaigns.

The lessons will not be lost on continental Europe's populist parties, who hailed Trump's victory on Wednesday as a body blow for the political mainstream.

"Politics will never be the same," said Geert Wilders of the far-right Dutch Freedom Party. "What happened in America can happen in Europe and the Netherlands as well."

French National Front founder Jean-Marie Le Pen was similarly ebullient. "Today the United States, tomorrow France," Le Pen, the father of the party's leader Marine Le Pen, tweeted.

Daniela Schwarzer, director of research at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), said Trump's bare-fisted tactics against his opponents and the media provided a model for populist European parties that have exercised comparative restraint on a continent that still remembers World War Two.

"The broken taboos, the extent of political conflict, the aggression that we've seen from Trump, this can widen the scope of what becomes thinkable in our own political culture," Schwarzer said.

HUGE INFLUENCE

Early next month, Austrians will vote in a presidential election that could see Norbert Hofer of the Freedom Party become the first far-right head of state to be freely elected in western Europe since 1945.

On the same day, a constitutional reform referendum on which Prime Minister Renzi has staked his future could upset the political order in Italy, pushing Grillo's left-wing 5-Star movement closer to the reins of power.

"An epoch has gone up in flames," Grillo said. "The real demagogues are the press, intellectuals, who are anchored to a world that no longer exists."

Right-wing nationalists are already running governments in Poland and Hungary. In western Europe, the likelihood of a Trump figure taking power seems remote for now.

In Europe's parliamentary democracies, traditional parties from the right and left have set aside historical rivalries, banding together to keep out the populists.

But the lesson from the Brexit vote is that parties do not have to be in government to shape the political debate, said Tina Fordham, chief global political analyst at Citi. She cited the anti-EU UK Independence Party which has just one seat in the Westminster parliament.

"UKIP did poorly in the last election but had a huge amount influence over the political dynamic in Britain," Fordham said. "The combination of the Brexit campaign and Trump have absolutely changed the way campaigns are run."

UKIP leader Nigel Farage hailed Trump's victory on Wednesday as a "supersized Brexit".

As new political movements emerge, traditional parties will find it increasingly difficult to form coalitions and hold them together.

In Spain, incumbent Mariano Rajoy was returned to power last week but only after two inconclusive elections in which voters fled his conservatives and their traditional rival on the left, the Socialists, for two new parties, Podemos and Ciudadanos.

After 10 months of political limbo, Rajoy finds himself atop a minority government that is expected to struggle to pass laws, implement reforms and plug holes in Spain's public finances.

The virus of political fragility could spread next year from Spain to the Netherlands, where Wilders's Freedom Party is neck-and-neck in opinion polls with Prime Minister Mark Rutte's liberals.

For Rutte to stay in power after the election in March, he may be forced to consider novel, less-stable coalition options with an array of smaller parties, including the Greens.

WATERSHED MOMENT

In France, which has a presidential system, the chances of Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, emerging victorious are seen as slim.

The odds-on favourite to win the presidential election next spring is Alain Juppe, a 71-year-old centrist with extensive experience in government who has tapped into a yearning for responsible leadership after a decade of disappointment from Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy.

But in a sign of Le Pen's strength, polls show she will win more support than any other politician in the first round of the election. Even if she loses the second round run-off, as polls suggest, her performance is likely to be seen as a watershed moment for continental Europe's far-right.

It could give her a powerful platform from which to fight the reforms that Juppe and his conservative rivals for the presidency are promising.

In Germany, where voters go to the polls next autumn, far-right parties have struggled to gain a foothold in the post-war era because of the dark history of the Nazis, but that too is changing.

Just three years old, the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD), has become a force at the national level, unsettling Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, who have been punished in a series of regional votes because of her welcoming policy towards refugees.

Merkel could announce as early as next month that she plans to run for a fourth term, and if she does run, current polls suggest she would win.
Czech president very happy with Trump win, says shares his views

PRAGUE, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Czech President Milos Zeman declared on Wednesday he was "very happy" with Donald Trump's election victory, saying he cut through political correctness and addressed key issues like migration.

Zeman, who is head of the NATO and European Union member state but does not steer day-to-day policies, endorsed Trump in September.

"I would like to cordially congratulate Donald Trump. I had, as one of few European politicians, declared public support for this candidate... because I agree with his opinions on migration as well as the fight against Islamic terrorism," Zeman told reporters in a rare press briefing at the Prague Castle.

Zeman's reaction chimed with Hungarian leader Viktor Orban but contrasted with shock in many European capitals.

Unlike the current Czech centre-left administration, Zeman shares Trump's warm relations toward Russian leader Vladimir Putin and opposition to liberal and academic elites.

"I appreciate Donald Trump's public demeanour, he speaks clearly, sometimes roughly, but understandably, and avoids what is sometimes called political correctness," Zeman said.

He said the election showed American voters' resistance to manipulation by the media, another frequent target of both Trump and Zeman.

The Czech president said he had sent congratulations to Trump and invited him to visit the Czech Republic, the birthplace of Trump's ex-wife Ivana.
Mexico's president says ready to work with Trump to tighten bonds

MEXICO CITY, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Mexico's President Pena Nieto said he was ready to work with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump to help bilateral relations, and that the two countries would continue to tighten bonds of cooperation and mutual respect.

Pena Nieto was heavily criticized for receiving Trump in Mexico during the campaign, after the Republican candidate called Mexican immigrants rapists and vowed to build a wall between the two countries.

"Mexico and the United States are friends, partners and allies and we should keep collaborating for the competitiveness and development of North America," Pena Nieto said on his Twitter account.
Kenya teachers seek to follow Uganda and ban UK-backed private schools

By Katy Migiro

NAIROBI, Nov 9 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Kenyan teachers want the government to ban a chain of low-cost private primary and nursery schools, backed by Microsoft's Bill Gates and Britain's aid budget, after it faced criticism from a court in neighbouring Uganda for hiring unlicensed teachers.

Uganda's high court on Friday ordered Bridge International Academies (BIA) to close 63 schools in the country for operating without a licence, having poor sanitation and for using unregistered and unlicensed teachers, the judgment said.

The company, founded by an American couple, started working in Uganda in 2015 after opening 405 schools in Kenya since 2009 that use an 'Academy in a box' model in which teachers read lessons from a tablet computer.

However, the fast-growing company has faced opposition from teachers unions in Kenya and Uganda, where it often hires staff who have not undergone government training to read scripted lessons, delivered via the internet.

"These academies should not be allowed to operate anywhere in third world countries," said Wilson Sossion, secretary general of the Kenya National Union of Teachers, adding that his union will release a report criticising BIA in December.

"We want to believe that will open the eyes of the government of Kenya to move a step further to close down Bridge schools."

Kenyan government officials were not immediately available for comment.

Low-cost private schools are expanding across the region, particularly in unplanned slums where there are not enough government schools.

Last year, the United Nations adopted an ambitious set of development goals, pledging to leave no one behind, including the 57 million children around the world who are not in primary school - most of them in Africa.

BIA, which aims to reach 10 million students by 2025, targets families that live on $2 per person per day, keeping its costs down through technology, standardised content and scale among other factors.

Tuition fees in Uganda range from 54,000 shillings ($15) to 108,000 shillings ($30) per term, depending on age and location.

GHOST TEACHERS

BIA has filed documents to appeal the Ugandan ruling, citing its adherence to government standards, BIA's Expansion Director in Uganda, Andrew White, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"Bridge is being singled out by other vested interests who fear the innovation and changes that Bridge could bring to the education sector," White said.

Rates of teacher absenteeism are more than 25 percent in Kenya and Uganda and large sums are lost through the payment of 'ghost' teachers who do not exist, a 2013 report by anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International said.

With BIA's tech-based approach, teachers have to log in and out each day, cutting absenteeism to below two percent, White said.

"A teacher cannot be absent in our class," he said. "A ghost can't log in and can't log out."

BIA's entrepreneurial approach has won it financial backing from Mark Zuckerberg and Pierre Omidyar, the wealthy founders of Facebook and eBay, as well as the World Bank's private sector arm, the International Finance Corporation.

But increased foreign investment in private sector schools, has been controversial, with campaigners calling for a greater focus on the right to free quality public education.

Britain's Department for International Development (DFID) has come under fire for investing $7.1 million of taxpayers' money in BIA through its development finance arm, CDC, and the venture capital firm Novastar.

The U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child criticised DFID's funding of private schools in July, saying it could contribute to substandard education and leave behind children who cannot afford even low-fee schools.

"Our priority is to ensure children in the world's poorest countries get the education they deserve, regardless of whether the school is public or private," a DFID spokesman said.
Mexico eyes Asia, Latin America to offset U.S. trade risks under Trump

By Dave Graham

MEXICO CITY, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Having hitched its fortunes to free trade with the United States for over two decades, Mexico faces a hard road to find new markets if U.S. president-elect Donald Trump carries out threats to force significant changes to the terms of the deal.

Pitching a protectionist message to U.S. workers disaffected by globalization, Trump has vowed to rescind the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) if he cannot renegotiate it and halt the migration of jobs south to cheaper Mexican factories.

If Trump follows through, Mexican policymakers say they will have to try to offset losses in U.S. trade by promoting closer commercial ties with Asia and Latin America, as well as seek to work alongside Canada to defend NAFTA.

From 1994, NAFTA united Mexico with the United States and Canada in a single free trade area, modernizing its economy. Backers argue it made the whole continent more competitive, but Trump complains it hollowed out U.S. manufacturing.

The U.S. presidential campaign, which culminated with Republican nominee Trump's surprise victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton on Tuesday, has been steeped in protectionist rhetoric, spooking Mexico's government and battering the peso currency. It dropped to a historic low after Trump's victory.

Mexico had hoped the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a broader accord signed this year - but not ratified - between the NAFTA partners and nine other nations, could serve as a forum to tweak U.S. trade ties and extend Mexico's reach into Asia.

Derided by Trump and even Clinton, TPP now looks to be a hard sell.

"If TPP doesn't flourish, Mexico needs to have another strategy to strengthen trade with Asia," Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo told Reuters a few days before the U.S. election.

Mexico would also seek to be "twice as aggressive" in strengthening trade ties with both Asia and Latin America if the next U.S. government is against NAFTA, he added.

Trump has called NAFTA the "worst deal ever" and threatened to impose tariffs of up to 35 percent on Mexico's goods. He has also pledged to build a giant wall along the border with Mexico to halt the influx of illegal immigrants.

On a visit to Mexico to meet President Enrique Pena Nieto in late August, he struck a more conciliatory tone, stressing the importance of keeping "manufacturing wealth" in North America, but also highlighting the need to "update" NAFTA.

Mexico has said it could "modernize" NAFTA if the other two members agree. But officials are opposed to changing the basics of the agreement, and hope Canada will back them up.

"Closing ranks with Canada will be vital for upholding NAFTA," Victor Manuel Giorgana, a lawmaker from the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party who heads the lower house foreign relations committee, said last week. "We can't have one of the countries trying to impose its own particular vision."

DIVERSIFICATION

To broaden its trading reach, Mexico has been in talks with countries including South Korea, Argentina and Brazil, and those could be accelerated if necessary, government officials say.

Another person familiar with the government's thinking, speaking on condition of anonymity, said before the vote that a Trump victory was likely to precipitate a drive by the government to seek a free trade deal with China.

That could face opposition from Mexican companies wary of Chinese competitors but there is a growing belief among business leaders that Mexico must broaden its trade base in Asia.

"Our exports need to be diversified," said Cesar Castro, president of a regional chapter of electronics industry group Canieti, and logistics chief of U.S. manufacturing firm Jabil Circuit in Mexico. "We should have done it a while ago."

Trade between Mexico and the United States is worth about half a trillion dollars a year, giving Mexico a large surplus.

But the country runs large deficits with its top Asian partners, especially China. More than 90 percent of $76 billion in 2015 bilateral Chinese trade, including Hong Kong, were imports.

Mexico's government has sought to strengthen ties with China under Pena Nieto, who in less than four years has met his Chinese counterpart six times - twice the number his predecessor Felipe Calderon managed in six years.

To bolster his outreach to Asia, Pena Nieto plans to visit Asian signatories of TPP early next year, according to two people familiar with the matter.

First and foremost, however, Mexican officials aim to preserve as much existing trade as possible with the United States, pointing to evidence of the shared benefits of increasing U.S. and Mexican economic integration.
From Jakarta to Lagos, many Muslims voice dismay at Trump win

By Kanupriya Kapoor, Asad Hashim and Omar Fahmy

JAKARTA/ISLAMABAD/CAIRO, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Many Muslims around the world expressed dismay on Wednesday at Donald Trump's election as U.S. president, saying they feared it might raise tensions between the West and Islam and contribute to radicalisation.

While Egypt's president made an early congratulatory call to Trump, ordinary Muslims were worried that his victory would be a propaganda gift to jihadist groups. Others were apprehensive that the president-elect would implement campaign pledges to clamp down on Muslims entering the United States.

"Trump has espoused highly inflammatory rhetoric against Muslims. Voters there will expect him to fulfil his promises. That makes me worry about the impact on Muslims in the U.S. and in the rest of the world," said Yenny Wahid, a prominent mainstream Muslim figure in Indonesia.

The world's 1.6 billion Muslims follow a multitude of sects and schools of thought, constitute a majority of the population in countries as varied as Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal and Albania, and hold a vast array of political views.

Yet Trump's previous comments about Muslims - saying that those from abroad should be barred entry or intensely scrutinised beforehand - and the presence of vocal anti-Islam activists among his supporters, have alarmed many.

During a bitter election campaign, Trump also attacked his opponents for what he characterised as their denial about the threat posed by militant Islam, which he said was "coming to our shores", adding that he would quickly form a commission on it.

"I'm worried about (my relatives in America) because they are Muslims, Egyptian Muslims ... and he is not going to treat Muslims well," said Ali Nabil, a 20-year-old student in Cairo.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was the first world leader to congratulate Trump on the phone, Sisi's office said, a welcome to the next president that was echoed by some other Arabs who disliked Hillary Clinton's Middle East policies.

But other Muslims saw Trump as a hostile figure.

"Whatever happens to America affects everybody and with all these promises of doom by Trump to the blacks, to the Muslims, the minority, so it's not something we're happy about," said Ganiu Olukanga, a Nigerian Muslim resident of Lagos.

Muslims who live as members of a religious minority in Western countries and have previously expressed fear at what they see as increasingly negative portrayals of their faith, also voiced worry at Trump's election.

"It is hugely worrying that a man who has called for discrimination against Muslims and other minorities has become the leader of a superpower nation," said Harun Khan, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Great Britain, in a statement. He also congratulated Trump on his victory.

RADICALISATION

Some Muslims said they feared Trump's election as president might encourage a view that the United States was hostile to Muslims and that this would hinder efforts in Islam to counter radicalisation.

"Trump's victory will be an enormous gift to a failing jihadist movement, that will have now have a renewed rallying cry," said Ammar Rashid, an academic and member of Pakistan's Awami Workers Party, on Twitter.

"If jihadi ideology has a source of sustenance, it is the image of the U.S. as the evil anti-Muslim crusader. They will milk Trump's win dry," he added.

In jihadist social media forums, militants said Trump's election had merely revealed the true position of the United States towards Muslims. "The masks have slipped," one wrote.

But some other Muslims were more hopeful, including Umer Daudzai, a former Afghan minister of interior, citing the record of Ronald Reagan who was U.S. president from 1981-89. "Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War. I hope Donald Trump will end all wars and become a hero of peace in the world," he told Reuters.

"NEGATIVE, CYNICAL"

Despite expressions of concern by some officials, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the body that represents Muslim states, issued no statement early on Wednesday.

In Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation, an official from the faith's top clerical body there said Trump's election could create new tension between the United States and the Islamic world.

Trump had made negative and cynical comments about Muslims in the past, Din Syamsuddin, a senior official at the Indonesian Ulema Council, told reporters in Jakarta. "He had forgotten that many Americans are immigrants."

Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally that is both birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest places, issued a statement congratulating Trump on his election win without making further comment.

However, Awad al-Qirni, one of its most popular clerics with a Twitter following of two million, said in a social media post after the election - but without referring to Trump directly - that "America declines into collapse" and that "its internal crisis will grow severely".

In Pakistan, Sherry Rehman, a senator and former ambassador to Washington, said Trump's proposal last year to bar Muslims from entering the United States had disturbed many.

"Pakistan obviously cannot rule out engaging with whomever America elects, but his anti-Muslim rhetoric may cast a shadow on relations in times of uncertainty," he told Reuters.

And in Bangladesh, a government official who asked not to be named said: "I can't think what awaits us. Donald Trump was talking about fighting against Muslims. Are we going to see more wars?"

In Dhaka, some citizens hoped the pressure of office would temper Trump's views.
Rhetoric or reality? Arabs struggle to decode Trump's Mideast rhetoric

By William Maclean

DUBAI, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The future leader of the Middle East's top foreign ally is, in the words of a Saudi prince, an anti-Muslim "disgrace", openly disdainful of Arab security partnerships, who believes Saudi Arabia would cease to exist for long without the United States.

Donald Trump's presidential election victory means he is the man Washington's Arab allies must deal with after his January inauguration, as they seek U.S. help to end wars from Syria to Mosul, manage humanitarian crises and provide jobs for their populations at a time of low oil prices.

Trump's campaign tirades against Muslim migrants - the target of Prince Alwaleed bin Talal's comments on Twitter - and against Arab allies who don't "pay" for U.S. support suggest the relationship could be delicate.

How far Trump the president will differ from Trump the polarising election candidate is not clear.

Brief, congratulatory messages flowed quickly from Arab allies, including one from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, who wished Trump success in "achieving security and stability in the Middle East and the wider world".

But underneath the protocol, for many Arab rulers and royals Trump's victory is a source of anxiety. They now face a new America led by Trump who, they fear, could upend a regional order that has prevailed for decades.

Some ordinary Arabs like Trump's no-nonsense style, and praise what they see as his capacity for tough leadership.

"A strong leader ... that is what is needed here in the Middle East and all across the world," said Ali al-Muhannadi, 57, a Qatari owner of an electrical company, filling his car up at a petrol station in Doha on Wednesday.

Muhannadi saw Trump as a useful ally in confronting the jihadist threat, saying he is "very frank and not like a politician. Islamist radicals are bad for the West and for us too".

But privately there are concerns about a lack of clarity in Trump's policies for the world's most combustible region as it struggles to break free from war while trying to safeguard the free flow of its oil exports.

DISAFFECTED ARAB YOUTH

In particular there are worries that Trump's hostile rhetoric towards Muslim migrants will play into the hands of Islamic State and al Qaeda, which are eager to recruit disaffected young Arabs to wage war on the regional governments they despise as stooges of Washington.

Gulf Arab leaders want a U.S. president who understands their concerns after eight years of what they regard as diffidence under President Barack Obama, someone who did not provide the kind of personal contact they value.

In particular they want help to push back against Iran, their main rival. But they fear Trump's public praise for Vladimir Putin will encourage Russia to expand its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Iran and an enemy of most Gulf Arab states.

Apart from a commitment to Israel's security, a constant in U.S. foreign policy, and an isolationist tone to his comments, much in Trump's statements about the region remains vague and poorly thought out, diplomats and analysts say.

Opinion is divided about whether Trump's remarks on the campaign trail will be enacted when in office. Among these is his comment that he would consider halting U.S. purchases of Saudi oil unless Riyadh provides troops to fight Islamic State.

Faisal Al Yafai, a commentator at The National newspaper, said many people thought Trump had used his extravagant comments to win votes and once in office he would mellow.

"I am unconvinced. I think he actually believes his rhetoric. It's quite worrying that he doesn't seem to understand how global politics works," he said. "For example you don't go around saying 'if our allies were threatened we wouldn't intervene, why can't they build their own nuclear weapons?'"

"That sort of stuff doesn't help confidence. That collapse of confidence between the U.S. and its allies has a knock-on impact on the economies and in the decisions those countries take on a political level."

Yafai, whose newspaper is based in the United Arab Emirates, noted Iraqis were putting their lives on the line to regain Mosul, Islamic State's main stronghold in the country. "That is not just a war for the region, it is a war for the world," he said.

Others are more sanguine.

A senior Turkish official predicted continued strong relations with the United States and argued that "comments in an election period always have a harder and more hawkish tone than is necessary. But they remain peculiar to the election period."

SAUDIS "READY TO TAKE A RISK"

Prince Sultan bin Khaled al Faisal, a former Saudi special forces officer and now senior fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh, said that in U.S. elections "what they say and what they do are two totally different things".

"Foreign policy is not made by one man," he said. "But it's difficult to pinpoint what his policy actually is."

Trump's remarks have been combative, and eye-catching. He has said the United States should be reimbursed by the countries it provides protection for.

Without America, "Saudi Arabia wouldn't exist for very long," Trump told the New York Times in March.

Trump's win drew a cautious welcome in Syria, which has entered its fifth year of war between rebels and Assad's forces.

In Damascus, Syrian member of parliament Sherif Shehada said U.S. policy could shift Assad's way. "We must be optimistic, but cautiously optimistic," Shehada told Reuters by telephone.

Trump's statements on Syria, and his more open-minded stance towards Assad's ally Russia, have fuelled rebel concern about the policy he may adopt on the conflict, in which the Russian air force has been bombing insurgents.

But beyond all that, many officials and observers see another ominous consequence.

Trump's win has not only delighted Western right-wingers but also jihadists who told supporters the election had revealed the true position of the United States towards Muslims.
WIDER IMAGE-Russia's old wooden houses under threat as villages decline

By Maxim Shemetov

CHEREVKOVO, Russia, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Traditional wooden houses, many featuring exquisite carvings and craftsmanship, are falling into decay across Russia because of neglect, lack of funds and an exodus from the countryside to the cities.

Alexander Morozov, director of the local history museum in the town of Borovsk in Kaluga region, southwest of Moscow, says houses have been built from wood in Russia since ancient times.

"Wooden huts, wooden churches and chapels, wooden mills on the rivers. Only very wealthy citizens built on brick foundations," he says.

"The quality of work and the skills of the craftsmen were such that an ordinary peasant hut was like a Lego construction set. It was possible without a single nail to put together and dismantle a house to transfer it quickly to a new place... Nails were simply not needed."

In the village of Cherevkovo near Arkhangelsk in the far north, Tatyana lives in a wooden house that is more than 120 years old - when stripping wallpaper, she once came across an piece of newspaper with a story about 19th century German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. The mansion was built in traditional peasant style for a merchant family called the Gusevs, who were evicted from their properties after the 1917 Russian Revolution. It is still quite well preserved, featuring beautiful carvings on its facades, bespoke doors and painted interiors.

Nina Vasilevna has lived in another former Gusev house in the same village for 64 years, and remembers when the building was also used for a state farm office and library. The house is in poorer condition than Tatyana's. "Everything here needs repairing but nobody has any money," she says.

Many of these ancient houses across Russia are in a lamentable condition or falling to pieces. Urbanisation and a low birth rate are emptying out the countryside, and residents and authorities are often largely indifferent towards the historical value of their properties.
Brazil urges Trump to avoid trade barriers

By Lisandra Paraguassu and Silvio Cascione

BRASILIA, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Brazil's government on Wednesday congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on his victory but called on him not to resort to protectionism as the South American nation strives to boost trade to overcome a severe recession.

"I hope that does not happen," Foreign Minister Jose Serra told reporters when asked about concerns that Trump could hinder freer trade between the two largest economies in the Americas.

Serra, who earlier this year called the prospect of a Trump presidency a "nightmare," said he expected the incoming president to abandon campaign rhetoric when he takes office.

"One thing is training for the game; another is actually playing it," he said.

Brazil's currency weakened around 1.6 percent against the dollar in afternoon trade and the main Sao Paulo stock index fell more than 1 percent due to risk aversion and uncertainty over economic policy following Trump's victory.

During the U.S. presidential campaign, Brazilian officials had openly preferred Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton to Trump, viewing him as unpredictable and opposed to freer trade.

However, on Wednesday Brazilian President Michel Temer sent a message to Trump expressing confidence they could work together to expand cooperation between their nations.

"I wish you much success in the government of the United States," he added.

Temer sees boosting trade with the United States and drawing U.S. investment as key to lifting Brazil out of its worst recession since the 1930's Great Depression.

Trump has opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and favors raising tariffs on Chinese goods as well as major changes to the NAFTA pact with Mexico and Canada to protect U.S. jobs. The billionaire president-elect has worried Latin Americans with his views on immigration and vows to expel illegal immigrants and build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border.

"The American people have decided," Temer said earlier in a radio interview. "All we can do is raise our hats and congratulate."

A Foreign Ministry official told Reuters that Brasilia may have trouble advancing a trade agenda with Trump due to Serra's criticism of Trump in August, when he openly called on Americans to vote for Clinton in a newspaper interview.

"It put us in a delicate situation and could bury closer commercial ties," said a senior ministry official who asked to remain unnamed due to the sensitivity of the matter.

"This will be a complication, besides the fact that Trump does not like trade accords," he told Reuters.

In a statement, Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles said that the government was monitoring any impact that Trump's victory could have on prospects for Brazil's recovery from a recession which has ground on for more than two years.
Bank of Ireland still winding down shipping loan business

By Jonathan Saul

LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Bank of Ireland said it is still winding down its shipping business, among a number of banks looking to cut non-core lending and exposure to an industry suffering its worst downturn.

Many European banks are already bogged down by a sluggish economy and face tough capital demands from regulators which are eroding profitability, leaving many looking for ways to shore up their balance sheets.

Parts of the shipping industry are suffering their deepest ever downturn as international trade slows. Around 90 percent of world trade is transported by sea.

"As previously stated, Bank of Ireland no longer lends within the shipping finance sector and we have been winding down the portfolio," the bank, Ireland's largest by assets, told Reuters on Tuesday.

Bank of Ireland first flagged efforts to wind down the shipping portfolio in its 2009 annual report. The bank declined to comment on how much progress it had made since then.

"It is still winding down," a spokesman for the bank said.

Finance industry sources say a number of banks looking for an exit from the sector are aiming to speed up efforts and cut losses given potential new regulations which could mean bigger capital requirements.

According to data from industry publication Marine Money and shipping sources, Bank of Ireland's shipping finance portfolio reached close to $2 billion at its peak before 2009.

The bank declined to comment on the size of the remaining portfolio but finance sources estimate it has less than $500 million left in shipping loans.

Bank of Ireland led a return to profitability following years of losses after the country's 2008 banking crash.

Ireland's two main lenders, Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland, were among European banks that fared worst in the last European stress test in July.

INVESTEC DRAWS LINE

Separately, South African bank and asset manager Investec , which is also listed in London, told Reuters it had decided not to take on any new shipping lending after conducting an assessment of the portfolio.

"We are not taking any new loans in shipping at this time," she added, declining to provide details on how big the firm's existing portfolio was but confirming that Investec's head of shipping, Jeremy Dean, had left.

Finance sources said at its peak Investec's shipping portfolio was estimated to be in the region of $1 billion.

"What we are seeing is smaller banks are also cutting new lending to shipping. It means there are even less options around for shipping companies at such a tough time," one source said.

In a further sign of the stress, German shipping group Marenave said this week two of its banks had rejected a restructuring plan aimed at repaying loans and the company was examining "whether the positive going concern forecast for Marenave can continue to be upheld".

In September, Royal Bank of Scotland said it had begun winding down its shipping business after decades of being a top lender to the sector.

Meanwhile German banks - behind up to a quarter of the world's $400 billion of outstanding shipping debt - are struggling to recoup their loans.
Trump win raises fears over climate change goals, hits renewable stocks

By Alister Doyle

MARRAKESH, Morocco, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Donald Trump's election as U.S. president triggered fears that his view that global warming is a hoax might lead other nations to scale back ambitions under a landmark climate change deal, while renewable energy stocks fell on world markets.

Trump's victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton cast a cloud over delegates attending a 200-nation meeting in Marrakesh to celebrate the start of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming last Friday.

Trump has threatened to tear up the Paris accord for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, worked out in two decades of negotiations by countries as diverse as China, Pacific islands and OPEC oil producers.

Some delegates expressed concern that Trump, who in the past has dismissed climate change as a hoax, could cause other nations to reconsider their position on global warming. Trump has also said climate change was an invention by China and wants instead to promote jobs in the U.S. fossil fuel industry.

"We will have a lot more hurdles," said Ian Fry, head of the delegation from Tuvalu, a Pacific island state which fears rising sea levels. He said Trump's victory could have a "domino effect on other nations".

The Paris Agreement allows all nations to set national targets to slow climate change and some could scale those back. The Marrakesh talks are also meant to start writing a "rule book" to oversee the pact that might be less stringent without the United States. There are no sanctions for non-compliance.

Many nations vowed to push ahead despite Trump with the sweeping plan to phase out net global greenhouse gas emissions between 2050 and 2100 by shifting from coal and oil to cleaner energies such as wind or solar power.

"The world can count on (the) EU to continue to lead on climate and drive the global clean energy transition. We need all our partners on board," European Climate Commissioner Arias Canete wrote in a Tweet.

"No change," Japan's delegation chief in Marrakesh, Shigeru Ushio, told Reuters of Japan's policies. He noted the agreement says it will take four years for any country to pull out of the agreement - the length of Trump's presidential term.

On markets, Trump's victory drove down renewable energy stocks. Shares in Vestas, the world's biggest wind turbine maker, were down 8.6 percent, while Germany's Nordex traded 7.9 percent lower.

By contrast, benchmark coal prices were up 2.3 percent.

"DARK, DARK DAY"

Many delegates expressed hopes Trump as president would accept mainstream scientific findings. A U.N. panel of climate scientists says it is at least 95 percent likely that man-made emissions are the main cause of rising temperatures since 1950.

Average global temperatures this year are set to be the hottest in records dating back to the 19th century, beating 2015. "Even Donald Trump cannot do anything about the laws of physics," said Laurence Tubiana, France's climate ambassador.

She told Reuters she was betting "all countries will stick to the Paris Agreement" as rising temperatures were damaging the global economy with more heatwaves, floods and droughts.

In Marrakesh, some youth campaigners wept at a demonstration against Trump. The United States is the number two greenhouse gas emitter behind China.

"This is a dark, dark day," said Jesse Bragg, of Corporate Accountability International. "My heart is absolutely broken," said Becky Chung of SustainUS.

Among statements about climate change, Trump asked in a January 2014 Tweet amid a cold snap: "Is our country still spending money on the GLOBAL WARMING HOAX?"

Overnight, at one Marrakesh hotel, environmentalists and climate scientists huddled around a television expecting a Clinton victory. Their mood descended into silence as the result became clear.

Other renewable shares were also hit. Spain's Gamesa , which is being merged with Siemens, and Portugal's EDP Renovaveis traded 4.3 and 5.4 percent lower, respectively.

Still, many businesses, cities and investors are on track for greener growth.

Stephanie Pfeifer, CEO of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, a European forum for 128 investors with more than 13 trillion euros of assets, said changes towards greener growth were "irreversible".

"Renewables have already overtaken coal as a global power source, electric vehicles are the growth segment of the auto industry and jobs are being created in clean energy sectors faster than any other," she said.

"Industrial development of renewable energy has reached a stage where it is no longer dependent on political support," echoed Tomas Kaberger, executive board chairman of Japan's Renewable Energy Institute.
Cuba announces military exercises after Trump elected U.S. president

By Sarah Marsh and Nelson Acosta

HAVANA, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Cuba on Wednesday announced a week of pre-scheduled nationwide military exercises to prepare for "enemy actions," the day after the United States elected Donald Trump, who has threatened to unravel the U.S.-Cuban detente, as president.

The Communist-ruled island did not directly link the exercises, which will include troop movements and explosions from Nov. 16 to Nov. 20, to Trump's victory.

The government has not issued any official reaction to the U.S. election outcome.

Cuba has held what it calls the "Bastion Strategic Exercise" every few years since 1980, often in response to moments of tension with its northern neighbor.

"The aim is to... raise the country's ability for defense and the troops' and people's preparation to confront different enemy actions," according to the announcement in the ruling Communist Party newspaper Granma.

Trump has threatened to reverse outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama's moves to open relations with Cuba and end decades of hostility that began soon after the island's 1959 revolution that overthrew a U.S.-backed dictator.

In the last two years, Obama has restored diplomatic relations with Cuba and eased trade and travel restrictions.

In Havana, many Cubans said their hopes for the detente to continue, bringing their country out of isolation, had been extinguished with Trump's victory.

"Brace for what's coming," said Tomas Gonzalez, a 39-year old engineer on his way to work. "With Trump, I reckon we are headed back to the era of George Bush."

Cafe waitress Adriana Perez, 30, said she saw no end in sight to the U.S. embargo that inflicted so much suffering on the Cuban people. "The embargo continues and our lives go from bad to worse," she said.

Cubans are weary of what some describe as relations with the United States taking two steps forward and one step back. U.S.-Cuban relations deteriorated sharply during the Bush administration, which tightened the U.S. embargo on the island.

"With both the White House and Congress in Republican hands, there is nothing to stop Trump from keeping his pledge to resurrect the Cold War-era policy of hostility, despite opinion polls showing broad public support for engagement," said William LeoGrande, a professor of government at American University.

The embargo on Cuba, which only Congress can lift, will unlikely be ended any time soon, political analysts say.

Still, they note that Trump's stance on Cuba had flip-flopped over the years. Newsweek reported earlier this year that a hotel and casino company controlled by Trump had secretly conducted business with Cuba in the 1990s.

"His most recent statements indicate that he may not immediately reverse commercial, economic and political engagement, but may increase conditionality as a cost of expansion," said John Kavulich, head of the New York-based U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council Inc.

In a mid-October interview with CBS in Miami, Trump said he would do anything necessary "to get a strong agreement" with Cuba's government, without providing specifics.
Liberia's Johnson Sirleaf saddened, concerned after Trump win

LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said on Wednesday she was saddened by the fact U.S. voters had not elected a woman president, and expressed concern about what President-elect Donald Trump's policy towards Africa would be.

"We are extremely saddened by this missed opportunity on the part of the people of the United States to join smaller democracies in ending the marginalisation of women," Johnson Sirleaf, the first woman to be elected a head of state in Africa, said in an interview with BBC television.
Disbelief, questions at United Nations after Trump victory

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president was met with disbelief and despondency on Wednesday among some United Nations officials and diplomats amid uncertainty surrounding his foreign policy and likely engagement with the world body.

Trump, a Republican, has described the 71-year-old United Nations as weak and incompetent and threatened to pull out of a global deal to combat climate change - a cornerstone of the legacy of U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, who steps down at the end of 2016 after serving two five-year terms as secretary-general.

"The United Nations is not a friend of democracy, it's not a friend to freedom, it's not a friend even to the United States of America," Trump said during a speech in March to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

The United States is a veto-wielding member of the 15-member U.N. Security Council and the largest financial contributor to the United Nations. Washington owes about $1.1 billion, the United Nations said. Republicans have long been reluctant to pay dues, accusing the world body of waste and bias.

Ban said on Wednesday he hoped that the Trump administration would "strengthen the bonds of international cooperation."

"People everywhere look to the United States to use its remarkable power to help lift humanity up and to work for the common good," Ban told reporters.

Topping the United Nations agenda are conflicts in Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, Iraq and elsewhere, and a refugee and migrant crisis that saw a record 65.3 million people uprooted worldwide last year.

"More than ever, we need an America that is committed to world affairs, including at the United Nations," French U.N. Ambassador Francois Delattre said.

A senior Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump's foreign policy had so far "not been very coherent" and his victory did not bode well for the future effectiveness of the council.

"The assumption is that (a Trump administration) will be less engaged with U.N. than (President Barack) Obama's administration, which was more committed to working for collective solutions than previous U.S. administrations," the diplomat said.

Several U.N. diplomats noted a lack clarity from Trump on foreign policy.

"We have not really heard a very clear indication of where he is going," Iraq's U.N. Ambassador Mohamed Ali Alhakim told reporters on Wednesday, adding that he believed the United Nations would remain relevant.

"If there is any change in the policy we will then determine later on what we're going to do with that," he said. "Others were saying this is similar to Brexit, but this is what the Americans selected."

Yemen's U.N. Ambassador Khaled Alyemany said he hoped the "new president will contribute positively to resolve the crises in the Middle East," acknowledging that Trump had not laid out a foreign policy plan for people to see.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein, last month warned that the world would be in danger if Trump was elected president. Zeid would continue to call out any Trump policies or practices that undermine or violate human rights, his spokesman said.
France's Hollande seeks early talks with Trump

PARIS, Nov 9 (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande told Donald Trump he wanted them to hold discussions as soon as possible.

"I would like to have talks as soon as possible with you in light of the values and interests we share," Hollande said in a letter to the U.S. president-elect released by the French presidency. "The friendship between our people and our shared history will help us."
Philippines' Duterte says to stop quarrels with U.S. after Trump win

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte congratulated Donald Trump on his election win and said on Wednesday he now wishes to stop quarrelling with the United States, recalling his anger at the Obama administration for criticising him.

The maverick leader, dubbed "Trump of the East" for his unrestrained rants and occasional lewd remarks, has repeatedly hit out at Washington in recent months, threatening to cut defence pacts and end military joint drills.

"I would like to congratulate Mr. Donald Trump. Long live," Duterte said in a speech to the Filipino community during a visit to Malaysia.

"We are both making curses. Even with trivial matters we curse. I was supposed to stop because Trump is there. I don't want to quarrel anymore, because Trump has won."

Duterte won a May election by a huge margin and is often compared with Trump, having himself been the alternative candidate from outside of national politics.

He campaigned on a populist, anti-establishment platform and struck a chord among ordinary Filipinos with his promises to fix what he called a broken country.

But the biggest surprise of Duterte's presidency so far has been his hostility toward the United States, shown during near-daily eruptions of anger over its concerns about human rights abuses during his deadly war on drugs.

He has also threatened repeatedly to severe a military relationship that has been a key element of Washington's "pivot" to Asia.

Duterte on Wednesday told Filipinos how angry he had been at Washington, saying it had threatened to cut off aid and had treated the Philippines like a dog tied to a post.

"They talk as if we are still the colonies," he said.

"You do not give us the aid, shit, to hell with you," he said, recalling comments he had directed at Obama.

Last month Trump told Reuters that the Philippines was a very important strategic location and that Duterte's comments about removing foreign troops showed "a lack of respect for our country."

Teddy Locsin Jr, Duterte's incoming ambassador to the United Nations, said there were a few parallels between Trump, who stunned the world by defeating rival Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's presidential election, and Duterte.
Trump win boosts coal, hits renewable stocks

By Alister Doyle and Meredith Davis

MARRAKESH, Morocco/CHICAGO, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The prospect of an abrupt shift in U.S. climate policy under President-elect Donald Trump lifted the shares of U.S. mining equipment giant Caterpillar Inc, North American railroads and other companies tied to fossil fuels, and slammed shares of renewable energy firms.

Trump has called climate change a hoax, said he would rip up the Paris climate treaty and promised to revive the U.S. coal sector. His victory caused dismay at a climate policy conference in Morocco on Wednesday.

In the United States, the prospect of a sharp turn in U.S. environmental policy helped boost Caterpillar shares by more than 7 percent on Wednesday on hopes that a Trump administration would reinvigorate coal mining and investment in infrastructure. A mining slump has depressed Caterpillar's profits and forced rounds of layoffs.

The Obama administration has pursued emissions rules designed to discourage coal-fired power plants, while Trump has said he would revive the coal industry and roll back regulation.

"There is bountiful evidence that free trade, tax reform, infrastructure investment and smart regulation are critically important to manufacturers' success," Caterpillar said in a statement.

Shares in farm and equipment maker Deere & Co and truck makers Paccar Inc and Navistar International Corp also rose, as did oil stocks.

Railroads Norfolk Southern Corp and Union Pacific Corp rose 3.3 percent and 4 percent respectively. U.S. railroads have suffered as coal shipments have declined.

"Obviously this is good news for fossil energy and coal in particularly," said National Mining Association spokesperson Luke Popovich. "We will have a profound shift in policy. And hopefully spur development in low emission and higher efficiency technologies which make coal cleaner to use."

Regulation and federal policies are not the only challenge for coal.

"A new administration may result in less regulatory pressure for utilities, the competition offered by natural gas doesn't change," said Michael Trevino, spokesman for No. 2 U.S. railroad BNSF, which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

STORM CLOUD

Trump's victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton cast a dark cloud over delegates attending a 200-nation meeting in Marrakesh being held from Nov. 7-18 to celebrate the start of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global warming last Friday.

Some delegates expressed concern that Trump could cause other nations to reconsider their position on global warming. Trump has said climate change was an invention by China and wants instead to promote jobs in the U.S. fossil fuel industry.

"We will have a lot more hurdles," said Ian Fry, head of the delegation of Tuvalu, a Pacific island state which fears rising sea levels, adding Trump's victory could have a "domino effect on other nations".

The Paris Agreement allows all nations to set national targets to slow climate change and some could scale those back. There are no sanctions for non-compliance. Many nations vowed to push ahead despite Trump with the sweeping plan to phase out net global greenhouse gas emissions between 2050 and 2100 by shifting from coal and oil to cleaner energies such as wind or solar power.

Still, Trump's victory drove down renewable energy stocks. Shares in Vestas, the world's biggest wind turbine maker, were down 6.2 percent in mid-morning, while German peer Nordex traded 6.6 percent lower.

In the United States, Silicon Valley electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc sank 3.4 percent to its lowest price since February. Tesla benefits from federal tax breaks for electric vehicles and selling credits generated under a California electric vehicle policy.

Other renewable shares were also hit. Spain's Gamesa , which is being merged with Siemens, and Portugal's EDP Renovaveis traded 2.4 and 5.2 percent lower, respectively.

Stephanie Pfeifer, CEO of the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, a European forum for 128 investors with more than 13 trillion euros in assets, said changes towards greener growth were "irreversible".
A commemoration ceremony to mark first death anniversary of the social activist and monk, the Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera was held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) last evening under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Pix by Damith Wickramasinghe
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) which highlighted that the government cannot run away from its responsibility of taking action against those who are charged with the bond scam today said it would campaign on several demands regarding the issue.

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva told a media briefing that his party will campaign on six demands with regard to the bond scam.

He said the demands includes holding investigations on the basis of the report put out by the Committee On Public Enterprises (COPE), to penalise those responsible for the scam and reimburse the amount which had been defaulted. The party also said former Governor of Central Bank Arjuna Mahendran should be removed off from all posts he currently holds in the government. The JVP further called for action to prevent Perpetual Treasuries from transferring its assents offshore, remove the company from the list of primary dealers, recover all other officers of the Central Bank who are involved in the scam on a temporary basis. The sixth demand was investigations on all bond issues carried out by the Central Bank in the recent past including the investment on Greek Bonds.

We will not handover the document to either the President or the Prime Minister but would present it to the people and will agitate for action together with them, Mr Silva said.

Asked as to why the party failed to include other demands such as calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Mr Silva said that would not be of much use as a politician resigning from a post accepting the responsibility for any wrong deed is not a norm in Sri Lanka. Has any political leader resigned from a post he or she is holding accepting the responsibility for wrong doing? he questioned.

When questioned about the statement made by Mr. Mahendran before the COPE in August 2015 involving Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, the JVP General Secretary said former Central Bank Governor involved Prime Ministers name in a bid to escape.

Further he charged that the Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have already got into a deal to sweep the bond scam and other shady deals of the Central Bank under the carpet. However, he said his party will fight together with the people to prevent such an eventuality.

Both allies of the government, namely the United National Party (UNP), and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) stating both are giving lip service to the issue while the joint opposition is using it to cover up the corruption charges which they are facing, Mr Silva added. (Yohan Perera)
Following the recent revamp of Browns Centres in Kurunegala, Ampara, Dambulla, Dehiattakandiya, Colombo, Pettah, Galle and Vavuniya, Browns has now reached out to residents in Kandy and Galle launching brand-new centres.

The Kandy Browns Centre is conveniently located at No: 5, Kotugodella Veediya, Kandy (opposite Hotel Casamaro) and Galle Browns Centre is at No: 170, Main Street, Galle, offering customers bigger and better products and efficient after-sales service.

These centres are equipped with top-selling brands such as LG, Sharp, Samsung, Sony, FG Wilson, TAFE, Yanmar, Makita MT and Eukanuba, to name a few. This will also aid in enhancing the Browns brand name islandwide and in the minds of the consumers.

Brown & Company PLC recently ventured into Browns Deals with the concept of offering the best brands of high-quality consumer and electronic goods at the most attractive prices in the market. Browns Deals representatives will be stationed at each of the branches to assist customers with information, installation, transport and after-sales services. The staff is trained and dedicated to the companys long-term vision of establishing a strong local presence and be an integral part of the countrys business hub by providing solutions that exceed customer expectations.

Industrial power-related equipment and tools sold through Browns General Trading, radiator-related products from Browns Thermal Engineering, small to large-scale generators from Browns Power Systems division, Eukanuba pet food from Browns Pharmaceuticals, etc., will be made available at the Kandy and Galle Browns Centres. This cross-selling concept adopted by Browns, creates an opportunity to further strengthen the trust the public has placed in Browns over its 140 years of existence and broadens the awareness of the range of products and services Browns has on offer.

Brown & Company PLC is a diversified conglomerate, managing a fast-growing and valuable portfolio of brands across several key industry sectors, such as power generation, home and office solutions, agriculture and plantation support services, pharmaceuticals, investments, marine and manufacturing and healthcare.

The deep understanding of the Sri Lankan consumer needs derived from being in business for over 140 years, has made the group thrive in all its sectors of operation. The Browns group has been able to evolve and adapt to changing times and most importantly, to changing customer needs. The objective is to support the customer through its plans for growth and success.
The Government is all set to sign an agreement with the China Merchants Port Holding Company Limited on January 8 next year to transfer the Hambantota Port on a debt to equity swap.

The date has been selected to coincide with the second anniversary of President Maithripala Sirisena assuming office. The Cabinet discussed the matter at length yesterday.

The debt to equity swap will be carried out as part of the Governments move to reduce its foreign debt burden. Under the proposed plan, the government was hoping to raise some US$1 billion as equity from the Port and the Mattala Airport.

The previous government burrowed US$1,328 million from China for the port project. The company has expressed interest in acquiring 80 per cent of assets of the port by paying US$1.08 billion as their portion of the equity payable in instalments

The first instalment amounting to 10 per cent will be paid within a month after signing the agreement, the second installment amounting to 30 per cent within three months and the rest within six months.

President Maitripala Sirisena has also endorsed the proposal. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe Ranil Wickremesinghe briefed the Cabinet on the proposed plan worked out by the Cabinet sub-committee on Economic Management. (Kelum Bandara)
Thirty one kilograms of cocaine, valued at Rs.500 million, were seized by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) officials from a warehouse in Pethiyagoda, Kelaniya this evening.

The cocaine was found inside a sugar container which had arrived from Brazil. The detection was made following information received.

Police spokesman SSP Priyantha Jayakody said the there was a developing trend of cocaine consumption in the country because of recent illegal cocaine imports.

Further investigations are being conducted by the PNB. According to Customs Dept. sources, the cocaine was detected when it was being prepared for transport to Kandy.

In July this year, the largest haul ever of cocaine, weighing 274 kilograms and valued at around Rs. 4.1 billion, was detected by the PNB. That haul was also found in a container of sugar brought from Brazil and lying at the Peliyagoda container yard, police said. (Chaturanga Pradeep)
UPFA MP Udaya Gammanpila was granted permission by the Colombo High Court today to travel abroad.

Filing a motion in connection with a case in which he was accused of defrauding an Australian using a fraudulent power of attorney, Mr. Gammanpila earlier sought court permission to travel abroad.

High Court Judge A.A.R. Heiyantuduwa allowed him to travel to India and Japan between the time periods of November 21 to 24 and December 9 to 20 respectively.

The Court directed the registrar to release the passport of Mr. Gammanpila. (Shehan Chamika Silva)
By Zahara Zuhair

Acknowledging the Sri Lankan governments positive approach of creating a more conducive environment for foreign investments, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Deputy Ambassador Dr. Michael Dohmen said they are looking forward to invest in the Southern part of the country.

It is important that our corporation is not only going to North, but also to projects in other areas as well. It is true the focus is the North and East. We are interested in getting German support to the South as well. We are working on a process to support the South, he told the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Sri Lanka-Germany Business Council hosted by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) for the years 2015/16 this week.

The Sri Lankan government has asked us to assist in building up a vocational training centre in the South. We hope that very soon we can do a feasibility study, he said.

Having a look at the visa applications, he stated that the number of business visas issued by the German Embassy in 2016 has increased by 20 percent, compared to 2015.

We are happy of this increased interest and we have also noted that more German businessmen and representatives of companies are coming to Sri Lanka.

With regard to GSP Plus, he said that a country has to ratify and implement 27 core international conventions relating to human rights, labour rights, environment and good governance in order to enjoy it.

The European Union (EU) is currently assessing the progress of the Sri Lankas application. Certainly the PTA reform is one precondition. More precisely it is important that the new legislation is compatible with the Sri Lankan law and international commitments, he noted.

Meanwhile, the envoy also expressed his delight on Sri Lanka becoming part of the Energy Export Initiative of their Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

The initiative aims at assisting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) offering energy solutions in the fields of renewable energy, energy efficiency, smart grids and storage technologies to establish contacts in other countries, he said.

He said the initiative further offers matchmaking services abroad in the context of business missions organised by bilateral chambers of commerce.

This is an interesting opportunity for both countries. Through the initiative, several trips to Sri Lanka will be organized. The first visit is scheduled for 2017 and will focus on wind and net integration. Solar energy will come up later, he said.

He also revealed of the opening of German Chamber of Commerce branch office in Colombo, that is most likely to occur in the first half of 2017. He said that this will boost German company interest here, and will be able to provide services particularly to German SMEs that are interested in the Sri Lankan market.

Touching on bilateral trade between the two countries, he said it has increased considerably in the first six months of 2016 with German exports to Sri Lanka increasing by 26 percent and Sri Lankan exports to Germany by almost 5 percent.

The overall increase is about 11.6 percent. We observe that German companies have an increased interest in investing in Sri Lanka and becoming active, be it directly or through a local agent, he said.

With regards to investments, he said that the Megapolis project offers new perspectives for further cooperation. He said that German companies have excellent knowledge in the field of infrastructure, smart cities and public transport.

Siemens and Fraunhofer are already active in Sri Lanka. ICT, renewable energy and tourism are also sectors where we see potential for German companies, he said.

In terms of bilateral cooperation, the envoy said they have been very active in the field of vocational training. He said that the GIZ has helped the Sri Lankan government to establish the vocational training centre in Kilinochchi which was inaugurated in July this year.

During the year 2015, trade balance between Sri Lanka and Germany stood at US $ 126.88 million, favour of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankas exports to Germany during the year stood at US $ 473.95 million and imports at US $ 347.07 million.

Main items exported from Sri Lanka to Germany in the year 2015 were apparel and clothing, rubber and articles thereof, coffee, tea and spices etc. Main items imported from Germany to Sri Lanka as noted were machinery and mechanical appliances, vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling-stock and optical, photographic, medical or surgical instruments etc.

Tourism total arrivals from Germany increased from 102,977 to 115,868 in 2015. The envoy was hopeful that it would hit 140,000 this year.
President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday that he would have allowed the disabled soldiers who were staging a protest on Monday to come into his office had he been in Sri Lanka.

He made this observation at a ceremony to mark the first death anniversary of the social activist and monk, the Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) last evening.

I would have allowed the protesters to come to the Presidential Secretariat and do what they wanted to do if I was in Sri Lanka. I would have sent them a message to this effect if I was informed of the situation, he said.

The president said the protesters had been backed by some political force to act in the way they had.

These soldiers would not have known who was controlling them, he said, adding that they had only been attacked with water.

The disabled solders first stated their case eight years ago; but it was referred to us only four months ago. I studied the matter and submitted a paper to Cabinet to meet their demands, which was a difficult task, and the stage was set to grant them what they wanted. Some of the protesters conferred with my officers at the Presidential Secretariat and the matter was settled. The commotion started after these soldiers apprised the protesters who were outside, of the position. However the media and some of those who worked towards bringing us to power had interpreted it in a wrong way and said the government had attacked the war heroes, he said.

Furthermore, he said there was a political force behind the protest by farmers in Dambulla. He said that one protester had even asked the police why they were not attacked.

The President promised that the government would work towards meeting the demands made by the Movement for a Just Society and bring about political reforms. This government has brought in some reforms in the form of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. This was a difficult task as the government did not have sufficient numbers in Parliament to see the amendment through. We did our utmost under difficult conditions and with the judiciary saying that some reforms should be approved by the people through a referendum," he said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said all parties had almost reached a consensus on several aspects of the new Constitution, including power sharing, abolition of the executive presidency, a mixed electoral system, the status of Buddhism, minority communities, religions and language. All parties have reached agreement on these aspects. We have now to discuss how to bring about stability in the absence of the executive presidency, and whether we should go in for the Westminister system or look for an alternative, he said. He said it had to be decided whether to go for a dual chamber system. It would be possible to finalise something about the Constitution by the time President Sirisena reaches the second year of his current term, he said. (Yohan Perera)

Video by Sanjeewa
The joint opposition yesterday lodged a complaint against Finance Minster Ravi Karunanayake at the Bribery Commission over three cases of financial misappropriation during the Yahapalana government.

Addressing a media briefing, joint opposition MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage said they have gathered documents regarding twelve different cases amounting to Rs. 10 billion against Minister Karunanayake and added that they were lodging only three complaints as of now.

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has assigned a group from joint opposition MPs to investigate on the financial misappropriations which took place during the Yahapalana regime, MP Aluthgamage said.

He said they would release step by step the rest of the Yahapalana ministers who were engaged in financial misappropriations under the Top Ten  Yahapalana Mega Thieves investigations made by them.

Meanwhile, addressing the media briefing, joint opposition MP Ramesh Pathirana said Minister Karunanayake had caused the State a loss of Rs. 10 billion by releasing 800 Prado vehicles and 700 Benz vehicles from the Sri Lanka Customs.

Minister Karunanayake has released these vehicles just paying Rs. 1.6 million per one vehicle which was needed to pay Rs. 8 million per one, he added.

He said Minister Karunanayake had also engaged in a large scale financial misappropriation in connection to two private companies, Global Park Company where his daughter was currently acting as the director and a Singaporean Company.

The joint opposition previously lodged a complaint against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe over financial misappropriations worth Rs. 15 billion in connection to the Central Bank bond scam. (Kalathma Jayawardhane)

Video by Buddhi

(Pix by Ishan Sanjeewa)
Ukraine war: Putin is no pushover

So Ukraine is winning the war against mighty Russia, an enemy which is armed
Chief Guest Malik Samarawickrama, Guest of Honour World Bank Country Director Idah Z. Pswarayl-Riddihough and keynote speaker Prof. K Kumar being welcome by CA Sri Lankas President Lasantha Wickremasinghe, Vice President Jagath Perera, National Conference Committee Chair Tishan Subasinghe, Technical Committee Chairperson Anoji De Silva and CEO Aruna Alwis

Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama has called on professional organizations to take the lead in the journey towards shaping Sri Lankas future.

Addressing the inauguration of the 37th National Conference of Chartered Accountants, Samarawickrama, who was the chief guest said that the world we are living in is very different and therefore it needs unleashed thinking.

We are at the beginning of a revolution that is fundamentally changing the way we live, work and relate to one another. A paradigm shift is underway in how we work and communicate as well as how we express and inform ourselves. Equally, governments and institutions are being reshaped as much as in health care, transport, among other sectors, he told the gathering comprising of top business leaders, decision makers and renowned accounting and finance professionals.

Samarawickrama said that the changes are historic in terms of size, speed and scope, and therefore governments, business academia and civil society has the responsibility to work together to better understand the emerging threats facing all stakeholders.

Clearly, the challenges as daunting, as much as the opportunities are compelling  together we have to work to transform these challenges into opportunities by adequately and proactively preparing for the effects and impacts, he said.

Samarawickrama said that even though the world is fast changing, and becoming ever more complex and more fragmented, there was still opportunity to shape the future which will benefit all.

The window of opportunity for doing so is now. But, it cannot be business as usual, for both the public and private sector. We have to think new and think out of the box and encourage young people to come up with new ideas by innovating and taking maximum use of technology. Your institute and other professional organisations need to take the lead in this regard, he told the forum, which was organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka).

President of CA Sri Lanka, Lasantha Wickremasinghe said that development is not only a governments responsibility, and as stakeholders of a country, each and every one has an important role to play in supporting the governments initiatives, and thereby contributing towards the longer term vision of Sri Lanka. We all envision a better future for Sri Lanka, but a countrys success always depends on its people, their vision, hard work, and commitment. The journey to be better cannot be achieved overnight, and it is a systematic process, which can be achieved when all stakeholders come together with a vision, he said.

Wickremasinghe also said that to be better, a country and a corporate has to re-strategize, break barriers and go beyond conventional norms. We can attract the best if we offer the best. We cant expect the best by remaining mediocre. This is why we need to innovate and re-strategize, he added.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the National Conference Committee Tishan Subasinghe said that the conference which is one of the most sought after corporate level events in Sri Lanka, has progressed from a technically centric event to become a more business oriented conference, which focuses on contemporary business issues, which could be of interest even to non-accountants.

Speaking on the theme of the conference unleashed thinking Subasinghe said that Sri Lanka at this juncture needs good accountants as well as many entrepreneurs. He said that the conference was considered an important platform to help accountants to build up their entrepreneurial instincts.

Technical Committee Chairperson Anoji De Silva said that innovative entrepreneurship could be one of the key drivers to make Sri Lanka a successful nation.

Detailing the technical sessions of the three-day event, she said that the main aim of the conference was to promote an innovative entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship culture in Sri Lanka, while also ensuring entrepreneurs and established market-leading companies are ready to face threats from disruptive technologies and disruptive workforces. She also said that conference aimed to encourage governments and policy makers to establish an environment that enable an innovation-driven economy.
Law, Order, and Southern Development Minister Sagala Rathnayake instructed the Secretary of the Ministry to submit a report regarding the dispersion of disabled soldiers and monks who attempted to enter the Presidential Secretariat by force.

Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protestors who were gathered outside the Secretariat on Monday.

The ministers instructed Secretary Jagath P. Wijeweera to investigate the incident and submit the report on November 10.

Therefore, Ministry Secretary had appointed a three member committee headed by Senior DIG C.D. Wickremerathne for the investigation. The committee comprises of Assistant Secretary to the Ministry Nishantha Weerasinghe and Major General Sudath Ranasinghe, the ministry said.(DS)
Visiting British Minister for the UN and Commonwealth Baroness Anelay yesterday said there is still much more to do in Sri Lanka in order to end sexual violence and as well as to secure long term peace and stability.

Speaking in Colombo, the British Prime Ministers Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Ms. Anelay said if the issue is not confronted, it could erode hope in the future and undermine trust between communities.

She emphasised that UK would give its fullest support to Sri Lanka in strengthening human rights, democracy and reconciliation as they would expect that Sri Lanka would deliver the commitments set out in the UNHRC resolution.

Stating that even in Sri Lanka, sexual violence is a difficult subject to discuss, however she praised the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict endorsed by the government.

She highlighted the need of womens views which were represented in Governments plans for truth and reconciliation.

Meanwhile, she said de-mining is vital to enable families to remake their lives following the conflict. I was pleased that I had the opportunity to visit Tellipalai to see what a difference this is making.

She also said that the purpose of UK in campaigning to end Sexual Violence in Conflict was not only to prevent people to prevent sexual violence but also to support survivors afterwards.

She shared her experience in Jaffna where she had visited the community policing programme which trains police officers working on womens and childrens issues. (Piyumi Fonseka)
Satan Club for 5-Year-Old Children Sparks 87,000 Complaints



PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 9, 2016 /



Members of the Satanic Temple plan to hold an open house on Wednesday, November 16, at the Sacramento Elementary School. If the event is not canceled, children will be exposed to the first After School Satan Club allowed to operate in the public school system of our nation.



"Parents are aghast. And so many good people are standing up in peaceful protest," said America Needs Fatima rally coordinator Francis Slobodnik.



"More than 87,000 people have signed the petition against Satan Clubs, urging school authorities NOT to allow Satan -- the father of lies -- into the lives of young children. Every single voice counts against the devil. This needs to be stopped."



See the online petition here:



"Satanism is about lies and darkness," Slobodnik explained. "When we say 'God bless America' we really mean it. We only love God. Satan is not welcome in our culture. Satan should be excluded in our schools because children cannot prosper if they embrace lies, evil and anarchy."



"To dismiss the opening of a Satan Club in an elementary school as something of little importance is to ignore the way Satan works," said Francis Slobodnik. "Once Satan gets in, who will get him out?"



To oppose the influence of Satan, Catholics and God-fearing Americans are gathering for a Rally on the public sidewalk in front of the Sacramento Elementary School in Portland, Oregon on Wednesday, November 16, at 11:30 a.m.



Please join us.



Contact: Robert Ritchie, 717-309-1990

Share Tweet Contact: Robert Ritchie, 717-309-1990PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 9, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Concerned Catholics with America Needs Fatima have launched a protest petition to the authorities of the Sacramento Elementary School in Portland, Oregon, urging them to stop the Satanic Temple from opening an "After School Satan Club" in that school.Members of the Satanic Temple plan to hold an open house on Wednesday, November 16, at the Sacramento Elementary School. If the event is not canceled, children will be exposed to the first After School Satan Club allowed to operate in the public school system of our nation."Parents are aghast. And so many good people are standing up in peaceful protest," said America Needs Fatima rally coordinator Francis Slobodnik."More than 87,000 people have signed the petition against Satan Clubs, urging school authorities NOT to allow Satan -- the father of lies -- into the lives of young children. Every single voice counts against the devil. This needs to be stopped."See the online petition here: www.returntoorder.org/petition/keep-satan-sacramento-schools "Satanism is about lies and darkness," Slobodnik explained. "When we say 'God bless America' we really mean it. We only love God. Satan is not welcome in our culture. Satan should be excluded in our schools because children cannot prosper if they embrace lies, evil and anarchy.""To dismiss the opening of a Satan Club in an elementary school as something of little importance is to ignore the way Satan works," said Francis Slobodnik. "Once Satan gets in, who will get him out?"To oppose the influence of Satan, Catholics and God-fearing Americans are gathering for a Rally on the public sidewalk in front of the Sacramento Elementary School in Portland, Oregon on Wednesday, November 16, at 11:30 a.m.Please join us.Contact: Robert Ritchie, 717-309-1990
Following a court ruling that permitted him to travel abroad, a son of the former strongman applied for a visa to visit the country in question.



The Visa section of the Colombo-based diplomatic mission of the country to be visited, after making their own inquiries, had regretted their inability to issue the Visa applied for.



Undeterred by this polite refusal, the one-time powerful son is said to be planning to submit another application for the proposed visit to the Land of the Kangaroos.
Ratnapura Lanka Gemstones Pvt Ltd (RLGPL), a subsidiary of Gemfields plc, a world leading supplier of responsibly sourced coloured gemstones, is pleased to announce the shortlisting ofpreferred suppliers in response to the call for expressions of interest from licensed mining companies and registered gem dealers in Sri Lanka.

Following the announcement in July this year that Gemfields was seeking to establish an organized supply chain in the market, a number of artisanal miners and other stakeholders responded and offered to participate in the process. After preliminary screening,a number of interested parties were shortlisted for further assessment, of which the final few were selected for the initial phase.

Selection was based on responsible sourcing credentials and in accordance with Gemfields global sourcing policy.Amongst the companies selected as preferred bidders are;Ashkar Gems, Weslow Gems and Diamonds, Mushan Gems and Lapidary, SGH Gems (Supreme Global Holdings) and Ceylon Facets.

It is intended that Gemfields will offer support to the Sri Lankan gemstone industry through its technical capabilities, proprietary grading systems and marketing methodologies. Through working with the sepreferred partners, Gemfields intends to establish a supply chain which would help grow the sector and contribute to national economic development through the payment of rightful royalties, taxes and forex.

Ian Harebottle, CEO Gemfields commented; Sri Lanka is already world-renowned for the quality of its gemstones and we are confident that our proven expertise will augment the established market there, benefitting the local mining community and the Sri Lankan gemstone industry as a whole.

Mr. Mubarak, third-generation gem expert and Director of shortlisted company Ashkar Gems,said that it is a pleasure to serve as a supplier to one of the worlds leading gemstone companies, adding;As a trader, miner or investor, I have been practicing ethical sourcing for more than 3 years and being shortlisted by Gemfields who are leaders in this field is a true milestone in my career.

A selection of the others who were selected through this process,also commented:

Director of Weslow Gems and Diamonds, Mr. Gamini Wettasinghe from Balangoda, a veteran with 30 years of trading experience,foresees that local traders will gain a better price for their stones. Mr Wettasinghe explained his opinion that at present the industry is dominated and enjoyed bya limited few and can be unfair to small scale, innocent workers. Establishment of this supply chain will help to improve the foreign exchange of the country and will help to prevent poverty among the smaller players who are engaged in this industry.

Partner of Mushan Gems, Ratnapura, Mr Bimal praised Gemfieldsethical and transparentmethods and added that Mushan Gems is happy to be part of aglobal business that operates responsibly. Mr.S.Fonseka, chairman of Ceylon Facets,Ratnapura who has over 25 years experience in the industry, celebrated the joining of the preferred supplier list and added that the business is now looking forward to Sri Lankan gemstones accessing the world markets.

Mr. Kanchana Kodituwakku Director Public Relations of SGH Gems, a subsidiaryof Colombo-based company Supreme Global Holdings, added:It is a pleasure to be selected to work with such an esteemed organization such as Gemfields. We are looking forward to a long lasting business relationship that will bring benefit to the Sri Lankan gemstone industry as a whole.
Royal Food Marketing Company unveiled its 15th Royal Cashews outlet at the World Trade Centre (WTC) in Colombo. The occasion was graced by the companys Managing Director Dr. Ruwan Wathugala.

Royal Food Marketing is a leading Cashew processing company in Sri Lanka that caters to local and export markets.

Royal cashews outlets throughout the island in main cities provide consumers cashew with real taste. With a view to providing best quality cashew with mouth-watering flavours to locals and foreigners in hygienic conditions, the company has adapted modern technology.

In addition to the newest outlet unveiled at the WTC, other Royal Cashews outlets are situated at Crescat (Colombo 3), Liberty Plaza (Colombo 3), Floating Market (Pettah), Arcade (Independence Square), K-Zone (Ja-ela and Moratuwa), Kandy City Center (Kandy), Southern Highway (Welipenna stop), Galle, Gampaha, Borella, Kiribathgoda and Nugegoda.

Royal Food Marketing is presently in a drive to enhance its Royal Cashews network of outlets. The company has ISO 22000, HACCP and GMP standard certifications. It is the foremost cashew processing company in Sri Lanka conferred with ISO 22000.

Royal Cashews products come in diverse mouth-watering tastes. The product is marketed with 19 tastes in 682 types of containers and in 101 containers specially made for gifting purposes.

The research and development wing of the company has experimented and introduced cashews with tastes that are unique to the company. These tastes include cheese and onion, sugar coated, chilli garlic, hot pepper, BBQ, chilli seasoning, Spanish tomato, salt extra fine, shrimp and red onion and sour cream and onion.

In addition to these varieties, Sri Lankan authentic cashew curry canned and exported as Royal Cashew Nut Curry by the company has created a heavy demand by foreign countries.

Royal Food Marketing Company sources and selects the best quality raw cashew nuts from Sri Lankan cashew cultivations for processing.

Wathugala said the companys intention is to offer local and foreign consumers, best quality cashew products processed with world standards that sooth their taste buds.

We are in the process of enhancing our outlet network in selected towns in the country. A Royal Cashews outlet was opened at the Floating Market in Pettah with the sole intention of providing best cashew products with the best prices in the market for the people who make cakes, he said.

He added, Our company was commissioned in 1999 and within a very short span we were able to secure local and foreign markets for our cashew products. This success was due to the supremacy of our products. Royal Cashews products thus endowed a novel experience for foreign consumers. Likewise, we intend to provide local consumers with world-famous tasty foreign food products in the near future.

Royal Cashews products are exported to Malaysia, Japan, the USA, the UK, New Zeeland, Germany, Australia, Austria, the Maldives and Saudi Arabia.

The Royal Cashews brand has won many awards, accolades and endorsed with standard certifications. The brand has won Pro Food 2009 and 2011 awards for naturefriendly packaging, MACO business excellence award, Lanka Star Presidents Gold Award and ASIASTAR 2015 award for Green packaging.

Royal Food Marketing Company has two subsidiaries  Greenway Asia Lanka and Trust Lanka Suppliers.
Alot of things have been said about SriLankan Airlines, the countrys flag carrier. Though it used to be Sri Lankas pride in the skies, of late it has become more of an embarrassment. The dismal financial performance of the airline has made it a liability rather than an asset. The 2008 Emirates pull-out and the events that followed hadnt helped the airline either.

Lately, SriLankan has been a hot topic debated on the political stage. Soon after the presidential election in 2015, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe commissioned the human rights lawyer and anti-corruption activist, J.C.Weliamuna to compile a report on the airline, which was later referred to as the Weliamuna report. In hindsight, one has to weigh in whether this report did more harm to the airline than any intended good, damaging its brand image irrevocably.



The authorities have shown lukewarm interest so far in going after the culprits who made a mess out of the airline, except for those who are linked to the previous government politically or otherwise. Its present Chairman recently told media that he found the Weliamuna report informative but at the same time, maintained that no financial misappropriation had been committed by the airlines management as indicated in the report. In this backdrop, an educated guess can be made that either the Weliamuna report was compiled based on hearsay to carry out a witch-hunt or the current Chairman of the airline was making an uninformed statement.

Re-fleeting exercise

The re-fleeting exercise of SriLankan initiated with the blessing of the previous Mahinda Rajapaksa regime was in the heart of controversy. Interestingly, some ministers in the coalition government recently were seen attempting to belittle the alleged bond scam by pointing out the corrupt deals that were said to have been made during the placing of orders for new aircraft with Airbus. If any corrupt deals had been struck in this process, its the responsibility of the yahapalana administration to bring the perpetrators to book. The role expected from SriLankan by respective governments should be examined carefully before arriving at a sensible conclusion over the rationality of the decision to replace the aircraft.



Even under the previous administration, the airline had identified that its European routes were losing money, and as the main reason for the airline to bleed -- of course apart from the fuel costs, which accounted for 50% of the airlines costs. Currently the fuel costs are around 25% of the airlines overall costs as oil prices have come down drastically.



But the then government and the national carrier appeared to have taken a conscious decision to bare the losses for the time being and even to go ahead with an ambitious plan to re-fleet the airline with borrowed funds and continue servicing the European routes with a better product.



We believe several reasons would have led to this decision. First, the obvious preference of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa towards everything grandiose and extravagant, sometimes even at a loss, to anything austere, even at a profit. After all, wherever MR and his entourage went, he flew SriLankan. Hence for him, an airline with brand-new, state-of-the-art aircraft was a symbol of success of his administration.



The second reason could have been the protectionism-oriented mindsets of the previous regimes policy makers. They couldnt get around the idea of disposing any of the loss making state-owned enterprises. Instead of privatizing them, they appeared to have believed that putting more taxpayer money into these institutions could have solved their inherent problems.



The third reason, which seemed to be the most rational, could have been the development of the tourism industry. With the end of the war in 2009, the countrys tourism industry found new vigour and tourist arrivals soared. The hoteliers expanded their operations on borrowed funds, banking on continued higher tourist arrivals as a result of the peaceful environment in the country.



The then government would have believed that under these circumstances, SriLankan as the national carrier had a major role to play i.e. expanding its operations to bring in more and more tourists instead of downsizing its operations. Confirming our hypothesis, former SriLankan CEO Kapila Chandrasena in a previous interview with had said that SriLankan had to think of national interest in the same breath that it thought about its bottom-line. He said thats why SriLankan shouldnt trim or abandon its European routes, albeit they were loss making and continued to make a serious dent on the airlines bottom-line.



Though the economics of this approach -- off setting SriLankans losses with higher tourist arrivals and ensuing earnings -- should be questioned and analysed using realistic data, this appeared to be the mandate SriLankan had received from the then government. Hence in this context, replacing the old aircraft with bigger and efficient long-haul ones made sense for the airline.



But again, a note of caution should be added as to whether the government or the airline had any pragmatic plans on how to service the debt secured for such an extravagant spending and at the same time the commercial viability of operating such aircraft.



Change of vision

In contrast, the vision of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe coalition government for SriLankan appears nothing but austere. Their approach for the airline is clearly bottom-line driven, which could make more sense economically.



The airline, under the instructions from the government, is currently working on to cancel an order for four Airbus A350 aircraft and in the process is tipped to pay US $170 million to AerCap Holdings, the worlds largest independent aircraft leasing company, in penalties. The government is yet to take a decision on another order of four A350 aircraft placed during the Rajapaksa administration, of which the delivery is scheduled from 2022. Aribus A350, which first entered service in 2015 with Qatar airways is a long-range, twin-engine, wide-bodied aircraft.



With the cancellation of these aircraft, the government has clearly chartered a new course for SriLankanthat is for it to become a regional airline, which hopefully has a cash flow to run itself. The airline has already announced its plans to expand its presence in the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East. To India alone, SriLankan now operates 106 flights a week. At the same time, SriLankan, axed its European routes, except London, from this month.



Meanwhile, in a revenue generation attempt, the airline has supplied a brand-new wide-body A330-200, one of the seven ordered by the previous regime and were already delivered to State-run Pakistan International Airline (PIA) on a wet lease to pay the high lease rentals of these aircraft. SriLankan hopes to enter into a long-term dry lease agreement with PIA following the expiration of the wet lease for three A330-200s. Currently, the airline has 13 A330-200s in its fleet, seven new and six old ones, which have been in service for 14 to 17 years.



However, the present government has decided to go ahead with the orders placed for six A320 Neos -- narrow-bodied, one-aisle aircraft. Four of the planes have been leased from Air Lease Corporation and two from AerCap. The first of the aircraft will arrive in the first quarter of 2017. Five would be delivered during the year and the sixth aircraft would be in 2018, and they would be operated in the regional routes. According to the SriLankan management, by the end of this year, the airline would have fourteen A320s and ten A330s.



While some hail the downsizing of the airline, which has been gobbling massive amounts of public money, many in the travel and hospitality sector remain apprehensive, especially about cutting European routes, as such a move could prove costly for the countrys booming tourism industry.



Financial position

The appalling financial status of the airline may have prompted the new government to clip SriLankans wings. Also, the countrys current President doesnt seem to be in need of SriLankan planes carrying him around on his foreign jaunts.



SriLankan is said to have racked up over US $ 3.25 billion in debt -- half of the countrys foreign reserves. On top of that, the government this month merged the State-run budget carrier Mihin Air with SriLankan. Mihin Air, an MR vanity project, which started its operations in 2007, has racked up Rs.17 billion in losses. A top economist in the country recently identified the move as a marriage of two sick individuals, whose babies would be sick too.



SriLankan has been able to narrow its losses for the first five months of this financial year (March to August) compared to the same period of the previous year largely due to windfall from cheap oil prices.



Political noise

It is important to differentiate political noise from what is said about SriLankan. The ministers of the present government recently expressed surprise as to why the previous government ordered aircraft, which could fly 17 hours at a stretch when SriLankan didnt operate such long-haul flights.



According to aviation experts, although an Airbus A350 has a flying time of 17 to 18 hours, it doesnt necessarily mean that every airline, which operates A350s fly them for such long hours, at a stretch. They point out in SriLankans case, A350s could have been used to service the European destinations as these aircraft have better fuel economies and larger cargo capacities. Particularly, as they point out, if the airlines core objective was to facilitate tourists from Europe to Sri Lanka, these aircraft would have made a lot of sense with their state-of-the-art onboard technology, onboard amenities and larger cargo capacities. Western Europe is among the top three tourism source markets of Sri Lanka.



Prior to the suspension of flights, SriLankan operated four flights to Paris and five to Frankfurt a week. That is, on average, 5, 400 seats and according to sources at SriLankan, the cabin factor on these routes throughout the year remains around 80 to 85%. During winter season, this could even go up to 90 to 95%, they say.



I assume the government may have done the numbers before taking the decision to cut Frankfurt and Paris. Suspending those two routes I believe can have a short to medium term impact on tourist arrivals and tourism earnings. I hope the savings from slashing Frankfurt and Paris routes offset a possible loss in tourism earnings, a tourism professional, who requested anonymity, opined.

An aviation expert spoke to, said if the government was banking on the Gulf carriers to fill the vacuum created by the SriLankans pull-out from Paris and Frankfurt, to bring in the European tourists, the assumption could be bit far-fetched.



SriLankan is pulling out from Paris and Frankfurt because Colombo-Europe routes are making losses. If the routes were lucrative, European or Gulf carriers would have taken over these routes from SriLankan a long time ago, he said on condition of anonymity.



His claim may carry some merit as British Airways, which resumed its direct flights to Colombo from March 2013, after a 15-year hiatus, ended its operations to Colombo by March 2015, saying the Colombo route was not making a profitable contribution to its business.



At the same time, KLM (Royal Dutch Airline), which began its direct services twice-a-week to Colombo from November 1 said, operations of flights was a seasonal arrangement, targeting winter tourists, and the decision to operate regular flights going forward would depend on customer demand. KLM is currently the only European airline that serves Colombo.



The present governments strategy to rescue SriLankan is to trim its unnecessary fat, write-off its debt and find a foreign partner for it to reborn as a public-private partnership. Some may agree on this model but others may not.



The bottom-line however is, that SriLankan has always been a pawn in the political chess game, more or less like the other State-owned enterprises. Whichever government that came into power, first politicized and then abused the airline to serve their whims and fancies, damaging the airlines brand image, which still command substantial respect among international travellers.



Apart from appointing political lackeys to top posts, the previous MR regime used the airline as their private property by re-routing flights as they wished to for their personal needs. In addition, they forced the airline to operate a second hub at Mattala Mahinda Rajapaksa Airport (MRIA), where they admitted seven passengers per flight were served on average in 2014.



However this was not limited to the MR government. During the late 80s and early 90s, planes were rescheduled for certain big wigs in the Premadasa regime to attend various recreational activities abroad.



In conclusion, all the governments that have ruled the country so far -- green or blue -- should admit that State-owned enterprises are making and have become unbearable burdens to the countrys economy due to their stupid and rash actions. Politicization is in the heart of all evils and SriLankan is no exception.

A350: A bone of contention?

The procurement of Airbus A350-900 aircraft has been the main bone of contention. The new government and the new SriLakan senior management argue that purchasing expensive A350s will be waste of public funds. So they have now gone onto cancelling the orders placed for four such aircraft paying US $170 million in penalties and are yet to decide on another order placed for four similar aircraft, of which delivery is scheduled to begin in 2022.



According to Airbus official website, an A350-900 costs US $ 308.1 million.



I believe behind the move to acquire A350s was to make SriLankan competitive in the global aviation market and offer a better service to the customers, which is an expensive but I believe is the right move, according to a senior aviation industry expert who spoke to Dailymirror on condition of anonymity. As he pointed out SriLankan had not been able to offer a uniform product, especially to its European routes, where customers are very demanding. This has been a major low point to the airlines brand image and its competitiveness, according the source.



On SriLankans European routes, it was not always the same aircraft the customers had to travel during their inbound/outbound journey. As a result, there had been a lot of customer complaints about broken TV screens, non-reclining seats etc., he said.



If SriLankan wants to compete in the market place as a true international airline, having A350s at your disposal is important, he added.



He also noted the massive cargo space A350s come with would have been an additional advantage, specially on the European routes.



The plan was to service the aircraft European routes -- London, Paris and Frankfurt -- which were key tourism markets for Sri Lanka. So the cargo space these aircraft offered was a great incentive for tourists, who come for at least 10 to 15-day holidays, in selecting SriLankan over any other Gulf or European carriers, he remarked.



However, another aviation sector expert Dailymirror spoke to, held differing views over the whole A350 affair. SriLankan should never have ordered A350s which are too expensive and we do not need the range. What we need is A330s, the source said on condition of strict anonymity.



According to Airbus official website the revised cost of an A330-200 US $ 231.5 million. If we can fly to London non-stop with an A330, we can go to anywhere in Europe non-stop. So why buy A350s? Especially when the national carrier is financially in the doldrums, he argued.



Explaining his point further, he noted that A350s have a very long range and SriLankan doesnt service such ultra-long routes, where flying time ranges between 14 to 18 hours.



However, some of the Gulf carriers, which benefit from extra cheap oil, operate A350s on relatively short routes.



SriLankan Airlines CEO Suren Ratwatte during a recent press conference said that the emphasis had been on getting the right fleet for the strategy they feel that is profitable to the airline.



These (four A355s) aircraft were contracted for 12 years each. So that is 144 months at a lease rate, which is no longer competitive. Because we are rationalizing our route network, we do not need these aircraft he said.



According to SriLankan Airlines Chairman Ajith Dias, if these aircraft were taken into SriLankans fleet, the losses to the airline would have been unbearable.



The total contingent liability was US$ 800 million (the total lease amount for the four A350s). (And) US$ 480 million operating loss (the total loss of operating these aircraft for 12 years) is US$40 million (a year) multiplied by 12, said the national carriers chairman.
Radella Estate Senior Manager Eranga Egodawele receiving the Silver award from Mahaweli Development and Environment Deputy Minister Anuradha Jayaratne

Hayleys PLC-owned Talawakelle Tea Estates emerged winners claiming two National Green Awards at the Presidential Environmental Awards ceremony held recently at the BMICH under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena.

In an announcement to the media, Talawakelle Tea Estates revealed that while the Radella Estate in Nanuoya won a Silver award, Deniyaya Estate was honoured with a Merit award for its environmental sustainability practices, in the Food and Beverages category.

The honours were awarded following a careful evaluation and a rigorous site inspection conducted by a panel of judges appointed by the Central Environmental Authority, confirmed the media announcement.

The Presidential Environmental Awards recognize and honour Sri Lankas best industrial and service sectors, individuals and non-governmental organisations for their excellent performance towards greening the economy. Sustainability perspective is a focal point in our operations. We believe that the implementation of environmental and biodiversity conservation management practices through our adherence to Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Network certification guidelines greatly contributed towards securing these awards, commented Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC General Manager Sustainability and Quality Management Development Theja Dharmaratne.

Apart from the Rainforest Alliance Certification, Talawakelle Tea Estates has obtained the Ethical Tea Partnership-UK and UTZ Sustainable Tea certification for most of its estates. In addition, Hayleys Plantations has adopted several energy conservation measures such as installation of energy-efficient capacitor banks, machinery, equipment and lighting as well as regular awareness programmes for employees and resident communities. The biodiversity surveys carried out on estates have revealed that there are over 220 faunal species and estates are also habitats to over 130 species that are categorized as endangered, threatened and vulnerable species, according to the IUCN Red Data List.

As a business diversification strategy, Hayleys Plantations sector intends to leverage its geographical presence and improve its land efficiency by diversifying its crop base to include non-traditional export crops such as spices and alternate beverage crops.

Congratulating the teams at Radella and Deniyaya Estates, Dharmaratne said, These prestigious national awards honour not only the respective estates but also Talawakelle Tea Estates and Hayleys as a whole.
In the film Doctor Zhivago, based on Boris Pasternaks celebrated novel theres an argument between two officers of a Red Guard unit. One believes that Zhivago, who had been abducted by the unit because a medical officer was needed, should be allowed to leave since he had served well. The other objects because there operations were ongoing and his services were needed. Placing party above all, he reminds his comrades that once the war is over everyone will be judged politically, regardless of military record. It is like sunk costs. What came before is irrelevant. What counts is loyalty. What matters is the party, the regime which is in power and which therefore gets to pronounce judgment. Thats one way of looking at things.



Indeed it is the only way that the actions of the yahapalana (sic) government vis-a-vis protesting disabled servicemen can be justified, and even then it is a stretch because the issue was not about regime-loyalty or political preference but a simple matter of demanding a pension. Of course neither the action nor the justification included any narrative about regime, regime-loyalty and regime-integrity. The Reds were straight and honest, but then again that was a revolutionary moment, one can argue. In this case, the excuses trotted out were predictable and weak. The Defence Ministry, in the missive that resolved the issue, inserted an observation which essentially claimed that the relief granted to the articulated grievance was in fact already known to the protesters and therefore they were but a few disgruntled and politically motivated actors. Indeed, the ministrys website posted a media release claiming that steps were being taken. The presence of prominent individuals of the joint opposition or associated with that political formation certainly gave credence to the politically motivated part of the claim. But then again, there has hardly been any agitation of this kind which did not draw politicians of the opposition. Those in Government today know this.



The more serious issue is that action has not followed the pledge. Vague promises have been given, heard, believed and duly dismissed. Indeed, if, as claimed, the grievances had been heard and addressed, and if the solution had been communicated, the matter could have been resolved long before it flared up into an altercation. What we saw was imbecilic conflict management. If there was a decision and the sense to communicate with clarity, then there would have been no need for anyone to storm the barricades because there would have been none.



Instead, the Government (perhaps believing its own propaganda) chose to cold shoulder the disabled servicemen. This has happened, one should not forget, in a context where ex-combatants of the LTTE are being treated with magnanimity and even feted and where service personnel are being hounded on account of all manner of allegations. Thats politics, the reds would observe. Lets go with it then. If the protests were orchestrated by the joint opposition, then the way it was dealt with only strengthens its hand. Even those who stand with this regime and who abhor the previous regime would be hard pressed to say, the suckers deserved what they got! if they saw the pictures and the video footage of good governance in action. The convoluted justifications being trotted out are not only unconvincing but gives the impression that the designated approvers are themselves straining to lie. And need we even mention that a government already on the back foot due to bad decisions, sloth, two-tongued talk, an identity crisis that can wreck integrity at any moment and overall incompetence, cannot afford losing the neutrals?



The reds were political and were positioned politically to let politics override all else. This government is a far cry from even the fledgling government of the Bolsheviks. Impressions count. They seep into the conscious and unconscious. They will be played out in social media. The transcripts will be read, re-read and read out at critical moments.



It is not wrong to protest. It is not unusual for protesters to suppress uncomfortable truths and to exaggerate grievance. It is not that these protesters are without regular income, after all. But they, like anyone else, fear the future. The rich buy insurance, the employed feel secure thanks to the EPF, ETF and pensions. These people are no different. It is not even unusual for hot-blooded elements to provoke aggression. This was not the first time that tear gas was used. This is not the first altercation between protesters and riot police that resulted in bruises, cuts, the flow of blood and hospitalization.



But consider this. There were servicemen in that crowd who did not have hands to wipe away their tears. There were people who could not run away. There were people who did not see what was coming simply because they had lost their eyes. If there is something called opportunity cost, then there should be something called opportunity benefit. If the war had not been concluded, some of the uniformed men facing up to the disabled servicemen could very well be without a limb, an eye or even dead. A war was fought and ended. That ending involved a lot of people dying. Among the unnecessarily dead were service personnel. Among those who survived, there are people who paid with their arms, legs and eyes. Some of them were out there. Some of them suffered injuries.



Every single person ridiculing or insulting the protesters for either being suckered by the joint opposition or being undeserving, respectively, or both in fact, goes about his or her life with the trepidation common to people living in a country like Sri Lanka and in a world plagued by all kinds of uncertainty. They do not worry, however, that their loved ones might fall victim to a terrorist attack. They are not detained at check points. They do not have to be wary of their fellow citizens. They are not burdened by all the questions that were part of the everyday of everyone during the long and tragic years of the conflict.



The reds, following Lenin, following Marx and the Labour Theory of Value, would claim that profit is nothing more than the surplus value extracted from the worker. Well, our lives shed of all the above anxieties and grief that are the typical adjuncts of a violent conflict, can be seen as a quantum scooped from an equivalent other side.



That other side included soldiers. And the scooping involved the loss of limbs, eyes and lives. Its their arms and legs, their eyesight and their lives that have surreptitiously and without acknowledgement accrued to the this-side of many comforts we enjoy (or rather the absence of discomforts that we had to suffer). Our (relatively) good times, ladies and gentlemen, are made of a leg or an arm or an eye or a life that someone, somewhere lost.



Its not politics a la the Red Guards. It is about a simple human thing. About gratitude and ingratitude, about callousness that is hard to pardon. Such things do not come in congealed form. They slip through the equations that politicians ponder over. They count, though. It all comes down to civilization. And lack of it. The yahapalana government did not cover itself in glory (and thats a kind way of putting it).



Malinda Seneviratne is a freelance writer. Email:

malindasenevi@gmail.com. Blog: malindawords.blogspot.com. Twitter:

malindasene
Colombo Additional Magistrate Aruni Attigalle today remanded three members of the Avaa group till November 16.

The suspects were arrested by the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) on charges of creating an organization (Avaa) with ex- LTTE members to unnecessarily resist the State.

The suspects Indra Kumara Kabiloshan, Indra Kumara Nirushan and Thiruchelvam Prabhusham were apprehended by the TID in Jaffna for committing offences which fell under section 7(2) of the PTA.

Three other Avaa members were also remanded by the Colombo Magistrate till November 16 yesterday. (Shehan Chamika Silva)

Video by Courts Prasanna
The most divisive US election is done and dusted. President-elect Donald trump overturned all projections of US media giants to garner a comfortable win at the election.



In his first post-election speech, he praised his rival and said the country owed her a debt of gratitude for the hard work during her years as Secretary of State and promised to unite all America.

Mr. Trumps goal which he emphasized in his victory speech was to concentrate on uniting all Americans irrespective of colour, creed, religion or race to rebuild US infrastructure and industry. This is good, because in his campaign, he unleashed nationalistic forces with the anti immigration card -- the threat to deport Latin-Americans living in the US without legal documentation and jailing Secretary Clinton. As it became more and more clear that Trump was on the brink of an upset victory, people at his campaign headquarters were heard chanting lock her up lock her up  a campaign slogan.



It is now up to the president-elect to rein in the forces of nationalism which he himself unleashed. Just two days ago, Daily Mirror correspondent Hafeel Fariz pointed out that in fact sections of the US media were blowing Trumps campaign slogans out of proportion and making them out to be serious issues  like the building of a wall between Mexico and the US. He compared this to President Obamas campaign promise of closing down Guantanamo Bay prison within his first hundred days. A promise which the then Senator Obama was fully aware he could not keep.



There is hope therefore, that Trumps supporters recognize them as mere campaign slogans and not actual actions he was committing himself to. If on the other hand his supporters do take these slogans seriously, a President Trump may face the same backlash premier S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike faced after the divisive poll held in Sri Lanka in 1956, which led to a near three-decade long civil war in this country.



So how will the election of a man described as a loose cannon, affect those of us who do not live in the US? Trump has taken a staunchly anti terrorist stance even going to the extent of promoting the use of torture to safeguard national interests. He will, without doubt appreciate Sri Lankas crushing of the organization once described by the US itself as the worlds ruthless terrorist group. Perhaps we will see a softening of US attitudes towards the manner in which peace was restored in this country and the elimination of terrorism here. This will likely reflect at the UN which has accused SL of war crimes.



Unlike Secretary Clinton, Mr. Trump does not view Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin as the arch enemy of the US. In fact he emphasized having Mr. Putin as a friend, which would help in settling differences. Incidentally Mr. Putin was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Mr. Trump on his victory. Mr. Trump has called for a de-escalation of tension on the European front and for NATO countries to spend for their own defence rather than depending on the US.



Secretary Clinton on the other hand has been upping tensions between the US and Russia which could have led to a revival of cold war tensions. Again Mr. Trump has also spoken of lessening US involvement in the Asian region and calling for nations in the region to settle differences without involving the US, thus lowering tensions with China. We may also see a shift in the US policy in South Asia, where presently the US has been backing India to the detriment of USs old friend Pakistan, which was an active US ally in its war on terror.



How the deal with Iran will fare under a President Trump is uncertain. Mr. Trump has accused President Obama of caving in and bending backward to accommodate Iranian demands and has threatened to tear up the agreement. But his friendship with Mr. Putin will hopefully help find a way out in the future.



In the end, the election of a person not dependent on various interests groups could further world peace and having no political experience may be the best thing that happened to US politics and the world in general. Unfortunately climate change and the dangers it poses to the world are not on Mr. Trumps radar. Sad for a leader of the worlds most powerful nation.
God Save America -- Miracle Headline in One of Australia's Biggest Newspapers Contact: Pat Steele, +61-433-006-934; Warwick Marsh, +61-418-225-212



CANBERRA, Australia, Nov. 9, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Daily Telegraph, Australia's second largest daily newspaper, comparable to the New York Times, ran a headline before the US election result was announced, which said; God Save America. This anti-God secular newspaper had no idea that this was exactly the prayer of both Australian and American Christians who have been praying in unity in the lead up to the American Election. Australian Christians called for prayer from all over the world for the American elections at a 'Sunrise Prayer Relay' on Tuesday 8 November 2016. Australia is 18 hours ahead of the USA.



Warwick Marsh from the National Day of Prayer and Fasting in Australia said, "We congratulate Donald Trump on his win but America does not need Clinton or Trump. America needs God. That is why we are so excited about the headline 'God Save America' because that is still our prayer. We are praying for revival and transformation in America and a release of the Gospel in the USA. America needs Jesus."



Pat Steele from the Sunrise Prayer Relay in Australia said; "I believe America is at the beginning of a great awakening. The verse I have for America is Isaiah 43:19, 'See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.' I feel that this election result will be the shock that people need to shake the dust off their eyes to know they need saving and reviving. It is only God who can lead them out of the wilderness and wash away the wasteland with His stream."



Steele continued. "That is why Warwick and I are pretty excited about the headline of the paper today, 'God save America.' Yes, we might be reading this out of the context of the article, but it reminds me of Balaam in Numbers 23 who was paid by the Moabites to curse Israel but when he opened his mouth to speak he prophesied blessing over them and hope for the future instead. Our God is the God who saves, He is a miracle working God and He is alive, God save America, Amen!!!"



Pat Steele Phone: +61 433 006 934

Warwick Marsh Phone: +61 418 225 212



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home Entertainment 'Star Wars Rebels' season 3 air date, news, and updates: Promo released for next episode called, 'Iron Squadron'

The third season of "Star Wars Rebels" is kicking in, and the show is already six episodes in. The next episode titled "Iron Squadron," and a new promo clip that has been released for the episode focuses on Grand Admiral Thrawn and it looks like the show is going to finally show just how good he is with battle tactics.

The clip is titled "Thrawn's Next Move" and it has Thrawn receiving a report that a group of rebels called the Iron Squadron is causing trouble for the Imperials in a certain area. Thrawn was also told that the rebels have been getting help from the crew of the Ghost, which Thrawn has slowly been familiarizing with.

Thrawn then asks Admiral Constantine to personally lock down the system that the Iron Squadron has been protecting a much to confusion of Constantine, who is a high-ranking official.

In the Legends universe, Thrawn is considered as one of the more memorable villains. Besides Vader who solves all of his problems with fear and violence, Thrawn has a more empathetic approach, and seeks to understand the culture and history of the enemy in order to predict their next move.

As of now, fans think that Thrawn has not fully unleashed his ability as a genius tactician with him constantly allowing the rebels to escape, but it may just be a part of a much grander plan that could unfold in the upcoming episode.

The synopsis for "Iron Squadron" says: "Ezra and Sabine join forces to subdue a young pilot ace and his crew, who are foolishly risking their lives. That is the only way they can defend their home."

"Star Wars Rebels" season 3 is currently ongoing, and the next episode, "Iron Squadron," is expected to come out on Sat., Nov. 19, at 8:30 p.m. EST on Disney XD.
The E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 is the seventh installment of E.P. Carrillos annual Short Run Series. The Short Run series is an annual limited production run that has been released each year with a different blend. With the pending FDA regulations making it cost prohibitive to keep a limited edition cigar on the market, the writing is on the wall that lines such as the Short Run could soon go away. As a result, E.P. Carrillo made a strategic decision to move the E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 into an on-going regular production release. Originally, a run of 2,500 ten count boxes of the Short Run 2016 were produced. Today we take a look at the Short Run 2016 from that original production run. Overall, I found this release to be an excellent release and one of the better installments of the E.P. Carrillo Short Run series.

There are some other differences with the Short Run 2016 compared to previous Short Run releases. First up, the first six installments of the Short Run were released in multiple sizes. For the Short Run 2016, it has been released in a single size  a 6 x 52 Super Toro. Secondly, in addition to Short Run 2016; a second release called the E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 Nicaragua (a Nicaraguan puro) has also been made available. The Short Run 2016 Nicaragua is also a regular production release and will also be available in a single size (the 6 x 52 Super Toro).

Just prior to the 2016 IPCPR Trade Show, E.P. Carrillo revamped its entire portfolio. As a part of the revamping, a new banding design was introduced across the whole portfolio. When the Short Run 2016 was introduced earlier this year, it actually provided a sneak preview of the new logo design.

Without further ado, lets take a closer look at the E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 and see what this cigar brings to the table.

Blend Profile

The E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 features an all-new blend for the Short Run series. It is the first Short Run since the Short Run 2011 to use an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. The blend includes Criollo 98 tobacco from the Somoto region of Nicaragua  a region not often featured (or disclosed) in many cigar blends. One notable release that used tobacco from the Somoto region was the original Elogio LSV (for its wrapper).

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan, including Criollo 98 from Somoto

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic (Tabacalera La Alianza SA)

Vitolas Available

As mentioned, the E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 will come in one size  a 6 x 52 Super Toro. The cigars are packaged in 10 count boxes.

Appearance

The Ecuadorian Habano wrapper of the E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 had a medium brown color. Upon closer examination there was some darker marbling. The wrapper itself had a light coating of oil. The wrapper seams are well hidden. There were some visible veins on the surface. Overall, I considered this wrapper to be slightly on the bumpy side.

The band to the E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 features a gold foil background on most of the upper 3/4 of the band. The new tweaked red and gold EP logo sits on the center. Above the logo is a gold ribbon design with the text 2016 in white font. Below the logo is the text CARRILLO in black font. Below that text is another gold ribbon design with the text SHORT RUN in red font. The remainder of the gold foil background has gold embossed adornments with a slight amount of bright red.

Meanwhile the lower portion of the band has light beige background. The left side of that background has a mountain / volcano-like image on the left with some white coloring mixed in. The right side has Master Blender Ernesto Perez-Carrillos name in a maroon font. Just above that is Perez-Carrillos signature in a brighter red font. There is also gold trim on the lower edge of the bend.

Preparation for the Cigar Experience

As I normally do, I went with a straight cut to remove the cap of the E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016. After the cap was removed, I moved on to the pre-light draw. The dry draw delivered a unique natural tobacco sweetness that also had a floral component. There also was a dusty-like earth note present. Overall I considered this to be a satisfactory pre-light draw. At this point I was ready to light up the E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 and see what the smoking phase would have in store.

Flavor Profile

The E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 started out with a spurt of white pepper and some floral notes. It didnt take long for the unique tobacco sweetness and dusty earth notes from the pre-light to emerge. The natural tobacco sweetness was a compound note that also incorporated floral, caramel, and vegetal qualities. This natural sweetness moved to the forefront early on. The dusty earth and pepper notes became secondary notes. There was a creamy texture present that kept the flavor profile smooth. Meanwhile there was an additional of white pepper on the retro-hale.

During the first half, the natural tobacco fusion continued in the forefront. The dusty earth and pepper remained secondary. There was a slight uptick in the pepper during the second half, but it still was very much a background note. The creamy texture continued to keep the flavor profile smooth. The retro-hale now delivered red pepper and cedar qualities layered in addition to the white pepper.

The second half of the E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 saw the the natural tobacco sweetness diminish. At the same time, the dusty earth notes intensified. By the last third, it was the dusty earth notes now in the forefront with the natural tobacco sweetness in the background. The sweetness still had the floral, caramel, and vegetal qualities. The pepper notes also remained present in the background. Right until the end, the Short Run 2016 maintained its creamy texture. The cigar closed with a nub cool in temperature and firm to the touch.

Burn and Draw

The E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 was a well-constructed cigar and this reflected nicely on the burn and draw. The cigar maintained a straight burn path from start to finish. There was a slight amount of jaggedness on the burn line, but overall this was a cigar that did not require frequent touch-ups. The resulting ash was light gray with some darker speckling mixed in. This was an ash that was firm and tight. Meanwhile the burn rate and burn temperature were both ideal.

Overall the draw on the E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 was open, but not loose. Like the burn, I would categorize the draw as low maintenance.

Strength and Body

In terms of strength and body, the E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 was a solid medium. I didnt find much variance in the strength and body throughout the smoking experience. This was also a cigar where the strength and body had a very nice balance between each other. Overall I also found the medium strength and medium body of this Short Run 2016 meshed very well with its flavor profile.

Final Thoughts

One thing that will come to mind when smoking the Short Run 2016 is the word different. This is not only a different cigar from an E.P. Carrillo standpoint, but its a very different cigar in general. In particular, the sweetness of this cigar is something very different. As mentioned, the medium-bodied profile really worked well with the flavors of this cigar  and especially with the sweetness. This cigar wont have a lot of radical flavor transitions, but there is a nice amount of flavor nuances. Finally, over the past six months, I found this cigar has already responded nicely to aging  and my gut tells me it still has some more aging potential. This is a cigar that I would recommend to a novice or experienced cigar enthusiast. As for myself, this cigar is one that I would smoke again  and one definitely worthy of a box purchase.

Summary

Burn: Excellent

Draw: Excellent

Complexity: Medium

Strength: Medium

Body: Medium

Finish: Excellent

Assessment: 4.0-Box Worthy

Score: 92

References

News: E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016 and Short Run 2016 Nicaragua Become Regular Production

Price: $12.00

Source: Purchased

Stogie Geeks Podcast: Episode 209

Stogie Feed: E.P. Carrillo Short Run 2016

Brand Reference: E.P. Carrillo
Brady Corporation manufactures and supplies identification solutions (IDS) and workplace safety (WPS) products to identify and protect premises, products, and people in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments, IDS and WPS. The IDS segment offers materials, printing systems, RFID, and bar code scanners for product identification, brand protection labeling, work in process labeling, finished product identification, and industrial track and trace applications; safety signs, floor-marking tapes, pipe markers, labeling systems, spill control products, lockout/tagout device, and software and services for safety compliance auditing, procedure writing, and training; and hand-held printers, wire markers, sleeves, and tags for wire identification. Its products also comprise name tags, badges, lanyards, rigid card printing systems, and access control software for people identification; and wristbands, labels, printing systems, and other products for tracking and improving the safety of patients. This segment serves industrial and electronic manufacturing, healthcare, chemical, oil, gas, automotive, aerospace, governments, mass transit, electrical contractors, education, leisure and entertainment, telecommunications, and other industries through distributors, direct sales force, and digital channels. The WPS segment provides workplace safety, identification, and compliance products, such as safety and compliance signs, tags, labels, and markings; informational signage and markings; asset tracking labels; facility safety and personal protection equipment; first-aid products; and labor law and other compliance posters for process, government, education, construction, and utilities industries, as well as manufacturers through catalog and digital channels. It also offers stock and custom identification products; and sells related resale products. Brady Corporation was incorporated in 1914 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Capital One Financial Corporation was founded in 1988 with the goal of revolutionizing the credit card industry. The companys ground-breaking services were data-driven, opened the doors of credit to millions of people, and today Capital One is one of the worlds largest banks.

The companys commitment to connecting people with responsible credit helped to rank it 10th in the US in regard to total assets and 72nd globally. The company has nearly $400 billion in assets in late 2022 and operated a network of subsidiary institutions including Capital One bank. Capital One Financial Corporation is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, and operates a network of branches and offices throughout the US, Canada, and the UK.

Capital One Financial Corporation is the holding company for Capital One Bank (USA), National Association; and Capital One, National Association, which provides various financial products and services in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Capital One Financial Corporation operates in three segments: Credit Card, Consumer Banking, and Commercial Banking. The Credit Card segment operates a wide range of revolving consumer credit cards while the Consumer Banking segment offers a range of traditional banking and investment products including auto and home loans, savings, and certificates of deposit. The Commercial segment offers business accounts, financing, commercial and multifamily real estate, and commercial and industrial loans.

In the US, the company serves its clients through digital channels, branches, cafes, and other distribution channels located in New York, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and California. Digital services include online accounts, account services, loan applications, and investments. Among the many features of banking with Capital One are fee-free checking accounts, cloud-based financial tracking services, and Capital One Cafes. The company operates more than 40 cafes across the US where anyone, not just account holders, can get a coffee or snack as well as improve their financial education. The cafes are equipped with ample public space, nooks for private work, and even event space for meetings.

Capital One continues to advance the digital financial industry to this day. The company was among the first to move its operations to the cloud, doing so in 2012, and it is now developing machine learning, open source, and cloud technology applications to help detect and prevent fraud, secure accounts, and improve banking services.

Capital One is committed to aiding the worlds fight against climate change. To that end, it is pursuing several avenues that include influencing its value chain, fostering a sustainable office culture that is in sync with its surroundings, promoting and financing sustainable energy projects, and transparency in regard to its climate goals.
The following companies are subsidiares of Dover: APM Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Accelerated Production Systems, Acme Cryo Intermediate Inc., Acme Cryogenics, Acme Cryogenics Inc., Acme Elevator, Advansor A/S, Advansor Dover International (Poland) sp. z o.o., Advansor Germany GmbH, Alfred Fueling Systems Holdco Ltd., Alfred Fueling Systems Inc., Alfred Fueling Systems Intermediate Holdco Ltd., All-Flo Pump Company, Anman LLC, Anthony Equity Holdings Inc., Anthony Holdings Inc., Anthony Inc., Anthony International, Anthony International Foreign Sales Corp., Anthony International Holding Company, Anthony Mexico Holdings LLC, Anthony North Holdco Inc., Anthony Specialty Glass LLC, Anthony TemperBent GP LLC, Audax ECII Blocker Inc., Auto Glanz Solutions LLC, AvaLAN Wireless Systems Incorporated, BELVAC CR spol s r.o., BSC Filters Limited, Belanger, Belanger Inc., Belvac Middle East FZE, Belvac Production Machinery Inc., Blackmer, BlitzRotary GmbH, Blue Bite LLC, Blue Bite LLC, Butler Engineering and Marketing S.P.A., CDS Visual, CDS Visual Inc., CEP Liquidation LLC, CP Formation LLC, CPC Europe Inc., CPI Products Inc., Caldera, Canada Organization & Development LLC, Chief Automotive Technologies (Shanghai) Trading Company Ltd., Chippewa Square Captive Insurance Company, Colder Products Company, Colder Products Company GmbH, Colder Products Company LTD, Cook Compression LLC, Cook Compression Limited, Cook-MFS Inc., Cryogenic Experts LLC, DD1 Inc., DDI Properties Inc., DE-STA-CO Benelux B.V., DE-STA-CO FRANCE, DE-STA-CO Shanghai Co. Ltd., DESTACO UK Limited, DFH Corporation, DFS Netherlands B.V., Datamax International Corp, De Sta Co (Asia) Company Limited, De-Sta-Co Cylinders Inc., DeStaCo Europe GmbH, Delaware Capital Formation Inc., Delaware Capital Holdings Inc., Dositec Sistemas SL, Dosmatic U.S.A. Inc., Dover (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Dover (Schweiz) Holding GmbH, Dover (Shanghai) Industrial Co. Ltd., Dover (Shenzhen) Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Dover (Suzhou) Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Dover Asia Trading Private Ltd., Dover Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Dover Business Services EMEA Limited, Dover Business Services Europe S.R.L., Dover Business Services LLC, Dover Business Services Philippines Corporation, Dover CLP Formation Limited Partnership, Dover Canada Holdings ULC, Dover Canada Operations ULC, Dover Corporation Regional Headquarters, Dover DEI Services Inc., Dover Denmark Holdings ApS, Dover EMEA FZCO, Dover Energy UK Ltd, Dover Engineered Products Segment Inc., Dover Europe Inc., Dover Europe Sarl, Dover Fluids UK Ltd, Dover France Holdings, Dover France Participations, Dover France Technologies, Dover Fueling Solutions Segment Inc., Dover Fueling Solutions UK Limited, Dover Germany GmbH, Dover Global Holdings LLC, Dover Holdings de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Dover Imaging & Identification Segment Inc., Dover India Pvt. Ltd., Dover Intercompany Services UK Limited, Dover International B.V., Dover International Operations Inc., Dover International Ventures Inc., Dover International ithalat ihracat ve Pazarlama Limited Sirketi, Dover Italy Holdings S.r.l., Dover Luxembourg Finance Sarl, Dover Luxembourg Participations Sarl, Dover Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Dover Luxembourg Services Sarl, Dover Operations South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Dover Overseas Ventures Inc., Dover Pumps & Process Solutions Segment Inc., Dover Refrigeration & Food Equipment Segment Inc., Dover Refrigeration & Food Equipment UK Ltd, Dover Resources International de Mexico S. de R.L. C.V., Dover Solutions Colombia SAS, Dover Southeast Asia (Thailand) Ltd., Dover Spain Holdings S.L., Dover Switzerland Participations GmbH, Dover UK Pensions Limited, Dover WSCR Holding LLC, Dover WSCR LLC, Dover do Brasil Ltda., Dow-Key Microwave Corporation, Dresser Wayne Data Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Dresser Wayne Fuel Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ECI - IGT Holdings LLC, ECI Holding Company LLC, ECI RegO S. de R.L. de C.V, ECI RegO Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., ECII (Mexico) LLC, EOA Systems Inc., Ebs-Ray Holdings Pty Ltd, Ebs-Ray Industries Pty Ltd, Ebs-Ray Pumps Pty Ltd, Em-Tec, Engineered Controls International LLC, Espy, Ettlinger, Ettlinger Kunststoffmaschinen GmbH, Fairbanks Environmental Limited, Fibrelite Composites Limited, Fibresec Holdings Limited, Fibresec Limited, Finder, GAL LLC, GIIER LLC, Gala Industries, Guangdong Tokheim LIYUAN Oil Industry Technology Limited Company, Highland Park Insurance Company, Hill PHOENIX Inc., Hill PHOENIX WIC LLC, Hill Phoenix Costa Rica Sociedad De Responsabilidad Limitada, Hill Phoenix El Salvador Limitada de Capital Variable, Hill Phoenix Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix Honduras Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, Hill Phoenix de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Hiltap Fittings Ltd., Hydro Systems Company, Hydro Systems Europe Ltd., Industrial Motion Control LLC, Innovative Control Systems, Innovative Control Systems Inc., Inpro/Seal LLC, JK Group, JK Group S.P.A., JK Group USA Inc., K S Boca Inc., K&L Microwave DR Inc., K&L Microwave Inc., KPS (Beijing) Petroleum Equipment Trading Co Ltd., KPS Fueling Solutions Sdn. Bhd., KPS Hong Kong Holding Limited, KPS UK Limited, KS Formation Inc., KS Liquidation Inc., KSLP Liquidation L.P., Kiian Digital (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Knappco LLC, Knowles Electronics, LIQAL, LIQAL B.V., Liquip, Liquip, Liquip International Pty Limited, MAAG, MARKEM FZ SA, MARKEM-IMAJE Corporation, MIP Holdings Inc., MS Printing Solutions, MS Printing Solutions S.R.L., Maag, Maag Automatik Plastics Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Maag Gala Inc., Maag Germany GmbH, Maag Italy S.R.L., Maag Pump Systems, Maag Pump Systems (US) Inc., Maag Pump Systems AG, Maag Reduction Inc., Maag Service (Malaysia) Sdn. Bdn., Maag Service (Taiwan) Ltd., Maag Systems (Thailand) Limited, Macro Technologies LLC, Malema, Marathon Equipment Company (Delaware), Markem Imaje Center of Competencies Spain S.L.U., Markem-Imaje, Markem-Imaje (China) Co. Limited, Markem-Imaje - Unipessoal Lda, Markem-Imaje A/S, Markem-Imaje AB, Markem-Imaje AG, Markem-Imaje AS, Markem-Imaje B.V., Markem-Imaje CSAT GmbH, Markem-Imaje Co. Ltd., Markem-Imaje GmbH, Markem-Imaje Holding, Markem-Imaje Identificacao de Produtos Ltda., Markem-Imaje Inc., Markem-Imaje India Private Limited, Markem-Imaje Industries, Markem-Imaje Industries Limited, Markem-Imaje KK, Markem-Imaje LLC, Markem-Imaje Limited, Markem-Imaje Ltd., Markem-Imaje N.V., Markem-Imaje Oy, Markem-Imaje Philippines Corporation, Markem-Imaje Pty. Ltd., Markem-Imaje S.A., Markem-Imaje S.A. de C.V., Markem-Imaje S.r.l., Markem-Imaje SAS, Markem-Imaje Sdn. Bhd., Markem-Imaje Singapore Pte. Ltd., Markem-Imaje Spain S.A., Markpoint Holding AB, Midland Manufacturing LLC, Midwest Cryogenics Inc., Mouvex, Northeast Services Inc., Northern Lights (Nevada) Inc., Northern Lights Funding LP, Northern Lights Investments LLC, Nova Controls Inc., OK International, OK International Holdings Inc., OK International Inc., OK International Ltd., OPW Engineered Systems LLC, OPW Fluid Transfer Group Europe B.V., OPW Fluid Transfer Solutions (Jiang Su) Co. Ltd., OPW Fluids Group Inc., OPW Fuel Management Systems Inc., OPW Fueling Components (SuZhou) Co. Ltd., OPW Fueling Components LLC, OPW Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., OPW Slovakia s.r.o., OPW Sweden AB, Officine Meccaniche Sirio S.R.L., PDQ Manufacturing, PDQ Manufacturing Inc., PISCES by OPW Inc., PSD Codax Holdings Limited, PSD Codax Limited, PSG (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., PSG (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., PSG California LLC, PSG Germany GmbH, Petro Vend Sp. z o.o., Pike Machine Products Inc., Pole/Zero Acquisition Inc., Precision Brasil Equipamentos E Servicos Para Postos De Combustiveis Ltda., Precision Service - Servicos De Manutencao E Instalacao De Postos De Abastecimento De Combustivel Ltda., Production Control Services, Pump Management Services Co. LLC, Quantex Arc Limited, Quantex Patents Limited, RAV France, Ravaglioli S.P.A., Reduction Engineering GmbH, RegO (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., RegO Holding GmbH, RegO Products, RegO Valve (Shanghai) Company Ltd., Rego GmbH, Revod Corporation, Revod Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Revod Sweden AB, Robohand Inc., Rosario, Rosario Handel B.V., Rotary Lift Consolidated (Haimen) Co. Ltd., SE Liquidation LLC, SWEP France, SWEP Germany GmbH, SWEP Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., SWEP North America Inc., SWEP Slovakia s.r.o., SWEP Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Seabiscuit Motorsports Inc., Shanghai RegO Flow Technology Company Ltd., Shine Bloom - ECI A Blocker Corp., Shine Bloom - ECI Blocker Corp., Shine Bloom - ECI S Blocker Corp., Simmons Sirvey Corporation, So. Cal. Soft-Pak, So. Cal. Soft-Pak Incorporated, Soft-Pak, Solaris Laser, Solaris Laser S.A., Somero Enterprises, Sound Solutions, Sound Solutions, Space S.R.L., Spirit, Start Italiana S.R.L., Superior Holding LLC, Superior Products LLC, Swep Energy Oy, Swep International A.B., Swep Japan K.K., Sys-Tech Solutions, Sys-Tech Solutions Inc., Systech, TQC Quantium Quality S.A. de C.V., TTSI III Inc., TWG Canada Consolidated Inc., TXHI LLC, Tartan Textile Services Inc., The Espy Corporation, The Heil Co., Tokheim, Tokheim Belgium, Tokheim China Company Limited, Tokheim GmbH, Tokheim Group, Tokheim Hengshan Technologies (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Tokheim Holding B.V., Tokheim India Private Limited, Tokheim Sofitam Applications, Triton Systems, Tulsa Winch Inc., UPCO Inc., US Synthetic, Unattended Payment Solutions LLC, Unified Brands, Val TemperBent Glass L.P., Vectron Frequency Devices (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Vehicle Service Group LLC, Vehicle Service Group UK Limited, Vos Food Store Equipment Ltd., WSCR Corp., Warn Automotive LLC, Warn Industries, Waukesha Bearings, Waukesha Bearings Corporation, Waukesha Bearings Limited, Waukesha Bearings Russia LLC, Wayne Fueling Systems, Wayne Fueling Systems (Rus) Limited Liability Company, Wayne Fueling Systems Australia Pty Ltd, Wayne Fueling Systems Canada ULC, Wayne Fueling Systems Italia S.R.L., Wayne Fueling Systems LLC, Wayne Fueling Systems Ltd., Wayne Fueling Systems Sweden AB, Wayne Fueling Systems UK Holdco Ltd., Wayne Industria e Comercio Ltda., WellMark, WellMark, and em-tec GmbH.

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EPAM Systems, Inc. provides digital platform engineering and software development services worldwide. The company offers engineering services, including requirements analysis and platform selection, customization, cross-platform migration, implementation, and integration; infrastructure management services, such as software development, testing, and maintenance with private, public, and mobile infrastructures for application, database, network, server, storage, and systems operations management, as well as monitoring, incident notification, and resolution services; and maintenance and support services. It also provides operation solutions comprising integrated engineering practices and smart automation; and optimization solutions that include software application testing, test management, automation, and consulting services to enable customers enhance their existing software testing and quality assurance practices, as well as other testing services that identify threats and close loopholes to protect its customers' business systems from information loss. In addition, the company offers business, experience, technology, data, and technical advisory consulting services; and digital and service design solutions, which comprise strategy, design, creative, and program management services, as well as physical product development, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and virtual reality. It serves the financial services, travel and consumer, software and hi-tech, business information and media, life sciences and healthcare, and other industries. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Newtown, Pennsylvania.
GameStop Corp. is a specialty retailer founded in 1999 and headquartered in Grapevine, Texas. The company was originally known as GSC Holdings Corp. but later changed its name following its IPO. Originally a brand of then dominant Babbages, Gamestop altered the way video games were distributed and it is now the world's largest retailer of video games and video game accessories. The company went public in 2004 and operated 4,573 stores at the start of 2022. Brands under the company umbrella include Gamestop, EB Games, and Micromania as well as 50 pop-culture-themed Zing Pop locations.

Gamestop Corp. provides video games and entertainment products through its global network of e-commerce properties and stores. The company sells new and pre-owned gaming platforms and accessories like controllers, headsets, memory cards, and gaming software as well as in-game products like digital currency, downloadable content, and games. The company also sells new and used memorabilia and collectibles. Genres include TV, movie, comic book, and game characters as well as many other items from pop culture. GameStop Corp. also operates Game Informer, a magazine and website dedicated to the gaming industry including reviews, updates, and new developments in technologies.

Game enthusiasts enjoy two primary benefits of using Gamestop. The first is access to the full range of games and gaming accessories. The second is the ability to sell or trade their old equipment and games for fair prices. All old equipment is refurbished to a like-new state before resale.

In 2021 Gamestop announced it was entering the world of cryptocurrency. The company revealed plans to build an NFT (non-fungible token) platform for listing, selling, and holding digital or digitized artwork and collectibles. The beta version launched in 2022 and has so far seen great success with an average daily volume exceeding $1 million. The NFT marketplace also featured Web3.0 games in which characters and in-game items are held forever on the blockchain. As of September 2022, the most successful retailer on the NFT marketplace was Gamestop Presents, a collaboration of cover art from Game Informer Magazine. Sales at the time were just under 168 ETH or about $221,500.00.

GameStop began a slide in 2016 following a series of bad investments that included a foray into the world of mobile phones. The slide came to an end in late 2021 when shareholders using the Reddit thread Wallstreet Bets orchestrated a short-squeeze and brought on the age of meme stocks.
Matador Resources Company, an independent energy company, engages in the exploration, development, production, and acquisition of oil and natural gas resources in the United States. It operates through two segments, Exploration and Production; and Midstream. The company primarily holds interests in the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring plays in the Delaware Basin in Southeast New Mexico and West Texas. It also operates the Eagle Ford shale play in South Texas; and the Haynesville shale and Cotton Valley plays in Northwest Louisiana. In addition, the company conducts midstream operations in support of its exploration, development, and production operations; provides natural gas processing and oil transportation services; and offers oil, natural gas, and produced water gathering services, as well as produced water disposal services to third parties. As of December 31, 2021, its estimated total proved oil and natural gas reserves were 323.4 million barrels of oil equivalent, including 181.3 million stock tank barrels of oil and 852.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The company was formerly known as Matador Holdco, Inc. and changed its name to Matador Resources Company in August 2011. Matador Resources Company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
AmerisourceBergen Corporation sources and distributes pharmaceutical products in the United States and internationally. Its Pharmaceutical Distribution segment distributes brand-name and generic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and related services to various healthcare providers, including acute care hospitals and health systems, independent and chain retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, medical clinics, long-term care and alternate site pharmacies, and other customers. It also provides pharmacy management, staffing, and other consulting services; supply management software to retail and institutional healthcare providers; and packaging solutions to various institutional and retail healthcare providers. In addition, this segment distributes plasma and other blood products, injectable pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and other specialty products; provides other services primarily to physicians who specialize in various disease states, primarily oncology, as well as to other healthcare providers, including hospitals and dialysis clinics; and offers data analytics, outcomes research, and additional services for biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The company's Other segment provides integrated manufacturer services, such as clinical trial support, product post-approval, and commercialization support; specialty transportation and logistics services for the biopharmaceutical industry; and sells pharmaceuticals, vaccines, parasiticides, diagnostics, micro feed ingredients, and various other products to customers in the companion animal and production animal markets, as well as demand-creating sales force services to manufacturers. AmerisourceBergen Corporation was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
The following companies are subsidiares of Becton, Dickinson and: Accuri Cytometers, Accuri Cytometers Inc., Alverix Inc, Alverix Inc., Atto Bioscience Inc, BD Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., BD Infection Prevention BV, BD Kiestra BV, BD Kiestra Total Lab Automation, BD Rapid Diagnostic (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., BD San Luis Potosi S.A. de C.V., BD Switzerland Sarl, BD Ventures LLC, BD West Africa Limited, BDX INO LLC, Bard (Thailand) Limited, Bard ASDI Inc., Bard Access Systems Inc., Bard Acquisition Sub Inc., Bard Australia Pty. Limited, Bard Benelux N.V., Bard Brachytherapy Inc., Bard Brasil Industria e Comercio de Produtos Para a Saude Ltda., Bard Canada Inc., Bard Chile S.p.A., Bard Czech Republic s.r.o., Bard Devices Inc., Bard Dublin ITC Limited, Bard EMEA Finance Center Sp.z o.o., Bard European Distribution Center N.V., Bard Finance B.V. & Co. KG., Bard Financial Services Ltd., Bard Finland OY, Bard France S.A.S., Bard Global Holdings I LLC, Bard Global Holdings II LLC, Bard Global Holdings III LLC, Bard Healthcare Inc., Bard Healthcare Science (Shanghai) Limited, Bard Hellas S.A., Bard Holding SAS, Bard Holdings Limited, Bard Holdings Netherlands B.V., Bard Hong Kong Limited, Bard IP Holdings Inc., Bard India Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., Bard International Holdings B.V., Bard International Inc., Bard Istanbul Healthcare Limited Company, Bard Korea Ltd., Bard Limited, Bard MRL Acquisition Corp., Bard Malaysia Healthcare Sdn. Bhd., Bard Medica SA, Bard Medical Devices (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Bard Medical R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Bard Medical SA (Proprietary) Limited, Bard Mexico Realty S. de R.L. de C.V., Bard Norden AB, Bard Norway AS, Bard Pacific Health Care Company Ltd., Bard Peripheral Vascular Inc., Bard Poland Sp. z.o.o., Bard Productos Plasticos e Medicos Ltda., Bard Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Bard S.r.l., Bard Sdn. Bhd., Bard Shannon Limited, Bard Singapore Private Limited, Bard Sourcing Office Singapore Pte. Ltd., Bard Sweden AB, Bard UK Newco Limited, Bard de Espana S.A., Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Limited, Becton Dickinson (Gibraltar) Management Limited, Becton Dickinson (Mauritius) Limited, Becton Dickinson (Pty) Ltd., Becton Dickinson (Thailand) Limited, Becton Dickinson A.G., Becton Dickinson A/S, Becton Dickinson Argentina S.R.L., Becton Dickinson Asia Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson Asia Limited, Becton Dickinson Austria GmbH, Becton Dickinson Austria Holdings GmbH, Becton Dickinson B.V., Becton Dickinson B.V. Saudi Limited Company, Becton Dickinson Benelux N.V., Becton Dickinson Biosciences Systems and Reagents Inc., Becton Dickinson Canada Inc., Becton Dickinson Caribe Ltd., Becton Dickinson Croatia d.o.o., Becton Dickinson Czechia s.r.o., Becton Dickinson Dispensing Belgium BVBA, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Denmark A/S, Becton Dickinson Dispensing France SAS, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Ireland Limited, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Norway, Becton Dickinson Dispensing Spain S.L.U., Becton Dickinson Dispensing UK Ltd., Becton Dickinson Distribution Center N.V., Becton Dickinson East Africa Ltd., Becton Dickinson Euro Finance Sarl, Becton Dickinson Europe Holdings S.A.S., Becton Dickinson France S.A.S., Becton Dickinson GSA Beteilgungs GmbH, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings I Inc., Becton Dickinson Global Holdings II LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings IV LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings V LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings VII LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Holdings VIII LLC, Becton Dickinson Global Services Centre Sdn. Bhd, Becton Dickinson GmbH, Becton Dickinson Guatemala S.A., Becton Dickinson Hellas S.A., Becton Dickinson Holdings Limited, Becton Dickinson Holdings Ltd., Becton Dickinson Holdings Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Hungary Kft., Becton Dickinson India Private Limited, Becton Dickinson Industrias Cirurgicas Ltda., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy AB, Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Holdings UK Limited, Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Systems Inc., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Systems Inc. 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Suncor Energy Inc. operates as an integrated energy company. The company primarily focuses on developing petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; explores, acquires, develops, produces, transports, refines, and markets crude oil in Canada and internationally; markets petroleum and petrochemical products under the Petro-Canada name primarily in Canada. It operates through Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; Refining and Marketing; and Corporate and Eliminations segments. The Oil Sands segment recovers bitumen from mining and in situ operations, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock and diesel fuel, or blends the bitumen with diluent for direct sale to market. The Exploration and Production segment is involved in offshore operations off the east coast of Canada and in the North Sea; and operating onshore assets in Libya and Syria. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil and intermediate feedstock into various petroleum and petrochemical products; and markets refined petroleum products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers through its other retail sellers. The Corporate and Eliminations segment operates four wind farms in Ontario and Western Canada. The company also markets and trades in crude oil, natural gas, byproducts, refined products, and power. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
Zayo Group Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides bandwidth infrastructure solutions for the communications industry in the United States, Canada, and Europe. The company operates in six segments: Fiber Solutions, Transport, Enterprise Networks, Zayo Colocation (zColo), Allstream, and Other. The Fiber Solutions segment provides dark fiber, and fiber-to-the-tower and small cell mobile infrastructure services for carriers and other communication service providers, Internet service providers, wireless service providers, media and content companies, large enterprises, and other companies. The Transport segment offers lit bandwidth infrastructure solutions comprising wavelength, Ethernet, wholesale IP services, and SONET services through its metro, regional, and long-haul fiber networks for carriers, content providers, financial services companies, healthcare, government entities, education institutions, and other medium and large enterprises. The Enterprise Networks segment provides connectivity and telecommunications solutions comprising Internet, wide area networking products, managed products, and cloud based computing and storage offerings to medium and large enterprises. The Zayo Colocation (zColo) segment offers data center infrastructure solutions consisting of colocation space, and power and interconnection services to a range of enterprise, carrier, cloud, and content customers. The Allstream segment provides cloud VoIP and data solutions, such as voice offerings; and unified communications, as well as telecommunications services, including Ethernet, and IP/MPLS VPN solutions. The Other segment provides network and technical resources to customers in designing, acquiring, and maintaining their networks. Zayo Group Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado.
FALLS CHURCH  Democrat Hillary Clinton won a narrow victory over Republican Donald Trump for Virginia's 13 electoral votes in a race that was closer than polls predicted.

Clinton's victory allowed her friend, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, to claim bragging rights that he delivered the battleground state to Democrats.

"Virginia lit the fuse tonight," McAuliffe told cheering Democrats Tuesday night, declaring victory in the state a full 40 minutes before The Associated Press actually called the race at 10:40 p.m. "Hillary Clinton is going to the White House because of Virginia."

Trump led much of the night as returns came in but, as is common in Virginia, Clinton narrowed the gap and pulled ahead as returns in Democratic-leaning northern Virginia finally started to pour in.

In congressional races, freshman Republican Barbara Comstock fended off a challenge in Virginia's most closely watched race, though Democrats managed to pick up a seat downstate thanks to a court-ordered redistricting.

Comstock, who represents the outer suburbs of the nation's capital in the 10th Congressional District, defeated political newcomer LuAnn Bennett in a race that political pundits had rated a tossup.

Bennett won narrowly in Loudoun County, the district's biggest prize, but Comstock won her home base of Fairfax County as well as more rural, conservative parts of the district.

Elsewhere in the state, voters elected three new members to the House.

In the 4th District, which includes parts of the Richmond area, Democrat Donald McEachin, a state senator, defeated Republican Mike Wade, the sheriff in Henrico County. The 4th District had been reliably Republican, but a court-ordered redistricting skewed the district in favor of Democrats and the incumbent, Randy Forbes, tried unsuccessfully to run in a neighboring district.

In Virginia's 5th District, Republican Tom Garrett, a state senator from Buckingham County, defeated Democrat Jane Dittmar. Garrett's victory keeps the seat in GOP hands - it has been represented since 2011 by Republican Robert Hurt, who opted not to seek re-election.

In the 2nd District, which includes Virginia Beach and parts of Hampton Roads, Republican Scott Taylor, a former Navy SEAL and state delegate from Virginia Beach, will succeed moderate Republican Scott Rigell, who decided not to seek a fourth term. Taylor defeated Democrat Shaun Brown.

Elsewhere in Virginia, House members won re-election. Republicans Rob Wittman, Robert Goodlatte, Dave Brat and Morgan Griffith won re-election, as did Democrats Bobby Scott, Don Beyer and Gerry Connolly.

Pre-election polls showed Clinton leading Trump in Virginia, the home of her running mate, Tim Kaine. Kaine represents the swing state in the U.S. Senate and previously served as mayor of Richmond and governor of Virginia.

Just outside Richmond in suburban Henrico County, Jean Montague, 48, cast her vote for Clinton at a Baptist church.

Montague, a computer programmer who recently moved from the Dallas area, said backing Clinton was an easy decision.

"I wanted that glass ceiling broken for women," Montague said. Montague is gay, and she said she also supports Clinton's positions on gay rights.

In Virginia Beach, Joe Hudson, 49, an engineer and registered Republican, said he's voting for Trump because he thinks the United States is giving too much money to foreign governments while failing to focus on its own citizens and infrastructure.
"...king of the hate left..."--

"As my friend Capper -- the best Wisconsin blogger ever -- says, there will be more. There's always more." - karoli

"...the psychiatrically attuned Capper..."--

"This is really great of you! I'm so proud to know someone like you"--

"Capper, a reasonable (and maybe even likeable) Lefty..."--

"capper, the Sidney Freedman of the hate left..."--

"I love capper because, well, what's not to love. But I also hate capper for alerting me to nonsense like this."---

"Capper, you really have a knack for this kind of writing. Really."--

"Crap. I agree with capper. Can Armageddon be far behind?"--

"capper is right. OMG, did I actually say that?"--
Culpeper County remained definitively Republican in Tuesdays election, picking billionaire businessman Donald Trump for president with 60 percent of the vote to Democratic candidate Hillary Clintons 35 percent, according to preliminary results.

Trump got 13,341 votes in Culpeper to Clinton's 7,744.

Libertarian Gary Johnson got about 3 percent of the local vote, Green Party candidate Jill Stein less than 1 percent and independent Evan McMullin about 1 percent.

More than 74 percent of the Culpeper County electorate turned out for the historic election with many waiting in line to cast ballots. There was no dearth of opinions about who the next president should be.

Voter Sally Humphries backed Trump, standing outside a voting site in town with the flag of the Culpeper Minuteman flying behind her emblazoned with, Liberty or Death.

I really believe what Donald Trump has to say, she said. I believe we need the strength of his leadership at this particular time in history, just like England needed (Winston) Churchill, we need Trump, said the local senior citizen, a retired writer. Neither one of them were choir boys, but they were what their countries needed at that time.

Libertarian voter Steve Chalke, a retired computer programmer, said he had a dozen reasons for supporting Trump.

The main reason is the next president is going to pick the next Supreme Court justice and thats the most important issue going forward  its going to change this country for the next 100 years, he said. Also we need to get rid of Obamacare which Hillary would never do and Hillary is just corrupt to the bone.

Chalke said he didnt think it was money that corrupted politics.

In the case of Clinton and Obama, it has to do with the corruption of law itself, the fact that the justice department will not do its job, the fact that people are not equal under the law, thats not the American way and Trump will change that, he said.

Twenty-year-old Dimitri Stanton, a town of Culpeper resident, voted for the first time on Tuesday.

I really hope Hillary wins. Shes going to be the first woman president  might as well have a woman in charge, he said. She could do a lot of things right for the country.

Vietnam veteran Charles Jameson said he was supporting Clinton because she was the better of the two major party alternatives.

I wish that there was someone different, but I really just cant bring myself to vote for Donald Trump. I just dont believe that he is for our country. I cant trust him, said Jameson.

Martha Bickers came out of the town polling location with a big smile on her face.

I cast my vote for a woman president for the first time. I am very excited, she said, adding, I have been a small-town Democrat my whole life.

The 32-year-old self-employed property manager said Clintons extensive political career and her dedication to championing the rights of women and children makes her qualified to be president.

I am someone who respects actually doing the work and playing by the rules, Bickers said, commenting on the stakes of Tuesdays election: Whether or not we are going to continue progressing as a civilized nation or just descend into pop cultural madness.

Brandy Station voter Gary Groves said he picked Trump because the country needs a change, but wasnt sure exactly what kind of change.

I think the economy is kind of stagnated right now. Id hate to see the idea of Bill Clinton getting back in the White House. Hes the one who started that NAFTA trade agreement which has sent a lot of our jobs to Mexico and overseas, Groves said, adding, Obamacare isnt working. Insurance companies are dropping out.

He admitted he felt he was choosing between the lesser of two evils in casting his vote Tuesday.

Yeah, sort of; I dont like either one of them, Groves said. People say (Trump is) a shoot from the hip type of guy. He says a lot, but hes only going to do what the president is allowed to do.

Voter Tim Raines didnt like his options either at the polls, but went for Clinton.

I dont want to live in a world where Donald Trump is president, said the 51-year-old. I dont think hes fit to do the job.

Brandy Station voter Sara Glines, 42, also voted for Clinton on Tuesday.

I think she stands up for human rights and respects all people, she said, noting that she did not think the same of Trump. Theres been so much unrest and movement in our country. I think we need a strong leader who can see things from all angles and views. I dont think Donald can do that.
In Culpeper, voters came early and in great numbers.

The first voter showed up at the Hazel River (Jefferson District) precinct at 5:15 a.m., 45 minutes before the polls opened. By 5:30, there were 20 people waiting to get into the polling place.

By 11 a.m., more than one-fourth of the registered voters at the Cardova precinct (Catalpa District) had cast ballots and by 1 p.m., one-third of registered voters at the Culpeper County Library (East Fairfax) had earned I Voted stickers.

Few problems were reported. At the Culpeper United Methodist Church (West Fairfax), one woman complained that a campaign worker was handing out literature too close to the door, but that situation was quickly resolved.

Perhaps the biggest problem was what one precinct officer called the confusing language of the first initiative on the ballot, the one that dealt with the states right-to-work law.

It was taking some people three and four minutes at the voting machines on this particular issue, said precinct officer Gene Brady at Hazel River. To speed things up, we started handing out sample ballots so voters could study that issue before they got to the voting screen.

As always, several people were confused about where they should go to vote, but each precinct had enough officers on hand to deal with such matters.

The election was so important that Peyton Brock brought his disabled mother and stepfather to East Fairfax, where a poll worker assisted them in voting from their vehicle.

Tuesday was an especially exciting Election Day for 63-year-old Rocky Powell, who cast his first vote ever.

Powell, who had never voted in his youth, was convicted of a felony 30 years ago and recently had his rights restored by Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

I appreciate the governor giving me my rights back, said Powell, adding that by keeping his life clean for three decades, he had earned the restoration.

Concerning his first vote, Powell said, It was easier than I thought. Im tickled to death. It is good to be an American.

Powell did not hesitate when asked if he wanted to disclose for whom he cast his ballot.

I voted for Trump, he replied.

Perhaps the most intriguing take on this controversial presidential election came from a man who could not vote. Steven MacDonald lives in Ireland, was on holiday visiting family in Culpeper and wanted to observe an American election. He said he was impressed.

Concerning the outcome, MacDonald said that most of Europe wants Hillary Clinton elected because of her experience.

He added that Ireland thinks very highly of Bill Clinton, who helped restore peace to his home country.

If a woman and a former first lady is elected president, it would be very historic, MacDonald concluded.
A jury has decided to award University of Virginia administrator Nicole Eramo $3 million in her victorious defamation lawsuit against Rolling Stone magazine. She had originally sought $7.5 million.

It was a long day in court on Monday, just two days after the 10-person jury in Eramos multi-million dollar lawsuit decided that Rolling Stone, its publishers and author Sabrina Rubin Erdely had acted with actual malice in publishing certain statements from Erdelys now-retracted article A Rape on Campus.

Over the course of three weeks prior to that verdict, the jury sat in Charlottesvilles federal courthouse, hearing from both sides about the infamous November 2014 piece, which was intended to be an expose of sexual assault on college campuses. The account of a brutal gang rape at a UVa fraternity house, which served as the articles centerpiece, was discredited weeks after publishing, bringing the article down with it.

By Friday, the jury determined that Erdely had acted with actual malice in publishing certain statements from the article that pertained to and defamed Eramo, who had been UVas associate dean charged with aiding sexual-assault survivors at the time the article was released.

They further found that the magazine and its publisher had acted with actual malice when they republished the article on Dec. 5, 2014, this time appending an editors note to the articles header that walked back their support of the article but did not officially retract it.

On Monday, Eramos attorneys again took to the floor to argue why Eramo was due millions of dollars for the damage sustained by her reputation, career and physical and mental health as a result of those defamations.

Before witnesses were called, Rolling Stone attorney David Paxton quickly told the jury that he understood the precarious position he was in  defending the magazine after it had already been found at fault. He noted that while it was tough to hear the verdict on Friday, it was heard.

We accept your verdict, Paxton said.

He continued that while he could not say the article did not harm Eramo, the jurors would have to assess her damages only to the extent of the precise statements that were found to be defamatory, and not the story as a whole. The magazine was not supposed to be penalized for its mistakes  the verdict rendered on Friday had already sent a message, he said  but rather Eramo was to be compensated for toll that those select statements took upon her.

Eramo was the first to take the stand, delivering hours of testimony about her life leading up to, during and after Erdelys piece was published. She remained emotional throughout as she spoke about the sense of belonging she, her husband and their 9-year-old son, Alex, have always felt at UVa and in their Charlottesville neighborhood.

She became somber as she spoke about the morning of November 19, 2014, when she read the heartbreaking centerpiece narrative that she believed at the time to be true. She was disheartened to think that the student who alleged the account was not totally forthcoming, and Eramo was bewildered as to how she was going to face her co-workers later that day.

It was like reading about someone who had my name, Eramo said. I just said, How am I supposed to go to work today?

That day, she recalls, her office was uncharacteristically quiet. She was receiving encouraging messages and words from people that she worked with but was soon told to report to a 3 p.m. meeting with all of her case files.

I thought I was going to be fired, Eramo said.

She wasnt, but she did have to turn over all of her cases to other administrators. She was then instructed to go home and rest, where she went into lockdown mode  avoiding social media and the negative buzz that the article had brought upon her.

Over the next several days, she worked with authorities to ensure her and her familys safety, with vitriolic and threatening emails and social media messages spilling in from all corners. She said that by the Sunday after the articles release, she found herself in a ball under her desk, sobbing and even contemplating suicide.

I just wanted to disappear, Eramo said, adding later about the influx of nasty emails: It put me in the lowest point Id ever been.

In his cross-examination of Eramo, Paxton pointed out that while she had certainly suffered from the negative reaction, there was also an outpouring of support for Eramo after the articles release. He pointed to two awards she received in the spring of 2015, along with letters of support from students and faculty.

Amid the fallout from the article, Eramo also was fighting a cancer diagnosis, with a surgery scheduled for Dec. 19, 2014  one month after the articles publication. She ended up receiving a double mastectomy, which led to an infection in January, during which time she had to spend nine days in a hospital.

Speaking to that, Eramos counsel brought in Dr. Kant Lin, a UVa professor and medical professional who specializes in reconstructive and plastic surgery for women who must undergo mastectomies. Lin testified that stress like that which came from Eramos special situation could be insidious and have a negative effect on her recovery and might have even prompted her infection.

When cross-examining Lin, Rolling Stones attorneys pointed out that Eramos medical files from her hospital stay showed no indications that she was suffering from any notable psychological ailments like stress or sleeplessness. While he took issue with the use of those records, as he did not write them, Lin conceded the point.

When it came time to present their own evidence, Rolling Stone called no witnesses, only referring to the September 2015 report from the Office for Civil Rights about UVas handling of sexual-assault reports. The report was critical of Eramo in particular, as well as the administration as a whole, although Eramo has testified that UVa does not stand by that report.

In his final remarks to jurors, Eramos attorney Tom Clare asked jurors to remember both the occupational and personal position Eramo had been in before and after the article and to find a way to close that gap.

When she was in that role, she stood tall, Clare said. Im asking you to stand tall with Nicole.

After two hours of deliberations, the jury returned and awarded Eramo $3 million  $2 million from Erdely for her defamatory statements in the original publication and $1 million from the magazine and its publisher for republishing the statements weeks later. Rolling Stone has already entered an agreement with Erdely to pay for damages assessed from her.

Just after the jury delivered their decision, Eramos attorney Libby Locke called the damages nothing short of a complete repudiation of the magazine and Erdelys flawed and malicious journalism. She added that, despite not getting the full amount theyd asked for, the money was nothing to sneeze at.

Rolling Stone has not issued a statement nor responded to a request for comment on the outcome of the trial.

Speaking just before departing the courthouse, Eramo said, Im certainly happy to be putting this behind me and getting to the next chapter of my life.
Culpeper helped the 7th District re-elect freshman politician Dave Brat to Congress for his second consecutive term in public office.

Brat, a 52-year-old Republican and former Randolph-Macon College economics professor who made history two years ago by beating House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, received 14,314, or 64 percent, of local votes versus Democrat Eileen Bedells 7,547, or 33.7 percent, in Culpeper, according to Culpeper County Registrars preliminary numbers.

Culpeper voters came out to vote in droves with 22,346, or 71.45 percent, of the 31,274 registered voters.

Statewide, Brat garnered 211,841 votes, or 58 percent, versus Bedells 152,421 votes, or 41.77 percent, based on early numbers on the State Board of Elections website.

Culpeper supporter James Streeter, 73, of Raccoon Ford, voted for Brat because he approves of the Republicans voting record.

Some of the bills Brat has supported include: the Regulatory Relief For Small Businesses, Schools and Non-profits Act; Social Security Fraud Prevention Act of 2016 and Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2016. Brat strongly opposes the expansion of Obamacare (officially known as the Affordable Care Act).

I watch him pretty closely so I agree with him on the issues. I think its good to have someone who is independent minded rather than someone who just goes along with the congressional establishment. So I strongly approve of him, said Streeter, who voted at the Hopewell United Methodist Church in the Stevensburg District in Lignum.

Culpeper resident Gene Scott, 47, said he voted for Brat because hes a Republican.

Thats it pretty much, said Scott, who voted in the Pearl Sample District located at the Rappahannock Electric Cooperative building. Asked about Brats views, Scott said he was not familiar with them.

Harold Boyd, chairman of Culpeper Countys Democratic Committee, said Bedell is open to listening to everybody on all issues.

Shes been a candidate since February and shes been to Culpeper more times than Dave Brat has in the two years hes been in office, said Boyd. Shes been here almost monthly. She has progressive views in terms of sensible gun control, keeping Planned Parenthood open, and David is opposed to everything.

Joan Proctor, a longtime election official in the Pearl Sample District, said a long line snaked around the building when polls first opened at 6 a.m.

We had four lines and 300 people the first hour and 1,000 people by noon, shared Proctor, who noted that everyone in line was calm and polite. "We had no problems. It was just great.

On Tuesday, Brat took to Twitter to ask for votes.

I am fighting for change that will make your life better and create a better future for our children. I ask for your #vote today. #VA07, Brat posted on social media.

Bedell shared on Twitter that she was currently on the job.

Already working for 7th, delivering coffee to voters regardless of party waiting in line to vote at Dumbarton @vademocrats #va07, Bedell tweeted.

After learning he won re-election, Brat returned to Twitter to thank his supporters.

Tonight I want to thank God and all of the constituents of #VA07 for electing me to another two years of service, Brat wrote.

On the issues

On gun safety and violence prevention, Bedell said she believes lawful gun ownership is part of our nations heritage and is protected by the Second Amendment to the Constitution. Reasonable measures however are needed to protect citizens from gun violence.

She also says she understands the need for legislation to prevent unlawful or dangerous individuals from owning dangerous weapons. We must protect our children, our families and ourselves by ensuring only responsible, law-abiding citizens have access to guns, according to her website.

Brat is a strong supporter of gun rights.

I will oppose any efforts to undermine or limit the constitutional right to bear arms. The right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental right enshrined in the constitution for a reason  it provides the people with the ultimate guarantee of sovereignty.

On the education issue, Brat opposes top-down approaches by the federal government such as Common Core and No Child Left Behind.

I will support efforts to place Virginias teachers, parents and local officials who best understand the needs of the community in control of our education system.

Bedell, a Chesterfield County lawyer, believes that investing in quality education is critical to the nations future.

Our local, state, and federal governments must address the financial and operational requirements for quality education and training at all levels in neighborhoods, communities and states, said Bedell, who favors expanded funding for federal scholarships and education improvement.

Brat serves on the following committees: budget, education and the workforce and small business.

Centrally located, the 7th District includes Culpeper, Orange, Louisa, Hanover, Powhatan, Nottoway, Amelia, parts of Spotsylvania County, the West End of Richmond and Henrico, as well as portions of Chesterfield County.

Rhonda Simmons can be reached at rsimmons@starexponent.com or 540/825-6397.
Nebraska voters favor reinstating the death penalty

In results posted at 10 p.m., those favoring repeal of LB426 -- the legislative bill abolishing the death penalty -- led by a 57.9 percent to 42.1 percent margin.

Those results included nearly 443,000 votes.

Projections of a 70 percent turnout would mean about 848,000 votes cast across the state.

The Associated Press called the presidential race in Nebraska for Donald Trump, who led Hillary Clinton 56.8 percent to 37.6 percent.

Clinton, however, led by a slight margin in Congressional District 2, where Democrats hoped to win and grab a single electoral vote.

In other key races:

* A $369 million bond issue sought by Southeast Community College appeared headed for defeat, trailing by a 66 percent to 34 percent margin.

* Incumbent U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford overtook Don Bacon to lead by a 50 percent to 47 percent margin in District 2. Republicans Jeff Fortenberry and Adrian Smith won in Districts 1 and 3, respectively.

* In Legislative District 23, challenger Bruce Bostelman of Brainard led incumbent Jerry Johnson of Wahoo with 59 percent of the votes. That district includes Butler County, Saunders County and most of Colfax County.
OMAHA  A 47-year-old Stromsburg man will spend more than a decade in prison after attempting to buy a 10-year-old girl for sex.

United States District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp sentenced William Rich to 14 years in prison on Monday in connection with the child enticement case.

There is no parole in the federal system, and Rich must spend 10 years on supervised release following the prison term.

An FBI investigation into Rich began in October 2015 during a human trafficking sting. FBI Special Agent Sara Stanley with the Child Exploitation Task Force in Omaha wrote in the complaint against him that investigators got a tip regarding a man trying to pay a woman to find a very young girl to make (his) fantasy come true.

Rich met the woman through a website that advertises escort services and used several different phones to communicate with her, documents say.

With help from the investigators, she sent a text to Rich asking which age he preferred. Rich replied 10 and said he was looking for a redhead, according to documents.

Two days later, phone documents show Rich texted the woman saying he had never done anything like this before and that his name was William.

Over the next few days, documents say he texted multiple times to verify the girls age and asked for nude pictures of her and the woman he was talking to. He also requested monthly visits with the girl for sex, documents say.

On Oct. 30, 2015, Rich agreed to pay $150 to $200 and give the woman 89 Xanax pills, oxycodone pills and some morphine in exchange for sex with the woman and the 10-year-old girl while photographing it, documents say.

Rich was arrested in December when he went to a La Vista hotel to drop off a phone so he could communicate with the girl, who turned out to be an undercover officer. He pleaded guilty in July to use of a facility and means of interstate commerce to attempt to persuade, induct and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity.
Detention Center

The inmate count at the Platte County Detention Facility Tuesday was 81, with 52 from Platte County and 29 from out of county.

Police

Sept. 24

7:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.  At 2111 Fourth St., William McGuire, 53, 2111 Fourth St., was cited for two counts of third-degree sexual assault of a child.

Oct. 21

1:44 p.m.  At 825 23rd St., Terez Johnson, 29, Detroit, Michigan, was cited for possession of marijuana.

Oct. 29

12:04 p.m.  At 2565 47th Ave., No. 5, Efrain Rodriguez, 34, 1173 18th Ave., was jailed for first-degree sexual assault and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Nov. 1

7:18 a.m.  At the intersection of 17th Street and 24th Avenue, Lucia Cahuana, 42, 1970 26th Ave., was cited for failure to yield right of way.

7:58 a.m.  In the 2300 block of 18th Avenue, traffic accident. Drivers were Pamela Gehring, 36, 76 Cottonwood Drive, Tequilla Campbell, 26, 3186 E. 25th St., Julie Beal, 53, 2420 37th St., and Raul Mendez, 43, Carriage House Estates, No. 31.

Nov. 4

4:18 a.m.  At the intersection of 23rd Street and 23rd Avenue, traffic accident. Drivers were Melic Owens, 21, 2708 Cheyenne St., and Miladys Nunez De Perez, 46, 4505 19th St., D-1.

7:53 a.m.  In the 1200 block of 27th Avenue, traffic accident. Drivers were Michaela Wiseman, 16, 4826 37th St., and Traci Hoppe, 36, 1171 17th Ave.

12:21 p.m.  On an access road at the intersection of 16th Avenue and 23rd Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Bryan Jonson, 33, 1708 Woodland Drive, and Anoy Perez, 35, Schuyler.

4 p.m.  On 26th Avenue at Pawnee Park East, a vehicle driven by Noah Brunken, 16, 2068 Gruenther Drive, lost control and struck a culvert.

Nov. 5

6:03 p.m.  In a parking lot at 3318 23rd St., an unknown vehicle struck a parked vehicle owned by Marian Lloyd, 2953 Fairlane Ave., and left the scene.

Nov. 6

1:46 p.m.  In a parking lot at 517 E. 23rd St., a vehicle driven by Tania French, 35, York, struck pedestrian Gary Sutton, 74, 3254 E. 17th Ave.

Sheriff

Nov. 7

3:46 p.m.  Theft from a vehicle at 4500 63rd St., $200 loss.

Fire

Nov. 8

5:35 a.m.  Car fire at U.S. Highway 81 and Camp Pawnee Road.

7:38 a.m.  In the 3000 block of 28th Street, medical.
Bruce Bostelman of Brainard unseated incumbent Jerry Johnson of Wahoo in the District 23 legislative race.

Bostelman received 56 percent of the vote to win the four-year seat representing Butler County, Saunders County and most of Colfax County.

The 54-year-old farmer and Air Force veteran, who got a big boost when Gov. Pete Ricketts backed him in the race, vowed to oppose tax increases, fight attempts to give public benefits to illegal immigrants and support efforts to retain the death penalty. He also said he would work with the governor to provide additional tax relief, protect the 2nd Amendment and advocate for pro-life laws.

Johnson, 73, spent the past two years as chairman of the Legislatures Agriculture Committee, emphasizing the need to grow the states agricultural industry and enact tax reform with an emphasis on rural property taxes.

On the Loup Public Power District Board of Directors, incumbent Larry Zach easily defeated challenger Victor Olson for the Subdivision 7 seat and incumbent Jim Donoghue bested Brian Oppliger in Subdivision 6. Those are both six-year seats.

Chris Langemeier (Subdivision 5) and Ross Knott (Subdivision 1) were unopposed, and incumbent Donald Pearson was unseated by challenger Alan Drozd, who earned 56 percent of the vote to win the six-year term representing Subdivision 2.

William Robinson (Subdivision 1), Andy Daniels (Subdivision 6), Jon Gehring (Subdivision 7), Lawrence Franzen (Subdivision 9) and Joshua Faltys (Subdivision 10) were elected to the Cornhusker Public Power District Board of Directors.

Platte County Court Judge Frank Skorupa and Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Heavican, a Schuyler native, were both retained by wide margins. Those are six-year terms.
COLUMBUS  Although they are too young for their votes to actually count, students let their opinions be heard inside the halls of St. Anthony Elementary School.

Grade-schoolers filled out ballots in a mock election Tuesday, casting their votes for Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump for the presidency, Mayor Mike Moser or Columbus City Council member Jim Bulkley for Columbus mayor and to retain or repeal the death penalty in Nebraska.

Few students had favorable things to say about either of the presidential candidates, but were supporting Trump.

Its disappointing to me because I dont think we have good choices for president, said Kensey Micek, a fifth-grade student who said she watched the televised debates between Trump and Clinton.

Micek, like a few others who spoke up about who they voted for, said she backed Trump because he is pro-life.

Hillary supports abortion and I dont think any Catholic supports abortion. Plus, Hillary is not very good. She got in trouble with the FBI, said Katelyn Pensick, a fourth-grade student.

Classmate Henry Chard was a little more dramatic with his opinion on Clinton.

Shes going to start World War III and end the human race, he said.

Students werent as informed about the candidates in the local mayoral race. They spent time studying the national election in the classroom and discussing it in history class. It seems like Moser was getting the nod from students because of name recognition.

Like Nebraska voters, students also had their say on capital punishment. The death penalty was repealed by the state Legislature in 2015 and Nebraskans were asked to either retain that decision  legislative bill 268  to eliminate the death penalty or repeal it to keep capital punishment.

There were students who supported both sides of the issue. Some thought it was necessary in the cases of criminals who commit multiple murders. Others saw it a different way.

You shouldnt have people die just because of something that they did, fourth-grader Alex Casperson said.

Though it was a mock election, students said they were eager for the day when their votes actually count.

In our society not a lot vote anymore. Its not a big deal to vote unlike back in the olden days when people fought for women to have the right to vote. So I think we should vote even if they dont have a lot of interest (in the candidates), Micek said.
LINCOLN  The Legislature took it away. But on Tuesday, Nebraska voters handed back execution as an option for judges and juries to consider for the most heinous murders.

Even as support for the death penalty among states is said to be waning -- the lowest it has been in decades, according to a Pew Research Center poll -- Nebraska voters said by a convincing margin they want to keep it.

We hope that the Unicameral will respect the will of the people and will cooperate with the governor in establishing a successful, humane method of carrying out the death penalty, said Bob Evnen, who has worked for the past 17 months on behalf of repealing the law.

We also hope that the judiciary will look for ways to end interminable appeals while maintaining the due process rights of defendants, he said. We know that this can happen, because it happens in other states.

Stephen Griffith, director of Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, said the campaign to retain the Legislature's repeal of capital punishment came closer in a deeply conservative state than anyone thought it could.

"So we feel Nebraskans have given us a victory, a message to America that this issue is changing," Griffith said. "People everywhere are starting to see the human cost of the death penalty."

Sen. Ernie Chambers said Monday the circumstances that led him to fight for the repeal of the death penalty had a hiatus with the Legislature's action. With the return of those circumstances, he plans to renew his efforts.

"And I will have a bill to repeal the death penalty ready for introduction in January, he said.

The referendum, which gained more than enough signatures in summer 2015 to get the question on the ballot, passed despite being outspent nearly 5 to 1 by the opposition, said Chris Peterson, spokesman for Nebraskans for the Death Penalty.

The Retain A Just Nebraska campaign spent about $2.2 million compared to about $450,000 by the referendum campaign.

Even with a green light to put the death penalty back into play, opponents believe it will be a long time, if ever, before an execution takes place. Ten men are on death row, most with remaining appeals.

The last time Nebraska executed a man was in 1997. The state has since put its electric chair in storage because its use was found to be unconstitutional by the Nebraska Supreme Court. Lethal injection has become the execution protocol, but has never been used and the state has had trouble getting the necessary drugs.

Lincoln attorney and longtime death penalty opponent Alan Peterson said several legal issues could prevent any potential execution.

For one, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a Florida case the U.S. Constitution requires juries to make those decisions. In Nebraska, judges decide one or more statements of fact in death penalty sentencing.

These and other issues may take years to resolve, and the lack of acceptable lethal drugs is just one of many additional barriers to Nebraska killing anyone for a long time, if ever, Peterson said.

Officials have said they are working on a new drug protocol that would allow the state to carry out the death penalty, but many opponents say that's unlikely because of the difficulty in getting the drugs.

Gov. Pete Ricketts dug into his own bank account to donate $300,000 to Nebraskans for the Death Penalty. His father, Joe, donated another $100,000.

On Friday, the governor said that over the past several weeks, he has stepped up conversations with Attorney General Doug Peterson and Corrections Director Scott Frakes about a thorough review of the capital punishment protocols used in other states.

My administration will continue to review potential protocol changes, Ricketts said.
Donald Trump's election as president sent the message that Americans are "looking for a different direction for the country," Gov. Pete Ricketts said Wednesday.

"I think it's very exciting," the governor said during a conference call from China, where he is on an agricultural trade mission.

Ricketts, a fellow Republican, said he'll try to impress upon the new president the importance of trade in creating jobs and investment in states like Nebraska.

In fact, he noted, he had the opportunity to do just that during a conversation in advance of Trump's address to a rally in Omaha last May.

Trump has expressed his opposition to the proposed new Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement that is viewed as a potential bonanza for U.S. beef and pork exports.

"Trade is an important way we can grow Nebraska," Ricketts said.

While expanding opportunities overseas, it creates jobs at home and investment in the state, he said.

As Ricketts and his fellow Republicans celebrated Tuesday's presidential victory, Nebraska Democrats viewed Trump's election with alarm and mourned the defeat of Democratic Rep. Brad Ashford of Omaha after a single House term.

Ashford fell to Republican nominee Don Bacon, a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general. Bacon's election signals the return of Nebraska's five-member congressional delegation to all-Republican in January.

Democratic State Chairman Vince Powers of Lincoln said Trump's victory "will fundamentally change the course of the country," wiping out expanded health care coverage that benefits millions of Americans under the Affordable Care Act and eventually threatening abortion rights and gay marriage protections.

Trump's future appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court could lead to decisions that turn abortion and gay rights over to the states, Powers said.

"Immigration is going to be a big change," he said, along with environmental protection.

The nuclear deal with Iran, adherence to the Paris climate change agreement and treaty commitments with U.S. allies are all now at risk, Powers said.

Republican National Committeeman J.L. Spray of Lincoln said Trump's big win reflects voter demands for "honesty from their government" and an overriding desire for change.

"He clearly is a change agent," Spray said. "He does represent change, hopefully for the better."

Issues that may have dominated voter decisions were future U.S. Supreme Court nominations, immigration policy, gun policy and social policies, Spray said.

Electing Bacon was the state party's No. 1 priority, he said, followed by winning the 2nd Congressional District's presidential electoral vote for Trump.

"The party played hard," Spray said.

Incoming Democratic State Chairwoman Jane Kleeb of Hastings said "the biggest lesson is that the national party does not get rural voters (and) better start investing significant resources in rural states."

Despite Tuesday's losses, Kleeb said, "there are many silver linings," including gains for Democrats in the Legislature and a growing progressive voter base in Omaha that should assist Sen. Heath Mello in his bid to be elected mayor of Omaha next spring.

"We had some good wins," she said, "and we'll build on it."

Sen. Ben Sasse, who opposed Trump from the beginning of his presidential campaign in Iowa, said voters "demanded disruption" and pledged to "do everything in my power to hold the new president to his promises."

Sasse said he will "fight for an ethics reform package that upends cronyism and enacts term limits (and) lead on repealing and replacing ObamaCare."

Sen. Deb Fischer said "the American people have spoken, and they have spoken with unmistakable clarity," sending a message that "it's time to shake up Washington (and) change the direction of this country."
Chennai: The US-based automobile giant Ford will invest Rs 1,300 crore in opening a business and development centre in Chennai. This will be their second largest facility globally for research, design mobility solutions and product development.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Ford's Executive Chairman Bill Ford said that Ford Motor will be investing invest $195 million (around Rs 1,300 crore) and hire around 3,000 skilled workers for the new centre over the next five years.

The phase-I of the 28-acre facility, off the Old Mahabalipuram Road, will be ready by March 2019. The software and global development centre will hire engineers on a large scale. There will also be laboratories for testing and design of four-wheelers and their components, said Bill Ford, adding that this will enable the automaker to conduct extensive testing of future vehicles in India.

Chennai is set to become Ford's home away from home, he continued.
New Delhi: To avoid long queues at toll plazas Pan India, the government today asked them to accept the old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes till November 11 midnight.

The decision was taken after National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Chairman Raghav Chandra took up the matter with the Prime Minister's Office after being flooded by calls from states over the grim situation at toll plazas.

"We have issued instructions to all 365 toll plazas across the country to immediately accept currency denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 till November 11 midnight to ease the situation of jams and long queues at toll booths," Chandra told PTI.

Chandra said he contacted the PMO as well as the Finance Ministry to apprise them of the condition at the plazas after being inundated by calls from commuters as well as state government officials over traffic congestion.

"Several Chief Secretaries including Chief Secretaries of Haryana and Gujarat besides commuters contacted us about the situation. Many travelers narrated their plights," he said.

On being apprised of the situation, the government allowed toll plazas to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations.

"NHAI has issued instructions to all concessionaires and developers including people managing toll plazas to abide by the instructions to ensure that travelers do not face any problems due to traffic hazards," he said.

The Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes are legally accepted tenders at plazas till November 11 midnight, he explained. "Meanwhile we are strictly monitoring the situation and keeping a close eye so that commuters can travel without any inconveniences," Chandra said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night announced the decision to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes from last midnight. Declaring a "decisive" war against black money and corruption, Modi also listed a raft of steps to assure commoners that their money is safe.

In his first televised address to the nation two-and-a-half-years after assuming office, he had announced a 50-day window from November 10 to December 30 for those having these notes to deposit them in their bank and post office accounts "without any limit".
Chennai: A day after Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denomination notes ceased to be legal tender, shops and other commercial establishments here bid adieu to the high valued currencies amidst speculation that Rs 100 notes were being sold at a premium and Rs 1000 denomination being undervalued.

However, the wholesale vegetable supplier to Chennai and its neighbourhoods, the Koyambedu market, had no apprehensions accepting the said denomination notes amidst a spike in sales of the greens.

Most of the shops  retail, jewellery, supermarkets and petty shops in the city told their customers that they are not accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000, prompting many to opt for debit and credit card payments.

"We accepted Rs 500 and Rs 1000 till 12 last night yesterday for our transactions but have stopped accepting them today," a jeweller at the gold hub of T Nagar said on conditions of anonymity, adding, card payment was a preferred mode.

Most of the supermarkets here also declared they were not accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, and customers, who did not want to part with their precious Rs 50 and Rs 100 notes, most of them drawn from ATMs after a long wait last night, opted to pay through credit and debit cards.

"I hope things settle as quickly as possible as there are still places like small shops where they don't accept cards," M Subha, a homemaker purchasing goods at a supermarket said.

The Koyambedu market vendors are accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, an association representative said.

"We don't have a problem in accepting the notes as most of the traders are Income Tax Assesses and we will just deposit the money in bank," said VR Sounderrajan, President, Koyambedu Vegetable Wholesale Association.

There were around 350 such traders and "most of them" were I-T assesses and were accepting the currency of said denominations, he told PTI. Sales of vegetables during the day has also doubled from around Rs 10 crore to Rs 20 crore, he said.

Many of the vendors and traders also acknowledged that they had heard about Rs 100 being sold for a premium or that Rs 1000 was being "undersold" but denied any direct knowledge.

"This could be a rumour or speculation," Sounderrajan said.

Meanwhile, Milk vendors clarified that they were not accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, contrary to public perception. SA Ponnusamy, Founder and President, Tamil Nadu Milk Agents Welfare Association, asked people to not believe "rumours" that milk vendors were accepting the notes with said denomination.
Investment rate declined from 39 per cent of GDP in 2011-12 to 34.2 per cent in 2014-15.

New Delhi: Weak global demand is among the "strongest challenges" in the near term for Indian economy, Finance Ministry said today while outlining the need for resolving bad-loans problem of state-owned banks so as to increase credit supply.

It said banks have passed on less than half of the 1.50 per cent rate reduction benefit to consumers between January 2015 and August this year and hence the transmission of monetary policy has remained incomplete.

"Weak global demand is one among the strongest challenges in the near term. Exports and imports together constitute 42 per cent of the GDP, even at the reduced levels in 2015-16," the ministry said in its background note for the 2-day Economic Editors' conference beginning tomorrow.

It identified the twin balance sheet problem of stressed financial positions of some large corporates leading to stressed assets of banks which may affect private investment as a "critical challenge".

The gross NPAs of PSU banks increased sharply from 5.4 per cent in March 2015 to 9.8 per cent in March 2016, mainly on account of cleaning up of their balance sheets.

"The problem of non-performing assets needs to be resolved and bank lending needs to pick up. Already there are some signs of improvement," the Ministry said.

As per RBI's Financial Stability Report, the proportion of leveraged companies declined sharply from 19 per cent in March 2015 to 14 per cent in March 2016 and their share in the total debt also declined from 33.8 per cent to 20.6 per cent.

The ministry said creating quality jobs is the imperative of the time and hence the government has focused its efforts on removing impediments to job creation, including addressing shortage of skills to the workforce. The ministry noted however that reviving the savings and investment cycle in economy is challenging.

The savings rate that stood at 34.6 per cent in 2011-12, declined to 33 per cent in 2014-15.Investment rate declined from 39 per cent of GDP in 2011-12 to 34.2 per cent in 2014-15.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected India to grow at 7.6 per cent in 2016-17 and 2017-18, while World Bank has estimated India to maintain a robust growth of 7.6 per cent in 2016 and 7.7 per cent in the following two years.

"This growth compares favourably with the growth of 3.2 per cent achieved by the global economy and 4 per cent by the emerging market and developing economies as a block in year 2015. Thus, against the global background, the current Indian growth is remarkable," the ministry said.

It said that while RBI has cut rates by 1.50 per cent since January last year and brought repo rate down to 6.5 per cent at the end of August, "the transmission of monetary policy has remained incomplete. The reduction in average base rate has only been nearly 0.62 per cent".
Tokyo: Japan's government and its central bank will hold crisis talks Wednesday on the market convulsions sparked by Donald Trump's strong showing in the US presidential election, which has seen stocks and currencies tumble.

"The meeting on exchange of information about financial market" between the BOJ, the Finance Ministry and the Financial Services Agency "will be held at 3 pm (0600 GMT) at the Finance Ministry," a BoJ spokesman told AFP.
This is one of the pictures that Bachchan shared on Twitter.

Mumbai: Amitabh Bachchan earned immense praise for his last film Pink which went on to brilliant business at the box-office. The actor has quickly moved on his next film Sarkar 3 directed by Ram Gopal Varma and has been shooting at a brisk speed, as is evident from the numerous pictures he shares from the sets.

Bachchans work for the film, however, is not restricted to acting and like several other films before where directors wanted to capitalize on his voice, he will also sing in the film. The megastar took to Twitter to convey that he will be singing the Ganesh aarti, along with pictures from his shoot of the song.

Bachchan had also recently sung Kyun Re in his film Te3n and it seems that directors are extremely keen to incorporate his voice for films.

Sarkar 3 also stars Manoj Bajpayee, Jackie Shroff, Yami Gautam, Amit Sadh among others.
Mumbai: Donald Trump pulled a major coup, by becoming the 45th American President. The Republican mogul gave Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton a major upset.

The billionaire business tycoon, who'd been globally mocked for his presidential aspirations for over a year, has sent the global global markets into turmoil and cast the long-standing global political order, which hinges on Washington's leadership, into doubt.

And Bollywood doesn't seem to impressed with the American sense of resentment that led to his presidency.

Celebrities took to social media to express their dissent.
Mumbai: Deepika Padukone, who recently returned to India from Ahoy Rotterdam after attending MTV Europe Music Awards 2016, has already started working on a new project and no, we are not talking about Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum 'Padmavati'.

We got our hands on pictures where we see the actress shooting for a secret project. Deepika was snapped by our shutterbug today shooting for a mysterious untitled project in Dharavi, Mumbai.

Dressed in washed out oversized red kurta and green salwar, Deepika is seen donning a complete new rugged look.

While we are not sure if the actress is shooting for some campaign or an advertisement, the entire mystery surrounding Deepika's look seems quite intriguing and appealing. We surely can't wait for the project to be out.

On work front, Deepika is all set to make her big Hollywood debut with Dwayne Johnson's 'xXx: Return of Xander Cage'. In the film, the actress plays the role of a fierce huntress named Serena Unger. The film also stars Donnie Yen as Xiang, Tony Jaa, Samuel L. Jackson, Nina Dobrev and Ruby Rose.
Mumbai: Sonam Kapoor, who recently traveled to Arizona to encourage the south Asian Community to vote at the US presidential elections, made a pit stop to Beverly Hills where she met Stan Lee, the creator of Marvel comics.

Stan, a comic-book writer, editor, publisher, media producer, television host, actor, and former president and chairman of Marvel Comics has to his credit several superhero creations including Spider-Man, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Daredevil, Thor and the X-Men among others.

Sonam, stopped at Beverly Hills, California where she met Lee, who revolutionized superhero comics on her way to Phoenix, Arizona.

She took the opportunity to post her superhero moment on Snapchat, as the two were seen in a fun conversation.
After impressing audiences with their chemistry in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt are all set to entertain audiences again in the film Badrinath Ki Dulhania. Though the film has a similar title and same actors, producer Karan Johar and director Shashank Khaitan, the film is not exactly a sequel to the earlier release, but does take the franchise forward.

Several pictures from the sets have already been shared on social media when the cast and crew were shooting in India as well as in Singapore, where they are currently shooting. Varun and Alia recently posted pictures as they set out to shoot at the roller coaster rides at the popular Universal Studios.

But these fresh set of pictures shared on social media are by far the best that we have seen till now and the chemistry between the lead pair is there for everyone to see. They are seen going romantic, getting into an embrace while looking into each others eyes and even going on a ride and posing happily.

Badrinath Ki Dulhania is gearing up for release on 10 March 2017.
The USA Presidential elections were finally held on Tuesday and the results are scheduled to be announced on Wednesday.

The campaigning for becoming the next President of USA has been going on for the past few weeks between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

Several Hollywood stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Beyonce, Madonna and other stars have openly supported Clinton as their next president. Even some of our stars like Salman Khan, Vidya Balan and Rishi Kapoor have endorsed Clinton as the next USA president.

However, Priyanka Chopra, who has been in the USA shooting for her TV series and film, chose not to take sides between Clinton and Trump, but did post a video urging Americans to vote and make a difference.

But Sonam Kapoor has openly supported Clinton and even gave a speech campaigning for her in Arizona, USA. The actress posted on Instagram a video where we see her giving speech to a South Asian audience talking about the importance of voting.

Watch the video here:

The actress also thanks the Mayor of Arizona for the opportunity she received and her support for Clinton is evident in her captions on the post.

The entire speech can be watched on her app.

Will the support from these popular artistes actually help Clinton to win?
Mumbai: Popstar Lady Gaga, whod been an extremely vocal supporter of Hillary Clinton, was photographed protesting outside Trump Tower, after Republican candidate Donald Trump got elected as the 45th president of the United States of America.

The star held a placard that read Love trumps hate. There were also reports of Lady Gaga having been in tears after the final electoral results were announced.

She had also tweeted in response to Trumps historic yet unwelcome win.

Speaking at a rally during a pro-Hillary rally, Gaga had said, "If we are true, true Americans, we must go from viewing his followers as our adversaries to viewing them as our allies. What does she say? What do we say? We are stronger together. And what I see in this remarkable woman is that she is ready to restore peace in this country. America is not America without its people."

Earlier in the day, Donald Trump had pulled a major coup, by becoming the 45th American President. The Republican mogul gave Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton a major upset.

The billionaire business tycoon, who'd been globally mocked for his presidential aspirations for over a year, has sent the global markets into turmoil and cast the long-standing global political order, which hinges on Washington's leadership, into doubt.
Mumbai: Body of Kannada actor Raghav Uday, who had gone missing after jumping off a helicopter onto the Thippagondanahalli Reservoir while shooting for a Kannada film, was found on Wednesday.

The actor, along with Anil Verma and lead star of the film, Duniya Vijay had jumped a good 30 feet onto the river. While Vijay swam ashore, Anil and Uday couldn't and had been missing ever since.

The police had cited absolute negligence towards safety measures as the cause of the mishap. A case of culpable homicide had been filed against the producer of the film, 'Masti Gudi,' who's been absconding ever since.

While Vijay had been provided a safety harness, the deceased actors weren't provided safety measures, despite having admitted to not being great swimmers before start of shoot.

Speaking to a Kannada news channel before performing the stunt, Raghav Uday had said he was "scared" of the stunt and was not good at swimming.

"I'm very scared first of all. I have not done (such stunt) so far, nor have I seen anyone performing such stunt so far, so I'm scared. Whatever safety is done there is always a fear within oneself, despite that the situation is that I have to perform it... He also said he was not good in swimming. "...I'm not that good in swimming, I can fall (into water) and come out, but I have never fallen into water from such a height, so there is some sort of fear within me."

Stating that precautionary measures had been taken by the team, he said "preparation is what they have done, they have said that once we fall they will come (in boat), we are dependent on it, if there is anything above it, there is God."

The body of Anil Verma is yet to be retrieved.
Male chimpanzees associated with mothers of their offspring early in infancy and interacted with their infants more than expected. (Photo: Pixabay)

Washington: Male chimpanzees - a highly promiscuous species - are more devoted to protecting their offspring rather than building relationships with females, a new study on humans' closest living relatives suggests.

Researchers at George Washington University in the US also found that chimpanzees spend time with non-mating female chimpanzees which are caring for their successors. This finding is unexpected since the species is highly promiscuous and researchers previously questioned whether male chimpanzees could recognise their offspring.

Since males spending time with nursing mothers did not increase the likelihood that they would be the father of that mother's next infant, the findings support the paternal effort hypothesis, in which males associate more with mothers in

order to protect their offspring, rather than curry favour with the female. The research contributes to the broader anthropological question of why human fathers invest so much in offspring.

Researchers conducted the study based on long-term data from Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania in Africa. The study used more than 25 years of behavioural data. Researchers examined patterns based on 17 father chimpanzees and 49 mother-infant pairs to see if the males could recognise

their offspring and if their behaviour was different around them.

The researchers found the males associated with mothers of their offspring early in infancy and interacted with their infants more than expected. They found the males associated with mothers of their offspring early in infancy and interacted with their infants more than expected.

"As anthropologists, we want to understand what patterns could have existed early in human evolution that help explain how human behaviour evolved," said lead author Carson Murray, assistant professor at the George Washington University. "This research suggests that males may sometimes prioritise relationships with their offspring rather than with potential mates. For a species without pair-bonds where it was assumed fathers did not know which infants were their own, this is an important finding," said Murray.

The significance of the finding lies in the evidence that chimpanzees, one of human's closest living relatives, not only have paternal recognition but also invested in offspring rather than only focusing on future mating effort. The researchers found the males would spend time grooming and caring for their offspring.

"Our findings are not only further evidence that chimpanzee fathers recognise their offspring in a promiscuous species, but also that fathers behave differently around their offspring," said Margaret Stanton, postdoctoral scientist at George Washington.
About 1.65 lakh tax officers on Wednesday demanded pay parity and career benefits enjoyed by their counterparts in IB and CBI. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

New Delhi: An association representing about 1.65 lakh tax officers on Wednesday demanded pay parity and career benefits enjoyed by their counterparts in Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In a lunch-hour demonstration held by some members of the association at various places across the country, the employees' body asked the Centre to immediately fill all vacant positions of their cadre, failing which would have adverse impact on the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST).

There is resentment in the entire Group B, C and promotee Group A officers of the Central Board of Direct Tax (CBDT) and Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC). All matters relating to pay commission and career prospects of these employees are unresolved for decades, the All India Association of Central Excise Gazetted Executive Officers said.

Accordingly, all staff side of CBEC and CBDT including inspectors and superintendents of central excise, customs and service tax, income tax inspectors and officers, ministerial officers, sepoys and drivers observed lunch hour demonstration today throughout the country, it said.

"Departmental Promotion Committee (meetings) for promotions of these officers are not being held timely. CBEC is behind by three years in the matter of promotions for the post of Assistant Commissioner despite 1,766 vacant posts being in hand and officers are forced to retire every month without promotion.

"No need to say that this process of keeping vacancies unfilled would certainly have adverse effect on implementation of GST," said the association, which claims to represent about 1.65 lakh tax personnel across the country.

The promotional hierarchy is varied department to department in government of India. So, these officers have demanded minimum five up-gradations in uniform promotional hierarchy across all departments as inspectors and superintendents of central excise, service tax and customs are retiring only with single promotion in the career of 35-40 years, it said.

"Their pay anomalies are unsettled for decades. Inspectors and superintendents of central excise, customs and service tax, income tax inspectors & officers have not been granted the pay scale at par with the counterparts of CBI, IB etc. despite of the admittance by the government and also despite of court orders.

"The officials of CBI, IB, etc. have been granted higher pay scales even without recommendations of pay commission whereas these officers are not being placed in higher pay scale despite of the recommendations of pay commission," the association said.

It has demanded that the pay anomaly and career-related discrepancies are addressed by the Centre on immediate basis.
Bengaluru: British Prime Minister Theresa May visited Dynamatic Technologies Bengaluru facility on Tuesday as Airbus takes the delivery of its first commercial set of A330 flap track beams jointly produced in the UK and India.

As iconic UK and Indian businesses, Dynamatic Technologies and Airbus, are leading the way in building the strategic partnership I want to see between our two great nations. I look forward to seeing this commercial relationship continue to grow, said Ms May.

Though the company founded by Mr Udayant Malhoutra is not as popular as Infosys or Wipro in the country, it has factories in the UK, creating job opportunities for the local population. Its clientele includes Boeing and Airbus.

Mr Malhoutra said that his company has received a great support from Her Majestys government and welcomed Ms May to the factory.

Ms May said that she looks forward to strengthen the UK-India partnership through the agreement between Dynamatic and Airbus. It will provide real benefits for both our economies and ensure we remain at the cutting edge of technology and manufacturing, she said.
The list did not include metro and announcements at metro stations this morning said they would not accept old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. (Photo: Representational Image/PTI)

New Delhi: In relief to daily commuters, the government on Wednesday extended the use of old-high denomination currency notes of Rs 500 and 1,000 at metro railway stations till Saturday.

The government had on Tuesday, after withdrawing all Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes in circulation, announced that the old high denomination currency would continue to be accepted for next 72 hours at certain public utilities.

These include government hospitals, pharmacies in government hospitals, railway ticketing counters, ticket counters of public transport, airline ticketing counters at airports, milk booths, cremetoria/burial grounds, petrol pumps and gas stations.

The list did not include metro and announcements at metro stations this morning said they would not accept old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

Following this, Department of Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das spoke to the Ministry of Urban Development and the error was rectified.

A clarification is being issued that the old high- denomination currency notes will be a valid tender at metro stations for first 72 hours, he said.

The Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes were withdrawn from circulation with effect from midnight.
New Delhi: Responding to the allegation by Union Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, that the flat allocated to him by Parsvnath developers was uninhabitable, the Supreme Court, on Wednesday, constituted a two-member committee of lawyers to inspect the facility.

The Supreme Court earlier last month, directed the property developer to hand over possession of a flat in its Exotica project in Gurgaon, to the Union Minister.

Rathore had booked a flat in Parsvnath's Exotica project in Gurgaon in 2006 and paid around Rs 70 lakh for it. The firm was to deliver the flat in 2008-09. In January this year, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) had directed the builder to refund the principal amount with interest and compensation to Rathore.

During the hearing of Rathores case, counsel appearing for the builder said the flat was ready and they could handover possession.

Earlier this year in May, the firm was asked by the apex consumer commission to refund the principal amount in four weeks with 12 per cent interest, Rs 3 lakh as compensation and Rs 25,000 as litigation cost to 70 buyers who had booked flats in the Parsvnath Exotica project, Ghaziabad.

The builder later submitted that they were in serious financial difficulty as they had suffered a loss of around Rs 400 crore last year.

They had also said they would hand over possession of the flats in its delayed project at Ghaziabad within a year.
Hindu Sena celebrated in New Delhi on Wednesday as the Republican pulled off a shock US presidential election victory.

New Delhi: Hindu Sena, which has been one of Donald Trump's most avid cheerleaders in India, began celebrating in New Delhi on Wednesday as the Republican pulled off a shock US presidential election victory.

Vishnu Gupta, chief of the ultra-nationalist Hindu Sena, said supporters had taken to the streets to bang traditional drums even before Trump claimed victory and would also distribute sweets.

Trump's hardline rhetoric towards Muslims has found favour in some quarters in India, the world's largest democracy that has had its fair share of tensions between the majority Hindu population and its Muslim minority.

Before 2014 general election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was regarded as an international pariah after deadly communal riots broke out in Gujarat more than a decade ago when he was the chief minister of the state. Most of the victims were Muslims.

Trump has called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States and Gupta said his message had wide resonance.

"We predicted that he would win five days ago  there is a huge support for him, his ideas, and we could see that," Gupta told AFP.

"Now terrorists will be hunted everywhere in the world, even if they go and hide in a cave. Now only God can help Pakistan. India will now have the support of the US in our efforts against terrorists. We will be together in this.

"Donald Trump will do what no other US president has been able to do before. We are happy. All terrorists should now run and hide."

Gupta's group held a special prayer session for Trump in New Delhi back in May when he was seen as a long shot for the presidency, hailing him as a "fighter and a saviour of humanity".

They also celebrated his birthday in June with a cake, balloons and posters.
Hyderabad: Former Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao's grandson N. V. Subhash has been named a spokesperson in the new team of Telangana BJP, office bearers announced in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

Subhash, who joined BJP ahead of 2014 elections, had worked with the Congress earlier.

"I joined BJP after the process of nominations (for 2014 elections) was over. Because, some might say I joined BJP for party ticket. The party (BJP) is encouraging me. I am looking forward to my job," he told PTI.

"I see him (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) in the shoes of my grandfather. My grandfather took the historic step of liberalising the economy. This demonetisation of big notes is one such bold step by Prime Minister Modi," Subhash said.

The BJP state office bearers have been announced seven months after K Laxman took over the reins of the party. Laxman, who became state BJP president in April last, sought to balance caste equations in the party executive, giving representation to backward classes, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

The vice presidents are G Ramakrishna Reddy, T Rajeswara Rao, M Dharma Rao, S Malla Reddy, Venkataramani, Vanitha, Sankineni Venkateswara Rao, Y Geetha, Kasam Venkateshwar Yadav and P Mohan Reddy.

The General Secretaries are Chinta Samba Murthy, Premender Reddy, G Manohar Reddy and T Achary.

The other members of the state BJP team comprise 10 secretaries and 10 spokespersons, among various other committees.
New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said deposits of now-defunct old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in bank accounts will not enjoy immunity from tax and the land of law will apply on source of such money.

A day after the government announced the withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes in the country's biggest crack down against black money, corruption and counterfeit currency, Jaitley said old higher-denomination currency notes have to be deposited in bank accounts to get newer or smaller denomination currencies.

"But it should be clear that it is no immunity scheme. This (deposit) does not provide any relief from taxation. The law of land will apply (on source of fund)," he said.

"If the money is legitimate which had been previously withdrawn from bank or earned legally and saved and had been disclosed, there is nothing to worry about," Jaitley said.

But if it is illegal money, source will have to be disclosed and if it is a crime money, or bribe money, then it is trouble, he told DD News.

The Finance Minister further said that housewives and farmers with genuine savings need not worry about depositing cash in their bank accounts.

"The small amounts that people will deposit like Rs 25,000, 30,000 or 50,000 lying in house for expenses, whatever money could be there for meeting normal family expenses they need not worry. They can go to banks," he said.

The Finance Minister said for first one or two weeks replacements may be less but after 2-3 weeks as more currency notes come in market then normal replacement will be available.

The move would help make more and more transactions become digital, he said, adding now people will disclose income and pay taxes. "India will become a more tax compliant society."

Jaitley said that people who have accumulated black money, crime money or bribe would suffer after this. "It pays to be honest. There is a premium now that this decision has created on honesty and dis-premium on dishonesty," he added.

"Obviously there are some inconvenience for a couple of days or couple of weeks but those inconvenience cannot be alibi that India continues to live (with black money and parallel economy)," he said.

The decision would bring more transactions under tax net and both direct and indirect taxes would move up. Reduction in parallel economy would increase the size of formal economy, Jaitley said.

Stating that the decision would have its ramifications on politics as well, Jaitley said some political funding has started by cheques and if this step can do some cleansing, it would be a great move.
An army jawan who was injured in Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naushera sector of the district died on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Jammu : An army jawan who was injured in Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naushera sector of the district succumbed on Wednesday while four others were injured in overnight ceasefire violation.

"An army jawan, injured in ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops, died late last night in the hospital," a senior army official said.

Four jawans were also injured in the shelling last evening.

On Tuesday, an army jawan was killed and two others were injured as Pakistani troops shelled Indian posts and civilian areas along the Line of Control in Naushera sector of Rajouri district following which three posts of Pakistani army were damaged in retaliatory action by the Army.

In another case of ceasefire violation yesterday, Pakistani troops indulged in unprovoked firing in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district from around 1345 hours.

There have been over 100 ceasefire violations on Indian posts and civilian areas along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir after the surgical strike.

The worst-ever Pakistani shelling took place on November 1 when 8 persons were killed and 24 others injured along the IB and the LoC in five sectors of the state, forcing Indian troops to give befitting reply by destroying 14 Pakistani posts and killing two of their troopers.

The state government had closed over 400 schools along the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region in wake of the ongoing heavy cross-border firing.

A total of 20 people, including 12 civilians, have been killed and more than 83 suffered injuries in Pakistani shelling and firing along IB and LoC in Jammu .

A defence spokesman in a statement on Wednesday said Pakistani Army initiated indiscriminate and unprovoked firing on Indian posts along the LoC in Naushera sector on Tuesday.

In the shelling, Non Commissioned Officer Naik Prem Singh died and Naik Harindra Kumar Yadav (30) sustained grievous injuries following which he was immediately evacuated to a hospital, he said.

"However, the braveheart succumbed to his injuries. The Army has responded appropriately to the unprovoked firing by the Pakistan Army," he added.

"Naik Prem Singh (26) is survived by his wife, Raina. The soldier hailed from Shahar village in Rajasthan's Barmer district," the spokesman said.

Yadav, who was a native of Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh, is survived by his wife, Gyanti, and three young children, he added.
People began to queue up at petrol pumps to stock up, using the two denominations, as petrol pumps began to accept them. (Photo: File)

New Delhi : Long queues were noticed outside cash deposit machine counters, ATMs and petrol pumps across various cities in the entire nation after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the bold step against black money and corruption by banning existing 500 and 1000 rupee notes beginning November 9.

Depositors supporting the swift decision of the Prime Minister expressed that initially common people may have to face a little problem but ultimately it will benefit the nation.

Meanwhile, the people began to queue up at petrol pumps to stock up, using the two denominations, as petrol pumps began to accept them.

This led to confusion, chaos and the pumps going short of Rs 100 notes, leading to tension amidst the commuters.

Scenes of long, chaotic queues of people waiting at ATMs across various cities, stranded customers being sent away by traders declining currency notes of Rs. 500 and Rs 1000, and rows of cars and two-wheelers thronging petrol pumps were visible till midnight.

Ambalica Dey, who is accompanying her septuagenarian father to deposit money in Agartala, said, "I am waiting for the last 30 minutes to deposit 500 rupees notes. The Centre has declared that after midnight 500 and 1000 rupees notes shall not have any value. So, the people have gathered here to deposit those notes. There is 50 days time to deposit but due to the sudden declaration there is confusion and fear among the people if they shall be able to deposit it within those 50 days. Of course, it is a good step. Initially, we may have to face problem but ultimately the Centre must have taken this for something good and against black money."

Adding to that, Jogendra Debbarma, another person in the queue, said: "For the time being, some public will be affected of course but as a whole the general public and country will benefit at large. To stop black-marketing, this is going on for the last few months. This is a good and apt step."

Meantime, Dulal Chakraborty, a former banker, expressed that Prime Minister Modi's step will not only have strong impact on the black money but also help in making a stronger economy by stopping the rolling of fake notes in the market.

Chakraborty said, "I feel the Government of India has taken a very bold step because there are two economies running parallel which cannot be tolerated. One is normal economy and the other is the shadow economy. I have been told that in 1000 rupees notes out of 100, ten are fake and in 500 rupees notes, 76 percent fake notes are rolling in the market. So, these fake notes should be stopped immediately and he (PM Modi) has taken this bold step for India 's growth."

In Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad District, a local standing outside the ATM said that there would be initial inconveniences but I think this is a very good move for the long term.

Prime Minister Modi in a televised address to the nation declared the ban on Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes from midnight as part of the government's efforts to crackdown on black money.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said all state roads will be toll tax free till November 11 midnight. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said all state roads will be toll tax free till November 11 midnight.

"Government of Maharashtra decides that all State roads will be toll tax free till 11th November midnight," Fadnavis tweeted.

"This includes all the tolls in Mumbai (entry points and within Mumbai) and Maharashtra," he added.

Earlier the Chief Minister had said directions were issued that all tolls must accept Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes and no inconvenience be caused to the people.

Strict action will be taken against tolls who do not accept 500 & 1000 notes. GoM doing best to ensure that there's no chaos and inconvenience, he had tweeted earlier in the day.

"Mumbai Metro was not accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes. Directions have been issued to MMOPL," Fadnavis had said in another tweet earlier in the day.
Overnight demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes, has put thousands of Mumbaikars to hardship in procuring essentials like medicines and grocery. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Mumbai: Overnight demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes, has put thousands of Mumbaikars to hardship in procuring essentials and meeting other daily chores like catching local trains and buses to reach their workplace.

The difficulties of the man on the street became all the more severe with ATMs remaining closed.

In many places, people having Rs 1000 and 500 currency notes with them were seen running pillar to post for getting it changed for Rs 100 currency note. Also, scores of people on Tuesday were seen queueing up outside ATMs across the city to withdraw cash in lesser denominations.

Many locals said they had to return empty hand this morning while purchasing milk, vegetables, medicines in absence of adequate Rs 100 notes. Several commuters using public transport like taxis and auto-rickshaws encountered a taxing time as they were refused transaction with Rs 500 notes.

Petrol Pump dealers said those who are coming to refill fuel with an intention to get change are being denied as they are running short of Rs 100 notes.

Petrol Dealers Association has appealed to customers to fill fuel worth Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 or more to reduce this inconvenience.

President of Petrol Dealers Association Ravi Shinde told PTI that they have given instructions to all 223 members (petrol pumps) in the city to co-operate with the customers.

"Simultaneously, we are appealing customers to refill fuel worth Rs 500 and 1,000 only using their notes," he said.

Shinde said not only petrol pumps in the city, 4,700 filling stations across the state under Federation of All Maharashtra Petrol Dealers Association as well as over 53,000 fuel filling stations in the country belonging to Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers are extending full cooperation to customers.

"Only those customers are being returned empty hands who are coming to petrol pumps with intention of getting change of Rs 500 and Rs 1000," said a petrol pump manager from suburban Ghatkopar.

Commuters travelling by cabs and public transport today met with their share of hardship.

It was a hotly debated topic among commuters on suburban local trains, where many of them favoured the move, expecting it to bring desired results.

Also, some small time traders and grocery shops across the city have put up boards outside their establishments, saying that notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations would not be accepted for any transaction, thus inconveniencing the common man as well as people from lower strata of the society, who makes daily purchases to fulfil their needs.

"How can I fulfil my family requirements and other expenses with so little cash in my hand. My hard earned and saved money (showing 1000 notes) are useless right now and I feel cheated and looted now," said a city-based professional based in Andheri. Another state government employee said, "It is weird.

If people like us are facing problems and finding ourselves perplexed then what would happen to those who are not tech-savvy (labourers and daily wage workers) and do not have access to other ways of money transfer (referring to online transaction)."

A retired bank professional Rashmi Chavan said, "I don't know if such a move to curb corruption/black-money will be successful or not, but people are certainly facing inconvenience with this."

A housewife, Shikha, who could not buy milk as the shopkeeper refused accepting Rs 500 note, said, "This is really frustrating. We cannot buy anything despite having money in our hand. It feel that I have lost all the money which I saved from my husband's salary."

Civic body undertaking BEST buses, a vital mode of public transport for lakhs of commuters daily, refused to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

A state government employee said, "If people like us are facing problems and finding ourselves perplexed then what would happen to those who are not tech-savvy (labourers and daily wage workers) and do not have access to other ways of money transfer (referring to online transaction)."

Retired bank professional Rashmi Chavan said, "I don't know whether such a move to curb corruption/black money will be successful or not, but people are certainly facing inconvenience."

Shikha, a housewife who could not buy milk as the shopkeeper refused to accept the Rs 500 note she gave, said,

"This is really frustrating. We cannot buy anything despite having money in our hand. It feel that I have lost all the money which I saved from my husband's salary."

Civic body undertaking BEST buses, a vital mode of public transport for lakhs of commuters daily, refused to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

PRO of BEST Hanumant Gofane told PTI, "Since we work as an undertaking body of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, we have stopped accepting notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denomination. We appeal to passengers not to tender or insist bus conductors to accept these notes."

Gofane, however, said the Pass Renewal Centres have been directed to accept denomination of 500 and Rs 1,000 bills.

Chief PRO of Central Railway Ravindra Bhakar said, "Our booking windows are accepting these notes. If there are few instances where Rs 500, Rs 1000 are not accepted, these are the routine affairs due to exchange (of currency notes) problems."

A daily commuter from Kanjurmarg to Andheri, Anil Chaubey said he takes a cab or autorickshaw for work, but on Wednesday he was straightaway asked by the driver to not tender Rs 500 note
Bihar Sharif: A day after the Supreme Court cancelled his bail in connection with a rape case of a minor girl, RJD MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav on Wednesday surrendered before a court in Bihar's Nalanda district.

He surrendered in the court of the Additional District Judge (ADJ-1) Shashibhushan Prasad Singh. He will be sent back to prison for two weeks to enable the rape victim to record her statement before a trial court.

The Supreme Court had on Tuesday cancelled the RJD MLA's bail granted by the Patna High Court, vide an order, dated September 30.

Yadav, an MLA from Nawada assembly constituency, was suspended by the RJD after he was booked in the rape case of a minor girl at his residence in Biharsharif town on February 6.

After evading arrest for a month, the RJD MLA had surrendered before a local court in March following confiscation of some of his properties at various places by the police to force him to submit himself before the law in the case.
Singur: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said as much as 846 acres of the 997.11 acres of land acquired by Tata Motors for a small car project at Singur in Hooghly district had been returned to the farmers after dismantling the factory shed on it.

"Of the remaining land, there is a dispute regarding about 71 acres. Either there is no existence of it or some fake people had taken money against it. If the genuine claimants come forward to take it back, the administration will take steps accordingly," she said after visiting the site.

"Nobody had claimed for the return of the land till the last day on which such claims were to be made, which was today," the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said.

The Supreme Court had, on August 31, ordered that the land acquired by Tata Motors in Singur be returned to the farmers within 12 weeks.

The chief minister's visit to Singur today was to thank the Hooghly district administration for completing the task within the stipulated time "against all odds".

She also assured the government officials and others involved in executing the order during festival time that they would be "adequately compensated by way of holidays and other benefits".

On October 20, Banerjee had formally started the process of returning land by handing over the physical possession of 90 acres to 2,216 farmers. On that day, she had also symbolically commenced farming on the land by sprinkling mustard seeds on it.
New Delhi: Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed a two-member lawyers' panel to inspect the facilities at the flat of Minister of State Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore in Parsvnath Developers' Exotica project in Gurgaon, after he claimed it was "uninhabitable".

A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Amitava Roy formed the lawyers' committee after Rathore's counsel complained that the flat, which the apex court had earlier directed the real estate firm to be handed over to him, was "uninhabitable".

The court directed the committee to submit its report in two weeks and look into the allegations made by the MoS for Information and Broadcasting.

The counsel for Rathore said the flat which was allotted to him did not have access to common facilities of the project as was shown in the site map at the time of booking.

While the tower in which the flat is located had a 'kachcha' access road which opened into a slum cluster, there was no parking facility provided and the tower did not have an occupancy certificate, he said.

The counsel for the builder said if Rathore had so much problems, he could take a refund, adding that the flat was in a good condition and work at the project site was going on.

Rathore's counsel said they did not want refund as they have contested for so long to get the flat and urged the court that another flat be given to him in the tower which has the occupancy certificate.

The court, however, said it cannot be done as Rathore had booked a flat of his own choice.

"The members of the committee will go and inspect what is the shortest and longest route to common facilities which everyone is getting. It will also look into the allegations of parking facilities, kachcha road etc," the bench said.

The bench asked Rathore to first occupy the flat and get a roof for himself, after which it will look into the aspect of compensation.

The court appointed advocates Gaurav Aggarwal and Shankar Narayan as members of the committee, directing them to submit the report in two weeks and posted the matter for November 29.

It also asked the parties to cooperate with the committee. Rathore had booked a flat in Parsvnath's Exotica project in Gurgaon in 2006 and paid around Rs 70 lakh for it. The firm was to deliver the flat in 2008-09. In January this year, the

National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission had directed the builder to refund the principal amount with interest and compensation to Rathore.

The apex court had on October 21 directed Parsvnath Developers to hand over possession of a flat in its Gurgaon project to Rathore in two days saying he should not pay any more amount to the developer.

The court had said the issue of compensation to be paid by the realty firm to Rathore for the delayed possession would be dealt with at a later stage of the hearing.

Earlier, the apex court had rapped real-estate firms for making tall claims to purchasers which remained unfulfilled due to inordinate delay in completing the housing projects.

The court had on October 18 directed the SC registry to disburse Rs 12 crore, deposited by real estate firm Parsvnath Buildwell Pvt Ltd, to 70 home buyers on pro-rata basis after proper identification.

It had also directed the firm to deposit Rs 10 crore by December 10 with Supreme Court registry.

The apex court's observation had come after Parsvnath Buildwell Pvt Ltd had said it would give the flats to 70 home buyers, who are before the court, by December 17.

The apex court had on September 15 directed the firm to deposit Rs 12 crore within four weeks as interest bearing short term deposit for delaying giving possession of flats to home buyers in its Ghaziabad project.

On August 26, the developer had told the court that they were in "serious financial difficulty" as they had suffered a loss of around Rs 400 crore last year. They had also said they would hand over possession of the flats in its delayed project at Ghaziabad within a year.

The firm was asked by the apex consumer commission NCDRC in May to refund the principal amount in four weeks with 12 per cent interest, Rs 3 lakh as compensation and Rs 25,000 as litigation cost to 70 buyers who had booked flats in the Parsvnath Exotica project, Ghaziabad.

The court was also informed that 854 flats were to be constructed in the project and 818 buyers had made bookings. Parsvnath Developers Ltd had moved the apex court against the apex consumer commission's order asking it to refund the money to 70 buyers along with interest.
For most students in India, getting admission to elite institutions. such as Oxford and Cambridge, London School of Economics, Imperial College, London and University College, London, has always been a dream. But stringent visa rules in the UK, prohibiting students from taking up jobs after their studies have made many look for other options for higher studies. The number of Indian students joining UK universities has dropped from 68,238 in 2010 to 11,864 this year.

The city students had hoped that visiting UK Premier Theresa May would reverse the new student visa norms, which mandate that all students return to their countries after completing their studies, but she didnt.

This rigid stand has left them with no choice but to opt for countries such as like Australia, Ireland, Canada and so on, even though UK is known for having the world's best educational institutes and the pound exchange rate is at an all-time low.

Quality Vs Visa regulations: According to academicians, one of the advantages of UK universities, colleges is that they are known for quality education for centuries and admission into one of these institutes is considered a lifetime achievement for thousands of Indian students.

There are concerns expressed about the quality of education offered from institutes in China, US etc. Last year hundreds of Indian students were duped by an American university. Many advisories were issued against universities and institutes from other parts of the world, but UK is generally known for its quality. Thats why most UK universities and colleges head the popularity charts of students, said Dr Janardhana Bhat, an academician.

According to the new student Visa policy, all those students who join various courses in UK must return to their home country once they complete their studies. One of the reasons for Indian students preferring higher education in developed countries like UK or US is that its easy to get a work permit. But UKs new policy is discouraging, he explained.

Engineering, social science courses preferred

Most Indian students in UK colleges are opting for courses in Business Management, Engineering and Social Sciences. They are the third largest student community in England after students from US and China.

According to several independent counselors who are working as country representatives for UK institutes, they were expecting more students from India to come to UK to study this year following the de-valuation of the Pound. But unfortunately the visa-related controversy has hit the admission process hard, explained an agent.

Strict UK Visa rules are motivating the students to explore educational and job opportunities in New Zealand, China and Ireland. Even the UAE has joined the race. Recently universities from Nez Zealand have come out with attractive offers to the students, including scholarships and job opportunities, he said.

According to Ms. Shaila Venkatesh, an M Tech graduate from VTU, even though UK is her first choice for her doctoral studies, recent developments have forced her to explore other avenues in Australia and Germany.

I am planning to pursue my doctoral education in artificial intelligence. It is easy to get admission in UK universities. Even the course fee is moderate. But this visa rule really affects us. US universities are better, keeping in mind job prospects. Australian and German governments have flexible student Visa norms. Career is the ultimate goal of all students. How can UK deny us a work Visa, she questioned.

But some experts feel that dedicated students still prefer UK universities for quality. Those who are interested in research generally do not think about the work or visa-related clauses. UK universities are known for their scholarship programmes, research and developmental activities, explains Suchitra Damle, a researcher who recently returned from a UK college after three months of internship.

Meanwhile, the Union Human Resources Ministry is expected to pursue the issue with the British government. The issue is already being raised in several forums. Indian students can make an important contribution to the higher education sector of UK. If the number of students decreases it will impact both India and UK. We will raise the issue in an appropriate forum, said an officer from MHRD.

Immigration hurdles

A representative for one of the universities from UK told this newspaper that immigration-related concerns has forced the British government to come out with stringent visa norms.

We are expecting even stricter norms in the coming days. Actually the UK government has not fixed any upper limit on the number of student Visas. The confusion mainly surrounds the work-permit-related issues. Those students who want to join universities like Oxford, Cambridge and LSE are not complaining about the changed norms. Admission procedure in these universities/institutes is very strict. Students who join these universities look beyond a work permit. Those students who are planning to pursue courses like the MBA are lodging complaints, he explained.

For serious students, UK still a preferred destination: Muralidhara H. Kumar

The Karnataka government as well as the Central government have already raised their concerns over the new visa norms announced by UK for both students as well as the IT professionals.

But I feel the UK government is expected to continue with these stringent norms, as it was introduced after national deliberation. Within UK there was a huge demand for such guidelines.

Every year thousands of students from India join various universities of UK.

There are allegations regarding misuse of clauses in the students visa. This was evident following the sudden drop in the number of students joining UK universities.

According to my experience those students who are really serious about higher education in UK universities are not too disturbed by these new clauses. Their target is getting admission in Oxford, Cambridge or London School of Economics.

One of the common questions we hear during the students admission counseling is whether a student visa will held them get a job. All the European countries are facing migrant issues. In such a scenario they are left with no option other than tightening visa norms. I feel UK is still the best place for higher education with world class institutions and hundreds of scholarship schemes for talented young researchers.
Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said he welcomed the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in a move to unearth unaccounted money as well as counterfeit currency.

"We welcome the decision to demonetise currency notes - Rs 500 and Rs 1000. This will curb black money and terror financing," Pawar said in a tweet.

Taking the nation by surprise, Modi last night announced demonetisation of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes, making these notes invalid in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption.

While the sudden announcement had taken common man aback with people queueing up to ATMs to get Rs 100 notes and deposit liquid cash in banks, it was hailed by President

Pranab Mukherjee and BJP's ally, even as the main Opposition Congress raised apprehensions over the decision.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala sought to know if the Prime Minister has brought this scheme without giving much thought just to cover his "failure" to bring back Rs 80 lakh crore black money stashed abroad and deposit Rs 15 lakh in the account of every citizen.
Chennai: Coming down heavily on the police for their failure to file charge sheet even after three years in the case relating to the death of a 3-year-old boy, who fell into a manhole and died on June 15, 2013 in Taramani, the Madras high court directed that departmental proceedings be initiated against the delinquent officers with all seriousness to fix the responsibility and the result of the same should be placed before the court.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R.Mahadevan gave the directive while passing orders on a PIL from social activist 'Traffic' Ramaswamy, which sought to take action against the officers for the mishap and to pay compensation to the family of the deceased.

The bench said the investigation into the unfortunate death of a child due to negligence, which resulted in a case being registered under section 304-A IPC, was stated to have been completed in 2013 itself, the incident being one of June 15, 2013.

It was conceded that the result of the investigation was that culpability has been found. However, no charge sheet was filed for almost three years and only now a charge sheet has been filed, the bench added.

The bench said, "This is an unpardonable negligence on behalf of whoever was responsible for the same in the police department and we cannot rest the matter at only filing of the charge sheet. We direct departmental proceedings to be initiated against the delinquent officers with all seriousness to fix the responsibility and the result of the same should be placed before the court. We make it clear that we will not accept the usual wishy-washy way of imposition of some punishment on a junior officer, as the matter relates to the very probity of the functioning of the department. The deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Adyar, who is present in the court undertakes to the court to do the needful".

As far as the role of the corporation officials was concerned, the Additional advocate general stated that the matter has been reviewed and in view of the charge sheet filed and the material which has come to light, the whole issue of fixing administrative responsibility for the negligence was being reviewed and necessary departmental proceedings will be initiated. The result of the same be placed before the court, the bench added and posted the matter to January 30 for reporting compliance.
Chennai: Claiming that the security at the high-walled Puzhal prison appeared to have been compromised, especially in the wake of seizure of cell phones and sim cards from the prisoners, the BJP has demanded the prison authorities to scale up the security at the prison.

The increasing crimes in Chennai have become a cause for concern. Chain snatching has become a routine affair. Even yesterday, a chain was snatched from a woman passenger of a share auto. Similarly, home-alone elders are living an insecure life, as criminals are targeting them too. There is no security for anyone at home or on the streets, claimed Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan, BJP state president.

Reacting to the various offences, she said the seizure of cell phones and sim cards from the prisoners at Puzhal raise doubts of a crime syndicate out to jeopardise normal life. How did the cell phones and sim cards get across the high-security prison walls and reach the prisoners. This is something that needs to be pondered.

This shows that the security measures are weak in prison. So the prison authorities should put additional security arrangements in place, the BJP leader urged. Dr. Tamilisai also asked the police to step up their vigil and find out if there were organised crimes and take appropriate action. Contending that most of crimes dont appear to be isolated cases, she said the abduction of children and drug peddling have given rise to more apprehensions.
Xiaomi Mi Air Mask is a crowd-funded project and is available for sale in China at 89 Yuan (approx Rs 870).

Xiaomi Mi Air Mask which comes with a built-in replaceable carbon filter has officially been launched in China at 89 Yuan (approx Rs 870).

According to a report by GizmoChina, Xiaomis Mi Air Mask is a set of masks that have been placed together in a compact form. This 52-chip fresh air mask comes with a double detachable design that features a 3-level speed ultra thin fan, charging support, air volume memory, a knob type filter cartridge and a charging port.

The company claims that the filters, which make use of a high-quality polyester fabric in the masks, provide up to 99 per cent efficiency in PM 2.5 filtrations.

Xiaomi Air Mask is a crowd-funded project and is available for sale in Chinas market.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
The Map Maker tool allowed users to edit information and suggest changes in Google Maps.

Google recently announced that the company is shutting down its Map Maker tool, which allowed users to edit information and suggest changes in Google Maps from March, 2017 onward.

Similar features will reportedly be migrated to the main Google Maps app as part of the companys Local Guides Program. This program rewards people for policing and improving local mapping data for their community by granting access to beta features and gifting Google Drive storage.

Map Maker was started back in 2008 with the aim to crowd-source information from remote areas that Googles own toolset is not well-equipped to obtain.

However, several issues regarding this feature have risen ever since. For instance in an incident last year, a Map Maker user submitted an elaborate drawing of an Android robot urinating on an Apple logo. This led to Map Maker tool to be temporarily shut down.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
All refurbished iPhone available on Apples store are unlocked and SIM-free.

Apple is officially selling refurbished iPhones discounted by up to 15 per cent off compared to their original price on its online store.

Apple is offering 16GB iPhone 6S variant for $449 (approx. Rs 30,000) and the 64GB and 16GB iPhone 6S Plus models at $589 (approx. Rs 40,000) and $529 (approx. Rs 35,000) respectively. The refurbished iPhone are currently available in all colours, including Rose Gold, Space Grey, Silver and Gold.

In bonus, Apple is selling these set of refurbished iPhones with a one-year warranty, integrating new battery and with a new outer shell. All refurbished iPhone available on Apples store are unlocked and SIM-free, making them compatible with all US carriers.

Earlier refurbished Apple iPhone were available only through online retail stores like ebay. Apple never sold refurbished iPhone on its online store. Customers could only buy refurbished Macs, iPads, MacBooks and Mac accessories on Apple store.

Unfortunately, in India refurbished iPhone may never be sold as the Indian government had already turned down Apples proposal to import refurbished phones and to sell them in the country.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Samsung is expected to launch two versions of Galaxy S8 smartphones early next year.

According to a report by The Investor, Samsung has taken the decision to add a larger screen to the upcoming Galaxy S8 and will be launching a 5.7-inch and 6.2-inch of Galaxy S8 smartphone.

Samsungs upcoming smartphones are expected to come in a bezel-less design and the home button will reportedly be installed in the display itself.

Moreover, Samsung is expected to drop the flat panel. Both the versions will now come with a dual-edge curved display.

Samsung has not given any official confirmation regarding the same.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Republican candidate Donald Trump stumped the world to become Americas 45th President on Wednesday, November 9, 2016, a date the world will never forget. Many are dazed, shocked and even grief-stricken with confusion over how such an outcome could be possible. Following are 10 factors that helped Trump seal his place in the annals of history:

1. His perceived success: Donald Trumps name is synonymous with success. The real-estate mogul was already a reality star of sorts whom every American household knew, loved or hated. Trump supporters feel that just like his real-estate empire, he would bring about an economic boom in the country, owing to his perceived past record of continued success.

2. The promise of more jobs: While both Hillary and Trump promised to bring more jobs to the country, Trump struck an emotional chord with the frustrated unemployed American by vowing he would drive job stealers away from US.

3. Pro-life stand: US has been having a heated pro-life versus pro-choice debate and even though Trump seemed to be unsure initially, he eventually took an anti-abortion stand. All those fighting for banning abortion in America are rallying behind Trump and believe his presidency will save millions of babies from dying. It also won him a crucial vote  the church.

4. Anti-immigrant stand: An anti-immigration wave swept the US at a time when the world was grappling with a refugee crisis. Americans felt immigrants were flooding their country, stealing their jobs and disrupting their way of life. Trump promised to fix that problem by deporting a staggering 11 million immigrants. His proposal to build a wall around Mexico, which was dubbed crazy by the Mexican President himself, was welcomed by many voters.

5. Muslim bashing: In one of his most controversial statements, Trump had proposed to bar foreign Muslims from entering America. He made the comments after the San Bernardino shooting, where a Muslim couple had gone on a killing rampage, which led to a spurt in Islamophobia. Anti-Muslim sentiments further grew in US, when a Muslim gunman killed 49 people in a Florida gay club, only fuelling support for Trump.

6. Anti-incumbency: The biggest factor favouring Trump was the fact that many traditional supporters of the Democratic Party said they would rather see him win the presidential race than have Hillary Clinton in the White House. The anti-incumbency wave was rather strong in the country, with many disillusioned with Obamas consecutive terms. Clintons email row only made things worse for her and while people were ready to forgive Trumps sexist comments, they werent ready to forgive or forget Bill Clintons sex scandal.

7. He resonates with the white-American: Donald Trump for many symbolises the American dream. He is what every white American dreams and aspires to be  rich, famous, with a beautiful looking family; which is why his slogan Make America Great Again has struck an emotional chord with millions.

8. The outsider vs. insider race: Americans were increasingly frustrated with the political class. Trump was an outsider, someone who was not part of the system and someone who could change the system. Trump milked the fact that he was not a politician and projected himself as better than the present political class to Americans.

9. He is more flexible than others: While the Clinton camp had strong and sure strategies about issues and policies, Trump kept changing his stands on various issues. And while that was largely seen as dangerous by experts, the common man however felt he was more flexible. And now even political experts agree that even though Trump may have made poll promises that alarmed the world, once in the Oval Office, he would be more than ready to change his mind.

10. He speaks his mind:

I would bomb the hell out of those oilfields

This very expensive GLOBAL WARMING bullshit has got to stop

Ive said if Ivanka werent my daughter, perhaps Id be dating her.

These are just some of the crazy things Donald Trump has said during his campaign. The number of tweets he has deleted on second thoughts is probably not even accountable. But that is what America seems to like about him, that he is not afraid to speak his mind and that he does not speak like your typical white collared politician.
The 70-year-old business tycoon's strong showing in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Texas and North Carolina helped him pull-off a win which proved most pollsters wrong. (Photo: AP/ Twitter)

Washington: In a stunning result, billionaire businessman Donald Trump on Wednesday beat seasoned politician Hillary Clinton in the election, defying all odds to become the 45th United States President after starting off as a rank political outsider.

It was a heart-break for Democratic nominee Clinton, who was hoping to become the first woman president of the US, as Trump edged past her in a see-saw battle which he clinched by winning 288 electoral college votes to Clinton's 215 when reports last came in.

The 70-year-old business tycoon's strong showing in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Iowa and North Carolina helped him pull-off a win which proved most pollsters wrong.

However, Trumps victory did not go well with most Clinton supporters who took to Twitter to express their rage and disgust.

Here's a compilation of the best tweets:
Washington: Republicans will hold on to their majority in the US House of Representatives as expected, networks projected Tuesday, as attention shifts to the Senate where the battle for control is tighter.

With the US election in full swing, the party of populists presidential candidate Donald Trump was on track to take 235 seats to the Democrats' 200, according to NBC's House model.

That would be a 12-seat gain for Democrats, but still far short of what would be necessary to snatch the chamber back from Republican control.

By holding the House, Republicans secure a policy check on Hillary Clinton in the event she wins the presidency.

And, if Trump wins, it will be far easier for the chief executive to push through legislation that he or she wishes.

The Senate, where 34 of the 100 seats are in play Tuesday, is also in Republican hands, but under sharper threat of a Democratic takeover.

With that chamber currently 54 to 46 in the GOP's favor, Democrats need to gain five seats for a clean majority.

In the event the Senate is 50-50, control goes to the party that wins the White House, because the US vice president serves as the deciding vote in the event of a tie.

Democrats claimed a quick pick up Tuesday in Illinois, where two-term congresswoman and Iraq war veteran Tammy Duckworth defeated incumbent Senator Mark Kirk.

But Republicans bolstered their chances to hold the upper chamber when Senator Marco Rubio, a former Trump rival in the Republican primaries, fought off a challenge in Florida to keep his seat.

A handful of other Senate races with Republican incumbents, in states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and North Carolina, are considered tossups.
Police say a female armed with an assault rifle, but there are conflicting reports. (Photo: Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles: A shooting in Southern California has killed one person and wounded three others near a polling site.

Authorities in California say the gunman is dead.

Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Gustavo Medina says one person was dead on arrival in the city of Azusa on Tuesday. He says two people were airlifted to hospitals and a fourth was being treated.

An elementary school that's also a polling place was on lockdown. Elections officials say one other polling site was affected, urging voters to cast their ballots in other locations.

The motivation is unknown and it's unclear whether the shooting has anything to do with the election.

Azusa police say arriving officers found multiple victims, came under fire and returned fire themselves. No officers were injured, and no arrests have been made.
Former President George W. Bush with his wife Laura. (Photo: AP)

New York: In an unusual break from custom, former US president George W Bush and his wife Laura did not vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.

Bush and his wife did not vote for either major-party presidential nominee this year, a spokesman for the former president told the Texas Tribune.

Instead, they voted for Republicans down ballot. "They didn't vote for Hillary; they didn't vote for Trump," spokesman Freddy Ford wrote in an email to The Texas Tribune after radio host Rush Limbaugh suggested Tuesday that the Bushes had voted for Clinton.

Neither George W Bush nor his father, fellow former President George H W Bush, endorsed their Republican Party's nominee Trump.

Speculation was rife that the Bush senior was planning to vote for Clinton.

His spokesman neither confirmed nor denied reports at the time or on Tuesday.

"We are not commenting on the presidential race," Jim McGrath, a spokesman for George H.W. Bush, said in an email.
Donald Trumps wife Melania Trump is set to become the first foreign-born First Lady of the US in almost two centuries. (Photo: AP)

New York: With her husband Donald Trump triumphing in the US presidential polls, Melania Trump was set to become the first foreign-born First Lady of the US in almost two centuries.

46-year-old Melania will be the first foreign-born First Lady since Louisa Adams  the wife of John Quincy Adams, the sixth US president (1825-29).

Louisa was born in London to an English mother and an American father who served as US consul, according to the White House. Till date, Louisa was the only First Lady to be born outside the United States.

Melania, a Slovenian former model, was born in 1970 in communist Yugoslavia.

Melania married Trump in 2005. (Photo: YouTube screenshot)

She showed stage presence and polish in a prime-time speech to the Republican National Committee, captivating a hall full of cheering delegates.

But the golden opportunity to tell America her story went badly awry after the US media noticed striking similarities with a speech by Michelle Obama to the Democratic convention in 2008.

Her husband swiftly came to her defense, without acknowledging any plagiarism.

"It was truly an honor to introduce my wife, Melania. Her speech and demeanor were absolutely incredible. Very proud!" the billionaire tweeted.

She had used the occasion to take some of the rough edges off her combative husband.

"He's tough when he has to be, but he's also kind and fair and caring," Melania Trump said, describing her husband as "intensely loyal" to family, friends, employees and the country.

"If you want someone to fight for you and your country, I can assure you, he's the guy," she said.

Trump once admitted Melania would have been content as the wife of a billionaire businessman and reality TV star.

"She said, 'We have such a great life. Why do you want to do this?'" Trump told The Washington Post.

She has been largely absent from her husband's presidential campaign, only rarely speaking on the stump.

But she unwittingly found herself in the eye of the primary storm when an anti-Trump political group unveiled a questionable ad on Facebook that used a photo of her lying naked and handcuffed to a briefcase.

The controversial photo that made headlines. (Photo: YouTube screenshot)The photograph, taken aboard Trump's custom-fitted private jet, was part of a shoot for the magazine GQ in 2000, before the couple married.

The ad, released just before votes in Arizona and Utah, featured the photo with the words: "Meet Melania Trump. Your next first lady. Or, you could support Ted Cruz on Tuesday."

Glamorous life

Born Melanija Knavs in Slovenia -- then part of Yugoslavia -- to a fashion-industry mother and a car-salesman father, she studied design and architecture before leaving for Milan and Paris to launch her modelling career.

That brought her to the United States in 1996, where two years later she met Donald Trump. She later became his third wife.

On Monday night, she said becoming a US citizen, in 2006, was "the greatest privilege on planet earth."

(Photo: Facebook)

Her American experience has certainly been far removed from that of the average immigrant.

Her Twitter account -- inactive since Trump declared his candidacy -- reflects the privileged lifestyle of a jet-setter traveling between a lavish New York apartment and residences in Florida.

She has tweeted photographs from high-society gatherings and major sporting events, as well as recollections of her red-carpet saunters and charity functions. In each image, Melania appears impeccably dressed.

When Donald and Melania married in January 2005 in Florida, the cost of her Dior dress was estimated at $200,000.

Among the invited celebrities was Hillary Clinton, this year's likely Democratic presidential nominee.

Initially, Melania did not seem to be entirely on board with the idea of her husband launching a White House bid. But she eventually gave in to Trump and the rest is history.
Donald Trump's successful campaign for the presidency may have rewritten the political playbook. Here are key moments from his ascent.

2015

* June 16 - Trump descends an escalator in the marble-lined atrium of Trump Tower in Manhattan to announce his campaign and perhaps his best-known campaign pledge: to build a "great, great wall" on the southern border with Mexico.

* July - Although his bid is initially dismissed as a sideshow by many commentators and journalists, opinion polls start showing Trump taking a lead in a crowded field of 17 Republican contenders.

* December 7 - Trump calls for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representative can figure out what is going on." The call followed deadly attacks in Paris, for which Islamic State claimed responsibility.

2016

* February 1 - Despite being ahead in the polls, Trump comes in second in the Iowa caucuses, the first state nominating contest, losing to Ted Cruz, a senator from Texas popular among evangelical Christians.

* March 1 - Trump wins seven of the 11 states that vote on so-called Super Tuesday.

* March 3 - Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential candidate in 2012, delivers a scathing speech calling Trump a "con man," becoming an early mover in a wave of party leaders, including its living former presidents, who publicly reject Trump.

* March 11 - Trump continues to draw huge crowds to sometimes volatile rallies, where protesters and Trump supporters would sometimes come to blows, but a rally in Chicago had to be canceled at the last minute amid sometimes violent protests outside the venue.

* May 3 - Trump wins Indiana, becoming the party's presumptive nominee after Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich withdraw from the race.

* May 26 - Trump wins a majority of delegates, securing his nomination and foreclosing the possibility of a contested convention.

* June 20 - Trump fires his original campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. Veteran Republican strategist Paul Manafort takes over the running of the campaign.

* July 15 - Trump announces Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate. A far more traditional Republican figure, Pence often describes himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order."

* July 21 - Trump accepts the Republican Party's nomination on the final day of the party's convention in Cleveland.

* August 17 - Trump taps Stephen Bannon, the chairman of the right-wing news website Breitbart News, as his campaign's chief executive and promotes senior adviser Kellyanne Conway to the post of campaign manager. Days later, Manafort, who was facing controversy over his previous consulting work in Ukraine, quits the campaign.

* September 1 - Trump flies to Mexico to meet with the country's president, Enrique Pena Nieto, culminating in a joint news conference. A brief diplomatic scuffle follows Trump's return, where he and the Mexican president dispute whether or not they discussed Trump's plan to have Mexico pay for the border wall.

* September/October - Trump clashes with Clinton before an audience of tens of millions in three presidential debates that are marked by their unusually ugly tone - Trump at one point said Clinton should be in jail. Public polls show that most Americans thought Clinton prevailed in all three debates.

* October 7 - A recording surfaces of Trump boasting in 2005 of how his celebrity allows him to grope women and "grab them by the pussy," prompting a dozen or so women to come forward to accuse Trump of making unwanted sexual advances. Trump dismisses the remarks as "locker room talk" and denies the accusations of unwanted advances.

* November 8 - Trump wins the US presidential election in one of the biggest upsets in decades.
The Republican nominee's official "victory party" in a Manhattan hotel ballroom started slowly -- initially quietly optimistic -- but as Trump won state after state, increasingly pumped up and raucous. (Photo: AP)

New York: Euphoric Donald Trump supporters transformed into a sea of "Make America Great Again" hats, shouting "USA" and partying late into the night as the billionaire appeared within reach of victory Wednesday.

"We are so excited," said Aliza Romanoff, a well-dressed, articulate and educated mother of two from Long Island whose family has known Trump for years, out celebrating with her parents and husband.

The Republican nominee's official "victory party" in a Manhattan hotel ballroom started slowly -- initially quietly optimistic -- but as Trump won state after state, increasingly pumped up and raucous.

The crowd swelled in number, flagging energy levels boosted by alcohol and the avalanche of results that some admitted were far better than they ever imagined with Hillary Clinton the strong favorite.

"It's unbelievable. I didn't know Trump was really going to pull it off," said Glenn Ruti, a 54-year-old New Yorker who works in telecommunications, albeit with no winner yet declared in the race.

"I think he's going to go all the way."

As Fox News, the TV network of choice for most Trump supporters beamed across the party on giant screens, declared Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, Iowa and Wisconsin for Trump, they broke out into whoops and cheers, clapping their hands, fist-pumping and waving placards.

"He's going to win and my life is forever changed," one supporter yelled into his cell phone, seemingly unable to believe it.

Bar staff in black tie rushed around collecting empties or bringing out fresh bottles. There were spontaneous chants of "Drain the Swamp." That is Trump's battle cry for overhauling establishment Washington.

"We're definitely taken aback. We were expecting it to be a very close race," said Romanoff. "We're overjoyed," she added as her mother promised a month of partying all the way to the inauguration on January 20.

Ecstatic

Theirs was not the only family in attendance. Other parents brought their children. One woman even cradled a new-born baby in a sling. All agreed one thing, that the country had voted for change and change was coming.

Supporters listed opposition to Obamacare, Trump's promise to create jobs, defeat jihadists and fight corruption as reasons for his shock performance, together with years of struggle after the 2008 financial crash.

While the crowd was overwhelmingly white American, it was more diverse and smaller than often evident at Trump's campaign rallies.

There were Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and affluent couples alongside core blue-collar workers.

Supporters trashed the American media, which largely predicted a Clinton win, dismissing it as untrustworthy and biased in favor of the Democratic former secretary of state.

Accusations that Trump is racist were lies manufactured by Democrats, supporters said.

"We're feeling ecstatic," said Jesse Singh, 46, from Baltimore.

"Once it's declared, once he reaches 270 we're going to have a party like we've never seen before," he promised, before breaking into USA chants with a young white man.

Women in plunging red gowns and delicate cocktail dresses pulled on red campaign trucker hats, turning the venue into a sea of red before a podium dressed in American flags, waiting for Trump to arrive.

It was a party for select supporters from across the country. There were long-time friends and associates, and a noticeable contingent from the Trump Organization or people working in Trump Tower.

Working-class revolution

Fifteen-year-old schoolboy Aidan Van Hoek from Bronxville New York may be too young to vote but said he was "loving every minute" as he celebrated with his mother and brother.

"Wild and that's the way it should be!" he said.

It was a party for the so-called "silent majority" whom Trump supporters say felt ignored or misunderstood by the elite, and abandoned by the Obama administration and who distrusted Clinton.

"Fox News actually said it best, everyone knew they were going to vote for him, but were too scared to admit it," said Van Hoek.

The polls were wrong," agreed James Davis, a 46-year-old African American pastor from Ohio wearing a suit and bow-tie.

"I think it's primarily because of the stigma of being a Trump supporter and as a result there's a huge underground that evolved out of nowhere," he explained.

"This is a working class revolution in America," said John Fredericks, a radio host and Virginia state chairman of the Trump campaign.

"The pundits don't understand it, the mainstream media doesn't understand it. They don't talk to real voters," he said.

"They're simply talking to the same other elite people in their wine and cheese and champagne echo chamber," he said.
President-elect Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech during his election night rally, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in New York. (Photo: AP)

Washington: After defeating Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to become the US President-elect on Wednesday, Trump addressed his raucous supporters in his acceptance speech at the election headquarters in New York.

"I am sorry to keep you waiting, complicated business, thank you very much. I just received a call from secretary Clinton, she congratulated us on our victory and I congratulated her and her family on the very hard fought election," Trump began.

"I say it is time for Americans to come together as one united people. I pledge to be President for all Americans. I am reaching out to those who did not support me, for your guidance and your help," Trump said.

Ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement made up of hard working men and women, the President-elect said.

"Every American will have the opportunity to realise his or her potential. The forgotten Americans will no longer be forgotten," Trump said.

"We should become second to none. We will put millions of our people to work," he added.

"Working together, we will begin the unfinished business of rebuilding our nation," Trump said.

I want to tell the world community that while we will always put Americas interest first, we will work with everyone. It will be a partnership, not a contract, Trump said.

I want to thank my parents up there, my sisters, and my brothers. To Melania and Ivanka and Erick and Tiffany, I love you and I thank you and especially for putting up all those hours, Trump said.

Thank you for putting up with all the hours, this race was tough, this race was really tough. This political business is nasty he added.

It's been what they call a historic event, and to be really historic, you have to do a great job, the President-elect said.

All I can really say is that while the campaign is just over, our job is just starting. I promise I will not disappoint you, he added.

Hopefully, you will be proud of your President. It has been an honour. It has been an amazing 2-year period. And I love this country! Trump concluded.

Earlier, US vice-president elect Mike Pence said that the American people have spoken, and the American people have elected a new president.

I come to this moment deeply humbled, and grateful to God. I am deeply grateful to the American people for giving us this opportunity to serve.

Pence congratulated the President-elect Donald Trump, whose leadership he said would make America great again. He then called on Donald Trump to take the stage, to loud cheers.
President Donald Trump followed by his family arrives at his election night rally in New York. (Photo: AP)

Washington: Donald Trump claimed his place Wednesday as America's 45th president, an astonishing victory for the celebrity businessman and political novice who capitalized on voters' economic anxieties, took advantage of racial tensions and overcame a string of sexual assault allegations on his way to the White House.

Trump's triumph over Hillary Clinton, not declared until well after midnight, will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House. He'll govern with Congress fully under Republican control and lead a country deeply divided by his rancorous campaign against Clinton. He faces fractures within his own party, too, given the numerous Republicans who either tepidly supported his nomination or never backed him at all.

As he claimed victory, Trump urged Americans to "come together as one united people."

Following is a timeline of events through the day:

Trump clinched the Presidency by winning most battleground states.

Donald Trump wins Louisiana and its eight electoral votes.

That extends his Electoral College total in Tuesday's elections to 137, compared with Hillary Clinton's 104.

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Clinton wins Connecticut. The result was not a surprise, as Connecticut was considered a safely Democratic state.

Clinton now has 104 electoral votes. Her Republican opponent Donald Trump has 129.

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Republican Eric Holcomb elected governor of Indiana; Democrat Jim Justice elected governor of West Virginia.

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Republican Johnny Isakson of Georgia re-elected to Senate.

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Republican Donald Trump wins Arkansas and its six electoral votes. The result was expected. Earlier polling showed Trump leading Clinton by double digits in the state where she served as first lady for 12 years while her husband was the governor.

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In Florida, which has 29 Electoral College votes, Trump has taken a lead of about 77,000.

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Hillary Clinton has won Rhode Island and its four electoral votes. That brings her total Tuesday to 48, compared with Donald Trump's 60. It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

Rhode Island has voted for Republicans for president only four times since 1928.

In 2012, President Barack Obama defeated Republican Mitt Romney in the state by about 27 percent.

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Donald Trump has won Texas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Kansas and Nebraska while Hillary Clinton has won New York and Illinois.

Trump also on Tuesday won two of Nebraska's congressional districts. In the state that awards by congressional district, one remains too close to call.

Trump was awarded Texas' 38 electoral votes, the second-largest prize on the map. He also won six from Kansas, four from his victories in Nebraska and three apiece from Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Clinton was awarded 20 from Illinois and 29 from New York, the state both candidates call home. Trump had declared he would try to win New York but never mounted a serious effort there.

The Republican nominee now has 123 electoral votes. Clinton has 97.

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Donald Trump has won Alabama and its nine electoral votes after Sen. Jeff Sessions endorsed the billionaire candidate. That brings Trump's total in the Electoral College to 60 votes, to Clinton's 44 votes.

It takes 270 votes to win the presidency. The results continue the state's streak of voting for Republicans every presidential election since 1980.

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Donald Trump has won Tennessee and its 11 electoral votes.

Tuesday's vote is the fifth presidential contest in a row in which the state voted for the Republican candidate. That includes the 2000 election, when native son Al Gore lost the state to Republican George W. Bush.

It takes 270 votes to win the presidency.

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Donald Trump has won South Carolina. The Republican nominee was awarded the state's nine electoral votes, giving him 40 for the night. The result was expected as the state has long been a Republican stronghold.

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Democrat Hillary Clinton has won Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware and the District of Columbia while Republican Donald Trump has captured Oklahoma.

Clinton was awarded Massachusetts' 11 electoral votes, 10 from Maryland, 14 from New Jersey and three each from Delaware and the nation's capital, giving her 44 for the night. Trump picked up seven from Oklahoma, giving him 31.

The results Tuesday were not surprising. Massachusetts and the District of Columbia are two of the nation's safest Democratic strongholds.

The last time Oklahoma went for a Democrat was 1964, when it voted for Lyndon Johnson. Maryland last went for the GOP in 1988. New Jersey has been a safe Democratic state for 20 years. Its governor, Chris Christie, is a close Trump ally but is saddled with low approval numbers.

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Republican Donald Trump has won West Virginia and its five electoral votes. The Mountain State was one of the billionaire's biggest supporters in the Republican primary. He is popular for promising to bring back coal jobs. Hillary Clinton had largely been largely shunned for making comments perceived as an affront to the industry.

The dynamic has resulted in one of the few states where Republicans didn't shy from the brash businessman and instead looked to ride his coattails. Many Democrats for congressional and other races scrambled to distance themselves from Clinton and refused to endorse her.

West Virginia has voted for Republican presidential candidates in each of the last four presidential races. It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

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Republican Donald Trump has won Kentucky and Indiana while Democrat Hillary Clinton has won Vermont. Trump was awarded Kentucky's eight electoral votes and Indiana's 11. Vermont gives Clinton three. These are the first states to be decided Tuesday in the 2016 general election.

The wins were expected. Vermont has voted for a Democrat every election since 1988, while Kentucky has gone Republican every cycle since 2000. Indiana is normally a Republican stronghold but went for President Barack Obama in 2008. The Republicans captured it again in 2012 and Trump's running mate, Mike Pence, is the state's governor. The winning candidate needs 270 electoral votes.

Herbert had a strong advantage in Tuesday's elections and was considered the favorite in the conservative state. But many Utah conservatives were not enthused about GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. And Herbert had vacillated on his support for the New York billionaire.

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Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina re-elected to the Senate.

Hillary Clinton wins New Mexico.

Trump wins Missouri.

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Donald Trump wins Georgia. The Republican nominee was awarded its 16 electoral votes.

Trump now has 232 electoral votes while his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has 209. The Democrats had some hopes that changing demographics in Georgia could allow then to flip the reliably Republican state but their efforts fell short.

Hillary Clinton wins Nevada and its six electoral votes. Her victory there in the presidential election brings Clinton's Electoral College total to 215.

Republican Donald Trump has 244 votes. It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

Clinton's win in Nevada is the first time since the 1940s that the Democrats have carried the state in three consecutive elections.

The winner of the US presidential election has failed to carry Nevada only once.

President-elect Donald Trump says Hillary Clinton called him to congratulate him on his victory.

Trump, addressing supporters at his victory party in New York City, said Wednesday that he "congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign."

He added that "we owe her a major debt of gratitude" for her service.

The gracious sentiment was a far cry from Trump's usually heated rhetoric about Clinton. He has suggested that she should go to jail and chants of "Lock her up!" were a staple at his campaign rallies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also sent Donald Trump a telegram of congratulations on winning the US presidential election.

Meanwhile, Japan 's Shinzo Abe, congratulating Trump, said the countries will maintain their close relationship.

"I express my heartfelt congratulations on your election as the next president of the United States ," Abe said in a statement. " Japan and the United States are unshakeable allies connected by common values such as freedom, democracy, basic human rights and rule of law," Abe added.

Germany's foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier says the outcome of the US presidential election is "different than most people in Germany would have wanted, but of course we have to respect it."

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Malaysia's prime minister has congratulated Donald Trump on his "extraordinary victory," saying his success showed that politicians should never take voters for granted.

Najib Razak is a possible beneficiary of what could be an inward-looking US under a Trump presidency. He is embroiled in a scandal over the alleged theft by his associates of several billion dollars from a state investment fund. A US Justice Department probe has linked Najib to the embezzlement.

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President Barack Obama is congratulating Donald Trump on his victory in becoming the president-elect.

Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway says Obama called Trump early Wednesday while he was speaking to his supporters in New York, and so Trump called him back after he left the stage.

She said the two had what she described as a "very nice talk." She said they would meet possibly on Thursday.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest had told reporters traveling aboard Air Force One last week that the president was leaving his schedule open on Wednesday and Thursday for a possible meeting with the president-elect.

On Tuesday night, Trump said that he had received a call from his opponent, Hillary Clinton. In his remarks to supporters, he praised her for a hard-fought campaign and said Americans owe her a major debt of gratitude for her long service to the country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow is ready to try to restore good relations with the United States in the wake of the election of Donald Trump.

Putin said Wednesday at a ceremony accepting the credentials of new ambassadors that "we aware that it is a difficult path, in view of the unfortunate degradation of relations between the Russian Federation and the United States."

Putin says "it is not our fault that Russian-American relations are in such a state."

Earlier, the Kremlin said Putin sent Trump a telegram of congratulation, expressing "his hope to work together for removing Russian-American relations from their crisis state."

Putin also says ties between Moscow and Washington must be "based on principles of equality, mutual respect and a real accounting each other's positions."

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Italy's premier has offered his congratulations to Donald Trump, brushing aside political differences, following his repeated public endorsements of Hillary Clinton.

Premier Matteo Renzi says Wednesday "in the name of Italy, I congratulate the president of the United States and wish him well in his work, convinced that the Italian-American friendship remains strong and solid."

Renzi faces his own political reckoning next month with a constitutional referendum that has mobilized opposition as well as party dissidents against him. A no vote is likely to force at least a government shuffling in Italy, if not new elections.

Renzi was in Washington last month for a state visit with President Barack Obama.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he hopes Donald Trump's election as president marks a new era in the United States that he hopes will lead to "beneficial" steps for fundamental rights, liberties and democracy in the world.

Addressing a business group in Istanbul on Wednesday, Erdogan also said he hopes the election result would also be auspicious for the region.

Erdogan said: "Personally and on behalf of the nation, I wish to consider this decision by the American people a positive sign and wish them a successful future."

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A spokesman for the Polish president says Poland cares a lot whether U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will implement NATO decisions to deploy military deterrence forces in Poland and the Baltic states.

Marek Magierowski says on state Radio 1 Wednesday that it is a priority for Poland to see the implementation of NATO decision to base for battalions in the region, including a U.S. armored brigade to be stationed in Poland, and also the construction of a U.S. missile defense base.

The region is concerned for its security amid Russia's rising military assertiveness.

Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz says he expects ties to be even better under Trump as president.

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Environmentalists and climate scientists are alarmed over the election of a U.S. president who has called global warming a "hoax."

Donald Trump's win has raised questions about whether America, once again, would pull out of an international climate deal. Many said it's now up to the rest of the world to lead efforts to rein in greenhouse gas emissions, while others held out hope that Trump would change his stance on climate change and honor U.S. commitments under last year's landmark Paris Agreement.

Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine says Wednesday that as "the realities of leadership settle in, I expect he will realize that climate change is a threat to his people and to whole countries which share seas with the U.S."

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Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says his country will work "as closely as ever" with the United States under Donald Trump's new administration.

He says "politicians and governments, congressmen, senators, prime ministers, presidents come and go according to the will of the people of Australia and the United States, but the bond between our two nations, our shared common interests, our shared national interests are so strong, are so committed that we will continue to work with our friends in the United States."

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French President Francois Hollande says the election of Donald Trump "opens a period of uncertainty. It must be faced with lucidity and clarity."

In brief remarks after the weekly Cabinet meeting, Hollande congratulated Trump "as is natural between two heads of state," but showed little enthusiasm. Hollande had openly endorsed Hillary Clinton and said Wednesday he was thinking of her.

Hollande said "certain positions taken by Donald Trump during the American campaign must be confronted with the values and interests we share with the United States."

He says "what is at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East. It is economic relations and the preservation of the planet."

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The Taliban have called on Donald Trump to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan once he takes office as president.

In a statement sent to The Associated Press, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Wednesday that a Trump administration "should allow Afghans to become a free nation and have relationships with other countries based on non-interference in each other's affairs."

The Afghan conflict is in its 16th year. The Taliban have spread their footprint across Afghanistan in the two years since most international combat troops withdrew.

President Barack Obama expanded U.S. troops' mandate to enable them to work more closely on the battlefield with their Afghan counterparts, and to conduct counter-terrorism operations against Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State group and the Taliban.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping has conveyed his congratulations to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, saying he looked forward to working with Trump on promoting ties in a "constructive" way that avoids conflict and confrontation.

During his campaign, Trump accused China of illegally subsidizing exports, manipulating its currency and stealing intellectual property.

State broadcaster CCTV reported Wednesday that Xi said the two biggest economies in the world shared common interests and shouldered a "special and important responsibility in upholding world peace."

Xi says: "I highly value China-U.S. relations and am looking forward to working with you to expand cooperation in all fields, including in bilateral, regional and global aspects." He says he expects they would "manage differences in a constructive way, in the spirit of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect, cooperation and win-win."

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Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has sent a message of congratulations to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, saying "the American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly."

Kenyatta says Wednesday that "the ties that bind Kenya and the United States of America are close and strong. They are old, and based in the values that we hold dear: in democracy, in the rule of law, and in the equality of peoples."

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The president of Slovenia - small Alpine nation that is the home country of future U.S. First Lady Melania Trump - says he hopes relations with the U.S. will further improve during Donald Trump's presidency.

President Boris Pahor says Wednesday "we are allied as part of NATO and I will strive for the friendship and the alliance to deepen further."

Pahor also says "American people have the right to decide on their leader." Prime Minister Miro Cerar has also congratulated the Trumps in a Twitter message.

Melania Trump was born as Melanija Knavs in the industrial Slovenian town of Sevnica before working internationally as a model.

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The Vatican's first reaction to the election of Donald Trump has focused on its wish for global peace.

Pope Francis pope did not mention the U.S. elections during his Wednesday audience, but secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, offered Trump congratulations in a statement to Vatican Radio that "his government can be truly fruitful."

He added the Vatican offered its prayers "that the Lord illuminates and sustains him in service of his country, naturally, but also in service of the well-being and peace of the world."

Parolin concluded by noting that "there is need for everyone to work to change the global situation, which is in a situation of severe lacerations and great conflict."

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Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway says Hillary Clinton had more money and more people on the ground - but, Team Trump "outworked them, and frankly, we outsmarted and outclassed them in some cases."

Conway appeared on Fox News on Wednesday to analyze Donald Trump's stunning defeat of Clinton. Conway said the Republican billionaire "did a great job sealing the deal."

She said: "Take it to the bank - candidates matter. There's no substitute for a great candidate."

On CNN, Conway urged Trump's critics to "lay down their verbal firearms."

She said: "Give him a chance as your president-elect like we all did with President Obama and we all did with President Bill Clinton."

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Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated Donald Trump on being elected as

the US President, saying he looks forward to working with him closely as strong bilateral ties is critical for regional peace and security.

"On behalf of the government and people of Pakistan, and on my own behalf, I wish to extend to you and the people of the US, our most sincere felicitations on your election as the 45th President of the US," Sharif said in his message.

"Your election is indeed the triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights and free enterprise. Most importantly, your momentous success is a testimony to the confidence that the people of the US have reposed in your leadership, vision and commitment to serve your great country," he said.

Sharif expressed desire to expand relations with the US under Trump.

"I wish to re-affirm my government's commitment to further strengthening and deepening our relations, in a manner truly reflective of the aspirations of our two nations. I am looking forward to closely working with you, to bring our two countries closer and making our partnership an important vehicle for the realisation of peace, security and prosperity in the region and beyond," he said.
Washington: An unprecedented 'desi' wave hitthe US general elections as a record number of five Indian-Americans were all set to be elected to the US Congress today.

Indian-American women put up a good show in the 2016 elections, with Kamala Harris, 51, a two-term attorney general from California, creating history by winning the US Senate seat from the state.

Pramila Jayapal, 51, won the Congressional seat from Seattle to enter the House of Representatives, the first Indian-American woman to accomplish this feat.

Jayapal would be joined in the House of Representatives by Raja Krishnamoorthi, who made it to the highest citadel of democracy in their second attempt.

Ro Khanna and Ami Bera were leading in the race for the House of Representatives from their districts in California.

With 56 per cent of the votes counted in California's Silicon Valley, Democratic Congressman Bera was leading with 54 per cent votes at 47,427, ahead of his Republican party rival Scott Jones who got 46 per cent votes.

If elected for the third successive term, Bera would become the longest serving Indian American Congressman ever.

Khanna, the democratic party candidate from Californias 17th District, was leading with 58 per cent votes at 50,952 after 72 per cent of the votes were counted.

His closest rival Mike Honda, also of the Democratic Party, had so far garnered 42 per cent of the votes.

Interestingly, the outgoing US President Barack Obama had endorsed Harris, Krishnamoorthi and Bera.

Senator Bernie Sanders and former US President Jimmy Carter had endorsed Jayapal.

Harris, who was born in Oakland, California, is the daughter of an Indian mother who emigrated from Chennai in 1960 and a Jamaican American father.

California Democrats had overwhelmingly endorsed Harris for US Senate, solidifying her front-runner status in the race to become California?s next Senator.

Endorsing Harris, Obama had said "Kamala Harris fights for us. Thats why I am so proud to endorse her for United States Senator. And if you send her to the Senate, she'll be a fearless fighter for the people of California, all the people of California, every single day."

Jayapal entered the US Congress on her maiden try.

Born in Chennai, she left India at the age of five for Indonesia, Singapore and eventually for the US.

Jayapal says her life transformed for the better after she spent some time in India when she returned to the country after a gap of 25 years in April 1995.

Her book-- "Pilgrimage to India: A Woman Revisits Her Homeland" was published in 2000.

In the primaries, early this summer, Khanna had received more votes than eight-term incumbent Honda. California electoral system allows the top two winners of the primaries to proceed to the general polls, even if they are from the same party.

Khanna had narrowly lost to Honda in 2014 Congressional polls.

A Yale law graduate and a former official of the Obama administration, Khanna, 40, is pitted against his own party's Honda to represent the 17th Congressional district of

California, whose residents stretch from "Tesla Motors factory in Fremont to Apple's headquarters in Cupertino--taking in Intel, Yahoo, and eBay along the way.

Bera, 51, is the only Indian-American in the current Congress and is third ever elected to the House of Representatives after Dalip Singh Saund in 1950 and Bobby Jindal in 2000s.

If re-elected for the third term, Bera would equal the record of Dalip Singh Saund, who was elected to the House of Representatives from the 29th Congressional District of California from January 1957 to January 1963.

Jindal, who later went on to become the two-term Governor of Louisiana, was elected to the US House of Representatives twice in 2004 and 2006.

Krishnamoorthi, 42, was contesting for the 8th Congressional District of Illinois that includes west and northwest Chicago suburbs.

A son of immigrants, Krishnamoorthi grew up in Illinois and after college and law school, he became policy advisor for Obamas successful US Senate campaign.

He also served as a founding prosecutor in Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's anti-corruption unit.

In an endorsement in June, Obama had said as the son of immigrants who worked their way into the middle-class, Krishnamoorthi understands both the challenges facing America's working families and the opportunities their work makes possible.

"I know he'll fight hard in Congress to create more good jobs, empower more Americans to start businesses, and help working families afford to put their children through college," Obama had said.

Two Indian-Americans in fray from New Jersey and Michigan however lost their bid to enter the US Congress. Democratic Party candidate in New Jersey's 7th congressional district Peter Jacob lost the race to Republican party s Leonard Lance, who got 55 per cent of the votes.

Jacob came in a close second garnering 42 per cent of the votes.

In Michigan's 11th District, Democratic Party candidate Anil Kumar lost the race, getting 40 per cent of the votes against Republican candidate Dave Trott who was leading with 53 per cent votes.
Washington: Republicans held onto their slim Senate majority Wednesday, a stinging blow to Democrats in a night full of them. Democrats had been nearly certain of retaking control but saw their hopes fizzle as endangered GOP incumbents won in Missouri, Indiana, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and even Democrat-friendly Wisconsin.

GOP-held New Hampshire remained too close to call in the early morning hours Wednesday, but even if Democrats eked out a win there it would not make a difference.

Republicans will also hold their majority in the US House of Representatives as expected, networks projected Tuesday.

By holding the House, Republicans secure a policy check on Hillary Clinton in the event she wins the presidency.

Republicans started the night with a 54-46 majority in the Senate and were on track to end up with at least 52 seats, presuming they win a December run-off in Louisiana, as expected.

The outcome added to a debacle of a night for Democrats, who lost the presidency and faced being consigned to minority status on Capitol Hill for years to come.

Republicans celebrated their wins, already looking ahead to midterms in 2018 when Democrats could see their numbers reduced even further with a group of red-state Senate Democrats on the ballot.

"We ran targeted, data-driven campaigns and communicated directly with voters. Those efforts paid off," said GOP Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, head of the Senate GOP's campaign arm. "With the map strongly favoring Democrats and uncertainty at the top of the ticket, we protected our majority and paved the way for a Republican-run Senate for years to come."

As the night wore on, Democratic operatives struggled to explain why their optimistic assessments of retaking Senate control were so mistaken. Some blamed unexpected turnout by certain segments of white voters, or FBI Director James Comey's bombshell announcement that he was reviewing a new batch of emails connected with Democrat Hillary Clinton.

In Pennsylvania, GOP Sen. Pat Toomey won a narrow victory for his second term over Democratic challenger Katie McGinty. It was a race Democrats expected to win going into the night - and one that many Republicans felt nearly as sure they'd lose.

The story was the same in Wisconsin, where GOP Sen. Ron Johnson, written off for months by his own party, won re-election against former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold in a rematch.

In Missouri and North Carolina, where entrenched GOP incumbents Roy Blunt and Richard Burr faced unexpectedly strong challenges from Democrats, both prevailed in the end.

Democrats did grab a Republican-held seat in Illinois, where GOP Sen. Mark Kirk lost to Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a double-amputee Iraq war vet. That stood as the one Democratic pickup as the early morning hours ticked toward Wednesday.

The other bright spot for Democrats was in Nevada, where Minority Leader Harry Reid's retirement after five terms created a vacancy and the one Democratic-held seat that was closely contested. Reid maneuvered to fill it with his hand-picked successor, Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada's former attorney general who spoke often of her family's immigrant roots in a state with heavy Latino turnout.

Cortez Masto will become the first Latina U.S. senator. She beat Republican Rep. Joe Heck, who struggled with sharing the ticket with Donald Trump, first endorsing and then un-endorsing Trump to the disgust of some GOP voters.

Indeed the Senate races were shadowed every step of the way by the polarizing presidential race between Clinton and Trump. Yet in the end, Trump was apparently not the drag on GOP candidates widely anticipated. Republicans like Johnson who endorsed him and stuck with it won re-election, as did others like Pennsylvania's Toomey who never backed Trump until the very end. And so did a few like GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona who un-endorsed Trump after audio emerged of him boasting of groping women.

McCain, at age 80, won his sixth term in quite possibly his final campaign. The 2008 GOP presidential nominee was re-elected without much difficulty despite early predictions of a competitive race, and struck a reflective note ahead of the outcome.

"While as Yogi Berra said, 'I hate to make predictions, especially about the future,' I'm not sure how many more I have in me," McCain said.

In Indiana, GOP Rep. Todd Young beat former Democratic senator and governor Evan Bayh, who mounted a much-ballyhooed comeback bid, but wilted under scrutiny. And in Florida, GOP Sen. Marco Rubio beat Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy, giving Rubio a platform from which he could mount another bid for president in 2020.

In New York, Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democrats' leader-in-waiting for a new Congress, easily won re-election. But the results elsewhere meant he would be leading a Senate minority when he replaces Reid in the leader's role.

Even though the GOP's renewed control of the Senate will be narrow, the advantages of being in the majority are significant. The controlling party holds the committee chairmanships, sets the legislative agenda and runs investigations. First up is likely to be a nominee to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court.
Supporters break into tears as they watch the election results during Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's election night rally in the Jacob Javits Center glass enclosed lobby in New York.

Washington: Capping a presidential campaign of venom, audacity and history, Donald Trump scored major victories in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina and other key states, leading to much grief and loss of hope in the Clinton camp.

The supporters of Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton broke into tears as Trump took the lead in the US presidential race. Several of them were seen hugging each other in grief as election results were displayed on a larger television screen in the Jacob Javits Center in New York.

Supporters break into tears as they watch the election results during Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's election night rally in the Jacob Javits Center glass enclosed lobby in New York.

A woman weeps as election results are reported during Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's election night rally in the Jacob Javits Center glass enclosed lobby in New York.

A young girl is comforted during Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's election night rally in the Jacob Javits Center.

Supporters hug as election results are displayed on a larger television screen during Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's election night rally in the Jacob Javits Center.

A woman watches election results during Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's election night rally in the Jacob Javits Center glass enclosed lobby in New York.
NEW YORK: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump locked up their first state wins Tuesday as polling stations closed in the eastern United States, with the world waiting anxiously to see who will head to the White House.

Some 200 million Americans were asked to make a historic choice -- between electing the nation's first woman president, or handing the reins of power to a billionaire populist who has upended US politics with his improbable outsider campaign.

With voting over in a handful of states and Americans queueing to cast their ballots farther west, television networks called Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia for the Republican Trump, and Vermont for the veteran Democrat.

None of these early results were a surprise and all eyes were fixed on key swing states like Florida or Pennsylvania that will likely decide the result of the long, bruising contest for the right to lead the world's biggest economy.

Clinton went into the day with a slim opinion poll lead and a more obvious route to winning the key states that will decide the electoral college. But at the venue where Trump will hold his planned victory party in New York, supporters were upbeat, expressing confidence that he would stage a major political upset.

"We feel very good about where we are right now, about the turnout numbers we're seeing in record numbers in the areas we need," said John Fredericks, Trump's Virginia state chairman.

From crowded Manhattan to Virginia horse country to balmy California, long lines snaked into the streets outside polling stations. "Hillary, she has a history," said Charmaine Smith, 50, a retail manager as she cast her ballot in Harlem. "All Trump has is the bullying."

An hour's drive north, a crowd of admirers chanted "Madam President" as Clinton and her husband Bill, the former president, voted near their home in Chappaqua, before emerging to shake hands and chat with the crowd.

"So many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country," the 69-year-old secretary of state said. "And I'll do the very best I can if I'm fortunate enough to win today."

An exit poll by CNN however found that only four in 10 voters were optimistic that incumbent president Barack Obama's successor would do any better than he has during his two terms in office.
Washington: As Donald Trump stunned America and the world on Wednesday, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States, congratulatory messages have poured in from different parts of the world.

Here is the world reaction to the US election result:

Hungary

Hungary's prime minister says Donald Trump's victory is "great news" and shows "democracy is still alive."

Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been often criticised by the United States, including by Hillary Clinton when she was secretary of state, for weakening the democratic system of checks and balances. Orban offered his congratulations to Trump on his Facebook page.

Orban, who returned to power in 2010 and last year built fences on Hungary's southern borders to stop the flow of migrants heading toward Western Europe, said in July that Trump's immigration policies made him the best candidate for Hungary and Europe.

In 2014, Orban famously declared his intentions of turning Hungary into an "illiberal state." His government has also been criticised by the US on issues like corruption, anti-Semitism and media freedom.

Philippines

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has lashed out at Barack Obama for criticizing his deadly anti-drug crackdown, has congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.

Duterte says he looks forward to working with the new American leader to further enhance the treaty allies' relations.

Duterte, who took office in June, has had an uneasy relation with the U.S. The 71-year-old leader has announced his desire to scale back joint combat drills with the U.S. military and end the presence of foreign troops, including Americans, in the country in two years.

In Duterte's statement on Trump's victory released by his spokesman, however, the tough-talking Philippine leader was unusually diplomatic.

"President Duterte wishes President-elect Trump success in the next four years as chief executive and commander-in chief of the U.S. military, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement. Duterte, he said, "looks forward to working with the incoming administration for enhanced Philippines-US relations anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit and shared commitment to democratic ideals and the rule of law."

India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on being elected as US President, saying he looks forward to working with him closely to take Indo-US ties to a new height.

"Congratulations @realDonaldTrump on being elected as the 45th US President," Modi said in a tweet.

He said the country looks forward to working closely with Trump to strengthen bilateral ties.

"We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height," the Prime Minister said.

"We appreciate the friendship you have articulated towards India during your campaign, @realDonaldTrump," he said.

Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in US elections, hoping to work with him to improve relations, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin "expressed hope for mutual work on bringing US-Russia relations out of their critical condition as well as on working out outstanding issues on the international agenda" in his congratulatory telegram, the Kremlin said.

"The President of Russia also expressed certainty that building constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington" would "be in the interest of the people of our countries and the entire world community."

Putin has tacitly supported Trump during the campaign, while Trump repeatedly flattered and praised the Russian leader and said he was willing to work with him.

Russia's parliament on Wednesday broke into applause upon learning of Trump's stunning upset victory over Hillary Clinton, who is seen as anti-Russian by many in the Russian establishment, mostly due to her stint as Secretary of State in 2009-2013.

Germany

German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen calls the strong vote for Donald Trump "a big shock," and the U.S. elections "a vote against Washington, against the establishment."

Von der Leyen said on German public Television Wednesday that while many questions remain open, "We Europeans obviously know that as partners in the NATO, Donald Trump will naturally ask what 'are you achieving for the alliance,' but we will also ask 'what's your stand toward the alliance.'"

The defense minister said that behind the scenes the German government would try to make contacts on the working level to find out who are the new contact persons.

Netherlands

Dutch anti-Islam populist lawmaker Geert Wilders has tweeted his congratulations to Donald Trump.

Wilders, whose Freedom Party is riding high in opinion polls ahead of Dutch elections due in March, calls Trump's win in the presidential election "A historic victory! A revolution."

Looking ahead to the Dutch vote, Wilders finished his tweet, "We also will give our country back to the people of the Netherlands."

Wilders is known for his strident anti-Islam rhetoric and opposition to the Netherlands' European Union membership.

France

The first French presidential candidate to comment on the US election was populist, anti-immigrant politician Marine Le Pen, congratulating Trump even before the final results are known.

Le Pen, hoping to ride anti-establishment sentiment to victory in April-May French presidential elections, tweeted her support to the "American people, free!"

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said France would continue to work with the new president whoever wins the final tally, though expressed concern about Trump's lead and said it could hold a cautionary message for Europe.

"We don't want a world where egoism triumphs," Ayrault said on France-2 television Wednesday. France's Socialist government had openly endorsed Clinton.

Ayrault said European politicians should pay attention to the message from Trump voters. "There is a part of our electorate that feels abandoned," including people who feel "left behind" by globalization, he said.

He said a Trump victory could bring "more incertitude" to French politics.

Indonesia

Indonesians on social media are questioning why Americans have voted in big numbers for billionaire Donald Trump, who many in the world's most populous Muslim country perceive as intolerant and reactionary.

Twitter, Facebook and chatrooms in instant messaging apps are buzzing with speculation about whether Trump would follow through on campaign rhetoric that included a ban on Muslims entering the U.S.

Some people say that under a Trump administration they fear they'll be prevented from visiting relatives and friends who live in America or traveling there as tourists. About 100,000 Indonesians live in the United States.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo says on national television that his government will work with whoever becomes president.

Cuba

News of Trump's widening lead hit hard in Cuba, which has spent the last two years negotiating normalisation with the United States after more than 50 years of Cold War hostility.

Normalisation has set off a tourism boom in Cuba and visits by hundreds of executives from the U.S. and dozens of other nations newly interested in doing business on the island. Trump has promised to reverse Obama's opening with Cuba unless President Raul Castro agrees to more political freedom on the island, a concession considered a virtual impossibility.

Speaking of Cuba's leaders, Communist Party member and noted economist and political scientist Esteban Morales told the Telesur network that "they must be worried because I think this represents a new chapter."

Carlos Alzugaray, a political scientist and retired Cuban diplomat, said a Trump victory could, however, please some hard-liners in the Cuban leadership who worried that Cuba was moving too close to the United States too quickly.

While many Cubans were unaware of the state of the race early Wednesday morning, those watching state-run Telesur or listening to radio updates said they feared that a Trump victory would mean losing the few improvements they had seen in their lives thanks to the post-detente tourism boom.

"The little we've advanced, if he reverses it, it hurts us," taxi driver Oriel Iglesias Garcia said. "You know tourism will go down. If Donald Trump wins and turns everything back it's really bad for us."

Australia

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says at this stage, it would appear that Donald Trump is most likely to claim the presidency.

Bishop told reporters in Canberra, Australia's capital, that her government is ready to work with whomever the American people, "in their wisdom," choose to be their president.

She says a US presidential election is always a momentous occasion, and in this instance, "it has been a particularly bruising, divisive and hard-fought campaign."

She also says the new administration will face a number of challenges, including in Asia-Pacific, and Australia wants to work constructively with the new administration to ensure the continued presence and leadership of the United States in the region.

She calls the US "our major security ally" and the largest foreign direct investor and the second-largest trading partner.

She says, "The United States is also the guarantor and defender of the rules-based international order that has underpinned so much of our economic and security issues. And interests."

New Zealand

Watching the results of the U.S. election at a New Zealand bar, 22-year-old student Sarah Pereira says she is looking forward to working as an intern in the U.S. Congress, but dreads the prospect of Donald Trump winning the presidency.

Pereira, a master's student in strategic studies, says she will leave for Washington this weekend after winning a scholarship to work for Democratic Congressman Gregory Meeks.

She predicts the effects of a Trump on international relationships would be "catastrophic."

Pereira commented while attending an event hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Wellington.

Japan

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe congratulated Donald Trump on Wednesday on his election as US president and vowed that the countries will maintain their close relationship.

"I express my heartfelt congratulations on your election as the next president of the United States," Abe said in a statement.

"The stability of the Asia-Pacific region, which is the driving force of the global economy, brings peace and prosperity to the United States. Japan and the United States are unshakeable allies connected by common values such as freedom, democracy, basic human rights and rule of law," Abe said.

Concern in Japan, a close security ally of the US and a major trading partner, had grown during the campaign on Trump's opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement.

He also called for Tokyo to pay more to support the two countries' security alliance.

Other Trump comments, suggesting that Japan, the only country to suffer atomic bomb attacks might want to consider developing nuclear weapons to combat threats from North Korea, also drew criticism.

China

China, often criticised for taking away American jobs, on Wednesday reacted cautiously to the election of Donald Trump as President, saying it will work with the new US government to ensure steady development of bilateral ties to benefit people of both countries.

"We are also watching and following the election and we will work with new US government to ensure steady and sound development of bilateral relations and benefit people of the two countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a media briefing in Beijing.

Preferring to wait for the official results, Kang said, "We hope new US government will work with China and work together for steady and sound development of bilateral relations. This will benefit the two countries and the entire world".

European Union

The European Union's foreign policy chief says that the trans-Atlantic ties with the United States go beyond the election of Donald Trump.

Federica Mogherini said Wednesday in a Twitter message that "EU-US ties are deeper than any change in politics. We'll continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe."

EU Parliament President Martin Schulz said the result "must be respected" as he said that Trump "managed to become the standard-bearer of the angst and fears of millions of Americans."

Palestine

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says in a statement that he "congratulates the elected American president, Donald Trump, and hopes that peace will be achieved during his term."

An Abbas aide, Saeb Erekat, said Wednesday he doesn't expect U.S. positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to change under Trump.

Erekat said the Republican and Democratic parties are both committed to a two-state solution of the conflict and "I think this will not change with the coming administration."

The Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, lands Israel captured in 1967. Gaps between Abbas and Israel's hawkish leader on any border deal remain wide.

Trump has proposed moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, even though the US has not recognised Israel's annexation of parts of the city.
Europe must not flinch in defending its interests and people now that Donald Trump's election win has added to the uncertainty created by Britain's decision to exit the European Union, France's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

France is a key American ally, and its officials had in recent weeks openly endorsed Hillary Clinton's warning that Trump's "confused" foreign policy objectives were alarming for the rest of the world.

"We have to meet the challenge for a Europe that must be able to better defend its citizens and its interests," Ayrault told France 2 television.

"Europe cannot blink after Brexit, after the election of Donald Trump with all the questions being raised, Europe must stand together more, be more active and go more on the offensive even if it is just to protect itself."

France has been reeling in the wake of several deadly attacks claimed by Islamic State militants since last year. Trump's comment in July that "France is no longer France", and that if it had looser gun laws then the attacks would not have happened, have upset French officials.

"The United States is our ally and we have to continue working with it in clarity," Ayrault said. "Perhaps Trump will not keep the promises he made, but you see the relations he has with Mexico, it's very serious. In China, they are worried, so France and Europe must play a role to reassure."

Trump's campaign has been marked by insults and inflammatory rhetoric with regard to radical Islam, while on international affairs he has brought into question U.S. policy on everything from Syria to Iran, Mexico and North Korea.

Ayrault, whose country has been critical of Barack Obama's policy in the Middle East in particular, said Trump would need to explain his stance on key issues such as the conflict in Syria, world powers' nuclear deal with Iran, and climate change.

However, he reiterated that Europe had to think of itself first, and said eastern Europe especially should worry about a potential U.S. disengagement on the continent under Trump, given Russia's presence on its frontier.

"Donald Trump said he wanted to ... stop paying for NATO, so countries like Poland need to ask themselves (what this means)," Ayrault said. "Rather than lowering our heads, we must rise to the challenge."
The ambulance service said medics were treating a number of patients. (Photo: Representational Image/Videograb)

London: A tram derailed in London before dawn on Wednesday, leaving multiple people injured and several trapped, the emergency services said.

The London Fire Brigade said eight fire engines and four specialist rescue units were at the scene in Croydon, south London.

"Firefighters have released a number of people and two people remain trapped," said station manager Joe Kenny.

The ambulance service said medics were treating "a number" of patients.

Emergency services said they were called to the Sandilands tram stop at around 6.10 am (0610 GMT). Photographs showed the two-car tram lying on its side next to an underpass.
Riyadh: Saudi King Salman expressed hope on Wednesday that United States' president-elect Donald Trump would bring stability to the Middle East.

"We wish your excellency success in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide," Salman said in a message of congratulations reported by the official Saudi Press Agency.

He praised the relations which are "historic and tight between the two friendly countries, that all parties aspire to develop and reinforce".

The United States and Saudi Arabia have a decades-old relationship based on the exchange of American security for Saudi oil.

But ties between Riyadh and Washington became increasingly frayed during the eight-year Democratic administration of President Barack Obama.

Saudi leaders felt Obama was reluctant to get involved in the civil war in Syria and other regional conflicts.

They also worried that he was tilting towards their regional rival, Shiite Iran, which is on the opposing side to Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia in the wars in Syria and Yemen.

Washington and other major powers reached an agreement, which took effect in January, to lift international sanctions on Iran in exchange for guarantees that it would not pursue a nuclear weapons capability.
The Syrian civil war, now in its sixth year, has killed hundreds of thousands of people. (Photo: AP)

Donald Trump's election as US president on Wednesday aroused concern among Syrian rebels and a degree of optimism in Damascus, where his victory was seen as a better outcome than a Hillary Clinton win.

Syrian rebels have long been fiercely critical of what they perceive as the Barack Obama administration's inadequate backing for their fight against President Bashar al-Assad, though Washington has been an important sponsor of the uprising.

While some in the Syrian opposition said Trump had yet to articulate a clear Syria policy, his statements, and his more open-minded stance towards Assad's ally Russia, have fuelled rebel concern about the stance he may adopt on the war, in which Russia's air force has been bombing insurgents.

"I think things will become difficult because of Trump's statements and his relationship with Putin and Russia. I imagine this is not good for the Syrian issue," Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of an Aleppo-based rebel group, told Reuters.

Trump said in an October 25 interview with Reuters that defeating Islamic State was a higher priority than persuading Assad to step down, and warned that Clinton could drag the United States into a new world war over the Syria conflict.

In one of his debates with Clinton, Trump said he did "not like Assad at all, but Assad is killing ISIS" with Russia and Iran.

Rise Of Islamic State

The Syrian civil war, now in its sixth year, has killed hundreds of thousands of people, allowed the rise of Islamic State and created the world's worst refugee crisis.

Russia and Iran have provided direct military support to Assad while countries that want to see him gone from power, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, have provided rebels with backing including military support.

Russia's intervention in support of Assad last year helped Damascus turn the tide against insurgents who had been making steady territorial advances, and gave Moscow decisive influence over diplomacy.

The Syrian opposition says Obama failed to back them adequately after calling for Assad to leave power, failing to enforce his own "red line" against the use of chemical weapons and blocking the delivery of anti-aircraft weapons to rebels.

In Damascus, a member of the Syrian parliament said he was cautiously optimistic that US policy would shift Assad's way under Trump. "We must be optimistic, but cautiously optimistic," Sherif Shehada, the MP, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

He said Gulf Arab states - which have backed the Syrian rebellion - had been depending on a Clinton victory and were now in "a predicament". "The American administration must carry out what it said in the election campaign."

Georges Janbour, the Damascus-based head of the Syrian Association of Political Science, noted Trump's previous suggestion that Russia could be a valuable ally in the fight against Islamic Sate. "I hope that he continues in this line of thinking," he told Reuters.

Clinton was the US secretary of state when the uprising against Assad began in 2011, during a wave of protests against Arab autocrats known as the Arab Spring.

Prominent Syrian opposition politician George Sabra said: "We do not expect much from the new American administration, but we hope that the face of President Donald Trump is totally different to the face of Mr. Donald Trump the candidate."

While some in the opposition expressed concern about Trump's statements, others said a more isolationist approach from Trump could be a good thing for the rebellion by allowing regional powers such as Saudi Arabia to act free of US constraints.

Hadi al-Bahra, former head and current member of the Syrian National Coalition, an opposition political body, told Reuters that potential positive aspects to Trump's presidency included his opposition to Iranian influence and Iran's nuclear deal.

Bassma Kodmani, member and spokeswoman for the Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), said Trump's intentions remained largely unclear.

"All we can say is he has called for good relations with Russia," she told Reuters. "On Syria he will have to make difficult decisions. Cooperation with Russia over the last year and a half has not worked ... considerations should be towards a different policy," she said.

Some rebels believe that Trump will make no difference to long-established American policy.

"The Americans were never honest with us. They left us in a quagmire that drowned the Syrians ... Everyone is trading with our blood and suffering," said Abu Hamed, head of the military council of rebel group Liwa al Haq Brigade, speaking from Hama.
Three persons have been rescued while 11 remain unaccounted for, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. (Photo: Representational Image)

Beijing: At least two persons were killed and three others injured when an explosion ripped through a factory in China's eastern Anhui province, state media reported on Wednesday.

So far, three persons have been rescued while 11 remain unaccounted for, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The explosion occurred at 5:15 (local time) on Tuesday afternoon at a factory on an industrial park in Tangshu Township, Shucheng county.

Soon after the explosion, the factory went up in flames. Police have cordoned off the scene of the incident, and ambulances have begun to arrive. Fire fighters continue to fight the fire.
Beijing: India may suffer "great losses" in bilateral trade if it joins Japan during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to ask China to abide by an international tribunal's ruling quashing Beijing's claims over disputed South China Sea (SCS), Chinese media warned on Wednesday.

"India should beware of the possibility that by becoming embroiled in the disputes, it might end up being a pawn of the US and suffer great losses, especially in terms of business and trade, from China," an oped article in state-run Global Times said.

Citing media reports that India is seeking support from Tokyo during Modi's visit to Japan this week to issue a joint statement asking China to abide by July ruling of the tribunal on the SCS, it said, "India and China should put more efforts into resolving problems like the imbalance of their trade ties".

"India won't benefit much by balancing China through Japan. It will only lead to more mistrust between New Delhi and Beijing," it said.

"India's proposal to make new waves in the SCS first came to Singapore last month, but Singapore, a master of the rebalancing strategy, snubbed it. The rejection shows India lacks legitimacy and leadership in making new waves in the SCS," the article said.

It also pointed out that with the recent visit to China of Rodrigo Duterte, the new President of Philippines, the country that filed arbitration case against Beijing, the SCS dispute "passed pinnacle of tensions".

"India should realise that the SCS disputes have passed the pinnacle of tensions after the announcement of the arbitration result, and some involved parties have begun to reflect on their old way of addressing the disputes  creating conflicts without seeking productive bilateral negotiations.

The Philippines, once a major aggressive claimant against China, has restored its relationship with China," it said. The article which comes in the backdrop of recent meeting at Hyderabad between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi said India wants to scale up its stand on the SCS in retaliation to Beijing blocking India's bid to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

"India knows that it is not yet qualified for membership in the NSG, according to the organisation's rules. China's decision was simply a fulfillment of its international duties.

It is preposterous for Indian media and government to scapegoat China as a troublemaker, and seek revenge by making more troubles," it said.

"As a non-claimant to the South China Sea and an outsider that has no traditional influence on the region, India has been paying keen attention to any activity, because the country has adopted a 'Look East' foreign policy since Modi took office," the article said.

"India, however, seems to have overestimated its leverage in the region. Although China's major rivals in the dispute, such as the US and Japan, have been trying to draw India into their camp, the country will be likely regarded as having a token role," it said.

The article said as "regional major power in Asia, India does not feel at ease with China, a larger and more powerful neighbour".

"It admires China's imposing changeover, especially its economic takeoff, but it has never relaxed its wariness of China's rise," it said, adding that "the complicated feelings could drive India to make mistakes in its China policy".

Another article in the same daily - titled 'India wont be Japans geopolitical tool' - criticised Japan for relaxing its rules to sign a civil nuclear deal with India.

"India has refused to sign the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and meanwhile possesses nuclear weapons. Under this situation, selling nuclear technology to New Delhi will taint Tokyo's reputation of advocating for a nuclear weapons-free world. In fact, Abe is using international law as a tool to safeguard his self-interest, only referring to it to satisfy his needs. Japan is so pragmatic in its diplomacy. The technology agreements are de facto political deals between Japan and India," it said.

It also questioned the bullet train agreement between the two countries. "Given Japan's costly high-speed technology and India's relatively under-developed economy, whether the rail project will produce profits is unknown," it said.

China is also bidding for building high speed train network in India and is currently conducting a feasibility study for Delhi-Chennai railway corridor.

For Japan and India, technological cooperation will enhance their cooperation in security, a critical way for Japan to contain China's growing strength, it said.

"But containing China is not Modi's ultimate purpose.

Despite its rapid economic growth, India's development is still backward in many ways. What Modi therefore cares most about is reviving the nation's economy and enhancing its strength," it said.

"India has no intention and cannot afford to join Japan and contain China since it needs China's investment and financial support for development. However, considering its disputes with China, India to some extent wants to use Japan to bargain with China.

"What Modi wants is to benefit from Tokyo and Beijing when they are at odds, like Duterte has done. Hence the so-called Japan-India cooperation is a tool for the two sides to use each other for political gains," it said.

At present, top leaders in some East and South Asian countries like Japan, India, Myanmar and the Philippines, are tough in their domestic policies to develop and upgrade their industries, it said.

"This has given China an opportunity to break US-Japan containment and expand its influences. If China can share common interests with India as emerging industrial countries, it will counterbalance the mutual benefits of India and Japan being democratic countries," it said.

"As emerging countries, China and India have common economic interests in many aspects, and need to jointly face challenges posed by developed countries. How to boost cooperation between China and India is a key issue concerning the economic development of developing countries in the future," it said.
Pakistan on Wednesday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner for the sixth time in over two weeks. (Photo: PTI/ Representational)

Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner for the sixth time in over two weeks to protest against alleged ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LoC) by Indian troops.

Foreign Office (FO) said that the Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Mohammad Faisal summoned J. P. Singh to "strongly condemn the unprovoked ceasefire violations on November 8 by the Indian Forces on the Line of Control (LoC) in Khuirata and Battal sectors".

This is the sixth time in over two weeks that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner has been summoned to the FO in Islamabad.

The FO said the violation by India resulted in the death of four civilians, including a woman and a 10-year-old girl, besides injuries to seven others.

The Director General urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate the continued incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit, stop targeting the villages and civilians and maintain peace on the LoC, it said.

It claimed that so far, this year, India has committed 222 ceasefire violations out of which 184 have been on the LoC and 38 on the Working Boundary, resulting in killing of 26 civilians and injuries to 107 others.
Sharbat Gula's blazing green eyes were captured in an image taken in a Pakistan refugee camp in the 1980s that became the magazine's most famous cover. (Photo: AP)

Peshawar: An Afghan woman immortalised on a National Geographic cover was deported by Pakistani officials early Wednesday to her war-torn homeland following a brief period of detention for using fraudulent identity papers.

Sharbat Gula, whose blazing green eyes were captured in an image taken in a Pakistan refugee camp in the 1980s that became the magazine's most famous cover, was discharged from hospital where she was being treated for Hepatitis C and taken to the border overnight, officials said.

"We have deported Sharbat Gula to Afghanistan. She crossed the border to Afghanistan at around 2:30am. She was also accompanied by her four children," Asmatullah Wazir, an administration official in the border town of Torkham told AFP.

A second official, requesting anonymity, confirmed the move and said Gula, 45, was accompanied by officials from the Afghan embassy.

Speaking to AFP last week, Gula said she was "heartbroken" at the prospect of returning.

"Afghanistan is only my birthplace, but Pakistan was my homeland and I always considered it as my own country," she said.

"I had decided to live and die in Pakistan but they did the worst thing with me. It's not my fault that I born there (in Afghanistan). I am dejected. I have no other option but to leave."

Gula said she first arrived in Pakistan an orphan, some four or five years after the Soviet invasion of 1979, one of millions of Afghans who have sought refuge over the border since.

Since July hundreds of thousands have returned to Afghanistan in a desperate exodus amid fears of a crackdown, ahead of a March 2017 deadline for the final return of all Afghan refugees.

Last month UNHCR said more than 350,000 Afghan refugees documented and undocumented had returned from Pakistan so far in 2016, adding it expects a further 450,000 to do so by the year's end.
Republicans will maintain their six-year control over the U.S. House of Representatives, according to early network projections on Tuesday night, as the party also put up an unexpectedly tough fight to protect its majority in the U.S. Senate.





The ABC and NBC television networks said Republicans, as widely projected in opinion polls, would keep control of the House, which has been in their hands since 2011.



Winners had been declared so far in 16 Senate races, with Democrats making a net gain of only a single seat so far, but some other opportunities for them remained undecided. Several key races were seen as too close to call.



Party dominance in Congress will be a crucial determinant of the policy-making outlook for the next president, whether it is Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump.



Democrats picked up their first Senate seat from Republicans as Representative Tammy Duckworth, as expected, defeated Senator Mark Kirk in Illinois, according to the major TV networks.



Duckworth is a double-amputee Iraq war veteran. With her victory, Democrats need to pick up four more seats from Republicans in order to win a majority in the Senate.



The networks projected that in Indiana, former Senator Evan Bayh failed in his bid to return to the Senate, losing to Republican Representative Todd Young. The two candidates had been vying to replace Republican Dan Coats, who retired. Bayh's loss was a missed opportunity for Democrats to gain a seat.



In Florida, incumbent Senator Marco Rubio, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination earlier this year, was declared the winner and re-elected.



Portman Re-elected in Ohio



Major TV networks said Republican Senator Rob Portman, who refused to campaign with Trump, was re-elected in Ohio.



Also projected as winners by the networks, as expected, were Republican Senators Rand Paul in Kentucky, Tim Scott in South Carolina, James Lankford in Oklahoma, Richard Shelby in Alabama, John McCain in Arizona, John Hoeven in North Dakota, Jerry Moran in Kansas and John Thune in South Dakota.



Democrats Patrick Leahy in Vermont, Chris Van Hollen in Maryland, Richard Blumenthal in Connecticut and Chuck Schumer in New York were declared winners.



Continued Republican dominance in Congress could stymie any legislative agenda pursued by Clinton, if she is elected. A Trump victory, with a Republican Congress, could spell a swift demise for Democratic President Barack Obama's health reforms.



Republicans have controlled the 100-seat Senate since 2015, but they had to defend far more seats this year than did the Democrats. Some analysts had raised the possibility of the 2016 election season ending with a 50-50 split in the Senate.



In such an outcome, the new U.S. vice president - either Democrat Tim Kaine or Republican Mike Pence - would be the tiebreaker in the Senate and determine control of that chamber.



To win Senate control, Democrats would have to score a net, five-seat gain. Republicans hold 54 Senate seats to 44 Democratic seats and two independents who align with Democrats.
An unprecedented 'desi' wave hit the US general elections as a record number of five Indian- Americans were all set to be elected to the US Congress today.

Indian-American women put up a good show in the 2016 elections, with Kamala Harris, 51, a two-term attorney general from California, creating history by winning the US Senate seat from the state.

Pramila Jayapal, 51, won the Congressional seat from Seattle to enter the House of Representatives, the first Indian-American woman to accomplish this feat.

Jayapal would be joined in the House of Representatives by Raja Krishnamoorthi, who made it to the highest citadel of democracy in their second attempt.

Ro Khanna and Ami Bera were leading in the race for the House of Representatives from their districts in California.

With 56 per cent of the votes counted in California's Silicon Valley, Democratic Congressman Bera was leading with 54 per cent votes at 47,427, ahead of his Republican party rival Scott Jones who got 46 per cent votes.

If elected for the third successive term, Bera would become the longest serving Indian-American Congressman ever.

Khanna, the democratic party candidate from Californias 17th District, was leading with 58 per cent votes at 50,952 after 72 per cent of the votes were counted.

His closest rival Mike Honda, also of the Democratic Party, had so far garnered 42 per cent of the votes. Interestingly, the outgoing US President Barack Obama had endorsed Harris, Krishnamoorthi and Bera. Senator Bernie Sanders and former US President Jimmy Carter had endorsed Jayapal.

Harris, who was born in Oakland, California, is the daughter of an Indian mother who emigrated from Chennai in 1960 and a Jamaican American father.

California Democrats had overwhelmingly endorsed Harris for US Senate, solidifying her front-runner status in the race to become Californias next Senator.

Endorsing Harris, Obama had said "Kamala Harris fights for us. Thats why I am so proud to endorse her for United States Senator. And if you send her to the Senate, she'll be a fearless fighter for the people of California, all the people of California, every single day."

Jayapal entered the US Congress on her maiden try. Born in Chennai, she left India at the age of five for Indonesia, Singapore and eventually for the US.

In the primaries, early this summer, Khanna had received more votes than eight-term incumbent Honda.





California electoral system allows the top two winners of the primaries to proceed to the general polls, even if they are from the same party. Khanna had narrowly lost to Honda in 2014 Congressional polls.





A Yale law graduate and a former official of the Obama administration, Khanna, 40, is pitted against his own party's Honda to represent the 17th Congressional district of California, whose residents stretch from "Tesla Motors factory in Fremont to Apple's headquarters in Cupertino--taking in Intel, Yahoo, and eBay along the way.





Bera, 51, is the only Indian-American in the current Congress and is third ever elected to the House of Representatives after Dalip Singh Saund in 1950 and Bobby Jindal in 2000s.





If re-elected for the third term, Bera would equal the record of Dalip Singh Saund, who was elected to the House of Representatives from the 29th Congressional District of California from January 1957 to January 1963.





Jindal, who later went on to become the two-term Governor of Louisiana, was elected to the US House of Representatives twice in 2004 and 2006. Krishnamoorthi, 42, was contesting for the 8th Congressional District of Illinois that includes west and northwest Chicago suburbs.





A son of immigrants, Krishnamoorthi grew up in Illinois and after college and law school, he became policy advisor for Obamas successful US Senate campaign. He also served as a founding prosecutor in Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigans anti-corruption unit.





In an endorsement in June, Obama had said as the son of immigrants who worked their way into the middle-class, Krishnamoorthi understands both the challenges facing America's working families and the opportunities their work makes possible.





"I know he'll fight hard in Congress to create more good jobs, empower more Americans to start businesses, and help working families afford to put their children through college," Obama had said.





Two Indian-Americans in fray from New Jersey and Michigan however lost their bid to enter the US Congress.





Democratic Party candidate in New Jersey's 7th congressional district Peter Jacob lost the race to Republican partys Leonard Lance, who got 55 per cent of the votes.





Jacob came in a close second garnering 42 per cent of the votes. In Michigans 11th District, Democratic Party candidate Anil Kumar lost the race, getting 40 per cent of the votes against Republican candidate Dave Trott who was leading with 53 per cent votes.

Jayapal says her life transformed for the better after she spent some time in India when she returned to the country after a gap of 25 years in April 1995. Her book-- "Pilgrimage to India: A Woman Revisits Her Homeland" was published in 2000.
The Punjab BJP on Tuesday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal for leading a propaganda to defame Punjab farmers after having painted the youth of Punjab in bad light as drug addicts.





Punjab BJP secretary Vineet Joshi on Tuesday said AAP was defaming farmers of the state holding them responsible for smog in Delhi. Joshi announced that whenever Kejriwal visits Punjab, the party workers and farmers will protest against his attempt to malign the farmers of Punjab.



Joshi said: A study conducted by Central Pollution Control Board and IIT Kanpur in 2015 showed that over 80% of air pollution in Delhi was because of factors within the city and its immediate neighbourhood. According to data from the road transport ministry, the per capita registration of high-emission vehicles in Delhi is the highest in India. Transport officials say that more than half of Delhis middle-class homes have two or more cars which has led to the vehicle population to treble since 2007.



As per the Census Commissioners estimate for 2015, the population in the new concrete conglomerate of Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Sonepat, Noida and Ghaziabad has almost doubled to 28 million in the last 15 years. On November 4, Faridabad in Haryana witnessed the worst smog in 17 years, with the particulate matter even higher than in south Delhi, while Gurgaon and Noida were at par with the capital, showing that pollution is not just a Delhi problem any longer.



Had stubble burning in Punjab been the cause for Delhis bad air, pollution in other cities falling between Delhi and Punjab would have been alarmingly high as well, he said, adding that smoke originating from fields in Punjab cannot reach Delhi in any manner. Blaming stubble burning alone for the rise in Delhis air pollution serves as a convenient tool because it shifts the blame on people not accountable to the residents of Delhi. It helps Kejriwal evade questions about their failure to take adequate measures, Joshi said.




There was marginal panic among Delhiites on Tuesday as the news of the midnight deadline for use of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 spread in the evening.





Initially, I thought someone was spreading rumours. When the Metro cashier told me about the ban on notes from midnight, I realised we were dealing with a real situation, said Raghav, a private firm worker, at Rajiv Chowk Metro station.



Multinational company accountant Kamal Chawla said: I am picking up grocery from a petrol pump as it could be difficult to find smaller denomination notes at colony stores in the morning.



Using up



Anjali Madan, a home maker, said: We all plan to eat out till late in the evening. At least we have an excuse to use up the old notes before the new currency notes are released by banks from Thursday.



Bhagwan Das, a retired government employee, said: I hope there would be no problem in getting my pension from bank.



There were curious motorists at petrol pumps. A motorist said: I got my cars petrol tank filled. The pump employee later told me that they would continue to collect old notes till November 11.



No from shops



College student Devansh, who rushed to market to get smaller denomination notes by using Rs 1000 notes kept in his home, returned disappointed.



The shopkeepers refused to take the Rs 1,000 notes, saying they need to preserve the Rs 100 and Rs 50 notes lying in their cash boxes, he said.



There were some who complained about the note phase-out plan of the RBI. It could have been done differently. For some time, there was total panic among people, said a retired accountant.



He, however, said he supported the logic behind the move. If it helps fighting terror funding, then we should all bear with the inconvenience.




The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, or ASSOCHAM, has said that Delhi NCR  including the areas of Delhi, Meerut, Panipat, Bhiwadi and Rohtak  is likely to face an economic crunch due to rising air pollution.





There is no doubt that several billions of dollars of fresh investment and GDP loss would occur, besides causing a loss of confidence among the citizens, said ASSOCHAM Secretary General D S Rawat, in a statement.



The trade association added that sectors like tourism, transport and real estate are likely to be affected due to smog.



The ASSOCHAM said that the Golden Triangle of Delhi-Jaipur-Agra witnesses the maximum foreign tourists and tour operators have expressed deep concern over Delhis air pollution creating global headlines.



There are already requests from global tour operators to Indian counterparts to re-align the itinerary of the international tourists to the Golden Triangle. There have been enquiries of whether visitors can avoid Delhi, the trade association said.



The highly-employable transport industry could also face repercussions of air pollution in the national capital, warned the trade association.



Maximum impact would be felt by the Delhi economy, the ASSOCHAM statement said and further suggested a holistic set of short-term and long-term initiatives to tackle air pollution.



It should not be taken as a Delhi problem or a Noida problem; it must handled at the top level in all neighbourhood states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan along with active intervention of the Centre, suggested ASSOCHAM.



On Monday, the ASSOCHAM said in a report that five to 10% employees in the national capital have been calling in sick due to respiratory problems due to smog.
Despite pollution showing a declining trend on Tuesday, the air quality continued to be alarming in the national capital about a week after it was first engulfed in its worst smog in 17 years, reports DHNS from New Delhi.





The Particulate Matter (PM) 10 level recorded around 7 pm in central Delhis Mandir Marg monitoring station was 302 microgram per cubic metres (ug/m), nearly three times higher than the prescribed limit of 100 ug/m3. The PM 2.5 level at the area was registered more than twice than the safe limit of 60 ug/m3 at 156 ug/m3.



The PM 10 and PM 2.5 levels in the region wwere recorded at 821 ug/m3 and 687 ug/m3 respectively on Monday.



The PM 10 levels at west Delhi Punjabi Bagh and east Delhis Anand Vihar areas were recorded at 324 ug/m3 and 1091 ug/m3 respectively whereas the PM 2.5 at the same areas were registered at 168 ug/m3 and 348 ug/m3 on Tuesday evening, according to the Delhi Pollution Control Committees data.



The air quality in the city for Tuesday was marked severe by environmental agency SAFAR. In comparison, the air quality in Maharashtras Pune has been marked moderate by the agency.



According to SAFARs prediction, while the air quality will continue to improve over the next two days, it will swing between the very poor and poor categories.



Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, after high-level meeting with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other government and civic officials, on Monday had reiterated several stringent steps to curb air pollution in the city.



These include the deregistration of diesel vehicles older than 15 years as well as a ban on cracker burning during weddings and non-religious events.




Charging the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) with lethargy, a senior revenue department official who was present at TG Halli, said there was a need to take stock of the situation.





We have requested the Bengaluru deputy commissioner to call a high-level meeting with the revenue department and BWSSB officials, to streamline and review the safety measures at TG Halli. The place is a restricted area and no one can enter without permission. Most importantly, film shooting has been prohibited here since 2005. All this being the case, how did the BWSSB give permission for film shooting? There is some loophole somewhere and it needs to be fixed, the official said.



The official said that it is very tragic that such an incident has happened, but said it was also tragic that a government official let it happen. This is also clear from the fact that none of the BWSSB officials was there at ground even at noon to take stock and clarify.



He added that a meeting will be called to tighten security at TG Halli and tighten the restrictions. There is also a need to restrict the entry of local fishermen at the location, because the water quality is bad, making it dangerous.



A BWSSB official, who has been staying in TG Halli quarters, said that the water body was de-silted around 25 years ago and that too in patches. But nothing was done after that. The water quality has deteriorated, it is polluted and filled with silt and weeds. The base in uneven, in some places the depth is 20 feet and then suddenly drops to 50 feet and 80 feet.



He came all the way from Mysuru...



Bengaluru: R Prashanth, 38, was another diver who came all the way from Mysuru on Tuesday early morning to help the rescue operation.



He told DH that he has worked in rescuing 23 bodies. I learnt of the accident on Tuesday morning. I contacted the Ramanagaram police and they brought me to T G Halli. I was 20 years old when I started helping the rescue teams in fishing out body, he said.



A resident on Ashokapuram in Mysuru, Prashanth is a painter by profession and a keen swimmer. On Tuesday, he dived into the water bare body, without any much equipment. When he came out of the water after almost a six-hour search, he was shivering in cold and his eyes were red, because of water contamination.



He has rescued people in Kerala, Algur police station limits, KRS, Balamuri, Srirangapatna and Chamundi Hill.



He was one of the swimmers and divers to help the rescue teams zero in on the location to search for the water body. He said he had tried to touch the water surface at 30 feet below, but got only stones and silt.






Kannada actors on Tuesday condemned the lack of safety measures during the shooting of the action scene for the film, Maastigudi, that claimed two the lives of two artistes, Raghav Uday and Anil.





Actor Jaggesh and his wife Parimala Jaggesh condemned what had happened and said that proper safety precautions should have been taken while shooting such a scene. What has happened is sad. We are with the families of the deceased actors and the film crew. The whole film fraternity will sit and contemplate what should be done and what rules should be laid out during film shoots, Jaggesh said.



Parimala said, Stunt artistes should put their foot down and say they cannot do a stunt if they have even a shred of doubt. Extra care should be taken when they have families. The death of the two artistes will never be forgotten. Actor Thriller Manju, who is known for his action scenes, slammed the lack of professionalism and disregard for human life. All due safety measures should have been taken in advance. No matter how thrilling or exciting a stunt be, safety should be given importance, he said.



Actor Duniya Vijay, who was saved during the shooting on Monday, refused to speak to the media. He is said to have been camping at the reservoir since the incident. He got into boats at frequent intervals to retrieve the bodies. Sitting on the bare ground, he was seen talking to colleagues from the film fraternity, explaining what had happened on Monday and the developments of Tuesday.


With her husband Donald Trump triumphing in the US presidential polls, Melania Trump was set to become the first foreign-born First Lady of the US in almost two centuries.





46-year-old Melania will be the first foreign-born First Lady since Louisa Adams -- the wife of John Quincy Adams, the sixth US president (1825-29).



Louisa was born in London to an English mother and an American father who served as US consul, according to the White House. Till date, Louisa was the only First Lady to be born outside the United States.



Melania, a Slovenian former model, was born in 1970 in communist Yugoslavia.

She is the daughter of Viktor Knavs, a car and motorcycle dealer and a member of the Slovenian Communist Party, and Amalija Knvas, according to media reports.



Melania began her modeling career when she was 16, and at the age of 18 signed with a modeling agency in Milan, Italy.



Melania has her own jewellery and skin care line and speaks five languages-- Slovenian, Serbian, English, French and German.



She met Trump at a Fashion Week party in New York in September 1998, when he was separated from his second wife Marla Marples.



They were engaged in 2004, and were married in a church ceremony in Florida the following year.



In March 2006, she gave birth to their son Barron.Melania got her Green Card in 2001 after moving to the US five years earlier and became a US citizen in 2006, a year after her marriage.



She has insisted that she is not shy about giving her husband political advice, despite avoiding the limelight for much of the presidential campaign.



In an interview with CNN, she said, "I give him my opinions, many, many times."

"I don't agree with everything he says, but, you know, that is normal. I'm my own person, I tell him what I think. And I think that's very important in a relationship," she said.



Melania had made headlines in July after she was accused of plagiarising parts of a speech made by Michelle Obama in 2008.



She had stood by Trump after video footage emerged of his boasting about groping women.



Melania is also stepmother to Donald Jr, 38, Ivanka, 34, Eric, 32, from Trump's first marriage to Ivana, and Tiffany, 22, from his marriage to Marla Maples.



It was a heart-break for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who was hoping to become the first woman president of the US, as the 70-year-old business tycoon edged past her in a see-saw battle.
Questioning a UK think tank report alleging its complicity in Pakistan's nuclear and missile programmes, China today said it has a world class "catch all" control system to curb proliferation of proscribed technologies.





"We have seen this report," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang told media briefing here replying to a question on the report titled 'Pakistan's strategic nuclear and missile industries,' prepared by Project Alpha at King's College, London which has alleged that Pakistan has procured supplies from China for its nuclear and missile programmes.



"What is mentioned in this report sounds so true but it doesn't hold water because it evades a fundamental question that is whether all the exports China made to Pakistan violates its legal and international obligations," Lu said.



The report identified China as the most important supplier of all forms of goods to Pakistan's nuclear and missile programmes, and most procurements from China are "probably from unwitting private suppliers".



"But, on a smaller scale, Chinese state and private entities continue to knowingly supply Pakistan's strategic programmes with sensitive equipment," it said.



While Pakistan's reliance on China's sensitive technologies is not surprising in view of their close and strategic ties, "it does nonetheless raise questions about China's commitment to the principles of the export control regimes which it claims to subscribe," the report said.



Denying China's complicity, Lu said: "As for our exports and non proliferation policies China is always responsible in this regard.



"We adopt catch all controls and list management. This is world class management system. With regard to whether any Chinese enterprise violated the law in pursuit of their own interests, for us, once they are discovered we will deal with them seriously," he said.



"There is no other country round the world that can declare 100 per cent sure that they do not have such enterprises. If the think tank is interested in China's non proliferation export controls then I suggest to them read carefully China's relevant regulations and they can compare the lists and relevant laws and see whether we violated the system," he said.

China has helped Pakistan in establishing several nuclear power plants. It is currently building two 1100 mw reactors in Karachi with USD 6.5 billion assistance.



Beijing claims its assistance to Pakistan to build nuclear power plants is under the norms of Nuclear Suppliers Group, (NSG) and the Internal Atomic Energy Agency, (IAEA).



The report also said that in view of its record in proliferation, Pakistan is not expected to be welcomed into the NSG.



The deceptive methods used by Pakistan to obtain dual-use goods questions "Pakistan's claim that it is a responsible actor in the non-proliferation domain.



"Pakistan cannot expect to be welcomed into the NSG when it continues to secretly and systematically undermine NSG members' national export control systems by targeting companies through the use of front companies and other deceptive techniques," the report said.
As the world was today stunned by Donald Trump's jaw-dropping victory in the US presidential election, world leaders were guarded in their reaction to the development while allies congratulated him.





Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was accused by Hillary Clinton of closeness to Trump, sent the winner a telegram to congratulate him and said Moscow is "ready to do our part and do everything to return relations to the trajectory of development".



Putin "expressed hope for mutual work on bringing US- Russia relations out of their critical condition as well as on working out outstanding issues on the international agenda" in his congratulatory telegram, the Kremlin said.



Congratulating Trump, British Prime Minister Theresa May saying the UK and US had an "enduring and special relationship" and would remain "close partners" on trade, security and defence.



China's President Xi Jinping sent congratulations to Trump and said he looked forward to working with him, state broadcaster CCTV reported.



"I highly value China-US relations, and look forward to working together with you, and holding fast to mutual respect and non-conflict, non-confrontation," the channel cited Xi as saying in its nightly national broadcast.



During the campaign, Trump had accused China of snatching the jobs of the Americans. He had earlier claimed that Americans are living through the "greatest jobs theft" in the history of the world, saying US companies were moving out jobs to countries like China, Mexico and Singapore.



French President Francois Hollande, who had earlier said Trump made him want to retch, warned his victory "opens a period of uncertainty."



"This American election opens a period of uncertainty," he said in a statement that offered only brief congratulations to the controversial billionaire.



Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said there was "no possibility" of its nuclear deal with world powers being overturned by Trump despite his threat to dismantle it.



"Iran's understanding in the nuclear deal was that the accord was not concluded with one country or government but was approved by a resolution of the UN Security Council and there is no possibility that it can be changed by a single government," state television quoted Rouhani as telling his cabinet.



Saudi King Salman, meanwhile, expressed hope that Trump would bring stability to the Middle East.



"We wish your excellency success in your mission to achieve security and stability in the Middle East and worldwide," Salman said.



German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that any "close cooperation" between the US and her country must be based on shared democratic values, and reminded him of the global responsibility he carries.



"Germany and America share the values of democracy, freedom, respect for the rule of law and human dignity, regardless of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political belief.



"On the basis of these values, I offer close cooperation to the future president of the United States of America, Donald Trump," she said.



Turkey also joined other countries in sending congratulatory message to Trump, expressing hopes for a "new page" in relations.



"I congratulate Mr Trump and I wish him success," Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in a speech in Ankara. He said that he has urged Trump to extradite as soon as possible the US-based Turkish preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of masterminding the July coup bid.



Meanwhile, former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt invoked Brexit on Twitter, saying, "looks like this will be the year of the double disaster of the West."


Hillary Clinton just couldn't woo African-American, Latino, Asian and younger voters and that contributed a large part of her undoing in her race to the White House against Donald Trump, US media said today.





"African-American, Latino and younger voters failed to show up at the polls in sufficient numbers on Tuesday to propel Clinton into the White House," CNN reported.



Before polls closed the Clinton campaign had been confident of victory. In the end, however, she lost even some states thought to be safely in her column, like Wisconsin. She trailed in others, like Pennsylvania and Michigan, it noted.



While Clinton, 69, won the key demographic groups her campaign targeted, she underperformed President Barack Obama across the board, even among women, the network said in a report based on exit poll data.



A slightly larger share of black and Latino voters cast ballots for Trump than supported Mitt Romney in 2012, despite Trump's disparaging remarks on African-Americans, Mexicans and undocumented immigrants, it said.



President Obama, who captured the presidency with the help of the African-American and Latino communities, issued several personal pleas to black voters to back the Democratic Party nominee in recent weeks.



But not enough African-Americans, along with Latinos, heeded the first black American president's call.



Some 88 per cent of African-American voters supported Clinton, versus 8 per cent for Republican Trump, as of early Wednesday morning. While that's a large margin, it's not as big as Obama's victory over Mitt Romney in 2012. Obama locked up 93 per cent of the black vote to Romney's 7 per cent.



Some 12 per cent of the electorate was African-American this year, compared to 13 per cent four years ago. That's a key drop, especially when paired with a smaller-than-expected growth in Latino votes, the report said.



This lowered turnout happened even after Trump repeatedly made sweeping comments about how black communities were in the worst shape ever. Referring multiple times to "inner cities," Trump said black people live in poverty, have no jobs and get shot walking down the street. "What do you have to lose?" he asked.



Asian voters, which made up a tiny 4 per cent of the electorate, were also less supportive of Clinton than of Obama. Some 65 per cent of Asian voters cast ballots for her, as opposed to 73 per cent for Obama in 2012.



Clinton's support among Latinos was even more tenuous, despite Trump pledging to build a wall on the Mexican border, accusing undocumented immigrants of being criminal aliens and promising to deport them.



Only 65 per cent of Latinos backed her, while 29 per cent cast their votes for Trump. In 2012, Obama won 71 per cent of the Hispanic vote and Romney secured 27 per cent.

Hispanics inched up to 11 per cent of the electorate, up from 10 per cent in 2012.



Beyond the Obama coalition, Clinton was also not as popular with white voters as Obama was. She won only 37 per cent of the white vote, compared to Obama's 39 per cent.



Surprisingly, Trump also garnered a slightly smaller share than Romney, capturing 58 per cent of the vote to Romney's 59 per cent. White voters made up 70 per cent of the electorate this year, down from 72 per cent four years ago.



Clinton also failed to capture as many young voters, who flocked to her rival Bernie Sanders in the primary and to Obama four years ago.



She won 55 per cent of voters age 18 to 29, compared to 37 per cent who cast ballots for Trump. But Obama secured 60 per cent of these young voters to Romney's 37 per cent.



When it came to women voters, Clinton won 54 per cent compared to Trump's 42 per cent. Even though 70 per cent of voters said that Trump's treatment of women bothered them, they still didn't flock to the woman who could have broken the glass ceiling. Obama won 55 per cent of the women's vote in 2012.


Two days after the fatal leap from a helicopter, the body of one of the two stunt actors, who drowned during an action scene for a Kannada film, was recovered today from the Tippagondanahalli lake, near here.





The body of Uday was fished out by the National Disaster Response Force-led search team, even as the lake with deep silt and weeds was being scoured looking for the remains of the other stunt actor Anil, police said.



"Uday's body has been recovered," said popular Kannada actor Duniya Vijay, who had a narrow escape after he was rescued by a fisherman when he and the other two jumped from the helicopter into the lake in a horrific scene caught on camera. Vijay has been at the site since the mishap happened.



A post-mortem was performed on the body of Uday and it was handed over to his inconsolable family.



The mishap had occurred on Monday while shooting a stunt scene for the climax of the film "Maastigudi", amid allegations that even basic safety measures were not in place, made worse by the rescue boat facing technical glitch.



Police struggled to control hundreds of people who had swarmed in and around the lake in Ramanagara district, near Bengaluru, impeding the operation.



Home Minister G Parameshwara who visited the site told reporters that "appropriate action" would be taken against those found guilty after police investigation. He said priority now was to recover the other body.



With the film unit coming in the line of fire, Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce today directed Duniya Vijay, director Nagashekhar and stunt director Ravi Varma not to involve themselves in any film-related activity till "further orders".



Chamber President Sa Ra Govindu said the "order" would hold good until they discuss the various aspects related to the incident with all the three, who have been faulted on various grounds.



"We respect it. We accept it (Chamber decision)," Vijay told reporters.


NSUI activists today barged into the hotel room of Congress general secretary in-charge of Odisha BK Hariprasad here and shouted at him over the non-participation of any senior party leader at the funeral of Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, a reputed Odisha Congress leader, who passed away at a private hospital in Gurugram on Sunday night.





The NSUI activists barged into the hotel room of Hariprasad, where he was holding a meeting with Odisha Congress chief Prasad Harichandan, and shouted at him for the "neglect' shown by the party's top leadership to Mohapatra.



Though Hariprasad was at the state capital yesterday, he neither visited Mohapatra's residence nor attended his funeral.



Besides Hariprasad and Harichandan, Congress secretary Subhankar Sarkar was also present in the hotel room when Mohapatra's supporters reportedly raised slogans against the "Delhi leader".



Shouting "Delhi neta go back", they openly "threatened" Hariprasad not to allow any central leader of the Congress into the state.



"Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra and Hariprasad were present at the meeting. We discussed the panchayat elections and future programmes of the party," said Harichandan.



He, however, did not speak a word on the NSUI activists' "challenge" to the AICC leader.



There was resentment over the "neglect" shown to Mohapatra among the state Congress leaders and workers.



"AICC leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had visited the hospital. But, it would have been befitting if the leaders at the helm had visited the hospital," Congress MLA Prafulla Majhi said, apparently in a reference to party vice-president Rahul Gandhi.



Another Congress legislator Jogesh Singh said, "Mohapatra was the only leader in Odisha who had a network covering all the 30 districts of the state. The Congress' central leadership ignored him. It would have been proper if senior leaders were present at his funeral."



Student and Youth Congress activists, among whom Mohapatra enjoyed a considerable popularity, were annoyed with Rahul for failing to visit the three-time MLA at the hospital.



"BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik paid his tributes to Mohapatra by visiting his residence before the funeral yesterday, but we are pained that Rahul Gandhi did not come to see him at the hospital," said a senior Congress leader, adding that Mohapatra had contributed a lot to the party over 35 years.

Angry Student Congress activists also expressed their displeasure over AICC's "attitude" towards the party's senior leaders in Odisha.
Donald Trumps stunning election victory on Tuesday night rippled way beyond the nations boundaries, upending an international order that prevailed for decades and raising profound questions about Americas place in the world.





For the first time since before World War II, Americans chose a president who promised to reverse the internationalism practiced by predecessors of both parties and to build walls both physical and metaphorical. Trumps win foreshadowed a US more focused on its own affairs while leaving the world to take care of itself.



The outsider revolution that propelled him to power over the Washington establishment of both political parties also reflected a fundamental shift in international politics evidenced already this year by events like Britains referendum vote to leave the European Union. Trumps success could fuel the populist, nativist, nationalist, closed-border movements already so evident in Europe and spreading to other parts of the world.



Global markets fell after Tuesdays election and many around the world scrambled to figure out what it might mean in parochial terms. For Mexico, it seemed to presage a new era of confrontation with its northern neighbour. For Europe and Asia, it could rewrite the rules of modern alliances, trade deals, and foreign aid. For West Asia, it foreshadowed a possible alignment with Russia and fresh conflict with Iran.



All bets are off, said Agustin Barrios Gomez, a former congressman in Mexico and president of the Mexico Image Foundation, an organisation dedicated to promoting its reputation abroad. Crispin Blunt, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in Britains House of Commons, said, We are plunged into uncertainty and the unknown.



The election enthralled people around the world on Tuesday night: night owls watching television in a youth hostel in Tel Aviv; computer technicians monitoring results on their laptops in Hong Kong; and even onetime oil pipeline terrorists in Nigerias remote Delta creeks, who expressed concern about how Trumps election would affect their country.



It is hardly surprising that much of the world was rooting for Hillary Clinton over Trump, who characterised his foreign policy as America First. He promised to build a wall along the Mexican border and temporarily bar Muslim immigrants from entering the United States. He questioned Washingtons long-standing commitment to Nato allies, called for cutting foreign aid, praised President Vladimir Putin of Russia, vowed to rip up international trade deals, assailed China and suggested Asian allies develop nuclear weapons.



Trumps promise to pull back militarily and economically left many overseas contemplating a road ahead without an American ally. The question is whether you will continue to be involved in international affairs as a dependable ally to your friends and allies, said Kunihiko Miyake, a former Japanese diplomat now teaching at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. If you stop doing that, then all the European, Middle Eastern and Asian allies to the United States will reconsider how they secure themselves.



In Germany, where US troops have been stationed for more than seven decades, the prospect of a pullback seemed bewildering. It would be the end of an era, Henrik Mueller, a journalism professor at the Technical University of Dortmund, wrote in Der Spiegel.



The postwar era in which Americans atomic weapons and its military presence in Europe shielded first the west and later the central European states would be over. Europe would have to take care of its own security.



Norbert Roettgen, chairman of the German parliamentary committee for foreign policy and a member of the ruling party, said Trump was completely inadequate to his office. That Trumps election could lead to the worst estrangement between America and Europe since the Vietnam War would be the least of the damage, he said.



Perhaps nowhere was Trumps win more alarming than in Mexico, which has objected to his promises to build a wall and bill Americas southern neighbour for it. I see a clear and present danger, said Rossana Fuentes-Berain, director of the Mexico Media Lab, a think tank, and a founder of the Latin American edition of Foreign Affairs. Every moment will be a challenge. Every move or declaration will be something that will not make us comfortable in the neighbourhood  and that is to everyones detriment.



With about $531 billion in trade in goods last year, Mexico is Americas third-largest partner after Canada and China. Supply chains in both countries are interdependent, with US goods and parts shipped to Mexican factories to build products that are shipped back into the US for sale. Five million US jobs directly depend on tr-ade with Mexico, according to Mexico Institute.



The Mexican peso immediately fell 13% after the election, its biggest drop in decades. Barrios Gomez, the former congressman, predicted a short-term peso devaluation of 20% and a Mexican recession as supply chains across the continent become sclerotic and investments dry up. The business community, he said, was freaking out.



The economic fallout will probably reverberate farther. Izumi Kobayashi, vice chairman of Keizai Doyukai, a Japanese business group, predicted a drop in foreign investment in the United States as executives skeptical of Trump wait to see what he does.



Ecstatic Russia

One of the few places where Trumps victory was greeted enthusiastically was Russia, where state-controlled television has been feasting on the circus-like elements of the US election. Not since the Cold War has Russia played such a big role in a presidential election, with Trump praising Putin and US investigators concluding that Russians had hacked Democratic emails.



Trumps presidency will make the US sink into a full-blown crisis, including an economic one, said Vladimir Frolov, a Russian columnist and international affairs analyst. The US will be occupied with its own issues and will not bother Putin with questions.



As a consequence, he added, Moscow will have a window of opportunity in geopolitical terms. For instance, it can claim control over the former Soviet Union and a part of the Middle East. What is there not to like?



And even some countries that might expect to see some benefits from a US retreat worried about the implications. Counterintuitive as it might seem, China was concerned about Tr-umps promise to pull US troops back from Asia.



If he indeed withdraws the troops from Japan, the Japanese may develop their own nuclear weapons, said Shen Dingli, professor of international relations at Fudan University in Shanghai. South Korea may also go nuclear if Trump cancels the missile deployment and leaves the country alone facing the Norths threats. How is that good for China?



For US voters, that was not the point. After decades of worrying about what was good for other countries, they decided it was time to worry about what was good for America. And Trump promised to do just that, even if the rest of the world might not like it.
When the rest of the nation was standing in queues outside ATM counters on Tuesday evening, wholesale trader Arvind Jaiswal (name changed) was putting in action a plan that would earn him lakhs.





Using the scheme, he made hay while the sun shone on a slightly chilly day.

A dealer in fruits at Burrabazar in central Kolkata, one of the largest wholesale markets in India, Jaiswal boasted having made nearly Rs 26 lakh between 8 am and 3 pm on Wednesday. The man in his mid-40s had kept aside his legal income of around Rs 3 crore in Rs 100 notes as part of his weekly earning and was readily exchanging Rs 500 denomination notes for Rs 100 notes, albeit at a price.



For every Rs 500 note Jaiswal broke into 100s, he gave away Rs 480, earning for himself a commission  batta in local parlance  of Rs 20. In the days course, he claimed to have made a substantial amount in just commission he charged. Since this is my legal income Ive nothing to fear when I go to the bank with stacks of Rs 500 notes, he said with a smile.



Like most traders from the hub, who visit their bank to deposit weekly earnings, Jaiswal goes to the bank every Friday. He admitted there were others also making money in this manner. At least 100 other traders from Burrabazar made money from batta throughout the day, he added. Traders involved in batta trading pointed out that they were only exchanging Rs 500 notes.



Anand Agarwal (name changed), another trader from Burrabazar, who also made a killing, admitted that most people having Rs 500 notes broken into 100s were coming with illegal earnings. I dont know who decided to start this but anybody with Rs 100 notes were earning batta. Since there were many takers, I jumped in, he said.


An army soldier was killed in fresh ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Machil sector of north Kashmir on Wednesday.





Two Pakistani Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants were meanwhile killed in an encounter with security forces in Rafiabad area of north Kashmirs Baramulla district.



Reports said the soldier was killed when a sniper fired by Pakistani troops hit him in Machil sector along the LoC. Heavy firing and shelling was going on in the area as Indian troops were retaliating with heavy weapons on Pakistani posts, an army official said.



Another soldier, who was injured in Pakistani shelling on Tuesday in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district, died at the army hospital. Naik Harvinder Yadav was injured along with his five colleagues on Tuesday when a mortar shell fired by Pakistani troops hit their vehicle. While one soldier, identified as Naik Prem Singh, died on the spot, five were shifted to the Army Hospital.



In Rafiabad area, a joint team of armys Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group of J&K Police laid siege to a village on Wednesday evening, police sources said. They received a tip off that militants were hiding inside a house in Dursoo village, they added.



As the search was on, the hiding militants opened fire on the security forces, triggering an encounter in which two militants were killed, a source said.

Superintendent of Police, Sopore, Harmeet Singh confirmed the killings in the encounter. He said both the militants were Pakistanis and were affiliated with the LeT outfit.
India on Wednesday lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over the persistent ceasefire violation by its soldiers along the disputed and undisputed stretches of the border.





Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan Syed Haider Shah was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs in South Block here. Gopal Bagley, joint secretary (Pakistan-Afghanistan-India), conveyed to him the strong concern of the government of India on the continued violation of ceasefire along the International Border and the Line of Control by the soldiers of the neighbouring country. New Delhi noted that in spite of calls for restraint, the Pakistan army and security forces had committed 16 ceasefire violations since November 3, resulting in death of three Indian soldiers.



The government conveyed that such loss of life is unacceptable. In addition, the injuries to civilians during the shelling by Pakistani forces are deplorable and strongly condemned, stated a press release issued by MEA on Wednesday.
In a stinging criticism of the Election Commission (EC), Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel questioned the impartiality of the poll panel.





Goel was issued a notice over a plea seeking his disqualification for holding an office of profit.



Accusing the EC of acting under pressure to target AAP MLAs, Goel denied any wrong doing or holding any office of profit in patient welfare committee of any government-run hospital.



Goel, along with 26 other legislators, has been given time till November 11 to give clarification in the matter brought to the notice of President Pranab Mukherjee by law student Vibhor Anand.



The speaker slammed the EC for wrongly issuing him notice and maliciously publicising it to give the impression that he was wrongfully holding an office to which he was not entitled to.



The fact is that I have never been and nor am I at present either a chairperson or a member of any of the Rogi Kalyan Samitis (RKSs), he said.


As Donald Trump is set to take over the Oval Office at the White House, New Delhi expects that the new US administration will be more forthcoming to work with India in combating terrorism emanating from Pakistan.





Given Trumps strident rhetoric against terrorism during his campaign over the past few months, New Delhi expects that the new government in Washington would put more pressure on Islamabad to stop pursuing a selective approach in combating terrorism.



New Delhi has long been complaining that while Islamabad has been carrying out military offensives against terrorists in western Pakistan and showcasing it to the word as a sign of its commitment to combat terror, it has not been acting against anti-India outfits based along its eastern border.



During his campaign, Trump referred to nuclear-armed semi-unstable Pakistan as a problem for the US and the world. He also made it clear that his administration would expect the US allies and partners in the region to do more to deal with such problems.



It is still not clear when the first meeting between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take place. Officials, however, told DH that Indias focus on the early days of its engagement with the new US administration would be to make Washington see through the fallacy created by Pakistan about the offensives its army launched against terrorists. What we will have to make clear to the Trump administration fast is that a more robust India-US counterterrorism cooperation would require Washington to make Islamabad change its selective approach on combating terror, a senior official in New Delhi said.



New Delhi also expects that the new US administration would be open to greater role of India in Afghanistan, notwithstanding the reservation of Pakistan.



Fingers are however crossed in New Delhi over Trump administrations immigration policy. Trumps strong views on immigration during the campaign created a perception that he would take a tough stand on migrants, not only the ones who get in illegally, but also the professionals who migrate to the US legally.



His campaign rhetoric included an overhaul of the H1B visa issuance programme, and a pause and review of issuance of green cards.



This is a concern. But we hope that President Trump would better acknowledge than Candidate Trump the positive role of Indian professionals working in America, particularly in contributing to the competitiveness of US economy, another official in New Delhi said.



If the speculation about an upturn in US-Russia relations with Trump in White House proves to be true, New Delhi is likely to find it easier to balance its ties with Washington and Moscow. New Delhi, however, will be keenly watching how the new US administration deals with China and accommodates Indias interests in Asia-Pacific.



George Bush administrations push for the India-US civil nuclear cooperation agreement and Washingtons high-octane diplomacy to secure the Nuclear Supplier Groups waiver for India in 2008 raised the bar of expectation for the bilateral relation.
Top defence officials from India and China had a quiet meeting to discuss how the two sides would maintain peace while guarding the 4,056 km long disputed boundary

.



At the eighth meeting of China-India Defence and Security Consultation held on Tuesday, the visiting delegation was led by deputy chief of the Joint Staff Department of Chinas Central Military Commission Sun Jianguo while the Indian team was headed by Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar.



Jianguo said the Chinese military was willing to join hands with the Indian Army to strengthen the border management so as to safeguard peace and stability in the border areas. The two neighbours are in constant dialogue on how to reduce flare ups, often seen in Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.



In the absence of a demarcated boundary, friction between the border guarding troops from both sides and entry into each others territory happen regularly, though officials from both nations deny any motivated intrusion.



Last year, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar informed Parliament that Chinese troops transgressed 1,278 times between 2010 and 2013. In 2013, there was a three-week long face-off between the troops of either side near Daulat Beg Oldie in the Ladakh region.



In October 2013, the two countries signed border defence cooperation agreement to ensure that patrolling issues didnt lead to an armed conflict. However, the transgression along the border and in the general area of Pangong Tso lake as well as the stand-off between the guards continued.



The latest stand-off took place last week in Demchok, located 250 km east of Leh, where India was carrying out construction of an irrigation canal.



Around 60 People Liberation Army personnel arrived at the locality and sought to halt the work.


The bloated body of actor Raghav Uday, bogged in the silt for two days, came to the surface of the Tippagondanahalli reservoir on Wednesday.



It was at 3.32 pm, nearly 48 hours after the nervous 32-year-old jumped into the murky waters, that his body buoyed up.



The search team, working since Monday afternoon, continued its operations well into the night on Wednesday, looking for Udays fellow-actor, Anil Kumar (33).



The two friends, known for their sculpted physique and daring stunts, had plunged into the reservoir from a helicopter for the climax of the Kannada film Mastigudi. With no support from the unit, they gasped and disappeared, with a camera capturing their tragic end. Police have arrested the producer of the film, amid questions over how the authorities had allowed the unit to shoot in a restricted area.



Duniya Vijay, hero of the film, had jumped in seconds after the two stuntmen, and was brought ashore in a coracle. He had been the only actor, among three featured in the scene, wearing a life jacket.



How it showed up

Udays body surfaced with its head up, and DIG Fire and Emergency Services H S Revanna noticed it first. He was accompanying Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner V Shankar in a rescue boat.



They took about 15 minutes to double-check and confirm it was Uday. The ambulance ferried Udays body to a tent near the reservoir, where doctors from the Magadi Government Hospital conducted a postmortem. The procedure took about an hour and was done by 7.15 pm.



The body was then handed over to the bereaved family, which proceeded to his house in Yediyur, Jayanagar 7th Block. The body will be cremated at Banashankari on Thursday. Revanna explained the body was swollen because it had been submerged for two days. Fish had nibbled at Udays wrist and abdomen. The body showed some cuts around the stomach and chest, presumably caused by the sharp hooks thrown down during the search operations. Had the actors worn clothes, the hooks would found them more easily, a member of the search team said.



What divers did

Hassan, a diver from Mangaluru, said he and his team had cleared some silt and weed, causing the body to buoy up. We were sure we would find both bodies today, but we have been able to find only one. We had zeroed in on a spot on Tuesday, but the body was found 10-20 metres away, towards the temple, he said.The teams continued their search with the help of torches, emergency lamps and vehicle headlights, and wound up by 8.30 pm.



We will use motorboats and the turbulence may make the body come out on its own. If we dont trace it by morning, it may drift far away, said a rescue official.





I saw the body in the backstroke posture. I assumed it was a member of the search team, and asked my colleagues why he was doing a back stroke when the others were looking underwater. The team soon realised it was Udays body, Revanna said.

An emergency team member signalled from the boat to his colleagues on the shore. The big crowd that had gathered at the site then surged forward, prompting the police to cordon off the water front.



A National Disaster Relief Force boat rushed to the spot with a bedspread. The team, comprising the police, emergency staff and divers from Mangaluru, brought the wrapped body ashore in an ambulance.



There was more confusion when a member of Udays family said it was not him. Officials requested Udays aunt Jayamma to take a close look at the body. Duniya Vijay and the film crew was also called to confirm its identity.
With the money in their wallets suddenly losing all value, people struggled to buy food, medicine and fuel on Wednesday.





Many had heard about the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes late on Tuesday, but they experienced its impact only when they tried to go about their lives on Wednesday morning.



The worst-affected were the real estate and auto sales sectors. The city saw almost no property registrations as all banks were closed, and high-value transactions call for banking intervention.



We had just 1% of the work we would do on a regular day,'' a sub-registrar said. Only those who had obtained a demand draft beforehand came for property registration. Even the ones with the drafts found the transactions difficult as they didnt have money for the fees at the sub-registrars office. We refused higher denomination notes, and they didnt have enough money in smaller denominations, an official said.





Similarly, vehicle sales took a plunge. The situation could stabilise once new currency notes are in circulation, the official said.



Bars and pubs saw fewer customers than usual and some of them closed early. The BWSSB shut down its payment kiosks on Wednesday. With Bescom only accepting notes of Rs 100 and lower denominations, transactions dwindled, as power bills mostly run into thousands. The KSRTC, BMTC and the Railways accepted the discontinued denominations as long they had change to give out.



At Bannerghatta, nearly 70% of all visitors to the national park had to be turned away as they only had Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. It was a common sight for people being similarly sent back from hospitals, pharmacies, hotels and even fuel stations. We had sent away at least 80 customers by 9 am, said a cashier at Madappa Mess, one of the oldest eateries in Gandhinagar. The situation was no different at other commercial establishments.



Hospital arguments

Private hospitals had a hard time convincing patients that only government hospitals were allowed to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.



Government hospitals ran out of change by noon, and insisted patients bring in exact change. Patients and their attendants had heated arguments at both government and private hospitals. Some petrol bunks went dry by afternoon. Quite a few branded jewellery stores remained closed all day, since they saw no potential for business.



Change agents cash in

Touts have seized the opportunity to make a quick buck. They offered change for Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, and took a big cut on what they handed out. In Mumbai, the going rate for Rs 1,000 is Rs 700, but here we are giving Rs 800, a man involved in the business told DH.


As counting of votes to determine the 45th president of the United States of America began, Americans in Bengaluru gathered in restaurants across the city to spend the anxious wait together.





The day began with optimism at Habanero, a restaurant in Indiranagar where Bangalore Democrats Abroad had organised a breakfast. Badges with Clintons campaign logo were distributed and people sat watching trends on news channels.



As Trump won the electoral votes in one state after the other, the atmosphere grew tense. They had expected Clinton to take a clear lead.



Sean Blagsvedt, originally from California, once worked as an intern for Bill Clinton.

So many celebrities have spoken out against Trump. People have been campaigning against him on social media. In spite of this, he is leading, so it makes me wonder if we have done enough, he said.



The disappointment in the room was palpable when Trump crossed the minimum required 270 electoral votes. We wanted a decisive defeat for Trump and his ideas, said Cammie Vallepalli, chair of Bangalore Democrats Abroad. It was also important for most of us to see Clinton become the first woman president of the country. After Obamas historic presidency, we wanted this one to change history too, she added.



Kitty Chachra-Singh, a Canadian citizen who has lived in the US said, This is unexpected and it shows the sheer stupidity of Americans. As a businessman, Trump made all his products in China and now people expect him to create jobs.



On a lighter note, she added Thankfully, my children have dual-citizenship so they can live out the Trump presidency in Canada.



On the other hand, the Republicans who gathered in Hard Rock Cafe to watch the results, were triumphant that their candidate became the 45th president of USA.

DH News Service
The dwindling fortunes of Indian IT companies in the past two quarters might further be marred by the victory of Donald Trump who vigorously campaigned against the unfair advantage of India.





Even though the Indian IT industry body Nasscom has congratulated Trump on his historic win in the US presidential election, industry observers are concerned over his protectionist agenda and the cyclical effect of the industry which will pave the way for sub 10% growth in FY 2017.



In a statement issued on Wednesday, Nasscom Chairman and Tech Mahindra & CEO & MD CP Gurnani said, I am quite hopeful that the new government headed by him will continue to pursue mutually beneficial bilateral relationship with India while acknowledging the contributions of the Indian technology companies to the growth of the US economy.



Trump has already showed his commitment towards furthering the relationships with India, during his election campaign. With the uncertainties over the elections over now with this decisive mandate, we as an industry are looking forward to work closely with the US corporates and further cement this relationship, Gurnani said.




Hundreds of people thronged Udays house on K R Road in Yediyur on Wednesday night to catch a final glimpse of his body.





Necessary arrangements were made at the house for people to pay their final tributes to Uday.



Around 30 police personnel including two assistant commissioners of police and four inspectors were deployed at the house. Arrangements for the funeral are being made at Banashankari crematorium. The actor would be cremated on Thursday.



Surendra, a friend of Uday said: It is heart-wrenching to know that someone close to you lost his life in such a manner. It is unfair to Uday that he died at a point when he was becoming famous. He had worked hard to reach where he was. He should not have attempted the stunt at the cost of his life. But now, nothing can be undone.



Meanwhile, members of his family and friends demanded strict action against the people for making him do such a dangerous stunt without any safety measures.



Family inconsolable

Udays relative Muniyappa, who was inconsolable, said, Every day, before leaving his house, Uday used to take the blessings of his mother by touching her feet. But on the fateful day, he did not even say bye to her and left the house without seeing her.



Udays mother collapsed when she heard that her sons body was retrieved. A doctor visited the house and checked on her. She has not eaten and has no strength to even talk.



Bengaluru Development Minister K J George, actor Shivaraj Kumar and several actors, technicians and stuntmen visited the house and paid their final tributes.

Onlooker drowns?



A senior police officer said, Yellaiah, a resident of Tavarekere went to see the retrieval operation on Tuesday but did not return home. The family members approached the Tavarekere police station and registered a missing complaint. They stated that Yellaiah was watching the rescue operation and a swarm bees started attacking people. While he was trying to escape, he fell into the Thippagondanahalli reservoir and drowned. But this is yet to be ascertained and the police are trying to trace Yellaiah.

DH News Service
The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday refused to hear the PIL seeking a ban on the celebration of Tipu Jayanti in Kodagu and other districts of Karnataka.





When the matter was moved by petitioner K P Manjunath, a division bench comprising Chief Justice S K Mukherjee and Justice R B Budihal, refused to hear the plea. The bench had earlier directed the chief secretary to hear the petitioner's plea and pass an order by November 8. However, the petitioner contended that he did not receive any order from the chief secretary and sought directions to take action against him.



The government counsel produced a copy of the chief secretary's order who refused to entertain the petitioner's contentions and stated that Tipu Jayanti will be celebrated in a simple manner by banning all rallies. The order has said that all precautionary measures have been taken to ensure there was no law and order problem anywhere in the state. Tipu Jayanti will be celebrated across the state on Thursday.


The Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) will allot another 5,000 sites at Kempegowda Layout in December.





Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told this to media after allotting 5,000 sites on seniority basis picked through computer randomisation process here on Wednesday. Besides, 5,000 sites to applicants, the BDA also alloted 2,170 sites to land owners as part of their share. As many as 31,000 people had applied for the sites. The BDA will start refunding the deposits to those who have not received the sites. The amount will be credited to their respe-ctive bank accounts through RTGS, Siddaramaiah said.



BDA commissioner Rajkumar Khatri said there is no need for panic on NGT order violations at KG Layout. We have complied with the NGT orders, he said adding that the site allottees will get their allotment letters from next week.



The BDA has provided roads, drainage and other infrastructure in the layout. The details of the list of allottees have been uploaded on BDA website, Khatri said.



Bengaluru Development Minister K J George, BDA chairman Venkatesh, additional chief secretary Mahendra Jain were present.
With the announcement of demonetisation of 500 and 1000 rupee notes, shops were not accepting these notes and were demanding change from customers.





Santosh M, a cashier at a vegetarian restaurant in Indiranagar said, I had to send customers back because they had only 500 rupee notes. Since we do not have a card swipe machine here, we suffered losses, he lamented.



In spite of having a card swipe machine, business at some eateries was affected. We are getting half the crowd than what we usually have on weekdays, noted Dhananjay, manager of a Cafe Coffee Day outlet, who attributed the drop in footfalls to the fact that they were not accepting Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.



Gopakumar K, who supplies wholesale goods to small grocery stores in the city, however braved it and accepted the demonetised notes. He said, Shop owners are paying me in 500 rupee notes for the goods and I have no choice but to accept them. I will have to get them exchanged at the bank later, he said.



Venkatesh R, who runs a small newspaper stall in the Majestic area said in spite of the inconvenience, people did not complain. Finance consultant Chandrashekhar hailed the Prime Ministers move and said that, It would be a blow to corrupt bureaucrats. The usual crowds at the KR Market, Chickpet, Kalasipalyam and surrounding places were missing. Traders were as helpless as the customers. People had invalid higher denomination currency notes in bulk but couldnt buy anything since traders didnt want to risk accepting invalid notes, which they feared were fake. Small vendors and traders who did not have debit/credit card swiping machines were badly hit.



Mohammed Mazhar, a tea powder seller in Kalasipalyam said the business was very poor. There is hardly any crowd. It appears as if some curfew has been imposed in this area. He however, welcomed the move saying that it will deal a big blow to the black money holders and those circulating counterfeit currency notes.



Hotelier Somu in Kalasipalyam said there were no customers since morning. Some people came with Rs 500 to have breakfast. We refused to accept them. Its risky. We don't have any business. When asked to comment, Kumar, who has a spices shop in KR Market, remarked, Hardly have I seen Avenue Road and the entrance of KR Market so deserted. It's unusual. People came to me with the junk notes and I rejected them.



The traders fear that the condition will remain for the next three to six months. Their worry is the abolition of the notes is coming at such a time when the people of Karnataka in general and Bengaluru in particular were hit by a series of bandhs. This is a bad year for traders, said Mohammed Mazhar.


Leading private hospitals, on Wednesday, turned away out-patients, saying that they could not accept Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 notes for the fees. The rule applies only to government hospitals and not us, they told patients.





While the hospitals did not deny treatment to in-patients and said that the treatment fees would be added to their medical bills, out-patients were asked to give the exact amount as they did not have change.



In one such incident, it led to a tiff between an out-patient and the staff of St Johns Medical College Hospital.



Not accepting

When we contacted the Reserve Bank of India, they instructed us not to accept the notes as ours is a private hospital, said the spokesperson of the Hospital. When the DH reporter called up Narayana Nethralaya, Manipal Hospital, Mallya Hospital and other hospitals posing as a patient, they said that they were not accepting Rs 500 notes from out-patient cases.



At government hospitals

The morning hours saw people making a beeline for government hospitals to get change. By afternoon, they ran out of currencies of smaller denomination, putting patients and their attendants to hardships.



At Victoria Hospital, the pharmacy had a temporary board affixed that patients had to tender the exact amount.



We had several patients asking for simple medications such as paracetamol so that they could get change. We could not deny them the medication as we could not find out who needs it genuinely, said the pharmacist. The attendants of in-patients at Victoria and Vani Vilas Hospitals were forced to go to private pharmacies for want of change.



Ananth (name changed), a resident of Malleswaram, could not get a test for diabetes done as the diagnostic centre near Malleswaram Circle did not have change for Rs 1,000. At KC General Hospital, a similar situation prevailed.



I have severe anaemia and was admitted to the hospital yesterday. Today, I was denied medicines at the Janata Medical Store on the hospital premises as I did not have change, said Kokila, a patient.



Surgery put off

At Kidwai Institute of Oncology, Khaleel Ahmed, a lung cancer patient, claimed that doctors postponed the date of his surgery from Wednesday. I found it hard to fetch the medicines as I did not have change. By the time I returned, I was told that they would not be able to operate upon me today as there was a delay from my end, he said. Reacting to this, doctors said that they had postponed the surgery as there were variations in his blood pressure.



Water bills

Payments for water bills were not accepted at any of the BWSSB outlets. They will not be accepted on November 10 either, according to a note issued by the Board.

The BMRCL has allowed commuters to top up the travel card up to Rs 1,000. However, there has been no sale of new cards.


Bishops senior Nikita Krishnan visited Torrey Hills Elementary School recently to encourage young students to spark an interest in STEM. Nikita, 16, took her interest in STEM and created her own non-profit Creature Comfort and Care  she uses 3-D printer technology to provide inexpensive but effective prosthetics and assistive devices to animals in need.

Torrey Hills science teacher Uma Krishnan (no relation) invited Nikita to the school on Oct. 25 to inspire her robotics students.

Nikitas innovation evolved out of her enjoyment of community service. She had been working as a volunteer with the Lions, Tigers and Bears, a big cat and exotic animal rescue in Alpine.

I really loved working with animals but I realized I could be doing more. I wanted to help even more, Nikita said.

Through her volunteerism with the rescue, she understood how big an expense it can be to take care of animals. She wanted to create an inexpensive solution to an expensive animal-care problem. To find her solution, she turned to STEM and began researching 3-D printing.

Nikita knew nothing about 3-D printing before she began but found that anything is possible with the amazing technology of the printer  you could make 3-D jaws, beaks, horseshoes, horns, legs and splints for animals made of safe, non-toxic material.

She founded Creature Comfort and Care with her home printer and reached out to many local organizations to see if they would be interested in what she offered. She heard no response.

Failure was a big part of my experience, Nikita told the students. Without failure, I wouldnt be where I am today Failure is common and happens to everyone and you shouldnt let it get you down.

While there were times she wanted to give up, she was determined and kept sending out inquiries about her free service. Finally, she received a response from the Greyhound Adoption Center, which rescues track dogs, many of them from Mexico. A lot of the dogs suffer from injuries in their legs.

Nikita first met with the dogs, took a lot of photos and measurements and brainstormed ideas for a splint. Through a lot of trial and error, she designed a model to take to the printer using a program called On Shape.

The splints they had been using were 11-and-a-half ounces and were heavy for the dogs to carry, Nikita said. My splint was three-and-a-half pounds, which was much lighter and helped expedite the healing process.

Her first splint was for a dog named Leah. It worked for her and I was really happy, she said.

Media attention for her series of splints has resulted in some requests to create prosthesis for some three-legged dogs. She is excited to be working on designs for those dogs right now.

Nikita said throughout the process she has learned so much about science and technology of 3-D printing and it shows how with dedication, someone can make a difference at any age.

To learn more, visit creaturecomfortandcare.org.
Turkcell will be getting an investment injection following an agreement signed between Russian firms Alfa and VTB.

The Russian group confirmed that their agreement was an intention of investment since it will allow Alfa, which is controlled by Russian billionaire Mikhail Fridman, to increase its holding in Turkcell.

Alfa already holds a stake in the Turkish market leader and has been clashing over the operators ownership structure with Cukurova  the equity partner of Turkcell founder Mehmet Karamehmet  for over ten years.

The ownership dispute is now on course to be resolved this month  marginally ahead of the deadline. The operator is owned by Turkcell Holdings, of which Fridman holds 13.2%, Karamehmet holds 13.8%, and Swedish group Telia owns 37%.

In April this year, Cukurova began an arbitration process in an attempt to acquire Alfas stake in Turkcell Holdings, commencing legal action in the London Court of Arbitration. Cukurova claimed that Alfa contravened its partner agreement by taking advantage of infighting between Telia and Turkcell.

In July, the court threw out the claims against Fridman and ordered Cukurova to either pay $2.7 billion to acquire Alfas shares in Turkcell, or sell their stake to the group for $2.8 billion. It then extended the deadline for the resolution of the ownership dispute from September into November.

The agreement between Alfa and VTB suggests the Fridman could be looking to buy out Karamehmet and Cukurova. VTB issued a statement saying that it believes any investment could help Turkcell generate higher foreign exchange earnings, and further enhance its investment potential.
Supermarket giant Tesco has lowered the amount of sugar in its own brand soft drinks.

The move has been made ahead of the proposed sugar tax announced earlier this year, which will begin in 2018. The levy will see food and drink manufacturers taxed if they fail to reduce sugar in products by 20 per cent.

Tesco has cut their sugar levels in around 50 products to below 5g of sugar per 100ml, and halved the sugar in products such as Tesco Cola to meet nutrition recommendations. The new range of Tescos reduced soft drinks will be in stores from November 11.

This announcement marks the final step of Tescos reformulation of its 251-strong range that began in 2011.

Public health minister Nicola Blackwood added: It is great to see Tesco leading the field by reducing the level of sugar in their own brand drinks.

The governments sugar levy is designed to encourage manufacturers to cut the sugar from their products before the levy comes into force in 2018. Responsible actions like this are so important in our fight against childhood obesity.

Last month, New York-based PepsiCo revealed it is planning to reduce the added sugar in two third of its drinks by 2025.

While steps such as these are welcomed as part of tackling the rising rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes worldwide, sugary drinks remain harmful when consumed on a regular basis.

Consuming 5g of sugar per 100ml still represents a hefty load of sugar; a 250ml serving would therefore contain over three teaspoons of sugar.

For people with diabetes, or at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, its particularly important to avoid sugary drinks unless they are being used to treat hypoglycemia.
Tidal energy power company Atlantis Resources said was pleased that the government will include marine energy for the allocation of the second contracts for difference scheme in April.

The department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy reserved 580m for the scheme to provide an incentive to low carbon electricity generators.

In April the application for the 290m funding will open for projects to be delivered in 2021-22 or 2022-23.

The second round is to support less established technologies, including offshore wind, anaerobic digestion with or without combined heat and power, biomass, advanced conversion technologies, wave, tidal and geothermal energy.

AIM-listed Atlantis Resources said while the removal of the previously pledged ring-fenced allocation is disappointing, the decision announced Wednesday was not unexpected and it now has a clear view of how to move its UK portfolio forward.

The company looks forward to participating in the 2017 contracts for difference auction with a number of its upcoming projects, and in the interim it will continue discussions with UK and Scottish governments on continuing support for this growth and job creating sector.

It said it remained committed to ensuring that the UK maintains its world leading position in the development of tidal stream power, with phase 1A of the company's MeyGen project in Pentland Firth, between the Orkney Islands and Caithness in Scotland, is currently under construction. It benefits from the ROC regime and is on track to deliver first power in 2016.

Shares in Atlantis Resources were down 0.4% to 1042 GMT.
South African diamond miner DiamondCorp announced that the second tranche of financing facility from Rasmala amounting to 300,000 is in the process of being drawn down by the company.

The facility is collateralised against 5,000 carats of diamond inventory, which the groups lace mine is expected to process by the end of the day.



In the current month production is on schedules to exceed 15,000 tonnes and the grade to date is 29 carats per hundred tonnes.



The share price fell 5.49% to 2.15p at 1202 GMT.
Mine-to-metals specialist Jubilee Platinum announced on Wednesday that its subsidiary, Braemore Nickel , has received a notice of termination of the Tailings Supply Agreement dating back to 2005 relating to the Leinster Nickel Operations in Western Australia, from BHP Billiton .

The AIM-traded firm said Braemore has informed BHP that it rejects the termination notice since it believes no factual or legal basis exists for such termination.

Braemore has been continuing with the internal review of the nickel tailings project with the aim of improving the viability of the project as part of the economic evaluation of the project.

This nickel tailings project does not form part of Jubilee's earnings nor has any influence on the execution of Jubilee's platinum and chrome projects, its board said in a statement.

Jubilee continues to pursue further tailings opportunities to add to its existing platinum and chrome projects and looks forward to updating the market in due course.

Jubilee, through its tailings processing subsidiaries, said it continues successfully to develop and implement innovative processing solutions for the recovery of metals and minerals from various tailings materials.

It said those innovations and progress offer significant opportunities across the tailings recovery spectrum.
Management Resource Solutions , the Australia-focused equipment and construction services group, has closed its consulting business after terminating its last, lossmaking contracts, with management saying they plan to take to the courts to try and recover "several million dollars" it feels are due.

The AIM-listed company's shares were suspended late last month on the board's request, due to "a number of operational and financial matters that required review", and followed close behind with the departure of chief executive Paul Morffew.

On Wednesday the company, currently led by Joe Clayton, chief executive of recently acquired SubZero, said it had uncovered "significant shortcomings in the group's contracts with PEAL in Papua New Guinea and with Aiotec in New South Wales" and by terminating these immediately it would eliminate a $1.5m annual cash drain on the group.

After taking legal advice, MRS said the amounts due from PEAL and Aiotec were yet to be determined and subject to potential counter claim "but are likely to be in the order of several million dollars before costs".

As regards the suspension of the shares, the directors said they were going over the accounts with their advisers and bankers "to identify and rectify areas of concern" and would apply for re-admission once they were satisfied these had all been identified.

"However, the directors are able to confirm that the businesses of SubZero and Bachmann are thriving and any issues impacting the group are contained within the now defunct consulting business."
AIM-listed Stellar Diamonds has agreed to joint ventures with Dubai-based Citigate Commodities Trading, over the miners kimberlite project in Guinea and two exploration licences in Liberia.

The joint ventures will allow the company to focus on the proposed Tongo-Tonguma transaction in Sierra Leone, which offers significant value potential.

Stellar's local teams will manage the programmes for at least the first phase of work on each project, which the company will receive a management fee.

Chief executive Karl Smithson said: "Stellar is focussed on the proposed Tongo-Tonguma transaction in Sierra Leone, as previously announced. As such we are delighted to finalise these joint ventures on terms which are highly attractive to Stellar and our shareholders, who will retain an ongoing interest in the projects, including a proportion of any revenues commensurate with each parties' shareholding during each particular phase.

In a preliminary economic assessment the Tongo-Tonguma project was found to have an estimated pre-tax project net present value of $172m, an internal rate of return of 49%, and projected life of mine project revenues of $1.5bn.

The company currently has a 75% interest in the Baoule kimberlite project and a 100% interest in the two western Liberia early stage exploration licences, which it was awarded in February.

For the Baoule project there is a staged earn-in by Citigate's subsidiary, SAFA Afrique, of up to 75%, with a phase one expenditure of $1.5m for a 25% stake and $2m for a phase two and a further 25%.

Phase three of the project involves a pre-feasibility study for a further 25% stake.

The company will be paid a phase one management fee of $150,000 to receive 56% of gross revenues from a trial mining.

Citigate was awarded off-take rights on goods exported during the earn-in process.

For the Liberia joint venture, there will be a staged earn-in by SAFA Afrique of up to 85% of the project, with a phase one expenditure of $250,000 for a 25% stake and $2m for a phase two and a further 25%.

Phase three of the project will cost $4m for a further 35% stake.

The company will be paid a phase one management fee of $25,000 and will receive pro-rata revenues from any diamond sales.

Citigate was awarded off-take rights on goods exported during the earn-in process.

For each of the joint ventures, phase one is expected to take place over a 12 months starting in November, and phase two is expected to take place over two years, with phase three expected over three years.

AFA Afrique will be awarded a 25% stake in each project when the company receives funds due.
SyQic indicated to the market that it could be seeking an extension to discussions with a potential suitor on Wednesday.

The AIM-traded company had announced on 20 April that it is in discussions with Jamal Hassim, its chief executive, and MMV Investments, a company owned by Johan Robb - together Bidco - in connection with a possible offer for the whole of the issued share capital of SyQic.

Its half yearly report for the six months to 30 June, and its final results for the year ended 31 December - both of which were announced on 7 September - referred to interest from Yuma Ventures to acquire all the shares in the company.

The board said on Wednesday that it would like to clarify that Yuma Ventures, currently owned by Jamal Hassim, is being considered by Bidco as the entity to be used for any possible offer by Bidco for the company.

It added that there is no guarantee that any offer will be forthcoming.

As previously announced on 28 October, Bidco must, by not later than 1700 GMT on 11 November 2016, either announce a firm intention to make an offer for the company in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies, the board confirmed in a statement.

The company also announced that it could approach the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers for a further extension to this deadline in due course in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code.

This deadline will only be extended with the consent of the panel in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the code.
Shares in Tate & Lyle tanked on Wednesday as Exane BNP Paribas downgraded its stance on the stock to underperform from neutral and cut the price target to 570p from 760p.

The bank made the downgrade before Donald Trump actually won the US election, noting that his victory poses a threat to US-Mexican trade relations.

The companys US-based business makes corn fructose sweeteners for soft drinks.

With Trump in power, there is a possibility that the US-Mexico trade agreement will be at risk, Exane said, adding that losing Mexican access would be disastrous for the high-fructose corn syrup (HFSC) industry.

The US HFCS industry finally gained unfettered access to Mexico in 2006 thanks to a bilateral agreement mandated by the North American Free Trade Agreement. This resulted in a multi-year bull run, which has continued until now, in the US corn sweetener industry.

Should NAFTA come under pressure, HFCS looks very likely to be one of the first industries to be impacted (the Mexican sugar lobby is very strong), Exane said.

Capacity utilisation effectively determines US HFCS industry profitability. As outlined in our report earlier this week, we estimate that losing Mexican access would see industry capacity utilisation plummet from 90% to 78%, a level not seen since 1997. Industry profits would very likely collapse (as a guestimate, -50% feels a reasonable).

The bank pointed out that North American corn sweeteners account for around 40% of Tates earnings before interest and taxes, so Trumps victory could drive a material re-rating in the shares.

Exane said it was leaving its estimates for the company unchanged given the lack of visibility on the timing and scope of any potential changes in the US-Mexico trade relations. However, it is now valuing Tate at its historical trough price-to-earnings multiple relative to peers in recognition of the risk.

At 1430 GMT, Tate shares were down 11.7% to 660p.
After shocking pollsters and investors by winning the race to become the 45th US president, Donald Trump received a range of congratulatory messages from world leaders, with a strong theme of building bridges and improving .

Prime Minister Theresa May emphasised the enduring and special relationship between Britain and the US and highlighted that they will remain close partners on trade, security and defence.

The UK has been attempting to build bridges after a parliamentary debate in January saw MPs debate whether Trump should be allowed to enter the country, with the then-presidential outsider being called a wazzock, a buffoon and misogynistic.

During his campaign, Trump said if Russia attacked a Nato member, he would consider whether the country had met its defence commitment before coming to its aid.

His victory, which will be capped by official inauguration on 20 January 2017, was also thought likely to reinforce the trend toward European politicians expressing right-wing and nationalistic views.

Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, respectively presidents of the European Council and European Commission, sent a joint letter inviting Trump to an EU-US Summit.

The pair wrote: We should consolidate bridges we have been building across the Atlantic. Europeans trust that America, whose democratic ideals have been a beacon of hope around the globe, will continue to invest in its partnerships with friends and allies, to help make our citizens and the people of the world more secure and more prosperous.

At a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday, Natos chief Jens Stoltenberg also said he would invite Trump to Nato's summit next year, adding that "US leadership is as important as ever and a strong Nato is good for the United States".

Martin Schulz, the European Parliament's president, said that working with Trump will be harder for the EU, telling Europe 1 radio: "It will be hard, harder than with previous administrations, but he is the freely elected president. We must respect the future president of the United States ... I hope we will find a slot to co-operate."

Francois Hollande, the French president, said France will remain an ally but the result "now opens a period of uncertainty".

French far right leader Marine LePen was one of the first public figures to congratulate Trump and the free American people, while the head of Germanys right wing party Alternative fur Deutschland, Frauke Petry, said the result was encouraging.

Russian president Vladimir Putin, to whom Trump often directed praise during the campaign, sent the American a telegram wishing him "success in the vital responsibilities of head of state" and that he hopes to improve US-Russia relations to "solve international issues and search for effective answers to global security challenges.

"Building a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington based on principles of equality, mutual respect, and a real accounting of each other's positions is in the interest of the peoples of our countries and the whole global community."

Russia was accused of interfering in the election as it allegedly hacked into the Democratic National Committees computer networks, which Trump resolutely discounted.

During the campaign Trump referred to himself as Mr Brexit, and received some campaign assistance from Nigel Farage, former Ukip leader and leading Brexiteer.

He said on Twitter on Wednesday that he would "hand over the mantle".
Burberry s profits slumped as the fashion house implemented a turnaround plan to cut costs and revamp its products.

For the six months ended 30 September, revenue slipped 4% to 1.15bn compared to last year but was up 5% on a constant currency basis.

The FTSE 100 company, which in May said it was to overhaul its product categories in order to increase revenue, said the growth in revenue was strongest in its stores, particularly in the UK, which offset declines in wholesale and licensing, in part due to its actions to build and reinforce its luxury brand position.

However, adjusted pre-tax profit plunged 24% to 146m, and was down 4% on a constant currency basis, while reported pre-tax profits plunged 34% to 102m.

Diluted earnings per share fell 39% to 16.2p.

At the end of September, the company had 529m net cash, a 15% increase from last year, with outflows including a 69m payment for China and Burberry Middle East non-controlling interests, 43m capital expenditure and 32m from a share buyback.

Chief executive Christopher Bailey said: "In May we outlined plans to evolve how we work as a business and to drive Burberry's future growth in a rapidly-changing luxury environment.

Since then, we have made good early progress towards realising the significant opportunities ahead of us, as we begin implementing our five strategies. We remain on track to deliver our financial goals."

The company said it was on track to meet at least 100m of annualised cost savings by 2019, which around 20m will be delivered in 2017.

In the 2017 financial year the company expects new space in the retail business to contribute low single-digit percentage growth to retail revenue, while around 15 store openings are planned, with a similar number of closures.

In wholesale, it expects revenue at constant exchange rates in the six months to 31 March 2017 to be down by a mid-teens percentage, with the trends in fashion and beauty similar to those in the first half.
Tata Steel is planning to close its UK pension scheme before it has to make a 60m payment due next year to help to plug a deficit in the fund, according to people briefed on the matter. The 15bn British Steel Pension Scheme has been a significant obstacle in the way of a resolution for Tatas struggling British operation, which was put up for sale this year. The Indian conglomerate subsequently revealed it was in talks with rival company ThyssenKrupp over a possible merger of their European steel businesses.  Financial Times

Theresa May is under growing pressure from pro-Brexit campaigners to press ahead swiftly with a House of Commons vote to trigger the Article 50 EU divorce clause, rather than wait for a Supreme Court ruling that may not come until January. Mrs May intends to appeal against a High Court ruling which said that parliament must have a vote on triggering Article 50  raising concerns in Downing Street that it could turn into a messy and time-consuming parliamentary battle. - Financial Times

US drugs giant Pfizer will shut two of its three manufacturing plants in the UK in the next four years, putting 370 jobs at risk. The Park Royal site in London, which Pfizer inherited when it acquired Hospira in September, is earmarked for closure by May 2017, leaving 100 employees out of a job. The site takes liquid medicines and puts them into dosed vials, which are then sold to hospitals.  Telegraph

The UKs biggest companies should have at least 33pc of their executive positions filled by women by 2020 and have to declare the number of senior female member of staff, a government-backed review has urged. The independent review, headed by Sir Philip Hampton, chair of GlaxoSmithKline, and Dame Helen Alexander, chair of UBM, focused on senior women below board level to ensure that women are being promoted throughout companies.  Telegraph

One of the worlds biggest mining companies, and a stalwart of the London stock market, was embroiled in an alleged bribery scandal last night over a multimillion-dollar payment to a consultant. As news of the crisis broke, Rio Tinto suspended one of its most senior executives after uncovering a $10.5 million payment related to vast west African iron ore project.  The Times

A new era of competition on the railways, in which niche train operators take on the large regional monopolies, could be drawing closer after plans were revealed to launch a new company to run services between London Waterloo and Southampton on the South Western network. An application for the launch of Grand Southern, a so-called open access train company, comes months after authorities gave the green light to a new budget 25 service between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh to compete with Virgin East Coast.  The Times
Gold miners Centamin and Acacia mining gained as the price of gold went up by 2.3% after investors sought out safe haven investments in the wake of Trumps victory. Gold surged with ferocity on Wednesday as Trumps victory triggered risk aversion which encouraged investors to frantically pile into safe-haven assets, said FXTM analyst Luzdary Hamman.



Meanwhile British infrastructure groups Balfour Beatty and Hill & Smith benefited from Trumps pledge to improve infrastructure in the US.



Worldwide Healthcare Trust, which invests in the global healthcare sector, gained after Clintons loss as she had made it clear she wanted to increase regulation and combat high drug prices.



Workspace rose after reporting a jump in net rental income for the first half and hiking its dividend by 40%.



Defence technology providers Ultra Electronics and Cobham also benefitted from Trumps win. He is likely to push NATO members to increase their spending to 2% of GDP if they want to maintain US support and the Republican administration will itself increase spending on defence.



British agribusiness Tate & Lyle however lost out on Trumps victory with its profits at risk if he decides to pull America out of the North American Free trade agreement (NAFTA). Exane BNP Paribas downgraded its stance on the stock from neutral to underperform and cut its price target by 25% to 570p.

Analysts at the bank felt Trump's victory posed a threat to US-Mexican trade relations with him calling the NAFTA the worst deal ever. Exane believes losing Mexican access will be disastrous for the high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) industry, with an estimated 90% loss in industry capacity utilization. Given that North American corn sweeteners account for around 40% of Tates earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) the analysts expect Trumps presidency to weigh on Tate's shares.



Avevas shares gave back some of the gains it made on the back of well received results on Tuesday.





Risers

Centamin (DI) (CEY) 168.50p 9.06%

Acacia Mining (ACA) 560.00p 8.11%

Balfour Beatty (BBY) 282.20p 7.67%

Worldwide Healthcare Trust (WWH) 2,091.00p 7.07%

Hill & Smith Holdings (HILS) 1,133.00p 6.38%

Ultra Electronics Holdings (ULE) 1,929.00p 6.28%

Cobham (COB) 156.50p 5.74%

Weir Group (WEIR) 1,689.00p 5.63%

Workspace Group (WKP) 681.00p 5.42%

Petra Diamonds Ltd.(DI) (PDL) 156.30p 5.04%

Fallers

Tate & Lyle (TATE) 666.50p -10.90%

Aveva Group (AVV) 1,704.00p -4.00%

International Personal Finance (IPF) 282.00p -3.89%

Templeton Emerging Markets Inv Trust (TEM) 588.50p -3.05%

JPMorgan Emerging Markets Inv Trust (JMG) 716.50p -2.91%

Laird (LRD) 131.60p -2.81%

Greencore Group (GNC) 302.40p -2.73%

PZ Cussons (PZC) 323.00p -2.68%

Smurfit Kappa Group (SKG) 1,767.00p -2.48%

Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group (JLT) 957.00p -2.40%






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Ohio Senate candidates J.D. Vance, Tim Ryan face off at live town hall

The candidates in the Ohio Senate race are answering questions during a live town hall broadcasted on Fox News Channel.
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The owner of the landfill, Republic Services, said it has spent $27 million to control methane, others gases and odors.



LOS ANGELES (AP)  The largest dump in Los Angeles County is under fire from several agencies for a stench that some residents say is unbearable.

About a dozen witnesses testified last week at a South Coast Air Quality Management District hearing to consider a nuisance-abatement order against the owner of Sunshine Canyon Landfill, the Los Angeles Daily News reported.





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TACOMA (AP)  A Tacoma man charged with embezzling $2.3 million from his freight company employer has been sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison.

The News Tribune reports that 37-year-old Toni Andersson was sentenced Monday after being convicted of wire fraud in U.S. District Court in Seattle.





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PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP)  The federal Environmental Protection Agency has released its final decision on an estimated $613 million plan for General Electric to remove toxic chemicals from a stretch of the Housatonic River in Massachusetts.

The Berkshire Eagle reports the plan comes days after a hearing officer rejected GE's arguments against the proposal.





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The state is suing the U.S. Department of Energy and Washington River Protection Solutions for endangering workers.



By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS

Associated Press

SPOKANE  A federal judge last week rejected the U.S. Department of Energy's motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Washington state over worker safety issues at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.

U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Rice rejected an Energy Department argument that the federal agency was not endangering enough Washington residents to allow the state to sue.





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SEATTLE  Two industrial properties along the BNSF tracks in SoDo sold for $8.3 million, according to King County records.

The seller was PTS Partnership, which acquired the land in 2000 for $1.58 million. PTS is associated with Steve Stivala, president of the MacMillan-Piper freight-handling business.





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Tata Motors, Indian Oil, Petronet and petroleum ministry join to launch India's first LNG bus

India on Tuesday launched a liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fuelled bus, the first in the country, in a joint effort by Tata Motors, Indian Oil Corporation, Petronet LNG (PLL) and the ministry of petroleum and natural gas.

Minister of petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan launched the bus in the presence of the chief minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan at Thiruvananthapuram.

The LNG-fuelled bus being launched on a pilot basis is part of the petroleum ministry's plan to use LNG directly for mass transportation and to reduce carbon emissions in the country simultaneously generating savings. The launch also coincided with the fourth meeting of the group of ministers (GoM) holding transport portfolios.

The bus was brought to PLL's Kochi LNG terminal for LNG filling. The fuel tank of the bus was provided by USA-based Chart Industries.

As it is a pilot project, the LNG-fuelled bus will run on trial basis before it can be certified for commercial application.

Speaking on the occasion, Dharmendra Pradhan complemented the Kerala's chief minister for kick starting a new era of gas-based transportation in the state.

''History is being scripted with the test run of LNG bus; this can connect far off places whereas CNG can be used within cities. LNG, CNG will be a big step in meeting COP-21 targets. Further, Indian Oil will develop CNG infrastructure and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) network in the state of Kerala. I have requested the assistance of the Kerala government in laying gas pipeline by GAIL from Kochi to Mengaluru which would strengthen gas penetration in Kerala. I have also requested the state to withdraw the recently introduced VAT on natural gas to encourage use of LNG & CNG,'' said Dharmendra Pradhan in a series of tweets.

''The Indian government has already announced that it is planning to use LNG, which is cheaper than diesel, as a fuel for railways and long-haul transportation. The KSRTC, which has a fleet of 6,000 buses, has already announced plans to use natural gas. LNG is greener as well as more economical as compared to diesel. LNG is more suitable for heavy duty segment like trucks and buses,'' said an official government statement.

Dharmendra Pradhan also flagged off an electric bus, CNG bus, solar-powered auto rickshaw and an electric rickshaw.

LNG is an environment-friendly fuel with less number of Nox, Sox and particulate matters, as compared to any other automotive fuel. Co2 emission is also lesser than diesel. The introduction of LNG in transport segment will also help India meet its COP21 commitment.

The ministry of road transport and highways (MORTH) has already released draft notifcation for use of LNG as an automotive fuel. Final notification is expected to be released soon. Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) has formed an expert committee to form regulations for installation of LNG fuel tank and dispensing stations, which is also expected to be released at an early date.


Louth County Council's Director of Housing Services has said the homelessness crisis in the county is spiking and there's been a worrying trend of more families presenting themselves as homeless.

Louth County Council's Director of Housing Services has said the homelessness crisis in the county is spiking and there's been a worrying trend of more families presenting themselves as homeless.

Joe McGuinness told last night's Dundalk Municipal District Meeting that over 100 were in emergency accommodation last month and a number were in need due to the investor homes they'd been renting, being repossessed.

He said while the homelessness crisis reached a peak in Dublin or Galway two years ago, locally more families are presenting as homeless.

Mr. McGuinness added that the local authority's using hotels, B&Bs, leased properties and all means possible to house those affected, but he said more housing units are needed.

Sinn Fein Cllr. Edel Corrigan - who raised the issue, says the latest figure is unacceptable.

It is absolutely shocking to see what people are actually going through on a day-today basis, Sinn Fein councillor Edel Corrigan said.

We are in a crisis and we need more done.

The figures are there. We had one hundred people present themselves as homeless in county Louth last month alone.

There is no way we cxan jusdtify this situation.

There is no way we can justify that.

The Government's new Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness has emphasised the need for local authorities to get properties that are vacant reoccupied.

It is seen as a major part of the new housing programme.
The following guest post was written by Susan J. Demas. Susan is Publisher and Editor of Inside Michigan Politics, a nationally acclaimed, biweekly political newsletter. Her political columns can be found at SusanJDemas.com. Follow her on Twitter here.

In the three hours since Ive arrived home from babbling about the election on a Detroit TV station, Ive had to roll out of bed four times to pee.

I feel like Im pregnant  the familiar cinching on my bladder, the uncontrollable creep of morning sickness. It all briefly reminds me that my husband and I had spent months anxiously debating whether to have a late-in-life baby  one that would be ours after bringing one child apiece into our blended family. I was pushing 40; he was already there. In the end, we opted to be practical and put more money in our kids college funds. That was two years ago. So I know there most certainly is no baby. There is only a dull dread in my belly. And it all feels like a lifetime ago as election results tauntingly flash through my head.

I am a political analyst. I do this for a living. This is my fifth presidential rodeo. I thought Donald Trump could very well end up being the GOP nominee back in September 2015 (and I have the posts to prove it). I also thought the Republican Party would coalesce around him, which it did.

But no, I did not think he would win the presidency. And neither did most of my colleagues (and even a majority of voters, if you look at the polls). As an analyst, you learn to game out electoral possibilities by sliding states around in the 3-D map in your head. I wasnt alone in thinking Trumps path was extraordinarily narrow. It was. But I was wrong like so many on Election Day. I didnt expect Wisconsin to fall or Michigan to be agonizingly close.

There will be many pieces and books written about this election. Thousands of stories are already in the ether. Ive barely had time to touch any of them. There will be recriminations from Democrats about picking a weak and unpopular candidate whose campaigns grasp on analytics was vastly overblown. There will be angry columns about those who cast vanity votes for third-party candidates when it was all on the line. There will be political science analyses of negative partisanship, the breakdown of social norms and institutions, and the signaling Republican elites sent to voters by embracing Trump  or staying silent due to fear. There will be rapturous stories about the unsung heroes of the Trump operation who pulled off the biggest upset in modern American political history. There will be (even more) homespun yarns about poor Trump voters long ignored by coastal elites.

I dont really care at the moment. I suppose I will at some point.

Elections are personal. It was personal to millions when America elected the first African-American president in 2008 after a history marred by slavery. It was nothing short of amazing. We all thought it was the ultimate symbol of progress. But its undeniable that racial resentment has been at the core of Trumps message just eight years later  and it probably put him over the top.

This is personal because Im a woman. A major party finally tapped a female presidential nominee for the first time in our 240-year history. Women havent even had the franchise for a century. I was raised in a traditional household where my Greek father never told me I could be anything (but my homemaker mother did). A female president is something Ive been waiting my whole life for. I wanted my teenage daughter and especially my teenage son to witness and be part of this history. So when Ive heard some variation from people of, Yes, yes, of course, but not this woman, it has made me want to scream. Hillary Rodham Clinton is the most qualified person to run for president in decades. To say that she was more qualified than Donald Trump borders on black comedy. So when is it ever the right person? When is it ever the right time? Clearly, we dont know.

This is personal because Im a member of the media. At Trump rallies, journalists have been assaulted by attendees and staffers. Reporters have endured sexist, racist and anti-Semitic slurs, most recently including Jew-S-A! Jew-S-A! and Luegenpresse, which was, of course, what Nazis called lowly reporters. Trump has vowed to gut the First Amendment. Now well see if it he makes good on that promise as the most powerful man in the world. We journalists have much to be ashamed of in this election, especially the circus-like cable news racket. Ratings and clicks superseded journalistic judgment too much of the time. And we careened through the looking glass and found ourselves in a race where truth and facts didnt matter. Fake news sites, Twitter bots and conspiracy theorists clogged social media with garbage, some of which filtered into the mainstream media. All of it made voters angrier and less-informed.

This is personal because Trumps bigoted campaign was on display for all to see. He is the alt-rights darling and has been endorsed by the KKK. He won the GOP primary by promising to build a wall with Mexico, picking fights with Black Lives Matter and proposing to ban Muslims from the country. His closing argument ad was full of anti-Semitic tropes, blaming Jewish powerbrokers like Fed Secretary Janet Yellen for rigging the system against good working-class folks.

This is personal because I have a gay, half-Jewish daughter. Shes 14. She was raised to believe she could do anything. She came of age when marriage equality became legal. Last night when I hugged her before bed, she started sobbing. Will I still be able to get married? she asked and I assured her she would. But no, I dont know for certain. I dont control elections. I dont control the Supreme Court. But I will move heaven and earth to make sure that she has the same right to happiness as anyone else in this country.

This is personal because we are not the country I thought we were. Trump, however, is exactly who he said he was. There are all sorts of reasons to have voted for him: tax cuts, Obamacare, terrorism, trade, jobs, etc. But you dont get a pass on what he is. He is sexist. He is a bigot. He is a bully. He is an authoritarian. Your vote is an endorsement of his character, no matter what you told exit pollsters. Your vote will allow him to have the nuclear codes. Your vote will allow him to seek revenge against his enemies. Your vote will allow him to enrich himself in the Oval Office, as we dont know his business dealings and hes refused to commit to setting up a blind trust. Your vote will allow him to discriminate against groups of people. Your vote will allow him to hurt the least among us.

This is a shameful chapter in our history and its just beginning. It has made me physically ill, but sadly, not with the hope of bringing new life into the world. Im not sure when I will sleep through the night again.

But I will never give up. My children  and all children  deserve better. The promise of America is progress. Donald Trump doesnt share that view. He wants to take us backward. I dont believe he shares our collective values. But he won the election and will now lead our country. For those of us with a conscience, now is the time to rise up for liberty, equality, kindness and compassion  because they are more fragile than we ever imagined. This is gut-check time. This is when you find out who you are. This is when we fight.
Even the ones who are voting for him



Reporting on Donald Trump isnt easy.

Hes an unrepentant liar with no ambitions beyond power and fame. He has no need to ever find gainful employment again and no conscience to bind him to reality.

While there is some evidence that fact checking is more effective than academics once believed, what Trump is doing goes beyond willful misrepresentation.

We lack any common language for talking about press performance at the level where Trump eluded it, Jay Rosen writes, in brief review of how modern conservatism has led us to this post-truth moment where there are no gatekeepers on the right who explain that Trump is lying about everything from crowd size to why a camera cant move or what Obama said to a protestor.

He goes on to quote from Jason Stanleys Beyond Lying: Donald Trumps Authoritarian Reality to explain why the media cant properly convey the depths of Trumps mendacity:

Trump was not trying to make reference to reality in what he said to win votes. He was trying to substitute his reality for the one depicted in news reports. On a certain level, the media lacked the vocabulary to describe what was happening, Stanley writes. And I agree with that. He compares what Trump did to totalitarian propaganda, which does not attempt to depict the world but rather substitutes for it a ruthlessly coherent counter-narrative that is untroubled by any contradiction between itself and peoples experience.

But the press really didnt even really try, explains Brian Beutler:

On the rare occasion when Trump stories eclipsed the din of chatter about Clintons completely irrelevant emails, they were frequently about how Trump had shown discipline in the final stretch. In reality, on every single one of those days, he was saying outrageous and false things at a dizzying clip.

Its part of a grander failure to understand how the right has exploited what Beutler calls the bias toward balance, which has been key part of the conservative effort to reshape reality that began in the early 1970s.

The creation a right wing media thats the direct source of news for millions of Americans transcends its finite audience by intimidating the wider media into accepting that the conservative point of view, which is a complete fiction on issues like climate change, be represented in equal weight alongside actual reality.

This intimidation hit a fevered pace as Trump made Two Minutes Hate toward the media a key part of his traveling show, especially as he no long had polls to brag about, but its effectiveness at infusing a bias toward white grievances has largely been ignored, explains Ta-Nehisi Coates:

White racial grievance enjoys automatic credibility, and even when disproven, it is never disqualifying of its bearers. It is very difficult to imagine, for instance, a 9/11 truther, who happened to be black, becoming even a governor. And yet we live in an era in which the countrys leading birther might well be president.

The best example of how the media is biased toward the right wing narrative of victimhood is the flood of stories about the working class whites who became Trump supporters, parodied with proper viciousness by Benjamin Hart who visited Bleaksville, Kentucky (or maybe its in Ohio or West Virginia, I cant remember).

Checking Trump against a rubric of reality is tough and exhausting. Hes earned some 240 Pinocchios from The Washington Posts Fact Checker, probably more than the number of electoral votes hell earn.

But the bias towards covering Trumps appeal comes at a cost.

Where are the stories about the families Trump wants to break up with his deportation squads?

Where are the stories about the women and children Trump wants to bomb?

Where are the stories about the refugees Trump has demonized and wants to endless strand in hell?

Where are the stories about lives ruined by the stop and frisk policies Trump casually proposed taking national?

And by avoiding the real harm Trump could do to millions and millions of real people, the press has all but ignored the damage Trump would do to the people hes promising to help  the white working class the media frets over endlessly.

Where are the stories about the millions of Americans with pre-existing who would lose health insurance?

Where are the stories about the families who could pay more in taxes as Trump offer the most of rich the biggest tax cut ever?

Where are the stories about the millions of Americans who could lose their jobs if Trump really did roll back Wall St. reform and let the economy experience another crash like 2008?

If we read those stories, wed see that many of the people whod be hurt worst by these policies would be the white working class he says hed help.

Its true Trump has an appeal beyond normal Republicans because he talks about a trade an issue that stokes the emotions of people who dont attend Koch brothers weekend retreats. But has anyone asked a Trump supporter how hed make trade deals better? Would they have any idea  given that Trump himself has never given us one example of a specific he would make better?

If only the sympathy for Trumps victims had been extended for some realistic appraisal of his policies. We cant expect the press to fix Trumps lies.

But we can hope they will see beyond them.

[Photo by Gage Skidmore | Flickr]
As water protectors dig in for the winter near construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), many rumors have been circulating about whether DAPL was in fact going to halt construction, as had been requested by the Department of Justice and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in September.

Many claims have been made that the Army Corps of Engineers, in negotiations with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, had ordered a 30-day pause on DAPL construction. As we reported on Sunday, the Army Corps has in fact clarified that the 30-day halt was only a proposal and no work stoppage has been implemented.

On Nov. 7, Unicorn Riot documented active DAPL construction that could be seen from the main Oceti Sakowin encampment.

https://twitter.com/UR_Ninja/statuses/795678767331078144 expand=1]

The afternoon of Nov. 8, as the U.S. presidential election was well underway, Dakota Access, LLC released a statement denying recent claims from the Army Corps of Engineers that they had agreed to a slowdown in pipeline construction.

Dakota Access also claims a public statement made by the Army Corps was a mistake and the Army Corps intends to rescind it.

Dakota Access, LLC had previously made a statement announcing that eviction would take place of the Oceti Sakowin 1851 treaty camp which had been set up directly in the path of the pipeline.

The appearance of Dakota Access making public statements which accurately predicted police actions was denounced in an article by Sarah Lazare at Alternet as clear evidence of outrageous militarized police collusion with Big Oil.

The statement by Dakota Access, LLC goes on to claim that they have completed construction of the pipeline on each side of Lake Oahe and states that they are currently mobilizing horizontal drilling equipment to the drill box site.

Below you can see drone footage of Dakota Access machines building Hesco barriers, normally used to protect U.S. military bases in war zones like Iraq or Afghanistan, to protect an area believed to be the drill box site from water protectors.

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/189876726

According to the release, Dakota Access expects to have fully mobilized all equipment needed to drill under the Missouri River within 2 weeks. Once all the equipment is in place at the construction site, Dakota Access plans to immediately commence horizontal drilling underneath the river.

Dakota Access, LLC closes their statement by admitting their company is still waiting on two construction permits from the Army Corps of Engineers to start the process of drilling underneath the Missouri River.

Below is the full public statement by Dakota Access, LLC.

The Dakota Access, LLC statement is reported to be in response to a comment given to Bloomberg News on Monday, in which an Army Corps of Engineers spokesman claimed that DAPL had agreed to slow down construction.

In an interview with NowThis on Nov. 2, when asked about the Dakota Access Pipeline, President Obama said Were gonna let it play out for several more weeks.

Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Kaine mentioned in a recent interview the possibility of re-routing the pipeline, which Dakota Access now seems to have repudiated as a possible outcome. DAPL spokeswoman Vicki Granado told the Guardian:

We are not aware that any consideration is being given to a reroute, and we remain confident we will receive our easement in a timely fashion.

Vicki Granado, DAPL spokesperson

Jan Hasselman, attorney for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, reacted to DAPLs plan to openly pursue drilling:

Starting construction without permits would be beyond the pale, even for Dakota Access. It is deeply irresponsible to keep putting investors money into this route when both the President and Senator Tim Kaine are openly discussing rerouting away from Lake Oahe.

Jan Hasselman, Attorney

Tuesdays comments from Dakota Access appear intended to reassure investors who may be starting to have doubts about funding the pipeline project. It was reported earlier this week that Norweigan bank DNB was considering withdrawing its loan of $342.36 million to Energy Transfer Partnersalmost 10 percent of the total funding for the pipeline.

DNB issued a statement on their website expressing concern:

DNB is concerned about how the situation surrounding the oil pipeline in North Dakota has developed. The bank will therefore use its position as lender to the project to encourage a more constructive process to find solutions to the conflict that has arisen. If these initiatives do not provide DNB with the necessary comfort, DNB will evaluate its further participation in the financing of the project.

Norway's Biggest Bank Is 'Reconsidering Its Participation' in Funding the Dakota Access Pipeline https://t.co/5ijtkYHfoN @KXLBlockade  EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) November 8, 2016

On Tuesday, it was announced that the North Dakota Public Service Commission has proposed fining Dakota Access, LLC $15,000 for failing to properly notify state agencies of ancient cultural artifacts discovered at pipeline work sites. Dakota Access is alleged to have violated the terms of its permits by not properly announcing artifact discoveries, as well as by changing the pipeline route without seeking the permission of the Public Service Commission.

Reposted with permission from our media associate Unicorn Riot.
Totally freaked out is the best way I can explain how Im feeling right now knowing Donald Trump has won the presidency. Yes, the billionaire television personality who denies climate change, has ties to the Dakota Access Pipeline, and has promised to renegotiate the Paris agreement and completely dismantle the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will be the next President of the United States!

My email inbox is stuffed full with reactions from the environmental community and Twitter is on fire. Here are some of those reactions:

Our hearts go out today to the millions of people who voted against bigotry and hate and now have to accept the fact that the man who ridiculed and threatened them for months is the President-elect of the United States, Greenpeace USAs Executive Director Annie Leonard shared. Fear may have won this election, but bravery, hope and perseverance will overcome.

Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, chimed in with good advice last night with this tweet:

Take care of each other, everyone. We're going to need to be at our best starting tomorrow morning.  Michael Brune (@bruneski) November 9, 2016

Trumps election is a disaster, but we must channel our anger and fear into hope and resolve, said May Boeve, 350 Actions executive director. Our work becomes much harder now, but its not impossible, and we refuse to give up. Together, we will put everything on the line to protect the progress weve made and continue to push for bold action. We refuse to leave the future of our climate in Trumps hands. Now is the time to take a deep breath and fight like never before.

Renowned climate scientist Michael Mann sums it up perfectly:

When nightmare becomes reality  Prof Michael E. Mann (@MichaelEMann) November 9, 2016

Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org, had this to say even before the final numbers were in:

If Trump wins, it savages the planet's chances of dealing with climate change. In the (very) long run, the biggest result of a hideous night  Bill McKibben (@billmckibben) November 9, 2016

Gary Wockner, a Colorado-based environmental activist and former Democratic Party campaign manager, blames the Democratic Party for Trumps win.

This election is a sharp and dramatic repudiation of mainstream Democratic and environmental politics, which supported every anti-environmental whim of Hillary Clinton and aggressively undermined the candidacy of Bernie Sanders, Wockner said. We now have a historic wakeup call and opportunity to recapture American environmentalism as the voice of the people, not of corporate Democratic Party power.

As far as the Paris agreement goes, Jean Su of the Center for Biological Diversity said, The Paris agreement was signed and ratified not by a president, but by the United States itself. One man alone, especially in the twenty-first century, should not strip the globe of the climate progress that it has made and should continue to make. As a matter of international law, and as a matter of human survival, the nations of the world can, must and will hold the United States to its climate commitments. And its incumbent upon U.S. communities to unite and push forth progressive climate policies on a state and local level, where federal policy does not reign.

And, as Friends o the Earth puts it, We will have to harness our new energy, join together and use every strategy possible to fight against hate and greed and environmental destruction. While I wish we had a different fight before us, we must fight the one presented to us. The future of our country and planet depends on it.
Key environmentally-related ballot measures in six states received mixed results yesterday.

On the plus side, Florida voters saw through utility industry efforts to thwart the states burgeoning solar energy business and California voters appeared to affirm the states ban on single-use plastic bags. Both Massachusetts and Oregon passed key animal protection laws.

But, two historically significant measures didnt fare as well. An energy and big business-backed state constitutional amendment passed in Colorado, while a controversial carbon tax initiative in Washington went down to defeat.

1. FLORIDA: Floridas utility-backed Amendment 1, disguised as a pro-solar bill, failed to reach the 60 percent yes vote needed to become law.

Florida voters werent fooled by the misleading campaign that the utilities tried to perpetrate, Tania Galloni, Earthjustice managing attorney for Florida, said.

A hard-fought grassroots campaign worked to educate voters on the deceptive nature of the proposed amendment to the Florida constitution. The amendment would have allowed utility companies to charge fees to solar customers and make it more difficult for private solar companies to work with homeowners.

Tory Perfetti, chairman of Floridians for Solar Choice, told the Miami Herald, We defeated one of the most egregious and underhanded attempts at voter manipulation in this states history.

2. WASHINGTON: Voters rejected Initiative 732, which would have created the nations first tax on carbon. The proposal would have set a price of $25 per metric ton starting in 2018, increasing to $100 over the next 40 years. The measure was opposed not only by the Koch brothers, but also by the Sierra Club.

However, as Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said days before the election, By making Washington the premier American government to place a price on carbon, Evergreen voters will pioneer the trail away from our deadly carbon addiction and its murderous offspring: climate chaos.

Washington Voters Step Up, Pass the Nation's First #carbontax

https://t.co/RxwEKJqyoA  Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) November 4, 2016

3. COLORADO: Amendment 71, supported by the oil and gas industry, won approval in Colorado. Now, the state constitutional amendment makes it extremely difficult to get citizen initiatives on the ballot, essentially ceding control to big-money backers. An attempt to get an anti-fracking amendment on the ballot sparked the oil and gas industry to spend big on Amendment 71.

A group funded by Anadarko and Noble Energy donated at least $1 million to support passage. Other big backers included the Colorado Gaming Association, Colorado Dairy Farmers and the Colorado Association of Realtors.

4. CALIFORNIA: Two propositions affecting the use of plastic bags were on the state ballot this year. As of this morning, Proposition 67, which would keep the legislatively-enacted statewide ban on single-use plastic bags, appears to be winning. Proposition 65, which was an industry-backed effort to create an ill-defined environmental fund supported by the 10-cent bag fee, was defeated.

The Surfrider Foundation and other environmental groups opposed Prop 65. They said it was designed to confuse voters.

5. MASSACHUSETTS: Voters enacted a landmark law that will protect farm animals from extreme confinement. By 2022, the measure will prohibit the use of veal crates for baby calves, gestation crates for mother pigs and so-called battery cages for egg-laying hens. All three confine animals to spaces so small they cant turn around or spread their wings, in the case of hens, and are inhumane.

The newly-passed Massachusetts law also makes it illegal to sell meat or eggs from animals kept in these conditions, including from those farmed outside the state.

6. OREGON: Voters overwhelmingly approved Measure 100 by a 70-to-30 margin, which prohibits the sale of animal parts and products from 12 species, including rhino, cheetah, tiger, sea turtle, lion, elephant, whale, shark, pangolin, jaguar, ray, and leopard.

More than 150,000 signatures were gathered to put the measure on the ballot.

Oregon has a long and proud history of supporting wildlife conservation. With this sweeping victory, Oregon has set an important example for the rest of the nation and joins efforts around the world to protect imperiled animals, such as elephants, whales and sea turtles, said Scott Beckstead, senior Oregon state director for The Humane Society of the United States.
France, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the U.K., Germany and Mexico are among the more than two dozen countries that have so far signed on to what one day will likely be recognized as the most significant climate initiative in history.

Frances 4/1000 Initiative: Soils for Food Security and Climate puts regenerative food and farming front and center in the climate solutions conversation. This is why the Organic Consumers Association (OCA), our Mexico affiliate, Via Organica, IFOAM Organics International and more than 50 of our other activist allies across the globe have signed on in support of the initiative.

@adriangrenier stands for healthy soil as it relieves our vital oceans of acidification. #WhereIstand #EarthToParis pic.twitter.com/cEGSMBETTc  Kiss the Ground (@kissthegroundCA) December 7, 2015

Unfortunately, the U.S. government is not yet on board with the planeven though our countrys toxic, fossil-fuel-based, heavily subsidized (with taxpayer money), degenerative industrial agriculture system is a primary driver of global warming.

A Global Problem, A Global Solution

Leaders from 190 countries convened in Paris on Nov. 30 for the 14-day COP21 Paris Climate Conference. This year, for the first time in more than 20 years of United Nations (UN) climate negotiations, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) set out to achieve something concrete: a legally binding and universal agreement to make sure the Earth doesnt get warmer than 2C above pre-industrial levels.

To meet that goal, the French Government launched the 4/1000 Initiative which, distilled to simplest terms, says this: If, on a global scale, we increase the soil carbon content of the soil by .04 percent each year for the next 25 years, we can draw down a critical mass of excess carbon from the atmosphere and begin to reverse global warming.

Is the French initiative realistic? Yes, even by conservative estimates.

Industrial, degenerative farming practices, which include tilling, deforestation, wetlands destruction and the use of massive amounts of synthetic and toxic fertilizers and pesticides, have stripped 136 billion tons of carbon out of the soil and sent it up into the atmosphere. Using the French governments modest estimates, we can transfer, via enhanced plant photosynthesis, 150 billion tons of this carbon back into the soil in the next 25 years.

How do we achieve those numbers? All we have to do is help just 10 percent of the worlds farmers and ranchers adopt regenerative organic agriculture, holistic grazing and land management practicesand by help, we mean direct a portion of the billions of dollars earmarked for climate solution projects to farmers who regenerate, not degenerate, the worlds soils.

Thats a game changer. But only if enough players get in game.

Read page 1

The Plan is Here, The Time is Now

According to a Dec. 1 press release from the French agriculture ministers office:

This initiative intends to show that a small increase of 4/1000 per year of the soil carbon stock (agricultural soils, notably grasslands and pastures and forest soils) is a major leverage in order to improve soil fertility, resilience of farmers and contribute to the long-term objective of keeping the global average temperature increase below 2 degrees.

Frances Agriculture Minister, Stephane Le Foll, said that initiative partners, which so far include the UN, developed and developing states, international organizations, private foundations, international funds, NGOs, consumer and farmers organizations, have committed to implementing appropriate soil management practices and to recognizing the importance of soil health for the transition towards productive, highly resilient agriculture.

Le Foll told the French media that the 4/1000 has become a global initiative, but its just the beginning:

We need to keep going and mobilize even more stakeholders in a transition to achieve both food security and climate mitigation thanks to agriculture.

Will the U.S. become one of those stakeholders? Or will our leaders side with the Monsantos and Bill Gates of the world and continue to promote an agricultural system that directly and indirectly contributes 50 percent (or more) of the greenhouse gas emissions that are burning up the planet? A system that has failed to feed the world, failed to reduce the use of toxic poisons, failed to bring prosperity to the worlds small farmers, failed to produce healthy, nutritious fooda system whose successes can only be counted in terms of gross profits, shareholder value and political clout.

Whatever It Takes

President Obama, who attended the COP21, hasnt been shy about linking global warming to national security. The President recently told PoliticPro:

If we let the world keep warming as fast as it is and sea-levels rising as fast as they are and weather patterns keep shifting in unexpected ways, then before long we are going to have to devote more and more and more of our economic and military resources not to growing opportunity for our people, but to adapting to the various consequences of a changing planet, Obama said. This is an economic and security imperative that we have to tackle now.

If focusing on the economy and national security is what it takes to motivate Obama to tackle climate change, were all for it. After all, global warming threatens to displace millions of people, many of whom already are in a struggle just to survive.

Were also all for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, which is why we support the Obama administrations Clean Power Plan which requires states to cut carbon emissions by 32 percent by 2030. Absolutely, lets transition from an extractive, fossil fuel-intensive energy system to a clean, renewable alternative. That transition should be a vital part of any global strategy to mitigate climate change.

Happy World Soil Day! Soil is life-giving, carbon sucking and storing force under our feet. #COP21 #EarthToParis pic.twitter.com/YU0QXQALIC  Kiss the Ground (@kissthegroundCA) December 5, 2015

But reducing emissions solves only half of the problem. We also have to draw down the billions of tons of CO2 currently heating up the atmosphere. Unless we address the climate change elephant in the roomBig Agwe will fail to solve the climate crisis.

Scientists estimate the worlds soils have lost 50 to 70 percent of their carbon stocks and fertility. Modern chemical-intensive, factory-farm, GMO-based industrial agriculture is largely responsible for that loss. Left unchecked, Monsanto and corporate agribusiness will continue to destroy our soils, pollute our bodies and eventually take the whole planet down with them.

The French initiative is the most direct, most practical and only shovel-ready plan for reversing climate change.

We dont need and dont have time to wait for expensive, unproven techno-fixes a la Bill Gates, some of which havent even made it to the prototype stage and many of which could come with unintended consequences.

We dont need a corporate-focused Climate-Smart Agriculture scheme that promotes business as usual.

And we definitely shouldnt put our faith in Monsantos carbon-neutral but poison-positive plan.

What we need is to pressure President Obama to pledge U.S. support for Frances 4/1000 Initiative, now. If were going to subsidize any form of agriculture, it should be the regenerative, truly climate-friendly, health-friendly, farmer-friendly type.

Katherine Paul is associate director of the Organic Consumers Association and a board member of Regeneration International.

Ronnie Cummins is international director of the Organic Consumers Association (U.S.) and Via Organica (Mexico) and a member of the Regeneration International Steering Committee.

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Voters in Monterey County, Californias fourth-largest oil-producing county, on Tuesday passed Measure Z to ban fracking and other dangerous extraction techniques.

The measure won with more than 55 percent of the vote, despite supporters being outspent 30 to 1 by oil companies, including Chevron and Aera Energy. Measure Z also phases out toxic wastewater injection and prohibits new oil wells in the county. Monterey is the sixth county in California to ban fracking.

Outspent 30-1, fracktivists in oil-producing Monterey County manage to ban fracking. Protect Monterey County

We congratulate the people of Monterey County for banning fracking and protecting Californias water, agriculture and public health, said Adam Scow, California director of Food & Water Watch. This campaign proves that everyday people can defeat Big Oils millions, even in a place where it is actively drilling. We look forward to seeing Californians build on this momentum towards winning a statewide ban on fracking.

Residents put Measure Z on the ballot after county supervisors in 2015 rejected the unanimous recommendation by the planning commission to enact moratorium on fracking and wastewater injection.

Need some good news today? Monterey Just Became California's First Major Oil-producing County to Ban #Fracking https://t.co/ADGaPqxpgs pic.twitter.com/xCNtrqrYEy  Center for Bio Div (@CenterForBioDiv) November 9, 2016

David beat Goliath in Monterey Countys stunning victory against oil industry pollution, said Kassie Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity. Despite spending millions, oil companies couldnt suppress this grassroots campaign. This triumph against fracking will inspire communities across California and the whole country to stand up to this toxic industry.

Ray of Hope  Measure Z (fracking ban) passed in Monterey, CA. Congrats to local @sierraclub & other activists who fought so hard!  Michael Brune (@bruneski) November 9, 2016

While oil companies have fracked in Monterey County, current production in the countys San Ardo oilfield relies on cyclic steam injection, a process that uses massive amounts of water containing toxic chemicals and generates significant greenhouse gas pollution. Measure Z bans this environmentally destructive type of extreme extraction.

Many wells in the county re-inject toxin-laden oil wastewater, contaminating the aquifers below. Oil companies have been improperly injecting toxic oil wastewater into local aquifers that were supposed to be protected under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Measure Z will phase out wastewater injection to ensure that such disasters will not be repeated.

The grassroots Protect Monterey County coalition built a powerful alliance of businesses, labor, students, Latinos, homeowners and environmental organizations. In the days leading up to the election, coalition members fanned out across the county going door to door to drum up support for the measure.
What Is Climate Change? Is It Different From Global Warming?



Climate change is actually not a new phenomenon. Scientists have been studying the connection between human activity and the effect on the climate since the 1800s, although it took until the 1950s to find evidence suggesting a link.

Since then, the amount of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases) in the atmosphere have steadily increased, taking a sharp jump in the late 1980s when the summer of 1988 became the warmest on record. (There have been many records broken since then.) But climate change is not a synonym for global warming.

The term global warming entered the lexicon in the 1950s, but didnt become a common buzzword until a few decades later when more people started taking notice of a warming climate. Except climate change encompasses a greater realm than just rising temperatures. Trapped gases also affect sea-level rise, animal habitats, biodiversity and weather patterns. For example, Texas severe winter storms in February 2021 demonstrate how the climate isnt merely warming.

Related: What Are The Top States For Solar Incentives?

Why Is Climate Change Important? Why Does It Matter?





Marc Guitard / Moment / Getty Images

Despite efforts from forward thinkers such as SpaceX Founder Elon Musk to colonize Mars, Earth remains our home for the foreseeable future, and the more human activity negatively impacts the climate, the less habitable it will become. Its estimated that Earth has already warmed about one degree Celsius, or two degrees Fahrenheit, since the start of the Industrial Revolution around the 1750s, although climate change tracking didnt start until the late 1800s. That warming number may not sound like much, but this increase has already resulted in more frequent and severe wildfires, hurricanes, floods, droughts and winter storms, to name some examples.

Environmental Impacts

Then theres biodiversity loss, another fallout of climate change thats threatening rainforests and coral reefs and accelerating species extinction. Take rainforests, which act as natural carbon sinks by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But as rampant deforestation is occurring everywhere from Brazils Amazon to Borneo, fewer trees mean that rainforests are becoming carbon sources, emitting more carbon than theyre absorbing. Meanwhile, coral reefs are dying as warming ocean temperatures trigger bleaching events, which cause corals to reject algae, their main food and life source. Fewer trees, coral reefs and other habitats also equate to fewer species. Known as the sixth mass extinction, a 2019 UN report revealed that up to a million plant and animal species could become extinct within decades.

Human Impact

It can be easy to overlook climate change in day-to-day life, or even realize that climate change is behind it. Notice theres yet another romaine lettuce recall due to E. Coli? Research suggests that E. Coli bacteria are becoming more common in our food sources as it adapts to climate change. Cant find your favorite brand of coffee beans anymore? Or that the price has doubled? Climate change is affecting that too. Climate change is also worsening air quality and seasonal allergies, along with polluting tap water. Not least, many preliminary studies have also drawn a line between climate change and the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that is still gripping much of the world. Future pandemics are likely to happen more frequently until the root causes, such as deforestation, are addressed.

Speaking of larger-scale issues, global water scarcity is already happening more frequently. The Caribbean is facing water shortages due to rising temperatures and decreased rainfall; Australias dams may run dry by 2022 as severe wildfires increase and Cape Town, South Africa has already faced running out of water.

As touched upon earlier, its one thing to be inconvenienced by a lack of romaine lettuce for a couple of weeks or higher coffee bean prices, but reports warn how climate change will continue to threaten global food security, to the point of triggering a worldwide food crisis if temperatures surpass two degrees Celsius.

Many of these factors are already contributing to climate migration, forcing large numbers of people to relocate to other parts of the world in search of better living conditions.

Unless more immediate, drastic action is taken to combat climate change, future generations will have to contend with worst-case scenario projections by the end of the 21st century, not limited to coastal cities going underwater, including Miami; lethal heat levels from South Asia to Central Africa; and more frequent extreme weather events involving hurricanes, wildfires, tsunamis, droughts, floods, blizzards and more.

Related: What Are The Best Solar Companies?

Whats Happening and Why?

Fiddlers Ferry power station in Warrington, UK. Chris Conway / Moment / Getty Images

The Earths temperature has largely remained stable until industrial times and the introduction of greenhouse gases. These gases have forced the atmosphere to retain heat, as evidenced by rising global temperatures. As the planet grows warmer, glaciers melt faster, sea levels rise, severe flooding increases and droughts and extreme weather events become more deadly.

The Greenhouse Effect

In the late 1800s, Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius studied the connection between the amount of atmospheric carbon and its ability to warm and cool the Earth, and while his initial calculations suggested extreme warming as carbon increased, researchers didnt start to take human-induced climate change seriously until the late 20th century.

But proof of human-led climate change can be traced to the 1850s, and satellites are among the ways that scientists have been tracking increased greenhouse gases and their climate impact in more recent years. Climate researchers have also documented warmer oceans, ocean acidification, shrinking ice sheets, decreased snow amounts and extreme weather as among the events resulting from greenhouse gases heating the planet.

Numerous factors contribute to the production of greenhouse gases, known as the greenhouse effect. One of the biggest causes involve burning fossil fuels, including coal, oil and natural gas, to power everything from cars to daily energy needs (electricity, heat). From 1970-2011, fossil fuels have comprised 78 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions.

Big Ag is another greenhouse contributor, particularly beef production, with the industry adding 10 percent in 2019. This is attributed to clearing land for crops and grazing and growing feed, along with methane produced by cows themselves. In the U.S. alone, Americans consumed 27.3 billion pounds of beef in 2019.

Then theres rampant deforestation occurring everywhere from the Amazon to Borneo. A 2021 study from Rainforest Foundation Norway found that two-thirds of the worlds rainforests have already been destroyed or degraded. In Brazil, deforestation reached a 12-year-high in 2020 under right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. As it stands, reports predict that the Amazon rainforest will collapse by 2064. Rainforests are important carbon sinks, meaning the trees capture and remove carbon from the atmosphere. As rainforests collapse, the remaining trees will begin emitting more greenhouse gases than theyre absorbing.

Meanwhile, a recent study revealed that abandoned oil and gas wells are leaking more methane than previously believed, with U.S. wells contributing up to 20 percent of annual methane emissions.

Not least is the cement industry. Cement is heavily used throughout the global construction industry, and accounts for around eight percent of carbon dioxide emissions.

Natural Climate Change

Granted, natural climate change exists as well, and can be traced throughout history, from solar radiation triggering the Ice Ages to the asteroid strike that rapidly raised global temperatures and eliminated dinosaurs and many other species in the process. Other sources of natural climate change impacts include volcano eruptions, ocean currents and orbital changes, but these sources generally have smaller and shorter-term environmental impacts.

How We Can Combat Climate Change

Participant holding a sign at the climate march on Sept. 20, 2020, in Manhattan. A coalition of climate, Indigenous and racial justice groups gathered at Columbus Circle to kick off Climate Week with the Climate Justice Through Racial Justice march. Erik McGregor / LightRocket / Getty Images

While the latest studies and numbers can often feel discouraging about societys ability to prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening, theres still time to take action.

As a Society

In 2015 at COP 21 in Paris, 197 countries came together to sign the Paris Agreement, an international climate change treaty agreeing to limit global warming in this century to two degrees Celsius, and ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels; its believed that the planet has warmed one degree Celsius since 1750. Studies show that staying within the two-degree range will prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening. Achieving this goal requires participating parties to drastically slash greenhouse gas emissions sooner rather than later. However, there have already been numerous setbacks since then, from former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrawing from the Paris Agreement in 2020 to world leaders, such as China, the worlds biggest polluter, failing to enact aggressive climate action plans. Yet many of the treaty participants have been slow to implement changes, putting the world on track to hit 3.2 degrees Celsius by the end of the 21st century even if the initial goals are met. However, its worth noting that U.S. President Joe Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement in 2021, and pledged to cut greenhouse gases in half by 2030.

Then theres the Montreal Protocol, a 1987 global agreement to phase out ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons, chemicals that were commonly used in air-conditioning, refrigeration and aerosols. Recent studies show that parts of the ozone are recovering, proving that a unified commitment to combatting climate change issues does make a difference.

On a smaller scale, carbon offset initiatives allow companies and individuals to invest in environmental programs that offset the amount of carbon thats produced through work or lifestyle. For example, major companies (and carbon emitters) such as United Airlines and Shell have pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in part by participating in carbon offset programs that remove carbon from the atmosphere. The problem is that these companies are still producing high levels of fossil fuel emissions.

While individuals can make a small impact through carbon offsets, the greater responsibility lies with carbon-emitting corporations to find and implement greener energy alternatives. This translates to car companies producing electric instead of gas vehicles or airlines exploring alternative fuel sources. It also requires major companies to rely more on solar and wind energy for their energy needs.

In Our Own Lives

While its up to corporations to do the heavy lifting of carbon reduction, that doesnt mean individuals cant make a difference. Adopting a vegan lifestyle, using public transportation, switching to an electric car and becoming a more conscious consumer are all ways to help combat climate change.

Veganism

Consuming meat relies on clearing land for crops and animals, while raising and killing livestock contributes to about 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UNs Food and Agricultural Organization. By comparison, choosing a plant-based diet could reduce greenhouse gas footprints by as much as 70 percent, especially when choosing local produce and products.

Public Transportation

Riding public trains, subways, buses, trams, ferries and other types of public transportation is another easy way to lower your carbon footprint, considering that gas-powered vehicles contribute 95 percent of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Electric Vehicles

Electric cars and trucks have come down in price as more manufacturers enter the field, and these produce far lower emissions than their gas counterparts. Hybrid vehicles are another good alternative for lowering individual emission contributions.

Conscious Consumption

Buying locally produced food and items is another way to maintain a lower carbon footprint, as the products arent shipped or driven long distances. Supporting small companies that are committed to sustainability is another option, especially when it comes to clothes. Fast fashion has become a popular option thanks to its price point, but often comes at the expense of the environment and can involve unethical overseas labor practices. Not least, plastic saturates every corner of the consumer market, but its possible to find non-plastic alternatives with a little research, from reusable produce bags to baby bottles.

Climate Activism

Those interested in becoming even more involved can join local climate action organizations. Popular groups include the Sunrise Movement, Fridays for Future, Greenpeace and the Sierra Club, to name a few. Voting, volunteering, calling local representatives and participating in climate marches are additional ways to raise your voice.

Takeaway

Its taken centuries to reach a climate tipping point, with just a matter of decades left to prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening. But theres still hope of controlling a warming climate as long as individuals, companies and nations make an immediate concerted effort to lower greenhouse gas emissions. As the world already experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic, a rapid unified response can make all the difference.

Meredith Rosenberg is a senior editor at EcoWatch. She holds a Masters from the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism in NYC and a B.A. from Temple University in Philadelphia.
World governments spend $486 billion a year to subsidize an industrial food and farming model that the United Nations estimates, contributes 43-57 percent of total man-made greenhouse gas emissions, said Ronnie Cummins, international director of the Organic Consumers Association.

Its time to stop subsidizing agricultural practices that contribute to global warming, and start subsidizing food, farming and land-use practices that restore the soils capacity to draw down and re-sequester excess carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the soil.

Our best hope to avert a climate disaster, restore public health and revitalize rural economies must include a plan that not only achieves zero emissions, but also draws down the billions of tons of excess carbon already in the atmosphere.

Speaking to a panel hosted by the Social Innovation and Global Ethics Forum in conjunction with the COP22 Climate Summit, Cummins told participants that Climate-Smart Agriculture, is a clever term used to describe a limited approach to adapting to climate change and to addressing global food insecurity through agricultural practices that fail to meet the standard of regeneration.

Scientists tell us that even if we achieve zero emissions tomorrow, the planet would continue to heat up for another thousand years, Cummins said. Our best hope to avert a climate disaster, restore public health and revitalize rural economies must include a plan that not only achieves zero emissions, but also draws down the billions of tons of excess carbon already in the atmosphere. That plan exists. Its call regenerative agriculture or agroecology.

How World Leaders Can Solve Global Warming With Regenerative Farming https://t.co/oP7uODEVdb @NewClimateEcon @stewartboyle4  EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) December 14, 2015

The Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Bank coined the term Climate-Smart Agriculture at the 2010 Hague Conference on Food Security, Agriculture and Climate Change. The Food and Agriculture Organization floated the concept as a triple win for a type of agriculture that could reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help crops adapt to changing climate conditions and increase yields.

Last year, more than 350 national and international civil society groups, including the Organic Consumers Association and Regeneration International, a project of the Organic Consumers Association, signed a letter urging decision-makers to reject what the groups called the growing influence and agenda of so-called Climate-Smart Agriculture and the Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture. The groups criticized the lack of criteria for deciding what can or cannot be called Climate Smart and pointed to the potential for agribusiness corporations that promote synthetic fertilizers, industrial meat production and large-scale industrial agriculturebig contributors to global warmingto co-opt the term.

In the U.S., fossil-fuel-intensive agribusiness corporations like Monsanto, who are members of the North American chapter of the Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture, claim to be practitioners of Climate-Smart Agriculture.
Political upheaval has major influence over the stock markets, and with climate-change-denying Donald Trumps disaster of an election win, renewable energy investment is looking bleak at the moment as dirty energy surges.

The worlds top coal trader Glencore Plc rose more than 5 percent today while the worlds biggest wind-turbine maker Vestas Wind Systems A/S fell about 13 percent, according to Bloomberg. Solar companies First Solar, SunPower and SolarCity were down a respective 6 percent, 17 percent and 6 percent this morning. Shares in European renewable energy equipment makers and utilities with significant investments in the U.S. have fallen as much as 10 percent, Reuters reported.

As Bloomberg warned in its report, the swing foretells a story of fossil fuels making a comeback, while the fight against climate changeand investment in wind and solar powerlanguishes.

Our president-electwho literally said the wind kills all your birds and solar is not working so goodhas made no bones about his support of dirty energy, from his ties to the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline to his pledge to bring back the dirtiest fuel on the planet, coal.

The U.S. wind power industry is bracing itself for an uncertain future following the election of Donald Trump to the presidency, staff from Wind Power Monthly wrote in a column today. The publication quoted Trumps plans to unleash Americas $50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, plus hundreds of years in clean coal reserves.

Meanwhile, crude oil prices have wavered between gains and losses as investors are uncertain over the president-to-bes energy plans. Experts explained that while Trump would likely scale back regulations and encourage drilling, that plan would effectively keep oil prices low due to a global oil glut.

It probably ends up not being all that supportive for prices because supply will be ample, Bill OGrady, chief market strategist at Confluence Investment Management, told The Wall Street Journal. But the oil companies themselves will be thrilled.

With the legislative and (likely) the judicial branch as trump cards, the 45th President of the United States stands to sully much of President Obamas environmental legacy, especially Obamas landmark Clean Power Plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

Under the [Clean Power Plan] and current renewables incentives, most U.S. utilities are opting to replace retiring coal plants with wind and solar facilities, Utility Dives Gavin Bade wrote. But without those programs, the investment situation may start to look different for many utilities. Whereas Hillary Clinton was likely to build upon existing regulations on power sector pollution, the promise of less stringent rules could increase the appeal of fossil fuel assets.

Alexandre Andlauer, head of oil at research firm Alphavalue in Paris, told Bloomberg that the oil and gas industry is a clear winner with the new president. U.S. Oil companies have a better future today than yesterday.

On the federal level, clean energy development and policies are unlikely. Trump has spoken of dismantling the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and renegotiating the Paris agreement. He will will likely stack his cabinet with pro-business and pro-fossil fuels appointees. According to POLITICO, potential names in the hat for Interior Secretary includes Lucas Oil co-founder Forrest Lucas; venture capitalist Robert Grady, a George H. W. Bush White House official with ties to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin; former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer; Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin; Wyoming Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R); and Oklahoma oilman Harold Hamm. Both Hamm and Grady are also considered potential picks for Energy Secretary. On Trumps list for EPA administer is Competitive Enterprise Institutes Myron Ebell, a well-known climate skeptic who is leading Trumps EPA transition team.

Federal tax incentives for solar and wind might also be at risk. Christian Roseland of PV Magazine warned that Trump and his Republican government can decide to pre-emptively end the 30 percent solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which was recently extended to 2020.

However, there is one silver lining. Roseland noted that if there is a saving grace, it is that other than the ITC the most important policies for solar are at the state and not the national level. Trumps presidency will not undo the renewable portfolio standards in California or New York, or the implementation of PURPA in North Carolina and Utah.

States, a clean energy future might be up to you.
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(Photo: LWF Jerusalem / Mark. Brown)The Lutheran World Federation's Augusta Victoria Hospital's second medical team left for Gaza on August 4, 2014. Photo: LWF Jerusalem/M. Brown

Being a Christian in Gaza after a decade of rule by Hamas which aims to establish an Islamic state in Palestine is not easy while there is an Israeli-Egyptian blockade on the tiny enclave bordering Israel and Egypt.

So when the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales Cardinal Vincent Nichols visited the Gaza Strip on Nov. 6 he sought to give a spiritual lift to the territory's tiny Christian minority.

Nichols praised Gaza's Christians, whose numbers have dwindled over the past 10 years, The Times of Israel reported.

"There've always been Christians here. Their numbers are small, but I believe their faith is strong," he said.

Before Hamas, which Israel views as a terrorist group, took over Gaza in 2007, the Christian population in the coastal enclave was over 3,000. Today, just 1,200 Christians remain, most of them Orthodox, the Catholic Herald reported.

Christian leaders attribute the devastated economy of Gaza, conflict with Israel and the blockade for leading Christians to move out.

But community members have also expressed discomfort living under Hamas rule.

Christians and their property have occasionally come under attack since Hamas seized power, but it's not clear if they were targeted by the Islamic militant group or members of more extreme factions, Catholic Herald reported.

Hamas denies that it maltreats Christians.

Leading Sunday Mass at the Holy Family Church, Nichols called on Mary, the mother of Jesus to "pray for the protection" of Gaza's Christian community.

The British Catholic leader first visited Gaza in 2014 at the end of a 50-days of fighting between Israel and Hamas.

In that conflict more than 2,200 Palestinians, including hundreds of civilians, were killed, according to figures cited by Palestinian authorieis and the United Nations. In Israel, 66 soldiers and seven civilians were killed, some of them in rocket attacks from Hamas.

In Gaza thousands of buildings and homes were damaged due to the fighting. The cardinal said that while he saw "some signs of rebuilding, there is an awful lot of damage that is still untouched."

Some Palestinians charge that Israel will not let them rebuild in many instances.
Despite requiring some technology use, the Common Core State Standards for English/language arts dont do enough to ensure that students become effective digital readers, some literacy experts say.

At the top level, theyre saying, yes, we recognize literacy means being digitally literate, said Bridget Dalton, an associate professor of literacy studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. But when you go to specific standards in reading, theres not a lot there to guide you.

Because of the ambiguity in the reading standards, which often give teachers the option to use print or digital texts, some say language arts educators are likely to stick with more traditional print-based methods.

And theres concern that language arts teachers will remain print-focused for another reason as well: Because the common-core-aligned tests, while administered on a computer, set up an environment thats more akin to print reading than it is to an authentic online experience.

Permission But Not a Requirement

Mentions of digital texts and tools appear throughout the common-core standards, but the document is certainly more prescriptive in some places than others.

First published in 2009, the common core, which nearly 40 states now use, is made up of anchor and grade-specific standards. The anchor standards describe the broad skills students need by the end of their education to be ready for college or careers, while the grade-specific standards lay out what students should know by the end of a certain grade.

In the reading section, one anchor standard in particular makes reference to digital literacybut its interpretation, as experts point out, is in the eye of the beholder. Standard 7 says students should be able to integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.

According to Don Leu, an education professor at the University of Connecticut with expertise in technology and literacy, because the word media is vague, teachers could fulfill that standard without actually using technology at all. Teachers will use diverse media theyre familiar with and have used in the past, so theyll pull out magazines and newspapers, he said.

What the Common Core Says Five of the 32 common-core anchor standards, the overarching goals that students are expected to accomplish by the time they exit high school, refer to technology and the use of digital materials. Theyre listed below, along with an example grade-specific standard for each one. Reading

Anchor Standard #7

Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. Grade 2 Standard: Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot. Writing

Anchor Standard #6

Use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others Grade 5 Standard: With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of two pages in a single sitting. Anchor Standard #8

Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism. Grade 4 Standard: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information; and provide a list of sources. Speaking and Listening

Anchor Standard #2

Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. Grade 6 Standard: Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study. Anchor Standard #5

Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations. Grades 9-10 Standard: Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) to enhance understanding of findings and to add interest.

The standard gives teachers permission to teach digital reading but doesnt do much more than that, said Kristen Hawley Turner, an associate professor of English education and contemporary literacies at Fordham University. When I look at that and I want to teach digital reading, I can use that to defend myself, she said. It allows for it, but nowhere does it call for reading hyperlinked, multimodal texts.

But Susan Pimentel, one of the lead writers of the standards, said the common core does support digital-literacy skills. And while the standards are more explicit about it in the writing, speaking, and listening sections, there are enough references in the reading standards that teachers should not feel they can fulfill them using only print texts.

The intent of Anchor Standard 7, and perhaps there were other ways to word it, was really to look at the presentation of information in different formats, including digital formats, she said.

Looking at the grade-specific reading standards, though, the elementary benchmarks are thin on references to digital literacy.

One 2nd grade standard says students should use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of [the] characters, setting, or plot. Other than that, the elementary standards refer to texts more generally.

I think people could say in elementary school in the reading standards, where it does mention digital texts but theres an or, it could just be visualillustrations or photos, Pimentel said. We waited until middle school to say it needs to come in yet another format.

Its true that the reading standards for middle and high school are a bit more explicit about technology use. A 7th grade informational-reading standard says students should compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text. And an 8th grade standard says students should analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums [sic] (e.g., a persons life story in both print and multimedia). Again, theres some room for interpretation, especially in the 8th grade standard, but technology is undoubtedly flagged.

For Leu, though, the key failure of the reading standards is that they dont ever specifically require students to read online. As Leu explains, there are two kinds of digital reading: offline and online. Offline reading can happen on a computer or e-reader but is really not much different from print reading. The text is read from top to bottom without much interactivity. Online reading involves novel skills such as using search engines, clicking on hyperlinks, and evaluating different websites credibility.

In the reading portion, [the common core] did not use online or internet or some reference that would specifically point to the online context, he said. When you use a term like digital, it can be an e-book. Most people interpret text in relation to their prior knowledge, and most educators and classroom teachers prior knowledge is strongly influenced by offline text.

Missed Opportunity

Certainly, plenty of tech-savvy teachers and schools are incorporating online reading while tackling the standards. But as William L. Bass II, the innovation coordinator for instructional technology, information, and library media for the Parkway school district in Missouri, points out, plenty are not. Some [school and district] administrations went very literal and very direct, and in those cases, digital tools are seen as an add-onits nice to get to if every student in your class is on grade level, he said. Ultimately, we missed an opportunity because we didnt discretely put those things in [the common core].

But Pimentel argues that the standards give students the foundational skills they need to be good digital readers, even without being too prescriptive about incorporating online reading. If we teach students to read closely, pay attention to what people are saying, ask questions about it, think about who the author isthat would be the most critical part of what we want to make sure students are doing as they become more competent in digital literacy, she said.

For example, an area of digital literacy that the standards dont directly address at all, Pimentel points out, is social media.

We did have discussion about it. ... Its challenging when youre dealing with technology and not having the standards be outdated as soon as you print them, she said. The formats keep changing.

But the standards do get at the skills needed to navigate social media, Pimentel said. We definitely deal with the credibility and accuracy of sources, and that becomes really important when students read social media and blog posts, she said.

Writing Meets the Mark

The common-core standards for writing, on the other hand, are more blunt in their requirements and do contain explicit mentions of the online space.

Writing does a pretty good job, said Leu, who is also the director of the New Literacies Research Lab at the University of Connecticut. At least they used the term internet, and to me, thats the critical issue.

Anchor Standard 6 in writing says students should use technology, including the internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others. And Anchor Standard 8 says students should gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.

In writing, even the youngest students are asked to explore a variety of digital tools. The grade-level standards tend to say print and digital sources for writing, rather than giving educators an out by saying print or digital as they do in reading.

The speaking and listening standards also refer to digital tools more explicitly. Anchor Standard 5 says students should make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations. Third graders are asked to create engaging audio recordings of stories or poems, and high school students are asked to make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations.

The standards themselves aside, a major concern among digital-literacy experts about the transition to the common core is that the tests aligned to the standards dont require real online reading. And as the adage goes, what gets tested gets taught.

Theres still a huge gap between assessment and the kinds of digital literacies and online literacies we know are important and that we need to be teaching children, said Dalton of the University of Colorado.

For the most part, the tests, while administered on computers, dont ask students to click on hyperlinks or use search engines to find information.

Jeffrey Nellhaus, the chief of assessment for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, a federally funded common-core testing consortium, said in an email thats because its difficult to limit internet access to just a few websites or search engines, and because unrestricted access to the internet can make it easier to cheat. Issues could also arise with safety, privacy, Wi-Fi bandwidth, and local internet filters that make using an authentic online environment very tough.

We do not measure the ability for students to go out to the internet without any constraints and seek out appropriate information, said Tony Alpert, the executive director of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, the other federally funded group that created common-core tests. But what we do is we measure foundational skills that help students engage in that activity.

Still, some educators and digital-literacy experts say that because the testing platform looks so different from the web, teachers may spend class time having students practice for the test rather than using the internet authentically.

The platform doesnt look like an online web page and it doesnt look like a book, said Leu. Its novel.

Beyond Traditional

Many teachers are using print texts during instruction, and then having students practice answering questions that look like those on the testmissing out on authentic digital reading altogether, according to Bass, the innovation coordinator in Missouri.

Its not an authentic learning experience. As teachers go through their day-to-day work, theyre still very much using a traditional format to teach and practice, until theyre doing test prep, he said. The [digital] skills of test prep dont translate into the [digital] skills of everyday life.

Alpert says Smarter Balanced has incorporated online skills into some of its formative-testing tools, which teachers use throughout the year in the classroom to gauge their students progress.

And the common-core-aligned state tests may change down the road. Nellhaus of PARCC said the group is planning to devise tasks that simulate the use of hyperlinks and search engines.

I think were going to get better and better on that, said Pimentel. I think were going to get more authentic as we move along. And I challenge the digital-literacy folks to step up and [offer solutions for] how we can do this well and safely.
Republican Donald Trump, whose brash campaign for the White House included strong support for school choice and sharp denunciations of current education policy, has been elected president of the United States, the Associated Press reported early Wednesday.

Trumps victory in the presidential race leaves widespread uncertainty about whats in store for public schools under the first Republican administration in eight years. Aside from school choice, Trump, a New York-based real estate developer, spent very little time talking about K-12 education during his campaign. And he has no track record to speak of or draw on for insights into what he may propose.

Were all engaging in a lot of speculation because there hasnt been a lot of serious discussion about this, especially in the Trump campaign, said Martin R. West, an associate professor of education at Harvard University who has advised Republicans, including 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney and Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., on education issues.

See Also Complete Coverage: 2016 Election

Trump did propose a $20 billion federal plan to dramatically expand school choice for low-income students. His plan would allow students to use federal funds to help them attend private, charter, magnet, and traditional public schools of their choice. Its also designed to leverage additional state investments in school choice of up to $100 billion nationwide.

But otherwise, Trump has mostly dealt in sound bites with controversial issues like the Common Core State Standards, the fate of the U.S. Department of Education, and gun-free school zones.

Longtime observers and analysts said in the run-up to Election Day that because Trumps views on education are largely a black box, the role of Republicans in Congress as well as of the U.S. Secretary of Education and senior staff at the Education Department could grow under his administration.

Nat Malkus, a research fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, said its possible that Trump will direct Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, his vice president, to be his point person on K-12, given Pences clear conservative track record on education issues.

I wouldnt be surprised at all if he gives Pence a lot of leeway there, to kind of define that role, Malkus said. I could really see him trying to minimize any role [of the federal government in education].

Pressing Issues and Staff

While education may not be a high-profile issue politically at the moment, its not as if the Trump administration wont have anything to do on that front.

At or near the top of the K-12 to-do list is how the Trump administration handles the Every Student Succeeds Act. The Education Department under President Barack Obama is relatively close to finalizing regulations governing how states hold schools accountable, and how districts must show they are using federal money to supplement their state and local school budgets.

Republicans in Congress have been critical of both sets of proposals from the department, particularly the one governing the supplemental-money rule. In fact, 25 GOP lawmakers recently asked the department to rescind its proposal for ensuring federal funds are supplemental, on the grounds that the proposal would provide the department too much power over what should be state and local budget decisions.

A Trump-led department might decide to rescind one or both sets of those regulations that many Republicans, as well as representatives for states and districts, strongly dislike.

That would be my hope, said Neal McCluskey, the director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. He would probably drastically reduce what the federal government does in education. In K-12, that would be sticking with the spirit, and what a lot of people would say is the letter, of ESSA.

See Also Blog Coverage: Donald Trump

But McCluskey added that theres also a decent chance Trump would use the federal government as leverage to promote school choice.

Much of that also depends on who Trump picks to lead his Education Departmentassuming that he decides not to seek elimination or drastic cutbacks to the department, which he has sometimes said he would like to do.

In October, Carl Palladino, a school board member in Buffalo, N.Y., and a Trump surrogate on the campaign trail, said he believed that if elected, Trump would pick someone from outside the education policy world to lead the department.

Another key decision will be to decide who reviews states proposed accountability plans for ESSA next year.

Who are going to be his people? If he brings in a traditional right-of-center group, you can take it from there, said Maria Ferguson, the executive director of the Center on Education Policy who worked in the Education Department under President Bill Clinton.

Ferguson suggested a traditional conservative policy agenda of expanded charter schools and other initiatives would probably get traction under a Trump administration.

All these familiar themes that the right-of-center groups have talked about will become a version of his agenda, she predicted, mentioning school choice and groups like the Foundation for Excellence in Education, which was founded by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, one of Trumps rivals for the GOP nomination. But I dont think its going to come from him.

Earlier this year, Trump tapped Rob Goad, a staffer for Rep. Luke Messer, R-Ind., to be his education adviser, not too long before his campaign released its $20 billion school choice plan. There are some basic similarities between Trumps plan and Messers push last year to make federal Title I funds portable for disadvantaged students to use at both public and private schools.

And Trumps transition team for education consists of Williamson M. Evers, a research fellow at Stanford Universitys Hoover Institution, who worked at the education department under President George W. Bush, and Gerard Robinson, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a former Florida education commissioner.

Car Keys and a 12-Pack?

Much also depends on Trumps relationships with Congress and to what extent he empowers key GOP lawmakers on education policy.

Besides ESSA, Congress has been fairly active when it comes to moving education-related legislation. In recent months, for example, the House of Representatives approved reauthorizations of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act and the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act.

Some, but less, progress has also been made on renewing the Child Nutrition Act. And And the Higher Education Act, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, and the Head Start federal preschool program are up for reauthorization in the near future.

Trump has outlined a general plan regarding college affordability, including capping student-loan repayments at 12.5 percent of income and instituting loan forgiveness after 15 years for certain borrowers. But college affordability is a more prominent issue thanks to the recent presidential campaign. And since Congress continues to remain sharply divided along partisan lines, Trump and the Republicans likely wont be able to simply roll ahead with all their preferences on higher education.

Youre not doing anything legislatively without bipartisan support, West said. Its not obvious to me that there is a clear Republican agenda in Congress right now with respect to K-12 education, except for trying to ensure that ESSA is implemented in a way consistent with the intent of the law of empowering states to design accountability systems as they see fit.

Regarding Trumps school choice plan, for example, West noted that a more-limited pitch to allow students to take Title I funds, targeting disadvantaged students, to the public or private schools of their choice fell flat during negotiations to pass what ultimately became ESSA. Thats a bad sign for a broader initiative like the one Trumps put out, he said. (ESSA does broaden access to grant money distributed through the federal Charter School Program.)

But uncertainty prevails, both in terms of what Trump will take an interest in and how much he will push to get education bills and initiatives over the finish line.

With Trump, its like giving a teenager a 12-pack and the keys to your car, said Malkus of AEI. You just dont know whats going to happen.
With the many enhancements to mobile devices, multimedia websites, e-books, interactive graphics, and social media, theres no question that the nature of reading has changed during the past decade.

But has the way reading is taught in elementary schools changed as well? And what should teachers be doing to get students ready for the realities of modern reading?

For now, theres no consensus on exactly how digital skills should be incorporated into literacy instruction. Practitioners have few guidelines, and many are simply adapting their lessons as they see fit. But many literacy experts do agree on at least one thing: that all students should be learning with a mix of print and digital textseven the very youngest.

Just like we teach nonfiction and fiction at a very young age, I think we can talk to preschoolers and kindergartners about different kinds of textsthis is one where we turn the pages, and this is one where we click on the different pages, said Kristen Hawley Turner, an associate professor of English education and contemporary literacies at Fordham University.

Exposing students to both print and digital reading early on in school is a way of reflecting what authentic reading looks like, many said.

It is the way people read, write, communicate, and learn in the world, so kids should be learning it from the beginning, said Bridget Dalton, an associate professor of literacy studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. You dont wait till theyre proficient in one to do the other. Its a simultaneous development.

But unfortunately, experts said, the transition to that way of instruction has been slow going in many places. The word reading in elementary classrooms often still refers mainly to print.

According to survey data from the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress, only about 1 in 10 4th graders use computers to access reading-related websites on a daily basis or nearly every day at school. About 30 percent of students in 4th grade classrooms never, or hardly ever, use computers to access such reading material in school.

Where to Go for Digital Nonfiction Reading Rather than having students freely surf the web, many teachers say they send students to handpicked education sites to read and do research on nonfiction topics. These popular sites all have free content, though some offer additional features for a fee. Wonderopolis

Created by the National Center for Families Learning, this website has daily articles about interesting phenomena in science, social studies, math, and other subject areas, including answers for questions like, Why are flamingos pink?

wonderopolis.org Newsela

This website takes the daily news and makes it student-friendly, adapting each article for five different reading levels.

newsela.com BrainPOP

This group of websites features short, animated videos on topics in science, social studies, English, math, the arts, health, and engineering.

brainpop.com The Kids Should See This

This library of more than 2,500 educational videos, curated from across the internet, has the tag line not-made-for-kids, but perfect for them. The videos cover a range of topics, though the site has an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.

thekidshouldseethis.com Tween Tribune

Hosted by the Smithsonian, this free website, geared toward 8- to 15-year-olds, is updated daily with high-interest news articles at four different reading levels.

tweentribune.com

Think about what happens in the real world, and school is not there, regrettably, Turner said.

Brenda LeClerc, an elementary reading specialist in Lincoln, R.I., who attended a digital-literacy institute at the University of Rhode Island this past summer, said students in her classes have generally read really only print-based materials. She is working to expand her own digital skills because everything outside of school is not print-based for the most part, she said. I feel like I need to be more comfortable with it.

Print Skills Plus

Adding digital reading to the already-tough task of teaching elementary students foundational print skills can be daunting, though.

Even students born in a digital age need to learn a host of new skills, including how to operate the devices, navigate online tools, manage distractions, and maintain their own safety and privacy.

Its challenging. As teachers, were just realizing how much our own reading and writing lives have changed, said Franki Sibberson, a 3rd grade teacher in Dublin, Ohio, and the vice president of the National Council of Teachers of English.

One of the best ways to teach technical skills is through modeling, many said. Teachers can show students how to use technology by using it themselves and talking out the process.

This week, we might be reading a paper book [for a read aloud], and next week, I might read something off my Kindle, said Kristin Ziemke, a 1st grade teacher at the Academy of St. Benedict the African in Chicago, who also consults with other urban schools as a learning-innovation specialist. I want them to see what it looks like to turn the page, to go back.

Students, especially the youngest ones, dont each need their own device to do that, either. One device and the projector changes everything for kids and for teachers, she said.

The transition from looking at words and text in print to viewing it on screen isnt hard at all for young students, said Karen Pelekis, a 1st grade teacher in Scarsdale, N.Y. Its just a natural extension of how they already see the world. Its what theyre already exposed to.

Teachers can also use modeling to show young children how to navigate an online space, such as a web-based article with hyperlinks and multimedia.

We talk about text features in booksindentation, the big first letter at the beginning of a chapter, what a chapter means, said William L. Bass II, the innovation coordinator for instructional technology, information, and library media for the Parkway district in Chesterfield, Mo. But what about those text features that are inside of web pages? What is this underlined blue thing? Why did the author choose to make that a link?

Nonlinear Texts

Perhaps the biggest difference between print and online reading is that the latter introduces decisionmaking.

Print reading is very much theres a dead endits isolated reading, said Katharine Hale, the instructional-technology coordinator at Gunston Middle School in Arlington, Va. Digital reading is more like a choose your own adventure. You can click on something else and continue on again.

In other words, reading goes from being a linear experience in print to being a nonlinear one online. Teachers need to be direct about that difference, experts said, showing students that sometimes its OK to stop and click on a link or watch a video in the middle of an article if it will help them understand the content better.

We need to teach young children digital text is hyperlinked and networked, and you go from one place to another, and its not left to right, said Turner. Ive had students successfully do that in early elementary by having them click on hyperlinks and talking about, where did that take me? The idea is being very explicit and not just assuming they have the knowledge.

At the same time, students need to see that, while the format is different, the purpose of reading remains the same. When you think about comprehension strategies, they work whether youre reading a blog post or watching video or reading a print book, said Sibberson, who co-wrote a book with Bass in 2015 called Digital Reading: Whats Essential in Grades 3-8.

Some studies have shown that students struggle more with comprehension on digital devices than print materials. A 2012 study by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, a research organization for childrens digital media, found that 3- to 6-year-olds who read interactive e-books with their parents recalled significantly fewer narrative details than children who read the print version of the same story.

But some educators chalked that up to students not getting explicit instruction on how to navigate online text and transfer those print comprehension skills. I once had a kid say, I didnt know we were allowed to think when we read online,  said Sibberson. They need to see its the same thingsometimes with online stuff, they think of play.

Young students also need instruction on how to self-regulate and manage distractions in the online worldwhen to ignore links, close tabs, and stay on one text or app rather than jumping around to others, for example.

If you dont start thinking early about managing distractions, youre going to be building bad habits, Fordhams Turner said.

Search for Texts Online

Just as young students learn to choose books from the library, many experts said they should also learn to search for texts online. But, of course, surfing the web is rife with safety and privacy issues, so elementary students will need to do that in a more limited environment.

Pelekis sets up wiki pages with links related to whatever her 1st graders are studyingfor instance, students can go there to get more information on chicks during a unit on the egg-to-chicken life cycle.

She avoids search engines altogether. I know some people do [use them] but ... I did once, and its a bad mistake Im not making again, she said. Even YouTubes education channel can turn up inappropriate content, she said. (And dont even think about having students Google the word chicks, she mentioned offhandedly.)

That said, some teachers want to maintain authenticity in how students search for information online, both because they will need those skills later and because giving students a choice can motivate them to read.

So often we say, go to National Geographic Kids, open the article on giraffes, and read it, said Ziemke, who co-wrote a 2015 book called Amplify! Digital Teaching and Learning in the K-6 Classroom. I noticed I wasnt giving students that same choice piece with digital reading [as with print].

Ziemke now recommends introducing 3rd graders and up to a half-dozen or so vetted educational websites, such as Wonderopolis and Tween Tribune, and giving them free time to search within those for texts theyd like to read.

By 5th grade, though, Bass says students should have opportunities to really search the web on their own.

Authentic Reading vs. Games

There are countless online games and apps available to help students practice their foundational reading skillsphonics, sight words, vocabulary, among themand teachers have been using them for years. But digital-literacy experts caution that theres a difference between using games and having students do authentic online reading.

People ask me whats the best sight-word app for 2nd grade, and I say I dont know, I dont use tech like that, said Ziemke. Im not against games by any means, but when I look at where we need to start, we can do so much with modeling daily work and authentic ways of using tech.

Many games and apps arent much more than souped-up worksheets, according to Hale, the instructional-technology coordinator in Virginia.

More-authentic digital-literacy instruction would have students working with the technology that readers and writers use all the timeblogs, social media, movie-making apps, bookmarking tools, audio recorders, virtual bulletin boards, and annotating tools, educators said.

There are isolated skills you can learn nicely on the computer, but overall for me, reading is all about thinking, and the more I can get them to think, explore, be curious and interested, and have a desire to read and learn, the technology helps you be able to capture that and extend what they can do in the classroom, said 1st grade teacher Pelekis.

Classroom Barriers

Needless to say, incorporating digital skills into early reading is easier in some situations than others.

For starters, theres the issue of access to digital devices. Many teachers said they simply dont have the internet-connected tools they need to get going with online reading.

We do have iPad carts and laptop carts, but teachers have to sign up to use them, so you have to work around everyone elses schedule, said Lisa Maucione, a reading specialist for the Dartmouth public schools in Massachusetts, who also attended the digital-literacy institute at URI. And if theres testing, testing is the priority.

But Turner said devices are the least of teachers problems. Almost everybody can get at least one device in the classroom whether through grants via DonorsChoose or from the district, she said. And students can learn the basics they need when a teacher projects the device on a screen and models how to use it.

A bigger issue is that teachers feel hamstrung by policies that dont necessarily promote digital reading, some said. Standardized tests do take place on computers now in most states, but they dont measure authentic digital skills, such as navigating websites and using search engines. And in many cases, because authentic online reading tasks arent being assessed, teachers in tested grades may not prioritize teaching them.

In addition, many elementary teachers are uncomfortable with their own technology skills, which makes them hesitant to start digital reading with students.

For the most part, we were not trained as educators to teach kids who are reading in digital spacesthats not part of most teacher-prep courses, said Bass, the innovation coordinator in Chesterfield. We fall back and rely on the way we were taught, and thats a barrier.

There are also some mindsets that hold teachers back from teaching digital reading. Ive been in classrooms where its not happening at all, said Ziemke, the 1st grade teacher and consultant. There are people that are waiting it out [until they leave teaching] or saying, Im going to go to a school thats not as techy. 

And some educators areunderstandablystill attached to the idea of falling in love with print books.

Theres still something very magical about holding a book and being able to flip the page in your hands, said Hale. But reading isnt just reading print text anymore. Reading is reading the world.
As he sets his policy agenda, president-elect Donald Trump will get to collaborate on education issues with a Congress that will remain under Republican control in both chambers, withat this pointlittle shift in the leadership of key legislative committees.

There will be a new head of the House Education and the Workforce committee: The current chairman, Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., is retiring at the end of this session of Congress. The lawmaker perhaps most likely to replace him, Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, has the reputation of being more partisan than Kline. Still, she was a co-sponsor of the 2014 bipartisan bill that reauthorized the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

In the Senate, the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee is chaired by Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who worked in a bipartisan fashion with Democrats last year on passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act, the newest version of the main K-12 education law. The only member of the Senate education committee to lose his or her re-election bid was Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., who lost his bid for re-election to Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill. Fellow committee member Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., also won his race.

News reports Wednesday morning tallied 51 Republican senators and 47 Democrats in the new Congress; in the House, the GOP could count 236 members, compared to 191 for the Democrats.

So far, the only relatively detailed Trump K-12 policy proposal that may make its way to Congress is a $20 billion school choice program that would pay for disadvantaged students to attend private, charter, magnet, and traditional public schools of their choice. But in 2015, during negotiations over what became ESSA, lawmakers rejected a very similar idea to make federal funds for those students portable to both public and private schools. So its not clear that Congress will put serious energy behind that proposal, if Trump advances it.

Members of Congress may also have to consider a push by Trump to eliminate the Education Department altogether. During the campaign, Trump had pledged to drastically cut or eliminate the U.S. Department of Education during his presidency.

In spite of the broader gridlock in Congress recently, lawmakers have been fairly active in moving bills along, and in the case of the Every Student Succeeds Act, over the finish line. But in many cases, the real political challenge comes when the full House and Senate vote on bills, said Jamie Fasteau, the director of education policy at the Emerson Collective (which advocates for educational equity) and a former top education staffer for retired Rep. George Miller, D-Calif.

I think both of these committees could get a lot done. But thats not where the bills end, Fasteau said in an interview prior to the election.

To-Do List

Congress still has several education-related issues on its plate, a few of which could be taken care of in the lame-duck session before Trump takes office. The House, for example, passed reauthorizations of career and technical education and juvenile-justice laws earlier this year, creating at least a chance for bills that Obama could sign before leaving office in mid-January.

Even if that career and technical education bill doesnt get done during the lame-duck session, Fasteau is still optimistic for its fate in the next Congress, because, It is such an important issue for our Republican members. And it just garners less attention than a lot of other issues. It could be something that moves through quietly.

Other challenging education issues, however, will be left to the next session of Congress, in conjunction with the next administration.

Those include reauthorizing the Higher Education Act as well as the Head Start federal preschool program and considering any early-childhood education and child-welfare proposals from Trump. Both the HEA and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, which governs special education, are well overdue for reauthorization.

Although Trump did not discuss it in detail on the campaign trail, he did propose policies designed to reduce the financial burden of higher education, such as capping repayments on federal student loans at 12.5 percent of income. Its unclear how House Republicans, as well as Democrats, will react to those specific proposals.

Klines departure, in particular, could make things even more difficult for education in Congress, given his record of moving bills out of his committee and working with Democrats to draw up relatively popular bills.

The wild card there would be the new leadership of the House education and workforce committee and whether Klines approach would continue in Congress, said Martin West, an associate professor of education at Harvard University who has advised both Alexander and 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney on education issues. You could see work continue on these secondary bills. But whats most important with respect to Congress is what control of Congress means for any proposals to advance new spending, which are much more difficult to envision with the Republicans controlling the House than would be the case otherwise.

Still, on higher education, West said he could see Congress adopting policies to streamline the process of applying for federal student loans and simplifying how students repay them.

Leadership Approach

Then theres how the leadership in Congress approaches oversight of the Every Student Succeeds Act, which could be subjected to an awkward and controversial transition from one administration to the next.

Democrats, and in particular those who favor strong student and school accountability, will be anxiously watching the Trump administration to see if it rescinds or reconsiders ESSA accountability and spending regulations from the Obama administration. Republicans, meanwhile, will probably feel emboldened to press education officials to let states and districts have more of a say in ESSA regulations, and possibly rescind the Obama regulations altogether.

Political Theater

But beyond the bills and the control of committees, the attitude members take, especially during the first phase of the Trump administration, will also be crucial.

The real worry for many observers and advocates is that education will be sucked into any broader and more-divisive partisan dynamics that prevent Congress from getting much work done. Fierce debates about how the department should regulate ESSA also show that education hasnt been totally immune from the more-typical Washington bickering that can impede legislation or regulations.

Both parties stand to be able to contribute to the political theater that puts politics before policy, said Noelle Ellerson, the associate executive director of AASA, the School Superintendents Association, in an interview prior to the election.
While the word literacy alone generally refers to reading and writing skills, when you tack on the word digital before it, the term encompasses much, much more.

Sure, reading and writing are still very much at the heart of digital literacy. But given the new and ever-changing ways we use technology to receive and communicate information, digital literacy also encompasses a broader range of skillseverything from reading on a Kindle to gauging the validity of a website or creating and sharing YouTube videos.

The term is so broad that some experts even stay away from it, preferring to speak more specifically about particular skills at the intersection of technology and literacy.

The American Library Associations digital-literacy task force offers this definition: Digital literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.

More simply, Hiller Spires, a professor of literacy and technology at North Carolina State University, views digital literacy as having three buckets: 1) finding and consuming digital content; 2) creating digital content; and 3) communicating or sharing it.

Finding and Consuming

In some formats, consuming digital content looks pretty much the same as reading print. Reading a novel on a basic e-reader requires knowing how to turn the device on and flip pages back and forth, but other than that, it isnt so different from reading a book. A PDF of a New York Times article looks a lot like the page of a print newspaper, except that it appears on a screen.

See Also Online Reading Fuels New Achievement Gap, Researchers Say

Donald Leu, an education professor at the University of Connecticut and a recognized authority on literacy and technology, describes this sort of digital reading as offline reading.

Its not interactive, ... theres one screen, and you just have to read it, he explained. Its the same as reading a [paper] page.

The added skills needed for this kind of reading take just a few minutes to teach.

In comparison, what Leu calls online reading, in which a digital text is read through the internet, requires a host of additional skills. For instance, a New York Times piece viewed on the web may contain hyperlinks, videos, audio clips, images, interactive graphics, share buttons, or a comments sectionfeatures that force the reader to stop and make decisions rather than simply reading from top to bottom.

The text is designed so that no two readers experience it in the exact same way, said Troy Hicks, a professor of literacy and technology at Central Michigan University.

The reader determines, among other things, when to click on videos or hyperlinks, how long to stray from the initial text, and whether and how to pass the information along to others.

The process of finding digital content to read also necessitates different skills than finding print texts. In seeking print materials, students might flip through magazines or head to the library and search through stacks of books. They learn to use a table of contents and an index to locate information within a book.

But part of digital literacy is learning to search for content in an online space. Students have to query a search engine using keywords and navigate those results, including assessing the reliability of particular authors and websites.

Creating Content

Digital literacy also refers to content creation. That includes writing in digital formats such as email, blogs, and Tweets, as well as creating other forms of media, such as videos and podcasts.

Renee Hobbs, a professor of communication studies at the University of Rhode Island, talks about digital authorship as a form of social power. At a weeklong professional-development institute on digital literacy held at URI this past summer, she showed examples of student activists sharing their messages about the Black Lives Matter movement through YouTube videos.

Creating digital content is a creative and collaborative process that involves experimentation and risk-taking, she said. Theres more risk-taking than in print writing because digital writing is so often meant to be shared.

Sharing and Communicating

While traditional writing can be a personal endeavor, digital writing is generally intended to be communicated with others. And digital-writing tools are designed to make that easy to do.

As North Carolina States Spires and her co-author, Melissa Bartlett, wrote in a 2012 white paper about digital literacy and learning, Web 2.0 tools are social, participatory, collaborative, easy to use, and are facilitative in creating online communities.

That makes digital writing a potentially powerful lever for social good, allowing students to actively participate in civic society and contribute to a vibrant, informed, and engaged community, as the ALA notes.

It also makes digital writing a potentially dangerous tooldecisions about when and what to share online can have repercussions for a students safety, privacy, and reputation.

For that reason, learning about appropriate internet behavior is also a part of digital literacy, many say.

We need to help kids see they can use digital tools to create things and put things out into the world, but theres responsibility that comes with that, said Lisa Maucione, who attended the URI institute and who is a reading specialist for the Dartmouth public schools in Massachusetts.

Evolving Technology

Because the term digital literacy is so wide-ranging, it can cause confusion. What exactly is someone talking about when he or she refers to digital literacy? Is it the consumption, creation, or communication of digital material? Or is that person discussing a particular digital tool? Do technology skills like computer coding fall under the digital-literacy umbrella as well?

Some experts prefer the term digital literacies, to convey the many facets of what reading and writing in the modern era entails.

The concept should instead be considered pluraldigital literaciesbecause the term implies multiple opportunities to leverage digital texts, tools, and multimodal representations for design, creation, play, and problem solving, Jill Castek, a research assistant professor with the Literacy, Language, and Technology Research Group at Portland State University, wrote in an email.

Leu of UConn avoids the term altogether.

Is someone who is digitally literate equally literate when searching for information, when critically evaluating information, when using Snapchat, when using email, when using text messaging, when using Facebook, or when using any one of many different technologies for literacy and learning? asked Leu in an email. I think not.

He prefers the term new literacies, which he said better conveys how rapidly technology is changing. Other experts have used terms like literacy and technology, multiliteracies, and 21st century literacies.

But for now, digital literacy seems to be the prevailing term among educators. I understand this is the term that is popular today, Leu said, just as I understand a newer term will appear in the future that will replace it.
From depictions in Hollywood to our own schools, many educators we know are just born teachers. We love the profession so much that we cannot imagine doing any other job. But my sons journey to becoming a teacher illustrates a horrifying reality. Our great profession is in peril. The turbulence that surrounds teaching is creating a disturbance that must be addressed.

My son is a born teacher. Intelligent and kind, patient and passionate, he will be a gift to all of his future students and their families. He is the only person I have ever known who would be equally effective at any grade level: elementary, middle, or high school. Upon starting college, he struggled to find a major that met his interests and talents. In a society that churns out business majors and medical professionals but sees a drought of educators, there was little encouragement for education majors. After my son changed his major multiple times, I finally told him that he should consider becoming a teacher. He is now an elementary education major at Michigan State University. Why didnt he originally accept his destiny? He saw the climate created by the bashing of the profession, and he also saw how hard I work.

Weve all seen the statistics. From 2009 to 2014, there was a 35 percent decline in enrollment in teacher-preparation programs. This equates to a decrease of 240,000 potential teachers in those five years. These numbers do not include the high number of teachers who leave the profession in their first five years of teaching. While some suggest it could be as high as 40 to 50 percent, a study by the U.S. Department of Education suggests it is approximately 17 percent. Add this to the number who retire every year, and you can see the potential storm on the horizon. This zonal flow is affecting the entire profession, but the impact on high-needs areas will be cataclysmic.

And as telecommunications professor Edward Castronova said, Anyone who sees a hurricane coming should warn others. I see a hurricane coming. So do I. This hurricane will bring devastation.

Rather than merely lament the reality or rehash the potential causes of this atmospheric disturbance, lets focus on what we, as educators and lovers of the profession, can do to brace ourselves for impact and shore up public education to weather this storm:

Be positive.

While the swirling negativity can sadden even the most positive, it is important to remember what we love most about the professionour students. Every day we work incredibly hard to inspire and instruct our students so that they can be successful. Our influence on them is incredible. I find that no matter what else is going on, the minute I am in the classroom with my students, none of that matters. We are positive for them and need to remember to show that positivity for future teachers, too.

Keep your students who are interested in being teachers on your radar. Encourage, rather than dissuade, them. We need great teachers, so spark that interest and talent in your own students by showing them you love what you do. Encourage them to engage with you in changing policy and public perception to match the importance of the job. If your school does not have a program for future educators, create a club to welcome them.

Open your classroom to student teachers and college students who are interested in teaching, and when you are with them, speak of the positives of the job. We all have bad days or troubling issues, but these should be tempered with reminding ourselves and others of the importance and benefits of the job. Make it a habit to use social media to expound on the positives of the profession rather than feeding into the negativity. Dont get stuck like Eeyore under a gloomy overcast of teacher bashing. It is as bad for you as it is for future teachers.

Get involved with teacher-preparation programs.

Under the new federal K-12 education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, there may be changes to teacher-preparation programs, including giving students more time to serve in residency-style positions under the mentoring of teachers. Volunteer with education colleges in your area. Serve as a guest lecturer to give education majors a practitioner point-of-view (remembering to be positive). Offer the opportunity for college students to observe your class and work with students. Accept student teachers, and help prepare and nurture the next generation of teachers.

Promote and support new teachers.

Teaching can be an alienating profession. Despite being with students all day long, many of us do not get many opportunities to talk to other adults. For those who have been in the profession a long time and have fostered professional friendships, we have the ability to lean on each other and get advice when needed. If you work in a large school and especially if you were hired with a large number of other teachers who naturally became friends and allies with shared experiences, you may have a built-in village of colleagues. Not everyone is that fortunate. Reach out to new teachers in your building and district. Start a committee, separate from any required mentor programs, to support new teachers. Have regular meetings with these teachers so they develop relationships with each other and with experienced teachers. In my district, this was teacher-driven and supported through the union. This is a great way for new teachers to see that the union supports teachers in more ways than just working conditions and salary.

While there is often little or no time during the day to connect with new teachers, use technology to connect virtually. The Center for Teaching Quality and the National Education Association (through its EdCommunities resources ) have online platforms that allow teachers from across the country and around the world to engage in support and promotion of the profession. In the era of gotcha evaluations (something ESSA should help alleviate), we need to work together more than ever to ensure the very survival of the profession.

Shape our future through ESSA.

We have a great opportunity to influence policy and practice through ESSA. The federal law requires stakeholder input, but the implementation of the law will only be as good as the work we put into making it work for students and educators. Volunteer to be part of your district or state ESSA team. Your states department of education and the NEAs EdCommunities site have updates on the process and opportunities for your input if your states team has been created. Be the point person in your district or at your building to ensure this process works. The very things that have caused teachers to leave the profession are the things the law addresses: evaluation, professional development, teacher preparation, equity, and opportunity, to name a few. Being involved in shaping our own future is essential to stopping the floodwaters.

Unify.

This is our professiona wonderful and noble one. It is up to each of us to save it and encourage those who follow in our footsteps. Failure is not an option. While we are now under a warning that the profession is in jeopardy, this is not a stationary front we face. Working together, we can watch as the future of our beloved profession is as secure as its past.
Event background

Financial instruments can be co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) to support the investment priorities outlined in the ESF Operational Programmes (OP) of the Member States. Provided that they address an identified market gap, they can contribute to the achievement of the thematic objectives of the ESF. The 2014-2020 legal framework puts ESF managing authorities also in a much better position to make use of microfinance instruments than at any time in the past.

Event objectives

This full-day event aims at providing participants opportunities to:

Further their understanding of how financial instruments can help in their efforts to deliver ESF 2014-2020 objectives, with particular emphasis on microfinance instruments;

Familiarise themselves with the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI);

Exchange views on the potential use of EFSI for ESF-type actions;

Explore the possibility of combining European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) elements with EFSI;

Increase their understanding of centralised instruments that are currently available for use by managing authorities;

Enhance their awareness and knowledge about microfinance financial instruments; and

Exchange and discuss examples, advantages, features and suitability of financial instruments in delivering ESF 2014-2020 objectives.

The detailed programme of the conference is available in English and Italian language here.

Audience

This event is limited to participants involved or planning to become involved in the implementation of financial instruments, including microfinance, under the ESF in Italy. Italian ESF managing authorities from all regions are the main target group of the event. Furthermore, Italian representatives of financial intermediaries, microfinance providers as well as banks involved in the social field are invited to attend the event. If capacity allows, final recipients and other stakeholders from Italy supporting financial instruments implementation will be admitted to attend the event.

Methodology

The event will consist of:

Presentations by experts from the Italian Ministry of Labour and the NUVAP (Dipartimento Politiche di Coesione, Presidenza del Consiglio), as well as the European Commission (DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion), the European Investment Bank Group (EIB Group) and other organisations;

Question and answer sessions with the speakers; and

Networking opportunities with speakers and participants.

Language

The event language will be Italian with the exception of one or two interventions in English. Interpretation between English and Italian will be provided for these presentations.

Registrations

Registration is open for the event on the fi-compass website and the deadline for online registrations is Friday, 25 November 2016.
Cara Delevingne, English fashion model and actress has stamped The Sun "shameless" and deprecated the paper for using "women's bodies to sell papers" after the newspaper run a story that claimed the model had been dropped from the Victoria's Secret fashion show 2014 because she was "bloated".

Every year, Victoria's Secret, an American women's premium lingerie company organizes fashion show to promote and market its products.

The controversy started when, the newspaper published an article under the headline: "Heavenly body-shaming: Victoria's Secret blast 'bloated' "last week, on 30th October. The article claimed the lingerie brand's casting panel rejected that 24-year old actress during the audition for the 2014 catwalk show. Delevingne had been the part of Victoria's Secret fashion show in 2012 and 2013.

Model and actress Cara Delevingne took the new report seriously and responded to the article by posting a letter she received from Edward Razek, Victoria's Secret CMO and executive producer of the Fashion Show, Mail Online reports. The actress shared the letter with her 35 million followers on her Instagram page.

The letter specifically denies The Sun's claims and explained that Delevingne could not walk in 2014 show because she was engaged in shooting a movie in North Carolina.

Further, Razek added that it is our privileged to have Cara on board and company hadtried everything to involve her at the 2014 show in London. But she was not avaliable due to her filming commitments.

Later, Edward Razek has invited her to join this year's show in Paris in December 2016 confirming that no audition would be necessary, BBC reports.

Meanwhile Cara is focusing on her acting career and finished the shooting of period drama "Tulip Fever" alongside Alicia Vikander and Judi Dench. The movie will be released in February 2017.

Till now, no representative from The Sun has responded against the letter from Victoria's Secret. The tabloid has also removed that controversial article from its website.
Lenovo launches world's first tango-enabled smartphone called Lenovo Phab 2 Pro. For people who don't know what tango is, let me tell you that it is the latest technology from Google that enables Augmented Reality gaming and utilities.

All you have to do is to look at your device and you will see objects and information overlaid onto the real world. It allows you to measure objects using your phone or visualize various things to see how it looks in such places.

Lenovo Phab 2 Pro is mid-range smartphone starting at $499.99. This smartphone comes with 6.4" QHD, 2K wide IPS assertive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1440  2560 pixels. It adapts to variable lighting conditions like light reflection or sunlight.

With a super-fast focus in just 0.3 seconds, 16 MP primary camera and 8 MP secondary camera, this smartphone gives an amazing experience and astounding result while clicking a photo. Lenovo Phab 2 Pro is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor build for tango with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB internal storage with expandable memory up to 128 GB (microSD card).

It is a dual sim phone (Nano SIM and microSD up to 128 GB) and 4050 mAh Lithium-ion battery with 2.4x turbocharging. It provides standby up to 13 days and talk-time up to 18 hours. If you are a music lover, then you will be impressed by its Dolby Atmos speakers. According to IBTimes, Phab 2 Pro is one of the first smartphones with Dolby Audio Capture 5.1, which lets you record quality audio.

Lenovo Phab 2 Plus provides connectivity of Wi-Fi up to 5 GHz and Bluetooth 4.0. It measures 3.49"  7.08" / 88.57  179.83 mm with aluminium unibody and weighs 259 g (0.57 lbs). Currently, this smartphone is available in Gunmetal Grey and Champagne Gold color.

During launching event, Ashish Sikka, sales head for Android and Chrome computing at Lenovo India, told India Today Tech that"If everything is on track, they will launch Phab 2 Pro around mid-December."

You may face some problem initially adjusting with the size of this smartphone but the features and AR gaming and utility make this phone worth buying.
In case you haven't yet checked the webpage I pointed you to yesterday (wasn't that a long time ago?):

While Initiative 732 did not pass, voters in Washington State demonstrated that people around the country and the world are concerned about the threat of climate change and feel compelled to take action to protect our children, our grandchildren, and the world we love. Grassroots activism accomplished what many environmental leaders and media pundits said was impossible: we put a revenue-neutral carbon tax on the ballot, said Yoram Bauman, founder and co-chair of Carbon Washington. While we did not pass the nations first carbon tax, many states around the country are looking at I-732 as a model and we expect a nationwide movement to take root in the years ahead. We will look back at this as a lost opportunity to create history in Washington State, but also as a catalyst for much needed U.S. leadership on climate action.

via yeson732.org

I'm not sure that I agree about I-732 being "a catalyst for much needed U.S. leadership on climate action."
Zimbabwe 272 and 180 for 7 (Ervine 65*, Herath 5-45) need another 311 runs to beat Sri Lanka 504 and 258 for 9 dec (Karunaratne 88, Kusal Perera 62, Cremer 4-91, Mumba 3-67)

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Rangana Herath became the first bowler to take 50 wickets in 2016  Associated Press

Three days between Tests is hardly enough for teams to work on their weaknesses. But this was Zimbabwe's opportunity to prove they had learnt from their mistakes in the first Test, or at least from their first innings in this Test. Going by the evidence of the 45 overs they batted on the fourth day, they haven't.

Rangana Herath , Sri Lanka's stand-in captain, who on the previous day had become just the third bowler after Muttiah Muralitharan and Dale Steyn to complete five-wicket hauls against all Test oppositions, picked up five wickets to leave Zimbabwe in a spin. Along the way, he became the first bowler to take 50 wickets in 2016 . Chasing an improbable 491, after Sri Lanka's declaration on 258 for 9 midway through the second session, Zimbabwe slumped to 180 for 7, with first-innings half-centurion Craig Ervine and Donald Tiripano at the crease.

The first three wickets fell in identical fashion - batsmen pressing forward and playing either outside the line or inside the line without any conviction, almost like they were searching for the ball without quite reading the trajectory. The deliveries that got Brian Chari and Hamilton Masakadza were arm balls, while another flighted delivery spun away from the rough to take Tino Mawoyo's edge off a tentative push to Dhananjaya de Silva at slip.

Sean Williams decided the best way to score runs was to step out to the spinners. He was lucky that a couple of mis-hits landed safe. But the visible difference in his approach was that there were no half-measures - a slog sweep off Dilruwan Perera from outside off over deep midwicket underscored that point. Having weathered the early storm against spin, he paid the price for relaxing against the pacers. His ugly waft away from the body resulted in a thick edge to first slip off Lahiru Kumara.

Then Dhananjaya, handed the ball perhaps just to shake things up, had a wicket in his second over when Malcolm Waller looked to drive, much like he did in the first innings, to a ball that drifted away to take the edge through to the wicketkeeper.

Not even the loss of five wickets in the session curbed the instincts of Zimbabwe's batsmen. Peter Moor kept going after the bowlers and struck them well for as long as he was around, before jabbing with hard hands to be caught at silly point. Then came perhaps the ball of the innings when Herath got one to drift in and spin away to square up Graeme Cremer and hit the stumps. It was fitting that the special delivery brought his seventh ten-wicket haul in Tests.

Meanwhile, Ervine, it appeared, was batting on a completely different plane, playing deliveries on merit while taking toll of the half-trackers. Zimbabwe will need him and Tiripano, who in the past has proved to be a handy batsman, to carry on for as possible to at least reduce the margin of defeat.

The first session had been attritional, with Sri Lanka happy to take their time to grind Zimbabwe down. Resuming on 102 for 4, they added 75 in the first session to leave Dimuth Karunaratne facing the prospect of bringing up his fifth Test ton. Asela Gunaratne, the other overnight batsman, made a sparkling 39, driving from the rough and playing with a degree of authority, before falling lbw to Tiripano on 39.

Sri Lanka's intent to up the scoring in the second session was evident from the outset. Given a license to attack, in line with his natural game, Kusal Perera swept, swiped and reverse-swept his way to a half-century off just 61 balls to swell Sri Lanka's second-innings total.
Younited Italia, Nicola Manzari e il nuovo Coo, Luca Faccini e Head of Growth e Domenico Petraroli e General Counsel
Between March 23, 2015, and November 1, 2016, 289 million people around the world generated 10 billion likes, posts, comments and shares on Facebook related to the US elections

With America going to polls to elect its 45th President, Facebook released data that details the conversations and interactions that were generated on the platform around the elections. As per the data, between March 23, 2015, and November 1, 2016, 289 million people around the world generated 10 billion likes, posts, comments and shares related to the US elections.

With regard to India in particular, over 9.3 million people on Facebook across the country generated over 40 million likes, posts, comments and shares related to the US elections.

The race for the 2016 Presidential election was a huge point of global conversation even in 2015. From campaign announcements to debate performances, the candidates made headlines throughout the year.

People turned to Facebook to talk about the issues, discover news and information, and engage with the politicians vying for the presidency.

Here are the top 10 moments of the campaign on Facebook:

 The second presidential debate on October 9.

 The release of the Access Hollywood tape.

 The first presidential debate on September 26.

 The third presidential debate on October 19.

 The Democratic Convention.

 FBI Director Comey reopens investigation into Clinton emails.

 The Republican Convention.

 The Vice Presidential Debate on October 4.

 Trump criticises the Khan family after the Democratic Convention.

 Super Tuesday on March 1.

Top Facebook content from each of the presidential campaigns:

Here are some details of the US and the 20 countries outside the US in which the largest number of people have engaged in the conversation about the US elections. India features among the top 10 in the ranking:

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
The price of Crude oil per barrel has rebounded to trade around $44.83 today but remains close to a multi-week low for crude. Where next for the OIL/USD in latest commodity predictions and forecasts?

In a surprise to currency and commodity markets, Donald Trump's victory as the next US President has seen choppy trade in Crude oil.

Initially, the price of oil slumped in a Brexit-style slide, but have since bounced back.

Last week proved to be the worst for crude oil prices in the last 10 months, as prices fell 9.5%. Monday provided relief to the bulls as crude rallied on the back of a clean chit to Hillary Clinton by the FBI.

The uncertainty of the US Presidential elections has shifted the focus away from the OPECs Algiers meeting on November 30. "The U.S. election is front and center in all the markets," said Chris Kettenmann, chief energy strategist at Macro Risk Advisors LLC in New York, reports Bloomberg.

News of an earthquake of magnitude 5.0 close to the US oil hub at Oklahoma also jolted the markets, however, markets calmed later when the Oklahoma oil and gas regulator reported resumption of operations and no major damages were reported.

After the US elections, all eyes will be on the OPEC. Though they could not reach an agreement on October 28, which led to the sharp fall in crude oil prices, OPEC remains positive on the prospects of a deal in Algiers.

We as OPEC remain committed to the Algiers accord, said Mohammed Barkindo, Secretary General of OPEC.

On the other hand, Russia continued to pump oil at record levels last month. It is expected that the Russian production will increase this year as new fields start production. Russias energy minister Alexander Novak has denied that Russia will cut production. According to him, Russia can look at the prospects of a production freeze, but only after OPEC reaches an agreement.

However, Barkindo said: I have heard from the highest quarters in Moscow that Russia is on board, reports Bloomberg.

The onus is now on the OPEC to arrive at a workable deal in Algiers, else crude oil is likely to be back to the $40 a barrel mark.
Hi all,my wife's visa was approved :cheer2:She will be here December 4th.So, now looking to the future, when do we need to start thinking about reapplying? How early should we reapply before her visa expires?Aware that she needs to pick up her card within 10 days of arriving, that's absolutely fine, but what are the next steps? Does she get a national insurance number? I just want to make sure we have all our ducks in a row for round two.Big thanks to everyone who helped us for this process, especially to the moderators. we all really appreciate your time and effort you put into helping in your free time
Hello Everyone,

I am a Turkish IT consultant living at DIFC and making 2 different business one is my salary job other one is my mobile app business.



My apps making making arround 25.000 usd every month and I think I need use offshore account(I cant use my home country account for taxing issues). Can you suggest me good offshore banking account ? I want to protect my saving and I want to withdraw money form ATMs with my debit card.



Thank you
Actually you could subscribe to Freebox Revolution via Free - it includes lots of other stuff on TV, as well as phone calls to lots of countries. It's not the cheapest way to get internet and phone access, but it's probably by far the cheapest if you consider the inclusions. Freebox Revolution . Otherwise Free also do a range of options including just internet and phone and you can find them via the same link. Bouygues is also running a really good offer at the moment, but you need to read the detail on it https://www.bouyguestelecom.fr/offres-internet
British expats are in mourning after upmarket British business Marks & Spencer announced it will close 100 stores worldwide.They will be unable to access their favourite clothes, shoes and homewares but are glad that some of the chains food outlets are likely to survive the cut backs allowing expats in cities like Paris to continue to buy cheese and pickle sandwiches, British tea and crumpets.  But France is particularly hard hit with M&S confirming that seven out of its 18 stores in the country including its flagship outlet on the Champs-Elysees will close. Two are food only stores while the rest sell both food and clothes.Expats in the city feel hard done by as the stores were closed before in a round of cutbacks but returned to the French capital five year ago. The stores are closing as they are loss making. But M&S said that 11 franchise food stores operated by SFH Invest and Lagardere Travel Retail will remain.Stores in Brussels will also close. Expats in the city have gone online to voice their disappointment, saying that M&S was the only place they could get a decent curry or sandwich.The two M&S stores in the Netherlands in The Hague and Amsterdam are also earmarked for closure.Stores will also close in places like China, Hungary, Lithuania and Estonia while stores in Ireland, Hong Kong, Poland and the Czech Republic could continue. Some 60 stores in the UK are also likely to be closed while others will become food only.Expats in China are upset that all 10 M&S stores in the country will close but they point out that they are regarded as being expensive. Our review has shown that our stores in mainland China continue to make losses and as a result we can no longer trade with a store presence in the Chinese market, said Adam Colton, managing director of Greater China for Marks & Spencer.The action comes as profits at the retail firm have fallen by 88% while detailed figures also show that underlying pre-tax profits fell 18.6% to 231.3 million in the six months to October while bottom line profits fell 88.4% to 25.1million, down from 216million a year ago.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016

November 8, 2016 was an historic day for public transportation in the United States as voters approved 33 of 48 local and statewide public transit measures for a current Election Day passage rate of 69 percent based on unofficial election results. One measure from yesterday's vote remains to be called. The current success rates for transit measures throughout 2016 is 71 percent. Throughout the country this year, in 23 states and communities of all sizes, voters considered nearly $200 billion in local investment for public transportation at the ballot box.

The number of November 8 ballot measures (49), as well as their collective total amount (nearly $200 billion), were the largest in history. Yesterday's success demonstrates that voters have once again continued their legacy of strong support for local investment in transit options. Since 2000, the average success rate of transit measures is 71 percent.

Furthermore, 77 total transit measures appeared on ballots throughout 2016, the highest number on record. This follows a growing trend in the number of measures annually, which indicates local communities are increasingly understanding the need for local investment in public transportation and recognizing that ballot initiatives can be a powerful way to meet that need.

"Americans from every background agree that more public transportation is great for their community. And with a passage rate of 69 percent, they show they are more than willing to pay for it," said American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Chair Doran J. Barnes.

"This remarkable passage rate for public transportation measures sends a strong message to President-elect Donald Trump and to Congress that Americans support moving forward with funding from all levels of government that connects infrastructure investment with job opportunities and our country's economic vitality," said APTA Acting President and CEO Richard A. White.

Jason Jordan, Executive Director of the Center for Transportation Excellence, noted, "Voters nationwide upheld the demonstrated legacy of strong support for transit at the ballot box. Clearly, communities continue to recognize the economic, social, health, and environmental benefits transit can provide and are willing to support and invest in its expansion and maintenance."

# # #

About the Center for Transportation Excellence: The Center for Transportation Excellence (CFTE) is a clearinghouse for information in support of quality transportation choices. CFTE is committed to two main objectives: (1) defending the merits of transit and (2) equipping local leaders with the information they need to be successful with their public transportation initiatives and ballot measures. To fulfill its mission, CFTE has been comprehensively tracking and analyzing transit ballot initiatives across the country since 2000 and providing support to local campaigns working for passage of these measures.





About the American Public Transportation Association: The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 public and private sector organizations, engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne services, and intercity and high-speed passenger rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA is the only association in North America that represents all modes of public transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products.
From: Joyce L. Gioia, CMC, CSP -- The Herman Group Austin , TX Wednesday, November 9, 2016

The Herman Trend Alert November 9, 2016 The Relationship between Happy and Healthy Since the 1960s when the McGill University physician Hans Selye wrote the book about stress, we have known about the relationship between stress and disease. We have also long believed that taking adequate time for rest and relaxation leads to staying healthier than not taking enough time for oneself. Ayurvedic physicians will tell you that when a person is "in love", the body is often in a "state of grace", when the person appears to be immune from all disease. But until recently, no one had studied the link between happiness and health outcomes. Harvard is leading the way Joy, euphoria, contentment, and satisfaction have all been considered in an effort to study human happiness. Now, once again, Harvard is on the leading edge of thought. Its new Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, underwritten by $21 million, was established to explore a new approach to health maintenance---a marked difference from traditional medicine that focuses on risk factors and treatments for disease. Primary goal of the center The center's first step is "to catalog and standardize the measures used to describe and evaluate happiness and related factors". Currently, according to professor Laura Kubzansky, the Lee Kum Kee professor of social and behavioral health, "there are more than 100 different measures already in use for the various forms of well-being". The term "Happiness" usually includes physical, emotional, and social factors. Finding a relationship between emotional and physical health The center expects to find proof of a strong correlation between emotional and physical health. Not surprisingly, most people find the topic compelling, but some in the scientific community remain unconvinced. The centers' leaders want to collect so much evidence of the biological connections between emotional and physical health that the link will be taken for granted. The center will also touch on corporate best practices for wellness programs. What's next for this research? Finding this correlation is long overdue and is a natural extension of the research we have seen recently into the relationship between the immune response and healthy eating. Given that we know the factors of "happiness" also support a healthy immune system, it is simply a matter of time, before the other relationships are understood. As we move into the future, this research will be an important piece of the puzzle to help physicians and other healthcare professionals prevent disease. ********* OUR NEW TRANSLA The Herman Group is a firm of Strategic Business Futurists concentrating on workforce and workplace issues. We forecast the future and advise clients regarding relevant trends and how those trends may affect their lives. Applying our expertise as Certified Management Consultants, we advise corporate leaders regarding employee retention and organizational development to help them build workforce stability. We help organizations become Employers of Choice. We also work with Employer of Choice, Inc. to formally recognize employers that meet the stringent standards dictated by the labor marketplace. As authors of management books and as active professional speakers, we inform and inspire people to make a positive difference in the world of work. You did really get the ball rolling with our retention presentation, overall we have seen a move in the right direction with our turnover. In practice since 1980, we have served a wide variety of clients throughout the United States and in other countries. Our global affiliates assist us in sharing our expertise and advice with clients internationally. Our team of professional consultants and trainers is supported by an administrative staff that gets things done. We also have consultants certified to deliver our programs in your local area. Delivering to both small and large groups across 100 industries, The Herman Group has provided over 2,500 educational and informative keynote speeches and training seminars worldwide. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, we travel extensively to meet the needs of our clients. We can always be reached through the support team in our office at (800) 227-3566. Overseas callers may reach us through 336-210-3547. Should you have any questions after touring our website, please call or e-mail us at info@hermangroup.com. Get started now on improving the stability and performance of your workforce and increase your chances for success in the future.


Google Maps

GrayStreet Partners, a local developer that is reshaping large parts of downtown, sold three small properties straddling the border of San Antonio and Olmos Park last week.

The firm sold a 0.65-acre plot at the intersection of McCullough Avenue and Zilla Street to local company PBE Services, property records show. The land includes an auto shop and two single-family homes.
Oklahoma is stepping up closures and curbs on fracking wastewater wells in the Arbuckle formation after a 5.0-magnitude earthquake struck Sunday near the largest U.S. oil-storage hub.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is ordering seven Arbuckle wells be shut-in, while requiring that wastewater volumes be reduced to 25 percent in 16 sites and limited to the average for the past month in another 31 wells, agency spokesman Matt Skinner said by phone. The deadline for shut-in compliance is Monday, and the deadline for volume limit compliance is Nov. 21.

It is important to note that this plan is an initial response, and operators are being warned that work is underway on a broader plan that will encompass a greater area and more Arbuckle disposal wells, the commission said in an advisory. Work is expected to take several weeks.

The latest tremor to hit Oklahoma struck less than 2 miles west of Cushing, the delivery point for benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude where almost 60 million barrels are currently stored. Seismic activity in the state has picked up since 2009, when drillers began using hydraulic fracturing to extract oil and gas, a process that injects large amounts of wastewater into deep wells. Earthquakes measuring 3.0 or higher in the state surged to about 890 last year, from only two in 2008.

Many of Oklahomas thousands of disposal wells are in the Arbuckle formation, a layer of limestone that stretches hundreds of miles and acts like a sponge, soaking up the fluid. Scientists believe that water is increasing pressure along extensive fault lines.

The Oklahoma agency has been issuing restrictions for more than a year to cut down on wastewater injections in underground disposal wells. In September, a 5.6-magnitude tremor shook the area and was reportedly felt from Texas to Illinois. It tied with a quake in 2011 as the most powerful to hit Oklahoma.

Following the September quake, the regulator suspended 37 disposal wells, 15 of which are in the Arbuckle Formation.

Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Don Amon, the mayor of Cushing, told Bloomberg BNA the earthquake had left him a little unsettled but without accelerated concern about the safety of the oil tanks.

Engineers and designers of the oil tanks housed in the city paid Cushing a visit a year ago, delivering a presentation on the tanks that left Amon with a sense of confidence about their future structural integrity, the mayor said Tuesday by email.

The structures are fine and built to withstand these types of events, Amon said. This is a billion-dollar industry, I have no doubt that they are protecting their assets.
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Some U.S. oil policies are likely to shift significantly when Donald Trump assumes the presidency next year. While details remain sketchy, hes highlighted a number of areas where he differs significantly from current policy.

Middle East, OPEC

Donald Trump has been critical of both Saudi Arabia and Iran during the campaign. He said he was not a big fan of the Saudi government in a 2015 appearance on NBCs Meet the Press and told the New York Times in March that he might stop buying oil from Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries unless they committed ground troops to combat Islamic State or reimbursed the U.S. for its efforts.

Trump is also opposed to the nuclear deal with Iran that unlocked the countrys oil exports. He said in a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington in March that his No. 1 priority is to dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran. While tearing apart the accord is technically possible, it is extremely unlikely that the other world powers that negotiated with Iran alongside the U.S.  China, France, Russia, the U.K. and Germany  would follow our lead, U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said in April.

Speaking at the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference in Bismarck, North Dakota in May, Trump also promised independence from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, although he didnt elaborate on how that would be achieved.

Keystone boost

At a news conference prior to the North Dakota event, he said he would approve TransCanada Corp.s proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline, in return for the people of the United States being given a piece, a significant piece of the profits.

Trump has also pledged to renegotiate or terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement, which limits the cases in which Canada can restrict energy exports to its southern neighbor. Ending that agreement could leave the U.S. more open to disruptions to supplies from Canada, although this seems unlikely given the countrys lack of alternative export options.

As for the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline, the North Dakota congressman who helped write Donald Trumps pro-oil energy plan, Republican U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer, told the Associated Press that Trumps presidency might aid completion of the pipeline should the dispute over the project linger.

Support for U.S. oil

At the same North Dakota press conference, the president elect said he would remove any restrictions on U.S. energy exports and that he would support hydraulic fracturing, although he didnt elaborate on either.

His support for the U.S. shale oil and gas industry has not been unequivocal, though. Trump had earlier caused concern among energy executives in Colorado when he said in July he supported letting local residents vote on fracking bans. In a statement after a meeting with oil executives in Denver last month, Trumps campaign said he supports safe hydraulic fracturing and energy production on federal lands in appropriate areas.

America is sitting on a treasure trove of untapped energy - some $50 trillion dollars in shale energy, oil reserves and natural gas on federal lands, in addition to hundreds of years of coal energy reserves, Trump said during a keynote speech at the Shale Insight conference in Pittsburgh, a summit of natural gas producers. I am going to lift the restrictions on American energy and allow this wealth to pour into our communities.

Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Trump said he would open federal lands for oil and gas production, and free up offshore areas to energy development.

Wider policies

The biggest impact on crude markets may not come from Trumps oil policies at all given the importance of decisions that influence wider economic development, trade and international relations.

He pledged during Wednesdays victory speech to double economic growth during his tenure. That would imply annual expansion of 3 percent, a level last exceeded in 2005.

Against that, hes questioned climate-change science and vowed to withdraw from the Paris agreement to limit global warming, measures that would potentially redefine the nature of global energy consumption if coal returns as a growth fuel for power generation.

Lastly, observers including UBS AG and Nordea are now considering whether the U.S. will become more protectionist. Before the vote, Trump said China was a grand master at currency manipulation and was stealing American jobs. He threatened punitive tariffs of up to 45 percent on the countrys imports.
Calls earlier this year to boycott IBC Bank or close accounts after CEO Dennis Nixon held a June fundraiser for Donald Trumps presidential campaign apparently fell on deaf ears.

Customer deposits at international Bancshares Corp., the Laredo-based parent company of International Bank of Commerce, or IBC, rose by about 1.4 percent to almost $8.6 billion as of Sept. 30.

By comparison, the company had $8.4 billion in deposits at the end of June and roughly $8.5 billion as of Sept. 30, 2015.

The company reported net income of $35.8 million, or 54 cents a share, on $137.2 million in revenue for the quarter ended Sept. 30.

That compares with net income of $32 million, or 48 cents a share, on $143.7 million in revenue for the same period last year.

Nixon triggered backlash on social media this spring for co-hosting a fundraiser in San Antonio for Trump, who was under fire at the time for wanting to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, among other issues.

Nixon sent a June 8 fundraising letter to friends and colleagues, urging them to support Trump.

Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot.

While citing major disagreements with (Trump) on trade, immigration, and his attitude toward Mexico, Nixon wrote that the other choices  voting for Democrat Hillary Clinton or not voting at all  were unacceptable.

We need a candidate who can cut the red tape and lift the regulatory burdens off the backs of business, so that companies can grow, expand, and create jobs, he added. I do believe that if Donald Trump wins, he will engage in the traditional thinking of solving real problems and getting our fiscal house in order.

pdanner@express-news.net
LONDON  It was a revolt against elite complacency, an almost palpable shock to conventional wisdom and conventional politics. Opponents could barely comprehend the poll-confounding news.

That was June in Britain, not November in America, and the mind-boggling upset was the British decision to leave the European Union.

The election of Donald Trump as Americas 45th president has strong parallels to the British decision, known as Brexit, but the impact will be much bigger, in Europe and the rest of the world.

Britains vote to leave the European Union sent tremors through the political and financial system and the center-left media. It was a blow to the betting markets and to the pollsters. It was a rejection of the governing political class and the self-satisfied elite. And it was delivered by older, working-class voters in areas of Britain hit hard by globalization, angered by immigration and anxious about their nations identity in a borderless world.

One main reason for the surprise at the polls was the participation of people who in the past rarely voted. That is a lesson that will echo all over Europe  where the Italians will hold a constitutional referendum next month, the Austrians will vote for president and the French are about to hold a presidential primary  as France and Germany gear up for national elections next year.

It may also be a caution to the European Union itself, which has so far united in opposing any idea of immigration control in return for free trade in its future negotiations with Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain.

Barely two days ago, in North Carolina, Trump told a rally: It will be an amazing day, it will be called Brexit plus plus plus! You know what I mean?

Most Americans would not have known what he meant. But Britons and Europeans understood immediately.

At first blush, the parallels with Brexit are uncanny, said Robin Niblett, director of Chatham House, a research institution in London. I heard older voters in Florida saying that they wanted their country back again, almost exactly the same language used in England and Wales.

Its no longer the economy stupid, its identity, stupid, said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. What we are seeing here is what we saw in the Brexit referendum, which is that identity and cultural politics are even bigger determinants of peoples politics than we thought possible.

Trump, like Nigel Farage, the leader of the U.K. Independence Party (who stumped for Trump) and the Leave campaign, emphasized their slogan of take back control. By doing so, they managed to mobilize a whole bunch of people who havent voted before, or havent voted often, who are feeling sore about the way the world is, and are in some ways nostalgic about the world he is promising to give them back, Bale said.

Many of those who voted for a British exit want to bring the house down and start again, Niblett said. And Trump is someone who will do that, who doesnt fit into a conventional box, and appealed to people looking for a fresh start.

John Curtice, a professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, said he saw a similarity between the U.S. election and the British referendum in the confrontation among classes. The divide between the liberal, the educated and the young versus the older and undereducated has been an important factor in both the U.S. elections and Brexit, he said.

Remarkably for a Republican candidate, Curtice said, Trump managed to get votes from young men, many without a higher education, because of the nature of his populist message

It is the rebellion of the Rust Belt, he said. The bigger, broader message to the elites is, Hey guys, a large portion of the public is rebelling against the consequences of globalization.

The big question for Europe is whether its leaders will finally recognize that Brexit supporters and other nationalists might have a point. The continued insistence on linking free trade with free movement of immigration will increasingly come under democratic pressure.

Ann Treneman, an American who covered politics for the Times of London, said on Twitter: So many similarities with Brexit: the young voted for Clinton, the old for Trump. Moral? Dont underestimate the angry white man.

Trumps victory gave great encouragement to other populist, anti-immigration leaders in Europe. Geert Wilders in the Netherlands and Marine Le Pen in France, who have both warned about Islamic radicalism, have cheered Trumps strong showing.

The Americans are taking their country back, Wilders, a lawmaker who leads the Freedom Party and who faces hate-speech charges, wrote on Twitter.

Le Pen, leader of the National Front and a presidential candidate, congratulated Trump and the American people, free!

More bitingly, a vice president of her party, Florian Philippot, said on Twitter: Their world is crumbling. Ours is being built.

Despite the euphoria on the far right, some observers said the shock over the British vote and the Trump victory might solidify a sense of belonging and solidarity in the broader European electorate, rather than a greater desire for disunion.

Trumps victory may bring an element of soberness to Europe and make it harder rather than easier for populists to win, Niblett of Chatham House said.

Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot.

But there was great fear that Trumps America First slogan would leave Europe on its own, while Russias expansionist president, Vladimir Putin, whom Trump openly admires, is working to undermine confidence in NATO security guarantees and in the cohesion of the European Union itself.

This is a wake-up call for European leaders, said Guy Verhofstadt, the president of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, who will be leading the European Unions negotiations with Britain. Donald Trump has declared several times that our priorities are not his.

Former Prime Minister Enrico Letta of Italy, writing on Twitter, called Trumps victory the greatest political breakage since the fall of the Berlin Wall, a big wake-up call for Europe.

Even if Trump pulls back from his campaign rhetoric, said Daniela Schwarzer, director of the German Council on Foreign Relations, those with an interest to undermine and destabilize NATO and Europe will be emboldened.

And she worried about another possible parallel to Brexit in the rise of hate crimes and discrimination against foreigners and nonwhite Britons that followed the referendum.

While the parallels are real, compared to the impact of the Trump victory, Brexit looks like a mild spring morning, said Jan Techau, director of the Richard C. Holbrooke Forum at the American Academy in Berlin.

Both are a kind of abdication of responsibility to the world, which will be very destabilizing, he said. Even if America remains in NATO, trust will quickly start to evaporate and the one country needed to keep NATO on track will be absent or worse, he said.

Even in the realm of intelligence, where the allies rely on the Americans, with Trump cozying up to Putin, will allies still share intelligence? he asked. Can we still count on the U.S. nuclear umbrella?

In rainy London, there was largely shock and disappointment. Its an incredible step backwards, said Steve Craig, 35, who works in digital marketing. The population of the unwise and uneducated is more powerful than what everyone had predicted. Its quite incredible to see a sex-pest elected to the highest office.

As rain fell, Craig said, It would be more fitting if ashes were falling.

Sabrina Talma, 32, who works in marketing, said: I thought we were moving into the same direction, from having a black president to a female president. But were seeing a shift into the other direction.
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Emilio Navaira was so excited on the last night of his life.

In his final phone call, talking to Grammy-winning record producer Michael Morales, Navaira was upbeat and specific about a mix of a song hed completed at Studio M.

Hed just gotten back from an evening run and was alone at his New Braunfels home. As he hung up, he told Morales, Ill see you in the morning.

Shortly afterward, Navaira, one of Tejano musics all-time greatest stars, suffered a fatal heart attack. The shock and outpouring was immediate, numbing and overwhelming.

It still hurts.

Saturday, the Tejano Music Awards will honor him. The night promises to be an emotional one at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts for fans but especially for Navairas five children, wife and family members.

Navaira, who died May 16, was only 53. Like Selenas, his death felt like the end of an era. They were the pillars of Tejanos golden age of the late 1980s and 1990s.

More Information 36th annual Tejano Music Awards When: 7 p.m. Saturday; 5-6:15 p.m. purple-carpet arrivals Where: Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle Tickets: $39; $100 VIP Performers: Michael Salgado, Raulito y Grupo Remedio, Stefani Montiel, Ricardo Castillon y La Diferenzia, Krazy Pimpz, Javier Galvan, Andres Salgado, Isabel Marie Sanchez, Texano Live, David Marez, Ricardo Sanchez, Sunny Sauceda, La Sombra, Grupo Ondo, The Last Bandoleros, Grupo Rio and Clay Walker, plus tributes for Emilio Navaira and Juan Gabriel. See More Collapse

The Last Bandoleros, a major-label Tex-Mex country act which includes his sons Emilio IV and Diego (the oldest and most publicly known of the kids), are set to showcase. They will also sing one of their dads favorite songs, Mundo Perfecto.

Most fans dont realize what a great musician my father was or about his songwriting, said Diego Navaira from a Memphis tour stop. They think of him as only a star.

Both brothers say theyre braced for the magnitude of the moment (their first major appearance here since their fathers death) and the waves of emotions.

It will be tough, say fellow musicians.

Genaro Aguilar is the surviving original member of the legendary Los Aguilares. With his brother Emilio, the group emerged from the fabled teenage trio Conjunto Guadalupano at Our Lady of Guadalupe in the early 1950s.

Emilio Aguilar died in December 2009 after a long struggle with Alzheimer's.

We were so close. I really was hurting, and it still does, said Genaro Aguilar about sharing that grief in public. It still does when fans ask for certain songs. He was a bolero man. He liked to sing boleros.

These days, those boleros are sung by his nephew, Mike Little Mike Aguilar in the family act thats been together nearly 60 years.

It hits me, Genaro Aguilar said. He left an empty spot. We grew up together, and I was lost. It took me a long time to get adjusted. I know (Navairas) sons are hurting.

Shawn Sahm, leader of the Texas Tornados and one of Doug Sahms three children, can relate to the pain of looking toward center stage and not seeing your dad in the spotlight. Like the Navaira brothers, Sahm toured and recorded with his fathers bands  the Sir Douglas Quintet and the Texas Tornados.

Its a very heavy thing, said Sahm, who continues the Tex-Mex band as a celebration of his dad, who died Nov. 18, 1999, and fellow Tornado Freddy Fender, who died Oct. 14, 2006. (The Texas Tornados play Gruene Hall on Nov. 19).

Surreal is the right word. You never get used to it. It was absolutely mind-blowing to be at a place like Antones (in Austin), where Id just been playing with him, and then playing with the guys, Sahm said.

You never get used to the feeling. I missed him immediately then, and I miss him now. That never changes. You never get used to it, just looking over and expecting to see him and hes not there.

Morales says the moment will be bittersweet for Emilio IV and Diego, two musicians hes mentored in the studio since they were children.

Their dad is not there to share with them what theyve been working for their whole lives, said Morales, who operates Studio M with his older brother, producer/engineer Ron Morales.

The boys biggest fan was Emilio Navaira. He would call them before shows. He would time it to where he could talk to them before they went onstage. Those are the things you miss the most. You dont get the call from dad.

Morales confirmed that Emilio Navairas final album, a return to his classic sound with his younger brother, Raulito, remains unfinished but will be released someday. Its final song was the aptly titled, En San Antonio.

The Studio M record producer will be part of the Mundo Perfecto Navaira tribute, adding that the song Juntos (Together), a natural choice from the Unsung Highways album, was briefly considered for the Tejano Awards gig but nixed. Thats just too (emotional), Morales said. Juntos wouldve been too hard.

Theres no denying the lingering sting of grief  or, for that matter, the upward trajectory of the Last Bandoleros, which includes Jerry Fuentes and Derek James, who last week were at the Country Music Association awards and have appeared with Sting and on Jimmy Kimmel Live to sing its Beatles-esque vaquero-country song, Where Do You Go? and played South By Southwest and the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

That sadness (which comes on late at night offstage) and the boys joy of chasing their rock n roll dreams coexist, though not always in equal balance.

Cindy Navaira Escobar, Emilio IV and Diegos mom and Navairas first wife, is planning to attend Saturday with her daughter, Emely, the youngest child. Shes struggled, too.

It will be so emotional. But singing makes them feel closer to their dad, Escobar said about her talented sons. Thats the sense of them always having that closeness to him and honoring him. Theyll have that bond with him always. Its going to be an emotional night but theyre feel that closeness, if that makes sense.

hsaldana@express-news.net
About this feature: Somewhere in the zone between our up-to-the-minute Just a Taste reviews and the full-court press of a starred Taste Test review lie some of San Antonios most celebrated and reliable restaurants. Thats where our new series Another Taste comes in. Well look at our last full review, then give our sense of where the restaurant is now. Consider it a checkup for the springs Express-News Top 100 Dining & Drinks guide.

Today: Little Gretel, 518 River Road in Boerne, 830-331-1368, littlegretel.com

Last time we checked: Express-News restaurant critic Edmund Tijerina wrote in July 2010: Fairly or not, German food tends to get the rap as a cuisine thats filled with sausages, heavy sauces, dumplings and plenty of fried items. Great for Oktoberfest, but not for other times of the year. A visit to Little Gretel here will change that idea.

He praised chef Denise Mazals Vienna schnitzel, Bohemian roasted duck, lamb meatloaf and stuffed pork chop and gave the food three and a half stars.

The latest on Little Gretel: With a November breeze blowing through Little Gretels biergarten patio at dusk, the soft glow of the lights matched the warm ambiance inside. My waiter was grooming the flower beds, the man behind the bar was having something to eat during a lull in service and another waiter performed a pair of card tricks as the decidedly European evening progressed.

Little Gretel is a step above the tourist oompah of the German-Czech restaurant experience, with Euro-modern tables and chairs imported from the Czech Republic and a wall-size painting of a Prague city square. Service is a warm, white-apron mix of formal and conversational, and the biergarten experience was refined to a four-glass flight of Pilsner Urquell, Paulaner Oktoberfest, Warsteiner Dunkel and Belgian Pauwel Kwak as tawny and sweet as a Madeira dessert wine.

Dinner at Little Gretel bore out the best of our 2010 experience. Mazal works a decidedly Czech and German milieu, so yes, there was sausage. Handmade boar sausage, dark and sweet; smoked buffalo sausage like a stout and spicy kielbasa; and bratwurst like the pumpkin-spiced latte of sausages, a fatty white medium full of fall aromatics. Served with mustard, peppery spaetzle dumplings, rye bread and sauerkraut sweet and spiced with caraway, the plate gave a stout reprimand to the sausage stereotype.

For Jaeger schnitzel, Mazal spends three days crafting the demiglace for the gravy over the robustly breaded, fork-tender veal, so the waiters story went. And its among the best renditions of that story Ive experienced, and nothing on the plate settles for ordinary. Not the potato with a buttery bloom, not the cabbage with a sweet red glow, not the stout table bread made from spent brewing grains.

And consider the kolach, a delightful layering of pastry, farmers cheese and rendered peaches worth a plate of its own and a crown of Chantilly cream. For $2.99. One more myth busted, one more affirmation of what we saw at Little Gretel in 2010, one more reason for Another Taste.

Hours: Breakfast: 7:30-11 a.m. Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Lunch: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Dinner: 5-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.

On the menu: Kolaches, pancakes, Benedicts and egg dishes at breakfast, $2.99-$12.99; soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers and Czech-German specialties for lunch, $4.99-$23.95; soups and appetizers at dinner, $4.99-$15.99; entrees and Czech-German dishes at dinner, $12.99-$32; desserts $2.99-$7.99.

Alcohol: Beer and wine

msutter@express-news.net

Twitter: @fedmanwalking
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Outfitted in neon yellow vests, hard hats and work boots, a group of Alamo College students walked through the still unfinished rooms of what will soon be a renovated and expanded student center at St. Philips College.

The finished product will include a cafe, bowling alley and multimedia room. But Monday afternoon, the construction technologies students were there for a behind-the-scenes look at the work that is making it all come together.

Over the sound of saws, drills and beeping machinery, about 50 students participated in a the tour of the Turbon Student Center led by Skanska, the international construction company handling the renovations. Before going on the active work site, students sat in on a presentation that stressed safety measures.

Its important to show them what we teach in the classroom is actually happening out in the real world, said Gilbert Noriega, one of the classs two instructors. Im all about putting our students in front of industry leaders.

During the afternoon session, Liliana Gonzales, 19, and her classmates wound their way around heavy machinery, heaps of metal and stacks of drywall. They watched as members of the construction crew walked by with ladders and worked atop scissor lifts.

Gonzales, who graduated from Construction Careers Academy, a Northside Independent School District magnet school, has always been better with her hands than at academics. She considered architecture and construction technology before recently switching her major to construction management.

She said Mondays tours were a welcome departure from smaller scale visits to residential construction sites.

Its extremely helpful when we come out and observe like this, Gonzales said. Its very convenient that its happening right here on our campus.

Aside from the hands-on learning, instructors and administrators hope students can use the opporutnity to network. Skanska has worked on four other projects in San Antonio in recent years, including the construction of St. Philips new health careers building in 2008.

Theyre also very tapped into our community, said Christopher Beardsall, dean of applied science and technology for St. Philips.

Renovations to the Turbon center will increase the buildings footprint from 9,000 square feet to over 28,000 and offer additional on-campus amenities. This is the third round of upgrades for the student center, originally built in 1953.

Turbon is slated to reopen in 2017.

lcaruba@express-news.net
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Javier Salazar, the newly elected sheriff of Bexar County, said Wednesday he envisions building a whole new team from the ground up when he takes office in January.

Salazar, a San Antonio Police Department sergeant who once served as an SAPD spokesman, narrowly defeated Republican Sheriff Susan Pamerleau on Tuesday in a race divided by less than 1 percentage point.

The sheriff conceded the race to her challenger Wednesday afternoon via phone call. She later spoke for nearly 30 minutes in a press conference at the Bexar County Jail, showing pride in her accomplishments as sheriff in a measured, reflective tone. She said she will work hard for the next 50 days, and will work with Salazar and his team for a smooth transition.

First thing, I want to congratulate Javier Salazar for a strong race, she said. The outcome of the sheriffs race is evident.

While she received more votes than she did in 2012, Pamerleau still came up short. She credited her loss to the almost 60,000 more Democrats who voted straight ticket than the Republicans. Also, with four candidates this year instead of two, Pamerleau thought third-party candidates could have played a factor as well.

When asked what advice she would give her successor, Pamerleau said she would tell Salazar to listen to people, and know the facts and background before making decisions. She said she had no idea if she would run for office again, nor what her immediate plans would be, but said she did plan to spend some time walking on the River Walk every day.

I know theres a different plan for me. I know I will continue serving this great community, Pamerleau said.

Earlier Wednesday afternoon at the Bexar County elections headquarters, Salazar said hed never say never about keeping Pamerleaus existing command staff, but acknowledged that he hasnt spoken with anyone on her leadership team. He also said he wouldnt bring along people he knew from SAPD.

Instead, Salazar wants to appoint the majority of his team from within the Bexar County Sheriffs Office, looking to current captains, lieutenants and others with experience, he said.

The truth is, I need people who can help me hit the ground running on Jan. 1, Salazar said. So somebody that has more knowledge about the Sheriffs Office than I do. While its fun to hang out with your buddies, thats not going to help me accomplish the task at hand to be sheriff on day 1.

Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen said in a Wednesday interview that there are about 1,950 provisional ballots cast and that she expects no more than 30 percent to be counted. Her department also mailed some 8,000 ballots to military personnel. On Election Day, it was unclear how many had been counted and how many might still be outstanding.

On Wednesday, Callanen said her staff has determined that only 859 ballots are outstanding. They must arrive at Callanens office by close of business Monday, and her staffers must tally them on Tuesday.

But because Salazar currently leads Pamerleau by 4,188 votes, theres no mathematical path for the sheriff to overcome her deficit.

Though he didnt get much sleep overnight, Salazar, now the sheriff-elect, said he has already begun dreaming about his new job.

Among his early priorities, Salazar said he plans to form committees of mental health professionals, jail staff and sheriff personnel to study the history of suicides within the Bexar County Jail on a case-by-case basis. Salazar said hell attempt to determine whether any holes still exist in jail processes.

Salazar also called for more mental health screenings during an inmates stay in jail  beyond the initial intake period. Some inmates have lengthy jail stays awaiting trial, and Salazar has suggested they they be screened regularly to see if there are conditions present now that werent there six months ago.

From now until Jan. 1, Salazar will wear two hats, as he retires from the Police Department and transitions into his new role as sheriff. On election night, people kept telling him how life as hes known it has effectively ended. But Salazar said he doesnt see this new phase in his career much differently from his role as public information officer for the Police Department, routinely getting awoken in the middle of the night to go to a crime scene.

I had to leave my family at Walmart sometimes, whenever Id get a call out, he said. Id have to throw on a uniform and say, Ill be right back  have a Starbucks. I have to go handle something.

Salazars schedule Wednesday included a few more media interviews. And, he hoped, a nap.

frahman@express-news.net
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AUSTIN  San Antonio Democrats snatched back three seats in the Texas House on Tuesday, capitalizing on the headwinds of record early voter turnout and Donald Trumps negative effect on Republicans down ballot to recapture strongholds on the South and East sides.

Democrats handed losses to Republican state Reps. Rick Galindo, a freshman elected in 2014 to represent District 117, and John Lujan, a retired firefighter who won the District 118 seat in a special election earlier this year.

Philip Cortez, a former city councilman and ex-state representative, and Tomas Uresti, a longtime Harlandale Independent School District trustee, unseated Galindo and Lujan to represent their respective districts when the Legislature convenes in January.

The two races were considered high priorities by state and local Republicans after their party wrested the seats away from Democrats in recent elections. Both Republicans, however, were considered underdogs, and as election results rolled in Tuesday night, the Trump effect down ballot was highlighted as a main reason for the losses.

I think a lot of it has to do with the top of the ticket, Lujan said of his race and Galindos contest. This is where I think Trump hurts us a little bit.

Meanwhile, Barbara Gervin-Hawkins won in District 120, handily defeating interim Rep. Laura Thompson to return the East Side legislative seat long held by Ruth Jones McClendon back to a Democrat. Thompson, an independent, pulled off a narrow surprise victory in August when she defeated a Democrat by a 50-vote margin in a largely symbolic election marked by anemic turnout to fill McClendons unexpired term.

Also Tuesday, six San Antonio incumbents were re-elected: Republicans Joe Straus and Lyle Larson and Democrats Roland Gutierrez, Diego Bernal, Ina Minjarez and Justin Rodriguez. Democrat Diana Arevalo, the executive director of a nonprofit, ran unopposed to succeed Trey Martinez Fischer in District 116.

The races for Districts 117 and 118 were among the most closely watched state legislative contests in Texas because of them being majority Hispanic districts with Republican incumbents facing tough rematches.

GOP organizations, such as Texans for Lawsuit Reform and the Associated Republicans of Texas, financed big chunks of Galindos and Lujans campaigns, according to state filings. The two Republicans also outspent their Democratic opponents, and they benefited from GOP power players such as Gov. Greg Abbott, who was in San Antonio on Monday to stump for Galindo and Cortez.

Yet experts tracking voter data said increased turnout by young people, women and Hispanics in a presidential year would bode well for Democrats in those districts.

Jeff Blaylock, who publishes the Texas Election Source, a subscription-based website tracking voter trends throughout the state, said straight-ticket data suggested that both legislative seats would flip for Democrats.

These are both districts where at least in presidential years Democratic turnout is higher, and thats usually enough to send the Democrat to the Legislature, Blaylock said.

District 117, which sweeps across northwestern and southwestern Bexar County, has been a swing district since 2008, bouncing back and forth from Democrat to Republican. Galindo unseated Cortez in 2014, winning by about 1,300 votes. However, a Democrat has emerged victorious in every presidential year since 2004.

Cortez, who addressed dozens of jubilant supporters Tuesday in a small ballroom at a Main Event on the Southwest Side, said he believed that Trumps presence at the top of the ticket would be a turn-off for voters in the district.

The Republican Party has nominated somebody thats very divisive and very hateful in their speech, Cortez said by phone earlier in the day, referring to Trump. My opponent refused to denounce him, and is going to go down on the ship with him.

In District 118, Lujan, an IT business owner, scored a major upset in January when he beat Uresti by 171 votes in a special election to fill Joe Farias remaining term. Lujans win made him the first Republican to represent the South Side district, and he leveraged important endorsements from the San Antonio police and firefighters associations.

However, Uresti was able to capitalize on his network of friends and family name,  his brothers are state Sen. Carlos Uresti of San Antonio and Tax Assessor-Collector Albert Uresti.

Speaking to a crowd of about 100 at an election party on the South Side, Tomas Uresti said he looks forward to teaming up with his brother, Carlos Uresti, in the Legislature.

"He's done some fantastic things since he's been in office especially working with our children and trying to be proactive in protecting our children from abuse and neglect," Tomas Uresti said. "That's definitely something I'm going to want to piggyback on top of."
Before the polls opened, even before the two presidential candidates in the most contentious election in modern history could cast their own ballots, about 100 San Antonians gathered at the Oblate School of Theology for a political conversation.

It was unlike many another such exchange of views this year. It was civil, and no one shouted at each other.

Monday nights event  a project of Texas Public Radios Dare to Listen campaign, the Muslim-led Dialogue Institute Southwest, NOWCastSA.com, which live-streamed it, and the San Antonio peaceCENTER  asked a simple question, Can we still live together?

Imagine that its Wednesday morning, Nov. 9, 2016, said the Rev. Ann Helmke of the peaceCENTER, How do you hope to proceed with others post-election?

She meant the relatives and co-workers with whom talking politics has been off limits, and friends whove unfriended you on Facebook because of the candidate you preferred.

Victoria Torres and Karina Martinez, Our Lady of the Lake University students and the youngest in the room, might have offered the best advice.

Though the election season was eye-opening, disappointing and frightening on several levels, they said, they planned to get up today and head to class.

No matter the decision, said Torres, a first-time voter, itll start with me finding that peace within myself and continue to be the person I am.

Participants were organized in groups of four to model living room conversations that can be replicated in homes, community centers and congregations, Helmke said.

Several participants said discussing the elections will be difficult, even after theyre over. One man said he misses talking with his sister about politics, as they did before this year.

Asked to draw on new and ancient wisdom that could inspire respect and compassion in conversations, participants mentioned biblical passages, the Golden Rule, Jesus Christ and Paul Moses book, The Saint and the Sultan: The Crusades, Islam and St. Francis of Assisis Mission of Peace. They mentioned authors Richard Rohr, Cynthia Bourgeault and yogi Paramhansa Yogananda.

Keep giving love even as you get hate, Sister Alice Holden of the University of the Incarnate Word advised. Resist the resistance to love.

But participants acknowledged the degree of polarization this year and the minefields ahead.

Im seeing the divide in my own church, Laurence Gonzalez said. Four years ago, I would have never imagined what we have today, that we have to say, Black Lives Matter. We have fallen to a place where we have to say that.

The conversation closed with the best lines from each group. Some had had familiarity ring, all were sage advice: Actions speak louder than words, Dont step away from conversations, Get out of your own neighborhoods, Model kindness, compassion, empathy and humility, because children are watching, The universe is unfolding as it should and This, too, shall pass.

There was even thanks to the presidential campaigns that divided the nation. To Hillary and Donald, and I mean this, Helmke said, Thank you for waking us up. Thank you for bringing us to the polls.

eayala@express-news.net

Twitter: @ElaineAyala
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U.S. Rep. Will Hurd declared victory early Wednesday as District 23 voters in 29 counties rejected the return bid of the Republicans Democratic predecessor, Pete Gallego.

Mostly complete returns, including Bexar County returns, gave Hurd the edge from the start, with a small fraction of the vote going to Libertarian Ruben S. Corvalan.

Though some rural returns favored Gallego, Hurds lead continued to build as the votes were tallied. With 97 percent of the districts 1,119 precincts counted, Hurd led 102,673 to 98,297 over Gallego. Corvalan trailed with 10.105.

Hurd, a cybersecurity expert from Helotes and the states first African-American Republican to serve in Congress since Reconstruction, and Gallego, an attorney from Alpine, were monitoring the outcome at their San Antonio watch parties  Hurd at the suburban Eilan Hotel and Gallego at the rooftop Paramour Bar downtown.

But Hurd declined to declare victory with large blocks of votes not counted. After 10 p.m., he emerged to tell supporters he was encouraged by the returns but wasnt ready to declare victory.

More Information U.S. House District 23 97% reporting 98,297 Pete Gallego (D) 46.56% 102,673 Will Hurd (i)(R) 48.64% 10,105 Ruben Corvalan (L) 4.78% See More Collapse

Thanking volunteers, he said that many of you put us in a great position to win this thing, but as we all know, in the 23rd, its usually long nights of vote-counting. Theres a lot more votes that need to be counted.

Just after 11 p.m., Gallego still had not addressed supporters, even though the gap between the two candidates had closed slightly. He was continuing to wait on more returns out of West Texas, specifically Val Verde, Pecos and El Paso counties, before speaking.

For months, the race was rated a toss-up, prompting national Democrats and Republicans and third-party groups to pour a record $14 million into advertising that saturated the districts airwaves with mostly negative messages.

Hurd ads portrayed the former CIA officer as an authority on national security and cybersecurity, while painting Gallego as a career politician and Washington insider who didnt adequately represent the district in his two-year term.

Gallegos ads cast him as an advocate for veterans and seniors, while bashing Hurd for being on the same ticket as Donald Trump.

Hurd declined to endorse Trump, denounced some of his comments about women and sought to distance himself from the GOP nominee, whose approaches to immigration and border security displeased some Republicans in the districts border communities.

District 23 is the states largest congressional district, covering parts of 29 counties and stretching from San Antonio to El Paso, almost the entire Texas-Mexico border.

The district has seesawed between the major parties in the past three elections. In 2010, Republican Francisco Quico Canseco ousted then-Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, a Democrat, after defeating the newcomer Hurd  a former student body president at Texas A&M University  in a runoff for the GOP nomination.

Two years later, Gallego, 54, won his first term in the U.S. House after unseating Canseco. Gallego previously had served in the Texas House from 1991 to 2013.

But Republicans quickly pounced on the freshman congressman, linking him to the president and the difficult rollout of the Affordable Care Act.

Gallego then became another page in the districts flip-flop history: In 2014, he narrowly lost to Hurd, the first non-Latino to hold the seat in more than three decades.

We left nothing on the table, Hurd said of that hard-fought contest.

Within three months of his defeat, Gallego hinted he might run again; he formally declared his intentions in April 2015.

A Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman at the time made clear the organization was focused on recapturing the swing district and warned that Hurd shouldnt unpack.

In their first matchup, Gallego performed better in his West Texas strongholds of El Paso and Eagle Pass, while Hurd outperformed him in Bexar and Medina counties.

Gallego began the day early, attending Mass at Holy Trinity Catholic Church on Huebner Road and then visiting several polling places and a phone bank, said his communications director Lyndsey Rodriguez.

On Monday, Hurd was joined by Gov. Greg Abbott for a final campaign event.
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Reflecting on the rare feat of being re-elected in the 23rd Congressional District, Rep. Will Hurd said Wednesday it was the product of his attention to constituents and the hard work of his campaign volunteers.

Hurd, 39, R-Helotes, won a second two-year term on Tuesday when voters rejected the comeback bid of his predecessor, former Rep. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, by a tally of 109,816 to 106,049 votes.

In 2014, Hurd narrowly ousted Gallego from the seat representing 29 counties from San Antonio to El Paso, and this time the outcome was close once again, with Hurd beating Gallego by 3,767 votes among the more than 225,000 cast. Libertarian candidate Ruben S. Corvalan gathered 10,717 votes  three times his share two years ago.

Addressing dozens of supporters who waited for a definitive outcome early Wednesday, Hurd credited them for helping him win a hard-fought race.

We won thing because yall believed we could win, because yall worked harder, because yall cared, because this district recognizes that a lot more work needs to be done, Hurd said in declaring victory.

Even though weve had a successful 22 months, our work has just begun, Hurd said.

The election being a numbers game, Hurd said his win boiled down to better showings in some areas over 2014.

We showed improvement in West Texas, in our hometown of San Antonio, Hurd said. I think the reality is weve been able to deliver a level of service this district hasnt seen and people rewarded us for that, he said.

In 2014, Hurd captured 14 counties  Bexar, Crane, Crockett, Edwards, Kinney, Loving, Medina, Reagan, Schleicher, Sutton, Upton, Uvalde, Ward and Winkler. This time, Hurd won by prevailing in those counties plus four more  Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Pecos and Terrell.

Gallego won both times in his home county of Brewster as well as Culberson, Dimmit, El Paso, Frio, LaSalle, Maverick, Presidio, Reeves, Val Verde and Zavala counties.

Hurds two wins both relied on strong showings in Bexar and Medina counties, which more than offset his deficits elsewhere. Hurd dominated by 14,000 votes in Bexar and by 7,950 in Medina.

Gallego led by 13,410 in El Paso and 7,060 in Maverick, both improvements over 2014, but his 1,208 vote margin in Val Verde County was down from his 1,660 votes there in 2014.

Gallego conceded defeat early Wednesday but didnt make extensive comments at a gathering where stunned supporters assessed the outcome.

"We never thought it was gonna be something that wasn't close," said Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said.

Hurd s win drew praise from National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Greg Walden, who said was rewarded for his efforts in national security and creating jobs. His ability to work across the aisle to get results has resonated with 23rd District families who voted to send him back to Congress. I am excited for Will to continue his hard work in 2017, Walden said.

Similarly, the Congressional Leadership Fund that paid for some of the Gallego-bashing ads hailed Hurds win. The group said it spent $2 million on TV advertising, online ads, mail and get-out-the-vote efforts.

Wills success is proof that voters of all backgrounds value his authenticity and results-oriented leadership to keep Washington in check and work across the aisle for solutions to our nations challenges, said CLF President Mike Shields, whose group spent a total of $48 million in congressional races.

jgonzalez@express-news.net

Twitter: @johnwgonzalez
In the end, Latino voters were not entertained by the reality TV star who would be president.

They were offended.

He offended them in Bexar County, where voters chose Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by a margin of 15 percent.

He offended them in Colorado and Nevada, battleground states with significant Latino populations that Clinton won.

Trumps army of white working-class voters, though, was angrier, especially in the Rust Belt.

Although Trump won the Oval Office, the fact remains: His divisive rhetoric managed to turn out Latinos this year in record numbers, with nearly as many supporting Clinton as supported President Barack Obama four years ago.

Had Trump stuck just to insulting undocumented Mexican immigrants, calling them rapists and drug dealers in his campaign kickoff speech, he might not even have stirred the so-called sleeping giant.

Had the Republican nominee stopped at vowing to deport them all, praising President Dwight Eisenhowers Operation Wetback as a draconian ideal and promising to build a big, beautiful wall to keep them out, he might not have triggered a surge of Latino voters.

Delivered early in his campaign, those broadsides certainly didnt endear the brassy businessman to Latinos. As he picked off opponents in the primary, Trump could have pivoted to a more inclusive message.

Instead, just one month before winning the nomination, Trump veered inexplicably from assailing undocumented Mexican immigrants  an attack with racial undertones  to assailing Mexican-Americans, his fellow citizens, in an overtly racial attack.

In June, Trump accused Judge Gonzalo Curiel of bias in the case against Trump University because, Trump said, hes Hispanic, because hes Mexican and because Trump is building a wall.

For a candidate known for burning bridges, this was a bridge too far for many Latinos.

Donald Trump from the beginning of his campaign put a target on the back of the Hispanic community, said Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, on Tuesday, hours before Trump began showing an unexpected edge in battleground states.

He started his campaign off with a slander against Mexican immigrants, Castro added, but the slander against the judge was a defamation against Hispanic Americans, some of whom have been here for generations.  How long do you have to have been in this country to be considered an American?

Offended, Latinos voted in record numbers: nearly 15 million this year, according to Latino Decisions.

Thats an increase of nearly 4 million since the last presidential election, when about 11 million Latinos turned out 71 percent to 27 percent for Obama.

This year, Latinos turned out 65 percent to 27 percent for Clinton, according to exit polling.

The increase in Latino turnout in 2016 will be driven largely by the rise in eligible voters and the success of registration efforts, wrote Justin Gross, a statistician at Latino Decisions.

The final numbers will depend on the degree to which registration efforts have succeeded in capitalizing on Trump anxiety in places such as Arizona, Florida and Texas, he added, or whether  as some analysts have asserted  the Democratic Party may not have sufficiently taken advantage of a golden opportunity to mobilize eligible Latino voters.

Locally, that anxiety proved motivating.

Nationally, it was not enough. Trump prevailed, but the harsh reality could prove even more motivating  a silver lining for Democrats in future races, even reliably red Texas.

Its part of the building block to being very competitive, Castro said of increased Latino turnout. I can see the difference that being treated as a battleground state makes in turnout. The goal for the Democratic Party (in Texas) is to get into that zone where youre considered a battleground.
San Antonio areas congressional delegation easily won re-election Tuesday, fending off challenges from lesser-known candidates.

One new face will be headed to Washington, Vicente Gonzalez, a McAllen attorney, will replace U.S. Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, who decided not to seek re-election to Texas Congressional District 15, an area stretching from Guadalupe County down to the Rio Grande Valley.

Gonzalez, a Democrat, captured 57 percent of the vote with all precincts reporting. Republican candidate Tim Westley drew 38 percent compared to Green Party candidate Vanessa S. Tijerinas 3 percent and Libertarian candidate Ross Lynn Leones 2 percent.

Gonzalez was expected to win the heavily Democratic district.

Speaking both English and Spanish, Gonzalez thanked around 100 people who turned out for his party at an hotel in McAllen. Gonzalez also thanked Hinojosa, who was among those attending, and his campaign team who knocked on 233,000 doors.

All of our work has just begun, Gonzalez said. Tackling inequality isnt easy  it never has been and it never will be. The challenges we face have been decades in the making and walls can't be torn down overnight. But I promise you that I have the commitment and resolve to push back against divisions in America.

Hinojosa has held the Congressional District 15 seat since 1997.

In most other local congressional races, the incumbents sailed to easy victories.

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, won a third term to lead Texas Congressional District 20. Castro drew nearly 80 percent of the vote with all precincts reporting. Libertarian candidate Jeffrey C. Blunts 15.5 percent and Green Party candidate Paul Pipkins nearly 5 percent. Castro was first elected to that congressional seat in 2012.

U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, captured another term in Texas Congressional District 21, which he has represented since 1987.

Smith won 57 percent of the vote with all precincts reporting, compared to Democratic challenger Tom Wakelys 36.4 percent, Libertarian candidate Mark Loewes 4.1 percent and Green Party candidate Antonio Tony Diazs 2.4 percent. Smiths district includes parts of Austin, San Marcos, New Braunfels, San Antonio and all of Fredericksburg, Kerrville and Medina.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, won a seventh term in Texas Congressional District 28. Cuellar captured 63.6 percent of the vote with 94 percent of precincts reporting, compared to Republican challenger Zeffen Hardins 33.9 percent and Green Party candidate Michael D. Carys 2.5 percent. Cuellar has represented District 28 since 2005.

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, won another term in Texas Congressional District 35. He drew 63 percent of the vote with all precincts reporting. Republican and former San Marcos Mayor Susan Narvaiz won 32 percent. Libertarian candidate Rhett Rosenquest Smith drew 3 percent, while Green Party candidate Scott Trimble won 2 percent. Doggett has served in Congress since 1995.

None of the races were expected to be competitive, said David Crockett, chair and professor of political science at Trinity University.

Theres no question that redistricting helps solidify the success of incumbents not having to worry about too much, Crockett said.

pohare@express-news.net

Staff Writer Aaron Nelsen contributed to this report.
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Democrat Javier Salazar, a San Antonio police officer who has never run for elected office, declared victory just before midnight in an upset election, ousting Republican Sheriff Susan Pamerleau in a nail-biting race that was split by less than a percentage point.

But in a twist that could impact the final outcome, Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen said her office mailed some 8,000 military ballots to addresses both in the U.S. and overseas. Ballots from the U.S. were included in the early vote total, but those coming in from overseas will be counted over the next six days as long as they were postmarked by 7 p.m. Tuesday, she said. Also, the elections department received an unknown number of provisional ballots that will have to be processed.

Ultimately, the vote totals will change, Callanen said. But its too early to tell whether the percentages will shift.

Still, late Tuesday, Salazar declared hed won, addressing a raucous crowd at the Cadillac Bar downtown.

More Information Sheriff Bexar County 100% reporting 273,914 Susan Pamerleau (i)(R) 47.09% 278,102 Javier Salazar(D) 47.81% 18,889 Larry Ricketts (L) 3.25% 10,816 James Dorsey (G) 1.86% See More Collapse

This night has been a roller coaster night, he said. Now that we're in this position, were going to rebuild that relationship between the upper echelons of the Sheriffs Office and the rank-and-file officers. Were going to work with our community and outside law enforcement agencies to make Bexar County a safer place.

Pamerleau held a slight lead over Salazar when early vote totals posted and through about 50 percent of the Election Day vote count. But late in the evening, Salazar overcame the incumbent by a fraction of a point.

Salazar said he'll have two jobs until the end of the year if he wins as he prepares for retirement from the San Antonio Police Department and begins building a leadership team and getting things in order at the Sheriff's Office.

There's so many votes out that it could go either way at this point, he said. I'm being realistic, but at this point I'm feeling good.

With 100 percent of the total vote counted, Salazar led with 47.81 percent of the vote, while Pamerleau garnered 47.09 percent.

At the Bexar County GOP headquarters, Pamerleau acknowledged that she trailed  at the time by some 3,000 votes  but did not concede the race. The sheriff said she would offer a more thorough statement on Wednesday.

A retired U.S. Air Force major general and former USAA executive, Pamerleau made history in 2012 as she became Bexar Countys first woman sheriff. Before all votes had been counted, she said she was very optimistic about the race.

This is a tight race primarily because of the top of the ticket, she said.

Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, handily carried Bexar County. Several Democratic judicial candidates in countywide races here also fared well.

Pamerleau on Tuesday repeated her mantra from the campaign  that she wasnt allowing the presidential election to affect her race.

You know, I've been focused on the race for sheriff, she said. My No. 1 priority is public safety in Bexar County. That doesn't change whether it's Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump at the top of the ticket.

Salazar, a political neophyte who acknowledged that he hadnt been an active voter himself until recently, won the endorsement of the Deputy Sheriffs Association of Bexar County. He campaigned on low morale among deputies, blaming Pamerleaus leadership.

Meanwhile, the sheriff pointed to a list of accomplishments as reason why she should earn another 4-year term. Under her watch, the Sheriffs Office has moved improved administrative procedures by moving documents online and reducing mandatory overtime by 90 percent. She was plagued by a string of four detainee suicides in as many weeks at the Bexar County Jail, casting a cloud over her first term.

Standing before campaign signs and balloons, Salazar welcomed his supporters, noting Pamerleau had taken a slight lead in early voting figures but he remained confident.

It's a pretty tight race, he said. Were going to be in for a little bit of a long night.

Salazar said he wasnt surprised by the close race and was counting on his Election Day ground game to get him across the finish line.

Staff Writers Jason Buch and Sig Christenson contributed to this report.
Residents of San Antonio and its surrounding counties think poor air quality is a significant issue and would support measures to cut air pollution, a recent survey indicates.

In a poll this summer commissioned by the Alamo Area Council of Governments, a majority of respondents said they support vehicle emissions testing, bans on open burning during bad air quality days and stronger standards on efficient homes, according to preliminary results.

The poll, conducted via mail, email, land-line phones and cell phones by ETC Institute in July and August, asked questions of 866 respondents - 434 in Bexar County and 432 in surrounding counties.

The purpose was to explore residents awareness and attitudes, just getting a sense of their background information and also their assumptions about air quality, said Annette Prosterman, AACOGs natural resources and transportation coordinator.

Some of the most popular ideas mentioned in the survey were:

Increased use of energy from wind and solar (85 percent approval).

Making streets safer for bicyclists, pedestrians and transit users (80 percent approval).

More Information The Alamo Area Council of Governments wants to help San Antonio area employers improve commuting options for their employees. Employers take advantage of federal commuter tax benefits to potentially save on Medicare, federal and state taxes, AACOG outreach specialist Lily Lowder said in a prepared statement. Doing so could also improve air quality by getting more vehicles off the road. AACOG offers free consultations, educational materials, sample forms, carpool matching, referrals and worksite event ideas. Those interested can contact Lowder at 210-362-5277 or llowder@aacog.com. See More Collapse

Standards that require energy efficiency in homes and businesses (79 percent approval).

A ban on open burning of brush and other materials on high-ozone days (79 percent approval).

Improving public transit options (79 percent approval).

A majority of respondents also said they support more strictly regulating industries, requiring large employers to cut down on employee driving and adding high-occupancy traffic lanes.

Respondents were less keen on anti-idling ordinances, like those passed recently by San Antonio and Bexar County. Forty-six percent supported them, 30 percent were opposed and 24 percent were undecided.

Lowering speed limits on the highway was the most unpopular plan, with 52 percent of respondents opposing the idea.

Krystal Henegan, a field organizer for advocacy group Moms Clean Air Force, said she was most surprised by support for stronger regulation of industry.

State data for 2014, the latest year available, show most local emissions of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds come from cars and trucks, small engines, paint applications and other spread-out sources. But the biggest single polluters are the metro areas coal plants, cement plants and oil refineries.

We could all make little changes that can have a cumulative impact, but these industries have a huge impact, Henegan said.

AACOG conducted the survey as it tries to help local governments reduce emissions that form ozone. The metro area is poised to exceed federal ozone standards for the first time starting next year.

Ozone, three oxygen atoms bonded together, is the main component of smog. It forms when emissions of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react together in sunlight.

Ozone damages and irritates the lungs, exacerbating chronic lung conditions like asthma. A New York University and the American Thoracic Society study earlier this year found ozone statistically to blame for 52 preventable deaths per year in San Antonio and 182,000 times when a resident had to miss work or school or stay indoors because of lung conditions.

In the survey, 47 percent said they thought air quality is a health problem in the San Antonio area. Nineteen percent said it was not a problem, while 34 percent were undecided.

San Antonio has seen its average ozone levels steadily drop from a recent high in 2004, though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been ratcheting down its ozone standard in response to new health data.

AACOGs members are made up of various city and county officials in the San Antonio area. They know that they have to do something, but there are various strategies that could be done, Prosterman said.

They didnt necessarily know which ones would be supported by the general public, she continued.

San Antonio District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg, who chairs AACOGs AIR Executive Committee, said the results on transportation issues show residents want better public transit, more walkable communities and more bike lanes.

They want ways of moving around our community without solely relying on their vehicle, he said.

He said he is also interested in working with Bexar County officials to look into voluntary emissions testing as part of annual vehicle inspections. Travis County already requires emissions testing even though the Austin metro area meets all air standards.

Prosterman declined to share the full results of the survey, which she said will be submitted to the TCEQ in the coming weeks. Nirenberg said AACOG staff told him the margin of error was plus or minus 4 percent.

bgibbons@express-news.net, Twitter: @bgibbs
After the votes were counted at local precincts, three Bexar County school boards remained intact and there was a shift among trustees in the South San Independent School District.

Voters in the East Central, Edgewood and Somerset independent school districts supported board members who were incumbents or unopposed.

A trio of new faces will join the South San ISD board of trustees, which will retain one incumbent, while another incumbent lost her race.

In District 5, board president Connie Prado defeated challenger Eugene Polendo, 530-393.

Louis Ybarra Jr., owner of L&R Construction, won in District 2 with 826 votes against 533 votes for homemaker Nancy Aldana, for the seat of trustee Trinidad Mata, who didnt seek re-election. Ybarra, 42, was part of a group of residents called South San Kids First, who formed earlier this year to improve education for students in the district.

With a vote of 685-477, Linda Longoria, 56, defeated small-business owner Lisa Perez Porter, 51, for the District 3 seat held by her son, Carlos Longoria, who also didnt run for re-election.

In the District 7 race, retired educator Elda Lozano Flores upset the incumbent Stacey Estrada, 575-231, garnering 71 percent of the vote.

The South San ISD board is currently under the oversight of a Texas Education Agency appointed conservator because of financial mismanagement and governance issues.

In the East Central Independent School District, incumbent Claudia V. Barrientos, 41, won by a slim margin of 797 votes over Mona L. Lopezs 748. Amanda L. Rivas, the third candidate in the race, had 469.

John Massengale, 52, and Victor Garza, 69, both ran unopposed for their seats.

In Edgewood Independent School District, a state-appointed board of managers has been in place since spring after a deadlocked board couldnt agree on key decisions, including hiring a superintendent.

The three candidates who ran unopposed for the board will have to wait at least two years to actually take office when the Texas commissioner of education will start to remove managers from the state-appointed board.

Martha I. Castilla, 54, a community health worker, won for Place 4; Joe Guerra, 65, a retired respiratory therapist and former board president ran for Place 5; and Edward Romero, 34, a business consultant received 2,932 votes for Place 7, winning over Luis Gomez, who had dropped out before the election but still received 2,433 votes.

Three trustees ran unopposed for re-election on the Somerset ISD board, district spokesman Maury Vasquez said.
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COLLEGE STATION  At the Starbucks inside Texas A&M Universitys Evans Library, students line up for their daily jolt of java.

Across campus, in a rather ordinary laboratory inside the horticulture building, Fabian Echeverria is trying to prevent a worldwide coffee shortage.

Echeverria, a researcher from Costa Rica, is studying why certain coffee plants have genes making them somewhat tolerant to coffee leaf rust, a voracious fungus that has devastated crops in Central America and Brazil. Called La Roya, it is one of many serious threats now facing the coffee industry, which produces $170 billion in retail sales worldwide and employs more than 100 million people, many of them in economically depressed countries.

Climate change is intensifying many of those threats, including the coffee leaf rust. Compounding the problem is coffees lack of genetic diversity, the key to saving any species let alone one that is threatened by a fast-evolving fungus.

Its like David and Goliath, Echeverria said recently of leaf rusts genetic advantage over coffee plants. Its a really unfair battle.

More Information History of coffee 850 AD: Ethiopian goat herder discovers coffee after his goats eat the berry from a tree, then did not want to sleep at night. 1100: Coffee transported from Ethiopia to Yemen and it quickly spreads across the Arabian peninsula. 1600's: Coffee comes to Europe via slave trade. 1607: Captain John Smith brings coffee to newly discovered Americas. 1670: Coffee transported to India. 1727: Coffee seeds smuggled into Brazil. 1817: Coffee cultivation introduced in Hawaii. 1860: JA Folger Coffee Co. created. 1889: New Zealander David Strang invents instant coffee. 1903: German coffee importer discovers way to remove caffeine from coffee. 1966: Peet's Coffee, specialty coffee retailer, opens in Berkeley, California. 1971: First Starbucks coffee shop opens in Seattle. See More Collapse

Still, the battle to save coffee, the daily beverage choice of 130 million Americans, is one Texas A&M thinks it can help win.

The university is lending its considerable agricultural prowess to an international effort to make coffee a more sustainable, higher yielding crop, mostly by improving its genetic diversity to make the plant more tolerant to pests, disease, and warming temperatures.

In September, the A&M board of regents established the Center for Coffee Research and Education, to foster crucial genetic research, promote coffee education and assist the industry through the use of the colleges sensory science evaluation lab which recently began taste testing coffee. It is one of three university centers dedicated to coffee research in the United States. The University of California, Davis and Vanderbilt University operate the other two.

Leo Lombardini, the centers new executive director, said A&M is poised to make a significant scientific contribution to coffee research, which in the past has lagged work done on other globally important crops.

Adding to the sense of urgency, he said, is climate change. A 2015 study predicted 50 percent of the land used for production of Arabica coffee, the most valuable species of coffee plant, would be unsuitable by 2050.

So what do we do? Lombardini asked. We cannot cool the planet. We cannot move the coffee farms. The alternative is to work on the actual coffee plant. We can make it more resistant to heat, and develop more varieties, more resistant varieties that can withstand stresses such as drought and heat.

At first blush, A&M might not seem a likely place to be the epicenter of coffee research. The university, however, has two powerful allies: A&Ms world-renowned Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture and the College Station-based World Coffee Research. That industry group is supported by coffee purveyors, including giants such as Peets Coffee and Tea, Keurig Green Mountain and J.M. Smucker Co., the company that owns Folgers and Dunkin Donuts.

Coffee has suffered from a lack of advanced research in areas like genetics and disease resistance, said Tim Schilling, World Coffee Researchs executive director. With the creation of the new center (at Texas A&M), one of the worlds best agricultural research institutions is adding its might to the effort to solve key issues facing one of the worlds most important crops.

Can science save coffee?

The best coffee varieties are no match for todays environmental problems, researchers say.

Heres the problem in a nutshell, or more precisely, a coffee bean: more than 98 percent of Arabica coffee plants are genetically the same, making them incredibly susceptible to pests, disease and drought.

Because of its narrow genetic diversity, there are only 36 varieties of coffee. By contrast, there are more than 2,000 varieties of watermelon.

Most of the coffee we drink today originates from a few plants bred in Ethiopia and transported long ago to Yemen.

While Arabica plants have been successfully bred in many regions of the world, coffee producers essentially have been cut off from the genetically pure plants in Ethiopia due to exploitation concerns. In the 1960s, however, a few wild seeds were collected from Ethiopia by scientists and used to establish two collections that serve as a bank for genetic coffee plant material. One is in Columbia and the other in Costa Rica.

A 2014 World Coffee Research study sampled 800 plants in the Costa Rican collection and discovered they are 98.8 percent genetically identical.

Its a problem, Lombardini said. We need to shake things up. We need to play with that 1.2 percent that allows us to bring back some of the genes. Ideally, we would go back to Ethiopia and get some of those and mix it together but we cant do that.

The A&M coffee research and education center is collaborating with a number of international scientists trying to identify the most genetically diverse set of coffee plants and breed them. Also, they are looking for Arabica and Robusta plants with highly desirable traits  drought and pest resistance being key  to breed those characteristics into a new plant.

This kind of work, its long overdue, Lombardini said. Coffee is one of those orphan crops that have typically been grown in developing countries and processed in rich, wealthy countries. So theres always been that disconnect.

The Borlaug Institute wants to change that.

For decades, the Borlang Institute has been working with farmers in developing countries. Before founding World Coffee Research in 2011, Schilling worked for Borlaug and helped Rwanda substantially increase its coffee production, which helped the African nation recover from a devastating war.

World Coffee Research split from Borlaug earlier this year, allowing the nonprofit to concentrate on field work in 25 countries while A&Ms coffee research center focuses on laboratory science. The two continue to collaborate on a number of A&M projects such as Echeverrias coffee leaf rust research and the universitys sensory lab coffee taste testing.

Climate change harming coffee

Hot coffee is good, but a hot planet is not good for coffee production.

Many coffee-growing countries already are experiencing the effects of climate change. Coffee leaf rust, for example, was once a problem only for warmer, lowland farms. But in recent years, it has affected farms at higher altitudes that are now experiencing hotter temperatures. Significant crop losses due to climate change are predicted for parts of India, Nicaragua and Brazil, all big coffee-producing countries.

The trend the last 30 to 40 years show that temperatures are rising and with a crop that is so sensitive to temperature, even a temperature increase of one to two degrees Celsius can make a difference in growing Arabica (coffee) or not, Lombardini said.

Barbara Barbosa, a Brazilian native doing her post-doctorate work at A&M, is studying the gene expression of a variety of coffee known for being heat tolerant.

Photosyntheis is food for them and respiration is how they burn their energy, she said. With higher temperatures at night, their respiration rates goes up. So youre making energy, but youre expending more, too. The yields are going to go down because the plant doesnt have enough energy to produce flowers and fruits. It affects quality, too.

Protecting the quality of coffee is tantamount to coffee research. For example, researcher Echeverria is not only trying to identify genes associated with rust-tolerant plants, hes also trying to pinpoint which ones influence how coffee tastes.

You want everybody happy, he said. The farmer has to have a good plant so they will grow more coffee and that coffee has to taste good. Its a difficult combination.

Quest for better cup of joe

Over the past few months, Blythe Beavers has tasted more coffee than most people will drink in years.

Beavers, a graduate student at A&M, was in charge of training a group of College Station-area residents who have become taste testers for the universitys sensory lab. The labs coffee tasters slurp samples from a spoon and spit it out in a cup.

Its been a really interesting experience, Beavers said. Before, coffee was just coffee. I added cream and sugar. But you dont realize how much variation can change flavor.

The labs recent foray into coffee taste testing provides buyers and roasters valuable feedback on improving taste and smell. Its coffee testing was a direct result of the relationship between A&M and World Coffee Research.

The first step for the lab, which for years tested other foods, was the development of a dictionary of sorts to describe taste and smell of coffee. World Coffee Research commissioned food scientists at A&M and Kansas State University to develop the lexicon, which today consists of 110 words. Among them are: beany, pipe tobacco, olive oil, hay-like and peppery.

Typically, coffee tasters dont slurp more than seven samples during a two-hour session.

They can still sleep at night, Lombardini said.
WASHINGTON  Donald Trumps surprise victory over Hillary Clinton may have ushered in a period of chaotic governing and friction in Americas relationships with allies and trading partners.

The end of a disturbing chapter in presidential politics foreshadows ongoing disarray, given Trumps promise to make significant changes in health care and immigration policy while overturning environmental rules and a host of federal regulations governing business and American life.

Trumps victory will have a lasting effect on American society by assuring a conservative Supreme Court for the foreseeable future.

In winning the White House, Trump defied virtually every poll as voters rose up to reject norms that have governed American politics for years, including civility.

Historian and author Doug Brinkley of Rice University said Tuesday a Trump win would be the biggest surprise since 1948, when Missourian Harry Truman defied most predictions in defeating New York Gov. Thomas Dewey to become president.

Its unfathomable. It has the feeling of a Pearl Harbor or a 9/11, almost like the American system was attacked, Brinkley said, noting the WikiLeaks disclosures on Clinton and apparent involvement of Russia.

Its the ascendancy of the alternative right in the United States, but it has global implications, part of a global pattern right now, he said.

Not in recent history have Americans chosen between two such unpopular candidates or been subjected to a campaign so awash in hostility and, many would say, bigotry. Couple the harsh tenor with seemingly freakish occurrences  Russian hacking of Democrats files and late, vote-swinging FBI declarations  and the result was an exhausting campaign with a surprising end.

Trumps supporters were made up largely of Anglo voters and leaning heavily toward men and older voters, a coalition that runs counter to Americas changing demographics.

Exit polls revealed an electorate craving change and voters anxious about the future and their own financial well-being.

Three in five voters viewed the economy as poor or not good, roughly the same number of Americans who see America on the wrong track.

Voters turned their backs on Clinton and her drive to become the first woman elected president, signaling their lack of trust in the former first lady and apparent weariness with the email scandal resulting from her use of a private server as secretary of state.

Clinton was unable to create the enthusiasm generated in President Barack Obamas victories, and she fell short in mobilizing African-American voters.

The vote exposed a stark divide in America along the lines of gender, race and education, fissures that likely could make it increasingly difficult for Congress to settle differences over immigration and a host of other thorny matters.

Shortly after midnight, the Republican National Committee reported Trumps success in rural areas and his ability to limit Democratic margins in major metropolitan areas significantly better than in 2012.

We turned out blue-collar voters who are unhappy with the status quo and want change, RNC spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said.

Trumps promise to build a wall along the Southwest border and his threats to deport millions of Americans will trigger a fierce resistance from the swelling population of Latinos in the country.

A Trump presidency could have significant effect on Texas in matters of trade as well as immigration. He has vowed to renegotiate NAFTA, the three-country accord that, by most accounts, has been an economic boon to Texas.

Likewise, Trumps aggressive comments about Chinas trade policies raise questions about the future of Chinas investments in Texas.

And Trumps election also makes it unlikely that the United States will follow through any time soon with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the 12-state trade pact between the U.S. and other Pacific Rim nations that economists say also would offer a boost to the Texas economy. Trump has vowed to withdraw from the agreement.

The election exposed the reality that the U.S. has done a poor job of protecting American workers from the damaging effects of globalization. And many of those workers marked their ballots on Tuesday for Trump.

If Trump followed through on his campaign promises, he could take a significant step toward his vow to drain the swamp, as he put it, in Washington.

He has promised that on his first day in office, he would propose a five-year ban on White House and congressional officials becoming lobbyists as well as a lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying foreign governments.

He has promised to slash the federal workforce with a hiring freeze on federal employees unrelated to the military, public safety and public health.

Trump also has said he wants to dramatically change the federal regulatory structure with a requirement that two existing regulations be eliminated for every new federal regulation proposed.

His hard-edged proposals on immigration  including his plan to suspend the arrival of people from terror-prone regions  foreshadows a difficult period for undocumented immigrants and for people seeking to become Americans.

A Hispanic voter uprising spurred by Trumps incendiary pronouncements suggested that low-voting Latinos finally may be developing political potency to match their growing proportion of the U.S. population.

Latino Decisions election eve interviews of 5,600 Hispanic voters showed Clinton would beat Trump 79 percent to 18 percent, which would have been the most lopsided victory margin among Latinos in any race for the White House. Roughly two-thirds of Latinos believed that the Republican Party is either hostile toward them or isnt concerned about their interests.

But exit polls in several battleground states gave Trump a higher portion of the Latino vote  29 percent.

Latinos won symbolic victories: In Nevada, they played a key role in electing Catherine Cortez Masto as the first Latina in the U.S. Senate. And in Arizona, they unseated Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a 23-year incumbent known for harsh immigration policies.
Blow up Washington.

That was the mandate that we heard, explicitly and implicitly, from Donald Trump supporters throughout the moguls escalator ride to the White House. It was a wish expressed by Scott Dont Call Me Chachi Baio and a rationale for one of Trumps few newspaper endorsements, from the Florida Times-Union.

Trump, the paper asserted, was the presidential candidate best equipped to blow up the inbred corruption of the Washington-New York elites.

This blow up Washington (aka drain the swamp) mantra came from disaffected, alienated conservatives (some of whom started chanting that mantra back in 2009 with the tea party movement), but its rooted in an idea once expressed by a disaffected progressive: Gore Vidal. Back in the early 1980s, Vidal liked to say that the United States, contrary to appearances, did not have two major political parties, but rather one party with two factions.

All the talk about blowing up the system concealed a crucial point: Washington had already been blown up. What it needs is to be put back together.

Thats why the District 23 congressional race between Republican incumbent Will Hurd and former Democratic Congressman Pete Gallego was so fascinating. Hurd built a promising lead Tuesday night, even though he ran away from Trump, his partys presidential nominee.

Colin Strother, a Democratic consultant, marveled at how Hurd battled to defend his seat in a sprawling district with 29 counties running from San Antonio to El Paso.

He really worked it, Strother said. He probably hit every DQ in the district 10 times.

Hurd is an African-American Gen Xer from Helotes with a background in the CIA. Gallego is a Latino baby-boomer lawyer from West Texas who has spent most of his adult life in politics. But what they had in common was a trait that is scarce in Washington. Both of them value the idea of getting things done over blowing things up.

To be sure, Hurd is a fiscal conservative and national-security hawk, but as a District 23 rep, he emphasized legislation with bipartisan appeal, such as reducing duplication in the Department of Homeland Security.

Gallego defined himself as a moderate willing to buck his party for what he called a Texas First agenda (an unintentional echo of Trumps America First platform). He has been willing to critique the Democratic-driven Affordable Care Act and earned an A- rating from the National Rife Association during his one term in Congress.

Their shared willingness to cross the partisan divide has everything to do with their district, the lone swing district in the state.

Those of us who watch Texas politics for a living often lament the seesaw nature of District 23, the way the district shifts back and forth from the D to the R column every two years, so that no one who holds the seat ever gets to develop continuity or institutional knowledge. The flip side of that problem is that District 23 demands that its general-election candidates respect the concerns of all its constituents.

By contrast, most of the country consists of gerrymandered districts safely controlled by one party or another. In those situations, the only battles are in the primaries, and candidates are obligated to meet ideological purity tests. As a result, we send people to Congress with no desire to find common-ground solutions to the issues of immigration, college affordability, criminal-justice reform, health care or entitlements.

Robert Draper, in his brilliant 2012 book, When the Tea Party Came to Town, pointed out that establishment Republicans such as John Boehner grew so fed up with the intransigence of the tea party freshmen in their caucus that they secretly wished those freshmen would get an earful back home and return to Washington with a newfound eagerness to compromise. But that didnt happen because redrawn district lines meant that all you had to worry about was a primary challenge.

In District 23, however, you do get an earful back home if you refuse to compromise.
If you are new to farming or new to taking on the financial responsibilities, be sure to know what qualifies as farming and what doesnt. Youll also want to know what has changed in 2016.

1Defining farm activities

Farming generally includes activities normally connected to the growing, raising or harvesting of any agricultural or horticultural product.

Raising, feeding, caring for, training and management of animals on a farm are also farming activities. Participation is the process of producing an agricultural or horticultural product and bearing substantial risk.

These are factors in determining if an individual is a farmer. In addition, farming activities include: handling, packing, grading, or storage on a farm of any agricultural or horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state  but only if the owner, tenant, or operator of the farm regularly produces more than half of the commodity.

Processing that is incidental to growing and harvesting is considered a farming activity and associated costs are reported on Schedule F (Form 1040). In contrast, processing of a commodity beyond the minimum to prepare it for initial sale is not a farming activity and should be reported on Schedule C (Form 1040).

2Seek help

Even if producers arent preparing their own taxes, having a baseline understanding is important, said Barry Ward, Ohio State Extension, leader production business management.

We know it is difficult for a layperson to keep everything straight and keep up with all the codes. But based on records and taxes, you should be making purchasing decisions, decisions on inputs, end-of-year sales, etc; so it is an advantage if you are somewhat knowledgeable.

3Standard mileage rate

For 2016, the standard mileage rate for the cost of operating your car, van, pickup, or panel truck for each mile of business use is 54 cents.

4Special depreciation

There is a special depreciation allowance for specified plants. You can elect to claim the special depreciation allowance for certain specified plants bearing fruits and nuts that are planted or grafted after Dec. 31, 2015.

5Race horses

The three-year recovery period for race horses 2 years old or younger will not apply to horses placed in service after Dec. 31, 2016.

6Maximum net earnings

The maximum net self employment earnings subject to the social security part, 12.4 percent, of the self employment tax is $118,500 for 2016, unchanged from 2015. There is no maximum limit on earnings subject to the Medicare part (2.9 percent) or, if applicable, the Additional Medicare Tax (0.9 percent).

7Due dates

Both paper and electronically filed 2016 Forms W-2 and W-3 must be filed with the Social Security Administration by Jan. 31, 2017. Both paper and electronically filed 2016 Forms 1099MISC that report non-employee compensation must be filed with the IRS by Jan. 31, 2017.

8Social Security and medicare

The Social Security tax rate is 6.2 percent each for the employee and employer, unchanged from 2015. The Social Security wage base limit is $118,500, unchanged from 2015. The Medicare tax rate is 1.45 percent each for the employee and employer, unchanged from 2015. There is no wage base limit for Medicare tax.

9Hiring veterans

The work opportunity tax credit is now available for eligible unemployed veterans who begin work after Dec. 31, 2014, and before Jan. 1, 2020.

Qualified tax exempt organizations that hire eligible unemployed veterans can claim the work opportunity tax credit against their payroll tax liability using Form 5884C. For more information, visit IRS.gov and enter work opportunity tax.

Sources: Farmers Tax Guide 2016, www.ruraltax.org, Barry Ward, OSU Extension.

(Farm and Dairy is featuring a series of 101 columns throughout the year to help young and beginning farmers master farm living. From finances to management to machinery repair and animal care, farmers do it all.)

More Farming 101 columns:
The Prairie Doc: Men, you can thank women for your good health
Great Britain is on course for another decline in the oilseed rape area, to the lowest area in 13 years, according to new figures published by AHDB.

The 2017 OSR area is predicted at 557Kt, down 4% compared with Defras estimate of the 2016 area.

This would be the fifth consecutive fall in the OSR area but its expected that there will be key regional differences.

For instance, there has been a dramatic decrease in the east of the country, a 28% decline attributed to cabbage stem flea beetle damages, and a lack of moisture which hasmade establishment difficult.

In other areas of the country (the Midlands, South and Scotland), however, the area sown to oilseed rape has increased.

Millie Askew, AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds analyst, said: The increase in these areas is likely due to the rise in oilseed prices, making oilseed rape an attractive break crop in areas of the country where the conditions are right.

Both winter and spring wheat combined are predicted to fall 1% on last year to 1.8 million ha, down 4% on the five-year average. Grass weed challenges are the main limiting factor on many farms.

Results from the survey also show that Great Britain may be on track for the second largest spring barley crop on records going back to 1997, behind 2013 which was driven by poor conditions in the previous autumn.

Following the trend of recent years, the area planted to spring barley continues to rise, and is predicted to be 17% higher for harvest 2017 than harvest 2016, at 799,000ha.

Ms Askew said: The survey suggests that this increase is in areas of GB most affected by black-grass. But also some farmers will have been influenced by poor winter barley yields for 2016. However, it is possible that if the price of wheat continues to rise above barley, some of this area could be sown to spring wheat instead of barley.

Estimated crop areas for harvest 2017:

 Winter and spring wheat down 1% to 1.8 million ha, and 4% down on the five-year average

 Winter barley to fall 10% to 397,000ha

 Oats area predicted to fall 8% to 130,000ha

 Oilseed rape area down 4% overall to 557,000ha, although the area is up in some regions of GB

 Pulses are down 6% to 216,000ha, though still well above the five-year average

Data for AHDB's Early Bird Survey is taken from 262,500ha arable land across the whole of England, Scotland and Wales, and was carried out by the Andersons Centre and the AICC.

The survey measures cropping changes from harvest 2016 to the current growing season and plans for late autumn and spring drilling.
The British wool industry has said it will remain optimistic in turbulent market times, emphasising there are opportunities going forward for British wool but only if all parts of the wool industry collaborated and cooperated.

Last weeks British Wool Marketing Board (BWMB) annual conference in Leeds showed the industry is still showing signs of innovation in the form of collaboration which had driven a resurgence in iconic wool products.

We have seen a huge resurgence in Harris Tweed in recent years and this is largely due to a number of positive associations with leading fashion brands across the world," explained Mark Hogarth, creative director at Harris Tweed Hebrides.

Mark Hogarth, Harris Tweed addressing BWMB conference

Capitalising on these relationships and collaborating with partners, such as Topman, which wouldnt historically have been a natural fit for Harris Tweed will be key to maximising demand for woollen products going forward, he explained.

In wool we have a truly unique product which has a great future. It can be used at all levels in the fashion industry with great effect and can be used to create an immense variety of garments. We have to get the message out there more widely and promote wool as a modern fabric with a rich heritage, added Mr Hogarth.

Delivering wool to the market

The cooperative theme was echoed by second speaker Paul Hughes of Standard Wool UK, who said the BWMB structure was a good example of a strong co-operative model for British wool producers.

BWMB fulfils a unique role in the wool industry, serving both producers and buyers. From a producers perspective BWMB gives them strength and ensures they collectively carry selling power - staggering the flow of wool across the year BWMB is able to deliver wool to the market and manage a volatile wool market, he explained.

As a company we handle wool from a number of countries and without doubt the way BWMB manages the grading and sale of British wool is the best system for UK producers.

Mr Hughes told delegates his company was committed to the British wool industry for the long-term. As a buyer and supplier of greasy wool as well as a scouring in the UK, our customers are looking for quality wool every time they deal with us.

When it comes to buying British wool we know our customers can be assured of its quality which gives them confidence their end product will meet the high standards modern consumers expect.

BWMB chief executive Joe Farren said British wool is 'truly high quality, which is both versatile and durable, having a wide range of uses and offering many unique benefits.'

Prices at our recent auctions have softened a little due to a drop in UK consumer confidence post-Brexit (impacting wool carpet sales) and a continued cooling of the Chinese economy with an accompanying swing in Chinese fashion away from our finer micron wool to merino types. While we cannot directly influence global prices, we will be seeking to handle producers wool more cost effectively year after year to maximise their proceeds, Mr Farren concluded.
Farming Minister George Eustice has attempted to calm fears about access to foreign labour following Brexit.

Mr Eustice appeared at the annual Egg and Poultry Industry Conference (EPIC) in Wales, where he sought to calm farmers worries over the possibility of reduced access to foreign labour in post-Brexit Britain.

In the egg sector, it is estimated that EU migrants currently account for 40 per cent of total farm labour. They account for 60 per cent of total labour in packing centres. Poultry industry leaders are concerned that access to that labour force may be lost when the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, although the Minister said it may be possible to create visas to cover skills shortages following Brexit.

Presidents of the four UK farming unions said continued access to a 'flexible, competent and reliable' workforce is vital

Poultry producers are reliant on non-UK staff throughout their businesses, whether it is in the office, hands on work, or to helping getting turkeys ready for Christmas.

George Eustice also addressed fears about cheap, lower welfare standard egg products possibly being allowed into the UK as a result of future trade deals with countries outside the UK. He said he wanted the UK to set an example on animal welfare.

Essentials for the sector

Farming unions have reiterated that it is essential for the sector to maintain 'full, unfettered' access to the single market while having continued access to a 'flexible, competent and reliable' workforce.

This is the message from the Presidents of the four UK farming unions (NFU, UFU, NFU Scotland and NFU Cymru) following a meeting with agricultures largest processing customers last week.

The farming sector has increasingly become worried. Chairman of the NFU horticulture board, Ali Capper, said working in the UK was worth less. She urged the government to set up a permit scheme for seasonal farmhands.

"People in Romania are now looking for 9/hour for seasonal work to make up for the travel and uprooting their lives.

However, Migration Watch UK says Brexit should be seen as a chance to improve productivity and raise wages for British-born agricultural workers, a paper by the group concluded.

The briefing paper, released by Migration Watch UK, says leaving the EU is a chance to improve wages and conditions for agricultural workers. The plentiful supply of cheap foreign labour on British farms 'all but destroys any incentive producers have of becoming more competitive', the thinktank says.

The paper says when the UK leaves the EU, the current supply of labour from the EU will not disappear overnight, and instead calls for the industry to implement reforms to ensure "longer-term sustainability while also benefiting UK-born workers", the briefing paper stated.
The pig industry has largely rejected proposals by the government to bring bovine TB regulations for pigs and other non-bovines into line with those in place for cattle.

In a six-page response to the Defra consultation, the National Pig Association, the UK's leading pig industry voice, argues that TB breakdowns already have a disproportionate impact on pig farms, with the cost often far outweighing the risk of disease spread.

Proposals include making it a duty to report suspicion of bTB in non-bovines, bringing some of the rules around testing, treating disease and vaccination into line with cattle and new government powers to require the isolation of specific animals and prohibit the movement of animals on to or off of premises, except under licence.

There is also a proposal to introduce of new TB compensation rates for non-bovines, paying half of estimated market values.

The NPA urges Defra to work to find a realistic solution to the problems facing affected herds

Some of Defras proposed changes would only add to the burden for pig farmers while doing little to reduce disease risk, the NPA told Defra.

The NPA response states: We completely accept that developing coherent transparent regulations is important and will aid greater compliance, but we disagree with your view that none of the proposed changes will impose significant new burdens on the pig sector.

It appears that in some of the areas, change has been suggested to make life simpler for the regulator with little thought for the likely financial impact on the industry.

The proposed additional controls appear to be at odds with the very low risk the pig herd poses to the spread and maintenance of bTB, despite continually referring to pigs (quite rightly) as spill-over hosts.

'Realistic solution'

The statement cites an example of an NPA member who has been under TB restriction since a cull sow was confirmed with bTB in May 2014. Since then, at least 60,000 pigs have gone through to slaughter from the restricted herd with no bTB disclosed or suspected and yet the farm remains under restriction with no exit strategy.

The TB restrictions have cost the business 300,000 in transport costs alone due to the need to divert pigs to an alternative abattoir.

In the consultation response, the NPA urges Defra to work to find a realistic solution to the problems facing affected herds.

Being under restriction for a minimum of two years cannot be a sensible outcome for a very low risk sector.

The NPA response also criticises Defras proposal to use the John Nix handbook to calculate compensation for pigs slaughtered because of bTB and suggests an alternative system that provides 'fairer and more accurate' compensation values.

The John Nix Farm Management Pocketbook is viewed as the most widely used and trusted agricultural costing book in the UK.
A rural charity is among 90 groups in Wales celebrating their share of nearly 220,000 in cash seized from criminals which has been awarded from the Police and Crime Commissioner's Partnership Fund today.

The Vision of Hope Animal Assisted Therapy charity is based on Wenallt farm near the village of Gilwern in Monmouthshire. The 18 acre farm was purchased by the founders and Directors of the charity, Dinah Sansome and her husband David, six years ago.

Dinah, who has been awarded an MBE for her services to charity, has been working with the homeless since 1968 and has been sharing her homes with offenders to help rehabilitate them since 1980. The couple have supported over 7,000 people over the years.

The young people live and work on the farm with Dinah and her husband

Dinah and David have opened their home at Wenallt farm to ex-offenders and young people recovering from substance misuse so that they can benefit from on-site treatment and therapy relating to the care of animals.

The farm houses up to 10 young people who are referred from prisons, charities, social services, housing and other organisations. The young people live and work on the farm with Dinah and her husband. They receive visits from the probation service and substance misuse workers and have all the support that they need.

The therapy helps them build trust and bonds with the farm animals, most of which have been rescued. Several of the residents have gone on to build lives in the local community and work for the charity, either permanently or as volunteers. The 5,000 they have been awarded will help the project to buy agricultural tools, a poultry incubator, the services of an instructor and a moveable animal shelter.

'Perfect mix for those looking to turn their lives around'

One person who can certainly vouch for the impact of the project is 38 year old Andrew Oates.

Andrew has no doubt that he wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for the support of the rural charity. He was about 11 years old when he started misusing substances and his addiction spiralled out of control.

According to Mr Oates, the remoteness and the hard work involved in running the farm coupled with the family atmosphere and the responsibility of looking after the animals is a perfect mix for those looking turn their lives around.

"It's peaceful, quiet and remote on the farm and part of the recovery process is to be removed from the situation that you were in," says Andrew.

"There's a physical distance and barrier away from drugs and alcohol that helps you here. The work on the farm is hard but the emotional and psychological challenge to overcome addiction is even harder.

"We have chickens, cows, sheep, pigs donkeys and horses here to look after. A typical day starts with cleaning out, feeding, grooming and all that hard work that comes with running a farm," Mr Oates said.
Twenty-two farmers from across the UK will feature in a new brochure 'Delivering Britains Clean Energy from the Land' as the UN's Climate Change conference celebrates Farmers Day.

The reports launch comes on Farmers Day at the COP22 climate conference being held in Marrakech, Morocco, where world leaders are turning their attention to the role of agriculture in managing a changing climate.

The report aims to celebrate the work of farmers from across all four UK farming unions in tackling climate change by installing renewable energy systems on their farm and producing low carbon energy.

Now legally binding, the international Paris Agreement on climate change signed in 2015 has opened the door to a wealth of opportunities for farmers to contribute to the low-carbon economy.

The international Paris Agreement on climate change signed in 2015 has opened the door to a wealth of opportunities for farmers (Photo: COP22)

In a joint statement, the four UK Farming Union Presidents said: The farming industry grows the raw ingredients for the UKs largest manufacturing sector food and drink, worth 108bn, and provides jobs for 3.9 million people, all while using its natural resources to store carbon and generate clean renewable energy. Our report showcases our members ambitions and practical actions to be on the frontline of tackling the impact of climate change.

Agriculture has a unique role to play in the implementation of the historic 2015 Paris Agreement, which is now taking effect. Diversification into low-carbon renewable energy offers our farmer and grower members stable and predictable returns, making their agricultural businesses more resilient, profitable and competitive.

Farmers have embraced a diverse selection of technologies at different scales to meet the needs of their business and the country. They are keen to keep their businesses progressive and at the forefront of technology for present and future generations.

Tackling both the causes and effects of climate change is vital to make the world's food supply more resilient, scientists say

'Vital to make world's food supply more resilient'

At the Marrakech Climate Chance Conference (7-18 November 2016), nations of the world are turning their climate commitments into action, strengthening the global response to climate change in terms of ambition, promoting implementation and providing support.

Tackling both the causes and effects of climate change is vital to make the world's food supply more resilient, scientists say.

Farmers, especially small scale ones, are directly affected by the adverse effects of climate change (i.e. soil degradation, decrease of global water supplies, extreme climatic events). At the same time, they also play a key role in the fight against climate change, both in terms of mitigation and adaptation.

According to this agreement, all nations coincide to combat climate change, to take actions and make investments towards a resilient and sustainable future, by limiting the rise in global temperature to "well below 2C, with the commitment of trying to keep it up to 1.5 C.

The biggest renewable energy resources available to British agriculture are bioenergy (biomass, biofuels, biogas), wind power and solar PV. It is estimated that farmers own or host over half of the UK's solar power and AD capacity, as well as the majority of wind power.

Prince Charles has also joined calls for the agricultural industry to improve the health of soil, so it can store more carbon. He has praised a UK-France government initiative to improve the condition of global soils.

Both governments are meeting the Prince to discuss the need to improve the health of soils worldwide. He has praised the French government's signature project on soil health, the 'Four per Thousand Initiative', which seeks to increase the organic content and health of soils worldwide.

The United Nations has called for farmers worldwide to urgently change methods of growing food if the world is to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation said: "Unless action is taken now to make agriculture more sustainable, productive and resilient, climate change impacts will seriously compromise food production in countries and regions that are already highly food-insecure."
Convert 10% of arable land to agroforestry, Woodland Trust says
Farms.com was on the ground asking Michigan farmers their thoughts on the election

By Diego Flammini

Assistant Editor, North American Content

Farms.com

Donald Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton to become the next president of the United States is on the minds of everyone this morning, farmers included.

Especially in Michigan, a state considered up for grabs by both parties that Trump eventually won with 47.6 per cent of the vote; Barack Obama won Michigan in 2012 with 54 per cent of the vote, according to the New York Times.

Farms.com editorial director Paul Nolan and machinery contributor Rachel Gingell were on the ground in Michigan Wednesday to ask local farmers their thoughts on election outcome.







"Trump has made some very big promises," Rex Lansing, a custom applicator, told Gingell. "He told us he's going to make America great again. So now we are expecting him to follow through on that."

Trump's victory in rural areas of the U.S doesn't come as a complete shock, as a poll before the election suggested farmers were overwhelmingly backing the Republican candidate.
"If an activity is going to devalue your land and make it impossible to sell it for 30 years, you should at least have the option of saying whether you are prepared to allow it on your land or not."
In some paddocks in the Kwinana east zone up to 95pc damage has been recorded and GIWA has estimated that up to 40pc of the Albany zone has 40pc yield loss - which relates to a potential loss of 2mt - and the Mallee district in the Esperance zone has had about 150,000t stripped from its potential.
The ACCC issues statement pointed out "it can cost hundreds of millions of dollars and take a decade or more to develop a new active ingredient and bring it to market" so the pool of innovation "originators" represented in Australia was already small.
Peter Jennings, PE & LM Jennings, Boyup Brook, spent $101 on 109 October shorn, Merinotech blood, yellow and purple tag ewes from KL & KK Oliver while a massive draft of 559 October shorn, owner bred MPM ewes (5.5yo) from ER Patterson & Co proved to be too daunting for most buyers despite its 117 per cent lambing track record.
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Two 14-year-old boys have been charged in connection with having a gun at Unity Reed High School in Manassas this week. The gun was not brandished toward other students and was not part of an
Where can you get free diapers in Cumberland County?

The Partnership for Children of Cumberland County helps hundreds of families a month, according to the nonprofit's community engagement administrator.
Snoop Dogg is planning on smoking marijuana "every day" now that the drug is legalised in California.

Snoop Dogg

The 'Drop It Like It's Hot' rapper has led the celebrations after Proposition 64 was approved by voters, legalising the substance in the US state, as well as Massachusetts, North Dakota, Arkansas and Nevada.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote: "We just legalized marijuana in Cali. #smokeweedeveryday. (sic)"

Seth MacFarlane also joined in and said in light of the news that Donald Trump was elected as the president of America, at least marijuana has been made legal for recreational use.

The 'Family Guy' creator wrote: "At least pot's legal. (sic)"

Snoop, 43, has been open about his personal drug use in the past and is a keen advocate of cannabis, which he is legally allowed to use to treat migraines in California.

And in 2013, Snoop confessed to smoking up to 80 cannabis blunts per day, adding he would "love" to show his kids Corde, 22, Cordell, 19 and Cori, 17, how to smoke the substance "the right way".

He said: "It's not that I would ever push weed on our kids. But if they wanted to, I would love to show them how, the right way, so that way they won't get nothing put in their shit or overdose or trying some shit that ain't clean."

Last year, Snoop - whose real name is Cordozar Calvin Broadus, Jr - launched his own line of Cannabis-related products called Leafs.

Snoop insists he carefully selected the collection, which includes cannabis-infused foods, hand-weighed marijuana flowers and hash oils.

At the time, he said: "It's a true blessing that I can share the products I love so much with y'all today. From the flower, to the concentrates, and edibles - it's all hand-picked by yours truly so you know it's the hottest product out there. It's the real deal and you gotta get out to Colorado to try it first!"
Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, was "inspired" by the facilities at the first dedicated children's hospital in the United Arab Emirates.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall

The 69-year-old royal visited the Al Jalila Children's Speciality Hospital in Dubai yesterday (08.11.16) after arriving by helicopter, and she couldn't believe just how great the services were.

According to the Daily Mail newspaper, Camilla said: "It is a very good facility, it is brilliant."

Sheikh Mohammed ordered the hospital to be built in December 2008 as a gift to the UAE to celebrate his daughter Sheikha Al Jalila's first birthday, and work commenced the following year.

Camilla took a tour of the medical facility and met up with some of the kids who were receiving treatment, including Noora Fahad Fayez Mubarak, 13, who has kidney failure.

The duchess told her: "What a lovely smile you have."

The hospital has 200 beds, a heart centre, paediatric trauma centre, transplant unit and outpatient clinics among other areas.

There is also an impressive 375-seater auditorium for teaching and the facility treats more than 11,000 patients per year.

Camilla and husband Prince Charles are currently in the Gulf on an official jaunt on behalf of the British government.

They were joined by Sheikh Mohammed's wife Princess Haya, 42.
Prince William and Duchess Catherine's Canada visit cost $855,600 CAD (506,000).

Prince William, Duchess Catherine, Prince George and Princess Charlotte

According to VICE News, which obtained the figures through an access to information request, the royal couple, who were accompanied by son Prince George, three, and 18-month-old daughter Princess Charlotte, ran up a hospitality bill of $13,000 CAD (Canadian Dollars) among other expenses.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gifted the pair $500 but the list does not state what exactly he gave them, and he announced on the final day of their tour that the government were giving $100,000 to be divided between Prince's Charities Canada and the Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia.

Among other costs were $20,000 on an official photographer, and the same estimated amount on a media room, during their visit in September.

Staff accommodation cost around $40,000 and Department of National Defence drivers were priced

at $10,000, while they also forked out $5,000 on a photo album and group photos.

One of the main expenses was on a trip that the pair didn't even go on.

Royal staff went on three jaunts to Canada before William, Catherine, George and Charlotte visited, costing $116,300, $39,000, and $5,150 each.

One of William and Catherine's biggest single expenses was a sea plane for two journeys from Victoria costing $50,000.
US citizens have elected Republican Donald Trump as the 45President of the country . Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton to become the first ever US President who has never held public office before or served in the US military. Trump won after winning Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes, which helped him cross the threshold of 270 votes.

Trump spoke about his plans to cut down on corporate tax rates in the US to 15 per cent from the current rate of 35 per cent. This could have serious implications as the policy can lure a lot of American businesses, who have set up facilities in other countries to avoid taxes, back to the US.

He also plans to ease regulatory frameworks for businesses to increase the country's GDP by 4 per cent and create more than 25 million jobs over the next decade. The impact of Trump's election on the textiles sector remains to be seen. (KD)

US citizens have elected Republican Donald Trump as the 45th President of the country. Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton to become the first ever US President who has never held public office before or served in the US military. Trump won after winning Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes, which helped him cross the threshold of 270 votes.#

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
In a bold move to curb corruption, black money hoarding and reduce the menace of fake currency notes in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes are no longer valid in the country . He also said that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will soon introduce new notes in the denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 2000.

All notes in the denominations of Rs 100 or less and all the coins currently in circulation in India will continue to be legal. People currently holding old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes can deposit them in banks or post offices between November 10 and December 30. Banks will remain close on November 9. ATMs will not work on November 9 and also on November 10 in some regions across the country.

For the next few days, Indian citizens can withdraw only Rs 10,000 from their accounts per day and not more than Rs 20,000 per week. ATM withdrawals will be restricted to Rs 2,000 per card, per day and it will be increased to Rs 4,000 in the coming days.

In a bold move to curb corruption, black money hoarding and reduce the menace of fake currency notes in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that the old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes are no longer valid in the country. He also said that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will soon introduce new notes in the denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 2000.#

In order to avoid causing inconvenience to the citizens, the Prime Minister said that government hospitals, crematoriums, government co-operatives and fuel pumps will continue to accept the old notes until November 11. People can also buy bus, train and air tickets for the next two days using these notes.

The move has come as a blow to the black currency hoarders, however, it is being appreciated by most Indian citizens. (KD)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Rieter, Switzerland's leading supplier of systems for short-staple fibre spinning, is set to exhibit a wide range of innovations at India ITME 2016, an important textile machinery trade show for the key market of India organised by The India International Textile Machinery Exhibition Society (India ITME Society), in Mumbai, from December 3 to 8, 2016.As the world leader in compact technology, Rieter will show the K 42 compact spinning machine and the G 32 ring spinning machine with EliTe. The learning system Rieter UPtime Solutions, which supports the preventive maintenance of plants, represents a further step towards the digitisation of spinning mills.

Rieter, Switzerland's leading supplier of systems for short-staple fibre spinning, is set to exhibit a wide range of innovations at India ITME 2016, an important textile machinery trade show for the key market of India organised by The India International Textile Machinery Exhibition Society (India ITME Society), in Mumbai, from December 3 to 8, 2016.#

The company will show the new RSB-D 50 single-head draw frame generation. With the patented ECOrised drive technology along with an innovative autoleveller and fibre guiding system, an increase in delivery speed of up to 33 per cent can be realised.The Rieter compact spinning systems, Com4compact and EliTe, will be demonstrated at the expo. The very high strength and low hairiness of Com4compact yarns have significant economical advantages throughout downstream processing. With the G 32 ring spinning machine and the EliTe-compacting system, Rieter is introducing another, particularly versatile, machine combination for this segment to the market.The R 36 semi-automic rotor spinning machine with the latest spinning technology and easy operation to achieve economical production will also be a part of the show.Bracker, Graf, Novibra, and Suessen will present technology components and systems, which are distinguished by superior performance in the market, and which achieve decisive competitive advantages for customers. The new BERKOL multigrinder MGL grinding machine will debut in India ITME expo.Other important products at ITME include the EasyTop flat bar with magnetic adhesion technology by Graf, the energy-saving spindle LENA by Novibra, and the EliTe compacting system by Suessen.In after-sales business, Rieter will demonstrate at India ITME 2016 new services and complete solutions for the entire production process. These technology components and packages improve yarn quality (Q-Package), maximise productivity (wobble disc), extend the life of equipment (card cover shoe) and reduce energy consumption (ECOrised section pipe). (GK)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
HE PRESIDENT JIOJI KONROTE'S SPEECH AT THE LAUNCH OF THE GIRMIT CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION





The Honourable Acting Prime Minister and Attorney General;

The Honourable Minister for Local Government and Honourable Ministers of the Cabinet;Honourable members of Parliament;Your Excellencies, Heads of Missions, members of the Diplomatic Corps;The Representative of the Turaga na Tui Suva, Mr Solomone Kinitavaki Mudunavosa;The Special Administrator of Suva;The Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Girmit Centennial Celebration;My fellow Fijians;Ni sa bula vinaka, Namaste, Asalaam Alaykum, Ni Hao, Noaiae mauri and a very good morning to you all.We gather together today as members of the great Fijian family to commemorate an important era in our nations history - the arrival of the last indentured labourers from British India precisely 100 years ago.The story of the Girmitiyas  as they were known  is one of immense struggle and suffering. But it is also one of the most inspirational chapters of Fijian history. Because that struggle was borne with dignity and perseverance. And through sheer determination and hard work, the Girimitiyas eventually triumphed  a triumph of the human spirit in the face of terrible adversity.Many people transported across the world in a succession of small ships and in the harshest of conditions did not succumb to despair. On the contrary, they worked their hearts out to carve out new lives in Fiji. And in doing so, made a disproportionate contribution to building our nation.On the shoulders of the Girmitiyas rested much of the burden of building the then British colony. Whether it was by clearing land, building roads, and most of all, toiling in the sugar cane fields that were the mainstay of the Fijian economy then and continue to play an important role in our economy today.They endured hardship and oppression, a crushing workload and the constant threat of illness and disease.They also suffered culture shock and loneliness as a people transplanted 11,500 kilometers across the world. Yet they were also tough and they were stoic, with dreams of their own. And they were determined to succeed. And above all else, determined that their children and grandchildren would have better lives than they had endured.The values that governed their lives were the values of simple working people everywhere. The preservation of religion, culture and language. The importance of family, of thrift and hard work.For the early Girmitiyas, there was no access to education and their children grew up illiterate. But they knew even then that the acquisition of knowledge through education was their way out of poverty. As their fortunes changed over the years, the importance of education became paramount. And as they set up schools all over the country, they became important partners with our other communities in gradually laying the foundations of modern Fiji. As a nation we gather today to pay tribute to these early pioneers. And as a nation we are equally determined to follow their example and carve out a better place in the world.Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, the main message that I want to convey to you today is that the Girmit story isnt a story confined to one community in Fiji. It is a story that belongs to all of us - an inspirational chapter of the story of the development of our nation as a whole. It is a story to be told and retold. Not because it is part of our distant colonial past but because it is relevant to our present and to our future. Not only did the Girmitiyas lay the foundation for much of what we know in Fiji today, they set an example of endurance, teamwork and sacrifice in the service of our nation. And it is an example for every Fijian to follow. An inspiration to us all.It is also a story that lives on in our national life through the contribution of the men and women who are the descendants of the Girmityas - members of those original families who came across the seas to Fiji. And I have the greatest pleasure to welcome many of them to this commemoration.My friends, you have an honoured place at our celebrations today and rightly so. Because you are all living links to our past. An unbroken line spanning the century from the arrival of the last Girmit ship, the Sutlej Five, in November 1916, to where we sit in these magnificent surroundings in our beloved capital 100 years later.You are the custodians of the Girmit tradition  a flame that still burns brightly a century on. When we gaze at your faces, we can imagine the faces of your ancestors  the salt of the earth of what was then British India and is now India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Ordinary men and women transported from the vast plains and teeming cities of the Subcontinent to the sugar cane plantations, towns and settlements of Fiji.It was a voyage in rough seas and cramped conditions. And with the toughest of challenges - poor food, poor sanitation, illness and fear. Fear of dying on the voyage. Fear of what lay ahead, in a land they could never have imagined and among people with whom they had nothing in common. Except the land on which they stood.Friends, you will all have your individual stories about the Girmitiya experience passed down to you over the decades through your own families. For all of you  the direct descendants of the Girmitiyas  today will be a day of solemn reflection. To remember your own fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters. Or because so much time has now passed  grandparents, great grandparents, great-great grandparents.It is a time for private thoughts, memories and prayers. The rest of us can only imagine the emotion many of you now feel. Especially as you recall the struggles of your own families. The sacrifices and the suffering. But also the good times. Of decent, hardworking men and women finally finding their feet in their new land. Adjusting to their changed circumstances.Adjusting to the new people around them  their iTaukei neighbours. Their British rulers and their Australian overseers in the sugar industry. New languages. New customs. New rules.History records that it was often a brutal life. Being an indentured labourer was akin to slavery. They were exploited. Forced to work punishingly long hours for a pittance. And they were beaten. Their pain and suffering can only be imagined. Not only the poor treatment they received but the loneliness. The isolation. 11,500 kilometers from their families back in British India.Some Girmityas were eventually able to return after they had served a further five years on top of their original period of indenture. But for others, the cost of returning was simply beyond their means. And they had no choice but to stay and make new lives for themselves.Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, it has been a long, painfully slow journey. And we must never forget the challenges that the Girmitiyas and their descendants have faced. Even when they were free, the 1920s were not an era of easy travel and many never saw their loved ones again. But they were tough people. Resourceful people. Adaptable people. And as the years passed, many of the Girmitiyas finally came to feel at home in Fiji. And to feel that their futures and those of their descendants lay here.Friends, over the past century, something wonderful has happened. The years of injustice have gradually given way to opportunity. The years of hardship have given way to relative prosperity. And the human spirit has eventually triumphed against the odds.The Girmitiyas had their language and customs. But some of these evolved over time in their new home, such as the development of Fiji-Hindi, the language we know today. Yet in terms of being fully accepted in Fiji, of gaining a sense of belonging, it has been a long, slow and often painful process. And right up until our recent past, people who had lived in Fiji for several generations were still called Indians or Indo-Fijians. A cruel sense of being separate  outsiders - continued.Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am convinced that future generations of Fijians will be astonished as they look back on our history. And to learn that it wasnt until 2013 that these British Indians in Fiji finally became Fijians. That it took 97 years after the last arrival of the Girmitiyas for the citizens of these islands  no matter what their background  to finally gain a common identity. A common name.But Fijian is what we all are today. And that is cause for further celebration. That we are finally one nation, one people. With equal rights and equal opportunity finally guaranteed for every citizen in our 2013 Constitution.Friends, as direct descendants of the Girmitiyas, I am sure you will agree that this is perhaps the greatest triumph of all. Your ancestors may have dared to dream that one-day, you would achieve equality and security in their chosen land. But a century later, it is finally a reality. Their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren have precisely the same rights as other citizens. You are Fijians too.And that, my friends, is something really worth celebrating. That 100 years after the last Girmitiyas arrived in Fiji, the struggle to get izzat  meaning respect and dignity combined- has finally been achieved. You are no longer vulagi. No longer outsiders. No longer marginalised. But equal citizens with the same rights and responsibilities as every other Fijian.It is a wonderful achievement that we have made as a nation. And a wonderful conclusion to the Girmit story. Equality and justice finally achieved. Everyone a Fijian. Everyone finally belonging.I repeat: the Girmit story doesnt just belong to one group  although we all acknowledge that it has special significance to the Girmitiyas and their families. It belongs to the Fijian people. It is a part of our collective history. Of who we are as a nation. And that is why we also come together as one in celebration. Because it is a story that touches us all. Of perseverance in the face of adversity. Of triumph against the odds.And so, my fellow Fijians, as we remember the Girimityas, let us also rededicate ourselves to the Fijian ideal that is embodied in our Constitution. Of working together as one people to build our beloved Fiji. We owe it to those who arrived on that last ship, the Sutlej Five. We owe it to ourselves 100 years on. And we owe it to the generations to come. To bring the dreams of the Girimityas to life in the new Fiji.In 2020, it will not only be the fiftieth anniversary of our Independence but the centenary of the end of the indenture system. And I am delighted as Head of State to announce that we will be holding special commemorations throughout Fiji in four years time to mark the end of the indenture era.Friends, today is a day of remembrance. A day of great emotion. And it is a day to celebrate the Fijian nation and all of us who belong to it.May God Bless the Girmitiyas and their descendants. And may God Bless us all and make us worthy of their legacy and the future we are building together.Vinaka Vakalevu, Dhanyavaad, Sukria, Faieksia and Thank You.
Sonu Sood, who is known for his action films said that the recent incident of two actors who lost their lives while attempting a stunt was a result of irresponsible attitude of the filmmakers.

"I heard the news about the sad incident that has happened to two actors of the Kannada film while shooting a stunt. I am shocked, sad and angry at the same time! I saw the video and there was no safety precautions taken for those actors. I think it's a pure criminal act by the producer and action director; who make them jump into the water, when they didn't know how to swim! I think it is unpardonable," Sonu told IANS.



The actor who has worked in Indo-Chinese collaborative projects like Kung Fu Yoga with Jackie Chan and Xuanzang, a film that has been selected as official entry for the 89th Academy Awards, says their makers took greater care.



Also Read: Secret Meetings & More! What's Cooking Between Salman Khan & Urvashi Rautela?



"They are very high on taking safety measures while shooting a stunt. They have a ambulance ready on set, doctors are always present there whether we need it or not, it is so well structured.

"Though in our Bollywood, we take certain precautions but we can learn a lot from them as they are very well-equipped," he said.

Sonu, who has attempted many stunts in his films, to queries if he ever felt fear while doing any stunt, said: "If I am not comfortable doing something I don't attempt it. As an actor, we have all the right to say no if not confident, and I do the same."
After a stunning performance in Udta Punjab, looks like Alia Bhatt is back with a bang in her next film Dear Zindagi. The film's teasers have already generated a lot of curiosity among the audience.

The onscreen camaraderie between Shahrukh Khan and Alia in those little glimpses have left everyone excited to know what's in store for them in the film.

While the actress is currently busy shooting for Varun Dhawan starrer Badrinath Ki Dulhania in Singapore, she is also making sure at the same time that her fans keep getting a sneak-peek of Dear Zindagi. This morning, she shared a new still from the film where she is seen putting on her dancing shoes.

That rock-chic look of hers is a total stunner, isn't it?

The film has her romancing the four hotties- Aditya Roy Kapur, Ali Zafar, Kunal Kapoor and Angad Bedi. On the other hand SRK plays her therapist.

Directed by Gauri Shinde, Dear Zindagi is slated to release on 25th November 2016.
As we revealed earlier, majority of lead actors of Yeh Hai Mohabbatein are in Australia to shoot an interesting sequence. It is first international trip for the show and the cast is all excited to shoot serene locations in Adelaide.

Divyanka Tripathi, Aditi Bhatia, Anita Hassanandani, Karan Patel and Ruhanika Dhawan have already started shooting in Australia. Joining them will be a new entry of the show, who is apparently another person in Ishita's life - Sid Makkar. Karan's wife Ankita Bhargava and Ruhanika's mothers are accompanying them in the trip.

The cast are active on their social media, and have been updating their fans with the latest pictures. Going by the pictures, we are sure the actors are enjoying the shoot.

Divynaka Tripathi With Ruhi Sharing a picture snapped with Ruhanika, Divyanka wrote, "Two to Tango... Or... Women in black? Make your caption!" Divyanka Divyanka shared a picture and wrote, "#Weather and #Vaadi at their best!" Well, looks like the actress is loving the place! Divyanka Shooting In Australia Sharing another picture, Divyanka wrote, "#NOFILTER

If life was always this beautiful without filters and corrections...won't it be amazing!" Divyanka's Take On Modi's Move... "While #India is stressed out counting 500s and 1000s... I say, #AcchheDin aane wale hain. #KeepCalm and #EnjoyTheChange." Aditi, Divyanka & Sid Aditi shared a picture snapped with her on-screen mother Ishita aka Divyanka and Sid. She wrote, "And who is in a Vintage ." Karan Patel Karan Patel shared a picture and wrote, "@Australia day 1 ... #YHM ...! #LoveMyJob ...!! #EkSeBhaleDo ... #BigTwist ..!" Karan With His Reel Wives & Real Wife! Karan posted a picture with his reel wives and real wife along with on-screen daughter, "Have u ever seen One Man smile soo much with #3Wives and #1Child in the same pic ...!" Ankita-Divyanka Ankita posted a picture snapped with Divyanka and wrote, "First Night in Adelaide....  And she starts it wit Ben n Jerryz ." Ankita & Karan's Love In Australia Sharing a picture snapped with Karan, Ankita wrote, "Ye Mera Sabse Favourite Hai... #kissoflife #loveinaustralia #U&Me ." Anita Missing Rohit Anita posted a picture and wrote, "I am loving every bit of #Adelaide @southaustralia  missing @rohitreddygoa ... hopefully next year together ." Anita Anita shared a picture snapped in Church and wrote, "Cos this church was just spectacular  #feelingblessed."

Divyanka was quoted by IANS as saying, "I'm looking forward to shooting at exotic and serene locations in Adelaide. I'm really fond of travelling internationally and exploring diverse cultures and Adelaide in Australia is best known for that."

Divyanka missed her husband Vivek Dahiya's first birthday post marriage. But the actress had made arrangements before leaving, so that her hubby can enjoy his birthday. Vivek couldn't join Divyanka as he is also busy with his Kawach shooting.

On the other hand, Anita is also missing her husband Rohit Reddy!

The remaining cast of the show, who are shooting in India, are also missing them. Abhishek Verma had also shared a video saying how much he is missing his team, especially Aditi Bhatia!

According to the latest track, post leap, Raman and Ishita will reunite in Adelaide. But before that there will be a lot of drama. Apparently, Sid Makkar will enter Ishita's life. Apparently, he is Raman's friend and will be trying to woo Ishita!
Naina Requests Rajiv

Naina's mother suffers a heartattack on the day of her engagement and has to get operated soon. She asks her brother Rajiv for help. Rajiv, who resides at Innsbruck refuses to help her citing financial problems. She then decides to seek help from Mehra Charitable Trust, which offers financial help for heart surgeries.

Raghav Mehra

Meanwhile in Innsbruck, Arjun Bijlani is introduced as Raghav Mehra at this point. His family is introduced. Among all, his dadi Indu Mehra dotes on him and hopes to find a suitable bride for him.

Naina & Raghav

Naina decides to approach the Mehras personally and calls up to ask for help. As the fate would have it, Raghav answers the call. Initially, a confusion crops up between the two as Raghav presumes Naina to be his probable match.

Raghav Helps Naina

Later, the confusion is cleared and Raghav promises to help her. It is revealed that, the operation is successful. After a few months post surgery, Naina urges Amit to leave for Innsbruck alone as she has to take care of her mother. She bids him a tearful goodbye and promises to unite with him in better times.

Laksh Lalwani As Veer Mehra

Laksh Lalwani is introduced as Veer Mehra, a spoilt brat. He addresses Raghav, as a mere servant in the house. But, Raghav is shown to care for every member of his family.

Naina To Marry Amit

The screen comes back to present wherein Naina reveales that, the sole reason for her visit to Innsbruck is to meet Amit and marry him.

Raghav & Naina's First Meeting

In the upcoming episode, Raghav and Naina's first meeting will be shown. Naina will be in trouble and asks Raghav's help. How will destiny bring Naina and Raghav together, on a foreign land?
MACAU, Nov 9, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat - SEHK: 1135), Asia's leading satellite operator, has been granted a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, titled, 'Methods and Systems for Providing High-speed Connectivity to Aircraft.' (US Patent No. 9,425,888)The patent is about the methods and systems that enable effective aviation communication via satellite over a broad area at high altitude. Example methods include the use of a wide-beam antenna on a satellite to provide a wide flatten coverage by transmitting signals at a frequency higher than 10 GHz and at a relatively low satellite power (EIRP) to avoid interference with ground stations or adjacent satellites. At the same time, the satellite system is configured with a spot beam antenna to receive signals from a mobile antenna on the aircraft at a different frequency of at least 13.75 GHz to achieve better gain for higher data throughput rate of the connection.With the use of a low-power wide beam antenna, the described system enables communication coverage for aircraft with fewer beams, fewer antennas and receivers onboard a satellite thus reducing its payload, hardware and ground stations requirements, and results in a more reliable service that can be achieved with less switching and traffic handover issues.The same method and system can also be configured to provide connectivity to an unmanned aviation vehicle (UAV) for establishing immediate communication links in emergency situation due to natural disaster or warfare.The invention was developed by Dr. Roger Tong, Vice President, Engineering and Operations and Chief Technical Officer of AsiaSat and his team members, Fred Vong and Harry Leung. "Being in the satellite industry, where technologies and user needs are rapidly changing, we recognise there is no boundary to our imagination and we have to continue to innovate in order to provide the best services to our customers," said Dr. Tong.Full patent specification is available on AsiaSat website at www.asiasat.com/technology/technical-support/technical-resource-centreAbout AsiaSatAsia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited (AsiaSat), the leading satellite operator in Asia, serves over two-thirds of the world's population with its six satellites, AsiaSat 3S, AsiaSat 4, AsiaSat 5, AsiaSat 6, AsiaSat 7 and AsiaSat 8. The AsiaSat satellite fleet serves both the broadcast and telecommunications industries. Over 700 television and radio channels are now delivered by the company's satellites offering access to more than 830 million TV households across the Asia-Pacific region. AsiaSat's next satellite, AsiaSat 9 on order from the manufacturer is planned to be launched in Q2 2017. AsiaSat is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited, a company listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (Stock Code: 1135). For more information, please visit www.asiasat.com.Please contact:Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company LimitedSabrina Cubbon, VP, Marketing & Global AccountsTel: +852 2500 0899Mobile: +852 9097 1210Email: scubbon@asiasat.comWinnie Pang, Manager, Marketing CommunicationsTel: +852 2500 0880Email: wpang@asiasat.comFollow AsiaSat on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asiasatFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/asiasat2014YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/asiasatelliteWebsite: http://www.asiasat.comSource: Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company LimitedCopyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - November 08, 2016) - All amounts expressed in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.

American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP ("AHIP") (TSX: HOT.UN) (OTCQX: AHOTF) announced today its financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016.

THIRD QUARTER 2016 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Net income for the quarter was up 43.1% to $3.9 million (2015 - $2.7 million) and diluted net income per Unit was up 12.5% to $0.09 (2015 - $0.08).

Total revenues for the quarter increased by 10.3% to $44.5 million compared to $40.3 million for the same quarter last year.

Funds from operations ("FFO") was up 12.3% to $10.0 million (2015 - $8.9 million) and adjusted funds from operations ("AFFO") was up 12.4% to $8.9 million (2015 - $7.9 million) due to an increase in the number of hotels in AHIP's portfolio.

For the current quarter, Diluted FFO per Unit was $0.24 (2015 - $0.27) and Diluted AFFO per Unit was $0.21 (2015 - $0.24). The decrease was primarily attributable to the temporary cash dilution from the July 2016 Offering (defined below), the net proceeds of which were not fully invested by September 30, 2016.

Same-property revenue per available room ("RevPAR") for the Branded Hotels was up 2.7% led by the Virginia, North Carolina and Florida regions with significant RevPAR increases of between 9.7% and 16.7%. According to STR, Inc., third quarter 2016 RevPAR for the U.S. hotel industry increased by 3.3%.

Total portfolio same-property revenues for the quarter were up by 1.4% to $35.0 million compared to the same period last year, led by Branded Hotel same-property revenue growth of 3.4%.

Total portfolio same-property net operating income ("NOI") was unchanged, led by the Rail Hotels' NOI growth rate of 3.2% reflecting stability and consistency from contractual revenues and lower operating expenses. Branded Hotel same-property NOI decreased by 2.2% due to weaker performance at two Pittsburgh properties and three Oklahoma properties caused by lower demand from a slowdown in the oil and gas sector and directly competitive new supply. Excluding these five properties, same-property Branded Hotel NOI would have increased by approximately $570,000 or 10.0% compared to the same quarter last year.

EBITDA for the quarter was up 12.9% to $14.5 million compared to $12.8 million in the same period last year and EBITDA margin improved by 80 basis points to 32.5% (2015 - 31.7%).

The payout ratio increased during the quarter to 82.5% (2015 - 72.9%) reflecting the issuance of Units from the July 2016 Offering, the net proceeds of which were not fully invested by September 30, 2016.

AHIP's debt-to-gross book value at September 30, 2016 decreased by 620 basis points to 43.9% (September 30, 2015 - 50.1%) reflecting the net proceeds from the July 2016 Offering.

AHIP's interest coverage ratio for the current quarter improved to 4.0x (2015 - 3.9x).

AHIP's weighted average stated interest rate at September 30, 2016 improved to 4.56% (September 30, 2015 - 4.65%) and the weighted average loan term to maturity at September 30, 2016 was 7.5 years (September 30, 2015 - 7.6 years).

AHIP paid its monthly distributions of $0.054 per Unit, which is equivalent to $0.648 per Unit on an annualized basis.

As at September 30, 2016, AHIP had unrestricted cash balances of $65.8 million, a restricted cash balance of $13.7 million and an unutilized revolving line of credit of $10.0 million.

THIRD QUARTER DEVELOPMENTS

Effective July 1, 2016, AHIP amended certain terms of the original master hotel management agreement with its exclusive hotel manager Tower Rock Hotels & Resorts Inc. The amendment included, among other things, a reduction of the base management fee from 3.5% to 3.0% of gross revenue for AHIP's existing portfolio and for all future hotels acquired by AHIP, and a waiver of the annual administration fee of $25,000 per hotel for any hotels with more than 100 guestrooms acquired after July 1, 2016.

On July 13, 2016, AHIP announced it had agreed to acquire two Embassy Suites by Hilton hotels with a total of 529 guestrooms located in Dallas, Texas and Tempe, Arizona (the "Embassy Suites Portfolio") for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $57.6 million before brand mandated property improvement plans ("PIPs") and customary closing and post-acquisition adjustments. In conjunction with this proposed transaction, on August 5, 2016, AHIP advanced a $10.2 million, interest-only bridge loan ("Bridge Loan") to the vendor of the Embassy Suites Tempe Hotel ("Tempe Hotel"). The Bridge Loan has an interest rate of 8.0%, is secured by the Tempe Hotel and matures on January 5, 2017.

On July 26, 2016, AHIP completed a public offering of 10,000,400 Units, on a bought deal basis, at a price of Cdn$10.35 per Unit, for total gross proceeds of Cdn$103.5 million (the "July 2016 Offering"). Included in the closing were 1,304,400 Units (Cdn$13.5 million) from the full exercise of the over-allotment option.

On August 31, 2016, AHIP announced the promotion of Mr. Ian McAuley to the newly created position of President effective September 1, 2016.

On September 1, 2016, AHIP completed the acquisition of a 24-room expansion at the existing, high-occupancy Oak Tree Inn hotel in North Platte, Nebraska for a total purchase price of $2.1 million.

On September 30, 2016, AHIP announced it had agreed to acquire a four-hotel, Marriott-branded portfolio with a total of 374 guestrooms located in Florida and Tennessee (the "Florida/Tennessee Portfolio") for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $47.0 million before PIPs and customary closing and post-acquisition adjustments. The transaction was completed on October 27, 2016.

Ian McAuley, President of AHIP, commented, "Our stable third quarter results highlight the balance and diversity of our Branded and Rail portfolios which we have assembled over the past three years. The solid same-property double-digit RevPAR growth and resulting NOI of our Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida Branded Hotels provided a buffer to offset the temporary situational weakness currently experienced by five of our Pittsburgh and Oklahoma hotels. The quarterly and annual NOI contributions from our Branded portfolio provide significant support and balance to the long-term sustainability of distributions while the railroad industry continues to experience a temporary period of lower carload volumes. Our railway customers have reported an easing in carload volume declines and we expect to see more rail crews staying at our Oak Tree Inns in the coming quarters. The combination of continued accretive acquisitions, steady same-property operating performance and a conservative balance sheet provides AHIP with a strong foundation for future growth."

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

On October 25, 2016, AHIP announced it had agreed to acquire a six-property, branded hotel portfolio with a total of 559 total guestrooms in Florida (the "Florida 6 Portfolio") for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $61.0 million before PIPs and customary closing and post-acquisition adjustments. The transaction is expected to be completed on or before November 30, 2016.

On October 25, 2016, the completion date for the previously announced acquisition of the Embassy Suites Portfolio was amended to the later of January 4, 2017 and five business days following agreement of new franchise agreements and the arrangement of financing satisfactory to AHIP.

On October 28, 2016, AHIP announced the completion of the previously announced acquisition of the Florida/Tennessee Portfolio. On November 4, 2016, AHIP obtained a $27.5 million commercial mortgage-backed security loan secured against the Florida/Tennessee Portfolio with a 10 year term and a fixed interest rate of 4.43%.

On November 1, 2016, AHIP announced it had agreed to acquire a 104-room rail crew hotel located in Nashville, Tennessee for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $7.8 million excluding capital expenditures and closing and post-acquisition adjustments. The transaction is expected to be completed in early December 2016.

Rob O'Neill, CEO of AHIP, commented, "The capital markets continue to support our growth strategy as evidenced by our recently completed Cdn$103.5 million bought deal offering. Although the net proceeds created a temporary per Unit dilution of four cents during the quarter, we expect to fully invest those funds by year end with accretive hotel acquisitions." Mr. O'Neill continued, "Given ongoing volatility in the currency markets, we are pleased to provide our unitholders with long-term, sustainable, and consistent U.S. dollar distributions with investments in U.S. hotel assets."

Q3 2016 FINANCIAL RESULTS CONFERENCE CALL

Management will host a conference call at 4:00 p.m. (Eastern), 1:00 p.m. (Pacific) on Wednesday, November 9, 2016 to review the financial results and corporate results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016.

To participate in this conference call, please dial one of the following numbers approximately 10 minutes prior to the commencement of the call, and ask to join the AHIP conference call.

Dial in numbers: North America Toll free: 1-877-291-4570 International or local Toronto: 1-647-788-4919

CONFERENCE CALL REPLAY

If you cannot participate on Wednesday, November 9, 2016, a replay of the conference call will be available by dialing one of the following replay numbers. You will be able to dial in and listen to the conference call replay two hours after the call end time, and the replay will be available until Wednesday, November 16, 2016. An audio recording of this conference call will also be available at www.ahipreit.com under the "Investor Info/Presentations & Calls" tab.

Please enter replay PIN number 2106923 followed by the # key.

Replay dial in North America Toll free: 1-800-585-8367 numbers: International or local Toronto: 1-416-621-4642

NON-IFRS MEASURES

Certain non-IFRS financial measures are included in this news release, which include NOI, EBITDA, FFO, Diluted FFO per Unit, AFFO, Diluted AFFO per Unit, interest coverage ratio, payout ratio and debt-to-gross book value. These terms are not measures recognized under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS. Real estate investment trusts often refer to NOI, FFO, Diluted FFO per Unit, AFFO, Diluted AFFO per Unit, and payout ratio as supplemental measures of performance and interest coverage ratio and debt-to-gross book value as a supplemental measure of financial condition.

Debt-to-gross book value, NOI, EBITDA, FFO, Diluted FFO per Unit, AFFO, Diluted AFFO per Unit, interest coverage ratio, payout ratio and debt-to-gross book value should not be construed as alternatives to measurements determined in accordance with IFRS as indicators of AHIP's performance or financial condition. AHIP's method of calculating NOI, EBITDA, FFO, Diluted FFO per Unit, AFFO, Diluted AFFO per Unit, interest coverage ratio, payout ratio, debt-to-gross book value may differ from other issuers' methods and accordingly may not be comparable to measures used by other issuers. For further information, please refer to AHIP's Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") dated November 7, 2016, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on AHIP's website at www.ahipreit.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain statements in this news release may constitute "forward-looking" information that involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and it may cause actual results, performance or achievements or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or industry results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by the use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "feel", "intend", "may", "plan", "predict", "project", "subject to", "will", "would", and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. Some of the specific forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: management's expectations with respect to AHIP's future performance; the expectation that AHIP will see more rail crews staying at its Oak Tree Inns in the coming quarters; the expectation that AHIP will fully deploy the net proceeds of the July 2016 Offering by year end 2016 to fund the acquisition of additional hotel properties; the terms of, and expected timing of completion for, the acquisitions of each of the Embassy Suites Portfolio, the rail hotel in Nashville, Tennessee and the Florida 6 Portfolio; and AHIP's long-term objectives.

Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions made by AHIP, including, without limitation: a reasonably stable North American economy and stock market; the continued strength of the U.S. lodging industry; AHIP will be able to successfully integrate properties acquired into its portfolio; the currently proposed acquisitions of the Embassy Suites Portfolio, the Florida 6 Portfolio and the rail hotel in Nashville, Tennessee will be completed on the terms currently contemplated; capital markets will provide AHIP with readily available access to equity and/or debt financing on terms acceptable to AHIP; and the value of the U.S. dollar. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on what AHIP's management believes to be reasonable assumptions, AHIP cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with such information.

Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of presenting information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties and should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risks related to: general economic conditions; future growth potential; Unit prices; liquidity; tax risk; tax laws currently in effect remaining unchanged; ability to access capital markets; competition for real property investments; environmental matters; the value of the U.S. dollar; and changes in legislation or regulations. Management believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions and information currently available; however, management can give no assurance that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Additional information about risks and uncertainties is contained in AHIP's MD&A and in its annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2015, copies of which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

The forward-looking information contained herein is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to AHIP. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release and AHIP assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law.

ABOUT AMERICAN HOTEL INCOME PROPERTIES REIT LP

AHIP's current property portfolio is comprised of 84 hotels located in 28 U.S. states, representing 7,493 available guestrooms. The Rail Hotel segment, serving the U.S. freight railway industry, consists of 45 hotels comprising 3,789 guestrooms and 27 Penny's Diner restaurants. The Branded Hotel segment consists of 39 hotels comprising 3,704 guestrooms and is affiliated with leading hotel brands including Marriott, Hilton and IHG.

AHIP is a limited partnership formed under the Limited Partnerships Act (Ontario) to invest in hotel real estate properties located substantially in the United States and engaged primarily in the rail crew accommodation, transportation, and branded, select service lodging sectors.

AHIP's long-term objectives are to: (i) generate stable and growing cash distributions from hotel properties substantially in the U.S.; (ii) enhance the value of its assets and maximize the long-term value of the hotel properties through active management; and (iii) expand its asset base and increase its AFFO per Unit through an accretive acquisition program, participation in strategic development opportunities and improvements to its properties through targeted value-added capital expenditure programs.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Additional information relating to AHIP, including AHIP's financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, AHIP's MD&A dated November 7, 2016, and other public filings are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR THE ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

For further information, please contact:

Andrew Greig

Investor Relations

American Hotel Income Properties REIT LP

Suite 1660 - 401 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5A1

Phone: 604-633-2857

Email: agreig@ahipreit.com
SINGAPORE -- (Marketwired) -- 11/08/16 -- Main-board listed Excelpoint Technology Ltd ("Excelpoint" or "the Group") announced today that they have obtained the distributorship of Xilinx's products in the India region. This partnership will allow both Excelpoint and Xilinx to expand their footprints and market presence in India.

Xilinx is highly recognised for their range of 'All Programmable FPGAs, SoCs, MPSoCs, and 3D ICs' and is a pioneer and continuing leader in programmable technology. With their expertise and leadership in technology, coupled with Excelpoint's presence and networks, this partnership will provide clients with a new level of solution and service satisfaction. More specifically, the combination will allow developments in segments such as machine-to-machine connectivity, security and surveillance, factory automation, wireless communications, data centers and more.

"We recognise Excelpoint's dedication in providing value-added services to their customers and their commitment to their suppliers. Together with their strong footprints in India and our capabilities in the FPGA technology, we believe this partnership will provide expansion into new segments. Xilinx's new portfolio of cost-optimised product families complements the leading advanced technology families, which will be well suited for a broad range of applications in India. We are definitely looking forward to working together on the rising opportunities in India," said Mr Gianluca Gilardi, Director, Channel Sales EMEA of Xilinx.

Mr Albert Phuay, Chairman and CEO of Excelpoint, added, "Xilinx's products are well-known in the industry, and we are very pleased to be selected as their distributor in India. In line with Excelpoint's strategy to grow the India region with the push by the Government to roll out initiatives such as 'Make in India', 'Digital India' and 'Smart Cities' projects, we see abundant opportunities with this partnership. With Xilinx's cutting-edge technology, we are now able to provide a holistic solution to our end customers. This is a big step for us and reflects our commitment in providing an array of value-added services to our customers."

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http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/6045

About Excelpoint Technology Ltd (Registration No. 200103280C)

Excelpoint Technology Ltd ("Excelpoint" or the "Group") is a leading regional electronics components distributor and provider of quality engineering design services to original equipment manufacturers ("OEM"), original design manufacturers ("ODM") and electronics manufacturing services ("EMS") in the Asia Pacific region. It ranks among the Top 25 Global Franchised Distributors List from EBN in 2015.

Excelpoint works closely with its principals to create innovative solutions to complement its customers' products. The Group has research and development ("R&D") centres in Singapore and China supported by a team of professional engineers.

Established in 1987 and headquartered in Singapore, Excelpoint's presence spans more than 25 cities across Asia Pacific. Currently, we provide employment to more than 600 people of different nationalities. Our shares are quoted on the Main-Board of the Singapore Exchange ("SGX").

For more information, please visit www.excelpoint.com

For enquiries please contact:

Phuay Li Ying

Excelpoint Technology Ltd

Manager, Corporate Development

Tel: +65 6210 6649

Fax: +65 6741 8980

Email: Email Contact




Aksel van der Wal

Trey Turner



MACAU, Nov 9, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - Global media company Turner today announced a new division to lead its digital innovation internationally.Aksel van der Wal, currently senior vice president and chief financial officer, is promoted to the new role of executive vice president, digital ventures and innovation, for Turner's international operations, effective January 1, 2017.Under his leadership the new division will focus on driving profitable growth through international consumer-centric initiatives, including all of Turner's international multi-platform suite of digital properties and its direct-to-consumer product strategy. He remains responsible for the company's international technology & operations (T&O) organisation.In close co-operation with the Turner International presidents, van der Wal has the responsibility for the existing portfolio of international products and services on the web, for smart phones, games, apps and OTT, and he will also be charged with developing new digital direct-to-consumer businesses, leading a cross-platform business intelligence function that drives consumer insight; managing the internal T&O infrastructure; and helping to implement the strategy of the non-linear ad sales business. Additionally, he will identify new opportunities for Turner and decide on how to engage in those new areas, through technological product innovation and/or acquisitions."As our industry undergoes huge evolution, the impact of digital disruption and changing consumer behaviour continues to put audience insight right at the heart of our business strategy," said Gerhard Zeiler, president, Turner International, to whom van der Wal will report. "This new division will ensure that we assess new opportunities for innovation, development and acquisition through the lens of relevant, robust consumer data and through a realigned, agile organisational structure. Aksel's experience in transformative management, his first-class understanding of both the linear and digital media landscapes, and his detailed knowledge of Turner's international operation, all combine to make him a superb fit for this new role."In his role as chief financial officer for Turner International, van der Wal will be succeeded by Trey Turner, currently senior vice president, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, who takes up his new role January 1, 2017 as well.Based in Atlanta, Turner will report to Pascal Desroches, executive vice president, and chief financial officer of Turner, while working closely with Zeiler. He will be responsible for all of International's financial operations and will be an active partner and contributor in shaping the direction of the company's international business and implementing its strategy."Trey has the perfect experience to lead the business, capital and budgeting activities for our international businesses," said Pascal Desroches. "He has acquired a depth of knowledge about our company and brings great passion and significant experience to the role. We expect Trey to play a key role in helping us expand our global operations."Aksel van der Wal joined Turner in 2014 as CFO, Turner EMEA and was promoted to senior vice president and CFO, International, in June 2015. Before joining Turner, van der Wal worked for three years and served as CEO, Time Out, at its two main business sites, London and New York City. His leadership of its global operations embraced digital expansion, a complete overhaul of its digital platforms, new e-commerce operations and the revitalization of its traditional businesses through innovative approaches. Prior to Time Out, he was CFO at leading online ticket exchange operation Seatwave, and previously held senior financial and business development roles at Vodafone including CFO of partner markets. He started his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He has an MBA from INSEAD, and a LLM tax law from Leiden University, NL. A native Dutch speaker and fluent in English, he also speaks German, French and Spanish.Trey Turner is currently SVP, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions for Turner, overseeing consolidated financial planning and corporate development activities for the company. Before his current role, Turner was director of finance for CNN worldwide where he was responsible for strategic finance support, leading the financial analysis and business justification for new initiatives, partnerships, and investments. Prior to joining the company, Turner was with the corporate finance department of Stephens Inc., a leading investment bank and private equity firm. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in analytical finance from Wake Forest University, where he graduated cum laude, and currently serves on the Alumni Council for the School of Business.About Turner InternationalTurner International operates versions of core Turner brands, including CNN, TNT, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and TCM Turner Classic Movies, as well as country- and region-specific networks and businesses in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. It manages the business of Pay- and Free-TV-channels, as well as Internet-based services, and oversees commercial partnerships with various third-party media ventures; it teams with Warner Bros. and HBO to leverage Time Warner's global reach. Turner operates more than 180 channels showcasing 38 brands in 36 languages in over 200 countries. Turner International is a Time Warner company. www.turner.comContactOliver Herrgesell, SVP Communications, Internationaloliver.herrgesell@turner.com+1 404 827 4440 / +44 7984551379 / +49 173 523 9940 / +852 6323 9644Source: Turner InternationalCopyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
HONG KONG, CHINA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the Mobile Internet, today announced that the company has been named as one of the world's top 70 highest research and development (R&D) spenders.

The 2016 Global Innovation 1000 Study, recently published by Strategy&, the strategy consulting team at PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP (PWC), has revealed that the investment ratio in R&D spend by China's companies was the highest in the world during the period covered by the report. Among the top 10 R&D spenders in China (see table below), those in telecommunications and electronics, software and the Internet accounted for half of the total R&D spend of the top 10. In particular, ZTE, as well as Alibaba, surged past PetroChina for the first time to claim the top two spots (PetroChina had been the top R&D spender among China's listed companies for 11 years). ZTE, having invested US$1.9 billion in R&D in 2016 - a 12.2% of its total revenue - was ranked amongst the top 70 highest R&D spenders in the world.

The report identifies the top 1000 listed companies in the world that spent the most in R&D in the last financial year (up to June 30). Among them, 130 are from China (compared to123 last year) and have spent a total of US$46.8 billion in R&D.

"In 2016, an 18.6% increase in total R&D investment by China companies was the highest in the world, vis-a-vis an 8% increase in North America as well as the downward trends in Europe and Japan," said Adam Xu Jin, a Partner at Strategy&'s Greater China Digital Strategy Consulting team. "Innovation has become part of the national development strategy in China. China's companies have been increasing their investments in R&D year after year. This trend shows that Chinese companies are moving from being cost-competitive to being technologically innovative and that they strive to be globally competitive through technological superiority."

ZTE has been channelling 10% of its total revenue into R&D over recent years. R&D investments in the past six years were in excess of RMB 50 billion. The company's allocation for R&D has gone up even further in the past two years, to 12.2 billion in 2015, the highest among China's listed companies. In addition, an investment of RMB 7.059 billion that was injected into R&D in the first half of 2016 was equivalent to 15% of ZTE's total revenue, the highest proportion yet in the company's history.

The high R&D spend has given Chinese companies a stronger say in the global telecommunications industry and put them in a leadership position. In the past two years, ZTE continued to increase investments in new technologies such as 5G/4G, chips, cloud computing and the Internet of Things (IoT). The company has been among the top three in China for six consecutive years in terms of international patents applications; it has had the highest number of applications in the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for two consecutive years; the highest number of patents in chips in China; the third highest number of patents in IoT and is one of the global top 50 in wireless charging patents. In 5G, ZTE has made a number of technological breakthroughs including the commercial adoption in China and Japan of the world's first Pre5G Massive multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) base station as well as winning the Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough Award and the Outstanding Overall Mobile Technology-The CTO's Choice 2016 from the GSMA.

Furthermore, Chinese conglomerates are redefining the future landscape of telecommunications and are taking the lead in being the voice for the next industry revolution. In 2015, ZTE released its strategic white paper, M-ICT: The Internet of Everything, to clearly outline the industry's major trends. This year, it is following up with a white paper titled, M-ICT 2.0: VOICE of the Future, which will define the company's strategic directions for the next five years centred around Virtuality, Openness, Intelligence, Cloudification, and the Internet of Everything - encapsulated by the acronym, VOICE. Leveraging multimedia chips, databases and virtual reality/augmented reality/artificial intelligence (VR/AR/AI) as strategic pillars, ZTE's pioneering technologies are applied in four main areas, the Internet of Vehicles, industry Internet, smart home and smart city.

Moving forward, ZTE will continue to expand the breadth and depth of its business around VOICE to frame the future positioning of the company.

Top 10 R&D spenders in Mainland China and Hong Kong Region*:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 Chinese Global Company Sector R&D R&D Companies Innovation Spending Strength Ranking 1000 Ranking (Unit: US$1 Billion) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 61 Alibaba Software and 2.2 13.6% the Internet ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 70 ZTE Computer and 1.9 12.2% Electronics ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 73 PetroChina Chemical and 1.9 0.7% Energy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 86 China Railway Industrial 1.6 1.7% Group ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 88 Baidu Software and 1.6 15.3% the Internet ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 92 CCRC Industrial 1.6 4.2% Corporation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 100 Lenovo Computer and 1.5 3.3% electronics ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 102 Tencent Software and 1.4 8.8% the Internet ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9 107 China Railway Industrial 1.4 1.5% Construction Corporation ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 112 SAIC Motor Automobile 1.3 1.3% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Listed Companies

About ZTE

ZTE is a provider of advanced telecommunications systems, mobile devices, and enterprise technology solutions to consumers, carriers, companies and public sector customers. As part of ZTE's M-ICT strategy, the company is committed to provide customers with integrated end-to-end innovations to deliver excellence and value as the telecommunications and information technology sectors converge. Listed in the stock exchanges of Hong Kong and Shenzhen (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), ZTE's products and services are sold to over 500 operators in more than 160 countries. ZTE commits 10 per cent of its annual revenue to research and development and has leadership roles in international standard-setting organizations. ZTE is committed to corporate social responsibility and is a member of the UN Global Compact. For more information, please visit www.zte.com.cn.

Media Contact:

Cohn & Wolfe

Winky Moon

Tel: +852 3665 1001

Email: Email Contact




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Donald Trump was inching closer to victory in the US presidential election with just 26 electoral votes short of reaching the magic figure of 270. A strong performance in battleground states helped him gain 244 votes against his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, who has so far won 215 votes. Major US news networks projected Trump to have won the crucial battleground states of Florida, Ohio and North Carolina, while the former Secretary of State has won the traditional Democratic strongholds of California and Virginia. The victories are stunning for the 70-year-old real estate billionaire. A candidate with no background in politics, who has never held elected office, Trump was long seen as unlikely to win the presidency. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Attached please find the full report as PDF file.________________________________________________________________________________Announcement no. 229 November 2016Interim report - Third quarter of 2016Today, the Board of Directors approved the interim report for the third quarter of 2016. The full report is attached as PDF file and contains the following highlights:-- Adjusted result for the period Q3 2016: USD -12 million (Q3 2015: USD 18 million). -- EBIT Q3 2016: USD -13 million (USD 21 million), of which vessel sales make up USD -6 million. -- Dry Cargo: Increasing imports to China sustain a generally weak market. Adjusted result for the period Q3: USD -8 million (USD -14 million). Earnings 31% above market benchmark. -- Tankers: Continued deterioration of the market. Adjusted result for the period Q3: USD -4 million (USD 32 million). Earnings 7% above benchmark. -- Cash flows from operating activities Q3: USD -29 million (USD -3 million). -- Cash and securities: USD 294 million (USD 359 million). Undrawn credit facilities of USD 285 million (USD 345 million). -- Total net commitments decreased by USD 156 million to USD 752 million. -- Ship values: Slightly upward trend in Dry Cargo over the quarter - drop in the Tanker segment. Total decrease of 2%. -- In line with the strategy, operating activities will be increased significantly over the coming years. -- Expectations for the Group's adjusted results for the year are maintained at USD -60 to -20 million.CEO Jan Rindbo in comment:"Overall, the third quarter developed as expected and finishes, despite our efforts, with an unsatisfactory result as a consequence of market developments. Our early focus on increasing coverage in Tankers combined with the sale of tanker vessels have reduced our exposure to a severely hit tanker market, while in Dry Cargo we are preoccupied with getting the best out of the very poor market. In this connection, the ability to combine vessels with cargoes is a crucial element, and in line with the strategy Focus & Simplicity the Company will utilise its position in the market over the coming years to significantly increase its operating activities in Dry Cargo through increased use of short-term chartered vessels."A telephone conference will be held today at 3:30 p.m. (CET), where CEO Jan Rindbo and CFO Martin Badsted will comment on the report. It is requested that all participants have joined the meeting by latest 3:25 p.m. (CET) - Danish participants please dial in on +45 3848 7513, overseas participants please dial in on +44 (0) 20 3427 1911 or +1 212 444 0412. The telephone conference will be shown live at www.ds-norden.com, where the accompanying presentation will also be available.For further information: CEO Jan Rindbo, tel. +45 3315 0451.________________________________________________________________________________DAMPSKIBSSELSKABET NORDEN A/S, 52, STRANDVEJEN, DK-2900 HELLERUP, CVR NO. 67758919Attachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=603581
BARCELONA, Spain, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- At the Gartner Symposium in Barcelona yesterday, Gartner VP and leading authority in information technology, David W. Cearley, made a presentation entitled "Conversational System: The Post-App Digital Mesh Experience" during the "Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2017" session. In his presentation, Xiaoi from China, was recommended as a typical example of the new kind of human-machine interface that will emerge in the future. This session was one of the signature series of events at the Gartner Symposium, which is delivered at each Gartner Symposium in 8 different countries each year.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437001

The presentation showed that while Xiaoi, Siri, and Cortana, all typical intelligent conversational systems, provide services to human beings with cloud-based interactive capabilities in the form of chatbots and personal assistants, this is only the beginning. In the future of customer-centered IoT they will become increasingly smart, providing a new conversational interface between humans and devices, and make those devices understand humans via "conversational +".

Xiaoi is a world-leading smart machine technology supplier and platform operator. It has set up a complete framework which includes semantic understanding, knowledge representation, learning systems, inference and prediction, upper application, and Bot development architecture, and has the widest number of Bot applications globally. Xiaoi provides services to ICBC, CCB, China Mobile, Huawei, SF Express, GE, and Wanda Group, as well as to hundreds of large- and medium-sized enterprises, government agencies, thousands of SMEs and developers. Its users have exceeded 500 million.

At the end of last year, Xiaoi released the world's first intelligent cloud-based robot operating system, iBot OS. iBot OS is an intelligent capability platform facing intelligent robots and smart hardware. The operating system combines intelligent interactive capabilities (cloud-based and on-premises), cloud computing, big data, cloud-based plug-in, knowledge management, learning systems, intelligent hardware modules and various solutions. It is a comprehensive intelligent ecosystem, and is able to provide fast access to the cloud-based intelligent "brain" for robots, smart hardware and traditional manufactures.




Research by Tableau reveals over 60 percent of consumers expected to hit stores for their Christmas Shop just one week before the big day

LONDON, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On average, UK shoppers will conduct their Christmas grocery shopping on Monday 19th December this year, according to findings released today by Tableau Software, a global leader in visual analytics software. The study also shows that a staggering majority (88 percent) of UK shoppers will choose to shop in-store, with about one in ten people planning to buy their groceries online.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130718/SF48964LOGO

The survey of 1,000 consumers across the UK shows that shoppers expect to spend an average of 170 on Christmas groceries alone and 79 percent feel "very confident" that they will get the stock they need in-store. With 60 percent of shoppers hitting the stores just one week before Christmas, this means there will be huge pressure on retailers and their supply chains to ensure they are equipped to meet the expected demand.

"Our research shows the clear spike in demand and confidence from UK shoppers in finding what they want in the week before Christmas," said James Eiloart, SVP EMEA at Tableau. "The pressures of high demand and consumer expectations is both an opportunity and a balancing act for today's retailers as they work to get the right stock on the shelves without over-estimating it. Retailers who do it well are using data analytics to assess supply and track demand in order to achieve this perfect balance."

The ability to analyse large quantities of data is increasingly critical for enhancing business performance. By visualising data with analytics solutions such as Tableau, businesses can quickly glean insights and react to demands, for not only certain times of the year but also specific geographies and individual stores.

"At Majestic Wine we don't debate, we test. By doing this we can find a better way of managing our business today, rather than spend ages debating it," John Colley, Managing Director of Majestic Wine Retail comments. "We have a test and learn culture that is driven by our data and what our customers tell us. This is especially important as we approach Christmas, we need to make sure we have the right products in the right place at the right time and by being able to respond quickly to our data we can ensure we give our customers the best experience whenever and however they shop at Majestic."

Additional findings from the survey reveal that a third (32 percent) of consumers claim their retailer ran out of the goods they wanted last year, meaning supermarkets will have to work even harder to ensure they're better prepared this year. Not only this, but with 88 percent of consumers choosing to shop for Christmas groceries in-store over online, retailers will need to track and assess product supply closely to ensure they meet customer demand.

"We create and distribute Coca-Cola products and 250 unique brands to over 38 million people. This means that a lot of details must be managed very carefully across teams and geographies in order to ensure our highest standard of quality service," Kevin King, director of reporting and analytics at Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated.

"We work with a large amount of data from a variety of sources, so being able to access and visualise that data across departments is crucial for our success. Our employees can spot trends, see potential issues and respond quickly. For example, our operations team can look at their data and see increased demand of certain products in specific stores and then share that data with other departments in order to respond quickly and ensure our customers walk away with the beverage they want. It's a team effort to deliver our standard of customer service and this includes how we work with data."

Robin Bevan, Managing Director at Javelin Group, retail strategy consultants, part of Accenture Strategy says, "The retailers that will come out on top for delivering exceptional customer experiences this holiday season will be those that have mastered unlocking value from data to predict purchasing trends and deliver the hyper-personalised experiences customers expect, both online and in-store. Visual analytics can be a powerful tool, particularly during peak times, giving employees across departments an added layer of visibility, and helping them to make more informed decisions when responding to last minute stock issues, changing pricing or dealing with product returns."

A large variety of companies use Tableau for fast, visual analytics - from independent retailers to global brands, including Coca Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, Cheapflights.com, Groupon, Majestic Wine Retail, and Wiggle.

For more information about Tableau, please visit: www.tableau.com/.

About the research

The survey was conducted in October 2016 by Bilendi, which polled 1,000 consumers based in the UK.

To see a data visualisation of the retail survey results with Tableau Public, please visit: http://tabsoft.co/2eAnQyu

About Tableau

Tableau (NYSE: DATA) helps people see and understand data. Tableau helps anyone quickly analyze, visualize and share information. More than 50,000 customer accounts get rapid results with Tableau in the office and on-the-go. Over 200,000 people use Tableau Public to share data in their blogs and websites. See how Tableau can help you by downloading the free trial at www.tableau.com/trial.

Tableau and Tableau Software are trademarks of Tableau Software, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
Mitsubishi Corporation Telephone: +81-3-3210-2171 Facsimile: +81-3-5252-7705

TOKYO, Nov 9, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - A three-company consortium comprised of Mitsubishi Corporation (MC), J-Power Systems Corporation (JPS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Japan's Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd, and Ceylex Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd. (Ceylex) of Sri Lanka has been awarded the contract to run overhead electricity transmission cables(1) between the cities of Habarana and Veyangoda in Sri Lanka. The cables will be supplied by MC and JPS while Ceylex will be in charge of supply for the remaining equipment as well as installation and construction works. The project is expected to reach completion around October 2019 at a cost of some 6 billion yen and is being financed through a yen loan secured by Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Sri Lanka's state-controlled and largest power company.Energy efficiency in Sri Lanka is currently a matter of concern given the electricity network's aging infrastructure and the rates of electricity loss(2) during transmission, extremely high when compared with other countries in Asia,. The power lines will be installed in an important corridor in the island's power grid, running form the city of Habarana in north central Sri Lanka to Veyangoda on the outskirts of the capital. It is also the first set of low-loss high-capacity cables to be run in Sri Lanka. Developed in Japan, this kind of transmission cables is highly rated, equipped to reduce electricity loss during transmission by about 20-25% per annum, when compared to conventional cables, thereby also contributing to a reduction in CO2 emissions.Through this project, MC is hoping to make a contribution to Sri Lanka's efforts to secure a stable supply of electricity and to the country's overall economic development. The move is also consistent with Japanese government initiatives aimed at increasing the export of high-quality infrastructure.(1) Overhead electricity transmission cables are power lines mounted on steel towers and used to transport electrical energy over long distances.(2) Rate of transmission loss refers to the volume of electricity lost in the process of transmission from point of generation to point of distribution due to resistance in the power lines.About Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB)Headquarters: No. 50, Sir Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha, Colombo 02, Sri LankaEstablished: 1969Main Business: Power generation, transmission and distributionRepresentative: Mrs. Yamuna Samarasinghe (General Manager)About J-Power Systems CorporationHeadquarters: 5-1-1 Hidaka-cho, Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki, JapanEstablished: 2001Business Operations: Research, development, design, manufacturing, and export of electric power cables and accessories, overhead power transmission lines, and related systemsRepresentative: Yoshinobu Suzuki, PresidentAbout Ceylex Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd.Headquarters: Parkland, 17th Floor, 33, Park Street, Colombo 2, Sri LankaEstablished: 2016 (name changed from LTL Projects in 1998)Main Business: Engineering, procurement and construction contracting servicesRepresentative: H.D. Chaminda, Chief Executive OfficerAbout Mitsubishi CorporationMitsubishi Corporation (MC; TSE: 8058) is a global integrated business enterprise that develops and operates businesses across virtually every industry including industrial finance, energy, metals, machinery, chemicals, foods, and environmental business. MC's current activities are expanding far beyond its traditional trading operations as its diverse business ranges from natural resources development to investment in retail business, infrastructure, financial products and manufacturing of industrial goods. With over 200 bases of operations in approximately 80 countries worldwide and a network of over 500 group companies, MC employs a multinational workforce of nearly 60,000 people. For more information, please visit www.mitsubishicorp.com.Source: Mitsubishi CorporationContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
ATHENS, Greece, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Intracom Telecom, a global telecommunication systems and solutions vendor, announced the signing of a frame contract agreement for the supply of terminals and relevant hub site equipment to Comsol (Comsol Networks (Pty) Ltd), a provider of novel B2B wireless services in South Africa. Intracom Telecom shall supply its latest generation of WiBAS'-OSDR, a Point-to-Multipoint (PtMP) wireless system, along with company's network management system (uni|MS').

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437090 )



Intracom Telecom is currently implementing the first phase of the 5-year contract, while the total investment is estimated to reach 9 million USD. The company will be showcasing its advanced system at its stand C1, Hall 2 during the AfricaCom exhibition on 15-17 November 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Comsol has selected Intracom Telecom's WiBAS'-OSDR at the 28 GHz frequency band after an international tender, technical evaluation and extensive field testing of the offered systems, in order to offer superior open access Layer 2 last mile connectivity services, to its growing number of corporate customers in over 200 towns across South Africa. The product is the only one available worldwide to make full use of Comsol's expanded spectrum assets, reaching up to 56 MHz channel, and advanced networking features, enabling the service provider to implement high calibre services for its subscribers with a committed turnaround time of under 7 working days.

Darren Morgan, Comsol Networks Chief Operating Officer, stated: "We selected Intracom Telecom's WiBAS'-OSDR platform based on the technical superiority of the radio as well as the networking and management features of the solution. Simply put, the OSDR product line offers the highest capacity per base station, allowing us to deliver exactly what the South African market wants; that is more capacity at a cheaper rate. Our long and successful business relationship with Intracom Telecom and its ability to continually develop more functionality within existing product sets as well as focus on R&D, also played a key role in the decision-making process."

John Tenidis, Marketing Director of Intracom Telecom's wireless solutions portfolio, commented: "We are pleased to further enhance our long cooperation with Comsol, which started in 2011, excited to be part of their business success and ready to provide the South African enterprise customers with the highest quality of services and reliable connectivity. Our WiBAS'-OSDR provides the highest capacity in the industry, the best radio technology for uninterrupted service and the widest set of networking functions to help Comsol satisfy its strict requirements."

-Ends-

About Comsol

Comsol Networks (Pty) Limited ("Comsol") is a recognised market leader and specialises in building customised terrestrial wireless access infrastructure for companies, government entities and parastatals of all sizes, across all sectors. Since its inception in 1997 Comsol has installed thousands of wireless connections across the African continent. Comsol has several licenses including an Individual Electronic Communication Network Services (I-ECNS) Licence, Individual Electronic Communication Services (I-ECS) License and, more importantly, several highly sought-after and strategic national spectrum licenses issued by ICASA.

Comsol Fibre Network will be an open access, carrier grade network. It will be available through major telcos, carriers, ISP and content providers. Comsol Fibre Connect is medium agnostic, combining the best of fibre and high capacity, licensed band wireless technologies to offer products ranging from 2-Mbps up to 1-Gbps.

Comsol is owned by Convergence Partners and Nedbank with the balance of the equity held by executive management. The company has a Level Two BBBEE rating, which comes from a mix of equity holding, procurement policies, enterprise development and corporate social investment projects.

Comsol is managed by a strong executive team of individuals whose joint experience in both business development and the telecommunications market totals more than 65 years.

Find out more at http://www.comsol.co.za

About Intracom Telecom

Intracom Telecom is a global telecommunication systems & solutions vendor operating for over 35 years in the market. Intracom Telecom innovates in the areas of small-cell backhaul, wireless transmission and broadband wireless access and has successfully deployed its industry leading point-to-point and point-to-multipoint packet radio systems worldwide. Moreover, the company offers a competitive portfolio of revenue-generating telco software solutions and a complete range of ICT services, focusing on big data analytics, converged networking and cloud computing for operators and private, public and government clouds. The company invests significantly in R&D developing cutting-edge products and integrated solutions that ensure customer satisfaction. Over 100 customers in more than 70 countries choose Intracom Telecom for its state-of-the-art technology. The company employs more than 1,800 people and operates subsidiaries in Europe, Russia and the CIS, the Middle East and Africa, Asia and North America. For more information, visit http://www.intracom-telecom.com
LONDON, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

A New Pop-up Shop in Shoreditch Shows the Way (and has fun while they're at it)

Eco-friendly furniture company JK Pike is launching a pop-up store in the heart of trendy Shoreditch on November 28. Located at 45 Charlotte Road among such places as the Hoxton Hotel, The Book Club bar and Reds True BBQ, the new store will showcase rustic and industrial style home furnishings from UK-based companies. In addition to what is currently on their website, the store will feature newly acquired items from new designers as well as one of a kind pieces. It will also host Wine & Comedy Nights where at 7pm shoppers will be offered a glass of wine or beer and be entertained by comedy sets from up-and-coming as well as award-winning comedians.

Recently appearing in British GQ and The World of Interiors magazine, JK Pike is looking to fill that middle ground for those who have graduated from mass market furniture but are not yet ready for bespoke items or the price tag that comes with them. They do this by keeping overhead down and working with like-minded designers here in London. Co-founding Director & CFO Ben Pike says "we're inspired by the industrial history of East London and the skilled people who are making products based on that history and in some cases even reclaiming its materials." Both Ben Pike and his business partner and wife, Jennifer Pike, hope that the pop-up store will be a place for people to learn more about what their brand is trying to do for their community and beyond as well as have the opportunity to see their online products in person.

JK Pike is an online retailer of stylish, quality furniture and home accessories with community and environment at the core of everything they do. A family business based in East London, they hire locally and are always seeking out sustainable and socially responsible companies with whom to work. They see themselves as a go-between for those who don't have the time or skill to DIY and skilled artisans who don't have the means to reach the public. They aim to keep their prices reasonable and the brand experience a fun one.

Links:

http://www.jkpike.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jk_pike_london/

https://www.facebook.com/jkpike.page/

https://twitter.com/jk_pike_london

Jennifer Pike

JK Pike LTD

+44-(0)746-252-8494

jennifer@jkpike.com


Regulatory News:

This information is information that Inwido AB (STO:INWI)(publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication at Wednesday, 9 November 2016 at 10:00 a.m.

Inwido is investing, initially SEK 80 million until mid-2017, to increase production efficiency and the pace at which new products are developed. This was announced by Inwido's President and CEO, Hakan Jeppsson, during the company's analyst and media day, being held today at the company's factory in Vetlanda.

"As the group grows, it is natural that we now gradually increase and intensify our investments," says Hakan Jeppsson. "The investments will mainly be made based on two fundamental aspects of strategy: partly to improve efficiency in production by increasing the level of automation, and partly to facilitate and accelerate the development of new products and concepts."

The bulk of the investments are being made to modernize and automate parts of production in Sweden, but also in Denmark and Norway. Other major investments are being made in new products with smart, digital solutions ("smart windows") and a gradual upgrading of the Group's business systems.

About Inwido

Inwido is Europe's largest supplier of windows and a leading door supplier. The company has operations in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Estionia, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland and the UK, as well as exports to a large number of other countries. The Group markets some 20 strong local brands including Elitfonster, SnickarPer, Hajom, Hemmafonster, Outline, Tiivi, Pihla, Diplomat and Sokolka. Inwido has approximately 4,000 employees and generated sales of slightly more than SEK 5.2 billion in 2015. The Group's headquarters are located in Malmo, Sweden. For further information, please visit www.inwido.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109005306/en/

Contacts:

Inwido AB

Hakan Jeppsson, President and CEO

Tel.: 46 (0)10-451 45 51 or 46 (0)70-550 15 17

or

Peter Welin, CFO

Tel.: 46 (0)10-451 45 52 or 46 (0)703 24 31 90

E-mail: peter.welin@inwido.com
Asian stock markets witnessed mayhem as the news of Republican candidate Donald Trump all set to walk the White House floated in. Donald Trump lead the victory by winning 278 electoral votes as against 218 by Hillary Clinton.In a remarkable U.S. election result which has taken the world by storm, the Asian stock markets tumbled. In a no holds barred the MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific stocks excluding Japan was down three percent and the Nikkei shaved off 5.4%. Not far behind, Indian stock market indices felt the election jitters as Sensex and Nifty.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
PARIS, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The Printemps group has partnered with Wirecard to offer a new payment solution to customers using the mobile app Alipay. As a result, Printemps Haussmann has become the first department store in France to accept this payment solution, which has more than 450 million Chinese users already.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161109/437371 )



In this way, Printemps is pushing forward with its goal of offering customers an even more unique and exclusive shopping experience with this payment method, which offers significant benefits for Chinese clientele who regularly enjoy shopping in Paris. Among other things, the Alipay solution allows them to make luxury purchases in a quick, easy and completely secure way, as transactions are carried out using the QR code generated by their smartphones. So there's no need to carry large amounts of cash around.

Additionally, with Alipay, Printemps provides its Chinese clientele with a familiar payment set-up. Alipay has over 450 million active user, and has been completely integrated into everyday Chinese life, regardless of age, income, or maturity. As a bonus, it is interconnected and highly compatible with Chinese social networks.

Printemps can also better respond to customers' specific expectations by making use of this solution's features, particularly the ability to communicate targeted and geolocalised offers to the app's users.

Thanks to its collaboration with Wirecard, Printemps can integrate Alipay payments directly into its central management system, allowing the offer to be enrolled in over time. The system will be rolled out at all 18 Printemps stores by the end of the year. In addition, Wirecard is taking charge of the entire payment process with Wirecard's Connected POS technology.

"Chinese tourists are an important target clientele for Printemps, which is why we are developing various unique offers and services to ensure the best response. Today we are especially proud to be offering them the exclusive opportunity to make purchases at Printemps through the Alipay application. We were able to embark on this adventure thanks to the professionalism and experience of Wirecard, which has guided and advised us throughout this process and is a strong and reliable partner for the future," said Annalisa Loustau, Chief Marketing Officer for the Printemps group.

Rita Liu, Director of Alipay Europe, continued: "For our customers, this roll out is synonymous with greater added value, as they can now pay with the same method they use at home. Paris is one of the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists. Through our marketing platform, Global Lifestyle Platform, we can provide them with relevant information, such as promotions, notifications and commentary, even before they arrive in Paris. We are confident that the new Alipay offers rolled out with Printemps, in terms of payment methods and marketing, will be quickly adopted."

Christian Reindl, Executive Vice President of Sales Consumer Goods at Wirecard, added: "We are pleased to partner with Printemps, one of the world's most renowned players in the luxury goods market, who has now become the first French department store to offer its customers the Alipay mobile payment solution. We believe the increasing number of Chinese tourists travelling to Europe presents an opportunity for significant growth, particularly in the luxury goods sector, and we are also planning many other collaborations in this sector."

Wirecard has been providing European distributors with an innovative payment concept at point of sale with the Alipay app since December 2015. For more information on Wirecard's Alipay payment solutions, visit https://www.wirecard.com/alipay/

About Alipay

Alipay currently has over 450 million active users and more than 200 domestic financial institution partners. Alipay has evolved from a digital wallet to a lifestyle enabler. Users can hail a taxi, book a hotel, buy movie tickets, pay utility bills, make doctors' appointments or transfer money to each other directly from various modules within the app and purchase wealth management products such as Yu'e Bao. In addition to online payments, Alipay is expanding to in-store offline payments both inside and outside of China. Over 2,000,000 brick-and-mortar merchants now accept Alipay as a payment method across China. As of June 2016, Alipay was supported in 70 overseas markets, with in-store payments covering more than 80,000 retail stores, and tax reimbursement via Alipay is supported in 24 countries and regions, including South Korea, Germany and France. Alipay works with over 40 overseas financial institutions and payment solution providers to enable cross-border payments for Chinese travelling overseas and overseas customers who purchase products from Chinese e-commerce sites. Alipay supports the settlement of 18 currencies.

About Printemps

Founded in 1865 by Jules Jaluzot, the Printemps group is one of the top French names in fashion, luxury and beauty; it owns and operates 19 department stores in France. The Group is also active in the lifestyle sector, with 5 Citadium stores, and has become a formidable player in fashion e-commerce through the Place des Tendances website, which it acquired in 2013.

As the inventor of the department store concept, Printemps boasts an exceptional cultural and artistic heritage with its flagship store on Boulevard Haussmann the best known representation of this heritage. The iconic store is a listed building and recently celebrated its 150th anniversary.

With over 3,500 brands and a total surface area of 180,000m, the Group reported turnover of 1.7 billion in 2015. Three thousand employees, all driven by a unique sense of service and whose expertise is one of the Group's cornerstones, welcome 70 million visitors to stores annually, including over 20 million at Printemps Haussmann.

With Paolo de Cesare at the helm, the Printemps group has been owned by a Qatari investment company since 2013.

About Wirecard

Wirecard AG is a global technology group that supports companies in accepting electronic payments from all sales channels. As a leading independent supplier, the Wirecard Group offers outsourcing and white label solutions for electronic payments. A global platform bundles international payment acceptances and methods with supplementary fraud prevention solutions. With regard to issuing own payment instruments in the form of cards or mobile payment solutions, the Wirecard Group provides companies with an end-to-end infrastructure, including the requisite licences for card and account products. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Securities Exchange (TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060, WDI). For further information about Wirecard, please visit http://www.wirecard.com or follow us on twitter @wirecard.

Contact:

Wirecard AG

Jana Tilz

Tel.: +49-(0)-89-4424-1363

E-Mail: jana.tilz@wirecard.com








HKTDC Communication and Public Affairs Department Joe Kainz Tel: +852 2584 4216 Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org

HONG KONG, Nov 9, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - The HKTDC Hong Kong Optical Fair 2016 started its three-day run (9-11 November) today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. A record of more than 780 exhibitors from 29 countries and regions are taking part in the fair, including new exhibitors from Indonesia, Poland and South Africa, providing a comprehensive trading platform for the industry. The show, which is in its 24th edition, is organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and co-organised by the Hong Kong Optical Manufacturers Association (HKOMA).To create more business opportunities for the exhibitors, the HKTDC has organised 72 buying missions from 47 countries and regions, comprising more than 3,000 companies. Participants hail from both mature and emerging markets, including The Eyecare Company and George & Matilda Eyecare from Australia, V.P.I. Canada Ltd from Canada, EXTEL CZ s.r.o. from the Czech Republic, Oriental Vision and 5lux.com from the Chinese mainland, Inter House Co. Ltd. from Japan, Eyespec2U Optical Centre from Malaysia, Empreus International from the Philippines, and INDO Optical, S.L.U. from Spain.Eye care and high-tech eyewearIn today's digital era, people are frequently using digital devices and the blue light emitted from these screens can be harmful to eyes, especially for youngsters. Responding to consumer demand, the Optical Fair is featuring protective lenses, including SWISSCOAT's lens with blue-light filter, which can minimise eye fatigue while enhancing visual clarity.High-tech solutions continue to be a highlight at this year's fair. With 3D printing technology maturing, a number of eyewear brands are leveraging the technology to design and manufacture spectacle frames. These include renowned German brands ic! berlin and Morgenrot, which are creating sophisticated, refined designs using 3D printing technology.Augmented reality (AR) is also seen in the application of eyewear-related products. A Hong Kong company is presenting its Faceme AR Glasses that enable users to "try on" virtual glasses by simply looking at the screen. Meanwhile, Austrian brand Swarovski Optik has designed lightweight binoculars for outdoor enthusiasts. Users can connect a smartphone to the product to easily see and record images.Famous names galore at Brand Name GalleryThis year's Optical Fair has nine product zones featuring a medley of eyewear products. The Brand Name Gallery returns with more than 220 top brands, including CONVERSE, EVISU, JAEGER, Markus-t, Miga, MINIMA, MUZIK, MYKITA, QUIKSILVER, Roxy, Superdry and Tonysame. Local artiste Luisa Leitao is displaying her eponymous brand's eyewear products while Korean brand Sodamon is featuring its sunglasses collection that won the Grand Prize of the Good Design Award in both Korea and Australia.Other highlights include:- BIG HORN (Booth: GH-F12) is showcasing its large, circular-rimmed frames that were inspired by the angels and owls of Greek mythology. The Chinese traditional graphic pattern on the lens and bridge is a mix of eastern and western cultures. The design won the International Design Award (IDA) 2015 in the United States.- Korean brand MUZIK (Booth: GH-E06) is releasing its latest IMAGINE collection, paying homage to the legendary musician John Lennon. The collection features circular rims and bold cuts on the upper part of the frame.- Well-known German brand KUBORAUM (Booth: GH-M04) is featuring its latest collection, The Ceremony Capsule. Designer Livio Graziottin has hand-painted different exotic floral patterns for these classy sunglasses. Only a few dozen pairs of each model are available.- Italian brand MODO (Booth: GH-K04) is famed for producing eco eyewear with recycled and bio-based material, innovatively combining green elements with fashionable eyewear designs. The brand has even developed a patented "dual hinge" design for lightweight frames. The brand also advocates donating unwanted eyewear and runs an environmental programme to plant a tree for every frame sold.A number of eyewear parades are being staged during the fair, with models showcasing the latest collections of trendy eyewear brands. The winning and finalist works of the 18th Hong Kong Eyewear Design Competition are also exhibited at Hall 1D, displaying Hong Kong's design prowess to international buyers. Buyers can also cast their votes to select the winner of the Latest Look Award.Other product zones at the fair display the latest eyewear and equipment in different categories, including sporting & professional eyewear, kids' eyewear, reading glasses, eyewear accessories and optometric instruments & machinery.Conference and seminars examine industry trendsA number of seminars will be held during the Optical Fair to help industry professionals gather and exchange global market intelligence. GfK, the renowned German market research institute, returns to the fair to speak on topic "How the Global Optics Industry Reacts to the Economic Development and Its Latest Trend". Buyer forum on business opportunities in emerging markets will also be held.Tomorrow (10 November), the 14th Hong Kong Optometric Conference features experts from Hong Kong, Australia, Canada and the US to discuss the Advancement in Ophthalmic Treatments. Speakers include Professor Larry Abel, Associate Professor, Department of Optometry & Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne and Dr Geunyoung Yoon, Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rochester in the US. A variety of topics will be examined, including "Effect of Myopia Control Lenses", "Recent Development in Refractive Surgeries" and "Impact of 3D Printing in Spectacle Frame Design".Hong Kong is a key trading platform for the eyewear industry, and local manufacturers continually strive to improve the quality and design of products for export. In the first nine months of 2016, Hong Kong's total exports of spectacles, lenses and frames exceeded HK$15 billion, up 37 per cent year-on-year. Hong Kong's top export markets are the US, Italy and the Chinese mainland. Exports to ASEAN have shown strong growth this year. These figures indicate the vibrant momentum of the local eyewear industry.HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits FairHeld alongside the Optical Fair, the ninth edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair (10-12 November) is set to boost fair traffic at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, creating more business opportunities for participants.Fair website: http://hkopticalfair.hktdc.com/Photo download: http://bit.ly/2fxFKDkMedia Registration:Media may register on-site with their business cards and/or media identification.To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tc.About HKTDCThe Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and services providers. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdcTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdcLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-councilSource: HKTDCContact:Copyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
REVENUE UP 25%, NET PROFIT EUR 49.2 MILLION, SHOWING CONTINUED PROFITABLE GROWTH

4finance Holding S.A. (the 'Group'), Europe's largest online and mobile consumer lending group, today announces unaudited consolidated results for the nine months ending 30 September 2016 (the 'Period').

Financial Highlights

Revenue up 25% to EUR 287.3 million in the Period compared with EUR 229.3 million in the prior year period.

Adjusted EBITDA was EUR 101.8 million for the Period, up 16%, leading to an adjusted interest coverage ratio of 4.0x.

The Group's profit from continuing operations for the nine months to 30 September 2016 was EUR 49.2 million, an increase of 7% from EUR 46.0 million in 2015.

Net loan portfolio reached EUR 510.4 million as of 30 September 2016, up 66% during the year.

Cost to revenue ratio for the Period was 47%, vs. 39% for the nine months to 30 September 2015, reflecting a significant increase in staff numbers during the year, acquisitions and investment for future growth.

Financial strength remains solid following recent acquisitions, with a capital to assets ratio of 26% as of 30 September 2016 and a capital to net loans ratio of 44%.

Credit discipline maintained, with a non-performing loans to online loan issuance ratio of 9.6% as of 30 September 2016, within the expected range, and stable asset quality within banking portfolios.

Operational Highlights

The number of registered online lending customers reached 5.7 million as of 30 September 2016, up 32% from a year ago, with a further 1.4 million registered banking customers added through TBI Bank.

Continued product diversification in existing European markets: introduced the line of credit product in Latvia in September (kimbi.lv) and instalment loans in Romania in August (onnen.ro).

Targeted expansion in new markets: launch of single payment loans in Dominican Republic in August (vivus.com.do).

TBI Bank purchase finalised and showing a strong financial performance post acquisition in mid-August.

Friendly Finance delivered 9% of overall Q3 online lending issuance volumes and was profitable for the quarter.

Developed the responsibleborrowing.com financial education platform with customer advice websites now active in 9 countries.

George Georgakopoulos, CEO of 4finance, commented:

"With revenue growth of 25% and net profit of EUR 49.2 million, our nine months results are further evidence that 4finance is building a strong track record of delivering solid profits whilst growing the business. We have successfully adapted to market changes this year and strengthened our competitive position.

"The acquisitions we have carried out have contributed to profitable growth in the third quarter. Friendly Finance is seeing strong volume growth as we coordinate marketing efforts. TBI Bank is seeing growth in both consumer lending and deposits in a liquid local market.

"We are excited about the potential of our Latin American operations, with more than 1,500 loan applications now processed daily across three countries, over half of which are via smartphone.

"We have invested significantly over the last couple of years in new products, new markets and acquisitions. Our growth plans are well supported and the capabilities are in place to deliver revenue growth and build a diversified, sustainable business."

Key Financial Ratios

Nine Months

Ended 30

September

2016 Nine Months

Ended 30

September

2015 Year Ended

31 December

2015

audited Year Ended

31 December

2014

audited 2016 2015 2015 2014 Net loan portfolio (in millions of EUR)(1) 510.4 299.1 308.3 241.4 Capital/assets ratio(2) 26% 38% 40% 35% Capital/net loan portfolio(3) 44% 54% 56% 47% Adjusted interest coverage(4) 4.0x 4.2x 4.2x 3.7x Profit before tax margin(5) 22% 26% 23% 27% Return on average equity(6) 33% 45% 41% 54% Cost/revenue ratio(7) 47% 39% 42% 37% Net impairment to revenue ratio(8) 24% 25% 25% 25% Non-performing loans to loan issuance ratio(9) 9.6% 9.0% 9.0% 8.8%

_____________________________________________________

Notes:

(1) Gross loan portfolio less provisions for bad debts.

(2) Total equity/total assets (2014 assets adjusted for effect of bond defeasance).

(3) Total equity/net loan portfolio.

(4) Adjusted EBITDA/fixed charges (interest expense excluding interest on deposits).

(5) Profit before tax/interest income.

(6) Profit from continuing operations/average equity (total equity as of the start and end of each period divided by two).

(7) General administrative expenses/interest income.

(8) Net impairment losses on loans and receivables/interest income.

(9) Non-performing loans with a delay of over 90 days/value of loans issued, excluding acquisitions. The value of loans issued represents loans issued for the two-year period before commencement of the 90 day past-due period, eg for 30 September 2016: 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2016.

Contacts

Email: investorrelations@4finance.com HQ Address: Lielirbes iela 17a-8, Riga, LV-1046, Latvia Website: www.4finance.com

Conference call

A conference call with management to discuss these results is scheduled for Thursday, November 10 at 15:00 UK time. To register, please visit www.4finance.com/investors.

About 4finance

Established in 2008, 4finance is the largest and fastest growing online and mobile consumer lending group in Europe with operations in 16 countries. Putting innovative data-driven analysis into all aspects of the business, 4finance has grown rapidly, issuing over EUR 3.5 billion in single payment and instalment loans to date.

4finance operates through a portfolio of market leading brands with strong regional presence including Vivus, SMSCredit and Zaplo. A responsible lender, offering simple, convenient and transparent products and service, 4finance is meeting growing customer demand from those under-served by conventional lending.

4finance has group offices in Riga (Latvia), London (UK) and Miami (USA), and currently operates in Argentina, Armenia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Finland, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Spain, Slovakia and Sweden. The group also provides consumer and SME lending through TBI Bank, its EU licensed banking operations in Bulgaria and Romania.

Forward looking statements

Certain statements in this document are "forward-looking statements". These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109005337/en/

Contacts:

4finance

James Etherington

Investor Relations

Email: investorrelations@4finance.com

+44 (0)7766 697 950
Regulatory News:

Hufvudstaden (STO:HUFVA) (STO:HUFVC):

Profit after tax for the period rose by 37 per cent to SEK 2,555 million (1,862), equivalent to SEK 12.39 per share (9.03). The increase is due mainly to higher unrealized changes in the value of the property holdings.

Gross profit increased by 9 per cent, totalling SEK 937 million (859). The increase can be attributed largely to higher rental revenue.

Net revenue amounted to SEK 1,322 million (1,238), an increase of 7 per cent.

The fair value of the property holdings was SEK 34.7 billion (31.7 at the turn of the year), resulting in a net asset value of SEK 129 per share (118 at the turn of the year). Unrealized changes in the value of the property holdings for the period totalled SEK 2,451 million (1,672).

The equity ratio was 61 per cent (59), the net loan-to-value ratio was 16 per cent (18), and the interest coverage ratio multiple was 8.5 (9.0).

The rental vacancy level at the period-end was 4.2 per cent (5.2). Excluding vacant space resulting from projects in progress, the rental vacancy level was 2.6 per cent (4.1).

Stockholm, November 9, 2016

HUFVUDSTADEN AB (publ)

Ivo Stopner

President

Appendix: Interim Report January September 2016

The information in this Interim Report is information that Hufvudstaden AB (publ) is obliged to publish under the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Swedish Securities Market Act. The information was published under the auspices of the above contact person on November 9, 2016 at 11:30am.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109005341/en/

Contacts:

Hufvudstaden

Ivo Stopner, President

or

Asa Roslund, Head of Finance

telephone +46 (0)8-762 90 00
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - November 09, 2016) -

Press Release Highlights:

Results announced today from C5 drilling include the widest intercept ever reported on this structure, occurring 50 meters ("m") outside the limit of the current resource estimate at 3.0 g/t gold ("Au") cut-off; the C5 structure is presently known to extend from 475 m to 850 m vertical and approximately 475 m along strike

Significant drill results from the C4 structure disclosed today, both infill and expansion drilling, include 10.75 g/t Au over 10.45 m (approximately 75 m outside the present 5.0 g/t cut-off resource limit), 30.47 g/t Au over 2.90 m, and 18.12 g/t Au over 4.20 m (respectively 10.75 g/t Au, 15.67 g/t Au, and 13.65 g/t Au when capped at 34.3 g/t Au, and 10.40 m, 2.77 m, and 3.40 m in true width)

In the near surface C2 structure, the 25 m center infill drill program continues to deliver high-grade results, including 45.78 g/t Au over 6.90 m and 14.15 g/t Au over 5.80 m (respectively 19.38 g/t Au and 14.15 g/t Au when capped at 34.3 g/t Au, 5.95 m and 3.86 m in true width)

6 drill rigs currently active on the Lamaque Gold Project, including four at Triangle, one testing the Lamaque Deep target and one testing a priority Gold Rush Challenge target

Integra Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: ICG) (OTCQX: ICGQF), ("Integra" or the "Company") is pleased to announce additional assay results from its 2016 drill program on the Triangle Deposit ("Triangle") situated on the Lamaque Gold Project ("Lamaque") in Val-d'Or, Quebec. Results continue to demonstrate the continuity of the C structures with infill and expansion drilling regularly intersecting significantly higher grades and wider intervals than anticipated. The results announced today are from 32,800 m of drilling conducted in 2016 and assays are currently pending from an additional 23,500 m (62 drill holes) of diamond drilling at Triangle.

"Only six drill holes from the C5 structure were included in the Company's previous resource estimate, underlining the untested expansion potential of that structure at Triangle. The intersection of 11 meters of high-grade gold mineralization 50 meters away from the previous resource limit at C5 in drill hole TM-16-187, along with other significant intercepts disclosed today, further demonstrates the growth potential at C5 and on Triangle itself," commented Company President and CEO Stephen de Jong. "In addition to the on-going success of expansion drilling at depth, the near surface infill drill program continues to both increase our confidence in the geological model at Triangle and highlights the potential for further resource growth in the C2 structure."

Triangle Drill Results Summary

The following table highlights selected intercepts from this tranche of drill results. Detailed results are presented in the link to the full assay results table below. Individual composites are disclosed as both uncapped and capped (when applicable) with individual values capped at 34.3 g/t Au.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From To Interval Gold Interpreted Drill Hole Number (m) (m) (m)(1) Assay (g/t)(2) Zone ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TM-16-087 178.80 179.60 0.80 13.62 - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 562.70 568.60 5.90 5.31 C4 575.75 577.30 1.55 11.63 n/a TM-16-147M01 739.50 743.20 3.70 9.74 C5 745.60 746.70 1.10 10.90 n/a ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 485.20 2.20 C4 TM-16-155 483.00 11.73 Capped 7.90 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TM-16-158 95.00 100.50 5.50 21.43 C1-20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TM-16-161 217.30 218.40 1.10 10.42 n/a ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TM-16-161M01 506.60 508.30 1.70 10.69 n/a ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 340.40 5.80 C2 334.60 636.20 4.20 14.15 C4 TM-16-162 632.00 18.12 Capped 13.65 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TM-16-168M01 692.00 699.50 7.50 7.60 C4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 402.70 405.00 2.30 20.85 C3 Capped 7.62 TM-16-169AM01 547.90 550.60 2.70 6.32 n/a 772.50 774.60 2.10 12.33 C5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 401.00 C2 394.10 6.90 45.78 Capped 19.38 Include 642.10 0.95 226.00 n/a TM-16-180AM01 641.60 662.00 0.50 28.00 C4 659.10 2.90 30.47 Capped 15.67 Include 0.90 82.00 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TM-16-183W02M03 493.70 497.70 4.00 5.73 C2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 639.00 C2 636.40 888.00 2.60 6.63 C4 885.00 1047.50 3.00 15.91 n/a 1046.50 1.00 45.90 n/a TM-16-187 Capped 1067.00 34.30 C5 1056.00 11.00 40.74 Capped 13.59 Include 1.00 328.00 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 635.00 643.00 8.00 5.23 C2 TM-16-187BM04 911.00 918.10 7.10 6.35 C4 1123.00 1125.10 2.10 19.52 C6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 881.90 892.35 10.45 10.75 C4 TM-16-187W01M02 1060.70 1066.70 6.00 10.92 C5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TM-16-190 485.50 492.00 6.50 8.18 C2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TM-16-200 333.00 339.10 6.10 6.77 C2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 269.00 0.50 n/a TM-16-204 268.50 62.60 Capped 34.30 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TM-16-120 114.00 116.10 2.10 9.10 C1-60 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- n/a - no zone assigned yet

(1) Downhole thickness; true width varies depending on drill hole dip; most drill holes are aimed at intersecting the vein structures close to perpendicular therefore true widths are close to downhole widths (approximately 85% conversion ratio); true widths of C structure intercepts are presented on longitudinal sections. (2) For known mineralized zones, intervals are based on geological observations, i.e. on the amount of quartz veining, a 1.00 g/t gold cut- off for compositing in intervals outside mineralized zones; individual composites are presented uncap and capped (when applicable) with individual values capped at 34.3 g/t Au; no minimum thicknesses considered.

To view the full assay results table please click on the following link (results disclosed today are identified in red font):

http://www.integragold.com/i/pdf/2016_Composites_Compilation_Triangle_NR_XXNov2016.pdf

To view a cross section of Triangle and the No. 4 Plug Deposit please click on the following link:

http://www.integragold.com/i/pdf/2016_Nov_NR_Triangle_Cross_Section_use.pdf

To view core photos of select intercepts please click on the following link:

http://www.integragold.com/i/photos/Core-Photos---Nov-9-1.jpg

Expansion Drilling at C5 Returns the Widest Interval Ever Reported on that Structure, Demonstrating Potential Resource Upside at Triangle

Results from expansion drilling at C5 demonstrates the continuity of mineralization on this structure and further underscores the resource expansion potential at Triangle. The C5 structure dips at 60 to 65 degrees to the south and is located 125 m structurally below and parallel to the C4 structure, the largest of the C structures at Triangle. The results announced today include the widest interval ever reported on the C5 structure: 11.0 m of 40.74 g/t Au (13.59 g/t Au when individual assay intervals are capped at 34.3 g/t, 10.79 m in true width). This specific intersection is from the lower western section of the C5 structure, approximately 50 m from the 3.0 g/t cutoff limit of the Company's November 2015 resource estimate.

Other recent expansion drilling results outside the current resource (see Company news release dated November 10, 2015) include 9.74 g/t Au over 3.70 m, 10.92 g/t over 6.00 m, and 12.33 g/t Au over 2.10 m (uncapped, downhole width) further highlighting the resource growth potential for the C5 structure.

As illustrated in the attached vertical longitudinal section of the C5 structure (see link below), additional results are pending from multiple (8) drill holes at various depths. Note that the true thickness of intervals are indicated on all longitudinal sections and will differ from downhole lengths reported in the drill assay tables.

http://www.integragold.com/i/pdf/LS_C5-DDH_20161103_with_class.pdf

Drilling at C4 Structure Continues to Confirm Zone Continuity and Predictability of Geological Model

The results disclosed today from drilling completed on the C4 structure continue to demonstrate mineralization continuity in both thickness and grade. The intercepts, which are located on the western side of the C4 structure, include the following (all results uncapped, downhole width, see assay tables for details):

10.75 g/t Au over 10.45 m

18.12 g/t Au over 4.20 m

30.47 g/t Au over 2.90 m

15.91 g/t Au over 3.00 m

11.73 g/t Au over 2.20 m

These results continue to demonstrate the potential for resource growth on the C4 structure. To date, C4 is the largest of the high-angle C-type structures at Triangle.

As illustrated in the attached vertical longitudinal section of the C4 structure (see link below), additional results are pending from multiple (18) infill and extensional drill holes at various depths ranging from 325 m to 825 m vertical.

http://www.integragold.com/i/pdf/LS_C4-DDH_20161103_with_class.pdf

Infill Drilling in the C2 Structure Continues to Highlight Strong Internal Gold Distribution Continuity

The C1 and C2 structures host the majority of the gold mineralization in the upper portion of Triangle and are currently the focus of an extensive infill drill program conducted at 25 m centers. The objective of this program is to continue to define the internal continuity of gold mineralization in these two structures while subsequently providing additional information to guide the development of the underground exploration ramp that was initiated in July 2016.

The recent intercepts from the C2 structure have been frequently wider and higher grade than the November 2015 resource estimate averages for this zone (see News Release dated October 13, 2016). The results announced today, which are located throughout the C2 structure, include the following (all results uncapped, downhole width, see assay tables for details):

45.78 g/t Au over 6.90 m

14.15 g/t Au over 5.80 m

8.18 g/t Au over 6.50 m

6.77 g/t Au over 6.10 m

6.63 g/t Au over 2.60 m

As illustrated in the longitudinal sections for C2 (see link below), the results from numerous intercepts (21) in this structure are still pending.

http://www.integragold.com/i/pdf/LS_C2-DDH_20161103_with_class.pdf

High-Grade Mineralization identified in between C and C-Splays Type Structures (previously termed C-Flats)

In addition to the mineralization identified in the primary C and C-Splay structures, high-grade gold bearing intercepts continue to be identified in between these well-defined structures. These potential additional mineralized zones represent resource upside that will be evaluated during future resource modelling and estimation and through close spaced underground drilling once underground access is granted.

Some of the more significant results include (all results uncapped, downhole width, see assay tables for details):

45.90 g/t Au over 1.00 m

62.60 g/t Au over 0.50 m

28.00 g/t Au over 0.50 m

13.62 g/t Au over 0.80 m

11.63 g/t Au over 1.10 m

10.90 g/t Au over 1.10 m

10.42 g/t Au over 1.10 m

10.69 g/t Au over 1.10 m

Updated Resource Estimate, PEA and Timing of Future Studies

The Company is in the final stages of completing a global resource estimate for Lamaque that will include updated resource estimates for Triangle (23,800 m of expansion and infill drilling, February 02, 2016 database cut-off) as well as for various satellite deposits. The Company anticipates disclosing the updated resource estimate in November of this year. This updated resource estimate will be used as the basis of an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") which the Company anticipates will be completed in January 2017.

Approximately 95,000 m of new drilling at Triangle will then be incorporated into an updated resource estimate planned for late Q1 2017. This resource estimate will incorporate most of the drilling results from the 2015-2016 drilling program on Triangle. This resource estimate will also include, for the first time, an updated resource estimate on the upper portion of the Sigma Deposit, acquired by Integra in 2014 as part of the Sigma-Lamaque Mill and Mines acquisition.

Lamaque Project Exploration Program Summary

To date in 2016, a total of 103,938 m in 299 drill holes have been completed at Lamaque, of which 90,221 m in 270 drill holes were completed on Triangle. Drilling is ongoing with 6 drill rigs currently in operation. Four drills are operating at Triangle continuing with the infill and extensional drill program. One drill rig is completing the pilot hole at the Lamaque Deep Target which has reached a depth of 1,850 m (intended target depth for the pilot hole being 2,200 m). Lastly, one drill rig is testing one of the more interesting and easily accessible targets generated from the Integra Gold Rush Challenge.

The results announced today are from 92 drill holes (including partial holes, wedges and abandoned holes) representing 32,800 m. As of November 3, 2016 drill results are still pending from an additional 62 drill holes representing 23,500 m at Triangle. Results will continue to be disclosed regularly as they become available.

Triangle Deposit Summary

The Triangle zone consists of a series of high-grade, parallel, steeply to moderately dipping consolidated shear zones ("C" structures) structurally spaced at 125 m to 150 m intervals, hosting gold-bearing quartz-carbonate-tourmaline veins, which host the majority of the deposit's gold resources. Other conjugates structures like the C-Splays (previously identified as C-Flats but now referred to as C-Splays to avoid any confusion with true flat structures such as tension vein arrays; C-Splays have dips varying from 30 to 60 degrees), and horizontal tension veins which could also host resources at Triangle. The C1 and C2 structures occur from surface to a depth of 300 m and 475 m vertical respectively, the C4, C5, C6 structures occur between 320 m and 875 m vertically, and the C7 structure is presently known to extend from at least 975 m to 1,150 m vertically. The lateral and down-dip limits of gold mineralization for the deeper C structures (C5, C6 and C7) have yet to be identified and are open for expansion.

Drilling conducted since early 2015 at Triangle has focused on infill and step-out/extensional drilling within select areas of the C1, C2, C4, C5 and C6 structures, and on deep testing of Triangle below 1,000 m vertically. Characteristic geological host units, structural deformation in the form of shearing and alteration assemblages associated with gold bearing veins are present within the structures observed to date in most drill holes at Triangle. Ongoing results continue to demonstrate the validity of the predictive nature of the geological model and associated high-grade gold bearing vein structures.

Project and Company Profile

Integra Gold is a junior gold exploration company advancing projects in Val-d'Or, Quebec, one of the top mining jurisdictions in the world. The Company's primary focus is its high-grade Lamaque South project. In the fall of 2014, Integra completed the accretive acquisition of the Sigma Mill and Mine Complex, a fully permitted 2,200 ton per day mill and tailings facility. With major federal and provincial permits in place, existing infrastructure and significant exploration potential, this acquisition removed major costs and shortened timelines typically associated with mine projects. Integra has raised over $120 million since 2013, at successively higher share prices, despite depressed gold prices. In August 2015, Eldorado Gold Corporation completed a strategic investment in Integra, acquiring 15% of the outstanding common shares. Integra was recently named to the TSX Venture top 50 performers in 2015 and the OTCQX Best 50 award for 2015.

Qualified Person

The Lamaque project is under the direct supervision of Herve Thiboutot, Eng., Senior Vice-President of the Company, and Jacques Simoneau, P. Geo., Exploration Manager of the Company. Mr. Thiboutot and Mr. Simoneau are Qualified Persons ("QPs") as defined by the National Instrument 43-101. The Company's QPs have reviewed the technical content of this release.

Quality Assurance - Quality Control ("QA/QC")

Thorough QA/QC protocols are followed on the project including insertion of duplicate, blank and standard samples in all drill holes. The core samples are submitted directly to the Bourlamaque and ALS Laboratories in Val-d'Or for preparation and analysis. Analysis is conducted on 1 assay-ton aliquots. Analysis of Au is performed using fire assay method with atomic absorption (AA) finish, with a gravimetric finish completed for samples exceeding 5 g/t Au. Results published are from the gravimetric finish if above 5 g/t Au and from the AA finish if lower than 5 g/t Au.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Stephen de Jong

CEO & President

Follow Integra Gold On:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/integragoldcorp

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain disclosures in this release constitute forward-looking statements, including timing of completion of an updated resource estimate, timing of completion of an updated PEA and completion of the Sigma-Lamaque transaction. In making the forward-looking statements in this release, the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company, including that the Company is able to obtain any government or other regulatory approvals, that the Company is able to procure personnel, equipment and supplies required for its exploration and development activities in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis and that actual results are consistent with management's expectations. Although the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, among others, those matters identified in its continuous disclosure filings, including its most recently filed MD&A. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Corporate Inquiries:

Chris Gordon:

chris@integragold.com

Or visit the company website: www.integragold.com
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- ClearStream Energy Services Inc. (TSX: CSM)(TSX: CSM.DB.A) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that, effective today, John W. Cooper, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company's wholly-owned ClearStream Energy Holdings LP ("ClearStream Holdings"), will serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Mr. Cooper has also been appointed to the board of directors of the Company. Gary Summach, the Chief Financial Officer of ClearStream Holdings, will succeed Keith Halbert as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company. The appointment of Messrs. Cooper and Summach as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, respectively, aligns with the Company's previously stated objective of focusing on the business of ClearStream.

The board of directors of the Company wish to thank Mr. Halbert for his service to the Company.

About ClearStream Energy Services Inc.

ClearStream Energy Services Inc. (formerly Tuckamore Capital Management Inc.) is a fully integrated provider of upstream, midstream and downstream production services to the energy industry in Western Canada. For more information about the Company, please visit www.ClearStreamEnergy.ca.

Contacts:

ClearStream Energy Services Inc.

John W. Cooper

Chief Executive Officer

587-318-0997

JCooper@clearstreamenergy.ca




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- FIRST MAJESTIC SILVER CORP. (FRANKFURT: FMV)(TSX: FR)(NYSE: AG)(BVM: AG) (the "Company" or "First Majestic") is pleased to announce the unaudited interim consolidated financial results of the Company for the third quarter ended September 30, 2016. The full version of the financial statements and the management discussion and analysis can be viewed on the Company's web site at www.firstmajestic.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless stated otherwise.

THIRD QUARTER 2016 HIGHLIGHTS

(compared to Third Quarter 2015)

-- Silver equivalent production increased 27% to 4.5 million ounces -- Silver production increased 20% to 3.1 million ounces - a new quarterly record -- All-in sustaining costs ("AISC") decreased 27% to $10.52 per payable silver ounce -- Revenues increased 78% to $79.3 million -- Realized average silver price increased 30% to $19.72 per ounce -- Mine operating earnings increased 656% to $20.0 million -- Net earnings increased 556% to $8.1 million (Basic EPS of $0.05) -- Adjusted earnings, excluding non-cash and non-recurring items, increased 254% to $11.7 million (Adjusted EPS of $0.07) -- Operating cash flows before working capital and taxes increased 319% to $35.4 million or $0.22 per share (non-GAAP) -- Cash costs decreased 33% to $5.84 per payable silver ounce (net of by- product credits) -- Cash and cash equivalents totaled $122.5 million at the end of the quarter, representing a $14.3 million increase compared to the previous quarter

"Cash generation accelerated during the quarter due to our ongoing disciplined cost management and higher silver prices," stated Keith Neumeyer, President and CEO of First Majestic. "Our third quarter AISC came in well below guidance at $10.52 per ounce. The reduction in costs were driven primarily by renegotiated smelting and refining agreements, the continued weakness in the Mexican Peso, and record production of silver. In addition, the Company realized an average silver price of $19.72 per ounce, which is the highest price achieved in the past 10 quarters. We have already achieved 80% of our annual production guidance and continue to make great progress towards achieving our financial and strategic objectives for the year."

OPERATIONAL AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Key Performance Metrics Q3-2016 Q2-2016 Change Q3-2015 Change 2016-YTD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Operational ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ore Processed / Tonnes Milled 838,233 798,182 5% 675,032 24% 2,426,007 -------------------- ------------------------------------ Silver Ounces Produced 3,114,627 2,844,930 9% 2,593,309 20% 9,033,731 -------------------- ------------------------------------ Silver Equivalent Ounces Produced 4,524,619 4,681,608 (3%)3,558,035 27% 14,289,323 -------------------- ------------------------------------ Cash Costs per Ounce (1) $5.84 $6.41 (9%) $8.77 (33%) $5.73 -------------------- ------------------------------------ All-in Sustaining Cost per Ounce (1) $10.52 $10.97 (4%) $14.41 (27%) $10.11 -------------------- ------------------------------------ Total Production Cost per Tonne (1) $43.11 $44.97 (4%) $41.81 3% $43.60 -------------------- ------------------------------------ Average Realized Silver Price per Ounce ($/eq. oz.) (1) $19.72 $17.01 16% $15.16 30% $17.18 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Financial (in $millions) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Revenues $79.3 $66.1 20% $44.7 78% $211.9 -------------------- ------------------------------------ Mine Operating Earnings (Loss) (2) $20.0 $9.9 101% ($3.6) 656% $39.3 -------------------- ------------------------------------ Earnings (loss) before Income Taxes $13.4 $9.2 45% ($6.6) 301% $24.0 -------------------- ------------------------------------ Net Earnings (Loss) $8.1 $6.1 33% ($1.8) 556% $6.8 -------------------- ------------------------------------ Operating Cash Flows before Working Capital and Taxes (2) $35.4 $23.5 51% $8.4 319% $83.8 -------------------- ------------------------------------ Cash and Cash Equivalents $122.5 $108.2 13% $26.1 369% $122.5 -------------------- ------------------------------------ Working Capital (Deficit) (1) $143.8 $119.1 21% ($13.0) 1,206% $143.8 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shareholders ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Earnings (Loss) per Share ("EPS") - Basic $0.05 $0.04 29% ($0.01) 440% $0.04 -------------------- ------------------------------------ Adjusted EPS (1) $0.07 $0.03 139% ($0.06) 215% $0.13 -------------------- ------------------------------------ Cash Flow per Share (1) $0.22 $0.15 47% $0.07 213% $0.53 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) The Company reports non-GAAP measures which include cash costs per ounce, all-in sustaining cost per ounce, total production cost per ounce, total production cost per tonne, average realized silver price per ounce, working capital, adjusted EPS and cash flow per share. These measures are widely used in the mining industry as a benchmark for performance, but do not have a standardized meaning and may differ from methods used by other companies with similar descriptions. (2) The Company reports additional GAAP measures which include mine operating earnings and operating cash flows before movements in working capital and income taxes. These additional financial measures are intended to provide additional information and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The Company realized an average silver price of $19.72 per ounce during the third quarter of 2016, representing a 30% increase compared with the third quarter of 2015 and a 16% increase compared to $17.01 in the prior quarter.

Revenues generated in the third quarter totaled $79.3 million, an increase of $34.6 million or 78% compared to $44.7 million in the third quarter of 2015. The increase in revenue was primarily due to a 30% increase in average realized silver price and a 30% increase in silver equivalent ounces sold as a result of production from the Santa Elena mine, which was acquired in October 2015.

Mine operating earnings were $20.0 million in the quarter compared to a loss of $3.6 million in the third quarter of 2015. The increase in mine operating earnings was primarily driven by a 27% increase in production and a 30% increase in silver prices.

Cash flow from operations before movements in working capital and income taxes was $35.4 million ($0.22 per share) during the quarter, representing a 319% increase compared to $8.4 million ($0.07 per share) in the third quarter of 2015.

The Company generated net earnings of $8.1 million (earnings per share of $0.05) in the third quarter compared to net loss of $1.8 million (loss per share of $0.01) in the third quarter of 2015. Excluding all non-cash and non-recurring items, the Company generated adjusted earnings of $11.7 million ($0.07 per share) during the quarter.

The Company's treasury increased 13% to $122.5 million by the end of the quarter, reflecting a $14.3 million increase compared to the prior quarter. Additionally, the Company's working capital position increased 21% to $143.8 million compared to $119.1 million at the end of the prior quarter.

On July 12, 2016, the Company entered into a debt settlement agreement with First Mining Finance Corp. ("First Mining") to settle $1.2 million in loan receivables. Pursuant to the agreement, First Mining settled $0.5 million of the debt through issuance of 820,440 of its common shares at a deemed price of CAD$0.80 per share. The remaining balance of $0.7 million will be paid in cash in twelve equal monthly cash payments, of which $0.2 million has been received.

OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

The table below represents the quarterly operating and cost parameters at each of the Company's six producing silver mines.

Third Quarter Production La Summary Santa Elena Encantada La Parrilla Del Toro ------------------------------------------ ----------------------- Ore Processed / Tonnes Milled 241,996 247,858 147,414 86,646 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Silver Ounces Produced 671,423 685,478 547,913 446,137 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Silver Equivalent Ounces Produced 1,430,506 687,841 739,026 707,524 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash Costs per Ounce ($0.81) $11.20 $7.70 $3.41 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- All-in Sustaining Cost per Ounce $1.82 $12.81 $10.65 $6.01 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Production Cost per Tonne $44.75 $30.18 $41.20 $48.15 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Third Quarter Production Summary San Martin La Guitarra Consolidated -------------------------------------------- ------------------ Ore Processed / Tonnes Milled 75,228 39,092 838,233 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Silver Ounces Produced 500,441 263,235 3,114,627 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Silver Equivalent Ounces Produced 562,096 397,627 4,524,619 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash Costs per Ounce $7.05 $6.93 $5.84 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- All-in Sustaining Cost per Ounce $9.92 $13.60 $10.52 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Production Cost per Tonne $59.39 $79.68 $43.11 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total production for the quarter was 4.5 million silver equivalent ounces consisting of 3.1 million ounces of silver, 14,452 ounces of gold, 8.0 million pounds of lead and 1.5 million pounds of zinc. Compared to the previous quarter, total production decreased by 3% primarily due to lower by-product production at the La Parrilla and Santa Elena mines due to planned mine sequencing, as well as a decline in the silver equivalent conversion ratio as a result of the price of silver outperforming other metals during the quarter.

COSTS AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

Cash cost per ounce (after by-product credits) for the quarter was $5.84 per payable ounce of silver, representing a 9% decrease compared to the prior quarter. The decrease in cash cost per ounce was primarily the result of the increase in silver production, as well as renegotiated smelting and refining agreements that were effective on July 1, 2016, which contributed to a 34% decrease in smelting and refining costs, which were partially offset by a 10% increase in electricity cost from the national power grid. Compared to the same quarter of 2015, cash cost per ounce decreased 33% from $8.77 per ounce. The decrease in cash cost per ounce was primarily the result of the foreign exchange effect of the weaker Mexican Peso, as well as ongoing company-wide cost reduction efforts and a focus on producing only profitable ounces, which resulted in significant cost savings in contractor, haulage, energy and reagents. Santa Elena, the Company's recently acquired mine, had a negative cash cost of $0.81 per ounce, which also contributed to the significant reduction in the Company's consolidated cash cost.

Consolidated AISC for the quarter was $10.52 per ounce, representing a 4% decrease compared to the previous quarter and well below the Company's guidance of $11.50 to $12.35 per ounce. The decrease in AISC was primarily attributed to a $0.57 decrease in cash cost per ounce in the third quarter, even though sustaining capital expenditures increased by $0.26 per ounce to catch up with increased underground development and exploration program targets. Compared to the same quarter of the prior year, AISC decreased by 27% or $3.89 per ounce compared to $14.41 per ounce. AISC decreased significantly due to a $2.93 reduction in cash costs per ounce, as well as a $1.00 per ounce decrease in sustaining capital expenditures. AISC was also lower due to the recent addition of the Santa Elena mine, which had an AISC of $1.82 per ounce in the quarter.

Total capital expenditures in the third quarter were $20.7 million, an increase of 108% compared to the prior quarter, primarily consisting of $4.9 million at Santa Elena, $2.7 million at La Encantada, $3.3 million at La Parrilla, $5.3 million at Del Toro, $2.0 million at San Martin and $2.5 million at La Guitarra. The increase in capital expenditures is the result of the Company's plan to expand its underground development and exploration budgets in the second half of 2016.

ABOUT FIRST MAJESTIC

First Majestic is a mining company focused on silver production in Mexico and is aggressively pursuing the development of its existing mineral property assets and the pursuit through acquisition of additional mineral assets which contribute to the Company achieving its corporate growth objectives.

FIRST MAJESTIC SILVER CORP.

Keith Neumeyer, President & CEO

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release includes certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions, identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information relate to, among other things: the price of silver and other metals; the accuracy of mineral reserve and resource estimates and estimates of future production and costs of production at our properties; estimated production rates for silver and other payable metals produced by us, the estimated cost of development of our development projects; the effects of laws, regulations and government policies on our operations, including, without limitation, the laws in Mexico which currently have significant restrictions related to mining; obtaining or maintaining necessary permits, licences and approvals from government authorities; and continued access to necessary infrastructure, including, without limitation, access to power, land, water and roads to carry on activities as planned.

These statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information and the Company has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: fluctuations in the spot and forward price of silver, gold, base metals or certain other commodities (such as natural gas, fuel oil and electricity); fluctuations in the currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar and Mexican peso versus the U.S. dollar); changes in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada, Mexico; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins and flooding); risks relating to the credit worthiness or financial condition of suppliers, refiners and other parties with whom the Company does business; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; and the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining, including those currently enacted in Mexico; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities; diminishing quantities or grades of mineral reserves as properties are mined; the Company's title to properties; and the factors identified under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form, under the caption "Risks Relating to First Majestic's Business".

Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements or information. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law.

Contacts:

First Majestic Silver Corp.

toll free number 1.866.529.2807

info@firstmajestic.com

www.firstmajestic.com




LABEGE, France AND KYOTO, Japan, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Strategic partnership to cover the third largest Internet of Things (IoT) market, with 6% of a global IoT revenue that is set to reach no less than 3 trillion USD by 2025 (cf. Machina Research[1])

The 25th country to deploy Sigfox's network, supporting its global ambition to reach 60 countries by 2018.

Today, Sigfox, the world's leading provider of a global communication solution powering the Internet of Things (IoT), and its partner KYOCERA Communication Systems Co., Ltd. (KCCS) announced the nationwide roll-out of the Sigfox network in Japan - the world's third largest IoT market.

The partnership is a strategic move to tap into this fast-growing market which represents 6 per cent of global revenue that is set to reach no less than 3 trillion USD by 2025. With key Japanese corporations investing heavily in the IoT sector, Japan will also be a major contributor to the global IoT ecosystem (cf. Japan Times[2]).

As Sigfox's network operator in Japan, KCCS, a subsidiary of Kyocera Corporation - a leading global supplier of printers, copiers, mobile phones, solar power generating systems, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics - will deploy Sigfox's network nationwide and distribute the service to its customers.

Sigfox connectivity service now spans across 25 countries. This move marks another key milestone of Sigfox's rapid expansion in the Asia Pacific region, following roll-outs in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan earlier this year.

The roll-out of the Sigfox network in Japan will provide main territory coverage in 2018, initially starting in Tokyo in early 2017.

KCCS will target applications across all vertical markets, with a particular focus on public utility, infrastructure, healthcare, logistics, agriculture and manufacturing industries.

Global scalability, cost and energy consumption have been the three greatest barriers to IoT mass adoption. Sigfox entered the global IoT market to break down these barriers. Rather than using existing technologies, Sigfox has taken a unique approach. The company is rolling out the first global IoT network to listen to billions of objects broadcasting data, without the need to establish and maintain network connections. This game-changing shift, that drastically reduce energy consumption and costs, will fuel the IoT mass market deployment.

Rodolphe Baronnet-Fruges, Sigfox Executive Vice President of Networks and Operators, said: "We are proud to be entering a partnership with KCCS to enable the huge potential of Japanese corporations and society. I am confident that the Japanese solutions, powered by Sigfox, will meet the fourth industrial revolution challenge head-on."

Roswell Wolff, President, Sigfox Asia Pacific, said, "As the third largest IoT market in the world, Japan is strategic for Sigfox, both for its significance as a connected market in its own right, and as a key global contributor to the development of smart connected devices fuelling the growth of the internet of things worldwide.

"We expect exponential growth in demand to connect millions of devices over a simple, low cost, low power and long range network. We look forward to a strong partnership with KCCS to drive the expansion of the Japanese IoT market'.

Yoshihito Kurose, President, KYOCERA Communication Systems Co., Ltd., said, "I am delighted with our partnership with Sigfox, to deploy the Sigfox network in Japan. There are already a number of Sigfox use cases in the global market that we can learn from. KYOCERA Communication Systems Co., Ltd., KCCS, will deploy the Sigfox network in Japan as well as create many applications and contribute to the global success of the Sigfox network".

About KCCS

KCCS, a subsidiary of Kyocera Corporation- a leading global supplier of printers, copiers, mobile phones, solar power generating systems, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics-will deploy Sigfox's network nationwide and distribute the service to its customers. For more information, visit http://www.kccs.co.jp/english/

About Sigfox

Sigfox is the world's leading provider of global communication solutions powering the Internet of Things (IoT). Its solutions introduce a game-changing approach for device-to-cloud communications by making it possible for devices to send and receive data over the Internet without the need to manage complex connections or SIM cards, as the Sigfox network and devices simply listen in and capture specifically formatted radio messages from around the globe, needing something as simple as a silicon chip that you find in a remote control. The unique Sigfox solutions enable devices to consume so little energy that soon batteries will become redundant and energy harvesting solutions will power data transmission.

The vision of the company is to "Make Things Come Alive". By giving a voice to the physical world we live in, and connecting it to the Cloud, Sigfox allows objects to play a role in our social and economic development.

Currently present in 25 countries, and on track to reach over 60 by 2018, the Sigfox network today covers a population of 397 million people. Millions of connected objects are already registered on the network across all five continents, enabling companies to accelerate their digital transformation, develop new services and create value.

Founded in 2010 by entrepreneurs Ludovic Le Moan and Christophe Fourtet, the company is headquartered in Labege near Toulouse, France's "IoT Valley". Sigfox also has offices worldwide in Paris, Madrid, Munich, Boston, San Francisco, Dubai and Singapore. For more information, visit http://www.sigfox.com and follow us on Twitter at @SIGFOX.

[1] See here.

[2] See here.

PressContacts

Laurence Collet, Sigfox

Laurence.collet@sigfox.com

+33-7-86-27-36-43

Simon Chan, Edelman for Sigfox

simon.chan@edelman.com

+44-(0)7875-198-091
NEW YORK, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Global Pyrogen Testing Market to Register a CAGR of 11.0% Between 2016 and 2024: Increasing Number of Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies Likely to Boost Market Revenue Growth

Persistence Market Research (PMR) delivers key insights on the global pyrogen testing market in its upcoming report titled,"Global Market Study on Pyrogen Testing: North America Estimated to Be the Dominant Regional Market" (http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/pyrogen-testing-market.asp).The globalpyrogen testing market was valued at US$ 538.8 Mn in 2015 and is estimated to be valued at US$ 594.4 Mn by 2016 end. The market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 11.0% during the forecast period in terms of value. Global pyrogen testing market value is expected to increase to US$ 1.37 billion by the end of 2024.

Pyrogens are substances that lead to increase in body temperature after their injection. Globally increasing health care awareness, growing number of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and shifting focus of population towards treatment of chronic and lifestyle diseases is driving the growth of global pyrogen testing market. Increasing focus of key companies on expanding their presence in Asian countries to meet growing demand is a trend observed in the market. Furthermore, increasing government initiatives for healthcare awareness in the region also support growth of the market.

This report assesses trends, that drive growth of each segment on the global as well as regional levels, and offers potential takeaways, that could prove substantially useful to the companies who wish to enter the pyrogen testing market. North America and Europe are expected to dominate the global pyrogen testing market with a maximum market share in 2016. North America and Europe collectively, are expected to account for more than 60% share of the total global pyrogen testing market in terms of value in 2016. Among emerging markets, Asia Pacific is estimated to exhibit the highest CAGR of 12% over the forecast period, due to increasing preference of key players to establish their presence in these regions.

View and Download Report Table of Contents, Figures, and Tables , Here

Competitive landscape

Some of the key players having presence in the global pyrogen testing market identified in the report include Charles River Laboratories International, Inc., Lonza Group, Ltd., Merck & Co., Associates of Cape Cod, Inc., Genscript, Wako Chemicals, and others. PMR has discussed individual strategies of these companies in terms of increasing focus of the companies on advancements, initiatives to increase awareness, enhancing distribution base, and expanding geographic presence.

Request and View Sample Report@http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4259

Buy full Report for a Single User @http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/4259

About Us:

Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.

To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.

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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Kaizen Discovery Inc. (TSX VENTURE: KZD) announced today that its subsidiary, Kaizen Discovery Peru, has signed all land access agreements with the community of Pinaya and individual private landholders. These agreements provide the company with access rights to conduct its planned exploration program at the Pinaya Project for a two-year period. Kaizen also signed two separate agreements with the community outlining social development and employment commitments.

In addition, Kaizen received its water-use authorization for the Pinaya exploration camp on November 2, 2016. In conjunction with the granting of access rights, Kaizen now has satisfied all necessary requirements to trigger ITOCHU Corporation's second-stage investment of C$625,000 in the project. Upon receipt of ITOCHU's investment, ITOCHU's interest in Kaizen Peru Holdings - the indirect holder of the Pinaya Project - will increase from 5% to 10%.

Kaizen plans to commence fieldwork at Pinaya this month with an initial exploration program including re-logging of existing drill core, a detailed mapping program and regional-scale stream sampling of areas where no previous, systematic exploration was carried out.

Eric Finlayson, Kaizen's Interim Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the community of Pinaya, which allows us to conduct our exploration and development activities for the next two years, while also providing a framework through which the community can benefit from our activities."

Under the terms of the strategic financing agreement between Kaizen and ITOCHU for the Pinaya Project, which were outlined in Kaizen's April 1, 2016 news release, ITOCHU's third payment of C$1.25 million, to bring ITOCHU's aggregate interest in Kaizen Peru Holdings to 20%, is conditional on Kaizen obtaining the necessary environmental, archaeological and water authorizations required to conduct exploration drilling on the Pinaya Project. In this regard, Kaizen filed the Pinaya Declaration of Environmental Impact (DIA) application on October 11, 2016. Upon approval of the DIA, related permits and authorization to initiate activities, Kaizen will have met the requirements for the third installment of the ITOCHU investment.

Kaizen has agreed to match ITOCHU's exploration funding for the Pinaya Project, bringing the total funding to C$5 million for the planned first phase of exploration at Pinaya. The initial C$1.25 million of Kaizen's C$2.5 million funding is due on or before the earlier of (i) April 18, 2017, one year after the date of ITOCHU's initial C$625,000 investment; or (ii) completion of ITOCHU's third-tranche payment. Kaizen's second C$1.25 million is due on or before April 18, 2018, two years after the date of completion of ITOCHU's initial C$625,000 investment.

Katty Vargas (center), Kaizen Discovery Peru's General Manager, with representatives of the Pinaya community at the land access agreement signing ceremony.

To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Photo_1075769.pdf

More information on Kaizen is available at www.kaizendiscovery.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements in this news release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in both Kaizen's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "believe", "will", "could", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "potential", "should," and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Information provided in this document is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information.

Although Kaizen has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and Kaizen disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and Kaizen does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company herein.

Contacts:

Kaizen Discovery Inc.

Eric Finlayson

Interim Chief Executive Officer

+1-604-669-6446

info@kaizendiscovery.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Monument Mining Limited (TSX VENTURE: MMY)(FRANKFURT: D7Q1) ("Monument" or the "Company") is pleased to announce Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves at its 100% owned Selinsing operating gold mine, including the adjacent Buffalo Reef deposit in Pahang State, Malaysia. All Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources were estimated by Snowden Mining Industry Consultants Pty Ltd ("Snowden") as Independent qualified person defined under NI 43-101 standards. The complete NI 43-101 Technical Report as a result of the Pre-Feasibility Study is expected to be filed shortly under www.sedar.com.

The President and CEO Robert Baldock commented, "We are excited to see that the new NI 43-101 Mineral Reserve allows Selinsing Gold Mine to operate with sustainable production for years to come. The Company has adopted the bio-leaching approach as its economic baseline for the sulphide gold production while continuing its Intec test works. We expect the economics to be further optimized by the potential of Intec technology and other alternatives with large sulphide exploration potential."

The Mineral Reserves were estimated at June 30, 2016, and comprise 235 koz of gold from 3,882 kilotonnes (kt) of ore at a diluted grade of 1.88 grams of gold per tonne (g/t) from the Selinsing and Buffalo Reef/Felda deposits, along with a further 44 koz of gold from 2,335 kt of ore from stockpiles at a grade of 0.59 g/t Au. The total Mineral Reserve is 279 koz of gold from 6,217 kt of ore at a grade of 1.40 g/t Au.

The Probable Mineral Reserves are within newly estimated Indicated Resources of 200 koz of gold from 3,220 kt of material at a grade of 1.93 g/t Au at the Selinsing deposit, and 240 koz of gold from 4,330 kt of material at a grade of 1.73 g/t Au at the Buffalo Reef/Felda deposit. Indicated Mineral Resources are inclusive of Probable Mineral Reserves. The Proven Mineral Reserves comprise entirely Measured Mineral Resources from stockpiles of 44 koz of gold from 2,335 kt at a grade of 0.59 g/t Au.

The Inferred Resource at Selinsing is an additional 65 koz of gold from 550 kt of material at a grade of 3.67 g/t Au, whereas for Buffalo Reef/Felda the Inferred Resource is an additional 212 koz of gold from 3,810 kt of material at a grade of 1.74 g/t Au.

The tables below (1, 2, 3 and 4) summarize the newly estimated Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources by area and ore type, all expressed in metric tonnes and Troy ounces (1 ounce = 31.1035 g). A map showing the area locations as follows (Figure 1):

To view Figure 1. Location Map of Selinsing and Buffalo Reef Properties, please visit: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1075677_fig1.pdf.

The updated Mineral Reserve was estimated using an average gold price of US$1,255 per ounce. To identify the Selinsing and Buffalo Reef Ore Reserve a process of: ore dilution application, Whittle pit optimization, staged pit design, production scheduling and mine cost analysis was undertaken. Significant sulphide Mineral Reserves were identified following a metallurgical engineering investigation by Lycopodium Minerals Pty Ltd. The mining method is conventional open pit drill and blast, load and haul on a 2.5 m mining flitch with a 10 m high blasting bench, reflective of semi-selective mining. The excavator bucket size of 2.3 m3 is matched to this selectivity. A waste ore stripping ratio of approximately 6 was identified for mining. Overall, block dilution has reduced the recovered ounces by approximately 10% and marginally increased the ore tonnage processed.

Estimated Mineral Resources were limited to within a pit shell based on a gold price of US$1,776/oz to define the potential for identification of Mineral Resources. Mining and stockpiling of Buffalo Reef oxide material started in November 2012 and processing of this material at the Selinsing processing plant commenced in early March 2013. Mineral Reserves were then estimated by Snowden Mining Industry Consultants as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Selinsing and Buffalo Reef/Felda Mineral Reserves as at June 30, 2016

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Approximate Metric Troy cut-off Tonnes Au Ounces Classification Oxidation Zone (g/t Au) (kt) (g/t) (koz) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Probable Oxide Selinsing 0.3 8 1.20 0.3 BRN 0.3 105 1.05 3.5 BRC 0.3 114 0.91 3.3 Felda 0.3 234 1.34 10.1 BRS 0.3 103 1.95 6.5 ------------------------------------------------------------ Sub-total 565 1.31 23.8 ------------------------------------------------------------ Transitional Selinsing 0.7 25 2.02 1.7 BRN 0.7 69 1.29 2.9 BRC 0.7 214 1.26 8.6 Felda 0.7 158 1.66 8.5 BRS 0.7 232 2.52 18.5 ------------------------------------------------------------ Sub-total 698 1.80 40.4 ------------------------------------------------------------ Fresh Selinsing 0.7 551 2.33 41.2 BRN 0.7 14 1.25 0.6 BRC 0.7 719 1.76 40.6 Felda 0.7 474 1.75 26.7 BRS 0.7 862 2.22 61.4 ------------------------------------------------------------ Sub-total 2,619 2.03 170.6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Probable 3,882 1.88 235.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes: (1) Tonnes and ounces have been rounded and this may have resulted in minor discrepancies. (2) BRN - Buffalo Reef North; BRC - Buffalo Reef Central; BRS - Buffalo Reef South.

Snowden has verified the drill hole data used to support the technical and scientific information in this news release, including the sampling, sample security, analytical techniques, original assay certificates, and Quality Assurance/Quality Control procedures and has determined that CIM and NI 43-101 Industry Standards have been sufficiently followed. Snowden constructed a 3D model of the mineralized bodies using modeling software and estimated the June 30, 2016 Selinsing and Buffalo Reef/Felda Resources and Reserves.

Table 2 Selinsing Mineral Resource statement, reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves, depleted for mining to end of June 2016

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Metric Troy Cut-off (g/t Tonnes Ounces Classification Oxidation Au) (kt) Au (g/t) (koz) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indicated Oxide 0.3 90 0.67 2 Transitional 0.7 90 1.42 4 Fresh 0.7 3,040 1.98 193 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indicated Total 3,220 1.93 200 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inferred Oxide 0.3 10 0.84 0.3 Transitional 0.7 3 1.23 0.1 Fresh 0.7 540 3.75 65 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inferred Total 550 3.67 65 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes:

(1) Small discrepancies may occur due to rounding (2) The resources are constrained within a Lerch Grossman pit shell; (3) All Mineral Resources have been reported on a dry tonnage basis (4) Snowden is unaware of any issues that materially affect the Mineral Resources in a detrimental sense. (5) Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability; and (6) Mineral Resources estimated by John Graindorge (Principal Consultant, Snowden), QP.

Table 3 Buffalo Reef/Felda Mineral Resource statement, reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves, depleted for mining to end of June 2016

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Metric Troy Cut-off Tonnes Au As Sb Ounces Classification Oxidation Zone (g/t Au) (kt) (g/t) (ppm) (ppm) (koz) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indicated Oxide BRN 0.3 180 0.99 1,900 270 6 BRC 0.3 170 0.83 1,600 140 4 Felda 0.3 260 1.33 2,700 230 11 BRS 0.3 100 2.10 3,200 560 7 ------------------------------------------------------------ Oxide total 700 1.23 2,300 270 27 ------------------------------------------------------------ Transitional BRN 0.7 150 1.26 2,200 230 6 BRC 0.7 310 1.19 2,300 110 12 Felda 0.7 190 1.64 3,000 330 10 BRS 0.7 230 2.65 3,000 3,250 19 ---------------------------- Transitional total 860 1.68 2,600 1,010 46 ------------------------------------------------------------ Fresh BRN 0.7 70 1.18 2,300 100 2 BRC 0.7 990 1.67 3,400 1,990 53 Felda 0.7 620 1.78 2,900 960 35 BRS 0.7 1,130 2.12 2,800 1,150 77 ------------------------------------------------------------ Fresh total 2,790 1.87 3,000 1,380 167 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- INDICATED TOTAL 4,330 1.73 2,800 1,130 240 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inferred Oxide BRN 0.3 100 0.81 1,700 120 2 BRC 0.3 120 1.15 1,600 60 4 Felda 0.3 70 1.03 1,500 150 2 BRS 0.3 90 1.14 1,400 190 3 ------------------------------------------------------------ Oxide total 370 1.04 1,500 120 12 ------------------------------------------------------------ Transitional BRN 0.7 90 1.34 2,300 110 4 BRC 0.7 140 1.40 2,100 170 6 Felda 0.7 50 1.54 1,900 150 2 BRS 0.7 90 1.62 1,700 760 4 ------------------------------------------------------------ Transitional total 350 1.46 2,000 290 16 ------------------------------------------------------------ Fresh BRN 0.7 30 1.61 2,300 60 1 BRC 0.7 1,500 1.86 2,800 1,980 89 Felda 0.7 1,040 1.98 3,300 1,190 66 BRS 0.7 530 1.59 2,500 630 27 ------------------------------------------------------------ Fresh total 3,100 1.85 2,900 1,470 184 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- INFERRED TOTAL 3,810 1.74 2,700 1,230 212 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes:

(1) Small discrepancies may occur due to rounding. (2) The classification applies to the Au grades only; As and Sb are considered indicative only. (3) Similar resource tabulation methodologies described for Table 2 above apply to the resources in Table 3; (4) Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability; and (5) Mineral Resources estimated by John Graindorge (Principal Consultant, Snowden), QP.

Exploration at Selinsing and Buffalo Reef primarily comprised diamond and RC drilling. In addition trenching, channel samples and pit mapping were also used to help guide exploration works. Assays received up to the cut-off date of February 24, 2016 were considered for modelling.

The majority of drill holes have been accurately collar surveyed and most of diamond holes have been surveyed downhole. Sample recovery for diamond drilling conducted by Monument at both Selinsing and Buffalo Reef can be considered good and should provide samples suitable for resource estimation. Half core diamond samples and riffle split RC samples formed the bulk of the samples used in the resource modelling.

The majority of samples were analyzed for gold, arsenic, silver and antimony. Gold was analyzed primarily by fire assay using a 50 g charge with an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish. The RC and diamond drilling completed by Monument after 2007 includes independent QAQC samples with the sample batches, the results of which show reasonable precision and analytical accuracy have been achieved. Assay data in the database have been verified by Snowden with a random selection of original lab reports, with no major discrepancies identified.

The drillhole logging and assay data was used as the main basis for the geological interpretation. The gold mineralization was interpreted on 20m spaced east-west sections as a series of wireframe solids, based on a nominal threshold of 0.15 g/t Au along with the geological logging. The drillhole data was composited downhole prior to running the estimation process using a 1.5 m compositing interval to minimize any bias due to sample length.

Variograms have been modelled and the gold grade estimated by ordinary kriging with top-cuts as appropriate for the Buffalo Reef/Felda deposits, whereas for the Selinsing deposit, due to the strongly skewed nature of the gold grades, multiple indicator kriging (MIK) was used to estimate the block gold grades. A parent block size of 10 mE by 20 mN by 2.5 mRL was used to construct a block model for the Selinsing deposit, whereas an 8 mE by 20 mN by 2.5 mRL parent block size was used for the Buffalo Reef/Felda deposit. A slightly smaller block size of 8 mE was selected for Buffalo Reef due to the more selective nature of the geological interpretation and to ensure reasonable volume resolution. A three-pass search strategy was utilized for all grade estimates with the same search neighborhood parameters applied to all domains.

Over 2,600 bulk density measurements were taken by Monument in the Selinsing and Buffalo Reef/Felda deposits using the Archimedes Principle, with wax-coating used to account for the porosity. Default bulk density values were assigned to the model blocks based on the oxidation state, separately for waste and mineralized zones.

The Mineral Resource estimate has been validated against the input samples, and classified as a combination of Indicated and Inferred Resources in accordance with CIM guidelines. The Mineral Resources have been depleted for all mining as at the end of June 2016.

Mineral Reserves for the stockpiles, based on end of month surveyed volumes and grade control during mining informing the grade, at the Selinsing Project (including ore mined from the Selinsing and Buffalo Reef pits), as at the end of June 2016, are summarized in Table 4. The stockpile resources are classified as Measured Resources in their entirety with a 100% conversion of the stockpile Measured Resources to Proven Mineral Reserves; as such, Table 4 also applies for the stockpile Measured Resource statement.

Table 4 Stockpile Proven Mineral Reserves, as at end of June 2016

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Metric Contained Stockpile Volume Tonnes Augold (Troy Stockpile name ID (lcm) (t) (g/t) oz) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oxide stockpiles Selinsing Low grade 1 (oxide) SEL LG1 O 6,885 14,075 1.03 467 Low grade 2 (oxide) SEL LG2 O 3,189 6,442 0.73 152 Super low grade 1 (oxide) SEL SLG1 O 2,845 5,349 0.44 76 Super low grade 2 (oxide) SEL SLG2 O 907,006 1,859,251 0.51 30,747 Super low grade 4 (oxide) SEL SLG 4 31,378 67,776 0.50 1,090 Buffalo Reef Low grade 1 (oxide) BR LG1 O 186 353 0.33 4 Super low grade 1 (oxide) BR SLG1 O 111,268 217,422 0.53 3,739 ------------------------------------ Oxide subtotal 1,062,757 2,170,668 0.52 36,275 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leachable sulphide stockpiles Selinsing High grade 1 (leachable sulphide) SEL HG1 S 81 175 6.41 36 Low grade 1 (leachable sulphide) SEL LG1 S 88 190 0.98 6 Buffalo Reef Low grade 1 (leachable sulphide) BR LG1 S 82 166 0.32 2 ------------------------------------ Leachable sulphide subtotal 251 531 2.56 44 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Non-leachable sulphide stockpiles Selinsing High grade 2 (non-leachable sulphide) SEL HG2 S 5,065 10,940 2.71 953 Low grade 3 (non-leachable sulphide) SEL LG2 S 8,402 16,983 0.97 529 Low grade 4 (non-leachable sulphide) SEL LG4 S 25,331 54,715 0.95 1,663 Super low grade 3 (non- leachable sulphide) SEL SLG3 S 748 1,511 0.60 29 Buffalo Reef High grade 2 (non-leachable sulphide) BR HG2 S 18,536 36,695 2.58 3,045 Low grade 2 (non-leachable sulphide) BR LG2 S 22,444 43,206 1.03 1,429 ------------------------------------ Non-leachable sulphide subtotal 80,526 164,051 1.45 7,648 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 1,143,534 2,335,250 0.59 43,966 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes:

(1) All stockpiles classified as Measured Resources with 100% conversion to Proven Reserves; lcm = loose cubic metres; stockpile tonnes are not rounded as based on surveyed volumes (2) BR = Buffalo Reef Stockpile; SEL = Selinsing Stockpile. (3) SLG = Super Low Grade Stockpile (0.30 g/t Au to 0.65 g/t Au); LG = Low Grade Stockpile (0.65 g/t Au to 1.50 g/t Au); HG = High Grade Stockpile (1.50 g/t Au to 3.50 g/t Au).

The updated mineral resource estimate incorporates a new property-wide resource block model, which includes a total of 126 new surface diamond and RC drilling results for 18,639.8m at Selinsing since the last resource estimate completed in 2012. In the same period, a total of 522 drill holes were completed for 47,673.4 m at the Buffalo Reef deposit, including the Felda area. Drill hole assays received as of February 24, 2016 were used in this Resource and Reserve update along with the June 30, 2016 mine face positions as surveyed by Monument.

Exploration has continued at Selinsing and Buffalo Reef after June 2016, focused on defining mineralization at depth below the existing pits, within gap zones in between the known resources that contain little drill hole information, and to convert inferred materials to indicated and/or measured materials. Also metallurgical drilling has been completed, aiming to get sulphide material to be used in metallurgical testwork.

The 2016 Selinsing and Buffalo Reef/Felda Mineral Resources were estimated by John Graindorge, an employee of Snowden, who is the independent Qualified Person for the June 30, 2016 Mineral Resources as defined by NI 43-101. The 2016 Selinsing and Buffalo Reef Mineral Reserves were estimated by Frank Blanchfield, an employee of Snowden, who is the independent Qualified Person for the June 30, 2016 Mineral Reserves as defined by NI 43-101. Snowden is preparing an updated NI 43-101 Technical Report entitled "Selinsing Gold Mine and Buffalo Reef project" which will include these new resource and reserve results.

The Phase IV plant expansion is required to process refractory sulfide materials. The flotation-bioleach sulphide treatment process has been reviewed and used for Phase IV plant expansion by Snowden in its upcoming NI43-101 technical report, based on Monument's estimated EPCM (Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Management) expenditure and "Selinsing Phase IV PFS Capex and Opex Revision" recently produced by Lycopodium with a significant reduction in capital and operation expenditure from the original cost that is described in the existing NI43-101 Technical Report produced by Practical Mining and filed on SEDAR in May 2013. The Phase IV plant and mining expansion, as estimated in the NI 43-101 Technical Report, has a capital cost of US$39.5 million dollars, provides a US $23.1M NPV, and 34.8% rate of return.

The Selinsing Gold Mine was originally developed on the basis of treating oxide ore via conventional crushing and ball milling followed by gravity recovery of free gold and cyanidation of gravity concentrate. Gravity tails are subjected to conventional CIL. Final gold recovery from carbon strip solution and gravity concentrate leach solution is by electrowinning onto stainless steel cathodes. In 2009 mining operations commenced at Selinsing. Since then, Monument developed an open pit mine and construction of a 1,200 tpd gold treatment plant in three phases.

During 2011, Monument Mining Limited (MML) engaged Inspectorate Exploration and Mining Services Ltd of Vancouver (Inspectorate), Canada to carry out a metallurgical test program on a selection of diamond drill core material collected from the Buffalo Reef deposit at its Selinsing operation in Malaysia. The gold extraction from sulphides at Selinsing has been assessed in the engineering study ultimately prepared for MML by Lycopodium of Brisbane, Australia and reported by Lycopodium in "Selinsing Phase IV Study", February 2013.

The Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves identified above have been estimated in accordance with the standards adopted by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ("CIM") Council in November 2010, as amended, and prescribed by the Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

John Graindorge and Frank Blanchfield, of Snowden Mining Industry Consultants, have reviewed and approved the contents of this news release, and are the independent Qualified Persons for this news release.

About Monument

Monument Mining Limited (TSX VENTURE: MMY)(FRANKFURT: D7Q1) is an established Canadian gold producer that owns and operates the Selinsing Gold Mine in Malaysia. Its experienced management team is committed to growth and is advancing several exploration and development projects including the Mengapur Polymetallic Project, in Pahang State of Malaysia, and the Murchison Gold Projects comprising Burnakura, Gabanintha and Tuckanarra in the Murchison area of Western Australia. The Company employs approximately 240 people in both regions and is committed to the highest standards of environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighboring communities. The Company has also been seeking potential opportunities for larger resources in other countries.

Robert F. Baldock, President and CEO Monument Mining Limited Suite 1580- 1100 Melville Street Vancouver B.C. Canada V6E 4A6

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION visit the company web site at www.monumentmining.com.

"Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements about Monument (together referred to herein as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and include statements regarding: expected operations, mining and processing rates at the Company's Selinsing gold mine; exploration and development plans for the Selinsing and Buffalo Reef projects; costs, timing, value and rate of return for the Phase IV plant expansion; and other plans and expectations of the Company described herein. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made, and are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other known and unknown factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These risks and certain other factors include: the Company's expectations in connection with its exploration, development and expansion projects; the impact of general business and economic conditions; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; costs of future activities; capital and operating expenditures; success of exploration activities; the estimated cash cost per ounce of gold production and the estimated cash flows which may be generated from the operations; mining or processing issues; currency exchange rates; government regulation of mining operations; environmental risks; general economic factors and other factors that may be beyond the control of Monument. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including the risks factors listed above, other risks inherent in the mining industry and other risks described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company, which is available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Contacts:

Richard Cushing

MMY Vancouver

+1-604-638-1661 x102

rcushing@monumentmining.com

www.monumentmining.com



Wolfgang Seybold

Axino AG-Europe

+49 711-82-09-7211

wolfgang.seybold@axino.de




MOUNTAIN VIEW (dpa-AFX) - Google's parent Alphabet Inc. canceled a drone partnership with coffee giant Starbucks Corp. amid the tightening budgets, Bloomberg reported Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The move follows the decision by Project Wing, a unit of Alphabet's X research lab, that pushed out two managers on its drone-delivery project in October amid conflict between the engineers and its commercial team. In pre-market activity on Wednesday, shares were losing around 2.2 percent. Last month, Project Wing, which has been developing delivery drones since 2012, pushed out the project's chief, Dave Vos, and its top commercial executive, Sean Mullaney. Following this, the firm stopped hiring in the Project Wing and also reportedly asked some staff to seek jobs elsewhere in the company. Since initial days, the drone project has been facing issues. In 2014, its original head departed. As per reports, the engineering team wanted to delay to ensure the drones were reliable and safe. Some of them also disagreed over the decision in September to deliver food in a test at Virginia Tech. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- San Marco Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: SMN) ("the Company" or "San Marco") announces that, during the period July 1, 2016 to October 31 2016, $642,250 was received by the Company from the exercise of 8,213,000 warrants.

San Marco's CEO, Bob Willis stated; "As a result of our stated business plan to aggressively pursue the multitude of target areas generated by the Globetrotters/San Marco partnership, we asked our San Marco warrant holders if they would be willing to exercise their warrants much earlier than their expiry. Results so far are a testament to the quality and belief by our shareholders that significant value will result from this request, while striving to preserve our reasonable share structure."

In addition to the continued exploration at the Company's 100% controlled Chunibas property, (please see news release dated Nov. 1, 2016), field exploration efforts continue to confirm significant targets being identified from field examination of the Globetrotters/SMN database.

Initial field evaluation of Target # 1068, acquired through the recent Libertad, indicates the presence of a porphyry copper system hosted by Laramide plutonic and volcanic rocks. Typical porphyry copper zoned alteration (propylitic, phyllic and potassic alteration) of a quartz diorite porphyry, hosts evidence of copper (chalcopyrite, chalcocite) and molybdenite mineralization. Detailed mapping, rock chip and stream sediment sampling are scheduled to commence next week.

As well, Company geologists will return to an apparent epithermal high sulphidation gold/silver target, where volcanic and volcanoclastic rocks exhibit advanced argillic alteration. Dacite breccias and pyroclastics show quartz/alunite alteration and vuggy silica areas where sampling will commence shortly.

About San Marco

San Marco Resources Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration company with a portfolio of promising projects in mining-friendly Mexico, including the Chunibas and Mariana Projects in Sonora State.

San Marco actively pursues strategic project generation program focused on high-caliber, low acquisition cost opportunities in the North-western Mexico. The Company has a committed management team with extensive experience in Mexico and a proven track record of building shareholder value. San Marco currently has 46,281,082 issued and outstanding shares.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

- Robert Willis, P. Eng., President & CEO

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

This news release has been approved by San Marco's CEO, Robert D. Willis, P. Eng. a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators.

This news release includes technical information that was generated prior to the introduction of National Instrument 43-101. Details of the sampling methods, handling, and quality control methods used in the generation of this historical technical data are unknown to San Marco, and the drill material, assay results, true width of intercepts herein cannot be and have not been verified by the Company's Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.

Forward Looking Information

Information set forth in this document may include forward-looking statements. While these statements reflect management's current plans, projections and intents, by their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond the control of San Marco Resources Inc. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements. San Marco's actual results, programs, activities and financial position could differ materially from those expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

San Marco Resources Inc.

Nancy Curry

info@sanmarcocorp.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Emerita Resources Corp. (the "Company" or "Emerita") (TSX VENTURE: EMO) is pleased to announce that following the unanimous ruling by the Provincial Court of Seville (the "Court") (See Emerita's October 27, 2016 press release), the Court has served "imminent judicial notice" to five officials of the Government panel (the "Panel") that were directly involved in the awarding of the Aznalcollar public tender to a subsidiary of the group comprised of Minorbis and Grupo Mexico (collectively, "Minorbis-Grupo Mexico"). Such notice has also been served to two representatives of Minorbis. In Spain, imminent judicial notice provides formal prior notice to individuals that criminal charges against them are pending in the near future.

The Court has also engaged the "Unidad Centro Operativo (UCO) de la Guardia Civil" (Spain's national police force) to investigate the alleged cash payments made from Grupo Mexico to Minorbis and to clarify Minorbis' role in the tender process. The Direccion General de Industria, Energia y Minas (the Andalucian government agency responsible for the administration of the Aznalcollar public tender) has been asked by the Court to submit a copy of the Panel's final resolution that awarded the tender to Minera Los Frailes (a company that did not participate in the Aznalcollar public tender process) for the Court's review.

Joaquin Merino, President and CEO of Emerita, commented: "This is a very important step for the Company. The laws governing public tenders in Spain are very clear: if it is determined that there was a commission of a crime in the awarding of a tender, that bid shall be declared invalid and the tender must be awarded to the next qualified bidder. In the Aznalcollar tender, we believe that Emerita is the only qualified bidder. The Company welcomes the Court's review of all matters related to the Aznalcollar tender process."

David Gower, Emerita's Chairman, stated: "Emerita remains committed to developing the Aznalcollar project. Emerita's proposal was prepared by more than 70 professionals and comprised over 10,000 pages and 300 maps, plans and sections, covering all aspects of the proposed project development. This included a strong emphasis on environmental and water management and community involvement. We look forward to working with the community and the government agencies to develop Aznalcollar into a modern, safe and environmentally responsible operation."

About the Aznalcollar Project

The key focus of the Aznalcollar project, as proposed by Emerita, would be the development of the Los Frailes deposit as an underground mining operation. The deposit thickness ranges between 30 and 90 metres. The thickest section of the ore body lies below 150 metres depth from surface. The Los Frailes and the previously mined Aznalcollar deposits are both open for further expansion by drilling at depth, as historical drilling was primarily constrained to depths accessible by open pit mining.

The historical Los Frailes open pit mineral resource, as calculated by the previous operator of the mine, was estimated to be 71 million tonnes grading 3.86% zinc, 2.18% lead, 0.34% copper and 60 ppm silver. A review of the historical drilling data indicates the potential existence of a higher grade portion of the resource that is estimated to contain 20 million tonnes grading 6.65% zinc, 3.87% lead, 0.29% copper and 84 ppm silver. This higher grade resource has been modeled by Emerita and would be the focus for the underground mining operation (see Figure 1).

A qualified person, as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has not done sufficient work on behalf of Emerita to classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource and Emerita is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. The resource estimate is a historical estimate and should not be relied upon. A summary of the historical resource estimate is available on the Government of Andalucia's website in a report prepared by the prior operator of the Aznalcollar Project entitled "Proyecto de Explotacion Yacimiento Los Frailes, Memoria Andaluza de Piritas, Boliden- Apirsa, Octubre 1994" (Los Frailes Development Project Report, Boliden-Apirsa, October 1994) along with subsequent resource estimate updates, the latest being from 2000.

Note - there is a figure associated with this release which is available at the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/161108_EMO_Figure1.pdf

About the Ruling on the Aznalcollar Appeal

The appeal was heard by four judges of the Court who ruled unanimously in a 59 page judgement to overturn the lower court's finding that there was not sufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges. The judges' decision was based on: (i) Minorbis-Grupo Mexico failing to submit the necessary documentation as required by the tender process; (ii) a failure by the Panel to award the Aznalcollar project based on the parameters and criteria of the tender process; and (iii) granting the mining rights to the Aznalcollar project to Los Frailes Mining, a company that did not participate in the tender process, contravened applicable laws governing public tenders in Spain.

The judges found that there was evidence of gross negligence and misconduct and indicated that there may be evidence of possible corruption and prevarication. As such, the Court has ordered the criminal case to be reopened against the Panel.

About Emerita Resources Corp.

Emerita is a natural resource company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in Europe, with a primary focus on exploring in Spain and Brazil. The Company's corporate office and technical team are based in Sevilla, Spain with an administrative office in Toronto, Canada.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the Aznalcollar project, the significance and impact of the Court's rulings, the results of any appeals or judicial or administrative proceedings in connection with the Aznalcollar project, participation in any public tenders, the ability of the Company to be granted any mining rights pursuant to a public tender process, historical mineral resources estimates for the Aznalcollar project, the potential of the Aznalcollar project and the Company's future plans. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Emerita, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of current exploration activities; risks associated with operation in foreign jurisdictions; ability to successfully integrate purchased properties or mining rights awarded; foreign operations risks; and other risks inherent in the mining industry. Although Emerita has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Emerita does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Contacts:

Emerita Resources Corp.

Joaquin Merino

+34 (628) 1754 66 (Spain)



Helia Bento

+1 416 309 4293 (Toronto)

info@emeritaresources.com




CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Spartan Energy Corp. ("Spartan" or the "Company") (TSX: SPE) is pleased to report its financial and operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016. Selected financial and operational information is set out below and should be read in conjunction with Spartan's September 30, 2016 interim financial statements and the related management's discussion and analysis, which are available for review at www.sedar.com or on the Company's website at www.spartanenergy.ca.

THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

Spartan's highlights for the third quarter include:

-- Achieved record average production of 12,429 boe/d (91% oil and liquids), representing a 55% percent increase over the third quarter of 2015 and a 37% increase over the second quarter of 2016. Spartan exceeded our year-end production target of 12,500 boe/d prior to the end of the third quarter. -- Completed the acquisition of light oil assets in southeast Saskatchewan producing approximately 450 boe/d for a cash purchase price of approximately $24 million. To date in 2016, Spartan has completed four consolidating acquisitions in our core southeast Saskatchewan operating area, representing approximately 3,430 boe/d of production, for an aggregate purchase price of $172.2 million. -- Completed a bought-deal equity financing of 25,415,000 common shares at a price of $3.18 per common share for gross proceeds of approximately $80.8 million. -- Drilled 26 (22.4 net) wells in the quarter and brought 21 (19.2 net) wells on production. -- Continued to reduce drilling costs, with drill, complete and equip ("DC&E") costs for single leg open-hole horizontal wells drilled after the first quarter averaging approximately $600,000. -- Reduced net general and administrative ("G&A") costs to $1.63 per boe in the third quarter, a reduction of 27% from the second quarter of 2016 and 16% from the third quarter of 2015. -- Realized an operating netback of $19.05 per boe, resulting in quarterly funds flow from operations of $18.9 million ($0.06 per basic share and $0.05 per diluted share). -- Maintained our balance sheet strength, with net debt at the end of the quarter (excluding finance lease obligations) of approximately $49 million and available liquidity of approximately $101 million.

FINANCIAL RESULTS

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Cdn$000s except per boe and Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended per share amounts) September 30 September 30 2016 2015 2016 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Average daily production (boe/d) 12,429 8,042 10,403 8,712 Net realized oil and gas sales price (excluding derivatives) ($/boe) 44.20 47.40 40.25 49.43 Royalties ($/boe)(2) 6.83 7.67 6.04 7.74 Production costs ($/boe)(1) 18.28 17.44 16.23 17.49 Operating netback ($/boe)(3) 19.05 22.29 17.96 24.20 Net general and administrative expenses ($/boe) 1.63 1.93 1.92 2.09 Interest expense ($/boe) 0.86 0.97 0.68 1.03 Funds flow from operations(3)(4) 18,922 14,341 43,791 50,122 per share - basic 0.06 0.05 0.14 0.19 per share - diluted 0.05 0.05 0.13 0.17 Net income (loss) (5) 4,102 (33,388) (15,438) (51,658) per share - basic 0.01 (0.13) (0.05) (0.20) per share - diluted 0.01 (0.13) (0.05) (0.20) Capital expenditures(6) 20,780 19,376 44,766 48,936 Net debt(3) 81,271 86,884 81,271 86,884 Net debt exclusive of finance lease obligations(3) 48,954 86,884 48,954 86,884 Bank Facility 150,000 150,000 150,000 150,000 Weighted average shares outstanding basic 329,938,297 264,277,846 303,110,506 264,270,046 diluted 356,147,715 285,637,309 327,634,815 286,853,924 1. Including transportation costs. 2. Royalties include Saskatchewan resource surcharge. 3. Funds flow from operations, operating netback, net debt and net debt exclusive of finance lease obligations are non-IFRS measures. See "Non- IFRS Measures". 4. Excluding transaction costs. 5. Net loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 includes a non-cash impairment charge of $34 million in Spartan's Alberta- Alexander and West Central Saskatchewan - Viking CGUs due to lower forecasted prices for oil and natural gas. This non-cash charge has no impact on the Company's cash flow or credit facilities and the impairment charges can be reversed in future periods if commodity prices increase. Net income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 includes a gain of $12.6 million on Spartan's Midale acquisition, completed in the third quarter of 2016, as the purchase price paid was determined to be less than the recorded fair values of the net assets acquired and liabilities assumed. 6. Excluding acquisitions.

CORPORATE AND ACQUISITION UPDATE

Spartan's strategy in 2016 has focused on preserving liquidity through the depressed commodity price cycle by limiting capital spending to cash flow, while using our financial flexibility and strong cost of capital to deliver per share growth through accretive acquisitions. We continued to deliver on this strategy in the third quarter, successfully completing the acquisition of approximately 450 boe/d in southeast Saskatchewan for aggregate consideration of approximately $24 million. To date in 2016, Spartan has completed four accretive consolidating acquisitions in our core southeast Saskatchewan operating area, adding approximately 3,430 boe/d of production, 10.1 MMboe of proved developed producing ("PDP") reserves(1), 24.4 MMboe of proved plus probable reserves(1) and 314 net drilling locations.(2) The additional drilling locations supplement our inventory of open-hole locations in southeast Saskatchewan, which deliver some of the most economic returns in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, as well as significantly expand our exposure to the frac Midale resource play in the Alameda and Pinto areas of southeast Saskatchewan.

Spartan's disciplined approach to asset valuation was reflected in the combined metrics associated with the acquisitions, as the aggregate purchase price represents $50,204 per flowing barrel of production, 6.2 times 12 month cash flow(3), $17.05 per boe of PDP reserves and $7.06 per boe of 2P reserves. The acquisitions increased our PDP reserves by 75%, our 2P reserves by 61% and our southeast Saskatchewan drilling location count by 37%. Accounting for the equity issuances used to finance the acquisitions, this was accomplished with a 30% increase to our outstanding share count while net debt was reduced by approximately $38 million. The assets purchased were also complementary to our existing asset base, resulting in minimal incremental G&A costs to Spartan. This resulted in net G&A costs for the third quarter of $1.63 per boe, a reduction of 27% from the second quarter of 2016.

In the third quarter Spartan also successfully completed a bought-deal equity financing of 25,415,000 common shares at a price of $3.18 per common share for gross proceeds of approximately $80.8 million, allowing us to maintain financial flexibility. At the end of the third quarter, our current net debt (excluding finance lease obligations) was approximately $49 million, representing 0.7x annualized third quarter cash flow, and we had approximately $101 million undrawn on our $150 million credit facility.

OPERATIONAL UPDATE

Operationally, our southeast Saskatchewan assets continue to exceed expectations. Following spring break-up, Spartan re-commenced drilling operations late in the second quarter and had two rigs actively drilling throughout the third quarter. We drilled 26 (22.4 net) development wells in the third quarter of 2016 and brought 21 (19.2 net) wells on production in the quarter. A summary of our drilling activity to date in 2016 is provided below.

Development Development Well Exploratory 2016 Drilling Program Wells Spud On Production Wells Spud ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- As at September 30, 2016 Gross Net Gross Net Gross Net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Southeast Saskatchewan - Conventional Mississippian 34 29.6 31 27.8 4 3.1 Southeast Saskatchewan - Frac Midale 11 8.5 7 5.0 - - West Central Saskatchewan - Frac Viking - - 7 5.9 - - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 45 38.1 45 38.7 4 3.1

Our open-hole drilling program was focused in our core greater Queensdale and greater Winmore operating areas and included a number of wells designed to delineate pool boundaries and extensions at Winmore. On average, open-hole wells drilled following the completion of spring break-up again delivered initial thirty day production rates ("IP30") exceeding our internal unrisked type curve. The 31 total gross open-hole wells drilled and put on production to date in 2016 have delivered an IP30 rate of approximately 130 bbls/d, 19% above our unrisked Tier 1 type curve. The Tier 1 type well on Crown land delivers an internal rate of return in excess of 260% at US$50 WTI constant pricing and pays out in approximately 7 months.

In the third quarter, Spartan also commenced drilling frac Midale wells on our Alameda property, which we acquired pursuant to our purchase of Wyatt Oil & Gas Inc. ("Wyatt") in the second quarter of 2016. We drilled four net wells in the third quarter, none of which were on production prior to the end of the quarter, and we completed and brought on production one well that was drilled prior to the quarter. We plan to drill a total of 6 net wells and bring 7 net wells on production at Alameda in 2016. Results to date have been encouraging, with the first well placed on production delivering an IP30 oil rate of 243 bbls/d, significantly exceeding our budget type curve. Our third party gas processing facility at Alameda commenced operations late in the third quarter, allowing us to tie-in previously flared gas volumes in the area.

Spartan continued to work to reduce drilling costs in the third quarter. DC&E costs for our single leg open-hole wells in Southeast Saskatchewan drilled subsequent to the end of the first quarter of 2016 averaged approximately $600,000. These cost reductions serve to further improve the best in class returns of our open hole drilling locations and resulted in capital spending for the third quarter being below budgeted levels.

Operating and transportation costs increased to $18.23 per boe in the third quarter of 2016 due to the acquisition of higher operating cost properties and due to additional maintenance, well servicing and facility turnaround requirements in the quarter. Spartan had deferred well servicing projects and facility turnarounds to the second half of 2016 as commodity price weakness in the first quarter of 2016 rendered certain workover projects uneconomic and the spring break-up period in the second quarter of 2016 restricted lease access. As commodity prices improved in the third quarter, Spartan completed these projects and realized increased production levels as a result.

Operating costs also included significant maintenance expenditures and well servicing costs on the assets acquired by the Company in 2016. Insufficient maintenance capital had been allocated to the assets prior to their acquisition by Spartan as they were considered non-core by their vendors and projects had been halted during sale processes. Upon closing of the acquisitions, Spartan proactively identified and completed a number of workovers and reactivations. These workovers increased operating and transportation expenses in the third quarter but also contributed to an increase in base production. On the Corning-Manor acquired assets, Spartan added approximately 90 bbls/d as a result of workovers and reactivations completed in the quarter. Spartan is not expecting similar maintenance cost and workover requirements moving forward.

As part of the acquisition of Wyatt, Spartan assumed a commitment for minimum gas volumes to be delivered to a gas processing facility constructed at the Alameda oil battery. The facility was completed ahead of schedule and under budget and was commissioned for operations in August 2016. Spartan began incurring gas processing fees on the delivered gas volumes in September, which are included in operating and transportation expenses.

Spartan anticipates per boe operating costs to decrease over the next two quarters as workover and maintenance activity returns to normalized levels and our drilling program at Alameda increases gas volumes into the processing facility.

INCREASE TO 2016 GUIDANCE

Spartan continues to demonstrate the repeatability of our asset base, as our open-hole wells drilled following spring break-up are currently outperforming our internal type curve. The success of the drilling program, together with production additions from workovers and reactivations, resulted in third quarter production significantly outperforming our internal budget, and we exceeded our forecasted year-end exit production rate prior to the end of the third quarter. As a result of this success, we are revising our 2016 exit guidance from 12,500 boe/d to 13,500 boe/d and our average production guidance from 10,700 boe/d to 11,200 boe/d. As a result of realized savings in DC&E costs, we are also reducing our 2016 capital expenditure budget from $68 million to $66 million. Moving into 2017, we intend to continue our business plan of measured, sustainable growth by delivering 10 to 15 percent organic production growth within cash flow while seeking to provide further shareholder value through accretive acquisitions. We anticipate formalizing our 2017 guidance in late 2016 or early 2017 based on prevailing commodity prices at the time.

OUTLOOK

Spartan has maintained discipline over the past two years of depressed commodity prices, spending within cash flow, reducing costs and enhancing per share value through accretive acquisitions. Our acquisition activity has significantly added to our location inventory, and we now have over 970 net locations in southeast Saskatchewan providing a platform for multi-year organic production growth. We have also been disciplined in managing our balance sheet, with net debt (exclusive of finance lease obligations) at the end of the third quarter of approximately $49 million, representing 0.7x annualized third quarter cash flow, and $101 million available borrowing on our $150 million credit facility. This financial flexibility positions us to continue to supplement our growth by capitalizing on high quality, accretive acquisition opportunities.

READER ADVISORY AND FOOTNOTES

Footnotes:

1. Gross Company Reserves. Reserves were prepared by GLJ Petroleum Consultants ("GLJ") and Sproule Associates Limited ("Sproule") effective December 31, 2015 using the GLJ and Sproule December 31, 2015 forecast prices and costs in accordance with National Instrument 51-101 - Standards of Disclosure of Oil and Gas Activities and the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook (the "GLJ Report"). Gross Company Reserves means the company's working interest reserves before the calculation of royalties, and before the consideration of the company's royalty interests. 2. Drilling inventory can be subdivided in three categories: (i) proved locations; (ii) probable locations; and (iii) unbooked locations. Proved locations and probable locations are derived from the the applicable independent engineering reports and account for drilling locations that have associated proved and/or probable reserves, as applicable. Unbooked locations are internal estimates based on our prospective acreage and an assumption as to the number of wells that can be drilled per section based on industry practice and internal review. Unbooked locations do not have attributed reserves or resources. Of the 314 net drilling locations identified in this press release, 78 are proved locations, 45 are probable locations and 191 are unbooked locations. Unbooked locations have been identified by management as an estimation of our multi-year drilling activities based on evaluation of applicable geologic, seismic, engineering, production and reserves information. There is no certainty that we will drill all unbooked drilling locations and if drilled there is no certainty that such locations will result in additional oil and gas reserves, resources or production. The drilling locations on which we actually drill wells will ultimately depend upon the availability of capital, regulatory approvals, seasonal restrictions, oil and natural gas prices, costs, actual drilling results, additional reservoir information that is obtained and other factors. While certain of the unbooked drilling locations have been de- risked by drilling existing wells in relative close proximity to such unbooked drilling locations, other unbooked drilling locations are farther away from existing wells where management has less information about the characteristics of the reservoir and therefore there is more uncertainty whether wells will be drilled in such locations and if drilled there is more uncertainty that such wells will result in additional oil and gas reserves, resources or production. 3. Projected cash flows from operations, cash flow accretion and production accretion based on 12 month forecast production and cash flows from the date of acquisition using a US$50 WTI oil price and $0.76 Cdn/US FX, assuming cash flow from the applicable asset is reinvested in drilling during the period.

BOE Disclosure. The term barrels of oil equivalent ("BOE") may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A BOE conversion ratio of six thousand cubic feet per barrel (6mcf/bbl) of natural gas to barrels of oil equivalence is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. All BOE conversions in the report are derived from converting gas to oil in the ratio mix of six thousand cubic feet of gas to one barrel of oil.

Forward-Looking Statements. Certain information included in this press release constitutes forward-looking information under applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "estimate", "propose", "project" or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Forward-looking information in this press release may include, but is not limited to, planned drilling and completion activities, future production and capital spending levels, year-end debt levels and the completion of potential asset acquisitions.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Spartan, including expectations and assumptions concerning the success of future drilling, development and completion activities, the performance of existing wells, the performance of new wells, the availability and performance of facilities and pipelines, the geological characteristics of Spartan's properties, the successful application of drilling, completion and seismic technology, prevailing weather and break-up conditions, commodity prices, royalty regimes and exchange rates, the application of regulatory and licensing requirements, the availability of capital, labour and services, the creditworthiness of industry partners and the satisfaction of all conditions to the closing of the asset acquisitions.

Although Spartan believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because Spartan can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general (e.g., operational risks in development, exploration and production; the uncertainty of reserve estimates; the uncertainty of estimates and projections relating to production, costs and expenses, and health, safety and environmental risks), constraint in the availability of services, commodity price and exchange rate fluctuations, adverse weather or break-up conditions and uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures. These and other risks are set out in more detail in Spartan's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2015.

Forward-looking information is based on a number of factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such information but which may prove to be incorrect. Although Spartan believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information because Spartan can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. In addition to other factors and assumptions which may be identified in this press release, assumptions have been made regarding and are implicit in, among other things, the timely receipt of any required regulatory approvals (including Court and shareholder approvals) and the satisfaction of all conditions to the completion of the transaction. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which have been used.

The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof and Spartan undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws. The forward looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Non-IFRS Measures. This press release provides certain financial measures that do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. These non-IFRS financial measures may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Funds flow from operations, operating netback and net surplus (debt) are not recognized measures under IFRS. Management believes that in addition to net income (loss), funds flow from operations, operating netback and net surplus (debt) are useful supplemental measures that demonstrate the Company's ability to generate the cash necessary to repay debt or fund future capital investment. Investors are cautioned, however, that these measures should not be construed as an alternative to net income (loss) determined in accordance with IFRS as an indication of Spartan's performance. Spartan's method of calculating these measures may differ from other companies and accordingly, they may not be comparable to measures used by other companies. Cash flow from operations is calculated by adjusting net income (loss) for other income, unrealized gains or losses on financial derivative instruments, transaction costs, accretion, share based compensation, impairment and depletion and depreciation. Operating netback is calculated based on oil and gas revenue less royalties and operating expenses. Net surplus (debt) is the total of cash plus accounts receivable, prepaids and deposits, less accounts payable plus bank debt. Net debt has also been presented exclusive of finance lease obligations, as Spartan believes that such measure is useful to evaluate Spartan's financial liquidity.

Contacts:

Spartan Energy Corp.

Richard (Rick) McHardy

President and Chief Executive Officer



Spartan Energy Corp.

Tim Sweeney

Manager, Business Development



Spartan Energy Corp.

Suite 500, 850 - 2nd Street S.W.

Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R8

403.355.2779 (FAX)

info@spartanenergy.ca




LOS ANGELES, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Agritek Holdings, Inc. (OTC PINK: AGTK), a leader in compassionate care technology and agricultural solutions for the recreational cannabis industry, today announced that voters have made Florida the 26th state and the first in the South to allow medical use of marijuana. With more than 70 percent of precincts reporting, Florida's medical marijuana initiative, Amendment 2, was favored by 71 percent of voters, 11 points more than needed to pass a constitutional amendment.

Amendment 2 recognizes marijuana as a treatment for ten (10) specified conditions and diseases:

Cancer

Epilepsy

Glaucoma

HIV

AIDS

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Crohn's disease

Parkinson's disease

Multiple sclerosis

The passing of Amendment 2 also allows Florida state licensed physicians to recommend marijuana for patients with other debilitating medical conditions of the same kind or class as or comparable to those enumerated. The Florida amendment will take effect on January 3rd 2017, after which the Florida Department of Health has six months to issue regulations for patients, caregivers (who help patients obtain and use marijuana), and medical marijuana treatment centers (which produce and dispense the drug).

Home cultivation is not permitted, and the department is charged with setting presumptive possession limits for patients. The state is expected to start issuing identification cards to qualifying patients and caregivers within nine months, and if it fails to do so a doctor's certification will authorize access to medical marijuana.

As in 2014, the top financial supporter of Amendment 2 was Orlando trial lawyer John Morgan, a major Democratic donor, while the top financial supporter the opposition campaign was casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, a major Republican donor and ardent pot prohibitionist who hopes to expand his business into Florida. But while opponents of medical marijuana spent almost as much as supporters in 2014, they were outspent almost 2 to 1 this year.

This year's version has a narrower definition of "debilitating medical condition" and clarifies the requirement for obtaining consent from parents of patients younger than 18. A law that took effect at the beginning of last year allows the use of low-THC, noncombusted marijuana by Florida residents with cancer or "a physical medical condition that chronically products symptoms of seizures or severe and persistent muscle spasms." Amendment 2 applies to a wider range of conditions, give patients access to high-THC marijuana, and lets them smoke it.

Florida is one of multiple states voting on medical cannabis this election season. Amendment 2, the Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, would let licensed physicians prescribe medical marijuana.

"We remember 2014 very well and losing our vote then by a narrow margin of 3% being the first public company within the cannabis sector headquartered in south Florida. This is the first of many extraordinary steps in a positive direction for our sector in the state. We are not planning on getting involved as we have done in the past on land purchases, seeking licenses to grow or any large infrastructure plays. Our plan is simple and strategic with the strongest foothold having the most knowledge within the sector in Florida. We plan to essentially be in the pick and shovel business. We already have one of the foremost physicians in the industry on our advisory board Dr. Stephen Holt, to help build a coalition among doctors who will be able to distribute medical marijuana under the new law. We have contracts in place with the largest encapsulation company based in Florida to provide pills or capsules to those patients who qualify and would most likely not smoke. We have just negotiated our license to distribute infused lozenges and gum tablets which may be infused with THC or CBD under a proprietary process which would be the most preferred delivery system for children with epilepsy and the elderly", stated B. Michael Friedman, CEO of Agritek Holdings Inc.

"Agritek Holdings' experience, Florida roots, public status and established relationships with physicians, vendors and knowledge of the science of cannabis will truly make us a meaningful partner as Florida moves towards the legalization process," further stated Friedman.

About Agritek Holdings, Inc.

Agritek Holdings, Inc., a pioneer within the medicinal marijuana space, provides innovative technology and agricultural solutions and seeks to be the leader in Compassionate Care Technology for the recreational cannabis industry. Agritek Holdings, Inc. does not directly grow, harvest, or distribute or sell cannabis or any substances that violate or contravene United States law or the Controlled Substances Act, nor does it intend to do so in the future.

FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER:

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Agritek Holdings, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein.

Contact:

Agritek Holdings Inc.

305.721.2727

info@agritekholdings.com




GREENWICH, CT--(Marketwired - November 09, 2016) - Fieldpoint Private, the fast-growing wealth advisory and private banking firm serving ultra-high-net-worth families and institutions, today announced that Juan Castaneda has joined the firm as Managing Director and Senior Advisor. His practice is based in Fieldpoint Private's New York City office.

Mr. Castaneda joins Fieldpoint following a decade with UBS, where he served in a series of positions on behalf of Latin American families and institutions. Most recently, he was Executive Director of Emerging Market Credit Sales and Head of Latin America. In that role he worked with family offices, banks and pension funds across a range of capital markets and structured lending services. Prior to that, Mr. Castaneda was Executive Director and Head of Latin America for UBS's Global Relationship Banking unit, based in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and a director in that business unit's New York office, developing institutional relationships across Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

Mr. Castaneda said he came to Fieldpoint because he was looking for a firm in which putting the client first is a matter of practice, rather than simply rhetoric. "I had grown concerned about conflicts of interest and perverse incentives in large, traditional firms," said Mr. Castaneda, noting that Fieldpoint Private is unusual in that it is fully unconflicted, with no in-house investment products and a strict philosophy against revenue-sharing arrangements with money managers.

"My clients have always had to accept the reality that having investment assets with big banks means tolerating conflicts of interest, whether with in-house products or so-called 'open architecture' platforms that collect fees from money managers," he added. "They have become so accustomed to this, frankly, that it takes them a little while to fully realize that it doesn't have to be this way."

Fieldpoint Private President and CEO Robert Matthews said that Mr. Castaneda's Latin American clientele is feeling increasingly unwelcome at larger global banks. "Conflicts of interest are only part of this picture. More and more, the major global banks are creating hurdles for international clients who wish to do business with them, from shutting down advisor teams to asking clients directly to take their business elsewhere," he said. "We welcome this business, and we're so pleased that Juan has decided that Fieldpoint is the right home."

About Fieldpoint Private

Headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, Fieldpoint Private (www.fieldpointprivate.com) is a boutique financial firm providing the highest degree of personalized, confidential wealth planning and private banking services. Catering to highly successful individuals, families, businesses and institutions, Fieldpoint Private offers a powerful combination of wealth management and strategy, family office, private banking and business banking services addressing every financial need for each of our clients including: wealth transfer advice, tax planning, aggregation and performance reporting, risk management, goals-based investing strategies, sophisticated investment selection, discreet and personalized banking, highly customized credit solutions, custom custody and trust solutions, highly attentive/responsive service and concierge services.

Fieldpoint Private was established in 2008 by 31 Founders with a specific vision and purpose. These extraordinary leaders of industry and community recognized the opportunity to create a financial firm totally attuned to people's individual circumstances. Our firm is built on a philosophy of exclusive membership and client-centricity. Working with a limited number of relationships gives every person the experience of belonging to an extremely selective group. The result is a new breed of institution established on the basis of personalization, responsiveness, and exclusivity, and an ensured commitment to impeccable service and consistently flawless execution. Our service approach offers a unique client experience custom crafted to each client's financial needs.

Media Contacts:

Michael White

Chief Marketing Officer

Fieldpoint Private

203.413.9340

mwhite@fieldpointprivate.com
PUNE, India, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The report"Liquid Packaging Marketby Packaging Type (Flexible, Rigid), Resin (Polyethylene, Polypropylene), End-use Industries (Food & Beverage, Industrial), Technique (Aseptic Liquid Packaging, Blow Molding, Form Fill Seal Technology) - Global Forecast to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets The global market is projected to reach USD 370.75 Billion by 2021, registering a CAGR of 5.4% between 2016 and 2021.

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This growth is fueled by the high demand from the food & beverage industry and increasing global demand for liquid packaging in Asia-Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa.

Rigid liquid packaging: The most-widely used packaging type for liquid products

Rigid liquid packaging is the most-widely used packaging type for liquid products. Rigid liquid packaging includes cartons, paperboard, glass, cans, and plastics & PET bottles. Plastics & PET bottles is the largest segment of the rigid liquid packaging type. They are widely used for packaging of liquid products such as water, carbonated drinks, alcohol, beverages, dairy products, and others. It is resistant to impact, moisture, recyclable, and chemicals.

Food & Beverage: The largest end-use industry for liquid packaging

Food & beverage is the largest end-use industry for the liquid packaging market globally. The food & beverage industry uses various liquid packaging types such as bag-in-box, stand-up pouch, plastics & PET bottles, cans, glass, films, paperboard, and cartons. They are used for packaging of various liquid products such as water, juices, dairy products, beverages, wine & spirits, detergents and household cleaning items, among others. In addition, the need to maintain shelf life of the products and protect them from contamination further drives the growth of this application in the liquid packaging market.

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Asia-Pacific: The largest liquid packaging market

Asia-Pacific is the global forerunner in the Liquid Packaging Market, in terms of value, and is expected to continue till 2021. Countries in this region such as China, India, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia are witnessing significant increase in the use of liquid packaging in food & beverage industry. This growth is mainly due to the rapid economic growth and increasing population that is driving the demand for liquid packaging type for various end-use industries in Asia-Pacific. China is estimated to be the fastest-growing market till 2021.

The liquid packaging market has a few numbers of global players competing for market share. These companies are actively investing in various strategies such as new product developments, merger & acquisitions, and expansion projects globally to increase their market share. Major players such as The Dow Chemical Company (U.S.), International Paper (U.S.), Tetra Pak International S.A. (Switzerland), Smurfit Kappa (Ireland), and Mondi Plc. (Austria), and others have adopted various organic and inorganic developmental strategies.

Browse Related Reports:

Extrusion Coating Market by Material Type (LDPE, EVA, Polypropylene, Polyethylene Terephthalate), Substrate (Paperboard, Films, Aluminum Foil, Polymer), Application (Liquid Packaging, Flexible Packaging, Commercial Packaging) - Global Forecast to 2021

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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Black Sea Copper & Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE: BLS) ("Black Sea" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of a recent field exploration program at the Zlatusha copper-gold property in western Bulgaria. Project exploration work completed to date includes detailed geological mapping and the collection of over 200 rock samples. A second phase of field exploration will focus on airborne and ground geophysics to advance targets to the drill testing phase.

Reconnaissance exploration conducted in Bulgaria between 2013 to 2015 identified a Cretaceous arc segment, similar in age and composition to the Timok Belt (90 kilometers northwest) that contains multiple geochemical and TerraSpec clay alteration anomalies, consistent with high-level porphyry environments. Historical and recent rock samples from the project area returned high grade copper and gold values including 18.25% copper (range: 5 to 182,552 ppm) and 8.5 g/t gold (range: 2.5 to 8,500 ppb). Historical drilling on the property has yielded intercepts which include 11 metres of 4.3 g/t gold and 63 metres of 0.3% copper from surface.

Project Overview. The Zlatusha license area (195 km2) lies within an emerging porphyry copper-gold/epithermal belt located northwest of Sofia, in the Western Srednogorie segment of the Banat-Timok-Srednogorie magmatic arc (Fig. 1). The project opportunity was identified by Black Sea in July 2013 after launching a detailed exploration campaign involving data acquisition, regional targeting and subsequent reconnaissance field exploration programs focused on porphyry copper-gold and epithermal gold targets throughout Bulgaria. The Zlatusha project was selected for license application based on the presence of favourable age and composition Cretaceous arc magmatic rocks, magmatic-hydrothermal mineral occurrences, and the presence of several magmatic-hydrothermal centers with outcropping copper-gold mineralization.

Geological Setting. The project area is underlain by Upper Cretaceous andesite volcanic rocks, Cretaceous carbonate and clastic sedimentary rocks, which are intruded by diorite porphyry stocks and dikes. The geological setting of these highly prospective rocks is similar to the Cukaru Peki deposit, 65 kilometres to the northwest in eastern Serbia, and to Chelopech mine, 45 kilometres to the east in Bulgaria's Panagyurishte trend.

Mineralization and Alteration. Multiple porphyry-related alteration zones, characterized by intense quartz-sericite-pyrite alteration and associated biotite altered diorite porphyry, are present at Zlatusha. Outcrops of quartz vein stockwork with chalcopyrite mineralization cutting biotite altered diorite porphyry have also been identified on the property.

Exploration Targets. The Zlatusha license contains 4 primary and multiple secondary exploration targets defined by hydrothermal alteration, and/or anomalous copper and/or gold geochemistry, interpreted to be related to epithermal and porphyry environments within a potential porphyry system. The 4 main target areas are described as follows:

To view Figure 1 - Zlatusha license area within the Upper Cretaceous Banat-Timok-Srednogorie belt, visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Figure_1_Zlatusha_license_area.jpg

Target Area 1

The first target area is defined by a deeply incised stream bed with intense quartz-sericite-pyrite and silica alteration that outcrops discontinuously over 600 metres. Rock sampling at this target area returned copper values up to 18.25% (range: 0 to 182,552 ppm) and gold values up to 8.5 g/t (range: 50 to 8,500 ppb).

Target Area 2

The second target area is a covered exploration target with historical drilling from the early 1990's, which returned 63 metres of 0.3% copper from surface. Historical rock samples from the same period included values up to 2.04 g/t gold (range: 5 to 2,040 ppb). The values are believed to be reliable but the Company has not done work to upgrade the information to current NI 43-101 standards.

Target Area 3

The third target area measures 2.0 by 1.5 kilometres and is defined by historical rock sample geochemistry and surface alteration consisting of clay-silica-sericite associated with pyrite and trace chalcopyrite. The target area contains spatially distinct alteration and mineralization consistent with epithermal and porphyry mineral deposit environments. Alteration, mineralization, and epithermal vein textures are present at the highest topographic levels of the target area. Historical drilling from the late 1990's (not compliant with NI 43-101) within the epithermal component of the system intercepted 11.0 metres of 4.3 g/t gold (ZL-2: 109 to 120 m) and 11 metres of 3.6 g/t gold (Zl-9A: 2.7 to 13.7 m). Exposures at the lowest topographic levels contain abundant quartz-sericite alteration and sporadic chalcopyrite disseminations. Historical rock sampling produced values up to 5.93% copper (range: 2.5 to 59,320 ppm) and 4.2 g/t gold (range: 2.5 to 4,200 ppb). The close spatial association between epithermal and porphyry environments at this target may be an indication that these systems are superimposed or telescoped.

Target Area 4

The fourth target area contains an alteration footprint consisting of quartz-sericite-pyrite and marbleized limestone measuring at least 1.5 by 1.0 kilometres. This alteration footprint is centered on a series of northwest-trending Cretaceous dioritic intrusions that form the core of the Zlatusha land position.

Project Status. The Zlatusha license was approved by the Bulgarian Council of Ministers in June, 2016. Black Sea is expecting issuance of the formal exploration permit from the Minister of Energy shortly.

Comments on Sampling, Assaying, QA/QC, and Nearby Projects. The Company's geochemical samples were collected in accordance with CIM Best Practice standards and guidelines. The samples were submitted to ALS Chemex laboratories in Romania for sample preparation and Vancouver, Canada (ISO 9001:2000 and 17025:2005 accredited) for analysis. Gold was analyzed by fire assay with an AAS finish, and the multi-element data underwent aqua regia digestion and analysis with MS/AES techniques. As standard procedure, Black Sea conducts routine QA/QC analysis on all assay results, including the systematic utilization of certified reference materials, blanks, and field duplicates. The nearby deposits and advanced projects in the region provide context for Zlatusha, which occurs in a similar geologic setting. However, this is not necessarily indicative that Zlatusha hosts similar mineralization.

Qualified Person. Daniel MacNeil, MSc P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has read and approved all technical and scientific information contained in this news release. Mr. MacNeil is responsible for the Company's project acquisitions and development.

About Black Sea Copper & Gold

Black Sea Copper & Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration company active in the Black Sea region of Eastern Europe. The Company has over 4 years of regional experience both technically and operationally within Bulgaria, Serbia, Turkey and Romania, and has established a compliment of local technical, logistical, community and corporate support. Black Sea has demonstrated its ability to identify new copper-gold porphyry and epithermal targets, and believes it has one of the most extensive proprietary geological/exploration databases for Eastern Europe in the industry. The Company is committed to building a robust portfolio of high quality copper and gold projects with the potential to become world-class mining assets.

Vince Sorace, President and CEO, Black Sea Copper & Gold Corp.

For further information regarding Black Sea Copper & Gold, please visit our website at www.blacksea.ca.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Black Sea Copper & Gold believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such material risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, Black Sea Copper & Gold's ability to raise sufficient capital to fund its obligations under its property option agreements, to maintain its mineral tenures and concessions in good standing, to explore and develop its projects, to repay its debt and for general working capital purposes; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; the ability of Black Sea Copper & Gold to obtain the necessary permits and consents required to explore, drill and develop the projects and if obtained, to obtain such permits and consents in a timely fashion relative to Black Sea Copper & Gold's plans and business objectives for the projects; the general ability of Black Sea Copper & Gold to drill test its projects and find mineral resources; if any mineral resources are discovered or acquired, the Company's ability to monetize any such mineral resources; and changes in environmental and other laws or regulations that could have an impact on the Company's operations. Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable beliefs, estimates and opinions of Black Sea Copper & Gold's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Black Sea Copper & Gold undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Contacts:

Black Sea Copper & Gold Corp.

(604) 628-5623

(604) 647-6613 (FAX)

www.blacksea.ca




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Identillect Technologies Corp. (the "Company" or "Identillect") (TSX VENTURE: ID) is pleased to announce the initial success with WYNN Network Associates Medical Insurance Brokerage ("WYNN Network Associates") which has begun implementing the use of Delivery Trust within its network of health insurance agents across 4 states within the U.S.

Based in Atlanta, Georgia WYNN Network Associates is licensed in Georgia, Alabama, Florida and South Carolina, and services over 500 health insurance professionals. These health professionals provide medical health insurance services to a network of individuals and business professionals.

Mr. Douglas Wynn, President and CEO of WYNN Network Associates stated, "As an insurance broker it is paramount to our business to educate and make the best cyber security tools available to our agents and clients. During open enrollment we have taken special care to educate our agents and make Delivery Trust available to them. WYNN Network Associates has selected Identillect's Delivery Trust as the cyber security tool for our agents. We made this decision based on the security and simplicity of their product."

Todd Sexton, CEO of Identillect stated, "Cyber threats have changed the way companies do business, the need to secure individuals personal information is ever-present and we are pleased to provide security for WYNN Network Associates community of agents. Medical security requirements are the most stringent amongst all regulations and Identillect makes complying with those regulations simple and inexpensive."

Health care represents one of the largest industries affected by data breaches and Identillect has developed a special program designed for insurance brokers to easily implement this system for all their agents ensuring HIPAA compliant secure email to insurance agents.

About WYNN Network Associates

WYNN Network Associates takes pride in finding the best, most cost effective products to suit our agents and client needs. As licensed and certified benefits specialists who focus on helping families obtain health insurance coverage pursuant to The Affordable Care Act, WYNN Network Associates prides itself on making a family of insurance products to suit all of your needs at the most affordable price possible.

About Identillect

Identillect's Delivery Trust proprietary e-mail encryption delivery technology is targeted at organizations of all sizes, as well as individuals, and is sold to consumers on a monthly subscription basis. The product can be accessed by customers on both desktop and mobile devices, and messages are secured with patented, state-of-the-art encryption technology with the click of a button, ensuring their safety while in transit. Since commercializing the product, Identillect has quickly grown its subscriber base and is becoming recognized in the security industry as a top e-mail security provider. Visit https://identillect.com/ to learn more.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of:

IDENTILLECT TECHNOLOGIES CORP.

Todd Sexton, Chief Executive Officer

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws.

Contacts:

Identillect Technologies Corp.

Todd Sexton

Chief Executive Officer

(949) 468-7878

todd.sexton@identillect.com



Investor Relations:

Arlen Hansen

Kin Communications

1-866-684-6730

id@kincommunications.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Cameo Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: CRU)(OTC PINK: SIDNF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that the company has signed a Letter of Intent with Green Fields Hydroponics of Portland Oregon. This is step two in the process to develop and commercialize an initial hydroponics business. This first venture will use the GFH business model for a comprehensive plan to cultivate, process and sell marijuana and hemp products with an emphasis on medical uses.

The cannabis industry is starting to explode in size. In addition to the current five States and several Canadian Provinces (Federal Government slowly legalizing), nine US States are voting November 8th to legalize marijuana sales. This is expected to quickly result in retail sales in the billions of dollars. These events are expected to create one of the biggest wealth grabs in history transforming those participating in the businesses into millionaires overnight.

Green Fields has a presence in several States; in Colorado where legalization of marijuana is about to generate $6.7 billion in new wealth this year alone having created 18,000 jobs and $1 billion in revenue; in Washington State where a Seattle newspaper reported that dispensaries in the State have sold more than $1 billion worth of recreational marijuana since it was legalized in 2014; in Oregon where nearly $60 million worth of recreational marijuana was sold during the first five months of taxed sales, according to estimated just released State figures. GFH has identified several such opportunities and the parties will select the best one suited for Cameo's initial project.

Akash Patel, president of Cameo, remarks that: "Signing of this LOI brings Cameo closer to broadening its the scope beyond its ongoing commitment to mineral exploration. The company looks to source, develop, and distribute products through retail outlets starting in one of the three States, Washington, Oregon or Colorado. We expect to complete our due diligence and complete a definitive agreement by year end."

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Akash Patel, President

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Cameo Resources Inc.

Akash Patel

President

Email: akashp006@gmail.com

www.cameoresources.com




Dr. Kenneth Lam, CEO & deputy chairman of Quam Financial Services Group, Mr. Bernard Pouliot, chairman of Quam Financial Services Group and Mr. Calvin Chiu, deputy chief executive officer of Quam Securities Company Limited officiated at the Quam Direct Spot opening ceremony.



HONG KONG, Nov 9, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - Quam Securities Co Ltd, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Quam Limited (HK:0952), inaugurated the first Quam Direct Spot today, at Shop A1, Leighton Road in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.Trading at Quam DirectThe Quam Direct mobile platform helps to optimize and facilitate investment decisions by allowing investors trade stocks, futures, options, equity options, intraday margin and subscribe IPOs shares from a single account whilst on the go. Quam Direct Spot, the first physical outlet of Quam Direct, provides investors access to information about the mobile platform and allows them to open a trading account with the assistance of financial professionals.Quam Direct Spot Opening CeremonyMr. Bernard Pouliot, chairman of Quam Financial Services Group, Dr. Kenneth Lam, CEO & deputy chairman of Quam Financial Services Group, and Mr. Calvin Chiu, deputy chief executive officer of Quam Securities Company Limited, presided over the opening ceremony and gave the commencement announcement. Other attendees involved members of the senior management from Quam Financial Services Group as well as media representatives from Hong Kong and China."A physical store allowed us to provide onsite customer service for all of our investor's trading needs. Our representatives can assist investors and answer any questions that they may have about the Quam Direct mobile platform in person. Investors may also open an account with us on the spot," said Mr. Bernard Pouliot, chairman of Quam Financial Services Group.Dr. Kenneth Lam, CEO & deputy chairman of Quam Financial Services Group stated "Information technology has become a key element in economic development and has brought about fundamental changes in the financial industry. Quam Direct was developed in response to customer demand, the mobile application together with a physical outlet, is designed to provide the best clients support."Starting from the right, Dr. Kenneth Lam, CEO & deputy chairman of Quam Financial Services Group, Mr. Bernard Pouliot, chairman of Quam Financial Services Group, and Mr. Calvin Chiu, deputy chief executive officer of Quam Securities Company Limited officiate at the first Quam Direct Spot opening ceremony, Shop A1, G/F, 37 Leighton Road in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong on November 5, 2016.About Quam Securities Company LimitedSince its inception in 1986, Quam Securities Company Limited (Quam Securities) has grown to become one of the few mid-tier securities brokerages in Hong Kong with global execution capabilities for both private and institutional clients. It boasts a well-established network in Greater China including Taiwan and in major world markets through the Global Alliance Partners (GAP). Quam Securities is well-positioned not only to harness and drive business within Quam Group but also between China and the world markets.Quam Securities operates round-the-clock to facilitate dealings on major exchanges worldwide. It excels in providing quick and efficient execution for trading in securities and derivatives markets. Quam Securities provides professional service in institutional research, brokerage, and placements -- helping both private and public companies raise capital. Quam Securities also offers independent financial advisory services and customized solutions to individual and corporate clients through the one-stop investment platform of its Wealth Management division. For more information on Quam Securities, please visit its website at www.quamsecurities.com.About Quam LimitedQuam Limited ("Quam") is a Hong Kong-based financial services group which was listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (HK:0952) in 1997. The core businesses of the Group are now comprising Quam Securities, Quam Capital, Quam Asset Management, Quam Wealth Management and Quamnet.com. By utilizing the best of both its online resources and solid expertise, Quam strives to become the ideal partner for both corporate and individual investors in Hong Kong and China. Quam also offers premier one-stop financial services to its clients. In addition, Quam provides capital markets services through its representative offices or the wholly-owned foreign enterprises in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Shenyang, Ningbo, Dalian, Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Xiamen of the PRC and through its Global Alliance Partners network in Japan, Thailand, UAE, the United States, the UK, Indonesia, Jordan and Australia. For more information on Quam, please visit its website at www.quamlimited.com.For further enquiries, please contact:Quam IRMs Jane Chan, Tel: (852) 2217 2906, E-mail: jane.chan@quamgroup.comMs Stella Yuen, Tel: (852) 2217 2908, E-mail: stella.yuen@quamgroup.comMr Tong Man Fung, Tel: (852) 2217 2682, E-mail: mf.tong@quamgroup.comSource: Quam LimitedCopyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Light Reading, in partnership with KNect365, has launched a new online community, Connecting Africa (www.connectingafrica.com), which will track, analyze and report on all the major developments in Africa's communications market, identifying the key trends and talking to the movers and shakers who are transforming the continent.

Connecting Africa will provide news coverage and analysis of the forces that are shaping digital Africa and will chart the latest developments, examining their potential to enable pivotal socioeconomic development.

The community will be the online portal that provides year-round coverage of a market that meets at the upcoming annual AfricaCom event (https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom) in Cape Town, as well as at the regional events, Nigeria Com (https://tmt.knect365.com/nigeria-com), East Africa Com (https://tmt.knect365.com/eastafricacom) and West Africa Com (https://tmt.knect365.com/west-africa-com).

Connecting Africa will span all relevant topics and issues, including: mobile money; mobile content; broadband connectivity; digital inclusion; the role of OTT content and applications; the role of 4G and road to 5G; cloud, virtualization, big data and other enterprise ICT developments; IoT and the development of smart cities; the startup community, and much more.

Leading the editorial coverage on Connecting Africa is Community Managing Editor Amy Turner, who will be supported by Light Reading's Editor-in-Chief Ray Le Maistre and News Editor Iain Morris.

"Many markets in Africa have made significant progress towards becoming a digital society, supported by enhanced international connectivity and greater investments in fixed and mobile connectivity, and have led the way in developing innovative mobile finance services," says Le Maistre. "This is a great time to be launching a dedicated online community that tracks the many different communications developments that are impacting individuals, businesses and whole nations."

"Like the region and sectors it serves, AfricaCom and its respective regional events have gone through a massive transformation this year, cementing their position at the forefront of the most dynamic markets and trends in the world," says Turner. "The launch of Connecting Africa will see, for the first time, an online community serving both delegates of the KNect365 African portfolio of events, and the wider tech and telco community. This will facilitate a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the sector and the opportunities such insight can afford. In a telco sector worth more than $65 billion by 2018, Connecting Africa is undoubtedly the community for the architects of Africa's digital future."

AfricaCom's week-long festival of events takes place at the CTICC (Cape Town International Convention Centre), Cape Town, South Africa, November 14-18.

Connecting Africa will feature a combination of editorial and sponsored content. Community sponsorship opportunities are available; contact sales@lightreading.com for more information. Follow Connecting Africa on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AllAboutCom/), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/1791545), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/AllAboutCom).

About Connecting Africa

The Connecting Africa community site (www.connectingafrica.com) is intended for communications industry professionals, regulators, government officials, investors and enterprise CIOs who must ensure that they are up to date with the communications networking and services transformation underway in Africa. The Connecting Africa community site examines the challenges and opportunities associated with the funding, planning, deployment and operation of communications networks in Africa and the impact that the services running over those networks is having on individuals, businesses, governments and entire national economies. It offers unique insights from communications industry executives, analysts and experienced journalists.

Contact:

Amy Averbook

averbook@lightreading.com




CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Genoil Inc. (OTCBB: GNOLF), the publicly traded clean technology engineering company for the petroleum industry, today announced the signing of a $50 billion Letter of Intent (LOI) to develop oil fields and construct clean technology upgraders, refineries and pipelines in Russia. The project will incorporate Genoil's efficient clean technology hydroconversion (GHU) process, and mark the second time that Genoil will provided a complete integrated project, from the development of oil fields to the production of cleaner fuels. The scope of the project is to produce 3.5 million barrels per day.

Genoil's hydroconversion process improves upon the existing data-verified Fixed Bed Hydroconversion technology, which is widely used worldwide. Currently, 85% of all desulphurisation is taking place worldwide via hydroconversion. Genoil's investment into hydroconversion projects can significantly increase the desulphurisation, demetalisation and denitrogenisation conversion rates, and increase operating efficiencies by 75%.

In addition to the development of the oilfields and construction of the technology, the parties involved will also explore linking this new project to existing pipeline networks in the region. The finance will be provided in full from Chinese banks to the Russian companies involved.

As agreed in the LOI, Genoil will be responsible for the design and construction of six million tonnes per year of new refinery capacity in Chechnya. To facilitate this, Genoil will organise a large consortium of Chinese engineering and services companies, with many years of operational experience, to provide all the necessary support and project guarantees. In addition to project guarantees, Genoil will arrange for a leading Chinese insurance company to insure the entire project.

The LOI has been signed by the President of the Board of Directors of Grozneft, a former official in the administrative department of the Russian Federation. The Russian Government and the Ministry of Fuel and Energy of the Russian Federation, as well as other required ministries and departments will give their full support to this project to ensure timely completion. The project will be listed in a trade agreement, pact or cooperation agreement between Russia and China.

Thomas F. Bugg, Vice President of Genoil Canada, commented: "The negotiation of this LOI marks an important milestone from Genoil, demonstrating that we can act as a service provider as well as a technology provider. Building on our previous Letter of Intent from a Chinese bank in April of this year, this latest agreement further supports our commitment to develop sustainable energy sources, helping to solve the supply challenges we face now and in the future."

As with the project in the Middle East defined in the $ 5 Billion LOI signed in April 7, 2016((1)). Genoil will be the master contractor in charge and in control of the project. Fuel produced from the projects will be exported to China through secured long-term contracts of up to 30 years.

(1) http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/consortium-genoil-beijing-petrochemical-receives-us5-billion-dollar-bank-letter-intent-otcbb-gnolf-2115242.htm

About Genoil Inc.:

Genoil is a publicly traded Canadian clean technology engineering company for the petroleum industries. Genoil is headquartered in Edmonton Alberta, with offices in Calgary, Sherwood Park, New York City, and around the world. Genoil's has developed its proprietary technology, the Hydroconversion Upgrader (GHU), which converts heavy crude oils and refinery bottoms into clean burning fuels for transportation industries including shipping. The GHU can be placed in remote locations, including receiving terminals, pipelines and ports. The company operates one of the largest and most advanced pilot & design test facilities in the world, from its 147-acre site in Alberta, Canada. David Lifschultz, who is CEO of Genoil, was a partner of President Elect Donald Trump in Lifschultz Industries (http://genoil.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/July-27-1992-Fortune.pdf)

About The Genoil Hydroconversion Upgrader:

The Genoil Hydroconversion Upgrader (GHU), is an advanced upgrading and desulfurization technology, which converts heavy or sour crude oil into much more valuable light low sulfur oil for a very low cost. The Genoil GHU was designed to be versatile, can be placed at many different locations, either upstream at oil fields, or downstream at refineries, in a standalone form at ports and other logistical locations.

The GHU achieves 96% pitch conversion and 95% desulfurization with an operating cost of up to 75% less than the competition. For Conoco Canada Ltd, Genoil converted their bitumen of 6-8.5 API and converted it to 24.5 API. We also removed 92% of the sulfur reducing the amount from 5.14 % to below 0.24%. This test was entirely monitored by Conoco Canada Ltd, who also took all samples and had them analyzed by Core Laboratories, one of the largest service providers of core and fluid analysis in the petroleum industry.

Contacts:

Georgey Routen

BLUE

T: 01865 514214

E: georgina.routen@blue-comms.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Callinex Mines Inc. (the "Company" or "Callinex") (TSX VENTURE: CNX)(OTCQX: CLLXF) is pleased to announce it has filed three National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) technical reports (the "Reports") supporting the Mineral Resource Estimates on its Point Leamington, Nash Creek and Superjack zinc projects (the "Projects"), located in Eastern Canada. These Projects host near-surface mineralization with mineral resources totaling 712 million pounds of zinc equivalent mineralization ("Zn Eq.") contained within 9.0 million Indicated tonnes grading 3.6% Zn Eq., and 2.3 billion pounds of Zn Eq. within 18.4 million Inferred tonnes grading 5.7% Zn Eq. (See Table 1). These projects provide the Company with significant leverage and optionality to rising zinc prices.

Max Porterfield, President and CEO, stated, "These projects provide excellent optionality for our shareholders as the zinc market moves ahead. The zinc price was recently quoted near USD$1.12, up from USD$0.80 when we announced these acquisitions. With relatively few advanced-stage zinc projects available, we believe these assets will continue to provide inherent leverage while we focus on our new zinc and precious metals discovery near Flin Flon, Manitoba."

As the zinc market continues to move forward, the Company will evaluate options to monetize these deposits. Presently, zinc is in a supply-demand deficit that is projected to increase further over the next several years and forecasted to lead to a higher longer term price.

The Point Leamington Project, consisting of Mining Lease 136(2655), is located approximately 37km by road and trails from the city of Grand-Falls Windsor, Newfoundland, and approximately 20km from the provincial power grid. The deposit is a large, felsic-hosted zinc rich VMS deposit that dips 70 degrees to the west, has a strike length of 500m and a maximum thickness of 85m. Massive sulphides have been intercepted to a depth of 360m below surface from a total of approximately 21,714m of drilling in 72 drill holes. Regional government mapping and lithogeochemical sampling has indicated that the Point Leamington Project's host volcanic stratigraphy extends well beyond the vicinity of the deposit.

The Nash Creek and Superjack projects are located within the Bathurst Mining Camp ("BMC") of New Brunswick, Canada, and benefit from excellent infrastructure including road access to an operating processing facility approximately 90km and 50km by road. The BMC has been one of the most productive and economically significant base metal mining districts in the world. In total, more than 130 million tonnes of ore have been extracted from at least ten mines, nearly all of which has been mined since the 1950s.

Table 1: Mineral Resource Estimates for the Nash Creek, Superjack and Point Leamington Projects

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indicated Mineral Resources ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contained Zn Eq. Zn Pb Ag Au Cu Zn Eq. ('000 Project Tonnes (%) (%) (%) (g/t) (g/t) (%) pounds) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nash Creek 9,033,000 3.58 2.79 0.57 18.16 n/a n/a 711,991 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 9,033,000 3.58 2.79 0.57 18.16 n/a n/a 711,991 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inferred Mineral Resources ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contained Zn Eq. Zn Pb Ag Au Cu Zn Eq. ('000 Project Tonnes (%) (%) (%) (g/t) (g/t) (%) pounds) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Point Leamington 14,093,000 6.15 1.86 0.02 17.12 1.07 0.42 1,911,000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Superjack 3,211,000 4.63 3.01 0.78 29.46 n/a 0.27 327,618 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nash Creek 1,113,000 3.58 2.83 0.57 15.51 n/a n/a 87,883 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 18,417,000 5.73 2.13 0.19 19.17 0.82 0.37 2,326,501 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes:

1. Resources are categorized according to CIM Definition Standards; it cannot be assumed that all or any part of Inferred Mineral Resources will be upgraded to Indicated or Measured as a result of continued exploration. 2. The Nash Creek mineral resource estimate includes the Hickey Zone and Hayes Zone. 3. The Superjack mineral resource estimates includes the Nepisiguit A and Nepisiguit C Zones. 4. Zinc equivalent resources for the Nash Creek Project were calculated using metal prices of $0.90/lb for zinc, $0.87/lb for lead, and 17.73/oz for silver. Metallurgical recoveries have been assumed to be 90.5% for zinc, 81.5% for lead and 50% for silver. A cut-off grade of 2.0% Zn Eq. was utilized in the resource estimate. 5. Zinc equivalent resources for the Superjack Project were calculated using metal prices of $1.12/lb for zinc, $1.06/lb for lead, $2.97/lb for zinc and 20.38/oz for silver. Metal recoveries have been assumed to be 100% for zinc, 72% for lead, 86% for copper and 70% for silver. A cut- off grade of 1.5% Zn Eq. was utilized in the resource estimate. 6. Zinc equivalent resources for the Point Leamington Project were calculated using metals prices of $0.94/lb for zinc, $1.00/lb for lead, $3.69/lb for copper, $1,380/oz for gold and $22.73/oz for silver. Metallurgical recoveries have been assumed to be 100%. A cut-off grade of 4.0% Zn Eq. was utilized in the resource estimate.

Cameron Bartsch, M.Sc.,P.Geo., a Qualified Person with Tetra Tech Canada, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained within this news release.

About Callinex Mines Inc.

Callinex Mines Inc. is focused on discovering and developing zinc and copper rich mines within prolific Canadian VMS mining jurisdictions. The Company is actively exploring its Pine Bay Project, located in the Flin Flon mining district of Manitoba, which hosts significant historic VMS deposits that are within close proximity to a processing facility. The larger project portfolio hosts three significant zinc rich mineral resources including the Point Leamington, Nash Creek and Superjack Projects located in Eastern Canada.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to future expenditures. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, among others, the ability to complete contemplated work programs and the timing and amount of expenditures. Callinex does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

Contacts:

Callinex Mines Inc.

Max Porterfield

President and Chief Executive Officer

(604) 605-0885

info@callinex.ca

www.callinex.ca




Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
LOS ANGELES, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Agritek Holdings, Inc. (OTC PINK: AGTK), a leader in compassionate care technology and agricultural solutions for the recreational cannabis industry, today announced that the voters of California approved Proposition 64 on Tuesday evening, now making California the most populous state in the nation to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.

The approval of the ballot measure, which led in recent polls, would essentially create the largest market for marijuana products in the United States.

"We are very excited that citizens of California voted to end the failed policy of marijuana prohibition," said Nate Bradley, executive director of the California Cannabis Industry Assn. "Proposition 64 will allow California to take its rightful place as the center of cannabis innovation, research and develop."

The initiative of Prop 64 will allow Californians who are 21 and older to possess, transport and buy up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and to use it for recreational purposes. The measure would also allow retail sales of marijuana and impose a 15% tax.

With financial support from former Facebook President Sean Parker and New York hedge fund billionaire George Soros, the campaign in favor of Prop 64 was able to raise close to $16 million, about 10 times the money brought in by the opposition.

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom was the face of the campaign, arguing that the national "war on drugs" has failed while disproportionately hurting minority residents and wasting law enforcement resources.

"Our faith and early bet on the voters and state of California to finally legitimize the cannabis marketplace for medical research, retail and recreational sales is truly a milestone in the change of mindset of the American people. With our recent purchase and acquisition of Sterling Classic Compassion as a qualified non-profit to make application for a recreational license and the roll out of our 'California Premiums' (www.CaliforniaPremiums.com) brand by December, as well as our strategic partnership with WoahStork.com a web based platform for online orders for qualified patients, we are truly becoming a company to recognize within this sector," stated B. Michael Friedman, CEO of Agritek Holdings Inc.

About Agritek Holdings, Inc.

Agritek Holdings, Inc., a pioneer within the medicinal marijuana space, provides innovative technology and agricultural solutions and seeks to be the leader in Compassionate Care Technology for the recreational cannabis industry. Agritek Holdings, Inc. does not directly grow, harvest, or distribute or sell cannabis or any substances that violate or contravene United States law or the Controlled Substances Act, nor does it intend to do so in the future.

FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER:

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Agritek Holdings, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3078178



Agritek Holdings, Inc.

305.721.2727

info@agritekholdings.com




PUNE, India, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

According to a new market research report "Western Blotting Market by Product (Instruments, Consumables), Application (Biomedical & Biochemical Research, Disease Diagnostics), End User (Academic & Research Institutes, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies) - Global Forecasts to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, this report studies the global Western Blotting Market for the forecast period of 2016 to 2021. This market is expected to reach USD 730.7 Million by 2021 from USD 574.8 Million in 2016, growing at a CAGR of 4.9 %.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 )



Browse 132 market data Tables and 41 Figures spread through 169 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Western Blotting Market"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/western-blotting-market-235810711.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.

The global Western Blotting Market is segmented on the basis of product, application, end user and region

By product, the Western Blotting Market is categorized into consumables and instruments. The consumables segment is expected to command the largest share of the global Western Blotting Market, by product in 2016. This is attributed to factors such as increasing use of western blotting in research & diagnosis and rising incidence of diseases that require western blotting for diagnosis. The western blotting instruments are further segmented into gel electrophoresis instruments, blotting systems, and imagers. The blotting systems segment is expected to account for the largest share of the western blotting instruments market, by type in 2016. The semi-dry blotting systems are expected to command the largest share of blotting systems market, by type and are likely to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The largest share of this segment is attributed to high sensitivity, low run time, and high efficiency.

On the basis of application, the global Western Blotting Market is segmented biomedical & biochemical research, disease diagnostics, agriculture and others (biologics and quality control). The biomedical & biochemical research segment is expected to account for the largest share of the global Western Blotting Market, by application in 2016. This can be attributed to the rising government spending in proteomics research, and increased R&D spending by pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies in drug discovery and development. However, the disease diagnostics segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2016 to 2021. This can be attributed rising prevalence and incidences of HIV, HSV, HBV, and Lyme disease, among others.

On the basis of end user, the Western Blotting Market is segmented into academic & research institutes, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies, diagnostic centers and others (CROs, food & beverage companies and forensic laboratories). In 2016, the academic & research institutes segment is expected to command the largest share of the global Western Blotting Market, by end user. This can be attributed to the increasing research activities in the academic institutes backed by government funding and HIV initiatives by various governments across the globe. However, the disease diagnostics segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2016 to 2021.

On the basis of region, the global market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World. In 2016, North America is poised to account for the largest share of the Western Blotting Market, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. However, the Asia-Pacific market is slated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Factors such as development of bioclusters in China and India, growing pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector in Japan, growing funding for agriculture research in India, increasing government interest in biomedical & biotechnology industry in China, increasing diagnosis and related funding for HIV in Australia, and growing prevalence of HSV in south east Asia are expected to propel the growth of the Western Blotting Market in the Asia-Pacific region.

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Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (U.S.), GE Healthcare (U.S.), Advasta, Inc. (U.S.), LI-COR Biosciences (U.S.), PerkinElmer, Inc. (U.S.), Bio-Techne Corporation (U.S.), Merck KGaA (Germany), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland), and Cell Signaling Technology, Inc. (U.S.) are some of the key players in the Western Blotting Market worldwide.

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Press-release

Krasnodar

November 9, 2016

PJSC "Magnit" Announces the 2nd Coupon Yield Payment

Krasnodar, Russia (November 9, 2016): Magnit PJSC, one of Russia's leading retailers (the "Company"; MOEX and LSE: MGNT), announces the 2nd coupon yield payment against bonds of the BO-001P-01 series.

Please be informed that today PJSC "Magnit" fulfilled its obligation of the second coupon redemption against bonds of the BO-001P-01 series in the amount of 558,500,000 rubles.

Parameters of the bond issue:

Type of securities: Non-convertible interest-bearing certified exchange-traded bonds of PJSC "Magnit" of the BO-001P-01 series to the bearer with the obligatory centralized custody, placed under the Program of the exchange-traded bonds with the identification number of 4-60525-P-001P-02E as of 23.10.2015, International Stock Identification Number (ISIN) RU000A0JVXM8 Identification number of the securities issue and the date of its assignment: 4B02-01-60525-P-001P of 05.11.2015 Coupon period which the yield is paid for: The second coupon period ( 11.05.2016-09.11.2016 )

The total amount of the interest to be paid against bonds:

558,500,000 rubles excluding tax and other deductions

The amount of the interest to be paid against one bond:

55.85 rubles The total number of bonds against which the yield is paid: 10,000,000 bonds The method of payment: Monetary funds in the currency of the Russian Federation by means of non-cash settlement

The record date:

November 8, 2016





The date of the obligation fulfillment:





November 9, 2016

The total amount of the interest paid against bonds following the reporting period:

Following the 2nd coupon period the amount of 558,500,000 rubles was paid excluding tax and other deductions. Obligation has been fulfilled.

For further information, please contact:

Timothy Post Head of Investor Relations

Email: post@magnit.ru

Office: +7-861-277-4554 x 17600 Investor Relations Office MagnitIR@magnit.ru

Direct Line: +7-861-277-4562

Website: ir.magnit.com/ Media Inquiries Media Relations Department

press@magnit.ru

Company description:

Public Joint Stock Company "Magnit" is one of Russia's leading retailers. Founded in 1994, the company is headquartered in the southern Russian city of Krasnodar. As of September 30, 2016, Magnit operated 33 distribution centers and 13,364 stores (10,138 convenience, 407 hypermarkets and 2,819 drogerie stores) in 2,436 cities and towns throughout 7 federal regions of the Russian Federation.

In accordance with the reviewed IFRS consolidated financial statements for 1H 2016, Magnit had revenues of RUB 522 billion and an EBITDA of RUB 52 billion. Magnit's local shares are traded on the Moscow Exchange (MOEX: MGNT) and its GDRs on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: MGNT) and it has a credit rating from Standard & Poor's of BB+. Measured by market capitalization, Magnit is one of the largest retailers in Europe.
DUBLIN, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Breaking Down Barriers: Challenges for Global Commercial Card Programs" report to their offering.

Breaking Down Barriers: Challenges for Commercial Global Card Programs examines the methods by which bank issuers can expand beyond local currency offers to better service corporate clients and manage more difficult markets.

The ability to offer a seamless global commercial card program to multinational corporations (MNCs) has been seen as a key goal by some large issuers during the past decade. As global programs have grown, regulations, legal issues, and disruptive competition have forced issuers to adapt and to evolve their value propositions so that various hurdles do not impact implementation and revenue growth from commercial cards.

"Being able to self-issue commercial cards in multiple regions and countries is a capability that many issuers would like to have but lack the global footprint to accomplish. Benefits of global self-issuance include full revenue recognition and managing client relationships at a local level and controlling the quality of data feeds to corporate customers, but issuers often choose an alliance method," commented Steve Murphy, Director of Commercial and Enterprise Payments Advisory Service, and author of the report. "A major downside to the alliance model is that the partnerships with local banks can be developed in a rather ad-hoc manner, making it easy to lose visibility and control of the client relationship and revenue stream outside of the issuer's home market."

Highlights of the research note include:

- Description of three models for achieving global programs

- Discussion of the benefits and likely pitfalls of each model

- A detailed review of regulatory challenges is various markets

- Deeper examination of two important markets and the effects of interchange regulation

- Other upcoming considerations in making the choice to issue multinationally

Companies Mentioned

- American Express

- Citibank

- MasterCard

- Visa

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8prnb6/breaking_down

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

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MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Garda World Security Corporation ("GardaWorld"), one of the world's largest privately owned security and cash services provider, has entered, as of November 9, 2016, into an amending agreement to its Credit Agreement dated as of November 8, 2013, with the participation of Macquarie Capital Funding LLC.

The Incremental Agreement, financed among others by some of GardaWorld's current lenders, provides a term incremental facility in an aggregate amount of US$125 million, the proceeds of which shall be used to repay all the outstanding revolving facilities and for general corporate purposes.

About GardaWorld

GardaWorld is one of the world's largest privately owned security services company, offering a range of highly focused business solutions including cash services, protective services and aviation services. Each day, GardaWorld solves tough problems; we secure global commerce and protect our clients' people, assets and reputations. They see us as a vital interconnected partner. In less than two decades, our work has taken us from the oil fields of Kurdistan to the financial institutions of the US and airports in Canada. We operate across a broad range of sectors, including financial services, infrastructure, natural resources and retail. Our clients include Fortune 500 companies, governments and humanitarian relief organizations. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, our 62,000 highly trained, dedicated professionals serve clients in North America, Africa and the Middle East.

Contacts:

Isabelle Panelli

Director, Marketing and Corporate Affairs

+1 514 281 2811 x2550

media@garda.com

www.garda.com




NEW YORK, NY -- November 9, 2016 -- Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTC PINK: TAUG) ("Tauriga" or the "Company"), a life sciences technology company, has filed its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2016, its fiscal first quarter. The Company must still file its Quarterly Report for the period ended September 30, 2016, its second fiscal quarter ("Second Quarter Report"). The Company anticipates that it will complete this filing by the end of this calendar year, if not sooner.

As previously reported, the Company became a delinquent filer and was downgraded from the OTCQB Exchange on July 31, 2015 due to what the Company strongly believes to be professional malpractice committed by Cowan Gunteski & Co. P.A. ("Cowan Gunteski") as well as Cowan Gunteski's subsequent conduct. The Company continues to prosecute its lawsuit against Cowan Gunteski and remains confident in the merits of its case. There can be no guaranty, however, the Company will receive any judgment award.

Additionally, the Company is in contact with OTC MARKETS concerning the uplisting of its shares from OTC PINK Limited Information Tier to the OTCQB upon the Company filing its Second Quarter Report status. The Company will update shareholders with additional information on this subject as soon as practicable.

Tauriga's Chief Executive Officer, Seth M. Shaw, expressed, "The Company has overcome many difficulties over the past 16 months and now can confidently express to its shareholders that it will be current in its periodic reports with SEC by December 31, 2016. This is a positive development for Tauriga as it strengthens the Company's ability in negotiations with potential acquisition target(s) and provides the Company with opportunities and access to capital that have not been possible since July 31, 2015. Tauriga's management remains deeply appreciative of its shareholders continued patience and loyalty and believes that its shareholders deserve a successful and prosperous future."

NON SOLICITATION:

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of these securities, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is not permitted. Any securities offered or issued in connection with the above-referenced merger and/or investment have not been registered, and will be offered pursuant to an exemption from registration.

DISCLAIMER:

Forward-Looking Statements: Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation expectations, beliefs, plans, and objectives regarding the development, use and marketability of products. Such forward-looking statements are based on present circumstances and on Tauriga's predictions with respect to events that have not occurred, that may not occur, or that may occur with different consequences and timing than those now assumed or anticipated. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include general economic and business conditions, the ability to successfully develop and market products, consumer and business consumption habits, the ability to fund operations and other factors over which Tauriga has little or no control. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and Tauriga assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and other factors are discussed in documents filed from time to time by Tauriga with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release does not and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy any of the securities, nor shall there be any sale of the securities, in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state. The securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration, or an applicable exemption from registration, under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3078297



Contact:

Tauriga Sciences, Inc.

Mr. Seth Shaw

CEO

Tel: 1-917-796-9926

Email: sshaw@tauriga.com




LONDON, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

One customer on the Smarkets betting exchange has pocketed 165,000 after successfully trading the US presidential race.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160907/404888LOGO )



(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161109/437428 )



On a remarkable night in America, Republican candidate Donald Trump won the White House race having been given a below 10% chance by the exchange midway through election night.

From a trading perspective, the pattern of the night bore a striking resemblance to June 23 earlier this year, when the United Kingdom surprisingly voted to leave the European Union.

As on that night with the Leave vote, Trump's implied probability dipped below the 10% mark as traders doubted his chances before it all started to go his way and prices shot up.

Pascal Lemesre, spokesperson for Smarkets, said: "In one of the most popular betting events ever, traders have again called it wrong throughout the build-up, not putting Trump in front until it was clear he was outperforming expectations."

Both Trump and Clinton knew the importance of winning Florida and it was the Republican's continued lead as the Sunshine State votes came in, coupled with a surprising showing in Virginia, that began to tip the scales in his favour.

From there, Trump continued to perform well in other swing states like Ohio, North Carolina and Pennsylvania and also did far better than expected along the rust belt in states like Michigan and Wisconsin.

In just three hours of trading, the two presidential hopefuls switched places on the market, with Clinton plummeting down below 10% and Trump soaring up above 90% before soon being confirmed as the president-elect.

Smarkets CEO Jason Trost added: "This is why the term prediction market should be used with caution. They do not predict the future, but suggest how good a chance either candidate has of winning the election. Just because Trump dropped as low 8% on the night does not mean he was out of it."

Political betting attention now turns to the Italian constitution referendum on December 4, where the citizens of Italy are voting on Prime Minister Renzi's proposed constitutional reforms. A defeat for Renzi could be a blow for the Eurozone, already teetering from the impact of Brexit and the uncertainty of a Trump presidency.

Then in April France will see their Presidential Election, for which the far-right National Front's Marine Le Pen is a strong contender. Le Pen hopes to harness the same populist forces that helped Trump to victory.

Notes to Editors

Launched in 2010, Smarkets is one of the world's leading betting exchanges that makes trading on events secure, efficient and exciting. Forged from trading principles found within the financial markets, Smarkets brings intelligent betting to the forefront of an age-old industry.

Headquartered in London , Smarkets has processed over 3 billion worth of transactions for customers across the company's licensed and regulated markets and continues to grow rapidly because of its industry-leading odds and commission on sporting and political markets.

The company was founded in 2008 by a team of finance and software engineering professionals and is backed by T-Venture and Passion Capital.
DUBLIN, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global LNG Market Demand & Supply Analysis, By Region (Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, South America and North America), By Country, By LNG Terminal, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011-2025" report to their offering.

The global LNG supply market is forecast to exhibit a CAGR of over 5% during 2016-2025, on account of rising demand for cleaner fuels; oversupply of LNG due to liquefaction capacity additions in Australia, US and Papua New Guinea; and declining prices of LNG over the last few years.

Growing focus on expansion of gas pipeline infrastructure, rising demand for natural gas from downstream sectors, declining LNG prices coupled with implementation of favorable government policies is boosting demand for LNG across the globe. Increasing focus on development of adequate support infrastructure in various developing as well as developed economies is expected to boost LNG demand in the coming years.

On the other hand, inadequate pipeline infrastructure is augmenting demand for small scale LNG projects to supply natural gas to key consumers in remote areas, especially in power and industrial sectors. Increasing urbanization, growing industrialization and rising number of projects related to power, city gas distribution, petrochemical, etc., are expected to positively influence global LNG market during 2016-2025.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Product Overview

2. Research Methodology

3. Analyst View

4. Global LNG Market Outlook

5. Asia-Pacific LNG Market Outlook

6. Europe LNG Market Outlook

7. South America LNG Market Outlook

8. Middle East & Africa LNG Market Outlook

9. North America LNG Market Outlook

10. Strategic Recommendations

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/5lhx2d/global_lng_market

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
DUBLIN, November 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Tumor Ablation Market by Technology, Mode of Treatment and by Application - Global Forecast 2021" report to their offering.

The global tumor ablation market is expected to reach a value of USD 580.1 Million by 2021, at a CAGR of 12.5% during 2016-2021.

A number of factors such as technological advancements in the field of tumor ablation focused on enhancing effectiveness and safety of the treatment, rising demand of minimal invasive tumor ablation techniques, increasing prevalence of cancer across the globe, and growing public-private initiatives and funding to support R&D activities in tumor ablation are propelling the growth of the market. However, factors such as unfavorable regulatory policies and cost-containment measures adopted by various governments are restraining the optimal market growth.

In 2016, North America is estimated to dominate the global tumor ablation market. The rising prevalence and incidence of major types of cancer (such as liver, lung, kidney, and bone metastasis), rising inclination of patients towards minimally invasive procedures for cancer treatment, and increasing government funding for cancer research are driving the growth of the market in North America.

The Asia-Pacific market is expected to register the highest CAGR from 2016 to 2021. This is primarily due to the rising prevalence of various cancers coupled with growing geriatric population, rising market demand of minimally invasive surgical procedures, growing medical tourism, and ongoing initiatives by various governments for the modernization of healthcare infrastructure in the region.

Companies Mentioned:

Angiodynamics, Inc.

Boston Scientific Corporation

Edap Tms S.A.

Galil Medical, Inc.

Healthtronics, Inc.

Medtronic, PLC.

Mermaid Medical A/S

Misonix, Inc.

Neuwave Medical, Inc.

Sonacare Medical, LLC

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights

5 Market Overview

6 Industry Insights

7 Tumor Ablation Market, By Technology

8 Tumor Ablation Market, By Mode of Treatment

9 Tumor Ablation Market, By Application

10 Tumor Ablation Market, By Region

11 Competitive Landscape

12 Company Profiles

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3h9ptm/tumor_ablation

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
Fintech company raises A$20m in funding, identifies NZ as important new market

European-based online lender Spotcap is today launching its New Zealand operations in Auckland, further cementing New Zealand as one of the fastest growing fintech markets in the Asia Pacific region1

At the same time, Spotcap has partnered with New Zealand's only NZX-listed bank, Heartland, with the bank providing Spotcap's Australian operations with A$20million of funding.

Spotcap provides flexible and accessible funding solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with unsecured credit lines and business loans of up to $250,000. Rather than basing credit decisions on historical financials, Spotcap has developed a unique, proprietary credit algorithm which provides deep insight into the financial condition of a business, enabling quick, sound credit decisions.

"We aim to enable SMEs to embrace growth opportunities by offering our credit lines and loans to small businesses in markets that require access to alternative funding solutions," said Lachlan Heussler, Managing Director of Spotcap Australia and New Zealand. "Spotcap already operates in the UK, the Netherlands, Spain and Australia, and the expansion into our fifth market is Spotcap's opportunity to contribute to the growing New Zealand fintech landscape."

Investment in the fintech sector has grown from A$1.8 billion to A$24 billion worldwide in the last five years.2 With its favourable regulatory framework, New Zealand is on the front foot: boasting a 1,117 per cent year-on-year growth rate for alternative finance funding3. Not only one of the fastest growing alternative finance markets across the Asia-Pacific region, the local market penetration is also roughly five times that of Australia4

Heartland's investment in Spotcap demonstrates the bank's commitment to supporting innovative fintech solutions. For Spotcap, the partnership enables its Australian operations to accelerate their growth plans whilst the company executes its entry into the New Zealand market.

CEO of Heartland Bank, Jeff Greenslade, said:

"Our partnership with Spotcap highlights Heartland Bank's commitment to fintech and digital banking, in line with both our own internal offerings and our investments in the sector. We are delighted to gain further exposure to online SME lending and look forward to working with Spotcap to grow its Australian operations.

Spotcap grew its Australian loan book by 450 per cent from December 2015 to December 2016, has raised over NZ$115 million (equivalent) in equity and debt funding, and issued more than NZ$95 million (equivalent) in credit to SMEs around the world.

For further information, please visit: www.spotcap.co.nz

About Spotcap

Spotcap provides flexible and accessible small business financing, allowing entrepreneurs to focus on what matters their business. Operating in the fintech (financial technology) sector, the company has developed a unique proprietary technology to assess real-time business performance to grant short-term credit lines and loans. Headquartered in Berlin Germany, Spotcap launched in Spain in September 2014 before expanding to the Netherlands and Australia in 2015, the UK in 2016, and New Zealand in 2017. The company is led globally by CEO and founder Jens Woloszczak and locally by Lachlan Heussler, Managing Director of Australia and New Zealand. Globally, the Spotcap team currently includes more than 90 employees. Spotcap is backed by a number of world class investors including Rocket Internet, the world's leading global internet platform outside of the US and China, Finstar Financial Group, Access Industries, Holtzbrinck Ventures, Kreos Capital and Heartland Bank.

Spotcap operates in New Zealand as a registered Financial Services Provider: FSP535006.

Read more about Spotcap: www.spotcap.co.nz

1 The University of Sydney Business School, Harnessing Potential The Asia-Pacific Alternative Finance Benchmarking Report https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/fileadmin/user_upload/research/centres/alternative-finance/downloads/harnessing-potential.pdf p77 2 See Remarks by Thomas J. Curry, Comptroller of the Currency, Regarding Special Purpose National Bank Charters for Fintech Companies, Georgetown University Law Centre (December 2, 2016) and Section III.C. and accompanying footnotes, infra. 3 Harnessing Potential, op. cit. 4 ibid.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170130005980/en/

Contacts:

For further information or to arrange an interview, contact:

Spotcap

Kelly Maguire, +61 (0) 410 487 106

PR and Communications Manager

kelly.maguire@spotcap.com
Q3 total revenue increased by 5.1% at constant currency 1 to 707 million

Q3 Adjusted Corporate EBITDA increased by 4.5% at constant currency to 159 million

Last Twelve Month Adjusted Corporate EBITDA reached 250 million

Strong cash generation with corporate free cash flow at 166 million YTD

A record Net Profit close to 100 million YTD

Confirmation of Full year 2016 guidance

Regulatory News:

Europcar (Paris:EUCAR) announces today its results for the third quarter and the first nine months of 2016.

Philippe Germond, Chairman of the Management Board stated:

"These solid results confirm the robustness of the Group business model and its capacity to deliver sustained profitable growth. The strong summer season was totally in line with our expectations, successfully supported by our brand strategy notably in Southern Europe and by operational excellence everywhere in the group. In addition, we have fully enjoyed the benefit of the reshape of the capital structure following the IPO allowing us to register a record Net Profit close to 100 million euros for the first nine months. As stated during our first investor day on Oct. 4, this positive growth trend of our revenues and profitability enables us to confirm our FY 2016 Guidance."

All data in m, except if mentioned Q3 2016 Q3 2015 Change Change at

constant

currency Number of rental days (million) 19.0 17.8 6.5% Average Fleet (thousand) 256.7 242.8 5.7% Fleet utilization rate 80.3% 79.7% +0.6pt Total revenues 707 693 2.1% 5.1% Rental revenues 665 650 2.4% 5.3% Adjusted Corporate EBITDA 159 154 3.0% 4.5% Adjusted Corporate EBITDA Margin 22.5% 22.3% +0.2pt Last Twelve Months Adjusted Corporate

EBITDA 250 247 1.1% LTM Adjusted Corporate EBITDA Margin 11.7% 11.7% Operating Income 169 163 3.2% Net profit/loss 96 99 -3.3% Corporate Free Cash Flow 84 92 -8.7% Corporate Net Debt at end of the period 155

Revenues

Q3 2016 total revenue amounted to 707 million compared to 693 million in 2015, representing a 5.1% increase at constant currency. Excluding Locaroise, its third French Franchisee (fully consolidated since July 1st2016), total revenues growth reached 4.5%. This increase is mainly driven by a +5.3% growth at constant currency in rental revenue (665 million) partly off-set by the decrease in petrol prices. This performance was supported by a good leisure momentum across all our brands, and an improvement in the Business segments compared to H1 2016.

Rental days volume increased by 6.5% compared to Q3 2015, at 19.0 million, thanks to a positive evolution in leisure over Q3 on both Europcar and InterRent brands, notably in Spain, Italy and Portugal. The three Business Units of Cars, Vans Trucks and Low cost all contributed to this performance. Compared to the third quarter 2015, all countries enjoyed growth except Belgium, which was flat despite consequences of the terrorist attacks.

RPD for the Cars business unit was up 0.8% at constant currency, despite the French terrorist attack in Nice in July, and thanks to strong yield management. On a consolidated basis, the Q3 RPD decreased by 1.1% at constant currency impacted by the success of InterRent and the development of the Vans Trucks strategy.

For the first nine months of the year, total revenues amounted to 1,655 million, up 2.4% at constant currency compared to last year. Excluding petrol impact and the Locaroise acquisition, the increase was 2.4% at constant currency.

Adjusted Corporate EBITDA

Q3 Adjusted Corporate EBITDA reached 159 million versus 154 million in Q3 2015 reflecting the strong performance during the summer season despite the negative currency effect linked to the depreciation of the pound sterling. The growth amounted 7 million (+4.5%) at constant currency. Q3 Adjusted Corporate EBITDA margin reached a record level of 22.5%.

The last twelve months Adjusted Corporate EBITDA amounted to 250 million, up 1.1% year over year, despite a challenging environment since the beginning of 2016. This performance demonstrates the robustness and resilience of the Group's business model. The latter relies on a de-risked fleet asset base and a capacity to deliver sustained profitable growth by leveraging on the different pillars of its state of the art revenues and capacity management (namely volume, price and utilization rate), while optimizing its cost structure and building the future. Europcar Group pursues its investments in the deployment of InterRent brand and network, in its customer journey programs, IT and Europcar Lab's, etc.

Operating income

Q3 operating income came in at 169 million in 2016, compared to 163 million in 2015.

For the first nine months, operating income was 241 million versus 182 million in 2015. Last year's figure included IPO costs and non-recurring items (notably the net negative impact of certain proceedings and reorganization charges linked to the Fast Lane transformation plan roll out).

Net Profit

Q3 net profit amounted to 96 million in 2016, compared to 99 million in Q3 2015. This slight decrease was notably linked to the pound sterling currency effect and the further investments in Ubeeqo and Car2Go Europe (both equity accounted investments).

For the first nine months, net income was a profit of 99 million in 2016 compared to a loss of 57 million in 2015. This improvement reflects the full benefit of the reshape of the capital structure following the IPO at the end of Q2 2015, while last year was also impacted by other non-recurring items.

Corporate free cash flow and Corporate Net Debt

Corporate free cash flow amounted to 84 million in Q3 compared to 92 million last year. For the first nine months Corporate free cash flow was 166 million compared to 116 million for the same period in 2015. This Corporate free cash flow encompassed Adjusted Corporate EBITDA, flat on a reported basis year over year at 214 million, and a good management of non-fleet working capital over the period. As a reminder, 2015 free cash flow was also impacted by one-off cash items.

Corporate net debt amounted to 155 million as of September 30, 2016 (vs. 235 million as of December 31, 2015). The corporate net debt leverage is at 0.6x2

Acquisition plan

The Group pursued its dynamic acquisition plan, reaching recently a further step in its path to be a key mobility provider with the acquisition of Brunel. As a ride-hailing company, Brunel allows the Group to give its customers even greater choice for their travel needs, providing Europcar with a strong competitive advantage.

As a reminder, since the beginning of 2016 the Group has acquired Locaroise, its third French Franchisee (fully consolidated since July 1st), Bluemove a mobility tech start-up and car sharing leader in Spain, through Ubeeqo, as well as a minority investment in Wanderio, a multi modal search and comparison platform. Over the first nine months of 2016, Europcar has cashed out about 27 million in its acquisition plan.

Confirmation of 2016 full year guidance

As a results of the strong performance over the summer season, the Group reiterates the 2016 guidance, announced on July 25, 2016, showing the resilience of its business model while facing a number of headwinds, including an increasingly unfavorable currency from the depreciation of the pound sterling. As a reminder, the group is committed to the following guidance for the full year:

Slight increase of revenue on an organic basis 3

Adjusted Corporate EBITDA above last year 251million

Adjusted Corporate EBITDA conversion to Corporate free cash flow above 50%.

In addition, considering acquisition achievements for this year 2016, the Group will deliver to its shareholders a dividend pay-out to an exceptional level of at least 50% based on 2016 Net Income4

About Europcar Groupe

Europcar shares (EUCAR) are listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange. Europcar is the European leader in vehicle rental service and is also a major player in mobility markets. Active in more than 140 countries, Europcar serves customers through an extensive vehicle rental network comprised of its wholly-owned subsidiaries as well as sites operated by franchisees and partners. In addition to the Europcar brand, the company offers low-cost vehicle rentals under the InterRent brand. A commitment to customer satisfaction drives the company and its 6,000 people forward and provides the impetus for continuous development of new services. The Europcar Lab was created to respond to tomorrow's mobility challenges through innovation and strategic investments, such as Ubeeqo and E-Car Club.

Forward-looking statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements based on current beliefs and expectations about future events. Such forward-looking statements may include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and/or expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations and services and product development, as well as statements, regarding performance or events. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "projects", "may", "would", "should" or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Forward looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and assumptions about Europcar Groupe and its subsidiaries and investments, trends in their business, future capital expenditures and acquisitions, developments in respect of contingent liabilities, changes in economic conditions globally or in Europcar Groupe's principal markets, competitive conditions in the market and regulatory factors. Those events are uncertain; their outcome may differ from current expectations which may in turn materially affect expected results. Actual results may differ materially from those projected or implied in these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement contained in this press release is made as of the date of this press release. Other than as required by applicable law, Europcar Groupe does not undertake to revise or update any forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events.

The results and the Group's performance may also be affected by various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, risks identified in the "Risk factors" of the Annual Registration Document registered by the Autorite des marches financiers on April 14, 2016 under the number R. 16-021 and also available on the Group's website: www.europcar-group.com.

This press release does not contain or constitute an offer or invitation to purchase any securities in France, the United States or any other jurisdiction.

Further details on our website:

finance.europcar-group.com

Note: This press release contains unaudited consolidated financial figures established under IFRS by Europcar Groupe's Management Board and reviewed by the Supervisory Board on November 7th, 2016.

1 Or 4.5% on an organic basis, ie at constant currency and excluding Locaroise fully consolidated since July 2016.

2 Based on last twelve months Adjusted Corporate EBITDA

3 At constant currency and perimeter, excluding petrol impact

4 Subject to the approval of the General Assembly

Appendix 1 Management Profit and Loss

Q3 2016 Q3 2015 All data in m 9M 2016 9M 2015 707,2 692,6 Total revenue 1 655,1 1 653,1 (144,0) (142,9) Fleet holding costs, excluding estimated interest

included in operating leases (370,1) (372,0) (235,6) (221,9) Fleet operating, rental and revenue related costs (572,4) (561,5) (84,1) (89,4) Personnel costs (253,7) (258,6) (55,3) (55,5) Network and head office overhead (166,4) (163,7) 1,4 6,2 Other income and expense 4,0 8,3 (138,0) (138,7) Personnel costs, network and head office overhead, IT

and other (416,1) (413,9) (17,1) (18,0) Net fleet financing expense (46,8) (48,8) (13,7) (16,8) Estimated interest included in operating leases (36,1) (42,5) (30,8) (34,8) Fleet financing expenses, including estimated interest

included in operating leases (83,0) (91,3) 158,8 154,2 Adjusted Corporate EBITDA 213,6 214,4 22,5% 22,3% Margin 12,9% 13,0% (6,5) (8,1) Depreciation excluding vehicle fleet (22,3) (24,1) (0,8) (0,8) Other operating income and expenses 2,5 (56,6) (15,3) (10,7) Other financing income and expense not related to the

fleet (40,6) (150,0) 136,3 134,6 Profit/loss before tax 153,1 (16,3) (34,1) (33,3) Income tax (45,1) (35,1) (6,1) (1,9) Share of profit/(loss) of associates (9,0) (6,0) 96,1 99,4 Net profit/(loss) 98,9 (57,4)

Appendix 2 IFRS Income Statement

Q3 2016 Q3 2015 All data in m 9M 2016 9M 2015 707,2 692,6 Total revenue 1 655,1 1 653,1 (157,7) (159,7) Fleet holding costs (406,2) (414,5) (235,6) (221,9) Fleet operating, rental and revenue related costs (572,4) (561,5) (84,1) (89,4) Personnel costs (253,7) (258,6) (55,3) (55,5) Network and head office overhead (166,4) (163,7) 1,4 6,2 Other income and expense 4,0 8,3 (6,5) (8,1) Depreciation excluding vehicle fleet (22,3) (24,1) 169,5 164,2 Recurring operating income 238,1 239,1 (0,8) (0,8) Other non-recurring income and expenses 2,5 (56,6) 168,7 163,4 Operating income 240,6 182,4 (32,4) (28,7) Net financing costs (87,5) (198,8) 136,3 134,6 Profit/(loss) before tax 153,1 (16,3) (34,1) (33,3) Income tax (45,1) (35,1) (6,1) (1,9) Share of profit/(loss) of associates (9,0) (6,0) 96,1 99,4 Net profit/(loss) 98,9 (57,4) 96,3 99,5 Net profit/(loss) attributable to Europcar owners 99,2 (57,3) Q3 IFRS P&L presented for conveniences purposes, not prepared on a standalone basis but obtained by difference between 9M YTD P&L and H1 P&L

Appendix 3 Reconciliation

Q3 2016 Q3 2015 All data in m 9M 2016 9M 2015 306,4 305,8 Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA 593,4 606,5 (53,1) (53,9) Fleet depreciation IFRS (140,4) (139,7) (63,7) (62,9) Fleet depreciation included in operating lease rents (156,5) (161,2) (116,7) (116,7) Total Fleet depreciation (296,9) (300,8) (13,7) (16,8) Interest expense related to fleet operating leases (estimated) (36,1) (42,5) (17,1) (18,0) Net fleet financing expenses (46,8) (48,8) (30,8) (34,8) Total Fleet financing (83,0) (91,3) 158,8 154,2 Adjusted Corporate EBITDA 213,6 214,4 (6,5) (8,1) Amortization, depreciation and impairment expense (22,3) (24,1) 17,1 18,0 Reversal of Net fleet financing expenses 46,8 48,8 13,7 16,8 Reversal of Interest expense related to fleet operating leases (estimated) 36,1 42,5 183,2 180,9 Adjusted recurring operating income 274,2 281,6 (13,7) (16,8) Interest expense related to fleet operating leases (estimated) (36,1) (42,5) 169,5 164,2 Recurring operating income 238,1 239,1

Appendix 4 Balance Sheet

In thousands Sept. 30, 2016 Dec. 31, 2015 Assets Goodwill 456,892 457,072 Intangible assets 714,091 713,136 Property, plant and equipment 85,436 89,236 Equity-accounted investments 17,913 22,035 Other non-current financial assets 49,363 57,062 Deferred tax assets 65,879 55,730 Total non-current assets 1,389,574 1,394,271 Inventories 19,204 15,092 Rental fleet recorded on the balance sheet 2,009,642 1,664,930 Rental fleet related receivables 867,584 574,652 Trade and other receivables 396,534 357,200 Current financial assets 47,082 37,523 Current tax assets 37,412 33,441 Restricted cash 108,264 97,366 Cash and cash equivalents 202,756 146,075 Total current assets 3,688,478 2,926,280 Total assets 5,078,052 4,320,551 Equity Share capital 143,409 143,155 Share premium 641,166 767,402 Reserves -87,974 -74,341 Retained earnings (losses) -92,424 -274,821 Total equity attributable to the owners of ECG 604,177 561,395 Non-controlling interests 653 962 Total equity 604,830 562,356 Liabilities Financial liabilities 946,295 801,183 Non-current financial instruments 59,212 52,090 Employee benefit liabilities 123,724 119,295 Non-current provisions 25,003 25,168 Deferred tax liabilities 129,866 131,132 Other non-current liabilities 261 306 Total non-current liabilities 1,284,361 1,129,174 Current portion of financial liabilities 1,624,911 1,263,783 Employee benefits 23,520 2,944 Current provisions 231,160 250,087 Current tax liabilities 65,297 24,511 Rental fleet related payables 774,675 662,722 Trade payables and other liabilities 469,298 424,974 Total current liabilities 3,188,861 2,629,021 Total liabilities 4,473,222 3,758,195 Total equity and liabilities 5,078,052 4,320,551

Appendix 5 IFRS Cash Flow

In thousands 9 months 2016 9 months 2015 Profit/(loss) before tax 153,106 -16,381 Reversal of the following items Depreciation and impairment charge on property, plant and equipment 10,925 10,694 Amortization and impairment charge on intangible assets 11,390 13,236 Changes in provisions and employee benefits -15,575 22,546 Profit/(loss) on disposal of assets -144 -397 Recognition of share-based payments Costs related to the IPO Total net interest costs 73,806 103,470 Redemption premium 56,010 Amortization of transaction costs 5,540 36,894 Other non-cash items 1,051 617 Financing costs 80,397 196,991 Net cash from operation before changes in working capital 240,099 226,689 Changes in rental fleet recorded on the balance sheet -404,206 -529,034 Changes in fleet working capital -187,184 -88,046 Changes in non-fleet working capital 11,568 -5,412 Cash generated from operations -579,822 -622,492 Income taxes received/paid -15,793 -30,245 Net interest paid -68,002 -108,350 Net cash generated from (used by) operating activities -423,518 -534,398 Acquisition of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment -24,892 -20,866 Proceeds from disposal of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment 2,628 6,079 Other investments and loans Acquisition of financial assets -3,249 -5,917 Acquisition of subsidiaries, net of cash acquired -14,965 -9,163 Net cash used by investing activities -40,478 -29,867 Capital increase (net of related expenses) 460,655 Issuance of bonds 130,542 474,517 Redemption of bonds -780,010 (Purchases) Sales of treasury shares net -6,382 Changes in other borrowings 417,243 434,646 Payment of transaction costs -2,507 -14,357 Net cash generated from (used by) financing activities 538,896 575,451 Cash and cash equivalent at beginning of period 229,368 206,317 Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents after effect of foreign exchange differences 74,900 11,186 Effect of foreign exchange differences -1,184 -621 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 303,084 216,882

Appendix 6 Debt

million Pricing Maturity Sept. 30, 2016 Dec. 31, 2015 High Yield Senior Notes (a) 5.75% 2022 600 475 Senior Revolving Facility (350m) E+250bps (b) 2020 0 81 FCT Junior Notes, accrued interest not yet due, capitalized financing costs and other (207) (150) Gross Corporate debt 393 406 Short-term Investments and Cash in operating and holding entities (238) (171) CORPORATE NET DEBT (A) 155 235 million Pricing Maturity Sept. 30, 2016 Dec. 31, 2015 High Yield EC Finance Notes (a) 5.125% 2021 350 350 Senior asset revolving facility (1.3bn SARF) (c) E+150bps 2020 980 658 FCT Junior Notes, accrued interest, financing capitalized

costs and other 193 142 UK, Australia and other fleet financing facilities Various (d) 646 509 Gross financial fleet debt 2 169 1 659 Cash held in fleet financing entities and Short-term fleet investments (143) (161) Fleet net debt in Balance sheet 2 026 1 498 Debt equivalent of fleet operating leases OFF Balance Sheet (e) 1 770 1 323 TOTAL FLEET NET DEBT (incl. op leases) (B) 3 796 2 821 TOTAL NET DEBT (A)+(B) 3 951 3 057

(a) These bonds are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. The corresponding prospectus is available on Luxembourg Stock Exchange website (http://www.bourse.lu/Accueil.jsp) (b) Depending on the leverage ratio (c) Swap instruments covering the SARF structure have been extended to 2020 (d) UK fleet financing maturing in 2018 with a one-year extension option (e) Corresponds to the net book value of applicable vehicles, which is calculated on the basis of the purchase price and depreciation rates of corresponding vehicles (based on contracts with manufacturers).

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109005842/en/

Contacts:

Europcar Press relations

Nathalie Poujol, +33 1 30 44 98 82

europcarpressoffice@europcar.com

or

Europcar / Investor relations

Aurelia Cheval, +33 1 30 44 98 98

Investor.relations@europcar.com

or

Havas Paris

Jean-Baptiste Froville, +33 1 58 47 95 39

jean-baptiste.froville@havasww.com
SEATTLE, WA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- CFN Media Group ("CannabisFN"), the leading creative agency and digital media network dedicated to legal cannabis, today announced that Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc. (OTC PINK: GRPOF) (CSE: TBP) has engaged CFN Media to conduct a four month investor and market visibility program beginning on November 9, 2016.

"Recently announced research partnerships with McGill University, grants from the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and a raw material supply agreement with licensed producer Aphria are a testament to Tetra Bio-Pharma positioning itself as an industry leader in the biopharmaceutical cannabis industry," said CFN Media President Frank Lane.

Ryan Brown, Vice President of Tetra, added, "We are excited to be working with CFN to expand our investor base into the US. We believe that Tetra Bio-Pharma offers investors a ground floor opportunity to invest in a true biopharma cannabis company."

CFN Media will leverage its extensive reach and presence with both mainstream and cannabis-focused investors across North America to elevate Tetra Bio-Pharma's financial brand and attract high-quality longer-term investors.

Learn how to become a CFN Media client company, brand or entrepreneur: http://www.cannabisfn.com/become-featured-company/

Download the CFN Media iOS mobile app to access the world of cannabis from the palm of your hand: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cannabisfn/id988009247?ls=1&mt=8

Or visit our homepage and enter your mobile number under the Apple App Store logo to receive a download link text on your iPhone: http://www.cannabisfn.com

About CFN Media

CFN Media (CannabisFN), the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to legal cannabis, helps marijuana businesses attract investors, customers (B2B, B2C), capital, and media visibility. Private and public marijuana companies and brands in the US and Canada rely on CFN Media to grow and succeed.

CFN launched in June of 2013 to initially serve the growing universe of publicly traded marijuana companies across North America. Today, CFN Media is also the digital media choice for the emerging brands in the space.

About Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc.

Tetra Bio-Pharma is a Canadian Bio Pharmaceutical company at the forefront of Cannabis based pharmaceutical development. The company recently received a research grant from the federal government and will be working with McGill University to develop both prescription and over the counter products. The first product, ppp001, will begin clinical trials in Q4 2016.

CFN Media

Frank Lane

206-369-7050

flane@cannabisfn.com




Technavio's latest report on the global business jet marketprovides an analysis on the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook from 2016-2020. Technavio defines an emerging trend as a factor that has the potential to significantly impact the market and contribute to its growth or decline.

Avimanyu Basu, a lead analyst from Technavio, specializing in research on aerospace components sector, says, "Growing globalization is driving economic growth in emerging countries, which is expected to drive the demand for business jet aircraft to some extent. It is expected that the laws that prevent small jets from providing scheduled operations will be deregulated during the forecast period as micro-commuter markets emerge. Such changes in regulations will enable business jet operators to function in a similar manner as commercial airline operators."

Request a sample report: http://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=54300

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.

The top three emerging trends driving the global business jet market according to Technavio aerospace and defense research analysts are:

Aircraft modernization

Interior refurbishments

Development and adoption of supersonic business jets

Aircraft modernization

Innovations and technological advancements are playing a major role in product and avionics systems, to withstand the competitive market. For example, Airbus is implementing additive layer technologies such as 3D printing for new fuselage designs. Such techniques enable customization of cabin components with lightweight and sophisticated design. Avionics systems play a major role in an efficient flight movement, and these systems need to be upgraded at regular intervals to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.

Interior refurbishments

The interiors of a business jet cabin should be aesthetic and visually appealing as well as comfortable. It should ideally be more innovative compared with commercial jetliners since the passengers are usually charged a few times more than that of commercial airlines (even more than business or other premiere class travelers in some cases). Some of the trends that can be expected to have an impact in the next few years will revolve around flooring, furniture, and windows of business jets. For instance, an Austrian manufacturer, F/LIST, will be adopting a more environment-friendly approach by using wooden floors on business jets. Further, furniture and interiors can be made fireproof with the aid of several technologies.

Development and adoption of supersonic business jets

Business travelers, corporate executives, and entrepreneurs look for faster flights. Aerion's newly developed supersonic jet that can fly at speeds ranging from Mach 1.4-1.6, i.e. almost twice the speed of fastest commercial jets (which typically cruise at a speed of 480- 560 miles per hour) can be considered as an example. These aircraft can be used to connect business hubs, such as London and New York, which can be covered in three and a half hours with advanced jets. The same distance by commercial planes will take about eight hours. "Business jet manufacturers often collaborate with fighter jet manufacturers to develop such supersonic machines," says Avimanyu.

Browse Related Reports:

Global Supersonic Business Jet Market 2016-2020

Global Aviation Alternative Fuels Market 2016-2020

Global Airline Passenger Communications System Market 2016-2020

Do you need a report on a market in a specific geographical cluster or country but can't find what you're looking for? Don't worry, Technavio also takes client requests. Please contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and our analysts will be happy to create a customized report just for you.

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.

Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109005889/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 630 333 9501

UK: +44 208 123 1770

www.technavio.com
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, will be in Ottawa, Ontario to make a dairy program announcement and hold a media teleconference.

Event: Announcement Date: Thursday, November 10, 2016 Time: Announcement - 10:00 am (local time) Media teleconference - 10:45 am (local time) Location: Canada Agriculture and Food Museum 901 Prince of Wales Drive Central Experimental Farm Ottawa, ON

Please use visitor parking lot off Prince of Wales Drive.

Event is at the Pavilion, located 250m north of the parking lot, past the registration booth, between Meadowview Barn and the Cereal Barn. An Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada representative will be directing attendants towards the event from the parking lot.

Electronic map of site

Call-in details:

Media representatives wishing to take part in this teleconference should dial 1-877-413-4814 (toll-free in Canada and the United States) or 613-960-7526.

The access code is 5955236 for the English line, 8518366 for the French line and 5833602 for the bilingual line.

Follow us on Twitter: @AAFC_Canada

Like us on Facebook: CanadianAgriculture

Contacts:

Media Relations

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Ottawa, Ontario

613-773-7972

1-866-345-7972




Providing the Right Technology for Challenging Environments

Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE: AXTA), a leading global manufacturer of liquid and powder coatings, will attend the European Coatings Technology Forum Coatings for Agriculture and Construction Equipment (ACE), taking place in Berlin, Germany, on November 24, 2016 at 11:45 a.m. Dr. Carlos Rodriguez Santamarta, Marketing and Strategy Manager for Axalta's Industrial Coatings business in Europe, Middle East and Africa, will discuss trends and technological advances in coatings for the ACE market, which has an estimated worth of US$1.5 billion annually.

Agricultural, construction and earthmoving equipment is often operated in harsh environments and exposed to humidity, wind, weather and UV radiation, which places tough demands on the coatings used to protect and to enhance it.

Santamarta's presentation, ACE coating technologies the key to choosing the right system, will explore not only the key requirements of current ACE coatings performance level specifications, but also the implication that financial constraints have for application costs.

"As a global coatings manufacturer, we at Axalta see the need to offer high-quality coatings while reducing overall costs in order to address ACE manufacturers' requirements," Santamarta explains. "For many ACE manufacturers, excellent gloss and color retention, combined with a high degree of edge protection and corrosion protection, are high on their list of coatings priorities. But they rarely specify whether they want a one- or two-layer coating system to provide that protection. Axalta offers a variety of one- and two-layer coating systems to meet the standards set by many ACE manufacturers."

Axalta provides an extensive portfolio for the ACE market including the one-layer polyester powder ranges Alesta IP and Alesta SD. AquaECTM 5100, AquaEC 5500 and AquaEC 5700 are Axalta's well-established one-layer acrylic e-coat system.

For two-layer systems, Axalta's PercoTop CS381, an epoxy-based solventborne liquid primer, is ideal for applications where higher functional protection is needed. And PercoTop 9675 and PercoTop 771 are Axalta's most popular polyurethane ACE topcoats.

The European Coatings Technology Forum this year takes place in Berlin, Germany on 24 and 25 November 2016.

For more information on Axalta's industrial coatings for the ACE market visit www.axaltacoatingsystems.com.

About Axalta Coating Systems Celebrating 150 Years in the Coatings Industry

Axalta is a leading global company focused solely on coatings and providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful and sustainable solutions. From light OEM vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, buildings and pipelines, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity and enable the materials we coat to last longer. With 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the 12,800 people of Axalta continue to find ways to better serve our more than 100,000 customers in 130 countries every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information visit axaltacoatingsystems.com and follow us @Axalta on Twitter and on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109005963/en/

Contacts:

DA Public Relations Ltd

Chantal Bachelier-Moore

D +44 207 692 4964

chantal@dapr.com

axaltacoatingsystems.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2016) - Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. (TSXV: PTU) (the "Company" or "Purepoint") is issuing this press release in response to recent increase in market activity. The Company wishes to confirm that management is unaware of any material change in the Company's operations that would account for such increase in market activity.

Management is watching the trading activities closely and will provide further updates as circumstances warrant.

About Purepoint

Purepoint Uranium Group Inc. is focused on the precision exploration of its seven projects in the Canadian Athabasca Basin. Purepoint proudly maintains project ventures in the Basin with two of the largest uranium producers in the world, Cameco Corporation and AREVA Resources Canada Inc. Established in the Athabasca Basin well before the initial resurgence in uranium earlier last decade, Purepoint is actively advancing a large portfolio of multiple drill targets in the world's richest uranium region.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) HAS REVIEWED OR ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.



For further information please contact:

Purepoint Uranium Group Inc.

Chris Frostad, President and CEO

(416) 603-8368

www.purepoint.ca
Regulatory News:

Following the placement by Rallye SA ("Rallye") (Paris:RAL) of EUR 200 million non-dilutive cash-settled bonds due 2022 exchangeable for existing ordinary shares (the "Shares") of Casino, Guichard-Perrachon S.A. ("Casino") (the "Bonds"), the Initial Exchange Price of the Bonds has been set at EUR 59.9769.

The Initial Exchange Price represents a premium of 30% above the Share Reference Price for Casino share of EUR 46.1361, which was determined in the manner described in the press announcements released on October 19, 2016.

Settlement and delivery of the Bonds took place on October 26, 2016.

Capitalised terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the terms and conditions of the Bonds.

DISCLAIMER

Available information

The issue of the Bonds was not subject to a prospectus approved by the French Financial Market Authority (Autorite des marches financiers) (the "AMF"). Detailed information on Rallye, including its business, results, prospects and related risk factors are described in Rallye's registration document, the French version of which was filed with the AMF on April 19, 2016 under number D.16-0368, Rallye's interim financial statements for the period ending on June 30, 2016, which are available together with all the press releases and other regulated information about Rallye, on Rallye's website (https://www.rallye.fr).

Detailed information on Casino, including the Shares, Casino's business, results, prospects and related risk factors are described in Casino's registration document, the French version of which was filed with the AMF on April 19, 2016 under number D.16-0367, Casino's interim financial statements for the period ending on June 30, 2016 and the press release dated October 13, 2016 relating to the third quarter 2016 sales which are available together with all the press releases and other regulated information about Casino, on Casino's website (https://www.groupe-casino.fr).

Important information

This press release may not be published, distributed or released directly or indirectly in the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa. The distribution of this press release may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons into whose possession any document or other information referred to herein comes, should inform themselves about and observe any such restriction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

No communication or information relating to the offering may be transmitted to the public in a country where there is a registration obligation or where an approval is required. No action has been or will be taken in any country in which such registration or approval would be required. The issuance or the subscription of the Bonds may be subject to legal and regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions; none of Rallye, BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole CIB (the "Joint Bookrunners") and HSBC and Natixis acting as co-bookrunners (the "Co-Bookrunners") assumes any liability in connection with the breach by any person of such restrictions.

The information contained in this press release is for background purposes only and does not purport to be full or complete. No reliance may be placed for any purpose on the information contained in this press release or its accuracy or completeness. The information in this press release is subject to change.

This press release is an advertisement and not a prospectus within the meaning of Directive 2003/71/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of November 4, 2003 as amended (the "Prospectus Directive

The Bonds have been offered only by way of a private placement in France to persons referred to in Article L.411-2-II of the French monetary and financial code (Code monetaire et financier) and outside France (excluding the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Japan and South Africa), without an offer to the public in any country (including France). This press release does not constitute a recommendation concerning the issue of the Bonds. The value of the Bonds and the Shares can decrease as well as increase. Potential investors should consult a professional adviser as to the suitability of the Bonds for the person concerned.

European Economic Area

With respect to the Member States of the European Economic Area which have implemented the Prospectus Directive (the "Relevant Member States"), no action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of the Bonds requiring a publication of a prospectus in any Relevant Member State. As a result, the Bonds may only be offered in Relevant Member States:

(a) to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive; or

(b) in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purposes of this paragraph, the expression "offer to the public of Bonds" in any Relevant Member States, means any communication, to individuals or legal entities, in any form and by any means, of sufficient information on the terms and conditions of the offering and on the Bonds to be offered, thereby enabling an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the Bonds, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State.

These selling restrictions with respect to Relevant Member States apply in addition to any other selling restrictions which may be applicable in the Relevant Member States who have implemented the Prospectus Directive.

France

The Bonds have not been and will not be offered or sold or cause to be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to the public in France. Any offer or sale of the Bonds and distribution of any offering material relating to the Bonds have been and will be made in France only to (a) persons providing investment services relating to portfolio management for the account of third parties (personnes fournissant le service d'investissement de gestion de portefeuille pour compte de tiers), and/or (b) qualified investors (investisseurs qualifies) acting for their own account, as defined in, and in accordance with, Articles L.411-2-II, D.411-1 and D.411-4 of the French monetary and financial Code (Code monetaire et financier

United Kingdom

This press release is addressed and directed only (i) to persons located outside the United Kingdom, (ii) to investment professionals as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order"), (iii) to people designated by Article 49(2) (a) to (d) of the Order or (iv) to any other person to whom this press release could be addressed pursuant to applicable law (the persons mentioned in paragraphs (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) all deemed relevant persons ("Relevant Persons")). The Bonds are intended only for Relevant Persons and any invitation, offer of contract related to the subscription, tender, or acquisition of the Bonds may be addressed and/or concluded only with Relevant Persons. All persons other than Relevant Persons must abstain from using or relying on this document and all information contained therein.

This press release is not a prospectus which has been approved by the Financial Conduct Authority or any other United Kingdom regulatory authority for the purposes of Section 85 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.

United States of America

This press release may not be published, distributed or transmitted in the United States of America (including its territories and dependencies, any State of the United States of America and the District of Columbia). This press release does not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to purchase for securities in the United States of America or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The securities mentioned herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act, the law of any state of the United States of America and may not be offered or sold in the United States of America or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons, except pursuant to an exemption from, or a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act or the law of the above states. The Bonds will be offered or sold only to non-U.S. persons in offshore transactions outside of the United States of America, in accordance with Regulation S of the Securities Act. Rallye does not intend to register any portion of the proposed offering in the United States of America and no public offering will be made in the United States of America.

Australia, Canada, Japan and South Africa

The Bonds may not and will not be offered, sold or purchased in Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa. The information contained in this press release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa.

The distribution of this press release in certain countries may constitute a breach of applicable law.

The Joint Bookrunners and the Co-Bookrunners are acting exclusively on behalf of Rallye and no-one else in connection with the offering. They will not regard any other person as their respective client in relation to the offering and will not be responsible to anyone other than Rallye for providing the same protections as to any of their clients or to provide advice in connection with the offering, the Bonds, the contents of this press release or any other transaction, arrangement or other matter described in this press release.

In connection with the offering, the Joint Bookrunners and the Co-Bookrunners and any of their respective affiliates, may take up a portion of the Bonds as a principal position and in that capacity may subscribe for, acquire, retain, purchase, sell, offer, offer to sell or negotiate for their own account such Bonds and other securities of Rallye or Casino or related investments in connection with the offering, the Bonds, Rallye, Casino or otherwise.

Accordingly, references to securities issued, offered, subscribed, acquired, placed or dealt should be read as including any issue, offer, subscription, acquisition, placement, dealing or negotiation made by the Joint Bookrunners and the Co-Bookrunners and any of their affiliates acting as investors for their own account. The Joint Bookrunners and the Co-Bookrunners do not intend to disclose the extent of any such above mentioned investments or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any applicable legal or regulatory requirements.

None of the Joint Bookrunners or the Co-Bookrunners or any of their respective affiliates accept any responsibility whatsoever which could result from the use of this press release with respect to its inaccuracy or completeness.

NOT FOR PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN OR SOUTH AFRICA

This press release does not constitute a solicitation to purchase or an offer of the Bonds or the Shares (as defined below and together, the "Securities") in the United States of America or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended). The Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States of America or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons unless they are registered or exempt from registration under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Rallye does not intend to register all or any portion of the offering in the United States of America or to conduct a public offering of the Securities in the United States of America

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109006069/en/

Contacts:

Rallye
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., has frequently had a contentious relationship with President-elect Donald Trump but praised the real estate tycoon for his surprise victory in the race for the White House. Speaking at a press conference in his hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, Ryan described Trump's upset victory over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton as the most incredible political feat he has seen. 'Donald Trump heard a voice out in this country that no one else heard,' Ryan said. 'He connected in ways with people no one else did.' He added, 'He turned politics on its head and now Donald Trump will lead a unified Republican government and we will work hand in hand on a positive agenda to tackle this country's big challenges.' Ryan said he has spoken with Trump twice since the election and expressed confidence in their ability to work together. The expression of solidarity comes despite repeated clashes between Ryan and Trump during the campaign, which led the Republican nominee to label the speaker a 'very weak and ineffective leader.' Ryan distanced himself from Trump following the release of a recording of the billionaire-turned-politician making lewd remarks about women but maintained his official endorsement. The more congenial tone comes as Republicans maintained control of both the House and the Senate, a feat Ryan said was partly due to Trump's 'coattails.' 'Our House majority is bigger than expected. We won more seats than many people expected,' Ryan said. 'Much of that is thanks to Donald Trump.' Echoing remarks from Trump's victory speech, Ryan acknowledged the country remains sharply divided and pledged to work to heal the divisions of a long campaign. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- IIROC has requested for a clarification of the Cameo Resources Corp. (TSX VENTURE: CRU)(OTC PINK: SIDNF)(the "Company") News Release dated November 09, 2016. The company wishes to inform shareholders that this news release is not a change of business and Cameo still is 100% mineral exploration company.

At this point, the company is only reviewing information provided by Green Fields Hydroponics (GFH) of Portland Oregon. The revenue, employment figures and forecasts stated in the news release were provided by GFH.

Cameo Resources Corp. is still pleased to have signed a Letter of Intent with Green Fields Hydroponics of Portland Oregon. It's an opportunity that the Cameo wants to explore. The signed letter of intent is for exchange of information with GFH and currently, there is no definitive agreement signed and no compensation terms are stated in the letter. The letter is to ensure that confidentiality is maintained as Cameo continues to discuss future business opportunities with GFH.

"Recreational marijuana is now legal in California - and that's a game changer for public health. Though 25 other states have already legalized weed for medicinal purposes and four for recreational purposes, the size and population of California puts its decision in a different league and it could lead the way to figuring out policy around the drug. Current projections have Maine, Nevada, and Massachusetts voting to legalize recreational marijuana, while Arizona voted against legalizing recreational pot.

Medical marijuana was also on the ballot for several states. Current projections have North Dakota, Montana, Arkansas and Florida all expected to approve medical marijuana."

- The Verge

http://www.theverge.com/2016/11/8/13520486/marijuana-legalization-california-election-2016

Akash Patel, president of Cameo, remarks that: "Signing of this LOI does not shift the company's focus on its ongoing commitment to mineral exploration. However, we expect to complete our due diligence by year end and update our shareholders along the way."

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Akash Patel, President

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Cameo Resources Inc.

Akash Patel

President

Email: akashp006@gmail.com

www.cameoresources.com




OTTAWA, CANADA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, has concluded his second successful mission to China where he helped secure new export opportunities for Canadian agricultural producers and processors.

Over the 10-day mission, Minister MacAulay and a delegation of over 100 Canadian industry representatives from all 10 provinces visited the cities of Qingdao, Beijing and Shanghai. Meetings were held with Chinese ministers, agriculture and agri-food businesses and exporters. The Minister also attended two major tradeshows in Qingdao and Shanghai to help promote Canadian products.

As a result of the two tradeshows, Canadian industry representatives reported qualifying more than 5,500 leads,over 30 percent of which they believe will lead to future business. In terms of sales, industry representatives reported some $37 million in on-site sales and $230 million in anticipated sales over the next year.

In addition, as a result of various networking and promotional events where Minister MacAulay was key in encouraging business-to-business meetings, such as Export Cafes and Savour Canada events, Canadian industry also reported numerous on-site sales and leads that will generate business.

Quick facts

-- China is the world's second largest economy, and Canada's second-largest single-country trading partner. -- Last year, Canada exported over $6 billion worth of agricultural, agri- food and fish and seafood to China. -- Top agricultural and agri-foods products include canola seed and canola oil ($2.6 billion), soy beans ($588 million), non-durum wheat ($333 million) and dried peas ($314 million). -- Two-way merchandise trade between Canada and China amounted to nearly $85.8 billion in 2015. -- Canada's two-way foreign direct investment relationship with China reached $33 billion at the end of 2015.

Quote

"China is a vital export market for Canadian agricultural producers, processors and exporters. I am pleased to build on the Government's strong trading relationship with this fastest growing consumer market, to help put more money in the pockets of Canadian farmers and processors, which in turn strengthens our entire Canadian economy and the middle class."

-- Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri- Food

Additional links

-- Minister MacAulay leads largest-ever agricultural delegation to China -- Canada signs new agreements securing access for canola and beef -- Prime Minister concludes successful first official visit to China -- China - At a Glance

Follow us on Twitter: @AAFC_Canada

Like us on Facebook: CanadianAgriculture

BACKGROUNDER

Highlights of China mission:

During a Canadian Chamber of Commerce reception with Canadian and Chinese delegates in Shanghai, Minister MacAulay highlighted an agreement on exploratory talks towards a potential free trade agreement between Canada and China, which was announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Li Keqiang, on September 23, 2016. He also called on business leaders to work towards the goal of doubling trade between the two countries by 2025, another commitment announced by Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Li.

While in Shanghai, Minister MacAulay toured the Canadian Pavilion at Food and Hospitality China, the country's largest international food show, where more than 60 Canadian exhibitors showcased Canada's high-quality agri-food products to Chinese and international buyers. Later, at a Canada Beef International Institute event, Minister MacAulay delivered remarks that focused on China's growing consumption of Canada's high-quality beef and the recent expansion of Canadian beef exports to China. Minister MacAulay also attended a Canadian Pork International reception which highlighted Canadian industry's enhanced market development efforts in China.

In Beijing and Shanghai, industry representatives who were part of the trade mission participated in successful business-to-business networking events to connect with Chinese buyers and generate sales opportunities. Minister MacAulay attended these networking events in support of Canadian industry. Minister MacAulay also participated in an Export Cafe and a "Savour Canada" media event showcasing fine, high-quality Canadian food products to raise the profile of Canadian food products among Chinese consumers.

In Beijing, Minister MacAulay met with Minister Han, Minister of Agriculture and Minister Zhi, Minister of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, as well as Chinese Government officials to discuss and advance issues of mutual interests. Minister MacAulay also met with the State Administration of Grain (SAG) and the China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO).

Contacts:

Guy Gallant

Director of Communications

Office of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay

613-773-1059



Media Relations

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Ottawa, Ontario

613-773-7972

1-866-345-7972




SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Sorenson Communications, LLC, the company that revolutionized Video Relay Service (VRS) communication for Deaf people, is pleased to announce the winners of its SVRS Excellence and Innovation in Interpreter Education Award (Award of Excellence). The Interpreter Education Program (IEP) at St. Catherine University of St. Paul, Minn., was chosen as the winner for the 2014-2015 academic school year, and the IEP at Augustana University of Sioux Falls, S.D., was chosen for the 2015-2016 academic school year. Both universities' IEPs were honored at the Conference of Interpreter Trainers conference, Oct. 26 through 28, 2016.

Each academic year, Sorenson recognizes one outstanding IEP that exceeds typical educational standards, leverages technology and incorporates interaction with the Deaf community in its program. The award is open to all two- and four-year, degree-granting IEPs in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. Award winners are showcased among their peers at the Innovator Showcase, typically held in Salt Lake City. Winners also receive a monetary grant as well as materials to reinvest in their programs.

Sorenson founded the SVRS Award of Excellence and Innovation in Interpreter Education Award to recognize IEPs working to raise interpreter education standards. Since 2009, Sorenson has supported this program to enhance the overall quality of professional interpreting, provide the Deaf with the highest-quality, professional interpreters and to give back to the Deaf community.

St. Catherine University Chairperson of the ASL and Interpreting Department Paula Gajewski Mickelson says the success of her program is not achieved in isolation. The department works closely with the Deaf community, the interpreting community, alumni and students to support and enhance the students' experiences at the university.

Augustana University says it is fortunate to have the support of both the state of South Dakota and its Deaf community. Augustana staffs its language lab with Deaf staff who mentor interpreting students seven days a week. IEP director Marlee Dyce says, "I tell students when they enroll in our IEP that they should be prepared to change their lifestyles. We want to ensure they know, before they get here, that this is a commitment to a culture."

Chris Wakeland, vice president of interpreting at Sorenson Communications, says, "In order to strengthen the quality of ASL interpreting in the U.S. and Canada, Sorenson continues to invest in the interpreting community -- by recognizing excellence in interpreter education, training, language development and service learning. We honor those schools and institutions of higher education that provide future interpreters opportunities to train with the Deaf. We are proud to be part of increasing access for Deaf and hearing people to connect by ensuring better-trained and socially-conscience interpreters."

Interviews available

Sorenson Communications

Sorenson Communications, LLC (www.sorenson.com) is a provider of industry-leading communication products and services for the Deaf. The company's offerings include Sorenson Video Relay Service (SVRS), the highest-quality video interpreting service; the Sorenson ntouch VP videophone, designed especially for use by Deaf individuals; ntouch PC, software that connects users to SVRS by using a PC and webcam; ntouch for Mac, software that connects users to SVRS by using an Apple computer; ntouch Tablet, which turns the Apple iPad or Android tablet into a larger-screen mobile VP; and ntouch Mobile, an application empowering SVRS communication via mobile devices.
OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- The successful implementation of the government's National Oceans Protection Plan will require the reversal of previous government's cuts to scientists.

"We welcome the government's announcement of the National Oceans Protection Plan," said PIPSC President, Debi Daviau. "We strongly believe that hiring at least 150 scientists should be included as a priority to make up for the professional positions that were eliminated at the Canadian Coast Guard and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in recent years."

The government's initiative will provide $1.5 billion in funding over five years to the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). This announcement is long overdue and absolutely necessary if there is going to be more shipping traffic in the coming years.

The new spending is especially positive given the legacy of cuts inherited from the last government. PIPSC has been vocal in our opposition to the closing of Coast Guard facilities, diminishing research capacity at science based departments like DFO, and the weakening of emergency preparedness units.

Protecting our coast lines and waterways is of vital importance today and for future generations. In doing so it is essential that the Coast Guard's invaluable front-line response and enforcement function work in a coordinated manner with researchers and scientific regulatory experts at DFO to ensure evidence is driving the decision making process.

"The lifework of these public service professionals is to ensure our coastal communities are safe and our aquatic ecosystems are protected," said Daviau. "If the cuts to the professional positions at DFO and CCG are reversed, this investment will increase capacity in critical areas and assist these professionals in carrying out the organization's mandate."

PIPSC represents approximately 55,000 public sector professionals, including some 15,000 federal government scientists.

Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter (@pipsc_ipfpc)

Contacts:

Johanne Fillion

(613) 228-6310 ext 4953 (office)

(613) 883-4900 (cell.)

jfillion@pipsc.ca




TORONTO, ONTARIO and VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Kirkland Lake Gold Inc. ("Kirkland Lake Gold") (TSX: KLG) and Newmarket Gold Inc. ("Newmarket") (TSX: NMI)(OTCQX: NMKTF) are pleased to announce Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. ("ISS"), the leading independent proxy advisory firm that provides voting recommendations to institutional investors, has recommended that shareholders of each company vote in favour of the proposed plan of arrangement dated September 29th, 2016 to merge the two companies ("Business Combination").

ISS has recommended that both Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket shareholders vote FOR the respective resolutions relating to the plan of arrangement for a number of reasons, including the fact "the arrangement makes strategic sense" for both companies "as it will result in the creation of a larger, more diversified company with a portfolio of high-quality assets, while the Combined Company will have a stronger financial position and greater cash resources" than Kirkland Lake Gold or Newmarket alone.

In connection with the Business Combination, shareholders of Kirkland Lake Gold will receive 2.1053 Newmarket shares (on a pre-consolidated basis) for each Kirkland Lake Gold share held which will be approximately one Newmarket share on a post-consolidation basis. Pursuant to the consolidation, shareholders of Newmarket will receive 0.475 of a post-consolidation share for every one pre-consolidation share of Newmarket held.

Existing Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket shareholders will own approximately 57% and 43% of the combined company, respectively, on a fully-diluted in-the-money basis. Management of both companies believes that the Business Combination will provide shareholders with significant benefits to each that would not be available if each company remained as a standalone entity.

Shareholders of Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket are encouraged to read the Joint Management Information Circular, a copy of which is available under their respective profiles on the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com).

How To Vote

Shareholders must vote their proxy before 10:00 a.m. (Toronto time) on November 23, 2016.

Kirkland Lake Gold shareholders with questions or who need help voting are encouraged to contact Kingsdale Shareholder Services at 1-877-659-1824 toll-free within North America, or 1-416-867-2272 (for collect calls outside North America), or e-mail at contactus@kingsdaleshareholder.com.

Newmarket shareholders with questions or who require assistance with voting, should contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group, at 1-877-452-7184 toll-free, or 1-416-304-0211 (for collect calls outside North America) or by e-mail at assistance@laurelhill.com.

About Kirkland Lake Gold

Kirkland Lake Gold is an intermediate gold producer with assets in the historic Kirkland Lake gold camp, and east of the Timmins gold camp along the Porcupine-Destor Fault Zone, both in northeastern Ontario. Kirkland Lake Gold is currently targeting annual gold production of between 280,000 to 290,000 ounces from its cornerstone asset, the Macassa Mine Complex and the Holt Mine Complex which includes the Holt, Holloway and Taylor mines.

Kirkland Lake Gold is committed to building a sustainable mining company that is recognized as a safe and responsible gold producer with quality assets in safe mining jurisdictions.

About Newmarket

Newmarket is a Canadian listed gold producer with three 100% owned underground operating mines in Australia. The flagship operation, Fosterville Gold Mine, and the Stawell Gold Mine are located in the state of Victoria, and the Cosmo Gold Mine is located in the Northern Territory. In addition, Newmarket has a pipeline of growth projects within Australia, including The Maud Creek Gold Project in the Northern Territory and the Big Hill Gold Project in the state of Victoria. Newmarket is based on a strong foundation of quality gold production from its three Australian mines, producing over 220,000 ounces of gold annually. Newmarket is dedicated to the development of its resources, targeted exploration, and prudent cost management practices, while continuing to generate free cash flow and maintaining a large resource base with reserve upside. Newmarket strives to enhance shareholder value through a disciplined approach to growth, focused on organic exploration success on near mine targets and accretive acquisition opportunities in stable mining jurisdictions.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has neither reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions and include information regarding: (i) expectations regarding whether the proposed transaction will be consummated, including whether conditions to the consummation of the transaction will be satisfied, or the timing for completing the transaction, (ii) expectations for the effects of the transaction or the ability of the combined company to successfully achieve business objectives, including integrating the companies or the effects of unexpected costs, liabilities or delays, (iii) the potential benefits and synergies of the transaction and (iv) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect Kirkland Lake Gold's and Newmarket's respective management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the combined company. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: the ability to consummate the transaction; the ability to obtain requisite regulatory and shareholder approvals and the satisfaction of other conditions to the consummation of the transaction on the proposed terms and schedule; the ability of Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket to successfully integrate their respective operations and employees and realize synergies and cost savings at the times, and to the extent, anticipated; the potential impact on exploration activities; the potential impact of the announcement or consummation of the transaction on relationships, including with regulatory bodies, employees, suppliers, customers and competitors; the re-rating potential following the consummation of the transaction; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; changes in applicable laws; compliance with extensive government regulation; and the diversion of management time on the transaction. This forward-looking information may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket and market conditions. This information is qualified in its entirety by cautionary statements and risk factor disclosure contained in filings made by Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket with the Canadian securities regulators, including the Joint Management Information Circular and Kirkland Lake Gold's and Newmarket's respective annual information form, financial statements and related MD&A for the financial year ended December 31, 2015 and their interim financial reports and related MD&A for the period ended September 30, 2016 filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedar.com.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket have attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Kirkland Lake Gold and Newmarket do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.

Contacts:

Kirkland Lake Gold

Media:

Ian Robertson, Kingsdale Shareholder Services

Executive Vice President, Communication Strategy

Direct: +1 416-867-2333; Mobile: +1 647-621-2646

irobertson@kingsdaleshareholder.com



Investors:

Suzette N Ramcharan, CPIR

Kirkland Lake Gold Inc.

Director of Investor Relations

Direct: +1 647-361-0200; Mobile: +1 647-284-5315

sramcharan@klgold.com



Newmarket

Ryan King

VP, Investor Relations

+1 778-372-5611

rking@newmarketgoldinc.com




Weekly net asset value ("NAV") is calculated as of the close of business on each Tuesday and posted on the following business day. In the event that Tuesday is not a business day, the Company will calculate the close-of-business NAV as of the business day immediately preceding that Tuesday. The end-of-month NAV is calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the month and posted on the following business day. For weeks that include a month-end NAV report, PSH will provide only the month-end NAV and not report the Tuesday NAV. Monthly NAVs are published in accordance with the Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings under the Wft (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiele ondernemingen Wft).

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) recognized six Canadian organizations at the 2016 Ingenious Awards, an annual celebration of excellence in the use of information and communications technology (ICT) by organizations in all walks of Canadian life to solve problems, improve performance, introduce new services and grow businesses. In addition, two outstanding CIO's were recognized for the CanadianCIO of the Year Award, in both the public and private sectors, recognizing overall excellence among Canada's community of CIOs.

The accomplishments of the 2016 winners provided a glimpse into the power of ICT to solve health care problems, enable payment functionality easily on multiple devices using the cloud, increasing agriculture yields while reducing energy and labour costs, putting the power of big data analytics into the hands of SMBs and streamline day-to-day operations of a non-profit to better serve people in need.

The 2016 Ingenious Award Winners in six categories: (link to each winner story / video on website)

-- Not-For-Profit: Furniture Bank - Helping those in need across GTA -- Large Public: University Health Network - The Implementation of the UHN Advanced Clinical Documentation Tool for Severe Obesity Care: A Model for Leveraging Technology to Improve Patient Outcomes. -- Small/Medium Public: First Nations Integrated Health Solution: Home Care Reporting System Implementation Project (InterRAI) -- Small/Medium Private (ICT): Thirdshelf Inc - Helping SMBs Build a Loyal Following -- Small/Medium Private (Non-ICT): NatureFresh Farms: Nature Fresh Farms Grows Productivity -- Large Private: Moneris - Moneris Cloud Payment API

The 2016 CanadianCIO of the Year Award Winners (link to bios on website)

-- Public Sector: Peter Bak, CIO, Humber River Hospital -- Private Sector: Ted Maulucci, CIO, Tridel Corporation

"The annual celebration of excellence of innovation allows us to celebrate with visionary leaders who have thought outside of the box and charted their own destiny," noted Robert Watson, President and CEO, ITAC. "The transformative powers of ICT impacts all sectors and will continue to strengthen our country."

Launched in 2011, the Ingenious Awards program invites nominations from across Canada's ICT industry, from organizations in the six categories that have realized significant results through the innovative use of ICT. ITAC is proud to partner with the CIO Association of Canada (CIOCAN) on both the Ingenious Awards Program and CanadianCIO of the Year Awards. CIOCAN together with CanadianCIO Magazine partner to recognize individuals making extraordinary contributions to the evolution of technology in Canada in their capacity as CIO's in both the public and private sector for the CanadianCIO of the Year Awards.

About ITAC

The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) is the voice of the Canadian information and communications technologies (ICT) industry championing the development of a robust and sustainable digital economy in Canada. A vital connection between business and government, we provide our members with the advocacy, networking and professional development services that help them to thrive nationally and compete globally. A prominent advocate for the expansion of Canada's innovative capacity, ITAC encourages technology adoption to capitalize on productivity and performance opportunities across all sectors. A member-driven not-for-profit, ITAC has served as the authoritative national voice of the $170 billion ICT industry for over 60 years.

Contacts:

Christine Leonard

Director, Communications

(905) 580-2048

cleonard@itac.ca




CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Western Economic Diversification Canada

An improved satellite communications system that can detect early warning signs and monitor aircraft in real-time will get off the ground sooner because of the Government of Canada's investment of $2.35 million.

Darshan Kang, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada, made the announcement today during a visit to The Hangar Flight Museum in Calgary.

FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd., which provides integrated intelligence and communications technology to the aerospace industry, will use the funding to upgrade its Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS) and commercialize its cloud-based UpTime software. These two technologies will work in unison to provide customers with crucial real-time aircraft intelligence and services such as tracking, aircraft health monitoring, equipment diagnostics, and cockpit communications. They are targeted for introduction by early 2019.

There is a growing global demand for real-time predictive maintenance systems and tracking services due to the increasing number of air services, carriers and recent aircraft disappearances. These integrated technologies will enhance aircraft safety, improve tracking over remote areas, allow for more efficient maintenance scheduling and help to make FLYHT more competitive in the global marketplace.

This investment is one of several successful projects to be announced under the Western Innovation (WINN) Initiative. The program provides $100 million in repayable contributions to small- and medium-sized companies in Western Canada.

Quotes

"FLYHT is poised to be a global player in the aircraft communications technology sector and the innovative satellite systems it is developing can solve real challenges in the industry. The Government of Canada's investment in companies such as FLYHT will generate real growth for the local economy and provide jobs for our skilled workers."

- Darshan Kang, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada

"It's really exciting to have been selected for WINN funding which greatly contributes to the work we do in the aerospace sector in Alberta. We are upgrading the Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS) and commercializing the Company's cloud-based UpTime software which includes functionality to better support new and current customers."

- Flint Walters, Program Manager, FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd.

Additional Links

Western Innovation (WINN) Initiative

FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd.

Stay Connected

Follow us on Twitter: @WD_Canada, @MinisterISED, @FLYHTCorp

WD Homepage

WD Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-WEST (9378)

TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 1-877-303-3388

IF THERE IS A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN ANY PRINTED VERSION AND THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS NEWS RELEASE, THE ELECTRONIC VERSION WILL PREVAIL.

Contacts:

Donna Kinley

Regional Communications Manager

Western Economic Diversification Canada

780-495-6892

donna.kinley@canada.ca



FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd.

Nola M. Heale, CPA, CA

Chief Financial Officer

403-291-7425

nheale@flyht.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Atacama Pacific Gold Corporation (TSX VENTURE: ATM) ("Atacama Pacific") announces that the TSX Venture Exchange has approved the extension of the expiry date of 3,362,500 common share purchase warrants (the "2013 Warrants") that were issued on November 29, 2013 and were set to expire on November 29, 2016. Under the updated terms of the warrant agreement, each 2013 Warrant entitles the holder thereof to subscribe for one common share at an exercise price of $1.40 any time prior to March 31, 2018. Aside from the extension of the expiry date, all other terms of the 2013 Warrants remain unchanged. By their own accord, the expiry date of 637,500 2013 Warrants owned by Atacama Pacific's officers and directors will not be extended.

About Atacama Pacific

Atacama Pacific's business is the acquisition, exploration and development of precious metals resource properties in Chile. Atacama Pacific's principal mineral property is the Cerro Maricunga oxide-associated, breccia-hosted gold project, located in Region III, 140 kilometres by road northeast of the city of Copiapo. Atacama Pacific's goal is to become a producer of gold through the development of the Cerro Maricunga Gold Project. The Cerro Maricunga deposit hosts total Proven and Probable mineral reserves of 294.4 million tonnes grading 0.40 grams per tonne for 3,743 million ounces of gold representing one of the largest undeveloped oxide associated gold deposits in the world not controlled by a producer.

National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure

Maria Leticia Conca Benito, Mining Engineer, Universidad de Chile, Registered Member of Chilean Mining Commission, CEO and Project Director, Alquimia, was the independent qualified person, as defined by NI 43-101, responsible for the compilation of the information and preparation of the 2014 PFS. Carlos Guzman, a mining engineer, Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and a registered member of the Chilean Mining Commission, was the independent qualified person responsible for the mining related sections of the 2014 PFS including the generation of the pit shell for constrained resources and the mineral reserve estimate.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward looking statements, including predictions, projections and forecasts. Forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the commencement and completion of the Cerro Maricunga feasibility study. Often, but not always, forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "planning", "expects" or "does not expect", "continues", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "potential", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", or "belief", or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.

Forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, prediction, projection, forecast, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward looking statements. Such factors include, among other items, the timing of the completion of an updated prefeasibility study or feasibility study, the impact of proposed updated mining conditions, including crushing and processing methods and mining rates, the results of due diligence activities, changes in economic parameters and assumptions, the interpretation and actual results of current exploration activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; the results of regulatory and permitting processes; future prices of gold; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; the results of further economic and technical studies, delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors disclosed in Atacama Pacific's publicly filed documents.

Although Atacama Pacific has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Atacama Pacific Gold Corporation

Carl B. Hansen

President and CEO

416 861 8267

info@atacamapacific.com

www.atacamapacific.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- According to Nick Barisheff, President and CEO of Bullion Management Group Inc. (BMG), "A Trump US presidential victory signals US$1,500 an ounce for gold and US$24 for silver in the intermediate term."

"Trump voters have now injected an unprecedented level of uncertainty into global financial markets," continued Barisheff. "Investors prefer clarity, and until President-elect Trump fully clarifies his economic, trade and foreign policy positions, investors will be in a high-alert state of uncertainty. Roiling markets will compel investors to purchase safe-haven assets, especially precious metals."

"The mainstream financial media, market analysts and fiscal academics continue to overlook the fundamental reasons to own bullion," said Barisheff. "In one word, this oversight boils down to 'uncertainty.' Americans anxious about their future or their trust in large government and financial institutions chose to vote for President-elect Trump."

Barisheff emphasizes that the gold price has a strong historic correlation to the growth of the US national debt of about 90%. "This correlation diverged in 2011, and in order to reflect the current $20 trillion in total debt, the gold price should be at least $2,000 per ounce," said Barisheff. Trump's platform promise of greater infrastructure spending and tax cuts will result in an acceleration of an already exponentially rising debt. Looking ahead several years, Barisheff stands by his long-term forecast as outlined in his book, $10,000 Gold: Why Gold's Inevitable Rise Is the Investor's Safe Haven.

For investors seeking precious metals as a safe-haven option, Barisheff points out that not all precious metals investments are created equal. "Mining stocks can offer short-term leverage to a rising gold price, but they can magnify losses in a declining stock market. Derivatives and proxies of physical bullion, such as ETFs and futures contracts, masquerade as bullion, but they do not offer the superior wealth preservation and appreciation of physical bullion held on a secured, allocated and insured basis," he said.

About Bullion Management Group Inc.

Founded in 2002, BMG is a dedicated guardian of physical bullion. BMG is based in Toronto, Canada with offices in multiple countries, including Panama and the United Kingdom. The company offers a wide range of physical bullion products designed for portfolio diversification and wealth preservation. BMG bullion products are stored on an allocated and insured basis within LBMA-member vaults.

BMG was the first precious metals bullion management company in Canada to become an Associate Member of the LBMA, an honour it shares with the Royal Canadian Mint, the Crown Corporation that produces Canada's currency. This validation and endorsement is only bestowed upon firms that meet the LBMA's rigorous industry standards on refining, reliable trading and 'Good Delivery' practices. BMG is also an associate member of the Responsible Investment Association (RIA) and signatory to Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).

For Canadian investors, BMG Silver BullionFund, BMG Gold BullionFund and BMG BullionFund (silver, gold and platinum) invest only in unencumbered physical bullion. All bullion in BMG funds also meets London 'Good Delivery' Standards. All three BMG funds are designed to provide a convenient, cost-effective, medium-risk alternative for investors seeking to purchase and hold precious metals bullion. The bullion holdings for BMG funds are allocated, insured and held in trust under a custodial agreement with The Bank of Nova Scotia in Toronto.

For global investors, the BMG BullionBars program allows high net worth individuals, institutions and family offices to easily purchase and store individual bars of investment-grade 'Good Delivery' gold, silver and platinum free of VAT.

All BMG products offer investors the security of allocated, insured bullion without compromising any of the fundamental attributes of precious metals ownership: immediate liquidity; no reliance on management skills; no counterparty risk; and no use of derivatives, leverage, futures, options, leasing, currency hedging or gold certificates.

To interview Nick Barisheff on the investment drivers for precious metals and BMG's responsible investing approach, please use the contact information below.

Website: www.bmgbullion.com or www.bmgfunds.com

Contacts:

Rachel Hitlal

Public Relations and Media Specialist

Bullion Management Group Inc.

Phone: +1 905.415.2951

Email: r.hitlal@bmgbullion.com



Marty Nicandro

Vice President of Operations and Marketing

Bullion Management Group Inc.

Phone: +1 416.710.1187

Email: m.nicandro@bmgbullion.com



BMG phone numbers:

+1.905.474.1001 or toll free at +1.888.474.1001




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- Pizza Pizza Royalty Corp. (TSX: PZA) (the "Company"), which owns the Pizza Pizza and Pizza 73 Rights and Marks, released financial results today for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2016.

Third Quarter highlights:

-- Royalty Pool sales increased 2.7% -- Same store sales increased 2.2% -- Restaurant network grew by three, net locations

Year-to-date highlights:

-- Royalty Pool sales increased 2.5% -- Same store sales increased 1.9% -- Restaurant network grew by ten locations -- Royalty Pool of restaurants increased by a net, six effective January 1, 2016

SALES

For the three months ended September 30, 2016 ("Quarter"), System Sales from the 736 restaurants in the Royalty Pool increased by 2.7% to $136.9 million from $133.3 million in the prior year quarter when there were 730 restaurants in the pool. For the nine month period, Royalty Pool System Sales increased 2.5% to $402.2 million from $392.4 million in the same period last year.

Total Royalty Pool System Sales for the Quarter and the nine months increased over the prior year comparative periods as a result of the reported same store sales growth ("SSSG"), and the impact of net new restaurants added to the Royalty Pool on January 1, 2016. The nine months ended September 30, 2016 system sales also benefitted from the extra day of sales in February 2016 due to the leap year, which management estimates to be approximately $1.0 million.

SSSG, the key driver of yield growth for shareholders of the Company, increased by 2.2% (6.3% - 2015) for the Quarter when compared to the same period in 2015. Year-to-date, SSSG increased by 1.9% when compared to the same period in 2015 (4.9% - 2015). SSSG is not affected by the additional day in the leap year. SSSG is calculated using the 13-week and 39-week comparative basis.

Third Quarter Year to Date SSSG (%) (%) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2016 2015 2016 2015 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pizza Pizza 3.5 7.5 3.7 5.2 Pizza 73 (4.6) 0.8 (6.8) 3.4 Combined 2.2 6.3 1.9 4.9 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

SSSG is driven by the growth in the average customer check and in customer traffic both of which are affected by changes in pricing and sales mix. During the Quarter and for the nine months, the average check increased while customer traffic decreased when compared to the same periods last year.

Paul Goddard, CEO, Pizza Pizza Limited ("PPL"), said: "Our Pizza Pizza restaurants, which have generated over 80% of the Company's total royalty sales this year, continue to report solid growth. We're very pleased with this quarter's performance over an exceptional quarter last year reflecting the brand's strength in our key Ontario and Quebec markets. Our strong performance at Pizza Pizza more than offsets the results at Pizza 73 in Alberta, where we continue to encounter economic uncertainty related to the decline in the price of oil."

MONTHLY DIVIDENDS AND WORKING CAPITAL RESERVE

In June 2016, the Company increased the monthly dividend by 2.3% to $0.0713 per share. On an annualized basis, the dividend was increased by $0.019 to $0.8556 per share. The previous dividend increase was in November 2015, when the Company increased the monthly dividend by 2.5% to $0.0697 per share or $0.8364 annualized.

The Company declared shareholder dividends of $5.3 million, or $0.2139 per share, for the Quarter compared to $5.0 million, or $0.2040 per share, for the prior year comparable quarter. The payout ratio was 97% for the Quarter and was 96% for the prior year comparable quarter.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Company declared dividends of $15.6 million, or $0.6337 per share, compared to $14.6 million, or $0.6081, for the prior year comparable period. The payout ratio was 100% for the nine months and was 96% in the prior year comparable period.

For Canadian federal tax purposes, the dividend is considered a taxable eligible dividend.

The Company's working capital reserve is $4.9 million at September 30, 2016, which is an increase of $153,000 for the Quarter. The increase in the reserve was the result of higher royalties earned by the Company, offset by an increase in the dividend in June 2016.

The reserve is available to stabilize dividends and fund other expenditures in the event of short- to medium-term variability in System Sales and, thus, the Company's royalty income. With this reserve in place, going forward, the Company will continue to target a payout ratio at or near 100% on an annualized basis. The Company does not have capital expenditure requirements or employees.

EARNINGS PER SHARE ("EPS")

Fully-diluted EPS for the quarter was $0.221 per share compared to $0.213 per share for the same quarter in 2015. The increase in earnings for the Quarter and nine months is attributable to increased royalty income. Additionally, prior year earnings for the nine months period were negatively impacted by the non-cash swap termination costs recognized in April 2015 of $1.2 million.

However, instead of EPS, the Company considers "adjusted" EPS(1) to be a more meaningful indicator of the Company's operating performance and, therefore, presents fully-diluted adjusted EPS. Adjusted EPS for the Quarter increased 3.6% to $0.229 compared to $0.221 in the same quarter last year, and increased 0.3% for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. The prior year adjusted earnings benefited from a non-recurring tax deduction in the second quarter last year provided by the "non-cash swap termination costs" mentioned above. The benefit from the tax deduction increased adjusted EPS by $0.0107 in the first nine months of 2015. Without the tax deduction, adjusted EPS for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, would have increased 1.9%(2) over the prior year comparable periods.

CURRENT INCOME TAX EXPENSE

Current income tax expense for the Quarter was $1.3 million and $4.1 million for the nine months. For the 2015 comparative quarter and nine months, the current tax was $1.4 million and $3.7 million, respectively. The increase in tax expense over the prior year is largely due to the Company's increased ownership percentage of Pizza Pizza Royalty Limited Partnership ("Partnership") earnings in the current year coupled with the fact that the prior year's taxable income was reduced by the "non-cash swap termination costs" mentioned above.

Of particular note is that the Company's earnings from operations before income taxes, calculated under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), differs significantly from its taxable income, largely due to the tax amortization of the Pizza Pizza and Pizza 73 Rights and Marks. The amount of the tax amortization deducted is based on a declining basis and will decrease annually.

RESTAURANT DEVELOPMENT

The number of restaurants in the Company's Royalty Pool increased by a net, six to 736 on the January 1, 2016 Adjustment Date. The number of restaurants in the Royalty Pool remained unchanged through September 30, 2016.

During the quarter, PPL opened seven restaurants and closed four. By brand, for the quarter, Pizza Pizza opened three traditional and four non-traditional restaurants; three non-traditional locations were closed. Pizza 73 closed one non-traditional location.

For the nine month period, PPL opened 18 restaurants and closed eight, increasing the overall number of restaurants by ten. By brand, for the nine months, Pizza Pizza opened eight traditional restaurants and nine non-traditional locations; five non-traditional locations were closed. Pizza 73 opened one non-traditional location; three non-traditional locations were closed.

Readers should note that the number of restaurants added to the Royalty Pool each year may differ from the number of restaurant openings and closings reported by PPL on an annual basis as the periods for which they are reported differ slightly.

SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The following table sets out selected financial information and other data of the Company and should be read in conjunction with the unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company. Readers should note that the 2016 results are not directly comparable to the 2015 results because of an extra day of royalty revenue in 2016 due to the leap year, in addition to the fact that there are 736 restaurants in the 2016 Royalty Pool compared to 730 restaurants in the 2015 Royalty Pool.

(in thousands of of dollars, except number restaurants, days in the period, per Share 3 months ended 9 months ended amounts, and noted September September September September otherwise) 30, 2016 30, 2015 30, 2016 30, 2015 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Restaurants in Royalty 736 730 Pool(1) 736 730 Same store sales 2.2% 6.3% growth(2) 1.9% 4.9% Days in the period 92 92 274 273 System Sales reported by Pizza Pizza restaurants in the Royalty Pool(6) $ 115,424 $ 111,209 $ 337,403 $ 323,612 System Sales reported by Pizza 73 restaurants in the Royalty Pool(6) 21,435 22,103 64,800 68,817 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total System Sales $ 136,859 $ 133,312 $ 402,203 $ 392,429 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Royalty - 6% on Pizza Pizza System Sales $ 6,926 $ 6,673 $ 20,244 $ 19,417 Royalty - 9% on Pizza 73 System Sales 1,929 1,989 5,832 6,193 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Royalty income $ 8,855 $ 8,662 $ 26,076 $ 25,610 Interest paid on borrowings(3) (337) (329) (1,003) (1,193) Administrative expenses (139) (133) (464) (400) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted earnings available for distribution to the Company and Pizza Pizza Limited(5) $ 8,379 $ 8,200 $ 24,609 $ 24,017 Distribution on Class B and Class D Exchangeable Shares(4) (1,654) (1,556) (4,931) (5,187) Current income tax expense (1,308) (1,392) (4,092) (3,651) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted earnings available for shareholder dividends(5) $ 5,417 $ 5,252 $ 15,586 $ 15,179 Add back: Distribution on Class B and Class D Exchangeable Shares(4) 1,654 1,556 4,931 5,187 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted earnings from operations(5) $ 7,071 $ 6,808 $ 20,517 $ 20,366 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Adjusted earnings per share(5) $ 0.229 $ 0.221 $ 0.664 $ 0.662 Basic earnings per share $ 0.221 $ 0.213 $ 0.644 $ 0.596 Dividends declared by the Company $ 5,266 $ 5,022 $ 15,601 $ 14,597 Dividend per share $ 0.2139 $ 0.2040 $ 0.6337 $ 0.6081 Payout ratio(5) 97% 96% 100% 96% --------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) The number restaurants for which the Partnership earns a royalty ("Royalty Pool"), as defined in the amended and restated Pizza Pizza license and royalty agreement (the "Pizza Pizza License and Royalty Agreement") and the amended and restated Pizza 73 license and royalty agreement (the "Pizza 73 License and Royalty Agreement") (together, the "License and Royalty Agreements"). For the 2016 fiscal period, the Royalty Pool includes 636 Pizza Pizza restaurants and 100 Pizza 73 restaurants. The number of restaurants added to the Royalty Pool each year may differ from the number of restaurant openings and closings reported by Pizza Pizza Limited ("PPL") on an annual basis as the periods for which they are reported differ slightly. (2) SSSG means the change in period gross sales of Pizza Pizza and Pizza 73 restaurants as compared to sales in the previous period, where the restaurants have been open at least 13 months. Additionally, for a Pizza 73 restaurant whose restaurant territory was adjusted due to an additional restaurant, a Step-Out Payment may be added to sales to arrive at SSSG. SSSG does not have any standardized meaning under IFRS. Therefore, these figures may not be comparable to similar figures presented by other companies. See "Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Measures" in Management's Discussion & Analysis ("MD&A"). (3) The Company, indirectly through the Partnership, incurs interest expense on the $47,000 outstanding bank loan. Interest expense also includes amortization of loan fees. See "Interest Expense" in the Company's MD&A. (4) Represents the distribution to PPL from the Partnership on Class B and Class D Units of the Partnership. The Class B and D Units are exchangeable into common shares of the Company ("Shares") based on the value of the Class B Exchange Multiplier and the Class D Exchange Multiplier at the time of exchange as defined in the Licence and Royalty Agreements, respectively, and represent 20.4% of the fully diluted Shares at September 30, 2016 (December 31, 2015 - 19.9%). During the quarter ended March 31, 2016, as a result of the final calculation of the equivalent Class B and Class D Share entitlements related to the January 1, 2015 Adjustment to the Royalty Pool, PPL was paid a distribution on additional equivalent Shares as if such Shares were outstanding as of January 1, 2015. Included in the three months ended March 31, 2016, is the receipt of distributions of $22 pursuant to the true-up calculation (March 31, 2015 - PPL received $80). (5) "Adjusted earnings from operations", "Adjusted earnings available for shareholder dividends", "Adjusted earnings per Share", and "Payout Ratio" do not have any standardized meaning under IFRS. Therefore, these figures may not be comparable to similar figures presented by other companies. See "Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Measures" in the Company's MD&A. (6) System Sales (as defined in the Licence and Royalty Agreements) reported by Pizza Pizza and Pizza 73 restaurants include the gross sales of Pizza Pizza company-owned, jointly-controlled and franchised restaurants, excluding sales and goods and service tax or similar amounts levied by any governmental or administrative authority. System Sales do not represent the consolidated operating results of the Company but are used to calculate the royalties payable to the Partnership as presented above.

A copy of the Company's unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements and related MD&A will be available at www.sedar.com and www.pizzapizza.ca after the market closes on November 9, 2016.

As previously announced, the Company will host a conference call to discuss the results. The details of the conference call are as follows:

Date: Thursday, November 10, 2016 Time: 9:00 a.m. ET Call-in number: 416-340-2218 / 866-223-7781 Recording call in number: 905-694-9451 / 800-408-3053 Available until midnight, November 24, 2016 Passcode: 6653374

A recording of the call will also be available on the Company's website www.pizzapizza.ca.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this report may constitute "forward-looking" statements which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. When used in this report, such statements include such words as "may", "will", "expect", "believe", "plan", and other similar terminology. These statements reflect management's current expectations regarding future events and speak only as of the date of this report. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's annual information form. The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws.

(1) Adjusted earnings and adjusted EPS are not recognized measures under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and may be calculated in a manner that differs from that used by other issuers. For additional information about the calculation and use of these measures, please see "Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Measures" in the Company's Management's Discussion & Analysis ("MD&A").

(2) 9 months ended September 30, 2016 Adjusted EPS of $0.664 compared to 9 months ended September 30, 2015 Adjusted EPS $0.662 less $0.0107 tax benefit or $0.6513

Contacts:

Pizza Pizza Limited

Curt Feltner

Chief Financial Officer

cfeltner@pizzapizza.ca



Pizza Pizza Limited

Christine D'Sylva

Vice President, Finance & Investor Relations

(416) 967-1010 x393

cdsylva@pizzapizza.ca

www.pizzapizza.ca / www.pizza73.com / www.sedar.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- AlarmForce Industries Inc. (TSX: AF) (AlarmForce or the Company) today provides an update on its review of its revenue recognition practices for the periods starting fiscal Q4 2013 for revenue generated from customer contracts after a customer had requested cancellation of services as described in the Company's August 24, 2016 news release.

The Company reports that it has made significant progress in its extensive review of customer contracts and accounts, which continues. However, further work is still required before it can be determined whether any restatement of AlarmForce's historical financial statements will be required and when it will be in a position to file its financial statements for the third quarter of fiscal 2016.

The Company continues to engage with the Ontario Ministry of Finance regarding the Ministry's proposed Employer Health Tax (EHT) assessment of incremental taxes and penalties driven by its conclusion that the Company's independent contractors should be classified as employees for the purposes of the Employer Health Tax Act. AlarmForce is working with its legal and accounting advisors in evaluating its response to the proposed EHT assessment and the ongoing IRS and Florida payroll audits. As well, it is evaluating the impact of whether this assessment and the other possible employee tax liabilities in connection with the classification of its independent contractors affects Q3 2016 and/or prior period reported financial results, including the appropriate accounting treatment of any taxes and other amounts that may be found owing which may require a restatement of the Company's historical financial statements.

The Company anticipates that a decision regarding whether a restatement will be required will be made by the end of the third week of November 2016.

This status update is provided pursuant to the alternative information guidelines in National Policy 12-203 - Management Cease Trade Orders (NP 12-203), which require the Company to provide bi-weekly updates on its affairs until such time as the Company is current with its filing obligations under Canadian securities laws. In accordance with those requirements, the Company advises that: (i) there has not been any material changes to the information contained in our August 24, September 14, September 28, October 12, and October 26, 2016 news releases; (ii) there has not been any failure by the Company to fulfill its publicly disclosed intentions with respect to satisfying the provisions of the alternative information guidelines of NP 12-203; (iii) there are no subsequent specified defaults (actual or anticipated) within the meaning of NP 12-203; and (iv) there is no other material information concerning the Company and its affairs that has not been generally disclosed as of the date of this press release.

About AlarmForce

AlarmForce provides security alarm monitoring, personal emergency response monitoring, video surveillance and related services to residential and commercial subscribers throughout Canada and the United States. More information about AlarmForce's products and services can be found at alarmforce.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this document constitute forward-looking statements or information (collectively forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as "may", "will", "should", "could", "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "intend", "plan", "potential", "continue" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained or referred to in this press release includes, but may not be limited to: the Company's intention to complete its review of customer accounts, determine whether any restatement of historical financial statements is required and file its financial statements for the third quarter of fiscal 2016, the Company's expectation that it will have completed its review of a sufficient number of customer contracts and accounts and its assessment of the impact of the ongoing payroll audits and the other possible employee tax liabilities by the end of the third week of November, 2016 to allow the Company to provide additional information on whether a restatement of historical financial statements will be required, and the proposed EHT .

The forward-looking statements in this press release reflects the current expectations, assumptions and/or beliefs of AlarmForce about future events based on information currently available to AlarmForce. In connection with the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, AlarmForce has made assumptions about, among other things: no significant events occur outside of AlarmForce's normal course of business; that the Company ought not to have continued charging monitoring fees in some jurisdictions for the period following certain residential customers' subscription cancellations; the quantum of refunds to be made to customers; that the cancelled subscription revenue should not have been recognized; the scope and work necessary to assess any required restatement and for the reporting of its quarterly financial results.

Although AlarmForce believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, and the assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are made, are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements included in this press release, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, liabilities and financial results in future periods to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: the possibility that the final results of the review identify additional issues or different impacts not identified in the results of the review to date; that the quantum of refunds to be made to customers is significantly different than preliminarily determined; that the consumer law, tax and any other possible consequences relating to the Company's past and current treatment of cancellations is significantly different than preliminarily determined, and the possibility that the continued review of customer contracts and accounts and/or the consideration of the impact on the Company's prior period financial statements of the EHT assessment audits, the other possible employee tax liabilities and/or the ongoing IRS and Florida payroll audits take longer than anticipated, any of which may adversely impact the timing of completing the review, and the possibility that the taxes and penalties payable by the Company are significantly different than proposed by the Ontario Ministry of Finance. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, AlarmForce disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

Contacts:

News Media:

Hugh Mansfield

(416) 599-0024 ext 237

(212) 370-5045 ext 237

hugh@mansfieldinc.com




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/09/16 -- The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) announced today that it will host two events in Toronto during November designed to engage, inspire and connect local entrepreneurs: Go Public Boot Camp, created to help growing companies navigate the path to a public listing, and CSE Day, a popular networking event where investors, finance professionals and industry executives learn about and share ideas with companies listed on the exchange.

CSE Presents: Go Public Boot Camp

Go Public Boot Camp provides entrepreneurial corporate managers with an-depth look at the process of taking a company public in Canada. The event features presentations by legal, accounting, capital markets and other professionals that explore the tools needed to efficiently transition to the public marketplace and establish a sustainable best practices framework.

Presenting sponsors include business law firm McMillan LLP; accounting, tax and consulting firm MNP LLP; and SmallCapPower, a leader in small cap stock coverage and research. Also slated to present are representatives from Computershare, Blender Media, CSE-listed Drone Delivery Canada, and members of the capital markets team at Integral Wealth Securities.

When: Tuesday, November 15, 2016, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Where: St. Andrew's Club & Conference Centre; 150 King St. West, 16th Fl., Sun Life Tower

Go Public Boot Camp is free to attend but registration is required: https://csegopublicbootcamp.eventbrite.ca

The CSE held its inaugural Go Public Boot Camp in Vancouver on October 18. The successful event featured eight speakers and attracted guests from industries including technology, natural resources and life sciences.

CSE Day - Where Engagement and Education Lead to Opportunity

The CSE Day Fall Session and Pitch Reception is the latest in a series of CSE Day events held in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Vancouver and New York. Now entering its third year, the CSE Day platform provides CSE companies an opportunity to augment capital raising and shareholder communications initiatives by pitching their stories to members of the investment community.

CSE Day concludes with a catered networking reception where attendees have the chance to speak directly with management and directors from the presenting companies.

This year's CSE Day Fall Session and Pitch Reception also involves an executive luncheon for CSE issuers where marketing experts Jamie Shanks, author of Social Selling Mastery, and Julie Littlechild, who founded AbosluteEngagement.com after 20 years researching high-achieving professionals, will discuss approaches to communicating effectively with the capital markets.

When: Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Executive Luncheon from 12:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Pitch Reception from 4:15 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Where: Trump International Hotel and Tower; 325 Bay St.

CSE issuers and capital markets participants planning to attend the Executive Luncheon, please register here by November 10 to benefit from early-bird pricing: https://csedaytorontofall2016.eventbrite.ca.

The Pitch Reception is open to existing and prospective issuers, financial market professionals and individual investors. Registration for this portion of the CSE Day's event is available at https://csedaytorontofallpitch.eventbrite.ca.

Contacts:

Barrington Miller, Director, Listed Company Services

CSE - Canadian Securities Exchange

(416) 367-7348

barrington.miller@thecse.com




IRVING (dpa-AFX) - Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. (SXL) announced a strategic joint venture with ExxonMobil (XOM) in which the companies will form Permian Express Partners LLC to combine certain of their key crude oil logistics assets. Upon closing, ownership in Permian Express Partners LLC will be approximately 85% SXL and 15% XOM. 'This combination of certain strategic crude oil assets, together with our existing and recently acquired Midland Basin assets, greatly enhances our service capabilities for the Permian Basin, one of the most prolific shale areas with incredible growth opportunities. We expect to achieve significantly greater long-term accretion as domestic crude oil production grows over time,' said Michael Hennigan, President and CEO of Sunoco Logistics. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Getaround, a San Francisco, CA-based car sharing company, received a strategic investment from Toyota Motor Corporation.

Toyota made the investment though its investment fund, Mirai Creation Investment Limited Partnership.

The two companies have also signed a partnership to expand the reach of peer-to-peer carsharing, including strategic investment and broader platform integration. The deal will leverage Getarounds carsharing platform and connected car technology, in combination with Toyotas new Mobility Service Platform and bluetooth-enabled Smart Key Box. Beginning with a pilot program in San Francisco, Getaround renters will be able to securely rent, locate and drive new Toyota vehicles, starting with select Lexus models, without needing to use a physical car key.

Toyota Financial Services will also develop a new financial product recognizing the revenue from sharing Toyota or Lexus on the Getaround platform as a payment method. This product will allow Toyota customers to make their monthly lease payments directly through their monthly Getaround earnings. This offering will be available to new Toyota Financial Services customers in starting in San Francisco by January 2017.

Led by Sam Zaid, Founder and CEO, Getaround enables car owners to share their cars by the hour with other people nearby. The companys platform combines Getaround Connect, its patented connected car technology, with auto insurance coverage, to let users rent nearby cars and save money on auto payments, insurance and maintenance.

FinSMEs

09/11/2016
Greenbird Integration Technology AS, an Oslo, Norway-based smart meter software company, raised US$5m in funding.

The round was led by Statkraft Ventures with participation of ETF Partners.

The company intends to use the funds to expand globally.

Led by Thorsten Heller, CEO, Greenbird provides Metercloud.io and Ghostwriter, which enable utilities to implement flexible IT architectures for modern smart meter operations.

Metercloud.io is an integration as a service offering, which efficiently handles metering data and provides connectors to all of the common smart meter software applications.

Ghostwriter simulates smart meters and head end systems before the rollout of the smart meters. This allows utilities to make sure that all business applications are running properly before they start deploying their smart meters.

FinSMEs

09/11/2016
RetireUp, a Chicago, IL-based provider of software for retirement income planning, secured funding of an undisclosed eight figure valuation.

Annexus Ventures made the investment. In conjunction with the funding, Annexus Ventures Jim Ferrell joined RetireUp as the new SVP of Business Development.

RetireUp provides registered representatives and RIAs with software for retirement income planning. Its web based toolsets focus on the distribution phase of retirement, the ability to model annuity and insurance products, and an engaging interface.

FinSMEs

09/11/2016

PRESS RELEASE

Annexus Ventures Announces First Strategic Investment in RetireUp

Investment Targets Rapid Expansion of Financial Services Technology

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Nov. 08, 2016  Annexus Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on making early investments in InsureTech and FinTech companies, announced a new strategic investment in Chicago based developer RetireUp, with an undisclosed eight figure valuation.

RetireUp is the best financial software for modeling complex product solutions in a simple, easy to understand manner for clients, said Jim Richards, Annexus Ventures Managing Partner. Through an interactive simulation, the client and advisor can test drive a variety of solutions. Together, they can find an approach relative to their specific situations and concerns that is in the clients best interest. We are excited to support their continued success and innovation for the benefit of our entire industry.

Annexus Ventures has positioned Jim Ferrell as the new SVP of Business Development at RetireUp. Bringing technology solutions to insurance carriers and their distribution channels is what Ive done for over 15 years, said Jim Ferrell. Its exciting to be part of an organization that is so committed and has the support required to deliver the full DOL solution.

Annexus Ventures is actively developing partnerships with leading technology companies and intends to make additional strategic announcements in the coming weeks.
Stealth Monitoring, Inc., a Dallas-based video surveillance business, received an investment from Auxo Management, an investment firm led by Robert Cherun and Erik Mikkelsen.

Founded in 2006 by Norm Charney, Stealth focuses on designing, installing and providing pro-active remote video monitoring solutions to multi-family residential, commercial and industrial businesses across the United States.

It will now work in partnership with Auxos portfolio company UCIT Online Security, a Toronto-based video monitoring company focused on construction and industrial remote video monitoring solutions with 8 offices across Canada and Washington and 180 employees.

The combination of Stealth and UCIT will include 300+ employees, 9 offices, and the ability to provide a full suite of security services across North America. The companies will have 3 video monitoring command centers across 3 countries, monitoring over 15,000 cameras.

Charney will continue to run the company in Dallas together with his two sons, David and Rick. The Charneys will join Sidney Sommer, who founded UCIT in 2003, along with the UCIT team to continue growing both businesses across North America.

FinSMEs

09/11/2016
The producers of Maasti Gudi spent a whopping Rs 1.2 crore on the climax scene of the film during the shooting of which two budding Kannada actors lost their lives in a tragic incident while performing a stunt.

The Times of India reports that the climax included the use of a chopper from which the two actors, along with the lead actor Duniya Vijay, jumped into the Tippagondanahalli lake. It comes as a shock that the producers could not even afford life jackets for the two deceased actors.

According to the same report, a life jacket would have cost them a meager amount of Rs 500 to Rs 1500 but sheer negligence on part of the makers and the stunt director Ravi Verma cost the two actors Anil and Raghav Uday their lives.

It was reported that the two actors admitted to being scared before the jump. They confessed that they were not good swimmers and were informed about the stunt at a short notice.

However, the film industry have questioned whether such a stunt was even necessary. Not only the South Indian cinema industry but even Bollywood celebrities lashed out at the filmmakers for their negligence.

Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor pointed out that with the advanced technology of VFX at the disposal of the filmmakers, such stunts are not even required to be carried out and that such stunts only put the lives of the stuntmen and actors at risk.

RIP.Two stuntmen drown whilst filming a stunt from a chopper in a Kannada film. When VFX facilities available,then why endanger human lives? pic.twitter.com/HvPjlrLr8f  Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) November 7, 2016

Down south, senior Kannada actor Jaggesh strongly condemned Verma for his stupidity.

I will be appealing officially to Karnataka film chamber of commerce and producers association to ban stunt director Ravi Verma from the industry for his negligence and unprofessional working pattern. I hope this will save many more from the industry and also bring professional discipline to other technicians in creative area, said Jaggesh, according to a report by The Indian Express.

During the shooting of the climax of the film, Vijay, Raghav and Anil jumped into the Tippagondanahalli lake on Magadi Road, 35 km west of Bengaluru. Since Vijay was provided with a safety harness, he managed to swim his way to the shore. However, owing to lack of safety standards being met, Anil and Raghav drowned.

Ravi Verma has been booked by the police along with Mastigudi director Nagashekar and producer Sundar Gowda for culpable homicide under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which carries the punishment up to 10 years in jail, if found guilty.

While this incident has put safety concerns on set on the radar, it is appalling that the filmmakers are willing to shell crores of rupees on getting that shot right but are negligent enough to ensure safety of their actors and stuntmen.
Faced with severe concerns that a Donald Trump win in the US election could result in policy uncertainty, world equity markets, including India's Sensex and Nifty, went into a tailspin earlier in the day.

Even as broad market sentiment improved significantly thereafter after Trump was declared the next US president, there was little consolation for the badly hammered real estate sector.

The reason: investors feared that the overnight decision by the government to demonetise Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency denomination from the system starting today would hit the real industry hard because of the perception that the sector holds huge amount of black money.

"This is just the beginning of a much bigger pain to be seen in the real estate sector as a lot of black money transaction takes place. With the government's decision to ban the bigger denomination currency from the market, lot of black money will be sucked out of the system. This will lead to a sharp fall in demand for housing property further hurting the industry. However, the move will be positive for the sector after next 2-3 years as property prices will be realistic and more legitimate transactions will happen then," said G Chokkalingam, Founder & Managing Director, Equinomics Research & Advisory

For long, the country's real estate has been notoriously known as the den of black money hub where cash transactions take place with least amount of accountability. And after Tuesday's decision when Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to crack a whip on the black money menace and flush out fake currencies from the system, panic set in amongst the investors triggering widespread selling across the real estate counters.

As selling continued unabated during intra-day trade, the BSE Realty index underperformed the markets, tanking 16.5 percent to a low of 1232.23 while the Sensex dropped 6 percent.

Among the biggest laggards in realty space, shares of Indiabulls Real Estate tanked 18 percent, DLF also plunged 18 percent, HDIL tumbled nearly 17 percent, Oberoi Realty shed 11 percent and Unitech was down 6 percent.

Others such as NBCC, Sobha Developers, Godrej Properties, Omaxe and Phoenix were down around 1-6 percent each.

However, select real estate entities ruled out the government's black money eradication move would hurt the sector's prospects. In fact, most of them have welcomed the move, saying it will bring in more transparency among the realty companies.

"I would say this is one of the best and boldest move taken by the government, and this will continue to have a positive impact on the real estate sector going in the long run. There has been a perception in the markets that lot of cash transaction take place from the builder side which is completely false," said Shailesh Puranik, managing director, Puranik Builders.

In the current scenario, more than 80 percent of the property cost is funded by banks, and even the land cost and other things are being funded through legitimate means like financial institutions etc. Even for the organised sector today, banks are willing to fund the project, as the sector offers a lot of collateral, said Puranik.

"There might by cash dealings happening in a second sale or resale of a property, but otherwise most of the transactions are today well funded by banks. Days of unheard valuations are a thing of past and today with several new rules in place, the real estate sector will thrive in coming years. Already, inventory levels are showing a marked improvement in several parts of the country...with real estate bill getting passed and a regulator to be in place soon, it is a big positive for the sector," added Puranik.

In order to give a boost to the sector, the government in March had passed the real estate regulatory bill in the parliament, to bring in clarity for both buyers and developers.

The broader effects of this move will help the sector grow in the long run. Firstly, it will create a level playing field amongst all stake holders in the sector. Institutional funding to developers which till present day came with a higher risk weightage is bound to see some softening with the increased transparency. Prices coming down to more reasonable levels in the residential property market cannot be ruled out," said Shishir Baijal, Chairman & Managing Director, Knight Frank India.

In the immediate future, the sector will be under serious pressure with volume and number of transactions in residential and land markets seeing a substantial downward trend. While it cannot be denied that the impact of this move will be felt in primary markets, secondary markets along with tier-II and tier-III cities will also take a hit. However, RERA and this recent move will prove to be a game changer for this sector and next year this time the real estate sector will be a totally different industry  a more evolved, transparent and a corporatized one! said Baijal.
New Delhi: To avoid long queues at toll plazas Pan India, the government on Wednesday asked them to accept the old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes till 11 November midnight. The decision was taken after National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Chairman Raghav Chandra took up the matter with the Prime Minister's Office after being flooded by calls from states over the grim situation at toll plazas.

"We have issued instructions to all 365 toll plazas across the country to immediately accept currency denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 till 11 November midnight to ease the situation of jams and long queues at toll booths," Chandra told PTI.

Chandra said he contacted the PMO as well as the Finance Ministry to apprise them of the condition at the plazas after being inundated by calls from commuters as well as state government officials over traffic congestion.

"Several Chief Secretaries including Chief Secretaries of Haryana and Gujarat besides commuters contacted us about the situation. Many travelers narrated their plights," he said. On being apprised of the situation, the government allowed toll plazas to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations.

"NHAI has issued instructions to all concessionaires and developers including people managing toll plazas to abide by the instructions to ensure that travelers do not face any problems due to traffic hazards," he said.

The Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination notes are legally accepted tenders at plazas till 11 November midnight, he explained.

"Meanwhile we are strictly monitoring the situation and keeping a close eye so that commuters can travel without any inconveniences," Chandra said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night announced the decision to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes from last midnight.

Declaring a "decisive" war against black money and corruption, Modi also listed a raft of steps to assure commoners that their money is safe. In his first televised address to the nation two-and-a- half-years after assuming office, he had announced a 50-day window from November 10 to December 30 for those having these notes to deposit them in their bank and post office accounts "without any limit".
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that 500 and 1,000 rupee banknotes would be withdrawn from circulation at midnight to crack down on rampant corruption and counterfeit currency.

The surprise move was designed to bring billions of dollars worth of cash in unaccounted wealth into the mainstream economy, as well as hit the finances of militants who target India and are suspected of using fake 500 rupee notes to fund operations.

"Black money and corruption are the biggest obstacles in eradicating poverty," Modi said in a hastily convened address to the nation after a cabinet meeting.

Nearly 40 percent of India's economy is driven by small-and medium-sized enterprises that largely run on cash transactions. Economists said the move could impact these businesses, and in turn have a knock-on effect on economic growth.

There was concern among members of the public about changing larger denomination banknotes for new ones once they expired.

Around a dozen people lined up to use an ICICI cash deposit machine in suburban Mumbai soon after the announcement, trying to deposit bundles of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes.

The machine stopped working after 10 minutes. Only two customers managed to deposit their money, and a security guard informed the rest that the cash dispenser has reached its limit and would not accept any more.

Delhi taxi driver Anu Choudhury said his boss called to say he should not accept 500 or 1,000 rupee notes from customers.

"This is not a good step for business. The prime minister did not think about people like us."

Big money outflows

Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party came into power in 2014 promising to bring black market money into the regular financial system, but critics said it had failed, with government data showing the cash economy outpacing the formal economy.

A report by Washington-based think-tank Global Financial Integrity estimated that India lost $344 billion in illicit fund outflows between 2002 and 2011.

The Finance Ministry said India would introduce new banknotes of 500 and 2,000 rupees from November 10. The old notes can be deposited in banks and post offices from November 10 to December 30. All cash machines will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday.

The head of the Reserve Bank of India, Urjit Patel, said he saw no impact on liquidity in the wholesale market and that the bank had ramped up production of the new series of notes over the last few months.

Modi said militants operating against India were using fake versions of the 500 rupee note, worth about $7.50 at current exchange rates.

"Terrorism is a frightening thing ... But have you ever thought about how these terrorists get their money? Enemies from across the border have run their operations using fake currency notes. This has been going on for years," Modi said.

India accuses its neighbor Pakistan of harboring militants who have launched attacks on its troops, particularly in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir where both countries claim. Pakistan denies the accusations.

Caught by surprise

Some officials and experts said Tuesday's move was the biggest in decades aimed at fighting graft.

"It is like a surgical strike on black money," said Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia.

But the head of a state-run bank said it was not fully prepared for the change.

"This is news for us also. I'm not aware how much stock we have in our chest. The Reserve Bank will have to provide us with required cash to meet the demand. The demand will be very high no doubt," said the bank chief, who did not want to be named as he was still awaiting details.

Government data show circulation of current notes has outpaced the expansion in India's economy.

In the past five years, circulation of all currency notes grew 40 percent, compared with 30 percent growth in Asia's third-largest economy.

The growth in 500 and 1,000 rupee banknotes was even steeper; 500 rupee notes grew 76 percent between 2011 and 2016, while in the same period, 1,000 rupee notes rose by 109 percent.

Arundhati Bhattacharya, head of the country's largest government-owned lender, State Bank of India, said on Tuesday that she had just been advised about the government's decision.

"We have handled demonetisation earlier and will do so again. Tomorrow (Wednesday) banks will remain closed in order to withdraw these notes from counters and ATMs. We will strive to restock ATMs at the earliest and make them operational," said Bhattacharya.
Market watchers have lauded the Central government for invalidating currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations, saying the moves will curb black money. However, they have also warned the government of possible counter measures by black-money hoarders.

Bimal Jain, chairman of the Indirect Tax Committee of the Punjab Haryana Delhi Chambers of Commerce told Firstpost, "This is definitely a masterstroke to curb black money and counterfeit currency. But precautionary steps to counter possible moves made by black-money hoarders to make it white should also be taken."

He added that there should be measures to monitor if black money is converted into gold, foreign currency, or loans and advances.

A market source, who did not wish to be named, said the unofficial price of gold has shot up to Rs 45,000 per 10 grams after the Prime Minister declared currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination as redundant.

The price of 22k gold was approximately Rs 28,700 per 10 grams on Tuesday. Sources say that the same gold was sold at Rs 45,000 on Wednesday, after Narendra Modi's address to the nation. "But this jump in gold rate is hardly recorded in the books," the source said.

While the unofficial rates of gold shot up drastically, even official gold prices have increased overnight, Jain said. "As per media reports, gold prices have increased by Rs 175 per gram in the first half of the day," he said.

However, some other experts have said it's not PM Modi's announcement that is causing the surge in gold prices, but Donald Trump's victory in the US Presidential election that is doing so.

RS Joshi, an office bearer at the Federation of Industries of North Eastern region, said the window for people to convert black money into white was very short, since the declaration about notes becoming redundant came at a very short notice. But he said that if anybody could substantiate that his/her money was earned through legal means, it would definitely be possible for them to get away with it.

Cases are still being heard on the issue at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The country's NorthEast region has seen several cases of black money disrupting the economy, while crores of rupees were shown as expenditure against various schemes, and were allegedly handed over to terrorist organisations.

Cases against a number of government officials and terrorist organistions are being heard in the courts of National Investigating Agency (NIA) and CBI as well.

Joshi said such a move by the government was always required in the region and will definitely meet its goals. Modi, in his address to the nation on Tuesday night, had mentioned that black money was being used in purchasing weapons by terrorist groups.

The Delhi Chambers of Commerce's warning and the parallel rise of gold prices at the same time gives one a clear indication of how there could be elements at work still trying to work out counter measures and convert black money into white or into other forms of investment.

Sources said that groups of intermediaries may crop up to convert black money into Dollars, gold or loans and advances since there is still more than one months time to convert the money into new currency notes.
By Steve Holland and John Whitesides

Republican Donald Trump put aside the celebrations and focused on his 73-day transition to the White House on Wednesday as rival Hillary Clinton promised to bury the bitterness of their long presidential race and work to unify a divided country.After Trump's stunning upset of the heavily favoured Clinton, Democratic President Barack Obama and leading figures in the Republican Party who had struggled to make peace with Trump all vowed to move past the ugliness of an angry campaign to seek common ground."Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead," Clinton, the Democratic nominee, said in a concession speech in New York, joined by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and daughter Chelsea.With a row of American flags in the background, she told supporters her loss was painful "and it will be for a long time," and that she had offered to work with Trump as he prepares to begin his four-year term on Jan. 20.A wealthy real estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to win Tuesday's election against Clinton, whose gold-plated establishment resume included stints as a first lady, U.S. senator and Obama's secretary of state. Trump's victory marked a crushing end to Clinton's second quest to be the first woman elected president. She also failed in a White House bid in 2008. Obama, who campaigned hard against Trump, invited him to the White House for a meeting on Thursday after a brutal night for the Democratic Party, which also fell short of recapturing majorities in both chambers of Congress."We are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country," Obama said at the White House, adding that he and his staff would work with Trump to ensure a successful transition. "We are not Democrats first, we are not Republicans first, we are Americans first."Trump and his senior aides were meeting at Trump Tower in New York on Wednesday to begin the transition. "They are hunkered down in meetings, plotting the next steps, the transition, the first 100 days, key staff positions," said a source close to Trump's campaign.Trump will enjoy Republican majorities in both chambers of the U.S. Congress that could help him implement his legislative agenda and appoint a Supreme Court justice to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. "Now, Donald Trump will lead a unified Republican government and we will work hand-in-hand on a positive agenda to tackle this country's big challenges," House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, who had a strained relationship with Trump, told reporters, saying Trump had earned a mandate in the election.TRUMP PRIORITIES

In an Oct. 25 Reuters interview, Trump said his top priorities when he took office would be building stronger borders, repealing Obama's national healthcare plan, aiding military veterans and working to create more jobs.In his victory speech early on Wednesday, he also promised to embark on a project to rebuild American infrastructure and to double U.S. economic growth.Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday that repealing the healthcare plan known as Obamacare would be a "pretty high item" on the agenda. [nL1N1DA2ZE] House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that she spoke to Trump about passing a "robust" jobs bill.

Worried that a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors initially fled stocks worldwide but Wall Street made a dramatic turnaround and the U.S. dollar hit its highest level against the Japanese yen in nearly four months. The Mexican peso recouped some losses after falling to a record low. The currency has been vulnerable to Trump's threats to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico and to tax money sent home by migrants to pay to build a border wall.Scattered protests broke out around the country over Trump's triumph. In Berkeley, California, outside San Francisco, some 1,500 high school students and teachers walked out of classes chanting, "not our president." Smaller groups of students walked out of classes in nearby Oakland and in Seattle, Washington, while several hundred students protested at the University of Texas, according to local reports.Speaking to cheering supporters in a New York hotel ballroom after his victory, Trump said it was time to heal divisions after a campaign that exposed deep differences among Americans."It is time for us to come together as one united people," Trump said. "I will be president for all Americans."His comments were an abrupt departure from his campaign trail rhetoric in which he repeatedly branded Clinton as "Crooked Hillary" amid supporters' chants of "lock her up."Trump's campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, on Wednesday did not rule out the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton's past conduct, a threat Trump made in an election debate last month.White House spokesman Josh Earnest said it hoped the tradition of not using the criminal justice system to extract revenge on political opponents would continue under Trump.

Despite losing the state-by-state electoral battle that determines the U.S. presidency, Clinton narrowly led Trump in the nationwide popular vote, according to U.S. media tallies.Fuelling his upset was Trump's avid support among white non-college educated workers. He ran up big leads in rural areas, beating Clinton by 27 percentage points among voters outside of urban areas, a Reuters/Ipsos Election Day poll found.While Clinton, 69, won Hispanics and black and young voters, she did not win those groups by greater margins than Obama did in 2012. Younger blacks did not support Clinton like they did Obama. She won eight of 10 black voters between the ages of 35 and 54. Obama won almost 100 percent of those voters in 2012.At 70, Trump will be the oldest first-term U.S. president. The presidency will be Trump's first elected office, and it remains to be seen how he will work with Congress. During the campaign Trump was the target of sharp disapproval, not just from Democrats but also from many in his own party.GOOD NEWS FOR RUSSIA

Foreign leaders pledged to work with Trump but some officials expressed alarm that the vote could mark the end of an era in which Washington promoted democratic values and was seen by its allies as a guarantor of peace.During the campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested that Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defence burden.

Russia and Putin appeared to be winners from Trump's victory. Defying years of U.S. foreign policy orthodoxy, the Republican had promised much warmer relations with Moscow, despite Russia's intervention in the Syrian civil war and its seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region. Russia's parliament erupted in applause after a lawmaker announced that Trump had been elected, and Putin told foreign ambassadors he was ready to fully restore ties with Washington."It is not an easy path but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development," Putin said.Russia is hoping that improved relations could yield an elusive prize: the lifting or easing of sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union to punish Moscow for its 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who sparred with Obama, spoke by phone to Trump, who proposed they meet "at the first opportunity," Netanyahu's office said. Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing and Washington shared responsibility for promoting global development and prosperity.Iran urged Trump to stay committed to the nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers. Several authoritarian and right-wing leaders hailed Trump's victory.Other officials abroad, some with senior roles in government, took the unusual step of denouncing the outcome, calling it a worrying signal for liberal democracy and tolerance in the world."Trump is the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement. He is also a warning for us," German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said in an interview with the Funke newspaper group.U.S. neighbour Mexico was pitched into deep uncertainty by the victory for Trump, who has often accused it of stealing U.S. jobs and sending criminals across the U.S. border.Trump campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist "America First" path. He wants to rewrite international trade deals to reduce trade deficits and has taken positions that raise the possibility of damaging relations with America's most trusted allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.Trump survived a series of blows on the campaign, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologised but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, allegations he denied. He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Clinton.A Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day poll offered some clues to the outcome. It found Clinton badly underperformed expectations with women, winning their vote by only about 2 percentage points. (Writing by John Whitesides and Alistair Bell; Additional reporting by Amanda Becker, Emily Stephenson and Christopher Kahn in New York, Letitia Stein in St. Petersburg, Florida, Luciana Lopez in Miami, Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem and Kim Palmer in Ohio; Editing by Will Dunham and Howard Goller)

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By Scott DiSavino and Ethan Lou

| NEW YORK

NEW YORK Oil prices ended little changed on Tuesday and edged lower after hours when an industry group reported a bigger-than-expected build in U.S. crude inventories that pressured prices along with large draws in refined products that lent support.Investors were cautious ahead of the results of the U.S. presidential election Tuesday night, and that staved off large price fluctuations.U.S. crude stockpiles rose 4.4 million barrels in the week to Nov. 4, according to the American Petroleum Institute (API). Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast a build of just 1.3 million barrels. [EIA/S]Inventories of refined products fell sharply, with gasoline down 3.6 million barrels and distillates down 4.3 million, API data showed.Brent LCOc1 futures edged down 26 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $46.04 a barrel at 5:09 p.m. (2200 GMT)U.S. crude CLc1 was 6 cents, or 0.1 percent, at $44.83 per barrel.

"It seems we're seeing refinery utilization pulling back a little here," said Matt Smith, director of commodity research at energy data provider ClipperData. "The bearishness of the crude number has been tempered by the magnitude of the draws to the products."API's data came ahead of the U.S. government's Energy Information Administration's (EIA) official inventory data on Wednesday. Smith said crude prices should move on Wednesday, influenced by the EIA numbers and the U.S. election result.

Most investors believe a victory by Republican candidate Donald Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton would prompt uncertainty and instability in financial markets."Everyone is on hold to see what happens in the election. There was too much uncertainty for the market to develop a clear direction in price," said James Williams, president of energy consultant WTRG Economics in Arkansas.Brent crude's premium to the U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures contract WTCLc1-LCOc1 declined on Tuesday to its lowest level in almost five months. Projections of record OPEC output put more pressure on Brent than on U.S. crude.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)forecast demand for its oil will rise in the next three years, suggesting its 2014 decision to let prices fall has boosted its market share. [OPEC/M]The group meets on Nov. 30 and has pledged to reach a deal on cutting output to boost prices.But several member states have asked to be exempt from any deal. Along with questions over the likelihood of non-OPEC rival Russia joining in, this has created doubt about OPEC's ability to deliver a meaningful cut. (Additional reporting by Amanda Cooper in London and Henning Gloystein in Singapore; Editing by Marguerita Choy, Chris Reese and David Gregorio)

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By Maha El Dahan , Rania El Gamal and Dmitry Zhdannikov

| DUBAI/LONDON

DUBAI/LONDON OPEC's job of trying to prop up oil prices has just got much harder.With Donald Trump winning the U.S. presidential election, the 14-country oil-producing cartel may have to battle a sourer outlook for the global economy and weaker demand for crude.It also faces the prospect of increased U.S. oil output - a major bugbear for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries - given Trump's pledge to open all federal land and waters for fossil fuel exploration.OPEC's internal dynamic could change, with Trump promising to tighten policies on Iran just as oil companies begin slowly to return to the Islamic Republic."Buckle up your seatbelts for a more turbulent and uncertain global economy that is ahead," Pulitzer Prize-winning U.S. oil historian Daniel Yergin, vice-chairman of the IHS Markit think tank, told Reuters. "The outcome of the U.S. election adds to the challenges for the oil exporters because it will likely lead to weaker economic growth in an already fragile global economy. And that means additional pressure on oil demand," Yergin said.Oil prices fell almost 4 percent early on Wednesday but recovered to trade up slightly at around $46 per barrel by 1055 GMT LCOc1 [O/R]. OPEC will meet on Nov. 30 in an effort to curtail output and reduce the global oil glut that has seen prices more than halve since 2014.

OPEC sources said they expected oil to remain weak in the days and weeks ahead due to worries about the global economy and uncertainty about Trump's policies for the Middle East."Oil is doomed," one of the sources said.A second source said the OPEC meeting in November might fail to have a strong impact on prices even if it strikes a deal to limit output: "I dont think prices will go up much more than the current levels."Trump has promised to double U.S. economic growth but also pledged protectionist trade policies.

"This will have huge negative implications for Asia, given how much their GDP is tied to trade with the U.S. Hence it is negative for growth and oil demand, at least due to the uncertainty that Trump creates," said Amrita Sen, of the think tank Energy Aspects.Trump's energy policies have been limited in detail so far.But what he has said will be seen as supportive for the share prices of U.S. independent oil and gas producers as well as oil majors with large exposure to the U.S. shale industry such as Chevron (CVX.N), ExxonMobil (XOM.N) and Shell (RDSa.L)."Trump has vowed to lead a fossil-fuel revival to underpin job growth and has also put man-made climate change denial at the forefront of his energy policy," JBC Energy analysts said in a note.

Trump said he was in favor of removing oil-sector regulations, opening federal land to drilling, and vowed to revive a major trans-Canadian and trans-U.S. oil pipeline project while pledging to support the coal industry.The stocks of oil majors BP (BP.L) and Shell were down in line with the price of crude, while France's Total (TOTF.PA) underperformed peers.Earlier this week, Total signed a deal with Iran to help it develop a huge gas field, becoming the first Western energy company to ink a major deal with Tehran since the lifting of international sanctions this year.Trump has criticized the West's nuclear deal with Iran, adding to uncertainty and frustrating Tehran's push for foreign investment to revive its economy.An executive from an oil major negotiating with Iran said that given Tehran wanted to repay investments slowly, maybe over five to 10 years, many oil firms would take a slow approach in finalizing deals until Trump's policies became clearer."It is a significant amount of money that will be put at risk should sanctions be brought back," the executive said. (Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Dale Hudson)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Asad Hashim and Kay Johnson

| ISLAMABAD

ISLAMABAD Donald Trump's surprise election as U.S. president has Pakistanis wary that he may accelerate what they see as a shift in American policy to favour arch-foe India in the long rivalry between nuclear-armed neighbours, analysts said on Wednesday.Historical allies in the region, Islamabad and Washington have seen relations sour over U.S. accusations that Pakistan shelters Islamist militants, a charge Pakistan denies.They hit new lows in May when a U.S. drone killed the leader of the Afghan Taliban movement on Pakistani territory.At the same time, Pakistan's ties with traditional rival India have also deteriorated this year, with India saying Pakistan-based militants killed 19 of its soldiers in a September attack on an army base in the disputed Kashmir region.To many Pakistanis, Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric - he once proposed banning Muslims entering the United States - and business ties to India are signs that his administration could shift further toward New Delhi."America will not abandon Pakistan, but definitely, Trump will be a tougher president than Hillary Clinton for Pakistan," said Hasan Askari Rizvi, Lahore-based foreign policy analyst."I think India will have a better and smoother interaction compared to Pakistan."Trump has yet to lay out a detailed policy for South Asia, although he recently offered to mediate between India and Pakistan in their dispute over the divided territory of Kashmir.He also told Fox News in May he would favour keeping nearly 10,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan "because it's adjacent and right next to Pakistan which has nuclear weapons."CONGRATULATIONS, ASSURANCES

On Wednesday, a U.S. diplomat in Pakistan sought to assure the country that Trump's election did not signal a drastic policy change."Our foreign policy is based on national interest and they don't change when the government changes," Grace Shelton, U.S. Consul General in Karachi, told Geo News television.Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated Trump.

"Your election is indeed the triumph of the American people and their enduring faith in the ideals of democracy, freedom, human rights and free enterprise," Sharif said in a statement.Still, the uncertainty of a Trump presidency has many Pakistanis on edge, even if the country has leaned towards China in recent years for investment and diplomatic support."Trump is a bit of a wild card," said Sherry Rehman, a Pakistani senator and former ambassador to the United States."Pakistan obviously cannot rule out engaging with whomever America elects, but his anti-Muslim rhetoric may cast a shadow on relations in times of uncertainty."INDIA HOPEFUL

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Trump on Wednesday.

"We look forward to working with you closely to take India-US bilateral ties to a new height," Modi said in a tweet.Trump has partnered with Indian businessmen on a handful of real estate ventures, but apart from courting the Indian-American vote he has not articulated how he would develop the bilateral relationship.India-U.S. ties have flourished under President Barack Obama and Modi, who came to power in 2014, with the two countries striking key defence agreements this year.Modi's government has also waged a campaign to isolate Pakistan diplomatically.Shaurya Doval, director of the India Foundation, a think-tank close to Modi's government, called Trump's election "a very positive development", but added that India and the United States would have continued to grow closer under a Hillary Clinton presidency as well."My sense is that India-U.S. relations are not dependent on individuals  there are strong institutions and processes there," he said.One fringe Hindu nationalist group in India held a victory gathering at New Delhi's speakers' corner on Wednesday.

"He's an American nationalist. We are Indian nationalists. Only he can understand us," Rashmi Gupta of the Hindu Sena, or Hindu Army, told Reuters. "We expect him to support us when it comes to terrorist attacks on India from Pakistan."AFGHANISTAN WAR

Trump will also have to decide whether to maintain the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan or change the scope of the mission, 15 years after a U.S.-led campaign toppled the hardline Islamist Taliban government.The United States has spent some $115 billion in aid for Afghanistan since 2002, but the country is still caught in conflict, with a third of the country out of government control and thousands of Afghan civilians, soldiers and police dying every year.Afghan officials have voiced concern that the conflict is being forgotten in Washington, and warned privately that the West will pay a huge price if that continues."The people of Afghanistan are tired of war. We want (Trump) to invest heavily in bringing peace to war-torn Afghanistan and stabilize our region," said Umer Daudzai, former Afghan minister of interior.Obama's original aim of pulling out of Afghanistan entirely has been put on hold in the face of mounting gains by Taliban militants, with U.S. air power and special forces still regularly involved in combat.As recently as last week, two U.S. Green Berets were killed near the northern city of Kunduz.Although Afghan security forces have been fighting largely alone since the end of the main NATO-led combat mission in 2014, their performance has been patchy and they continue to rely heavily on U.S. air power.The Taliban on Wednesday urged Trump to withdraw all U.S. troops."They should not cause damage to their economy and their military in this failed war," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said of the American government in a statement. (Additional reporting by Syed Raza Hassan in KARACHI, Douglas Busvine in NEW DELHI and Hamid Shalizi and James Mackenzie in KABUL; Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Mike Collett-White)

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New Delhi: India's refusal to renew foreign funding licences of 25 charities is a violation of their right to freedom of association, and appears to be a move to quell criticism, two rights groups said on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's right-wing nationalist government has tightened surveillance on non-profit groups regulated under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) since sweeping to power more than two years ago.

"The home ministry's decision to prevent NGOs from receiving foreign funding without sound justification is mystifying. The ministry has an obligation to show how these restrictions are necessary and proportionate," said Aakar Patel, executive director of Amnesty International India, in a statement.

Home ministry officials were not immediately available to comment.

More than 10,000 civil society groups in India have had their licences to receive overseas donations cancelled or suspended since 2014, impairing their ability to work in areas ranging from health to the environment.

The government has previously said that the groups had violated FCRA by not disclosing donation details or by using foreign funds to engage in "anti-national" activities.

Amnesty International India and Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the latest group of charities to be affected included the Centre for Promotion of Social Concerns, a prominent human rights group also known as People's Watch.

A statement on the FCRA website did not give any reason.

This is not the first time People's Watch has been targeted. In 2012 and 2013, the previous government suspended its FCRA licence three times and froze its bank accounts. People's Watch challenged the move and the Delhi High Court ruled in its favour.

Other charities, such as the Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF) and Sanchal Foundation, which work in areas including land and housing, health, education and governance, have also not had their FCRA licences renewed, Amnesty and HRW said.

In July, a group of UN experts said they were stunned by the way India was applying the law to stymie its critics, adding that the FCRA was "overly broad" and activities deemed political or against the economic interest of the state were vague.

There is no official number of charities operating in India, but the government estimates at least two million non-profit groups work in areas like the environment, climate change and minority rights. A 2013 home ministry report said some 43,500 groups were registered as charities that received foreign funds, but slightly less than half provided details.

Home ministry officials have said they are enforcing the FCRA to make the non-profit sector compliant and transparent and ensure charities are not engaging in illegal political or anti-national activities.

But Amnesty and HRW urged the government to repeal the FCRA or amend it so that is not misused to restrict charities' work.

"While India is actively encouraging foreign investment in key industries, it is trying to deny funding for efforts to assist the most vulnerable and marginalised," said Meenakshi Ganguly, HRW's South Asia director. "The government should engage with those seeking rights reform and empower these groups, instead of treating criticism as a threat to be quashed."
As the capital of the worlds largest democracy gasps for breath under a shroud of smog, the now too familiar drama has been unfolding all over. A few key elements of the narrative are playing themselves out  the State blames the Centre and vice-versa; the citizens and the corporates blame the government; political parties troll each other endlessly to try and score few points; television channels and social media go on an overdrive with Indias elite shouting themselves hoarse and NGOs and agencies release reports discussing the problem threadbare and exhorting us to act.

News like these surface all over but nothing changes. No, wait. It does.

In another 45-60 days, Delhi will be covered under a sheet of fog which is not entirely natures doing and normal life in the capital will again be thrown out of gear. People will be stranded in trains, airports and railway stations and migrants will succumb to the inclement weather on the streets of the country's northern cities.

Also, it's not like we have recovered from the dengue and chikungunya outbreaks plaguing large parts of our country especially our metros after the monsoons receded.

A couple of months back, our metros  NCR, MMR, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad  had come to a grinding halt as the much-awaited monsoons lashed out on our cities and flooded streets and homes.

We should also not forget that just before the monsoons arrived, most metros faced a severe water crisis like the rest of the nation. We were fighting for every drop of water as the less privileged lined up for single water bucket and the more privileged discussed cutting back on the not so essential uses of the essential commodity.

So, the point is (and is being made repeatedly by many) that we are facing a mammoth crisis in our metros and in other cities which are the engines of our growth. The crisis is worsening at an alarming and unprecedented rate, as 2016 has proven beyond doubt, and it will not be surprising if Indias urban infrastructure crises throw cold water on all our fancy ambitions of growth and development. History proves that large cities just disappear or shrink dramatically for various reasons  think of Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Rakhigari, Pataliputra, Takshila  we can go on and on. While times have changed and the reasons may change, the outcome may not change.

The deadly smog enveloping Delhi is a wake-up call. If India has to jump on to its desired growth and development trajectory, a sweeping reform in urban governance and development (not just limited to pollution and infrastructure), especially of the top 6 metro regions, are urgently needed today. The problems and challenges are well documented and so are some of the investment requirements. The solution eludes us.

It is imperative to treat at least the top 6 metro regions as individual and empowered units of development. Their urban local bodies (ULBs) which are the lowest in the administrative hierarchy in most cases have not managed to deliver results thus far. We may not be able to do a complete Singapore model that many favour, but it's tough to implement in India for many reasons. However, these metro regions need a separate treatment; governance structure and continuity. The ULBs need to be reimagined and reconstituted so that they can deliver results and are accountable for the same. They have to be conceptualised as professional and yet as publicly accountable institutions. There has to be a mechanism for resolving the conflict of interests among various administrative and government arms. If the Planning Commission can be done away with and the Niti Aayog can be established; if we can form and implement a framework for the GST council; we can definitely form ULBs and evolve a scalable framework for our metro regions.

Urban development is not just about the government and administration. Of course, the administration and government will have to bear a disproportionate part of the blame, but it is unacceptable that citizens like you and me and the corporate bodies believe that we are absolved of our responsibilities by merely paying taxes. That is profane in a democracy and in an urban system which is also conceived as a complex adaptive system by some urban theorists. Citizens  individual and corporate  are the most important cogs in the wheel of a metro region. No amount of good governance can eradicate our problems or even make a dent if we continue to be apathetic to our cities. The unfortunate truth is that while many of us yearn for the comforts of Singapore, we do not act as responsible and compassionate citizens of our withering cities which is worsening the problem.

There are no easy answers but they will evolve. There are complex issues like financing of the ULBs among others. But a major problem seems to be that in the case of urban governance, we seem to be living from event to event. In markets and life, one can mitigate event risks or live with them if they are far and few in between but not if they become a matter of routine. These one-off events have become routine in our metros today. When that happens, only systemic solutions work. While we all hope that the Delhi pollution subsides, our hunger for reimagining and implementing urban governance should not.

The author is an experienced business leader. She is now an independent business and strategy consultant and mentors startups.
They say when the English have nothing to say they talk of the weather. We wonder, however, it would be just a small talk should UK Prime Minister Theresa May, whose three-day visit to India concludes on Wednesday, happen to mention New Delhis smoke situation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Smog City, as the National Capital is now jokingly referred to by Delhiites has much in common with May's London. It was hit with similar smog in 1952. Though one may refute the similarities between the Smog situation in New Delhi with the Great Smog that hit London over five days between 5 December 1952 to 9 December 1952, that killed thousands because of health issues that emerged out of it, those who have been to New Delhi may argue that it couldn't get any worse.

Even then it would be wiser that Ne w Delhi takes a few lessons from London's Great Smog on how to prevent it from happening again in New Delhi.

A valuable approach in that direction may be the Clean Air Act 1956 that the Ministry of Health in the UK put to effect to prevent a 1952-like situation in the future. Heres what New Delhi may learn:

 Though the same exact rules may not be practical for New Delhi, especially since the cause of the problem is different, an act that aptly identifies the source of pollutants and offers measures to reduce them could be a right place to start with to prevent the situation from arising in the future.

 A key element of Clean Air Act was setting up stringent rules on industries as another source of pollution in and around London to ensure their presence doesn't add to the smoke situation. For New Delhi, it would be fruitful to identify sources that contribute to a large amount of pollution.

 Apart from identifying the source, the act also offered solutions that could be implemented in London, such as setting up a technical guideline on height of chimneys, standardising acceptable level of grit and dust emitted from chimneys and measuring it, fuel to be consumed, etc, gave the public some direction on what was allowed and what wasn't. The New Delhi government could collaborate with environmental and pollution experts to identify measures that can be taken to curb the release of pollutants into the air.

 One of the main issues that have emerged as the chief reason behind the sudden smoke situation in New Delhi (and historically too) is that bulk of New Delhi's pollution emerges outside the capital. This year too, it was the burning of crops in states surrounding New Delhi. Perhaps, the New Delhi government could work on an arrangement with the neighbouring states to dispose of the agricultural waste in an eco-friendly way either by helping the surrounding states with technical know-how or funds to promote green methods in waste disposal.

As a New York Times story stated on 2 November, "Farmers 100 miles north in Punjab were well aware that they were contaminating the capitals air... and were willing to consider other ways to dispose of the excess straw, but could not afford the options offered by the government."

 But even then the crop burning in states surrounding New Delhi was responsible only for the one-quarter of the pollution, a majority of it is likely to have emerged from inside New Delhi including festivals like Diwali and Dussehra, which also contributed to the recent smog situation in New Delhi. In fact, according to an NDTV report, "data from the central pollution monitoring agency showed that concentrations of Particulate Matter or PM 10 (coarser pollutants) was over 1,600 micrograms per cubic metre compared to a safe level of 100 at around 2 am in Delhi's Anand Vihar, on the night of Diwali. Whereas, PM 2.5, a standard measure of air quality, was as much as 14 times the safe limit." This is despite the fact several citizens claimed that the bursting of crackers wasn't as high as last year.

Not everyone like firecrackers and a lot of Delhiites would be willing to give up firecrackers to breathe clean air. The Delhi government could implement a fee on those who want to light firecrackers to discourage bursting firecrackers.

 The Clean Air Act 1956 also clarified as to who will be held responsible if any of the rules, say, if building chimneys produced dark smoke, but with valid defences to prevent misuse of the law against citizens. And thats why intent became an important part in the decision-making of whether or not an offence was committed. Taking this as an example, perhaps the state government could come up with rules that while limiting the amount of smoke created both inside New Delhi and in the surrounding areas, it also offers adequate defences to prevent its misuse.

 The Clean Air Act also sets fines that can be imposed on people who break the rules be it individual offenders or states and their regional bodies surrounding New Delhi. But that would depend a lot on how strongly will New Delhi be able to stress its right for clean air, and not get trapped in party politics.
Mumbai: A senior police officer has alleged that he was being 'mentally harassed' by state Director General of Police (DGP) Satish Mathur to such an extent that he intended to end his life, an allegation dismissed by the top cop as "wrong and unfortunate".

In the messages purportedly attributed to him, which are doing rounds on social media, Inspector General of police (IGP), Amravati range, Vithal Jadhav has alleged that he was being targeted by Mathur for being a Maratha.

Reacting to the charge, Mathur on Tuesday said he disapproved of police officers evoking the caste to put forth their grievances.

"No police officer should evoke caste while airing their grievances. If an officer of rank of Inspector General of Police claims that he is being harassed because he is a Maratha, it's totally wrong. I have also asked IGP Jadhav to come to the office and put his grievance in writing," Mathur told PTI here.

He was reacting to reports that Jadhav has also accused him of targeting him over his caste.

Seeking to debunk the charge of harassment, the DGP said, "In a recent meeting, I had asked questions to Jadhav about law and order in his range. I also asked the same set of questions to police commissioners of Pune, Thane, Navi Mumbai and IG, Nashik.

"We are working for the people. We are accountable to them. For that matter, it's my duty to ask questions to my officers. If anybody claims that this is harassment then it's wrong and unfortunate," the DGP said.

Mathur said Jadhav had sent these messages on the night of 6 October.

"(But) He did not send a single message to me. I had tried calling him, but his phone was not reachable. Then, I sent CP Amaravati to see what was going on. The report which he has submitted is shocking," Mathur said.

The DGP met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis but Jadhav's issue did not figure in their talks.

Amid speculation over an imminent show-cause notice to Jadhav seeking an explanation for his action, Mathur said, "I will be submitting a report (on Jadhav issue) to the government, which will take a call with this regard."

Jadhav, a state cadre police officer of 1998 batch, reportedly accused Mathur of mental harassment to such an extent that he intended to end his life.

The IGP is apparently irked with Mathur who had reprimanded him up for not maintaining law and order during the Ganesh idol immersion at Umarkhed in Yavatmal district, in which some police personnel and devotees were injured in stone pelting.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Deepak Kesarkar has asked the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) KP Bakshi to summon Jadhav and demand an explanation from him.

"The IG's letter is a shocker for us. There is absolutely no doubt that he has broken disciplinary rules set for police officers for which he will be summoned by the ACS and an explanation will be sought," Kesarkar told PTI.

The minister said if the IGP had any grievances, he should have ideally approached the ACS, Home, who would have taken them up with Home minister after consulting the state DGP.

"The ACS (Home), has also been instructed to hear out the grievances he has with his seniors, following which the Home Minister will take a call on the issue," Kesarkar added.
Mumbai: Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of high-value notes, the Reserve Bank on Tuesday issued new series of notes for the Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 denomination with improved features and newer sizes.

The Rs 2,000 note, which is a first under the denomination, will be called the 'Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series' and has the motif of the low-cost mission to Mars, the Mangalayan, on the reverse, the RBI said.

The base colour of the note will be magenta and the size of the note will be 66 mm by 166 mm, it said.

The new design in the Rs 500 denomination will be in a different colour, size, theme, design and location of security features, it said.

The note, measuring 63 mm by 150 mm will be in a new colour --- stone grey and the predominant theme will be Delhi's Red Fort, it said.

Both the new designs, Rs 500 and Rs 2,000, will be very friendly towards the visually-impaired by having features which make it accessible for all sections.

Earlier, Governor Urjit Patel said that the central bank has ramped up production of the new series of notes under the newer series.

The RBI has also started a helpline number for the citizens who may face any difficulties, economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das said.

Citizens can reach out to the RBI on 022-22602201, 022-22602944 starting on for any doubts and clarifications, he said.
New Delhi: Shortly after the Prime Minister announced demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes on Tuesday night, Union Health Minister JP Nadda instructed all Central government hospitals and pharmacies to adhere to the 72-hour guideline of accepting the old notes for the convenience of patients.

Modi said that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will be valid for transactions related to booking of air and railway tickets, and at government bus ticket counters and hospitals till the midnight of 11 and 12 November.

"@MoHFW_INDIA issuing instructions to all Central govt hospitals & #AMRIT pharmacies to comply with 72hr guidelines . #IndiaFightsCorruption.," Nadda tweeted.

@MoHFW_INDIA issuing instructions to all Central govt hospitals & #AMRIT pharmacies to comply with 72hr guidelines . #IndiaFightsCorruption.  Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) November 8, 2016

Taking the nation by surprise, the Prime Minister on Friday announced demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes with effect from midnight, making these notes invalid in a major assault on black money, fake currency and corruption.

In a televised address to the nation, Modi said people holding notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 could deposit the same in their bank and post office accounts from 10 November till 30 December.

Nadda termed the announcement as "historic" and said it would have a positive impact on India.

"Historic & transformational announcements by PM Shri @narendramodi which will have a very positive impact on India. #IndiaFightsCorruption "There can't be any scope or space for corruption & Hawala in our nation. PM has rightly ensured corruption & black money should be destroyed.

Historic & transformational announcements by PM Shri @narendramodi which will have a very positive impact on India. #IndiaFightsCorruption  Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) November 8, 2016

There cant be any scope or space for corruption & Hawala in our nation. PM has rightly ensured corruption & black money are destroyed.  Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) November 8, 2016

The menace of black money slowed Indias development. Now the development will pick pace & touch more lives. #IndiaFightsCorruption  Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) November 8, 2016

"There can't be any scope or space for corruption & Hawala in our nation. PM has rightly ensured corruption & black money should be destroyed.

"The menace of black money slowed India's development. Now the development will pick pace & touch more lives. #IndiaFightsCorruption," Nadda said in a series of tweets.Modi during the announcement said that all notes in lower

Modi during the announcement said that all notes in lower denomination of Rs 100, Rs 50, Rs 20, Rs 10, Rs 5, Rs 2 and Re 1 and all coins would continue to be valid.

He also announced that new notes of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 will be introduced.

ATM withdrawals will be restricted to Rs 2,000 per day and withdrawals from bank accounts will be limited to Rs 10,000 a day and Rs 20,000 a week.
The Karnataka High Court recently questioned the state government's logic behind celebrating the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan, stating he was a monarch and not a freedom fighter as portrayed by the government. However, the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a native from southern Kodagu calling Tipu Sultan a tyrant, who massacred people from different communities was disposed off by the high court and directed 'the petitioner to make a representation to the chief secretary to consider the objections raised and pass an order by 8 November with regard to the celebration of the birth anniversary of Tipu Sultan'. The courts directive unfortunately might have little impact on the government plans for celebration, which is evident from Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs recent statement to the press reiterating the government's commitment to commemorate 'Tipu Sultan Jayanti' on 10 November.

Now, if theres anything that this controversy has taught us it's that we must unlearn everything that has been taught in schools for decades. Moreover, television series and popular narratives have romanticised the Tiger of Mysore  Tipu Sultan as a freedom fighter, who fought the British East India Company.

Lets look at the facts: Mysore under Tipu Sultan was not under the occupation by the British East India Company, Tipu and his father Hyder Ali fought as sovereign rulers of Mysore and not freedom fighters under colonial occupation. Additionally, Tipu and Hyder Ali both sought to bolster territory and thus waged war with most of their neighbours, including the states of Hyderabad, Travancore, Tanjore, Maratha Confederacy and Kodagu (Coorg), who all at some point invariably allied themselves with the British to end persistent attacks from Tipu Sultan.

By the end of the Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780-1784), Tipu Sultan had managed to regain lost territory through the Treaty of Mangalore in 1784. However, his desire to conquer new territories triggered the Third and Fourth Anglo-Mysore wars, which he invariable lost to the combined forces of the British East India Company, Nizam, Travancore and Marathas. Like the other Indian kingdoms, Tipu Sultan had a European ally, namely Napoleon of France and some marginal support from the Dutch to suppress the British and their allies. However, it would be naive to think that French or Dutch participation in Tipus campaigns were benign, if Tipu had won with French support, Mysore would have been a vassal of France if not a French colony, and I would be writing this article in French, not English.

Another deeply contested issue is Tipu Sultans deplorable conduct against civilians during his campaign in Kodagu and Travancore. On the pretext of negotiating an end to the Kodava rebellion in the 1780s, Tipu surrounded and attacked the Kodavas killing many and imprisoning close to 1,00,000 men, women and children in Srirangapatna, invariably subjecting them to forced conversion to Islam, torture and conscription into the ranks of the military. During the same time, similar acts of violence and imprisonment were committed against the Nairs of the Malabar and the Catholics of Mangalore. Their liberation came only after the fall of Tipu Sultan during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799.

Now with the looming Legislative Assembly election slated in the beginning of 2018, the Congress governments motive in commemorating Tipu Sultan Jayanti is solely a political move to appease the Muslim electorate in Karnataka, especially the electorate in the old Mysore areas whose votes have always been divided between the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Congress parties, a consolidation of these votes would be a boost for the Congress in the state. However, it is unfortunate that this comes at the cost of the sentiments of other inhabitants of the state who view Tipu Sultan as a bigot and tyrant that should have been left to rest in peace.

Moreover, the government seems to have disregarded factual accuracy in their haste to commemorate Tipu Jayanti on 10 November, many academics and historians have criticised the government for historical inaccuracy and claim that Tipus birthday falls on 20 November, whereas 10 November happens to be the day he hanged 700 Iyengars in Melkote, thus again questioning the motives of the state government.

While Tipu Sultan is undoubtedly a divisive figure in the state, the Chief Minister of Karnataka has clarified that the celebration of his birthday would continue as a state policy and has also assured security in case of threat to peace and harmony; he has also called on officials and the police to carry out preventive arrests of known trouble-makers in the state. However, gauging from last years violence (in Chitradurga) and the opposition to the celebration from the BJP and RSS, the stage is set for another face off between different political and religious factions in the state.
History often has the uncanny tendency of repeating itself, more as farce than tragedy. Prime Minister Narendra Modis decision of discontinuing the existing Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes with effect from midnight on 8 November evoked a reaction from the Congress party which was completely out of sync with the peoples mood.

If one looks at the past, the dissonance in the oppositions politics and the peoples mood now is quite akin to a similar situation in 1969. The then Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Morarji Desai had resigned from the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhis cabinet, in the wake of her decision to nationalise the banks. The resignation was the result of a series of bold economic decisions taken by Gandhi, without consulting with Desai.

Desai was not alone in his opposition of Gandhis economics, that was heavily tilted towards socialism. The bank nationalisation was accompanied by the abolition of privy purse and the reaffirmation of the states unquestionable right over private property.

Desai, perceived as a pro-capitalist, frowned upon these initiatives and exited the Congress party. A group of powerful right wing members of Parliament (MPs), led by Piloo Mody, ridiculed Gandhis policy, only to find themselves marginalised in the subsequent Lok Sabha polls in 1971.

In that regard, it would not be wrong to view Congress' criticism of Modis initiative from that prism of history. Only now, the roles are reversed. Desais opposition to Gandhi was not in sync with the peoples mood back then. And now, Congress opposition to Modis initiative is clearly falling foul with the common peoples expectations.

In one fell swoop, Modi not only reaffirmed his pro-people credentials but also burnished his image as a feisty fighter of black marketers and the corrupt. And this was no mean achievement. Of late, consistent attempts have been made by his rivals to bracket Modi as a 'pro-capitalist' prime minister. Remember Rahul Gandhis suit boot ki sarkar jibe directed at Modi, that did cause him discomfiture.

But it seems that Modi did have an ace up his sleeve. It would be naive to assume that his decision was random, and that it had been reached at without giving proper attention to detail. In his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, Modi had categorically forewarned the hoarders of black money to come clean and declare their assets under the 'voluntary disclosure' scheme. This is the last chance for you, he had warned in clear terms.

Though his warning did yield some positive results, the initiative fell far short of the finance ministry's expectations. A large section of those involved in corruption and dealing with cash money chose to ignore the governments scheme, in the fond belief that the government would hesitate in taking a drastic measure, as it could adversely affect the economy.

That Modi has been contemplating some drastic measure was evident in one of his recent speeches, during his visit to Vadodara in Gujarat, where he had promised to launch a surgical strike against black money.

But his words, at the time, were taken as mere rhetoric that would not have any serious consequences. On the contrary, nobody knows it better than Modi that black money has become an essential lubricant for a parallel economy in the country.

In his home state of Gujarat, cash transactions in trade are the norm. In Surat, the diamond trade is largely transacted in cash deals. For the past two years, Modi has been urging the leaders of the diamond trade to conduct their business through the formal economy. There is little doubt that Gujarat would be one of the worst affected states by the decision  of banishing Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

In his address to the nation on Tuesday, Modi seemed conscious of the hardships that the common man may face on account of this radical initiative. Yet, he appealed to the peoples collective goodness and honesty, to put up with the inconvenience in order to purge the country of corruption and terrorism.

His move of reaching out to people is guided by his political instincts that often makes him privy to their sentiments. In people's collective psyche, nothing gives more enduring political capital than the vicarious pleasure derived from the agony of those with ill-gotten wealth.

In 1969, when Gandhi had abolished the privy purse and nationalised the banks, the move had found unparalleled social resonance amongst the people; as it had challenged the status-quo and radically altered the hierarchy of the elite.

In Modis case, the decision to invalidate the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes is perceived as an operation carried out in total secrecy to upstage the hoarders of black money. The fact that Modis move was a closely guarded secret enhances the credibility of the move. This is the precise reason why the Congress spokesperson's attempt to find fault with Modis decision appeared to be in vain.
It is forbidden to kill; therefore, all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.

When Voltaire said these words, little did we anticipate how horribly this would ring true centuries later in Karnataka minus of course the sound of trumpets. The killings never seem to end.

On Sunday, Sunil Dongre, a BJP worker was found murdered in Bidar, the northernmost district of Karnataka. This comes four days after BJP YuvaMorcha leader, J. Ravi was murdered near Mysore on 4 November. Two weeks ago Ravi, RSS worker Rudresh was stabbed to death in broad daylight by goons belonging to a Kerala-based radical Muslim outfit. On that occasion, I had remarked in my Firstpost column that ever since Siddaramaiah took over as chief minister, Karnataka has increasingly begun to resemble Kerala in this respect: from the murder of (Kodagu VHP member) Kuttappa, to that of cow protection activist Prashant Poojary, to the fatal stabbing of BJP worker Raju, and now of Rudresh, the murders simply dont seem to stop.

This is apart from the suicides and suspicious deaths of senior bureaucrats and police officers that have occurred with alarming frequency under his rule.

As someone who has lived all their life in the state, Im not exaggerating when I say that lawlessness under the Siddaramaiah government has reached Uttar Pradesh-like proportions. Which proves true the age-old adage that all it requires for evil to flourish is for a few good men to do nothing. The latest instance: even in the face of mounting, massive opposition from all corners of the state  even when the High Court termed the celebration as unnecessary  the Congress government is obstinate about celebrating Tipu 'Jayanthi', the same 'celebration' which resulted in the murder of Kuttappa in Madikeri last year and the communal violence in the district.

But the alarming persistence with which members belonging to mainstream Hindu organizations like the RSS are being butchered gives rise to the suspicion that these are deliberate, targeted murders. Their only crime seems to be the fact that they are associated with Hindu and nationalist causes. But the more disturbing element is what has emerged in the cases of Rudresh and Kuttappa, as also the violence in Kodagu last year on the occasion of Tipu Jayanthi.

This is what eyewitness reports on the Kodagu incident say. A local VHP functionary of Madikeri said There were around 100 people from VHP, who were silently protesting at Thimmaiah circle. Suddenly a mob came in many vehicles, most of them who came seems to be from Kerala. Police were aware of it. Though VHP workers requested police not to allow people in vehicles, police allowed them. They came from Mangalore road, Virajpet Road and Mysore Road. Rally entered the circle from 3 roads. While coming they simply attacked the innocent protestors whomever they saw. A stone hit Kuttappa and he was deeply injured and died in hospital. Vehicles came from Kerala and there were around two-three thousand people in the rally. Many cars and lorries with KL registration were seen. Some suspect that illegal Bangaldeshi labourers were also made part of the rally. SDPI and PFI workers are suspected behind this attack."

On the other hand, police interrogation of the accused in Rudreshs murder reveals "how they frequently visited Kerala to attend meetings of radical outfits. Police suspect that the accused may have even been trained by members of such outfit. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused had gone to Kerala two days after the murder. We believe that the accused might have been trained by an organisation and they often visited camps in an isolated place in Kerala."

This Kerala link behind the repeated murdering spree of members belonging to Hindu organizations  now in Karnataka  is far more crucial than it appears.

In many ways, Kerala continues to remain isolated from the general mind-space of the nation and is mentioned mainly in the context of tourism and its deep Gulf connections. The media too, gives a passing mention even to disturbing events and developments there. Whatever be the reason, Kerala has long since emerged as the premier hub of Jihadism in India for a simple reason: it has had ample time to prepare, train and execute.

Two chilling reports from the Defence Ministry-funded but autonomous Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) outline what the nation is faced vis-a-vis the developments in Kerala. The foundation for jihadists in Kerala was laid in the wake of the post-Babri Masjid demolition and gained gradual foothold in the state and over time expanded across the nation.

Various Islamic outfits like the (banned) SIMI, ISS (Islamic Sevak Sangh), NDF, PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) and their innumerable reincarnations continue to operate at multiple levels: as schools to indoctrinate, recruit and train Muslim youth in Jihad, as basis to carry out terror attacks and murders like the ones currently occurring in Karnataka, and as respectable fronts to acquire and leverage political power. Consider these incidents from the IDSA reports of 2006 and 2008:

In 1993, the reformist Islamic scholar Maulavi Abul Hassan Chekannur was abducted and murdered by Jihadists.

'Pipe bombs' (nitroglycerine charges in iron tubes) concealed in plastic bags were seized under the Kadalundi Bridge in Malappuram in 1996.

The Coimbatore bomb blasts of 1998 targeted to kill L K Advani was masterminded by Abdul Nasser Madhani who floated the PDP and acquired political power.

The unprovoked and brutal murder of innocent Hindu fishermen in Marad in 2003 was the result of an inflammatory sermon.

C A M Basheer who received training in Pakistan was arrested for the 2003 Mumbai blasts.

The burning of a Tamil Nadu state bus near Kochi in 2005 to protest against the incarceration of Madhani.

The gunning down of terrorists by the armed forces in Kashmir in 2008 revealed that at least four of them hailed from Kerala, complete with radical Islamic literature written in Malayalam found on the body of one of them.

The IDSA reports also reveal four key common patterns.

First, the Kerala governments documented apathy and reluctance to take decisive action against the Jihadis thanks to the political clout that parties like PDP wield.

Second, Keralas mediocre police force acquainted with only petty crimes and political violence, the kind of extremist tendencies cropping up in the state is a professional challenge it is totally unprepared to tackle, and more worryingly, the high level of politicisation of the Kerala Police, which has eroded its professional capabilities.

Third, Pakistani infiltration of Keralas Jihadis. The army discovered that on 10 October 2008, three more militants, which included two Keralites and one Pakistani national, were killed in another encounter in Kupwara district. Equally, in the same year, the arrest of two Jihadi recruitment agents named Faisal and Jaleel led to the revelation that over 60-70 youths could have gone to training camps in Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Fourth, the role of 'hawala' money funneled towards jihadist groups via Keralas extensive coast and its proximity to the Gulf. In 2006, the Kerala police apprehended an NRI in the Middle East who was sitting on Rs 10,000 crores of 'hawala' money.

When you add all of this to yet another alarming revelation that a surprise raid in 2011 on various prisons in Kerala yielded a haul of 120 satellite phones from which over 3000 calls were made to Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Somalia, a near-complete picture of the deadly situation in Kerala emerges.

It is in background that we must analyze the situation in Karnataka, which shares a border with Kerala. And like in Kerala, the Siddaramaiah government seems reluctant to act decisively against these killings; worse, its apathy only seems to have emboldened the murderers. If the murders of Poojary, Kuttappa, Raju and others occurred with a gap of few months between them, three murders have occurred in a span of two weeks.

The brazenness of these killings could also be attributed to the fact that the RSS and the BJP have a strong base in Karnataka, and such wanton murders can be seen as a brutally effective tactic to discourage those espousing Hindu causes. To put it bluntly, the killers may also be motivated by the fact that, like in Kerala, a weak political leadership with an eye on the vote bank, will not pursue these cases with the rigour they deserve.

As the IDSA report observed way back in 2008, Keralas emergence as a terror hub was possible only because the political class ignored the warnings repeatedlywarnings over a twenty-year period. And it has now neared a flash-point.

As a sorry footnote to the affair, the Kerala Youth Congress announced that it will also celebrate Tipu Jayanthi in Kerala, taking a leaf directly out of the Karnataka Governments book.
By Angus MacSwan

| LONDON

LONDON World leaders reacted to Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election with offers to work with him tinged with anxiety over how he would deal with a host of problems, from the Middle East to an assertive Russia.Several authoritarian and right-wing leaders commended the billionaire businessman and reality TV star who against the odds won the leadership of the world's most powerful country.Trump, who has no previous political or military experience, sent conciliatory signals after his upset of Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, pledging to seek common ground, not conflict, with the United States' allies.During his election campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defence burden.Putin was among the first to send congratulations after Trump declared victory.Ties between Washington and Moscow have become strained over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, and allegations of Russian cyber attacks featured in the U.S. election campaign."We heard the campaign statements of the future U.S. presidential candidate about the restoration of relations between Russia and the United States," Putin said."It is not an easy path, but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development."Among other issues causing concern among allies are Trump's vows to undo a global agreement on climate change, ditch trade deals he says have been bad for U.S. workers and renegotiate the nuclear accord between Tehran and world powers which has led to an easing of sanctions on Iran.Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif urged Trump to stay committed to the Iran deal. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the election result would have no effect on Tehran's policies and the nuclear accord with six world powers could not be dismissed by one government.Elsewhere in the Middle East, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, who had a poor relationship with President Barack Obama, said he hoped to reach "new heights" in bilateral ties under Trump.Obama and Netanyahu sparred over the issue of Israeli settlements, while Trump has said they should expand.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also congratulated Trump, but analysts said his rule may be profoundly negative for Palestinian aspirations.

And despite Trump's negative rhetoric about Muslims during his campaign, including threats to ban them from the United States, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said he hoped the business magnate's election would breathe new life into U.S.-Egyptian ties. UNCERTAINTY

In Britain, where Trump's victory had echoes of last June's referendum in which voters showed dissatisfaction with the political establishment by voting to leave European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May said the "enduring and special relationship" between the two countries would remain intact.Nigel Farage, a leader of the Brexit campaign who spoke at a Trump rally during the election campaign, tweeted: "I hand over the mantle to @RealDonaldTrump! Many congratulations. You have fought a brave campaign."But some European officials took the unusual step of denouncing the outcome, calling it a worrying signal for liberal democracy and tolerance in the world.

"Trump is the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement. He is also a warning for us," German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel told Funke newspaper group.Some leaders are smarting from insults that Trump doled out in the past few months, such as calling German Chancellor Angela Merkel "insane" for allowing more than 1 million migrants into the country last year."We're realising now that we have no idea what this American president will do," Norbert Roettgen, a conservative ally of Merkel and head of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee, told German radio. "Geopolitically we are in a very uncertain situation."President Francois Hollande said France wanted to begin talks with Trump immediately to clarify his stance on international affairs."This American election opens a period of uncertainty," Hollande said.French officials had openly endorsed Clinton and warned that Trump's "confused" foreign policy objectives were alarming for the rest of the world."The U.S. is a vital partner for France and what's at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, economic relations and the preservation of the planet," Hollande said.

But like-minded right-wing European parties that are hoping to make inroads of their own in 2017 -- a year in which Germany, France and the Netherlands hold elections, and Italy and Britain could also do so -- hailed Trump's victory. "Their world is falling apart. Ours is being built," Florian Philippot, a senior figure in France's far-right National Front (FN), tweeted.CHINA CONCILIATORY

In Asia, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a message with a conciliatory tone, telling Trump that Beijing and Washington shared responsibility for promoting global development and prosperity."I place great importance on the China-U.S. relationship, and look forward to working with you to uphold the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation," Xi told Trump, who said on the campaign trail to take on China and to tax Chinese imports to stop currency evaluation.South Korea expressed the hope that Trump would maintain current U.S. policy of pressuring North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests. Seoul was concerned Trump may make unpredictable proposals to North Korea, a ruling party official said, quoting top national security officials.A Japanese government official, speaking before Trump clinched the election, urged him to send a message as soon as possible to reassure the world of the United States' commitment to its allies."We are certainly concerned about the comments (Trump) has made to date about the alliance and the U.S. role in the Pacific, particularly Japan," the Japanese official said. (Reporting by Reuters bureaus in Europe, Asia and the Americas, Editing by Sonya Hepinstall and Angus MacSwan)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
US voters have weighed in on a slew of ballot measures, including several related to marijuana, gun control and the death penalty. Here's a look at how Americans voted on some of these hot-button issues:

Marijuana:

Voters in California, the nation's most populous state, handed a major victory to backers of marijuana legalisation by approving recreational use of the drug. The vote will give momentum to efforts to end federal prohibition of marijuana and treat it in a way similar to how alcohol is regulated.

Arizona, Massachusetts and Nevada all approved the use of recreational marijuana and voters in Maine were considering a similar measure.

In Florida, voters overwhelmingly approved a measure allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes; Arkansas and North Dakota were also deciding on a similar measure. In Montana, voters were deciding on whether to ease restrictions in an existing medical marijuana law.

Gun control:

Voters in four states were asked to decide on measures linked to gun control.

In California, one of the states with the toughest gun control laws, partial results indicated voters were set to approve Proposition 63, which prohibits the possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines and requires certain people to pass background checks in order to purchase ammunition.

Nevada voted to require universal background checks for weapons sales, including private handgun transactions. Voters in Maine appeared set to reject a similar measure.

Voters in Washington state approved a measure allowing judges to prevent dangerous people from possessing guns.

Death penalty:

In California, which houses about 25 percent of the country's death-row inmates, early results showed that voters had rejected a measure that would have abolished the death penalty and replaced it with life without parole. They, however, approved Proposition 66 which would overhaul the appeals process to quicken the pace of executions passed.

In Oklahoma, voters overwhelmingly approved a measure affirming the death penalty in the state. The ballot measure allows the legislature to approve any method of execution not prohibited by the US constitution.

In Nebraska, a conservative state, voters reinstated the death penalty after state lawmakers abolished it last year.

Condoms:

California voters rejected a measure that would have required adult-film actors to wear condoms during sex scenes.

Plastic bags:

California became the first US state to do away with single-use shopping bags after the controversial measure was approved by voters.

Assisted suicide:

Colorado voters approved a proposition that makes it legal for terminally ill patients to end their lives with the assistance of a physician. The state joins five others, including California, that allow assisted suicide.
When the history of the 21st century is written, 8 November, 2016 will be marked as a day when the worst nightmare of liberal internationalists came true with the election of the 45th President of the United States: Donald John Trump. The road from here to a global free-for-all is not far. All that would take is for Trump to carry out a small fraction of his foreign policy promises  if one can indeed call fragmentary, contradictory, stream-of-consciousness statements as such.

What President Trump means for India has already been dissected to the point where adding anything new becomes impossible, on either side of the ledger  Trump as positive or negative when it comes to India. And as umpteen commentators have already noted, the broad bipartisan support for India is something no American president can overturn overnight. Having said that the challenge for India does not lie in dealing with Trumps India-specific policies. It lies with fire-fighting contingencies and spill-overs from his Administrations policies elsewhere.

Key among them would be his handling of China, Russia, and the Middle East. If President Trump was also to withdraw long-standing security support for Europe and Japan, India will be inevitably drawn in, as opportunities or threats.

The main challenge emanating from Trump lies elsewhere, at a more fundamental level, in his desire to do two contradictory things at once. On one hand, his has been a stance of neo-isolationism, a nod to the American isolationists of the late 1930s, between the two world wars. On the other hand, he wants to maintain American leadership in the international system which  as Americans since President Woodrow Wilson have understood  often imply the deployment of diplomacy and force for causes far removed from the shores of the Atlantic or the Pacific.

This contradiction will become vivid in Trumps Middle East strategy. Throughout his campaign, Trump has  often in fairly blunt terms  indicated his desire to tame the Islamic State. In his own words, he would like to knock the hell out of them. But as Bush 43 found out to his own peril after the extremely-ill-advised invasion of Iraq in 2003, superior firepower and shock-and-awe tactics only goes so far. The real challenge starts when the bombing ends, and when the only thing that prevents an ancient society from falling apart are American boots on the ground. If Trumps Middle East strategy is shoot-and-scoot, the coming anarchy in the Middle East will make Iraq and Syria look like suburban Maryland, in comparison.

Trumps advisors  which include people slated for cabinet positions  know this well, often from direct professional experience. For example, retired US army lieutenant general Michael Flynn is rumoured to be appointed either as Secretary of Defense (for which he may be ineligible by law, barring a congressional waiver) or National Security Advisor in the Trump administration. Flynn served as the head of intelligence in the joint special operations command during the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns and is a well-known (and respected) scholar-practitioner of counterterrorism and intelligence.

Confidantes like Flynn will definitely alert Trump to the possibility should the United States embark on a vigorous campaign to annihilate the Islamic State and other assorted Sunni extremists, then the country ought to engage in the region on a long haul. In which case, Trump simply becomes Bush 43, albeit with a foul mouth and a worse attitude.

The alternative is that the US retrenches by erecting Fortress America, thereby ceding tremendous strategic space to the Russians. This may be acceptable to Trump, given his bonhomie with Vladimir Putin, and indeed strategically desirable based on a realpolitikal calculation. Let Russia sort out the Middle East while we sit back and toast our good fortune, Trump could think. Such a position, by definition, reduces American importance in the region and therefore deals a grave blow to Americas aspirations to global leadership.

Of course  and we must remember, as Niall Fergusson has written umpteen number of times, we are in the year of the unthinkable  the United States under Trump could decide to collaborate with the Russians in going after the Islamic State. This would mean Assad stays in power, given the Russian inflexibility in this matter. But worse still, a US-Russia entente may have to accommodate the growing Russia-China axis.

Trumps China position is well-known and the most visible leitmotif of his proto-foreign-policy. Typical of Trumps inflammatory style, he once said: We can't continue to allow China to rape our country. Suppose Trump gets serious about China  triggering a trade war between the two countries in the process. Beijing will most definitely try to convince Moscow to disengage with Washington and it is extremely unlikely that Russia would prefer the US over China.

This brings us to a fairly interesting geopolitical game that could be played in the near future: Would Russia see gaining enough from collaborating with the US in the Middle East to jettison China? Or will it try to step back and watch two of its historical adversaries  the US and China  squabble?

A new era of geopolitics is upon us.

The author is a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi and a national security columnist for Firstpost. Views expressed here are personal. He tweets @AbhijnanRej.
Donald Trump captured crucial victories over Hillary Clinton Tuesday night in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina, showing remarkable strength in three of the nation's most fiercely fought battleground states in an unexpectedly tight race for the US presidency.

Clinton carried Virginia and Colorado, as well as California, the nation's largest prize. With a handful of other states still undecided, neither candidate had cleared the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House.

Michigan and Wisconsin voted for a Republican presidential candidate since the 1980s, took on unexpected importance.

Polls conducted for national media by Edison Research show Republican Donald Trump winning a majority of white voters. His support is strongest among whites without a college degree, according to AP.

Explaining this phenomenon, Srinath Raghavan, strategic affairs specialist during Firstpost's US Election coverage, End Game, says that while middle class workers in countries like China and India have benefited from globalisation, a section of the American electorate have been hit hard from offshoring of services and have experienced income stagnation.

He explained that Trump channelised this "politics of resentment" seen among the non-college educated white American workers, particularly men. The subliminal racism in Trump's rhetoric and among his supporters have been given expression this presidential election, he said.

While Clinton has advocated in continuing with Barack Obama's policies on globalisation, it rings hollow to the section of American white population who believe they are on the losing side of globalisation, explained Raghavan. Moreover, he explained that though the millennials and the Hispanic voters have been vocal about their voting preferences on social media, it might not translate into voter turnout, whereas Trump is counting on his supporters to come out and vote.

Irrespective of who becomes the President, Raghavan explained that the next President of United States has to address the fact that a huge section of American population are feeling left behind and in what ways the healing process can begin.

Watch Firstpost's End Game: US Election 2016 here:

With inputs from AP
Washington: Donald Trump appeared to be on the verge of wresting back White House for the Republican Party from the Democrats after a gap of eight years, which could be turning point in American history.

At around 12:00 pm (IST), Trump, 70, was just 6 votes short of reaching the magical figure of 270 electoral college votes.

As per BBC projections, Trump had 264 electoral college votes as against 215 for Hillary Clinton. In the process, Trump bulldozed Clinton in a number of key battle ground States including Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin.

The results came as a shock for the Clinton Campaign which not only spent more money than that of Trump, but also had a much better ground game in the key battleground States. "Its people's revolt against Democratic and Republican establishments," said former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a close aide of Trump told reporters around midnight.

The Wall Street Journal said the path to the White House for Clinton has become much narrower. "Trump has won Iowa, Ohio and Florida, backing Mrs. Clinton into a corner in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania  and she currently trails in all three. Even if she wins them, and New Hampshire, we still look headed for a tight race somewhere around 269-269," The daily reported.

The Washington Post said the race to White House depends on three states of Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

As per Posts calculations Trump had 244 electoral college votes and Clinton had 215. Trump, according to most survey polls is already in the lead in Pennsylvania, generally considered a Democratic stronghold.

With inputs from PTI
New York: Seeking to "bind the wounds of division" after a bitter and divisive campaign, Donald Trump on Wednesday pledged to be the President for all Americans and asked Republicans, Democrats and independents across the country to come together as one united people.

Skipping policy issues in his victory speech, the 70-year-old President-elect congratulated his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton with whom he had crossed words during the long, often ugly campaign, saying she fought very hard.

"Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country," Trump told his supporters at the campaign headquarters amid cheers and shouting.

Flanked by his wife Melania and children and running mate Mike Pence, he said he mean that very sincerely.

"Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division, have to get together, to all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation I say it is time for us to come together as one united people," he said.

"It is time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all of Americans, and this is so important to me," Trump asserted.

"For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, I'm reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so that we can work together and unify our great country," Trump said during his speech.

"As I've said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement, made up of millions of hard-working men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their family," he added.

He said Clinton telephoned him to concede the race shortly after she lost in Pennsylvania. "She congratulated us  it is about us  on our victory, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign," he said.

Trump pledged to "deal fairly with everyone," including "all other nations."

"We will get along with all other nations willing to get along with us. We will have great relationships," he added.

Trump said his victory is a movement comprised of Americans from all races, religions, backgrounds and beliefs, who want and expect our government to serve the people and serve the people it will.

"Working together we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American dream," he said, adding every single American will have the opportunity to realise his or her fullest potential. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer, he said.

Trump said he has a great economic plan and his administration will double the growth and make the country the strongest economy anywhere in the world.

"America will no longer settle for anything less than the best. We must reclaim our country's destiny and dream big and bold and daring. We have to do that. We're going to dream of things for our country, and beautiful things and successful things once again," he said.

"I want to tell the world community that while we will always put America's interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone, with everyone," he said.

"All people and all other nations. We will seek common ground, not hostility, partnership, not conflict," he added.

He thanked his parents, his wife, children, sisters - Marianne and Elizabeth, brother Robert, late brother Fred, friends, party leaders and others.

"You've all given me such incredible support, and I will tell you that we have a large group of people. You know, they kept saying we have a small staff. Not so small. Look at all of the people that we have. Look at all of these people," he added.
Defying all expectations and most pre-poll forecasts, Donald Trump is set to become the President of the United States.

The Republican candidate for the top job stunned veteran Democrat Hillary Clinton after months of intense campaigning which often turned ugly.

Trump won the race for the presidency of the US by defeating Clinton. Till the time this piece was published the counting was still on but Trump surpassed the majority mark of 270 by winning 276 electoral votes. Clinton was at 218 electoral vpotes.

Trump will be the 45th President of the United States. Governor Mike Pence is set to become the vice-president.

The billionaire real estate mogul, who was acutely criticised for his racist, anti-Semitic and misogynistic stand during the campaign, will be inaugurated into the office on 20 January, 2017.

Trump will be the first president who has never held a government office or served in the US Army.

Trump, 70, the New York native who embodies what people variously love, hate and love to hate about the nation's biggest city, is headed to a power hotel that boasts of having hosted every president for more than half a century.

But the implications for his party are slightly worrying.

As pointed out earlier by Firstpost, a Trump win will leave Republicans "faced with the difficult choice of whether or not to stand by their new commander-in-chief  a man who hit at the heart of American democracy by claiming that the election is 'rigged'. The Centre-Right identity of the party is likely to shift further right with Trump as president. Those who reject the new identity will likely be lost in the mix or be forced to jump ship. A Republican civil war appears to be on the cards."

Trump's campaign has chosen the New York Hilton Midtown, a few blocks from his Trump Tower home, for an invitation-only gathering, celebrating his phenomenal victory.

Trump, who built his campaign around him being an 'outsider' and drew a large number of supporters with his unhinged mannerism, sold his candidacy on on being someone who would 'Make America Great Again'.

But even after building a large follower base, his chances of becoming the commander in chief always were second best.

After claiming the Republican nomination, Trump had picked a fight with an American Muslim family whose son was killed while serving in Iraq. He questioned the fairness of an American-born judge of Mexican heritage. He made flippant comments about what gun-rights advocates might do to Clinton if her Secret Service agents weren't armed.

Then came three debates, a proverbial train wreck that voters couldn't look away from, setting records for viewership. A new bombshell dropped just in time for the second one: 2005 video of Trump making predatory comments about groping women.

Trump apologised, but waved off his "locker-room banter" and said he'd never really done what he'd claimed in the video.

A parade of women came forward to accuse him of making unwanted sexual advances.

Then some skittish Republicans bailed on him.

His response? Go nuclear against Clinton. In the front row for the second debate, Trump seated three women who had accused Bill Clinton of sexual impropriety, and Trump claimed with thin evidence that "Hillary Clinton attacked those same women and attacked them viciously."

In the final debate, Trump refused to commit to accepting the results of the election, attacking the fundamentals of democracy.

So as America heads towards one of the most uncertain times in its history, for millions around the world, it will be just another rude shock in a devastating year.
LONDON Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said on Wednesday she was saddened by the fact U.S. voters had not elected a woman president, and expressed concern about what President-elect Donald Trump's policy towards Africa would be.Johnson Sirleaf, the first woman to be elected a head of state in Africa, said: "We are extremely saddened by this missed opportunity on the part of the people of the United States to join smaller democracies in ending the marginalisation of women."In an interview with BBC television, she said that Liberia, a nation founded in the 19th century by freed American slaves, had a long and historical relationship with the United States and she expected that to continue.

"We are concerned as to whether President-elect Trump will have an African agenda, will be able to build bridges with Africa. We can only hope that he will do so in due course.

"I'm worried about trade deals for Liberia, for Africa. I'm worried about investment and the special programmes that have been put in place by President Obama and by President George Bush before him, and we just don't know what the policy towards Africa will be."

(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Peshawar: An Afghan woman immortalised on a National Geographic cover was deported by Pakistani officials early Wednesday to her war-torn homeland following a brief period of detention for using fraudulent identity papers.

Sharbat Gula, whose blazing green eyes were captured in an image taken in a Pakistan refugee camp in the 1980s that became the magazine's most famous cover, was discharged from hospital where she was being treated for Hepatitis C and taken to the border overnight, officials said.

"We have deported Sharbat Gula to Afghanistan. She crossed the border to Afghanistan at around 2.30 am. She was also accompanied by her four children," Asmatullah Wazir, an administration official in the border town of Torkham told AFP.

A second official, requesting anonymity, confirmed the move and said Gula, 45, was accompanied by officials from the Afghan embassy.

Speaking to AFP last week, Gula said she was "heartbroken" at the prospect of returning.

"Afghanistan is only my birthplace, but Pakistan was my homeland and I always considered it as my own country," she said.

"I had decided to live and die in Pakistan but they did the worst thing with me. It's not my fault that I born there (in Afghanistan). I am dejected. I have no other option but to leave."

Gula said she first arrived in Pakistan an orphan, some four or five years after the Soviet invasion of 1979, one of millions of Afghans who have sought refuge over the border since.

Since July hundreds of thousands have returned to Afghanistan in a desperate exodus amid fears of a crackdown, ahead of March 2017 deadline for the final return of all Afghan refugees.

Last month UNHCR said more than 350,000 Afghan refugees  documented and undocumented  had returned from Pakistan so far in 2016, adding it expects a further 450,000 to do so by the year's end
BELGRADE Serbia's cabinet on Wednesday approved draft amendments to the criminal code envisaging harsher sentences for people-smuggling, a move aimed at stanching the flow of illegal migrants, Tanjug news agency reported.West European and Balkan countries have been considering how to respond if a European Union deal with Turkey that has significantly reduced a migrant influx into the EU this year collapses. [nL8N1D85YG]In 2015 hundreds of thousands of refugees mainly from the Middle East and Asia swept northward through non-EU Balkan states like Serbia bound for Western Europe, prompting countries along the route to erect border barriers.But some migrants continue to trickle in from the south and more than 6,500 are now trapped in Serbia.Under the draft amendments, anyone convicted of organised people-trafficking within Serbia will face jail terms of up to 15 years, up from the previous 12, Tanjug quoted senior Justice Ministry aide Radomir Ilic as saying.

There will also be jail sentences of up to eight years for assisting in illegal crossings of Serbia's borders, up from previous legal maximum of five years. Parliament is expected to debate and enact the amendments next week.

"It is important not only to catch cross-border people smugglers, but to deter any attempt of local population from taking part," Ilic told Tanjug.Serbian authorities blame people traffickers for much of the migrant influx. Since the beginning of this year, they have prevented over 5,000 illegal border crossings and charged over 350 suspected people smugglers.

(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Idrees Ali

| WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON Sixty-four civilians were killed and eight injured in 24 U.S. air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria between Nov. 20, 2015, and Sept. 10, 2016, the U.S. military said in a statement on Wednesday."In each of the cases released today, the assessment determined that although all feasible precautions were taken and strikes complied with laws of armed conflict, civilian casualties unfortunately did occur, Colonel John Thomas, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said in a statement. In a strike on Nov. 20, five civilians were killed near Dayr Az Zawr, Syria after they entered the target area after the aircraft released its weapons.In a strike on March 5, near Mosul, Iraq, 10 civilians were killed in a strike against an Islamic State "weapons production facility," the statement said.

Mitigating civilian casualties is a key component of the counter-ISIL air campaign, and weve applied lessons learned to reduce the likelihood of future civilian casualties, Thomas said, using an acronym for Islamic State.Including the latest disclosure, the Pentagon has assessed that 119 civilians have been killed in U.S air strikes since 2014, while 37 have been injured, Major Josh Jacques, another spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said.

Last month a report from Amnesty International said that about 300 civilians have been killed in 11 coalition attacks in the past two years.Jacques said the latest release did not include an investigation into a coalition air strike in mid-July near Manbij, Syria, which groups say killed dozens of civilians, but that it was near completion.

The United States has conducted 12,354 air strikes against Islamic State as of Nov. 2, with 6,992 in Iraq and 5,362 in Syria, according to U.S. military data.The operation against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has cost $9.3 billion since 2014, the data shows. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Bill Rigby)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By John Davison

| HAMMAM AL-ALIL, Iraq

HAMMAM AL-ALIL, Iraq On the banks of the Tigris river, men sit and watch, smiling with relief as Iraqi policemen, soldiers and local youths bathe in muddy spring water in a town that was recaptured from Islamic State just a few days ago.Across town, there is a grimmer scene: two stinking corpses, their feet tied together, rot in the sun in a large dirt quadrant walled by four man-made earth berms.One body is intact. The other has parts missing. A severed head lies next to them, its skull mostly visible. What appear to be several other corpses protrude from the dirt and detritus.A policeman cautions not to approach or touch the bodies, in case they are booby-trapped.Narrow, shallow trenches up to 20 yards long have been dug in some parts of the quadrant.Residents of the town, Hammam al-Alil, say this is the site of a mass grave which Iraqi forces reported to have uncovered on Monday after driving out Islamic State militants. Iraq has launched an investigation into what would be further evidence of the ultra-hardline group's brutality against people living in areas under its control since it established its self-styled "caliphate" across much of northern Iraq and Syria more than two years ago.An operation involving the Iraqi army, Kurdish forces, Shi'ite and tribal militias and backed by U.S.-led air strikes has driven the jihadists out of many areas surrounding Mosul, with the aim of recapturing its last major city stronghold in Iraq.As Islamic State has retreated, it has lashed out, with local residents such as those of Hammam al-Alil paying the price."Some were beheaded, and some were shot," said 35-year-old Odeh, whose brother was taken away by Islamic State fighters in the town near the start of the Mosul operation last month.

"They rounded up people from the town, and from other areas, and killed them there, where the grave is. It was revenge, they took it out on anyone over the age of 15," he said.Islamic State held the agricultural college, 200 yards from the site, as a base and a place to torture or kill people, residents said. Many estimated that up to 200 people were killed in the weeks before Islamic State withdrew from the town.Reuters could not access the college because Iraqi police said it had not been cleared and might still be rigged with explosives.Aid organizations and local officials have cited reports that Islamic State executed dozens of people in Hammam al-Alil and barracks nearby on suspicion of planning rebellions in and around Mosul to aid the advancing troops.The Iraqi military said its forces at the complex discovered the decapitated corpses of at least 100 civilians.

BODIES DUMPED IN TIGRIS

The militants transported 1,600 abducted civilians from the town of Hammam al-Alil to Tal Afar last week, possibly for use as human shields against air strikes, and told some they may be taken to Syria. They also took 150 families from Hammam al-Alil to Mosul.Most of those executed in Hammam al-Alil were former members of the Iraqi police and army, taken from villages the group was forced to abandon, a local official said.Residents confirmed most of those taken were police or their family members, including the brother of Mohammed Hassan, himself a former policeman.

"My brother Ahmed was killed - I heard he was among those executed. They (Islamic State) pulled him out of my car, because he had been in the police. He might be in the grave," said Hassan, who was sitting by the river."He might also be in there," he said, pointing at the water."They killed people here, too. They would execute them on the bank and throw them into the river."Local Islamic State leaders used the lush tree-lined spa area of Hammam al-Alil, a thermal water resort, for themselves and would not let anyone else in, Hassan said, watching as mud-caked youths took photos in the water. Many men were freshly shaved. Under Islamic State, men had to wear beards.Many buildings in the town have been damaged or destroyed in the fighting. The mangled, charred wreckage of cars and trucks litter the streets. White flags remain hoisted above some homes, an apparent effort by residents not to be targeted as security forces advanced.In the distance, smoke billows from the burning oil fields of Qayyara, which Islamic State fighters abandoned and set fire to in August, after a U.S.-backed advance before the Mosul operation began in earnest."Things are better now. People come here every day. There's no fear any more," Hassan said.Hammam al-Alil and its thermal springs are said to have healing qualities. It will be some time before the physical and psychological destruction of Islamic State is washed away. (Reporting by John Davison; Editing by Richard Balmforth)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Los Angeles: Two polling stations in California were placed on lockdown following a nearby shooting that killed one person and wounded three, the authorities have said.

The shooting took place in early afternoon on Tuesday in the city of Azusa, 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, Vanessa Lozano, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, told AFP.

Officers arriving at the scene found "multiple shooting victims" and came under fire, Azusa police tweeted. Three people were transported to a hospital with gunshot wounds and one was dead on arrival, Lozano said.

Details about the incident, which happened in a residential neighborhood, were sketchy. Two polling stations in the area were placed on lockdown along with nearby schools, according to local officials.

Azusa police advised residents to stay clear of the area and shelter in place as officers combed the neighborhood for at least one suspect believed to be heavily armed. Local government official Dean Logan advised voters to find other polling sites to cast their ballots.

"Voters should avoid the area and, if necessary, cast a ballot at an alternate polling location," he tweeted. A woman inside one of the affected polling stations said she heard shots ring out before officials placed the area on lockdown. Some 30 people were inside when the incident unfolded, she said.

"At first, I thought it was construction but people came running into the room saying they see a guy with a bulletproof vest and a white shirt," she told CNN. "As of right now, they just have us in the voting room and are trying to keep us calm."

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk (RR/CC), however, later confirmed that Dalton Elementary School is now re-opened and fully operational, according to its official press release.
Two trends in US voting dont seem to have gone the way some would have expected it to.

One, young educated White males dont seem to have been put off by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump as much as many liberals had expected. Second, black voters dont seem to have rallied to the booths to make sure Trump did not get through to the White House. (Yes, that might become a bit of an unhappy pun!)

Both these trends have helped Donald Trump. A more accurate reading might be that both groups of voters were not enamoured sufficiently by the alternative. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clintons smart, not-so-correct, establishmentarian image did not inspire confidence. Most of all, she lacked the warmth and enthusiasm that President Obama displayed in his last campaign appearance on her behalf on Monday.

The image that Clinton is not above board in financial and administrative morality, apparently, did make a significant impact.

If indeed many Black voters did decide to stay away from polling booths, it is a dangerous trend. It needs to be read in the sombre light of several attacks against Black citizens by policemen and vigilantes across parts of the US. It would seem to indicate a general disillusionment with the system overall  a sense that the cards are not only stacked against a Black young man, the dealer isnt fair either.

Remember, Black voters across the US had voted in large numbers for the incumbent, the first Black to hold the office of President in the US. There was tremendous hope when Barack Obama was elected eight years ago, a conviction that the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s had taken a quantum leap, that Black people would feel empowered and energised. That did not happen.

In fact, the rise of Trump shows that the US is moving the other way. If turnout is an indication, too many Black people seem to have given up. That is not good.

Commentary on education

The other - converse - trend is also worrying. If educated young White men voted for Trump in larger numbers than had been expected, it indicates that this key demographic segment is not so averse to Trumps upfront xenophobia, racism, and misogyny. On the other hand, it would indicate that Trump read the national mood right. Like a good businessman, he tailored his campaign to a newly expanding market.

That is a sad commentary on contemporary education in the US. Liberalism is not as strongly entrenched as many of us had thought. Perhaps, we focus too much on Ivy League institutions and do not adequately take into account (perhaps still incipient) hidden trends in colleges and universities across the US.

What this means is that xenophobia and misogyny are okay with far more young White males in the US than most had thought. The sixties and seventies are long gone  and it is the liberalism of that time that formed the early Clintons.

Fear is the key

Fear of the other, seen in the frame of terrorist, is apparently far more widespread than most of the liberal media had realised. It was remarkable that Trumps early discourse about Latino migrants as not only 'illegal' but as 'rapists' and other kinds of criminal brought him enough support to make him a serious contender. Then it brought him enough support to win him the Republican nomination, and now, it would seem, the Presidency too.

All these trends indicate that a large swathe of people in the US think of the world in terms of a clash of 'civilisations'.

The Brexit vote this summer already indicated this about the UK, which prided itself on having a 'multi-cultural' society just a couple of decades ago. Trends in France, Holland, Denmark, Poland, Hungary, Turkey, Russia and closer home indicate that citizens in the US and the UK are not the only ones.

This does not augur well for world peace.
Washington: An unprecedented 'desi' wave hit the US general elections as a record number of five Indian-Americans were all set to be elected to the US Congress on Wednesday (IST).

Indian-American women put up a good show in the 2016 elections, with Kamala Harris, 51, a two-term attorney general from California, creating history by winning the US Senate seat from the state.

Pramila Jayapal, 51, won the Congressional seat from Seattle to enter the House of Representatives, the first Indian-American woman to accomplish this feat. Jayapal would be joined in the House of Representatives by Raja Krishnamoorthi, who made it to the highest citadel of democracy in their second attempt.

Ro Khanna and Ami Bera were leading in the race for the House of Representatives from their districts in California. With 56 percent of the votes counted in California's Silicon Valley, Democratic Congressman Bera was leading with 54 percent votes at 47,427, ahead of his Republican party rival Scott Jones who got 46 per cent votes.

If elected for the third successive term, Bera would become the longest serving Indian-American Congressman ever.

Khanna, the democratic party candidate from Californias 17th District, was leading with 58 per cent votes at 50,952 after 72 per cent of the votes were counted.

His closest rival Mike Honda, also of the Democratic Party, had so far garnered 42 per cent of the votes. Interestingly, the outgoing US President Barack Obama had endorsed Harris, Krishnamoorthi and Bera.

Senator Bernie Sanders and former US President Jimmy Carter had endorsed Jayapal. Harris, who was born in Oakland, California, is the daughter of an Indian mother who emigrated from Chennai in 1960 and a Jamaican American father. California Democrats had overwhelmingly endorsed Harris for US Senate, solidifying her front-runner status in the race to become Californias next Senator.

Endorsing Harris, Obama had said "Kamala Harris fights for us. Thats why I am so proud to endorse her for United States Senator. And if you send her to the Senate, she'll be a fearless fighter for the people of California, all the people of California, every single day."

Jayapal entered the US Congress on her maiden try. Born in Chennai, she left India at the age of five for Indonesia, Singapore and eventually for the US. Jayapal says her life transformed for the better after she spent some time in India when she returned to the country after a gap of 25 years in April 1995. Her book  "Pilgrimage to India: A Woman Revisits Her Homeland" was published in 2000.
Canada's main immigration website appeared to crash while New Zealand reported increased traffic from US nationals, as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump inched closer to the White House on Wednesday.

Canada's main immigration website appeared to suffer repeated outages on Tuesday night as Trump took the lead in several major states and his prospects for winning the U.S. presidency turned markedly higher.

In New Zealand, immigration officials told Reuters on the eve of the vote that New Zealand Now website, which deals with residency and student visas, had received 1,593 registrations from US citizens since 1 November  more than 50 percent of a typical month's registrations in just seven days.

Visits to New Zealand Now from the United States were up almost 80 percent to 41,000 from 7 October to 7 November, compared to the same period last year.

Rod Drury, the chief executive of NZ-based global accounting software firm Xero, said the statistics matched up with interest his company has been seeing from prospective US national employees concerned about a Trump win.

Drury said what started as a joke was becoming a reality. "I've got lots of messages coming through at the moment asking for a job in New Zealand, and we're saying 'yes you can'," Drury told Reuters by telephone on Wednesday. "It will be interesting to see whether it translates into real action, it's an active conversation that moved to getting more serious and we'll see what will happen in the next month," he added.

NZ immigration officials declined to comment. Meanwhile, some users in the US, Canada and Asia saw an internal server error message when trying to access Canada's immigration website.

Canadian officials could not immediately be reached for comment, but the website's problems were noted by many on Twitter.

After some Americans, often jokingly, said they would move to Canada if Trump was elected, the idea was taken up by some Canadian communities.

In February, the island of Cape Breton on Canada's Atlantic coast marketed itself as a tranquil refuge for Americans seeking to escape should Trump capture the White House.

Drury said New Zealand and other non-American tech companies would benefit from a Trump win. "A lot of the tech world has been driven out of the US, and I think this does change the landscape quite a lot," he said.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg told the New York Times in July that her late husband Martin D Ginsburg would have been advocating a move to New Zealand if Trump became president.
New York: The world may have been anticipating a Madam President, but on Wednesday Republican Donald J. Trump clinched the presidency propelled by male white voters unhappy with the status quo who bought his evocative promise to "Make America Great Again."

"This was a white-lash against a changing country, said American political activist, CNN commentator, writer and attorney.

"It was a white-lash against a black president in part, and that's the part where the pain comes. And Donald Trump has a responsibility tonight to come out and reassure people that he is going to be the president of all the people who he insulted and offended and brushed aside."

Shortly after Democrat Hillary Clinton conceded the contest to Trump, he got down to the enormous task of trying to heal the rifts that he himself had actively stoked during the election cycle by often indulging in divisive and racist rhetoric.

"Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time and we owe her a major debt of gratitude to her service for our country," Trump said graciously. "Now it's time for America to bind the bounds of division. We have to get together."

At the end of the day, there are five reasons why Trump has thrashed the most sophisticated election algorithms to turn the election results on their head. Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway tweeted what is now self-explanatory and abundantly clear if you parse the election data.

"Things that were true: undercover Trump vote; @mike_pence for VP; Hillary's floor & ceiling r same; rally crowds matter; we expanded the map," tweeted Kellyanne Conway, who got Trump past his worst campaign PR nightmares.

Things that were true: undercover Trump vote; @mike_pence for VP; Hillary's floor & ceiling r same; rally crowds matter; we expanded the map  Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) November 9, 2016

Undercover Trump Vote and White-lash

Earlier the white vote was split between Republicans and Democrats along social issues, but this time whites especially low-income ones living in rural areas and the rust belt have gravitated towards Trump because of emotive immigration and trade issues. They have block voted for Trump because they feel immigrants  from Latinos to Asians  have poured into America and stolen their jobs.

These white voters feel the American government is not working for them and Clinton would have just been a third term of Obama. Trump's slogan "Make America Great Again" is a dog whistle to these lost nation sentiments. We also see a severe anti-establishment white-lash against Washington political elites and the Obama presidency.

In August, Conway, herself a pollster, had pointed out that during drawing room conversations some whites were embarrassed about admitting they were voting for Trump, while he would actually get their vote on election day.

Donald Trump performs consistently better in online polling where a human being is not talking to another human being about what he or she may do in the election, argued Conway tellingly. Its because its become socially desirable, if youre a college-educated person in the United States of America, to say that youre against Donald Trump.

Pence Worked like a Charm

Critical rust belt states broke Trump's way on Tuesday night because he campaigned heavily in them and also reassured conservative white voters by choosing one of their own: Indiana governor Mike Pence as his running mate.

"Mr Trumps path to the White House will go through the Rust Belt, and Mr. Pence is one of their own. His Midwestern style could help Mr. Trump further his appeal in this area," reported The Washington Times.

Hillary's floor and ceiling are the same

Hillary Clinton has a passionate support base but she also has an army of critics. Her haters chipped away at her support base during this election cycle by exploiting the FBI investigation which has been duly described as an unpleasant "October surprise." The daily Wikileak data dump also tarnished her reputation by creating the impression that she was duplicitous and calculating.

In the biggest surprise, exit polls show that not all Hispanics were put off by Trump's "Bad Hombre" racist digs or wall building talk. Trump had said he would build a wall along America's border with Mexico, stick Mexico with the bill for it and deport some 11 million undocumented migrants.

However Clinton failed to animate her support base of Latinos, African Americans and young people enough to win the presidential race.

"Only 65 percent of Latinos supported Hillary, while 29 percent cast their votes for Trump. In 2012, Obama won 71 percent of the Hispanic vote, while Romney secured 27 percent," reported CNN.

Similarly, President Barack Obama carried a higher percentage of black voters compared to her 88 percent.

Rally Crowds Matter

Trump had great pulling power at his rallies where the crowds turned up to see him despite the fact that he had no rock stars or popular surrogates like First Lady Micelle Obama. In fact, during his rally in New Hampshire he sarcastically pointed out that Clinton had to rely on star power and other bells and whistles to fill her venues.

Hillary cant fill a room. Look, look, this is called filling a stadium, and I have no guitar and no piano. Right? I mean she gets Jay Z and Beyonce the other night," said Trump.
The highly charged 2016 US presidential election set some unprecedented trends this campaign season and social media played a crucial part in it. According to the CNBC, the most-discussed topic on Facebook on election night was "government ethics" while Google trends indicated that abortion and immigration were few of the popular search terms.

The report added that people posted on religion, race, crime and economy and over "7.5 million people shared on Facebook in the US that they had voted."

In fact, a quick look at Google Trends throws up some interesting search pattern.

'Trump path to 270' is 52% more searched than 'Clinton path to 270' in the past day#Election2016 pic.twitter.com/vJDFuHs1rU  GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) November 9, 2016

Some people are starting #Electionnight early: +220% spike in searches for 'election drinking game' pic.twitter.com/YnLtTAmQL0  GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) November 8, 2016

The nation's verdict is in: "Trump voting" is the top meme of the day so far.#Election2016 pic.twitter.com/MoFHNIUaMC  GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) November 9, 2016

On election night, as Trump took lead, Google searches for 'move to Canada' soared in a matter of few hours.

Wow, Google searches for "move to Canada" from the US have soared the last four hours. #ElectionNight #Elections2016 pic.twitter.com/8b0q880YYb  Lily Leung (@LilyLeung) November 9, 2016

Meanwhile, according to the Twitter, "People in the US sent 1 billion tweets about the election since the primary debates began in August of last year."

According to CNBC, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, said that "the three presidential debates rank as the three most-viewed political livestreams of all time on YouTube."

In India, over 40 million likes, posts, comments and shares related to the US election were generated by 9.3 million Facebook users, according to Live Mint. The report added that that the US presidential election was the most popular topic across the world in 2015.
Police have charged a second suspect in a shooting incident near Shippensburg University Monday night.

Kevin Malik Kenney, 20, of Philadelphia, has been charged with two counts of felony aggravated assault, felony burglary, robbery, firearms not be carried without a license, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and robbery and misdemeanor simple assault, according to court records.

Kenney and another man Sherrod Eugene Baltimore, 21, of Harrisburg, forced their way into a home in the 1200 block of Bard Drive shortly before 11 p.m. Monday. Kenney got into a fight with a resident inside the home, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Pennsylvania State Police.

That fight ended with Kenney and the resident getting shot, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

Kenney and Baltimore fled the home after the shooting, but were found only a few blocks away, police said. Kenney was shot in the abdomen and was taken to Hershey Medical Center, according to police.

A Springfield Armory XD9 9mm pistol was found discarded nearby, police said.

According to police, the other man shot during the struggle inside the home was taken to York Hospital.

A black Ruger pistol, belonging to the victim, along with shell casings, was found inside the home, police said.

Baltimore told police the two men went to the home to purchase marijuana, according to police.

Charges have been filed through Magisterial District Judge Anthony Adams office and Kenney is awaiting his preliminary court proceedings.

Baltimore is being held in Cumberland County Prison in lieu of $300,000 bail.
The Latest on the general election in Pennsylvania (all times local):

1:37 a.m.

PHILADELPHIA (AP)  The Associated Press has called Republican Donald Trump winning Pennsylvania, topping Hillary Clinton in critical battleground state.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were neck-and-neck in battleground Pennsylvania on Tuesday, each seeking an important electoral prize after a hard-fought race that saw voters get plenty of face time with the candidates. The fiercely contested presidential race was reflected in close contests up and down the Pennsylvania ballot, with Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey narrowly winning re-election and Democrats sweeping all three statewide row offices.

12:25 a.m.

State Auditor General Eugene DePasquale is being returned to the job to serve four more years as Pennsylvania's fiscal watchdog.

The Democratic incumbent bested three challengers Tuesday to head an office with more than 400 employees and a budget of more than $50 million.

The agency keeps tabs on state spending and recommends changes to how government agencies operate.

Auditor general has been a political launching pad in recent years. The last three people elected to hold the position all later ran for higher office.

12:25 a.m.

Pennsylvania's next attorney general will be county Commissioner Josh Shapiro, who'll take over an office wracked by turmoil over the arrest and conviction of a predecessor.

Voters on Tuesday chose the Democrat from the Philadelphia suburb of Montgomery County over Republican state Sen. John Rafferty.

He'll be the agency's fourth leader since August, when Democrat Kathleen Kane stepped down after being convicted of leaking secret grand jury material and lying about it.

Kane has been sentenced to 10 to 23 months in prison.

The attorney general is Pennsylvania's top-ranking law enforcement official. The agency has more than 800 employees.

10:50

Nearly three hours after polls closed in Pennsylvania, the races for president and U.S. Senate are too close to call.

Polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday, but people already in line were allowed to cast their ballots.

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump are hoping to capture the battleground state critical to their White House hopes

In the night's other marquee matchup, GOP U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey battled Democratic challenger Katie McGinty, with the outcome of history's most expensive Senate race potentially deciding control of the chamber.

Clinton has a built-in voter registration advantage over Trump. Democratic-leaning Pennsylvania has backed the Democrat in six straight presidential elections.

8:15 p.m.

Polls are closed in Pennsylvania but voters who are still in line are allowed to cast their ballots.

The Department of State is gathering information on whether there are long lines at some polling places after Tuesday's 8 p.m. closing time.

The agency says it is hearing scattered reports of people waiting in line, but nothing widespread.

The state Democratic Party put out an alert to voters that if they were in line by 8 p.m. to stay there until they vote.

After enduring months of campaign ads, fliers and rallies, Pennsylvanians are helping decide the winner in a long, hard-fought presidential campaign and control of the U.S. Senate next year.

Democrat Hillary Clinton has a built-in voter registration advantage over Republican Donald Trump in Tuesday's presidential election. Democratic-leaning Pennsylvania has backed the Democrat in six straight presidential elections.

7 p.m.

Republican U.S. Pat Toomey says he has voted for GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, revealing his choice after saying for months that he hadn't been persuaded.

Toomey said after voting Tuesday night near his Allentown-area home that it was a tough call for him.

McGinty had tried to make Toomey's indecision in the presidential stakes a high-profile campaign issue, characterizing Toomey as unable to stand up to Trump. Toomey had been highly critical of Trump, and hadn't campaigned with him or talked about him during stump speeches.

Toomey is a fierce critic of Hillary Clinton's, and had refused to vote for her. But he had not ruled out voting for Trump, saying he was undecided and that Trump as president would sign productive legislation, like repealing President Barack Obama's 2010 health care law and imposing more sanctions on Iran.

6:30 p.m.

Voters in Pennsylvania say the economy is their biggest concern as they cast their ballots.

About half the voters surveyed in an exit poll conducted for The Associated Press and the television networks ranked it as their top concern.

Terrorism was a distant second, slightly ahead of foreign policy and immigration.

Polls are open until 8 p.m. in Pennsylvania, which is considered a swing state in the presidential election between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump.

The preliminary exit poll of 1,947 Pennsylvania voters was conducted for AP and the television networks by Edison Research in a random sample of 50 precincts statewide. Results were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points; it is higher for subgroups.

5:45 p.m.

Pennsylvania Republican Party chairman Rob Gleason says he doesn't see anything "nefarious" in scattered complaints Tuesday about apparent vote switching on older machines.

Several Pennsylvania counties are reporting a handful of complaints about vote switching on the touchscreen machines. They say the machines are quickly being re-calibrated to fix the problem.

Butler County elections director Shari Brewer says older machines can get out of alignment during transfer. She says poll workers can cancel the vote when the wrong button lights up and move the voter to another booth.

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro Cortes says the GOP reported problems with about 25 out of nearly 24,000 machines statewide. He says in all cases votes ended up being recorded correctly.

4:15 p.m.

Heavy turnout was reported Tuesday in Pennsylvania as many voters said they were relieved Election Day had arrived and they were finally able to cast ballots. No major problems were reported at the polls by mid-afternoon.

After months in the campaign spotlight, Pennsylvanians were helping decide the winner in a long, hard-fought presidential campaign and control of the U.S. Senate. They were also choosing a new attorney general, members of the U.S. House and the state Legislature, and deciding whether to raise the retirement age for judges.

In closely watched Philadelphia, graduate student Gabby Formica, 24, a registered Democrat, said she was enthusiastically backing Hillary Clinton despite her flaws.

"Both candidates have flaws, as they always do. But the flaws that Hillary has, Trump shares. The flaws he has, she doesn't necessarily share," she said.

In Pittsburgh, another registered Democrat, Air Force veteran Bob Ruff, 58, said he voted for Republican Donald Turmp "just because of the way the country's going." He had voted for Barack Obama in 2008 but skipped the 2012 election.

Dan Kieta cast his ballot in Cleveland before flying into Philadelphia. A registered Republican, the 43-year-old information technology professional didn't want to say who he was voting for but would say: "I'm glad it's over."

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro Cortes said he believed turnout could top 80 percent.

Said Philadelphia election commissioner Lisa Deeley: "We should be this busy every election. It's wonderful."

Election watchdog groups were reporting some complaints by voters about having to show identification, the result of a lack of knowledge about Pennsylvania law. A first-time voter in an election district must show some form of either photo or non-photo ID.

Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams said no serious Election Day problems had emerged by midafternoon, and complaints about voter intimidation and fraud proved unfounded. Trump had suggested ahead of the election that Philadelphia was a city to watch for voter fraud. Williams said the volume of complaints was on par with past presidential elections.

Clinton had a built-in voter registration advantage over Trump in Democratic-leaning Pennsylvania, a state that has backed the Democrat nominee in six straight presidential elections.

Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes are a key building block in the path to winning the 270 necessary to win the Electoral College. No Democrat has gotten to the White House without winning Pennsylvania since Harry Truman in 1948. George H.W. Bush was the last Republican to win Pennsylvania, where Democrats hold a 4-to-3 registration advantage over Republicans.

Just below Clinton and Trump on the ballot was the hotly contested U.S. Senate race between Democratic challenger Katie McGinty and Republican incumbent Pat Toomey. Toomey was among the most vulnerable Senate Republicans as the GOP struggles to hang on to their 54-46 Senate majority.

The Senate campaign dominated TV screens, becoming the nation's most expensive race ever with spending on it passing $160 million.

Voters were also deciding whether to change the Pennsylvania Constitution to allow more than 1,000 appellate, county and district judges to remain in their jobs until the age of 75. The current mandatory retirement age is 70.

Also on the ballot were three statewide races for attorney general, treasurer and auditor general.

Democrat Josh Shapiro and Republican John Rafferty competed for the right to succeed Kathleen Kane as the state's top law enforcement officer. Kane won a landslide in 2012 to become the first woman and first Democrat ever elected to be attorney general, but she resigned in August after being convicted of abusing the office's powers by leaking secret investigative information and lying about in a scheme to smear a rival prosecutor.

For treasurer, Democrat Joe Torsella and Republican Otto Voit were seeking to fill an office that's also been marred by corruption, since Democrat Rob McCord resigned last year and pleaded guilty to federal extortion charges related to his unsuccessful 2014 gubernatorial campaign.

In the race for auditor general, Democrat Eugene DePasquale sought a second term against Republican John Brown.

Two races for seats in the U.S. House were notable.

Democrat Dwight Evans was seeking to become the new member of Congress from the heavily Democratic 2nd District, replacing the resigned and convicted Chaka Fattah. Evans was also seeking a two-year term in the office starting in January. His Republican opponent is James Jones.

The 8th District race was a tossup, between Democrat Steve Santarsiero and Republican Brian Fitzpatrick, who was running to replace his retiring brother, Mike Fitzpatrick, in the seat.

Voters were also deciding 228 seats in the Pennsylvania Legislature, although Republicans are expected to maintain their large majorities in both chambers.

11 a.m.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Katie McGinty greeted cheering supporters before casting her ballot alongside her husband and three daughters on Tuesday morning at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

McGinty has spent the general election seeking to tie Republican incumbent Sen. Pat Toomey to GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. She struck the same note on election day, suggesting that Toomey's plan to vote late in the day was another attempt to dodge questions about whether he planned to vote for Trump.

"Come on, Senator Toomey, let us know: Are you standing with Donald Trump or not?" McGinty said to reporters. "It's long, long past due for (him) to have stood up for what's right... and denounced Donald Trump. It's really, actually, too late."

McGinty and Toomey have been locked in a close battle for months. She received a boost from Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in the campaign's final weeks and said she felt good going into Election Day.

"Today's the day we turn it around so that working people get a fair shot again," McGinty said.

8:30 a.m.

Pennsylvania's secretary of state says he wouldn't be surprised if voter turnout topped 80 percent.

Secretary Pedro Cortes has served from 2003 to 2010 under former Gov. Ed Rendell and since last year under Gov. Tom Wolf, both Democrats.

Cortes says the highest voter turnout since 1980 was in 1992 when 83 percent of Pennsylvania voters cast ballots in an election headlined by Democrat Bill Clinton and Republican President George Bush.

Tuesday's general election pitting Republican Donald Trump against Democrat Hillary Clinton will be the 19th overseen by Cortes, counting primary elections and non-presidential elections.

Cortes also downplays concerns over voter fraud saying, "I will never claim that elections in Pennsylvania or anywhere else are perfect, but they're legitimate."

Cortes expects about 7 million of Pennsylvania's 8.7 million registered voters to participate.

1 a.m.

After enduring months of campaign ads, fliers and rallies, Pennsylvanians will help decide the winner in a long, hard-fought presidential campaign and control of the U.S. Senate next year.

Democrat Hillary Clinton has a built-in voter registration advantage over Republican Donald Trump in Tuesday's presidential election. Democratic-leaning Pennsylvania has backed the Democrat in six straight presidential elections.

Just below on the ballot is the hotly contested U.S. Senate race between Democrat Katie McGinty and Republican incumbent Pat Toomey. Toomey is among the nation's most vulnerable Senate incumbents as the GOP struggles to hang on to its Senate majority.

Voters also will decide whether to allow more than 1,000 appellate, county and district judges to remain in their jobs until the age of 75.

The current mandatory retirement age is 70.
Chinese handset makers are reshaping the smartphone market, as the phablets which were quite a distinctive one before, are now growing immensely popular especially in the Indian market. Over the years, we have seen smartphones getting bigger in size with a palm-filling phablet concepts. Love em or hate em, phablets are here to stay.



This week Lenovo launched the Phab 2 Plus smartphone, the successor of the last years Phab Plus at a price of Rs. 14,999 exclusively on Amazon.in.

Lenovo Phab 2 Plus has dual 13-megapixel rear cameras, which comes with an augmented reality mode to let users create photos and videos with superimposed effects such as virtual backgrounds or cartoons.

On the other hand, Xiaomi had launched its very first phablet dubbed as Mi Max with just 7.5mm thickness at a same price of Rs. 14,999 on Amazon.in and Mi.com in June. Last month it launched a more powerful Xiaomi Mi Max Prime with Snapdragon 652 and 4GB RAM for Rs. 19,999. But when there are two of them in a similar range, one cannot help but compare to see which is the better 6.4-inch phablet. Xiaomi Mi Max or Lenovo Phab 2 Plus. Lets see.

Design

The Lenovo Phab 2 Plus comes with aluminum alloy body with a 2.5D glass on the front. Mi Max also comes with an all metal body with chamfered edges and matte finish on the back.

While the Lenovo Phab 2 Plus measures 9.6mm in thickness and weigh around 218 grams, the Mi Max is just 7.5mm thick with 203 grams in weight. Both the phones have a hybrid dual SIM slot that lets you use the second SIM as an expansion slot. Speakers and micro USB slot are present on the bottom on both the phones.

3.5mm audio jack and secondary microphone are present on the top for both. The Mi Max also has an infrared sensor on the top for remote control support, which the Phab 2 Plus lacks.

Both the smartphone feature an always listening fingerprint sensor on the back, just below the camera module that lets you add up to 5 fingerprints.

We also did a fingerprint recognition speed comparison between Xiaomi Mi Max and Lenovo Phab 2 Plus and found out that the former (Mi Max) is significantly faster than the latter (Phab 2 Plus).

Display

When it comes to the phablet, the display is what makes all the differences! The Lenovo Phab 2 Plus comes with 6.4-inch 1080p Full HD display with a pixel density of 344ppi.

The Mi Max features a slightly larger screen with 6.44-inch 1080p Full HD display with a pixel density of 342ppi.

While the very slight difference in pixel density is not noticeable, the brightness, viewing angles and the sunlight readability are equally good.

Hardware

Talking about the internal hardware, the Lenovo Phab 2 Plus is powered by a Octa-Core MediaTek MT8783 chipset clocked at 1.3GHz along with Mali T720 GPU under the hood.

On the other hand, Mi Max comes with Hexa-Core Snapdragon 650 with Adreno 510 GPU for the base variant and the top-end version has an Octa Core Snapdragon 652 processor with the 4GB RAM,128GB inbuilt storage, and same GPU.

In the real world usage, both the smartphone offers lag-free experience and handles everything that you throw at with ease. Also, the phones accomplished the same without heating up too much, which is something that needs to be appreciated.

When we tested both the mobile with some heavy gaming (Asphalt Xtreme), the Phab 2 Plus faced some problems including frame drop, bad color reproduction, and some heating issues as well. While on the other side, Mi Max handled the gaming part smoothly without any lags or frame drops.

The storage is typically the same on both the smartphones with 3GB RAM and 32GB inbuilt memory as well. Out of 32GB, Phab 2 Plus offers 23.75GB and Mi Max offers 24GB. You can also expand the storage up to 128GB via MicroSD card slot.

Camera

Coming to the camera, the Lenovo Phab 2 Plus comes with dual 13MP rear cameras with dual-tone LED Flash, f/2.0 aperture, laser auto focus and 8MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture and LED flash.

While the Mi Max comes with a 16MP rear camera with dual-tone LED Flash, PDAF, f/2.0 aperture and a 5MP front-facing camera with 85-degree wide-angle lens and f/2.0 aperture.

Comparing both the smartphones, the Phab 2 Plus manages to resolve quite a bit of detail despite having a lower resolution of 13 MP compared to 16 MP on the Mi Max.

Moreover, the Mi Max images produce warmer tones and are more saturated/vivid compared to the cooler tones and more natural colours of the Phab 2 Plus. This is especially noticeable in the greens which look more yellowish on the Mi Max.

The Phab 2 Plus 2nd camera allows it to capture good effects in terms depth of field. You can refocus an image after the fact and even replace the background.

Mi Max carries the yellow tone on the flash as well as the images have a yellow hue. The Phab 2 Plus also has a dual tone flash but seems more natural as well as more powerful and evenly lit.

Mi Max videos carry plenty of detail at the safe of extra noise. Phab 2 Plus videos are softer but the focus racks much faster than the Mi Max which hunts and takes quite long to lock focus.

Check out some samples (Click the image for full-resolution sample). The one on the left is the Phab 2 Plus and the right image is taken on Mi Max.

Software

Moving on to the software, both the smartphone run Android 6.0 Marshmallow with their own custom UI on top. The Mi Max comes with MIUI 8, while the Phab 2 Plus runs on Vibe UI. Comparatively, the MIUI is much more customizable and easier to use that the Vibe UI.

In an attempt to make it easier to use, the Mi Max comes with One handed mode, which shrinks the content on the display down to 4.5, 4.0 and 3.5-inch to any one of the bottom corners. Just swipe the home button and back button to display the shrunken content on to right and swipe the home button and menu button to display the content on left.

Moreover, it also comes with shortcut menu called as Quick Ball similar to Apples Assistive touch. This Quick Ball lets you add up 5 different options, which can be placed anywhere on the edge of the display. Also, it comes pre-installed with native apps that can clean junk, scan virus and much more. You will get access to various themes and wallpapers from the collection, Mi Remote that lets you control infra-red appliances in your home.

On the other hand , the Vibe UI do comes with features, but not as generous as the MIUI 8. The Phab 2 Plus has comes with a floating control just like Xiaomis Quick Ball, that lets you create floating bar for accessing utility apps like camera, music, calculator and more.

You can also enable the Double-Tap to Wake up from the settings to enable double tap to wake the screen up when its locked. Smart Reduce feature automatically reduces the ringtone volume when picked up, while the Smart Answer automatically answers a call when bringing your phone to your ear.

At the end, the UI preference really comes down to personal choice. Personally, I think MIUI is the one that is easy to use and also has lots of options to customizations under the sleeve.

Battery

Moving on to the battery, the Mi Max comes powered by a humongous 4850mAh battery, while the Phab 2 Plus 4050mAh battery. Its worth mentioning that both the smartphones lack quick charging technology officially. On the connectivity front both the Mi Max and Phab 2 Plus support 4G VoLTE, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth, GPS and much more. In our battery test, Xiaomi Mi Max achieved a One Charge Rating of 19 hours and 57 minutes. We will be adding battery test comparison between both once we are done with the tests for Phab 2 Plus.

Verdict

Overall, the Phab 2 Plus stands out when it comes to dual camera setup and build quality, while the Xiaomi has a slight edge when it comes to performance, software and also comes in two variants.
Real estate sales are hard to predict, which causes very uneven results for Howard Hughes (HHC 1.06%). However, this quarter the company was able to more than even things out thanks to continued strong condo sales in Hawaii.

Howard Hughes results: The raw numbers

Metric Q3 2016 Actuals Q3 2016 Actuals Growth (YOY) Adjusted Net Income $47.2 million $28.5 million 65.7% NOI from Operating Assets $30.7 million $31.9 million -3.8% Adjusted EPS $1.10 $0.66 66.7%

What happened with Howard Hughes this quarter?

Howard Hughes' condo development in Hawaii drove the quarter:

Net operating income from the company's operating assets slipped due to headwinds in the Houston economy, which negatively impacted occupancy and conference business at The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center as well as its two recently opened hotels.

Land sales in the master planned community segment declined 46.5% to $31.9 million due primarily to the absence of large commercial sales, which bolstered the year-ago period. Summerlin's sales slipped 14.5% to $16.5 million due to a decline in acres sold. Meanwhile, residential land sales in Bridgeland jumped 110.4% due to increased demand from homebuilders. However, overall sales at Bridgeland slumped 79.4% to $4.7 million because it had no additional sales of commercial land this quarter. Finally, residential land sales at The Woodlands edged up 1% to $10.6 million, due to stronger acreage sales, which offset weaker prices. That said, total sales at The Woodlands were down 40%, again due to the lack of commercial land sales.

Sales at Ward Village, the company's condominium development in Hawaii, remained active with the company recording 35 new contracts during the quarter, representing 11.1% of the inventory it has under construction. Further, the company recorded $115.4 million in revenue from the development in the third-quarter, which was up 46.1% year over year.

What management had to say

CEO David Weinreb commented on the company's results by saying that,

We had a solid third quarter as we continued to increase cash flow across the portfolio and make progress in delivering value at our strategic developments while strengthening our MPCs... We continue to advance our plans at Ward Village where Waiea, our first residential tower, is nearing completion. We expect to start closing on condominium unit sales and welcoming new homeowners within the next couple of weeks. In addition, we celebrated the topping out of Anaha, our second building, which is on schedule for completion by mid-summer 2017. It is gratifying to see our vision for this vibrant community beginning to take shape.

The key driver of Howard Hughes' third-quarter results is the continued progress on its Hawaii condo development. The company has now sold 92% of the available units at its Waiea tower and 93.7% at the Anaha tower. Meanwhile, the company began construction of the Ke Kilohana tower, which had pre-sold 91.3% of the available units. That said, the company still has nearly half of the units at the Ae'o tower left to sell, which means that there's still plenty of running room for this development.

Looking forward

Aside from the progress in Hawaii, the company continues to move forward on several other strategic developments. It commenced construction of a Class A mixed-use office building in Columbia, Maryland, it continues to sign up premier tenants for its Seaport District redevelopment project in New York City, and it announced a joint venture project on a new 130-acre mixed-use development in Westlake, Texas. These projects are critical to driving earnings and cash flow in future years.
When a company has expansion plans as ambitious as Pembina Pipeline Corp.'s (PBA -0.97%), it can sometimes impact operational performance because so much attention is given to development. Finding that balance can be tough. Based on Pembina's most recent earnings report, though, that doesn't appear to be too much of a concern.

Here's a quick look at the company's most recent earnings results, an update on its development plans, and what investors should be watching for in the coming quarters.

By the numbers

Results* Q3 2016 Q2 2016 Q3 2015 Revenue $970 $1,027 $1,026 Operating margin $317 $327 $271 Net Income $120 $113 $113 Earnings per share $0.25 $0.25 $0.29

When it comes to pipeline companies like Pembina, revenue typically isn't a good metric to look at to gauge the success or failure of a quarter. That's because most companies in this industry book revenue based on commodity prices, but so too are the cost of goods. Because of this, it is always better to look at things like gross or operating margins for these companies because they give a more accurate reflection of the quarter's results.

In this case, Pembina's results remained rather solid. Pipeline volumes and service revenue increased across the board compared to this time last year, which resulted in increasing operating margins and net income. The reason for the per-share earnings decline was from a higher share count. As Pembina completes more of its projects, though, it should help to offset the per-share dilution.

At the end of the third quarter, Pembina had a total debt load of $3.8 million, which is mostly a reflection of its recent $500 million debt issuance that was used to help fund its development portfolio. Even after this debt issuance, Pembina's balance sheet looks rather solid with a debt-to-capital ratio of 28% and a net debt-to-EBITDA multiple of 3.5 times.

The highlights

From an operational standpoint, the quarter was pretty quiet. A few new projects came on line and we saw modest upticks across the board. In the big picture, it's important that the company continues to operate these assets in a cost effective manner. Over the next couple years, though, the big priority is its suite of expansion projects.

While Pembina has a lot of irons in the fire in terms of expansion projects, but the most important one is by far its phase 3 pipeline expansions. This represents $2.4 billion of the company's $5.4 billion in capital committed to new projects. At the end of the quarter, this project was 50% complete and is expected to be completed on time in mid-2017.

As for the rest of the companies' capital projects, they too appear to be on track. Its second-largest project on the books, its $400 million third natural gas liquids fractionator, is now 75% complete and will come on stream in the third quarter of 2017.

What management had to say

Since so much of Pembina's expansion work remains on track and is expected to come on line in 2017, CFO Scott Burrows wanted to give some guidance as to what all those projects will mean for Pembina's bottom line. Based on his statement, investors should be very excited about the future:

2017 is setting up to be an exciting year as we will enjoy a full year contribution from large-scale assets such as RFS II, Kakwa River, Musreau III, the Horizon Expansion, among others. We are enthusiastic about the growth we'll be bringing on stream over the next 12 months. Inclusive of the projects put into service this year, we have clear line of sight to adding $600 million to $950 million of EBITDA by 2018, providing visibility to near-term dividend and cash flow per share growth. As always, we will continue to focus on operating and growing our business in a safe, reliable and cost-effective manner.

What a Fool believes

Pembina Pipeline's earnings were a bit of a mixed bag. The company missed analyst expectations, but modest gains across the board suggest that investors probably shouldn't pay too much attention to that. Pembina continued to deliver on its development projects that will provide a large bump to earnings over the next coming years without putting its balance sheet in trouble. As long as Pembina can stay the course, then investors should expect strong gains in the coming years.
Many retirees experience a drop in income when they stop working and start living off savings and Social Security. Thankfully, there are a number of special tax breaks available to seniors. Retiree taxes can be tricky to navigate, so it pays to explore the different tax deductions, exemptions, and tax credits that are unique to senior citizens.

A higher standard deduction

Though many older Americans wind up itemizing their tax returns, for many seniors, it pays to take the standard deduction. This especially holds true if you don't have much in the way of charitable contributions, mortgage interest, or business expenses to write off. Since many retirees see their income go down once they stop working, the IRS offers a bit of tax relief in the form of a higher standard deduction. You can take advantage of this higher deduction if you're 65 or older by Dec. 31 of the tax year in question. For 2016, a single tax filer under 65 gets a standard deduction of $6,300, while a single filer 65 and older gets $7,850 -- a $1,550 difference. And if you're married filing jointly, you'll get an extra $1,250 if one of you is 65 or older.

Higher medical tax deductions

Healthcare can be a major strain on the average retiree's limited financial resources. Thankfully, many of the medical expenses you incur as a retiree are tax-deductible as long as you itemize your tax return. These include co-payments for doctor visits, prescription drugs, and Medicare premiums. You can also deduct the cost of traveling to and from medical appointments, including cab fare and parking fees. To claim a tax deduction for medical expenses, filers under 65 must have expenses that exceed 10% of their adjusted gross income (AGI), and come 2017, those 65 and older will be subject to the same threshold. But if you're currently 65 or over, your total costs for the year need to reach only 7.5% of your AGI for you to claim a medical expense deduction on your 2016 taxes.

Credit for the elderly or disabled

The IRS offers a special credit for low-income taxpayers over 65, as well as those under 65 who are permanently disabled. To be eligible as a single filer, you'll need to have an AGI of $17,500 or lower, and you can't receive more than $5,000 in non-taxable Social Security or pension benefits. If you're married and filing jointly, you'll need an AGI of $25,000 or lower, and you can't receive more than $7,500 in non-taxable Social Security or pension benefits. Though most seniors don't qualify because of these limits, you may get some tax relief if your income falls below the threshold.

Tax-free retirement distributions

If you contributed to a Roth IRA when you were younger, you're in luck. Any withdrawals you make from that account in retirement are completely exempt from taxes. Of course, the reason for this is that Roth contributions are taxed up front, so to tax withdrawals in retirement would essentially be double taxing. Still, if you're on a fixed income and limited budget, not having to pay taxes on distributions can make for a far more financially comfortable retirement.

State tax exemptions on Social Security

Social Security is a major source of income for countless retirees, but unfortunately, that income is subject to taxes at the federal level. The good news, however, is that depending on where you live, your Social Security may be exempt from state taxes.

The following 13 states currently impose some of sort tax on Social Security benefits:

Colorado

Connecticut

Kansas

Montana

Minnesota

Missouri

Nebraska

New Mexico

North Dakota

Rhode Island

Utah

Vermont

West Virginia

That said, all but Minnesota, North Dakota, Vermont, and West Virginia offer some form of exemption depending on your income level. As long as you don't live in one of those four states, you may get to hang on to a little bit more of your money.

When you're retired, every last dollar counts. Knowing which tax breaks to look out for can save you a large chunk of money at a time in your life when you just might need it the most.
Democrat Josh Shapiro claimed victory as Pennsylvanias next attorney general.

He would take over an office racked by turmoil over the arrest and conviction of Kathleen Kane, who held the office until August.

The county commissioner from the Philadelphia suburbs battled Republican state Sen. John Rafferty.

The next attorney general will be the agencys fourth leader since Democrat Kane stepped down after being convicted of leaking secret grand jury material and lying about it.

Kane has been sentenced to 10 to 23 months in prison.

The attorney general is Pennsylvanias top-ranking law enforcement official. The agency has more than 800 employees.

With 92.82 percent precincts reporting in Pennsylvania, Shapiro had 2.6 million votes, while Rafferty had 2.4 million votes. Shapiro led for most of the election night, and Rafferty conceded the race before the tally in the state was complete.
If you were fooled by the polls, the press, and the pundits who painted his path to victory as a long-shot, youre not alone. Few saw this coming. But in a photo finish capping the craziest election night in modern history, Donald Trump led his basket of deplorables to the White House.

The question is, will that stunning upset erase an election cycle thats been called everything from a failure for both major political parties and a race to the bottom between the greater and lesser evil to a choice between two uniquely corrupt candidates and a giant d--che versus a turd sandwich?

If you see Trumps stunning upset as a hollow victory of one unlikeable and untrustworthy candidate over another, youre missing the big picture. The mobilization of Americas silent majority to defeat Hillary Clinton and defend both houses of Congress was nothing short of a resounding wakeup call for the bureaucrats in Washington.

By electing the first true political outsider in American history, the people demonstrated their frustration with the federal governments leadership dysfunction, fiscal incompetence, political gridlock, anti-business rhetoric and political correctness. Make no mistake, this election was a direct repudiation of big government and the policies of the Obama administration.

For those of us who have long wondered if a business leader wouldnt be better suited to the task of turning around this nation than a politician, were about to find out. Come January 20th, we will begin to learn if a real estate mogul and reality TV star can make America great again. One things for sure. It will not be business as usual inside the beltway.

When he first announced his candidacy, Trump said, Our country is in serious trouble. We are not respected by anyone. We are a laughing stock all over the world. Everybody is beating us. Our enemies are getting stronger and we are getting weaker. Politicians are all talk and no action. They will never be able to fix our country  and I cannot sit back and watch this incompetence any longer.

Since that day, the Donald has run the most unconventional presidential campaign in modern history.

He tapped into a growing fear that had been festering among far too many Americans for far too long: that our nation was being run into the ground by a permanent political class more interested in keeping their jobs and covering their behinds than doing whats right for their constituents.

As of today, those career politicians are all on notice. Theres a new boss in town and he doesnt speak bureaucrat.

While business is booming in D.C. and Silicon Valley, Trump tapped into the American heartland, where decades of outsourcing and offshoring have shipped millions of manufacturing jobs overseas and left many blue-collar families treading water in a sea of debt and despair.

Just as important, Trump popped the cork on a bottled-up backlash against political correctness. Folks are sick and tired of having to filter everything they say and do for fear of being labeled a racist, a misogynist, homophobic or xenophobic. Many see the massive PC trend as a real threat to Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

If making America safe and prosperous again was the logical reason behind the Trump phenomenon, the emotional reason, and perhaps the real heart of the movement, was to make America a place where we can speak our minds and live our lives without fear of prosecution again.

And maybe, just maybe, we can tell all those thin-skinned whiners who find every little thing offensive to go find themselves a faraway safe space so the rest of us dont have to deal with their silly nonsense.

Perhaps the most unlikely outcome of the past 16 months is the transformation of the Republican Party from conservative to populist. Before Trump came along, the GOP had no center, no cohesive vision and no strategy for how it was going to overcome an ongoing demographic shift that strongly favored the left.

The party had run lousy campaigns behind mediocre candidates John McCain and Mitt Romney, had done virtually nothing with victories in the House and Senate during Barack Obamas second term, and was facing the very real threat of yet another defeat at the hands of the Clinton family.

Trump somehow managed to sweep the White House and both houses of Congress, dragging the party along kicking and screaming the whole way. Many GOP leaders  notably the Bush family, Mitt Romney and HP chairman Meg Whitman  either withheld their support or actively campaigned against him.

While many cynical commentators saw this election cycle as an abject failure of the political process, I dont. Someday, we will all look back and realize that it worked exactly the way our democracy is supposed to work, surprising as that may seem at the moment.
Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. election sent shockwaves through industries that rely on open trade, from airlines to cars and IT outsourcing, although shares of some companies rebounded in afternoon trading.

Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump has vowed to revive the U.S. economy by slashing taxes, preventing companies from making products overseas, renegotiating trade accords and imposing tariffs on imports from countries like China.

"This is part of a much broader problem that we've seen in the world, in which countries are turning inwards and reacting against globalization and open borders," said aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia, vice president of Virginia-based Teal Group.

In Asia, shares in airlines with significant exposure to global trade, such as cargo giant Korean Airlines <003490.KS>, fell as much as 5 percent as Trump closed in on the White House. Air China's <0753.HK> Hong Kong-listed shares tumbled to their lowest level since June, and automakers like Toyota <7203.T>, for whom the United States is a top market, fell 6.5 percent. 7203.T>0753.HK>003490.KS>

Many executives remain unsure what Trump's protectionist rhetoric will mean in practice.

Shares of the three largest U.S. airlines - American , Delta and United - rose more than 1 percent in afternoon trade.

"We would think they would be down today, but Im thinking that its a play on more economic growth" from new policies, said Jim Corridore, analyst at CFRA Research. Protectionism "would be a longer term (outcome) that would hang over the industry but it's going to take a long time to get to that point."

Investors at a major Airline Economics finance gathering in Hong Kong last week expressed alarm at a surge in unconventional politics from Britain to Washington and the Philippines - a trend that many expect will leave its mark regardless of how it translates into real policies.

That comes as an industry that depends entirely on the flow of goods and people faces doubts over its own economic cycle.

POPULIST POLITICIANS

"We have seen a large section of the population that has not benefited in the past decade and we are seeing support for populist politicians with simple answers," Brian Pearce, chief economist of the International Air Transport Association told Reuters ahead of the election.

"Unfortunately, a lot of those answers are for protectionist policy solutions and air transport flourishes with open borders, so that is quite a dangerous development."

International trips make up 64 percent of global air traffic, according to IATA.

Executives at U.S. auto companies said they were concerned about Trumps stance on free trade, especially his tough talk on the North American Free Trade Agreement. They all have production sites in Mexico.

But industry executives and analysts said aviation had a history of riding out economic and political shocks. On average, plane makers insist, air traffic doubles every 15 years.

"If there are brakes on trade, there could be some impact on international travel. But you have seen more or less 5 percent annual growth in traffic for decades," said veteran U.S. aerospace consultant Jerrold Lundquist, managing director of The Lundquist Group.

And the defense industry could benefit, as a Trump administration spends more on the military and encourages even allies to shoulder more of the security cost. Defence stocks, including listed land mine manufacturer Ishikawa Seisaku <6208.T>, jumped. 6208.T>

REALITY BITES?

After a bitter election campaign, trade experts said it remained unclear how Trump's statements in favor of protectionist trade measures and tough immigration controls would translate into policy.

"The honest answer is that no one knows; even Trump himself doesn't know," said Bertrand Grabowski, a managing director at Germany's DVB Bank which specializes in financing trade.

"He campaigned not on ideas but on anger and frustration."

Tighter rules could impact Indian IT services firms supporting companies in the United States. Shares in companies like Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services were sharply down as Trump closed in on the White House.

But Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys and a key figure in India's outsourcing industry, said realism would prevail.

"They may fine tune it here and there, but lets remember that he is the president of 300 million U.S. people and Im sure hell do what is in the best interest of America. And what is in the best interest of America is for its corporations to succeed, for its corporations to create more jobs," he said.

For now, acquisitions at least will cool off, especially Chinese purchases of U.S. companies, as a Trump presidency pushes up regulatory scrutiny.

"If he now requires a certain percentage of manufacturing parts to be made in America, it's going to be protectionist... and that increases the risk and cost of doing business," said Stephanie Yuen, an M&A lawyer in Singapore.

"He's not just building a Mexican wall, he builds an economic wall around America."

And for key sectors, competition will heat up. Europe's Airbus and U.S. rival Boeing in the $100 billion annual jet market could become even fiercer with more government lobbying support, adding stridency to efforts to compete for jobs.

Trump's victory may also raise questions over plans to sell over 200 Western airplanes to Iran under a deal to lift sanctions that the president-elect has severely criticized.

Airbus is seen close to finalizing a tranche of 17 jets, but needs U.S. approval to complete plans for another 80 or so because the jets are built with many U.S. parts.

Boeing has U.S. approval to finalize a deal for some 100 jets but Middle East sources say progress has been slow so far.

"It further reduces the prospect of the deals going ahead," Aboulafia said.

(Additional reporting by Adam Jourdan in SHANGHAI, Norihiko Shirouzu in TOKYO, Euan Rocha in MUMBAI, Anshuman Daga in SINGAPORE, and Jeffrey Dastin in NEW YORK; Editing by Bill Tarrant and Bill Trott)
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Image source: Getty Images.

What happened

Shares of microchip company MaxLinear, Inc. (NYSE: MXL)rose nearly 12% by the end of the trading day today following release of the company's Q3 earnings. Results included net income of $9.7 million, which beat analyst expectations, and was more than six times higher than the prior year's $1.6 million.

So what

Though sales rose only 1% year over year, on a per-share basis, MaxLinear earned $0.14, up from $0.03 in Q3 2015. The company reduced costs and drove gross margin higher, from53.6% in 2015 to 57.6%.Following this positive earnings result, the stock was also upgraded by analysts atNeedham, who put a price target of $22.50 on the stock according to Investor's Business Daily. The stock closed around $21.30 today.

Now what

MaxLinear shares are up 45% year to date after today's rise, thanks to the company's continued strong performance. While today's strong results are a positive sign for the company's operating success, investors need to be watchful in Q4, as the company has noted that some of its legacy products, such as its entropic analog channel stacking outdoor unit, are declining faster than previously thought.

With that in mind, management has actually forecast somewhat conservative Q4 expectations that could look like slowing growth when they get posted in early 2017. For Q4, the company now expects sales in the range of $85 million and $89 million compared to Q4 2015 sales of $98.9 million.

Looking beyond Q4, however, CFO Adam Spicesaid during the earnings call that, "We continue to fund strategic development programs targeted at delivering attractive top-line growth as we look forward into 2017 and beyond, with a particular focus on infrastructure initiatives and our goals of increasing the operating leverage in the business."

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Whereas many eyes were on the tight presidential race heading into Election Day, tens of millions of Americans were also keeping a close eye on the marijuana vote in nine states. It's an industry that's hard to ignore when 60% of the American public, per Gallup, wants to see pot legalized nationally, and where ArcView Market Research expects compounded growth of 30% per year through the end of the decade.

Residents in five states -- California, Nevada, Maine, Massachusetts, and Arizona -- voted on whether to legalize recreational marijuana for adults ages 21 and up, while four states -- Florida, Arkansas, North Dakota, and Montana -- voted on legalizing medical cannabis.

President Obama has previously opined that having more states legalize cannabis could force Congress to take a hard look at rescheduling the drug; thus, the votes in these states were considered crucial to furthering the marijuana movement.

How did each state fare? Let's look at the latest polling results.

All results are current as of 1:30 a.m. ET.

California

Prop 64, the crown jewel of all marijuana initiatives this election season, aimed to place a 15% tax on consumers at the retail level and would slap a cultivation tax on growers to the tune of $9.25 per ounce for flowers and $2.75 per ounce for leaves. Pundits have suggested that it would add $1 billion in annual tax revenue to California's coffers.

With 31% of precincts reporting, Prop 64 has passed with 56% of the vote. The Secretary of the State claimed victory for Prop 64 just 30 minutes after the polls closed in California, demonstrating what a landslide victory it was for the measure.

Image source: Getty Images.

Nevada

Question 2 in Nevada looked to impose a 15% excise tax on consumers at the retail level, with the tax revenue generated from recreational marijuana sales covering the regulatory costs to enforce the measure, as well as heading to schools within the state.

With 51% of the votes accounted for, Nevadans have passed Question 2 with 54% of the voters in favor, compared with just 46% opposed. Nevada was the first state to get a marijuana initiative on the ballot for the 2016 election cycle, so this isn't too shocking.

Maine

Question 1 in Maine is designed to legalize marijuana for adults ages 21 and up and imposes a 10% tax at the retail level on consumers, which should eventually lead to an annual collection of $10.7 million. The vast majority of tax revenue generated would wind up in the state's general fund, with about 2% heading back to cities and towns.

With 80% of precincts reporting, Question 1's "yes" vote has a 1% lead over the "no" vote, but this race is really too close to call at this point. It would be a major disappointment for the marijuana industry if Maine failed to pass a recreational-marijuana initiative, given that the initiative made it onto the ballot so early in the election cycle.

Massachusetts

Question 4 in Massachusetts would add a 3.25% tax on top of the existing 6.75% tax at the retail level, with individual municipalities having the option to tack on another 2% tax. In total, this measure would lead to a 10% to 12% tax at the retail level, and some pundits have suggested as much as $100 million in annual revenue would be collected.

With 91% of all votes accounted for, Massachusetts voters have passed Question 4 with a 54%-to-46% margin, or about 178,000 votes. This was expected to be a close call, but it turned out to be a decisive victory for marijuana supporters.

Image source: Getty Images.

Arizona

Prop 205 in Arizona, like most of the initiatives mentioned, would legalize recreational marijuana for adults ages 21 and up and impose a 15% tax at the retail level. Revenue generated was expected to be channeled to public and charter schools, the Arizona Department of Health Services, and the Department of Marijuana Licenses and Control, which is in charge of regulating the industry.

With 71% of precincts reporting, Prop 205 in Arizona appears to have failed, with 52% voting no and 48% in favor of the measure. While the race hasn't been officially called yet, it's unlikely we'll see a dramatic comeback.

Florida

Florida, which narrowly rejected a medical-marijuana amendment in 2014 by a hair over 2%, was seeking to legalize medical cannabis with Amendment 2 and become the 26th state to do so. Unlike other states, a simple majority doesn't cut it. Since the vote requires an amendment to the state's constitution, a 60% "yes" vote is required for passage.

This time there will be no disappointment -- Amendment 2 passed after securing 71.2% of the vote, with 99% of all precincts reporting. Despite its older relative population (older Americans typically have a negative view of marijuana), medical cannabis is heading to Florida.

Arkansas

Issue 6 in Arkansas offers the same purpose as in Florida: to legalize medical cannabis for select ailments. Like Florida, a similar measure also previously failed (though Arkansas' vote was back in 2012). Sales tax generated from Issue 6 is expected to be used to cover the costs of regulating the industry, as well as be channeled into vocational and technical training and workforce programs.

With 95% of precincts reporting, Arkansas' voters have passed Issue 6, with nearly 53% of the vote. As in Florida, there will be no disappointment on the second go-around of medical-cannabis voting within the state.

Image source: Getty Images.

North Dakota

Though it may be a forgotten state during this election process, North Dakota's Measure 5 looked to legalize medical marijuana for a host of ailments, including HIV/AIDS, cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, in an ironic twist, the revenue generated from taxing medical marijuana probably won't be enough to cover the cost of regulating the program, based on an initial analysis.

With 96% of precincts having reported, North Dakota has joined a long list of states that have passed a marijuana initiative. Measure 5 won in a veritable landslide, with 64% of the vote in favor of the measure.

Montana

Finally, Initiative 182 in Montana aimed to decide the fate of a previously passed medical marijuana law. Senate Bill 423 in 2011 placed a number of restrictions on the industry, including reviews for doctors that prescribed marijuana to more than 25 patients annually, and limited the number of users for dispensaries. Initiative 182 would roll back the measures Senate Bill 423 enforced.

With 37% of precincts reporting, Montana also appears to have passed Initiative 182, with 56% of the votes currently in favor of the measure.

At the end of this chaotic evening, we could be looking at as many has eight states that allow the sale of recreational marijuana, as well as seeing medical marijuana becoming legal in more than half of all U.S. states.

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Republicans in Missouri and Vermont won competitive governor's races on Tuesday, though most of the 12 contests left power in the hands of the incumbent party. In most of the first eight states where results were released by late evening, the party that had held the governor's mansion fended off its challenger.

Here are the results.

MISSOURI

In one of the year's closest gubernatorial races, Republican former Navy SEAL Eric Greitens edged Democrat Chris Koster, the state's attorney general. Greitens will succeed Governor Jay Nixon, a Democrat who has served the maximum two terms in office.

VERMONT

Vermont elected a Republican, Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott, over Democrat Sue Minter, a former state transportation secretary. Scott succeeds retiring Governor Peter Shumlin, a Democrat, for a two-year term.

OREGON

Democratic Governor Kate Brown held off a challenge by Republican Bud Pierce, an oncologist. Brown was sworn in last year after her predecessor, John Kitzhaber, resigned in scandal. The election is for the final two years of Kitzhaber's term.

INDIANA

Republican Eric Holcomb, currently the state's lieutenant governor, beat Democrat John Gregg, a former state lawmaker. Holcomb entered the race after current Governor Mike Pence opted not to seek re-election in July when Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump chose him as his vice presidential running mate.

WEST VIRGINIA

Democratic businessman Jim Justice beat Republican state Senate President Bill Cole. Democratic Governor Earl Ray Tomblin was barred by term limits from running again.

UTAH

Incumbent Governor Gary Herbert, a Republican, won his re-election race against Democrat Mike Weinholtz, a healthcare executive. Herbert, who took office in 2009 after his predecessor, Jon Huntsman, resigned, won a second full term.

NORTH DAKOTA

Republican Doug Burgum, a former Microsoft Corp executive, defeated Democratic State Representative Marvin Nelson in the solidly Republican state. Governor Jack Dalrymple, a Republican who was eligible to run for re-election in 2016, declined to seek another term.

DELAWARE

Democrat John Carney, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, beat Republican Colin Bonini, a state senator. Democratic Governor Jack Markell was prohibited by term limits from running for re-election to the position he has held since 2009.

NORTH CAROLINA

Drawing national attention because of a debate over transgender rights, Republican Governor Pat McCrory is seeking a second term against Roy Cooper, a Democrat who has been the state's attorney general since 2001. The race remained too close for networks to call on Tuesday evening.

MONTANA

Democratic Governor Steve Bullock is battling Republican tech entrepreneur Greg Gianforte to keep his seat. The race remained too close for networks to call on Tuesday evening.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Democrat Colin Van Ostern is running against Republican Chris Sununu. Both are members of the state's Executive Council, which helps to administer state government, and are seeking to succeed Democratic Governor Maggie Hassan, who is running for the U.S. Senate. The term is two years. The race remained too close for networks to call on Tuesday evening.

WASHINGTON

Democratic Governor Jay Inslee faces a challenge from Republican Bill Bryant, a businessman and former commissioner of the Port of Seattle. Polls closed at 11 p.m. ET (0400 GMT).

(Reporting by David Ingram and Laila Kearney in New York and Scott Malone in Boston; Editing by Alistair Bell and Jonathan Oatis)
Defense contractors rallied on the morning after Donald Trump became president-elect, a development that should bode well for the companies that supply the U.S. military with weaponry and technology.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), the Pentagons largest contractor, jumped as much as 7.6% after the opening bell Wednesday. The stock was trading 4.7% higher at $250.38 later in the morning. Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) was up 4.9%, General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) climbed 4.1% and Raytheon (NYSE:RTN) led the way with a 6.3% gain.

Shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) also posted big gains, trading 6.4% higher. Trump, the Republican nominee for president, has promised to expand the Navys fleet.

Analysts believe a Trump presidency will be a boon to most military firms. A Trump victory, combined with GOP control of the House and Senate, increases the odds that Washington will reverse military budget cuts, which were mandated under sequestration in 2013. Trump said during his campaign that he would ask Congress to do exactly that.

Trump proposed a plan to expand the military by bringing the Army back to 540,000 active troops and building an Air Force of at least 1,200 aircraft, among other measures. Also under the Trump administration, the U.S. military could take a more active role in fighting ISIS.

As such, the defense contractors that performed the best Wednesday were makers of traditional firepower, including fighter jets, missiles and tanks.

The rally also lifted security consultant Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE:BAH), whose shares received a 3.2% boost. IT and intelligence contractor CACI International (NYSE:CACI) gained 3.5%.
Image source: Getty Images.

What happened

Refining companies, especially U.S. independents, soared on Wednesday after Donald Trump won the White House. Leading the charge wereCVR Refining (NYSE: CVRR), CVR Energy (NYSE: CVI), PBF Energy (NYSE: PBF), Alon USA Energy (NYSE: ALJ), and HollyFrontier (NYSE: HFC):

CVRR Price data by YCharts

So what

Fueling today's rally is speculation that Trump will ease costly renewable fuel regulations that are hurting independent refiners. Driving that belief is a fact sheet published by the Trump campaign earlier this year in which he called for the elimination of the system of buying and selling biofuel blending credits, which are also known as renewable identification numbers, or RINs. The current system requires refiners to buy credits to meet biofuel blending requirements and has been particularly costly to independent refiners, which are those that don't own a retail arm.

CVR Refining CEO Jack Lipinski is one of several refining executives to criticize the system publicly. In CVR Refining's third-quarter earnings release, he said:

Several other refiners recently noted the negative impact the current system is having on their financial results. PBF Energy, for example, noted this past quarter that the company's results "experienced the added headwind of a 15% increase in the cost of compliance with the renewable fuels mandate." Meanwhile, HollyFrontier said that one of the issues impacting it during the third quarter was "escalating costs associated with the RFS mandate." Suffice it to say, the elimination of the current system would remove a significant headwind.

Now what

Adding fuel to today's rally is that Carl Icahn-- a Trump supporter -- is a major investor in CVR. Given his support, as well as the fact that independents call the RIN system "rigged,"suggests that this could be a top agenda item for Trump and his America first energy policy.

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Image source: Getty Images.

Somehow it seems only fitting that embattled drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: VRX) reported its third-quarter earnings results on Election Day, which can itself be described as somewhat chaotic. Not surprisingly -- as has become something of a theme over the past year-and-change for the company -- it's report greatly disappointed Wall Street and investors.

Valeant badly misses the mark

For the quarter, Valeant recorded $2.48 billion in revenue, an 11% decline from the $2.79 billion it reported in Q3 2015, and about $30 million under Wall Street's consensus estimate. For its bottom line, it generated a GAAP loss of $3.49 a share, but it wound up earning $1.55 per share once its multitude of one-time expenses were factored out of the equation. The Street had been expecting a more robust adjusted profit of $1.76 per share. In other words, it was yet another miss for Valeant -- it's fourth in a row.

Making matters worse, Valeant also lowered its full-year fiscal 2016 guidance. Having previously stuck by its forecast ranges of $9.9 billion to $10.1 billion in sales and $6.60 to $7 in EPS it set out in the second quarter, Valeant reduced its outlook to a range of $9.55 billion to $9.65 billion in revenue with $5.30 to $5.50 in adjusted EPS.

The report offered a few very dim rays of sunshine: Among them, the company said its Bausch & Lomb/International segment actually clawed its way to 4% year-over-year sales growth. Valeant recently began breaking out its earnings reports into three segments in an effort to be more transparent. Bausch & Lomb is one of the key potential drivers of growth for the company, so to see it gaining despite the PR and political nightmare enveloping Valeant is a really good sign.

Image source: Getty Images.

Valeant's trifecta of bad news

But, the big takeaway from Valeant's report was disappointment. Investors wanted to see improvement on three fronts, but what they received was news of either minimal improvement, or even worse performance than they'd expected.

1. Debt levels disappoint yet again

First and foremost, shareholders wanted to see that solid progress was being made in Valeant's debt-reduction efforts. What they heard was essentially peanuts, with the hope of future divestitures still hanging in the balance. It ended the third quarter with $30.39 billion in long-term debt, down roughly $380 million from the sequential second quarter. GAAP cash flow also tumbled to $569.9 million from $732.6 million in the prior-year quarter, which makes it even tougher for Valeant to rid itself of debt.

Recent reports have suggested that Valeant could be in discussions to sell its Salix Pharmaceuticals operating segment to Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical and another unnamed suitorfor approximately $10 billion. According to people familiar with the matter, a sale would include $8.5 billion in up-front cash with the remainder of the deals' value to come from sales-based royalties. While this would certainly help lower Valeant's debt, it would also remove most of rapid growth potential from its drug portfolio. Not to mention, it would be selling Salix for $1 billion less than it paid for the company just 19 months ago.

2. EBITDA-to-interest cost coverage gets worse

Perhaps even more concerning than the debt levels remaining high is the fact that Valeant's EBITDA forecasts continue to fall. Valeant's lenders use EBITDA as a way to measure whether or not it has the ability to repay its loans. These lenders typically want to see that the company is capable of producing multiple times in cash flow what it's paying out each year in interest to service its debt. While there's no concrete figure that all of them target, Valeant's lenders have traditionally focused on 3.5 times EBITDA-to-interest cost coverage (or higher) as the minimum they'd like to see.

Image source: Getty Images.

In recent months, Valeant has had to renegotiate its debt covenants with its lenders on two separate occasions because its EBITDA-to-interest cost coverage ratio fell below the pre-determined mark set by its lenders. Following its Q3 report, and its announcement of a full-year EBITDA forecast reduction to a range of $4.25 billion to $4.35 billion from its prior forecast range of $4.8 billion to $4.95 billion, this ratio got even worse. Through the first nine months of the year, Valeant has produced $3.258 billion in EBITDA, compared to the $1.363 billion it's spent servicing its debt. That works out to a coverage ratio of just 2.38, which is dangerously low.

3. Its new drug distribution partnership still isn't working

Lastly, even though we no longer get a perfect breakout of how the company's flagship dermatology segment is performing, it was pretty evident from Valeant's Q3 report that things still aren't right in its new drug distribution partnership with Walgreens Boots Alliance.

Image source: Getty Images.

As reported, the company's Branded Rx segment, which consists of dermatology sales, its Salix drug portfolio, its Canadian product portfolio, and other products in the U.S., saw sales decline year over year to $847 million from just shy of $1.1 billion. We can assume that Salix's drug revenues are growing thanks to irritable bowel syndrome treatment Xifaxan, so we can only imagine that dermatology sales suffered another major year-over-year decline.

Though no specific figure was broken out in the report, the press release lists "average realized prices resulting from higher managed care rebates in dermatology and Salix, lower price appreciation credits in dermatology and Salix, and changes in the fulfillment model which led to reduced volumes" as the reason behind the drop in Branded Rx sales.

Valeant has been reeling from sizable blows to its image, and its new distribution deal with Walgreens simply doesn't seem to be paying off. In prior quarters, it was noted that prescriptions were being filled at below cost, and there's no guarantee this isn't still happening.

Given that little progress was made in the third quarter, Valeant continues to look like a dangerous stock best off avoided.

10 stocks we like better than Valeant Pharmaceuticals When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*

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President-elect Trump may put Jacobs Engineering to work -- but the incoming president isn't the only catalyst. Image source: Getty Images.

What happened

Shares of construction and engineering powerhouse Jacobs Engineering (NYSE: JEC) are performing well for investors today, up 11% as of 2:45 p.m. EST, and up close to 12% earlier in the day. Part of the credit for this spike in the shares goes to President-elect Donald Trump -- a well-known builder in his own right, and one expected to usher in a flood of new infrastructure construction over the next four years.

Part of the credit goes to President-elect Trump, as I say -- but not all of it.

So what

Election results aside, Jacobs Engineering is also benefiting today from some company-specific news. Specifically, the company announced today that it has landed "a string of recent contract wins" related to the Australian Government's $3.4 billion "Smart Cities Plan," through which that nation will invest "more than $3.4 billion in urban rail projects across the country."

Jacobs says it has won contracts related to Australia's Hurstbridge Rail Line Upgrade, thePakenham Rail Depotprojects in Victoria, the Bruce Highway Upgrade in Queensland, Westconnex, the Darlington Upgrade Project, the Forrestfield Airport Link, and the Sydney CBD Light Rail.When combined with the infrastructure business it might win here at home over the next four years, this has investors feeling optimistic about Jacobs stock.

Now what

Precisely how much of Australia's $3.4 billion in infrastructure spending will go directly into Jacobs Engineering's pocket remains to be seen. With roles in no fewer than seven separate projects, though, one imagines Jacobs' share will be substantial. Perhaps even substantial enough to move the needle on an $11.4 billion annual business such as Jacobs.

As to the question of whether all of this new business will juice Jacobs' stock price -- currently worth more than 32 times annual earnings, despite the fact that analysts expect Jacobs to grow profits only in the mid-single-digits over the next five years -- that remains to be seen.

Personally, I'd be cautious.

10 stocks we like better than Jacobs Engineering Group When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*

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Image source: Getty Images.

What happened

Shares of railroad Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU) fell as much as 14.3% today after the election shook up companies tied to trade. As of 3 p.m. EST shares were down 10.6%.

So what

There's concern in the market that the U.S. will begin embarking on a trade war under the Trump administration. And if that happens it will reduce trade and demand for rail services, particularly to Mexico, where Kansas City Southern has exposure.

Because of the election results, Aegis Capital downgraded the stock from a buy rating to hold and lowered their price target by $10 to $95 per share.

Now what

The slide in Kansas City Southern's shares today is all about speculation of a future trade war that isn't yet happening. And while such a trade war may be a higher risk, it shouldn't be assumed that it's certain to take place. For investors willing to look past a single election to the long-term value in railroads moving goods across the country, I think this is a buying opportunity. But if a trade war does erupt between the U.S. and Mexico, it could be a rocky road.

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Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc sued Theranos Inc on Tuesday, seeking $140 million in damages while accusing its onetime lab-testing partner of breaching a contract, according to court records.

The company's Walgreen Co unit filed the lawsuit in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, five months after the drugstore chain announced it was ending its relationship with Theranos.

Details of the lawsuit were unclear, as Walgreens filed it under seal, citing a confidentiality agreement between the two companies. A Walgreens spokesman declined to comment.

In a statement, Theranos said it was "disappointed" Walgreens filed the lawsuit. Theranos claimed Walgreens has "consistently failed to meet its commitments to Theranos" and mishandled the companies' partnership.

"We will respond vigorously to Walgreens' unfounded allegations, and will seek to hold Walgreens responsible for the damage it has caused to Theranos and its investors," Theranos said.

Theranos was founded by CEO Elizabeth Holmes in 2003 to develop a blood-testing device that would deliver quicker results using only a drop of blood.

The Palo Alto, California-based company ran into trouble after the Wall Street Journal published a series of articles beginning in October 2015 suggesting its blood-testing devices were flawed and inaccurate.

In June, Walgreens announced that it was terminating its relationship with Theranos and closing operations at 40 blood-draw sites that the Silicon Valley company ran in Arizona at Walgreens' stores.

The decision came after Walgreens in January decided to halt Theranos laboratory testing services at its Palo Alto location.

The case is Walgreen Co v. Theranos Inc, U.S. District Court, District of Delaware, No. 16-01040. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Andrew Hay)
Former "Bayou Billionaires" star Valerie Dowden Wells was reportedly killed Monday in an apparent murder-suicide.

According to People, the Shreveport, Louisiana, native was shot multiple times in her car near a McDonald's parking lot.

Srgt. Rod Johnson told People Wells was killed by Robert Paul Gaddy who killed himself after shooting Wells. They were both taken to a nearby hospital but died.

"We know they had a relationship of some type, but I cant tell you if they were friends having a dispute or formerly intimate. We simply dont know at this moment," Johnson said. "We have some guesses, but wed like to back that up with hard facts."

"Bayou Billionaires" ran for two season on CMT in 2012. A rep for CMT told us they had no information on the case.

An executive producer for the show told People Wells knew Gaddy from high school and they "recently started dating."

Wells' parents took to Facebook Tuesday to share the news of their daughter's death, local station KTBS reported.

"This is really hard on us and her children, they wrote. "It is out of order. No parents should have to go through this."

"Bayou Billionaires" focused on the Dowden's rags-to-riches story after they family discovered a large deposit of natural gas on their property.
The most expensive political race in U.S. Senate history, Pennsylvanias contest between Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey and Democrat Katie McGinty, went down to the wire, with Toomey pulling away early Wednesday morning.

The Associated Press called the race in Toomey's favor at 1:18 a.m.

Four hours after the polls closed, the race was still too close to call. But, at 1 a.m. Wednesday, Toomey was leading McGinty with 97 percent of precincts reporting in the state. Toomey received 2.72 million votes, compared to McGinty, who received 2.63 million votes.

McGinty had led for most of Tuesday night, until later on when more precincts filed in Republican-heavy votespushing both Toomey and Donald Trump to larger numbers.

Toomeys race was being watched nationally because it could help decide control of the chamber. But Democrats chances of retaking the Senate majority were slipping away as Republicans hung onto key seats in Wisconsin, North Carolina, Indiana and Florida.

A Toomey win in Democratic-leaning Pennsylvania further bolstered the GOPs goal of holding onto its Senate majority  currently 54-46.

In Pennsylvania, recounts are mandatory in contests in which the difference in the returns is 0.5 percent or less of the total vote.

Toomey, a fiscal hawk, was one of the most vulnerable Senate incumbents. He was running for a second term after compiling one of Congress most conservative voting records and had placed an emphasis on appealing to moderate Democrats and independent voters willing to split their tickets, particularly in Philadelphias heavily populated suburbs.

McGinty, 54, has never held public office and was trying to become Pennsylvanias first female U.S. senator. She had worked in Bill Clintons White House and was recruited by top Washington Democrats to challenge Toomey.

On Tuesday night, Toomey said he voted for Trump, revealing his choice after saying for months that he had not been persuaded to support the GOP nominee.

Toomey, 53, did not campaign with Trump or talk about him during stump speeches. He has been critical of Trump for months, and remained critical of Trump on Tuesday evening.

I think there are serious questions about his temperament and judgment, and policy positions hes taken that I disagree with, Toomey told reporters after voting at a church near his Allentown-area home. I had to weigh that against the possibility of what could be accomplished if he were president. ... In the end, I decided weve just got to change the course were on, so I voted for Donald Trump.

McGinty had tried to make Toomeys indecision in the presidential stakes a high-profile campaign issue, painting Toomey as unable to stand up to Trump.

Come on, Senator Toomey, let us know: Are you standing with Donald Trump or not? McGinty told reporters Tuesday morning after voting at a church in the Philadelphia suburb of Wayne. Its long, long past due for (him) to have stood up for whats right ... and denounced Donald Trump. Its really, actually, too late.

McGinty allied herself closely with Clinton and campaigned with her across Pennsylvania. Toomey characterized McGinty as a rubber stamp for a Clinton White House.

In an illustration of his challenge to get re-elected, Toomey has sought to parlay his arms-length distance from Trump and a party-crossing vote on background checks on firearms purchases into support from moderate voters.

Toomey even ran a TV ad in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with 2013 footage of Obama  often the target of Toomeys toughest criticism  praising Toomey for his work on the background checks legislation, despite the bills failure.

The race smashed U.S. Senate campaign finance records, with spending on it passing $160 million since the beginning of last year.

McGinty was backed by public-sector unions, the AFL-CIO, abortion-rights activists and environmental advocacy groups. Toomey was backed by business advocacy organizations, police unions, anti-abortion rights activists and conservative fiscal policy groups.
A California ballot initiative aimed at reining in rising prices for prescription drugs was headed for defeat on Tuesday after pharmaceutical companies spent more than $100 million to fight it.

The California Drug Price Relief Act, also known as Proposition 61, sought to limit state health programs from paying more for medications than the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which receives the steepest discounts in the country.

As of late Tuesday night, with 47 percent of precincts partially reporting, the vote was 46 percent in support of the measure and 54 percent opposed, according to California's Secretary of State.

"The pharmaceutical companies spent a lot to defeat this," said Stuart Schweitzer, professor of health policy and management at the University of California, Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health. "They wanted to draw a line in the sand."

The rising cost of prescription drugs has come under attack during the recent U.S. presidential campaign. Both Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump have called for cost-trimming measures including allowing Medicare, the federal health plan for seniors, to negotiate prices with drugmakers.

"This strong vote for Prop 61, even despite the barrage of drug company campaigning against it, provides momentum for state legislation to rein in prescription drug prices," Anthony Wright, executive director of advocacy group Health Access California, said in a statement.

Pharmaceutical companies, concerned about their bottom lines, spent heavily on ads urging "no" votes, making this California's most expensive initiative contest among the 17 in this election.

Opponents, led by global drugmakers such as Pfizer Inc and Amgen Inc, spent around $106 million to fight Proposition 61. They argued that the measure would benefit only 12 percent of Californians, while putting the other 88 percent, as well as veterans across the country, at risk of higher drug costs.

Supporters, led by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and AARP, which advocates for seniors, said only drug companies themselves can raise prices for veterans or other consumers. Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders also campaigned in support of Proposition 61, calling on voters to "stand up to the greed of the pharmaceutical industry."

Proponents, who raised $17 million to support the measure, estimated it could save California taxpayers up to $5.7 billion over 10 years, although a state legislative analysis said the financial impact is not clear.

UCLA's Schweitzer said the measure would have had only a modest impact on state drug costs.

There were also questions about how Proposition 61 would be implemented. The VA's mandated prices are listed publicly, but its steepest negotiated drug price discounts are required by law to be confidential.

The VA spends some $6.1 billion a year on medicines for 6 million veterans. Proposition 61 would extend those discounts to around 4.5 million Californians, including certain members of the state's low-income Medicaid plan, state employees and retirees, university teachers and prisoners.

The "Yes on Prop 61" coalition said it plans to carry its message to other states. A similar proposition has already been approved for Ohio's 2017 November ballot.
After being forced to retire at age 90, Delores Bennet needed help. The former businesswoman was never married and had no children. So, she depended on her caregiver, Vilma Rozen, for everything.

Its household management, its home health aide, its a nurse, its running around, its taxi driver, its all the stuff together, its [to] be the family, its [to] be everything, Rozen told FoxNews.com of her responsibility as a caregiver.

As any loved one of a sick or elderly person would likely tell you, being a caretaker is a full-time job. Because 90 percent of people prefer to age at home, caretakers are in high demand. The problem is their average annual salary, which is only $13,000, according to Caring Across Generations.

The new documentary CARE follows the lives of caregivers and their patients, including Bennet and Rozen. Director Dierdre Fishel said the film aims to illuminate the importance of the job, as well as the bond that patients and their caregivers forge.

Fishel described caregiving as a physically and emotionally demanding role, and one that involves doing life-saving work in ensuring patients are well fed and taken care of.

However, the job comes without sufficient financial reward, she argued.

It is not just a private matter this is a public matter, Fishel told FoxNews.com.

Fishel said a national discussion on the issue of caregivers salary is timely. As baby boomers age, the demand for high-quality caretakers will continue to rise. There are no simple answers, but Fishel hopes her documentary will spark debate and lead to some sort of solution.

Fishel said a reallocation of funds may be able to help, pointing to the recent death of her father.

He was in the hospital, and they would have done anything for him in [terms] of intubation or keeping him on huge machinery costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, but they would not pay for him to have a home caregiver, Fishel said.

If you cant feed your own family, how are going you going to stay in this profession? Fishel asked. She hopes her film will start a dialogue about a problem that every American will have at one time or another.

For more information about the film, click here.
As the dust from Tuesdays historic presidential election starts to settle, it is clear to see that the American voters cast their ballots for policies based on less government regulation, for more free enterprise and for candidates who promised to give them back their voice. As an early sign of this changing tide, states California, Massachusetts and Nevada joined Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Washington D.C. in legalizing the recreational use of marijuana.

Now, for those of you who are familiar with my opinions, you will likely recall that I am in favor of the mounting evidence that suggests there are many health benefits associated with medical marijuana for some patients. However, while I respect the results of the states votes, when it comes to recreational use of marijuana, I think we still have a lot to learn.

The Colorado experiment with recreational marijuana has found many adolescents being introduced to this new substance early on and often, and there are still significant concerns from health care workers who see patients that are more heavily exposed to it than others. We still dont know the full impact on the heavy use of marijuana, especially on a young developing brain, and the consequences that may be created when its mixed with other substances.

About a week before the results of this election were in, a study linking teens use of opioids and marijuana was presented at the meeting of the American Public Health Association in Denver. The study analyzed 11,000 children and teens ages 10 to 18 in 10 U.S. cities and asked if they had used prescription opioids in the past 30 days, and whether they had ever used cannabis. About 29 percent of the teens said they had used cannabis at some point, but nearly 80 percent of the 524 who said they had used prescription opioids in the past 30 days said they had also used cannabis. This same study found teens that used alcohol or tobacco in addition to opioids were more likely to use cannabis as well.

We as a nation already have an opioid epidemic on our hands, and as we grasp to find some form of intervention or remedy that will stick to tackle this lethal issue, we must keep these harrowing realities in mind when introducing new substances to the public. Let us recall briefly what happened when we first legalized alcohol. Initially, we had no laws against driving under the influence of alcohol, had no warnings on abstaining from using alcohol while pregnant and no age limit for consumption, which led to countless untimely and preventable deaths as well as tragic developmental consequences. Alcohol is of course still legal today, but it took many hard lessons and a national consensus on many of its regulations.

Generally, under the individual states recreational marijuana proposals, consumption would be limited to people 21 or older, and cannabis would be forbidden in most public places. Some states would let people grow up to six plants on their own, but itll largely depend on which state you are living in. Simply putting these state-by-state regulations in place will not stop widespread use as more marijuana will now be readily available. I urge the American public to embrace and abide by these laws, and be open to future health regulations once we reach a consensus, regardless of whether they find it to be oppressing. Election results are often the consequence of a public unwilling to repeat the past, which is exactly how I believe we should approach introducing a new substance to our people.
Recreational marijuana won big at the polls on Tuesday, with California, Massachusetts, and Nevada approving those laws and Maines measure leaning toward yes, tripling the US population living in pot-friendly states.

The laws allow adults to grow, consume, and give away marijuana  but the patchwork of laws and marijuanas federal status mean that it can be tricky to stay on the right side of the law.

So if your state has recently given the green light to light up, here are a few things you should know:

1. Cannabis on campus

More From Stat News Marijuana and soda taxes win big, but cigarette taxes fail in several state votes

Because most colleges get federal money, and pot is still illegal under federal law, universities  private and public  will probably prohibit you from using pot anywhere on campus. Washington State University wrote a very direct post on its website in 2012 when recreational marijuana was legalized for individuals 21 and older. What will change on campus? it asks. Essentially nothing. University policies there and at other schools prohibiting marijuana remain in place.

Read more: Marijuana and soda taxes win big, but cigarette taxes fail in several state votes

2. Riding shotgun

Driving under the influence is and will remain legal, but if youre a passenger, its a little more complicated. In California, possessing an open package of marijuana or marijuana products is a no-no for drivers and passengers alike. But cross eastward into Arizona, and its OK to open the package  just not to eat or smoke it. Driver further into Nevada, and whoever is riding shotgun can consume to their hearts delight, as long as the driver stays clear-headed.

Massachusettss law has an oddity  while possessing an open container of marijuana products in motorized vehicles is prohibited in general, its OK to have open containers in the area behind the last upright seat or an area not normally occupied by the driver or passenger. So if you can manage to cram yourself into the trunk of a minivan, you might be able to reward yourself with a pot brownie.

3. Workplace testing

In all the states who voted yes, youre free to smoke marijuana at home, but if your employer finds out about it, it can use that as a reason to fire you or deny you a job, since marijuana is still illegal under federal law. This conflict between state and federal laws has led to would-be employees suing their would-be employers who denied them jobs because they use medical marijuana. The new laws do little if anything to help employers navigate the situation  except in Maine.

Maines law expressly prohibits employers for penalizing a person solely for that persons consuming marijuana outside of the employers property.

4. Lock it down

Make sure to keep your marijuana plants safe. California, Massachusetts, and Nevada specifically suggest using a lock, while Maine just specifies the area must be secured. And keep them out of sight. They shouldnt be visible to the public view  but its OK if people can see them using binoculars or airplanes.

5. Public generosity

Ordinary people arent allowed to sell their marijuana harvest. But they can give it away, in small amounts. Just so long as they dont tweet about it. In Nevada and Massachusetts, the transfer cannot be advertised or promoted to the public.

6. Subsidized housing

Since marijuana is still illegal under federal law, people who are applying for federally subsidized housing could be denied if they use marijuana, even if its legal in the state. People who already live in federally subsidized public housing could also be evicted. In 2011, the Department of Housing and Urban Development wrote a memo clarifying that public housing authorities arent required to evict residents that are consuming marijuana  but they can if they want to.
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc filed a lawsuit against Theranos Inc seeking damages worth $140 million, claiming the company breached a contract.

Reuters reported that the lawsuit details were unclear, saying the two companies had a confidentiality agreement.

On a statement posted on their website, Theranos said the company was disappointed that the drug store chain filed the suit. They added, Through its mishandling of our partnership and now this lawsuit, Walgreens has caused Theranos and its investors significant harm.

The company was founded by Elizabeth Holmes in 2003, after believing health information is one of the basic human rights.

We will respond vigorously to Walgreens unfounded allegations, and will seek to hold Walgreens responsible for the damage it has caused to Theranos and its investors, Theranos added.

Reuters also reported that Walgreens announced the termination of its business relationship with Theranos back in June. The termination was a result of its January decision to halt the laboratory testing services by Theranos.

Theranos was accused of inaccurate blood testing devices by the Wall Street Journal beginning in October 2015.

Click here for more from Reuters.
Donald Trump shocked pundits (and many political experts) Wednesday by winning the presidency. But his followers werent shocked at all.

They understood from the start the power of Trumps message, and the anger of middle class Americans.

Americans suffering from stagnant wages and lost jobs, who were the last to benefit from the liberal agenda of Barack Obama.

Americans fed up with the self-serving Washington political establishment, the crony capitalism and the insufferable political correctness stifling our workplaces and our universities.

Americans tired of the intellectual elites who look down on flag waving and old-fashioned patriotism and consider themselves morally superior.

Deplorables to Clinton: take that!

A clear majority wanted to set the country on a new direction, and Donald Trump promised to do just that. He promised to Make America Great Again, and they believed him.

Even as the returns flowed in, the results appeared to shock the mainstream media commentators reporting on the vote. They didnt expect blue collar workers in Ohio to flow to Trump; they couldnt believe that union voters, such predictable backers of Democrats historically, would line up in the red column.

Where have these people been? This has been the bedrock of Trumps support. People didnt flood those huge Trump rallies because of rock stars like Jay Z or Lady Gaga; they turned out because Trump was saying what they longed to hear.

They cheered when Trump said he would revamp our trade policies to protect U.S. workers. They liked that he promised to close our borders and reestablish the rule of law. They especially applauded his pledge to take on the corrupt elites in Washington and to push for term limits.

The pundits expected Hispanics to hand several swing states to Clinton; while turnout was only modestly higher with the Latino community, Trump appears to have done about as well as Romney did with that community. That was unexpected.

Maybe next time Democrats should try to speak to the whole country, and stop slicing and dicing the electorate. Stronger together indeed!

Heres what else happened in the 2016 election: voters decided to put the Clintons and their greedy corruption out to pasture. Clinton had everything going for her: a compliant media, a popular president in her corner, over a billion dollars in campaign fund and a well-organized party apparatus.

At the end, none of it mattered. Clinton had no message and no vision. She wandered as a candidate, portraying herself alternately as a benevolent grandma, a firebrand progressive and a champion of women and children.

In the closing weeks of the campaign she was the angry, shrill prude offended by Donald Trumps lewd remarks about women, while at the same time lauding Jay Zs foul lyrics. There is noting genuine about Mrs. Clinton. She is a hypocrite and she is dishonest, and the voters know it.

Clinton apologists will blame FBI Director James Comey for the loss, they will blame Vladimir Putin; they will say she lost because she is a woman. None of it is true. Hillary was a terrible candidate.

There will be enormous handwringing in both parties over the incredible success of Donald Trump. Pundits will dredge up any number of abstruse rationales for how Trump overcame long odds and humiliated both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Its not that complicated. Average Americans, the men and women who work hard and play by the rules, decided to make their voices heard.

Now comes the hard part. Trump will have to flesh out a thoroughly undernourished organization and quickly find the people who can carry out his agenda. The media will be gunning for him; impatient voters who took a chance on an untested leader may not have much patience.

Trump promised to quickly convene a special session of Congress and demand that they repeal and remodel ObamaCare. It is a brilliant idea. Imagine how excited the country would be to see actual progress. Maybe this will be the next shocker; Donald Trump might turn out to be a good president.
I am depleted after that election, feeling worried and upset. A friend called to ask me about the people who would vote for someone with a quick temper, a history of racist statements, crude comments about women and no experience in government.

I told him I too am beyond shocked by the election of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States.

This has truly been the most painful, depressing, divisive election of my lifetime.

That is why for me the healing can't begin soon enough.

I would suggest to Americans  including me -- who voted for Secretary Clinton, as well as Trump voters, that we begin the long, slow, difficult healing process by looking to our common history.

President Obama, speaking from the White House, hit the target when he said it is necessary for all Americans, Democrats, Republicans and Independents, to give the president-elect the presumption of good faith.

In that spirit, I would suggest to Americans  including me -- who voted for Secretary Clinton, as well as Trump voters, that we begin the long, slow, difficult healing process by looking to our common history.

There is no historical equivalent for Trump.

The closest might be Ronald Reagan. He was the former governor of California and had been involved with conservatism long before he ran for president. But to his critics Reagan was dismissed as a right-wing B-list Hollywood actor who had been divorced before he was elected president of the United States.

Similarly, Trump is dismissed as a celebrity from his reality television show and a man on his third marriage known for making offensive statements.

Like most of my colleagues covering politics, I was skeptical of Reagan and didn't vote for him in 1980. Yet covering his White House, I gained a respect for the man and the way he brought people together despite my sustained disagreements with his politics. He famously knew how to share a drink with Democrats, win friends and make a deal.

I hope that Trump can follow the Reagan model.

I will not do what some conservatives - you Rush Limbaugh - did after the election of Barack Obama by openly hoping for his failure before he has a chance. Immediately after President Obamas first election, Sen. Mitch McConnell vowed not to work with him for the good of the nation but to block him from a second term.

That is not for me.

I am a Christian, a dad and grand-dad and a proud American first and foremost. I am an American before I am a Democrat, and before I am an author and a political analyst.

I will pray for President-Elect Trump and root for his success on behalf of the American people even as  at least for today  I shake my head over the fact that Trump lost the popular vote but won the presidency because he won the Electoral College.

I appreciate what President-Elect Trump said in his victory speech last night and sincerely hope he means it when he says he want to be president of all the people.

"Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division," he said. "I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all of Americans, and this is so important to me."

Then Hillary Clinton lifted the spirits of Democrats by saying that as much as it is an American value to offer support to the new president  even if we opposed his election  it is also important to defend, respect and cherish the values of respect, inclusion and common sacrifice that we celebrate as hallmarks of Americas exceptionalism and greatness.

The United States has endured worse and we will endure under a President Trump. Keep the faith.
Our long national nightmare is over and the Republic has been saved.

Im originally from the Deep South. My father, who passed away in 2006, was a blue-collar worker. We lived paycheck-to-paycheck. We went to church on Sunday. We lived a quiet life  just like many families in so-called Fly-Over Country.

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My father was a member of the Silent Majority and had he been alive he wouldve cast his vote for Donald J. Trump.

Ive lived in New York City for more than a decade now  and Ive seen firsthand the contempt for country folks like my father  people from rural America.

As I wrote in my book, God Less America, I feel like a Duck Dynasty guy living in a Miley Cyrus world  where right is wrong, wrong is right  its as if our values have been turned upside down.

President Obama called us bitter. He said we were the kinds of people who cling to guns and religion.

Time and time again he stood on foreign soil and apologized for our nation. And to this day it remains unclear whether he believes the United States is the most exceptional nation on Earth.

Hillary Clinton called us deplorable  irredeemable.

"To just be grossly generalistic, you can put half of Trump supporters into what I call the 'basket of deplorables. Right? Racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, you name it."

The only thing deplorable was Hillary Clinton's basket of grossly generalistic comments.

"And unfortunately, there are people like that and he has lifted them up," she went on to say. "He has given voice to their websites that used to only have 11,000 people, now have 11 million. He tweets and retweets offensive, hateful, mean-spirited rhetoric."

Her campaign portrayed Conservative Catholicism as a bastardization of the faith and seemed to imply that Evangelicals are a bunch of impoverished country bumpkins.

Click here to get Todds latest book  God Less America  a tribute to gun-toting, Bible-clingers!

We were mocked by Hollywood and dismissed by academics. We were marginalized by the media  bullied and belittled by sex and gender revolutionaries.

But all that changed on Election Day  when Donald Trump became a champion for the Silent Majority. He gave us a voice. And now the Silent Majority is silent no more.

We the People have decided that its time to drain the swamp.

Its time to restore traditional values. Its time to protect the Constitution. Its time to defend our sovereignty. Its time to save unborn babies.

Its time to stand up for the American working man and bring jobs back from China and Mexico. Its time to eradicate the scourge of ObamaCare.

And its time to hire the bricklayers so they can start building that giant wall.

The Deplorable Americans have spoken  and on the eighth day of November in the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Sixteen  we have decided to Make America Great Again.
As the results of the 2016 election came in on Tuesday night I kept saying to myself, wow, thats amazing. And then a second later: No its not -- Ive seen this movie before. On the June 23 of this year, to be precise.

That was the night the British people voted to leave the EU, in what has now become well known here in America as Brexit. That evening started, too, with the pundits and the pollsters and all the establishment figures in politics, the media and business predicting a solid victory for the status quo.

But pretty soon, smug establishment complacency turned to shock and then pure bewilderment as the truth sank in: the people had risen up, rejected the ruling class, and voted for radical change.

Donald Trumps victory is a much bigger deal, and a much more remarkable political achievement than Brexit. But there are two big similarities (as well as one big difference), and its worth noting them as we try to make sense of the extraordinary conclusion to the 2016 presidential race.

The first similarity is in the underlying economic and social realities that explain the vote for Brexit and the vote for Trump.

As Ive argued previously, a shockingly high number of Americans are really struggling financially, and have been for years, even decades. Their incomes are down, they see jobs disappearing, and opportunities for their kids vanishing.

Worse, they have seen this happen, unabated, regardless of whether Democrats or Republicans have been in power.

No wonder theyre angry and want change. No wonder they responded to a political outsider who wasnt tainted with the failures of the last twenty years. And no wonder that they were even prepared to overlook Donald Trumps personal flaws and checkered history in order to give a massive middle finger to the political, media and business establishment that made itself richer while they, working Americans, got poorer.

To dismiss all that as racism, sexism and all the other -isms that the politically correct establishment threw at Trump and his supporters (just as the establishment hurled similar insults at Brexit supporters here) is just a cynical attempt to evade responsibility for the failure of the ruling elites policies.

For many years, weve been living in a world run by bankers, bureaucrats and accountants who have pushed a technocratic agenda of globalization, centralization and unlimited immigration that has improved life for poor countries, and for rich people in rich countries, but which has undermined the economic security and social stability of working people in the west.

The effect has probably been starker in America than anywhere else. But it was almost totally missed by the establishment. They failed to see that policies which they viewed as being cosmopolitan and progressive were actually causing real hardship in parts of the country they rarely, if ever, visited.

Instead of understanding, empathizing and trying to do something about it, politicians and, vitally, most of the American media simply dismissed any opposition as prejudice.

Thats why so many Trump supporters ended up quietly resolving to vote for the insurgent candidate they saw as their champion, but refusing to tell friends, colleagues -- or pollsters! -- that they were in his camp. Who needs the abuse?

And thats the second similarity with Brexit, right there. In the UK in June, there was a hidden Brexit vote comprised of people who had gone underground, politically speaking, as a result of the moral shaming handed out by contemptuous elites. Ditto for Trump.

The biggest difference with Brexit is the biggest opportunity for America. Unlike Brexit, the election this week was a contest of different political philosophies and, vitally, competing agendas. There was a clear winner -- not just for the presidency but in Congress, too.

That means that we now have the possibility of united government ready to implement a clear reform plan. Since Brexit was not decided in a conventional election with alternative plans on offer, there was no clarity about the specific details of what leaving the EU should actually look like.

By contrast, a new and dynamic conservative agenda seems to be taking shape right before our eyes, with Donald Trump and Paul Ryan already setting out their intention to work together to deliver a pro-growth economic reform plan, surely the most urgent priority today.

So while we can certainly identify the ways in which Trumps victory reminds us of Brexit, its the difference that should give Americans the greatest grounds for optimism today.
Sunshine State voters have given former Gov. Charlie Crist the second shot in Florida politics that hes long sought.

Crist, a Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat, beat incumbent Rep. David Jolly on Tuesday in the race to represent the 13th Congressional District, helping Democrats in the mission to make slight inroads into the Republican House majority.

The 60-year-old Crist, who was governor from 2007 to 2011, ran for the Senate as a Republican in 2010 but lost in the primary to the eventual general election winner, future Sen. Marco Rubio  who was victorious again Tuesday in his own re-election bid.

MARCO RUBIO WINS RE-ELECTION

The loss to Rubio led Crist to quit the Republican Party. But he attempted to avenge the defeat by running in the general election as an independent. The longshot candidacy was unsuccessful, however.

Crist then switched party affiliation again, becoming a Democrat, and tried winning his way back to the governors mansion in 2014. But he lost out to Rick Scott in that race.

Jolly, 43, was originally set to run for Rubios Senate seat when Rubio planned to retire after his unsuccessful Republican presidential primary campaign. But after the Pulse nightclub shooting, Rubio reversed course and decided to run for re-election. Jolly quickly decided against challenging Rubio in the Senate race and instead turned his attention to defending his House seat.

Jolly refused to endorse Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and later said he felt fully abandoned by the Republican Party.

Crist, meanwhile, touted his record on education, the economy and the environment to help buoy his bid.

And he tried not to look back at his single-percentage point loss to Scott in 2014.

Were hoping for a better result this time, Crist said on Thursday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
China to block Indias bid for NSG membership

Published: November 8, 2016

China has decided to once again block Indias bid for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership ahead of plenary meet of NSG in Vienna, Austria.

Earlier, China along with few other member countries of NSG had blocked Indias membership proposal in the plenary meet of NSG in Seoul, South Korea in June 2016.

What is Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)?

NSG is an elite group or cartel of countries concerned with reducing nuclear proliferation by controlling the export and re-transfer of materials that may be used for development of nuclear weapons. It was set up in 1974 as a reaction to Indias first successful nuclear tests (code name Smiling Buddha conducted on 18 May 1974) to stop so called misuse of nuclear material meant for peaceful purposes. NSGs members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology. Currently, NSG has 48 members (including China) and works by consensus.

What are benefits for India by joining NSG?

NSG membership will be a significant boost for India which is seeking to expand its atomic energy sector.

It will pave the way for India to access to the advance technology for a range of uses from medicine to building nuclear power plants.

With this advance technology, India can commercialize the production of nuclear power equipment which will in turn boost innovation and high tech manufacturing in India.

It will give big boost to Make in India programme and exports as India will have ability to offer its own nuclear power plants to the world.

It will make domestic nuclear industry companies comply with international norms and make it easier for them to trade in international market.

It will help realise Indias commitment to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and reduce burden of oil and gas for energy security.

It will also help to realise Indias commitment to reduce dependence on fossil fuels to meet its commitment to tackle the issue of the climate change.

Besides, it will recognition to Indias clean record track record in nuclear non-proliferation without being signatory of non-Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) .

What is Chinas concern?

China says that Indias membership and also of Pakistan will be considered only after rules for the entry of non-Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) countries is finalised by the elite group. It supports the notion of the two-step approach within the NSG to address the question of membership. The first stage includes reaching agreement on a non-discriminatory formula applicable to all the non-NPT states and in second stage to take up country-specific membership issues.

Comment

China is using Indias membership bid as a bargaining card for its membership to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) which has been blocked by Western countries over the concerns about Chinas export control standards. Even, China had supported Pakistans membership bid (applied May 2016) to counter Indias bid. However, many NSG members opposed Pakistans membership bid because of its poor track record.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2016

Topics: India China  International Relations  National  NSG  Nuclear Sector

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Donald Trump, defying the pundits and polls to the end, defeated Hillary Clinton in Tuesdays presidential election and claimed an establishment-stunning victory that exposes the depth of voter dissatisfaction  and signals immense changes ahead for American policy at home and abroad.

Seventeen months after the billionaire tycoons Trump Tower entrance into the race, the first-time candidate once dismissed by the political elite will become the 45th president, Fox News projects.

Speaking to cheering supporters early Wednesday morning at his victory party in New York City, the Republican candidate and now president-elect said Clinton called to congratulate him, and Fox News confirms she has conceded. Despite their hard-fought campaign, Trump praised Clinton for her service and said it is time for us to come together as one united people.

I will be president for all Americans, Trump vowed, after a brief introduction by running mate Mike Pence.

TRUMP'S AGENDA: WHAT HIS ELECTION MEANS FOR AMERICA

Sounding a call to reclaim our countrys destiny, Trump declared: The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.  America will no longer settle for anything less than the best.

Trump will be the oldest president in U.S. history, entering the Oval Office at age 70. With her defeat, Clinton falls short in her second bid to become the first female president of the United States.

Though Clinton called Trump, her campaign initially did not concede defeat. Earlier, her campaign chairman John Podesta addressed supporters nearby in New York and said several states were too close to call.

Clinton herself did not appear at the rally. Podesta had urged supporters to head home and said they would not have anything more to say tonight.

Amid Trumps victory, Republicans also were projected to hold onto their majority in the House and Senate, improving Trumps chances of advancing his agenda in office.

A surge of support in key battlegrounds  and especially surprise victories in states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin  helped propel Trump to victory. The GOP nominee built a commanding lead early on with wins in heavily contested North Carolina, Florida, Ohio and Iowa.

Clinton won her share of battlegrounds, including Virginia and Nevada and Colorado, but could not make up for Trumps strong performance in other states thought to favor the Democrat.

The billionaire businessmans victory marked a remarkable upset and turnaround, after he had been complaining amid a rough patch just weeks ago the vote could be rigged against him.

Clinton was still thought to have the clear advantage in the electoral map going into Tuesdays vote, yet the polls had been tightening in the races closing days.

His victory could demonstrate just how much the dynamics were shifting in his favor  and perhaps how his true support was elusive all along to pollsters and others gauging the race.

Without question, his bid was helped over the last two weeks by a burst of setbacks for his opponent.

Eleven days before the election, FBI Director James Comey announced the bureau was revisiting the investigation into Clintons personal email server use while secretary of state, after discovering new messages on the laptop of disgraced ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of a top Clinton aide. He closed the case again on Sunday, but the political damage may have been done. And the WikiLeaks release of emails hacked from Podestas account became a constant distraction for the campaign, as the messages revealed infighting, internal concerns about the Clinton familys foundation and even evidence that the now-head of the Democratic National Committee leaked town hall questions to Clinton during the primaries.

This at times overshadowed the numerous allegations of sexual harassment and assault against Trump that came out in October (which he denies), following leaked footage from over a decade ago showing Trump making crude comments about women.

Trumps victory marks the second time Clinton was thwarted in her bid to become the first female U.S. president, having been defeated by President Obama in their 2008 primary race.

But Trump has been able to defy expectations from the start. He defeated a deep field of 16 competitors during the Republican primaries  stitching together a motivated coalition of voters invigorated by his outsider, populist message; throwing his rivals off their talking points during a raucous marathon of debates; and commanding media attention throughout with his unpredictable, learn-as-he-goes campaign style.

He also defied party orthodoxy, railing against free-trade deals like NAFTA and the Trans Pacific Partnership and staking out a sometimes-confusing set of positions on foreign policy that may yet evolve. Democrats have criticized him heavily for statements expressing admiration for Russias Vladimir Putin and a desire to rebuild ties with Moscow.

Trump was aided by the infrastructure of the GOP, but his campaign never came close to the juggernaut operation mounted by Clinton. While she entered the final stretch of the race with an army of high-powered surrogates, Trumps campaign was driven mainly by him, an inner circle of family members and a rotating set of top campaign advisers. Surrogates like retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani advocated aggressively for the Republican nominee, but he remained at odds with many influential elected Republicans who in some cases  as with House Speaker Paul Ryan  endorsed him, but only reluctantly. His stances on trade as well as his hardline immigration proposals  including variations on a plan to suspend Muslim immigration from certain countries  also made party brass uncomfortable.

The late emergence of a 2005 tape showing him making crude comments about women led some congressional Republicans to abandon him entirely. But even the biggest controversies seemed only to ding Trump, whose resilience in the polls could be credited to a movement of grassroots supporters who seemed to have little interest in the nominees tensions with the GOP establishment and saw him as the true change-maker in the election.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who decided to seek a second term after launching a failed bid for the Republican presidential nomination, was re-elected Tuesday.

Rubio defeated Democrat Rep. Patrick Murphy, a two-term congressman with a reputation as a moderate.

Rubio sought a second term with just two days before the deadline to make the ballot and after repeatedly saying he would not seek re-election.

"Let's say this is a lot better than the last time I did one of these," he joked with supporters, referring to his failed presidential campaign earlier this year.

Rubio had sought the GOP nomination for president, but dropped out of the race after Donald Trump soundly beat him in the Florida primary. Trump taunted Rubio during the primaries calling him little Marco and painting him as a candidate not yet ready for prime time.

Still, many speculate the 45-year-old senator will eventually make another presidential run.

Rubio's entry into the Senate race immediately gave the party its best shot at holding the seat. Outside groups pumped millions of dollars into the race to help ensure the victory.

Murphy at one point nearly closed the gap in the polls despite national Democrats diverting their money from Florida to Senate races, where television ads are less expensive. Republicans attacked Murphy for embellishing his resume by claiming to be a small business owner and a certified public accountant before being elected to Congress in 2012.

Murphy was a part owner of an environmental cleanup company, but the business was set up by his wealthy father, and he was a licensed CPA in Colorado, but not in Florida, where he worked at an accounting firm.

Murphy repeatedly criticized Rubio for saying he still supported Trump even after calling the billionaire a dangerous, erratic man who couldn't be trusted with the nuclear codes. Murphy also called out Rubio for missed votes and intelligence briefings while running for president, and questioned whether he would serve his full six-year term.

Rubio wouldn't make that commitment until the candidates' first debate, when he said, "God willing," he will serve the entire term.

Rubio won his seat in 2010, using a Tea Party wave to come from behind and beat then-Gov. Charlie Crist.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Republicans were projected to retain control of the House and Senate after fending off Democratic challenges across the country on Election Day.

Democrats, despite having been optimistic about this years chances of retaking the majority in the upper chamber, failed to gain the five seats needed. The Democrats candidate beat GOP incumbent Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk, as expected, but the party lost most other tight races.

As of early Wednesday morning, Republicans were on track to see their 54-46 majority erode only slightly. They could end up with at least 52 seats, according to the AP.

MARIJUANA, ASSISTED SUICIDE MEASURES BACKED BY VOTERS

Republican as expected also kept control of the House. The GOP entered Election Day with a 59-seat House advantage, so Democrats would have had to gain 30 seats to take control of the chamber. They will instead likely pick up 10 to 20 seats, falling short of majority control.

In the bid to control the Senate, Fox News projected the outcomes of several key races including victories for Republican Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Rob Portman of Ohio, Richard Burr of North Carolina, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, all fending off tough challenges to win reelection.

Arizona Sen. John McCain won a sixth term, defeating Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick in a hard-fought race. Kirkpatrick represented McCain's strongest challenge in years, but his prolific fundraising and name recognition proved difficult to overcome Tuesday. In his victory speech, McCain thanked "my employers, the people of Arizona."

Portman, Burr, Johnson and Toomey were among a handful of incumbent Republicans whom Democrats had targeted early for defeat -- in their bid to win the Senate majority.

House Republicans won tonight thanks to our members relentless focus on the issues important to voters in their districts," said Oregon Rep. Greg Walden, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

"Both parties have to work together to find common ground," Portman said in his victory speech. "The best way to do that is to get things done. Ill do everything in my powers to expand opportunity for everybody.

The race in Louisiana for the seat of retiring GOP Sen. David Vitter will as expected go to a run-off.

Democrat Foster Campbell and Republican John Kennedy emerged as the top vote-getters in a field of nearly two-dozen candidates. But neither could win more than 50 percent of the vote to win the seat.

The only major race that remained too close to call into Wednesday morning was the Senate contest in New Hampshire between GOP incumbent Sen. Kelly Ayotte and Democratic challenger Gov. Maggie Hassan.

Ayotte is trying to appeal to the states notoriously independent electorate while staying loyal to her Washington Republican base and supporters like the National Rifle Association and the billionaire, libertarian-minded Koch Brothers.

Ayotte said early that shed support Trump but did not endorse him. She then called Trump a role model, only to retract the statement after another offensive Trump comment, then totally withdrew her support.

In North Carolina, Burr defeated Democratic challenger Deborah Ross, to serve a third Senate term. And Johnson beat former Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold in a rematch of their 2010 race.

In Pennsylvania, Toomey defeated Katie McGinty, a former Clinton administration adviser who was handpicked by Washington Democrats.

Rubio keeps a Senate seat for Republicans that Democrats had hoped to win after he essentially abandoned the seat for his ultimately-failed presidential bid.

However, Rubio re-entered the race in June and held off a tough challenge from Democratic Rep. Tim Murphy to win a second term.

Republicans also held onto the Senate seat of retiring Indiana GOP senator Dan Coats.

Rep. Todd Young kept the seat by fending off a strong, surprise challenge from former Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh, who muscled into the race in mid-July.

But in Illinois, incumbent GOP Sen. Mark Kirk was defeated by Democratic challenger Rep. Tammy Duckworth.

Kirk was considered the most vulnerable Republican senator in the 2016 election cycle. Duckworth is a veteran who lost both of her legs in the Iraq War.

Kirk, a first-term senator who served in Congress for nearly 15 years, was seeking reelection in Democrat-leaning Illinois. He dimmed his comeback chances last month by insulting Duckworths Thai ancestry.

I'm here because of the miracles that occurred 12 years ago ...  in a dusty field in Iraq, Duckworth told supporters afterward. Some I can explain, like the bravery of my crew. And some I cannot, like the shrapnel from the explosion passing through my helicopter spinning rotor blades and not destroy it, allowing us to land.  I live every day trying to honor you.

Democrats liked their chances of retaking the Senate practically within days of losing the majority in 2014 -- considering they had to defend just 10 incumbents, compared to Republicans who would have to spend far more money and other resources to protect 24 sitting senators.

Republicans had a very short 2016 wish list -- take the seat of arch-political rival Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, the retiring top Senate Democrat.

Republicans had a top-tier competitor in Rep. Joe Heck.

But all of the resources they put into the race couldn't defeat Democratic nominee Catherine Cortez Masto or change the fact that Nevada is a liberal-leaning state anchored by the Las Vegas area, home to a large Hispanic population, which overwhelmingly supports Democratic candidates.

In Ohio, GOP Gov. John Kasichs refusal to support Donald Trump made Portmans task of winning a second term even tougher.

But the states older, solidly-white population and a lackluster performance by Democrat challenger and former Gov. Ted Strickland gave Portman the win, after having built a nearly 20-point lead before polls opened Tuesday.

Republicans pulled out a win in Missouri, but it took incumbent GOP Sen. Roy Blunt the political fight of his life. He defeated Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander, an upstart Democrat with military experience who can assemble an AR-15 blindfolded.

In Indiana, Republicans had a solid candidate in Young, a three-term House member.

But Bayhs surprise decision to enter the race -- with a $10 million war chest -- made it much more competitive and expensive.

The race remains surprisingly close until the end, amid disclosures about Bayhs profitable connections to K Street and Wall Street.

"When I grew up here in Indiana, my dad told me almost every day, 'If I worked really hard, good things would happen.' Well dad, this is a good thing," Young, a former Marine, said after the race. "Tonight was a great victory, not for me, but for the state of Indiana."

Republicans didnt expect such a hyper-competitive race in North Carolina. But Ross, a former American Civil Liberties Union lawyer and state representative, had little state-wide name recognition.

Toomey's challeger in Pennsylvania was Katie McGinty, among the handful of 2016 Democratic candidates whom political analysts said ran an uninspiring race. The Pennsylvania race was essentially deadlocked since the start of the election cycle.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson won his rematch against Russ Feingold on Tuesday, aiding the Republican effort to retain control of the Senate.

The Johnson-Feingold race was a redo of the 2010 election when Johnson unseated Feingold, a Democrat. The only senator who has come back to win his old seat from the opponent who bested him was the late Sen. Peter Gerry, D-R.I., in 1934.

Feingold was initially thought to have a good shot to turn the tables on Johnson, but the race tightened significantly as the election came down to the wire.

A huge infusion of campaign committee and outside money poured into both sides of the race during the closing days. Johnsons seat was thought to be vulnerable, and was one of several races Democrats targeted in an uphill battle to retake control of the Senate.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who was leading voting in the state late on Tuesday, put up far bigger margins than had been expected, perhaps helping to boost Johnsons chances.

Feingolds pitch for redemption centered on the claim that Johnson hadnt done a strong job for Wisconsin voters during his six years in the Senate; however, Johnson argued the voters shouldnt give Feingold a second shot at a job hed already been sacked from once before.

Fox News Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Republican Liz Cheney, the eldest daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, on Tuesday won her father's old House seat in Wyoming.

The 50-year-old Cheney succeeds Cynthia Lummis who decided not to seek re-election to Wyoming's lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Cheney trounced her main opponent, Democrat Ryan Greene, capturing more than 60 percent of the vote with 60 percent of precincts reporting.

Dick Cheney was elected to the House in 1978 and served until 1989, winning reelection five times.



The Associated Press contributed to this report.
India, UK ink two MoUs

Published: November 8, 2016

India and the United Kingdom have signed two memorandum of understanding (MoUs) to boost relations between the two nations.

These MoUs were signed during the official three days state visit of UK Prime Minister Theresa May to India. It was her first bilateral visit outside Europe after becoming PM and after UKs decision to exit from European Union.

Signed MoUs are

MoU on Ease of Doing Business

Under it, expertise from UK Government will be made available to relevant departments and agencies of the Indian Government for the ease of doing business drive.

It includes sharing of best practices and technical assistance, exchange between the officials to India for effective implementation of the initiatives in order improve its ranking in the ease of doing business.

Important areas of cooperation include tax administration, regulatory regimes, support to businesses and startups, competition economics, etc.

MoU for cooperation in the field of intellectual property

It was signed between the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of UK.

It envisages establishing a mechanism for furthering cooperation between the IP Offices of India and UK in the field of IP and related information technology (IT) services.

It includes exchange of experience, best practices and knowledge of IP awareness among the public, businesses, industry, R&D organizations and educational institutions.

It also includes exchange of processes for disposal of applications for trademarks, patents, industrial designs and geographical indications.

Both countries also agreed to establish new Joint Working Group (JWG) to discuss and resolve trade related issues. It will focus on goods trade and also on services, including through greater mobility for skilled professionals.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2016

Topics: Ease of Doing Business  India-UK  Intellectual Property  National  Theresa May

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Voters in California and two other states approved the recreational use of marijuana Tuesday, in a big boost to the campaign to end the drug's national prohibition.

Voters across the nation decided more than 150 statewide ballot measures addressing an array of volatile issues, including gun control, euthanasia and raising the minimum wage.

The California initiative allows adults over 21 to legally possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow six plants. Massachusetts and Nevada voters passed similar measures, while Arizona voters rejected legalization.

A measure to legalize recreational marijuana in Maine for adults over 21 was narrowly leading with 73 percent of precincts reporting.

Elsewhere, Colorado voters overwhelmingly supported legalizing assisted suicide Tuesday, but emphatically rejected the creation of a statewide singlepayer healthcare system.

Florida voters backed a constitutional amendment making the state the first in the South with a full-scale medical marijuana program. The measure needed 60 percent support to prevail.

Voters in Arkansas and North Dakota also opted to permit marijuana for medical purposes.

Voters in Arizona, Colorado and Maine approved phased-in $12 minimum hourly wages by 2020.

In Washington state, voters approved raising the minimum wage to $13.50 an hour by 2020. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.

California voters approved tightening what were already some of the nation's toughest gun control laws. They overwhelmingly backed Proposition 63, which outlaws possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines, requires permits to buy ammunition and extends California's unique program that allows authorities to seize firearms from owners who bought guns legally but are no longer allowed to own them.

Nevada voters approved requring background checks on nearly all gun sales and transfers, while a similar measure was narrowly trailing in Maine with approximately three-quarters of the vote in.

A group founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent millions promoting those measures, which supporters said would close gaps in the federal system that allow felons, domestic abusers and the mentally ill to buy firearms from private sellers at gun shows and online without a background check.

Washington state voters also approved a ballot measure that would allow judges to issue orders temporarily seizing guns from individuals who are deemed a threat.

On the municipal level, the cities of San Francisco, Oakland and Albany, Calif. and Boulder, Colo. voted to levy a tax on soda and other sugary drinks. They followed in the footsteps of Berkeley, Calif., Philadelphia, and Chicago, cities which have approved similar legislation since 2014.

In all, California led the pack with 17 ballot questions, including one that would require actors in porn movies to wear condoms during filming of sexual intercourse. Another would ban single-use plastic grocery bags.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Donald Trump hadnt even been declared president-elect when the first group of demonstrators gathered outside the White House early Wednesday morning to oppose a future Trump administration.

A crowd of more than 1,000 people showed up in front of the White House  some protesters even taking to the trees  in the early hours of Wednesday morning with the election still in doubt, but trending towards Trump, the Republican nominee.

Some demonstrators reportedly began chanting F--- Donald Trump.

Many of those in attendance appeared to be from nearby colleges.

Others in the crowd were protesting Trumps immigration policies. A group of about 20 Black Lives Matter supporters were also interspersed in the crowd at one point.
Early this morning, after he had stunned the world by winning the presidency, Donald Trump took a call from a longtime confidant.

"Nobody believed in me," Trump said. Literally, only two or three people, he said, had thought he could pull this off -- and at times, not even Trump himself. Now he had a lengthening call list of world leaders who wanted to pay their respects to the new leader of the free world.

It was a starkly different scene last June, when the businessman was still seen as a hopeless underdog. Trump was on his blue-and-red Boeing 757, huddling with his top staffers, who were begging him not to talk about Gonzalo Curiel.

Trump had a score to settle. He told his staff he wanted to denounce the judge handling the lawsuit against Trump University. His advisers pushed back hard, saying this would be a huge distraction, that Trump had to be seen as fighting for America, not for himself.

The unofficial Republican nominee took the plunge anyway, calling the Indiana-born judge, whose parents were from Mexico, a hater who had an inherent conflict of interest.

Those attacks, denounced by some Republican leaders, created a political uproar that haunted the campaign for weeks. It was an early harbinger of a self-destructive tendency that would damage Trumps candidacy again and again: his insistence on straying from scripted messages to indulge in attacks and counterattacks against those he felt had wronged him.

It was that compulsion to repeatedly blow past the stop signs erected by his strategists that one confidante described as a condition: defiance disorder.

The back story of this campaign is how some of Trump's advisers tried again and again to rein him in, failing time after time, and privately concluded that he could not be managed -- and therefore was unlikely to win. Only in the final weeks, when the race seemed all but lost, did Trump find a way to stop stepping on his message -- and paved the way for his stunning upset.

Trump was a genuine phenomenon, an outsider who used gut instincts, media mastery and a blunt, often divisive message to beat better-funded rivals and outfox an often hostile press corps.

But throughout the long campaign, Trump's greatest strength was his most glaring weakness, one that frustrated a rotating cadre of advisers until the very end. His tough street talk was both popular and polarizing; his stream-of-consciousness delivery both mesmerizing and undisciplined; his Twitter attacks both devastating and distracting. At times, even his fiercest loyalists wondered whether he really wanted the presidency, which once seemed far out of reach but came to be a tantalizing mirage, receding as he came closer.

Internal rivalries on the tiny team didnt help matters. Corey Lewandowski, his first campaign manager, harnessed Trumps energy but drew flak for giving the candidate too much leeway (though he pushed back when necessary). The second, Paul Manafort, took heat for spending time in the Hamptons and lacking a personal rapport with Trump (though his mission was to mend fences with the Beltway establishment). The third, Kellyanne Conway, was chided for spending too much time on TV (a chief part of her job) and contradicting some of Trumps statements (though she remained grounded in facts, such as the poor poll numbers he tried to dismiss as phony).

Most campaign aides viewed Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law, the 35-year-old publisher of a Manhattan weekly with no political experience, as the de facto campaign manager. There was a growing sense at the top that no one wanted to cross Ivankas husband or bring bad news to the candidate. Ivanka, Eric and Don Jr. would weigh in to counter what they saw as bad advice, but they and others would also send uncomfortable messages through Hope Hicks, Trumps low-key press secretary. Hicks, 28, was constantly at his side, a former fashion model who became such a trusted counselor that Trump would openly worry, when he flouted the teams directives, about disappointing her.

Can I win? Can I win? Trump would ask his strategists in the closing weeks, though he often defied their advice, refusing to eliminate trips to Pennsylvania, Colorado and other states that he had virtually no chance of winning.

Over and over, the real estate mogul displayed a fingertip feel for public sentiment and remarkable ability to bounce back, despite being written off by what he came to view as the corrupt media. He would criticize Mexican rapists, John McCain, Carly Fiorinas face, call for a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants, and yet drive the news agenda and keep on winning. But that was with Republican primary voters.

On the broader stage, running against a Democrat whose unpopularity nearly matched his, Trumps own words became the most potent weapons against him.

The pattern was remarkably consistent. Trump would hone a successful message, stick to the script  often reading from once-disparaged teleprompters  and wind up chafing at the rhetorical shackles.

His savvier advisers would realize that he wasnt having fun. And then he would rebel. He would create a new narrative. It could be a phrase, a tweet, an extended riff in front of a rapturous crowd. Trump would mar the story line, blame the media for twisting his words, keep defending or tweaking his remarks, and suddenly he was no longer talking about taxes or terrorism.

**

Over the summer, Trump retweeted an anti-Hillary graphic with a pile of cash and what looked like a Star of David. When the ensuing flap prompted his staff to delete the star, Trump was furious. He denied the image was anti-Semitic, attacked Clinton, kept talking about it and turned what might have been a half-day incident into a running story.

When a gunman killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Trump didnt issue the usual thoughts-and-prayers refrain. Instead, he tweeted: Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don't want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance.

He dug a deeper hole the next day on Fox & Friends, faulting President Obama for his approach to radical Islamic terrorism: We're led by a man that either is not tough, not smart, or he's got something else in mind. His strategists were stunned as critics assailed Trump for insinuating that an American president might be sympathetic to terrorism.

But Trump refused to budge, again dragging out the controversy. I dont think Orlando was a mistake at all, he told me. Im saying what everyone else is saying and thinking. The problem is everyone wants to be politically correct, and you cant be politically correct because these people are after our country.

During the Democratic convention, Trump held a news conference -- his favorite venue for stealing attention -- and said this about his rival: Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. Though it seemed like a tongue-in-cheek comment, the press went haywire, the New York Times sternly accusing him of essentially urging a foreign adversary to conduct cyberespionage against a former secretary of state.

That was a ripple compared to the tidal wave of negativity unleashed after Khizr Khan and his wife, who had lost a son in Iraq, castigated Trump at the Philadelphia convention. Trump told ABCs George Stephanopoulos that if you look at his wife, she was standing there, she had nothing to say, she probably  maybe she wasnt allowed to have anything to say.

The staff pounced on him. One adviser told Trump that he was getting killed over the issue, that he had dropped 5 to 7 points in the polls, that he could not sustain this. Trump knew it was a losing issue, his strategists believed, but could not let go.

Trump kept up his assault on the Gold Star family for days as his strategists frantically tried to change the subject. Once again, Trumps insistence on punching back at his detractors -- no matter how ill-advised -- badly hurt him.

But even then, Trump believed he had said nothing wrong. The media was not treating the statements fairly, he told me. I mean, they would chop them up and then shorten the statement, and it didnt sound proper or didnt sound as good when they did that. It was very unfair.

**

All these factors -- Trumps unorthodox style, pugilistic instincts and a staff torn between professionals and family members -- came together in the runup to the first debate at Hofstra University. Too many people were involved in debate prep, drifting in and out, including two generals with no political experience. Trump got too much conflicting advice. Advisers would send memos, but the candidate had little patience for anything longer than a paragraph and preferred verbal briefings. Supremely self-confident, he refused to follow the conventional practice of holding mock debates.

Trump stumbled against Clinton but insisted he had won the debate, calling surrogates to complain that they werent sufficiently defending him on the air. Some advisers felt he was too smart not to know the truth but too proud to admit it.

Worse, he had taken the bait on one of Clintons last answers, when she accused him of mocking the winner of his Miss Universe pageant two decades ago by calling her Miss Piggy.

On Fox & Friends the next morning, Trump raised Alicia Machado without even being asked, saying: She was the worst we ever had -- the worst, the absolute worst. She was impossibleShe gained a massive amount of weight and it was a real problem.

For nearly a week, the candidate who trailed badly among women was insisting that a onetime beauty queen no one had heard of was a terrible person and too fat. He even tweeted that people should check out her sex tape (actually an under-the-covers scene in a Latino reality show). His staff was unable to persuade him to move on.

Trump sympathizers wondered why his staff didnt boot him from Twitter. But Conway believed she couldnt take his phone away, that he was a 70-year-old man who would ultimately say and do what he wanted. She managed him as best she could, sweet-talking rather than lecturing him, and when asked about Trump comments she couldnt defend, she simply deflected the questions.

While prepping the candidate for the final debate in Las Vegas, Trumps team drove home one answer, literally dozens of times. With Trump having spent days talking about a rigged election, the inner circle drilled him to say that while the media were unfair, of course he would accept the outcome on Election Day. He was explicitly warned that any other answer would guarantee 48 hours of bad press, wiping out the rest of the debate.

But when Chris Wallace asked that very question, Trump went rogue. He said he didnt know what he would do and would keep the country in suspense. As Steve Bannon, Conway and their team watched, their faces fell. They could not believe it. A modified statement was issued the following day, but Trump, before the last mass audience of the campaign, was defiant. He went with his gut. Those who knew him best knew the truth: He would not be managed.

Trump attempted a reset by giving what was touted as a major policy speech in Gettysburg, where he would unveil a detailed Contract with the American Voter.

But Trump spent several minutes ripping the nine women who had accused him of sexual misconduct, calling them liars and vowing to sue them after the election.

The press, naturally, took the bait. A presidential candidate threatening litigation against women who accused him of unwanted groping and kissing was a hotter story than a laundry list of proposals, as Trump, after decades of dealing with the New York tabloids, undoubtedly knew.

Trump had again stepped on his own story, much to the chagrin of his advisers. Some believed he was so frustrated by the allegations, and having to deny them to his wife Melania, that he couldnt resist fighting back in his signature style.

**

On Friday, Oct. 28, Trump was in a lousy mood. He was supposed to fly to New Hampshire for a campaign event, but he was two hours late in leaving Trump Tower. Instead, trailing in the polls, he spent 45 minutes complaining about how he had been trashed on MSNBCs Morning Joe, a show he frequented during the primaries but now regularly attacked.

By the time he landed in New Hampshire, the stunning story about James Comey launching a new FBI probe of Clintons emails had broken. Trump huddled with Bannon, the campaign chairman, policy aide Steve Miller and Lewandowski, now an informal adviser. Bannon, whose low-key demeanor tended to keep Trump calm, urged restraint.

While retired Gen. Michael Flynn had to keep warming up the crowd beyond his usual one-minute spiel, Bannon helped add a few sentences to Trumps speech on the teleprompter.

Perhaps finally justice will be served  Clintons corruption is on a scale we have never seen before, Trump told the Manchester crowd.

The aides promptly canceled scheduled interviews with two New Hampshire stations and a taping for Meet the Press. Trumps inclination was to do a TV blitz, but most of the advisers wanted him to go dark, and for several days he did. Every day he wasnt on television, they believed, he was winning  especially while Clinton had become the story.

If Trump was doing interviews, they argued, he would be asked about every damaging story in the papers. Isnt it true, an anchor would ask, that you avoided hundreds of millions of dollars in income taxes by using a dubious loophole? Isnt it true that you claimed credit for major charitable donations that you didnt make? And Trump would inevitably toss out the talking points and aggressively defend himself, drawing attention from the FBI probe that had cast a pall over Clintons campaign.

Instead, an energized Trump, buoyed by the tightening polls, stuck to the prepared speeches, surrendering the TV weapon that had powered his rise to the nomination and beyond. Stay on point, Donald, his advisers would insist, and this time Trump complied, except for one swipe at NBCs Katy Tur during a rally, which drew negative attention.

His strategists kept some of their internal polls from him -- such as one showing him trailing by low double digits in New York -- because they knew he would want to campaign there rather than in swing states he might actually win. After a year and a half, they finally had the candidate on track and on message.

Trumps team was a bit deflated when Comey cleared Clinton on the new batch of emails less than 48 hours before Election Day, figuring that lifted a cloud -- and was worth a point to Hillary in such do-or-die states as Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire. The important thing was that Trump was fired up, he saw a path to 270, months after many pundits predicted he would be the biggest loser since Barry Goldwater. And for Trump, as he raced to the final flurry of rallies, mindset was everything.

He couldn't resist calling into Fox twice on Election Day, breaking his media silence and drawing the question that had dogged him for weeks: What if he lost? "I have to see, and under what circumstances," the candidate told Martha MacCallum, again invoking a "rigged system" less than four hours before the first polls closed.

In the end, that question was moot. Trump and his team knew from their internal reports, perhaps two hours before the AP and the networks called the race, that he had accomplished what everyone said was impossible.

Trump's defiance enabled him to pull off a "miracle," which is what Politico had said on Tuesday morning that he would need. The man who broke every rule in the political handbook had captured the White House.
NATIONAL

Donald Trumps victory today came as a deeply divided country opted for change. His strength among white voters  and particularly working-class whites  led to an impressive performance in the upper Midwest, and he was able to attract enough support from blacks and Hispanics to hold Hillary Clinton at bay.

The election was marked by a record gender gap and widespread voter concern about the candidates honesty. Trump also weathered concerns about his temperament, qualifications, and treatment of women.

Trump won among men by 12 percentage points, while women backed Clinton by 12 points. This 24-point gender gap eclipses the previous record of 22 points, set in the 2000 race between George W. Bush and Al Gore.

Trump dramatically improved on Mitt Romneys performance among men  the Republican won by 7 among men in 2012. Clinton only improved slightly on President Barack Obamas 11-point margin among women.

Plus, women made up 52 percent of the electorate, down one point from 2012 and similar to 1996 and 2000 (52 percent).

She won blacks by 80 points, down from Obamas 87-point margin in 2012. Hispanics opted for Clinton by 36 points, a dramatic decrease from Obamas 44-point win in the last election.

Nearly three-in-ten Hispanics (29 percent) voted for Trump, more than the 27 percent Romney received in 2012.

Trump won by 21 points among white voters, an uptick from Romneys 20-point edge in 2012 and the widest Republican margin among whites since at least 1992. White men voted for Trump by 32 points, while white women broke for him by 10 points.

Some of Trumps strongest support came from white voters without a college degree (67 percent)  and particularly white men without a degree (72 percent).

Voters with a college degree favored Clinton by nine points, though college-educated whites went for Trump, 49-45 percent.

Trump also ran up big margins among core Republican constituencies, including conservatives (81 percent) and white evangelicals (81 percent). These numbers were comparable to Romneys performance (82 percent among conservatives, 78 percent among white evangelicals).

Democrats made up 37 percent of the electorate and Republicans 33. That is a decrease in the Democratic, when they held a 38-32 percent edge.

Union households  long a stronghold of Democratic support  went for Clinton by eight points. Thats a 10-point drop from Obamas total last time, and the lowest union support for a Democrat in the past 20 years.

THE CANDIDATES

Four-in-ten voters (39 percent) were looking for a candidate who could bring about needed change. These voters favored Trump, 83-14 percent.

Clinton won those who wanted a candidate who cares about people like them by 23 points, by 40 among those who prioritized judgment, and by 82 among those who said experience was the most important quality to their vote.

After a campaign dominated by various candidate scandals and not the issues, voters had unfavorable opinions of both candidates. Clintons favorability was under water by 10 points (44 percent favorable and 54 percent unfavorable). Still, thats better than views of Trump: 38 percent favorable, 60 percent unfavorable.

Voters were put off by Trumps controversial comments about women. Fully seven-in-ten voters said his treatment of women bothered them. These voters favored Clinton, 65 to 29 percent.

Controversy over Clintons use of a private email server while secretary of state reemerged in the final days of the campaign, and 63 percent of voters were bothered by her email practices. This hurt Clinton, as 70 percent of those bothered by her email scandal went for Trump.

Against this backdrop, just 41 percent cast their vote because they strongly favored their candidate. More said they liked their candidate but had reservations (32 percent) or disliked the other candidates (25 percent).

Trumps supporters were split between favoring their candidate (37 percent), liking him but with reservations (33 percent), and voting against Clinton (28 percent).

Clinton voters, on the other hand, were more likely to say they favored their candidate (46 percent) than say they liked her with reservations (32 percent) or disliked Trump (21 percent).

Voters did not see either candidate as honest and trustworthy, though ratings were slightly better for Clinton (36 percent) than for Trump (33 percent).

Clinton was seen as the more qualified candidate and the one with the temperament to lead. Over half (55 percent) of voters said Clinton had the right temperament. Far fewer  35 percent  said the same of Trump.

Voters had similar evaluations of the candidates qualifications: 52 percent said Clinton was qualified for the job, compared to 38 percent who said the same of Trump.

MOOD OF THE COUNTRY

Trumps win came as a majority of Americans were dissatisfied (46 percent) or angry (23 percent) with the way the federal government is working. Trump won big among these angry voters.

Half of the electorate thinks the government is doing too many things better left to business and individuals. Thats about the same as 2012 (51 percent).

More than six-in-ten voters have a gloomy assessment of the economy: 41 percent rate the economy as not so good and another 21 percent say poor.

Still, thats an improvement from 2012: 45 percent not so good and 31 percent poor.

Although they may not be happy with the way the government is working or the state of the economy, a 53-percent majority approves of the job Obama is doing as president. Bill Clinton left office with a 57-percent approval rating in 2000, while Bush had 27-percent approval in 2008.

Despite the presidents approval rating, more voters think the next commander-in-chief should adopt more conservative policies (48 percent) than continue Obamas policies (28 percent) or adopt more liberal ones (17 percent).

E pluribus unum? After an election season that included protests of police use of force against minorities and claims by Trump that the system was rigged against him and his supporters, Americans are deeply divided about the fairness of U.S. institutions.

Overall, a 48-point plurality thinks the nations criminal justice system is unfair to blacks. Slightly fewer  43 percent  think the system is fair to all. Black voters are particularly likely to feel the system treats them unfairly (81 percent).

THE ISSUES

For more than half of voters (52 percent), the economy is the most important issue facing the country. Far fewer cite terrorism (18 percent), foreign policy (13 percent) and immigration (13 percent).

More voters trust Trump to handle the economy: 49-46 percent. Clinton is trusted by more to handle foreign policy, 52-43 percent.

For two-in-ten voters (21 percent), appointments to the Supreme Court was the most important issue to their vote. These voters broke for Trump, 56-41 percent.

Seven-in-ten voters think illegal immigrants currently working in the United States should be offered a chance to apply for citizenship (70 percent), rather than being deported (25 percent). In 2012, 65 percent said chance for citizenship and 28 percent favored deportation.

Clinton won those who believe illegals should have a chance at citizenship by 26 points. Trump dominated among those who prefer deportation (+70 points).

Trumps signature immigration proposal  to build a wall along the Mexican border  received support from 41 percent of voters. Three-in-ten Latinos (29 percent) support the idea.

WISCONSIN

Trumps strength among working-class white voters carried him to an upset win in Wisconsin, as he became the first Republican to win the Badger State since 1984.

Trump did better among white men (59 percent) than Romney did in 2012 (56 percent). Clinton garnered 48 percent among white women, well below the 53 percent Obama got in 2012.

White voters without a college degree proved to be the bulwark of Trumps support, as he racked up a 63-32 percent win among this group. College-educated whites broke for Clinton by a narrower 10-point margin.

Trumps criticism of NAFTA and other U.S. trade deals played well in Wisconsin. Half of Wisconsin voters think international trade takes away U.S. jobs (50 percent), while 35 percent think it creates jobs. And those who say it takes away jobs heavily favored Trump: 63-32 percent.

Union workers have long been a source of support for Democrats in Wisconsin  two-thirds (66%) voted for Obama in 2012. But Trump cut into this margin, as Clinton only won 52 percent of the union vote.

Clintons use of a private email server and the subsequent FBI investigation also played a big role: 66 percent of Wisconsin voters said Clintons email practices bothered them. These voters broke for Trump by a 50-point margin.

Trump spent time in Wisconsin toward the end of the campaign. That, combined with the FBIs additional investigation into Clintons emails, may have tipped the state into Trumps column. He won a majority of late-deciding voters.

OHIO

As Ohio goes, so goes the nation: the last seven Republicans who have won the state have won the presidency. Donald Trump flipped the state into the Republican column this year.

Trumps criticism of international trade played particularly well in Ohio. Nearly half of Ohio voters (48 percent) think trade with other countries takes away jobs, compared 32 percent who think it creates jobs.

Those who think trade hurts jobs broke for Trump by 67-29 percent margin.

His message on trade also appears to have helped him among union voters. He won a majority of union members  52 percent  a dramatic improvement over the 37 percent Romney took home in 2012.

White evangelical voters made up one-third of the electorate (33 percent), up from 31 percent last time around. Trump made major inroads among these voters, winning 76 percent  an improvement on Romneys 69 percent.

In 2012, Obama won among voters without a college degree, 53-46 percent. This year, that dynamic flipped: Trump won those without college degrees by 4 points. He won college graduates by eight points.

Clinton was also hurt by a downturn in support from black voters. While African-Americans turned out (they made up 14 percent of the electorate this year and 15 percent in 2012), she won 90 percent of them  down from Obamas 96-percent win.

FLORIDA

Trump won the Sunshine State thanks to an uptick in support among non-white voters.

The white share of the electorate has continued to decline  from 71 percent in 2008, to 67 percent in 2012, and 62 percent this year. Trump won Floridas white voters by 31 points.

Trump racked up large margins among both college-educated whites (+27 points) and working class whites (+35 points).

Floridas Latino voters turned out in force, accounting for 19 percent of all voters, up from 17 percent last time around. Clinton won 63 percent of Latinos, up from the 60 percent that Obama won in 2012.

Trump won by 13 points among Floridas sizable Cuban-American population, a dramatic reversal of Obamas two-point win in 2012.

Trump also doubled the support Romney received from black voters, tallying 8 percent this year.

Nearly half of all Floridians felt Obamas signature health care law went too far (46 percent). Trump won these voters by a whopping 78-17 margin.

Florida has a large share of seniors, a group that favored Trump by 18 percentage points. Seniors went for Romney by 17 points in 2012.

NORTH CAROLINA

With the first African-American president no longer on the ballot, the electorate in North Carolina was less diverse than in 2012  which led to a win for Trump.

White voters made up 71 percent of the electorate this year, and broke for Trump by 30 points. Trump amassed huge wins among working-class whites (+44 points) and white evangelicals (+64 points).

The Obama coalition did not warm to Clinton. She underperformed among both non-whites and young voters.

Blacks accounted for 19 percent of the electorate, down from 23 percent in 2012. While Clinton won blacks by 83 points, that was a decrease from Obamas 92-point margin. Clintons margin among Hispanics (+20 points) was also a notable drop from Obamas 37-point margin in 2012.

Young voters propelled Obama to victory in North Carolina in 2008 and kept the state close in 2012  but Clinton won 60 percent of the young vote this year, well off the 67 percent Obama won last time.

Racial tensions in North Carolina came to the forefront this year after the killing of a black man by Charlotte police officers in September and allegations that the state curtailed blacks access to early voting. Voters were divided on whether the justice system treats all people fairly (41 percent) or treats blacks unfairly (47 percent). Most blacks (81 percent) feel the system treats them unfairly.

COLORADO

The changing Colorado electorate provided Clinton a much-needed swing state win. She benefitted from strong support among Latinos, young voters and newcomers to the state.

Latino voters accounted for 13 percent of the Colorado electorate, down from 14 percent in 2012. Clinton won Hispanics by 40 points, down from Obamas 52-point margin last time.

Trump won among white voters, 45-42 percent.

Clinton racked up a sizable 10-point win among young voters. Seniors split: 49 percent for Clinton, 47 percent for Trump.

Roughly six-in-ten Colorado voters were not born in the state. Clinton won these non-natives by seven points.

Trump won Colorados sizable collection of independent voters by three points. Romney won independents by four points in 2012.

Trump was out of step with Coloradans on immigration. By more than four to one, more voters believe illegal immigrants working in the U.S. should have a chance at citizenship (78 percent) than think they should be deported (16 percent).

Voters who favor a path to citizenship broke for Clinton by 25 points.

Nearly one-third of Colorado voters (31 percent) are angry with the way the government is working these days. These angry voters overwhelmingly supported Trump (67-18 percent). Trump also won big among Colorados rural voters (+20 points).

METHODOLOGY

Edison Research conducted this exit poll for Fox News and interviewed approximately 24,500 voters as they left randomly-selected polling places around the country.
House Speaker Paul Ryan vowed Wednesday to help lead a unified Republican government with Donald Trump as president, promising Americans that the entire party can now work hand in hand to solve the countrys problems.

Ryans remarks extended an olive branch to Trump, the GOP president-elect with whom hes had an up-and-down relationship since the start of the 2016 election cycle.

The Wisconsin congressman and leader of the GOP-controlled House said that hed already spoken twice with Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence, a former House member whom Ryan praised for his like-minded conservative principles.

Ryans comments also came before returning to Capitol Hill next week to address challenges like ObamaCare and passing a federal budget to avoid a looming government shutdown. And they came amid a divided House Republican Conference, which had already been at odds over the populist, anti-establishment message that Trump will bring to Washington in January.

With a unified Republican government, we can fix these problems, Ryan said Wednesday at a press conference in Wisconsin. What I see is great potential. What I see is a unified government.

Ryan and Trump have had an uneasy relationship since the start of Trumps improbable outsider campaign, which began with him vanquishing 16 major candidates in the GOP presidential primaries.

The relationship was at its worst in early October when Ryan said he would stop campaigning for Trump after the release of a 2005 audiotape in which Trump is heard making lewd comments regarding women.

However, Ryan voted for Trump and on Wednesday said hed spoken to the president-elect twice since he was declared the winner overnight.

He turned politics on its head, Ryan said from Wisconsin. We will work hand in hand.

He also thanked Trump for pulling several House and Senate Republicans over the finish line this election cycle to give the GOP control of the White House and both chambers.

Donald Trump provided a lot of coattails, Ryan also said.

Still, Ryan returns to Capitol Hill amid a Republican caucus divided over him abandoning Trump in the final stretch of a then-close race with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Ryan, who in fall 2015 accepted the job of leading the GOP-led House, was already under fire from the chambers most conservative wing -- in large part for relying on House Democrats to pass legislation when he couldnt get the support of rank-and-file Republicans.

During the months-long Capitol Hill recess that ends next week, there have been rumblings about detractors trying to end Ryans roughly 14-month-long leadership of the GOP-controlled House.

However, the House Freedom Caucus, part of the chambers most conservative faction, has dismissed news reports about an attempt to replace Ryan.

The group is scheduled to meet Nov. 15, upon returning to Capitol Hill.

Virginia GOP Rep. Dave Brat told FoxNews.com on Wednesday that Ryan had indeed identified that Trump had tapped into something the other politicians had missed. However, he urged the speaker to identify exactly what resonated with voters and present that to them.

We have to put some meat on the bone, said Brat, who in 2014 ousted House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a Tea Party-backed effort in which pollsters also gave him low odds of winning. What is that new thing? What animated this election?

Meanwhile, the conservative group Freedom Works has proposed postponing the House Republicans vote this month to re-appoint Ryan.

The group argues that such a vote should be held after seeing whether Ryan holds to conservative principles during Congress lame duck session. The full vote would be held in January.

Ryan on Wednesday also argued that Republicans, with Trump in the White House, now have the opportunity to repeal and replace ObamaCare, outgoing President Obamas 2010 universal health-care law that has become increasingly expensive for many Americans.

We werent able to pass legislation, but with a unified Republican government, we can fix these problems, he said.

Republicans went into Election Day with a 54-to-46 majority in the Senate, with Democrats needing to gain just five seats to retake control of the chamber.

As of Wednesday, the GOP still had at least a 51-seat majority in the upper chamber.

We look forward to working with him, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday after Trumps victory. Well be enthusiastically supportive of almost all of his things. And when we have differences, we talk about them privately.

Republicans were expected to keep control of the House. They entered Election Day with a 59-seat House advantage, so Democrats would have had to gain 30 seats to take control of the chamber. They were expected to pick up 10 to 20 seats, but gained no more than nine.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., congratulated Trump and urged him to offer a robust infrastructure jobs bill that Congress can quickly pass and to protect and defend Americans in a manner that is strong and smart, and that honors the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform.

Fox News Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
President-elect Donald Trump hasnt minced words about what legacy legislation would be on the chopping block from President Obama's administration.

From the start, Trump has vowed to repeal ObamaCare within his first 100 days in office. His upset victory early Wednesday immediately raises thorny questions about whats next for a range of hot-button issues  from the vacancy on the Supreme Court to pending trade deals to immigration policy to health care.

The Affordable Care Act, commonly known as ObamaCare, has been a GOP target for many years. Trump claimed in the last few weeks of the election that he might even call a special session of Congress to get it done.

We will do it, and we will do it very, very quickly, he promised, discussing the ACA. Its a catastrophe.

Now that he's the president-elect, and Republicans who have tried doggedly for years to repeal the law have retained control of the House and Senate, the party has a potential pathway to unravel the ACA.

"With unified Republican government, we can fix this," House Speaker Paul Ryan said of ObamaCare on Wednesday.

TRUMP'S AGENDA: WHAT HIS ELECTION MEANS FOR AMERICA

Amid spiking premium costs, Ryan also told The Washington Post Wednesday that the law is "collapsing under its own weight."

Beyond Republicans' blunt opposition to ObamaCare, there are few specifics on how the dismantling and rebuilding of a national health care system would look.

But supporters like Families USA, a liberal consumer-health lobby, organized a midafternoon call with hundreds of ObamaCare advocates in about 40 states to start mapping a grassroots campaign to fend off challenges from a Trump administration.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Obama will have the chance to discuss these policies with Trump but said the president's top priority is not his legacy but the millions of Americans who got health insurance under the law.

RBC Royal Bank analyst Frank Morgan said the impact of a Trump win would likely inject an unhealthy dose of uncertainty for the health care industry.

During the first quarter of this year, the rate of the countrys uninsured fell below 9 percent for the first time to 8.6 percent.

Still, premium spikes for 2017 are being felt by millions, and helped fuel Trump's presidential bid in the final weeks.

Trumps victory on Wednesday also has major consequences for the makeup of the Supreme Court. Obamas outgoing pick, Judge Merrick Garland, appeared certain not to make the bench; Trumps victory will likely pave the way for the nine-member court to be restored to full capacity, with the court once again leaning right.

Trump's decisive, map-realigning victory, was in large part won by his focus on the Supreme Court issue, Ken Blackwell, former Ohio secretary of state who is on the board of numerous conservative organizations, told FoxNews.com. The American people showed their rejection and disdain for adding more liberals to the Court by voting to re-elect a Republican Senate.

Blackwell believes Trumps position on the Supreme Court "seriously and publicly demonstrated his approach to governing when he announced repeatedly that he asked America's pre-eminent legal experts associated with The Federalist Society to provide him a list of the most qualified and experienced judges with solid records of jurisprudence.

Another Obama legacy item on the line is the Trans Pacific Partnership. The 12-member free-trade agreement pushed by the Obama administration as a way to deepen economic ties has been knocked multiple times by Trump. He has vowed to ditch the deal when sworn in.

TPP is now in the history dustbin for sure, Gary Hufbauer, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, told POLITICO Pro. Other trade initiatives including the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and the Trade in Services Agreement are also likely to fall by the wayside.

Whether Trump will follow through on some of his more controversial comments on immigration  building a wall and making Mexico pay for it  as well as his call for "extreme vetting" for immigrants from terror-prone countries has yet to be seen.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus downplayed concerns over a mass deportation during an appearance on MSNBC and said, I think everyone learns as they go through this process.

He added, (Trumps) not calling for mass deportation. He said, no, only people who have committed crimes and only until all of that has been taken care of do we look at what we do next."
Donald Trump defied the polls and pundits until the very end, defeating Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in Tuesdays presidential election.

His win comes as a wake-up call to establishment politicians, as his win exposes the dissatisfaction with the way politicians have run things in the past.

Trump acknowledged during his acceptance speech early Wednesday morning saying America will get along with all other nations willing to get along with us.

The world took notice to this historic election as well. Some responses were hopeful for foreign relations to continue smoothly.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald Trump on winning the U.S. presidential election. The Kremlin said in a brief statement that Putin expressed "his hope to work together for removing Russian-American relations from their crisis state."

Putin also said he has "confidence that building a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington that is based on principles of equality, mutual respect and a real accounting each other's positions, in the interests of our peoples and the world community."

Turkey's justice minister Bekiz Bozdag also commented on the election telling the state-run Anadolu Agency on Wednesday, "in essence our relations are relations between two states and we hope that under the new presidential term the Turkish-U.S. relations will be much better. That is our expectation."

A top Palestinian official acknowledged on Wednesday that he doesnt expect the U.S. positions to change on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict under Donald Trump.

Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, "We have been preparing so that we can respond to any situation because our stance is that our alliance with the U.S. remains to be the cornerstone of our diplomacy whoever becomes the next president."

During his speech on Wednesday morning, Trump had a message of hope saying he plans for America to deal fairly with everyone, all people, and all nations.

In his campaign he has caused a great deal of controversy with his plans to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, bring trade cases against China and his plans to deport all criminal aliens out of the country.

While some comments of Trumps victory were positive, others were not as warm.

Frances Socialist government openly endorsed Clinton. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said France would work with the new president, but expressed concern saying, "We don't want a world where egoism triumphs. Ayrault added, "There is a part of our electorate that feels ... abandoned," including people who feel "left behind" by globalization.

Indonesians called to question Americans who voted for the billionaire on social media. Some people say that under a Trump administration they fear they'll be prevented from visiting relatives and friends who live in America or traveling there as tourists.

A couple of Chinese participants at a U.S. Embassy event in Beijing say they'd welcome a Trump presidency, while another says he thinks the Republican candidate projects a flawed image of the United States.

Speaking of Cuba's leaders, Communist Party member and noted economist and political scientist Esteban Morales told the Telesur network that "they must be worried because I think this represents a new chapter."

Carlos Alzugaray, a political scientist and retired Cuban diplomat, said a Trump victory could, however, please some hard-liners in the Cuban leadership who worried that Cuba was moving too close to the United States too quickly.

Many people joked threatening to leave the U.S. in the event of a Trump win, however Canada and the prospect of Americans moving there appears to have drawn so much online interest that it has knocked out the country's immigration website.

Searches for "move to Canada" and "immigrate to Canada" spiked Tuesday night as election returns favored Republican nominee Donald Trump. "Canada" was a leading U.S. trend on Twitter, with more than 1 million tweets.

The NATO chief discussed Trumps call for counter-terrorism efforts saying hes ready to discuss his push further but a collective defense of Europe is needed.

Trumps speech was one of inclusion, a desire for change and a new chapter for America with a message of creating a nation for all and helping world relations adding, We will have great relations all around the world.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on Donald Trump to extradite a U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen -- blamed by Ankara for the failed coup in July -- as soon as he is sworn in. Binali Yildirim also said Wednesday that he hoped that the new leadership in the United States would take into consideration Turkey's "sensitivities concerning the fight against terrorism," give priority to policies that would bring peace and stability to the region and advance traditional friendship between the two countries. Ties between the two allies have been strained over perceptions in Turkey that the United States is reluctant to arrest and extradite Gulen.
A $100 million search for intelligent alien life just added a big arrow to its quiver.

Breakthrough Listen has begun using the Parkes radio telescope in Australia to scan the heavens, representatives of the ambitious, decade-long project announced Monday.

The Parkes dish becomes the third telescope to be employed by Breakthrough Listen, joining the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia and the Automated Planet Finder at Lick Observatory in Northern California. [13 Ways to Hunt Intelligent Aliens]

"The addition of Parkes is an important milestone," billionaire entrepreneur Yuri Milner, founder of the Breakthrough Initiatives, which include Breakthrough Listen, said in a statement. "These major instruments are the ears of planet Earth, and now they are listening for signs of other civilizations."

The first Breakthrough Listen observations for the Parkes dish came Monday, when scientists turned the telescope toward the Proxima Centauri star system to look for possible signals from alien civilizations.

Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the sun, lying just 4.2 light-years away from Earth's star. This past August, astronomers announced the discovery of an Earth-size planet orbiting in Proxima Centauri's "habitable zone," the just-right range of distances where liquid water could exist on a world's surface.

It's therefore possible that the planet, known as Proxima b, may be capable of supporting life as we know it, scientists have said.

"The chances of any particular planet hosting intelligent life-forms are probably minuscule," Andrew Siemion, director of the University of California, Berkeley's SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Research Center, said in the same statement.

"But once we knew there was a planet right next door, we had to ask the question, and it was a fitting first observation for Parkes," Siemion added. "To find a civilization just 4.2 light-years away would change everything."

Proxima Centauri is also the target of Breakthrough Starshot, a Breakthrough Initiatives effort that aims to blast tiny, sail-equipped "nanoprobes" toward the system at 20 percent the speed of light using powerful lasers.

Milner and a group of researchers, including famed cosmologist Stephen Hawking, announced Breakthrough Listen in July 2015. Over the next 10 years, the $100 million endeavor aims to search the 1 million stars closest to the sun, as well as the 100 nearest galaxies to the Milky Way, for possible SETI signals.

The 210-foot-wide Parkes dish, which is operated by Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), lies near the town of Parkes, in the state of New South Wales. The radio telescope famously helped relay live video of the Apollo 11 moon landing back to Earth in July 1969, a role featured in the 2000 film "The Dish."

Breakthrough Listen representatives also announced last month that the project would be teaming up with China's new Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST)  the world's largest radio telescope  to coordinate SETI observations.

Originally published on Space.com.
Donald Trump spectacularly defied pollsters and pundits on the way to his shock election victory over Hillary Clinton, but Google search data may have hinted that an upset was on the cards.

Google data show that Trump accounted for 55 percent of search views between Nov. 6 and Tuesdays Election Day, after regularly dominating his Democratic rival in search during the final weeks of the campaign.

Data compiled between Nov. 6 and Nov. 8, for example, show Trump winning the Google search battle in the key state of Pennsylvania, where almost every poll predicted a Clinton victory. Trump also dominated search in the battleground states of Florida, Michigan and North Carolina.

READY FOR THE NEXT @POTUS? WHITE HOUSE REVEALS DIGITAL TRANSITION PLAN

The Election Day search numbers should perhaps come as no surprise  after announcing his candidacy in June 2015, Trump Google led search for most of the election campaign.

Experts are now weighing the value of search information in providing clues to his eventual upset win. With all these Google searches, people were obviously looking him up for a reason, and they wanted to know before they went to the voting booth, social media expert and President of JRM Comm Jason Mollica, told FoxNews.com. Any political campaign, especially the bigger it gets, needs to look more closely at what people are searching for and where they are searching from.

Trumps Campaign Manager Kellyanne Conway credited the phenomenon of undercover Trump voters as a factor in the upset win during an interview with Fox & Friends Wednesday. Conway described small but potent force who didnt reveal they planned to vote for the Republican nominee and drew parallels with the so-called "shy voters" who backed the U.K.s shock "Brexit" vote earlier this year.

VOTING IN ORBIT: NASA ASTRONAUT CASTS BALLOT FROM INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

The fiercely-contested election also sparked intense activity on Twitter, which said that 75 million global Tweets related to #Election2016 were sent out through 3 a.m. ET Wednesday when Trump claimed victory.

Over 75M global Tweets were sent related to #Election2016 through 3am ET when president-elect @realDonaldTrump claimed victory pic.twitter.com/AWDBRJR4Rn  Twitter Government (@gov) November 9, 2016

Trumps first Tweet as president elect, sent out at 6:36 a.m. ET, has garnered over 154,000 retweets and more than 377,000 likes.

The billionaire made extensive use of Twitter during the campaign, often to explosive effect, which helped pave his way to the White House, according to Ben Kaplan CEO of viral PR firm PR Hacker. A high frequency of controversial tweets and comments made Trump stronger in aggregate because they took over the news cycle while reminding voters he's a non-establishment outsider (the key message of the election), he explained, in a statement emailed to FoxNews.com. Triggering viral emotions (like anger and anxiety) mattered more than Hillary's "ground game" and high TV ad spend in driving voter turnout.

Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers
The Navys newest missile destroyer, the sleek and stealthy USS Zumwalt, cost over $4 billion and according to a new report, the munitions for its large gun system are pretty pricey too: $800,000 a pop. That makes them expensive enough that the Navy wants to find a different projectile for the guns, the report said.

The Navy touted the Zumwalt as its most technologically advanced warship when it was commissioned in mid-October, and besides its stealthy radar signature, the powerful ship is also notable for being able to operate with a very small crew of only 147.

But the issue is with the price tag of a munition called the Long Range Land-Attack Projectile (LRLAP), that could reportedly cost $800,000 or more each, according to Defense News. Those high-tech weapons are designed to be shot out of the ships Advanced Gun System; Lockheed Martin says they are the most accurate and longest-range guided projectile in U.S. Navy history. They can reach over 73 miles, according to the aerospace and defense company.

US NAVY COMMISSIONS THE ZUMWALT, A DESTROYER LIKE NO OTHER

The problem, Defense News said, was that since fewer of the Zumwalt-class ships will be built than originally expected the final number will be just three the issue became the cost of each projectile.

We were going to buy thousands of these rounds, a Navy source told Defense News. But quantities of ships killed the affordable round.

A spokesman said that the Navy is looking at other solutions for the projectile needs of the Zumwalt, which has hull number DDG 1000.

"The Navy continuously monitors the gun and ammunition industry capability and capacities, Navy spokesperson Capt. Thurraya S. Kent told FoxNews.com in an email. To address evolving threats and mission requirements, the Navy has evaluated industry projectile solutions--including conventional and hyper-velocity projectiles--that can also meet the DDG 1000 deployment schedule and that could potentially be used as an alternative to LRLAP for DDG 1000."

The Navy may still use the LRLAP's while the ship is tested, Defense News said.

Follow Rob Verger on Twitter: @robverger
Losing our bagsor at least not knowing where it is that our bags are lostwill soon be a thing of the past. That's good news from the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) World Passenger Summit which took place in Dubai last week.

IATA's Global Passenger Survey of 6,920 frequent flyers revealed that 33 percent of those surveyed want to self-tag their bags, 39 percent want to use electronic bag tags which can be programmed at home before leaving for the airport, and 61 percent of passengers wanted to track their bag throughout their trip.

Airlines are turning to smart luggage solutions to comply with IATAs baggage Resolution 753 which requires tracking of all passenger bags at major transfer points. It goes into effect in 2018.

The end of lost luggage? Delta rolls our new tracking technology

Air transport technology company SITA says that real-time tracking of luggage tracking could also save the aviation industry $3 billion over the next seven years.

Delta Air Lines is an early adopter, having introduced RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) luggage tags this April.

We are investing in RFID to further improve our baggage handling rates and improve the customer experience, said David Hosford, manager of baggage performance strategy at Delta Air Lines. RFID technology provides us with more data and more precise tracking information throughout the baggage journey.

Delta's tags look and work just like ordinary printed tags. But ordinary printed barcodes can be damaged in transit, or folded so that they difficult for airport scanners to read. The RFID chip embedded Delta's printed tags helps identify the bag quickly, even if the barcode can't be read.

SITA, which supported the introduction of Delta's RFID tags, says that airlines using RFID tags report a 99 percent success rate in capturing bag tracking data.

The airline industry is on the brink of a revolution in baggage tracking, said Jim Peters, Chief Technology Officer at SITA. Deploying RFID globally will increase accuracy and reduce mishandling rates. This is a win-win situationpassengers will be happier, operations will run smoother and airlines will save billions of dollars.

Digital Tags

But while printed RFID embedded bar tags are practical and cheap solutions, some airlines and innovative companies are exploring digital tag solutions.

The top of the line in this category is RIMOWA's app-enabled smart luggage, which uses a digital display of bag tag information similar to a printed tag. It lets you check in your luggage from home in seconds, using a mobile phone app.

The RIMOWA luggage also supports airline real-time tracking of luggage. But the quick drop-off stations are not available everywhere. RIMOWA has partnered with Lufthansa to introduce the system in Germany, and testing of RIMOWA smart luggage is underway at Eva Air, United, Condor, and Thomas Cook.

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Some independents are working on similar sturdy digital displays, which could be fixed to luggage you already own.

Netherlands-based DS Tags offers a digital luggage tag solution which uses NFC (Near Field Communications) and Bluetooth, and which can update flight information and baggage tracking details with a mobile app. The DS Tags solution would also let travelers check their luggage before arriving at the airport, but the company is still in discussion with airlines on a deployment.

Air-France/KLM along with Samsonite have explored a smart tag solution which could self-report on its location. It uses a GSM, GPS tracker stored inside the luggage with a separate digital luggage tag and pairs these to a traveller app via Bluetooth. While the concept is uber-cool, it hasn't managed to get off the ground yet.

Keep It Simple

The simplest solution is often the best. RFID is easy for airlines to deploy and for airports to support, and is more affordable for everyone. SITA says RFID tags cost about $0.10 per passenger.

RFID tracking is already common in airline operations: The tags are used to keep tabs on thousands of critical airline parts, including those life jackets under your seat. By keeping the printed barcode, Delta also ensures that bags can be scanned at airports which aren't equipped with RFID readers.

Many airports around the world are equipped with RFID readers or currently adopting the technology in their baggage management systems. In all, 84 airports in the United Statesare RFID-ready.

Or Travel Without Luggage

IATAs passenger survey also reveals that many of us would like to travel without having to worry about our luggage at all: 26 percent of passengers surveyed would like their luggage picked up from home and delivered to the airport and 24 percent would like to drop off their luggage somewhere other than the airport, like at a hotel or train station.

Services have also popped up to fill this need.

In the U.K., London-based travel technology company AirPortr has partnered with British Airways on a Bag Check-In process which lets passengers check their bags from any address in London, and not have to worry about it until they land at their destination. The Airportr service has been around since 2014, but only recently linked up with BA to add the baggage pre-check feature.

The one element of air travel that remained stuck in the 20th century was luggage and how to make the travel process more seamless for passengers, said Randel Darby, AirPortr CEO.

For added peace of mind, luggage checked with AirPortr can be GPS tracked in real time, so you can be sure it got to the airport. Prices start at 30 from central London addresses for the first bag with and 10 for each additional bag.

There are also AirPortr drop-off stations at the exit of London's Heathrow, Gatwick and London City airports for anyone who wants to drop off their bags for home or hotel delivery before they take the tube or the train.

Garde Robe, with storage locations in New York, California, Las Vegas, Florida, and Australia, goes the extra mile and then some. The service stores and digitally catalogues your outfits, cleans and cares for them between uses, and ships clothing and personal items ahead, wherever you need them to be around the world. It's a pricey luxury (starting at $350 per month for a membership) suited to more affluent globetrotters and jet-setters.
Donald Trumps call for Muslims to be banned from entering the U.S. has been one of the more controversial comments made during the 2016 presidential election campaign.

But an airline from the Muslim-majority kingdom of Jordan has taken it in their stride with a touch of humor.

Trump family touts business successes at DC hotel opening

As Americans headed to the polls to vote in the presidential election, Royal Jordanian Airlines posted a promotion on social media advertising flights to the U.S.

It reads, Just in case he wins ... Travel to the US while youre still allowed to!

On Wednesday morning, the well-timed post had already garnered over 13,000 shakes and 2,100 comments.

The Jordanian-based carrier flies to several U.S. cities including New York City, Chicago and Detroit, Mich. In Jordan, Sunni Islam is the dominant religion.

Inside the lavish hotel bar at Trump's newest property

Trump originally proposed an outright ban on Muslim immigration to the U.S. but later softened his stance to extreme vetting.

This story originally appeared on news.com.au.
Ahead of Election Day, a slew of celebrities declared theyd be moving to Canada if Donald Trump captured the presidency.

Now, after a historic election night, it looks like the rich and famous arent the only ones looking to make a move away from the States.

According to travel site CheapFlights.com, searches in the U.S. for one-way flights to Canada more than doubled on election night.

"The data so far shows that Canada looks to be the favourite [sic] potential safe haven for nervous results watchers," the company said in an email to Huffington Post Canada.

You can catch me on the next flight to Canada  #ripamerica #Notrump2016  Tay (@taylorlynch_) November 9, 2016

Waiting on my flight to Canada like #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/xkWMMu0GrP  Kelz Wright (@4everKelz) November 9, 2016

According to the site, searches for Canadian-bound flights were up 133 percent s by 6 p.m. ET compared to the average search numbers for the past four Tuesdays.

But are people actually booking these trips?

Canadas official immigration website crashed around 11 p.m. ET, shortly after many news outlets began declaring highly contentious swing states had gone for Trump. Google Trends also reported a major spike in searches for terms Move to Australia and Move to New Zealand have spiked over the past few hours, according to news.com.au.

Priceline Group and several major OTAs were not immediately available for comment Tuesday morning.
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Oregon is expecting a record number of visits to its state parks and federal lands for the second year in a row.

Data from multiple agencies shows that the crowds began growing in 2013 and show no signs of slowing down, reported The Statesman Journal. The Columbia River Gorge and Central Oregon are the fastest-growing recreation areas, but visits to the coast, Crater Lake National Park and John Day Fossil Beds have also increased.

"The upside is that we're serving more people than ever before - and seeing more smiles than ever before," said Chris Havel, spokesman for Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. "At the same time, we're having problems keeping up with crowding, trash, and the wear and tear on parks."

The $10.8 billion industry accounts for more than 105,000 jobs, according to Travel Oregon, the state's tourism bureau, and can offer an economic boost to rural towns. But it has also resulted in damage to ecologically sensitive areas and fatal accidents.

Trouble spots in recent years include Opal Creek Scenic Area, Oneonta Gorge and Blue Pool on the McKenzie River. Oregon officials are considering a cap on the number of people allowed to visit certain destinations.

The tourism at Opal Creek "puts a tremendous amount of pressure on this fragile, natural environment," said Josh Weathers, developed recreation manager for Willamette National Forest. "From trash and human waste, fires left burning, to just trampled vegetation and soil . it's being loved to death."
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A gunman with an assault rifle killed a man and critically wounded two women Tuesday in a California neighborhood near two polling sites that were shut down before the attacker was found dead inside a nearby home, authorities said.

One polling place was reopened hours after a gunbattle involving the gunman and Azusa police.

The shooting "had nothing to do with the ballot or voting," Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. John Corina said. "It just happened to be across the street from the park where the voting was taking place and also an elementary school" that was being used as a polling site.

"Nobody was shooting at those locations," Corina said.

County election officials advised voters to visit other polling places where they could cast provisional ballots.

Police responding to reports of afternoon gunfire exchanged shots with the suspect before taking cover in the park, Azusa police Chief Steve Hunt said. No officers were hurt.

A SWAT team sealed off the area and hours later entered the nearby home, where they found the gunman dead, authorities said.

Investigators didn't know whether the gunman died by police bullets or killed himself, Corina said.

Two women in their mid-50s were wounded and hospitalized in critical condition, Corina said.

The motive of the shooting was unknown and it was unclear whether the attacker knew his victims, Corina said.

The names of the gunman and victims were not immediately released.
A police officer was fatally shot Tuesday outside a fast-food restaurant in eastern Arizona, and authorities were negotiating with a barricaded suspect.

Police identified the suspect as Daniel Erickson, 36, of Huachuca City.

The shooting occurred in Show Low, and Erickson reportedly was holed up in cabin Tuesday night in the nearby Pinetop-Lakeside area.

Highway 260 was closed in the area of the standoff, which is about 10 miles south of Show Low.

Officer Darrin Reed was taken to a hospital in critical condition after the 1:30 p.m. shooting and later died from his injuries, police said.

The police department didn't immediately release Reed's age or number of years on the force or a list of his survivors.

Details of how the shooting occurred or if Erickson was being sought by authorities prior to the incident weren't immediately released by police.

They said Erickson was seen leaving a Show Low hotel near the scene of the shooting in a vehicle and was dressed in a black leather trench coat and reportedly armed with a silver handgun.

The car Erickson drove from the scene was found abandoned Tuesday evening and he was believed to be driving another vehicle with an Arizona license plate, according to authorities.
Police in east-central Arizona were hunting for a gunman after a shooting outside a fast-food restaurant killed an officer.

The Show Low officer, Darrin Reed, died in a nearby hospital several hours after the afternoon shooting. Police identified the suspect as 36-year-old Daniel Erickson and said he was seen leaving a Show Low hotel in a vehicle.

Police said Erickson was dressed in a black leather trench coat and he reportedly was armed with a silver handgun.

The police officer was shot near the hotel about 1:30 p.m., according to investigators. The motive for the shooting wasn't immediately clear.

Police said the car Erickson drove from the scene turned up Tuesday evening, but he was believed to have moved to another vehicle with an Arizona license plate.

Erickson has been known to use the alias of Scott Richardson. Police said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Show Low is in Arizona's Navajo County.

Click for more from Fox 10.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Closing arguments are scheduled for Wednesday in the case of a white former police officer on trial for fatally shooting an unarmed black man during a traffic stop in Ohio.

The University of Cincinnati fired Ray Tensing after his indictment on charges of murder and voluntary manslaughter in the July 2015 death of Sam DuBose.

The defense rested Tuesday following testimony by Tensing that he feared for his life during the traffic stop.

An expert defense witness testified that a frame-by-frame analysis of Tensing's body camera video shows the officer was justified in fearing for his life because his body was "violently twisted" during the confrontation.

A prosecution witness last week used an analysis of the same video to contradict the former officer's statement that he was being dragged by DuBose's vehicle.
A gunman who opened fire in Azusa, Calif., was found dead in a nearby home Thursday night after the shooting forced two polling places in the area to go on lockdown.

The shooter killed one person and wounded at least two others, police said.

Officials locked down the two polling places, Dalton Elementary School and Memorial Park, in the moments after the shots rang out. It was unclear whether the shooting had anything to do with the election.

SECOND GEORGIA DEPUTY DIES AFTER SHOOTING SPARKED BY FIGHT BETWEEN NEIGHBORS

One adult victim was dead on arrival at a nearby hospital and two were airlifted in critical condition, police said.



Azusa and Irwindale police officers exchanged fire with the suspect who darted into the house, Azusa Police Chief Steve Hunt told reporters. Investigators initially said the gunman was a woman before announcing later in the day that it was a man.

EARBUDS, HAIR FOUND IN HUNT FOR CALIFORNIA MOM WHO VANISHED WHILE JOGGING

Officers had urged people in the area to shelter in place. This is a very volatile and critical situation, Azusa Police Officer Jerry Willison told the Los Angeles Times.

"Voters should avoid the area and, if necessary, cast a ballot at an alternate polling location," L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan said.

Willison said none of the officers involved in the shooting was hurt. He said they had to seek cover.

The shooting unfolded just outside Slauson Middle School and near Mountain View Elementary School, which officials locked down for part of the afternoon as well, Fox 11 reported.

Azusa is roughly 20 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

Click for more from Fox 11.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A man suspected of killing an Arizona police officer was fatally shot by officers who had surrounded a cabin where he was holed up, authorities said.

KNXV-TV in Phoenix reports authorities say 36-year-old Daniel Erickson shot at police after more than 6 hours of negotiations late Tuesday, and officers returned fire on the man who was barricaded inside a cabin near the city of Show Low.

There was no immediate word on a motive.

Officer Darrin Reed was taken to a hospital in critical condition after the 1:30 p.m. shooting and later died from his injuries, police said.

Police said Erickson, of Huachuca City, was a convicted felon who has served two prison sentences in Arizona -- a four-year term for a drug conviction in 2009 and five months for an endangerment conviction in 2007.

Police said Erickson was seen leaving a Show Low hotel near the scene of the shooting in a vehicle and was dressed in a black leather trench coat and reportedly armed with a silver handgun.

The car Erickson drove from the scene was found abandoned Tuesday evening and he was believed to be driving another vehicle with an Arizona license plate, according to authorities.
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Authorities have arrested the estranged wife of a man found buried on a rural South Carolina property owned by a suspect in several homicides.

Anderson police told news media that 35-year-old Nichole Ellen Carver was arrested Tuesday.

Police say Nichole Carver posed as a detective when she called AT&T last month to track down the location of Charlie Carver's phone.

Charlie Carver was reported missing in August with his girlfriend, Kala Brown. Brown was rescued from a storage container on the Spartanburg County property last week and told sheriff's deputies her boyfriend had been shot and killed. Carver's body was found Friday.

The property owner, Todd Kohlhepp, has been arrested and deputies say he confessed to killing four other people in the county in 2003. He has not been charged in Carver's death.
The estranged wife of the missing South Carolina man whose body was located on a property during a state-wide search was arrested Tuesday for allegedly impersonating a police officer, FoxCarolina.com reported.

Nicole Carver, who was married to Charlie Carver, called AT&T and identified herself as a police detective, the report said, citing warrants. She reportedly was attempting to geo-locate her husbands cell phone.

Carver was reported missing in August with his girlfriend, Kala Brown. Brown was rescued from a storage container on the Spartanburg County property last week and told sheriff's deputies her boyfriend had been shot and killed. Carver's body was found Friday.

The property owner, Todd Kohlhepp, has been arrested and deputies say he confessed to killing four other people in the county in 2003. He has not been charged in Carver's death. Two other bodies were located on the property. Coroner Rusty Clevenger said Wednesday that one of the victims was a 25-year-old woman who appears to have died from a gunshot wound to the head and the other was her husband, a 29-year-old man who had a gunshot wound to his torso.

The report said it is unclear if there is any relationship between Nicole Carver and Kohlhepp.

A judge set a $2,500 bond for Nicole Carver. She is due in court on Dec. 16.

Click for more from Fox Carolina.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Liberty University has been ranked as the most conservative college in America, according to Niche's ranking of the most conservative four-year higher education institutions in the United States.

Niche, a website that analyzes dozens of public data sets and millions of reviews to formulate rankings of the best schools and neighborhoods in the U.S., has unveiled its "2017 Most Conservative Colleges in America" list.

At No. 1 on the list is Liberty University, a private nonprofit Christian university in Lynchburg, Virginia, which was founded by evangelist Jerry Falwell Sr. in 1971. The school is now being led by President Jerry Falwell Jr, one of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's most prominent evangelical supporters.

Niche gave the school an overall grading of "A-," while giving it an "A" for diversity, "A" for student life, "A+" for dorms, "A-" for academics and "B" for professors.

According to the website, there are two main factors that are taken into account when considering the rankings. Student surveys asking their own political leanings while in college accounted for an 80 percent weight in the rankings, while student surveys about the political opinions of others students at the college accounted for a 20 percent weight in the rankings.

As the school has a net tuition of $23,367 per year, it has a student-to-teacher ratio of 18:1 and has over 27,000 undergraduates. The school also hosted speeches by 2016 presidential candidates such as Trump, and Sens. Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders.

"This is a good school. Very conservative. Get used to hearing about politics," a freshman student wrote in a review of Liberty University on the website. "If you're telling yourself 'it won't be as bad as people make it out to be' you're wrong. I really enjoy the school and I've made a lot of friends but it makes me mad that our president pushes the Republican Party on the students."

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Police in Texas said Wednesday they detained the boyfriend of a 16-year-old girl who disappeared Tuesday, the same day her mother and a teen relative were found shot to death in their Houston-area home.

EARBUDS, HAIR FOUND IN HUNT FOR CALIFORNIA MOM WHO VANISHED WHILE JOGGING

Investigators issued an Amber Alert for 16-year-old Kirsten Fritch, saying they believed she was abducted. Baytown police announced hours later they detained her boyfriend, Jesse Dobbs, but had not found Fritch, Fox 26 reported. Police described Dobbs as a person of interest in the case.

Officers on Tuesday said they found the bodies of 37-year-old Cynthia Morris and 13-year-old Breanna Pavilicek inside the home. They said both Fritch and Pavilicek were daughters of Morris.

CALIFORNIA COUPLE CHARGED IN MURDER OF SHERIFF'S VOLUNTEER

Officers found Dobbs in the Texas City area, south of Baytown. He is in his early-20s, according to local media.

Investigators described Fritch as 5-foot-1, weighing 135 pounds with green eyes and brown hair.

"It really shocks me," Morris' next-door neighbor Victoria Wenger told KHOU. "I didn't hear of any problems."

The mother's car, a cream-colored 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser, had been missing from the family's home, but police recovered it after finding Dobbs.

Police said they found the bodies after another relative was unable to get in touch with Morris and Pavilicek.

Click for more from Fox 26.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A frantic struggle with a self-proclaimed vampire left employees of the Concord Co-Op in New Hampshire shaken but ultimately unharmed early Tuesday morning, police say.

A woman working at the New Hampshire co-op was taking trash out back when a man offered to help her, but soon chased her into the building claiming he could save her.

Police say Jacob May, 21, chased the woman into the back of the building yelling just touch me, I can save you.

While the woman called police, a male employee pulled out a box cutter in self-defense and attempted to lock the attacker in the walk-in freezer, police said.

May allegedly broke free and tackled the male employee before police showed up and detained both.

Police say while they arrested May, he told them he was a vampire, ghost rider, Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, Mr. Miyagi from Karate Kid and a leader of a band.

Click for more from Fox 25.
A prosecutor says a standup comedian who's appeared on late-night TV abused his power as mayor of an Ohio city, while the defense blames a political vendetta for the charges against him.

Testimony continues Wednesday in Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings' trial on four felony counts.

The Times-Gazette reports a special prosecutor from Ohio's auditor's office told jurors Tuesday that Hastings "thought the laws didn't apply to him."

A defense attorney says Hastings' political enemies were behind an investigation that began soon after his re-election to a second term last November, "as though a bell sounded."

The charges claim Hastings doesn't really live in Hillsboro, used city trash bins for personal use and improperly obtained a $500 building refund.

The city of 6,600 people is 60 miles east of Cincinnati.
Protests erupted in Northern California early Wednesday after Donald Trump was declared the next president of the United States.

According to KTVU, about 100 protesters gathered in Oakland and sought to block freeways and create a commotion. The protesters forced BART to shut down and at least one demonstrator was struck by a vehicle.

SF Gate reported that police temporarily shut down Highway 24 to tend to the woman who was struck. California Highway Patrol Sgt. Matt Langford described her injuries as major.

The station also reported that some cars were set on fire and other vehicles had broken windows.

KTVU added that Trump supporters hosted a watch party at the Twitter headquarters in San Francisco and some protesters were seen in masks.

Protesters were also seen in Berkeley, chanting not my president.

Click for more from KTVU.
Someone who was against the Dakota Access Pipeline apparently vandalized the World War II memorial in Washington, the National Park Service said Tuesday.

Spokesman Mike Litterst said someone spray-painted the North Dakota section of the memorial. A photo provided by the park service showed the phrase #NoDAPL was written in paint.

The Standing Rock Sioux tribe has been fighting along with other tribes and environmental groups to stop the completion of the $3.8 billion pipeline, saying it would threaten the water supply for millions of people. Supporters say the pipeline is a safer way to move oil than trucks and trains.

U.S. Park Police are investigating the vandalism. Litterst said a paint stripper has been used to remove much of the damage.

President Obama said last week that the federal government was looking for ways to reroute parts of the pipeline. The president weighed in following high-profile clashes last week between protesters and law enforcement.

Obama said government agencies will let the situation play out for several more weeks and determine whether or not this can be resolved in a way that I think is properly attentive to the traditions of the First Americans.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A 95-year-old World War II veteran in Kansas has finally received medals he deserves.

I didn't know I had most of these, because when I came out of the Army in '45 shortly after the war, they were turning us loose so rapidly, all they did was give us a discharge and send us on our way, says 95-year-old Harold Curry, who served in the military during World War II.

My father found his discharge papers a couple of months ago, and when we were reading through them, we realized that there were some medals listed that he didn't really know that he earned, said Carna Curry, his daughter.

We saw in there, there were two bronze stars that I didn't know about because I never read my discharge at all. I had been overseas for 38 months, and I gave the Army a lot, but I was out, and I left it alone, Harold explained.

On Tuesday, he was presented with the medals that were rightfully his after his family did some investigating to get his military records and figure out what precisely what he was owed.

He had applied a few years ago to get his medical records, and he was told there had been a fire at the St. Louis archives, and a lot of the records for the military had been destroyed, so we put in an application to see if they could find those if they really were destroyed, and apparently the congressman received word that, yes, they were destroyed, so the paperwork that we supplied them will now go into the archives, Carna added.

Friends and family gathered in his living room to watch him receive his medals after more than 70 years.

Click for more from Fox 4.
A Bosnian court has sentenced an Italian citizen to one year in prison after he confessed to being part of a group that extorted money from foreigners escorting pilgrims to a Catholic shrine.

The court imposed the sentence after finding Luca Cobre, the manager of a hotel in Medjugorje, guilty of organized crime.

Medjugorje is a small village where a shrine marks the apparitions of the Virgin Mary that six young people saw in 1981.

The extortion group allegedly threatened to close Italian tourist agencies or non-governmental organizations in Medjugorje and expel their owners if they did not pay. Its members also allegedly tried to force pilgrimage tour operators to rent their hotels.

The other alleged group members, who include local government officials, pleaded not guilty and are on trial.
As Christians from around the world are facing persecution in unprecedented numbers, churches and Christian organizations will hold special prayers for the protection of Christians in persecuted countries on Sunday to mark the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church 2016.

"At no other time in history have Christians been as persecuted as they are now," says Dr. Vernon Brewer, president and founder of the Christian humanitarian organization World Help, in a statement. "Some estimate more Christians have been martyred for their faith in the past century than in the previous 19 combined, and persecution in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia seems to be on the rise."

"From merciless killing, destruction of churches and buildings, to being forced to denounce Jesus as their Lord, Christians are being stripped of the ability to follow Christ in safety and freedom," says Open Doors USA on its website, urging Christians to join them in praying for the persecuted church on Sunday.

Brewer draws attention to the IDOP coming just two days before the U.S. Election Day.

"Our next president is going to inherit a world that is as broken as it has ever been," Brewer says. "He or she will face the greatest refugee crisis we have seen since World War II, the threat of global terrorism, and sweeping persecution of religious minorities, especially Christians, in nations like Iraq, the place where Christianity was born. Therefore, we also pray this may be a time when we, as a nation, return to our Christian roots both in policy and practice  and stand for all who are oppressed and in need. May we continue to be a source of hope and a blessing for the world."

Persecution of Christians is getting worse as up to 75 percent of the world's population now lives without religious freedom, European Union's special envoy Jan Figel said last month. "Therefore, those who believe that humanity should prevail can, and should do, much more for freedom of religion," Figel told Premier Christian Radio. "We are witnesses of a systematic and mass murder, martyrdom and persecution on several territories."

The Voice of the Martyrs has made a video for the IDOP 2016, featuring the testimony of Hannelie, who along with her family left their home in South Africa to serve on the frontlines in Afghanistan. The group has made the video available for free download.

Click Here to Read the Full Story at ChristianPost.com
Germany's Lutheran church is rejecting any efforts to convert Jews, a move that is being welcomed by the country's Jewish community.

The synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany approved the declaration on Wednesday. Synod president Irmgard Schwaetzer said it is "a further step on the path of contemplation and reorientation in our relationship with Jews."

The move to distance the church from the mission to Jews comes ahead of next year's 500th anniversary of the Reformation and follows a declaration last year distancing it from Martin Luther's statements against Jews. The Vatican has also declared it doesn't support official efforts to convert Jews.

Germany's Central Council of Jews welcomed what it called a long-awaited declaration, saying it recognizes the suffering caused by forced conversions over centuries.
Is the end near for the Islamic States leader?

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, head of the ruthless terror group, reportedly is mulling the appointment of a first deputy to ensure someone is in charge if he gets killed, Iraqs Alsumaria News reported.

ISIS media have started to circulate Baghdadis decision, an anonymous source told the news station, adding that the persons identity would not be announced out of fear of sparking divisions amongst militants.

IRAQIS INVESTIGATE DECAPITATED BODIES IN MASS GRAVE NEAR ISIS-HELD MOSUL

The report comes as Iraqi forces, with the help of U.S. aircraft and Shia militias, wage war against ISIS in their Iraq hub of Mosul.

In Syria Wednesday, activists blamed the U.S.-led coalition for an early morning airstrike that killed at least 20 civilians in a part of the country held by ISIS.

RUSSIA POISED TO UNLEASH NEW SYRIA STRIKES FROM THE SEA, DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 20 people were killed and around 30 wounded in the strike on the village of Heisha. The village is north of the extremist group's de facto capital, Raqqa.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, a local media collective, said 23 civilians were killed.

U.S. Col. John Dorrian, a spokesman for the U.S.-led forces, said the coalition had conducted strikes in the area but could not confirm whether there were civilian casualties. "More information is needed to conclusively determine responsibility," he said.

The international force is flying dozens of sorties in the region in support of a U.S.-backed push by Syrian Kurdish forces on Raqqa. The Kurdish-led Syria Democratic Forces say they have committed 30,000 fighters to the offensive, which was announced Sunday.

In Aleppo, Syria's largest city and one of the focal points of the 5 1/2-year civil war, a rocket attack on a university killed six civilians, according to Syrian state media. The SANA news agency blamed the attack on insurgents, who control the eastern half and much of the western countryside of the contested city.

The Observatory reported five people were dead and 22 wounded.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Israeli military says it has struck a Syrian army artillery position after a rocket from Syria hit the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan Heights.

The military believes the rocket attack, which caused no casualties, was errant fire that spilled over the frontier Wednesday from the civil war.

Israel has largely remained on the sidelines of the fighting, but has carried out reprisals on Syrian positions when errant fire has crossed the frontier.

Israel is also widely believed to have carried out airstrikes on arms shipments said to be destined for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, a close ally of the Syrian government.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and the two countries remain enemies.
Even though last Friday marked the second anniversary of the day that a blasphemy-accused married Pakistani Christian couple was burned alive in a brick kiln by a mob of hundreds of Muslims, no justice has yet been served for those responsible for the senseless lynchings.

Still No Justice 2 Years After Muslim Mob Burned Christian Couple Alive in Brick Kilnhttps://t.co/l1HuIGDHTa pic.twitter.com/GSPdOtxKB7  HMK Deutschland (@HMK_Deutschland) November 9, 2016

Shahzad Masih, 26, and his 24-year-old, five months-pregnant wife, Shama Bibi, who were from the village of Kot Radhakishan in the Punjab province, were accused by local Muslims of ripping pages out of a Quran. As desecrating a Quran in the Muslim-dominated country is an offense punishable by death, hundreds of enraged Muslims gathered in mob fashion on Nov. 4, 2014, to take the law into their own hands and lethally punish the Christian couple.

Although the couple tried to hide from the mob, they were eventually beaten ruthlessly and burned alive inside the brick kiln that they worked at, leaving their three young children, Suleman, Sonia and Poonam without their parents.

Although the government rewarded Shama and Shahzad's surviving children a payout of over $47,785, the kids have yet to receive the money since they will have wait until they turn 18. They are currently being aided by the support of the London-based charity British Pakistani Christian Association, which strives to support the needs of persecuted Pakistani Christian families.

As Shama and Shahzad's case has now been ongoing for two years, BPCA officer Mehwish Bhatti told The Christian Post on Tuesday that as many as 106 people believed to be part of the Muslim mob have been arrested but have not yet been convicted.

While most of those who were arrested have been in the custody of police for about two years now, Bhatti explained that only three suspects have been given bail. Unfortunately, one of the suspects who was given bail is the man that advocates for the family believe to be the person behind the false blasphemy allegations, Yousaf Gujjar.

Gujjar, the owner of the brick kiln that both Shama and Shahzad worked at as bonded laborers, is believed to have made up the blasphemy allegations because the couple owed him money that they could not pay. However, he was granted bail earlier this year based on the claim that he was not even at the brick kiln the day that the couple was burned.

Click Here to Read the Full Story at ChristianPost.com
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent Donald Trump a telegram congratulating him for winning the presidential election, the Kremlin announced Wednesday, as the reactions of many other world leaders ranged from shock to optimism.

Putin told Trump he hoped relations between the two world powers would improve "from their crisis state," officials in Moscow said. Still, he said Russia was not to blame for the chilly relations.

He added that ties between Moscow and Washington must be "based on principles of equality, mutual respect and a real accounting each other's positions."

PUTIN GIVES THUMBS-UP TO TRUMP'S VICTORY

Iran jumped to try preserving its controversial nuclear deal reached with the U.S. last year. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the U.S. has accepted multilateral international commitments and has to "implement the nuclear deal," Iran's semi-official news agency Tasnim claimed.

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said last week that comments from Trump and Hillary Clinton in the presidential debates "are sufficient for the annihilation of the reputation of the United States."

Zarif also was quoted as saying that any U.S. president "should have a correct understanding of realities of the world and our region and face them realistically."

British Prime Minister Theresa May said she looked forward to working with Trump and building on the two countries' longstanding "special relationship." Nigel Farage, acting leader of the UK Independent Party, which played an important role convincing Brits to leave the European Union, reacted: "I thought Brexit was big, but boy, this looks like it's going to be even bigger."

BRITISH PM SAYS COUNTRY SHOULD UNITE ON BREXIT PLAN

Trump drew scorn from Mexico with his vow to build a wall along the southern border and make Mexico pay for it. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto didn't immediately comment on Trump's victory, though he said previously that he would work with whoever the U.S. elected.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump a "true friend of the State of Israel." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he "congratulates the elected American president, Donald Trump, and hopes that peace will be achieved during his term."

Earlier, a key ally in Netanyahu's center-right coalition, Education Minister Naftali Bennett, said Tump's victory means that "the era of a Palestinian state is over." The Palestinians want a state in lands Israel captured in 1967.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Donald Trump's victory was "great news" showing "democracy is still alive." Orban, who returned to power in 2010 and last year built fences on Hungary's southern borders to stop the flow of refugees heading toward Western Europe, said in July that Trump's immigration policies made him the best candidate for Hungary and Europe.

Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines who'd lashed out at Barack Obama for criticizing his deadly anti-drug crackdown, found common ground with Trump. "Long live Mr. Trump! We both curse at the slightest reason. We are alike."

Duterte had announced his desire to scale back joint combat drills with the U.S. military and end the presence of foreign troops, including Americans, in the country in two years.

A clearly uneasy Francois Hollande said Trump's election of "opens a period of uncertainty." The French president claimed "certain positions taken by Donald Trump during the American campaign must be confronted with the values and interests we share with the United States."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered Trump "close cooperation" on the basis of shared trans-Atlantic values. Merkel told reporters in Berlin that the campaign which ended in Trump's victory featured "confrontations that were difficult to bear."

The Iraqi government appeared hopeful. "Look forward to continued US support for Iraq in the war against terror," Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi tweeted.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered his own well-wishes, saying, "Canada has no closer friend, partner, and ally than the United States. We look forward to working very closely with President-elect Trump, his administration, and with the United States Congress in the years ahead, including on issues such as trade, investment, and international peace and security."

Fox News' Jon Decker, Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Russia is preparing to carry out a new round of strikes targeting Syria from a group of warships that recently arrived in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, two U.S. defense officials told Fox News on Wednesday.

It was not immediately clear when those strikes would start, but it could be very soon, according to the officials. Theyre poised[to begin], one official said citing recent intelligence reports.

TURKEY CONCERNED AS SYRIAN KURDS PRESS TOWARD ISIS-HELD RAQQA

A defense official told Fox News Russia's actions suggest it's more interested in showing off its military power than ending Syria's civil war, which has stretched on for well over five years.

The Russian armada is centered around a Soviet-era aircraft carrier and includes three destroyers capable of launching cruise missions, according to officials.

Russian jets have routinely intercepted U.S. and NATO surveillance aircraft such as the P-8 Poseidon trying to take a look at the Russian convoy in the eastern Mediterranean. All of the interactions have been safe and professional so far, Fox News was told.



SYRIAN MILITANTS MASS IN DISTANT PROVINCE AFTER TRUCE DEALS

Russian jets were seen taking off with weapons visible under their wings from Russias only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, part of the flotilla located near Syria, officials said. It marked the first time Russia had conducted armed flight operations from the aircraft carrier since leaving port last month.

Previously, some U.S. officials had doubted the ability of the Russian jets to launch with full fuel loads and weapons due to the weight of the aircraft. The Russian aircraft carrier does not operate a steam catapult like their American counterparts. Instead, the jets conduct a short take off over a ski-jump-like ramp.

The Russian warships set sail from northern Russia in mid-October and brazenly cruised by Norways coast and through the English Channel before entering the Mediterranean.

A separate official said the Russians also were showing signs of using long-range bombers from southern Russia to conduct another round of strikes in Syria potentially including Aleppo, once Syrias most populated city.

The Kremlin said Monday that Russia would maintain a ceasefire in Aleppo unless provoked by Syrian rebels fighting troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

Russia's president Vladimir Putin congratulated Donald Trump Wednesday on his election win and pledged to restore full relations with the United States.

But in a sign of how strained ties remain between Russia and the West, the U.S. Army reports it delivered the largest shipment of ammunition to Europe in more than 20 years, all part of deterring Russian aggression, according to officials.
Syrian activists say an airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition has killed at least 20 civilians in a part of Syria held by the Islamic State group.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says 20 were killed and around 30 wounded in the strike on the village of Heisha early Wednesday. The village is north of the extremist group's de facto capital, Raqqa.

Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, a local media collective, says 23 civilians were killed.

The coalition did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It was not clear how the groups determined the coalition was behind the strike, but the international force is flying dozens of sorties in the region in support of a U.S.-backed push by Syrian Kurdish forces on Raqqa.
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Responding to mounting criticism from the European Union, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has challenged the EU to halt membership talks with Ankara.

Erdogan on Wednesday added that the EU wouldn't be able to reach a "final point" and end its ties with Turkey out of fears of jeopardizing a deal on the curbing of the flow of migrants to Europe.

His comments came as the EU prepared to publish a report on Turkey to assess its standing as EU candidate country. It is widely expected to be critical of Turkey's clampdown on media freedoms and the arrests of a group of pro-Kurdish legislators.

Erdogan said: "They say unabashedly and shamelessly that the EU should review its negotiations with Turkey...Don't just review them  go and make your final decision."
A Turkish judge assigned to a United Nations war crimes panel has been detained by Turkish authorities in the aftermath of a failed coup in July, despite having diplomatic immunity.

The president of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals, Theodor Meron, told the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday that Judge Aydin Sefa Akay was detained around Sept. 21 "in relation to allegations connected to the events of July 2016 directed against the constitutional order of Turkey."

The mechanism is an organization that was established to deal with residual legal issues and appeals stemming from cases before the UN tribunals dealing with atrocities in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.

Meron has used his speech at the U.N. to call on Turkey to immediately release Akay, who remains in custody.
The United States, in an attempt to reassure its allies in Europe, last month sent its largest shipment of ammunition to the continent in more than two decades, the Army announced.

All told, more than 620 containers were shipped by train from a port in Nordenham, Germany, to Miesau Army Depot, which reportedly serves as the largest ammunition storage area outside the U.S. The ammunition will eventually be broken down and sent to different areas on the continent.

TWO AMERICANS KILLED FIGHTING TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN

The Army's report did not mention the kind of ammunition, but said at least some would be used in tanks.

We could have 1,000 tanks over here, but if we didn't have the ammunition for them, they would not have any deterrent effect. Its another example of the commitment of the United States to security and stability in Europe, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commanding general of U.S. Army Europe, said.

RUSSIA CLAIMS ITS WARSHIPS DROVE AWAY DUTCH SUB SHADOWING THEM

The Army thanked Germanys cooperation.

So its another way that Germany contributed to deterrence by enabling the movement of ammunition and equipment inside Germany for the United States Army, Hodges said.

Faced with an ever-more unpredictable Russia, NATO allies are advancing with plans to deploy thousands of troops and military equipment to the Baltics and Poland.

In recent weeks alone, Russia has moved battleships toward the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas, shifted nuclear-capable missile-launchers into its Kaliningrad enclave neighboring Poland and continued flying bombers down the western European coast.

Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Villa Restaurant Group Announces Key Promotion Within Newly Formed Communications And Digital Marketing Department

Lauren Liuzzi Named Communications and Digital Marketing Strategy Manager

November 09, 2016 // Franchising.com // MORRISTOWN, NJ - Villa Restaurant Group, global multi-brand restaurant operator and franchisor, is proud to announce that the company has made a significant promotion within its newly formed Communications and Digital Marketing Department. As the company continues to expand its presence, evolve in the industry and focus on brand building, Villa has named Lauren Liuzzi as its new Communications and Digital Marketing Strategy Manager, effective immediately. In her new role, Lauren will be managing all of Villas internal communications, as well as overseeing other digital marketing initiatives and brand management for Villas Tony + Bennys and Piattino Express locations.

We are thrilled to announce Laurens new role in our Communications and Digital Marketing department, said Mimi Wunderlich, Director of Communications and Digital Marketing Strategy for Villa Restaurant Group. Since her start here in 2015, she has been an integral part of the marketing team taking on several different responsibilities and handling each challenge in stride. On top of that, Lauren is passionate, personable, respectful and considerate to everyone on her team, and is truly well deserving of this promotion.

After starting as Villa Italian Kitchens Brand Coordinator in 2015, Lauren quickly excelled in the position, helping to build brand awareness and more relevant and stronger promotions, and also took on the brand management role for Tony + Bennys. At the end of 2015, she also oversaw the marketing of Jersey Mikes at Villas largest food court opening to date in Orlando International Airport, and then successfully transitioned into the Communications and Digital Marketing Department, while at the same time, continuing to coordinate and train on the Villa Italian Kitchen side.

Lauren, who has been with Villa Restaurant Group since 2015, boasts more than 10 years of experience in marketing, with significant knowledge in marketing strategy, digital marketing, brand management, event management and merchandising. Prior to Villa, Lauren held positions at top companies, including The Childrens Place and Hilton Hotels, and at one time, even owned her own upscale boutique clothing business in Florida, where she handled all purchasing, marketing, merchandising and more. Lauren currently resides in Cedar Grove, NJ and holds a B.A. in Marketing from Seton Hall University.

About Villa Restaurant GroupSM (previously known as Villa Enterprises)

Villa Restaurant Group is a global multi-brand restaurant operator and franchisor. Founded in 1964 by Michele (Michael) Scotto, a Naples, Italy native, Villa Restaurant Group, began as a small pizzeria next to the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City. Today, Villa Restaurant Group is an international organization that recently celebrated its 52nd anniversary with nearly 400 restaurants in malls, airports, casinos and other high-traffic locations.

Villas QSR brands, including Villa Italian Kitchen, Green Leafs Beyond Great Salads, Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt, South Philly Cheesesteaks & Fries, Far East and other emerging brands, can be found across 42 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and five additional countries. Villa also operates full-service restaurants in New Jersey under the 40North Group brand including The Black Horse Tavern & Pub, The Office, Steelworks Buffet & Grill, Piattino and George & Marthas. For more information, please visit www.villarestaurantgroup.com.

SOURCE Villa Restaurant GroupSM

Media Contact:

Michelle LoGuercio

Account Executive

BML Public Relations

D: 973-337-6395

M: 201-803-4967

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CAPE GIRARDEAU  The Missouri Department of Conservation says fall is an excellent time to go fishing. As many game fish prepare for winter by vigorously feeding, they can be easier to catch.

Many species in lakes and streams are more mobile and are using different habitats this time of year, said Christopher Kennedy, MDCs fisheries division supervisor for the southeast region. Because of this, anglers can have an easier time locating their species of choice.

Fall is also typically a comfortable season for people, too, with pleasant temperatures and colorful views. Kennedy said in southeast Missouri, anglers have only one problem  too many places to fish and not enough time to try them all.

Trout, catfish, bass, crappie, and bluegill all are fair game right now, he said.

November first brings trout fishing to municipal lakes in Jackson, Farmington, and Perryville. Fishing for catfish, whether blue, channel, or flathead, can be very productive in larger southeast Missouri waters such as Wappapello and Clearwater lakes or the Mississippi River. Those seeking smallmouth or largemouth bass can find plenty of action wading, canoeing or kayaking small streams throughout the region.

Some of the best fishing that exists is, in many cases, right out our back door, Kennedy said. Often overlooked, private ponds are typically under-fished and offer fast and exciting action.

Kennedy cautions anglers to ask permission from landowners before fishing at a private pond.

I would also advise leaving the gracious pond owners property exactly the way you found it, and perhaps even sharing your harvest with them, he said.

Kennedy said the autumn colors and cooler weather add a memorable backdrop while making memories fishing with family and friends.

We have so many things to do in our busy lives these days, I hope our society hasnt forgotten how to make time to slowdown and enjoy time fishing with their child, friend or family member before the cold winter sets in, he said. Past fishing trips with family and friends are the memories that I cherish the most.

Information on permits, how to fish and where to fish can be found online at mdc.mo.gov/fishing.
While its not yet full-blown flu season, there have already been a few instances reported locally. In light of that, the St. Francois County Health Department is urging the public to take measures to avoid coming down with the highly contagious virus.

There have been two confirmed cases of influenza reported to the St. Francois County Health Center so far this flu season, said Amber Elliott, RN, who serves as public health nurse for the center. However, we usually see the greatest number of flu cases between January and February.

According to Elliott, a person is less likely to catch the flu if they take one very important precaution.

The best thing you can do to prevent the flu is to get the flu vaccine, she said. But remember that it takes two weeks to build up immunity to the virus.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every year by the end of October, if possible, however, getting vaccinated later can still help guard against contracting the flu. Vaccination should continue throughout the flu season, even in January or later. Some young children might need two doses of vaccine. Health care providers can advise parents about how many doses their child should receive.

Studies by CDC researchers and other experts indicate that flu vaccine reduces the risk of doctor visits due to flu by approximately 50 to 60 percent among the overall population when the vaccine viruses are like the ones spreading in the community. Other studies have shown similar protection against flu-related hospitalizations.

A flu vaccination does not guarantee protection against the flu. Some people who get vaccinated might still get sick. However, people who get a flu vaccine are less likely to get sick with flu or hospitalized from flu than someone who does not get vaccinated.

The CDC states that the most important factors affecting how well the flu vaccine works include the match between the flu vaccine and the flu viruses that are spreading that season; and factors such as the age and overall health of the person being vaccinated. For example, older people with weaker immune systems may respond less well to vaccination. Experts are working to create flu vaccines that work better, but existing flu vaccines still offer important health benefits to the community.

The center is offering the injectable quadrivalent flu vaccine for adults and children 6 months of age and older, Elliott said. We administer flu vaccines from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and walk-ins are welcome. The nasal spray vaccine is not being offered for the 2016-2017 flu season because of concerns about its effectiveness.

Elliott added that, anyone having the flu or feeling unwell should stay home to rest and hydrate. They should also call their doctor about any concerns they might have.

For more information, visit the St. Francois County Health Center at 1025 W. Main St. in Park Hills or call 573-431-1947, ext. 113.
The developer of an apartment complex being built behind Huber Motor Cars dealerships on Fall Hill Avenue will have to wait a bit longer to see if it can get an adjacent parcel rezoned for the second phase of the project.

City Council members voted 6-1 Tuesday to delay voting on The Hamptons Phase II to allow more time to study the proposed development and the latest proffers. The project would include 78 townhouses, five apartment buildings with a total of 120 units, and a high-end car dealership next to Clay Hubers Volvo dealership.

Norfolk-based S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. is seeking to have the zoning changed from R-2 on two parcels on Briscoe Lane that total nearly 21 acres. It wants the 16.53-acre parcel to be rezoned R-12, which would allow nearly 12 dwelling units per acre instead of two single-family houses, and a 4.31-acre parcel rezoned Commercial Highway so it can build the dealership.

This is a hard project to evaluate, said Kerry Devine, who voted against delaying a decision on the rezoning request.

She and several other council members expressed concerns about adding more multifamily housing when the city is running out of places for single-family houses.

I want to look at our community 10 years down the road, and I think that the American dream is still to be a homeowner, Devine said.

This is the second time that City Council has put off a vote on The Hamptons Phase II, which would use a Virginia Housing Development Authority tax credit to fund the multifamily portion of the project. The tax credit would allow it to build affordable housing for people such as young school teachers and first responders whose income is in the $48,000 to $78,000 range.

Since the public hearing, the city has received four letters in support of The Hamptons Phase II, including one from Wegmans and one from Huber, who is working with Nusbaum on the proposed dealership.

The developer has also increased its proffers, which already topped $1 million for schools, fire and rescue services as well as such things as a FRED Regional Transit bus stop within the development, extension and connection of a portion of the sidewalk along Fall Hill Avenue with sidewalks in the project, and improvements to Fall Hill Avenue including a right-turn lane into the development.

The additional proffers would reduce rent on 10 percent of the apartments by $200 per month for five years and pay the city $100,000 to assist with low-income housing initiatives.

Fredericksburg attorney Charlie Payne, who is representing Nusbaum, said that StreetSense, a Washington firm helping staff evaluate land uses and zoning in two parts of the city, said that it is debatable if the property where Nusbaum wants to build is suitable for commercial development.

Council members had differing views on whether a development with apartments and townhouses would be the best use of that land, especially since the city would eventually like to see Central Park redeveloped.

Billy Withers, for example, said that there is a great demand for senior communities and would like to see more homeowners in the city instead of renters. Matt Kelly pointed out that the median income for city employees is $45,000, and most cant afford to live where they work.

He added that The Hamptons Phase II appears to be targeting millennials, many of whom are paying off college debt and arent as interested in homeownership as previous generations. Families with children probably wouldnt want to live between Central Park and a four-lane highway, he said.

The projects impact on schools was also a concern. Withers said that the estimate that approximately 62 school-age children would live at The Hamptons Phase II is probably low, but Councilman Brad Ellis said that he doesnt think those children will have a big impact on the citys schools. The city is already planning to build a new school by the end of the decade, and revenue from projects like The Hamptons and bonds will help pay for it.

Ellis added that the road improvements that Nusbaum has proffered would benefit Coleman Towing, which is located near the proposed project.

Councilman Tim Duffy said that he doesnt think that The Hamptons Phase II is the best use for the property, and wouldnt support the development, but Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw disagreed.

This is the highest and best use of this particular property and were forgetting that it has a fairly sizable ownership component that we hope is more affordable than the condos downtown would be. We need rooftops to support commercial, and we all know we need and support commercial. We also need to attract a workforce that we want to redevelop Central Park.

In other action, City Council voted unanimously at its meeting to hold a work session on an amendment to its comprehensive plan that would exempt most of the city from the states new proffer reform legislation.
HAVANA  When President Barack Obama visited Cuba in March, he said that a small Alabama company that makes tractors would be the first U.S. company to build a factory here in more than 50 years.

That was jumping the gun because although Cleber, based in Paint Rock, Ala., had authorizations from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Commerce Department to pursue its dream of assembling small tractors in Cubas Mariel Special Economic Development Zone, the plan still needed Cuban approval.

After months of anticipation and just days before the company was scheduled to take part in the Havana International Fair, a massive trade show that attracted exhibitors from 73 countries, Cleber finally got its answer: No.

It was a disappointment for a high visibility project that had been touted as a potential example of how the rapprochement process that began on Dec. 17, 2014, was working for both countries.

But last week Saul Berenthal, who co-founded the company with Horace Clemmons, was busy working the Cleber booth at the Havana fair as a video of the tractor in action rolled in the background.

Were not giving up. Were here for the long run, Berenthal said. We understand the process.

But the company is changing its strategy.

Instead of pinning its hopes on assembling its Oggun tractors  named for the Santeria god of iron, tools and weapons  in the Mariel zone, it has begun manufacturing them in Alabama with the hope of exporting them to Cuba and elsewhere.

Cuban authorities told us Mariel was not the proper venue, said Berenthal. They encouraged us and directed us to work with the Ministry of Agriculture and other agencies interested in importing tractors.

While at the fair, which ran through last week, Berenthal said, People from the agriculture ministry and the import-export agencies have already come to see us.

Ana Teresa Igarza Martinez, a zone official, told EFE, the Spanish news agency, that Cleber, which uses tractor technology from the 1940s, wasnt the type of technologically advanced project that Cuban hopes to attract to the zone.

Its been a lengthy journey for Cleber.

Berenthal, who was born in Havana and came to the United States in 1960, and Clemmons set up the company shortly after the rapprochement was announced. It took about 8 1/2 months for the company to get a U.S. license to begin pursuing the project in Cuba. After a series of visits to the island to meet with Cuban officials, Cleber put its final proposal in Cuban hands on June 30 and the waiting game began.

Its tragic it took as long as it did, said John Kavulich, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council. The Cuban government was either seriously considering this or it found some political value in not saying no for so long.

I think optics may have had something to do with this as well, Kavulich said. By giving Cleber the green light, Cuba might have worried that would signal it was accepting U.S. statutes and piecemeal regulations that allow U.S. companies in some sectors to pursue business with Cuba even though the embargo is still in effect.

But Cleber insists it will persevere. This (setback) does not mean we are stopping. It means we are reassessing and pursuing other strategies, Berenthal said. We Americans never give up.

Cleber also has another Cuban business possibility. The company recently received a U.S. license that would allow it to sell a wide range of U.S.-made construction and agricultural components and parts to the Cuban government. It was showing catalogs of some of its new offerings at the fair.

The United States recently clarified that while food exports to Cuba cant currently be financed, exports of agricultural equipment can be. That would put us on par with the rest of the world with financing, said Berenthal. That doesnt mean we still dont have the bank issue.

Even though the Obama administration has allowed the use of the U.S. dollar in third-party financial transactions involving Cuba, many U.S. banks are still reluctant to handle any Cuba business. Financial institutions operated by the Cuban government also arent allowed to have correspondent accounts in U.S.-based financial institutions, making payments difficult.

Some banks also dont know how to interpret the regulatory changes and dont want to face the risk of a miscue and potential fines.

Another strike against the Cleber tractor project may have been a competitive one. Cuba is currently importing agricultural equipment from countries such as Japan, India, China, Belarus and France that supply grants, credits and export guarantees, said Kavulich.

But Berenthal still holds out hope that if Clebers export business to Cuba goes well, perhaps later on the Oggun tractor, a simple machine designed to be used in small-scale farming, can be manufactured in Cuba  just not in the Mariel zone.

The special economic development zone, which is about 30 miles west of Havana, wants to attract foreign investment in clean, sustainable projects with export potential. Theres a preference for companies offering technological innovation and efficient production processes.

There are 19 projects in various stages of development at the zone and Cuba is offering foreign investment opportunities for another 24 more Mariel projects.

Among the joint ventures that will be locating in Mariel is BrasCuba, a Cuban and Brazilian ventures that makes Popular, Cohiba and H. Upmann cigarettes. When its new state-of-the-art factory is completed, BrasCuba will be able to produce nearly four times as many cigarettes as it does currently.

If clinical trials of a Cuban cancer vaccine set to begin soon at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., go well, a Roswell Park-Center of Molecular Immunology joint venture also could begin production in the Mariel zone. Igarza told CubaDebate, a government-affiliated website, that the vaccine project is one that corresponds to the high technology the zone wants to attract.

Berenthal said his tractor, which uses parts that are widely available, still has the potential to help Cubans.

I wanted to do something that could bring the people together, he said, and I think this was as good a vehicle as I could find.
For decades, Christopher Kimballhe of the bow tie and lovable-curmudgeon personahas been inextricably linked with Cooks Illustrated, the venerable magazine he founded, and Americas Test Kitchen, the public television series and cookbook empire that grew out of it.

After a split from the company in 2015, Kimball, 65, started a new venture, Milk Street Magazine, named after its home street in Boston.

We spoke with Kimball about the magazine and his evolving approach to home cooking.

After building one magazine, why do it all over again?

My cooking has changed a lot in the last few years. Most of my cooking was based on Northern European cooking. Its very meat-centric. But the rest of the world didnt have a lot of meat; the way they built flavor wasnt the old-fashioned, technique-oriented use of heat. Its brighter, more individual flavors. Its just a whole new way of thinking about cooking.

The other thing is, Im much happier with 25 or 30 people. I like start-ups. I like being involved with everything. I dont love running a company with 200 people and just going to meetings all the time.

What is the new home cooking you promote on the cover of the magazine?

You can more easily produce bigger flavors in more interesting food. Im an old Deadhead who thinks in music terms. It really is about the key and the baseline and the melody and the chords.

Take Yotam Ottolenghis food. Maybe thats a little far afield for a lot people, but if you look underneath all of that, what hes doing, theres a lot of contrast there. Theres creamy, theres crunchy, theres bitter. Theres a little bit of sweetness thats put in. Its complex in that its more varied, but its not necessarily harder.

Q. How has your recipe inspiration changed?

A. In my prior iteration, which lasted 35 years, there would be no starting point outside of the kitchen. That is, wed take oatmeal cookies or whatever, and wed just say, Okay, how can we make the best version of it? But we werent starting somewhere else in the world. With Milk Street, I think, were always starting someplace outside of Milk Street. Were trying to tell the story to give a little bit of context. Were trying to travel to actually go learn something.

Q. Could you have created Milk Street sooner and without Cooks?

A. No, I couldnt.

Think of it this way: If you look at music or fashion, theyve done this already. Everythings a mash-up. The supermarkets have done this. And restaurants have done this. Every other place in the food worldnewspapers, on television shows, etc.this mash-up has happened already. It just hasnt happened at home, and it couldnt happen at home, because there was no big Amazon 20 years ago, and the supermarkets had limited stuff. I think the audience is just at the watershed moment when were going to look back in five or 10 years and go, What were we thinking? Why did it take so long? People thought of using techniques from other places as gourmet, ethnic, hobby cooking, and thats not true at all. You sit down at the table with somebody and take a technique back with you. Youre not actually replicating a recipe.

Are you enjoying writing more and being back in the kitchen?

I think any business, if youre not close to the customer or the content, if you get too far away from itI just think its a mistake. When people come up and say theyre really grateful because theyre a better cook, thats a big deal for people. Being a good cook is not a small thing, and that connection with a customer is really important. Its very gratifying, and so I just want to be closer to that connection.

Anyone can request the charter issue of Milk Street Magazine free at 177milkstreet.com.The current discounted subscription rate is $19.95 for one year (six issues).

The Washington Post
Long lines at Brock Road Elementary School and Spotsylvania Courthouse have not deterred local residents eager to cast a ballot in the 2016 presidential election.

Barbara Milam, chief election officer at the Brock Road Elementary School precinct, said that at 6 a.m., the line of voters wrapped around the outside of the building, and by 11 a.m., close to 800 voters had cast ballots.

Despite waits of 30 minutes to more than an hour, spirits have been high. Voters were friendly and cheerful, in no small part thanks to the precincts election officials who have been keeping the atmosphere light and enthusiastic.

The whole process has been very pleasant, Milam said. There has been no arguing, fighting, or disgruntled people disrupting the process.

Every time a new voter approaches the voter registration table, the individual is greeted by a chorus of cheers and clapping from election officials and bystanders. Milam regularly walks the halls to boost morale and keep local residents informed about the voting process.

Milam reminds all voters to take out their photo IDsa requirement in Virginiato speed up the process. She also directs the line of voters extending into the street to move onto the sidewalk for safety reasons.

Steady, steady, steady, Milam said. The voters keep comingthis is the biggest crowd I have ever seen on Election Day.

Similarly, at Spotsylvania Courthouse, lines extended outside the building and through the parking lot. By 1 p.m., the long lines began to dissipate as individuals using their lunch break to vote returned to work.

Both precincts expect long lines and lengthy wait times during the commuter rush in the early evening. Polls close at 7 p.m.

For more information and updates from today's election, visit the Election Blog.
A Stafford County man who was a lieutenant colonel in the Army was ordered Tuesday to serve 20 years in prison in part for using his government-issued laptop computer to engage in the production of child pornography.

Steven Jon Frederiksen, 42, was sentenced in federal court in Alexandria. He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography and one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.

According to court records, the Defense Intelligence Agency contacted the Army Criminal Investigation Command at Fort Belvoir on Nov. 10 of last year with information that Frederiksen, a DIA employee, was viewing sexually suggestive pictures and videos of underage girls on his government computer.

He was also using social media sites and computer applications to carry on sexually explicit conversations with teenage girls: many of the conversations took place while the girls were in their high school classrooms, the records state.

Federal investigators continued to monitor Frederiksens computer activities and on Nov. 20 raided his Stafford residence. Two tablets, a laptop computer and a cell phone were seized.

Frederiksen admitted to enticing at least four girls between the ages of 14 to 17 to send him sexually explicit pictures of themselves. He attempted the same thing with at least two other girls.

Court records said Frederiksen possessed numerous images of child pornography and exchanged his collection with others online.

The FBI headed the investigation.
Donald Trump supporter Jerry Burke of Spotsylvania County told a Democratic volunteer, half-jokingly, that she might as well tell people she is voting for the devil.

Shes not the devil, replied Kate Elim, 78, referring to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Out here she is, said Burke, 84.

Elim and Burke spent Election Day handing out opposing sample ballots at a Spotsylvania fire station on Partlow Roada rural polling place across from a cornfield. Their exchange reflected the widespread local support for Trumpa sentiment that may not have been shared by enough to deliver Virginia to the Republican but appeared to reflect the mood of the nation as a whole.

Trump won handily in Stafford, Spotsylvania and King George counties in an early start of what appeared to be an Election Night march that would take him to the White House.

Notably, Trump also defeated Clinton in Caroline County with about 50.2 percent of the vote. President Barack Obama, a Democrat, easily won Caroline four years ago.

Locally, only the city of Fredericksburg went for Clinton.

At the Partlow polling place, Trump received about 72.6 percent of the vote. Countywide, he garnered 55.7 percent of the vote to 38.4 percent for Clinton.

Robert Smith, 52, who voted in Partlow with his wife, Terri, said he thinks Trump is probably the one that most likely supports the Constitution of the United States.

Honestly, my opinion is I dont think she has much respect for the document at all, and would like to just do away with it entirely and rewrite the whole program that the countrys governed by, said Smith, who was wearing a camouflage Duck Dynasty hat.

Elim, the Democratic volunteer, laughed at Smiths remark. Sorry, I thought that was amusing, she said.

Later, Elim told The Free LanceStar that Partlow is a conservative area, and thats fine. But to say Clinton would destroy the U.S. Constitution is going too far, she said.

I dont think she would do anything like that, Elim said.

She said most voters politely declined her campaign material, but that at least one man shouted: I believe in Jesus Christ! and said Democrats are not Christians.

Elim did run into some Democratic voters.

Partlow voter Debbie Arnold, 58, for instance, was quick to explain why she voted for Clinton. Cause she aint ready to start a war like Donald Trump is. I have no use for men like that.

She acknowledged that most Partlow residents probably do not share her opinion.

Partlow voter Mike Waller, 56, said it was time for a change, adding: To me, a woman shouldnt be president to start with.

Meanwhile, Partlow voter C.J. Dawson, 39, said hes fine with a woman president, but that he doesnt think Clinton is the right lady for the job. Trump, he said, is trying to bring the country back to what it was. I believe he will try and get corporations to come back to America and, you know, cause profit and wealth for everybody, Dawson said.
A large voter turnout in St. Francois County brought good news to Republican candidates competing in national, state and local races in Tuesdays general election.

Although the presidential race was still uncertain at press time, county voters overwhelming supported New York businessman Donald Trump over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Trump received 17,467 (70 percent) and Clinton finished with 6,250 (25 percent) of the vote here.

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, a Republican, received 13,108 votes (53 percent) in St. Francois County against his Democratic opponent, Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander, who garnered 10,117 votes. Final numbers were unavailable but it looked like Blunt was going to win statewide.

Incumbent Missouri 8th District Congressman Jason Smith also won the support of the majority of county voters with 16,306 votes (68 percent) against his Democratic opponent Dave Cowell who received 6,933 votes (29 percent).

Newcomer Eric Greitens, the Republican candidate for Missouri governor, won in the county over his Democratic opponent, Attorney General Chris Koster with a vote of 14,432 (58 percent) to 9,424 (38 percent).

In the District 3 State Senate race, Republican incumbent Gary Romine won overwhelmingly here against his Green Party opponent Edward R. Weissler with a vote of 54,393 (81 percent) to 12,550 (19 percent).

Republican incumbent District 115 State Representative Elaine Gannon handily won reelection here with a total of 10,105 (68 percent) of the vote over her Democratic challenger Barbara Stocker with 3,969 votes (27 percent); and Libertarian candidate Charles Bigelow who garnered 646 votes (4 percent).

Retired educator, Republican candidate Mike Henderson won his first political race for District 117 State Representative over his Democratic opponent, Travis Barnes, with a vote of 7,301 (56 percent) to 5,567 (43 percent).

After learning of his victory, Henderson said, I want to thank all the people who voted. Im just very happy that they participated in the process. I also want to thank my wife who has been fantastic in helping me throughout this race, as well as Charlie Boyer.

I could probably name many, many, many other people, but you cant do this alone. You have to have a lot of good friends who are willing to help you. Im very excited that the people trust me to represent them.

In contested county races, Democratic incumbent Dan Ward won over Republican opponent Jay Graf for county assessor with 12,308 (51 percent) votes to 11,735 (49 percent).

Ward said, I would like to thank the voters that supported me in this campaign to allow me to work for the citizens of St. Francois County for another term. Id especially like to thank the voters on the north end of the county  Bonne Terre and the area up there  that really took me over the top. Thats where I was raised and those are the people who know me the best. I appreciate everything they did to help me.

Were going to continue doing what weve always done  working for the folks of the county and do the best job we can to stay within our budget and be transparent to everybody out there to let them know were doing what they elected us to do.

In the public administrator race, Republican candidate Gary Matheny won decisively over Democrat Dani Bryan with a vote of 14,744 (62 percent) to 8,785 (37 percent).

The Daily Journal was unable to reach Matheny for a comment.

St. Francois County Clerk Mark Hedrick said he was pleased with the turnout for the election.

"We ended up having 65.1 percent of our countys registered voters come out to the polls, he said. Thats about 5 percent less than what I had estimated, but it was still a good turnout. I want to thank the precinct workers who worked hard and had a long day. I also want to thank our voters who handled things well in spite of the long lines. We didnt have any problems and everything seemed to go well.
The King George School Board will ask supervisors if the county government would like to take the former middle school building for its own us.

The old middle school is not getting any better as we all know, but I think it still has use to it for their purposes, School Board Chairman T.C. Collins said in introducing the idea at Monday nights meeting.

Collins said he changed his mind from previously wanting to tear down the building. The layout is not suitable for educational purposes since walls cant be moved, he said, but it could work for other uses such as offices. The county already uses the gymnasium.

School Board Member Tammy Indseth said she thought it was a great idea. She was never in favor of razing the building, she said. Old schools have been reused for other purposes in other counties.

School Board Member Mike Rose said he thought it was a good idea to let county officials decide the buildings future. They may wish to tear it down. The School Board has made a Capital Improvement Plan request for a study to help decide what is best to do with the building.

Rose said it will take a lot of work to fix the building, which has a lot of mold. School Board members toured the site with the Board of Supervisors last spring.

Collins estimated it has cost around $204,000 just to keep up with basic expenses such as electricity and insurance while the former school has sat largely unused since middle-school students relocated to the former high school after the new high school opened in 2009.

The School Board approved a plan this summer to expand the current middle school, which will allow sixth-graders to move into the building. The expansion project was also designed in such a way that it will allow the district to add more classroom space in the future if needed.

Board members Kristin Tolliver and Gayle Hock were absent from Monday nights meeting.

In other business, board members also gave Superintendent Rob Benson their priorities for developing next years budget. They want to provide step salary increases for employee, but they want the rest of the funding to remain unchanged from the current budget.

Rose said he next year will probably be a tough one in terms of state funding. He suggested meeting with the Board of Supervisors by the end of this year or early next year to start discussing budget issues.

Indseth also suggested they take advantage of the Virginia Department of Educations efficiency review program.

The board was able to get a report on one of the additions it made to the budget last year. The district now offers science, technology, engineering and math special classes in its elementary schools.

Kristine Hill, supervisor of curriculum and instruction, said STEM classes offer a student-centered learning environment where teachers function as classroom facilitators to guide kids through problem-solving processes. The students love the hands-on activities, she said.

STEM has become a favorite time for many students in all three of our elementary schools, Hill said.
A referendum to enshrine provisions from Virginias right-to-work law in the states constitution failed Tuesday, with about 53 percent of voters saying no.

It fared poorly in most of the Fredericksburg area, as well. King George and Fauquier counties voted yes on the measure by about 54 percent, and Spotsylvania County approved it by a narrow margin of just more than 50 percent.

Another proposed amendment meant to aid families of first responders killed in the line of duty passed by a significant margin, with almost 80 percent of the vote. The amendment will give localities the option to exempt the responders surviving spouses primary residential property from taxation.

In the Fredericksburg area, the margins were similar to the state average, with about 80 percent in most localities.

Virginias right-to-work law says participation in a union may not be a condition for employment in the state. Supporters of the constitutional amendment said the right-to-work provision is a key factor in maintaining a strong business climate in the state. Opponents term it an anti-union measure.

Backers say embedding the provision in the constitution would make it harder for a future General Assembly to undo. Opponents say it does not belong in the constitution.

If you believe that people should have the freedom to take a job without being required to join a union to get or keep their job, then you want to vote YES on Question 1, said Nicole Riley, Virginia state director for the National Federation of Independent Business.

The Virginia AFL-CIO opposed the amendment for a whole slew of reasons but most importantly because it has nothing to do with rights, said Gina Maglionico, the organizations communications director. By design, a constitution is meant to protect the rights of citizens, not stifle them.

The other proposed amendment would authorize the General Assembly to enact a law that would let a locality exempt from taxation the real property of the living spouse of any law enforcement officer, firefighter, search-and-rescue personnel member, or emergency medical services personnel member killed in the line of duty.

The exemption from taxation would apply to the surviving spouses principal place of residence. It would cease if the surviving spouse remarries.

Reporting from the Richmond TimesDispatch and Free LanceStar reporter Kat Dix.
Caroline County Republican Committee Chairman Jeff Sili knew something was different about this years presidential campaign by mid-summer, when people started showing up at his house to ask for Donald Trump yard signs.

They were, for the most part, people I had never seen at the polls before, he wrote in an email to The Free LanceStar. My guess is all over this country, community leaders and activists saw exactly the same thing. They were watching and listening to it happen right on the ground, real time, just like me.

So while pre-election polls indicated that Democrat Hillary Clinton would win Virginia easily Tuesday en route to becoming Americas first female president, what was happening in Caroline and other small communities outside the eye of pollsters and the national spotlight would produce a very different result: a resounding upset by Trump.

The businessman-turned-politician became just the third GOP presidential nominee to win Caroline County since Reconstruction Tuesday, garnering 7,143 votes in Caroline to top Clinton by 718 votes.

While that wasnt enough to wrest Virginia from Clinton, her razor-thin margin in the commonwealth would hint of the outcomes that followed, as states thought to favor the Democrat would fall to the Republican: first Florida, then Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, putting Trump over the top in the Electoral College tally.

Sili said he thought many Democrats voted for Trump because otherwise, the numbers dont make sense.

The numbers were high in the Fredericksburg area, with voters turning out in large numbers to side with Trump. He captured nearly 56 percent of the local vote on his way to the stunning victory.

The number of presidential votes cast in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania, Stafford, Caroline and King George counties was up by a total of 9,002 from four years ago, according to preliminary results from the state Board of Elections. Trump received 85,854 votes in the immediate Fredericksburg area, while Clinton got 68,275.

Locally, only the city of Fredericksburg cast fewer votes than in 2012, when President Barack Obama won a second term. The city was also the only locality in the region to favor Clinton, though the former secretary of state won Virginia with 49.5 percent of the vote.

University of Mary Washington political science professor Stephen Farnsworth said Trump garnered support from people who may not have been likely voters in the past, a possible explanation for the inaccuracy of most pre-election polls.

I think its people who are really susceptible to the message of anger, he said. People may have been angry in previous election cycles, but there wasnt a candidate who really drew attention to the plight of working-class whites in the same way as Trump.

Floyd Thomas, chairman of the Caroline Democratic Committee, said hes still trying to figure out why the countys voters favored Trump after supporting Obamaa Democratby wide margins in 2008 and 2012.

Not only did Mr. Trump carry Caroline, but he carried quite a few other places that were normally Democratic, he said.

Asked whether he thought fewer black voters showed up to the polls, Thomas said: At this point, we cant tell whether its a particular segment that didnt turn out or a particular segment that turned out more.

Farnsworth did say he thought it was hard for Clinton to regenerate the enthusiasm many black voters felt for Obamas historic presidency.

Trump, meanwhile, generated a lot of support among rural voters locally and nationally.

At the Partlow polling place in rural Spotsylvania, Trump won 72.6 percent of the vote. By comparison, Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, received 62.3 percent of the vote there.

Jamie Lennahan Ouellet, an assistant professor of political science at Germanna Community College, said talk of a silent majority for Trump turned out to be true.

The president-elect vowed to unify the country in his victory speech early Wednesday, but Ouellet said she thinks Trump will seek to implement some of his more controversial proposalswhich include building a wall along the Mexican borderright away.

I think the thing that we really have to think about as Americans is, we, all of us, just elected a candidate who ran a platform of hate and fear and division, Ouellet said. We have to really look inward.

Thomas, the Democratic Party chair in Caroline, sounded an optimistic note that Americans have more commonalities than differences.

And if we can focus on  the 80 percent that we agree on, then the 20 percent that we really disagree on wont be as significant, he said.
U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, R1st District, cruised to a re-election victory Tuesday, capturing a fifth term in Congress as he prepares to run for governor next year.

The Fredericksburg areas other congressman, Rep. Dave Brat, R7th District, also posted an easy win, picking up a second term over Democrat Eileen Bedell.

They were among seven Republicans to win election in the states 11 congressional races. In the most hotly contested race, U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock, R10th District, defeated Democrat LuAnn Bennett with about 53 percent of the vote.

Wittman defeated Democrat Matt Rowe and independent Gail Parker with more than 60 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results from the state Board of Elections. He has held the seat since winning a special election in 2007.

Wittman, 57, said in an interview that he was humbled by the support. I believe that this really is all about my effort to serve and putting constituents first in everything we do, he said. He added that his priorities include improving military readiness, saying: Were not where we need to be.

The incumbent was a heavy favorite in the staunchly Republican 1st District, which includes the city of Fredericksburg, and Stafford, Caroline and King George counties. The district also includes parts of Spotsylvania County.

Wittmans political experience includes stints on the Montross Town Council, Westmoreland Board of Supervisors and Virginia House of Delegates. In addition, he plans to seek the Republican gubernatorial nomination next year.

Rowe, 35, a member of the Bowling Green Town Council, ran a progressive campaign in support of gay rights, paid family and medical leave and other issues. Parker, 69, advocated expanding the nations rail system in her fourth straight bid for the 1st District seat.

Rowe repeatedly took aim at Wittmans support for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, calling the endorsement disgusting at a recent debate.

Wittman, who spoke at Trumps rally in Fredericksburg, said Tuesday night that the businessman captured a deep sense of frustration with government both in the 1st District and nationally. I think the whole idea of Mr. Trump being the change agent resonated with folks, he said.

During the campaign, Wittman stressed that he does not agree with everything Trump says. After reports of Trumps lewd comments in a video from 2005, for instance, the congressman stated that he does not condone objectification of women under any circumstances.

Rowe and Wittman disagreed on many other issues beyond their presidential picks. Rowes website notes his support for gay rights, a womans right to have an abortion and a path to citizenship for undocumented workers. Wittman is opposed to gay marriage, abortion and amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Brat, whose district includes parts of Spotsylvania and all of Orange and Culpeper County, won the seat two years ago with a stunning upset over Eric Cantor, who was then House majority leader. After learning he won re-election Tuesday with 58 percent of the vote, Brat used Twitter to thank his supporters.

Tonight I want to thank God and all of the constituents of #VA07 for electing me to another two years of service, Brat tweeted.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The years-long, shock-a-minute quest for the presidency ended in a shockwave for the ages.

Donald Trump scored a stunning upset over Hillary Clinton, clinching an electoral vote majority in the wee hours Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Republicans kept control of the House and were on track to do so in the Senate, meaning a unified government was likely after a head-spinning turn of events that devastated the hopes of Democrats  and fed their worst fears.

This, in a nation of gaping division and a powerful sense of pessimism, laid bare in exit polls that found voters casting their ballots without much enthusiasm for their choices.

A NOVEMBER SURPRISE

Underestimated from start to finish, Trump the provocateur, political neophyte and flinger of insults scored major victories in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina on Tuesday, building steam against all expectations in a contest that raged across battlegrounds and turned on hair's breadth margins.

Clinton pocketed Virginia  a squeaker like Florida  and both candidates rolled up victories in their predictable strongholds. But nothing else was predictable as the man who faced a daunting climb to the presidency inched closer to it.

Trump flipped Iowa, a state that twice voted for Democrat Barack Obama. He won Utah, a slam-dunk for most Republicans but a state where many die-hard Republicans were said to find him intolerable. And he carried Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states that hadn't voted for a GOP presidential candidate since the 1980s.

Both candidates left multitudes of Americans dissatisfied with their choices.

The struggle over whom to support was voiced by two voters in Independence, Missouri, after casting their ballots.

"I had such a hard time, harder than I've ever had," said Joyce Dayhill, 59, a school bus driver who "reluctantly" voted for Trump. "I just prayed on it as hard as I could and felt this was the right decision."

Said Clinton voter Richard Clevenger, 58: "I think Trump's not stable. But I can't say there was really anything Hillary's shown me that made me feel like voting for her. But Trump just doesn't know what the hell he's doing, and he's surrounded by the Mickey Mouse Club."

VOTERS SAY...

The nation's fractures were reflected in surveys of voters as they left polling stations. Women nationwide supported Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

And people were markedly unhappy with the choice in front of them, the exit polls found. More than half of voters for each candidate cast their ballots with reservations about the one they voted for or because they disliked the alternative. Only 4 in 10 voters strongly favored their candidate.

In contrast, about two-thirds of voters in 2012 strongly favored the candidate they chose.

CLINTON vs. TRUMP

The two New Yorkers pounded each other relentlessly in the campaign's final stage, each preaching that the other is wholly unqualified, as the race tightened in the final days after a persistent if elastic lead for Clinton in preference polling. The Obamas piled on. Many Republicans agreed with Democrats that Trump would be thumped. Some in Washington ran away from him.

SENATE SUSPENSE

The night's second big mystery was which party will control the Senate, now Republican-dominated. Democrats needed to gain five seats to take an outright majority. If they gained only four  and if Clinton were elected  her vice president would be able to break 50-50 Senate ties.

Democrats blew two of their chances, as Republican Rep. Todd Young thwarted a comeback by Evan Bayh, a former Democratic senator and governor, in Indiana; and as Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida held his Florida seat against a challenge from Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy.

But Democrat Tammy Duckworth toppled Sen. Mark Kirk in Illinois, and with undecided races elsewhere, Senate control remained in play for hours.

Republicans, though, held on to other key seats  Wisconsin and North Carolina  leaving Democrats with little chance for a turnover.

HOUSE HUNTING

To no one's surprise, Republicans kept control of the House, if with thinned ranks. They came into the election populating that chamber in numbers not seen since the 1930s.

The breakdown going into Tuesday: 247-188 for the GOP, with three vacancies. They won at least 218 House seats Tuesday night.

SHE-NANIGANS/HE-NANIGANS?

Trump pronounced in advance that the election is rigged, in what sounded like a hedge should he lose. He warned without evidence that Clinton partisans would commit fraud and prodded his supporters to watch for misdeeds at polling stations. The prospect of vigilante election monitoring and the anger seething behind that impulse raised concerns about confrontations Tuesday, especially if the result was close.

But there were no early reports of large-scale fraud, intimidation or hacking  just long lines, an assortment of voting-machine glitches and some frayed nerves.

BALLOT BONANZA

California, the first state to approve medical marijuana two decades ago, gave a big boost to the campaign to end the drug's national prohibition when voters passed a ballot measure to legalize the recreational use of pot. Voters in Massachusetts did the same. Arizona, Maine and Nevada also weighed whether to take that step.

Florida, one of three states deciding whether to permit marijuana for medical purposes, approved the idea. Montana voted on whether to ease restrictions on an existing medical marijuana law.

Arizona, Colorado and Maine were deciding whether to raise the minimum wage to $12 by 2020; Washington state is considering $13.50. The federal minimum is $7.25. Voters in several states may tighten controls on guns and ammunition.

SOME POLITICS IS LOCAL

Of a dozen races for governor, at least seven appeared competitive and most of those had Democrats on the hook. Republicans went into the campaign with 31 governorships, just one short of their historic high. And Republicans control more than two-thirds of statehouse chambers. In a key legislative battle, Republicans won control of the Kentucky House  the lone remaining Democratic-held chamber in the South.

ORIGINAL POST:

2:29 a.m.: Donald Trump has been elected president of the United States.

The Republican nominee won Wednesday after capturing Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes, putting him over the 270 threshold.

Voters eager to shake up the nation's political establishment picked the celebrity businessman to become the nation's 45th president.

Trump rode an astonishing wave of support from voters seeking change and willing to accept a candidate loose with facts and accused of sexual misconduct.

He upset Democrat Hillary Clinton, who would have become the first woman to serve in the Oval Office.

Trump struck a populist tone and placed a hardline immigration stance at his campaign's heart.

Trump rose to political fame after questioning whether President Barack Obama was born in the United States. He will now follow Obama into the White House.

___

2:22 a.m.

Donald Trump has arrived at his election night headquarters after winning the state of Pennsylvania.

Trump's motorcade traveled from nearby Trump Tower to the midtown hotel where thousands of his supporters and hundreds of reporters are gathered.

Trump is expected to address the crowd.

___

2:08 a.m.

Republicans have officially retained control of the U.S. Senate.

It comes as Missouri Republican Roy Blunt and Alaska's Lisa Murkowski won their two races in Tuesday's election.

Republicans have a 51-47 edge in the Senate. Two races remain outstanding: In Louisiana, the seat will head to a runoff election next month. And in New Hampshire, Democrat Maggie Hassan and Republican Kelly Ayotte are locked in a too-close-to-call race.

___

2:05 a.m.

Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman says it has nothing more to say even as votes turn against her.

John Podesta told a crowd in New York early Wednesday that with states still uncalled "we're not going to have anything else to say tonight."

Clinton trails in the Electoral College count and Donald Trump is close to breaking the 270-vote threshold to become president.

Podesta told the crowd Clinton "has done an amazing job" and "is not done yet."

___

1:56 a.m.

Hillary Clinton has won the statewide vote in Maine.

Clinton has won one of the state's congressional districts, giving her three electoral votes. Trump has won one district in the state and wins one electoral vote.

Trump also won the remaining congressional district in Nebraska, which gives him another electoral vote.

Clinton now has 218 electoral votes. Her Republican opponent has 266, just four shy of the threshold needed to be elected president.

___

1:36 a.m.

Donald Trump has won Pennsylvania and its prize of 20 electoral votes.

Trump's stunning victory in the key battleground state gives him 264 electoral votes.

It takes 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, has 215.

Pennsylvania last voted for a Republican for president in 1988. Trump repeatedly campaigned there, believing his populist message would resonate with the state's working-class voters.

Clinton long viewed the state as a key part of her "firewall" and rallied in Philadelphia with President Barack Obama on Monday night. The Democrats also held their nominating convention in the city.

___

1:30 a.m.

House Speaker Paul Ryan has congratulated Donald Trump on "his big night."

A Ryan spokeswoman confirms that the Republican speaker called the Republican presidential nominee Tuesday evening. The spokeswoman, AshLee Strong, says they had "a very good conversation."

She says, "The speaker congratulated Trump on his big night and also spoke with his good friend Gov. Mike Pence."

___

12:42 a.m.

The mood is dark at Hillary Clinton's election night party.

Stony-faced supporters were crying and anxiously staring at the big screens showing election results. Some began leaving as the race wore on into the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Thousands had gathered at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City for Clinton's election night party. The glass-ceilinged building was picked as a nod to what aides expected would be the historic election of the first female U.S. president.

Clinton, her family and close aides have spent hours ensconced in a suite at the Peninsula New York, a luxury hotel in midtown Manhattan.

___

12:30 a.m.

Donald Trump's campaign manager Kellyanne Conway is describing the mood inside Trump Tower as "buoyant."

She tells The Associated Press that the team is hopeful as results continue to roll in.

A Trump victory would represent a stunning upset against his rival Hillary Clinton.

Thousands of his supporters are gathered in a midtown Manhattan hotel ballroom watching the results on Fox.

___
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THE AMERICAN workforce could learn a few lessons from military veterans as the global economy keeps changing, often at a rapid pace. Veterans make up only about 6 percent of the U.S. population, but the government has already invested large sums of money to train them in adaptability, dependability and the ability for broad learning in a short amount of time.

These traits and others allow veterans to integrate into society after their military service. And integrate in a way that allows them to fill the jobs that we need to move the economy forward.

Here are three snapshots of enlisted Marines who have transitioned out of the military and thrived in the civilian workforce. These stories, including my own, go beyond the rhetoric that veterans are either heroes or broken, or they come home and become only police officers, firemen/women or EMTs.

 Keir Feiler was an infantry assaultman in the Marine Corps from 2004 to 2008. He deployed twice in Iraq and now has two associates degrees from the Culinary Institute of Americaone in culinary arts and another in baking and pastry.

These are probably not the skills you most often associate with a returning vet. But they show the range of jobs that the military prepares veterans for. Feiler explains: The kitchen is built like the military: stations, chain of command, shutting up and doing what youre told when youre told, and long hours. He adds: Other than getting shot at, theres no difference and all the same rules apply. We get screamed at and if one person messes up, we all mess up.

Feiler saw a gap in the market that could benefit from his skill set. His time in the military gave him an edge over his peers. He already had experience working in austere environments, and taking orders was second nature to him.

 Kraig Brunner was an infantry machine gunner in the Marines from 2005 to 2008. He deployed once in Iraq; hes now a commercial diver and underwater welder on the East Coast.

Brunner has always seen the trades as a pathway to employment. He tried his hands in construction and coal mining before ending up in commercial dive school in Philadelphia. You can make a lot of money in this field, he says, if you are willing to show up on time and work late hours. Most of the successful divers I work with are former military. I still show up 15 minutes early to the job and will take any overtime opportunity they offer.

Hes not afraid to follow the work. He started diving in the Gulf of Mexico and now is all over the East Coast in search of the highest-paying jobs available.

 Last, let me offer my own example. I was also an infantry machine gunner in the Marines from 2005 to 2008. I deployed once in 2006 as a Marine and once in 2010 as a private security contractor.

Upon medical retirement in 2008, I began community college while working full time as a truck driver. The job allowed me the freedom to take night and weekend classes while also paying my mortgage. After graduating, I moved to Syracuse where I worked with my father-in-law building houses. Once I completed my bachelors degree, I decided to pursue working with veteran nonprofit groups. This work led me to a manager position at the George W. Bush Institute in Dallas.

These anecdotes of Marines with similar military experiences show how veterans can re-purpose their skills in the civilian job market. The common denominator in all of these stories is the use of the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

This powerful legislation helps transitioning service members gain the credentials to succeed in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. The original GI Bill, which Congress approved in 1944 and is better known as the GI Bill of Rights, helped get those who fought in World War II back into the workforce. Its return on investment for the American taxpayer was $6.90 for every $1 invested.

Early reports show the Post-9/11 GI Bill could yield as high as $8 to every $1 invested, thanks to increased growth in the economy and higher tax brackets for educated veterans.

As we think of growing the middle class, our nation could take a few pages from the military training playbook. We have a labor gap in the Rust Belt and other regions because of the modernization of manufacturing, agriculture and other workplaces. Some workers have been left behind, but the values, work ethic and drive the military instills in its people could help close this gap.

The military is a training ground for the economy as well as those ready to protect our country.

Jeffrey J. Cleland, a retired Marines corporal, is manager of research and policy for the Military Service Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute. His column was distributed by InsideSources.com.
Clinics for those at high risk

At Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, nurse practitioner and three-time breast cancer survivor Heidi Trott is part of the Breast and Ovarian Cancer Prevention Program, or BOCPP. Twice a month, she and a team of oncologists, geneticists and others meet with patients who have mutations such as those in the BRCA1, BRCA2, ALB2, CHEK2, BLM and ATM genes  or a harmful genetic cluster like those found in Lynch syndrome  to sort through their individual odds and options.

Each professional will talk to them about their specific recommendations, their specific risks and what they can do about reducing those risks and when, she said. We also talk about lifestyle modifications.

Drescher said individual patients risks will vary, depending on what mutation is found  and when.

Approximately 12 percent of women in the general population will get breast cancer during their lives. For BRCA1 mutation carriers, those odds go up to 55 to 65 percent and for BRCA2, its around 45 percent. As for ovarian cancers, just over 1 percent of women in the general population are diagnosed during their lives. For BRCA1 mutation carriers, the lifetime risk is around 39 percent; for BRCA2, its about 11 to 17 percent.

Those numbers reflect a womans risk of getting a particular cancer at that particular site over the course of her lifetime, Drescher emphasized. When youre making a decision about what you should do, you need to look at what your age-specific risk is, because that influences what you might do in the moment and how you think about your future and when youll start making decisions about interventions.

BOCPP health care providers also talk to patients about sharing their information with others.

I always encourage them to share this information with their family members because some families want to know, Trott said. If you can share whats happened to you and what advice youve been given, you can say, Look, we can take this into our own hands and have some control over it. Thats a terrific thing.

Screening and surveillance

Actress Angelina Jolie substantially raised awareness about BRCA mutations and preventive surgeries when she went public about her double mastectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, or BSO. Jolie underwent the surgeries as a way to avoid the hereditary cancers that killed her mother, grandmother and aunt.

Trott said preventive mastectomies are not necessarily the clinics go-to recommendation, although many "previvors" do choose to go this route.

We dont strongly push that, not only because of the impact psychologically and physically on the women, but because it doesnt completely remove their risk of getting breast cancer, she said. Our screening  a combination of mammography and MRI  is very good at picking up early stage breast cancer. If they follow the recommended screenings, were comfortable with them not having prophylactic surgeries.

Some surveillance points to keep in mind:

Breast surveillance for high-risk women involves mammogram, MRI and clinical breast exams every 6 months.

BRCA carriers are now advised to start getting MRIs at age 25 but not to start mammograms until theyre 30 (recommendations have changed due to new evidence regarding mammograms in younger women with BRCA mutations).

Surveillance is key because BRCA-driven cancers are more aggressive  and sometimes harder to treat  one reason why many women opt for preventive mastectomy.

Surveillance for ovarian cancer involves a twice-yearly pelvic exam, transvaginal ultrasound and a CA125 tumor marker (blood) test.

Trott said that if patients want to talk about risk-reducing mastectomy (which lowers the risk of breast cancer by 95 percent) they will cover the pros and cons and refer them on to a surgeon.

Chemoprevention, preventing or delaying a cancer by taking an estrogen-blocker like tamoxifen, is another possibility, she said, at least for BRCA2 carriers who tend to get estrogen receptor positive, or ER+, breast cancers. Those cancers respond well to tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors.

The BRCA community has not been well studied with regard to chemoprevention, she said. But for a patient who isnt going to have an oophorectomy and is BRCA2 that could be an option. With BRCA1, the women tend to get ER negative breast cancers so we dont usually recommend it for them.
Des Hague - Launches "Fuels Fund" Campaign with $1 Million Product Donation

Froozer in partnership with Food Bank of the Rockies pledges to support healthy nutrition for CO kids

--

Froozer, a rapidly-growing provider of healthy frozen snacks, launched the Froozer Fuels Fund with a pledge to donate $1 million in product to Food Bank of the Rockies. The donation will support the organization's Kids Cafe Program, which provides after-school and summer meals to children at risk for hunger.

Froozer announced the pledge September 27, 2016 at the Vickers Boys & Girls Club in Denver, a Kids Cafe Program participant. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, who grew up going to the local Boys & Girls Club in Northeast Denver, welcomed the donation and thanked Froozer for its commitment to nourishing the city's youth. Thanks to the Froozer Fuels Fund, participants in the Kids Cafe Program will receive $100,000 worth of Froozer frozen fruit and vegetable snacks annually for the next decade. "Access to healthy nutrition and smart snacking is the foundation of a successful future of our children," stated Hancock. "We thank Froozer for stepping with this very generous donation to Food Bank of the Rockies as this is an important next step to eradicate child hunger and malnutrition in Denver, in Colorado and across the country," concluded Hancock.

"We believe strongly in supporting and strengthening the communities in which we operate and the Froozer Fuels Fund offers us the opportunity to address the challenging issue of childhood hunger in a meaningful way," said Froozer CEO Des Hague. The sole purpose of the Froozer Fuels Fund is to support good nutrition for at-risk and underserved youth in Colorado and eventually, nationwide. With one in seven Coloradans worried about where they will find their next meal - and nearly half of those residents children, there is no better place to launch this initiative than in Froozer's hometown of Denver, working with one of the state's leading hunger relief agencies.

Food Bank of the Rockies provides free hot meals or shelf stable packaged meals to children at more than 80 sites across the state through its Kids Cafe Program. Last year, the program distributed 635,709 meals, both after-school and during the summer. "Nearly 1 in 4 kids in Colorado lives in a family struggling to put food on the table. Thanks to Froozer's support, we'll be able to provide additional nutritious and kid-friendly food for children who don't always have enough to eat," said Food Bank of the Rockies CEO Kevin Seggelke.

Research has shown that children who suffer from food insecurity have more social and behavioral problems and are more likely to experience development impairments. "In the long term, we hope that our campaign is only the beginning of a cause that will help to eradicate childhood hunger and malnutrition," remarked Froozer President Rich Naha.

About Froozer - "simple ingredients. real nutrition."

Froozer products, the official healthy frozen fruit and vegetable snack of US Speedskating, represent the pure goodness of freshly harvested fruits & veggies picked at the peak of their ripeness, flash-frozen whole and blended for optimal taste, nutrition and digestion. Natural fruits and veggies in all their glory, nothing added or subtracted, not even a drop of water. Available in three delicious flavors - STRAWBANANA BLISS, TROPICAL SUNSET and BLUE ALOHA - in 6-pack boxes. Look for Froozer in your local grocery store freezer at selected retail locations in and around Denver, including WholeFoods and Alfalfa's, and various select retailers in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington State, Rhode Island and Alaska, or place your order at http://www.Froozer.com or http://www.Amazon.com to have your Froozer delivered directly to your home or office.

Des Hague Home Page: http://www.deshague.com

Des Hague Sets Up Froozer Health and Wellness Council To Drive Innovation: http://www.abc6.com/story/33628200/des-hague-sets-up-froozer-health-and-wellness-council-to-drive-innovation

Des Hague Welcomes Robin Michel to Froozer Board of Advisers: http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/33646323/des-hague-welcomes-robin-michel-to-froozer-board-of-advisers

For more information, please visit http://froozer.com

Contact Info:

Name: Renate Siekmann, VP Marketing, Corporate Strategy and Communications, Froozer

Email: rsiekmann@froozer.com

Organization: Froozer

Phone: 215-539-9481

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/des-hague-launches-fuels-fund-campaign-with-1-million-product-donation/144408

Release ID: 144408

For more information visit r



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Small Business Saturday tour bus to visit Chocolate Buddha next month in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex

Yoga teacher Kerry Doyland and yoga studio owner Lyn Long, who also design and manufacture the British yoga clothing brand Chocolate Buddha, are proud to announce that the renowned Small Business Saturday tour bus will be visiting them in Leigh-on-Sea next month.

November 9, 2016 (FPRC) --



Chocolate Buddha has been hailed as one of the most innovative and aspirational fitness clothing brands in Britain, and, to celebrate this achievement, the Small Business Saturday tour bus is visiting Church Hill, Leigh-on-Sea to offer up a unique hygge experience to all visitors.



Pulling up at 10am, the Small Business Saturday tour bus will be welcoming visitors to join the ladies at Chocolate Buddha for a mindfulness meditation class  with lots of chocolate!



We are extremely proud that Chocolate Buddha has been selected to be a part of Small Business Saturday, says business owner Kerry Doyland.



Chocolate Buddha is one of just two small businesses chosen from a potential 70,000 registered in Essex alone.



From 10am until 2pm, we will be welcoming visitors to share a 2-minute-long group mindfulness meditation session. There will also be plenty of sweet treats for those who need an incentive to try something new! The class will be a wonderful opportunity to help our visitors discover just how much more they can get from life - if they have the mind to!



Those interested in finding out more about this unique event are encouraged to head down to Church Hill on November 16th to celebrate with Chocolate Buddha. Chocolate Buddha will also be gifting free yoga and Pilates classes from the Shambhala Studios to visitors.



Customers and fans of the brand can tweet their support of the company and the overall Small Business Saturday initiative on 3rd of December by using the hashtag #SmallBizSatUK.



Boilerplate:



Chocolate Buddha is a range of butter-soft British-made yoga clothing for the Lycra-shy. Founded by co-owners Lyn Long and Kerry Doyland in 2011, the company designs and manufactures athleisurewear, using natural sustainable fabrics. The clothing is unique in its design, and in the fact that it is the only brand to be wholly produced (woven, knitted, dyed, printed and made) in Britain. Prices start at 28. For more information visit www.chocolatebuddha.co.uk.



Media Contact:



Kerry Doyland & Lyn Long, Business Owners

Web: http://www.chocolatebuddha.co.uk/

Email: kerry@chocolatebuddha.co.uk

Tel: 07771 543252









Send an email to Kerry Doyland & Lyn Long of r

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Recent Press Releases By The Same User

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Win a 3,720 limited-edition Omega Seamaster Diver 300M with Luxe Watches (Tue 24th Oct 17)

Pest ID Awarded the Prestigious Confederation of European Pest Control Associations Certification (CEPA) (Wed 13th Sep 17)

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Thermalabs to Start Shipping Its Cosmetics to Asia

Major cosmetics producer Thermalabs will soon start shipping its products to Asia.

November 9, 2016 (FPRC) -- Thermalabs, a leading producer of self-tanners and other cosmetics products, has said that it will start shipping its products to Asia. This is a move thats aimed at increasing the companys global distribution, in line with its 2016 goals. Currently, Thermalabs sells its products in most western markets, including the United States, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and other European nations. But the new development means that the companys extensive range of skincare aids will be available in Japan, China, and more Asian markets.



Thermalabs is an innovative firm thats headquartered in New York City, United States. The company set up tent some three years ago, starting out with a self-tanner that captured the market by surprise. The firm has today established a number of production centers in other parts of the world, where it manufacturers quality skincare products. So far, Thermalabs has furnished the worldwide market with at least 30 different products. The majority of these are self-tanners and self-tanning accessories. Others are spray tanning systems, general skin care products, beach-related accessories, and organic healthcare aids.



In recent times, Thermalabs had revealed that it was seeking new distribution partners to increase the availability of its products across the world. Traditionally, the firm launches its products on online marketplaces such as Amazon.com. But this method has not been so effective since a significant proportion of the companys market segment still do not ship online. As a result, Thermalabs has been pursuing new avenues to make sure that its popular tanners and other skincare products are available in supermarkets across Asia and other destinations.



In addition to the new efforts to increase its distribution networks, the company has also set up distinct sub-brands in recent times. Thermalabs established its Supremasea brand in 2015. This is a semi-autonomous division thats now in charge of all the companys products based on Dead Sea mineral salts. The firm also announced Tent World, its new sub-brand that would take over all tents-related products. The third and final division to be established by Thermalabs is Organic Healthcare, which focuses on purely organic healthcare products based on seeds, herbs, and plants extracted from the mountains of Galilee in Israel. Apparently, the company is looking to expand its influence to other areas, probably as part of its long-term growth strategy.



The firms coordinator in charge of marketing, Mr. Howard, said, Thermalabs will soon start shipping its products to Asian markets. Already, we are in talks with a number of leading distribution partners to arrive at an elaborate strategy. While nearly all of our products are available to the online market segment, we want to make sure that we have a brand presence in local stores and supermarkets across Japan, China, South Korea, India, and other regional markets. The focus of this distribution initiative will be general skincare products, such as the Thermalabs Shea Body Butter. ..





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Recent Press Releases By The Same User

Kenyas First Business Directory for Service Providers, Nisort, Launches (Wed 8th Nov 17)

Mentalizer.com Introduces How to Become a Mentalist Program (Sat 14th Oct 17)

Thermalabs Glow2Go is Now Available in the German Market (Thu 12th Oct 17)

Thermalabs Gold Standard Tanner Available Back in the Market (Thu 12th Oct 17)

The Ultimitt Tan Applicator Mitt Now Available in France (Thu 12th Oct 17)

Supremasea Working on More Skincare Formulations (Thu 12th Oct 17)
Mentalist Ehud Segevs December Schedule Almost Full

The Mentalizers December performances schedule nearly full, says Mentalizer Education.

November 9, 2016 (FPRC) -- Mentalizer Education has said that Mentalist Ehud Segevs December performance slots nearly full. This is an interesting announcement for one of the worlds leading mentalists. In addition to training corporate employees and leaders and body language, mentalist Ehud Segev has been known to be an avid performer. He travels the world, entertaining special guests at events such as birthday parties, company launches, and annual commemorations. December is usually the busiest performance month for the Mentalizer. Last year, his December calendar covered events in New York, London, New Delhi, and Japan, among other destinations.



Mentalizer Education is Ehuds organization, which follows his work around the world, as well as offers educational materials for free and for sale. In recent times, the organization introduced Professor Ponzey, a new childrens book brand that will be focusing on molding kids into responsible beings. Professor Ponzeys first book, titled Professsor Ponzey and the Truth Potion, is already out and available on Amazons Kindle marketplace. Ehud Segev uses his deep understanding of psychology to create lessons that directly appeal to kids and influence them to be more obedient, hardworking, and to pursue other positive qualities.



Ehud was born in the Israeli city of Safed in 1979. Growing up, his family moved to Upper Galilee, where he spent most of his time at the local library, reading books on cryptic subjects such as mind reading, mentalism, and body language. By the time he was 16 years old, Ehud was already attracting attention from local media outlets. When he was 19 years old, he successfully predicted the winner in a mayoral contest, choosing from 12 candidates and just relying on a face photo. Since then, Mr. Segev has traveled the world, performing and exhibiting his unique skills to diverse audiences. He has entertained U.S. service members serving in far away basis, as a result of which he was awarded an EB-1 classification by the U.S Department of Homeland Security. This essentially made him a permanent resident of the U.S. Ehud has also been featured on multiple local and international media houses. He appeared among other contestants on NBCs hit show, Phenomenon, thrilling audiences across the nation.



Among other things, Mr. Segev can bend a spoon with his mind, and send credit cards flying. Most of his fans and critics refer to his skills as magic. But he is often quick to point out that he just taps into the innate powers of the human mind.



Wed like to let our corporate partners and fans know that Ehud Segevs December schedule is nearly full. We are issuing this statement to avert a hectic performance calendar, as was the case December last year. Mr. Ehud will be performing in several major cities around the world and well keep you updated on his whereabouts and what hes accomplishing. For fans whod like to enjoy some more tricks, keep your eyes open this holiday season, said Hannah Tiram, a PR employee at Mentalizer Education.





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Recent Press Releases By The Same User

Kenyas First Business Directory for Service Providers, Nisort, Launches (Wed 8th Nov 17)

Mentalizer.com Introduces How to Become a Mentalist Program (Sat 14th Oct 17)

Thermalabs Glow2Go is Now Available in the German Market (Thu 12th Oct 17)

Thermalabs Gold Standard Tanner Available Back in the Market (Thu 12th Oct 17)

The Ultimitt Tan Applicator Mitt Now Available in France (Thu 12th Oct 17)

Supremasea Working on More Skincare Formulations (Thu 12th Oct 17)
Des Hague Of Froozer Expands Board Of Advisors

Bonnie Siegel joins All-Star Froozer Board of Advisors.

--

Des Hague, Chairman and CEO of Froozer and Rich Naha, President of Froozer, the fast-growing frozen whole food fruit and vegetable snack maker announced today that Bonnie Siegel, founder and CEO of ASE Inc. has joined their all-star cast of Board of Advisors. Siegel's unmatched experience and approach to brand strategy has an indelible impact on every client and organization she touches. Siegel has focused ASE's sights exclusively working within the corporate market, franchise organizations and most recently political campaign events. Siegel has over 27 years of experience in Events, Meetings, Branding Strategy and Protocol, and has developed a global client list - proof positive her approach works. Siegel believes if you understand the brand, you can pave the outcome to having an indelible impact for every client. Her firm has won numerous awards from industry organizations and peers, allowing her to share her experiences and knowledge through speaking engagements and published articles. "I have known Bonnie for a decade," stated Des Hague. "Her passion for excellence and creativity is enviable. It is a pleasure to have Bonnie join our company at this critical juncture to help us drive demonstrable growth globally," concluded Hague.

Siegel began her event career in the early 80's as the Liaison Officer for the Israeli Mission to the United Nations. Siegel coordinated meetings and events on behalf of the mission as well as the U.N. Secretariat. She also produced countless fundraising events for major philanthropic organizations while living in New York. In 1992, having established ASE Group only 5 years earlier, she was recognized and invited by the U.S. Department of Defense to lead workshops in Heidelberg, Germany for the Moral Welfare & Recreation (MWR), division of the Army to organize and develop special events at various bases throughout Europe.

Siegel's laser focus and vision for ASE Group has led her company to produce meetings and special events in the corporate marketplace, specializing in the franchise, retail and dealer sectors. Most recently, Siegel was retained to be the National Brand Strategist and Lead Advance for the Cruz for President campaign putting her strategic thinking, branding, and event planning expertise to work. Her broad experience helped meld the messaging and image of Senator Ted Cruz into the most recognized Leader of the Republican Conservative Movement. Additionally, ASE Group partnered with the Cruz campaign to produce numerous nationally publicized events throughout the 2016 GOP Primaries.

Siegel holds a dual master's degree in International Public Policy and Public Administration from Binghamton University, New York. She is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), has sat on multiple boards within and outside of her industry as well as in the community. "Froozer is an outstanding Brand," said Siegel and continued, "there is no better time for a fresh, innovative, yet simple product like this to deeply penetrate the consumer market. There is definitely a renaissance taking place where people of all ages are looking for wholesome, healthy, nutritious and sustainable food choices for themselves and their children. Froozer is on the cutting edge of what the consumer is craving," concluded Siegel. "These are exciting times for Froozer, and the talent we are assembling positions us well for explosive growth," said Froozer President, Rich Naha.

About Froozer - "simple ingredients. real nutrition."

Froozer products, the official healthy frozen fruit and vegetable snack of US Speedskating, represent the pure goodness of freshly harvested fruits & veggies picked at the peak of their ripeness, flash-frozen whole and blended for optimal taste, nutrition and digestion. Natural fruits and veggies in all their glory, nothing added or subtracted, not even a drop of water. Available in three delicious flavors - STRAWBANANA BLISS, TROPICAL SUNSET and BLUE ALOHA - in 6-pack boxes. Look for Froozer in your local grocery store freezer at selected retail locations in and around Denver, including WholeFoods and Alfalfa's, and various select retailers in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington State, Rhode Island and Alaska, or place your order at http://www.Froozer.com or http://www.Amazon.com to have your Froozer delivered directly to your home or office.

Des Hague Home Page: http://www.deshague.com

Des Hague - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DesHagueCEO/

Des Hague (@Deshague) - Twitter: https://twitter.com/deshague

For more information, please visit http://froozer.com

Contact Info:

Name: Renate Siekmann, VP Marketing, Corporate Strategy and Communications, Froozer

Email: rsiekmann@froozer.com

Organization: Froozer

Phone: 215-539-9481

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/des-hague-of-froozer-expands-board-of-advisors/144734

Release ID: 144734

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Inbox Blueprint Review Examining Anik Singal's Email Marketing Course Released by Mohamed Mnafeg

The GuruReviews study firm just recently released a comprehensive review of Inbox Blueprint 2.0, an email marketing course designed by Anik Singal.

--

Inbox Blueprint 2.0 is the newest version of the popular course developed by Anik Singal in 2013 and labeled as a simple business model that sold more than $100 million worth of digital products .

Anik Singal is one of the most prominent personalities in the Internet marketing industry. He was very successful in establishing a massive online business empire that continues to earn a fortune. Anik was featured in bit TV networks like CNN where he shared his successful accomplishments with millions of people worldwide.

According to Mohamed Mnafeg, Inbox Blueprint 2.0 is a complete training course which aims to train marketers about email marketing. The module consists of lessons and videos along with live case study especially made for start-up email marketing professionals. It contains the exact formula of Anik Singal on how to build a multi-million dollar web-based empire.

"Majority of affiliate courses and books in Internet marketing demonstrate unreliable techniques in generating commissions. Besides, many of these contain so-called black hat strategies," Mohamed Mnafeg stated. On the other hand, Anik teaches marketers long-term affiliate strategies. "One example is to provide major search engines like Google and Yahoo with premium content and building high-quality links instead of espousing temporary black hat tactics," he added.

The review also mentioned that in Anik's Inbox Blueprint 2.0, he disclosed different advertising approaches rather than depending on a single source of income. By promoting several products and utilizing numerous sources of traffic and leads, marketing professionals and online entrepreneurs can protect themselves from unnecessary losses in case the goods, services or brands they promote is withdrawn or competitors pose a big threat.

Mohamed Mnafeg singled out a unique strategy coming from Anik wherein the guru eagerly suggests creating an email list for positioning as an authority. This will give online enterprises the opportunity to build strong relationships and market to potential customers.

For people who want to get immediate access to the second Inbox Blueprint workshop they must go to the official site here

Mohamed Mnafeg commented on each of the eight modules in his detailed review of the Inbox Blueprint 2.0.

He referred to Module 1 (The Addiction Meter) as an aggregate of 11 step-by-step measures in researching and selecting a business niche that will surely make money from email marketing.

He also said Module 2 (The Bait) educates marketers on the best mode of creating effective opt-in pages that can transform visitors to loyal subscribers. These emanate from design and content writing. It also contains a free offer to attract subscribers. One does not have to be a web designer to be able to do all these things.

Based on the review, Module 3 (TYP Method) of the Inbox Blueprint reveals a secret method for revenue generation. This can help pay for startup costs while Module 4 (The Email Machine Overview) is one way of discovering tools for efficient of email lists and monitoring of key statistics. It is one way of finding out how subscribers interact with marketers' emails.

Module 5 is all about Emails and List Relationship. It teaches email strategies that Anik used to engender his lucrative ventures. The course participants are educated on how to compose various forms of emails and automate messages with one potent tool. Module 6 (Payday Secrets) is a step-by-step procedure in finding solid offers for promotions and winning strategies for monetization.

In the Module 7 (The Easy Traffic) Inbox Blueprint, students are taught how to come up with FREE and PAID traffic to the email marketing machine. Without traffic, the funnel will be worthless so it is important to create as much traffic as possible because this brings in more money.

Finally, Module 8 or Unlimited Success, Anik discloses valuable metrics that will make email marketing initiatives more rewarding. There are also tried-and-true methods capable of overcoming common challenges confronting email marketers.

Based on the Inbox Blueprint review, this course was conceived around several video clips that introduce participants to the core principles of email marketing, writing effective sales letters, and formulating quality squeeze pages. These are pages that capture opt-in email addresses for marketing campaigns. They utilize popular content sites which include YouTube to sell Click bank products or the student's personal brand. On top of this, the program also supplies learners with basic software tool that creates useful squeeze pages. It also helps in obtaining subscribers for the email marketing pages of students.

Mohamed Mnafeg's review also revealed that Anik Singh founded The Affiliate Classroom in 2004. He is an affiliate training consultant well-versed in search engine optimization or SEO, Pay per Click strategies, and website monetization. At the same time, Anik operates and maintains the widely held PPC Classroom and Launch Tree membership sites helping web marketers with innovative information on PPC advertising and product launches.

Anik Singal markets an assortment of products and services which are usually categorized into step-by-step format. There are also additional bonuses for those who avail of the Inbox Blueprint 2.0. He also offers follow-up training in the form of audio interviews, tele-seminars, webinars, and Q&A sessions so customers are always updated.

For those wanting a complete review of the program can visit Inbox Blueprint 2.0 Review website and take advantage of the Bonus. The review is available at the following url: www.gurureviews.org/inbox-blueprint-review/

About Guru Reviews:

Guru Reviews presents stimulating possibilities on how technology and information can help enhance as well as enrich the life of people. It provides information, tools, and suggestions that will help smart individuals decide what to purchase and how to acquire the most out of technology.

Guru Reviews also offers services like customized research, evidence-based consulting, and organized reports for companies engaged in financial services and Web marketing.

For more information, please visit http://www.gurureviews.org/inbox-blueprint-review/

Contact Info:

Name: Mohamed Mnafeg

Organization: Guru Reviews



Source: http://marketersmedia.com/inbox-blueprint-review-examining-anik-singals-email-marketing-course-released-by-mohamed-mnafeg/143834

Release ID: 143834

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First-term Irmo Mayor Barry Walker announced Sept. 26 that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. The mayors wife, Susan, also got COVD-19, Walker said on social media. As you know Im a kidney patient and require weekly dialysis, Walker wrote. This virus compromises my immune syste Read moreWhat You Missed: Irmo Mayor Barry Walker gets COVID-19
Free Freightnet Membership

List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours.
Dairy farmers can apply for grants of up to 2,500 to attend dairy conferences next year to support professional development.

AHDB Dairy, which is offering the grants, aims to promote learning, knowledge sharing and networking among farmers to help improve their business.

See also: Grants help farm upgrades

Learnings can be brought back and shared on farm to encourage innovative practice and lead to improvements in GB dairy farming, a spokesman said.

A limited number of grants, from 300-2,500, are available towards the costs of attending events, which include:

Positive Farmers Conference, 11-12 January 2017

Semex Dairy Conference, 15-17 January 2017

Western Dairy Conference, 28 February-2 March 2017

Previous successful applicants have attended Total Dairy, IDF and the Cattle Lameness Conference. As well as their own development, attendees have shared their experiences with other farmers at AHDB Dairy events.

Further details and an application form are available from AHDB Dairy. The deadline for applications is Friday 9 December 2016.
A Bedfordshire man has been disqualified from keeping farm animals for life after about 100 cows were found in his barns and fields  many of them emaciated, dying or dead.

The RSPCA was called in in January, in response to concerns about the British White cows kept at Green End Farm, Swineshead, Bedfordshire.

Arriving with a vet, the RSPCA found five of them already dead, and another nine in such a bad state they had to be put down.

See also: Police calls for RSPCA to lose its power to prosecute

A further 85 cows were taken into RSPCA care.

The farmer, 70-year old Andrew Peter Leishman, appeared at Luton Magistrates Court on Monday (7 November) and pleaded guilty to offences under the Animal Welfare Act.

He admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a number of the cattle, by failing to provide adequate nutrition, and to not providing a suitable environment.

Mr Leishman was given a life disqualification on keeping all farm animals, was given 240 hours of community service and was ordered to pay 94,375 costs to the RSPCA.

Starved to death

I will never forget the sight of so many cows lying there dead, or dying, or so ill they would have gone that way had we not been called to the rescue, said RSPCA chief inspector Mark Thompson.

There were many animals lying there so still I thought they were dead at first. These were effectively starved to death.

They just had not been given the food they needed.

They had also been kept in filthy, completely unsuitable conditions  with deep litter all around them and in some cases up to their bellies.

About 20 of the cows taken into RSPCA care did not survive, despite being under constant veterinary care.

The remaining 66 will be rehomed.
Story Highlights Perceptions of nationwide crime unchanged from 2015

Perceptions of local crime also steady

60% of Americans believe crime problem in U.S. extremely or very serious

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Seven in 10 Americans say there is more crime in the U.S. than a year ago, unchanged from 2015. Two in 10 believe there is less crime. The percentage who believe crime is up from a year ago is near the recent high of 74% in 2009, but still significantly below the record high of 89% in 1992.

Since Gallup began asking this question in 1989, a majority of Americans have usually said there is more crime than there was the year before. A notable exception was in October 2001, soon after the Sept. 11 attacks, when 41% expressed this sentiment. By the next year, perceptions of there being more crime in the U.S. than in the prior year returned to the majority level, possibly because of the 2002 D.C. sniper shootings, and have since remained there.

The FBI announced in September of this year that homicides were up by 11% in 2015 from the previous year. The violent crime rate also increased, by about 4%, in 2015 and was the highest in three years. Gallup measured a seven-percentage-point increase from 2014 to 2015 in perceptions that there was more crime in the U.S. than the prior year, but found no change this year. Government data on crime rates for 2016 won't be released until next year, so it is unclear whether Americans' perceptions about crime in the U.S. are consistent with the actual crime trend.

Perceptions of Local Crime Steady From Last Year

In line with this year's stability in Americans' beliefs about U.S. crime, Americans' perceptions of crime in the area where they live were unchanged from 2015. Forty-five percent now say there is more crime locally than last year, essentially unchanged from 46% a year ago. Thirty-three percent now say there is less local crime and 20% say there is the same amount.

As noted, Americans' perceptions of crime locally and nationally are unchanged this year, even as violent crime is reportedly up from the previous year in certain major cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles. Donald Trump made the perception that violent crime is rising in the U.S. a hallmark of his campaign, especially in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in July. In reply, President Barack Obama said murder and violent crime rates are much lower today than when Ronald Reagan was president. Gallup's trend underscores this long-term decline. A majority of Americans from 1989 to 1992 thought local crime was increasing, almost 10 percentage points higher than today.

Perceived Seriousness of U.S. Crime Problem Remains High

Along with the stability in Americans' perceptions of the national and local crime rate, Americans' views of the seriousness of the national crime problem are unchanged. Amid the noise of the presidential election year, with Trump frequently citing crime as a chief concern in the U.S., 60% of Americans say the problem of crime in the nation is "extremely" or "very" serious. This is essentially unchanged from October 2015 but tied for the high point over the past 16 years.

While in most years, the majority of Americans have said the crime problem was "extremely" or "very serious," that has not been the case in all years. In 2004, perceptions of the seriousness of crime dropped, with 42% saying the crime problem was extremely or very serious -- and more saying it was moderately serious or not serious.

Bottom Line

Americans have long believed that crime is on the rise in the U.S., even in years when it was sharply in decline. Media reports about high-profile crimes might create the perception that crime is on the rise, even if changes in actual crime rates have not always supported that idea.

Recent reports indicate crime was up in 2015. Americans may have detected this uptick last year -- before official crime statistics were released -- when the percentage saying there was more crime than a year earlier increased. The U.S. government will release crime statistics for 2016 next year, which will validate whether Americans' perceptions about crime -- which held steady this year -- are correct.

Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics.

Survey Methods

Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted Oct. 5-9, 2016, with a random sample of 1,017 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting.

Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 60% cellphone respondents and 40% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods.

View survey methodology, complete question responses and trends.

Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works.
The 'Mass Effect' Andromeda First Trailer Finally Arrived; BioWare Will Be Giving A Free In-Game Item Starting Today

BioWare finally released the first "Mass Effect" Andromeda trailer. The "Mass Effect" Andromeda is the fourth installment of the "Mass Effect" Andromeda series, which is set to release in the first quarter of 2017.

As per the io9, the "Mass Effect" Andromeda trailer is being narrated by the founder of the Andromeda Initiative named Jien Garson. The trailer video is presented as a briefing video as the narrator is giving some information about the outer galaxy and what to expect along the journey.

By accessing the Origin accounts, players will have a glance of most of the information about the "Mass Effect" Andromeda and the Initiative. The newest "Mass Effect" Andromeda will feature a massive galactic space, the first sequel to ever use an open-world map.

You're the new Pathfinder. How far will you go? Watch the new Mass Effect: Andromeda trailer. pic.twitter.com/DIKgTXKgCG  Mass Effect (@masseffect) November 7, 2016

In "Mass Effect" Andromeda, players will take control of the Pathfinder, which can be selected either a male or a female. Players will be exploring the Heleus Cluster of the Andromeda galaxy via the six-wheeled buggy vehicle called Nomad.

According to the Polygon, the Pathfinder is a mix of an elite soldier, a scientist and a guide that will lead the humanity on exploration. Numerous locations and secret areas in the "Mass Effect" Andromeda awaits the players for them to discover and explore.

In addition to their report, BioWare unveiled the "Mass Effect" Andromeda in-game exclusive bonus. A Pathfinder helmet can redeemed by the players who will explore the "Mass Effect" Andromeda Initiative video while logged-in in their Origin accounts. It was confirmed that a progress bar is set to track down the progress of the Initiative video as players explore the briefing.

The "Mass Effect" Andromeda trailer video was released during the celebration of the N7 Day Event, which was held annually on every 7th of November as The Verge reported. The "Mass Effect" Andromeda is set to hit the market between January and April of 2017.
Xiaomi Mi MIX US Release Date, Specs, Features, News & Update: New Huawei Concept Phone to Bear Bezel-less Design Like Mi MIX?

Xiaomi recently introduced a new innovative, high-end phablet, the Xiaomi Mi MIX, which features a 6.4-inch bezel-less display. Now, a new leak has surfaced suggesting that one Chinese manufacturer is working on another device comparable to the Xiaomi Mi MIX.

The Xiaomi Mi MIX is surely a head turner with its attractive design and the fact that 91.3 per cent of the screen occupies the entire body of the phablet, as the company described. The company conducted a flash sale last week and it reportedly took only 10 seconds for the units to run out. That's how impressive the phablet is, but now reports have it that another Chinese smartphone maker, Huawei, is actually developing a "concept phone" that will follow in the footsteps of the Mi MIX.

The information came from Chinese site Weibo and it mentioned that Huawei is developing a "Quad-edge screen," which is something similar to Xiaomi Mi MIX. The concept phone will bear the looks of a futuristic device, with all four sides sporting curved edges. In addition, the design is said to have no borders and bezels. The report also stated that Huawei could develop this smartphone under a new brand name, but it's likely that it would belong to the Huawei Honor series, Phone Arena reported.

Huawei is not the only smartphone manufacturing company that has taken notice of how unique and captivating Xiaomi Mi MIX's design is. An image of a phone rumored to be from Meizu surfaced on Weibo. It is seen to have a display size that occupies 100 per cent of the front of the body and reports have it that this is Meizu's contender against the Mi MIX. This hasn't been confirmed though so readers should take the information with a pinch of salt.

Meanwhile, Xiaomi Mi MIX continues to sell like hotcakes, but only in China. The Snapdragon 821/4 GB RAM-powered smartphone costs about $516 and the 6 GB configuration at $590. A worldwide release date has not been confirmed but fans are hoping that the company will soon introduce the device in other markets.
Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Latest Spoilers, News & Update: New Love Triangle Emerges? Several Doctors to be Replaced? More Plot Details Revealed

"Grey's Anatomy" Season 13 has gotten pretty interesting following an announcement from Catherine Avery that she will enforce major changes in the residency program of Grey Sloan. There are also reports suggesting that Polish American actress Marika Dominczyk will join the team and play as Dr. Eliza Minnick.

"Grey's Anatomy" Season 13's Dr. Eliza Minnick was personally requested by Avery to become a part of the team at the hospital to help assess the residency program. However, many people thing that her way of assessing things is quite disturbing as other doctors at the same hospital are unaware of what is going on and what is supposed to happen. Most of the hospital staff is not happy following Dr. Eliza Minnick's assessment on a doctor that resulted into the physician's removal from the company. Although some of the details are merely just speculations and rumors; doctors at the hospital are worried that it might happen to them.

It is speculated that several doctors will be fired from the hospital in "Grey's Anatomy" Season 13 as a result of Dr. Eliza Minnick's assessment. There are rumors saying that the company might consider replacing most of its physicians if the conclusion of Dr. Eliza Minnick's job allows them to.

Meanwhile, "Grey's Anatomy" Season 13 is nearing its midseason finale, which will happen Nov. 10 and 16 on ABC. According to a report by Stopru, "Grey's Anatomy" Season 13 Episode 8, which will be titled "The Room Where It Happens", will take everyone to a trip down memory lane as it remembers the challenging surgery during the show's first season. According to the report, Stephanie, played by Jerrika Hinton, will be haunted by her past experiences that might greatly affect his work at the hospital.

Many fans are also interested of the developing love triangle between Alex, Jo and Andrew. Stay tuned for more news and updates about "Grey's Anatomy" Season 13.
WWE Latest News & Update: Sami Zayn Wants To Bring Intercontinental Title To Raw After Defeating Rusev; The Miz Helping?

WWE Intercontinental champion Dolph Ziggler stakes his title against Sami Zayn at Survivor Series in a cross-brand card. Zayn gained the right to face the Showoff after defeating Rusev in a no.1 contenders match recently.

This is a big opportunity for Zayn who has so far been wandering around in the middle cards, Bleacher Report reported. He tried to stir up something with Braun Strowman, but the landscape apparently changed when the big guy secured a slot for Team Raw for Survivor Series.

Strowman will team up with an unlikely group that includes Chris Jericho, Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins, WWE.com reported. It remains to be seen if the controversial group can pan up against a formidable team SmackDown on Nov. 20 from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The Ziggler vs. Zayn matchup should be action-packed with both known for their aggressive and death-defying maneuvers. A question that lurks is whether this card will be a clean one or see interference from someone who has vested interest in the Intercontinental title  The Miz.

The Miz took exception last week when he was not even considered by general manager Daniel Bryan for team SmackDown. In the same show, the heel wrestler also lost any chance of vying for the IC title to Ziggler, the same guy he lost it to. A lot of that could be cleared up in coming SmackDown episodes.

It is no secret that The Miz has been linked to a possible move to Raw so he could inadvertently help Sami Zayn and get a title-shot on the red brand. This is the assumption that something is cooking like a silent move to Raw.

The scenario would render Bryan and Ziggler helpless with the IC title on Raw. The Miz could pick up from there and viola, new storyline for the WWE. If not, expect the Miz to do something as he tries to steal one from Ziggler like a disqualification win. Right now, anything is possible so stay tuned for more updates on Game and Guide.
WWE Latest News & Update: The Demon King Clears Air, Return Set For 2017

Finn Balor plans to spend the Holidays at home, dousing water on previous rumors tied up to a potential early return to WWE action. Balor is still recovering from a shoulder injury he sustained at SummerSlam 2016, something that will take six months to heal.

The WWE Universe went into a mild frenzy recently when Finn Balors name was on the list spotted over at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Cageside Seats reported. It was apparently an outdated advertisement which should be updated soon.

If that is not enough to convince WWE fans that he is not ready to return, Balor made it clear that he plans to spend the Holidays at home with family and friends, ScreenGeek reported. The earliest time to see him back in action is 2017.

Seeing Balor return prematurely was a long shot, to begin with. He suffered the injury when he faced Seth Rollins but managed to continue and hold the distinction of being the first-ever WWE Raw Universal champion.

Balor was forced to relinquish the title barely 24 hours later due to the injury. Kevin Owens would eventually win the title with aid from Triple H in a Fatal Four-Way match. KO continues to hold on to the belt as of this writing with no word if he will hold on to it until Balor is cleared to return.

The Demon King is expected to target the Universal title upon return. A likely match for it may happen at Wrestlemania 33. The question though is whether it would be Owens or someone else.

Roman Reigns has been given a push lately though there is no certainty if he will become the next Universal champion. Seth Rollins is out of the mix with belief that he will settle his differences with Triple H at Wrestlemania as well.

Whether it be Owens or Reigns, Balors return is what most are awaiting. He has proven to be a big hit with the fans and obviously many want to see him back in action soon.
Pirates of the Caribbean 5 Release Date, Spoilers, News & Update: New Movie Titles Revealed! Official Plot & Cast! More Sequels Coming?

Details about "Pirates of the Caribbean 5" have been kept under wraps very well. Fans haven't got a lot of updates about the next installment in the movie series. Despite the lack of details, rumors about the movie's plot continue to surface, making fans all the more curious as to what the story really has to offer.

"Pirates of the Caribbean 5" will be subtitled "Dead Men Tell No Tales," but this title will only be carried in the U.S. The movie will bear different titles in different countries. As reported by Slashfilm, the film will be subtitled "Salazar's Revenge" in the United Kingdom and "The Revenge of Salazar" in Italy, Spain and France. As per the report, it wasn't mentioned why the film has to carry different titles, but what's certain is that regardless of the subtitle, it's clear that the film will give focus to Salazar.

Salazar is the main villain in "Pirates of the Caribbean 5" and is played by Javier Bardem. Of course, Johnny Depp will be back to reprise his role as Captain Jack Sparrow. Official plot synopsis reveals that Capt. Jack Sparrow will once again find himself in more trouble as his ghost pirate enemies are out to hunt him. They will be led by Salazar, who has escaped the Devil's Triangle and is determined to put an end to Jack Sparrow. Jack can only survive with the help from the Trident of Poseidon, which allows anyone who possesses it to control all of the seas.

On his quest to find the trident, Jack will meet Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), and together they will search for the legendary artifact. It is now rumored that Jack will finally meet the love of his life in "Pirates of the Caribbean 5" and might even get married. Fans have wanted to see their favorite pirate settle down with someone for good, but Jack's love life is still in the rumored category. "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" will premiere on May 26, 2017 and fans will just have to wait by then to find out.
Card Captor Sakura Air Date, News, Spoilers, & Update: CLAMP, Clear Card Arc Sequel Confirmed; Tomoyo, Sakura, Syaoran Love Triangle, Sakura Heart-Broken?

Card Captor Sakura, one of the all time classic favorite anime is back. With its new manga sequel, fans will surely look forward since its original debut in May 1996.

CLAMP, the creative artist group behind the writing and illustration of this magical girl manga series has made its comeback sequel in the Nakayoshi magazine which is scheduled to be released on December 2, 2016 in Japan as Live journal reports. This shall be the first volume of the "Card Captor Sakura: Clear Card Arc" which shall either be a normal edition or special edition.

Card Captor Sakura is a story about an elementary student who is tasked to recover the magic cards in the books that was sealed for years to prevent mysterious catastrophe from happening. Whie collecting the glowing cards, Sakura must rely on her friends and family.

In the comeback sequel, the manga will start in another phase of life. Sakura starts as a first year in junior high school with Tomoyo and Syaoran after graduating from Tomoeda Elementary School. In the new sequel, it may also include the love triangle between Tomoyo- Sakura - Syaoran which shall surely make the anime interesting based on Morning Ledger.

Rumors has surfaced that CLAMP has announced that this might be the final ending for the Card Captor Sakura manga series. They may not be anymore CCS to look forward to in the future after such release of this manga. But this rumor has been debunked.

Fans will not only be overwhelmed by the manga sequel which CLAMP has to offer, but is indeed excited for this all time classic favorite anime to hit the big screens. It is to be released on January 2017.
'Hunter x Hunter' News and Updates: Chapter 361 Flawed, 'Tokyo Ghoul' Writer Enlisted For Help; Yoshihiro Togashi Forced To Surrender Rights?

Recent news and updates for "Hunter x Hunter" are not positively inclined. Rumors of the anime facing a downturn has surfaced. There are notions that anime writer, Yoshihiro Togashi is being forced to surrender his rights and that the creator of "Tokyo Ghoul" might be taking over.

Despite the claims coming about, all of these speculations remains unproven and untrue. It is also not confirmed that these notions were confirmed by either of the mentioned names such as Yoshihiro Togashi of "Hunter x Hunter" and the creator of "Tokyo Ghoul."

However, it is presumed that the prolonged delay of "Hunter x Hunter" might have forced creators to search for other options to ensure that the anime would move forward. In a former report of GamenGuide, even Yoshihiro Togashi's wife was tagged in the rumor as well.

According to the report, Yoshiro Togashi may relay the responsibilities to his wife, Naoko Takeuchi to ensure the legacy of "Hunter x Hunter," but that remains to be seen as well.

More reports revealed of some possible events that could unfold in the upcoming scenes of "Hunter x Hunter." With that being said, it could be that more brawls could occur in the latter episodes for Gon and the rest of his friends, but everything remains shrouded for now.

There are some assumptions that Gon's life and journeys would be the focal point of the latter episodes of "Hunter x Hunter." As Gon tried to walk the same path as his father did, he encountered painful and challenging moments of his life, but made some great friends as well.

For the fans and followers of the "Hunter x Hunter" anime franchise, it is still a strong anime to contend with and in regarding to the rumors of the writer of "Tokyo Ghoul" taking the place of Yoshihiro Togashi, that speculation has already been debunked.
'One Piece' Latest News & Update: The Death Of Sanji Confirmed, Anime Arc Deviates; Luffy In Rampage, Strawhat Pirates In A Jiffy?

Recent news and update pertaining to "One Piece" centers on the possible scenarios of the main characters such as with Luffy and Sanji. There are claims arising that Sanji's death is imminent as the story arc deviates from its manga heritage.

Moreover, rumors of Luffy in rampage is bound to arise in the forthcoming episodes of "One Piece." Speculations have even surfaced that the Strawhat pirates would be in a rumble after facing their biggest battle just yet.

Although the rumors are arising, none of it were confirmed. Even the creators of "One Piece" has not affirmed the speculation storylines to be true. Contradictory to the rumored plotlines, the anime series is still staying true to its manga heritage.

SANJI always believe in LUFFY #onepiece pic.twitter.com/DKydgZ1c3F  Quotes ni Luffy  (@QuoteNiLuffy) November 6, 2016

A former report from GamenGuide relayed the probable events that could take place in the upcoming scenes of "One Piece." Moreover, since the anime franchise has maintained its momentum for many years, the upcoming episodes are bound to surpass the former ones already aired.

More report mentioned that "One Piece" rumors have surfaced that chapter 845 would unveil too many problems for the main characters, particularly with Sanji and Luffy and reports have also surfaced that the story arc of "One Piece" is being threatened by the rising dominion of "Tokyo Ghoul."

.#OnePiece is on Toonami. Can you trend this show? pic.twitter.com/yUc4IUTnsp  Toonami News (@ToonamiNews) November 6, 2016

There are still too many things left to expect for "One Piece." With challenges underway, many are hoping that Luffy, Sanji and the rest of the gang would overcome every hurdle thrown their way.
OnePlus 3T Release Date, News & Update: Qualcomm Confirms Snapdragon 821 Coming, Is This A New Google Pixel Killer?

Latest smartphones keep getting better and stronger as Qualcomm announced that Snapdragon 821 processor is set to one of OnePlus devices. It is expected that the latest OnePlus 3T smartphone will be unveiled on November 15.

Qualcomm, the company that powers most of the Android phones, has announced on its Twitter account that OnePlus will sport Snapdragon 821 processor. This announcement has turned a different perspective in the mobile industry on how OnePlus 3T will compete with other known brands like Google's Pixel.

According to TCC, The Chinese Company is rumored to launch its newest smartphone, the OnePlus 3T on November 15. The specs of OnePlus 3T is expected to have Snapdragon 821 processor and some significant improvements over OnePlus 3.

Aside from Snapdragon 821 processor, OnePlus 3T is rumored to have specs of 6GB RAM with 64GB internal storage, a 16MP rear camera and 8MP front-facing camera. Also, it is said to be equipped with a fingerprint sensor, 4G VoLTE connectivity, USB Type-C and a 3000mAh battery capacity with Dash Charge technology. It is also expected that it will run Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.

The announcement of Qualcomm about the expected OnePlus 3T having its latest Snapdragon 821 processor will probably a killer for Google's Pixel. According to some reports, benchmark test results of Google Pixel and Pixel L are not impressive considering both devices have the same processor Snapdragon 821. Comparisons from the previous processor Snapdragon 820, the performance test results of Pixel smartphones are not relatively high as what should be expected from Snapdragon 821. It is because that the Pixel phones are clocked at the same speed of Snapdragon 820.

Meanwhile, OnePlus 3T is expected to use the full 2.35GHz power speed that is capable in Snapdragon 821 processor. Smartphones equipped with Snapdragon 821 processor brags to give three times faster of X12 LTE speed and an improvement in graphic performance and power usage with Adreno 530 GPU.
'Hawaii Five-O' Season 7 Spoilers: Steve McGarrett Finds Closure in Relationship with Catherine Rollins; Danny, Grace Become Hostages of Terrorists

After speculating for so long of what has become of Steve McGarrett (Alex OLoughlin) and Catherine Rollins relationship, Hawaii Five-O fans finally had their answer on the 150th episode of the series at that. McGarrett was on a dinner date with current girlfriend Lynn Downey (Sarah Carter) when Rollins stormed in to tell Steve something very important.

In the particular Hawaii Five-O Season 7 episode, Rollins had to rush to where McGarrett was to let him know that his mother Doris (Christine Lahti) is being held captive at a CIA black site in Morocco. Rollins was initially unaware that McGarrett and Downey are together and even indulged her exs girlfriend in small talk.

McGarretts past and present girlfriends conversation eventually ended up to the time that Rollins left which happened in last season of Hawaii Five-O. Downey accidentally revealed to Rollins that McGarrett was supposed to propose to her when she decided to leave him.

In a TV Line interview, OLoughlin said that his characters conversation with his former girlfriend was very important because McGarrett wanted to hear Rollins say that he wasnt the problem in the relationship. The actor added that for McGarrett to be in a future serious relationship, he must find closure in his relationship with Rollins. The 150th episode milestone of Hawaii Five-O brought that closure to the former couple.

In the same interview, OLoughlin said that Rollins was not McGarretts the one that got away. According to him, McGarrett may have realized in the previous episode of Hawaii Five-O that he and Rollins were just not meant to be. Meanwhile, according to a Deadline report, the special 150th episode got a boost in the ratings compared to the previous episode.

For the next Hawaii Five-O Season 7 episode airing on Friday on CBS, Danny (Scott Caan) chaperones his daughter Grace (Teilor Grubbs) to the winter formal. But, terrorists will seize the venue and hold everyone as hostage in order for them to kidnap a diplomats son. Also in the episode titled "Hana Komo Pae" or Rite of Passage, Danny and Grover (Chi McBride) get shocked when they learn that Will (Chosen Jacob) is Graces secret boyfriend.
'Criminal Minds' Season 12 Spoilers & Latest News: Bullies Become Victims in New Episode; Online Boycott of Fans Staged to Bring Back Thomas Gibson to the Show

The pervasive issue of bullying will be tackled in this weeks episode of Criminal Minds Season 12. The BAU will look into the possibility that bullying may be linked to two high school students who are both survivors after each of their families are killed. The episode titled The Anti-Terrorism Squad will be shown on Wednesday night after getting cancelled last week because of the World Series.

In the sneak peek for the upcoming Criminal Minds episode in Spoiler TV, Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangness) will be looking into the victims Facebook accounts where many of the friends and schoolmates of the two girls expressed their sympathies. But, Garcia becomes stunned when she found messages which said that the the two girls families deserved to be murdered.

This will lead the BAU into considering that bullying may play a big part in the case. According to Criminal Minds spoilers, the two surviving girls will turn out to be bullies who have a record of tormenting some students in their school.

In a light moment of the coming episode of Criminal Minds, Garcia makes her dislike of the younger people posting selfies on social media. She only stopped short upon realizing that she has officially becoming old. But, David Rossi (Joe Mantegna) quickly assures her that she is timeless.

In another development for Criminal Minds Season 12, fans are allegedly staging a Twitter protest starting on Wednesdays show according to Morning Ledger. With the hashtag #NoHotchNoWatch, the fans participating in the protest have agreed not to watch the show until Thomas Gibson, who was fired from the show, is rehired and returns to the show.

Former Criminal Minds cast members who have been unceremoniously fired from the show in the past like Gibson include Rachel Nichols, Jeanne Tripplehorn and A.J. Cook. The last one was fired back in 2011 due to budget cuts. But fans were successful in bringing him back to the show after they fought hard for it. This time, Gibsons fans how that they could duplicate the feat even knowing that the actors were asked to leave the show for entirely different reasons.
A second route, which will service downtown to Alamitos Beach, will launch on Nov. 10.
Rep. Mike Nearman scored a convincing re-election victory Tuesday over former rival Jim Thompson in the race for Oregon House District 23.

Nearman, an Independence software engineer, defeated three-term incumbent Thompson in the GOP primary in 2014 and won the general election in November in the largely rural district that includes parts of Polk, Benton, Yamhill and Marion counties.

This year Nearman and Thompson, a Dallas plant researcher, battled in the general election. Nearman won the GOP primary despite losing in Polk County to Beth Jones, while Thompson ran as an Independent Party member. No Democrat filed papers to run in the district. Thompson, meanwhile, was hoping that moderates and Democrats in the general election pool would prefer him to the more conservative Nearman.

"I think I reflect my district well," said Nearman, who had a comfortable 3,500-vote lead in unofficial returns. Nearman was leading in all four counties.

"It's a pretty homogeneous district," Nearman said. "The people in Dayton are not unlike the people in Monroe. Yamhill, Benton and Marion ... there aren't a lot of areas in the district where I don't do well."

"We are disappointed by the outcome but the people have spoken," Thompson said in a statement released by his campaign. "No matter how much voters complain about the two-party system in our elections, it is tough to overcome. I want to thank all the people who stood with me in the race. I am holding my head up high with a race well run. No matter what this will always be Oregon, my Oregon and I wish her people the best."

Nearman said that one of his key goals is accountability, particularly in fiscal matters.

"I have worked hard to be ethical and accountable and I think people responded to that," he said.

During a campaign forum in Corvallis, Nearman cited the costly $360 million Highway 20 realignment work, the $300 million Oregon health care website and the bridge over the Columbia River ($180 million) that was never built as examples of projects that needed to be managed more efficiently.

"Those projects were before my time, but I'm trying to learn the lessons of those projects," Nearman said. "We should have spent the $300 million on delivering health care and we should have spent the $180 on building a bridge."

Nearman said he hoped to have an impact as a member of an oversight committee that is involved in a nine-year project to overhaul the software system of the Driver and Motor Vehicles Services Division (DMV).

The DMV project is expected to cost $90 million and the oversight committee is in the early part of phase one.

"I want to thank all of my supporters," Nearman said. "They really stood by me."

Also in the race were Pacific Green candidate Alex Polikoff, a Corvallis electrical engineer and Libertarian Garrett Leeds, a Monmouth safety manager.
Benton County is poised to become the first jurisdiction in Oregon to use ranked-choice voting in future elections.

In updated unofficial returns released at 9:56 p.m., voters were passing Measure 2-100 with 22,593 yes votes to 19,023 no votes.

I think we made history tonight, said co-chief petitioner Blair Bobier at an election watch party with about 50 supporters at a downtown Corvallis restaurant. This is one small step for Benton County, and one giant leap for Oregon democracy.

The measure could go into effect as early as the next general election in 2018, when it could be used in balloting for sheriff and county commissioner. Party primaries would not be affected.

First, however, the voting method and equipment will have to be certified by the Oregon Secretary of States Office, and that will cost money.

The measure includes language requiring the county to request up to $200,000 in state funding to educate voters, upgrade vote-counting equipment and have the new balloting method certified. If the state fails to provide the money, backers of the measure say theyll seek funding from other sources, such as FairVote, a national organization that promotes ranked choice voting.

I think its in the interest of the state to come up with the money to fund this because this is the future of voting in Oregon, Bobier said.

Heres how it would work: Voters would rank all candidates for sheriff and county commissioner in order of preference. If one candidate receives more than half the votes on the first ballot, that person would be declared the winner.

If not, the candidate with the fewest first-place votes would be eliminated, and the second-place choices of the losing candidates supporters would be counted. That process would be repeated until a clear winner emerges with more than 50 percent of the vote.

Supporters argue that instant runoff balloting encourages people to vote their conscience by eliminating the spoiler effect that happens when a political outsider siphons votes away from one major party candidate only to hand the victory to the other mainstream contender.

Ranked choice or instant runoff voting is already in use for some or all municipal offices in 11 U.S. cities, including San Francisco and Minneapolis, according to FairVote. Five states use the system for overseas voters in runoff elections, and eight cities have approved ranked choice voting for advisory, option or contingent measures, although half of those are still awaiting equipment or software upgrades before actually implementing the system.

And on Tuesday, voters in Maine were casting their ballots on Question 5, a statewide ballot measure that would implement ranked choice voting for major offices including members of Congress, governor and state legislators. It was leading in early returns.
State Rep. Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, sailed to re-election in House District 16 on Tuesday, easily outdistancing two third-party candidates and a Republican challenger who was all but invisible during the campaign.

As of 9:56 p.m. Tuesday, updated unofficial returns showed Rayfield was leading with 17,517votes to 6,321 for Republican Judson McClure, 4,814 for Progressive Sami Al-AbdRabbuh and 1,446 for Libertarian Andrew Freborg.

Rayfield, who watched the results come in at a party for backers of Measure 2-100, the Benton County ranked choice voting initiative he helped lead, said he came into the race with a good reputation after his first term in office.

Were very fortunate that, over the last two years, weve been able to do a lot of good things for the district, he said. For me (the campaign) was all right, lets put our head down, do the work, and the results will be there.

McClure could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

After running unopposed in the Republican primary, he all but disappeared from the campaign, declining to participate in election forums, neglecting to purchase space in the state voters pamphlet and not even bothering to register a campaign committee with the Oregon Secretary of States Office, a necessary step in electoral fundraising.

Neither McClure nor state GOP Chairman Bill Currier responded to phone calls during the run-up to the election seeking comment on the candidates lack of activity in the District 16 race.

By contrast, both Progressive candidate Sami Al-AbdRabbuh and Libertarian Andrew Freborg made themselves visible on the campaign trail despite a major disadvantage in fundraising and party infrastructure, and between them tallied almost as many votes as the Republican nominee.

Rayfield, meanwhile, raised more than $170,000 and spent nearly $130,000 during this election cycle, according to his most recent filings with the Secretary of States Office. Despite being a Democratic incumbent in a heavily Democratic district, Rayfield ran a solid campaign, distributing yard signs, making public appearances and going door to door speaking with voters.

And with his Republican opponent not even putting up a fight, Rayfield  the majority whip in the House  was free to campaign for other Democratic candidates in swing districts elsewhere in the state.

He said he tried to strike a balance during the campaign.

If we want to pass progressive legislation, we need to maintain a majority, Rayfield said. Within the district, I have a responsibility to constituents to make sure Im listening to them.
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Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Strike against Islamist network : Five IS suspects arrested in Germany

Berlin In a strike against IS, German police arrested five men yesterday in raids in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony.

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The Federal Prosecutors Office has made a successful strike against the Islamist movement in Germany. According to information from NDR, WDR and the Suddeutsche Zeitung, five IS suspects were arrested in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia on Tuesday morning. They will be accused of supporting a terrorist organisation. They include a 32-year-old Iraqi called Abu Walaa, whom authorities have for years said to be a central figure among German islamists.

The Iraqi and four other men were arrested in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia in the early morning. NDR, WDR and the Suddeutsche Zeitung learned that evidence from an IS defector played a large part. Months long investigations preceded the strike against the Islamists. These led to the men being suspected of having recruited volunteers for Islamic State.

The Federal Prosecutors Office has been investigating the Iraqi and his alleged accomplices since autumn 2015. They are alleged to have recruited young Muslims to the so-called Holy War or jihad, predominantly in Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia, and to have given them both logistical and financial help to leave the country.

The first searches were carried out in August. Among the places searched was a mosque in the north of Hildesheim, which is considered to be an important meeting place for the Salafist movement. Security services had long observed that departures for Syria occurred around the time of Islamic seminaries given by the preacher in the Hildesheim mosque.

Media information also stated the police arrested two further preachers in the Ruhr, who are also supposed to be part of the Salafist network surrounding the Iraqi. The men are alleged to have called for recruits to IS and for journeys to join the jihad during sermons given in apartments. They will also be accused of supporting a terrorist organisation.

NDR, WDR and the Suddeutsche Zeitung also learned that evidence from an IS defector played a large part in the actual arrests. The 22-year-old fled to Turkey after spending several months in the IS controlled area of Syria and said he had left the terror group. Before returning to Germany at the end of September, the man gave an interview in Turkey to NDR, WDR and the Suddeutsche Zeitung in which he incriminated Abu Walaa and called him the number one IS member in Germany. The accused  in so far as they have commented on it in the past  have denied being connected with terrorism.
U.S. Election upset : Local expats react with dismay

Bonn/Cologne The U.S. election is over and judging by reactions, it wasnt the result many expats here had expected or hoped for. Concern marks the future.

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It wasnt what people were expecting. It wasnt what the polls had indicated. But American expats in the region were up all night watching the results come in. Some of them telephoned with loved ones back home. After an agonizing six hours of waiting for the race in each state to be called, it was over. Republican candidate Donald Trump won. Although not all votes were yet in, the electoral vote of 289 to 218 (as of 11:30 MEZ) was enough to put him over the top. As of 11:30 a.m. MEZ, the popular vote stood at 47.7% for Mr. Trump and 47.5% for Hillary Clinton (CNN). In terms of popular vote, it doesnt get much closer. It depicts a country clearly divided.

Early Wednesday morning, Hillary Clinton called Donald Trump to concede the U.S. Presidential election. Some young American university students in Germany were distraught, fearing this would turn the clock back on womens and minority rights. An initial slump in financial markets also caused them angst. A woman from New York who lives in Cologne was beside herself, I will never trust in a poll again. She was referring to the fact that so many polls had shown Mrs. Clinton leading by a small percentage in recent days. Most of all, there was disbelief; I am disappointed that so many Americans thought he was the better choice - what does it say for us as a country?

The mood was somber in much of the expat community in Bonn and the region, with the word shock being expressed again and again. Concern was also at the forefront for expat voters. One woman was sad beyond words, adding that there was a danger of the U.S. destroying itself by becoming insular and driven by bigotry. Another said that under a Donald Trump administration, she anticipated people no longer having health coverage, and worries about international trade relationships if NAFTA is gutted as well as world foreign policy with the new president potentially providing no support for NATO allies. There is also concern about what will happen to the environment, but also about people - and domestic hostility between citizens.

Another expat wrote that it was the same feeling we had when we woke up to Brexit, but worse. She worries that a Trump presidency will usher in an era of instability and uncertainty in the world, which could threaten world peace. Another also compared this election result to the Brexit, after which many people in Britain said that they hadn't anticipated the fallout or economic negative consequences of the LEAVE vote.
Inner city crime : Police chase and shooting near Potsdamer Platz

Bonn Police arrest 29-year-old after an operation against drug smugglers in north Bonn.

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A police operation against drug smugglers in the north of Bonn ended in a chase and gunshots on Tuesday morning. Investigators said police were going to carry out an inspection of a suspicious vehicle in an underground garage on the Blumenthal housing estate when the driver managed to flee. However, the authorities captured another man shortly afterwards.

The events were like something out of a movie. Around 9.45am, the police in the garage wanted to carry out checks on the driver of a small van because they suspected him of the illegal importation of drugs. He got away and the empty vehicle, which was a Renault Kangoo according to GA information, was later found near the roundabout at Potsdamer Platz.

A black Audi then came to the attention of a patrol car on Kolnstrae at around 11.50am. It was parked on a narrow lane at the side of the street, which police spokesman Robert Scholten said was unusual. Scholten said the driver raced off when plain clothes policemen went to speak to him. The officers had to jump out of the way and fired several times hitting the bumper and one of the cars doors. No one was hurt.

The police later stopped the Audi at an allotment near the roundabout. Scholten said the driver of the rental car was a 29-year-old known to police. However, the police and public prosecutors office did not want to say how far he was involved with the drug smugglers at the centre of the two hour long police operation during which, according to GA information, police also conducted house searches. After the arrest, police secured evidence from both vehicles. The allotment was also searched. Items were confiscated, but Scholter did not give any specific information. The use of police weapons will also have to be examined.
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Protecting the worlds oceans  an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy

The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs.
OnePlus 3T with Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 Chipset to go official on November 15 News oi -Prajith 7 days to go until the launch of OnePlus's next flagship, the OnePlus 3T.

Lately, the internet has been flooded with rumours that OnePlus's current flagship will receive a hardware upgrade in the form of OnePlus 3T. Yesterday, Qualcomm had almost spilt the beans by confirming that OnePlus's next smartphone will include the Snapdragon 821 chipset.

Given the fact that the OnePlus 4's launch is still months away and is most likely to feature the Snapdragon 830 chipset, it's safe to assume that there's another smartphone on the cards.

SEE ALSO: 6 Settings You Should Change on Your Google Pixel

However, putting an end to all the rumours, OnePlus has confirmed the existence (sort of) of an enhanced version of the OnePlus 3, possibly called the OnePlus 3T. The Chinese smartphone vendor has tweeted a video which says "Snapdragon 821, T-7, November 15, 2016."

It's clear from the 'T' with an emphasis that the company is talking about the much-rumoured OnePlus 3T. According to the rumours, the OnePlus 3T will be powered by the Snapdragon 821 chipset paired with 6GB of RAM.

SEE ALSO: Rs. 500, Rs. 1,000 Ban: 5 Useful Apps to Overcome a Cashless Day

The device is rumoured to sport the same Optic OLED display panel as seen on its predecessor but a bump in resolution is very likely in order to support Google's DayDream technology. Additionally, it may come with Sony IMX398 sensor instead of the IMX298 sensor seen on the OnePlus 3.

If rumours are anything to by, the smartphone will be priced at USD 479 (roughly Rs. 32,000) which is USD 80 more than its predecessor.

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Three Indian Diplomats Leave Pakistan Amid Spy Scandal - Reports

Sputnik News

13:55 08.11.2016

Three Indian diplomats left Pakistan for India afer thet were suspected of terrorist and subversive activities by the local authorities, five other Indian diplomats, suspected in a number of crimes by Islamabad, were still in Pakistan, according to local media.

NEW DELHI (Sputnik)  A total of three Indian diplomats have left Pakistan after they were suspected of terrorist and subversive activities by the local authorities amid an ongoing spy scandal between the two countries, local media reported Tuesday.

According to Dawn newspaper, the three diplomats, Anurag Singh, Vijay Kumar Verma and Madhavan Nanda Kumar, left for India by plane earlier on Tuesday.

The media said that five other Indian diplomats, suspected in a number of crimes by Islamabad, were still in Pakistan

Last week, Indian police said it had dismantled a Pakistani spy network and detained a staff member of the Pakistani Embassy in New Delhi on suspicion of espionage. Media reported that the detained diplomat provided a list of four Pakistani diplomats, who allegedly had ties with Pakistan's intelligence services. According to media reports, Islamabad later withdrew six diplomats from India.

Shortly following, reports emerged that India would recall eight diplomats from Pakistan.

 Sputnik

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Ortega wins Nicaraguan presidency for 3rd consecutive term

Iran Press TV

Mon Nov 7, 2016 7:19PM

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega has emerged as the victor of the presidential race in the Central American country, overwhelmingly winning a third consecutive term in office.

The electoral board in Nicaragua made the announcement on Monday after the 70-year-old former leftist leader, who ran with his wife, Rosario Murillo, as his vice presidential candidate, garnered 72.1 percent of the votes, with 66.3 percent of polling stations counted so far.

Ortega's main opponent, the center-right Liberal Constitutionalist Party (PLC) candidate Maximino Rodriguez, came second with 14.2 percent of votes, the board said.

The results brought hundreds of Ortega's supporters and those of his Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) party out into the streets of the capital, Managua, to celebrate.

"I'm euphoric, thanking God for this opportunity, this triumph, so the people continue to reap benefits," said a reveler, waving the red and black Sandinista party flags.

"Thanks to the (Sandinista) revolution, I have faith I'll be able to keep moving forward, because we are backed by a good government," she added.

The opposition, however, said it would not recognize the outcome and reiterated that it viewed the vote as a "farce."

Ortega, a former leftist guerrilla leader who deposed dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979, led the Sandinista guerrilla movement before becoming president in 1985 for a five-year term that ended with an electoral defeat in 1990. He returned to presidency in 2006.

Opponents accuse Ortega of trying to set up a family dynasty. However, surveys show Ortega enjoys voter support for a drop in poverty in one of the poorest countries in Latin America during his tenure.

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Update: air strikes against Daesh

7 November 2016

British forces have continued to conduct air operations in the fight against Daesh

Latest update

- Wednesday 2 November  Typhoons and Tornados destroyed Daesh sniper and mortar positions to the north-east and south-east of Mosul.

- Thursday 3 November  Tornados struck two terrorist targets north-east of Mosul, while a Reaper engaged four targets to the south-east.

- Friday 4 November  A Reaper again operated south-east of Mosul, while Tornados attacked three targets inside Mosul itself, and also bombed two Daesh positions near Bayji.

- Saturday 5 November  A Reaper destroyed three Daesh targets near Mosul.

- Sunday 6 November  Typhoons and a Reaper attacked five Daesh targets around Mosul, while Tornados destroyed an armoured vehicle inside the city.

Detail

Royal Air Force aircraft have continued to support the operations by Iraqi and Kurdish forces to liberate the city of Mosul.

A combination of Typhoon and Tornado aircraft patrolled to the east of the city on Wednesday 2 November. Some distance to the south-east, they used a Paveway IV guided bomb to destroy a building from which a terrorist mortar team was operating. They then flew north to eliminate a sniper position with a second Paveway.

The following day, Tornados struck two further targets north-east of Mosul. A Paveway IV destroyed a building from which Daesh extremists were firing on advancing ground forces, while a Brimstone missile accounted for a terrorist vehicle. South-east of the city, a Reaper flew overwatch for Iraqi troops as they pressed forwards. The Reaper's crew used all four of its Hellfire missiles against a mortar team seen firing from amidst trees, and three groups of terrorists as they fired on the Iraqis with rocket-propelled grenades, as well as attempting to set fire to piles of tyres to create a smokescreen. The Reaper was also able to provide surveillance support to two air strikes by coalition aircraft which destroyed a fortified position and an armed truck.

On Friday 4 November, Reaper operations continued south-east of Mosul, with our aircraft directing a successful coalition air attack onto its target, a weapons dump, and using one of its own Hellfires to engage a group of terrorists on foot. Two Tornados struck close air support targets inside eastern Mosul itself, using Brimstone missiles to destroy an armed vehicle and a large truck-bomb. A Paveway also hit a group of terrorists which another coalition aircraft had been carefully tracking as they manoeuvred towards Iraqi troops. A second Tornado flight supported Iraqi operations elsewhere in the country, and north-east of Mosul used Paveway IV and Enhanced Paveway II bombs to destroy a cave occupied by Daesh in the hills above Bayji, as well as a nearby stock of equipment.

Three Hellfire attacks were launched by a Reaper on Saturday 5 November near Mosul, against a truck-bomb, a mortar and a rocket-propelled grenade team. The Reaper also assisted in a coalition strike against a second mortar. On Sunday 6 November, Paveway IV-armed Typhoons bombed a terrorist group in the Tigris valley south of Mosul, while Tornados used a Brimstone missile to destroy an armoured personnel carrier inside the city. On the outskirts, a Reaper tracked a terrorist driving a truck-bomb towards Iraqi troops, but the truck exploded prematurely as it drove over rough ground, negating any need for the Reaper to fire at it. The Reaper instead used its Hellfires against a truck being loaded with spare weapons, a recoilless anti-tank gun, a rocket-propelled grenade team and an armed truck.

Previous air strikes

Saturday 1 October: A Reaper provided surveillance support to a coalition air strike north-west of Mosul. It then used one of its own Hellfires to attack a Daesh position.

Sunday 2 October: A Reaper was again active north of Mosul, near Tall Kayf. A Hellfire destroyed a digger which was being used by the terrorists to construct a defensive position. To the east of Mosul, Tornados used an Enhanced Paveway II bomb and a Paveway IV to attack a headquarters building and a group of Daesh extremists. The same day, to the south-east of Mosul, near Qaraqosh, Typhoons used Paveway IVs in a simultaneous attack on three Daesh-held buildings where a large group of fighters had assembled, including local commanders. A second Typhoon pair meanwhile operated over a large swathe of Iraqi territory. North of Ramadi, they destroyed a mortar team. They then headed north to the Bayji area where further Paveway attacks dealt with a terrorist strongpoint and transport vehicle.

Monday 3 October: Royal Air Force Typhoons provided close air support to Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), attacking Daesh positions in eastern Syria. A group of terrorists were identified holding a building in a rural area. The SDF held back while the Typhoons conducted a successful strike, demolishing the target with Paveway IV guided bombs. Across the border in northern Iraq, Tornados provided support to Iraqi forces clearing Daesh from the Tigris valley south of Mosul. The aircraft used another Paveway IV to destroy a terrorist communications installation north of Al Hawd.

Tuesday 4 October: A Reaper remotely piloted aircraft conducted armed reconnaissance north of Mosul. The Reaper's crew located a large fuel tanker dug-in as part of the defensive positions constructed by Daesh near Batnay. The tanker was burning oil to create a smoke screen in order to shield Daesh fighters against attacking ground forces. The Reaper scored a direct hit with a GBU-12 guided bomb. The Reaper then provided surveillance support to a coalition air strike against nearby positions.

Wednesday 5 October: Tornados were again in action south of Mosul, where they bombed an armed truck. In central Iraq, Typhoons attacked a small group of terrorists who had been spotted north of Taji. Working in close concert with a coalition surveillance aircraft, the Typhoons successfully killed the extremists with two Paveway IV attacks.

Thursday 6 October: With Iraqi operations to isolate Mosul continuing, Royal Air Force aircraft continued to provide close air support on. To the north and west of the city, a Reaper successfully engaged with Hellfire missiles both a mortar team and a group of terrorists caught in the open. The same day, a Tornado mission used an Enhanced Paveway II guided bomb against the entrance to a Daesh tunnel network. In eastern Syria, Typhoons used a Paveway IV guided bomb in a successful attack on a Daesh command post.

Friday 7 October: Typhoons patrolled over western Iraq, where they used Paveway IVs to destroy two trucks carrying Daesh extremists as they drove along a desert track. In the Tigris valley south of Mosul, two Tornado flights supported Iraqi troops near Al Hawd and Sharqat. A Brimstone missile attack from one Tornado pair eliminated a mortar position, while the second pair used two Paveway IVs and a Brimstone in three attacks which accounted for a large, dispersed group of terrorists on the river bank.

Sunday 9 October: Tornados continued their work over the Tigris, when they destroyed a mortar team and a nearby ammunition stockpile near Qayyarah, with a pair of Paveway IVs. North of Mosul, a Reaper worked alongside two Typhoons. The Reaper provided surveillance support to a highly effective artillery bombardment that destroyed a Daesh training camp. It then tracked two terrorists as they moved to a rocket launching position, where they were seen working under the cover of some trees. A Hellfire missile killed the terrorists and the Typhoons then followed up with a Paveway IV attack to destroy the rockets.

Coalition aircraft have been providing intensive air support to Iraqi ground forces as they work to isolate Daesh terrorists holding Mosul. The Royal Air Force has been heavily committed to this operation, with Tornado, Typhoon and Reaper aircraft providing close air support, and Airseeker and Sentinel strategic surveillance aircraft gathering intelligence. On the ground British military instructors are, with coalition colleagues, helping train, mentor and equip many of the forces engaged in the Mosul operation.

Welcoming the start of operations to liberate Mosul, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:

"Daesh are on the back foot. The beginning of the encirclement of Mosul today is a big moment in our efforts to rid Iraq of Daesh. Mosul is a large and complex city and operations there will be tough but with Coalition support Iraqi forces will prevail."

"Alongside our Coalition partners, the UK will continue to play a leading role in the air and on the ground, including through our strike missions, specialised surveillance, humanitarian support and the mentoring and training of Iraqi forces."

Monday 10 October: A pair of Typhoons from RAF Akrotiri used two Paveway IV guided bombs to destroy the entrances to tunnels beneath an embankment near Qaraqosh. They then flew to the north-west of Mosul where they used another Paveway to silence a mortar team on the northern bank of the Tigris, which had been firing on the advancing Kurdish forces. To the north-east of the city, two Tornados used an Enhanced Paveway II to destroy a terrorist anti-tank missile position. They then followed up with a Paveway IV to ensure the destruction of an associated ammunition supply point.

Tuesday 11 October: Tornados conducted another successful attack north-west of Mosul on a tunnel, which had been identified as a weapons cache.

Wednesday 12 October: An intensive series of strikes in northern Iraq. North of Mosul, near Tall Kayf, a Reaper scored a direct hit with a Hellfire missile on an artillery piece hidden beneath a tarpaulin. A Tornado pair used a Brimstone missile to destroy a rocket-armed truck in the Qayyarah region, while Typhoons bombed a mortar team north-east of Mosul. The Tornado and Typhoon flights then combined for a joint attack near Qaraqosh on a set of workshops manufacturing explosives. Seven Enhanced Paveway II and Paveway IV bombs, plus a Brimstone, were used to destroy the facility and a number of Daesh vehicles at the site. A second combined Tornado and Typhoon flight meanwhile headed to the south-west of Kirkuk, where they destroyed a truck-bomb facility with Enhanced Paveway II and Paveway IV weapons.

Friday 14 October: North-west of Mosul, Paveway IV-armed Typhoons successfully bombed five rocket launchers. They then moved to support a Reaper which had located a terrorist mortar position and ammunition stockpile. The Reaper attacked the mortar with a GBU-12 guided bomb, and the Typhoons followed up with a strike on the munitions stockpile.

Sunday 16 October: A Reaper again patrolled to the north-west of Mosul, where it engaged an artillery piece with a Hellfire, then provided targeting support to three attacks by coalition fast jets on terrorist mortar positions. One flight of Typhoons operated to the west of Mosul, using Paveway IVs to destroy two Daesh-held buildings, while a second flight operated to the east, attacking four terrorist positions.

Monday 17 October: A Reaper kept close watch on Daesh positions near Qaraqosh to the south-east of Mosul. Our aircraft provided surveillance support to a coalition fast jet attack on a terrorist mortar team. The Reaper then conducted attacks using its own weapons on four targets. These attacks included a GBU-12 guided bomb, which accounted for a mortar. Hellfire missiles also destroyed an armed truck and two heavy weapons teams, including one armed with a recoilless anti-tank gun which had opened fire on the advancing Iraqis. To the south of the city, a Typhoon flight was able to use a Paveway IV guided bomb to dispose safely of a large truck-bomb before it could be used.

Tuesday 18 October: A Reaper was again in action south-east of Mosul on Tuesday 18 October. A Hellfire missile killed a group of terrorists engaged in combat with Iraqi troops. A second Hellfire also accounted for another group of extremists as they moved between positions, and a third destroyed an armed truck. North-east of the city, a pair of Typhoons used Paveway IVs to destroy a number of improvised explosive devices laid in a defensive belt, as well as a weapons stockpile and a Daesh strong-point.

Wednesday 19 October: A Reaper scouted ahead of Iraqi troops advancing to the south-east of the city. A terrorist rocket-propelled grenade team were identified and eliminated using a Hellfire missile. The Reaper then provided surveillance support to two successful attacks by coalition fast jets on larger groups of terrorists, before conducting a further Hellfire attack itself. The aircraft's surveillance sensors then spotted a large armoured truck-bomb emerging from cover and being driven at speed towards an Iraqi unit. An immediate attack with a Hellfire missile struck the vehicle, which crashed out of control, and the would-be suicide bomber abandoned the truck and fled. Another group of terrorists were later identified and attacked with a fourth Hellfire. Meanwhile, to the north of Mosul, Paveway IV-armed Typhoons destroyed two Daesh-held buildings.

Thursday 20 October: Reaper support to the south-east of Mosul continued. Hellfire missiles destroyed a truck-mounted heavy machine-gun and another vehicle which had been spotted being loaded with a mortar and ammunition. Two more Daesh mortar teams were destroyed with a further Hellfire and a GBU-12 guided bomb. In the Tigris valley south of Mosul, a Tornado flight intervened in a combat between Iraqi troops and a dispersed group of terrorists. Two Paveway IVs accounted for the extremists. Meanwhile, two flights of Typhoons patrolled the northern arc around Mosul, where they engaged seven terrorist targets with Paveway IVs. These included: a rocket-launcher north-west of the city, a sniper team and a Daesh-held building to the north, and to the north-east a pair of heavy machine-guns, a strongpoint, and a command post which was controlling truck-bomb attacks.

Friday 21 October: A Reaper remotely piloted aircraft patrolled north of Mosul, using a Hellfire missile to destroy a Daesh mortar that had opened fire on Kurdish troops. The Reaper then moved south-east to support operations around Qaraqosh, where a coalition aircraft had spotted a fortified tunnel entrance. The Reaper's crew were able to destroy this with a direct hit from a GBU-12 guided bomb. Meanwhile, Typhoons from RAF Akrotiri, operated to the north and east of the city. Near Khursabad, they worked in close cooperation with a coalition surveillance aircraft to destroy a second tunnel entrance, in which terrorists were known to be hiding. To the north of Mosul, they attacked two mortar teams and a heavy machine-gun, and, near Bartallah, they destroyed an armoured truck-bomb positioned in the path of the advancing Iraqi troops. Further south, in the Tigris valley, a pair of Tornados used a Brimstone missile to destroy an armed truck. They then used a second Brimstone to engage a group of terrorists operating amongst houses south-east of Mosul. No collateral damage was caused.

Saturday 22 October: a Reaper flew overwatch for the Iraqi troops in and around Qaraqosh as they cleared remaining Daesh positions. The Reaper's crew used a Hellfire missile against several terrorists engaged in a firefight with the Iraqis. A second Hellfire then destroyed an anti-aircraft gun positioned in the street. A terrorist mortar was reported firing on friendly forces, and the Reaper successfully hunted this down and eliminated the threat with a GBU-12 guided bomb. A van was spotted supplying terrorist positions and was destroyed with a Hellfire, and a fourth missile accounted for another group of extremists caught in the open.

Sunday 23 October: Reaper operations continued, where one of our aircraft conducted a Hellfire attack on a truck loaded with terrorists. A second Hellfire killed other terrorists as they attempted to hide from the aircraft beneath a staircase in a ruined building. The Reaper employed a GBU-12 bomb to destroy a heavy machine-gun that was firing on Iraqi troops, then used a third Hellfire to destroy a well dug-in mortar near Bartallah. North-east of Mosul, a pair of Typhoons used two Paveway IVs to destroy a pair of machine-gun positions, then carried out a simultaneous attack against a total of five Daesh positions  two sniper teams, two mortars and another machine-gun  spread across a couple of miles of the front line. All five targets were struck accurately by Paveway IVs. An eighth Paveway was then used to destroy another mortar team. A second Typhoon flight was also active in the area, working closely with coalition surveillance aircraft, and dropped Paveway IVs against two Daesh strongpoints. Tornados also patrolled north-east of Mosul. The aircraft delivered attacks with an Enhanced Paveway II and two Paveway IVs that destroyed a machine-gun team, a terrorist defensive position and an armed truck.

Monday 24 October: A Tornado armed reconnaissance mission north-east of Mosul was diverted to deal with a terrorist team which a coalition aircraft had spotted planting booby-traps and improvised explosive devices. The team were struck by a 1000 lb Enhanced Paveway II bomb. Typhoons flew in the same area, using a Paveway IV against terrorists engaged in close combat with friendly forces, then, through heavy cloud, delivering a simultaneous strike against four sniper positions. The Iraqi forces reported direct hits on all four targets. Meanwhile, a Reaper flew further support as the Iraqis pushed on from Qaraqosh and Bartallah, and in the course of its mission the aircraft delivered five attacks. Two Hellfire missiles accounted for a terrorist group and a dug-in mortar. The Reaper then observed a number of Daesh fighters travelling on motorcycles, and followed them until they joined forces with a number of other extremists. The group were then struck with a Hellfire as they gathered outside a building. On the outskirts of Mosul, a total of six rocket-launchers were spotted by the Reaper, ready for firing. Four were destroyed by a GBU-12 bomb, then the other two by a Hellfire.

Tuesday 25 October: A Reaper patrolled the area around the village of Ali Rash, home to the Shabak minority, and destroyed an armed truck using a GBU-12 guided bomb. The Reaper's crew then tracked a group of Daesh fighters on foot and attacked them with a Hellfire missile. Before returning to base, the Reaper also provided targeting support to a coalition strike on a further Daesh position.

Wednesday 26 October: Reaper operations around Ali Rash continued. Our aircraft successfully located three terrorist mortar teams which were firing on Iraqi forces. The Reaper directed coalition fast jets to two of the mortars, both of which were subsequently destroyed, and took care of the third itself using a Hellfire. The Reaper's crew then tracked a terrorist in a car, who led them to a large group of extremists manning a defensive position. The Reaper was again able to call in coalition jets which eliminated the group with a salvo of precision guided bombs. A second Hellfire attack by the Reaper accounted for a smaller group of terrorists spotted moving on foot. North-east of Mosul, Typhoons provided close air support to an Iraqi advance and successfully used Paveway IV guided bombs to destroy four buildings which Daesh had fortified as strong-points.

Thursday 27 October: A Reaper patrolled to the north of Mosul. It kept a sustained watch on the area around a known Daesh supply point and tunnel entrance, ensuring no civilians were present in the area before coalition jets delivered a successful attack on both targets. It then provided surveillance support to a further coalition strike which destroyed a large truck-bomb. The Reaper later observed and destroyed three armed terrorists moving on a pair of motorcycles, using a single Hellfire missile.

Friday 28 October: With Iraqi forces closing in on the eastern edge of Mosul, a pair of Royal Air Force Tornados and a Reaper remotely piloted aircraft targeted Daesh terrorists in the area. The Reaper identified an artillery piece which several extremists were loading onto a large flat-bed lorry. The Reaper provided targeting support which allowed the Paveway-armed Tornados to destroy both the gun and the vehicle. The Reaper also supported a follow-up attack by coalition aircraft which destroyed an ammunition truck nearby. It then delivered its own strike with a Hellfire missile, which safely detonated a large truck-bomb hidden in trees.

Saturday 29 October: A Reaper patrolled south of Mosul, along the Tigris valley. West of Guwayr, the Reaper spotted a group of terrorists with rocket-propelled grenades firing at Iraqi troops, and was able to deliver a successful attack with a Hellfire. A second Hellfire accounted for a Daesh heavy weapons team, and our aircraft was also able to provide targeting for a coalition aircraft which killed a number of terrorists manoeuvring through woodland.

Sunday 30 October: A Reaper was again in action east of Mosul. Its crew successfully hunted down a mortar which had been firing on Iraqi positions. The mortar was subsequently destroyed by coalition fast jets. The Reaper used Hellfire missiles against a pair of terrorists moving at high speed on a motorcycle and a team armed with a recoilless anti-tank gun. It then facilitated three further coalition attacks against groups of terrorists, including another recoilless anti-tank weapon crew.

Monday 31 October: Tornados joined coalition aircraft from a number of other countries in a major coordinated attack on a former Iraqi military depot near Haditha in western Iraq. Intelligence had established that Daesh had set up workshops manufacturing weapons in a number of the bunkers at the site. The Tornados used Storm Shadow missiles, chosen because of their enhanced penetrative capabilities, to target several of these bunkers. Initial reports indicate that this large-scale coalition attack was a success. Operations around Mosul were not neglected however, with a Reaper supporting Iraqi troops as they cleared the village of Bazwaya, just to the east of the city. A Hellfire missile destroyed an armed truck, and the Reaper was also able to assist coalition air attacks against a mortar team and another Daesh position.

Tuesday 1 November: Tornados patrolled north of Mosul where they supported advancing Kurdish forces. A Paveway IV guided bomb destroyed a Daesh heavy machine-gun position when it opened fire on the Peshmerga, while an Enhanced Paveway II demolished a building in which a light machine-gun was sited. Meanwhile, to the south-east of the city, a Reaper provided further close air support to Iraqi troops. It conducted Hellfire attacks on a mortar team who were spotted firing, and two groups of terrorists, including individuals with rocket-propelled grenades. The Reaper also directed a successful coalition air attack onto a number of terrorists defending a trench network.

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US, UK, South Korean air forces conduct strategic exercise

By Senior Airman Victor J. Caputo, 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs / Published November 08, 2016

OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (AFNS) -- The Royal Air Force operated its largest deployment of equipment and personnel to the Korean Peninsula since the 1950s during Invincible Shield, a combined interoperability exchange, which is taking place Nov. 1-10.

The RAF sent multiple Eurofighter Typhoon FRG4s to Osan Air Base, flown alongside U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, and South Korean air force F-15K Slam Eagles in multiple sorties throughout the exchange, which marked the largest RAF gathering in South Korea since the end of the Korean War.

"I expect Invincible Shield, our first (South Korea)  U.S.  United Kingdom combined-air exercise, to not only enhance the combined air operations capability to protect peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, but also greatly contribute to the improvement of military operation with the Royal Air Force," said Lt. Gen. Won, In-Choul, the South Korean Air Force Operations Command commander.

The exchange provided an opportunity for the three nations to share information and skills acquired throughout decades of historic combined aerial experience in different theaters across the globe.

"Working shoulder to shoulder, we are showing a unified front to those who would wish to do us harm," said Lt. Gen. Thomas W. Bergeson, the Seventh Air Force commander.

The RAF personnel seemed appreciative of the opportunity to not only train alongside the U.S. and South Korean air forces, but also continue to strengthen their decades-old relationship with South Korea.

"I know from speaking with those that have been participating in the exercise the success it has been so far, enhancing the interoperability between our air forces and strengthening our mutual interest in security and defense," said Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, the RAF chief of air staff. "The RAF participants have also told me what a privilege they have felt it to be to exercise so closely with our Korean partners and friends, alongside U.S. forces, on Invincible Shield."

The deployment of RAF assets and continuation of training missions alongside South Korean and U.S. crews will continue through Nov. 10.

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Coalition Targets ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Nov. 8, 2016  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 17 strikes in Syria:

-- Near Ayn Isa, 15 strikes engaged seven ISIL tactical units, destroyed five fighting positions, three vehicles, two bridges and an artillery system and damaged three supply routes.

-- Near Mara, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle bomb.

-- Near Palmyra, a strike engaged two ISIL tactical units, destroyed a vehicle and damaged a fighting position.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack, fighter, remotely piloted and rotary-wing aircraft and rocket artillery conducted 10 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:

-- Near Beiji, a strike destroyed an ISIL rocket rail, a generator and a bulldozer.

-- Near Mosul, five strikes engaged five ISIL tactical units and a staging area; destroyed six fighting positions, six mortar systems, four vehicle bombs, two vehicles, two rocket systems, two ISIL-held buildings and a command and control node; suppressed a heavy machine gun, a sniper position and a rocket system; damaged an ISIL vehicle; and degraded three tunnels.

-- Near Rawah, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL-held building.

-- Near Sinjar, a strike engaged an ISIL weapons production facility.

-- Near Taji, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.

-- Near Tal Afar, a strike engaged an ISIL vehicle bomb factory.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

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Frank Cable Returns from Indo-Asia-Pacific Region Deployment

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS161108-12

Release Date: 11/8/2016 10:01:00 AM

From USS Frank Cable (AS 40) Public Affairs

APRA HARBOR, Guam (NNS) -- Sailors and civilian mariners of submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40) completed a five-month deployment, returning to their homeport at Naval Base Guam, Nov. 8.

Frank Cable, which departed Guam June 6, concluded a successful five-month deployment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and U.S. Central Command area of operations. The crew and ship provided vital flexibility to the fleet commanders, extending the range and impact of U.S. naval forces in the U.S. Navy's 5th and 7th Fleets.

"With great pride I watched the combined Navy and Military Sealift Command crew of the USS Frank Cable rise to every challenge as they demonstrated the flexibility and capability of a submarine tender," said Capt. Drew St. John, Frank Cable's commanding officer. "Through their dedication and hard work, this ship successfully supported the ships and submarines of both the 5th and 7th Fleets, reinforcing more than ever the relevancy of the submarine tender into today's security environment. Their actions ensured our naval combatants were ready to 'fight tonight.'"

Frank Cable was a persistent presence throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, where the crew performed more than 10 community relations events designed to deepen the crew's understanding of other cultures and built friendships with people living in host nations.

Repair Department provided support to submarine and surface ships, providing vital flexibility to the fleet commanders and extending the range and impact of U.S. naval forces in the U.S. Navy's 5th and 7th Fleets.

"As a forward-deployed submarine tender, we bring a tremendous capability to the fleet commander," said St. John. "We pride ourselves in our mission, providing critical repairs to forward-deployed naval forces. Those we supported are better prepared for mission success."

A first for the ship and crew was pulling into Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, the first U.S. ship to dock since the Vietnam Conflict in 1973.

"I was excited to go back!" said Petty Officer 3rd Class Nhat Q. Vu, a native of Dong Nai, Vietnam. "To go back to my home and share my culture with my shipmates, my friends, was amazing. I was excited to share what I do in the Navy every day, and the positive impact we can have wherever we go."

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PACFLT Team Implements Rating Modernization

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS161108-08

Release Date: 11/8/2016 9:42:00 AM

By Petty Officer 1st Class Phillip Pavlovich, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- U.S. Pacific Fleet's new rating modernization Operational Planning Team (OPT) is seeking input from Sailors as the team works to help shape the Navy's transition from enlisted ratings to Navy Occupational Specialty (NOS) codes.

The team stood up after the Navy announced Sept. 29 that all rating titles for enlisted Sailors will reflect a new classification system consisting of occupational specialty codes similar to how other branches of the military categorize enlisted skill sets. The transition will occur in phases over a multi-year period.

Adm. Scott H. Swift, commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, said the OPT will help Pacific Fleet stay synchronized with rating modernization efforts occurring throughout the Navy.

"Pacific Fleet OPT efforts will ensure we in the Pacific are aligned with the vision of Navy rating modernization," said Adm. Scott H. Swift commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet. "I look forward to the ensuing dialogue and development of this important initiative."

Members participating in the working group, including senior enlisted leaders like U.S. Pacific Fleet Master Chief Suz Whitman, will lead rating modernization in the Fleet by engaging Sailors, soliciting their feedback and raising their awareness as phases of the modernization progress.

"PACFLT is leading efforts to gather information from the fleet, specifically from Sailors, to properly inform the rating modernization process," said Whitman. "The OPT allows Sailors' voices to be heard. Their input will help shape the modernization process."

The intent of the rating modernization is to maximize talent management and career flexibility, while providing enlisted Sailors with training and widely recognized credentials that will be transferable to the civilian workforce. It is one of several initiatives aimed at providing Sailors with more opportunities for training, duty stations, advancement, and retirement or separation.

The world's largest fleet command, the U.S. Pacific Fleet encompasses 100 million square miles, nearly half the Earth's surface, from Antarctica to the Arctic circle and from the West Coast of the United States into the Indian Ocean. The U.S. Pacific Fleet consists of approximately 200 ships/submarines, nearly 1,100 aircraft, and more than 140,000 Sailors and civilians.

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Fresh Indian fire kills three more civilians in Kashmir: Pakistan

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 8, 2016 3:18PM

Pakistani officials say Indian troops have opened fire across the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, killing at least three civilians.

Pakistani police official Mir Abid said three civilians were killed and three wounded by Indian shelling in Battal sector of Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Tuesday.

"A mortar shell landed on the house of one Zakir Hussain Shah in Mandhol village, killing his 45-year-old wife and 6-year-old daughter on the spot," media outlets quoted Abid as saying.

The official added that another man was killed near a bridge in the same area.

On Monday, the Pakistan-administered area of Nakyal witnessed a similar incident.

According to a statement by the government in Islamabad, Pakistan's Foreign Office has summoned India's deputy high commissioner to protest the recent deadly incidents.

Meanwhile, New Delhi said an Indian soldier was killed and two others were injured in the Jammu sector of Indian-controlled Kashmir during the latest exchanges of fire with Pakistani troops.

Last week, authorities on both sides closed hundreds of schools along frontier areas when cross-border firing killed 14 residents.

Indian and Pakistani forces have been engaged in similar clashes and traded fire across their de facto border in the disputed region over the past months. Each side accuses the other of provocation.

Relations between India and Pakistan have been strained in recent months, with New Delhi blaming Islamabad for a raid on an army base in Indian-controlled Kashmir in September, which killed 19 soldiers.

The Indian army blamed Pakistan-based militants for the assault. Islamabad denies any role in the deadly incident.

Diplomatic tensions generated between the two sides in late October, when India ordered one employee of the Pakistani High Commission out of the country, saying he was a suspected spy. Islamabad expelled an Indian diplomat in a tit-for-tat move.

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Blast kills 2, injures 31 UN troops in DR Congo

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 8, 2016 11:29AM

An explosion has killed at least two people and wounded 32 UN peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern province of North Kivu.

The UN mission in the central African country said the explosion occurred Tuesday morning as the Indian peacekeepers were exercising on the outskirts of Goma, the provincial capital on the Rwandan border.

Officials said one of the dead was a peacekeeper and the other was an 8-year-old child. The injured were taken to a UN military hospital.

Officials were investigating whether the grenade belonged to the peacekeepers or whether it had come from some other source.

The UN Mission in the DR Congo, known as MONUSCO, has over 20,000 troops to disarm scores of rebel and splinter groups that have been wreaking havoc in the impoverished country for the past two decades.

The most infamous of the rebel groups is the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which was founded in Uganda in 1995 and later moved to the DR Congo, spreading its reign of violence, particularly in the North Kivu province.

In its almost two decades of presence there, the rebel group has been accused of committing serious human rights violations, including recruiting child soldiers and rape, against the local population.

The MONUSCO, comprised of forces from over 50 countries and deployed in 1999, says it aims to protect civilians from violence.

The Congolese army, joined by UN troops, is currently on the offensive against the ADF and other rebel groups. 

Congo has been in political turmoil since President Joseph Kabila announced plans to prolong his tenure by postponing the general elections from December 2016 to April 2018.

He is barred by constitution from standing for a third term but the opposition is accusing Kabila of manipulating the electoral system to stay in power.

Kabila has ruled the mineral-rich country since 2001, when his father was assassinated. Under the constitution, he should relinquish power on December 20, but he allegedly seeks ways, including pushing back the elections, to extend his presidency.

In September, a wave of deadly clashes pitting the police against demonstrators rocked Kinshasa as the opposition demanded Kabila's resignation. Over 50 civilians were killed in the clashes and dozens more were injured.

For the past few decades, the DR Congo has also been facing grinding poverty, crumbling infrastructure and regional conflicts in the east of the country that has dragged on since 1998 and left over 5.5 million people dead.

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Pro-Russian politician wins first round of Bulgaria election

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 8, 2016 9:56AM

Bulgaria's opposition candidate, Rumen Radev, who has urged the European Union to lift sanctions against Russia, has won the first round of the country's presidential election.

Radev from the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) won 25.7 percent of the vote while Tsetska Tsacheva from the ruling Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) scored only 22 percent, official results showed.

The country's presidential election will go to a run-off on November 13 as neither of the two secured an overall majority.

Bulgaria's presidency is a largely ceremonial post, but the president is still a respected figure with some powers such as influencing policy, vetoing legislation and signing international treaties.

According to the results, the 53-year-old Radev's chances to win in the run-off are high, a result that could repair Bulgaria's relations with Russia.

Bulgaria, once a loyal Russian ally, had been tilting away from Moscow and closer to the West under the incumbent government. It became a NATO member in 2004.

This is while Bulgaria is almost entirely dependent on Russia for energy supplies, and many Bulgarians feel culturally attached to their Black Sea neighbor.

Radev, who has called for an end to EU sanctions imposed against Russia over Ukraine, vowed to comply with Bulgaria's European obligations if he is elected, noting that "being pro-European does not mean being anti-Russian."

"In their frustration, my rivals are turning into fear-mongers," he said. "For them, the Euro-Atlantic mantra also means (being an) enemy of Russia. For me, this is an unhealthy position."

The former air force officer also pledged not to let Bulgaria "turn into Europe's migrant ghetto" amid Bulgarians' fears of a refugee influx.

The results dealt a blow to Prime Minister Boiko Borisov who said he would quit and call early elections if Tsacheva lost.

Tsacheva, who wants to become Bulgaria's first female president, once again expressed her concern over the victory of Radev in the run-off, saying it could negatively affect the country's relations with its EU and NATO allies.

"There are two options - to allow Bulgaria slide back into its dark past of ideological lies and submission to foreign interests or ... to make sure that Bulgaria stays where it belongs, among free European countries," she said.

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U.S. Voters Go To The Polls In Historic Presidential Election

RFE/RL November 08, 2016

Americans are heading to the polls to elect a new president after one of the most contentious campaigns in U.S. history.

Following a cutthroat campaign between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican rival Donald Trump, the two major-party candidates cast their ballots in an election that has focused more on character than issues.

"I'm so happy, I'm just incredibly happy," Clinton said as she emerged with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, from the polling station near her home in the small town of Chappaqua, not far from New York City.

She added that it was "the most humbling feeling" to vote "because so many people are counting on the outcome of this election."

Trump, meanwhile, cast his ballot at a polling station in the Manhattan district where he resides after arriving with his wife, Melania.

"It's looking very good. Right now it's looking very good. It will be an interesting day. Thank you," Trump said after voting.

A crowd of at least 100 people chanted, "New York hates you!" outside the polling station after Trump arrived, while supporters shouted words of encouragement.

In a phone interview on Fox TV earlier in the day, Trump said that the presidential campaign had been "an amazing process." He also called his campaign a "movement" and added that the American people are "incredible."

The rancorous, emotionally charged campaign between the two candidates has exposed deep fault lines in the U.S. political landscape, and whoever wins will face a deeply divided electorate.

Clinton, 69, and Trump, 70, have savaged one another throughout the campaign, which some historians say has featured a level of mudslinging and overheated rhetoric unprecedented in modern U.S. history. Opinion polls have shown a majority of American voters holding unfavorable views about both candidates.

Trump, a wealthy New York businessman and former reality TV star who has never held elected office, has said Clinton would be "in jail" under his presidency over her controversial handling of e-mails during her tenure as secretary of state. Chants of "lock her up" -- a reference to Clinton -- became staples at his rallies.

He captured the Republican nomination with controversial proposals like barring Muslims from the country and building a wall on the southern border to keep out immigrants from Central America, and has vowed to upend politics-as-usual in Washington if he is elected.

Clinton is a former U.S. senator, secretary of state, and first lady who has vowed to build on the legacy of outgoing Democratic President Barack Obama and touted her decades of public service as qualifying her to lead the nation.

She is seeking to become the first female president in U.S. history, and headed into Election Day with most opinion polls favoring her to beat Trump, her closest rival.

Obama, who has campaigned for Clinton -- whom he defeated in the 2008 Democratic primary before winning the White House for the first time later that year -- voiced optimism that his candidate of choice would win.

"As long as the American people vote, I think we'll do a good job," Obama said, adding that he hoped everyone "voted early. If not, get out there."

Polling stations opened in many places on the East Coast at 6 a.m., although a few villages in New Hampshire had already cast their ballots in the election.

A record number of Americans -- roughly 45 million -- have voted early by mail or at polling stations, while Clinton and Trump spent the previous day crisscrossing crucial swing states in a last-minute bid to sway potential undecided voters.

The first results will begin to emerge shortly after polls close at 7 p.m. local time (0000 GMT/UTC) in six states -- Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont, Kentucky, and Indiana.

Polls on the west coast, including California, close at 8 p.m. local time (0400 GMT/UTC).

The candidate who wins a majority of the 538 electors under the country's state-based Electoral College system should succeed Barack Obama, the country's 44th president and the first African-American to hold that post.

Trump, who says the election is being "rigged" against him, has previously refused to say whether he would accept the results of the vote if they are not in his favor, raising the specter of a postelection challenge should he lose.

"We'll see what happens," Trump said outside the polling station where he voted after being asked whether he would concede if Clinton was declared the winner.

His eldest son said on the morning of Election Day that Trump would "respect the outcome" of a "fair election."

Donald Trump, Jr. told CNN that he believes his father "will remain involved somewhat" if he loses. He added that he hopes the energy in the movement his father has attracted "goes back to the people we are trying to fight for, the people who haven't had a voice in a long time."

Trump appeared to be laying the groundwork for a potential challenge to at least some results. His campaign filed a lawsuit in Nevada on Election Day alleging that election officials in a Latino district violated state law during early voting on November 4 by allowing people to join a line of voters at a polling station after 8 p.m.

According to Nevada law, voters who are in line when the polls close at 8 p.m. must be allowed to cast their ballots.

The lawsuit asks that the ballots cast at the location be maintained separately from other votes in case there is an eventual legal challenge over the result of the election in Nevada.

But a Nevada judge on November 8 rejected the request by Trump's campaign to issue an immediate order in the lawsuit, saying Trump's team did not bring the issue first to county officials before appealing to the state court.

In an interview after he cast his ballot, Trump also told Fox-TV that he had heard reports of problems with voting machines in various places that were switching votes for Republicans to votes for Democrats.

Prior to Election Day, there were concerns about potential difficulties voters might face in casting their ballots. But while some areas of the country saw long lines at polling stations, they appeared to face few difficulties.

There were technical problems in several precincts in North Carolina, a swing state seen as crucial to Trump's possible path to the White House. Election officials there used paper roll books after computer problems involving voter check-in.

Earlier in the day at the Manhattan polling station where Trump voted, two topless female activists associated with the Ukrainian-founded feminist group Femen were detained after crashing the facility and chanting slogans critical of the Republican.

Trump has been widely criticized for lewd and sexist comments he has made about women.

Clinton's vice-presidential candidate, Senator Tim Kaine, voted with his wife in his home state of Virginia shortly after voting booths opened at 6 a.m.

"All the early vote signs are very strong in terms of people's energy and desire to participate but I just hope that that carries through the day," Kaine said.

U.S. states and election observers reported a record surge in early voting, led by unusually strong turnout among Hispanic voters, which could give an edge to Clinton.

Early voting by Hispanics was reported to have surged in key states that Trump must win to gain the White House: Florida, Nevada, and Colorado.

In Florida, a record 6.4 million early ballots were already in, or more than three-fourths of the expected vote, AP said, with Democrats slightly ahead by 39.9 percent to 38.5 percent.

In North Carolina, more than two-thirds of the expected votes had been cast. Democrats led in ballots submitted, 42 percent to 32 percent.

Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook said he saw the uptick in early voting as a sign that the Democratic voter base is strong and motivated going into election day.

"We saw just eye-popping turnout in Florida over the last two days, particularly in our strongholds of southern Florida, North Carolina, and elsewhere, so we're very encouraged, very positive," Mook said on ABC on November 7.

In Colorado, the two parties are virtually tied at 35 percent among early voters, with more than 70 percent of the ballots in.

Trump appears to be benefiting from the early voting surge in Arizona, Iowa, and Ohio.

In Arizona, with more than two-thirds of the expected total votes cast, Republicans led in balloting, 40 percent to 34 percent.

The first votes in the election were cast in three villages in New Hampshire, where the voting started just after midnight local time on November 8.

In predawn voting in the hamlets of Dixville Notch, Hart's Location, and Millsfield, Trump took an early lead over Clinton by a 32-25 margin.

Two third-party presidential candidates -- Gary Johnson for the Libertarians and Jill Stein for the Green Party -- are also on many state ballots, but they are unlikely to present any real threat to the major-party candidates.

Voters are also electing all of the 435 members of the House of Representatives and 34 members of the 100-seat Senate.

The U.S. elections are being observed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which sent more than 400 short- and long-term monitors.

With reporting by AP, ABC, AFP, and McClatchy News

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/us-presidential-election- day-clinton-trump/28103931.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Georgian Defense Minister Outlines Reform Plans

Liz Fuller November 08, 2016

Speaking on November 7 at a press conference pegged to his first 100 days in office, Georgian Defense Minister Levan Izoria announced plans for reform of the country's army, air force, and air-defense system, but ruled out as too costly building a new naval capacity. Izoria also said that after several months of consultations, it had been decided to preserve conscription into the army, but in a slightly different format than before.

Four months ago, Izoria's predecessor, Tina Khidasheli, had unilaterally announced the abolition of conscription into the army as of January 2017 and publicly signed the relevant decree. Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and President Giorgi Margvelashvili both criticized her for doing so before the government or the National Security Council had discussed the issue.

Izoria said that in the future, conscripts' basic training will be the same as that of professional soldiers, which will create a larger pool of qualified personnel to serve either as contract servicemen or in the reserves. Previously, army conscripts performed only logistical and support functions; they were not trained in, and did not engage in, combat. Izoria also said conscripts will be paid 50 laris ($20.49) per month, and they will be entitled to days off.

At the same time, Izoria stressed that the army will continue to consist primarily of professional contract servicemen. (Conscripts currently account for just 10 percent of the total 37,000 manpower.)

It is not clear whether the length of compulsory military service will remain the same as before (15 months).

Khidasheli immediately criticized as "empty demagogy" the reversal of her abolition of conscription. She also criticized Prime Minister Kvirikashvili, who had expressed full support for Izoria's proposals, saying he "spends more time talking about developing tourism than about improving the country's defense capability."

By contrast, Irakli Sesiashvili, who chaired the outgoing parliament's Defense and Security Committee, termed the decision to retain conscription "a correct first step" on the grounds that the conscription system needed to be reformed, not abolished. At the same time, Sesiashvili advocated analogous changes in the regime for conscripts serving in other agencies, such as the State Protection Service, the State Security Service, and the penitentiary system.

At the same press conference, Izoria also announced plans for the "optimization" of the General Staff, the army, the air force, the air-defense system, and the military police. The plans will encompass the abolition of an unspecified number of departments within the General Staff, and greater emphasis on the use of combat helicopters and unmanned drones.

Izoria further said the number of army brigades will be cut from five to four, and changes made to where they will be based. The rationale cited for the decision in September 2007 to create a fifth brigade was taken in direct contravention of the advice offered by a body of Western experts that Georgia should focus on creating a small, mobile army that conformed to NATO standards.

Finally, Izoria said that in light of the "colossal expense...running into billions," he was "categorically against" rebuilding Georgia's naval capacity, which was almost totally destroyed by Russian bombing during the August 2008 war. He pointed out that the United States had helped finance the repair and modernization of Georgia's three remaining naval vessels for use by the Georgian coast guard, which is subordinate to the Interior Ministry.

That lack of a full-fledged naval capacity calls into question Georgia's ability to participate in NATO's proposed plans, adopted at the Warsaw summit in June, to beef up its presence in the Black Sea with the explicit aim of countering Russian aggression. Prime Minister Kvirikashvili nonetheless affirmed on November 7 that "we shall be part of Black Sea security together with the North Atlantic family, and Georgia will be included in patrolling and other similar operations."

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/caucasus-report-georgia -defense-reforms/28104447.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Estonian Defense Forces Commander Urges EU Countries to Boost Military Spending

Sputnik News

23:54 08.11.2016

The EU member states should increase their defense budgets, Commander-in-Chief of the Estonian Defense Forces Lt. Gen. Riho Terras said Tuesday.

TALLINN (Sputnik)  The Estonian draft budget for 2017 allocates an unprecedented amount of 477 million euros (roughly $525 million) for the military spending, which is about 2 percent of the country's GDP. Estonia is the only Baltic country that adheres to the NATO's recommendation of reserving 2 percent of the GDP on defense. Poland, Greece and the soon-to-leave the bloc United Kingdom meet the Alliance's target as well.

"In the current situation in the security sphere, many countries inevitably have to increase defense expenditure," Terras was quoted as saying in a statement on the Estonian General Staff website.

Terras, who attended a meeting of the EU defense chiefs in Brussels earlier in the day, stressed that the EU countries should be ready to contribute more, if the European Union intended to play a greater role in ensuring the safety of the region.

 Sputnik

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Serbia Agrees to Joins EU's Greece-Led Balkan Battlegroup

Sputnik News

20:39 08.11.2016(updated 20:40 08.11.2016)

Serbia has signed an agreement to join the the Balkan Battlegroup (HELBROC) of the European Union Military Staff, the county's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

BELGRADE, November 8 (Sputnik)  The Greece-led HELBROC was established in 2007, and initially comprised Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Romania, which were joined by Ukraine in 2011. Earlier this year, Serbia was seeking HELBROC engagement, and earlier on Tuesday Serbian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic and his Greek counterpart Adm. Evangelos Apostolakis signed an agreement on Belgrade's joining the group.

"The Serbian Ministry of Defense expressed its willingness to participate in the HELBROC battlegroup with a platoon of military police, a civil-military co-operation team, and no more than five officers in command group," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry noted that the agreement will come into force as soon as it is signed by all the current signatories.

 Sputnik

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Human Shields: Kabul Blames Taliban for Civilian Deaths in US Kunduz Airstrikes

Sputnik News

18:00 08.11.2016(updated 18:10 08.11.2016)

A special Afghan government commission continues to investigate the US-led airstrikes that killed more than 30 people, including women and children, in the province of Kunduz last week.

A government commission led by Afghan Deputy Defense Minister Hilalutdin Hilal is conducting an investigation into last week's deadly airstrikes that left 32 civilians, including 12 children dead, and 27 more injured.

The US-led airstrikes was carried out near the village of Buz-e Qandaghari in Afghanistan's Kunduz province on November 4 as US and Afghan troops clashed with the Taliban.

In an interview with Sputnik Dari, Afghan Defense Ministry spokesman Davlat Vaziri pointed the finger at the Taliban militants, who he said "used their homes as human shields."

He said that 30 Taliban militants were killed in the airstrikes, including ten field commanders. Vaziri admitted the civilian deaths during the raid, expressing regret about the tragedy.

"If as a result of our military operations, God forbid, the civilian population is suffering, we realize our mistakes and learn from them so that they can never happen again in the future," according to Vaziri.

"Yes, we admit the civilian casualties who were citizens of Afghanistan and who died as martyrs. The Afghan Defense Ministry expresses its regret over it. I assure once again that we will draw lessons from what has happened," he said.

He claimed that there are allegedly negative and positive aspects related to the deadly airstrikes. "We see both pros and cons [concerning the airstrikes]," he said.

"We have destroyed the most dangerous Taliban warlords, who masterminded numerous attacks in Kunduz province. We obtained information that they planned a new attack on the city of Kunduz," Vaziri said.

He added that the November 4 airstrikes targeted the Taliban's headquarters in Kunduz, where the militants' children also lived.

Vaziri said that those children were killed in the airstrikes and that they were included in the civilian death toll because he said the Taliban militants' children are seen as shaheeds, or martyrs.

Meanwhile, mass protest rallies have been held in the city of Kunduz, with participants demanding the punishment of those responsible for the death of innocent people.

According to the demonstrators, the airstrikes targeted houses located at least a hundred meters away from the Taliban's headquarters.

Protesters demanded that the authorities wrap up the investigation and make public its results by Thursday, otherwise the nearby motorways will be blocked.

Earlier, Vaziri held a meeting with the elders of the tribes in the province of Kunduz, during which he pledged a meticulous and unbiased investigation in the deadly November 4 airstrikes.

He said that if the inquiry finds local officials' guilt in the airstrikes, they will be brought to justice. The results of the probe will be put on the table of the Afghan President, who is due to take a final decision on the matter, according to Vaziri.

Afghanistan is in the grips of political and social turmoil, with government forces fighting the ongoing Taliban insurgency. The instability has persisted in the country since the 2001 US-led invasion to defeat the Taliban and al-Qaeda in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the United States.

 Sputnik

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At Least Four People Killed, Five Injured in Shelling on India-Pakistan Border

Sputnik News

17:34 08.11.2016

At least four people were killed and five injured as a result of the latest round of cross-border shelling between Indian and Pakistani troops in the disputed Kashmir region.

NEW DELHI (Sputnik)  A total of three civilians were killed and three injured when a mortar shell landed on a residential building in the Poonch district in the Kashmir region and as a result of shelling in other areas of the district, the Dawn newspaper said, citing police sources.

According to the NDTV broadcaster, one Indian soldier was killed and two injured as a result of the cross-border shooting in the area of Naushera.

Kashmir has been disputed between India and Pakistan since the partition of India in 1947. The two countries have had three wars over the region, but the conflict has not been resolved.

The recent escalation of violence across the India-Pakistan border came after 19 Indian soldiers died as a result of the September 18 attack by armed militants on a base outside of Srinagar, the capital of India-administered Kashmir.

 Sputnik

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DR Congo: Explosion in Goma kill one civilians, wounds peacekeepers, UN Mission reports

8 November 2016  The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has confirmed that an explosion in Goma killed a girl and wounded 32 Indian peacekeepers, five of whom are in serious condition, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, told reporters today.

All victims of the explosion, including UN peacekeepers and Congolese civilians, are receiving medical treatment in Goma, which is located in the restive eastern part of the vast central African nation.

According to early reports, the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED). A MONUSCO Quick Reaction Force and an investigation team with explosives experts have been deployed to the scene.

"The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the DRC is expected to travel to Goma to assess the situation on the ground," Mr. Dujarric said at the daily briefing at UN Headquarters in New York, adding that more information will be available later today.

"Our thoughts are with the family of the victim and our colleagues who were injured."

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China-Malaysia Meeting Showcases Quiet Cooperation on Maritime Dispute

By Ralph Jennings November 08, 2016

A recent upbeat meeting between the leaders of China and Malaysia showcased extended bilateral cooperation despite their maritime sovereignty dispute in the South China Sea.

Analysts say last week's trip by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to Beijing only underscored a long-standing deal by which Beijing offers economic support in exchange for the other side keeping quiet when angered by Chinese vessels in nearby waters.

Leaders in Beijing hope this understanding with the country that has the most extensive fossil fuel claims in the contested South China Sea will apply someday to other governments. Brunei, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines claim all or parts of the sea, as well.

Regional order

"Certainly some scholars have taken the view that what China wants is a sort of regional order," said Douglas Guilfoyle, associate international law professor at Monash University in Australia.

That means "essentially a set of rules that say we get to set the kind of broad policy for management of certain regional issues and everyone should defer to us, not simply because we're the most powerful but because we are by our own lights well-intentioned and there will be mutual benefits for everyone because we're a flourishing economy," he said.

The Malaysian leader met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing Thursday. The two leaders agreed during Najib's six-day China visit to oppose "intervention" in the sea dispute, according to news reports from Beijing. The two countries also pledged stability at sea and called for freedom of navigation crucial.

Trade ties

China and Malaysia used the visit to sign 14 deals worth a combined 144 billion ringgit ($34 billion), according to Malaysian media. According to one deal, China will sell navy vessels to the other side.

Those deals made Najib's visit popular among Malaysians, particularly the ethnic Chinese who are 21 percent of the population, analysts in Kuala Lumpur say.

"They see China as an opportunity for economic expansion, so the baseline for the relationship toward China is a positive one," said Ibrahim Suffain, director of the Kuala Lumpur-based Merdeka Center for Opinion Research. "The local media here talks about many deals, so that's pretty significant in terms of investment potential."

China was already Malaysia's top trading partner and chief source of direct foreign investment. Last year state-owned China General Nuclear Power Corp. bought the Malaysian development firm 1MDB's energy assets in another company for $2.4 billion and China Railway Construction Corp. acquired a stake in the Malaysian property development project Bandar Malaysia.

In March, 100 Chinese vessels passed near Luconia Shoals, which Malaysia claims, but the country's defense minister played it down instead of criticizing China.

Malaysia diplomacy

China will still probably avoid any military enforcement of its claims near Malaysia at the risk of nudging it toward the United States, analysts say.

U.S.-Malaysia security cooperation includes "numerous" military exercises, ship visits and educational exchanges, according to a 2015 Congressional Research Service document, although Malaysia "has assumed a relatively low profile" in the South China Sea dispute.

"It's very obvious that Malaysia wants to play on both sides of the fence," said Jonathan Bogais, associate political science professor at University of Sydney. "And that is working very well for them at the moment and it will keep working this way."

China's claims on the SCS

But Beijing has irritated other governments with claims to the South China Sea by passing vessels through their exclusive economic zones of 200 nautical miles (370 km) off their coastline and reclaiming land to expand disputed islets for its own use. The sea is valued for fishing, marine shipping and the exploration for fossil fuels.

Beijing claims about 95 percent of the 3.5 million-square-kilometer (1.4 million-square-mile) body of water stretching from Taiwan to Singapore. It backs those claims with historic records.

Washington has helped Vietnam resist China by lifting an arms sales ban and does joint military exercises with the Philippines. China accuses the U.S. government of helping other maritime claimants to keep Chinese expansion in check.

Vietnam complains loudly when China approaches its sea claims and a Chinese oil rig sparked deadly anti-China protests in 2014 near Ho Chi Minh City.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has taken a strong pro-China stance since October, winning aid pledges from Beijing in exchange, but has not officially cut off U.S. military preparedness aid in place since 2014. His predecessor took China to the world arbitration court and won the case July 12.

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Is Russia Trying to Influence the US Election?

By Charles Maynes November 08, 2016

As the U.S. presidential campaign heads into its final hours, Kremlin presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov issued Russia's own last appeal to U.S. voters: Russia has no intention of interfering in America's elections.

Never mind White House charges of Kremlin hacking of Democratic Party computers. Never mind the Wikileaks release of Clinton campaign emails that U.S. intelligence says come from Russia's secret services. And never mind a relentlessly partisan Russian state media campaign that has promoted one candidate over another  both at home and abroad.

In a year when Russia has assumed a central role in American elections, the Kremlin spokesman dismissed interest in any possible Russian subterfuge as "absurd."

"[The Americans] have enough problems without us," said Peskov.

Welcome to the next phase of the Kremlin's take on America's elections: Whoever the victor, the outcome will show how broken and corrupt American democracy has become.

And the Kremlin is preparing.

In the run-up to election day, Russian state television has been warning of "dead souls" rising from the grave to vote (for Clinton); "carousel voting" in the inner cities (for Clinton); decrepit election infrastructure prone to manipulation (by Clinton); and that the will of American voters (for Trump) will be subverted by U.S. electoral college delegates (for Clinton).

Dmitry Kiselev, anchor of the weekly Vesti Nedeli (News of the Week), whose nationally televised program has pushed conspiracies surrounding the American vote for months, predicted nothing short of a stolen election (by Clinton).

"After these elections, the U.S. may find itself addressing itself with the same phrase that it awards others: that the U.S. elections were not transparent, were conducted without real competition, and included mass falsifications and government abuse."

"They cannot," Kiselev concluded, "be considered free or democratic."

The message, says Vladimir Frolov, a foreign policy analyst and columnist with The Moscow Times, is clear.

"The intent is to discredit the system," he told VOA. "So-called American democracy stinks. It's a circus and nothing to envy."

Kremlin favorite?

Even to casual Russia observers, the Kremlin's passive preference for a Donald Trump presidency has been apparent, if not understandable, throughout the election season.

Trump's positions on key issues of the day  from Syria to Ukraine to NATO's expansion into Eastern Europe  dovetail with Russia's own declared interests. Clinton campaign charges that Trump is colluding with the Russian authorities notwithstanding, FBI-led investigations into the issue have found no proof.

That, said Frolov, makes little difference from the Kremlin's point of view.

"What's not to like?" he asked.

By contrast, state media has relentlessly embraced far-ranging conspiracies surrounding Hillary Clinton's campaign: Mrs. Clinton is sick and ailing; she is corrupt and facing certain indictment or prison; and she is beholden to nefarious dark forces, including radical terrorist groups.

Most importantly, Clinton is portrayed as virulently anti-Russian.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's antipathy to the Democratic Party nominee, in particular, is well known. In 2011, he accused Clinton, then U.S. secretary of state, of "giving the signal" to thousands of Russians to protested rigged elections during the country's parliamentary contests.

Polls reflect the pileup of negative coverage since. More than one-third of Russians believe a Trump presidency will bring an improvement in relations. By contrast, a majority think U.S.-Russian relations  already deeply troubled  will suffer more under a future Clinton administration. A separate poll showed nearly half of Russians think a direct war between the U.S. and Russia is likely.

Amid the growing Russia controversy this election season, Putin denounced candidates for "playing the Russia card." Moscow, he said, was willing to work with either Trump or Clinton  provided the new White House occupant meets Russian interests half way.

But Konstantin von Eggart, a long-time analyst and host of the independent TV Rain channel's coverage of the U.S. elections, says he finds the Kremlin's overt tilt towards Trump "bizarre."

"I think Russia's policy is a big blunder," said von Eggart. "Even in the Soviet days, the Politburo wasn't influencing in the U.S. elections because they knew they'd have to work with whoever was the next American president."

Yet von Eggart predicts the Kremlin will double down in the event of a Clinton win on November 8.

"They'll blow out of proportion any irregularities to say the Trump was denied victory," he said.

The hope, he adds, is that Trump will continue to "sow chaos" in the U.S. political system, distracting Washington elites while Moscow defends its own interests.

Meanwhile, foreign policy analyst Frolov argues the Kremlin's focus on undermining the current U.S. campaign is merely "a shot across the bow" ahead of Russia's own presidential elections, which are scheduled for 2018.

Putin, in and out of power since 1999, has yet to declare his candidacy. But even then, Frolov suggests a future memo to Washington regarding the election day 2018 has already been drafted.

The message: "Who are you to judge?"

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Malaysian Protest Rally to Go Ahead Despite Threats

By Ron Corben November 08, 2016

A leading Malaysian campaign for political and electoral reform is pressing ahead with a major rally this month despite pressure from the government and threats and violence against rally supporters.

Maria Chin, chairperson of the Bersih 2.0, a coalition calling for for free and fair elections in Malaysia, says the campaign has included a nationwide convoy launched on October 1 to promote the rally and calls for reform ahead of November 19.

But several violent incidents have marred the Bersih convoy with attacks and scuffles on supporters by so-called pro-Malay "red shirts."

Violent incidents

Maria Chin along with Ambiga Sreenevasan, president of the National Human Rights Society and Mandeep Singh, a staff member of Bersih, all received death threats in October.

Later, a car of one of Chin's children was splashed with red paint and chicken blood.

But Chin, in an interview with VOA, dismissed the threats and called on Malaysian police to maintain law and order.

"It's not a question of my personal safety, it's a question of the safety of the Bersih supporters  it's not just about me. The police will have to handle the red shirts who may or may not come. We will leave it to the police. As for the rally it will still go on and it will be on the 19th of November," she said.

Chin also dismissed a claim by Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Amad Zahid Hamidi, who said Bersih was not permitted to stage the rally as it was not a society registered with the Registrar of Societies.

Red shirts opposed to reform movement

A key leader of the red shirt movement, Jamal Mohamad Yunos, a state leader with the governing United Malays National Organization (UMNO), was briefly detained after attacks on the convoys.

Since then Yunos is reported to have threatened to mobilize 300,000 red shirts to prevent the Bersih rally from going ahead.

Several rights groups, under the banner Asia Democracy Network (ADN), released a statement calling on the government to "take immediate and effective measures to stop the violent aggression and incitement of violence perpetrated by the red shirts".

On Tuesday, red shirt leaders offered to "provide security" for the rally if it was relocated indoors.

Bersih convoy, a coalition of many groups

Bersih, founded in 2006, brings together a coalition of 62 non-government organizations (NGOs) calling for reform to Malaysia's electoral system.

Chin said pressuring the government to make changes remained a major challenge.

"They know what we are talking about and that's why they are reacting in this violent manner. So definitely they know what we are talking about. Whether it will happen or not to be honest will take some time. Change doesn't happen just because we go in the streets," she said.

The Bersih convoy has called for institutional reforms for a "new Malaysia" covering elections, governance, a strengthening of parliamentary democracy and empowering the states of Sabah and Sarawak.

The pro-Malay red shirt leaders have also attacked reporting by independent online news site Malaysiakini.

Rights group Amnesty International said around 100 red shirt supporters rallied outside the paper's offices on November 3, chanting slogans and threats to attack the building.

Analysts say the clashes and threats against the rally and media outlets have raised fears of violence at the November 19 rally.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for the New York-based Human Rights Watch, said Malaysian authorities need to ensure the public safety of those attending the rally.

Right of assembly

"The core of this is the right to peaceful public assembly. And the Bersih people have shown time and time again that this is a peaceful movement that people are exercising their human rights," Robertson said.

"For the Government to try to say that you can't have the rally because it might be a problem, I think is clearly overkill and clearly an infringement on the human rights of people who have something to say and are demanding to say that publicly," he said.

Robertson says the key concerns are of possible violence and force by security personnel, including use of tear gas and water cannons, which they used to disperse a Bersih rally of more than 100,000 in April 2012.

"It's entirely possible that we will see a major, major problem on November 19," he said.

Political tensions in Malaysia have been rising especially since Prime Minister Najib Razak, faced accusations of diverting over $3.5 billion from the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund.

Allegations against prime minister

Najib claims he is innocent, saying the funds were dealt with properly and were a "genuine donation" from Saudi Arabia.

But international investigations have followed, including by the United States Department of Justice and authorities in Singapore, of funds being used inappropriately.

Other challenges include the recent formation of a new political party, led by former members of UMNO including a former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad, who stepped down 2003 after more than two decades in power.

Bersih has called for Najib to resign and pave the way for independent investigations over the corruption charges.

But analysts say the position of Najib, fresh from an official visit to China with $34 billion in business deals, remains secure, with the new investment expected to underpin Malaysia's economy ahead of new elections slated for 2018.

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Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Nov. 9, 2016  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 12 strikes in Syria:

-- Near Abu Kamak, a strike destroyed ISIL oil production equipment.

-- Near Raqqah, two strikes destroyed two ISIL oil wellheads and an oil pump.

-- Near Ayn Isa, seven strikes engaged six ISIL tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions, a vehicle and a vehicle bomb facility.

-- Near Manbij, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed a vehicle and a heavy machine gun.

-- Near Mara, a strike engaged an ISIL tactical unit.

Strikes in Iraq

Attack and fighter aircraft conducted six strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:

-- Near Mosul, three strikes engaged three ISIL tactical units; destroyed six ISIL-held buildings, four fighting positions, three mortar systems, a heavy machine gun and a sniper position; suppressed two tactical units; and damaged a mortar system.

-- Near Rawah, two strikes engaged an ISIL vehicle bomb factory and destroyed two storage containers and a vehicle.

-- Near Tal Afar, a strike engaged an ISIL headquarters building.

Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said.

Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

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First batch of Kenyan troops return from UN mission in South Sudan

Iran Press TV

Wed Nov 9, 2016 4:6PM

The first batch of Kenyan troops, who served in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, have returned home, in response to the UN's sacking of a Kenyan commander in charge of the forces over negligence of duty.

About 100 troops of a total of around 1,000 Kenyan soldiers landed in Nairobi on Wednesday, a week after Kenya said it would pull out its forces from the UN mission in South Soudan, known as UNMISS, in protest at the firing of Lieutenant General Johnson Mogoa Kimani Ondieki.

"Today we have started our withdrawal from South Sudan following President [Uhuru] Kenyatta's directive last week," Kenyan Major General Benjamin Biwott told reporters at Nairobi's international airport, adding that the remaining soldiers would arrive in coming days.

The official said Kenya had served in over 40 peacekeeping missions, adding, "In all the places we have gone, we have performed very well."

Last week, the Kenyan president ordered the withdrawal, accusing the UN of covering up its failure to establish peace in South Sudan by blaming the Kenyan commander.

Kenyatta said last week that the UN was "scapegoating" the Kenyan forces deployed to South Sudan for the failing of its mission in the country.

The Kenyan commander was sacked after the results of a special UN investigation blamed him and a "lack of leadership" in UNMISS for the "chaotic and ineffective response" to an attack in a hotel in the capital in July.

Dozens of people were killed from July 8 and 11, and at least five foreign aid workers were reportedly raped when between 80 and 100 South Sudanese soldiers overran the hotel.

The Kenyan government has rejected the findings of the inquiry.

The attack occurred during several days of fighting between forces loyal to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and his former vice president and now rebel leader, Riek Machar.

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World Reacts To Trump Presidential Victory

RFE/RL November 09, 2016

Reaction is coming in from around the globe to news that Donald Trump has been elected president of the United States, with the European Union reacting with caution and the Kremlin welcoming the outcome.

The Republican candidate defeated his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States in an outcome few pundits or polls had predicted.

The result is raising questions about how Trump, a businessman who has never held public office or served in the military, will run the country and what Washington's role in the world will be.

In Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the United States and European Union will continue to work together.

"EU-U.S. ties are deeper than any change in politics. We'll continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe," Mogherini wrote in a tweet.

EU officials and diplomats have said European governments may need to strengthen their own cooperation if a Trump administration pulls back from international commitments.

In London, British Prime Minister Theresa May said the "enduring and special relationship" between Britain and the United States would remain intact.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered Trump "close cooperation" on the basis of shared transatlantic values.

"Germany and America are bound together by values -- democracy, freedom, respecting the rule of law, people's dignity regardless of their origin, the color of their skin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views," Merkel said to reporters in Berlin.

Earlier, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Trump's victory would make the U.S.-German relationship less predictable. He also called for a special meeting of EU foreign ministers.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said the result was a "huge shock," and asked whether the Pax Americana -- the peace among great powers that has been guided by the United States since World War II -- was in jeopardy.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, "U.S. leadership is as important as ever... A strong NATO is good for the United States, and good for Europe."

French Foreign Minister Ayrault said France remains an ally of the United States, adding that Paris will have to see what Trump's new policies are.

In Germany, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said the result was a "huge shock," and asked whether the Pax Americana -- the peace among great powers that has been guided by the United States since World War II -- was in jeopardy.

Putin Telegram

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump on his victory in a telegram early on November 9, the Kremlin said.

Putin, for whom Trump expressed admiration during the election campaign, later said Moscow was ready to do its part to repair ties with Washington.

"It is not an easy path but we are ready to ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development," Putin said.

Relations between Washington and Moscow have soured over Russian actions in Ukraine -- including the seizure of the Crimean Peninsula -- and military intervention in Syria.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he hoped the United States would continue to support Ukraine in its standoff with Russia.

"The President looks forward to a continuation of U.S support in two important areas: Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression ... and also assistance in the realization of major reforms," Poroshenko was quoted as saying in a statement.

News of Trump's election victory was welcomed elsewhere in Europe, mainly among right-wing and far-right leaders.

In Budapest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated Trump, posting "What a great news. Democracy is still alive" on his Facebook page.

Orban said in July that Trump's plans on migration and foreign policy were "vital" for Hungary, whereas those of Clinton were "deadly."

Orban has in the past upset fellow members of the European Union over policy, most recently with his tough stance on Europe's migrant crisis, objecting to EU resettlement plans and having a fence built along Hungary's southern border.

In France, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Front party, congratulated Trump on her Twitter account.

French President Francois Hollande also congratulated the businessman on his election as the next U.S. president. But in a statement in Paris, Hollande said he would approach the relationship with Trump with "vigilance and candor" because of positions Trump took during the campaign. He did not give specific examples.

'Aloof, Sleazy Establishment Punished'

There were also words of congratulation for Trump from Austrian far-right leader Heinz-Christian Strache.

"The political left as well as the aloof and sleazy establishment are being punished by voters and voted out of various decision-making positions," the head of the populist Freedom Party (FPO) wrote on Facebook.

The FPO hopes for its own candidate Norbert Hofer to become the EU's first far-right head of state on December 4.

Elsewhere, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Trump should stay committed to the international nuclear deal with Iran.

"The United States should fulfil its commitments in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [the nuclear deal] as a multilateral international agreement," Zarif was quoted as saying by the Tasnim news agency.

In Turkey, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Trump's victory was an opportunity to further bilateral relations.

In a speech in the capital Ankara on November 9, Yildirim said a "new page" would be opened in U.S.-Turkey relations if Washington extradited Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based cleric Turkey blames for orchestrating a failed coup there on July 15.

The Iraqi government said relations with the United States have a "solid base" and this is not expected to change after Trump's victory.

That message was echoed by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who said in a statement that Washington remains one of Afghanistan's "important strategic and main partners" in the country's development and the fight against terrorism.

With reporting by AP and Reuters

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/trump- victory-world-reacts/28105845.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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View From Brussels: Glum Views In The Corridors Of Power

Rikard Jozwiak November 09, 2016

BRUSSELS -- In the months leading up to Donald Trump's victory in the November 8 presidential election in the United States, not a single European diplomat, civil servant, or politician from the EU or NATO that I spoke to welcomed the notion of a Trump presidency.

Perhaps it was simply the easiest option in light of polling and other indications -- dubious, in retrospect -- that the race was gravitating toward the better-known quantity embodied by his rival, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

But even now that the results from America are in, individuals I talked with in Brussels early on November 9 from various countries and administrations seemed intransigent.

If the Brexit vote in June left EU insiders worried about the future, Trump's win has them shell-shocked.

I have heard old standbys like "That is democracy, we have to respect it" and "We are ready to work with any American administration." But many of those same people also privately expressed concern about the West as a political concept and the course -- or even survival -- of the European Union.

One EU diplomat put it to me this morning: "If Brexit is possible, if Trump is possible, then [French National Front leader Marine] Le Pen is possible." If right-wing populism wins the day in French elections in the spring, the diplomat's thinking goes, the half-century-old European Union is in deep trouble. Britain leaving the EU is one thing; that country was in many ways always a semidetached member of the bloc. But France is a founding EU member and, together with Germany, a driving force in the whole project.

Le Pen could win the first round of voting, but polls predict she would lose the runoff to a likely center-right candidate. But as a NATO official just recently pointed out: "It's clear that polls can't be trusted any longer."

'Little Trumps'

A more senior EU official suggested to me half-jokingly a few days ago that "Europe already have little Trumps in the family." It was an allusion to Hungary's populist and increasingly nationalistic Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Poland's reputed leader behind the scenes, ex-Prime Minister and conservative Law and Justice party Chairman Jaroslaw Kaczynski. "They are a pain," the official added, "but in the end, you can deal with them."

The problem now, in the eyes of such officials in Brussels, is a perceived absence of strong Western leaders to fall back on. With German Chancellor Angela Merkel's popularity seemingly dented by her approach to the migration crisis, Britain ostensibly on its way out of the EU, and France uncertain of its course, their fear is that populists can suddenly roam more free and inflict greater damage on the European ideal.

There are concerns apart from possible existential ones within the EU and NATO architectures.

Trump has criticized the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), negotiated and signed between the EU and United States but not yet ratified, and EU Commission officials said postelection that it is likely dead. A Nordic diplomat worried aloud about major climate deals including the landmark Paris Agreement to curb emissions worldwide. Russia hawks fret that Western sanctions against Moscow over its actions in Ukraine will be allowed to expire even before Trump takes office in January, as doves like Italy and Cyprus press their case with a less forceful counterargument coming from Washington.

However, the biggest shock might have been expressed among envoys in Brussels from the EU's and NATO's easternmost states, who fear -- based on Trump's suggestion that military support for NATO allies could be contingent on their defense payments -- that the Unites States might not come to their aid if Russia decides to meddle in the Baltic states or Poland, as it has done in Ukraine. Some officials suggested that while European defense spending and cooperation might get a boost from Trump's stunning win, that is unlikely to calm officials in Warsaw and Vilnius.

The views expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/trum-election- victory-eu-reaction/28106376.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Explainer: What Will A Trump Presidency Look Like?

Ron Synovitz November 09, 2016

From plans for a border wall with Mexico to praise for Vladimir Putin, Republican Donald Trump's statements made the 2016 U.S. presidential race a campaign like no other.

Now, his upset victory in the November 8 election has left the world asking what can be expected from a Trump presidency -- and whether his policy proposals will be implemented.

Because of the system of checks and balances created by the U.S. Constitution, much depends on whether the U.S. Congress supports the policies Trump proposes.

Trump will need backing from the legislature or the judiciary if he is to implement campaign promises like cutting taxes on businesses, changing the country's libel laws, or overturning President Barack Obama's health-care reforms.

But experts say that Trump could implement many of his plans simply by issuing executive orders.

In fact, a transition team that Trump has had in place for months has been identifying about 25 executive orders he could sign immediately after taking office on January 20.

In terms of foreign policy, "The president's powers theoretically are immense," said Dana Allin, a U.S. foreign policy expert at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

"It's very difficult to see how those would be easily constrained by Congress," Allin said. "The president is in a position to do a lot in this area -- to make decisions about the disposition of troops about whether to take military action. I'm not sure there would be much control over him."

Here are some of the positions Trump has staked out:

Russia And NATO

Trump has said he would rather "have Russia friendly" to the United States than "the way they are right now," contending that warmer ties would mean the two countries "can go and knock out" the Islamic State militant group together. He has also voiced confidence that he could easily reverse the drastic downturn in relations.

He said in September that he "would have a very, very good relationship" with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has also asserted that he would be better at negotiating with Putin than President Barack Obama has been.

Trump's critics question that confidence, noting that Obama sought to improve relations with Russia with his first-term "reset." They also question whether Trump would be willing and able to stand up to aggressive moves by Russia against the United States and its allies.

Trump has shown admiration for Putin, calling him a better leader than Obama. And in March, he called NATO "obsolete," saying he would withhold U.S. support from alliance members unless they increased military spending and "fulfilled their obligations" to the United States.

Henning Riecke, head of the U.S.-Transatlantic Relations program at the German Council on Foreign Relations, says that if the United States "leans more to the Russian side" during Trump's presidency, it could have "direct and very dangerous repercussions for European security."

Trump will face a "reality check" if he tries to renegotiate NATO burden-sharing, Riecke said.

"This is one of the most important bases of American superpower status -- that they promise to protect their allies," he said of the United States, adding that Russia would be likely to exploit any gaps in Western defenses and deterrence.

Moscow is likely to "do whatever it can to weaken" NATO and the European Union in order "to win more influence, especially in...Central Asia and Eastern Europe," Riecke said. "If a U.S. president would do that job for Russia, Putin would be happy about it."

Iran Nuclear Deal

Trump will have the authority to carry out his pledge to try to renegotiate the 2015 deal under which Iran is curbing its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

But Riecke said that would be "very difficult because it would mean to bring in some of the partners that also were at the table -- among them Russia and also the EU."

Such an attempt would "play into the hands of the hard-liners in Iran," he said, probably scuttling the deal and making it harder to prevent Tehran from seeking nuclear weapons.

Nuclear Nonproliferation

Trump has declined to rule out the use of nuclear weapons against Islamic State militants and has suggested that South Korea and Japan should start work to develop their own nuclear weapons.

Riecke and Allin said Trump's campaign rhetoric could lead to the erosion of nuclear nonproliferation efforts globally. Countries "might really have to consider their security position and whether they need nuclear weapons," Allin said, speaking before November 8.

The Environment

Trump has said that "the concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing noncompetitive."

As president, he will have the authority to carry out his promise to pull out of the Paris Agreement that limits the greenhouse-gas emissions linked to global climate change.

Trump, whose energy and environmental policies are widely backed by Republican lawmakers, has also vowed to reduce federal environmental regulations.

Through executive orders, he could potentially reopen oil exploration in protected areas of Alaska and the Arctic Ocean, and allow work to begin again on an oil pipeline from Canada that was suspended by Obama.

Immigration

Trump has promised to round up and deport all of the 11.3 million undocumented immigrants in the United States within two years and has vowed to create a "deportation task force" to implement the plan.

The funding for such a program would require congressional approval, and some Republicans have opposed the idea, which is unpopular with Latino voters and fiscal conservatives.

Analysis by the American Action Forum, a conservative Washington think tank, says fully enforcing Trump's plan in two years would "require an unprecedented expansion in U.S. immigration enforcement personnel and infrastructure."

It also said removing all undocumented immigrants from the United States would lower the country's real gross domestic product by $1.6 trillion -- and that doing so in two years could result in a "sudden and deep recession."

There also are doubts about Trump's plan to build a wall along the southern border of the United States and make Mexico pay for it.

Mexico says it won't pay for the project, which The Washington Post has estimated would cost at least $25 billion.

Trump suggested he could confiscate remittances from undocumented Mexican immigrants under the U.S. Patriot Act, but legal experts have questioned whether a law designed to stop funding for terrorists could be used for the purpose.

Also on immigration, Trump could issue executive orders to implement his controversial proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the country and to suspend refugee programs.

Both moves would probably be challenged in court, but it could take a long time for a court ruling to resolve complaints.

Tax Cuts

Trump has proposed a supply-side economic plan based on the idea that cutting business taxes to 15 percent from the current maximum of 35 percent would create jobs and economic growth by encouraging companies to invest.

Republicans generally support such tax cuts. But there is opposition from independent and bipartisan economic groups as well as some fiscal conservatives.

The Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, estimates that Trump's proposed tax cuts would "reduce federal revenue" by up to $5.9 trillion dollars -- without taking into account increased economic growth  and would mean significantly lower taxes for the wealthiest citizens.

In an October report for the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, New York University Law School Professor Lily Batchelder concluded that Trump's plan would "significantly raise taxes for millions of low- and middle-income families with children."

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a bipartisan public policy think tank in Washington, estimates that Trump's proposed tax cuts would raise the overall U.S. debt to $28.4 trillion by 2026.

Trade Agreements

Another part of Trump's economic plan is based on his view that U.S. businesses suffer from a series of trade agreements that have been "a disaster" and should be renegotiated.

As president, Trump will have the legal authority to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He also could order the U.S. Commerce Department to bring trade cases against countries like China, which he has threatened to do, and impose tariffs on specific categories of imports.

Trump also has threatened to pull the United States out of the 164-country World Trade Organization (WTO), which acts as an arbitrator in disputes over tariff agreements and trade rules, if it rules against his trade policies. He would have the legal authority to do so.

An assessment by Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody's Analytics, says Trump's policy proposals would "significantly" weaken the U.S. economy by reducing cross-border trade, immigration, and foreign direct investment.

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/explainer-what-will-trump- presidency-look-like/28105239.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Philippines: Military Exercises With US Will Be Scaled Back

Sputnik News

22:27 09.11.2016(updated 22:33 09.11.2016)

Philippine defense officials announced Wednesday that joint military exercises with the US have been approved by President Rodrigo Duterte, but the number of drills will be decreasing and will not include mock assaults.

The 2014 defense agreement that allows Washington five temporary installations at Philippine bases will be honored, according to Delfin Lorenzana, Manila's Defense Secretary.

Lorenzana told reporters, "It will remain. No, it will not be abrogated. But we will reduce the number of activities." He added, however, that the marine amphibious landing exercise Philbex would be scrapped, along with CARAT, a series of cooperation afloat readiness and training exercises.

Duterte has been threatening to end cooperative military exercises with US, ever since President Barack Obama criticized the Philippines' war on drugs. In an early October interview the brash statesman told the American president, "Instead of helping us, the first to criticize is this State Department, so you can go to hell, Mr. Obama, you can go to hell." Duterte later told the European Union, following similar criticism of his violent policies, that they had "Better choose purgatory, hell is filled up."

The Philippines' president has expressed interest in holding military exercises with Russia and China, particularly in anti-terrorism efforts. Last month he told Hong Kong Television that he had "given enough time for the Americans to play with the Filipino soldiers."

Lorenzana said that he and other defense officers were able to convince Duterte to maintain the exercises by reminding him of the two countries' past military cooperation. He also noted that the details of the reduced exercises are yet to be discussed with their US counterparts.

"We presented to him the long years of bilateral relationship," he said. "The Armed Forces of the Philippines enumerated the benefits obtained from these exercises."

The military issue is also what prompted Duterte to infamously call Obama a "son of a whore," with the US president canceling a scheduled meeting with the Philippines president as a result.

 Sputnik

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Nordic Countries Sign Memorandum on Easy Access for Military

Sputnik News

19:26 09.11.2016

The five Nordic states, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) enabling easy military access to each other's territories, according to Sweden's Defense Ministry.

STOCKHOLM (Sputnik)  The Nordic countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) enabling easy military access to each other's territories in peacetime within the framework of the Nordic Defense Cooperation organization (NORDEFCO), Sweden's Defense Ministry announced Wednesday.

"In light of the worsened security situation in our region, increased cooperation within NORDEFCO has become even more important. The Easy Access framework is driven by the ambition to ensure unprecedented access for the Nordic countries to each other's territories in all domains, be it air, land or maritime," the joint statement from the Nordic defense ministers said.

The signing ceremony was held earlier in the day in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The five Nordic states  Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden  created NORDEFCO in 2009 in order to boost cooperation in defense area. The main purpose of NORDEFCO is to strengthen the participating nations national defense, explore common synergies and facilitate efficient common solutions, according to the organization's website.

 Sputnik

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World Wonders How to Deal With Trump Presidency

By Luis Ramirez November 09, 2016

People across the globe woke up to a different world Wednesday on news American voters have elected Donald Trump as the next U.S. president.

It is being called the Earth's most watched election since World War Two, one that will transform American policy and America's position in the world.

Analysts said the New York billionaire's victory amounts to a seismic shift at a time when Washington's relations with Russia are difficult, conflicts in Syria and Ukraine are still raging, the war on Islamic State militants is ongoing, China's behavior is growing increasingly defiant and nationalistic, and hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees are on the move.

Many world leaders made no secret of their preference for Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton, who as Secretary of State was to many of them a known entity. What some U.S. voters interpreted as a lack of vision or new ideas, foreign leaders saw as continuation of existing policies and no surprises.

For Londoners, the shocking news was reminiscent of that morning back in June when they learned, despite poll predictions, Britain had voted to leave the European Union.

British Prime Minister Theresa May, who abstained from giving an opinion on the president-elect during the campaign, was among those congratulating Trump Wednesday. May said she looked forward to working with him to continue the enduring relationship between Britain and America, including a "strong and close" partnership on trade, security, and defense.

Germany's Angela Merkel, who was also careful not to state preferences during the U.S. presidential race, made an oblique reference to inflammatory remarks Trump made about Muslims, Mexicans, and others during his campaign.

"Germany and America are bound together by values  democracy, freedom, respecting the rule of law, people's dignity regardless of their origin, the color of their skin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views," Merkel said. "On the basis of these values, I am offering to work closely with the future president of the United States, Donald Trump," she said.

At the United Nations, Secretary General Ban Ki Moon congratulated Trump while stressing the importance of the U.S. role in the U.N. "As a founding member of the United Nations and security council members permanent members of the security council, the United States is an essential actor across the international agenda," he said.

Where now?

A leap into the unknown is how leaders across the world see Trump's election. The next U.S. leader has said he will tear up trade agreements and offer no guarantees to members of NATO who do not pay their share.

Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator at the Financial Times, said what NATO members see now "is one candidate who seems to stand for a completely different view of America's role in the world.

"I mean completely different," he stressed, saying this is a person "who repudiates rather specifically the alliance framework, the NATO framework in particular, who has repudiated America's commitment to the liberal trade system that America created, the sort of open globalization America promoted, that seems to be in some ways more sympathetic to America's historic enemies, like Russia, than it is to Europe."

During his campaign, Trump targeted Beijing's trade practices, threatening to slap 45-percent tariffs on Chinese imports.

"There's a whole range of relatively outlandish statements that Trump said during his campaign that if they were to come to pass, could create some pretty dramatic business and economic consequences for the region," Ethan Cramer-Flood, associate director of the Conference Board's China Center for Economics and Business, said in Beijing.

Trump won on an America first platform. For Africa, analysts say that means expectations are realistic, and tempered.

"I think that what Africa needs to do, is to prepare for the worst case scenario, which would mean ... Donald Trump would focus first on American national interest and not necessarily on global interest, and not necessarily, therefore on African interests," said Adams Oloo, a University of Nairobi politics professor. And if there was a time that Africa should start thinking of African solutions to African problems, the time is now," he said.

Nervously watched election

French President Francois Hollande had publicly criticized Trump during the campaign. Hollande congratulated the president-elect, but said the U.S. election result "opens up a period of uncertainty" in U.S.-French relations. Hollande's Socialist party faces a serious challenge from an anti-immigrant, right-wing surge spearheaded by Marine Le Pen, a Trump sympathizer, in general elections next year.

Hollande and other European leaders, including Italy's Matteo Renzi, made little secret of their hope Hillary Clinton would be elected. "This is a time of great uncertainty and great change and what they hope for is a bit of certainty, a bit of predictability," said Shanker Singham, an analyst at the Legatum Institute in London.

Singham and other observers say the question is what role a more inward looking America is going to play in the world. "Is the U.S. going to disengage or is the U.S. going to reengage with the world?" he asked.

In his victory speech Wednesday, Donald Trump said his administration will deal fairly with the world, and seek common ground, not hostility. With the uncertainty also comes the hope a dramatic departure from the established world order could bring new opportunities and maybe some good surprises.

Bill Ide in Beijing and Jill Craig in Nairobi contributed to this report.

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Analysts: Trump Presidency Brings Uncertainties for Asia

By William Ide November 09, 2016

The election of Donald Trump as the United States' next president not only raises huge questions about America's relations with the world's second largest economy, China, but traditional allies in the region as well, analysts say.

On the campaign trail, Trump routinely attacked China over its trade policies and practices, pledged to designate Beijing a currency manipulator on his first day in office and levy punishing import tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump was also very critical of the United States' military allies in the region.

Good, bad news

Trump's election is both good news and bad news for China, said Ethan Cramer-Flood, an associate director for The Conference Board's China Center and Asia Programs in Beijing.

"The good news for China is that a Trump presidency will most likely mean the end of the Trans Pacific Partnership, a regional free trade grouping that Beijing was excluded from and has yet to be finalized," he said. "China sees the grouping as a threat to its own regional trade ambitions."

"The bad news on Trump's rhetoric and trade globalization is that it was directed at China," he added.

Trump argues that international trade deals have hurt U.S. workers and the country's competitiveness. He also says that he will renegotiate or scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement, the 1994 free-trade deal with Mexico and Canada.

One of president-elect Trump's toughest pledges regarding China was to impose a 45 percent tariff on Chinese imports.

Cramer-Flood says that while the pledge could be used as a bargaining chip with China to renegociate a new trade relationship with Beijing, it's implementation raises the risk of a possible trade war and driving both economies into a recession.

Trump's pledge to withdraw from the TPP would please China, it would be a serious blow to the other 11 regional signatories of the trade pact, analysts say.

"There's a whole range of relatively outlandish statements that Trump said during his campaign that if they were to come to pass could create some pretty dramatic business and economic consequences for the region," Cramer-Flood said.

China's Foreign Ministry says it looks forward to working together with the new U.S. administration to, as it puts it, "push forward a consistent, healthy and stable China-U.S. relations."

Chinese analysts on state media, however, were less certain about where the direction of the relationship was heading. They say the United States' withdrawal from the TPP would be an opportunity for China's "One Belt, One Road" project, which seeks to grow sea and land trade links from China, but noted the uncertainty of a Trump presidency would last much longer than it usually does.

Trump is not a typical Republican, they say.

Shi Yinhong, a political scientist at Beijing's Renmin University, said Trump's election will have a very negative impact on both the world's political and economic situation and that even harder economic times could be on the horizon.

"In this context, China will face very severe financial and economic difficulties," Shi said.

Pay for friendship

During the U.S. presidential campaign Trump was very critical of America's military allies South Korea and Japan, accusing them of not bearing enough of the financial burden for forces stationed in their countries.

Trump suggested he would pull troops and allow allies in the region to develop their own nuclear weapons if they did not agree to pay the U.S. more for protection.

He also denounced the U.S./South Korea free trade agreement as unfair to American companies and workers.

There was not a pro-Trump supporter to be found among Koreans attending a U.S. Embassy election watch party in Seoul.

Many of the of the 400 Korean college students and professors who attended the U.S. Embassy watch party in Seoul described themselves as opposing Trump's disruptive positions on the close U.S. / South Korea alliance, rather than favoring Clinton who promised to maintain the status quo.

Trump's surprising election victory shocked and concerned many Koreans who were following the results.

"This result is not what I expected [and not] what I want. I don't want my country to be affected by American politics, by any changes of American politics. That's why I am against Donald Trump," said Han Seung-hee.

Alliance reassurances

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert tried to reassure Koreans that the 60-year-old alliance will remain strong.

"It's been through ups and downs," he said, but "it will always get stronger. I am confident that that trajectory will continue."

The South Korean presidential office at the Blue House also called a meeting of the National Security Council on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the potential impact of the U.S. presidential election, according to officials in Seoul.

While meeting with members of Parliament, South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said on Wednesday that he believed Donald Trump would maintain the current U.S. policy of pressuring North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests.

"Trump has indicated that the greatest problem facing the world is the nuclear threat and members of his national security team hold the position that favors applying strong pressure against the North," Yun said.

Asia re-pivot pivot

In China, analysts note that many of the hawks and nationalists are excited about a Trump presidency because of what they see as isolationist global view. They also see Trump's "pay for friendship" approach to relations with Japan, South Korea and the Philippines as benefiting Beijing's own ambitions in the region.

"Some in China feel that they will have an opportunity to come and fill in those spaces as the Trump team sort of withdraws or creates new tension points," said Cramer-Flood.

But he believes that view is a bit speculative of a view at this point.

"I wouldn't expect that Donald Trump on day one is going to sort of disengage America from Asia or just withdraw geopolitically, but you might see less," he said. "You know, you might see a semi-disengagement. Less interest in the South China Sea for instance."

Renmin University's Shi Yinhong said that while some believe Trump could alienate U.S. allies in the region, benefiting China, he thinks that is likely to only be temporary.

"Japan perceives that it faces a China threat and South Korea faces the North Korean threat. They have no other way, they have to pay money," Shi said. "After their payment, Trump will be very pleased to further strengthen military alliances with South Korea and especially Japan."

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In Middle East, Head-Scratching, Alarm After Trump Win

By Jamie Dettmer November 09, 2016

Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. election has prompted a scramble by foreign leaders and analysts to understand what his presidency might mean for their countries. And no more so than in the Mideast, which reacted angrily when he first proposed last year to impose a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States and declared "Islam hates us."

In Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, politicians say they could get no access to the Trump campaign to try to work out what his thoughts are on Kurdistan independence or how the war against the Islamic State terror group would change.

"What is Trump's secret, foolproof plan to beat Daesh militants?" asked a senior official with close links to Kurdistan Regional Government President Masoud Barzani. "He says the Islamic State's days would be numbered, but they are anyway, we are making good progress in the campaign to defeat Daesh. What would he alter?" he added, using the Arab acronym for IS.

While Trump hasn't specified what he would do in Iraq, he has spoken frequently about working more closely with the Kurds, and for Irbil those remarks are a source of some comfort.

Figuring out Trump

There is a guessing game going on in Iraq about the meaning of Trump.

Some regional Arab politicians have found encouragement from a promise he made in February to be "sort of a neutral guy" on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a remark that alarmed Israel and many American Jews.

But in March he said that as president he would move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, something that would delight Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

More recently top Trump aides told The Times of Israel he doesn't see a two-state solution as a priority and he would pursue warmer relations with Tel Aviv, following eight difficult years in U.S.-Israel relations under President Barack Obama.

But his inconsistent campaign speeches and off-the-cuff remarks have prompted nervous head-scratching and bewilderment.

Hillary Clinton was a known figure. She had a known foreign policy team and the people she would have likely appointed to key jobs at the State Department would have come from the "old familiars," as an adviser to the Saudi royal family put it.

There's nothing familiar about the property mogul and celebrity TV personality when it comes to foreign policy and national security. He didn't have an established foreign-policy team during the campaign and most of the "old familiars" in the Republican foreign-policy establishment shied away or openly opposed him.

Iran deal

Trump didn't help answer the questions in the minds of Mideast leaders with his victory speech in which he said he would "deal fairly" with foreign countries and "seek common ground not hostility, partnership not conflict."

On the campaign trail, Trump reserved some of his sharpest criticism for Tehran and the nuclear deal the West struck with it, describing the agreement as "one of the worst deals ever made by any country in history."

In reaction to Trump's win, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is visiting Romania, said, "The U.S. president must fully understand the realities of today's world.

Considering that Iran and the U.S. don't have formal political relations, what's important is that the future U.S. president complies to the commitments of the multilateral nuclear deal."

Ankara offers congratulations

All governments in the region were quick Wednesday to congratulate President-elect Trump and to start maneuvering quickly to get access to advisers around him.

Ankara was among the first to offer congratulations. It took the opportunity to press for the extradition of the U.S.-based exiled cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who it accuses of masterminding the failed coup attempt of July 15.

Syrian rebels who have been battling to oust President Bashar al-Assad for nearly six years, appear among the most anxious about what a Trump presidency might entail.

Trump has said although he didn't like the Assad regime, he would side with it and its patron Russia in the battle against IS.

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"We're America, Bitch!"

"I'm not saying the military's in love with me  the soldiers are, the top people in the Pentagon probably aren't because they want to do nothing but fight wars so that all of those wonderful companies that make the bombs and make the planes and make everything else stay happy. Some people dont like to come home, some people like to continue to spend money. One cold-hearted globalist betrayal after another, thats what it was. Donald Trump - 07 September 2020 "Now the Kurds are fighting for their land, just so you understand. As somebody wrote in a very very powerful article today, they didn't help us in the Second World War, they didn't help us with Normandy, as an example." "January 20th 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.... For many decades, we've enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry; subsidized the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military; we've defended other nation's borders while refusing to defend our own; and spent trillions of dollars overseas while America's infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay. We've made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has disappeared over the horizon....

"From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land.

"From this moment on, it's going to be America First....

"Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.

"We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones -- and unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth."

"We have two different foreign policies in this country right now, which is catastrophic for us," Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy said on CNN's "State of the Union" on 08 October 2017. "We have one foreign policy that comes from the State Department and the Department of Defense. And then we have another foreign policy that comes from the President's Twitter feed."

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declined to deny that after a recent meeting he'd called the president a "fucking moron.")





"... let me explain something to you. We go into Iraq. We have spent thus far, $1.5 trillion. We could have rebuilt half of the United States. $1.5 trillion. And we're going to then leave. So, in the old days, you know when you had a war, to the victor belong the spoils. You go in. You win the war and you take it. ... You're not stealing anything. You're taking-- we're reimbursing ourselves-- at least, at a minimum, and I say more. We're taking back $1.5 trillion to reimburse ourselves."

April 18, 2011





"..... part of the problem that we've had is we go in, we defeat somebody, and then we don't know what we're doing after that. We lose it, like as an example, you look at Iraq, what happened, how badly that was handled.... I've always said, shouldn't be there, but if we're going to get out, take the oil. If we would have taken the oil, you wouldn't have ISIS.... You know, it used to be to the victor belong the spoils. Now, there was no victor there, believe me. There was no victor. But I always said: Take the oil."

September 08, 2016





"America shouldn't be doing the fighting for every nation on Earth not being reimbursed, in many cases, at all. If they want us to do the fighting, they also have to pay a price - and sometimes that's also a monetary price - so we're not the suckers of the world. We're no longer the suckers, folks. And people aren't looking at us as suckers..... We don't want to be taken advantage anymore by countries that use us and use our incredible military to protect them. They don't pay for it, and they're going to have to.... I'm not only talking about in the Middle East. I'm talking about all over the world. Wealthy countries cannot expect the United States to pay for a vast majority of their military. They can pay us. They can reimburse us."

Remarks by President Trump to Troops

Al Asad Air Base | Al Anbar Province, Iraq - 27 April 2018



Trump Doctrine

US President Donald Trump referred to US Marines buried in a WWI cemetery in France as "losers" and "suckers" for getting killed in action, according to a report 03 September 2020 in the Atlantic magazine. The report, penned by the magazine's editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, said Trump had refused to visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018 because "he feared his hair would become disheveled in the rain," although the official explanation offered by aides was that the helicopter due to take him there could not fly due to weather. "In a conversation with senior staff members on the morning of the scheduled visit, Trump said, 'Why should I go to that cemetery? It's filled with losers,'" the article said. "In a separate conversation on the same trip, Trump referred to the more than 1,800 marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wood as 'suckers' for getting killed," the Atlantic added, citing four unnamed people it said had firsthand knowledge of the discussions. According to the Atlantic, Trump asked aides on his trip to France, "Who were the good guys in this war?" and could not understand why the United States had come to the aid of the Allies.

After a year in office, the essense of the Trump Doctrine emerged - embrace your enemies, particularly brutal dictators, and alienate your friends, almost all of which are democracies. Trump thrashed out and got into fights with everything and everyone. This president has his hands in all the hot spots of the world - whether in the Middle Eastern countries Syria and Iran or in North Korea. To even think about taking on these trouble spots, he would need allies. But he kept alienating them one by one.

The stable security order established after World War II has been replaced with a time of insecurity, where nobody knows what will happen next and this mainly depends on the unpredictable actions of the United States.

Internationally, gathering storm clouds set nerves on edge, with some questioning Trump's leadership on the world stage. Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mike Mullen, said 31 December 2017 that Trump's unpredictability and the disruptive nature of his presidency has created "an incredibly dangerous climate." "We're actually closer, in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we have ever been," he said on ABC's "This Week." "I don't see the opportunities to solve this diplomatically at this particular point," he said.

A central point in Trump's actions and decisions seemed to be the confrontation of the Judeo-Christian and the Islamic world. America left the Iran nuclear deal, moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, used military force in Syria. The aim first is at the most belligerent, most ideological, and least cooperative Islamic state, and one that's also big enough - Iran. Trump can't understand Europe's tolerance of Islam.

In light of Trump's unilateral foreign policy decisions, CFR Visiting Senior Fellow James Goldgeier and Georgetown University Associate Professor Elizabeth N. Saunders ask in the September/October issue of Foreign Affairs,"how can a political system vaunted for its checks and balances allow one person to act so freely?"

The authors observe, "the problem goes well beyond Trump, and even beyond the well-documented trend of increasing presidential power. Constraints on the president - not just from Congress but also from the bureaucracy, allies, and international institutions - have been eroding for decades. . . . Trump did not create the freedom of action he is now routinely displaying. He has merely revealed just how difficult it is to prevent it."

Goldgeier and Saunders conclude, "The end of the Cold War unleashed the power of the American presidency. It may take the rise of China as a peer competitor for the American people and their leaders to realize that in order to make better foreign policy, the United States needs the wisdom and restraint offered by a Congress and a bureaucracy that have real power and serious expertise, as well as allies and international institutions whose utility is valued. . . . This is now the unchained, unconstrained presidency. It didn't start with Trump, but it has exploded since he took office, and Americans will be living with its consequences for a long time to come."

Donald Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Trump announced on Twitter on 13 March 2018 that Tillerson would be replaced by Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo. Trump and Tillerson had reportedly been at odds over how to deal with North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and a nuclear deal with Iran. In July 2017, Tillerson reportedly called Trump a "fucking moron" following the president's suggestion that the U.S. should increase its nuclear arsenal 10-fold. Pompeo had regularly briefed Trump on intelligence matters and was said to have earned the president's trust.

Trump also released a statement through a White House spokesperson that he is confident Pompeo is "the right person for the job at this critical juncture." He also said Pompeo "will continue our program of restoring America's standing in the world, strengthening our alliances, confronting our adversaries, and seeking the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." Pompeo said in a statement that he looks "forward to guiding the world's finest diplomatic corps in formulating and executing the president's foreign policy."

Tillerson joined a long list of senior officials who have either resigned or been fired since Trump took office in January 2017. Others include strategist Steve Bannon, national security adviser Michael Flynn, FBI Director James Comey, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, health secretary Tom Price, communications directors Hope Hicks and Anthony Scaramucci, economic adviser Gary Cohn and press secretary Sean Spicer.

Donald Trump and other top national officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, had increasingly favored use of the term "Indo-Pacific" over the more conventional "Asia-Pacific." Scholars, politicians and strategists in Australia, Japan and India have also been pushing to popularize the idea of the "Indo-Pacific" and make it the basis for regional policy. As key drivers of a new Indo-Pacific concept, the US, Australia, Japan and India share common geopolitical concerns regarding China's rising influence as a major power. Despite joint concerns toward managing China's rise in the Indo-Pacific region, the four Quad countries may diverge on specific strategic considerations and priorities. Importantly, the geographic region where their concerns come from has expanded to not only the established Asia-Pacific region, but also the areas surrounding the Indian Ocean.

India's engagement and Act East policy overlaps with Japan's "Broader Asia" vision, which is vividly manifested in the joint "confluence of the two seas" concept. Yet, while Japan's Indo-Pacific idea carries with it a strong overtone of balancing and even containing China along with "the arc of freedom and prosperity," India places a high premium on developing its own regional security, political and economic interests.

The Trump administration strongly prefers a policy of withdrawal and retrenchment rather than engagement, prompting Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, to describe Trump's foreign policy as "the Withdrawal Doctrine." While there was a legitimate debate over whether the United States overplayed its hand after the unipolar moment following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Washington was damaging its core interests through neglect.

Trump's stand on any number of issues has been subject to vacillation. His view of the Iran nuclear deal swung from acceptable to unacceptable in the same day. He's shown similar swings in his views of foreign leaders. Trump's foreign policy has been incoherent and usually reflected the views of whoever was most influential with the president at any given moment. Trump has shown no sign of reversing his attitude toward the members of the diplomatic service and the intelligence community in the country, hinting at the possibility that the divide between the United States and the rest of the world can only get wider. It goes without saying that the void in international politics is always filled in with contenders, such as great powers Russia, China, the European Union as well as mid-size powers, in various parts of the world, such as India, Brazil and Turkey.

Fox's Laura Ingraham asked Trump on 03 November 2017 "Are you worried that the State Department doesn't have enough Donald Trump nominees in there to push your vision through?" Trump said: "I'm the only one that matters" in setting U.S. foreign policy, thus downplaying the importance of high-level jobs such as the assistant secretary of state, which is currently vacant. "Let me tell you, the one that matters is me," Trump said in an interview that aired on Fox News on Thursday night. "I'm the only one that matters, because when it comes to it, that's what the policy is going to be. You've seen that, you've seen it strongly."

The most obvious element of the Trump Doctrine is strategic ambiguity, or incoherence. There are no dispositive sources of policy, which may constradict itself from day to day. Officials like Kellyanne Conway and Sebastian Gorka tried to downplay Trump's internet habits and dismiss news outlets that report on his tweets. But Trump remains president, and his opinions (no matter if they're mis-spelled) carry a lot of political weight. Given Trump's unique rhetorical style and apparent willingness to quickly change positions, some caution against reading too much into any one of the president's statements, especially those he publishes on Twitter.

On NBC's Today, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway lamented the "obsession with covering everything he says on Twitter and very little of what he does as president," and on CNN's New Day, Trump's Deputy Assistant Sebastian Gorka called Chris Cuomo's focus on Trump's tweets "irresponsible" and told him he was "obsessing," concluding that, "if you want to keep talking about a tweet, then you're not serving your audience well or the American public." Both Conway and Gorka referred to the media's coverage of Trump's tweets an "obsession." White House press secretary Sean Spicer regularly dodges questions from reporters by claiming the president's tweets speak for themselves. Trump himself has attacked the media for repeating quotes from anyone but him, saying "Don't believe the biased and phony media quoting people who work for my campaign. The only quote that matters is a quote from me!"

"Increasingly I think the equilibrium we're all headed towards is everyone inside the US gov and outside just ignoring what POTUS says," MSNBC's Chris Hayes wrote 11 August 2017.

Appearing on CNN 11 August 2017, Leon Panetta said "I understand that this is a President who comes out of the development industry in New York City, comes out of reality TV. I think he kind of prides himself that talking is kind of his business, and talking is the way he appeals to his base, and he's been able to win election to President because of his ability to talk... But when you are President of the United States, and when you are Commander-in-Chief, this is not reality TV. This is a situation where you can't just talk down to everybody in the world and expect that somehow you can bully them to do what you think is right. These are leaders in these countries. They worry about their countries, they worry about what is going to happen. And they take the President of the United States literally."

Another evident element of the Trump Doctrine is that America is simply the most powerful state among some 200 other state actors, none of which share common interests, but rather engage in one-off transactional relations. Like a real estate deal, there is always one side that gets the best of the deal, and each deal is seperate from all the others. H.R. McMaster and Gary D. Cohn wrote May 30, 2017 in an oped in the Wall Street Journal "America First does not mean America alone. It is a commitment to protecting and advancing our vital interests while also fostering cooperation and strengthening relationships with our allies and partners. A determination to stand up for our people and our way of life deepens our friends' respect for America". The president embarked on his first foreign trip with a clear-eyed outlook that the world is not a "global community" but an arena where nations, nongovernmental actors and businesses engage and compete for advantage. We bring to this forum unmatched military, political, economic, cultural and moral strength. Rather than deny this elemental nature of international affairs, we embrace it."

A third element of the Trump Doctrine is a preference for authoritarian figures, and a disdain for the human rights record of other countries. In the early months in office, Trump embraced Dueterte in the Phillippines, Erdogan in Turkey, and Xi in China, without a peep about their treatment of their own people. In contrast, he was scathing in his criticism of European leaders such as Angela Merkel.

And fourth, the election of the New York-born reality star set off what Wilson Dizard termed "a retreat into monarchism" in the capital city of the republic, where the president has delegated crucial duties to his family members while neglecting to staff civil service. Nowhere was this more clear than in the US Department of State. Dozens of diplomatic positions went unfilled by the Trump administration. Meanwhile, Trump tasked his son-in-law Jared Kushner with the momentous task of building peace in the Middle East. So far, Kushner's intervention perhaps helped yield the Qatar diplomatic crisis. It's almost medieval, the government under the Trump administration. You have the king and the royal family around him and you have all these princes and court jesters all trying to influence the king. There is no system. There is no control. It's all whoever talked to him last.

After a few months in office, Donald Trump began to repudiate many of the the positions he had articulated during the 2016 electoral campaign. There were quick reversals on a "One China" policy in a renewed pledge to Xi Jinping; on the Iran nuclear agreement in a pledge to Federica Mogherini; and on the U.S. mutual defense pact with Japan in a pledge to Shinzo Abe.

At the G7 summit on 10 April 2017, Rex Tillerson declared the US would punish "all who commit crimes against the innocents anywhere in the world." This far-reaching statement in Italy, basically vowed that the US would attack anyone and make anyone accountable who has harmed innocent people. Washington would thus be acting as world police - even without permission, if need be. Tillerson had changed his tone on Syria several times in the previous week. Despite expressing opposition to intervention during his election campaign, Donald Trump ended up attacking Syria anyway. There was no adequate explanation for why Trump shifted his stance from "America first" to "America everywhere." Some suggested this was a domestic diversionary tactic, as Trump wanted to prove that Russia did not hand him the US election, and that his campaign team's connections to Moscow were innocent. The Russians will wait to see whether US foreign policy will stabilize, or whether yet even more sudden changes are in store.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson left no doubt that Russia would have to change its Syria policy and sever its ties to Iran and Hezbollah. Such defiance of Moscow would not have been expected a few days ago. Since the alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria, Tillerson has reflected the Trump administration's dramatically changed stance on the war. Intentions of rapprochement with Russia have been replaced with a course of confrontation.

There was a seismic shift in the US administration's position on Syria. The statement by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson 11 April 2017 that the reign of President Bashar Assad's family "is coming to an end" suggested the US was taking a much more aggressive approach about the Syrian leader. The remark came after a U.S. airstrike in Syria and threats of more punitive action. Only weeks earlier, U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, were signaling a willingness to work with Russia and saying that Assad's status was not a priority for the time being. Donald Trump on 12 April 2017 declared the North Atlantic Treaty Organization "no longer obsolete," three months after he said the alliance had outlived its usefulness because it had not defended against terrorist attacks. "The secretary general and I had a productive discussion about what more NATO can do in the fight against terrorism," Trump said at a joint news conference with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg. "I complained about that a long time ago and they made a change, and now they do fight terrorism. I said it was obsolete. It's no longer obsolete." As tensions rose over Syria, Trump seemed to walk away from campaign promise to improve ties with Moscow. President Donald Trump has declared that US relations with Russia "may be at an all-time low". His top diplomat offered a similarly grim assessment after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier on 12 April 2017. "Right now we're not getting along with Russia at all," Trump said flatly during a White House news conference. Only weeks ago, it appeared that Trump, who praised Putin throughout the US election campaign, was poised for a potentially historic rapprochement with Russia. On 13 April 2017 Trump said he won't label Beijing a currency manipulator. In one of the sharpest reverses of his presidency, Trump backed off from a campaign pledge by saying he would not declare China to be a currency manipulator, an action that could have led to higher tariffs on Chinese goods. The accusation had formed a basis of Trump's argument for lost American jobs, on the grounds that an undervalued currency was boosting Chinese exports and leading to artificially low prices, all at US manufacturers' expense.

The hard-line, populist tenor that dominated Trump's insurgent candidacy gave way to a centrist governing philosophy and within three months after taking office, he edged away from some of the nationalist themes that endeared him to his base. Steve Bannon's influence had waned and his days in the Trump White House seemed numbered. On 05 April 2017 Trump removed chief White House strategist Stephen Bannon from his role on the National Security Council (NSC). On 11 April 2017 Trump said "I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late," Trump said. "I had already beaten all the senators and all the governors, and I didn't know Steve. I'm my own strategist and it wasn't like I was going to change strategies because I was facing crooked Hillary." Trump ended by saying, "Steve is a good guy, but I told them to straighten it out or I will."

Jared Kushner was, until his father-in-law ran for president, a lifelong liberal and a Democratic donor. Bannon had called Jared a "globalist" and a "cuck" - "cuckservative," a portmanteau of "cuckold" and "conservative". Cuck is a favorite slur on the right, used to condemn moderates as emasculated girly men. Cuck a sexually and racially charged version of "RINO," a Republican In Name Only. "Globalist" is a term typically used by nationalist, pro-Trump right-wingers, a code word for Jew [Kushner is Jewish].

As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump promised a radically different approach to foreign intervention than that of his predecessors. At campaign events, Trump railed against U.S. military intervention so frequently that it eventually became a part of his stump speech. "We've spent $6 trillion in the Middle East," Trump repeatedly lamented. "We could have rebuilt our country twice." In his first year as president, Pentagon data suggests Trump has struggled to carry out his "America First" approach to the world, at least when it comes to the use of force.

Instead, Trump has sent more U.S. troops to conflict zones in the Middle East and South Asia. He's dropped more bombs on Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. And he's expanded a global campaign of targeted drone killings. Add it all up, and it's hard to see how Trump's foreign policy is any less interventionist than his predecessors. If anything, Trump's policies are a little more hawkish than those of Barack Obama.

No conflict exemplifies Trump's approach more than Afghanistan, where the US had been fighting Taliban insurgents for 16 years. Before becoming president, Trump was a regular critic of the war, calling it a waste of lives and money and demanding an immediate withdrawal. "Let's get out of Afghanistan. Our troops are being killed by the Afghanis we train and we waste billions there. Nonsense! Rebuild the USA." And "It is time to get out of Afghanistan. We are building roads and schools for people that hate us. It is not in our national interests."

But six months into his presidency, Trump reversed his position, instead deciding to indefinitely extend the U.S. commitment to Afghanistan. Under Trump's plan, 3,000 more U.S. troops will be sent to Afghanistan, backed by an expanded U.S.-led bombing campaign. According to U.S. military figures, the NATO coalition is on pace to triple the number of bombs dropped on Afghanistan in 2017 compared to the previous year. The bombing could continue to expand in 2018, in part because of the relaxed rules of engagement that allow the U.S. military to go after insurgent targets.

Since Trump took office, there has been a 31 percent increase in the number of U.S. troops and civilians working for the Pentagon in the Middle East and North Africa, according to Pentagon data. That includes increases not only in well-known conflict areas, such as Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, but also in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain. The U.S. military also acknowledged it has about 2,000 troops in Syria - four times as many as Pentagon officials previously said. The U.S. forces will stay in Syria indefinitely.

Drone strikes have also continued in non-battlefield settings, including Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan, and Libya - a continuation of President Barack Obama's global campaign of targeted killings. If Obama expanded the U.S. drone program, Trump has expanded it even more, both in terms of geography and frequency. In Yemen, U.S. airstrikes have tripled, and in Somalia they have doubled this year compared to last.

The Jul 2018 summit sparked bipartisan outrage over Trump's failure to criticize Putin or address alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential elections that his critics believe tipped the vote in his favor and that Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office has been investigating for more than a year. Former CIA director John Brennan called it "nothing short of treasonous."

Conservative voters in Trump's stronghold states said they were not worried about criticism of the US president kowtowing to Putin or even convinced by media accounts of how their one-on-one meeting took place. They blamed politicians for speculating about Trump and Putin's discussions behind closed doors, but were confident the true nature of the talks was positive. Typical comments of supporter were "I'm assuming it was a good meeting and I'm assuming that our president basically was very pro-America and he certainly let President Putin know that.... He's been a shock to a lot of people. I do respect the fact that the man has not changed for other people. He has stayed true to himself and who he is."







Rules of Engagement (ROE)

In the fight against ISIS in Mosul, the United States adjusted its rules of engagement (ROE). Under the December 2016 Obama directive there had been some "relatively minor adjustments" that decentralized part of the process of approving fire missions as the campaign moved from a largely defensive campaign to an offensive one. Under an additional directive issued by Trump in February 2017, US advisers embedded at the brigade level were able to directly deliver support such as airstrikes and artillery fire to the units they're partnered with. Previously, such support would have gone through a whole a strike cell bureaucracy and through Baghdad.

Trump hadn't eliminated Obama's troop number limits. Thus, the caps of 503 for Syria and 5,262 for Iraq remained. But the military is ignoring them with White House approval by using an existing loophole to categorize deployments as temporary. On 31 March 2017 the Pentagon said that officially there are 5,262 U.S. troops in Iraq, though officials privately acknowledged a couple thousand more there.

On the campaign trail in late 2015, Donald Trump pledged to "bomb the shit" out of ISIS if he became president. "The other thing with terrorists," then-candidate Donald Trump said on "Fox and Friends" in December 2015, "is that you have to take out their families."

In December 2016, when the Army issued its latest Rules of War Manual, military leaders planning operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria may authorize strikes where up to 10 civilians may be killed, if it is deemed necessary in order to get a critical military target.

The collateral damage estimation (CDE) included a threshold of predicted civilian deaths called the Non-Combatant cutoff value or NCV. his number is the threshold of predicted deaths where, in order to get permission for the strike, the targeteer has to prove that the military utility is so significant as to make those predicted deaths acceptable.

The procedure for every military action involves a precise evaluation of the number of civilian deaths likely to result from a given military action. According to the LA Times: "The U.S. military predicts how many people will die in its airstrikes by surveilling and estimating the population within a proposed blast radius. It also sets a limit on the number of innocent people each command is authorized to kill incidentally. This limit, called the Non-Combatant Cutoff Value, or NCV, is perhaps our starkest rule of engagement, and it varies region-by-region for political reasons."

Obama-era rules required "near-certainty" that no civilians will be killed in airstrikes. Under Trump, there was a transfer of risk from military forces onto civilians. Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan had been designated "areas of active hostility," but drone strikes in other areas such as Yemen, Somalia, and Pakistan required high-level approval under Obama-era doctrine.

In March 2017 Trump lowered the threshold on acceptable civilian casualties from a "near certainty" of no such deaths to "reasonable certainty". In March 2017 Trump gave the US military more authority to conduct offensive airstrikes on al-Qaida-linked militants in Somalia.

On 31 March 2017 Sarah Sewall, undersecretary of state for civilian security, democracy and human rights during the Obama administration, said that Trump had "moved the Somalia engagement of U.S. forces from the category of more targeted uses of force to that of general hostilities.... The former category required that only those who were a direct threat to Americans could be targeted. Now they can be targeted if they're members of an organization that's an associated force with the perpetrators of 9/11.... the former standard of using the use of targeting according to a near certainty of not killing civilians has now been relaxed.... the laws of war still apply, so uses of force still have to be proportional and they still have to be discriminate."

On 10 September 2019 Donald Trump forced out John Bolton as his national security adviser. The president said they had strong disagreements on several policy issues. Trump tweeted that he told Bolton his "services were no longer needed" at the White House.

John Bolton took over the role of national security adviser in April 2018. He was a surprise pick at the time, with a world view seemingly ill-fit to the president's isolationist "America First" pronouncements. Trump had sometimes joked about Bolton's image as a warmonger, reportedly saying in one Oval Office meeting that "John has never seen a war he doesn't like". Prior to becoming Trump's national security adviser, Bolton was a Fox News commentator. He served as the US ambassador to the UN from August 2005 to December 2006 and undersecretary of state from 2001 to 2005. Bolton also served under the administrations of former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush.

Bolton had opposed a recent State Department plan to sign an Afghan peace deal with the Taliban, believing the group's leaders could not be trusted. That opposition pinned Bolton against Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Individuals familiar with his view said Bolton believed the US could draw down to about 8,600 troops in Afghanistan and maintain a counterterrorism effort without signing a peace deal with the Taliban.

Bolton had opposed a recent State Department plan to sign an Afghan peace deal with the Taliban, believing the group's leaders could not be trusted. That opposition pinned Bolton against Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Individuals familiar with his view said Bolton believed the US could draw down to about 8,600 troops in Afghanistan and maintain a counterterrorism effort without signing a peace deal with the Taliban.

North Korea was another issue upon which Bolton and Trump disagreed. US officials have said it was Bolton who was responsible for the collapse of a summit in February between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi by recommending the presentation a list of hardline demands that Kim rejected. Even before taking over as national security adviser, Bolton said that he thought talking to the North Korean leadership would be fruitless.

Despite Trump's efforts to improve relations with Russia, Bolton remained a harsh critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Bolton was also against Trump's insistence that Moscow be allowed to rejoin the G7. Bolton was an ardent opponent of arms control treaties with Russia. He was instrumental in Trump's decision to withdraw last month from a 1987 accord that banned intermediate-range missiles because of what Washington charged was Moscow's deployment of prohibited nuclear-capable cruise missiles, an allegation Russia denied. Bolton was also outspoken about Russian meddling in the US elections.

"Attempting to undermine America's constitution is far more than just a quotidian covert operation. It is, in fact, a casus belli, a true act of war, and one Washington will never tolerate," Bolton told graduates at the Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security in Washington. "We should respond in cyberspace and elsewhere. I don't think the response should be proportionate. I think it should be very disproportionate. Because deterrence works when you tell your adversary that they will experience enormous cost when they impose costs on you. That causes them to say we're not even going to think about it," Bolton said about a possible response to Russia's meddling.

Bolton advocated against Trump's decision last year to pull US troops out of Syria. He masterminded a quiet campaign inside the administration and with allies abroad to convince Trump to keep US forces in Syria to counter the remnants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS).

Bolton advocated for hardline measures on Venezuela. The US backs opposition leader Juan Guaido, who invoked the constitution earlier this year and declared himself interim president, calling President Nicolas Maduro's 2018 reelection "illegitimate". Maduro accuses Guaido and the US of attempting a coup. In January, Bolton held a notepad with a handwritten line that read, "5,000 troops to Colombia". According to the Miami Herald, White House officials said that the president was frustrated that Maduro had not stepped down as Bolton had predicted. The Herald added, however, that officials warned that US policy towards Venezuela was not likely to drastically change with Bolton out of the picture.

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German police arrest 5 suspected Daesh recruiters

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 8, 2016 2:30PM

German police have arrested five people accused of working as recruiters for the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the country.

A statement from the prosecutors' office said on Tuesday that the five formed a network led by a 32-year-old Iraqi national, identified as Ahmad Abdulaziz Abdullah A.

Their main objective, the statement said, was to send people to operate within the ranks of Daesh in Syria.

The five were arrested in the northern state of Lower Saxony and the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, local media said. The others in the group were identified as Turkish national Hasan C., German-Serb Boban S., German national Mahmoud O. and Cameroonian Ahmed F. Y.

The prosecutors said the group had managed to send at least one young man and his family to Syria.

German Interior Minister, Thomas De Maiziere said the "national security authorities were successful today in the fight against a suspected network, which allegedly recruited members in Germany for" Daesh.

The minister also stated that the "success against this network is good news and shows that the security authorities, in this case especially the security authorities of the states, are active, alert and determined."

In May, German intelligence services said that of a total of 820 nationals who had left Germany for Syria and Iraq to join Daesh and other terror groups, one-third had returned and 140 were killed abroad. An estimated 420 German militants remain in the two Arab countries.

European governments have for years feared that the return of their nationals could pose serious security threats, as it has been the case in countries such as France and Belgium.

Germany has been spared acts of terror claimed by Daesh such as the 2015 attacks in Paris, but the Takfiri group has claimed two assaults carried out by refugees in the country: an axe rampage on a train in Wuerzburg that injured five people, and a bomb attack in Ansbach in which 15 people were injured.

Last month, German police said security forces had foiled an alleged plot by a Syrian refugee to carry out a bomb attack at one of the airports in the capital Berlin.

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5 Men Suspected of Recruiting for Islamic State Arrested in Germany

By VOA News November 08, 2016

Five men were arrested Tuesday in Germany on accusations of recruiting fighters for the Islamic State terrorist group. Justice Minister Heiko Mass called the arrests "an important blow to the extremist scene in Germany."

Authorities say the suspects were taken into custody following a series of raids in the Lower Saxony and North-Rhine Westphalia states. The men face charges of setting up a "jihadist network" that tried to recruit Muslims to go to Syria to fight alongside IS militants.

Investigators identified one of the suspects as a 32-year-old Iraqi who goes by the alias Abu Walaa, saying he is the ringleader. Reports say the other suspects include a Turk, a German, a Serbian-German dual citizen and a Cameroonian national.

Germany has avoided large-scale terrorist attacks, but fears were stoked earlier this year following two attacks by asylum-seekers in the name of Islamic State. Only the attackers were killed.

Authorities say 820 jihadists have left Germany for war zones in Syria and Iraq and have voiced fears about security threats once those individuals return.

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KCNA Commentary Blasts U.S. Attempt to Create NATO of Asian Version

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

Pyongyang, November 8 (KCNA) -- The U.S. is now working in real earnest to expand its military bloc for carrying out its strategy for world domination.

The U.S. deputy secretary of Defense and the Japanese deputy minister of Defence for administrative affairs were recently closeted in Washington over the joint actions to be taken to cope with what they called "potential threat." Against this backdrop the U.S. is massively beefing up its forces in south Korea and its vicinity.

The U.S. has already begun deploying 3 500-strong 1st armored combat brigade in south Korea on a rotation basis and informed the Japanese authorities of its plan for deploying 16 F-35 stealth fighters in a base of the U.S. Marines in Japan from next year.

It also announced that it would deploy in Japan, etc. the U.S. forces' biggest new type Zumwalt class destroyer and Wasp class large amphibious craft carrying new type fighters and the expeditionary force of the 31st Marines of the U.S. imperialists to be hurled before any other force in contingency on the Korean peninsula.

This is part of the dangerous scenario to form the U.S.-led NATO of Asian version led by the U.S.

The above-said strategy is aimed at maintaining the Cold War structure to contain big powers in the region by relying on the "security" alliance involving Japan, south Korea, etc.

The U.S. has used the system of the US-Japan-south Korea military alliance as a strategic lever for increasing its influence over Northeast Asia and containing the DPRK, China and Russia.

The alliance is designed to pressurize the Asian region by tightening its aggressive nexus through the speedy movement of its forces stationed in the region.

The U.S. is mulling making the alliance perform the same function as that of NATO in a bid to use it as a means for carrying out the strategy for dominating the Asia-Pacific region including Northeast Asia.

The U.S. has used such alliance as a shock brigade for carrying out its Asia-Pacific strategy, describing it as "cornerstone" and "key axis" for implementing the strategy, whenever an opportunity presented itself.

At present, the tripartite military "cooperation" is being further tightened according to the second-phase process of "Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy."

There took place in the U.S. on Oct. 14 a meeting of the chairmen of chiefs of joint staff of the U.S., Japanese and south Korean forces at which they committed themselves to providing "extended deterrence" by involving forces of all services and arms including conventional and nuclear and missile capabilities.

The U.S. staged a missile warning drill in the waters off Hawaii together with Japan and south Korean puppet forces for the first time in history. Recently they carried out a joint naval maneuver in the high seas east of Jeju Island.

The moves to knock into shape NATO of Asian version with the above-said triangular alliance as its parent body are becoming a reality. This is spurring a new arms race in Northeast Asia including the Korean peninsula.

It is crystal clear that the creation of a new military bloc by the U.S. in Northeast Asia would reduce the whole of Asia into a theatre of military confrontation.

The reality clearly proves once again that it is the U.S. and its strategy for military domination that pose a threat to the peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region.

A military bloc is a product of the Cold War.

The creation of a new military bloc diametrically runs counter to the trend of the times.

The U.S. moves to maintain a new Cold War structure and create NATO of Asian version in Northeast Asia will inevitably spark off strong opposition of the neighboring countries. -0-

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Daesh kidnaps 295 ex-Iraqi security forces near Mosul: UN

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 8, 2016 1:45PM

Daesh has abducted 295 former members of Iraqi Security Forces near the city of Mosul, the United Nations says as the Takfiri terrorist group is suffering considerable setbacks on the ground due to advances by the Iraqi troops.

Ravina Shamdasani, the spokeswoman for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), released the figure at a UN briefing in the Swiss city of Geneva on Tuesday.

About 100 of the ex-officers were kidnapped from the village of Mawaly in western Mosul on November 3, and 195 more were taken from villages in the district of Tal Afar on November1-4, Shamdasani said.

She further said Daesh had forced 1,500 families to retreat with them from the southern Mosul town of Hammam al-Alil that was recently liberated by the Iraqi forces.

"People forcibly moved or abducted, it appears, are either intended to be used as human shields or - depending on their perceived affiliations - killed," the official noted, adding, "The fate of these civilians is unknown for the moment."

Mosul fell to Daesh in 2014, the year the terror outfit began its campaign of death and destruction in northern and western Iraq.

On October 17, the Iraqi army, volunteer Shia and Sunni fighters as well as Kurdish Peshmerga forces launched a long-awaited offensive to retake Mosul.

The operation has entered its fourth week and Iraqi forces have so far made major gains against the extremists.

Elsewhere in her comments, Shamdasani said that the UN had information that at least 30 sheikhs were kidnapped in Sinjar in early November and the world body was trying to verify whether 18 of the hostages were killed in Tal Afar.

Residents of Mosul have repeatedly warned that Daesh is forcibly gathering civilians for possible use as human shields against the Iraqi forces.

Late on Monday, Iraqi government forces unearthed a mass grave containing the skeletal remains of some 100 decapitated bodies near the agricultural college of Hammam al-Alil.

Shamdasani said that the discovery happened to be in the same college where the UN reported the execution of 50 police officers last month.

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Iraqi forces unearth new mass grave near Mosul

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 8, 2016 6:17AM

Government forces in Iraq have found a mass grave containing the skeletal remains of some 100 decapitated bodies in a town recently liberated from the Daesh terrorist group near the strategic northern city of Mosul.

Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, the spokesman for the Iraqi Joint Military Command (JOC), said Iraqi soldiers found the grave near the agricultural college of the recently-liberated town of Hammam al-Alil, which is located about 14 kilometers to the south of Mosul, late on Monday.

Rasool added that a forensics team from Baghdad would examine the remains at the site on Tuesday.

Brigadier General Ali al-Lami, a top Iraqi security official, said the remains belonged to the civilians who refused to collaborate with the Daesh terrorist group, including members of the Iraqi security forces.

Earlier on Monday, the Iraqi army announced that it had liberated Hammam al-Alil from Daesh terrorists, and that the army was moving toward Mosul's international airport.

Video footage broadcast by the Lebanon-based al-Mayadeen television news network showed images of soldiers raising the national Iraqi flag on a rooftop in the town.

Mosul has been under Daesh control since 2014, when the terrorist group started a terrorist blitz in Iraq.

The JOC announced in a statement on Monday that Iraqi forces had liberated 64 regions in the northern province of Nineveh  of which Mosul is the capital  and killed a total of 202 terrorists over the past five days.

The statement added that 14 car bombs had been destroyed, 12 booby-trapped hideouts blown up and a drone belonging to Daesh extremists shot down during the mentioned period.

Additionally, 12 Daesh terrorists were killed on Monday as Iraqi Air Force F16 fighter jets, based on information provided by the National Intelligence Service, carried out a precision strike against a Daesh depot of rockets and munitions on the eastern outskirts of Mosul.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) says it has set up 82 "rapid response teams" to manage potential disease outbreaks, chemical exposure and other health concerns among people fleeing Mosul.

The UN agency said internally displaced persons from Mosul could face difficulties with water distribution and sanitation as a direct result of their growing numbers, warning that the risk of food- and water-borne diseases such as cholera is high.

The WHO said the presence of children who have not been vaccinated against epidemic diseases ever since Daesh militants overran Mosul in June 2014 also adds to the health worries of the Geneva-based intergovernmental organization.

After months of preparation, Iraqi army soldiers, backed by volunteer fighters and Kurdish Peshmerga forces, launched an operation on October 17 to retake the strategic city of Mosul from the Daesh terrorists.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has vowed that Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, will be fully recaptured by year-end.

Burning oil wells and health problems in Qayyarah

Meanwhile, the town of Qayyarah, about 60 kilometers south of Mosul, has for some time been plagued by black and white smoke from dozens of burning oil wells.

The sulfur-dioxide pollution has taken a toll on the health of local residents and their livestock. For months now, many have been suffering from respiratory illnesses, including asthma and allergic reactions.

Due to the thick smoke rising from the oil wells, sheep and other livestock have been blackened. The weaker animals die immediately after birth.

Faced with the approach of Iraqi forces towards Qayyarah in June, Daesh terrorists set fire to 19 oil wells and several factories before their final retreat from the town. The air is still filled with toxins and the key sources of drinking water have been contaminated.

Later in August, as Iraqi forces tried to enter Qayyarah, the terrorists opened up oil pipes and the streets were flooded with crude oil. A large amount of oil spilled into the nearby Tigris River, which provided the main source of drinking water for the residents of this town.

The terrorists even filled trenches with crude oil and set them on fire to reduce visibility and prevent their positions from being bombed.

Local people are unable to seek treatment for their respiratory problems as the only hospital in that region was destroyed when the town was liberated. The Iraqi military is currently trying to repair the hospital and restore its essential functions.

Bashiqa liberated

Meanwhile, Kurdish forces said on Tuesday that they have successfully liberated the town of Bashiqa, near Mosul.

They had launched entered the town, which is located to the east of Mosul and was held by Daesh, on Monday.

Daesh closes Iraq-Syria border

Meanwhile, the Daesh terrorist group has closed a border crossing between Syria and Iraq in a bid to block hundreds of its own members from fleeing Mosul to the city of Raqqah, which is the extremists' main stronghold in neighboring Syria.

Lieutenant Colonel Nazzem al-Juqaifi, the intelligence commander of the Popular Mobilization Units in the city of Haditha, in the western province of Anbar, told al-Sumaria television network on Tuesday that Daesh has shut the crossing in the town of al-Qaim, situated about 500 kilometers west of the capital, Baghdad.

Juqaifi added that the terror group took the measure after scores of its militants and their families fled the Iraqi towns of Anah, Rawa and Qaim to Raqqah.

Daesh bomb-making workshops blown up

Separately, massive explosions ripped through two workshops in the al-Saha district of western Mosul, where Daesh terrorists had been making bombs. An unspecified number of the militants were killed and injured as a result.

Daesh propaganda video maker Shehata al-Masri and two of his close aides were also killed when Iraqi warplanes bombarded the small town of Ba'aj.

Elsewhere in the town of Rawa in Anbar Province, an Iraqi Air Force strike killed tens of Daesh terrorists and left nine of them injured. Eleven vehicles belonging to the militants were destroyed as well.

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Kurdish Troops Mopping Up Iraq's Bashiqa Liberated From Daesh

Sputnik News

15:49 08.11.2016(updated 15:50 08.11.2016)

Kurdish Peshmerga are mopping up the northern Iraqi town of Bashiqa that has recently been liberated from Daesh, a spokesman of the Peshmerga forces' command told Sputnik on Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  On Monday, Iraqi media reported that Peshmerga fighters had liberated Bashiqa.

"Since 5 p.m. [14:00 GMT] yesterday, the Peshmerga forces have established full control over the area of Bashiqa, but the area is big and there are many quarters, there are many villages around it That's why, the Peshmerga troops are mopping up quarters, streets and government buildings and are defusing mines," Jabbar Yawar said.

The official added that Peshmerga fighters were looking for Daesh terrorists that could still hide in several buildings of the town.

On October 17, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi announced the start of the operation to retake Mosul, which has been occupied by Daesh militants since 2014. The offensive has already resulted in liberation of a number of cities previously controlled by the terrorist group, which is outlawed in many countries, including Russia.

 Sputnik

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ISIL forces civilians towards Mosul airport; UN rights office probes reports of mass graves

8 November 2016  Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh) fighters have forced 1,500 families towards the airport in Mosul, the United Nations human rights wing said today, adding that it is also looking into reports of mass graves near the city, where military operations are under way to oust the terrorists.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) received reports on 25 October that 50 former Iraqi police officers had been killed in a building outside Mosul city, and "that building was the same agricultural college that has now been cited as the site of those mass graves," Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the Office told reporters in Geneva.

"However, OHCHR does not have information about the mass graves," she added.

Ms. Shamdasani said the UN continues to receive information about civilians being forcibly moved by the ISIL, as well as abductions and killings of civilians.

In response to a question, she said that as of 4 November, ISIL had forcibly moved about 1,500 families from Hammam al-Alil towards Mosul airport. OHCHR also has information about dead bodies found, but that has not yet been sufficiently verified.

The spokesperson also said OHCHR has information that between 1 and 4 November, 195 former Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) members had been reportedly abducted by ISIL in several villages in Tal Afar, and on 3 November, another 100 former ISF officers had been abducted from Mawali village about 20 kilometres west of Mosul. The fate of these 295 civilians is unknown.

On 2 or 3 of November, ISIL allegedly abducted at least 30 sheiks in the Qayrawan sub-district of Sinjar district, who were taken to an unknown location, she added. One report said that 18 of them were killed in Tal Afar district on 14 November, but the information has not yet been verified.

Tarik Jasarevic, a spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), said that he talked this morning with the WHO team in Erbil Hospital, which is delivering medical supplies for more than 90,000 beneficiaries, including trauma kits and surgical supplies for 300 trauma and surgical interventions.

Erbil Hospital is the main referral hospital in the area, about 1 hour from Mosul, where injured people were being brought.

Since the military offensive began on 17 October, they had received 29 trauma injury cases, 10 of them for bullet injuries, four for mortar shell injuries, two for mine injuries; 11 were women and six were children, he said.

In other areas, WHO is trying to provide health care with mobile clinics. In some cases, those mobile clinics are the first responders to arrive on the scene. Five days after Tlol Nasir village, south of Mosul, became accessible, a WHO mobile health clinic was the first health provider to arrive. The main cause of medical consultation continues to be respiratory tract infections due to smoke inhalation, as some 20 oil wells continue to burn.

WHO had also conducted assessment missions to the two nearest referral hospitals to Mosul, closer to Mosul than Erbil, which were Qayyarah Hospital south of Mosul and Hamdaneya Hospital east of Mosul. Those hospitals are not functional right now, but WHO is working with the health authorities to ensure that emergency and reproductive health departments are rehabilitated in the coming days and weeks, to ensure referral care for trauma and complicated deliveries.

In response to a question, Mr. Jasarevic said that WHO has not received any reports on the use of chemical weapons so far. WHO has trained 90 medical staff on mass casualty management and decontamination of patients.

In response to a question about the situation in Mosul and the possible targeting of bridges to prevent the movement of people, Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that the humanitarian community has not yet reached inside Mosul. He said that as a general note, civilian infrastructure must be spared in accordance with international humanitarian law.

Leonard Doyle, a spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said that 34,860 people have been displaced from Mosul and adjacent districts, up from 7 November. Over the past weekend, IOM Director-General William Lacy Swing has been in the area on a two-day visit to the conflict zone, looking in particular at the emergency camps which have been established.

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Peshmerga Liberate Bashiqa, But Still Face Blasts and Danger

By Jamie Dettmer November 08, 2016

The adult son of the peshmerga commander nearly collapsed when they told him his 55-year-old father had been killed by a jihadist suicide bomber in the northern Iraq town of Bashiqa. The bomber had emerged from a confounding network of tunnels in the wrecked town early Tuesday and had run at the veteran peshmerga with his arms out in an embrace.

The commander's son, who would never know a father's hug again, sat in an SUV and wept.

From then on, events moved fast. Much of the day in Bashiqa turned into a riot of gunfire and chase-the-jihadist. For two hours, starting at midday Iraqi time, there was pandemonium in the center of a town once synonymous with olive oil. Kurdish peshmerga were trying to avoid improvised explosive devices and clear remaining jihadists, who kept popping up to attack them.

"We have the town under control now," Lt. Col. Omar Abdulrahman told me. "Except for the IEDs and the tunnels," he conceded. "We will have to go house to house and that will take a long time."

Earlier, over the radio, I heard peshmerga ordered to try to fill in tunnel entrances to block suicidal jihadists from emerging. But the tunnels are honeycombed under houses.

Second day of fighting

Tuesday marked a second day of frustration for the peshmerga.

On Monday, they'd expected Bashiqa to fall within eight or so hours of an assault being mounted on the town, the last held by the Islamic State terror group in Iraqi Kurdistan. But Monday turned into a long, tough day of vicious fighting that saw peshmerga casualties, including two female Kurdish fighters killed in a mortar blast and two peshmerga killed by snipers firing monstrous homemade guns capable of hurtling a round at a target four kilometers away.

During the night, fighting continued. By the early-morning hours, the peshmerga thought they had control of the town. A group of IS fighters who tried to flee west were all shot dead.

During the entire assault, the peshmerga managed to catch just three jihadists. Unconfirmed reports suggest IS emirs may have executed 15 militants, several of them wounded, who had tried to surrender Monday.

A media group was summoned Tuesday to the ruins of Bashiqa for a press conference with, we were told, a top-ranking Kurdistan Regional Government official. The first sign that not all was calm came with the route we had to take into town  approaching from the south down a long, meandering and, in part, desert track, as opposed to established tarmac roads.

In the town, amid wreckage and debris and houses mangled into strange wave-like shapes, exhausted peshmerga rested by their Humvees and towering armored personnel carriers that look like something out of a "Mad Max" movie. Some could be seen worshipping on prayer mats, others ate from plastic foam containers.

A peshmerga hauled one of the jihadists' heavy homemade sniper rifles up on to the back of a pickup. Another banged with a stone at the damaged front mechanism of his military bulldozer, which had been caught in a suicide bomber's blast. He pointed to the spray of bullet holes on the left side of his vehicle.

Battle ebbs and flows

And as we made our way to a group of large houses, gunbattles erupted in two different areas, with bullets ricocheting just a street away. Peshmerga scurried to confront unseen attackers, who they feared might unleash suicide blasts. In a house near where I was standing on a roof terrace, peshmerga chased a jihadist in a tunnel, but he evaded them.

Warplanes circled overhead ready to strike, if coordinates could be supplied for a bombing run that wouldn't hit peshmerga or reporters. With the forces intermingled, only two airstrikes could be mounted.

For two hours the battle raged, ebbing and flowing, sometimes taking on a rhythm as automatic and small-arms gunfire was exchanged; at other times, swelling into a cacophonous roar with RPG7s and a Dushka heavy machine gun joining in.

To the north of the town, a suicide bomb exploded, sending up a dark cloud of smoke. AK-47 bullets whooshed past the roof terrace, forcing me and my fixer to crouch under a wall. Very close by, there was the pop of a handgun being fired in our direction. My driver, Mohammed, a retired peshmerga officer, arrived armed with an assault rifle and stood by.

And then it quieted.

But as we pulled out of Bashiqa, a warplane roared down, firing off a missile. Yet another huge cloud of smoke was added to the town's skyline. We didn't get the press conference, and the peshmerga may face another night of alarm and close-quarter urban combat before they can call Bashiqa their own.

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African Union leaders gather in Ethiopia for peace in Libya

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 8, 2016 6:33PM

African Union (AU) leaders have gathered in Ethiopia to push for a solution to the conflict in Libya.

Seven AU leaders from Chad, Congo, Ethiopia, Niger, South Africa, Sudan and Uganda met on Tuesday at the bloc's headquarters in Addis Ababa to discuss ways of approximating the warring sides in Libya and to help peace talks resume.

"There is no military solution to the Libyan crisis and this must be understood by all stakeholders," Chad's President Idris Deby said, adding that AU leaders hoped to bring together all the Libyan stakeholders as soon as possible "to enable them engage in a frank and direct dialogue."

The United Nations says it supports the AU panel on Libya, as previous efforts by the international organization to settle disputes between Libya's warring sides have failed.

The UN has managed to establish the Government of National Accord (GNA), which comprises political and military figures from the two main factions in the country. However, elements inside the two camps have resisted cooperation with the UN-backed unity government.

Deby said the main obstacle in the way of establishing peace in Libya was the "lack of homogeneity between the two camps with each one having a multitude of political and military actors."

The disastrous consequences of the Libyan crisis, the Chadian president said, have gripped other countries in Africa.

AU chairwoman Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma also called on African governments to increase their share of humanitarian assistance to the Libyans affected by the conflict.

"The economic situation in Libya is equally dire with destruction of infrastructure leading to a dangerously low oil production. This situation cannot continue," Dlamini-Zuma said, adding that 2.4 million Libyans were currently in need of humanitarian assistance, including 350,000 internally displaced people.

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Libyan National Army Ensures Protection of Country's Oil Facilities

Sputnik News

15:16 08.11.2016

Libyan National Army led by Gen. Khalifa Haftar after regaining control over the country's oil ports placed them under management of Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC), as well as ensured the protection of oil facilities, the army's Spokesman Col. Ahmed Mismari said on Tuesday.

CAIRO (Sputnik)  In September, the military forces loyal to Gen. Haftar recaptured two ports of the so-called "oil crescent" in the Mediterranean from armed groups.

"All facilities were handed over to the NOC, the protection of buildings and oil refining and export facilities was ensured," Mismari told RIA Novosti.

He also added that the success of the Libyan army in regaining control over the oil facilities could be explained by "secrecy of the operation and good coordination both of command and between the various units."

The NOC, created in July after merger of East and West Libyan oil companies, claimed it remained loyal to the Government of National Accord in Tripoli, but also follows the guidelines of the Tobruk-based parliament for the general welfare of the country.

Libya has been in a state of turmoil since 2011, when a civil war began in the country and Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown. In December 2015, Libya's rival governments  the Council of Deputies based in Tobruk and the Tripoli-based General National Congress  agreed to create the GNA, to form the Presidency Council and to end the political impasse.

The first meeting of the GNA cabinet took place on January 2, 2016 in Tunisia. Nevertheless, Libya's Tobruk-based parliament still refuses to cooperate with the unity government.

 Sputnik

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South Korean president agrees to cede some power

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 8, 2016 6:10AM

South Korea's scandal-hit President Park Geun-hye has said she will give the parliament the power to choose a prime minister with a more active role in a bid to ease public anger over her presidency.

Park's remarks came during a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun on Tuesday after her nomination for the position was met with parliamentary opposition.

"If parliament recommends a good person with an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties, I will appoint that person as prime minister and allow him to essentially take control over the cabinet," Park said.

In South Korea, the prime minister is a largely symbolic post with most power concentrated in the presidential office. Park's decision to relinquish some control over domestic affairs is a key demand by opposition parties after a scandal involving an old friend of hers who allegedly meddled in state affairs despite having no formal position.

Allegations were first reported by media that the 60-year-old Choi Soon-sil manipulated her close ties with the president to persuade local business institutions into donating large sums to foundations run by her.

Choi, who was formally detained last week, is also accused of intervening in governmental affairs and having had access to potentially confidential government data despite lacking any official position or a security clearance.

Public outrage over the scandal brought tens of thousands of South Koreans to the streets in the capital on Saturday to demand the resignation of Park.

The rallies came only a day after she issued a tearful televised apology over the influence-peddling affair, which has shattered public trust in her leadership.

According to a Gallup Korea survey, the political scandal has sent Park's approval rating nose-diving to an all-time low of just five percent, the lowest ever recorded for any South Korean president.

In an attempt to contain public outrage, Park decided to reshapes the cabinet and nominated a liberal candidate from outside her conservative Saenuri Party. The opposition lawmakers, however, said they will reject the nomination because they were not properly consulted.

Earlier on Tuesday, South Korean prosecutors raided the Seoul office of Samsung Electronics as part of an investigation over the scandal. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said prosecutors were following a suspicion that the company gave Choi's daughter illicit financial assistance.

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S Korean President Withdraws Prime Minister Nomination Amid Opposition Pressure

Sputnik News

08:50 08.11.2016(updated 08:59 08.11.2016)

South Korean President Park Geun-hye withdrew Kim Byong-joon's nomination for the prime ministerial post after caving in to opposition pressure amid a political scandal, local media reported on Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Kim's candidacy was proposed by the president on Wednesday as part of a cabinet reshuffle caused by a scandal over Park's ties to "shadow adviser" Choi Soon-sil, who is suspected of meddling in state affairs. The reshuffle was rejected by opposition parties over a lack of consultations.

"I came to meet the speaker as it is (my) great responsibility to normalize state affairs If the National Assembly recommends a new premier, I will appoint him and let him control the Cabinet," Park said during a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency.

The president plans to meet parliamentary leaders of the three major parties in order to discuss the nomination later in the day, according to the media outlet. On Friday, the opposition agreed to hold consultations only in case Kim's nomination was withdrawn.

On October 24, the JTBC television network reported that "shadow adviser" Choi allegedly received drafts of Park's speeches before they were publicly delivered, though she had never held a public post. The following day, Park officially admitted asking Choi for advice on speeches and public relations issues, and apologized for "causing public concern."

The revelation has caused a massive anti-government protest in the country, with people calling on the president to step down. An arrest warrant has been issued for Choi, while the president expressed her willingness to testify in the case.

 Sputnik

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Syrian army retakes key Aleppo district from militants

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 8, 2016 4:54PM

Syrian army forces and allied fighters have managed to wrest control of a strategic neighborhood on the southwestern outskirts of Aleppo as the city has turned into a major frontline in the Damascus government' anti-terror fight.

An unnamed military source told Syria's SANA news agency that the army and its allies regained full control of the 1070 Apartments area as well as its surrounding farms and hills on Tuesday.

The advance came after heavy clashes with members of terrorist groups such as Jaish al-Fatah and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, the source said, adding that the fighting left dozens of militants dead and injured.

He also noted that Syrian troops destroyed terrorists' vehicles equipped with machine guns and seized a number of armored vehicles.

Syrian army engineering units are dismantling the explosive devices and landmines that were planted by terrorists in the area, the official further pointed out.

Meanwhile, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the recapture of the 1070 Apartments area, calling it the most significant advance by the government in Aleppo since September.

However, militant groups denied suffering a setback and claimed that the battle was still raging.

Aleppo has been divided over the past four years between government forces in the west and foreign-backed terrorists in the east, making it a frontline battleground.

Backed by Russian air cover, the Syrian army launched operations to reunite Aleppo in September.

Since March 2011, Syria has been hit by militancy it blames on some Western countries and their regional partners.

The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura have put the death toll from the Syria conflict at more than 300,000 and 400,000, respectively. This is while the UN has stopped its official casualty count in the Arab country, citing its inability to verify the figures it receives from various sources.

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Turkey Raises Concerns Over Role Of Syrian Kurds In Operation To Retake Raqqa

November 08, 2016

Turkey says the United States has promised Ankara that U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces will only be involved in a siege of Raqqa, the de facto capital of Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria, but would not enter the city itself.

Mevlut Cavusoglu said on November 8 that Ankara prefers that "local" Arab forces enter Raqqa, backed by U.S.-led coalition and possibly including Turkish ground troops.

The Syria Democratic Forces (SDF), a multiethnic opposition alliance led by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), announced the start of its campaign to retake Raqqa on November 6.

On November 8, SDF forces were battling IS militants in villages and small towns to the south and north of Raqqa.

The United States considers the YPG militias the most effective force against IS militants in Syria.

But Turkey is dismayed at the prominent role played in the SDF by the Kurdish YPG militia, which it accuses of having ties with Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/turkey-raqqa- syrian-kurds/28103646.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Blitzkrieg Through the Desert: Syrian Army Storms Terrorist-Held Oil Fields

Sputnik News

20:44 08.11.2016(updated 21:01 08.11.2016)

The Syrian Army and its militia allies have regained control of arms caches, oil and gas fields and other strategic near Palmyria in east Homs province, a military source on the front line told Sputnik.

Speaking to Sputnik Arabic, the source said that the Syrian Army has captured a large armory north of Palmyra after a battle with Daesh (ISIL/ISIS), pushing the militants out of the vicinity entirely.

The source added that simultaneously with the campaign to capture the armory, the Syrian army advanced on hills northeast of Palmyra from the Ameria district. During the fighting, Syrian army infantry received air support from the Syrian Air Force and Russian air power.

"A the same time, the Syrian army entered into fierce clashes with Daesh in the immediate vicinity of the Shaer oil field," the source said, a major source of oil and gas in central Syria. "The army succeeded in destroying a number of Daesh bunkers and fortifications in the region," the source added.

The military source confirmed that fighting has stretched all the way to the Al-Mahr gas fields in northeastern Homs province. The army consolidated its positions on the approaches to the fields to before conducting its assault.

Syria's oil and gas fields carry a strategic importance for the Syrian economy. At the same time, until the start of a major bombing campaign by Russian air power in late 2015 targeting Daesh oil assets, they served as a major source of income for Daesh and other terrorist groups operating in Syria.

On Sunday, Homs Governor General Tallal Barazi announced that the Syrian Army had established control over 85% of the province, including its main towns, cities, rural settlements, and industrial zones.

 Sputnik

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Russia's Aircraft Carrier Group Prepares Strike on Terrorists in Aleppo Province

Sputnik News

18:19 08.11.2016(updated 21:52 08.11.2016)

A source within Russia's Ministry of Defense told Gazeta.ru that the Navy's aircraft carrier group is ready to launch a strike targeting Daesh terrorists in the province of Aleppo in the next 24 hours. The attack, which will likely engage Kalibr cruise missiles, will target militants outside of Aleppo, and not the residential areas.

The group, which includes Russia's 'Admiral Kuznetsov' aircraft carrier, 'Pyotr Veliky' nuclear power guided missile cruiser and two destroyers, has completed its transfer to the Mediterranean Sea and is getting ready to strike, the MoD source said.

"The group's main goal is to carry out missile strikes on terrorists outside of Aleppo that are attempting to get into the city", the source added.

He also said that Kalibr cruise missiles will be used in the strikes, but did not specify from which ships the missiles will be launched.

No Russian surface ship that is currently in the Med is capable of firing the Kalibr-NK missiles, but submarine-launched Kalibr-PL could be used in the strike. The surface-launched type of Kalibr missile could also be launched from the Caspian Sea.

Right now final details of the strike are being worked out, the source told Gazeta.ru, including zeroing in on the terrorists' locations, finding out the details of their transport routes, base camps and storage and training facilities.

"The strikes will avoid the city of Aleppo to prevent civilian casualties, because terrorists continue to use city residents as human shields."

Russian and Syrian fighter jets have ceased all flights in a ten-kilometer radius around Aleppo on October 18, after which Daesh terrorists began advancing on Aleppo.

On October 28th, a group of militants attempted to breach the eastern part of the city, using tanks and infantry fighting vehicles for support.

Syria's Aleppo has been the scene of fierce battles between Syria's army and militants holding the city's eastern districts. Fighting has escalated in recent days since militants announced an offensive and fired missiles on government-held districts of western Aleppo.

Russia introduced an earlier humanitarian pause in October, to ensure the safe evacuation of civilians and unarmed militants from eastern Aleppo through designated corridors. That pause collapsed when Jabhat Fatah al Sham (also known as Nusra Front, or Jabhat al-Nusra) militants prevented civilians from fleeing Aleppo and attacked them, prompting an offensive by government forces.

 Sputnik

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Ankara Accuses US of Arming Syrian Kurds Despite Assurances to the Contrary

Sputnik News

12:22 08.11.2016(updated 13:10 08.11.2016)

Ankara accused Washington of arming Kurdish People's Protection Units in Syria despite assurances to the contrary.

ANKARA (Sputnik)  The United States continues to supply weapons to Kurdish forces in Syria despite assurances to the contrary, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Tuesday.

"The US says it does not give weapons to the YPG [People's Protection Units], but we know that they do. We see that the YPG and the PKK [Kurdistan Workers' Party] are the same and arming them is wrong. We know that the US continues to give them weapons, and we have expressed our concerns with the fact," Cavusoglu said.

Speaking at a press conference, the Turkish diplomat cited further US assurances that the YPG would not take part in the campaign to retake the Syrian city of Raqqa from the Daesh jihadist group, which he envisioned to commence within weeks.

Turkey is a part of the US-led coalition, targeting terrorists in Syria, but views the Syrian Kurdish militias as allied to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

In late September, reports emerged in media that the United States was supplying the Syrian Kurds with light arms. Turkey's President Erdogan condemned the move and referred to previous cases when US arms were seized by extremists.

Turkish and US troops agreed to coordinate their anti-Daesh efforts through the US Embassy in Ankara, Cavusoglu said.

"It is important for high-ranking military officials were in Ankara, and they will work in the US Embassy. This was our general staff's proposal, the US accepted it," the minister said.

The diplomat stressed that similar mechanisms for better coordination exist not only with the US, but with other countries, including Russia.

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with government forces fighting the Syrian opposition groups striving to overthrow President Bashar Assad. At the same time, Damascus has to counter numerous extremist groups, in particular, Daesh, outlawed in Russia.

 Sputnik

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Turkish Army Destroys 57 Daesh Targets in Northern Syria  General Staff

Sputnik News

10:53 08.11.2016(updated 11:05 08.11.2016)

General Staff said that Turkish forces have destroyed a total of 57 Daesh terrorist group targets alongside one Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) position in the past 24 hours as part of the Euphrates Shield operation in northern Syria.

ANKARA (Sputnik)  Turkish forces have destroyed a total of 57 Daesh terrorist group targets alongside one Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) position in the past 24 hours as part of the Euphrates Shield operation in northern Syria, Turkey's General Staff said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Our armed forces destroyed 57 IS targets and one target of PYD-Kurdistan Workers' Party [PKK]. The Free Syrian Army [of Syrian opposition, FSA] liberated 3 settlements in the area near the cities of Al-Rai and Mari During the operations, seven opposition fighters were injured, no injuries among Turkish troops have been reported. 11 Daesh fighters have been killed and two car bombs were destroyed," the statement read.

The total area under FSA control in northern Syria now amounts to 1,440 square kilometers (556 square miles), the General Staff added, noting that a total of 179 inhabited locations have so far been liberated.

The Turkish military launched an operation to clear the Syrian border town of Jarabulus and the surrounding area of the Daesh, outlawed in Russia and multiple other countries, on August 24 prompting accusations of invasion from Damascus and Syrian Kurds.

Ankara considers PYD, and its military wing YPG (People's Protection Units) operating in Syria, an affiliate of PKK, which is outlawed in Turkey.

 Sputnik

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LINCOLN  Gov. Pete Ricketts was proven right.





Nebraskans, he has said over and over, support the death penalty and, if given the chance, would reverse the Nebraska Legislatures decision to repeal capital punishment in 2015.





On Tuesday, voters backed up the governors prediction and repealed a law enacted by state lawmakers, thus restoring capital punishment.





The vote ends a protracted battle over a life-and-death issue that put Nebraska, a conservative, law-and-order state, in the national spotlight after the Legislatures landmark vote and subsequent narrow override of Ricketts veto.





"This debate was worth having," said State Sen. Colby Coash of Lincoln, who played a key role in passing the repeal legislation. "There was a lot of thought and discernment on this issue."





At the time of the repeal vote, Nebraska stood as the first conservative state to do away with capital punishment since North Dakota in 1973. A group of conservative senators, citing the high cost of the death penalty and its rare use, joined with longtime capital punishment foe State Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha in voting to repeal the ultimate penalty.





But the victory was short-lived.





Shortly after the Legislatures vote, a group supporting the death penalty formed to put the issue before the states voters.





Using contributions from the governor, his father and others, Nebraskans for the Death Penalty collected more than 143,000 signatures of voters during the summer of 2015 to put a referendum on capital punishment on Tuesdays ballot.





Ricketts, whose family owns the Chicago Cubs and the online brokerage firm, TD Ameritrade, donated $300,000 of his own money to aid the pro-death penalty group, according to the most recent campaign spending reports. His father, Joe, pitched in $100,000, and his mother, Marlene, donated $25,000.





Those donations were among the $1.3 million spent through early November by Nebraskans for the Death Penalty during its 1 1/2-year campaign to get the issue on the ballot.





Coash said he wasn't disappointed with the effort but with the outcome. People, he said, may have been swayed by recent slayings and a recent high-profile murder trial in Omaha.





He cited the cases of Nikko Jenkins, who killed four people in Omaha upon his release from prison, and Dr Anthony Garcia. who was recently found guilty of four counts of first-degree murder.





"A lot of people thought about this issue with their hearts," he said. "It's really hard to look at those kinds of crimes and not have an emotional response."





An anti-death penalty group, Retain a Just Nebraska, also got some high-profile help for its campaign, which collected $2.7 million through mid-October. Its contributors included Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon, who gave $1,500. One of its major donors was a Massachusetts organization, the Proteus Action League, which gave $650,000 this year and $600,000 last year.





Death penalty opponents argued capital punishment is an archaic, immoral and expensive punishment that could possibly take an innocent persons life. They pointed to the case of the Beatrice Six in which six people were wrongly convicted in the 1985 rape and murder of a Beatrice woman. Several of the six said their fear of the death penalty factored into their decision to falsely confess.





A group of retired judges was among those calling for an end to capital punishment, but death penalty supporters countered with their own group of Nebraska sheriffs and prosecutors who said that for the most heinous crimes, death was the most appropriate sentence.





"It's not about vengeance, it's about justice," said Pierce County Sheriff Rick Eberhardt, who collected more than 3,000 signatures to help put the death penalty referendum on the ballot.





On Tuesday night, the sheriff sat quietly with three members of the family of Evonne Tuttle, who was shot and killed along with four others during a botched bank robbery in Norfolk in 2002. The three gunmen all are on Nebraskas death row.





It wasn't a celebration, said Eberhardt and the others, but affirmation that the state's residents still support the death penalty.





"It was the right thing to do," said Christine Tuttle, Evonne's 32-year-old daughter, of Tuesday's vote.





"We're going to get justice. It's going to happen," said Evonne 's mother, Vivian, of Ewing, Nebraska, who has driven more than 9,000 in support of the death penalty since the Legislature repealed capital punishment in 2015.

Nebraska: Uncertainty looms over death penalty vote

Voters will have an opportunity Tuesday to reverse an action taken by the Legislature and reinstate Nebraska's death penalty, but moving forward with executions could take years.





Nebraska's last execution was in 1997, using the electric chair, and the state has never carried one out using its current three-drug lethal injection protocol. Even though several executions have been scheduled, legal and logistical problems have kept the state from using lethal injection before the necessary drugs expired.





Nebraska lawmakers abolished the death penalty in May 2015 over Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts' veto. Supporters of the punishment responded with a citizen-led petition drive partially financed by Ricketts that suspended the Legislature's decision until voters decide the issue Tuesday.





Voting "retain" will uphold the Legislature's decision and replace the death penalty with life in prison, while voting "repeal" will reinstate capital punishment.





Death penalty supporters say Nebraska can overcome the hurdles as other states have recently done. One example is Ohio, where officials announced last month they would resume executions in 2017 after changing their three-drug lethal injection protocol, said Chris Peterson, a spokesman for Nebraskans for the Death Penalty.





But Ohio, Texas and other states have moved forward only because they shrouded their processes in secrecy, passing laws that require officials to withhold the names of drug manufacturers, said Sen. Colby Coash of Lincoln, a leading death penalty opponent. Nebraska lawmakers have traditionally avoided that approach, erring on the side of transparency.





"Nebraskans don't want their government hiding things from them," Coash said. "If pharmaceutical companies want to make drugs that kill people, they ought to stand behind that."





Without a secrecy law, Coash said he doubts Nebraska will ever carry out an execution. The death penalty opposition campaign, Retain a Just Nebraska, has argued that no inmate will be executed even if voters reinstate the punishment.





"It puts it back on the books, but it doesn't mean we get the drugs," Coash said. "It doesn't mean executions begin on Nov. 10."





Death penalty proponents say strong support by voters will increase pressure on public officials to find a workable execution method.





"The obstacles are not insurmountable," said Bob Evnen, a Lincoln attorney who has worked with Nebraskans for the Death Penalty. "Other states are able to carry out the death penalty. Our state can, too."





Evnen said it's impossible to know when they state might be able to carry out an execution, but he noted officials came close eight years ago when they were on the verge of scheduling executions for inmates Carey Dean Moore and Ray Mata. Their executions were delayed when the Nebraska Supreme Court declared the electric chair unconstitutional.





The state's corrections department spent $54,400 last year on foreign-made lethal injection drugs but has not received them because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration blocked the shipment. State officials agreed to buy the drugs from Chris Harris, a distributor in India who contacted the corrections department in April 2015 as lawmakers were debating whether to abolish the death penalty. Ricketts announced he was suspending the effort to obtain the drugs until voters decided whether to keep capital punishment.





Harris sold execution drugs to the state in 2010, but the drugs' manufacturer accused him of misrepresenting how he intended to use them. Legal challenges prevented the state from using the drugs before they expired.





Both sides of the issue made their final push before the election with radio and television ads and through social media. Nebraskans for the Death Penalty sent more than 250,000 mailings to voters urging them to keep the punishment, Peterson said.





"The other side has thrown everything including the kitchen sink to try to eliminate the death penalty, but we believe a strong majority of Nebraskans see a place for the death penalty in our criminal justice system," Peterson said.





Surrogates have played a major role. Vivian Tuttle of Ewing, whose daughter Evonne was murdered in a 2002 Norfolk bank robbery, has traveled the state extensively urging voters to overturn the Legislature's decision. So have the relatives of 57-year-old Shirlee Sherman, who was stabbed to death along with an 11-year-old boy in 2008. Nebraskans for the Death Penalty has also enlisted the support of local sheriffs who support the punishment.





Retain a Just Nebraska has turned to church leaders, particularly the Catholic Church, to present its arguments to voters. Ada Joann Taylor, who was exonerated in a 1985 murder after serving nearly 20 years in prison, also joined forces with death penalty opponents.





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Source: Omaha World-Herald , Paul Hammel, November 8, 2016Source: Associated Press, November 8, 2016
EU's Juncker warns Turkish president on visa deal

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 8, 2016 1:37PM

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has warned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he would be held responsible if Ankara fails to meet all the requirements set by the EU to have the privilege of accessing the bloc's visa-free travel zone.

Juncker said in a speech in the city of Bruges on Tuesday that visas would not be eased if the administration of President Erdogan fails to meet the criteria.

"Everything the Turkish authorities are doing today leads me to believe that in the end Turkey does not want to be ready to respect European standards."

Juncker once again called for Turkey to overhaul its anti-terrorism law in return for the visa-free travel for Turkish citizens to Europe.

The EU official said if visas were not eased, President Erdogan would have to explain to Turks why that was so. "We need Turkey ... but we cannot give up on our main principles."

Turkey and the European Union reached a mega deal in March to stem the unprecedented flow of refugees into Europe. Under the agreement, Ankara agreed to receive all refugees landing on the coasts of Greece in return for concessions, including billions of dollars in cash funding, accelerated talks on Turkey's accession to the EU, and visa-free travel for Turks to the EU's Schengen Area.

However, the European Commission, which serves as the executive arm of the EU, later delayed the implementation of the visa agreement, saying Turkey had done almost nothing to change its controversial anti-terror law.

Ankara has refused to mend the law amid terrorist threats in Turkey.

In recent months, senior EU officials have criticized Turkey for its way of dealing with dissent, saying it runs counter to the EU's standards on terror fight.

Juncker has said that anti-terror laws cannot be used to imprison intellectuals, scientists and journalists.

Relations between the EU and Turkey have experienced fresh lows in the wake of an abortive coup in Turkey in mid-July. The EU has openly criticized Ankara for a massive crackdown on coup plotters while Turkey says the continental body has failed to properly condemn the coup attempt.

Turkey has threatened to stop enforcing the refugee deal in case the visa agreement is not implemented.

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Germany main sponsor of anti-Ankara terrorists: Turkish FM

Iran Press TV

Tue Nov 8, 2016 5:52AM

In its harshest stance against Germany yet, Turkey has accused Berlin of being the country offering the highest level of support to alleged anti-Ankara terrorists.

"Germany is the country that supports terrorist organizations against Turkey the most," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in the Turkish capital on Tuesday.

"The DHKP-C and PKK are carrying out activities in Germany, but they support those because they are against Turkey," he added, referring to the leftist militant group of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The former has staged armed attacks against Turkey, and the latter continues to be the force behind a decades-long separatist militancy.

"Germany thinks that they are a first-class country, a first-class democracy, and that Turkey is second-class. We want them to treat us as equal partners," Cavusoglu said.

On Monday, Germany-based Kurds amassed in front of the parliament building in the capital, Berlin, protesting the "suppressive" policies of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as well as the German government's relationship with Ankara.

The participants in the rally held up flags of Kurdish groups, including the People's Defense Units (YPG) and Women's Protection Units (YPJ), which are fighting Takfiri militancy in Syria and Iraq, Turkey's neighbors.

Ankara considers the Kurdish groups to be affiliated with the PKK, which has been fighting for an independent Kurdish state inside Turkey since 1984. Turkey has banned the PKK and has been carrying out military strikes in both Syria and Iraq with the stated aim of targeting the Daesh Takfiri terror group and the Kurdish forces.

Turkey has also been engaged in deadly confrontations with members of the Kurdish minority in its southeast, and recently arrested the two co-leaders of the pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) along with nine other lawmakers from the party.

The protesters in Germany also carried signs that stated "It's enough," signaling their request for an end to Ankara's "warlike politics of suppression," as in the words of a rally organizer.

"We do not want, every day, to sustain a new pain. We do not want the whole country to become a ball of fire and, with a blind war, the people to be defeated again," the organizer said. "This can only be managed with the personal ambitions and interests of Erdogan and a small group around him."

German parliament member Andrej Hunko, who was participating in the rally, said, "We do not want to send any German soldiers to Turkey; we want for the German soldiers to be withdrawn, also in the light of the political developments in Turkey."

Some 250 German troopers are stationed at the Incirlik airbase in Turkey, along with six Tornado reconnaissance jets and a refueling plane, as part of the US-led coalition allegedly battling the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group in Syria and Iraq.

Turkey stirred tensions in its relations with Berlin when it until recently denied access to the base to German parliamentarians.

Relations first soured between Ankara and Berlin in June, when the German parliament passed a resolution recognizing the Armenian "genocide" at the hands of Ottoman Turks during World War I.

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Turkey Trades Criticisms With EU, Germany In Sign Of Worsening Relations

November 08, 2016

Turkey's Foreign Ministry has rejected criticism by European foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini as "unacceptable," saying the European Union does not understand Ankara's sensitivities in the fight against terrorism.

The Foreign Ministry in Ankara said the EU had lost credibility with the Turkish people concerning the fight against terrorism.

Earlier on November 8, Mogherini strongly criticized Turkey's post-coup crackdown, calling for Ankara "to safeguard its parliamentary democracy, including respect for human rights, the rule of law, fundamental freedoms, and the right of everyone to a fair trial."

Mogherini described a crackdown on Turkish media and opposition politicians since a failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July as "extremely worrying."

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on November 8 accused Germany of allowing two extremist militant groups from Turkey to operate with impunity on German soil -- the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the Revolutionary People's Liberation Front (DHKP-C).

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier rejected Cavusoglu's claim, saying both the PKK and the DHKP-C were banned and "criminally prosecuted" in Germany as "terrorist groups."

Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/eu-turkey-rejects- criticism-coup-crackdown/28104198.html

Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Turkish FM Slams Germany for Allegedly Supporting PKK, Gulen Followers

Sputnik News

16:40 08.11.2016

Ankara has tensions with Berlin because the latter supports those "against Turkey", Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

ANKARA (Sputnik)  Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday accused Germany of providing support to Kurdistan Workers' Party's (PKK) militants, outlawed in Turkey, and followers of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, suspected by Ankara of masterminding the July coup attempt.

"We have tensions with Germany, because it does not support Turkey, but those, who are against Turkey Their [German] government is very well aware of the fact that money for PKK is being collected in Germany. PKK continues its activity there. Germany does not extradite PKK members to Turkey and it has opened the door for the Fethullah Terrorist Organization [FETO]," Cavusoglu said at a press conference in Ankara.

According to Cavusoglu, Ankara is ready to discuss these issues with Berlin, though, "the mutual respect" is needed for this.

PKK is designated as a terrorist group in Turkey and the United States. The European Union also lists the organization as terrorist, with the European Parliament voting against removing the PKK from the list in 2015.

Earlier in November, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Germany of becoming an asylum for the followers of Gulen. In late October, the German interior ministry confirmed that 35 Turkish nationals with diplomatic passports had applied for asylum in the country since the failed military coup attempt in Turkey on July 15.

 Sputnik

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Turkey Ready to Discuss Developing Missile Defense System With Russia

Sputnik News

13:16 08.11.2016(updated 13:17 08.11.2016)

Ankara intends to discuss its plans on its missile defense system development with a number of parties, including Russia.

ANKARA (Sputnik)  Turkey is ready to discuss possible cooperation in the development of a national missile defense system with all the countries concerned, including Russia, Turkey's Undersecretary for Defense Industries Ismail Demir said Tuesday.

"Turkey intends to discuss its plans on the missile defense system development with all the parties concerned, including Russia," Demir said at a press conference in Ankara.

On October 10, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed cooperation in the field of defense industry in Istanbul. Three days after that, Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said that Moscow and Anakara had agreed to work out the details of a possible cooperation on implementing the Turkish national missile defense system project.

In 2009, Turkey announced a $4-billion tender for the procurement of components for a missile defense system.

In 2013, Chinese company CPMIEC, which submitted the bid of 3.4 billion dollars, won the tender. However, a range of disputes occurred between Turkey and China.

In November last year, Turkey officially cancelled the tender as it decided to develop a national missile defense project.

 Sputnik

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English German

Liestal, Switzerland, November 8, 2016 - Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) announces that the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products (Swissmedic) has accepted for review Santhera's Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for Raxone (idebenone) for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in patients with respiratory function decline not taking concomitant glucocorticoids. Raxone was granted Orphan Drug Designation for DMD in Switzerland in 2012.

Santhera submitted a MAA to Swissmedic for Raxone in DMD in October 2016. Swissmedic has now confirmed that the dossier is sufficiently complete to permit substantive review. The standard assessment time is typically 15-18 months. The MAA for Raxone is already under review for the same indication by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

"This submission reflects our continued efforts to make Raxone available to patients and physicians beyond the European Union," said Thomas Meier, PhD, CEO of Santhera. "We look forward to Swissmedic's review of our application and to the approval of Raxone in Switzerland for DMD patients with respiratory function loss."

The intended indication for Raxone is for patients with DMD in whom respiratory function has started to decline and who are currently not taking concomitant glucocorticoids. This indication would include patients who were previously treated with glucocorticoids or in whom glucocorticoid treatment is not desired, not tolerated or is contraindicated.

As part of the Swiss MAA, Santhera submitted data from its phase II (DELPHI) program and the successful pivotal phase III (DELOS) study, the results of which have been further substantiated by a comparative natural history study. Data from all studies demonstrate that Raxone slows the rate of respiratory function decline compared to untreated patients to a degree that is of major clinical relevance for patients with DMD. Raxone (900 mg/day) was safe and well tolerated with adverse event rates comparable to placebo.

In parallel to the already ongoing MAA reviews in Europe, Santhera continues to prepare for further discussions with the United States' Food and Drug Administration on the most appropriate regulatory pathway to approval in the US.

About Raxone (Idebenone) in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is one of the most common and devastating types of muscle degeneration and results in rapidly progressive muscle weakness. DMD is characterized by a loss of the protein dystrophin, leading to cell damage, impaired calcium homeostasis, elevated oxidative stress and reduced energy production in muscle cells. This results in progressive muscle weakness and wasting and early morbidity and mortality due to respiratory failure.

Idebenone is a synthetic short-chain benzoquinone and a cofactor for the enzyme NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) capable of stimulating mitochondrial electron transport, reducing and scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and supplementing cellular energy levels.

DELOS was a phase III, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial which randomized 64 patients, not taking concomitant glucocorticoids, to receive either Raxone (900 mg/day) or matching placebo. The trial met its primary endpoint and demonstrated that Raxone can slow the loss of respiratory function and reduces bronchopulmonary complications. The statistically significant and clinically relevant outcomes of the phase III DELOS study were published: Buyse et al., The Lancet 2015, 385:1748-1757; McDonald et al. Neuromuscular Disorders 2016, 26: 473-480 and Buyse et al., Pediatric Pulmonology 2016: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ppul.23547.

About Santhera

Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) is a Swiss specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative pharmaceutical products for the treatment of orphan mitochondrial and neuromuscular diseases. Santhera's lead product Raxone is authorized in the European Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein for the treatment of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). For Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the second indication for Raxone, Santhera has filed a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) in the European Union. In collaboration with the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Santhera is developing Raxone in a third indication, primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), and omigapil for congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD), all areas of high unmet medical need. For further information, please visit the Company's website www.santhera.com.

Raxone is a trademark of Santhera Pharmaceuticals.

For further information, contact:

Thomas Meier, PhD, Chief Executive Officer

Phone +41 61 906 89 64

thomas.meier@santhera.com







Christoph Rentsch, Chief Financial Officer

Phone +41 61 906 89 65

christoph.rentsch@santhera.com US investor contact:

Hans Vitzthum, LifeSci Advisors, LLC

Phone +1 212 915 2568

hans@lifesciadvisors.com US Public Relations contact:

Deanne Eagle, Planet Communications

Phone +1 917 837 5866

deanne@planetcommunications.nyc

Disclaimer / Forward-looking statements

This communication does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities of Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG. This publication may contain certain forward-looking statements concerning the Company and its business. Such statements involve certain risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Readers should therefore not place undue reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any contract or investment decision. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

# # #
English French

Outstanding results for Alstom in the first half of 2016/17

Continued strong commercial and operational performance

Exceptionally high free cash flow

2020 objectives confirmed

9 November 2016 - Between 1 April and 30 September 2016, Alstom booked 6.2 billion of orders leading to a new record-breaking backlog of 33.6 billion. Over the same period, sales were up 8% (7% organically), amounting to 3.6 billion. The adjusted EBIT grew from 167 million to 200 million, representing a 20% increase, with an adjusted EBIT margin of 5.6%. The net income (Group share) reached 128 million. In first half of fiscal year 2016/17, free cash flow was exceptionally high at 333 million.

Key figures

Actual figures

(in  million) Half-year ended

30 September 2015 Half-year ended

30 September 2016 % change

reported % change

organic Orders backlog 27,719 33,570 21% 22% Orders received 3,897 6,212 59% 66% Sales 3,303 3,570 8% 7% Adjusted EBIT 167 200 20% Adjusted EBIT margin 5.1% 5.6% Net income - Group share (57) 128 Free cash flow (1,336) 333

"Alstom started the fiscal year 2016/17 with excellent results. Commercial performance was very dynamic including the booking of two contracts for a new generation of high-speed train in the US and the extension of the Dubai metro system. Operational performance was sustained with organic sales growth of 7% and adjusted EBIT up by 20%. Free cash flow was exceptionally high, with several large down-payments. These results demonstrate the success of Alstom's strategy and allow us to confirm the 2020 objectives," said Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Alstom's Chairman & Chief Executive Officer.

***



2020 strategy on track

Alstom 2020 strategy is based on the five following pillars:

Customer focused organisation

The Group confirmed its leading position with a high level of orders of 6,212 million booked in the first half of fiscal year 2016/17. This compares to 3,897 million registered over the same period last year.

Alstom was awarded several major projects during the semester. The Group signed contracts with Amtrak in the United States for new generation of Avelia high-speed train and services. The Alstom-led consortium Expolink won a contract with RTA for the extension of Dubai Metro's Red line. Other commercial successes for this first half included Coradia regional trains in Netherlands and Italy, high-speed Avelia Pendolino trains with maintenance in Italy, new metro cars in Peru, as well as maintenance contracts in Canada and in the United Kingdom.

The backlog reached a new record high and amounted to 33,570 million on 30 September 2016.

Complete range of solutions

In first half of fiscal year 2016/17, Alstom's sales were up 8% (7% organically) and reached 3,570 million. The book-to-bill remained strong, above 1.7.

Signalling, systems and services represented 54% of sales in first half of 2016/17, in line with 2020 objective of 60%. Signalling sales growth of 33% was supported by the integration of GE Signalling and deliveries in Canada. Systems sales increased by 20% with progress of Riyadh metro system in Saudi Arabia, urban systems deliveries in Brazil and Qatar, as well as infrastructure projects in the United Kingdom. Services slightly decreased to 0.7 billion of sales with an adverse forex impact on maintenance contract in the United Kingdom. Trains reached 1.6 billon of sales with deliveries of suburban, regional and high-speed trains in Europe, on-going execution of the PRASA project in South Africa and tramway deliveries in Algeria.

Value creation through innovation

Alstom sustained its level of research and development (excluding capitalisation and amortisation) at 62 million, i.e. 1.7% of sales, in first half of fiscal year 2016/17. Main programmes included the renewal of mainline and urban train ranges, signalling, and predictive maintenance. With the high-speed train contract with Amtrak in the US, Alstom will deliver a new generation of train with high-level of innovation for both passenger and operator.

Operational and environmental excellence

Alstom delivered an adjusted EBIT of 200 million in first half of 2016/17, compared to 167 million over the same period last year, representing a 20% increase. The adjusted EBIT margin reached 5.6% compared to 5.1% in first half of 2015/16. This continuous improvement was driven by volume increase, portfolio mix and on-going initiatives for operational excellence. During the first half of 2016/17, the net income (Group share) amounted to 128 million.

Alstom invested 43 million in capital expenditures in first half of 2016/17 in order to strengthen its global footprint in the emerging markets while modernising its existing facilities.

The Group free cash flow was exceptionally high at 333 million, benefitting from a combination of several large down-payments and phasing of both capex and legacy cash-out. Alstom had a net cash level of 54 million at 30 September 2016, compared to a net debt position of 203 million at 31 March 2016.

Alstom also achieved a 7% reduction in the overall energy consumption of its portfolio compared to a year ago. The Group is on track to meet its objectives to reduce the energy consumption of its solutions by 20% by 2020.

Diverse and entrepreneurial people

Alstom pursues its strategy to reflect its passenger base: the company has the ambition to increase diversity, aiming for 25% of Management or Professional roles to be occupied by women, and for 50% of senior management and the talent pool to be non-European within five years. Alstom's employees around the world all share the same culture, underpinned by strong values, integrity and ethics.

***

Objectives for 2020 confirmed

By 2020 sales should grow organically by 5% per year.

Adjusted EBIT margin should reach around 7% by 2020 driven by volume, portfolio mix and results of operational excellence actions.

By 2020, Alstom expects c. 100% conversion from net income into free cash flow.

*

The half-year financial report, as approved by the Board of Directors, in its meeting held on 8 November 2016, can be found on Alstom's website at www.alstom.com. The accounts have been audited and certified.

About Alstom

As a promoter of sustainable mobility, Alstom develops and markets systems, equipment and services for the railway sector. Alstom manages the widest range of solutions in the market - from high-speed trains to metros and tramways - customised services (maintenance, modernisation,.) and infrastructure and signalling solutions. Alstom is a world leader in integrated railway systems. It recorded sales of 6.9 billion and booked 10.6 billion of orders in the 2015/16 fiscal year. Headquartered in France, Alstom is present in over 60 countries and employs 31,000 people today.

www.alstom.com

Press contacts

Linda Huguet - Tel. + 33 1 57 06 10 42

linda.huguet@alstom.com

Justine Rohee - Tel. + 33 1 57 06 18 81

justine.rohee@alstom.com

Investor relations

Selma Bekhechi - Tel. + 33 1 57 06 95 39

selma.bekhechi@alstom.com

Julien Minot - Tel. + 33 1 57 06 64 84

julien.minot@alstom.com

This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current plans and forecasts of Alstom's management. Such forward-looking statements are relevant to the current scope of activity and are by their nature subject to a number of important risks and uncertainty factors (such as those described in the documents filed by Alstom with the French AMF) that could cause actual results to differ from the plans, objectives and expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. These such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and Alstom undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Appendix 1a - Geographic Breakdown

Actual figures Half-year ended % Half-year ended % (in  million) 30 Sept. 2015(*) Contrib. 30 Sept. 2016 Contrib. Europe 1,417 36% 2,124 35% Americas 834 21% 2,570 41% Asia / Pacific 602 16% 267 4% Middle East / Africa 1,044 27% 1,251 20% Orders by destination 3,897 100% 6,212 100%

Actual figures Half-year ended % Half-year ended % (in  million) 30 Sept. 2015(*) Contrib. 30 Sept. 2016 Contrib. Europe 1,983 60% 2,121 59% Americas 501 15% 577 16% Asia / Pacific 364 11% 343 10% Middle East / Africa 455 14% 529 15% Sales by destination 3,303 100% 3,570 100%

(*) In comparison with H1 2015/16 publication, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan were represented and moved from Europe to Middle East/Africa.

Appendix 1b - Product Breakdown

Actual figures Half-year ended % Half-year ended % (in  million) 30 Sept. 2015 Contrib. 30 Sept. 2016 Contrib. Trains 1,643 42% 2,971 48% Services 780 20% 1,596 26% Systems 524 14% 1,268 20% Signalling 949 24% 377 6% Orders by destination 3,897 100% 6,212 100%

Actual figures Half-year ended % Half-year ended % (in  million) 30 Sept. 2015 Contrib. 30 Sept. 2016 Contrib. Trains 1,565 48% 1,641 46% Services 791 24% 742 21% Systems 430 13% 515 14% Signalling 505 15% 672 19% Sales by destination 3,303 100% 3,570 100%

Appendix 2 - Use of non-gaap financial indicators

This section presents financial indicators used by the Group that are not defined by accounting standard setters.

Orders received

A new order is recognised as an order received only when the contract creates enforceable obligations between the Group and its customer.

When this condition is met, the order is recognised at the contract value.

If the contract is denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of the reporting unit, the Group requires the immediate elimination of currency exposure through the use of forward currency sales. Orders are then measured using the spot rate at inception of hedging instruments.

Order backlog

Order backlog represents sales not yet recognised on orders already received.

Order backlog at the end of a financial year is computed as follows:

order backlog at the beginning of the year;

plus new orders received during the year;

less cancellations of orders recorded during the year;

less sales recognised during the year.

The order backlog is also subject to changes in the scope of consolidation and to foreign currency translation effects.

Book-to-Bill

The book-to-bill ratio is the ratio of orders received to the amount of sales traded for a specific period.

Adjusted EBIT

When Alstom's new organisation was implemented, adjusted EBIT ("aEBIT") became the key performance indicator to present the level of recurring operational performance. This indicator is also aligned with market practice and comparable to direct competitors.

Adjusted EBIT corresponds to earning before interests, tax and net result from equity method investments adjusted with the following elements:

net restructuring expenses (including rationalisation costs);

tangibles and intangibles impairment;

capital gains or loss/revaluation on investments disposals or controls changes of an entity;

and any other non-recurring items, such as some costs incurred to realise business combinations and amortisation of an asset exclusively valued in the context of business combination as well as litigation costs that have arisen outside the ordinary course of business.

A non-recurring item is a "one-off" exceptional item that is not supposed to be reappearing in following years and that is significant.

The non-GAAP measure adjusted EBIT indicator reconciles with the GAAP measure EBIT as follows:

Half-year ended Half-year ended (in  million) 30 Sept. 2015 30 Sept. 2016 Adjusted Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (aEBIT) 167 200 Restructuring costs (14) - Assets impairment (78) - PPA amortisation and integration costs - (24) Capital gains/losses on disposal of business 36 (1) Others* 13 (7) Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) 124 168

* includes mainly the reclassification of separation costs in connection with the disposal of discontinued activities from other non-recurring income / (expense) to net profit from discontinued activities for an amount of (23) million as of 30 September 2015.

Free cash flow

Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures including capitalised development costs, net of proceeds from disposals of tangible and intangible assets. In particular, free cash flow does not include the proceeds from disposals of activity.

The most directly comparable financial measure to free cash flow calculated and presented in accordance with IFRS is net cash provided by operating activities.

A reconciliation of free cash flow and net cash provided by operating activities is presented below:

Half-year ended Half-year ended (in  million) 30 Sept. 2015 30 Sept. 2016 Net cash provided by / (used in) operating activities (1,047)* 396 Capital expenditure (including capitalised R&D costs) (337) (64) Proceeds from disposals of tangible and intangible assets 48 1 Free cash flow (1,336) 333

* includes mainly the operating cash flow used by discontinued activities for (1,068) million.

Alstom uses the free cash flow both for internal analysis purposes as well as for external communication as the Group believes it provides accurate insight regarding the actual amount of cash generated or used by operations.

Net cash/(debt)

The net cash/(debt) is defined as cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities and other current financial assets and non-current financial assets directly associated to liabilities included in financial debt, less financial debt.

Year ended Half-year ended (in  million) 31 March 2016 30 Sept. 2016 Cash and cash equivalents 1,961 2,308 Marketable securities and other current financial assets 22 4 Financial non-current assets directly associated to financial debt 318 276 Less: Current financial debt 686 731 Non-current financial debt 1,818 1,803 Net cash/(debt) at the end of the period (203) 54

Organic basis

Figures given on an organic basis eliminate the impact of changes in scope of consolidation and changes resulting from the translation of the accounts into Euro following the variation of foreign currencies against the Euro. The Group uses figures prepared on an organic basis both for internal analysis and for external communication, as it believes they provide means to analyse and explain variations from one period to another. However these figures are not measurements of performance under IFRS.
AIM: MARL

TSXV: MARL







9 November 2016 Granite House, La Grande Rue,

St. Martin, Guernsey ,GY1 3RS

Channel Islands





Change of Ticker - New Mariana 4 Symbol Ticker on the TSXV: MARL

GUERNSEY, United Kingdom, Nov. 09, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mariana Resources Ltd ("Mariana" or the "Company"), the AIM ("MARL") and TSXV ("MRA") (old symbol) listed exploration and development company with projects in Turkey, Cote d'Ivoire and South America, is pleased to announce that it has received approval from the TSXV that the new 4 symbol ticker for Mariana has been approved and changed and is now uniform for all of the Company's exchanges. The tickers that are now operational for Mariana are the following:

AIM: MARL

TSXV: MARL

**ENDS**

For further information please visit website at www.marianaresources.com or contact the following.

Glen Parsons (CEO) Mariana Resources Ltd +61 2 9437 4588 Eric Roth (COO) Mariana Resources Ltd +56 9 8818 1243 Karen Davies (IR) Mariana Resources Ltd (Canada) +1 604 314 6270 Rob Adamson RFC Ambrian Limited (Nomad) +61 2 9250 0041 Will Souter RFC Ambrian Limited (Nomad) +61 2 9250 0050



In U.K. Oliver Stansfield Brandon Hill Capital (UK Broker) +44 20 3463 5061 Jonathan Evans Brandon Hill Capital (UK Broker) +44 20 3463 5016 Camilla Horsfall Blytheweigh (Financial PR) +44 20 7138 3224 Megan Ray Blytheweigh (Financial PR) +44 20 7138 3203

About Mariana Resources

Mariana Resources Ltd is an AIM (MARL) and TSXV (MRA) quoted exploration and development company with an extensive portfolio of gold, silver and copper projects in South America and Turkey.

Mariana's most advanced asset is the Hot Maden gold-copper project in north east Turkey, which is a joint venture with its Turkish JV partner Lidya (30% Mariana and 70% Lidya) and rapidly advancing to development. An updated mineral resource estimate of 3.43 Moz gold Equivalent (Indicated Category) and 0.09 Moz gold Equivalent (Inferred Category) (100% basis) in the main resource zone as well as a maiden 351,000 Moz gold Equivalent (Inferred Category) (100% basis) in the new southern discovery zone was reported for Hot Maden on July 25, 2015. Elsewhere in Turkey, Mariana holds a 100% interest in the Ergama gold-copper project.

In southern Argentina, the Company's core gold-silver projects are Las Calandrias (100%), Sierra Blanca (100%), Los Cisnes (100%), Bozal (100%). These projects are part of a 160,000+ Ha land package in the Deseado Massif epithermal gold-silver district in mining-friendly Santa Cruz Province.

In Suriname, Mariana has a direct holding of 10.2% of the Nassau Gold project. The Nassau Gold Project is a 28,000 Ha exploration concession located approximately 125 km south east of the capital Paramaribo and immediately adjacent to Newmont Mining's 4.2Moz gold Merian project.

In Peru and Chile, Mariana is focusing on acquiring new opportunities which complement its current portfolio.

Safe Harbour

This press release contains certain statements which may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as at the date of this press release and include, without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, the realization, cost, timing and extent of mineral resource estimates, estimated future exploration expenditures, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, permitting time lines, and requirements for additional capital. The words "plans", "expects", "budget", "scheduled", "estimate", "forecasts", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "may", "will", or similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: the effects of general economic conditions; the price of gold, silver and copper; misjudgements in the course of preparing forward-looking statements; risks associated with international operations; the need for additional financing; risks inherent in exploration results; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters; currency and commodity price fluctuations; title matters; environmental liability claims; unanticipated operational risks; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or in the completion of development or construction activities; political risk; and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's annual financial statements for the most recently completed financial year which is available on the Company's website at www.marianaresources.com . Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions and have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
tristanrobin said: Don't we have to fight a war first to force Mexico to pay for it? Click to expand...

No. I am pretty sure the Republican controlled Senate along with the Republican controlled House just have to vote on it then the Republican President signs off on it. So tell me about the how the GOP is dying
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As Donald Trumps victory party was filling up with people Tuesday, one Martinsville man stood in the media waiting area along with several hundred others to capture the event.

For Ray Reynolds, it was the 45th event he had covered on the campaign trail. Reynolds, who hails as The Man in Yellow for all of his yellow camera gear, was ecstatic with the results and only feared of corruption coming from the Clinton campaign.

His first Trump event on Aug. 27, 2015, was in Greenville, South Carolina, for a Trump meet and greet. From there, Reynolds accumulated 28,000 miles travelling to photograph Trump.

The coverage included a few special moments, including being the personal photographer for Trump a few times, Mike Pence in Virginia Beach and the Greensboro Coliseum, and Ivanka Trumps personal photographer in Charlotte.

It did not stop there.

After Gen. Michael Flynn heard of how many events Reynolds had covered while he was speaking on behalf of Trump in Selma, North Carolina, Flynn requested to have a photograph taken with Reynolds.

There have been countless days with no sleep, said Reynolds in a phone interview Wednesday.

Reynolds said there were some events he would attend that 13,000 would be inside to hear and see Trump, and even more standing on the outside who were not able to get inside.

He even got the chance to meet Trump, saying the president-elect is, a man of his word, honest, and compassionate. Hes very caring and a generous person.

During the hot summer months especially, Trump made sure the media on hand at events got water and stayed cool as they had to wait long hours before doors would open at events and rallies.

What drove Reynolds to support Trump and get so involved was the loss of his mother and sister. His mother died in January 2015 after her medication was no longer covered due to the Affordable Care Act, he said, and six months later in July his sister died waiting on a respiratory test to be approved  a process doctors told her that under the new laws would take months.

In New York on Tuesday night, Reynolds was invited to join the victory party because the Trump team knew, I wanted to be a part of history and made sure it happened. It was in part a thank you from the Trump Campaign.

While the future is certain for Trump, Reynolds is not yet sure of what he will be doing since the election is over.

For now, he is enjoying this victory and is excited for the future.
London - Gabriel Resources Ltd. (Gabriel or the Company) announces the publication of its Third Quarter Financial Statements and Managements Discussion and Analysis Report for the period ended September 30, 2016.

Summary

On July 14, 2016, the Company completed a non-brokered private placement financing to raise $40.625 million (Private Placement) and subsequently appointed Mr. David Kay, a representative of Tenor International & Commercial Arbitration Fund (Tenor), to the Board on July 29, 2016.

The Romanian State continues to block the permitting and implementation of the RoAYia MontanA gold and silver project (Project) without due process or compensation. Accordingly, the Companys core focus is the progression of its arbitration case against Romania before the World Banks International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) under applicable treaties for the promotion and protection of foreign investment to which Romania is a party (ICSID Arbitration).

The tribunal appointed to hear and determine the ICSID Arbitration (Tribunal) met in first session with all parties on August 12, 2016. A subsequent in-person hearing was held on September 23, 2016 to consider various requests for provisional measures made by the Company.

On September 27, 2016 the Company reported that the value added tax assessment (VAT Assessment) levied on Gabriels Romanian subsidiary, RoEia MontanA Gold Corporation S.A. (RMGC), amounting to approximately RON 27 million (approximately $8.6 million), had been partially quashed and, together with associated interest and penalties in the amount of RON 15.9 million ($5.1m), was no longer due for payment. However, such decision directed the fiscal authorities to rerun the VAT inspection for the same period using a new inspection team. In the interim period, debt enforcement actions against RMGC have been withdrawn. The new VAT inspection commenced on October 12, 2016.

RMGC remains subject to an investigation by the Romanian National Agency for Fiscal Administration (ANAF) which Gabriel considers is abusive in nature and has been initiated by the Romanian authorities in retaliation to the filing of the ICSID Arbitration.

During Q3 2016, the Group sold a gyratory crusher, originally procured for the Project between 2007 and 2009, for gross proceeds of approximately $2.6 million and continues, through its agents, to procure the sale of additional long lead-time equipment.

As at September 30, 2016, the Company held $66.7 million of cash and cash equivalents.

The Q3 2016 financial statements reflect an operating loss for the period of $7.4 million (Q2 2016 $3.9 million) which, together with debt financing costs and a one-off, non-cash, loss recognition of $34.4 million to comply with technical accounting rules in respect of the Private Placement, resulted in a loss for the period of $42.0 million (Q2 2016 ($8.9 million).

Jonathan Henry, Gabriels President and Chief Executive Officer, stated:

The failure of Romania to engage in the development of a world class mining project at RoEia MontanA continues to disappoint Gabriel. The Company has been left with no alternative but to deploy significant resources to pursue the ICSID Arbitration claim against Romania. Despite the abusive and unlawful VAT Assessment levied against RMGC being overturned and rather than address the positive impact that the mine can deliver for Romania, the Romanian State, through its agencies and authorities, is continuing to commit discriminatory, abusive and arbitrary acts against the Company and its investments. The Company remains fully financed to safeguard its rights and investments in Romania and is thus concentrating its efforts on the progression of the ICSID Arbitration.

Further information and commentary on the operations and results in the third quarter of 2016 is given below. The Company has filed its Unaudited Condensed Interim Consolidated Financial Statements and Managements Discussion & Analysis on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and each is available for review on the Companys website at www.gabrielresources.com.

For information on this press release, please contact:

Jonathan Henry President & Chief Executive Officer Mobile: +44 7798 801783 jh@gabrielresources.com Max Vaughan Chief Financial Officer Mobile: +44 7823 885503 max.vaughan@gabrielresources.com Richard Brown Chief Commercial Officer Mobile: +44 7748 760276 richard.brown@gabrielresources.com

Further Information

Status of the ICSID Arbitration

The ICSID Arbitration seeks compensation for all of the loss and damage suffered by the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Gabriel Resources (Jersey) Ltd. (together Claimants), resulting from the Romanian States wrongful conduct and its breaches of certain bilateral investment treaties which the Romanian Government has entered into.

The Tribunal held its first session by teleconference on August 12, 2016 and, on August 26, the Tribunal issued Procedural Order No.1 establishing certain timelines and procedural rules to be followed during the course of the ICSID Arbitration; this included the position of the Tribunal that all hearings would be held in Washington, D.C. The Tribunal is still to issue a final procedural calendar with specific dates for the filing of submissions by the parties and other necessary procedural matters.

On September 23, 2016, the Tribunal held a hearing to consider requests for certain provisional measures submitted to the Tribunal by the Claimants (the PM Hearing). The provisional measures requests related to (i) the use by the Claimants, their counsel and the Tribunal, among others, of certain categories of documents and information considered classified and/or confidential under Romanian law; (ii) various aspects of the VAT Assessment levied against RMGC; and (iii) certain investigations of RMGC being undertaken by ANAF, a Romanian government agency operating under the Ministry of Public Finance, a government department which is also charged with organizing and overseeing Romanias defense of the ICSID Arbitration, as further described below. The Tribunal did not indicate a timeframe for the issuance of its pending decisions in regard to the matters addressed during the PM Hearing.

Despite the initiation of the ICSID Arbitration, the Company continues to remain open to engagement with the Romanian authorities in order to achieve an amicable resolution of the dispute. Notwithstanding, Gabriel will continue to protect its rights and investments in Romania, including support to RMGC in respect of any abusive, illegal, or retaliatory conduct by the Romanian authorities and, so far as reasonably practical and desirable, ensuring that existing licenses and permits remain in good standing.

RMGC Investigations

As previously announced by the Company, ANAF raised the VAT Assessment against RMGC in July 2016 demanding the repayment of VAT deductions claimed by RMGC in the period 2011 to 2016.

In mid-September 2016, ANAF issued a further demand against RMGC in respect of interest and penalties payable on the VAT Assessment in the amount of RON 15.9 million ($5.1m). RMGC challenged the VAT Assessment and immediately prior to the PM Hearing the Claimants were notified that ANAF had decided to partially quash the VAT Assessment. Pursuant to this decision, the Company is advised that neither the VAT Assessment nor the associated interest and penalties are due for payment by RMGC, and that the VAT inspection will be re-run for the same period but using a new inspection team. The debt recovery actions against RMGC that had been initiated by ANAF have accordingly been withdrawn. As of October 12, 2016 a new VAT inspection had commenced.

In parallel with the VAT Assessment, a separate directorate of ANAF has continued to pursue an ad hoc investigation of a broad range of operational activities and transactions of RMGC over an extensive period spanning 1997 to 2016 (the ANAF Investigation). For over twelve months, ANAF has demanded that RMGC provide voluminous amounts of information and explanations in respect of, amongst other matters, transactions with its suppliers and financing transactions of RMGC. Although RMGC is cooperating in good faith with the ANAF Investigation, Gabriel believes that there is no justification for the ANAF Investigation, that the breadth and depth of ANAFs demands are intentionally abusive, and that it has been initiated in an attempt to harm RMGC and the Claimants in view of the dispute with the Romanian State and the Claimants filing of the ICSID Arbitration. Accordingly, the Claimants have brought this matter to the attention of the Tribunal as Gabriel continues to consider that such actions further evidence the discriminatory acts and bad faith conduct of the Romanian authorities with regard to the Companys investment in Romania.

Long Lead-Time Equipment

Long lead-time equipment comprised of crushing and milling equipment was originally procured by the Group between 2007 and 2009. Since delivery, the long lead-time equipment has been stored in various warehouse locations which, with non-material exceptions, are outside of Romania and are held in accordance with both the original manufacturers and current insurers recommended storage requirements.

Due to the combined status of the Project permitting and the ICSID Arbitration the Company recognized an impairment of the long lead-time equipment of $33.0 million at December 31, 2015, with the remaining book value transferred to assets held for sale.

During Q3 2016, the Group sold a gyratory crusher for gross proceeds of US$2.0 million (approx. $2.6 million) and, after sales commission, recorded a net gain on disposal of $0.6 million. The Company continues, through its agents, to procure the sale of the additional long lead-time equipment.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity

Excluding cash flows from fundraising activities and those from the sale of long lead-time equipment, the Companys average monthly cash usage during Q3 2016 was $1.3 million, including costs in respect of the ICSID Arbitration (Q2 2016 monthly average: $2.0 million, Q1 2016 monthly average: $1.5 million). At the third quarter end, accruals for costs in respect of the ICSID Arbitration amounted to $3.4 million (Q2 2016 $1.0 million)

Capital Resources

Cash and cash equivalents at September 30, 2016 amounted to $66.7 million, including the $40.625 million raised from the Private Placement.

Financial Performance

The net loss for the third quarter of 2016 was $42.0 million, significantly impacted by a one-off, non-cash, loss recognition of $34.4 million recorded in compliance with technical accounting rules applied to the Private Placement. This charge arises as sizeable increases in the price of gold and global gold/mining indices were reflected in the Companys share price, which increased significantly during the documentation, finalization and closing period for the Private Placement, and resulted in the equity components (the warrants and convertible notes) being in-the-money on the date that the transaction closed (July 14, 2016) relative to the pricing negotiated with the investors and determined in accordance with price protection rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Project Development (including Permitting and Litigation)

The annual meeting of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) took place in Paris on October 24 to 26, 2016 where it was confirmed that the Rosia Montana Mining Cultural Landscape, an area that includes the Project footprint, had been added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site tentative list. Neither Gabriel nor RMGC have been notified of, or consulted on, such matter.

In the context of the above disclosures concerning the ICSID Arbitration, the lack of Romanian Government engagement on the Project and the change in core focus of the Company, readers are advised to refer to the Annual Information Form of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2015 (AIF) published on March 29, 2016, for information relating to the status of the Project, the exploitation license (License) relating thereto, the Companys exploration and development activities in Romania, the Project approval and permitting process, legal proceedings concerning the Project and reported gold and silver resources and reserves. Except as disclosed in the Companys public filings thereafter, there has been no material change in that information from the date of publication of the AIF to the date of this press release. The Company has filed its AIF and 2016 quarterly Managements Discussion & Analysis on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and each is available for review on the Companys website at www.gabrielresources.com.

About Gabriel

Gabriel is a Toronto Stock Exchange listed Canadian resource company. The Companys principal focus has been the exploration and development of the RoEia MontanA gold and silver project in Romania. The Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Europe, is situated in the South Apuseni Mountains of Transylvania, Romania, an historic and prolific mining district that since pre-Roman times has been mined intermittently for over 2,000 years. The License for the Project is held by RoEia MontanA Gold Corporation S.A., a Romanian company in which Gabriel owns an 80.69% equity interest, with the 19.31% balance held by Minvest RoEia MontanA S.A., a Romanian state-owned mining company. It is anticipated that the Project would bring over US$24 billion (at US$1,200/oz gold) to Romania as potential direct and indirect contribution to GDP and generate thousands of employment opportunities.

Since the grant of the License in June 1999, the Company has focused substantially all of its management and financial resources on the exploration, feasibility and subsequent development of the Project. Despite the Companys fulfilment of its legal obligations and its development of the Project as a high-quality, sustainable and environmentally-responsible mining project, using best available techniques, Romania has blocked and prevented implementation of the Project without due process and without compensation.Accordingly, the Companys current core focus is the ICSID Arbitration.

For more information please visit the Companys website at www.gabrielresources.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information (also referred to as forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about managements current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of the Companys operating environment. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements.

In this press release, forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that may cause the Companys actual financial results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied herein. Some of the material factors or assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the uncertainties associated with: the ICSID Arbitration, actions by the Romanian Government, conditions or events impacting the Companys ability to fund its operations or service its debt, exploration, development and operation of mining properties and the overall impact of misjudgments made in good faith in the course of preparing forward-looking information.

Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors including those set out below, that may never materialize, prove incorrect or materialize other than as currently contemplated which could cause the Companys results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as expects, is expected, anticipates, believes, plans, projects, estimates, assumes, intends, strategy, goals, objectives, potential, possible or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events, conditions or results may, could, would, should, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of fact and may be forward-looking statements.

Numerous factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation:

the duration, required disclosure, costs, process and outcome of the ICSID Arbitration against Romania;

changes in the liquidity and capital resources of Gabriel, and the group of companies of which it is parent (Gabriel Group);

access to funding to support the Gabriel Groups continued ICSID Arbitration and/or operating activities in the future;

equity dilution resulting from the conversion or exercise of existing securities in part or in whole to Common Shares;

the ability of the Company to maintain a continued listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange or any regulated public market for trading securities;

the impact on business strategy and its implementation in Romania of: unforeseen historic acts of corruption, uncertain fiscal investigations; uncertain legal enforcement both for and against the Gabriel Group and political and social instability;

regulatory, political and economic risks associated with operating in a foreign jurisdiction including changes in laws, governments and legal regimes and interpretation of existing and future fiscal and other legislation ;

volatility of currency exchange rates, metal prices and metal production;

the availability and continued participation in operational or other matters pertaining to the Gabriel Group of certain key employees and consultants; and

risks normally incident to the exploration, development and operation of mining properties.

This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Companys forward-looking statements.

Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and investors should not infer that there has been no change in the Companys affairs since the date of this press release that would warrant any modification of any forward-looking statement made in this document, other documents periodically filed with or furnished to the relevant securities regulators or documents presented on the Companys website. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of assumptions or factors, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to the Companys disclosure obligations under applicable Canadian securities regulations. Investors are urged to read the Companys filings with Canadian securities regulatory agencies including Gabriels Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2015, which can be viewed online at www.sedar.com.


VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Nov. 9, 2016) -

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES.

Rise Resources Inc. (CSE:UPP)(OTC PINK:RYES) ("Rise" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the due diligence work on the United States property acquisition announced on October 6, 2016 is underway. The Company has hired U.S. legal and professional land services firms to conduct title and legal searches on the property, and anticipates this work to be complete on or before November 30, 2016. As described in the Company's October 6, 2016 news release, the Company has arranged the purchase of a substantial area of private land in the United States which hosts a significant historic gold mine, and plans to release further details regarding the project upon closing of the transaction.

In addition, and further to the aforementioned news release, Rise wishes to announce that it has decided to expand the scope of its ongoing non-brokered $0.20 unit private placement (the "Private Placement") to include existing shareholders of the Company under the provisions of BC Instrument 45-354 and similar instruments in other jurisdictions of Canada (the "Existing Shareholder Exemption") and new investors under Multilateral CSA Notice 45-318 ("CSA 45-318") and the corresponding instruments, orders and rules implementing CSA 45-318 in the participating jurisdictions, including BC Instrument 45-536 (the "Investment Dealer Exemption").

The Company has set November 8, 2016 as the record date for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to participate in the Private Placement in reliance on the Existing Shareholder Exemption, and qualifying shareholders who wish to participate should contact the Company using the information set forth below. The Existing Shareholder Exemption limits shareholders to a maximum investment of $15,000 every 12 months unless the shareholder has obtained advice regarding the suitability of the investment and, if the shareholder is resident in a jurisdiction of Canada, that advice has been obtained from a person that is registered as an investment dealer in the jurisdiction. If Rise receives subscriptions from investors relying on the Existing Shareholder Exemption exceeding the maximum offering amount, the Company will allocate the units pro-rata among all such investors.

In order for the Company to rely on the Investment Dealer Exemption, each investor must purchase the shares as principal and obtain advice regarding the suitability of the investment from a person that is registered as an investment dealer in the jurisdiction in which the investor is resident.

In connection with these developments, Rise has also agreed to increase the size of the transferable share purchase warrant underlying each unit issuable in the Private Placement from a half warrant to a full warrant, with the result that the Private Placement now consists of up to 17,500,000 units at a price of $0.20 per unit for gross proceeds of up to $3,500,000, with each unit comprised of one share of the Company's common stock and one share purchase warrant exercisable into one share of common stock at a price of $0.40 for a period of two years from the date of issuance. There is no minimum subscription amount. Rise expects to use US$2,000,000 of the proceeds for the purchase of the private land in the United States as described above, $350,000 to complete an NI 43-101-compliant technical report on the property, and the balance of the funds for general working capital purposes.

In addition to the Existing Shareholder Exemption and Investment Dealer Exemption, Rise plans to conduct the Private Placement in reliance on other available exemptions from the prospectus requirements of applicable securities legislation, including sales to accredited investors and close personal friends and business associates of directors and officers of the Company. All securities issued in connection with the Private Placement, including any finder's warrants, will be subject to statutory hold periods in accordance with applicable United States and Canadian securities laws for a minimum of six months.

There is no material fact or material change about the Company that has not been generally disclosed.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States. The securities referenced herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States except in compliance with one or more exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

About Rise Resources Inc.

Rise is a mineral exploration company. The Company's focus is on advanced mineral projects with demonstrated continuity and the majority of their value in precious metals. Rise also has several exploration properties in British Columbia, Canada which it is evaluating. Rise was incorporated in Nevada, USA in 2007 and maintains its head office in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

On behalf of the Board of Directors:

Benjamin Mossman, CEO and Director

Rise Resources Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. In particular, forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the acquisition of the property, the completion of the Private Placement and the use of proceeds therefrom.

Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to certain factors including, without limitation, obtaining all necessary approvals, expenditure and financing requirements, title matters, operating hazards, metal prices, political and economic factors, competitive factors, general economic conditions, relationships with vendors and strategic partners, governmental regulation and supervision, seasonality, technological change, industry practices, and one-time events that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information contained in this release. Rise undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements or information except as required by law.
The exact opposite, actually. Pretty obvious that Podesta was sent in to get everyone out before news of the concession spread to the crowd at large, lest an incident happen. Also she didn't want to face the people because she would've been booed down.
On Tuesday evening, former Scio resident Todd Gregory kept a close eye on a large computer screen set up at Calapooia Brewing in Albany. He wanted to learn if recreational marijuana production and sales were going to be allowed in Linn County and the City of Albany.

He was not disappointed, as a county measure to block retail recreational marijuana production and sales was denied by voters. A yes vote on Measure 22-146 would mean the county would retain a ban on production and sales. A no vote meant it would be overturned.

In early ballot returns, there were 26,044 no votes to 23,246 yes votes.

Albany and North Albany residents voted 12,766 to 8,820 to approve sales. Albany residents also approved a 3 percent tax on marijuana sales, with 16,606 yes votes to 4,868 no votes.

Gregory said he has operated a marijuana operation called Epic Flower in Marion County for nearly two years. He employs four full-time employees and said he would like to create similar family-wage jobs in Linn County.

A former tax attorney and energy consultant, Gregory sees recreational marijuana production as a business opportunity and a way for rural communities to recoup some of the income lost by the decline of the timber industry.

I look at this much like the high tech industry of the 1990s, he said. There is a lot of creative ingenuity coming together, including people with business acumen and financial experience to launch new legitimate businesses.

Gregory said he could invest as much as $400,000 to develop a recreational marijuana business.

Bringing a product like marijuana to the retail market that violates federal law is a complicated proposition. There are substantial risks, said Roger Nyquist, chairman of the Linn County Board of Commissioners. We thought the decision was so important that it should be left to the voters of Linn County to determine. The people of Linn County have spoken on this issue; we will now attempt to implement the results of this election in a way that represents all parties involved.

Linn County commissioners previously zoned an area west of Albany on Highway 34 for recreational marijuana production and sales. It will remain illegal elsewhere in the county.

The commissioners, including John Lindsey and Will Tucker, have been solidly against allowing recreational marijuana sales and production and are especially concerned that marijuana and edibles will increasingly be used by local children.

Albany City Councilors Ray Kopczynski and Dick Olsen were pleased with Tuesdays election results. The duo founded a PAC to support a Keep Albany Open for Business campaign in support of recreational marijuana.

Kopczynski said he has not used marijuana since his days in the military 50 years ago, but he believes it is something the community wants and therefore should be supported by the council.

He did grow three marijuana plants at his home this summer and gave it away to veterans, which he said would remain legal even if recreational sales were banned.

Kopczynski said he has done a lot of research about the marijuana issues and believes there are benefits for veterans and others.

We have had legal medical marijuana dispensaries and to my knowledge, we havent had any problems, he said.

He also believes it will be good for the local economy, although he doesnt believe it will generate the large amount of tax dollars some people think it will.

It makes a lot of sense to end prohibition of recreational marijuana, Councilor Dick Olsen said. Prohibition has always been a boon to organized crime.

Recreational marijuana issues were also decided upon in numerous Linn County cities.

Results as of 9:30 p.m. were:

Brownsville: Prohibit marijuana: 388 yes, 389 no; Tax: 603 yes, 160 no.

Gates: Tax marijuana: 15 yes, 7 no.

Halsey: Prohibit marijuana: 186 yes, 165 no; Tax: 290 yes, 59 no.

Harrisburg: Prohibit marijuana: 666 yes, 540 no; Tax: 961 yes, 237 no.

Lebanon: Prohibit marijuana: 2,470 yes, 3,488 no. Tax: 4,692 yes, 1,229 no.

Lyons: Prohibit marijuana, 244 yes, 201 no.

Mill City: Prohibit marijuana, 252 yes, 231 no. Tax: 402 yes, 76 no.

Millersburg: Prohibit marijuana: 569 yes, 421 no.

Sweet Home: Prohibit marijuana: 1,373 yes, 1,822 no. Tax: 2,447 yes, 765.
David Becker, founder and director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, regarding various groups attempts to create uncertainty in the elections systems to further their own political agendas through doubt and mistrust. The majority of candidates running for top election offices in their state oppose hand counting ballots, which is more expensive, more time-consuming and more error prone than using machines to tabulate the vote, according to the Associated Press. (Governing  Nov. 2, 2022)
The GOP added to its stunning victory in the presidential race by flipping three gubernatorial seats on election night. One potential bright spot for Democrats is that they may have narrowly ousted their biggest gubernatorial target this year: North Carolinas Pat McCrory.Going into Election Day, Republicans made up a historically large 31-18 majority of governors. (There's one independent, Alaska's Bill Walker.)Of the 12 gubernatorial races on Tuesday, Republicans won six, Democrats won five, and one is likely headed for a recount.Prior to the election, we considered seven of the 12 gubernatorial races as tossups. The GOP was able to flip three of them. In Missouri, Eric Greitens won a Democratic-held open seat to replace term-limited Jay Nixon. In Vermont, the normally blue state opted for a moderate Republican governor, Phil Scott, to replace Peter Shumlin, who chose not to run for re-election. And in New Hampshire, Republican Chris Sununu flipped the Democratic-held governorship that's currently held by Maggie Hassan, who's in a tight race for the U.S. Senate.In a close race, Montana Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock held on for another term, defeating Republican challenger Greg Gianforte.Democrats can take some comfort in the result in North Carolina, where Democrat Roy Cooper was about 4,000 votes ahead of McCrory, whose tenure has been controversial for implementing a strongly conservative agenda, including a bathroom bill. The race likely heads to a recount, but Cooper has the edge.In another silver lining for Democrats, the party managed to maintain the governors mansion in West Virginia, with Jim Justice winning even as Donald Trump rolled to an easy victory in the state.The only other tossup race going into the election was in Indiana, where Democrats had high hopes of taking the seat being vacated by Trumps running mate, Mike Pence. In the end, buoyed by Trumps victory in the state, Republican Eric Holcomb held the seat for the GOP.The other contests went as expected -- Republican Gary Herbert was re-elected in Utah, Doug Burgum won a GOP-held open seat in North Dakota, Democratic incumbents Kate Brown in Oregon and Jay Inslee in Washington state won new terms, and Democrat John Carney successfully held an open seat for his party in Delaware.
Voters Approve Big Bond Measures

Soda Taxes Win

Meet the New Mayors

City and county elections seldom seized the political spotlight this year, but Tuesday saw a number of results that will reverberate far beyond local borders.Despite Donald Trump's resonant call for "law and order," several prosecutors and law enforcement officials who were castigated for harsh criminal justice policies were defeated.Joe Arpaio, the longtime sheriff of Maricopa County, Ariz. -- and a prominent Trump supporter -- was defeated by Paul Penzone, a retired police sergeant. Arpaio, first elected in 1992, was well-known nationally for his tough-on-immigrants stance but recently faced a federal contempt charge over racial profiling. Meanwhile, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery is ahead in his race, but there are a number of absentee ballots yet to count.Montgomery was one of three prosecutors targeted by wealthy liberal donor George Soros for defeat. The other two were defeated. Republican incumbent Mark Ober of Hillsborough, County, Fla., which includes Tampa, was beaten by Democratic Andrew Warren, a former federal prosecutor. Devon Anderson, the Republican incumbent in Harris County, Texas, which includes Houston, lost to Democrat Kim Ogg, a former felony prosecutor. Warren and Ogg both pledged to embrace criminal justice reform, promising to show less prosecutorial zeal than their rivals on matters ranging from marijuana busts to seeking the death penalty.In Colorado, Beth McCann, a Democratic state representative who won the district attorney's race, vowed to address disproportionate incarceration affecting racial minorities.These shifts among prosecutors follow similar outcomes this year in primaries in Chicago, Cleveland, Orlando and Jacksonville, where incumbents were ousted due in large part to opposition from the Black Lives Movement and other racial justice groups.Voters approved scores of local measures around the country, including billions of dollars worth of bonds.Voters in three Bay Area counties approved a $3.5 billion bond measure for BART, the San Francisco area's subway system, overcoming a two-thirds vote requirement.A transportation sales tax in Los Angeles, which will raise $860 million a year, was running just ahead of the two-thirds threshold required as of press time. Voters in L.A. also approved a property tax hike to pay for $1.2 billion worth of bonds. The money will be used to build 10,000 units of affordable housing, as well as supportive housing for the homeless.Similarly, a $258 million housing bond won approval from voters in Portland, Ore. The measure will increase property taxes in order to build an estimated 1,300 units of affordable housing units, meant to alleviate the strain on low-income residents of one of the nation's hottest real estate markets.The policy fight that drew the most attention involved sodas.Soda tax measures passed in four cities. The local measures saw a total of more than $50 million in spending, with soda makers hoping to stave off what they see as a threat to their product sales. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was among the big donors in favor of the taxes.Voters in San Francisco, Oakland and Albany, Calif., approved measures to impose a penny-per-ounce tax on sugary drinks. Boulder, Colo., voters approved a measure calling for a 2-cent-per-ounce tax.Those cities now join Philadelphia and Berkeley, Calif., where voters approved soda taxes in previous years.On Tuesday, Berkeley voters approved a measure allowing the city council to grant the right to vote to 16 and 17 year olds in school board elections. Two Maryland municipalities already allow minors under the age of 18 to vote in local elections. San Francisco voters, however, rejected a similar measure.Two big-city mayors survived serious reelection challenges on Tuesday. Carlos Giminez won another term as Miami-Dade County mayor, beating back Raquel Regalado, a school board member. In Honolulu, Mayor Kirk Caldwell prevailed in a runoff against former U.S. Rep. Charles Djou.There was no surprise in the mayoral elections in Baltimore and Wilmington, Del. After winning their respective Democratic primaries, Maryland state Sen. Catherine Pugh and Delaware developer Mike Purzycki were considered shoo-ins.In Fresno, Calif., City Council member Lee Brand appears to have defeated County Supervisor Henry Perea in the mayor's race, but there are still a number of absentee and provisional ballots to count.In Richmond, Va., early returns showed former Commonwealth Secretary Levar Stoney winning a majority of the city's council districts, which is necessary to avoid a runoff. If a runoff occurs, it will not include Joe Morrissey. Morrissey was the initial frontrunner, despite having spent time in jail last year on sex offense charges, after pleading guilty to the delinquency of a minor.There will be a runoff in Baton Rouge, La., where Mayor Kip Holden opted not to seek a second term. The city was rocked this past summer by killings involving peace officers, both as shooters and victims, as well as severe flooding.Democrat Sharon Weston Broome, a former state senator, finished just ahead of Republican state Sen. Bodi White, atop a large field. The two will proceed to a runoff election on Dec. 10.Vincent Gray, a former mayor of Washington, scored a partial comeback on Tuesday, winning a seat on the City Council two years after being unseated by Mayor Muriel Bowser. Bowser had a tough night, with most of the candidates she supported for council seats losing.
Democrats went into this election controlling the governorship, Senate and House in just seven states -- that was their lowest number since the Civil War, when there were 15 fewer states. Now, they control just five states.Democratic hopes of taking back power in a number of states formerly considered blue were dashed Tuesday night."In short, Republicans bested expectations," noted Dan Diorio, an elections analyst with the National Conference of State Legislatures. "Having already reached the peak of control in party history, Republicans will maintain a similar level of control in a year when many expected Democrats to net seats and chambers."Republicans not only picked up the Kentucky House and the Iowa Senate but unseated the top Democratic leaders in both those chambers, Kentucky Speaker Greg Stumbo and Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal Republicans also appeared to have picked up the two seats they needed to take control of the Minnesota Senate, although two races appear to be heading to recounts.The Kentucky House was the last chamber controlled by Democrats in the South."This is just Kentucky catching up with the South and the Midwest," said Stephen Voss, a political scientist at the University of Kentucky. "The puzzle is not how the Republicans took over. The puzzle is how Democrats were able to hold out here so much longer than they did in the surrounding states."Their gains in Iowa and Kentucky mean the GOP has won the trifecta in those states, controlling the governorship and both legislative chambers. Results are still pending in some chambers, but next year Republicans will control all the political branches of state government in fully half the states.That number now includes Missouri and New Hampshire, where the GOP defended its legislative majorities and won the governorships."I've got to tell you, it's a beautiful day to be a Republican in the great state of New Hampshire," state party chair Jennifer Horn told an election night crowd.Democrats, by contrast, now have total control of just California, Delaware, Hawaii, Oregon and Rhode Island.Republicans tied up the Delaware Senate, but newly-elected Democratic Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long will break that tie.Republicans also pulled off a tie in the state Senate in Connecticut, formerly a Democratic trifecta state. The victory by GOP Lt. Gov. Phil Scott in the Vermont governor's race puts a Republican check on Democratic power there as well.On paper, Democrats now control Washington state, but state Sen. Tim Sheldon will continue to caucus with the GOP, continuing the Republican Party's narrow control of the state Senate.Democrats had hoped to win back control of the Minnesota House, where power had swung between the parties every two years of President Obama's tenure. But the GOP appears to have picked up a couple of seats, pairing with their victories in the state Senate.Republicans successfully defended their narrow majorities in other chambers they won in 2014, including the Colorado, New Hampshire and West Virginia senates.What's more, Republicans maintained legislative supermajorities in Indiana and North Carolina, where Democrats hoped they could win enough seats at least to uphold vetoes if their candidates won for governor. (That failed to happen in Indiana but did happen in North Carolina, pending a recount.)There were other states where Republicans padded the score. In 2014, the GOP rang up its biggest majority in the Wisconsin House since the 1950s. They appear to have gained a seat in both chambers on Tuesday, although some results are still pending.In Nevada, Democrats succeeded in erasing GOP majorities in both chambers, which had looked tenuous from the time Republicans won them in 2014. Democrats also took back the state House in New Mexico.On Wednesday, a group of 17 Democrats formalized a coalition with three Republicans and two independents that will control the Alaska House. Democrat Bryce Edgmon will serve as Speaker.Democrats also picked up 13 seats in the Kansas House. That's far from a majority, but some conservative Republicans were successfully targeted by moderates in the August primaries, while others were defeated on Tuesday."A red part of the country was moving back toward the center," said University of Kansas political scientist Burdett Loomis.One oddity: Democrats picked up the sole seat held by a Republican in the Hawaii Senate. They will enjoy not just control but unanimity in that chamber.But that won't help much nationwide, with the GOP continuing its dominance of state politics.
It will be cold comfort, but the Democrats actually did pretty well on election night in the lieutenant governor races that werent run as part of a ticket.The Democrats flipped one GOP-held lieutenant governor seat in Vermont. In something of an oddity, Republicans managed to flip Vermonts Democratic-held governorship, yet Democrat David Zuckerman flipped the GOP-held lieutenant governor seat vacated by the gubernatorial winner, Phil Scott.The other four races maintained the status quo.Republican Mike Parson won a GOP-held open seat in Missouri, while North Carolina Republican Dan Forest was elected to another term as lieutenant governor.However, Democrats held fast with two open lieutenant governor seats -- Cyrus Habib in Washington state and Bethany Hall-Long in Delaware.
California: Proposition 63

Washington State: Initiative 1491

Tuesday's election was -- if nothing else -- a win for gun control advocates.In Maine and Nevada, voters considered doing what Congress hasn't: requiring criminal background checks before people can buy guns. The measure passed in Nevada but failed in Maine.Gun safety proposals also succeeded in California and Washington state, where voters approved measures that seek to keep guns and ammunition out of the hands of violent people.Under federal law, licensed gun dealers must run background checks, but for people who sell at gun shows and over the internet, background checks are optional. According to public opinion surveys, more than 80 percent of Americans favor so-called universal background checks, but federal legislation has languished in Congress. Most recently, in June, the U.S. Senate rejected a bill in a 44-56 vote.In the absence of a national law, eight states -- California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington state -- had enacted universal background checks before the 2016 election. In five of those states, Democratic governors signed background-check legislation in the wake of an elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn., that left 26 adults and children dead.In Maine and Nevada, both state's Republican governors opposed universal background checks. But voters broke from their leadership in Nevada, where the measure passed with a margin of less than 1 percent.Two years ago, Washington state made history by becoming the nation's first state to enact new gun regulations by popular vote. Given that success and the passage of more voter-approved proposals this year, gun control ballot measures could become more common.In states where lawmakers have not moved fast enough, or at all, we definitely think this is going to be a good model, said Ari Freilich, a staff attorney at the San Francisco-based Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which endorsed the California and Washington state ballot measures.Besides the proposals in Maine and Nevada, ballot measures in California and Washington state added further restrictions on guns and ammunition.The proposition before California voters was an extensive package of reforms, but the provision that received the most attention requires people to pass background checks before they purchase ammunition.The measure also bans ammunition magazines capable of storing more than 10 rounds, establishes criminal penalties for gun owners who fail to report a lost or stolen firearm and sets up a process for removing guns from residents who have recently been convicted of felonies or other serious crimes.Nearly 63 percent of voters approved the measure. The proposition had some high-profile endorsements from Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and both of the state's U.S. senators, but it also drew criticism from groups representing local law enforcement.In a public statement, Ken Corney, president of the California Police Chiefs Association, said the proposition fails to meet the appropriate balance between public safety and individual gun rights. One provision, for example, could have the unintended consequence of prohibiting police recruits from training with large-capacity ammunition magazines.Corney said his group preferred a bill passed by the state legislature earlier in the year, partially because it would be easier to amend legislation passed by lawmakers than by voters. Getting a super majority of lawmakers to agree to an exemption for cadets would be almost unattainable when dealing with an issue as controversial as firearms regulation, he wrote.In Washington state, voters decided to empower courts to temporarily take away firearms from people considered to be at high risk of harming themselves or others -- a tactic only one other state uses.Under the measure, law enforcement, family members and housemates can petition the courts to prevent someone who poses a violent threat from possessing or purchasing a gun for up to one year.California was the only state that already had a law like that, but the general idea borrows from the more widespread practice of prohibiting convicted domestic violence abusers from buying or possessing firearms. Legislators in at least 11 states plan to introduce bills next year that will be similar to what Washington's voters approved.Although the idea is popular among gun-control advocates, the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence has criticized the California law for having a design flaw: Officers are not required to make sure that people actually relinquish their guns. Instead, California has relied on an honor system in the hopes that people would voluntarily comply with the court orders.The Washington state version addresses that enforcement problem and require officers to provide a record of surrendered firearms to the courts and the gun owner. If it appears that the person didn't surrender his firearms, the court can issue a search warrant for the missing guns.
On Tuesday, in the morning, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC officially opened the KJ McPherson Education and Research Foundation Patrons Day and addressed guests.

In the evening, at the Concert Hall, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, the Governor attended the Australian Brandenburg Orchestras performance with Avi Avital.
LEBANON  Mayor Paul Aziz and Councilor Jason Bolen appeared to be successful in keeping their seats on the Lebanon City Council in early returns Tuesday.

Both incumbents had close to double the number of votes over their challengers with 68 percent of votes tallied.

Forest Bosley, who had challenged Aziz for the mayoral job, said he wasn't yet ready to give up on his own race, but was at least pleased to see one of his main issues  acceptance of marijuana sales as a possible source of economic development  passing with voters whether or not he prevails.

"I do believe that's progress in the right direction," he said.

In contrast, former city manager John Hitt, who had filed for Bolen's Ward 3 city council slot, said he was ready to concede. However, he said he remains open to the idea of staying involved in local politics, at least to some degree.

Bolen will continue to do a fine job in his role, he said. "We're all living in the same town and we want to have good things happen here."

Aziz could not immediately be reached, but Bolen, watching results on a computer at his house, thanked voters for their support and said he has great respect for his opponent.

"I'm excited to get back to work," he said.
Description

GIS - 09 November, 2016: The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Mauritius to the United Nations in Geneva, H.E Mr Israhyananda Dhalladoo, presented his Letters of Credence on 1 September 2016, to H.E Mr Johann Schneider-Ammann, President of the Swiss Confederation accrediting him as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Mauritius to Switzerland, with residence in Geneva.

The accreditation of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Mauritius in Geneva to the Swiss Confederation is a major step towards enhancing, in a distinctive manner, the Mauritius-Switzerland bilateral relations in targeted key areas of cooperation.

The Mauritius Embassy in Geneva will also be providing full consular services and assistance to Mauritius nationals residing in Switzerland and to Swiss nationals as well as other nationals living in Switzerland.

Henceforth, parties requiring consular services will not need to route their requests through the Embassy of the Republic of Mauritius in Paris.
Description

GIS - 09 November, 2016: A monument to mark the 50th Anniversary of The Duke of Edinburghs International Award programme in Mauritius was unveiled on 8 November 2016 at Belle Mare Outdoor Centre, while the winners of the 2016 Award Programme received their Award certificate. The event was chaired by Mr Yogida Sawmynaden, Minister of Youth and Sports.

Mr Sawmynaden underpinned the significance of the Award Programme in the empowerment of youngsters at different levels. Over the years the Award Programme has gained in importance so that the number of schools participating has nearly doubled: from about 30 to about 60 secondary schools. Participants are exposed to numerous activities such as community service, adventure and discovery, rescue, and safety and health which are aimed at developing different qualities.

The Minister put emphasis on the multi-dimensional development that takes place through enlistment and highlighted the feeling of solidarity and unity that emanates from the various activities proposed in connection to the Award Programme.

Some 350 students from various secondary schools around the country embarked on the Programme this year to engage in the various activities and gain valuable experience.

The Duke of Edinburghs International Award Programme

Introduced in 1966 in Mauritius, The Duke of Edinburghs International Award Programme equips young people for life regardless of their background, culture, physical ability, skills and interests. It is open to young people between the ages of 14 and 25.

The Award concept is one of individual challenge. It presents to young people a balanced, non-competitive programme of voluntary activities which encourages personal discovery and growth, self-reliance, perseverance, responsibility to themselves and service to the community. Going for the Award is a personal challenge; it pushes young people to their personal limits and recognises their achievements consistently.

The basic structure of the Award Programme consists of four mandatory Sections: Service; Adventurous Journey; Skills; and Physical Recreation. There are three levels of Award: Bronze (for those over 14), Silver (for those over 15) and Gold (for those over 16).
SACRAMENTO, Calif.  California CIO Amy Tong and Deputy CIO Chris Cruz have a collective vision for improving both the state's procurement process and its overall relationship with the vendor community.During the State of Technology - California Industry Forum* event held Tuesday, Nov. 8., Tong said extra effort has been made to unify and simplify technology services within the state. And a major and recurring theme in the state procurement arena is one of lengthy contract terms and conditions that pose unnecessary barriers to vendors.Though Tong said the clauses are designed to limit the states exposure to risk, it has created impediments to timely contracting and procurement.Were hoping to do much more in transformation in working with departments such as General Services to enter into what we call IT procurement reform, said Tong, who took on the CIO role just six month ago . The No. 1 hurdle we heard was those terms and conditions, its those lengthy procurement processes.To alleviate some of what Tong called pent-up demand, Cruz said a working group has been established to address issues with contract vehicles. This effort, in addition to other pertinent departments, includes a collection of vendor advisers.What we committed to doing is working with our partners at the Department of General Services, bringing in the legal team, bringing in the advisory board of vendors to make recommendations on how we could streamline our contract vehicles, Cruz said. We think streamlining those services will be a benefit not only to government, but to the vendor community on how we move forward to create those efficiencies and really develop a procurement road map moving forward.Another area where Department of Technology (CDT) duo said they see room for improvement is presenting a unified front for their state customers  the new iteration of CDT will focus more on coordination and less on delivering the same messages multiple times.When we are speaking as the Department of Technology, its a single voice, its a single entity, Tong said. Now that we are here at the Department of Technology, to better serve our customers, the state entities, and be a good partner with them, we want that single voice, that simplicity approach The CIO also hopes to better establish the agency as a trusted resource for those that look to it for assistance. Rather than have state departments doing the legwork that comes with many technology projects, Tong and Cruz said they would like to see their internal partners leveraging CDT expertise.Departments are established to focus on those business needs. Those business needs have a heavy reliance on technology as an enabler, Tong said. And looking at the mission of the Department of Technology, we really wanted to position ourselves and continue to strive to [reach] a level where state entities looking to the Department of Technology as a trusted technical adviser.This more organized approach comes with many potential benefits, Cruz said, the least of which is better bargaining power for the state.Really, tactically in the state, we want to drive to similar price standards. Thats really important in this discussion, ensuring that policies are aligned, that they are aligned with the security framework  and that we are driving tactical solutions. And obviously, volume also drives down costs, the deputy CIO said. We can be more efficient and effective in establishing a return on investment. Were all fiscal stewards for the things that we do, so its very important that we lay out not only a strategic plan, but a tactical plan of how to get there."
(TNS) -- By the time this newspaper is in your hands or on your screen, it will (hopefully) be over. The 2016 presidential election has been called such epic ugliness (by New York Times columnist Frank Bruni), the worst election ever (by Mother Jones) and a horrifying glimpse at Satans Pinterest board (by comedian and political commentator John Oliver).In Hawaii, local elections are like manini schoolyard skirmishes in comparison with the vitriol and brutality of the presidential election. Theyre not on the same fight card. Theyre hardly the same sport.But today there has to be relief that, regardless of outcome, Hawaii can move on to the actual pragmatic concerns of rail, homelessness, taxes and bulky-item pickup. And if were lucky, maybe we can ditch the theoretical rhetoric around this strange idea of transparency.When did that become the measure of a great leader?Some writers have pointed to the post-Bernie Madoff era as the moment when transparency became crucial to citizens burned by the fiscal obfuscation that ultimately resulted in the Great Recession.The ideal of transparency means all information about the workings of government, deals being made and the backgrounds and biases of those in power is both readily available to anyone who seeks it and easily understandable to the average citizen.A more thorough definition is from President Barack Obamas administration, though its worth noting that our outgoing president has been blasted for running an especially secretive administration:Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing.  Executive departments and agencies should harness new technologies to put information about their operations and decisions online and readily available to the public.Transparency is an essential thing in government. But it doesnt trump honesty.Transparency means putting information online and responding to requests for documents. Honesty means telling the truth, even when you havent been asked a question. It means doing the right thing even if nobody ever finds out and you wont get the credit. It means rejecting the canned talking points and saying, I dont know or I was wrong or Im sorry when the situation calls for it.Transparency means theres stuff there to look at if you want to poke around. Honesty means saying, Hey, theres something I need to tell you, before anyone even starts poking.Transparency puts every state employees salary into a searchable database. Honesty means admitting that the highest-paid secretary in the department is indeed the bosss cousin.Integrity means the boss wouldnt hire a cousin to begin with.The Honolulu rail project, with its millions of pages of government documents and hundreds of public meetings, hasnt suffered from a lack of transparency. Its the lack of straight talk  honesty  about what this thing will really cost that has infuriated us.Being honest is much harder than being transparent. Having integrity is hardest of all. Maybe today, with this horror of an election finished, we can stop accepting transparency as a watered-down substitute for truthfulness.
Q: I assume powwow comes from a Native American language, but how did this word spread to all parts of the country when the indigenous peoples spoke so many different languages?

A: Youre right in thinking that powwow was an indigenous American word. Youre also right in suspecting that it wasnt originally used throughout the continent, since Native American tribes did speak many different languages.

The word came into English in the early 17th century from Narragansett, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. This was one of the Eastern Algonquian languages spoken in the coastal Northeast.

To the Narragansetts, who were indigenous to what is now Rhode Island, the word powwow meant a priestthat is, a shaman or healer. The word was also known among the Massachusett Indians.

The meaning in reconstructed proto-Algonquian, according to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.), was one who has visions.

Native American languages were not written until the advent of Europeans, so powwow was first recorded in the 1620s by English colonists who spelled it a variety of ways (powah, powaw, pawawe, etc.).

In the 1630s another meaning of the word was recorded in English, and its the principal meaning today. Heres the OEDs definition: A religious or magical ceremony (especially one with feasting), as well as a council or conference of North American Indians.

This ceremonial sense of powwow apparently originated in English, not in Narragansett, which had other words for meeting (miaawene), religious feast (nakommit), feast or dance (nickommo), and solemn public meeting (esaqunnamun), according to colonial-era glossaries.

As American Heritage explains, the new usage evolved because of the important role played by the healer or holy person in these events.

Today, when speaking in English, some Native American communities themselves use the word powwow to refer to meetings or gatherings held according to the traditional ways of their people, the dictionary adds.

So how did powwow spread from New England to tribes across the continent? Our guess is that the Narragansetts themselves had something to do with it.

Notable as traders and importers of goods from other tribes, the Narragansetts were also trading with the British and Dutch at least as far back as 1623, according to Barry M. Pritzker, in A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples (2000).

The British recorded the word the following year, in 1624 (well get to its use in English later). But its reasonable to assume that powwow spread first from the Narragansetts to neighboring tribes and later to distant ones.

As Pritzker notes, for most of the 17th century the Narragansetts were the dominant tribe in New England. In the mid-1670s, after what is known as King Philips War, many Narragansetts were dispersed among other tribes, and some ended up as far west as Wisconsin. No doubt they took their words along with them.

By 1880, at least thirty tribes were organizing public-invited gatherings, increasingly referred to as powwows,  Craig Harris writes in Heartbeat, Warble, and the Electric Powwow (2016), a book about American Indian music.

But its likely that European settlers and traders who had picked up the word also helped spread it as they traveled across the continent. OED citations show that the use of powwow, in both of its senses, was widespread in the 18th and 19th centuries.

One white settler in particular helped to popularize powwow and to preserve many other Narragansett wordsRoger Williams, the founder of Providence Plantation, an English settlement that welcomed religious dissenters.

It was the Narragansetts, then a powerful and influential tribe, who sold land to Williams in 1636 for the settlement.

Williams was not only a clergyman and a statesman but also a language scholar, and hes responsible for much of what we know of the Narragansett and other Algonquian languages in colonial times.

He said that his book A Key Into the Language of America (1643), a study of the grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of the native people, was framed chiefly after the Narroganset Dialect, because most spoken in the Countrey.

But even before Williams arrived on the scene, powwow had entered English.

When first recorded in English in the 1620s (spelled powah), the word meant a priest, shaman, or healer, according to the OED. This is also what it meant to the Narragansetts. In his book, Williams spelled the word powwaw (plural powwauog) and said that to native speakers it meant priest.

Here is Oxfords earliest citation in English writing:

The office and dutie of the Powah is to bee exercised principally in calling vpon the Divell, and curing diseases of the sicke or wounded. (From Good Newes from New-England, 1624, by Edward Winslow, who acted as the Pilgrims primary negotiator with New England Algonquians, including the Wampanoag, Massachusett, and Narragansett tribes.)

In the following decade the ceremonial meaning of powwow came into English. The earliest example weve found is from A Discourse About Civil Government, a tract written sometime in 1638 or 39 by the clergyman John Davenport:

These very Indians that worship the Devil, will not be under the government of any Sagamores [chiefs] but such as join with them in the observance of their pawawes and idolatries.

(The OED quotes part of this passage, but gives an imprecise date, 1663, and an incorrect author, John Cotton. In his 1702 biography of Davenport, Cotton Mather credits the tract to Davenport and says the name Cotton was substituted for Davenport on the printed tract by a mistake. An 1839 commentary by Leonard Bacon demonstrates convincingly that the tract was written sometime between April 15th, 1638, and June 4th, 1639. The tract was published in 1663, but the title page notes: Written many Years since  And now Published.)

The modern spelling of the word as powwow (often hyphenated, pow-wow) was recorded as early as 1634, according to OED citations, though the spelling fluctuated for a couple of centuries until that became the standard.

A third, and more general, meaning of the word emerged in the early 19th century, defined in the OED as a meeting, a conference, esp. of powerful people; (also) bustle, activity.

The dictionary describes this usage as colloquial and says it first appeared in the US: The Warriors of the Democratic Tribe will hold a powow at Agawam on Tuesday. (From the June 5, 1812, issue of the Salem Gazette in Massachusetts.)

We still use powwow this way, as in this more contemporary example from the OED: A family pow-wow after lunch decided that the afternoon should be spent on a secluded beach. (From a 1987 issue of the Sunday Express Magazine, London.)

Among Native Americans today, powwow usually means a festive get-together celebrating Indian culture, and less commonly a medicine man or woman. Pritzkers Native American Encyclopedia defines it this way:

Powwow: Commonly used to describe a gathering at which native people dance, sing, tell stories, and exchange goods, the term also refers (in a mainly Algonquian context) to a healer or a healing ceremony.

Today the Narragansett language has died out, though revival efforts are under way. Meanwhile, powwow has lived on in other Native American languages as well as in English.

The Narragansetts have lived on too. Today, as Capers Jones writes in The History and Future of Narragansett Bay (2006), their yearly powwow is perhaps the most long-lived Indian meeting on the North American continent. The tribes 341st annual powwow was held in Charleston, RI, last August.

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John Nordine is living proof that the third time is the charm.

That's how many times he tried to enlist in the Army before he was accepted.

The first two times, John was rejected because he was just under 5 feet tall and just under 100 pounds.

The third time John tried, he had a little help from a helpful doctor who measured his height while he was wearing cowboy boots and weighed him with all his clothes on, of which he had plenty.

"I measured five feet and a quarter inch and just over 100 pounds," Nordine laughs.

That was his start in a nine-year Army career, with a year in Vietnam that was bookmarked by two assignments to Korea.

Nordine ended as a staff sergeant and with a lot of memories he is reluctant to share.

"I don't talk about it much," he said. "I have spent the past 30 years trying to forget it."

His father, an Army veteran who was captured in the Philippines at the beginning of World War II, didn't talk about his experiences either. John's father, Carl, survived the Bataan Death March and spent three and a half years in a prisoner of war camp. "I can't remember my father ever talking about his time as a POW," John noted.

John was born in California, and spent time driving truck and some 20 years in the "baby breath" business in Omak.

While in Vietnam, November to November 1966-67, Nordine served on a 10-member reconnaissance team that went out in the northern part of the country looking for enemy forces. They would be out for a week or two.

"We would carry about 60-pound packs that largely held food and extra ammo," Nordine said.

The team would often sleep on the ground, get in firefights, and "then we would walk out, rest, and then do it again," Nordine said.

"When we returned to camp they would have new shoes, clothes, and everything new for us, and we'd just throw our shoes and clothes away," he stated. "The jungle was tough on shoes and clothes and we didn't carry any extra with us because our packs would be too heavy."

John Nordine service photo

Earlier, Nordine had spent a year in Korea where he did patrols near the 38th parallel, the dividing line between South and North Korea. After a year in Vietnam, he returned to the U.S. and then was sent back to Korea for his second tour there.

"On my second tour, I built roads," Nordine said. Winter in Korea was especially tough, he added.

Talking about his 10-member reconnaissance team in Vietnam was particularly tough for Nordine. It started to bring back memories of team members wounded and killed.

"I don't go to reunions or try to communicate with recon members, with one exception," he said. "One of my team members was a friend since I was 9 years old. He lives on the west side, and when I go over there, he is one of the first places I go."

Nordine lives in Electric City, where his son, John Nordine II, is the mayor.
KCR Government In Financial Crisis?

Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao might be making big announcements like demolition and construction of new Secretariat complex at a cost of Rs 350 crore and increasing the budget of irrigation by another Rs 10,000 crore. But, in reality, his government is said to be in deep financial crisis.

According to reports, the Telangana government has issued instructions to the treasuries to stop payments of all bills except salary bills due to shortage of liquid cash.

The Central goverment used to pay Rs 1000 crore every month from the taxes collected but it has reduced it to Rs 450 crore which is causing inconvenience to the state government, say these reports.

The Telangana government has to release Rs 2,000 crore under various schemes which have been stopped. Sources said the bills of the contractors who undertook the work of construction of road and Mission Bhagiratha have also been stopped.

The agencies responsible for supplying mid-day meals to schools have also been asked to stop the work. Old age pensions are likely to be hit very badly. The finance department is said to have written to the Centre to come to its rescue.

It is reported that Telangana received Rs. 6000 crore from April to September from Taxes, out of which only Rs. 550 crore were release. Govt. of India did not specify the reasons for reducing States share. Govt. has to pay Rs. 300 crore to private hospital. Govt. is considering to take necessary steps to enhance income.
The plant consists of three components. A direct air capture unit developed by the Technical Research Center of Finland (VTT) extracts carbon dioxide from air. An electrolysis unit developed by Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) produces the required hydrogen by means of solar power. A microstructured, chemical reactorthe key component of the plantconverts the hydrogen produced from solar power together with carbon dioxide into liquid fuels. This reactor was developed by KIT. The compact plant was developed to maturity and is now being commercialized by KIT spin-off INERATEC .

Partners from Germany and Finland in the SOLETAIR project are building a compact pilot plant for the production of gasoline, diesel and kerosene from solar energy, regenerative hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The plant will be compact enough to fit into a shipping container.

The new power-to-liquid plant will be taken into operation at the BIORUUKKI Piloting Center of VTT this year. In 2017, operation is planned to be continued on the campus of LUT. The SOLETAIR project will be completed in mid-2018. It is funded with 1 million by the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes).

INERATEC GmbH develops, constructs, and sells compact chemical plants for various gas-to-liquid and power-to-liquid applications. The spinoff is supported under the EXIST research transfer program of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

KIT, INERATEC, and VTT plan to extend their cooperation. Under the national research alliances of Energy Lab 2.0 and Neo-Carbon Energy, work will focus on the investigation and development of innovative energy systems based on renewable energy sources, novel storage technologies, and the conversion of renewable energies into chemical energy carriers.

In addition, KIT and INERATEC are contributing their expertise to the Power-to-X Kopernikus project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The main research topics for the P2X project are:
A massive recall of sleep apnea machines is expected to drag into next year. That's caused frustration for U.S. patients and led federal officials to consider rare legal steps to speed the replacement effort. Dutch manufacturer Philips has recalled more than 5 million machines worldwide due to foam that can deteriorate, releasing potentially harmful byproducts. While customers were supposed to receive new machines within a year, the company says shipments will continue into 2023. That's left many U.S. patients to choose between using a recalled device or trying other risky remedies. U.S. regulators have warned they may take the unprecedented step of ordering Philips to step up its effort.
Two years after states around the country passed an unprecedented number of police reforms after the killing of George Floyd, some are struggling to make the new policies stick. The momentum for change has slowed from its earlier frenetic pace. Some of the reforms have been rolled back or at least tweaked after police complained that the new policies were hindering their ability to catch criminals. Legal experts say police killings of Black people over the last decade  epitomized by Floyds killing  have altered the trajectory of policing. But change has come about unevenly in thousands of police departments across the U.S.
One of the most interesting outcomes in yesterday's North Carolina elections was Michael Morgan's upset of state Supreme Court Justice Bob Edmunds.

Morgan's victory effectively flips the court from a 4-3 Republican majority to 4-3 Democratic control, which is obviously very significant. Both parties strongly backed their candidates.

Morgan swam against a current, yet he received more than 54 percent of the vote.

Meanwhile, Republicans swept the five Court of Appeals races on the ballot.

How did it happen? I can't fully explain it but suspect these factors had much to do with it:

 No party label appeared on the ballot with Morgan's and Edmunds' names. The Supreme Court race was nonpartisan, although Morgan is a registered Democrat and Edmunds is a registered Republican.

 Morgan's name appeared before Edmunds'.

 Fewer people voted in the Supreme Court race than in the Court of Appeals contests. A lot fewer.

All these factors are related.

The Republican legislature gambled last year by deciding to attach party labels to candidates in Court of Appeals races, hoping that the Republican brand would be a winner. It turned out that was right.

In partisan races, the Republican candidates' names appeared first. Studies show that confers an advantage of up to 10 points in races where voters lack much information about the candidates. Yet, in the COA contests, they did have information: party affiliation. They voted R.

Lacking information in the Morgan-Edmunds race, some voters may have gone with the first name they saw: Morgan's.

But many chose not to vote at all.

The Supreme Court race drew 3,920,464 votes. In the first COA race, between Phil Berger Jr. and Linda Stephens, 4,398,689 people voted. That was a whopping 478,225 more, a huge difference. Given the partisan advantage generally, most of those votes might have gone to Edmunds if those voters had known he is a Republican.

The voting map shows what an impact partisanship has.

The COA races followed the same pattern as other partisan races in the state. Democrats won the urban counties and a few small rural counties where a large percentage of the electorate is African American. Republicans carried a vast majority of counties overall.

The Morgan-Edmunds race was very different. Morgan won most counties by generally the same 54-46 margin. He won some heavily Republican counties. He lost some, but by narrow margins. In the heavily Democratic counties, he won fewer votes than other Democrats.

(Note: the State Board of Elections pages I linked to in the previous two paragraphs seem to be down at this moment. I hope they'll be restored soon.)

The next Supreme Court race will be in 2018 when Justice Barbara Jackson, a Republican, comes up for election. I'll bet the legislature passes a bill to put party labels on the ballot by then ... and that Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoes it.
Lots of restaurants are offering deals for veterans and active-duty personnel on or around Veterans Day on Friday. Many promotions require a military ID and are only good at participating locations, so it is best to inquire before ordering. All promotions are only on Nov. 11, unless otherwise noted.

Applebees is offering a free meal from a select menu and a $5 coupon (to be redeemed Nov. 12-27).

Baskin-Robbins will donate 11 cents from every scoop to United Service organizations.

Boston Market is giving free brownies to veterans and active-duty personnel and their families.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is offering complimentary Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake during lunch and dinner.

Chicken Salad Chick is offering a free meal valued $9 to $10.

Chipotle is offering buy one, get one free on burritos, bowls, salads and tacos starting at 3 p.m.

Dairy Queen/Orange Julius at 1708 Stanley Road in Greensboro is offering free medium Blizzard Treats.

Fatz Cafe is giving away free Calabash Chicken entrees from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Feeneys Frozen Yogurt Bar is offering a free 4-ounce yogurt creation. Feeneys is at 1603 New Garden Road in Greensboro and 1589 Skeet Club Road in High Point.

Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers is offering a card that can be redeemed anytime through Nov. 30 for free meal combo.

Golden Corral is offering a free meal and drink from 5 to 9 p.m. Nov. 14.

Hooters is offering free meals from a select menu.

IHOP is offering free Red, White and Blue pancakes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Also, anyone donating $1 to the Armed Forces Families Foundation by purchasing a paper icon will get a coupon for a free stack of pancakes.

K&W Cafeterias are offering a free dinner starting at 4 p.m.

Lone Star Steakhouse will donate 10 percent of proceeds to Snowball Express.

LongHorn Steakhouse is offering a free appetizer or dessert. Customers dining with a veteran get 10 percent off their meal.

Moose Cafe is offering all veterans 50 percent off.

Mimis Cafe is offering a free entree from a select menu with the purchase of a nonalcoholic beverage.

Olive Garden is offering a free entree from a select menu.

Panera Bread is offering a free You Pick Two meal with the purchase of a You Pick Two meal.

Red Lobster is offering a free appetizer or dessert from a select menu on Nov. 10 and 11.

Red Robin is offering a free Reds Tavern Double Burger with Bottomless Steak Fries.

Ruby Tuesday is offering a free appetizer with a value of up to $10.

Sagebrush Steakhouse is offering a free meal from a select menu from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Texas Roadhouse is offering a free lunch from a select menu.

TGI Fridays is offering free lunch with a value up to $12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

World of Beer is offering a free select draft beer or $5 off your check.

Grand opening celebration

Amorosos Bakery (336-547-2600), which opened at 5803-A Hunt Club Road in Greensboro in September, is holding a grand opening celebration from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday.

There will be samples and specials, including $1 off cupcakes and cake slices, while supplies last.

Customers can enter a drawing on Friday and Saturday.

The shop, just off Guilford College Road near Quaker Village, is the sister shop for a bakery at 5824 Samet Drive in High Point.

The specials are only available at the Greensboro location.

Coffee with a Cop

On Saturday, law enforcement officers will meet and greet customers at two Greensboro McDonalds restaurants for a community-building event called Coffee with a Cop.

Get a free cup of coffee and talk to officers about what they do, plus share your own thoughts about law enforcement.

Coffee with a Cop will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at McDonalds at 1101 Summit Ave. and 617 Green Valley Road.

Thanksgiving pie sale

The Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management department at Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown is holding its annual Thanksgiving pie sale.

Varieties include pumpkin, apple and pecan.

Each 9-inch pie is $9. Proceeds benefit the Culinary and Hospitality Club, SkillsUSA participants and the Culinary Knowledge Bowl Team.

Deadline to place an order is 5 p.m. Nov. 16. Order forms are available here.

Pies can be picked up between noon and 6 p.m. Nov. 22 at the Joseph S. Koury Hospitality Careers Center at the GTCC Jamestown Campus, 601 E. Main St. in Jamestown.

Pies that are not picked up will be donated to charity.

For additional questions, call (336) 334-4822, Ext. 50452 or email culinarydining@gtcc.edu.
Call it an experience of a lifetime if you wish. Some of us will not be around the next time the Marine Band comes to our town.

Everyone overflowing UNC-Greensboro Auditorium on Oct. 29 enjoyed patriotic music sufficient to last a lifetime.

These Marine musicians made me wish I had worn gloves to protect my clapping hands. That says a lot  I customarily clap three claps and move on.

Kudos to Dr. John R. Locke, UNCG director of bands, for sponsoring the Marine Bands appearance in Greensboro. Host sites are required to jump through many hoops  of both logistics and political correctness. Kudos, too, to the band for inviting Locke to guest conduct a number.

Accommodations for 16 wardrobe trunks was one of the hoops. They must have been high-tech wardrobe trunks  some musicians warmed up in civilian clothes until 7:25 p.m. but had their spiffy uniforms on by show time, 7:30 p.m.

Kudos to the band also for recognizing retired Lt. Col. Jim Hayes, USMC, a Greensboro businessman. Hayes reflected on his time with the band.

Being assigned to Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., was a tremendous honor, but to be selected as executive officer for the band made that tour very special to me, he said. During his 22-year career with the Marines, Hayes also served as an infantry officer with the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Marine Divisions.

Coined The Presidents Own by President Thomas Jefferson, the Marine Band toured the Southeast for the entire month of October. Greensboro was its next to last performance of this years tour.

The band has been performing since 1798, when it was established by an Act of Congress. It has performed for every president except George Washington.

Some presidents have been more closely involved with the Marine Band than others. President Warren G. Harding played trombone with the band; then-Gov. Bill Clinton played saxophone with the band during the 1991 Governors Dinner at the White House; President George W. Bush conducted the band in a performance of The Stars and Stripes Forever in 2008.

President Abraham Lincoln took the band along for his speech at Gettysburg.

Even after his death, President John Kennedy was closely connected to the Marine Band  the Marines led his funeral procession. He once proclaimed, The only force that cannot be transferred from Washington, D.C., without my permission, are members of the Marine Band.

Did John Philip Sousa make the Marine Band famous, or did the band make Sousa famous? The answer would be, Yes.

Sousa was following in his fathers footsteps. Antonio Sousa played trombone with the band from 1854 to 1879. His son, John Philip, was schooled in the Marine Barracks and originally served in the band from 1872 to 1875. Another son, George, joined the band at age 16 and performed for 30 years.

John Philip Sousa came back as the 17th director of the Marine Band from 1880 to 1892. His leadership brought to the band an unprecedented level of excellence. Famous Sousa hits, such as Semper Fidelis, Washington Post and The Stars and Stripes Forever established him regally as The March King, as compared with his contemporary, Johann Strauss Jr., known as The Waltz King.

My concert seatmates had to clue me in on some of the musical numbers.

I reciprocated by explaining the Marine Corps ranks listed in the program  they were not typos after all. GySgt and MGySgt represent gunnery sergeant and master gunnery sergeant in Marine Corps-speak. Those ranks werent around in my day.

The Marine Band is the nations oldest continuously active professional musical organization. The happy birthday song wasnt on its program at UNCG, but the 241st birthday of the Marine Corps is Thursday.

Happy birthday, Marines; we were honored to have you perform in our town.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  The North Carolina governor's race was too close to call early Wednesday, with Republican incumbent Pat McCrory and Democratic challenger Roy Cooper neck-and-neck in an election that mimicked a referendum on the state's rightward political shift, including the law McCrory signed limiting LGBT rights.

With some cast votes yet to be reported, Cooper was only about 3,700 votes ahead of McCrory out of more than 4.6 million counted, according to totals posted by the State Board of Elections.

McCrory told supporters just after midnight that it may be some time before the results are finalized, pointing to uncounted votes and potentially tens of thousands of provisional ballots.

"The election is not over in North Carolina," McCrory said. "We're going to check everything. We're going to make sure every vote counts in North Carolina."

Cooper, the sitting attorney general, focused on the law on LGBT rights during the campaign and used high-profile opposition to it by corporate CEOs, gay rights groups, the NCAA and Atlantic Coast Conference to his political advantage.

McCrory defended signing House Bill 2 last March and tried to focus his campaign on the state's recovering economy and finances during his four years in office, which he attributed to lower income taxes and sound budgeting. Flooding after Hurricane Matthew last month also gave McCrory the opportunity to lead recovery efforts as cameras watched.

The race is one of the most competitive in the country and marks the best chance for Democrats to flip a state led by a Republican chief executive. Libertarian Lon Cecil also was on the ballot and had received more than 100,000 votes, or 2 percent of the vote.

McCrory had appeared to be ahead late Tuesday. But that was before the results of ballots at five early-voting sites in Durham County had been reported to the state, State Board of Elections official Veronica Degraffenreid said. Those roughly 93,000 ballots appeared to close McCrory's lead.

Cooper said House Bill 2, which also directed transgender people to use bathrooms at schools and government buildings corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates, exemplified the conservative direction in which McCrory took the state. McCrory also signed laws requiring photo identification to vote, increasing abortion wait times and giving taxpayer-funded scholarships to K-12 students to attend private schools.

Alethea Jones, 45, of Rocky Mount, who almost always votes for Democrats, said she didn't think McCrory had been a disaster as governor. But Jones said McCrory got lost with all the problems surrounding the LGBT law.

"All of those jobs leaving the state are bad," she said.

Critics of the LGBT law have pointed to the loss of concerts, sporting events and some business expansions because of the measure.

The governor blamed city leaders in Charlotte  where he was once mayor for leading the GOP-controlled legislature to approve House Bill 2 after the city council passed a non-discrimination ordinance that included gender identity. McCrory also tried to shape the debate toward federal overreach, particularly since President Barack Obama's administration later directed schools nationwide to allow students to use facilities aligned with their gender identity.

Cooper represented rural Nash County in the General Assembly before first being elected attorney general in 2000. He said he would work to raise teacher salaries to the national average and repeal House Bill 2 to remove an obstacle to economic growth and improving North Carolina's reputation.

Republican Constance Peake, 86, of Durham, had misgivings about House Bill 2 but otherwise gave high marks to McCrory's tenure as governor, as well as the GOP legislative leadership.

"Oh lord, yes. I like him," Peake said of McCrory. "I think he's done a good job."

Whoever wins the governor's race and gets sworn in come January will have to work with a General Assembly that still has a Republican, veto-proof majority. Republicans benefiting from the GOP surge on Tuesday won seats previously held by Democrats, essentially canceling out losses by some GOP incumbents.
With all precincts reporting in North Carolina's new 13th Congressional District, political neophyte Ted Budd breezed Tuesday to what looked to be an easy victory, amassing 56 percent of the vote.

Republican Budd, a businessman from Advance, bested former Guilford County commissioner Bruce Davis by racking up sizable leads in four of the new district's five counties.

Only Guilford, Democrat Davis' home county, prevented political newcomer Budd from a complete sweep, according to complete, but unofficial returns.

Budd claimed victory shortly before 10:30 p.m. in a written statement:

"I declared my candidacy in March because I believe our country is on the wrong track and that we didnt need another career politician," Budd said. "We need people to step up that are more concerned about the next generation instead of the next election. The working families of the 13th District deserve real leadership in Washington."

Budd added in a later telephone interview that he believed his status as a political newcomer, small business owner and family man resonated with voters across the district.

"I think they saw someone who really wanted to go up there and serve, but who wasn't going there to become a career politician," he said.

The conservative political group Club for Growth that supported him throughout his campaign congratulated him on his victory shortly before 10 p.m.

"We are excited that Ted Budd will bring his business experience and his commitment to pro-growth policies to Washington," Club for Growth President David McIntosh said.

The preliminary results showed Davis, a High Point resident, winning in Guilford County by a significant margin of 60 percent

But Budd had amassed well more than two-thirds of the votes in his home county of Davie  where he landed 78 percent of the ballots  and in neighboring Davidson and Iredell counties. Complete, but unofficial returns in Rowan County gave him about 52 percent of the votes in that county.

Budd was thought to have an inherent advantage in the district because it leans Republican, and his campaign was in much better shape financially.

Budd said he spoke with Davis by telephone after that outcome became apparent and that they had a cordial conversation in which he congratulated Davis on a well-run and spirited campaign.

In High Point, Davis told his supporters in a late-night concession speech that "moving forward from tonight we all need to come together as North Carolinians, as Americans, as human beings."

"To those who are disappointed in the results of this election, and to those who are happy with the results, I urge you all to take some time to understand the opposing side," Davis said.

Budd said he expected to receive a FedEx package full of information from the government about his initial steps toward taking office. He is planning to attend a two-week orientation in Washington later this month, he said.

The race between Budd and Davis evolved in relatively low-key fashion after they won their respective primaries in June, an under-the-radar aspect accentuated by Budd's refusal to debate his opponent in a pair of forums that had been planned by separate media groups.

Budd, 45, owns a gun shop and firearms training facility in Rural Hall and did not have prior experience running for or holding public office. He said he believed he could spend his time more effectively by knocking on doors across the district and speaking directly to voters.

Davis, 59, operates a child-care and preschool facility in High Point with his wife, Angela, and he did have significant political experience. He served on the Guilford County Board of Commissioners for 12 years through late 2014, chairing the board for part of that time.

But Budd was generally thought to have an edge in the race from its inception because statistics suggested the new district leans Republican, based on the relative strength of the two political parties across its five counties and its voting patterns in previous elections.

Budd also comes from an influential family and received valuable support from Club For Growth, a Washington-based conservative political group that mounted a TV ad campaign on his behalf before the primary that paid off with district-wide name recognition. He emerged from a primary field of 17.

Budd also had raised enough money through political contributions to mount a TV ad campaign on his own behalf in the run-up to Tuesday's general election, something Davis was unable to match.

Federal election records show that Budd raised $433,820 in campaign contributions from both individual donors and political action groups. That's almost 500 percent more than the $58,631 Davis was able to muster, according to the most recent Federal Elections Commission reports through Oct. 19.

On the campaign trail, both candidates depicted themselves as small business owners who would work to bring more prosperity, jobs and economic opportunity to the district. They differ on such hot-button issues as the Affordable Care Act, which Budd wants to repeal and Davis wants to retain but improve.

Budd supports Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's vision of building a wall along the Mexican border to squelch illegal immigration, while Davis does not. The former Guilford commissioner favors beefed up security along the border, but also backs "a path to citizenship" for some in this country without proper documentation.

Budd has criticized his opponent for owing about $110,000 in unpaid federal taxes that Davis said he has paid down from $118,000 through an IRS repayment program.

The new congressional district has no incumbent because it did not exist until February, after a federal court invalidated the General Assembly's earlier congressional map that the state had been using since 2011.

A panel of U.S. District judges ruled that two of the previous districts  Districts 1 and 12, which included much of Greensboro  had been racially gerrymandered with the aim of diluting the impact of black voters.

The new district covers High Point and much of Greensboro, encompassing about two-thirds of Guilford County's registered voters. In addition, it spans all of Davidson and Davie counties, as well as a big chunk of Iredell and a small piece of Rowan counties.

About 74 percent of the district's registered voters are white and 22 percent of African-American heritage, according to statistics the GOP-controlled General Assembly filed earlier this year when the new district was unveiled.

Democrats account for about 41 percent of District 13's registered voters, Republicans just over 36 percent and 22 percent are unaffiliated. But the outcomes of recent federal and state elections indicate the new district leans Republican, giving Budd an inherent advantage despite his lack of prior political experience.
Updated 8:20 a.m.

According to updated data from the N.C. State Board of Elections, Roy Cooper leads in the race for governor by about 5,000 votes.

Democratic challenger Cooper is ahead by 5,001 votes over incumbent Republican Pat McCrory.Cooper has 2,281,851 votes in unofficial results to McCrory's 2,276850, according to the state Board of Elections website. Libertarian Lon Cecil has 101,049 votes.

McCrory tweeted about 8 a.m. today, "The votes have been cast, but many have yet to be counted. Respect the process."

Cooper, conversely, tweeted a statement about 1 a.m. today stating, "This has been an extremely hard fought race, but the people of North Carolina have spoken and they have chosen a change in leadership. We are confident once the results are certified we will confirm tonights victory."

Posted 4:05 a.m.

WINSTON-SALEM  A heated governors race appeared to be headed to a recount early today, with Democrat challenger Roy Coopers popularity in the states eight urban counties edging Gov. Pat McCrorys overwhelming support in rural and suburban counties.

With 99.9 percent of the states precincts reported to the State Board of Elections at midnight, Cooper led by 3,391 votes out of 4.71 million cast.

If it comes to a recount, provisional ballots could be critical to deciding the winner.

In statewide races, such as those for governor or Council of State, a trailing candidate may ask for a recount in a very close race by 5 p.m. two days after canvass, after all ballots, including provisional ballots, are counted.

This year, canvass will be Nov. 18. In statewide races, election results must show a difference of no more than 0.5 percent before the trailing candidate may request a recount  or no more than 10,000 votes, whichever is less.

There are three precincts still out in Mecklenburg County.

Following the late report of several precincts in Democrat stronghold Durham County, Cooper had 48.94 percent of the vote, or 2.274 million, while McCrory had 48.89 percent, or 2.271 million. Libertarian candidate Lon Cecil could play a spoiler by gaining 2.17 percent of the vote, or 100,710.

Until the Durham votes came in, McCrory had held a 1.1 percentage-point lead for more than two hours.

Zagros Madjd-Sadjadi, a political science professor at Winston-Salem State University, considered Forsyth as a bellwether county in the governors race in terms of McCrorys best chance of winning an urban county against Cooper.

In Forsyth, Cooper won by a 56.2 percent to 41.5 percent lead on McCrory.

By comparison, in the presidential race Donald Trump received 42 percent of the vote in Forsyth, compared with Hillary Clinton getting 53 percent.

As a bellwether county, that small difference between the McCrory vote and the Trump vote could be the difference in defeat for McCrory, Zagros Madjd-Sadjadi said.

McCrory won most of the rural and suburban counties outside an area northeast and east of the Triangle. In the 12 suburban and rural counties that comprise the Triad and Northwest N.C., Cooper won only Watauga.

Overall, McCrory won in 72 of the 100 counties.

Cooper already has won six urban counties by a fairly comfortable margin  Buncombe with 59.3 percent of the vote, Cumberland with 55.8 percent, Durham with 78.5 percent, Guilford with 60.8 percent, New Hanover with 50.8 percent and Wake with 59.9 percent.

Cooper has 63.3 percent of the vote in Mecklenburg.

In the 2012 governors race, McCrory won Forsyth, Mecklenburg, New Hanover and Wake counties.

McCrory was criticized for his stance on several controversial issues, such as House Bill 2, Interstate 77 toll lanes, coal ash spills, film production incentives, the ending of several individual state tax exemptions and his overall relationship with former employer Duke Energy.

Allan Louden, chairman of the communications department at Wake Forest University, said Tuesday he was not surprised by the urban-rural voting split in the governors race.

Urban areas are those impacted by House Bill 2, having more reason to oppose McCrory, Louden said.

The board said about 45 percent of eligible North Carolina voters  out of nearly 6.9 million  cast their ballots during the early voting period.

Although the early voting totals overall tend to trend Democratic since they represents the majority of those voters, political analysts caution that early gains can be offset, if not overtaken by the number of Republicans who tend to vote on Election Day.

According to The Associated Press, early in-person voting reached a record 2.95 million  15 percent higher than 2012. When accounting for already received mail, military and overseas ballots, the 3.18 million cast was up 13 percent.

The eight urban counties represented 41.4 percent of all votes cast in the 2012 governors race  up from 40.5 percent in 2008.
Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton were battling for the 15 electoral votes in the crucial battleground state of North Carolina on Tuesday. Here's a look at some preliminary results of exit polling conducted for The Associated Press and television networks in the state:

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ECONOMY IS TOP CONCERN

North Carolinians are concerned about the economy, with more than 5 in 10 of the state's voters viewing it as country's top issue. Otherwise, voters were largely divided on the importance of terrorism, foreign policy and immigration.

Voters were largely split over which candidate would better handle the economy, which more than 6 in 10 voters felt was in poor shape.

Terrorism and foreign policy were about tied for the second most important issue for voters. Only about a tenth of voter s viewed immigration as the top issue, and more than 5 in 10 voters felt Clinton would be better at handling the country's diplomatic relationships with other countries.

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THE RIGHT STUFF FOR PRESIDENT?

Nearly 6 in 10 voters said they didn't view Clinton as honest and trustworthy, and about 6 in 10 saying the same of Trump. But more than half said they felt she was qualified to serve as president, compared to about two-fifths for Trump.

A majority also said they felt Clinton had the temperament to serve effectively as president, while more than 6 in 10 felt Trump did not.

In choosing a presidential candidate, more than 3 in 10 voters said they cared more about the ability to bring about needed change. Otherwise, voters were largely split among caring about good judgment, the "right experience" and a candidate who "cares about people like me."

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FOUR MORE YEARS?

A majority of voters said they approved of President Barack Obama's handling of his job as president, while fewer than 3 in 10 voters said they were "enthusiastic" about the way the federal government works overall.

___

IMMIGRATION

About 7 in 10 voters said they felt those in the U.S. illegally should be offered the chance to apply for legal status, including nearly 5 in 10 of those supporting Trump, whose comments on illegal immigration have at times dominated the campaign cycle. Voters were more likely to say immigrants help than hurt the country.

___

AGE, GENDER AND RACE

Democrat Hillary Clinton won about 6 in 10 voters 18 to 29 years old against Republican Donald Trump. About 5 in 10 voters age 30 to 44 also supported Clinton, and more than 5 in 10 age 45 to 64 backed Trump. Voters age 65 and older broke widely for the Republican.

Trump was supported by among male voters overall, while a majority of female voters backed Clinton.

Nearly 9 in 10 black voters supported Clinton, who also won overwhelmingly among Hispanic voters, with nearly 6 and 10 voters supporting her. Trump won about 6 in 10 white voters overall.

___

INCOME, EDUCATION AND FAMILY

Clinton was on top among voters reporting under $50,000 in total family income for 2015, while voters making more than $100,000 backed Trump by more than 5 of 10 voters.

More highly educated voters backed Clinton, with the Democrat winning groups who had earned a college degree. The candidates were split among voters who had not graduated from college.

But Trump won among white voters with and without college degrees. 8 in 10 non-white voters without college degrees supported Clinton as did 8 in 10 non-white college graduates.

Trump was the pick for the majority of married voters, while about 6 in 10 non-married voters backed Clinton.

___

RELIGIOUS VOTERS

A vast majority of those who consider themselves to be white, evangelical voters  nearly 8 in 10  backed Trump, while about one-fifth supported Clinton.

___

WHY?

Three in 10 said they settled on a candidate because they disliked the others. More than half of those who strongly favored their candidate said they picked Clinton, compared to just over 4 in 10 for Trump. Among those who favor their candidate "but with reservations," just over half picked Clinton compared to more than 4 in 10 for Trump.

___

UNDECIDED? NOT SO MUCH

An overwhelming majority  nearly three-fourths  of those surveyed said they decided on a candidate more than a month ago.

___

NORTH CAROLINA ISSUES

North Carolina voters were largely split over whether they wanted to give a second term to Republican Gov. Pat McCrory, who had come under intense scrutiny for his speedy signing of a bill that requires transgender people to use restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificates in many public buildings.

As for the controversial so-called "bathroom bill," two-thirds of voters said they opposed it. About half of Trump supporters said they backed the legislation, while 8 in 10 Clinton backers opposed it.

___

The preliminary exit poll of 3,967 North Carolina voters was conducted for AP and the television networks by Edison Research. This includes preliminary results from interviews conducted as voters left a random sample of 50 precincts statewide Tuesday, as well as 1,291 voters who voted early or absentee and were interviewed by landline or cellular telephone from Oct. 28 through Nov. 4. Results were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points; it is higher for subgroups.
Updated at 6:23 p.m.

RALEIGH  Advocacy groups say they're suing to extend voting hours in Durham County by 90 minutes because of computer problems that resulted in a paper check-in process.

The Southern Coalition for Social Justice said in a news release that it filed a lawsuit on behalf of Democracy North Carolina requesting an emergency action from Wake County Superior Court. The groups want the court to order the State Board of Elections to keep Durham County polls open.

Wake County Superior Court Judge Don Stephens is expected to preside over the emergency hearing.

Meanwhile, the Durham County Board of Elections has asked state board to extend voting hours at one precinct, the Bethesda Ruritan Club. It also is gathering information for the state board about whether hours at other locations should be extended. The county board will then determine whether to request extended hours at any other polling location.

The computer problem resulted in at least one precinct running out of authorization-to-vote forms for about 90 minutes.

___

5:10 p.m.

North Carolina's State Board of Elections is holding an emergency meeting to consider requests from Durham and other counties to extend voting hours.

The board said in a news release that the five members will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday to consider requests for extended hours. An earlier news release notes that Durham elections officials haven't reported significant wait times through most of the day.

Durham County spokeswoman Briana Khan says the county board sought permission Tuesday from the State Board of Elections to allow voting to continue until 9 p.m. in all 57 precincts rather than 7:30 p.m.

The request was made after a computer problem in some precincts resulted in elections officials relying on a paper check-in process. That resulted in at least one precinct and perhaps more running out of authorization-to-vote forms.

Voters in line at 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

___

4:15 p.m.

North Carolina's State Board of Elections plans to meet to consider any requests from Durham and other counties to extend voting hours.

A state board spokesman said in a news release that the five-member board will meet later Tuesday to consider requests for extended hours. But it notes that Durham elections officials haven't reported significant wait times through most of the day.

The state board's attorney, Joshua Lawson, told The Associated Press that there's no indication that "nefarious activity" caused the computer problems, but rather a failure to clear out caches of votes cast during the party primaries. About two dozen other North Carolina counties using the same software have not reported any problems.

Durham County spokeswoman Briana Khan says the county board sought permission Tuesday from the State Board of Elections to allow voting to continue until 9 p.m. in all 57 precincts rather than 7:30 p.m.

The request was made after a computer problem in some precincts resulted in elections officials relying on a paper check-in process. That resulted in at least one precinct and perhaps more running out of authorization-to-vote forms.

Any voter in line at 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

__

2:55 p.m.

The Durham County Board of Elections wants to extend voting by 90 minutes because of problems that are creating lines there and is putting together the evidence to show the extension is needed.

County spokeswoman Briana Khan says the county board sought permission Tuesday from the State Board of Elections to allow voting to continue until 9 p.m. in all 57 precincts. Khan says the state board has demanded evidence that the problems affected all the precincts so the county has called in 60 additional employees to put together that information. The State Board has not responded to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment on the situation.

The Southern Coalition for Social Justice and other groups also asked the state board to extend voting hours in Durham County after a computer problem resulted in elections officials relying on a paper check-in process. That resulted in at least one precinct running out of authorization-to-vote forms.

Meanwhile, the president of the state chapter of the NAACP is asking voters not to be deterred from casting their ballots. The Rev. William Barber says voters need to stay at the polls and exercise their right to vote.

___

1:30 p.m.

The Southern Coalition for Social Justice is among the organizations asking that polls stay open an extra hour in Durham County because of problems there.

The coalition and other organizations coordinating North Carolina's Election Protection Coalition sent a letter Tuesday to the State Board of Elections asking that polls close at 8:30 p.m. rather than 7:30 p.m.

The request came after a computer problem resulted in elections officials relying on a paper check-in process, resulting in at least one precinct running out of authorization-to-vote forms.

___

1:10 p.m.

Organizers of an election protection hotline in North Carolina say they're receiving calls from people who were not put on the voter rolls after they thought they had registered to vote through the Division of Motor Vehicles.

A federal judge last month ordered that election officials count ballots cast by citizens who say they registered or updated registration at DMV officers since summer 2015. She ruled that DMV was not abiding by the National Voter Registration Act, also known as the "motor voter" law.

Dustin Chicurel-Bayard of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice says a hotline in Chapel Hill has received perhaps dozens of calls from people saying they're not being allowed to vote. He says if a voter's name isn't on the record, the poll worker is supposed to ask if the person registered through DMV.

If so, the voter is allowed to cast a provisional ballot.

Chicurel-Bayard says the coalition is concerned that some voters who are turned away might not seek help in getting a ballot.

___

12:45 p.m.

Officials say some voters did leave when one precinct in Durham County ran out of its authorization-to-vote forms for about 90 minutes.

County public information specialist Briana Khan says one precinct ran out of the forms from 9:30 a.m. to about 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Khan says no voter was turned away from the Bethesda Ruritan precinct, although some did leave when they were told that precinct workers were waiting for new forms. She didn't have an estimate on how many left the line.

Durham County also is using paper poll books instead of electronic check-in because at least five precincts had technical issues.

___

12:20 p.m.

Officials say one precinct in Durham County ran out of its authorization-to-vote forms but that the forms were replenished.

A county spokeswoman says she's not sure how long the precinct was out of the forms, which voters sign before they get their ballots.

One man said on Twitter that dozens of voters were turned away from the Bethesda Ruritan precinct. County public information specialist Briana Khan says she's not aware of that happening.

Durham County also is using paper poll books instead of electronic check-in because at least five precincts had technical issues.

___

9:10 a.m.

The State Board of Elections has advised Durham County officials to use paper poll books throughout the day after at least five precincts had technical issues with computer check-ins.

Elections board spokesman Patrick Gannon said in an email Tuesday that the board made the decision "out of an abundance of caution." Gannon said voting wasn't interrupted.

The change affects check-in only. The county already uses paper ballots.

Durham County officials had warned on Twitter that wait times may increase because the electronic check-in is faster than the manual one.

___

6:30 a.m.

North Carolina voters are going to the polls to help pick a president and decide whether Gov. Pat McCrory should serve four more years.

Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday for those who have not already cast ballots. Unofficial totals indicate that nearly three million people have already voted.

Both Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump were campaigning in North Carolina the day before the traditional voting started. The state is a key battleground for both campaigns.

Voters also will decide whether Republican incumbent Pat McCrory or Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper will be governor for the next four years.

There is also a close U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Richard Burr and Democrat Deborah Ross.

The polls close at 7:30 p.m.

The Durham County Board of Elections wants to extend voting by 90 minutes because of problems that are creating lines there and is putting together the evidence to show the extension is needed.

County spokeswoman Briana Khan says the county board sought permission Tuesday from the State Board of Elections to allow voting to continue until 9 p.m. in all 57 precincts. Khan says the state board has demanded evidence that the problems affected all the precincts so the county has called in 60 additional employees to put together that information. The State Board has not responded to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment on the situation.

The Southern Coalition for Social Justice and other groups also asked the state board to extend voting hours in Durham County after a computer problem resulted in elections officials relying on a paper check-in process. That resulted in at least one precinct running out of authorization-to-vote forms.

Meanwhile, the president of the state chapter of the NAACP is asking voters not to be deterred from casting their ballots. The Rev. William Barber says voters need to stay at the polls and exercise their right to vote.

___

1:30 p.m.

The Southern Coalition for Social Justice is among the organizations asking that polls stay open an extra hour in Durham County because of problems there.

The coalition and other organizations coordinating North Carolina's Election Protection Coalition sent a letter Tuesday to the State Board of Elections asking that polls close at 8:30 p.m. rather than 7:30 p.m.

The request came after a computer problem resulted in elections officials relying on a paper check-in process, resulting in at least one precinct running out of authorization-to-vote forms.

___

1:10 p.m.

Organizers of an election protection hotline in North Carolina say they're receiving calls from people who were not put on the voter rolls after they thought they had registered to vote through the Division of Motor Vehicles.

A federal judge last month ordered that election officials count ballots cast by citizens who say they registered or updated registration at DMV officers since summer 2015. She ruled that DMV was not abiding by the National Voter Registration Act, also known as the "motor voter" law.

Dustin Chicurel-Bayard of the Southern Coalition for Social Justice says a hotline in Chapel Hill has received perhaps dozens of calls from people saying they're not being allowed to vote. He says if a voter's name isn't on the record, the poll worker is supposed to ask if the person registered through DMV.

If so, the voter is allowed to cast a provisional ballot.

Chicurel-Bayard says the coalition is concerned that some voters who are turned away might not seek help in getting a ballot.

___

12:45 p.m.

Officials say some voters did leave when one precinct in Durham County ran out of its authorization-to-vote forms for about 90 minutes.

County public information specialist Briana Khan says one precinct ran out of the forms from 9:30 a.m. to about 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Khan says no voter was turned away from the Bethesda Ruritan precinct, although some did leave when they were told that precinct workers were waiting for new forms. She didn't have an estimate on how many left the line.

Durham County also is using paper poll books instead of electronic check-in because at least five precincts had technical issues.

___

12:20 p.m.

Officials say one precinct in Durham County ran out of its authorization-to-vote forms but that the forms were replenished.

A county spokeswoman says she's not sure how long the precinct was out of the forms, which voters sign before they get their ballots.

One man said on Twitter that dozens of voters were turned away from the Bethesda Ruritan precinct. County public information specialist Briana Khan says she's not aware of that happening.

Durham County also is using paper poll books instead of electronic check-in because at least five precincts had technical issues.

___

9:10 a.m.

The State Board of Elections has advised Durham County officials to use paper poll books throughout the day after at least five precincts had technical issues with computer check-ins.

Elections board spokesman Patrick Gannon said in an email Tuesday that the board made the decision "out of an abundance of caution." Gannon said voting wasn't interrupted.

The change affects check-in only. The county already uses paper ballots.

Durham County officials had warned on Twitter that wait times may increase because the electronic check-in is faster than the manual one.

___

6:30 a.m.

North Carolina voters are going to the polls to help pick a president and decide whether Gov. Pat McCrory should serve four more years.

Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday for those who have not already cast ballots. Unofficial totals indicate that nearly three million people have already voted.

Both Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump were campaigning in North Carolina the day before the traditional voting started. The state is a key battleground for both campaigns.

Voters also will decide whether Republican incumbent Pat McCrory or Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper will be governor for the next four years.

There is also a close U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Richard Burr and Democrat Deborah Ross.

The polls close at 7:30 p.m.
How will I explain to my daughter that Hillary Clinton, an eminently qualified woman, lost a national election to a wholly unqualified man?

She told me how nervous she was Tuesday morning that Donald Trump might be the next president.

Because I dont want to be worried that my rights are going to be taken away, said my 15-year-old. When I asked her to elaborate, she said she was afraid she might lose the right to make her own choices about marriage, when and whether to bear children and the right to be fairly compensated for her work.

Ive been standing in defense and expansion of those same rights since I was just about her age. It was 1972, the year the Equal Rights Amendment was passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification. Only 35 states had ratified the ERA by 1982, three states short of the 38 states needed for ratification. North Carolina remains among those 15 states that failed to ratify.

That failure was one of the few things (Jesse Helms was another) that ever made me ashamed of the state I love so much. To me, it was personal  a repudiation of my worth as a citizen and human being. It turned me into a rather fierce feminist in my youth, one inclined to meet sexist remarks and behavior with blistering responses.

I have mellowed in my responses but not in my beliefs or in that core determination to keep fighting for the rights of women to make their own life choices, to have the same opportunities as men and to be recognized as people first and women second.

Women know a thing or two about persistence. It took 72 years for women to win the right to vote from the time Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Frederick Douglass first issued the call at the 1848 Womans Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, N.Y. At that time not only were women denied the vote, but they lacked the right to keep their own wages or gain custody of their children.

After the Civil War, Susan B. Anthony and Sojourner Truth joined Stanton in asking that women be included in the 14th and 15th Amendments, which gave former slaves the rights to equal citizenship and voting. Instead, women specifically were written out.

After the dawn of the 20th Century, Alice Paul and the National Womans Party protested, marched, led boycotts and picketed the White House. They were beaten, arrested and force-fed in prison when they went on hunger strikes.

Women finally won the right to vote in 1920 with the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Still, women were excluded from a guarantee of full rights. What would become the Equal Rights Amendment, which banned discrimination based on a person's sex, first was written and introduced in 1923. It would be introduced in every session of Congress until it was passed in 1972.

After it failed to gain support from 38 states in 1982, the ERA was reintroduced in Congress and has been reintroduced in every session since.

You dont give up on a battle for basic human rights.

You dont give up because, absent Constitutional protection, laws and policies that do discriminate against women  such as sex-based disparities in pay  will persist, and state governments are free to enact new laws that infringe on womens rights, as do the many restrictions on abortion.

Enter a presidential candidate who has said of women, You have to treat em like s---, and I think that putting a wife to work is a very dangerous thing. A candidate who judges women by their physical attributes and not by their intellect, who freely admits to assaulting women sexually as a privilege of celebrity. A man who would turn back Roe v. Wade, which gives women the right to choose whether they want to bear children and suggested punishing women for having abortions.

Yes, my daughter is completely justified in worrying about whether her rights will be taken away.

There have been many divides in the electorate this election, but none more pronounced than the divide between the sexes, because it was very clear what was at stake for women.

A vote against Trump was a repudiation of sexism, misogyny, bigotry, racism and xenophobia. For many women, it was a rejection of the blustery, bullying and swaggering arrogance of white male privilege.

A vote for Hillary Clinton was not just a vote for the preservation of rights we already have but the promise of achieving some of the goals for which we have waited so long. Equal pay. Family leave. Equal representation.

And, yes, a womans ascendancy to the highest office in the land.

What will I tell my daughter about a Trump triumph?

I will tell her that women still have to work twice as hard as men to achieve the same status, especially at the top echelons of power.

I will tell her that she may be called shrill, or bitchy for wielding power in the very same way that men do.

I will tell her to do it anyway, boldly and unapologetically.

I will tell her than just because a woman hasnt been elected president doesnt mean a woman cant be elected president.

I will tell her that the world isnt fair, but we should never stop working to make it just.

I will tell her that the battle goes on.
GREENSBORO  Two Guilford County judges lost their seats in Tuesday's election.

Judge David Sherrill, who Gov. Pat McCrory appointed to the bench in 2014, was unseated by Lora Christine Cubbage, according to complete but unofficial returns. Cubbage took 54 percent compared to 46 percent for Sherrill. Cubbage, an assistant attorney general for the state, previously worked for four years in the Guilford County District Attorneys Office.

Tonia Cutchin unseated Judge Randle Jones, 55 percent to 45 percent. Cutchin spent the past six years working in the Guilford County Public Defenders Office. She previously worked as a corporate attorney in Washington and a private attorney in Greensboro.

Judge Angela Foster won her third term as a District Court judge. She took 61 percent over her opponent, Guilford County Assistant District Attorney John Stone, who had 39 percent. Foster was first elected in 2008. Stone spent the past five years serving in the district attorneys office.

Defense Attorney Mark Cummings took 63 percent compared with Marc Tyrey, who had 37 percent. The Guilford County bars recommended Tyrey for the bench after the retirement of several judges, but McCrory has always passed over him for the appointment. Cummings brings 10 years of experience in private practice to the bench.

He replaces Judge Jan Samet, who is retiring.

Public defenders Bill Davis and Miranda Reynolds Reavis led a tighter race, with Davis winning 53 percent. Reavis took 47 percent.

Davis has worked for the Guilford County Public Defenders Office since 1998. Reavis has worked in the same office since 2001 and spent two previous years in private practice. The public defenders beat out Judge Jon Kreider for his seat during the primary.

Guilford County's ballot included 12 District Court judge seats. Seven incumbents ran unopposed: Judges Betty Brown, Susan Burch, Avery Crump, Michelle Fletcher, Angie Fox, Tabatha Holliday and Teresa Vincent.

In North Carolina, 256 judges service in District Court.

District Court judges decide the outcomes of divorces, child custody cases and all civil matters involving less than $10,000.

They also handle juvenile proceedings, most misdemeanor charges, preliminary hearings for misdemeanor and felony criminal cases and mental health hospital commitments.

They also set bail.

To run for judge a candidate must be less than 72 years old, hold a law license in North Carolina and live within their district.
Only a handful of Democrats remained at a Guilford County election watch party after midnight as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump seemed poised to win the White House.

Voters at the Meridian Convention and Event Center struggled to accept the reality of a Hillary Clinton loss even as networks called state after state, including North Carolina, for Trump.

She was leading the entire night, said Jasmine Young, a 24-year-old Greensboro resident wearing a Nasty Woman pin. And then it just swung. Losing North Carolina, especially, was a slap in the face.

Shortly before 3 a.m., Trump was delivering his acceptance speech after taking 276 electoral votes to Clintons 218 with a handful of states still out.

County Republicans, holding court at the Greensboro Shrine Club earlier in the day, were less surprised than their Democratic counterparts at the direction of the presidential election. The mood there was buoyant, with GOP members snacking, drinking and cheering loudly whenever the networks called a state for Trump.

Winning North Carolina was always essential to the race, said Guilford County Commissioner Jeff Phillips, and once it swung, Trump gained momentum.

Were still a few electoral votes away from the win, but it was huge, Phillips said. Ive been saying privately, with folks who have questioned me, that I felt like Trump was going to win and he was going to win decisively, and the proofs in the pudding.

Polls in the state leading up to the election had shown the presidential race tightening, but some voters still struggled to believe that Trumps candidacy was ever a serious threat to the ultra-experienced Clinton.

I have so many friends who took it as, We got this, said Akyria Salvador, a 26-year-old who voted for Clinton. So they didnt show up like they should have. They didnt think it mattered. 

Clintons loss in North Carolina comes after two months of nonstop campaign rallies in the state and visits from high-profile surrogates, including former President Bill Clinton, President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine and Rev. Jesse Jackson. The visits kept Clinton in the headlines, but area Republicans said Tuesday they had always considered the crowded slate a sign of desperation from the opposition.

I felt all along the reason why the Clinton campaign was coming through North Carolina so hot and heavy was because they knew. Theyre no dummies, Phillips said. They knew a win here in North Carolina was at risk, significantly.

Democrats gathered at the Meridian had spent most of the night blasting music over election returns being broadcast on a projection screen. Guilford County Commissioner Ray Trapp turned the tunes down briefly to announce projected wins in several judicial races, then cranked the volume back up without mentioning the presidential race.

Later, when results turned toward Trump and the music cut off, Trapp said North Carolinas choice of presidential candidate was a surprise.

I wasnt expecting that, he said. Its kind of telling for our state that thats who we chose to represent us  someone as divisive as hes been. Thats not the state that I grew up in.

In New York, former U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan of Greensboro gathered with other Clinton supporters at the Javits Center in Manhattan. Not everyone there had given up hope, she said.

People are, as I am, looking for positive results, she said. But it is certainly a surprising night.

Hagan said she always had expected the race to be close in North Carolina, though she had anticipated that Clinton would prevail in the state. Once the candidate lost the Tar Heel State and Florida, things seemed to turn, she said.

I wasnt expecting her to win both of those states, she said. But at least one of them.

It was unclear Tuesday what had caused the swing in Trumps direction. Hagan said she thought perhaps the countrys familiarity with Trump had given him a last-minute boost.

People are used to seeing Trump on TV on The Apprentice, she said. The way he was able to disqualify the 16 other Republicans who started the race with him certainly shows what he was able to do.

For Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes, supporting Trump was a matter of character as well as political party.

It was a choice between a rascal and a scoundrel, and a liar, Barnes said. And my mama always told me a rascal and scoundrel can change, but a liar wont.
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HARTFORD  State Senate Republicans on Wednesday celebrated their three-seat gain that will create an 18-18 tie in the next session of the General Assembly.

Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said he looks forward to working with the newly configured Senate, stressing he regularly communicates and tries to cooperate with GOP lawmakers.

But Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, said the problem in recent years in the Legislature has been Democratic senators, and not the governor, who have kept the GOP at arms length from the annual budget process in recent years.

Malloy, speaking to reporters in the Capitol, called the upcoming splits in the House and Senate a different dynamic that creates an obligation to work together.

To that end I plan to invite legislative leaders from both parties to begin informal discussions in the weeks ahead, about how we move forward together, Malloy said. Connecticut can show the country that we can continue to make progress even when we feel divided.

We need to start working tomorrow, Fasano told reporters before the first meeting of the new, more-muscular GOP caucus, following the victories Tuesday night of candidates George Logan of Ansonia over Sen. Joseph Crisco, and state Rep. Craig Miners victory to fill the vacancy in Litchfield County left by retiring Sen. Clark Chapin.

This is a new world, Fasano said. Its a new beginning.

On Thursday, lawmakers expect the next batch of financial figures that will indicate the flow of tax revenue, four months into the current budget year. It has been falling short of projections and is currently leaving the state with a $42 million deficit in the budget that runs through June 30, 2017.

There hasnt been an even split in the Senate since 1893 and staff for Democrats and Republicans on Wednesday were researching legal precedents and the state Constitution.

Article 4, section 17 of the state Constitution indicates that the lieutenant governor, who presides over the Senate, breaks all ties. But the arcane language is gender specific, referring to lieutenant governors as males, and doesnt seem to anticipate 18-18 splits.

Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, appearing with Malloy during a post-election news conference, said while aware of the constitutional language, she hasnt studied it. But she assumes she will be able to reappoint Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, and Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, of New Haven, who will in turn designate legislative committee co-chairmen to promote Democratic bills.

The Constitution is clear that the lieutenant governor breaks a tie in the Senate, Looney said in an afternoon statement. That said, we are committed to working with our Republican colleagues in the hopes of reaching bipartisan solutions to Connecticuts challenges. Going forward, the Connecticut GOP will now have to share responsibility for making tough decisions. If they continue on as the party of no, it will make for a long legislative session.

Fasano said the loss of Democratic seats in both the House and Senate is a stark rejection of recent legislation and budgets crafted by majority lawmakers and Malloy.

The current 87-64 Democratic majority in the House will be 79-72 in January. The current Senate breakdown is 21-15.

kdixon@ctpost.com
A report from China claims that Lenovo the the Moto brand will spread to all the handsets that Lenovo makes, while the laptop and PC segment would remain as Lenovo. This would mean that Lenovo would no longer sell self-branded smartphones. The news comes in light of the companys no-so-good financial results.

Smartphone sales (both Lenovo and Moto brands) have dropped 2 billion USD YoY, ouch. Still, Lenovo is seeing a 20% increase quarter-to-quarter. Yang Yuanqing, CEO of Lenovo, explains that even if smartphone sales showed only modest growth the companys bread and butter is still the Lenovo PC and laptop business, which makes up about 70% of Lenovos revenue every year.

There are also a few executive positions that have been moved around: Gina Qiao, formerly Senior Vice President of HR, will be taking over for Xudong Chen, who is moving from his role as co-president/Senior Vice President. Although Qiao was leading HR, she used to lead the companys marketing division and was Lenovos Chief Strategy Officer once upon a time.

If the rebranding does take place, we dont know if Lenovo still plans to keep its current names like Phab, or if it will create new smartphone categories for Moto.

Source | Via
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Back in March when the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge launched, T-Mobile came out with a great deal for Samsung's handsets - namely, you could buy one, and get one free. Yes, a BOGO thing. It was available for a limited time, and unfortunately went away eventually.

Well, now it's back. Sort of. This weekend only, you will once again be able to Buy One, Get One free if you choose the Galaxy S7 from the magenta carrier. Caveats apply, of course. First off, the deal will only be live between 6 AM PT on Friday, November 11, and 11:59 PM PT on Sunday, November 13.

Second, you need to use T-Mobile's Equipment Installment Plan for the first phone, and add a line for the second (free) one. You'll get 24 monthly credits for the second device after you've done so. The deal will be available in T-Mobile stores, via telesales, and online.

Source
At the beginning of October 2016, Hurricane Matthew ripped through three of Haitis southern departments (Nippes, South, and Grand'Anse), causing terrible destruction. Along with infectious diseases, such as cholera, hunger has spiked in the aftermath. "The people are desperate, their plantations destroyed and difficult to access. Hunger is at the door." This was the cry for help of the residents of Counoubois, a rural section of Chambelan in the Grand'Anse region that went viral on social media networks for several days after Hurricane Matthew passed through. Grand'Anse is Haitis bread-basket, but now its agriculture is more than 80% destroyed. In other regions, food stores have suffered serious damage, and the availability of local produce is reduced. Livestock has been lost in some areas, fishing is paralyzed, all subsistence crops have been lost, and fruit trees have been severely damaged. Matthew left at least 546 dead, 128 missing, and 2.1 million victims throughout the country, according to Haitian authorities. The history of Counoubois symbolizes the reality of many hard-hit rural regions, which are not easily accessible due to the lack of infrastructure. About 1.4 million Haitians need food assistance, more than half of them  800,000  urgent food assistance, according to an emergency assessment carried out by the Haitian government, the National Organization for Food Security (CNSA), the World Food Program (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The report they produced at the end of October confirms "the pressing need to provide immediate food assistance and to help rebuild people's livelihoods." "If we do not act now to provide them the grains, fertilizers, and other materials they need, they will not be able to plant and will face persistent food insecurity," said Nathanael Hishamunda, the FAOs Haiti representative. Hurricane Matthew has worsened a situation that was already complicated. For five years, Haiti has been ranked among the worlds 15 most hungry countries. Almost 75% of the population lives in poverty, with millions of people living in extreme poverty. Before the hurricane, getting enough to eat in Haiti was already a luxury for many. By August 2016, the number of people in a situation of food insecurity was close to 3.2 million. As with previous disasters, most international humanitarian aid consists essentially of thousands of tons of food distributed in certain key affected areas. But what explains the constant hunger that prevails in Haiti? A History of Poverty "Poverty in Haiti is not a natural phenomenon, explained Haitian sociologist Franck Seguy. History records its process and progress. The process has been done in collaboration with Haitians, not with all of them, but with government leaders and the ruling class allied with the international bourgeoisie, in particular in the United States and its farmers. Looking for markets, they identified Haiti as an ideal place to sell U.S. products. To do this, they are forced to systematically destroy Haitis domestic production, which is precisely what has been done until now. According to Seguy, after its 1804 revolution, Haiti was forced to compensate France. To pay this debt, Haitian governments used domestic production, including coffee, sold to speculators who paid taxes to the state. Given that between 1825 and 1922 Haitis bourgeoisie did not pay taxes, payment of the independence debt came essentially from the sweat of farmers. The leading role of other countries in creating the objective conditions for Haitis hunger is often ignored. In 1825, the King of France, Charles X, forced Haiti, which had proclaimed its independence 21 years earlier after defeating Napoleon's army, to sign a treaty where, in return for recognition of the new nation, France would receive a compensation of 150 million gold francs. That amount was to be paid within five years. Unfortunately, the sum represented 10 years of Haitis tax revenue. Jean Pierre Boyer, Haitis president at the time, had no choice but to accept, as Frances negotiators were accompanied by a flotilla of 14 warships. "From Haitis independence in 1804 until today, debt contributes to the creation of hunger, said Professor Seguy. Most of the funds that the state could have invested in domestic production were used to pay interest on the debt." Since the 1980s, international actors such as the World Bank (WB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the U.S. government have imposed neoliberal economic policies on Haitian rulers. In Seguys view, this constitute "the recipe for a debt crisis." From this period and until now, every World Bank project and every new loan from the IMF, including Haiti's debt restructuring and cancellation, has been conditioned on, among other things, more adjustments, privatization of public companies, elimination of subsidies, deregulation of labor markets, liberalization of markets, reduction of tariffs, and elimination of barriers to free trade. Neoliberal Policies In 1995, under the pressure from Washington, President Jean-Bertrand Aristides government reduced practically to zero the tariffs on several foodstuffs. The IMF demanded this as a condition that the U.S. government imposed on Aristide to be able to return to the country after the 1991 coup. Thus, taxes on imported rice went from 35% to 3%. Haiti became the country with the lowest customs tariffs in the Caribbean. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton (1993-2001) played a leading role in deepening Haiti's hunger. During his time as governor of Arkansas  a major rice producer  and as president, he helped weaken Haitis domestic rice production (a strategic product) in favor of Arkansas growers looking for new markets for their products. "It destroyed Haitis potential by invading with cheap rice, explained Professor Seguy. From that moment on, rice producers in the Artibonite Valley could not find a market for their product and could not afford to grow. When they stopped growing, imported rice producers increased their prices in order to recover their losses and make a profit." In 2005, the Haitian government spent $52 million to repay debt arrears to the World Bank in a period when the country could have used the money to deal with various structural problems. In his "mea culpa" in 2010, Bill Clinton acknowledges having made the wrong decision in trying to solve Haitis problem of hunger by filling the Haitian market with rice imported from the United States. He admits that this decision hurt small Haitian farmers and producers by abruptly reducing domestic production. Even today, it is easier and cheaper to buy American rice in Haitian markets than that produced in Haiti. This has led to the impoverishment of thousands of peasant families who have left the countryside to live in city slums. In the 1970s and 1980s, Haiti had 98% grain self-sufficiency. Today, it imports almost everything. In 2006, a report from Christian Aid revealed that the results of Haitis lowered tariffs "have been disastrous." In this sense, excessive trade liberalization is closely related to falling agricultural production, growing poverty, exodus from the countryside to poor neighborhoods, and increasing hunger, according to the NGO. These radical policies have crowned more than 200 years of what the Haitian economist Fred Doura calls an "extroverted" economy of a country totally "dominated and exploited" by foreign powers like France and the U.S., among others. Humanitarian aid has its share of contributing to creating hunger in Haiti. Much of the food that is distributed as food aid is imported and, as a consequence, domestic production is not used, as has been seen in the days following Hurricane Matthew, just like after the January 2010 earthquake. In these cases, instead of strengthening the country's capacity by buying directly from Haitian farmers who could in turn reinvest, products are imported from the Dominican Republic and the United States, which destroys national production. The original version of this article was first published by Spains El Diario and is the second in a series of articles and specials of the FAM project (www.projectefam.cc) on hunger, in collaboration with eldiario.es.




Haiti - News : Zapping politics...





Denial of Mirlande Manigat

Mirlande Manigat General Secretary of the Party "Rally of Progressive National Democrats" (RDNP) formally denied the rumor that suggested she had endorsed the candidacy of Maryse Narcisse, the presidential candidate under the banner of the Party "Fanmi Lavalas".



Minister Edouard confident to avoid sanctions against Haiti

Camille Edouard Junior, the Minister of Justice,referring to the vote on the two draft laws on money laundering and the Central Financial Intelligence Unit (UCREF) is confident to avoid sanctions against Haiti, at the meeting of the Financial Action Group Caribbean (CFATF) from 7 to 10 November. However, nothing is gained there is still much to be done in order that Haiti meet the some 47 recommendations of CFATF... It is possible, however, that's enough to get a little more time... https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18457-haiti-flash-the-situation-is-critical-transfers-and-haitian-banking-system-threatened.html



Ceant congratulates new US President

Following the election of the new US President, Jean Henry Ceant, presidential candidate under the banner "Remen Haiti" declared "Congratulations to the new President of the United States Donald J. Trump and to the American people free !"



Last flooding Balance Sheet

Following heavy rains this weekend, having touched 4 department and particularly the northern region, the municipality of Cap-Haitien and Civil Protection have confirmed 11 deaths, 12 missing, 1,000 houses destroyed or damaged, more than 2,300 people in provisional shelters. Yvrose Pierre, Deputy Mayor of Cap-Haitien declared "All Neighborhoods of Cap-Haitien are flooded and we are mobilized to rescue the population."



The sensitive material escapes the floods

ollowing the bad weather, the Minustah provide support to the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) in the north of Haiti, for securing sensitive electoral materials.



Rehabilitation Voting Centres

Monday EFACAP Voting Centre of Marsan has been rehabilitated. Tuesday, the rehabilitation of the national school St-Jean du Sud that will serve as voting centre was completed.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















By William Schwartz | Published on 2016/11/08

It's fascinating how "The Man In My House" can spend so much time having its characters repostulate complicated theories of each other's motivation while still having them be so incredibly ignorant of basic character relationships. Part of this is by design. Right now only Deok-bong knows what the relationship is between Na-ri and Nan-gil, and even if Nan-gil is loud and proud of the connection, Na-ri wants to hide it. Why? Because information is power, and thus needs to be hoarded.

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In a gossipy context this makes perfect sense. Consider Yeo-joo, who has suffered negatively for trying to snag the fiance of her co-worker, and struggles to try and overcome this deficit. It is, naturally, pretty much impossible to feel sorry for Yeo-joo. Na-ri doesn't even care about being vindictive, she just wants Yeo-joo removed from easy to view locations. Na-ri doesn't even care about Dong-jin anymore either because sheesh, what a wishy-washy boyfriend.

While Yeon-joo and Dong-jin may seem like pointless filler at first glance, they actually do provide some useful perspective- specifically, they demonstrate how Na-ri seems to view every personal slight in a sort of screwball comedy light. That's the only way I can make sense of the soundtrack. Any time the focus is on Na-ri, we're always treated with upbeat silly music that rather belies the serious nature of some pretty major financial issues.

"The Man In My House" consistently is quite good at making Na-ri a romantic comedy protagonist without really making light of her personality defects. Na-ri herself takes a serious look of self-reflection, concluding that she was an imperfect daughter. But as of yet, Na-ri still views herself somewhat over-optimistically as being an inherently powerful champion. There's still too little useful information about the financial situation over the property for Na-ri to conclude she can win this fight on her own.

Be that as it may, plot overall takes a backseat to character development as the other annoying female character in "The Man In My House" (Deok-sim) similarly manages to not be all that sympathetic in pursuit of her generally incomprehensible motive. The excuse there, of course, being that Deok-sim is just a teenager, and more likely to grow out of her defects than adults who are more set in their ways. That Deok-sim is obsessed with Nan-gil is especially interesting in that right, since whatever awful things he has done in the best, Nan-gil is the only character we can indisputably describe as genuinely nice.

Review by William Schwartz

"The Man In My House" is directed by Kim Jung-min-XII, written by Kim Eun-jeong, and features Soo Ae, Kim Young-kwang, Lee Soo-hyuk, Jo Bo-ah, Kim Ji-hoon-I and Kim Mi-sook.

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By Lily Lee | Published on 2016/11/08 | Source

Welcome to the private party of Park Bo-young and Park Hyung-sik!

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Elle Korea magazine shoot a photoshot with a theme of private party for these two protagonists. Park Bo-young and Park Hyung-sik have been selected to lead the role in the new drama "Strong Woman Do Bong-soon" airing in the beginning of 2017.

This is the very first time this two stars come together in a drama and they are already bursting with chemistry between the two! I think both Park Bo-young and Park Hyung-sik have the "cute" image with the characters they have had in the past and their general personality in real life, so I'm excited to see how they will portray their new characters in this drama. Park Bo-young will be acting as a strong woman, who is almost like the Hulk. According to her description, the character gets stronger when she is upset or angry. Park Hyung-sik's character will be more of an odd ball rich guy - and the love story between the two! Ha, I can't imagine how their encounter will be like but I'm excited to see it for sure!

With the casting update, rising star Ji Soo will also be joining the crew, so we are in for a big treat!

By Lily Lee
Workers are increasingly turning to prescription drugs like Dexamphetamine and Ritalin to combat longer working hours and hectic schedules, according to brain behaviour specialist Terri Bowman.



In fact, in Australia last year, 644,371 scripts were filled out for Ritalin and 256,347 for Dexamphetamine.



Many of these scripts were used correctly, but many also made their way on to the black market to be abused by people without ADHD, who simply needed to stay awake to finish a job, said Bowman.



The CEO of the Brain Wellness Spa added that instead of making changes in their life to reduce work stress, employees are instead using prescription drugs to shield the problem and deal with job pressures.



There is this perception of safety surrounding these drugs because they are prescribed to children, so they must be ok, but theyre not if they are used incorrectly and long-term, said Bowman.



These sorts of drugs alter the minds reality, which controls a persons personality and it can make them irrational, angry, irritable, worried, stressed and develop a fear-based paranoia."



Moreover, Bowman argued that because people are choosing not to deal with their problems, anxiety and depression are also on the rise.



Dexis and Ritalin give users a feeling of a speedy high that helps them concentrate better and stay awake longer, she said.



This is dangerous because the brain needs rest and if it doesnt get sleep thats when it goes into survival patterns of behaviour and negative thoughts start to creep in. This can be the start of something more serious like depression.



Ive noticed fly-in fly-out workers to be among those using prescription drugs to self- medicate themselves so they can get the job done.



Bowman said there are a number of ways prescription drugs used for the wrong purposes over a long period of time can impact the brain:



Personality change : The mind controls the personality and when someone takes drugs they have a mind altering experience. The mind that normally controls reality is mostly switched off so the drug can take over and the brain can experience reality in a different way.



For example, a person who is not normally a talkative person or perhaps a little introverted will all of a sudden have the new found confidence to chat and be socially interactive while on dexis. However, after the comedown, the mind is stressed and confused.



This leads to an increase in irritability, bursts of anger, irrational thinking, paranoid thinking, a racing mind that doesnt switch off and an increase in stress intolerance.



Addictive : The drugs can become addictive as people enjoy being extremely productive as well as being able to party hard. So many people are in denial when it comes to Dexamphetamine addiction because they justify it by saying that since doctors prescribe it then it must be safe.



Unhealthy : Just because its prescribed doesnt mean it a healthy choice. Long term use of Dexamphetamines can alter the way the brain thinks, feels and behaves. It can cause the brain to switch off from dealing with lifes challenges and not facing responsibilities.



It can also cause avoidance issues so instead of embracing the days work load with enthusiasm you avoid doing some of the simplest tasks



Burnout : A side effect to Dexamphetamine abuse can be burnout. It leads to an increase in fatigue and a loss of willingness to be able to handle a normal days work load which is why so many people rely on them to get through their work days activities.




While most companies still adhere to the nine-box model when it comes to identifying potential leaders, tech experts from Microsoft and TINYPulse believe new workplace metrics can say more about an employees potential than traditional methods.



Traditional organisational reporting structures limit managers visibility into how their employees are influencing and contributing to other teams. New workplace metrics are needed to help leaders get a more complete picture of this, wrote Chantrelle Nielsen, Si Meng, and David Niu at Harvard Business Review.



According to the authors, Korn Ferry research identified an employees impact within an organisation and their influence on other employees as ways to better determine whether or not they have leadership potential.



TINYpulse, an app that anonymously measures workplace sentiment and peer-to-peer recognition, partnered with Microsoft Workplace Analytics to examine the relationship between employee feedback, collaboration, and performance.



Using TINYPulses Cheers for Peers tool in which employees can send cheers to each other for good work, they tracked how many cheers were sent and received per employee over a six-month period.



Microsoft then used the aggregated numbers to analyse its correlation with network centrality in emails and meeting networks within the same time frame in order to understand how peer recognition transmits to organisational influence.



They defined network centrality as an index used to measure those with higher influence based on the number of connections that they have and the number of connections that their connections have.



They found that the higher the number of cheers, the higher the employees influence was within the organisation, not just within their own departments.



This means the group of people who received the most praise from colleagues acted as communication hubs for the entire organization and were central to work getting done, they said.



Further to this, TINYPulse combined a list of top-performing employees with high leadership potential and Microsoft matched that with email and calendar behavioural data.



First, they found out that high performers spent four more hours collaborating internally as well as having a larger internal network than their low performing peers. Second, they spent 34% more time interacting with product and engineering groups than the team average.



By analyzing this data, we were able to quantify the specific behaviours behind high-performing groups being flagged for leadership development and management opportunities, said David Niu, CEO of TINYpulse.



Understanding the how behind improved performance helps us identify the right behaviours to encourage and reward, which means development opportunities are open to more people.



The traits of high performers are multidimensional, nuanced  and sometimes hidden, they said.



Although it is in its early stages, the powerful combination of self-reported employee feedback and objective measures gleaned through aggregate calendar and email activities can provide a more complete picture of performance and potential.




ital technology is disrupting business models and radically changing the way we work. With automation increasingly disrupting the workforce, what will this mean for the future role of HR departments?This is one of the questions on the agenda at the 2017 National HR Summit where a panel of HR leaders including QBE Insurance CHRODisneys Head of HR, Head of HR at Fitness First ; and HR Director of the International Convention Centre Sydney will share their insights.Panellists will discuss questions such as: How can HR help employees shift to a digital mindset? How will HR itself revolutionise its own systems and service delivery? What does the fourth industrial revolution really mean for the HR profession?The National HR Summit will be held on 29-30 March at Luna Park Sydney. Marking its 15year in 2017, the event brings together a line-up of keynote speakers, thought leaders and award-winning HR directors and business leaders to explore the challenges facing the HR profession and share insight into better practice in todays workplace. Click here for the latest program. Super Saver discounts available for a limited time.
>John Palfreyman outlines how the contact centre industry has tapped into the mature age workforce - and is reaping the benefits.If youve contacted a company via the telephone in the past few years, there is an increasing likelihood that youd be speaking to an older Australian on the other end of the line.While the total number of contact centre jobs has contracted during the past decade, the number of older Australians working in contact centres has significantly expanded. At a time when the countrys older workforce participation is significantly lower than the UK, USA, Canada and even New Zealand, contact centres are turning to hire more experienced Australians.Today around 10% of the 30,000 contact centre workforce is aged over 55, almost half of which are aged over 60 [1] . The increase has seen the median age for this industry rise from 24 years old in 2000 to 35 years old today [2] Big contact centre employers such as financial services companies, and utilities and government organisations are extremely reliant on experienced, professional staff to provide a conduit to their customers. Some 81% of Australians prefer dealing with human beings to solve customer service issues and to get advice [3] Older Australians are increasingly being drawn to contact centres roles through a willingness to work past the traditional retirement age and the changing nature of contact centre work.According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, workplace flexibility is amongst the biggest considerations for a senior worker looking for a new job [4] This need coincides with changes to contact centre cloud technology which makes it easy to work from the home office or lounge in any region in Australia. The technology means calls can be routed directly to contact centre staff at predetermined times, giving employees more control of their working week. Almost a third of all older workers prefer a part time role [5] From a financial perspective, contact centre work can be particularly appealing for older Australians living in regional areas, where employment opportunities can be harder to find. In these communities, senior contact centre workers can earn around 5-10% more than the median income in their area for people of a comparable age.Aside from financial and flexibility advantages, these roles also offer an additional degree of job security that is not always found in other industries. Government workforce data shows that long-term job growth for the sector is at 12.75%.Workforce age discrimination is regrettably not uncommon for older Australians. The Australian Human Rights Commission for example found that 27% of employees aged 50 years and over had experienced age discrimination in the last two years. Because many contact centre managers specifically recruit more mature employees and invest in their training, workforce age discrimination is less likely to be found in a contact centre workplace.The reason mature workers are so sought after is the benefit to both the business and the customer. For example the NSW Committee on Ageing [6] found evidence that people much prefer to receive financial advice from mature workers than their younger colleagues. Similarly, a management consulting report concluded that mature workers were often better problem solvers, with 86% of people believing that over 50s workers provide wisdom that is not available from younger staff [7] Experienced contact centre employees also offer improved workplace stability. Recruitment specialists Hallis found that more mature workers stayed with companies three times longer than those under 30 [8] Changes to contact centres make the industry an increasingly attractive employment option for older Australians. The ability to work part-time from home, job stability and ongoing training, suit the employment needs of many over 55s.Just as critically, businesses themselves are benefiting from this grey migration. Customers appreciate the maturity and experience they bring to the roll, while companies can see the benefit to the bottom line.John Palfreyman is CEO of ipSCAPE Contact John at:
The following information is provided by local law enforcement agencies.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Compiled by Jessica Isaacs

The following were provided by the Watauga County Sheriffs Office.

Oct. 31

INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 5855 Junaluska Road in Boone.

Nov. 1

INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 407 Mesa Circle Unit 3 in Boone.

INCIDENT: Possessing/concealing stolen property was reported at 130 Fire Tower Road in Boone.

INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 254 Seminole Trail in Elk Park.

INCIDENT: Operating a motor vehicle with an open container, DWLR, operating a motor vehicle without insurance were reported at Broadstone and Frank Mast roads in Valle Crucis.

Nov. 2

INCIDENT: Felony worthless check and obtaining property by false pretense were reported at 2111 Blowing Rock Road in Boone.

INCIDENT: Fraud was reported at 1452 Dutch Creek Road in Banner Elk.

Nov. 3

INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at Daniel Boone Citgo, 5030 U.S. Highway 321 S in Blowing Rock.

INCIDENT: Mutual aid was reported at 834 Blowing Rock Road in Boone when a fugitive from justice fled from Boone PD.

INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 198 The Overlook Road Unit 1 in Banner Elk.

ARREST: A female suspect, 27, of 136 Dovick Drive in Banner Elk, was charged with FTA release order. Secured bond: $7,500. Trial date: Dec. 6.

Nov. 4

INCIDENT: Burglary  forcible entry, larceny and vandalism were reported at 1016 Big Branch Road in Sugar Grove.

ARREST: A male suspect, 45, of 788 Russ Norris Road in Elk Park, was charged with two counts of contempt of court/perjury/court violations. Secured bond: $5,000. Trial date: Nov. 18.

ARREST: A male suspect, 54, of 562 Charlie Thompson Road in Vilas, was charged with assault on a female and communicating threats. Trial date: Nov. 22.

Nov. 5

INCIDENT: Simple physical assault and robbery were reported at 500 block of Tom Jackson Road in Boone.

INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 598 Valle Meadows Trail in Sugar Grove.

INCIDENT: Communicating threats was reported at Brook Hollow and Bamboo roads.

INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 180 Yuma Lane in Deep Gap.

INCIDENT: Simple possession of marijuana and drug violations were reported in the parking lot at Sunrise Grill in Boone.

INCIDENT: Aggravated assault was reported at 2819 Russ Cornett Road Unit 2 in Boone.

ARREST: A male suspect, 25, of 104 Carlin Court in Boone, was charged with FTA probation violation. Secured bond: $40,000. Trial date: Jan. 13.

Nov. 6

INCIDENT: Unattended death was reported at 501 Seven Oaks Road in Boone.

INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 480 Margo Road in Boone.

ARREST: A male suspect, 29, of 2560 Pine Ridge Road in Mount Airy, was charged with felony fugitive out of state. Secured bond: $25,000. Trial date: Dec. 13.

ARREST: A male suspect, 26, of 2819 Russ Cornett Road #2 in Boone, was charged with assault on a female. Trial date: Dec. 13.

ARREST: A female suspect, 21, of 2819 Russ Cornett Road Unit 2 in Boone, was charged with simple physical assault. Trial date: Dec. 13.

Nov. 7

INCIDENT: Harassment was reported at Apple Barn in Banner Elk.

ARREST: A male suspect, 55, of 1202 U.S. 70 W in Valdese, was charged with DVPO violation. Trial date: Nov. 16.

Nov. 8

ARREST: A male suspect, 53, of 334 Locust Lane in Boone, was charged with FTA DWLR, speeding, no ins. Secured bond: $1,000. Trial date: Nov. 14.

ARREST: A male suspect, 37, of 7130 T.N. Highway 91 N in Laurel Bloomery, was charged with felony extradition fugitive other state. Secured bond: $20,000. Trial date: Nov. 22.
Story and Photos by Jessica Isaacs | [email protected]

Did you know that Boone is home to the inventors of some really cool toys? Their products are sold in toy stores nationwide, and theyll be on hand at the High Countrys own Incredible Toy Company this Saturday to celebrate national Neighborhood Toy Store Day.

The day is observed in specialty shops across the country every year and is an initiative of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association.

Its just a day to try to get people to go to local little toy stores and celebrating with games and things, said Kathleen Rowell, owner of the Incredible Toy Company on Blowing Rock Road. We are very unique because weve got two toy inventors in town and we carry their toys here.

Along with a vast array of toys and games for all ages, Rowells store features Joinks, a construction game created by Appalachian State University professor Richard Elaver, and Box & Bolls, a new trick shot play set created by local police officer Noah Gordon and his son, Noah Gordon II.

Both Joinks and Box & Balls are carried by Fat Brain Toy Co.

Elaver, Gordon and Melanie Greene, author of the book Goodnight Boone, will interact with the community during Saturday morning festivities as they talk about the toys they have created, as well as the process of inventing and selling an idea, and demonstrating how their products work with kids and shoppers.

Weve got a bunch of giveaways and I will have a little art table for them to do a craft and make a little putty. From 10 to 12, these three are going to be here demonstrating toys and telling about how they invented them, Rowell said. Everyone will enjoy seeing somebody that actually invented the toy and seeing that it went all the way to being on the commercial shelves. All of us have ideas. Oh, you know, I could make money if I did this. But how many of us actually do it? These people actually did it and brought their dream to the actual shelves.

ASTRAs Neighborhood Toy Store Day is also a great reminder for local consumers to frequent small businesses in their communities as they do their holiday shopping.

It goes along with Shop Local. Its just to make people aware that there are small, independent toy stores and were all over the country, said Rowell. Its to make people aware that small businesses are your neighbors. Its important, especially before Christmas, for people to understand to go to the neighborhood stores and not just the Big Box.

Rowell established the Incredible Toy Company in 1993, when her children were small and there were no local options for toy shopping in the High Country, and its been family owned ever since.

Continue reading to learn more about the products invented by these local toy makers.

To learn more about Neighborhood Toy Store Day, call the store at 828-264-1422 or visit incredibletoycompany.com.

The Incredible Toy Company is located at 3411 U.S. Highway 321 S in Blowing Rock.

Hours of Operation:

Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sundays: 1-5 p.m.

Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Box and Balls (Ages 5+)

Created by Nathan Gordon

Can you train the bouncy balls to bounce, and bank, and dunk themselves into the target boxes? Whatever your skill level, you can create your own obstacle course to hone your skills. Customize the challenge by size and number of bouncer boxes any way you want! Eight nested wooden boxes are numbered and decrease in size. Use the number to determine the point value of your shots  this means the smaller the target, the bigger the pay-off! Follow the suggested games printed on each box or create your own. Enhance your motor skills, creative thinking and problem solving through infinite play possibilities as you become the bouncy ball master! (Fat Brain Toy Co. 2016 catalog)

Joinks (Ages 3+)

Created by Richard Elaver

Flex your building muscles as you bend the rules of construction with Joinks! The flexible connectors and wooden dowels add bounce, wiggle and movement to your creative structures. Colorful, chunky and super flexible, Joinks connectors are made from 100 percent silicone. Use the suction cups to secure your builds to tables, windows and almost any flat surface. Easy enough for a toddler but complex enough for a chemist! Includes 76 pieces. (Fat Brain Toy Co. 2016 catalog)

Goodnight Boone

Written by Melanie Greene, Michelle Bolick and Blair Proffit

Illustrated by Susan Marlowe

A childrens book for all ages, Goodnight Boone captures the history, culture, and traditions of the beautiful town of Boone, North Carolina. (Amazon.com)

More things to see, do and shop at the Incredible Toy Company:

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The leftright division has widened in the 2000s and, in particular, after the previous parliamentary elections. The most rightist parliamentary party, the National Coalition, and the most leftist parliamentary party, the Left Alliance, are further apart from each other than they have been for decades in terms of their support bases, it says in a report published yesterday.

The division between left and right-wing parties has exacerbated in Finland, reports Think Tank e2.

Think Tank e2 highlights that the greatest shift has taken place in the support base of the Finns Party. The party has haemorrhaged support  primarily that of blue-collar voters  to the Social Democratic Party.

The Finns Party are a unique case, Jussi Westinen, a researcher at the think tank, said at the launch event of the report on Tuesday.

He considers it particularly interesting that many former supporters of the party currently say they would abstain from voting altogether or cast their vote for a party not represented in the Finnish Parliament.

The Finns Party has seen its support cut more than in half since the previous parliamentary elections  from 17.6 per cent to 8.5 per cent, according to latest polls.

Think Tank e2 points out that 62 per cent of the voters who remain loyal to the party, but only 28 per cent of those who have shifted their support to a left-wing party, consider the spending cuts introduced by the three-party coalition justified. It clearly indicated that the government's economic policy hasn't satisfied a great share of ex-Finns Party supporters, interpreted Westinen.

The voters who have withdrawn their vote for the party to either abstain from voting altogether or cast their vote for a non-parliamentary party, the survey found, are extremely opposed to immigration and disappointed with the realisation of democracy.

The survey also found that voters across the political spectrum are increasingly frustrated with policy-making.

The mood among voters is rather bleak for a variety of reasons. The fragmentation of party support makes it increasingly difficult to form a coalition and results in more conflicts that require conciliation, told Westinen.

Finns, he estimated, have gradually lost their confidence in the political system after witnessing the formation of several peculiar ruling coalitions since the 1990s, such as that struck between the National Coalition and the Left Alliance and that between the Green League and the Christian Democrats.

Not a single coalition has really cemented its position or proven its functionality, reminded Westinen. Studies also show that voters have over the years continued to lose confidence in the ability of the political system to make decisions.

A total of 4,705 people responded to the online survey between 15 and 21 March, 2016. Their responses were supplemented with polling data from recent parliamentary elections.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Seppo Samuli  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
Henderson Oil donates $8,000 to schools

(L to Center) Flat Rock Middle Principal Jeff Roper, Hendersonville Middle Principal Luke Manuel, Clear Creek Elementary Principal Marcie Wilson, Dana Elementary Principal Kim Morgan, Hillandale Elementary Principal Jenny Moreno, Edneyville Elementary Pri

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Henderson Oil Co. on Wednesday announced the award of $8,000 in ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grants to 16 Henderson County public schools, supplying elementary, middle and high school principals with extra money for literacy and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teaching materials and programming.

Atkinson Elementary, Bruce Drysdale Elementary, Clear Creek Elementary, Dana Elementary, Glenn C. Marlow Elementary, Hillandale Elementary, Edneyville Elementary, Mills River Elementary, Upward Elementary, Flat Rock Middle, Hendersonville Middle, Rugby Middle, East Henderson High, Hendersonville High, North Henderson High, and West Henderson High each received $500 to fund school-specific local programs.

Mills River Elementary and Hillandale Elementary will put the funds toward participation in the 5th grade outdoor education program, Muddy Sneakers. Atkinson Elementary, Dana Elementary Flat Rock Middle, Hendersonville Middle, East Henderson High will use their $500 checks to update math and science materials and lab equipment. Upward Elementary and North Henderson plan to use their funds for math fluency programs while Bruce Drysdale Elementary will use its $500 on its literacy fluency program. West Henderson High will use its funds to continue the schools Science Olympiad team and program, while Clear Creek Elementary will spend the $500 on an interactive family science night and Glenn C. Marlow Elementary will jumpstart its new STEM Club with the funds. Edneyville Elementarys $500 grant will supplement its robotics team, and Rugby Middle School plans to use the funds in its Project Lead the Way program.

Awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, 4,300 ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grants totaling $2.15 million were awarded to schools across the country this year in a matter of 75 minutes. Although the grant application window opened at the height of the gas pipeline break in mid-September, ExxonMobil Territory Manager Pablo Salmon helped Henderson Oil Company secure 31 of these $500 grants for a total of $15,500  more than half of which were granted to HCPS.

Salmon said he knows Henderson Oil Companys President Bill McKibbin, Vice President Barry Edwards, Vice President & Controller Paul Jordan, and Administrative Assistant Connie Edwards are very active in the Henderson County community and look forward to distributing the grants each year.

Superintendent Bo Caldwell thanked Henderson Oil Company and ExxonMobil, stating, This is what makes Henderson County so great: the school system and the community coming together.
Cattle farmer pleads guilty in French Broad pollution

A Buncombe County beef cattle farmer pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to criminal violations of the Clean Water Act, Jill Westmoreland Rose, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, announced.

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A criminal bill of information filed in U.S. District Court on Oct. 4 charged Crowell Farms, Inc. and Michael Alexander Crowell, 65, of Asheville, with one count of violation of the Clean Water Act, in connection with the discharging of cow feces into the French Broad River.

According to filed documents and statements made in court, Crowell Farms is in the beef cattle farming business maintaining more than 150 cows and manages many acres of agricultural fields. In the annual course of its operations, Crowell Farms disposes of thousands of pounds of solid and liquid animal waste, which are considered pollutants under the Clean Water Act. Michael Crowell is the Operator Responsible-in-Charge (ORC) for the permitted waste disposal system at Crowell Farms. As the ORC, Michael Crowell is responsible for ensuring that animal waste is properly disposed into the farms waste management system, namely in solids waste lagoons.

Michael Crowell admitted in court today that from in or about November 2015 through at least December 2015, he had installed bypasses at the farms waste lagoons that were discharging liquid animal waste into a tributary of the French Broad River. Michael Crowell also admitted that he had trouble managing Crowell Farms waste management system and that he had installed the bypasses himself. Filed documents show that Michael Crowell previously told inspectors he was aware that he had done the wrong thing. Crowell Farms does not have a permit to discharge liquid waste to waters and it is only permitted to discharge it to an on-site land application system. State inspectors further discovered that Crowell Farms does not own the proper land application equipment.

In addition to pleading guilty to violating the Clean Water Act, Crowell Farms has also agreed: 1) to pay a fine of $40,000 (reduced by the $27,000 fine paid to the State of North Carolina), which will be directed to entities that safeguard the French Broad River and other environmental concerns in the Southeast; 2) to serve a probationary term of three years during which regulators and investigators can inspect their records and facilities without notice and without a warrant; and 3) to design and implement a compliance plan subject to approval by the EPA. At sentencing, Michael Crowell faces a maximum prison term of three years and an additional fine of $5,000 to $50,000. A sentencing date has not been set yet.

The Clean Water Act is a federal law enacted to prevent, reduce and eliminate pollution, and to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological quality of the Nations waters for the protection and propagation of fish and aquatic life and wildlife, for recreational purposes, and for the use of such waters for public drinking water, agricultural, and industrial purposes. The French Broad River supplies drinking water to more than one million people and is frequently used for recreational water activities, such as swimming and kayaking. It is also protected because it supports secondary recreation, including fishing, fish consumption, and agriculture.




Transcription

1 National Association of State EMS Officials DMC Monthly Meeting Conference Call August 20, 2013 Chair: Joe Moreland, Kansas Chair-Elect: Paul Sharpe, Virginia Secretary: Ryan Tyler, Arkansas Immediate Past Chair: Vacant Call to order by Chair, Joe Moreland at 1:33 pm on August 20, 2013 Roll Call, Ryan Tyler Attendees: Bob Cooney - Pennsylvania Bob Norlen - Minnesota Jay Bradshaw Maine Christopher Handley DOD Navy Chuck Happel - Wisconsin Clay Mann NEMSIS Daniel Lee Illinois Donna Wilson Oregon Jay Ostby Wyoming Jean Speck - Connecticut Jenna Protzko - Vermont Joe Moreland - Kansas John Cramer Idaho Josh Legler - NEMSIS Karen Jacobson - NEMSIS Shari Hunsaker UT Note: Katie Gatz Indiana Kevin Putman - Michigan Lindsey Narloch North Dakota Melissa Belgau - Washington Michael Tayler New York Nick Nudell - NEMSAC Paul Philips Kentucky Paul Sharpe Virginia Rachael Alter - NASEMSO Robert Keys South Dakota Ryan Tyler Arkansas Ryan Frick Ohio Steve McCoy Florida Stuart Castle New Mexico Sue Morris - Ohio Ridgely Ficks - Massachusetts Chip Cooper New Hampshire: With new State EMS Director Nick Mercury and will not be on the conference call today. Minutes from the July 23, 2013 Meeting 1

2 Minutes from the July meeting were not approved. Approve Meeting Agenda Joe Moreland: Brought up a motion to amend the agenda to allow Jean Speck to give an overview of the GIS in new business. No oppositions or abstentions Approval of the Minutes Old Business Joe Moreland: Does any member have corrections or additions to the June minutes created by Ryan Tyler. A motion was received to the Chair by Chuck Happel of Wisconsin, to approve the minutes as presented. Paul Phillips of Kentucky, 2 nd the motion to approve the minutes as presented. With no opposition or abstentions from the Data Managers Council the minutes were approved. Annual Meeting update: Paul Phillips: No movement on the agenda. The only change that will be noted is the time frame for certain presentations. Committee wanted to devote time and energy on creating action plans from the workgroups to accomplish certain phases in the Strategic Plan of the Data Managers Council. AMR will be giving a presentation on how data was able to increase to scene times on certain calls. Second day the group will have a presentation on how HIE and EMS data link together. Afternoon session has presentation from NEMSIS with a finally of a vendor forum. This gives the vendors a platform to address upcoming changes and NEMSIS version 3 to their product. Jenna Protzko: Asked about the update of a call in number during the conference. Rachael will be sending out an for those that might not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in Nashville. Her will ask which session would a council member like to attend a GoToMeeting presentation. Joe Moreland: Thanked Paul Phillips for chairing the committee on planning this year s annual meeting. Discussion earlier in the year regarding have a presenter from Page, Wolfberg &Wirth or another firm give a presentation on the new HIPPA guidelines coming out this fall. These new guidelines could affect State EMS agencies and regarding Covered Vendor. Joe brought the idea before the NASEMSO Board. NASEMSO Board wanted the presentation to be conducted at a later date and time. This would State Directors to participate and have the presentation recorded. 2

3 New Business Possible RFP for Clinical based Schematron rules Joe Moreland: Idea was to create a clinically based Schematron that could be used by all States at little or no cost. This idea was based on time and energy placed in creating a Schematron for clinical elements. Schematron rules that are going to be created by NEMSIS will not cover the clinical elements. Karen Jacobson was able to respond with that the current rules will be structural rules. NEMSIS TAC does have plans on working on National Element clinical rules later this year. Steve McCoy from Florida will be able to share the Schematron rules from Florida. DMC State Reports Rachael Alter: This was done by the Pediatric Emergency Care Council last year as a way for individuals to review each state s current information and projects. The intent is to post the information on NASEMSO website for public viewing. If this report was done for the DMC, the report would have a different outlay and filling out the report would not take away time from other duties as assigned. Joe Moreland believes the idea has merit. Rachael will attempt to create a template of items worth collecting and will try to present at the annual meeting. Joe Moreland was excited as a way to prevent vendors calling and sending out surveys regarding to NEMSIS version 3. This would be featured on the public site of the NASEMSO website. Priorities and Strategies Document Rachael Alter: NASEMSO President Jim DeTienne has come out with a new document to replace the current work plan. The new document will be called Priorities and Strategies document. The old DMC work plan was converted to the new format and template. There will be some new incorporation of the new NHTSA contract to the document that could affect items in the plan. Regarding the environmental exam had 95% responding to the survey with about three states and territories not responding. Rachael will start to review the data from the scan and provide a presentation during the annual meeting. NEMSIS 3 Update Dr. Clay Mann: NEMSIS will start giving service agency specific reports upon request. These reports would benchmark the agency on national elements on a quarterly basis. The problem encountered is the process of giving the report to the correct person within the agency. Idea was floated that a person would make a request on the NEMSIS website for an agency report. NEMSIS would send an verifying that this person is the correct person working for an agency. Another idea was to have the state Data Managers send a list of contacts associated with each agency that could receive an agency report. The downside of the idea was keeping the list updated to prevent the data getting into the wrong hands. 3

4 NEMSIS website will be able to post which vendors have completed NEMSIS version 3 validation and which phase of NEMSIS version 3 validation other vendors are going through. A layout of the specifics of the process and listing will be laid out in a Google document. Compliance test for vendors is not currently busy at the moment. Regarding sunset date for the current and minor revision to NEMSIS dataset, each year in March NEMSIS TAC will come out with the revision. Each State, Agency, and Vendor has nine months to be compliant with the new version as of January of the following year. There will be a nine month time frame will allow for training and upgrading to existing software. Currently building a new warehouse to house the new version 3 and reporting off the new warehouse model. Jorge has been stress testing the new model warehouse with submitting 300,000 to 400,000 records in a single submission. Very positive in how the new model will consume and structure the data in the new warehouse. HL7 draft standard based on NEMSIS version 3. It has gone through a nine month DSTU (Draft Standard for Trial Use) period. Folks attempt to implement the model. A CDA wrapper attachment is used to move the data between the two agencies. NEMSIS TAC asked the vendor community to try to move the new HL7 model from the ambulance to the emergency department. They have had one vendor that was able to perform this task. The vendor was able to wrap a PDF of the PCR with the data and was able to perform this task on a desktop to move real manipulative data from the ambulance to the hospital record. We have DSTU in ballots for September and would like to close DSTU and move towards the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) approval process. Karen Jacobson: In order to move the dataset forward, NEMSIS TAC needs more participation from other states. The NEMSIS website has a V3 State and Territory map. A new colored coded scheme is used to show who has updated and reviewed the information and will be posted on the website. Data Managers can log into the NEMSIS TAC v3 Forums with your NDX username and password. State Model Data Use Agreement Jenna Protzko: Wants to thank everyone that responded to her regarding a data use agreement with data requestors. Rachael Alter will be helping compiling the information and posting the information to the NASEMSO website. Jean Speck: Went to a local GIS conference and meet with a group from ESRI. They are looking into creating a work group for EMS involvement in GIS. 4

5 Adjournment: Joe Moreland: Hearing silence regarding any other new business, will adjourn the meeting until Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at 1:30 pm CDT. Motioned by Paul Sharpe Seconded by Jean Speck Meeting was adjourned on August 20, 2013 at 14:40 hours CDT. Minutes respectfully submitted by Ryan Tyler, Secretary. 5
Part of a south Dublin private school that was due to close after 60 years has been given a new lease of life.

Notre Dame, a junior and secondary school in Churchtown, announced last month it was winding down operations due to financial troubles.

Parents were informed of "an orderly wind down" over the next three years after a charitable trust set up a decade ago to run the school said it could no longer meet its operating costs and the need for significant investment in infrastructure.

Threatened

But the junior school, which was first threatened with closure a decade ago when the Notre Dame des Missions order of nuns withdrew from education, will remain open.

Ballinteer Educate Together is to move into the junior school premises on a temporary basis next year, while the local Gaelscoil will locate there permanently in the long term, local Rathdown TD Josepha Madigan (FG) confirmed yesterday.

"It was very disappointing to hear that Notre Dame school was to close," she said.

"The news came as an awful shock to the many students, parents and teachers served by the school, which has been an important part of the community for many years.

"The decision to close the school caught many by surprise, leaving them in the dark. I am therefore delighted that, after I raised this issue in the Dail, I have received confirmation that Ballinteer Educate Together will be moved into the Notre Dame junior school premises in the short term and that the local Gaelscoil will be moved into the location over the long term."

She said the decision by the Department of Education to find a new "patron for the school premises" will come as a massive relief to parents and students of the junior school, which was to close next June.

"It will alleviate much of the concern that local educational needs can be met when the next school year begins," she said.

The news will also be welcomed by parents and students of the Ballinteer Educate Together National School, which is currently housed in "inadequate" temporary accommodation. It remains to be seen what will happen with the secondary school, which is scheduled to close in 2019.
Stephanie Knox, one of the heroes of the Buncrana tragedy, at the Irish Water Safetys national awards ceremony

A couple who dramatically saved a baby girl as her family drowned were among 47 rescuers honoured for their bravery.

Davitt Walsh (30), from Kerrykeel, Co Donegal, and his girlfriend Stephanie Knox (24), from Derry, were each presented with Rescue Appreciation Awards by Housing Minister Simon Coveney as part of Irish Water Safety's annual awards ceremony at Dublin Castle.

Mr Walsh was unable to attend last night's event but his friend James King, from Donegal, accepted the Seiko Just in Time Rescue Award on his behalf.

Ms Knox and her partner stopped at Buncrana pier on March 20 to take in the view and were horrified to see a car sinking into Lough Swilly off a slipway.

Mr Walsh quickly stripped down and swam out to the sinking SUV in an attempt to rescue the family trapped inside.

In a tragedy that reverberated around the country, Sean McGrotty (49), from Derry city, thrust his infant daughter, Rioghnach-Ann through the car window and into Mr Walsh's arms.

The father begged Mr Walsh to save her as he and his family, including sons Evan (8), Mark (12), his mother-in-law Ruth Daniels (57) and her daughter Jodie Lee Daniels (14) perished.

Speaking to the Herald, Ms Knox - who had the presence of mind to take off the baby's wet clothes and wrap her in her coat to stop her suffering hypothermia - said the ordeal still plays out in her head.

She recalled how the couple desperately tried to hold the baby aloft as they walked on algae that was "like actual ice".

Panic

"Every time you tried to get up you were slipping back into the water. That's when the panic set in. I thought 'I'm not going to get up with this baby'. After all this hard work we're just going to be lying here," she said.

Ms Knox said they both have nightmares about the ordeal but counselling is helping. "We've both been to see people about it and I think that's helping us a lot," she said. "We try to just forget about the past."

The couple remain in contact with Louise McGrotty, the baby's mother, and they receive photos of Rioghnach-Ann as she nears her first birthday.

"She will always be a part of both of our lives no matter what," Ms Knox said.
A leading housing charity has reported a spike in tenants being hit with rent hikes, as letting costs hit record highs

A leading housing charity has reported a spike in tenants being hit with rent hikes, as letting costs hit record highs.

Threshold, a national housing charity, has said its advice service has seen a 26pc increase in tenants getting in touch for advice over rent reviews.

A Daft report, published this week, found that rents in the capital are 10pc higher than their Celtic Tiger 2006 peak, with a three-bed house in Dublin 8 now commanding an average of 1,800 per month.

Commuter counties have also been hit with rent increases, including Meath, where rents have increased by 15.8 per cent in the past 12 months.

Urgent

Threshold has warned the rising rents have had a "devastating" effect on families and are pushing people to the brink of homelessness.

"The latest Daft.ie report confirms that the exponential rate of rent increases is having devastating impacts on social cohesion and, without urgent action, rents will continue to rise," Threshold's Dublin manager Stephen Large said.

He warned that, without Government intervention, the number of homeless families will continue to increase.

"Here in Threshold, we speak to hundreds of individuals and families around the country every day who are suffering due to rapidly increasing rents and difficulty finding affordable accommodation.

"The increase in the number of people approaching us for advice on rent reviews and increases underlines the pressure tenants are under. If these issues are not addressed, we will see the number of homeless families continue to rise."

Threshold also highlighted the difficulties for families in receipt of rent allowance. A family seeking a three-bed house in Dublin, who are in receipt of rent supplement with a limit of 1,300 per month, are now 29pc below current market rent, according to the charity.

Threshold runs a Tenancy Protection Service for tenants who are at risk of homelessness.

The number of homeless families in Dublin recently passed 1,000 for the first time.
Transcription

1 Recent Developments Regarding Entity Classification for UK Tax Purposes HMRC v. Anson is a Delaware LLC tax-transparent? SUMMARY Whether a non-uk entity such as a Delaware limited liability company ( LLC ) is treated as transparent or opaque for UK tax purposes can make a significant difference to the amount and timing of tax incurred by a UK taxpayer investing in it. The UK Court of Appeal recently upheld the decision of the UK Upper Tribunal that a Delaware LLC should be treated as opaque for UK foreign tax credit purposes. The decision creates economic double taxation. The LLC in this case does not seem to have had any particularly unusual features. The decision itself may be further appealed by the taxpayer but it further clarifies the income tax treatment of a UK investor in an LLC. There are also other long-standing questions on the UK treatment of non-uk entities, such as whether inserting an LLC in a corporate chain can disrupt a UK tax group, and the decision may be relevant to these. This memorandum sets out some of the issues that a UK taxpayer considering an investment in an LLC will need to consider by reference to the decision in this case. UK taxpayers face similar issues when considering investment in other non-uk entities that are not clearly equivalent to companies formed under English law. HMRC v. Anson The recent decision by the Court of Appeal in HMRC v. Anson has underlined the risk of economic double taxation that will be faced by a UK investor in a Delaware LLC, especially if that investor is an individual relying on UK foreign tax credit relief to avoid double taxation. The UK does not have clear rules about whether to treat an investment in an LLC as equivalent to an investment in a partnership (tax transparent) or in a company (tax opaque) for tax purposes. The published guidance of the UK tax authority, HMRC, while recognising that the individual facts must be considered in each case, New York Washington, D.C. Los Angeles Palo Alto London Paris Frankfurt Tokyo Hong Kong Beijing Melbourne Sydney

2 indicates that the default position is that an LLC should be treated as opaque. 1 The outcome of the case 2 (which may be further appealed) was that the LLC in question was opaque. This is consistent with HMRC s view, and upholds the decision of the Upper Tribunal in August However, it is contrary to the view of the First Tier Tribunal (when it ruled in the same case, anonymised as Swift v. IRC) in early For further detail on the decisions of the tax tribunals, please see our client memoranda of 31 March 2010 and 24 August The difference in treatment can significantly affect the amount of tax payable, as the facts of the case illustrate. Mr. Anson is a venture capitalist who, together with his US colleagues, set up HarbourVest Partners LLC ( HVLLC ), which acted as an investment manager to various venture capital funds, receiving fee income. All profits were distributed to the members. The key question in the case was whether Mr. Anson was able to credit US tax paid (at around 45%) on the LLC s activities against his UK tax liability on the distributions made to him by the LLC. If he was entitled to a credit, he had no UK tax to pay (given UK tax rates at that time). If he was not entitled to a credit he was liable for further UK tax at 22%, on top of the US tax at 45%, as and when profits were distributed to him. A UK foreign tax credit was available if the UK tax and the US tax were computed by reference to the same profits. 4 The essential question for UK tax purposes was whether to treat Mr. Anson as being taxable on his share of the LLC s underlying income (whether or not distributed) or whether to recognise the LLC as a separate corporate entity and treat Mr. Anson as receiving some form of distribution from the LLC (usually only taxable in the UK if distributions are actually received). Mr. Anson was charged to tax in the US on his share of the profits of the LLC (distributed or undistributed) on the basis that HVLLC was treated as a partnership for US federal and state tax purposes. Mr. Anson argued that he was entitled to the profits of HVLLC as they arose because of his automatic entitlement to HVLLC s profits under the LLC agreement. His UK income would therefore be the profits of HVLLC, accruing directly to him, and have the same source as his US income. Unfortunately for Mr. Anson, the Court of Appeal agreed with the Upper Tribunal that his automatic entitlement to HVLLC s profits took effect through contract (i.e. the LLC agreement), and was not an entitlement to the underlying profits of HVLLC as they arose. It held that Mr. Anson s interest was analogous to the silent partner s interest in the Memec case 5, in which a contractual right to receive a profit did not entitle the holder to a credit for non-uk tax in respect of underlying profits HMRC International Manual ( INTM ) at [2013] EWCA Civ 63, released 12 February Available at and Developments-Regarding-Entity-Classification-for-UK-Tax-Purposes Article 24(4) of the UK/US Double Tax Convention of 24 July 2001 (SI 2002/2848) (the Treaty ). [1998] STC

3 Mr. Anson s share of the distributed profits of HVLLC represented income received from his investment in the LLC, distinct from the profits that HVLLC made. UK tax was therefore levied on the equivalent of a dividend from the LLC, being a separate income source which did not constitute the same profits as those subject to US tax. Therefore, no foreign tax credit was available. Counsel for Mr. Anson raised a new argument before the Court of Appeal based on an exchange of notes between the US and the UK in The exchange of notes clarified the right of a contracting state under Article 24 of the Treaty to levy tax with respect to an item of income, profit or gain derived by a resident of that state (or a US citizen) from an entity that is fiscally transparent in either state. Mr. Anson s case was that this wording meant it was unnecessary to show that tax was paid on the same profits in order to benefit from Article 24 of the Treaty. The Court of Appeal refused leave to appeal on this further point. While there was doubt as to the factual situation which the exchange of notes sought to address, the Court of Appeal was sceptical of Mr. Anson s argument that the exchange of notes was sufficient to alter the wording of the Treaty, which makes double tax relief conditional on the same profits being taxed in each jurisdiction. ENTITY CLASSIFICATION HMRC has published a list of relevant factors for the purposes of classifying non-uk entities 6. These factors have no statutory force but represent HMRC s distillation of the limited guidance provided by the courts prior to Anson. The HMRC list was referred to in Anson. The factors mentioned in that list, none of which is conclusive, are, in summary: whether the entity has a legal existence separate from that of the persons that have an interest in it (in other words, whether it has legal personality); whether members of the entity are entitled to profits as they arise ; whether the entity carries on business on its own behalf or via its members; whether the entity issues share capital or something similar; whether business assets belong beneficially to the entity or to its members; and whether the entity or its members is responsible for the debts of the business. HMRC attaches particular importance to (b) and (c) but it is unclear following the Court of Appeal decision in Anson what the status of this list now is. This point is discussed further below. Anson illustrates the unsatisfactory nature of UK tax law in its approach to entity classification: unless all factors point in the same direction, there is always going to be some scope for argument and therefore some uncertainty for the taxpayer. That uncertainty is compounded by the need for detailed review of non-uk legal documents (often not in English) and the need to obtain expert evidence on non-uk, and often esoteric, legal questions. Evidence of the relevant non-uk law is essential and, so far as a UK court is concerned, is a matter of fact. However, the ultimate question of entity 6 INTM

4 classification is a UK legal question, which may well turn on fine, indeed commercially immaterial, distinctions. It was common ground in Anson that a Delaware LLC is an entity separate from its members and holds its assets independently of its members. The First Tier Tribunal equated the capital of an LLC to the capital of an English limited partnership (transparent for tax purposes) in which the partners have a proprietary interest. However, the Upper Tribunal and the Court of Appeal found that the profits of an LLC as they arise belong to the LLC itself, and not to its members. Although an LLC may have a contractual obligation to distribute the LLC s profits to its members, this gives the members the right to the distribution, not a right to those profits as such. Members of a Delaware LLC have no proprietary interest in the profits of the LLC. This was crucial in determining that Mr. Anson was not entitled to a UK tax credit. By the time the case came to court, HVLLC, presumably because Mr. Anson had become aware of his tax exposure, had restructured to become a limited partnership. HMRC has historically tended to accept that a Delaware limited partnership is transparent even though it has legal personality. While the Court of Appeal's determination in Anson was not unexpected, some of the reasoning in the judgment is unhelpful. In particular, the court placed great emphasis on whether the taxpayer had a proprietary interest in the LLC s income as it arose. Not only does this ignore the other factors in the HMRC list (see above) but as the judges themselves seem to have recognised, it is also a hard test for most entities with legal personality to satisfy. This might not matter were it not for the fact that very many partnership entities worldwide have legal personality, especially limited liability partnerships. The same is true much closer to home in the case of a Scottish partnership which, because of its civil law roots, has legal personality too, whether it is a general partnership or a limited partnership. While the courts (including the Court of Appeal in Anson) have recognised that a Scottish partnership is nonetheless tax-transparent in the UK, they have never clearly articulated why. (In relation to capital gains tax, however, the UK position is made clear in legislation.) So taxpayers investing in non-uk partnerships (but not Scottish partnerships) are left with uncertainty about their UK foreign tax credit position, purely because, typically, the entity has legal personality. It had been hoped that this narrow focus on legal personality had been left behind when HMRC stated that the old Court of Appeal decision in Dreyfus v. IRC 7 was wrongly decided. The Court of Appeal in Anson did not refer to Dreyfus at all but in effect seems to have resurrected some of the concerns raised by that earlier decision which HMRC had tried to allay. It would be helpful if HMRC were now to confirm that its stance has not been altered by the Court of Appeal decision in Anson. A further concern arising from the reasoning in Anson is that the court stressed that although the LLC s governing documents provided for automatic allocation of profits to members, this was only after, in particular, necessary reserves had been made at the level of the LLC. This was seen as a further indication that the profits of the LLC did not belong to the members as they arose and that only 7 Dreyfus v. IRC 14 TC

5 a residual amount was in fact being distributed. However, the court s discussion does not address certain decisions in relation to life interest trusts where the courts have held that underlying income of the trust can belong to the life interest holder as it arises even if certain expenses are first deducted by the trustees. Secondly, it also ignores the reality of a modern professional partnership, which will almost certainly be run on the basis that a management committee has considerable powers to adjust partner profit entitlements and to withhold money at the level of the partnership itself in order to cover expenses, provide for contingencies or make capital calls. It is worth noting that none of these issues arises in respect of a UK limited liability partnership. This entity is in fact a UK corporate body (with separate legal personality) but which is explicitly treated as a partnership for UK tax purposes by a statutory fiction. Therefore, the UK tax treatment of it and its members is unaffected by Anson. TAX GROUPING In order to be part of a group for most UK tax purposes (including capital gains, group relief and stamp duty), an entity must be a body corporate having ordinary share capital 8. Not only will an entity without ordinary share capital (e.g. a company limited by guarantee) typically not form part of the group but HMRC may also take the view that it is not possible to trace a wider group through it, with the possible exception of where all the members of the entity are also part of the group. The inclusion of an entity without ordinary share capital can therefore cause the unexpected loss of the various group reliefs which would otherwise be available. Indeed, avoiding the creation of groups or splitting them by inserting companies limited by guarantee is a standard tax-planning technique. The UK approaches this question by asking whether a member s interest is analogous to a holding of ordinary share capital in an English company. Again this is not a bright line test but a question of fact and degree to be determined by reference to the relevant non-uk corporate law and a number of factors set out in HMRC guidance. 9 Since 2007, HMRC has taken the view that it is not necessary for a member to have availed itself of the possibility provided under s c of the Delaware LLC Act (which allows for a member s interest to be evidenced by a certificate issued by the LLC) in order for the LLC to be regarded as having ordinary share capital. Neither the tax tribunal nor the Court of Appeal discussed this issue, because corporate grouping was not directly in point. Nonetheless, an LLC which issues certificates and has transfer provisions similar to those of an English company, where transfers are registered (whether or not subject to approval by the other members), is in our view likely to be considered as having ordinary share capital. This is separate 8 9 Defined in Section 1119 Corporation Tax Act 2010 to include all share capital other than fixed-rate preference shares. HMRC Business Brief 87/09: this is another non-statutory distillation of the few relevant judicial decisions. -5-

6 from the question of whether an LLC should be treated as opaque for the purposes of taxing its members in the UK. OTHER INVESTOR CONSIDERATIONS While the Anson case related to a Delaware LLC, the same principles are applicable to other non-uk entities. Other entities which give rise to particular uncertainty include Dutch CVs, LLCs established under the laws of other US states and German silent partnerships. For UK-resident individuals, the availability of a credit under the Treaty means that in most circumstances they are likely to prefer transparent entities. However, there are a number of other factors to consider if a choice of entity is available. If an entity is transparent for income purposes, it may also be transparent for the purposes of UK tax on capital gains on the basis that it is a partnership within section 59 Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act This means that a member will be treated as disposing of his fractional share of any capital asset disposed of by the entity (a credit for any non-uk tax should be available). The amount and timing of the income inclusion will also be different if an entity is transparent. This will be particularly significant if the entity rolls up its income rather than distributing it. The rules are similar for UK corporation taxpayers but they are likely to have a different perspective, particularly as distributions from opaque vehicles will be tax-exempt in most cases. As a result, they are less likely to be concerned about the availability of credit under a double taxation agreement. They will also want to have regard to the tax grouping issues mentioned above. WIDER IMPLICATIONS The overall result remains highly unsatisfactory. The law and HMRC guidance are unclear and arguably in conflict but there is also a lack of guiding principle as to when entities should be treated as transparent for UK tax purposes and what this means. Key classification questions can turn on very fine, and commercially immaterial, distinctions requiring detailed examination of non-uk law and the constitutional documents of non-uk entities. It was the cost, complexity and uncertainty of such an approach which led the US to adopt the check-the-box rules in Unfortunately, the UK still seems a long way from adopting a similarly practical solution, despite HM Treasury s general focus on making the UK corporate tax system more user-friendly for international investors. * * * 10 That said, there are now situations where partnership-type arrangements for collective investment are required by section 103A Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to be treated as opaque, but only for the purposes of UK tax on capital gains, not income. Furthermore, non-uk unit trusts (e.g. Jersey property unit trusts) are typically treated as opaque for the purposes of UK tax on capital gains, but not income. Copyright Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

7 ABOUT SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP Sullivan & Cromwell LLP is a global law firm that advises on major domestic and cross-border M&A, finance, corporate and real estate transactions, significant litigation and corporate investigations, and complex restructuring, regulatory, tax and estate planning matters. Founded in 1879, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP has more than 800 lawyers on four continents, with four offices in the United States, including its headquarters in New York, three offices in Europe, two in Australia and three in Asia. CONTACTING SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP This publication is provided by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP as a service to clients and colleagues. The information contained in this publication should not be construed as legal advice. Questions regarding the matters discussed in this publication may be directed to any of our lawyers listed below, or to any other Sullivan & Cromwell LLP lawyer with whom you have consulted in the past on similar matters. If you have not received this publication directly from us, you may obtain a copy of any past or future related publications from Jay Plum ( ; in our New York office. CONTACTS London Michael McGowan Andrew Thomson Emma Hardwick LONDON:
After long delay, Vietnam may finally back out on nuclear power project

Workers at the planned site for a nuclear power plant in Ninh Thuan Province in a file photo. The project has been delayed and may be canceled. Photo by VnExpress/Huong Ninh

Legislators will review the government's proposed cancelation soon.

After years of delaying work on the first nuclear power project over safety concerns, the Vietnamese government now believes it's time to pull the plug.

The National Assembly, Vietnams top legislative body, is expected to review the government's proposal to cancel the project in Ninh Thuan Province on Thursday.

Legislators approved the project in late 2009 to build two plants with a combined capacity of 4,000 megawatts, meeting 3-4 percent of the countrys total electricity demand.

The country originally planned to start work on the first plant in 2014 with technical assistance from Russias state nuclear firm Rosatom. A Japanese consortium was also picked to develop the second plant.

But following the nuclear disaster in Japans Fukushima in 2011, the Vietnamese government ordered relevant agencies to thoroughly review safety measures and last year announced that it would delay work on the first plant until 2020. The Nuclear Atomic Energy Department once said Vietnam lacked experience in nuclear power generation.

The Saigon Times said in a report on Monday that apart from safety concerns, pricing could be another issue.

The Japanese and Russian consultant units recently estimated that the cost has escalated from the original estimation of $10 billion to $27 billion. The plants will have to sell power at around 8.65 cents a kWh, which is almost twice the rate approved in the project license and is not competitive at all.

The state utility Electricity of Vietnam paid around 5 cents a kWh for power last year.

Economists have estimated that work on the first nuclear plant will also cause Vietnams public debt to grow.

The government aims to keep Vietnams public debt below 65 percent of gross domestic product. It reached more than VND2,600 trillion ($116 billion) as of the end of 2015, equal to 62.2 percent of GDP.

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The project is being developed by a Japanese-South Korean consortium.

Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) and Japan's Marubeni Corp are set to start building and operating a $2.3 billion power plant in Vietnam soon, a few years after securing a contract for the project.

The coal-fired plant, Nghi Son 2, will be built in the central province of Thanh Hoa. The consortium won the contract in 2003 but only started paperwork in March last year.

On Tuesday, the companies finally signed an investment agreement with the Vietnamese government, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

KEPCO and Marubeni will operate the plant for 25 years then it will be transferred to Vietnam.

The plant is designed to have two 600-megawatt units. The companies will contribute 50 percent while the rest will be covered with funding from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, the Export-Import Bank of Korea and other international lenders.

Vietnam is accelerating the construction of more thermal power plants to ensure energy security for its fast growing economy, despite environmenal concerns.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, it is managing 18 thermal power plants under the similar build-operate-transfer model with a total capacity of 24,000 megawatts.

Nghi Son 1 Thermal Power Plant. Photo by Vietnam Electricity EVN

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Hillary Clinton supporters cried over the election result at a watch party organized by the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi on November 9, 2016. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

Saigons bright enthusiasm for all-things America vanished under an infamous toupee.

Starting at 8 a.m. this morning, bright-eyed and hopeful Americans filled the GEM Center in Ho Chi Minh City.

McDonalds handed out warm apple pies, two at a time, as well as red white and blue cardboard top hats. Members of the U.S. consular staff stood on hand in suits, urging visitors to grab Dunkin Donuts dusted, alternatively, with fruity pebbles and pork floss.

A muted Fox News played on a giant screen occupying the right section of the room, while the left played both audio and visual content streaming CNN coverage on the left.

Cardboard cutouts of the candidates stood near the stage waiting for selfies.

Two Vietnamese students had fun at the beginning of the event at Gem Center. At the end, many Clinton supporters left brokenhearted. Photo by VnExpress/Nhung Nguyen

Bao and Phuc, a pair of university students who had mastered American accents in Ho Chi Minh City, wandered through the crowd asking people who they voted for.

In many ways, the atmosphere echoed the naive enthusiasm that filled the same room in May, when President Obama rapped with members of ticketed audience, many of whom spent hours in the rain to catch sight of him.

We love America, said Bao, when asked why he had come to the event space for the morning. Like his girlfriend, Bao had voted for Clinton who took a 79.14 percent lead in a virtual poll.

When asked if they would continue to love America if Donald Trump were president, they wrinkled their adorable noses.

No, they said shaking their heads. Then I think wed just go to Canada.

As the day progressed, the mood darkened.

Thinh Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American software and tech industry entrepreneur who has lived in Ho Chi Minh City since 2002, said he left at 1 p. m. when it became clear that the man who campaigned on tearing up the much-anticipated Trans-Pacific Partnership and many of Americas long-standing security commitments had won.

Ive watched a lot of elections from here, but this was by far the worst said Thinh, who serves as the president of the Democrats Abroad. A lot of Vietnamese were pulling for Hillary Clinton; I didnt see anyone cheering at all.

Lisa Truong-Marchetto and her wife, Nic Truong-Marchetto, stood gazing in disbelief at the projection before them.

New Hampshire, the small New England state where theyd been married remained a toss-up.

We are about to welcome our first child into the world, said Lisa. What a scary prospect this is -- bringing a child into this political climate.

By 2:30 p.m., The Guardian had called the election for Trump sucking the oxygen from the GEM Center. Members of the Democrats Abroad audibly speculated about whether they would gather that evening at a downtown nightclub for a party slated to begin at 7 p.m.

At this point, I feel like coming back to Vietnam was the best decision Ive ever made, said Daniel Hoai Nguyen another Vietnamese-American.

Beyond the turmoil in the crowd, many scrambled to put a brave face on what Americas nominally business-savvy president-elect would mean for actual business.

Fred Burke, an American corporate lawyer with over 20 years of experience in Vietnam, stepped off a plane in Hong Kong and into a business class lounge where many teetered near tears. Burke thought about what he would tell his daughter. And he thought about what he would tell Asian businessmen.

On the one-hand, Trumps victory hadnt locked the country into a set of policies hed tossed out during his campaign. Campaign slogans arent legally-binding, like the U.K.s vote to exit the European Union.

All weve done is elect a man who can change his mind on a whim, Burke said via telephone.

In a subsequent email, he outlined three reasons that the elections outcome might actually advance the passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

First, control of the house and senate now sits in the hands of a party thats historically pro-trade. Second, red state representatives who stand to benefit from the deal no longer have any reason to fight it. Third, there are plenty of other trade deals to promote business between Vietnam and the U.S. in the interim.

In the early hours following the conclusion of the U.S. election, President-elect Trump struck a note of reconciliation and unity, he wrote. Lets hope he can follow through on the same tone.

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This means Vietnam is now in a group of 25 countries worldwide that can produce the vaccine and the fourth in Asia.

Vietnam's Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday that it has successfully produced a measles-rubella vaccine for the first time.



This means Vietnam is now in a group of 25 countries worldwide that can produce the vaccine and the fourth in Asia after Japan, India and China.

Chemists in the process of producing Vietnam's first measles-rubella vaccine. Photo courtesy of the government online portal.

Vietnamese children are expected to receive the vaccine free of charge from 2017 under the National Expanded Program on Immunization.

The vaccine, produced with Japanese technology, has been tested on 756 healthy people aged 1 to 45 in the northern provinces of Ha Nam and Hoa Binh, and has met safety requirements.

Duong Thi Hong, deputy director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology said that around 1.5 million Vietnamese children are given free measles-rubella vaccines produced in India each year.

The country is aiming to eliminate measles in 2017 and put an end to rubella.

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The gang allegedly charged $5,000-12,000 to arrange for people to enter South Korea on tourist visas.

Police in Hanoi have opened a criminal investigation into a gang of eight people for sending Vietnamese citizens to work illegally in South Korea on tourist visas.

The Ministry of Public Security ordered the probe over suspicion that the eight people, aged between 26 and 47 years old, are part of an organization that smuggled at least 26 Vietnamese workers to South Korea in January.

According to investigators, a total of 163 Vietnamese people visited Jeju Island in South Korea on January 12 as tourists.

Soon after, 59 of them reportedly disappeared from their hotel in Jeju. Many of them then managed to find jobs with the help of other Vietnamese people living in South Korea.

Authorities in South Korea have arrested 26 and deported them to Vietnam.

Most of the deported workers said each of them had paid a group of people from $5,000-12,000 to arrange for them to enter South Korea under tourist visas to work illegally there.

Vietnam punishes human trafficking with jail terms of up to 12 years.

According to the Korea Tourism Organization, around 170,000 Vietnamese tourists visited the country last year, up 20 percent from 2014.

4,353 tourists reportedly left their tours and illegally stayed on the island last year. In 2011, there were only 282 cases.

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He defeated Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States.

The Republican mogul defeated his Democratic rival, plunging global markets into turmoil and casting the long-standing global political order, which hinges on Washington's leadership, into doubt.

"Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division," Trump told a cheering crowd of jubilant supporters in the early hours of Wednesday in New York, pledging to work with Democrats in office.

"I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans," he declared, in a conciliatory address in which he paid tribute to his defeated opponent and thanked his staff.

"Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country," he said of Clinton, whose hopes of becoming America's first woman president were brutally dashed.

During a bitter two-year campaign that tugged at America's democratic fabric, the 70-year-old bombastic tycoon pledged to deport illegal immigrants, ban Muslims from the country and tear up free trade deals.

His message was embraced by a large section of America's white majority who have grown increasingly disgruntled by the scope of social and economic change in the last eight years under their first black president, Barack Obama.

Many Americans from minority backgrounds expressed dismay at Trump's victory, which some saw as the result of what some observers said was a backlash against multicultural America.

Americans' reaction after Trump's win. Photo by Reuters/Shannon Stapleton

Trump openly courted Russian leader Vladimir Putin, called U.S. support for NATO allies in Europe into question and suggested that South Korea and Japan should develop their own nuclear weapons.

Ominously for Washington's European allies, one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump was Putin himself, in a rapid Kremlin statement

Putin expressed hope for "bringing U.S.-Russia relations out of their critical condition" and said "building constructive dialogue" would be in the interest of both countries.

Allies dumbfounded

The businessman turned TV star turned-politico, who has never before held elected office, will become commander-in-chief of the world's sole true superpower on January 20.

The results prompted a global market sell-off, with stocks plunging across Asia and Europe and billions being wiped off the value of investments.

Mexicans, fearing Trump's vow to build a wall to cut America off from its southern neighbor, were dismayed and the peso fell to historic lows.

And as Europe awoke to a stark and unwelcome reality, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index shed 1.87 percent, Frankfurt's DAX 30 dived 2.9 percent and the Paris CAC 40 index slid 2.8 percent.

America's allies have been dumfounded by Trump's rise, but European Union foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini insisted: "EU-US ties are deeper than any change in politics. We'll continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe."

Although he has no government experience and in recent years has been as well known for running beauty pageants and starring on his reality television series "The Apprentice" as he is for building his property empire, Trump will be the oldest man to ever become president.

Yet, during his improbable political rise, Trump has constantly proved the pundits and received political wisdom wrong.

Legacy of ashes

Clinton had been widely assumed to be on course to enter the history books as the first woman to become president in America's 240-year existence.

Hillary Clinton was expected to become the next president. Photo by Reuters/File Photo

Americans repudiated her call for unity amid the United States' wide cultural and racial diversity, opting instead for a leader who insisted the country is broken and that he "alone can fix it."

Trump has an uneasy relationship with the broader Republican Party, but it will have full control of Congress and he will be able to appoint a ninth Supreme Court justice to a vacant seat on the bench, deciding the balance of the body.

So great was the shock of defeat that the normally robust Clinton did not come out to her supporters' poll-watching party to concede defeat, but instead called Trump and sent her campaign chairman.

"We are so proud of you. And we are so proud of her," chairman John Podesta told shell-shocked supporters. "She's done an amazing job, and she is not done yet."

The campaign confirmed Clinton herself would speak early Wednesday.

The election result was also a brutal humiliation for the White House incumbent, Obama, who for eight years has repeated the credo that there is no black or white America, only the United States of America.

On the eve of the election, he told tens of thousands of people in Philadelphia that he was betting on the decency of the American people.

"I'm betting that tomorrow, most moms and dads across America won't cast their vote for someone who denigrates their daughters," Obama said.

"I'm betting that tomorrow, true conservatives won't cast their vote for somebody with no regard for the Constitution," he added.

His bet appears to have been flat out wrong, and America's first black president will be succeeded by a candidate who received the endorsement -- albeit unsought and unacknowledged -- of the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan.

Trump's shock victory is just the latest evidence that globalization has eroded faith in liberal political leadership.

From Britain's vote to leave the European Union to the rise of far-right populists and nationalists in continental Europe, opposition to open trade and social and racial tensions are on the rise.

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Joy, shock and bitterness: World reacts to US election result

In a stunning upset, Donald J. Trump has been elected America's 45th president.

World leaders take stock of Trump win

Even when U.S. media outlets were still working on the electoral votes, French far-right's Le Pen congratulated Trump on his performance on her Twitter: "Congratulations to the new president of the United States Donald Trump and to the free American people."

Felicitations au nouveau president des Etats-Unis Donald Trump et au peuple americain, libre ! MLP  Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered his congratulations.

Other world leaders of Russia, the U.K., Australia and the Netherlands also sent messages to congratulate Trump.

On the other hand, German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier envisioned "more difficult" times with Trump as he tweeted: "The world won't end but it will get crazier."

Trump "cannot prevent the implementation" of the landmark Paris pact, inked in the French capital last December, said Segolene Royal, France's environment minister and outgoing head of the U.N. climate talks.

Former Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt pointed to Britain's vote in June to leave the European Union, better known as Brexit, in a tweet.

Looks like this will be the year of the double disaster of the West.  Carl Bildt (@carlbildt)

At the same time, many Western governments are unsure whether Trump, a real estate mogul and former reality TV star with no prior political and diplomatic experience, will follow through on his campaign pledges, some of which would turn the post-war order on its head.

The whole spectrum of feelings

Things went crazy on the night of November 8 in the U.S. Trump won, to the cheers of his supporters, while the rest of the world was in shock.

Supporters of U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump react at his election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S. Photo by Reuters/Carlo Allegri

Photo by Reuters/Joshua Roberts

Not only in America, people all over the world cheered for Trump too.

Supporters of U.S Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump react as a state is called in his favor, as students watch the live results of the U.S. presidential election, at the University of Sydney in Australia, November 9, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Jason Reed

Members of Hindu Sena, a right-wing Hindu group, celebrate Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. elections, in New Delhi, India, November 9, 2016. Photo Reuters/Cathal McNaughton

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton's supporters...

A supporter of U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton reacts at her election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 9, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Lucas Jackson

Such an emotional night for Clinton's supporters. Photo by Reuters/Lucas Jackson

Photo by Reuters/Lucy Nicholson A Vietnamese holds a placard saying he would love to see Bill Clinton as the first gentleman of the White House. Photo by VnExpress/Nhung Nguyen

In California, protesters against president-elect Donald Trump marched peacefully. Photo by Reuters/Noah Berger Joy, shock and bitterness: World reacts to US election result Mariachis protest "sad" election outside Trump Tower The media also had their say The Washington Post The New York Times The Times of the U.K. Markets in free fall Not only people, markets also went crazy, even though his speech seemed to help trim losses later. Investors fear Trump's win will cause global economic and trade turmoil. Joy, shock and bitterness: World reacts to US election result Dollar, Mexican peso, stocks topple as Trump wins A board displaying stock prices at the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in Sydney, Australia, November 9, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Steven Saphore

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Trump has edge, but races close in key states.

Republican Donald Trump held slight leads in the vital battleground states of Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio on Tuesday, clinging to a narrow advantage over Democrat Hillary Clinton in key states that could decide their race for the White House.

With voting completed in more than two-thirds of the 50 U.S. states, the race was too close to call in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Virginia, leaving the race for the White House on a knife's edge.

Both candidates scored victories in states where they were expected to win. Trump captured conservative states in the South and Midwest, while Clinton swept several states on the East Coast and Illinois in the Midwest.

But Trump's slight edge in Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio gave him an early advantage in the state-by-state fight for 270 Electoral College votes needed to win.

Clinton had more options to reach 270, with Trump needing a virtual sweep of about six toss-up states to win. But a Trump win in those four states would make it nearly impossible for Clinton to clinch the White House.

With 94 percent of the vote counted in Florida, Trump led Clinton by about 140,000 votes out of 9 million cast. In Virginia, with 76 percent counted, Trump led by 60,000 votes out of 2.9 million cast. With 55 percent of the vote counted in Ohio, Trump led by about 275,000 votes out of 3 million cast.

As of 9:30 p.m. EST (02:30 GMT on Wednesday), Trump had 133 electoral votes to Clinton's 104, with U.S. television networks projecting the winner in 25 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Clinton is seen by financial markets as more likely to ensure financial and political stability and as the early election results showed a close battle, the U.S. dollar skidded in wild Asian trade on Wednesday.

Much of the action was in currencies where the Mexican peso has become a touchstone for sentiment on the election, as Trump's trade policies are seen as damaging to Mexico's export-heavy economy.

Going into Election Day, Clinton led Trump, 44 percent to 39 percent in the last Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll. A Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation poll gave her a 90 percent chance of defeating Trump and becoming the first woman elected U.S. president.

Also at stake on Tuesday was control of Congress. Television networks projected Republicans would retain control of the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs.

In the Senate, where Republicans were defending a slim four-seat majority, Democrats scored their first breakthrough in Illinois when Republican Senator Mark Kirk lost re-election. But Republicans Rob Portman in Ohio and Marco Rubio in Florida won high-profile Senate re-election fights.

In a presidential campaign that focused more on the character of the candidates than on policy, Clinton, 69, a former U.S. secretary of state, and Trump, 70, a New York businessman, accused each other of being fundamentally unfit to lead the country.

Trump again raised the possibility on Tuesday of not accepting the election's outcome, saying he had seen reports of voting irregularities. He gave few details and Reuters could not immediately verify the existence of such problems.

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'We have no idea what Trump would do as U.S. president': Merkel ally

6 more votes for Trump to become the next president.

A senior member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party said on German radio on Wednesday that the German government was uncertain what Republican Donald Trump would do if he wins the U.S. presidential election.

"We're realising now that we have no idea what this American president will do if the voice of anger enters office and the voice of anger becomes the most powerful man in the world," Norbert Roettgen, a member of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and head of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee, said on Deutschlandfunk radio.

"Geopolitically we are in a very uncertain situation," he added.

With the recent win in key state -- Pennsylvania, Trump had 264 electoral votes to Clinton's 215.

A cake made in the image of Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump is on display at his election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 8, 2016. Photo by Reuters/Andrew Kelly

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Who were the top Washington County football performers in Week 9?

Big plays and turnovers were plenty as the winners overwhelmed the losers in the final week of Washington County's regular season.
The morning after By: Scott Sumner

Here Ill list a few observations:

Ive been consistently wrong about Trump, so I wont even try to predict what hell actually do.

This is the most Republican national government of my lifetime. Will they shrink government, or increase spending and deficits?

The UK stock market is doing better than mostI wonder if thats because this result gives them a stronger position in the Brexit negotiations. They can say that voters all over the world are rejecting open borders. Perhaps even Le Pen could now win in France.

At the same time, remember that Trump won power, not a public opinion poll. Hillary won more votes. And people vote for many reasons, so its hard to know what the voters are telling us in a close election. They are certainly telling us something, but different voters focus on different issues.

Since Ive been wrong about most election issues, Ill point to a couple items I got right:

a. I claimed politics isnt about which party wins, its about which issues win. I also claimed that each party would win about 50% of the elections in the 21st century, just as in the 20th century. The issue is what those parties do doing their 50% of time in office. I was criticized for ignoring the fact that the GOP was obviously committing suicide for decades due to demographics. Seems that reports of the death of the GOP have been premature.

b. A few weeks back I pointed to a global trend of 5 recent elections where the right/nationalist/non-PC candidate or issue was outperforming the polls. This election was almost exactly like Brexit, right up to the initial market misjudgment on election night. BTW, one of those over-performances was the UK Conservatives getting re-electedso this global trend is not just about throw the bums out.

I doubt this election will have much impact on monetary policy, but we will see.

It will be interesting to look at the data, which will undoubtedly show lots of odd facts. One I just noticed is that Hillary won Orange County, California by 5%, while Trump won Kern County by an 18% landslide. Never heard of Kern County? It has as many people as San Francisco County, and its 50% Hispanic. Thats right; Trump won a 50% Hispanic County in deep blue California by 18%.

Trump did much better than Romney is working class white areas on the East Coast (often Catholic) such as Rhode Island and Staten Island. Otherwise he did poorly in that region. The big story is the big cities trending blue (all over the country) and the smaller towns trending red.

Its difficult to know whether the third party candidates were decisive this time (unlike 2000 when it was obvious). My hunch is that it would have been very close in a straight one on one match-up.

I agree with Tyler.

On paper, this is a complete repudiation of President Obama, as the GOP has promised to undo almost all his important decisions. But will they? I have no idea. Interestingly, Obama is far more popular than Trump, and I mean more popular by landslide proportions. So what exactly are the voters saying? Im not sure, but well see the results soon enough.

I wonder if the weird stock market reaction is a microcosm of the split between elite opinion and average opinion. Elite opinion is horrified, and drives stocks much lower last night (in futures markets) then average opinion wakes up and sees a buying opportunity, and calls their brokerlooking to spend some of those big tax cuts for the rich that Trump promises.
(REUTERS/Hannah McKay)"Game of Thrones" star Sophie Turner is rumored to be dating DNCE frontman Joe Jonas.

New couple alert  After a five-month romance with Gigi Hadid, DNCE frontman Joe Jonas is now being linked to actress Sophie Turner. The two were apparently seen getting quite cozy in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The former JoBro and "Game of Thrones" star attended the pre-MTV Europe Music Awards Kings of Leon concert together at Oude Luxor Theater. Fans spotted them seated next to each other and photos were also published.

In one photo, Jonas has his arm wrapped around Turner as she holds onto his hand. One fan even said that she had seen the two kissing.

"They were really close together," concertgoer Anne Charlotte told PEOPLE. "I didn't look very often because I was seated more in front of the room. The two or three times I was watching they were kissing. She was all smiley and he looked really sweet."

Based on what the fan saw, it certainly seems like romance is blossoming between the pair. She also continued on to say that Turner and Jonas seemed very comfortable with each other.

It's possible that the two stars have known each other for quite a while. An insider also told the publication that Turner "has had a crush on Joe for a while, but Joe isn't going to be a one-woman guy right now."

The two also spent Halloween together with a few friends, as a photo posted on Instagram shows. Jonas can be seen wearing a dalmatian costume, while Turner is sporting bunny ears.

A photo posted by nadeeya_laFlame (@nadeeya_laflame) on Oct 31, 2016 at 2:19pm PDT

Jonas' band, DNCE, performed at the MTV Europe Music Awards. Turner, on the other hand, may soon have her hands full as "Game of Thrones" is currently filming in Spain.

Neither Turner nor Jonas has publicly addressed these dating rumors, though. And their representatives have not spoken out yet either. With that, it would be best to take this news with a grain of salt.
(Scorpion CBS / Facebook)"Scorpion" season 3 airs Mondays at 10 p.m. on CBS.

The Scorpion goes to Ireland, while a natural disaster is happening elsewhere in the upcoming episode 8, titled "Sly and the Family Stone," of the third season of the American action drama "Scorpion."

The team Scorpion decides to fly to Ireland for Megan's (Camille Guaty) one-year memorial. Walter (Elyes Gabel), on the other hand, learns that the lake nearby is a disaster waiting to happen. He finds out that the lake produces a poisonous cloud that could potentially cause the death of everyone in the village.

The promo trailer for the upcoming "Scorpion" season 3 episode "Sly and the Family Stone" shows the lake in the village caught by a fire and it looks like it is going to explode. Walter fears that the aftermath of the explosion could kill off everyone in the village. In order to save everyone, the team may need some kind of miracle.

Fans of the show are also on the lookout for more developments on Walter and Paige's (Katharine McPhee) romantic progress. Gabel addressed his character's hallucination of Paige in the episode, "It Isn't the Fall That Kills You."

"If you were to ask fans of the show what characteristics Walter inhabits, it's a very different edge of the knife because this is what his best, most optimum slick version of himself is," Gabel told ET. "We all, deep inside, like to think that we could embody certain characteristics that would make us seem more romantic, more slick."

Gabel also shared that the scene referred to the "seminal" moments of Walter and Paige from the previous seasons. "There's a lot of places for the relationship to go," the actor added. "We just don't want to get them together too soon."

Meanwhile, the previous episode, titled "We're Gonna Need a Bigger Vote," saw the team probing the turmoil that someone created during the U.S. presidential election.

"Scorpion" season 3 airs Mondays at 10 p.m. on CBS.
A guide to voter rights in Indiana. What you need to know before you cast a ballot

elections
Much has changed in Afghanistan since U.S.-led forces helped topple the Taliban regime fifteen years ago, said Secretary of State John Kerry at a recent conference on Afghanistan:

Since 2001, maternal mortality in childbirth in Afghanistan has gone down by 75 percent. Average life expectancy has risen from 42 years to 62 years. Access to basic health care has skyrocketed from 9 percent to 67 percent. In 2001, there was only one television station and it was owned by the government. Now, there are 75 stations and all but two are privately owned. Back then, there were virtually no cell phones, zero. Today, there are 18 million cell phones covering about 90 percent of residential areas connecting Afghans to the world.

Nonetheless, despite many positive changes, the government and people of Afghanistan are still facing the same foe. Today, the Taliban are again trying to test the Afghan Governments resolve. And Afghan forces continue to bravely repel these challenges, said Secretary of State Kerry.

There is only one way to end this conflict, and that is through a political settlement negotiated between Taliban fighters and the Afghan Government, said Secretary of State Kerry. Only through peace will Afghanistan achieve lasting stability, and ultimately a full drawdown of international military forces. And the world community fully recognizes what is at stake, he said.

That is why the some 70 countries, including the United States, have pledge a total of $15.2 billion to support Afghanistan through the year 2020. This international support, said President Ghani, will not only help the Afghan government defeat the Taliban insurgency, but also expand its economy, fight corruption and support human rights.

The United States, said Secretary of State Kerry, pledges to deepen our strategic partnership with Afghanistan and to work with Congress to provide civilian assistance at or very near the current levels, on average, all the way through 2020. That is our financial commitment. And we expect to continue a significant  though gradually declining  level of support as Afghanistan later becomes more self-reliant through the end of the transformation decade.
HICKORY  The general election held significant importance to North Carolina last night as voters not only decided on who would serve as the next President of the United States, but also who they wanted to lead the state as Governor.

Incumbent Governor Pat McCrory (R) ran against NC Attorney General Roy Cooper (D) in a down to the wire race.

According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, 100 percent of precincts in the state are reporting and have Democratic candidate Roy Cooper as the winner of the race. Cooper received 2,281,851 votes compared to McCrory who took 2,276,850 votes.

Catawba County has a history of voting republican when it comes to the governors race as well as national elections. In 2012, Catawba County voted overwhelmingly for McCrory with almost 72 percent of the votes going to the Republican candidate.

During the 2016 Primaries, McCrory took 18,656 Votes in Catawba County while opponent Cooper earned 6,608 from the county.

Catawba County once again voted in favor of the Republican candidate Pat McCrory with 64.46 percent of the votes in the county going to the incumbent governor. Roy Cooper received 33.02 percent of Catawbas votes and Lon Cecil took 2.52 percent.

The Catawba County Democratic Party hosted a viewing party at their headquarters Tuesday evening. Voting polls closed at 7:30 p.m. for most precincts in the state, with a few precincts extending voting hours up to an hour.

Marcus Williams of the Catawba County Democratic Party described the atmosphere at the Democratic Party watch party. At the time of reporting, the election was still in favor of McCrory.

It looks like we have lost a lot of ground in statewide elections, so people are pretty bummed, Williams said.

With nearly 95 percent of the vote in North Carolina being reported with Governor McCrory in the lead late Tuesday night around 11:00 p.m., Williams voiced his thoughts on the gubernatorial election. I am very very surprised. With the exception of the non-partisan race, we had one individual for NC Supreme Court who is a democrat, he said.

It looks bleak but its going to be okay, said Lydia Doll, a volunteer with the Catawba County Democratic Party.

I think that he is a dangerous fundamentalist that I do not think represents the value of everyday North Carolinians, said Doll about Governor McCrory.
Prime Minister Modis call for a celebration of integrity through a sudden demonetization of Rs. 500 and Rs.1000 currency notes, much like his earlier schemes like the Jan Dhan Yojana, is yet another jumla. But if the opening of millions of zero balance bank accounts under the Jan Dhan Yojana was a harmless gimmick, the ill-conceived monetary experiment this time may actually end up inflicting some costs on the public.

The temporary proscription of currency notes of higher denomination is supposedly aimed at rendering the presently held stocks of black money and counterfeit currency worthless. What is noteworthy is that it neither makes any difference to the generation of black money through myriad channels, nor does it touch that part of the stock of black money held in other forms of assets like benami properties in land and real estate, gold, foreign currency, offshore bank accounts, etc.

Nobody knows how much of illicit wealth in the country is stashed in wads of Rs. 500 and Rs.1000 currency notes. One can only guess that it would be the petty brokers, wheeler-dealers and thieves who store their ill-gotten wealth in that fashion, besides mainstream political parties and politicians like the ones seen in the Tehelka or Narada tapes. The big fish have long devised much more sophisticated ways of stashing or laundering their money. Hence the current demonetization is unlikely to touch anything more than a miniscule fraction of the present stock of black money in India.

To the extent it will succeed, the stocks of illicit wealth are likely to be only destroyed but not unearthed or confiscated, nor the illegalities punished. Given such uncertain and measly benefits, the costs of demonetization are significant.

First, a disruptive shock has already been delivered to the cash-transactions based economy, which has particularly affected the lives of the rural and urban poor, who eke out a living in the vast informal economy, besides inconveniencing a significant section of the middle classes who are yet to get included in the world of cashless transactions. The impact of this is certainly short-term and transitory, but whether this shock was necessary at all is questionable, given the elusive benefits.

Second, the move may just end up increasing the proportion of other assets like benami property, gold, dollars etc. in which black money is held and diversify the market for money laundering instruments, making it even more difficult to detect. Third, given the fact that new Rs. 500 and Rs.2000 currency notes will now be introduced to replace the proscribed currencies, the RBI will have to incur significant costs of printing a very large volume of currency notes. Moreover, if high denomination currencies are really the problem, why replace the Rs. 1000 denomination with Rs. 2000, which will make it even easier to build fresh stocks of black money?

There is no guarantee that the high denomination currency notes wont be faked again, given that the agency and technology of counterfeit Indian currency notes remain unearthed. As for the contribution of this move to combating terrorism, it is a red herring. The role of opaque instruments like Participatory Notes, used by FIIs operating in the Indian stock market, are more relevant for financing terrorism than Indian currency notes of high denomination.

The real problems ailing the Indian economy lie elsewhere. The amount of stressed loans in the Indian banking system has crossed a whopping Rs. 9 lakh crore, a bulk of which is owed by domestic corporates to the public sector banks, causing a huge debt overhang. Despite doubtful claims of fast economic growth, revenue mobilisation has not shown any signs of improvement and consequently, redistributive policies have been rolled back.

Under the Modi regime, substantive measures to promote investments, economic growth, revenues and welfare expenditure have been supplanted by gimmicks, PR spins and a brazen pursuit of select corporate interests. The latest instance of a conflict of interest lies in todays full page newspaper advertisements by an online payment service provider congratulating the Prime Minister for the demonetization announcement.

The writer is a left-leaning economist
After many meetings and debates, the Chicago delegation succeeded in working with the New York United Federation of Teachers, Local 2 (UFT) to push the AFT to take stronger stands on charter school accountability and school closings  though many delegates from Chicago would have liked the language to have been even stronger.

Generally speaking, the New York delegation represented organizing charters as the best model for handling their role in reshaping unions, despite the fact that according to many reports few charter schools in New York have been organized as is the case in Chicago. This logic is the same touted by the Progressive Caucus of the AFT. The few that have been organized are a part of the UFT local though they have separate contracts negotiated with the help of UFT. The Chicago delegation reflection the mindset that allowing new charters to continue to proliferate while attempting to organize existing charters is an end game in which public schools and the union lose.



Jen Johnson, CTU, Local 1 in Substance


There is, no doubt, bound to be short-term disruption with the Modi governments decision to withdraw from circulation high-denomination currency notes. High-value notes were similarly demonetised in 1978. The rationale for this drastic measure is to strike at the black economy, fake currency and financing of cross-border terrorism. This measure is also intended to encourage cash-less, credit card-related transactions in the formal economy to enable the tax man to garner revenues for the exchequer. The big question is whether such a shock and awe policy turns the black into a white economy.

Read: 10-day survey ahead of PMs move shows majority favoured currency withdrawal

According to top finance ministry officials, the circulation of high-denomination notes has far outpaced growth in the nations economy or gross domestic product. These notes account for a little more than eight out of 10 currency notes currently in circulation. Over the last five years, the circulation of Rs 1,000 notes expanded by 109% while the economy grew by only 30%. Rs 500 notes circulated 2.5 times faster than GDP  all of which suggested that there is a disproportionately high usage of such notes as a store of unaccounted black money in the Indian economy.

Read: Modi second PM to scrap high-value notes, first to introduce Rs 2000 note

Taking out such notes, however, only affects the stock but not flow of black money. Replacing them by new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes doesnt really check the process of generation of unaccounted money in sectors like real estate and stock market speculation. If anything, normalcy will soon return after the immediate disruption with new notes getting into circulation. Such a measure will not curb the financing of electoral expenditures by most political parties, either. The former RBI governor, Raghuram Rajan, observed a disproportionately high usage of such notes ahead of crucial state elections.

Analogously, the misperception persists of a stock of funds held abroad by Indians in Switzerland and tax havens waiting to be brought back by a pro-active government. The government too has nurtured this objective but has not succeeded till now. The reason is simple. There is only a limited idle stock abroad but one that is more in circulation. Much of what has left outside has indeed returned as participatory notes in the stock market and foreign direct investment inflows in sectors like real estate. This has derailed efforts to get back the alleged hoard of illegal money stashed abroad.

Read: Withdrawal of Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes may affect poll campaigning in UP

Domestically as well, taking out high-value notes only targets the idle stock of black money. Their impact is limited as efforts to make citizens disclose their unaccounted wealth have not worked well so far. The last income disclosure scheme a few months ago only netted tax revenues of only 0.2% of GDP. The drive against the black economy will be more efficacious by targeting the processes of generation and flow of unaccounted money in the Indian economy with more reasonable rates of income taxation. The tax regime must also extend to hitherto politically sensitive sectors like agriculture. Electoral financing reforms are also imperative to attack the black economy.

N Chandra Mohan is an economics and business commentator

The views expressed are personal
The government of India has decided to dispense with immediate effect Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes and replace them with new Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes. This Prime Minister Narendra Modi said was part of his governments effort to fight corruption, black money and fake currency. Everyone has recognised this as a bold move, his supporters are ecstatic as they usually are about every decision of his.

There is no doubt that currency changes are a blow to the fake currency problem. It certainly destroys the value of those hoarding cash. There are suspicions that businesses will try and retrospectively declare goods and services as sold before November 8 and deposit the money in banks, but there will be a lot left under the rug that will need to be disclosed. The move will not affect the super-rich who usually convert their wealth into land, gold and foreign property.

Notwithstanding the benefits, there are reasons to believe the currency swap is a political blunder. Writer Amit Varma has, among others, tweeted that this is a mistake, pointing out, for instance, that the measure will adversely affect BJPs base of small traders. Hes right; if a party has consciously kept out foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail (excepting food products) to protect the 10-12 million small traders in the country then whats the point of threatening their cash reserves? Like counterparts elsewhere, Indian businesses are notorious for evading taxes and thus any attempt to disrupt established practices of unaccounted cash transactions is bound to be deeply resented. One can expect a wave of negative sentiment to radiate through (small) business communities quickly. A nationalism that trashes Pakistan is welcome, a nationalism that wants you to come clean on personal finances is not  regardless who the leader is.

The BJP seems to have calculated that the poor will enjoy the prospect of the rich squirming about what to do with their ill-gotten cash and admire the PM for the nerve to take on the wealthy.

That may be true in theory but the disruption this measure causes can override that sentiment quite quickly. The Modi government seems to have underestimated how the process of lining up in banks to deposit money will infuriate people, including the lower middle class and urban poor. Just imagine, for example, how the experience will be for a poor woman in the cities who stores cash at home, rather than in banks. The familys money has suddenly become illegal; she is likely to take leave from work, join a long line in a bank; she will have to go through the indignity of asking someone else to fill her bank deposit slips and will seethe when someone inevitably jumps the line and wonder why the government made her do all this. Every person with a Rs 500 note in the country will have to endure a variant of that experience. Imagine the chatter in the queues where mirth and rage alternate and where it will collectively dawn on all present that all this is a pointless use of time.

There is already chaos reported in the cities with petrol pumps refusing to accept old notes and ATMs seeing long lines. What is extraordinary is that the government has effectively ordered a pause to commerce as many millions know it, without any prior warning.

There is the claim about black money that needs to be evaluated. This experiment is predicated on the belief that many will surrender their ill-gotten cash even if they have not disclosed it during the tax amnesty. They may not choose to in order to avoid embarrassment, scrutiny and prosecution  and to that extent demonetisation entails the destruction of value (rather than its creation) and so it does not allow for the redistribution of income which is what the recovery of black money is all about. If the Modi government does manage to recover a lot of money, it will have to pass on the benefit to the people in substantive ways like significant cash transfers or, if it is ambitious, perhaps try a universal basic income initiative.

For now the transition will be painful. The technology and customer service experience at most banks is not at a level that can cope with the volume of demand in the coming days. High on the list of things that governments loathe are crowds gathering in public spaces to discuss government policy. The Modi government will be summoning such very audiences in banks this week onward. No policy sounds good when you are standing for two hours in a queue at an Indian public sector bank.

The views expressed are personal. The author tweets as @SushilAaron

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The Madhya Pradesh high court on Tuesday struck down an order issued by the directorate of medical education (DME) cancelling admission of some students to medical colleges in the state.

The order came after 26 of the 37 affected students and some Right to Information (RTI) activists moved the court challenging the DMEs order.

However, there is no clarity on whether all the 37 students would be reinstated or only those who moved the court. The order also did not specify weathers seats would be allotted in the private medical colleges or the government colleges.

On October 7, through offline counselling, the DME filled 468 seats into different medical colleges of the state. But later it came to light that 37 students were granted admission in excess to intake capacity of three private medical colleges while a seat in government colleges was left vacant.

To rectify the mistake, the DME issued termination orders to 37 students without taking the merit into account.

The admission was conducted through the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) to ensure selection strictly on merit. How come only 262 seats were filled through the online (admission) process on the last day as against 468 seats filled off-line? While it took 35 hours to fill up the online seats, it took only four hours to fill the offline seats! It smells of corruption, says RTI activist and former MLA Paras Saklecha, who has been fighting for the right of the students.

The Supreme Court had earlier directed the DME to fill maximum number of seats through online counselling by giving preference to domicile students and fill remaining seats offline strictly on the basis of merit.

Apparently, the directive was not followed as non-domicile and less meritorious students got admission, alleged several RTI activists.

The authorities, however, cited a technical glitches for fewer students getting admission through online process. A senior official involved in the counselling process told HT that there were some problems in the BSNL cable connection at the Gandhi Medical College, which had hit the online admission for some time.

We had to call BSNLs technician to fix the problem, the official said on condition of anonymity.

RTI activist Dr Anand Rai alleged that private medical colleges in connivance with medical education department officials sold seats for `50-60 lakh.

The allegations were bolstered after some of the private institutions charged extra money in the name of caution and other miscellaneous fees, though Association of Fees Regulatory Committee had fixed the tuition fees.
The whereabouts of one of the prime eyewitnesses of the dramatic jailbreak by eight SIMI undertrials from the Bhopal Central Jail is now shrouded in mystery.

Chandan Singh and Ramashankar Yadav were on guard on the intervening night of October 30 and 31, when the incident occurred. During his statement to investigators, he said he was tied up by the eight who killed Yadav and escaped by scaling the boundary wall of the jail by constructing a makeshift ladder by tying wooden planks to bed sheets,.

Singh was last seen in public at Yadavs funeral on November 1.

Sources privy to the investigation told HT that he is living under constant security cover and is being questioned about the jailbreak. When HT reached his residence (which cannot be disclosed due to security reasons), his house was found locked from the outside, with no trace of his familys whereabouts.

One of his neighbours, who identified himself as GK Patil, told HT that Singh last came to his house to meet his family on October 31 at around 11 pm.

He was shivering with shock and fear after the incident and was feeling very lucky that he was spared by the eight, who were later killed in an encounter, said Patil, adding that he was continuously crying while talking to the neighbours.

Patil further said that Singh has not been allowed to meet anyone till the inquiry is over. Due to security reasons, his family has also been moved to an undisclosed location, he said.

HT tried to contact Bhopal Central Jail superintendent Dinesh Nargave to know about Singh but he did not answer the phone.

State politics heats up over encounter

With the by-elections to the Shahdol Lok Sabha seat and Nepanagar assembly seat just around the corner, the jailbreak by eight suspected SIMI operatives and their subsequent death in an encounter is heating up politics in Madhya Pradesh.

While BJP is accusing Congress of playing dirty politics over the encounter, the Congress has alleged that BJP is using the references about the alleged encounter for vote bank politics in Shahdol.

The Facebook page BJP4Shahdol has uploaded a video of Shivraj Singh Chouhan taken on November 4, in which the chief minister wonders aloud why the Congress gets distressed when terrorists, who slit the throat of a police constable, are killed.

Congress spokesperson KK Mishra said that Chouhans speech was a serious issue. The way Chouhan had made references about undertrial SIMI men as terrorists is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct as it can fuel communal tension in the state, he said. He further said that the Congress will lodge a written compliant along with the copy of the video to the election commission.

Meanwhile, BJP chief spokesperson Deepak Vijayvargiya said as a political activist, Chouhan was free to give his views on any issue in any election rally. He questioned why the Congress was getting unnerved over the strong stand taken by the state over the encounter.
Recently, a few reports suggested that Huma Qureshi has opted out of director Sarvesh Mewaras upcoming romantic film, Gulaab Jaamun. However a source close to the actor rubbishes the reports.

Sarveshs film is a coming-of-age story. There were reports that Huma had decided to walk out of Sarveshs film as the script wasnt ready and the shooting of the film was supposed to start from June 2017. But these stories are baseless, says the source.

The source further reveals that Huma is yet to read the script. The script of the film hasnt been finalised and is yet to be given to Huma. At the moment, nothing has been confirmed and these reports are mere speculation.

Picture Perfect ... A photo posted by Huma Qureshi (@iamhumaq) on Nov 3, 2016 at 2:26am PDT

Therefore, it leaves no scope for the actor to walk out of the film. She has decided to read the script, after which she will give a final nod to the movie, adds the insider.

Huma, who recently wrapped up shooting for the sequel to Jolly LLB, could not be reached for a comment.

Greetings from @humasqureshi & me this morning straight from Lucknow stn.Jolly indeed is having a jolly good time pic.twitter.com/wEDrXI23mB  Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) August 31, 2016
On Monday, when two actors Raghava Uday and Anil drowned while shooting an action sequence for a Kannada film near Bengaluru, John Abraham was extremely disturbed.

I take this pointless death of the two actors very personally.This accident is horrific, shameful and avoidable. I belong to the same space where action scenes have often put me in very dangerous places.

In fact I was off my feet for months recently after I fractured my leg doing a stunt for Force 2. I know what it is like to risk your life. Anything can happen to an actor who does these daredevil stunts, says an emotional John.

On Tuesday morning, John posted a video online of himself and his injured foot. After I heard about what happened to those poor unfortunate boys in Bengaluru I decided to post the video. I wanted people to see the pain that we actors have to go through when a stunt goes wrong.

I got a friend to shoot the video secretly as we were not allowed to shoot in the hospital. But somewhere I wanted a record of the pain I went through for future reference, says the actor, who finds the negligence appalling.

I believe one of those boys who drowned clearly told the producers he couldnt swim properly. There was no proper permission for them to jump in the lake, no safety measures. I think the producers should be held culpable. This is human lives we are talking about.How can someones life be taken so lightly?, he asks.

John says action heroes have a lot to be scared about. Its okay when safety measures are taken. In my case when I perform dangerous stunts I make sure the optimum safety is ensured.I not only ensure my own safety during stunts I also make sure the others doing stunts with me are safe.When I was shooting stunts with Varun (Dhawan) in Dhishoom, Id check my harness as well as Varuns. I am also insured against injury and I recommend all actors should do the same.

Kannada actors Anil and Uday lost their lives while performing a dangerous stunt.

The action hero admits doing ones own stunts is a non-negotiable option. After I was laid up with a badly fractured leg while performing a stunt  I couldve lost a leg  do you know what was the first I did after recovery? I had to kick in and break a door in Dhishoom.with the same leg that I had injured, he says.

John feels action in our films need to be taken more seriously. I dont think stunts on our films can be taken lightly any longer. Gone are the days when heroes could do two back-flips and get applauded for it. Todays audience is educated in world cinema. They know when we are faking a stunt. Body double nahin chalega. Besides in my case looking at my size finding a body double would be rather tough. So yes ,Id rather do my stunts myself and ensure the risks are minimized, says the actor, who pleads for action to be given its due status in our films.

If you ask a lay person to name five choreographers he will rattle off six names. But ask him to name five action directors he will be stuck after Veeru Devgan, Sham Kaushal and Allan Amin.We guys who do daring action take risks with our lives. At least, grant us the respect we deserve.When we actors injured ourselves almost lose our lives for two minutes of thrill, what do we get in return? An anxious producer wanting to know when we can return to shooting, says John.
Bollywood actor Sonu Sood, who is known for his action films and recently worked with Jackie Chan on a Indo-China film Kung Fu Yoga, said that the recent incident of two actors who lost their lives while attempting a stunt was a result of irresponsible attitude of the filmmakers.

I heard the news about the sad incident that has happened to two actors of the Kannada film while shooting a stunt. I am shocked, sad and angry at the same time! I saw the video and there was no safety precautions taken for those actors. I think its a pure criminal act by the producer and action director; who make them jump into the water, when they didnt know how to swim! I think it is unpardonable, said Sonu.

The actor who has worked in Indo-Chinese collaborative projects like Kung Fu Yoga with Jackie Chan and Xuanzang, a film that has been selected as official entry for the 89th Academy Awards, says their makers took greater care.

Picture China Ki,Hero India Ka! @SonuSood starrer "Xuanzang" is China's official entry to Oscars!For details catch him with me @RedFMIndia pic.twitter.com/ZShIpoda19  RJswati (@swatcat86) November 7, 2016

They are very high on taking safety measures while shooting a stunt. They have a ambulance ready on set, doctors are always present there whether we need it or not, it is so well structured. Though in our Bollywood, we take certain precautions but we can learn a lot from them as they are very well-equipped, he said.

Sonu, who has attempted many stunts in his films, to queries if he ever felt fear while doing any stunt, said, If I am not comfortable doing something I dont attempt it. As an actor, we have all the right to say no if not confident, and I do the same.

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Farhan Akhtar has successfully made a transition from behind the camera to a bankable Bollywood actor but he feels his acting career has a shelf life as he cant go on playing such characters for too long.

The 42-year-old actor-filmmaker made his acting debut in 2008 with Rock On and has since starred in films like Luck By Chance, Karthik Calling Karthik, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Shaadi Ke Side Effects, Dil Dhadakne Do and Wazir.

His love for acting has made him take a break from direction. Farhan, whose last directorial venture was Don 2 in 2011, says he is taking up acting projects because he enjoys being in front of the camera. It is not a question of getting too comfortable. I am enjoying it for sure. It is as comfortable as doing anything if your heart is in it... So, I think good roles are coming my way and I am happy with the films that I am getting an opportunity to be part of. It is exciting, said Farhan.

I feel things like these (acting career) also have a shelf life, I can only play those characters for that long. However, I feel there is no need to rock the boat at the moment.

Farhan is awaiting the release of the sequel of Rock On, which hits theatres this Friday. The film will mark the return of original stars Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli, Prachi Desai besides Farhan alongside new additions like Shraddha Kapoor and Shashank Arora.

The story of the upcoming film has shifted out of Mumbai to Shillong, Meghalaya and Farhan says the change in setting reflects the new storyline of his character. My character has relocated out of Mumbai. He has adopted a village and is working closely with villagers, setting up schools, women empowerment centres. We wanted it to be set in in the hills just for a change in scenery and we were thinking about many places. Himachal Pradesh was also one of them but ultimately we decided on Shillong.

Besides Rock On 2, there are two other films of Farhan - Don 2 and Dil Chahta Hai, which are speculated to get new installments. The demand for Don 3 has been there for too long now. It keeps trending and then there is also a cast list. There is too much speculation. It is not nice to read that some actors have been thrown out from the film as they are (my) friends. As far as Dil Chahta Hai is concerned. Recently, Alia said that she would like to see an all-female version of the film. I think that is an interesting idea and if I do consider making a sequel, then it would be a nice avenue to go down to do.

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Two Kannada actors, Anil Varma (31) and Raghav Uday (38) drowned in a lake on Monday, after a helicopter stunt for a film went wrong in Bengaluru. This has triggered an outrage regarding the film industrys adherence to safety regulations.

Weve registered a case of criminal negligence against the production unit of the film as no precautionary and safety measures were taken for the shoot, police officer HL Nandeesha was quoted as saying. Action director Allan Amin feels regional cinema has a long way to go in creating awareness regarding stunts. In this case, had the actors been given wet suits, a tragedy like this wouldnt have occurred, he says.

Bollywood, too, is saddened by the news and urges a safety-first approach. This accident is horrific, shameful and avoidable. I belong to the same space where action scenes have put me in dangerous places. I know what its like to risk your life, says actor John Abraham, who broke his leg while performing a stunt a few months ago.

Earlier this year, actor Akshay Kumar had written an open-letter campaigning an award category for stunt-persons. It pains me, because I know the one expert that an actor/actress cant live without, during their shoot, is their stunt buddy... Had it not been for your unbelievable hard work and talent, wed be mourning the death of so many actors and actresses. Instead, the stunt community is quietly mourning the ones theyve lost, be it by accident, injury or fatality on the sets of award-winning films over the years, a part of his open letter read.

Actor Akshay Kumar had earlier written an open letter campaigning for an award category for stuntpersons. (HT Photo)

Filmmaker Sabbir Khan, who has made action films such as Heropanti and Baaghi, says filmmakers should rehearse the action sequences before shooting for them. Its important to be aware about the possible dangers and risks involved with that particular scene. Doing stunts is the job of experts. Its shocking that people dont spend much time and money on it, he says.

Actor Sonu Sood is shocked at the carelessness on the part of filmmakers.

Actor Sonu Sood, who has done actions films in Bollywood, South and in international cinema, says the stunt director, films director and producers should be answerable for such a shocking case. People are dying because of filmmakers carelessness. The kind of precautions one takes in the West is huge. There are ambulances and doctors present at the shoot location in case something happens. Here, theres so much pressure on actors to do something, that they do even those stunts which they are not confident about. There needs to be a law against this and it should be treated as a serious offence. The stunt director, films director and its producers should be answerable for this, he says.

With inputs from Subhash K Jha.

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Gold jumped 3% to its highest in five weeks on Wednesday as early counting showed a close battle for the White House between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, pushing investors toward safe havens.

With voting completed in more than two-thirds of the 50 US states, the race was too close to call in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Virginia, states that could be vital to deciding which contender wins the presidency.

Spot gold was up 2.9% at $1,311.80 an ounce by 0235 GMT. Bullion peaked at $1,312.80, its strongest since October 4.

The US dollar skidded in wild Asian trade as every new exit poll in the US presidential election showed the race to be a tight one.

Much of the action was in currencies where the Mexican peso has become a touchstone for sentiment on the election as Trumps trade policies are seen as damaging to its export-heavy economy.

Trump held slight leads in the vital battleground states of Florida, Virginia and Ohio, clinging to a narrow advantage over Democrat Hillary Clinton in key states that could decide their race for the White House.

If Trump wins theres more uncertainty in his platform and the direction that his policy may aim, so there may be more volatility with risk assets and over the short-term you may have investors flock to gold, said Mark Watkins, regional investment manager with The Private Client Group of U.S. Bank.

US gold for December delivery was up 3% at $1,313 an ounce.

Vishnu Varathan, senior economist at Mizuho Bank, said the reaction in the gold market to the outcome of the US vote may be more limited compared to its surge when Britain voted to leave the European Union in June.

In this case whether its a Clinton win or a Trump win, at this point beyond just unravelling some of the very tail-risk events, theres really nothing left in the tank to aggressively trade gold, said Varathan.
In a surprise move, the government has scrapped existing Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes from midnight on Tuesday (November 8). The move, which is aimed at targeting corruption, will also encourage and accelerate the move to a cashless economy.

Now that cash is no longer king, how do you manage your everyday and every-once-in-a-while transactions?

The most common alternative is the use of cards -- credit, debit and prepaid -- for any and all transactions, including online transactions.

The other option is to electronically transfer money from one bank account to another, but the process can take hours.

E-wallets, instruments where people can preload money and make payments, too have become popular in recent years.

And the unified payments interface (UPI) system that was launched by the National Payments Council of India (NPCI), allows immediate transactions across bank accounts.

Click here to read the full article
After the governments surprise announcement on Tuesday of making Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 banknotes illegal from midnight, the Reserve Bank of India posted a 25-point detailed FAQs explaining the rationale behind the move.

The central bank said the most important reason for the ban was the abnormal rise in fake currencies of higher denomination, and also the higher incidence of black money in the system, but assured the public that a person who changed his higher value cash will get exactly the equal amount in lower denominations.

Read: Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes scrapped: All you need to know and do in next few days

Here are 25 things the RBI wants you to know:

1) Why was the scheme introduced?

The incidence of fake Indian currency notes in higher denomination has increased. For ordinary people, the fake notes look similar to genuine notes, even though no security feature has been copied. The fake notes are used for anti-national and illegal activities. High denomination notes have been misused by terrorists and for hoarding black money. India remains a cash-based economy, hence, the circulation of fake Indian currency notes continues to be a menace. In order to contain the rising incidence of fake notes and black money, the scheme to withdraw the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes has been introduced.

2) What is this scheme?

The legal tender character of the existing bank notes in denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 issued by the Reserve bank of India till November 8, 2016 (hereinafter referred to as Specified Bank Notes) stands withdrawn. In consequence thereof, these bank notes cannot be used for transacting business and/or storage of value for future usage. These bank notes can be exchanged for value at any of the 19 offices of the Reserve Bank of India or at any of the bank branches or at any head post office or sub-post office.

Read: Take a look at the new Rs 500, Rs 2000 notes to be circulated soon

3) What value will I get for the old notes?

You will get value for the entire volume of notes tendered at the bank branches/RBI offices.

4) Can I get cash for all old notes?

No. You will get up to Rs 4000 per person in cash irrespective of the size of tender. Anything over and above that will be receivable by way of credit to bank accounts.

5) Why cant I get the entire amount in cash when I have surrendered everything in cash?

The scheme does not provide for it, given its objectives.

6) Rs 4000 cash is insufficient for my need. What do I do?

You can use balances in bank accounts to pay for other requirements by cheque or through electronic means of payments such as internet banking, mobile wallets, IMPS, credit/debit cards etc.

7) What if I dont have any bank account?

You can always open a bank account by approaching a bank branch with necessary documents.

Read: Modi plays a Trump card: Twitter reaction to PMs war on black money

8) What if, if I only have a Jan-Dhan Yojana account?

A Jan-Dhan Yojana account holder can avail the exchange facility subject to the caps and other laid down limits in accordance with norms and procedures.

9) Where can I go to exchange the notes?

The exchange facility is available at all issue offices of the RBI and branches of commercial banks/RRBS/UCBs/state co-op banks or at any head post office or sub-post office.

10) Need I go to my bank branch?

For exchange of up to Rs 4000 in cash, you may go to any bank branch with a valid identity proof.

For exchange of over Rs 4000, which will be accorded through credit to bank account only, you may go to the branch where you have an account or to any other branch of the same bank.

In case you want to go to a branch of any other bank where you are not maintaining an account, you will have to furnish valid identity proof and bank account details required for electronic fund transfer to your account.

11) Can I go to any branch of my bank?

Yes you can go to any branch of your bank.

12) Can I go to any branch of any other bank?

Yes, you can go to any branch of any other bank. In that case you have to furnish valid identity proof for exchange in cash; both valid identity proof and bank account details will be required for electronic fund transfer in case the amount to be exchanged exceeds Rs 4000.

13) I have no account but my relative/friend has an account, can I get my notes exchanged into that account?

Yes, you can do that if the account holder gives you permission in writing. While exchanging, you should provide to the bank evidence of permission given by the account holder and your valid identity proof.

14) Should I go to the bank personally or can I send the notes through my representative?

Personal visit to the branch is preferable. In case it is not possible for you to visit the branch, you may send your representative with an express mandate, i.e. a written authorisation. The representative should produce authority letter and his/her valid identity proof while tendering the notes.

15) Can I withdraw money from ATMs?

It may take a while for the banks to recalibrate their ATMs. Once the ATMs are functional, you can withdraw from ATMs up to a maximum of Rs 2,000 per card per till November 18. The limit will be raised to Rs 4000 per day per card from November 19.

16) Can I withdraw cash against cheque?

Yes, you can withdraw cash against withdrawal slip or cheque subject to ceiling of Rs 10,000 in a day within an overall limit of Rs 20,000 in a week (including withdrawals from ATMs) up to November 24, after which these limits shall be reviewed.

17) Can I deposit specified bank notes through ATMs, cash deposit machines or cash recycler?

Yes, specified bank notes can be deposited at cash deposits machines/cash recyclers.

18) Can use the electronic mode (NEFT/RTGS /IMPS/ internet banking/mobile banking, etc.) ?

You can use NEFT/RTGS/IMPS/internet banking/mobile banking or any other electronic/non-cash mode of payment.

19) How much time do I have to exchange the notes?

The scheme closes on December 30. The specified banknotes can be exchanged at branches of commercial banks, regional rural banks, urban cooperative banks, state cooperative banks and the RBI till December 30.

For those who are unable to exchange their specified bank notes on or before December 30, an opportunity will be given to them to do so at specified offices of the RBI, along with necessary documentation as may be specified by the central bank.

20) I am not in India right now, what should I do?

If you have specified banknotes in India, you may authorise someone in writing, enabling the person to deposit the notes into your bank account. The person so authorised has to come to the bank with the specified banknotes, the authority letter given by you and a valid identity proof (valid identity proof is any of the following: Aadhaar card, driving license, voter ID card, passport, NREGA card, PAN card, identity card issued by the government, public sector unit to its staff.)

21) I am an NRI and hold an NRO account, can the exchange value be deposited in my account?

Yes, you can deposit the specified banknotes to your NRO account.

22) I am a foreign tourist and I have these notes, what do I do?

You can purchase foreign exchange equivalent to Rs 5000 using these specified bank notes at airport exchange counters within 72 hours after the notification, provided you present proof of purchasing the specified bank notes.

23) I have an emergency need of cash (hospitalisation, travel, life-saving medicines). What should I do?

You can use the specified bank notes for paying for your hospitalisation charges at government hospitals, for purchasing bus tickets at government bus stands for travel by state government or state PSU buses, train tickets at railway stations, and air tickets at airports, within 72 hours after the notification.

24) What is a proof of identity?

Valid Identity proof is any of the following: Aadhaar card, driving license, voter ID card, passport, NREGA card, PAN card, identity card issued by the government, public sector unit to its staff.

25) Where can I get more information on this scheme?

Further information is available on our website (www.rbi.org.in) and the website of the finance ministry (www.finmin.nic.in). You may approach the control room of RBI by email or over the telephone: 022 22602201/022 22602944.
Tuesdays strike on black money will make every other step so far look like loose change, but the Narendra Modi government has run a sustained campaign against it since coming to power in May 2014.

Setting up of SIT

Modis first day in the government as Prime Minister was marked by the setting up of a Supreme Court monitored special investigation team (SIT) to address the menace of illegal money. The SIT asked the investigations agencies -- Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence -- to take action against companies claiming duty drawback without repatriate export proceeds. It also asked the Reserve Bank of India to develop an institutional mechanism and IT system to red flag those cases where exports have been outstanding in violation of FEMA guidelines. The SIT also recommended a ban on cash transactions above Rs 3 lakh and sought a cap on cash holdings of companies and individuals at Rs 15 lakh, creating ripples among traders.

Renegotiation of tax treaties

The Modi government undertook the renegotiation of tax Treaties and automatic information exchange agreements with various tax havens including Switzerland and Mauritius. The government also negotiated an Automatic Information Exchange Agreement with Switzerland. Under this agreement, India will be able to receive financial information of accounts held by Indian residents in Switzerland on automatic basis from 2018.

The government has renegotiated the Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with Mauritius to impose Capital Gains Tax if such Capital Asset is situated in India.

Black Money Bill

The Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act was introduced in May 2015 to bring back illegal money stashed abroad. However, this measure failed to elicit the kind of response the government was expecting.

Income Disclosure Scheme

This year, recently the government came up with the Income Disclosure Scheme, a one time opportunity was provided to all those with illegal money to come out clean. A sum of Rs 65,250 crore worth unaccounted money was disclosed in the form of cash and other assets during this four-month window and an estimated Rs 30,000 crore will come to the government in the form of tax.

The government increased seizures of concealed cash and jewelry several times.

Goods and Services Tax

Last but not least, the goods and services tax (GST ) is not merely an indirect tax reform. There are people who understate income by not reporting every transaction to save excise, VAT, Octroi etc. Since GST will have a paper trail which can be accessed by the income tax department, it will discourage generation of black money in the system.

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Evolution has programmed human beings to be optimistic: in a planet where death stalks us in so many shapes  from tiny microbes, to giant volcanoes  our species would not have lasted very long if we were unable to persuade ourselves that, all evidence to the contrary, theres always reason to hope.

So you can blame the primal, survival instinct for your need to imagine favourable outcomes from the US presidential elections, which have placed the worlds greatest power in the hands of Donald Trump.

Perhaps, we allow ourselves to fantasise, he will be good for India because his unalloyed Islamophobia will make him the enemy of our enemy, Pakistan. Or perhaps it is his Sinophobia that will work in Indias favor, by putting our great economic rival on the back foot. Or just perhaps, his Hispanophobia would make him more welcoming to immigration from India, since he doesnt, so far as we know, think we are all rapists.

But the same forces of evolution that made it possible to step out of our caves in confidence also ensured that we recognised danger when we saw it  that, for instance, the large four-legged creature with striped skin and sharp teeth is not our friend, even if it is not currently looking malevolently in our direction. That Trump has directed his bile-heavy rhetoric at others, and occasional honey-coated words at us (I love the Hindus!) should not conceal the danger he represents.

Watch Hindustan Times editor-in-chief Bobby Ghosh talk about the US elections

An Islamophobe is bad for India, not least because Islam is one of Indias faiths, practiced by 15% of its people: anyone who seeks to harm Muslims seeks to harm 150 million Indians. A Sinophobe is bad for India because China is a pillar of the global economy, of which this country is now a part. A man who harbors racist views about one set of brown people  Latin Americans, say  is unlikely to think well of others.

But perhaps most important, Trump is bad for India because he is bad for his own country, and the wellbeing of the US is now closely connected to our own. There is every indication that his leadership will harm American interests, at home and abroad. Even the attempt to keep some his more outlandish promises  to build a wall along the border with Mexico; to tear up defense treaties with NATO, Japan and Korea; to reverse policies designed to forestall climate change  will weaken the US, just when Indias ties to it are at their strongest.

Video | Trumps best quotes from the election campaign

There is a meme in some political circles that President George W Bush did well by India even though he did poorly by the US, but this is an extremely narrow view. If India prospered during the Bush years, it was despite rather than due to the damage he did to his own country, and to the world order.

As a thought experiment, take away the impact of Bushs worst policies  surging oil prices, for instance  and imagine how much better off India might have been without them. And that was then: in the eight years since, the Indo-US economic and security relationship has deepened, giving India a much greater stake in American well-being.

As evolution does to individuals, diplomacy obliges nations to be optimistic, and so Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot but congratulate Trump for his victory, and express hope that Indo-US relations continue to prosper under the new President. But Modi, a man of sharper survival instincts than most, will know that if Trump is bad for the US, he is bad for us.

(Bobby Ghosh is editor-in-chief of Hindustan Times. He has spent over two decades covering international affairs, including long stints as correspondent and editor in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the US. He tweets as @ghoshworld)

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The suicide of retired Subedar Ram Kishan Grewal and its aftermath are stark reminders of the crisis in our civil-military relations. For decades, we have prided ourselves on the fact that India was the rare post-colonial state that ensured democratic control of the military. After all, hadnt we exorcised the spectre of military coups that haunted so many countries? Any suggestioneven in academic settingsthat this might not be the only way to measure the health of civil-military relations or that there were some disturbing trends was apt to be dismissed as alarmist. Unfortunately, the rot has gone so deep that it can no longer be ignored or denied. The tragedy is compounded by the fact that almost everyone concerned seems recklessly prepared to destroy the institutional fabric of civil-military relations in pursuit of narrower ends.

That the leaders of the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party would seek to capitalise on the death of the former soldier is perhaps unsurprising. Isnt this politics as usual? Didnt Rahul Gandhi visit the University of Hyderabad in the wake of Rohit Vemulas suicide? The short answer is: No. When it comes to the military, politics cannot be as usual. Once we begin to sway the strongest coercive institution in the State for partisan political ends, we can never be sure that it will not end up coercing the political system as a whole. Principles apart, there is the breathtaking cynicism in the Congress fervour over an issue on which it tarried for years.

Read | Wont discuss OROP with politicised ex-soldiers: Parrikar

The defence minister is understandably upset over the politicisation of the One-Rank One-Pension (OROP) award. But it is worth recalling that the BJP politicised the issue in the first place. OROP was a key theme of the partys campaign ahead of the 2014 general elections. One of the first meetings addressed by Narendra Modi after his anointment as the partys prime ministerial candidate was to a huge gathering of ex-servicemen where he pledged support for OROP. Worse, the BJP gave a ticket to a former army chief, General VK Singh, who had taken the government of the day to Supreme Court and subsequently rewarded him with a ministerial berth. It is sad but not surprising that Singh should have observed that Subedar Grewal was a Congressman.

For all the hymns and hosannas to the armed forces from the ruling party, the governments handling of problems pertaining to them has been tardy  to put it mildly. The award of OROP was a year-and-a-half in the coming and the delay injected doubts about the sincerity of the government. Even as some ex-servicemen groups continued to contest the fine print of the OROP decision, the government found itself at loggerheads with the armed forces over the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission.

Read | Stop shedding crocodile tears for Indias soldiers: BJP to Rahul Gandhi

This was eminently avoidable. No sooner had the commission submitted its report in December 2015, than the chiefs of staff had written to the defence minister pointing out several problems. The suggestions made in the services memorandum to the commission had been brushed aside. Over the following months, the chiefs reportedly wrote to the minister several times and even raised the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Still, the formal notification did not address the main demands of the armed forces. Although a full-blown crisis has been averted for now, the issues under contention remain in play. Reports about a recent ministry of defence order on rank equivalence between military and civilian personnel have added to the impression that the government is not walking its talk.

All this has deepened the militarys distrust of the bureaucracy. To be sure, this is an old problem. Fifty years ago, the study team on defence matters set up by the first administrative reforms commission noted the militarys concern that civilian control amounted to civil service control. Still, the degree of distrust prevailing now is extraordinary. The level of discontent can be gauged from the fact that the chiefs felt compelled to issue a statement to the effect that they were satisfied with assurances extended by the defence minister on the Seventh Pay Commission.

Read | OROP suicide: now, Athawale says Grewals son is RPI leader, offers job to kin

That said, the narrative of grievance that has now gripped the military is also skewed and selective. Surprising though it may sound, our military has a wider domain of practical independence than in most other mature democracies. The bureaucracy only controls a limited sliver of military matters. Besides, the military has managed to have its way on a range of issues from demilitarisation of the Siachen Glacier to the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act to the grant of permanent commission to women officers. More worryingly, the militarys institutional identity does not seem strong enough to stanch the corrosive forces of resentment and envy. No all-volunteer professional military should have recourse to the argument that it is performing an extraordinary but under-appreciated role for the country. Nor can it bristle against criticism in the public sphere. Ex-servicemen groups also have to share the blame for raising such sentiments to the point of clamour  not to mention their ignominious role in bringing partisan politics into military lives.

It is about the time the political leadership stepped into the breach. At the combined commanders conference last December, Modi had declared that reforms in senior defence management was an area of priority for him. The government has a range of sensible proposals to choose from and make a start. There is no room for complacency or procrastination.

Srinath Raghavan is senior fellow, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi

The views expressed are personal

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Long before US president-elect Donald Trump was first sighted there were men who feared democracy. Among the fearful were the very men who invented Americas democracy. Wary of the intellect of regular people, the framers of Americas constitution complicated the presidential elections. As a result Americans do not directly elect the president, rather they vote for hundreds of people who in turn elect the president. In practice, the electoral college is a formality and its members have never overturned public will, but in theory they can.

Democracy is strange. No other human enterprise is run the way a democracy is. Corporations, institutions, including Jawaharlal Nehru University, and even families are autocracies. Democracies themselves are not truly democracies. The very idea of representative democracy is to ensure that the State is protected from most of the whims of the masses, and is instead run by an elected plutocracy.

Read | China for stable relations with US, Weibo explodes over Trump win

As proof of democracys success, its champions point to disastrous alternatives, and the triumphs of the advanced economies of the West. Most of these democracies, though, made gigantic leaps in prosperity when they were not democracies or when only the educated elites could vote. Their present wealth is built on the headstart won in a period when they were not inconvenienced by democracy. Following Europes successful evangelisation of democracy in Asia, several nascent nations adopted an element of democracy than even the colonisers had not started with--universal suffrage. Thus India quickly created an ignorant and incompetent political class that destroyed the nation for decades.

Despite its failures, democracy is widely accepted today as a form of absolute social morality and any challenge to it is perceived by most people as corrupt or insane. No informed devotee of democracy would deny that it is flawed but he would say it is still the best idea there is. But what if the flaws of democracy are much more serious than its fans imagine?

Read | Richard Verma positive about robust US-India dosti in Trump rule

What if the truth is that as the people of the democratic world become more empowered than ever, and more vocal and more politicised, democracy is becoming an excellent conductor to transmit evil? What if the fact is that the flaws of democracy are amplifying the flaws of human nature?

The 2016 US presidential elections were frequently described by political experts as a consequence of the dark side of the Internet. They mean that very dangerous opinions and sheer nonsense are now easily transmitted. But what if it is not the Internet that is dark, but electoral democracy in the age of technology? Like the Internet, elections are becoming almost perfect mirrors of the society, and we are unable to like what we see.

Read | Tens of thousands to demand South Korean prez quit amid scandal

There is another serious problem with modern democracy. Representative democracy, which is in reality a protection of the State from total democracy, had honourable reasons to exist at the time of its creation. The technology then was such that people could not transmit their wish directly to the centre of power, so they had to elect their representatives. But now technology has transformed, and all around the world there is pressure on governments to deploy direct democracy or referendums on policies.

The idea that elected representatives would work hard to make the right decision on complicated matters so that they would earn the right to be re-elected is coming under strain. People, especially in advanced economies, wonder why they cannot vote on matters directly, as the Britons did to decide Brexit. The more efficient a democracy becomes---and direct democracy is purer than representative---the better democracy becomes in conducting evil, fear, stupidity, prejudice and every other dark shade of human nature. This was evident during the Brexit campaign. It does appear that democracy is how regular people protect themselves from the smart.

What then is the alternative?

In the book Against Democracy, which was released a few weeks ago, political philosopher Jason Brennan argues that democracy is a disaster, and that the rising involvement of people in democratic processes would only make things worse. He argues for a system of government called epistocracy or the rule of the knowledgeable. People would have to prove their knowledge, take a test for instance, to win their right to vote. That would eliminate most people. Smart children, whom democracy unjustly disqualifies, may become voters. But such challenges to democracy do not matter.

Read | Its not just the British, but our govts also owe us a range of apologies

Democracies will not voluntarily and peacefully cease to be democracies. Once people have tasted rights, especially under the umbrella of a righteous political idea, they would not want to lose them. Who is going to tell them, peacefully, that most of them are too stupid to vote?

That only the smart must have the right to run the country is a common but discreet conviction among people who consider themselves smart. Conservatives express this wish by fantasising about a righteous dictator, and the leftists, for all their moral charades, convey the same wish when they speak of the importance of institutions. For what are institutions after all but the fiefdoms of unelectable eggheads.

No matter what the aspirations of the elite are, it appears that a democracy can only be replaced by something worse.

Manu Joseph is a journalist and the author of the novel, The Illicit Happiness of Other People

Twitter: @manujosephsan

The views expressed are personal

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A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, a parallel currency system emerged on Delhis streets on Wednesday morning.

Confused about what the change meant, a large section scurried to use the now outlawed currency as legal tender. Some used the opportunity to earn a premium.

Depending on how desperate or nervous a person was, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes could get different things in different parts of the city  a soap at a kirana shop in East of Kailash, a pair of bangles at the Sarojini Nagar market, an auto ride worth Rs 30 in Connaught Place, and just about enough vegetables for an evening meal in Wazirabad.

A shopkeeper knew I only had 500- or 1000-rupee notes. First, he said it was useless. Then, he offered goods worth Rs 250. I had no option. I needed to get rid of a Rs 500 note, so I agreed. He said he was helping me by accepting the currency, said Shikha Srivastava, a 19-year-old history student from Maitreyi College.

Residents across the city had similar stories to share.

In East of Kailash, a housemaid who had a Rs 500 rupee note could buy a piece of soap and toothpaste. The shopkeeper promised he would give me change two days later, but my employer would not accept that. In the end, however, she had to relent, said Geeta Devi.

The government has announced that the old notes can be exchanged in instalments at banks and post offices. New notes will also be made available at ATMs from Saturday.

People queued up in front of ATMs as soon as PM Modi announced the plan in an address to the nation on Tuesday night. ATMs soon were left with no Rs 100 notes. Those who couldnt get an opportunity to withdraw cash, felt handicapped to buy daily groceries or pay for transport.

Some foreign tourists at the Janpath flea market were cheated by a group of local vendors, who told them to just hand over a wad of Rs1000 notes because they were now worthless.

Some of them just gave away the money, while others who were more enterprising managed to get three Rs100 notes in return  which became the going rate by evening.

In other markets in Delhi, merchants operating from benches that served as makeshift kiosks, exchanged 500- and 1000-rupee notes at a 40 per cent commission.

Local vendors refused to return balance amounts on purchases made with the now-defunct notes. I just gave old notes worth Rs 2,000 and got Rs 1,200 in return. Its a loss, but what can I do? asked Rani, a homemaker from Preet Vihar. At least I will be able to survive for the next two days with it.
The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday proposed the constitution of a committee to prepare an emergency action plan to combat air pollution.

We propose a committee comprising chief secretaries of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, who shall meet once in two months and prepare an action plan for implementation of directions on air pollution, a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said on a day when air quality in the national capital improved with minimal or no smog in the morning. .

The green panel asked the state governments to classify different levels of pollution while asking the chief secretaries to take disciplinary action against officials who were not executing the orders on air pollution.

The bench said the committee could meet in places like Delhi, Lucknow or Chandigarh and any decision taken in these meetings will apply to all the five states.

The NGT further proposed a sub-committee comprising secretaries of environment, urban development, central pollution control board (CPCB), state pollution board, which would report to the main committee and submit report on implementation of the decisions taken by the panel.

The bench, however, said it would pass its order on pollution matters on Thursday.

Air-quality

Pollution experts attributed the improvement in weather to wind speed gaining momentum and blowing from the west region instead of the north-west region, which is the hotspot of stubble burning.

SAFAR recorded the average (24-hour rolling) of respirable pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 as 246 and 405 micrograms per cubic metre, respectively, both in very poor category but better than last few days.

The 24-hour prescribed average of these ultrafine particulate matters (PM) are 60 and 100 micrograms per cubic metre, respectively.

The conditions are going to be favourable for dispersion of pollutants for the next few days. Air quality will further improve tomorrow, a SAFAR official said.

Central Pollution Control Board, however, recorded Delhis air quality index (days average) in the severe category.

Dust control ops

The Public Works Department (PWD) has launched a massive dust control operation, in which all footpaths, kerbs and central verges are being washed using water jets through tankers.

As many as 54 tankers have been deployed on arterial roads. Presently as per the traffic restriction, these tankers are deployed between 11am to 4pm only. Each tanker can make two trips on an average, said a PWD official.

Schools to reopen

The Delhi government announced on Wednesday that all municipal corporation-operated schools will reopen on Thursday.

After the smog continued for a week after Diwali, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday had asked all schools to shut down for three days. Municipal corporations had, in fact, closed all schools starting last Saturday. Schools under South Delhi Municipal Corporation, which were earlier scheduled to remain shut till November 12, will also open on Thursday.
Wednesday morning was full of ecstatic highs, and for some, shocking lows. After America voted, the countdown to the vote tally for US Presidential Election was telecast live at the US Embassy in Chanakyapuri in the Capital. At 7am, the atmosphere was already charged with excitement, and the early morning dew didnt stop Delhiites from pouring in. An All-American breakfast welcomed the guests, with pancakes, scrambled eggs, hash browns, chunks of ham dipped in maple gravy and muffins.

At the venue, mock elections kept the guests entertained, with secret ballot boxes installed and I voted! stickers ready to be put on display. Some posed with cardboard cut-outs of their favourite candidate, ready to Instagram them as soon as the result was announced. By noon, the chilly morning faded into a sunny sky and the big screen updated the tally, with the odds deviating towards Donald Trump. This resulted in an evident shift in the mood considering majority of the guests present were a part of camp Clinton.

In a crowd that comprised mostly of diplomats and ambassadors, students from Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia were also seen indulging in some star and stripes talk. Gauri Sharma, a second year student of political science at DCAC, said, I am extremely saddened because Id never want Trump to win, given his derogatory comments and flamboyant attitude.

Another student, Mir Faisal Yousuf, a first year physics student at Jamia feels that this win would impact immigrants and minorities, especially Muslims. I wasnt expecting this to be such a close contest. Being a minority, Im a Hillary supporter. I wish to do my masters from US, but now I may have to rethink, he said.

Read: Shock and awe: From Taliban to Putin, how they reacted to Trumps victory

A panel discussion, moderated by professor KP Vijayalakshmi of Jawaharlal Nehru University, was another highlight. Among the panelists was Raja Mohan, director, Carnegie India. He felt that there is a need to understand America on its own terms, and not based on individual preferences. The result will affect everyone in the world. These elections have shown how much of a political animal America is, and it is important to understand the country without personal likes and dislikes, he said.

The US Ambassador to India, Richard R Verma, addressed the crowd gathered just before the new President was announced. I want to congratulate both candidates, Secretary Clinton and Mr Trump on a very hard fought campaign. We have come a long way from when I was working in House of Representatives as an intern in 1987. Then, you could count on one hand the number of people of south-Asian descent that were working on Capitol Hill. He added, We are here to celebrate and recognise the American democratic election process. We have a special vantage point here, in the worlds largest democracy as we watch the process play out. The ties that bind our countries are based on shared values and go beyond any one person or party. Whatever the result, the US-India relationship will continue to grow and prosper.

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Serpentine queues could be seen at petrol pumps and gas stations as anxious people rushed to get rid of their currency notes that had been scrapped by the government on Tuesday.

The petrol pumps though are refilling for Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 but not for other denominations in which they will have to return money.

We are helping as much we can, but people too should understand our problems. We exhausted all Rs 100 notes yesterday night by 10pm. From where will we source change, said a man filling tanks at a petrol pump in Mayur Vihar, adding that most of the motorists are offering Rs 500 or Rs 1000 notes.

Read: Autos available in Delhi for short trips, cab users face tough time

There were also reports of some petrol pumps being closed in Noida fearing they will have stocks piled up of Rs 500 and 1000 denominations.

Two-wheeler riders faced most inconvenience as they generally get their tanks refuelled for Rs 200 to Rs 400. Some were seen arguing at a petrol pump in Mayur Vihar as they were asked to tank up for exactly Rs 500.

Smita Sehgal asked, My scootys tank gets filled for Rs 400. How will I purchase Rs 500 petol?

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With the onset of winter in Delhi, flea markets are usually packed with enthusiastic shoppers. But the business is bleak this time, and vendors blame it on the blanket of smog hovering on Delhi-NCR.

Naya stock aaya pada hai, par log ghar se nikalna nahi chahte iss pollution mein (New stock is here but no one wants to shop in this pollution). As opposed to the rush every year, this time were sitting idle, says Rajpal Sharma, who has a stall in Janpath. Shops in Lajpat Nagar and Sarojini Nagar market are equally affected.

Arrival of winter is the peak time for us. We get maximum customers because prices are low at this time. Once its colder, the demand is high and so are the prices. But were not getting more than 10-15 customers a day. If this continues, well have to shut shop, says Sanjay Mohan, a shopkeeper in Sarojini Nagar.

The other side: A puff of joy

Whatever the reason may be, a leave from school, college or office always makes one happy. After some schools in Delhi-NCR decided to remain shut owing to the alarming levels of pollution, office employees are now getting the work-from-home option.

Putting employees first is very important. We announced a three day work from home policy for our employees. There are 700 employees based out of Gurgaon. And in the start-up world, employee health and productivity is our main focus. We felt that productivity and health is affected, peoples eyes were burning, throat was itchy too, says Amrish Rau, CEO, of PayU India, the Gurgaon branch of which has given its employees an option to work from home for three days.

A cartoon that has been widely shared online.

Dimple Mehta from Kalkaji (in Delhi) is rejoiced with the option. Delhi is as bad as Gurgaon in terms of air quality. I have not been keeping well because of smog, and I am working from home. There was low attendance at office, people were coughing and sneezing. We were given masks at the office on Monday and were instructed that our work should not suffer and given the option to work from home, she says.
The small-time vegetable vendors in the Capitals residential areas are unlikely to take their regular rounds today as retail trading at the vegetable and fruits markets Delhi was reportedly hit by the demonetisation of currency notes.

Traders at Azadpur mandi  the biggest vegetable and fruit hub in Delhi  said the retail traders could not get stocks of vegetables and fruits as the wholesalers refused to accept Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes and lower denomination currency is in short supply at the time.

The Centre announced demonetization of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes starting Tuesday midnight.

Read: In Delhi, people flock to post offices, ATMs for cash

In the morning, its generally the small traders who flock the market. On an average they generally purchase vegetables worth Rs 2,000-3,000. Almost nothing has been traded on that front as wholesalers not accepting Rs 500 notes. The situation is expected to remain the same for a few days, Rajkumar Bhatia, general secretary, Chamber of Azadpur Fruits and Vegetables Association, told HT.

However, traders who deal with bulk stocks remained unaffected as they purchase on credit. The new rules will certainly delay the money transaction. Currently, it is generally done in a cycle of 10-12 days. It the cycle could get longer, Bhatia added.

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The most powerful person in the world is a real estate developer with a record of bankruptcies and law-breaking, a misogynist whose claim to fame is a reality television show, and a throwback to a brand of American isolationism thought buried in the 19th century. Donald Trump has stunned an army of pollsters, the metropolitan elite of his own country and their counterparts across the world. Parallels are rightly being drawn to the shock referendum result supporting Britains departure from the European Union and the strong poll showings of the anti-immigrant party in Frances coming presidential elections. At the heart of Trumps victory and the Brexit vote is a widespread revolt of the working class population of the dominant ethnic group against an increasingly distant and uncommunicative elite.

Read: Donald Trump: If hes bad for the US, hes bad for us

The lesson of Trumps victory is not that flawed personalities or policies can win votes. The message is that being against the establishment overrides everything else for these disenchanted voters. The rise of Trump was mirrored by the equally surprising run for the Democratic candidacy by Bernie Sanders. Luckily for Trump, the remainder of the primary vote was divided among 15 candidates. Sanders lost because his only rival, Hillary Clinton, was able to consolidate the remainder of the vote. For both Trump and Sanders, otherwise very different personalities, political success almost solely derived from the fact they did not represent business as usual. Populist revolt, conservative in its values but leftwing in its economics, is now endemic in the polities of the developed world. The question now is what these governments will do to assuage this lower-class fury. If a Trump administration implements the policies he has campaigned on, the US will end its role as the guarantor of the global trade, it will close its historical golden door to immigration, cease to be a provider of global security and become increasingly focused on social welfare on the home front. A similar template is becoming evident elsewhere as well. For example, Britain has begun retreating to a position of splendid isolation in terms of migration and diplomacy.

Read: A different kind of leader: World braces to make sense of Donald Trump

The evidence that any of these policies will actually help the working class of these countries is thin on the ground. The investments in education, infrastructure and regulation reform that would genuinely make the US more competitive are not part of the Trump platform. While he may yet surprise  his past indicates a pragmatic man with a minimal adherence to ideology  it is more likely that the worlds most powerful nation will become increasingly inward-looking and more internally divided over the next five years. The real hope is that a Trump administration will successfully discredit the platform of its chief advocate and pave the way for a more constructive reworking of the international system.
Donald Trumps surprise win as president in the US will give an unwelcoming message to international students. It will hurt the attractiveness of the US as the most preferred destination of choice. Its an opinion, however, that many disagree with.

Dr Rahul Choudaha, co-founder, interEDGE.org, a US-based firm specialising in international student success, feels recruitment and admissions professionals will now have a hard time making a case for the US.

Business considerations are important to leaders. Prof Atindra Bhattacharya, head, marketing department, SOIL (School of Inspired Leadership), says Trump will in all probability actively look at participating with growing economies, India being one of them. The scope of such partnerships will involve academic tie-ups as well between the two nations, opening up the path for more students being accepted in US schools, partnerships for student exchange programmes, scholarships and Universities opening campuses across borders.

Adarsh Khandelwal, co founder, Collegify, a college consulting firm for study abroad, says students have no need to worry as higher education is a trillion dollar business for the American economy and India is the second highest in terms of sending students there. They need us more than we need them.

The surprise presidential elections have put a question mark on Trumps immigration policies, especially as he has spoken of putting up border walls, stopping immigrants from entering the country and ending the use of the H-1B. Considering that one of the core values of international education is about celebrating diversity and learning from differences, Trumps viewpoints are insular and not in line with the values of international education. It is likely that the future policies will start looking inward and slow down international education exchanges and student mobility, Choudaha says.

Khandelwal says: Trump said If I am elected president, the Indian and Hindu community will have a big friend in the White House. He also described himself as a big fan of India. So, despite immense speculation about the impact of Trumps victory on Indians studying and even seeking jobs in the US, I personally feel there is no reason to worry.

Choudaha prefers to be cautious. College application deadlines for the Fall 2017 admissions are fast approaching and these election results will give an unwelcoming message to international students. Career advancement is one of the prime motivations for international students to study in the US Trumps anti-immigrant stance may create stricter visa and immigration policies that may make it even more difficult for students to come to the US and find internship and job opportunities.

What should be expected going ahead? After Brexit, US elections have shown that nationalist viewpoints are gaining momentum. This, says Choudaha, will prompt visa and immigration policies to limit transition from education to employment opportunities. It is also likely to have chilling effect on the experiences of international students on some campuses located in strongly Republican states.

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Some good news has come in for young Indians aiming to study in Canada. The number of new immigrations to be allowed into the country in 2017 was kept at 300,000, the same as 2016. However, though there was a drop in the intake of refugees, the targets for categories most used by Indians (economic and family unification classes) were raised.

Refugees and citizenship minister John McCallum also reportedly admitted recently that international students were being short-changed by unfriendly policies and laws that made it difficult for them to become Canadian citizens. An announcement would change things soon, he promised.

The minister admitted that international students were not treated well and that they were among the most promising group of immigrants  as they were young, could speak English or French and knew a lot about Canada. Were going to give them more points under express entry and make it easier for them to become permanent residents, McCallum promised

Education policy

However, even before these friendly moves, Canadas new education policy in 2014 had marked India out as a priority country. Universities Canada (then the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada) played an active role in consultations led by the Advisory Panel on Canadas International Education Strategy. It highlighted Canadian universities commitment to internationalisation and interest in a multi-faceted approach to international education, including two-way international student and faculty mobility, international research collaboration, joint academic programming etc. Universities Canada noted that the rapidly emerging economic powers (Brazil, China, India) were priority countries for many Canadian universities, which were also building people-to-people linkages and institutional partnerships with other emerging markets on the horizon. The development of Canadas International Education Strategy was informed by recommendations in the Advisory Panels final report, a Universities Canada official said.

Recruiting top talent

Advance planning will help you get into a good college or university. (Abhimanyu Sinha)

The Canadian government was making a targeted effort to recruit top talent in India, so through various initiatives Indias students were being made aware of Canadas value proposition  a consistently high-quality education at an attractive price in a tolerant, diverse, safe and welcoming environment, the official said

The numbers are growing. Between 2004-2005 and 2013-2014, the number of international students enrolled in Canadian universities almost doubled, from 66,000 to 124,000. Their population grew 88% between 2004-2005 and 2013-2014 even as the number of Canadian students grew by 22%.

When it came to individual source countries for Canada in 2013-2014, the top five were China (34.1%), France (7.6%), the United States (6.2%), India (5.7%), and Saudi Arabia (4.5%).

Popular fields of study

In 2013 (from the latest available data from Statistics Canada), the most popular fields of study for full-time international students from India were: architecture, engineering and related technologies (37%), business, management and public administration (22%), mathematics, computer and information sciences (12%) and physical and life sciences, and technologies (11%).

Canada was seen to be attractive for many reasons. The universities were known for high-quality, internationally-recognised education, regardless of size, location and area of focus, all at an affordable cost. English, French and bilingual universities ensured there were language barriers for English and French speakers.

Lifestyle counted too. Three Canadian cities  Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary  were among the worlds top five most livable cities, according to The Economist 2015 list. Montreal was also ranked high in 14th place. What were the problems that Indian students were likely to face? In a Quora response, Shilpa Isabella, a Bangalorean in Toronto says the cold is hard to deal with. University is also no joke. It is hard. B (minus) or 70% is the passing grade. In India, 70% was a distinction at my university, here it meant I barely scraped through. It doesnt matter what course you take. Every class would need 100% commitment.

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After Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the demonetisation of 500 and 1,000 notes, patients admitted in private hospitals and their families were hassled on Wednesday as hospitals refused to accept the illegal currency.

Gurgaon has more than 10 private hospitals, including Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Medanta - The Medicity, Columbia Asia, W Pratiksha, Paras Hospital, Artemis Hospital, Park Hospital, Max hospital, Rockland and Privat Hospital, offering multi-speciality treatment facilities.

Patients complained that most hospitals and pharmacies blatantly rejected 1,000 and 500 currency notes for the bill payments, even in emergency cases.

The PMs announcement came after all banks were closed and today (Wednesday) banks and ATMs were shut. How are we supposed to exchange the 500 and 1000 notes? My bank account has only 5,000 and the bill for my daughters treatment is 8,500. I dont have any options, Saroj Singh, whose daughter is admitted in a private hospital, said.

Another patients family member, BP Gautam, said, I went with one of my relatives to the pharmacy at Paras Hospital in Sushant Lok but the staff refused to take a 500 note. Finally, we had to use a credit card.

About 30 to 40% patients of these hospital come from abroad. However, foreign nationals said they did not have issues after large denomination currency notes were demonetised as most of their transactions were electronic. Also, a number of these hospitals accept foreign currencies.

Private hospitals, however, said the PM announced that only government hospitals and pharmacies would be authorised to accept the higher denomination currency notes.

We are not accepting 500 and 1000 notes in the out patient department (OPD). In emergency cases, we are accepting cheques. Patients can also pay in foreign currencies, a spokesperson of Artemis Hospital said.

Hospitals authorities said they have reached out to the government to include private hospitals in the exempted list.

In view of the hardship being caused to large number of patients at private hospitals, we have made an urgent representation to the government that this exemption be applied equally to private hospitals too, a spokesperson of Fortis Hospital said.

Dr Dharminder Nagar, MD and CEO, Paras Healthcare, has appealed to the finance ministry to allow private hospitals and pharmacies accept 500 and 1,000 notes. Many patients who come to private hospitals do not have credit/debit cards, and are facing unforeseen hardships. I hope the government will look into their grievances, Dr Nagar said.

Some hospital officials said patients were given free treatments in the OPD considering the severity of their conditions.

Divisional commissioner of Gurgaon, D Suresh, supported the private hospitals decision to not accept the notes.

Private hospitals are not in the exemption list of the government. They can refuse to accept the demonetised 1,000 and 500 notes. Only government authorised pharmacies and hospitals are in the list, Suresh said.

Residents said they have to depend on private hospitals as the civil hospital lacks advance treatment facilities.

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Traffic came to a halt on Wednesday at a toll plaza on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway as commuters argued with attendants over Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes after the government pulled out these denominations in a bid to stamp out corruption.

Most of the commuters handed the scrapped notes at Kherki Daula toll plaza and Sirhaul MCD toll point on National Highway 8 in a bid to get them changed into Rs 100 and Rs 50 denomination. As the concessionaire ran out of paper money, commuters were handed back coins of Rs 10. The toll fee is Rs 60.

I was not able to get the change of Rs 500 from anywhere so paid toll with the note. Now, I have got 44 coins of Rs 10. It is hilarious but will have to manage, Rakesh Kumar said with the coins in his hand.

What can we do? The governments decision has been in haste and we will have to face it, Satbir said.

At Kherki Daula toll, police had to intervene and open barriers to ease the kilometre-long traffic jam.

I was stuck in jam for more than 25 minutes. Vehicles could move only after the police reached the spot and opened barriers, BS Joon, a government employee, said.

He said traffic was stuck on both sides of the toll as people were arguing with attendants.

Toll attendants expressed their helplessness in paying back lower denomination currency notes because of the shortage.

Everyone is handing over Rs 500 notes. It did not happen earlier. We are short of loose money so cannot help, an attendant at Kherki Daula toll said.

Traffic flow was also interrupted at Sirhaul where Municipal Corporation of Delhi personnel collect toll from commercial vehicles. A number of vehicles were parked in the middle of the road as the toll attendants and vehicle owners argued over the currency notes.

Late on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a sudden withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from circulation from midnight. In a surprise televised address to the nation, Modi said the notes in circulation can be exchanged at banks till December 30.

Some concessions will be allowed for use of these notes at hospitals and crematoriums, and to buy air, rail and bus tickets until November 11. There will be some restriction on withdrawal of cash from banks and ATMs.

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The eight-year-old Indian boy Sunny Pawar, who plays an important role in Nicole Kidman-Dev Patel starrer Lion, is not getting a visa to enter the US.

The movie revolves around the story of Saroo Brierley, an Australian man who uses Google Earth to find the family that he was separated from in India, and Sunny, who plays the role of young Saroo in the movie, was supposed to be a part of the promotional events for the film, reported Variety.

As per the schedule, Sunny was supposed to fly to Los Angeles this week with his father, Dilip, to attend the films screening. He was then going to travel to New York City for the films premiere at the Museum of Modern Art.

We are devastated that Sunny, an 8-year-old boy who is part of this amazing film and who is garnering such strong reactions from his performance, cannot be here to be a part of this experience.

We are doing everything we can to fight this; we believe it must be the effect of immigration paranoia. He, of course, poses absolutely no threat to anyone. We want him to be a part of the celebration of this film and his performance. We fully intend to go through the proper resources and appeal with the State Department for assistance, said David Glasser, Weinstein Co. president and COO, in a statement.

Sunny dominates the screen for much of the movies first hour, playing five-year-old Saroo lost on the streets of Calcutta.

The project marks his acting debut and has already earned him raves.

Sunny and his father still need to undergo an interview before they can get a visa. The Weinstein Co. is reaching out to contacts in India to try to see if they can expedite the process.

Directed by Garth Davis, Lion also stars Rooney Mara. The film is scheduled to release on November 25.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Brad Pitt recently made his first appearance in Los Angeles following his very public split from estranged wife Angelina Jolie in September.

Almost two months after the divorce announcement, the 52-year-old actor attended a private screening of Moonlight in Los Angeles, where he was joined by long-time friend and Oceans co-star Julia Roberts, reports People magazine.

Newly single #BradPitt stepped out in public for the first time following his split from #AngelinaJolie. He attended a private screening of the film "Moonlight". And was joined by Actress Julia Roberts.  Eric Charbonneau/Invision for A24/AP Images #Fashiontomax #BradPitt #JuliaRoberts Report by @UfuomaUmusu A photo posted by FASHION TO MAX official (@fashiontomax) on Nov 8, 2016 at 8:54pm PST

This news comes one day after a rep for the Jolie released a new statement saying that the former couple have reached a legal agreement that states all six of their children that includes 15-year-old Maddox Jolie-Pitt, 12-year-old Pax, 11-year-old Zahara, 10-year-old Shiloh, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne will remain in Jolies custody.

A photo posted by HELLO! Russia (@hello__ru) on Nov 8, 2016 at 5:50am PST

In accordance with the agreement, the children will stay in their mothers custody while continuing therapeutic visits with their father.

However, a separate source explained that the couple did not settle on anything regarding their children and that there is no change in the status of their previous voluntary agreement.

Just last week, Pitt filed for joint custody of children more than a month after his wife had asked for sole custody as she filed for a divorce citing irreconcilable differences.

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A soldier died late on Tuesday of shelling from across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmirs Rajouri district, taking the toll to two in the current round of shelling from Pakistan.

A 120 mm Pakistan mortar shell hit an army vehicle of 54 RR in Lam area of Naushera on Tuesday afternoon, killing a soldier on the spot and seriously wounding another.

One was the driver and the other was co- driver sitting in the drivers cabin while five other soldiers in the rear portion of the vehicle escaped with minor injuries, said an army source.

The source said that following the death of two soldiers, Indian army mounted a massive attack and decimated three Pakistani posts. A senior army officer said that in retaliatory fire, at least four Pakistani soldiers were believed to have been killed. The two slain Indian soldiers belonged to Benar district of Rajasthan and Balia district of Uttar Pradesh.

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CARSON CITY  Great Basin College senior Jessica Johnston is the Northern Nevada recipient of the 2016 Kenny C. Guinn Memorial Scholarship.

State Treasurer Dan Schwartz and the Board of Trustees of the College Savings Plans of Nevada announced her selection Monday during a ceremony at GBC, with state staff and GBC President Mark Curtis and Vice President Lynn Mahlberg in attendance.

Johnston is a 2013 graduate of Smith Valley High School. She is currently pursuing her degree in agriculture education.

Schwartz congratulated Johnston on her achievements and her passion for education.

The Kenny C. Guinn Memorial Scholarship honors the memory of former Governor Guinn and his passion for education and this state. It awards two hard-working Nevada students with additional funds to help with their senior year, a time when many are concerned they wont have the means to complete college, he said. All of the applicants have commendable records of community service, academics, and other achievements and we are proud to be here today to congratulate another exceptional Nevada student.

Each year, two $4,500 scholarships are given to two recipients, one in Northern Nevada and one in Southern Nevada. Among the requirements for the scholarship applicants, they must be pursuing a degree in education with the intention to teach in Nevada upon graduation and have a commendable record of academic and community service.

Senate Bill 220 establishing the Kenny C. Guinn Memorial Millennium Scholarship Award was unanimously passed by both houses of the 2011 Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Brian Sandoval. SB 220 created a scholarship fund from donations received by the treasurers office after the tragic death in July 2010 of former Gov. Kenny C. Guinn.

To date, more than $211,000 has been received by the fund. People and businesses wishing to make a tax-deductible donation to the Kenny C. Guinn Memorial Scholarship Fund may send checks to: State Treasurers Office, 101 N. Carson Street, Carson City, NV 89701.
Private hospitals were divided over accepting Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 banknotes in payment from patients on Wednesday, the first day after the governments surprise decision to scrap high-value currencies.

In his speech announcing the decision on Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said 500 and 1,000 rupee notes would continue to be accepted at government hospitals, their pharmacies (with prescription) and to buy air, rail and bus tickets till November 11.

But, patients and their families offered the notes in private hospitals too.

The industry body Healthcare Federation of India (Nathealth) was planning to write to the government to seek clarity, sources said.

Though senior executives could not be reached for comments, a Nathhealth member said many of them had been exchanging emails and messages over the prevailing confusion.

Nathealth counts among its members the countrys leading private healthcare providers such as Apollo Hospitals, Columbia Asia, Manipal Health, Fortis Healthcare, Dr Lal Path Lab and Max Healthcare.

The Manipal group was accepting cash, for now, but with an identify proof. Banks are closed today. (So) we are accepting money with ID proof and signature and will deposit (cash) with bank tomorrow. If bank rejects then the patients have to come back and pay, said Ranjan R Pai, managing director & chief executive of Manipal Education and Medical Group.

A spokesperson for Chennai-based Apollo Hospitals said they were not accepting the larger notes. Apollo has 65 hospitals across the country.

Modi said the decision to withdraw the high-value banknotes was aimed at stamping out corruption and draining illicit cash from the economy. It was also aimed at choking the flow of fake currency notes that were bankrolling militant strikes.
A Bhopal court on Wednesday pulled up the state government for a nine-day delay in informing it about an alleged jailbreak by eight suspected Islamists who were gunned down hours later in controversial circumstances last month.

The chief judicial magistrate (CJM) also asked why the court should believe the governments account of the jailbreak based on only the statement of a prison employee.

The courts observation will put more pressure on the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government, which has faced stinging criticism from political parties and activists for alleged human rights violation by police during the operation that led to the death of the eight Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) activists on October 31.

The under trial SIMI activists were lodged at the Bhopal central jail. Under the criminal procedure code, the court where the case of an accused is being heard has to be informed about an encounter.

CJM Bhubhaskar Yadav asked the government why it informed the court about the encounter nine days late when the state government and police officers made repeated statements to the media on the incident.

Terming it as a serious matter, he said the court was yet to be informed if any judicial magistrate was informed before the postmortem of the eight prisoners.

Yadav also said the government announcing a probe meant it was yet to reach a conclusion on the alleged jailbreak.

The CJM also allowed the lawyer of the killed SIMI men, Parvej Alam, to meet four of the SIMI prisoners.

The encounter has thrown several unanswered questions following contradictory versions of police officers prompting the Opposition, rights activists and family members of the killed to demands a probe by a sitting Supreme Court or a high court judge.

The government, however, announced a judicial probe by a retired high court judge four days after the encounter and junked its earlier announcement of an investigation by the NIA.
The state government suspended deputy inspector general of prisons MR Patel on Tuesday, eight days after four staff of the Bhopal Central Jail were suspended and additional director general of prisons Sushovan Banerjee removed and attached to the state police headquarters.

Director general of prisons Sanjay Choudhary confirmed that the government order has been issued to the jail directorate on Tuesday.

The order comes in the wake of the daring jailbreak by eight SIMI under-trials from the ISO certified jail in the state capital.

According to sources, the suspension order of the DIG (prisons) was reportedly announced along with the suspension order of four staff members of the jail on October 31.

Patel, the son-in-law of BJP MLA from Jobat ( Alirajpur) Madhav Singh Dabar, was the superintendent of the jail for over three years, before Akhilesh Tomar was appointed to the post in 2015. After RS Vijayvargiya retired as DIG (Prisons) in March 2016, Patel was the supervising DIG of Bhopal Central Jail and other prisons of the Bhopal region.

The Congress on Tuesday questioned the delay over the issuing of Patels suspension order. Former state Congress chief Kantilal Bhuria attacked the government, alleging that the delay has made it clear that the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government cares more about kin of its leaders and less about jail security.

State Congress spokesperson KK Mishra demanded that the state reveal details of the assets owned by Patel.

Just a few hours after the early morning jail break and subsequent encounter killing of suspected SIMI activists, the ADG (Jail) was removed from his post and attached to police headquarters, while some other staff, including DIG (Jail) of Bhopal Central Jail was suspended. But the same government took eight days to issue the suspension order of DIG (Jail) MR Patel. The Congress wants to know why the government took so long to suspend Patel, who is the son-in-law of a BJP MLA, Mishra said.

He added that the delay has put under cloud the much-hyped impartial probe ordered into the episode. He also said the Congress suspects that the delay in completing the formalities pertaining to a NIA probe announced earlier by the CM into the jailbreak and the recently announced judicial probe into the episode is aimed at tampering with available evidence.

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Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday welcomed and supported Centres decision to withdraw Rs 1000 and Rs 500 currency notes saying it would help countrys economy in the long run.

Replying to a question on Centres decision to take out Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes from the market, Kumar welcomed and supported the decision.

In the beginning people might face some inconvenience but taking everything into account, it would yield positive results, Kumar, who is also JD(U) national president, said.

He was talking to mediapersons at Patna airport before leaving for Bettiah, district headquarters of West Champaran, from where he is starting his Nishchay yatra from Wednesday.

Deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav and senior Congress minister Madan Mohan Jha accompanied the CM to the launch of Nishchay yatra which is aimed at taking feedback from people on implementation of prohibition and start of seven resolves which has been adopted by the grand secular alliance ministry in the state as policy of governance for next five year.

I think the countrys economy will benefit from this decision. Thats why I am welcoming and supporting the decision of withdrawing Rs 1000 and Rs 500, he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night announced decision to demonetise Rs 1000 and Rs 500 currency notes from midnight last night as a step to fight menace of black money in the country.

Read more| From draconian to all the best: How Oppn reacted to PMs currency notes move
People can deposit as much cash as they want in banks to get new notes but shouldnt take it as an amnesty scheme for undisclosed income, finance minister Arun Jaitley warned on Wednesday following a government withdrawal of high-value banknotes.

Speaking to public broadcaster Doordarshan, Jaitley said the law will take its course if the deposited cash is found illegal but assured families and ordinary citizens that they didnt have anything to worry about.

Black money isnt anyones basic right, Jaitley said.

Read | Rs 14 lakh crore, 22 billion notes junked: What it means for black money

The ministers comments came a day after the government put out of circulation notes of denomination Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 in a dramatic bid to stamp out corruption and drain illicit cash from the economy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier appealed to people to disclose their unaccounted money till September 30 but had also indicated strong steps to unearth black money if people dont comply. dont blame me for any harsh steps, Modi had said on his radio show, Mann ki baat.

The finance minister assured the ordinary citizen and said the bold move will free India of corruption and boost the economy.

Read | Rs 1000 and 500 notes become history in Modis war on black money

Families shouldnt worry. They should go and deposit their money in the bank. Maybe there will some issues in the first few weeks but everything will be smooth after that, he said.

The governments move has sparked panic across the nation with widespread confusion and long queues at banks and automatic teller machines till late on Tuesday. Under the new currency regime, ATMs will start dispensing new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes from Thursday and people can deposit the older Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes in the bank.

Jaitley praised the scheme, saying the currency shake-up will weed out corruption, banking deposits will rise and have a positive impact on tax collection.

Read | Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes scrapped: 25 things RBI wants you to know

Every state will benefit from the state. When countries develop, cash shrinks and digital modes of transactions expand. Its good that India is going in this direction.

Jaitley also said electioneering  a sector where large sums of cash often allegedly fund political parties -- will become more clean.

Political funding will become visible and legitimate. It is a bold step to change the nature of the nation.
Chhattisgarh Police on Wednesday transferred to the CID the case of tribal mans murder in Sukma district, in which two women professors - one from Delhi University and the other from Jawaharlal Nehru University- have been booked along with Maoists and other activists.

We have transferred the case to the state CID following a recommendation made by Bastar police (in this regard), Chhattisgarh director general of police AN Upadhyay told PTI.

Inspector general of police (Bastar Range), SRP Kalluri, in a letter to the DGP on Wednesday recommended a probe by Crime Investigation Department into the murder of Shamnath Baghel, who was allegedly killed by armed Maoists at his native village Nama on the night of November 4.

A case was registered against DU professor Nandini Sundar, JNU professor Archana Prasad, CPI (Marxist) Chhattisgarh secretary Sanjay Parate, Vineet Tiwari of Delhis Joshi Adhikari Institute of Social Studies, and others along with Maoists in the case based on the complaint lodged by the victims wife.

In the letter written to the DGP, Kalluri said, Since DU professor Nandini Sundar has been levelling personal allegations against me via several media reports, I recommend to hand over the case to CID for a transparent investigation.

The IGs recommendation for CID probe comes after a letter was written by Sukma SP Indira Kalyan Elesela earlier in the day, requesting him for a CID probe in the case.

The SP had also claimed that Sundar in her statement to media was making false allegations against the police and trying to malign the image of the department.

It would be appropriate that the case be transferred to CID for further investigation to maintain transparency, the SP said in the letter.

Thereafter, Kalluri wrote to the DGP requesting him for the CID probe.

Meanwhile, Elesela told PTI that teams have been formed and sent to Delhi for further investigation into the case.

Investigation teams have been constituted and dispatched to Delhi. Its a very sensitive issue and we will explore all the angles into it, Elesela said.

The accused in the case have been booked under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 302 (murder), 450 (house trespass in order to commit offence), 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy); and relevant sections of the arms act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The Congress party appeared not to be in tune with Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led governments move announcing the scrapping of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 notes and alleged that the ruling dispensation at the Centre was putting cumbersome burden on the people.

Addressing the media here, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala wondered whether the countrys banking sector was ready to tackle such a situation.

Modi ji has withdrawn the Rs. 1,000 note on one hand and he has introduced a Rs. 2,000 note on the other side. Does it not defeat his own argument? What is the point of cancelling large denomination notes and replacing them with even larger denominations? Those who hoard black money will now be able to stash even more money, he said.

Surjewala stated that the Congress has always supported any step against black money and will continue to do so.

Surjewala further said, What happens to those who are going to buy necessary articles for marriages including jewellery, clothes etc? Are you not putting cumbersome burden on them by putting a limit on how much money can be withdrawn?

Read more| You will get back the value of all the notes you tender: RBI clears the air

The Congress leader also expressed his concern over the problems which the farmers would face post this move.

The farmer is buying fertiliser, seeds and going to market today and needs lot of money for the inputs he has to get. The paddy crop has already been cut, its in the market, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation, explained the move as the governments attack on black money.

These notes can be exchanged for lower denomination notes at post offices and banks from November 10 till the end of March 2017.

The Prime Minister also added that all banks will remain closed for public work tomorrow.

Terror strikes at the innocent. Who funds these terrorists? Across the border, our enemy uses fake currency and dodgy funds to sponsor terror - this has been proven repeatedly. The process of cash circulation is directly related to corruption in our country impacting the lower classes of our society. From midnight November 8 today, Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes are no longer legal tender, Modi said.

You have 50 days (From November 10 to December 30) to deposit notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 in any bank or post office. Respite for people for the initial 72 hours. The government hospitals will accept old Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 notes till November 11 midnight, he added.

Modi said notes of Rs. 2000 and Rs. 500 will be circulated soon.
When the Prime Ministers Office called ministers offices to invite them for the cabinet meeting, they were told not to bring their mobile phones. The instruction was repeated hours before the meeting started on Tuesday.

If this communication led to some curiosity among the ministers, the next message raised more eyebrows.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave an instruction that all cabinet ministers must be present in the meeting and nobody should be out of the capital, at any pretext.

Read | Deposits above Rs 2.5 lakh to be taxed, mismatch with income to draw penalty

The agenda paper of the meeting did have a few items but not a single word was mentioned about the biggest surprise: the demonetisation of high-value bank notes.

It was the first subject on which Modi briefed his ministers in the cabinet meeting. After his briefing, Modi turned to a senior colleague and smiled, This is why I told you not to be absent.

While the announcement took almost everyone by surprise, a senior minister told HT, at least four times in the last three months, the PM told us to tell chartered accountants to be more sensitive towards black money. He also asked us to spread awareness against black money.

A source told HT that an instruction was sent, along with the cabinet agenda, to the ministers not to carry their mobile phones to the meeting. Our office got a call later reminding about the instruction, the minister said.

The PMs briefing was similar to the address to the nation at 8 pm on Tuesday. Most of the ministers watched the PMs speech from the room where the cabinet meeting was held.

Read | Withdrawal of bank notes puzzling, wont drain illegal cash: Chidambaram

Sources added that besides finance minister Arun Jaitley, about 20-25 senior officials of the government and the Reserve Bank of India had a whiff of what it was about when the cabinet meeting started.

The bank chiefs, who will play a critical role in implementing the decision of sucking out currency denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, too had no information about the issue.

The only fact known was that currency notes of Rs 2,000 will be introduced in the market. Nobody took it seriously as such introductions of new currency denominations have been taking place from time to time.

Chiefs of banks got the message only after the PMs announcement. They were briefed about the decision and that bank branches and ATMs will remain closed for public transactions on November 9.

The intention was not to let anyone know so that those with black money do not get any opportunity to turn their black money into white you cannot be giving them opportunities after opportunities, a senior official of the department of financial services, who did not wish to be identified told HT.

Read | Why the currency switch is a political blunder by the BJP
The Tamil Nadu Election Commissions flying squad and local police detained a truck carrying Rs 7.65 crore-worth of money in the form of Rs 2,000 denomination notes in Thanjavur district on Wednesday. The district is home to the Aravakurichi assembly constituency where bypoll elections will be held on November 19.

Officials were first perplexed by what they thought was the ingenuity and efficiency of party cadres as they obtained mint-fresh currency notes that had not yet been officially issued.

Read | Crackdown on black money will help clean up election process

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday night that Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes will be demonetised and a new Rs 2000 denomination note will be introduced instead. Election commission authorities presumed that the truck-load of cash was going to be used for distribution among people in the constituency to bribe them for votes.

Upon further investigation, officials realised that the truck was actually carrying money to Bank of Barodas branches, to be issued to people from Thursday when the new currency notes are expected to be released.

It was money belonging to the Bank of Baroda and since there was a discrepancy in the truck number and documents shown for inspection to the flying squad, it was detained for more questioning, said Tamil Nadu chief electoral officer Rajesh Lakhoni. He told Hindustan Times that the money and the truck would soon be let off so that it can reach the banks for distribution.

In May earlier this year, the Election Commission of India announced that polling in Aravakurichi constituency will be postponed over bribery concerns.

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The real estate sector that has been accused of hitching its fortunes to illicit funds suffered a body blow after the government scrapped high-value banknotes in a blitz against black money and corruption.

Realty stocks ended 17.5% lower on Wednesday while property prices, according to conservative estimates, slumped about 25% in Delhi and Gurgaon after 500- and 1,000-rupee notes were pulled out of circulation. Some estimates put the price crash at 40%.

In south Delhis Chhattarpur, resale price of farmhouses fell from Rs 20 crore an acre on Tuesday to Rs 15 crore overnight. Likewise in Gurgaon, negotiations for a resale property in DLF Phase 1 fell from Rs 1.45 crore to Rs 90 lakh.

Experts said the fall in prices is short-term and will stabilise soon, bringing transparency to the sector and ending dubious cash transactions.

In the long run, the move is likely to prove structurally positive for the real estate sector, said Anshuman Magazine of real estate services firm CBRE.

Union urban development and housing minister Venkaiah Naidu held out hope to homebuyers.

The decision will give huge relief to homebuyers. The inflated price of land will come down and make housing affordable for a large section of society.

His colleague, transport minister Nitin Gadkari, said as much.

The move will check the black money in real estate. Taxpayers need not panic. There will be teething trouble but things will even out eventually.

The market for farmhouses, residential plots and builder floors in New Delhi and resale apartments in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad is under the secondary or unorganised segment.

Questionable transactions are said to be widespread in this segment, which the government is trying to clean up with a landmark law to regulate the real estate sector that contributes about 9% of Indias gross domestic product.

The law is designed to protect millions of homebuyers facing harassment because of limited legal options at times of dispute, as regulator will oversee all future transactions and settle disputes.

Homebuyers would gain again from the governments latest move that would do away with speculative pricing.

Read | Real estate registrations to feel the pinch of Modi move

There was a lot of speculative activity due to cash transactions. But now, prices will be real and it will be advantageous for the buyer, said Shveta Jain of Cushman and Wakefield, a real estate services company.

Small-time operators in the realty business will bleed from the crackdown on black money.

Because of huge cash involvement in the secondary market, property dealers and builders of small projects will take a severe hit, said Sunny Katyal of real estate brokerage firm Investors Clinic.

The bleeding was acute on Wednesday. Property dealers said prices are being negotiated on circle rates  the minimum price set by the government at which a property can be sold.

Properties were sold at Rs 1 lakh a square yard and 40% of the payment was made in cash. But Tuesdays announcement, circle rates are dominating the price  Rs 65,000 a square yard, a dealer in Gurgaon said.

The demonetisation exercise will not impact the affordable housing segment in Noida and Ghaziabad, the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India (CREDAI) said.

Circle rates and market rates are almost equal now. So, our prices will remain stable, said Pankaj Goel of CREDAI-NCR.
ELKO  With the election results still up in the air late in the evening, neither side was ready to admit defeat or celebrate.

Elko County Republican Party chairman Lee Hoffman was somewhat concerned Hillary Clinton would run away with the Electoral College but was pleasantly surprised with the results at this point.

Its really still too close to say, he said while the nation was awaiting results from several key states. Im surprised its as close as it is but its still hard to say whats going to happen.

Elko County Democratic Central Committee chair Ruth Collins was still holding out hope Clinton would make a comeback but was starting to get nervous based on the results of some of the states on the East Coast.

Were pensive. Were biting our nails and it looks good but not as good as we thought it would, she said. I think Nevada will do well for us but some of the states on the East Coast are surprising me.

Hoffman liked what he was seeing from Donald Trump in the early results of the presidential race but was less enthused about the lead that senate candidate Catherine Cortez-Masto had.

At this point Im not too happy about what Im seeing coming in from Nevada in the senate race, he said.

Elko Mayor Chris Johnson has supported Trump since early in his campaign and was also feeling cautiously optimistic about the way the presidential race was going but was even more pleased with the voter turnout in the area.

Elko County did well and Im proud of the citizens that came out and voted. Elko had a great turn out, he said. Elko has always been a player in any election and its really great to see that a smaller community can have an impact.
A far-right Hindu group which has been one of Donald Trumps most avid overseas cheerleaders began celebrating in New Delhi Wednesday as the Republican pulled off a shock US presidential election victory.

Vishnu Gupta, chief of the Hindu Sena outfit, said supporters had taken to the streets to bang traditional drums even before Trump claimed victory and would also distribute celebratory sweets.

Trumps hardline rhetoric towards Muslims has found favour in some quarters in India.

Trump has called for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States and Gupta said his message had wide resonance.

We predicted that he would win five days ago -- there is a huge support for him, his ideas, and we could see that, Gupta told AFP.

Now terrorists will be hunted everywhere in the world, even if they go and hide in a cave. Now only God can help Pakistan. India will now have the support of the US in our efforts against terrorists. We will be together in this.

Donald Trump will do what no other US president has been able to do before. We are happy. All terrorists should now run and hide.

Guptas group held a special prayer session for Trump in New Delhi back in May when he was seen as a long shot for the presidency, hailing him as a fighter and a saviour of humanity.

They also celebrated his birthday in June with a cake, balloons and posters.
Tuesday nights announcement of abolition of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes has sparked wide-ranging reactions from across the country. While many say they have been inconvenienced and are being forced to endure hardships, some have welcomed the move.

HT reporters spoke to people in various cities and towns to gauge the public mood.

Hyderabad:

-A Yadagiri Rao, 78, noted Telangana painter: Last night, I went home in a cab after my painting exhibition. The cab driver refused to accept Rs 500 note and I had no other currency. I had to borrow Rs 200 from my neighbour to pay him. I think Modi should have given at least 24 hours.

-P Achyuta Rao, 55, rights activist: Perhaps Modi government is habituated to making such last- minute announcements, as it does on petrol and diesel price hike at the eleventh hour every fortnight. Such sudden announcement hit the common people hard.

-P Pavan, 45, Vijayawada: I may have to postpone my house-warming ceremony slated for November 11. I have no other currency, except of higher denominations. What can I do?

Chennai:

-Praveen Sudevan, 23, journalist: I usually eat from the dhabas that dont accept card payments. I had around 400 bucks on me when the announcement was made. I think its a good move by the Centre to curb black money, but I also want to know how this move affects people less privileged such as domestic help and daily wage labourers.

-Prabhakaran, 42, tea seller: Im worried about this. Its supposed to go after the black money that the rich have, but people like me earn and save differently from people like you. Most of what I make in a days work is in change - but what I save after a weeks rent and groceries is usually kept in Rs500 notes. I am confused about what to do - do I need to have a bank account to exchange the money?

-Shaktivelli, 50, domestic help: Whatever I manage to save after working and paying bills I usually keep in Rs 500 notes around the house. I have a small sum stashed away just in case - I was hoping to use it for my daughters wedding. I have no bank account, and am confused about what I should do now.

Mumbai:

Abhisekh Pandey, 35, employee at share broking firm: With ATMs shut for two days I am saving every piece of loose change on me.

Satish Nayak: Owner, Idli House: Small restaurants are the major sufferers as we dont accept credit cards and people are having problems in cash. Business is down 50% since morning.

Punjab:

Rashmi Sandhu: I had a tough time paying to the cab driver. I had just Rs 5 00 note and the cab driver was not ready to accept it. After much pleading the driver accepted the currency. I dont know how will we survive for next two days.

Talwinder Kaur, wedding in family: We do not know how to manage the wedding shopping. For two days we are stuck with no ATMs functioning and banks closed. The government should have give us some time to make arrangements.

Diwakar Sahoonja, trader: We are not accepting Rs 500 or Rs 1000 notes. We are encouraging people to pay through debit and credit cards. It is just an inconvenience for two days and we are hopeful the new notes will be circulated in the market after two days.

Alok Diwan, software professional and resident of Panchkula: We hardly have currency notes in denomination of Rs 100. The government did not give us time to plan. There are long queues outside petrol pumps and also they are not offering any change.

Shikha Sharma, housewife: I had gone to buy milk and bread in the morning but the vendor refused to accept Rs 500. There is panic all round and no one wants to take the burden of exchanging this denomination later.

Kolkata:

Subrata Shau: Businessman, 52: I am in deep trouble. I have a small manufacturing unit and a lot of transactions happen with cash. With the banks and ATMs closed and all Rs 500 and 1,000 notes out of circulation, my business will be terribly hit for a few days.

Rina Sarkar: retired teacher: Only a few days ago I took out Rs 15,000 from the ATM for household expenditure. The entire money except Rs 500 -- five notes of Rs 100 -- emerged in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. I have no idea of what I am going to do now. The grocer flatly refused to accept the notes.

Asesh Sengupta, entrepreneur, 41: I am supposed to withdraw money from my bank and make payments to a number of vendors as I am getting married on December 2 but I just cant take out the money not only today, but for a number of days. If there is no way out, I may be forced to cancel the celebrations.

Raipur:

-Rahul Divakar, 34, Bhilai: There is a marriage ceremony in my family in Bihar next week. I was assigned to buy many things but now I have no option. I have to deposit the cash and wait for the new currency. Each and every friend of mine is suffering from similar situation. What kind of decision is this? There should be a process and people should be given time before banning Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

-Rajat Khare, Raipur resident: Rich people never stack notes, rather they cunningly invest in properties, shares, investment schemes and other kinds. It is the middle and lower class like us who stack or save cash and who will be badly affected by this decision.

-Kamlesh Tiwari, tea shop owner in Raipur: I have to close my shop for next few days because I have no money to buy anything. I had four notes of Rs 500 (Rs 2000 cash) but it will not work now.

Trade body reactions:

-Mahesh Singhania, chairman, Federation of West Bengal Trade Associations: I urge the trading fraternity to declare all India trade bandh & non-cooperation movement for the next 96 hours. The whole economy is bound to collapse at least up to the time the existing higher denomination notes get exchanged with the new currency papers. Educated people may be able to adjust or stand by this shock but not the uneducated ones.I appeal to the legal fraternity to file PIL.

-Harshavardhan Neotia, president, FICCI: This is an extremely bold move by the PM and will have a debilitating impact on the parallel economy in the country as well as terror financing. FICCI completely supports this move of the government. There could be some inconvenience that this change may lead to for the people of our country for a few days. However, we are sure that government and RBI will take adequate measures to ensure that the transition happens smoothly.

-Chiranjeev Singh, chairman of Chandigarh Beopar Mandal: The traders are authorised to deposit their sale proceeds into the banks. Small-time traders do not have much problem but the new currency should be supplied in market soon. Debit and credit cards are accetable. We will give credit and take payments later.

Jitendra Barlota, working president, Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce: Hundred rupee notes are difficult to find as most of time ATMs were giving out Rs 500 notes. Small traders were totally dependent upon Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, hence they will be suffering for next one month. Secondly, the consumer which is mainly middle class and lower class, will not be able to purchase goods because they have no cash.

-Ganapati Ramachandran, president-elect of South Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry: It is a bold initiative but how efficient would it be, remains to be seen. It would be difficult to carry out business in the short run, but in the long run it would be beneficial. It will change the way business is done in India and India will conform to the globally accepted standards and practices.

- CH Venkatachalam, General Seccretary, All India Bank Employees Association: The initiative will not help in fighting black money as it is stashed away in foreign banks, foreign currency, gold or other assets. Everyone knows that black money is mostly in foreign currency, in foreign banks, in gold or in properties and less in cash. Which is why, this would not help in detecting black money.

-Vivek Sahu, spokesperson of Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT): This is really a surgical strike for businessmen. Businessmen have refused to accept the notes of denomination of Rs 500 and Rs 1000. The trading has stopped totally and buyers are also facing trouble in it.

-Prashant Bhatia: Ladhu Udyog Bharti, Uttar Pradesh: The decision of the government to abolish Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes will help eliminate corruption and target black money. The problem for common man is temporary but those who have black money will face trouble, especially the politicians.

Adarsh Shetty, president of Indian Hotels and Restaurant Association (AHAR), Mumbai: From morning, patrons eat and then pay us these scrapped notes. Even we have no change to pay them back.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has said the opposition is spreading lies of him brokering a deal over the release of Bollywood film Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and said his partys stand on the matter was clean and clear.

When we sought a ban on the film, some people launched a propaganda that I was doing it because there were elections coming up and started spreading lies that I had brokered a deal. But, let me tell these people that Raj Thackeray is not for sale and our stand on the issue is clean and clear.

When the movie was being filmed, I knew there were Pakistani artistes and they (the filmmakers) were warned that time. But, they did not listen, he said on Tuesday.

Our soldiers are fighting and getting martyred on the border and these people are rolling out a red carpet for Pakistani artistes.

After our agitation, the producers clarified that they will not take any Pakistani actor in their films henceforth and that is what we wanted, he said.

Exhorting party workers to get ready for the civic polls, Thackeray said: Do not think of only getting poll tickets but think of how, as a representative, you will work for the people and the city.

He lambasted those MNS workers who had switched their loyalties ahead of the elections.

The congregation saw the attendance of thousands of party workers.

Karan Johars Ae Dil Hai Mushkil released on schedule after Bollywood producers agreed not to hire Pakistani artistes in future, giving in to Maharashtras mercurial politician Thackeray who had threatened to block the film.

The producers also agreed that under-production films featuring Pakistani actors will pay Rs 5 crore to an army welfare fund as penance.

The producers also agreed to include a tribute to Indian soldiers at the start of Johars film, which stars Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. But the so-called compromise triggered outrage on social media with many describing Thackerays monetary condition as extortion.

Peace was bought after a meeting involving Thackeray, Johar and the producers guild president Mukesh Bhatt at Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis residence.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi blasted on Wednesday Prime Minister Narendra Modis decision to replace Rs 500 and Rs 1000 banknotes to take on illegal transactions.

In a series of tweets, Gandhi questioned how replacing Rs 1000 notes with Rs 2,000 notes was going to make hoarding of black money more difficult.

Read | Can deposit as much cash as you want in bank, no immunity for black money: Govt

Gandhi expressed concern for farmers, small traders and housewivesthe sections that usually keep liquid cash with them for daily expenses.

Once again Mr Modi shows how little he cares about ordinary people of this country-farmers, small shopkeepers, housewives-all thrown into utter chaos, Gandhi tweeted.

While the real culprits sit tight on their black money stashed away abroad or in bullion/ real estate.Well done Mr Modi  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) November 9, 2016

While Modis move is expected to unearth undisclosed money stashed in the country and check its flow, Gandhi raked up the issue of bringing back black money parked abroada promise repeatedly made by BJP leadership during the 2014 general election campaign.

While the real culprits sit tight on their black money stashed away abroad or in bullion/ real estate. Well done Mr Modi, he tweeted, taking digs at the PM.

Gandhis reaction comes after his party maintained that it welcomed any

crackdown on black money and corruption but expressed concern over the inconvenience the move may cause to farmers, rural populace and families in the wedding season.

Read | Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes scrapped: 25 things RBI wants you to know

Congress has always supported any step against black money and will continue to do so, party chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala ahd said.

But he remained critical about the governments decision to circulate Rs 2,000 notes. Wont cancelling large denomination notes and replacing them with even larger denominations enable black money hoarders to stash even more money, Surjewala said.

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Historic step to fight corruption, only Prime Minister Modican do it. Entire country is very happy about it. #IndiaFightsCorruption

Historic step to fight corruption, only Prime Minister Modi can do it. Entire country is very happy about it. Everybody is sending message congratulating historic step of the Prime Minister, only corrupt can weep and do not sleep, for entire country is rejoicing. Honest tax payer nothing to worry, every care will be to take to care of your interest. War on black money started, be aware it will continue, he added.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: Historic and courageous decision on Rs. 500 and Rs 1000 notes to stop corruption and flow of black money. Hats off Hon @narendramodi ji ! People of our nation would support and participate like true soldiers in this war against #blackmoney. This is a milestone in nations progress. Hon @narendramodi jis decision is revolutionary. No reason to panic at all. Let us together fight this war against corruption& #blackmoney!
Pakistan on Wednesday summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner for the sixth time in over two weeks to protest against the ceasefire violations it claimed Indian troops were committing on the Line of Control.

The foreign office (FO) said that the director general (South Asia & SAARC), Mohammad Faisal, summoned JP Singh to strongly condemn the unprovoked ceasefire violations on November 8 by the Indian Forces on the Line of Control (LoC) in Khuirata and Battal sectors.

This is the sixth time in over two weeks that the Indian deputy high commissioner has been summoned to the FO here.

The FO said the violation by India resulted in the death of four civilians, including a woman and a 10-year-old girl, besides injuries to seven others.

The director general also urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding, investigate the continued incidents of ceasefire violations, instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit, stop targeting the villages and civilians, and maintain peace on the LoC, it said.

The foreign office claimed that this year so far, India committed 222 ceasefire violations out of which 184 have been on the LoC and 38 on the Working Boundary, resulting in the deaths of 26 civilians and injuries to 107 others.

Also read | After surgical strike, Pakistan violated ceasefire 99 times along LoC
The debate on celebrating the second annual Tipu Jayanti is underway in Karnataka with the usual suspects taking the usual ideological positions. The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have taken to the nasty sniping that could easily fuel the kind of acrimony, which has claimed two lives in Kodagu last year over the same issue.

It isnt surprising that the BJP and the Congress are sticking to their positions on the state governments plan to celebrate Tipu Sultans birth anniversary on November 10. Karnataka is gearing up for assembly polls in 2018 and every electoral issue is being milked dry for what it is worth.

South Kodagu lawyer KP Manjunath filed a PIL against the celebrations recently. The Karnataka high court posted the PIL for hearing on November 8 and on the same day, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and other right wing bodies held protests against the event in Bengaluru. The chief Justice of the Karnataka high court, Subhro Kamal Mukherjee, commented, As far as my knowledge of history goes, he (Tipu) was not a freedom fighter but a ruler of a princely state. What is the use of celebrating this? Even if the Nizam of Hyderabad had come, he would have countered him in the same way. The court postponed the PIL appeal hearing with the sardonic and completely accurate addendum, Let his soul rest in peace as his Jayanti celebrations would cause trouble to the government.

The story so far

Last year, the Karnataka government declared that November 10 will be celebrated as Tipu Jayanti . It said this had been a long-standing demand of those who admired the Mysuru monarch as a freedom fighter for his trenchant battle against the British. Politicians and scholars are sharply divided over the declaration. Tipu is credited with two large-scale massacres: that of the Kodavas who were killed and tortured and forced to join Tipus Ahmadi army -- the name Tipu assigned to the battalions formed of prisoners of war -- and Mandyam Iyengars who were executed in large numbers in Melkote. Manjunaths PIL says, If Kodava today is one of the second least populated race in this world, its because of a barbaric character from history as Tipu Sultan [sic]. Tipus barbarism reached its peak from 1760 to 1790 and this period is considered as one of the most gruesome eras in the history of Kodavas.

The RSS and its affiliates maintain, as they did in 2015, that Tipu does not deserve this kind of state-sponsored adulation because he killed Hindus and Christians in large numbers during his expansionist drive across the coastal districts of Karnataka and in Keralas Malabar areas.

The Siddaramaiah government has described these voices as communal and stayed with their argument that Tipu was, in fact, a freedom fighter. Last year, noted writer Girish Karnad had fiercely defended Tipus contribution to Karnataka, comparing him to Shivaji. If Tipu was a Hindu, his work would have been better acknowledged, Karnad said, demanding that the Bengaluru International Airport be named after the 18th century Mysuru king, instead of Kempegowda, the 16th founder of the city of Bengaluru. Karnads remarks raised a huge political furore in the state and ended in Karnad apologising for his remarks and chief minister Siddaramaiah saying that Karnads remarks had nothing to do with the government.

But the government intends to observe Tipu Jayanti and has reportedly planned celebrations in every district of Karnataka and earmarked Rs 60 lakh towards it, apart from a celebration in Bengaluru that will cost the state Rs 10 lakh.

Dinesh Gundurao, working president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee has been quoted as saying, It is the RSS and the BJP who want to politicise this issue. Dont we celebrate Mahatma Gandhis anniversary? He was shot down by the RSS. Dont we celebrate Deendayaljis anniversary? Tipu has contributed so much to Karnataka, towards sericulture. He made the first missile and also was the only ruler who fought against the British four times.

Was Tipu a tyrant?

When he ruled his khudadad (god-given) state, Tipu had extended his empire well beyond Mysuru. In these battles and campaigns to annex more territory and subjugate more people, did Tipu behave like a tyrant?

The answer is both yes and no.

While the Karnataka high court is right in saying that a retrospective colouring of Tipu as a freedom fighter doesnt make sense, neither does it make sense to be shocked that a ruler of his times pillaged and killed his enemies. No one, however, can deny that Tipus roots lay firmly in Karnataka. How then did this ruler, who lived and died for a land that he believed was his own, become one of its most controversial figures centuries after his death?

In relatively recent times, Tipu has been recast as a greedy and tyrannical ruler. Political hay-making is likely to ensure that Tipu may soon reach the super-villain status that Aurangzeb now occupies in popular culture. This recasting ignores the fact that all monarchs, at some point in history, have sealed the geographical borders of their kingdom through various means: setting up check-posts, creating an informer base, tracking enemy movement and ensuring that communities living in border districts have unshakeable loyalty to the king. Tipus unapologetic rampage across the hills and coastal terrains of the region was a strategy to keep enemies out, one that many rulers adopted, Mysuru-based historian Dr Hanur Krishnamurthy reminds us.

Other historians have argued that Tipu didnt pick on non-Muslim communities because he was a fundamentalist. Many rulers of his time used equally brutal tactics to consolidate and expand their empires. Some even argue that contrary to rightwing propaganda, Tipu was not a fundamentalist individual, even if he used religion to push his empire. Tipu was a staunch Sufi goes one version. His father Hyder Ali, it is said, had great reverence for a Sufi saint ThippeRudraswamy of Nayakana Hatti, close to Chitradurga in central Karnataka. Even now, scores of believers from near and far attend the local jatre (village fair) to commemorate the connection between the shrine and the Alis.

Folklorists say there are still stories in the region about Tipu Sultan, the son of Hyder Ali and Fathima. Dr MG Eshwarappa, a well-known folklorist now in his seventies, has worked extensively on the legends of Chitradurga and surrounding areas. According to him, Tipus name still evokes love and affection in the area.

Sufism has its roots in Islam and Hinduism as well. It is believed that Tipus name was chosen to approximate the saints because he was born with his blessings. The name Tipu is otherwise rare in Islam, Eshwarappa says. It is also said in local lore that the Sufi saint cured Tipu of a deadly disease and the monarch became his lifelong follower.

A more pragmatic version lies outside this dichotomy of Sufi freedom fighter vs blood-thirsty Hindu-hater. Kate Brittlebank argues in her book Tiger: The Life of Tipu Sultan, Along with their magnificent displays of power and wealth, kings were expected to be conspicuously pious. They made land grants, donated precious artefacts and mediated in religious disputes. In return, they could expect support for the legitimacy of their rule and prayers for the security and prosperity of the realm. Tipu behaved no differently: his generosity to temples, Sufi dargahs and mosques, as well as the great Math at Sringeri, are well documented, primarily through inscriptions and institutional records.

Eshwarappa says Kodava anger against Tipus exploits is understandable but points out that the community has been attacked by other rulers as well. It is a question of Kodagu identity and history. They have faced grave injustice at his hands. But they should also oppose the celebration of the birth anniversary of the tyrannical 19th century Lingayat king Chikaveera Rajendra who tortured and killed many Kodava women and men during his rule. No Kodava ever visits his palace in Kodagu except out of academic interest.

It is interesting to note that Kodagu, traditionally a Congress seat, has been leaning towards the BJP. Kodavas might have nothing to do with the Hindutva ideology, particularly given their own meat-eating and wine-making traditions. But if they could have the BJP without the accompaniment of the Sangh, they probably would. In the last general elections, Kodagu (Mysuru-Kodagu has been a constituency since the 2009 delimitation) voted for a Congress MP Adagur H Vishwanath. But, in 2014 Kodagu picked the BJPs Pratap Simha, a relatively young journalist-turned-politician.

In recent district panchayat elections too, the BJP lost considerably to the Congress but won in Kodagu. In Tipu, the BJP has finally found a cultural issue as they are on the same page as the Kodavas. Otherwise, they have had to rally around issues such as supporting the price for coffee beans or man-animal conflict in the district.

In 2015, the anti-Tipu protests were also bolstered by Catholic groups in Mangaluru, who protested the celebrations, saying they still mourned the deaths of 4,000 Catholics killed by Tipu. They also reminded everyone of the historical wound to the Catholics of Mangaluru when Tipu destroyed the Milagres church (built in 1680) in 1784. The church has been since rebuilt and is a pilgrimage site. No greater example of strange bedfellows can be cited than the Catholics joining the Sangh in this protest because the more recent attack of this church was in September 2008, an attack for which the VHP and the Bajrang Dal had claimed responsibility.

The other voices in the debate

Mohandas Pai, former CFO of Infosys and prominent angel investor, issued a statement last week where he said the event is equivalent to celebrating Aurangzebs birth anniversary. Tipu was a religious fundamentalist and the state should not make a role model out of him, he said in his letter to the state government. He added that only the men and women who actually contributed to Karnatakas identity, like Mysuru statesman and administrator Mirza Ismail or the royal Wodeyars of Mysuru, should be felicitated by the government. As a fairly vocal right-leaning social commentator, this is an unsurprising position for Pai to have taken. But there are some surprising notes of dissent in this debate. While progressive writers in the state have stood by its Congress government on many occasions, a few are actively opposed to the Tipu Jayanti celebrations.

Writer Shashi Deshpande has called the celebrations a waste of money and politically-motivated. She believes that no historical figure, no matter what their religion, needs this kind of an anniversary splash funded by public money. Gauri Lankesh too called it a vote bank gimmick that could lead to more violence of the kind that Kodagu saw last year. She has been reported as saying that no government has any business organising jayantis of any kind.

The Karnataka government continues to be moderately gung-ho. MR Seetharam, the minister for planning, statistics and science, and more importantly also the states Kodagu district in-charge, told the media that Tipu celebrations will be low key to respect the sentiments of communities that feel aggrieved by his actions. The government cannot stop celebrations because some people are opposed to it. We live in a democracy. Just as we have space for opposition, we have space for acceptance too, he said.

That said, the Karnataka government seems to follow the maxim of trust in god but tie your camel. On November 7, they requested the home ministry to deploy 1,600 paramilitary personnel while they celebrate Tipu. Finally, a move that an 18th-century ruler would understand.

(In arrangement with Grist Media)
The government expanded on Wednesday a list of exemptions for customers to use high-value banknotes that were withdrawn in a dramatic move to stamp out illegal transactions in the economy.

Finance minister Arun Jaitley said citizens will be allowed to use Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in purchasing tickets on the Metro, medicine in pharmacies based on a valid doctors prescription and LPG gas cylinders for 72 hours.

Read | Rs 500, Rs 1000 junked: How PMs currency shakeup can help Indian economy

Toll plazas, railway catering bills and entry tickets to Archaeological Survey of India were among the other exemptions.

The government believes this was a big step to maintain the credibility of the Indian economy and was welcomed by society, the minister said.

People will realise it pays to be honest. The not-so-honest are left worried.

Jaitleys comments came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will no longer be accepted as legal tender.

Under the new currency regime, Automatic Teller Machines will start dispensing new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes from Thursday and people can deposit the older notes in the bank.

Read | Can deposit as much cash as you want in bank, no immunity for black money: Govt

Jaitley described the move as a big step to make India cashless that will lead to a rise in tax collections and bank deposits.

It is a significant setback to the parallel black money economy  those outside the system will be forced to get into the banking system and be a part of the formal economy, Jaitley said.

Very few resolutions of the government affect lifestyle. This one decision will change the course of how people spend and keep money.

The ministers comments come on a day several opposition politicians attacked the government over the policy, saying it will hurt the poor. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi even accused the prime minister of being insensitive to the plight of farmers and poor.

Read | Modi shows how little he cares about ordinary people: Rahul on currency change

But Jaitley rubbished these charges, saying farmers and others will be benefited by the new currency regime.

The new policy expands Indias formal GDP and makes it cleaner. It pushes revenue, more money in the banking system.

He also said reports of people indulging in illegal money conversion of large-denomination notes were exaggerated. If anyone does it, they will run a high risk. The government and the revenue department are monitoring the situation.

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Barely weeks after the police raided biryani shops in Mewat, Union minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi travelled to Bicchor to launch the central governments Muslim outreach programme  progress panchayat.

The BJP never discriminates on the basis of religion, he declared at a public meeting in the village on September 29.

But his words failed to cut ice with the locals, some of whom narrated stories of the panchayat of Hindu majority Tauru village slapping fine on a local school for special assembly marking Eid and asking it to get rid of lone Muslim teacher.

The BJP government in Haryana also came under fire from civil society and political rivals for the rape of two Muslim girls and murder of a couple in a Mewat village late August. One of the rape survivors claimed that the attackers told her that they were being punished for eating beef. It is a particular mindset that is creating trouble in Mewat and rest of the country, says Ali Anwar Ansari, a Rajya Sabha member from Bihar. The RSS and BJP wants to create a Hindu-Muslim divide to deflect attention from the growing unrest among Jats who have refused to accept a non-Jat as chief minister. After Gujarat, Haryana has become Hindutva laboratory for them. Ansari who is seeking justice for the two survivors, blamed the rise of the BJP in Haryana for a sense of fear among the minority community.

Shockingly, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had described the double murder, the gang rape of the two women and beef policing as trivial issues.

The BJP could never get a foothold in Haryana. A majority government has tempted them to push the saffron agenda, says Pramod Kumar, Director of Chandigarh based Institute for Development and Communication. The BJP won 47 out of total 90 seats in 2014, a significant jump from its tally in last three elections: 4 seats in 2009, 2 seats in 2005 and 6 in 2000.

Read more| Hindutva Hotbed: Two years on, identity politics drives Haryana

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Days before Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Japan, Chinese state media warned on Wednesday that New Delhi will commit a serious mistake if it attempts to tango with Tokyo on the South China Sea (SCS) issue to oppose Beijing.

Such a move would also create more bilateral mistrust between the two Himalayan neighbours, the state-controlled Global Times added.

The Chinese newspaper said India intends to convince Japan and mention the SCS arbitration verdict delivered at The Hague, which went against China in July, in the India-Japan joint statement expected at the end of Modis visit this week.

It is seen as retaliation against Chinas decision to block Indias bid to become a member of the influential Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

Read: India must navigate cautiously through the South China Sea

The India-Japan joint statement, according to Global Times, would demand China abide by the arbitration rule, which said Beijing had no historical rights in the SCS and ruled in favour of the Philippines.

But India should not do that, writer Liu Zhun argued in the Global Times article titled India overestimates its South China Sea leverage on Wednesday.

India knows that it is not yet qualified for membership in the NSG, according to the organisations rules. Chinas decision was simply a fulfillment of its international duties. It is preposterous for Indian media and government to scapegoat China as a troublemaker, and seek revenge by making more troubles, Liu wrote.

India is not part of the ongoing disputes between China and other countries in the region and has no traditional influence.

As a non-claimant to the South China Sea and an outsider that has no traditional influence on the region, India has been paying keen attention to any activity, because the country has adopted a Look East foreign policy since Modi took office, it said.

Read: India should avoid entanglement in South China Sea: Chinese media

But, India, Liu wrote seems to have overestimated its leverage in the region. Although Chinas major rivals in the dispute, such as the US and Japan, have been trying to draw India into their camp, the country will be likely regarded as having a token role.

India did not learn its lessons when recently Singapore snubbed its request to include the arbitration in a similar joint statement, Liu wrote.

Indias proposal to make new waves in the SCS first came to Singapore last month, but Singapore, a master of the rebalancing strategy, snubbed it. The rejection shows India lacks legitimacy and leadership in making new waves in the SCS.

As a regional major power in Asia, India does not feel at ease with China, a larger and more powerful neighbor. It admires Chinas imposing changeover, especially its economic takeoff, but it has never relaxed its wariness of Chinas rise. The complicated feelings could drive India to make mistakes in its China policy.

Instead of trying to interfere in the SCS disputes, India should focus on resolving bilateral problems, the article argued.

India and China should put more efforts into resolving problems like the imbalance of their trade ties. India wont benefit much by balancing China through Japan. It will only lead to more mistrust between New Delhi and Beijing.
Sahi Ram, a local in his late 40s, guards the metre-wide well, which is just a little more than a pool of water in Haryanas Mughalwali village.

For chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar this puddle, the only evidence of the mythological river Saraswati, has become a symbol of identity politics.

The BJP government in Haryana claimed in May last year that it has discovered the mythological river Saraswati at Mughalwali in Yamunanagar district, where a strong current of underground water was found at the depth of seven feet. The discovery at the site 250 km from the national capital followed excavation of the purported course of Saraswati, a job for which Khattar has pledged `50 crore. Early this year, it also renamed Mustafabad town as Saraswati Nagar.

Khattar completed two years as CM on October 24. A Punjabi CM of a Jat-dominated state where the BJP had never ruled on its own, he swept to power despite lack of popular support from Jats and Muslims who comprise 35% of the states population. Khattar has since tried to create a non-Jat, non-Muslim constituency for the BJP in Haryana, which also includes Scheduled Caste (20%), Sikhs (5%) and non-Jats. He has the reputation as a clean politician, who does not indulge in corrupt practices. A majority of population is happy that he did not give in to the Jat agitation for reservation.

Cultural revival

A former RSS pracharak, Khattars two years in power has drawn criticism for its Hindutva push. Rejuvenating Saraswati  which finds mention in Rig Vedas  is one such move. There are skeptics. The claim to discovering Saraswati should be backed with scientific research, argues AR Choudhri, professor with Geology Department of Kurukshetra University. But, Sahi Ram is pleased. Only Khattar saab could do this. He is sincere.

Khattar did not stop at Saraswati. His government has planned a grand Gita Jayanti Mahotsav at Kurukshetra in December. Delegates have also been invited from abroad and state government expects a footfall of 15 lakh during the week-long event starting December 6. The celebration is to commemorate a more than 5,000-year-old event when Lord Krishna revealed the Bhagvad Gita to Arjuna in the battlefields of Kurukshetra.

This event reflects the strong cultural and religious heritage of Haryana. What is wrong if it is honouring that? asks Saurav Chaudhary, member of Kurukshetra Development Board.

Khattar has courted religious leaders, Muslims being only exception. Haryana was perfect breeding ground for the BJP/RSS-style politics, says Prof Pramod Kumar, director of Chandigarh based Institute for Development and Communication. The rise of Narendra Modi also helped the BJP expand in Haryana. The Arya Samaj had great influence over Haryana. It is the second only to Rajasthan in terms of vegetarian population. Census figures suggest their proportion to be in the vicinity of 70%. There is also a campaign against alcohol in Yamunagar, Karnal, Panipat, Sonepat and Kurukshetra districts.

Cow Protection

Within months of assuming power, Khattar set up a board to protect cows and crackdown on those smuggling cattle to neighbouring districts of UP with high Muslim population. The number of cows loitering on streets has increased. But, nobody minds, insists Manish, a PhD student in the department of Electronic Sciences at Kurukshetra University. Number of gaushalas has also increased, his colleague Sumit chips in. But Khattar had other plans too.

Power Axis

He developed proximity with religious sects, and often opened coffers for them. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh of Dera Sachcha Sauda was donated `50 lakh in August for promotion of sports. In September, BJP general secretaries Arun Singh and Kailash Vijayavargiya attended the promotion of his film at a stadium in the national capital.

Khattar had earlier appointed Baba Ramdev as brand ambassador of Haryana and accorded him the status of cabinet minister, which he declined. Today, outlets of Patanjali Ayurveda have flooded markets in Haryana. On the first anniversary of his government last year, Khattar announced a number of sops for Scheduled Castes in the state, including laptop for girls and a Sanskrit university to be named after Maharishi Valmiki.

In August, the Khattar government invited Jain monk Tarun Sagar to address the Haryana Assembly. Tarun Sagar spoke about various topics but what raised eyebrows was the fact that he was in the nude. It was a first for the Haryana assembly, and perhaps another signpost of Khattars brand of identity politics.
The US ambassador to India Richard Verma said his countrys ties with India enjoy bipartisan support and Donald Trumps presidency could bring in another four years of robust US-India Dosti soon after the Republican defeated Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House.

Verma said ties that bind the two countries together are built on shared democratic values, and go beyond the friendship of the American President and the Indian Prime Minister.

The envoy was addressing a gathering assembled on the embassy campus as the United States elected Donald Trump as its 45th president.

The US-India relationship is vitally important, it is bipartisan and it is only growing stronger. Heres to another four years of robust US-India Dosti, the ambassador said.

Last week, Trump called India a key strategic and natural ally, and promised Indian Americans that he would take bilateral ties to a new high if made US president, and even boost intelligence sharing in the fight against terrorism.

Read more| US presidency under Trump will likely boost strategic ties with India

No relationship will be more important and the two countries will be best friends, he told a gathering of the Indian diaspora at an event sponsored by the Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC) to raise money for victims of terrorism.

Trump also spoke glowingly of Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- a great man, whose energetic bureaucratic reforms he would like to emulate -- high praise from a candidate known for disparaging rivals.

Verma said the gathering was to celebrate an individual winner as well as to honour the American democratic election process as a whole and to witness that process in action.

Whether Democrat, Republican, Independent, Red or Blue on the political map, this is something fundamental to our values and to our core as Americans. And its something, Im sure, that can be appreciated by all of us here  from both the oldest democracy in the world and the largest democracy in the world, the envoy said.

India did not officially endorsed either Trump or Clinton but has seen a warming in bilateral ties between outgoing President Barack Obama and PM Modi.

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The governments move to introduce Rs 2,000 note while withdrawing other banknotes of high value is puzzling and might not help drain illegal cash from the economy as aimed, the Congress said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, senior party leader P Chidambaram said the withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes may not curb black money flow as unaccounted cash will be stashed in gold.

Why the government chose to issue Rs 2,000 note is a puzzle to me. The move to demonitise didnt work in 1978 either, the former finance minister said.

Read | Rs 500, Rs 1000 junked: How PMs currency shakeup can help Indian economy

His comments came hours after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi hit out at Narendra Modi, saying the prime minister wasnt concerned about the poor, who would be inconvenienced by the currency shake up.

The governments surprise move on Tuesday evening sparked panic across the nation with widespread confusion and long queues at banks and automatic teller machines. Under the new currency regime, ATMs will start dispensing new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes from Thursday and people can deposit the older Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes in the bank.

But Chidambaram said the new regime was likely to hurt those who were not part of the formalized economy  such as farmers, small traders and daily workers -- but whose incomes were entirely legitimate.

Read | Can deposit as much cash as you want in bank, no immunity for black money: Govt

The test of the scheme would be to see how much of the money is legally exchanged and how much of it is demonitised.

When homemakers, traders, farmers go to deposit their money, the government owes it a quick and efficient exchange to them. They shouldnt be harassed.

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Two key proposals pertaining to jail security  installing cell phone jammers at Bhopal Central Jail and the construction of a high-security jail on the Indore-Ujjain road  are yet to receive the state governments nod.

While the high security jail on a hillock at Sanwer on Indores outskirts has been pending since 2014, the proposal of cell phone jammers has been stuck since 2015, sources in Madhya Pradesh jail department told Hindustan Times on Tuesday.

The delay in clearing of the two key proposals assume significance in the light of the jailbreak by eight suspected SIMI operatives and their gunning down by police in an encounter the same day.

When contacted, DG (Jail) Sanjay Choudhary, while confirming the pendency of both security-related proposals, added that the government is reconsidering both the proposals for their implementation.

According to sources, the proposal to the Sanwer high-security jail at a cost of `120 crores was mooted by the jail department in 2014. The department pitched the same to the state in 2014, after which the proposal was sent to the Centre for funding and clearance. The Centre, however, asked Madhya Pradesh to fund the construction out of funds sanctioned by the 14th Finance Commission.

The proposal was subsequently revisited by the jail department and the cost was revised to `150 crores before being sent for the state governments clearance in 2015.

According to a former official of the MP jail department, the high-security jail would have served as an ideal isolated and secure place to house terror suspects and other hardened criminals.

Meanwhile, the proposal to install jammers for blocking any possible use of cellphones inside the Bhopal Central Jail was sent by jail department to state government in 2015. The proposal still pending clearance assumes significance as the investigators are probing the possibility of the use of cell phones by the SIMI operatives in the jail before the jailbreak.

Suggestions mooted

High security jail on a hillock at Sanwer on Indores outskirts has been pending since 2014.

Installing cell phone jammers at Bhopal Central Jail, stuck with the state since 2015.
The family members of Jayanta Biswas, the 23-year old automobile engineer who was sold as a slave to a Saudi Arabian citizen in that country, are still clueless about his return. No official of the external affairs ministry contacted them till Tuesday night to brief them on any development in getting Jayanta back home.

I am staying with a friend in a small room. My kafeel (master) is threatening to take me back to his place where he plans to do bad things with me again. I have no idea what he will do with me. He might deprive me of food, and even sleep, just as he did for such a long time. He will also force me to work for 24 hours, I am sure Jayanta told HT over phone from Riyadh on Tuesday evening.

For the past few days he has put up with Mohammad Ahmed, the nephew of Tabrez Alam, the Mumbai-based agent who sent Biswas to Riyadh.

Biswas sounded completely despondent about his future. He felt that the Indian high commission in Riyadh had given up on him and his chances of making it back to India were bleak. The officials at the mission are telling me to go back to my master, he said on the phone.

I have simply no security here. My master may come and pick me up any time, Jayanta said, betraying a sense of utter panic.

On Monday night, Jayantas sister sent an email to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention in the matter.

We are really helpless. We will seek chief minister Mamata Banerjees intervention too to bring him back, Ria Biswas told HT.

As a shattered Jayanta narrated his story, the horrors he had undergone came out with chilling details.

Naief Bookme (my master) used to treat me as a slave. After my release from jail, he did not give me even water to drink. He would get perverse pleasure by asking me to clean sand from the desert. He would not let me take rest for even a minute as long as he was awake, Jayanta said.

His dream of making it big in the Gulf lay shattered within hours of his landing in Riyadh on May 15. Promised a job of an automobile engineer that he was, he was instead sold off as a slave to the Saudi national.

Getting to know of his plight after many months, distressed members of his family got in touch with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and urged her to help secure his safe return. But several days have passed since and even the family is losing out on hope now.

Please help me. Please get me out of this hell. I will be simply dead if I remain here. I just want to return home, to in India, an inconsolably sobbing Jayanta told HT.

Jayanta belongs to a middle class family from Naihati in North 24 Parganas. He got training in automobile engineering from a private institute in north Bengal.

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At least three people were turned away from a pharmacy in Andheri, Mumbai, as they did not have currency notes of smaller denomination to pay for the medicines.

We have refused three customers since morning. They had come to buy medicines for blood pressure and diabetes, said the store keeper requesting anonymity.

While civic hospitals were permitted to accept the banned currency until November 11, many people consulting private hospitals faced long waits owing to widespread shortage of smaller denominations currency.

In view of the hardship being caused to the large number of patients at private hospitals, we have made an urgent representation to the government that this exemption should apply equally, for payments, at private hospitals, read a media statement issued by the Fortis Hospital. As of now, the hospital has been accepting cash payments of smaller denomination and payments through debit and credit cards, read the statement.

Similarly, Bhatia Hospital in Grant Road petitioned the Prime Ministers office to extend the waiver given to public hospitals to charitable hospital like theirs as well. Our patients completing their discharging procedure insist on paying cash as many of them dont have credit/debit cards, said Dr Rajeev Baudhankar, chief executive officer, Bhatia Hospital.

A large number of patients who belong to small towns outside Mumbai were worse hit, he said, adding, They dont have anything on them other than banned cash.

Some hospitals, however, were unaffected as a majority of their transactions were cashless.

We have pioneered ethical practices in health care and a majority of our collection is via cheque, demand draft, online bank transfer, etc. Our pharmacy invoicing is also linked to the room and procedure costs and billed in totality. We are certain that this will not have any bearing on our functioning at all, says Dr Ramakanta Panda, vice-chairman and managing director with Asian Heart Institute at Bandra-Kurla Complex.
Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday decided to convey the states strong sentiments on the alleged police atrocities against Marathi speaking citizens in Belgaum to the Karnataka government.

Marathi speaking protestors and youths representing Maharashtra Ekikaran Simiti (MES) were arrested on sedition charges for participating in Black Day in Belgaum on Karnataka Rajyotsava Day on November 1. The cabinet unanimously decided to convey the strong sentiments of Maharashtra in the matter to Karnataka government through a letter, said cultural affairs minister Vinod Tawde.

Shiv Sena leader and transport minister Diwakar Raote had written to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday urging him to discuss the issue in the cabinet on Tuesday. Raote, backed by four other Sena ministers, had demanded that a resolution be moved to condemn the action. The party had termed the atrocities as violation of the human rights.

The protestor also had alleged that they were beaten and tortured by the police for the agitation against the Karnataka government in Belgaum. The MES has been demanding 814 villages with the dominance of the Marathi speaking citizens to be integrated with Maharashtra. The state government has been fighting the case in Supreme Court for more than a decade now.
Five men from Karnataka were recently arrested by the Sahar police for trying to travel to Qatar on alleged forged visas. The immigration officials at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport detained them. Last week, they were handed over to the local police for further probe.

They are undergraduates and were offered flooring work by a private company in Qatar. The work contract was for a year and they had also received work visas.

However, they were required to complete another mandatory paper work, known as emigration check required (ECR). For this, they needed to obtain a clearance from the office of protector of emigrants (PoE), ministry of overseas Indian affairs.

As per the ministry of home affairs, such clearance is required for employment in countries such as United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Malaysia, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Syria, Lebanon and Thailand.

The accused told police that they did not have time and money to get the approval from the POE so they got visit visas for a month and also bought mandatory return tickets. They were to have cancelled the return tickets after reaching Qatar, the police said.

However, when their visas were cross-checked by immigration officials on the official website of Qatar government, their bluff was caught. The website showed they have been issued work visas instead.

They were arrested on October 4 under charges of cheating and forgery. They were produced before a magistrates court and remanded in police custody. They were sent to judicial custody on Tuesday.

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A 46-year-old driver from Raigad on Tuesday got a new lease of life after the family of a 45-year-old meat seller from Indore donated his heart  a second interstate heart transplant between the two states. The surgery recorded the 27th heart transplant of the city for this year.

The donors heart was transported from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, to Mumbai in two hours by air, covering a distance of 566 km (HT)

Surgeons at Fortis Hospital, Mulund, where the surgery took place, said that the donors heart was transported from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, to Mumbai in two hours by air, covering a distance of 566 km. The organ transplant team was led by Dr Anvay Mulay, head of cardiac transplant team, Fortis Hospital, Mulund. Overall, this was the 35th heart transplant in the city.

The recipient from Alibaug in Raigad was suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy and had been on the waitlist for the past two months. The donation became possible when the donor was declared brain dead at Suyash Hospital in Indore following a road accident, said the hospital officials. Following counselling to the family of the patient, they decided to donate his organs. The donor is survived by his parents, wife and two children. The donor was moved to Choitaram Hospital of Indore for further assessment and medical examination.

After the familys consent, the team of surgeons rushed to Indore to harvest the donors heart. The live heart was transferred out of Choitaram Hospital at 11:16am and it was airlifted from Indore at 11:39am. The plane landed in Mumbai at 12:53pm and was transported in an ambulance to reach Fortis Hospital, Mulund, at 01:16pm for an immediate transplant.

Speaking about the Mumbais record number of heart transplants, Dr Mulay said, We greatest appreciation and respect for the donors family who took a decision to save a life at the time of personal loss.
Two senior advocates have moved the Bombay high court (HC) urging it to take suo moto cognisance of the Union governments decision to stop the circulation of all currency notes of the denomination of Rs500 and Rs1,000.

Advocate Jamshed Mistry and advocate Jabbar Singh moved the HCs vacation bench on Wednesday arguing that the governments move was rushed and had caused unprecedented inconvenience to the general public.

Justice MS Karnik, who was presiding over the vacation bench, has now directed the lawyers to plead their case before a regular bench of the court as there were several questions of law involved.

Mistry and Singh also cited a November 2 notification of the Reserve Bank of India that was sent out to all nationalised banks. In the notification, the RBI had said that as part of a pilot project, all banks must ensure that within the next 15 days, at least 10% of their authorised ATM machines should dispense currency notes of Rs100 denomination.

Mistry argued that the notification made it clear that this project was initiated on a pilot basis and thus, the Centre shouldnt have rushed into it. As per the law, the government needed to come out with an ordinance and then an Act before such a move, he said.

Mistry said that in 1978, during the emergency, the ordinance followed by an Act called The High Denomination Bank Notes Act, 1978, was passed to bring demonetisation into effect. Therefore, the requirement is that the current demonetisation could have been done only through an ordinance, or amendment of the Act, and not merely through a gazetted notification.

He said that merely giving four hours notice is no notice at all and that ones right to life and right to occupation/conduct business were severely affected.

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Nov. 8

Anthony E. Batista, 21, of Spring Creek was arrested at 394 Smokey Drive for fugitive felon from other state. No bail listed.



Terry L. Beckmon, 42, of Elko was arrested at 505 Copper St. for convicted person registrations and fingerprint required. Bail: $640



Phillip E. Bryson, 45, of Resaca, Georgia, was arrested at 791 10th St. in Carlin for battery. Bail: $1,140



Adam Correa, 38, of West Wendover was arrested at 2:55 a.m. at 1045 Wendover Blvd. on a warrant for failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor and trespass not amounting to burglary. Bail: $960



Adam Correa, 38, of West Wendover was arrested at 4:30 p.m. at 1045 Wendover Blvd. on a warrant for failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor. Bail: $605



Moises I. Moratinoco, 29, of Modesto, California, was arrested on Interstate 80 at mile marker 350 on a warrant for failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor. Bail: $400



James G. Robbins, 48, of Carlin was arrested at Fourth and Cedar streets on a warrant for failure to appear after bail on a misdemeanor. Bail: $500



Heather M. Shine, 35, of Hawthorne was arrested at the Lander County Jail on a violation of condition of parole. No bail listed.



Ashley D. Stone, 20, of Spring Creek was arrested at 1801 Winchester Drive on a warrant for failure to appear on a traffic citation. Bail: $530
After an outpour of complaints from people about being stuck in long queues and traffic jams for not having sufficient lower denomination notes, the Maharashtra government decided to declare all state roads to be toll-tax free until the midnight of November 11.

Similarly, the Union government has also decided to scrap toll on all national highways till the midnight of November 11, so that people have sufficient time to cope with the sudden decommissioning of Rs500 and Rs1,000 denomination currency notes.

Several regular commuters appealed to the state government on Wednesday to suspend toll collection after bracing long queues and fights with toll booth operators over change. However, PWD minister Chandrakant Patil had initially cast the suggestion away, fearing it may not be financially feasible and will bring up technical hurdles.

Following chaos at toll booths such as those on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and at the five entry points of the city, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis directed all toll operators to accept Rs500 and Rs1,000 currency notes, warning of strict action against those who dont.

The Maharashtra government has decided that all state roads will be toll-tax free until 11th November midnight, Fadnavis tweeted on Wednesday evening.

Motorists were stuck in long queues on Wednesday morning at the toll booth on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the toll collection points at the five entry points of Mumbai and the Bandra-Worli sea link with toll operators refusing to accept high-value notes. Several had heated arguments with the toll booth operators over change, said commuters. At some toll booths, attendants could not tender change owing to shortage of currency notes of lower denominations.

Sanjay Shirodkar from the Sajag Nagrik Manch, which has been fighting for scrapping of toll, wrote a letter to the chief minister saying, In the backdrop of the Centres decision, the chaos at the toll booths is likely to remain for at least a week as people are running short of change to pay for toll. To avoid brawls and untoward incidents, we urge you to suspend toll collection for at least a week.

There was similar chaos at prime stations of the 11.4-km Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar Metro, with the Metro operator, the Reliance Infrastructure-led Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd (MMOPL), also refusing to accept Rs500 and Rs1,000 denomination notes. MMOPL officials initially said the organisation was sticking to the Reserve Bank of Indias guidelines.

An official said, although as per guidelines Indian Railways can accept the higher denomination notes that the Union government decided to decommission from Wednesday, Metro corridors in the country, except the Kolkata Metro, do not function as per Indian Railways Act.

By afternoon, Fadnavis said, Mumbai Metro was not accepting Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes. Directions have been issued to MMOPL. It has assured to start accepting the notes in a few minutes.

Soon after Fadnavis tweet, an MMOPL spokesperson said, Following clarification by the Ministry of Finance through a tweet, MMOPL will accept currency notes of Rs500 and Rs1,000 denominations until November 11.

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Seven months after promising it in the state budget, the Maharashtra government on Tuesday cleared a proposal to ply women-only buses in five major cities including Mumbai, especially to cater to working women.

Also, the government has specified that these buses should be driven by women drivers and haven women conductors. Moreover, the buses will be fully reserved for women only during the morning and evening peak hours, that is, from 7 am to 11 am and from 5 pm to 9 pm.

For now, however, the five municipal corporations  Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivli and Nagpur  will get 150 buses, named Tejaswini, with the state government sanctioning only Rs50 crore in the first phase. An official from the state urban development department said, Local municipal corporations will decide on which routes these buses should ply on and the frequency as they know the demand patterns. He added, The services will be run by the municipal corporation or the civic arm that operates public transport in the city.

The official also said that there was a delay in getting a cabinet approval for the budget announcement as the departments needed more time in deciding the initial outlay for the project according to its feasibility.

In Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking will run the buses. Civic bodies will have to ensure that all seats in the buses are reserved exclusively for women during the peak hours.

Overall, the state government has decided to roll out 300 such buses across the five municipal corporations under the same with a total budget of Rs 90 crore. Officials expect the first 150 Tejaswini buses to hit the road in the next three months.

Procuring the buses will also be the civic bodys responsibility with the state only releasing funds for it. All the buses purchased under the scheme will, however, have to be eco-friendly buses such as the hybrid ones that reduce consumption of fuel and emission of carbon dioxide. The buses will also be equipped with surveillance cameras, a public address system and a television display.

Prices for the tickets will be according to the rates charged for regular public bus transport services in the corporations jurisdiction. Besides the bus routes and the frequency, the civic body will also have the rights to decide the seating arrangement, whether to provide air conditioning in the buses or not, the state government official said.

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The scrapping of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes will effectively set back hawala transactions, and in particular terror financing, to a large extent. But it would not be long before intelligence agencies from other countries figure the latest technology to produce and push counterfeit notes, warned experts.

They added that the present state was an ideal platform to implement measures which could effectively thwart terror financing in the country.

And one could gauge the impact of it when, within an hour after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on the measure to curb black money, police officers in Mumbai started getting calls from businessmen and hawala operators, with most seeking advice on how to hide the money that they had acquired through illegal channels.

A hawala operator who had received Rs1 crore was perplexed with the announcement, and was at sea to recover his money.

D Sivanandan, former Maharashtra director-general of police, termed the move to recall Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes a master-stroke. This will be an immediate setback for all those who deal in illegal financial transactions. Illegal betting and hawala channels will suffer a temporary setback. But criminal elements will always devise methods to overcome the present state, he said.

It could be difficult to replicate the new currency but money transfers will still continue.

The noose has definitely tightened, but only time can tell what methods the criminals will come up with to overcome the hurdle that has been created for them, added Sivanandan.

Ajai Sahni, executive director of the Institute for Conflict Management, echoed similar views. This will be a temporary impediment for those operating illegal hawala channels. But when it comes to terrorism, it is only a matter of time that Pakistans ISI will figure out the technology, and replace the current minting press to start flooding the market again.

Sahni was of the opinion that it is an ideal start, but to curtail terror financing, the government needs to take focused measures to eradicate it, and it is a situation that is very much possible.

PS Pascricha, former Maharashtra director-general of police, said, The non-circulation of Rs500 and Rs1000 rupee denominations will essentially thwart the hawala operators who will dread to deal in 100 and 50 rupee denominations. But one will have to wait and watch the methods they adopt once the new currency comes into circulation.
The state health department mandated that private hospitals and pathology laboratories report their dengue treatment regime to the concerned municipal corporation on November 9.

The move comes after HT reported on October 15 that private hospitals were not reporting cases of dengue regularly to the civic body.

The decision was announced by Dr Deepak Sawant, state health minister after internal review meeting of seasonal diseases.

The health department announced that a state-level death analysis committee will be set up to study all deaths suspected to be caused by swine flu, dengue and chikungunya.

Officials said dengue prevalence was 31% in rural areas and 69% in urban areas this year.

The state reported about 5,653 cases of dengue.

Mumbai reported the highest number of cases at 941, followed by Nashik (775), and Pimpri-Chinchwad (596).

A lot of suspected cases undergo tests at pathology laboratories and are treated at private hospitals. Hence, we have made it mandatory for both to report the number of cases and the patterns in them. We will soon formally inform all the municipal commissioners, said Sawant.

Sawant added that the state will continue with its swine flu vaccine program and ensure that pathology laboratories do not charge the patients exorbitant amounts.

We will ensure that pathology laboratories charge according to the recent state government price restrictions, added Sawant.
The withdrawal of Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes is all set to impact the realty sector. While the builders who are already hassled by the slowdown rued that it will make the situation worse, there are indications that realty prices may reduce.

Builders who used to take 20-40 % of money in black in many transactions and even the investors who parked their undisclosed amount will now shy away from the market.

According to a leading builder who refused to be quoted, the move will hit them severely. Many of the homebuyers preferred to pay in cash to save taxes, which ranges up to 15%. In addition, there are many suppliers for whom we need to make payments in cash only. Their payment will be a headache now, said the builder.

The ready reckoner (RR) are the assessment values of the property, which play an important role in determining the stamp Duty and registration fees. In most places, the gap between the RR and the market value is in the range of 10 to 40 %. Builders used to take cheque of the amount calculated in RR and the remaining gap amount in cash.

Gera Developments, a leading builder said it will hit the cash market severely. The impact of this will be huge in many markets where payment of cash is mandatory and the major form of profit taking. These markets will see a major crash making an already difficult situation even more challenging. Rohit Gera, Managing Director, Gera Developments

For years, real estate was infamous for parking unaccounted money and builders also preferred to take money in cash.

Many experts have called this a welcome step which will bring about transparency in the realty sector. According to Anuj Puri, Chairman & Country Head, JLL India, a leading real estate consultancy firm, banning of higher currency notes is a major move which will help curb unaccounted-for cash in the real estate sector. The effects will be far-reaching and immediate, and shake up the sector in no uncertain way. Stricter measures against black money have for long been required to help bring about greater transparency, give the Indian real estate sector more credibility and make it more attractive for foreign investors, said Puri.

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The introduction of the application-based cab services like Uber and Ola is having an unintended, but welcome consequence. Punjabis who had gone abroad to drive cabs are finding that they can do the same here as technology acts as a facilitator. The fact that bookings are technology-enabled (App-based) and fares are more or less stable means that cab drivers are free to operate with location not a real constraint, anymore.

So, a few individuals have forgone their foreign dreams and some have come back to drive a cab, since the introduction of appbased cab services. Most say being with family was what motivated the move back. Not only youngsters, some middle-aged people too are finding the proposition worthwhile. HT profiles some of these cases.

Arshdeep Gill (25), a BCA, went for higher study in Australia and drove a cab in Melbourne. When he learnt that the trend of appbased cabs has picked up in Chandigarh, he returned.

I am my own boss. I purchased an Etios and got registered with Uber. I am planning to buy more cars. He is dismissive of the notion that Indian families are usually embarrassed when their wards drive a cab for a living.

Arshdeep Gill (Keshav Singh/Hindustan Times.)

Mandeep Singh (38) says, I stayed in Dubai for six years. I drove a taxi while working for a construction company and returned after I got wind of the trend. I have two cabs registered with Uber. I am making good money, even as I stay with my loved ones.

Mandeep Singh. (Keshav Singh/Hindustan Times)

Paramjeet Singh (23) has shelved the idea of going abroad. I am doing my graduation and earning well. I have shelved the idea of going abroad after working with Ola.

Paramjit Sing (Anil Dayal/Hindustan Times)

Paramjit Singh (Anil Dayal/Hindustan Times)

Jasveer Singh (22), enrolled in an engineering diploma course, says, I was a sales executive and left to join Uber. We do not have targets.

Talwinder Singh Hundal (26) working with a private company and driving Ola cab says,Its a great opportunity.

Talwinder Singh Hundal (Anil Dayal/Hindustan Times)

Rajinder Pal Singh (50), a commerce graduate from Delhi University, who had to give up education business due to some compulsions, says the job has given him new hope.

Rainder Pal Singh (Keshav Singh/Hindustan Times)

HOW IT WORKS

Started in 2014, people having a commercial licence can get registered with these companies for plying taxis and give them a platform to connect with passengers. The majority of such cabs plying in Chandigarh have a registration number that begins with PB01. Drivers and car owners claim getting registered in Punjab saves them the entry tax they are required to pay while entering Punjab. Uber gets 60% of its partners (it does not call them drivers) from Punjab, followed by Haryana and Himachal. To regulate these companies, the UT administration is working on a policy for these titled On-demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules, 2016.

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Of his love for the native language and to contribute to its culture here, Prof Pandit Rao Dharennavar is making various efforts to promote Punjabi language in Chandigarh. Known for his translation of social and religious literature between Kannada and Punjabi, he is the only person to have volunteered to teach Punjabi in government schools as part of the education departments voluntary session scheme for residents. Rao, who is originally from Karnataka, moved to Chandigarh in 2003 and spent two years to hone his Punjabi skills.

During a lecture with Class 11 children of Government Model Senior Secondary School (GMSSS), Sector 46 on Tuesday, Rao announced that the students who will score more than 90 per cent marks in their classes 11 and 12 will be awarded with a scholarship of Rs 1000 and in BA, if they opt for elective Punjabi, then they will be rewarded Rs 12,000 scholarship.

Planning to shell out the money from his own salary, he said, Being a professor, I earn Rs 70,000, out of which around Rs 30,000 is being saved for scholarships. With this, the award money given by Punjab government will also be kept for the scholarships only.

Rao also taught the students about the importance of Punjabi language and why each student should make it as a career option. A Punjabi poetry fan, he expressed resentment over the way the language was being used in Punjabi rap songs.

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The counter-intelligence wing of Punjab Police claimed to have arrested one person with 1-kg heroin and Rs 80,000 cash.

The arrested person has been identified as Gurpreet Singh.

IG, counter-intelligence, MF Farooqui said that as part of the ongoing operations against the narcotic smugglers, a specific input emerged about the accused.

Working on this input, a team of the counter-intelligence wing intercepted the accused when he was waiting to make a delivery of the consignment and recovered 1-kg heroin and Rs 80,000 cash from his possession.

Detailing further, IG Farooqui, said, We received information that on Tuesday, Gurpreet Singh will be in Amritsar to deliver a consignment to another party. The police party worked accordingly and arrested him.

A case under Section 21, 29/61/85 of the NDPS Act, PS State Special Operations Cell, has been registered in this regard.

IG Farooqui further said that during preliminary investigation, the accused disclosed that he had procured this consignment from an unknown person residing in Delhi.

He had brought around 3 to 4 consignments of heroin from New Delhi so far.

Police said the accused is a history-sheeter and is already involved in one case of heroin smuggling and one case of opium smuggling.

More arrests are likely, said the IG.
The Organ Transplantation Organisation (OTO) of British Columbias government in Canada on Tuesday honoured the city-based family of Vivek Pandher, a young student from Ludhiana who had died in Vancouver in July 2015.

The decision to honour Pandher family was taken as Vivek had registered himself with OTO for donating his organs after his death.

His uncle Manjit Singh, who lives in Vancouver, received a medal from Kalara Hez, the head of organisation. Apart from Viveks grandparents Gurpal Singh and Parkash Kaur, Prithpal Singh Sohi of Prime Asia Television, businessmen Baldev Singh Bath and Surjeet Singh Bath and film personalities Rana Ranbir, Resham Kaur and Jaswinder Kaur were present at the event.

Viveks father Jaswant Zafar said, As we got the news of his death, we rushed to Vancouver where we came to know that he had given his will to OTO in Vancouver to donate his organs. So before declaring him dead, his heart was implanted to a patient of heart failure. Both his lungs were donated to a patient having severe lung impairment and one penitent was given his liver. This way, seven of his organs were donated to five different persons. His act of kindness was appreciated all around the world and it brought organ-donation movement to another level. Zafar further said that instead of a condolence meet, Vivek Milni was organised in Ludhiana in which, more than 200 people filled their organ-donation forms. During the month of June this year, more than 150 people filled organ-donation forms during functions dedicated to his memory in Surrey, he added.

Baldev Singh Bath said that Viveks donation not only made them proud but also brought awareness in the community.

Rana Ranbir stated that even in his young days, Vivek was always associated with good deeds and now his death has given birth to a movement like organ donation in Punjab. Many different societies, families and NGOs are now organising organdonation camps, he added.

Meanwhile, Rajinder Singh Tanda from Yuba City informed that 45 more people have registered their names for organ donation during Nagar Kirtan at Yuba City on November 6 as a result of awareness campaign being conducted in Viveks memory.

Read | Giving life in death through organ donation
President Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate the CII Agro Tech 2016, a four-day agro technology and business fair, on November 20 at the Sector-17 Parade Ground. Reuven Rivlin, President of Israel, will join as the guest of honour on the occasion.

The fair organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is being held from November 19 to 22. The theme for this year is Building Global Competitiveness. More than 130 exhibitors will showcase the latest technology and state-of-the-art equipment in the agriculture sector.

Rumjhum Chatterjee, chairperson, CII Agro Tech 2016, said, Israel is the partner country for the 12th edition of CII Agro Tech while focus countries are Canada and Germany. In addition, strong participation from Europe and Asia will be there, showcasing the latest technology and state-of-the-art equipment in the agriculture sector.
ELKO  The votes are in and Elko County has elected Elias Choch Goicoechea as its second Elko Justice of the Peace.

Andrew Mierins and Goicoechea were the two candidates out of six that advanced from the primary to the general election for the newly created Department B seat. The new judge will sit alongside Justice of the Peace Mason Simons, who called for the position to be created.

Goicoechea was surrounded by family and friends at the Elko Basque Clubhouse when told Tuesday evening that he won the seat.

Goicoechea received almost 69 percent of the votes and Mierins received about 31 percent.

When asked what he had to say about the win, Goicoechea said, how about speechless.

When asked if he was expecting the win or was surprised, he said he felt comfortable since he filed for the position.

I was a little nervous a couple weeks ago, he said. Other than that Ive been pretty comfortable. I never let the primary votes go to my head. I have a substantial support group that pushed me over.

Goicoechea led the primary with more than 45 percent of the vote. Mierins won more than 23 percent.

While being interviewed Tuesday he was called and congratulated by Mierins and Simons.

The evening gathering was a win, lose or draw party, Goicoechea said.

It wasnt set up for a victory celebration, he said.

For the past 16 years Goicoechea has been a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper.

Ill turn my notice in and start working on the details of getting out of the patrol and retiring from there, he said. I thought things were going to slow down a little bit, but I think theyre going to get substantially busier.

Goicoechea sent his thanks to the voters of Elko County.

I just want to thank them for their support that Ive had from the day that I filed, he said. Without them, I wouldnt be here today.

He said his family is supportive of the change in career, but his children will have mixed feelings about not having a highway patrol cruiser in the driveway.

His mother Mary Goicoechea congratulated his win with a hug.

As long as thats what he wanted to do, thats where he could work, she said about her son becoming a judge. He was always good to me. He was always helping me out.

Goicoechea expressed in earlier statements that he looks forward to working with current projects and future endeavors, believing a second judge should lighten the workload and allow for further concentration on specific issues.

The creation of a second court was a political issue for about three years. Simons notified the county on Oct. 2 that the creation of a second, full-time justice of the peace position was warranted because of caseload, county population, voter accountability, the number of search warrant applications and more.
AAP spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira has slammed the state governments move of not giving the radicals permission to hold Sarbat Khalsa at Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda.

Radical leaders on Tuesday called off the congregation. Stopping over 2,000 Sarbat Khalsa activists in Punjab shows there is an undeclared emergency in Punjab, said Khaira while addressing the media in Jalandhar. The Badals and the SAD, once votary of human rights and opponent of emergency, have taken a complete U-turn to muzzle the voice of the Sikh community, charged Khaira.

It is illegal and unconstitutional. , said Khaira. This is a direct attack on the fundamental rights of all citizens as enshrined in our constitution regarding freedom of speech and expression, said Khaira.

Such large-scale arrests of Sarbat Khalsa leaders and activists show that the Badals have imposed an undeclared emergency in Punjab, said Khaira. They are misusing the police to settle scores with their political opponents, he added.

It is saddening to note that historic institutions such as the Sarbat Khalsa, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee ( SGPC) and the Akal Takht are being destroyed by the so-called panthics and Akali government themselves.

It appears that fascist, racist and fundamental organisations such as the RSS have more liberty in Punjab under the Akalis, than the peace-loving Sikhs and Punjabis, he said. It is a matter of record that the RSS had organised an armed show of strength in Mansa in June 2014 vitiating peace, said Khaira.

But, the Badals remained a mute spectator and did nothing against such anti national elements, he said.

I am not a votary of agenda of Sarbat Khalsa or its organisers, but as an aware citizen, I cannot be a mute spectator to the brazen violations of human rights of the people of Punjab, said the AAP leader.

DAL KHALSA QUESTIONS BAN ON SARBAT KHALSA

Radical group Dal Khalsa questioned the state governments decision to ban Sikh congregation Sarbat Khalsa which was scheduled to be held at Talwandi Sabo.

The party has asked chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to explain how the meeting would have disturbed the hard-earned peace in the state.

Slamming the government for ordering crackdown on activists, partys former president HS Dhami said, The government is creating fear in the minds of people by misusing state machinery.

He said, even if their groups had differences and disagreements on certain issues with the organisers of Sarbat Khalsa, they strongly believed that the latter had every right to convene any religious gathering peacefully.
Prime Minister Narendra Modis decision to ban Rs500 and Rs1,000 currency notes will impact land transactions and the secondary market, say real estate experts.

The residential real estate market has already been cleaned up, with primary sales occurring largely through bank mortgage. It is mostly the secondary market  where properties are bought on resale  that will be impacted through this move, going a long way in cutting the cash element.

The move is unlikely to have any impact on the velocity of sales, said Anuj Puri, chairman and country head of JLL India, a real estate services firm.

Getamber Anand, president of real estate body Credai, agreed that the surprise development will not disturb the primary market to a large extent because the inventory is sold to end users who avail home loans.

Moreover, the organised part of the real estate industry has always been compliant. Only unorganised fly-by-night players will be affected. This move will actually help the industry fight for the removal of section 43CA of the IT Act more effectively, he added.

But Pankaj Kapoor of Liases Foras, a Mumbai-based real estate rating and research firm, said there may be difficulties for the luxury market segment in the long term. As the cash component ranges between 30% and 50% of the deal value in land transactions, prices in the segment could see a 20-25% correction once black money is out of the equation, he added.

Sunil Tyagi of Zeus Law, a Delhi-based law firm, also predicted such a possibility. Land transactions, where 40% of the payment is in black, will be affected. Land transactions involving huge cash components will stop immediately, as will transactions that are halfway through or where payment is due, he said.

An estimated 30% of real state transactions involve black money, according to Liases Foras data

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Governments from Asia to Europe reacted with stunned disbelief on Wednesday to the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election, while populists hailed the result as a triumph of the people over a failed political establishment.

German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen, an ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, described the result as a huge shock and questioned whether it meant the end of Pax Americana, the state of relative peace overseen by Washington that has governed international relations since World War Two.

French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault pledged to work with Trump but said his personality raised questions and he admitted to being unsure what a Trump presidency would mean for key foreign policy challenges, from climate change and the Wests nuclear deal with Iran to the war in Syria.

Looks like this will be the year of the double disaster of the West, former Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt said on Twitter, pointing to Britains vote in June to leave the European Union. Fasten seat belts, he said.

Meanwhile, right-wing populists from Australia to France cheered the result as a body blow for the political establishment.

Their world is falling apart. Ours is being built, Florian Philippot, a senior figure in Frances National Front (FN), tweeted. Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of the party and father of its leader Marine, said: Today the United States, tomorrow France!

A screen displays the popular vote favouring Donald Trump on election night. (AFP Photo)

Beatrix von Storch, deputy leader of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, said: Donald Trumps victory is a sign that citizens of the western world want a clear change in policy.

As it happened | Donald Trump becomes 45th President of the United States of America

During the US election campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the Nato military alliance and suggested that Japan and South Korea should be allowed to develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defence burden.

He has vowed to undo a global deal on climate change struck by world powers in Paris last year and renegotiate the deal between Tehran and the West which eased sanctions against the Islamic Republic in exchange for allowing close monitoring of its nuclear programme.

But many western governments are unsure whether Trump, a real estate mogul and former reality TV star with no government experience, will follow through on his campaign pledges, some of which would turn the post-war order on its head.

Were realising now that we have no idea what this American president will do if the voice of anger enters office and the voice of anger becomes the most powerful man in the world, Norbert Roettgen, a conservative ally of Merkel and head of the German parliaments foreign affairs committee, told German radio. Geopolitically we are in a very uncertain situation.

Prominent historian Simon Schama described a Trump victory and Republican control of both the Senate and US. House of Representatives as a genuinely frightening prospect.

Nato will be under pressure to disintegrate, the Russians will make trouble, 20 million people will lose their health insurance, climate change (policies) will be reversed, bank regulation will be liquidated. Do you want me to go on?, Schama told the BBC.

Of course its not Hitler. There are many varieties of fascism. I didnt say he was a Nazi although neo-Nazis are celebrating.

Read | Twitter breaks US election day record of 31 million tweets
President Donald Trump, it is now. Get used to it.

The Republican nominee, who pulled off the most stunning victory in US presidential elections in recent memory after a deeply divisive campaign, called for unity and said it was time to bind the wounds of division.

Pledging to be the president for all Americans, Trump sought to address concerns about him in capitals around the world, saying: While we will always put Americas interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone, with everyone, all people and all other nations.

He added, We will seek common ground, not hostility, partnership, not conflict.

Follow our live coverage of the US presidential election

His Democratic rival Hillary Clinton called him to concede the race and congratulate him. Trump thanked her for it and said the nation owed her a debt of gratitude for her service.

Clinton has not, however, delivered the concession speech traditionally expected of a loser. Her campaign chairman John Podesta told supporters she will speak on Wednesday.

Watch: Donald Trumps full victory speech

As the counting of votes continued late into Tuesday night, Trump had won the critical battleground states of Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Pennsylvania and appeared close to taking Michigan and Wisconsin, leaving Clinton without a discernible path to victory.

Of the battleground states, Clinton took only Virginia and Colorado in a staggering reversal of opinion polls, surveys and forecasts that had the Democrat leading in most swing states, and nationally, for most of the year.

Read: Twitter breaks US election day record of 31 million tweets

Trumps victory will also mark a sharp repudiation of his own Republican partys leaders, who had abandoned him, and in droves in recent weeks, over his insults, remarks about Hispanics and his out-of-control struggles with women.

Clinton led along forecast lines in the early results, but those trends quickly turned as Trump caught up and surged past her within a few hours. Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania all followed the same pattern, as if scripted.

Soon Trump was leading Clinton in the count of electoral college votes, which technically determine the race and not the popular vote. Forecasters such as FiveThirtyEight and The New York Timess The UpShot suddenly had him as the favourite.

By this time, states the Clinton campaign considered to be its firewall  such as Michigan and Wisconsin, two of the rust belt states, so called because of their shuttered and rusting factories  saw Trump build up a sizable lead.
Except for Nigel Farage of the UK Independence Party, no one from Britains political establishment appeared to celebrate Donald Trump's win, which poses a challenge to Prime Minister Theresa May as she has criticised him for comments on Muslims and London.

Farage, a leading campaigner for Britain to leave the European Union, saw Trumps win as bigger than Brexit and claimed it represented a massive result for Britain, which has a special relationship with the US.

As home secretary, May was severely critical of Trump for his views on banning Muslims and alleging there were parts of London that were no-go areas for the police. There were also demands in Parliament that he be banned from entering Britain.

On Wednesday, May congratulated Trump: Britain and the US have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise. We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence.

I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead.

A large number of MPs tweeted their disappointment over Trumps win throughout the night. Labour MP Mike Gapes said: Comparisons with Brexit are fallacious. This is much worse.

Trump, who has major investments in Scotland, was in favour of Brexit.

Farage, who campaigned for Trump in recent rallies, said he would travel to the US soon: "This is a massive result as far as Britain is concerned (as we) have a friend in the White House, (he) admires our culture, feels his mothers Scottish roots very deeply and wants to put us at the front of the queue for trade deals."

He added, It seems to me the only people in Britain who know him are (TV presenter) Piers Morgan and myself. I think we are seeing a sea-change in politics and not before time in my view. I was in London tonight but I shall be in America later in the week."

Writing in The Telegraph recently, Farage likened Trumps rise to the Brexit vote, and described it as part of a global phenomenon against the elites.

I do not see the Brexit result in isolation. Instead, I believe we are witnessing a popular uprising against failed politics on a global scale. People want to vote for candidates with personality, faults and all. It is the same in the UK, America and much of the rest of Europe. The little people have had enough. They want change, he wrote.

Our new hyper-regulated world makes it tough for the little people to compete with the business giants. These people want deregulation, and Trump is promising them that. Many feel they have nothing to lose in voting for him.

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Like other countries around the world, India is bracing for a bigly world order  to use Donald Trumps trademark adjective for huge. The US president-elect has generally spoken positively about India.

On the other hand, the Indian system is concerned at the strong isolationist streak in Trumps worldview. The overriding view of Trump is uncertainty: he has said little of substance on foreign policy and his advisors are unknown unknowns.

Some Indian commentators noted that early in 2016, Trump declared India had become a top place for investment following Narendra Modis election, spoke of India doing great economically, and expressed surprise more people werent talking about its 7% growth rate.

He called Pakistan the most dangerous country in the world today and said the only country that can check Pakistan is India. Trump also spoke aggressively about China  but only in the context of trade.

Reflecting this view, Brahma Chellaney of the Centre for Policy Analysis argued, Trump has repeatedly praised India and Indians. Moreover, his commitment to fight extremism and terrorism jibes well with Indian interests. All in all, India should be relieved that he, not Hillary Clinton, will be the next American president.

Donald Trump: If hes bad for the US, hes bad for India

However, Trump also denounced job outsourcing to India, even making fun of the accents of Indian call centre workers.

Within the Indian system, there is a sense Trump has no coherent view of South Asia. His excitement about India seemed to arise from two buildings coming up in India bearing his franchise name and, later, conservative Hindu American groups becoming major contributors to his campaign.

It is the nature of Trumps worldview that worries India policy-makers more. A careful analysis of Trumps foreign policy statements over 30 years by Thomas Wright in Foreign Policy magazine showed he believed the US is overcommitted around the world and is unfairly treated by trade agreements, and that he admired authoritarian strongmen.

New Delhi, having already seen how Barack Obamas isolationist bouts led to the Talibans return in Afghanistan and encouraged China to push its territorial claims in the western Pacific, worries Trump will inadvertently encourage Beijing to push the geopolitical envelope even more.

Trump has talked of destroying the Islamic State, referring airily to a secret plan when asked how. But India will be relieved if Trumps admiration for Vladimir Putin softens US diplomacy. The Wests economic sanctions, Indian officials often complain, drove Russia into the arms of China.

A different kind of leader: World braces to make sense of Donald Trump

On the other hand, Trump has repeatedly expressed a curious dislike for Japan, a country that has emerged as one of Indias closest strategic partners.

There are two other areas where Trumps policies will run counter to Indian interests. One is immigration. If there was one leitmotif of Trumps campaign, it was his constant barrage against immigrants. It has been pointed out Trump wants a freeze on new green cards and a restructuring of the H-1B visa programme to make it harder for US firms to hire skilled workers from abroad. Indians are the primary recipients of H-1B visas.

The other is climate change, which Modi sees as an almost existential threat to India. Trump denies such a problem even exists. India developed a large number of collaborations with the US in climate change, especially in clean energy. Modis idea was to use these platforms to channel US private investment and technology to help India reach its ambitious climate targets, says Arunabha Ghosh, head of the Council for Environment, Energy and Water.

Trump might not vapourise all these initiatives overnight but it does not bode well for deepening and solidifying this partnership, he said.

Ultimately, like much of the world, India is unclear about the policy directions of a Trump administration. Nirupama Rao, a former Indian envoy to Washington, said: India should not waste time in reaching out to Mr Trump and his team in order to establish a durable understanding that will take the relationship forwards in all sectors of relevance.
The election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president was met with disbelief and despondency on Wednesday among some United Nations officials and diplomats amid uncertainty surrounding his foreign policy and likely engagement with the world body.

Trump, a Republican, has described the 71-year-old United Nations as weak and incompetent and threatened to pull out of a global deal to combat climate change - a cornerstone of the legacy of U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon, who steps down at the end of 2016 after serving two five-year terms as secretary-general.

The United Nations is not a friend of democracy, its not a friend to freedom, its not a friend even to the United States of America, Trump said during a speech in March to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Ban said on Wednesday he hoped that the Trump administration would strengthen the bonds of international cooperation.

People everywhere look to the United States to use its remarkable power to help lift humanity up and to work for the common good, Ban told reporters.

A senior Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trumps foreign policy had so far not been very coherent and his victory did not bode well for the future effectiveness of the council.

The assumption is that (a Trump administration) will be less engaged with U.N. than (President Barack) Obamas administration, which was more committed to working for collective solutions than previous U.S. administrations, the diplomat said.

Several U.N. diplomats noted a lack clarity from Trump on foreign policy.

We have not really heard a very clear indication of where he is going, Iraqs U.N. Ambassador Mohamed Ali Alhakim told reporters on Wednesday, adding that he believed the United Nations would remain relevant.

If there is any change in the policy we will then determine later on what were going to do with that, he said. Others were saying this is similar to Brexit, but this is what the Americans selected.

Yemens U.N. Ambassador Khaled Alyemany said he hoped the new president will contribute positively to resolve the crises in the Middle East, acknowledging that Trump had not laid out a foreign policy plan for people to see.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad al Hussein, last month warned that the world would be in danger if Trump was elected president. Zeid would continue to call out any Trump policies or practices that undermine or violate human rights, his spokesman said.

A western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, summed up how Trumps victory could impact the United Nations: I think there will be a long hangover.
Islamist movement Hamas which controls Gaza said Wednesday that it did not expect a change in US bias against the Palestinians with Donald Trump in the White House.

The Palestinian people do not count much on any change in the US presidency because the US policy towards the Palestinian issue is a consistent policy on the basis of bias, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP.

Nevertheless, we hope that US president Trump will re-evaluate this policy and rebalance it on the Palestinian issue.
She lost to Barack Obama in the Democratic primaries in 2008. Now she has been humiliated in her second bid for the presidency by political novice and former TV reality show host Donald Trump.

Hillary Clinton will go down in history as a woman of frustrated ambitions.

In February, a journalist asked Clinton if she has always told the truth to the American people.

Ive always tried to. Always. Always, the failed Democratic candidate answered.

Other, less cautious politicians would have responded with an unequivocal yes.

But Clinton, a lawyer by training, weighs her words carefully so as not to be caught out. Critics say she is dishonest.

And this apparent duplicity, despite her efforts for redemption and the support of US Democrats led by a spirited Obama, cost the party the White House in a historic repudiation that has the world on edge as it waits to see what the future now holds with a Trump presidency.

Looking back, it is clear that Clintons defiant streak grew over the course of three decades in public life.

(AFP)

Back in the 1970s, when her husband Bill was governor of Arkansas, Clinton still used her maiden name, Rodham, and kept her job as a lawyer.

Local people found this odd, and questioned her love for her husband and asked what the woman was up to.

Ultimately she took Clinton as her last name. But she had already come across as too hip and too ambitious for conservative southern US society.

I think thats another one of the dangers about being in public life. One cannot live ones life based on what somebody elses image of you might be, she told Arkansas public TV in an interview in 1979.

First Lady

When her husband ran for the White House, Clinton showed herself to be both an asset and a liability.

She was the former when she defended her husband against allegations of adultery in 1992.

And she hurt herself when she seemed to criticize stay-at-home mothers by saying she would rather work than stay home and bake cookies.

When the couple came to Washington, Mrs Clinton raised eyebrows again. She was a key adviser to her husband, and set up an office in the West Wing of the White House, reserved for the president himself and his closest aides. Previous first ladies always worked out of the East Wing.

Hillary Clinton during the victory celebration of her husband, president-elect Bill Clinton, at the Old Statehouse in Little Rock on November 3, 1992. (Reuters File)

Mrs Clinton dazzled official Washington when she undertook a reform of the US health care system. She knew the material well, worked hard and impressed Republican members of Congress.

But as the months wore on, the reform deadlocked, and critics of Clinton dismissed her as inflexible and abrupt. It was her first major political defeat.

She was fiercely defensive of her private life, and journalists found this behaviour to be suspicious.

Americans considered Clinton to be smart and tough but the media asked who is the real Hillary?

Clintons popularity peaked in late 1998 when she was humiliated with the disclosure of her husbands affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

It would be the last time that the American people sympathized with her.

On her own

Clinton long wanted to get into politics on her own merits. In 1990, she commissioned polls to explore the idea of succeeding her husband. The results were negative, and this hurt her.

She sought redemption in 2000 when Bill Clinton left the White House: she won a seat in the Senate representing the state of New York. Clinton worked hard and impressed people as diligent and well prepared.

But her unpopularity returned.

In 2002, Clinton voted in favour of the United States invading Iraq.

A young Senate colleague named Barack Obama saw his chance, running in the Democratic primaries of 2008 with a message of change and relegating his powerful rival to the ranks of establishment politicians.

So a woman who was too modern in the Arkansas of the 1980s became a vestige of another time, a symbol of insider Washington.

In naming her secretary of state in 2009, Obama resurrected Clinton and consolidated her image as a stateswoman. This completed the longest resume in the recent history of American politics.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, a senator at the time, listens to fellow senator Barack Obama during a debate in New Hampshire, in June 2007, in the run-up to the 2008 US presidential elections. Obama beat Clinton, and eventually became the US president for two terms. She worked as his secretary of state in his first term at the White House. (Reuters)

But Clinton made a fatal mistake when she set about working at the State Department: She avoided using the government email system and used her own private server, ignoring rules on the handling of sensitive communications.

This mushroomed into a scandal, and although the FBI ultimately decided that Clinton did not deserve to be charged, critics of Clinton insisted this disqualified her from serving as president.

I get it that some people just dont know what to make of me, Clinton said in July in accepting the Democratic presidential nomination. So let me tell you.

She proceeded to talk about her middle class upbringing, her commitments and her lifelong battle to advocate for women and children.

Friends have vouched for Clintons honesty, and her campaign team produced videos about her that were moving and funny.

But it was in vain as American voters on Tuesday closed the book on Clinton.
Americas ugly and unpredictable presidential election barrelled toward the finish Tuesday night, with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump fighting for Florida, North Carolina and Ohio, three of the nations most competitive states.

Clinton, a fixture in American politics for decades, was hoping to become the first woman to serve as commander in chief. She faced stiff competition from Trump, the billionaire businessman who tapped into a searing strain of economic populism.

Follow our live coverage here

The race was expected to be determined by roughly a dozen competitive states. It was too early to call the contests in several where polls had closed: Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

Vast divides in race and gender were keeping the contest close in Virginia and Georgia, another pair of hard-fought races. About 9 in 10 black voters and two-thirds of Hispanics in each state were backing Clinton, while most whites supported Trump, according to exit polls. Women in both states were far more likely than men to support Clinton.

The winner will inherit a nation angry and distrustful of leaders in Washington. She or he will preside over an improving economy that is nevertheless leaving many behind and a military battling new terror threats. And whoever emerges as the countrys 45th president will have to confront head-on a divisiveness that was painfully evident over a two-year race replete with racially loaded rhetoric and unrelenting negativity.

Clinton asked voters to keep the White House in Democratic hands for a third straight term. She cast herself as heir to President Barack Obamas legacy and pledged to make good on his unfinished agenda, including passing immigration legislation, tightening restrictions on guns and tweaking his signature health care law.

I know how much responsibility goes with this, Clinton said after voting Tuesday at her local polling station in Chappaqua, New York, with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at her side. So many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country, and I will do the very best I can if Im fortunate enough to win today.

Trump, the New York real estate developer who lives in a gold-plated Manhattan penthouse, forged a striking connection with white, working-class Americans who feel left behind in the changing economy and diversifying country. He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of many problems plaguing the nation and called for building a wall along the US-Mexico border.

I see so many hopes and so many dreams out there that didnt happen, that could have happened, with leadership, with proper leadership, he said by telephone on Fox News before casting his own ballot in Manhattan. And people are hurt so badly.

Seven in 10 Americans who went to the polls Tuesday said immigrants now in the country illegally should be allowed to stay, while just a quarter said they should be deported. More than half oppose building a border wall, according to the exit polls, which were conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Research.

The Republican Partys tortured relationship with its nominee was evident right up to the end. Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush declined to back Trump, instead selecting none of the above when they voted for president, according to spokesman Freddy Ford.

Trump set both parties on edge when he refused to say in the third and final debate whether he would accept the elections results, citing with no evidence the possibility of a rigged outcome. His statement threatened to undermine a fundamental pillar of American democracy and raised the prospect that his fervent supporters would not view Clinton as a legitimate president if she won.

Asked Tuesday in an interview with Fox News if he would accept the election results, Trump continued to demur, saying Were going to see how things play out.

Most problems that did pop up at polling places Tuesday appeared to be routine  the kinds of snags that come every four years, including long lines, machines not working properly and issues with ballots or voter rolls.

Even before Tuesday, almost 45 million people had cast ballots for president. Many expressed relief the end was in sight after an election season in which personal attacks often drowned out the issues.

Clinton has denounced Trump for calling Mexican immigrants rapists and promoting a ban on Muslims entering the US, and for his long line of remarks about women that culminated in an audio in which he bragged about grabbing their genitals. Her campaign was hoping high turnout among Hispanics push her over the top in states like Florida and Nevada.

I grew up in a Hispanic family, and the way that Donald Trump has referred to illegal immigrants  being from illegal immigrants, I took that to heart, said Angel Salazar, a 22-year-old sanitation associate from Oklahoma City. I dont like anything that he said. I dont like his views. So I voted for Hillary Clinton because she supports us.

Trump called his opponent Crooked Hillary for her use of a private email server as secretary of state and her complicated ties to the familys Clinton Foundation.

In the final days, Clinton was buoyed by FBI Director James Comeys weekend declaration that he wouldnt recommend criminal charges against her following a new email review. Comey announced the inquiry late last month, sapping Clintons surging momentum and threatening Democrats in down-ballot races.
ELKO  Nevada voters were leaning in favor of all four statewide ballot questions in Tuesdays voting, including a measure to require background checks on nearly all gun sales and another measure to legalize marijuana for those 21 and older.

Question 1 was favored by 52 percent of voters and Question 2 by 53 percent, with fewer than one-third of votes tabulated.

Question 3, which would provide for a competitive electric market, and Question 4, which would end the sales tax on certain medical equipment, each had 72 percent support.

The vote was running strongly against Elko County Advisory Question 1, which calls for an indexed system of gas tax to improve roads.

Nevada Highway Patrol trooper Elias Choch Goicoechea was leading Judge Andrew Mierins by 9,552 votes to 4,344 votes for the new Elko Justice of the Peace Department B seat.

Incumbents Mandy Simons and Robert Schmidtlein were leading the race for Elko City Council, but challenger Pedro Marin was close on their heels. Simons had 3,284 votes, Schmidtlein 2,902 and challenger Pedro Marin 2,889.

In other races, Donald Trump leads with 75 percent compared with 17 percent for Hillary Clinton in Elko County.

Statewide, Clinton was leading with 53 percent of the vote compared with 42 percent for Trump.
President Barack Obama congratulated President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, and invited him to a meeting at the White House, honouring a tradition that will bring together in one room two men who genuinely cant stand each other.

Thats on Thursday, according to the White House.

Not only do the two dont like each other, Trump has vowed to reverse or rescind some of Obamas major legacy projects such as healthcare reforms, which, the Republican has said, will be repealed during his first days in office.

Many people trace Trumps decision to run for presidency to a White House Correspondents Association dinner during which Obama excoriated the real estate tycoon, who was in the audience, mocking him as a lightweight who worried about small things.

Read | US election: Trumps joy is a stinging personal blow for Obama

The annual dinner is time for the President to mock himself, his critics, friends and whoever else he thinks is fair game. That night, April 30, 2011, Obama turned on Trump, a leading member of the birther controversy.

Birthers believed till recently, when their high priest Trump recanted in a change of heart, that Obama was not qualified to be president because he was born outside America, and they long suggested he was born in Kenya, his fathers country.

Now, I know that hes taken some flak lately, but no one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than The Donald, Obama said. And thats because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter  like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell (of the UFO connection)? And where are Biggie and Tupac (rappers killed mysteriously, but separately)?

But all kidding aside, Obama landed in, obviously, we all know about your credentials and breadth of experience. For example  no, seriously, just recently, in an episode of Celebrity Apprentice  at the steakhouse, the mens cooking team did not impress the judges from Omaha Steaks. And there was a lot of blame to go around. But you, Mr Trump, recognised that the real problem was a lack of leadership. And so ultimately, you didnt blame Lil Jon or Meatloaf. You fired Gary Busey. And these are the kind of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well handled, sir. Well handled.

Read | Obama says would be deeply disturbed if Trump is elected

Unknown to anyone but a handful of people, including then secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Navy SEALs were on their way then to a mansion in Abbottabad, Pakistan, to get Osama bin Laden, dead or alive. The president announced bin Ladens death later that night.

Trump, who is not known to take slights and jibes lightly, has claimed he actually enjoyed the ribbing that night, but sceptics believe the slight may have nudged, if not pushed, Trump towards running, a notion he has teased every cycle.

But his relationship with Obama, non-existent at a personal level, has had plenty of airtime from both sides, with neither having anything pleasant to say about the other. They have appeared to dislike each other intensely.

Thursday may be another story.
It all starts with the wall.

Donald Trumps vow to build a wall along the border with Mexico, to make Mexico pay for it and to achieve iron-fisted control over illegal immigration stands as his leading promise, one that rang from the rafters countless times. But he owes his supporters  and now the country  much more than that.

While a lot of his agenda will be a hard sell, he wont have the excuse used by many presidents whose promises have fallen short  a Congress in the hands of the opposing party. Trump will take office with a unified government, both the Senate and House under Republican control.

A look at some of his IOUs:

Child care

Trump promises six weeks of leave for new mothers, with the government paying wages equivalent to unemployment benefits. His plan also provides for a new income tax deduction for child care expenses, other tax benefits and a new rebate or tax credit for low-income families.

Education

Trump promises to spend $20 billion during his first year to help states expand school choice programs. He wants states to divert an additional $110 billion of their own education money to help parents who want their children to go to other schools.

And he owes college students a big, and expensive, leg up. He says he will cap student loan payments at 12.5 percent of a borrowers income, with loan forgiveness if they make payments for 15 years.

Read | After stunning victory, Donald Trump pledges to be president for all Americans

Energy

Trump vows to cut regulations as part of his effort to unleash American energy. This means allowing unfettered production of oil, clean coal, natural gas and other sources to push the U.S. toward energy independence and create jobs. In particular, he owes coal miners a revival of their livelihood, even though the industrys decline is in large measure due to the rise of natural gas, which he also supports. He pledges to rescind the Clean Power Plan, a key element of President Barack Obamas strategy to fight climate change.

Foreign policy

Trumps America first ethos means alliances and coalitions will not pass muster with him unless they produce a net benefit to the US. He speaks of a less interventionist approach to crises abroad  with the exception of his vow to crush the Islamic State group. Yet he also promises to spend much more to restore what he sees as depleted armed forces.

Health care

Hes vowed to repeal Obamas health care law and replace it with something more affordable. With a Republican Congress, the pressure will be on to do so. It remains to be seen how far lawmakers and the president will actually go to untangle a law that has sunk some roots, and Democrats wont be voiceless on this or other issues.

Immigration

One paradox of the campaign is the lack of clarity about Trumps intentions on an issue that defined him out of the gate. He clearly promises to stop the influx of Syrian refugees into the US, and somehow to help them overseas. He vows to deport people convicted of serious crimes who are in the US illegally. And theres that wall, which Mexicans insist they wont pay for. But the fate of millions of people who are in the country illegally is a gray area  hes not promising to deport them but also not saying he would give them legal status. Hed ban immigration of people from areas prone to extremism, but how that would be defined is unclear.

Read | Not my President: Donald Trump victory sets off protests in California, Oregon

Infrastructure

Trump vowed to double rival Hillary Clintons proposed spending on infrastructure. Taking him literally, that means a staggering $500 billion over five years.

Iran

Trump promises to renegotiate or withdraw from the multilateral deal that eased sanctions on Iran in return for controls on its nuclear program.

Minimum wage

He expressed support for $10 an hour, while saying states should really call the shots. Its $7.25 now.

Social security

Trump has promised not to cut Social Security.

Supreme Court

Trump promised to nominate justices who are open to overturning the constitutional right to abortion and who support Second Amendment gun rights.

Read | Follow our live coverage of the US presidential election

Taxes

He owes Americans big tax cuts. He says hell collapse the current seven income tax brackets, which peak at 39.6%, into just three tiers with a top rate of 33%, slice the corporate income tax and eliminate the estate tax. Although analysts said the wealthy would benefit disproportionately, middle income people are promised a hefty reduction.

Trade

Trump promises to renegotiate or withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement. He also vows to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and to slap stinging tariffs on countries that the US judges to be trading unfairly. China faces the risk of steep penalties  and US consumers would pay higher prices as a result  if his vow is carried through.

Veterans

Trump promises to expand programs that allow veterans to choose their doctor  regardless of whether theyre affiliated with the VA  and still receive government-paid medical care. Hes pledged to fire or discipline VA employees who fail veterans or breach the public trust. He also would increase mental health professionals and create a White House hotline dedicated to veterans. If a valid complaint is not addressed, I will pick up the phone and fix it myself if I have to, Trump pledged.

Read HT Column | Donald Trump: If hes bad for the US, hes bad for us
Demonstrators opposed to the election of Donald Trump smashed windows and set garbage bins on fire in downtown Oakland, California early Wednesday, as protesters swarmed streets across the country in response to the election. The protests elsewhere were generally peaceful.

In Oregon, dozens of people blocked traffic in downtown Portland and forced a delay for trains on two light rail lines. Media reports said the crowd grew to about 300 people, including some who sat in the middle of the road to block traffic. The crowd of anti-Trump protesters burned American flags and chanted Thats not my president.

Read | US presidential election: A look back at all the twists and turns

In Pennsylvania, hundreds of University of Pittsburgh students marched through the streets, with some in the crowd calling for unity. The student-run campus newspaper, the Pitt News, tweeted about an event later Wednesday titled Emergency Meeting: Lets Unite to Stop President Trump.

In Seattle, a group of about 100 protesters gathered in the Capital Hill neighbourhood, blocked roads and set a trash bin on fire.

The Oakland protest grew to about 250 people by late Tuesday evening, according to police. Officer Marco Marquez said protesters damaged five businesses, breaking windows and spraying graffiti.

Police issued a citation for a vehicle code violation, but did not make any arrests.

A woman was struck by a car and severely injured when protesters got onto a highway early Wednesday morning, the California Highway Patrol said. Protesters vandalized the drivers SUV before officers intervened. The highway was closed for about 20 minutes.

Marquez said the department is fully staffed for the possibility of another protest Wednesday evening.

Oakland is a hotbed of violent protest in the San Francisco Bay Area. Protesters briefly shut down two major freeways, vandalized police cars and looted businesses two years ago when a Missouri grand jury decided not to indict a white police officer in the fatal shooting of a black teenager in Ferguson.

After @realDonaldTrump's win, many Californians are wondering if their state can secede from the U.S. #Calexit https://t.co/gEEpZ2pK1I  Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) November 9, 2016

And nearly 80 people were arrested after a night in 2010 that saw rioters using metal bats to break store windows, setting fires and looting after a white transit police officer, Johannes Mehserle, was acquitted of murder and convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the slaying of Oscar Grant, an unarmed black man who was shot dead on a train platform the previous year.

Elsewhere in California, police said at least 500 people swarmed on streets in and around UCLA, some shouting anti-Trump expletives and others chanting Not my president!

Smaller demonstrators were held at University of California campuses and neighbourhoods in Berkeley, Irvine and Davis and at San Jose State.

Read | Hillary Rodham Clinton: A tale of thwarted ambition
Republican Donald Trump stunned the world by defeating heavily favored rival Hillary Clinton in Tuesdays presidential election, ending eight years of Democratic rule and sending the United States on a new, uncertain path.

A wealthy real estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to win the White House race against Clinton, the Democratic candidate whose gold-plated establishment resume included stints as a first lady, US senator and secretary of state.

Democratic President Barack Obama, who campaigned hard against Trump, telephoned the Republican to congratulate him on his victory and invited him to the White House for a meeting on Thursday, the White House said in a statement on Wednesday. Obama will make a statement later on Wednesday about the election, the White House said.

Ensuring a smooth transition of power is one of the top priorities the President identified at the beginning of the year and a meeting with the President-elect is the next step, the White House said.

Worried that a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors were in full flight from risky assets.

The US dollar, Mexican peso and world stocks fell on Wednesday but fears of the kind of shock that wiped trillions of dollars off global markets after Britains Brexit vote in June have failed to materialize so far.

Read | Indian-American Raja Krishnamoorthi, Kamala Harris elected to US House

Trump collected enough of the 270 state-by-state electoral votes needed to win a four-year term that starts on Jan. 20, taking battleground states where presidential elections are traditionally decided, US television networks projected.

He appeared with his family before cheering supporters in a New York hotel ballroom, saying it was time to heal the divisions caused by the campaign and find common ground after a campaign that exposed deep differences among Americans.

It is time for us to come together as one united people, Trump said. I will be president for all Americans.

He said he had received a call from Clinton to congratulate him on the win and praised her for her service and for a hard-fought campaign.

His comments were an abrupt departure from his campaign trail rhetoric in which he repeatedly slammed Clinton as crooked amid supporters chants of lock her up.

Republicans also kept control of the US Congress. Television networks projected the party would retain majorities in both the 100-seat Senate and the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs.

At Clintons election event a mile away from Trumps victory party, an electric atmosphere among supporters expecting to see her become Americas first woman president dissipated.

Clinton did not immediately make a concession speech, instead sending campaign chairman John Podesta out to tell her supporters to go home. Were not going to have anything more to say tonight, he said. Clinton was expected to speak on Wednesday morning, an aide said.

Prevailing in a cliffhanger race that opinion polls had clearly forecast as favoring a Clinton victory, Trump won avid support among a core base of white non-college educated workers with his promise to be the greatest jobs president that God ever created.

Read | A different kind of leader: World braces to make sense of Donald Trump

In his victory speech, he said he had a great economic plan, would embark on a project to rebuild American infrastructure and would double US economic growth.

His win raises a host of questions for the United States at home and abroad. He campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist America First path. He has vowed to impose a 35 percent tariff on goods exported to the United States by US companies that went abroad.

Trump, who at 70 will be the oldest first-term US president, came out on top after a bitter and divisive campaign that focused largely on the character of the candidates and whether they could be trusted to serve as the countrys 45th president.

The presidency will be Trumps first elected office, and it remains to be seen how he will work with Congress. During the campaign Trump was the target of sharp disapproval, not just from Democrats but from many in his own party.

Stunned world

World leaders pledged to work with Trump but some officials expressed alarm that the vote could mark the end of an era in which Washington promoted democratic values and was seen by its allies as a guarantor of peace.

During the campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested that Japan and South Korea should develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defense burden.

Trump has promised to warm relations with Russia that have chilled under Obama over Russias intervention in the Syrian civil war and its seizure of Ukraines Crimea region.

Governments in Britain, China, Germany, Israel, Japan and Turkey, as well as Russia, congratulated Trump and said they would work with him.

It is not an easy path but we are ready to do our part and do everything to return Russian and American relations to a stable path of development, Putin said.

Read | Americans who predicted Trump presidency have the last laugh

Israels Benjamin Netanyahu said he hoped to reach new heights in bilateral ties under Trump. Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing and Washington shared responsibility for promoting global development and prosperity.

Other officials, some of them with senior roles in government, took the unusual step of denouncing the outcome, calling it a worrying signal for liberal democracy and tolerance in the world.

Trump is the pioneer of a new authoritarian and chauvinist international movement. He is also a warning for us, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said in an interview with the Funke newspaper group.

US neighbor Mexico was pitched into deep uncertainty by the victory for Trump, who has often accused it of stealing US jobs and sending criminals across the border.

Trump wants to rewrite international trade deals to reduce trade deficits and has taken positions that raise the possibility of damaging relations with Americas most trusted allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Clintons weaknesses

Trump entered the race 17 months ago and survived a series of seemingly crippling blows, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologized but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, allegations he denied. He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Clinton.

A Reuters/Ipsos national Election Day poll offered some clues to the outcome. It found Clinton badly underperformed expectations with women, winning their vote by only about 2 percentage points.

And while she won Hispanics, black and young voters, Clinton did not win those groups by greater margins than Obama did in 2012. Younger blacks did not support Clinton like they did Obama, as she won eight of 10 black voters between the ages of 35 and 54. Obama won almost 100 percent of those voters in 2012.

During the campaign, Trump said he would make America great again through the force of his personality, negotiating skill and business acumen. He proposed refusing entry to the United States of people from war-torn Middle Eastern countries, a modified version of an earlier proposed ban on Muslims.

Read | In bid for history, Hillary Clinton fails to reach the mountaintop

His volatile nature, frequent insults and unorthodox proposals led to campaign feuds with a long list of people, including Muslims, the disabled, Republican US Senator John McCain, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, the family of a slain Muslim-American soldier, a Miss Universe winner and a federal judge of Mexican heritage.

A largely anti-Trump crowd of about 400 to 500 people gathered outside the White House after his victory, many visibly shocked or in tears. Some carried signs that read stand up to racism and love trumps hate. About a dozen Trump supporters began shouting U-S-A and the competing demonstrators briefly pushed each other.

The election was unprecedented in the way it turned Americans against each other, according to dozens of interviews in rural United States and across some of the most politically charged battleground states.

Throughout his campaign - and especially in his acceptance speech at the Republican convention in July - Trump described a dark America that had been knocked to its knees by China, Mexico, Russia and Islamic State. The American dream was dead, he said, smothered by malevolent business interests and corrupt politicians, and he alone could revive it.

He has vowed to win economic concessions from China and to build a wall on the southern US border with Mexico to keep out undocumented immigrants.

Read | US presidency under Trump will likely boost strategic ties with India

As financial markets absorbed the prospect of Trumps win, the Mexican peso plunged to its lowest-ever levels. The peso had become a touchstone for sentiment on the election as Trump threatened to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico.

His triumph was a rebuke to Obama, a Democrat who spent weeks flying around the country to campaign against him, repeatedly casting doubt on his suitability for the White House. Obama will hand over the office to Trump after serving the maximum eight years allowed by law.

Trump promises to push Congress to repeal Obamas troubled healthcare plan and to reverse his Clean Power Plan. He plans to create jobs by relying on US fossil fuels such as oil and gas.

Clintons failed second bid

Trumps victory marked a frustrating end to the presidential aspirations of Clinton, 69, who failed for the second time to be president.

In a posting on Twitter during Tuesday evening, she acknowledged a battle that was unexpectedly tight given her edge in opinion polls going into Election Day.

This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything, she tweeted.

The wife of former President Bill Clinton, she held a steady lead in many opinion polls for months. Voters perceived in her a cautious and calculating candidate and an inability to personally connect with them.

Even though the FBI found no grounds for criminal charges after a probe into her use of a private email server rather than a government system while she was secretary of state, the issue allowed critics to raise doubts about her integrity. Hacked emails also showed a cozy relationship between her State Department and donors to her familys Clinton Foundation charity.

Trump seized on the emails to charge that Clinton represented a corrupt political system in Washington that had to be swept clean.
Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russias sovereign wealth fund, said on Wednesday he believed Donald Trumps presidential victory would reduce geopolitical confrontations.

A less confrontational US foreign policy will unlock major opportunities for joint (Russia-US) trade and investment, Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said in a statement.

Dmitriev said he believed financial markets would recover quickly just as they did after the Brexit vote.

South Korean foreign minister Yun Byung-sem, however, said he believed Trump would maintain the current US policy of pressuring North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests.

Trump has indicated that the greatest problem facing the world is the nuclear threat and members of his national security team hold the position that favours applying strong pressure against the North, Yun said.

He made the comments in a meeting with members of parliament scheduled to discuss the results of the US presidential election. The North conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests in January and September, drawing widespread international condemnation.
Donald Trumps jaw-dropping White House win is a slap in the face for Barack Obama, elected eight years ago as the countrys first black president on the promise of a nation united.

At the political level, Hillary Clintons defeat is certainly a setback for Obama, who campaigned hard for his former secretary of state, travelling across the country and employing the charisma and charm that she sorely lacks.

But, aside from being the loss of a typical battle between the two major American political parties, the 70-year-old real estate tycoons success is also a stinging personal blow for Obama.

It certainly appears that as if this ever calm, cerebral and optimistic president failed to understand a large slice of the American electorate and appreciate their reflexes, fears and concerns.

Indeed, it would seem Obama has failed to take the pulse of this other America, a world of working class whites who felt they have been left in the lurch amid rapid fire change from globalization and an increasingly multicultural society.

Over the short term, Obama, whose approval ratings remain high as he prepares to leave office in January, might well ask what will even be left of his legacy after a Trump administration.

Read more| A different kind of leader: World braces to make sense of Donald Trump

Trump has promised to scrap or overhaul many of Obamas signature initiatives, such as the health care plan that bears his name, the battle against climate change and the Paris accord of 2015, and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

Obama has stated adamantly that Trump, criticized as a loose gun on everything from foreign policy to his treatment of women, is a danger to democracy.

We cant afford the other guy. Cant do that! Cant do that! Obama said in Las Vegas a few days ago.

- Tolerance on the ballot -

At the political and human levels, it is hard to imagine two people more different than Obama and Trump.

This means their world view but also their views on women -- Trump was accused during the campaign of sexual misconduct -- family, money and institutions, and even their style, the way they speak and the words they use.

Obama, the son of a Kenyan father and an American mother, forged a path that led him to Harvard and Yale. Trump inherited money from his family and developed a real estate empire centered on hotels and casinos. He has boasted about paying as little as possible in taxes.

Obama is an intellectual who likes intricately reasoned discourse, at times to a fault. Trump is a businessman who speaks his mind in blasts of short, aggressive and sometimes vulgar phrases.

Read more| US election: Americans who predicted Trump presidency have the last laugh

Democracy itself is at stake in the election, Obama said recently as he lashed out at Trump.

Civility is on the ballot, Obama added. Tolerance is on the ballot. Courtesy is on the ballot. Honesty is on the ballot. Equality is on the ballot. Kindness is on the ballot.

Obama had personal reasons to try to stop Trump.

In 2011, Trump was not yet a candidate for the White House but had displayed a taste for the limelight, controversy and conspiracy theories.

For months, he fueled the so-called birther movement that questioned whether Obama had been born on US soil and was thus eligible to be president.

An exasperated Obama called this nonsense and held a press conference to show off his birth certificate. He was born in Hawaii.

A few days later, at the White House Correspondents Dinner, attended by Trump, Obama cheerfully said what he thought of Trump.

No one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than the Donald, Obama said.

And thats because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter -- like, did we fake the moon landing?

Just over five years later, Obama is getting ready to give up the White House to his former foil.
The United States presidency under Donald Trump, a confessed fan of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is likely to boost the Indo-US strategic relationship, with a special emphasis on defence ties and counter-terrorism cooperation.

Trump, 70, had recently described India as a key, and key strategic ally and looks forward to deepening the diplomatic and military cooperation that is the shared interest of both countries.

Read: Trump towers over White House challenge, Hillary goes downhill

The billionaire businessman who has lauded economic policies of Modi had said he wants to work with him.

At an event in New Jersey, Trump had promised to the Indian-American community that India would find a true friend in him.

I am a big fan of Hindu and I am a big fan of India. If I am elected president, the Indian and Hindu community would have a true friend at the White House, he had said at an event organised by the Hindu Republican Coalition.

Watch: Trumps best quotes from the election campaign

Trump said he appreciated great friend India in the fight against radical Islamic terrorism.

India has experienced firsthand brutality of terror in the past including the mayhem in Mumbai, he said and described the 2008 Mumbai terror attack and that on Indian Parliament in 2001 as absolutely outrageous and terrible.

Follow our live coverage of the US presidential election

We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism. We will stand soldier-to-soldier in this fight. This is so important in the age of ISIS, he said.

Indias is the worlds largest democracy and is a natural ally of the US. Under a Trump Administration, we are going to become even better friends. In fact, I will take the word even out because we are going to be best friends. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Modi, who has been very energetic in reforming the economy and bureaucracy. Great man. I applaud him, he said.

I look forward to doing some serious bureaucratic trimming right here in the US, believe me we need it most, Trump said.

A guest reads an information board during ballot counting of the US presidential election, at the Embassy of the United States of America in New Delhi. (AFP Photo)

Your great Prime Minister has been a pro-growth leader for India. He has simplified the tax code, cut the taxes and the economy is strong growing at 7% year. Excellent, he said.

On the eve of the November 8 general elections, a key military advisor to the Trump said that India will have an important role to play in the Trump Administrations Asia Pacific policy of peace through strength.

This is a country that shares our values, this is a country that shares a lot of geo-political interest and I think, his (Trumps) work is going to be continuing the tradition of Bush Administration which made a lot of progress in that regard, Alexander Gray, a military advisor and author of several of the ambitious defence policies of Trump, said.

We (a Trump Administration) would be looking to strengthen not just the cultural and economic aspect, but also on the defence side there is so much common ground with India. At a time when Indias foreign policy is changing because of China and Pakistan, because of Islamic terrorism, we need to be there to greet them with open arms. I think, the Trump Administration is ready to do that, Gray said.
US President Barack Obama called Donald Trump, his newly-elected successor, on Wednesday to congratulate him on his victory and invited him to the White House for talks on Thursday.

Obama also called Hillary Clinton, his onetime secretary of state and fellow Democrat, to express his admiration for the strong campaign she waged throughout the country, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said in a statement.

Read | US poll: Trump towers to presidency, Hillarys challenge goes downhill

The president was set to make a statement later on Wednesday about the election results, which sent a shockwave across America and through world markets.

At the White House, Obama -- whose own 2008 campaign to make history as the countrys first black president hinged on unifying a divided country -- plans to discuss what steps we can take as a country to come together after this hard-fought election season, Earnest said.

During their talks on Thursday, Obama and Trump -- who once spearheaded the so-called birther movement questioning the presidents place of birth and legitimacy to be president -- are set to discuss the presidential transition.

Ensuring a smooth transition of power is one of the top priorities the president identified at the beginning of the year and a meeting with the president-elect is the next step, added Earnest.

Also read | Donald Trump: If hes bad for the US, hes bad for us
The 2016 US presidential campaign has been a roller coaster ride with twists and turns that left voters alternately elated, distraught and in the end, just downright exhausted.

Donald Trump is headed to the White House after defeating Hillary Clinton in a shock upset, concluding a bruising 18-month campaign unlike any other in modern American history.

As America and the world look back on a campaign fraught with insults and surprises, heres a snapshot of some of the most memorable moments:

Clinton email redux

Clinton thought a controversy over her use of a private server to send email while secretary of state had been put to rest in July, when FBI chief James Comey recommended no criminal charges against her.

All that changed in late October, just 11 days before the election, when Comey surprised Americans by announcing the discovery of new, potentially relevant emails without giving further details.

The news was a boon for Trump, who repeatedly called the revelations the biggest political scandal since Watergate. He saw a bump in the polls.

The 69-year-old former first lady once again apologized for using the private server, which her opponents said put classified information at risk, calling it a mistake.

Comey closed the case again just two days before the election, saying the new review had not changed the FBIs conclusions from July. It was welcome news for the Democrat but certainly played a role in deflating her momentum in the sprint to the finish line.

Read | Days before US election, FBI clears Hillary Clinton in email server case again

Trump video revealed

Trump attracted plenty of flak for his demeaning remarks about women, but a video made public on October 7 marked a new low that opened the candidate up to accusations of sexual assault.

In the 2005 clip, Trump is apparently unaware his microphone is on when he describes groping and forcing himself on women in vulgar, predatory language.

When youre a star, they let you do it. Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything, Trump is heard bragging.

Following the videos release, around a dozen women came forward to accuse the 70-year-old real estate mogul of unwanted sexual advances in the past.

He has said that the video doesnt represent who he is, Clinton said during an October 9 debate.

But I think its clear to anyone who heard it that it represents exactly who he is, because weve seen this throughout the campaign.

Trump dismissed the comments as just words and locker room talk, and denied the sexual assault allegations, threatening to sue his accusers after the election.

Read | Multiple women say Trump groped them as his campaign crisis deepens

The billionaires taxes

Trump refused to release his income tax returns, defying a four-decade tradition among candidates for the White House.

During a September 26 debate, Clinton offered several hypotheses as to why Trump might decline to make that information public, musing maybe he doesnt want the American people, all of you watching tonight, to know that hes paid nothing in federal taxes.

Trump seemed to imply the accusation was correct, responding only: That makes me smart.

On October 1, The New York Times reported that it had obtained three pages of Trumps 1995 tax returns from an anonymous source. The documents showed that the businessman had declared a loss that year of nearly $1 billion, allowing him to legally avoid paying taxes for almost two decades.

Read | Donald Trumps 1995 tax records suggest no federal taxes for years: Report

Keep em guessing

Trump launched an unprecedented assault on American political convention at the final debate, when he refused to say that he would respect a Clinton victory on Election Day.

For weeks, he lambasted the political system, saying the vote was rigged.

When asked whether he would commit to recognizing the result of the vote no matter what, the reality television star said: Ill tell you at the time. Ill keep you in suspense, OK?

Clinton declared herself appalled by what she said was an attack on 240 years of US democracy.

Read | Ill tell you at the time: Trump refuses to accept US election results

Clinton wobbles, literally

Clinton endured Trumps taunts about her stamina and questions about her health in September after abruptly leaving a 9/11 memorial ceremony at Ground Zero in Manhattan.

Feeling unwell, the former secretary of state left 90 minutes into the ceremony. A passerby filmed her legs giving out, prompting two Secret Service officers to support her as she climbed into a minivan.

Clintons doctors later said she was suffering from pneumonia, and needed to take a break from the campaign.

Read | She cant even make it to the car: Trump mocks Clinton over health

Basket of deplorables

Clinton ignited a firestorm of criticism after she denigrated Trump voters on September 9 at a fundraiser in New York.

To just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trumps supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables, she said.

Republicans immediately seized on the phrase basket of deplorables to drive a wedge between Clinton and white, working-class voters.

INSULTING, Trump tweeted.

Clinton later said she regretted the comment.

Read | Hillary Clinton regrets calling Trump backers deplorable

Muslim soldiers father

Trump became locked in a war of words in July with the parents of a Muslim American soldier killed in a suicide bombing in Iraq in 2004. In a speech before the Democratic National Convention, the soldiers father, a Pakistani immigrant named Khizr Khan, charged that Trump had sacrificed nothing for the country.

The Republican shot back on ABC News that he has made a lot of sacrifices, then raised the stakes by tweeting: Mr Khan, who does not know me, viciously attacked me from the stage of the DNC.

The remarks, and Trumps refusal to apologize for suggesting that Khans wife stood silently at his side at the convention because she was not allowed to speak, triggered an uproar within his party.

Read | Donald Trump targets Muslim soldiers parents over sacrifice remark
At midnight in Washington, as Donald Trumps victory became inevitable, the French ambassador to the US sent out a tweet. It is the end of an era, he declared, that of neoliberalism.

It remains to be seen what will succeed it, Gerard Araud added. After Brexit and this election, everything is now possible. A world is collapsing before our eyes.

Those sweeping observations were later deleted, but the underlying sentiment will be widely shared in western capitals. Overnight, the world entered uncharted territory. President-elect Trump spent the campaign threatening to upend what has been called the existing order, the network of treaties and multilateral institutions that govern much of global relations.

He has said he would tear up and renegotiate trade treaties , and he has even called into question Americas commitment to the Nato alliance . With a completely different kind of leader preparing to enter the Oval Office, it is already looking like a world turned upside down.

There is a caveat to the direst predictions. Trump will have to work with Congress, including establishment foreign policy Republicans. And he will have to find people to staff the top positions in his administration.

It is possible that he will simply enjoy his victory and his new home in the White House and delegate foreign policy to Republican insiders such as Stephen Hadley , George W Bushs national security adviser who is rumoured to be interested in reprising his role. That Bush administration seemed radical at the time, but no longer in relation to Trumps stated agenda.

On balance, it seems more likely that he means what he has said all along about US relations with the rest of the world, and intends to turn his ideas into policy under his personal leadership.

Read| The 45th US President: Retracing Donald Trumps path to the White House

Long-negotiated multilateral trade deals, the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with Europe, will be the first to be halted. Opposition to those deals were a cornerstone of the Trump campaign.

In their place, Trump has said he will negotiate bilateral deals that would be more favourable for US manufacturing. But he would face hostile trading partners, irritated at the dumping of major agreements. A constant theme of his campaign was to denigrate Chinese trading practices and to promise to claw back American advantage. China will not make concessions easily . Trumps America could easily face a trade backlash.

The unexpected president-elect has also threatened to tear up the flagship diplomatic achievement of the Obama administration, last years international deal to curb Irans nuclear programme, which Trump has called disastrous. In response, Irans supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, said that if the US tore up the agreement, Iran would set it on fire.

The other consistent theme of the Trump campaign was a foreign policy that revolved around his personality. He would brink his self-vaunted skills as a businessman to cut bilateral deals with other world leaders, particular the autocrats.

He said he would even talk to Kim Jong-un if the North Korean dictator would travel to the US for the conversation. That is unlikely, but the prospect of an unconditional dialogue between leaders would throw a wild card into a deadlocked and extremely dangerous situation in which Pyongyang is well on the way to developing a nuclear warhead small enough to put on a missile, and a missile able to reach the west coast of the US.

President-elect Donald Trump, left, arrives to speak at an election night rally in New York. From left, Trump, his son Barron, wife Melania, Jared Kushner, and Ivanka Trump. (AP Photo)

The relationship that will define the Trump presidency, however, will be with Vladimir Putin . Each has showered the other with praise. Putin called Trump talented, and there is clear evidence that Moscow intervened in the US election with the intention of steering it in Trumps favour.

After Trumps surprise victory, Putin reportedly sent him a congratulatory telegram.

Egypts President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, the only Arab leader to have met with Trump , also congratulated him after hearing the results. During a meeting in New York in September, Trump told Sisi that under a Trump administration, the United States of America will be a loyal friend, not simply an ally, that Egypt can count on in the days and years ahead.

At every turn in the campaign, Trump refused to criticise Russian expansionist foreign policy in Ukraine and Syria. His aides specifically removed language from the Republican party platform about sending lethal aid to Ukraine , and Trump has echoed Putins denials of Russian military presence in the east.

In Syria, he has characterised the Russian and Assad regime bombardment of opposition as a war on Islamic extremism, again emulating Moscows line. The people of eastern Aleppo had little hope of outside help against daily airstrikes. They have almost none now.

Read| We dont know what this means: Shocked world reacts to Trump presidency

Early in a Trump presidency, expect a summit with Putin, in which US-Russian relations will be reworked along lines the Russian leader has been pushing for, ceding Moscow areas of influence in the Middle East and on Russian borderlands.

Any such discussion could trigger resignations from generals and diplomats in the Pentagon and state department. It would also shock major US allies in Nato, an alliance Trump has described as obsolete. He has questioned whether it would be worthwhile for the US to provide a security umbrella to allies who are not deemed to have contributed enough, in financial terms, to collective security.

Turmoil within Nato could meanwhile tempt Putin to make encroachments on the alliances eastern flank. Few will be more anxious about the global consequences of a Trump win than the residents of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Some of those who will be most satisfied will be the leaders of Europes hard right, who sees Trump as a natural partner. They and their followers will be emboldened. The ripples of Brexit washed over the US presidential elections and now the far stronger ripples of the shock result will flow back over the Atlantic. A measure of their impact will come in April, when Marine Le Pen of Frances Front National will make a run for that countrys presidency.

As dawn broke over Paris, Le Pens most senior strategist, Florian Philippot, tweeted a riposte to Arauds anxiety. He said: Their world is collapsing. Ours is being built.

For full coverage on US presidential election, click here
Frank Stricker, 26 of Magna was stopped for driving too fast on the freeway, said Nevada Trooper Natalie Hernandez.

The vehicle was traveling east around 1:15 a.m. Sunday, she said, when it was pulled over. Upon investigation, the patrol officer discovered marijuana in the vehicle. The trooper also learned that the mans license had expired and he was driving an unregistered vehicle.
Its President Donald Trump now. Get used to it.

The Republican nominee, who upended politics at home with his wildly unpredictable ways and a sharp tongue and caused concern abroad with his unorthodox views, has been elected the 45th president of the US, pulling off a stunning upset.

He defeated Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who led all polls and forecasts barring a few exceptions for most of the year, riding a wave of anger and disaffection among largely white and relatively less-educated blue-collar workers.

The race was marked by unprecedented nastiness and divisiveness, with the 70-year-old real estate billionaire largely at the center of it, first as a candidate for the Republican ticket and then as the partys general election nominee.

While Clinton and the Democratic party were his primary targets, Trump had appeared to be running against his own party as well, most of whose leaders abandoned him, and the media that he disparaged constantly but mined for free airtime.

But he struck a reconciliatory tone in his first remarks after being declared elected early on Wednesday morning, calling for unity. Flanked by his family and running mate Mike Pence, he said it was time to bind the wounds of division.

Read | Indian-American Raja Krishnamoorthi, Kamala Harris elected to US House

To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people, Trump said, pledging to be president for all of Americans, and this is so important to me.

Trump had disparaged Hispanics, calling them rapists and criminals, called for a ban on Muslims entering the US and openly flirted with white supremacists during the campaign, driving divisiveness wherever he could profit politically.

The president-elect, however, was most unlike the nominee. His government, he pledged, will serve all Americans from all races, religions, backgrounds, and beliefs, who want and expect our government to serve the people.

Reading from a teleprompter, which he seemed to have embraced completely in the final stages of the campaign, Trump also seemed mindful of the role of the US in the world, and of the need to address concerns caused by his unorthodox views.

I want to tell the world community that while we will always put Americas interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone, with everyone, all people and all other nations, Trump said. We will seek common ground, not hostility; partnership, not conflict.

He had railed against China on the campaign trail, said Japan and South Korea were free to go nuclear, and that the US would not come to Europes rescue.

It will take more than words to calm nerves both abroad and at home. He may have made a start though, speaking well of Clinton, with whom he was barely on talking terms during the campaign, saying the country should thank her for her service.

Read | A different kind of leader: World braces to make sense of Donald Trump

The Democratic nominee caused a minor stir earlier when her campaign chair John Podesta announced she would not be making a speech after it became clear Trump was going to win, and she would be expected to deliver the customary concession speech.

Votes are still being counted, Podesta told supporters on Tuesday night, adding Clinton would speak the next morning. As pundits and TV talking heads went into an early morning funk, Clinton called Trump, conceded the race and congratulated him.

As the counting of votes continued late into Tuesday night, Trump had wrapped up all the critical battleground states of Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, leaving Clinton without a plausible path to victory.

Of the battleground states, Clinton took only Virginia and Colorado in a staggering reversal of opinion polls, surveys and forecasts that had the Democrat leading in most of the swing states, and nationally, for most of the year.

Read | Americans who predicted Trump presidency have the last laugh

Clinton led along forecast lines in the early results, but those trends quickly turned as Trump caught up and surged past her within a few hours. Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania all followed the same pattern, as if scripted.

Soon Trump was leading Clinton in the count of electoral college votes, which technically determine the race and not the popular vote. Forecasters such as FiveThirtyEight and The New York Timess The UpShot suddenly had him as the favourite.

States the Clinton campaign had considered to be its firewall  such as Michigan and Wisconsin, two of the rust belt states, so called because of their shuttered and rusting factories  saw Trump build up a sizable lead.

In the end, Clinton was left with nothing else to lose but the election, and failed once again to shatter a glass ceiling she had left with 18 million cracks in 2008, the number of votes she polled in the Democratic primaries that she lost to Barack Obama.
Voters in California on Tuesday approved the recreational use of marijuana in the nations most populous state, officials said.

Citing partial results, the secretary of states office said the measure had been approved by more than 55% of voters -- a major victory for the legalisation movement.

That means California joins Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state and Washington, DC in allowing the use of recreational cannabis for adults.

Several other states on Tuesday were voting on whether to approve medical marijuana use.
He lies, huffed Janet Foster.

And hes a dirty old man, chimed in her sister Jean as they discussed Donald Trumps flaws a few days before he was elected the new president of the United States.

Well, I am with him, their brother Paul, 60, interjected, raising his voice over snacks of cheese, muffins and crackers in the familys living room. Hillary Clinton is like a puppet - you know its all scripted.

The 2016 US election was unprecedented in the way it turned Americans against each other, according to dozens of interviews in rural United States and across some of the most politically charged battleground states.

It divided families like the Fosters in rural Ellsworth, Maine, broke up friendships and turned neighbor against neighbor.

In a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey, 15 percent of respondents said they had stopped talking to a family member or close friend as a result of the election. For Democrats, this shoots up to 23 percent, compared to 10 percent for Republicans. And 12 percent had ended a relationship because of it.

There was no comparative polling data from previous elections. But interviews with relationship counselors and voters suggest this election stood out by summoning passions, anger and a divisiveness in ways that will make healing difficult after Clintons loss to Trump on Tuesday.

Sarah Guth, a Democrat in Colorado, says her father - an ardent supporter of Trump - no longer speaks with her after they clashed on Facebook over their political views.

He crossed a line, she said.

After attending a Trump rally, Guth wrote on Facebook that she saw 10 minorities among thousands of people. Im increasingly convinced that this election is about race, she wrote. I mean a fear among the white majority that their rule is coming to an end.

Some posters told her to go to hell, she recalled in an interview. And then my dad very publicly attacked me, telling me that I should be ashamed of myself. The two have not spoken since.

Ty Turner-Bond, a 35-year-old black man in North Carolina, says he lost friends because of his support for Trump. Some called him an Uncle Tom, a slur for African Americans accused of deferring to white people; others threatened violence.

People are tense

In Springfield, a city on Ohios Mad River, Duke Level, 57, voted for Trump because he wanted a wrecking ball to hit Washington. The owner of Un Mundo Cafe isnt surprised this election created divisions, and he fears they could get worse.

This is one of those crossroads crisis moments in history, he said.

Hours earlier, Trump rallied about 5,000 supporters a few miles away in a dirt-floored livestock arena. He blasted Clinton as the most corrupt person ever to seek the office of the presidency, drawing chants of lock her up, as well as a few of string her up.

Down the street, Richard Scott, 51, an African-American supporting Clinton, shook his head when told of those chants. Those words, he said, recalled 20th Century lynchings of black Americans - including in Springfield where a black prisoner was shot and hung from a pole on Main Street in 1904.

Its terrible, he said.

Weeks ago, he planted a Clinton sign in his yard. His neighbors put up Trump signs. Outside the funeral home he owns, a pro-Clinton sign was defaced with a Hillary for Prison sticker. People are tense, said Scott.

The election hardened an already-clear racial divide in the former industrial city of 60,000 people - a snapshot of America at about 75 percent white and 18 percent black. Interviews with residents suggested its northern areas, mostly affluent and white, would vote for Trump, while its mostly black, lower-income southern section would largely support Clinton.

There is a division in this town, economically and racial. And we saw that in this election, said Bob Leath, 58, owner of Buckeye PC Repair who voted for Trump to clean house in Washington. If you voted for Clinton, you were most likely either young, lower-income or from the south side of the area.

For some, the tensions reach the bedroom. Sam Nail, a Cincinnati marriage counselor, said he has two couples who cited the election season as a stressor in their relationship.

Much of the anger gets uncorked on social media and will be hard to undo. Some is well publicized. National Review writer David French has written about an unending torrent of abuse he and his family faced online from white nationalist Trump supporters, including a Tweeted image of his 7-year-old daughters face in a gas chamber.

Others are less well known, like Brenda Thomas tangles with her older brother on Facebook. She says her brother unleashed a daily stream of Facebook posts on Clinton and President Barack Obama that she found objectionable. She said when her husband, a Republican, tried to reason with him, he was unfriended on Facebook.

I feel that I have to walk on eggshells with him and it causes problems at family functions, said Thomas, 63, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, Karen Wilson, describes this election as stressful on Facebook. Ive got family members who are mad at me for deleting entire Facebook threads when I thought they were becoming too negative. Ive deleted Facebook friends who I realized I never should have been friends with in the first place, said Wilson, 43.

Fourteen percent of respondents in the Reuters/Ipsos poll said they had blocked a family member or close friend from social media because of the election. For Democrats, this rises to 23 percent compared to 8 percent for Republicans.

Supporters of US Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton react at her election night rally in Manhattan, New York, US. (Reuters Photo)

Free speech attack

The divisions tore into the fabric of some communities. In Provo, Utah, Trump supporter Loy Brunson awoke on an October morning to find his car spray-painted with the words AmeriKKKa - a reference to KKK white supremacists - and Fuck Trump. His two Trump yard signs were destroyed.

So I doubled down, got motivated and put up 85 signs in my yard, he said. Within days, all but six of those were stolen.

This was more than vandalism, he said in an interview. This was a free speech attack.

Some blame the divisiveness on campaign rhetoric that inflamed racial, ethnic and class tensions that have long simmered in America. Angry and extremist language moved into the mainstream.

George Lakoff, a linguistics professor at University of California, Berkeley, blames Trumps use of language, which he ranks as among the most violent of any candidate in modern times. He specifically notes Trumps suggestion in August that gun rights activists could take matters into their own hands if Clinton defeated him, as well as the New York businessmans comments that she should go to prison.

When you have extremes of that order, you have extremes of anger, extremes of fear, Lakoff said.

In Mississippi, Chad Scott, an activist in the Clay County Republican Party, fears a post-election split between the partys working-class Trump supporters and business-minded elites - a sentiment echoed in Maine, where Foster, the Ellsworth resident at odds with his sisters, witnessed the elections political vitriol first hand.

Fosters van was one of 20 vehicles spray-painted outside a Trump rally on Oct. 15 in the city of Bangor. And across Ellsworth, pro-Trump yard signs were stolen almost as fast as they were planted, Republican officials say.

Foster worries about the divisions ahead.

My sisters will forgive me for my political views, he said. But the country is going to be on fire.

For full coverage on US presidential election, click here
The Israeli military says troops have shot and wounded a Palestinian who attacked an Israeli soldier with a screwdriver in the West Bank.

The military says the Palestinians screwdriver did not pierce the soldiers uniform deeply enough to inflict wounds. The Palestinian has been evacuated to an Israeli hospital.

Wednesdays incident took place at the entrance to the village of Hawara.

Its the latest in more than a year of Israeli-Palestinian violence. Palestinians have killed 36 Israelis and two visiting Americans. More than 224 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, most of them said by Israel to be attackers. The rest were killed in clashes with Israeli troops.

Israel says the violence is driven by a Palestinian campaign of incitement. Palestinians say it is from frustration from military occupation.
Afghanistans president on Wednesday welcomed back Sharbat Gula, the green-eyed woman immortalised on a National Geographic cover, after she was deported from Pakistan to the war-torn homeland she first fled decades ago.

Pakistani officials handed over Gula, whose haunting eyes were captured in a cover photo taken in a refugee camp in the 1980s, to Afghan border authorities after escorting her from a Peshawar hospital where she was being treated for Hepatitis C.

Gula, arguably Afghanistans most famous refugee, was arrested last month for living in Pakistan on fraudulent identity papers.

Pleased to have welcomed Sharbat Gula & her family back to (Afghanistan), President Ashraf Ghani said on Twitter. Her life inspires us all. She represents all the brave women of this land.

The president and first lady Rula Ghani honoured Gula and her children at a ceremony at the presidential palace in Kabul.

Ghani has promised to provide Gula, 45, with a furnished apartment to ensure she lives with dignity and security in Afghanistan.

Speaking to AFP last week in Pakistan, Gula said she was heartbroken at the prospect of returning.

President Ashraf Ghani speaks to Sharbat Gula in Kabul (Reuters )

Read | UNHCR distances itself from Afghan Girl Sharbat Gula after her detainment

Afghanistan is only my birthplace, but Pakistan was my homeland and I always considered it as my own country, she said.

I had decided to live and die in Pakistan but they did the worst thing with me. Its not my fault that I born there (in Afghanistan). I am dejected. I have no other option but to leave.

Gula said she first arrived in Pakistan an orphan, some four or five years after the Soviet invasion of 1979, one of millions of Afghans who have sought refuge over the border since.

Since July hundreds of thousands have returned to Afghanistan in a desperate exodus amid fears of a crackdown, ahead of a March 2017 deadline for the final return of all Afghan refugees.

Last month UNHCR said more than 350,000 Afghan refugees -- documented and undocumented -- had returned from Pakistan so far in 2016, adding it expects a further 450,000 to do so by the years end
China on Wednesday said that if its nuclear commerce with Pakistan did not violate laws and international responsibilities, then it was a case of normal trade between neighbours.

Moreover, Beijing conforms to all international obligations on nuclear non-proliferation prescribed by the United Nations, the foreign ministry said, indicating that Chinas record in this area is impeccable.

The ministry was reacting to a new report by Kings College, London, which contended the scale of Beijings involvement in Islamabads strategic nuclear industry was so substantial that it must be concluded that the Chinese state is either complicit in supplying Pakistans programmes, or negligent in its control over state-owned enterprises.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang told a regular news briefing: We have seen this report. What is mentioned in this report sounds so true but it doesnt hold water because it evades a fundamental question that is whether all the exports China made to Pakistan violates Chinas legal and international obligations, whether it is UN resolutions or bilateral agreements.

If relevant exports do not violate our domestic laws and Chinas legal responsibilities, then no matter how many goods we export to Pakistan, it is normal trade between two friendly neighbours, he added.

Titled Pakistans strategic nuclear and missile industries, the report prepared by Project Alpha of the Centre for Science and Security Studies at Kings College said Beijing was helping Islamabad to build its nuclear arsenal. It also questioned Chinas sincerity about non-proliferation of nuclear arms and its moral authority of being part of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

The report added: Our analysis shows that China continues to aid Pakistans missile programmes through repeated sales of sensitive dual-use technology. If Beijing has intended for these exports to be clandestine, it has failed in its tradecraft. If Beijing is unaware of the extent that its state-owned enterprises are supplying Pakistans missile industries, then it has failed in its oversight.

Beijing reacted to the report with sharp words, with Lu saying: As for our exports and non-proliferation policies, China is always responsible in this regard and in past several decades we have established a very effective legal framework. We adopt catch all controls and list management. This is world class management system.

The report had alleged that Islamabad maintains a network of at least 20 trading companies in mainland China and Hong Kong, besides Dubai and Singapore, to covertly funnel dual-use goods to its strategic programmes.

Lu said China would deal with any such company if it is discovered.

With regard to whether any Chinese enterprise violated the law or our international obligation in pursuit of their own interests, once they are discovered we will deal with them seriously in accordance with law. I can say for sure that there is no other country round the world that can declare 100% sure that they do not have such enterprises, he said.

Without naming the think tank, Lu said: If the think-tank is interested in Chinas non- proliferation export controls then I suggest to them, read carefully Chinas relevant regulations and they can compare the lists and relevant laws and see whether we violated the system.

Lu did not stop at that. If they have other ulterior motives I suggest they rest their case and already did.
A Pakistani government official says National Geographics famed green-eyed Afghan Girl has been deported to Afghanistan.

Fayaz Khan says Sharbat Gulla and her four children were handed over to Afghan authorities early on Wednesday at the Torkham border crossing, about 60 kilometers, or 37 miles, northwest of the Pakistani city of Peshawar.

Gulla was arrested in late October on charges of carrying fake Pakistani ID papers and staying in Pakistan illegally. A Peshawar court later ordered her deported.

She gained international fame in 1984 as an Afghan refugee girl, after war photographer Steve McCurrys photograph of her, with piercing green eyes, was published on National Geographics cover.

McCurry found her again in 2002. In 2014, she went into hiding after authorities accused her of buying fake Pakistani documents.
Gunmen believed to be cattle rustlers have killed 36 miners in northern Nigeria, the government and residents said Tuesday, the latest in a long-running series of such raids.

Motorcycle-riding attackers struck late on Monday at a gold mine outside Bindin village in northern Zamfara state, shooting dead miners and gold merchants, they said.

The state governor condemned the attack in strongest terms in a government statement, describing it as an act of terrorism.

The statement said an investigation had been launched, while local residents said it was just the latest deadly raid by cattle thieves on herding communities in the state.

We have no doubt that the cattle thieves that have been terrorising us were behind the attack, resident Lawwali Usmanu told AFP.

We buried 36 bodies of those killed in the attack today. For us it is a day of mourning, he said.

Zamfara is known for its huge gold deposits and mines still using traditional methods. A local chief said the gunmen entered the mine tunnels, shooting dead the miners after killing traders standing at the surface.

Many local herders and subsistence farmers turn to gold mining to boost their income.

Rural communities in the state have long been plagued by cattle thieves, who kill villagers, loot and torch homes, prompting locals to form vigilante groups to fight off the gangs.

In July, Nigeria deployed troops to rid the state of cattle rustling and other criminal activities.

Attacks by nomadic Fulani herdsmen on farmers have been a persistent headache for Nigeria this year, adding to security woes in a country already grappling with the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency.

The mainly Muslim Fulani herders and largely Christian farmers have clashed for decades over increasingly scarce land and resources, particularly in Nigerias religiously mixed central states.

But the violence has escalated in recent months and spread further south.

In February, hundreds of people were said to have been killed and about 1,000 homes destroyed in central Benue state in a wave of attacks blamed on Fulani.
Syrian activists say an airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition has killed at least 20 civilians in a part of Syria held by the Islamic State group.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says 20 were killed and around 30 wounded in the strike on the village of Heisha early Wednesday. The village is north of the extremist groups de facto capital, Raqqa.

Raqqa is being slaughtered silently, a local media collective, says 23 civilians were killed.

The coalition did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It was not clear how the groups determined the coalition was behind the strike, but the international force is flying dozens of sorties in the region in support of a U.S.-backed push by Syrian Kurdish forces on Raqqa.
The Syrian army said it had taken a strategic district of Aleppo on Tuesday in what would mark the most important advance in the divided city by Damascus and its allies in weeks, but rebels said the battle was not over.

The 1070 Apartments district is located on the southwestern outskirts of Aleppo and lies alongside the governments corridor into the parts of the city that it controls.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group that reports on the war, said government forces and their allies had seized full control of 1070 Apartments, calling it the most significant gain by the government in Aleppo since September.

A Syrian military source said the army and allied forces were in complete control of the area and surrounding hills. They have made repeated efforts to oust rebels from the 1070 Apartments area since the summer.

A military media unit run by the Damascus-allied Hezbollah carried a similar report. Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shiite Muslim group, is fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad in Syrias war, now well in its sixth year.

But officials in two rebel groups fighting in Aleppo - Syrias largest city and commercial hub before the war - said insurgent forces were still trying to fight back.

The clashes around 1070 Apartments are still going on, Zakaria Malahifji, head of the political office of the Fastaqim rebel group, said, while confirming that the army had taken the district.

Yasser Alyousef from the political office of the Nour al-Din al-Zinki rebel group said rebels had recovered positions they had lost on Monday.

Syrian government forces backed by allied militias and Russian air power launched a major assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo in September after besieging the area, which the United Nations says is home to 275,000 people.

On Oct. 29, rebels counter-attacked in a bid to break the siege, targeting government-held western districts of Aleppo in an offensive that included Islamist militants and rebels fighting under the Free Syrian Army banner.

But their progress slowed after early gains.

There were conflicting accounts of fighting on Tuesday in the village of Minian, also on the western edge of Aleppo.

Syrian state media said the army had advanced into Minian, which was taken by rebels at the start of their campaign.

The Observatory said the army and its allies had captured around half of Minian after heavy air strikes. The fall of Minian to the government would reverse some of the gains rebels have made during their offensive.

But Malahifji, of the Fastaqim rebel group, denied there had been any clashes inside the village. Minian is still with the rebels, he said. The regime is trying to take it, but its still with the rebels.

Russia says its air force has been observing a moratorium on air strikes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo since Oct. 18. The Observatory and emergency workers in eastern Aleppo said heavy air strikes had killed hundreds of people, and hit hospitals and other civilian facilities prior to that.

Russia is preparing to resume air strikes around Aleppo in coming hours, the Interfax news agency quoted a source in the Russian Defence Ministry as saying on Tuesday.

A senior U.S. official reacted harshly to that possibility, saying the United States had repeatedly sought to de-escalate the violence, only to see Moscow flex its military muscle in support of Assad.

An escalation would make it harder to resolve the brutal civil war in Syria and raise more doubts about Russias commitment to a political solution, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Rebel shelling of government-held western Aleppo has meanwhile killed dozens of people, the United Nations said last week in an update on the humanitarian situation in the city.
US president-elect Donald Trump was often scorned as he campaigned for office, and many of those who spoke harshly of him will now have to accommodate the unpredictable Republican tycoon.

Here are a few examples:

- At the UN -

If Donald Trump is elected, on the basis of what he has said already, and unless that changes, I think that it is without any doubt that he would be dangerous from an international point of view, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein said on October 12.

Zeid deplored Trumps disturbing comments, among them a call to adopt interrogation techniques that legal experts say amount to torture.

Trumps attacks on vulnerable communities such as Muslims, immigrants and minorities suggest that they may well be deprived of their human rights, he warned.

- Francois Hollande -

His excesses make you want to retch, even in the United States, especially when -- as was Donald Trumps case -- he speaks ill of a soldier, of the memory of a soldier, French President Francois Hollande told media on August 2, as Trump feuded with the Muslim parents of a US army captain who died trying to save his men in Iraq.

- German vice-chancellor -

Trump and other right-wing populists are not only a threat to peace and social cohesion but also to economic development, the centre-left Social Democrat Sigmar Gabriel told the Welt am Sonntag newspaper on March 6.

- Pope Francis -

Anyone, whoever he is, who only wants to build walls and not bridges is not a Christian, Pope Francis told journalists on February 18 on his return from a visit to Mexico. The pontiff had celebrated Mass near the border fence that separates Mexico from the United States, and had delivered a sermon heard on both sides.

Trump has promised to build a wall to prevent illegal Mexican immigrants from entering the US.

- Mexican president -

On March 7, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto compared Trumps harsh remarks against Mexican and Muslim immigrants to the rise of the German and Italian dictators Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.

There have been episodes in the history of humanity, unfortunately, where these expressions, this strident rhetoric, has only really led to ominous scenarios in the history of humanity, Pena Nieto told the daily Excelsior.

Thats how Mussolini and Hitler arrived.

The Mexican president was then roundly criticised for hosting Trump in late August, and explained that it was to convince Trump to rethink positions that included the threat of mass deportations of illegal Mexicans, annulment of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and construction of a border wall.

As soon as Trump returned to the US, he reiterated his determination to build the wall and make Mexico pay for it.

- Boris Johnson -

The only reason I wouldnt go to some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump, then London mayor Boris Johnson said on December 8 last year.

He was responding to Trumps proposal to bar Muslims from entering the US, and Trumps claim that parts of London and Paris were so radicalised that police feared to go there. Johnson, now Britains foreign minister, said Trump was talking complete and utter nonsense.
A group of Coastsiders notes the historic nature of Tuesday's election at the corner of Main Street and Highway 92. Sarah Griego Guz / Review
Patrons at the San Benito House drink in the atmosphere as Election Night results stream in over the television. John Green / Review
Dear Editor: Why is the work on Highway 92 being done in the daytime rather than at night? T
Donald Trump won the presidential race in Indiana leading 64 percent against 34 percent of Hillary Clinton while the Libertarian president Gary Johnson only got 4 percent. Indiana holds 11 electoral votes. While in Ohio Trump got 18 electoral votes, 15 at North Carolina and 8 electoral votes at Kentucky with total of 168 votes.

As reported Chicago Tribune, Clinton has won in Massachusetts, New York, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, California, Hawaii, Vermont and District of Columbia. While Trump captured Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, South Carolina, Kentucky and West Virginia. Virginia was solid Republican but unexpectedly, the outgoing President Obama won.

Women supported Clinton to a double-digit margin, while men chose Trump. Half of the white voters are in favored to Trump, 9 out of 10 blacks and two thirds of Hispanics voted for Clinton.

Few problems were reported because machine breakdowns and queues, that lead to Trump to announced last Tuesday that he will not accept the outcome of the election since he had reports of irregularities. However, he did not give all the details and reporters were not able to verify the existence of the problem.

The Republican president is with his family at the Trump Tower and Hillary Clinton is reported to be in a hotel monitoring the voting counting.

The 45th president will take over the problem of the nation because of divided race and culture beliefs, inequality in educational opportunities, different viewpoint in economic policies as well as fighting against terrorism.

Every citizen across the world is monitoring who will be the next 45th president of the most powerful country in the world. As reported, markets in Asia have been tumbling as the investors are anxious for the effect on the economy and trade if Trump wins.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
"Fifty Shades Darker" is all set to release in February 2017 and fans of Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele cannot wait to feast upon the sizzling chemistry of the on-screen couple. However, it would surprise one to know that Jamie Dornan is nothing like his character in real life.

In an interview with TV Week, Dornan said that he does not share Grey's inclination to kinky bedroom toys. The actor is not into BDSM and neither is his wife. Expressing wonder at the fact that he is talking about his sex life, he said that it is funny because there is a huge market for it and there are a lot of people who are into a certain type of sex or sex toys.

However, he is not one of those people and it does not interest him at all, reports Melty. Dornan also spoke about his other character Paul Spector, a serial killer in the British series 'The Fall' and how different he is from Grey. He said that he has never been given such an opportunity to play a character that is so complex, deep, dark, twisted, and psychotic. He admitted that he loved every minute of playing this role.

In the meantime, it has come to light that E.L. James, author of Fifty Shades trilogy is planning to write a fourth book that would solely focus on Christian Grey. However, Dornan does not seem interested in continuing with the role. He said that he has done two movies back to back and he feels that he is done with Fifty Shades forever.

The actor stated that he moves on very fast in his mind and he hops on to the next project and worries about the upcoming character. So, it is clear that Dornan is ready to move away from the shadow of Grey and though it played a key role in his career, he would like to do different roles and characters.

It is worth mentioning here that Dornan shot to fame after starring in "Fifty Shades of Grey" alongside Dakota Johnson, who played Anastasia.

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It was a big news around the globe today as Donald Trump emerged victorious against Hillary Clinton in the 2016 US Presidential Elections.

The result was somewhat surprising as Hillary Clinton was topping the national polls days before the elections. The Mirror reported that the number of votes for Clinton shrank dramatically when Trump won in the state of Ohio, which has a large electoral representation.

The victory of the 70-year-old business magnate was carefully watched by the numerous political analysts and communities from around the world. It was a shocking victory for some as many expected that Trump could not make it.

Meanwhile, in Miami, Florida the Cuban Americans who traditionally supported the Republican Party cheered as they gathered happily at the iconic Cafe Versailles in Little Havana.

Many citizens were said that they truly wanted to have the change that America needs, which Trump promised to deliver.

According to polls, Trump won at least 25 states with over 285 electoral votes. He has also led the vote counts in Michigan and Pennsylvania. As we recall, these were crucial states where President Barack Obama won.

These states were expected but failed to keep Clinton in the elections this year. The results were reportedly affected by the increased of Latino turnout who are in the blue-collar areas of America's Rust Belt.

On the other hand, Clinton has already congratulated the newly elected President as quoted by Trump during his victory speech.

Trump expressed his gratitude to his supporters while offering the arms of peace to his political rivals during the campaign period.

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As the US election ends tonight, the Canadian immigration crashes due to flooded queries on how to 'emigrate'. People are trying find out the opportunities and search FAQ's how to live and work in Canada.

According to Business Insider, the website works intermittently but few hours it crashed. It was reported due to high volume of traffic that leads to experiencing outages.

Twitter already flooded with tweets that Americans are already looking for option to move to Canada as Trump wins. During the election campaign, Americans made joke that if Trump became the president of the US t,hey will start to look for an option in Canada or any other country. And now, it is happening.

Last February, the island of Cape Breton at the Atlantic part of Canada, is opening itself as a refuge place for Americans who want to escape the leadership of Trump. Many Americans even celebrities expressed their angst over Trump's racist, sexist and anti-immigration comments and remarks.

Telegraph also reported that Google's search traffic dramatically increased on the word emigrate and a lot of people are probably searching 'end of the world' as the counting of votes is televised.

Moving to live in Canada requires to get permanent residency and there are range of different types of work. Canada experienced commendations globally for welcoming refugees across their country. A good example of this are the refugees from Syria, they whole heartedly accepted the Syrians and even help them to have a temporary shelter.

Meanwhile, in New Zealand, it also has experienced increased in numbers on their immigration website. They received 1,593 registrations from US Citizens since November 1. Number of tourists visited the country increased also by 80 percent and majority are from the US in the past months this year.

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All the fans of "The Big Bang Theory" who are worried about the fate of the comedy series do not need to lose heart over the fact that Season 11 has not been confirmed as yet. Even if it is not, viewers can have their dose of comedy with a Sheldon prequel.

Yes, there is good news. The CBS network is developing a spinoff of "The Big Bang Theory" and it would focus on the younger and teenage version of Sheldon Cooper, claims The Hollywood Reporter. According to sources, the said prequel will continue with co-creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady as well as showrunner Steve Molaro.

However, no one from the star cast would be seen in the project. Not even Jim Parson, who plays the character of Sheldon in the comedy series. Nevertheless, he would be involved in the prequel as an executive producer. The only actor who might be making an appearance could be Laurie Metcalf as she plays the role of Sheldon's mother in "The Big Bang Theory" and thus, has a good chance of reprising her role.

Speaking of "The Big Bang Theory," it is being said that the Sheldon prequel is a replacement for the show as Season 11 has been canceled, claims International Business Times. Notably, the show has not been renewed for the next season and the contracts of Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parson, and Johnny Galecki will expire after the ongoing tenth season.

Still, no official announcement about "The Big Bang Theory" Season 11 has been made and thus, it is still not clear if it will finally materialize or not. Though CBS president Glenn Geller has expressed hopes about the actors returning for the next season, the actors have not expressed any such sentiment. What is known is that they have asked for a raise in their salary and the negotiations are still on.

Coming back to the prequel, it has also been not confirmed yet and an official announcement is still awaited.

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Donald Trump has been defying all expectations from the very beginning of his presidential campaign more than a year ago. Very few people actually believed he would actually run, yet he did.

They thought he wouldn't climb in the polls, wouldn't win in any primary, and wouldn't win the Republican nomination. Yet he did all of that and more.

Now Donald Trump is the elected President of the United States.

But how did he pulled off the unbelievable election victory? Here are four possible reasons:

First, Midwest Math

During his campaign, Trump was focused on the four blue states in the rust belt of the upper Great Lakes - Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Those four were traditionally Democratic states. Each of them, except Pennsylvania, have elected a Republican governor since 2010. Michigan voted for the Republicans (1.32 million) than the Democrats (1.19 million) in primary in March.

Trump was ahead of Clinton in the latest polls in Pennsylvania and tied with her in Ohio. Yes, it's strange that the result was tied after everything Trump has said and done.

But, maybe it's because he's said to the people that Hillarys' support of NAFTA helped to destroy the industrial states of the Upper Midwest. Trump hammered Clinton on that and her support of TPP and other trade policies that have royally tricked the people of these four blue states.

The Trump wave hit in the places it had to... and it hit pretty hard.

Second, the Outsider

Trump ran against the Democrats but also against the powers within his own party and he beat them all. He built a throne of skulls out of his Republican primary opponents Marco Rubio, Chris Christie, Ben Carson and Ted Cruz. The holdouts such as Ohio Governor John Kasich and Jeb Bush are now on the outside of their party.

For the rest of the party insiders, Trump didn't need their help. Even more, he may have won the elections because he was willing to take a stand against them.

That pox-on-them-all attitude more likely provided his independence and outsider status at the time when much of the Americans publically reviled Washington.

Third, the Last Stand of the Angry White Man

It's hard to imagine that the 240-year male-dominated run of the U.S. can possibly come to an end and one woman to take over! That just couldn't happen on male watch!

After Nixon impose the rule that said girls in school should get an equal chance at playing sports, letting them fly commercial jets and Beyonce stormed on the field at this year's Super Bowl (male game!) with an army of Black Women, men just couldn't let more things go in female favor.

This small peek into the mind of the imperiled male mind gives a sense that the power has slipped out of their hands. That their way of doing things is no longer how things are done in America.

They couldn't let some "Feminazi" monster, the thing that as Trump says, "bleeds through her eyes or wherever she bleeds," to conquer them, so they gave their votes to the Republican candidate.

Fourth, the Hillary Problem

There are many people that actually like Hillary and she has been given a bad rap she doesn't truly deserve. However, her vote for the Iraq War made many people promise that they would never vote for her again.

Clinton is pretty unpopular since almost 70 percent of all voters think she isn't trustworthy and honest. She is old school politician that just make promises without really believing in anything other than what to say or do to be elected at the end.

Remember the time when she fought against gays getting married and then next thing she did was officiating a gay marriage.

Young women are among Hillary's biggest critics and that has to hurt knowing the sacrifices and the battles that she and other women of her generation endured so that this younger generation would never have to be told that they should just shut their mouth and go in the kitchen.

However, millennials are saying that they weren't voting for her.

No Democrat, and certainly no independent fan has woke up on Nov. 8 excited to go out and vote for Hillary. The enthusiasm from the day Obama became President or when Bernie was on the primary ballot just isn't there anymore.

It looks like U.S. Elections 2016 were come down to just one thing - who managed to drag the most people out of the house and gets them to the polls will win, and Donald Trump just did that and win over the Hillary Clinton.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A story out of Tennessee shows the good that can happen when a group of people are committed to helping a stranger. In this case, the stranger was a pinto Mini Horse.

Veterinarians at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine rallied around the horse, who they called Tonka, when he was brought in after being hit by a car on Sunday night. Tonka had cuts and external injuries on a hind leg. While staff worked on cleaning and patching up his wounds, they also started to search for his owner; Tonkas origin was unknown.

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Fortunately, the horses owners saw UTCVMs Facebook post with photos of Tonka (whose real name is Little Man) and quickly got in touch with the clinic. Tonka, aka Little Man, will be returning home to his people after a short recovery stay at the clinic.

The most important thing is control of his pain, said Dr. Jose Castro, a surgeon at the UTCVM. We want him to be pain free, and were going to be continuing to monitor that hes eating and drinking.

Little Man will undoubtedly be happy to go home, but saying goodbye is never easy.

Hes a favorite of all of us already, so he will be missed, said Castro.

Leslie Potter is a writer and photographer based in Lexington, Kentucky. www.lesliepotterphoto.com
Apparently the unexpected acquittal in Oregon  on charges of illegally occupying a wildlife refuge to protest the jailing of father and son ranchers over fires that got out of control and burned a few acres of federal public land  has emboldened one of the Bundy brothers to the point of braggadocio.

In a telephone interview this past week from his jail cell Ryan Bundy told The Washington Post that there could be protests if Obama goes ahead with plans to designate the Gold Butte area, next to his familys Bunkerville ranch, as a national monument.

Bundy  who remains jailed while awaiting a February trial in Nevada, along with his father, three brothers and others, over the armed standoff in 2014 with BLM agents trying to confiscate the family cattle  told the Post, The government should be scared. They are in the wrong. The land does not belong to the government.

He warned that, as the Declaration of Independence states, the people have a right to abolish an abusive government.

The Post dismissed out of hand his arguments about who lawfully should be controlling federal public land, saying his arguments are disputed by most mainstream constitutional scholars.

Bundy argues that the Constitution does not grant the federal government the power to control vast tracts of land, nor does it give the president authority to single-handedly create national monuments.

His ill-advised bluster about revolution aside, there are legal scholars  perhaps not mainstream in the eyes of the Washington Post  who say Bundy and his ilk have a point.

Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution reads: The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States 

The question is whether Congress may abdicate that power, as it did with the Antiquities Act of 1906, granting presidents the power to create monuments.

A Heritage Foundation essay by a federal judge argues it does not: Although the Constitution contains no explicit prohibition against Congress delegating its legislative powers (to the President or an administrative agency, for example), the principle of non-delegation is fundamental to the idea of a limited government accountable to the people. Indeed, the people, in whom sovereignty ultimately resides, carefully assign certain powers to each branch of government. The delegated powers are defined as placed in distinct branches of government for the accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, writes James Madison in Federalist No. 47, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.

The Supreme Court three times has upheld the Antiquities Act, but on arguments other than constitutionality.

Then there is also the question of whether the Founders intended that the federal government control vast acreage inside sovereign states.

James Madison wrote in 1787 that Elbridge Gerry raised concerns during the drafting of the Constitution about giving Congress exclusive power over purchased lands, saying that this power might be made use of to enslave any particular state by buying up its territory, and that the strongholds proposed would be a means of awing the state into an undue obedience to the general government.

Delegate Rufus King moved to add the phrase by consent of the legislature of the state. It passed unanimously.

Yet none of the legislatures of the Western states has ever consented.

This issue was addressed in 1828, when Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida petitioned to gain control of federal land within their boundaries.

Their petition to Congress read in part: If these lands are to be withheld from sale, which is the effect of the present system, in vain may the People of these States expect the advantages of well settled neighborhoods, so essential to the education of youth, and to the pleasures of social intercourse 

It went on to say the land needed to be sold within a reasonable time so it could be taxed and government services provided.

Today the federal government controls only 4 percent of the lands in those states, while it controls 50 percent of the Western states, including 86 percent of Nevada.

The 1864 Nevada statehood document promises the state would get 5 percent of proceeds when public lands lying within said state, which shall be sold by the United States subsequent to the admission of said state into the Union 

It is 152 years subsequent to admission. Is that within a reasonable time?
The annual Phocuswright Conference has become the epicenter for travel innovation, providing an exceptional forum for global travel executives to discover and discuss the latest trends and opportunities reshaping the travel landscape. This year's event has a line-up of intriguing presentations from top-shelf visionaries, along with some of the most exciting exhibitors from around the world. One of my favorite segments is The Innovation Summit, where companies battle it out on stage to pitch, demonstrate and face off with the Phocuswright Dragons, a panel of the industry's most informed insiders.

Known for its exhilarating atmosphere, the Phocuswright Conference has proven to be one of the most influential travel technology events for more than 20 years. Here are some of my 'can't miss' picks for the upcoming event.

Learning From Thought Leaders

Airbnb is certainly one of the most disruptive companies out there, and I'm really looking forward to the presentation by Chip Conley, Airbnb's Head of Global Hospitality & Strategy. As a highly respected business leader and author, Conley's attendance promises to offer insights into the future direction for private accommodation and the many challenges that lie ahead in this rapidly evolving landscape.

Philippe Chereque, President, American Express Global Business Travel, is focused on modernizing the company's IT in the direction of cloud computing while capitalizing on analytics. Since joining the company two years ago, he has been working on increasing the proactive care for its customers. The company developed an application that automatically sends an SMS text message to travelers when an incident occurs, to meet the increased importance that its corporate customers place on the duty of care. It will be fascinating to learn about the latest concepts coming from Chereque, who has said that "the traveler is the key."

Booking.com's position as the world's largest seller of accommodations ensures that the executive interview with the company's CEO Gillian Tans will be a fascinating component of this year's conference. Over the past 14 years, Tans has been an instrumental force in expanding the company to become a global leader in the travel space. Titled "It's All About the Booking," the interview promises to provide insights into hotel direct, travel tech, and the future direction of Booking.com.

As the president and CEO of Expedia Inc., Dara Khosrowshahi has led the firm to become one of the largest online travel companies in the world. His executive interview, cheekily titled "Expedia Eats the World," is another must-see event at this year's Phocuswright Conference. Expedia Inc.'s massive footprint includes the operation of more than 150 travel booking sites in over 70 countries around the world. Its extensive portfolio of online travel brands includes Expedia, Hotels.com, Travelocity, trivago, and Egencia. Khosrowshahi's focus on driving innovation and positioning the Expedia brand for future global growth is evident from his success with the company, and I expect his interview to cover a broad range of exciting topics in the travel space.

Industry Innovators And Disruptors

In addition to the opportunity to learn from the top influencers, Phocuswright is an exceptional place to be exposed to highly pioneering brands and technologies that are breaking new ground the market.

Airmule was founded in 2015 in Los Angeles to provide a method for people to earn money with their extra luggage space. Promising "affordable express shipping worldwide with trusted travelers," the company's tagline suggests that its potential customers can "ship with people, not boxes." Using the Airmule app, individuals who want to ship something find others who have listed upcoming trips they're taking, and they connect in the app to discuss package details. The two parties then meet to hand off the item, and the sender can track their packages and receive real-time notifications until the item arrives at its destination.

Luna provides what it calls "a wedding planner for your honeymoon." The company's web application aims to enhance the online travel-planning experience by providing a collaborative environment where ideas can be shared in real time. The platform also offers pre-designed itineraries to make it easier to plan a honeymoon, while allowing couples to customize the trip to make it suit their particular interests. Luna also provides the ability to chat with its experts to receive assistance in coming up with the perfect getaway for two.

Travel Appeal claims to assist hospitality managers with the complex tasks of controlling their reputation and providing exceptional customer service. The company has developed an algorithm that collects, evaluates and calculates the importance of data and subsequently rates each component from zero to one hundred. The platform is intended to save hospitality managers' time by analyzing reviews and posts, monitoring price trends and moves by competitors, and evaluating the quality of web and social media communication, while generating insightful reports to offer methods for improving overall reputation and customer service.

Umapped offers the latest in collaborative itinerary and experience management for the travel industry. Available as a white-label or API solution, the platform delivers interactive, media-rich consolidated mobile itineraries with relevant offers, content, messaging and advice to travelers. Umapped helps travel brands, and advisors engage with their customers throughout their travel journey and maximizes productivity by streamlining business workflow.

These are just a few of the speakers and companies that will be worth checking out at the event and represent only a small sample of the many inspirational presenters and trendsetters that I look forward to learning more about . If you are going to be at the Phocuswright Conference in LA and would like to connect, please reach out to me on LinkedIn.

About Puzzle Partner

Puzzle Partner Ltd. is a boutique marketing agency focused exclusively on complex B2B initiatives for the travel and hospitality technology industry. We are experts at combining strategy and tactical execution in a way that doesn't just maximize a company's potential; it redefines it. By delivering influential content, marketing services, and public relations rooted in the skills of our team and tested through real-world experience, we help our clients gain visibility, raise their profile and ultimately increase their sales revenues. We incorporate a holistic blend of paid, earned and owned media, along with creative services, into an integrated communications strategy to drive brand awareness ahead of competitors and deliver impactful business results.

To learn more visit puzzlepartner.co.

Alan Young

CEO

Puzzle Partner Ltd.
Baar (CH)/ Ras Al Khaimah (UAE)/ Port Harcourt (Nigeria)  Swiss International is proud to announce the opening of yet another hotel in Africa - Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Danag which will welcome guests as of December 2016.

The 144-room hotel is located in the capital city of Rivers State - Port Harcourt, one of the most bubbling cities of Nigeria. Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Danag is situated along the city's commercial district on the Stadium Road, endowing the hotel with a prime position for operations. Additionally, the hotel is 30 minutes' drive away from the Port Harcourt International Airport and merely 5 minutes' drive away from the Air force Airport and Port Harcourt Stadium.

Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Danag will also offer its guests the choice of the following facilities:

Swiss Cafe Restaurant & Lounge  All day dining restaurant

Ticino Ristorante  Italian Restaurant

TED & Co Bar & Lounge  A rooftop bar

Moods Shisha Lounge  Underground Smoking bar

Inspirations Gym and Pool

THE BOX  2 banquet halls (capacity of 400 people & 150 people) & 4 meeting rooms

Dr. Daniel Chimezie Okeke, (Chairman of Zucchini Hotels & Suites Ltd) said, "We were delighted to be introduced to an international brand like Swiss International for our property as we were very clear from beginning that we wanted to collaborate with a partner who can ensure us the finest delivery of services to our guests and we found that in Swiss International. We are confident our association with Swiss International will be a successful one."

Dr. Wasiu Babalola, Managing Director of Swiss International Africa said, "Port Harcourt is very popularly known as the chief oil-refining city of Nigeria, which draws the influx of the business travellers to the city. Besides, Port Harcourt is also affluent with history and is rich in tourist attractions. The city's long expanses of beautiful coastal sandy beaches, a number of streams, rivers and forests stimulate the flow of tourists creating the demand for accommodation facilities in the city."

"With this partnership, we are glad we will be able to respond to the growing demand for the hospitality experience in the city and also widen our presence" continued Dr. Wasiu Babalola.

Mr. Henri W.R. Kennedie, Chairman and CEO of Swiss International said: "Africa remains as one of our most promising and energetic growth markets. The effort made for the businesses in Africa has helped us realize exceptional results for the brand and equipped us with the relevant experience to operate in the region. We will share our knowledge and expertise ensuring the hotel achieves its full potential."

Time and again, Swiss International has proven its commitment towards the growth in the Africa. Lately, the company announced the opening of its hotel Swiss International Lenana in Nairobi, Kenya in the fall of 2016. Furthermore, the chain expects to double its hotels in Africa by the end of 2017. Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Danag will be the chain's second hotel in the city, third in the country Nigeria and 6th hotel in the Africa. Considering the developments in the pipeline, it's not far away for Swiss International to become the leading player in the region.

Swiss International Hotels

Founded in 1982, Swiss International Hotels is established in Switzerland. Swiss International Hotels & Resorts is currently associated with hotels in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Greater China, the Middle East and Africa. The company is registered in Baar, Switzerland and is operating from the UAE (Ras Al Khaimah). Swiss International is operating and licensing its hotels under the following brands: Royal Swiss (Luxury), Swiss International Hotels & Resorts (Upscale), Swiss Spirit Hotels & Suites (Mid-market) and Yes Inn (Economy).

Amee Yadav

Corporate Communications - Alpha Hospitality Management Services

+971 7 2433242

Swiss International Hotels & Resorts
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5 European Holiday Travel Trends for 2016

As we move head-on into the holiday travel season, Sojerns Q3 Global Travel Insights report uncovers important findings on how this busy period is shaping up for European travelers. Here is some of what we found:

This holiday season, Europeans are flying long-haul to beat the cold  Forget snow capped mountains and festive getaways, warm weather destinations dominate long-haul travel for Q4, with Bangkok, Dubai, Miami and Bali among the top five.

Spain remains top for short-haul travelers with Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Madrid among the top five short-haul destinations. No doubt that Spain provides some milder weather for those looking to escape colder temperatures in other parts of Europe.

Europeans are showing a strong preference for travel to former territories  including Pointe-a-Pitre and Fort-de-France for French travelers, Sydney for British travelers and Cape Town for the Dutch.

Saturday is the top day for departures searched for Q4, with a quarter of short-haul departures occurring on that day, and 22% of long-haul departures.

The most popular departure days searched are immediately before or after Christmas  the busiest days for December travel in Europe are the 23, 22, and 26.

Interested in knowing more? Check out the entire report here.

About Ashley

Ashley is Sojern's Marketing Manager, EMEA & APAC and works in the London office. Originally from Canada, she's been living in London for over four years, and is actively trying to fill all the pages in her passport. She has never met a cheese she didn't like.
Managing partner and co-founder of Piedmont Capital Partners, LLC (PCP) which develops innovative technology companies, Brady also currently serves as president of Blue Current, Inc., Advanced Chemotherapy Technologies, Inc., and Faster, LLC.

Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN) announced the appointment of Louise F. Brady to its board of directors. Managing partner and co-founder of Piedmont Capital Partners, LLC (PCP) which develops innovative technology companies, Brady also currently serves as president of Blue Current, Inc., Advanced Chemotherapy Technologies, Inc., and Faster, LLC. Prior to co-founding PCP, Brady served as vice president of Investments with Wells Fargo Advisors.

"Throughout her career leading investment strategy, Louise has leveraged her unique insights and keen understanding of global markets to build and enable companies to grow," says Stephen P. Holmes, chairman and chief executive officer, Wyndham Worldwide. "In particular, her background in unlocking growth and value through emerging technologies perfectly aligns with our global expansion of innovative hospitality offerings, particularly in the peer-to-peer sharing economy. We are excited to welcome Louise to the Wyndham family, and look forward to tapping into her tremendous background and passion."

Brady has demonstrated a belief in giving back to her community with her service on the board of the Bryan Foundation and UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Visitors. Brady has previously served on the boards of Cone Health, Greenhill Center for North Carolina Art, and the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro.

Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN) is one of the largest global hospitality companies, providing travelers with access to a collection of trusted hospitality brands in hotels, vacation ownership, and unique accommodations including vacation exchange, holiday parks, and managed home rentals. With a collective inventory of more than 120,000 places to stay across 100 countries on six continents, Wyndham Worldwide and its 38,000 associates welcomes people to experience travel the way they want. This is enhanced by Wyndham Rewards, the Company's re-imagined guest loyalty program across its businesses, which is making it simpler for members to earn more rewards and redeem their points faster. For more information, please visit www.wyndhamworldwide.com.
Amidst the chaos that was last nights election, some good news emerged for the smokers of America. The recreational use of marijuana has been legalized in California, Nevada, and Massachusetts. The measure to legalize marijuana in Arizona did not pass, and in Maine, the results are still uncertain. Additionally, Florida, North Dakota, and Arkansas all legalized medical marijuana last night.

The smoker ambassadors of California and Nevada, Snoop Dogg and Dizzy Wright, both responded joyfully to these results. Here are their celebratory Instagram posts.

Earlier last night, Snoop joked (was it a joke?) about moving to Toronto as a result of Donald Trumps win. Will the legal bud keep him home? Time will tell.

Marijuana
Who is listening to this track right now?
Under Armour and Stephen Curry are getting into the Black Friday sneaker release party that already includes classics like the True Blue Air Jordan 3 and Dr Doom Foamposite Pro, in addition to the Black Friday Air Jordan 31.

Needless to say, this murdered out version of the Under Armour Curry 3 will be relatively easy to get your hands on if thats what youre looking for the day after Thanksgiving.

Chef Currys stealthy Black Friday kicks are built on entirely blacked out Threadborne upper, with the only form of contrast appearing in the grey UA branding on the tongue and speckles on the laces. From above, the Curry 3s look like a sleek jet, as the design forms a rounded point at the base of the tongue and the carbon fiber accents along the side serve as the planes wings.

If youre looking for some new, innovative sneakers to ball in while you set the single game 3-point record at your local YMCA, the Black Friday Under Armour Curry 3s will be arriving on Friday, November 25th.

Black Friday Curry 3
At the 2015 MTV VMAs, Kanye West concluded a stirring speechrant by announcing his candidacy for the 2020 presidential election. The buzz surrounding his political prospects died down for a while  before being reignited after the the 2016 victory of Donald Trump, who, like Kanye West, has zero political experience. Flying Lotus, Sonny Digital, Questlove, and a horde of fans came together last night and this morning under the banner of #Kanye2020.

West, a man of incredible ambition, spoke on his societal frustrations during an interview with BBC Radio 1 earlier this year. We are numb, were numb to 500 kids getting killed in Chicago a year, were numb to the fact that it was seven police shootings in the beginning of July, he said. I dont have views on politics, I just have a view on humanity, on people, on the truth. If there is anything that I can do with my time and my day, to somehow make a difference while Im alive Im going to try to do it.





Kanye West
Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewarts VH1 cooking show premiered last night and it could have not have been any better.

The first episode of Martha and Snoops Potluck Dinner Party guest-starred Wiz Khalifa, Ice Cube, and Seth Rogen, who act as judges in a fiercly fought fried chicken cook-off between Martha and Snoop. Before the contestants and judges tuck in, Snoop delivers grace: Oh Lord, we thank thee most high, so please do listen. Were about to eat fried chicken that will make our fingers glisten. But watch out for Martha, because shes about to lose because Snoops chicken is soaked in chronic and booze. Bars!

The show concludes with a scintillating performance of Come Down by Anderson .Paak. Watch four clips below, the full first episode here, and tune in next Monday at 10 ET to watch episode #2.

Martha and Snoop
Supreme Court justices signaled Tuesday they may divide over the ability of cities to use the Fair Housing Act to sue banks for discriminatory lending practices that contribute to urban blight.

Hearing arguments in Washington as the country went to the polls to choose the next president, the high court grappled with a case that grew out of the subprime mortgage crisis.

A federal appeals court read the Fair Housing Act as giving Miami the right to sue Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citigroup. Miami says the banks targeted minorities for riskier and costly loans, leading to foreclosures that cost the city property-tax revenues and forced it to spend more on police and fire services.

Some of the court's liberal justices indicated through their questions that they would vote to let the cases go forward. Justice Elena Kagan suggested the dispute was at the heart of what the landmark 1968 law was designed to address.

"Everything about this complaint is about racial segregation, it seems to me," Kagan said.

But two potential swing votes, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Anthony Kennedy, suggested they saw a need to limit the types of suits that could be filed under the law. Roberts called Miami's injury "derivative."

"I don't see how you can say that your loss of property taxes is a direct injury," he told the city's lawyer, Robert Peck.

The argument was a relatively low-key affair. One possibility is that the shorthanded court could divide 4-4, an outcome that would let Miami press ahead without setting a nationwide precedent.

Similar suits have been filed around the country, including claims by Los Angeles and three Georgia counties. Peck told the court that the cities of Baltimore and Memphis had settled similar claims for less than $10 million.

"We not talking about huge sums of money," he said.
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To get a $13-an-hour job emptying containers of rock fragments from drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico, Jeff Russo signed an agreement that prohibited him from working for any competitor within 300 miles of his new employer, M-I Swaco, a unit of the energy services giant Schlumberger.

Four years later, after a promotion that led to a six-figure sales job, Russo was working for M-I Swaco in Denver, but was increasingly unhappy. When another Houston energy services provider, National Oilwell Varco, offered more money and the chance to return home to the Gulf Coast, Russo jumped at the opportunity.

That decision, in 2014, set off a fierce legal battle that has stretched for more than two years, winding from lower courts to the Texas Supreme Court and back again. Now in Harris County state district court, the case reaches beyond whether Russo can work for National Oilwell Varco to highlight how far companies may go to protect and obtain trade secrets.

In fact, National Oilwell Varco has accused its competitor of using legal discovery - the process of getting relevant documents from the opposing side - to gain access to confidential information about business strategies, customers and other closely guarded details. M-I Swaco and Schlumberger deny the charge; they say they are just trying to determine what, if any, trade secrets Russo may have taken when he left their employment.

Russo, meanwhile, continues to work for National Oilwell Varco, leading a sales team, making money and happy to be close to family and friends. But, he said, the extended court fight and uncertainty about whether he'll be able to keep working have taken a toll.

"We don't go on vacation or go out to eat," Russo said. Everything, he added, has to wait until "after the suit."

Noncompete agreements are used by thousands of companies, from sandwich shops to engineering firms to tech companies, but they have become increasingly controversial in today's mobile workforce and increasingly entrepreneurial culture. Companies that use noncompete agreements say they are necessary to protect investments in key employees as well as sensitive information to which these workers might have gained access.

Opponents, however, say these agreements are primarily ways for companies to protect themselves from the competition for workers. Keeping employees from changing jobs or launching their own ventures means companies can pay lower wages, said Martin Ganco, a University of Wisconsin-Madison business professor who specializes in noncompete contracts.

"It's straightforward," Ganco said. "Employees have limited exit options, and companies can offer less."

At National Oilwell Varco, Russo, 45, manages a sales force that travels to drilling sites selling mesh filters that separate debris from drilling fluid so it can be reused. The filters cost between $300 and $500 each and last only a few days before they must be replaced.

The multimillion-dollar replacement filter business is dominated by a few players, including National Oilwell Varco and M-I Swaco, along with Derrick Corp. of Buffalo, N.Y. Russo's job at NOV is similar to his position at M-I Swaco.

'The big sigh'

Russo said he liked his job at M-I Swaco, but became distressed when his boss refused to let him take three days off to travel to his hometown of Lafayette, La., after his father-in-law had suffered a stroke and his sister fell into a coma. When their health problems worsened, Russo asked again.

"I got the sigh," he said. "When you get the big sigh from the boss, it says you're not a team player. There's a mark on you."

Shortly after that, Russo ran into a National Oilwell Varco executive who asked if he was happy. That led to a chance to move closer to home.

After Russo took the job, M-I Swaco sent a letter to him and National Oilwell Varco, claiming he had violated the noncompete agreement and threatening legal action.

But Russo, backed by his new employer, sued M-I Swaco in April 2014, claiming his noncompete agreement was unenforceable because his new office in Houston was more than 300 miles from his former job in Denver. M-I Swaco countersued a month later, accusing NOV and Russo of stealing trade secrets.

Two years later, National Oilwell Varco and Russo say they still don't know which trade secrets were supposedly stolen because M-I Swaco won't disclose any other information, according to court records. M-I Swaco says the details are too sensitive to reveal.

Simply a ruse?

National Oil Varco contends the extended court battle is simply a ruse by its competitor. M-I Swaco's broad discovery motions are not aimed at finding its missing trade secrets, but rather gaining access to National Oilwell Varco's confidential information, said Elizabeth Fletcher, the lawyer representing NOV.

"They're asking us to give up everything," Fletcher, a partner at the Houston law firm AZA, said in court last week.

M-I Swaco's lawyer, Edward Friedman of the Houston firm Baker & Hostetler, denied the company was on a "fishing expedition."

But Harris County District Court Judge Bill Burke also was skeptical of M-I Swaco's claims of stolen trade secrets. Burke called the efforts to dig through National Oilwell Varco's records a "face-saving" and "cover your rear end" move because Friedman two years ago did not pursue a temporary injunction to prevent Russo from working for National Oilwell Varco.

"If I just turn you loose to rummage in NOV files on everything they've got," Burke said, "I'm giving you their trade secrets just like you objected to them having yours."

Friedman said he couldn't discuss the case without permission from his client. Schlumberger did not return a call for comment.

Previous tangles

Burke and M-I Swaco have tangled before in the case. Two years ago, M-I Swaco asked Burke for an order to force Russo to quit working for National Oilwell Varco. With trade secrets expected to play a role in the hearing, Burke agreed to seal the courtroom but refused to eject a corporate representative from National Oilwell Varco, noting that booting the company would violate due process rights.

M-I Swaco appealed to the Fourteenth Court of Appeals, which denied its request to conduct the hearing outside the presence of National Oilwell Varco. M-I Swaco then appealed to the Texas Supreme Court, which sent the case back to Burke and ordered him to weigh the competing interests by, for example, examining the claims of trade secrets under seal.

The case is scheduled for trial in December. In the meantime, Russo waits. At his new job, he doesn't have a noncompete agreement.
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WASHINGTON - Six months after Donald Trump promised on the campaign trail to "cancel" the Paris agreement on climate change, his unexpected victory in Tuesday's presidential election threw into turmoil global efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and shift to cleaner-burning sources of energy.

With policymakers meeting in Morocco this week to discuss the finer points of the agreement, the question quickly turned to whether Trump could pull out of a pact supported by all the world's major economies. Such a move would be a substantial about-face at a time when the energy sector is increasingly shifting from fossil fuels toward cleaner sources such as natural gas, nuclear and wind.

On Wall Street, shares in solar companies fell across the board Wednesday. The stock price of Solar City, the company of technology entrepreneur Elon Musk, fell 4 percent.

Simple economics have driven much of the shift to cleaner energy, with wind turbines and solar panels manufactured at a fraction of their cost just five years ago and natural gas prices undercutting coal's. But the Paris agreement is designed to speed up that process far beyond what market forces would allow, through a system of international goals and transparent emissions reporting.

Trump, who downplayed the risks of climate change on the campaign trail, would seem poised to backtrack on the commitment the U.S. made in Paris to reduce carbon emissions 26 to 28 percent by 2025. President Barack Obama's executive order to cut carbon emissions from power plants - already under legal challenge in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals - seems likely to be short-lived in a Trump administration.

The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment. But Republicans who have long opposed Obama's position on climate change celebrated Trump's election Wednesday.

"President Obama's climate legacy has been solidified with Tuesday's election results and will be remembered for being built on hollow commitments," U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said in a statement.

Legally speaking, breaking the commitments made in Paris would not be difficult, experts from both the oil and gas industry and environmental sector agree. The Paris agreement does not have any provision for penalties should countries fail to meet their goals, relying instead on a system of what is in effect international peer pressure.

Instead of attempting a lengthy and tricky negotiation to leave the pact, "he can simply not pay attention to it," said Jeff Holmstead, a former EPA attorney now representing coal interests.

And should Obama's Clean Power Plan hold up in court, Trump could simply issue a new executive order rescinding it - though such a move would have to undergo public comment and likely face court challenges.

As the sun was rising on Washington Wednesday, environmental groups were firing off statements calling on Trump to respect the international momentum on climate change.

"Trump must choose whether he will be a president remembered for putting America and the world on a path to climate disaster, or for listening to the American public and keeping us on a path to climate progress," said Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club. "Trump better choose wisely, otherwise we can guarantee him the hardest fight of his life every step of the way."

Along the campaign trail, Trump promoted what has become known as an all-of-the-above energy strategy, a term used at one point by Obama and before him President George W. Bush.

By Trump's description, he would expand oil and gas drilling and coal mining on federal lands - doing away with a moratorium on new coal mines enacted by Obama - while at the same time pursuing renewable energy and "the technologies of the future." In his view, EPA regulations on drilling have become overly burdensome.

And who would manage country's energy program? His friend, the Oklahoma wildcatter and Continental Resources founder Harold Hamm is rumored as a possible energy or interior secretary.

As with Trump's promises to renegotiate trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, the question is what would be the consequences of maneuvering out of climate change commitments.

Close to 200 counties have signed onto the Paris agreement, and leaving now would potentially push the United States to the sidelines as other countries move forward in developing clean technology and regulatory structures for reducing carbon emissions, said Bob Perciasepe, president of the think tank Climate and Energy Solutions.

"I would urge the Trump administration to talk to partners about the impact of overall diplomatic relations," Perciasepe said. "There is a growing green technology jobs economy in the world. That's another thing you have to balance here. Do we want our businesses to be able to play in that space?"

Like many, Perciasepe said he was concerned by Trump's rhetoric but was not convinced the president-elect would dismantle climate polices. Some were curious what role Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, might have on the decision.

"Mike Pence says he believes in global warming and it's a significant issue," said Scott Segal, an energy attorney.
U.S. crude oil production will likely average 8.7 billion barrels a day in 2017, about the same as 2016, and China's demand continues to decline in September by 2.4 percent

The oil markets are far from balancing, and no election result is going to fix that.

When prices dropped 60 percent between 2014 and early 2016, most analysts believed that U.S. producers would leave the market and take 1 million barrels a day of excess production with them. Turns out, though, that production dropped from 9.4 million barrels a day in 2015 to about 8.8 million this year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That number will only drop 100,000 barrels a day next year.

Adding to the flood, OPEC is setting new oil production records, hitting 33.54 million barrels per day in October, according to S&P Global Platts Analytics. The cartel may be trying to negotiate a deal to cut production later this year, but members are apparently trying to run up their totals before new production quotas are assigned.

China's economy, meanwhile, continues to slow. China's apparent demand for oil was down to 10.85 million barrels a day in September this year compared to 11.12 million barrels a day last year, according to S&P Global Platts Analytics. China's indigenous crude production was also down from 4.3 million barrels a day to 3.9 million, which helps explain why imports were up 17 percent.

China's greater reliance on imports may benefit the global oil markets a little, but a slowing Chinese economy is bad news in the long term.

None of this is good news for Houston's oil exploration and production companies. The EIA now predicts West Texas Intermediate to sell for $49.91 per barrel on average in 2017. That may be enough for oil companies to break even, but that's not high enough to spur significant new drilling or exploration.

New drilling and exploration is what creates jobs in Houston, and without it, there is little chance of rehiring the 50,000 oil workers who have lost their jobs.

Predicting oil prices is a tricky business, but based on the data we have, there is no sign of a recovery for the industry anytime soon. No matter who is president.
When he opened Lucille's four years ago, Chris Williams managed to pack a lot of important messages into his snug little restaurant on La Branch. First, there was the no small consideration that a serious restaurant would brighten the mostly restaurant-barren Museum District. There was the excitement and expectations that went with a creative new concept from a young, black chef. And there was a meaningful backstory - Lucille Bishop Smith, Williams' great-grandmother, was an educator, culinary innovator and successful entrepreneur who founded her own food corporation - that inspired Williams to create a menu of distinctive takes on Southern classics.

Lucille's had a lot going for it, and Williams worked hard while so many eyes were on him and so many palates were evaluating. He made a great go of it.

But a lot has changed since 2012. The Houston dining scene has grown up. So has Williams.

So the restaurant's fourth anniversary seemed as good a time as any to effect some changes. This month, Williams put up a new menu, an entire rewrite of his original culinary style. There's a new service model, a new wine menu and a new cocktail menu. It's a total reboot from a menu that some were quick to label soul food.

From the original menu he's kept only a few items, and even those are retooled. The only thing unchanged is the presence of Lucille's iconic chili biscuits and hot rolls.

"The place needed a shot of energy. We decided it was time for us to cook more of what we want to eat, what we like to eat and the way we like to eat," the 38-year-old Williams said. "We just wanted to take a few more chances and showcase some range of what our kitchen is able to do. It was time for us to be true to ourselves and what we really wanted to do."

By "we," he's referring to his brother and business partner Ben Williams, and chef de cuisine Khang Hoang, whose family is from Vietnam. The new culinary direction is a merger of foods and flavors that speaks to Houston's Southern leanings and multiethnic makeup.

That is evident from a dish called Miso Quail: Texas quail brined in miso and sorghum and then pan roasted and placed atop serrano-chile-and-cheddar grits with house-made collard-green kimchi. There's bone marrow with oxtail marmalade and candied orange-peel gremolata. His steak tartare is made with sous vide hanger steak and glossed with oyster aioli. Braised local goat comes with potato dumplings. Roasted butternut squash is topped with cilantro puree, spiced house-made soy yogurt and roasted pumpkin seeds. A dish called Saigon Shrimp features char-grilled, head-on shrimp with a citrus slaw and lime. And smothered duck confit arrives with sauteed turnip greens, parsnip puree and duck fat gravy.

Dinner at Lucille's also is more affordable. Whereas entrees were generally in the $25-$35 range, Williams' new menu features entrees mostly between $14 and $24 with shared plates priced between $7 and $16. Lower prices mean the restaurant will be accessible to a larger audience who want "more bang for their buck."

More Information Lucille's 5512 La Branch 713-568-2505 lucilleshouston.com See More Collapse

Williams underscores that even with the changes, Lucille's remains very much inspired by his great-grandmother, whose chili biscuits were of such renown they once were served on American Airlines flights.

"If you look at the work she did, she wasn't cooking what was already done. She was constantly inventing and innovating. She was a creator," Williams said. "So that continues to drive me. It's a guiding force for the future."
University of Texas at Austin students cheered and yelled as they marched in Austin Wednesday in opposition to Donald Trump's election as 45th president of the United States.

Footage posted by The Daily Texan, the student newspaper, shows dozens of people walking around the city. At least one passerby gave the middle finger.

"We love Muslims, we love blacks, we just want our country back," they chanted just after 2 p.m. "This is what democracy looks like."

The students marched along streets near the Texas Capitol, then briefly blocked a crowded traffic bridge, according to the Associated Press.

Many in the crowd waved hand-scrawled signs proclaiming Trump racist and anti-gay. Some of their later chants were vulgar plays on the 2005 recording where Trump bragged about groping and kissing women without their permission.

HOUSTON RALLY: UH students join anti-Trump protests

Texas A&M University students planned an anti-Trump demonstration at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Members of the Muslim Students Association, several wearing hijab, stood next to a table in the campus breezeway urging students to ask them questions about their faith. They offered passersby brownies, pamphlets and copies of the Quran.

"If you haven't talked to us before, talk to us today," a sign read.

Setting up a table on campus is a weekly ritual for the student club, and they said they generally hear questions asking about hijab and Islam's relation to Christianity. Several students said they felt let down last night, angry and upset with the election results.

Today, they exchanged reminders to stay safe, quelling nerves with smiles. "We'll still be here, spreading the word," one said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Christa Forster, high school English teacher

I had already written a piece for a Hillary win, featuring me and my daughter Clara secure in our belief that we have agency over our own bodies, that we lived in a culture that values all people, that values education and not just No Child Left Behind education, but education that promotes equal and diversified opportunity, critical, creative and collaborative thinking and doing skills, and, most importantly, human decency.

I cannot believe that I was wrong, but if I'm holding the 2016 election results up as evidence that the majority of Americans also held these beliefs, then maybe I was wrong: We are not secure. As I've learned from the head witch in Shakespeare's Macbeth, "We all know security is mortal's chiefest enemy."

I celebrated Hillary's win as a reflection that my daughter would grow up in a world where women's ability to lead in a complex world was a fact, represented by the fact of that our country's highest office was held by a woman.

Now, I'm realizing that women's capacity to lead a complex world is even more necessary than ever! Now we must help our children recover and not internalize the messages clearly sent by the outcome of the 2016 election. It draws on my deepest resources to live through my personal and national shame with honor and patience and tolerance and hope.

My daughter has witnessed sexism and misogyny abuse and mangle the obviously more qualified female candidate. My son has heard that his best friends are unwanted in the U.S. and that it is permissible for a man to call women nasty names on national news and to grope their bodies without permission.

One of my best students yesterday showed me a book he bought at our school's book fair, Bard of the Deal: The Poetry of Donald Trump. I smirked and opened this book to a random page: the stanza in the middle of it featured Trump sexually harassing a woman. I snapped the book closed. I could not fathom what to say to this young man; plus, it was during passing period, for God's sake, and there were two minutes remaining to get to class.

I now have no choice but to fathom the unfathomables. No more mere walking during passing periods. Every moment now must become a teachable moment. The cliche "no rest for the weary" is starkly new to me again (to me, a professional warrior against cliche). The absurdity and consequences of these election results feel like a 50-foot wall that I don't yet know how to scale; hence, I take the words (also starkly sparkling again) of the patron saint of Absurdism, Samuel Beckett, as my own: "I can't go on. I'll go on."

Kyrie O'Connor, Houston Chronicle



When one of my daughters was in third grade, I was working in the kitchen when she came home from school.

I asked how her day was, and she said she had just learned about Pres. Martin Luther King.

Fortunately, my high horse was also in the kitchen, so I climbed on.

I told her that not only had King not been president, but no person of color or, for that matter, woman had ever been president.

She narrowed her eyes.

"You don't know that," she said.

Except I did.

Fast-forward a couple of decades, and Barack Obama has just been elected president after a hard-fought primary contest with Hillary Clinton. Three women  three!  came up to me and said, sotto voce, "It should have been a woman first."

I guess I looked like somebody who would be receptive to that message. I wasn't, but OK.

In 1872, Victoria Claflin Woodhull, who grew up in poverty as the daughter of a literal one-eyed snake-oil salesman to become a stockbroker and publisher, ran for president as a candidate for the Equal Rights Party. No one knows how many votes she got  maybe low four digits  but at 34, she was too young to fit the Constitutional parameters anyway. (Woodhull rebounded. She married, for the third time, a well-to-do British banker and lived to 88.)

Other women have also run: Margaret Chase Smith, Shirley Chisholm, Patsy Mink, Carol Moseley Braun, Pat Schroeder, Michele Bachmann and others, all of them long shots.

In 2016, Hillary Rodham Clinton was not a long shot. She lost.

Being a woman is hard, and don't let anyone tell you differently. When I was young and cute, I had a boss who tried to make me to sit on his lap and another who asked me out. Worse things happened too. But frankly, being young and vulnerable was weirdly preferable to, now, being older and invisible.

I'm not 21 anymore. I didn't know it would be quite this hard. I no longer know whether I will see any woman in my lifetime break the highest, hardest glass ceiling.

I can only hope my daughters do.

Mary Margaret Hansen, artist

It didn't happen. The glass ceiling is intact in America, and my daughters and I are heartbroken. Hillary Clinton lost her bid for the presidency of this United States. Americans rejected a vastly qualified candidate with a lifetime of preparation for this job. I think I know why.

When I was growing up in the 1950s, girls were told, "Let him do the talking," and "If you want boys to like you, don't be the smartest person in the room." We thought those admonitions were a thing of the past, but voters proved us wrong.

Throughout the campaign, a drumbeat of visceral hate and vileness was directed at Hillary. The chants of "lock her up" reminded me that throughout history, "wise women" have been feared and cast out. This election was about a very wise woman, and if we'd voted to make her the 45th president of these United States, we'd have made our mothers and grandmothers proud and assured our daughters and granddaughters, "Women can do anything."

Instead, the message from November 8 to every woman on this planet is, "America is not ready to give the most powerful job in the world to the smartest girl in the class." We'd prefer she go to jail.

Bookmark Gray Matters. It's the smartest girl in the class.
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To get a peek into the future of Houston's economy, take a short trip to Houston Community College.

There, in the Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence, a room full of 3-D printers stand ready to translate ideas into physical form, able to rapidly prototype and test new products in an infinite number of configurations before being replicated on a large scale. Another room full of computer numerical control machines, which look like refrigerators with windows, churn out precisely molded pieces of metal in response to a few punched buttons.

A third room houses metal boxes festooned with dials and wires that support a robotic arm. Rather than working metal by hand, the workers of the future will direct those machines to do it for them.

"We're not playing checkers anymore," said Frederick Heard, director of the Advanced Manufacturing Center. "We've got to play chess."

Those gadgets are part of the transformation of Houston's largest industries and examples of how automation could reshape the economy over the next 50 years. The future won't necessarily be the Jetsons' image of tooth-brushing machines and flying cars. Nor will it be the world without work, where all jobs are done by robots.

Rather, it will be a world in which knowledge and skills become more important, physical distance less important, and human error almost disappears.

Terminators Percentage of tasks that could be automated in a given industry, according to McKinsey: Food service and accommodations: 73 percent Manufacturing: 59 percent Retailing: 53 percent Financial services: 43 percent Healthcare: 36 percent Education: 27 percent See More Collapse

One analysis by the consulting firm McKinsey found that 45 percent of the tasks performed in the workplace today could be automated and nearly two-thirds of jobs could to a large extent be mechanized.

Let's go back to manufacturing, which accounts for about one in 12 jobs in Greater Houston. Stafford, the neighborhood where Houston Community College's new manufacturing campus is located, has among the highest densities of pipefitting and valve-making shops in the country  small businesses that largely serve the oil and gas industry. As their owners adopt more advanced equipment, some may move towards "lights out" manufacturing, where the machines process raw materials into finished products all by themselves and the only workers required are technicians to program and fix the robots.

The same trends are reshaping the oil industry, where some of the most difficult and dangerous jobs - like those around high-pressure machinery or underwater at offshore rigs- are being engineered out of the process.

About 87,000 people work in mining and logging in the Houston area, and, according to McKinsey, about 50 percent of the time they spend could be replaced by machines. Tasks involving repetitive or routine movements are the most easily automated.

"If someone can operate an iPad, they can operate a drilling rig," says Patrick Jankowski, economist with the Greater Houston Partnership. "Everything that goes into drilling a well will be automated."

In the service sector, automation is augmenting humans, rather than replacing them, helping people to do jobs better and more efficiently. Take health care, which employs more than 300,000 in Houston. A number of companies are inventing robots that surgeons can direct to perform operations, from hysterectomies to gastric bypasses, with perfect precision.

The goal isn't to push more patients through the system or replace surgeons, said Erik Halvorsen, director of TMCx, the Texas Medical Center's tech accelerator. "The idea is that it's not making the mistakes because it has very controlled and minuscule movements," he said.

Other forms of automation, such as systems that allow doctors to diagnose and treat problems remotely, will save patients time and effort  including driving to and from hospitals.

"In the future, with the advent of electronic medical records, smartphones, the internet, you now can access the patient anywhere," says Bernard Harris, who runs a health care venture capital firm called Vesalius Ventures. "Automation is going to allow patients to go through the system quicker, to have better outcomes, because they will be monitored 24/7."

That might mean fewer patients coming to big hospitals in Houston. At the same time, the doctors in those central hospitals could serve people all over the world, expanding the Texas Medical Center's importance in the Houston economy by bringing in more money from outside the region.

Next, restaurants. In a place like Texas that has a rock-bottom minimum wage, the pressure to replace humans with machines is less intense than it might be in California or New York, where pay is higher. Nevertheless, automation is happening on the food preparation side, where robots mass-produce meal components with more uniformity and less waste than humans.

But Chris Tripoli, president of A la Carte restaurant consultants, says anything other than quick-service and fast-casual dining options will always require a human touch. For example, he received pushback after helping restaurants put wine lists on iPads for customers to read themselves, instead of briefing waiters on the options.

"Immediately the servers started learning less about wine." Tripoli says. "This isn't supposed to turn into a self-service gas station someday."

As technologies advance, government policy is likely to shape their impact. Transportation is a prime example.

Self-driving cars have the potential to transform not only how people get around Houston, but also the facilities needed to accommodate automobiles. Shared autonomous vehicles, for example, could drive us around so quickly and safely that streets could be narrowed, and parking lots largely eliminated, since a car would pick up its next passenger right after depositing the previous one.

Without parking, land could be developed more densely, allowing for greater walkability.

That's one vision, says Kyle Shelton, a scholar who focuses on highway systems at Rice University's Kinder Institute. Alternatively, if all commuters bought their own self-driving cars, they might just use it to work in the back seat while driving from ever more remote suburbs.

"So much of the conversation has been geared around the technology itself," Shelton says. "How do we best include [self-driving vehicles] into the system, track ways that we could change our built environment, and come up with policies to actually account for the efficiencies autonomous cars are creating?"

Sometimes, it's interesting to think about what will remain 50 years from now, rather than what will change. Back at Houston Community College's advanced manufacturing center, there's also a room of old-fashioned Bridgeport lathes - beautiful machines, precise in their own engineering, but little changed from their original versions. Even the most advanced factories will need someone to fix such equipment or replace the parts, said James Connery, coordinator for the school's machining technology program.

"All shops are always going to have a requirement for that 80-year-old in the corner," he says.
The parents of 17-year-old Huma Hanif, who filed a lawsuit in April after their daughter's death from a malfunctioning airbag subject to a historic recall, have settled with all parties.

The Fort Bend County teen was the second person in the Houston area and the 10th nationwide to be killed by an airbag in a car crash. The family's product liability case filed in Harris County focused on the use of the explosive, ammonium nitrate, which is used in the airbag inflators. Defendants in the lawsuit included Japanese airbag maker Takata Corp., American Honda Motor Co. and a local car dealer, Westside Hummer.

Hanif, who was driving a 2002 Honda Civic, rear-ended another vehicle that was legally stopped March 31 along FM 762 in central Fort Bend County southeast of Richmond. When her airbag deployed, a metal shard inside struck the young woman's neck. She died at the scene.

A joint order of dismissal was signed by Harris County Civil Judge Dan Hinde on Monday.

"The case is resolved, and there has been a confidential settlement," said Mo Aziz, one of several Houston lawyers representing the Hanif family.

He said he could not offer details of the settlement or reveal the amount.

Aziz added that the teen's relatives felt relief from resolving the legal action.

"One of the factors that they also considered in agreeing to the settlement was the closure aspect of it and not living through the horror of that day by going through depositions and maybe a trial," he said.

Record recall

The Takata inflator crisis - which will include nearly 70 million devices under recall by 2019 - is the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Ammonium nitrate deteriorates after prolonged exposure to airborne moisture and high temperatures.

More than 150 people have been hurt by the inflators, which can explode with enough force to blow apart a metal canister and send sharp pieces into drivers and passengers.

There have been at least 11 deaths in the United States - the latest in a Sept. 30 crash, according to NHTSA.

The Hanif lawsuit's defendants were TK Holdings, the U.S. arm of airbag manufacturer Takata; American Honda Motor Co.; Westside Hummer, the Houston dealership that sold the used car; Nazari Group, which runs a Discount Lube and Tune that provided repairs to the vehicle; and the Richmond woman with whom Hanif collided in the wreck.

Aziz added that an early deal was sought, in part, because of fears the airbag maker might file for bankruptcy.

"There was also a concern on my part about Takata's financial condition and how a bankruptcy could affect the case and even the settlement until it was finalized," he said.

Huma Hanif lived in Richmond and was scheduled to graduate in May from George Ranch High School in the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District. The wreck happened about 2  miles from the campus. The teen intended to follow in the footsteps of her older sister and pursue a career in nursing.

Similar lawsuit

Last week, Aziz sued Takata on behalf of Serena Martinez, a Cinco Ranch resident who was injured by an airbag in September when her 2002 Honda Accord was struck on the front passenger side. The lawsuit alleges the ammonium nitrate-fired device sent heated shrapnel into the woman's chest and arms.

Aziz said the Hanif settlement has "no overlap" with the Martinez case, though the legal theories about the dangers of ammonium nitrate are the same.

In a news release issued in May, Takata chairman and CEO Shigehisa Takada said his company is cooperating fully with the U.S. recalls.

"We will continue to dedicate significant resources to maximize recall completion rates, including through our 'Get the Word Out' campaign and by working closely with NHTSA and our automaker customers on new and innovative solutions to reach consumers," he said. "Takata is committed to supporting all actions that advance vehicle safety."
Fear and uncertainty swept through portions of Houston Wednesday as Latinos, especially immigrants, wondered what would come under a President Donald Trump.

"It is going to be difficult, but hopefully God put some goodness in his heart," said Maria Angiano, 62, who came to the United States from Mexico. "People are scared about what he'll do," she continued in Spanish.

In September Trump outlined a 10-point immigration plan, promising to create a deportation task force and remove 2 million immigrants who have committed crimes on "day one." He said he would offer "no amnesty" and would repeal President Barack Obama's executive action that gave temporary work permits to about 700,000 young immigrants here illegally. Now that he has been elected as the nation's 45th president his plans will please millions of Americans who had supported his presidency and his calls to toughen enforcement of illegal immigration.

But his stunning ascendancy o the White House will also likely ignite widespread worry among Houston's large Hispanic community.

Jose Campos, 32, who was born and raised in Houston, said Trump "talked way too much" about Hispanics during the election.

"He should deport people who get in trouble with the law  criminals," Campos said. "But others come here to make a living, they are just trying to survive."

Campos said he hoped that most of Trump's campaign rhetoric would remain just rhetoric.

"A lot of things won't happen unless it gets through Congress, he needs them," Campos said.

"There is an expression in Spanish, the dog that barks doesn't bite; I think he is just barking."

Dayra Gonzalez,23, a program assistant for Neighborhood Centers Inc, which among other efforts, helps immigrants with work permits and other paperwork, said people are anxious and their future hang in the balance."

"Families are scared today," she said. "There is an aura of , 'Dear God, what is going to happen?"

Gonzalez said she was still trying to come to terms with the election of Trump and what it could mean for not only Latinos, but other members of society who were also targeted during the campaign.

"I can't believe we were given these two choices, clear-cut choices, and we decided to go with fear and hatred," she said.
A still shot from 'Nacido en Siria'.

Hernan Zin, a 45-year-old Argentinean filmmaker, has spent half his life making documentaries.

Many of these have focused on war; others on children. And some, like his latest work Nacido en Siria (or Born in Syria), combines both subject matters.

He has this great intelligence and frankness. Kais makes you ask yourself a lot of questions

Filmmaker Hernan Zin

The film has just premiered at the Seville European Film Festival, which runs until November 12, and is scheduled for release in January.

Mirroring his 2014 Nacido en Gaza, which highlighted the plight of 10 Palestinian children, Nacido en Siria looks at the tragedy of 20 Syrian young people as they journey to Europe in search of a better life.

Filming extended throughout 14 months, pushing the filmmaker to the limit.

Zin confesses he is tired.

Hernan Zin, director of 'Nacido en Siria'.

Its been a longer shoot than we thought it would be, he says. And a lot of it was in Europe, which made what I saw hurt even more. In Hungary I cried at the sight of families, grandmas being rolled on wheelchairs along the railroad tracks...It was very hard to film this.

Of the 20 children he began following, only 11 are left at the end of the documentary. I was unable to contact them again, says Zin. The estimates puts the number of young refugees whose whereabouts are unknown at more than 10,000. I spent the first day with three siblings, one of whom had cerebral palsy, who had left Syria after their parents death. I walked 40 kilometers with them, spent a night with them at a campsite...and for the next 14 months have heard no more about them.

Over 4.8 million Syrians have fled their country since war erupted in 2011.

People did not flee Aleppo on the first day. They held out at home, in their own country, until the last second, says Zin. Nobody emigrates for fun. They are people like us, except they have an emotional baggage filled with trauma, pain and despair. They have lost half their family and all they have now are the clothes on their back.

Zin adds: They cannot stay in Turkey, that is a fallacy. All thats left for them to do is to risk a sea journey or try to cross by land.

A still shot from 'Nacido en Siria'.

The journey prompted Zin to ask himself many questions.

Why do the European authorities not have lists to help with family reunification? Why dont they help the refugees? The UN has congratulated Canada for its immigration policy. In 2017 it will welcome 300,000 refugees, including 37,000 from Syria. What about Spain?

Gianfranco Rosi, winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlinale with Fire at Sea, about the migrant tragedy in Lampedusa, says that he enjoyed Zins own take on the migrant crisis.

I feel the same way he does. We are not meeting the European ideals we like to boast about. We need to react, to do things and to do them well, like Canada. The goal of my work in this time of absurd, wall-building populism is precisely the opposite: building bridges. Right-wing populism feeds off the same thing as ISIS: hate for the other.

We are not up to the European ideals that we like to boast about

Filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi

Nacido en Siria, like Nacido en Gaza, also shows childrens ability to adapt to any situation.

The difference is that Palestinian kids are already the children and grandchildren of refugees. They have a story to tell. The Syrians are still in post-traumatic stress, trying to figure out whats happened to them.

There are kids like the angelic-faced Marwan, who conceals a storm within his soul and learns French in a hurry in order to help his father. And there is Kais, whose face has been disfigured and who nobody wants to tell that his father has died.

He won me over, says Zin. He has this great intelligence and frankness. Kais makes you ask yourself a lot of questions.

English version by Susana Urra.
The 19-year-old student gunned down outside of a southwest Houston school has been identified as Adrian Castillo, police said Tuesday.

The high school senior was one of two students hit in an apparent drive-by shooting Monday near the Houston CAN Academy, according to authorities.

Afterward, the school's principal mourned the loss of the slain teen.

"Adrian Castillo has been a student at the Houston CAN Academy Southwest for a month now, and in such a short time frame he had established a warm, friendly rapport with teachers, students and office staff," James Troutman said in a statement Tuesday.

The gunfire broke out around 12:30 p.m., between the school's morning and afternoon sessions.

About four men jumped out of a gray SUV in the school parking lot and got into a verbal altercation with two males in a white pickup truck.

One of the passengers in the SUV opened fire on the two people inside the pickup.

The truck's driver fled to an urgent care center on Chimney Rock, but the passenger - Castillo - was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver - whose name has not been publicly released - was rushed to Ben Taub General Hospital. He was in stable condition as of Tuesday morning, according to police spokeswoman Jodi Silva.

"It is our understanding that the person who committed this crime is not one of our students," Troutman said Monday.

"Adrian was a senior and was on a mission to fulfill his graduation plan with full force," he said. "He surrounded himself with a small group of students that shared his same positive ethics.

"All of us will miss him and extend our deepest condolences to the Castillo family."

There have been no arrests at this time. Anyone with information about the suspects can call Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS or HPD homicide division at 713-308-3600.

Dale Lezon contributed to this report
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City Council punted proposed new rules on changing city street names back to Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday, even as a new name for a Third Ward thoroughfare viewed as a test case of those rules is moving forward.

A plan to rename Third Ward's main drag, Dowling Street, to Emancipation Avenue (to match the name of the marquee local park, now undergoing a $33 million renovation) won approval from Houston planning commissioners late last month, following a community outpouring against keeping the city road in a predominantly black neighborhood named for a Confederate soldier.

Next up for the Dowling name change is City Council approval, after which the shift would take effect.

The revised process being used to rename Dowling still has not been approved by the City Council, and is being used on a trial, city-initiated basis in part because local leaders could not meet the threshold of support needed to rename the street under the existing, citizen-driven method.

The proposed new rules require "sufficient" community support for the street name revision. City planning officials have said fewer than half of nearby property owners initially said they favored the Dowling name change, but were roughly evenly split in a more recent inquiry. Response from the broader community showed 60 percent in support of the change.

Turner said Dowling will not be delayed by his decision to revise the rules further before codifying them.

"We want to make sure that we tighten up and make sure when it comes time to determining whether or not there should be a change in the name of streets that it's a narrow construct," Turner said. "I want to make sure we carefully vet the process and that we don't put anything in place that's open-ended."

Not many name changes qualify under the current rules, Turner added, but council also does not want to open the door too widely through its revisions.

The street renaming isn't free, or without hassles. Residents and businesses along Dowling will have to change their addresses, advertisements and related materials. The city will pay to replace street signs.

Councilman Dave Martin noted this issue, pointing to the cost to his accounting firm, Marsh, incurred when it moved downtown offices four years ago. Turner agreed the concern is a valid one.

Dowling has carried its current name since 1892, when the area's African-American population was growing. Some suspect the change from East Broadway to Dowling Street was motivated by the creation of Emancipation Park, which black residents bought in 1872 to have a place to celebrate Juneteenth, the end of slavery in Texas. The park also was the first city park open to blacks, when it was donated to the city in 1916.

Some Houstonians, in public meetings about the name change, have argued removing Dowling's name is unjust, saying he owned no slaves and saved Houston from Union incursion in battle. Others vigorously disagreed, noting that despite his war record, Dowling fought for the side trying to uphold slavery.

Turner said it's not clear when the name-change proposal will return to council for a vote.
Democrats were headed toward a virtual sweep of the Harris County judicial races Tuesday, leading in all the two dozen local races on the ballot with most of the precincts counted.

Out of the 24 contested judicial races, Democrats held onto comfortable leads in at least 21 and held narrow leads in the remaining three races in what political experts said was likely propelled by the strong Democratic showing across Harris County.

The results tracked with experts' predictions. Texas Southern University political scientist Michael Adams said the judicial candidates typically carry little name recognition, but, as in previous elections, are tethered to the fate of the top of the ticket such as in 2008, when President Barack Obama's coattails' helped Democrats sweep 22 out of 26 Harris County court benches.

Improved campaign

"It looks to be a strong night for Dems, which would suggest a strong performance by Dem candidates down ballot," Adams said.

Kyle Carter, a Democratic incumbent running for the 125th Civil District Court, held a solid lead over his Republican opponent Tuesday night.

Carter attributed his lead to an elevated campaign: better placement billboards, increased mailers, more targeted block walking, and better publication of his endorsements.

A former civil litigator, Carter had served on the bench since he was elected in 2008. He watched the results come in Tuesday night from his own watch party at a hotel.

"It looks like the culmination of four years of a lot of hard work," Carter said.

In Tuesday's election, three of the 24 benches were open, while 10 Democrats and 11 Republicans were defending their seats.

Judicial candidates are hamstrung by their position on the ballot and low name recognition, according to political scientists, so their campaigns are largely driven by local political parties.

Adams said roughly 75 percent of the down-ballot vote is the result of straight-ticket voting.

"The judicial races in Texas and in Harris County in particular have little to do with job performance of any individual judge, and judicial elections are heavily tied to general partisan preferences," he said.

Besides Carter, the Democratic judges who appeared to be winning their district court races included: Kristen Hawkins for the 11th Civil Court, Larry Weiman for the 80th Civil Court, Fredericka Phillips for the 61st Civil Court, R.K. Sandill for the 127th Civil Court, Michael Gomez for the 129th Civil Court, Jaclanel McFarland for the 133rd Civil Court, Mike Engelhart for the 151st Civil Court, Robert Schaffer for the 152nd Civil Court, Alexandra Smoots Hogan for the 164th Civil Court, Hazel B. Jones for the 174th Criminal Court, Nikita Harmon for the 176th Criminal Court, Kelli Johnson for the 178th Criminal Court, Elaine Palmer for the 215th Civil Court, Daryl Moore for the 333rd Civil Court, Steven Kirkland for the 334th Civil Court, Ramona Franklin for the 338th Criminal Court Maria T. Jackson for the 339th Criminal Court, George Powell for the 351st Criminal Court and Julia Maldonado for the 507th Family Court. Others were too close to call, though results consistently showed Democrats leading.

Ryan Patrick trailing

Rice University political scientist Jay Aiyer said a sweep could raise questions about judicial elections. Among those who looked to lose their seat was Republican Judge Ryan Patrick, the son of Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who was facing Democrat Robert Johnson.

"The lieutenant governor's son is likely to lose tonight," Aiyer said. "Does that reintroduce questions surrounding the election of judges? Because for a while there was some momentum to change it, and that just never went anywhere, largely because, sort of cynically, the party in power, when they're winning everything they don't want to change it."

Rebecca Elliott contributed to this report.
Jon Shapley/Staff

Houston voters overturned a 1904 rule prohibiting the sale of alcohol for off-premise consumption in the Heights, a move that will enable neighborhood grocery stores to see profits enjoyed by competitors just blocks away.

With most returns counted Tuesday night, the measure on the ballots of a limited number of Houstonians passed easily.
WASHINGTON - With Donald Trump on the verge of a surprise victory over Hillary Clinton in the closest presidential election since 2000, voters may have ushered in a period of chaotic governing and friction in American's relationships with allies and trading partners.

The end of a disturbing chapter in presidential politics foreshadows ongoing disarray given Trump's promise to make significant changes in health care and immigration policy, while overturning environmental rules and a host of federal regulations governing business and American life.

Trump's victory would bring lasting effect on American society by assuring a conservative Supreme Court for the foreseeable future.

If he wins the White House, Trump would defy virtually every poll as voters rose up to reject norms that have governed American politics for years, including civility.

Rice University historian and author Doug Brinkley said a Trump win would be the biggest surprise since 1948, when Missourian Harry Truman defied most predictions in defeating New York Gov. Thomas Dewey to become president.

"It's unfathomable. It has the feeling of a Pearl Harbor or a 9/11, almost like the American system was attacked," Brinkley said, citing the WikiLeaks disclosures on Clinton and apparent involvement of Russia.

"It's the ascendancy of the alternative right in the United States, but it has global implications, part of a global pattern right now," he said.

Not in recent history have Americans chosen between two such unpopular candidates or been subjected to a campaign so awash in hostility and, many would say, bigotry. Couple the harsh tenor with seemingly freakish occurrences - alleged Russian hacking of Democrats' files and late, vote-swinging FBI declarations - and the result was an exhausting campaign with a surprising end.

Trump's supporters were made up largely of white voters and leaning heavily toward men and older voters, a coalition that runs counter to America's changing demographics.

Exit polls revealed an electorate craving change and voters anxious about the future and their own financial well-being.

Three in five voters viewed the economy as poor or not good, roughly the same number of Americans who see America as being on the wrong track.

Voters turned their backs on Clinton and her drive to become the first woman elected president, signaling their lack of trust in the former first lady and apparent weariness with the email scandal resulting from her use of a private server as secretary of state.

Clinton was unable to create the enthusiasm generated in President Barack Obama's victories, and she fell short in mobilizing African-American voters.

The vote exposed a stark divide in America along the lines of gender, race and education, fissures that likely could make it increasingly difficult for Congress to settle differences over immigration and a host of other thorny matters.

Shortly after midnight, the Republican National Committee reported Trump's success in rural areas and his ability to Democratic margins in major metropolitan areas significantly smaller than in 2012.

"We turned out blue-collar voters who are unhappy with the status quo and want change," RNC spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said.

Trump's promise to build a wall along the southwest border and his threats to deport millions of Americans will trigger a fierce resistance from the swelling population of Latinos in the country.

A Trump presidency could have significant impact on Texas in matters of trade, as well as immigration. He has vowed to renegotiate NAFTA, the three-country accord that, by most accounts, has been an economic boon to Texas.

Likewise,Trump's aggressive comments about China's trade policies raise questions about the future of China's investments in Texas. Trump's election also makes it unlikely that the United States will follow through any time soon with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the 12-nation trade pact between the United States and other Pacific Rim countries that economists say also would offer a boost to the Texas economy. Trump has promised to withdraw from the agreement.

The election exposed the reality that the U.S. has done a poor job of protecting American workers from the damaging effects of globalization. And many of those workers marked their ballots for Trump.

If Trump follows through on his campaign promises, he could take a significant step toward his promise to "drain the swamp," as he put it, in Washington.

He has promised that on his first day in office, he would propose a five-year ban on White House and congressional officials becoming lobbyists, as well as a lifetime ban on White House officials lobbying foreign governments.

He has promised to slash the federal workforce with a hiring freeze on federal employees unrelated to the military, public safety and public health.

Trump also has said he wants to dramatically change the federal regulatory structure with a requirement that two existing regulations be eliminated for every new federal regulation proposed.

His hard-edged proposals on immigration - including his plan to suspend arrival of people from "terror-prone" regions - foreshadows a difficult period for undocumented immigrants and for people seeking to become Americans.

A Hispanic voter uprising spurred by Trump's incendiary pronouncements suggested that low-voting Latinos finally may be developing political potency to match their growing proportion of the U.S. population.

Latino Decisions' Interviews of 5,600 Hispanic voters showed Clinton beating Trump 79-18 percent, the most lopsided victory margin among Latinos in any race for the White House. Roughly two-third of Latinos believed that Republican Party is hostile toward them or is not concerned with their interests.

Exit polls, however, gave Trump a higher portion of the Latino vote - 29 percent.

Latinos won symbolic victories: In Nevada, they played a key role in electing Catherine Cortez Masto as the first Latina in the U.S. Senate. And in Arizona, they unseated Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a 23-year incumbent known for harsh immigration policies. Still, as the votes came in, their disappointment at Clinton's loss was palpable.

"Latinos certainly can't be blamed for what is happening," said Texas Rep. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, interim director of the Latino Victory Project, a national organization.
Dangerous walks

Regarding "Pedestrian deaths here 'dramatically' surging" (Page A1, Saturday), we have just relocated from Canada to Houston three weeks ago. Allow me some reflections as evoked by the article.

We are so pleasantly surprised by the friendliness and politeness of this metropolis and people saying "hi" and nodding their heads in greeting. Yet, in severe 100 percent contrast to Houstonians face-to-face behavior, is their driving behavior: moving across lanes without signalling, zooming by so that it's a heart-thumping race to try and join a lane of traffic from a side street and so forth.

What is exceptionally galling and dangerous and ties directly to the article and its findings is the behavior around cross-walks. As far as our experience goes, the drivers are either ignorant of what a crosswalk means or are closet homicidal maniacs. We are in Midtown, and we always have to wait for a stream of Mario Andretti drive-alikes to pass before we can safely walk across the crosswalk at Webster and Brazos.

In Calgary, Canada, drivers stop at crosswalks 95 percent of the time to let folks cross. Maybe our sister oil capital can take a life-saving clue from their friends to the North?

Israel Lachovsky, Houston

Skeptical of annexation

Regarding "Smooth Sugar Land annexation belies area governance issues" (Page A3, Tuesday) columnist Mike Snyder provided great insight on how people want to depend on government to get things done.

Residents in New Territory and Greatwood in Fort Bend County currently have to fix their own sidewalk if it gets cracked.

After annexation they will be able to contact the government offices in Sugar Land and wait for them to come out to fix on Sugar Land's schedule and using someone else's tax dollars. Of course the Sugar Land government workers may decide not to fix it or put it at the end of a long list of repairs that may or may not happen.

Those folks are better off running their own neighborhoods instead of going for annexation.

Mark D. Petrichuk, Montgomery

Open door for Taiwan

Regarding "UN warns big cuts needed in emissions" (Page A14, Friday), the threat of worsening climate conditions must be met with a united global front. Whether you are in Texas or Taiwan, climate change is a cross-border issue which knows no boundaries.

No country is immune to the ravages of climate change. We should work together to prevent further irrevocable damage to the earth.

In this challenge, Taiwan stands poised for action. For years Taiwan has sought meaningful participation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as an observer under the name of its Environmental Protection Administration. Despite Taiwan's exclusion from the UNFCCC, the country demonstrated its determination by voluntarily committing to an ambitious target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent of 2005 levels by 2030 - a goal in line with the spirit of the Paris Agreement.

It makes little sense to exclude a democratic country with 23 million people from this global fight, especially when that country is the world's 22nd largest economy and has renowned expertise in developing green technology. It is time for all parties to look beyond political consideration and open the door for Taiwan.

Louis M. Huang, Director GeneralTaipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston

In support of veterans

Regarding "Veterans need jobs more than thanks" (Page B1, Sunday), as a Vietnam veteran, I agree with Chris Tomlinson about the real need of veterans instead of just the recognition. Veterans are not looking for pity, sympathy or charity. Veterans want what the benefits of serving their country entitled them - the American dream of a job with medical benefits and an opportunity to grow in the workforce world.

Veterans indeed have better experience than just education, and they also possess a work ethic second to none. You can't measure the experience of leading men in combat or in support of combat conditions. There are no second chances in combat situations so you have to get it right the first time.

Veterans are also trained in many other fields such as computer and engineering related jobs. They are experienced, not just trained. The true value of seasoned military veterans is way beyond a civilian education.

Efrain Villagomez Jr, Weston Lakes
The latest related to Tuesdays election with breaking news, quotes, stats, photos and more:

4:39 p.m.  Clinton on pace to win popular vote, despite losing election.

4:36 p.m.  Marijuana, gun control and minimum wage hikes win at the polls across the nation.

2:50 p.m.  Photos of front pages around the nation following Trumps victory.

10:39 a.m.  The Missouri Republican Party is celebrating a #statewidesweep on social media.

The Missouri Republican Party celebrated on social media its Election Day success.

10:16 a.m.  Missouri cigarette taxes fail, voters support campaign contribution limits and voter ID requirements.

10:15 a.m.  Read the full text of Donald Trumps acceptance speech.

9:37 a.m.  St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Greitens likely to make Missouri a right-to-work state.

9:34 a.m.  U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt released the following statement congratulating President-elect Donald Trump: Today, millions of Americans went to the polls to cast their vote for smaller government and stronger economic growth. Missouri families have struggled under the Obama administrations misguided policies, and todays election presents a pivotal opportunity to turn the page. I congratulate Mr. Trump on his victory, and look forward to working with him to repeal Obamacare, rein in excessive regulations, unlock more American energy, and strengthen our position at home and abroad.

9:32 a.m.  VIDEO: Donald Trump promises unity in first speech as president elect.

9:27 a.m.  James Sigman, who ran unopposed as Texas County Sheriff, thanked his supports on Facebook last night. I would like to thank everyone who voted for me as your Sheriff. The past 4 years has been full of many challenges for my deputies and I. Without there dedication and the dedication of the rest of my staff, my job would be much more difficult. I look forward to these next 4 years serving as your Sheriff. Thank you to all of those in my office for your hard work and sacrifices and thank you Texas County for your support and trust in me. Most of all a big thank you to my wife and children who have always sacrificed the most for my career. 

9:25 a.m.  In case you missed it, here are the final voting tallies in Texas County.

9:24 a.m.  Rep. Robert Ross R-Yukon, easily won re-election with just over 81 percent of the vote.

9:24 a.m.  U.S. Rep. Jason Smith wins re-election.

TUESDAY

11:21 p.m.  Jason Smith, When Donald Trump asked me to chair his campaign in our state, I promised him that Missouri would be Trump country on election night. Thanks to the hard work of our states grassroots activists and volunteers, we have kept that promise. Missouri is on record supporting Mr. Trump and our quest to make America Great Again!

11:07 p.m.  AP projects Jay Ashcroft to win Missouri Secretary of State race.

10:53 p.m.  Hawley defeats Hensley for Missouri Attorney General spot.

10:51 p.m.  With more than 60 percent of precincts reporting, Blunt is up 55 percent to 40 percent over Kander.

10:49 p.m.  Laura Crowley thanks those who elected her as county clerk with Facebook post: Thank you, Texas County!!! I promise to work hard for you!!

10:48 p.m.  Marie Lasater, elected Texas Countys new coroner, thanks supporters with Facebook message: I want to thank everyone who came out and supported me in my campaign. I am looking forward to serving all the citizens of Texas County in my new role as Coroner effective January 1st. May God Bless our County and our Nation!

10:39 p.m.  It appears Missouri will be a red state with all Republican statewide candidates winning.

10:37 p.m.  From Eric Greitens campaign manager: Koster concedes.

Austin Chambers tweet: Chris Koster concedes to @EricGreitens in #mogov race

10:33 p.m.  At the Koster watch party, it is announced that he has resigned and that Greitens will be next governor.

10:32 p.m.  Mike Parson Elected as Missouri Lt. Governor.

10:06 p.m.  Incumbents Robert Ross and Jason Smith, both Republicans, were landslide winners in the county. Ross, the 142nd District Representative, beat Bobby Johnston Jr. 8,786-1,894 and Smith downed Dave Cowell 8,826-1,696.

9:54 p.m.  With 1,215 of 3,236 precincts reporting (37.5 percent), Greitens leads Koster 610,867-409,107 in Missouri governor race.

9:45 p.m.  Seven Texas County officeholders  all incumbents  ran unopposed in Texas County: Lindsay Koch, recorder of deeds; James Sigman, sheriff; Debbie James, assessor; Tammy Cantrell, collector-treasurer; Connie Thompson, public administrator; Doyle Heiney, commissioner district 2; and Charles Manier, surveyor. Cantrell is the lone Democrat.

9:45 p.m.  Casey held off challenger Scott McKinney 3,743-2,194 to retain his position as commissioner in District 1. He won every precinct except Houston, where McKinney won by 45 votes.

9:43 p.m.  Lasater beat Tom Whittaker 5,778-4,874 to win the coroner race. Whittaker received more votes in his hometown of Cabool and Houston. But Lasater won the other precincts, highlighted by a 1,246-686 edge in her hometown of Licking.

9:39 p.m.  Crowley defeated Kris Neal 7,160-3,545 to become the new county clerk. She won in every precinct.

8:58 p.m.  Its a Republican sweep in Texas County as incumbent John Casey as well as newcomers Laura Crowley and Marie Lasater win the three contested races.

Incumbent John Casey and newcomers Laura Crowley (middle) and Marie Lasater were winners in Texas County.

8:40 p.m.  Nearly 58 percent of Houstons registered voters cast ballots today. Thats 2,212 of the 3,833. Cabool was just above 60 percent while Licking was over 61 percent.

8:38 p.m.  In Houston, Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton 1,720-366 and Eric Greitens defeated Chris Koster 1,488-630.

8:32 p.m.  Incumbent John Casey, a Republican, leads challenger Scott McKinney 2,678-1,877 for Texas County Commissioner  District 1. Real-time results: https://goo.gl/cKNwqf

8:29 p.m.  Two newcomers making runs for county positions. Laura Crowley leads Kris Neal 4,675-2,627 in the county clerk race and Marie Lasater is ahead of Thomas Whittaker 3,707-3,578 for county coroner.

8:07 p.m.  Early Missouri tally from News-Leader: With 0.8% of precincts reporting, Roy Blunt leads Jason Kander in the Senate race, 50% to 44%.

7:56 p.m.  New York Times predicting it will be a late night. Clinton doing better in metropolitan areas than Obama had done, but not vastly better. Trump, on the other hand, is making very big gains in rural America.

7:47 p.m.  Multiple news agencies have projected Trump as the winner for Missouris electoral votes.

7:39 p.m.  Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

7:36 p.m.  The Internet is exploding over the Trump cake seen being rolled into Trump Tower.

The Donald Trump cake.

7:34 p.m.  NBC News projects Trump as winner in Arkansas.

7:33 p.m.  Absentee ballot results arrive in Texas County.

7:31 p.m.  Exit polls in Missouri Senate race between Kander and Blunt.

7:27 p.m.  CBS News reports Trump has a 56% to 38% edge over Clinton thus far in Missouri.

7:19 p.m.  1,136 absentee votes cast in Texas County.

5:19 p.m.  Statewide election results can be found here when polls close at 7 p.m.

4:58 p.m.  In this era of social media, Twitter is a battleground. See how Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump tweeted in very different ways.

4:17 p.m.  A look at balloting across the U.S.

4:08 p.m.  Dont take a ballot selfie today. Its illegal in Missouri and in New York, where Eric Trump might be in trouble for the photo he tweeted of his ballot.

4:02 p.m.  Summersville reports 531 votes have been cast there.

3:54 p.m.  The Phoenix Theater is offering an Election Day special. Wear your I voted sticker tonight and receive $1 off your admission price.

3:44 p.m.  A look at Democratic candidate for Missouri governor Chris Kosters election party:

Tweet from Jason Hancock (@J_Hancock)

3:38 p.m.  From Poynter, here are five things you need to know about the Electoral College:

1. Each state has an allotted number of electors. The more populous states have more electors.

2. A presidential candidate needs a majority of those electoral votes to be elected. The candidates have to put together a coalition from several states to secure a majority of votes.

3. 48 states are winner-take-all. No matter how large or small the margin of victory in those states, all the electoral votes go to the winner.

4. Electors are chosen by the political party in the state. They usually are loyal party members. By law, they cannot be federal employees or federal elected officials (such as U.S. senators or members of Congress).

5. The electors in each state are scheduled to meet on Dec. 19 to vote for president and vice president. They will send their vote to the U.S. Senate on Jan. 6, 2017. The candidate with the most votes officially is the next president.

3:35 p.m. @JasonKander tweet: Look who we ran into at Booches in Columbia: the next governor of Missouri! I guess @Koster4Missouri and I both know good burgers! #mosen

Tweet from Jason Kander (@JasonKander)

3:19 p.m.  AP PHOTOS: Americans across the country head to the polls to elect the 45th president.

3:07 p.m.  The Texas County Republicans are hosting a watch party at 6 p.m. today at the Houston Senior Center. Those attending are asked to bring a finger food.

2:30 p.m.  Learn more about the two men running for Texas County Commissioner  District 1: incumbent John Casey (R) and challenger Scott McKinney (D)

2:18 p.m.  Polls close at 7 p.m. today. If you are in line, you may vote.

2:14 p.m.  @EricGreitens staff prepping for Election Night party in Chesterfield. #MoGov

Tweet from Jason Hancock (@J_Hancock)

2:11 p.m.  What to watch for: Virginia could be a harbinger for the night in the presidential race. An early win for Hillary Clinton in that state bodes well for her; a contest that drags on until 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. could mean a good night for Donald Trump. Results begin to come out when polls close at 7 p.m. in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia. More waves come just after 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., when polls will have closed in 30 states and the District of Columbia.

1:30 p.m.  The Associated Press reports, with most important battleground states in the East, it could be an early election night.
Socialist spokesman Antonio Hernando says no to a PP budget. Kiko Huesca (EFE)

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoys second term in office is promising to be a difficult one, after the main opposition party pledged to fight his 2017 budget tooth and nail.

The Socialist Party (PSOE) spokesman in Congress, Antonio Hernando, on Tuesday declared that his group will vote against the governments draft budget for next year.

After a 10-month political paralysis that ended on October 31, when Rajoy was sworn into office thanks to a Socialist abstention at an investiture vote, Spain now urgently needs to draw up an economic plan for the coming year.

Brussels has just issued a new warning to Spain

But Rajoy now heads a minority government that will need support from other congressional groups to get legislation passed. And much of the opposition has already said that it will not support further cuts after years of harsh adjustments during the economic crisis.

Although we are still unfamiliar with the budget, it is evident that it will be impossible for us to support it, because it will be a continuation of past policies and an anti-social budget, said Hernando at a press conference in Congress.

Dashed hopes

The Popular Party (PP) administration had been hoping that it would not have to effect the 5.5 billion cuts that Brussels is demanding in order to reduce Spains structural deficit.

Instead, the government hoped to fall back on strong economic growth to meet the EUs deficit target of 3.1% of GDP for next year. Earlier this week, Economy Minister Luis De Guindos and Finance Minister Cristobal Montoro made statements to that effect.

But Brussels has just issued a new warning to Spain: even though the economy is growing at a brisk pace this year, 2017 will be worse than expected and Madrid cannot hope to meet its deficit goals without cuts.

The European Commissions forecast, to be released on Wednesday, shows 3.2% growth for 2016, down to 2.3% for 2017.

English version by Susana Urra.
Republican Donald J. Trump stunned Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton and the political establishment, winning the U.S. presidency early Wednesday morning by sweeping key battleground states and claiming at least two major states  Pennsylvania and Wisconsin  that Democrats considered part of their blue wall.

Trump made an acceptance speech early Wednesday. He said Clinton had called him to congratulate him. Trump called for unity across all of America, and said he will be president for all citizens, including those who opposed him. He promised to be friends to countries that want to be friends with America.

Clinton, who won the national popular poll but lost in the Electoral College count, spoke at mid-morning Wednesday.

President Obama called Trump  who has promised to overturn almost all Obama administration initiatives  to congratulate him, and invited the president-elect to the White House for a meeting Thursday. Obama planned a televised address early Wednesday afternoon.

Ensuring a smooth transition of power is one of the top priorities the president identified at the beginning of the year, and a meeting with the president-elect is the next step, said White House press secretary Josh Earnest in a statement.

Trump will become president in January with Republicans in control of both houses of the U.S. Congress.

Trumps victories in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin may have helped secure GOP control of the Senate, as incumbent Republicans  Ron Johnson in Wisconsin, Roy Blount in Missouri and Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania  won re-election bitter battles that Democrats hope to win in their efforts to take over the Senate.

Trumps win in Pennsylvania early Wednesday put him over the top, giving him 289 votes in the Electoral College. He needed 270 to win. Clinton had 218.

Votes were still being counted in battleground states New Hampshire and Michigan.

Financial markets plummeted overnight as news of Trumps victory circulated, but most indicators moderated by mid-morning. The Dow Jones average opened higher Wednesday morning.
More than 11,000 citizens voted Tuesday to decide three Texas County races. There were also significant state and national seats at stake, highlighted by the next Missouri governor and president of the United States.

Republicans swept the local contested races as newcomers Laura Crowley and Marie Lasater joined incumbent John Casey as winners. Crowley was elected the new county clerk while Lasater was selected county coroner. Casey was retained as county commissioner in District 1.

The Republican tone carried in the national and state races as well.

Texas County voters preferred presidential candidate Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton 8,875-1,728.

Veteran senator Roy Blunt had a 7,619-2,829 edge against Jason Kander.

The governor race went to Eric Greitens, who was a 7,659-2,918 winner against Chris Koster.

More than 68 percent of Texas Countys 16,356 voters cast ballots. Just over 10 percent of the total of 11,131 votes were absentee.

Both Dunn and Roby led the county with 66 percent voter turnout.

Nearly 58 percent of Houstons registered voters  2,212 of 3,833 cast ballots. Cabool was just above 60 percent while Licking was over 61 percent.

Crowley defeated Kris Neal 7,160-3,545 to become the new county clerk. She won in every precinct.

Lasater beat Tom Whittaker 5,778-4,874 to win the coroner race. Whittaker received more votes in his hometown of Cabool and Houston. But Lasater won the other precincts, highlighted by a 1,246-686 edge in her hometown of Licking.

Casey held off challenger Scott McKinney 3,743-2,194 to retain his position as commissioner in District 1. He won every precinct except Houston, where McKinney won by 45 votes.

Seven Texas County officeholders  all incumbents  ran unopposed in Texas County: Lindsay Koch, recorder of deeds; James Sigman, sheriff; Debbie James, assessor; Tammy Cantrell, collector-treasurer; Connie Thompson, public administrator; Doyle Heiney, commissioner district 2; and Charles Manier, surveyor. Cantrell is the lone Democrat.

Incumbents Robert Ross and Jason Smith, both Republicans, were landslide winners in the county. Ross, the 142nd District Representative, beat Bobby Johnston Jr. 8,786-1,894 and Smith downed Dave Cowell 8,826-1,696.

County voters chose Republicans in every statewide race.

Lieutenant Governor: Mike Parson def. Ross Carnahan 8,023-2,417.

Secretary of State: John Jay Ashcroft def. Robin Smith 8,369-2,075.

State Treasurer: Eric Schmitt def. Judy Baker 8,352-2,095.

Attorney General: Josh Hawley def. Teresa Hensley 8,276-2,522.

Also on the ballot were five constitutional amendments, a proposition and question about Richard B. Teitelman, a Missouri Supreme Court judge.

County voters supported four amendments  parks-soil tax, campaign finance limits, sales taxes on services and voter identification.

An amendment and proposition for cigarette taxes were defeated.

The measure asking if Teitelman should be retained was supported 5,866-3,891.

PDF: Election returns
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Paula lost her uterus after being transferred from Galicia to Madrid for an abortion. OSCAR CORRAL (EL PAIS)

I havent been the same since, says Paula, bursting into tears as she recalls the events of four years ago when she had to travel 354 miles from Burela, in Lugo, Galicia, to Madrid by car to terminate a much-wanted pregnancy that was impossible to carry through to term.

The Galician public health service, SERGAS, refused to perform the necessary termination, invoking the doctors right to objection on moral grounds, referring her instead to a private clinic in Madrid. The journey was difficult and as soon as she arrived, she was transferred to the emergency ward at La Paz hospital where her womb was removed in order to save her life.

The Galician public health service has now been ordered to pay out 270,000 in compensation for negligence, but Paulas ordeal exposes the problems that still exist in Spain when it comes to terminating late pregnancies on health grounds. The doctors' right to object almost cost me my life, says Paula.

I had been having vaginal pains for days but the hospital said it was just wind Paula

A series of blunders in effectively diagnosing the congenital anomaly suffered by the fetus at the hospital in Burela meant that Paula was already seven months pregnant by the time her unborn child was declared incompatible with life.

She could then find no one who would terminate the pregnancy, either in the Costa Burela or any of Galicias other public hospitals. Eventually, SERGAS declared that in order to respect the professionals right to objection on moral grounds, the authorities would pay for the termination of the pregnancy in a clinic in Madrid, by which time Paula had moved into her 32nd week.

I had to leave my three-year-old daughter with my mother and make the trip by car with my partner, she recalls. I had been having vaginal pains for days but I was told at the hospital it was just wind.

In fact, Paulas pain was due to an irregularity in the womb. By the time she arrived at the private clinic, she was bleeding heavily and transferred to La Paz where she had a cesarean to remove the fetus which survived only 90 minutes. She then had her womb removed to stop the bleeding. Though she survived, she would not be able to have any more children.

It was really traumatic, she remembers. They asked if we wanted to see the baby and if we wanted to try resuscitation despite the fact there was no compatibility with life. There was a cremation and we had to go home with the ashes.

Damage for which there is no compensation

Back home in Galicia, Paula received around 80 from the health service to reimburse her for the cost of her trip to Madrid, including her partners hotel bill. They didnt even call me from the hospital in Burela for a check up, like they normally do with women after giving birth, never mind to apologize for their unbelievable negligence, she says.

This negligence has caused physical and psychological damage for which there is no compensation, according to the magistrate. Paula has been receiving psychiatric treatment since her loss.

The magistrate added that the unnecessary prolongation of Paulas pregnancy represents a spectacular failure in the public health system. Meanwhile, Marcos Amboage, a Lugo-based magistrate involved in the case, says he understands that it is hard to accept the fact there is no public health center in Galicia that will terminate a pregnancy as per the law.

Following the courts decision, the President of Galicia Alberto Nunez Feijoo, made a public apology to Paula  not her real name  on behalf of the authorities while declaring he would looking for a formula that would reconcile the right of Galician women to an abortion with doctors rights to object on moral grounds to carrying out an abortion.

Paulas lawyer, Francisca Fernandez, says that her clients case is by no means an isolated one. She has been involved in two other cases where women are suing the public health services in Galicia on account of doctors moral objections. Despite this, the public health service in Galicia says it guarantees the right to an abortion according to terms specified by law, pointing to two late terminations in A Coruna y Ourense that have just been carried out.

Doctors can refuse to perform abortions on moral ground only if doesn't affect a patient's access to care

Galicia is no exception when it comes to sidestepping the need to terminate pregnancies. Across the country, only a small percentage of legal abortions are performed by regional public health services. Most  90% in 2014  are referred to private clinics funded by the state for the purpose. This is perfectly legal but complications arise when the termination is urgent and when the private clinic is hundreds of miles away.

Lawful objection

The 2010 abortion law specifically states that the termination of pregnancies due to fetal congenital anomaly or incurable illness should preferably be carried out in public health service centers as they are more complicated and often required in later pregnancy. According to figures from Spains Ministry of Health, this type of termination accounted for around 300 out of the 94,796 abortions carried out in 2014.

A doctors objection to performing an abortion on moral grounds is taken into account by the 2010 law but on certain conditions. Article 19.2 states that health professionals directly involved in the voluntary termination of a pregnancy can exercise their right to conscientious objection as long as it does not affect the patients access to care.

However, a report called Deficiencies and Inequality in Spains Sexual and Reproductive Health Care compiled by 13 organizations, including Womens Link and Medicos del Mundo, highlights that access to abortions within the public health service varies depending on the autonomous community. And it points out that in 2014, not one abortion was carried out in public hospitals in Aragon, Extremadura, Castile-La Mancha and Murcia: all were referred to private clinics.

Also controversial are the methods used to terminate a pregnancy. Doctors may simply prescribe a pharmaceutical product, allowing for minimal involvement. In Galicia, an investigation is underway into the public health services use of pharmaceuticals in terminations between 14 and 22 weeks related to congenital anomalies or the mothers health.

The health service's negligence caused physical and psychological damage for which no compensation exists

Blanca Canedo, spokesperson in Asturias for the Association of Accredited Abortion Clinics (ACAI) insists on the necessity of training doctors to perform the abortions surgically. She believes that using pharmaceutical drugs is brutal at 14 weeks since it induces contractions that last for days until the fetus is expelled.

The President of the National Federation of Family Planning (FPFE), Luis Enrique Sanchez, believes that one of the main reasons that some public hospitals dont carry out abortions is that the health authorities have not insisted on it as an obligation, allowing gynecological units to dodge the issue, citing organizational difficulties, a shortage of surgeons or other resources for doing so. Its a lack of political will from those in charge of health, says Sanchez.

In Paulas case, the courts ruling has exposed the public health services resources as inadequate. Paula is convinced that if she had had a termination in Galicia, she would not have lost her womb and the chance to conceive and give birth again.

English version by Heather Galloway.
well do you know your baby boomers  or millennials, for that matter? Thats the question acclaimed Tedx speaker Mary Donohue is asking as she urges employers to get a better understanding of exactly what drives the different generations.Weve never had a generation gap like this before at work  weve never had a time where grandparents talk to team members who are their grandchildrens age, says Donohue, CEO of the self-titled firm Donohue Learning. What were looking at is far more than a generation gap, its a collaboration gap.Donohue says that communication can cause strife between the multiple generations because they were all brought up in very different worlds and are therefore driven by different motivators.In a bid improve intergenerational understanding  for both employers and employees  Donohue analysed data of over 1,000 people, separating them into three categories to identify their drivers and discover where they originate from.The earliest group in Donohues research is boomers  born between 1945 and 1960, employees in this cohort are categorised as builders and are motivated by legacy creation.According to Donohue, this drive to building a lasting impression comes as a result of being brought up in a time of constant uncertainty, when death seemed like a real and imminent possibility.When they were younger, they were very affected by the Cuban missile crisis and the bombs and they remember hiding underneath their desks, they also remember the death of JFK  it was a pivotal moment where a young president was killed in the prime of his life, says Donohue.Their initial relationship with technology has also played a role in moulding boomers into the type of employee they are today, says Donohue.Radio was really king when they were coming of age, they were forced to have conversations at the dinner table, at school it was all about literature and Aristotle and Latin and debate and they learned debating skills, they became very conversation clever and technology was just something that enhanced their conversation, she explains.Generation x  the smallest of Donohues four cohorts  followed the boomers and were born between 1960 and 1980.When we get to gen x, we see a whole group of people that have always had to do more with less, says Donohue. When they graduated from university or high school, unlike boomers who walked into jobs, they walked into recession.The economic situation forced gen xers to think differently and gain new skills which boomers were yet to adopt.They became great strategists because they learned how to work with fewer amenities, fewer resources and build even greater plans, says Donohue. They learned how to job shift really quickly, take the most from one job and move to the next because they were moving in companies that were usually shutting down.Again, technology played a pivotal role in shaping the generation and the advent of TVs and computers saw visual communication became far more important than auditory.They became the television generation, they had TV dates, TV tables, TV dinners and TV became a huge part of their lives at the exact same time that computers were starting to be introduced, explains Donohue.However, because generation x is such a small group, they were unable to transform the workplace into a visual one and instead they learned to adapt to fit boomer preferences. Its only now, that boomers are finally retiring, that generation x is able to make their mark on the workplace.Because the boomers have a legacy driver, they dont retire and they keep tinkering with everything because theyre real builders whereas gen xers are real entrepreneurs and they do want to get in and they want to change but were just starting to see some of that happen now, says Donohue.Millennials, born between 1980 and 2000, were again influenced by major world events and the economic environment.The millennials grew up with relatively little strife until they were coming of age and then the whole world began to fall apart, says Donohue. They saw 9/11, the 2008 financial crisis, presidents lied, prime ministers lied, bankers lied, college and university presidents lied  and no one went to jail.According to Donohue, the string of events taught millennials not to trust institutions or organisations but their family, who had been more invested in child development than any other generation.Parents really scheduled them, says Donouhe. They didnt have play time, they had play dates, they were the first group to have all of these structured activities as they were going through school, they had charts on the fridge which said who was where and when and why.Its for this reason that millennials are largely driven by development  They have been developed their whole entire lives, stresses Donohue.In many organisations, theyre also the only group that truly understands pre and post technology which, in most cases, means theyre the most adaptive generation.Theyre the adapt, adopt, improve generation, says Donohue. Look at what theyve done once theyve understood the old and made it new  Airbnb, Uber  all of these things are taking the old boomer-centric world and turning it into a new adaptive world that works better for them.Unlike generation X, Donohue says millennials are not willing to work to someone elses ideal and expect more from their employer than ever before.Theyre not going to work their asses off and just take what they can get because they saw what happened to their parents in the 2008 crisis  the CEOs, everybody got off fine but their parents lost their jobs or were affected negatively by it.According to Donohue, understanding how each generation prefers to work is going to become one of the most critical issues for HR within the next few years.Understanding how each person communications is really going to take off because CEOs and CFOs are going to realise you have to start investing in your people to keep your people, she says.The job market is going to get tighter and tighter and youre going to have to walk the walk and the only way to do that is to start investing in communication skills and to allow people to understand why that boomer needs to talk, why the gen xer needs a picture, why that millennial needs an opportunity to play and adapt materials to make them better.
UPDATE 2016/11/09 11:45 am ET: The 2016 U.S. election is one for the history books, not just because of president-elect Donald Trumps upset win, but also because it gave the marijuana legalization movement its biggest day ever.

More than a fifth of all Americans will soon have access to legal marijuana for recreational purposes, after ballot initiatives passed in California, Massachusetts and Nevada on Tuesday night. (Yes, weed will be legal in Las Vegas.)

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A legalization proposition failed in Arizona, with 52 per cent voting against the measure.

As of 11:45 am ET Wednesday, Maines measure to legalize weed was still too close to call.

Even without Maine, 66.9 million Americans living in seven states and the District of Columbia  or 21.4 per cent of the U.S. population  will soon have access to legal marijuana.

Election Day dealt another body blow to our nations costly, failed, and discriminatory policy of marijuana prohibition, wrote Erik Altieri, executive director of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

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If anyone thought our victories in 2012 and 2014 were a passing fad, it is now clear that they were mistaken.

MarketWatch reports that marijuana-related stocks spiked in price Wednesday morning in anticipation of large new markets to be tapped  particularly California, where an estimated 13 per cent of the population, or about 5 million people, are pot smokers.

Shares of Pineapple Express Inc. rose 28.5 per cent Wednesday morning, while United Cannabis Corp. and American Cannabis Co. were both up about 8 per cent.

UPDATE 2016/11/09 12:52 am ET: The ballot initiatives to to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes have passed in California and Massachusetts, and looked set to pass in Maine and Nevada overnight Tuesday night.

Californians passed Prop 64 by a margin of 56 per cent to 44 per cent. In Massachusetts, voters approved Question 4 by the same percentages.

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Maine looked set to legalize marijuana, with the yes vote narrowly leading 51 per cent to 49 per cent, with three-quarters of precincts reporting. In Nevada, legalization was ahead 54 per cent to 46 per cent with nearly half of precincts reporting.

However, legal pot appeared to be headed for defeat in Arizona, where the no side was leading 52 per cent to 48 per cent.

Four states also voted on medical marijuana initiatives in this election. Arkansas, North Dakota and Montana all looked set to allow medical marijuana by wide margins. Floridians voted 71 per cent to 29 per cent to expand medical pot.

UPDATE 2016/11/08 10:37 pm ET: The results of the U.S. presidential race are up in the air at the moment, but marijuana legalization ballots are doing well across the board.

Maine and Massachusetts look likely to legalize weed for recreational use. The "yes" side was leading in Massachusetts 53 per cent to 47 per cent with nearly half of precincts reporting. The vote in Maine is closer, with 51 per cent yes to 49 per cent no and a third of precincts reporting.

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Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a medical marijuana initiative, making it the first southern U.S. state to legalize cannabis for medical purposes.

Medical marijuana initiatives also look set to pass in Arkansas and North Dakota.

Still to report are Nevada, where the vote is likely to be close, and California, where the legalize movement is expected to win.

UPDATE 2016/11/08 7:52 pm ET: It looks like a landslide for medical marijuana in Florida.

With 6 per cent of precincts reporting, the "yes" vote was leading with 69 per cent of the vote. Florida's ballot initiative to allow full-strength marijuana would make it the first state in the U.S. south to legalize medical marijuana. That could be quickly followed by Arkansas, where polls close at 8:30 pm ET, half an hour after Florida.

UPDATE 2016/11/08 6:47 pm ET: Shares of marijuana-related stocks jumped on Tuesday, CNBC reports.

Investors were feeling optimistic about the likelihood of legal recreational marijuana being approved in five states, and medical marijuana potentially coming to four others (see below).

Those who want to make money off legal weed have reason to be excited: A study issued in September found the legal cannabis market in the U.S. could be worth as much as $50 billion by 2026, up from $6 billion this year.

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(Photo: Reuters/David McNew)

Original story follows below.

Voters in nine U.S. states decided Tuesday on ballot initiatives that would legalize marijuana to some extent.

Four states  Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota  voted on legalizing medical marijuana.

But five states are on the verge of legalizing weed for recreational use. Check this page throughout the night for updates. Here are the five states where recreational marijuana could soon be legal:

California: The Golden State will be voting on Prop 64, which would legalize recreational marijuana for people aged 21 and over, though smoking in public will net you a $250 fine. Weed would be subject to a 15-per-cent sales tax, with the possibility of additional excise taxes and municipal taxes on top of that. It would be regulated by a Bureau of Marijuana Control. The most recent poll shows Prop 64 passing easily, with 58 per cent in favour and 37 per cent opposed.

Massachusetts: Voters will be deciding on Question 4, which would make marijuana legal for those aged 21 and over. It would create a Cannabis Control Commission to regulate the industry. The state would charge an additional 3.75-per-cent excise tax on weed, on top of the regular sales tax. The state is very likely to pass the measure, with 61 per cent of likely voters supporting it in the latest poll.

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Nevada: Will Las Vegas become a mecca of legal weed? Nevada has Question 2 on its ballot, which would legalize weed for people aged 21 and up and place a 15-per-cent sales tax on it. This may be the closest race on the ballot: Nevadans leaned slightly towards legalization in a recent poll, with 47 per cent in favour and 43 per cent opposed.

Arizona: Voters will be deciding on Proposition 205, which would allow people aged 21 and over to own up to an ounce of marijiuana and grow up to six marijuana plants. Licensed stores would be able to sell it, and sales would be taxed at 15 per cent. Fifty per cent of Arizona voters supported the measure in a recent poll, with 42 per cent opposed.

Maine: The state has Question 1 on its ballot Tuesday, which if approved would legalize recreational marijuana for people aged 21 and over. The state would issue a limited number of retail licenses, and charge a 10-per-cent sales tax on weed. Voters appear likely to approve, with 53 per cent approving and 38 per cent opposed in the most recent poll.

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Team Canada here, checking in with #PantsuitNation. We are pulling for you all and sending hope, love and optimism. Oh, and lots of pantsuit pictures. Go Hillary, GO!!

A photo posted by Liz Pead (@lizpead) on Nov 8, 2016 at 4:40am PST
Canadian taxpayers paid approximately $855,600 for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to tour around B.C. and the Yukon, according to documents obtained by Vice News.

The royal couple embarked on their second official visit of Canada between Sept. 24 and Oct. 1.

$40,000 was budgeted for accommodations for the royals 14 staff members

$50,000 for float plane transportation

$20,000 for a photographer.

The eight-day tour saw Prince William and Catherine visit various charities and First Nation communities.

In documents obtained by an Ottawa-based researcher through an access-to-information request, a dry-run of the visit seven weeks earlier cost $116,000, reported The National Post.

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In addition to RCMP protection, the British royals also brought along their own security  specially-trained Metropolitan Police Service officers from London.

Security costs for protection of visiting members of the Royal Family while in Canada are covered through the RCMP's existing operational budget. For security reasons, we can't provide a detailed breakdown of these costs, RCMP said in a statement to CBC News.

Cost sharing agreements split the bill between the federal and B.C. and Yukon governments. Vice News reports each province contributed $15,000.

At the end of the tour, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada would commemorate the royal tour by making a $100,000 contribution to charities helping indigenous youth and immigrants.

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The couple's previous visit to Canada in 2011 as newlyweds cost Canadian taxpayers an estimated $1.2 million. They made stops in P.E.I., Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories over nine days.

The final cost of the 2016 tour has not yet been released by Heritage Canada.

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There's a light at the end of Alberta's tunnel of economic hardship, according to two Calgary economists.

Attendees of yesterday's Calgary Economic Development Outlook heard that the worst of the province's recession pain will end in 2017 and Alberta can expect modest growth next year.

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According to the Calgary Sun, Glen Hodgson with the Conference Board of Canada (CBOC) said "recovery is possible for Alberta," and predicts the GDP will likely grown between 2 and 2.5 per cent next year.

"Were staying focused on those green shoots of recovery that are starting to emerge."

Oil prices will also climb between now and 2019, he said, but warned that Albertans probably won't see a return to the energy-reliant economy they're used to.

"It wont be so much the old energy patch, so much as the public sector and more innovative parts of the economy growing a little bit," Hodgson told Global News.

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It's been a week of tough economic news for Alberta  and Calgary, in particular.

Calgary's unemployment rate hit a new high of 10.2 per cent and Calgary's downtown core is experiencing its highest-ever office vacancy rate.

However, Hodgson expects the unemployment rate will improve to 7.8 per cent in 2017.

Todd Hirsch with ATB Financial warned it will be a slow comeback for jobs  with the potential for more layoffs before signs of recovery.

"We think weve seen the worst in the oil price downturn, but we dont think weve seen the worst in the labour market. There is going to be a lag in the labour market improving coming out of this recession, and as a result I think Albertans need to brace themselves for still some tough months ahead in the labour market," he told the crowd, according to iNews880.

Mary Moran, CEO of Calgary Economic Development, told Metro News that many companies are considering relocating to Calgary to take advantage of bargain rates on office space and a large pool of talented employees.

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Its easy for us to feel a sense of optimism  were staying focused on those green shoots of recovery that are starting to emerge, said Moran.

CORRECTION: Formerly this post incorrectly stated Glen Hodgson's name. We have corrected the error.

Also on HuffPost
Felipe VI at an official event in Madrid on Monday. Javier Lizon (EFE)

Spains main political parties are divided over King Felipes upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia. The ruling Popular Party (PP) and the main opposition Socialist Party (PSOE) back the trip, hoping it will facilitate the signing of a 2-billion order for five warships to be built by Spains state-owned Navantia. Emerging center-right grouping Ciudadanos also supports the visit, but has called on King Felipe to raise human rights abuses in the kingdom during his four-day visit that begins on November 12. The left-leaning anti-austerity Podemos has criticized the trip, along with Catalonias two main parties.

We are particularly interested in human rights and the law being respected everywhere in the world, said Rafael Hernando, the governments spokesman in Congress. He added: There are Spanish interests in Saudi Arabia that will affect the jobs of thousands of Spaniards in the shipping industry and infrastructure. A visit to this or that country doesnt mean one approves of its political system, otherwise our foreign policy would be very limited. I am sure that human rights issues will be raised.

We should be ashamed

Irene Montero, Podemos

Spain has long-standing trade ties to Saudi Arabia, thanks in part to the good relationship between former monarch Juan Carlos with the Saudi royal family.

Spains arms trade with Saudi Arabia hit a record 447.6 million during the first quarter of last year, representing 26% of all Spanish arms exports during the same period.

In 2011, Spain won a 6.7-billion contract to build a high-speed rail line between Medina and Mecca. It was scheduled to be inaugurated on January 1, 2017, but faces delays. What was originally meant to be a showcase for Spains mastery of high-speed rail infrastructure has been hit by political intrigue, delays, and technical problems.

As a result of the 10-month political stalemate following two inconclusive elections, King Felipe had to postpone the trip which was expected to take place in February. Other visits to Morocco, Japan and South Korea have been delayed, while dignitaries from Argentina and Israel have placed their visits to Spain on hold.

There are Spanish interests in Saudi Arabia that will affect the jobs of thousands of Spaniards Rafael Hernando, PP

Jose Maria Gonzalez, the Podemos mayor of the southern port city of Cadiz, has said that the southern port city, which has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, would benefit from the Saudi ship-building contract.

But Irene Montero and Inigo Errejon of Podemos have criticized King Felipes visit.

We should be ashamed, said Montero. Gonzalez was not elected to decide Spains foreign policy, said Errejon, adding: We want our shipyards to have work, but we would like to see more awareness about countries that are documented systematic human rights abusers.

It is one thing to carry out diplomacy and another to defend ones position, said Albert Rivera, mentioning US President Barrack Obamas trip to Cuba earlier this year.

This is an important contract and we need to secure it, but that doesnt mean that the King cannot make a gesture, a reminder, and speak about the need to defend human rights, said Juan Carlos Girauta, Ciudadanos spokesman. Other heads of state have done so. It can be uncomfortable, but is important, he added.

The Catalan Republican Left (ERC) and the conservative Catalan Democratic Convergence (CDC) both criticized the trip, describing it as extremely questionable in democratic terms.

English version by Nick Lyne.
Moving to Canada is starting to look like a very real prospect for many Americans, if search trends are any indication.

Real estate portal Point2 Homes saw American searches for Canadian housing spike by 282 per cent leading up to the U.S. election on Tuesday.

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The queries were primarily from millennial women aged 25 to 44.

Many were looking at homes in Ontario, where searches grew by 417 per cent from Nov. 6 through 8.

Toronto and Montreal drew some of the heaviest interest, with searches going up by 200 per cent for both. Vancouver trailed them with a 128 per cent increase.

Point2 Homes also suggested that Cape Breton had succeeded in marketing to Americans fleeing a Trump victory.

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Searches for homes on the island spiked by 300 per cent. Many took an interest in this lake house, which is on the market for $349,000.

Earlier this year, a radio DJ created the website "Cape Breton if Donald Trump Wins," aiming to attract Americans who couldn't stand living under a Trump presidency.

The website was partly credited for a 14 per cent surge in island tourism over the summer.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau commented on the website by simply describing Cape Breton aslovely" island.
UPDATE - Nov. 9, 2016: More than 200,000 users were trying to access the site when the Canadian immigration site crashed on U.S. election night, said a government spokeswoman.

Sonia Lesage told The Huffington Post Canada that American IP addresses accounted for 50 per cent of the traffic, compared to a normal range of 8.8 to 11.6 per cent.

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At the same time, traffic from Canadian IP addresses was at 37 per cent, followed by Australia at three per cent and U.K. at one per cent.

In comparison, the same period last week saw just over 17,000 visitors, she said.

Yup, Citizenship and Immigration Canada crashed pic.twitter.com/85JD6f39TY  Andy  (@CanadianFanboy) November 9, 2016

.

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People in the US are increasingly searching for the word "emigrate" over the last few hours #ElectionNighthttps://t.co/CJCBsKKKNEpic.twitter.com/hEH5lmPko1  The Telegraph (@Telegraph) November 9, 2016

In Canada, immigrants are encouraged to bring their cultural traditions with them and share them with their fellow citizens. pic.twitter.com/MOuStZbSX7  Canada (@Canada) November 9, 2016

- With files from Althia Raj

Also on HuffPost
OTTAWA  Republican businessman and showboat Donald Trump was catapulted to the worlds most powerful office Tuesday while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau watched the results at home surrounded by family and his closest advisors.

What a Trump presidency will mean for Canada-U.S. relations is far from clear, experts say.

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There is no track record of governing that we can look to and his thoughts on foreign policy are at a pretty high level of abstraction at this point, said Roland Paris, Trudeaus former foreign policy advisor and the University of Ottawa research chair in international security and governance.

Obviously, he has articulated a view of international trade that is both skeptical of agreements, if not hostile, and mercantilist as he sees trade agreements as a way to squeeze trade partners to achieve American interests.

Trump seems to have a similar view of security alliances, Paris said, and beyond that it isnt clear what types of policies the new president will pursue.

He has some broad ideas and impulses but there is no indication that those have been put into concrete policy positions, he said.

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Trudeau will have to be cautious

Trudeau will have to be cautious, added Chris Sands, director of the Centre for Canadian Studies at Johns Hopkins University.

As the divisive presidential campaign wore on, the prime minister was careful not to attack the Republican candidate.

Last week, Trudeau again declined to express any personal opinions on which candidate he preferred to see in the White House, noting that he would have to work to defend Canadian interests regardless of who Americans chose.

One of the things that is normal that whenever the presidency of the United States goes from one individual to another, there are going to be changes and theres going to be a need for Canada to reaffirm the issues that are important to Canadians, to our businesses, to travellers, to our place in the world and thats exactly what Im going to do, he told reporters on Thursday.

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At the United Nations in September however, Trudeau gave a speech that many viewed as a challenge to some of Trumps rhetoric on the campaign trail.

Fear has never created a single job or fed a single family, he told the UN General Assembly. People want their problems solved, not exploited.

After an audio recording of Trump talking crassly about how he feels he can kiss or grab women without their consent was leaked, Trudeaus wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau remarked that Canadians dont agree with that type of language of aggression and violence or rape culture.

Donald Trump is a bully

Sands said it was a good thing Trudeau stayed above the fray.

Donald Trump is a bully, he said. This is where Justin Trudeaus father and the shadow of his dad will be [useful]. Pierre Trudeau didnt put up with bullies, he didnt get pushed around no matter how small Canada was compared to the U.S. or the Soviet Union, he went his own way.

Self confidence is what Justin Trudeau is going to need to deal with Trump  Not to seem like a wimp or a weakling who will be pushed around. If he is willing to stand his ground, Trump will respect him.

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The Prime Ministers Office declined to comment on the nail-biting race on Tuesday evening, saying it would wait until the next morning when all the results were tallied.

"If he is willing to stand his ground, Trump will respect him."  Chris Sands

Trudeau and his advisors were silent on social media. But Rob Silver, the husband of the PMs chief of staff Katie Telford, described the election as a misogynistic racist swamp of an evening on Twitter.

A Trump presidency will be very difficult for Canada  as it would be for any neighbour or ally of the United States, said Laura Dawson, the director of the Canada Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington.

Trump himself has just been so fragmented, disjointed, incoherent that it is very difficult to know what his positions would be.

Trying to maintain a predictable, transparent relationship with the U.S. market and maintaining a good relationship with the president will be hard, she said. The Government of Canada will have to adopt a lot of defensive strategies.

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Canada will likely move towards trade diversification and engage more east and west with Europe and Asia, Dawson said.

The comfortable relationship with the United States may come to an end.

When there are presidents in office that Canadians dont like or relate to, there tends to be waves of anti-Americanism in Canada, she added.

Paris also suggested Ottawa actively pursue trade deals with faster growing emerging markets, such as China and India, as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) states and Japan. It would be a prudent plan B now that it faces a president who wants to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and has no interest in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal.

Uncertain future for NAFTA

Trump has said that one of his first acts in office would be to rip up NAFTA.

Ottawa will need to step up its advocacy work with the White House and members of Congress, at the state and local level, Paris also noted.

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We are going to have ramp up those efforts significantly, in order to mobilize allies and interests at all levels of the U.S. political system behind a positive vision of North American cooperation that emphasizes the mutual benefits of building on what we already have and why it is worth fighting for, Paris said.

The federal government will have to explain to American lawmakers how the U.S. relationship with Canada is in their interest, how it has and can continue to build good middle-class jobs in both countries, and how both nations together can outcompete other countries and regions while maintaining continental security and a healthy environment, he said.

Trudeau-Trump relationship

Although the Trudeau-Trump relationship may be harder to build because the two do not see eye-to-eye on a multitude of areas, such as immigration, climate change, trade, and defence alliances, Paris suggested the prime minister could still play an important role in the marketing of Canada to the new administration and Congress.

The prime minister is our greatest asset, he said. [Trudeau] enjoys a platform and visibility in the United States that no Canadian leader in history has enjoyed  including his own father  and we dont know how long that will last, so [he]  needs to be put to good use.

Not only should Trudeau be out meeting with importers and exporters and state legislators but Canada should also review its level of representation in the U.S., Paris said.

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Between 2006 and 2015, the previous Conservative government closed the seven diplomatic missions in the U.S. as a cost-cutting measure.

If Donald Trump was to follow through on what he said he will do, in terms of trade policy, that would set us back quite a bit in terms of the way we do business together, said Maryscott Greenwood, a senior advisor at the Washington-based Canadian American Business Council.

Trump could also spell trouble for border issues, Greenwood added.

When you look at his border policy, hes directing them mostly at the southern border but it implicates the northern border too, so that would be bad.

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Meredith Lilly, an international affairs professor at Carleton University and an ex-trade advisor to former prime minister Stephen Harper, also suggested Canada might find itself swept up in policies that are indiscriminately applied.

Border thickening is going to be a problem, she predicted.

Among America's partners Canada wont be alone in its concern for bilateral and multilateral relationships, security arrangements, and the international trade system, Paris said.

All of these areas rely on ongoing co-operation and a willingness to co-operate that Trump has called into question in a way that no other presidential candidate has done for generations, he said.

While Canada may want to engage the U.S.  possibly by taking a more business-like approach to the relationship, Paris suggested, it could be difficult to get attention from a Trump administration. It may be consumed with calming anxiety from other American partners  such as eastern European NATO members who fear Trump doesnt have their back, he said.

U.S. Ambassador Bruce Heyman speaks at a 2016 election party in Ottawa Posted by The Huffington Post Canada Politics on Tuesday, November 8, 2016

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Speaking late Tuesday night at an Ottawa party filled with journalists, political staffers, some MPs, and members of the diplomatic community, U.S. Ambassador Bruce Heyman tried to calm anxieties.

Regardless of who wins this race, the U.S.-Canada relationship will continue to thrive and be very strong, he said. Canada is an incredibly important relationship for the United States and I know that we will continue to be the best friends, trading partners and allies as we face this new presidency, he said, looking down at his lectern.

With a file from Catherine Levesque

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The North American Free Trade Agreement could be replaced by a Canada-U.S. deal following Donald Trumps election to the presidency, CIBC says.

And while that would put a huge question mark over Mexicos future, it could actually be partly good news for Canada, economists Avery Shenfeld and Royce Mendes wrote in a client note Wednesday morning.

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Canada and the U.S. could revert to a bilateral free trade arrangement that excludes Mexico, they wrote, referring to the U.S.-Canada trade agreement that existed before NAFTA was ratified in 1994.

That might help Canada reap market share stateside, but there are also risks that protectionist sentiments could extend to restrictions on some Canadian shipments to the U.S., given the political tide in that direction.

They noted that Trump is largely concerned about competition from low cost producers like China and Mexico, giving Canada an opening to maintain free trade with the U.S. if Trump goes ahead with his protectionist agenda.

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Indeed, Canada could benefit in certain ways from a possible departure of Mexico from NAFTA. Mexico recently overtook Canada as the largest exporter of cars to the U.S. It has seen much more auto industry investment than Canada in recent years. A deal between Canada and the U.S. alone could help turn that tide.

But Trumps protectionist agenda is by no means a certainty, the CIBC economists noted.

Congress and his advisors could try to water down Trumps protectionist plans, they wrote, though noting that the U.S. constitution gives [Trump] the power to unilaterally undo existing trade agreements."

Overall, while the changes in policy might not be as drastic as the platform he ran on, this was an unexpected outcome and will likely lead to sharp movements in asset prices, they wrote.

Global investors reacted swiftly Tuesday night as the election results poured in. Stocks tanked in overnight trading, though North American markets stabilized by Wednesday morning, and the Canadian dollar shed more than a cent in just four hours overnight. The Mexican peso went into freefall, seeing its largest drop on record.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Trump on his win in a brief statement Wednesday morning.

"We look forward to working very closely with President-elect Trump, his administration, and with the United States Congress in the years ahead, including on issues such as trade, investment, and international peace and security," Trudeau said.

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He tried not to use his name.

For nearly a year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been pushed to say something splashy about the reality TV star who is now poised to become president south of the border.

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(Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. president-elect Donald Trump. (Photo: CP/Getty)

Trudeau was asked about those comments about Muslims. About Mexican immigrants. About women.

Trudeau was careful at every turn, as the party of Abraham Lincoln twisted into something else.

He said he wouldnt interfere in the election of another country. He proclaimed that the relationship between Canada and the United States is bigger than the one between those who hold its highest elected offices.

He promised to work with whoever would occupy the White House next January because, simply, thats what Canadian prime ministers need to do.

When Trudeau went to the United Nations in September and spoke about rejecting the politics of division and fear  of casting aside those who look or speak or pray differently  most thought he was speaking about him.

But he didnt use his name.

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Early Wednesday, Donald J. Trump was elected U.S. president. Commander-in-chief. Leader of the free world.

In the midst of such seismic change, it might be worth reflecting on something else Trudeau said in March at a digital town hall with the Huffington Post Canada.

Just days before he headed to a state dinner where he traded jokes and champagne toasts with President Barack Obama, Trudeau was asked if he felt a duty to speak out about what was happening to Canadas neighbour.

Im not going to pick a fight with Donald Trump, he said, repeatedly refusing to take the bait.

He offered, instead, the questions he might ask if he lived in the United States.

I think if I were American Id be asking questions right now about why is it that so many people are angry at your politics? he said. Why is it that so many people are so disenfranchised with your democracy that they seem to be acting out or lashing out?

He called it an important moment for the U.S.  the greatest democracy in the world  to come to grips with such obvious frustrations.

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Former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, he said, was similarly able to tap into such anxieties, even if many others didnt get it.

Tapping into voters frustration

Trudeau even suggested there were some parallels to the Liberals 2015 victory.

What I was able to do in my election campaign was I think tap into a little bit of a similar sentiment of frustration around the way politics works but I was able to do it in a positive way instead of a negative way, Trudeau said.

I look forward to Americans working through this very real challenge, and whatever the result of your electoral process, I look forward to having a strong, continuing relationship with the United States.

The work will soon begin with President Trump to address the uncertain future of North American free trade, defence alliances, the Paris climate agreement, the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, and much more.

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But it seems the well isnt poisoned.

A Canadian official suggested to the The Canadian Press Tuesday that Trump and those around him admire Trudeaus celebrity status.

They think hes a showman They respect his success.

The official also lauded Trudeau for staying out of it all.

I think he was smart You dont ever know.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I would like to congratulate Donald J. Trump on his election as the next President of the United States. Canada has no closer friend, partner, and ally than the United States. We look forward to working very closely with President-elect Trump, his administration, and with the United States Congress in the years ahead, including on issues such as trade, investment, and international peace and security. The relationship between our two countries serves as a model for the world. Our shared values, deep cultural ties, and strong integrated economies will continue to provide the basis for advancing our strong and prosperous partnership.

With files from The Canadian Press

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A Conservative leadership contender has suggested the same movement that made Donald Trump the next United States president should be replicated in Canada.

Ontario MP Kellie Leitch, best known for her controversial proposal to screen immigrants for so-called anti-Canadian values, sent a fundraising email in the wee hours Wednesday toasting Trumps surprising victory.

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Our American cousins threw out the elites and elected Donald Trump as their next president, the note reads. Its an exciting message and one that we need delivered in Canada as well.

Leitch also said in the note that she is the only candidate in the Tory race standing up for Canadian values, and plans to keep delivering that message to Canadian elites.

I congratulate President-Elect Trump on his victory and I look forward to working with him on issues of common concern.

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Leitch has previously bristled at comparisons to Trump, who has called for extreme vetting of immigrants to the U.S.

"This is a fundamentally a different conversation than what people are trying to depict it as," she said in September. "I understand the compulsion to go there, but that's not what this is about."

'I'm so disappointed in you'

Andrew McGrath, who once served as Leitch's director of communications, later blasted his former boss on social media.

"I'm so disappointed in you," he tweeted. "You were Status of Women Minister - shame on you."

Got this from my old boss. I'm so disappointed in you, @KellieLeitch. You were Status of Women Minister - shame on you. #cpcldr#cdnpolipic.twitter.com/hYYMYgzvH8  Andrew McGrath (@a_mcgrath1) November 9, 2016

NDP MP Alistair MacGregor also rejected the notion that an "exciting message" has been sent.

"A racist, misogynistic, fact-free bully was elected to the presidency of the US," MacGregor wrote.

This was not an exciting message @KellieLeitch; a racist, misogynistic, fact-free bully was elected to the presidency of the US. https://t.co/emOGZXtQm8  Alistair MacGregor (@AMacGregor4CML) November 9, 2016

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'Dog-whistle politics'

Leitchs values proposal has ruffled the feathers of some Tories, including a few seeking to replace Stephen Harper as the partys permanent leader. Ontario MP Michael Chong called the idea an example of dog-whistle politics.

Ontario MP Lisa Raitt also criticized the proposal shortly after jumping into the race, telling CTV News on the weekend that a values test could discourage immigration.

I don't think it helps if you sign up on a questionnaire that says 'do you like freedom or maple syrup', Raitt said.

The remarks led Leitch to blast her colleague in a different fundraising email this week, accusing Raitt of standing with the left-wing media elite.

Conservative leadership candidates will meet in Saskatoon Wednesday for the first leadership debate.

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A former Royal Canadian Mint worker has been found guilty of smuggling thousands of dollars in gold, apparently via his rectum.

Leston Lawrence was convicted Wednesday of stealing $165,000 in gold pucks from the Crown corporation, and laundering $138,000 worth through Ottawa Gold Buyers, according to CBC News.

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Justice Peter Doody said Lawrence clearly had the opportunity to take the gold pucks because he usually worked by himself and could have put them in his pocket without a security camera seeing him.

"His locker contained Vaseline and latex gloves, which could have been used to insert a puck into his rectum," he said.

The Ottawa Citizen reports Lawrence, who was fired from his job at the Mint, set off the facilitys metal detector more than other employees, his trial heard, triggering it nearly 30 times in three months.

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But the only person to flag anything suspicious was a bank teller, who noticed that Lawrence regularly deposited cheques of around $7,000 from the gold buyer, which was in the same mall as the bank, according to the newspaper.

Records from Ottawa Gold Buyers showed Lawrence had sold 18 pucks between Nov. 27, 2014 and March 12, 2015.

The banks security staff was alerted when the teller noticed Lawrence was a Mint employee.

Gold pucks later found in his locker matched ones from the Mint, according to the Toronto Sun.

But investigators said the handheld wand used by Mint security to inspect workers who set off the metal detector might not have picked up on the gold in Lawrence's rectum.

No one at the Royal Canadian Mint building in Ottawa noticed that Leston Lawrence was stealing gold. (Photo: Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

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But to help prove the Crown's theory that Lawrence could have actually smuggled it out that way, a security officer at the Mint tested the idea, according to the Toronto Star.

Lawrence is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 28, according to the New York Daily News.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has broken his relative silence on Donald Trump.

Trudeau issued a short statement Wednesday morning to congratulate Trump on winning the U.S. presidential election.

The PM said Canada has "no closer friend, ally, and partner than the United States."

"We look forward to working very closely with President-elect Trump, his administration, and with the United States Congress in the years ahead, including on issues such as trade, investment, and international peace and security."

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He said the Canada-U.S. relationship "serves as a model for the world."

Trudeau has thus far avoided saying anything too splashy about the U.S. presidential election, including being careful about using Trump's name.

'Come together'

Later in the day, he addressed a crowd of young people at a WE Day rally at Ottawa's Canadian Tire Centre.

Trudeau said it is time for Canada to work with the U.S., and urged Americans to "come together."

"We share a purpose, our two countries, where we want to build places where the middle class and those working hard to join it have a chance," he said.

NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said Wednesday morning he hopes the prime minister will stand up for Canadian values.

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"I think when you see the type of racist, sexist comments that were made by Mr. Trump during the campaign those are things we don't want here in Canada," he said.
Federal Conservatives are pushing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take immediate action now that the United States has elected a president in favour of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Its a sentiment echoed by former prime minister Stephen Harper, whose relationship with Barack Obama became strained over the White Houses refusal to sign off on a 1,900-kilometre pipeline to carry Alberta crude to the U.S. Gulf Coast.

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Interim Tory Leader Rona Ambrose, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Photo: CP)

Interim Tory Leader Rona Ambrose made specific mention of Keystone in her statement Wednesday reacting to the stunning victory of Republican Donald Trump. Ambrose noted that Trudeau also backs the TransCanada project.

President-elect Trump has made it clear that he supports the Keystone XL pipeline, as has Prime Minister Trudeau, she said. The Conservative Party of Canada calls upon the Prime Minister to reach out to President-elect Trump at the earliest opportunity and make approval of this job-creating project a top priority.

Ambrose also took to Twitter Wednesday to hammer home the point, suggesting Trudeau can expect to be pressured on this matter in the weeks leading to Trumps January inauguration.

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President-elect Trump has made it clear that he supports the Keystone XL pipeline, as has Prime Minister Trudeau. @CPC_HQ calls upon...[1/2]  Rona Ambrose (@RonaAmbrose) November 9, 2016

Justin Trudeau to reach out to Donald Trump at the earliest opportunity & make approval of this job-creating project a top priority. [2/2]  Rona Ambrose (@RonaAmbrose) November 9, 2016

Harper also took to Twitter to congratulate Trump on his impressive victory and put in a plug for the pipeline he once called a complete no-brainer for America.

There is much to do, (including) moving ahead with KXL, Harper tweeted.

Congratulations to Donald Trump on his impressive victory. Canada/US partnership is strong. There is much to do, incl moving ahead with KXL.  Stephen Harper (@stephenharper) November 9, 2016

Trudeaus statement on Trumps win made no mention of Keystone. Instead, the prime minister said he looked forward to working closely with Trump on issues such as trade, investment, and international peace and security.

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Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton opposed the Keystone project and once called Canadian oil the continents dirtiest fuel. Her victory would likely have signified the death blow to the controversial project.

Trump called climate change a hoax

Tories also pushed Trudeau to advocate for Keystone during his historic U.S. state visit in March and mocked the fact that Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr was not among the cabinet ministers invited to the event.

"How important is energy to this government when the energy minister isn't even invited to go to Washington?" Ambrose asked in the House of Commons. I even got invited to go to Washington.

Trudeau has long argued that taking more aggressive steps to cut greenhouse gas emissions, in part by phasing in a national floor price on carbon pollution, will help foster support for Keystone. The economy and the environment go hand-in-hand, he often says.

That might not matter as much now that Trump is headed to Washington. The Republican has already pledged to remove the U.S. from the Paris climate change deal and scrap environmental programs.

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In 2012, Trump called global warming a hoax invented by the Chinese.

With files from The Canadian Press

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Pope Francis during a visit to Mexico in February.

More information El Vaticano desautoriza la movilizacion antigay de los obispos mexicanos

Pope Francis has ordered a cessation of hostilities in Mexico. In a show of force, the Vaticans representative in the country has publicly rejected support for rallies protesting against same-sex marriage planned by conservative sectors of the Catholic Church.

Rather than squaring off , issuing manifestos or organizing marches, Mexicans should sit down at the table and talk, said Monsignor Franco Coppola, the papal nuncio in Mexico.

No less significant was the fact that he was speaking inside the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the countrys foremost Catholic shrine.

Hurling insults and prejudice is useless; we have to understand one another

Papal nuncio Franco Coppola

This call to order was clearly directed at local bishops, headed up by the powerful Cardinal Norberto Rivera, who have embarked on a virulent crusade against the decision by President Enrique Pena Nieto to enshrine same-sex marriage in the Mexican Constitution.

In their fight, the bishops have called on Mexicos far-right to support their attack by criticizing the PRI leaders mandate.

Under banners bearing homophobic slogans, tens of thousands of Mexican Catholics have taken to the streets in towns and cities across the country in a bid to impose their agenda on a nation where secularism is a pillar of the Constitution.

The assault reached its apex a month ago through Cardinal Riveras official outlet, the weekly Desde la fe (or From Faith).

The nuncio to Mexico Franco Coppola with Pope Francis.

In an incendiary article, homosexuals were blamed for all kinds of horrors, from the rise in sexually transmitted diseases to emotional instability in minors, lower grades in school and even higher rates of sexual assault.

A child is more likely to suffer sexual abuse from a homosexual father, claimed the article.

Finally, the Vatican has decided that things have gone too far. The papal nuncio, who had just arrived in Mexico, stepped in.

In late October, Coppola went to the National Palace to present his credentials to the president, declaring that all people who are part of our sexual diversity should enjoy the same rights as other Mexicans.

My suggestion, simply by looking at the Pope, is that people may talk about this subject if they have direct experience dealing with this type of person, he said, adding as a warning that he himself did not mean to become a mere observer in Mexican affairs.

A child is more likely to suffer sexual abuse from a homosexual father

Cardinal Norberto Rivera

A week later, Cardinal Rivera excused himself for using offensive terms to describe men and women who are attracted to the same gender. The statement was viewed as forced upon the 74-year-old cardinal by the Vatican.

Then, this past Monday, Coppola spoke inside the much-revered basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexicos patron saint. While exact figures are hard to measure, the church is ranked as the most visited Catholic pilgrimage site in the world.

In the presence of Francisco Robles, president of the Mexican Episcopal Conference and one of the few dissenting archbishops in the country, the Vatican representative undermined the anti-gay offensive.

I dont think it is good for the country to confront itself over the issue of same-sex marriage or to go into battle and count how many are in favor and how many are against, he said. That is something that touches upon the Constitution, and when we talk about the Constitution, that is something that all Mexicans must share, or at least the vast majority.

Hurling insults and prejudice is useless; we have to understand one another, he concluded, adding that he stands ready to receive representatives of the homosexual community, though not as a mediator.

Coppolas words are a severe blow to the movement led by Rivera, and shows the way forward for the Mexican Catholic Church. The path was already set out in February by Pope Francis himself, who addressed the countrys bishops inside the cathedral in Mexico City and reproached their close dealing with the pharaohs, urging them to drop their palace intrigues and to go out on the street to help the needy and the oppressed instead.

English version by Susana Urra.
America is due for a long, uncomfortable look in the mirror come Wednesday morning.

A close race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump for the presidency got many election watchers anxious as vote numbers trickled in Tuesday  for some, not in the way they expected.

Viewers were flummoxed over the possibility a sexist and racist businessman-turned-reality star could beat a trained lawyer with over 30 years of public service experience.

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And one election watcher offered a depressing takeaway of the night.

i'm not shocked by any of this. people hate women far more than they hate racists.  angry black girl (@queenjsampson) November 9, 2016

There are many accounts of Trump having said racist comments on the record.

In May, the Republican nominee called a federal judge overseeing a class-action lawsuit against Trump University biased because of his background.

Hes a Mexican, he said at the time. Trump has campaigned on the promise of building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border as a hardline approach to stem illegal immigration.

U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan called the remark a textbook definition of a racist comment.

Nightmare unfolding

News of a Trump lead even had adverse effects on the markets. The peso, Down Jones and the S&P 500 each took hard plunges before midnight.

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In New York City, actor Melanie Griffith called the nights turn of events a nightmare.

She said she was upset over the possible reality Americans may elect Trump to the White House.

People are missing the big picture, Griffith said.

With files from Emily Peck

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CasPhotography via Getty Images Terrorist written newspaper, shallow dof, real newspaper.

On October 30th, the National Post published a story about a terrorism report from the Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security and Society (TSAS) commissioned by the federal government.

The story was a classic example of misleading coverage about the threat of terrorism in Canada.

The article starts off by noting that "[r]eligious extremism has become the top motive for Canadian terrorism, replacing environmentalism, according to an academic study prepared for Public Safety Canada." It goes on to cite the TSAS report out of context, asserting "[b]etween 2010 and 2015, 29 per cent of terrorist incidents were religiously motivated ... " and "[a]ll 'religious'" terrorism dating back to 2001 was "motivated by jihadist beliefs."

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This story would lead readers to the inference that "jihadist" terrorism is the greatest terrorist-related threat facing Canadians today. I would note that neither the story nor the report define "jihadist" and that the term jihad and its anglicized adjective "jihadist" are not used in this context by the vast majority of Muslims, but that is another discussion.

The story goes on to note that the TSAS report "ranked supremacism as Canada's greatest extremist threat." This apparent contradiction is not explained or expanded on in the story. Instead it focuses on the "jihadist" threat at home and abroad.

What's true is violent extremism is a greater threat than terrorism in Canada today.

It is important to note that the TSAS report makes a distinction between terrorism and violent extremism. Violent extremism captures crimes motivated by extremist beliefs but that fall short of terrorism definitions.

For the first time between 2001 and 2015, violent extremism incidents surpassed terrorism incidents in Canada. In fact, violent extremist during this time period accounted for almost three times as many deaths, and lead to a higher rate of actual incidents as opposed to just threats or hoaxes, which are more likely with terrorism.

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This is where the story is misleading. It states that "religious extremism" is the top motive for Canadian terrorism and then links it to "jihadist beliefs."

The story fails to accurately define and separate terms and apply them in a manner consistent with the facts and the findings of the TSAS report.

What's true is violent extremism is a greater threat than terrorism in Canada today. Furthermore, it is supremacist-motivated attacks that make up the majority of violent extremist incidents as the TSAS report articulates. Not surprisingly, supremacist-motivated attacks are hardly ever the focus of media stories.

Presumably a story about the "jihadist" threat sells more newspapers and potentially confirms flawed reader bias.

The TSAS report also asserts that on top of supremacist incidents being the greatest extremist threat in Canada, most incidents appear to be isolated and spontaneous assaults targeting ethnic and religious minorities. For example, the report notes that following the Paris attacks last year, four separate extremist incidents targeting Muslims occurred in Canada.

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This confirms what the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) has noted on several occasions. After an international geopolitical incident purportedly linked to Muslims occurs, Muslims in Canada tend to be targeted. This is documented in an online hate incidents map maintained by NCCM.

Not only do Muslims face the general threat of terrorism faced by all Canadians, they are more at risk of facing violent extremism backlash. Part of which is fueled by peddling false narratives and fear mongering about "jihadist" threats.

On a more positive note, since the 1960s there are fewer incidents, fatalities and sustained terrorist campaigns than today. This is important to note because the media coverage around terrorism and the alleged "jihadist" threat is not proportional to the actual issue given historical context.

In the recent federal election, Canadians had the option of voting for a political platform campaigning on fear mongering about the "international jihadist threat." The issue of terrorism, while it exists, is not articulated with the appropriate proportionality to the threat actually faced by Canadians. Instead, it is relegated to dog-whistle politics about "jihadists"lurking on Canadian soil instead of the threat faced by Canadians and specifically faced by minorities targeted by supremacists.

This has to stop. The TSAS report recognizes that headlines are dominated by high-profile events, but goes on to aptly state that an understanding of terrorism requires context, going beyond isolated incidents and examining trends over time.

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Canadians deserve better. The least media outlets can do is be accurate about the context, instead of serving as an echo chamber for fear and Islamophobic interpretations.

Abbas Kassam is a lawyer and a board member with the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM). Follow him on Twitter @AKassam12

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Chris Wattie / Reuters Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada October 31, 2016. REUTERS/Chris Wattie

When Justin Trudeau said that "Canada has no closer friend, partner, and ally than the United States," in his statement responding to the election of Donald Trump as the 45th President, he was right. But while Trudeau extolled how this should mean collaboration with Trump, being the kind of climate leader the world needs is going to mean Trudeau standing up to Trump, not sitting down with him.

While Donald Trump has been thin on actual policies, he said a couple things on climate change; most notably that he wants to resurrect the Keystone XL pipeline and pull the United States out of Paris Climate Agreement. But that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg because, well, Donald Trump doesn't believe in climate change.

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Donald Trump in the White House has the potential to be a disaster for the climate, but one way to prevent that is for other countries to step up and be bold.

In fact, he already named a noted climate denier to lead his transition team for the Environmental Protection Agency. Take a moment and let it sink in that the leader of one of the most polluting nations on the planet doesn't believe in climate change. Now remember that for Canada, that same nation that buys most of the fossil fuels we're pulling out of the ground.

In 2015, the United States imported over 3 million barrels of oil from Canada each day. Given his position that climate change is a Chinese hoax, Trump probably wants to see number grow, maybe even skyrocket. To do that, he wants pipelines like Kinder Morgan and Keystone XL that would deliver tar sands from Canada to refineries across the United States. But we already know that we can't expand the tar sands and meet the Paris climate targets. In fact, according to a report from Oil Change International, we can't build any new fossil fuel infrastructure if we're going to meet those targets and, you know, avoid catastrophic climate change.

Donald Trump in the White House has the potential to be a disaster for the climate, but one way to prevent that is for other countries to step up and be bold. For Justin Trudeau, that is going to mean rejecting pipelines. If he doesn't, and instead approves projects like Kinder Morgan, Trudeau is going to be complicit in the next four years of havoc that Trump plans to wreck on climate progress. Put another way, he'll be building the fuses for Trump's climate action demolition plan, and put Canada on-side with someone who hopes to deep-six the Paris Climate Agreement.

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This might seem hyperbolic, but it was Trudeau that said "the relationship between our two countries serves as a model for the world." The prime minister's choice now is if that model is one of acquiescence to a climate denier and his fossil fuel billionaire friends, or if it is one of standing up for science, for people and for the planet.

Justin Trudeau is seen by a lot of the world as a sort of "Anti-Trump" and in the coming weeks, months and years, he is going to have to earn that title. Part of that is going to be choosing between sitting down with a climate denying racist, or standing up to him.

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Boston Globe via Getty Images NEW YORK CITY - NOVEMBER 9: Donald Trump speaks to supporters as he celebrates his Presidential win at his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City on Nov. 9, 2016. Republican Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton to be elected the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Today is a difficult defeat for many people. A man -- Donald Trump -- who is characterized by racism, xenophobia and sexism, has been chosen by the American people to be their President. He has been favoured over a highly experienced and competent female opponent, Hillary Clinton. Trump's candidacy was marked by erratic and destructive opinions, and many fear that his actions in the Oval Office will follow suit.

The election of Donald Trump as President of the United States of America demands that we take a hard look at our judgments about women in power.

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Gender equality continues to elude us, and it won't be realized without a fight. Never before have we needed to fight harder.

In over 240 years of presidential elections in the U.S., only men have been deemed fit to lead the country. Yet globally, 2016 has been a year of unprecedented female leadership, with 18 nations currently being led by women. Over the past 50 years, 59 women have led countries.

This doesn't include the countless girls and women from the grassroots level to CEO corner offices that are fighting for equal rights and equal pay, and to have their voices heard. Not to mention the girls here in Canada that recently challenged our own leaders to let them sit in their seat for a day, shining a light on the inherent power and potential of girls.

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Plan International Canada's Youth Ambassadors taking the lead on Parliament Hill for International Day of the Girl. (Photo: Plan International Canada)

Gender equality continues to elude us, and it won't be realized without a fight. Never before have we needed to fight harder.

Hillary Clinton faced disproportionate barriers to achieving the presidency because of her gender. Like women everywhere who overstep the age-old boundaries that have been established by society, she faced stigma and double standards throughout her entire time in the public eye.

She has faced controversy over her last name and over the sound of her voice. She even came under fire over home-baked cookies in 1992 when she said, "I suppose I could have stayed at home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was fulfill my profession, which I entered before my husband was in public life".

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Hillary Clinton addresses a crowd at her final campaign stop. (Photo: LOGAN CYRUS/AFP/Getty Images)

Clinton has been called shrill and cold, where a man might be called firm and resolute. Her election journey was paved with sexism and impossibly high standards, and she had to prove her worth repeatedly despite Donald Trump's evident lack of competence and experience in politics. Never before has there been such a clear example of an underqualified man getting the job over a highly competent woman.

Women with far less privilege than Clinton face the same, and worse. They grapple daily with receiving less money for the same job as men. They face less leadership opportunities on executive teams, on boards and in industries like information and technology. Canadians still feel that men have it easier in politics than women, and our female politicians still describe a sexist political system in Canada.

In many contexts around the world, girls and women are often the last to eat, receive health care or access a basic education. Too often they are denied their basic human rights -- simply because they are women in a world that favours masculinity.

Never before has there been such a clear example of an underqualified man getting the job over a highly competent woman.

Clinton's loss needs to fuel our continued fight for gender equality. Part of this is working with those people who feel threatened by women in power. We need to work with them and bring them along the journey to gender equality.

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Girls raise their voices during a rally against rape culture in Brazil. (Photo: Plan International / Mauricio Neto)

How do we do this, practically speaking, when we feel outrage and disappointment? It starts by listening to people of varying perspectives, and working constructively with them to change mindsets. We also need to intentionally create space for girls as well as boys to see positive diverse role models, to try activities outside of traditional gender norms, and to voice their opinions. A common thread that ties all women leaders is that their families bravely resisted gender norms and empowered them to be vocal.

Defeat is not an option. Change is possible, and it is happening, regardless of any single election. It was less than 100 years ago that women were even legally allowed to vote, though despicably in Canada women of colour could not vote until the late 1940s, and Aboriginal women could not vote until 1960. So much has changed in the decades since then, and it only changed because people fought for what they know is right.

We now need to fight even harder. The Donald Trump presidency adds fuel to the fire that burns more brightly every day. More than ever, the world needs us all to stand up for what we believe in. The world needs us to fight tirelessly for gender equality, until that day when women and men enjoy equal power everywhere -- including in the White House.

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riccardo67 via Getty Images Dog peeing, isolated on white background

If you're a snowbird heading south for the winter, you might be packing a pooch along for the ride as well. Until recently, jet-set pets looking for pre-flight places to do their business had few options once past the security checkpoint.

A federal regulation on United States now requires airports that serve more than 10,000 passengers a year to have in-terminal pet relief areas for service animals accompanying travellers, and most are open to any other four-legged passengers or service workers. The same doesn't hold true yet in Canada. So far only Vancouver International Airport provides an indoor loo for pets, though the rest of the country can't be far behind.

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While many pet relief areas are merely small patches of fake grass in hidden corners of terminals, others are pet parks with real grass, faux fire hydrants and space to run and play. Cheapflights.ca checked in at top airports across North America to get the scoop on post-security pet relief stations so you can find the best rest stops for your furry friends.

Vancouver International Airport, Vancouver, BC

Vancouver International Airport's Pet Relief Area near Gate 76 in the United States Departures area offers pooches a place to go potty on artificial grass in a large enclosed area. This is the only Canadian airport that offers an in-terminal pet relief area that doesn't require re-entry through airport security. The pet relief area is a new addition - it opened in June of this year - but airport officials hope other airports might follow their lead.

Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida, United States

Miami International Airport recently opened an indoor, post-security pet restroom called SARA (Service Animal Relief Area) in Concourse D near Gate 34 and has three more scheduled to open later this month in Concourse F, Concourse G and Concourse J. SARA includes a patch of Astroturf, two sprinkler heads to clear waste and cleaning supplies for pet owners. The airport also has three outdoor pet relief areas. Miami is the first international airport in South Florida to add indoor pet relief areas (Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport plans to add indoor pet relief areas in Concourse A and Concourse B in Terminal 1 in June 2017, as well as one in Concourse D in Terminal 2 and one in Concourse G in Terminal 4 in 2018, according to the "Sun-Sentinel").

Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

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Petports offer pooches a place to go when nature calls. (Image: Frank Hebbert, petport via Flickr CC BY 2.0)

Boston's Logan International Airport offers four-legged travellers four Petports - small, no-frills grassy relief areas - in Terminal A, Terminal B, Terminal C and Terminal E. Their location within the terminals means two-legged travellers don't have to leave the terminal and go through security a second time.

John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, New York, United States

There are several purr-fect places for pets to relax and relieve themselves at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. JetBlue's rooftop lounge adjacent to Terminal 5 offers respite for both humans and pets. The 4,046-square-foot rooftop includes landscaped green spaces, seating for 50 people, a children's play area, food kiosks and a dog walk area. The space is open to all airline passengers and pets. In Terminal 4, there is a 70-square-foot pet relief room that includes artificial green grass, a fire hydrant, a hose for cleaning and plastic doggie bags. The airport is also set to open ARK -- a $32 million facility equipped with a veterinary hospital and 24-hour Paradise 4 Paws resort that offers a bone-shaped dog pool, pet suites with flat screen TVs and pet massage therapy among other services -- later this year.

Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California, United States

Los Angeles International Airport leads all U.S. airports with the most pet relief areas of any U.S. airport. The airport boasts three mini Pet Parks and seven pet relief stations. The Pet Parks are located on the Lower/Arrivals Level of the Central Terminal (between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2), on the southeast end of the Central Terminal Area (near Terminal 7 and Terminal 8) and beyond security at the Tom Bradley International Terminal. Each park has a small doghouse, trash can and plastic bags for waste. Note: pets cannot be unleashed at the Terminal 7-8 location.

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San Diego International Airport, San Diego, California, United States

Not only does San Diego International Airport offer the Ready, Pet, Go. program, a travel ambassador program with 13 dogs, including a Shih Tzu and Goldendoodle, that provide pet therapy to passengers, the airport also opened the nation's first dog bathroom back in 2013. Located between Gate 46 and Gate 47 in Terminal 2 West, the 75-square-foot pet relief area includes faux grass, a hydrant, two deodorizers, free waste bags and a hand-washing sink.

To learn about pet relief stations at other airports across the U.S. go here.
It's done. After a year and a half of egregious behaviour, of lies, accusations, finger-pointing, insinuations, insults, hacks, leaks, yelling, swearing, pushing, shoving, bullying, threatening, sniffing, snorting and coughing Americans have elected a new president.

I'd like to be relieved that it's over. But, sorry to say, I'm not. I'm not relieved, I'm not celebrating, I'm not optimistic. On the contrary, I'm deflated. Disillusioned. Sad. Weary. And wary. Yes, wary. I am wary because president-elect Donald Trump is an unstable, ruthless and inexperienced man. A man who is used to lying and cheating to get his way.

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Despite all the warnings, despite all the evidence, Americans elected a snake charmer, a man who's made a career out of taking advantage of people and then discarding them like a used tissue, who's made a career out of protecting no one's interests but his own.

Everything that has always made America a beacon of hope and a country to look up to is in real peril.

America has elected a president who, as his campaign promise, thumbed his nose at "liberty and justice for all." And now everything that has always set America apart, everything that has always made America a beacon of hope and a country to look up to, is in real peril.

President Trump will be supported, aided and abetted by a Congress that has demonstrated -- not just over the last eight years, but also over the course of this campaign -- that they're capable of stooping pretty low themselves. Capable of doing whatever it takes to get their way, even if it means forsaking the very principles upon which America was founded. The very principles that made America great in the first place.

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In America...

Congress and the voters should have been concerned that the DNC and Clinton campaign staff emails were hacked. Put politics aside -- this is a matter of national cyber security. But they wanted to win the election so badly they didn't even flinch -- other than, I'm assuming, to clap their hands with glee over the "gift" they received.

In America...

Congress and the voters should have been concerned that James Comey went rogue, over-stepped his boundaries and breached long-established protocols 11 days before the election, only to back-track and clear Secretary Hillary Clinton just two days before the election when the investigation yielded nothing. The man broke Justice Department rules and, ultimately, that affects everyone's rights. But they wanted to win the election so badly they ignored the rules and lauded his actions instead.

In America...

Congress and the voters should have been concerned that it not only appears as if Donald Trump paid no federal income tax for years, but that he's proud of it. Do you know that ordinary citizens in the U.S. who don't pay their taxes can, and do, end up in jail? But they wanted to win the election so badly they turned the other cheek, instead of ordering him to release his tax returns.

In America...

Congress and the voters should have been concerned about the alleged ties between Russia -- a long-time enemy of the U.S. -- and the Trump organization. But they wanted to win the election so badly they declined to investigate, concentrating all their efforts on his opponent instead, even though they've yet to turn up any evidence of wrong doing.

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In America...

Congress and the voters should have been concerned about Paul Ryan, Trey Gowdy and Representative Jason Chaffetz vowing to spend years (and millions of taxpayer dollars) continuing to investigate Hillary Clinton. Or John McCain insisting that Republicans would categorically refuse to approve any Supreme Court candidate nominated by Hillary Clinton.

In America...

Congress and the voters should have been concerned about the widespread effort throughout the country to close polling stations, making it impossible for many (mostly minorities) to vote.

The America I grew up admiring has been tarnished in a way I would never have thought possible. America, Washington, the political process, even democracy itself -- it's all been sullied.

Where, in God's name, do we go from here?

If you enjoyed this story click on "become a fan" at the top of the article, right next to my name. You'll be notified every time I post.

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PATRICK HERTZOG via Getty Images TOPSHOT - Ensaf Haidar holds a picture of her husband Raif Badawi after accepting the European Parliament's Sakharov human rights prize on behalf of her husband, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, on December 16, 2015. Raif Badawi is a Saudi Arabian blogger and author of a website, detained since 2012 on the charge of breaking Saudi technology laws and insulting religious figures. / AFP / PATRICK HERTZOG (Photo credit should read PATRICK HERTZOG/AFP/Getty Images)

Last month, The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child called on Saudi Arabia to end its violations of children's human rights including "severe" discrimination against girls, executions by stoning, and torture through lashings and amputations.

The head of the Saudi Arabian delegation to the UN Committee -- and Chairman of the Saudi Human Rights Commission -- Bandar Bin Mohammed Al-Aiban defended such violations, on the grounds that "Islamic sharia (law) was above all laws and treaties, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child."

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Indeed, rather than being held accountable for such heinous violations, Saudi Arabia was rewarded last week with a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, whose mandate is the promotion and protection of human rights, underpinning the culture of impunity that reigns in these matters.

As it happens, this same head of the Saudi Human Rights Commission was a "special guest" at a Canadian government roundtable on human rights this past week.

Like many Canadians, my first thoughts on hearing these developments were of imprisoned Saudi Blogger Raif Badawi. Simply put, Mr. Badawi has been languishing in a Saudi prison since his first arrest in 2012, and his subsequent sentencing in 2014 to 10 years imprisonment and 1000 lashes, itself constitutive of torture and a standing violation of international human rights law. Raif Badawi's "crime"? Establishing an online forum and exercising his right to freedom of expression.

What is particularly ominous, is learning on Tuesday that there has been another flogging in a prison adjacent to that of Mr. Badawi's, and also receiving information from a reliable source that Mr. Badawi's lashings are soon to resume. Clearly, Saudi Arabia would not have engaged in such flagrant violations of human rights on the eve of its election to the UN Human Rights Council last week. But this information conveyed to us by the Raif Badawi Foundation is now particularly threatening in the aftermath of its election, and where Saudi Arabia need not be concerned about its candidacy.

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Mr. Badawi's imprisonment and torture constitute a standing violation of Saudi Arabia's own domestic law and Sharia law, and Saudi Arabia's violations of their international legal obligations. Raif Badawi's flogging is an especially egregious breach of the UN treaty prohibition on torture which Saudi Arabia ratified in 1997, and of its undertakings as a member of the UN Human Rights Council to promote and protect human rights.

When Minister Dion last raised Mr. Badawi's case with Saudi officials, they emphasized his lack of Canadian citizenship as precluding Canada from intervening on his behalf. As someone who has represented political prisoners for some 40 years in such diverse jurisdictions as the Former Soviet Union (Andrei Sakharov), Egypt (Saad Eddin Ibrahim), and South Africa (Nelson Mandela) -- and now represents Raif Badawi -- this is the first time any country has questioned my right -- and that of Canada -- to make representations on behalf of a political prisoner because that political prisoner was not a citizen of Canada.

The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that Mr. Badawi's imprisonment was illegal and called for his release.

Indeed, the Saudi position is wrong both as a matter of fact and law in 10 different respects:

1.The imprisonment of Mr. Badawi results from the criminalization of his fundamental freedoms of religion and expression -- such criminalization itself being a violation of Saudi domestic law, the Arab Charter which Saudi Arabia has ratified, and international treaties to which Canada is a state party, and where obligations are owing by Saudi Arabia both to Canada and the international community in this regard.

2.Mr. Badawi is a victim of torture -- a violation of the international treaty's prohibition against torture, and once again a violation of Saudi Arabia's obligations to Canada as a state party.

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3.Mr. Badawi's family -- his wife and three children -- have been given refugee status and are living in Quebec -- providing a clear and demonstrable Canadian nexus and principles relating to family reunification and the like.

4.The Quebec National Assembly last month unanimously called on the Canadian Government to seek Mr. Badawi's release, and itself granted a special "certificate of humanitarian selection" to facilitate his immigration to Canada, of particular relevance given the joint Federal-Quebec responsibility for immigration.

5.The House of Commons unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the Government of Canada to seek and secure Mr. Badawi's release and enable him to be reunited with his family in Canada, as did the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Human Rights.

6.The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that Mr. Badawi's imprisonment was illegal and called for his release.

7.Mr. Badawi's torture and imprisonment is a violation of Saudi Arabia's responsibilities as a member of the UN Human Rights Council and its obligations to promote and protect human rights.

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8.A series of UN Special Rapporteurs -- including the UN Rapporteurs on Torture, and on Freedom of Expression -- and with which Canada is engaged -- have called for Mr. Badawi to be released.

9.Mr. Badawi was denied the right to a fair trial in that he was convicted by a court that lacked jurisdiction, and was deprived of his right to legal counsel of his choosing. In fact, Mr. Badawi's chosen attorney, the human rights defender Waleed Abu al-Khair, was himself sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in 2014; and the "review" by the Supreme Court was conducted without Mr. Badawi's legal representative being permitted to make submissions, itself contrary to Saudi domestic law.

10.The judgment against Mr. Badawi was thus rendered contrary to Islamic law, Saudi procedural rules and the national and international standards on the right to a fair trial.

Canada not only has standing to seek Mr. Badawi's release, but Raif Badawi's release would itself be probative of Saudi Arabia's compliance with its own domestic law, Sharia law, its international obligations, and its undertakings to Canada.

Irwin Cotler is international legal Counsel to imprisoned Saudi Blogger Raif Badawi and former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. He recently founded the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights.

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In Hillary Clinton's final speech of this slow-motion car crash of a campaign, she declared that "love trumps hate."

Turns out she was wrong.

There were no Jaws of Life to pry Clinton from the fiery wreckage of the nation's drunken drive towards fascism. America did not choose the eminently qualified incrementalist who understands equality but not email.

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Instead, hate trumped love and so they picked Donald Trump, a vengeful demagogue running on a fear-fueled platform of racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and Islamophobia alongside a running-mate known primarily for his anti-LGBTQ radicalism.

This tragic car crash is not the metaphor that the Republicans' patron saint Ronald Reagan famously used to describe America and justify its role as a global superpower.

In 1974, when the Cold War carved the planet into ideologically opposed factions, Ronald Reagan famously said, "America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere."

"Needless to say, this was not the vision for America that Donald J. Trump campaigned on -- and won with. That is, unless you dig deeper."

He elaborated in his 1989 presidential farewell address, describing the shining metropolis as "teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here."

"And she's still a beacon," Reagan added, "still a magnet for all who must have freedom, for all the pilgrims from all the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness, toward home."

Needless to say, this was not the vision for America that Donald J. Trump campaigned on -- and won with.

That is, unless you dig deeper. The shining city actually originated in a 1630 sermon by John Winthrop, governor of the Massachusetts Bay colony. Turns out he was something of a proto-Trumpist.

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"There has been darkness at the heart of America since day one, but in recent times it had been seemingly reduced to subtext, somewhat de-powered by the lack of overt support from the top political ranks."

Winthrop, who declared that democracy was "the meanest and worst of all forms of government," kept American Indian slaves and helped write the first law in North America legalizing African slavery.

Then there was the trial he presided over of "American Jezebel" Anne Hutchinson, an influential midwife and proto-feminist who the New York Times says he banished for challenging male authority "heresy, political anarchy and witchcraft."

U.S. Election 2016 See Gallery

There has been darkness at the heart of America since day one, but in recent times it had been seemingly reduced to subtext, somewhat de-powered by the lack of overt support from the top political ranks.

Then in 2008 it looked like the U.S. was finally living up to its shining city promise, and the world rejoiced as America elected its first black president on a wave of hope and change.

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That year's campaign certainly got ugly, though it now seems quaint in hindsight. Sarah Palin blew her share of dog whistles, but when a racist Republican attacked Obama during a town hall, then-presidential candidate John McCain responded that "He's a decent family man [and] citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues."

During that same town hall, Senator McCain said Obama was "a person you don't have to be scared of as president of the United States" and "I admire Senator Obama and his accomplishments, and I will respect him."

Each time, the crowd booed and called Obama "liar" and "terrorist." Those people, stirred up by Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and Fox News, did not go away.

They became the Tea Party, and more recently the alt-right, a decentralized collection of white supremacists, Islamophobes, misogynists, anti-LGBTQ bigots and message board trolls. Now also inspired by Breitbart.com, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and the rest of the alt-right echo chamber they believe immigrants, Muslims, gays, Jews, black and the amorphous "threat" of political correctness are siphoning power from straight white males.

Fast-forward to 2016 and McCain himself said Obama was "directly responsible" for the Orlando terror attack and said he would never even hold a hearing on a Supreme Court justice nominated by Hillary Clinton.

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McCain's always represented the reasonable wing of the Republican Party and, relatively speaking, perhaps he still does because the party and their supporters have moved that far from sanity and civility.

What happened in between was that the Tea Party protesters -- white voters beset by the Great Recession and fear of a black president -- took over the Republican Party while an orange reality show star and self-styled billionaire began his ugly rise to political prominence with racist birther claims about Obama's birthplace.

But the fix was already in. The 2010 midterm landslides allowed Republican governors to gerrymander the House of Representatives to the extent that In 2012 they got 33 more seats despite 1.4 million less votes.

These safe seats allowed the Tea Party Republicans to hold the Obama administration hostage and use primaries to boot moderates and scare the rest to the far right. That was the price for the party legitimizing their anger.

Donald Trump raised those stakes even further as his election campaign legitimized their hate because now it was coming from the top of the ticket.

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Trump began by calling Mexicans rapists, and ended with an anti-Semitic ad and an Islamaphobic attack on Somali refugees in Minnesota.

The months in between were filled with misogyny, racism and xenophobia, including that shocking promise to ban 1.6 billion Muslims from entering a country literally founded on religious freedom.

But perhaps the scariest part of this was that Trump installed alt-right provocateur and Breitbart News CEO Steven Bannon at the top of his campaign, giving the presidential candidate an unprecedented propaganda wing and giving Bannon, a white nationalist, access to the White House.

Over the length of the campaign, Trump incited his angry white followers and they responded on cue, beating up protesters, shouting Nazi slogan "lugenpresse" at members of the media and turning politics into a grotesque reality show.

No wonder he was endorsed by the KKK.

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The Republican convention was practically a witch trial of Hillary Clinton, with its incessant "lock her up" chants over the email non-scandal -- and if you think that's going a bit far, well, a poll found that 84 per cent of Trump supporters think should be in jail and 40 per cent literally think Hillary is a demon. (A demon!)

I wrote at the time that Trump was fuelling the rise of white fright. That turned out to be the phenomenon that won him the presidency and it will further metastasize just like it did after McCain lost but far worse because there's nobody left on the right to try and bring sanity, much less respect, back.

"With a Republican controlled congress and an alt-right controlled Trump, new Supreme Court judges may start rolling back other civil liberties like Roe v. Wade and marriage equality."

The Republicans have been on this trajectory since Nixon's southern strategy used racism as a campaign tactic, though it ramped up in 1994 when Hillary's failed attempt to bring Canadian-style health care incited the Newt Gingrich-led Republican revolution that got her husband Bill impeached.

That disdain for democracy was amplified this year as Trump repeatedly claimed the election was rigged despite the Republicans being the ones who were trying to rig it with voter suppression tactics facilitated by the Supreme Court gutting the Civil Rights Act.

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And that's just the start. With a Republican controlled congress and an alt-right controlled Trump, new Supreme Court judges may start rolling back other civil liberties like Roe v. Wade and marriage equality.

One of the ugliest parts of the election night coverage is the Trump surrogates claiming that this was the American people saying they want their government back from the elite. That's not true. It was straight white America saying they want their supremacy back from minorities (not that they ever lost it) and it was men saying they want women to know their place.

"The chances of the Republicans holding Trump and his alt-right deplorables in check is dim."

Now if the Republican leadership truly revered Reagan, if they really wanted America to be a shining city that can inspire the world -- one that has the moral authority to promote democracy and human rights abroad -- then they need to defend democracy and human rights at home.

But given their spinelessness during the campaign, and their tradition of choosing divisiveness over diversity, the chances of the Republicans holding Trump and his alt-right deplorables in check is dim.

With at least four years of dystopia to look forward to, who knows when, or if, that beacon of freedom will light up again.

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Flying the flag for the United States in Bogota on Tuesday night. Leonardo Munoz (EFE)

More information La victoria de Trump llena de incertidumbre el apoyo de Estados Unidos al proceso de paz en Colombia

Barely a month after the Colombians unexpectedly rejected a peace deal the government had signed with the leftist FARC guerrillas aimed at ending five decades of conflict, the South American country is now having to come to terms with another unlikely electoral outcome, this time in the United States.

Donald Trumps victory in the US elections adds further uncertainty to Colombias peace process, in which President Barrack Obama has been a key ally of President Juan Manuel Santos during four years of talks with the FARC in Havana.

Trump intends to block relations with Cuba, which will influence US policy toward Colombia

In a recent interview with EL PAIS, Santos said: Hillary is a personal friend, her husband and she have supported my government and its predecessors. I only have the highest praise for them. I do not know Trump, but my opinion is that we wouldnt support his policies.

The United States has been a key ally in successive Colombian governments fight against drug traffickers and the FARC through Plan Colombia, set up under Bill Clinton. Without the economic support and military intelligence Washington has provided over the years it is unlikely that the FARC would have negotiated with the Colombian government.

The US special envoy to the talks, Bernie Aronson, has played a key role in keeping the talks going. The FARC wants one of its leaders, Simon Trinidad, currently in a US jail, returned to Colombia to finish its sentence.

The US has been a key ally to successive Colombian governments

During Santos official visit to Washington earlier this year, the Obama administration agreed to support Colombias post-conflict development plans. The outgoing president wants congress to approve an initial tranche of $450 million from next years budget. Had Clinton won the election, US support for Colombia would have been guaranteed. With Trump in the White House and a Republican majority in both houses, it is hard to see how Colombia will secure US funding to help rebuild the country and keep the peace process going.

Trumps stated intention to block the normalization of relations with Cuba, begun by Obama, will doubtless influence US policy toward Colombia, at least until Santos mandate ends in 2018. The Colombian leader has publicly thanked his Cuban opposite number, Raul Castro, for his role in facilitating the talks, and half of the FARC delegation remains in Havana, where talks continue with Colombian government representatives.

Venezuela presents another problem. The United States has supported talks between the government of President Nicolas Maduro and the opposition. A Clinton administration would have pressed forward with this approach, or at least kept it alive.

English version by Nick Lyne.
DISCLAIMER: I am not an American political expert. I base my opinions on a wide-eyed and hopeful heart that truly admires a man who wears mom jeans with pride.

Dear Barack Obama,

I miss you already.

I know that being the president of the United States has been hard for you. The job you've been given is the equivalent of someone handing you an entire ant farm and asking you to teach the ants science. Although you gave it your best shot, not everyone is happy with what you've done in the past eight years. But despite this, there are some people who still think that you're pretty neat.

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I'm one of them. And I'm not the only one who is really going to miss you.

I miss your mom jeans. I know that you got a lot of flack for those high-waisted babies, but you really pulled them off. You never worried about being cool, and that somehow made you even cooler. Your Steve Urkel-esque fashion was a thing of beauty, and in a weird way, that was one of the things that made you inspiring. We could all care a little less about what other people think of us, after all.

I've never seen a president who was not only relatable to his citizens, but also not afraid to go there.

I miss how you called Kanye West a "jackass." We were all thinking it, but you went ahead and said it. I've never seen a president who was not only relatable to his citizens, but also not afraid to go there. I'm sure that even Kanye West felt that blow a little bit, and maybe even reconsidered his life choices. For the first time, your voice was the only one that mattered to people like him.

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I miss your sweet dance moves. I'm sure that other presidents liked to cut the rug, too, but not like you. You had a sense of style with your moves, a certain je ne sais quoi that made me want to take a few salsa classes to see what was up. There was an infectious energy with your groove that even Ellen Degeneres could not ignore. This was probably what made you so adorable to me.

There's so much more that I miss. I miss your humour, the talk-show banter you had with the late night hosts, the glib remarks about your bowling skills, the wonderful way you talked about your family, the well-placed mic drops, and the bromance you had with our very own prime minister, Justin Trudeau. You were like a buddy to us, and there was so much to love about you when you were in the Oval Office.

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I missed the way everything was when you won the election in 2008. I've said this before, but the celebrating across the globe looked like the end sequence from Return of the Jedi. People on the streets of my hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia were high-fiving and hugging each other. Sure, we're all Canadian, but it was a historical moment that we all felt a part of. I miss that feeling.

I miss the feeling of not being afraid. I miss that moment when there was a sparkle in everyone's eyes and we said to each other, "we're better now." I miss thinking that racism was nothing more than an ugly feeling that we had left behind and that we were all working towards a bright future for everyone, regardless of their gender, religion, race or sexuality. I miss having open arms. I miss having pride in our neighbours.

I miss having pride in our neighbours.

I miss feeling like I was welcome in the United States. Not just me, but everyone. I miss the idea that America was just one big party, and if you had an open mind and a couple of beers, you were welcome to stick around for a while. I miss that open-ended invitation that was extended to anyone who was in need, especially the people who were fleeing from their own homes in search of a new one. I miss not worrying about the status quo.

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But most of all, I miss thinking that America had a heart. I miss the love that you preached to all of your citizens that seemed to drown out the terrifying drone of hate. Those were the days when I thought that America really was the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. Those were some really good days, too, and I miss them. I want them back.

You weren't just a flash in the pan; you were the real deal.

There's so many things to miss about you, Mr. Obama. You may not have made everyone happy, but you certainly tried. You weren't just a flash in the pan; you were the real deal. You gave a country a real hope, and despite the awful things that can happen in this world, we were all going to be OK. It might have been delusional and it might have been naive, but all the same, I miss it.

Thank you for everything you've done for your country, Mr. Obama. It was an honour to see you shine for a time.

Sincerely,

Your Canadian friend, Lauren Messervey

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Every November, Canadians remember and thank our war veterans for their heroic service.

At Sunnybrook -- home to the country's largest veterans centre -- 30,000 flags will be planted in the ground for Remembrance Day. It's a campaign known as Operation Raise a Flag, and it's an opportunity for Canadians to show their appreciation for our country's veterans.

Proceeds from the campaign will go towards the hospital's Veterans Grant a Wish Program. To date, some of the many wishes granted have included special outings with family, trips, and tickets to sporting events.

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One of the 475 veterans living at Sunnybrook shares her story:

"I really felt that we were threatened in a roundabout way. We had to help Britain and I felt that it was my duty to do all that I could," says Mary Jarvis, who served with the Canadian Women's Army Corps (CWAC) during World War II.

Mary enlisted in 1942 in Toronto and served for over three years. After completing four weeks of basic training, she received additional training as a vehicle driver. For the first years of her service, she was based in Ottawa, providing transport services to the Canadian Armed Forces. At all hours of the day, Mary delivered mail to the brigades and, when necessary, army personnel to the airfield.

In early 1945, Mary was reposted to Farnbough, south of London, England. "When we signed up, we didn't know we were going overseas," she says. "My main objective was to do what I could to help the Canadian effort here at home. Going overseas was a bonus. While we were never in direct combat, we always had to be on high alert for enemy bombers."

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While overseas, Mary drove ambulances and modified jeeps, transporting the wounded.

"I remember making trip, after trip, after trip to the coast to pick up wounded Canadian soldiers returning from France," she says. "To avoid detection by enemy aircraft, we'd go out under the cover of darkness. Our convoys consisted of two or three vehicles depending on the number of wounded."

In Canada, they were trained to drive using headlights, but in Britain, they couldn't turn them on because they were in total blackout.

"When we went out on convoy, there was just a little light on the left hand side of the lead vehicle -- usually a motorcycle," she says. "We followed that tiny red light with our lives. It was the same going back, except that we now had up to four wounded strapped to stretchers which were stacked two to a side, hanging off either side of our vehicles."

"It was sad, but it was also a good time in my life. The one thing that stands out for me is the camaraderie, the close bonds that were developed with living and working so closely together. We were all kids, with very little life experience. You could say we grew up together."

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Operation Raise a Flag

With your support, 30,000 flags will be planted outside Canada's largest veterans centre for Remembrance Day. Donations will support the Sunnybrook Veterans Grant a Wish program. Learn more and donate: raiseaflag.ca
Lancaster Sound (Photo by Chris Debicki/Oceans North Canada)

In the 18 years I've worked at the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC), I've seen the wonderful things that can happen when people and private organizations work together to protect our most precious natural areas. Through land gifting arrangements such as conservation agreements -- where landowners agree to limit some uses of their property to protect natural features and resident species -- as well as cash and stock donations, we've conserved 2.8 million acres (more than 1.1 million hectares) of ecologically significant land across the country since 1962.

Lancaster Sound is a recent example of these successes. There is no question that this collaboration between Shell, NCC and the Government of Canada and local communities is a remarkable and significant step towards conservation.

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It will also be an important contribution to Canada's commitment under the Convention on Biological Diversity -- a global commitment signed by close to 170 countries, which has set protection targets at 17 per cent for terrestrial and inland water, and 10 per cent for coastal and marine areas, by 2020. Yet today in Canada, only about 11 per cent of terrestrial areas and inland water and about one percent of marine regions are protected.

Once the National Marine Conservation Area at Lancaster Sound is completed, it is expected to measure close to 2.1 million acres. But the reality is that despite its size, this area, once conserved, will raise Canada's contribution to the global target for marine conservation by less than one percent.

When framed in this way, this changes the scope of the challenge before us. If Canada is to meet its commitments to the Convention on Biological Diversity, we need to scale up the way we think about protected areas and partnerships in order to increase our impact. We at NCC, like most conservationists, see those targets as waypoints, not destinations.

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Lancaster Sound (Photo by Parks Canada)

There is no question that NCC, in its more than 50 years, has accomplished much through its collaborative approach to conservation. As a national organization, NCC's work contributes to Canada's domestic and international goals for conservation. Yet imagine what we could do if we harnessed the collective energies and innovation of the technology, energy, communication and banking sectors. We haven't even scratched the surface of satellite and drone applications for conservation. We have enormous potential to match green infrastructure and grey infrastructure at the municipal level for cost-effective outcomes. Social Impact Bonds could be a tool to help accelerate large-scale conservation in Canada.

Governments play a critical role in helping to ensure Canada does its part in meeting the global community's commitments to terrestrial and marine protection -- such as through the Natural Areas Conservation Program, a public-private partnership to protect important natural habitat in southern Canada. But this task does not -- and should not -- rest entirely on the shoulders of the country's politicians and lawmakers; individuals and corporations can also make a world of difference.

Now is the time for us to take the big step. Conservation is no longer about creating one on one partnerships. Instead, we need to work together to advance the social bottom line, and make a significant difference towards our domestic and global contributions.

We need more success stories like Lancaster Sound to bring Canada's performance on land and water protection in line with the goals set out by the global community. By working together, we might just achieve these goals by 2020.

This post was written by Lisa McLaughlin, acting vice-president, conservation at the Nature Conservancy of Canada and originally appeared in the Globe and Mail.

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The five things you need to know on Wednesday, November 9

1) TRUMP STAKE, WITH BREXIT SAUCE

The American public have driven a stake through the heart of the US Establishment, and that stake is called Donald J Trump.

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The Brexit comparisons are obvious, but nonetheless all too true: a mass of hidden voters (many previously unregistered) not captured by the polls; high turnout; TV-savvy populism armed with a simple message; and an anger among the white working class at decades of being ignored.

Trump himself had warned it would be Brexit times ten, before upgrading his own prediction to Brexit, plus, plus, plus. Sarah Palin declared that millions were backing the billionaire to take back control. Nigel Farages tweet yesterday - Is this Brexit day in the US? I hope so - was ridiculed by the Twitterati as it was pointed out the USs Brexit from Britain was 200 years ago. But just as Britain and Twitter are not the same thing, America and Twitter arent either.

But of course Trump was right. This is much, much bigger than Brexit. Trumpxit trumps it. A man who has never held elected office is set to hold the most powerful office in the world. Which was exactly his appeal among voters who felt that Washington wasnt listening to them. The outsider card is often played by politicians (even Yale-educated-son-of-a-President George W Bush played it), but Trump was in a different league. Yes, hes wealthy, but he was never a career politician.

In a supreme irony, the most successful messenger of the lefts anti-globalisation chant - the 99% v the 1% - is a member of the 1%. No wonder Wall St, and much of Washington, are worried that America is about to enter a new age of protectionism at home, and possibly isolationism abroad.

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Trump exploited undercurrents of voter anger with all the ruthless soundbite efficiency of a TV star. Yet he didnt just win because of a hard core of angry blue-collar voters, he held together a coalition of Tea partiers, libertarians, social conservatives and even moderate Republicans who chose what they say as the lesser of two evils.

And, as much as he personally up-ended the Presidential race, the Republicans victories in taking the Senate and House of Representatives tells you the bigger story of more usual electoral forces of gravity. After eight years of the Democrats in the White House, the pendulum swung back. Professor Allan Lichtmann forecast a Trump win, based on key factors (mid-term elections, policy successes, charismatic candidates) that led him to correctly call every election since 1984.

Reading his victory speech (falteringly as he isnt used to sticking to the script), Trump said this morning: Now is the time for America to bind the wounds. It is time for us to come together as one united people.

For many voters, some of the inflammatory things Trump said didnt matter. What mattered more was his promise of deeds, not words. As the disunited States of America - and the world - comes to terms with a Trump presidency, thats going to be his key test.

2) CLINTONS MUTE POINT

Hillary Clinton called Trump to concede defeat just around 7.45am UK time, but only after yet another Clintonesque moment of indecision and wobble. Originally, her campaign chief Jon Podesta (yes, he of leaked emails fame) said she was basically going to bed and would wait for the final result. That sparked outrage among the Trump camp, who claimed it was rank hypocrisy from Democrats who were furious at their mans hint that he may not accept the result.

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But will Clinton have the grace to accept the scale of her failure? Just as Al Gore was to Bill Clinton, and Gordon Brown was to Tony Blair, so too Hillary Clinton is to Barack Obama. Its tough to follow a political rock star, yet even by Gores and Browns standards, she was a terrible candidate.

The old saying is that good politicians campaign in poetry and govern in prose. Clinton campaigned in leaden, flat-footed verbiage. Trumps closing speech was pithy and brilliantly messaged: Im not a politician, I have no self interest, you are my interest, I want to make American strong again..great again. Clintons final TV ad was a soft-focus appeal to inclusivity.

That eve-of-poll video of Clinton and her team doing the mannequin challenge now looks like not just hubris, but also a premonition of the state of suspended animation into which Trumpism plunged her on election night.

When you add in all her negatives on trust (even with Trumps proven lies he outpolled her on honesty), it underlines once more that elections are lost as much as won. Her much-heralded ground game and big data advantages melted in the face of Trumps tightly-targeted slogans tapping into deeper, underlying forces of discontent. Despite belatedly criticising free trade agreements and calling for taxes on the rich, on the key issue of making the economy work for working people, she seemed mute to too many voters. And not 'on our side'.

I've been banging on (and Tweeting) George Packer's New Yorker piece for some time now. But if you want to understand more of why Clinton failed to connect with the core working class vote, read THIS. It's long but worth it.

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3) IN HIS WAKE

Were you up for Kalamazoo, Michigan? Or for Milwaukee, Wisconsin? With the margins so tight, was in the individual counties, rural and urban, in swing states that this race was won.

It was around 3.52am when Florida was being called for Trump, the first sign that Clintons hoped-for victory party was turning into a wake. By 4.35am, with Ohio and North Carolina heading his way, the much-derided path-to-victory was beginning to look clearer. When Michigan and Wisconsin were leaning to Trump after 5am, Clinton was doomed. One commentator on the BBC played to the British gallery with the line: This point of the evening does look like an episode of the West Wing and Veep.

In one more clue to her divisive nature, even if shed clawed her way near the magic 270 total, a Sanders-supporting member of her own party raised the bar to 271. Robert Satiacum, a member of

Washington states Democratic delegation to the Electoral College, told the AP: She will not get my vote, period. Satiacum, a member of Washingtons Puyallup tribe, described Clinton is a criminal with a lacklustre history on native American issues. With friends like these

The story of the night was that Trump won bigger margins than usual in rural areas, but also got those white working class votes in urban areas of the states dubbed the Rust belt (a phrase that may now be seen as part of the condescension that drove the result?).

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By contrast, Clinton couldnt mobilise white or black blue collar Americans in places like Fint, Michigan. This despite support from Michael Moore, the man who put the towns fate on the map, and Jesse Jackson. In Ohio, Trump didnt just win, he won by a big margin. Those firewall states of Colorado and Nevada couldnt hold back a political bushfire as big as this.

BECAUSE YOUVE RED (STATES) THIS FAR

Watch this Pennsylvania couple, married for 37 years, who voted different ways. Kinda sums up the divided America narrative.

4) NEW POLITICS

In his victory speech, Trump declared: Ours was not a campaign, but an incredible movement. And hes right that it certainly tore up all the usual rules not just on acceptable rhetoric but on how to win votes.

Trump was outspent by Clinton, had nowhere near as good data or field operations, and deliberately goaded a media he saw as the enemy. Yet hundreds of thousands of people turned up to his rallies. The parallels with Jeremy Corbyn will be pored over this side of the Pond, despite many of his supporters loathing any comparison with the Republican tycoon.

Trumps pledge to speak for the forgotten people, to reject free trade agreements and to rebuild highways and railroads in a massive infrastructure project all have echoes of Corbyn too. The one construction project Trump seemed to fail to mention this morning was his wall with Mexico (though the plunging Peso spoke volumes more).

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Curtis Ellis, Trumps spokesman in New York, said that it was time to end this free trade philosophy and not sacrifice [the workers] to some utopian theory that has proven in practice to not work. For all the new jobs created under Obama, for all its headline economic growth, its the five million jobs lost in manufacturing and the growing inequality that is driving the new protectionism. But will Trump really double our growth, as he again claimed this morning?

When Bill Clintons leaked words about the Labour leader - that hes the maddest person in the room - emerged yesterday they were initially seen as unhelpful. Senior Labour sources told me it was obvious Clinton had meant that Labour reached in 2015 for the angriest person in the room, not the craziest. And if nothing else, the US election proves that anger is a powerful political force.

Yet harnessing that anger is something the right is proving adept at, as much as the left was in Greece. Theres a downside for Corbyn too. A coalition of motivated students, liberal graduates (Clinton led by four to one in this category) and minority groups just isnt enough for victory. Maybe thats partly why Labours Jess Phillips tweeted in the early hours: When my children wake up I shall tell them that when I was little Thatcher & Reagan were in charge. I'll tell them things get better.

5) WHAT NEXT

With the Republicans winning the Presidency and both House of Congress, Trump can get through Supreme Court judges of his choosing, something that will have lasting impact way beyond his term. That will outlast even the immediate demands Trump will face to really lock her up, and prosecute Hillary. Rudy Giuliani, seen as one of the more sensible people around Trump and a possible Attorney General, said no comment when asked if hed be keen on that.

There is the rival problem of Trumps own alleged conduct, with possible depositions for sexual assault. One woman in New York this morning tweeted: Street vendor here just yelled, "hey guys, at least now it will be legal to grab p*ssy!" And high-fived a group of men who laughed.

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The line up of personnel on Team Trump also undercuts hopes that moderate Republicans will act as a brake on his wilder ambitions. Mike Pence, his vice president (thanked almost as an afterthought by Trump this morning), is much more right-wing than Trump on social issues. Newt Gingrich, who could be his Secretary of State, will terrify some foreign capitals. Will the Republican leadership, long backers of free trade, cave to Trump? Trump had a hint this morning of compromise that he will seek your guidance and your help.

Still, everyone said hed tack to the centre once hed won the Republican nomination, and that didnt happen. Will it happen now? Will he really deport millions of undocumented migrants? Will he build the wall? And if he doesnt, wont the anger just get stronger?

All those long counterfactual pieces on what a Trump presidency would look like, written once with an air of fantasy, are now being updated. He likes the idea of Brexit Britain and derided Obamas back of the queue warning. But when US economic interests come first, will he want a bilateral trade deal that does anything other than help the US?

On foreign policy, he declared this morning We will get along with all nations who get along with us. Some commentators are already saying that the big winner today is Vladmir Putin, whom Trump admires as a strongman and wont trouble in his spheres of influence in Syria and Ukraine.

Finally, on the one really global issue, climate change, Trump is a deniers dream. My HuffPost colleague in the US Sam Stein said today Ive had my first Jill Stein [Green party candidate] supporter tell me he regrets his vote. Anyone else?

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Smallholder farmers in developing countries lack access to affordable credit. As many banks ask for their land as collateral, they turn to informal lenders who charge exorbitant rates and trap them in an unrelenting cycle of poverty. Ricult, an initiative founded by four recent graduates of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), aims to break this cycle.

Leveraging data analytics and a proprietary creditworthiness assessment, Ricult drastically increases farmers' income through a mobile platform that provides affordable credit, high-quality farm inputs, agronomy service, and access to end buyers. This leads to improved yields, better quality crop, and higher profitability for the farmers.

Helping Smallholder Farmers

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Ricult Founders: Aukrit Unahalekhaka, Usman Javaid, and Jonathan Stoller (not pictured: Jiang Xu). Photo credit: Ricult Team Member.

"Ricult has been primarily setup to help smallholder farmers in developing countries control their destiny," co-founder and CEO Usman Javaid said. "Farmers survive in an extremely exploitative ecosystem. Although we've piloted in Pakistan, these problems transcend borders, and this model can be replicated in other developing countries."

"I grew up in a family of farmers," explained co-founder and Chief Product Officer Aukrit Unahalekhaka, who hails from Thailand. "I've seen firsthand the problems farmers face. Farmers are some of the hardest working people I've ever met, but the lack of access to affordable credit opens them up to being exploited by middlemen."

The word "ricult" comes from the middle part of agriculture; ricult cannot exist without agriculture. Globally, 78% of the world's poor are farmers. Ricult's tagline is, "The people that feed us, need us."

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Pakistan Pilot

The product has launched as a pilot in Kasur, Pakistan, one of the most fertile pieces of land in the subcontinent. The area was chosen for its high population density. Ricult is currently working with farmers who grow multiple crops, primarily corn and potatoes.

Ricult Team with smallholder farmers in Kasur, Pakistan. Photo credit: Ricult Team Member.

To date, they have provided over $77,000 worth of farm inputs (seed, pesticide, and fertiliser) to more than 150 farmers on credit. Before Ricult, farmers had to rely on loan sharks charging 4-5 times more.

"Smallholder farmers are excluded from mainstream banking due to lack of a credit scoring system like you'd see in the US or Europe. Banks are very risk averse, so they ask for collateral. For farmers, that's mainly in the form of land; they're not interested in using the land since that's vital to the only source of income they have. Their only option is the loan sharks," Usman explained.

Additionally, products from a local village shop may be adulterated and a farmer won't know until later. Ricult's products are sold without an intermediary shop - they go right from a manufacturer's warehouse to the farmer's doorstep. In two crop cycles, the anticipated increase in earnings for the farmers is 30-50%.

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Despite the dramatic increase, one challenge the team has faced is building trust. "As a new organisation, we don't yet have brand awareness," Usman said. "These farmers are dependent on middlemen to service their needs. If they sever their relationships with the loan sharks, they need to know that we'll be around the following year. Trust has to be earned and built over time. In the meantime, we're putting a lot of focus on customer service."

To reach the farmers they've organised workshops featuring skits and serving food; these events have 400-500 attendees. The sales team is part of the farmer's community, and the agents meet with the farmers regularly to make sure they know how to use Ricult's mobile platform.

Ricult Agronomy Service Team conducting crop analysis to help improve farm productivity for the farmers. Photo credit: Ricult Team Member.

What's Next

"This is a great opportunity for people interested in helping the world's poor," Aukrit explained. "There is almost a 5 billion dollar gap between agriculture credit supply and demand in Pakistan, with a 400 billion dollar gap globally. Almost 40% of the population in Thailand - 50% in Asia - work in the agriculture sector. This is a great opportunity for investment with social impact."

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In the coming months, Ricult is focusing on scaling up and building infrastructure to increase the number of farmers served.

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It's the stuff of nightmares. After trying to convince myself all day yesterday, persuaded by many of my fellow Muslims that it could not be possible, despite my gut telling me otherwise, Donald Trump not only won the presidential election, he did so convincingly. Here is a man who wants to impose a blanket ban on my fellow Muslims across the world along with every other bigoted view he holds of women and minorities, supported by millions who carried him to the White House.

That my own mother, who shows little to no interest in politics and has never really discussed world affairs with me woke up today with a look of despair on her face upon discovering the result, made me realise that every Muslim knows that things will never be the same again. Her exasperation and disbelief are but an example of what hundreds of millions of Muslims will be feeling across the world today, complete with their own fears and anxieties. Countless questions have been racing through my mind. What effect will his election have on the conflict in Syria, the Israeli/Palestinian piece process, on Muslims living within America itself and across the pond in Europe? Will he really follow through with his ban? Already some of my worst fears are being borne out, with social media posts from Muslim women being told by their friends and families not to wear their hijabs today in America. I fear that much like the result after Brexit, bigots will face emboldened by the victory of Trump.

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What makes it all the more worse is how powerless I feel in the face of the world's most powerful man. He is now free to implement the disgusting views so many found beyond the pale. I then tell myself, 'surely those around him will tame him?' I keep telling myself this, but know deep down that there is no evidence to suggest this will be the case. If he made such outlandish claims before being elected, why would he act differently now that he has won?

When it comes to addressing one of the biggest challenges we face, terrorism, I know that the extremists will gain momentum. As far as they are concerned, nothing could be better than Muslims feeling under threat and isolated from the West, a sense of alienation that they will look to capitalise on. The countless work many have done to fight radicalisation will be undone.

My bleak outlook has been compounded by the overall alienation and apathy amongst many of my fellow Muslims have towards the election, with constant posts on social media and in conversation claiming 'Trump or Clinton, it doesn't matter things aren't going to get better for us either way.' Yet I feel it matters immensely. To put it bluntly, would I rather have America led by somebody accused of messing up with their emails or by someone who says they 'love war' and proposes forcibly taking the oil from countries in the Middle East, I know whom I'd prefer.

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Yet it is the more widespread apathy towards politics more generally and especially closer to him in Europe that causes me even greater fear and worry. They say that when America sneezes the rest of the world catches a cold. It didn't take Europe's populist far right very long; the likes of Geert Wilders and Marine Le Pen were falling over themselves to congratulate trumps. The latter claimed today 'their world is collapsing, ours is being built.'
The reviews of I, Daniel Blake, have already made Director Ken Loach's case for an Oscar, but if such a thing existed, the film would merit an award for critically explaining an aspect of public policy - in this case, the UK's welfare to work system. While Loach's insight into the condition of the poor in twenty-first century Britain speaks for itself, the policy background is less familiar.

As the film opens Daniel, a 60 year old widowed joiner recovering from a heart attack, is undergoing a telephone interview for his "Work Capability Assessment" (WCA) with an unseen "health professional" who is reading from a script without really wanting to know about Daniel's heart condition.

The film doesn't say so, but the introduction of the WCA has marked a particularly bad episode for Jobcentre Plus. It was introduced (with cross Party support in 2007) to try to shift long term Incapacity Benefit claimants to either the new Employment and Support Allowance or Job Seekers Allowance. A huge number of people needed to be reassessed and reallocated and many mistakes were made.

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On BBC's Question Time recently, Loach asked why the Work Capability Assessments were needed when the opinion of an individual's GP or Consultant would be better informed. This indeed was the case up to 1995 - individuals could be signed off, sometimes for many years, and supported by what in those days was known as Invalidity Benefit.

From this time onwards, various changes took place, first affecting new claimants only and subsequently others who had been claiming incapacity benefits for many years. Medical assessments were reallocated from GPs (who knew and understood their patients' needs) to Department for Health and Social Security appointed doctors using a new All Work Test.

Then in 2000, this was replaced by a new Personal Capacity Assessment (PCA) applied to not only new claimants but some of the long term claimants too. Finally, the Incapacity Benefit was replaced in 2006 by a new Employment and Support Allowance, and the PCA changed for the present Work Capability Assessment.

So much for the background, but you also need to know that with each change, the tests have got progressively tougher. Not only this, but they have been coupled with a vast testing regime which in (in the case of the WCA) has required the recruitment of many nurses and doctors to work alongside doctors.

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Today, the individual who claims to be too unwell to work, no longer meets a doctor with a sympathetic bedside manner, but is confronted by a battery of questions from a structured questionnaire supported by a computer generated template. This is the procedure which Daniel Blake is going through at the beginning of the film.

Of course, a large factor in Government welfare policy is the goal of keeping down costs. Under the old system, Doctors signed patients off work sometimes for years on end, which was not necessarily a good thing for the individual, let alone the state. Once out of work for this length of time their prospects of returning to work are virtually nil.

The Government's approach has been to encourage a stricter interpretation of "incapability." Present day assessments ask, "Could this person do any job, including on a part time basis, if one were available?" This is all very well but it assumes "do-able" jobs are available, whereas in practice this might not be the case.

So much for the theory - in fact the implementation of the WCA has been nothing short of disastrous. Tens of thousands of applicants have been refused benefits and there has been a huge level of successful appeals against awards. From the outset, the French company Atos, contracted to deliver the WCA, struggled to recruit enough nurses, doctors and physiotherapists to carry out the assessments. Atos was strongly criticised by the National Audit Office in 2012 and the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee in 2013. (Atos were replaced by USA firm Maximus in March 2015, but many of these problems remain.)

More than half of the original decisions (refusing Employment and Support Allowance) are overturned. In the meantime, before the appeal is heard, claimants are often expected to go out and seek work even though they may be suffering from conditions which make this impossible. Those who, like Daniel Blake, do not appear to be trying hard enough, may face being sanctioned - having their benefits withdrawn.

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Can all this really happen in Britain in 2016? Even if we quibble with some of the details in the film, Daniel Blake's treatment is not so extra-ordinary. Sanctions against claimants have reached record levels and are being imposed for the tiniest of deviation from Jobseekers' Agreements. In fairness, Jobcentre staff are probably portrayed too harshly by the film. In reality, they are not without human sympathy but they operate a system which is deeply flawed.

As a reminder of why we have a welfare to work system at all, Daniel's passionate statement, drafted for his appeal hearing against sanctioning, should be hung on the walls of benefit offices around the country. I won't quote it now, but it is worth seeing the film for it.

Comments to: Chris.Ball@shaw-trust.org.uk
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My American students could not believe how long it takes in Britain even to agree on the first step of creating additional runway capacity, which is deciding on where to build it. This is partly an indictment of the long-range planning failures of the UK. Not only is there a backwards-looking cultural obsession with the Second World War, but so much British infrastructure continues to date from then, not least the airfields. Turning one of these into Heathrow Airport (Heathrow) in 1946 arguably made sense at the time, but successive governments subsequently failed to plan for future demand, hence its current constrained, air-polluting position in a West London that has expanded to surround it.

Heathrow has nonetheless been a remarkable success despite its capacity constraints and has long been a major international hub. Retaining such a hub - albeit not necessarily at Heathrow - has therefore been a repeated concern for British governments looking at how to expand runway capacity. This is not least in light of the rise of international competitor airports at Amsterdam Schiphol, Paris Charles de Gaulle or Frankfurt Airport, each of which has considerably more runway capacity than Heathrow. Governments have, however, been remarkably unsuccessful at working out how to provide commensurate additional runway capacity in Britain.

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This is despite successive attempts dating back to the 1960s in which options and alternatives, from Maplin Sands to RAF Manston, were considered. For instance, the range of possibilities covered in the Tony Blair government's The Future of Air Transport 2003 White Paper only finally resulted in a decision in 2009 when Gordon Brown went for expansion at Heathrow. David Cameron opposed this in Opposition, but then three years later as Prime Minister he set up an 'Airports Commission' under Sir Howard Davies. Their terms of reference, because they focused on the primacy of maintaining a major international hub airport, pointed to a decision for Heathrow expansion. That was indeed what Sir Davies recommended and Cameron's successor duly endorsed.

My American students also noted the connection between the centralisation of decision-making and its extreme slowness in this area of policy. This is partly because centralisation politicises the decision and remits it to figures who are concerned to avoid unpopular short-term consequences. Setting up the 'Davies Commission' was an attempt to provide an expert-led, evidence-based solution instead - one which failed.

Centralisation has also led to a narrow focus on particular options. The past 40 years of policymaking has consisted of governments always treating a Heathrow expansion as the default option while still acknowledging the many problems and at least going through the exercise of looking at alternatives in South-East England, however as Gordon Brown and Theresa May have shown, they always seem to come back eventually to that default option. The problem is that it is likely to end up mired in litigation and cost-overruns, which is partly why they try to find alternatives in the first place. It is also a short-term fix. Sir Davies, after all, recommended legislation to make it clear that Heathrow would not be allowed to expand beyond three runways.

Furthermore, the government rejected an option for expansion, the Heathrow hub scheme to extend the northern runway that would have been cheaper, quicker and less environmentally-costly to deliver. They were presumably won over by lobbying from Heathrow and its Spanish owners, for whom the real prize is an additional terminal and the revenue that this will bring. This is, like May's talks with Nissan, a deal made with one view - the benefits for a single, private company. In both cases, the key factor seems to have been the political imperative to show 'Britain is open for business', rather than the wider needs of the economy.

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In the process, opportunities for a more radical re-think of airports policy were overlooked or ignored. Heathrow claims it is a vital business and freight hub for the UK, disparaging Gatwick as a point-to-point, holiday-based airport. If so, why are there still so many holiday flights at Heathrow clogging up capacity?

All this ignores the question of whether a hub airport could be developed elsewhere. After all, why does it have to be Heathrow? If it did not already exist no-one in their right minds would choose Heathrow as the site for a major international airport if they were starting from scratch now. The answer usually given is branding, but perceptions can change and a new hub could no doubt develop its own identity if given the chance.

This would not have to be a 'Boris Island', though that would at least show ambition. Indeed, if the government did not control the decision-making on airports so rigidly, it could be anywhere. There is an irony that this government, led by a party which used to be supposedly free-market, is in practice so dirigiste. That dirigisme both helps to explain why it has taken so long to make this decision and why, when eventually made, it was principally driven by such narrow calculations of benefits. It is a classic example of path-dependency, where centralised decision-making was always likely to favour Heathrow, despite the difficulties, because Heathrow was already the market-leading hub and the default option was to make it even bigger. The decision was therefore always predictable, despite the years searching for alternatives.
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So America has delivered the second political earthquake of the year after our own excitement at the end of June. As we survey the turmoil in the markets and pick through the wreckage left by political pundits and pollsters once again crashing and burning, are there any positives at all? Surprisingly enough, given my passionate wish for a Clinton victory (or at least for a Trump defeat), I can see a few.

The first thing is that President Trump will have to get real in domestic terms at least. Congress may be Republican, but it is not Trumpite. And while his stunning win will give him some leeway to pursue mad schemes, that will only go so far. The wall will become beefed up border security - though how much more resource can be thrown at the Rio Grande is questionable, and the defeat of Sheriff Arpaio is an interesting side story - and a renewed effort to deport or 'crack down on' undocumented migrants. Economic policies will be moderated by legislators and the markets. I don't actually think the way he will act in the United States will be far outside the mainstream, although what he says will sometimes feel very extreme. Fingers crossed.

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In foreign policy, though, it will be a different matter. With the White House and Congress in Republican hands the climate is definitely not now in safe hands, and more immediately Trump's statements during the election about NATO and Syria have been troubling. In Syria it seems likely that Russia and Assad will have a freer hand, and may well work hand in glove with the US in going after IS. Bad news for the 'moderate' rebel groups and for many civilians. And countries in Eastern Europe will be anxious today, just as Russia will be emboldened. That sense of insecurity and the President's unpredictability will trouble allies and roil stocks and currency markets potentially for a long period of time.

Trade will also suffer under President Trump. Don't expect any big multilateral deals soon (sorry TPP and TTIP), which will be bad news for world economic growth, of course. But for the UK at least this could present an opportunity, given that we now look unlikely to be 'back of the queue' for a new trade regime post-Brexit. That is good news in its own right but even better news for what it means for our negotiations with the EU.

If we go into the Brexit discussions with our European friends with the prospect of a US trade deal in our back pocket we clearly have a stronger hand. If the eastern members of the EU are worried and want our defence and security support, not to mention our influence over the US, we clearly have a stronger hand. If voters in France, Germany, the Netherlands and elsewhere look likely to follow the Anglo Saxon trend and vote against the Establishment and against the Union, we clearly have a stronger hand. Whether Theresa May and David Davis have the ability to utilise that strength is an open question, but the prospects of us doing a good deal have definitely gone up overnight.
The 9th of November is a scary day, it is the day that racism and sexism beat gender equality and human rights. Donald Trump has been elected President of the United States and I am literally in a state of shock, I spent much of the morning crying in disbelief. First BREXIT, now Trump, it is reminiscent of the politics before the second World War, and I wonder how we got to this stage, where hate quite literally Trumps love. I wonder where this leaves women, the glass ceiling has been left quite intact, but far worse than that is the discourse of denigration aimed at women which has been legitimised by a President, or should I say THE President.

It's quite shocking that this would happen after a period of what has felt like growing awareness towards gender inequality and its ugly consequences. On Monday employees in France began a campaign to highlight the unfairness of the gender pay gap. In the UK tomorrow is equal pay day, the day when women start working for free. Obviously, many of us are actually never paid for much of our domestic work. These events follow the annual women's strike in Iceland, which has been taking place every year since 1975 in an attempt to highlight the gender pay gap and hopefully one day close it.

Elsewhere we have seen protests aimed at gaining and maintaining control over our own bodies such as the Polish women's strike who were left with no option in face of losing control over their decisions concerning abortion, reminding us we are still far from equality. On Wednesday the 19th of October once again Argentinian women were forced to up the ante and this time instead of a protest there was a nationwide women's strike. The strike came about due to yet another femicide, Lucia Perez was a 16 year old girl, Lucia Perez was drugged and raped, Lucia Perez was tortured. This might not have happened to Lucia if she had been a 16-year-old boy. It feels as though nothing has changed since I was in Argentina in June, privileged to be part of the #niunamenos protest.

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According to the UN an estimated 35% of women worldwide experience physical and/or sexual violence at some time in their lives, and in some countries this estimate rises to 70%. In Argentina almost one woman is murdered everyday and in the UK on average two women a week are murdered by current or past partners. On the Friday following the strike in Argentina I met Martina Rodriguez, a representative from the women's section of the Argentina Solidarity Campaign (ASC) to talk about the vigil held by ASC here in London. Daniel Ozarow one of the founders of ASC and a Brit explained how the aim of ASC is to foster understanding and learning between what is fast becoming a very little Britain and Argentina. Martina explained to me passionately that the vigil was held in solidarity with Argentinian supporters but also to draw attention to gender inequality in all of its manifestations throughout the world.

In the wake of the 19th of October and what is becoming known as black Wednesday yet more women have been murdered. In Mendoza one man killed his ex, her auntie and grandmother. This in itself demands a better response from the government, but also from society in general. The number of women and girls murdered, or to use a better expression, the number of victims of femicide increases as tolerance towards violence increases. Martina uses the analogy of the pyramid to describe just how acceptable, almost invisible sexism and objectification (including women's treatment in the media) helps to create an environment tolerant to not only gender-based violence, pay inequality, and all other axes of inequality but also femicide. Perhaps the most blatant example of at least the partial acceptance of sexist discourse recently has been the US presidentail elections Trump (just his mere existence demonstrates the issue). The fact that Microsoft Word is STILL underlining femicide in red tells me we have a long way to go.

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Text in which the author defends ideas and reaches conclusions based on his / her interpretation of facts and data

Democratic voters following the vote count in New York. ELSA (AFP)

The victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential elections is terrible news for democrats around the world. At the same time it is also a source of satisfaction and opportunity for enemies of democracy.

The devastating victory of an unpredictable and dangerous demagogue plunges the world into a state of complete uncertainty, and one with immediate economic and geopolitical repercussions. The shock suffered by democratic voters in the US is the same as that being experienced in the capitals of Europe, which now risk seeing themselves abandoned by Washington at a particularly difficult historic moment because of a conjuncture of external threats and an important internal crisis of identity.

Russia and China will be rubbing their hands with glee

After Brexit, Trumps victory could finish off of a European project which has always been inspired and protected by the US.

The US electorate has shown that no society  no matter how prosperous it is, or how deeply rooted its democratic tradition  is immune from demagoguery and its promise of quick and simple solutions to complicated problems like the economic crisis or the management of immigration, or from its discourse of hate when it comes to any minority group or collective which might serve as a scapegoat. It doesnt matter whether that is Mexicans, reduced to the category of rapists or drug dealers, or women  slammed as intellectually inferior  or Muslims, all of whom are catalogues as terrorists, without exception.

We hope we dont see a repeat of the United Kingdom where minorities were the first victims of a wave of racism.

The vote heralds a black future of economic instability and economic uncertainty, especially if Trump immediately rolls out the protectionist agenda with which he seduced voters. With their vote of yesterday, the people of the US have decided what sort of role they want their country to play in the world and it has nothing to do with what the United States has achieved and represented in the last 100 years.

Washington must keep supporting the normalization of relations with Cuba

Millions of citizens of the country which won two world wars in defense of liberty and against totalitarianism and which, over the last half century, has deployed a vast array of resources to protect its democratic allies have placed their trust in a man who believes that the security of the US depends on washing ones hands of what is going on in the world and its historical allies.

Russia and China will be rubbing their hands with glee at this genuine and dangerous childishness when it comes to international relations. But it cant be said that there were no clear signals. For the first time in a long time there were two options on the table that were not just different but clearly antagonistic: the international and multilateral perspective defended by Hillary Clinton and the isolationism of Donald Trump. And both were clearly explained during the campaign.

Yesterday represented a major upheaval for the international order in terms of both commerce and security reflected in the alliance between democracies. And Europe is the one most harmed by this political earthquake when it comes to at least three issues of vital importance: the first is the construction of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which formed a fundamental part of Europes strategy for reinforcing political links with the US.

The war on drugs must go far beyond criminal prosecution

The second is the jihadist threat, where Washington has, to date, assisted Europe through its security services and the deployment of its military in the south of Europe. The third is the urgent European need for unequivocal US support in the political and military crisis with Russia. President Vladimir Putin has made unthinkable moves during this Cold War convinced that Europe is too weak to respond. And now he can count on the US being reticent about intervening. This mean the EU has more than enough reasons to be worried about the direction its most reliable ally could take.

The US democratic system has demonstrated that it functions cleanly and transparently and is accessible to candidates, like Trump, who deny both of these characteristics of the system and who announced beforehand that he would not recognize his defeat.

Thanks to the foresight of the founding fathers, who always envisaged the prospect that someone like Trump could make it the White House, the Constitution has an elaborate system of checks and balances aimed at avoiding a despotic government based on the tyranny of the majority. These mechanisms will have to be employed to their full with Trump, who, like any other populist, has to learn that votes dont justify everything and that when it comes to democracy, the law, liberty and individual rights always prevail.

English version by George Mills.
It's hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner, but with shops putting up their fairy lights, and giant chocolate boxes decorating the supermarket shelves, it's time we started thinking about our gift lists! Whether it's you, or someone else in your life, we all know a health nut who wants nothing but an organic stocking filled with life-boosting goodies.... So, I've put together a list of my 10 favourite gifts to make your life a little easier!

1. Neal's Yard Aromatherapy Diffuser

This gadget is a dream come true for anyone wanting to create a spa-like environment at home. Neal's Yard have a selection of diffusers to pick from and bundles of essential oils to make your house smell and feel divine. Pick from scents that calm, or revitalise, and watch as the diffuser changes colour for mood lighting.

Prices range from 40-70

2. Well + Happy Chocolate

With raw chocolate made from coconut sugar and exotic superfoods, Well + Happy bars are the ultimate guilt-free gift for any chocolate lover this Christmas. Whether your taste buds are geared up for dark, or you're more of a caramel appreciator, there is something for everyone in the mixed boxes available online.

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A box of 8 costs 25, and you can guarantee that each bar will be decorated perfectly.

3. Sweetly Simple Wellness Potions

If you're after some magic and laughter this holiday season, Sweetly Simple has the answer, with 3 Wellness Potions designed to fit perfectly into any stocking. Choose from either Sparkle, Love or Brilliance, which hint at boosting your beauty, sex drive and brainpower via their consumption. They are gorgeous little jars packed with adaptogenic superfoods and herbs to get you bouncing through the winter months.

Each Potion costs 18 or there are gift sets available online.

4. Lifebox Subscription Box

If you're looking for the world's best selection box, make sure you head on over to the Lifebox website asap! Whether you want to treat someone to a subscription, or just fancy getting them a single box of goodies, Lifebox has the answer. From raw chocolates to nut butters, superfood powders to protein bars, there's something for everyone (including men & kids!).

Boxes range from 14.95 - 29.95

5. Good & Proper Tea

Forget a steaming mug of coffee; Good & Proper Tea has officially put the good old cuppa back on the map! For anyone who loves a brew, there are plenty of tea gift sets to brighten up your morning, from Oolong to Matcha, they will keep you nice and cosy during the colder seasons.

Gift sets from 15 - 30.

6. S'well Bottle

If you haven't heard of these super cool water bottles, then I don't really know where you've been! With a mission to rid the world of plastic, S'well have become the ultimate fashion accessory and make the ideal holiday gift! From Hawaiian prints to marble effects in every colour, there's definitely a bottle to match your personality.

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Bottles range from 25- 45

7. Content Beauty

Make up lovers- this is the one for you. Say goodbye to chemical fillers and nasty ingredients, Content Beauty has you covered from head to toe. Whether you're after make up, skin-care or hair-care, this is the place to explore many different natural beauty options. Say hello to matcha facemasks and 'inner peace' mists!

8. Himalayan Salt Lamp

Made from Himalayan crystal salt rocks, Salty Lamps are designed to help clear electric smog and bring numerous health benefits, including stress reduction and improved concentration. You can pick them up in a variety of different shapes and sizes, making them a great little present for anyone working in an office all day!

Salt lamps and candle holders range from 7.99 to 49.99

9. Lola's Apothecary Gift Sets

From handmade bath milks to body oils, Lola's Apothecary will provide you with an exhilarating self- care experience. All their products are so beautiful and packaged with such care that you're in for a treat, whichever item you pick. There are fragrances to restore, romance, or rest and each will have your body feeling undeniably silky smooth!

Prices from around 34.

10. Hey Holla Pouches

With fun, quirky sweaters and hilarious gym accessories, you'll absolutely want to keep these gifts for yourself. Hey Holla has created gym bags that will make you laugh all the way to the venue, and toiletry bags that you'll be putting all over Instagram. Whatever form of exercise you love, there is a bag just for you.

All bags online are 20
Jupiterimages via Getty Images

212 a week. According to insurance company LV=, the average cost of bringing up a child is just over 11,000 per year. That's 212 a week. If you're a parent, like me, then that sort of figure will probably come as no surprise to you.

So, why is it that more than 5,000 fostered children in Scotland - for whom the Scottish Government is the corporate parent - are deemed to need significantly less than that each week? Indeed, some carers in Scotland are receiving just about a third of that amount each week to spend on looking after a child. That's just 77 a week which, however you look at it, is not sufficient in order to be able to give a fostered child all that they need.

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Foster carers across the UK receive an allowance which is supposed to cover the cost of looking after the children in their care. In Wales, England and Northern Ireland there is a minimum allowance (still nowhere as high as 212 a week) meaning that, even though there are still fluctuations in the size of the allowance, there is a safety net below which the allowances cannot fall. In Scotland no such thing exists. With the allowances Scottish foster carers receive varying hugely, and 80 per cent receiving less than the minimum recommended allowance in Wales, fostered young people and their carers are being let down by the Scottish Government who have been promising to introduce minimum fostering allowances for a decade.

A foster carer receiving 77 a week in Scotland has over 4,500 a year less than their counterpart who receives the minimum allowance in Wales. That is not fair. It's not fair on the foster carers, many of whom are subsidising the care of the young people out of their own pocket, and it is certainly not fair on fostered young people who deserve every opportunity to flourish.

One foster carer told me:

I know many carers, including myself, who pay things ourselves from time to time as we don't want the children we are looking after to miss out. I have found this tends to happen more during holidays when we have days out or go away and the allowance never covers the whole amount. The trouble is not every carer can afford to subsidise the local authority and why should they? Foster children should receive the same standard of care not matter what their postcode is.

The Scottish Government is abdicating its responsibility as corporate parent.

At the SNP conference this October, Nicola Sturgeon announced a much-lauded review into the care system. She did so with words that I can wholeheartedly agree with:

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...children don't need a system that just stops things happening to them - they need one that makes things happen for them. A system that supports them to become the people they can be. One that gives them a sense of family. Of belonging. Of love. My view is simple: every young person deserves to be loved. So let's come together and make this commitment: to love our most vulnerable children and give them the childhood they deserve.
In conjunction with leading social intelligence company Brandwatch, anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label analysed current constructs of masculinity as expressed across social media.

In 2016, we published our fourth Annual Bullying Survey; this report in particular was notable because it was the first piece of mainstream research to uncover the reasons why people bully others. The survey enabled us to build complex profiles of those who perpetrate bullying, which in turn has allowed us to increase the amount of support we provide to prevent bullying from happening in the first place.

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Interestingly, in this research we found that those who identify as being male or who have grown up in a male-dominated household were more likely to bully than those who identify as female or have greater female influences at home. We also discovered that males are less likely to tell somebody or seek support if they are experiencing bullying themselves. Societal constructs of masculinity have long denied many boys and men around the world freedom of visceral expression; taught from a young age to suppress their emotions, to 'man up', to 'stop being a girl'- and many young men conform, for fear of being labelled 'gay' or 'feminine' - adjectives that have come to be synonymous with weakness.

With this kind of suppression, stoicism and denial firmly rooted in our culture, is it any surprise that suicide is the biggest killer of young men? Or that many males resort to aggressive behaviours as an outlet for their pent-up frustration and emotion?

A redefinition is in order. It is time we finally addressed these issues, looked after the mental health of future generations of young men and ditched these limiting, archaic stereotypes. Only then can we implement positive societal change and proactively reduce rates of bullying and crime, as we now know these to be interlinked.

Here at Ditch the Label we are making it our mission to encourage more young males to reach out for help when they need it. For us to better understand the current climate and how we can apply our resources effectively, we worked in conjunction with social intelligence company Brandwatch, to gain further insight into how constructs of masculinity are being expressed and perceived across social media, looking specifically at dialogue on Twitter.

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The best way to measure something like this is often to observe behaviours, and so we analysed almost 19 million public Tweets from both the UK and US over a four year period to get a broad understanding of the landscape.

Observing discussions on masculinity in four key areas, (how an individual behaves, how they look, their personality and lifestyle preferences) we found that 1 in 3 of all discussions associated with masculine behaviour on Twitter referenced violence; ranging from physical aggression, gun violence, domestic violence and war.

Sports fans were found to be most likely to comply with the masculinity construct, whereas students were the most likely to deviate. Further research in this area could explore the integration between both groups as a tool to promote diversity within sporting contexts.

There were also indications that exhibiting certain behaviours or possessing certain physical attributes, such as stoicism and 'toughness', facial hair and a muscular physique, a preference to eat meat and drink beer, are seen as masculine ideals, whereas drinking cocktails or listening to pop music are examples of activities that aren't sheltered underneath the umbrella of masculinity. The act of crying was repeatedly cited as a feminine behaviour.

The research also brought to light the fact that masculinity continues to be heteronormative; actively discriminating against young men who do not identify as being straight. Homophobia was mentioned in 9% of conversations revolving around fragile masculinity and homosexuality was often used in a negative, non-literal sense to criticise behaviour seen as non-conformist.

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Positively, what it means to be a man is a growing talking point and includes transgender voices using Twitter to generate discussion and offer a fresh perspective on the subject. We found that many authors are utilising the network to question and challenge existing prototypical constructs of masculinity, as are brands and media sources - which is promising news, as advertising plays a major role in reinforcing notions of gender.

The research revealed that generally, reactions to those who do not conform to the macho stereotype are often supportive; people on Twitter were six times as likely to respond positively than negatively to their connections when they posted content that didn't subscribe to traditional gender stereotypes. This suggests that generally, Twitter could be considered a safer place for expression of diversity.

Although it is apparent that perceptions are slowly shifting and stereotypes of masculinity are being challenged, masculinity-related insults unfortunately remain prevalent. This is especially the case among authors associated with family or parenting, which suggests that these terms and attitudes may be passed down to future generations.

You can read the full report here.

HuffPost UK is running a month-long focus around men to highlight the pressures they face around identity and to raise awareness of the epidemic of suicide. To address some of the issues at hand, Building Modern Men presents a snapshot of life for men, the difficulty in expressing emotion, the challenges of speaking out, as well as kick starting conversations around male body image, LGBT identity, male friendship and mental health.

To blog for Building Modern Men, email ukblogteam@huffingtonpost.com. If you would like to read our features focused around men, click here
We had a fire in Exeter. You may or may not have seen a couple of minutes of news about it somewhere. Nobody was killed; no one was even hurt; no pets are missing and it's all over now.

It destroyed the building believed to be the oldest hotel in England--the place where Queen Victoria's father, the Duke of Kent, was embalmed after he died in Sidmouth, on the Devon coast. The embalmer was offered money or a knighthood for his services and, probably very sensibly, decided on the latter.

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But it's only a bulding, right? Nothing really important--apart from its importance to those who have lost their livelihood and their jobs. Oh, and the art gallery where the fire started has been destroyed and there's a lot of smoke-and-singe damage to surrounding buildings.

And yet...

The Royal Clarence Hotel is/was one of the buildings on Exeter's Cathedral Green. We have a beautiful 600-year-old cathedral--St. Peter's--described by the Dean as, "one of the great cathedrals of England, and one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture anywhere." And as the Very Rev. Jonathan Draper reminded me when I interviewed him for BBC Radio Devon last week, the Cathedral Green is the very heart of the city. That's not just because it has a load of great cafes and, even better, some grass or steps to sit on to eat a packed lunch, it's because of the church itself.

Whether or not you ever go into this magnificent cathedral to wander and gaze, to sit and contemplate or just to visit the shop, the old stone building holds the space around it as if it were Mother of this city and all who pass by here. It has stood here through century after century of love, hate, war, peace, worship, plea and thanksgiving; through the dissolution of the monasteries and the coming of the Church of England, holding a space for a God without boundaries far more than was ever probably known or understood by many of its clergy. That kind of enduring stability leaves its mark. Nowadays, for certain, it's a cathedral that feeds people spiritually, psychologically and physically.

And, when the Great Fire of Exeter was raging, it had to be shut.

Much loved seasonal events in the cathedral had to be cancelled--and although services were carried out in the Chapter House on the 'safe side' of the square, the foundation stone of the city was rocked, albeit temporarily. When people talking about the fire tried to put their feelings into words, even those who had never been into the Royal Clarence, were saying things like, 'it felt as though part of our own home was burning.'

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Yes, the loss of the hotel was awful; but I think it was also the closure of the whole heart of the city that felt so wrong.

No matter whether you are religious, agnostic or atheist, the great old churches and temples of this world carry a powerful charge of energy from the centuries of prayer, of song and of silence that have been carried out there. Even now, most folk hush themselves when they enter an ancient church and take a moment to feel the echo of the ages.

So, to have our cathedral inaccessible, even if only for a few days, gave a strange feeling of emptiness to more than just the Christians who worship here.

Which, I think, is why we're all so delighted that the Emergency Services have said it's okay for Exeter's annual Christmas Market to go ahead on the Cathedral Green from 18th November. It will help to warm the cold hands of memory of an area that was suddenly a place of danger rather than a place of serenity and comfort.

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If you're thinking of Jesus turning over the tables in the Temple, or quoting, 'you cannot love God and Mammon' then you may not be as excited as I am. But I'm sure this is different; no one is cheating us over buying Temple tithes in order to be able to get into the building. This is a time of coming together and enjoying our differences.

This is a gathering of Europeans sharing artisan wares, yummy foods, beautiful objects which marks the official beginning of Christmas in Devon. The fires, the glow, the laughter and the beauty will warm the Cathedral Green and give fresh fuel to the light of the Great Mother who watches over us.

The market is also offering space to sell for those smaller shops that have been affected by the fire and its aftermath.

And who knows, some aching soul--of whatever faith or none--who is visiting the market may slip into the great cavern of silence, prayer and music that is our beloved cathedral and find a moment or two of deeply-valued peace.

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Couldn't resist putting this picture in--of the Chocolate Workshop stall. Please guys, this year, you have to make a chocolate teapot!

Click here if you would like to make a donation for those who have lost their livelihoods in the Great Fire of Exeter.
Carlos Barria / Reuters

The election of the right wing populist Donald Trump, together with the defeat of the Democrats across America has lessons for the British Labour Party. Clinton believed that she has a solid base among the working class in the traditionally Democratic "rust belt" states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio and therefore her strategy was to concentrate on wooing young people, college educated women and the black and Hispanic vote.

Clinton's strategy seemed plausible because the predominantly white working class rust belt states had reliably voted for Bill Clinton and Barack Obama; so surely they would not switch to a multimillionaire, property tycoon. Hilary also believed that Trump's early attacks on Mexicans were a big mistake which enabled her to turn out the Hispanic vote in record numbers. But on 8 November neither the minorities, nor young people turned out in the way Hilary hoped; but the white, male working class turned out to vote for Donald J Trump.

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Clinton had lost touch with the traditionally Democratic white male worker. Her liberal views on immigration and trade might draw enthusiastic liberals in the big cities, but many workers in the rust belt perceived her to be ignoring their economic interest.

The rust belt states had been hurt by the North America Free Trade Agreement between the USA, Mexico and Canada, which had been signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993. NAFTA enabled manufacturers to move their factories from the rust belt to Mexico, pay a fraction of American wages and avoid environmental and health overheads. Consumers got lower prices, but workers in the rust belt lost their jobs. Meantime the porous border with Mexico allowed millions of illegal migrants to enter and compete for jobs.

During the primaries, Senator Bernie Sanders had seized the imagination of college educated liberals and this forced Clinton to shift leftward on policy and to focus on getting minorities to support her. By the time that she won the Democratic nomination she was seen as the candidate of minorities and the left. Her liberal views might be lauded in coastal San Francisco or New York, but in the more traditional socially conservative heartlands, white male workers felt ignored.

Trump spotted the gap in the political market and filled it with a populist promise to put America first by repealing NAFTA and "building a wall". He correctly identified the fears of workers and offered simple solutions. When liberals attacked him as a racist, he told people he was being criticised for speaking up for them.

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The great paradox is that the Democrats lost the 2016 election on the issues; not on emails or sexual indiscretions. White workersa quietly and consciously voted for what they saw as their economic interest. They just wanted less competition for jobs and an end to free trade. Few voters were fooled by Trump's bombast; they did not vote for the man, they voted for his policies. Hilary offered complex policies, which appealed to the college educated and liberals, whereas Trump offered simple, sometimes simplistic, solutions to the workers.

In his election campaign, Trump repeatedly reminded people that the Brexit phenomena in Britain had exposed similar social fault lines. The leaders of the three British establishment parties had united to call for the UK to remain in the EU for lots of detailed reasons, but the white working class in middle England voted to leave a free trade organisation because they wanted to get control of immigration. Most British workers did not vote because they were racist, they voted because they could see that immigrant numbers were rising and they were competing for jobs, houses and services. The three party leaders did not seem to be dealing with the problem. Cameron had promised to control immigration, but it had risen on his watch.

From 1992 to 2010, as the Labour MP for North Warwickshire, I represented workers in the geographical centre of England. It is a mostly white, working class constituency. After 2008, unlike many areas, it weathered the recession relatively well because new Business Parks attracted investment and created new jobs. But the new businesses also attracted hundreds of Eastern European workers. Local workers told me on the doorstep, "They're nice people, they work hard, but there are just too many of them". As the pro-EU son of immigrants I reminded people about the benefits of the EU and immigration, but people made it clear to me that they understood the link between membership of the EU and free movement of labour and they no longer saw it as in their economic interest to remain in the EU. When Cameron offered them a chance to leave the EU, I was unsurprised that my area voted strongly to leave.

In the 2015 election Labour Party had detailed policies on enforcing the minimum wage, tackling agencies abuses and improving services, but it failed to say it would try to do something about free movement of labour. And a year later explanations that the EU created jobs overall and benefited everyone collectively, did not cut through the fog of the referendum campaign. The Bank of England Report just before the referendum showing how the poorest tenth of workers had lost income due to migration merely confirmed that the concerns of workers had some economic substance.

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Like the Democrats, the Labour Party relies on its working class base for its existence. In 2015 it is striking that in the inner cities with migrant communities, the Labour vote often went up, whereas in middle England, the smaller towns and villages outside conurbations, it went down. On the doorstep in middle England the reason given was immigration and generally, with exceptions, people talked about their concerns in a non-racist way. But people felt Labour needed to talk more openly about their concerns.

The Labour Party was created, by trade unionists and socialists, to mobilise the workers of Britain and to represent them in Parliament. Like Clinton's Democrats the Labour Party sought to help working people get a better deal by creating better health care, better working conditions and the minimum wage. For decades the Democrats and Labour have held together a coalition of workers, liberals and minorities. Both they now need to recognise that by championing liberal causes and minorities for all the right reasons, they have sometimes failed to listen attentively enough to the concerns of workers.

That does not mean that Labour or the Democrats ought to become an anti immigrant party; that would not only be morally dubious but also electorally suicidal. The real problem remains is globalisation, people feeling left behind as things change, denied a share in prosperity, the failure to redistribute wealth and the failure of government to improve services and build homes. Working people want their representatives to recognise their concerns, talk about them, present clear policies to deal with them and to explain them in a straight forward way. In return for their vote they want elected governments to get a grip on problems. And among other things the British Worker in the Midlands and the North, like the workers in Middle America, wants government to control borders, rather than to stop all immigration.

In 2015 the Labour Party and in 2016 the Democrats expected their working class base to just be there. They were not. They cannot be taken for granted. Both parties now need to work hard to get back in touch with the concerns of working class people or those workers will look elsewhere. The one benefit of being in opposition is that political parties have the time and the chance to redefine their purpose and get back in touch with their base.

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Photo credit: whatsonweibo.com

In recent times, Western European women have focused less on looking younger and more on "great for their age". This is certainly a phenomenon I have observed in women of Caucasian descent in my clinic. On the whole, populations such as Germany and Scandinavia do not want to look different, just age appropriate. Whereas women of East Asian descent are commonly wanting to look younger and do want to change their features. Looking young, different but improved can be linked to societal standing, so women of Chinese or Japanese descent can be proactive in searching for new innovations. Familial pressures to be young and slim can be strong, as can desires for fortune-related characteristics with regards to certain facial features. My lecturing work throughout different provinces in China has helped to really deepen my knowledge and understanding of Chinese beauty goals and I can translate that to the large Chinese community we have in Manchester, U.K.

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In my clinic I also see many patients of Indian subcontinent ethnicity. I find these groups fascinating in terms of their tastes. They often want to achieve a sophisticated look and even skin tone but with a focus on natural results. I also note that in contrast to East Asian patients, they may feel judged by their communities for seeking treatments, even if they are corrective.

Photo credit: chineseportal.net

Certain countries have been found to share beauty ideals and this may aid our communication when consulting these patients. The UK, France, Canada and Australia tend to believe in ageing positively, not necessarily denying ageing but doing it in a polished way. Skin interventions that improve skin quality and result in a natural, make-up free finish may be attractive options for these patients.

In patients of East Asian descent such as South Korea, Taiwan, China and Japan may focus on transformation. They want to transform the way they look and language such as "attractive, pretty, stunning and flawless" has been found to define beauty in 47% of Chinese women.

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In Italy and Turkey part of their understanding of beauty correlates with their fashion tastes. 22% of Italians and 23% of Turkish women associated with "Style and glamour" as a beauty outcome.

In Brazil, Saudi and the UAE, women may want to accentuate certain anatomical features to enhance their allure. A Brazilian woman may want to achieve a fast result in a society where her figure can be under close scrutiny. I have found in my practice, a focus on eye and eyebrow accentuation can be popular in women who wear hijab and niqab to express their magnificence.

Photo credit: telegraph.co.uk

The complex pursuit of beauty has now transcended all regional borders. It is our duty to understand our patient's backgrounds and responsibly help them to achieve their goals. I consider myself fortunate to have a career that allows me to understand different cultures through teaching around the world. As someone from a heterogenic family and international background, these diverse perspectives have always been a natural part of my life. Of course, the more heterozygotic our patient populations become, the more challenging our work to create true authentic attractiveness. I welcome these fascinating progressions in our specialty and feel privileged to be a part of this evolution.

Bibliography

Office for National Statistics Immigration Data on File 2016
Trump has been branded a bigot, a misogynist, Islamophobic, xenophobic, racist and a sociopath. But he's not the first person with insalubrious credentials to be elected as President, look at the some of the world leaders that preside today in North Korea, Russia, and Zimbabwe. The list goes on. Power hungry zealots have a historical habit of snaring power. Trump has bagged the biggest global prize of all. But you know what, I kept muttering, 'I think Trump will win.' My husband said it was unlikely, but deep inside I just felt Clinton had too much stacked against her. There has also been a shift to the far-right, which started ever since 9/11, the subsequent wars, the immigration crisis and the polarisation between the west and Islam. Now we have just seen the world become even more polarised overnight and the global markets have taken a nosedive. With France and Germany due to go to the polls, will we see something similar - a clean far-right sweep to power?

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Pen and ink on postcard, 2016

While the election results came in I was working on this postcard, part of my 1000 Postcard series, trying to make sense of my children's mark making. The scene seemed like mayhem and in the artwork the Lego man cries, 'Oh no Trump for President' as the world descends into chaos. It does feel like we are on the cusp of a new global order the likes of which we have not seen before.

Right now Trump is grinning, he is triumphant, he didn't really have the Republican Party behind him, but he doesn't need them. They seem redundant - he won this election on his own terms. He seems less of a president - more a potential dictator, such are his powers with a Republican Senate and Congress. We might even see a Trump dynasty emerging with his sons lining up to take over. Without risk of sounding ageist he is 70 and his cognitive prowess is in question, but it seems the electorate don't mind because Trump is going to make the US great again - isn't he?

Perhaps he intends to treat the US like a business, because that's what he is a businessman who knows how to make money and go bankrupt, may I add. Is that what the US people want, to get rich like Trump? What he will do is take the US backwards, just like Brexit is making Britain insular, protectionist and anti-immigration the US is following suit. But then again maybe the US and UK will forge a special relationship since they seem to be on the same page with the former UKiP leader Farage as the go between, apparently he's on a plane to the US to hustle a job. Farage spoke about taking back control and making Britain great again, not too dissimilar from Trump's rhetoric. This idea of control and greatness seems nebulous - what does it mean?

Brexit and Trump's victory have redefined what it means to be British and American. If you are white then you are in, if you are not then there is a question mark next to your name. Yes, that's how it feels - doesn't matter if you are second, third, fourth or fifth generation British or American the feeling is go back home. But home is Britain, I was born in the UK, English is my first language, I have a British passport, but none of that seems to count for anything much. How do the millions of Black, Hispanics and Asians feel right now who didn't support Trump? I single out these groups because these are the ones that seem to be under attack and if you are Muslim well you are on the outside more than ever before. And it doesn't matter if you are educated or have tried in earnest to assimilate, none of that counts. Watch your back if you are a minority.

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Will Trump really help to bridge the rich and poor divide and create millions of jobs? Maybe he will start building Trump casinos in impoverished areas and Trump stadiums and Trump monuments and a Trump palace. Well it's work and job creation. Whatever he is going to come up with to deal with the domestic crisis it's his foreign policy stance that is worrying.

He has made no secret of the fact that he's a jingoist, so I am wondering when is the next war going to break out? Although ISIS is being defeated and pushed back in Iraq and Syria maybe Trump will seek total annihilation and step up US involvement taking a leaf out of Putin's indiscriminate approach. He did say he would bomb ISIS and then take the oil to cover the costs of war.

One thing that is certain I have no plans to visit the US while Trump is in power, with a surname like Islam I can imagine the vetting, the questions, it's happened before. Will we see an exodus (including some of the brightest and best) leaving? The US is seen as the greatest power on earth, but this election has just turned the US into the biggest joke - a catastrophic one for minorities and Muslims and anyone who is remotely different and wishes to assert their rights.

Interestingly when I saw all the pictures of jubilant Trump supporters, the vast majority of them were white, male or old. When Clinton summoned her celebrity friends I cringed; she just shot herself in the foot, maybe encouraging those wavering or sitting on the fence to vote for Trump. There was the implicit suggestion that these cool artists are representative of the masses but they are not, they are part of the celebrity elite. Seeing them on stage, enforced a them and us mentality, maybe consolidating the resentment of the seething millions who feel left behind, excluded and tossed in the bin. But then do they honestly believe that Trump is their saviour?

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The US has turned itself into a cult, electing a leader who based his entire strategy on hate. Well done America, the world is a giant leap closer to an apocalypse. After the most outrageous and unbelievable campaign in living memory the new President has been chosen, and it's Donald J. Trump.

The US has always proclaimed itself as a leader in the free world: the bright light of democracy shining into the darkness, yet as a country America is far from the progressive model it believes of itself. Institutionalised racism, sexism and homophobia have been well-documented throughout America's history, and still continue to this day. Trump epitomises these backwards-facing double-standards and his election is both a moral failure and a reminder that perhaps humanity is as collectively stupid as we often fear.

After spearheading his campaign with attacks on 'Crooked' Hillary, saying she is "the most corrupt person ever" to run for President, Trump immediately praised and thanked Clinton for her work in politics after she conceded, claiming the country owed her a debt of gratitude instead of - as many of his followers expected - calling for her lynching. This was not the first display of Trump's hypocrisy, and will definitely not be the last.

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It's not a drastic surprise Trump has won as his campaign followed the same cues as Farage's Leave crusade during the EU Referendum. Both appealed to disgruntled working-class white voters, appropriating the anti-establishment sentiment that is the role of the far-left and weaponising it for the far-right. Both were part of the very problem they claim to have the solution to. Both manipulate facts and, at times, deliver outright lies; although Trump is definitely guilty of this much more than Farage. The difference between the two, however, is clear: Farage understands politics, Trump does not.

When Farage ran for MP at the last General Election he did so in my home constituency of South Thanet. Even though he lost, I saw first-hand the rift created in the community; but Farage is a politician and knows how the system works. Trump is a complete outsider with zero experience, yet he is part of the very crowd he tries to oppose. Even worse, he flat-out denies saying things that he has been proved to have said; rewriting the truth in his own mind so often that even he doesn't know what is real.

The polarisation within my local area - and the UK as a whole - that Farage caused is nothing compared to what Trump has done to the US; the most dangerous part of which was his refusal to accept the result of the election before it had even happened. Will he still say it is rigged, even though he won? My gut says no: if he had lost he would have argued and fought and thrown a tantrum like the giant, small-handed man-child that he has repeatedly shown himself to be; but victorious he will bathe in his own glory, ignorant to the hypocrisy he embodies.

As the Land of the Free the US should be promoting free speech and advocating equality, yet under Trump's stewardship it will be anything but. A man who threatened to sue the women who accused him of sexual assault, throw his opponent in jail, ban free movement and remove constitutional rights for certain minority groups, he is the polar opposite of the trailblazing vindicator of oppression he asserts himself to be. Whilst he may consider himself to be akin to George Washington, he is actually Napoleon from Orwell's Animal Farm. Now he has come to power, in a short time his followers will feel very much like the farmyard animals, with Trump and his entourage the pigs.

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"The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which." - George Orwell, Animal Farm

Trump has claimed he will start a revolution. He has insinuated and incited hatred and violence and his key demographic has lapped it up, and now he has actual power that is terrifying. The US will soon become just like one of his buildings: plastered with his fart-synonym of a name in giant, narcissistic gold letters, funded by loans offset against debt in a tax-avoidance scam.

At least with Hillary Clinton in power we wouldn't have been spending the next four years listening out for the four-minute warning as the planet is plunged into further turmoil by the US ripping itself apart whilst invading everywhere else and denying climate change; thereby hastening our extinction, along with all other life on the planet.
On Monday the UN Committee on the Rights of People with Disabilities released a report of what is generally regarded as the UK government's grave violation of the convention on the rights of people with disabilities. What the report really represents is a political stunt that shows the prejudices that exist towards people with impairments by the UN.

The report was produced at the request of Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), a left-wing organisation involved in civil disobedience. Their actions have included a failed attempt to storm the House of Commons, which would have been regarded as an act of terrorism if any other group had done the same. This group fundamentally believes most people with impairments should be paid a basic income and thrown on the scrapheap, mirroring the bigotry that existed in 1930s Germany.

The UN did not disappoint DPAC as it delivered exactly what they wanted word for word. Since the request was made almost two years ago, this so-called investigation come dictation has been held in secret with evidence only coming from DPAC's vast pro-exclusion propaganda machine, with the British government simply forced to justify including people with impairments into society from those who prefer eugenics as the final solution.

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The report is surprisingly thin at just 30 pages with no publicly accountable evidence to justify any of its findings. I am sure the committee knew it was unwise to release many of the hate speech documents provided by DPAC full of lies and conspiracies. To justify their bigotry towards people with impairments in the name of rights, there had to make their short statement without evidence, knowing the anti-inclusion movement will ensure no one challenges them.

The report only focused on welfare reforms and changes to social care for people with physical impairments primarily as that is the only issues DPAC cares about. The report assumes every person with an impairment is the same that fits into the new assumption that the only 'disabled person' that matters is the fictitious Daniel Blake, where the non-welfare issues of people with significant impairments no longer matter. One leading human rights activist, who defended this undefendable report in the Guardian, implied to me I had to take responsibility to ensure Daniel Blake got his benefits regardless of what he needed before I could be allowed to have my needs met because this activist did not like seeing his idea of poverty.

The most offensive and telling part of the report was that it had found fit for work in quotation marks, This means like the dinner table activists in the UK, a bunch of nameless faceless bureaucrats felt they had the right to overrule a legal assessment to judge people they had never met on whether they were fit for society, or whether they belonged unsupported on the scrapheap in the name of rights. This is like suggesting black people have the right to be slaves but offering them freedom is a grave violation of their rights, as they are inferior beings.
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No doubt most of you will have had an earful of news this week, what with the Brexit verdict, the US Election and all those marvellous titbits in between. However, on Thursday 3rd November the Secretary of State for Justice the Right Honourable Elizabeth Truss MP released "her" white paper for Prison Safety & Reform and this marvellous tome is what I want to bring to your attention.

The paper said nothing new and that is the problem that affects you. Don't bother downloading it, it is 65 pages long and I can summarise it fairly easily for you and save your bandwidth for something much more exciting.

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So here we go:

"Prisons are terrible places where bad things happen, we don't have the staff to man them and we will train eagles to fly over them"

If we continue to warehouse our prisoners and not offer them any type of rehabilitation then they will be released as the same people that entered and that is deplorable. Society sent these people to jail for breaking the rules but it is incumbent upon society to help rehabilitate them and have them released as better members of society. To do that you need to have the correct amount of staff who are able to affect this life changing event.

Ms. Truss's paper announced that she would be arranging the employment of a further 2,500 prison officers. That is welcomed, but wait...upon reading the paper it says that this will be in place sometime during 2018! It is not only the quantity that is important but the quality; I say that a training program of 6/8 weeks is hardly suitable for the type of employment these people will be engaging in. Added to that that the starting salary is @20,000p/a I have to wonder about the quality.

I am NOT questioning the desire of the people wanting to join up but rather if they will be able to handle the stress they will be placed under during their new vocation. I recently gave a talk to some trainee officers and I thoroughly enjoyed it, indeed the Governor who invited me told me recently that some of the staff felt it was the most worthwhile part of their training. They had never talked to an ex prisoner before, they were wide eyed at what I told them would be their routine day. Perhaps instead of training them only how to deal with violence, drugs and phones they could spend a small part of their time getting trained in now to manage a prisoner. But wait, there's more, given the fact that 3,000 people leave the service every year what exactly will be the net gain of employing a further 2500?

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Understaffed prisons leads to deaths. In the last 10 years over 750 people have taken their own lives in prison and over 36,000 people have self harmed. Now if one of those deaths or one of those incidents of self harm was the result of understaffing then who do we hold culpable?

The paper claims innovation as it talks about a new program of testing every inmate's English and Maths capability upon entrance into prison. It talks about every prisoner having an officer that they can relate to and who will monitor them throughout their time in custody. I wish I could say that these were groundbreaking reforms but in essence the personal officer scheme has been in Prisons since the Mountbatten report in 1966. The idea of testing basic literacy skills was implemented in the 1990's.

The paper says it will issue league table of how prisons are performing. So then a prisoner can then choose to go to a premier league prison? Actually, no, prisoners have no control over where they are sent. Some of them are sent hundreds of miles away from their families. So the point of the table would be? Here's the thing, the ONLY way to judge a prison on its success is to ascertain how many of its inmates return. That's it... nothing else!

The one thing that she said that rings true is that most of today's prisoners will be released back into society at some point in the future. Lock people up in a 12x10 room for 22 hours per day and release them back into society. Then don't be shocked when the recidivist rates stubbornly don't decrease.

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Mr Truss's answer apparently is to build her way out of trouble. One new prison is due to open in Wales, with a capacity of over 1500 prisoners, next year and sites at Glen Parva and Wellingborough are earmarked for the next prison construction program. She has promised to close down some old prisons and replace them with over 10,000 new spaces. Some people will look at that as welcome news. I do not; I look at it as the government admitting failure in being able to decrease the prison population.
Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

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PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS

There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

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The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces

LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN

This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan

Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement

With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building

OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh
Mahmoud Abu Zeid, more commonly known as 'Shawkan', wrote in December 2014, after having been detained arbitrarily and in breach of national and international law for 500 days, that life had become "...endless nightmare inside this black hole that I am stuck in. The sunset has become a tiny strip through the iron mesh...I cannot see the sky clearly without an iron net and bars. I can only just see the sky from a small hole in the ceiling. Iron is taking over the place here. Heavy iron doors and a dark room like a dungeon...I spend twenty two hours each day locked in this small, dark cell with twelve others. For two hours I am moved into a small cage under a sun that I can barely feel. This is my existence...I'm Mahmoud Abou Zeid, Shawkan."

In 2013, Shawkan was, in his capacity as a photo-journalist, documenting the events of the actions taken to disperse the Raba'a square protest in Egypt. Actions that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Egyptian citizens whose only offence was to exercise their right to lawfully protest against the military coup.

However, the Egyptian authorities took exception to his actions, and for nothing more than the taking of photographs, he was arrested and detained.

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Three years later, not only is Shawkan, and many other journalists, still detained in prison without any domestic or international legal basis, and still awaiting trial, he may face the death penalty for those nonsensical charges for which he stands accused. Further, he suffers from Hepatitis C, his health is deteriorating, and he is denied much needed access to health-care and medication.

Shawkan's life is in danger quite apart from the potential for the death sentence being imposed by an autocratic regime that controls a dependent judiciary.

Egypt has, since the military coup led by Abdel Fattah el Sisi, become one of the most dangerous environments in the world for journalists to work. In fact, up to December 2015, only China has imprisoned more, and it is a trend that shows no signs of abating under the dictatorial regime of the self appointed President Sisi.

Alaa Sablan, a previous employee of Al Jazeera was sentenced to death earlier in 2016, as was Asmaa Alkhatib, a journalist with the Rassd News Network.

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The 'Al Jazeera 3' is further evidence of nonsensical political motivated charges being brought against those who have had the temerity to report on the state-wide crackdown on those who have, or are believed to have shown the merest element of dissent against the ruling regime.

The reality, is that Sisi's Egypt has sought to destroy the free-press, and all but removed the democratic principles of free speech and freedom of expression.

In the three years that have passed since Shawkan's arrest, he has been tortured, beaten over and over again in an attempt to elicit a confession to whatever baseless charges the Egyptian security services have decided upon, and yet, despite the worldwide condemnation of his and the treatment of others in a similar situation, the international community still welcomes President Sisi as a partner, welcomes his state visits, and continues to supply arms and thus the means to commit such mass human rights violations.

Egypt is not a democracy. Sisi is not a reformist. The military coup Government should not be a partner to the international community. Its actions should make us all shudder. It is repressive. The rule of law has collapsed. There is no right of protest; no freedom of expression; and all human rights protections and fundamental freedoms have been abandoned. However, the international community's silence should not come as a surprise when one considers the inaction in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Bahrain, Myanmar, Bangladesh to name just a few.

Egypt has been in freefall for sometime already. I have called for greater focus on justice and accountability for some time. Earlier this year, I submitted an urgent petition of complaint on behalf of Shawkan to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges, UN Special Rapporteur on Summary and Extrajudicial Execution and UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, highlighting his plight and seeking their urgent intervention.

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On 27 October 2016 the UN Working Group issued its opinion, concluding that Shawkan had been arbitrarily detained for the past 3 years, that he must be released immediately, and further, that he ought to be awarded appropriate compensation for his unlawful detention.

The response of the Egyptian Government has been one of wilful ignorance.

The opinion of the Working Group has not been acknowledged, and further, Shawkan's 'trial' has been once more postponed, and thus once more he has been condemned to live in the most torturous of circumstances.

At every turn, Shawkan's rights have been violated; he has been detained and interviewed without access to legal counsel, the courts have refused to enter legal documentation into evidence, he has been tortured, he has been denied medical treatment, he has been detained in excess of the maximum period permitted under the Egyptian Constitution, and yet it still continues.

It continues in part, because the international community have refused to address this situation with Egypt, and in particular, with 'President' Sisi. By refusing to condemn, and by refusing to raise these issues publically, and instead, receiving him and his government on official visits, seeking to increase trade, and in particular, increasing military and arms trade, Sisi's crackdown and route to autocracy has been given tacit approval by the international community.

In the face of such support internationally, it is no wonder that Sisi feels that he can subject citizens to the most appalling of treatment simply because they have documented the goings on, or because they have dared to show an element of dissent.

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Shawkan is but one individual, but he is one that has become almost talismanic, such is his situation, and a situation that is perhaps indicative of all that is wrong in today's Egypt.

For those that seek to question whether the methods adopted by Sisi and the Egyptian Security Services are appropriate, simply consider and then answer this question, could I write and publish this article in Egypt, free from arrest and persecution for doing so.

The answer is obviously not. If Shawkan can be detained for three years to face the death penalty for simply taking a photograph, the expression of my opinion in the press would certainly not be tolerated.
The Electoral College will dominate the airwaves and the headlines on Election Day Tuesday. But what exactly is the Electoral College? Below is a quick guide on what it does and why it matters.

What is the Electoral College?

The Electoral College is made up of 538 electors who cast votes to decide the President and Vice-President of the United States. When voters go to the polls on Tuesday, they will be choosing which candidate receives their state's electors. The candidate who receives a majority of electoral votes (270) wins the Presidency. The number 538 is the sum of the nation's 435 Representatives, 100 Senators, and 3 electors given to the District of Columbia.

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How does the Electoral College work?

Every four years, voters go to the polls and select a candidate for President and Vice-President. In all but two states, the candidate who wins the majority of votes in a state wins that state's electoral votes. In Nebraska and Maine, electoral votes are assigned by proportional representation, meaning that the top vote-getter in those states wins two electoral votes (for the two Senators) while the remaining electoral votes are allocated congressional district by congressional district. These rules make it possible for both candidates to receive electoral votes from Nebraska and Maine, unlike the winner-take-all system in the other 48 states.

How are the electors selected?

This process varies from state to state. Usually, political parties nominate electors at their state conventions. Sometimes that process occurs by a vote of the party's central committee. The electors are usually state-elected officials, party leaders, or people with a strong affiliation with the Presidential candidates.

Do electors have to vote for their party's candidate?

Neither the Constitution nor Federal election laws compel electors to vote for their party's candidate. That said, twenty-seven states have laws on the books that require electors to vote for their party's candidate if that candidate gets a majority of the state's popular vote. In 24 states, no such laws apply, but common practice is for electors to vote for their party's nominee.

What happens if no one gets a majority of Electoral College votes?

If no one gets a majority of electoral votes, the election is thrown to the U.S. House of Representatives. The top three contenders face off with each state casting one vote. Whoever wins a majority of states wins the election. The process is the same for the Vice Presidency, except that the U.S. Senate makes that selection.

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Can you lose the popular vote and win the electoral college vote?

Yes, a candidate could lose the popular vote and win the electoral college vote. This happened to George W. Bush in 2000, who lost the popular vote to Al Gore by .51% but won the electoral college 271 to 266.

When does the Electoral College cast its votes?

Each state's electors meet on the Monday following the second Wednesday of December. They cast their votes then, and those votes are sent to the President of the Senate who reads them before both houses of Congress on January 6th.

Why does the Electoral College matter?

The Electoral College determines the President and Vice-President of the United States. The Electoral College system also distinguishes the United States from other systems where the highest vote-getter automatically wins. This so-called "indirect election" process has been the subject of criticism and attempted reform, though proponents of it maintain that it ensures the rights of smaller states and stands as an important piece of American federalist democracy.
From the confluence of Rock Creek and the Potomac River, the House of Sweden faces the sylvan beauty of Roosevelt Island, which also shields the eye from the hodgepodge development on the Virginia shore. The mixed use Swedish embassy is a stunning piece of architecture whose appeal is enhanced by the agreeable exterior view.



In late October the 10th anniversary of the unique glass and blond laminate creation was celebrated with an open house that attracted over 2,200 visitors. The guests flowed easily through its three levels and many spilled out onto the roof to take in the varied skyline. There was Swedish food and music and exhibits from Swedish companies, particularly Volvo which displayed its latest car and heavy truck.



The building's principal designer, prize-winning architect Gert Windgardh, told visitors that the environmentally friendly structure is wearing well. "With LED lighting behind the laminate panels," he said, "the building becomes a lantern against the nighttime sky." It was designed to be modest but also elegant. "We Swedes," Windgardh continued, "are proud of Ikea because it combines quality and affordability and the House of Sweden should be viewed similarly. The House of Sweden, he said, is essentially an office building, with apartments at the top and public space accounting for 30 to 40% of overall square footage. It also houses the embassy of Iceland.



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Architect Gert Windgardh





From the House of Sweden steps looking east towards Key Bridge



A side view from Rock Creek near Thompson's boathouse

Largely because it is the only Washington embassy facing the Potomac instead of a thoroughfare, the House of Sweden is better known to hikers, boaters and cyclists than the public at large.

Grand as the exterior is the brilliance of the architecture is most apparent from the inside. The lower level used for displays, meetings and receptions is reached by a side stairway with blonde treads and railing. At the base is a reflecting pool and windows looking out at plantings along Rock Creek.



Side view from lower level



Lower level display area on the back side

The House of Sweden may be ten years old but it is so fresh and appealing that it appears brand new. In the view of this writer it is the finest embassy to grace Washington in recent decades. #

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Good news first, The price of wind and solar generation will continue to plunge, and their share of US power generation will keep on soaring. US coal plants will continue to be shut down. Coal's share of US electrical generation will continue to shrink, at least as fast as President Obama's now orphaned Clean Power Plan would have required. That pace is driven by economic competition from renewables and natural gas, not carbon regulation. If anything Trump's rhetoric may encourage more gas drilling which means coal becomes even less competitive.



Coal exports are also not likely to boom, again because of economics - Asian coal is simply cheaper once you add in the cost of shipping across the Pacific.



Nor, whatever Trump wants, is a major change in current fuel economy regulations for autos likely. The auto industry may well be able to persuade the new President to propose weakening them, but the same force that brought Detroit to the table in the first place remains an almost insuperable obstacle to a roll-back. California, where Democrats gained Tuesday night, would respond to a weakening proposal from Trump by using its authority to set even tougher standards, which a number of other states would mimic. This would confront the auto industry with two different US auto markets, an outcome it likely finds less palatable than letting the current rules remain.



So US carbon emissions will keep going down. On the other hand, methane emissions, which Obama had pledged to regulate, may well get a regulatory pass as long as Trump is President. The oil and gas industry is likely to take advantage of such lax rules by slacking off their efforts to seal the leaks which cause those emissions. Methane, fortunately, doesn't last nearly as long as carbon in the atmosphere, so that bad news can be reversed by the next President - or by Congress if the Democrats regain control in the mid-term elections.



It will be easier to get permits for pipelines, so the US/Canadian share of global oil production will nudge upward, and Exxon Mobil may be able to put some of its currently uneconomic tar sands holdings back on its reserve books. The next head of the SEC is unlikely to push the oil industry as hard on disclosing its climate risks - but if the investor community keeps pressing that may not matter. Radical conservatives may seek to get Trump to undo EPA's public health regulations on mercury, soot and long-distance pollution - but by the time Trump could reasonably get that done most of the impacted power plants will have had to comply.



Even though oil stocks fell on the news of Trump's victory, the immediate media reaction is "Harold Hamm as Energy Secretary will give industry what it wants from DOE." Well, yes, but what the industry needs is not a friendly Secretary of Energy, but a different market, a different California, different public attitudes, indeed a different world - none of which were adopted on the ballot Tuesday.



Trump has said he would walk away from the Paris Agreement - it's not clear how he would formally do that, but informally he will certainly just declare it a dead letter - but if emissions from power plants and cars keep coming down, the US will be moving towards 2025 compliance and have time to catch up after Trump is gone.



But the worst news for the climate is not the things that will happen, but the ones that won't. Trump's victory will unsettle the robust global momentum towards a climate safe future, hearten fossil fuel interests and embolden climate solution opponents. In every country there are voices saying, "We can't move unless America does more," and even though America may well do more, the next White House won't be eager to take the credit - in fact Trump is likely to claim that we aren't making progress even if we are.



So it's important for America to lead, even if Trump tries to stop it.



Cities, states, investors and business now become the critical American players. California is the new command post for the war to protect us from pollution and climate chaos, but it needs outposts, advance positions and pickets in every state. States can step in for the EPA and set up firm, tough rules on leaks from oil and gas wells, pipelines, pumping stations, emulate California's low carbon fuel standards, encourage renewable energy. Where state government too is hostile, cities must band together and take collective action. Mayors should demand the right to provide their citizens with clean, not dirty power. City Hall should give EV drivers the incentives they deserve for helping break our petroleum addiction, mandate deep retrofits of buildings as ownership or tenancy changes, adopt state of the art building codes, and make sure that their garbage is composted rather than being land-filled to brew methane.



So dismayed and disheartened - and in my case frightened - though we are, there is a lot of work to be done. If Trump governs as he campaigned, he will deliver on almost none of his promises, but will simply fragment the country. In that case, the midterm elections are likely to hand his party a sharp rebuke. But we should neither hope for nor sit waiting for such a wasted two years. Now is the time to show our resilience, and maintain our momentum, not plot our revenge.
The conventional wisdom is that Donald J. Trump is intentionally "dumbing down" his rhetoric in order to appeal to low-information voters, or, as Trump calls them, the "poorly educated."

Trump's messages are indeed aimed quite low. The language and content of one of Trump's debates during the Republican primary season was scientifically analyzed and determined to be at the fourth-grade level. One of his public news conferences was determined to be at the third-grade level.

But scientific confirmation is hardly necessary because Trump's over-simplicity is obvious. Just consider his signature issue: "Let's build a wall to keep out the bad guys." While this may make sense to fourth-graders, it makes no sense to sophisticated adults.

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Or consider another Trump doozy: "Let's ban all Muslims from entering America." Fourth-graders might think this is logical, but serious adults know it is ludicrous.

Examples of Trump's childish simplicities go on and on. Think about his statements like, "We should have taken the oil in Iraq," or "We should impose a 45 percent tariff on China," or "We should default on the U.S. debt and renegotiate it." These would all make sense to a fourth-grader on a very surface level, but in real life they would all lead to disastrous consequences for the nation.

And as we know all too well, Trump is fond of a highly juvenile form of communication that is riddled with profanity and insults, including calling people "loser," "stupid," "fat pig," "moron," and the like.

So what is Trump up to here in dumbing down his messages? Well, the conventional wisdom holds that there is method in his madness. And indeed, exploiting the "poorly educated" may be a rational political strategy because there are so many of them. That is, of course, if you have no problem ignoring the deplorable lack of ethics of exploiting other people.

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The vast majority of Americans, approximately 70 percent, possess the intelligence level of only average or below, which is roughly at or below a high-school level. Only 10 percent of the population is regarded as superior or above. So Trump's strategy seems apparent: Aim low to capture more people.

But perhaps the conventional wisdom about Trump is wrong. Perhaps Trump is not in fact exploiting people of low intelligence, but rather, perhaps Trump is, actually, one of them. Perhaps Trump possesses a very low level of intelligence himself.

In fact, this makes a lot of sense. Upon reflection, Trump's entire campaign has been consistent with the theory that he is not intentionally dumbing himself down, but rather, that his display of an exceedingly low level of intelligence is actually genuine.

When viewed through this perspective, everything about Trump suddenly becomes clear. This explains all sorts of things. It explains why he has made blunder after blunder. It explains why he repeatedly tells blatant lies that are easily debunked. It explains why he flip-flops and is incoherent. It explains his lewd comments about women. It explains his remedial reading level when he delivers speeches from the teleprompter. And it explains why he has not offered any substantive policies or proposals.

It also explains all of his absurd statements, like that climate change is a hoax invented by China, that immigrants are rapists and murderers, and that we should assassinate the innocent wives and children of terrorists. He is not faking. These are not strategic calculations. He really believes this stuff.

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Just imagine if Trump really is in fact afflicted with a low borderline level of intelligence. This would mean that the entire Republican Party has nominated as its candidate someone with an intellectual disability.

Prominent members of the Republican Party are busy genuflecting to this intellectually disabled person, such as Chris Christie, Rudy Giuliani, Newt Gingrich, Reince Priebus, and Mike Pence. And the Republican leadership has been modifying the entire Party's positions on substantive issues to conform to the ideas of someone who is intellectually impaired.

And pundits and commentators have been utterly wrong. So many of them have proclaimed Trump as a genius at this or that, such as at appealing to the middle class, outmaneuvering his political opponents, or manipulating the entire media industry to dominate coverage.

As it turns out, however, Trump is not any sort of a genius at all. He merely says what his fourth-grade mind actually believes. That's all it is. That is the extent of his complexity. If a fourth-grader proposed such ideas, like building a wall or banning all Muslims, these ideas would quickly be dismissed as far too simplistic. But when Trump says them, the media sensationalizes every word.

This is hardly Trump masterfully controlling the media, but rather, this is the media foolishly mistaking Trump for a mastermind and utterly failing to appreciate that this is no more than a person who is mentally underdeveloped.

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The entire spectacle is quite comical. But it is also very serious.

After all, this intellectually disabled man is one step away from becoming our president.
beauty girl cry

Yesterday America committed suicide. The idea of America, about which I wrote last week, is dead. Peering into the abyss, citizens of the United States chose fascism over a democratic republic. The following is a very slightly modified version of the column I had prepared when I thought we had been granted a reprieve. Nothing has changed; it has only been accelerated by four years. I thought we had that time; turns out we, and the planet, do not.

Most significantly, we've learned that the American constitutional republic is far more fragile than we were willing to admit. Yes, there had been threats of default and sequestration, years of legislative paralysis, kangaroo committee hearings and threats of impeachment, but we've never been confronted with a nihilistic electoral rage willing to burn the house down. We have now.

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We know that partisanship has become so toxic that it has become sufficiently metastatic to be a threat to the entire organism. We are suffering from a fatal case of septic shock, which is a terrible way to die. This happened despite the fascists having no campaign operation to speak of, while the Democrats had their best, including GOTV (Get Out the Vote). Not that it will matter in the future, since there likely won't be another vote.

Partisanship today is so toxic that non-liberals are willing to vote for the human equivalent of a sea slug, a person with no redeeming characteristics let alone any qualifications to be president. The upshot is that

The populist rage has no agenda other than destruction; if they're miserable, everyone should suffer.

Given such partisanship a slickly packaged neo-Nazi who keeps his mouth shut has a good chance of following Trump, should he even bother to step down.

It will take courage amongst Republicans which has been in very short supply this past year to withstand the complete Nazification of the Republican party.

The civil war has begun.

I wrote earlier that this is an existential crisis. This election changes everything; the alt-Reich won. The response needs to be to respond in kind. One doesn't defeat a group of bullies with fine words or "going high." We need to realize that the cancer is spreading and we are not going back to what we used to consider "business as usual."

There is no post-racial America. Bigotry is alive and well, and what was previously hidden and whispered is now brazen open and shouted. It will not disappear unless we defeat it.

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Anti-Semitism is alive and well, too, to the shock of most Americans who are old enough to remember mass extermination, as well as those who thought those days were long gone and that they were simply privileged white folks who needed to unpack that privilege. Well, we've got a lot of work to do to overcome all sorts of racism, but don't unpack those bags too quickly - you'll be of little help to your neighbors if you ignore those coming for you. Watch John Kasich's (no friend of decency, he) final ad if you never learned Martin Niemoller's plea.

Contrary to some of the analysis which portrayed this as a populist revolt of the economically distressed against the elites, that turned out not to be the case. The average Trump supporter earns more than the national average. No doubt economics plays a role, but just as Democrats have been wondering for decades why the white working class pays so little attention to economics (What's the Matter with Kansas), it would be foolish to suddenly believe in a Marxist analysis to Trumpist rage. Kansas is a great piece of evidence, as the state has become a true hellscape (unlike Trump's imaginary ones) thanks to the reactionary economic conservatism of Governor Brownback. That state doubled down on their misery and voted for Trump.

So why the rage? As has been pointed out by scholars of fascism, most recently by Adam Gopnik and Jelani Cobb, the rise of fascism requires a profound sense of humiliation and alienation of the people. While the white working class has believed the lies of the Republican party for decades, and while they keep voting for them, they seem to have finally recognized they've been had. Hence the rage against the Republican elites, beginning first with the Rovian astroturfed Tea Party, then the defenestration of Eric Cantor, to today's rise of the Trumpkins. That rage is associated with the humiliation of having been taken for fools, lifted by Trumpian rhetoric (if one could apply the term "rhetoric" to anything Trump says) that paints America as a fallen giant. Importantly, to them America has not been defeated by some external enemy, but by the diverse hordes of color and sexuality within.

That sense of humiliation is directly connected to a sense of diminished masculinity thanks to women's growing independence, both economically and socially, the increasing acceptance of LGBT persons, and longing for the days of socially acceptable sexual assault and enslavement of women. A sense of aggrievement that persons of color are no longer beneath the white man on the ladder of social hierarchy, which always assuaged the white male sense of inferiority for those men who hadn't made it.

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The pride of white America has been deeply damaged. In some respect that seems absurd, as white people are still a majority, black people a small minority, and the Latinx community still quite publicly marginalized. But people know that change is occurring, since right-wing talk show hosts and demagogues exaggerate daily, and more persons of color are visible these days in the media. It has been said that Trump's mortification by the President at the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner provoked him into running. A thin-skinned grifter and fraud being goaded by a black President is a pretty good analogy for the populist rage that brought us the teabaggers and Trumpkins. We can't hide from that simple reality anymore, or make excuses for the hate.

Finally, we must deal with the role of the media. Leslie Moonves famously said that Trump may be bad for America, but he was great for CBS. I don't know how to control the media, which, even in the era of social media and its gross manipulation by a gang of adolescent Macedonians, still used its power to create and maintain the fascist candidacy of Trump. They have a lot for which to answer, and we need to find way to either shame them back into a professional attitude or constrain such behavior in the future. That many of his enablers, these facilitators of this American Mussolini, happen to be Jewish is a humiliation (shonda, but not Shonda Rhimes) for the American Jewish community.

Let's take a moment to breathe, and consider our options. My grandparents left a dying continent in time to start over in the new world. It seems I must do the same, and my children now should consider a similar exit plan. I've had a good life, and it's no longer about me. As President Clinton said in Philadelphia, do it for your children and grandchildren. If it were just an American disease they could leave as well, but the entire planet now has a terminal diagnosis.

Let me end with the close from Gopnik's last essay:

Not long ago, I had occasion to write of the divide in virtue that separates us from Shakespeare, making the point that Shakespeare believed in fate, order, and forgiveness, whereas we believe in history, justice, and compassion, and that, superior though our moral progress may seem, there are bitter truths in the old trinity. For, as Shakespeare would have grasped at once, there is no explaining Trump. He is one of those phenomena that rise regularly in history to confound us with the possibility--and black comedy--of potent evil: conscienceless, cruel and pathologically dishonest. That evil magnetizes followers of all kinds is another permanent truth. Overexplaining its rise is as foolish as pretending that it can be easily defeated. The threat it makes to an order that, however imperfect, is worth sustaining and defending reminds us of that order's fragility. As to forgiveness, much will be demanded, even if the best happens--or the worst, at least, is avoided.
For decades Asia was thought to be unable to translate populist political sentiment into change at the ballot box, with communist autocracies, military dictatorships and paternalistic strong-men ruling so much of the region -- seemingly in perpetuity. Indeed, four of the world's five remaining communist governments are in Asia (China, Laos, North Korea, and Viet Nam), the military remains firmly entrenched in the political process in countries such as Indonesia and Myanmar, and de facto one-party rule persists in Singapore. That said, populist political movements have now become prevalent, if not predominant, in much of the region, resulting in an unusual mix ranging from democracy to autocratic rule.

Asian populism has produced some surprisingly good and bad leaders over the past couple of decades. The Philippines stands out in that regard, having produced presidents as diverse as Joseph Estrada, Ninoy Aquino and Rodrigo Duterte, all in the space of 15 years. The wild gyration in the political orientation of its leaders - from the pragmatist Aquino to the bombastic and outrageous Duterte -- speaks volumes about the power of popular will, as well as its capriciousness. The net result of the elevation of Duterte to the presidency is dramatic change in the country's domestic and international landscape, with what is in effect the capsizing of the Post-War security relationship between Manila and Washington - something Philippine voters certainly did not expect and many do not want.

The same is true in a very different way in Malaysia. While the exercise of popular will resulted in the status quo ante in Malaysia's presidential election of 2013 -- with the Barisan Nasional (and Prime Minister Najib Razak) remaining in power -- as a result of the 1MDB scandal and growing disaffection with the BN, Mr. Razak's government is now in trouble. With urban voters increasingly rejecting the BN and its policies, Mr. Razak has decided to court rural Malays, who tend to be more conservative and support some elements of Islamic Law in greater numbers than their urban counterparts.

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Earlier this year, the BN fast-tracked the reading of a bill which sought to increase the punishment that courts may impose on those Muslims convicted of religious offenses through existing Islamic courts. The very idea that Mr. Razak would embrace Islamic law for political gain is despicable, but also extremely short-sighted, given that doing so will likely prove to be difficult to reverse in the future, as well as have unintended consequences. This is also something Malaysian voters did not want or expect when they voted Mr. Razak back into power.

After having completed the largest purchase of U.S. military hardware in 20 years this past February, Mr. Razak's government has just announced that it intends to purchase littoral mission ships from China. Mr. Duterte has said that the Philippines also intends to purchase future arms from China (and Russia) rather than the U.S. America's 'Asia Pivot' is working out well, so far -- for China -- with two historically staunch U.S. allies unexpectedly shifting allegiance away from Washington and toward Beijing. In Mr. Duterte's case, this is an unintended consequence of the exercise of political populism; In Mr. Razak's case, it is the result of a desperate bid to cling to power.

Both are indications that Asia is increasingly ripe for some of the same radical political change that is sweeping other parts of the world, such as in Europe with the rise of the right, strong-man rule in Nicaragua and Turkey, and the outpouring of political expression of tens of millions of disaffected voters in the U.S. presidential election. The stage certainly seems to be set in Malaysia and South Korea for political change, and it would not be unrealistic to expect something similar to occur in Thailand, given the death of King Bhumibol and the simmering, unresolved battle between the red-shirt and yellow-shirt movements.

The world has entered a particularly perilous time as historic political change is once again starting to become the rule. Democracy - whether with a small or large 'D' - has unleashed unanticipated forces with some unusual results. Voters all over the world are expressing their dismay and disgust at the ballot box against 'business as usual'. Over the past several decades, Asia's people have proven themselves quite capable of leading the charge in favor of dramatic political change. That should be encouraged. But voters should also be careful what they wish for.

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*Daniel Wagner is Managing Director of Risk Cooperative and co-author of the new book "Global Risk Agility and Decision Making".
Should I start by telling you about the camps, or the churches they burned to the ground?

I guess I should start where any story does, the beginning.

President Donald Trump took office on January 20, 2017. In his inaugural address he outlined his plan for the first 100 days, and for the rest of his term in office. To say it was met with shock is an understatement.

In the beginning there were massive protests. It was interesting to watch, because people pretend they are very passionate in the beginning, until someone burns down their home, or they watch a friend be shot. Most get quiet once they take a police baton to the skull the first time and learn that there is nobody there to save them. There is nobody to offer empathy, for fear of their own lives and families.

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The truly heroic may keep at it, injury be damned. Those are the ones that began to disappear first.

After that, it is all a matter of operating in the effective and vicious use of fear. Most politicians began supporting President Trump after they saw what happened to opposition, Democrats and lifelong politicians. If they were speaking to cannibals, they would sell them missionaries. Not all politicians though, many "resigned".

He began by repealing all of his predecessor, President Barack Obama's executive orders. This included repealing lawful interrogations. Domestic and foreign enemies now have no limits to the amount of "Enhanced Interrogation Techniques" that can be placed onto them. This also includes the expansion onto American citizens.

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Also, by repealing all of Obama's executive orders, he closed the order prohibiting Certain Transactions with Respect to North Korea, which allowed their regime to perfect their nuclear weapon programs. President Trump abandoned our alliance with South Korea, and pulled American troops from the country, which North Korea took over with much celebration, and death.

He repealed the Obama executive order blocking persons with human rights abuses in Syria and transactions, allowing ISIS to gain massive amounts of funds and terrorist to enter the United States. Due to this, ISIS was able to gain nuclear materials from Pakistan after President Trump abandoned the fight and have claimed sovereign both Iraq and Syria.

He also repealed the executive order Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal Organizations, which allowed other worldwide terror groups to gain funds, and property.

Do you think Putin will be going to The Miss Universe Pageant in November in Moscow - if so, will he become my new best friend?  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2013

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Immediately after Trump took office, Russia invaded Ukraine and took it over, as well as the country of Georgia. In this moment they are poised to take many other former soviet countries, while maintaining no western interference in regard to their nuclear stockpiles. The alliance with Russia had never been stronger between our two nations, until President Trump overheard an insulting joke by Vladimir Putin.

The situation escalated from Russia hacking American power grids and shutting down power, to a full-on nuclear standoff, of which is ongoing. President Trump, ignorant of foreign policy and political relations with dictators, underestimated Putin and allowed him to fully rebuild what was known as "Old Russia". Several intelligence agencies have found KGB spies implanted into them, including the FBI, NSA, and CIA. At this moment it is unclear how deep the infiltration went. One senior intelligence official stated, on condition of anonymity "It was catastrophic."

Meanwhile China continues to build islands in the ocean, claiming larger sovereignty and has become increasing hostile. The Chinese/Korean alliance is now permanent as North/South Korea has taken a position near the center of the world stage.

President Trump repealed Blocking Property of Certain Persons With Respect to South Sudan, and Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in the Central African Republic.

Rampant genocide is occurring with no interference in African nations. President Trump famously stated "The days of America being the world's police are over, they can handle it on their own".

Millions have died, millions more are expected.

So that's America on the world stage, here is where we stand right now domestically.

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Nearly immediately upon becoming President, Trump ordered a special prosecutor and Attorney General Rudy Giuliani to place Hillary Clinton under arrest for violations of the espionage act and willfully leaking classified material to hostile nations. I do not know what exactly the charges were, or the evidence because it was never released or independently verified. The Democrats who protested were met by riot police and many were also thrown in jail. President Trump's supporters, while well-armed, have taken to being a well-organized militia to assist the President in suppressing any and all opposition.

President Barack Obama was arrested for war crimes, President Trump held a press conference holding his Kenyan birth certificate stating he was right all along. Former President Obama was deported to Kenya in disgrace while people shouted and threw trash at him on Breitbart news.

I will sign the first bill to repeal #Obamacare and give Americans many choices and much lower rates!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2016

The affordable Care Act, or Obamacare was swiftly repealed in full, and never replaced. Millions of families lost their insurance, premiums skyrocketed due to lax regulations, those with pre-existing conditions were turned away once again, and millions of people in their 20's lost their coverage.

When Donald Trump was campaigning for president he promised to deport all illegal aliens, and he was as good as his word. In total he rounded up 11.4 million souls before he ran into his first problem.

That's too many people in send off in one trip, or even in a thousand. The federal government needed a place to house them.

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That's when he built the illegal camps, which he named "Freedom Camps". Several of them, all throughout the United States. It costs an average of $23,876 a year to house a single prisoner- the total of the camps for prisoners alone was $262.6 billion per year. This doesn't include the additional facilities it costs to build and house the camps, or the cost to deport which was between 400-600 billion dollars. That reduced the GDP by 5.7%, or to put it in perspective- reducing the labor force by 6%. This is the recession on 2008's numbers.

In less than 3 years, 1,300 courts additional courts were created and about 30,000 more federal attorneys were needed, however, there just weren't enough attorneys active. So for years illegals wait in work camps for their time to be tried and sent home, while doing free work for the government.

The cost would be nearly 1 trillion dollars in total, but the mass deportations never came. Incremental deportations of around 100 at a time is what happened. A massive agency was created within the Department of Homeland Security to hunt and jail the prisoners. At first people tried to fight, but the executive order allowing enhanced interrogation was amended to use absolute force. Many died, now most are too terrified to do anything, but comply.

Children were ripped out of schools, husbands from their homes. President Trump's most vocal supporters assist in this process, either by vigilante justice, or by informing DHS of their whereabouts. They are rewarded $5,000 per person for this. The KKK routinely assists Trump's supporters and DHS, and at this point, they are one in the same.

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Black churches have burned to the ground, they have been killed by police officers for offenses such as "Talking Back", and no persons have been arrested. Protests are met with extreme force, and they also find themselves in the Freedom Camps.

Before the United States began mass deportations, the Private Prisons in the United States housed around 22,000 federal inmates. Obviously the government couldn't hold these new prisoners, so they went back to using private companies. With the extremely large number influx, human rights deteriorated quickly. Being cost effective, prisoners were eating less than $3 a day for food, then $2, then $1.

People began dying. The news began to cover it, but the new open liable laws President Trump enacted quickly shut down coverage. No network attorney wanted to be sued into bankruptcy. Anyone with any opinion other than President Donald Trump's has found themselves either sued, or in jail.

At this point, you may be wondering about the infamous wall. Well, President Trump did it. He built a 55 foot wall completely along the border with Mexico. Only, once in office he found that Mexico had no intention of paying for it.

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He put sanctions on them, and even sent the military into Mexico to force migrants forcefully back which caused many deaths. All of this lead to the total bankruptcy of Mexico, the UN slamming the United States for human rights violations and sanctions, and more migrants than ever pouring into the United States, whom were then caught and placed in the camps.

I believe President Trump thought force alone could fix the immigration problem. What he didn't realize was that even with America becoming more and more totalitarianism, their lives were still better here, and they were more than willing to risk camps, even death, to try for an American life.

The wall cost around $25 billion dollars, and in a few years from now, it will cost more to maintain the wall than it did to build it. Frequently, tunnels are found under the wall, and several times blasts have blown it open. President Trump placed 75,000 troops at the wall to guard it, with authority to kill as necessary. Many have died, choking on their own blood at the base of the greatest wall ever built, all for having the audacity to hope for a better life.

Muslims have been banned from the United States, those living here already were also sent to the camps "until we can figure this terrorism issue out". They never returned, and request from the UN has been met with blistering responses from the White House.

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Watched Saturday Night Live hit job on me.Time to retire the boring and unfunny show. Alec Baldwin portrayal stinks. Media rigging election!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 16, 2016

There are many things you wouldn't expect. Criticism of President Trump is against the law, passed by congress upheld by the Republican controlled Supreme Court. Saturday Night Live was shut down less than a year after he took office, the network said it was time for the show to end, but others talk of threats from President Trump's attorneys. All Federal Employees are now required to say Merry Christmas during the holiday season under executive order.

Next year is election year, however, President Trump has said that there doesn't need to be an election. What once would have thrown the United States into a constitutional crisis, was now met with celebration. All opposition is either underground, or gone.

Taxes were raised across the board on all income brackets, while massive spending wrecked the budget. He quickly racked up $10 trillion in debt. After the United States left NAFTA and TPP, the stock market collapsed in 2018. It was devastating, and it has never recovered. Many countries stopped trading with the United States completely, including China.

Families are starving, people are dying.

I guess all the signs were there of what he was, but this is life in America in 2019.
I woke up this morning exhausted and dispirited from a most hellish nightmare, a nightmare that seemed to last an eternity -- only to realize that the nightmare continues.

Last night, Americans elected as the 45th president of the United States a man whose campaign "took relentless aim at the institutions and long-held ideals of American democracy."

Yesterday, Americans elected a man who has defiled all that is sacred to us: war heroes, prisoners of war, Purple Heart recipients, veterans suffering from PTSD, grief-stricken Gold Star parents. A man who has used veterans as political props, maligned our military, bragged that he knows more about combat than our generals, called them a "group of losers." A man who has promised to order our military to use torture and to "take out" the families of our enemies. A man who calls himself "brave" and compares the sacrifice of losing a son in combat to his "sacrifices" of being successful in business and building "great structures."

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As a veteran, I am disgusted.

On Election Day, the voters approved of a sexist misogynist who viciously and cowardly debased the most precious of all -- our mothers, our sisters, our wives, even our daughters -- and who had the temerity to boast about his sexual assaults, infidelities and perversions.

As a father, husband and brother of four beautiful women, I am angry and shocked.

On November 8, Americans accepted a heartless, xenophobic racist who legitimized, "normalized," even emboldened the open expression of bigotry and stirred up hate against refugees, Muslims, people of color, Latinos and other minority immigrants. A bigot who attacked various racial and religious groups, who shamelessly impugned a sitting federal judge for his Mexican heritage and cruelly mocked the disabled.

On voting Day, Americans said yes to a tyrant whose "solution" to our immigration problems is the use of a Nazi-like, jackbooted "deportation force" to round up, imprison, and ruthlessly deport millions of decent, hard-working, law-abiding undocumented immigrants, mercilessly tearing apart families and blatantly and unconstitutionally ending birthright citizenship.

As an immigrant and a Latino, I am deeply offended.

We are trusting a loose cannon who has shrugged off nuclear proliferation, who would not rule out using nuclear weapons in Europe, who in general displayed astounding ignorance about U.S. nuclear weapons policy, deterrence and the nuclear triad.

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As a human being, I shudder at the specter of having a psychopath in charge of the most powerful military on the planet with his thin-skinned finger on the nuclear button ready to press it at the slightest provocation.

We are rewarding a charlatan and con artist who would treat our strategic alliances and treaties as a pay-for-protection racket. A man who would discard, default upon and repudiate longstanding international commitments and agreements in the same manner he has so cavalierly and brazenly ignored or defaulted upon his private contractual obligations. An unscrupulous man who scammed, deceived, stiffed and relentlessly litigated business partners, creditors, investors, contractors and workers, including struggling plumbers and painters and vulnerable and defenseless undocumented workers.

On Polling Day, the nation gave the nod to an unpatriotic man who demonized his own president as illegitimate and as a secret terrorist sympathizer, yet praised and admired our foes, even treasonously encouraging our worst enemy to hack our democratic institutions' and his political opponent's data bases. Worse, when the Kremlin boss and former KGB director did exactly that, the Republican presidential nominee wallowed in the muck and had no qualms about using the stolen information in attempts to discredit his political opponents.

On November 8, Americans picked as their leader a vengeful, insecure man who has made it crystal clear that, as president, he would use the full power of "his government" to investigate, prosecute and imprison his presidential opponent and other political rivals, to "open up" libel laws to muzzle a free press and that he would spend most of his time suing his critics, accusers, and political and business enemies. A bully who has already shown his hand by praising and encouraging violence at his rallies, by barring and blacklisting news organizations whose reporting he didn't like, by dog-whistling about Second Amendment remedies and by, in advance, refusing to accept any election results he does not like.

On Election Day 2016, Americans decided to send to the White House a self-adoring narcissist who views the presidency of our great country as just another trophy, as just another stepping stone to more celebrity, fame, power and, yes, even to additional wealth. A man who exploited people's righteous fears and dissatisfaction and tapped into their darkest emotions to help himself reach those ignoble goals.

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Sour grapes? Perhaps.

Grapes of wrath? Who knows.
Game over. The election was the Democrats to lose, and they did. The Dem leadership can only blame itself and the numerous strategic and communication mistakes it did along both the primary and the electoral campaigns. The GOP in fact did not win the election, the Democrats lost it, as electors did not turn out to vote: Hillary got almost 10 million votes less than Barack Obama did in 2008 and 6 million less than in 2012. Trump is almost on a par with John McCain and lost only half million to Mitt Romney. The fact that almost nobody foresaw it, severely questions the ability of party leaders and analysts alike to properly comprehend reality, as scholars and journalists stopped producing intellectually honest analyses, fabricating instead partisan stories.

In fact, ever since the primaries, there were evident signs that Hillary Clinton, though an incredibly gifted and inspiring woman, was the wrong candidate, at the wrong time. The arrogance of the Dem leadership in failing to see these signs and acting accordingly, was fundamental in losing the race.

Elections specialists kept saying Hillary's campaign was better staffed and "technically superior", being data-driven and tuned to winning electoral constituencies. Not even after Brexit, they questioned the data. British pollsters in vain alerted how Brexiters and Trump supporters' profiles coincided: people who seldom made it to the voting booth in the past and who have a deep mistrust of government, journalists and pollsters, to which they do not talk, and which consequently were unaware of their existence. Yet, cases like the Indiana primary should have rang a bell: as mainstream media had Hillary prevailing by 5 points, she ended up losing by more than 5 percent; a 10% error altogether.



Even a simple drive around the country would have shown the lack of enthusiasm for the 2016 campaign and in particular for Hillary: contrary to 2008 and 2012, there were very few campaign signs around and the few were predominantly Trump's.

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Waiting for the hard data to come in, here are a few reasons why Hillary lost the race.

First, the "Clinton brand" is not valuable anymore as it used to. The first sign was when the Clintons' in-law, Marjorie Margories, run in the Dem primary in Northern Philadelphia in 2014: an inspiring and gifted former Congresswoman, Margories' campaign heavily relied on the Clintons' support and they expected to win easy; instead they badly lots to an unknown young State legislator, Brendan Boyle, reelected to Congress this year.

Second, the ill primary process and the way competitors were pushed out. The first victim was, in October 2015, Vice President Joe Biden. Still grieving for the loss of his son Beau, he abruptly renounced to enter the race, with a speech that seemed in fact one prepared to launch a campaign for the Presidency. As Bernie Sanders grow from underdog to a dangerously competitive candidate, the Dem establishment maneuvered against him, too. Though Hillary would have probably won the primaries anyways, Bernie supporters felt cheated, adding frustration to already angry feelings. The Democratic Party leadership overlooked these feelings, they even mocked them and when all this became public thanks to Wikileaks, they did not even properly apologize. As Debbie Wasserman was forced to resign from the party presidency, Hillary could not see any better than offering her top position in her campaign. Dem leaders' arrogance was to just assume Bernie's followers would vote for her anyway, come November. Yet, and despite all of Sanders' efforts, many apparently did not.

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Another issue was the strategic mistakes made in shaping the campaign's messages. As Hillary's candidacy was gearing up, a Bush-Clinton race seemed probable; one in which, as she told Brookings, she was "looking forward to a robust debate about foreign policy". Her people thus started working at highlighting her achievements in the field. Unfortunately, all the major successes of the Obama Presidency - Iran, Climate Change, Cuba, TTP - had been sealed by John Kerry, leaving Clinton with the failed Libya intervention and the continued Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The campaign thus started developing a narrative under which, had Clinton been Commander in Chief, she would have been tougher than President Obama. A case in point was arguing in favor of arming Ukraine. As Sanders pushed Hillary to the left and Biden made it clear that Democratic candidates running against the White House would not be supported, Hillary again had to shift strategy, ultimately playing an American classic: Russia. Foreign policy is a complicated matter, even more so in today's globalized world. Russia however is an enemy Americans internalized during the Cold War, helped by the movie industry. It is thus an easy sell - or so the campaign thought -especially given Trump's conciliatory attitude towards President Putin. However, in shifting again her position, Hillary unintentionally proved the point of those, including many Sanders supporters, claiming that she would say anything just to win.

The hyper aggressive stance on Russia led people fear new wars and even Americans cannot take them anymore. They instead want money to be invested domestically. It is not by chance that in his acceptance speech Donald Trump focused on one message: we are going to invest at home, we are going to invest in infrastructures and make the nation great again: the equivalent of "it is the economy, stupid" that lead Bill Clinton to victory in 1992.

Outside the Beltway, Americans are upset; even Democrats cannot properly see all the amazing good and recovery the Obama Presidency brought to the country. All they see is the American Dream dead and not much hope for the future.

The worst was yet to come. As the level of anti-Russia hysteria escalated inside the Beltway, Clinton's foes accused Russia to attempt hacking the US elections. Now, the first rule of communication is that there are always both a direct message and a subliminal one, which is often more powerful than the first. Saying that Russia was hacking the US elections, subliminally implied that the US is so weak that even its very heart - its democratic system - could be harmed and that a strong leader is thus needed. As the US is still fundamentally a misogynous country, "tough" is unfortunately synonymous of male...

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Which leads to the finally issue: women. There is no doubt that for women, Clinton's loss is extremely bad news, likely to turn the clock back of decades. According to preliminary data, 54 per cent of women backed Clinton compared to 42 per cent for Trump; in 2012, 55 per cent of women backed Obama while 44 per cent backed Romney .

Distressed democrats are asking: how could women vote for him? wrong question, they should rather ask why women did not vote for her.

The answer is complex. In a nutshell, the answer could be that many women do not recognize themselves in Clinton's brand of feminism, which they perceive as outdated. There are two main aspects in this.

First, Hillary's relation with Bill. The Dem campaign spent a lot of energy and means on Trump's ill relation with women, in the effort of securing the female electorate, on the presumption that anything sexual-related is still much more of a taboo in the US, than it is in Europe or Latin America. However, that backfired: each time the women issue was brought up, it subliminally also reminded people of Hillary's husband notorious ill-relation to women and of her actions in such contexts. When Bill infidelities came up, over and over, Hillary in fact did not leave him: she actually defended him. Many women admire her for this resilience - though some say it the price she paid to secure her own political career - but others find this unforgivable. Had she left her humiliating multi-infidel husband, Hillary would have set a very strong precedent that would have inspired and helped women - especially minorities ones - to exit their own infernos. Incidentally, this may also help explain why, despite all of Trump's comments, things didn't go as well for Clinton among minorities as she would have hoped. Row data in fact show that her support among Hispanic voters was just 65 per cent - down from Obama's 71 per cent in 2012 - while among black voters, support was down from 93 per cent to 88 per cent. Support among Hispanic voters was on the contrary higher for Trump, at 29 per cent, compared to the 27 per cent Romney secured in 2012.

Last but not least, her femininity. Back in the day, Hillary made history wearing pants. Pantsuits became her symbol, as the overwhelming success of the "secret" Facebook Pantsuit Nation page showed. That was, however, over a quarter century ago.

It is Michelle Obama, with her beautiful, provoking, sleeveless official portrait, who helped bringing American women into a new dimension. She is the one symbolizing modern feminism: the way she owns and feels comfortable in her own body, her way she can be assertive and yet not aggressive; she is the best symbol of today's modern, active, elegant American women. Despite all her efforts, all her trying, poor Hillary has never been comfortable in her own skin - a problem of many in her generation - and this shows. To many, her body language and her pantsuits represent the old way of being women leaders, one in which women had to be like man to succeed. Women are now rejecting that, claiming to forge their own path to leadership.

As it often happened in history, the innovator was swept away by those who follow on her path. It will be up to one of them to become the first Mme President. Because we will have a Mme President.
A Dictator Obsessed With Power & Wealth: Erdogans 12 Scandals!

By Harut Sassounian Publisher, The California Courier www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com With each passing day, Turkish President Erdogan is becoming increasingly dictatorial. The arrest of 11 members of the opposition pro-Kurdish party, HDP, is the latest in a long string of Erdogans dictatorial policies. Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official and resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, wrote a devastating expose on Erdogan last week, listing some of his scandalous actions! I have summarized Rubins lengthy article which was posted on Newsweek magazines European edition website, under the title, Twelve Questions Turkish Journalists Dare not Ask:

How did Erdogan become a billionaire?

Where is Erdogans university diploma?

Is there another story behind the coup attempt?

If there is a FETO, is there also an ETO?

If Gulen is a terrorist, why did Erdogan work with him till 2013?

Why is it OK to report on PKK attacks but not on ISIS?

Why did Turkish intelligence help the Nusra Front? And ISIS?

Was a Turkish death squad behind the Paris assassinations?

Why did Erdogan appoint his son-in-law oil minister?

Can we talk about Erdogans associations?

What deal have you struck with Putin?

What explains the courts 2008 refusal to close the AKP?

Erdogan was raised in a poor family until he became Mayor of Istanbul when he faced 13 corruption probes. In 2004, when he was Prime Minister, the U.S. embassy in Ankara reported in a cable to Washington that he had at least eight Swiss bank accounts. In addition, secret phone recordings revealed his instructions to liquidate perhaps a billion dollars in cash. Erdogan used his power over the courts to quash the case and arrest prosecutors and judges who sought to pursue it.Erdogan claims to have graduated from Istanbuls Marmara University in 1981. His degree may have been forged. A four-year degree is a prerequisite for the presidency. If Erdogan lied about having a degree, can he remain as president?Erdogan fired and jailed thousands of his political opponents, accusing them of being the followers of Fethullah Gulen, the alleged mastermind of the July 15 coup attempt, which the Turkish President called a gift from God.Erdogan called Gulens movement the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETO). If it is permissible to talk about FETO as a terror group, would it be equally acceptable to refer to the Erdoganist Terror Organization (ETO)?Gulen and Erdogan had practically identical religious philosophies until their split in 2013. Why is Gulen a terrorist now?When the PKK or fringe Kurdish groups attack, it often dominates the headlines in Turkey for days as the investigation continues, authorities name suspects, etc. But when ISIS has attacked, the Turkish government has put an embargo on reports about the investigation.Evidence is overwhelming that both the Nusra Front, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, and ISIS itself, have received arms, support and equipment from authorities in Turkey. When journalists broke the story  and provided photographic evidence  Erdogans response was to arrest the editor of the newspaper that published the scoop. Likewise, when Turkish soldiers stopped an arms shipment into Syria, Erdogan ordered the soldiers arrest rather than the smugglers.In 2013, assassins executed three Kurdish activists in their office in Paris. All three were PKK members. The French captured Omer Guney, a 32-year-old Turk who had arrived in France at age 9.Telephone intercepts after the murders show him calling back to handlers in Turkeys intelligence agency.Berat Albayrak, Erdogans 37-year-old son-in-law, became Turkeys energy minister on November 24, 2015. Was he the best qualified? Or were other factors at play?Erdogan is a close friend of Yasin al-Qadi, a Saudi businessman, who, according to the U.S. Treasury Department had alleged ties to Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden until 2014. Erdogan persistently declared: I know Mr. Qadi. I believe in him as I believe in myself. For Mr. Qadi to associate with a terrorist organization, or support one, is impossible. Erdogan is also close to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar of Afghanistan who has allied himself with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Another friend, Khalid Meshaal (the militant leader of Hamas), visited Turkey as Erdogans personal guest!After Erdogan and Putin buried the hatchet earlier this year, they agreed on a pipeline deal and held talks on the Turkish purchase of a Russian missile system. Were there any secret agreements?In 2008, Turkeys constitutional court came close to dissolving Erdogans ruling party. But, at the last-minute, one justice switched his vote. It is alleged that a businessman, long hounded by Erdogan, wired money into that justices account just before the vote. During a Nov. 6 ceremony in Istanbul to receive an honorary doctorate, Erdogan proudly proclaimed: I dont care if they call me a dictator or whatever else. It goes in one ear, out the other!
I knew this would be a day to which I'd reflect in a "where were you when..." kind of way. As I walked down the crunchy brown leaf-lined street on this quintessential fall election day, it was unseasonably warm, and the sun cranked up the saturation on the remaining autumnal leaves. Either way, today would be emotional, historic, and memorable.

My 14-year-old son asked if I was voting and I told him, "of course," and his immediate retaliation rhetoric was to tell me my vote won't count. I don't want to believe that; what if everyone catches this mentality like a virus?

I voted not just because it's my right or my civic duty. I voted because my parents came to New York City as refugees from the former Soviet Union in 1979 so we can become citizens of a country, which is a beacon for democracy. I voted because I choose to live in America and ride on her roads, go to her schools, collect employment and Medicaid when I needed it. I voted because these are the rules of the sandbox and I want to play nicely in it.

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I voted because I am a woman who at one point wouldn't be allowed to vote because of my gender; as a Jew, who at (many) points was persecuted for her religion, and as a refugee who had to leave her country in search of the opportunity to vocalize without fear.

There is no perfect candidate just like there is no perfect human, but choosing not to vote is dipping into a downward spiral of negating democracy. What makes America great (today) is the principle that we can differ in opinion and all still co-exist. Our country not only allows us to vocally disrespect our government leaders, it supports us as we protest in public, as long as we do it safely. We don't have to worry about being arrested. In Russia, if you even contemplate negative thoughts of Putin, you'll get shot in the back at Red Square. [In fact, this article will probably red flag me.]

As a writer, my voice is my identity. I cope with life through my words. My parents delivered me upon this promised land and encouraged me to sow my roots here, to spread my wings, and to chirp as loudly as I needed in order to be heard.

Neither one of the candidates accurately represents me; I am a hippie at heart and sadly Willie Nelson isn't on the ticket. I may not like their personalities or their laugh or the color of their skin tone. I may not agree with the way they handle their sexual relations or their marriages. I can play devil's advocate for every candidate possible but I'm no more interested in that role than in engaging in political debates with my closest friends and family.

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I voted for the candidate who can speak intelligently, with empathy and compassion for fellow humans. I voted for someone who will defend my rights, as a woman, and a human, to treat my body how I see fit. I voted for someone who understands Roe v. Wade is a scientific conversation, not a religious one, and this is non-negotiable to me. I voted for someone I'd want representing me as an American, the next President of the United States.
When a tree grows, its branches extend and widen, the tree becomes taller and its trunk thicker. When our children grow they become taller and stronger. When a river grows its boundaries swell.

When a business grows it takes on more employees and customers. It produces more products, acquires more facilities and generates more profit.

When we grow personally, we say we've learned and discovered more about ourselves, we've overcome challenges and let go of old habits that no longer serve us.

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The indigenous elders encourage us to learn from nature, and that everything we need to know about life can be learned from observing how nature works. And so if we look to nature for a deeper understanding of growth we might initially discern that growth is about expansion--as a tree grows it gets bigger, as the corn grows it produces food, and so on.

And yet this observance of nature is just a scratching of the surface. Yes, trees and plants grow, populations of animals expand, and even mountains grow slowly as tectonic forces push them higher over many millions of years.

Trees also die after a certain period of time. They eventually fall to the Earth, decay and become food for a multitude of life. Forests grow and eventually are trimmed and culled through fire and infestations. Any species of animal that grow their numbers too fast eventually exhaust their resources and experience sudden and dramatic reduction in population.

Everything in nature grows within a finite space, and balance exists when diversity is high and each species of plant, animal, insect and microbe fill a certain role within their given boundaries.

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There is a massive pink elephant in our modern culture, which is the assumption that business growth is always good. It's good when a company with a new product or service that makes our lives better expands. It's not so good when a company with a product line that is no longer serving our best interest continues to grow through manipulative marketing and sales tactics or political influence.

Even more importantly, when we measure our economic health by how much the economy itself grows, we are tricking ourselves to believe that continual growth is possible. If an economy grows consistently at just 5% per year, it doubles in size every fourteen years. That means that every fourteen years we're producing twice as many products, shipping twice as much, and consuming twice as much energy.

Successful companies are said to be those who achieve market domination, or increase market saturation, or whose stock price rises, or hire more employees.

We don't tend to measure the strength or nature of a company by how much it continues to discover itself, or its ability to delve more deeply into what it's about, what its purpose is, how it can contribute in a more positive way to society, how it can transcend habits that no longer serve it, or how it can enrich the lives of its customers and employees.

And yet the companies that grow in this way are consistently more profitable and financially stable.*

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When we grow personally, we say we've learned and healed those things that previously caused us suffering. How about we begin defining business growth as companies engaging in a healing process: creating more harmony, developing their products in such a way that enriches lives, or at least to not bring some form of harm to people, animals, or planet.

There are a number of famous CEO's who have been quoted saying that their only objective is profit. This culture of profit centricity exists because we have a financial industry, a political system, and a collective belief system that continuously reinforces that more revenue and profit is always a good thing.

Continuous economic growth is physically not possible. Continuous growth requires us to continually clear more forests, dig up more natural resources, build more homes and buildings, extract more fish, pave more roads, and generate more of everything. The pink elephant in the room is that as smart as we are, we are ignoring the most basic math equation, one discovered by Euclid some 2,300 years ago, the math of exponentiation, that continuous growth continually doubles and doubles again and again.

If we turn to the wisdom of the indigenous elders and the metaphors of nature, we learn that growth is followed by decay, a dying off, and rebirth again. We learn that each time something dies, it creates a space for something new to be created in its place. We learn that balance occurs when there is diversity of life, and that innovation takes place in a climate of harmony, whereas stress brings fight or flight.

We also learn that everything has a purpose, not just its physical role in the eco system, but a deeper meaning and reason for being.

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These simple life-lessons that come from nature, together with a willingness to consider that there might just be something inaccurate in our collective belief system related to business growth, can bring us to a new culture, one in which we continuously grow business, as defined by depth of purpose, meaningfulness of products and services, and harmony with costumers and employees.
Some years ago, I was in conversation with a religious man who asked me, "What does the word holy mean to you?"

After much thought, I answered. Then, I asked him, "Do you know any person or persons who, in your mind, is holy?"

"I know one man," he answered. "The Dalai Lama."

I never forgot our conversation.

Yesterday, after a delicious Sunday brunch in our apartment with family and friends, we sat down in the den to watch a movie. It was a gorgeous, sunny day and our apartment was aglow with sunshine, laughter and a moving flick, Seven Years in Tibet, starring Brad Pitt.

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For those of you have not seen the movie, it is the biographical war drama of a young, German, unmarried father with a baby son who runs away from his responsibilities and goes mountaineering in British India, to what is now Pakistan.

World War II begins, and he is imprisoned. Then, he escapes and winds up in the city of Lhasa, Tibet the home of the Dalai Lama. He becomes absorbed into an unfamiliar way of life. He meets the current 14th Dalai Lama, a young boy at the time, who convinces him to return to Austria and his son. The dialogue between the young man and the boy reminded me that relationships can open our minds to a better and more meaningful life, our spiritual side.

I savored this movie every bit as much as I did the movie, Life of Pi. I watched Life of Pi with my four boy grands. I took them to see it after I had already seen it because I wanted to introduce the boys to the young Pi as he explores issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age, surviving 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a life boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

I recommend to you, dear readers, who are moms, aunties and grandmothers, to spend a Saturday or Sunday with your kids, make a fresh batch of popcorn and watch these movies because, hopefully, the character traits of the 14th Dalai Lama, as a young boy, and the young Pi will affect their human spirits. It is powerful for our grands to be exposed to these youngsters who see the importance of meaningful spirituality with their family, friends, nature and the world around them.

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Then, serve them a dinner of pizza and a large salad with chocolate sundaes around the kitchen or dining room table and talk about the lessons they learned.

If you live far away from your grands, send them the movies with a personal letter.

It is very hard for adults to explain spirituality to their children or their grands. Some of us don't understand how this wonderful and peaceful quality works within one's self.

In my opinion, the best teacher to explain the true meaning of spirituality is the 14th Dalai Lama.

The 14th Dalai Lama's commitment to promoting positive values include forgiveness, self-discipline, tolerance, compassion and contentment. He is a spiritual leader like no other and he highlights the importance of happiness and peace.

Here are some of his quotes that you can share with your grands and children...

1. "Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions."

2. "This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy of kindness."

3. "In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision."

4. "Compassion naturally creates a positive atmosphere, and as a result you feel peaceful and content."

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5. "Someone else's action should not determine your response."
"The friends who are most stimulating to us are those who disagree with us. It is they whose ideas we should ponder." ~ 365 a day quote holder

Today's photo of the ring of daily quotes on the simple chrome ring is significant. It was a Christmas gift. Over 40 years ago a client gave the treasure trove of 365 quotes to my husband, Sheldon Good. Between office moves and tossing away objects over the years, he kept this unpretentious looking gift on his desk - That is, until he married me and I asked if I could place it on my desk. Of course, he said, "yes."

Family and friends often ask, "How can you continue to find topics of interest to share with us?" My answer is, "Sometimes I have to think and think and other times a situation presents itself." My daily quote holder was today's spark. It offered a tip I thought would interest you.

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Did you know you profile a woman on a first meeting? You instantly feel an immediate spark or nothing.

My musings today center on the positive chemistry women share with one another with a wrinkle. The wrinkle is: should you enter into a new friendship with a woman who peaks your fancy but whose interests and thoughts differ from yours? I would guess it is a double-edged sword. You have to ask yourself: should I take a pass because I find her differences and her experiences intimidating? Do I pass because my life is comfortable with my tight little circle of friends? Or should I be excited to explore the unknown and broaden my thoughts and horizons?

My life has been enriched by girlfriends. They all possess the essential qualities I look for, but some tend to have that extra something. I am attracted to women whose ideas I sometimes have to ponder. You, too?

If you are the type of woman who reaches out to women whose ideas differ from yours, you know what I mean. The friendship adds a new dimension of stimulation. If you do not have a few friends whose ideas and interests differ from yours, I think you should open yourself up to the possibilities. Why? Your life will be fuller because of the company you keep. These women can have a major impact and influence your personal life.

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I have a few tiers of girlfriends. The first tier is my friends who will be there for me on a rainy day. We are like-minded. These are my core friendships. We have the same values, talk about the same topics, hang out at the same places, read the same books and dine at the same restaurants. We share the same hairdressers and manicurists and movie lists. We are in complete sync.

Then there is another tier of marvelous friends who make me ponder. Some years ago, I evaluated my relationships and realized I wanted to, 'make new friends, but keep the old.' And that is exactly what I did. I opened my door to women who read books I had never heard of, talked on subjects I knew little about, introduced me to world views that were opposite of mine, while still sharing the simpatico of compatibility.

I have enjoyed focusing over the past few years on a new level of women friends. By associating at a different level, I have expanded my mind to greater possibilities. Of course it is natural to feel comfortable with women who are exactly like me, but dear friends of mine, it is good to get out of your comfort zone and spend time with women who can expose you to a higher level of living. A good life is about learning, growing and advancing. These women have become very dear friends.

One of my girlfriends Susan is in the Real Estate business in New York, and mentioned she had taken a two-day seminar on negotiation. I asked her to tell me about her experience. "It is the Karrass School of Negotiation. It is an International School. I learned the art of negotiation and really enjoyed the course."

I am taking the course as I write. There are 33 people in the class, all men in their 20's and 30's, and me. Do I feel invisible as the older woman among all these young people? Not at all. I feel very visible, dear friends. Today will be the second day. I would never have taken a course at the Karrass School in the Art of Negotiation if I had not decided to seek out a new type of woman friend.

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The tide of history could not be resisted any longer. Neighboring countries had opened their borders, and tens of thousands of East Germans crossed into Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Mass protests swelled in the GDR, first in Leipzig and then Berlin. Honecker was pushed out of his leadership position. Their rock concert ploy having failed, GDR officials decided to open another safety valve by making visas more easily available. On the night of November 9, 1989, a government spokesman named Schabowski went on TV to preview the new policy but bungled the message, accidentally conveying that everyone was free to pass through checkpoints without any approval--and that they could do so "immediately."



Hardly believing their ears, thousands of East Germans promptly started streaming to checkpoints. At Bonholmer Strasse, more than 20,000 rushed the gates. Among them was a young chemist named Angela Merkel, an activist in the pro-government Free German Youth for many years who had lately turned against the state. Nearing midnight the guards could hold them back no longer. Formalities were abandoned at other crossing points into West Berlin. Residents on both sides of the Wall were delirious, overwhelming checkpoints throughout the city. Some climbed on the Wall and danced, others smashed it with sledgehammers.



A pastor came upon a group of East Berliners nearly flat on the ground near Bernauer Strasse. He thought they had suffered an accident until he learned that they had unfolded a map of West Berlin, spread it out and were studying it intently before crossing. All they had ever had was an "image" of the West in their minds, he later said, "and they didn't know where things were exactly. It was as if they'd dug a tunnel and emerged on the other side."



On that night, legendary escape helper Hasso Herschel was cooking a meal in his kitchen, with the television on in the living room, when he heard the first reports. He initially could not believe them--he felt it was like a Hollywood movie unfolding. He called a few friends. "And twenty of us, thirty, even old diggers, we went to all the checkpoints and drank champagne and spent money until 11 o'clock in the morning," he would recall. "I couldn't imagine the Wall would stay open. I thought they would close it in another day or two and it would stay closed. But when that didn't happen we felt it was maybe even the end of the Cold War, and all other wars, it was our hope, our dream."



The same night, Burkhart Veigel, then an orthopedist living in Stuttgart, cried for hours in front of his TV, terribly moved. This was exactly what he had dreamed about for decades: "I wanted freedom for the people. Suddenly, they were free. It was the most important experience of my life." The next day, when his children asked him why he was still crying, he told them for the first time "what I had done back then."



A friend of former tunneler Joachim Rudolph in the East had a brother living in West Berlin. The day after the Wall opened, Rudolph offered to drive him and his wife to the West to see his brother. At the border on both sides thousands of people continued to gather so it was very difficult to pass by car. Rudolph told the couple they should press their East German passports against the window and display them to people outside. When the celebrants in the streets saw this they burst into cheers, and knocked on the car roof in approval- "an amazing situation," Rudolph later said.



During the following days and then weeks, police on both sides began to remove parts of the wall to build more border crossing points, at Brandenburg Gate, Potsdamer Platz, and elsewhere. "Very often I was there to watch it," Rudolph said. "Many cars with satellite dishes and reporters were there, and many Berliners came to watch. I remember in that time this terrible weather, but I was there at night many hours with an umbrella--and next morning I had to go to work. In my life I never will forget that exciting time."



Crowds of East Berliners ransacked Stasi headquarters, then secured rooms with files holding hundreds of millions of pages. Countless other documents had been shredded by Stasi staffers in their final days there, until the shredders burned out from overuse. Over 170,000 Stasi informers would be found identified by name in the files--about 10,000 of them under the age of eighteen--but estimates of the actual number of informers went as high as half a million, and even much higher if occasional collaborators were included.
By, Molly McElwee

It's Election Day and students across the country cast their ballots today, whereas others sent through their absentee ballots weeks ago.

At American University students spoke to us about the issues that drove them to vote, in the most polarising election to date.

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The students were very conscious of their responsibility to vote. Nicholas Roszkowski described it as his "civic duty" and "part of the American creed".

"You kind of have to engage in order to be American," he said.

One voter was voting specifically for the state issues she felt were most pressing in her home state of California, including marijuana legalisation. Meriam Salem was confident in her "faith in the American people and in the American election process."

Benjamin Khoshbin was more concerned by national issues, including foreign policy. He noted a huge discomfort with Trump's rhetoric regarding the Middle East, as an American who is also half Iranian. He called Trump's suggestion he would tear up the Iran nuclear deal "unbelievably disastrous."

"I just couldn't stomach voting for him."

Robin Savannah Carver described identifying as transgender as being pivotal to her obligation to vote.

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"I don't have the luxury of not voting this election. There's too much at stake for me, for my other friends in the queer community, for my friends who are people of colour or Latino... I cannot risk what would happen if Donald Trump were to be elected."

Meriam's final thoughts were perhaps more optimistic, "Regardless to whichever candidate people feel strongly about, I definitely see people organising, mobilising and pushing forward issues that they know may not be solved by either candidate but will not hinder them going out [to vote]."
By, Jacob Smith

Voters rush to polling stations in order to fulfill their civic duty in Washington, D.C..

In anticipation of Michelle Obama's arrival to vote, lines formed at School Without Walls High School to have their voices heard in this election.

As the election comes to an end, we spoke with students just after voting to hear their views on the election.

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"This election was a weird election," said Andrew Givens. "I don't feel like I've had to vote against someone not being fit to be president before."

Students expressed their concerns about the reaction of voters if their preferred candidate is denied the presidency.

"I think either way people are going to be angry because this has been such a polarizing election," said Maggie McMorrow.

Regardless of the outcome, students say that we have to work together even after the election.

"I think it's going to be rough," said Isabel Salichs. "But people are going to have to accept it no matter what."

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photo by Ed Krieger

When playwright/actress Sharon Sharth suffered a freak onstage accident that dislocated her jaw during a performance at the Old Globe Theatre, her doctors told her to "get a new career." "I could barely open my mouth," recalls Sharth, "and the doctors were pushing me to have surgery, but I refused." So she took a detour into a successful career as a children's author, but the stage continued to beckon.

It's no wonder. Sharth had a budding and brilliant career as an actress in New York. As a member of the prestigious Circle Repertory Company, she originated roles in plays by Sam Shepard, Lanford Wilson, Aaron Sorkin and John Bishop, worked with prominent directors like Marshall W. Mason, Don Scardino and Randal Myler, and performed at Manhattan Theatre Club, Geffen Playhouse, Mark Taper Forum, San Diego's Old Globe, Actors Theatre of Louisville Humana Festival, Yale Rep and the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, as well as touring internationally.

After moving to Los Angeles, Sharth took the first steps back to acting. Since then, she has been nominated for best leading actress awards for both Woman In Mind by Alan Ayckbourn and for A Perfect Ganesh by Terrence McNally, and recently won an L.A. Scenie Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in the Rubicon Theatre production of See Rock City by Arlene Hutton. She also has appeared at the Odyssey with Jane Kaczmarek and Gregory Harrison in The Snake Can by Kathryn Graf. Films include starring roles in Doorman with Bradley Whitford and Eat and Run with Ron Silver.

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Even as she returned to the stage, Sharth continued her writing - this time for the theatre. "I was thinking about the men in my life," says Sharth, who was single at the time, "and so I started writing about that and ended up with a one-act play." As she was writing, she met author Mark Bryan, who co-wrote The Artists Way, a best-selling guide to creativity. Before long, they were married, and Sharth had a second act for her play, Waiting for Grace. Waiting for Grace
I never thought that my work and personal life would collide in such an uncanny way: at the intersection of Zika and climate change.

I am a climate change fellow with the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), a coalition of 39 small island countries at the United Nations, based in New York City.

A few months ago, I returned from a short getaway to my home in the Caribbean, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, with a renewed tan, my beloved pepper sauce and, apparently, the Zika virus incubating in my body.

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As it turned out, I could not get away from climate change itself. With torrential unseasonal rainfall and a series of the hottest months on record creating the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes, it was no surprise that the Zika virus emerged and spread quickly in the Caribbean and Latin America this year. The virus is spread primarily by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

When I contracted Zika in August, there were only three commercial laboratories that processed Zika testing in New York State. I went to a walk-in clinic and, after being screened by a doctor, nurse and even the manager of the clinic, I was recommended for testing. By that time I was exhibiting almost all of the tell-tale signs of Zika: pink eyes, headache, Zika rash, joint pains and tiredness. One month later, the results came back positive for the Zika virus.

What followed was sobering medical advice: that I should avoid pregnancy for at least two months. A connection between Zika-infected mothers and an elevated risk for microcephaly, or undersized heads, in babies has been confirmed by scientists and widely reported in the news. Although, I hadn't planned on starting a family anytime soon, the warning was unsettling. Just as troubling is that Zika may cause Guillan-Barre syndrome, a debilitating autoimmune disease in adults.

The World Health Organisation has dubbed Zika in the Americas, a public health emergency of international concern. Many Governments in Latin America and the Caribbean have embarked on public awareness campaigns and are spraying insecticide to kill mosquitoes as well as draining stagnant water to limit their breeding grounds. Arguably of more concern to North Americans, is that fact that with warming temperatures, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are able to survive further north. Florida has counted many Zika cases, some of which are thought to have originated there, and mosquitoes can now survive as far north as New York.

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Despite the rapid spread of this virus, the United States Senate repeatedly failed to pass a bill to provide USD$1.1 billion in funding to combat the Zika virus, throughout the summer and early fall. The sticking point was disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over part of that amount going to Planned Parenthood for contraception. Contraception is a pragmatic way to combat the effects of Zika, given the link between Zika and microcephaly in babies. In Zika-ravaged Brazil, for instance, women have been warned to put off pregnancy for up to two years. After months of deadlock, the Senate approved the funding before the September 30th midnight deadline.

The rapid spread of Zika is just one manifestation of climate change induced health hazards. Moreover, Zika is but one symptom of a much larger problem: international and domestic apathy and ineffectiveness in relation to climate change. President Obama, in his final address to the United Nations General Assembly as President, acknowledged that Zika does not respect walls. Indeed, neither does climate change respect these boundaries.

As bureaucracies dither, climate change and Zika continue to grow causing terrible consequences, which are unequally proportioned globally. The devastating effects of climate change on human health are a disproportionate burden on vulnerable groups, such as, children, the elderly, the poor and broadly, people in developing countries. Large developed countries, such as, the United States as well as, Small Island Developing States have lessons to learn from the handling of this international health emergency. These lessons are likely to come in handy as global temperatures intensify and set health crises in motion.

The bad news is that ramping up climate change mitigation action now may not necessarily abate Zika since historical greenhouse gas emissions have put us on a trajectory of rising global temperatures for years to come. However, this is no invitation to remain apathetic to the devastating effects of climate change, including health impacts. With the recent entry into force of the Paris Agreement and the opening of the twenty-second session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the world is poised to take serious action. If we don't act immediately, the known consequences will be very bad. But what is truly terrifying are the consequences that we cannot yet foresee.
Indigenous peoples from around the world came together to examine the relationships between people and nature at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawai'i. They discovered that in many indigenous or native worldviews people are not seen as separate from nature - as reflected in many local languages, writes Seline Meijer from IUCN's Global Economics and Social Science Programme.



Sharing experiences about the role of indigenous and local knowledge in restoring interrelations between people and nature was the focus of a Conservation Campus organised by IUCN's People in Nature (PiN) initiative during the recent IUCN World Conservation Congress in Hawai'i, in collaboration with the Hawaiian non-profit organisation Kuaaina Ulu Auamo (KUA). The event brought together participants of the IUCN Congress from around the world and people associated with KUA to talk about the role of nature in the restoration of land- and ocean-based relationships and reconciliation between peoples.

Surprisingly, many people with native or indigenous backgrounds feel uneasy about the way Western discourse separates these as two discrete concepts. "Nature and people are not two separate things, they are the same: nature is people and people are nature" - was how one of the participants of the Conservation Campus put it.

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This was reinforced by Tina Ngata, a participant from Aotearoa, New Zealand: "If you ask me the value of nature for my well-being it's like asking me the value of my head for my well-being. It doesn't make sense."

The perspective that nature and culture are not just interlinked, but that they are inseparable, is shared amongst many native and indigenous worldviews. For indigenous groups, it is often difficult to talk about issues related to nature outside of the context of their people, which is reflected by the way these concepts are translated into language, songs and creation stories.

The Maori language uses terms for nature and human elements interchangeably. For example, Ko wai au has the dual meaning of who am I and I am water. Similarly, the word for land, whenua, is also the word for placenta.

"Our genealogy extends beyond humans to include our insect, animal, plant and element cousins", explains Tina Ngata. "I say cousins because we all also share the common ancestor of our Earth Mother Papatuanuku and Sky Father Ranginui."

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The Maori world is replete with examples of how people come from, depend on, and are nature. "Such examples are everywhere, from belief systems, to genealogy, to songs, food, language, architecture, art, recreation and kinship structures," says Tina Ngata. "All of it is embedded in our interdependent membership of nature."

A lack of distinction between people and nature is a worldview common to many other indigenous groups. For example in the language of the indigenous Bribri people that live in the Talamanca region in Costa Rica, the word ditso, the name given to the Bribri people by their creator and which literally translates as seed, clearly expresses the lack of separation between nature and culture.

Ali Garcia Segura, linguistics professor at the University of Costa Rica and Talamanca Bribri community member, explains that the Bribri believe that they are one seed among many others: "We understand seed as the essence of life, whether this life is manifested in a tree, an animal, in water or in a human being."

Similarly, an existential foundation for Native Hawaiian people is found in their creation stories and genealogical chants. A notable chant, translated by the Queen Liliuokalani soon after the US overthrow of the nation of Hawaii, the Kumulipo, was shared by the hosts of the Campus.

According to the chant the Hawaiian people descend from the meeting of Wakea and Hoohokukalani (father sky and daughter of mother earth) whose first child was still born. The still born child was buried and grew into the first taro plant, the staple food of the Hawaiian people. Wakea and Hoohokukalani's second child, Haloa, was the first man and he was born with eternal kuleana (right and obligation) to care for his elder brother the taro.

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"A common Hawaiian phrase that embodies a similar sentiment is 'He alii ka aina, he kauwa ke kanaka' - 'the land is the chief and man is its servant.' When we take care of our resources they also take care of us," Kevin Chang of KUA explained.

The dialogue of the Conservation Campus built on the E Alu Pu (Move Forward Together) Global Gathering organised by KUA prior to the Congress. E Alu Pu is a network of Native Hawaiian and rural community members who come together to learn directly from one another on how to better care for the land.

This time the gathering also had international participants, including indigenous and community leaders, practitioners and researchers, to share experiences and learn from each other on caring for their lands and waters ahead of the IUCN Congress. Set in Waipao on the island of Oahu, the Conservation Campus took participants off-site to Papahana Kuaola, a local non-profit organisation working to connect the area's past with a sustainable future.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (C) and Vice President Dick Cheney listen to U.S. President George W. Bush speak before signing the Military Commissions Act of 2006 in the East Room of the White House in Washington October 17, 2006. The legislation sets standards for interrogating suspects, but through a complex set of rules that human rights groups say could allow harsh techniques bordering on torture, such as sleep deprivation and induced hypothermia. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque (UNITED STATES)

President-elect Donald Trump, during his campaign, refreshingly criticized Republican George W. Bush's war in Iraq and Democrat Barack Obama's war in Libya; seemingly advocated a more restrained American foreign policy abroad; touted the need for a better relationship with Russia; and even propounded a badly needed reassessment of overextended U.S. alliances around the world. However, already his apparent consideration of the usual hawkish Republican retreads for top foreign policy and national security posts threatens to take him down the well-worn path of the Bush presidency he so vehemently criticized during the political season.

In the 2000 presidential campaign, George W. Bush, to distinguish himself from the interventionist presidency of Democrat Bill Clinton, promised a "more humble foreign policy." Yet, after he became president, Bush, advised by neo-conservative hawks, took advantage of the tragic 9/11 attacks to invade a Muslim country that had no part in those attacks -- Iraq. This invasion was one of the biggest foreign policy blunders in American history -- turning into a U.S. quagmire that destabilized both Iraq and Syria and led to an Islamist guerrilla opposition movement that ultimately became the brutal group Islamic State, with which will Mr. Trump will now have to contend.

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Yet disappointingly, Trump's rumored consideration of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Sen. Bob Corker (Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee), and former diplomat and neo-conservative John Bolton for Secretary of State point in the direction of continuing the standard Republican hawkish foreign policy of George W. Bush -- about which Trump complained in the campaign and which the American people resoundingly rejected in the election.

For defense secretary, the seeming consideration of Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), former Bush National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, and former Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.) seem to go down the same road. The apparent consideration of Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, former Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) for National Security Adviser also have an excessively muscular tinge.
"That Christianity has to be revealed and embodied in the line of social progress is a corollary to the simple proposition, that man's action is found in his social relationships in the way in which he connects with his fellows; that his motives for action are the zeal and affection with which he regards his fellows. By this simple process was created a deep enthusiasm for humanity; which regarded man as at once the organ and the object of revelation; and by this process came about the wonderful fellowship, the true democracy of the early Church, that so captivates the imagination.... The spectacle of the Christians loving all men was the most astounding Rome had ever seen." .... "The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life." Jane Addams, social reformer, founder of Hull House in Chicago, 1892

A week ago, I had a noon meeting in downtown Long Beach. After the meeting, I ran to catch the Blue Line train to get back to Los Angeles. In my haste to cross the street, the toe of my shoe slipped on a slick steel rail, and down I went, planting my face on the cement. I hopped up and kept going, but quickly realized I was bleeding from the nose and lip. My clothes were scuffed and dirty. As I got on the train, people looked at me askance.

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I had been transformed from a upstanding professional gentleman into a member of the underclass, in one second.

But when I got off the train, my wife, who is lovely in every way, scooped me up in our Prius and drove me to our nice house in the Hollywood hills, where a shower and clean clothes awaited me. In an hour I was an upstanding professional gentleman once again: bruised and scratched a bit, but otherwise presentable.

"The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life." I cannot think of a more perfect summation of my face-plant incident than this one from the legendary Jane Addams, the mother of the social work profession and of the public child welfare system of America. This sentence was the product of her Christian faith put into daily practice. I "secured good for myself" by choosing and marrying a remarkably wonderful woman, working hard to get through school, and getting and keeping a great job that pays well and affords my family excellent health insurance. But as I sat on the train, stanching blood from my lip with my hankie, I looked around myself at the regular riders on the Blue Line. It's the train that runs through South Central LA. A lot of those folks had nobody to pick them up at the end of the line, nobody to comfort them and whisk them away to get cleaned up and better-dressed. Had they worked any less to get what little they had? Did I deserve my advantages any more than they deserved their disadvantages? In my condition, it was harder than ever to answer in the affirmative.

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My face-to-face encounter with the pavement was one of those "values clarification moments". It reminded me why I vote for political candidates who are committed to social justice. striving to create a society that ensures real help in fall-down-flat situations: those disasters that are not "respecters of persons" (Acts 10:34, KJV).

The philosopher John Rawls undergirded Jane Addams' values when he posited a hypothetical gathering of the unborn. What kind of social arrangements would we make if we collectively designed them before knowing what sex, race, ethnicity, nationality, and social-economic status we would enter as babies? It is hard to imagine that we'd choose the current American system of wildly unequal access to good medical care and schools, inadequate social insurance, and extreme differences in exposures to crime and pollution. It is hard to imagine that in a constitutional convention of the unborn, they would fail to choose what prevails in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway: relatively low income inequality, generous social insurance, universal health care, excellent free education for all, lively democracy, freedom of speech, religion, conscience, and enterprise.
God, there is no where for me to go. I feel powerless, weak, invisible. I believe I only matter to You. The God who made me. The God who saved me. The God who will raise me when they shoot me dead or blow me up for pushing back against the system in pursuit of Your Beloved Community. Oh God who calls me His own, I fully expect to die fighting for Christ and what's right with barrages of non-violence knowing full-well that I will be crucified in real-life. Give me the strength, wisdom and grace to utter Father forgive them for they know not what they're doing. Because God, I'm asking -- how could they not know? Lord have mercy on me. Please don't leave me alone when the day comes. Please don't leave me alone. I know that you promised You wouldn't but please don't leave me alone. There is no way that I could do it. Please, don't leave me alone. There is no one here to save me.

Christianese doesn't make space for the feelings I have. And another Christian book, YouTube worship video, or meme is not going to "get me over" this time. I woke up this morning and Trump is to be President. And, I am scared -- for myself, my wife, my daughter, people of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, immigrants, Muslim brothers and sisters, Indigenous people, refugees, the undocumented... and so many more people. And, please don't post, but "Jesus is Lord" because I believe that; I preach that. But the Jesus that I believe in makes space for this pain. This hurt. This confusion.

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White-washed, evangelical, western "gospel" braided with american exceptionalism looks over my fear and makes a sermon illustration and asks me to tithe. It doesn't drive me to pray and stand with the Sioux in Standing Rock who are facing corporations one side, an indifferent government on the other and winter getting closer every day.

Blonde hair, blue-eyed Jesus has nothing but a job and "freedom fries" to give to the woman who woke up this morning contemplating whether or not to put on her hijab because she's afraid of being beaten up or set on fire. The thin-lipped Jesus in the stain-glass window is silent on the death penalty and mass incarceration and says "the world is not my home" to those caught up in the school to prison pipeline. Our American, "pro-life" Jesus has the right bumper stickers, t-shirts and listens to the right radio stations; but under the veneer of "christian" kindness is homophobic, xenophobic, capitalistic self-interest, concerned only for what makes "us", not "them" happy, comfortable and great. After all, that's in the Bible right? I mean, the Constitution. Heck, they're the same thing, right?

Millions of white Americans and those bought into this "jesus" and the american dream, just confirmed what I believe. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Yet, the mainstreaming my rejection, criminalization and mass disregard for the pain of so many is overwhelming. The Jesus who overcame death, hell and the grave is the only reason I can walk to the subway today. And, I know I'm not the only one.

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More hurtful though, is that what will be preached, tweeted, shared, posted and preached from now and every Sunday in most pulpits in this country will be cursory, ambivalent, and/or just miss what happened because the margins didn't and still don't matter and a Trump presidency doesn't change their life all that much. And, that is the saddest fact of them all. That those tasked with leading others to follow the Risen Jesus are not following Him at all.

So to those of you, like me who long to see the people of God from every tribe, tongue and nation worship Jesus in spirit and truth stand apart from the "greatness" offered by america. I ask you to cry out to God -- I'm talking Psalm 88 type of serious lament like what's above. A prayer that makes the pain of the Cross that's as palpable as the power of His resurrection. Because this pain and the pain that is coming are as real as the Cross of the Jesus we believe in.

Then, would you pray this prayer of confession with me.

Gracious God, in Christ Jesus, you teach us to love our neighbors but we build dividing walls of hostility. You show us how to love one another as sisters and brothers but we hide ourselves from our own human family. You ask us to seek out the stranger and welcome the guest. You want us to share your abundant gifts with the poor but we cling tightly to our possessions and our privilege. You call us to proclaim good news to all people but we waste our words and hide our light. Have mercy on us, Loving God. Forgive our sin, open our hearts, and change our lives. By your spirit, make us holy and whole -- one people, united in faith, hope and love; through Jesus Christ, Our Reconciler and Redeemer.

And would you open your hands and receive this blessing. If you need to, find another person to pray this blessing over you.

In the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit, would you, brothers and sisters be blessed and sent as seekers of shalom and justice for the powerful and the powerless, the oppressed and the oppressors, the privileged and the marginalized, all people made in the image of God. You have been reconciled to God by the blood of Christ Jesus. And filled with Holy Spirit. You are therefore Christ's ambassadors called to call all to be reconciled to Him and one another by the same of the Risen Lamb that reconciled you. Be blessed between the now and the not yet to preach and practice the ways of Jesus, making sacred space for those in your care to be loved through sacred listening and spirit-led activism. Like Moses, you have been sent to Pharaoh to make Yahweh known that Egyptians and Israelites may worship in spirit and in truth, now and for always. By His grace, through the gift of faith and for His Glory, AMEN!

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And after you pray, please join us in the ministry of reconciliation, the preaching of Gospel in word, deed and power, fellowship and genuine community. Because the Kingdom of God and the United States of America are NOT the same thing; and if we don't bear witness to that with our lives, they will never know another way is possible.
With Donald Trump's victory last night the Republicans find themselves in the historic position of being poised to fundamentally alter the trajectory of the United States. With control of both chambers of Congress and Trump as President-elect, the Republicans will be in the position to privatize anything they want including prisons. In fact, the stock price of Corrections Corporation of America shot up 50 percent since Trump won and the Geo Group up 20.1 percent. And big pharmaceutical corporations' stocks are jumping too anticipating the coming free-for-all on drug prices.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's ploy of refusing a vote on President Obama's nominee, Merrick Garland, to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court looks like political genius. With control of the House, Senate, Presidency, and the Supreme Court, the right-wing Republicans will be free to exercise their raw power totally unchecked by our vaunted system of "checks and balances."

With 33 governorships compared to the Democrats' 14, along with total control of Washington, the Republicans will be more powerful than ever before. They can eliminate or alter election and voting laws to further cement their formidable advantages electorally.

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In his first remarks following Trump's victory, President Obama implied that this outcome is just how elections work, you win some and lose some. And now all the pundits across the rancid cable news shows that enabled Trump's rise and failed the nation so miserably are telling us (once again) that Trump can be made to realize that now that he's "President-elect" he must start being "presidential."

Don't count on it.

This rhetoric merely distracts us from paying attention to the slow motion coup d'etat that has taken place in this country led by a committed, tight-knit group of Alt-Right extremists.

On Fox News and elsewhere in the right-wing blogosphere the office of the presidency, after being so maligned during the Obama years, will go back to being "sacrosanct" now that a Republican will inhabit it. Since 9-11 the power of the presidency has grown exponentially. One of the many reasons I opposed George W. Bush and Barack Obama's use of drones to kill people all over the world was because I feared that this deadly tool would eventually fall into the hands of a less restrained Chief Executive and could lead us into World War III.

Never before in its history has this country handed so much power to a man so undeserving of wielding it. Given Trump's proclivities toward the grotesque and grandiose such power will surely go to his head. A President Trump, surrounded with his coterie of retainers, sycophants, alt-right-wingers like Stephen K. Bannon and neo-cons like James Woolsey and General Michael Flynn, and others will be just three or four wrong decisions from sparking nuclear war.

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All of our institutions failed us. The corporate media news system, operating inside a political economy where only high ratings and click numbers matter created the environment where Trump could amass billions of dollars in free publicity. For about two years, the corporate media normalized Trump, swaddled him in emperor's clothes, and gave his shills a place at the table regardless of their level of demonstrable mendacity. Trump was the shiny object. They forced us to watch him constantly and just when we hoped the spectacle might meet a merciful end, now we're saddled with seeing him every minute for at least the next four years. We have to explain to our children who this boisterous bully is and why we have to pay attention to what he says and does.

The U.S. presidency has two fundamental roles: One is the "administrative" role where the chief executive appoints officials, makes policy decisions, signs legislation, directs the military, and works with Congress and the courts. The other role is "ceremonial" where the president serves as a kind of mascot for the country, the nation's chief diplomat and the face projected to the rest of the world, a leader who appears at ceremonies involving the armed forces or state dinners, summits with world leaders, and the like. It is in this ceremonial capacity where the president must lead by example and it is symbolically important to our people, especially our children. That's why politicians pretend to care so much about the "character" of any person who seeks the presidency. From what we've already seen from Donald Trump it is likely he will be disastrous in both these roles.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt understood the forces that needed to be corralled and contained in America if we were to continue with this grand experiment in democracy. FDR said at a time when fascism was sweeping through many countries in Europe and in the Far East, in his message to Congress on April 29, 1938:

"Unhappy events abroad have retaught us two simple truths about the liberty of a democratic people. The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to the point where it becomes stronger than their democratic State itself. That, in essence, is fascism - ownership of government by an individual, by a group or by any other controlling private power. The second truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if its business system does not provide employment and produce and distribute goods in such a way as to sustain an acceptable standard of living. Both lessons hit home. Among us today a concentration of private power without equal in history is growing."
As the climate change community gathers this week in Marrakesh for the first Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change ("COP 22") since the ratification of the Paris Protocol, the international community once again commits to limit and combat the effects of greenhouse gases. In addition, the Convention mandates that countries "prepare and adapt" to climate change. Preparation and adaptation includes advances in science and technology, emissions caps, and financing programs that aim to prevent global warming.

These are necessary but insufficient steps in an era of climate change. An exclusive focus on technology and finance ignores the corruption, graft and mismanagement that will proliferate in an era of climate change.

At COP 22, I will be speaking, along with colleagues from the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime and the Moroccan Anti-Corruption Authority, on corruption's inextricable link to climate change. The event is being advertised with the slogan, "Fight Corruption, Save the Planet." That sounds hyperbolic, but it's not.

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As I described in this post a year ago, extreme weather events such as Superstorm Sandy or Hurricane Katrina trigger an influx of federal funds and pressure to rebuild quickly. In the chaos of reconstruction, opportunities for bribery and embezzlement abound. Contractors, engineers and builders can pass bribes undetected to public officials in exchange for lucrative contracts to rebuild, irrespective of the quality of the proposed reconstruction. In an era of climate change and increased frequency of natural disasters, the correlation between corruption and natural disaster leads to a vicious circle that will only shrink as the earth's temperature rises.

The recent natural disasters in Italy and Haiti are but two examples of the opportunities for corruption in the wake of an extreme weather event. During the August earthquake in Italy, an elementary school in the town of Amatrice crumbled despite being renovated in 2012 to resist earthquakes at a cost of $785,000. Similarly, a bell tower in Accumoli collapsed and killed a family of four sleeping in a neighboring house, although it had been recently restored with special funds allocated after Italy's last major earthquake, in 2009. Investigations into these two sites are ongoing, but Italy's chief anti-Mafia prosecutor, Franco Roberti, told Italian newspaper La Repubblica that "post-earthquake reconstruction is historically a tempting morsel for criminal groups and colluding business interests."

As for Haiti, notwithstanding well-established building codes that account for extreme weather, the country lacks a building code altogether. Instead, according to a 2010 report by the American Institute of Architects prepared after the earthquake that devastated the country, engineers often use standards from other countries that do not account for the country's own context, that is, a Caribbean island on the hurricane path. Haiti's corruption - it ranks 158 out of 168 countries on Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index- was partially reflected in the inefficiency and waste that characterized the country's response to its 2010 earthquake. The country's structural decimation and slow recovery after last month's Hurricane Matthew is tragic- and not surprising.

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Nonetheless, there are signs that individual countries and public international organizations are awakening to the need to incorporation anti-corruption policies into their disaster preparedness. Earlier this year, the Italian government finally reformed the country's public procurement code to reflect best practices of transparency and accountability. It further placed the country's National Anti-Corruption Authority ("ANAC") at the center of the reforms by strengthening its supervisory function. ANAC is also empowered to monitor the ongoing post-earthquake reconstruction.

On the international level, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has recently acknowledged the need to stave off corruption as part of planning for climate change, asserting in a guide to disaster risk reduction that "disaster reduction science and its applications should include enhanced awareness of corruption, and of its origins, causes, sources and practices, any of which have the potential to destroy otherwise humanitarian objectives." The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, an effort to globally coordinate disaster preparedness among national, local and private stakeholders, includes the strengthening of disaster risk governance as one of its four priorities.
Hillary Clinton's loss last night was a rebuke by more than half of the American people who clearly stated that the Federal Government doesn't work for them and hasn't for decades. This was supposed to be the one issue where Democrats excelled. Instead, the heads of the Democratic Party colluded to ensure that Bernie, the only authentic change candidate, lost to Hillary, a more-of-the-same candidate with enough baggage to fill a railroad car.

I'm furious Donald Trump won because he promised change without ever specifically mentioning any changes he would make other than racist rants. Bernie on the other hand specified in great detail what his plans were to change America. Each of his specified changes would have satisfied many of the people Hillary labeled, "Deplorables". Sure, some White voters would have rejected Bernie, a nominal Jew, but young voters loved him, and I believe there were enough of them to elect him.

Debbie Wasserman Schulz and Donna Brazile, I hope you're pleased that you foisted Hillary on a Democrat and Independent public that would have gladly supported Bernie. The world was changing and you chose to ignore the Millennials who loved Bernie and worked their hearts out for him in a rigged race that he wasn't allowed to win because it was Hillary's turn. Bernie's single payer health plan would have insured every American. Trump has promised to repeal Obamacare and replace it with free enterprise, which is a euphemism for, "Sorry folks but you're on your own again."

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A CNN talking head suggested that if more African Americans had voted for Hillary in Philadelphia she would have carried Pennsylvania. But young African Americans weren't inspired by Hillary, whose husband was directly responsible for locking up millions of young, non-violent African American drug dealers with the 3-Strikes law. They are also aware that her husband ended welfare in a manner that never took into account that people on welfare can only climb out of it by getting good-paying jobs. Bill Clinton's economic miracle didn't affect African Americans anywhere near the manner it did White people. I don't blame young African Americans for not voting. They didn't have a candidate to vote for with a track record of caring about them.

Incidentally, Bernie went to jail for demonstrating for Civil Rights, while Hillary did little or nothing to help the Civil Rights Movement. Bernie's programs of free college would have allowed millions of young African Americans to earn college degrees. Bernie's $15 dollar an hour minimum wage would have affected their communities positively. Hillary only jumped on that bandwagon after Bernie began to become popular. Now we've elected a man who doesn't believe there should even be a minimum wage.

And to my intellectual, liberal, Democrat friends who I beseeched to accept Bernie as a change candidate and who told me I didn't know what I was talking about, your arrogance and lack of perception regarding the mood of the rest of the American people was staggeringly myopic. Your acceptance of a seriously flawed candidate for selfish or emotional reasons sealed our fate. You misread America because you had your heads in the clouds because your lives were going swimmingly well.

Now the future of America is in the hands of a narcissist who hasn't a clue how to change what needs changing. His list of supporters in his acceptance speech should cause anyone with a brain to become very afraid. Rudy, Newt, General Flynn, Huckabee, Lewandowski, etc. are like characters in a trailer for a horror movie coming to your town soon. I accept the will of the people because that's the American way. I will never accept the Democratic Party again after handing this election over to a potential tyrant when they had the real change candidate Americans wanted and needed and would have elected. And thanks for a new Supreme Court that will determine American's fates for decades to come. Good luck women, minorities, the environment, free speech, the uninsured, and a myriad of other rights that will be taken away.

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Anyone concerned with U.S. politics and climate change may be nervous after Tuesday's national election. He said he would "cancel" the Paris Agreement, although what this means is unclear. He has been unclear or fickle on many policy positions.

During his campaign, Donald Trump's communications included crass climate denialism, bigot-baiting, and belligerence or flippant attitude toward diplomacy. And of course there is the rampant sexism. These things jeopardize much more than the U.S. reputation.

Pundits often point out that Trump was reaping the ignorance, insularity and anxiety sown by Republican politicians before him. He was just trying to turn out the vote. And climate denialism has been a key plank in this Republican party platform. That meant Trump had to promise to take a disastrous about-face on global climate politics. Trump promising to pull out of Paris is certainly a bad political signal from the United States, particularly now coming from a President-elect and Republican party leader.

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On the other hand, there will be fewer Republicans in Congress in part because their message has not been working with everyone. Many in his party believe Donald Trump took the strategy too far. Running away from Trump and what he represented was a common Republican campaign theme by the end of the election. Many Republican Senators and Representatives probably avoided losing elections by back-pedalling from the ultraconservative campaign platform they previously created or endorsed. Optimistically, the internecine Party strife exemplified by the presidential campaign may be part of the Republican Party progress toward climate realism.

It is difficult to know peak climate denialism. President George W. Bush "unsigning" the Kyoto Protocol has to be on the timeline. More than just a step backwards, reneging on Kyoto may have killed the last opportunity to include the United States in a climate regime with a compliance mechanism. But President Bush himself is no longer an outspoken climate denier, and some - incredibly - even credit him for setting the stage for the Paris Agreement.

President-elect Trump may not yet understand that climate wins votes, and that climate can unify not just his country but all countries. But as a populist, he should at some point realize that pandering to nationless fossil fuel companies like Exxon Mobil will cease being helpful to his popularity. Modernizing the U.S. economy so that it runs on renewable energy would be a very good thing for jobs and public health.

Despite his anti-climate rhetoric, we don't really know how Trump will handle with the Paris Climate Agreement. Paris did not legally oblige countries to achieve their climate pollution goals, but it did require they report on results and announce subsequent commitments. When it comes to the climate pollution goals the U.S. pledged for 2020 and 2025, what the U.S. has put on the table is not enough, given its responsibility for the problem and capacity to do more. However, subsequent nationally determined contributions (NDCs) with end dates further into the future is not going to help get the fast, steep cuts in climate pollution that scientists say we need.

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The world needs stronger, collective climate action that includes commitments in other international negotiations and domestically. In Paris, countries reaffirmed how important it is to stop global warming from going above 1.5 degrees Celsius (or even 2 degrees). That means we must roll back the expanding supply of globally traded coal, oil, and gas. The U.S. climate movement is rallying around "keep it in the ground," as U.S. fossil fuels producers look to drive up their exports.

With or without a President Trump the global "keep it in the ground" movement will grow. But if Trump wants to be the leader of his party on climate, he can stop allowing new sales of taxpayer-owned fossil fuels, much of which would be destined to be exported to other countries, undermining their efforts to invest in cleaner, smarter power grids. He can push for strong climate commitments into any and all other international negotiations, whether it's negotiations on trade, human rights, aviation, shipping, etc. He should give his delegates marching orders to stop fossil fuel subsidies from international finance institutions and export credit agencies.

One of the best things a U.S. President has is the reputation of being a leader of a transparent democracy, where the will of the people is reflected in policy. President-elect Trump rode a wave of resentment from voters who see this reputation being degraded. The 2016 campaign was steeped in conversations about transparency and corruption, prompted by Wikileaks, revelations about Exxon's climate fraud, and record-breaking corporate campaign finance. So there is perhaps some hope that President-elect Trump can exceed all expectations on climate and be a leader for the people when it comes to global climate change.
Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump (C) is greeted by (L-R) his son-in-law Jared Kushner, daughter Ivanka and son Eric after the conclusion of the third and final debate with Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., October 19, 2016. REUTERS/Joe Raedle/Pool

The New York Times' Maddie McGarvey recently attributed Donald Trump's ability to electrify his rally attendees to, "Making the powerless feel powerful... For men and women who feel left behind by the economy, left behind by politicians, left behind by a changing country -- left behind, period -- Mr. Trump says that "we" can make everything great again. And the implications are clear: "We" will make others "pay" whatever price or burdens we dictate, be they Mexicans, illegal immigrants, Muslims, and countless others."

After exaggerating how well he is doing in numerous state polls, Trump said yesterday in Sarasota, "Lots of people surrounding Philadelphia are going to come out and they're voting because they want to vote," as if rabid, armed supporters are going to come demolish the fortress that is urban America. Trump continued with, "And do you know who's going to come out? The women are going to come out, you watch. The women, the women are going to come out big."

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I love being referred to as "the women". Trump also often likes to says things like, "I have a great relationship with the blacks", despite polling in the low single digits with African-American voters. He seems to think his statements are true if he repeats them enough. He connects to the audience by pointing to a random person in it as if to say, "I see you, we're in on this together." Again, there is a hint of coercion, of "just watch, they're going to (we're going to make them) do it."

Consider what happened when Trump re-emerged from his penthouse after the Billy Bush tape was released, as reported by the New York Times' Maggie Habberman: "The crowd screamed and reached out to touch his suit jacket. He bathed in the rapturous admiration. He pumped his right fist in the air and smiled. He looked rejuvenated. He stayed for just five minutes, electrifying the scene. But before he departed, one reporter screamed a question at him, asking whether he would remain in the race. "Hundred percent," Mr. Trump replied. He turned and headed back to the tower, clapping his hands as if to applaud his supporters, and himself." Trump and his supporters were defiant, proud to be fighting for the right to brazenly objectify, degrade, even molest women. The candidate doing those things and getting away with it electrified them all. We'll show them!

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Remember when the U.S. went to war with Iraq touting our great democracy? Two years ago, George W. Bush passively explained: "And I tell people all the time, off the record, by the way, that [former Secretary of State Condoleezza] Rice's relatives were enslaved in the greatest democracy ever for 100 years, and democracy takes time to take hold. And yet there is an impatience with that process, and Americans have got to understand... that is the human condition elsewhere matters to our national security." Bush called our country "the greatest democracy ever" even when slavery was a major backbone of the U.S. economy. As if a white man dismissing the brutality of slavery and the immeasurable suffering of Iraqis since his. invasion weren't deeply offensive enough, the Republican Party has ensured that we are not even a great democracy.

When I first graduated from college, I worked on a African-American voter registration drive in Milwaukee, a town whose stark racial inequalities were highlighted as campaign fodder for Trump over the summer. On the voter registration campaign I co-directed, our employees were meant to register 10 new voters per day. We were supposed to let them go if they did not meet this requirement for two days. Extensive voter registration had taken place in Milwaukee, so it became increasingly difficult for our employees to find 10 unregistered voters each day who were willing to register. Thus, the temptation to register people who were already registered so they did not lose their jobs in a city where opportunities for African-Americans are far and few. In fact, Wisconsin was recently named the worst state to live in for African-Americans. A few of our employees filled out fake registration cards, which is considered a felony. Obviously, none of those fake voters went to the polls. But still, this won't stop the Republican Party from disenfranchising millions of voters to cling on to power.
I'll never forget the day one of my closest friends marched her son over to my house to apologize to my son for some minor transgression. While I don't recall what her son had done to offend, I remember it was a Sunday morning and my son was wearing plaid madras shorts and a Polo shirt. The reason that particular detail is etched so vividly in my brain is because my girlfriend took one look at my son and gasped in surprise.

"Oh Honey ... you're dressed?!"



My 4-year-old son gazed back at her, innocently oblivious to the fact that he -- well technically his mother -- had just been dissed.

This would be a good time to admit that my boys ran around without clothing quite a bit when they were little. (If you're trying to conjure a visual, you might want to go with the character Mowgli from Disney's The Jungle Book.)

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The reason I know it was a Sunday is because that's the only day I actually forced my boys to wear clothes. My standards were still partially intact at that point and even I knew they had to wear more than Spider Man underpants to Mass.

You see, my boys are my 4th and 5th children. My first three children were girls. They were not only dressed, they were dressed in outfits Paris Hilton would kill for. (Maybe an argument for not producing more offspring than you are willing and able to adequately attire...)

We moved around a lot due to my husband's career and I often found myself wistfully wishing that each new group of neighborhood moms I associated with in those latter days, had known me back when I first started raising kids. They might've even been impressed. I was firing on every cylinder with my first two.

Mostly because I gave a damn what other mothers thought about me.

Like most women, I entered the Motherhood Arena swingin'. I was pregnant with my first child my last semester of college, so naturally I wrote my Senior Thesis on The Benefits of Breastfeeding. I designed and sewed my babies' nursery bedding. I made my own baby food. I had my babies' pictures made at Olan Mills once a month to capture each and every developmental milestone. I was out to win motherhood.

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To borrow a favorite expression from my 21-year-old, I was "Savage."

And, what's all this malarkey I'm hearing lately about "napping while the baby naps?" While my girls napped, I was productive. I made hair bows. I made 232 hair bows in 1991 alone. I was diligent about keeping those bows clipped in my little girls' hair. If my toddler reached up and tried to pull her hair bow out, I gave her a sharp little pop on the hand. I wasn't going to have other mothers thinking I didn't love my baby girls enough to keep coordinated hair bows on their heads.

One Christmas, my oldest daughter and I were invited to a Mother/Daughter Cookie Decorating Party. I dressed my firstborn in an adorable new Christmas frock, snapped in a matching hair bow and off we went.

At the party, our hostess provided sugar cookies baked in various holiday shapes, with an assortment of colored frostings, sprinkles etc. A little kid's dream! My daughter daintily selected a Christmas tree from the tray and proceeded to make a godawful mess decorating the thing. I was mortified. But when she selected a tube of blue for the star on top, when a perfectly fine tube of yellow was available, I snapped. I'd had enough of her 5-year-old shenanigans. I snatched the cookie from her hands and finished decorating it my-damn-self.

I was 27, I had two kids and I had motherhood soundly by the balls.

That is, until I birthed another kid or two and ran out of steam and standards. That's when the tail started wagging the dog, so to speak. The wheels came off the mini-van. Priorities got tweaked.

I just didn't give a damn anymore. Because I couldn't. Don't get me wrong. I gave a great big damn about my kids. The naked ones AND the Fashion Plates. I just couldn't care what other mothers or even my own mother thought. It was just me and the kids in the trenches -- all day, every day.

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It finally dawned on me that my legacy as a mother would not be defined by how other mothers remembered me. It would be defined by how my kids remembered me. So I made a commitment (as much out of necessity as anything) to focus only on what mattered to them and to me.

My new philosophy liberated us and opened us up to an environment where clothing was optional, blue was the color of choice and hair was wild and unrestrained. Unfortunately, by the time I worked my way there, it mostly benefitted my younger kids.

At the time of this writing, all five of my kids seem to be turning out fine. However, my oldest two daughters are both attorneys who, I'm pretty sure, are preparing to file a joint class action suit against me.

As a mother of five, I think it's only fitting that I take the fifth. Mea Culpa ladies -- I think that's Latin for "my bad!"

originally published on: http://agingersnapped.com

Earlier on Huff/Post50:
Republican presidential elect Donald Trump (R) shakes hands with Republican candidate for Vice President Mike Pence speak during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9, 2016. / AFP / JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)

The US has long been a deeply complicated and paradoxical country. Our country, although built on slavery of African Americans and genocide of Native Americans, has also offered more freedom and prosperity to more people than any country in human history. We have a foreign policy that is capable of overthrowing foreign leaders we don't like, seemingly on a whim, and of murderous folly as in Vietnam or Iraq, but also one that has played an indispensable role in defeating fascism and Soviet Communism and, at times, has been on the side of human rights and provided humanitarian assistance to people in many corners of the world. We are a country that promises economic mobility, but where multi-generational poverty is widespread and where any billionaire heir can grow up to be a political outsider.

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For decades our country has struggled to turn the promise of our constitution and often lofty rhetoric about freedom and equality a reality. We all know the names of many of the people who have been part of that struggle, from Frederick Douglass to Harvey Milk. In 2008, that struggle won out at the polling place and we elected an African American president who represented the best in ongoing story of America's journey towards real equality and democracy.

Last night told a very different story, one about a candidate who ran a campaign where he married racism, intolerance and anti-Semitism with buffoonish threats and an extraordinary disconnect from a fact based world, opting instead to simply make up facts to fit his twisted world view. That candidate got elected by winning a big majority of white, straight Christians and losing a majority of pretty much every other demographic group.

Americans of both parties have lost elections in the past. Conservative Republicans can remember the anger and frustration they felt in 2008 or 1992, just as liberal Democrats can recall a similar feeling in 2000, and if they are old enough, 1980. This year, however, is something different. Trump's coalition looks a lot like a typical Republican coalition, but he is no typical Republican candidate. Partisan panic aside, the reality that we have elected a President who campaigned on racist demagoguery, threatened to not accept the outcome of the election if he lost, has indicated a desire to limit press freedoms, and has evinced no knowledge of the checks and balances that constrain presidents, raises unique, and frankly, chilling questions about the future of our democracy.

Before we panic too much we should recognize the possibility that given how little Trump knows about governance, me may just turn the government over to Vice-President Mike Pence, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader. It is an extraordinary reflection of what is happening in to our country that a lifelong left wing Democrat sees governance by what would be the most right wing triumvirate in American history as a hopeful outcome, but it is better than the enduring damage there is good reason to believe a more engaged President Trump will inflict on our democratic institutions. We have survived right wing governments led by the likes of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. They too seemed frightening and dangerous; and they did long lasting damage to our country, but our democracy survived. However, neither of those ideologues ran against the mores, conventions and attitudes that make our democracy function. Nor were they hyper-sensitive, angry at the world, or convinced that the world was rigged against themselves personally. Trump is, and he will go back to those wells of hatred and intolerance whenever he wants to mobilize his base, or perhaps simply when he gets bored.

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So, where do we go from here? For many Americans, the idea of leaving this country is simply not realistic or not something we want to do. Moreover, by leaving, we abandon those with fewer options to live under what could become a very ugly regime. Instead, we probably need to begin by taking a deep breath and steeling ourselves for the struggle. This is not the struggle to simply find a Democrat who can win 270 electoral votes in November of 2020. At this point, it is more important to make sure that election happens. I exaggerate here, but only slightly.
Ambassador Mills: U.S. government and U.S. Embassy will remain steadfast partners and friends to Armenia

On the morning of November 9, a diverse group of government officials, politicians, civil society representatives, students, educators, and members of the press joined U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Richard Mills, Jr. for an Election Watch Party at the U.S. Embassy. As the results of the U.S. presidential and congressional elections were broadcast live from the United States, both American staff and our Armenian guests experienced the excitement of the democratic process in action as polls closed and votes were tabulated across the U.S. More than 800 invited guests had the opportunity to interact with American diplomats and discuss the elections as real-time results were reported by various U.S. TV channels. In addition to the live coverage, the Embassy provided a range of informational materials about the U.S. elections and the U.S democratic process, many of which are available in English and Armenian at the U.S. Embassy website at (https://armenia.usembassy.gov/). In his remarks to the assembled audience, Ambassador Richard M. Mills, Jr. emphasized that today is a special day, one that comes along every four years, when the United States reaffirms and celebrates its democratic tradition, 240 years strong, of calling upon the people to elect their next president. As passionate and intense as this years election campaign has been, Americans know that as a result of yesterdays vote, executive power will be transferred peacefully on January 20, 2017 in accordance with the U.S. Constitution and rule of law. As Secretary Kerry said just last week, were now engaged in the 58th free and open presidential selection process for the 58th consecutive time. Compared to a lot of places in the world, thats pretty amazing. President Obama, who is nearing the end of his second and last term, will step down when his successor is inaugurated on Friday, January 20, 2017. Ambassador Mills reaffirmed to the gathered Armenian guests that the excellent partnership between the U.S. and Armenia, which are celebrating their 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, will stay strong regardless of who is elected the next president of the United States. The U.S. remains committed to our shared goal of an independent and prosperous Armenia at peace with its neighbors, and regardless of who the next president is, the U.S. government and the U.S. Embassy will remain steadfast partners and friends to Armenia, as we work together to ensure the democratic and prosperous future that the Armenian people deserve.
To everyone I know from Mexico, yesterday I called you friend, today I call you family. To every immigrant who God has sent to enrich my life -- naturalized, documented, and most especially, undocumented -- know I stand with you. To those of the Muslim religion, people of faith like me who contribute to my community, I will learn more about how we are alike and choose to see you as individuals. To all of the refugees across the vast ocean I might not ever meet because unfortunately, you are not welcome in my country, I will not forget you. To all those who fear losing the basic healthcare you just received, I will acknowledge your struggles to provide your family what I take for granted. To the African American community, I will humbly learn about your rich history, cultural traditions, and legitimate fears I will never have for my own children. To all of you who, unlike me, have faced bigotry due to who you choose to love, your race, ancestry, or accents, I mourn with you.
U.S. presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton attend campaign events in Hershey, Pennsylvania, November 4, 2016 (L) and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 22, 2016 in a combination of file photos. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/Carlos Barria/Files

My teenage daughters were sobbing. I felt extremely weepy. And I know that much of America was crying with my girls and me.

We will be inaugurating President Trump on January 20, 2017.



How did this happen? How did we not see this coming?

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Just in terms of election night predictions, we learned that the Bradley Effect went national. The Bradley Effect explains why white voters tell pollsters they will vote one way and actually vote another. In the 1982 gubernatorial election in California, voters told pollsters in the days leading up to the election that they were undecided or likely to vote for Tom Bradley, the African American mayor of Los Angeles, leaving political pundits to predict a Bradley victory; instead, Bradley's white opponent, George Deukmejian won. To explain how this happened, political scientists pointed to social desirability bias--white voters failing to state their true preference to pollsters because of fears of being criticized as racist. While the Bradley Effect has been used to explain lower than expected votes for African American candidates, it seems applicable here because of what it tells us about the majority of white American voters and the candidate they chose. Most polls had Clinton's chances of winning the presidency over 50%, with some as high as 99%. And they were based upon responses from voters--as we realize now, from a large number of white voters who concealed their favorable response to Trump and his blatantly racist rhetoric when they told pollsters they would be voting for Clinton.

We also learned that the November 8, 2016 election was a logical extension of Nixon's Southern Strategy. The Southern Strategy - a term popularized by Nixon's strategist Kevin Phillips-- was an effort by local, state and national Republican candidates to court Southern whites by appealing to racism against African Americans. It worked in 1968 and continued through the 1970s and 1980s; carefully orchestrated by Republican strategist Lee Atwater, it included Reagan's "welfare queens in Cadillacs" and concerns about "the welfare state," and the Willie Horton ad in the H.W. Bush election in 1988. A key element of it, known as the "dog whistle," continued into the 1990s and 2000s with Jesse Helms' "hands" ads referring to affirmative action and more recently, the birther attacks on President Obama, capitalized upon by Donald Trump to help propel his candidacy. Even while abandoning the dog whistles for blatantly racist statements such as references to Mexicans as "rapists," Trump has fully embraced the Southern Strategy and has taken it into the Midwest, with great success.

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Finally, we learned tonight that the mainstream media treating a racist demagogue as a serious candidate does wonders for that candidate's chances of winning a national election. Throughout the 2016 election, the major outlets normalized Trump and treated with kid gloves his staff and surrogates who simultaneously agreed with his ludicrous positions as they denied that he made them. And, like many of the recent presidential elections, they engaged in false equivalency between Trump and Clinton, giving the impression that his lies on countless subjects were no worse than her comparatively minor misrepresentations or explanations. And it was not just Fox, but also CNN and MSNBC and all of the major networks.

So, what do we do now? And are there any lessons we can take from this calamity?

First of all, we must take all necessary safety measures to protect ourselves and protect our friends and family members from harm. This is a perilous time for those of us who are immigrants, especially those who are undocumented, and also those of us who are Muslim. Trump has promised a deportation force and a ban on Muslims and we should expect him with his Republican Senate and House to move forward on these plans. Moreover, as we know, a number of his followers are white supremacists who may see the Trump victory as the license they need to perpetrate violence on people of color. We need to be safe and also to report any threats of violence.



Second, we must continue to organize, organize, organize and not just in presidential elections and not just for U.S. President. We must work extremely hard at the local and state levels to move forward progressive policies. In many parts of our country, we have and we will. And we must absolutely provide strong resistance to Islamophobic, anti-immigrant and misogynistic policies that will come fast and furious from the incoming administration.

While we are working on local and state issues, we have to build our national electoral power, which may or may not involve the Democratic Party. Even if we align with the Democrats, it will take them a very long time to take over the Congress given the extensive gerrymandering by the Republican legislatures across the country. Even the U.S. Senate is unlikely to be at play until 2020, if that soon. So, we have to start with local elections. And as we work to build a majority in future years, we cannot work to simply get our folks to the polls, but we also must fight the wide-ranging voter suppression efforts, which will continue.

There are many more things that we will need to do, but I am tired and I am sad. So, I'll end with only one more: hold your children close for the next several days. If you're like me, there may not be much you can say; you don't have the words. But, you can acknowledge that you're sad and, like them, you can let them know you're disappointed. Most importantly, you will want and need to tell them we'll get through this together even if you're not really sure if and how we will.
Change is happening as women of color take the center stage in Europe to curate the most electric and powerful cultural events, we have ever seen in recent years.

Usually, the women of color are behind the scenes handing microphones, running around, producing or often writing plays and speeches without being given credit for their work, creativity or talent but recently, I have seen some amazing women of black origin running extraordinary events, filling rooms, speaking up, bringing people together and changing narratives in their own ways.

After attending TEDxAmsterdamWomen as a KeyNote speaker this week-end, alongside so many different women, of all color and background, and my hero Dr Jan ILHAN KIZILHAN , whom helps women in traumatised situations and from war zones, I come to realise that we need more women like and Marian Spier from Amsterdam and Hannah Pool from London. We need to support them and collaborate more.

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Marian, is the founder of TEDxAmsterdamWomen where she has got a team of dutch ladies supporting her annual conferences. She is changing narratives in Europe. The content of her events are provocative, intelligent but it also challenges her audience to think differently.

TEDxLicensee and the ONLY black woman in her position, in the country where immigration is at the centre of every debate and conversation, views on foreigners and women of color are very negative, Marian is educating, leading and advocating for change in mindsets.

Hannah Pool is an Eritrean born British woman in the ARTS and curator of Africa Utopia and Women of the World which takes places in the heart of London at the South Bank Centre.

Her brilliant events bring people all over London. People travel all over the world to come and experience the African cultures through storytelling, music and fashion and powerful debates.

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These two extraordinary women are changing narratives by blending cultures; cultures and customs that are often misunderstood and misinterpreted because of fear, ignorance, biases and lack of empathy.

They are creating an environment of sharing, learning and discovering.

In these times, where so much negativity is going around in the United States and especially in European suburbs, people like Marian and Hannah must be really thanked for their work, ingenuity and talent. They are pushing for diversity in content, curating unusual and different narratives. We need more events that bring people together, but it should not be monopolized by a certain demography or group of people. It is time to democratize content, give communities what they are craving off and invest in the ARTs to help us unite and feed our souls.
Okay.

The question we should be asking ourselves is: why did the Democratic Party put its thumb on the scale to nominate the one person the Republican Party was sure it could beat?

Why?

Because whatever her qualifications she was a Clinton, and was always going to be carrying the baggage of having supported NAFTA, which was going to be electoral death in the Rust Belt. The Republicans new that. They banked on that. It would not have mattered if she had cured cancer - her name equaled lost jobs, equaled a crime bill that put tens of thousands of young Black men away, and a Welfare Bill that made it harder for those least well off. The DNC only saw "Clinton" as an eight-years-in-the-White-House brand, but not as a brand that had undermined their support in the Rust Belt. They made a strategically conservative choice with a name-brand candidate who, despite her years in Washington, had only negative name recognition with Midwestern workers.

The Democratic candidate who polled best with those workers, who had not supported NAFTA, who had always been on the side of those Rust Belt workers, and who would not have to struggle to whip up enthusiasm - that candidate the DNC undermined in favor of the one the Republicans knew was wounded.

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"Too smart by half" is a saying that indicates that someone has over planned, over thought, tried to be so clever that they end up ensuring their own failure. That's what the DNC did. They tried to replace a popular movement with a cult of personality, without seeing that the personality they picked was in a hole with a significant segment of the country. If they had simply let the process honestly play out and Clinton had gotten the nomination she would have been strengthened. Instead, through no fault of her own, she benefitted from a tilted playing field, which in turn played into the meme of her untrustablilty. This didn't keep Sanders voters away, but it kept her from winning independents and undecideds. It looked bad.

So though I honestly think that Clinton, while qualified, was not as inspiring a candidate as she could have been I also believe she was hamstrung by a tainted process reenforcing some people's distrust of her. And, as I've said before, the Republicans really wanted to run against her because they anticipated her weakness in the Rust Belt. They wanted to run against her 2008, but Obama came out of nowhere, and they had no ammunition against him.

Do I think any of this will convince anyone to just fucking listen to us next time? Do I think that all the Liberals will question their own wisdom and vote for the passionate, never-called-themselves-a-moderate progressive next time? Do I think the Republicans won't be able to run circles around the DNC again, getting them to nominate which ever wounded duck the RNC knows it can beat? Someone that will be presented as the "sensible" choice, the wise choice, the "you must be a some kinda bigot if you don't vote for them" choice, anything but not the blazing progressive choice?

We told you so. We fucking told you so, but will you listen to us next time? No. Because there won't be a next time.

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So when December ends pop your corks, drink your champagne, and party like it's 1932, because the Democratic Party just allowed the storm troopers to recruit a big chunk of the Working Class. And they did it because they are strategically inept, and because they didn't want their standard bearer to be a Socialist. And they hypnotized themselves and their adherents into believing that the Socialist's very high likeabilty ratings were a mirage, and that their designated candidates very low like ability ratings were easy to overcome. They just wantedwantedwanted a Clinton so badly, and didntdidntdidnt want the old Socialist so much that they, and perhaps you, refused to believe those polls, those voices, that rumbling. Each new poll that said that only one person of the three was seen as honest, ethical - that could not penetrate the self-delusion. The DNC knowingly ran an unpopular candidate, tailor made for an RNC. That's really not deniable. But will they learn from that? Will all those who denigrated the more progressive choice question their acumen? Of course fucking not.

Next time they will pick another Wall Street Dem who will, again, have no connection to the workers who suffered under the profit-driven insanity that is destroying their lives, and that person will promise to not challenge any status-quo. They will probably be a Southern, humble beginnings millionaire. And there won't be a Sanders in that race, there won't be someone who ACTUALLY was part of the progressive movement for decades, someone trusted and liked. Instead another corporate Dem in jeans when talking to workers, looking desperate to seem common.

We had a chance, people, and it slipped through our fingers. We were cheated, and too many were okay with that for some fucking reason. And now we are lost. Arts funding? The EPA? Roe v. Wade? The Supreme Court? Department of Education? Free Speech? We lost all that as soon as the DNC was allowed to tip the balance. It was unethical, and after that the Dems couldn't convince independent voters they or their candidate could be trusted.

NAFTA and the appearance of chicanery killed Clinton in the Midwest, and liberal Democrats let it happen because they thought the popular, ethical, Socialist couldn't win.

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Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks to Matt Lauer during the Commander in Chief Forum in Manhattan, New York, U.S., September 7, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Segar

Last night, millions of Americans (and millions more around the world) sat glued to their TV sets watching what, for many of them, was impossible. Donald Trump was elected the president of the United States. (I had, by the way, predicted this here in The Huffington Post in August... But don't let us dwell on the past).

The idea of a Trump victory was 'impossible,' because for many months, we have depended on the news media to tell us what the country was thinking. This was a mistake.

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The pundits and the pollsters are now all backtracking furiously. Their never-ending predictions of a Hillary win, a Hillary sweep, a Hillary victory were all clearly wrong. Not only wrong, but dead wrong. Something fundamental was amiss (not to mention the millions of dollars that the pollsters charged for what turned out to be totally worthless information).

What happened? How could they all have gotten it so wrong.

The answer is right there on your TV set. Turn it on and take a look.

What do you see?

If you were watching the news last night (and I assume you were), then you were looking at the heart of the problem right there on your screen. Every network news organization covering the election does it in the same way. They have a big plexiglass desk with four or five of their 'top' correspondents and pundits sitting around -- discussing the implications of the polls and the electorate.

Top correspondents like Lester Holt, who makes a reported $4m a year but is angling to get Brian Williams' old $10m; Anderson Cooper who pulls in a cool $11m a year; Chris Matthews who gets a reported $5m a year and poor Chuck Todd who only pulls in a paltry $500K a year (call your agent, Chuck!). I could go on and on.

So here were all of these millionaires and multi-millionaires sitting around the room talking about how they had missed the fact that the vast majority of Americans were unhappy with the economy and the state of the nation; that they felt cut out and ignored. How could they have missed that? Hmmm...

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The American journalist and pundit Finley Peter Dunne wrote in the 1890s that the job of the journalist was to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Today, the most comfortable ARE the journalists. And it seems that the best effort they can make is to, on occasion, send out the lesser-paid reporters (more in the $250K range) to shove a microphone into the face of 'real people' in the Rust Belt and elsewhere to 'see how they feel.'

Is it any wonder that this does not work? Is it any surprise you are getting a skewed view of America? Is it any wonder that they don't want to talk to 'pollsters'? Is it any wonder that they don't trust 'the media'?

There was a time, not so long ago, when the reporter was the working class guy. When local newspaper reporters lived in the community, rolled up their sleeves and told the stories of their friends and neighbors. Those days are gone. Long gone. Now, we have to depend on pollsters. Clearly that doesn't work either.

Trump tapped into a lot of stuff, but one thing he tapped into very clearly was contempt for the press. And with good reason. They don't reflect the views or the needs or the concerns of the vast majority of Americans any longer -- whether it is Fox News or MSNBC. It doesn't matter. They are out of touch.

Now, like the failed Democratic Party, it's time to take a hard look at what went wrong. The solution to this is not 'better reporting.' And, by the way, for displaced Americans, it is not depending on a billionaire like Donald Trump to 'take up their cause.' This will also end badly.

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Instead, the solution to the vast majority of Americans whose story and concerns are no longer heard (except in the most patronizing way), is for them to seize control of the media themselves. This does not mean storming the walls of 30 Rock, (though that might be interesting).

Rather, every aggrieved and ignored American has a smart phone or an iPhone in their pocket. Those phones are for more than texting your friends or sharing photos on Instagram and Facebook. Those phones all contain broadcast quality video cameras, edit software and the ability to upload and share video worldwide for free at the touch of a button.

Use them. Tell your story, express your anger and frustration. Tell the world. Do with your phones what Martin Luther did with the printing press. Post your 95 Theses. Do it.

You don't need Savannah Guthrie, Matt Lauer, Megyn Kelly or any of those other millionaires to 'tell your story.' You can do this yourself. What Donald Trump did (bypass the establishment) you can do too.

Take control of the medium and it will do what it is supposed to do -- inform the nation and the world of your needs and concerns. Carpe medium. Today, there is no need for pollsters or professional and vastly overpaid 'journalists.' They are as dead as... well, the Clinton machine.
Like probably almost everyone who writes for the Huffington Post, I woke up this morning feeling sad. I live on a coast (the left one) and happily immersed in my own golden bubble, I honestly didn't think that Trump could win. I really didn't. This is forcing me to take a long look at other things that I probably don't really understand, but thought I did.

Math. Evidently, math doesn't really work because Nate Silver PROMISED that Hillary Clinton would win. It makes me really happy that I didn't bother to learn much math! I can use those brain cells for something new and exciting! Since math and probability were #withher, if they were wrong in this case, I am pretty sure they will be wrong in other cases. I am planning to take my daughter's college fund immediately to Las Vegas and put it on 17 black, although I will also diversify my investment by buying 10,000 lotto tickets. Stay tuned for when I win big.

What America wants. There is a saying in marketing that "you are not your customer." This is supposed to make you open your eyes to the fact that people other than you are looking at your products and might not actually be interested what you think is amazing. Apparently, I am not America. I really thought at the heart of it all, America wanted equality. But, as my daughter's friend Max - a super smart millennial with whom we carpool - pointed out, working for an amorphous cause like "social justice" requires a full belly and a stable path to success. If you don't have that, you will work for what serves you and your family. There is no point in berating or denigrating part of our country for voting for what they see as a path forward in their lives, just because it doesn't look like that to me.

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How to heal this. I watched the election last night with a sense of despair (and yes, thoughts of the apocalypse and emigration,) but I was also grateful to live in a nation where our votes actually matter and the outcome of an election can be in doubt. This is not true in many countries in our world. However, our nation was so evenly divided that it is hard to see how we can ever heal it. I am just hoping someone smarter than I will be able to figure this out. Apparently, that person is Donald Trump.

As we emerge from this absolutely horrific election cycle, I am trying to think about things this way: For better or worse, we now have a chance to change US politics. With a completely Republican-controlled country, there should be no excuse for continued gridlock and for not getting SOMETHING done. Yes, I am afraid that this "something" will not match what I think should happen, but apparently, I'm not that smart! At best, perhaps we will learn that the Republican agenda is a good thing for progress in America. At worse, we will learn why the Republican-agenda isn't the best thing for America. Either way, there will be learning.

Sometimes things have to break down in order to evolve. Like butterflies! Or the rotting decay of a corpse, which ultimately feeds the earth! Wait, was that too dark? Let's go back to butterflies. Perhaps in four years, we will all be grateful that our "American Experiment" went a different direction and maybe we will be flying happily in the sunshine. But if we are just feeding worms, I am grateful that we can vote again to change it.
Recent elections have led to a lively debate about the future of climate action. Many ask if the historic breakthrough in Paris last year will now be put to rest.

While politics does matter, no election result is going to change this simple fact: climate solutions will continue to make progress.

The Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra released last year a global study together with leading institutions from 10 different countries. The Green to Scale report gives a lot of reasons for optimism.

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According to the analysis, simply scaling up 17 existing low-carbon solutions would reduce global emissions by 12 gigatonnes (Gt) by 2030. To put the figure into perspective, this is about one quarter of current global emissions.

The 17 solutions are but a fraction of all existing and promising options out there. To build on this global analysis, Sitra will be releasing next week at the UN Climate Conference in Marrakech a new report, focusing on 15 Nordic low-carbon solutions. You can follow the international release through a webcast.

What is even more striking is the price tag. Using conservative assumptions, the cost of scaling up the 17 solutions would reach $94 billion dollars a year by 2030. While that does sound like a lot of money, it is less than one fifth of the amount that governments pour into direct fossil fuel subsidies every year.

Taking the average of the cost range, cutting emissions with this set of solutions could actually save taxpayers money. And this does not even include the value of the various co-benefits that taking climate action provides, from cutting harmful air pollution to creating local jobs.

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Other studies have shown that the price of low-carbon solutions has been falling rapidly. If you have time for just one graph, have a look at the one compiled by Vox.

It tells that low-carbon solutions will continue to make progress. Energy companies will invest in renewable energy. Consumers will start using electric vehicles. Industries will find ways to cut their energy use.

Decisions by policymakers in all countries do matter. They can make the difference between climate solutions being deployed relatively fast on the one hand and fast enough to limit global warming to tolerable levels on the other.

But the transition to a low-carbon economy is unstoppable. And no election result is going to change that.

Oras Tynkkynen
Guests watch television monitors during Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's election night rally in the Jacob Javits Center glass enclosed lobby in New York, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

At a time like this, many liberals and progressive will recall the words of Joe Hill: "Don't mourn, organize."

But let's be honest. We're in shock. We need time to mourn. To recover from the trauma of this election.

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I feel awful for my 19-year-old twin daughters, who voted for the first time this year and now have to spend their college years with Trump as president. They're upset. They talked about moving to Canada. They were half-serious. We talked and texted all night, trying to console ourselves. It was tough.

I reminded them that we've been through periods like this before. The Civil War. The Gilded Age. The Great Depression.

I told them that in 1968, when I was 20, America elected Richard Nixon. At the time we thought that this was the apocalypse. I had worked for Bobby Kennedy's campaign. His murder in June of that year was traumatic. He certainly would have beaten Nixon, brought together the civil rights, union, and anti-war movements, and pushed to end the war in Vietnam, escalate and war on poverty, and expand workers' rights.

After Nixon won, I considered moving to Canada, not just out of fear of Nixon's agenda but also to avoid the draft and Vietnam. I even submitted an application to the University of Toronto.

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But I stayed. I didn't want to abandon my country. Like many others of my generation, I wanted to change it.



This is no time for liberals and progressives, Bernie supporters and Clinton followers, to point fingers. This is a time for cooperation and strategizing.



After Nixon beat Hubert Humphrey in November 1968, a massive resistance movement emerged to make it harder for Nixon to govern. In 1970, we started electing anti-war candidates to Congress. We started a backyard revolution of community organizing in urban communities. Then activists also built the women's movement, consumer movement, and environmental movement.

Nixon did great damage (including the invasion of Cambodia, the killings at Jackson State and Kent State, infiltrating and spying on dissenters), but the country survived.

Yes, Trump is worse than Nixon. He's a demagogue, a white supremacist, a psychopath. But we'll resist again.

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I reminded my daughters that probably 35 percent of eligible voters didn't vote this year. Most of them are poor, people of color, and/or young. Had they voted, Clinton would have won big. The American people, overall, are better than the people who voted.

There will be many post mortems trying to explain how and why Trump won. Among the key factors:

James Comey: No major election analyst tonight (not even Rachel Maddow) mentioned the impact of FBI director Comey's outrageous intervention on the outcome of this election. That, more than anything else, stopped Clinton's momentum, diverted attention away from Trump's sex and other scandals, and refocused public attention on HRC's emails. Over 20 million people voted between his letter to Congress 11 days ago and his statement two days ago that the FBI found nothing damning in the new wave of Clinton emails. Much damage was done. Comey, the rogue FBI director, was more responsible for Trump's victory than anyone else. He intentionally caused the damage.

Voter suppression: The Republicans' voter suppression campaign (like voter ID and felon disenfranchisement laws) in key battleground states -- particularly in poor and minority areas -- gave Trump the margin of victory. This was true in Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Charlotte, and other cities. Republicans engaged in fraudulent election activities like sending phony robocalls to black households with misinformation about voting locations and times. Our arcane election laws also played a role. If Election Day was a national holiday (like in most democracies), or most states had same-day voter registration, turnout among those groups would have been higher, and Hillary would have won in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and other swing states and won the presidency.

Media bias: The mainstream media giving Trump a free ride for most of the past year; treating him like a normal candidate rather than a racist demagogue. It allowed him to win the GOP nomination and to gain traction after the Republican convention. The media''s obsession with Hillary's emails obscured the much more serious Trump scandals - his failure to pay taxes, his sexism, his bogus and self-serving foundation, his lies about his fortune, his fraudulent and abusive business practices, his total ignorance about public policy, Only in the past month did the media wake up and begin serious reporting on the the real Trump. But it was too little, too late.

Right-wing money: The Koch brothers didn't back Trump but their political empire --including other right-wing billionaires who joined forces with them -- may have spent close to a billion dollars helping Republican candidates for House and Senate. That increased GOP turnout in battleground states and helped Trump.

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Other factors -- Wikileaks, Attorney General Loretta Lynch's stupid meeting with Bill Clinton on the airport tarmac, and the persistence of racism and sexism among a significant segment of the American population -- all played a role.

How did so many pollsters get it wrong? Trump benefited from what political scientists call the "Bradley effect." Just before Election Day in November 1982, polls showed that Tom Bradley, the African American mayor of Los Angeles, was going to beat Republican George Deukmejian in the race for California governor. But on Election Day, Deukmejian won. It appeared that many voters lied to pollsters (or even to themselves). They didn't want to appear racist, so they told pollsters they favored Bradley, but voted for Deukmejian. Apparently a significant number of people this year told pollsters they were voting for Clinton, or were undecided, but wound up voting for Trump. Perhaps they didn't want to admit to pollsters, or to themselves, that they preferred Trump over Clinton.

The future looks better. Although turnout was low among the under-30 generation, those who went to the polls voted overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton and liberal Democrats for Congress. Latinos -- the fastest growing part of the electorate -- voted overwhelmingly for Clinton. Within a few years, their growing numbers will determine elections in Florida, Arizona, Nevada, even Texas.

Moreover, all polls show that large majorities of Americans support a progressive policy agenda that links economic prosperity and fairness. They want to raise taxes on the super rich, stronger regulations on Wall Street and big business to protect consumers, workers, and the environment, a significant increase in the federal minimum wage, some version of universal health insurance, a large-scale job-creating infrastructure program, and more affordable colleges and universities.

But public opinion, on its own, doesn't bring about change. That's what movements do. We need to join forces to resist where Trump, Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, the Koch brothers, and Wall Street want to take the country. We need to build on the momentum of Black Lives Matters, the immigrant rights movement and the Dreamers, campaigns against Keystone and Standing Rock, the movement for fossil fuel divestment, the Fight for 15, and the movement to protect Planned Parenthood and women's right to choose.

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We need new Democratic Party leadership. We need a progressive like Warren, or Senator Dick Durbin, or Rep. John Lewis as the next head of the DNC.

This is no time for liberals and progressives, Bernie supporters and Clinton followers, to point fingers. This is a time for cooperation and strategizing. Unions, Planned Parenthood, Sierra Club, the NAACP, community organizing groups, LGBT activists, and wealthy progressives have to collaborate. They need to raise the money, hundreds of millions of dollars, to send an army of paid organizers to key swing states and House districts now. We can't just parachute organizers into swing states a few months before the next election. We need to build and expand the base by getting ordinary people organized around local and nation issues. We need to ramp up protest and civil disobedience to stop Trump's initiatives. And we need to register voters so they'll be "fired up and ready go" for the mid-term elections in two years and the presidential election in 2020.

We need to lay the foundation for Democrats to take back the Congress in 2018, and then elect Elizabeth Warren president in 2020.

Mourn our losses. Then organize.

Peter Dreier is professor of politics and chair of the Urban & Environmental Policy Department at Occidental College. His most recent book is The 100 Greatest Americans of the 20th Century: A Social Justice Hall of Fame (Nation Books).
I congratulate President-Elect Donald Trump and all of the national, state, and local elected leaders across the country who won their elections last night. I also thank Secretary Hillary Clinton for her hard-fought campaign, along with all the candidates who did not win but participated in our great democracy by running for elected office.

The historic election of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States brings some uncertainty in terms of federal support for the arts. President-Elect Trump, in answering questions co-developed by Americans for the Arts during the course of the campaign, deferred to Congress on supporting increased federal funding of the National Endowment for the Arts and other federal funding for culture in general. He also deferred to state and local school districts on maintaining or increasing support for arts education funding. While he does express appreciation for arts education and the arts in his own life, specific policy positions are unknown or undeveloped.

We do know that the President-Elect is very interested in growing the U.S. economy and improving international trade deals. Arts and cultural industries contribute 4.23 percent, or $704.2 billion, of the nation's GDP. The value added by arts and culture to the U.S. GDP is greater than that of several other sectors, including the construction industry, transportation and warehousing, mining and extraction, utilities, and agriculture. In contrast to U.S. goods and services as a whole, arts and cultural commodities are yielding a trade surplus--of $24 billion. The arts and cultural sector supports 4.7 million jobs, with more than 2.2 million people in the U.S. whose primary occupation is as an artist.

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Americans for the Arts, with the support of hundreds of thousands of grassroots arts advocates in every state, will reach out to the Trump transition team and administration to share these economic numbers on the arts and culture. We will work hard to advance pro-arts policies and strengthen our efforts to transform communities through the arts. It is more important than ever that we use the arts to help the economy, our communities, families and children, and our nation to seek hope, opportunity, and ultimately to come together.

President-Elect Trump has said, "...supporting and advocating for appreciation of the arts is important to an informed and aware society. As President, I would take on that role." We hope for a White House and administration that supports the nonprofit arts community, the local and state arts support infrastructures, as well as independent artists and creative entrepreneurs. Arts policy recommendations that the Americans for the Arts Action Fund has put forward and will continue to fight for include:

Increasing federal funding for the arts to $1.00 per capita (an increase from 46 cents per capita);

Fully funding and implementing the "well-rounded education" provisions within the Every Student Succeeds Act by strengthening equitable access to learning in the arts;

Preserving or expanding charitable tax deduction incentives for giving to nonprofit arts and culture charities; and

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Establishing a cabinet-level position for the arts and culture to advise President-Elect Trump on matters such as how the arts impact the economy, diplomacy, education, and the overall well-being of citizens and the nation at large.

As the 115th Congress is sworn in this January, it is also possible that we will see more conservative and bold policies emerge with a single party controlling the House, Senate, and White House. Complex challenges may be ahead that will impact funding decisions and policy priorities, including a possible tax reform overhaul that hasn't happened since 1986 that could impact charitable giving for nonprofit organizations. However, we look to our bipartisan congressional partners, like the long-standing Congressional Arts Caucus, the Congressional STEAM Caucus, along with new Senate Cultural Caucus leadership with the retirement of Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), to grow their ranks and press for supporting arts and culture in America. Together with all of America's pro-arts elected officials and continued grassroots advocacy, we look forward to continuing to build upon legislative successes when the next session of Congress begins in 2017.

Further, last night, pro-arts results came in from a number of ballot initiatives at the state- and local-level. For instance, in Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson Counties in Colorado, a ballot initiative--Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD)--dedicates one-tenth of a 1 percent sales and use tax to cultural facilities throughout the seven-county Denver, Colorado metropolitan area. Voters overwhelmingly supported extending this through 2030, which currently generates about $55 million a year. The SCFD was first authorized in 1988 and has since been reauthorized twice in 1994 and 2004, respectively. It is local efforts like these that can make real impact in communities all across America. Several arts education funding referendums were also overwhelmingly passed last night by voters in Pinellas County, Florida and Tucson/Pima County, Arizona.

Americans for the Arts will continue to recognize and advance support for the arts and arts education among the nation's bipartisan state legislators, county officials, mayors, lieutenant governors and governors through a robust set of partnerships that promote leadership in the arts each year.

It's also important that those of us in the nonprofit arts sector remember the great strength and resiliency that binds us together. For more than 60 years Americans for the Arts has worked with the infrastructures and governments of our communities to make people's lives better. And of course the arts have helped our communities in different ways for thousands of years before that.
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.

That message ("Don't let the bastards grind you down") from Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale speaks urgently to us in the wake of the disaster.

We now know that someone can insult and degrade every category of people except white men and be elected President of the United States.

Winners and losers in the 2016 United States Election:

Winners:

1.Vladimir Putin

2.Right-wing conspiracy theorists

3.White Supremacists

4.Misogynists

5.Women who believe that they are inferior and should be mistreated

6. Sexual assault

7.Science deniers

8.Authoritarians around the world

9.The 1950s

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Losers:

1.The Planet Earth

2.American values

3.The white working class people who voted for Trump, believing that he actually cares about them and will help them.

4.Women who do not accept the idea they are inferior

5.Latino Americans

6.African Americans

7.Jewish Americans

8.Muslim Americans

9.Asian Americans

10.Decency

11.Common sense

12.The world economy

13.Justice

14.The 1960s

November 8, 2016 now takes its place with October 29, 1929, December 7, 1941, November 22, 1963, and September 11, 2001 as the dates of major national shocks--dates of attacks on the United States. The difference is that this attack was carried out by millions of Americans.
Serzh Sargsyan congratulates Donald Trump on election victory

Serzh Sargsyan sent a congratulatory message to the President Elect of the United States of America Donald Trump which reads, Honorable Mr. Trump, Please accept my warmest congratulations on your election as the President of the United States. The American people has enthusiastically voted in support of your outstanding leadership qualities, your experience and vision, thus entrusting you with the honorable responsibility to lead the nation. I have no doubt, that under your able leadership the United States will achieve further progress and advancement in the years to come. As the United States and Armenia prepare to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, I seize this opportunity to express my gratitude for the substantial support extended by the United States over the last quarter of a century to help Armenia build democratic institutions and strengthen its economy. In Armenia we highly value the important role played by the United States, in its capacity as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk group, in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. I am confident that under your presidency, the Armenia-US close partnership would continue to develop dynamically  expanding and reaching new heights in diverse areas. I also believe that we can continue to count on the active engagement of the Armenian-American community - a strong bridge between our nations. As you embark upon your new responsibilities, I would like to assure you and the people of the United States of our continued friendship and sympathy and wish you utmost success in leading your country and the American people to progress and prosperity. Please accept, Honorable Mr. Trump, the assurances of my highest consideration.
I had the chance to sit down with James Stewart, head of marketing and business development for 51Talk. He is connecting teachers and students across the globe through his engaging work and initiatives here in the United States.

1. James, can you tell me about the founding of 51Talk and how it began in China?

51Talk began five years ago in Beijing, on the belief that the way English has been taught in China is inefficient and not conducive to speaking the language.

Instead of focusing on a practical method of teaching that enables students to speak and understand English, the country's education system strongly emphasizes rote memorization of grammar rules and vocabulary. This process helps students remember answers for tests, but when it comes time to speaking English, they find themselves ill-equipped to do so. To compound this error, students are hardly ever given a chance to speak.

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Our founders Jack and Sue, who have linguistic backgrounds themselves, identified this deficiency in the country's English education system, and set out to change it. From their own experience, they knew that the best way for someone to truly learn and speak a language is through one-on-one lessons with foreign teachers. The problem in China years ago was that this type of practice was inhibitively expensive for most people.

The solution they engineered was to leverage the Internet and economies of scale to bring these one-on-one lessons to millions of students in China.

As numerous students joined the platform, and thousands of teachers came on board to meet this demand, the costs to facilitate the service were subsequently driven down to the point where 51Talk had an efficient and profitable business model.

2. What were two top motivating factors behind starting the company?

The first factor was the demand for one-on-one English lessons. In China, the demand had always been there, but due to the unaffordable costs of having such lessons, people were unable to access them at scale.

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The original problem leads to the second factor, which is Internet penetration. At the time of the company's founding, the level of Internet penetration in China had just reached a level sufficient enough to enable 51Talk's business model to scale.

In China, the tier 1 cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou) have had high-quality Internet connectivity for some time now, but years ago, beyond these cities, connectivity could be quite unreliable.

So at the time of 51Talk's founding, the infrastructure in China had reached a tipping point where the second and third tier cities had also acquired excellent Internet access. Even today, connectivity is still on the rise in China, and is even spreading out into the countryside.

As this continues to develop, 51Talk is increasingly able to offer English lessons to people in all corners of China - from a student in a top Beijing academy all the way to a young child in Inner Mongolia.

3. 51Talk was listed on the New York Stock Exchange on June 10th, 2016. The company is the first U.S. listed Chinese online education company. Can you tell us about that experience and how the company celebrated?

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The experience was incredible, because it was not only a milestone of great significance for the company, but it was a validation that this is the future of education in China, and it's happening now.

Our celebration had two facets. First, there was an introspective look into the company to acknowledge our whole team, and show our appreciation to them for working tirelessly each day to bring our vision to life. The celebration not only includes our internal employees, but our students and teachers as well, because each one of these groups is an integral part of our 51Talk family and is part of our identity as a company.

Second, there was an outward look to the world, which was an opportunity for us to further intensify our focus on delivering access to the best education possible to as many people as we can reach.

We are an education company, and true to the spirit of education, every event, no matter how small or large its significance, is an opportunity for us to learn and evolve.

4. James, we know that technology has brought the world closer together. Can you tell us how the teaching process works for U.S. based teachers working with young children in China? For example, can you take us through a typical preparation and short lesson?



One of the greatest things about 51Talk is the ease of access that it brings to education.

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Once new teachers have gone through our standard training process, they are free to open class slots whenever their own schedules allow.

Students will book class slots in advance, and through this, the teachers will know what level of proficiency their students are at before the lessons begin. Many students even continue to book lessons with the same teachers.

51Talk makes it easy for teachers to conduct lessons because we design and provide all of our own course material, which closely follows Common Core and CEFR standards.

We provide several different options through which our live, one-on-one lessons can be conducted. The most engaging of these is Air Class, or AC; this is a platform that we designed from scratch for conducting interactive, captivating lessons with students.

AC gives teachers an incredible set of tools for deeper engagement with students, and really enables the lesson material we provide to come to life and become genuinely interactive.

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As most of our students are younger children, our teachers have great energy and enthusiasm that they bring to each lesson, which is key for engaging and effectively teaching younger students. So in short, our lessons are incredibly fun and rewarding.

5. Can you provide us with some feedback from educators here in the U.S.? How do they describe their experiences working with children in China?

It's somewhat of an understatement to say that our teachers are ecstatic about teaching with 51Talk. Our teachers come from all different backgrounds and professional stages, but one thing they all share is their love of teaching.

One of the most common things we hear from teachers is that they're amazed at how engaged and interested their students are in actually learning and becoming proficient in English.

As many students continue to work with the same teachers, the teachers themselves become invested in the success of their students, and put their hearts into every lesson.

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Typically our new students only speak Mandarin, and our teachers only speak English. At first, this creates a language barrier that has to be overcome, which can be challenging.

However, as students and teachers continue working together, this barrier is soon erased. They find themselves beginning to understand each other with less difficulty until eventually; they are both speaking the same language.

It is precisely this moment that our students and teachers work so hard to reach. Seeing the smile on their students' faces as they realize that they can speak and communicate in English is what all of our teachers strive for with each lesson.

Giving our teachers the platform and tools with which to achieve this unique and rewarding milestone is something that 51Talk prides itself on. It's what keeps our teachers coming back to teach lesson after lesson, because it affirms that they are positively impacting students' lives, and making these positive impacts validates the choice that our teachers made in choosing their profession in the first place.

6. What are two things U.S. teachers seem to enjoy the most?

Many teachers will describe the "aha" moment as one of the best parts about teaching with 51Talk, and this is the moment in which students will finally conquer a challenge - when they realize that through their own hard work and determination they've really achieved something. At this realization they light up, smile and celebrate, and it's this "aha" moment that gives our teachers such joy in what they do.

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Another aspect that our teachers really enjoy is simply being able to teach whenever they want to. We have teachers from all walks and stages of life, and whether someone teaches in a physical classroom during the day, is retired, or even just needs to be at home to take care of the family, 51Talk gives everyone the ability to continue teaching.

Perhaps one of the best parts about this for our teachers is that they get to learn about a different culture with ease. Many teachers describe the fascinating experience of essentially being invited into the living room of another family and not only teaching, but also learning for themselves about a different way of life.

7. What is one thing that parents and students in China enjoy the most about working with U.S. teachers?



Having access to the highest quality western education with such ease is an incredible gift to these families. For many people in China, they lack the resources to effectively learn English, but as long as a Chinese family has Internet access, 51Talk can bring this education to them wherever they may be.

Today in China, it is imperative to learn English in order to be competitive in the professional world, and families take great care in ensuring that they provide their children with the best tools for a bright future.

The ability to have the highest quality education anytime, anywhere, is something that our parents and students truly appreciate and enjoy.

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8. Let's talk about culture. How has this opportunity brought the American and Chinese cultures together?



Oftentimes China and the United States find themselves at odds geopolitically, and it can condition people to automatically assume that there is some type of animosity between the two cultures.

51Talk demonstrates that this couldn't be further from the truth. All students are supported in their English education not only by their families, but also by our teachers. This common goal brings together everyone involved in the process, and in a way erases the borders and cultural divides that exist between the two countries.

Oftentimes teachers will describe how they've become such close friends with their students that they even receive birthday cards or holiday greetings from them outside of lessons. Parents are equally grateful for the time and effort invested in each child's future, and this joy, shared by everyone involved, is a bond that builds bridges of understanding between people on opposite sides of the world.

9. What's on the horizon for 2017 at 51Talk?

In 2017, our goal is to continue reaching as many students as we can. By bringing English education to more people, 51Talk is doing its job of making the world a better place.

As we bring more students into the 51Talk family, we will also continue our outreach to teachers in North America. Overall, we hope to keep building bridges between these two cultures.

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10. Finally, what is your favorite part of your job at 51Talk?

That's an easy one for me - it's helping people live better lives. By bringing more teachers on board, there are three immediate positive effects.

The first is that I'm giving millions of students in China a way to learn a language that will give them an incredible professional advantage.

Second, I'm providing countless teachers on this side of the world with a way to not only make more income to support their families, but a way to continue doing what they love.

Finally, I'm building positive cultural connections between different countries. Having spent a great deal of time in China myself, I've had the privilege of knowing many great people there; these experiences made me realize that despite some cultural differences, there are more things that should unite us rather than divide us.

Through 51Talk, I'm able to contribute, in my own way, to uniting these two countries, one lesson at a time.

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11. Please let us know where we can find more information and where teachers in the U.S. can apply to teach for 51Talk.

Interested teachers can apply to teach with 51Talk by clicking here: Teach with 51Talk

About 51Talk:

51Talk is China's leading online English education platform. The company's mission is to make quality education accessible and affordable, and through our online platform, we enable millions of students across China to take live, one-on-one interactive English lessons with North American teachers.

Utilizing an "anytime, anywhere" approach, North American teachers who teach with 51Talk conduct our on demand, 25-minute lessons whenever their schedules allow. With such a flexible way for teachers to use their teaching degrees to earn money from home, 51Talk's family of North American educators is growing rapidly.

Beyond the additional income and exciting career development opportunities on offer, perhaps the greatest part of teaching with 51Talk is the chance to learn about a different culture firsthand.

51Talk went public on the New York Stock Exchange in June, 2016 (COE).

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We Are Teachers: How I Make Extra Money Working From Home and Still Use My Teaching Degree:



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About James Stewart:

James is 51Talk's head of marketing and business development in North America, and his goal is to continue optimizing teacher outreach and expanding visibility in the education sector.

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About Robyn Shulman, M.Ed.

I am honored to be an official education and edtech thought-leader featured with Influencers on LinkedIn. With over 40,000 followers on LinkedIn, please reach out to me anytime.
Early this morning, Donald J. Trump defied polls and predications, becoming the first President elect of the United States with no political or military experience. With both the House and the Senate remaining under Republican control, it is very likely that Trump will be able to implement his tax and economic policy, ultimately affecting our wallets and our stock market.

Dow futures indicated that global markets would be in turmoil following a Trump victory, but it looks like Trump's comforting promise to stimulate the economy, and use his experience as a business man to bring jobs back to America has had no immediate effect on the stock market around the market open on Wednesday. The best advice right now is to look at your portfolio in the bigger picture, stay invested, and make appropriate tweaks to keep your investments current based on proposed changes.

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Corporations will also benefit from a tax perspective, with Trump proposing a 15% corporate tax rate across the board. In an aggressive effort to keep and create jobs domestically, Trump will impose a 35% tariff on goods imported into the United States by U.S. companies that have moved overseas. This makes it almost impossible for companies to be competitive using foreign manufacturing. If properly implemented, this is good news for the lower and middle class employment numbers, which generally leads to a stronger economy for all. The concern here is that domestic jobs, and domestic taxes can cost companies drastically more than what they are paying now. S&P 100 companies pay roughly 44 percent lower rates on international taxes than U.S. taxes, which means we will likely see a big hit on highly globalized companies that ship jobs outside the United States, while seeing an increase in domestic employment. The other concern is that keeping jobs domestically will increase costs dramatically for companies that save by manufacturing internationally.

Other factors to consider when assessing the future of our economy under a Trump Presidency are historical returns of past Presidents, and what that could show about our portfolios now. The S&P 500 has grown at a 16.36% annual rate with a Republican president and a Republican Congress. This is higher than any other possible scenario. Past performance certainly does not affect future results, especially with so little history to compare to, but it is a fact to consider, and should serve as a small amount of comfort to timid investors.

The Tax Foundation, a non-partisan research group that provides tax research and guidance makes the following projections about the economic impact of Trump's policies. The Trump tax plan would increase the long-run size of the economy between 6.9% to 8.2%. This would result in higher wages (5.4%-6.3%), and larger capital stock (20.1%-23.9%). The plan would also result in higher employment, adding between 1.8-2.2 million more full time jobs.

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A Trump Presidency will favor higher household incomes and keep business in the United States. His policies are good for most domestic businesses, and most households financially across the board. If you are sitting on the sidelines with your cash, get it invested. A recent study by Blackrock has found that Millennials have 70% of their money in cash, followed by 68% on Generation X, and 60% of baby boomers. That money should be put to work to grow our portfolios, and grow our economy. We just elected a President whose main objective is to boost our economy, and it is time to believe that even if we suffer from short term volatility and pull backs, long term investing helps us put money in our pockets and achieve our goals.

If this election has taught us anything, however, it is that things don't always turn out how we expect, and for this reason, it is very important to keep a well-diversified portfolio. Keep a healthy mix of stocks, bonds, international securities, and alternative investments. Buy high quality companies, and don't make decisions based on day to day fluctuations. It makes sense to have a portfolio that is diversified both in and outside of the United States to avoid any dramatic movements that will be caused by Trump's plan, or additional outside factors. Russ Koesterich, Head of Asset Allocation for BlackRock's Global Allocation Fund, suggests thinking about diversification outside the US considering the election.

"It is a big world out there. The US is a shrinking portion of global economic activity."

Having a healthy amount of exposure to international and emerging economies will help prevent too much exposure to one piece of a global economy.
If you were looking for a way to combine a new skill with travel, this article might just be for you. With a huge focus on gaining marketable skills while seeing the world, I am always on the lookout for new and interesting programs to help me make that happen. I have had my eyes set on Medellin, Colombia for a while now as it seems to be a place that attracts online entrepreneurs and freelancers.

Looking for a reason to buy a plane ticket, I came across Destination Dev, a program that promises to teach coding skills while allowing its participants plenty of opportunities to explore the area. After tracking down the founder and firing off a whole bunch of questions to help me make the decision, I am fully ready to commit. Here is what I found out about the program so you too can get a chance to travel while learning a new and profitable skill.

What is it?

Essentially, Destination Dev is an 8-week program that consists of 20 students who will learn how to code while exploring Medellin and the surrounding area. The curriculum of the course is beneficial for anyone who is looking to start a career in web development. Throughout the program, students will have the chance to explore the country's top tourist attractions and join organized events.

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Who May Want to Join?

The program is open to anyone, even with no web development experience, but prospective students must fill out an application beforehand. It may be of particular interest to:



Digital Nomads: People who travel around while working from their laptop may find this program beneficial for leveling up their skills. And, if you aren't a digital nomad but would like to become one, Destination Dev can help you gain the skills to make it happen. After speaking with one of the program's founders, Doug, I was informed that Medellin is such a popular destination with digital nomads for its year-round, perfect weather, abundance of cafes and co-working spaces, affordability, access to the countryside and an overlap of time zones with businesses in America.



Working Professionals: Even if your job requires you to stay put, this program may be an interesting way to take a break, recharge and learn a new skill that can help you grow. The program is especially recommended for those in the technology field who are looking to better communicate and understand the development side of the operation.

What Kind of Skills Are Taught?

Throughout the eight week course, students will learn all the skills necessary to become a professional web developer upon their graduation. Students will build web applications using Ruby on Rails, and learn the specifics about HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Aside from the skills mentioned, Doug hopes that each student will walk away with a whole lot more than just the skills to be a web developer. He wanted me to know that:

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"Apart from the planned excursions we provide, we also have connections to help our students improve their Spanish, learn popular Latin dances and music, cook Colombian cuisine, and interact with locals. We believe that pushing our students outside of their comfort zones intellectually, socially, and culturally will cause a reinforcement loop that will allow them to grow more than if we were to focus solely on one of these areas."

What Kind of Travel is Available?

It won't be all work and no play. I mean, the course takes place in a gorgeous city with plenty of history and culture. Take a break to avoid information overload by joining in on some of these activities.

-A Medellin walking tour

-Guatape and El Penol day trip

-Pablo Escobar tour

-Coffee plantation tour

-Optional activities which include: Salsa classes, parque Arvi, a futbol match, Jardin Botanico, Medellin Metrocable, Cartagena, and Parque Lleras

Besides all of the obvious perks, I really became even more invested in the program after speaking to Doug. When asking him why he chose Medellin as the destination, he shared that:



" Once we got to know the city, we were struck by how little the reality coincided with negative perceptions. Not only is the city safe by both North American and Latin American standards, but the people are also some of the friendliest we've met in all of our travels. It doesn't make sense to us that the vibrant, welcoming culture here is still being hidden behind stereotypes from 20 years ago caused by media depictions of a few bad apples. We are hoping to change these perceptions of Medellin not only for the city and people here, but also because we believe it can teach a greater lesson to our students and followers to be skeptical of negative depictions of foreign cultures, communities, and individuals. "

What especially got me hooked on the idea of attending Destination Dev was Doug's answer to my question regarding what he hoped that his students would be able to do with the skills that they learned in the program.



"We are confident that our students will leave Destination: Dev empowered to create a lifestyle for themselves that they can be passionate about. Whether this means becoming a digital nomad, starting a start up, landing a high-paying software development job in the US, or using their new skills to boost their effectiveness in a career outside of programming."
On November 9th in 1989 history was made when the Berlin Wall fell. Twenty seven years later we start November 9th learning that the United States has elected a president who spoke of building a new wall.

The 'experts' said it couldn't happen. But it did. Millions voted for the winner. And millions of others did not. The only thing we can hope for now is unity. As Isaac Newton said, "We build too many walls and not enough bridges."

No matter who is leading the most powerful country in the world, we each have a choice to be kind. We can all treat those around us with acceptance, love and respect. That will never change.

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We must lead with hope and not fear. Because we are all in this together.

As Jens Stoltenberg once said, "When autumn darkness falls, what we will remember are the small acts of kindness: a cake, a hug, an invitation to talk, and every single rose. These are all expressions of a nation coming together and caring about its people."
Donald J Trump has declared victory in the US presidential election. The candidate took the stage in New York just before 3am local time to announce that his rival, Hillary Clinton, had called him to concede the race.

"The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer," the president-elect told a packed room of supporters at the Hilton hotel.

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"We will get along with all nations willing to get along with us," he added.

What does this stunning turnaround mean for the rest of the world? The Conversation Global asked a panel of international scholars to reflect on Trump's election and assess its significance for their region.

Richard Maher: The view from Europe

In a stunning electoral upset, Donald Trump has defeated Hillary Clinton to become the 45th President of the United States. Virtually every pre-election forecast suggested a comfortable or even decisive Clinton victory. Instead, Trump - a man that many European leaders and citizens view as manifestly unqualified and unprepared for the position - will become president of the world's sole superpower in January.

Trump's victory is almost certainly being met across European capitals this morning with alarm, shock, and dread. Trump has called the NATO alliance "obsolete", spoken admiringly of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and said the British vote in June 2016 to exit the European Union was "a great thing".









Hannah McKay/Reuters





Unlike in the United States, the European public was solidly against the idea of a Trump presidency. In a poll published by the Economist on November 8 showing how other countries would vote in the US election, huge majorities favoured Clinton. According to a Pew Research survey published in June, overwhelming majorities of Europeans polled said they had "no confidence" that Trump "would do the right thing regarding world affairs".

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Now European leaders must anticipate how a Trump administration will affect transatlantic relations and the many common challenges the United States and Europe face, from an increasingly assertive Russia, a relentless migration crisis that threatens to tear Europe apart, and Britain's future in the EU.

More broadly, Trump's election questions the future of US global leadership. Since the end of World War II, the United States, along with key European partners, built and then sustained an open, rules-based international order defined by free trade, military alliances, and international institutions such as the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank. With Trump's victory, the very future of this liberal international order is in peril.

William Case: What Trump's victory means for Southeast Asia

With so many countries in the region already leaning toward China, does Donald Trump's election to the US presidency matter for Southeast Asia? It does, at least a little.

To see understand how, imagine what the impact would have been if Hillary Clinton had won. She maintained a strong interest in trade, even if forced by voters during the election campaign to backtrack on the Trans Pacific Partnership. She vigorously denounced China's takeover of the South China Sea, even as claimants in Southeast Asia have begun to cave in. And she might have retained some of the good will in Indonesia -- and in Myanmar -- that Barack Obama was able to generate. So Clinton might have slowed, though not reversed, China's suffocating embrace of Southeast Asia.

After all, Southeast Asia is not a topmost concern for the US. But for China, it is. And China offers leaders in the region irresistible inducements, namely, near bottomless investment and lending for high speed railways, ports, and energy grids. To be sure, as the bills come due and exclusive economic zones are lost, citizens may rue the terms into which their leaders have entered. But by then, Hillary Clinton's presidency would have passed.

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By contrast, with Donald Trump in the White House, Southeast Asia's entry into China's orbit will quicken. Indeed, his repudiation of trading relations and security commitments seems to leave countries in the region with no alternative. And his anti-Muslim vitriol will add steam, especially in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Trump's presidency, then, will accelerate Southeast Asia's progress along China's new Silk Road. But interestingly, by doing so, the costs for Southeast Asia may grow apparent much sooner.









Rick Wilking/Reuters





Jay Batongbacal: Issues in the South China Sea will go on the back-burner

Donald Trump taking the reins of the US presidency could mark the sunset on Pax Americana in the Asia Pacific, and clear away any remaining resistance to China's rise to regional preeminence.

A relatively isolationist and localised focus on the part of his administration as he attempts to fulfil his electoral promises would likely leave issues such as the South China Sea on the back-burner. ASEAN hedging patterns will cause member states to gravitate towards China even more.

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The US rebalancing in Asia under President Barack Obama, and the country's alliance commitments in the region could also be severely undermined given Trump's lack of appreciation for the role played by America's security relationships in US global political and economic leadership. The only hindrance to this lies in the fact that US geostrategic policy for the Asia-Pacific has been a largely bipartisan matter in the US Congress.

But Trump's tenuous links to the Republican Party, lack of real leadership thereof, and non-attachment to Republican ideals, puts into question the responsiveness and effectiveness of that policy in the face of more solid and coordinated leadership within regional powers such as China and Russia, which will have an unparalleled opportunity to fill in any voids the US may leave.

For the Philippines and its President Rodrigo Duterte, this is a fortunate coincidence as it accommodates his oft-stated aversion to US influence and commentary on his domestic policy, and distrust of the US.

More to come
In a resounding mandate for progressive marijuana reform, California and seven other states voted Tuesday in favor of initiatives allowing for some form of legalized cannabis.

In California, considered by experts to be the key nationally, 56 percent voted in support of full adult recreational legalization.

Voters in Massachusetts and Nevada also said yes to legalized, regulated cannabis. Medical marijuana initiatives passed in Florida, Arkansas and North Dakota.

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The vote for full legalization is too close to call in Maine and an initiative to improve an existing medical marijuana program in Montana was too close to call.

Arizona so far is the only state that had marijuana on the ballot to vote against.

California joins Oregon and Washington on the West Coast with legal weed, creating a new Green Corridor.

"This vote will dramatically accelerate the end of federal marijuana prohibition," said Tom Angell, chairman of Marijuana Majority, a drug policy reform organization. "This is the most important moment in the history of the marijuana legalization movement."

Tuesday's results signify a tipping point in the marijuana movement as more states now have stood firm against the federal government that still considers cannabis a Schedule I drug.

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The American people have spoken and Tuesday's clear mandate should put increasing pressure for federal agencies to act.

Medical marijuana laws are now on the books in 28 states and more than 20 percent of Americans now live where adults can enjoy cannabis recreationally without fear of arrest. California, Massachusetts and Nevada now join Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C. with full adult legalization.

The national marijuana mandate was a mere political footnote on night that saw Donald Trump defeat Hillary Clinton in the presidential race, but the roar for federal marijuana reform was loud and clear.

The voting results will certainly accelerate a nascent industry which has been eagerly awaiting an economy the size of California to legalize.

The Marijuana Policy Group published a report crediting legal cannabis with bringing in nearly $2.5 billion to the Colorado's economy last year. And that's just in one state.

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California's currently unregulated medical marijuana program brought in $2.7 billion in sales alone last year. By voting for recreational marijuana, the state is expected to reap an estimated $1 billion a year in new tax revenue from the retail sales. That does not take into account other sources of income such as tourism.

"Proposition 64 will allow California to take its rightful place as the center of cannabis innovation, research and development," said Nate Bradley, executive director of the California Cannabis Industry Association said.

Nationally, the marijuana market has nearly tripled overnight. The market marijuana is projected to grow to $22 billion by 2020, up from $7 billion this year.

But not everybody is doing a victory dance. Opponents of marijuana legalization fear the rise of Big Marijuana.

Kevin Sabet, president Smart Approaches to Marijuana one of the nation's top anti-legalization groups, expressed disappointment with the results.

"This is the beginning of the conversation, not the end," Sabet said in a statement. "We will travel to California tomorrow to sit down with stakeholders ... and discuss next steps."

Despite those fears, cannabis enthusiasts across the nation were jubilant about Tuesday night's results.

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"This represents a monumental victory for the marijuana reform movement," said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, in a statement. "With California's leadership now, the end of marijuana prohibition nationally, and even internationally, is fast approaching."

Here is the state-by-state breakdown as of this writing:



Arkansas: Victory for medical marijuana

, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment, passed with 53 percent of the vote. The new law will allow for the establishment and regulation of marijuana dispensaries and cultivation facilities.

The law will allow medical marijuana for patients suffering from 17 qualifying conditions, including cancer, Crohn's disease, Alzheimer's disease and PTSD.



Arizona: Defeat for adult use

the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, would have allow adults to possess and use one ounce or less of marijuana and grow up to six plants in their homes.

The state currently has a medical marijuana program.



California: Victory for adult use

, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, legalizes marijuana for adult use. It passed with 56 percent of the vote.

Two new taxes will be levied, one on cultivation and the other on retail sales. Tax revenue will be spent on drug research, treatment, and enforcement, health and safety grants, youth programs and other social programs.



Florida: Victory for medical marijuana

, the Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, passed with 71 percent support. This is a constitutional amendment which required a supermajority of 60 percent to pass. Two years ago, a similar initiative was narrowly defeated when 57.6 percent of the voters approved.

The new law legalizes marijuana treatment for patients suffering from cancer; epilepsy; glaucoma; HIV/AIDs; post-traumatic stress disorder; ALS; Crohn's disease; Parkinson's disease; multiple sclerosis; "or other debilitating medical conditions of the same kind or class."



Maine: Full legalization leading

the Maine Marijuana Legalization Measure, would legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana.

A medical marijuana program has been in place in Maine since 1999. Controversial Gov. Paul LePage was an ardent opponent of the initiative.



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Massachusetts: Victory for adult use

the Massachusetts Marijuana Legalization Initiative, passed with 54 percent of the vote. The new law legalizes marijuana and regulate similar to alcohol. Adults 21 years old and older will be able to use, grow and possess cannabis.

The new law would go into effect on December 15.



Montana: Too close to call

, Montana Medical Marijuana Initiative, would improve the state's existing medical program.

Currently, the state has an onerous medical program which restricts marijuana providers to only three patients. I-182 will remove that restriction. The law would also give physicians more latitude to recommend cannabis for patients.



Nevada: Victory for adult use

, the Nevada Marijuana Legalization Initiative, won with 54 percent of the vote. The law will allow adults aged 21 or older to possess, consume, and grow marijuana for recreational purposes.

Many investors have eyed Las Vegas as a major hub for the industry.



North Dakota: Victory for medical marijuana

, the North Dakota Compassionate Care Act, received 63 percent yes votes. The law legalizes medical marijuana to treat some medical conditions, such as cancer, PTSD, AIDS, glaucoma, and epilepsy.

Back to the Golden State

By Al Olsen

This was not the first time Californians had the chance to vote for full legalization. The Golden State, which was the first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1995, had the opportunity to be the first to fully legalize it in 2010. But that initiative went up in smoke. According to economists, California has missed out on collecting about a $5 billion in taxes since that vote.

Two years later, voters in Colorado and Washington blazed the trail for full-on legalization. These states have benefitted from millions of dollars in new taxes, used for schools, drug education and other social programs.



What does this mean nationally?

As President Barack Obama said last week:

"The good news is that after this referenda, to some degree it's going to call the question, because if in fact it passed in all these states, you now have about a fifth of the country that's operating under one set of laws, and four-fifths in another," Obama told Bill Maher in an interview Friday night.

"The Justice Department, DEA, FBI, for them to try to straddle and figure out how they're supposed to enforce laws in some places and not in others -- they're going to guard against transporting these drugs across state lines, but you've got the entire Pacific corridor where this is legal -- that is not going to be tenable," the outgoing president said.
It has been ten years since States at the United Nations (UN) adopted a resolution (61/105) recognizing the destructive impact of deep ocean bottom fishing in areas beyond national jurisdiction (the high seas). The original resolution called for rigorous measures to protect the highly vulnerable habitats and biodiversity of the deep and a second resolution (64/72) three years later, strengthened this. It was a landmark moment for ocean protection as we recognized the importance of preserving the biodiversity of remote areas of our global ocean, for all humankind.

A review of implementation of the resolutions, held at the UN earlier this year, found that even though the decade has passed, bottom fishing is still causing the kind of damage we all sought to prevent.

A single pass by a bottom trawler can leave a scar on the seabed or side of a seamount of up to one kilometer square. Mitigating that scale of impact is not easy and after ten years, it is time to conclude that it is not currently possible and that, at the very least, the most fragile deep sea habitats such as seamounts should be closed to the practice.

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The ocean is vital for the existence of all humankind, it is the engine of our planet driving weather, producing protein and contributing half our oxygen. Each year we understand more about the key role that the deep ocean plays within that and as an African nation we know that the ocean is vital to our development. The seamounts of the deep may be a long way from our land but their reach is felt and they are woven into our future.

Peter Chadwick/Wildscreen Exchange

For this reason, South Africa is proposing that individually and through regional fisheries management organizations and arrangements, States do not authorize bottom trawl fishing on seamounts and other submarine features. We are further proposing that areas are set aside for closure to bottom fishing to allow for the recovery and regeneration of vulnerable marine ecosystems where they have been or likely been degraded or destroyed as a result of previous bottom fishing activity, as well as additional closed areas to provide for resilience for those species and habitats, such as cold water corals, that are under threat from ocean acidification and other stressors.

Even with these measures, it is essential that we continue to review the implementation of the original resolutions in areas that are still being bottom fished and for this reason South Africa is proposing that we conduct a further review at the UN in 2020.

Our hope is that a new resolution to this effect will go before the General Assembly when the seventy second session opens next month and that this will help to support the ocean resilience of importance to us all.

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Fisheries negotiations are being held at the UN in NYC between 7th and 15th November with the bottom fishing resolutions occurring on November 9th and 10th.
The best way to deal with employee misconduct is to prevent it. However, that's not always possible, even if you have implemented extensive measures to fight the root causes of employee behaviour problems. So how do you deal with actual incidents, as a line manager or as an HR representative?

When you become aware of an employee disregarding internal rules, the most important thing is to react quickly: Don't ignore problems, no matter how minor. They will very likely become worse if you wait. If this is a job for you, the HR person, or you, the manager, depends on the specific situation. Usually, it is a good idea if the manager tries to solve the problem on an informal level and HR gets involved if the problem persists.

1. Understand the problem and nip it in the bud.What has been the cause for the incident: Conduct or capability? Has the employee knowingly chosen to breach a rule or wasn't he able to uphold it, either because of special circumstances or because of personal inadequacies? Always try to approach the issue with a positive mind-set and assume good intentions until proven otherwise. Your first task is to help and support, not to condemn. Here's how:

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Invite the employee to an interview: Give them a chance to explain the situation, the reasons why they didn't uphold the rule etc.

Try to find out if the rule itself is unclear (or unknown) to the employee. Maybe you as the employer need to improve the comprehensibility and / or the communication of your rules.

to the employee. Maybe you as the employer need to improve the comprehensibility and / or the communication of your rules. Offer help, support, encouragement, and training if it seems that the employee is lacking knowledge or a specific skill and therefore has broken the rule.

Agree with them on a concrete plan for improvement.

Document everything you agree with and give the employee a copy of your meeting minutes.

Set a date for a short review meeting where both of you can evaluate whether the problem has been overcome or if further steps are necessary.

2. If the problem persists, take formal action.Sometimes, a situation doesn't improve despite your efforts in step one - or the violation was so grave in the first place that it's not advisable to deal with it informally (e.g. someone was physically injured by a colleague).

In those cases, you need to initiate a formal process:

Collect and evaluate relevant information. Interview the employee and, if applicable, witnesses of the incident. Ask them to write down their statements and sign them.

Set the date for a formal hearing. Decide who the chair will be and who, besides the employee in question, should attend. Invite someone to take minutes. The employee should be given the right to choose a colleague or someone from your works council to accompany them to the meeting. All participants should receive a formal invitation to the meeting which includes not only the time and place but also a short summary of the incident.

If you are afraid that it would be damaging to the company if the employee stayed until the time of the hearing, you may want to consider a suspension. However, you should only suspend employees if you don't see any other way.

Prepare for the hearing: Define the goals of this meeting. Prepare questions that will help you achieve your goal. Try to anticipate possible answers and your reactions to them. Prepare possible consequences and decisions for all possible outcomes you can think of.

At the hearing, start with presenting the case. Support your points with evidence and witness accounts. Then give the employee and their companion an opportunity to reply to the allegations. Afterwards, adjourn the meeting.

When it comes to making a decision, weigh all the evidence and the statements of the employee and of witnesses. Once you have come to a decision, inform the employee in writing.

Dealing with internal conflicts and employee behaviour issues is never easy nor enjoyable. However, it's crucial that those situations are dealt with, swiftly and professionally. If you have a defined scenario in place that guides you through each single step, it will help you resolve conflicts more successfully and confidently.
Well, as I wrote all along on the innumerable occasions when the media declared the race over (see my archive link below), this presidential election will be over when it is over. Now it is over, and the preposterous but ever potent Donald Trump is President-elect of the United States.

Frankly, had Trump not been so dysfunctional as a candidate -- a week spent nastily arguing with an ex-Miss Universe, really??!! -- his election would have been much easier. No matter what the astoundingly clueless media said. That's because, as I wrote repeatedly, there is a huge right-wing vote in America aggregated by the new media culture and effectively consolidated and activated by Trump. And there is a smaller but nonetheless real swing constituency that liked Barack Obama but was disappointed by the results and could not buy into the Clinton legacy of economic uncertainty for them and endless scandal.

As I feared, there was a "Brexit" factor with the polling, as the mainstream media campaigned so assiduously against Trump as to make Trump support seem to some to be socially unacceptable. Well, till now, that is. And as feared, the vaunted "Obama coalition" again proved to be something regularly accessible only to the president himself, who, as I've pointed out repeatedly, has presided over a historic contraction of elected Democratic strength in Congress and state houses to pre-FDR levels. The so-called "Blue Wall" in the electoral college? Well, more like a picket fence that might have been but was not adequately defended, due largely to Hillary Clinton's weakness on trade policy. The only real wall in American politics for Democrats is the Sierra Nevada.

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Hillary carried the Pacific Coast, most resoundingly here in California with a blowout 61 percent to 33 percent margin over Trump.

As a result of the incredible margin in California -- 2.5 million votes and growing over the next few weeks to come as vast numbers of late arriving ballots are counted -- Hillary will win the national popular vote. Which means that Donald J. Trump will join George W. Bush and Rutherford B. Hayes, not an illustrious duo, as a president who won the electoral college but lost the national popular vote. The Donald still has some winning over to do here in the rebounding Golden State, grown to be the world's fifth largest economy and global beacon of the fight against climate change that Trump has claimed is a Chinese hoax.

So what is to come?

Will we get the prospective President Trump who represents that ascendant aggressive know-nothing approach of Trumpism which I began warning about more than a year ago?

Will we get Il Duce Donald, the neo-fascist bully boy I began warning about early this year?

Will we get the opportunistic yet sometimes engaging egomaniac/megalomaniac who doesn't quite know what he is about, as he has seemed, essentially, throughout? That's a guy who, reports indicate, hangs with rock stars and is very knowingly in on the joke.

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Will we get the showman semi-progressive who backed my candidate, then Democratic presidential frontrunner Gary Hart, perhaps the most intellectually prepared outstanding president America never got?

We don't know.

Although Trump gave an encouraging victory speech in the middle of the night -- complete with a nice unacknowledged lift from Lincoln's Second Inaugural about binding the wounds of division (and this does feel like a moment redolent of the Civil War) -- I am not sanguine. Certainly not yet.

For as intriguing as Trump has sometimes seemed -- as noted repeatedly, he has been right somewhat more often than the proverbial stopped clock and I did, after all, repeatedly urge Arnold Schwarzenegger to run for Governor of California -- Trump has been bad not only on all the issues everyone talks about but also very bad on what I consider the baseline issues for any progress in our present chaotic world situation and toxic political and media cultures.

Even had Clinton won, I have felt that the best we can achieve is preserving the habitability of the planet and promoting inquiry and exploration in advance of a better historical period.

The problem is that Trump, aside from likely averting an unnecessary new cold war with Russia (a good thing though he will need to draw a firm line with Vladimir Putin, most obviously in the Pacific), has been antithetical in both areas. Trump is a climate change denier who wants to further cook the planet by returning to the coal-fired energy policy of a century ago. And of course he is determinedly anti-intellectual in his core appeal, boasting that he never reads books and doesn't need to consult others because he already gets everything, somehow.

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Yet we are where we are.

So over the weekend I told former Governor Schwarzenegger, who has proved repeatedly to be every bit the champion on climate and renewable energy he told me he would be back in 2001, that he needs to be ready to help persuade Trump to continue on the right path. Schwarzenegger announced he would not vote for Trump but did not join in the Hollywood group shriek against Trump. Even more to the point, Schwarzenegger is Trump's replacement as host of NBC's 'The Apprentice.'

Let's recall again that Trump is the loser of the national popular vote because of California, a global beacon of the climate and renewables movement again under Governor Jerry Brown, who won two big state initiative fights of his own and helped Hillary win Colorado, all without getting overly nasty about Trump.

There's plenty more, of course, and plenty of time to get to it.

Which, not least of all, includes the question of the Clintons, whose legacy has much to do with the election result. Not just the seamy revelations from Wikileaks and Russian intelligence (and I think there's good reason to believe there is much more, not that it is needed now), but the time bomb impact of Bill Clinton's deregulations and megacorporation friendly trade policies.

As election night unfolded, an old Clinton hand emailed rather early on to say it was over because the Rust Belt was lost. That is about NAFTA, as well as the future threat of the Trans Pacific Partnership, and as my primary choice Bernie Sanders first pointed out, the deleterious effects of NAFTA are Bill Clinton's legacy.

Then there was the conduct of this Clinton campaign. From the beginning, when she tried on and quickly abandoned the great and eminently adaptable mantle of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Hillary never had a sense of mission that went beyond herself.

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And in the end, her campaign was all about how awful Trump was. Where was the uplift, the positive vision of America as it could and should be?

Ironically, the candidate who ended up talking more like that was Donald Trump. Our unsurprisingly surprising victor.
The 2016 Presidential Election certainly didn't go down the way we were expecting at the Outspeak office. With Hillary Clinton refusing to make a public concession speech and Donald Trump becoming the 45th President of the United States, we're left reeling in disbelief. We figured he'd deliver a speech targeting those who didn't vote for him but instead he delivered a painfully rehearsed speech that felt manipulative and downright dangerous. At least he did attempt to appeal to those who did not vote for him with a promise of unifying the country.

First Mike Pence took to the podium looking like a sun baked idiot squinting in the glare of the non-existent sun. He was positively overcome with excitement (we're kidding, he looked like a robot straight out of Westworld) about his new position of Vice President of the United States. He didn't really say much other than, "Let's make America great again."

Then, the orange incarnate, AKA the 45th President of the United States, shuffled his way to the podium like some sort of sloth-like sexual predator. At 11:50 PST Trump took the stage to thank the American people. He started out by calling the election "complicated business." On that, we can agree.

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Trump said Clinton has congratulated "us" on a hard fought campaign over the phone. He spent some time vaguely talking about Hillary and her service to the country, repeating the same words several times. He then pledged to the American people, something that was important to him: to be a good President to even those who didn't support him. He spoke of unifying the American population, and wanting to help even those who did not vote for him. This was a small consolation in a night of sorrows.

The whole thing was rather hard to watch when you can see the stock marketing hitting record lows directly beside Trump's podium and the sad boy who lingers at the right side of the stage like his prisoner. He made more vague promises about rebuilding the country, taking care of veterans, and "tremendous" security.

As Trump went on, he made sure to let us know his plan is to make America as great as his companies. He said he wanted our nation to dream big once again, and to seek common ground. It all felt incredibly forced and phony, mostly because of how calm he remained throughout the speech. A calm Trump is a scary Trump.

He proceeded to thank his bizarre family, listing them each by name. To be fair, they must have a lot of patience to deal with a man like Trump on a regular basis. The thanks continued on for a while, and even the human skeleton with eyes (and known idiot), Rudy Giuliani, made the lengthy list.

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He treated the tail end of the speech like a dude-bro getting his diploma by naming off all the "great men" he knows. Every name was greeted by cheers from the crowd and at a certain point it didn't seem like the bragging would end. It really did go on for a long time, believe me. It went on big league.
Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS

Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS

There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

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The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully

The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces

LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN

This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan

Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement

With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building

OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border

Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh
K-State students get to 'Hang with Tang' on Tuesday

Cat Zone
Releasing A Slow Burn Album: Oh Wonder Tries A Different Approach

With many foretelling the death of the conventional album format, artists like Beyonce and Frank Ocean have been trying different stunts like dropping surprise visual albums, but by releasing one song off their album every month for a year, Oh Wonder took a different, and surprisingly successful approach.

____________________________

Guest Post by Emily Blake on Medium

Oh Wonder definitely didnt expect this.

When Josephine Vander Gucht and Anthony West decided two years ago to release their self-titled debut album one song per month for a year, it wasnt a ploy to build an army of fans and sell out venues worldwide. Rather, West tells Next Big Sound that they just wanted to relive that moment of sharing new music over and over again.

As a songwriter those moments are the best, sharing what youve been working on, he said. It was very innocent. It came from a place of kind of  frustration.

But after their first release, Body Gold, hit over 10,000 listens on SoundCloud within hours, they had two thoughts: First, What the hell is going on? Then, Hey, we may be onto something here.

And they were. When Oh Wonder was released in full on September 4, 2015, it went on to hit #26 on the Official UK Charts and #80 on the BillboardHot 100. And despite the fact that Gucht and West had never intended on touring  Oh Wonder started out as more of a side project  they did just that, beginning with four sold-out shows in New York, L.A., London and Paris. They went on to do a couple hundred more, including performances at Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza this summer.

And now, two years after the release of Body Gold, Oh Wonder seem headed for the big leagues, hitting #19 this week on the Pandora Trendsetters Chart, which tracks up-and-coming artists with the highest number of Artist Station Adds.

There have been whispers for years that the death of the album is imminent. And a recent report by music consumer insights company LOOP found that more people listen to playlists (31% of total listening time) more than albums (22% of total listening time). So, Wests thinking along with many others in the industry  is this: If were going to bother releasing an album, we need to get creative. And while that has meant surprise album drops and grandiose visual albums for the Frank Oceans and Beyonces of the world, he says theres a very strong case for the more gradual, slow-burn release.

The world we live in now, people are used to getting things quite quickly, so that totally works for surprise albums, West says. But I also feel like people like routine, they like knowing when somethings coming as well.

West remembers that every month, the day before they released a new song  which was always on the first day of the month  theyd get hundreds of tweets along the lines of, Oh my God, theres a new Oh Wonder song coming tomorrow.

Looking at data from the beginning of January to the beginning of May, Oh Wonder saw generous upticks in Twitter mentions around the beginning of each month. (They released each song on the first day of the month.) Where they usually saw somewhere between 20 and 75 daily mentions, for the first five or so days after a release, theyd see mentions well into the hundreds. The biggest uptick came after the release of Technicolour Beat on March 1, when they saw 2,634 mentions in one day.

Oh Wonder consistently saw a buzz in Twitter activity around the release of a new single on the first day of each month.

And that quickly translated to higher engagement on Pandora as well. In the last six months of Oh Wonders release, the duo saw over 20,000 Artist Station Adds on Pandora.

We were surprised and were still surprised we started making music at home and there was never going to be any touring involved, we never thought anyone would listen to our music, West said. Its kind of surprising every day.

Oh Wonder arent the only ones using the song-per-month method. Danish duo Raveonettes have been doing it throughout 2016, only with a little more pomp and circumstance. Each song is heavily promoted and accompanied by a music video. Its all leading up to what they call an anti-album.

Theyve been releasing each song on the last Friday of every month, and like Oh Wonder, theyve seen a good amount of buzz on social media  especially Twitter  on those Fridays and in the few days after. In a recent interview with MusicAlly, manager Scott Cohen said the song-per-month method is proving to be quite powerful because this way, you have 12 opportunities to market it.

While it wasnt necessarily that deliberate for Oh Wonder, West acknowledges that it definitely works.

That cliffhanger thing  that Whats going to happen? Whats going to happen?  that culture works, he said. Unknowingly, we kind of tapped into that well.

And while the surprise album definitely benefits major artists, West thinks even the biggest players could benefit from switching it up and slowing it down. Pointing to Frank Oceans Blonde specifically  an album he loves  West says, I felt like if I got that album over of a year, Id probably feel far more attached to it.

What does he mean by more attached? Well, he sees it at every show. Whereas with albums that are released all at once, fans tend to skip over tracks they dont immediately love, their method gives each song a month to grow on listeners, so theres rarely a favorite.

When we now play shows you can see peoples connection with each track. Theres no standout, he said. People know everything about the songs because theyve sat with them over a year and theyve grown to make the songs their own. I feel like our fans kind of have a real ownership of our music, which is amazing. Sometimes I feel like our fans have more ownership than Josie and I do.

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Transparency International now calls for the declarations and the origin of the declared assets to be verified, and welcomes President Poroshenkos commitment in this regard.

Transparency International, the global anti-corruption movement and its partner in Ukraine, welcome the completion of the first step in providing the Ukrainian people with a public electronic register of the assets of politicians and senior civil servants, including those of President Petro Poroshenko.

President Poroshenko has kept his promise to introduce an asset register and to declare his own wealth. This is a major achievement and a good step for delivering on needed anti-corruption reforms. Ukraine now needs to empower the anti-corruption authorities and provide them with resources to investigate and hold to account those who have enriched themselves illegally, said Jose Ugaz, chair of Transparency International.

The first tranche of assets made public surprised Ukrainians who saw how many public officials owned large amounts of wealth, including artworks, jewellery and fancy cars, as well as luxury property. Now the challenge for the anti-corruption institutions in Ukraine is to effectively distinguish between legally acquired and corrupt wealth in order for Ukrainians to continue believing in the fight against corruption.

Transparency International calls on the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) to work closely with Ukrainian citizens and journalists to check the declarations of public officials and the origins of their declared assets if their lifestyles do not conform to their reported incomes.

We are also waiting for the State to verify the information in the filed declarations and reports. Public officials who made false declarations or are found to have illicit wealth must be brought to justice, said Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, the Executive Director of TI Ukraine, Transparency Internationals partner in the country.

E-declarations, however, are only one instrument for exposing potential corruption. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) must follow through with investigations into the origin of declared income using all the tools at its disposal, including court approved autonomous wiretapping. The NACP must also be able to demonstrate intent by officials for cases to be successful.

Finally an independent Anti-Corruption Court must be established as soon as possible, with active participation and support of international experts. The court would have the specific mandate to end impunity of corrupt officials and to pursue cases of corrupt officials in a timely fashion. This would support the judicial reform launched on 30 September 2016 to make the judicial and law enforcement systems of Ukraine independent and reliable in practice.

Source: http://www.transparency.org/news/pressrelease/transparency_international_welcomes_the_completion_of_first_round_of_e_decl
A grassroots organization Preserve Pittsfield headed the campaign efforts to adopt the Community Preservation Act.

No on 2, Yes on 4, and Community Preservation Act Adopted

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Money can't buy votes.

At least that's what voters said when it came to Question 2, a ballot initiative calling to raise the cap on the number of charter schools by a dozen.

Voters overwhelmingly shot down the expansion of the charter school system on Tuesday by a 2-1 margin. That is despite proponents outspending opponents by some $10 million. Those pushing for more charter schools spent $24.1 million as of Oct. 31, compared to $14.5 million spent by opponents.

"The power of people is stronger than money. The influence of the Wall Street corporate hedge fund, funding about $20 million of this with 80 percent being out of state money, and people hitting the ground, knocking on doors and calling their neighbors and parents, that speaks louder than money from New York," United Educators of Pittsfield President Brendan Sheran said Tuesday night.

The question not only raised the cap on the number of charter schools but also eliminated the cap on district spending for charter schools. The question drew significant concern from public schools  from school committees and city councils passing resolutions opposing it to teachers and community members campaigning. The main focus of their argument surrounded the funding, with opponents saying the charter school reimbursement formula was not up to par and adding more schools would mean less funding for the traditional public schools.

"I don't think we should sacrifice our No. 1 public school system on this altar of choice. We have great schools here and for the most part, we've been led down this path of a shame, blame, and punish accountability system. That has shamed public schools that are doing probably a better job than we would think and we are rating them on these scores that aren't really assessing the school as a whole," Sheran said.

Locally, the cap on the number doesn't mean much but the cap on district spending does. A charter school can still open because the county is not at its cap, but not nearly as much money would be able to go from Pittsfield to support students in charter schools. It is estimated that $2 million goes from the city of Pittsfield to charter schools already.

Sheran says expanding the charter school system isn't going to improve public schooling as a whole. Instead, the union president says investing in educators is what improves schools.

"I think the way to improve is to invest in faculty, in educators, in communities as opposed to creating this competition that is unhealthy for us," Sheran said. "That to me was the driving factor. We need to focus our efforts on what is actually going to improve our schools and not further divide us."

The rejection of the ballot question sent that message to the state and that was heard loud and clear by state Senate President Stanley Rosenberg.

"We have had a very robust and substantive debate on Question 2. The voters have spoken and the matter is resolved. It's time to shift our focus to 100 percent of the students in our public education system. They deserve the best education possible so they can be engaged citizens and find a meaningful place in our increasingly competitive economy," Rosenberg said of the results to the question.

However, Gov. Charlie Baker was supportive of the expansion of charter schools. He said the efforts to reform education to provide "more educational choices for students stuck in struggling districts" remains a priority.

"I am proud to have joined with thousands of parents, teachers, and education reformers in a worthwhile campaign to provide more education choices for students stuck in struggling districts, and while Question 2 was not successful, the importance of that goal is unchanged," Baker said.

"I am proud that our administration has made historic investments in our public schools, expanded support for vocational schools and proposed new solutions to make college more affordable. I look forward to working closely with all stakeholders toward our common goal to ensure a great education for every child in Massachusetts, regardless of their zip code."

The term underperforming districts is something Sheran says is misleading. He said the state's public schools are all different but yet are compared as if they are. Sheran said many schools are providing its students with good educations but still get ranked low because only certain aspects of the performance are measured.

"A city like Pittsfield, we have a Level 3 district that is on this rating system that is fundamentally flawed," Sheran said."We are not comparing the same things with schools."

The voters in Pittsfield agreed, voting against the question by a 69 to 31 percent margin. In what may be the city's largest voter turnout, 13,503 voters voted against expanding the system while 6,099 voted in favor of it.

"Pittsfield, Berkshire County made a statement when it came to Question 2," state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier said.

In Pittsfield only, voters also overwhelmingly voted to adopt the Community Preservation Act. That will allow the city to place a 1 percent surcharge on tax bills, with the first $100,000 of value being exempted. That money will then be matched by the state from revenue from fees filed at registries of deeds for property sales, at a rate that has been trending around 30 percent. That money can then be spent on projects historical preservation, open space conservation and affordable housing as determined by a new Community Preservation Committee.

"I'm extremely thrilled right now," said Joe Durwin, who was one of the organizers of pro-CPA group Preserve Pittsfield. "We really made our case to the community and you can see the difference in the percent from 10 years ago when this was attempted before in Pittsfield, and we failed by 18 percent. ... We really as a community changed and moved forward and the Community Preservation Act has changed and moved forward as well."

Voters passed that by a 63 percent to 37 percent margin, a drastic change since the last time the program went before voters. Proponents have eyed it as a fund to support an array of projects from restoring St. Mary the Morning Star to a dog park to the Springside House. Durwin sits on the Parks Commission and the possible allocation of funds for parks and open spaces allures him.

"I think right now the Parks Department priorities are divided between Springside Park and Durant Park. We have new master plans for both of those parks and we're looking at a number of different amenities and additions and thinks that need to be refurbished," he said, adding there's always a wish list of things that need to be done at the city's recreational facilities that could be funded by the CPA.

The next step will be for the city to develop an ordinance to implement the act. Advocates have calculated the city raising about a half-million total annually, and not all has to be spent in a single year. The funds can be saved over time for larger projects.

"I think the Community Preservation Act is more ideal for Pittsfield than it was 10 years ago," Durwin said. "I think this suits our needs better and I also think there's been a change in awareness of how we want to manage historic properties and a greater concern for saving some of those buildings. ...

"We've had some losses and some near losses, buildings that were very important to people. That's what brought this to the ballot in the first place."

Durwin noted that there will be "a ton of public input in the process" of determining how the CPA is used for recreation, open space, historic preservation and affordable housing.

Pittsfield voters also mimicked statewide numbers when it came to legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes. A total of 11,538, or 58 percent, voted in favor of legalizing the substance for recreational use and 42 percent voted against. Statewide, the ballot question passed.

"The voters have spoken on legalization. I look forward to swiftly implementing their will and working with Gov. Baker and Speaker [Robert] DeLeo to create a best-in-the-nation law that protects public safety while respecting the wishes of the voters," Rosenberg said.

A commission will be formed to oversee the implementation of the law and applications for distributors will start to be accepted next October. But, voters shouldn't get their hopes up too high. Massachusetts passed a ballot initiative in 2012 to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes and still there is not a dispensary within an hour drive of the county.

Question 1 got shot down. The question would have allowed the licensing of one more slots parlor in the state. Its criteria includes being within 1,500 feet of a horse racing track and seems related to a development proposed near Suffolk Downs. Pittsfield voters were slightly more torn on the issue than elsewhere with 55 percent against it and 45 percent for it. But, statewide more than 60 percent of voters opposed the expansion.

Passage of Question 3 was an easy one with 79 percent of voters statewide, and 79 percent of voters in Pittsfield in favor of the question. It prohibits confining farm animals to cages or pens that prevent them from moving around or laying down and any sales of products from such animals. These including breeding pigs, calves raised for veal and egg-laying hens. This question is not expected to adversely affect Massachusetts farms but will have an impact on imported products.
We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector

We work towards an equitable,

gender-just, self-reliant and

sustainable fisheries,

particularly in the small-scale,

artisanal sector
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This Isnt Our Last Love Letter



Dear Don Don,

Way back in 92



I walked into the room and knew



Never felt this way before



I shook your hand while gazing into your eyes



And the feeling grew



As I took a seat I knew



A love that would have my heart



Forever



I knew



Way back in 92





They say love at first sight doesnt always last or isnt true



We were the exception to that rule



Our love had no where to hide



A spark set fire



As if this is how the universe started





I never doubted our love or what we could do



Together we grew



Forming a bond everlasting



That became our glue



My euphoria was YOU



Im eternally grateful for the love and life we shared



For how fortunate we were :



to have and to hold

through sickness and in health

Til death do us part



Until we are together again



This isnt our last love letter



I love you with all my heart and soul



Yours forever,



Deirdre (Mrs. Hank Snow)





Im fortunate to have fallen in love with, marry and make a life with the sharpest, coolest, funniest, most rare, bad ass, tender loving, loyal man on the planet, my husband Don Imus.









A True American Hero

I dont know why it has been so hard for me to write about my dear friend Don Imus.



I certainly know what he meant to me, my family, my charity, my hospital and the millions of fans that listened and loved him for so many years.



I keep reading all the beautiful condolences that people are writing about how much a part of their lives were effected by listening to him over the years.

But what most people dont talk enough about is what he did for all of us.

In every sense of the word, he was an American Hero. His work with children with so many different illnesses and his dedication to their future was unmatched by anyone I have ever known or heard about.



Besides raising over $100,000,000 for so many causes, he took care of young people for over 20 years in a state where he could not breathe. Along with his incredible wife Deirdre, he created a world where children were not defined by their disease. That was a miracle! He was a miracle.

I will miss him ever day for the rest of my life.

I was blessed to be a part of his and Deirdes life.

No one will ever do what he did.

I love you Don Imus - A TRUE AMERICAN HERO





David Jurist

IMUS IN THE MORNING

FIRST DAY BACK!
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I never anticipated any of that stuff, shrugs Jeremy Renner, talking about his mid-life career boom. These past five years, the 45-year-old has become a Hollywood blockbuster staple. Playing the straight-shooting Hawkeye in Marvels Avengers films, hes also a regular in the Tom Cruise Mission: Impossible franchise and played the lead in The Bourne Legacy  a spin-off from the Jason Bourne/Matt Damon films. Physically, I was a late bloomer as a child, he winks.

Renner had been acting long before these huge-scale movies came his way. After making his first appearance in a best-forgotten high-school comedy Senior Trip in 1995, he came to attention as serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in 2002s Dahmer, then for roles in North Country and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, alongside Brad Pitt. Two Oscar nominations  for Kathryn Bigelows war drama The Hurt Locker and Ben Afflecks crime caper The Town  swiftly followed.

Now hes back in Denis Villeneuves sci-fi Arrival, a canny mix of blockbuster and arthouse that begins as 12 alien spacecraft land across the globe. He plays Ian Donnelly, a theoretical physicist and mathematician, who teams up with Amy Adamss linguistics professor to make first contact with extraterrestrials inside the shell-like craft that arrives in Montana. More Close Encounters than Independence Day, its the smartest sci-fi youll see this year.

Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner arrive for the premiere of Paramount Pictures' 'Arrival' at Regency Village Theatre in Westwood, California (Getty)

Dealing with issues of time, loss and memory, with rather more intelligence than most of its kind, Renner admits that when he first saw it, it left him in bits. It emotionally wrecked me. I dont know if Ill watch it again. Today dressed in a black short-sleeved shirt and a pinstriped trousers, with his sinewy arms and buzz-cut hairstyle, Renner doesnt look the sort to get teary-eyed over a sci-fi movie.

Aside from Avengers  hell be returning as Hawkeye for Infinity War, due in 2018  Renner hasnt really tackled sci-fi before. Is this a genre thats always intrigued him? I like to call it science non-fiction, he replies. Theres a certain reality and plausibility to stuff like this, that makes sense to me. I love that. Yeah, I like this genre, sure. If its based in human emotion, and the themes are great, its something I can connect to because I still play a human being. Thats all that matters to me.

Jeremy Renner and Amy Adams make contact with extraterrestrials in an aliens' craft in 'Arrival' (Paramount Pictures)

While Arrival certainly doesnt have the budget of a Marvel movie, what Villeneuve and his team did visually impressed Renner. I didnt think it would look as big and expansive as it does, he says  understandable, given much of the film sees him and Adams venture inside the aliens craft. Were in a black box! With a white screen and [wearing] a Hazmat suit. That felt like it for the bulk of the movie. He chuckles. Not to take the sexiness out of filmmaking, but filmmaking usually isnt very sexy.

Even if sci-fi hasnt dominated his career, Renner was born in Modesto  the same California town that Star Wars creator George Lucas came from. Lucas shot his 1950s-set teen classic American Graffiti there, which became something of a thing for Renner and his friends. When I was 16, wed get in the car and cruise up and down  that whole thing. In keeping with the Americana theme, Renners father ran a local bowling alley in the town.

Beyond playing drums in a high-school band, Renner was at a loss for career plans. I didnt want to go to college and spend a lot of money and not know what the heck I wanted to do. Instead, he went to Modesto Junior College to fumble around and figure it out, taking courses in computer science and criminology. I was all over the map, he says. Then I took an acting class. I thought Ill give it a go. I fell in love with it.

Jeremy Renner in a scene from 'Arrival', a film closer to 'Close Encounters' than 'Independence Day' (Paramount Pictures)

With music still a passion, Renner also runs a house-renovating business  and indeed theres something blue-collar about him on screen, a no-nonsense, vanity-free, get-the-job-done actor. For me, I like to give directors problems, he says. Like good problems in an editing room! I want to give them choices  Oh, thats a good idea and so is that! Thats my challenge. I want to give the director many problems.

Where did this come from? It sounds like an interesting tactic. Im the oldest of seven kids and I just give a lot of people problems! he says. I think thats my job. Its my birthright  to give people problems. And not always bad problems. Problems can be good, right? Its just born in me. Its in my bones! Acting is all about offering up choices, he says. The idea is that were giving. I feel like thats my job  to give.

Renners next set of problems, so to speak, is Wind River, the story of a murder on a Native American reservation. Its a beautiful, small, insular film  like I thought Arrival would be. Its very well-written. Its hard to pitch. Ill talk about it when its time for it to come out. But Im glad Denis pushed me to go do it. (The film is the directorial debut of Taylor Sheridan, who wrote Villeneuves Sicario.)

Jeremy Renner and Amy Adams caught up in alien landings in a scene from 'Arrival' (Paramount Pictures)

Beyond that, his focus is looking after his three-year-old daughter, Ava (Renner was briefly married to Avas mother, Canadian model Sonni Pacheco, before it ended in divorce in 2014). Being a father is number one, he says. Thats what keeps me focused, and not worrying about whether movies may or may not come my way. Is he planning to show her any of his films? He shakes his head. Im going to keep her away from anything I do.

Renner softens immediately when he starts talking about Ava  not least that she has a pair of Avengers pyjamas given to her that feature his likeness. The only thing she knows is the guy on her pyjamas kinda looks like Daddy! It must be a little confusing for a child to see her father next to the Hulk and Thor. Shes never seen the movie, he smiles, but she says, The guy with the bow and arrow looks like Daddy! I say, Is that Daddy? No, thats Hawkeye!

Arrival opens on 10 November
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Napoleon (PG)



Abel Gance, 330 mins, starring: Albert Dieudonne, Vladimir Roudenko, Edmond Van Daele, Alexandre Koubitzky, Antonin Artaud, Abel Gance, Gina Manes, Suzanne Bianchetti, Marguerite Gance,

Seen on the big screen in its new digitally cleaned up version with its Carl Davis score, Abel Gances 1927 masterpiece Napoleon is a truly startling experience. As a war movie, it has a scale, ambition and demented bombast that puts even Apocalypse Now to shame. The film (famously restored by Kevin Brownlow) is fascinating in its recreation of such historical events as the French Revolution and the terror that followed.

What is most arresting is Gances willingness to experiment with every filmic technique available to him. He uses split screen, Soviet-style montages and plenty of trompe loeil effects. At the same time, he is working with actors desperate to steal every scene in which they appear, among them Antonin Artaud (of Theatre of Cruelty fame) as Marat (stabbed to death in his bath), Alexandre Koubitzky as Danton, and Gance himself as Saint-Just, the zealot overseeing the reign of terror.

Virulently nationalist in tone (and often very anti-British), the film implies that it is being made with the approval of its subject. I would like to be my own posterity  to witness what a poet would have me think, feel and say, Napoleon is quoted at the beginning of the film. Gance, it is implied, is just the poet that the French general was hoping for. We are continually told he is filming in the actual locations where the events took place.

Over its five-hour running length, Napoleon is packed with astonishing set-pieces. The tone is set at the outset with a snowball fight at Brienne, the military school where he is sent as a 10-year-old  and where his strategic genius, as well as his arrogance, are also evident. A subsequent pillow fight is likewise staged as if its a mini battle of Austerlitz.



Napoleon is played with magnificent hauteur by Albert Dieudonne (whose lank black hair makes him look like a cross between Ronnie Wood and Laurence Oliviers Richard III.) Gance hero-worships him shamelessly. At key moments, an eagle will appear by his shoulder. At one stage, he is described (absurdly) as a man of granite heated in a volcano. The Corsica scenes, where General Paolis British-supporting sympathisers pursue him on horseback, play like something out of a western.

Amid all the big set-pieces, Gance always has an eye for the telling little detail  Robespierres dark glasses, the man whose leg is crushed under a wagon wheel. Film historians will be fascinated to see Percy Poppa Day, one of the legendary figures in British special effects, playing a tea-sipping English admiral.

As history, one guesses this is probably often bunkum. Whenever something wildly improbable happens, an intertitle will flash up on scene to tell us that it is historical. This even applies to a character called La Bussiere, who supposedly ate a lot of the death warrants to stop people being executed during the terror. Gance doesnt waste any chance to mock the Brits or to pull down the Union Jack. According to the film, Nelson as a young man passed up on the chance to sink a tiny boat carrying Napoleon away from Corsica.

Of the many war scenes here, the siege of Toulon, conducted by Napoleon in a violent storm, is the most violent while the late scenes of the French troops in Italy, in which Gance uses the triptych effect, are the most spectacular. Davis score, which seems heavily influenced by Beethoven, drives the action along at relentless pace.

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Jim OHanlon, 93 mins, starring: Idris Elba, Gemma Arterton, Tom Cullen, Kierston Wareing, Ryan Gage, Ken Stott, Charlie Creed-Miles

Given the talent involved, 100 Streets cant help but seem disappointing. This is one of those sprawling urban tales  like Paul Haggis Crash or Michael Winterbottoms Wonderland  with big ensemble casts playing characters whose lives intersect in surprising ways.

Idris Elba plays Maximus, a former England rugby captain who has been booted out of the house by his wife Emily (Arterton) for having an affair with the nanny. She, in turn, is now sleeping with an old boyfriend and contemplating picking up her acting career. Max is going to seed, taking too much cocaine and, in the films most toe-curling scene, talking gibberish when commentating on a rugby match alongside John Inverdale (who plays himself).

 100 Streets - Trailer

Ken Stott plays Terence, a distinguished older actor, very proud of his red Beats headphones, who likes to walk by the Thames. He befriends troubled youngster Kingsley (Franz Drameh), who is a good lad at heart but running with a very bad crowd. Charlie Creed-Miles is a chirpy south London singing cab driver, happily married to Kathy (Kierston Wareing). They hope to adopt a kid but when he is involved in a freak accident, their world is knocked off its axis.

Director Jim OHanlon throws in high angle shots of the seething streets below as we hear voiceover narration from Kingsley. I dont believe in fate. Sh*t just happens. To its credit, Leon Butlers screenplay attempts to give us an insight into every side of London life, from grim estates to the gilded world in which Max and Emily live. His script touches on racial and class tension and exposes the huge economic divide between Londoners living side by side. OHanlon makes inventive use of London locations which range from parks to shopping centres, from nightclubs to luxury apartments.

Elba is a dynamic actor who never gives a dull performance but his character here (the self-destructive rugger bugger who yearns for the days when he used to be Twickenhams darling) is a little hard to believe in. The plot is also heavily reliant on coincidence. Its not clear, for example, why Terence spends so much time in the cemetery (which is where he meets Kingsley.) The connections between the characters often seem very tenuous and their behaviour can be hard to fathom. The lachrymose music doesnt help either.

The Innocents (15)



Anne Fontaine, 115 mins, starring: Lou de Laage, Agata Buzek, Agata Kulesza, Vincent Macaigne, Joanna Kulig, Eliza Rycembel

There have been a number of Polish-set films about the tribulations of nuns. These include Jerzy Kawalerowiczs Mother Joan Of The Angels (about demonic possession) and Pawe Pawlikowskis Oscar-winning Ida, about a young Jewish woman brought up in a convent after the Second World War. French director Anne Fontaines The Innocents is yet another story in which the nuns problems expose tensions and bad faith in the society around them.

In the film, set just after the Second World War, the members of a remote, rural covent have been raped by Soviet soldiers. Several are pregnant. This causes them intense practical and spiritual anxiety. Theyve taken their vows of chastity. Theyre traumatised by what has happened to them and yet some of them yearn for motherhood. Mathilde (Lou de Laage), a young French medic working for the Red Cross, is beckoned by one of the nuns. Without telling her bosses, she agrees to help them.

 The Innocents - Trailer

This is a slow moving but insightful film without a hint of prurience about it. Fontaine makes the most of the wintry landscapes  the snow-covered forests and frosty fields across which the nuns traipse. The dramatic tension comes partly from the danger in which the nuns find themselves. Without proper medical help, they could easily die. Some have syphilis. Another source of friction is the behaviour of the predictably stern and unforgiving Mother Superior, who has her own crackpot views about taking the sins of the world on her own shoulders.

Parts of the film (which was originally titled Agnus Dei) are very moving. Mathilde, a worldly young woman who is having an affair with a Jewish doctor, is touched by the faith and camaraderie of the nuns. They, in turn, are inspired by her selflessness and her practicality. The pacing here is on the torpid side but Fontaine probes away in provocative and intelligent fashion at the nature of faith (24 hours of doubt and a minute of hope as one nun calls it) and how it sits alongside the womens survival instincts.

Francofonia (12A)



Alexander Sokurov, 88 mins, starring: Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Benjamin Utzerath, Vincent Nemeth, Andrey Chelpanov, Johanna Korthals Altes

Russian director Alexander Sokurovs latest film is a companion piece to his brilliant 2002 feature, Russian Ark (a film in a single breath that was made in one shot in the Hermitage in St Petersburg.) This time round, Sokurov is let loose in the Louvre. His technique is very different. The new work might best be described as a film essay.

It combines archive footage, dramatic reconstructions and scenes of a Napoleon lookalike wandering the galleries with a mournful voice-over from Sokurov himself. One moment hell be discussing aesthetics, the next the mass deaths during the Siege of Leningrad. He rhapsodises over art but is equally curious about cultural politics during wartime and how Napoleon filled the Louvre with war trophies. Early on, for no very good reason, Chekhov and Tolstoy also put in an appearance.

 Francofonia - Trailer

One of Sokurovs chief preoccupations is with the relationship between aristocratic Nazi officer, Count Franziskus Wolff-Metternich and the Louvres director, Jacques Jaujard. During the Nazi occupation of Paris, the Count allowed the Louvres treasures to be smuggled away and hidden, thereby saving them from being looted by the Nazis.

He even visited the chateaux in which they were concealed in order to check on the storage conditions. Theres something both admirable and perverse about the Counts concern with art during such a convulsive period of the war. Like the imprisoned French aristocrats so well treated by Erich Von Stroheim in Jean Renoirs La Grande Illusion (If they are officers, invite them for lunch), the French gallery director and the German commander have shared interests which transcend wartime enmity.

This is graceful and provocative filmmaking. It works both as art history and as an account of wartime Paris under German occupation. Its also the story of a strange and very unlikely friendship without which the Louvre might have been stripped bare.
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We're willing to bet you haven't yet stopped humming 'Easy Street" yet, the song used in the most recent episode of AMC series The Walking Dead.

Shortly after the episode aired, we tracked down the song's writer Jim Bianco who told us he's clueless as to how the show's producers found it. Despite the song being used to torture the imprisoned fan favourite Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), Bianco remains overjoyed by its usage.

We're certain his joy will go into overdrive after he learns that Spotify streaming of the song is poised to triple in just two days.

 The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 4 Preview

This figure is on track to be tripled - just two days later, they've reached a staggering 80,935; the song is also rising up the iTunes UK chart, currently sitting at nine.



Bianco told us: "I didn't really understand why a show like The Walking Dead would want to use such an upbeat over-the-top, in your face "happy" song but now I understand - to torture someone, of course."

In case you've forgotten how it goes, here's a reminder.

You can read our review of the latest episode here, as well as our recap of its five major talking points (which didn't include this walker that looked a lot like America's new president, Donald Trump).
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The chances are you werent one of the 20,000 Tesco Bank customers who had cash swiped from their account over the weekend. But if theres one thing the experts appear to agree on, it is that, as this latest unprecedented and serious attack shows, the cyber-crime threat to our financial lives is growing as the number of online purchases and other transactions soar.

The Centre for Economic and Business Research estimates that cybercrime now costs the economy 34bn a year. So if the hackers only have to be lucky once while businesses, government and even consumers scramble to respond with a unified approach that actually works, what measures are in place to protect your cash? And what rights and responsibilities do you have if you get stung?

How worried should we be?

It has quickly been labelled the biggest cyber bank robbery in British history, though 20,000 confirmed cases of lost cash is around one in seven of the banks current account holders and a tiny proportion of its 7.8 million total customer accounts.

Compare the scale of the damage to that of Yahoo!s latest hit only a few weeks ago that revealed the email credentials of more than 500 million users in what has been dubbed the worst ever hack of a company and it seems small change.

The key difference is that this time its the theft of cold hard cash from a significant number of accounts (cyber criminals are more likely to target the accounts of a lone individual or two), rather than the vague, if alarming, threat that comes with the stealing of information  however much more damaging that could actually turn out to be in the long-run.

Its an understandable reaction. Steal your information and its unnerving at the very least. Steal your money and it could be an instant, very real problem, even if, as in the Tesco case, you should be refunded if the security breach is no fault of your own.

But as a study last year by Deloitte showed, more people now purchase goods and services online than have an email account. As the way we consume continues to evolve, so too does the direct threat to our cash.

Our research shows one in ten people's bank accounts had fallen foul of a cyber-attack over the past year  the equivalent of 4.5 million accounts - and had an average of 475 stolen, warns Jody Baker, head of money at comparethemarket.com. A large number of these attacks would have been the result of cyber breaches of online transactions  so a move to clamp down on this type of criminal activity is urgently needed.

Picking up the pieces

Meanwhile, for Tesco and its customers, two investigations now kick in. The criminal investigation is being led by the National Crime Agency, which deals with serious and organised crime, drawing on resources from other law enforcement bodies not least the new National Cyber Security Centre  to understand what exactly has happened and bring it to a conclusion as necessary before beginning the process of investigation.

Then theres the question of adequate security measures, and the Financial Conduct Authority is working with Tesco Bank while the Information Commissioners Office, the independent authority charged with upholding information rights and data privacy has also said they will be looking into the matter.

Chinks in the armour

"We do not yet know how so many personal accounts were accessed, but it is clear that this was a more sophisticated attack targeted at the bank's systems rather than its individual customers, says Stewart James, partner in the commercial team at Ashfords LLP.

Consequently, it is very likely that the attack amounts to a breach of the Computer Misuse Act 1990, highlighting the failure of the criminal law to deter cyber criminals and especially those operating from outside the jurisdiction.

Customers have been relatively benign in response to previous breaches, such as the PlayStation and Sony Christmas hacks, but TalkTalk has proved to be a watershed with its reputational damage potentially greater than the financial damage caused.

There is no single solution, but prior preparation needs to consider a range of technical, organisational, procedural and process issues, he adds. For a financial institution, this will include compliance with a number of reporting and security obligations, including meeting technical standards under the Payments Services Directive as well as general obligations under data protection legislation."

But that may not be straightforward with Andrew Bailey, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority, admitting to the Treasury Select Committee this week that there arent enough suitable technology staff within the banking sector, for example.

Millions of customers remain unnecessarily exposed to the risks of IT failures, including delays in paying bills and an inability to access their own money, he said. We can't carry on like this.

Taking control

Which for now at least seems to imply self preservation is crucial.

With the busy Christmas period soon upon us  not to mention Cyber Monday later this month  we would expect to see a spike in the number of online frauds in the coming weeks. It is a good idea to regularly check your bank statements for any unusual activity as criminals often make small but regular thefts which are harder to spot than larger one-off purchases, adds Baker.

Password and PIN dos and donts:

 Mix it up  use a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols such as !?

 Change letters to numbers or symbols  for example E becomes 3, S becomes 5

 Create long passwords of at least six characters, the longer the better. These are harder for criminals to crack

 Do use different passwords and PINs on different accounts

 If you suspect someone else knows your password or PIN, change it

 If you need to write passwords down in order to remember them, encrypt them so they are indecipherable to other people

 Dont use easy to guess information such as your name, the names of other family members, your pets names as your password

 Dont use the word password as your password

 When creating a PIN avoid using ascending or descending numbers, for example 1234 or 4321, repeated numbers (e.g. 9999) or easily recog nisable keypad patterns such as 12369 or 2580

 Don't use the same password across different sites. If one site gets hacked and your password is stolen, hackers will often try it on other sites

 Dont disclose your passwords or PINs to anyone else

Source: GoCompare.com Money
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Shares in the worlds biggest maker of wind turbines plunged amid fears that a Donald Trump presidency will be disastrous for the renewable energy industry.

Danish firm Vestas fell as much as 14 per cent before regaining some losses to trade 6.6 per cent lower at 440.20 kroner (52.60). Vestas shares had already lost ground as the race tightened in the days before the vote.

Wind turbines are given generous subsidies in the US, as the worlds biggest per-capita polluter attempts to reduce its carbon output. However, Mr Trumps aggressively pro-business, anti-government stance puts any government assistance under threat.

Mr Trumps manifesto promises an energy revolution which he will bring about by unleashing Americas $50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, plus hundreds of years in clean coal reserves.

Mr Trump has also committed to open onshore and offshore leasing on federal lands, eliminate moratorium on coal leasing, and open shale energy deposits and, encourage the use of natural gas and other American energy resources that will both reduce emissions but also reduce the price of energy and increase our economic output.

The manifesto goes on to say that Mr Trump will reduce all barriers to responsible energy production, leading to cheaper energy, an example of which it cites as Barack Obamas standards designed to reduce methane emissions.

Removal or reduction of renewable subsidies would hit Vestas and other green energy companies severely.

President Donald Trump life in pictures Show all 16 1 /16 President Donald Trump life in pictures President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump poses in a rocking chair once used by President John F. Kennedy at his New York City residence Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump with his new bride Marla Maples after their wedding at the Plaza hotel in New York Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Celina Midelfart watch the match between Conchita Martinez and Amanda Coetzer during U.S. Open. She was the date whom Donald Trump was with when he met his current wife Melania at a party in 1996 Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas serving as the grand marshal for the Daytona 500, speaks to Donald Trump and Melania Knauss on the starting grid at the Daytona International Speedwa Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump talks with his former wife Ivana Trump during the men's final at the U.S. Open Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and his friend Melania Knauss pose for photographers as they arrive at the New York premiere of Star Wars Episode : 'The Phantom Menace,' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump talks with host Larry King. Trump told King that he was moving toward a possible bid for the United States presidency with the formation of a presidential exploratory committee Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump answers questions as Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura looks on in Brooklyn Park. Trump said on Friday he 'very well might' make a run for president under the Reform Party banner but had not made a final decision Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump makes a face at a friend as he sits next to Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso before the start of the 2003 Miss Universe pageant in Panama City Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Entrepreneur Donald Trump is greeted by a Marilyn Monroe character look-a-alike, as he arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood to attend the an open casting call for his NBC television network reality series 'The Apprentice.' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Simon Cowell present an Emmy during the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Megan Mullally perform at the 57th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump, poses with his children, son Donald Trump, Jr., and daughters Tiffany and Ivanka Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump told Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner on Tuesday she would be given a second chance after reported misbehavior Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump holds a replica of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as his wife Melania holds their son Barron in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. property mogul Donald Trump stands next to a bagpiper during a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland Reuters

The Vestas share reaction is a result of concerns that Trump will focus more on fossil fuels, Otto Friedrichsen, equity strategist at Formuepleje, said. Now theres concern how Vestas will perform in the US under a president wholl be more interested in looking out for the countrys coal industry.

According to an Ernst & Young LLP survey published last month, the US stands to lose its position as the top-ranked renewable-energy market for investors under a Trump administration.

Mr Trump has made clear he hates wind turbines and will do what he can to fight them, Jacob Pedersen, head of equity analysis at Sydbank, said earlier this month.
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Chief executives of more than 1,100 US companies, including Coca-Cola, Boeing and Pfizer have written an open letter to President-elect, Donald Trump urging him to end his divisive campaign rhetoric.

American families, businesses and our communities cannot truly prosper and reach their full potential in a country that is divided and distrustful, the letter said, in an apparent reference to Trumps often-inflammatory speeches.

The Republican real-estate tycoon has called Mexicans living in the US rapists and made a string of derogatory remarks about women on the campaign trail and previously.

The letter urged him to work with businesses to bring our country back together again, after perhaps the most bitter election campaign in US history.

Business leaders, including the chief of arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin, warned Mr Trump of an urgent need to restore faith in our vital economic and government institutions, after what they described as a particularly difficult election.

A process of healing is required after the harshness of the campaign season, the leaders said.

Businesses have expressed concern as Mr Trump has repeatedly pushed protectionist policies which many believe will stunt economic growth. Mr Trump railed against companies for relocating jobs to China and India at the expense of the US.

President Trump protests Show all 20 1 /20 President Trump protests President Trump protests Patrons hold a sign as people march by while protesting the election of Republican Donald Trump as the president of the United States in downtown Los Angeles, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators rally following the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States, in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators march following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests Thousands of protesters rallied across the United States expressing shock and anger over Donald Trump's election, vowing to oppose divisive views they say helped the Republican billionaire win the presidency AFP/Getty Images President Trump protests Demonstrators protest outside the Chicago Theatre in Chicago, Illinois Getty President Trump protests A police officer aims a launcher after demonstrators threw projectiles toward a line of officers during a demonstration in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests An officer examines a vandalized police vehicle as demonstrators riot in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators take over the Hollywood 101 Freeway just north of Los Angeles City Hall in protest against the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests A woman holds up a sign reading 'Trump you are an Idiot' as demonstrators gather during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump outside the City Hall building in Los Angeles, California EPA President Trump protests A masked demonstrator gestures toward a police line during a demonstration in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators protest against the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States, near the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Las Vegas, Nevada Reuters President Trump protests Musician Lagy Gaga stages a protest against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on a sanitation truck outside Trump Tower in New York City Getty President Trump protests A woman yells as she takes part in a protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests A man dressed in red-white-and-blue sits on the curb during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests A protester sets off fireworks during a protest against President-elect Donald Trumpin Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests University of California, Davis students protest on campus in Davis, California, U.S. following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests An Oakland police officer checks out damage after a window was broken by protesters at a car dealership in downtown Oakland, Calif AP President Trump protests A protester faces a police line in downtown Oakland, Calif AP President Trump protests President-elect Donald Trumpis victory set off multiple protests AP President Trump protests A fire burns during protests in Oakland, Calif AP

Not a single chief executive of Americas 100 largest companies donated money to Mr Trump's campaign, with many preferring Hillary Clinton as the establishment candidate.

One policy that has pleased executives, however, is a proposed corporation tax cut from 35 per cent to 15 per cent, while banks are positive about his pledge to dismantle Wall Street regulation.

Jay Timmons, president of the National Association of Manufacturers, said: When you have an economy thats not working as it should, with people being displaced out of jobs, frustrated with their economic progress and with their families standing, then youre going to have this kind of negative response and reaction But the solution is what the business community offers."
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Tesco Bank says it has paid out an estimated 2.5 million to 9,000 customers after it fell victim to a cyber attack at the weekend.

The business said a full service for customers had resumed after the weekend hack that prompted a freeze in online transactions for customers.

Accounts which saw money fraudulently removed will be reimbursed by Tuesday evening, the bank said.

The announcement came after the cybercrime was described as "unprecedented" by the head of Britain's financial regulator.

Tesco Bank chief executive Benny Higgins said: "We've now refunded all customer accounts affected by fraud and lifted the suspension of online debit transactions so that customers can use their accounts as normal.

"We'd also like to reassure our customers that none of their personal data has been compromised."

Earlier on Tuesday the chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said authorities were working to find the "root cause" of the breach.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

"There are elements of this, as far as we can tell at the moment, that look unprecedented," Andrew Bailey told MPs at a Treasury Select Committee hearing.

Committee chairman and Tory MP Andrew Tyrie said the case looked "extremely serious", affecting around one in seven Tesco Bank account holders.

Tesco Bank had previously said money was fraudulently withdrawn from 20,000 of its 136,000 current accounts over the weekend, with suspicious activity being tracked across 40,000 accounts. It revised the number of affected accounts down to 9,000 on Tuesday.

Customers affected by the transaction block were still able to withdraw cash and use other services like chip and pin payments, while bill payments and direct debits continued as normal Tesco Bank said.

 Tesco has made progress

Tesco Bank had assured customers that money would be reinstated by the end of Tuesday, but Mr Bailey said: "That's important but not by any means the heart of the concern.

"The heart of concern is what is the root cause of this and what it tells us about the broader threats."

The threat appears to have only affected the "debit card side of online banking", but Mr Bailey said "further urgent analysis" is required.

Press Association
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Unlike Theresa May or Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte, the Archbishop of Canterbury has not been able to bring himself to congratulate Donald Trump on his victory. On the contrary, his message about the shock US election result was distinctly subdued and muted.

Justin Welby called for reconciliation in America after the most ferocious and divisive presidential election campaign in modern history.

The principal leader of the Church of England also pledged to pray for all the people of the United States.

US Election night in pictures Show all 24 1 /24 US Election night in pictures US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Reuters US Election night in pictures Reuters US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Reuters US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures AFP/Getty Images

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, my continuing prayers are that the United States of America may find reconciliation after a bitter campaign and that Mr Trump may be given wisdom, insight, and grace as he faces the tasks before him, Welby said.

This is not the first time Welby has spoken out about Mr Trump. In June, he condemned the Republicans plans to ban Muslims from the US as "not a christian thing to do".

Mr Trump called for a Muslim ban in December. He has since adjusted the plan to prohibit entry for people from countries with heavy terrorist activity however he has yet to give concrete details or specify which countries would be included in that list.

In January, Welby said Mr Trump would present a very challenging situation if he were to win the race for the White House.

The victory of the reality TV star and property magnate has left pollsters, the press and much of the public stunned. On top of his win, the Republican party has also won the House of Representatives and a great deal of the Senate.
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Before American citizens headed to the polls, Michael Moore gave his grave forecast for the outcome of the election. It now appears his prediction was right: a vote for Donald Trump would transpire to be the biggest f**k you in human history.

Mr Trump has defied the polls, strategists, the media and expectations in an increasingly tense election night which saw him win key battleground swing states such as Ohio and Florida and poll ahead throughout the majority of the night.

When Moore presented his latest offering Michael Moore in Trump Land he gave accompanying speech where in the first half he predicted a Trump presidency and gave honest reasons why that will happen:

Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Show all 15 1 /15 Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Who are famous people voting for in the US election? George Clooney HILLARY CLINTON Getty Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Leonardo DiCaprio HILLARY CLINTON Getty Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Mike Tyson DONALD TRUMP Getty Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Beyonce HILLARY CLINTON Rex Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Chloe Grace Moretz HILLARY CLINTON Vivien Killilea/Getty Images Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Sarah Jessica Parker HILLARY CLINTON Getty Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Jon Voight DONALD TRUMP Getty Images Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Katy Perry HILLARY CLINTON Getty Images Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Jennifer Lopez HILLARY CLINTON Angela Weiss/Getty Images Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Denis Rodman DONALD TRUMP TIMOTHY CLARY/AFP/Getty Images Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Salma Hayek HILLARY CLINTON Getty Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Le Bron James HILLARY CLINTON Justin Carissimo Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Hulk Hogan DONALD TRUMP Reuters Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Kid Rock DONALD TRUMP Theo Wargo/Getty Images Who are famous people voting for in the US election? Stacey Dash DONALD TRUMP Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Theyve lost their jobs, the banks foreclosed, next came the divorce and now the wife and kids are gone, the cars been repoed. They haven't had a vacation in years, theyre stuck with the sh***y bronze plan where you cant even get a f***ing Percocet. Theyve essentially lost everything they have except one thing []: the right to vote. They might be penniless, they might be homeless, they might be f**ked over and f**ked up - it doesn't matter because its equalised on that day.

On 8 November, the dispossessed will walk into the voting booth [] and put a big f**king X in the box next to the name of the man who has threatened to upend and overturn the very system that ruined their lives. Donald J. Trump."

It was what Mr Trump apparently knew all along, as used Moores forecast sharing it on Twitter and writing: I agree. To all Americans, I see you and I hear you. I am your voice.

Mr Trump had neglected to include the rest of Moores monologue which warned that while the initial f*** you! might feel extremely satisfying initially, the protest style vote will soon sting.

Moore likened a potential Trump victory to the result of Brexit, referring to the phenomenon dubbed Bregret  when people who voted for Brexit immediately began to regret their decision as the markets and pound crumbled, Scotland vowed to have a second independence referendum and the resounding political chaos which happened when the Prime Minister resigned as well as number of prominent Leave politicians.

It will feel good. For a day, or maybe a week. Possibly a month. And then. Like the Brits, who wanted to send a message, so they voted to leave Europe only to find out that if you vote to leave Europe you, actually have to leave Europe.

 Protests across America after Trump victory

And now they regret it. All the Ohioans, Pennsylvanians, Michiganders and Wisconsinites of Middle England, right, they all voted to leave and now they regret it.

And over four million of them signed a petition to have a do-over, they want another election, but It's not going to happen. Because you used the ballot as an anger management tool. And now you're f****d. And the rest of Europe. They're like, Bye Felicia.

So when the rightfully angry people of Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin find out after a few months in office that President Trump wasnt going to do a damn thing for them, it will be too late to do anything about it.

But I get it, you wanted to send a message, and righteous anger, justifiable anger. Well, thats you set. Goodnight America. Youve just elected the last president of the United States."
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Eric Trumps wife Lara has been forced to clarify both she and Melania Trump did vote for Donald Trump after photos circulated appearing to show both the Republican candidate and his son double checking who their wives were casting the ballot for.

On Tuesday, aka election day, both Mr Trump and the Democrat candidate, Hillary Clinton, headed down to the polls to vote for themselves. Mr Trump and his wife Melania headed down to a public school near Trump Tower in New York while Ms Clinton and her former president husband Bill voted in the Chappaqua are of the city.

A video of Mr and Mrs Trump appearing to show the 70-year-old peering over to check his wifes ballot sheet has since made the rounds on the internet with people suggesting he was double checking she was voting for him after all.

Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall  and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY

Recommended Read more Donald Trump appears to check that wife Melania voted for him

Ironically, a very similar photo showing the same interaction with his son Eric and his wife Lara also surfaced forcing her to clarify that both she and Melania did vote head of the Trump dynasty.

I havent seen any of those [videos], she told CNN. I didnt know my husband was checking it out but I think we can all feel safe in saying Melania and I voted for Donald Trump for the presidency of the United States.

 Trump appears to check who Melania votes for

Thats very funny actually. It shows you the similarities that Eric and his dad share, she chuckled.
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George W Bush has never hidden his lack of affection for Donald Trump.

But a spokesman for the 43rd president did not vote for either Mr Trump, or his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, a spokesman for Mr Bush declined to specify who the former president or the former first lady, Laura Bush, cast their votes for, but said they did so two weeks ago.

 US election: Donald Trump booed as he arrives to cast his vote in New York

Although initial reports incorrectly claimed that the Bushes had voted for Ms Clinton on Tuesday, the failure to vote for the partys nominee is a major departure from political tradition.

Neither Mr Bush, or his father former president George HW Bush, attended the Republican Party convention in Cleveland this summer.

Mr Trump aggressively attacked and insulted Mr Bushs brother, Jeb Bush, in the primaries, calling him low energy.
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Since news of Donald Trumps shock victory broke, the Canadian immigration site has crashed and burned at points and data from Google Trends has suggested searches for move to Canada have spiked.

Of course, this is nothing new. People have been threatening to pack their bags and relocate if the Republican is victorious for quite some time now. Samuel L Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg and Lena Dunham being cases in point.

Whether or not they will actually leave now that the widely perceived unthinkable has happened is another question altogether and one we will have to wait to find out.

Here are those high-profile individuals who said they will leave if Mr Trump wins. Even though many of them have expressed their sadness at the news, they have yet to say what their plans will be going forward.

Miley Cyrus

 Miley Cyrus says she 'accepts' Trump as president

After Mr Trump won the Republican nomination in seven out of 11 states on Super Tuesday back in March, Cyrus announced she would be jumping ship if he wins.

God he thinks he is the f***ing chosen one or some shit! [] Honestly f*** this sh*t I am moving if this is my president! I dont say things I dont mean! she said in a tearful Instagram post. Cyrus has now responded to the news in an emotional video but made no mention of her departure plans.

President Trump protests Show all 20 1 /20 President Trump protests President Trump protests Patrons hold a sign as people march by while protesting the election of Republican Donald Trump as the president of the United States in downtown Los Angeles, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators rally following the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States, in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators march following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests Thousands of protesters rallied across the United States expressing shock and anger over Donald Trump's election, vowing to oppose divisive views they say helped the Republican billionaire win the presidency AFP/Getty Images President Trump protests Demonstrators protest outside the Chicago Theatre in Chicago, Illinois Getty President Trump protests A police officer aims a launcher after demonstrators threw projectiles toward a line of officers during a demonstration in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests An officer examines a vandalized police vehicle as demonstrators riot in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators take over the Hollywood 101 Freeway just north of Los Angeles City Hall in protest against the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests A woman holds up a sign reading 'Trump you are an Idiot' as demonstrators gather during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump outside the City Hall building in Los Angeles, California EPA President Trump protests A masked demonstrator gestures toward a police line during a demonstration in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators protest against the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States, near the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Las Vegas, Nevada Reuters President Trump protests Musician Lagy Gaga stages a protest against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on a sanitation truck outside Trump Tower in New York City Getty President Trump protests A woman yells as she takes part in a protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests A man dressed in red-white-and-blue sits on the curb during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests A protester sets off fireworks during a protest against President-elect Donald Trumpin Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests University of California, Davis students protest on campus in Davis, California, U.S. following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests An Oakland police officer checks out damage after a window was broken by protesters at a car dealership in downtown Oakland, Calif AP President Trump protests A protester faces a police line in downtown Oakland, Calif AP President Trump protests President-elect Donald Trumpis victory set off multiple protests AP President Trump protests A fire burns during protests in Oakland, Calif AP

Whoopi Goldberg

Goldberg also said she would not be sticking around if Mr Trump won but did not specify where she would go.

I dont think thats America. I dont want it to be America. Maybe its time for me to move, you know

Brittany Snow

As votes for Mr Trump flowed in and his victory looked ever more likely, Snow, an actress who is known for her roles in Pitch Perfect, tweeted: In other related news: Flights to Canada are really cheap.

Samuel L Jackson

Unlike those who opted for Canada, Jackson said South Africa would be his destination of choice.

If that mother**er becomes president, Im moving my black ass to South Africa, he said in December of last year.

Amy Schumer

The comedian and actress also eschewed their Canadian neighbours and instead opted for Spain.

My act will change because I will need to learn to speak Spanish, Schumer said in September. Because I will move to Spain or somewhere. Its beyond my comprehension if Trump won. Its just too crazy.

Lena Dunham

The Girls star and creator said she will be on her merry way to Canada if Mr Trump becomes the 45th President of the United States.

"I know a lot of people have been threatening to [move], but I really will. I know a lovely place in Vancouver, and I can get my work done from there."

Chelsea Handler

The comedian and talk show host went a step further and actually made some pretty concrete arrangements for the prospect of a Trump victory.

I did buy a house in another country just in case, Handler said in May. So all these people that threaten to leave the country and then dont - I actually will leave that country.

Raven Symone

The former Disney star was equally prepared. My confession for this election is, if any Republican gets nominated, Im gonna move to Canada with my entire family. Is that bad? I already have my ticket. I literally bought my ticket, I swear she said.
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Those feeling bitterly disappointed at learning 2016 would not be the year a woman become President for the first time may find some comfort in the results of one election which went largely under the radar on Tuesday.

Hillary Clinton supporters become increasingly despairing overnight as Donald Trump scooped swing states including Florida and Ohio.

But one woman who did make history was Ilhan Omar, who became Americas first Somalian-American Muslim woman legislator on Tuesday night.

The 34-year-old former refugee was standing in District 60B in Minneapolis and claimed victory in the Minnesota House race.

US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US Presidential election: key moments in pictures US Presidential election: key moments in pictures The 2005 Access Hollywood video which showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump suggests gun-supporters could kill Hillary Clinton to prevent her from picking the supreme court justices Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump said that judge Gonzalo Curiel would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage United States Federal Court/AP US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump anxious over securing black vote Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and concerns about securing black vote Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and his relentless remarks against Mexican people Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and the sexual assault allegations Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures FBI director announced that there would be no charges for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal Getty

Ms Omar arrived in the United States aged 12 after fleeing the civil war which ravaged her home country of Somalia. After initially arriving in Somalia, she spent four years at a Kenyan refugee camp, reports The Star Tribune.

I am so proud of this win because District 60B represents Minnesota at its finest," Ms Omar said. "My neighbours and everyone here in this room, represents what we as a nation want to be: United in our diversity. Long time residents, East African immigrants and students  we came together and engaged in the political progress. We talked about the issues that concern us and we connected on the future we want to create.

Tonight, we are celebrating this win, our win. But our work wont stop. We will continue to build a more prosperous and equitable district  state and nation  where each and every one of us has opportunities to thrive and move forward together.

Minnesota has voted Democrat since 1972 but had its margin held by President Obama reduced in 2012.
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Donald Trump has just sent his first tweet as President-elect of the United States of America.

The Republican has achieved one of the most unlikely presidential victories in US history and thus shattered the expectations of polls, the media and even some of his own Republican party.

Despite the fact the billionaire property magnate has become known for his inflammatory tweets throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, Mr Trump's victory tweet was calm and composed. He tweeted that he would unite America and no "forgotten" man or women would ever be "forgotten again".

He also changed his Twitter bio to: "President-elect of the United States".

In spite of a series of controversies and allegations which would have been likely to wreck other presidential candidates, Mr Trump has been victorious. On top of this, the Republican party has also won the House of Representatives and a great deal of the Senate.

Mr Trump promised to unite America in his victory speech, calling for unity and praising his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton for a hard-fought campaign. "Now it is time for America to heal the wounds of division," he said.

The leader of Frances far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen and Nigel Farage congratulated Mr Trump on winning The White House.

The White House said Barack Obama has called Mr Trump to congratulate him and invited him to the White House on Thursday. The President also rang Ms Clinton to commend her on the strong campaign she led.

 Russian parliament bursts into applause upon announcement of US election result

Ms Clinton has yet to tweet or give a speech since she called him to concede the election.
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Right now in every major poll, national poll and statewide poll done in the last month, six weeks, we are defeating Trump often by big numbers, and always at a larger margin than Secretary Clinton is.

So spoke Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clintons Democratic rival in the primary, when he appeared on the May 29 2016 edition of NBCs 'Meet the Press'.

It was not the first time the socialist former Mayor of Burlington had made the claim. And it was something that his supporters believed passionately.

 Canada immigration website crashes as Donald Trump election victory looks imminent

Time after time, supporters of the white-haired, frequently cantankerous Democratic socialist, said the media was helping prepare a coronation for Ms Clinton in a way that was neither fair or democratic.

At a rally in the Bronx, New York, in April, Paul Nagel, 58, a gay rights and housing activist, told The Independent that Mr Sanders would go into the Oval Office on the back of a popular movement and that he could continue to listen to the people. What were seeing now feels 1969, he said.

At rallies for the 74-year-old across the country, there was a sense of euphoria and excitement that simply did not exist at those for Ms Clinton. Ms Clintons supporters said they had made a calculation to vote for her as they believed she would be the best candidate to lead the country, but there was no sense of the passion witnessed at her rivals' events, or those of Barack Obama eight years earlier.

But it was not just anecdotal evidence. A series of polls suggested that Mr Sanders - with his calls for free college tuition, the removal of student debt, a national health service and the removal of big money from politics - would stand a better chance against Mr Trump than Ms Clinton.

World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Show all 29 1 /29 World reaction to President Trump: In pictures World reaction to President Trump: In pictures London, England AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures London, England Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Manila, Philippines Getty Images World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Manila, Philippines Getty World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Mosul , Iraq Getty World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Manila, Philippines AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures New Delhi, India Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Karachi, Pakistan EPA World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Jakarta, Indonesia Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Lagos, Nigeria AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Kabul, Afghanistan AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Jerusalem. Israel Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Moscow, Russia Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Seoul, South Korea AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Lagos, Nigeria AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Peshawar, Pakistan EPA World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Jakarta, Indonesia Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Hyderabad, India AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Kolkata, India AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Sydney, Australia Getty World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Sydney, Australia AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Aleppo, Syria Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Mexico City, Mexico AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Jerusalem, Israel EPA World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Baghdad, Iraq Rex World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories Rex World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Tokyo, Japan Rex World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Mexico City, Mexico Getty

A poll by NBC News-Wall Street Journal on May 15 said Ms Clinton would beat Mr Trump by three points, but said Mr Sanders would win by 15 points.

A CBS News-New York Times on May 3 gave Ms Clinton a six-point advantage over Mr Trump, but said Mr Sanders would win by 13 points.

At the same time, Fox News said Ms Clinton would lose to Mr Trump by three points, but said Mr Sanders would win by four.
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Michelle Obama is being urged to run for president in the next US election after Donald Trump stormed to victory on Wednesday in a seismic result that has shaken up the political system.

The tributes to the First Lady and her husband Barack Obama are already pouring in in the hours since Mr Trump was declared the 45th President of the United States.

Those dreaming of seeing a woman elected had their hopes crushed after Hillary Clintons shock defeat. The pressure is now piling on Ms Obama to reignite hopes of having the first woman at the helm of the White House by standing in the 2020 election.

What Ms Obama plans to do in the next four years is unclear. She has campaigned for veterans and for access to education for girls as part of her Let Girls Learn initiative and has suggested she may continue this work after Mr Obama leaves office.

She made her mark as First Lady by using her speeches to address difficult issues head on and challenge prevailing attitudes in America at a time of heightened racial tensions and police brutality. Her address at the Democratic National Convention carried particular resonance when she described the significance of her husband being President: I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves. And I watch my daughters, two beautiful, intelligent black young women, playing with their dogs on the White House lawn.

 Michelle Obama's inspiring speech at Clinton rally

She tackled Mr Trumps obscene comments about women without hesitation, telling a campaign rally in New Hampshire that she was shaken to the core by his remarks. She then took a powerful stance in speeches from there on by refusing to refer to him by name.

Ms Obama built a successful career as a hospital executive before giving it up to become the First Lady, something she was reportedly very upset about having to do. The initiatives she launched and engagements she carried out during this period were unpaid and with her husband losing his six-figure income both will need to seek out some form of work.

Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall  and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY

Mr Obamas legacy was summarised on Tuesday with an electric speech explaining the origins of his electric fired up, ready to go! chant used to rouse crowds during his first election bid.
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With a primal scream voters in America have rejected the political establishment as embodied by Hillary Clinton and gambled on a man with a sledgehammer promising to destroy it.

He was at times reckless and that appealed to them. He blew up the rules of campaigning by promising to blow up the rules of Washington. That is what the country has asked for. Will there be buyers remorse, perhaps as some saw in Britain after it voted to leave the European Union?

There wont, not among the tens of millions who voted for him. At least not now.

Recommended Read more Trump takes critical Florida where Clinton thought she had an edge

To ask the question even is to continue to commit the same mistake that so many made in the United Kingdom, when they misjudged the mood before Brexit, and so many similarly made here in the United States, when Mr Trump first burst onto the political scene one year ago in June.

This is what his supporters  so many more of them than the egg-covered pollsters ever saw  want and what they will still want when they awake on Wednesday morning. Their anger is real, visceral. Drain the swamp, he repeatedly exclaimed as he campaigned. They said, do.

It is a stunning sledgehammer blow to the status quo with deep implications for the political order not just in the United States. This eruption will ripple across the Atlantic at supersonic speed. France has elections soon. So does Germany. If Brexit didnt wake their political establishments from their sleep-walking self-confidence, Trump becoming the US President-elect should.

It will be tempting to conclude that Mr Trump won in part because Ms Clinton was a poor candidate. Indeed, she was. She lacked the warmth of the New York billionaire on the stump  and I do mean warmth  and she had none of his ability to connect beyond her solid base of liberal supporters. Honestly, she didnt really connect with many of them either.

Democrats chose her as their nominee in spite of the extraordinary baggage she carried with her. The email server was only part of it. It wasnt appetising to remember the dramas of the Bill Clinton presidency  Lewinsky, Whitewater et al.

Supporters of Donald Trump hug as election results come in during a party at a hotel in downtown Phoenix, Arizona (Getty)

And in a season when the stirrings of rebellion was surely visible to anyone who looked  who travelled out of their editorial suites in New York and their studios in Los Angeles to Dubuque, Iowa, or Grand Rapids, Michigan  why would you choose a candidate who was the quintessence of everything that ignited it in the first place?

I still recall Ms Clinton telling New Hampshire students in February that she understood voters anger that so much influence, power and money was concentrated in the hands of so few. And I thought, oh dear, shes a lost cause. Because she was clearly describing herself.

That she had enriched herself and her family so handsomely while professing to have had a 30-year career of humble public service, sat badly. How had she? It smelled, if not like outright corruption then a clear case of the elite using their position to look after number one.

But she failed above all because she was on the wrong side of the tsunami. And Trump won because he saw it, understood it and knew precisely how to ride it home. Actually, he understood it back at the end of 2012 when he first applied to trademark his slogan, Make America Great Again.

He knew that he could also give voters tangible things to blame. He held up globalisation and decades of free-trade policy as the culprit that had taken away their hopes of a better future and, often, their jobs, their very sense of economic security. His unexpectedly strong showing in states like Wisconsin and Michigan tells that story. And speaking of Ms Clintons failings  she did not set foot in the state of Michigan once after winning her partys nomination. Hubris is another sin she never quite grasped.

He understood that during eight years of President Barack Obama, his current positive approval numbers notwithstanding, many Americans found themselves questioning the notion that theirs was the worlds exceptional nation. In this country, thats like taking away religion.

Horror, not remorse, more aptly describes the mood of those on the losing side today. Partly because of their utter dislike of Trump the man. They should know: many of those who voted for Trump didnt like him either. I am going to hate voting for Trump, one Minnesota man told me a few weeks ago, but I am going to love not voting for Ms Clinton. Yes, he is probably a bad guy, but our desire for change is so complete, we will take him over her anyway and any day.

But beyond their disdain for the orange one the metropolitan, liberal elite of the East and West coasts know the damage that sledgehammer may now deal to things they cherish. The miracle of his election is their nightmare. No wonder the Canadian immigration website was crashing on Tuesday night.

The list of their fears of a Trump presidency  also real, visceral and profound  is long too. They fear for the immigrants he is threatening to throw out. No one more than those immigrants themselves. They fear what he will do to the rights of women to make choices about their own bodies and what his choices for the Supreme Court will do to all the social advances of recent years, including gay rights, voting rights, minority rights.

They know that the last several decades of free-trade doctrine that has helped to grow economies more than wreck them will be blown apart. A new trans-Atlantic free trade deal? Forget about it. They shudder at what Trump will do to the world order beyond trade. Nuclear proliferation, the future of the Nato alliance and  they can barely imagine  a love-in with Vladimir Putin. They quake at a return of trickle-down economics where the rich getting richer is meant to float those who are already sinking.

They see that the legacy of President Obama that they mostly like  including his milestone Obamacare law, flawed though it surely is  will be rolled up like dirty lino and thrown on a fire. Dont even mention the prospect of Giuliani as head of the FBI or Christie as Attorney General. Or the idea of a president who thinks climate change is a liberal con.

And where Trump supporters believe he will indeed make America great again, those who voted Hillary are of course convinced he will do the opposite. They believe Trumps America will be one of intolerance and division, not a land they want to raise their children in.

Americans can be certain of only a few things this morning. Mr Trump will not deliver all that he has promised his supporters. Coal miners wont get their jobs back. The wall on the US-Mexico border wont be built. His campaign was always part serious prescriptions, part utter fraud. Nor, however, will he be the unbridled catastrophe and embarrassment his detractors say he will be.

Finally what we can all be certain of is this: political leaders in what we understand to be our club of western democracies have now to wake up. If they pretend this populist wave is not real, they will perish. If they see it but then attempt to condescend to it or pretend it is peculiar to America only, they will perish. And if it is not in their blood to offer a considered response to it, they will also perish. As Hillary just has.
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The driver of a tram which derailed in Croydon, south London, has been arrested and released on bail, British Transport Police have said.

Seven people were confirmed to have died and more than 50 were injured in the crash that happened at around 6:10am.

Passengers remained trapped in the wreckage for hours after the vehicle overturned at a fork in the tracks as it approached the Sandilands stop in heavy rain.

The tram derailed near the Sandilands stop in Croydon killing at least seven people (PA)

On Thursday morning, the first victim was named. Dane Chinnery, 19, fron New Addington, was travelling to work at a flood response company in Croydon.

Its tragic, he was so young," a friend told the Evening Standard. "He was a lovely guy. really good fun. Everyone is heartbroken. He went to go to work and didnt come home.

Eight people were said to be in serious or life-threatening condition on Wednesday evening and officials have warned the death toll is likely to rise.

Investigators said the commuter tram was travelling at a significantly higher speed than is permitted, and are probing whether the driver may have fallen asleep.

The 42-year-old driver, from Beckenham, is being held on suspicion of manslaughter.

Scenes on board have been described as total carnage and like something out of a film as the two-carriage tram tipped onto its side.

More than 70 firefighters, eight fire engines and four rescue units attended the scene and a Transport for London source said the area would likely be off limits into the weekend.

 Five killed, 50 injured as rush-hour tram derails

Initial findings of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) show that the tram came off the tracks as it was negotiating a sharp, left-hand curve with a speed limit of 12mph.

Assistant Chief Police Constable Robin Smith said investigations into the cause of the accident were ongoing. We won't know what caused the accident for some time. We have local transport police and the rail accident branch with us investigating," he said.

What we can confirm is a number have tragically died and we expect more to follow. It's probably not right to speculate how many but a number of people have gone to local hospitals with injuries and the majority are walking wounded.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the 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will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London 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Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. 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Peter McKenna, deputy director of operations for London ambulance service, said that 43 people were taken to nearby hospitals with a range of injuries.

Fifty-one people were injured and taken to hospital. Forty-three of those were walking wounded, four had serious injuries and four had life threatening injuries. Injuries have ranged from cuts and bruises to lacerations and crush injuries, he said.

Speaking outside Croydon University Hospital, where he was being treated for fractured or broken ribs, Martin Bamford, 30, described the bloody scene inside the upturned tram.

It was just terrifying. There was a woman that was on top of me [...] I don't think she made it at all. She wasn't responsive. There was blood everywhere, he said.

Local residents were in shock following the tragedy.

Michael Felix who lives next to the tram stop told how he woke up to a cacophony of noise and wailing sirens shortly after 6am.

"It's truly frightening, I take that tram all the time with my friends. It could have been one of us," he said.

Recommended TfL releases new Tube map with tram lines

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said the bend approaching the Sandilands stop is particularly treacherous. It is a very steep bend and it was pelting down with rain this morning, she said.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said investigations would have to take place to ascertain the cause of the crash.

This is clearly a very very distressing event. Right now it's about professionalism in dealing with the aftermath and those who have been so tragically affected and the community around them, he told reporters at the scene.

I wish to send all my good wishes to those families and to say we need to know what went on here and learn the lessons.

Mike Brown, Transport for London's Commissioner, said his thoughts were with the bereaved.

My thoughts are clearly with those who have been bereaved today and those who have lost their lives and the families of all of those involved and those injured in this incident.

We are working very closely with the police, the fire brigade and ambulance services to ensure transport for London are cooperating in whatever way we can with the investigation.

It is believed to be the first tram crash involving fatalities on board since 1959, when two women passengers and the driver died after a tram caught fire in Shettlestone Road, Glasgow, following a collision with a lorry.

London Tramlink has confirmed that no services are operating between Reeves Corner and Addington Village/Harrington Road.

London mayor Sadiq Khan, who visited the scene earlier, warned the death toll may well increase.

"My thoughts and prayers are with all those who have lost loved ones in the tragic incident this morning in Croydon," he said.
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Civil and criminal investigations have been launched into 22 people suspected of tax evasion following an examination of the Panama Papers by a Government taskforce.

Philip Hammond told MPs nine potential professional enablers of economic crime with links to known criminals had been identified.

The 10 million taskforce had also uncovered a number of leads relevant to an operation into insider trading led by the Financial Conduct Authority, said the Chancellor.

David Cameron established the taskforce, led by HM Revenue and Customs and the National Crime Agency (NCA), to investigate allegations of tax-dodging linked to the leak of millions of documents from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca in April.

The former Prime Minister's personal finances came under scrutiny and he later admitted he handled the row over his profits from an offshore fund badly, although he maintained it amounted to entirely standard practice and was not to avoid tax.

Mr Hammond said links to eight ongoing Serious Fraud Office investigations have been established and 43 wealthy people are under special review while their links to Panama are further investigated.

He added that 64 firms have been contacted to determine their links with Mossack Fonseca.

Thousands march on Downing Street calling for Cameron to resign over Panama Papers scandal

Other matters identified by the taskforce include referring 26 offshore companies to the NCA for potentially suspicious financial activity, with the firms having previously concealed beneficial ownership of UK property.

Mr Hammond said other people have also come forward to settle their affairs in advance of taskforce partners taking action.

Further investigation into areas including links to organised crime will take place in the coming months, the Cabinet minister added.

MPs have voiced concerns about the taskforce being unable to get its hands on the relevant documents from journalists, with the government previously noting it faced logistical barriers.

In a written statement to MPs, Mr Hammond said the intelligence gathered by the taskforce would ensure that the UK remains uniquely placed to contribute to the international effort to uncover, and take action on, wrongdoing, regardless of how deeply hidden the arrangements are, as well as identify those jurisdictions where regulatory oversight requires improvement.

He added: We can today report that the taskforce has opened civil and criminal investigations into 22 individuals for suspected tax evasion.

10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Show all 10 1 /10 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Luxembourg There are an estimated 2.5 trillion shares of mutual funds registered in the Grand Duchy, 1 trillion of which cannot be traced to an owner 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands contain 6% of the world's total banking assets, but just 0.000008% of its population 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Isle of Man David Cameron has said the Isle of Man, where there is no corporation, capital gains or inheritance tax, should not be considered a tax haven 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Jersey There are over 3.5 billion assets per square mile on the self-governing Channel Island 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Ireland Ireland made headlines last year when it emerged Apple was registered in the country in order to dodge over 40bn in taxes 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Mauritius The Mauritian government notionally charges corporation tax, but companies can easily make this back through generous tax credits for foreign businesses 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Bermuda Google holds more than 30bn in offshore cash reserves, primarily via Bermuda 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Monaco A popular domicile for super-rich private individuals, Monaco has the most expensive property in the world. 1 million will buy just 225 square feet 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Switzerland Switzerland has such secretive banking laws that it took until the 1990s to secure the release of Nazi cash reserves 10 of the biggest tax havens in the world Bahamas David Cameron's father ran an offshore fund which hired Bahamas residents to complete paperwork, thus dodging British tax bills

Shadow treasury minister Rebecca Long-Bailey said: The fact that the government has sneaked this out in a written statement just before recess probably says all you need to know about how seriously they are really taking the issue of tackling tax avoidance.

And you can see why they are trying to hide this statement, when you consider that back in April they claimed they were looking into 700 leads but today they are saying they're only investigating 22 individuals - that is a 3 per cent rate of following down these leads.

Press Association contributed to this report
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Two teenage girls have died after being struck down by a car while jogging in Aldershot, Hampshire.

The victims, who have not been named were out running when they were hit by a black Ford Focus in Aldershot around 7:10pm on Tuesday, say Hampshire police.

Police have arrested a 24-year-old man, thought to be the driver, who remains in custody.

A spokesman for Hampshire police said: "No-one else was hurt and inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances of what happened."

The girls' families are being supported by specially trained officers.

More to follow
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EU leaders will risk angering Theresa May when they discuss Brexit in her absence at a summit next month.

The Prime Minister had demanded to be fully involved in all discussions about Britains continued membership of the bloc, after being excluded from previous meetings.

The plea accompanied Ms Mays statement that she was determined to remain fully involved in all EU decision-making up until Brexit was completed, probably in 2019.

Recommended Theresa May sidelined at her own EU Brexit showdown

But the leaders of the so-called EU27  every EU nation except Britain  are expected to meet on the second day of Decembers European Council summit in Brussels.

A spokesman for Council President Donald Tusk told the Politico website that the EU27 leaders will meet on the margins of the December [summit] to discuss the Brexit process.

It will be the third such meeting in Britains absence since the June referendum vote to leave the EU in June.

The EU27 also plans to stage another informal summit in Malta in January 2017, when Ms May will not be invited at all.

According to an EU diplomat, the Prime Minister  after being excluded last month  told fellow leaders: I accept that 27 needs to meet, but I want the UK to play an active part.

Thus, we should meet as 28, otherwise it will be hard for me to accept things you agreed among yourselves. I expect to be fully involved in all discussions related to the EU28.

It was reported that Mr Tusk told Ms May the EU would continue to meet without the UK when it wished to.

However, Downing Street has insisted she will only be unhappy if the meeting of the EU27 tries to make decisions on issues that affect Britain while it remains a member - not if it simply discusses Brexit itself.

The Prime Minister will travel to Brussels for the two-day summit on December 15 and 16, after a difficult summit debut last month.

She was made to wait until 1am to deliver her message that Britain will not change its mind about Brexit  and given just five minutes to speak, at dinner.

She was not allowed to speak until long after the waiters were waiting to clear the dishes away, one observer said.

No other leader spoke in response to Ms Mays brief speech  a united front reflecting the EUs refusal to start exit negotiations until the formal Article 50 notice is invoked, probably early next year.

Mr Tusk had urged all the other leaders to stay silent, because formal talks must not begin until that two-year process is underway.

Both the French president and German chancellor warned that, if Ms May pursued a hard Brexit, talks would be hard too.

The tough stance also reflected the reality that the rest of the EU is currently more focused on Russian aggression in Syria and the ongoing migration crisis.
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Delighted Tory MPs hailed Donald Trumps shock victory as a big boost to hopes of a post-Brexit trade deal with the United States.

They pointed out that the Republican had rejected President Obamas famous warning that Britain would be at the back of the queue if it voted to leave the EU.

Mr Trump had threatened to kill off the proposed, but stalled, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal between US and the EU  opening the door to a package with Britain instead, it was claimed.

But Brexit critics pointed out his campaign had been anti-free trade in general  arguing it showed the need to seek the closest possible trading relationship with Britains neighbours.

Furthermore, before the US election, one prominent Leave campaigner, Theresa Villiers, warned an agreement with the UK would not be a high priority for Mr Trump.

During his successful campaign, Mr Trump raged against the Democrats for signing free trade deals as he promised American voters he would bring back our jobs.

He claimed that allowing China to join the World Trade Organisation had closed 70,000 factories and that the trade deal with Canada and Mexico had culled huge numbers of manufacturing jobs.

Both TTIP and th Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will probably still be under negotiation when Mr Trump takes office  and are under threat.

However, he also rejected giving priority to an EU deal, telling Britain in May: Youd certainly not be at the back of the queue, that I can tell you.

That prompted Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Conservative MP, to say: Donald Trump has spoken positively about the UK, especially regarding a trade deal, saying we would be at the front of the line.

This is more positive than the hostile approach taken by [Barack] Obama, so I am optimistic about Anglo American relations.

And Michael Fabricant, another Tory backbencher, said: Donald Trump, unlike Hillary Clinton, is very pro-British with extensive business interests in the UK.

Trump said he would put Britain first in line for any trade deal. And he means it.

But James McGrory, co-executive director of the pro-EU Open Britain campaign, said the result made it even more vital for Britain to stay in the single market, our home marketplace of over 500 million consumers.

He said: Donald Trumps victory presents Britain and the world with an uncertain future, especially given the new presidents antagonism to free trade and warm words about protectionism.

In uncertain times, we need to value our allies and stay close to them. British trade and prosperity would be best served by the Government seeking the closest possible trading relationship with our allies on the continent.

Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, has made wooing the United States a key part of his post-Brexit trading strategy, touring the country in July.

He announced that his department would open offices in the cities of Minneapolis in Minnesota, Raleigh in North Carolina and San Diego in California.

However, Britain will only be able to strike unilateral trade deals if it leaves the EUs customs union  a decision Theresa May has insisted has yet to be made.
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Britain's politicians watched on in horror on Tuesday night as Donald Trump edged closer and closer towards the US presidency.

Many of the UK's MPs stayed up overnight or rose early to catch the final result of the election, which saw the far-right millionaire propelled towards being the most powerful man in the world.

Here's how many of them reacted to the news that Mr Trump was the likely winner through bleary eyes at around 5am UK time.

 US Election: Presidential results by state - 07:00

Some MPs worried about the future of NATO.

Others considered the implications for Britain's post-Brexit trade deals.

For some, the implications were too frightening to consider.

It was a time to consider the unthinkable.

They mulled over the implications of the new President's policies.

One MP saw a warning to politicians in the result.

Some MPs urged caution and a time for reflection on the result.

Futility was the order of the day.

For some, the choice was more stark.

A certain MP had already had enough for this year, thank you.

Others sensed and element of bathetic fallacy.

One former Deputy Prime Minister tried his hand at humour.
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Ukips Nigel Farage is heading to the United States this weekend where he will probably become the first British politician to meet Donald Trump since his shock election victory.

A senior party insider told The Independent that Mr Farage would travel to the US after visiting Barcelona this week, heightening speculation that he may be about to take a role with Mr Trump.

During the presidential campaign the Ukip man was praised by Mr Trump at a rally, while the Republican President-elect and his allies have hailed Brexit during their campaign and borrowed the "take back control" slogan of the drive to quit the EU in which Mr Farage played a leading role.

Speaking this morning the Ukip interim leader said: "Today, the establishment is in deep shock. Even more so than after Brexit."

He added: "I commend Donald Trump for the courage with which he has fought this campaign and I look forward to a closer relationship between the US and the UK. We now have a president who likes our country and understands our post-Brexit values.

 UK Politician Nigel Farage Teams Up With Trump Against Clinton

"Prepare for further political shocks in the years to come."

The party insider said Mr Farage would travel to Florida to give a speech and then on to New York. While a meeting with Mr Trump is not yet set in stone, Mr Farage will be seeing senior figures in Mr Trump's team and is likely to meet the President-elect.

Mr Farage was invited to attend a Trump rally in Jackson, Mississippi, on 25 August by the state's governor, Phil Bryant, and was invited on stage to address the crowd. The presidential candidate introduced him saying: "On 23 June, the people of Britain voted to declare their independence  which is what we're also looking to do, folks  from their international government."

 Nigel Farage compares Donald Trump to a silverback gorilla in the second presidential debate

Ukip's interim leader refused to directly endorse Mr Trump, but said: "I could not possibly tell you how to vote in this election, but, you know, I get it. If I was an American citizen, I wouldn't vote for Hillary Clinton if you paid me. In fact, I wouldn't vote for Hillary Clinton if she paid me."

Speaking in New York today, Trump-ally Sarah Palin underlined the link between Brexit and Mr Trumps campaign, saying: "See, Great Britain, America, See how we're hookin' up now? We're going rogue and the people are going to take back control."

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She added: "We've got to take care of what's going on here within our borders just like you all have done especially recently."

Asked whether he would accept a job under Mr Trump, Mr Farage told ITV's Agenda programme on Monday, "we'll just have to see". He then joked: "If he did offer me a job I would quite like to be his ambassador to the European Union. I think I would do that job very well. "

Then on LBC Radio he said: "Is he going to offer me a job? I'm hoping he might do."
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"Stupid, divisive, and wrong" was how Theresa Mays predecessor in Downing Street characterised the President-elect Donald Trumps incendiary remarks on Muslims earlier this year. The Prime Minister, however, had remained careful during the campaign not to express a preference for either candidate.

In a statement released 90 minutes after the majority of news outlets called Mr Trump the victor in the American election over Hillary Clinton, Ms May also congratulated the new leader and insisted Britain and the United States will remain strong and close partners.

I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next president of the United States, following a hard-fought campaign, the Prime Minister said.

Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.

Ms May is not only aware that one of the pillars of British foreign policy  its relationship with the European Union  lies in tatters, but now the so-called special relationship with the United States is under threat from a President-elect who is a frequent admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Although it was never publicly said, it was clear that behind-the-scenes, Downing Street was hoping for Hillary Clintons election as the 45th President of the US.

Here The Independent looks at several areas that could be a cause for concern for Ms May once Donald Trump enters the White House at the beginning of next year.

Climate change

The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive wrote Mr Trump in 2012. Two years later, he added: Windmills are the greatest threat in the US to both bald and golden eagles. Media claims fictional global warming is worse.

Then theres Sarah Palin, who has previously expressed a degree of interest in a vacancy for the Energy Secretary position in a Trump administration. However, she admitted she would not in the job very long, adding: If I were head of that, Id get rid of it.

"Energy is my baby," she added. "Oil and gas and minerals  those things that God has dumped on this part of the earth for mankind's use instead of us relying on unkind foreign nations for us to import their resources."

 Theresa May 'looks forward' to working with Donald Trump

It is clear that Mr Trumps election as the next US President will usher in a period of uncertainty and trepidation among climate change experts. The long sought after Paris agreement on climate change  marking the first time governments have agreed legally binding limits to temperature rises across the planet  will also be thrown into question.

Reacting to Mr Trumps victory, Friends of the Earth described his election as a major threat to our climate and future well-being for generations to come.

They added: But thankfully the clean energy revolution is now unstoppable. And well always have Paris, which commits the rest of the international community to climate action. If Mr Trump chooses to disengage then he will hand the next industrial revolution lock, stock and barrel to China.

Brexit and trade deals

In Hillary Clinton, Ms May could have had a major world leader on her side during the negotiations with credibility  and one that is well known on the international stage after her time as Secretary of State under Mr Obama.

And while Barack Obama personally intervened in the European Union referendum campaign and urged the British public to remain in the bloc, Mr Trump had called for Britain to leave adding the decision to give refuge to millions of migrants was a disaster. It is not clear whether Americas new President will have any interest in the Brext negotiations.

Despite the President-elect rebuffing Mr Obamas insistence that Britain would go to the back of the queue for a new trade deal if the public voted to leave the EU, it is clear Mr Trump has not always been the most ardent advocator of free trade. He had previously told CBS news he wanted to rip up the disaster North American Free Trade Agreement and enact tariffs. For the time being, at least, a free trade deal with the US after Brexit is an uncertain prospect.

Nato and defence

The North Atlantic Treaty Organsation (Nato) could face an uncertain future following Mr Trumps election  and there may be pressure on governments to increase their defence expenditure after Mr Trump used the presidential debates to claim European countries were not paying their dues.

The billionaire businessman has also previously suggested the US may not automatically defend its Nato allies under attack  despite Article 5, the collective defence clause, being a key tenant of the organisation.

Mr Trump made the controversial suggestion in an interview with the New York Times. We have many Nato members that arent paying the bills, he said after being asked whether he would come to the aid, militarily, of Eastern European countries if Russia came over the border.

He added: You cant forget the bills. They have an obligation to make payments. Many NATO nations are not making payments, are not making what theyre supposed to make. Thats a big thing. You cant say forget that.

Russia

It is clear that some Government ministers are concerned about Mr Trumps relationship with Russia. Following his electoral victory on Tuesday, the Russian President was one of the first world leaders to congratulate him.

Mr Trumps apparent willingness to dismiss intelligence that Russia was behind a series of cyber-attacks could become a source of tension in the special relationship with the US and Britain.

Just last week in an extraordinary intervention the head of the Mi5 said Russia is becoming "increasingly aggressive" and is willing to use "propaganda, espionage, subversion and cyber-attacks" against countries including the UK.

President Donald Trump life in pictures Show all 16 1 /16 President Donald Trump life in pictures President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump poses in a rocking chair once used by President John F. Kennedy at his New York City residence Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump with his new bride Marla Maples after their wedding at the Plaza hotel in New York Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Celina Midelfart watch the match between Conchita Martinez and Amanda Coetzer during U.S. Open. She was the date whom Donald Trump was with when he met his current wife Melania at a party in 1996 Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas serving as the grand marshal for the Daytona 500, speaks to Donald Trump and Melania Knauss on the starting grid at the Daytona International Speedwa Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump talks with his former wife Ivana Trump during the men's final at the U.S. Open Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and his friend Melania Knauss pose for photographers as they arrive at the New York premiere of Star Wars Episode : 'The Phantom Menace,' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump talks with host Larry King. Trump told King that he was moving toward a possible bid for the United States presidency with the formation of a presidential exploratory committee Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump answers questions as Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura looks on in Brooklyn Park. Trump said on Friday he 'very well might' make a run for president under the Reform Party banner but had not made a final decision Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump makes a face at a friend as he sits next to Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso before the start of the 2003 Miss Universe pageant in Panama City Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Entrepreneur Donald Trump is greeted by a Marilyn Monroe character look-a-alike, as he arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood to attend the an open casting call for his NBC television network reality series 'The Apprentice.' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Simon Cowell present an Emmy during the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Megan Mullally perform at the 57th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump, poses with his children, son Donald Trump, Jr., and daughters Tiffany and Ivanka Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump told Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner on Tuesday she would be given a second chance after reported misbehavior Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump holds a replica of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as his wife Melania holds their son Barron in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. property mogul Donald Trump stands next to a bagpiper during a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland Reuters

In the statement posted on the Kremlin website on Wednesday, it said Mr Putin had sent the new American President-elect a telegram expressing his hope that they could work together to restore US-Russian relations from their current state of crisis.

The Kremlin had been widely thought to favour Mr Trump in the US election, believing Hillary Clinton would adopt a more confrontational approach to Russia while her Republican Party rival has expressed his admiration for Mr Putin.

Iran Nuclear Deal

The landmark nuclear deal with Iran, touted by the Obama administration as a historic understanding, saw sanctions against the country lifted in exchange for gurantees it would not pursue nuclear weapons.

President Hassan Rouhani said the deal opened new windows of engagement with the world and the country should get ready to seize the opportunity to make an economic leap and development.

But for Mr Trump the deal  welcomed by the British government  said it was the worst deal I think Ive ever seen negotiated and dismantling it would be his number one priority.
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Theresa May has congratulated Donald Trump on his shock US presidential election victory and insisted she will preserve the enduring and special relationship between the two countries.

The Prime Minister, who previously appeared to be critical of Mr Trumps campaign, released an official statement that sought to build bridges with the new US leader for the sake of the prosperity of our nations.

Recommended Read more The Middle East will present Donald Trump with a terrifying choice

Ms May said: I would like to congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the next President of the United States, following a hard-fought campaign.

Britain and the United States have an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.

We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence.

 Trump win is a 'difficult moment for the EU'

It was a workmanlike tone from Ms May, after she previously hinted at her disapproval of Mr Trumps campaign by saying elections should be conducted in a calm and measured way with proper consideration of the issues.

Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, tweeted: Congratulations to Donald Trump and much looking forward to working with his administration on global stability and prosperity.

But behind the scenes many Conservatives were uncertain about what the future holds. They questioned the President elects knowledge of world affairs and raised major concerns over his potential foreign policy. One senior figure branded it frighteningly shallow.

One minister told The Independent: The question is whether he has any understanding of the Middle East. Will he or will he not address the expansion of Israeli settlements for example. He probably knows nothing about it.

He also thinks he can make policy on Russia through force of character. That will be put to the test.

 Donald Trump wins US Presidential Election

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The minister believed Mr Trump would support NATO, despite the candidate suggesting he may withdraw US support for countries who do not meet the alliance treatys two per cent defence spending commitment.

The individual added: Hell begin to get all the briefings and hell have to eat a lot of his words.

Chair of the influential Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Tory MP Crispin Blunt, said: The task facing his transition team, given that half the Republican foreign policy and security establishment have outright opposed Donald Trump, means that challenge is very great.

We have got a businessman turned president whose foreign policy knowledge and understanding is frighteningly shallow. We are going to have to see how much he learns in the next two months.

A handful of Ms Mays MPs had offered some support for the winners campaign in recent weeks, but this morning others took to Twitter.

Tim Loughton MP tweeted: Americans may just have elected a new Commander-in-Chief but looks like there is a vacancy for a new moral leader of the free world.

Kingston and Surbiton Conservative MP James Berry said: UnbelievableI hope that President elect Trump means what he says about bringing the USA together after a shockingly divisive election.
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The Government has dismissed a United Nations report declaring that Conservative welfare cuts have resulted in grave violations of the rights of disabled people.

The damning report by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) found the cuts had disproportionately impacted disabled people, and attacked changes in housing benefits, changes in eligibility criteria for the "moving around" component under the Personal Independence Payment, the tightening of criteria to access social care and the closure of the Independent Living Fund.

Members of a UN committee consisting of 18 independent experts visited Britain in October 2015 and the report was based on more than 200 interviews and some 3,000 pages of documentary evidence.

The 22-page report criticised welfare cuts and caps introduced under the former Welfare Secretary Ian Duncan Smith, who was forced to resign in March after the austerity programme the government said would make the welfare system fairer and reduce benefit fraud, was criticised as "a compromise too far".

The so-called "bedroom tax", or the removal of what Government ministers have called the "spare room subsidy" for housing benefit claimants in social housing with an extra bedroom, was also criticised in the report, along with the cap on household benefits and changes to local housing allowances.

"The committee notes that, in multiple cases, social housing size criteria failed to recognise the specific living arrangements that persons with disabilities require in connection with their impairment and respect of their autonomy, will and preferences," the report said.

"The committee observes that measures have caused financial hardship to persons with disabilities resulting in ... arrears, debts, evictions and cuts to essentials such as housing and food."

The impact of welfare cuts: Britons on the breadline Show all 5 1 /5 The impact of welfare cuts: Britons on the breadline The impact of welfare cuts: Britons on the breadline 406756.bin GETTY IMAGES The impact of welfare cuts: Britons on the breadline 406757.bin GETTY IMAGES The impact of welfare cuts: Britons on the breadline 406758.bin GETTY IMAGES The impact of welfare cuts: Britons on the breadline 406759.bin GETTY IMAGES The impact of welfare cuts: Britons on the breadline 406760.bin John Lawrence

In its conclusion, the CPRD said: "The committee considers that there is reliable evidence that the threshold of grave or systematic violations of the rights of persons with disabilities has been met in the state party (the UK)."

The committee made 11 recommendations to the UK government, including urging a complete impact assessment of reforms introduced since 2010.

But, in a point-by-point rebuttal, as long as the committee's 10,000 word report, the Government said the UN inquiry was too narrow in scope and it did not plan to follow up on its recommendations any further.

Work and Pensions Secretary Damian Green rejected the report as "patronising and offensive".

"At the heart of this report lies an outdated view of disability which is patronising and offensive. We strongly refute its findings," he said.

"The UN measures success as the amount of money poured into the system, rather than the work and health outcomes for disabled people. Our focus is on helping disabled people find and stay in work, whilst taking care of those who can't.

"The UK is a recognised world leader in disabled rights and equality. Not only do we spend around 50 billion a year to support sick and disabled people - more of our GDP than countries including Canada, France and the USA - but we also offer a wide range of tailored and effective support, which this report fails to recognise.

"Our Work and Health Green Paper marks a turning point in our action to confront the attitudes, prejudices and misunderstandings within the minds of employers and across wider society."

Shadow work and pensions secretary Debbie Abrahams said: "The UN report confirms that, despite Theresa May's warm words, this Government is failing sick and disabled people."

Dan Scorer, head of policy at Mencap, told the Guardian: This report is further acknowledgement that cutting disabled peoples benefits will only make life harder and isolate people further from inclusion in employment and wider society. People with a learning disability face massive exclusion from the labour market, and have seen their benefits and funding for vital social care services reduced.

Additional reporting by agencies
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One person has been killed and at least three people injured after an active shooter opened fire near a polling station in Azusa, a suburb of Los Angeles.

Police said officers were pinned down by gunfire during the incident, which took place in a residential neighbourhood about 2pm local time but was not thought to be connected to the voting going on nearby.

There was one fatality, police said, and two people were transported to hospital by helicopter in critical condition, with one additional victim "down" at the "primary residence" where the incident took place. By 4.40am the police declared the situation under control, with all the officers involved safe and accounted for.

As shots rang out, people started to run inside the polling station at the Memorial Park and Slauson Middle School before officials closed the doors.

Elizabeth Hopkinson told NBC that she and her 9-month-old son were locked down at Slauson Middle School nearby, and that she was going to vote when the shooting happened.

She said she heard, "pow, pows, then a rain of fire."

She was one of 25 people locked in the gym, as well as a group of children. Another female voter, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told CNN that she was inside the polling station when she heard shots ring out. "At first, I thought it was construction but people came running into the room saying they see a guy with a bulletproof vest and a white shirt," she said.

More follows...
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Donald Trump has been elected the 45th president of the United States following a controversial campaign.

During his race with Hillary Clinton for the White House, Mr Trump made several contentious remarks which were later debunked.

Here is a collection of the lies and mistruths Mr Trump told during the US election campaign, many of which were fact-checked by PolitiFact.

Barack Obama 'screamed at a protester'

Mr Trump branded President Obama's response to a protester a "disgrace" and accused him of "screaming" at the man.

President Donald Trump life in pictures Show all 16 1 /16 President Donald Trump life in pictures President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump poses in a rocking chair once used by President John F. Kennedy at his New York City residence Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump with his new bride Marla Maples after their wedding at the Plaza hotel in New York Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Celina Midelfart watch the match between Conchita Martinez and Amanda Coetzer during U.S. Open. She was the date whom Donald Trump was with when he met his current wife Melania at a party in 1996 Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas serving as the grand marshal for the Daytona 500, speaks to Donald Trump and Melania Knauss on the starting grid at the Daytona International Speedwa Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump talks with his former wife Ivana Trump during the men's final at the U.S. Open Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and his friend Melania Knauss pose for photographers as they arrive at the New York premiere of Star Wars Episode : 'The Phantom Menace,' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump talks with host Larry King. Trump told King that he was moving toward a possible bid for the United States presidency with the formation of a presidential exploratory committee Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump answers questions as Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura looks on in Brooklyn Park. Trump said on Friday he 'very well might' make a run for president under the Reform Party banner but had not made a final decision Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump makes a face at a friend as he sits next to Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso before the start of the 2003 Miss Universe pageant in Panama City Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Entrepreneur Donald Trump is greeted by a Marilyn Monroe character look-a-alike, as he arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood to attend the an open casting call for his NBC television network reality series 'The Apprentice.' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Simon Cowell present an Emmy during the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Megan Mullally perform at the 57th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump, poses with his children, son Donald Trump, Jr., and daughters Tiffany and Ivanka Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump told Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner on Tuesday she would be given a second chance after reported misbehavior Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump holds a replica of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as his wife Melania holds their son Barron in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. property mogul Donald Trump stands next to a bagpiper during a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland Reuters

However, the president-elect's version of events appears to differ significantly from reality, as Mr Obama told the crowd: "You've got an older gentleman who is supporting his candidate. He's not doing nothing. You don't have to worry about him."

"We live in a country that respects free speech. Second of all, it looks like he might have served in our military and we got to respect that. Third of all, he was elderly, and we got to respect our elders."

Groping allegations 'largely debunked'

Mr Trump said allegations he had groped or kissed nine women without their consent had been debunked during the third presidential debate.

"Nobody has more respect for women than I do, nobody," Mr Trump said. "And frankly, those stories have been largely debunked."

While some accounts have been challenged, none have yet been shown to be untrue.

He won the second debate 'in a landslide' in 'every poll'

Mr Trump claimed he won the second debate "in a landslide" in "every poll," however most polls actually said Ms Clinton won the debate.

Climate change is a 'hoax'

Mr Trump claimed during the election he was an environmentalist and "a believer in the environment".

However, in 2012 he claimed the concept of global warming "was created by and for the Chinese".

There are '30 million' illegal migrants

Outlining his policies on immigration, Mr Trump said the government doesn't know the number of illegal migrants.

"Honestly we've been hearing that number for years. It's always 11 million. Our government has no idea. It could be 3 million. It could be 30 million," he said. "They have no idea what the number is."

The US Homeland Security Department last estimated the size of the undocumented immigrant population in 2012, when it was at 11.4 million.

Donald Trump is the President-elect of the United States (Getty)

Clinton would let in 650 million people in one week

Similarly, Mr Trump claimed Ms Clinton would "have 650 million people pour into our country... You triple the size of our country in one week".

The US is home to around 324 million people. To get anywhere close to Mr Trump's claim, every single person from South America, Central America and Canada would have to move to the United States, according to the Washington Post.

Barack Obama was not born in the US

Mr Trump spent five years questioning Mr Obama's citizenship and his religion.

Eventually, he blamed Ms Clinton's campaign and Sidney Blumenthal for starting the "birther" rumour.

However, there is no evidence Ms Cilnton or Mr Blumenthal had anything to do with the movement.

$6 billion went missing from the State Department under Clinton

During the final presidential debate, Mr Trump claimed the State Department lost $6 billion under Ms Clinton's tenure.

Ms Clinton replied: "Well, first of all, what he just said about the State Department is not only untrue, it's been debunked numerous times."

His claim has been debunked several times.

Donald Trump met with President Vladimir Putin

 US Election results: Donald Trump takes the White House

During the final presidential debate, Mr Trump denied ever meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin

"I dont know Putin. I have no idea," Mr Trump said. "I never met Putin. This is not my best friend."

However, Mr Trump has claimed several times in the past to have met Mr Putin.

'I did not support the war in Iraq'

Mr Trump has claimed several times he was against the Iraq war, however no evidence exists of his early opposition to the invasion.

He expressed lukewarm support the first time he was asked about it on 11 September, 2002, and was not clearly against it until he was quoted in the August 2004 Esquire cover story titled Donald Trump: How Id Run the Country (Better)".

'Check out sex tape' tweet

When asked about his early morning tweets directing people to "check out" a sex tape as he criticised a former Ms Universe, Mr Trump said: "It wasn't 'check out a sex tape'".

However, he did tell his 12.2 million Twitter followers to "check out sex tape and past" in a tweet made in the early hours of the morning.
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The American people have spoken, and with the House of Representatives and the Senate both back in the Republican Partys grasp, Donald Trump is set to be in a position that will grant him more power than any president in a generation.

The billionaire tycoon's victory means the string of controversial promises he made during the campaign now face the prospect of becoming reality.

As the world looks on in bemusement at how a man who has never held elected office or served in the US military has made it to the White House, here are some of Mr Trump's most eyebrow-raising promises to the American people.

Build a wall along the Mexican border

One of Mr Trump's most extreme promises has been to build a wall along the border between the US and Mexico - and to force Mexico to pay for it.

He first proposed the barrier during his candidacy announcement speech in June 2015, saying he would "build a great wall" on America's southern border, before adding: "I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.

Imprison Hillary Clinton

 Donald Trump says Hillary Clinton would be in jail if he were President

During a heated public debate with Hillary Clinton, Mr Trump announced he would get a special prosecutor to look into the case of his rival's misuse of a personal email account.

The business tycoon said: If I win, I'm going to instruct the attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation because there's never been so many lies, so much deception, before adding that Mrs Clinton would be in jail if he were in charge of the law in the US.

The FBI concluded there was no evidence Mrs Clinton had committed a crime in her handling of the email servers, although lengthy investigations had found evidence of carelessness and dishonesty.

Ban Muslims from entering the US and 'monitor' mosques

 USA: Trump calls for Muslims to be banned from entering US

Early on in his campaign, Mr Trump called for a a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our countrys representatives can figure out what the hell is going on.

The Republican later stated in an interview with Fox News Channel that Muslim military personnel stationed overseas would be able to come home and that it "did not apply to people living in the country, but repeatedly urged that even in these cases the country had to be "vigilant.

The tycoon has also called for surveillance of mosques in the US.

In a speech in June, he said the authorities should "check, respectfully, the mosques" warning that Islamic extremism would "eat the country alive" if it wasn't solved.

Diminish freedom of the press

Mr Trump has been widely critical of the media during his election campaign, accusing news outlets of rallying against him - and he pledged to change the laws surrounding libel cases if he won the election.

During a rally in Texas, he said he would "open up our libel laws, so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them, and win lots of money.

Mr Trump went on to say that outlets such as the New York Times were totally protected, adding: You see, with me, they're not protected, because I'm not like other people.

Cancel the Paris Agreement on climate change

Mr Trump's imminent presidency has set climate experts into panic mode after he said he wants to dismantle the recently signed Paris Agreement, suggesting the US should not waste financial resources on tacking the issue.

In 2012, Mr Trump famously tweeted his theory that climate change was a myth invented by the Chinese to hurt US manufacturers.

Order the US military to torture detainees and kill the families of terrorists

In a Fox News Republican candidate debate, the billionaire was asked about General Michael Hayden saying that the military would refuse to follow illegal orders such as the intentional killing of terrorists families, to which he responded that they "won't refuse", implying these are orders he would make.

They wont refuse, theyre not going to refuse me - believe me, Mr Trump has said, before elaborating with claims the wives of the 9/11 terrorists knew what was going to happen and fled to Saudi Arabia just before the attacks.

Abolish international trade deals

During the first presidential debate, Mr Trump said trade deals must be "renegotiated" to stop other countries from "stealing" America's jobs.

In a separate interview with Meet the Press, Mr Trump said that under his leadership the US would pull out of the World Trade Organisation if they didnt agree to his renegotiations and describing the deal as a "disaster", saying: We're going to renegotiate or we're going to pull out.

"These trade deals are a disaster. You know, the World Trade Organisation is a disaster.

Tighten abortion laws

 Trump thinks Clinton's abortion policy means you can 'rip the baby out' after being nine months pregnant

Mr Trump has made his pro-life stance on abortion clear, pledging to "advance the rights of unborn children and their mothers when elected president.

The Republican president-elect has incorrectly asserted that babies could be ripped from the womb up until the last day before birth and even threatened in March that there should be some form of punishment for women who get abortions, backtracking the next day by saying the punishment should be focused on providers.

Renegotiate international alliances, allow nuclear proliferation

Mr Trump has insisted allies such as Japan and Saudi Arabia aren't paying for the alliances they have with the US, and warned that such nations will be forced to pay more or face a US pull-out, suggesting such countries obtaining nuclear weapons wouldn't be a bad thing for the US.

The co-author of Mr Trumps memoir has voiced concerns over what might happen if he gains access to Americas nuclear weapons, recently stating: Please God dont give this man the nuclear codes and tweeting that the tycoon is totally willing to blow up the world to protect his fragile sense of self.

Repeal Obamacare

A long-time opponent of President Obama's Affordable Care Act, which expands and improves access to healthcare in the US, Mr Trump will abolish it, telling an audience: Obamacare has to be replaced, and we will do it, and we will do it very quickly.

He said he would replace the system with something terrific that is so much better, but details on this alternative have been slim, other than his suggestions to make health plans available nationally instead of regionally.
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"Sieg Heil 2016," read black letters, scrawled across a shop window in Philadelphia.

The Nazi-era phrase was written the day after Donald Trump won the presidency, and on the 78th anniversary of Kirstallnacht in Germany.

On 8 November 1938, fascists torched, vandalized and destroyed Jewish homes, shops and synagogues.

Recommended Trump is now set to get the same intelligence briefing as Obama

They painted stars and racial slurs, broke windows and caused fear and panic as Hitler rose to power.

On a grey, damp day in November 2016, the vandalism on the streets of Philadelphia is a haunting reminder of the all too recent past. A vandal wrote a Nazi phrase in black spraypaint on the window of an abandoned fur shop on Broad Street, alongside a swastika.

Police are investigating the vandalism as a possible hate crime, according to Philly Mag.

During the presidential campaign trail, various ethnic minority groups have felt the heat of Mr Trumps heated rhetoric.

The next president has repeatedly iterated his his anti-immigrant stance, he proposed to carry out "extreme vetting" of Muslims and to build a wall along the US-Mexican border.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) found that as of 15 September there were 55 Islamophobic attacks carried out on mosques across the US this year alone. The previous year there was 79 similar incidents.

 Trump victory speech calls on Americans to become 'one united people'

On the day he announced his residency, Mr Trump said that Mexicans were bringing crime and drugs and they were "murderers and rapists".

"And some, I assume, are good people," he added.

In his Gettysburg address, Mr Trump told voters that within his first 100 days in the White House he would suspend immigration from war-torn countries like Syria, carry out "extreme vetting" on all immigrants to ensure they would live by "American values" and stop federal funding for sanctuary cities.

In an attempt to woo African American voters, Mr Trump asked in a church in Ohio: "What the hell do you have to lose?"

He insisted that within inner cities, black people did not have jobs or good schools, and might as well vote for him.
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First results are looking fragile with Hillary Clinton at 47.7 per cent of the vote in the key state of Florida.

Donald Trump has 49.2 per cent. He is currently more than 110,000 votes ahead.

Full results are yet to come in and around 95 per cent of the state's votes have been counted.

Recommended Hillary Clinton on front foot after huge turnout recorded in key state

The winning candidate needs more than 270 electoral votes and Florida has a significant 29 votes up for grabs.

Its swing state status means it tends to have no significant support for either party, therefore a win for the Democrats or Republicans is a key victory and a good opportunity to win electoral votes.

It is one of 13 important swing states across the US.

In 2012, it was the last state to be called in the presidential election and was also the closest.

Tampa was the site of the Republican National Convention, but the state ultimately went to president Barack Obama with 50.01 per cent of the vote and 49.13 per cent to Republican Mitt Romney.

Florida is one of the first swing states to close its polls and release the results.
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Donald Trump has won the US election and is set to become the 45th president of the United States.

Mr Trump out-performed all the polls, confounded media expectations and will now control his country's nuclear arsenal.

For many, now is looking like a good time to flee the Land of the Free. Here's how to leave the United States.

 Canada immigration website crashes as Donald Trump election victory looks imminent

Go to Canada

One poll found 28 per cent of Americans considered leaving the US for good to go to "a country such as Canada" if Mr Trump is elected.

Canada's immigration site stopped working overnight supposedly as a result of so many people searching for how to move to the country.

Go to Mexico

The Mexican peso plunged as Ms Clinton foundered in the results, so on the plus side, living in Mexico could be cheaper for would-be refugees.

But Mr Trump has promised to build a beautiful wall across the border, ostensibly to stop bad hombres from coming to the US from Mexico, so any bid to flee America must take this into account.

People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Show all 8 1 /8 People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Miley Cyrus 'God he thinks he is the f***ing chosen one or some shit!  Honestly f*** this sh*t I am moving if this is my president! I dont say things I dont mean!' Jemal Countess/Getty Images People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Whoopi Goldberg 'I dont think thats America. I dont want it to be America. Maybe its time for me to move you know' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Samuel L. Jackson 'If that mother**er becomes president, Im moving my black ass to South Africa' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Raven Symone 'My confession for this election is, if any Republican gets nominated, Im gonna move to Canada with my entire family. Is that bad? I already have my ticket. I literally bought my ticket, I swear' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Cher 'If he were to be elected, I'm moving to Jupiter' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Neve Campbell 'Im terrified. Its really scary. My biggest fear is that Trump will triumph. I cannot believe that he is still in the game ... [I'll] move back to Canada' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Jon Stewart 'I would consider getting in a rocket and going to another planet, because clearly this planets gone bonkers' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Randy Blythe 'He could just be a clown. If he is the president, though, I am leaving America 'till he's gone'

Head to Europe

Americans could head to Britain, where half of the country is wallowing in the wake of the vote to leave the EU.

Alternatively, they could head to other European countries, but should avoid Russia - Mr Trump has said he would get on "very well" with President Vladimir Putin.

Relocate to Australia

Australia is the only country in the world to have received more American migrants than the US has accepted from it.

For many, the Land Down Under represents a place with a similar culture to the US, but with the bonus of being free from Mr Trump.

Leave by boat

America is surrounded by beautiful sea, millions of square miles free of Mr Trump and his supporters. Just set sail in any direction and hope for the best.

Escape by air

Hop on an aeroplane to anywhere to escape. They are perhaps the fastest exit route from the country.
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The Canadian immigration site has broken as people look to leave the US in the immediate aftermath of Donald Trump's election as the country's new president.

The official website for 'Citizenship and Immigration Canada' has stopped working, apparently because of the sheer number of people looking to emigrate to the country from south of the border.

Canada's website would usually offer ways of applying either to live in or become a citizen of the country. But all those people trying to access it are actually only able to see is a long loading page with no proper access to the website.

 US Election: Presidential results by state - 05:00

Moving to live in Canada involves applying to get permanent residency in the country. There are a range of different types of citizenship, most of which stipulate that people come for work or live there with their family.

US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US Presidential election: key moments in pictures US Presidential election: key moments in pictures The 2005 Access Hollywood video which showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump suggests gun-supporters could kill Hillary Clinton to prevent her from picking the supreme court justices Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump said that judge Gonzalo Curiel would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage United States Federal Court/AP US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump anxious over securing black vote Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and concerns about securing black vote Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and his relentless remarks against Mexican people Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and the sexual assault allegations Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures FBI director announced that there would be no charges for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal Getty

Trump's victory is expected to foster huge anxiety among his opponents.

A similar rush for the exit was seen in the UK in the wake of the 2015 general election and this summer's Brexit vote  an issue that the European Union is looking to potentially solve by allowing people to keep their European citizenship.

Canada's official Twitter account appeared to reference the US election result in a tweet posted just as it became clear that Mr Trump was about to win the race for the White House.

Canada has been active in taking in refugees from a range of countries in recent months. The government has run a campaign to welcome people fleeing the war in Syria, for instance, and has been praised for being so welcoming in greeting refugees from countries around the world.

Click here to view our tour of Canada's Maple Leaf Trail, with Independent Holidays
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Police were called to reports of voter intimidation after man allegedly tried to stop two Muslim women from voting in Michigan.

An East Lansing voter named Ron Fox reported the incident to Mother Jones in an email: "I observed a man just outside the door to the polling place. He pulled two women wearing Hijabs out of line ahead of me.

"When I came level to him, he was examining their voter registration cards and appeared to be attempting to direct them to another polling place. He seemed polite but I did not like that hed singled out those two women

"When I finished voting, there were two polling officials that were asking him to leave. He was refusing. He then entered the polling place, presumably to attempt to obtain permission to remain."

US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US Presidential election: key moments in pictures US Presidential election: key moments in pictures The 2005 Access Hollywood video which showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump suggests gun-supporters could kill Hillary Clinton to prevent her from picking the supreme court justices Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump said that judge Gonzalo Curiel would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage United States Federal Court/AP US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump anxious over securing black vote Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and concerns about securing black vote Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and his relentless remarks against Mexican people Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and the sexual assault allegations Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures FBI director announced that there would be no charges for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal Getty

The man was not wearing the "identifing stickers" worn by election officials in Ingham County, Mr Fox said.

"I would say that there was at least some profiling going on as the two women in question were the only ones he singled out while I was in line," he added.

Mr Fox reported the incident to Barb Byrum, the Ingham county Clerk, who said she considered the incident to be "targeting individuals and harassing them to convince them that they shouldn't be voting.".

She said the incident had been reported to police.

"It doesn't pass the smell test," she added, "so it needed to be addressed by law enforcement."

 US Election: Presidential results by state - 01:00

Concerns of voter intimidation and fraud led to a flurry of lawsuits in the run-up to election day, and new voter regulations in more than a dozen states also held the potential to sow confusion at polling places.

But in the early voting, most of the problems were routine - the kinds of snags that come every four years, such as queues, machines not working properly, and trouble with ballots or voter rolls.

One New Jersey voter reported waiting three hours because there were too few voting machines at her polling place in Jersey City.

In Texas, a computer malfunctioned at a polling place inside a high school in suburban Houston, forcing officials to briefly send voters to another polling place more than two miles away.

Fort Bend County elections administrator John Oldham said the malfunctioning console was later replaced with a backup and voting resumed.

Election officials in Utah said voting machine problems in the southern part of the state forced poll workers early in the day to use paper ballots. A computer problem in Durham County, North Carolina - a Democratic stronghold in a state which has been a key battleground in the presidential race - triggered long queues when election officials had to rely on a paper check-in process.

There were also sporadic reports of people in North Carolina who said they were not put on the voter rolls despite registering through the Division of Motor Vehicles.

Additional reporting by PA
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"Nobody has more respect for women than I do," Donald Trump told voters at the first presidential debate.

With a Trump presidency on the cards, women and girls should brace themselves for his next four years in the White House.

With a Republican-led senate and house, the real estate mogul turned president has what some have described as a blank cheque to push his policies through the Oval Office.

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The biggest threat is to Roe V Wade, a 1973 law which guarantees women the right to an abortion in all 50 states.

The threat comes in the form of who he appoints as the next supreme court justice, filling in the spot left vacant by the late Antonin Scalia. If Mr Trump appoints a second justice - three of the judges are aged 78 and older - that could lead to a conservative majority of justices, and a reversal of a decades-old law.

Although he has avoided the question of Roe V Wade directly thus far, he has made his pro-life stance clear.

 The 10 best places to emigrate to after Donald Trump's victory

Mr Trump said during the third presidential debate in September that he was appalled by later terms abortions, during which he incorrectly asserted that babies could be "ripped from the womb" up until the last day before birth.

He has also promised to defund Planned Parenthood, although he has acknowledged that the family planning clinic carries out other services including cancer screenings and check-ups for people without insurance.

The Republican has even threatened in March that there should be some form of punishment for women who get abortions, but backtracked the next day and said the punishment should be focused on providers.

The silver lining for gender equality is the proposal he devised alongside Ivanka Trump, to plan to provide six weeks of paid maternity leave to mothers who are not covered by any workplace maternity plan.

But the presidential candidate has been hit with allegations of sexual assault from more than a dozen women- which Mr Trump has denied - and he has threatened to sue them once the election is over, along with publications like NBC that have printed those allegations.

He has called them "sick" and "liars" who were only hungry for fame.

The presidential candidate has also been widely condemned for making crude jokes about Hillary Clintons personal life, insulting his former rival Carly Fiorinas looks, and joking it would be a "pretty picture" if Celebrity Apprentice contestant Brande Roderick was to drop to her knees.

 US Election: 'It's over' declares Trump's senior advisor

He has also come under fire for the apparent objectification of his eldest daughter, Ivanka.

He has joked several times that he would be "dating" Ivanka if he were not her father, and allowed radio host Howard Stern to call her a "piece of ass".
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The US is about to begin amping up its program to deport Haitians shortly after a cholera outbreak and Hurricane Matthew ravaged the country.

The Department of Homeland Security has scheduled two flights per week to deport around 60 people back to Haiti every seven days.

The deportation program was temporarily suspended on 12 October while one of the poorest countries in the world was dealing with the immediate after effect of Hurricane Matthew, which killed more than 1,000 people and put thousands of pregnant women at risk, wiping out hospitals, infrastructure, crops and livestock.

Thousands of Haitians ended up sleeping in homeless shelters in towns along the Mexican border as they had to wait for weeks to get an appointment with an immigration official before entering the US.

Recommended The dangerous situation for women and girls after Hurricane Matthew

Congresswoman Yvette Clarke said she was "deeply saddened" by the news that deportations have resumed.

"The majority of the people DHS intends to remove have not been accused of any crime. These deportations will return thousands of Haitians to a country that continues to struggle with the devastation of Hurricane Matthew and the recent outbreak of cholera that was introduced by international aid workers responding to the 2010 earthquake," she said.

"In this period of turmoil, the forced removal of Haitian nationals will only exacerbate the difficulties of rebuilding Haiti and deny families access to remittances from relatives in the United States."

Haitians mostly came to the US via the Mexican border. Any immigrant who has not received the Temporary Protected Status is vulnerable to be deported under president Barack Obama.

It is not possible to apply for TPS as the application process is now closed and existing TPS statuses will expire next July.

That is as long as president-elect Donald Trump does not issue an executive order before then to shut down the program altogether.

In 2010 after the earthquake, Haitians were given a special immigration arrangement which meant they could stay in the US. The government stopped deportations as they said it was dangerous to send Haitians back to such an unstable country.

The next year, only those Haitians with criminal convictions were deported. On 22 September 2011, DHS secretary Jeh Johnson reversed that decision and ordered widespread deportations.

Many Haitians have stayed in Brazil as they were worried about being deported, but when the economy slumped they traveled hundreds of miles through central America and Mexico in search of work.
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Voters in parts of the US have had to stand in long lines outside polling stations for hours, with some criticising the significant discrepancies in wait times between areas.

Campaigner Josselyn Berry told The Independent she had heard reports of three-hour lines in Arizonas Maricopa County region, home to state capital Phoenix.

She said she was glad so many people had turned out to vote, but warned that queues of two or three hours makes voting more inaccessible.

People don't have the luxury of waiting in line that long. The longest people should have to wait in line should be 30 to 45 minutes.

Problems at polling places across the country, including long lines, machines not working properly and issues with ballots or voter rolls, were also experienced during the 2012 presidential election.

But experts have expressed concern over the number of people in minority communities most affected by long lines who could lose earnings and be discouraged from voting in future, with a number of social media users calling the waits undemocratic.

 Ridiculously long voting line in New York

Voters waited up to 90 minutes at one polling station in Detroit, reported the Washington Post.

And in North Hollywood in California, some people brought beach chairs to wait outside a polling station before dawn.

I waited two hours in line to vote. So what? Others fought, bled and died for the right to vote. I owe them, wrote Harold Itzkowitz on Twitter.

Recommended Exit poll data shows demographic makeup of voters unchanged

Ms Berry, Interim Executive Director of policy campaign group Progress Now Arizona, said election machines had been breaking down because theyre old and not used much.

We had one man who was first in line at a polling place in Maricopa County this morning and none of the machines were working.

Harvard PhD student Stephen Pettigrew, who studies polling lines, told the New York Times that while long queues did give some indication of the health of our democracy, they could also suggest problems in some areas.

Mr Pettigrew has found lines are around twice as long in areas with mostly minority communities compared to in predominantly white areas, with minority voters six times more likely to wait more than an hour to vote.

He told the newspaper this could be because election officials may have reacted slowly to changes in voting demographics.

In 2012, the turnout of black voters was higher than that of white voters for the first time in history, according to CNN.

It is undemocratic for people to wait in long lines to vote. What can we do to fix this? wrote Sarah Cowan on Twitter.

More of everything. More voting machines. More poll workers. More voting locations. More funding for running elections, wrote Mr Pettigrew in reply.

Joel Frenzer, who filmed a long line outside his local polling station in Brooklyn, New York and created a timelapse video, said he had encountered problems when he finally entered the station.

US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US Presidential election: key moments in pictures US Presidential election: key moments in pictures The 2005 Access Hollywood video which showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump suggests gun-supporters could kill Hillary Clinton to prevent her from picking the supreme court justices Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump said that judge Gonzalo Curiel would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage United States Federal Court/AP US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump anxious over securing black vote Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and concerns about securing black vote Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and his relentless remarks against Mexican people Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and the sexual assault allegations Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures FBI director announced that there would be no charges for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal Getty

The booths and tables were in shoddy condition, the lines were confusing and intersecting each other, and there was no indication where to exit after you were done, he told The Independent.

This is a largely minority area. People were in good spirits, but [...] the wealthier Manhattan polling places were a breeze. Friends who voted in those places were shocked by my video.

Mr Frenzer, 40, said while the volunteers at the site were very patient and helpful, early voting should be allowed in New York to avoid similar gridlock in future.

In response to the long lines at polling stations across the US, a group of friends set up a website that allows people to deliver pizza to voters waiting in line.

"We're on track to raise $45k to $50k for the effort and send out out over 2,000 pizzas to hungry patriots across the country," Scott Dumcombe, who set up Pizza to the Polls, told The Independent.
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Donald Trumps election victory came as a shock to many, proving wrong the many reporters, pollsters and political experts who had tipped Hillary Clinton for the White House.

But Allan Lichtman, a political analyst who has correctly predicted the results of every presidential election since 1984, correctly foresaw that Mr Trump would be the 45th US President.

Professor Lichtman, a historian at American University, said the Clinton-Trump contest had been the hardest race he had ever attempted to call.

But he calculated the outcome using a rigid method that has never failed him in nearly 30 years, saying the result was, in part, because Ms Clinton lacked the "charisma" of Barack Obama.

Unlike many experts who fixated on Mr Trump's controversial campaign when assessing the election outcome, Professor Lichtman's calculations largely focused on the incumbent party's potential for another victory.

While he described Mr Trump as the first US presidential candidate to have spent his life enriching himself at the expense of others" and described him as a serial fabricator, making up things as he goes along, he also looked closely at Ms Clinton when assessing the outcome.

Making his prediction in September, Professor Lichtman said: One of my keys is whether or not the sitting president is running for re-election, and right away, [the Democrats] are down that key.

Another one of my keys is whether or not the candidate of the White House party is, like Obama was in 2008, charismatic. Hillary Clinton doesn't fit the bill.

He added: Donald Trump has made this the most difficult election to assess since 1984. We have never before seen a candidate like him, and Donald Trump may well break patterns of history that have held since 1860.

But based on the 13 keys, it would predict a Donald Trump victory.

The 13 keys refer to a method Mr Lichtman has used to predict the outcomes of all eight American presidential elections from 1984 to 2012. The system entails mathematically and specifically measuring the performance of the party in office.

It is a historically based prediction system. I derived the system by looking at every American presidential election from 1860 to 1980," Professor Lichtman has said.

US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US Presidential election: key moments in pictures US Presidential election: key moments in pictures The 2005 Access Hollywood video which showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump suggests gun-supporters could kill Hillary Clinton to prevent her from picking the supreme court justices Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump said that judge Gonzalo Curiel would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage United States Federal Court/AP US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump anxious over securing black vote Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and concerns about securing black vote Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and his relentless remarks against Mexican people Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and the sexual assault allegations Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures FBI director announced that there would be no charges for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal Getty

"The keys are 13 true/false questions, where an answer of 'true' always favours the re-election of the party holding the White House, in this case the Democrats. And the keys are phrased to reflect the basic theory that elections are primarily judgments on the performance of the party holding the White House."

Professor Lichtman said he came across the method on meeting a Russian geologists who wanted to collaborate using the methods of earthquake prediction to predict elections.
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Donald Trump has won the election after the most remarkable result in US presidential history. The Republican candidate swept to victory in key swing states including Florida to beat Democrat rival Hillary Clinton. The surprise result defied months of polls which predicted victory for Clinton. Data available begins to paint a picture of how Trump managed to win the election' he began the race as an outsider discredited for his lack of experience before convincing the Republican party and then the nation of his abilities.

During the televised TV debates, Trump managed to suppress a backlash after explicit and offensive comments he made regarding women, which had initially threatened to derail his campaign. According to exit polls and results data, he appears to have successfully wooed key swing states and also fought off Clinton's attempts to win the youth vote. Young voters are much more likely to vote Democrat than Republican, however Clinton got just 55 per cent of the youth vote comapred to the 63 per cent her predecessor Obama garnered. Similarly, contrary to predictions women would support Clinton as the first female presidential candidate, white women were considerably more likely to vote Trump, helping push him to victory.

As results came in for key swing state Florida early on, the very real prospect of a Trump success became apparent. He beat Clinton by a tiny margin of 2.4 per cent, aided by a split of the left-wing vote which saw a crucial 3.1 per cent of votes go to liberal candidate Gary Johnson. History may remember the moment Clinton lost Florida as the moment she lost.

Another key state for Trump to win was Ohio. Demographics for the state are in his favour, with the local population being whiter and less education on average than the rest of the country. The state previously supported Obama by 48 per cent, but his Democratic successor Clinton failed to win voters support. Trump beat Clinton by a country mile, gaining close to a 10-point lead.

Trump soared to victory here, beating Clinton 51.3 per cent to her 45.9 per cent. The traditional white Republican state has a history of supporting GOP candidates but it was feared Trump would be seen as too far a break from traditional candidates. However, the connected results show his campaign succeeded in winning round traditional Republican voters in the end.

The state has been historically a solid Democrat safe seat. It is primarily white and highly educated. However, voters did not connect with Clintons message and instead plumped for Trump with 49.3 per cent of votes, compared to Clintons 45.6 per cent.

Exit polls suggest Clinton did not succeed in winning the youth vote, to the extent that her predecessor did. Fifty-five per cent of young people aged 18-29 supported her, far short of the 63 per cent support which contributed to Obama's victory in 2012.

While the election will be remembered for many reasons, one of the most historic aspects of the race was the fact that it was the closest a woman has ever come to getting the top spot in the White House. In addition, graphic and offensive comments made by Trump about women during the campaign threatened to derail his campaign last month after footage emerged of him discussing touching women inappropriately. In light of these aspects, many female voters were expected to flock to Clinton, however this does not appear to have materialised among white women who supported Trump by a significant margin.

For updates, follow The Independent's election live blog here
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As the polls opened on Election Day, more than 46 million Americans had already cast their ballots for US President, with some analysts declaring that a record early turnout may have already decided the outcome of the Presidential race in some states.

Early voting is allowed in 37 of North America's 50 states, including key swing states Florida, North Carolina, Colorado, Nevada and Iowa.

The number of early votes has surpassed the total from 2012 and they have also revealed a number of voting trends.

Florida, which has 29 electoral college votes, received around 6.5 million early ballots, which is more than three-fourths of the expected vote.

Democrats are ahead with 39.9 per cent to the Republicans 38.5 per cent.

While the African-American share of the vote is lower in comparison to 2008 and 2012, votes from Hispanics have almost doubled to more than 976,000. This rise in Hispanic voters is expected to be a trend that may be to Hillary Clinton's advantage.

US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump shakes hands with Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at the conclusion of their first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York Reuters US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures President Barack Obama embraces Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on stage at the party's convention in Philadelphia US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Donald Trump's wife Melania delivered a speech at the GOP convention in Cleveland that was later found to have been cribbed in part from Michelle Obama's 2008 convention address AP US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Hillary Clinton talks to reporters aboard her new campaign plane on Labour Day, 5 September, her first 'press conference' since 2015 (Getty Images) US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Donald Trump held a joint press conference with Mexican leader Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City in August, hours before reiterating his harsh immigration plans at a campaign rally in Arizona Reuters US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Bernie Sanders officially endorsed Hillary Clinton, saying his progressive vision for a transformed America would be best served by the defeat of Donald Trump Reuters US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Khizr and Gazala Khan appeared at the DNC to slam Trump for his stance on Muslim immigration, citing the case of their son Humayun Khan, who was killed in combat while serving as a Captain in the US Army in Iraq US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson is doing better in polls than any third party candidate since Ross Perot, 20 years ago Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Green Party candidate Jill Stein (centre) marches with supporters in Colorado AP US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Hillary Clinton and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine at a rally in Kaine's home state in July, days before Ms Clinton tapped him to be her running mate Getty US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Trump on the campaign trail with his vice presidential pick, Indiana governor Mike Pence AP US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage appears at a Trump rally in Mississippi in August, where he told the crowd that he 'wouldn't vote for Hillary Clinton if you paid me'.

More than two-thirds of the votes have been cast early in North Carolina with 15 electoral collage votes, where Democrats lead with 41.7 per cent to the Republican's 31.9 per cent.

Again, the black turnout has remained lower by nearly 65,000 voters.

Scott Tranter, co-founder of the Republican data firm Optimus, said the outcome may hinge on unaffiliated voters and ticket-splitters. "It's unclear whether Trump can consolidate 90 percent of the Republican Party," he said.

Colorado's early votes show a very narrow Republican lead at 35.2 per cent compared to the Democrat's 34.8 per cent. Republicans also held an advantage at this point in 2012.

Nevada, which has six electoral college votes, has a clear Democrat lead at 42.1 per cent to the Republican's 36.2 per cent. This is comparable to the last election where Obama won by 6 percentage points.

Jon Ralston, a political analyst in Nevada, told the Financial Times that this early vote result could mean the state is beyond Mr Trump's reach.

The only reason I ever thought he had a chance here was because of the lack of enthusiasm for her [Clinton] and the plethora of uneducated voters here (aka, Trumps base), Mr Ralston said. But the early voting numbers are so daunting, and the Hispanic turnout was so large in Clark County, his path went from narrow to blocked.

Again, the Latino and Asian-American turnout increased in the state this year, while black participation saw slightly lower numbers.

In Iowa, which has six electoral college votes, Democrats lead by 41.8 per cent to the Republican's 34.7 per cent. This represents a narrower gap compared to the early votes cast in 2012, with Democrats running below 2012 levels.

Additional reporting by Associated Press
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Europe is facing a period of uncertainty following the election of Donald Trump as US President, leaders have warned as France and Germany gave the President-elect a frosty welcome.

Francois Hollande, who once said the Republican candidate made him want to retch, called for European nations to unite to defend their interests.

The French President said Wednesdays shock result opens a period of uncertainty that must be met with lucidity and clarity.

Liberation November 9 frontpage

I offer my congratulations, as it is natural to do between two heads of democratic states, Mr Hollande said in an unsmiling televised address. The United States is a partner of the first order for France.

World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Show all 29 1 /29 World reaction to President Trump: In pictures World reaction to President Trump: In pictures London, England AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures London, England Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Manila, Philippines Getty Images World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Manila, Philippines Getty World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Mosul , Iraq Getty World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Manila, Philippines AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures New Delhi, India Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Karachi, Pakistan EPA World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Jakarta, Indonesia Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Lagos, Nigeria AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Kabul, Afghanistan AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Jerusalem. Israel Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Moscow, Russia Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Seoul, South Korea AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Lagos, Nigeria AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Peshawar, Pakistan EPA World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Jakarta, Indonesia Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Hyderabad, India AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Kolkata, India AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Sydney, Australia Getty World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Sydney, Australia AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Aleppo, Syria Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Mexico City, Mexico AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Jerusalem, Israel EPA World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Baghdad, Iraq Rex World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories Rex World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Tokyo, Japan Rex World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Mexico City, Mexico Getty

Follow the latest live updates here

What is at stake is peace, the fight against terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, economic relations and the preservation of the planet.

Hinting at climate change, previously denied by Mr Trump, Mr Hollande said he would open discussions with the new administration without delay but confront disagreements with vigilance and frankness.

Some positions taken by Donald Trump during the US campaign contradict values and interests we share with the United States, he added.

This context calls for a united Europe, capable of making itself heard and of promoting policies wherever its interests or its values are challenged.

Mr Trump has raised hackles in France by claiming Isis Paris attacks last November might have been avoided if the country relaxed its gun laws, as well as claiming vicious no-go zones existed in the capital.

In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated the President-elect and offered close cooperation, but tacitly criticised Mr Trump in her speech. She told reporters in Berlin his election campaign featured confrontations that were difficult to bear.

Ms Merkel stressed Germany's close historical connection with the US but added: Germany and America are connected by values: democracy, freedom, respect for the law and for the dignity of human beings, independently of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views.

On the basis of these values, I am offering the future President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, close cooperation.

Her remarks came after Mr Trump took aim at the German governments policy of opening its borders to refugees, calling the move a disaster in August.

Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel made strong statements on the election of Donald Trump (Reuters)

Hillary Clinton wants to be America's Angela Merkel and you know what a disaster this massive immigration has been to Germany and the people of Germany, he told a rally, in comments since shown to be factually unfounded. Crime has risen to levels that no one thought they would ever, ever see. It is a catastrophe.

The response from Germany and France was far more outspoken than the cordial welcome offered by British leaders. Theresa May, the Prime Minister, congratulated Mr Trump and said she would maintain the special relationship between Britain and America, while Boris Johnson said he was looking forward to working with the new administration as Foreign Secretary.

Hungarys Prime Minister was also positive, calling the shock result great news that shows democracy is still alive. Viktor Orban has previously been criticised by the US, including by Hillary Clinton when she was Secretary State, for weakening democracy and is known for his anti-refugee policies

Far-right and anti-immigration groups were also celebrating. Among them were Frances Front National, who hailed the collapse of political order and Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders.

Vladimir Putin said Moscow is ready to try to restore good relations with the US in the wake of the election but would face a "difficult path".

EU Parliament president Martin Schulz said the result must be respected as he said that Mr Trump managed to become the standard-bearer of the angst and fears of millions of Americans.

Meanwhile, the European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said: "We'll continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe.
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When Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton became the de facto candidates of their parties this summer, there was no small disgruntlement and concern - from part sides of the political contest - that they would be entitled to limited intelligence briefings.

Critics of Mr Trump alleged that some of that information would find its way to the Kremlin through one of the tycoons advisers who had ties to Russia. Meanwhile, opponents of Ms Clinton suggested any information she received would be not be safe as a result of her use of a private email server.

Now, a day after Mr Trump became president-elect, it has emerged that the 70-year-old Republican will begin to receive practically the same briefings received as President Barack Obama.

Mr Trump's briefings will come courtesy of the Director of National Intelligence (Wikipedia)

CBS said that the tycoons transition team will begin their work on Wednesday in New York, meeting with Mr Trump, to begin the world of considering cabinet posts.

Mr Trump will be presented the top recommendations for cabinet secretaries. The team is also prepared to vet any additional names Mr Trump may mention for consideration, the network said.

 Trump supporter allegedly yells 'Kill Obama' during victory speech

It said that that the transition will be carried out in New York, where senior staff will meet with Mr Trump regularly, and in a large Washington-based office established for transition work.

At this stage, the two dominant transition advisers are New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, both of whom the president-elect mentioned in his early morning victory remarks.

Non-political, career intelligence agents are waiting to brief the campaign and president-elect as soon as his team requests it, the network said. They are not part of Mr Trumps internal transition meetings due to take place on Wednesday.

President Obama has already authorised guidance on the type of intelligence he deems important for the president-elect to get briefings on. Up until January 20th, Mr Obama will be able to weigh in and authorise what is disclosed.
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At a hotel on the edge of Miami airport, a dense crowd of Hispanic supporters of Hillary Clinton watched the returns dribble in from their own state with contained terror. It was a hundred people or so. Outside, the whole country was watching the state too. As much of the world was.

Few when they came into the shiny lobby and sipped cocktails under festive balloons though that it would end as it did. Their work of so many months reduced to ashes, Mr Trump was - hours of agony and sinking spirits later - projected the winner by some media sources. Never mind if the margin was likley to be small. The prize they had promised to help deliver to her was gone.

Florida has been advertised as a likely cliff-hanger, just as it has been on election nights for the past many years. Yet, the whispers from Democrats during the days before had evinced cautious confidence. Their ground-game to get out votes had been so intense. The Hispanic support was stronger than ever. Mr Trump would be seen off in the state that mattered so much.

The breath-holding in the EB Hotel - and occasional exhalations of excitement - began at 7.25pm when the numbers on the big screen showed Ms Clinton taking the lead for the first time in a state that has always absolutely crucial for both candidates from the start. When the sums are done, it will show that no state had more money spent on it by both campaigns than Florida.

Won by the barest of margins by President Barack Obama in both 2008 and 2012, the state offered a huge 29 votes in the Electoral College on Tuesday night and the Democrats always knew that if Ms Clinton could win it, Mr Trumps chances of winning the White House would be all but extinguished.

Losing Florida was not necessarily a death-knell for Ms Clinton who had other models for reaching the magic 270 Electoral College votes to declare victory nationally. But that assumed, of course, that she would hold her firewall elsewhere. As the night rolled on - would it ever be over? - that was starting to look shaky and anxiety settled on the hotels marble floors like a patina of dread

It was a night, as as it was also going to be, of dramatic see-sawing between the two candidates in the state. With nearly 90 per cent of the vote in Florida counted them both at 48.5 per cent. But thereafter, he appeared to be building a solid lead over his Democrat rival.

For the Trump campaign the job had been to run up the vote in the conservative stretches of the state, including the panhandle in the North. For Camp Clinton, the task was always to build overwhelming numbers in their traditional bastions - much smaller geophracially speaking that Trumps Florida - in Dade-Miami and Broward Counties in the south.

The Latinos were meant to have helped her do that. However, as the night progressed, it seemed that while the Latinos had given her a lift, they had not produced the surge to the polls - and to the Democrat - that many had predicted. Her bigger problem perhaps - losing white voters who had supported Mr Obama to the other side.

Long before the Florida count was done, Hispanic officials with the Democratic Party in South Florida could not contain themselves at the airport hotel, taking a podium to declare that victory was around the cormer for Ms Clinton.

We are here to say our voices count. Seventeen months working hard to get to this moment. Florida! Florida! Miami! I want to applause for you, Leonarda Duran Buike, President of the Democratic Hispanic Caucus of Florida, fairly yelled. Juntos, somos was!, which translated as, together we are stronger, more or less the slogan of Ms Clintons national campaign.

It wasnt long before it seemed that their exuberance had been premature. For an agonisingly long time, it seemed that six per cent of the Florida vote count was outstanding with Mr Trump holding a significant lead. At the hotel, supporters of Ms Clinton clung to the hope that returns from one mostly county - Broward - could close the gap at the last moment. But it wasn't to be.

To understand what transpired in Florida you need to look no further than 2000, when the entire nationa race went into a harrowing 36-day dispute between George W. Bush and Al Gore, because no one could figure out how it had voted. It eventually went as far as the US Supreme Count which denied Democrat calls for a state-wide recount. On that occasion it was faulty ballots in Palm Beach County and the famous hanging chads that caused the confusion. But only because it was so close. When it was all over, the country found out that Mr Bush had become the new president by winning the Sunshine State by a mere 537 votes.

Even in 2012, Mr Obama defeated Mitt Romney in Florida by an average of just six votes per precint. That is how it is in Florida. And this year the increase since last time of the Hispanic populatoin, particularly of Puerto Ricans around Orlando, did not apparenlty make the big difference that some had thought likely.

"We really believe we have lost Florida," a Clinton campaign official finally told The Independent, while none of the networks were daring to say so, doubtless wary of getting Florida wrong as some of them did in 2000. He then vanished back to Clinton HQ in Miami, forbidden to talk to the news media any more.

Because the campaign was right. The big trophy in the sun, the AP projected, was lost.
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Marine Le Pen, the leader of Frances far-right Front National party, has congratulated Donald Trump on his election victory.

Congratulations to the new President of the US, Donald Trump, and the American people  free! she tweeted as the Republican candidate edged towards the 270 Electoral College votes needed to reach the White House.

Her father, Front National (FN) founder Jean-Marie Le Pen called Mr Trump the President of the People, adding: Today, the United States, tomorrow, France. Bravo!

 US Election: Donald Trump supporters celebrate victories in key swing states

Florian Philippot, the partys vice president, tweeted a photo of Ms Le Pen with the caption: Their world is collapsing. Ours is being built.

Follow the latest results and live updates here

He claimed the worlds oligarchy had been defeated for a second time after Brexit.

US Election night in pictures Show all 24 1 /24 US Election night in pictures US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Reuters US Election night in pictures Reuters US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Reuters US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures AFP/Getty Images

Other senior FN members were also sharing their excitement, with secretary general Nicolas Bay calling the result the victory of the people against the elites.

The party has been dogged by accusations of racism, anti-Semitism and neo-Nazism, with Mr Le Pen being expelled for his comments on Holocaust gas chambers.

Right-wing politicians across Europe were reacting to the defeat of Hillary Clinton, including Dutch Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders, who wrote: The people are taking their country back [in the US]. So will we.

Nigel Farage, who spoke at a Trump rally in August, was hailing the second great political revolution of 2016.

I thought the Brexit was big but boy, this looks like its going to be bigger, the Ukip leader told ITV News.

The comments came before the result of the US election was officially decided, at a point when the odds had begun to swing dramatically in Mr Trumps favour after he won a number of key battleground states.

As her widely-expected victory looked ever-less likely, Hillary Clinton tweeted: Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything.
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With the House of Representatives and the Senate both back in the Republican partys grasp, Donald Trump will be able to wield power more freely than any President in a generation.

As the minority in both houses of Congress, Democrats will have no legislative power to block the dismantling of Obamacare, the ban on Muslims or the rightward swing of the Supreme Court. (Whether Congressional Republicans will allow Trumps entire agenda to pass unchallenged is another matter.)

A recent study found that the US network news broadcasts spent more time during the presidential election cycle discussing Hillary Clintons email controversy than they did dissecting the candidates policy agendas, and theres little denying the campaigns themselves came down to a clash of personalities.

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So with America waking up and wondering whether its done the right thing, here are some of the policies it voted for, whether it likes them or not.

Immigration

A crackdown on illegal immigration was the early centrepiece of Mr Trumps campaign, earning him ranks of supporters and opponents alike. From day one, he has vowed to build a wall the length of the US-Mexican border  for which he insists he will force Mexico to pay  and to deport the estimated 11 million undocumented migrants currently living in the US.

President Donald Trump life in pictures Show all 16 1 /16 President Donald Trump life in pictures President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump poses in a rocking chair once used by President John F. Kennedy at his New York City residence Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump with his new bride Marla Maples after their wedding at the Plaza hotel in New York Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Celina Midelfart watch the match between Conchita Martinez and Amanda Coetzer during U.S. Open. She was the date whom Donald Trump was with when he met his current wife Melania at a party in 1996 Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas serving as the grand marshal for the Daytona 500, speaks to Donald Trump and Melania Knauss on the starting grid at the Daytona International Speedwa Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump talks with his former wife Ivana Trump during the men's final at the U.S. Open Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and his friend Melania Knauss pose for photographers as they arrive at the New York premiere of Star Wars Episode : 'The Phantom Menace,' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump talks with host Larry King. Trump told King that he was moving toward a possible bid for the United States presidency with the formation of a presidential exploratory committee Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump answers questions as Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura looks on in Brooklyn Park. Trump said on Friday he 'very well might' make a run for president under the Reform Party banner but had not made a final decision Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump makes a face at a friend as he sits next to Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso before the start of the 2003 Miss Universe pageant in Panama City Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Entrepreneur Donald Trump is greeted by a Marilyn Monroe character look-a-alike, as he arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood to attend the an open casting call for his NBC television network reality series 'The Apprentice.' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Simon Cowell present an Emmy during the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Megan Mullally perform at the 57th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump, poses with his children, son Donald Trump, Jr., and daughters Tiffany and Ivanka Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump told Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner on Tuesday she would be given a second chance after reported misbehavior Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump holds a replica of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as his wife Melania holds their son Barron in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. property mogul Donald Trump stands next to a bagpiper during a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland Reuters

Foreign policy

Trump is both an isolationist and an interventionist. He intends to end Americas habit of nation-building and regime change, but he also intends to rebuild the military and crush Isis. To do so, he suggests working with Americas allies in the Middle East, although they may not be too fond of his plan to temporarily suspend immigration from any countries his administration considers exporters of terrorism. He also wants to bring back torture, and make friends with Vladimir Putin.

Taxes

The worlds most powerful property developer has proposed a historic tax cut, deeper even than Ronald Reagans in 1981. According to the non-partisan Tax Foundation, the President-Elects current plan could cost almost $6bn in total, or an average of $440bn per year. It would fold the number of income tax rates from seven into three and provide tax cuts to most taxpayers  but it would disproportionately benefit corporations and the most wealthy.

Obamacare

Trump says hell immediately repeal and replace Obamacare the minute he gets to the White House  and hell have no trouble convincing congressional Republicans of that idea. The big question is what to replace it with, given that the Affordable Care Act has extended healthcare coverage to more than 20 million previously uninsured Americans. Trump and the GOP have offered only vague alternatives so far, such as allowing insurers to sell policies across state lines.

Trade

The President-elect is not a fan of trade deals, or at least not the existing ones. He wants to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific partnership before its ratified, renegotiate Nafta, begin a trade war with China, and, per his website, appoint tough and smart trade negotiators to fight on behalf of American workers.

Abortion

Trump, once avowedly pro-choice, has been converted. While he still seems unclear about the orthodoxies of the pro-life movement  infamously suggesting that women who get abortions should be punished, and then walking it back  he professes to be opposed to abortion except in the case of rape, incest or a threat to the life of the mother. He says hell defund Planned Parenthood and appoint Supreme Court justices amenable to overturning Roe v Wade.

Crime

Trump described himself, ominously, as the candidate of law and order, meaning hes a big fan of the police, and not such a big fan of Black Lives Matter or efforts to reform the criminal justice system. He claims to want to quell the violence of the inner cities, though he also appears to be unaware that the violent crime rate in the US has been dropping steadily for the past quarter century.

Energy and the Environment

The candidate who once claimed on Twitter that climate change was a Chinese hoax is not likely to be especially eco-friendly. He says hell scrap most of Obamas Environmental Protection mandates, yet somehow ensure that all Americans have clean air and water. And all while achieving energy independence for the US via oil, natural gas and so-called clean coal.
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At the very first Democratic primary debate in October 2015, Bernie Sanders confidently assured Hillary Clinton that voters were sick and tired of hearing about her damn emails. Clearly, he was mistaken. As election day dawned some 13 months later, Clintons damn emails remained the defining so-called scandal of a presidential race in which her opponent was accused of sexual assault by more than a dozen women.

The controversy over the Clintons use of a private email server during her tenure as Secretary of State was her campaigns Kryptonite. It was emblematic of a personal defect: her reputation for Nixonian paranoia and secrecy. But it also represented the success of a decades-long Republican campaign to discredit Clinton and her husband with any accusation that seemed sufficiently schmeary to stick.

A candidate with a more natural feel for political optics might have dodged some of the potholes that periodically juddered the Democrats campaign. Clinton maintains she used her home server for convenience. Many sane observers surmised it was a ploy to avoid future FOI requests for her private correspondence. Both narratives are plausible, but, if she planned to run for President, then perhaps she should have been more circumspect about her email arrangements.

She should have known how her Goldman Sachs speeches would look to an electorate suspicious of the financial establishment, particularly in a primary race against a more progressive candidate like Sanders or Elizabeth Warren. She should have been more careful about perceived conflicts of interest between her State Department work and the Clinton Foundation, which emit the whiff of entitlement and arrogance, if not of corruption.

So Clinton was an imperfect nominee  but when history records her defeat to such a manifestly unfit opponent, the footnotes must also show she was not facing Donald Trump alone. At times during this unedifying election, it seemed she was also running against Vladimir Putin, Julian Assange, Rudy Giulianis pro-Trump poker buddies at the FBI, ingrained sexism and a media that routinely mistook balance for objectivity.

Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall  and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY

And then there was the Republican party establishment, which spent the years leading up to 2016 doing its absolute darndest to disqualify the likely Democratic front-runner. The House Select Committee on Benghazi was established only after seven other Congressional investigations regarding the 2012 attack on the US consulate in Libya had uncovered precisely zero culpability on the part of the then-Secretary of State.

Nevertheless, the committee spent over two years and $7m producing an 800-page report that also failed to find any evidence of Clinton's supposed wrongdoing, but that succeeding in generating an ancillary flap by publicising her use of the private email server. Mainstream Republicans had shaped an alternate reality in which Clinton was a brazen criminal who just hadnt been caught yet. Trump convinced his supporters to take up residence in that reality.

 Trump compares the US election to Brexit

By the time they came to cast their ballots, even many Democratic voters had accepted the premise that their preferred candidate was the lesser of two evils. After FBI Director James Comey announced in July that no reasonable prosecutor would pursue an indictment against Clinton for her sloppy handling of some classified material  not a close call, he added  polls found that more than half of all Americans still believed she had broken the law.

Media monitor the Tyndall Report recently calculated that, over the course of the 2016 campaign, Americas broadcast news channels had devoted more airtime to coverage of Clintons email than to all policy issues combined. Little wonder, then, that when Comey clumsily made public the discovery of new, potentially Clinton-related emails less than a fortnight before the election, her gaping poll lead narrowed to within the margin of error.

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She had also suffered a blip in September, when forced to admit to a previously undisclosed bout of pneumonia. That gaffe played into the same preconception of Clinton as cagey and unforthcoming. In fact, hers has been the most transparent presidential campaign in history, courtesy of the Russian hackers who likely stole its chairman John Podestas emails  and of Wikileaks, which published them. Yet somehow Trump, a compulsive liar who refused even to release his tax returns, trounced her in the honesty polls.

For good or ill (but mostly for ill), Trump dominated coverage of the 2016 election. So it is notable that whenever Clinton took centre stage on her own terms, her fortunes waxed: her poll numbers soared after the Democratic convention, and again after each of the three televised debates, which demonstrated that she was competent, smart, wily, highly prepared and unruffled by her opponent and his increasingly brutish attacks.

Clinton and Trump are said to be the two most unpopular candidates ever to battle it out for the US presidency. It seems inconceivable now, but when she exited her last government job in January 2013, Clinton had approval ratings in the mid- to high-60s, making her one of the most admired political figures in the country. That was before the damn emails. She might well have won back the doubters in the White House, if she had made it there.
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The unthinkable has happened. Reality television has merged with reality. Donald Trump is Americas president-elect.

In scenes that many believed all but impossible, Mr Trump appeared before supporters in the early hours of Wednesday morning, after having pulled off an extraordinary victory. He quickly vowed to bind the wounds after a toxic campaign.

Thank you everybody. Sorry to have kept you waiting, its a complicated business, said Mr Trump, who looked as surprised as anyone.

At around 3am in New York, Mr Trump's tally of electoral votes stood at 279, compared to 218 for Ms Clinton. He had secured more than 57m votes, beating his rival by a little under a million in the popular vote.

He said that a few moments earlier, the had received a call of concession from his rival, Hillary Clinton. She congratulated us - it is us - on our victory, and I congratulated her and her family for a very hard fought campaign.

It has been 18 months since the 70-year-old and his wife, Melania, slid down the escalator at Trump Tower in New York to announce that the brash tycoon was making a run for the White House.

Ladies and gentlemen, declared the man, best known to most of the world as the host of The Apprentice. I am officially running for President of the United States.

During the 30 minutes he spoke, insulting Mexicans and calling many of them rapists and murderers, Mr Trump gave a clear hint of what his campaign would bring.

Our country is in serious trouble. We dont have victories anymore.

On Tuesday night, as the predictions of pundits and pollsters were thrown into the garbage, it became clear just how many Americans agreed with the tycoons assessment of the state of the country.

First came the battleground state of Ohio, then came North Carolina, quickly followed by the crucial prize of Florida. Over the space of two hours, the New York Times victory prediction went, in the space of a couple of hours, from 85 per cent in favour of Ms Clinton, to 95 per cent for Mr Trump.

As Ms Clintons supporters gathered at the Javits Center in New York, the candidate tweeted to her supporters: Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything.

Ms Clinton, 69 a fixture in American politics for decades, was hoping to become the first woman to serve as commander in chief. Her race against Mr Trump, a celebrity businessman with no political experience, was among the nastiest in recent memory, exposing and deepening the nations economic and racial divides.

President Donald Trump life in pictures Show all 16 1 /16 President Donald Trump life in pictures President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump poses in a rocking chair once used by President John F. Kennedy at his New York City residence Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump with his new bride Marla Maples after their wedding at the Plaza hotel in New York Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Celina Midelfart watch the match between Conchita Martinez and Amanda Coetzer during U.S. Open. She was the date whom Donald Trump was with when he met his current wife Melania at a party in 1996 Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas serving as the grand marshal for the Daytona 500, speaks to Donald Trump and Melania Knauss on the starting grid at the Daytona International Speedwa Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump talks with his former wife Ivana Trump during the men's final at the U.S. Open Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and his friend Melania Knauss pose for photographers as they arrive at the New York premiere of Star Wars Episode : 'The Phantom Menace,' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump talks with host Larry King. Trump told King that he was moving toward a possible bid for the United States presidency with the formation of a presidential exploratory committee Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump answers questions as Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura looks on in Brooklyn Park. Trump said on Friday he 'very well might' make a run for president under the Reform Party banner but had not made a final decision Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump makes a face at a friend as he sits next to Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso before the start of the 2003 Miss Universe pageant in Panama City Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Entrepreneur Donald Trump is greeted by a Marilyn Monroe character look-a-alike, as he arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood to attend the an open casting call for his NBC television network reality series 'The Apprentice.' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Simon Cowell present an Emmy during the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Megan Mullally perform at the 57th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump, poses with his children, son Donald Trump, Jr., and daughters Tiffany and Ivanka Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump told Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner on Tuesday she would be given a second chance after reported misbehavior Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump holds a replica of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as his wife Melania holds their son Barron in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. property mogul Donald Trump stands next to a bagpiper during a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland Reuters

Yet exit polls underscored the deep divisions that have defined the 2016 contest. Women nationwide supported Ms Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men were significantly more likely to back Mr Trump. More than half of white voters backed the Republican, while nearly 9 in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

Yet beyond that, polls showed that while both candidates had high negatives - they were perhaps the most unpopular candidates in recent history - Ms Clinton was deeply distrusted by many members of the population. Much of this was connected with secrecy she had exhibited during her years in public office.

Yet a lot of the concern related to the controversy over her use of a private email server and an investigation by the FBI into whether she was guilty of criminal behaviour. The FBI this summer said that while she and her aides may have been careless, there was insufficient evidence to charge her with a criminal offence.

However, with just ten day before the election, FBI Director James Comey announced that it had reopened the investigation, after the discovery of new emails. It later transpired that the emails belonged to disgraced Congressman Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of Ms Clintons senior aide, Huma Abedin.

Mr Comey said just two days before the investigation that it had not changed its opinion about her criminality. However, the damage was done.

Exit polls showed that more than four in ten voters said Ms Clintons email controversies bothered them a lot".
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Get set for a bonfire of the trade deals as President Donald Trump keeps his promises over one of the few policy areas about which he has shown any consistency.

His shock victory sounds the death knell for the Transpacific Trade Partnership (TPP), which was to have been the biggest regional free trade agreement in history, and the biggest trade deal struck since the 1994 completion of the Uruguay Round of the GATT world trade talks that created the World Trade Organisation.

Intended to stitch 12 countries into a free trade area, and secure an American style approach to their future dealings, its ratification before the transfer of power has been one of the key goals of the outgoing Obama administration, which has expended a huge amount of energy to that end. That won't now happen, not even in the lame duck succession of Congress before President Trump enters the Oval Office. Speaker Paul Ryan had ruled out a vote before his election. While he said he favoured a deal, albeit with some tweaks, he also said that we just dont have the votes to pass the measure. There is no chance of a change of heart now. He needs to mend fences with Trump, who angrily attacked Ryan for his lack of loyalty during the campaign.

The Trump administration will thus be free to consign the TPP to the dustbin of history, unless it can secure a multiple concessions from the other signatories, which include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malyasia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vitenam, and the incoming Presidents favourite whipping boy Mexico.

The same is almost certainly true of the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Parntership - or TTIP - with the European Union, on which talks started in 2013.

With tensions already high as a result of European tax demands levied against American multinationals such as Apple, and the mega-fines levied on European banks imposed by American regulators on the other side, the talks were already in trouble before the election of a President whose campaign was characterised by the bellicose cry of America First.

 US Election: Donald Trump supporters celebrate victories in key swing states

Trumps election will likely see it indefinitely stalled if not actually scrapped. One potential beneficiary is the UK. Post Brexit, it has been promised a free trade deal before any European agreement is signed, which may be of some comfort to the Conservative Brexiteers who will lead negotiations.

Not that they should be under any illusions. They cant expect too many favours from the Trump team when they sit down to negotiate that deal.

Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall  and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY

Also on the agenda is a withdrawal from NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Area, promised by Trump to protect American manufacturing jobs from moving south of the border to Mexico. Other deals, too, are under threat if Americas co-signatories refuse to renegotiate them in Americas favour.

It is possible that the incoming Trump administration may soften its tone in relation to other policy areas, where they have been mapped out. Trump has proved more than willing to flip flop when it suits him. His supporters have proved more than willing to forgive him for doing so.

This is unlikely when it comes to trade deals. They were Trump bugbears before he started his quixotic run for the White House. The promise to act upon them was a central plank of his campaign.

Moreover, taking a hard line will help Trump to stomp on the legacy of the hated Obama administration and solidify his coalition, which drew in some former Democratic supporters of Bernie Sanders. The only common ground between the latter and Trump is their mutual opposition to trade deals.

Historians may now come to see the Obama administration as the high watermark of the free trade era. Now the former host of the American Apprentice has been elected its fired.
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Donald Trump won't be able to get rid of the Iran nuclear deal despite it being one of his central campaign promises, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said.

The deal "cannot be overturned by a single government", Mr Rouhani said after it became clear that Donald Trump will be the next President of the US. If true, then that means that one of Mr Trump's central campaign promises is already in peril.

The President-elect made much of his opposition to the histic nuclear deal, which saw an agreement for Iran to curb its nuclear program in exchange for a gradual lifting of international sanctions on the country. He has said that he would reverse it, encouraging those sanctions to be put back onto the country, claiming that he would use his negotiating skills to renegotiate the terms of the deal.

US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US Presidential election: key moments in pictures US Presidential election: key moments in pictures The 2005 Access Hollywood video which showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump suggests gun-supporters could kill Hillary Clinton to prevent her from picking the supreme court justices Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump said that judge Gonzalo Curiel would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage United States Federal Court/AP US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump anxious over securing black vote Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and concerns about securing black vote Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and his relentless remarks against Mexican people Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and the sexual assault allegations Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures FBI director announced that there would be no charges for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal Getty

But leaders said that it wouldn't be possible for Mr Trump to change it on his own and have emphasised that the agreement needs to be kept on track despite his victory.

In remarks on Iranian state TV, Rouhani said the international position of the United States has been weakened "due to its recent wrong policies." He says the U.S. election results show that America's "sickness and civil instability will persist for a long time."

Mr Trump's election has reverberated across much of the rest of the Middle East, and he has received congratulations from many of the region's leaders.

Israel's leader, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, indicated a high comfort level with the next president, hailing Trump as a "true friend of the state of Israel."

Iraq's leader, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, also congratulated Trump and expressed hope the "world and the United States will continue to support Iraq in fighting terrorism."

Additional reporting by agencies
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Donald Trump didn't win the election so much as Hillary Clinton lost it.

The new President-elect didn't actually generate any more votes than he was expected to, or than other candidates have in the past. He had fewer votes than the Republican candidates generated in the last two elections, overall  and both of those candidates, Mitt Romney and John McCain, lost fairly decisively.

Instead, Mr Trump's win was mostly decided by plunging Democrat votes, not by the fact that he had received strong support  which he failed to do.

In Barack Obama's first election, he was able to pick up nearly 70 million votes; in his second, that dropped to around 66 million. This time around, Hillary Clinton's support looks set not even to reach 60 million  far fewer than the number of people who voted for Barack Obama.

US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US Presidential election: key moments in pictures US Presidential election: key moments in pictures The 2005 Access Hollywood video which showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump suggests gun-supporters could kill Hillary Clinton to prevent her from picking the supreme court justices Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump said that judge Gonzalo Curiel would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage United States Federal Court/AP US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump anxious over securing black vote Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and concerns about securing black vote Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and his relentless remarks against Mexican people Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and the sexual assault allegations Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures FBI director announced that there would be no charges for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal Getty

Even at that much reduced level, Ms Clinton's popular support appears to be stronger than Mr Trump's. Mr Trump also seems to have seen a reduction in the number of people voting for him, when compared with previous elections, bringing in fewer votes than recent presidential candidates.

But the latter is moving into the White House because of the arrangement of the electoral college, in which he has scored many more votes.
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Donald Trump won't officially become president until January 2017, but within hours of his victory the world has already begun to change.

1) A top Israeli government minister declared the idea of Palestinian state 'over'.

Israeli Merkava tanks drive near the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip as they return from the Hamas-controlled Palestinian coastal enclave on August 5, 2014, (AFP/Getty Images)

Israel's Education Minister Naftali Bennett, a key figure on the right wing of the Israeli governing coalition, said that Trumps victory "is an opportunity for Israel to immediately retract the notion of a Palestinian state".

Citing Mr Trump's election manifesto, the minister added: "The era of a Palestinian state is over.

2) American Muslim women who wear the hijab agonised over whether its still safe to wear one.

3) Demonstrators set fires and overturned cars in major cities across America.

 Protests across America after Trump victory

Thousands of people took to the streets across the US's western seabord to protest against Mr Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton.

Cities in California, Oregon and Washington all witnessed angry demonstrations, with objects being set alight, windows smashed, and effigies burned. Protests are also planned outside US embassies across the world.

4) Global financial markets went haywire.

Investors piled into safe assets like gold while currency markets and stock markets reacted with volatility to Mr Trump's win.

The Mexican peso plumetted, with stock markets including the Japanese Nikkei and FTSE all down. Stock market futures plunged in US markets, a sign that investors believe long-term volatility is ahead.

5) Sarah Palin said Britain and America are 'hooking up' in light of Brexit and Trump.

 Sarah Palin compares Donald Trump's election run to Brexit

Sarah Palin, the former Alaskan govenor tipped for a position in Mr Trump's cabinet, told reporters that Britan and America were "hooking up" following the election.

"Well, see, Great Britain and America, see how we're hooking up now?" she said at a Trump rally as the results rolled in.

"We're going rogue and saying, you know, the people are going to take back control of our governance."

6) Former KKK leader David Duke declared tonight 'one of the most exciting nights of my life'

(Getty Images) (Getty)

David Duke, who formerly led the KKK as its "Grand Wizard", celebrated Mr Trumps election: This is one of the most exciting nights of my life, Mr Duke wrote.

Make no mistake about it, our people have played a huge role in electing Trump!

7) Shares in renewable energy companies tanked

(Vestas (Vestas)

Shares of renewable energy companies that operate in the US tanked on the news that Mr Trump would be the next president.

The Republican president has previously claimed climate change is a hoax perpetuated by the Chinese to cripple American industry.

Vestas, a major maker of US wind turbines that gets about 40 per cent of its business from America, saw a maximum fall of 14 per cent.

8) while shares in arms companies surged to a record high

9) Russias political establishment celebrated

 Russian parliament bursts into applause upon announcement of US election result

Jubilant parliamentarians burst into applause in Russia's legislature at the news of Mr Trump being elected. Clapping drowned out the announcement.

Vladimir Putin, the country's president, sent Mr Trump a welcome telegraph, while his allies expressed satisfaction as the Republican candidate beating Hillary Clinton.

10) Canadas immigration website crashed under the demand of American visitors

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Rex Features) (Rex)

The official website for 'Citizenship and Immigration Canada' stopped working overnight, apparently because of the sheer number of Americans looking to emigrate north.

Service was later restored, with the Canadian citizenship and immigration service tweeting dryly that in Canada "immigrants are encouraged to bring their cultural traditions with them and share them with their fellow citizens".

11) Jihadi leaders welcomed the new US president

The flag used by Isis features a banner reading: 'There is no God but Allah, Mohammad is the messenger of Allah' (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

Trumps victory is a hard slap to those promoting the efficiency of democratic systems, Hamza al-Karibi, a spokesperson for the al-Qaeda affiliated Syrian jihadist group Jabhat Fatah al-Sham wrote to his Twitter followers. Starting today, we wont need media releases clarifying the Wests machinations. All we need to do is retweet what Trump says, he added.

Meanwhile, prominent Egyptian-born jihadi cleric Dr Tariq Abdel Haleem said: Trumps [sic] winning might be bad for us in the short run. However, it is better for Muslims in the long run as hell ruin the US."

12) Mexicos foreign minister made it clear they wouldnt be paying for that wall

A mock-up of what such a wall might have to look like in scale (Agustin Avalos/Estudio 314)

Mr Trump's signature policy of building a huge wall across America's southern border with Mexico to stop immigrants seemed less likely than ever.

World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Show all 29 1 /29 World reaction to President Trump: In pictures World reaction to President Trump: In pictures London, England AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures London, England Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Manila, Philippines Getty Images World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Manila, Philippines Getty World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Mosul , Iraq Getty World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Manila, Philippines AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures New Delhi, India Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Karachi, Pakistan EPA World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Jakarta, Indonesia Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Lagos, Nigeria AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Kabul, Afghanistan AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Jerusalem. Israel Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Moscow, Russia Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Seoul, South Korea AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Lagos, Nigeria AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Peshawar, Pakistan EPA World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Jakarta, Indonesia Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Hyderabad, India AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Kolkata, India AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Sydney, Australia Getty World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Sydney, Australia AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Aleppo, Syria Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Mexico City, Mexico AP World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Reuters World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Jerusalem, Israel EPA World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Baghdad, Iraq Rex World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories Rex World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Tokyo, Japan Rex World reaction to President Trump: In pictures Mexico City, Mexico Getty

"Paying for a wall is not part of our vision," Claudia Ruiz Massieu, Mexico's foreign minister, told a local television station on Wednesday in the aftermath of Mr Trump's triumph.
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Donald Trump has won the key battleground state of Florida in an extraordinary twist on election day.

Mr Trump desperately needed the state as his route to presidential victory is narrower than his rival, but it has become wider after winning this swing state.

The result, announced around 11pm Eastern Time, is one of the most important results of the election night so far and helps to pave the way to the Oval Office.

As the results poured in for Florida voters, Mr Trump had an early lead. Around 8pm ET, however, Ms Clinton gained the lead of 80,000 votes. Mr Trump then stole back the lead by 11pm.

The winning candidate needs more than 270 electoral votes to win and Florida has 29 votes up for grabs.

Its swing state status means it tends to have no significant support from either party, therefore a win for the Democrats or Republicans is a key victory and a good opportunity to win electoral votes.

It is one of 13 important swing states across the US.

In 2012, it was the last state to be called in the presidential election and was also the closest.

Tampa was the site of the Republican National Convention, but the state ultimately went to president Barack Obama with 50.01 per cent of the vote and 49.13 per cent to Republican Mitt Romney.

Florida was one of the first swing states to close its polls and release the results.

In the senate race, Republican Marco Rubio and former rival to Mr Trump was projected to win.

In 2000, the narrow gap between Republican winner George W Bush and Democrat Al Gore prompted Mr Gore to contest the result. It was settled in the supreme court.
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A former Ku Klux Klan leader  or 'grand wizard'  has suggested fascists had helped Donald Trump win the US presidential election.

David Duke, who once led the neo-Nazi, white-supermacist organisation, tweeted the claim on election night.

This is one of the most exciting nights of my life, Mr Duke wrote.

Make no mistake about it, our people have played a huge role in electing Trump!

 Protests across America after Trump victory

The Republican became the 45th president-elect early on Wednesday morning, in a victory which defied the polls and shocked pundits.

Mr Duke, a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, was also running for Senate this year, but lost his race in the state.

During the election campaign, Mr Trump only hesitantly denounced Mr Duke and the KKK, but that did not deter the far-right politician.

Mr Duke reiterated his support following the election result, even appearing to class his politics and Mr Trump's politics as one and the same.

We have the moral high ground, 100%, he said on Twitter.

He also posted a series of bizarre photoshopped images of Mr Trump, including one of him holding a rifle while standing on a tank bearing his name, surrounded by fireworks, an eagle and the US flag.

Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall  and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY

He wrote: Donald J Trump now has the chance to become one of the greatest Americans to have ever lived.

Marine Le Pen, leader of the French far-right National Front, also took to Twitter to praise Mr Trump.

Congratulations to the new president of the United States Donald Trump and to the free American people she said on Wednesday.
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In addition to electing a new president, Americans voted on more than 150 proposed amendments to state laws on Tuesday.

The electorate in several states voted in favour of marijuana legalisation, the death penalty, raising the minimum wage, and increasing gun control.

Among the bills which did not pass, voters in California decided not to force porn actors to wear condoms when filming, and people in Washington chose not to become the first in the country to implement a carbon tax.

Marijuana

California, Massachusetts, Maine, and Nevada all voted to legalise marijuana for recreational use.

Marijuana was already legal in four US states: Colorado, Alaska, Washington, and Oregon. This means the drug can now be smoked without breaking the law along a swathe of the west coast.

North Dakota, Arkansas, Montana, and Florida voted to legalise medical marijuana.

Only Arizona bucked the trend and chose not to decriminalise the drug.

Californias Proposition 64 has been described by campaigners as the most important cannabis measure America has seen. The state has the fifth largest economy in the world, and is expected to have a recreational marijuana market larger than Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska combined, Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, told the Guardian.

When I talk to everybody from allies to government officials in Mexico and I ask them whats it going to take to transform the debate, he said, the response to me is when California legalises marijuana.

Capital punishment

California, the state with the most people on death row, had two opposing measures on the ballot related to the death penalty: proposition 62 wanted to end state executions, whereas 66 wanted to speed them up.

Proposition 62, which would have replaced capital punishment for murder with life in prison without parole, garnered 46.1 per cent of the vote and failed to pass.

Proposition 66 intended to speed up executions by designating trial courts to hear petitions challenging death row convictions, limiting successive petitions and expanding the pool of lawyers who could take on death penalty appeals.

It won the approval of 50.9 per cent of voters.

Elsewhere, state executions also proved popular.

Oklahoma passed a measure to reaffirm the states commitment to the death penalty after the state attorney general suspended executions last year.

Nebraska voters passed a ballot measure to reinstate the death penalty after state lawmakers repealed it in 2015.

Minimum wage

Arizona, Colorado, Maine, and Washington all voted to increase their minimum wage.

Arizona backed raising it to $10 in 2017 and then incrementally to $12 by 2020, in addition to enshrining the right to paid time off when ill.

In Colorado, the electorate decided to raise the minimum wage from $8.31 to $9.30 per hour in 2017, and then increase it 90 cents each year until the wage reaches $12 in 2020.

Maine will also raise the hourly payment to $12 by 2020.

Washington voted for the most generous increase, to $13.50 by 2020, and will also enforce paid sick leave.

South Dakota wanted to decrease the minimum wage for people under 18 from $8.50 to $7.50 an hour, but voters rejected the proposal.

Gun control

California and Nevada voted to tighten gun controls with universal background checks.

Washington voted to prevent some people -- such as perpetrators of domestic violence -- from accessing firearms entirely.

But people in Maine bucked the trend and rejected implementing stricter measures.

The famous for and against US gun control Show all 31 1 /31 The famous for and against US gun control The famous for and against US gun control Against: Robert De Niro Despite the actor being a gun-wielding fast-talker, he told Daily Mail: "There should be more control. It has just gotten out of hand, how easily you can get guns." The famous for and against US gun control For: Brad Pitt "America is founded on guns. It;s in out DNA. Its very strange but I feel better having a gun." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control For: Angelina Jolie "Brad and I are not against having a gun in the house, and we do have one. If anybody comes into my home and tries to hurt my kids, Ive no problem shooting them." AFP/Getty The famous for and against US gun control For: Johnny Depp "When I was a kid it was a controlled atmosphere, we weren't shooting at humans - we were shooting at cans and bottles mostly. I will most certainly take my kids out for target practice." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control For: Bruce Willis "Everyone has a right to bear arms. If you take guns away from legal gun owners, then the only people who have guns are the bad guys." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control For: Clint Eastwood "I have a very strict gun control policy: if there's a gun around, I want to be in control of it." Reuters The famous for and against US gun control For: Whoopi Goldberg "Im an NRA member, as you know or probably dont know... I want to know that theres at least some way to prevent folks who are just getting out from mental institutions [from getting guns]." The famous for and against US gun control For: Vince Vaughn "Banning guns is like banning forks in an attempt to stop making people fat. Taking away guns, taking away drugs, the booze, it won't rid the world of criminality... I support people having a gun in public full stop, not just in your home." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control For: Donald Trump "Democrats want to confiscate all guns, which is a dumb idea because only the law-abiding citizens would turn in their guns and the bad guys would be the only ones left armed. The Republicans walk the NRA line and refuse even limited restrictions" Getty The famous for and against US gun control Against: Matt Damon I actually hate guns. They freak me out. Rex The famous for and against US gun control Against: Mark Wahlberg "Well, I would love it if they could take all the guns away. Unfortunately, you cant do that so you hope that good people in the world have them to protect the people who cant protect themselves." AP The famous for and against US gun control Against: Sean Connery "It is said that a total ban on handguns, including .22s, would take away innocent pleasure from thousands of people. Is that more or less pleasure than watching your child grow up?" Rex Features The famous for and against US gun control Against: Arnold Schwarzenegger "Im for gun control. Im a peace-loving guy." Lionsgate The famous for and against US gun control Against: Sylvester Stallone "Until America, door to door, takes every handgun, this is what youre gonna have. Its pathetic. It really is pathetic. Its sad. Were living in the Dark Ages over there." Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Rashida Jones "Gun control is our only road to freedom. Freedom from the fear of senselessly losing children." Getty The famous for and against US gun control Against: Susan Sarandon "How much more suffering & loss will it take before we better regulate the sale of arms in our country?" Getty The famous for and against US gun control Against: Beyonce Queen B was part of the Demand a Plan campaign against guns after Newton shooting, by appearing in a video alongside a bunch of celebrities. AP The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jamie Foxx A Hollywood gang joined Beyonce in the campaign... GETTY IMAGES The famous for and against US gun control Against: Cameron Diaz Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jessica Alba Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jennifer Garner Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jennifer Aniston Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Jason Merritt | Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Jon Hamm The Mad Men actor also appeared in the video... The famous for and against US gun control Against: Reese Witherspoon Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Ellen DeGeneres Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Reuters The famous for and against US gun control Against: Julianne Moore Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. The famous for and against US gun control Against: Selena Gomez Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. GETTY IMAGES The famous for and against US gun control Against: Peter Dinklage The Game of Thrones also appeared in the video... Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Zooey Deschanel alongside the New Girl star. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Steve Carell Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign. Getty Images The famous for and against US gun control Against: Gwyneth Paltrow Took part in the Demand a Plan campaign, too.

Other

Voters in Colorado voted to allow assisted suicide, with approval from two different doctors.

Terminally ill adults who are mentally fit already have the right to end their lives in Oregon, Washington, Vermont, and Montana.

Voters in Los Angeles approved a measure to spend $1.2bn (964m) building 10,000 housing units for homeless people in the city and helping support people who are at risk of losing their homes.

Property owners in LA will help fund the measures.

In Colorado, a proposal failed which would have made the state the first in the country to have universal, government-run healthcare.

Amendment 69, also known as ColoradoCare, would have created a $36bn health system designed to ensure that every resident of the state was served.

The service, which would have been funded using a 10 per cent payroll tax, would have replaced the private health insurance system.
Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

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Donald Trumps election as US President is showing signs of producing an outpouring of race hate to mirror that which followed the Brexit vote in the UK.

A small minority of Trump supporters have started using twitter to tell immigrants they think are illegals to pack your bags and get the f**k out you piece of s**t.

Some are explicitly linking Trumps victory to the Brexit vote by calling Nigel Farage, the ex-Ukip leader who backed the Republican candidate, the smartest man on the planet and posting video of his mocking address to the European Parliament after the EU referendum result.

 Trump victory speech calls on Americans to become 'one united people'

Possibly the most sinister social media post comes in the form of a video posted by a Trump supporter under the caption: The wolves are coming. Do you hear them? Theyve had a taste of blood. They want their meal.

Posted on US election night, by Grabby Nimble, a twitter user whose feed is headed by a photo of planet Earth wearing a Make America Great Again cap, it features a bearded man talking outside, in the dark.

After blowing cigarette smoke into the camera, he says, with a smirk:

To the leftists. We the wolves, who have not had a taste of blood for the better part of 20 years, have finally gotten a taste.

The wolves  are now at the table, and you are dinner.

So my advice to you he adds, Is if Mr Trump becomes President Trump, emigrate. Some of you have an option to repatriate to another country, in the Middle East. Maybe you wanna do that.

Because, again, wolves are hungry and we have have been spoiling for a fight.

The forest is now our turf, he concludes, And you, ideologically  perhaps not physically but at least ideologically  are now the hunted.

The video generated a succession of approving responses from other Trump supporters.

After retweeting the video as F***ing brilliant, Daniel MacDaniel, whose social media page includes Trump slogans like drain the swamp, wrote: I hope the #Dreamers [Clinton supporters] are going to dream about going back to their homeland tonight. #ElectionNight #SendThemBack.

Prominent immigrants were targeted for particularly virulent abuse.

Jose Antonio Vargas, a gay Filipino journalist and immigration activist, who has lived in the US since the age of 12 but who in 2011 went public with his undocumented status, was trolled for writing: many undocumented people follow me and I want them to know I will not be intimidated, that we are not going anywhere.

A succession of Trump supporters taunted him that he was being deported. One, calling himself Johnny Deplorable in reference to Hillary Clintons description of Trump supporters as a basket of deplorables, told Vargas: Dont know if youve seen the news. Youre getting deported. Better pack up.

Another responded with a photograph from 2000 of a Border Patrol Tactical Unit agent pointing a gun towards a terrified six-year-old Cuban boy. Donald Trumps face was superimposed on that of the agent.

At the time, there was outrage at the heavy handedness shown towards the boy, Elian Gonzalez, who was involved in a high profile immigration and parental custody controversy after his mother drowned when they were shipwrecked trying to get to the US.

Today, however, the tweeted photo drew approving responses such as I cant wait to watch his [Vargas] deportation livestream. The doctored picture had been accompanied by the words: Pack your bags. Your ass is going back.

The sentiments expressed at times seemed to mirror those aired during the upsurge in so-called post-referendum racism that occurred in the UK after the summers Brexit vote.

US Election night in pictures Show all 24 1 /24 US Election night in pictures US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Reuters US Election night in pictures Reuters US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Reuters US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures Getty US Election night in pictures AFP/Getty Images

As revealed by The Independent, incidents included a Brexit supporter wearing a T-shirt saying Yes! We won! Now send them back, and F*** off to Poland letters being sent in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

With commentators saying that the referendum result had emboldened people to feel it was now legitimate to express long-felt hatred, police reported that hate crime incidents rose by 57 per cent in the four days following the referendum.

Some American Trump supporters sending insults made an explicit link to Brexit.

Grabby Nimble, who posted the Wolves are coming video, also re-tweeted footage of Mr Farage telling the European Parliament, after his Brexit victory: You all laughed at me. Well I have to say, you are not laughing now, are you?

Johnny Deplorable praised the former Ukip leader for backing Trump and wrote: Nigel Farage is proving to be the smartest man on the planet.

He was backed by a British supporter calling himself Farage/Trump 2017 who wrote: This is so exciting.

Priska Komaromi, the co-author of the report Post-referendum racism and xenophobia, which analysed the incidents that followed the Brexit vote, told The Independent she feared that the American online abuse might escalate to violence even worse than that seen in the UK.

I am extremely worried, she said. Because there are certainly similarities to do with how rhetoric by powerful political figures can have real consequences - but in the case of Trump it was at a completely different level: his whole campaign was inciting racial hatred. And in the US they have guns.

They also dont seem to have an legislation against hate speech because the First Amendment protecting freedom of speech is such a sacred thing.

I am expecting the worst.
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Russian politicians sitting in parliament reportedly burst into applause when an MP broke the news of Donald Trump's emphatic election victory.

An announcement by Foreign Affairs Committee member Vyacheslav Nikonov that Mr Trump had triumphed was almost drowned out by clapping and cheering in the State Duma.

State news agency RIA-Novosti and Russian website Interfax.com quoted Mr Nikonov, also chairman of the Education Committee, as saying: "Three minutes ago, Hillary Clinton acknowledged her defeat in the US presidential elections and just seconds ago, Trump began his speech as president-elect. I congratulate all of you on this."

Recommended Read more Vladimir Putin congratulates US President Donald Trump

President Vladimir Putin subsequently sent 70-year-old Mr Trump a telegram congratulating him on the outcome.

In a brief statement, the Kremlin said Mr Putin had expressed his hope that the pair could "work together... [to improve] Russian-American relations from their [current] crisis state".

Mr Putin also said he had confidence in "building a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington that is based on principles of equality, mutual respect and a real accounting of each other's positions, in the interests of our peoples and the world community".

Sergei Mironov, leader of the Fair Russia party, said: "As a man, I am not envious of Bill Clinton, because it seems he's a little wife who's followed Hillary Clinton to all the states like an old rucksack and now she's lost.

"This is the choice of Americans, as we always say. Russia will work with the president, elected by the American people."

 Donald Trump denies he's ever met Putin despite someone called Donald Trump once saying he had

Liberal Democrat boss Vladimir Zhirinovsky meanwhile said: "We will make up Mr Trump a telegram of congratulations: Dear Donald, we congratulate you on a well-deserved victory. Grandmother Hillary can take some rest now."

Mr Putin has tacitly supported the millionare property mogul during the campaign, while Mr Trump has repeatedly flattered and praised the Russian leader and said he was willing to work with him.

Father-of-five Mr Trump also denied ever meeting the Moscow leader, despite reports to the contraty.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban meanwhile said Mr Trump's victory is "great news" and shows "democracy is still alive."

Mr Orban has been often criticised by the United States, including by Hillary Clinton when she was Secretary of State, for weakening the democratic system of checks and balances.

But Mr Orban offered his congratulations to Trump on his Facebook page.
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The most unlikely presidential candidate in recent history surged ahead in early voting as Donald Trump swept to a quick advantage over Hillary Clinton - securing the battleground state of Ohio and Florida.

After millions of Americans turned out to vote in numbers that may have set a record, Mr Trump was performing far better than than many expected - certainly better than most pundits had anticipated - in all the crucial states and was on track for the White House.

At 11.55pm Eastern Standard Time, CNN scored the electoral college race 232 to 209 in favour of the New York tycoon. He was reckoned to have secured 23 states, to 17 for Ms Clinton - including other swing states such as North Carolina.

Picture: (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

As financial markets around the world tumbled in anticipation of a possible victory for Mr Trump, Ms Clinton was left needing to win the remaining safe Democratic states and all of the remaining competitive ones. This included Michigan, where Mr Trump had a slim lead with nearly 70 per cent of precincts reporting. The state would appear to be key for Ms Clinton, with New Hampshire also potentially important. In New Hampshire Mr Trump again has a slim lead, with more than 75 per cent of precincts reporting. Ms Clinton was ahead in Nevada, another state she must take.

However, supporters of Ms Clinton appeared increasingly anxious.

I went and voted at 12pm. The polling station was near my dorm, said Gertrude Clark, a 19-year-old student in New York. She said she had voted for Ms Clinton, as she would prefer a politician to run the country rather than a businessman. She is not a saint, she added. But sometimes you have to pick the better of two opticians.

Isra Ali, an academic had voted early in Jersey City. But she said that even at 6.30am, the number of people was greater and usual and she sensed an amount of tension.

I voted for Hillary Clinton. As a Muslim American Im terrified of Donald Trump becoming president, she said. I dont agree with everything that she does, but she is the best choice.

Mr Trump, 70, voted in New York, where he was booed by some in the polling and where he was photographed glancing over his wifes shoulder, as she cast her ballot, an image that quickly went viral.

Mr Trump once again raised the prospect that the vote would not be fair.

Were going to see how things play out today. Hopefully theyll play out well and hopefully we wont have to worry about it, meaning hopefully well win, he told Fox News. I want to see everything honest.

Florida last recounted votes in a presidential election in 2000 (AP)

Mr Trump also tried to sue the registrar of voters in Nevadas Clark County over a polling place in Las Vegas that had been allowed to remain open late last week during an early voting period to accommodate people, many of them Hispanic, who were lined up to cast ballots.

If successful, the lawsuit would have asked that records of thousands of early votes would be discounted. But the judge, Gloria Sterman, said that the case was disturbing to me and make clear that she was not doing it.

Ms Clinton, aiming to become the first woman US president, cast her ballot at an elementary school near her home in Chappaqua, New York early on Tuesday morning.

It is the most humbling feeling. I know how much responsibility goes with this, she told Reuters. So many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country. And I'll do the very best I can if I'm fortunate enough to win today.

Ms Clinton, 69, led Mr Trump, by 44 per cent to 39 per cent, in the last Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll before Election Day.
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From the sun-filled streets of Harlem to the humid avenues of Miami, and across the golden expanse of California, America has cast its votes, with polls suggesting Hillary Clinton started election day the favourite, but with a nation unsettled and anxious. Many people, if not most, will be glad when this most toxic of campaigns is over.

Reports of long lines at polling stations across the country suggested that turnout our could reach new levels, despite a campaign that has been without precedent for its toxicity and rhetoric.

I went and voted at 12pm. The polling station was near my dorm, said Gertrude Clark, a 19-year-old student in New York. She said she had voted for Ms Clinton, as she would prefer a politician to run the country rather than a businessman. She is not a saint, she added. But sometimes you have to pick the better of two options."

Isra Ali, an academic had voted early in Jersey City. But she said that even at 6.30am, the number of people was greater and usual and she sensed an amount of tension.

Students in Pennsylvania queue to cast their ballots - there were waiting times of 45 minutes to an hour during peak times (Getty)

Isra Ali said she was terrified by the prospect of Mr Trump becoming president (Andrew Buncombe ) (Andrew Buncombe)

I voted for Hillary Clinton. As a Muslim American Im terrified of Donald Trump becoming president, she said. I dont agree with everything that she does, but she is the best choice.

Mr Trump, 70, voted in New York, where he was booed by some in the polling and where he was photographed glancing over his wifes shoulder, as she cast her ballot, an image that quickly went viral.

Mr Trump once again raised the prospect that the vote would not be fair: Were going to see how things play out today. Hopefully theyll play out well and hopefully we wont have to worry about it, meaning hopefully well win, he told Fox News. I want to see everything honest.

Mr Trump also tried to sue the registrar of voters in Nevadas Clark County over a polling place in Las Vegas that had been allowed to remain open late last week during an early voting period to accommodate people, many of them Hispanic, who were lined up to cast ballots.

If successful, the lawsuit would have asked that records of thousands of early votes would be discounted. But the judge, Gloria Sterman, said that the case was disturbing to me and make clear that she was not doing it.

Ms Clinton, aiming to become the first woman US president, cast her ballot at an elementary school near her home in Chappaqua, New York early on Tuesday morning.

It is the most humbling feeling. I know how much responsibility goes with this, she told Reuters. So many people are counting on the outcome of this election, what it means for our country. And I'll do the very best I can if I'm fortunate enough to win today.

Ms Clinton, 69, led Mr Trump, by 44 per cent to 39 per cent, in the last Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll before Election Day. A Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation poll gave Clinton a 90 per cent chance of defeating Trump and said she was on track to win 303 Electoral College votes, with 270 needed for election.
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North Carolinas Board of Elections voted on Tuesday to extend voting in Durham County in eight precincts by 90-minutes. The decision comes after technical issues were reported earlier in the day.

Durham Countys Board of Elections previously requested the extension and will receive 20 to 60 minutes for residents to cast their ballot. The county is majority Democrat and has a large minority population, according to CNN.

The unanimous recommendation was sent to the state Board of Elections at 1:30pm came after a glitch in the electronic voter check-in system required a switch to paper roll books.

"As a result of these events, voting in Durham County was interrupted at multiple sites for at least one hour," Democracy North Carolina said in a statement.

By state rules, all voting locations in the county have to be affected for an extension of voting hours.

The county has brought in 60 additional staff to work on providing more data to the state on how much the voting has been affected.
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Senator Marco Rubio has been declared the winner of his US Senate race in Florida, a victory that will send him back to the upper chamber of Congress for a second term and position him potentially to make a second run for the White House in 2020.

Mr Rubio, who dropped out of this year's battle for the Republican nomination after losing his own Florida to Donald Trump, had originally said that by by running for president he had decided to forgo trying for a new term in the Senate.

He later changed his mind under intense pressure from the Republican Party who believed that his popularity in his own state as well as his strong name recognition would make Florida a sure hold as they sought avenues to prevent the Democrats from taking away their Senate majority.

The news that he had been projected the winner was met by loud boos at a meeting of Hispanic Democrats in the Miami area, an interesting display of disdain for a candidate even though he is himself a Cuban-American.

His prospects had seemed more or less secure for several weeks as his Democrat rival, Patrick Murphy, lagged in the polls, hampered by a far less impressive war-chest to fight a campaign in a state that has some of the most expensive media markets in the country.

If Mr Trump goes on to the lose the presidential night, Mr Rubio will surely use his return to the Senate to try to regain his early standing as the likely future standard-bearer of his party, notwithstanding his disappointing primary performance this year, banking on his youth.

He would surely also benefit if the Republican turns in on itself and blames a Trump defeat on the failure of the party one more time to bring Hispanics into the fold. Mr Rubio will very likely find himself competing for pole position in the party with Senator Ted Cruz, also of Cuban heritage who was the last one standing against Mr Trump for the 2016 nomination.

For a brief moment after his loss of the Sunshine State by a wide margin in March, it seemed that Mr Rubios once bright political glow may have been dimmed for good. Tuesday nights victory will clearly go a long way to restoring it, however.

It may not have a great impact on the wider struggle for control of the US by the Democrats, who long ago discounted Florida as a state they were unlikely to capture.
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Florida's 29 electoral votes are essential for Donald Trump's chances of winning the White House.

If he wins the state but the margin is too close, a recount could be on the cards.

Such an event would bring back bitter memories for Democrats after the disastrous outcome of the controversial Florida recount after the 2000 election between Republican George W. Bush and Democrats Al Gore.

The winner of the 2000 election hanged on the result of the recount which dragged on for five weeks.

The US Supreme Court finally settled the issue calling the state in favour of Mr Bush by a margin of 537 votes.

In accordance to Florida electoral law, the margin between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump must be 0.5 per cent or less for an automatic state recount to be triggered.

If the margin is higher, lawyers representing one or both the campaigns must make a case to the Florida Supreme Court in Tallahassee.

The Democrats have already mobilised lawyers to fight any potential disputed outcome.

Professor Heather Gerken from Yale Law School told The Washington Post: "The Democrats have a standing army. It's a highly professional system.

"The Trump people, as far as I can tell, dont have that. If you want a recount, you have to have good evidence, you have to have good lawyers, and you have to be prepared in advance.

If a recount is triggered in 2016, it would not be expected to take as long as in 2000 due to the increased use of electronic voting machines.

As a result, the problems of partially perforated paper ballots known as "hanging chads" would not resurface, according to Constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley from George Washington University.

US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US Presidential election: key moments in pictures US Presidential election: key moments in pictures The 2005 Access Hollywood video which showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump suggests gun-supporters could kill Hillary Clinton to prevent her from picking the supreme court justices Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump said that judge Gonzalo Curiel would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage United States Federal Court/AP US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump anxious over securing black vote Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and concerns about securing black vote Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and his relentless remarks against Mexican people Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and the sexual assault allegations Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures FBI director announced that there would be no charges for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal Getty

However, Professor Turley said voter worries about hacking and cyber interference could cause new issues.

He said:"With the hanging chads, there was a physical paper to observe and debate as to its meaning.

"With these electronic systems, you simply dont have that, so questions about hacking and other types of malfeasance tend to be magnified in the views of many voters

"With all the talk about rigged elections, the new electronic systems are likely to fuel rather than reduce those concerns."
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Hillary Clinton recently confessed its been twenty years since she last drove a car. That takes us back to when Bill was in the White House, so its unlikely she was a regular at the wheel even then. Even our own Queen Elizabeth II takes the Royal Range Rover out for the occasional spin.

Not being a practised driver invites instant allegory: will she be able to steer the worlds last superpower with any expertise? But it also points to the problems she faced as a candidate for the White House. A woman of the people? Not really. Most of her adult life has been about as far removed from the experience of ordinary Americans as it could possibly have been.

She was, in fact, a candidate of serial contradictions and paradoxes. Her career has been dedicated to helping the little guy, especially women and children - she volunteered baby-sitting children of migrant workers while at school and in the 1970s served as chief lawyer at the Childrens Defence Fund - yet she has existed in a protective, and highly privileged, bubble.

Which also led many voters to conclude this: how little we know ye.

US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump shakes hands with Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at the conclusion of their first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York Reuters US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures President Barack Obama embraces Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on stage at the party's convention in Philadelphia US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Donald Trump's wife Melania delivered a speech at the GOP convention in Cleveland that was later found to have been cribbed in part from Michelle Obama's 2008 convention address AP US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Hillary Clinton talks to reporters aboard her new campaign plane on Labour Day, 5 September, her first 'press conference' since 2015 (Getty Images) US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Donald Trump held a joint press conference with Mexican leader Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City in August, hours before reiterating his harsh immigration plans at a campaign rally in Arizona Reuters US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Bernie Sanders officially endorsed Hillary Clinton, saying his progressive vision for a transformed America would be best served by the defeat of Donald Trump Reuters US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Khizr and Gazala Khan appeared at the DNC to slam Trump for his stance on Muslim immigration, citing the case of their son Humayun Khan, who was killed in combat while serving as a Captain in the US Army in Iraq US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson is doing better in polls than any third party candidate since Ross Perot, 20 years ago Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Green Party candidate Jill Stein (centre) marches with supporters in Colorado AP US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Hillary Clinton and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine at a rally in Kaine's home state in July, days before Ms Clinton tapped him to be her running mate Getty US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Trump on the campaign trail with his vice presidential pick, Indiana governor Mike Pence AP US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage appears at a Trump rally in Mississippi in August, where he told the crowd that he 'wouldn't vote for Hillary Clinton if you paid me'.

Though she has been in the public realm for most of those four decades, going back to when Bill was first elected Governor of Arkansas in 1978, to most Americans she remained an enigma. And she knew it. As someone close to me once said, 'I'm probably the most famous person you don't really know,'  she told an interviewer on NBC in 2007.

Much else was befuddling besides. She spoke often of her new experiences as a grandmother - Chelsea Clinton and her husband Marc Mezvinsky have a young boy and girl - yet only she or her closest friends and family members could tell you if she is even capable of cuddliness.

She is a practising Methodist and a lawyer by training who exudes desiccated rectitude - especially in the context of battling a Republican nominee whose morals have seemed at times to have taken him far outside the walls of church expectations - yet hers has been a political career unusually adorned with scandal, alleged corruption and intrigue, sometimes sexual in nature.

 US election: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump hold their final rallies

Born in Chicago in 1947 and raised in the suburban town of Park Ridge, Illinois, Hillary Rodham Clinton is a liberal committed to the notion that government is there to help - not impede - the citizenry, who believes in the basic concept of the redistribution of wealth, where the rich must help the poor, and advocates firmly for stronger gun control, for preserving the right of women to seek abortions, for gay rights and for building on Obamacare to provide health insurance for all.

Yet quarry a little deeper and you also find conservative seams. Her record as US Secretary of State was one of pushing Barack Obama towards hawkish interventionism. She was the first to argue in favour for the raid on Osama bin Laden. The first to advocate going into Libya in 2011. And, yes, long before that she voted for the war in Iraq. Gay activists will also note that she took longer than some of her Democrat colleagues to get to where she supported gay marriage.

Dorothy Rodham, her mother, died in 2011 (Getty)

Its worth recalling, she was actually a Republican before she was a Democrat. Just before enrolling in Wellesley College, a private, all-female, liberal arts college in Massachusetts, she even volunteered for the 1964 campaign of Barry Goldwater, whose eventual crushing defeat at the hands of Lyndon Johnson came because he of his ultra-conservatism. At Wellesley she was elected president of the universitys Young Republicans Club.

But it was while on campus that her switch to the other side began, partly born of her rejection of the War in Vietnam. By 1968 she was volunteering to help the presidential campaign of Eugene McCarthy, who eventually lost the party nomination to Hubert Humphrey. While at Yale University as post-graduate law student she met a young man who also burned with liberal ideals, even though he came from the newly Republican South, William Jefferson Clinton.

 Hillary Clinton does the Mannequin Challenge

That Ms Clinton is familiar with the dark arts of campaigning and - through proximity to her former president husband and her own experience as a twice-elected US Senator from New York - of governing is not in question. So why did a consensus emerge in 2016, even among many Democrats, that as a candidate for president she left a great deal to be desired?

Partly, of course, it was about baggage. The -gate suffix and the Clinton name have gone hand in hand for years. Whitewater-gate. Travel-gate. Monica-gate. And more recently email-gate.

Like so many of the scandals that came before, the email affair threatened to doom her yet never quite reached boiling point, for the lack of a clear smoking gun. It is a pattern she has come to know well. Something potentially awkward - or much worse - arises, she (or Bill) are subjected to months or years of investigation, it finally it goes away. Thus the FBI put its email-server probe to bed in July. Resurrected it again ten days ago. Put it away again on Sunday.

Ken Starr, who was named Baylor University's President and Chancellor in 2010, served as special prosecutor (2014 Cooper Neill)

Over-reaching on the part of conservatives nearly always ensued. Much of Bills White House tenure was marred by a probe into a land-development deal - Whitewater - he and his wife were drawn into in Arkansas when he was Governor. Did he abuse his position of power to get an inside track on the potentially lucrative, but ultimately dud, opportunity? In 1996, Ms Clinton became the only first lady ever to be subpoenaed to testify in such a probe by a special prosecutor.

But it wasnt just Whitewater that left the country complaining of Clinton fatigue once Bills second term was over (no charges were ever pressed). Travelgate involved allegations that members of the Whtie House travel office had been fired to make way for Clinton friends. The death of Deputy White House counsel and Clinton lieutenant Vincent Foster led to a welter of conspiracy theories but was later deemed a suicide by Kenneth Starr, the same special prosecutor looking into Whitewater.

Then there was the trickle of women named as one-time mistresses of the president.

Mr Clinton was forced to admit to an affair with intern Monica Lewinsky (AP)

Nothing rocked the Clinton presidency more than the surfacing of his trysts inside the White House with intern Monica Lewinsky. Ms Clinton famously went on TV to declare her husband the victim of a vast right wing conspiracy. The matter was soon also in the lap of Mr Starr whose investigation eventually led to the effort in Congress to impeach her husband. Her critics in 2016 contended that for all her protestations of supporting womens rights, Ms Clinton disgraced herself not just by standing by her husband through his infidelities but by attempting to discredit the women who had come forward to accuse him of inappropriate behaviour.

Baggage can be overcome if the candidate has the charisma and the political expertise to do so. If Ms Clinton seemed to fall short in 2016, it was again because of her detachment from Main Street USA.

She made, for example, some astonishing detours into tone-deafness, like when she defended her Wall Street speeches for astonishing fees contending she and Bill had been dead broke when they left the White House in 2001. Or when she declared at a fund-raising dinner in Manhattan that half of Donald Trumps supporters belonged in a basket of deplorables because of their tendency towards xenophobia and racism.

Partly, her timing was unfortunate. Ms Clinton took her turn as Democrat nominee in a year when the electorate was unusually restless and no longer in the mood for politics-as-usual. That was the reality that Mr Trump had understood from the start and instinctively tapped. Ms Clinton was the quintessence of the political class so many voters had come to despise.

But it was worse than that. Not only was she a long-standing member of the professional political classes in Washington DC, but somehow she had used all those years of public service to enrich herself and her family to an extent that many voters at best thought distasteful or, worse, believed can only have been achieved through overt surrender to corruption.

Ms Clinton was unfortunate also to have an opponent who, so much better than she, read the public mood and channeled it on the stump. But finally she there was also the potential fortune that that same rival had managed to insult so many of the constinuencies he needed to win over.
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Davenport, Ohio. A freezing night. The Adler Theatre is packed with people who have come out - many through curiousity - to see a man they only know from reality television and the recent televised debates.

Eric Bowen, 53, a plumber, says he has changed his registration from independent to Republican after seeing Mr Trump on television. Eight years ago he voted in the general election for Barack Obama, but he had never before taken part in an Iowa caucus to choose a nominee. That week, he was backing Trump.

We need a businessman, he said. I think a businessman can get things done.

Virginia has seen mining jobs fall by almost 40 per cent in the last few years (Andrew Buncombe ) (Andrew Buncombe)

Two weeks later, at a university stadium in Plymouth, New Hampshire, a couple carrying a placard listened at Mr Trump talked about water-boarding terror suspects, how he had beaten Ted Cruz in the most recent debate, but most importantly about helping those who had fallen by the way side.

Toby and Wendy Shaw said they were tired listening to politicians promising to change things. People are fed up with the lies, said Mr Shaw. How many years have we had these politicians? Its time for someone with a backbone to stand up and do what needs to be done.

Across the breadth and length of America, similar scenes have played out since the New York tycoon announced 18 months ago that he was running for the White House. There are some, white supremacists among them, who have been attracted by a message that has had times been racist and Islamaphobic. There are others, as with the Leave campaign in Britains Brexit debate, who wanted to tighten the border and restrict immigration.

Yet polling data, along with anecdotal interviews with dozens of Trump supporters suggest his major appeal has been his promise to offer a quick-fix solution to the economy. A total of 90 per cent of his supporters listed the economy as being very important to them when it comes to making their choice, according to a recent Pew poll.

Toby and Wendy Shaw said they believed only Mr Trump had the backbone to take action (Andrew Buncombe ) (Andrew Buncombe)

Polls have shown that Mr Trump has received strongest support from white male voters without college degrees, and he has targeted communities in states such as Ohio, Iowa, West Virginia and North Carolina. Frequently he has taken his message to former industrial strongholds such as Youngstown, Ohio, that over the past 20 years has witnessed economic devastation and population decline.

At a rally in a hangar at the citys airport in March, Mr Trump told a rambling story about someone who let a poisonous snake into their house and was then surprised when it bit them - a reference to what he said was the threat of illegal immigrants.

Among those listening to Mr Trump speak was Haskell Westmoreland, 79, a military veteran and former steel worker. I think he will do the right thing for America, he told The Independent. He is going to knock the hell out of Isis. He says he will build a wall, I believe he will.

One notable finding from a Pew survey released in August was that Mr Trumps supporters overwhelmingly believed that life in America was worse than it was 50 years ago for people like them. A total of 81 per cent of registered voters who support Mr Trump said life was gotten worse, with just 11 per cent who said it was better.

By comparison, 59 per cent of Hillary Clintons supporters said they believed life was better over the past 50 years, with 19 per cent saying it is worse, and 18 per cent seeing no change.

Mr Trump has made much of this longing for a purported golden age, when the manufacturing industry was strong and America had a more dominant place in the world. At one of his rallies in Indiana in May, where victory in the primary secured him the Republican nomination, his supporters had differing view on when that golden age was.

Nowhere voted more strongly for Mr Trump than Buchanan County (Andrew Buncombe ) (Andrew Buncombe)

But many spoke of the two terms of Ronald Reagan. Janet Logan: The economy was good, the military was strong and America was looked up to, she said. Now we give it all away.

Of course, this does not tell the entire picture of those who were drawn to Donald Trump. Last month, Vox reported that the tycoons supporters were not the wretched of the earth. It said that exit polling from the primaries found that Mr Trumps voters made about as much as Ted Cruz voters, and significantly more than supporters of either Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. A major study from Gallup's Jonathan Rothwell confirmed this. Trump support was correlated with higher, not lower, income, both among the population as a whole and among white people. Trump supporters were less likely to be unemployed or to have dropped out of the labour force, it claimed.

For an insight into who heard Mr Trumps message the clearest, The Independent visited Grundy, Virginia, a town of around 1,000 tucked away in the Appalachian Mountains near the borders with Kentucky and West Virginia. Buchanan County, of which Grundy was the country seat, voted 69.7 per cent for Mr Trump during the primaries, his highest victory in the entire country.

The community once was a thriving heart of the mining industry. Now, those jobs have all but gone, to be replaced by low-paid work in Wal-Mart and fast-food restaurants.

Lonnie Looney, a former miner said he would be voting for Mr Trump as he believed he was the best chance the community had of returning to its glory days of well-paid work. He said: Hillary Clinton should be in jail.
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Online searches for How to impeach a president have surged since it was announced Donald Trump had won the US election.

Just hours after the result, Americans have been flocking to Google to ask how they can challenge the outcome and put stop Mr Trump from becoming president.

According to Google Trends data, the question has seen a 4,850 per cent rise in Google searches, with the top five states questioning how to impeach Mr Trump being Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado  all Democrat voting states.

Searches asking how to move to Canada have also increased in the US since Trump's imminent presidency was announced. According to American Twitter users, when they type: How to.., Googles top suggestions are How to move to Canada" and How to impeach a president.
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For millions of Americans left truly dispirited not to see the countrys first woman president in history, Hillary Clinton has given voters a glimmer of hope that the "highest and hardest glass ceiling" will still be broken in the near future.

Could Michelle Obama step up to the task?

In Ms Clintons concession speech hours after she lost to Donald Trump, she thanked both Barack and Michelle Obama for their support and for what they had achieved during their eight years in the White House.

 Michelle Obama's inspiring speech at Clinton rally

"To Barack and Michelle Obama, our country owes you an enormous debt of gratitude," she said.

"We thank you for your graceful, determined leadership that has meant so much to so many Americans and people across the world."

Despite Ms Obamas assertions that she had no plans to run for the White House, it is not inconceivable that her reaction to a looming Trump presidency - and all that could bring - may prompt her to reconsider.

A visibly emotional Ms Clinton went on to urge girls and women not to lose hope, and to never stop fighting for what they believed was right.

"Now, I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but someday someone will  and hopefully sooner than we might think right now," she said, to loud applause.

Ms Obama was a fierce advocate for Ms Clinton on the campaign trail and spoke strongly against Mr Trump, saying his bragging about sexual assault in a leaked 2005 video "shook her to the core".

The current Flotus, who has been applauded for her powerful speeches and significant charity work as first lady, has received higher popularity ratings than her husband and any of the 2016 presidential candidates.

Michelle Obama as the First Lady Show all 11 1 /11 Michelle Obama as the First Lady Michelle Obama as the First Lady Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady Getty Michelle Obama as the First Lady Getty

She has said, however, that she did not like the world of politics and would not be running 2020.

Speaking at the South by Southwest festival in Texas, she said: "I will not run for president. No, nope, not going to do it."

She has four years to change her mind though and there will be no shortage of people urging her to do so during that time.
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Nebraska has voted to reinstate the death penalty, as well as backing Donald Trump for the presidency.

Despite waning nationwide support for capital punishment, voters have handed back the option of lethal injection to judges and juries for the most heinous crimes.

The state's unicameral legislature had voted to ban the death penalty in May 2015, by 31 to 15.

Despite having only 10 male inmates on its death row, the issue has been hotly debated across Nebraska.

Pro-death penalty campaigner Bob Evnen told the Lincoln Journal Star: "We hope that the Unicameral will respect the will of the people and will cooperate with the governor in establishing a successful, humane method of carrying out the death penalty.

"We also hope that the judiciary will look for ways to end interminable appeals while maintaining the due process rights of defendants."

A statewide campaign launched in the summer of 2015 to reinstate the death penalty quickly gained the 115,909 signatures required to get it on the ballot.

Governor Pete Ricketts even donated $300,000 (239, 546) Nebraskans for the Death Penalty, His father, businessman Joe Ricketts, donated another $100,000 (79,861).

US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US Presidential election: key moments in pictures US Presidential election: key moments in pictures The 2005 Access Hollywood video which showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump suggests gun-supporters could kill Hillary Clinton to prevent her from picking the supreme court justices Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump said that judge Gonzalo Curiel would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage United States Federal Court/AP US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump anxious over securing black vote Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and concerns about securing black vote Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and his relentless remarks against Mexican people Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and the sexual assault allegations Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures FBI director announced that there would be no charges for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal Getty

There have only been three executions in Nebraska since 1959, all three were killed using the electric chair.

In California there are two competing initiatives up for the vote. One would ban capital punishment, the other would speed up the process for the state's 741 death row inmates - a result on either measure has not been confirmed yet.

California has not put anyone to death since 2006.

Oklahoma has voted to reaffirmed the state's commitment to the death penalty after lethal injections were suspended last year after concerns over the procedure.
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Shares in Japan surged as early results started to point to a Hilary Clinton win in the US Presidential election.

The Nikkei 225 - Japans main stock index - was ahead by over 200 points at the time of writing, having endured a nervous opening ahead of the first results.

Financial markets around the world have heavily favoured a Clinton win, amid concerns among investors about Donald Trumps unpredictability.

Clinton, who has raised large sums from Wall Street, is seen a safe pair of hands by investors.

The Nikkei opened up slightly but was soon in negative territory as investors sat on their hands and waited the first indications about how the US polls was going.

However, it jumped more than 100 points amid signs that Hilary Clinton was doing well in battle ground states such as North Carolina and Florida, before giving up some ground, and then jumped again as Clintons advantage started to firm.

In Australia, another market trading as the results came in, the All Ordinaries Index also moved strongly into positive territory as Clintons prospects started to look good.

Trump needs a sweep of battleground states including Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio to stand any hope of wining a majority in the electoral college that picks the President.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

One of the most eye catching financial moves in the run up to the first results was a sharp rise in the value of the Mexican peso, which surged to a two-month high against the US dollar.

The currency has been rising when Donald Trumps chances have looked to be receding, falling when his star has been in the ascendent.

Financial spread betting firm IG had predicted a nervous night for investors, who have already had to cope with Brexit this year.

The strong performance of markets, however, in Asia bodes well for Western Indices such as the FTSE 100 when trading opens later this morning.
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Doanld Trump is ahead in the Buckeye state.

With 42 per cent of the votes counted, the New York tycoon was leading Ms Clinton 52-44, according to early results broadcast by CNN.

Ohio is one of the ultimate swing states, and it is all but but Mr Trump to win the White House without securing Ohio.

 US election: Results so far

: Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during a campaign rally on Independence Mall on 7 November, 2016 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Ohio has 18 electoral votes up for grabs, while 270 are needed for a candidate to win the presidency.

Cleveland was the site of the Republican National Convention in July.

Ohio Republican US senator Rob Portman has won re-election over Democratic ex-governor Ted Strickland.

Nearly 11,000 more voters cast ballots before election day in 2016 compared to 2012, state officials said on Monday night.

Overall close to 1.8 million people voted early in the state.

More follows....
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Even Donald Trump, with his penchant for exaggeration, might struggle to find the words to describe his incredible electoral triumph. Against almost every prediction the American people have handed power to a man who has no experience of public office, and whose campaign appeared largely based on sowing seeds of disunity, sprinkling them with hateful rhetoric, then watching to see what happened. Trumps victory alone will have huge and unpredictable ramifications  for America and for the wider world. Set it in the context of what appears to be a broader collapse in the Wests liberal and democratic post-war consensus, and Trumps march to the White House takes on an even greater significance.

When he first won the right to be the Republican Partys presidential candidate, the idea of Trump transforming from loudmouth businessman and TV star to serious politician was met with scorn. At every turn he was pooh-poohed by political opponents, right-on celebrities and even many within his own party. The Clinton campaign spent millions more dollars; it employed a far more sophisticated infrastructure in an attempt to get the Democratic vote out. All of it was in vain: the Donalds triumph is complete.

Lined up against the shock of todays result in the US, Junes vote in the UK to withdraw from the European Union seems somewhat to pale. Indeed, it is perhaps easy to overstate the degree to which Brexit and Donald Trumps victory are directly comparable. Nevertheless, it is surely undeniable that at least a portion of the respective British and American electorates were motivated by shared concerns: disgruntlement over the effects of globalisation; rising inequality; unease about immigration; and dissatisfaction with a seemingly self-perpetuating establishment. These two historic votes were both, in their own ways, a response to the same question: are you happy with the status quo? The answer now is abundantly clear on both sides of the Atlantic.

History will have its say in due course. Yet there are aspects of Trumps victory in particular which are so remarkable and frankly so terrifying, that it may not be too soon to conclude that the world is on notice of a new era. It is not so much a question of the public defying political elites or confounding pollsters. Nor is the difference here about the ability of an outsider per se to ride to unexpected victory. Dark horses  albeit usually ones who know their way around the political course  have a longstanding record of winning the occasional race.

 Donald Trump: six hurdles he overcame to become US president

No, what marked out Trumps campaign was its utter disregard not only for traditional politics, but also for any cogent sense of truth. He has lied about his opponent (claiming for instance that she would abolish the Second Amendment); he has questioned the Presidents birthplace; he has told Americans that dangerous Mexicans are pouring into the US and that crime is rising. His policies, such as they are, are therefore built on a charade. In that respect, there are echoes of the way the Brexit campaign was fought, although Trump has undoubtedly been even more brazen in his economy with the truth. In the UK the Crown Prosecution Service is currently considering a complaint that Leave campaigns misled voters. There will be no such accountability for Trump.

President Donald Trump life in pictures Show all 16 1 /16 President Donald Trump life in pictures President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump poses in a rocking chair once used by President John F. Kennedy at his New York City residence Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump with his new bride Marla Maples after their wedding at the Plaza hotel in New York Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Celina Midelfart watch the match between Conchita Martinez and Amanda Coetzer during U.S. Open. She was the date whom Donald Trump was with when he met his current wife Melania at a party in 1996 Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas serving as the grand marshal for the Daytona 500, speaks to Donald Trump and Melania Knauss on the starting grid at the Daytona International Speedwa Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump talks with his former wife Ivana Trump during the men's final at the U.S. Open Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and his friend Melania Knauss pose for photographers as they arrive at the New York premiere of Star Wars Episode : 'The Phantom Menace,' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump talks with host Larry King. Trump told King that he was moving toward a possible bid for the United States presidency with the formation of a presidential exploratory committee Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump answers questions as Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura looks on in Brooklyn Park. Trump said on Friday he 'very well might' make a run for president under the Reform Party banner but had not made a final decision Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump makes a face at a friend as he sits next to Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso before the start of the 2003 Miss Universe pageant in Panama City Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Entrepreneur Donald Trump is greeted by a Marilyn Monroe character look-a-alike, as he arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood to attend the an open casting call for his NBC television network reality series 'The Apprentice.' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Simon Cowell present an Emmy during the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Megan Mullally perform at the 57th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump, poses with his children, son Donald Trump, Jr., and daughters Tiffany and Ivanka Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump told Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner on Tuesday she would be given a second chance after reported misbehavior Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump holds a replica of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as his wife Melania holds their son Barron in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. property mogul Donald Trump stands next to a bagpiper during a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland Reuters

But if Trumps lack of truthfulness is striking, of greater note must be the very simple truth that many voters either didnt care about the lies or preferred to believe them. What is more, they were prepared to put their faith in a man who is not only unmoved by facts but is also of dubious character. On the campaign trail he mocked a disabled reporter; he cast aspersions on John McCains record as a prisoner of war in Vietnam; numerous women came forward to accuse him of inappropriate behaviour including allegations of sexual assault; his past came back to haunt him with the release of his comments about how he, as a star, could treat women. The man who will be President is the same man who bragged jauntily about grabbing women by the pussy. Yet none of it seemed to make a jot of difference.

Some will argue  indeed, some already have  that the media failed to expose Trumps true colours. The same accusation has been levelled at news publishers in the UK in respect of the Brexit campaign. In the latter example, there is perhaps some merit in the argument that the BBC in particular put the need for balance before credence. Even so, there were plenty of news outlets, including The Independent, which questioned many of the wilder claims by Brexits most ardent supporters. And during the presidential campaign, rebuttals of Trumps myriad lies and exposes of his character flaws have been front and centre of the American medias coverage. The point is that Trump has simply lumped in critical media voices with the wider liberal elite which was the focus of so many of his attacks and thus neutered the would-be watchdogs.

 Trump win is a 'difficult moment for the EU'

There is an irony here in that the rise of social media and of ultra-partisan (and wholly unaccountable) blogs and websites has made life much easier for anti-establishment conspiracy theorists such as Trump. If you want to believe his outpourings, then youll be able to find a news site somewhere which claims to prove everything he says. The internet was supposed to level the information playing field, enabling us all to become fact checkers. In fact, it has done little more than permit people to create  and prove  their own truths. We all thought it was only possible to propagandise a nation through the misuse of state apparatus by dictatorial regimes. It turns out the internet is the greatest propaganda tool Josef Goebbels never had.

Trump, at least, is no dictator  whatever we think of his election to the presidency; the checks and balance of the US constitution remain in place, however dominant the Republican Party may be in Congress. Nonetheless, the current which runs most strongly beneath Trumpism, and which was present during the Brexit debate too, is a kind of rank nationalism little seen in the West since the post-war settlement and the establishment both of Nato and the EU. And there may well be more of it on the way.

The Arab Spring uprising in Tunisia was a popular fight against ruling elites (2011 AFP)

In the UK, racially motivated abuse of foreigners is on the rise. Immediately after the referendum, countless examples were heard of verbal and physical attacks both on Europeans living in this country, and British-born people from ethnic minorities. In the US, we will soon discover whether Trump makes good on his promises to build a wall along the border with Mexico and to ban Muslims from entering the country. Antipathy towards non-whites is an intrinsic part of the mindset of some Trump supporters.

In mainland Europe too, nationalism is growing stronger once again. Next year there will be elections in Germany, where the anti-immigrant AfD is hardening its powerbase, and in the Netherlands, where right-winger Geert Wilders and his Freedom Party have hopes of forming a government. Wilders is currently on trial for discrimination and inciting racial hatred against Moroccans living in Holland; he has boycotted the proceedings and has demanded that one of the judges hearing his case be removed because of his biased attitude. (Criticism of the judiciarys independence, heard in the UK too last week, yet again taps into the anti-elites, anti-experts narrative we have heard so often from the likes of Trump and Nigel Farage.)

In France, where anti-immigrant feeling is arguably running higher than anywhere else in Western Europe, Marine Le Pen will also test the electoral system in 2017. This morning she sent delighted messages to Trump, congratulating the American people on having set themselves free. The Front Nationals deputy president, Florian Philippot, added that the result was  after Brexit  another defeat for a mysterious global oligarchy.

The line from Brexit to Trump therefore has the potential to extend much further into the future. Does the line also extend back into the immediate past though? It is an odd association, but consider the uprisings which together constituted the Arab Spring. Those popular expressions of disgust against ageing autocrats were welcomed in the West: they were apparently attempts to overthrow years of absolutist government and, to our eyes, replace them with western-style liberal democracies. But in fact many of the causes of resentment among the populations of Tunisia, or Egypt, or Syria, or Libya were not wholly distinct from the concerns of Trump supporters: inequality, unemployment, and an overriding hatred of ruling elites.

The roots of globalisation may have been firmly planted; institutions such as the United Nations, which symbolised the worlds apparently shared ideals have become in turn the guardians of the current international order. But in many places which once seemed so committed to reaping globalisations fruit, the gaze is no longer outward, welcoming, progressive. Instead, nations are looking to, and turning in on, themselves. Insularity rules. What, in the end, will become of us all?
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Chinese state media says that Donald Trump as president is what happens if people have democracies.

The state-run Xinhua News Agency has said that the election of the controversial Republican candidate just shows how America's democracy brings about crisis, in contrast to the stability of China's authoritarian rule.

The campaign  and Donald Trump's ascension to the highest office in the world  shows how "the majority of Americans are rebelling against the US's political class and financial elites", the paper wrote.

 US Election: Presidential results by state - 05:00

The official Communist Party newspaper People's Daily says in a commentary that the presidential election reveals an "ill democracy."

China's state media and government-backed commentators have actually supported Donald Trump throughout the election campaign.

Recommended Canadian immigration website as people look to leave US

Like Russia, China was seen as favouring Trump because he appears less willing to confront China's newly robust foreign policy, particularly in the South China Sea.

Hillary Clinton, by contrast, was disliked in Beijing for having steered the US "pivot" to Asia aimed at strengthening US engagement with the region, particularly in the military sphere.

Writing in the Communist Party newspaper Global Times, scholar Mei Xinyu says: "From a comprehensive view, it would make it easier for China to cope if Trump is elected. This is because under the policy line advocated by Obama and Clinton, the political and military frictions between China and the US will be more frequent."

US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US Presidential election: key moments in pictures US Presidential election: key moments in pictures The 2005 Access Hollywood video which showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump suggests gun-supporters could kill Hillary Clinton to prevent her from picking the supreme court justices Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump said that judge Gonzalo Curiel would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage United States Federal Court/AP US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump anxious over securing black vote Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and concerns about securing black vote Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and his relentless remarks against Mexican people Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and the sexual assault allegations Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures FBI director announced that there would be no charges for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal Getty

On Tuesday, the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV ran man-on-the-street interviews with unidentified American voters in which they expressed disgust with the system and dissatisfaction with both candidates.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Climate experts who have been nervously watching the US election from the UN summit in Marrakech will now go into crisis mode at the news that Donald Trump will be the next President of the United States.

Many attendees stayed up through the night to find out whether a man who has previously described the concept of global warming as being created by and for the Chinese will be named the most powerful leader in the world.

The Morocco summit has seen representatives from around the world gather to discuss how last years groundbreaking Paris Agreement will be implemented in practice.

But Mr Trump has previously stated that he wants to dismantle the accord, which aims to limit global warming to within 2C, suggesting the US should not waste "financial resources on tacking the issue.

What Trump has said about climate change

The new US President has tweeted dozens of times about how he does not accept the overwhelming scientific evidence that man-made climate change is real.

Asked about his views on ScienceDebate, he said: "There is still much that needs to be investigated in the field of 'climate change. We must decide on how best to proceed so that we can make lives better, safer and more prosperous.

The issue of climate change came up only once in the three live US presidential debates between Mr Trump and his defeated opponent Hillary Clinton.

Ms Clinton said she wanted to make America the clean energy superpower of the 21st century, and added: Donald thinks that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese. I think it's real I think science is real.

The Republican denied the content of his tweet, saying: I did not. I did not. I do not say that.

Whether this gives hope to climate experts that Mr Trump could change his position, or concern that the new US President would say something evidently untrue on live TV, remains to be seen.

How will President Trump impact the climate?

Patricia Espinosa, the UNs top climate official, said last month that there was no plan B for the event of a Trump presidency.

Speaking to Climate Home, she admitted the US election result would have serious implications for how the world tackles climate change.

Follow the latest fallout from the US election live here

But climate officials have also been bullish since the start of the COP22 summit, saying there is no going back on the Paris Agreement.

I think everyone in the world is following the election process because of the implications, and we are vigilant, but its important to bear in mind the Paris Agreement has an incredible amount of legitimacy, Ms Espinosa said.

It remains a treaty that is in force. What we will do is be vigilant and attentive.

In a report released at the summit on Tuesday, experts warned that the global climate had shown an "increasingly visible human footprint in the last five years.

The World Meteorological Organization, the UNs weather agency, said 2011-2015 was the hottest five-year period on record, and that many extreme events during the period were made more likely as a result of man-made climate change.

"The evidence is overwhelming," said Chris Field, director of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. "The new report from WMO is a clarion call for embracing and going beyond the goals of the Paris Agreement.

How possible that is, with Donald Trump as US President, remains to be seen.

US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US Presidential election: key moments in pictures US Presidential election: key moments in pictures The 2005 Access Hollywood video which showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump suggests gun-supporters could kill Hillary Clinton to prevent her from picking the supreme court justices Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump said that judge Gonzalo Curiel would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage United States Federal Court/AP US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump anxious over securing black vote Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and concerns about securing black vote Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and his relentless remarks against Mexican people Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and the sexual assault allegations Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures FBI director announced that there would be no charges for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal Getty

In May, he said he would cancel the agreement, which was ratified by Barack Obama and has since received ratification by 55 of the 197 parties to the UN's climate convention (UNFCCC), representing the required threshold of 55 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr Trump could simply withdraw the US from the agreement, on the basis that Mr Obama acceded using an executive order, according to international relations associate professor Robert Falkner of the London School of Economics.

Under the terms of the Paris Agreement, though, he could only give notice three years after it came into force (last Friday). And it would then take a year for the withdrawal to complete.

The US could also simply withdraw from the 1992 climate convention, which underpins the Paris Agreement, which would take a year from notice being given to the UN.

Or, and this is what analysts think would be most likely, he could simply choose to ignore Americas commitment to reducing emissions under the deal.

As the worlds second-largest polluter, the US is responsible for a staggering 13 per cent of the worlds emissions. The loss of its support would be a practical dent in efforts to curb climate change.

But a Trump presidency also means the UN accord losing its most influential champion. Louise van Schaik, a Dutch expert in multilateral negotiations at the Clingendael Institute told AFP: I see the real danger of Trump being elected as jeopardising the enormous change in the psychology on climate change.

Last Thursday Khalid Pitts, national political director of the US environmental group the Sierra Club, said in a statement: World leaders change, but Donald Trumps total ignorance of science remains the same.

Electing a climate science conspiracy theorist like Trump would make America a global laughing stock and embarrassment, all while relinquishing our leadership role in the world.

The ice caps dont negotiate, and neither do rising seas. Donald Trumps moral failure to acknowledge the climate crisis might very well mean planetary disaster if he is elected.

But speaking from the sidelines in Marrakech, one major US lobbyist thinks it wont be as bad as all that.

Kevin Fay is executive director of the International Climate Change Partnership and a man with a wealth of experience pushing environmental reforms through the top levels of US politics.

He told Climate Homes Lou Del Bello today: Weve gone through this kind of uncertainty [before], when the Reagan administration came into office.

A lot of people thought that was going to be the end of the world. That turned out not to be, but there was a steep learning curve when they came into office.

I think weve got the same situation now with Trump coming in - hes going to have to get straight with his own party in Congress."

Mr Fay admitted that when Reagan started, "a lot of mistakes were made". "But ultimately the Montreal Protocol - which Reagan personally authorised - is now the most successful multilateral environment treaty ever adopted.
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Donald Trump has won the swing state of North Carolina, according to Fox News, securing 15 electoral votes in his bid to the White House.

With 90 per cent of precincts reporting in the state, Mr Trump led his rival Hillary Clinton by 120,000 votes, CNN reports.

The Tar Heel state was expected to come down to the wire. Officials recently approved a request to extend voting hours by 90 minutes across the state.

Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall  and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY

Republicans have been criticised over the past few years following the passage of HB 589 back in 2013. The measure reduced early voting by seven days and ended same-day voting registration. Activists have also condemned some of the most strict voter ID requirements in the country.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.
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The results are in from the US election and President-elect Donald Trump has won the race for the White House.

It wasn't long after the first polls closed that it became apparent Mr Trump had outperformed expectations.

At that stage, forecasts shifted to reflect what was poised to be a close race. In the end, the Republican beat Hillary Clinton comfortably.

Follow the latest results here live

Mr Trump held onto every state won by Mitt Romney in 2012, and then went on to claim every swing state that we identified here as being up for grabs at the half-way point.

With 93 per cent of its votes counted, the result in New Hampshire is just 0.1% in Mr Trump's favour - meaning that state's four electoral college votes could still go either way.

But not including New Hampshire, the final tallies for the two candidates look set appear to be 306 for Mr Trump and 228 for Ms Clinton.

Here's how Mr Trump got to 270 and beyond.

Florida

This was the first big result which showed Mr Trump had a realistic chance of finding a path to 270. The vote tightened right at the end but the Republican held on, taking the state by just a single percentage point.

Recommended Donald Trump poised to win Florida as Gary Johnson splits liberal vote

Ohio

Ohio is famously consistent at picking the winner of the election as a whole - and so it made a splash when this result came in.

It wasn't the most surprising of Mr Trump's victories but the margin of his win here, with 52 per cent to Ms Clinton's 43 per cent, was a sign of things to come.

North Carolina

An important swing state which saw plenty of visits from both sides throughout the campaign.

It only edged Mr Trump up by four electoral votes - but he took it much more comfortably than expected, with a four-point margin.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania hasn't chosen a Republican candidate since 1988, and was polling so far in Ms Clinton's favour that it didn't even rank as a swing state among some analysts.

Yet late on in the count, Mr Trump suddenly took a lead here - and when he finally clinched it by a single percentage point, it became clear Ms Clinton was finished.

Wisconsin

A traditional blue state since 1984 that was barely even considered a battleground, yet started going very badly for the Democrats almost as soon as counting began.

Mr Trump eventually converted that lead to a three-point win in the state.

And Wisconsin will go down in history as the state that won President Trump the election. Its 10 electoral votes took him comfortably over the 270 line.
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Wendy Rios was in her hair salon on in South Beach, Florida, on Wednesday morning when she spotted a friend walking by outside. She had to dash out to talk to him. Grieving can be easier sometimes when its shared. What happened? What happened? she yelled after him.

A native of Honduras, shed begun her day with tears, overwhelmed by sadness as she grasped that Donald Trumps election victory the night before was for real. For Stephanie Santos, whose parents are from Puerto Rico, it was anger that struck first. She began swearing at her television. I was infuriated. I was cursing him out through the news, she said.

Possibly nowhere in the land was the despair at Ms Clintons shocking loss more profound than in South Florida, which has not just been a bastion of Democrat support for decades but is also home to millions of immigrants to America, many of whom had felt personally affronted by Mr Trumps rhetoric during the campaign, smearing Mexicans and promising a border wall.

As election day came nearer, officials with the Clinton campaign were daring to predict that their candidate would secure the state of Florida, with its trove of 29 Electoral College votes, counting on an expected surge of Latino participation they thought they were seeing in early voting patterns.

But in the end, it wasnt quite so. Exit polling showed that only 65 per cent of Latinos supported her nationwide, while 29 per cent gave their votes to Donald Trump. That was a far cry from what had been advertised. In 2012, President Obama won 71 per cent of the Hispanic vote, while Romney got 27 per cent.

I am totally upset about Florida voting for him, thats what shocked me the most, said MJA, the name she goes by, a branding consulting and a Latina. I thought we were more Team Clinton here, but apparently not. I guess there are not as many Latinos in America as we thought.

With red-dyed long hair, MJA, 31, said she was worried now too about the reaction when she travels overseas where people in many countries were already accustomed to speaking ill of America. Now they have reason for it, she said. They will say,'look who we have running our country.

It is sad that Americans have elected him which means there is so much hate and discrimination in their hearts they have just hidden and never really went away from the sixties, offered Dominican-born Maria Sofia Rivera, 47, consoling herself with an early lunch at a small Salvadorian restaurant on Washington Avenue. It was hidden because maybe there were embarrassed to speak about it.

If she had anger it was reserved for the media which she accused of having misled her. They pretty much said that she was was going to win. It leads me to believe that the media was pretty biased in reporting what was going on. I was pretty surprised watching TV last night that he had so much support. I don't know where these people are coming from that actually voted for him.

Trump thanks his supporters on Wednesday

Part of her concern about Mr Trump is how he might respond to any threats against America from abroad. I am kind of afraid that because he is so feisty that if someone were to bomb us pr do some terrorist act he would just bomb em back because he is just out of control.

I felt like crumbled, admitted Manny Walker, an African-American who voted for Mr Obama in the last two elections and had expected Ms Clinton to carry on his agenda, said of the election results. Its not good for the economy because he doesn't like foreign people  UK, Mexicans. He is not for the people, he is for the rich its all fun and games for him.

Ms Rios, though she had stopped crying a few hours earlier, was still nearly lost for words over what had happened. "I cant believe it, I am in shock. I cant believe we have that guy as our president. What kind of people go for him, I don't get it? If the Latino vote in south Florida eventually failed Ms Clinton it is surely the fault of the Cuban-American community, she suggested. You know Cubans they started saying that Hillary was a Communist.

Taking a late breakfast of strong coffee and pastries, Guillermo Pupy, 64, himself a Cuban American who came to America when he was young, was not about admit to such, but he was one voice eager to report he had been celebrating since Mr Trumps surprise win.

I am very happy today, Mr Pupy, a retired chef, said, because he was going to be the best. I didnt want Hillary Clinton administration, it would have been the same thing that put this country in the shit. And, like many older-generation Cuban Americans in Miami, he has been infuriated by the steps Mr Obama has taken to close the diplomatic rift with Cubas regime.

Its a bad idea because they have no human rights over there. So why you want to open to them, why?
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Most of the world's leaders are congratulating Donald Trump's resounding election victory in a show of careful diplomacy.

Follow the latest US election news and updates live

But a sizable number are unreservedly celebrating and have made that publicly clear.

These are the states that are, and some that clearly are not, making a party out of the right-wing isolationist's triumph.

 Russian parliament bursts into applause upon announcement of US election result

Russia

President Vladimir Putin, who has repeatedly returned the property tycoon's flattery over the years, was quick to congratulate Mr Trump in a telegram.

MPs broke into loud applause when foreign affairs committee member Vyacheslav Nikonov announced the US election result and congratulated "all of you on this".

President Donald Trump life in pictures Show all 16 1 /16 President Donald Trump life in pictures President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump poses in a rocking chair once used by President John F. Kennedy at his New York City residence Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump with his new bride Marla Maples after their wedding at the Plaza hotel in New York Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Celina Midelfart watch the match between Conchita Martinez and Amanda Coetzer during U.S. Open. She was the date whom Donald Trump was with when he met his current wife Melania at a party in 1996 Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas serving as the grand marshal for the Daytona 500, speaks to Donald Trump and Melania Knauss on the starting grid at the Daytona International Speedwa Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump talks with his former wife Ivana Trump during the men's final at the U.S. Open Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and his friend Melania Knauss pose for photographers as they arrive at the New York premiere of Star Wars Episode : 'The Phantom Menace,' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump talks with host Larry King. Trump told King that he was moving toward a possible bid for the United States presidency with the formation of a presidential exploratory committee Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump answers questions as Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura looks on in Brooklyn Park. Trump said on Friday he 'very well might' make a run for president under the Reform Party banner but had not made a final decision Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump makes a face at a friend as he sits next to Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso before the start of the 2003 Miss Universe pageant in Panama City Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Entrepreneur Donald Trump is greeted by a Marilyn Monroe character look-a-alike, as he arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood to attend the an open casting call for his NBC television network reality series 'The Apprentice.' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Simon Cowell present an Emmy during the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Megan Mullally perform at the 57th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump, poses with his children, son Donald Trump, Jr., and daughters Tiffany and Ivanka Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump told Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner on Tuesday she would be given a second chance after reported misbehavior Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump holds a replica of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as his wife Melania holds their son Barron in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. property mogul Donald Trump stands next to a bagpiper during a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland Reuters

Japan

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent his heartfelt congratulations.

The Liberal Democrat Party president, who is viewed internationally as a right-wing nationalist, said: As a very successful businessman with extraordinary talents, not only have you made a great contribution to the growth of the US economy, but now as a strong leader, you have demonstrated your determination to lead the United States.

Egypt

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi previously said the ex-TV personality would without a doubt make a strong leader.

Recommended Read more Egyptian president pledges justice for Christian woman stripped by mob

His statement said he phoned Mr Trump to congratulate and that he wanted more cooperation and coordination between the nations.

Cairo receives more than $1bn dollars annually in US military and economic aid ever since the countrys Israel peace treaty was signed in the 1970s.

Egyptian MP Margaret Azer meanwhile said Mr Trump's win is the end of Isis.

Malaysia

Prime Minister Najib Razak applauded an extraordinary victory and said Americans who want domestic interests and welfare and less time spent on foreign interventions have won Mr Trump the White House.

Hungary

Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who praised Mr Trumps immigration policies in July, hailed the victory as great news that democracy is still alive.

Secrety of State Hillary Clinton has criticised anti-migration leader Mr Orban for weakening his country's democratic system.

Israel

Education Minister Naftali Bennett, a key player in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus ruling coalition, hailed Mr Trumps victory as marking an end to proposals for a Palestinian state.

South Sudan

Minister of Information and government spokesman Michael Mukuei said Mr Trump will be better after all for his nation.

Mr Makeui, from the worlds youngest but war-torn nation, said: I really doubt President Obama had any clear policy for South Sudan other than to destroy it. So we definitely expect better relations with Trump.

And those countries that are not seeing much to celebrate...

Germany

Germany foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the election outcome was "different than most people in Germany would have wanted, but of course we have to respect it."

He said the victory means nothing is going to get easier. A lot will get harder.

British Prime Minister Theresa May EPA (EPA)

UK

Only two days ago, Prime Minister Theresa May suggested she disapproved of the way Mr Trump conducted his campaign.

In a moderate statement today, Mrs May said: I look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump, building on these ties to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead.

Ireland

The country has close ties with the Clintons. Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole wrote on Wednesday: "The republic of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt is now the United Hates of America."

France

President Francois Hollande, who once said Donald Trump makes him want to retch, said the result opens a period of uncertainty.

Mexico

Its DEFCON 2, said Mexican analyst Alejandro Hope. Probably something as close to a national emergency as Mexico has faced in many decades.

The countrys peso has fallen by 22 years in the aftermath of the result. At the time of writing, there has been no word of a congratulations from leader Enrique Pena Nieto who has locked horns with Mr Trump over that wall.
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Hillary Clinton has suggested that she might be going to lose the US election.

The Democratic candidate posted an Instagram tribute to her staff and supporters as her chances of winning plunged on the election night.

"This team has so much to be proud of," she wrote on her official profile. "Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything."

The post received huge amounts of interaction, with most either heckling Ms Clinton or expressing their hopes that she would go on to win.

Recommended Donald Trump favourite to become next US president

The message came just as Donald Trump's chances of winning surged. Hillary Clinton had been predicted to win the election for weeks and even as polls closed, but as the election night went on the forecasts switched quickly to Donald Trump.

Ms Clinton's message didn't indicate that she expects to lose. But it did suggest that she is looking to a potential loss.

 US Election: The results - 3:30

Mr Trump's chances were being put as high as 70 or 80 per cent overnight, just as Ms Clinton's Instagram post appeared.
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When Donald Trump announced he had won the presidency at his victory party in New York, he was surrounded by his family and Republican allies, urging for a united front for the American people.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Mr Trumps Vice President-elect Mike Pence and even Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus were there to support and clap for the real estate mogul.

The on-stage line-up presented the face of a unified party. And the Republicans have many reasons for cheer. The election gave Republicans another four years at the helm of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Now the Republican party is at its strongest in more than seven decades, when Harry S Truman was President.

Yet behind the scenes the party is split down the middle, as Mr Trumps heated rhetoric took his colleagues by surprise over the past 18 months and exposed their detachment from the frustrations and concerns of their core voters.

The victory is likely to be bittersweet for newly re-elected Wisconsin representative and House Speaker Paul Ryan. He will be pleased that Bernie Sanders will not gain control of the treasury committee after all, but he said about a month ago that he would no longer defend Mr Trump after a leaked video from 2005 showed the next president bragging about his "right" as a celebrity to grab women by the genitals. On the campaign trail, Mr Ryan kept a wide berth from him.

I want to congratulate Donald Trump on his incredible victory, said Mr Ryan in a statement. It marks a repudiation of the status quo of failed liberal progressive policies. We are eager to work hand-in-hand with the new administration to advance an agenda to improve the lives of the American people.

After voting on Tuesday, some Republicans made their voices of opposition heard.

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham announced on social media that he cast his ballot for independent candidate Evan McMullin, the former CIA operative and banker who won more than a quarter of the states votes. Mr Graham's vote was significant as it broke the pledge that all of the 17 Republican candidates signed to support the party nominee.

Echoing other Republicans, Arizona senator Jeff Flake recently said the Trump approach was a demographic cul-de-sac and that blaming every closed factory on trade deals was unrealistic.

George W Bush phoned to congratulate the new president on Wednesday morning, despite reports that he had not supported him. Most of the Bush family, including George H W Bush, said they would not vote for the Republican.

Trump has smoked out the rats in the Republican Party  the globalist rats, said Tennessee Senator Frank Niceley claimed Mr Trump has smoked out the globalist rats from the party, as reported by the Alaska Dispatch News.

 Round-up: Donald Trump wins US presidential election

The Romneys, the Bushes, the [Gov. Bill] Haslams have all been controlled by the David Rockefeller globalist wing of the party.

There's still those of us who believe in limited government and lower taxes, and were not going back. When you dont back the nominee, you're done for, he said.

Trump surrogate Omarosa Manigault, a former contestant of reality show The Apprentice, told the Independent Journal Review that the next president will keep a list of Republicans who voted against him.

If [Graham] felt his interests was with that candidate, God bless him," said Ms Manigault. "I would never judge anybody for exercising their right to and the freedom to choose who they want. But let me just tell you, Mr. Trump has a long memory and were keeping a list.

What will it mean to be a Republican now? The traditionally business happy party is in jeopardy as Mr Trump plans to tear up trade deals, slap on import tariffs, and break up big company deals that put power in the hands of too few. He will, however, slash corporation tax by 50 per cent.

Strategist Ana Navarro said the party was divided, along both party and colour lines.

He won this race by dividing America, she said, claiming there was one country for white America and another for people of colour.

According to a CNN exit poll, 36 per cent of voters are scared by the thought of a Trump presidency.
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While the world celebrates and commiserates a Donald Trump presidency, one thing is clear: this will go down as the most acrimonious presidential campaign of all.

Was it the emails that finally turned the tide? Donald Trumps insistence on building a wall may have first pushed voters to Hillary Clinton, but WikiLeaks may well have swung them back the other way.

Since Mr Trump and his wife glided down the escalator at Trump Tower to announce his candidacy for president on 16 June last year, the candidates have fought tooth and nail to bring each other down.

Recommended Polls swing as Trump and Clinton enter final days of election race

Below is the timeline of how the battle was fought and lost over the last 18 months.

12 April 2015: Hillary Clinton says she is running for a second time

After losing to Barack Obama in the presidential campaign in 2008, Clinton said she was aiming for the White House again in 2016.

Americans have fought their way back from tough economic times but the deck is still stacked in favour of those at the top. Everyday Americans need a champion, and I'm going to be that champion, she said in the video.

16 June 2015: Donald Trump announces his run for the White House, and starts off a negative campaign against Mexicans

Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.

These words, applauded by his supporters at Trump Tower, were indicative of what was to come  a torrent of insults and disparaging remarks against Mexican people and his popular proposal to build a high wall along the US-Mexican border.

Build that wall! soon became the chant of choice at his rallies.

 Mexicans burn Donald Trump

2 February 2016: Martin OMalley quits presidential race

The distant Democrat in third place, Martin OMalley quit the race during the Iowa caucuses, leaving the floor wide open for Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

The former Baltimore mayor received just 1 per cent in the caucuses.

18 February 2016: Donald Trump and the Pope have a spat

 Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity

After Pope Francis suggested that anyone who wanted to build a wall is not Christian, the candidate fired back that it was disgraceful for a religious leader to question a persons faith.

Mr Trump arguably set off the disagreement by calling the Pope a very political person. The row was arguably playing with fire as Mr Trump worked hard to secure the Evangelical votes.

25 February 2016: Ms Clinton confronted over her superpredator comment

A Black Lives Matter protester called out Im not a superpredator, Hillary! at a South Carolina fundraiser, forcing the candidate to address her 1996 remarks that fed into a 1990s ideology that young African Americans with a criminal record were irredeemable and would terrorise communities.

Ms Clinton later told The Washington Post: Looking back, I shouldnt have used those words, and I wouldnt use them today.

4 May 2016: Last Republican opponent standing, John Kasich, quits race

Trailing by 900 delegates and only winning the vote in his home state, the Ohio governor called it a day and Mr Trump announced himself the presumptive Republican nominee. Mr Kasich quit the same week as Ted Cruz, after Mr Cruz was defeated in a clean sweep in the Indiana primary.

Mr Kasich and Mr Cruz hung on the longest after many other Republicans dropped out, including New Jersey governor Chris Christie and Florida senator Marco Rubio.

2 June 2016: Mr Trump questions objectivity of judge because he is of Mexican heritage

Mr Trump said that Judge Gonzalo Curiel ruling over the case relating to his now defunct Trump University would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage.

Im building a wall. Its an inherent conflict of interest, he told The Wall Street Journal. The criticism of the judge, who was born in Indiana, caused Republicans embarrassment.

 Donald Trump labels Mexican criminals bad hombres to much derision

5 July 2016: Ms Clinton let off hook over emails

After a long investigation involving at least 33,000 of Ms Clintons emails, FBI director James Comey said the candidate had shown extreme recklessness regarding the misuse of her personal email server. He said her behaviour could also have resulted in adversaries hacking top secret and classified information.

Nonetheless he said that no reasonable prosecutor would bring charges against her. The Justice Department followed this guidance and the investigation was closed.

Her critics said she was let off too lightly.

 FBI director says 'no charges' for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal

18 July 3016: Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech

At the Republican National Convention, all eyes were on the potential first lady and wife of Donald Trump as she made her keynote speech.

Within minutes afterwards, reports were pouring in that she had copied Michelle Obamas 2008 speech from the Democratic National Convention and it matched, almost word for word.

The next day, the Trump campaign penned a statement, blaming staffer Meredith McIver for the gaff. Ms Trump did not make another big speech until 3 November.

 Michelle melania speech plagiarized

24 July 2016: Emails of the Democratic National Committee are hacked

In a cyber attack just days before the Democratic National Convention, DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz was exposed in an attempt to collude with the media to oust Senator Sanders by smearing him as an atheist with southern voters. Ms Schultz resigned and was booed off the stage at a speech about the economy in Florida.

The FBI investigated whether Russia was behind the leak. Mr Trump then was accused of treason for encouraging Russia at a rally to hack Ms Clintons emails. He later said he was only being sarcastic.

28 July 2016: Bernie Sanders quits race

Ms Clintons rival drops out of the race, saying he would work with her to defeat Mr Trump.

More than 13 million people voted for the Vermont senator in the party's primaries and caucuses, and Ms Clinton faced an uphill battle in trying to woo them to her side. Many millennials chose to vote for the independent candidates, Jill Stein or Gary Johnson, instead.

The silver lining was that Ms Clinton shifted her policies significantly to the left, promising, for example, to eradicate student tuition fees for those earning less than $125,000 (100,000).

 Bernie Sanders says Trump Presidential campaign about 'bigotry'

9 August 2016: Mr Trump suggests gun supporters could kill Ms Clinton

At a rally, Mr Trump warned his followers that Ms Clinton would pick liberal-minded Supreme Court justices to replace the late Antonin Scalia.

If she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks, Mr Trump said, as the crowd began to boo. He quickly added: Although the Second Amendment people  maybe there is, I dont know.

His comment sparked a wave of condemnation from Democrats and gun advocates alike, who said he was encouraging violence against his opponent.

19 August 2016: Mr Trump reaches out to black voters

Mr Trump went to Ohio to woo black voters, peddling the notion that things could not get any worse so they might as well vote for him.

What the hell do you have to lose? he asked. You're living in poverty, you have no jobs, your schools are no good. If you keep voting for the same people, you will keep getting exactly the same result.

He ranked consistently low with black voters, but said he was confident he would have 95 per cent of the black vote within four years. In later speeches, including during the presidential debates, he insisted that law and order was necessary to eradicate crime in inner cities.

9 September 2016: Ms Clinton calls Trump supporters a basket of deplorables

Speaking at a fundraiser in New York City, the Democrat said that half of Trump supporters were deplorable, sparking harsh criticism that she was speaking ill of the people she wanted to serve as president.

You know, to just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trumps supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic  you name it. And unfortunately there are people like that. And he has lifted them up.

11 September 2016: Hillary Clintons health is in question

After weeks and even months of peddling conspiracy theories about Ms Clintons health, she was seen to buckle at the knees and was carried into a car at the 9/11 memorial service in New York.

Mr Trump imitated her unsteady walk at a rally, and said she was not physically well enough to be president. The theme was pursued by medical experts in white lab coats on Fox News.

Both candidates released letters from their doctors. Ms Clinton released information on her healthy heartbeat and blood pressure, while Mr Trumps personal physician said he took five minutes to write the record and wrote that he would be the healthiest president the country has ever had.

 Clinton faints as she leaves 9-11 memorial

26 September 2016: Mr Trump admits using loophole to avoid paying tax

Addressing speculation that he had managed to not pay federal income tax for almost two decades after making a loss of almost $1bn in 1995, Mr Trump said that of course he took advantage of a tax loophole.

His allies, including Mike Pence and Rudy Giuliani, said the move made him smart and a genius.

Mr Trump, unlike his rival and even Mr Pence, failed to release his tax returns and claimed his lawyer had instructed him not to release them while they were under audit.

October 2016: I'm a star, I can do what I like

An Access Hollywood video from 2005 showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush on a bus that as a star he could do whatever he wanted to women, including grabbing their genitals.

House speaker Paul Ryan announced he could no longer defend Mr Trump, but he did not withdraw his endorsement.

The video also prompted a slew of sexual assault allegations from more than a dozen women, which Mr Trump denied. He threatened to sue the women and the outlets that published the claims after the election was over.

 Melania Trump dismisses husband's leaked audio as 'boy's talk'

28 October 2016: FBI director drops another email bombshell

Mr Comey, in a letter to a select group of Republicans, said his team had found more emails that were pertinent to the closed investigation of Ms Clinton.

The case was unrelated he said, and did not say what the emails were about or how long the investigation would take.

The emails were found by the FBI while they were investigating disgraced Democrat Anthony Weiner, who had allegedly sent sexual text messages to a 15-year-old girl. He announced his separation from wife Huma Abedin, Ms Clintons top aide, in August.

The Clinton campaign has called for more transparency and said it was extraordinary to make the announcement so soon before the election.

2 November 2016: Woman accusing Mr Trump of child rape close to speaking publicly

The accuser in her mid-30s, who said Mr Trump raped her when she was 13 years old at a party of billionaire and convicted felon Jeffrey Epstein, planned to read her statement but then failed to show at the press conference. Her lawyer said her client feared for her life and had received some terrible threats.

The allegations, which were filed in court, were largely uncovered by the media due to the circus-like process of the lawsuit and the accusers anonymity, despite covering the allegations from other women.

Mr Trumps lawyer said the claim was a hoax.

6 November 2016: FBI clears Mrs Clinton of any criminal wrongdoing

In a letter to Congress, FBI director James Comey said the FBI had completed its assessment of a further batch of the Democratic candidates emails and have not changed our conclusion .

A Clinton spokesman said her campaign team was glad this matter is resolved, while Republican rival Donald Trump criticised the announcement, arguing: You cant review 650,000 emails in eight days.

8 November 2016: Donald Trump is voted as president

A plethora of swing states were won by Mr Trump, including North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

In an extraordinary twist, Mr Trump secured the rust belt states, as well as some traditionally Democrat battlegrounds. Some thought he could never do it. But Mr Trump was first to reach 270 electoral votes  and clinch the finish line.
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After all the antagonism between Trump and Clinton over the course of a bitterly fought campaign, it was the independent candidate, Gary Johnson, who ended up playing the decisive role in the 2016 election.

Mr Trump won the swing state of Florida by an extremely narrow margin  with 49.0 per cent of votes, compared to Hillary Clintons vote share of 46.6 per cent. This leaves a gap of just 2.4 per cent between the two candidates.

By comparison, Mr Johnson  who famously asked "What is Aleppo?" during a TV interview  won 3.1 per cent of the vote, more than the margin of victory the Republican won by.

Florida is a key state which is seen by many as a litmus test for ascertaining who will win the White House. Trump's success in the Sunshine State is considered a huge boost to his electoral prospects.

While much the of the presidential race has been seen as a binary choice between Mr Trump or Ms Clinton, a number of other candidates are running. Mr Johnson is a libertarian, who was formerly a Republican and governor of New Mexico in 1995-2003. His main policies include reducing the number of people who are incarcerated in prisons, legalisation of marijuana and lower taxes.

Other third party candidates include Jill Stein from the Green Party, who describes herself as an eco-Socialist and has advocated an anti-war stance. A conservative alternative, Evan McMullin, is also running as an independent.

US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump shakes hands with Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at the conclusion of their first presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York Reuters US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures President Barack Obama embraces Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on stage at the party's convention in Philadelphia US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Donald Trump's wife Melania delivered a speech at the GOP convention in Cleveland that was later found to have been cribbed in part from Michelle Obama's 2008 convention address AP US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Hillary Clinton talks to reporters aboard her new campaign plane on Labour Day, 5 September, her first 'press conference' since 2015 (Getty Images) US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Donald Trump held a joint press conference with Mexican leader Enrique Pena Nieto in Mexico City in August, hours before reiterating his harsh immigration plans at a campaign rally in Arizona Reuters US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Bernie Sanders officially endorsed Hillary Clinton, saying his progressive vision for a transformed America would be best served by the defeat of Donald Trump Reuters US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Khizr and Gazala Khan appeared at the DNC to slam Trump for his stance on Muslim immigration, citing the case of their son Humayun Khan, who was killed in combat while serving as a Captain in the US Army in Iraq US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson is doing better in polls than any third party candidate since Ross Perot, 20 years ago Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Green Party candidate Jill Stein (centre) marches with supporters in Colorado AP US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Hillary Clinton and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine at a rally in Kaine's home state in July, days before Ms Clinton tapped him to be her running mate Getty US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Trump on the campaign trail with his vice presidential pick, Indiana governor Mike Pence AP US election 2016: the race for the White House in pictures Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage appears at a Trump rally in Mississippi in August, where he told the crowd that he 'wouldn't vote for Hillary Clinton if you paid me'.

Under the US electoral system, third party candidates have virtually nil chance of winning presidential elections with the overwhelming majority of support going to Republican or Democratic candidates. The last time a thirty party candidate won an electoral vote was George Wallace in 1968.
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Donald Trump vowed he would build a big beautiful wall along the Mexico and US border. Without giving specifics, he has said that he will make Mexico pay for it.

But exit polls from Tuesdays voting suggest that it has not earned major support among voters. A total of 54 per cent of voters said they were opposed to the idea of a wall.

Meanwhile, 40 per cent of people said they liked the idea of a wall.

Mr Trump has made much of his proposal, and flew to Mexico for a visit with the countrys president where they discussed the issue. Mr Trump, reportedly, did not discuss the issue of who would pay for the wall.
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White men and white women. White men and women with degrees, and without. White men and women with more than $50,000.

As the dust settled after the extraordinary victory of Donald Trump, a clearer image emerged of those who were responsible for making him President-elect.

In essence, it was white men and women of different incomes who have pushed the most unlikely presidential candidate in a century to the gates of the White House.

 Trump victory speech calls on Americans to become 'one united people'

Exit poll data found that 52 per cent of white women voted for Mr Trump, compared with 63 per cent of white men. By comparison, 80 per cent of black men voted for Hillary Clinton, who also attracted the support of 93 per cent of black women.

Much of the rhetoric before the election pointed towards Mr Trump's support from white men, angered by the political establishment. However, exit poll data collected by Edison Research for the National Election Pool, a consortium of ABC News, the Associated Press, CBSNews, CNN, Fox News and NBC News and reported by The New York Times, gives a deeper insight into which groups his votes stemmed from.

Mr Trump's graphic and offensive comments about women were well documented throughout his campaign, which threatened to be derailed in October when a tape of Mr Trump seemingly bragging about sexually assaulting women was released. Many predicted his remarks would drive women to vote for Ms Clinton and a visible gender gap is seen in the exit poll data, however women's support for the Democrat remained fairly consistent with how they had voted in previous elections.

The gender gap for Ms Clinton  the difference between the number of men who voted for her and the number of women who voted for her  hit 13 percentage points, but Ms Clinton's support support among women was roughly even with the support that women gave Mr Obama in 2008 and 2012.

As expected, male voters supported Mr Trump, with 12 per cent more supporting the Republican candidate over his rival.

With his tough talk about building walls and his referral to Mexicans as rapists, Ms Clinton unsurprisingly drew far larger numbers of Hispanic, Latino and black voters to the polls.

Eighty-eight per cent of black voters supported the Democrat, while well over half of Hispanic and Latino voters also backed Ms Clinton.

Mr Trump predictably garnered the majority of the white vote, with 58 per cent casting their ballots for the Republican. But, despite his divisive rhetoric, Mr Trump held on to roughly the same share of Hispanic voters as Mitt Romney claimed four years ago. He also drew around the same level of support from black voters as Mr Romney won.

The education level of voters in the exit poll also shows key trends. Voters who had college and postgraduate education were far more likely to support Ms Clinton  only 37 per cent of voters with postgraduate qualifications backed the Republican. Those with high school and some college education or an associate degree showed more support for Mr Trump, but only by very narrow margins.

Mr Trump, who once famously declared that he loved the uneducated, got plenty of love back from white voters who never graduated from college. The advantage Mr Trump had among whites without a college degree compared with whites who graduated from college was the largest seen in exit polls for a Republican since the surveys started in 1972.

Ms Clinton, meanwhile, got the support of less than a quarter of white men without a college degree; Barack Obama, by contrast, drew about a third of their votes four years ago.

Ms Clinton largely managed to hang on to the millennials who were a big part of Mr Obama's winning coalition. Young people aged 18-29 supported Ms Clinton over Mr Trump by nearly as strong a margin as their support of Mr Obama over Mr Romney in 2012. Those between 30 and 44 also were much more likely to support Ms Clinton than Mr Trump. Mr Trump won the favour of those aged 45 or over.

Despite Mr Trump's support from the working class, exit poll data shows that over half of voters on incomes below $30,000 a year supported for Ms Clinton. Meanwhile, half of voters earning between $50,000 and $99,000 a year supported Mr Trump and he was favoured more by voters in higher income brackets  but only by very narrow margins.

Additional reporting by Press Association
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The Republican party is set to retain control of the United States Senate as Donald Trump has won the US election.

Following their victory in Pennsylvania it became almost certain the GOP would keep the Senate - as long as they hold Louisiana and Alaska as expected.

Democrats kept their seat in Nevada, where Catherine Cortez Masto's win will make her the first Latina US senator.

 US Election: Presidential results by state - 06:00

The GOP retook the majority just two years ago. And even though control of the Senate is likely to be razor-thin whichever party ends up on top, the advantages of being in the majority are significant.

The controlling party holds the committee chairmanships, sets the legislative agenda and runs investigations. First up is likely to be a nominee to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court.

US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US Presidential election: key moments in pictures US Presidential election: key moments in pictures The 2005 Access Hollywood video which showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump suggests gun-supporters could kill Hillary Clinton to prevent her from picking the supreme court justices Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump said that judge Gonzalo Curiel would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage United States Federal Court/AP US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump anxious over securing black vote Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and concerns about securing black vote Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and his relentless remarks against Mexican people Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and the sexual assault allegations Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures FBI director announced that there would be no charges for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal Getty

The party has also won enough seats to extend its six-year streak of commanding the House of Representatives for the new US congress.

With US election results still being counted, Republicans have won at least 218 House seats, exceeding the number needed to control the chamber.

The Democrats' chances of retaking the Senate majority were slipping away early Wednesday as Republicans hung onto key seats in Wisconsin, North Carolina, Indiana and Florida.
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Across the world people are awaiting the result of the 2016 US presidential election. Here is when we will know who the 45th president of the United States is.

When the exit polls be released?

Exit polls will be released through the night, though votes in swing states could take hours longer to count depending on how close the result is.

Between 8pm EST (2am GMT) and 9pm EST (3am GMT) will be the busiest time for poll results, with 20 states, including the key states of Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Although the last state, Alaska, won't have closed its polls until 10pm EST (4am GMT), there should be a good idea of who has won by this point in the night.

What time will we find out who has won?

If the night goes smoothly, the result could be announced around 11pm EST (4am GMT), when polls on the West Coast close and a winner is has been declared in the past.

In the last election, Last election, Barack Obama was called for at 11.48pm EST (4:48am GMT).

US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 US Presidential election: key moments in pictures US Presidential election: key moments in pictures The 2005 Access Hollywood video which showed Mr Trump bragging to Billy Bush Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and her health concerns Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump suggests gun-supporters could kill Hillary Clinton to prevent her from picking the supreme court justices Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Melania Trump plagiarises Michelle Obamas speech Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Mr Trump said that judge Gonzalo Curiel would not be able to rule fairly, as he was of Mexican heritage United States Federal Court/AP US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump anxious over securing black vote Reuters US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Hillary Clinton and concerns about securing black vote Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Pope Francis Questions Donald Trump's Christianity Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and his relentless remarks against Mexican people Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures Donald Trump and the sexual assault allegations Getty US Presidential election: key moments in pictures FBI director announced that there would be no charges for Hillary Clinton amid email scandal Getty

A concessions speech by the losing party will follow after, when it is clear which side has won.

What happens if there is no outcome tonight?

 US Election: Presidential results by state - 02:00

There is the possibility there will be no outcome by the end of election day itself, due to the result being too close to call, legal debates or a tie.

Such a scenario could drag out teh election into Wednesday 9 November in the US, or potentially even further into the future.
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Leaders of the European Union have raised concerns about Donald Trumps worrying words about women and ethnic minorities while giving the new US President-elect a cautious welcome.

Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, said his shock victory was a very difficult moment but that the EU would respect Americas decision.

We hope that Donald Trumpwill respect the fundamental rights and rules of the European Union, he added.

(Reuters)

We have common interests and common responsibilities and my hope is that we, in fruitful and in-depth cooperation as it was until today, will tackle these challenges together.

Follow the latest live updates here

Mr Schulz noted that Mr Trumps victory speech, which saw him call for unity in the US and praise Hillary Clintons service to the country, was in a markedly different tone to much of his divisive campaign.

I am sure that the elected President Donald Trump will be a different one than the campaigner Donald Trump, he added, saying he hoped the victor would uphold Americas constitution.

It will not be easy because during the election campaign we heard some elements of protectionism and also some worrying words about women, about minorities.

My experience is that election campaigns are different from the real politics during the term of a president, so I hope that we will get back to a rational cooperation.

Donald Tusk, the European Council President, and his European Commission counterpart Jean-Claude Juncker, invited Mr Trump to an EU summit at his earliest convenience to chart a course for the next four years.

Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall  and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY

In a joint statement, they urged the Republican to commit to strengthening relations with the EU, including on Russias actions in Ukraine and the future of the troubled TTIP trade deal

Over the years, the European Union and the United States have worked together to ensure peace and prosperity for our citizens and for people around the world, the statement said.

Today, it is more important than ever to strengthen transatlantic relations.

Only by co-operating closely can the EU and the US continue to make a difference when dealing with unprecedented challenges such as Daesh [Isis], the threats to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, climate change and migration.

The reaction to Mr Trumps shock victory varied wildly among politicians across Europe, with Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel making frosty statements hinting at future disagreements, Theresa May offering her uncritical congratulations and right-wing figures including Marine Le Pen celebrating a victory of the people.

Amid widespread concern over the elections impact on Europe as uncertainty continues over Brexit, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said transatlantic ties go beyond the election of Mr Trump.

EU-US ties are deeper than any change in politics. We'll continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe, she wrote on Twitter.
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In the face of increasing criticism and worsening relations, the European Union and Turkey challenged each other on Wednesday to come out and say whether they want Ankaras bid to join the EU to continue.

In a high-stakes game of political chicken, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the EU wouldnt be able to reach the final point and end its ties with Turkey for fear of jeopardising a deal to curb the flow of migrants from Africa and the Middle East to Europe.

Hours later, in Brussels, EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn bluntly said that it is time Ankara tells us what they really want, in the wake of a report assessing Turkeys status as a candidate for membership in the bloc. The report highlighted what the EU saw as backsliding on essential human rights and rule of law standards.

The report, issued Wednesday, came after Turkeys recent clampdown on media freedoms and the arrests of 10 pro-Kurdish legislators.

These various actions, including considerations of reintroducing the death penalty, seem to be increasingly incompatible with Turkeys official desire to become a member of the European Union, Mr Hahn said.

In its own interest, Turkey urgently needs to stop moving away from the EU, Mr Hahn said.

In the escalating standoff on Turkeys protracted membership bid, Mr Erdogan rose to the challenge.

They say unabashedly and shamelessly that the EU should review its negotiations with Turkey, Mr Erdogan told a business group in Istanbul. You are late, go and review them as soon as you can. But don't just review them  go and make your final decision.

The Turkish leader added: You know those three million refugees in Turkey? They say there is a problem. What if the negotiations end and they open the gates, where would we put those three million refugees? That is their worry. That is why they cannot come to the end point.

In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Show all 17 1 /17 In pictures: Turkey coup attempt In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Erdogan attends the funeral service for victims of the thwarted coup in Istanbul at Fatih mosque on July 17, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey Burak Kara/Getty Images In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soldiers involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge with their hands raised in Istanbul on 16 July, 2016 Gokhan Tan/Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A civilian beats a soldier after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 REUTERS/Murad Sezer In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Surrendered Turkish soldiers who were involved in the coup are beaten by a civilian Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soliders involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave flags as they capture a Turkish Army vehicle Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt People pose near a tank after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Brigde Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A Turkish military stands guard near the Taksim Square in Istanbul Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Pierre Crom/Twitter In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers secure the area as supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan protest in Istanbul's Taksim square AP In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Murad Sezer/Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers detain police officers during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish Army armoured personnel carriers in the main streets of Istanbul Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Chaos reigned in Istanbul as tanks drove through the streets EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media in the resort town of Marmaris Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of President Erdogan celebrate in Ankara following the suppression of the attempted coup Reuters

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the EU had to stop its threatening attitude.

Make a decision, brother, Mr Cavusoglu said. If you want the negotiations to stop, then stop them. If you want them to continue we are ready. But you have to treat us as equal partners. We cannot advance as long as you see us as second-rate country.

Omer Celik, the minister in charge of Turkeys EU negotiations, criticised the union's report. He called it far from being constructive or providing guidance and said EU leaders lacked vision and the ability to produce projects.

On the visa-free travel deal, Mr Celik said Turkey was determined not to alter its anti-terrorism laws. He said EU Vice President Frans Timmermans would arrive in Turkey for discussions on the issue.

If we can reach progress during talks with Timmermans, this will be recorded. If we cannot, then this process will have died toward the end of the year, Mr Celik said.

In March, Turkey and the EU reached an agreement in which Turkey would stem the flow of refugees and migrants to Greece in return for incentives including fast-tracked membership talks, billions of euros in aid for Syrian refugees in Turkey and visa-free travel for Turkish citizens.

The deal has hit a hurdle over Turkey's reluctance to change its anti-terrorism laws  one of the conditions for the lifting of visa restrictions on Turkish citizens traveling to Europe.

On Tuesday, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, warned Turkey that its crackdown on political opponents and the media goes against EU values.

Mr Juncker also called on Mr Erdogan to immediately say whether Turkey really wants to be  yes or no  a member of the European Union. He added that the Turkish leader would only have himself to blame if the EU does not grant visa-free travel in Europe to Turkish citizens soon.

Turkey has been in talks to join the European Union since October 2005, but progress has been held up, often by political opposition and particularly due to resistance from Cyprus, an EU member. The Mediterranean island has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops occupied its northern third following a coup by supporters of a union with Greece.

Associated Press
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A mother in Italy has been granted the right to give her child her own surname after Italys constitutional court ruled that forcing children to take their fathers name was unlawful.

Italian law currently states that children of married couples are automatically given only their fathers surname.

Campaigners have long fought against the traditional practice, which they say is based on outdated patriarchal ideals.

Recommended Read more Supreme Court says Government acted unlawfully towards disabled campai

But this week, jurors granted an Italian-Brazilian couple the right to give their son both their surnames, as is traditional in Spain and much of South America.

The couples lawyers had argued that not allowing their son to have his mothers surname as well as his fathers violated the principle of gender equality.

After the couples request was initially rejected by Italian authorities, they took the case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which ruled in their favour in 2014.

The ECHR had also previously condemned the legislations  which dates from Roman times  and ordered Italy to review it.

The constitutional court said on the verdict: The court has declared the unlawfulness of rules providing for the automatic attribution of the paternal surname to legitimate children, when the parents wish otherwise.

As the court did not publish its reasoning straight away, it remained unsure as to whether all parents would be given the same rights to name their child using double-surnames from now on, or whether parents would be given the right to choose between the mother and fathers surname.

Campaigners said the ruling showed an urgent need for clearer legislation after decades of political debate around the issue.

The constitutional court has taken a decision of great importance for our society, Democratic party deputy Fabrizia Giuliani told AFP news agency.

The senate no longer has any excuse for not abolishing this anachronism and giving women their right in this matter.
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A Bahraini human rights activist and torture survivor claims Prince Charles's visit to the Arab kingdom is being used to "whitewash" its record on civil liberties.

The Prince of Wales is touring the Gulf state until Friday as part of a trip that includes "greenlighting" a 30m British navy base.

Refugee Sayed Alwadaei, director of advocacy at the Bahrain Institute of Rights and Democracy (BIRD), spoke exclusively to The Independent after recently being reunited with the family he thought he would never see again.

The stateless campaigner is asking Prince Charles not to allow himself "to be used as an ambassador for the arms industry and to visit Nabeel Rajab who is in prison for posting anti-government tweets.

Prince Charless visit is giving the Bahrain authorities a green light to continue their oppression and using him to whitewash human rights abuses, said Mr Alwadaei.

Bahrain activist Sayed Alwadaei is reunited with his young son Moosa Satrawi of Bahrain Alyoum (Moosa Satrawi of Bahrain Alyoum)

Prime Minister Theresa May is also scheduled to visit the kingdom for a Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in December.

"It just shows you how low this Conservative Government goes," Mr Alwadaei added.

The royal visit follows the return of Mr Alwadaei's 19-month-old son, Sayed Junior, and wife Duaa to his north London home after they say they were violently interrogated in Bahrain.

Their detention followed Mr Alwadaei pictured being restrained by police in London when he was protesting as the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa, visited Downing Street on 26 October.

Sayed Alwadaei protesting against the Bahrain king's 10 Downing Street visit AP (AP)

A few hours later, Ms Alwadaei said she was stopped by two police officers at Bahrain's international airport and dragged along the floor. Her son was snatched from her and they were prevented from boarding a return flight to London after a month spent in Bahrain visiting family.

Ms Alwadaei claims that during a seven-hour detainment, she was beaten by officers who threatened that they will get the animal [Sayed].

She says she was subsequently banned from travelling until she and her son were finally permitted to fly back to the UK in the company of a US diplomat on 1 November.

The British government is backing an oppressive regime, said Mr Alwadaei, when asked if he regrets his protest last month. For me it was an exercise in exposure to show how far those oppressors go. I will do whatever it takes to raise awareness and Im prepared to pay the consequences.

 No End to Torture in Bahrain - Human Rights Watch

The Brighton University electronics graduate, who returned to Bahrain to build a career, says he was previously beaten and left bleeding in the street at a February 2011 demonstration inspired by the Arab Spring.

He says he was tortured for 28 days, during which time he was stripped naked, blindfolded and beaten as a punishment for talking to the media.

Recommended Read more Royal Navy base construction begins in Bahrain

The military court handed out a one-year prison term for terror charges, which was reduced to six months.

Mr Alwadaei, who wrote a Voices article for The Independent in February, first sought British asylum in 2013 and was finally stripped of his Bahraini citizenship in January 2015.

Thirty three countries, including the UK, called for the release of political prisoners and a revision of freedom of expression laws in Bahrain in September 2015.

Human Rights Watch list Bahrain's civil liberties record as dismal.

 Prince Charles starts Middle East tour with sword dance

Amnesty International says police have been deliberately killed in Bahraini bomb explosions amid Sunni-Shia in-fighting and hundreds convicted in unfair terrorism-related trials.

The death penalty and marital rape are also legal in the country.

Bahrain orders military off streets of capital Show all 8 1 /8 Bahrain orders military off streets of capital Bahrain orders military off streets of capital 560121.bin AP Bahrain orders military off streets of capital 560141.bin AP Bahrain orders military off streets of capital 560122.bin AP Bahrain orders military off streets of capital 560123.bin GETTY Bahrain orders military off streets of capital 560142.bin AP Bahrain orders military off streets of capital 560144.bin AP Bahrain orders military off streets of capital 560143.bin AP Bahrain orders military off streets of capital 560104.bin AP

A Clarence House spokesman for the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall said: "The UK Government continues to raise its concerns at the highest levels with the government of Bahrain and they continue to work together on many aspects of the reform agenda. Their Royal Highnesses are aware of the points raised by Human Rights organisations.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: The UK is working closely with the government of Bahrain to provide extensive reform assistance focused on strengthening human rights and the rule of law. We believe that it is not good enough to merely criticise other countries from the sidelines. Only by working with Bahrain are we able to bring about the changes we would like to see in the country."

A Downing Street spokesman added: Our strong relationship with Bahrain means that we are able to have frank and honest conversations on human rights at the highest levels.

Just last month, the Prime Minister met with the King of Bahrain who outlined the progress that had been achieved through Bahrains ongoing domestic reform plan, designed to bring greater inclusivity to the political and social fabric of the country. 

The Independent has contacted the Bahrain Foreign Office for comment.
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Russian warships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea drove away a Dutch submarine that had been shadowing the squadron, the military said.

Two Russian navy destroyers spotted the Walrus-class submarine on Wednesday while it was 20km away from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier and its escorting ships, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said.

The destroyers had tracked the submarine for more than an hour, using anti-submarine helicopters, before forcing it to leave the area, General Konashenkov said. He did not elaborate on how the warships prompted the submarine to leave.

The spokesman added that such "clumsy" attempts to manoeuvre close to the Russian squadron could have resulted in an accident.

General Konashenkov said the Russian squadron had previously spotted several Nato submarines, including a US Virginia-class nuclear submarine, while en route to eastern Mediterranean waters.

A Nato official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to discuss the sensitive issue on the record, said the alliance's navies had been monitoring the Russian fleet in recent weeks in a "measured and responsible way, as is customary".

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

He refused to elaborate on how Nato was doing that.

In a tweet, the Dutch Defense Ministry said it did not comment on operations conducted by its submarines.

The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier is being accompanied by the nuclear-powered Peter the Great missile cruiser and several other ships on a mission to Syria's shores, the Russian navy's largest deployment since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

Nato has expressed concern, saying the move could presage an increase in the number of Russian air raids in Syria, particularly around the besieged city of Aleppo.

AP
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An Israeli government minister has provoked outrage by suggesting the result of the US general election will lead to the end of international political will for a Palestinian state.

Trumps victory is an opportunity for Israel to immediately retract the notion of a Palestinian state in the centre of the country, which would hurt our security and just cause, Naftali Bennett, the Minister of Education, said in a press release on Wednesday morning.

This is the position of the President-elect, as written in his platform, and it should be our policy, plain and simple. The era of a Palestinian state is over.

 Hillary Clinton urges supporters to give Donald Trump a chance to lead

The Israeli government has officially been working towards a two-state solution to the intractable Israeli-Arab conflict for years, although resistance from the militant Hamas movement that rules the Gaza Strip and continued disagreement over Israeli settlement building in the West Bank has hindered recent attempts at peace talks.

Mr Bennett expressed his congratulations to Donald Trump and gratitude to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for her friendship with Israel.

Both candidates had broadly said that if elected they would continue in the line of current US policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which by and large advocates for a two-state solution, although an advisor to Mr Trump said in October that the candidate is sceptical of the efficacy of a two-state solution.

In a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York in September, Mr Trump said he would take the unusual step of recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital, a statement which angered Palestinians, who also claim the city as their own.

President Donald Trump life in pictures Show all 16 1 /16 President Donald Trump life in pictures President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump poses in a rocking chair once used by President John F. Kennedy at his New York City residence Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump with his new bride Marla Maples after their wedding at the Plaza hotel in New York Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Celina Midelfart watch the match between Conchita Martinez and Amanda Coetzer during U.S. Open. She was the date whom Donald Trump was with when he met his current wife Melania at a party in 1996 Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas serving as the grand marshal for the Daytona 500, speaks to Donald Trump and Melania Knauss on the starting grid at the Daytona International Speedwa Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump talks with his former wife Ivana Trump during the men's final at the U.S. Open Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and his friend Melania Knauss pose for photographers as they arrive at the New York premiere of Star Wars Episode : 'The Phantom Menace,' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump talks with host Larry King. Trump told King that he was moving toward a possible bid for the United States presidency with the formation of a presidential exploratory committee Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump answers questions as Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura looks on in Brooklyn Park. Trump said on Friday he 'very well might' make a run for president under the Reform Party banner but had not made a final decision Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump makes a face at a friend as he sits next to Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso before the start of the 2003 Miss Universe pageant in Panama City Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Entrepreneur Donald Trump is greeted by a Marilyn Monroe character look-a-alike, as he arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood to attend the an open casting call for his NBC television network reality series 'The Apprentice.' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Simon Cowell present an Emmy during the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Megan Mullally perform at the 57th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump, poses with his children, son Donald Trump, Jr., and daughters Tiffany and Ivanka Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump told Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner on Tuesday she would be given a second chance after reported misbehavior Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump holds a replica of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as his wife Melania holds their son Barron in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. property mogul Donald Trump stands next to a bagpiper during a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland Reuters

Mr Bennett  the child of American immigrants to Israel  has led the countrys right-wing religious The Jewish Home party since 2012. He was appointed to Mr Netanyahus coalition government as education minister last year.

He is in favour of a tripartite solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, in which the Palestinian territories are annexed by the state of Israel but governed by the Palestinian Authority, and the Gaza Strip handed over to the supervision of Egypt.

Mr Netanyahu also congratulated Mr Trump on his election win, calling him a true friend of the state of Israel with whom he looks forward to working with... to advance security, stability and peace in our region.

The Independent has contacted the Israeli Ministry of Education for comment.
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Twenty people have died in a US coalition air strike that was supposed to hit an Isis target north of the militants de facto caliphate of Raqqa in northern Syria, reports say.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the strike on al-Heesha, 25 miles (45km) north of the Isis stronghold, occurred overnight on Tuesday. Local activist group Raqqa is being Silently Slaughtered put the figure at 23.

US Central Command confirmed to The Independent that its strike logs suggested an attack had been carried out in the area but more specific information was needed before authorities could determine responsibility.

The Coalition takes all allegations of civilian casualties seriously and will further investigate this report, a spokesperson added. Extraordinary efforts are made by the Coalition to identify and strike appropriate targets in order to avoid non-combatant casualties.

The US, UK and France have been providing air support to bolster the efforts of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition of Kurdish and Arab militias, which over the weekend announced the start of Operation Euphrates Wrath to encircle the city of Raqqa.

The SDF has been the most successful ground force in the fight against Isis since it declared its caliphate across Syria and Iraq in 2014, although it is distrusted by US Nato ally Turkey, which has also been involved in the fighting in Syria since August.

Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Show all 10 1 /10 Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis An Iraqi Christian prepares for the first Sunday Mass at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Qaraqosh Reuters Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi priests hold the first Sunday mass Reuters Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi Christian soldiers attend the first Sunday mass at the Grand Immaculate Church since it was recaptured from Islamic State in Qaraqosh Reuters Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis An Iraqi Christian soldier holds his weapon during the first Sunday mass Reuters Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis An Iraqi Christian soldier lights a candle Reuters Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi priests hold the first Sunday mass at the Grand Immaculate Church since it was recaptured from Islamic State Reuters Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi priests hold the first Sunday mass Reuters Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Reuters Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Reuters Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Iraqi Christians celebrate liberation from Isis Reuters

The coalitions air campaign against Isis targets in and around Raqqa has been ferocious, with dozens of strikes hitting Isis military targets and armed vehicles since Sunday Central Command said.

Tuesdays reported casualties are the first loss of civilian life in the campaign due to US-led bombing.

The operation to oust Isis from Raqqa could take months, both Kurdish and US officials have warned, although the dovetailing of military action with the four-week-old attack on Mosul, Isis last stronghold in Iraq, is designed to prevent the jihadis from regrouping, effectively ending their incarnation as a land-holding force.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi are among the authoritarian world leaders who have welcomed the news that Donald Trump has been elected as the 45th president of the United States.

Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke was also delighted that Mr Trump had managed to snatch victory from the pollsters' predicted winner Hillary Clinton on Wednesday.

The sentiment has been echoed by a group that is not exactly a part of Mr Trumps target demographic: hardcore jihadist and Salafist sources across the Middle East.

Trumps victory is a hard slap to those promoting the efficiency of democratic systems, Hamza al-Karibi, a spokesperson for the al-Qaeda affiliated Syrian jihadist group Jabhat Fatah al-Sham wrote to his Twitter followers. Starting today, we wont need media releases clarifying the Wests machinations. All we need to do is retweet what Trump says, he added.

Trumps [sic] winning might be bad for us in the short run. However, it is better for Muslims in the long run as hell ruin the US, prominent Egyptian-born jihadi cleric Dr Tariq Abdel Haleem wrote in English.

Jordanian Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi - described by West Point military academys anti terrorism centre as the most influential living jihadi theorist, and who is responsible for running al-Qaedas online library - also took to Twitter to share his delight, saying Mr Trumps electoral victory could herald the beginning of Americas fragmentation and the era of its breakup.

The Republican presidential nominee had previously been criticised for his inexperience of foreign policy and his repeated claim that the US-backed Operation Inherent Resolve to oust Isis from Mosul will fail.

Speaking at the time, Charlie Winter of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at Kings College London said Mr Trumps comments were unhelpful in the fight against extremism, calling the candidate a fantastic recruitment sergeant for Isis.
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As a stunned America reflected on the deep divisions revealed within the country as Republican candidate Donald Trump won The White House, the rest of the world has begun to shake itself into reacting to the unprecedented moment in US political history.

The mood at a public party on Tuesday night celebrating a Trump loss in Mexico City - where Mr Trump is very unpopular thanks to his comments on immigrants and plans to build a wall along the US border - soured as the results became clearer.

At the same time, global financial markets went into free fall. The UK's FTSE 100 index is expected to tumble by over four per cent and it is predicted Wall Street will suffer its biggest ever plunge when Wednesday's trading begins. Share prices in Australia, Asia and India have all plummeted as money flows into safe haven stocks and gold.

Front pages talking about a Hillary Clinton win in time zones in Europe and Asia ahead of the US had to be pulped on Wednesday morning. Newspapers and websites took varying approaches to Mr Trump's victory, from Australia to the president-elect's home state of New York:



In the political sphere, European Council and Commission leaders Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker said in a congratulatory letter to Mr Trump that "it is more important than ever to strengthen transatlantic relations" in the face of global threats such as terrorism, climate change and migration, inviting the president-elect to visit Europe for talks as soon as possible.

French President Francois Hollande was not as optimistic about Mr Trump's victory, warning that the world was entering a "period of uncertainty" as a result. "This context calls for a united Europe, capable of making itself heard and of promoting policies whereever its interests or values are challenged," he said in a televised address.

German Defence Minister Ursula van der Leyen called the result a "huge shock," with a member of the Reichstag's foreign affairs committee warning that "geopolitically we are in a very uncertain situation."

"We're realising now that we have no idea what this American president will do if the voice of anger enters office and the voice of anger becomes the most powerful man in the world," Norbert Roettgen told German radio.

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg and governments around the world - including UK Prime Minister Theresa May - also sent messages of congratulations ranging from neutral to lukewarm welcoming "continued relations" with the US. By way of contrast, right-wing fringe and nationalist leaders were quick to express delight with the result which snatched the election from the pollsters' predicted victor Hillary Clinton.

Leader of the French right-wing Front National (FN), Marine le Pen, offered her congratulations to the president-elect and the "free American people."

Pauline Hanson, the leader of Australias far right populist One Nation Party, tweeted her wishes to Mr Trump after the pivotal swing state of Florida was called in his favour in the early hours of the morning in the US. Mr President my door will always be open. Congrats, she wrote.

 Canada immigration website crashes as Donald Trump election victory looks imminent

Far-right Dutch politician Geert Van Wilders also offered his congratulations preemptively. The people are taking their country back, he said, and so will we.

Ukip's Nigel Farage - who spoke at Mr Trump's campaign rallies - called the result, alongside the UK's exit from the European Union, part of the "two big political revolutions of 2016."

In Russia, where many Kremlin officials and media had been drumming up the possibility of electoral fraud and conspiracy theories that would ensure a Ms Clinton win, many politicians were jubilant on Wednesday - including President Vladimir Putin, who sent a congratulatory message to Mr Trump saying that he hoped there could be a "constructive dialogue" between the two countries.

I am convinced sanctions [on Russia] will be dropped completely, Gennady Zyuganov, leader of Russias second largest party, the Communist Party, told state media, speculating that Mr Trump will recognise Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Across the Middle East, the reaction was more muted, with many politicians and pundits previously predicting an unsatisfactory result for the Arab world no matter who takes over from President Barack Obama in January.

Recommended Read more What a Donald Trump presidency means for women and girls

Anti-American Arab world journalist Abdel-Bari Atwan - whom had not entertained high hopes of either candidate - said of Mr Trump that he does not expect any goodness, from a man he said is full of arrogance and lies.

Israel, which follows the US elections more closely than most thanks to its high number of dual citizens, had been likely to find a reliable partner in either candidate. Mr Trump has said he will broadly continue current US policy in the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Several right-wing members of the Knesset from Israel's ruling party Likud welcomed the result. "It appears the American people are tired of hypocrisy and political correctness and prefer straight talk," politician Yakuda Glick said.

Palestinian analyst Hani Habib said before polls opened that as far as Palestinian interests are concerned, Any betting on either [candidate] is a losing bet.

Many Syrians, disillusioned by almost six years of war, were also apathetic, although one activist in east Aleppo joked that while George W Bush bought al Qaeda to the Middle East and Mr Obama bought Isis, Mr Trump will bring "aliens."

President Donald Trump life in pictures Show all 16 1 /16 President Donald Trump life in pictures President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump poses in a rocking chair once used by President John F. Kennedy at his New York City residence Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump with his new bride Marla Maples after their wedding at the Plaza hotel in New York Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Celina Midelfart watch the match between Conchita Martinez and Amanda Coetzer during U.S. Open. She was the date whom Donald Trump was with when he met his current wife Melania at a party in 1996 Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas serving as the grand marshal for the Daytona 500, speaks to Donald Trump and Melania Knauss on the starting grid at the Daytona International Speedwa Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump talks with his former wife Ivana Trump during the men's final at the U.S. Open Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and his friend Melania Knauss pose for photographers as they arrive at the New York premiere of Star Wars Episode : 'The Phantom Menace,' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump talks with host Larry King. Trump told King that he was moving toward a possible bid for the United States presidency with the formation of a presidential exploratory committee Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump answers questions as Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura looks on in Brooklyn Park. Trump said on Friday he 'very well might' make a run for president under the Reform Party banner but had not made a final decision Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump makes a face at a friend as he sits next to Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso before the start of the 2003 Miss Universe pageant in Panama City Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Entrepreneur Donald Trump is greeted by a Marilyn Monroe character look-a-alike, as he arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood to attend the an open casting call for his NBC television network reality series 'The Apprentice.' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Simon Cowell present an Emmy during the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Megan Mullally perform at the 57th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump, poses with his children, son Donald Trump, Jr., and daughters Tiffany and Ivanka Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump told Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner on Tuesday she would be given a second chance after reported misbehavior Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump holds a replica of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as his wife Melania holds their son Barron in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. property mogul Donald Trump stands next to a bagpiper during a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland Reuters

Chinese state media, meanwhile, said that the election revealed that American democracy is in a state of crisis, "rebelling" against the country's political and financial elites.

Closer to home, Cubans were dismayed with the choice of the American electorate, as Mr Trump has promised to reverse the process of normalising relations with the communist-run island kickstarted by Mr Obama after decades of political and economic isolation.

We have to respect whatever decision Trump takes but we dont want him to be president, Havana resident Lina Osorio said. We need relations between the two countries we have more riding on this election than many Americans.

In other electoral results early on Wednesday, the Republican party retained control of the US House of Representatives and the Senate, despite modest Democrat gains, putting the US on the edge of sweeping right-leaning legislative change, and all but guaranteeing the current vacancy on the Supreme Court will go to a conservative justice.
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The Caribbean islands are too easily dismissed as the preserve of sun-seekers  its all about the white sand and turquoise seas. Of course, many holidaymakers head for these tropical shores just to lie on the beach and down rum punch, but its short-sighted to assume theres nothing more to enjoy.

The Caribbean is rich in nature, history and culture. It has a complex story to tell, which stretches back to when this arc of volcanic and coral islands formed and were then used as stepping stones by the ancient Arawaks and Caribs.

The legacy of conquest and slavery, emancipation and independence, agriculture, industry and tourism have all left their indelible marks on both the people and environment. So the visitor who is prepared to push up their sunglasses and look a little closer will not only find much to explore but some surprises, too.

From the limestone karsts of the Dominican Republic to the salt flats in arid Bonaire, time has sculpted an often unexpected landscape, now recognised as one of the globes great and fragile centres of biodiversity. The story of pre-Columbian man is told in some of the worlds rarest petroglyphs, carved in rocks from the Cariuta Hills of Trinidad to the Sierra del Rosario in Cuba.

The Dominican Republics National Park of the East (Getty Images) (Getty)

The wrecks of ships once commandeered by pirates, lace the reefs of the Caribbean. The great Georgian plantation houses, military complexes and ruins of sugar mills are a physical reminder of the brutal days of slavery, and also of the spirit of rebellion.

And the intermingling of people from around the world, who converged on this collection of more than 7,000 islands by choice or force, is etched on the faces of todays Caribbeans and revealed in the stuff of everyday life, especially food and music.

History has also imposed a hierarchy on the islands, especially where old colonial ties bring down language barriers. Direct flights from the UK make many British travellers look no further than islands such as Antigua, Barbados, and St Lucia. But there are more places to explore.

St Barts is yacht territory (Chris Nelson/Flickr)

How many of us have the visited the ritzy French island of St Barts, where foie gras is served fresh from the plane from Paris each morning? Who has seen the steam rise on Dominicas Boiling Lake? Fewer still will have ventured to tiny Saba, smallest special municipality of the Netherlands. These are just a few of the surprises the Caribbean has in store for the curious traveller.

Cash for ash in Montserrat

Montserrat paid a heavy price when the Soufriere Hills volcano erupted in 1995, killing nine people and destroying many homes, as well as the capital, Plymouth. Two decades later, the Montserratians are harnessing the volcanos power for tourism, with increasing numbers of visitors clamouring to see the Caribbean Pompeii.

Soufriere Hills (Getty Images)

Caribbean Helicopters (caribbeanhelicopters.com; $275/222) runs aerial tours out of Antigua; Montserrat Yachting Association (yachting.ms; from $100) offers sailing trips around the coast; and Scribers Adventure Tours (scribersadventures.com) leads guided hikes in the foothills. Meanwhile, amateur seismologists can visit the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (mvo.ms;10 East Caribbean dollars ) and check out the smoking cone through the telescope at Jack Boy Hill.

Motmot Travel (motmottravel.com) offers a week in Antigua and Montserrat from 1,805, based on two sharing, including return flights from Gatwick to Antigua, inter-island flights, airport transfers, two nights room-only in Montserrat and five nights B&B in Antigua.

Ticket to ride on St Kitts

Take the slow route around St Kitts on its Scenic Railway (stkittsscenicrailway.com; $89). The early-20th Century narrow-gauge track once transported sugar to the capital Basseterre, now it carries visitors around this sleepy island.

The double-decker train departs Needsmust Station for its three-hour journey, passing by local villages and abandoned sugar mills, crossing steel bridges spanning deep canyons, and skirting the surf. Along the way, passengers enjoy sublime 360-degree views of coast and countryside from the open-top observation platform.

The double-decker train on the St Kitts Scenic Railway (Heather Cowper/Flickr)

Hayes and Jarvis (hayesandjarvis.co.uk) offers seven nights on St Kitts from 1,249 including return flights from Gatwick, transfers and B&B.

Trot off to the Bahamas

Never mind flying pigs, what about the kind that swim? Big Major Cay off Exuma is home to a family of little piggies that know how to sniff out a treat from a passing tourist with their sandy snouts. Nobody knows quite how they got here, but swimming with the 20-plus sounder of swine is a curious activity on offer in this corner of The Bahamas. Exuma Watersports (exumawatertours.com; $172) runs day-long Adventure Tours that call at Pig Beach.

Pig Beach (Norm Lanier/Flickr)

British Airways (ba.com) offers seven nights at Hideaways Exuma from 1,829, including flights from Heathrow to George Town via Miami and B&B.

Watch the birdie in Barbuda

Navigate your way around the frigate bird sanctuary in Barbuda. Antiguas baby sister is home to one of the worlds most important breeding grounds for these black-feathered, fork-tailed raptors. More than 5,000 of these man o wars, as the locals call them, congregate in the mangroves at the Codrington Lagoon. From September to April, the place is a blaze of colour as the males try to woo potential mates by inflating their red throats. And there are few funnier sights than seeing a mass of chicks pop up their heads in anticipation of a parent approaching with a tender morsel.

Frigate chicks (Rachel Graham)

Boat tours can be arranged locally and cost $50, based on four sharing. Barbuda Cottages (barbudacottages.com) offers a weeks self-catering for $2,000, for the whole one-bedroom cottage. Return flights from Gatwick to Antigua cost from 608 with Virgin Atlantic (virgin-atlantic.com), and return ferry crossings on the Barbuda Express (barbudaexpress.com) cost $85.

A day at the races in Barbados

Barbados may be well-known to Brits but there are still plenty of undiscovered pleasures to be had. Place a bet at the Garrison Savannah (barbadosturfclub.org; 20 Barbadian dollars) near Bridgetown in Barbados. This former parade ground for the British army has been the scene of horse races since 1845. Today 25 meetings are held throughout the year, including The Sandy Lane Barbados Gold Cup in March, which draws thoroughbreds and jockeys from beyond Barbadoss shores.

Racing at the Garrison Savannah (Shutterstock)

You dont need to be a racing fan to enjoy a day at these races. Plenty of families picnic in the grounds to watch the marching bands and the excitable crowds when the horses hit the final furlong.

Thomson (thomson.co.uk) has a weeks all-inclusive at Waves Barbados from 2,031, including flights from Gatwick and transfers.

Click here to view our Caribbean tour, with Independent Holidays
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The largest presence at the annual global travel event is from America, with hundreds of representatives from states from Florida to Alaska.

As the show opened, many were studying their smartphones intently as though they were seeking a different result to the presidential election.

One stand was notably empty: Trump Hotels, which was being used only as the backdrop for selfies by other attendees. It was rumoured that the staff were still at a celebratory party for the president elect.

Australian representatives at WTM spotted a photo opportunity at the deserted Trump Hotels stand (Simon Calder)

A leading travel industry figure has warned that many prospective British visitors to the US may decide not to go as a result of Donald Trumps election. Joel Brandon-Bravo, UK managing director for Travelzoo, said: Following confirmation of a win for Donald Trump in the presidential election today, were now forecasting an unstable 2017 for US tourism, with over one million UK travellers set to reconsider the country as a holiday destination.

Recommended Travel in the age of President Trump

In a Travelzoo survey conducted shortly before the election, one in five respondents said they would definitely not consider the US as a travel destination if Mr Trump were to be elected. A further one in nine said they would probably not travel to America.

If the respondents are typical of the 3.8m annual British visitors to the US, and do what they told the pollsters, numbers could drop by 1.18m  although other people may be incentivised to go to America if enticing deals are offered.

Mr Brandon-Bravo said: Other factors, such as the falling value of the pound and outbreaks of the Zika virus appear to have had little change on our desire to travel to the US, but todays results look set to have an impact.

Shortly after Donald Trump's acceptance speech, Sandra Leaton Grey of Cambridgeshire tweeted: "I have just cancelled my regular May trip to see US family. We might all meet up in Canada instead."

Recommended Why we should all be going to Canada after the US election

Representatives of the Canadian travel industry at World Travel Market were quietly jubilant, because they believe they will be the beneficiary of displaced tourism to the US.

But delegates from Mexico were subdued. While the sharp fall in the value of the Mexican peso means the country is more attractive, tougher border controls could adversely affect visitor numbers from the US.

The American travel industry will be particularly concerned at the figures in the Travelzoo poll for people in Greater London, who comprise the biggest, richest travel market in Europe. Three in 10 Londoners said they would definitely not travel to the US with Mr Trump in charge.

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By now youve probably seen the CU in the NT tourism campaign for Australias Northern Territory. If not: yes, its real.

It is not, however, the work of the Northern Territorys or Australias tourist board, but rather the creative output of independent group NT Official, which describes itself as just some lovers of the top end, spreading love for our favourite territory!

Or, perhaps more accurately, some people who thought up a funny slogan to sell T-shirts. Although a spokesman for the campaign has insisted: CU in the NT is an independent underground campaign designed to bring attention to the unique Northern Territory as an ideal destination for the young or young at heart. And sell some T-shirts.

Still, we sort of wish this was the work of Tourism NT, which has been at pains to make clear it is not affiliated with the controversial slogan. Then it could have joined The Independents Questionable Tourism Slogan Hall of Fame, which we proudly present to you below.

Fiji: Fiji Me

One should probably check what to Fiji means in the local parlance before entreating another to do so upon your person. Perhaps wisely, Tourism Fiji dropped this slogan in 2012, and replaced it with Fiji: Where happiness finds you. Nope, still not better.

Tourism Fiji's old slogan - not quite "CU in the NT", but close (Tourism Fiji)

Indonesia: Admit It You Love It

This one sounds a bit, shall we say, fruity. And not in a good way. Also suggests saying you love Indonesia is something one admits, like a mucky secret.

Recommended Colombian tourism hit by rejection of peace deal

Colombia: The Only Risk Is Wanting To Stay

Note to countries plagued by civil war and the cocaine trade: when attempting to draw people here for their holidays, probably dont make a big deal out of the risk. In fact, dont mention the risk at all. And definitely dont use the word risk.

Fargo, North Dakota: Always Warm!

Er, weve all seen the movie. It takes place in snow. Everyone looks freezing. Rumbled.

Jordan: ExtraJORDANary

Not an embarrassing relic of the past, but visible on billboards today, we particularly enjoy that Jordans tourist board thought their witty punnery perhaps a little subtle, and so rendered the name of their country in massive capitals lest we miss the point. Potentially took inspiration from another godawful pun-based slogan, Incrediburgh. Should have made that IncrEDIBURGH  only that would highlight that it doesnt make sense.

Dubai: Definitely Dubai

In case you werent quite sure.

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Illegal cross-border trade in wildlife, with its strong links to organised transnational criminal networks using increasingly sophisticated tactics, is a truly global issue. Therefore the battle to eradicate such trade is not the problem of one single country or continent, rather it demands a truly global response.

Paul Harrison, the Global Wildlife Programme lead for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which tackles poaching and illegal wildlife, knows only too well that coordinating how the international community will try to eradicate such trade is a deeply complex and sensitive task.

Paul says: This is the biggest single issue currently facing wildlife. Next week, the Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) conference in Hanoi will bring together world leaders to reaffirm pledges and actions to stamp out illegal trade.

Were going to see these leaders making more pledges and giving more clarity about exactly what they will do next. There will be a real sense of peer pressure at the IWT meeting. Its going to be a pivotal moment in deciding the future of some of the planets most endangered species.

Nations are waking up to their responsibilities, in particular with regard to the sale of ivory which has never been higher on the news agenda. Andrea Leadsom, Secretary of State for Environment, is receiving pressure to shut down the UK domestic ivory market, and will attend the IWT conference, which runs from 17 to 18 November in Vietnam.

It follows the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade in 2014, out of which came The Elephant Protection Initiative, which calls for a comprehensive, cohesive response to the elephant crisis. The second IWT conference held in Botswana in 2015 helped to determine exactly what needed to be done, when and how.

The London conference was a real turning point in terms of the scale of international awareness, and more importantly raising political will, but now its time for real action, says Paul. Theres a strong sense that weve got to show what were doing. Last year there was a UN General Assembly Resolution calling for nations to act; the message is much stronger than its ever been.

But although there might be a lot of awareness at a political level that things need to change, its not enough for the international community to come together to say this is what were going to do. They have to go and actually do it.

Paul and his colleagues at UNDP have supported the implementation of government-led projects in key countries, as well as developing new projects programmes which support tackling IWT objectives, many of which will be having an impact by the end of this year. These projects include tackling poaching in national parks, helping governments with dedicated wildlife crime units and tackling trafficking such as at ports.

They include the UN Wildlife Initiative, a simple but hugely powerful idea developed by Paul and colleagues after seeing the same people from across the UN system time and again at meetings around the globe. Why not coordinate better amongst themselves to actually get things done, seeing as theyre all working for the same aim? The UN Wildlife Initiative aims to unite key players in the UN system to discuss a particular issue or a country, plan what to needs to happen and how to action it.

Paul joined the UNDP in 2014, as an advisor on ecosystems and biodiversity conservation with a specific remit to lead UNDPs work on combatting the illegal wildlife trade.

Pauls lifelong passion for wildlife inspired him to seek a career in conservation and he initially sought to study Natural Sciences to achieve this but during a gap year in Uganda working on an animal census Paul realised that other approaches to conservation were also essential:: I was intrigued by the local people, and quickly realised the need to listen to them as they are intrinsically involved in their landscape.

I would go around villages with a translator to chat to people, asking basic stuff about how they were able to live with wildlife and although I couldn't communicate easily with them I knew I needed to, because their experiences were at the heart of the wildlife conservation work we were doing.

This realisation that local people should be part of the equation led Paul to study Social Sciences at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), learning fluent Swahili along the way, and following that with an MSc in Tourism, Environment and Development. Since then he has spent much of his life in East Africa, working in a variety of conservation, natural resource management and sustainable development roles including previously running a professional natural resources consultancy and setting up an ethical timber trading initiative called Sound and Fair that sources certified timber from community managed forests in Africa..

Its vital to understand the social and economic reasons behind any wildlife issue, Paul says. Because its not just about the wildlife; its about thinking through the practical realities of how a resource makes sense to a community, to a culture and to economics, local and global. Thats the only way you can hope to be able to develop it effectively.

Thats why I support The Giants Club. The bringing together of Heads of States and experts mean that elephant states devise a plan that works to protect elephants, that has the necessary political backing as well as understanding the needs of the people who live amongst or near to elephant populations

Strengthening commitments to combat illegal wildlife trade is not only about saving animals, but contributes towards greater social security and sustainable development. Its an issue backed by Prince William, who will also attend the IWT conference in Hanoi, helping to increase understanding internationally.

The fact that the Duke of Cambridge has got behind this issue is hugely significant, Paul says. Celebrity power is important, but its not just about picking up any celebrity to add their voice; having Prince William on board means the world listens.

But that attention must turn into action on the ground. Whatever we do after the IWT meeting has to be coordinated and build on existing successes. We need renewed commitment from the international community to coordinate and develop projects from the ground up; only by doing that can we hope to stamp out illegal trade and save endangered species from extinction.

Follow Paul @ProtectWild
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Wildlife officers in Uganda are to receive professional legal training on how to prosecute poachers and punish those involved in the illegal wildlife trade through the countrys courts.

Conservation charity Space for Giants has partnered with the Uganda Conservation Foundation and Tusk Trust to enable eight Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) officers to undertake a range of undergraduate and postgraduate legal qualifications.

This will improve the capacity of UWAs in-house prosecution office and allow it to supply a lawyer to every one of the countrys protected conservation areas.

The law is such an effective tool in tackling the illegal wildlife trade, and these rangers will be developing vital professional skills to help them do so, Anne-Marie Weeden, General Manager of Uganda Conservation Foundation, said. Were delighted to be part of this collaborative effort to support the development of the UWA legal team.

Five officers from UWA have been selected by the UWA legal department to study for their Law Diploma at the Law Development Centre in Kampala. The course commenced in September and lasts for one year.

Once they have graduated, the officers will be given delegated prosecutorial powers, increasing the size of the prosecution unit for UWA from 10 to 15.

A further three UWA rangers already working in the legal department, will attain higher professional qualifications in a Bachelors of Law, a Masters of Law and a postgraduate bar diploma respectively.

The scholarships are supported by the Uganda Conservation Foundation (UCF) and Tusk Trust on their joint project countering wildlife crime in Uganda, funded by the UK Government through the IWT Challenge Fund. Space for Giants initiated the selection of UWA candidates and will assist UWA and UCF by mentoring the selected candidates over the coming year.

This support to UWA affirms the commitment of Space for Giants and its partners to the strengthening of the criminal justice framework that addresses prosecutions in Uganda, said Shamini Jayanathan, Space for Giants Director of Wildlife Protection.

UWA prosecutors are able to prosecute under all laws of Uganda, not just wildlife specific statutes, thus enabling the UWA to support the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the fight against wildlife crime.

The collaboration builds on the work already underway in Uganda by Space for Giants, supported by ICCF, UNODC and Stop Ivory, to develop an anti-illegal wildlife trade prosecution toolkit for use by the local judiciary, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, UWA and the Ministry of Tourism.

Together the two projects will enable Ugandas prosecution bodies to bring stronger prosecutions to court, and thereby more effectively secure convictions of those involved in trafficking of Uganda's natural heritage.

The partnership is the latest in a series of conservation projects that follows the Giants Club summit convened by Space for Giants and hosted by the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, in April. The goal of the Giants Club is to effectively protect some 200,000 elephants  50% of the continental total  by 2020.

With Gabon, the Giants Club's other member states are Kenya, Botswana and Uganda. Together these countries are home to almost half remaining savannah elephants and some 70 per cent of the forest elephant.

Projects so far implemented include the commencement of work to construct specialist fences to mitigate human-elephant conflict in Gabon and Kenya, as well as anti-poacher initiatives in Botswana.

The Giants Club is supported by ESI Media, the UK-based media group that owns the London Evening Standard newspaper and The Independent digital sites. ESI Media's owner, Evgeny Lebedev, is patron of the Giants Club.
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The idea of President Donald Trump is one thing; broaching the reality is something else. It is a long time since America first resounded not as a high-flown slogan, but as a statement of intent and definition of US foreign policy. How might it work in practise?

The US system has safeguards against overweening and ill-informed power. Admittedly, some of these fall away if the same party holds the presidency and both houses of Congress, as Donald Trump will. But the rejection of Trumps candidacy by many senior Republicans, including past presidents, means that the party is left bitterly divided (however much Americans flock to a winner) and Trump could face almost the same order of opposition from Congress as he would if the majority were held by another party. A Trump administration will have an opposition, not just from disheartened Democrats, but from other Republicans.

Given the anti-establishment mood of voters across much of the developed world, the election of a non-politician may have advantages in the implementation of domestic policy. The electorate, by however slim a majority, decided they wanted someone to lead them who had not made his way by the traditional route. A different approach from a different type of leader might also have benefits for foreign policy, what with the sour international mood, the tensions  present and potential  between the big powers, and the stalemate that exists in a range of conflicts, most conspicuously in the Middle East.

 Trump victory speech calls on Americans to become 'one united people'

But how different will a Trump foreign policy be? As a businessman  one who has suffered hard knocks but emerged wealthy  Trump can be expected to take a can-do, hands-on approach to what he undertakes. He should also be able to manage and to delegate. These are not skills that not every politician has. He may be good at choosing people, knowing where his own expertise falls short, selecting what advice to take, and getting things done.

What he said during the campaign about dealing with Vladimir Putin  words that got him into big trouble with the great and the good who cast him as something akin to Putins puppet  suggests that he will be a foreign policy realist, and not just with Russia. His aversion to involvement in foreign wars that have no direct relation to US national security suggests the same thing. It also accords with US public sentiment, which has tired of costly interventions far from home.

Less recognised, perhaps, is that this approach to foreign policy could make for more continuity with the Obama years than the approach set out  insofar as it was  by Hillary Clinton. The Obama administration had already scaled back the ideological component of US foreign policy, including the export of democracy. Obama honoured his promise to withdraw from Iraq, and drew fierce criticism, not just from Congressional Republicans, for not intervening directly in Syria. He said, in his celebrated Atlantic magazine interview, that there were some conflicts that the US could not resolve and some places where US interests were not at stake. Trump said more or less the same during the election campaign.

But if Trump starts off on an improved footing with Russia, his relations with US neighbours could be tricky. In Canada, Justin Trudeau is at the opposite end of the political spectrum, while Mexico has been threatened with mass repatriations and a border wall that Trump said it should pay for.

The President-elects track record of wheeler-dealing, though, could prove an asset in these relationships, as it could be in dealing with a difficult Congress. Trump showed during the campaign that he could backtrack when necessary. The wall could well be a case in point. A solid metal fence already exists for around a third of the US-Mexico border, authorised by previous presidents. Extending it, even a little, could be the compromise result.

President Donald Trump life in pictures Show all 16 1 /16 President Donald Trump life in pictures President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump poses in a rocking chair once used by President John F. Kennedy at his New York City residence Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump with his new bride Marla Maples after their wedding at the Plaza hotel in New York Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Celina Midelfart watch the match between Conchita Martinez and Amanda Coetzer during U.S. Open. She was the date whom Donald Trump was with when he met his current wife Melania at a party in 1996 Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas serving as the grand marshal for the Daytona 500, speaks to Donald Trump and Melania Knauss on the starting grid at the Daytona International Speedwa Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Developer Donald Trump talks with his former wife Ivana Trump during the men's final at the U.S. Open Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and his friend Melania Knauss pose for photographers as they arrive at the New York premiere of Star Wars Episode : 'The Phantom Menace,' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire real estate developer Donald Trump talks with host Larry King. Trump told King that he was moving toward a possible bid for the United States presidency with the formation of a presidential exploratory committee Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump answers questions as Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura looks on in Brooklyn Park. Trump said on Friday he 'very well might' make a run for president under the Reform Party banner but had not made a final decision Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump makes a face at a friend as he sits next to Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso before the start of the 2003 Miss Universe pageant in Panama City Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Entrepreneur Donald Trump is greeted by a Marilyn Monroe character look-a-alike, as he arrives at Universal Studios Hollywood to attend the an open casting call for his NBC television network reality series 'The Apprentice.' Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Simon Cowell present an Emmy during the 56th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump and Megan Mullally perform at the 57th annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump, poses with his children, son Donald Trump, Jr., and daughters Tiffany and Ivanka Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Billionaire Donald Trump told Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner on Tuesday she would be given a second chance after reported misbehavior Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures Donald Trump holds a replica of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as his wife Melania holds their son Barron in Los Angeles Reuters President Donald Trump life in pictures U.S. property mogul Donald Trump stands next to a bagpiper during a media event on the sand dunes of the Menie estate, the site for Trump's proposed golf resort, near Aberdeen, north east Scotland Reuters

Whether the same approach will succeed with the Europeans, however, is another matter. Trumps campaign was reported with widespread disdain, and his victory was greeted with shock. His questioning of the Nato alliance  and his demand for much higher contributions from allies  might please cash-strapped Americans, but it horrified the countries of east and central Europe, who fear the intentions of Russia next door.

Trumps view  and he is not ignorant of the geography, as two of his wives have come from the region  could well be that improved US-Russia relations would provide a more reliable guarantee of European security than any treaty commitment. This is not an argument calculated to win friends in, say, the Baltic States. But Russia, like the conflict-plagued Middle East, is a part of the world that could benefit from new thinking. Donald Trump may not be the US president Europe, or many other parts of the globe, would have chosen, but  given the failures before our eyes  a fresh approach could help make the world a safer place.
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After crisscrossing the country making his urgent last claims to the White House, Donald Trump has made it. But there is still nothing in his appearance or demeanour to suggest a president-in-waiting  at least not a president the United States has elected in recent times.

His shortcomings as President-elect appear particularly glaring on foreign policy, where  so it would seem  his priorities can be summed up on the back of an envelope: bring Mr Putin in, keep the Mexicans out and make other countries pay a proper price for US protection.

And it is in foreign affairs policy that the contrast with Hillary Clinton  former First Lady, former Senator, much-travelled former Secretary of State, and now former presidential candidate  is at its most stark. Mr Trump can easily be dismissed as an ignoramus, and/or a danger to US power and standing in the world.

This, though, is to underestimate two realities: the first relates to Mr Trumps view of the world, insofar as he has divulged it; the second to how the United States actually works.

On Mr Trump himself: it is quite simply wrong to argue that he has no coherent world view. Those of us who regard ourselves as liberal Europeans, or US Democrats, or even middle-of-the road Republicans may not like it  and may choose to highlight the apparent contradictions  but it fits into a strand of foreign policy that has existed in the United States for a very long time.

It is isolationist, in wanting no part in foreign wars that have no direct impact on US national security; remember the US reluctance to enter the Second World War.

It is protectionist, in the sense of wanting to protect American workers against unfair competition. It is more legalistic than outright xenophobic (the difference between opposing all immigration and opposing irregular migration).

It is realistic rather than ideological  hence the idea that a strong US leader should be able to do business with Mr Putin (and others).

 President Obama addresses Palestine in UN speech

And it is what would be called in todays parlance fiercely transactional: wanting something for something, as manifested in Mr Trumps view that US allies should have to pay much more for their defence guarantees and that free trade deals have been to the disadvantage of American workers.

What must also be recognised is that, while all these elements, individually and cumulatively, may reflect Donald Trumps business-eye view of the world, they also appeal to many Americans. In todays US, that would include especially those towards the bottom of the economic pile, whose wages have been most affected by cheap, illegal or exported labour and whose sons and daughters have been disproportionately in the front line in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Show all 14 1 /14 Donald Trump's most controversial quotes Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Isis: "Some of the candidates, they went in and didnt know the air conditioner didnt work and sweated like dogs, and they didnt know the room was too big because they didnt have anybody there. How are they going to beat ISIS?" Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On immigration: "I will build a great wall  and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me and Ill build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Free Trade: "Free trade is terrible. Free trade can be wonderful if you have smart people. But we have stupid people." PAUL J. RICHARDS | AFP | Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Mexicans: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists." Getty Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On China: "I just sold an apartment for $15 million to somebody from China. Am I supposed to dislike them?... I love China. The biggest bank in the world is from China. You know where their United States headquarters is located? In this building, in Trump Tower." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On work: "If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure, stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable." AP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On success: "What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate." Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On life: "Everything in life is luck." AFP Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On ambition: "You have to think anyway, so why not think big?" Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On his opponents: "Bush is totally in favour of Common Core. I don't see how he can possibly get the nomination. He's weak on immigration. He's in favour of Common Core. How the hell can you vote for this guy? You just can't do it." Reuters Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Obamacare: "You have to be hit by a tractor, literally, a tractor, to use it, because the deductibles are so high. It's virtually useless. And remember the $5 billion web site?... I have so many web sites, I have them all over the place. I hire people, they do a web site. It costs me $3." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On Barack Obama: "Obama is going to be out playing golf. He might be on one of my courses. I would invite him. I have the best courses in the world. I have one right next to the White House." PA Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On himself: "Love him or hate him, Trump is a man who is certain about what he wants and sets out to get it, no holds barred. Women find his power almost as much of a turn-on as his money." Getty Images Donald Trump's most controversial quotes On America: "The American Dream is dead. But if I get elected president I will bring it back bigger and better and stronger than ever before and we will make America great again." GETTY

Nor should Trump be dismissed too readily as a foreign policy buffoon. He may not know anything like as much as Hillary Clinton and her team know about the outside world. But, as a much-travelled businessman now married to his second Slavonic wife, he may well know other things that are not without relevance for foreign policy  about reading peoples intentions, say, about concluding agreements and about national difference and affinity. At a time of widespread popular disenchantment with the mistakes made by traditional politicians, an argument can be made for at least trying a different approach.

Which brings us to the second reality: how the US system actually works. What degree of freedom would Donald Trump actually have to implement any of his ideas?

It is true that a US President has more authority in foreign policy than in the domestic domain. But this does not mean Mr Trump can simply march into the White House, invite Mr Putin over for a chat, dispatch the army to build his wall with Mexico and start renegotiating terms with Nato and the countrys other allies.

However irresponsible Mr Trumps detractors fear he may be, this is not how things happen. There is a two-month transition period for the appointment of an administration and advisers. US presidents have more freedom here than their European counterparts, because senior posts in the equivalent of the Civil Service traditionally go to political appointees.

But President Trump finds himself with many jobs to fill, and could well have a hard time finding like-minded people to fill them (George W Bush had a similar, if lesser, problem when he started out). Quite a few senior figures who might have hoped for foreign policy positions in a Republican administration have already ruled themselves out.

Whether they would be so principled, if asked to serve is another matter, but Mr Trump cannot expect  and might not even want  a cabinet of yes-people. He will surely know that some of the least qualified foreign policy presidents  Harry Truman and Ronald Reagan  were also the most discriminating in seeking advice and judged by history to be among the most successful.

But even if Trump does manage to cobble together a distinctly Trumpist administration, he would still have Congress to reckon with. Regardless of its exact composition, Congress has been notably hostile to Russia and China. It has been split on the benefits of free trade and migration, and  thanks to President Obamas decision to refer direct military intervention in Syria to a vote in Congress  it could in future expect the final say in interventions overseas.

Two specific pledges  abrogating the nuclear treaty with Iran and that wall with Mexico  could also be given a rough ride.

The Iran treaty has plenty of opponents among Republicans, but probably not enough to be overturned, while the Mexico wall could run up against states rights.

 Trump Vows Again That 'Mexico Will Build That Wall'

There are already long stretches of high fence along populated stretches of the border with Mexico, but the diplomacy, not to speak of the practicality, of walling off Mexico could make it  even for Mr Trump  a hard sell.

If the US system of checks and balances offers safeguards against the wilder excesses of Trumpism in power, it is also worth bearing in mind something else. Donald Trump has campaigned not as an iconoclast, but as an American.

The institution of the presidency comes with an aura of seriousness and responsibility that even as bluff a character as Donald Trump is likely to accept. Once he takes the oath it is the national interest he will have sworn to serve, and  strange though it might seem  in foreign policy there could be more continuity with the Obama years than change.
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America has chosen, and it chose the pussy-grabber. The guy who said his daughter was a piece of ass. The guy who has been accused  in multiple, mutually corroborating accounts  of sexual assault. The guy whose ex-wife accused him of rape in a divorce deposition. So tell me again how a rape accusation ruins a mans life. Please, I am all ears for your sympathetic descriptions of the terrible injustice done to men when theyre named as the suspected perpetrator of a violent crime in exactly the same way that suspected perpetrators of violent crimes are always named.

I cannot bloody wait for the next time a man in a suit shows up on some court steps flanked by surrendered wife/girlfriend on one side and his studiously dignified solicitor on the other to deliver a statement about what a living hell hes has been through and how this shines a light on the terrible plight of the falsely accused. I will watch, wide-eyed and wondering, as this familiar tableau unfolds, and I will think: how in the God-blasted hell that we currently seem to be occupying does any man have the solid brass balls to say a thing like that when Donald Trump is in the White House?

The advocates of privacy for men charged with sexual violence against women would have you believe that what makes rape unique is the awful toll it takes on the reputation of the accused. They will argue that if female accusers have legal anonymity, then the men accused should have it too; and that if the men dont have it, then neither should the women. As if being accused of rape were as bad as actually being raped. As if the dreadful, intimate violation of having your body broken into was as bad as standing in the dock. As if the shame and humiliation that is cast on women when men degrade us could ever, in any way, be experienced in the same way by a man who is accused.

Police and prosecution services need to do their work fairly and thoroughly, and anyone accused of a crime deserves the fullest defence possible. But the first can only happen in public court (surely no man really thinks hed be better off tried on camera?), and the second is already available: the conviction rate for violence against women is lower than the overall conviction rate. So what the special pleading for rape suspects really amounts to is the claim that rape should not be treated as a crime.

 Donald Trump: Five female leaders the new president will have to work with

Why would it count as a crime, if the people its committed against dont matter? If theyre not even fully people, but just women? During this campaign, so many women have made the extraordinarily brave decision to come out publicly with allegations against Trump. And they were not listened to. Their voices did not matter. The final word on sexual assault in this election is Trump, caught on tape, laughing about everything he could get away with as a powerful man. And now hes the most powerful man in the world.
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Of course, it will be no change in the Middle East. The one thing which always united Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump  despite Trumps nonsense about Muslim immigrants  was that large area of land between Algeria and the Pakistani-Indian border. Or is it Morocco and the Pakistani-Indian border? Or the Iranian-Pakistani border? Heaven knows where the Middle East actually is in the minds of American politicians. Or Trump.

Well, its the large pond of Muslims, I guess, along with Israel whose majority population is Jewish, a Middle East which also has a smidgeon of Christians which we remind ourselves of when their churches are burned and their people enslaved because  long ago, in the days when Europe was called Christendom  we in the West used to call ourselves Christians as well. But thats about it.

In pictures: Mosul offensive Show all 40 1 /40 In pictures: Mosul offensive In pictures: Mosul offensive A doctor carries an Iraqi newborn baby at a hospital in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi girls play at a yard of a school in Mosul, Iraq July 18, 2017alal Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A woman on crutches who is a relative of men accused of being Islamic State militants is seen at a camp in Bartella, east of Mosul, Iraq July 15, 2017. Picture taken July 15, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A displaced girl, who fled from home carries a doll at Hamam al-Alil camp south of Mosul, Iraq July 13, 2017. Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi federal police members and civilians celebrate in the Old City of Mosul on 9 July 2017 after the government's announcement of the "liberation" of the embattled city. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office said he was in "liberated" Mosul to congratulate "the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the achievement of the major victory" AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken on 9 July 2017, shows a general view of the destruction in Mosul's Old City. Iraq will announce imminently a final victory in the nearly nine-month offensive to retake Mosul from jihadists, a US general said Saturday, as celebrations broke out among police forces in the city. AFP In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of the Iraqi federal police raise the victory gesture as they ride on a humvee while advancing through the Old City of Mosul on 28 June 2017, as the offensive continues to retake the last district held by Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Smoke billows as Iraqi forces advance through the Old City of Mosul on 26 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district held by the Islamic State (IS) group. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi man wearing the green scarf of the Shi'ite faith kisses an Iraqi Army soldier on safely reaching the Iraqi forces position as Iraqi civilians flee the Old City of west Mosul where heavy fighting continues on 23 June 2017. Iraqi forces continue to encounter stiff resistance with improvised explosive devices, car bombs, heavy mortar fire and snipers hampering their advance. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A picture taken from the inside of an Iraqi forces armoured vehicle shows residents walking through a damaged street as troops advance towards Mosul's Old City on 18 June 2017, during the ongoing offensive to retake the last district still held by the Islamic State (IS) group. Military commanders told AFP the assault had begun at dawn after overnight air strikes by the US-led coalition backing Iraqi forces. They said the jihadists were putting up fierce resistance. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi Army soldiers advance in a destroyed street after an Iraqi forces airstrike targeted an Islamic State sniper position 17 June 2017 in al-Shifa, the last district of west Mosul under Islamic State control. IS snipers, as well as car and suicide bomb attacks continue to hinder the Iraqi forces efforts to retake the final district. A series of airstrikes by Iraqi helicopter gunships attempted to hit multiple Islamic State sniper positions in al-Shifa. Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier frisks a displaced Iraqi man at a temporary camp in the compound of the closed Nineveh International Hotel in Mosul on 16 June 2017 which was recovered by Iraqi troops from Islamic State group fighters earlier in the year. A screening centre set up in the compound's fairgrounds sees a constant stream of Iraqis fleeing the battle for Mosul, awaiting their turn to be checked by the Iraqi forces who are searching for suspected Islamic State (IS) group members. The small fairground lies at the end of a pontoon bridge across the Tigris recently opened to civilians that is the only physical link between the two banks of the river. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis staying at the al-Khazir camp swim in a river near the camp for internally displaced people, located between Arbil and Mosul on 11 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi government forces drive on a road leading to Tal Afar on 9 June 2017, during ongoing battles to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi policeman carries a poster bearing an image of Mosul's iconic leaning minaret, known as the "Hadba" (Hunchback), on 22 June 2017. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqis stand in line to receive food aid in western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood on 7 June 2017, during ongoing battles as Iraqi forces try to retake the city from Islamic State (IS) group fighters. Living conditions in Mosul have again deteriorated since the start of the Iraqi government's offensive on the city in October in which they retook a large part of the west of the city. AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced Iraqis carry lightbulbs and sacks as they evacuate from western Mosul's Zanjili neighbourhood as government forces advance in the area during their ongoing battle against Islamic State (IS) group fighters on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) flashes the victory gesture as he patrols in western Mosul's al-Islah al-Zaraye neighbourhood on 13 May 2017 AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi army soldiers from the 9th armoured division on a truck flash the sign of victory as they drive back from Mosul to the town of Qaraqosh (also known as Hamdaniya) Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Members of Iraqi forces flash the sign of victory on their vehicle as they advance towards Hammam al-Alil area south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi security forces gestures in Hammam al-Alil, south of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi children, one flashing the sign of victory, greet Iraqi army's soldiers from the 9th armoured division in the area of Ali Rash, adjacent to the eastern Al-Intissar neighbourhood of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Peshmerga forces look at a tunnel used by Islamic State militants near the town of Bashiqa, east of Mosul, during an operation to attack Islamic State militants in Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier takes a photograph with his phone as his comrade stands next to a detained man, whom the Iraqi army soldiers accused of being an Islamic State fighter, who was fleeing with his family in the Intisar disrict of eastern Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Iranian Kurdish female members of the Freedom Party of Kurdistan (PAK) hold a position in an area near the town of Bashiqa, some 25 kilometres north east of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families, who fled their homes in Hamam al-Alil, gather on the outskirts of their town Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Displaced people walk past a checkpoint near Qayara, south of Mosul, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi families who were displaced by the ongoing operation by Iraqi forces against jihadists of the Islamic State group to retake the city of Mosul, are seen gathering in an area near Qayyarah In pictures: Mosul offensive A boy who just fled Abu Jarbuah village is seen with his family at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi child eats a pomegranate upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive People who just fled Abu Jarbuah village sit as they eat at a Kurdish Peshmerga position between two front lines near Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive A couple who just fled Abu Jarbuah village are escorted by Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers Reuters In pictures: Mosul offensive Women carry a boy over a wall as civilians flee their houses in the village of Tob Zawa, Iraq AP In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier and a civilian ride a motorbike as smoke rises behind them, on the road between Qayyarah and Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces, wearing a skull mask, waits at a checkpoint for people fleeing the main hub city of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive An Iraqi soldier sits at a checkpoint in an area near Qayyarah Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi men prepare food portions for Iraqi forces deployed in areas south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi forces celebrate upon the arrival of vehicles bringing food to them Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive Iraqi childen smoke cigarettes upon the arrival of Iraqi forces in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty In pictures: Mosul offensive A member of Iraqi forces distributes drinks to children in the village of Umm Mahahir, south of Mosul Getty

So Trumps Middle East is likely to be pretty much the same as Hillarys Middle East might have been. Uncritical support for nuclear Israel and its chaotic prime minister, constant bombast about terror, terror, terror, terror, terror, terror (delete when you get tired of the word) and support for "moderates"  be they rebels (of the Syrian variety), presidents and kings (of the Sissi of Egypt/Abdullah of Jordan variety) and our friends (Saudis/Qataris/Kuwaitis) whose dead kings will usually be worthy of a flag at half staff.

But we will arm them. Be sure of this. The Gulf states will continue to gobble up US weapons/missiles/tanks/aircraft and Trump will visit these dusty monarchies and be treated like a king  which, I suppose, he would rather like to be  and he will assure Israel of Americas undying, constant, unquestioning support for the "only democracy in the Middle East". And, of course, he will speak of terror, terror, terror, of the Isis kind unless Obama has broken it by the time he walks into the White House, when Isis may have chosen another name for itself. And he can dust off the tired old State Department lie about how the parties to the Middle East  all-powerful Israel and occupied Palestine  must make the "hard decisions" for peace.

To be sure, there is that little Trump campaign promise to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Its been lying around in the locker room for so many years that the lads in the White House can probably produce several old files, yellowing with age, as to why it would really upset the Arabs  and especially the Palestinians (who would like a US embassy in their half capital of Jerusalem)  if the American ambassador took the road to the Holy City. But I suspect that "security concerns" might push this little project onto the back-burner for a while.

And yet. There is always an "and yet" when new American presidents take over.

 Donald Trump: Five female leaders the new president will have to work with

A lot of them came to grief over the Middle East. Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria Not a lot of White House flag-waving over those nations, is there? What does Trump actually do when these lands present a "threat" to the West? Dust off his anti-Muslim hatreds? Call up his mate Vladimir? Ask for an atlas?

But remember, we used to say things like that about George W Bush  and we got Iraq. The Trump presidency cannot afford to go down that road. Can it?

So Ill hazard a cruel prediction. The Middle East will reach out and grab Donald Trump when he least expects it, that it will present him with a terrifying choice (war or peace) and that his administration  such as it is  will not be capable of dealing with it. That will be the ultimate responsibility of American voters, of course. But dont lets get on our high British horse. Remember a wildly popular prime minister not so long ago? Got caught up with Afghanistan, didnt he? And then Iraq? Tony whatshisname?
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Something big has changed in democracy. The Brexit referendum vote in the UK was not a one-off. Donald Trumps victory is part of a revolution sweeping through the developed world. The Austrian, French and German elections will present the next fronts, with Norbert Hofer, Marine Le Pen and Alternative for Germany poised further to disrupt the established order.

The result of the United States presidential election was not the one The Independent wanted. The new politics is unpredictable. Just as in the referendum in June, millions of people who do not usually vote turned out to vote against the liberal establishment. The US opinion polls, normally pretty accurate, were taken by surprise, and for the second time in five months we were treated to an unwelcome overnight shock.

Many things about Mr Trump are deeply worrying for those who cleave to liberal, internationalist and green values. In the election campaign he did the opposite of appealing to Lincolns better angels of Americans nature. His victory is a setback for the cause of equal rights for women and minorities, and a setback for tolerance. The consequences for free trade are alarming, as are those for steadiness in international relations. And the prospects for further progress in dealing with climate change are dismal.

We were disappointed, therefore, by Theresa Mays stiffly formal congratulations for Mr Trump. It was perfectly proper for her to look forward to working with the President-elect, to ensure the security and prosperity of our nations in the years ahead, but we rather admired Angela Merkels more pointed message. The German Chancellor said: Germany and America are connected by values of democracy, freedom and respect for the law and the dignity of man, independent of origin, skin colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or political views. I offer the next President of the United States close cooperation on the basis of these values.

That is more like it. At least Ms Merkel shows some fight in the face of adversity. Her statement is a good guide to how proponents of the great and noble cause of liberal values should respond to Mr Trumps election.

Once we have got over the shock of the unexpected, there are some important truths to cling to. Hillary Clinton did not lose badly. She won more votes than her opponent (Mr Trump may offer change but one of the things he will not reform is the antiquated US electoral college system). Although the Brexit-Trump phenomenon is powerful and new, it does not mean that centrist liberal politics is dead.

However, if centrist liberalism is to survive it must learn some deep lessons and renew itself. The wrong response to defeat is to blame the American voters for their stupidity or prejudice, just as the wrong response to the Brexit vote was to deride Leavers for not knowing what they were doing and to assume that they would soon realise their mistake.

Another insufficient response would be for those who disagree with the (narrow) winners to wait with relish for the empty promises of change to trigger the backlash. Mr Trump will not be able to satisfy the incoherent demands of his voters, just as leaving the EU will not solve many of the problems of those who voted for Brexit.

That said, a successful and confident liberalism has to understand why the voters behaved the way they did  and not simply to make a show of listening but to work out how to make a better life for the millions of people who feel left behind.

The Independent believes that, with the right leadership, liberalism can win again, but it must deal honestly and straightforwardly with the question of immigration, and it must speak in a language that everyone can understand.
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The driving rationale behind Donald Trumps astounding victory  more powerful even than his supporters loathing of Hillary Clinton, or their pain at lost jobs and dwindling economic opportunities  was disgust with Washington and the political status quo, and the utter failure of both parties to address their plight.

The talk, as always at such moments, is of unity and a new beginning. Alas, even the biggest upset in American political history is unlikely to bring the forgotten America much comfort, beyond the satisfaction of revenge.

You can paint a cheery scenario that the sheer shock of what happened on Tuesday, November 8, will bang sense into heads on all sides. But in Washington, only a void beckons on the day after.

 Round-up: Donald Trump wins US presidential election

The reckoning has been a long time coming. However, if an old order has been upturned, no-one knows what will replace it. Trump is untested. He has never been elected to any office. He promises to use his business skills to fix America. But beyond sweeping generalisations, what he will do, whom he will choose for his cabinet, whether he will even partly make good on the blood-curdling promises of the campaign, remains mysteries.

Adding to the confusion is the extraordinary role reversal of the last 24 hours. The election was supposed to end with a resounding Trump defeat and Republican civil war. And the party is indeed split. But to its own amazement, it has emerged with total control of Washington. There is no more effective healer than victory, especially since Trumps coat-tails proved strong enough to preserve the Republican majority in the Senate. Whatever else he lacks, he has a mandate.

Instead its the Democrats who are in existential turmoil. Clintons defeat has ended an era, sweeping away the partys dominant political machine, leaving a cupboard that is disturbingly bare. Most of its Congressional leaders are old. Republicans constitute an overwhelming majority of governors, a traditional presidential talent pool. A measure of the vacuum is that many Democrats see their best hope as the new senator Kamala Harris, Californias attorney general but a virtual unknown on the national stage.

President Trump protests Show all 20 1 /20 President Trump protests President Trump protests Patrons hold a sign as people march by while protesting the election of Republican Donald Trump as the president of the United States in downtown Los Angeles, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators rally following the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States, in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators march following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests Thousands of protesters rallied across the United States expressing shock and anger over Donald Trump's election, vowing to oppose divisive views they say helped the Republican billionaire win the presidency AFP/Getty Images President Trump protests Demonstrators protest outside the Chicago Theatre in Chicago, Illinois Getty President Trump protests A police officer aims a launcher after demonstrators threw projectiles toward a line of officers during a demonstration in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests An officer examines a vandalized police vehicle as demonstrators riot in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators take over the Hollywood 101 Freeway just north of Los Angeles City Hall in protest against the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests A woman holds up a sign reading 'Trump you are an Idiot' as demonstrators gather during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump outside the City Hall building in Los Angeles, California EPA President Trump protests A masked demonstrator gestures toward a police line during a demonstration in Oakland, California Reuters President Trump protests Demonstrators protest against the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States, near the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Las Vegas, Nevada Reuters President Trump protests Musician Lagy Gaga stages a protest against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on a sanitation truck outside Trump Tower in New York City Getty President Trump protests A woman yells as she takes part in a protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests A man dressed in red-white-and-blue sits on the curb during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests A protester sets off fireworks during a protest against President-elect Donald Trumpin Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood AP President Trump protests University of California, Davis students protest on campus in Davis, California, U.S. following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States Reuters President Trump protests An Oakland police officer checks out damage after a window was broken by protesters at a car dealership in downtown Oakland, Calif AP President Trump protests A protester faces a police line in downtown Oakland, Calif AP President Trump protests President-elect Donald Trumpis victory set off multiple protests AP President Trump protests A fire burns during protests in Oakland, Calif AP

For the time being the initiative will surely shift to the liberal, more confrontational wing of the party  led by Bernie Sanders, 74 years old but who in the primaries struck a populist chord Clinton never could, and Elizabeth Warren, the anti-Wall Street crusader who also thrilled crowds on the campaign trail.

A familiar post-election ritual is unfolding. Trump in his victory speech early Wednesday set the pattern, urging a divided country to come together, and pledging to be the president of all Americans. In her formal concession speech, Clinton was expected to be equally gracious. There will be a truce, born in part out of sheer exhaustion after a brutal campaign. But after that?

Bitterness runs deep. Throughout the eight years of the Obama presidency, Republicans have sought to thwart him at every turn, refusing every compromise. Democrats would not be human if they did not seek to respond in kind, using the Senate, where Republicans are far short of a guillotine-proof majority, as their weapon.

The American constitution is a deliberate mix of checks and balances, reflecting the founders fear of enabling a populist demagogue that Democrats see in Trump. At stake is the entire Obama legacy, most notably Obamacare and the post-crash financial regulations on Wall Street, both of which Trump has promised to dismantle.

Maybe he will extend an olive branch by naming a Democrat to his cabinet. Maybe he will even seek an improbable populist front with Sanders  something he mischievously called for more than once on the campaign trail. More probable however is a resumption of trench warfare. And opportunities will abound.

Clinton would have taken office with heavy baggage. Trumps is as heavy. His businesses, which he refuses to put into a blind trust, raise major conflict-of-interest issues. Later this month the alleged scam at Trump University goes to court. Could a president-elect be called upon to testify? Other shadows in Trumps past and present could emerge at any time. Fasten your seat belts.
Enda Kenny vowed to work with the new administration in Washington

Enda Kenny has said "racist and dangerous" remarks made by US president-elect Donald Trump were made in the "heat of battle".

In a softening of his outspoken rebuke of Mr Trump just months ago, Mr Kenny said he would be happy to work with him.

"I recall a comment made in the Dail when asked if I would agree that comments made in the heat of battle, in a primary election, by the president-elect, before he was nominated formally as a candidate, were racist and dangerous," the Taoiseach said.

"And I said 'yes', in respect of those comments.

"I listened very carefully to the president-elect this morning, and the first thing he said was, it was now time to heal wounds, to build partnerships, to work constructively with people of the US and every other country and people who want to work with him.

"I am very happy that the Government will work with the new administration when appointed by the president-elect."

In May, Mr Kenny described comments by Mr Trump during the election campaign as "racist and dangerous".

Some weeks later, when asked if he would put that view to the then presidential hopeful in any future meeting, he added: "Certainly. I'd be very happy to."

But pressed again in the Dail hours after the US election result was announced on whether he would be true to his word, Mr Kenny appeared to relax his stance.

"I'd be happy to deal with the president in a very constructive way as he has announced to the world that his administration will work to heal the wounds in America, will work to have the American people unite and form partnerships with like-minded countries for opportunities for everybody," he said.

Earlier, Mr Kenny said he is confident relations between Ireland and the US will continue to prosper under Mr Trump's leadership.

The Taoiseach vowed to work with the new administration in Washington "in the cause of international peace and security".

"On behalf of the Government and the people of Ireland, I am pleased to offer our sincere congratulations to Donald J Trump on his election as the 45th president of the United States," he said.

"Ireland and the United States have enjoyed a very close and warm relationship for many generations and I am confident that under his leadership our bilateral relations will continue to prosper."

In a statement, Mr Kenny praised defeated candidate Hillary Clinton for being "a friend to Ireland who fought such a tough campaign".

He added: "We are all acutely conscious of the particular responsibility of the United States for leadership and engagement across the globe in our endeavours to address shared challenges.

"I look forward to working with the new administration in the time ahead, in the cause of international peace and security.

"I also intend to work closely with the new administration and newly elected United States Congress to pursue comprehensive immigration reform, an issue that is so important to tens of thousands of Irish people who are making a major contribution to America."

Mr Kenny also congratulated the new vice president-elect, Mike Pence, who, he said, "is a proud Irish American who spent many summers in Ireland as a child".

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said: "I think from our point of view, we need to have a bit of a love-in with (Mr Trump's) people very quickly.

"To the best of my knowledge, and I still visit the US a bit, we don't have any connections with his team.

"When he was going to come here some months ago, when he was in Scotland during the campaign on his business interests, as far as I could read between the lines, it was probably made clear to him he would get a hostile welcome here, so that was dropped off the itinerary."

Mr Trump cancelled a planned stop-off at one of his golf resorts in Doonbeg, Co Clare, in June.

Mr Ahern said the new president probably did not believe he would win and would now have to get a team around him and "play ball" with his Republican party colleagues to get things done.
Vietsovpetro has constructed a complete complex of tanks and dock warehouses as well as the technological system to maintain the exploitation of oil and gas, which includes 14 fixed drilling rigs and 26 light rigs. In 2016, Vietsovpetro strives to exploit 2.461 million tons of oil and gain oil sales of over USD1 billion.

The technological drill in Bach Ho field

Vietnamese engineers operate the gas compressor system on Bach Ho field.

Over the past 35 years, Vietnamese and Russian engineers have worked together to exploit over

220 million tons of crude oil from Bach Ho and Rong fields.

Vietnamese engineers have mastered technologies in managing the operation and maintenance of equipment and devices.

Apart from Bach Ho field, Vietsovpetro is conducting exploratory drilling on new fields, including Meo Trang (White cat) and Tho Trang (White rabbit) which have high industrial reserves.

Vietsovpetro continues to increase exploratory drilling.

High quality human resources master domestic and foreign oil and gas operations.

Each year, PetroVietnam Ca Mau Fertilizer Joint Stock Company provides 800,000 tons to the market.

Exploitation of energy from the sea makes important contribution to the economic development of the two countries.

Vietsovpetros reaching of 220 million tons of crude oil has made important contribution to the development of the two economies, making the joint venture a symbol of friendship and traditional cooperation between Vietnam and the Russian Federation.
Ireland will win a significant amount of investment as a result of the Brexit vote, the head of the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) has predicted.

Martin Shanahan said IDA's offices around the world have seen a significant increase in activity since the vote on June 23.

He said he didn't feel the need for the agency to "traipse billboards" through London in an attempt to match the tactics of some other European capitals to woo investors.

"My expectation isn't that the City of London will decamp to Dublin, but there will be new mobile investment, predominantly in financial services, and then it will move out into other sectors, [and] we will win a significant amount of it. We will fight for every piece of mobile investment that's available," Mr Shanahan said.

The IDA chief was speaking as part of a panel discussion on Brexit organised by the Women's Executive Network (WXN), along with British ambassador to Ireland Robin Barnett, and Brian O'Reilly, who heads up the Global Investment Strategy team at Davy Stockbrokers.

It is understood that more than 100 Brexit-related investor queries have already been received by the IDA since the vote.

"Undoubtedly companies in financial services and banks are looking at how to ensure access to the European market and their ability to market," Mr Shanahan said.

"Many of them have a presence here in one shape or another and my expectation is that they have gone from the point of doing pre-planning to due diligence, to the point that some are now site visiting and I expect that early in the new year we will see some decisions emanating."

Ireland is facing competition to win investment from other European capitals.

Paris's financial district has launched a billboard advertising campaign in London with the slogan "Tired of the fog? Try the Frogs! Choose Paris La Defense", referring to the Parisian business district.

Mr Shanahan said the IDA has preferred to take a more "low-key" approach, but is in constant contact with companies across the globe.

"We have not felt it necessary to traipse billboards through the streets of the city of London in order to attract foreign direct investment," he said.

"We don't believe that that is probably the way to do it. In fact, I would argue that it might be counterproductive and I think for some of our counterparts across Europe, they might be finding that out now."

Mr Shanahan later told the Irish Independent that he did not believe that a "full-frontal assault on the City of London" was the "right tactical move".
Farmers with expensive merchant credit and unsustainable overdrafts must be given the same access as new loan applicants to the 150m low interest fund which was announced in the Budget.

The ICSA has insisted that the 150m fund must not be exclusively used for additional borrowing on Irish farms and that those who wish to restructure merchant credit or overdrafts should be facilitated.

ICSA president Patrick Kent has also called on the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, to clarify the criteria under which loan applications from the fund will be assessed.

"ICSA does not want to see this money targeted only at large scale dairy expansion," Kent said.

"ICSA is adamant that the money sourced from the Strategic Banking Corporation at 2.95pc must be available for those who wish to reduce debt and consolidate, as well as for those who have carefully assessed the case for expansion, extra facilities or land improvement," he said.

"ICSA is also concerned that some farmers will be sucked into borrowing unsustainable amounts to expand livestock farming systems that are simply not providing a decent return on investment or even a viable income. If increasing output does not stack up at 6pc interest, farmers are only fooling themselves if they think that borrowing money at 2.95pc changes the reality," he added.

"There is nothing wrong with well thought out investment in a business if the underlying system is profitable and in these cases, getting money at 2.95pc will be helpful.

"However, for the majority of farmers, reducing debt must be a priority and all the more so in the context of the uncertainty around Brexit," he added.

The fund will use 11m in EU aid for the dairy and livestock sectors, backed up by State monies, to lever 150m in low interest loans from the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI).

Farmers applying for loans through the fund must do so through the main banks.
The exodus from tillage can be plainly seen from Gilbert Smyth's contracting business in Co Carlow where over the past few years eight of his regular customers have left the enterprise and put their land into grass.

"They were all 10, 15 or 20ac men and they all just walked away because of the low prices they were getting for their grain. They had no choice. They just gave up," says Mr Smyth.

"They were making a few bob from their crops but then, because of the depressed prices, they had to bring their cheque books on every visit to the merchants because they were making no money," he adds. While the small producers are mainly affected, the low grain price is working its way up the acreage ladder, he explains. "Nobody in tillage is winning," he says

Ironically, Mr Smyth's contracting work usually subsidised his tillage and beef operation in Bagenalstown. Now growers are exiting tillage and he can't see the dropout rate decreasing any time soon.

"We had endured three bad years and despite the bumper yields of last year this price depression is likely to continue unless there is major weather event elsewhere in the tillage world. And who would wish that on anyone."

He accepts that little can be done in Ireland to lift global grain prices, but he is adamant that the local merchants and the various State agencies have done little to support Irish cereal growers. The merchants are keeping the price low through cheap imports, while the sector is not helped by the plethora of regulations.

Cheap

"Some of the regulations which tillage farmers have to put up with are just crazy," he points out. "The same standards do not apply to the cheap grain imports that have been shown to contain weeds of all sorts. There has to be a level playing field."

In money terms, that means bridging the difference between the 130/t for crops this autumn and a break-even average of 180/t.

"Otherwise it won't be the 10-, 15- and 20ac men who will be leaving, but tillage farmers working on a much bigger land scale," added Mr Smyth.
This week's visit by President Michael D Higgins, and a $2.2bn (1.99bn) renewable-energy contract for Eddie O'Connor's Mainstream Renewable Power, is putting Vietnam on the Irish radar.

The President is on an eight-day visit to Vietnam and neighbouring Laos, where the focus is on boosting Ireland's trade ties with the South East Asian nations.

Mainstream Renewable's deal is to help build up and operate wind-power capacity that Vietnam needs to meet soaring demand.

Vietnam's electricity demand is expected to grow 10.6pc a year over the next five years, according to its trade ministry.

The three wind farms that the Irish company will build will be able to generate an annual total of 940 megawatts (MW) of power, Mainstream said in a statement.

It added that it would partner with GE Energy Financial Services and local firm Phu Cuong Group for its main Vietnam project, an 800 MW wind farm worth $2bn. Mainstream will separately partner with Vietnam's Pacific Corporation on two other projects in the southern province of Binh Thuan, with a combined 138 MW in capacity and $200m in investment, the statement said.

A key reason for the growing energy demand is the foreign investment pouring into the country, including from Chinese manufacturers of everything from textiles and shoes to paper and furniture.

China is hoping to ride on the coattails of the Southeast Asian country's pending trade blitz.

Vietnam's Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union, which was signed last year, and the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), which still has to clear significant political hurdles in the US, would collectively give the country access to markets worth $44 trillion (39.91 trillion) in combined gross domestic product.

Importantly, a base in Vietnam gives Chinese manufacturers access to trade agreements that China has not signed up to.

Even as doubts linger over the future of US President Barack Obama's TPP once he leaves office, early moves by China Inc to leverage off Vietnam's lower factory wages - about a third that of China's - show a re-centering of the world's factory activity.

"So far this year, I've had more than 30 Chinese wood companies coming to me for consultation," said Nguyen Ton Quyen, who heads Vietnam's Timber and Forest Product Association.

"There's a considerable amount of Chinese wood furniture firms moving their investments to Vietnam to enjoy tax incentives."

Chinese inflows into Vietnam in 2015 doubled from a year earlier to $744m. Around 80pc of that was in the second half of the year, just after Vietnam signed the EU FTA and the TPP.

In the first nine months of this year, investments from China quadrupled to $1bn compared with the same period in 2015.

Nominally communist Vietnam has numerous other free trade agreements, including with top investor South Korea, supporting resident giants like Samsung and LG. As a part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, it also enjoys free trade with other members of the 10-nation zone, and bilateral agreements with other economies, like China.

Even against a background of opposition to TPP from figures including Donald Trump, investors are betting that Vietnam is on the up. (Additional reporting Reuters)
The Government was entitled to initiate a 4bn recapitalisation in Irish Life & Permanent without shareholder approval as the country's banks faced meltdown in 2011, the European Court of Justice has ruled.

A group of shareholders - including a former non-executive director of the group, Piotr Skoczylas - had sought to prevent the 2011 recapitalisation of Irish Life & Permanent (IL&P), arguing that the Government did not have the power under emergency banking laws to freeze out shareholders.

Mr Skoczylas had insisted that Finance Minister Michael Noonan had breached EU law when he recapitalised IL&P and that the alleged breaches "cannot be legally justified".

But the European Court of Justice has ruled that a government of an EU state has a right to increase the share capital of a bank without the agreement of shareholders "where there is a serious disturbance of the economy and the financial system".

Yesterday's ruling confirms an opinion issued by one of the court's own lawyers.

The court added yesterday: "The interests of shareholders and creditors cannot be held to prevail in all circumstances over the general interest of the stability of the financial system."

Mr Skoczylas is the managing director of Malta-based Scotchstone Capital. In 2011, he was added to a High Court action taken by other IL&P shareholders, in an effort to reverse the first 2.7bn phase of a government recapitalisation. In 2012, Irish Life was sold to the State for 1.3bn, completing the 4bn recapitalisation.

The initial 2011 stage went ahead despite shareholders voting against it. It resulted in the State taking an almost 100pc stake.

In 2014, the High Court judge hearing the case to have the recapitalisation set aside, referred it to the European Court of Justice (ECJ).

Justice Iseult O'Malley said the High Court was not able to definitively say whether or not the ECJ would confirm the law used under the Credit Institutions Act to recapitalise IL&P, now Permanent TSB.

The ECJ said yesterday that the order issued by Mr Noonan IL&P, instructing IL&P to issue the new shares to him in return for the 2.3bn injection, was "necessary to prevent the failure of that financial institution and to forestall a serious threat to the financial stability of the EU".

The court acknowledged a "clear public interest" in ensuring protection of shareholders and creditors, but said it cannot "prevail in all circumstances.
Irish startups, high tech firms and life science companies are attracting 19m per week in venture capital funding as investment sums into the sectors continue to surge.

According to new industry figures, venture capital funding in Ireland in the first nine months of the year rose by three quarters compared the same period last year with 734m raised here.

Funding growth appears to be accelerating, with third quarter fundraising (248m) running at over twice the rate of the same period last year (108m).

The figures come from the Irish Venture Capital Association Venture Pulse survey published today in association with William Fry.

A particular feature in 2016 has been the strong performance by the life sciences sector which accounts for 54pc of total funds raised, boosted by an 80pc concentration in the third quarter, said Michael Murphy, chairman of the Irish Venture Capital Association.

Early stage companies raised seed capital of 57m, equivalent to 8pc of funds raised for the nine months to the end of September 2016. This compares to 25.5m (6pc of funds raised) in the same period in 2015, with 17m (5pc of funds raised) in 2014 and 48.5m (21pc of total funds raised) in 2013.

The data covers equity funds raised by Irish SMEs and other SMEs headquartered in Ireland from a wide variety of investors. It is researched through information supplied by members of the Irish Venture Capital Association and from published information where IVCA members were not involved.

"The Irish venture capital community continues to be the main source of funding for Irish SMEs both through direct investment and as the local lead investor for international syndicates," said Regina Breheny, director general of the IVCA. "These syndicates invested 123m in the third quarter, bringing the total for the nine months to 328m. This compares to investment by international syndicates of 225m in the same nine month period in 2015.

Ms Breheny said that growth and expansion funding was 94pc of total funds raised in the third quarter and that new seed funds are starting to have an impact.
President Michael D. Higgins and Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (Source: VNA)



During a meeting with Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi on November 8th, the President said the maintenance of a peaceful and stable environment for sustainable development is one of the most important issues at present, and called for peacefully settling disputes at sea in line with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

He believed that the Vietnam-Ireland ties will continue growing positively, contributing to European Union-ASEAN ties, and for the sake of peace and development in the region and the world.

Party leader Trong expressed wish that both countries would facilitate high-level visits and boost cooperation across agriculture, clean energy, high technology, education, climate change response, post-war recovery, implementation of sustainable development goals, and increase liaison at international forums for global peace, security and development.

During a reception for the visiting Irish President, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc affirmed that Vietnam wishes to nurture all-around ties with Ireland and welcomes Irelands policy of strengthening collaboration with Asia-Pacific, including Vietnam.

In the first nine months of this year, two-way trade between Vietnam and Ireland neared USD800 million, tripling that in 2015. Irish investment in Vietnam, which currently stands at nearly USD21 million, needs to increase in the near future, he said.

Vietnam pledges all possible support to Irish investors, the PM said, suggesting that Ireland should make it easier for Vietnam to export farm produce to the country.

According to him, both sides need to promote trade and business connectivity, share experience in agriculture and technology transfer in agro-forestry-fisheries.

The host wished that Ireland would urge the EU to promptly sign the free trade agreement with Vietnam, welcomed Irelands national strategy on development cooperation with Vietnam for 2017-2020, and hoped that Ireland would continue assisting Vietnam in poverty reduction, climate change response, and education.

Higgins, in reply, briefed the host about the outcomes of his talks with President Tran Dai Quang, adding that he is keen on continuing to work closely with Vietnam to support the needy in remote and mountainous areas, and share experience with Vietnam in gender equality and institutional building.

He hoped that Ireland will serve as a gateway for Vietnam to access the EU market and Vietnam will help Ireland navigate the 600-million-population ASEAN.

Ireland wants to share experience with Vietnam in green economy, privatisation, merger and acquisition, technology transfer, he said, adding that Ireland supports Vietnam-EU FTA.

Host and guest agreed to intensify multifaceted cooperation, back their bid to run for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council, share experience in agriculture, study the law of the sea, as well as boost cultural ties to raise mutual understanding between the two nations./.
Tom Hardy and his wife Charlotte Riley attending the Legend world premiere at Odeon Leicester Square, London. Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

Kate Middleton will be the subject of a new BBC drama. Photo credit: Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Wire

Charlotte Riley arriving for the European premiere of In the Heart of the Sea at the Empire, Leicester Square in London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday December 2, 2015. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Peaky Blinders' star Charlotte Riley is to play Kate Middleton in a new BBC drama that envisions a constitutional crisis with the Prince of Wales as king.

Green Wing actor Oliver Chris will play Prince William opposite Riley, while Tim Pigott-Smith will star as King Charles III.

The inventive drama sees the new king refuse to sign a controversial bill causing political chaos, rioting on the streets and a tank in front of Buckingham Palace.

The 90-minute one-off programme is based on the Laurence Olivier award-winning 2014 play of the same name, which also stars Pigott-Smith and Chris, as well as Richard Goulding as Harry and Adam James as the prime minister.

Expand Close Tom Hardy and his wife Charlotte Riley attending the Legend world premiere at Odeon Leicester Square, London. Jonathan Brady/PA Wire / Facebook

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Riley said she was "excited" to play Kate, adding: "It's such a unique project, to be both modern and rich in verse and to play someone who is real but yet totally re-imagined for this story.

"Kate Middleton is a really interesting woman, particularly within the context of this play, and it is a challenge I am really looking forward to."

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Pigott-Smith said: "Performing King Charles in Mike Bartlett's astonishing play in London and New York has been one of the high points of my career.

"I am thrilled that we are to film it - it is a drama about us, now, who we are, and the relevance of our monarchy. Television gives it an important democratic voice."

Directed by Rupert Goold, King Charles won the Best New Play at the 2015 Laurence Olivier Awards.

Writer Mike Bartlett said: "I couldn't be more excited that King Charles III is now fully, brilliantly cast and about to begin shooting. We have an exceptional team, both in front of and behind the camera, and I'm looking forward to bringing this very contemporary royal tragedy to a national television audience."
The childrens mother made several complaints about the damp issue to Dublin City Council, who inspected the property and installed dehumidifiers (Stock photo)

Three young siblings, who claimed they suffered respiratory problems because of the dampness of their council apartment, have been awarded damages in the Circuit Civil Court.

Their barrister told the court that since siblings Christian (16), Nathan (10) and Macey (6) Preston moved out of their previous home at Carlton Hall, Shelmartin Avenue, Marino, Dublin, in September last year, their respiratory problems have improved.

Their barrister said the damp in the apartment had become apparent in 2011.

The children's mother, Danielle Preston, made several complaints about the damp issue to Dublin City Council, who inspected the property and installed dehumidifiers.

The family's barrister said the Prestons ultimately left the property and were relocated to Donnycarney, where they now live.

Their barrister said the local authority had made settlement offers of 3,000 for each of the Preston children.
A company and its owner involved in the purchase of Clerys of Dublin must pay the legal costs of their unsuccessful challenge to an investigation into redundancies at the store, the High Court has ruled.

The order was made against D2 Private and its owner Deirdre Foley.

The ruling was made by Mr Justice Michael Twomey, who last month dismissed their action, which cleared the way for the investigation by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to continue. The case was heard over five days and legal costs will run into an estimated six figures.

Judge Twomey said he did not see "any basis" for interfering with the investigation or for making orders directing that a laptop and documents seized from the D2 offices at Harcourt Terrace last May be returned.

Investment company D2 Private Ltd and Ms Foley had disputed the powers of the inspectors to search the D2 offices and take the materials.

The inspectors were appointed by the WRC after 460 workers at Clerys, 130 directly employed staff and 330 indirectly employed in the store, were made redundant on June 12, 2015.

The job losses came hours after Clerys was sold to the Natrium joint venture - comprising Cheyne Capital Management and D2 - by its previous owners, the US Gordon Brothers group.

As part of their investigation, the inspectors, accompanied by gardai, removed items including a laptop computer and a number of documents, including invoices, from D2's offices.

Judge Twomey, in making the cost order in favour of the WRC and the inspectors, agreed to put a stay on his order in the event of an appeal. However, the court was not told if the judgment is to be appealed.
Ronan Gaynor (4) who suffers from DIPG, a terminal brain tumour. His parents are campaigning for the legalisation of medicinal cannabis.

The father of a terminally ill boy has urged health minister Simon Harris to speed up a review of the use of medicinal cannabis.

Ronan Gaynor (4) has a rare type of brain tumour and his father Mark says medicinal cannabis could ease his symptoms and the serious pain he suffers.

He was speaking as Dublin AAA-PBP TD Gino Kenny launched his Bill seeking the regulation of cannabis for medicinal use.

Mr Harris has begun a review of the policy on medicinal cannabis that will be conducted with best clinical advice and expertise but due to be complete early next year.

Mr Gaynors son Ronan has Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).

"Its an extremely rare and ultimately terminal brain tumour," he said adding that the diagnosis that came last year was "the worst news any parent could get".

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After courses of radiotherapy Ronan has been taking Cannabidiol (CBD) after his parents sought advice from Canadian Doctors.

This form of medicinal cannabis can be bought legally in Ireland but is not licensed for prescription.

Mr Gaynor, from Galway, and other parents are campaigning for another element of cannabis, THC, to be legalised as well to help treat their childrens conditions.

Wed hope that the minister would expedite things. He needs the THC element of this now, Mr Gaynor said.

His call was echoed by Vera Twomey whose daughter Ava Barry (6) suffers from Dravet Syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy. She said that Ava suffered as many as 23 seizures in a 36 hour period before she began treatment with CBD. She had just seven such attacks last month.

Read More

Ms Twomey, from Cork said: "Theres no psychoactive affect on the child with the percentage of THC that wed be looking for. Its just that the whole process works better when the THC and the CBD is brought together to treat the seizures."

She met Mr Harris on Wednesday and she said he told her that January is the earliest the review of Irelands policy on medicinal cannabis can be completed.

The review is the first of its kind to take place into the complex issue in Ireland and is expected to take 12 weeks.

John OMeara from Clondalkin raised the case of his granddaughter Erika Cawley (6) who also has Dravet Syndrome and that she has tried 23 different forms of conventional treatment. While her symptoms have eased, he is also seeking the legalisation of medicinal cannabis.

Tom Curran, the partner of the late campaigner Marie Fleming who suffered from Multiple Sclerosis, said he had been prepared to break the law and grow cannabis to help ease her pain and spasms.

He called on Mr Harris to make an emergency exemption for medicinal cannabis.

Gino Kenny said there is a growing political consensus around the need for medicinal cannabis and that there are very exciting times ahead".

He said that he hopes his Bill will be put to a Dail vote soon and it is to be debated by February at the latest.

A spokesperson for Mr Harris reiterated that he has asked the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) to provide expert advice on the issue.

A statement said the HPRAs statutory role is to protect and enhance human health by regulating medicines and other health products.

"It has clinical and scientific expertise which will contribute significantly to this review," it added.
Teachers Laura Dunne and Deirdre Brennan with hot drinks and food donated by local parents on the picket line at Moyle Park College, Dublin. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins

Second-level schools are open again today after the teachers' union, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), called off its action to allow for peace talks.

The union is suspending both its one-day strikes and its withdrawal from supervision and substitution duties, which was set to close hundreds of schools today.

It will draw a huge sigh of relief from students, parents, school managers and teachers themselves, many of whom were losing money for every day they were out of school.

Education Minister Richard Bruton welcomed the move, which emerged after a meeting of the ASTI governing body, its 23-member standing committee.

The ASTI said its members would be available for teaching and supervision and substitution duties today and for the duration of the talks, which are expected to continue through November.

The teachers' union said it expected all second-level schools would open today.

School managers immediately set to work to spread the word of the breakthrough to all 735 second-level schools.

The invitation to talks came from Anna Perry, who is both chair of the Teachers' Conciliation Council and director of conciliation services at the Workplace Relations Commission.

The Department of Education said both sides had agreed to meet with Ms Perry to discuss matters of mutual concern relating to the ASTI dispute that fell within the remit of the Teachers' Conciliation Council, which is the forum for negotiating industrial relations issues involving teachers.

The breakthrough came after three days of action by the ASTI, which led to serious disruption for up to 250,000 second-level students.

Yesterday saw the second in a series of seven planned one-day strikes that closed 500 schools.

Meanwhile, since Monday, the ASTI had also withdrawn from supervision and substitution duties on an indefinite basis, with hundreds of schools closing as a consequence because of lack of cover.

The double whammy of industrial action by the ASTI was linked to the union's rejection of the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA), which started the process of pay restoration in the public service after the austerity era.

Read More: All parties involved had a taste of imminent havoc

Union members voted for one-day strikes in pursuit of pay equality for teachers recruited since 2011, which did not feature in the LRA, but on which progress has since been made.

After rejecting the LRA, ASTI members also refused to continue doing the 33 Croke Park productivity hours in September, saying that the requirement to do them expired with the previous agreement

As a result, the Department of Education did not apply the benefits of the LRA to ASTI members, including payment for supervision and substitution, which triggered their withdrawal from this work.
At the reception (Photo: baochinhphu.vn)



At his reception for the diplomat in Hanoi on November 8th, PM Phuc emphasised the important role of the Ambassador in stepping up the two countries cooperation.

He congratulated Cambodian people on their important achievements gained over the past years on the occasion of the countrys 63rd National Day and affirmed that Vietnam and Cambodia have enjoyed the time-honoured traditional relations and always stood side by side with each other during the difficult times.

The Party and State of Vietnam always treasure and give high priority to cementing and promoting the traditional friendship and all-sided cooperation with Cambodia, PM Phuc said.

He expressed his hope that the Ambassador will have positive contributions to solidifying the two countries friendship during his working term, through promoting the demarcation of the shared land border and facilitating the Vietnamese communitys activities in Cambodia.

Ambassador Prak Nguon Hong said he is impressed with successes made by Vietnamese people and will do more for the bilateral friendship.

He hoped that he will receive due attention from the Government, functional agencies and Vietnamese people to accomplish his role as a bridge for the two countries friendship.

He pledged to actively participate in tackling problems still existed in the border demarcation and the planting of border markers.

The same day, the PM hosted Singapores Ambassador to Vietnam Catherine Wong during which he suggested the countries bolster connecting their economies by establishing more Vietnam-Singapore industrial parks and urban areas and inviting more multinational groups headquartered in Singapore to invest in Vietnam.

He said the two countries should study new cooperative models, like the establishment of hi-technology and creative technology parks and food processing centres in Vietnamese localities.

Ambassador Catherine Wong affirmed that Singapore-Vietnam relations are growing strongly across the board, prominently in economy.

Agreeing with the PMs views on enhancing economic connectivity and creating new cooperative fields, she pledged that she will focus on assisting the two countries businesses to boost investments and achieve successful operations./.
Under-fire Garda Representative Association (GRA) boss Pat Ennis today faces a vote of no confidence over his handling of negotiations with Garda management last week.

Mr Ennis, who was appointed general secretary of the association on August 31, will become the first member of the officer board to face a no confidence motion.

However, GRA figures on the body's central executive council (CEC) said further motions of no confidence in other members could follow.

The GRA will today meet in Dublin at its headquarters in Phibsborough for the second time in 48 hours to discuss the fallout from last week's Labour Court decision.

Consent

There is particular anger over the decision by Mr Ennis and others to agree to a derogation at a meeting on Thursday morning, just hours before the planned strike action.

GRA figures said the decision was taken without the consent of the wider executive, which, they argued, represented a breach of trust.

"Members remain extremely angry with the actions of the officer board," one executive source told the Irish Independent last night.

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The GRA will also decide on the process whereby rank-and-file members are balloted on the proposals set out by the Labour Court. Such a process will take at least a fortnight, sources said.

The GRA has therefore called off further days of planned action for later this month.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) confirmed last night that it has deferred all strikes planned for this month to ballot its members. President Antoinette Cunningham said a meeting of its National Executive discussed the impact of the Labour Court recommendation to resolve the dispute on the pay of the association's 2,080 members. The ballot's post and return dates will be decided this week.

Meanwhile, new data circulated by the GRA revealed some gardai would get an increase worth 4,150 if they accepted the Labour Court package.

An analysis of the court's recommendation circulated to members said that in addition to the 500 increase in the rent allowance, bringing it to 5,665, a new annual leave premium was worth 510 a year.

In addition, a payment for 15-minute pre-tour briefings, when gardai prepare for work, would be worth between 997 and 1,669.

An increase in maximum rostered unsocial allowances was worth up to 1,471 a year.

The document noted the court recommended that the demand by gardai for a 39-hour week and a new method of calculating overtime would be examined and resolved by June 30.

It said on top of the other increases, 1,000 will be added to their annual basic pay under Fempi legislation (Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) on September 1.
The niece of Jonah Lomu, arguably the most famous All Black in history, is currently living in Limerick - and she can't wait for the grudge rematch between Ireland and New Zealand.

Aliyah Palu (20) is studying for her arts degree in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick - and she said nothing could prevent her from cheering on the All Blacks in the Aviva Stadium on November 19.

After Ireland's historic win in Chicago last Saturday, the rematch falls the day after the first anniversary of the death of Jonah Lomu. Tragically, the winger was just 40 when he died from a long-standing kidney condition on November 18 last year.

Aliyah is not only the niece of the late All Blacks legend, she is also a cousin of Australian rugby star Israel Folau (27). Incredibly, more than 14 New Zealand, Australian and Tongan rugby internationals are connected to Aliyah's extended family.

"There's a warrior ancestry in my family, so it's not a surprise really that so many have gone on to rugby careers," she said.

Aliyah's family home is in Tonga, though she has also lived in Australia. She arrived in Ireland last August to study in Limerick.

"I arrived on my own, so it was a little scary at first," she said. "But I've made great friends. Ireland is such a friendly and welcoming place. I love it here."

"I never realised just how much people love their rugby here," she added.
A man dressed in red-white-and-blue sits on the curb during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

How do you make sense of election of Donald Trump as the President of the United States and leader of the Free World?

Maybe you just can't make sense of it all, and maybe you just fall into a state of numbed shock.

The Floating Voter's Kevin Doyle gives the view from US as he speaks to ordinary Americans about why they voted for Donald Trump.

Plus, in Dublin, Niall O'Connor and Philip Ryan, ask if the anti-establishment vote will continue to spread in Ireland and Europe.

Each week on the Floating Voter, INM Group Political Editor, Kevin Doyle, is joined by political correspondents, Niall O'Connor and Philip Ryan, as they discuss the main issues affecting Irish politics.

The Floating Voter bursts the bubble surrounding Leinster House.

New episodes on Independent.ie every Thursday.

Click here subscribe to the show on iTunes.
Plans to phase out the Universal Social Charge (USC) have been thrown into serious doubt as the Government scrambles to prevent the collapse of the public sector pay deal.

Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe last night warned of serious consequences for "everything else the Government wants to do".

Fine Gael ministers are now questioning whether the party's plans to abolish the USC over five years have been placed in jeopardy.

"The fallout from this could be huge. There will undoubtedly be fewer tax cuts than we had hoped," said a senior Cabinet source.

And there are now major fears that front-line services, including key garda operations, will need to be scaled back in order to find the 40m additional funding for garda pay.

Senior security sources last night said successful operations aimed at tackling the burglary epidemic and the Kinahan cartel could be jeopardised as a result of the Labour Court ruling.

The sources said the success of these operations is based on the extra policing hours available to Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan through Department of Justice funding for overtime.

It has now emerged that the Department will have to find the vast majority of the 40m from current resources - meaning ongoing operations could be impacted.

In a separate but equally worrying development for Taoiseach Enda Kenny, senior Fianna Fail figures last night questioned whether the garda pay deal represents a breach of the Confidence and Supply Agreement that underpins the Government.

The agreement states that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail "recognise the full implementation of the Lansdowne Road Agreement in accordance with the timelines agreed and recognise that the recruitment issues in the public service must be addressed as part of this agreement".

One party source said the fact that a side deal had been struck with the Garda Representative Association (GRA) brought this particular element of the agreement into question.

The fallout from the deal was discussed at a meeting of the party's frontbench in Leinster House yesterday.

Fianna Fail is now expected to seek an urgent meeting with Mr Donohoe and Finance Minister Michael Noonan to discuss the fallout from the garda deal.

Speaking at a press conference in Government Buildings, Mr Donohoe said the Government has accepted the Labour Court recommendations and remains committed to the Lansdowne Road Agreement.

"However, this is a recommendation that also has significant consequences and Government, across the coming weeks, will now be meeting the public services commission of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to engage with them on their views in relation to this matter," Mr Donohoe said.

"We have to have agreements that are affordable for everybody. They have to be agreements that are affordable for those who depend on public services and also those who work within public services," he added.

Mr Donohoe was asked whether the garda deal - and any subsequent deals that follow - could impact on tax plans.

"Any change in the agreement that we have in relation to the Lansdowne Road Agreement has consequences for everything else the Government wants to do," he said.

Pressed on whether this includes USC cuts, Mr Donohoe replied: "It has consequences for everything," adding that the Government has no intention of increasing income tax.

Analysis: Breakthrough is good news, so let's hope for lasting deal

Following the press conference, a senior Cabinet source said it remains the Government's intention to phase out the USC over the next five years.

The same source said the Government is committed to sticking by its policy of two to one spending increases versus tax reductions.

But other ministers privately believe the policy to phase out the USC over several budgets may have to change if industrial unrest erupts.

"The stakes are high. This has heated things up.

"The ripple effect could be extremely destabilising," one source said.

Mr Donohoe is now understood to want to create a "space" for discussions with public sector unions that will not jeopardise the Lansdowne Road Agreement.

Further meetings between Government and union figures are expected in the coming weeks.
President Michael D. Higgins meets Judith Moclair from Tipperary and Lisa Connell from Derry at a reception in Hanoi during his State visit to Vietnam Picture: Maxwells

President Michael D Higgins has drawn similarities between the Vietnamese and Irish histories and cultural traditions in a state visit to the socialist country.

President Higgins is the first serving Irish President to visit the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, marking 20 years of diplomatic relations.

In his speech at the Vietnam National University in Hanoi, he referred to the challenges of climate change, agriculture, poverty, gender issues and trafficking.

Mr Higgins said that both countries have undertaken an "irrepressible struggle for independence".

"Ireland's national journey and the journey of Vietnam are ones that chime: in your recollections we hear echoes of our own path," Mr Higgins said.

"Yours is a history of so much inflicted suffering by external powers.

"Your history in its fullness belongs to you and the world must learn from its imposed tragedies."
Minister Katherine Zappone pictured with US Ambassador to Ireland Kevin F O Malley, at the US Embassy Election night 2016 at the Guinness Store House.Picture Credit: Frank Mc Grath

Concerns have been expressed for the undocumented Irish in America since Donald Trumps surprise victory, given his promise to deport undocumented workers.

There are 50,000 Irish people living in the United States without visas, who were left in limbo earlier this year when the Supreme Court split down the middle on President Barack Obamas plan to spare them from deportation while their status is decided.

If Trump follows through on his plans, they could be facing deportation.

For the undocumented that do not have relief, such as being married to an American citizen, they can be deported and Donald Trump has said that in his first 100 days, thats what hes going to do, Carol Kinsella, immigration lawyer, told RTE's Today with Sean ORourke this morning.

She also raised concerns about Donald Trumps plan to abolish Sanctuary Cities, which offer protections to undocumented immigrants.

There are hundreds of Sanctuary Cities - Miami, New York, Chicago are highly Irish-populated areas. A Sanctuary City effectively means the following: law enforcement cannot inquire about your immigration, and you do not have to disclose it, so there is a protection, Ms Kinsella said.

So for example, if the cops pull you over, they cant ask you what is your immigration status? and then send you onto an immigration centre and have you deported. And Mr Trump, the President-Elect, has said he wants to get rid of all these Sanctuary Cities.

It is not yet clear whether the President-Elect will be able to abolish these policies by executive order, but with a Republican majority in the House and the Senate, it is a much stronger possibility.

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern expressed concern for the undocumented Irish, saying: Hillary was determined to do something about it.

I wonder and worry about how theyll be treated now, and I feel very sorry for them, he told Today with Sean ORourke.

US Ambassador to Ireland Kevin OMalley was more reassuring on the subject, stating immigration reform will focus on fairness and not punishment.

Now that both the Senate and the House will both be in control by the same party with a President from the same party, theyll have an opportunity to do some immigration reform, the Ambassador told Morning Ireland this morning.

It will not necessarily be a tightening but a rationalisation of it so that its equal and fair for everyone.
MEDITERRANEAN. COP22 should give concrete form to the undertakings given by states at COP21 in Paris to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees. Drawing up an action plan is becoming an urgent necessity, with 2016 set to be the warmest year since temperature records began. "Holding COP22 in Morocco will allow us to draw attention to the critical situation in the Mediterranean with regard to climate change, take stock of the programmes that are ongoing and set up new partnerships to move forward," points out Plan Bleu director Anne-France Didier.



The Mediterranean is known as a climate change hot spot. According to the IPCC, this part of the planet could see temperature increases of 2 to 3C by 2050 and even 3 to 5 by the year 2100. By the end of this century, sea levels could rise between 40 and 50 cm, with a sharp decrease in rainfall. With water stress caused by pollution and excessive water consumption, brought about by the urbanization of coastal areas, agriculture and an increase in tourism (the region currently attracts one third of the world's tourists), countries bordering the Mediterranean could see this situation worsen. Desertification and a loss of biodiversity, already underway, and extreme weather events are set to become more widespread and frequent; hence the need to think ahead and take action.
Emily Duggan (13) with her brother Justin (10) who was saved after an incident with a disused septic tank.

An Irish teenager has been recognised for saving the life of her younger brother who was moments away from drowning in a disused septic tank.

Emily Duggan (13) was honoured at the Irish Water Safetys National Awards ceremony last night for the heroic measures she used to pull her brother Justin (10) to safety after an incident on the family farm in Durrow.

The Laois teenager, who was eight at the time, used a hurl to haul her younger brother out of an old septic tank he had fallen in to, unable to move his body to free himself.

The siblings mum Sonya Duggan said that Justin was lucky to have been in the hands of quick thinking Emily and said that her family was extremely lucky not to have been hit by tragedy that day.

I just remember sitting in my mother-in-law's when I just heard this unmerciful scream. I knew there was something very wrong then.

We have always been conscious of farm safety and have warned the children for years that theyre not to play up the farm or near the lake. But there just happened to be an old septic tank that hadnt been used in years down the back of grannys house in a wooded area, that nobody had thought of or even knew was there. The top had obviously corroded and running ahead of his brother and sister, Justin fell in and sunk down as far as his neck.

The mum-of-four revealed that Emily quickly realised the danger her brother was in as he rapidly sunk deeper into the tank and used her older brother's hurl to pull him out before it was too late.

The boys didnt really know what to do, but Emily just grabbed her brother James hurl and managed to get Justin out. He couldnt move his arms and legs in the tank, and was sinking and sinking so it was very lucky.

Only for Emily he would have drowned, she said.

The siblings accepted Emilys award together last night but their mum admitted that there is often some teasing about the teenagers brave effort.

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When they are joking with one another, Emily does say to him Remember when I saved your life... I didnt have to do that, just tormenting him but they get on so well.

Justin is like a cat with nine lives. Of all my children hes the one who gets up to the most mischief, said Sonya.

Speaking about the Duggan siblings, Deputy CEO of Irish Water Safety Roger Sweeney said Emilys training in school was an asset to her in a time of emergency.

Emily had taken a course in water safety in primary school, but unfortunately its not mandatory. Only 87pc of schools in Ireland carry out the training, but this could save lives as happened with these two wonderful children.

Fortunately, Justin was very lucky but 30 kids over the last ten years have tragically not been as lucky. Were calling on teachers to take an hour out of their time to go through and use our website for resources and help make water safety a conversation in the classroom. It could save lives. "
Truth: Mum-of-one Adele admitted in an interview that she wished she could do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted

The way many women have told it, motherhood is a Cath Kidston-clad, Bugaboo-included walk in the park. The best thing you'll ever do, the most enriching love you'll ever feel, the sleepless nights and dirty nappies, a mere blip on the vista of Boden catalogue bliss. All is made better with an afternoon of cupcake-making and a cute video of your kid that you can stick on Facebook.

This chocolate-box postcard from the chalkface of maternity kept women bound to a code of silence for years. When women become mothers, they are meant to take the role on with slavish devotion, endless love and supreme gratitude. A normal person's reaction to getting pooed on, feeling lonely or low, missing one's old life, or sleepless nights well, it doesn't usually get a look-in. New mums are meant to enjoy, revel in or put up with every fart, tantrum and milk-stained top. Those who don't, often admit to feeling a bit lost at sea.

Even Adele found that millions in the bank and global adulation can't make motherhood any easier: "All my friends and I felt pressurised into having kids, because that's what adults do," she told 'Vanity Fair' magazine. "I love my son more than anything, but on a daily basis, if I have a minute or two, I wish I could do whatever the f*** I want, whenever I want. Every single day I feel like that."

Adele admits she turned a corner by admitting one home truth to a pal, and just like that, a problem shared was a problem halved.

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"One day, I said to a friend, 'I f***in' hate this,' and she burst into tears and said, 'I f***in' hate this, too,'" she said. "And it was done. It lifted."

A growing number of mums are seeking solidarity in numbers. Fighting back against this age-old conceit that motherhood is bliss, they find that the truth is setting them - and every other woman - free. While mums have always said that parenthood isn't easy, they've said so with good-natured stoicism. Now, for the first time, women are challenging the taboos and referring to themselves as individuals first, and mothers second.

Maia Dunphy launched a blog for women who just happen to be parents, and hit on an intriguing home truth when she vowed to take on the 'pureed pawpaw and kale chip brigade'.

"Some women are just expected to naturally cope, naturally deal with parenthood and the burdens that come with it," Maia is quoted as saying. "I can tell you from my experience that it's not like that. My identity, our identity, is being blurred from this top-view narrative on how we should behave as women, as parents."

Even science has shown that pregnancy and motherhood isn't all maternal glow. Rates of ante-natal depression are high among pregnant women in Ireland, according to a new survey launched by Trinity College Dublin. One in six pregnant women - or 16pc of pregnant women - attending maternity services across Ireland are at probable risk of depression during their pregnancy.

More recently, a study on the health of first-time mums uncovered that many women faced a number of challenges to their mental, physical and sexual health. Twenty-eight per cent of mums experienced anxiety, while half experienced painful sex at three months postpartum (one quarter of mothers had not resumed having sex).

Even more worryingly, the research indicates that women aren't being asked about symptoms in the first few months of motherhood, but aren't reporting them either. Evidence, either way, that a mum's health ebbs out of view once she becomes a parent.

The internet, too, has become the battleground for this new movement against smug parents, and with good reason: it is, after all, the one place where parenthood is glorified and filtered. Facebook has given parents an unprecedented way of bragging about having an ordinary life, and the backlash is afoot. As The Motherhood Challenge - which sees women nominating friends to post three photos that show how happy they are to be a mum - got underway, non-mums took to the site in their droves to brand it smug, insensitive and upsetting to non-mums.

In recent months, there has been a swell of 'scummy mummy' literature, with writers like Ayelet Waldman, Jennifer Senior and Jowita Bydlowska articulating the unpalatable truth: that motherhood isn't unlike running a rather boring non-profit organisation, and making a ham-fisted job of it is easier than one might think.

Elisa Albert also managed to take the temperature of the culture of modern motherhood to impressive effect in her debut novel 'After Birth'. Where Lionel Shriver was vilified about writing about maternal ambivalence in 'We Need To Talk About Kevin' in 2003, Albert has been lauded as a frank truth-teller.

According to clinical psychologist Owen Connolly (counsellor.ie), those who have believed in the romance of motherhood in the past have been sold something of a pup.

"Some women find motherhood extremely difficult, especially when they've thought they would be at home having a great time cooing over little ones and sharing quality time," he says. "We've a bright, intelligent group of Irish women with degrees and careers, and they go into motherhood and grieve that loss, and grieve the company of adults. It can be extremely difficult for some to take."

Media messages have long perpetuated the myth of ideal motherhood, which is why Connolly is especially welcoming of this new wave of honest mums: "The most damaging things are [parenting] books that act like a scare tactic," he observes. "So much media aimed at women and mums in particular tells them they're wrong about everything. It would be so much more helpful for people to tell the truth.

"In counselling, we try to get that person to love themselves first. When you're on a plane and something goes wrong, you put your own oxygen mask before tending to a child. That should apply to life. As a parent you need to be oxygenated. Your sense of self and value is primary, yet there's an automatic selflessness associated with motherhood."

The long shadow of the fabled, selfless Irish Mammy also looms large for modern-day parents: "A young woman who has worked hard at school and college won't see the world the same way her grandmother did, and even when she becomes a parent she can't get away from the way in which she sees the world."

Stateside, there is a growing faction of women who are not just saying that motherhood is occasionally unpleasant; they're admitting to regretting becoming a mother in the first place. The movement got its start nearly 10 years ago when Corinne Maier, a French psychoanalyst, writer, and mother of two in Brussels, wrote candidly about her own regret in 'No Kids: 40 Reasons Not to Have Children'.

In Germany, novelist Sarah Fischer's recent book 'The Mother Bliss Lie: Regretting Motherhood' tackles the idea that motherhood is a pretty miserable existence when compared to the detached experience of many fathers. Elsewhere, there are sub-communities on online forums like Quora and Reddit, and even a Facebook group called 'I Regret Having Children', with mothers galore confessing to feelings of shame, disappointment, and fear.

On feminist website The Vagenda, an anonymous mother called Tammy writes: "Don't get me wrong, I love my kids. But it comes at a huge cost; mentally, emotionally and physically. My body was ruined. I had to have surgeries later in life to repair what was done to me by forcing an almost 9lb child through my body. And worse yet, it seems as though expressing this honestly makes me a monster ... It seems as though your entire self becomes nothing more than a functional enabler for your kids' success."

For his part, Connolly has yet to encounter clients who have regretted becoming mothers outright. Rather, he encounters clients who grieve heavily for the women they once were.
The trend towards longer warranties has taken a significant step forward with one of the country's biggest-selling marques bringing in a seven-year backing for all its cars.

The warranty move by Ford, made without much fanfare, is aimed at bolstering sales in what are expected to be acutely competitive years ahead.

The impact of the announcement was somewhat overshadowed by a spate of offers and new 171 deals the company has rolled out for the start of 2017.

However, it has been established that the warranty applies to all passenger cars - but does not stretch to commercials.

A spokesman told Independent Motors that the warranty is a Ford Ireland 'initiative' and is being completely underwritten by the brand.

The other marque on the market in Ireland with a seven-year warranty is KIA.

Mitsubishi have an eight-year/150,000km scheme across its 24-dealer Irish network on all passenger vehicles - five years/150,000km on all commercials.

A number of marques now have five-year warranties to help underpin confidence in their models.

The details of the Ford warranty is that it is for seven years and up to 100,000km - whichever comes first. It remains with the vehicle so subsequent owners will benefit from what is left of the seven-year cover.

The deal works on the basis that the cars are on full warranty for the first two years - with some exclusions for the following five.

The cars don't necessarily have to be serviced by a Ford dealer to maintain their warranty entitlements either. But all parts and fluids have to be 'genuine Ford items' and the service/maintenance works must be carried out in line with the brand's specifications.

The warranty covers: engine, transmission, catalytic converter, front and rear axles, steering, braking system (but not pads and discs), air con, heating, audio systems (if factory-fitted), airbags, electric system (including engine control, central locking, ABS, electrically adjusted seats, all components for the electronic safety and convenience system that are factory-fitted).

According to Ford, items not covered include all wear-and-tear parts (fluids, and labour in connection with the wear/tear parts), damage where cars have been neglected, modified or used for racing/rallying, paint repairs and bodywork, repairs to glass, upholstery, interior trim, diagnostic and maintenance work.

It is understood that the warranty deal will run for the "foreseeable future".
Pol O Conghaile pictured at the BGTW Travel Awards at The Savoy in London. Photo: Diana Jarvis

Independent.ie's Pol O Conghaile has been named Travel Writer of the Year at the UK's top travel journalism awards.

The announcement was made at the British Guild of Travel Writers' annual gala awards ceremony at The Savoy in London this week.

The BGTW is a 55-year-old guild whose 2016 award-winners were celebrated for their travel contributions to media outlets ranging from National Geographic Traveller to the BBC, INM, The London Independent and Conde Nast Traveler.

This is the first time an Irish writer has won its most prestigious award.

Also this week, Thomas Breathnach, a regular contributor to Weekend Magazine and Independent.ie, won the premier prize at the annual Caribbean Travel Journalism Awards, for his ' Cool Runnings' travel feature on Jamaica.

In presenting his prize for 'Best National Newspaper Feature', judges cited Thomas's ability to create a "real sense of place" in his writing, whilst also singling out the design and photo editing on the piece as "the most impactful" of all entries.

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Both the BGTW Travel Awards and Caribbean Travel Journalism Awards were held during World Travel Market in London this week.

They follow a third international award, presented to freelance travel writer Yvonne Gordon at the Malta Tourism Authority Press Awards this summer.

Yvonne won the 2015 'Newspaper Category' award for her travel feature on Gozo island, Escape to Gozo, which was published in Weekend Magazine. The award was presented at a special ceremony in Valletta, Malta.

The trio of awards is the latest recognition of the growing reach and influence of INM's trusted brand of travel journalism, both in print and online.

This year, Independent.ie also beat off the cream of UK and Irish media to win 'Best use of Digital Media' at the CLIA UK & Ireland cruise journalism awards.

Pol O Conghaile won the digital award for "engaging and impartial content" in #TravelTV reports produced by Donal Corkery and David O'Beirne.

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Passengers have trapped an actual snake on an actual plane, in a drama with everything but Samuel L Jackson.

The snake, captured on video (below) and posted to Twitter by passenger Indalecio Medina, emerged on an Aeromexico flight last weekend.

It emerged suddenly from an overhead bin on a flight from Torreon to Mexico City, according to reports by the Associated Press.

"On November 6, 2016, we were surprised to find a small snake aboard our flight AM231," the airline confirmed in a statement.

La vibora voladora...ja ja ja. Una experiencia unica en el Vuelo Torreon-Mexico, vuelo 231 de Aeromexico. Eso si...Prioridad en aterrizaje. pic.twitter.com/qwDk6Wtszw  Indalecio Medina (@Inda_medina) November 6, 2016

The snake is believed to have measured about three feet in length, and was trapped by passengers using blankets, Mr Medina told AP.

"It was a frightening situation," he is reported as saying, "but people remained calm because it didn't get out of that space and nobody became hysterical."

The flight proceeded to land in Mexico City.

"Our cabin crew followed established safety protocol and acted quickly to notify animal protective services in order to humanely capture the wayward reptile," Aeromexico said. Passenger safety was "the foremost concern," it added.

Snakes on a Plane is a 2006 movie in which Samuel L Jackson stages an expletive-ridden fightback against a cargo of poisonous reptiles.

Thankfully, however, the snake on Aeromexico flight 231 was a non-venomous animal. It came from southeast Mexico, the airline confirmed.

"Our passengers' safety remains an integral part of our core values, and we will continue to work to make every flight as enjoyable as possible," it said.

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Industrial relations conflict constitutes a formidable threat to the economy and the State. Whilst it's one thing for a recession or Brexit to upset our already fragile economic apple cart, it's another thing entirely when we start toppling the cart over ourselves.

Irish industrial relations history is like our economic history - a mix of good and bad phases. The current phase is definitely a bad one, but the indications are that things could get worse before they get better.

In the wake of the recent Garda pay offer, the harsh reality is that if public sector pay restoration is accelerated, then spending elsewhere must be stemmed. That is, unless economic growth cum tax revenues pleasantly surprise us, the vulnerable public will have to take yet another hit.

Having already undermined the Lansdowne Road (LRA) deal with the Garda offer, any equivalent for teachers would wreck firstly the LRA itself, which is due to run to September 2018 and secondly - and more importantly - the economy.

As gardai count their gains - before voting again on strike action - teachers have already exercised the nuclear option. Of course, after years of austerity-fuelled cutbacks, it was inevitable that there would be 'payback' - just as there was 20 years ago when the nurses broke the prevailing Programme for Competitiveness and Work deal. Thereafter all and sundry formed a queue for more money. And they got it, albeit without recourse to industrial action.

However, unlike 20 years ago, Ireland is no longer a record-breaking economic success, so the Government simply cannot afford to 'buy out' the problem. But it can navigate the icebergs that converted the Celtic Tiger into the Celtic Titanic.

The most disconcerting upshot of the Garda pay proposal is that it will likely lead to follow-on claims. It's hard to see other public service unions sitting back, as their members refuse to tolerate relative deprivation in pay and conditions. As Tom Geraghty, chair of the ICTU's Public Services Committee puts it, the Garda deal is a 'game changer'. Just how consequential that 'change' is will be decided by his Committee.

Explaining the Government's approach, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe recently said he'll have "negotiations and discussions regarding the duration of the replacement for the LRA next year". However, the "next year" part of the promise may be hard to stick to - especially if teachers secure an LRA 'plus' type deal in the interim. Little wonder then that the same minister also suggests that the LRA timetable can be brought forward, with public sector pay levels restored faster than planned.

Beyond gardai and teachers, the Government will now try to engage with the discomfited unions via the new Public Service Pay Commission. However, given its 'advisory' status, ambitious aspirations, rigid reference terms and tight timescale it is hard to see this Commission stemming the tide.

This is despite the fact that the Commission's Chairman, Kevin Duffy, is a formidable performer. He's a former union official, Labour Court Chairman and current Chairman of the Water Charges Commission. But he's no miracle worker of the 'loaves and fishes' variety.

Duffy's pay report is expected to advise on the roll back of the emergency (FEMPI) laws designed for pay cuts and union restraint - key components of the austerity programme. Thereafter, the idea was that the scene would be set for negotiations, enabling a revised LRA to dovetail with Budget 2018.

However, in the interim, the State's third parties at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and Labour Court, may well find themselves gainfully occupied, dealing with public sector pay claims. The redoubtable Kevin Foley, current Chairman at the Labour Court, did well to conjure up enough to get gardai to (at least) hold fire on industrial action. Whether the court is allowed - it certainly has the capacity - to do the same with other groups going forward is a moot point.

Of course, the Government is not entirely blameless in the current situation. For example, the fudge decision to establish a toothless independent review of Garda pay in 2014 was eventually seen for what it was - a ploy to keep all parties onside of the LRA's predecessor - the Haddington Road Agreement. On reflection, it might well have suited the Government better to allow gardai their own effective permanent pay review body.

Brendan Howlin must now afford himself a wry smile as he sits in Opposition. Having headed up the successful 'slash and burn' arm of government, just before leaving office he cut a 'special deal' with firefighters worth 4,500 each.

This concession effectively set the 'special deal' ball rolling. But some observers now see this ball as more akin to a hand grenade that was lobbed into the new Cabinet's lap.

Furthermore, for Government to suggest that the LRA was designed to accommodate 'special deals' - like those availed of by gardai and firefighters - sounds a lot like having your cake and eating it. But if such a 'special deal' gets secondary school teachers, students and their parents 'off the hook', they will be pleased. In this regard, it is notable that the ASTI has now launched an astute assault for the high moral ground, by seeking an invitation from the WRC for the resolution of its issues. However, all could be in for a rocky ride should Government opt to play 'hard ball', in a bid to keep the LRA alive.

The good news is that there is little evidence that this pay militancy has spread to the private sector. Likewise, in the semi-state sector, the 'Industrial Relations News' advises that pay deals in companies like ESB, An Post, Coillte and others are equivalent to the private sector's 2-3pc average. Of course, the Dublin Bus and LUAS pay deals were somewhat higher, but followed lengthy freezes.

Going forward, given the broad political and union support for the LRA, a 'hard ball' Government response to teachers and the anticipated avalanche of disruptive pay claims is possible.

However, the disruption this may engender could well put the country back into general election territory. Not many will want that. But fewer still want the alternative of a return to the economic nightmare.

So it makes sense for Government to persist with the key longstanding characteristics of the Irish industrial relations system: creativity, conciliation and compromise. It looks like the best available alternative right now.

Dr Gerard McMahon is a lecturer and consultant in HRM/Industrial Relations at DIT
Gay Byrne and Kathleen Watkins at the opening night of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Gay Byrne and his wife Kathleen arrive at the Opening of Big Maggie in the Gaiety, which runs until the 12th of March. Photo: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland.

Ryan Tubridy with Gay Byrne and Kathleen Watkins at the launch of her new children's book, Pigin of Howth, at The National Gallery of Ireland. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Kathleen Watkins and Gay Byrne at the launch of her new children's book, Pigin of Howth, at The National Gallery of Ireland. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Ireland's golden couple have opened up about what makes their 52-year union so strong.

Legendary broadcaster Gay Byrne and Kathleen Watkins, a newly published author, have taken part in a their first ever photoshoot for the November issue of VIP Magazine and discuss the secrets of success to a long-lasting marriage.

Kathleen said there's a "freedom" in separating their union from their independent lives.

"Do you want to know the secret? There is none," she told the mag.

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"You just get on with living, and you keep busy. Also, we have always done things singly and together. I think theres a freedom in that.

While Gay previously said the secret of a happy marriage is: You do what youre told, when youre told, how youre told", Kathleen said the house has always been "my domain".

"If we were entertaining people, hed come home from RTE and everything would be done. The wine would be uncorked even. And its still a bit like that, but hes now a bit better at filling and emptying the dishwasher," she added.

"Suzy bought him a little brush and pan recently and hes good at scooping up stuff around the kitchen. And, he can boil an egg. And, he can use a microwave.

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"He never had to do anything. He was never involved. He was gone at 7.15am and back at 7.15pm and we had to be highly organised. Theres a right and wrong way for everybody. I hope I did it the right way."

And while the couple are preparing for the festive season with their two children, Kathleen, who recently launched her debut children's book the Pigin of Howth, said she's hoping for "less excitement" this year.

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"Last year my son-in-law got a bad bug, and that was on Christmas Day. And then Gay had his heart attack two days later, so were hoping this Christmas well have a little less excitement of that kind! Christmas is just family and flop time, really," she added.

"Get into your rags, go for walks, and eat."
Actors Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan arrive at the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on September 22, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Actor Michael J. Fox attends the Annual Charity Day hosted by Cantor Fitzgerald, BGC and GFI at Cantor Fitzgerald on September 12, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Cantor Fitzgerald)

Tracy Pollan (L) and actor Michael J. Fox arrive on the red carpet of the 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, on January 12, 2014.

Michael J. Fox was told by doctors that his battle with Parkinson's disease would mean he would be "pretty much disabled" by now.

The Back to the Future actor was diagnosed with the degenerative disorder of the nervous system in 1991, when he was 29 years old, but he didn't go public with his health crisis for seven years, instead spending that time working as he was convinced his career would be over soon.

Doctors predicted the Michael, 55, wouldnt be able to work after a decade, but the star insists he's still going strong 25 years later.

"I realised it was a real awakening to me because I had been kind of keeping this secret," he told Haute Living magazine.

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"I was diagnosed 25 years ago, and I was only supposed to work for another 10 years. I was supposed to be pretty much disabled by now. Im far from it. This is as bad as I get, and I can still go to the store and go marketing.

"I dont have expectations, but whatever happens, happens. I hope its a good thing, and I trust itll be a good thing... My acceptance is not resignation. I can accept something for what it is and then beyond that move on to rectify that, remedy it, or change it in some way. I have accepted to acknowledge it."

He even added that the tremors he used to experience in earlier years aren't as bad any more but his biggest problem now is finding his balance. In order to strengthen his core, Michael boxes with a trainer and meets with a physical therapist regularly. He also practices meditation.

"The only way I dont move, in even the subtlest ways, is when Im sleeping," he said. "The brain activity is to a point where youre not moving, you dont move. I dont shift in my sleep. If I shift, Im awake. Im the same way when I do meditation. If I do it sincerely, then my brain slows down enough that my body gets still."

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Since his diagnosis, Michael has continued working, with recent roles in The Good Wife, Curb Your Enthusiasm and the short-lived sitcom The Michael J. Fox show, while also focusing on the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which raises funds for research into Parkinsons disease.
An author who wrote an entire book in a single, novel-length sentence has been awarded a 10,000 prize.

Mike McCormack scooped the Goldsmiths Prize 2016 for Solar Bones, which covers just a few hours in the life of Irish engineer Marcus Conway, briefly returned from the dead on All Souls' Day in 2008.

Published by Tramp Press, the work was chosen from 111 books up for the prize, and is the fourth winner of the competition, founded in 2013.

One of the judges, Professor Blake Morrison, said: "Set over a few hours in a single day, and told in the first-person voice of a middle-aged engineer, Mike McCormack's Solar Bones transcends these seeming limits magnificently.

"Politics, family, art, marriage, health, civic duty and the environment are just a few of the themes it touches on, in a prose that's lyrical yet firmly rooted. Its subject may be an ordinary working life but it is itself an extraordinary work."

Also available as an ebook, it begins almost in poetry format, with: "the bell the bell as hearing the bell as hearing the bell as standing here the bell being heard standing here hearing it ring out through the grey light of this morning, noon or night".

It continues as prose, but without any full stops or full sentences.

The other five shortlisted entries included Transit by Rachel Cusk, The Lesser Bohemians by Eimear McBride, Like A Mule Bringing Ice Cream To The Sun by Sarah Ladipo Manyika, Hot Milk by Deborah Levy, and Martin John by Anakana Schofield.

McCormack, 51, grew up in County Mayo and is best known for his collections of short stories, including Getting It In The Head (1996) and Forensic Songs (2012).

McCormack thanked Tramp Press for backing him during his "long and difficult adventure" as a writer.

He added: "I didn't think I was going to win. It would have been too much of a fairy tale on top of a fairy tale of getting the book published and it being critically well-received. That was it: I didn't think it was going to go any further but it has."

And McCormack called on more publishers to take risks with experimental authors.

He said: "It's about time the prize-giving community honoured experimental works and time that mainstream publishers started honouring their readership by saying: 'Here are experimental books'.

"Readers are smart. They're up for it. That was what the people at Tramp Press taught me - they're up for it. There are readers out there and they have been proved right."
It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover the
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has won the keys to the White House (AP)

Hillary Clinton's speech is seen on a television screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. (AP)

Hillary Clinton has said the United States proved to be "more divided than we thought" but urged supporters to give Donald Trump "a chance to lead".

Standing before a crowd of crestfallen campaign aides and backers, Mrs Clinton said: "This is painful and it will be for a long time."

Mr Trump's triumph, declared only after midnight, will end eight years of Democratic dominance of the White House.

He will govern with Republicans controlling both houses of Congress and lead a country deeply divided by his rancorous campaign against Mrs Clinton.

He faces fractures within his own party, too, given the numerous Republicans who refused to back him or only tepidly supported his nomination.

As he claimed victory early on Wednesday, Mr Trump urged Americans to "come together as one united people".

That sentiment was echoed by Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, who had been a reluctant Trump supporter.

"This needs to be a time of redemption, not a time of recrimination," Mr Ryan said in a news conference, saying Mr Trump had earned a "mandate" to enact his agenda.

Mrs Clinton, hoping to become the first woman to be elected president, conceded defeat in a telephone call to Mr Trump.

With several million votes still to be counted, she held a narrow lead in the nationwide popular vote. Most of the outstanding votes appeared to be in Democratic-leaning states, with the biggest chunk in California, a state Mrs Clinton overwhelmingly won.

With almost 125 million votes counted, The Associated Press tally had Mrs Clinton with 47.7% and Mr Trump with 47.5%.

Summoning her most magnanimous tone after a bitter race, Mrs Clinton said of the man whose victory she declared would be a danger to America and the world: "I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans."

As her supporters waited for her in a New York ballroom, the scene of despair played out for all on live television. Cameras zoomed in on the exhausted and miserable faces of several of her closest aides, some dressed in hoodies or other casual clothing. The familiar campaign music of Bruce Springsteen in the background added to the sense of disappointment.

"We have seen that our nation is more deeply divided than we thought," Mrs Clinton said in a speech she never hoped to deliver. "But I still believe in America and I always will."

Global stock markets and US stock futures plunged early on Wednesday, but later recovered. The Dow Jones industrial average was up almost 1% in midday trading in New York.

President Barack Obama congratulated Mr Trump in a phone call and invited him to a meeting at the White House on Thursday to discuss transition.

Mr Obama said at the White House that he had significant differences with Mr Trump but added that the same had been true when he took office after George W Bush. He said Mrs Clinton had accomplished much as the first woman nominated for president by a major political party.

He noted that despite the painful loss for the Democrats, "the sun came up" as usual on Wednesday morning.

Mr Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway said Mr Obama and Mr Trump had "a very nice talk" when the president called him.

Mr Trump, who spent much of the campaign urging supporters on as they chanted "lock her up", said the nation owed Mrs Clinton "a major debt of gratitude" for her years of public service.

A New York real estate developer who lives in a sparkling Manhattan high-rise, Mr Trump forged a connection with white, working class Americans who feel left behind in a changing economy and diversifying country.

He cast immigration, both from Latin America and the Middle East, as the root of problems plaguing many Americans and tapped into fears of terrorism emanating at home and abroad.

Republican Senate candidates fended off Democratic challengers in key states, including North Carolina, Indiana and Wisconsin. Republicans also maintained their grip on the House.

Senate control means Mr Trump will have great leeway in appointing Supreme Court justices, which could shift the bench to the right for decades.

Mr Trump has pledged to usher in sweeping changes to US foreign policy, including building a wall along the US-Mexico border and suspending immigration from countries with terrorism ties.

He has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and spoken of building a better relationship with Moscow, worrying some in his own party who fear he will go easy on Mr Putin's provocations.

Mr Putin sent him a telegram of congratulations.

Upending years of political convention on his way to the White House, Mr Trump levelled personal insults against his rivals, declared Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers, and vowed to suspend Muslim immigration to the US.

He never released his tax returns, breaking with decades of campaign tradition, and eschewed the kind of robust data and field efforts that helped Mr Obama win two White House terms, relying instead on large, free-wheeling rallies to energise supporters. His campaign was often in chaos.

Mrs Clinton faced persistent questions about her honesty and trustworthiness. And her troubles flared anew late in the race, when the FBI director reviewed new emails from her tenure at the State Department. Just two days before election day, Mr Comey said there was nothing in the material to warrant criminal charges against Mrs Clinton.

Mr Trump will inherit a nation deeply divided by economic and educational opportunities, race and culture.

Women nationwide supported Mrs Clinton by a double-digit margin, while men significantly backed Mr Trump. More than half of white voters went for the Republican, while nearly nine in 10 blacks and two-thirds of Hispanics voted for the Democrat.

AP
Members of the emergency services work next to a tram after it overturned injuring and trapping some passengers in Croydon, south London, Britain November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall

Members of the emergency services work next to a tram after it overturned injuring and trapping some passengers in Croydon, south London, Britain November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall

The scene after a tram overturned in Croydon, south London, trapping five people and injuring another 40. Credit: Steve Parsons/PA Wire

The scene after a tram overturned in Croydon, south London, trapping five people and injuring another 40. Credit: Steve Parsons/PA Wire

The scene after a tram overturned in Croydon, south London, trapping five people and injuring another 40. Credit: Steve Parsons/PA Wire

At least seven people were killed when a tram sped round a sharp bend and derailed during the morning rush-hour.

Investigators said the vehicle was travelling at a "significantly higher speed than is permitted", and are probing whether the driver, who has been arrested, may have fallen asleep.

Scenes on board have been described as "total carnage" and "like something out of a film" as the two-carriage tram tipped onto its side next to an underpass near the Sandilands stop in Croydon, south London.

The 42-year-old driver, from Beckenham, is being held on suspicion of manslaughter and is currently in police custody, British Transport Police said.More than 50 people were injured, some seriously, when the crowded rush-hour tram tipped on to its side next to an underpass near the Sandilands stop in Croydon, south London.

One passenger, who was among more than 50 injured, recalled being trapped under a woman, adding: "I don't think she made it".

Martin Bamford (30) from Croydon, added that the driver told him he thought he had "blacked out".

London mayor Sadiq Khan, who visited the scene earlier, warned the death toll "may well increase".

The tram was operating from New Addington to Wimbledon via Croydon when the accident happened at 6.10am on Wednesday.

British Transport Police's assistant chief constable Robin Smith said they were investigating whether the driver of the Wimbledon-bound tram fell asleep at the wheel, alongside "a number of factors".

Initial findings of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) show that the tram came off the tracks as it was negotiating a "sharp, left-hand curve" with a speed limit of 12mph.

An RAIB spokesman said: "Initial indications suggest that the tram was travelling at a significantly higher speed than is permitted."

Mike Brown, the commissioner of Transport for London, said: "I am devastated for the families and friends of those who have lost their lives and those who have been injured.

"Clearly something has gone catastrophically wrong and we will work tirelessly and quickly with the emergency services, the tram operator FirstGroup and others to establish the cause."

The Wimbledon-bound tram, one of the first services of the morning, was travelling from New Addington.

Some local people raised concerns after the crash about speeds at the corner where the carriages derailed.

Pat Rooke (72) described the scene in the wake of the incident as "pandemonium", adding: "They (some trams) do come around that corner very fast sometimes, and it is quite a sharp bend."

Sue Patel, who lives near the station, said: "I heard a noise at around 6am and I thought maybe it was a car or something. But then I saw there were helicopters."

She described the sound as "very loud" and a "very big bang".

Ms Patel, who said she regularly takes the tram line, said: "There's quite a big bend. You come through the tunnel and there's quite a sharp bend."

A passenger on a tram told how, less than a fortnight ago, he was left shaking as it travelled through the same area.

Andy Nias wrote on Facebook that he and 29 fellow travellers feared the worst when their tram "took the hard corner to Sandilands at 40mph".

He added: "I swear the tram lifted onto one side."

Wednesday's crash is believed to be the first tram crash involving fatalities on board since 1959, when two women passengers and the driver died after a tram caught fire in Shettleston Road, Glasgow, following a collision with a lorry.

Kudirat Okesola (46) rushed to her husband's side as soon as she heard he had been caught up in the incident.

Taiye Ajibola, who was on his way to work, was "very anxious", Ms Okesola said, adding that there was a lot of blood.

"Even my husband was covered with blood," she said, adding that some people were trapped underneath the tram calling for help.

"People were screaming. People were crying," she said.

She said her husband has a "massive" cut on his face.

The Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said the "vast majority" of people have been discharged from hospital or transferred elsewhere for ongoing care.
Polling stations were placed on lockdown amid reports of a shooting

A gunman has been found dead after killing a man and critically wounding two women with an assault rifle near two California polling stations.

One polling place was reopened hours after a gun battle between the man and police in Azusa, Los Angeles County.

Police said the shooting "had nothing to do with the ballot or voting".

Lt John Corina said the incident "just happened to be across the street from the park where the voting was taking place", as well as an elementary school which was also being used as a polling station.

He added: "Nobody was shooting at those locations."

County election officials advised voters to visit other polling places where they could cast provisional ballots.

Police responding to reports of gunfire exchanged shots with the suspect before taking cover in a park, Azusa police chief Steve Hunt said. No officers were hurt.

A Swat team sealed off the area and hours later entered a nearby home, where they found the gunman dead.

Investigators do not yet know whether the gunman died as a result of being shot by police, or if he had taken his own life.

Two women in their mid-50s are in a critical condition in hospital.

The motive of the shooting is unknown and it is unclear whether the attacker knew his victims.

AP
An Iraqi federal police officer walks towards a mass grave in Hamam al-Alil, Iraq. The Iraqi military says it has found some 100 decapitated bodies in a mass grave south of the Islamic State-held city of Mosul. Photo: AP

Iraqi investigators were probing a mass grave yesterday that was discovered by troops advancing farther into Isil territory near the city of Mosul, where soldiers have captured a sliver of land but later halted their advance.

The chilling find was the latest instance of mass graves being uncovered on ground wrested from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) militants. In Iraq and Syria so far, the group has killed thousands of people in extra- judicial killings, the graves a dark testimony to its brutality.

Footage from the site shows bones and decomposed bodies among scraps of clothing and plastic bags dug out of the ground by a bulldozer after Iraqi troops noticed the strong smell while advancing into the town of Hamam al-Alil on Monday.

"Investigators flew in and are on their way to the grave to conduct examinations and determine the cause of death," said Iraqi cabinet official Haider Majeed, in charge of mass grave investigations.

The first officials at the site said the grave, behind an earthen embankment near an agricultural college, probably holds about 100 bodies, many of them decapitated. The town lies some 30km from Mosul.

It was unclear who the victims were, but a soldier at the site pulled a child's stuffed animal from the scraps of clothing and rotting flesh, swarming with flies.

Isil militants have carried out a series of massacres since seizing large swathes of southern and central Iraq in the summer of 2014, often documenting them with photos and videos circulated online.

In Geneva, the UN human rights office said it was investigating whether the discovery at Hamam al-Alil was connected to reports about the alleged killing of police officers in the same area.

"We had reports that 50 former Iraqi police officers had been killed in a building outside Mosul city," spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said. "This building was actually the same agricultural facility, agricultural college, that has been cited right now as the site of these mass graves."

The campaign to drive Isil fighters from Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city and the extremists' last major urban stronghold in the country, began on October 17.

Iraqi troops and the Kurdish Peshmerga forces are now converging on Mosul, although the deepest advance into an eastern sliver of the city has stalled after militants counter-attacked advancing special forces from within built-up, populated areas.

To the northeast, some 12km from the city, the Peshmerga forces continued their push on the town of Bashiqa, believed to be largely deserted except for dozens of Isil fighters.

Mortar fire, automatic weapons and explosions rang out through the morning, as a thick plume of smoke hung over parts of the city, obscuring the view of aircraft.

The United Nations said over 34,000 people had been displaced from Mosul, with about three-quarters settled in camps and the rest in host communities.

In a report issued overnight, the UN human rights office said the organisation and its humanitarian partners have distributed food, water and medicine to more than 41,000 displaced people and vulnerable residents fleeing the fighting.

Since the battle for Mosul reached the city itself on November 4, some 11,000 people have fled eastwards from the city, while some electricity and water supplies have been cut in eastern neighbourhoods.

"Parts of the resident population could face shortages of food and water," OCHA said, also highlighting an urgent need for trauma care due to a lack of facilities.

Meanwhile, a coalition of mainly Shi'ite Iraqi militias advancing on the Isil-held town of Tal Afar plans to seize a nearby military air base from the jihadists, the first time the Iran-backed forces have targeted such a base, militia officials said.

The Hashid Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) paramilitary forces are deployed in the arid region west of Mosul.

The town of Tal Afar, and its air base, are located on the highway west of Mosul. Capturing them would help cut Isil supply lines between Mosul and its Syrian territories, and offer a base for the Hashid's stated plan ultimately to take its battle with Islamic State into Syria.

But the advance by the mainly Shi'ite force towards Tal Afar, which had a mixed population of mainly Shi'ite and Sunni Turkmen before Isil captured it in 2014, has raised fears of sectarian strife and alarmed neighbouring Turkey.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was reinforcing its troops on the border with Iraq and would respond if the Shi'ite militias "cause terror" in Tal Afar.

Capturing an air base would point to the growing muscle of Hashid forces, which officially report to the Shi'ite-led government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi but are also backed by Tehran, often flying the banners of Iran's Supreme Leader.
People cheer as voting results for Florida come in at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

WITH tears in their eyes after having the hope ripped from their hearts the Hillary Clinton supporters left before having to watch the full horror unfold.

Thousands had gathered outside Javits Convention Centre in New York having failed to get tickets for the main event inside.

The upbeat queue of millennials, Latinos, Hispanics, whites, black, men, women and children stretched through Manhattan - all hoping to get a glimpse at history. To be close enough to feel it the ground shake beneath their feet from the roars that would break the ultimate glass ceiling.

A 10 minute walk away in the Hilton Hotel there was no overflow area. Instead there was a low-key event planned, attended mostly by white men in red hats.

Huge security operations were in place at both venues but it was clear from early in the day that one was designed as a victory rally and the other was purely to facilitate a pulpit.

The Clinton crowds arrived with clear expectation. CNN reported sources inside the camp as saying confidence was in plentiful supply.

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Whatsapp A graphic depicting Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump squaring off in a boxing ring sits in Times Square on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The big screen flicked between CBS, CNN and videos from Hillarys campaign.

Long before many polling stations on the west coast closed the Mayor of New York Bill de Blasio arrived out to give a warm up speech in which he told the audience it was a night for celebration.

And Khizr Khan, the father of a late Muslim American war hero and a central player in the Clinton narrative, said it would be a night of celebrating the goodness of this country.

But the clock hadnt even struck 9pm when the mood changed. A shameful lull was interrupted periodically by boos as State after State was projected for Donald Trump.

It was supposed to be a short night, wrapped up by 11pm and home in time to get a good sleep before Wednesday work.

Yet the early question mark hanging over Florida ensured confidence turned to fear.

Katy Perry arrived onto the stage to plead with the voters in areas where polling was still open to get out and rescue the situation. Her own parents voted for Trump.

Meanwhile back in the Hilton they were grand speeches or warm up acts. There would only be one performer: The misogynistic, racist billionaire who is now the leader of the free world.

Donald Trumps supporters enjoyed what wed call a piss up. This was supposed to be their last hurray after a campaign that rocked America but ultimately wouldnt result in him moving to Washington.

Dozens of his own Republican peers had rejected him, world leaders derided him and business railed against him - but middle America bought into his promise to Make America Great Again.

Trump now owns the health care system, controls the US tax system and will get the codes to the nuclear weapons.

His opponents have called him unfit, unstable and unable. The markets will plummet today.

In his own words, this is Brexit plus, plus, plus.

People leaving the Clinton rally told Independent.ie they were everything from shocked to disgusted to frightened.

Spare a thought for Mexico, for the disabled, for women, for muslims and all the other people Trump has insulted.

And give a moment too for Hillary Clinton because no matter what you think of her nothing could have prepared her for seeing her political career end in such an undignified disaster.

This is now Trumps America.
Jake Krupa colors in an electoral map as states projected for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump or Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at an election watching party in Coconut Grove, Florida on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / RHONA WISERHONA WISE/AFP/Getty Images

Hillary Clinton's speech is seen on a television screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. (AP)

Republican Donald Trump has stunned the world by defeating heavily favoured Hillary Clinton in the race for the White House, ending eight years of Democratic rule and sending the United States on a new, uncertain path.

A wealthy real-estate developer and former reality TV host, Trump rode a wave of anger toward Washington insiders to defeat Clinton, whose gold-plated establishment resume includes stints as a first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state.

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In his victory speech this morning he has vowed to be "president for all Americans" after pulling off an astonishing victory in the race for the White House.

He told jubilant supporters it was "now time for America to bind the wounds of division and come together".

Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump watch the results of the U.S. elections at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney on November 9, 2016 in Sydney, Australia (Photo by Daniel Munoz/Getty Images) Donald Trump and wife Melania after voting in New York Picture: REUTERS/Carlo Allegri Hillary Clinton and her husband, former US President Bill Clinton, greet supporters. Photo: Reuters/Brian Snyder / Facebook

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Whatsapp Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump watch the results of the U.S. elections at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney on November 9, 2016 in Sydney, Australia (Photo by Daniel Munoz/Getty Images)

And he pledged to keep his promise to "make America great again" after beating Hillary Clinton in a battle which went down to the wire.

At the end of one of the most divisive elections in modern US history, the Republican candidate sealed victory when he took key battleground states Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The Clinton camp initially refused to throw in the towel.

But Mr Trump told supporters shortly before 8am UK time: "I've just received a call from Secretary Clinton. She congratulated us - it's about us - on our victory and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard fought campaign."

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) Reince Priebus (R) hugs Republican presidential elect Donald Trump during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSONJIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images People cheer as voting results for Florida come in at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Republican presidential elect Donald Trump gestures while speaking during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9, 2016. Photo: Getty Republican presidential elect Donald Trump (L) gestures next to his family as he arrives to speak during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York Republican president-elect Donald Trump embraces his wife Melania Trump during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Republican president-elect Donald Trump embraces his wife Melania Trump during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, delivers a speech as Republican president-elect Donald Trump looks on during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, delivers a speech as Republican president-elect Donald Trump looks on during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Republican presidential elect Donald Trump (L) arrives with his family on stage to speak during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9, 2016. Trump stunned America and the world Wednesday, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump gives greets people in the crowd after delivering his acceptance speech at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Campaign chairman John Podesta speaks on stage at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 9, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Hillary Clinton tweeted "Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything."/ Pic via @HillaryClinton A graphic depicting Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump squaring off in a boxing ring sits in Times Square on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) The Trump family and team watch the results (Photo: Twitter/Donald Trump) Jake Krupa colors in an electoral map as states projected for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump or Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at an election watching party in Coconut Grove, Florida. AFP PHOTO / RHONA WISERHONA WISE/AFP/Getty Images The dollar tumbled against the yen and euro while the Mexican peso fell off a cliff as polling results in the knife-edge US presidential race pointed to a strong showing by Donald Trump. AFP PHOTO / BEHROUZ MEHRIBEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images Ivanka Trump tweets: "Such a surreal moment to vote for my father for President of the United States! Make your voice heard and vote! #Election2016" Pic via Twitter/ @IvankaTrump People watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images) A woman reacts as she watches voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) People cheer at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) An employee of a foreign exchange trading company stands in front of a monitor displaying Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton (L) and Republican presidential nominee (Photo by Yuya Shino/Getty Images) A police officer stands outside Trump Tower in New York City on election day November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / DOMINICK REUTERDOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images People vote on the US presidential election at Santa Monica City Hall on November 8, 2016 in Santa Monica, California / AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. BROWNFREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images Nicolette Janoski displays a sticker after voting on November 8, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) Voters cast ballots at a laundrette in Chicago, Illinois Picture: AFP/Getty People cheer as voting results for Iowa come in at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Donald Trumps son Eric glances across at the ballot being filled by his wife Lara Yunasska while voting at the 53rd Street Library in New York. Photo: Bloomberg A man poses for a picture near the cardboard cutouts of U.S. presidential nominees Hillary Clinton (L) and Donald Trump, at an election event hosted at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Kathmandu, Nepal November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar Supporters of U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton react at her election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton A supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton bows her head at an election night rally in New York, U.S., November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Carlos Barria A supporter of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump holds up a Trump doll during an election night party at a hotel in downtown Phoenix, Arizona on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Laura SegallLAURA SEGALL/AFP/Getty Images People watch elections results during election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 9, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / DON EMMERTDON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images People gather around Times Square to view televised results of the US presidential election on November 9, 2016 in New York. / AFP PHOTO / EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZEDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/AFP/Getty Images Supporters of U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton react at her election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY A man leans out of a Hummer shouting words in support of U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump while driving through Times Square in New York, U.S., November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Mark Kauzlarich / Facebook

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Whatsapp NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Worried a Trump victory could cause economic and global uncertainty, investors were in full flight from risky assets such as stocks. In overnight trading, S&P 500 index futures fell 5 percent to hit their so-called limit down levels, indicating they would not be permitted to trade any lower until regular U.S. stock market hours on Wednesday.

The Associated Press and Fox News projected that Trump had collected just enough of the 270 state-by-state electoral votes needed to win a four-year term that starts on Jan. 20, taking battleground states where presidential elections are traditionally decided.

CNN reported Clinton had called Trump to concede concede the election.

A short time earlier, Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta told supporters at her election rally in New York to go home. "Several states are too close to call so we're not going to have anything more to say tonight," he said.

Victorious in a cliffhanger race that opinion polls had forecast was Clinton's to win, Trump won avid support among a core base of white non-college educated workers with his promise to be the "greatest jobs president that God ever created."

His win raises a host of questions for the United States at home and abroad. He campaigned on a pledge to take the country on a more isolationist, protectionist "America First" path. He has vowed to impose a 35 percent tariff on goods exported to the United States by U.S. companies that went abroad.

Both candidates, albeit Trump more than Clinton, had historically low popularity ratings in an election that many voters characterized as a choice between two unpleasant alternatives.

Trump, who at 70 will be the oldest first-term U.S. president, came out on top after a bitter and divisive campaign that focused largely on the character of the candidates and whether they could be trusted to serve as the country's 45th president.

The presidency will be his first elected office, and it remains to be seen how he will work with Congress. During the campaign Trump was the target of sharp disapproval, not just from Democrats but from many in his own party.

Television networks projected Republicans would retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs. In the U.S. Senate, the party also put up an unexpectedly tough fight to protect its majority in the U.S. Senate.

Trump entered the race 17 months ago and survived a series of seemingly crippling blows, many of them self-inflicted, including the emergence in October of a 2005 video in which he boasted about making unwanted sexual advances on women. He apologized but within days, several women emerged to say he had groped them, allegations he denied. He was judged the loser of all three presidential debates with Clinton.

TOUTS HIS BUSINESS ACUMEN

During the campaign, Trump said he would make America great again through the force of his personality, negotiating skill and business acumen. He proposed refusing entry to the United States of people from war-torn Middle Eastern countries, a modified version of an earlier proposed ban on Muslims.

His volatile nature and unorthodox proposals led to campaign feuds with a long list of people, including Muslims, the disabled, Republican U.S. Senator John McCain, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, the family of a slain Muslim-American soldier, a Miss Universe winner and a federal judge of Mexican heritage.

Throughout his campaign - and especially in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in July - Trump described a dark America that had been knocked to its knees by China, Mexico, Russia and Islamic State. The American dream was dead, he said, smothered by malevolent business interests and corrupt politicians, and he alone could revive it.

He offered vague plans to win economic concessions from China, to build a wall on the southern U.S. border with Mexico to keep out undocumented immigrants and to pay for it with tax money sent home by migrants.

The Mexican peso plunged to its lowest-ever levels. The peso had become a touchstone for sentiment on the election as Trump threatened to rip up a free trade agreement with Mexico.

His triumph was a rebuke to President Barack Obama, a Democrat who spent weeks flying around the country to campaign against him. Obama will hand over the office to Trump after serving the maximum eight years allowed by law.

Trump promises to push Congress to repeal Obama's troubled healthcare plan and to reverse his Clean Power Plan. He plans to create jobs by relying on U.S. fossil fuels such as oil and gas.

CLINTON'S FAILED SECOND BID

Trump's victory marked a frustrating end to the presidential aspirations of Clinton, 69, who for the second time failed in her drive to be elected the first woman U.S. president.

In a posting on Twitter, Clinton acknowledged a battle that was unexpectedly tight given her edge in opinion polls going into Election Day.

"This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything," she tweeted.

The wife of former President Bill Clinton and herself a former U.S. senator, she held a steady lead in many opinion polls for months. Voters perceived in her a cautious and calculating candidate and an inability to personally connect with them.

Even though the FBI found no grounds for criminal charges after a probe into her use of a private email server rather than a government system while she was secretary of state, the issue allowed critics to raise doubts about her integrity. Hacked emails also showed a cozy relationship between her State Department and donors to her family's Clinton Foundation charity.

Trump seized on the emails to charge that Clinton represented a corrupt political system in Washington that had to be swept clean.

Trump's national security ideas, opposed by most of the elite voices across the political spectrum, have simultaneously included promises to build up the U.S. military while at the same time avoiding foreign military entanglements.

He wants to rewrite international trade deals to reduce trade deficits. He has taken positions that raise the possibility of damaging relations with America's most trusted allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

He has promised to warm relations with Russia that have chilled under Obama over Russian President Vladimir Putin's intervention in the Syrian civil war and his seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region.

"Wouldn't it be nice if we could get along with Russia?" he said at many rallies.
THE US dollar sank and stocks plummeted in market mayhem on Wednesday as investors faced up to a shock win for Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential election that could upend the global political order.

European shares looked set to follow with losses of more than 4 percent as every new TV network projection in the U.S. election showed the race to be far closer than anyone had thought, sending investors stampeding to safe-haven assets.

Sovereign bonds, the Japanese yen and gold surged while the Mexican peso went into near free-fall in chaotic trading as once again polls and betting markets proved woefully wrong.

"Markets are reacting as though the four horsemen of the apocalypse just rode out of Trump Tower," said Sean Callow, a forex strategist at Westpac in Sydney.

"Or at least 3 of them - it might be 4 when the prospect of a clean sweep of Congress sinks in."

As of 0742 GMT, news networks were calling the election for Republican candidate Trump and CNN reported that his Democrat rival Clinton had conceded.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) Reince Priebus (R) hugs Republican presidential elect Donald Trump during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSONJIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images People cheer as voting results for Florida come in at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Republican presidential elect Donald Trump gestures while speaking during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9, 2016. Photo: Getty Republican presidential elect Donald Trump (L) gestures next to his family as he arrives to speak during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York Republican president-elect Donald Trump embraces his wife Melania Trump during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Republican president-elect Donald Trump embraces his wife Melania Trump during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, delivers a speech as Republican president-elect Donald Trump looks on during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, delivers a speech as Republican president-elect Donald Trump looks on during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Republican presidential elect Donald Trump (L) arrives with his family on stage to speak during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9, 2016. Trump stunned America and the world Wednesday, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump gives greets people in the crowd after delivering his acceptance speech at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Campaign chairman John Podesta speaks on stage at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 9, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Hillary Clinton tweeted "Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything."/ Pic via @HillaryClinton A graphic depicting Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump squaring off in a boxing ring sits in Times Square on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) The Trump family and team watch the results (Photo: Twitter/Donald Trump) Jake Krupa colors in an electoral map as states projected for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump or Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at an election watching party in Coconut Grove, Florida. AFP PHOTO / RHONA WISERHONA WISE/AFP/Getty Images The dollar tumbled against the yen and euro while the Mexican peso fell off a cliff as polling results in the knife-edge US presidential race pointed to a strong showing by Donald Trump. AFP PHOTO / BEHROUZ MEHRIBEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images Ivanka Trump tweets: "Such a surreal moment to vote for my father for President of the United States! Make your voice heard and vote! #Election2016" Pic via Twitter/ @IvankaTrump People watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images) A woman reacts as she watches voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) People cheer at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) An employee of a foreign exchange trading company stands in front of a monitor displaying Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton (L) and Republican presidential nominee (Photo by Yuya Shino/Getty Images) A police officer stands outside Trump Tower in New York City on election day November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / DOMINICK REUTERDOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images People vote on the US presidential election at Santa Monica City Hall on November 8, 2016 in Santa Monica, California / AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. BROWNFREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images Nicolette Janoski displays a sticker after voting on November 8, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) Voters cast ballots at a laundrette in Chicago, Illinois Picture: AFP/Getty People cheer as voting results for Iowa come in at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Donald Trumps son Eric glances across at the ballot being filled by his wife Lara Yunasska while voting at the 53rd Street Library in New York. Photo: Bloomberg A man poses for a picture near the cardboard cutouts of U.S. presidential nominees Hillary Clinton (L) and Donald Trump, at an election event hosted at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Kathmandu, Nepal November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar Supporters of U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton react at her election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton A supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton bows her head at an election night rally in New York, U.S., November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Carlos Barria A supporter of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump holds up a Trump doll during an election night party at a hotel in downtown Phoenix, Arizona on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Laura SegallLAURA SEGALL/AFP/Getty Images People watch elections results during election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 9, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / DON EMMERTDON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images People gather around Times Square to view televised results of the US presidential election on November 9, 2016 in New York. / AFP PHOTO / EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZEDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/AFP/Getty Images Supporters of U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton react at her election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY A man leans out of a Hummer shouting words in support of U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump while driving through Times Square in New York, U.S., November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Mark Kauzlarich Nine firms are taking on staff in software engineering, finance, sales, technology, customer support, operations and marketing roles / Facebook

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Whatsapp NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

U.S. stock futures dived 5 percent at one point, worse than the carnage caused by the British vote to leave the European Union in June that wiped trillions of dollars off world markets.

Investors fear a Trump victory could cause global economic and trade turmoil and years of policy unpredictability, which among other things will discourage the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates in December as long expected.

Fed fund futures were even starting to toy with the idea of a cut in rates next year <0#FF:> and it was possible the Bank of Japan and European Central Bank might be forced to ease policy yet further.

With FX markets reeling, South Korean authorities were thought to have intervened to steady their currency, and dealers wondered if central banks globally would step in to calm nerves.

Japan's top currency diplomat signalled Tokyo's readiness to intervene if necessary as the surging yen threatened to snuff out its fragile economic recovery.

The scale of the scare was clear in the Mexican peso, which plunged more than 13 percent against the dollar at one point in the biggest daily move in two decades.

"A lot of Trump's negative geopolitical rhetoric was concentrated around Mexico and trade with Mexico and tearing up the NAFTA agreement, so the peso just become this natural barometer of the election," said Deutsche Bank EM FX Strategist Gautam Kalani.

The risk of a global trade war likewise hammered currencies across Asia, with the Australian dollar leading the rout.

The story was very different against the safe-haven yen, with the U.S. dollar shedding as much as 3.3 percent to 101.85 yen. The euro jumped 2.3 percent to $1.1278 as well though both had started to nudge off their highs as Europe opened.

MAXIMUM UNCERTAINTY

Asian stocks skidded, with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific stocks outside Japan down 2.5 percent and the Nikkei off a savage 5.4 percent.

With voting completed in more than two-thirds of the 50 U.S. states, the race was still too close to call in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, states that could be vital to deciding who wins the presidency.

News channels projected Trump's Republicans had retained control of the U.S. Senate.

Markets had favoured Clinton as a status quo candidate who would be considered a safe pair of hands at home on the world stage. Analysts had no such certainty about Trump.

"With Brexit we had one bad day but this is different. This is what's scary about putting the most powerful position in the world in the hands of a man who many believe is temperamentally unstable," said Donald Selkin, chief market strategist at National Securities in New York.

"His tax cuts could open up a huge increase in the budget deficit and his trade sanctions could interrupt world trade. This could put us in a recession."

Sovereign bonds flew ahead, pushing yields on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes down as much as 12 basis points to 1.75 percent, again the largest drop since Brexit, though they too pared back slightly to stand at 1.80 percent by 0715 GMT.

In commodity markets, safe-haven gold climbed 3.5 percent to $1,320 an ounce as the dollar slid.

Oil turned tail on concerns over the global economic outlook. U.S. crude shed $1.30 to $43.68 a barrel at its lowest, while Brent fell $1.15 to $44.89 before it steadied and clawed back to just above $45 barrel.
A man dressed in red-white-and-blue sits on the curb during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Suddenly the already perilous waters of international trade and politics have become even more lethal for a little country like Ireland.

Mainstream Irish politicians can lament all they wish. They are very probably going to have to make terms with Donald Trump - someone they never seriously considered could become the Leader of the Free World.

The lessons of this horrific US presidential campaign, which mobilised legions of long dormant and forgotten voters in an angry backlash against political and economic elites, will be studied for a long time in Ireland as elsewhere.

Back in late May, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said comments from Donald Trump were "racist and dangerous." He added that the US public has "an alternative to vote for."

Donald Trump and his supporters have not been shy in speaking their mind in the most unparliamentary language. Their official campaign press releases have often dubbed his rival, Hillary Clinton, as 'crooked' Hillary.

But our Taoiseachs comments were understandably never on the Trump radar as long as the campaign continued to boil. Mr Kenny's words were and still are of little consequence in the US and global scheme of things.

But the Taoiseachs blunt assessment is unlikely to be forgotten when the prospect of a St Patricks Day visit to the White House occurs.

Throughout his life, and especially this horrifically bitter election race, Mr Trump has shown a propensity to take personal slights to heart.

And there is the issue of multinational company taxation.

A tribe of politicians including outgoing President Barrack Obama, and his would-be successor were heavily critical of US corporations coming to Ireland to slash their tax bills.

But Mr Trump has struck a different note. He did not blame Ireland, or even these multinational companies.

Mr Trump said these firms were leaving the US because its current tax code is not competitive.

"In the old days you would leave New York and go down to Florida, or you would leave New Jersey to go to Texas to save taxes," he told the financial agency Bloomberg last November.

"Now because of the way the world is so different, you leave the United States and you go to Ireland, and different places in Asia and you go to Europe. It is a different world and we have to compete better," Mr Trump continued.

If a Trump White House cuts US company taxes it could have major implications for Ireland. For those corporations staying at home would become an attractive prospect.

Trump is an isolationist by instinct and his politics preach that the US is being ripped off by international trade deals. He has promised to renegotiate all existing trade agreements - and to redraw the terms of proposed future deals.

Much of his rhetoric focused on China. But his victory could have implications for the future of EU-US trade compounding Irelands Brexit problems.

And watch for the future of the J1 student visa programme under which thousands of Irish students travel to the US each summer. He has spoken of terminating this.

The implications of a Trump world are only beginning to dawn.
Supporters of Donald Trump cheer the GOP presidential nominee at a campaign rally in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Photo: Getty

Republicans have retained their lock on the House of Representatives for two more years as candidates triumphed in a variety of districts Democrats had hoped to take in Florida, Virginia and elsewhere.

Donald Trump's divisive comments about women and Hispanics meant Democrats had envisioned big gains in suburban and ethnically diverse districts for the lower chamber of the US Congress.

Instead Democrats seemed on track for modest pick-ups as Republican contenders were buoyed by their presidential candidate's tight battle against Hillary Clinton.

While expectations were nearly zero that Democrats would win the 30 seats they needed to capture House control for next year, both sides had anticipated they would cut into the historic Republican majority by perhaps a dozen seats.

Expand Close Donald Trump holds as child dressed as him during a rally at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Photo: Getty Images / Facebook

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Whatsapp Donald Trump holds as child dressed as him during a rally at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Photo: Getty Images

"This could be a really good night for America," House speaker Paul Ryan, who won a 10th term in Wisconsin, told supporters in his home town of Janesville.

In Florida, Republican Carlos Curbelo won a race that suggested Mr Trump's damage to the party would be limited.

With around seven in 10 of the Miami-area district's voters being Hispanic, Democrats had targeted it and the race became one of the country's most expensive, with an 18 million dollar price tag, but Mr Curbelo distanced himself from his own party's nominee and held on.

Virginia representative Barbara Comstock kept her seat in the Washington DC suburbs despite Democrats' relentless attempts to tie her to Mr Trump. The two sides spent more than 20 million dollars on that contest in a district of highly educated, affluent voters that both sides had viewed as vulnerable to a Democratic takeover.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) Reince Priebus (R) hugs Republican presidential elect Donald Trump during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / JIM WATSONJIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images People cheer as voting results for Florida come in at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Republican presidential elect Donald Trump gestures while speaking during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9, 2016. Photo: Getty Republican presidential elect Donald Trump (L) gestures next to his family as he arrives to speak during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York Republican president-elect Donald Trump embraces his wife Melania Trump during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Republican president-elect Donald Trump embraces his wife Melania Trump during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, delivers a speech as Republican president-elect Donald Trump looks on during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, delivers a speech as Republican president-elect Donald Trump looks on during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Republican presidential elect Donald Trump (L) arrives with his family on stage to speak during election night at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York on November 9, 2016. Trump stunned America and the world Wednesday, riding a wave of populist resentment to defeat Hillary Clinton in the race to become the 45th president of the United States. / AFP PHOTO / MANDEL NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump gives greets people in the crowd after delivering his acceptance speech at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Campaign chairman John Podesta speaks on stage at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center November 9, 2016 in New York City. Clinton is running against Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Hillary Clinton tweeted "Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything."/ Pic via @HillaryClinton A graphic depicting Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump squaring off in a boxing ring sits in Times Square on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) The Trump family and team watch the results (Photo: Twitter/Donald Trump) Jake Krupa colors in an electoral map as states projected for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump or Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at an election watching party in Coconut Grove, Florida. AFP PHOTO / RHONA WISERHONA WISE/AFP/Getty Images The dollar tumbled against the yen and euro while the Mexican peso fell off a cliff as polling results in the knife-edge US presidential race pointed to a strong showing by Donald Trump. AFP PHOTO / BEHROUZ MEHRIBEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images Ivanka Trump tweets: "Such a surreal moment to vote for my father for President of the United States! Make your voice heard and vote! #Election2016" Pic via Twitter/ @IvankaTrump People watch voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images) A woman reacts as she watches voting results at Democratic presidential nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's election night event at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) People cheer at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) An employee of a foreign exchange trading company stands in front of a monitor displaying Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton (L) and Republican presidential nominee (Photo by Yuya Shino/Getty Images) A police officer stands outside Trump Tower in New York City on election day November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / DOMINICK REUTERDOMINICK REUTER/AFP/Getty Images People vote on the US presidential election at Santa Monica City Hall on November 8, 2016 in Santa Monica, California / AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. BROWNFREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images Nicolette Janoski displays a sticker after voting on November 8, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) Voters cast ballots at a laundrette in Chicago, Illinois Picture: AFP/Getty People cheer as voting results for Iowa come in at Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown on November 8, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Donald Trumps son Eric glances across at the ballot being filled by his wife Lara Yunasska while voting at the 53rd Street Library in New York. Photo: Bloomberg A man poses for a picture near the cardboard cutouts of U.S. presidential nominees Hillary Clinton (L) and Donald Trump, at an election event hosted at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Kathmandu, Nepal November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar Supporters of U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton react at her election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton A supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton bows her head at an election night rally in New York, U.S., November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Carlos Barria A supporter of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump holds up a Trump doll during an election night party at a hotel in downtown Phoenix, Arizona on November 8, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / Laura SegallLAURA SEGALL/AFP/Getty Images People watch elections results during election night at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York on November 9, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / DON EMMERTDON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images People gather around Times Square to view televised results of the US presidential election on November 9, 2016 in New York. / AFP PHOTO / EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZEDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ/AFP/Getty Images Supporters of U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton react at her election night rally in Manhattan, New York, U.S., November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY A man leans out of a Hummer shouting words in support of U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump while driving through Times Square in New York, U.S., November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Mark Kauzlarich / Facebook

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Whatsapp NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Democrats defeated two Florida Republican incumbents, but those results seemed due to local circumstances.

John Mica, a 73-year-old 12-term veteran from the Orlando area, was criticised by Republican strategists for a lacklustre campaign and lost to Democrat newcomer Stephanie Murphy.

Democratic challenger Charlie Crist, once the state's Republican governor, defeated David Jolly in a St Petersburg district that had been redrawn to favour Democrats.

Democrats spent 4 million dollars and beat Scott Garrett, a member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus from a northern New Jersey suburb of New York City, and they defeated Bob Dold, a Republican moderate from the Chicago suburbs where Democratic strength proved overpowering.

Expand Close Donald Trump is claiming criticism from senior figures in the Republican Party like Paul Ryan is holding him back electorally (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Donald Trump is claiming criticism from senior figures in the Republican Party like Paul Ryan is holding him back electorally (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Both parties' candidates and outside groups spent nearly 1.1 billion dollars combined on House campaigns, short of the 1.2 billion dollar record in 2012, according to the Centre for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan research group.

Republicans had only a slight financial edge.

While Mr Trump hurt Republicans in some areas, his appeal to working-class white voters and their antipathy to Ms Clinton helped candidates in others.

That seemed to help Republicans limit an erosion of their House majority, which would have left hardline conservatives with added clout to frustrate party leaders.

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Even with the Ryan-led House advantage, work has stalled on spending bills after hitting objections from conservatives, including about 40 members of the Freedom Caucus. A major loss of moderate Republicans would have increased dissident Republicans' leverage next year.
Minister Katherine Zappone pictured with US Ambassador to Ireland Kevin F O Malley, at the US Embassy Election night 2016 at the Guinness Store House.Picture Credit: Frank Mc Grath

Noisy, robust and complicated, US Ambassador Kevin OMalley was talking about democracy when he took to the podium in the Guinness Storehouse on Tuesday but he may as well have been talking about the Embassys US 2016 Election Party.

The shindig kicked off with stars and stripes, terrifying life-size balloon statues of Donald Trump, an abundance of sliders and a giant Statue of Liberty ice luge.

It was jam packed with RTE broadcaster Blaithnaid Ni Chofaigh, Heather Humphreys, Michael Healy Rae, and Alan Kelly were along the guests to crowd through the doors and await the results of the most divisive US election in memory unfold.

Everyone thinks its going to be Hillary but there are lots of secret voters out there, Blaithnaid warned while tucking into a burger.

Guests were greeted by jumpin' jive jazz band the Bugle Babes who serenaded ex pats with show tunes.

Beside patriotic ice luges depicting American eagles and memorials, things were getting heated.

Expand Close Jenny Maguire , Rathfarnham and Nicole Kehoe from Clonskeigh pictured at the US Embassy Election night 2016 at the Guinness Store House. Photo: Frank Mc Grath / Facebook

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Whatsapp Jenny Maguire , Rathfarnham and Nicole Kehoe from Clonskeigh pictured at the US Embassy Election night 2016 at the Guinness Store House. Photo: Frank Mc Grath

A presidential pop quiz saw tempers fly. How did you think Thomas Jefferson moved into the white house in 1802!? How One irate democrat exclaimed.

What are they playing for? I asked a lady holding a clipboard.

A notebook.

As punters sank pints and watch US election coverage on giant TV screens, the volume in the room increased.

Taking to the stage Kevin OMalley welcomed guests.

"You would think that after so many elections we Americans would be used to this, calm about it. But no," he said.

"Democracy in a nation of over 300 million people can be noisy, robust and often complicated.

"Each of us have our own opinions and deeply held beliefs. When we go through tough times and make big decisions as a country, it inevitably stirs passions," he continued.

"That wont change after tonight, and it shouldnt. These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty.

The United States is a country founded on the principle of a government of the people, by the people, and for the people -- in Abraham Lincolns famous words. This democratic process  as exhausting as it can be  is what makes us the United States of America.

Guests were encouraged to vote for their preferred candidate and pose next to balloon versions of either candidate - crafted by childrens entertainer Mr Balloonatic.

Those interested in more political chat than party pieces enjoyed Pint Sized Chat series.

The fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail was hosted by Dr Patrick Geoghegan and Borders, Bridges and Beyond was another packed out event.

Poll results started to filter in by 11pm which were followed by cheers and gasps.
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton cookies are on sale at the Oakmont Bakery in Oakmont, Pennsylvania Picture: Reuters

It began at the foot of a golden escalator in Trump Tower, Donald Trump's glitzy New York headquarters. Mr Trump, the well-known billionaire and reality TV star, launched his presidential campaign in June 2015 to collective guffaws from the political elite.

"We are going to make our country great again," he said.

Mr Trump announced that he would build a giant wall to keep Mexicans out - and make Mexico pay for it.

"When Mexico sends its people," he said, "They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists." The most bizarre US election season in recent memory had begun.

On the other side of the aisle, there was little jostling for the Democratic presidential nomination. Few wanted to challenge former first lady and secretary of state Hillary Clinton. But she ended up with a bigger battle than she expected when Bernie Sanders, the septuagenarian socialist senator from Vermont, loped out from a side door of Congress and announced to a small cluster of journalists on the lawn that he was going to run. Young people began appearing at his rallies, attracted by his opposition to "big money America" and the promise of free university tuition.

With Mr Sanders whipping his supporters into a frenzy, Mrs Clinton found herself parodied on comedy shows for a lack of charisma. Her slogans, "I'm With Her" and "Stronger Together", failed to resonate like Mr Sanders's "Feel the Bern". The political veteran pulled off an early upset in Iowa in the primary contest and stunned pollsters when he also won Michigan.

Meanwhile, the Republican primary was being shaken up, too. Mr Trump was abrasive, arrogant and ineloquent - and gaining ground. Scandals that would have killed other presidential campaigns, such as a call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the US, only saw him rise in the polls. In the primary debates, he joked about the size of his genitalia and suggested moderator Megyn Kelly was asking unfair questions because she was menstruating.

He also used the debates to annihilate his opponents with crippling monikers which, once uttered, appeared to stick.

Jeb Bush, the brother and son of former presidents who believed his time had come, was nicknamed "low-energy Jeb" and duly faded away, along with "Little Marco" Rubio, and "Lyin' Ted" Cruz.

A field of 17 Republicans was eventually whittled down to one and it became official: Mr Trump was the Republican nominee.

Mrs Clinton also won her primary race, but emerged bruised from the fight.

As well as the battle with Mr Sanders, she faced an FBI investigation into her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state.

In July 2016, she was cleared of criminal wrongdoing, but FBI director James Comey's strong rebuke that she had been "extremely careless" was useful fodder for her rival.

She emerged as the second most unpopular major party presidential nominee in modern American history - Mr Trump being first.

At a September 11 memorial service, Mrs Clinton was filmed collapsing and had to be bundled into a car, leading to wild rumours about her health. Supporters of Mr Trump suggested she had a brain tumour. Mrs Clinton later explained she had pneumonia.

By the first presidential debate Mrs Clinton had learnt that she needed to get down in the dirt. She pummelled her opponent, calling him sexist, racist and a tax dodger. She also introduced the story of Alicia Machado, a former Miss Universe whom Mr Trump had called "Miss Piggy" when she put on weight. It was a turning point, and polls showed her building a lead.

Just as it seemed the campaign could not get more sordid, the appearance of a 2005 tape revealed Mr Trump making crude remarks about women and boasting how his fame meant he could "grab them by the p****".

Mr Trump dismissed the remarks as "locker room talk". Then around a dozen women came forward to say they had been victims of Mr Trump's unwanted advances. At the second debate, Mr Trump tried to hit back by bringing up sexual allegations against Mrs Clinton's husband, Bill, seating the accusers in the front row. But the damage to his campaign was done.

Mrs Clinton's poise in such an extraordinary situation won the respect, if not the enthusiasm, of many voters, and it seemed that, finally, the election was hers.

As desperation set in, Mr Trump began ranting that the election was "rigged". In the final debate, he declared that he would keep the country "in suspense" and might not accept the result.

Mrs Clinton then suffered the ultimate "October surprise". With just 11 days to go, Mr Comey announced that the FBI was scrutinising new emails that were "pertinent" to the previous investigation of Mrs Clinton's private server. They were discovered on the computer of Anthony Weiner, the ex-congressman accused of sending explicit messages to a 15-year-old girl, and who was married to Huma Abedin, a close Clinton aide.

Mrs Clinton's poll numbers started to turn; Mr Trump performed at his rallies with glee. Then, in another shock just two days before the election, Mr Comey revealed that nothing incriminating had been found in the emails. Mrs Clinton was in the clear.

As the campaign drew to a close, many Americans were reportedly seeking therapy for high levels of stress brought on by the election.

And with so many of the accepted rules of engagement broken, American politics will never be the same again. ( Daily Telegraph London)

in Washington
There were extraordinary scenes at the Web Summit in Lisbon on Wednesday as some tech executives reacted explosively to the election of Donald Trump.

Dave McClure, who is one the industry's best known startup funders through his 500 Startups organisation, led the way with an emotional outburst at the conference's main stage in front of 7,000 people.

As Independent.ie's exclusive video shows, Mr McClure turned to the crowd and challenged them to "stand the f*** up", adding that "this sh*t will not stand".

"If you're not pi***d right now, what is f***ing wrong with you? What is wrong with you?" shouted Mr McClure.

When the moderator, CNN's Laurie Segall, tried to steer the stage session back to a technology topic, Mr McClure reacted angrily.

"What do you mean bring it back to technology? This is the whole of f***ing humanity!"

500 Startups is a business accelerator organisation that helps young tech firms get off the ground. Mr McClure also appeared at the 2015 Web Summit in Dublin.

When Ms Segall tried again to bring the conversation back to a technology theme, Mr McClure responded angrily on what he saw as the tech and communication industry's role in helping to elect Mr Trump.

"I'm sad, I'm ashamed, I'm angry," he said. "Technology has a role in that we provide communication platforms. And we're allowing sh*t to happen, just like cable news networks and just like talk radio. It's a propaganda medium and if people aren't aware of the sh*t that they're being told, if they're not understanding that people are trying to sue them to get into f***ing office, then yes, a**holes like Trump are gonna take office.

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"And it's our duty and our responsibility as entrepreneurs and citizens of the f***ing world to make sure that sh*t does not happen. This sh*t will not stand and you gotta fight for your rights."

Wow, @davemcclure has a MELTDOWN on #WebSummit stage over Donald Trump election pic.twitter.com/aRJmFpYyQA  Adrian Weckler (@adrianweckler) November 9, 2016

Mr McClure then turned again to the Web Summit audience angrily.

"Stand the f**k up! Stand up! Stand the f**k up! Stand up and make a goddamn difference!"

Elsewhere at the Web Summit, a number of tech executives privately expressed dismay at Mr Trump's election to Independent.ie.

Shervin Pishevar, cofounder of Sherpa Capital and a major early investor in Uber, suggested that liberal-leaning California might break away from the US.

"If Trump wins I am announcing and funding a legitimate campaign for California to become its own nation," he said as news of Mr Trump's victory started to filter through.

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"We can re-enter the union after California becomes a nation. As the sixth largest economy in the world, the economic engine of the nation and provider of a large percentage of the federal budget, California carries a lot of weight."

The only high profile tech investor to publicly back Mr Trump, Peter Thiel, struck a more cautious note. "Were going to need all hands on deck, he said. He has an awesomely difficult task, since it is long past time for us to face up to our countrys problems.

The Web Summit continues through Thursday.
Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, delivers a speech as Republican president-elect Donald Trump looks on during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

President-elect Donald Trump talks to his supporters after giving his acceptance speech during his election night rally, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Republican president-elect Donald Trump embraces his wife Melania Trump during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Progressive, liberal, millennial and inclusive, Portland, Oregon is most of the things Donald Trump is not.

You dont have to vote Democrat to live here, but it helps.

All of which explains the sense of fear, dismay and dread that the city woke to on Wednesday morning. No amount of artisanal, locally-sourced coffee could help  this was a waking nightmare.

Unless you were one of the four-in-ten Oregon voters who voted to make America great again, of course.

That stat sums up the crisis facing the country today. Even in the bluest of blue States, many people  your neighbours, co-workers, possibly even your friends?  were happy to cast their ballot for a misogynistic xenophobe whose economic platform risks plunging the worlds largest economy into recession.

Hes not big on immigrants either, which is where it gets personal. I relocated to the States from Ireland last summer, arriving with my wife just in time for the debates.

Initially the prospect of electing a Groper-in-Chief wasnt much of a worry. The choice was between a bigoted buffoon and an actual politician, who was far-from-perfect but who had a track record of public service, at least. What was the worst that could happen?

Fast forward to last night, and an election event in a bar on Mississippi Avenue, the heartland of Portlandia, an event crammed mainly with craft-beer drinking, plaid-wearing millennials.

Expand Close A man dressed in red-white-and-blue sits on the curb during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) / Facebook

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Whatsapp A man dressed in red-white-and-blue sits on the curb during a protest against President-elect Donald Trump, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

As the hours passed the mood switched from anticipation to indignation to  as Ohio turned red  resignation and anger. By 10pm the party was over, the room half empty.

While most of us retreated home some Portlanders did what they do best: staged a protest. Two hundred people blocked part of Interstate 5, a major route through the city, in the early hours after marching through downtown.

Expand Close Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, delivers a speech as Republican president-elect Donald Trump looks on during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, delivers a speech as Republican president-elect Donald Trump looks on during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Their aim? No one knew exactly, it was just a purposeless, reckless action by a group of aggrieved Americans intent on sending a message. Sound familiar?

Elsewhere the rest of us began adjusting to a country where President-Elect Trump is the new normal.

Expand Close NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump gives greets people in the crowd after delivering his acceptance speech at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: Republican president-elect Donald Trump gives greets people in the crowd after delivering his acceptance speech at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016 in New York City. Donald Trump defeated Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton to become the 45th president of the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The discourse has changed overnight  literally. This morning the CEO of my wifes company emailed employees to assure them that sexism and racism were not acceptable under any circumstances.

As for us immigrants, things have changed.

Im one of the lucky ones, I have a Green Card. But what about the 11m immigrants here who dont, without whom the country would cease to function? Will they be subject to mass deportation? And when will work begin on that beautiful wall?

Legal or illegal, as an immigrant in the US  a country built by new arrivals  Trumps message is simple: Americans first. Where does that leave me and the hundreds of thousands of other Irish-born immigrants to this country?

Well find out over the coming four years. Until then, its time to adapt that most American of outlooks, one probably favoured by the next President himself: deal with it.
Paddy Sheehan and friends in Chicago for the Ireland New Zealand game

In August 2015, Donald Trump declared that if he were to be elected as president, the J-1 Visa would be terminated.

The billionaire businessman described the scheme as a jobs programme for foreign youths and wanted it replaced with a scheme which created jobs for young people in US inner cities.

Now president-elect, some lawyers in the US are predicting that Trump will stick to his word.

I do believe he will abolish the J-1 Visa because in 2015, he unequivocally stated that he was going to revoke it and effectively now he wants to give those jobs to inner city youths, US Immigration Attorney Caro Kinsella told Independent.ie.

There have already been restrictions placed on the visa. As of July 2017, students will not be allowed to enter the US unless they have a job already. As it stands, there is only one visa that allows you to come into America without a job, and that is the self-employed visa.

With offices in both Florida and Dublin, Limerick native Caro says she is not surprised by the outcome of the election.

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Being in the states and listening to people over there, they wanted change. They are tired of the political establishment. He is a great salesman, and he sold a story that the Americans bought, she said.

When asked about whether Trump will be able to revoke existing visas, she says she cant see this happening.

I dont believe that anyone who is currently in the states under a J-1 visa is going to have that taken from them. Anyone that is over there, is fine, it is the person who will be looking for a visa over the next two years that will be affected.

To enact the legislation to abolish the visa, Caro says it would be a straight forward process.

He is legally permitted to do quite a lot because he now has a majority in Congress. If he wants the visa revoked, he can propose this to Congress who will create the bill, and all he has to do is sign it into law.

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You also have the Supreme Court issue. It is the highest court in the US and you have nine judges,, currently there are eight. There is one place open and the president will appoint this. Currently, there are four Republican and 4 Democratic, so when Trump becomes president, he can appoint a Republican Supreme Court Justice.

Student and youth travel agents, USIT and SAYIT, who organise the J-1 programmes, declined to give a comment.

Meanwhile, Irish graduates who are currently living in the US on J-1 Visa programmes are concerned about what Trumps election will mean for them.

Paddy Sheehan (26), originally from Limerick, is currently working in Chicago as an engineer on a graduate visa.

I doubt Trump could void current visas that have already been awarded. It's a shame though that he has plans to abolish the J-1 scheme; it's a great programme with a lot of benefits to Irish people and American employers. Who I really feel sorry for though, is the undocumented Irish who have really made their life here, be a worrying transition for them.

Reacting to the election, Paddy says we have to accept what the American people wanted.

For me I don't find it disgraceful because at the end of the day it's how the American people voted and it's up to them, what's disgraceful is how people can still find a candidate like him plausible after everything he has said and done.

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Padraig Joyce, an Irish-American who lived in Berkeley, California on a J-1 in 2011, is disappointed by the outcome.

He has been living in San Francisco for the past three years, and admits he is considering moving home.

I'm not a happy American citizen after the election. I'm angry and upset but mostly I'm shocked. I'm shocked to discover how ignorant the majority of this nation, a world leading country, I've chosen to live in is.

I still can't believe Trump was allowed to run as a candidate, don't mind actually being elected as the new president. He has offended women, immigrants, the LGBTQ community, Muslims and the Hispanic community, just to name a few.

When I first made the decision to use my dual citizenship and move out to America about 4 years ago, I had an idea it was the best place to be and always about 10 years ahead of the rest of the world.

Now, I personally feel American history will take a good few steps backwards after this result. Unfortunately, this decision doesn't only affect Americans, It will have a worldwide effect in my opinion.

Sibeal Ni Cearbhallain, a masters student in Dublin, met Trump during the summer of 2013 while working as a hostess in the terrace of his hotel.

I dont understand his mindset by saying that hes abolishing the J-1 visa.

Im not sure hes aware of the number of Irish students who go over and work for him.
University of California, Davis students protest on campus in Davis, California, U.S. following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Max Whittaker

A woman yells as she takes part in a protest against President-elect Donald Trump, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

A trash fire burns during protests in Oakland, Calif., late Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. President-elect Donald TrumpAos victory set off multiple protests. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group via AP)

An Oakland police officer checks out damage after a window was broken by protesters at a car dealership in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016. President-elect Donald TrumpAos victory set off multiple protests. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group via AP)

Madeline Lopes, left, and Cassidy Irwin, both of Oakland, march with other protesters in downtown Oakland, Calif., early Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016. President-elect Donald TrumpAos victory set off multiple protests. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group via AP)

Police officers walk past an overturned newspaper rack during protests in Oakland, Calif., late Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. President-elect Donald TrumpAos victory set off multiple protests. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group via AP)

University of California, Davis students protest on campus in Davis, California, U.S. following the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Max Whittaker/File Photo

A man holds placards at an anti-racism protest against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside of the U.S Embassy in London, Britain, November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

A woman holds a placard at an anti-racism protest against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside of the U.S. Embassy in London, Britain, November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

A man holds a placard at an anti-racism protest against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside of the U.S. Embassy in London, Britain, November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hannah McKay FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES

People hold placards at an anti-racism protest against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside of the U.S. Embassy in London, Britain, November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

Demonstrators protest against the election of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump in front of the White House in Washington November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

A woman holds a placard at an anti-racism protest against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside of the U.S. Embassy in London, Britain, November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

People hold placards at an anti-racism protest against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside of the U.S. Embassy in London, Britain, November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

People hold placards at an anti-racism protest against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside of the U.S. Embassy in London, Britain, November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

A supporter of the far-right English Defence League group expresses his views to media during a protest against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside of the U.S. Embassy in London, Britain, November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

A supporter of the far-right English Defence League group is restrained by police during a protest against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside of the U.S. Embassy in London, Britain, November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

People hold placards at an anti-racism protest against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside of the U.S. Embassy in London, Britain, November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

People hold placards at an anti-racism protest against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside of the U.S. Embassy in London, Britain, November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

Placards lay on the floor during an anti-racism protest against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump outside of the U.S. Embassy in London, Britain, November 9, 2016. Picture rotated 180 degrees. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

Two young women hold up a sign reading "nasty women unite" in protest to the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States in Berkeley, California, U.S. November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage

Alice Bynum (C) stands with other Berkeley High School staff members and holds a sign while attending a protest about the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States in Berkeley, California, U.S. November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage

Berkeley High School students begin to march after assembling in front of Sproul Hall on the UC Berkeley campus in protest to the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States in Berkeley, California, U.S. November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage

A young man wearing a Berkeley High Class of 2016 shirt wipes away ters during a protest in response to the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States in Berkeley, California, U.S. November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage

Berkeley High School students assemble on the UC Berkeley campus in protest to the election of Republican Donald Trump as President of the United States in Berkeley, California, U.S. November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage TEMPLATE OUT

Protesters walk in the middle of traffic lanes after Donald Trump's election victory, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 in downtown, Portland, Ore. Portland police made no arrests during Tuesday night's post-election protest. (Stephanie Yao Long//The Oregonian via AP)

Protesters walk in the middle of traffic lanes after Donald Trump's election victory, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 in downtown, Portland, Ore. Portland police made no arrests during Tuesday night's post-election protest. (Stephanie Yao Long//The Oregonian via AP)

People protest on the University of Connecticut campus against the election of Republican Donald Trump as President Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Pat Eaton-Robb)

A supporter of the far-right English Defence League group is restrained by police after shouting his views, and disrupting an anti-racism protest against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump winning the American election, outside the U.S. embassy in London, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

The election of Donald Trump to the presidency sparked protests in the United States.

Demonstrators smashed windows and set bins on fire early Wednesday in Oakland, California.

And in Oregon, dozens of people blocked traffic in Portland causing delays for trains on two rail lines.

Media reports said the crowd grew to about 300 people, including some who sat in the middle of a road. The crowd of anti-Trump protesters burned American flags and chanted, "That's not my president."

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In Pennsylvania, hundreds of University of Pittsburgh students marched through the streets, with some in the crowd calling for unity. The student-run campus newspaper, the Pitt News, tweeted about an event titled "Emergency Meeting: Let's Unite to Stop President Trump."

In Seattle, about 100 protesters gathered in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, blocked roads and set a trash bin on fire.

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On Twitter, the hashtag "NotMyPresident" had been used nearly half a million times.

The Oakland protest grew to about 250 people by late Tuesday. Police Officer Marco Marquez said protesters damaged five businesses, breaking windows and spraying graffiti. No arrests were made.

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A woman was struck by a car and badly injured when protesters got on to a main road, the California Highway Patrol said. Demonstrators vandalised the driver's SUV before officers intervened. The road was closed for about 20 minutes.

Elsewhere in California, more than 1,000 students at Berkeley High School staged a walk-out and marched to the campus of the University of California.

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"We're sitting here, setting our clocks back to 1950 electing this fool. You know? Trump honestly just makes us realize how much hate and ignorance is left," a female student told the rally, monitored via the social media app Periscope.

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Students also walked out of two high schools in Oakland as well as a school in Phoenix, Arizona.

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Police said at least 500 people swarmed streets in and around the UCLA campus, some shouting anti-Trump expletives and others chanting "Not my president!"

Smaller demonstrators were held at other University of California campuses and neighbourhoods in Irvine and Davis, and at California State University, San Jose.

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In downtown Los Angeles, a mostly Latino group of about 300 high school students, mostly from the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex, walked out of classes and marched to the steps of City Hall, where they held a brief but boisterous rally. Several school officials accompanied the youths as chaperones.

Chanting in Spanish, "The people united will never be defeated," the group held signs with slogans such as "Not Supporting Racism, Not My President," and "Immigrants Make America Great."

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A representative of the Trump campaign could not be reached immediately for comment.

About a fourth of the students from Miguel Contreras are members of the so-called "Dreamers" generation, children whose undocumented parents entered the United States with them illegally, school officials said, and fear of deportation under a Trump administration is a major concern.

One of Trump's marquee campaign pledges was to build a wall along the border with Mexico to keep out undocumented immigrants and deport en masse those who immigrated illegally.

"A child should not live in fear that they will be deported. They should not live in fear that they themselves will be deported," said Stephanie Hipolito, one of the student organizers of the walkout. She said her parents are U.S. citizens.

"We're not criminals. We're not drug dealers. We're hard-working people looking for the American dream like anybody else," she said.

Anti-Trump rallies were planned later Wednesday in New York, Boston, Chicago and other cities as well, according to social media postings. A Facebook page for a protest scheduled for Manhattan's Union Square Park showed more than 8,000 people planned to attend.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close Demonstrators protest against the election of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump in front of the White House in Washington November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque A protester waves a Mexican flag as others gather to protest to the election of Republican Donald Trump as the president of the United States outside City Hall in Los Angeles, California U.S., November 9, 2016. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni TEMPLATE OUT / Facebook

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In Austin, Texas, about 400 people staged a peaceful protest march through the streets of the Texas capital, police said.

There were also protests in Portland, Oregon, San Francisco and Seattle, where police said a shooting that left five people seriously injured was not connected to the rally.

In New York, several groups of protesters caused massive gridlock as police mobilised to contain them under a light rain.

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They held signs that read "Trump Makes America Hate" and chanted "hey, hey, ho, ho Donald Trump has got to go" and "Impeach Trump".

However Republicans claimed a mandate for the president-elect, and an emotional Hillary Clinton earlier told crestfallen supporters he deserved a "chance to lead".

President Barack Obama pledged a smooth transition of power, and has invited the man he had declared unfit for the presidency to the White House on Thursday.

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"We are now all rooting for his success in uniting and leading the country," the president said of Mr Trump, who spent years questioning Mr Obama's birthplace and challenging the legitimacy of his presidency.

Mr Trump was uncharacteristically quiet in the aftermath of his triumph and made no public appearances on Wednesday.

He huddled with jubilant advisers at his skyscraper in Manhattan, beginning the daunting task of setting up an administration that will take power in just over two months.

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He also met Vice President-elect Mike Pence and took calls from supporters, family and friends, according to spokeswoman Hope Hicks.

In Washington, Mr Trump's transition team sprang into action, looking through personnel lists for senior jobs and working through handover plans for government agencies.

Mr Trump was expected to consider several loyal supporters for senior jobs, including former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani for attorney general or national security adviser.

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After struggling for months with Mr Trump's takeover of their party, Republican leaders embraced the businessman in victory.

House Speaker Paul Ryan, who was lukewarm in his support throughout the campaign, praised him for pulling off "the most incredible political feat I have seen in my lifetime".

Mr Ryan said: "He just earned a mandate."

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Indeed, Mr Trump will take office in January with Congress fully in his party's control, giving him strength to try to pass his agenda and turn the Supreme Court in a conservative direction.

Even Republicans were stunned by the scope of their electoral success, including many who had been privately predicting Mr Trump's defeat.

Mrs Clinton's emotions were raw as she addressed a crowd of supporters, eyes wet with tears, who gathered in a New York ballroom.

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She said the crushing loss was "painful and it will be for a long time" and acknowledged that the nation was "more divided than we thought".

Still, she was gracious in defeat, declaring: "Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind and the chance to lead."
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated businessman Donald Trump on his victory in the U.S. presidential election in a telegram on Wednesday, the Kremlin said.

"Putin expressed hope for joint work to restore Russian-American relations from their state of crisis, and also to address pressing international issues and search for effective responses to challenges concerning global security," the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin also said he was sure a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington would serve the interests of both countries, the Kremlin said.
Sharbat Gulla is most recognisable as the Afghan refugee on the cover of National Geographic.

Pakistan has deported National Geographic's famed green-eyed "Afghan Girl" to her native Afghanistan after a regional court convicted her of carrying a forged Pakistani ID and staying in the country illegally.

The case of Sharbat Gulla has drawn international attention and criticism of Pakistani authorities over their perceived harsh treatment of the famous refugee.

Ms Gulla and her four children were handed over to Afghan authorities at the Torkham border crossing, about 35 miles north west of the Pakistani city of Peshawar.

A visibly unhappy Ms Gulla, clad in a blue burka, and her children had been taken from Peshawar to the border in a convoy, which included several Afghan officials, said local government administrator Fayaz Khan.

At the crossing, Ms Gulla turned once to look back at Pakistani territory and softly murmured good wishes for the people of Pakistan - her home of many years, according to two customs officials at the scene.

She was arrested in late October on charges of carrying fake Pakistani ID papers and staying in Pakistan illegally. A Peshawar court later ordered her deported.

She gained international fame in 1984 as an Afghan refugee girl, after war photographer Steve McCurry's photograph of her, with piercing green eyes, was published on National Geographic's cover.

Mr McCurry found her again in 2002, then in 2014, she went into hiding after authorities accused her of buying fake Pakistani documents.

Mr Khan said she was being flown to the Afghan capital Kabul to attend a function in her honour hosted by Afghan president Ashraf Ghani.

Peshawar provincial authorities had reportedly tried to find a legal way for Ms Gulla to stay in the country on humanitarian grounds, but she declined the offer, according to Mr Khan.

After the Peshawar court sentenced her to 15 days in jail and a fine of 1,000 US dollars, she fell ill and was admitted to Peshawar's Lady Reading hospital.

On Wednesday, the hospital staff presented Ms Gulla a bouquet of red roses before bidding her farewell, said Dr Mukhtiar Zaman, adding that she was still weak from her illness.

AP
Democrats suffered a further double blow in the US elections as Republicans retained control in both houses of Congress.

Republicans held on to a slim majority in the Senate, in a stinging blow to Democrats, who had been nearly certain of retaking control.

They saw their hopes fizzle out as endangered Republican incumbents won in Missouri, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and even Democrat-friendly Wisconsin.

Meanwhile, Republicans retained their lock on the House of Representatives for two more years as candidates triumphed in a variety of districts Democrats had hoped to take in Florida, Virginia and elsewhere.

Republicans started the night with a 54-46 majority in the Senate and are on track to end up with at least 52 seats, presuming they win a December run-off in Louisiana, as expected.

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, who will serve in that role next year, issued a statement congratulating Mr Trump.

"After eight years of the Obama administration, the American people have chosen a new direction for our nation. President-elect Trump has a significant opportunity to bring our nation together. It is my hope and intent that we succeed in the years ahead by working together with our colleagues across the aisle to strengthen our national and economic security."

Republicans celebrated their wins by already looking ahead to mid-terms in 2018, when Democrats could see their numbers reduced even further with a group of Senate Democrats on the ballot. The party faces being consigned to minority status on Capitol Hill for years.

As the night wore on, Democratic officials struggled to explain why their optimistic assessments of retaking Senate control were so mistaken. Some blamed unexpected turnout by certain segments of white voters, or FBI director James Comey's bombshell announcement that he was reviewing a new batch of emails connected with Hillary Clinton.

The Senate races were shadowed every step of the way by the polarising presidential race between Mrs Clinton and Mr Trump, and in the end, he was apparently not the drag on Republican candidates that was widely anticipated.

Even though the party's renewed control of the Senate will be narrow, the advantages of being in the majority are significant. The controlling party holds the committee chairmanships, sets the legislative agenda and runs investigations. First up is likely to be a nominee to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court.

In the lower chamber of Congress, Mr Trump's divisive comments about women and Hispanics meant Democrats had envisioned big gains in suburban and ethnically diverse districts.

Instead Democrats made modest pick-ups as Republican contenders were buoyed by their presidential candidate's battle against Ms Clinton.

Expectations had been low that Democrats would win the 30 seats they needed to capture House control, but both sides had anticipated they would cut the historic Republican majority by perhaps a dozen seats. Republicans currently hold a 247-188 majority, including three vacant seats, the most the party has commanded since their 270 in 1931.

House speaker Paul Ryan, the Republican representative for Wisconsin who won a 10th term, called Mr Trump to congratulate him on his win, and pledged to work together after a fractious relationship before the vote.

"We are eager to work hand-in-hand with the new administration to advance an agenda to improve the lives of the American people," Mr Ryan said in a statement, adding that Mr Trump's victory "marks a repudiation of the status quo of failed liberal progressive policies".

Both parties' candidates and outside groups spent nearly 1.1 billion dollars combined on House campaigns, short of the 1.2 billion dollar record in 2012, according to the Centre for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan research group.

Republicans had only a slight financial edge.

While Mr Trump hurt Republicans in some areas, his appeal to working-class white voters and their antipathy to Mrs Clinton helped candidates in others.

That seemed to help Republicans limit an erosion of their House majority, which would have left hardline conservatives with added clout to frustrate party leaders. A major loss of moderate Republicans would have increased dissident Republicans' leverage next year.

AP
The Russian missile cruiser Varyag, with the Russian navy destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov in the rear, on patrol in the Mediterranean. (AP)

Russian warships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea have driven away a Dutch submarine shadowing the squadron, the military said.

Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said two Russian navy destroyers spotted the Walrus-class submarine on Wednesday while it was 11 nautical miles away from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier and its escorting ships.

The destroyers had tracked the submarine for more than an hour, using anti-submarine helicopters, before forcing it to leave the area, he said.

The spokesman added that such "clumsy" attempts to manoeuvre close to the Russian squadron could have resulted in an accident.

Major General Konashenkov said the Russian squadron had previously spotted several Nato submarines, including a US Virginia-class nuclear submarine, while en route to eastern Mediterranean waters.

A Nato official said the alliance's navies have been monitoring the Russian fleet in recent weeks in a "measured and responsible way, as is customary". He refused to elaborate on how Nato was doing that.

The Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier is being accompanied by the nuclear-powered Peter the Great missile cruiser and several other ships on a mission to Syria's shores, the Russian navy's largest deployment since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

Nato has expressed concern, saying the move could presage an increase in the number of Russian air raids in Syria, particularly around the besieged city of Aleppo.

AP
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  Republican incumbent Pat McCrory and Democratic challenger Roy Cooper were neck-and-neck in the race for North Carolina governor Tuesday in an election that mimicked a referendum on the state's rightward political shift, including the law McCrory signed limiting LGBT rights.

The race between McCrory and the outgoing attorney general was too close to call based on partial, unofficial results. Cooper focused on House Bill 2 during the campaign and used high-profile opposition to the law by corporate CEOs, gay rights groups, the NCAA and Atlantic Coast Conference to his political advantage.

McCrory defended signing the law last March and tried to focus his campaign on the state's recovering economy and finances during his four years in office, which he attributed to lower income taxes and sound budgeting. Flooding after Hurricane Matthew last month also gave McCrory the opportunity to lead recovery efforts as cameras watched.

The race is one of the most competitive in the country and marks the best chance for Democrats to flip a state led by a Republican chief executive. Libertarian Lon Cecil also was on the ballot.

Cooper said House Bill 2, which also directed transgender people to use bathrooms at schools and government buildings corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates, exemplified the conservative direction in which McCrory took the state. McCrory also signed laws requiring photo identification to vote, increasing abortion wait times and giving taxpayer-funded scholarships to K-12 students to attend private schools.

Alethea Jones, 45, of Rocky Mount, who almost always votes for Democrats, said she didn't think McCrory had been a disaster as governor. But Jones said McCrory got lost with all the problems surrounding the LGBT law.

"All of those jobs leaving the state are bad," she said.

Critics of the LGBT law have pointed to the loss of concerts, sporting events and some business expansions because of the measure.

The governor blamed city leaders in Charlotte  where he was once mayor for leading the GOP-controlled legislature to approve House Bill 2 after the city council passed a non-discrimination ordinance that included gender identity. McCrory also tried to shape the debate toward federal overreach, particularly since President Barack Obama's administration later directed schools nationwide to allow students to use facilities aligned with their gender identity.

Cooper represented rural Nash County in the General Assembly before first being elected attorney general in 2000. He said he would work to raise teacher salaries to the national average and repeal House Bill 2 to remove an obstacle to economic growth and improving North Carolina's reputation.

Republican Constance Peake, 86, of Durham, had misgivings about House Bill 2 but otherwise gave high marks to McCrory's tenure as governor, as well as the GOP legislative leadership.

"Oh lord, yes. I like him," Peake said of McCrory. "I think he's done a good job."
Things have come a long way since the cardboard-looking pizza or oozy Mac and cheese many adults remember as school lunch.

For students in Kannapolis, the questionable chili has made way for cilantro lime rice and Thai chicken, the watered down mashed potatoes cleared out for chicken and spinach Alfredo and tomato and corn salad. Fresh produce and seasoning cram into made-from-scratch menu items that quite literally have been flying off the shelves.

"It is my top priority as the school nutrition administrator for Kannapolis to give kids an opportunity to experience different foods, foods that are made with fresh ingredients and are nutrient dense," Anne Treanor with Kannapolis City Schools said. "Incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables into the menu is the best way to give children the best nutrition on a daily basis."

Treanor along with a few district cafeteria managers attended a culinary institute put on b the N.C. Department of Instruction, which provided training from top chefs from Johnson & Wales University.

"The whole point of it is to get excellent training from well-trained top chefs in the state and bring that back to your district and teach it forward," Treanor said. "Learn things like proper knife skills, new recipes."

A big part of the initiative is to start shifting popular perceptions of hot lunches. Treanor said things have improved drastically over the years, and KCS continues to tap resources such as the culinary institute to continue that trend.

"A key to this is there's always this reputation about school food, that it's not good," she said. "It's kind of cliche to say, oh, school food is bad. But school food service has really come a long way the past 10, 15 years. We're doing some really good things, coming up with some new recipes, that are really tasty and the kids really like. So that's what we're trying to do is change that perception of school food."

In addition to incorporating more produce into the menu, KCS staff brought back some adjustments in food preparation, making things more colorfulsimple changes that pack a big punch.

"Pretty much more eye appealing because generally you eat with your eyes," Chuck Ferguson, cafeteria manager at Kannapolis Middle School, said. "If it doesn't look good, so garnishing, more colorful food, just trying to make it look more appealing, not so much institutional. You come to the cafeteria, everything is stainless steel, food in a pan, food in a pan, food in a pan. Instead of everything being prepackaged and you just heat it up and go with it like it has been the past few years, it's more fresh, more from scratch."

A Hawaiian chicken wrap, for example, bursts with chicken, broccoli and pineapple. Seasonings from simple cilantro to Thai help spice up different dishes, and vegetables add a healthy component to pasta and rice

"You're kind of able to choose what you put in the food instead of some of these processed foods with ingredients you can't even pronounce," Ferguson said. "We're helping to contain the sodium content, because sodium is a huge thing right now. We don't even have salt in the kitchen. We're just trying to get back to controlling what we put in our food instead of taking it for granted. School food, cafeteria foodit should be good for us. We're just trying to make it better."

And so far, the students have eaten it up, literally. Kids embraced each of the new menu items, and even dishes like the broccoli cranberry salad have been flying off the shelves.

"The kids absolutely love it," Treanor said. "Chilled broccoli cranberry salad, which I did not think the kids were going to like, but they absolutely loved it. You wouldn't think kids would like broccoli, but we sell out of it every time."

Self-serve lunch

At A.L. Brown High School, lunch time has seen more changes than just the food itself. The issue arose when KCS began offering free lunch to all students through the Community Eligibility Provision program, and long lines in the cafeteria made lunch time a hassle.

"[CEP] has been a wonderful program," Treanor said. "We have increased our percentage of what we're feeding the kids. One of the things we did have at the high school was because of CEP, we had so many kids eating that we couldn't get all the kids fed and through the line on time."

So the school came up with a self-serve program, pre-packaging cold and warm entrees alike and letting kids pick up what they want.

"We're feeding over 1,000 kids in about an hour," Treanor said. "It's just unbelievable, and the school's only 1,400. And that's just lunch."

Treanor said this type of out-of-the-box thinking is indicative of how KCS adapts with the resources on hand to meet new nutrition standards.

"Finding creative ways to develop tasty recipes is only one part of the equation," she said. "You have to be in compliance with the USDA regulations and at the same time put out a product that tastes good and kids will accept. I continually look for innovative ways to accomplish this goal. Right now, we have a participation rate of 81 percent. We are feeding more kids than we have ever fed, especially at the high school since I've implemented the new self-serve operation in late September."

Chef ambassadors

But the improvements don't stop here. Treanor said the KCS nutrition program will continue to grow and develop, using the K12 Culinary Institute Training. A three-part series, the training helps school nutrition program employees learn some new tricks as taught by chef ambassadorschosen from the district and different every time.

Ferguson acted as ambassador for the first training, which was in October. The second session was Tuesday, Nov. 8, and a third will be held in January. Next school year, the three-part series will repeat. Staff will learn new recipes, such as a spinach Alfredo bake, and can share tips and tricks of the trade with others in the district.

The nutrition information for the new menu items as well as old ones will be up on the district's website, from calorie counts to fat and sodium content.

"It really is a good program," Treanor said. "I'm really pleased with the participation that I'm seeing. The highest compliment to me as a director is when you see staff eating at your schools. It's really good, and we hope people recognize that we're really trying to step up the program. It's not your lunch program that you might have thought of from even a couple years ago."
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina was deciding Tuesday whether to turn Gov. Pat McCrory out of office after he helped implement the state's recent rightward political shift  a move marked acutely when the Republican signed a law limiting LGBT rights.

Voters were choosing between McCrory and outgoing Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper, who used the passage of House Bill 2 and high-profile opposition to the law by corporate CEOs, gay-rights groups, the NCAA and Atlantic Coast Conference to his political advantage.

McCrory defended signing the law last March and tried to focus his campaign on the state's recovering economy and finances during his four years in office, which he attributed to lower income taxes and sound budgeting. Flooding after Hurricane Matthew last month also gave McCrory the opportunity to lead recovery efforts as cameras watched.

The race is one of the most competitive in the country and marks the best chance for Democrats to flip a state led by a Republican chief executive. Libertarian Lon Cecil also was on the ballot.

Cooper said House Bill 2, which also directed transgender people to use bathrooms at schools and government buildings corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates, exemplified the conservative direction in which McCrory took the state. McCrory also signed laws requiring photo identification to vote, increasing abortion wait times and giving taxpayer-funded scholarships to K-12 students to attend private schools.

Four years ago, McCrory campaigned as a centrist, but it seems like he's been pulled to the right by the legislature, including on House Bill 2, said Bob Estes, an engineer who voted for Cooper on Tuesday in Cary.

"It's just clear that it was a big mistake, and it's not the bill itself so much as the inability to admit maybe this was a mistake and let's step back before the damage gets any worse," said Estes, 64, a registered Democrat.

Critics of the LGBT law have pointed to the loss of concerts, sporting events and some business expansions because of the measure.

The governor blamed city leaders in Charlotte  where he was once mayor for leading the GOP-controlled legislature to approve House Bill 2 after the city council passed a non-discrimination ordinance that included gender identity. McCrory also tried to shape the debate toward federal overreach, particularly since President Barack Obama's administration later directed schools nationwide to allow students to use facilities aligned with their gender identity.

Cooper represented rural Nash County in the General Assembly before first being elected attorney general in 2000. He said he would work to raise teacher salaries to the national average and repeal House Bill 2 to remove an obstacle to economic growth and improving North Carolina's reputation.

Unaffiliated voter John Muter, 54, of Zebulon, voted for McCrory four years ago and did again Tuesday, but he said McCrory wasn't the governor that he had expected.

"The bathroom thing was ludicrous," Muter said. "It took away from a lot of the good he did, like bring jobs back and get the state back under financial control."
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On January 13, 2017 the Indiana Minority Business Magazine (IMBM) will recognize 13 honorees as Champions of Diversity. This distinguished group includes businesses, organizations and individuals that have shown incredible efforts in the areas of diversity and inclusion.

This years recipients will be honored during the 12th Annual Champions of Diversity Awards Dinner on January 13, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, downtown Indianapolis. A networking reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. with the awards program to begin immediately after.

Due to its vibrant nature, the Champions of Diversity Awards Dinner has been consistently sold out, or nearly sold out, each year. In addition to honoring many noble professionals and entities the event attracts business leaders, dignitaries and innovators from across the state. The dinner is also followed by a Hollywood red carpet style after party.

When paired together, the words diversity and inclusion reflect equality, said IMBM President Shannon Williams. Our honorees have made it their practice to exhibit these ideals by looking at existing systems, noticing a lack of equity and then finding ways to serve the underrepresented. These actions cannot go unrecognized. It is a privilege to honor them in this way.

Each honoree will be acknowledged as a Champion of Diversity with three recipients being recognized with a more distinguished award to honor their superior accomplishments. These awards are the Rosa Parks Trailblazer Award, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Award and the William G. Mays Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award.

2017 Champions of Diversity Award recipients

Courtney Cole and Monica Peck (Hare Chevrolet) (William G. Mays Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award)

Marco Dominguez (Financial Center First Credit Union)

Dress for Success Indianapolis

Gregory Fehribach (The Fehribach Group) (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Award)

Honda Manufacturing of Indiana

Purdue University

Dr. George Rawls (Aesculapian Medical Society) (Rosa Parks Trailblazer Award)

Terri Roberts-Leonard (Franklin College)

Max Siegel (USA Track and Field)

Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council

Spencer Pride Inc.

The PourHouse

Ellen Wu (Indiana University  Bloomington)

To purchase individual tickets visit cod2017.eventbrite.com

Contact Amber Sapenter for more information concerning sponsorship and table reservations at (317) 762-7854 or via email at asapenter@indyrecorder.com.
A #NoDAPL water protection effort in North Dakota was met by another big law enforcement response on November 2, 2016. Photo by Rob Wilson [GoFundMe]



The battle over the Dakota Access Pipeline is far from over but the controversial project stands to gain greatly if Republican president-elect Donald Trump follows through with his campaign promises.

Within his first 100 days in office, Trump has vowed to lift "roadblocks" to large-scale infrastructure projects like the $3.8 billion pipeline that Indian Country opposes. The fight is taking place on the ground in North Dakota but also in the courts and before key federal agencies whose leaders will soon be named by the new president.

As the transition moves forward, a major figure in the effort is already one of the pipeline's biggest champions. Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), who easily defeated a Dakota Access opponent at the polls on Tuesday, is Trump's main energy adviser and he will play a role in setting the agenda when it comes to infrastructure projects. He's also expressed great interest in helping pick members of the incoming administration.

"Thank you North Dakota for your strong expression of support for Donald J. Trump and me," Cramer said on Facebook early Wednesday morning. "We will restore America's prominence in the world."

The #NoDAPL vandals have struck our nation's capital with this disgusting defacement of North Dakota's pillar at the WWII Memorial. It is time for tribal leaders to denounce these lawless acts. Posted by Congressman Kevin Cramer on Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota) on Facebook: '#NoDAPL Vandals' at World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.



Trump also had support from the top executive at Energy Transfer Partners , the firm that's building the pipeline. With a $103,000 donation, CEO Kelcy Warren was one of the top five individual contributors to the Republican's campaign, according to the Capital Research Center

But even before the polls closed on the historic election, Energy Transfer Partners continued to express confidence in the project. According to a statement from the firm, construction crews have already completed work on both sides of Lake Oahe in North Dakota and are planning to move in drilling equipment in order to connect two important pieces of the pipeline.

The work is moving forward even though the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has yet to approve an easement for work at Lake Oahe . Although the Obama administration continues to review the matter, a Trump in the White House could easily change course come January 20.

"Dakota Access previously received a permit from the Army Corps with respect the tunneling activities under Lake Oahe, and Dakota Access has all other regulatory approvals and land rights to complete the crossing of the Missouri River at Lake Oahe," Energy Transfer Partners said in its statement.

Statement Dave Archambault II, Chairman Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Energy Transfer Partners, the company financing... Posted by Standing Rock Sioux Tribe on Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe on Facebook: 'Corrupt and Unconscionable' Construction on DAPL



The firm's stance drew a rebuke from Chairman Dave Archambault II of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe . The pipeline comes within a half-mile of his people's reservation and poses threats to sacred sites, burial grounds and water resources.

"Starting construction without a legal easement would be corrupt and unconscionable. Those behind DAPL have ignored all requests to voluntarily slow things down, including a current administration's federal directive to do so," Archambault said in a statement on Tuesday

If the Army Corps were to reject the easement or somehow call for a change in the route of the pipeline, as President Barack Obama suggested in an interview with NowThis last week, the decision is likely to lead to a lawsuit from backers of the project. With the answer coming so late in the year, a Trump administration would play a significant role in determining how the matter moves forward.

There is precedent for a Republican president resolving disputes in favor of the energy industry. When George W. Bush came on board in January 2001, his administration quickly opened the doors to projects that had been put on hold or derailed during the Clinton era, including a gold mine on sacred Quechan Nation land in California.

"One does not sell the Earth the people walk upon" Film by Dr0ne2bwild Photography & Video Edited by Josue Rivas Fotographer #indigenousrising #nodapl Posted by Indigenous Rising Media on Tuesday, November 8, 2016

The controversy contributed to the defeat of one of Bush's federal court nominees and led to a North American Free Trade Agreement dispute that was resolved in favor of the United States. But the federal government also took steps to protect the sacred area again after President Obama entered the White House in January 2009, indicating how a change in leadership can impact Indian Country's interests.

Separate from the easement for Dakota Access, the Department of Justice , the Department of the Army and the Department of the Interior have already initiated government-to-government talks on large infrastructure projects. The last in-person meeting takes place in South Dakota on November 17 and a final teleconference is scheduled for November 21.

A President Trump could change course by ignoring the results of the effort. During his 100 days speech , he also promised to cancel every "unconstitutional" executive action, memorandum and order issued by Obama.

Trump failed to offer any Indian Country specifics during his campaign but one of his newest advisers doesn't think tribes should be worried. Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), a member of the Cherokee Nation , is chair of the president-elect's Native American Coalition

Donald Trump may not understand all the Indian issues," Mullin said at a Navajo Republican rally in Shiprock, New Mexico, last Friday. "How could he? He's not from here."

"But he's smart enough to surround himself with people to go get the answers," Mullin continued. "So I guarantee you, what we have with Donald Trump is someone with an open ear that's willing to listen to wise counsel."

Join the Conversation
Post Election Statement from Chairman Archambault II. 11-9-16 "The results of last nights election indicate that we as... Posted by Standing Rock Sioux Tribe on Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe on Facebook: Post-Election Statement



With the Dakota Access Pipeline hanging in the balance, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe remains hopeful that the controversial project will meet its demise before Republican president-elect Donald Trump takes office.

Trump -- who has invested money in Energy Transfer Partners , the parent company of the pipeline -- has vowed to Trump has vowed to lift "roadblocks" to large infrastructure projects like the $3.8 billion pipeline that comes within a half-mile of the tribe's reservation in North Dakota. But Chairman Dave Archambault II said President Barack Obama could put an end the matter.

"In this time of uncertainty, President Obama still has the power to give our children hope," Archambault said in a post-election statement on Wednesday. "We believe halting the Dakota Access pipeline presents a unique opportunity for President Obama to set a lasting and true legacy and respect the sovereignty and treaty rights of Standing Rock and tribal nations across America.

On Election Day, Archambault had expressed a similar measure of hope after Tim Kaine , the running mate of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton , joined Obama in suggesting that the pipeline be rerouted in an interview with Fusion . But Trump's historic victory on Tuesday closed off that particular avenue.

"The results of last nights election indicate that we as a country have so much work to do, Archambault said in the statement.

Chairman Dave Archambault II of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe addresses the media outside of the federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., on October 5, 2016. Photo by Indianz.Com / Available for use under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License



Indian Country has joined the tribe in asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reject a crucial easement for the pipeline that's been under review since late summer. They also want the agency to conduct a full environmental assessment of the project in order to address the impacts on sacred sites, burial grounds and water resources, something that hasn't occurred so far.

With the election out of the way, an answer from the agency is expected within weeks. But a negative decision is likely to draw litigation from Energy Transfer Partners -- whose executives continue to believe they will secure the easement -- or even interference from Congress, which remains in control of Republicans.

As the Obama administration continued to review the Keystone XL Pipeline , another controversial infrastructure project, Republican lawmakers passed legislation to approve it over the objections of Indian Country and environmental groups. But the president vetoed the measure , something that would likely not happen with Trump in the White House

Trump, incidentally, is also vowing to revive Keystone XL within his first 100 days in office. The Canadian-based backers of the project have filed a claim against the United States that could be resolved in their favor if the new president makes good on his promise.

We must strengthen our resolve to protect the water, pray together for understanding, and pour our hearts and minds into the future of all our children. This is what our ancestors did for us under extraordinarily difficult circumstances," Archambault, who had endorsed Clinton for president , said on Wednesday. "And we stand strong today as Lakota and Dakota people with our allies, advocating for those not yet born, and all our relatives who have no voice."

Trump will be inaugurated on January 20, 2017.

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It is quite often we see people around complaining that about their jobs. Even if I do something right I have never been appreciated. But bosses are always ready to blast me if I falter. Sounds familiar? According to a TimesJobs study, a majority of employees feel under-appreciated by their bosses and feel that with a little more acknowledgment, they would happily work harder and stay on longer in their current jobs. The study says that being appreciated for ones work can improve employee morale, as 88 per cent employees are willing to stay longer if appreciated at work.

bigthink.com

A happy employee is the best brand ambassador for a company. Companies should ensure this by appreciating, recognising and rewarding employees. It is a highly effective and proven strategy for improving employee engagement and business output, Nilanjan Roy, Head of Strategy, Times Business Solutions, said.

If you see the statistics of the study, only 41 per cent employees are appreciated at their current place of work. An industry-wise analysis shows that 87 per cent IT, telecom, ITeS and internet employees do not get much appreciation from their bosses, while the figure is nearly 75 per cent in the auto sector and 70 per cent in the BFSI vertical.

pilbox.themuse.com

However, the work culture is still better in manufacturing and retail, with 52 per cent of the staff claiming there is enough appreciation from their higher-ups. Open, transparent and responsive communication both on formal and informal channels is key to success  active use of digital media, social networks and company review sites all play a major role in ensuring an attractive employer brand, Roy added.
When the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) start campus recruitments in a few weeks, Google will only attend those at Delhi and Bombay and give the rest a miss for the first time in about a decade.

BCCL/representational image

Not because it doesn't want to hire graduates from the others but the company is confident that its reputation as one of the world's top technology companies will be enough to draw applicants from India's premier engineering schools.

BCCL/representational image

The move by Google to bypass the placement process at IITs in Kharagpur, Kanpur, Chennai, Guwahati and elsewhere clearly marks a break with tradition. It will directly hire any candidates it finds worthy without involving the schools. Such off-campus hiring is discouraged by the IITs but they didn't have much of an option when it came to Google, except for Delhi and Bombay.

BCCL/representational image

"There was an internal decision taken by the company to go the off-campus route. Most of the IITs agreed to this. But Delhi and Bombay have different processes in place," said an IIT Delhi official.
The demonetization Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes has created chaos and confusion everywhere. Money exchangers seem to be the biggest beneficiaries of the announcement. Many of those who exchange soiled and mutilated banknotes in Old Delhi are giving back only Rs 3,000 for Rs 5,000.

Reuters

People who reached the city this morning from neighbouring states with the scrapped denominations in the wallets are falling prey to these money exchangers. Many commuters Indiatimes spoke to at Old Delhi Railway Station have got their banknotes of 500 and 1,000 denominations for much lesser amount than they paid.

Mukesh Kumar, who arrived the national capital from Katihar in Bihar in search of a job had 14 notes of Rs 500. After getting out of Amrapali Express, he tried to take an auto to reach his destination. But the first question he faced from the auto driver was: do you have 100-rupee notes?

Except for a few notes of Rs 10 and some coins, I had 14 notes of Rs 500, he said adding that he had to let go of the auto because of the insufficient fund in his pocket.

Reuters

Kumar said that he was approached by another auto driver who allegedly advised him that he could exchange the sums he had in 100-rupee notes from those who offer an exchange of damaged currency notes in return for few bucks.

The driver, Kumar said, took him to Matia Mahal, a market opposite to Jama Masjids gate number 1, where one can find several small stalls offering the exchange of damaged notes.

In return for Rs 7,000, I got only Rs 5,000 in the denomination of Rs 100 and Rs 50. It is a huge loss for me, he said.

Reuters

Kumar is not alone who suffered this loss because of the governments decision.

Ishtiyaq, a resident of Ballimaran, also echoed Kumar.

He needed Rs 3,000 because of a medical emergency he has at home. My five-year-old son is suffering from high fever. I took him to a doctor where I had to pay his fees and medicines costs. I had two notes of Rs 1,000 and three currency notes of Rs 500. Since all banks are closed and ATM running out of money, I had to get them changed at a lower amount. I was given only Rs 2,000 for Rs 3,500, he said.

Indiatimes correspondent visited some stalls offering damaged money exchange in the same locality and found the information true.

At one of the stalls, a handwritten sticker was posted on the sign board saying, Rs 500 aur Rs 1,000 ke note nahin hain" (Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes are not available here).

A young man sitting at another stall next to the first one in the same row of the market agreed to exchange Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes at the cost of his choice without any bargaining.

Tarique Anwar/Indiatimes

The conversation with him and Indiatimes goes like this:

Correspondent: Bhai, 500 ke note change ho jayenge (Brother, will the currency notes of Rs 500 denomination be changed with the valid one)?

Reply: Kitne hain (How many notes you have)?

Correspondent: 500 ke 10 (Ten notes of Rs 500).

Reply: 500 ke 10 matlab 5,000...ho jayega. 3,000 milenge (Ten banknotes of Rs 500, it means you have Rs 5,000...it will be done. You will get Rs 3,000).

Correspondent: Sir 3,000...? (Rs 3,000 only....?)

Reply: Haan...500 aur 1,000 ke note ka kaam ho chuka hai...ab iska koi value nahin hai...main jo de raha hun woh bhi zyada hai...(Yes...Rs 500 and Rs 1000 bank notes have been banned. Now, they are invalid...whatever I am offering is too more than enough).
Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers during the revision of the draft 2017 national budget, taking into account proposals of lawmakers, has increased its expenses and revenue by UAH 15.13 billion or some 2%.

According to the document posted on the Verkhovna Rada's website on Wednesday, revenue is proposed to set at UAH 721.4 billion and expenses  UAH 790.39 billion, while the deficit was not changed  UAH 77.55 billion.

"The decision of the government to set minimum wage at UAH 3,200 a month and the first tariff employee's salary at UAH 1,600 was taken into account when the draft budget was prepared for second reading. An additional UAH 28.3 billion is foreseen in the bill for these purposes," the government said in the explanatory note to the bill.

The government said revenue and expenses of the general fund were increased by UAH 15.43 billion  to UAH 669.41 billion and UAH 735.38 billion, while the deficit of the general fund remained UAH 62.34 billion.

The government proposes the increase of revenue of the 2017 national budget by UAH 118.37 billion or 19.6%, including for the general fund by UAH 98.74 billion or 17.3%.

Expenses in the revised bill are UAH 113.87 billion or 16.8% higher than expenses this year, including for the general fund  UAH 93.1 billion or 14.5%, while the budget deficit was cut by UAH 6.15 billion or 7.3%, including by UAH 6.56 billion or 9.5% for the general fund.

The government said that growth of expenses in the revised bill is secured by the revision of revenue of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) upwards by UAH 4 billion (to UAH 45 billion), dividends  by UAH 1.6 billion (to UAH 18.5 billion) and revenue from the increase of minimum wage  by UAH 20.3 billion, including UAH 9.4 billion for the national budget, UAH 10.9 billion for local budgets.

Total sum of resources provided for the implementation of tasks determined in budget conclusions by the Rada exceeded UAH 2.8 billion.
With the withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes, the life of the daily commuters seems to be in a chaos. People don't only have currency of smaller denominators to buy daily stuff. Those who are travelling across the country are stuck because the toll gate in various highways aren't accepting Rs 500 notes. Now in order to make lives of the commuters using National Highways (NH) a bit easy, government has decided keep all NHs toll free till November 11

Representational Image

The move came after complaints on several toll plazas across country where notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 weren't accepted which resulted in massive jams. For example, the situation on Gurgaon-Delhi Expressway was tensed on morning that Haryana government had to issue order to making the Expressway toll free for an hour in the morning. In the morning, heavy traffic comes to Gurgaon from both Delhi as well as areas beyond Manesar. When toll collectors at Kherki Dhaula toll plaza refused to accept Rs 500 notes, it soon turned into a traffic jam in highways which forced Chief Secretary, Haryana government to make the highway toll free for an hour, so that heavy traffic passes without any hussle.

The chief secretary has also reportedly wrote a letter to the district collectors (DC) to ensure that people don't face massive issues while getting the money exchanged when banks will open on Thursday.
All those who wanted America to elect their first female President are now grieving over Trump's victory.

Read Bllack Hate At Trump Victory Rally In NY, Women Heckled. No Surprises There.

The pressing issue finally came to rest this afternoon when Trump won the election and became the world's most powerful leader. But this left the United States Of America asking for a lady president, and that's how Michelle came into the picture.

The lady doesn't need any introduction. The ultra-popular First Lady is already emerging as someone who's ready to take Trump down in 2020, or how others put it - 'rescue Americans from his reign'.

And while there's no explanation as to how Trump won, after all that he did, said, and intended to do, we can hope for the next elections.

As a result, calls for Mrs Obama to run for the presidency in 2020 have been spreading with the hashtag #Michelle2020.

In fact, theres already a support poster for the FLOTUSs campaign.

He was our hope for 2016. She'll be ours for 2020. Let's think about the future. #ElectionNight #Michelle2020 pic.twitter.com/DXz7ZqNRse  Pikouiky. (@Pikouiky) November 9, 2016

#Trump as president feels like when Umbridge became master of Hogwarts after Dumbledore. Which also means Obama will come back #michelle2020  Julie Jones (@ZabinskiJulie) November 9, 2016

Can we fast forward to 2020 and get Mrs Obama in please @FLOTUS #michelle2020  Glenn Lloyd (@GlennKL) November 9, 2016

Hands up if you want to make history in four years' time... #Michelle2020 #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/SlFiMJmY8H  Natalie Evans (@NatalieEvans85) November 9, 2016

I'm loving the #Michelle2020 tag already taking over. Just about the only sensible thing to happen today. #Election2016 #ElectionNight  Antranig Shokayan (@ant_shok) November 9, 2016

Let's hope and pray America gets it right the next time.
Ever since the Republican nominee Donald Trump forayed into the election, scene with his rhetoric against religious and ethnic minorities in the country, there has been a fear of backlash of them after he becomes the US president.

Well, guess what even before the official results are out it seems to be happening.

According to reports, many who attended a pro-Trump rally in Manhattan New York were heckled and verbally abused by Trump supporters.

Some also claimed that there were clashes between the supporters of Trump and Clinton.

BREAKING: #Trump and #Clinton supporters have clashed and fights have broken out here in Manhattan. Blood can be seen across the ground  Simon Rowntree (@SRowntreeNews) November 8, 2016

I am at a Trump rally in Manhattan, and thousands are chanting "We hate Muslims, we hate blacks, we want our great country back". Disgusting  Simon Rowntree (@SRowntreeNews) November 9, 2016

Outside of Trump's election HQ in Midtown Manhattan, pro- and anti- Trump protesters mix. @reveal #ElectionNight pic.twitter.com/iXlle2GEze  Fernanda Camarena (@fercamarenaCIR) November 9, 2016

Then there was this.

Street vendor here just yelled, "hey guys, at least now it will be legal to grab pussy!" And high-fived a group of men who laughed. pic.twitter.com/voTGBdKEUa  Prachi Gupta (@prachigu) November 9, 2016

Footnote: Trump sought votes to "Make America Great Again"

The violence goes both ways - here's an example of how Trump supporters were humiliated and even beaten in public
So, Donald Trump has been elected the President of the US. Now what, will there be a World War beginning this weekend? Will he build a wall at the Mexican border by Friday evening? Will the world sit back quietly and watch him drown all the immigrants in the ocean when winters come? Or will all the women in America make a mass exodus to Canada tonight? Hang on people, nothing of this sort is going to happen.

The world already has many leaders of Trump's ilk who rose to power high on rhetoric but the necessity to run their countries made them what they never looked like before assuming the office. There are a plenty of problems, still, but that should not make us sit down and not look for other options. Life goes on. And for all practical purposes its only about four years, hopefully.

It's not the end of the world

Because now, Trump being POTUS is a reality, there are fears that he will unleash all his promises like building a wall at US southern border and make Mexico pay for it entirely? Not allowing Muslims to land in America, his contempt for immigrants is not hidden at all and his misogyny and disrespect for women is well documented.

In the wake of Trumps win, lets take a look of other countries and youll find that many international leaders are already doing what Trump promised to do during his election campaign. And this makes one wonder, is Donald Trump any different? Or perhaps, doesn't the world already have enough leaders like Trump?

Reuters

'Immigrants are scary job thieves'

Former Prime Minister of the UK, David Cameron, won a second term because his entire campaign was based on making the UK exit the EU as they werent able to handle hordes of immigrants entering the country. His campaign constantly targeted immigrants and how British identity was at stake along with British values and he called for a more cohesive community.

People voted for Brexit despite opinion polls suggesting otherwise because those who voted for either bought into the anti-immigration rhetoric or they believed in it all along and finally find an established forum that backed their beliefs.

Reuters

Australias current government under Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull recently introduced a legislation to ban refugees and asylum seeks on Papa New Guineas Manus Island and Nauru from ever coming to Australia. Even as visitors. Also, any refugees/asylum seekers who try to enter the country illegally by boat will be banned forever. Moreover, Australia Border Force has been promoting targeting people based on their ethnicity to discourage them from bringing their relatives to Australia illegally.

Reuters

In Western Europe, Frances population and anti-immigrant politician Marine Le Pen, before Trump won the election, tweeted: American people, free.

Shes the leader of Frances far-right party National Front that has steadily been getting popular in the country, especially after repeated terrorists attacks. Her father and founder of National Front added to her tweet and said, Today the United States, tomorrow France. Bravo! And the partys vice president tweeted a photo of Marine with the caption, Their world is collapsing. Ours is being built.

Foreign Minister added that France would work with Americas new president and European politicians should analyse Trumps voters. He said, There is a part of our electorate that feels ... abandoned," including people who feel "left behind by globalization.

Reuters

France goes to election in 2017 and Le Pens National Front stands a strong chance of winning and if so does happen, then EUs identity crisis will be open for question as will its future be up in the air. Though if the world witnesses another conservative win, then we should no longer be shocked right?

Misogyny is mainstream

Trumps victory goes to show that you can be racist and get away with it  in fact, he used that to his advantage by turning Mexicans and Muslims as scapegoats who are taking American jobs; he proved that you can be a misogynist, sexist and grope women and still get away with it. Is Trump alone in his misogyny though? History proves otherwise  earlier this year Turkeys President Erdogan told women if they reject motherhood are deficient and incomplete.

In Russias Duma, a campaign ensued to decriminalise domestic violence.

Reuters

So, misogyny apparently walks hand-in-hand with the political elite and Donald Trump, with his sexism, fits right in. Under Russian President Vladimir Putin, the country has increasingly moved towards traditional family values which has tightened womens rights, restricted access to abortion and cooled domestic violence.

When currently President of the Phillipines was campaigning for his presidency, he joked to a crow about having missed his chance to partake in the gang rape and murder of an Australian woman. Guess what? His poll numbers shot right up.

Trump is a businessman, after all

Trump doesn't have a political background whatsoever but his success apparently says he has good business sense. Some may argue that his business sensibilities will make him a strong president. Others might like his "frankness".

A POTUS, however, must be politically correct. Smart in business does not automatically translate to smart in politics. Trump's sexist and racist comments in the past have been handled with too much ease, clearly, that's why he's currently the President-elect, but he must make sure it's the last time.

Reuters

Yes, many may be shocked that Donald Trump has swept American voters to become the President. Its shocking because he won despite his blatant sexist and racist attitude. Its scary because America is essentially the most powerful nation in the world, which now makes him the most powerful person in the world. But lets face it, Donald Trump has only joined the band of such leaders from around the world.

Moreover, after four years, there will be elections for the next POTUS.
It's the 21st century and a lot of us don't find 'predictions' the best way to understand what the future will bring us. But those who believe in the power of foresight, know, that things do come true.

So do you remember the blind Bulgarian mystic who predicted 9/11 and the rise of ISIS? Well, she's got some really bad news for the world, and how the 2016 Presidential Election may affect our lives.

Baba Vanga, who's commonly known as Nostradamus of the Balkans, also predicted Obama's victory.

unilad

She said that the 44th American President would be an African American  also making the chilling claim that he would be the last U.S. president.

Last US President?

YouTube

The lady had a history of getting most of her prophetic predictions right. She had an 85% accuracy rate, which she proved with over 100 predictions that she made before dying in 1996.

Her predictions include climate change and the grave global warming challenges.

She said, "cold regions will become warm  and volcanoes will awaken".

She also predicted the tsunami, saying that a huge wave would descend on a big coast, covering people and towns and [causing] everything to disappear under the water.

Back in 1989, she warned that the American brethren will be attacked by two steel birds, a possible reference to the Twin Tower attacks in 2001.

Most fatal of all, she warned everyone about ISIS, saying that a group of Muslim extremists would invade Europe by 2016, foreseeing a great Muslim war that would be kick-started by the Arab Spring in 2010 and play out in Syria, eventually resulting in the establishment of a caliphate by 2043 with Rome at the centre.

dailymail

And now, she's got everyone's attention with her prophecy about Trump.

She also said that the 2016 invasion by Muslim extremists across Europe would mean the continent would cease to exist by the end of the year.

She specifically said: [Extremists] would use chemical warfare against Europeans.

Does that scare you?
The interagency working group for concession legislation reforms at Ukraine's Economic Development and Trade Ministry jointly with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has begun working on the new version of the law on concessions on Tuesday.

"We finally have given the start to the concession legislation reform! We would systemize four current laws in the new version [of the law], remove inconsistencies and harmonize the law with legislation on public private partnership," First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade Yulia Kovaliv said on Facebook.

She said that today's four laws sometimes contradict one another. In addition, current legislation does not set transparent procedures for initiating and drawing up concession projects, making decisions on their viability.

Kovaliv said that concession is a more beneficial mechanism for the state to manage state-owned property than leasing, for example.

"Concession removes a possibility of so-called "hidden privatization" when lessees of state-owned property registers ownership right to improvements they made and demands compensation for the cost of these improvements from the state," she said.

The working group consists of representatives of the Economic Development and Trade Ministry, Infrastructure Ministry, Energy and Coal Industry Ministry, Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Economy Ministry, Finance Ministry, lawmakers, representatives of parliamentary committees for economic policy, industrial policy and entrepreneurship.
Home Sign up for our FREE Daily Email Newsletter The announcement last week by the United States of the largest military aid package in its history  to Israel  was a win for both sides. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu could boast that his lobbying had boosted aid from $3.1 billion a year to $3.8bn  a 22 per cent increase  for a decade starting in 2019. Mr Netanyahu has presented this as a rebuff to those who accuse him of jeopardising Israeli security interests with his governments repeated affronts to the White House. In the past weeks alone, defence minister Avigdor Lieberman has compared last years nuclear deal between Washington and Iran with the 1938 Munich pact, which bolstered Hitler; and Mr Netanyahu has implied that US opposition to settlement expansion is the same as support for the ethnic cleansing of Jews. American president Barack Obama, meanwhile, hopes to stifle his own critics who insinuate that he is anti-Israel. The deal should serve as a fillip too for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic partys candidate to succeed Mr Obama in Novembers election. In reality, however, the Obama administration has quietly punished Mr Netanyahu for his misbehaviour. Israeli expectations of a $4.5bn-a-year deal were whittled down after Mr Netanyahu stalled negotiations last year as he sought to recruit Congress to his battle against the Iran deal. In fact, Israel already receives roughly $3.8bn  if Congresss assistance on developing missile defence programmes is factored in. Notably, Israel has been forced to promise not to approach Congress for extra funds. The deal takes into account neither inflation nor the dollars depreciation against the shekel. A bigger blow still is the White Houses demand to phase out a special exemption that allowed Israel to spend nearly 40 per cent of aid locally on weapon and fuel purchases. Israel will soon have to buy all its armaments from the US, ending what amounted to a subsidy to its own arms industry. Nonetheless, Washingtons renewed military largesse  in the face of almost continual insults  inevitably fuels claims that the Israeli tail is wagging the US dog. Even The New York Times has described the aid package as too big. Since the 1973 war, Israel has received at least $100bn in military aid, with more assistance hidden from view. Back in the 1970s, Washington paid half of Israels military budget. Today it still foots a fifth of the bill, despite Israels economic success. But the US expects a return on its massive investment. As the late Israeli politician-general Ariel Sharon once observed, Israel has been a US aircraft carrier in the Middle East, acting as the regional bully and carrying out operations that benefit Washington. Almost no one blames the US for Israeli attacks that wiped out Iraqs and Syrias nuclear programmes. A nuclear-armed Iraq or Syria would have deterred later US-backed moves at regime overthrow, as well as countering the strategic advantage Israel derives from its own nuclear arsenal. In addition, Israels US-sponsored military prowess is a triple boon to the US weapons industry, the countrys most powerful lobby. Public funds are siphoned off to let Israel buy goodies from American arms makers. That, in turn, serves as a shop window for other customers and spurs an endless and lucrative game of catch-up in the rest of the Middle East. The first F-35 fighter jets to arrive in Israel in December  their various components produced in 46 US states  will increase the clamour for the cutting-edge warplane. Israel is also a front-line laboratory, as former Israeli army negotiator Eival Gilady admitted at the weekend, that develops and field-tests new technology Washington can later use itself. The US is planning to buy back the missile interception system Iron Dome  which neutralises battlefield threats of retaliation  it largely paid for. Israel works closely too with the US in developing cyberwarfare, such as the Stuxnet worm that damaged Irans civilian nuclear programme. But the clearest message from Israels new aid package is one delivered to the Palestinians: Washington sees no pressing strategic interest in ending the occupation. It stood up to Mr Netanyahu over the Iran deal but will not risk a damaging clash over Palestinian statehood. Some believe that Mr Obama signed the aid package to win the credibility necessary to overcome his domestic Israel lobby and pull a rabbit from the hat: an initiative, unveiled shortly before he leaves office, that corners Mr Netanyahu into making peace. Hopes have been raised by an expected meeting at the United Nations in New York on Wednesday. But their first talks in 10 months are planned only to demonstrate unity to confound critics of the aid deal. If Mr Obama really wanted to pressure Mr Netanyahu, he would have used the aid agreement as leverage. Now Mr Netanyahu need not fear US financial retaliation, even as he intensifies effective annexation of the West Bank. Mr Netanyahu has drawn the right lesson from the aid deal  he can act against the Palestinians with continuing US impunity. - See more at: http://www.jonathan-cook.net/2016-09-19/palestinians-lose-in-us-military-aid-deal-with-israel/#sthash.fL4Eq28N.dpuf Standing Rock and Imperialism Itself By Gary Leupp November 09, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Counterpunch " - The Dakota Access Pipeline was originally scheduled to cross the state of North Dakota north of Bismarck, the state capital (pop. 70,000). But then the route was shifted 40 miles south, to the south, to pass by the Standing Rock Sioux reservation (pop. 8200). This is sovereign territory of the Sioux, whose reservation straddles North and South Dakota and whose members include Hunkpapa Lakota and Yaktonai Dakota. The Sioux are a nation of about 170,000 people, divided linguistically into the Lakotas, Dakotas and Nakotas concentrated in what are now North and South Dakota. We know that there were some in what is now either Wisconsin or Minnesota in 1660 because French traders met them and recorded the encounter. They may have advanced into the Dakotas only after that. (I mention these details only to suggest that the Sioux have not always been in their current zone. Native American tribeslike Germanic, Celtic, Slavic, Turkish or Bantu tribes elsewheremigrated and settled over time, and sometimes reached a new territory simultaneous with the first Europeans arrival. For example: the Apache may have migrated into what is now the U.S. Southwest some 500 years ago, just as the Spanish conquistadors were arriving. Since they spoke an Athabaskan language, it seems likely that they descended from people who had lived in Alaska 500 years earlier. They had wandered a long way from home. The Inuit, who originated in Siberia over 10,000 years ago, entered Alaskas North Slope around 3000 BCE and started spreading out throughout the islands of the Canadian Arctic Peninsula around 1000 CE reaching Greenland in a short time. They arrived on that large island around the same time that the Scandinavians did. Both had come a long way. We should always question the My people have always been here allegation. The native/settler dichotomy is simplistic. We all come from somewhere else.) The Standing Rock Reservations boundaries are defined by the Fort Laramie Treaty (or Horse Creek Treaty) of 1851, which exchanged Sioux recognition of the right of the United States Government to establish roads, military and other posts, within their respective territories on their territory for a U.S. commitment to protect the aforesaid Indian nations against the commission of all depredations by the people of the said United States, after the ratification of this treaty. They are confirmed by another treaty signed in 1868. Back to the Dakota Access Pipeline. According to the Bismarck Tribune, the route was changed due to concern that the DAPL, built by Sunoco and projected to send 500,000 gallons of oil every day from North Dakota to Illinois, would endanger the water supply to the citys residents. (These by the way are 92% white, 4% Native American, 4% other. Full disclosure: my father was born and grew up and was raised in North Dakota, as was his father before him. I visited Bismarck multiple times in my childhood. One of my mothers brothers worked in government there. It is a very white place.) The water issue is the first issue (of two) raised by those protesting the DAPL raise. The Missouri River that constitutes the reservation border is the peoples only source of water. (Specifically, Lake Oahe, which is a large swelling within the river straddling the two Dakotas.) It is at present quite pure. The pipeline will flow beneath it. The Army Corps of Engineers has assessed that it will pose no threat to the water, but the people point to reports that pipelines leak. The Standing Rock Sioux are arguing in court that the pipeline directly violates the tribes rights as a sovereign nation because it will hurt its drinking water resources. Quick Google search: AP reports that from 1995 to the present, there have been over 2,000 significant accidents involving oil and petroleum pipelines in this country, producing billions of dollars in damage. Incidents rose from 2006 to 2015 by 60%. From 2013 to 2015, an average of 121 accidents happened every year. The Yellowstone River pipeline leak spilled 50,000 gallons of oil into the Glendale, Montana water supply in March 2015. 6000 residents were for a time instructed not to drink the water, like Flint residents were in 2014, although that involved a different poisoning issue. Just check out Wikipedias list of pipeline accidents in the U.S. in the 21st century. It includes this entry: In January [2005], a Mid-Valley owned and Sunoco operated pipeline ruptured, spilling 260,000 US gallons (980,000 L) of oil into the Kentucky and Ohio rivers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fined the companies $2.5 million for the spill. In other words, the Standing Rock Sioux have good reason for concern about the quality of their environment and health at Sunocos hands, and for outrage at the manner in which the Army Corps of Engineers conducted its environmental impact assessment. And the very fact that the route was shifted south from Bismarck to Indian Country precisely due to fears about water contaminationwhat is this but unbridled racism? The second issue is that of sacred burial sites. This might seem less important, especially to the irreligious outsider. But the ongoing protest observances conducted by representatives of many tribes in North Dakota involve many religious practices related to identity: sacred songs and dancing, prayers, peace pipes, sweat lodge meetings, water protection rituals. They believe strongly in the appropriate handling of the burial grounds. This does not mean demanding respect for the boundaries of a discrete cemetery site but rather the recognition that a broad swathe of sovereign land long used for burial purposes is off-limits from (to quote the treaty again) depredations by the people of theUnited States such as typically accompany these projects. It seems reasonable to demand that recognition for burial sites, especially some of the most infuriating and provocative actions of the U.S. in relation to native peoples have involved the treatment of the latters remains. The National Park Service recently built a $ 3 million boardwalk over native sacred burial sites and spent tax dollars damaging 78 such sites. It built over 200 sacred mounds without doing any impact analysis and, according to a Congressional report know what they were doing was wrong. And theres a long history of the theft and exploitation of Native Americans remains. Doesnt Yale Universitys Skull and Bones Society still boast that it acquired Geronimos skull in the 1910s? The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has accused pipeline goons of knowingly destroying sacred sites. So this, too, is reason to oppose DAPL. But the main reason for opposition is not water purity, nor even respect for ones ancestors, but the Sioux tribes aspirations for sovereignty, on land assigned them by violated treaties, as they come up against capitalist imperialism itself. Why are the treaties so violated, still? Isnt it all about private property, oil profits, indifference to the environment, inevitable state support to the biggest property-ownersthat is to say, isnt it all about the system itself? Which we all, in our different ways, oppose? It was beautiful to see in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, the largest gatherings in recent times of representatives of native peoples from many tribes, and many allies from many places and movements, in defense of their rights. As it happens, the movement to stop DAPL dovetails with the bourgeoning Black Lives Matter Movement and the networks formed out of Occupy Wall Street and the disillusioned Bernie campaign. Young people of all ethnic backgrounds are realizing that capitalism and imperialism suck, and that the shameful history of slavery and racism needs to be recognized and repudiated. Add to this the realization that Native Americans are rallying against Big Oil and in so doing benefiting all of us. And then imagine an anti-war, anti-Hillary movement that channels the energies of these several movements for economic justice, racial justice and native rights into a revolutionary movement focused on the real problem of imperialism itself, which the new president will likely personify. Gary Leupp is Professor of History at Tufts University, and holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Religion. He is the author of Servants, Shophands and Laborers in in the Cities of Tokugawa Japan; Male Colors: The Construction of Homosexuality in Tokugawa Japan; and Interracial Intimacy in Japan: Western Men and Japanese Women, 1543-1900. He is a contributor to Hopeless: Barack Obama and the Politics of Illusion, (AK Press). He can be reached at: gleupp@tufts.edu Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. What's your response? - Scroll down to add / read comments Sign up for our FREE Daily Email Newsletter For Email Marketing you can trust Donate



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No fewer than 40 illegal gold miners were gruesomely shot dead by suspected herdsmen at Bindin village in Maru local government area of Zamfara state.

According to an eyewitness who spoke to our correspondent, the incident occurred on Monday as dozens of unidentified gunmen arrived at the mining sites on motor bikes shooting people at close range.

When they laid siege, they began to shoot everyone on sight. They stashed away grams of mined gold and large amount of money from the suspected gold dealers and miners.

They told those already inside the mining pit to remain there, warning that anyone who dares to come out would be shot dead, the witness said.

The witness further added that those in the mining tunnels were also followed and killed

He said other miners that had sensed trouble earlier escaped into the forest. The bandits then dashed into the bush firing several gunshots into the air challenging the local vigilantes aka Yan Sakai to come out and fight like men.

Confirming the incident, the spokesman of the state police command, DSP Muhammad Shehu, said security operatives were dispatched to restore law and order at the affected areas.

Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, in a statement released by his Special Adviser on Public Enlightenment, Media and Communication, Ibrahim Dosara, condemned the attack tagging it an act of terrorism.

The governor, who was currently out of the state on official engagements, had pledged to collaborate with security agencies to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators of the act of terrorism.

The Gov also ordered his deputy to immediately visit the scene of the attack and the community to condole with the family, before his arrival after discussing the attack with the President and the security Agencies in Abuja, the statement said.
The ongoing recruitment exercise into the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, conforms to due process and in tune with the federal character principle, a spokesman for the commission, has said.

The commission announced recently that it was recruiting 750 cadets. The announcement drew the response of hundreds of thousands of applicants from across the country.

However, after the recruitment exercise at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Mando in Kaduna, there were reports of complaints by some applicants that they were disqualified because they had no god-fathers and that the exercise was tilted in favour of northern candidates.

Denying the allegations in a statement yesterday, the spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the recruitment exercise was conducted in full compliance with the published criteria.

The criteria published in the commissions website had advised applicants that due to the rigorous nature of the Cadet Training program, all candidates must be physically, medically and mentally fit in conformity with regimental standards.

The information further said candidates for the recruitment, in addition to other statutory requirements, Must not be more than 27 years old, must be single; Height (Minimum Male: 1.67m; Female: 1.64m); must have Body Mass Index (BMI) of not more than 30 (Not obese);and Chest Measurement (Not less than 34inches for Males).

It further stipulated that the candidates Must have a good hearing, good eye-sight and sound mind (This is for the purpose of weapon handling and other law enforcement gadgets); no recent medical surgery, no respiratory ailments or life threatening illnesses that can cause harm to the cadet and others during training;

No tattoos of any form; must not have any criminal record; no membership of any cult or terrorist group; and must not be a user or dependent on any illicit substance or recreational drugs.

The EFCC said over 200,000 applications were received for the advertised 750 vacancies.

It said the 750 cadets were being meticulously screened.

The exercise, which is still on-going for the Detective Inspectors (DI) and Detective Superintendents (DS) Cadres (the Detective Assistants, DI, Cadre has been concluded), is conducted transparently and every state is given equal representation.

We also reiterate that there was no inappropriate conduct by any official during the exercise as being alleged. The physical fitness and medical tests were conducted by officers from the Nigerian Air Force Hospital who are well trained and adhere to the relevant code of medical practice.

The commission, therefore, urged the media to beware of being used as instruments of blackmail by applicants who failed the fitness test.
The Canadian immigration website has crashed amid Donald Trumps US presidential election victory.

This has prompted many to link the two developments.

As election took place in the US, and Trump posting big gains in key battleground states, Canadas immigration website crashed, media reports said.

Theres no guarantee the two things are related, but given the loud insistence of many Americans, every election cycle, to move north in the event of an unfavourable election outcome, its not a huge leap to assume that many despondent voters are exploring options, CNN said.

Data from Google Trends also suggested searches for move to Canada spiked significantly during the night as Trump victories unfolded in key battle states such as Florida and Ohio.

The Telegraph also posted on Twitter that people in the US were increasingly searching for the word emigrate.

People in the US are increasingly searching for the word "emigrate" over the last few hours #ElectionNight https://t.co/CJCBsKKKNE pic.twitter.com/hEH5lmPko1  The Telegraph (@Telegraph) November 9, 2016

The two developments widely trended on social media with people mocking the two developments. Countless jokes about people fleeing the US over the election results circulated on social media.

Some Americans look to Canada, New Zealand as Trump lead grows https://t.co/XxttzIR2OL  Amaka Ekwo (@Amaka_Ekwo) November 9, 2016

https://twitter.com/torylanez/status/796316260992585732

Others pointed to the websites crashing as part of a wider theme of signs that Trumps victory was inevitable.

https://twitter.com/liIangeI/status/796210681888522240

Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, is one of several world leaders who have criticised Trump in the past.

In a stunning result, Trump beat Hillary Clinton, defying the odds to become the 45th US President after starting off as a rank political outsider.
Chinese police in the city of Shenzhen have begun punishing car drivers who misuse their headlights and confuse other road users by asking them to stare into the full-beam headlights of a police car for one minute. The offenders are also fined in addition to this.

The penalty was first announced on Chinas equivalent of Twitter, Sino Weibo, by officers in 2014, but was quickly stopped amid accusations of human rights violation.

It was however re-introduced on Tuesday by Shenzen police after making an announcement which was met with approval from a majority of Sino Weibos 261 million active users.

Shenzen police warned that any driver caught using their cars headlights on full-beam inappropriately would have to stare into a police cars headlights for 60 seconds while sitting on a specially-designed chair. They also said offenders would be fined 300 yuan, lose points on their license and be made to recite regulations on the proper use of headlights.

Shenzen which is located north of Hong Kong is seen as a modern city at the forefront of car engineering. It is known across China for making widespread use of electric taxis and buses.
The Associated Press, as well as several reputable news outlets, have called the US elections in favor of Donald Trump.

Wins in Florida, Wisconsin, and Ohio were enough to propel Trump to the much needed 270 electoral votes needed to win the election.

Hillary Clinton has reportedly called Trump to formally concede the election. Donald Trump, who now becomes President-elect will become the 45th President of the United States.
The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) hopes to cut cash from 14.3% in 2015 to 9.5% of GDP in 2020, NBU Governor Valeriya Gontareva has said in a video address at the opening of Cashless Ukraine Summit in Kyiv on Wednesday.

"We set the introduction of cashless payments as a top priority task. We believe that this is one of the key strategic directions for developing the Ukrainian banking system. According to the NBU's data, last year the public received 58% of income in the cashless form. However, only 18% of expenses were cashless. This is evidence that the majority of population get used to withdraw money from payment cards in cash at ATMs. Our ambitious goal is to cut cash from 14.3% of GDP in 2015 to 9.5% of GDP in 2020," Gontareva said.

She said that the top priority directions for introducing cashless payments are daily transactions, in particular, payment for transportation, utility services and the transfer of all payments by the state, starting from pensions and educational scholarships, into cashless form.

Gontareva said that the public program to introduce cashless economy would help to unite efforts of all public agencies and market players to implement a joint cashless payment project.

She said that the NBU's efforts would focus on reducing demand on cash, popularization of cashless payments, development of payment infrastructure and changing habits of people.
State governors, under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum, on Tuesday demanded the release of ecological fund to their respective states.

They made the call after a closed door meeting with Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, in Abuja.

Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz, who led some of his colleagues to the closed-door meeting, which was held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Finance, said the governors decided to meet the minister and CBN boss to request the disbursement of the ecological fund to states.

The state governors, who accompanied Mr. Yari to the parley, were Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo State), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) and Aminu Masari (Katsina).

Mr. Yari said most of the states face environmental challenges and as such could not continue to suffer in silence when the ecological fund could be used to address the problem.

We are concerned seriously about the environment. The desertification in the North, oil and gas spills in the South-South and erosion in the South-East.

And we have a lot of funds in the ecological stabilisation funds. Those funds are not being discussed at National Economic Council.

What we discuss at NEC is usually briefing on excess crude account and the federation account. But this fund is not being discussed at that platform.

We will like to have this fund available every month because those funds are federation funds and we are having so many problems. We need the money, he said.

The NGF Chairman said the state governments would also want access to foreign intervention in relations to the environment.

When asked if the states also requested for fresh bailout from the federal government, Mr. Yari said there were no such requests.

He said the states are only asking for the disbursement of the ecological fund to address the high level of environmental degradation in their respective states.

We never asked for anything called bailout it is media creation. I wonder how the media fabricated all those stories. When it comes to story about states, media turn the story upside down, Gov. Yari fumed.
At least one person has been killed while several others injured as gunmen invade Kasada Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Eye witnesses told newsmen that the armed bandits numbering about 12 invaded the town on motorcycles at about 3 a.m. on Wednesday.

The witnesses who doesnt want their names in print, said the hoodlums searched many houses in Makera, Marina, Yara-gabas, Yara-arewa and Kofar-fada areas of the city.

They added that the bandits blocked roads linking to those areas and shot sporadically to pave way for their operation.

According to them, the armed men killed the Deputy Imam of Kasada, Malam Badamasi Abdullahi, injured several others and carted away undisclosed sums of money from the residents.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Salisu Agaisa, confirmed the incident.

Agaisa said that the police had arrested one person in connection with the incident, and had intensified investigations to arrest the rest of the culprits.

He urged the public to assist the police by exposing hideouts and activities of criminals in the state
With several news networks calling the US Presidential elections for Donald Trump, the Clinton camp has refused to concede the elections.

With 99% of the precincts, Donald Tump has secured 266 of the 270 electoral votes needed while Hillary Clinton just has 215.

Clintons campaign director, John Podesta addressed a crowd of Clinton supporters, urging them to head home as the final batch of results is expected to trickle in. Although there is no constitutional provision for candidates to concede elections, many expect Clinton to concede in a speech by Wednesday morning.

Clinton and Trumps supporters reportedly clashed in some parts of the country as results continue to trickle in.
The Labour Party has called on Nigerians to resist attempts by the government to increase Nigerias debt burden.

This is just as it described the decision by President Muhammadu Buhari to obtain a foreign loan of $29.9 billion without a detailed plan of repayment, as a journey to the grave for Nigeria.

National Chairman of the Labour Party, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, made this known while addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

The current recession was primarily enhanced by the unfortunate locking up of funds in the name of fighting corruption. Thus, failing in the promise that funds would be released into the economy as soon as the budget was passed, the Buhari-led APC government is ready to take to the nation to a graveyard by borrowing without recourse to the after effect for Nigeria, said Mr. Abdulsalam.

He urged Nigerians to bear in mind that part of the problems bedevilling the country was the uncontrollable borrowing of external loans by previous administration under the guise of infrastructural development.

The Labour Party chairman pointed out that the All Progressives Congress-led federal government had since its inception, failed in its promise to improve Nigerias economy and the decision to look for loans would only have devastating effects on the economy.

He said the supporters of the president should accept the reasons alluded by the National Assembly for refusing to approve the proposal.

Mr. Abdulsalam said a project of any kind required proper planning for success and the failure of government to accompany its proposal with a plan was proof that the proposal was a negative one.
Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Waziri Adio, on Tuesday disclosed that the administrations of Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, late Umaru Musa YarAdua and Goodluck Jonathan squandered over N70 trillion earned from sale of crude oil and gas between 1999 and 2014.

While Obasanjo was in office for eight years (1999-2007), his predecessors, YarAdua and Jonathan, were in office for three (2007-2010) and five years (2010-2015) respectively.

Mr. Adio, who made this known in his office when the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs visited him during an oversight function, warned that unless the country comes up with a prudent way of expenditure, it was likely to be in difficult times in years to come.

The NEITI boss noted that it was unfortunate that despite the huge earnings from sales of crude oil over the years, the country was unable to account for over $100 billion in the excess crude account.

He, therefore, urged the Federal Government to develop a saving culture that would ensure a slash on governments spending.

He said: Let me inform the committee that we discovered that between 1999 and 2014, the country spent over N70 trillion it received from oil and gas alone. That is a whole lot of money. What is sad is that it was spent without the country being able to show anything for it. I think it is quite unfortunate.

For the sake of emphasis, however, I think if previous administrations had developed a culture for prudent management of resources, Nigeria ought to have over $100 billion saved in the excess crude account.

So, going forward, it is necessary for government to think about saving a lot more, and do all it can as well to cut down on wasteful spending, if the nation must make progress.

On the challenges confronting the agency, Adio told the committee that the country risked suspension from the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), if NEITI failed to complete its audit report by a given deadline, which comes up in December.

The NEITI boss lamented the paucity of funds in the agency due to late releases by the Ministry of Finance.

He blamed lack of funds for the inability of the agency to conclude work on its audit report to the EITI.

He noted that should Nigeria be suspended from the world body as a result of the agencys failure to meet the December deadline, the development would be an embarrassment on the image and reputation of the country.

Earlier, Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (APC/Kaduna North), noted that the committee would require the effort of NEITI to close the communication gap between the agency and the upper chamber with a view to ensuring effective collaboration.

He said that NEITI is the second agency of government among others that has not received its capital releases adequately.

Sen. Hunkuyi described the development as a misnomer.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday congratulated the United States President-elect, Donald Trump, on his electoral victory in the countrys presidential election.

In a four-paragraph statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President said he looked forward to working with Trump to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

The statement read, On behalf of the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari congratulates President-elect, Donald Trump, on his victory in the United States presidential election.

President Buhari also congratulates American citizens on the outcome of the election, which was keenly observed by all true lovers of democracy and those who believe in the will of the people.

The President looks forward to working together with President-elect Trump to strengthen the already established friendly relations between both countries, including cooperation on many shared foreign policy priorities, such as the fight against terrorism, peace and security, economic growth, democracy and good governance.

As Mr. Trump prepares to assume the position of the President of the United States, President Buhari extends his good wishes to him on the onerous task of leading the worlds strongest economy.

Source: Punch
The Oyo State Police Command have arraigned a radio presenter, Adejoke Obisesan, 28, before an Iyaganku Senior Magistrates court for alleged attempt to defraud a University of Ibadan Professor of N90,000.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ms. Obisesan, a female student and presenter at Osun State Unique FM, Ilesa, was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence on Tuesday.

The police prosecutor, Philip Amusan, told the court that Ms. Obisesan allegedly conspired with one other person now at large to defraud the complainant, Joel Adekanye of Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan .

According to the prosecution: Prof. Adekanye complained to the Oyo state Commissioner of police that his wife received a call from a cell phone with MTN number 08162125659 belonging to one Pastor Sunday Komolafe.

Komolafe, the caller, said their son -in-law who married their daughter Ayomide Adekanye was involved in a fatal motor- to -motorcycle accident and that the police needed N90,000 to free their in-law

The caller gave a GTBank account number of Obisesan, the police prosecutor said.

Mr. Komolafe, who was Ms. Obisesans neighbour had told her someone wanted to send him money via GTB. Claiming not to have an account in the bank, Mr. Komolafe sought Ms. Obisesans help.

Obisesan claimed to have innocently given Komolafe her account number with GTB, without an inkling that he wanted to use it to defraud, Mr. Amusan told the court.

The police corporal said Mr. Komolafe had been at large since then.

He said the offence contravened section 516 and 419 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol.II Laws of Oyo state 2000.

Ms. Obisesan, unaware she was wanted by the police, went to withdraw the money sent to her by a relative to buy the HND form at a GTB branch. She was picked up at the bank and then arraigned in court, said her counsel .

Barnabas Diala, her counsel, asked the court for her bail on liberal terms.

The Senior Magistrate, Patricia Adetuyibi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum .

She said the sureties must be residents of Ibadan.

Ms. Adetuyibi thereafter, adjourned the case till January 9, 2017 for further hearing.
Mahendra Ahirwar, a 13-year-old boy from India who lived most of his life with his head hanging to one side has died months after he underwent a corrective surgery to cure his bizarre condition.

Ahirwar is said to have suffered from congenital myopathy, a condition which made the muscles in his neck so weak that his head hung at an almost 180-degree angle.

In February, he was able to undergo surgery to straighten his neck following an international fund-raising campaign.

There were high hopes for Ahirwar after his operation, only later for hum to be announced dead by his family. He was said to have died suddenly while watching television.

UKs Mirror reports that a former NHS doctor who completed the surgery to straighten the boys neck, Dr Rajagopalan Krishnan, said he was left shocked by his sudden death.

He said: I can only conjecture that a massive cardiac or pulmonary event might have occurred and often there are no premonitory symptoms in such cases.

I think myopathy and poor chest muscles caught up with him in the end.

He was among the bravest children Ive seen since my return to India and I see the most terrible and neglected deformities, he continued.

For me the joy and smile on his face when his head stopped sagging was one of the defining moments in my decision to operate on children with neglected and awful spinal disorders.

I am sure his absence will cause anguish to everyone who was involved in his care, his smile was brighter than the sun after his neck was straightened.

Ahirwars 36-year-old mother, Sumitra, spoke of the devastation at their sons death.

She told Mirror: I had so many plans and dreams for him. I wanted him to grow big. He dreamt of opening a general store and we were going to help him. His dreams are shattered now.

Hed been playing in the morning. Had breakfast, took a shower and took a ride on his wheelchair inside the house.

After having lunch, he asked to watch TV. I switched on his cartoon, and he coughed twice. He asked me to rub his chest and then tried a third cough but died.

I started crying loudly and called his name. I ran outside, I kept shouting my son isnt moving, and a neighbour phoned the doctor.

The doctor came within 15 minutes and declared he was dead. I fell to the floor and held him tightly. I didnt want to let him go.

Ahirwar got cremated by his family in a traditional Hindu ceremony surrounded by 25 friends and family at 9am on Sunday morning.

Sumitra, who has two other sons Lalit, 17, and Surendra, 11, as well as daughter Manisha, 14, added: His things are scattered everywhere. Our house is filled with his belongings.

Nobody thought this day would come. He was fine. He even said: Im absolutely fine Mum. His voice echoes in my ear. The way he used to call me. I am devastated. I feel everything is over.
One Mubarak, the driver of a trailer with number plate, AGL 86 XN, and his motor boy, identified simply as Baki, lost their lives on Tuesday in an auto crash at Abidjan bus stop, on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos State.

It was learnt that the trailer, loaded with iron rods, was speeding inward Epe when it veered off its path and rammed into another trailer parked by the roadside.

PUNCH Metro learnt that an eyewitness put a distress call to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, who extricated the dead victims from the wreckage.

Our correspondent gathered that the corpses of the victims were handed over to the police from the Elemoro Police Station, while the two trucks were towed to the division for further investigation.

Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps were said to have assisted in removing the wreckage and controlling the traffic resulting from the accident.

The LASEMA General Manager, Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, who confirmed the incident, said the crash occurred around 5.30am.

He said, The distress call that the agency received prompted immediate activation of the agencys Emergency Response Team to the scene of the incident. Preliminary investigations carried out by the ERT revealed that a trailer conveying iron rods with number plate, Lagos AGL 86 XN, on high speed collided with another trailer loaded with cement parked by the roadside, resulting in the fatality of two victims.

Tiamiyu said proper investigation would be conducted on the incident by the appropriate authorities, and advised motorists to adhere to safety precaution while driving.

Truck drivers should ensure that broken down trucks are properly parked with necessary safety caution, he added.

Source: Punch
Waje showed off her fit figure in this stunning custom made piece by Nigerian fashion brand, Woman By Aisha.

The Purple Ambassador wore the outfit to a recent event in Lagos.

See a closer image below:
Solvent banks in the third quarter of 2016 reduced the debt to the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) on refinancing loans by UAH 4.2 billion, or 13%, to UAH 28.1 billion, according to the regulator's website.

According to the NBU, the principal amount of the loan as of October 1 amounted to UAH 27.8 billion.

As reported, the NBU in 2016 issued all loans solely at a tender basis under the collateral of government domestic loan bonds and foreign currency.

The National Bank since mid-2015 has been using only monetary instruments to support bank liquidity, whose maturities do not exceed three months.

Banks receive refinancing loans after tenders to support the liquidity of banks. At the same time, all the banks that appeal for financing and provide highly liquid deposits (government domestic loan bonds, certificates, foreign currency) receive loans automatically.
Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, Wednesday, stated that he will not destroy his United States residency permit just yet; while he warned that the victory of Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential race could jeopardize U.S. support in Nigerias fight against Boko Haram.

In an interview with Newsweek, Soyinka stated that Trumps bunker mentality could see the U.S. withdraw support for counter-terrorism operations in West Africa.

Following the announcement of Trumps victory, Nigerians took to social media to question Soyinka about whether he would honour his pledge.

In response, the report quoted Soyinka as saying that he is biding his time until Trump is inaugurated in January before deciding on his next steps.

Why dont we wait until Trump actually takes office? I am just going about my normal commitments, but definitely not getting into any more commitments. Lets put it that way for now, he said.

According to the report, under the administration of Barack Obama, the U.S. has provided financial support and military training to West African countries fighting Boko Haram.

The U.S., it said, provided $71 million worth of equipment, logistics and training to five countriesNigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Beninthat together formed a joint task force in 2015 to fight the militants, according to a February fact sheet from the U.S. State Department.

Obama also approved the deployment of up to 300 U.S. military personnel to Cameroon in October 2015 to carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in the region.

One should expect that level of collaboration to diminish. Trumps mentality is one of, What are we doing there? What business do we have over there? Soyinka stated.

I foresee Trump dismissing that kind of expectation offhand and closing in, shrinking, becoming smaller in terms of the U.S.s presence in other parts of the world, he added.

The report said Soyinka is based between Nigeria and the U.S., where he is affiliated to several universities.

Excerpt of the interview with Newsweek

The victory of Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential race could jeopardize U.S. support in Nigerias fight against Boko Haram, according to Nigerian Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka.

In an exclusive interview, Soyinka tells Newsweek that Trumps bunker mentality could see the U.S. withdraw support for counter-terrorism operations in West Africa.

The Nigerian author and playwright also says that he will not destroy his U.S. residency permit just yet, despite a pre-election pledge to cut his green card, which is afforded to immigrants granted permanent residence in the country.

Trump, the Republican party candidate, shocked pollsters by defeating Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in Tuesdays vote. The businessman and former reality television star secured victories in key swing states, capitalizing on an anti-establishment feeling among voters to win out against his more experienced rival.

Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group, launched an armed insurgency against the Nigerian government in 2009, killing thousands and displacing more than 2 million since then.

The group also pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) in 2015, though it has recently split into factions following the appointment in August of an ISIS-approved leader.

Under the administration of Barack Obama, the U.S. has provided financial support and military training to West African countries fighting Boko Haram.

The U.S. provided $71 million worth of equipment, logistics and training to five countriesNigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Beninthat together formed a joint task force in 2015 to fight the militants, according to a February fact sheet from the U.S. State Department.

Obama also approved the deployment of up to 300 U.S. military personnel to Cameroon in October 2015 to carry out intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in the region.

One should expect that level of collaboration to diminish. Trumps mentality is one of, What are we doing there? What business do we have over there? says Soyinka, speaking to Newsweek from New York.

I foresee Trump dismissing that kind of expectation offhand and closing in, shrinking, becoming smaller in terms of [the U.S.s] presence in other parts of the world, he says.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari extended his congratulations to Trump on Wednesday, saying that he looked forward to working with the president-elect to build on and strengthen relations between Nigeria and the U.S.

Trump had little to say about U.S. foreign policy towards Africa in general and Nigeria specifically during his presidential campaign.

While he has vowed to pursue ISIS in Syria and Iraq, the Republican has made no mention of whether he intends to persist with or discontinue the countrys support for counter-terrorism efforts in West Africa. Newsweek contacted the Trump campaign for further comment but received no immediate reply.

An analysis by South Africa-based thinktank the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) suggested that Trump could become the single most effective recruiting tool for terrorist organizations across the globe, including in Africa.

The ISS cited Trumps hardline rhetoric towards Muslims, his advocation of the use of torture and expressed desire to target the families of militants all as potential factors in Trump being used by militant groups in recruitment drives.

Trumps campaign pledge to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the U.S. has already been used in a propaganda video by Al-Shabab, a Somali militant group aligned with Al-Qaeda.

Soyinka is based between Nigeria and the U.S., where he is affiliated to several universities. In a recent discussion with students at the University of Oxford in the U.K., which was shared in a video on October 27, the author vowed to destroy his green card should Trump be declared the winner of the election.

Following the announcement of Trumps victory on Wednesday, Nigerians took to social media to question Soyinka about whether he would honor his pledge.

The Nigerian authorwho was the first African to win the Nobel Prize in literature in 1986says he is biding his time until Trump is inaugurated in January before deciding on his next steps.

Why dont we wait until Trump actually takes office? says Soyinka. Im just going about my normal commitments, but definitely not getting into any more commitments. Lets put it that way for now.

Source: Vanguard
Madam Grace Egbon an elderly lady in Benin City, the Edo capital, has donated a goat to President Muhammadu Buhari to show her admiration for his selfless lifestyle and passion to liberate the masses.

Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo received the `unique gift on behalf of the president.

Egbon, a supporter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), registered in Ward 7, Oredo Local Government Area of Edo.

She said she had longed to meet the President to show her admiration for his quality of leadership.

NAN reports that a window of opportunity opened to Egbon when the President was scheduled to commission the ultra-modern Samuel Ogbemudia College in Benin City, during his just concluded two-day working visit to Edo.

She braced the odds and came all the way with her surprise gift to the President which she had kept for the special occasion.

She tore through the thick crowd, making her way straight to the President who at the time had finished the official engagement and was heading for his waiting car.

Many in the crowd got emotional seeing the elderly lady pull through the crowd with the goat, determined to make a presentation to the President.

Gov. Oshiomhole, who noticed the security cordon between the lady and the President, came to her rescue.

He (Oshiomhole) alighted from the Presidents convoy to receive the goat on behalf of the President, a protocol official at the scene of the incident.

She thanked the President for accepting the gift which was handed over to protocol officials.

In his remarks on behalf of the President, Gov. Oshiomhole commended Lady Grace for her kind gesture.

Source: Vanguard
Global leaders have congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in the just concluded US presidential elections.

Italy

The Prime Minister of Italy, Matteo Renzi, who had openly supported Trumps rival, Hillary Clinton, congratulated Trump on his victory and said Italys ties with the United States remained strong.

I wish him well. The Italo-American friendship is solid, Renzi said at the start of a speech in Rome.

Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Trump in a telegram, the Kremlin announced.

Putin expressed hope for joint work to restore Russian-American relations from their state of crisis, and also to address pressing international issues and search for effective responses to challenges concerning global security, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Turkey

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan hoped Trumps win would lead to positive steps for the Middle East and for basic rights and freedoms in the world.

I hope that this choice of the American people will lead to beneficial steps being taken for the world concerning basic rights and freedoms, democracy and developments in our region, Erdogan said in a speech in Istanbul.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim also paid tribute to Trump in a speech in the capital Ankara.

Yildirim said a new page would be opened in US-Turkey relations if Washington extradited the US-based cleric Turkey blames for orchestrating the July 15 failed coup.

An area of opportunity has been created for the new president to advance relations with policies taking into account Turkeys fight against terror, Yildirim said.

UK

UK Prime Minister Theresa May congratulated Trump and said Britain and the US will remain strong and close partners.

Japan

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he looks forward to co-operating closely with the next president in the United States.

Abe said in a statement that he looks forward to further strengthening the Japan-US relations and the two countries taking a leading role to ensure peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

Philippines

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has often lashed out at Barack Obama for criticising his anti-drug crackdown methods, congratulated the US president-elect.

Duterte said he looks forward to working with Trump to further enhance the treaty allies relations.

Egypt

Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, was reported to have spoke to Trump on the telephone congratulating him while seeking to foster closer diplomatic ties.

The US President-elect Donald Trump expressed his utmost appreciation to the president, pointing out that his was the first international call he had received to congratulate him on winning the election, the Egyptian presidency statement said.

President Trump said he looked forward to meeting the president (again) soon.

China

China expressed its confidence in working with the new US government.

We hope for co-operation with the new administration to ensure healthy and stable development of the US-Chinese relations for the good of both states, said the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lu Kang.

Asked about Trumps threats to unleash a trade war with China, Lu hoped both countries could manage the disputes in a responsible way, and assured that the bilateral trade relationship has benefited the American people.

NATO

NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, said Trumps wins highlights the importance of leadership ahead of new challenges in the world.

Speaking at a press conference, Stoltenberg said it was important for transatlantic ties to remain strong.

EU

European Parliament president Martin Schulz expressed surprise at the result, saying it had been another Brexit night.

We are seeing a wave of protest against established politics which is also reflected in this election result, he said.
Lean Hogs 79.45 target ONE44 Analytics - 1 hour ago By looking at the chart alone you can see how the major Gann squares are where a lot of highs and lows happen. HEZ22 : 85.200s (+0.32%)

Cotton Closes Up the 3 Cent Limit Barchart - 1 hour ago Cotton rallied by the 3 cent limits on Tuesday, marking just the 16th green day since August 28th. Dec contracts had dropped a net 42.16 cents since then. The FOMC is in session today and tomorrow, with... CTZ22 : 75.00s (+4.17%) CTH23 : 74.64s (+4.19%) CTK23 : 74.85s (+4.18%)

Cattle Fade on Tuesday Barchart - 1 hour ago The live cattle futures market turned red in the back months during the afternoon. At the close the August 23 contract was a nickel in the black to the other contracts 10 to 57 cent losses. Tuesdays... LEZ22 : 151.950s (-0.34%) LEG23 : 155.250s (-0.37%) LEJ23 : 158.875s (-0.13%) GFX22 : 176.925s (-0.39%) GFF23 : 178.200s (-0.70%)

Firm Tuesday in Hog Market Barchart - 1 hour ago Lean hogs ended up going nowhere to start the new month of November. Dec 22, May 23, and July 23 ended in the black, but with gains of less than 30 cents. June 23 closed 2 cents in the red,... HEZ22 : 85.200s (+0.32%) HEJ23 : 93.600s (unch) KMZ22 : 95.375s (-0.10%)

Afternoon Rally for Wheat Market Barchart - 1 hour ago Wheats started the first trade day of the new month with weakness attempting a turnaround Tuesday. Afternoon strength pushed the board back into the black to extend the gains from Monday. CBT SRW ended... ZWZ22 : 902-4s (+2.30%) ZWH23 : 919-0s (+2.20%) ZWPAES.CM : 8.3311 (+2.22%) KEZ22 : 990-0s (+1.15%) KEPAWS.CM : 9.4786 (+1.17%) MWZ22 : 989-6s (+0.87%)

Dec Corn Held Under $7 Barchart - 1 hour ago Corn added another 4 3/4 to 6 1/4 cents to the upside on Tuesday, but December failed to get above the contested $7 round number again. Open interest has been steadily rising in the Dec contract from 1.414m... ZCYAUS-BIW.CM : 177.93 (-0.46%) ZCZ22 : 697-6s (+0.90%) ZCPAUS.CM : 6.9269 (+1.50%) ZCH23 : 702-4s (+0.83%) ZCK23 : 701-6s (+0.86%)

Livestock Report Walsh Trading - Tue Nov 1, 4:20PM CDT Hogs consolidate
Trump gets 264 thanks to Pennsylvania in the race to 270 electoral votes - media

Donald Trump has taken the lead in one of the key race states, Pennsylvania, which gives 20 in the race to 270 electoral votes.

According to Politico, Trump is supported by 48.9% of voters with 99.2% of processed data from polling stations in that state, while Hillary Clinton is backed by 47.6%.

Now Trump is in the lead with a total score of 264 electoral votes, while Clinton has 215.

Similar projections are given by The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.
Wilmington Capital Management Inc., a Canadian investment and asset-management company whose real estate investments include self-storage facilities, reported a net loss for the quarter ended Sept. 30 of $400,000 compared to a net gain of $100,000 for the same period in 2015. The loss equated to $0.04 per share during the quarter compared to an increase of $0.01 per share last year.

The companys three operating platforms are self-storage, private-equity funds and natural-gas assets. Wilmington owns 42.5 percent of Real Storage Private Trust, a portfolio of 23 self-storage facilities in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario, Canada, comprising 961,421 square feet of rentable space.

The trust generated net operating income of $2.3 million during the quarter, a 21 percent increase year over year. While its Ontario portfolio performed well, its facilities in Alberta experienced dips in occupancy and operating margins, which Wilmington attributed to an ongoing downturn in the energy sector.

In August, the trust exchanged a self-storage facility in Ottawa, Ontario, for one in London, Ontario, according to a press release. Since the quarter ended, the trust also received $100,000 in insurance proceeds for losses sustained at a facility in Fort McMurray, Alberta, which was closed in May due to wildfires.

The trust issued a quarterly distribution of $400,000, equal to 4 percent per annum on invested capital. This was an increase from $200,000 distributed during the third quarter last year.

As of Sept. 30, Wilmington had assets under management in its operating platforms of approximately $172 million, with $59 million representing its share.
Hogleaze Storage Ltd. has opened a self-storage facility in Granby Industrial Estate, an industrial park in Chickerell, England. The company converted a leased building to 30,000 square feet of storage space. The facility offers units ranging from 25 to 200 square feet and will target local business and residential customers as well as those in neighboring Weymouth, which is a larger municipality.

We are pleased to be in Weymouth and expect to occupy the storage units quickly, keeping to our core values, efficient service and best pricing, owner Hugo James told the source.

The Chickerell facility is Hogleazes second location. The company has offered vehicle storage on a farm outside of Dorchester, England, since 2000, and added traditional self-storage units in 2003. It has expanded every year to keep up with demand, the source reported.

I think the Hogleaze Storage business model is an interesting one, and it was essential that they found the right unit at the right price in the right location, said Mickey Jones, chief executive of DJ Property, which owns the industrial park. As many people downsize their homes and storage space is at a premium, self-storage with easy access is the way forward.

Hogleaze offers customers 24-hour access. Its storage facilities are equipped with security features including alarms and closed-circuit television.
A new study of 14 endowments finds that the top three performers for fiscal year 2016 are those closest to the Yale model.

When it comes to investing, Yale University has schooled its Ivy League rivals this year. The $25.5 billion endowment, run by chief investment officer David Swensen, led the pack with a 3.4 percent return for the fiscal year ended June 2016. Thats music to the ears of advocates of the so-called Yale model for endowment investing, which is known for large allocations to alternative investments such as private equity and hedge funds. But is Yales formula worth copying?

A new analysis by research firm Markov Processes International (MPI) tries to answer the question of whether other endowments have adopted the Yale model. Using a proprietary metric that it calls common style, the firm measured the overlap in asset allocation mixes among various portfolios, looking at a pool of 14 university endowments and calculating how closely they aligned with Yales investment strategy. The researchers found that Princeton University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed the closest resemblance to Yale  and happened to be the only other endowments in the group to score positive returns.

Princeton and MIT reported returns of 0.8 percent for the fiscal year, and their asset allocation mixes overlapped with Yales by 78 percent and 77 percent, respectively. Perhaps its no coincidence that both endowments have David Swensen proteges at the helm. Andrew Golden, president of Princeton University Investment Co., trained under Swensen as an intern and worked as a portfolio manager from 1988 to 1993. Seth Alexander spent ten years at Yales endowment before taking over Massachusetts Institute of Technology Investment Management Co. in 2006. MITs and Princetons endowment strategies were an 82 percent match, according to MPIs calculations.

Bringing up the rear were Duke University, Cornell University, and an average of the University of California endowments, with losses of 2.6 percent, 3.3 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively. The three employed asset allocation strategies that were among the least correlated to Yales of all the schools in the sample: Duke shared 50 percent of its asset allocation with Yale, compared with 40 percent for Cornell and 35 percent for the California schools.

Only a few specific factor exposures were responsible for most of the gains this year, Markovs researchers wrote, citing private equity, real estate, and U.S. stocks and bonds. More exposures drove losses.

The data shows that endowments have not curbed their appetite for alternative investments since the financial crisis, despite the decision of some of their peers in the public pension community to flee from those assets in response to public pressure over the high fees charged by managers that produced years of less than stellar returns. The California Public Employees Retirement System turned heads in 2014 with a declaration that it planned to dump hedge funds from its portfolio, inspiring a number of other pensions to follow suit. In April the $51.2 billion New York City Employees Retirement system voted to cash out of hedge funds altogether, and the New Jersey State Investment Council in August revealed it would pare its $71.9 billion hedge fund portfolio from 12.5 percent to 6 percent.

Even the little guys are now saying bye-bye to hedge funds. The $7.6 billion Rhode Island State Investment Commission announced in September that it would slash its hedge fund portfolio by half, and the $14.9 billion Kentucky Retirement Systems decided in October to give hedge fund managers the ax.

Although Yale and Princeton had smaller weightings to hedge funds than their peers  in favor of private equity, venture capital, and real estate vehicles  Markovs president Jeff Schwartz tells Institutional Investor that amongst the large endowments that have access to these elite investment opportunities, their belief in alternatives has not been shaken by the backlash over fees and performance.

Even though Yale takes top honors this year, Schwartz warns not to jump to conclusions. The merits of the Yale model have been the subject of a perennial debate that is sure to continue. I dont think one year is long enough to vindicate any investment strategy  not Yales or anybody elses, he says.
This content is from: Portfolio

Dont give up on small funds. Theyve still outperformed in 20 of the last 25 years.
U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch believes the U.S. relations with Ukraine won't change after the American presidential election.

Speaking with journalists in Kyiv on Wednesday morning, Yovanovitch said that no matter who the next U.S. president will be, both during the transition period and under the new administration, the United States will remain a strong partner of Ukraine.

She said that both teams in the U.S. presidential election demonstrated support for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, democracy and cooperation.

The U.S. policy toward Ukraine has been unchanged for 25 years, because there is a consensus concerning the support of Ukraine, the ambassador said.

When asked about the future of the U.S. sanctions against Russia if Republican candidate Donald Trump wins, Yovanovitch expressed her confidence that the sanctions will be preserved and will be extended in December.
A Northeastern University student who says she was raped on campus after a 2013 Halloween party alleges in a lawsuit that the school mishandled her case.

Morgan Helfman alleges negligence, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress and other violations in the lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court in Massachusetts.

The suit names the university and five administrators as defendants and seeks unspecified punitive damages.

The Associated Press doesnt typically name people who say they are victims of sexual assault, but the 21-year-old Helfman spoke publicly about her case during a news conference Thursday at her attorneys office.

Helfman says the university determined the male student didnt violate school policy. He was not criminally charged.

Northeastern says in a statement that it hasnt seen the suit and cannot comment.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Massachusetts
Chinas new wide-ranging cyber security law is drawing some serious apprehension from the U.S. property/casualty insurance industry. Trade associations and experts alike caution that it will create business obstacles in the worlds second-largest economy.

Most insurers already find China a difficult market in which to get a toehold, said Michael Barry, vice president of media relations with the Insurance Information Institute, in an emailed statement. This action will not make things easier.

As reported by Bloomberg and others, the new law was recently passed by Chinas main legislative body, the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress. It takes effect in June and will implement a number of new requirements, such as mandatory testing and certification of computer equipment. Companies are also required to give government investigators complete access to their data if there is suspected wrong-doing, and Internet operators must cooperate in any national security or crime-related investigation.

In August, 46 global business groups covering finance, information technology, insurance and manufacturing submitted a letter to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang urging that the cyber rules be redrafted, arguing they would hamper trade, Reuters reported. Insurance industry worries remain.

The American Insurance Association is very concerned about the development on Chinas cyber security law, Steve Simchak, AIA director of Internal Affairs, said in an emailed statement. We and business associations around the world have communicated our shared concerns, and we hope that there can be a dialogue with the Chinese Government on implementation.

Dave Snyder, vice president of international policy for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, said that his association wants to see further progress with the recently passed regulations.

He noted that the insurance industry, individuals and government all have interests regarding data and that a balance between all three can be achieved.

We will continue to work with our Chinese counterparts to find an effective balance, Snyder said. This should be of interest to the Chinese not only internally but externally. As these [Chinese] companies wish to do business abroad, they too would want to have the right balance of policies applied to them by other countries.

The I.I.I.s Barry noted that China appears to want to gain greater control over its domestic internet activity in a way that would prompt other nations companies to interact more broadly with Chinese-based firms when storing information and conducting business in China.

But Barry said that the policies as reported appear to suggest that China is making it more difficult for non-Chinese firms to do business in China either directly or through partnerships.

Barry added that while it is too early to say how the new Chinese cyber security law will affect P/C insurance companies, early indications arent good.

P/C insurers will likely see the cost of complying with this new action as a disincentive to conduct business in China, Barry said.

This article first appeared in Insurance Journals sister publication, Carrier Management.

Related:

Topics Cyber Property Casualty China Market
Donald Trumps surprise election Tuesday as U.S. president means the repudiation of Barack Obamas legacy and a strong likelihood Republicans will undo many of his accomplishments, including Obamacare and trade deals, and seek tax cuts for the rich.

While Trump has made broad promises, he has offered few details of how he would execute them. Even though Republicans hold control of both chambers of Congress, its unclear Trump will have devoted partners. Most lawmakers from the party, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, havent embraced his highest-profile ideas, such as building a wall on the Mexican border.

Its also not clear who will populate his cabinet. He has a small cadre of close advisers, while many prominent Republicans have said they dont intend to serve with him.

Heres a look at Trumps top priorities:

Immigration

Trump surged to the Republican nomination in part based on a hard-line immigration policy that he framed as a rejection of Obamas more welcoming posture.

Trump said his first day in office would be devoted in large part to beginning an overhaul of the U.S. immigration system, setting aside funding to triple the number of immigration control agents and deporting more than 2 million people with criminal records. Hes declined to say whether his administration would pursue deportations of the millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. who havent committed crimes.

He has also said the Mexican government would pay at least part of the expenses for construction of a border wall. The Mexican government has said it will pay nothing.

Legal immigration from several countries will be completely banned for an indefinite period in the interest of national security, Trump has said. He once pledged to ban all Muslims from entering the U.S. but has since modified his position and now says he would impose extreme vetting to keep out terrorists. Entire countries that have been compromised by terrorism would be blacklisted from sending immigrants to the U.S. under Trumps policy. Its not clear how he would implement such a ban or whether its constitutional.

Other than saying the U.S. would stop accepting refugees from Syria, Trumps campaign hasnt specified which countries would be on the list.

Trade

Trump has pledged to end decades of American orthodoxy on trade policy, charging that past deals have decimated the U.S. manufacturing sector.

He says hell take a hard line against U.S. trading partners, including top allies, by seeking to renegotiate or nullify existing trade deals, and he plans to take a protectionist approach with China, which he has accused of manipulating its currency to undercut U.S. industry. Hes said he would label China a currency manipulator, bring trade cases against it at the World Trade Organization and potentially slap new tariffs on the countrys goods.

One of Trumps top targets: The North America Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, a deal between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993. Trump has said the agreement is the worst trade deal in U.S. history and that his administration would immediately call on Mexico and Canada to renegotiate.

Hes also promised to abandon the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal between the U.S. and 11 Pacific Rim nations. Congress has yet to ratify the pact, which was supported by President Barack Obama and opposed by both Trump and Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Taxes

Trumps tax plan largely adheres to Republican doctrine, offering a historic across-the-board cut in rates. He would reduce the number of federal tax brackets to three from seven, with a top rate of 33 percent for married couples earning $225,000 or more. The current top rate is 39.6 percent.

Hes called for reducing the U.S. corporate tax rate to 15 percent, down from 35 percent, in an effort to keep companies from leaving for countries with lower rates. Trump supports a one-time repatriation of U.S. companies corporate profits held overseas, taxed at 10 percent.

His plan includes ending the carried-interest provision of the tax code, which eases the tax burden for hedge-fund managers. Trump would also repeal the estate tax and offer new tax deductions for childcare expenses.

The conservative Tax Foundation found that Trumps tax plan may reduce federal revenue by at least $2.6 trillion over 10 years, after accounting for economic growth that his proposals might stimulate.

The center-left Tax Policy Center found that the 10-year reduction in revenues would be $6.2 trillion, and that the top 1 percent of taxpayers would receive almost half the benefits.

Health Care

Trump says hell ask Congress to immediately repeal the Affordable Care Act, Obamas signature domestic achievement. He has criticized the law for large premium increases in its government-run insurance markets.

Even if Democrats in the Senate are able to block wholesale repeal, Republicans could gut some of the laws key provisions, such as premium subsidies for insurance, a requirement that Americans carry insurance and an expansion of Medicaid for the poor.

Some of the laws popular consumer protections would likely remain in place, including the requirement that insurers cover everyone regardless of their health and the prohibition against charging sick people higher premiums. Its not clear how or if his administration would help insurers struggling to cope with those rules.

His replacement plan for Obamacare, he has said, would include more widespread use of health savings accounts, which allow people to sock away money in retirement-style accounts to spend when they need care, along with a national market for health insurance.

Insurers in any state would be allowed to sell plans in all others, ending the current system of state-level regulation. State insurance regulators, including Republicans, have criticized that idea, a longstanding Republican proposal, because they say consumer protections would be weakened and out-of-state insurers would have trouble assembling sufficient networks of doctors and hospitals.

About 20 million people who didnt previously have health insurance gained coverage under Obamacare. Trump has offered no estimate of how many of them would be insured under his approach

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics USA Mexico
Airbnb Inc.s claim that its just a conduit for user-generated content was rejected by a judge who said the company may not be able to duck a San Francisco law punishing it when hosts book units that arent registered with the city.

U.S. District Judge James Donato on Tuesday rebuffed Airbnbs argument that because it operates on the internet, it cant be held responsible if users circumvent local laws. Still, the judge stopped short of letting San Francisco enforce its measure, saying he needs more information to decide whether the city has adequate procedures for verifying registrations.

Had the worlds fourth-most valuable startup succeeded in its early attempt to block the ordinance enacted in June by its hometown, the strategy might have served as a template for other gig economy firms challenging regulations across the U.S. Instead, while Airbnb may appeal Donatos ruling, other cities struggling with high housing costs may now be emboldened to follow San Franciscos model.

While we appreciate that the judge has acknowledged our concerns about the inadequacy of the screening obligations in the new law and has continued to postpone enforcement of these rules as a result, we respectfully disagree with the remainder of his ruling, Airbnb spokesman Nick Papas said in an an e-mail. No matter what happens in this case, we want to work with the city to fix the broken system long before the legal process runs its course.

City Attorney Dennis Herrera said the ruling reinforces that online businesses dont get a free pass from the types of regulations that apply to other businesses in San Francisco.

They have to play by the rules, just like everybody else, he said in a statement. These platforms have numerous options to verify whether hosts have registered with the city and comply with the law.

Airbnb is already fighting its next major legal battle against the city and state New York, using the same arguments that failed in San Francisco to challenge a law that fines residents who rent out their apartments for illegal short-term stays.

The company also has a pending case against beachfront Santa Monica in Southern California. Anaheim, home to Disneyland, dropped its effort to regulate Airbnb less than two weeks after it was sued by Airbnb.

San Franciscos measure imposes a fine of as much as $1,000 a day on rental platforms for every booking of an unregistered host, plus possible misdemeanor charges, and blocks the companies from collecting fees from those bookings.

Michael Risch, a professor at Villanova University School of Law in Pennsylvania, said its not certain that other cities will follow San Franciscos lead in adopting home-sharing regulations because the judges logic is difficult to follow in Tuesdays ruling.

The court has clearly held that Airbnb is not immune due to its marketplace functions, Risch said. It may embolden other states and judges to find creative ways to circumvent the content from users rule. Or, other courts may simply disagree with the logic here, creating a split of authorities.

Communications Decency Act

Airbnb argued a 20-year-old U.S. law shields it from liability tied to users in the same way EBay Inc. isnt responsible for sales of bootleg recordings or Stubhub Inc. for scalped tickets. Airbnbs online transactions and fees are protected by the Communications Decency Act of 1996 because they are part and parcel of its service, it claimed.

San Francisco contended the companys attack on the ordinance was absurd because it wasnt intended to police what rental hosts upload to the website. The ordinance regulates only conduct  an unlawful commercial transaction, not speech, the city argued.

The San Francisco law does not threaten the liability plaintiffs fear, Donato wrote in his ruling. It doesnt treat Airbnb as a publisher of the rental listings provided by hosts or regulate whats said in the listings, he wrote. Instead, the law holds the company liable only for providing and collecting a fee for booking services for unregistered units, Donato ruled.

Airbnb is perfectly free to publish any listing they get from a host and to collect fees for doing so  whether the unit is lawfully registered or not  without threat of prosecution or penalty, Donato wrote.

The judge said San Francisco shouldnt enforce the law until after he hears further discussion of the citys mechanism for verifying whether rentals are legally registered. Donato left open the possibility that Airbnb could still win an order blocking the law based on the companys objections to possible criminal sanctions without a clear verification system.

Governor Cuomo

In October, the city and state of New York said they would hold off enforcing new restrictions on short-term apartment sublets against Airbnb until the companys lawsuit in that state is resolved. The move was a reversal from earlier indications that the restrictions would be enforced immediately after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed them into law on Oct. 21. The home-sharing company sued to block the measure just hours after Cuomos action.

In the San Francisco fight, Airbnb, with a valuation of $30 billion, garnered support from competitor Expedia Inc.s HomeAway, as well as a group representing Amazon.com Inc., Facebook Inc. and Google. The Internet Association, whose members also include Uber Technologies Inc. and ride-hailing rival Lyft Inc., said the dispute has wide-ranging implications for free speech on the internet.

The case is Airbnb v. City and County of San Francisco, 16-cv-03615, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco).

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics USA Legislation New York Training Development
Access to medical care for injured workers has greatly improved in Texas over the past 15 years, a study commissioned by the Texas Department of Insurance shows.

A September 2016 study by TDIs Research and Evaluation Group (REG) found that injured workers have ready access to physicians who can treat them more quickly than they did 15 years ago. The study found 84 percent of injured workers received initial care in seven days or less in 2015, compared to 76 percent in 2000.

Thats significant because improved timeliness means workers have a much better chance of getting back to work, and the cost for their care will be much lower, said Workers Compensation Commissioner Ryan Brannan.

The study measures the effectiveness of the workers compensation system to deliver timely and appropriate medical care to injured employees. It found that injured workers who arent treated within seven days have an average of about 40 percent more in medical costs over the first six months of an injury. In 2015, about half of injured workers saw a physician in one day or less. The average wait was 4.5 days.

In terms of timeliness, when REGs results are compared to the NCCI study of 35 states, Texas appears to be among the faster states. Brannan said. We have ongoing recruiting efforts to increase physician participation, and any issues with physician access are primarily due to a low number of physicians practicing in specific areas, not a low rate of physicians treating workers compensation patients in Texas.

The number of physicians in Texas who treated injured workers increased 6 percent from 2000 to 2015. During that same period, there was an 11 percent drop in the number of workers compensation claims filed.

The decrease in claims also means injured workers in most of the state have options when searching for a physician.

In 2000, each physician who participated in workers compensation treated an average of 21 patients. By 2015, that figure had dropped to 15, a decrease of 26 percent.

Read the study: Access to Medical Care in the Texas Workers Compensation System, 20002015

Source: TDI

Topics Texas Workers' Compensation
Federal safety officials have cited Bekaert Corp. in Van Buren, Arkansas, after an employee suffered an amputation while trying to untangle moving wire at an Arkansas facility that manipulates and coats steel products.

An inspection by Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators revealed machines that carry steel wire and pulleys with unguarded pinch points, a violation for which OSHA cited the company at the same location in April 2015. The agency identified the most recent violation in an inspection that began July 7, 2016, resulting in penalties for repeat violation.

OSHA has proposed penalties of $124,710.

Bekaert is a global company specializing in steel wire transformation and coating. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citation to comply, request an informal conference with OSHAs area director, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Source: OSHA

Topics Workers' Compensation Commercial Lines Business Insurance Arkansas
A Montgomery, Ala., man has been arrested and is accused of robbing 10 different businesses at gunpoint in the span of eight days.

Montgomery police tell news outlets that DeGregory Lee was arrested Nov. 3 and is charged with 16 counts of first-degree robbery. The crimes occurred at night, and all but one of the 10 targeted businesses were foreign.

The Montgomery Advertiser reports that the spree lasted from Oct. 24 through Oct. 31 and included four people being robbed of $10,000 in Korean currency at Satsuki, a Japanese restaurant.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Alabama
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin, a Democrat, was narrowly defeated Tuesday by his Republican opponent Mike Causey. Goodwin has served as North Carolina Insurance Commissioner since 2009.

Causey, an insurance agency owner, won by nearly 39,000 votes, according to state news sites.

He ran on a platform of modernizing what he calls on his website an outdated insurance department.

Its time that North Carolina had an insurance commissioner that doesnt play politics and reflects the conservative values and principles of most North Carolinians, his website says.

Causey lists his experience in the insurance industry as spanning 25 years, which has included as an agent and insurance agency owner.

I want to thank my campaign team and all the volunteers across North Carolina that worked tirelessly to make this election possible. My message of More Choices, Better Service and Lower Rates resonated with the voters. A special thanks to Commissioner Goodwin for his years of service in state government, Causey said in a statement to Insurance Journal.

Causey and Goodwin battled it out for the post once before in 2012, with Goodwin winning then by 4 percentage points, according to Ballotpedia.

Goodwin has touted the departments efforts in fighting insurance fraud, lowering insurance rates and working to get better training and equipment for volunteer fire departments.

He is currently embroiled in a battle with state homeowner insurers over a 24.9 percent rate increase request in 2014. The North Carolina Rate Bureau has requested review by the State Supreme Court after an Appeals Court sided with Goodwins decision to deny the rate request.

No word yet on how Causey will address this issue when he takes over, but he says on his website one of his tasks as commissioner will include reforming the North Carolina Rate Bureau.

Topics North Carolina
Incumbent Mike Kreidler (D) will serve a fifth term as Washingtons insurance commissioner.

Kreidler defeated Richard Schrock (R) with 60.13 percent of the vote in his bid for reelection. Schrock got 39.87 percent of the vote.

Kreidler more than matched his performance in the primary. He garnered 58.41 percent of the vote in that election followed by Schrock with 34.09 percent and Libertarian candidate Justin Murta with 7.50 percent of the vote.

Kreidler, 73, is the nations longest currently serving insurance commissioner. He was elected to the office in 2000 after stints as a congressman, state senator and state representative. He defeated Don Davidson (R) in his first bid for office by a comfortable 11 percent margin, and has won reelection by margins ranging from 13 to 22 percent over the years, according to Ballotpedia. Kreidler, a U.S. Army veteran, was formerly an optometrist.

He raised $91,542 in his reelection bid to Schrocks $3,790, according to campaign finance reports.

Kreidlers platform in the election included the environment, particularly urging insurers to disclose their risks from climate change, and continued work on healthcare reform.

Schrock, 72, is serving his second term as commissioner of Snohomish County Fire District No. 1. He was director of the Washington State Department of Commerce from 1981 to 1985. He works as a communications consultant.

His platform was fighting premium increases, and enacting policy changes. He has often stated his opposition to the Affordable Care Act.

I think Obamacare is collapsing, Schrock was quoted as saying in an article in the Spokesman-Review. Its destroyed the individual health insurance market in the state. Small businesses, including farmers, are unable to get plans that are what they want.

The salary for the office is $116,628.

The commissioner regulates more than 2,250 insurance companies and more than 155,000 licensees. Last year the office collected $555.9 million in premium taxes from insurance companies, according to its annual report for 2015.

Related:

Topics Washington
Two Gresham, Ore. couples have agreed to pay $135,000 to settle a lawsuit accusing them of cutting down or damaging dozens of protected trees to improve the views from their homes.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reported court documents released this week show insurance companies for David and Alyce Hadeed El-Khal are paying $125,000 of the settlement. The remaining $10,000 is being covered by the El-Khals neighbors, Stephen and Judith Brugh.

Oregons regional planning agency Metro sued the couples in March. Metro claimed they cut down 44 trees in a protected nature area near their homes perched atop Gresham Butte to enhance their views of the city below.

The El-Khals previously said they only cut two or three trees that were worthless, dead and decayed. The Brughs had only admitted to de-limbing four trees.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Carriers Homeowners Oregon
U.S. ambassador in Moscow suggests that Russia prepare for attempt of new U.S. administration to find solution to Ukraine, Syria problems

The new U.S. administration will try to foster settlement in Syria and Ukraine, U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Tefft said.

He told reporters on Wednesday, answering an Interfax question, that they would see a consistent policy in U.S.-Russian and U.S.-Soviet relations if they took a broader look.

The ambassador said that Russia and the United States had substantial disagreements over Ukraine, Syria and other matters, but he believed that the new administration would try to foster those issues and to find a solution.
Jeff Gray has rejoined National E&S as an environmental wholesale broker.

Gray specializes in hard to place risks, including construction risks, restoration contractors, environmental risks and hazmat trucking risks.

He was previously with National E&S as a broker from 2003 to 2013 before leaving to join NAESIP as a regional vice president.

National E&S is a wholesale brokerage operating in all 50 states.

Topics California Agencies Excess Surplus Pollution
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. has acquired Altman & Cronin Benefit Consultants LLC in San Francisco, Calif.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Ian Altman and his colleagues will continue to operate from their San Francisco location under the direction of Norbert Chung, head of Gallaghers Western employee benefits consulting and brokerage operations.

Altman & Cronin is an actuarial employee benefits consultancy that offers retirement and administration services to middle and large institutional clients throughout the U.S.

Itasca, Ill.-based Arthur J. Gallagher is an insurance brokerage and risk management services firm.

Topics Mergers & Acquisitions California A.J. Gallagher
Donald Trump takes over the presidency at a time of increased anxiety about cybersecurity and consumer privacy. High-profile data breaches at insurance companies, healthcare providers, major retailers, government agencies  and his vanquished opponents own aides-- illustrate a need for action.

Government regulations are forcing us to open up our systems and transmit our data, yet we are left to defend ourselves from the hackers who want to steal all the free-flowing data, says Pamela McNutt, senior vice president and CIO at Methodist Health System. As threats grow, so does the amount of money providers must spend to secure their environments.

On the stump, Trump was sometimes aloof about the cyber threat. When it was suggested that Russian agents had hacked the Democratic National Committee, Trump famously said, It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, OK?

But he also was able to leverage his opponents weakness on the subject to his advantage. As Hillary Clinton wrestled with the fallout from the investigation into her use of a private e-mail server while Secretary of State, and e-mails from her chief of staff John Podesta trickled out over the course of months , Trump seized the opportunity to differentiate himself.

Hillary Clinton's only experience in cybersecurity involves a criminal scheme to violate federal law, engineering a massive coverup and putting the nation in harm's way," Trump said to the Retired American Warriors PAC in October.

In terms of his actual plan, Trump favored speaking of the cyber threat in military terms. His site says he plans to order an immediate review of all U.S. cyber defenses and vulnerabilities, including critical infrastructure, by a Cyber Review Team of individuals from the military, law enforcement, and the private sector. That team would be tasked with recommendations for safeguarding different entities with the best defense technologies tailored to the likely threats, and will followed up regularly at various Federal agencies and departments.

Trump also proposes:
Lemergenza surriscaldamento globale non si arresta. Lo rivela la Nasa (Ente Nazionale per le attivita Spaziali e Aeronautiche) lagenzia governativa civile responsabile del programma spaziale degli Stati Uniti dAmerica e della ricerca aerospaziale.

Secondo lEnte statunitense, infatti, nel 2016 la temperatura globale si e attestata a 1,1 gradi centigradi in piu rispetto al XIX secolo, vale a dire rispetto ai livelli preindustriali (il periodo iniziato a partire dal Settecento in Gran Bretagna e diffusosi nell800 in buona parte del mondo). Nel 2015, evidenzia la Nasa, era gia stata raggiunta la soglia di 1 grado.

Un colpo pesante per la comunita internazionale che, alla conferenza Onu di Parigi sul clima svoltasi nel dicembre 2015, si era impegnata a mantenere laumento del termometro al di sotto dei 2 gradi centigradi, e possibilmente entro un grado e mezzo, entro la fine del secolo. Ma, a inizio secolo, siamo gia a oltre un grado.

Le brutte notizie non finiscono qui. Se dal globale passiamo al locale, di questo passo lItalia risentira (entro il 2100) di un aumento di temperatura ben al di sopra dei due gradi preventivati.

Lo rivela il Wwf (World Wide Fund for Nature), lorganizzazione internazionale non governativa di protezione ambientale piu nota al mondo. Secondo lOng, i cambiamenti climatici in Italia saranno a dir poco preoccupanti. Le migliori e piu avanzate elaborazioni dellautorevole Centro Euromediteraneo per i Cambiamenti Climatici (Cmcc), indicano  nello scenario ritenuto piu probabile  un incremento della temperatura media in Italia pari a circa 3 gradi per la fine del secolo per lintero territorio nazionale.

Se si considera lultimo trentennio del XXI secolo (2071-2100)  scrive in un comunicato la ong ambientalista  laumento di temperatura giunge anche a circa 4 gradi nel nord-ovest della penisola italiana nel periodo estivo. Nello scenario peggiore, inoltre, laumento della temperatura media in Italia sara invece di circa 6 gradi entro la fine del secolo. Lurgenza dellazione anche nel nostro Paese e ormai e un obbligo civile e morale, conclude il World Wide Fund for Nature.

Emergenza caldo evidenziata anche dalla Coldiretti (Confederazione Nazionale Coltivatori Diretti), la maggiore associazione di rappresentanza e assistenza dellagricoltura italiana. Il 2016  evidenzia la confederazione sorta nel 44  si e classificato al quarto posto tra gli anni piu caldi di sempre, con una temperatura di 1,24 gradi superiore alla media del periodo. Per il calcolo, la Coldiretti si e basata sui dati del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Cnr) che rilevano le temperature dal 1800. Nella classifica degli anni piu caldi dallinizio dellindustrializzazione  e percio dellinquinamento atmosferico su larga scala  ci sono, nellordine, 2015, 2014, 2003 e 2016. Seguono il triste elenco: il 2007, 2012, 2001, 1994, 2009, 2011 e, infine, il 2000.

Siamo di fronte agli effetti dei cambiamenti climatici  scrive Coldiretti  che si stanno manifestano con un pesante impatto sullagricoltura italiana, che negli ultimi dieci anni ha subito danni per 14 miliardi di euro. Si moltiplicano gli eventi estremi, sfasamenti stagionali e precipitazioni brevi, ma intense, e il repentino passaggio dal sereno al maltempo. Siccita e bombe dacqua con forti piogge a carattere alluvionale, ma anche gelate estreme e picchi di calore anomali si alternano lungo lanno e lungo tutta la Penisola. Anomalie che si evidenziano anche in questi giorni  conclude Coldiretti  con lItalia divisa in due, tra un nord dove e allarme incendi e siccita ed il centro sud che e seppellito dalla neve.
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What Is an Integrated Pension Plan?

An integrated pension plan is an employer-based pension plan where the employer counts Social Security benefits as part of the total benefit that the plan participant receives. Said another way, employers that use an integrated plan reduce the pension benefits that their employees receive by a percentage of the amount that they receive in their Social Security check. If the pension plan were not integrated, employees would receive a greater sum of money from their employer.

Key Takeaways An integrated pension plan is an employer-based pension plan in which Social Security is counted as part of the employees' total benefits.

An integrated pension plan can help employers reduce the cost of a traditional pension plan, while still offering their workers stable retirement income.

A potential disadvantage of defined benefit pension plans is that participants do not have control over the investments.

Understanding Integrated Pension Plans

A pension plan is a type of retirement plan in which the employer is responsible for making contributions to the employee's retirement plan. The pension plan is a pool of money that's set aside to pay the employees a monthly benefit when they retire. The money is invested on the employee's behalf, and any earnings on those investments are used to pay the employee their retirement income. Pension plans have largely gone away due to the financial cost and responsibility that the employer has for their worker's retirement benefits.

An integrated pension plan factors in the employee's Social Security benefits into the formula for determining their pension benefits. As a result, an integrated pension plan is less costly and less financially burdensome for the employer.

Integrated pension plan participants collect from their employer as well as Social Security. Some integrated plans have a specified total benefit in mind when determining payout; these plans look for Social Security and pension funds to combine toward meeting that goal.

Employees do have some protection, though. According to a 1986 law, an employer that enrolls employees in an integrated pension plan cannot reduce private pension distributions by more than 50%.

Why Integrated Pension Plans Are Used

Several factors likely play a role in a firms decision to adopt an integrated pension plan. First, there are several payroll considerations that accompany an integrated pension plan; in particular, firms can reduce their required OASDI payment. OASDI (old age, survivors, and disability insurance) is the payroll tax that employers collect from employees to fund the nations social security program. Employers withhold 6.2% of their employees' pay and then forward it to the government. For their part, employers must also pay 6.2% from their own funds. With pension integration, firms can offset part of this tax by reducing employee pension benefits.

Second, a non-integrated pension plan could result in lower-paid workers receiving combined pension and Social Security benefits that exceed their pre-retirement earnings, which could be considered unfair. Third, firms may view an integrated plan as a recruiting tool to attract and retain talented personnel. The thought is that integration could allow for higher pension benefits, within limits, for higher-paid workers.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Defined Benefit Plans

Defined benefit pension plans offer participants security, in that they know their income stream upon retirement. Also, the Pension Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) protects the administration of their defined benefit plans. If something happened to the company, the PBGC would step in and cover pension distributions.

A disadvantage of a defined benefit pension plan is that a participants income potential may be limited. For example, a 401(k) plan participant would be able to choose individual investments that may lead to higher annual returns. Along those lines, another potential disadvantage of defined benefit pension plans is that participants do not have control over the investments.
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REE Stock News - Defense Metals (TSX-V: DEFN.V) (OTCQB: DFMTF) Drills 113 metres of 2.50% Total Rare Earth Oxide at Wicheeda

Vancouver, British Columbia - October 26, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mining / Metals / Green Energy Stock News - Defense Metals Corp. (TSX-V: DEFN / OTCQB: DFMTF/ FSE:35D) is pleased to announce high-grade Rare Earth Element ("REE") assay results from one additional core hole, totalling 383 metres (m), collared within the northern area of Defense Metals' 100% owned Wicheeda REE Deposit.

Top EV Stock News - Investor Idea

Breaking EV Stock News: Overwhelmingly Positive Reactions Pour in From First Leg of Mullen Automotive's (NASDAQ: MULN) 'Strikingly Different' FIVE EV Crossover Tour

BREA, Calif. - October 31, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, announces today that the Mullen FIVE has received overwhelmingly positive reactions from members of the public, reservation holders and Mullen investors who were able to ride in the vehicle for the very first time on the "Strikingly Different" tour which kicked off last week in Pasadena, California.

Top Health and Wellness News - Investor Idea

Health and Wellness Stock News - Endexx (OTCBB: EDXC) Secures Third Order for Non-Nicotine Vape Product HYLA Worth Approximately $1.5M in Revenue for First two Fiscal Quarters of 2023

CAVE CREEK, Ariz. - October 27, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Endexx Corporation (OTCBB:EDXC), a provider of innovative, plant-derived, and sustainable health and skincare products, today announces it has secured three key significant orders for its newly acquired, non-nicotine plant-based vape product, HYLA.

Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea

Breaking AI Stock News: FatBrain (OTCQB: LZGI) Acquires Confidential Computing Platform ZeroTrust to Protect Data Privacy and Accelerate Innovation for Millions of Growth Businesses

NEW YORK, NY - October 19, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for star enterprises of tomorrow, has acquired the confidential computing and privacy intellectual property (IP) plus software assets of Zero2A PTE LTD ("ZeroTrust Platform"), a software company based in Singapore.

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Ukrainian Foreign Ministry says appointments by new U.S. administration will indicate new policies

The statements voiced by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump were part of his election campaign, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said adding that appointments which will be made by new U.S. administration will be a telltale sign of their new policies.

"We look forward to many stabilizing factors, which are in the U.S. establishment and society in general. Those statements that were made, I think they were made as part of election campaign. And now we'll wait and see. Who will be appointed the secretary of state, the defense secretary and security adviser will be important giveaways. These points will be an important indicator," Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko told reporters before the cabinet meeting in Kyiv on Wednesday answering a question of Interfax-Ukraine.

The deputy minister said that these elections are another step in the development of American democracy.

He expressed the hope, that the new U.S. leadership will meet Kyiv's expectations from the new U.S. presidential administration. (President-elect Donald Trump was elected on the Republic Party ticket).
The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers has authorized the dismissal of Mikheil Saakashvili from the post of the head of Odesa Regional State Administration.

A relevant decision was made by the government on Wednesday, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported.

"The issue was debated. [It was] adopted," Ukraine's Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Ostap Semerak told reporters after the session, responding to a question from Interfax-Ukraine.
Republicans have retained their lock on the House of Representatives for two more years as candidates triumphed in a variety of districts Democrats had hoped to take in Florida, Virginia and elsewhere.

Donald Trump's divisive comments about women and Hispanics meant Democrats had envisioned big gains in suburban and ethnically diverse districts for the lower chamber of the US Congress.

Instead Democrats seemed on track for modest pick-ups as Republican contenders were buoyed by their presidential candidate's tight battle against Hillary Clinton.

While expectations were nearly zero that Democrats would win the 30 seats they needed to capture House control for next year, both sides had anticipated they would cut into the historic Republican majority by perhaps a dozen seats.

"This could be a really good night for America," House speaker Paul Ryan (pictured), who won a 10th term in Wisconsin, told supporters in his home town of Janesville.

In Florida, Republican Carlos Curbelo won a race that suggested Mr Trump's damage to the party would be limited.

With around seven in 10 of the Miami-area district's voters being Hispanic, Democrats had targeted it and the race became one of the country's most expensive, with an $18m price tag, but Mr Curbelo distanced himself from his own party's nominee and held on.

Virginia representative Barbara Comstock kept her seat in the Washington DC suburbs despite Democrats' relentless attempts to tie her to Mr Trump. The two sides spent more than $20m on that contest in a district of highly educated, affluent voters that both sides had viewed as vulnerable to a Democratic takeover.

Democrats defeated two Florida Republican incumbents, but those results seemed due to local circumstances.

John Mica, a 73-year-old 12-term veteran from the Orlando area, was criticised by Republican strategists for a lacklustre campaign and lost to Democrat newcomer Stephanie Murphy.

Democratic challenger Charlie Crist, once the state's Republican governor, defeated David Jolly in a St Petersburg district that had been redrawn to favour Democrats.

Democrats spent 4 million dollars and beat Scott Garrett, a member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus from a northern New Jersey suburb of New York City, and they defeated Bob Dold, a Republican moderate from the Chicago suburbs where Democratic strength proved overpowering.

Both parties' candidates and outside groups spent nearly 1.1 billion dollars combined on House campaigns, short of the 1.2 billion dollar record in 2012, according to the Centre for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan research group.

Republicans had only a slight financial edge.

While Mr Trump hurt Republicans in some areas, his appeal to working-class white voters and their antipathy to Ms Clinton helped candidates in others.

That seemed to help Republicans limit an erosion of their House majority, which would have left hardline conservatives with added clout to frustrate party leaders.

Even with the Ryan-led House advantage, work has stalled on spending bills after hitting objections from conservatives, including about 40 members of the Freedom Caucus. A major loss of moderate Republicans would have increased dissident Republicans' leverage next year.
Donald Trump's presidential victory has set off protests by hundreds of people on California college campuses and in Oregon.

At least 500 people took to the streets in and around UCLA early on Wednesday morning, some shouting anti-Trump expletives.
Grilled by MEPs for over an hour, Mr Noonan deflected criticism of deals done with Apple, saying it was up to US authorities to collect any back-taxes due.

Its not our fault that there are mismatches between international tax practices and that clever tax lawyers are earning high fees in exploiting them, he said.
This follows Lidl accusing Tesco of engaging in a potentially cynical attempt of using the planning process to frustrate its expansion plans.

Over the past 12 months, Tesco has opposed at least six new Lidl retail outlets at An Bord Pleanala, and has lost out in every decision to date.

Now employing 4,000 here, Lidl currently spends 100m a year on opening stores.

Last month, An Bord Pleanala threw out Tescos opposition against Lids new Drogheda store and now the appeals board has released Lidls rebuttal letter to the plan.

In the letter, Lidl said Tesco should be considered a serial objector and repeats the claim in a fresh rebuttal letter concerning Tescos opposition at An Bord Pleanala against a store at Edenderry, Co Offaly.

On the Edenderry plan, Lidl says that having objected to numerous retail proposals by Lidl Ireland, it would appear that many of Tescos grounds of appeal are generally not upheld, often merely delaying planning permission.

In its appeal against the Edenderry plan, Tesco says the design and layout of the proposed development is not in keeping with the so-called Retail Design Manual.

The director of property and central services at Lidl, Alan Barry, would not be drawn on the number of Tesco appeals.

We are committed to our expansion strategy, he said.

A Tesco spokeswoman said: Tesco Ireland only ever raises planning objections where there is a legitimate planning ground or precedent to justify the objection.
The video was developed as part of a programme of fun science events, shows, workshops and exhibitions for all ages which will take place from 11-20 November 2016 in locations across Cork

Cork is celebrating science this November with a jam-packed programme of more than 100 events, talks, seminars, exhibitions and programs for all the ages.

The Cork Science Festival launched its 2016 programme of events with a diverse list of stimulating, engaging, fun and interactive events for all ages taking place in locations across Cork from the 11-20 November, as part of Science Week Ireland 2016.

Science is all around us  from the food and drink that fuels us to the environment that we live in. Science is everywhere and this year we are holding a series of community events to put a spotlight on the science all around us. Our program includes events, workshops and shows for adults and for primary and post primary schools. There will be a fun series of afternoon and evening events & exhibitions visiting community groups, libraries and public spaces anchored by two large public open days. We expect more than 10,000 people to participate in workshops and activities over the course of the week, said Mervyn Horgan, Manager, Cork Science Festival.

The week of events will kick-off with a screening of Star Trek in St. Lukes Church on Friday 11 November. The Celebrate Science Open Day event will take place in UCCs Western Gateway Building on Sunday the 13 November and the big finale will be the Science Festival Community Open Day, which will be held in Neptune Stadium on Sunday 20 November.

Cork Science Festival offers an exciting fun filled range of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) workshops, shows, tours and activities for all ages. There are free activities for pre-school, primary and post primary schools but some fantastic late night events for adults and community offerings this year too. We have events planned for everyone and everywhere: this is the science festival for all the ages, he continued.

Adults can enjoy the Science of Beer event in the Rising Sons Microbrewery and Brewpub and discover the key role that science plays in the creation of beer. There will be some science comedy from Snatch Comedy in the Roundy Bar, and a night tour of the City Gaol for curious adults.

Theres Science Story Time for pre-schoolers, Learnit LEGO Education, Bloody Detectives & Electric Brain Workshops for primary school students and the CIT - Mad Professor Show aimed at second level students. The Cork Science Festival has something for everyone.

This year we are hosting a Science Festival Community Open Day in Neptune Stadium on Sunday 20 November and are inviting everyone to come and enjoy a free, fun day out: children, adults and grandparents. There will be hands-on experiments and demos, interactive exhibits, arts & crafts and face-painting. We guarantee an enlightening and fun day out for all the family, he added.

Cork Science Festival is one of the biggest events in the Science Week Ireland calendar. Cork Science Festival is developed by a team representing education, research and industry across STEM from the Cork area and is funded by Science Foundation Ireland. All activities funded through Cork Science Festival are available free to schools. For more information, booking requirements and a programme of events please see www.corksciencefestival.ie/.
Mr OHare, aged 60 and once known as the Border Fox, is wanted in the Republic of Ireland on six charges.

He was detained at his Slaterock Rd home in Newtownhamilton, Co Armagh, early yesterday.

Mr OHare is being sought in connection with three counts of false imprisonment, threats to kill, grievous bodily harm and violent disorder.

The alleged offences relate to an incident at Garters Lane in Saggart, south Dublin, in June last year.

Mr OHare appeared before Belfast Recorders Court flanked by prison guards for the first stage of the bid to have him transferred across the border.

Sean Devine, defending, confirmed: The position is that he does not consent to extradition.

With the full hearing listed for next month, lawyers representing the High Court in Dublin opposed bail due to the risk of flight.

Stephen Ritchie argued that Mr OHare is being sought in connection with serious offences of violence and intimidation. According to the warrant, they would have been terrifying for the victims, he said.

They invol-ved a gang of which the defendant is accused of being the leader.

Judge Patricia Smyth was told witnesses have provided strong recognition evidence against Mr OHare.

CCTV recordings of the alleged incident have also been obtained.

When the Garda arrived, the defendant and five other men ran off through an adjacent golf club, said Mr Ritchie. Its quite clear the defendant did try, and in fact, executed an escape.

A co-accused, Declan Duffy, aged 43, of Hannover St West in Dublin, has already been remanded in custody in the Republic.

Although Mr Devine accepted a prima facie case has been established against his client, he rejected claims Mr OHare may flee if released.

The barrister insisted the wanted man is settled in Newtownhamilton with his family, running a handyman and tarmac business.

Mr OHares criminal record was described as historic, with no convictions since his release from custody 11 years ago.

The court was told his family live on five acres of land which also include outbuildings for mushroom growing facilities.

But Judge Smyth pressed for more details on who runs any business located there.

Adjourning the bail application, she requested information on the familys responsibilities, debts, and liabilities.

Mr OHare was remanded into custody to be produced on Friday.
Irish Water yesterday published the preferred scheme, which details a new source of water supply for the Eastern and Midlands region.

The 50-metre wide pipe will run from the River Shannons Parteen Basin in Tipperary to Peamount in south Co Dublin, with the aim of delivering 330 million litres of water to the midlands and Dublin daily.

The cost is estimated at 1.2 billion.

We have about 500 farmers who are very concerned about the impact this will have, Thomas Cooney, chairman of the Irish Farmers Associations (IFA) environment and rural affairs committee, told the Irish Examiner.

I was with one farmer in Tipperary today whose farm will be cut in half and the pipe would cause a 50-metre split, the width of OConnell Street in Dublin, in his land.

He doesnt know how long the works would be going on for on his land and what it would all look like afterwards, the IFA representative said.

Mr Cooney highlighted a number of areas of concern for farmers: Theyre worried about when itll be finished and what the situation with drainage, pipes and shores will be.

They want to know if theyll be able to farm as they have been doing. They want to know where all the leftover soil will go and will it have to be hauled across their fields, he said.

Theyre also concerned about the period after the construction phase and if there will be air vents on their lands.

As well as that, theyre concerned about future planning permission on their land if they have a son or a daughter and they wont be able to get planning to build now because of the location of a shore or an air vent, he added.

Mr Cooney said the IFA is encouraging all those affected to attend one of the public consultation open days planned by Irish Water in November and December.

Also critical of the proposal was Gerry Siney, chairman of the River Shannon Protection Alliance.

The high risks are enormous for this type of project, he said.

However, the preferred scheme was welcomed by the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.

The proposal offers a critical piece of long-term infrastructure for nearly half the population and generations to come, said Aebhric McGibney, director of public and international affairs at the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.

The preferred scheme was published on the same day as Irish Water announced it would seek planning permission for the Stillorgan Reservoir Upgrade Project, a new covered reservoir at the Dublin site with the aim of benefitting more than 200,000 people.
MP and chairman of the Verkhovna Rada committee on preventing and combating corruption Yehor Sobolev has called for a no confidence vote on Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko over the improper investigation of crimes committed during the Revolution of Dignity.

"Yuriy Lutsenko is ruining the only existing mechanism within the General Prosecutor's Office. That is why I think that it will be fair and responsible to initiate the resignation of the prosecutor general because of intentional sabotage of the investigation of key crimes [during protests in late 2013 and early 2014]," Sobolev said on Wednesday after the meeting of Anti-Corruption Committee. Representatives of individuals injured during the anti-government protests complained about the PGO's shoddy investigation of crimes committed during the protests.

The MP said that he had prepared the appropriate letter for the people's deputies so that they "could express distrust of the parliament to the prosecutor general, which would lead to his resignation."

"We must not rest until the appropriate prosecutor general is appointed, someone who will oversee the proper investigation of these cases," Sobolev said.
Finbar Lehane, aged 65, suffered serious injuries when he was assaulted in Kanturk in the early hours of Monday, October 24.

Mr Lehane was rushed to Cork University Hospital immediately after the assault.

However, he subsequently passed away on Monday afternoon last.

A postmortem on Mr Lehane concluded yesterday morning, and gardai say that their investigations are ongoing.

The scene was forensically examined by Garda technical experts in the hours following the assault.

A renowned musician from the village of Banteer south of Kanturk, Mr Lehane was fondly remembered yesterday.

Johnny Bongos Horgan, who is best known for his appearance on RTEs All Ireland Talent Show, yesterday described Mr Lehane as a great friend, a great musician, and the best spoon player in the world.

Finbar spent many hours teaching me the skill of playing the spoons and as I am writing this I cannot believe who would hurt the most beautiful person in the world, Mr Horgan posted on Facebook.

Mr Horgan also said that Mr Lehane was well loved by everyone.

Thank you Finbar for the gift that you gave me and the music that you have given us justice will be done RIP, Mr Horgan said.

Former County Mayor Cllr John Paul OShea said that Mr Lehane was a well-liked musician in the region.

He was renowned in the music scene, and loved playing the harmonica.

There arent many who do, so we have lost a tradition in a sense.

Id like to extend my sympathies to his family and wider circle of friends, Mr OShea said.
The States drug survey shows a jump in the use of cannabis and ecstasy, as well as licit and illicit usage of pharmacy-type opiates.

The countrys top drug advisor, Catherine Comiskey said she was surprised by the increases in cannabis and ecstasy use and most disappointed by high usage among young men.

Community worker Gary Broderick said it was difficult to discuss the impact of cannabis because it had become so normalised.

The Drug Use in Ireland and Northern Ireland report, conducted by the National Advisory Committee on Drugs and Alcohol (NACDA), found:

Recent (last year) use of cannabis rose from 6% in 2011 to almost 8% in 2015, while recent use of ecstasy rose four-fold (0.5% to 2%);

For young people aged 15-34, recent use of cannabis rose from 10% to 14% and from 0.9% to 4% for ecstasy;

Current (last month) use of cannabis rose from 3% to 5%, while current ecstasy use rose 10-fold (0.1% to 1%);

For young people aged 15-34, current use of cannabis rose from 4.5% to 8% and from 0.1% to 2% for ecstasy.

However, the figures are much higher for young men  with recent use of cannabis at 21.5% for 15- to 24-year-old men, compared to 11% of women of the same age. The figures for ecstasy use were 10% versus 4% and, for cocaine use , 5.5% versus 1%.

Prof Comiskey, NACDA chair, said the take-home message was the increases in cannabis and ecstasy use and that young men continued to be at particular risk.

What disappointed me most was still the young men, she said, adding it was disheartening.

Ms Byrne said she was really taken aback by the high rate of drugs use among young people. She said despite all the preventions in education and youth centres so many young people were still taking illegal substances.

She said a major task of the forthcoming National Drugs Strategy was to help young people stay away from drugs.

While a lot of money was going into communities, she said a vast amount more could be done. We need to focus on communities, she said. How can we build up relationships with young people?

She said young people needed to be drawn into local facilities with the help of outreach workers.

Gary Broderick, community representative on the NACDA, said cannabis is a multiple of the strength it was in the past. What we see on the ground is the impact of cannabis and how difficult it is to discuss that because cannabis is so normalised.

He said the mental health impact for young people was significant and could cause huge stress for families if a debt is built up.

The EU drugs agency has was warned of the increased potency of cannabis and a dramatic increase in the potency of ecstasy.
The 67-year-old, whose farm at Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, straddles the border with Northern Ireland, had pleaded not guilty at the non-jury Special Criminal Court to nine charges of failing to comply with tax laws in the Republic for 1996/97 to 2004.

The three-judge Special Criminal Court found Murphy guilty on all counts and he was jailed for 18 months on February 26.

Opening an appeal yesterday against the conviction, John Kearney, defending, told the court that all the tax Murphy was found guilty of evading was paid by his brother Patrick Murphy.

He said it was staggering the authorities came after Thomas Murphy for tax his brother Patrick had paid. His brother was around every corner, hes under every stone. Hes constantly in this case, said Mr Kearney.

Patrick Murphy had wrongly applied for more income by increasing the number of herds he had so as to increase his take on the grant, said Mr Kearney.

The defences case from day one was that the farm payments were for a single farm with three herds. Extra herds, extra money, said Mr Kearney.

He said the Special Criminal Courts 10-page verdict was inadequately brief for a 32-day trial in a document-heavy circumstantial case. He said the non-jury court erred in dealing with this as a straightforward case narrowing down to a number of core issues.

Mr Kearney said the Special Criminal Court stated in its verdict there were a number of documents an expert found to have been signed by Murphy but that there was no such evidence.

For the court to short-circuit that evidence into this possible finding of fact was astounding, he said.

Murphy has appealed his conviction on 48 grounds in seven core areas. The hearing is expected to last three days.
Schools should reopen this morning as a result of the agreement of both sides to accept the invitation from Anna Perry.

She chairs the Teachers Conciliation Council, as well as being an official of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), although it was not certain last night if the intervention is on behalf of the WRC.

The move came after a lengthy meeting of the ASTIs 23-member standing committee following another one-day strike by its 17,500 members in pursuit of equal pay for recently-qualified teachers. That shut down over 500 second-level schools but around 400 of those were due to stay closed for an indefinite period over the unions withdrawal from supervision and substitution duties.

In a statement at 9pm, the ASTI confirmed its standing committee had accepted Ms Perrys invitation to enter talks. It said: The ASTI has agreed to defer its directive on supervision and substitution and its strike action to facilitate this process for the duration of the talks. It is expected that this process will continue until the end of November.

A Department of Education spokesperson said Education Minister Richard Bruton welcomed the initiative for conciliation talks, as well as the decision of the ASTI to suspend its one-day strikes and withdrawal from supervision and substitution duties.

The process will allow breathing space for bot parties to consider any further developments in the wider public service pay sphere.

The departments statement said it had accepted Ms Perrys invitation to meet with her to discuss matters of mutual concern relating to the ASTIs industrial action that fall within the remit of the Teachers Conciliation Council. A spokesperson was unable to confirm which issues would be on or off the agenda last night.

However, as issues of public pay policy arenot understood to be normally considered by the council, it is unclear whether the process will be able to deal with the issue of new entrants pay.

A further five strikes had been planned by the ASTI on that issue up to December 7, although government pay policy may be evolvinganyway owing to rising pressure from other public service unions since last weeks deal recommended by the Labour Court in the dispute between gardai and the Department of Justice.

That might restrict the conciliation process to dealing with the issues around supervision and substitution and Mr Brutons insistence the reason ASTI members have not received the same pay rises as other teachers was because of their refusal to continue working extra hours previously delivered under an old pay deal.
Yesterday, Bernadette Warnock, 63, was jailed for two years. Warnock stole the money while operating the finances of Positive Action Ltd, which was set up in 1994 to help women who contracted hepatitis C through contaminated blood product in maternity hospitals.

Warnock, of Garrettstown, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 71 counts of theft and fraud between 2009 and 2011 totalling 116,226. Positive Action had 730 members and received the majority of its funding from the HSE. It closed in 2014 following a HSE audit.

Warnock, who contracted hepatitis C at the age of 24, has four previous convictions for forging cheques from her employer in 1990.

Judge Melanie Greally said she wished hepatitis C sufferers benefit directly from the compensation. She noted that there were three support groups to which the HSE allocated funding, but said she had concerns about the money going to these organisations directly as none are registered charities.

The judge said she was satisfied, having heard evidence from Michelle Tait, the national co-ordinator of hepatitis C services within the HSE, that if an order directed the money go to her division, the former members of the Positive Action Group would benefit.

I appreciate that there may be a more direct route but this seems to be the safest way, said Judge Greally.

Ms Tait told the court that her division ringfences 25m each year to provide various medical services and supports to the 1,350 hepatitis C sufferers in the country.

Ms Tait said her division of the HSE would undertake to ensure that the 63,500 would go towards supporting the three organisations.

The court heard in earlier sentence hearings that Positive Action is in liquidation, with one of the main creditors being the HSE.

Judge Greally said the offences were an enormous betrayal of trust and said: Acts like these cast doubt and suspicion over the charity sector.

She said the court could not disregard the fact that, in the midst of her offending, Warnock had performed much laudable work. She said her loss of reputation had been entirely merited but the court could take it into account.

Judge Greally imposed a three-year sentence and suspended the final 12 months.

Ronan Kennedy, defending, handed in family and friend testimonials on her behalf.

He said he was instructed to offer an apology and that Warnock recognised the consequences and impact of her actions.

It is an understatement to say she is deeply ashamed, said Mr Kennedy.

He said Warnock did not shy away from the aggravating features in this case, such as the sum of money involved, the protracted time period, the breach of trust,and the fact it was public money.

Mr Kennedy handed in medical reports and said she came before the court with health issues which significantly deteriorated over the past few months. Counsel asked that she be given credit for her effort to rehabilitate.

He said she had done much to make sure it would not happen again. He said what she had done has taken a significant toll on her.
You could hear an icicle melt in anticipation of Bjork coming on stage last Saturday. Headlining the five-day Iceland Airwaves music festival, fans of all ages gathered in the luxurious Eldborg concert hall of Reykjaviks Harpa hall for this special homecoming gig.

A 31-one string section of the Icelandic Philharmonic orchestra sat in an arc as the petite figure walked on stage, and with no introduction launched into songs from her last album Vulnicura. Heart wrenching, intense, visceral, her phrasing and clearly articulated words (all in English) were classic Bjork. Her deeply personal History of Touches was heartbreaking. The beautifully arranged opulent strings smoothed the plaintiff sounds, leaving the audience stunned.
SHORTLY after 8pm last Thursday, the leaders of public service unions who signed up to the Lansdowne Road Agreement were shafted. The pay deal, worth 40m to gardai, was overreached by the Labour Court, concerned to issue a recommendation that would be accepted, and thus reinforce its jurisdiction.

Effectively this means acceptance by the divided Garda Representative Association (GRA). It is a given that the Government doesnt reject its recommendations, but unions may. As the Luas and Dublin Bus disputes demonstrated, the industrial relations machinery of the State provide a floor, not a ceiling, for what can be had. Its a slot machine for vested interest. Where the public interest lies is unknown.

Everything is a matter of perspective. From the viewpoint of most trade union leaders, who represent mostly public service workers, they played an essential role in ensuring that Lansdowne Road stuck. They did this at considerable cost, within their unions, where the going has gotten increasingly rough. Ironically they seldom got the appreciation they deserved from members when pay rose exorbitantly. But they got the grief on the way back down. Croke Park, Haddington Road, and Lansdowne Road form a serried political construct where what was done served two essential requirements. The first was to preserve the State, on which ultimately public service workers absolutely depend. Second was the requirement to distribute what was available to current voting members of trade unions. Thence the abandonment of new entrants not only on equal pay, but on pension too. It was a Faustian pact. And understand this, Lansdowne Road may be shot, but the underlying inequalities have been put beyond reach.

Bellyaching now about poorly-off new entrants doesnt bear scrutiny. Public servants understandably have no interest in equal pay for equal work. Any application of the principle would collapse the entire system immediately. For example, there is no suggestion that increments, virtually unknown in other employments, be abandoned. There is nobody proposing that vastly different entitlements to public service pensions, varying from gold-plated prior to 1996 to little more than base metal today, be reversed, to become equal pension for equal service. If you are over 50, on a pre-1996 pension, a lower rate of PRSI, a full pension entitlement at 60, and sitting pretty on your increments, then the shafting of new entrants was done for you, by you and you know it. If you had any decency you would be kissing the hand of your trade union leader. And the base metal pensions for new public service entrants come at a hefty discount, compared to what could be similarly afforded in the private sector. Its all a matter of perspective, you see.

New entrants to the public service have a grievance, and so-called pay restoration can only partly solve it  and only then at a cost to public services and the public interest. To put it into perspective, an average garda enters the ranks in their early 20s, retires on full pension 30 years later in their early 50s, and then lives for another 30 years. For every year of service there is an approximate year on pension. This 1:1 ratio is utterly unsustainable. It has nearly doubled in a lifetime. But with increasing life expectancy, it is set to further increase. The addition of the six months spent in Templemore into the calculation for pension entitlement possibly tips the system into the bizarre realm, where gardai are almost uniformly longer on pension than working. In any event, increased life expectancy will achieve that soon.

What neither the 40m found for gardai now, or putative eventual pay restoration under Lansdowne Road will do is reverse the changes made in 1996, which made new public servants pay more and wait longer for the same entitlement, or more much drastic changes in 2013, when pensions based on career average, not final salary, was introduced. Brendan Howlins innovation on the centenary of the Lockout was the ultimate de-equalisation within the public service. It recognised the financial reality facing a State in crisis then, and demographically over the long term. Over a lifetime, its puts disparity on pay, into perspective. Please note, you havent heard as much as a whimper about it. The vested interests who benefit disproportionately, are too strong to allow any reconsideration of pension entitlements be put into play.

The Government met yesterday and accepted the reality of having to pay an extra 40m to gardai, if they accept it. The extent of the breach of Lansdowne Road, depends on how elastic you like your argument to be. But the greater cost to Government is not the 40m, or even the several hundred million it would cost to extrapolate a deal for 14,000 gardai across 300,000 public servants; it is credibility. What the Government lost last Thursday night was its authority with a key group of trade union leaders, inside Lansdowne Road, who learnt not to be caught carrying the can again.

Fine Gael, now has an identity crisis. Its ultimate dilemma was to be faced with a choice between An Garda Siochana and the State  the twin pillars of its own self-identity. It did so in circumstances when as a party in Government, it faced responsibility for the first time without Labour. It was Ruairi Quinn in 1996 and Brendan Howlin in 2013 who effectively curbed the greatest excesses of the public service. The irony is not lost now.

Fine Gael identity is based on the higher professions, the self-employed and farmers. There is no urban working class Fine Gael to speak of. They have neither the personal connections nor the political inclination to parley with trade unions. As we now know, they talk tough but surrender quickly. Lansdowne Road is collateral damage. Budgetary policy is now between the crosshairs.

The chances of the 40m pay award being found within the Justice vote is nil. Led by Leo Varadkar, ministers are rushing to offload responsibility. His talking tough after the pass was sold only draws attention to incapacity to take responsibility effectively.

Varadkar was central to an impetus for additional Government spending that spirited an additional 300m into the fiscal space in the run-up to the budget. And one thing does lead to another. The truth is that neither 40m nor even 300m are game changers in themselves. Its the cumulative change that matters and the greater part of change which counts is cultural change. The cumulative effect of the last two budgets, plus the Garda pay award is just that. Soon we will be talking about real money. Those in trade unions and inside the tent are now under huge pressure. It can only be assuaged with public money at a cost to public services.

In any event, Fianna Fail has made clear it wants an accelerated Public Sector Pay Commission. That leaves the public interest, without a public defender in sight.
Business Wave Money to Expand Network

Central Bank Deputy Governor Daw Khin Saw Oo presents a certificate for mobile financial services to Wave Money CEO Brad Jones. / Wave Money

RANGOON  The countrys first mobile financial service, Wave Money, announced that it will expand its business network to at least two of Burmas ethnic states by the end of the year, Brad Jones, the services CEO, told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.

Wave Money is formed from a joint venture: Telenor owns 51 percent, with First Myanmar Investment holding 44 percent and Yoma Bank at 5 percent. The total investment is around US$17 million.

While the service was initiated early this year, Burmas Central Bank only granted a service license to Wave Money in early October. Since then, Wave Money has opened 4,000 shops around the country to transfer money without the use of bank accounts.

There will be 6,000 Wave shops around the country by the end of this year. We will continue the network distribution, Jones said in the Wave Money launching ceremony in Rangoon on Wednesday.

The money transfer service can be accessed by customers in two ways: through agents in shops or by using the Wave Money application.

We will continue [running] shops in Rangoon and Mandalay, especially. We will expand shops in Rakhine State and Chin State, from cities to small towns through the network, Jones told The Irrawaddy.

Wave Money aims to launch more shops in all states and divisions to total more than 15,000 shops by the end of 2017.

The Central Bank issued regulations on mobile financial services on March 30. In April, the Central Bank announced that providers could allow customers to open mobile accounts and deposit and transfer money between them.

People-to-people, people-to-government, people-to-business and business-to-business money transfers are now permitted under the Central Banks regulations.

Daw Than Than Swe, director general of the financial advisory department within the Central Bank, confirmed that Wave Money is currently only the licensed mobile financial service in the country.

There are some channels of mobile services through private banksbut Wave Money is standing as the solo mobile financial service now, she said.
In Person Midi Z: A Film Is Not Just a FilmIt Can Be Everything

Midi Z / Tin Htet Paing / The Irrawaddy

Burmese-born Taiwanese filmmaker Midi Z, who hails from northern Shan States Lashio Township, left Burma for Taiwan in 1998, when he was a 16-year-old student going by the name of Thain Kha Min Lwin.

Today, the 34-year-old filmmaker tries to pull into focus the meaning of home by revisiting childhood memories in his films that zoom in on the experiences of his family and friends. His characters, in particular, were inspired by the stories of his siblings, who either worked as jade miners in Hpakant or were illegal migrant workers in Thailand.

Of the four feature-length films and two documentaries to his name, Ice Poison (2014) and The Road to Mandalay (2016) are his two most celebrated. The former draws an intimate portrait of two young people in Lashio who try to escape their harsh lives by sellingand even usingdrugs, while the latter is more of a love story and tells the tale of two young illegal migrants in Thailand. Both films won several awards at local (Taiwan) and international film festivals. The Road To Mandalay was screened at the historic Waziya Cinema on Monday by Rangoons Memory! International Film Heritage Festival.

Knowing that his Burmese audience was not familiar with his way of filmmakingwhich incorporates a more realistic and subjective approach to storytellingthe director said he was both excited and nervous to screen the film in his home country, his worry being that the audience would not understand his interpretation of Burmese memories. The Irrawaddy sat down with Midi Z on Tuesday to talk about filmmaking and what inspires it.

When and how did you realize you wanted to be a filmmaker?

I think it all started with Ice Poison. I made two feature films before Ice Poison; Return to Burma and Poor Folk, as well as many other short films. But I did not have the confidence to be a filmmaker before Ice Poison, because I thought I couldnt make ends meet solely through being a filmmaker. But Ice Poison was very successful. It was a Taiwanese entry for the Oscars ceremony. Since then, Ive aimed at becoming a filmmaker.

But was there a starting point, though?

It was actually quite by coincidence. One of my friends in Lashio asked me to buy him a camera when I was 19, at my senior high school in Taiwan. It was to film [record] a wedding party in Lashio. I bought it, but I couldnt send it back. I used it to earn money by filming wedding parties in Taiwan. And then gradually I became interested in films. In Taiwan, there are a lot of resources in libraries and schools. I was really hungry to learn things. I watched 1,000 films within three years. I read a lot of books about films. Thats how I learned more about filmmaking.

What does filmmaking mean to you?

Filmmaking, for me, is living a life. Its combined with my life. Every day, my job is connected to filmmaking. Not just at the time of shooting films. The meaning of filmmaking, for me, is like writing diaries. Its like expressing my life. Without filmmaking, I couldnt help my living soul be easy or stable. Sometimes, you have a lot of stories in your country or your family that you couldnt tell or express. So I use filmmaking to express my feelings, about my family, relatives, and friends.

Given that you experienced the cultures of two different countries, how did these cultural differences affect you and your way of filmmaking?

There are two points. If I didnt have any Burmese background, I wouldnt be able to make films like this. In Taiwan, they recognize me as a Burmese director. In Burma, I dont know if anyone would recognize me as Taiwanese or a foreigner. But for myself, I am mixed with two diverse cultures. They cant be separated. Burmait raised and made me strong enough to make films. In Taiwan, no one tells me to make films by a very small camera with three crew-members.

I came from Burma and I only made stories of my hometown because I feel a lot about it. Thats quite simple. Not like  I want to make things for my country. I want to tell stories about my society. Not like that. My films are very personal.

Of all your filmsshorts, documentaries, and featureswhich one is closest to your heart? And why?

Maybe Return to Burmamy very first feature film. That film is about a Burmese construction worker in Taiwan who returns to Burma with the hope of change in his home country after it held its first presidential election in decades. But hes later disappointed to see not much has changed. His siblings want to leave Burma for Malaysia or Thailand while he wants to stay in the country. Its about his personal conflict with himself and his siblings.

That story is the closest one to me because, in 2008, I was actually planning to go back to Burma to run a wedding photo studio. But that plan failed.

There are always two main themes in your films: Burma and home. What do these two words mean to you?

I dont know. Thats what Im searching for in filmmaking.

When I was in Taiwan, I missed home every day. I wanted to go back to Lashio to live with my mother, with my family. But when I went back to Burma, I started thinking about how I could do [more] things if I was in Taiwan. Its a conflict. For me, when someone leaves his home for a long time, he can never go back. You are affected by other cultures. You can go back physically, very easily. But emotionally, you could never go back to your original land. Thats why homesickness [lasts] forever.

People identify you as a Burmese-born Taiwanese filmmaker. How would you identify yourself, though?

I am mixed. I am combined with two identities in an emotional way. Its very complicated. Burma, it didnt train me as a filmmaker. Taiwan gave me an education, resources, even investment for my films. But without Burma, I couldnt be a filmmaker. Without Burma, I wouldnt be able to do a lot of stories like this. If I have to identify myself, I would say I belong to two countries. Without one of them, I couldnt be here as I am now.

How have your films changed and affected you personally?

A lot. Of course theyve made me rich. Thats true! Art is important. Firstly, you can use art to express the emotions you really care about. Whether you are rich or poor, you make art for your life. Secondly, you have to find way to survive by making films. Thats important. You need to connect your way of surviving with what you love. Thats important in our industry.

Personally, I was very strong at the beginning and thought humans can change things by themselves, by their energy or ambition or desire. When I went to the jade city of Hpakant, I met many other Burmese people and I felt very weak. But now I am balanced and understand that sometimes, you cant change things.

After the screening of your film The Road to Mandalay yesterday, a lot of local Burmese filmmakers had mixed feelings. They appreciated your filmmaking, but they thought the film barely had Burmese things. What would you say to them?

Of course film is very subjective. If someone thinks that a film about Shwedagon Pagoda should be speaking Burmese language and featuring people who wear longyi, I would say its not the Myanmar that I see. Its not really Myanmar. Identity is not only the language or the appearance, but its whats inside. I agree that maybe 50 percent of the film doesnt make them feel connected to Myanmar. But at least 30 percent should.

What do you think of the Burmese film industry?

There are many stories to be told. If an artist really cares about his hometown, he or she would see stories everywhere. I dont think the weakness of the Burmese film industry is about technological things. I noticed that many filmmakers here dont have a chance and the opportunity to watch good films. The weakness is about a lack of information and resources. There are no libraries for videos or the arts. It doesnt mean we dont have culture. We have art. We have culture and history, but no resources for filmmakers.

A film is not just a film or cinema. It can be political, economic, cultural, ethnic, or everything. We shouldnt discuss films just inside the film industry. Thats a weak point. There are associations like the MMPO [Myanmar Motion Picture Organization] and independent filmmakers networks. They should do something to provide information and lectures about films for filmmaking students.

The most important element in a film is how the director sees things and how he expresses it. But the way that he expresses his feelings should communicate with or engage the audience. This is cinema. Cinema is not only about equipment.
Secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksandr Turchynov at a meeting with UK Ambassador to Ukraine Judith Gough has discussed the topical issues of cooperation between the two countries and the situation in the east of Ukraine, as well as regular violations of the Minsk agreements by militants.

According to the NSDC press service, Turchynov noted the need to strengthen partnership between the two countries, including in the military-technical sphere. According to Turchynov, enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine "are open to investors from Britain."

"The strengthening of Ukraine's defense capability is strengthening security in Europe," he stressed.

Gough, in turn, noted the UK has supported and will support Ukraine "in the issues of protection of its territorial integrity and on the path of implementation of reforms and European integration."

"The parties noted the need to extend sanctions against Russia to deter its aggressive militaristic actions posing threat to peace in Europe," a statement reads.
Burma Army Chief Says Military Representation in Parliament Still Necessary

The European Union Military Committee meeting in Brussels, Belgium. / Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing / Facebook

RANGOON  Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing said Burma Army representation in Parliament is still needed because of the delicate multiparty democracy in the country, at the European Union Military Committee (EUMC) meeting in Brussels, Belgium on Tuesday.

The Burma Army controls 25 percent of the seats in Parliament, as well as three ministries: defense, home affairs and border affairs, as stated by the 2008 military-drafted Constitution.

As Burma was under the militarys centralized rule for more than 50 years until 2011, the dissatisfaction based on suffering under the junta, is a concern for the stability and smoothness of the current democratic transition, the commander-in-chief said of the militarys role in a democratic Burma at the EUMC meeting.

The army chief stated that the military carries out its tasks under the government in line with the Constitutionwhich guarantees its role in political leadership.

He said the role of the Burma Army under the Provisions on State of Emergency in the Constitution state that it will not seize state power easily nor hold state power for long even if the armed forces take on the responsibility of the state under the agreement of the President.

While some view this as a statement affirming that there will not be a coup, many Burmese are unsure, unless the current government cooperates with the military.

But the senior-general said, When there is a firm guarantee for the State and the people, the armed forces will reconsider its role.

The senior-general also discussed the countrys current peace process and the governments efforts to reduce conflicts in the ethnic areas, adding that the armed forced were not fighting ethnic groups but rather those who were holding arms.

During his visit to the European Union this week, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing thanked the EU for its support and encouragement of Burmas democratic reforms following the 2010 general election, but pressed for further assistance and collaboration in all sectors, especially military relations. Bilateral relations between Burma and EU member country militaries were cold after the 1988 nationwide uprising.

The time has come for us to cooperate with each other in all sectors, including military relations, said the commander-in-chief, as the Burma Army is currently improving military relations with many other countries.
Burma Govt Allows Food Aid Delivery to Northern Arakan

A Rohingya Muslim boy poses at U Shey Kya village in Maungdaw Township, Arakan State on Oct. 27, 2016. / Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

RANGOON  Burma is allowing the first food deliveries for more than four weeks to the troubled north of Arakan state, the UN humanitarian agency announced on Monday, amid an ongoing military lockdown of the area.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement that the World Food Programme had been granted permission to deliver aid to four villages, but repeated a call for full access to the area where tens of thousands remain cut off from assistance.

This is the first time humanitarian access has been granted to the affected areas of Maungdaw Township since the violence that erupted on 9 October, the statement said.

Security forces have fanned out in the Muslim-majority region seeking the perpetrators of attacks in early October in which nine border guard police officers were killed.

The government believes a group of some 400 Rohingya Muslims with links to Islamists overseas planned and executed the attacks.

At least 33 alleged attackers and five government soldiers have been killed. Another police officer was also killed by motorcycle-riding assailants in the latest incident on Thursday, according to state media.

The military has designated the area an operation zone, blocking aid deliveries to the local population and barring foreign journalists and observers from entering.

Human rights monitors and members of the mostly stateless Rohingya community say troops have shot civilians on sight, raped Rohingya women and looted and burned homes during the operation.

The government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner DawAung San Suu Kyi, denies any abuses have been committed.

Diplomats and the United Nations have been pushing an independent investigation, as well as for aid access to be resumed in the Maungdaw area.

The UN continues to advocate strongly for full access to all affected areas to assess and respond to all humanitarian needs and to resume pre-existing humanitarian activities, the OCHA said.

The high-level diplomatic mission from the UN, United States and Britain visited the area last week and told reporters officials had agreed to allow the resumption of pre-existing aid program in the area and to extend assistance to newly displaced people.

Approximately 150,000 people had been cut off from food, cash and nutrition assistance for the past four weeks, the statement said.

WFP had been granted access to four affected villages, it said, without stating how many people would be reached.

OCHAs head of office in Burma, Mark Cutts, said in a post on Twitter it was welcome news that some food aid in #Maungdaw given go-ahead, but thousands of malnourished children still waiting for life-saving treatment.

Before the current crises erupted, there was a malnutrition rate of 19 percent among children aged under five in Maungdaw, according to statistics cited in a WFP report in May.
Burma KNU Signs Forestry Memorandum with WWF

Thai border guard soldiers and Karen National Liberation Army soldiers examine logs seized in KNLA Brigade 5 territory on the Salween River in Sept. 2016. / Mutraw Mobile Team

Burmas oldest ethnic armed group, the Karen National Union (KNU), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the World Wide Fund for Nature Myanmar (WWF) to protect forests in KNU-controlled territories.

The objective is to protect and restore forests and wildlife in KNU areas, Padoh Mahn Ba Tun, head of the KNUs Forestry Department, told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday.

Employees of the KNUs forestry department will work together with the WWF in training and conducting research.

They [WWF] will bring academics, researchers and will provide technical and financial support to us, said Mahn Ba Tun.

He said that even though there has been deforestation in some KNU-controlled areas due to logging and hunting, it is not as bad as in other parts of Burma.

Karen people traditionally love to take care of foreststhey are our lives. We restore them as we have to rely on forestry during our resistance struggle, said Mahn Ba Tun, adding that there is no official figure on deforestation in the area available.

Saw Paul Sein Twa, director of the Karen Environmental and Social Action Network, however, told The Irrawaddy that there were concerns as the WWFand all other International NGOs (INGOs)have to operate in accordance with government policy and oversight.

It is worrisome because the Naypyidaw government may influence the WWFs work on the ground, said Paul Sein Twa. He said that signing the MoU may authorize central government to manage Karen States forests.

We worry about a centralized system because a government approach might be different from the traditional indigenous Karen way of protecting forests, he added.

The MoU is the first of its kind between between the KNU and an INGO, although other INGOs including Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Flora and Fauna International (FFI) have been conducting research on wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in Karen State.

Logging in KNU-controlled territories including in Pegu and Tenasserim divisions and the Salween River region began in Burmas colonial era.

In the 1990s, teak logging was established in KNU-controlled territories on the Salween River on the border with Thailand and minor illegal logging continues.
Burma Rangoon Police Investigate Child Rape

The house of the victims family in East Dagon Township. / Nyi Nyi / Facebook

RANGOON  Police are questioning suspects in the rape of a five-year-old girl last week in East Dagon Township, according to police.

The victims parents work as security guards at a warehouse in East Dagon Township and live on site. They were asleep when the girl was raped early Nov. 2.

They found the girl crying with her lower body covered in blood in the bush of vacant plot of land beside the warehouse, the girls father U Ye Htun told The Irrawaddy.

The girl was rushed to a nearby clinic, which then transferred her to North Okkalapa Hospital. The father filed a report with police the same day but police failed to open a case or investigate.

After receiving no response for six days, the parents sought the help of U Nyi Nyi, a lawmaker who represents South Dagon Township in Rangoon divisional parliament.

Police should have taken care of this as an emergency case, as soon as they received the complaint, U Nyi Nyi told The Irrawaddy.

This has given the offender time to get away, he added.

U Nyi Nyi accompanied the father to file the case again at the police station on Monday.

My girl is recovering, but she is still at the hospital. She has started to speak again, but she is being quiet a lot compared to the past, U Ye Htun told The Irrawaddy.
Politics Media Experts Push for Right-to-Know Law

A panel discussion at the 5th annual media development conference in Rangoon. / Jpaing / The Irrawaddy

RANGOON  Following a two-day media conference at Rangoons Chatrium Hotel earlier this week, many media experts urged the National League for Democracy government to enact a Right to Information Law in order to make government data more transparent to the public.

Official government information in Burma is difficult to obtain, despite the News Media Law that is supposed to grant access to journalists. For ordinary citizens, there is no such law.

Former Upper House lawmaker and member of the Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission U Tin Maung Oo said Burma has had more than 1,600 laws enacted since the colonial eraalmost 400 under the previous governmentbut only a few were related to the media industry.

U Tin Maung Oo said that while the Constitution and news media law state that journalists can seek government information, they face many barriers in doing so.

A right-to-know law is necessary for citizens, he added.

According to U Tin Maung Oo, the Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission plans to introduce 51 new laws and terminate about 50 laws. The right to information law is contained in that agenda and a draft law will soon be submitted to Parliament.

Daw Nwe Zin Win, a conference panelist and executive director of non-governmental organization Pyi Gyi Khin, said former President Thein Sein enacted many laws without consulting with civil society organizations. She added that the government should invite organizations to comment on the law, as many citizens are simply unfamiliar with the terminology in the laws.

She suggested that the right to information law should grant citizens the right to request documents from the government free of charge, and that it should specify the type of documents that must be provided, how to request them, a response period, and penalties for officials who do not comply with the law.

Toby Mendel of the Center for Law and Democracy told The Irrawaddy at the conference that more than 100 countries around the world have similar right to information laws, including Southeast Asian neighbors Thailand and Sri Lanka.

He added that the law should be enacted to improve transparency, responsibility and accountability.
Politics World in Shock as Trump Surges to Victory in US

President-elect Donald Trump, his wife Melania and son Barron greet supporters during his election night rally in Manhattan, New York Nov. 9 2016. / Mike Segar / Reuters

Governments from Asia to Europe reacted with stunned disbelief on Wednesday to the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election, while populists hailed the result as a triumph of the people over a failed political establishment.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, an ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, described the result as a huge shock and questioned whether it meant the end of Pax Americana, the state of relative peace overseen by Washington that has governed international relations since World War Two.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault pledged to work with Trump but said his personality raised questions and he admitted to being unsure what a Trump presidency would mean for key foreign policy challenges, from climate change and the Wests nuclear deal with Iran to the war in Syria.

Looks like this will be the year of the double disaster of the West, former Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt said on Twitter, pointing to Britains vote in June to leave the European Union. Fasten seat belts, he said.

Meanwhile, right-wing populists from Australia to France cheered the result as a body blow for the political establishment.

Their world is falling apart. Ours is being built, Florian Philippot, a senior figure in Frances National Front (FN), tweeted. Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of the party and father of its leader Marine, said: Today the United States, tomorrow France!

Beatrix von Storch, deputy leader of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, said: Donald Trumps victory is a sign that citizens of the western world want a clear change in policy.

During the US election campaign, Trump expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, questioned central tenets of the NATO military alliance and suggested that Japan and South Korea should be allowed to develop nuclear weapons to shoulder their own defence burden.

President Putin congratulated Trump on his victory in a telegram on Wednesday, the Kremlin said.

Putin expressed hope for joint work to restore Russian-American relations from their state of crisis, and also to address pressing international issues and search for effective responses to challenges concerning global security, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin also said he was sure a constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington would serve the interests of both countries, the Kremlin said.

During his campaign Donald Trump vowed to undo a global deal on climate change struck by world powers in Paris last year and renegotiate the deal between Tehran and the West which eased sanctions against the Islamic Republic in exchange for allowing close monitoring of its nuclear program.

But many western governments are unsure whether Trump, a real estate mogul and former reality TV star with no government experience, will follow through on his campaign pledges, some of which would turn the post-war order on its head.

Were realizing now that we have no idea what this American president will do if the voice of anger enters office and the voice of anger becomes the most powerful man in the world, Norbert Roettgen, a conservative ally of Merkel and head of the German parliaments foreign affairs committee, told German radio. Geopolitically we are in a very uncertain situation.

Prominent historian Simon Schama described a Trump victory and Republican control of both the Senate and US House of Representatives as a genuinely frightening prospect.

NATO will be under pressure to disintegrate, the Russians will make trouble, 20 million people will lose their health insurance, climate change [policies] will be reversed, bank regulation will be liquidated. Do you want me to go on? Schama told the BBC.

Of course its not Hitler. There are many varieties of fascism. I didnt say he was a Nazi although neo-Nazis are celebrating.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will soon join a project for rebuilding a bridge near the village of Stanytsia Luhanska in Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, First Deputy Speaker, Ukraine's envoy to the humanitarian subgroup at Trilateral Contact Group talks in Minsk Iryna Gerashchenko has said.

"The Ukrainian side supports initiatives put forth by the OSCE and the ICRC, which will soon join the project for rebuilding the bridge near Stanytsia Luhanska. It is very important for the civilian population, and we will assist to the quick reconstruction of the bridge," she wrote on Facebook from Minsk after a subgroup meeting on Wednesday.

Ukraine insists that the checkpoint of Zolote be re-opened and calls on the OSCE and Russia to help persuade the de-facto authorities in the occupied areas in Luhansk region give up all far-fetched reasons used to blocks the re-launch of the checkpoint, Gerashchenko said.

"We insist that the checkpoint should start work since now. It will share the workload of other checkpoints," she wrote.
Wednesday, November 9th, 2016 (8:38 am) - Score 547

The Coventry City Council in Warwickshire (England) have announced that the next phase of their roll-out of superfast broadband connectivity around the region will be supported by 15m worth of grants and aims to extend the network coverage to a further 8,000 local homes and businesses.

At present the regional state aid supported CSW Broadband project, which is predominantly harnessing Openreachs (BT) FTTC/P technology, has already put superfast connectivity within reach of over 90% of premises in Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry. Work has also begun on a second phase that will aim to achieve nearly 94% coverage of the same area by the end of 2017.

In terms of premises passed, Phase One originally aimed to reach an additional 40,000+ premises and Phase Two already seeks to add another 17,000+ (or 14,600 when you only look at superfast 24Mbps+ capable properties). The latest update from October 2016 suggests that some 334 new street cabinets have so far been installed and 53,000+ premises have benefited.

Attention is now being turned to a future Phase Three contract, which is set to be supported by a public investment of 2.55m from the city council, another 2.55m from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), 4.3m from the local Growth Deal and 1.1m worth of private sector funds. The definition of superfast has also been raised to 30Mbps+ for this phase.

Overall around 15 million is eventually predicted to become available for the next phase, which will seek to reach an additional 8,000+ premises on top of the existing target. One-off corporate funding of 150,000 will also be invested in order to project manage the Councils investment and work as part of CSW Broadband.

Cllr Jim OBoyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration, said: Regeneration and rebuilding our city is more than just bricks and mortar. Its about unlocking peoples potential to succeed too and this can help. Nationally, 6.4billion worth of Gross Added Value will be created in the UK by 2024 by investing in broadband infrastructure. Investing in broadband has been proven to bring jobs and wealth to an area. We want to make sure that Coventry sees its share of that and that the city doesnt have any barriers to success in the digital economy. Of course Id like to think that the private sector could have covered this  but as they cant, or wont  so we have stepped in.

At this stage we dont know how the additional premises will translate in terms of total percentage reach, although a figure of around 96-97% gaining access to superfast broadband seems like a realistic prediction. The third contract will also follow the new broadband framework (details here and here) and as such it should be more open to suppliers other than BT.

CSW Statement We have had some really positive engagement with suppliers, some of whom will use the same technologies as BT, and others who offer wireless or purely fibre to the premise solutions. We need to understand how the market works and what the benefits and disbenefits of each solution are, so that we can be truly informed clients as we move towards tendering and evaluation. Another difference this time around is that we will be breaking the area up into smaller lots, so as to make them more attractive to different suppliers. As far as possible, the lots will be determined to fit with the geography that is best suited to different technologies. We dont have a completely free hand in this, however, as we do need to keep the number of lots to a manageable number  probably 5 or 6 lots in total. This should mean that we will end up with 5 or 6 contracts, with a number of suppliers, providing the best possible solutions for each area. Well give more information on lotting as the situation evolves.

The project is currently running a public consultation on the plan (here) and this is due to close on 30th November 2016. After that it will take a few more months to choose the best supplier(s) and announce the final contract(s).
Wednesday, November 9th, 2016 (1:07 pm) - Score 1,046

Fife-based ISP Rapier Systems has launched a new Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) style connectivity solution for businesses, called RapierBusinessConnect (RBC), which claims that it can deliver symmetric Ethernet speeds of up to 1Gbps for as little as 49.99 per month in areas where they have coverage.

Apparently the new service, which also claims that it can connect businesses within 10 working days (assuming it has some existing coverage), only requires a very discrete antenna to be installed on the side of a property and this costs 399.00 +vat (one-off). But their website suggests that the service offers speeds from 10Mbps to 1Gbps, which makes us suspect that the headline rental of 49.99 may in fact only apply to the slower 10Mbps option.

Otherwise very little information is provided about the technical specification of the new network (e.g. what radio spectrum does it use?) and likewise we dont know what its coverage is. However Rapier does note that their RBC service has already been used to connect Angus Council, which installed the service at its Orchardbank Business Park in Forfar.

Richard Watson, MD of Rapier Systems, told ISPreview.co.uk: Every business today needs reliable, fast and secure Internet access. However, the cost of traditional leased lines can be prohibitive, especially when installation and annual running costs are included. Then there is the wait to consider  weve had a customer waiting over a year for a fibre connection! rbc comes with guaranteed Internet access speeds and the only annual costs are for support.

The provider has its HQ in Fife (Scotland), although theyve also setup offices in Cambridgeshire and claim to have delivered  the largest metropolitan area wireless network in Scotland and one of the largest county-wide wireless networks in England.
The Ubiquity and Danger of Web Scraping

Its all hands on deck in the fight against mobile and desktop malware. The good news is that artificial intelligence (AI) is proving to be as potent in this battle as it is in other endeavors in which massive amounts of data must be assessed, trends deduced, and plans of action put in play.

Network World offers a very interesting story featuring a startup called Deep Instinct. With the platform, the way in which malware detection works is that the antivirus software is kept current with every known piece of malicious code that potentially can affect users. The downsides of this are that the updating of malware signatures, or definitions, is constant. On top of that, even slight differences to the bad code can enable it to get past antivirus software.

Streamlining this approach plays to AIs strength. Deep Instinct, for instance, studied as many as 1 billion pieces of code to train itself on how to detect malware. The resulting file is then made into something that can be used to protect computing equipment:

The resulting trained system is about a gigabyte in size, he said, too big for most applications, but then the company prunes it down to about 20 megabytes. It can then be installed on any endpoint device, including mobile, and can analyze incoming threats in a few milliseconds on the slowest machine.

The good news for us humans is that AI needs us (at least for now), according to a presentation made by Kalyan Veeramachaneni, a scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), at SWIFTs Sibos conference in Geneva. Essentially, the idea is to use the input from an analyst to build a virtual assistant that can help the AI engine refine its techniques and approaches and move from identifying obvious outliers to finding deeply hidden and dangerous bits and pieces of code. The process can be used on a continual basis to refine the core AI engines approach.

AI is becoming an accepted element in security. Last week, Symantec introduced Endpoint Protection 14 which, according to the company, combines AI, machine learning, memory exploit mitigation and threat intelligence. The company leveraged the research and development arms of Blue Coat, which it acquired for $4.6 billion last month.

It seems natural that AI would be a potent  perhaps pivotal  weapon in the fight against malware. The use of the tool almost certainly wont slow down. That raises a fairly interesting and frightening question: What is to stop the thieves from using these platforms as well?

Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at [email protected] and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk.
5 Ways CFOs Can Implement an Effective Cybersecurity Strategy

The recent scandal at Wells Fargo, in which bank employees were found to have fraudulently opened more than 1.5 million deposit and credit accounts without customer authorization, could have been prevented if the right CRM system had been in place.

Thats the claim that was made in my recent interview with Joe Salesky, CEO of CRMNEXT, a customer relationship management software provider headquartered in Uttar Pradesh, India. A Silicon Valley veteran and Oracle alum who was personally recruited by Larry Ellison almost 30 years ago, Salesky went on to do several successful startups before taking the helm at CRMNEXT just eight months ago. It clearly didnt take long, then, for him to draw the conclusion that the Wells Fargo debacle would never have happened if it had been a CRMNEXT customer. Salesky laid the foundation for his argument in a novel way  by differentiating banks from shoe stores:

At shoe stores, you know whether the shoe fit or didnt fit before you walk out the door. With financial products, you want to fit the product properly, but that will only be determined based on whether the product is used or not used. Thats what defines customer value and shareholder value. Creating an account that never gets used is fishy, right? Its bad business.

Real CRM  not just lead management, but something that understands the customer relationship  is trying to match the product to the customer, and to make it easier for the customer to do business with you. The system should actually be making the match. And when bank employees are putting products in outside of what the system is recommending for the customer, those would also be observed. So there are multiple ways in which we would have prevented the Wells Fargo issue.

When I drilled down on that claim, Salesky outlined the prevention mechanisms that would have been in place, the first one of which has to do with the manner in which customers are onboarded:

If they had used an online application, they would have had to do whats called KYCknow your customer. When Wells Fargo was onboarding in the branches, where these bank employees were being incented, they didnt use the same tool thats used online. [The general population has] joined the banks workforce  not as employees, but as customers, with a lot of self-service. Weve done a bunch of things to make it easy for people to assist themselves, including creating a process to open an account online. Without CRMNEXT, what they did with online account onboarding wasnt used at the branch level, so the controls werent there. Thats one piece of it.

The other thing that was missing is, once the account is opened, from a quality of business perspective, you need a system that knows that an account was opened, whether it was used, and whether the customer had any other accounts. If it never got used, and they didnt get other accounts, thats not good business. So CRM, if its really not just about managing leads, but about managing relationships, understands patterns of behavior that are good, and not so good.

Beyond fixing the onboarding process, Salesky said, CRMNEXT would have addressed the incentivization issue:

They were setting goals based on new account openings, rather than on new accounts that go active, and that have a certain amount of activity in them. People do what you pay or incent them to do. The system should have helped the person who was opening those new accounts to fit the customer with other products, in the same process, so that the customer became one with multiple points of value. So by helping incent good business, youll obviously help prevent fraud, too. I believe people respond to incentives, but people also want to work in jobs where they believe in the company theyre working for, and believe in the value they deliver to the customer.

Theres another dimension to all of this, Salesky argued, that constitutes an incredibly easy fix  two-factor authentication via text message:

Right now, many banks are spending 50 percent of their R&D budget on implementing regulatory compliance. The question really is, what compliance is essential to improve banking? Its amazing to me, because theres an area we all know about, identity theft, which is something we could completely eliminate forever, with one stroke of the pen and a small change. It also would have helped eliminate creating an account for a person who doesnt exist.

The banks all contribute liability data to credit bureaus, like TransUnion and Experian. But do you know whats missing? This thing called a mobile phone number. And this is where the law needs a little tweak. The way identity theft causes injury is somebody steals your info, and masquerades as you to get credit. The credit issuer will then ding your credit for non-payment, and you have to go prove yourself innocent. If the creditor was required to reach out to the credit bureau and do an active verification, you would get a text message to the mobile number that is on file with the credit bureau to confirm that the credit request came from you. If you dont confirm your identity by responding to that text message, guess what? The person never gets credit. That new account never would have gotten opened at Wells Fargo. Its a simple solution to a hard problem. And theres not one person who should object to it.

Salesky wrapped up this portion of the interview by explaining why CRM heavyweight Salesforce.com could not have prevented what happened at Wells Fargo:

Wells Fargo is a symptom of a problem that is in many, many banks. Banks know that theres a challenge. Wells Fargo is an example of how that challenge costs you financially, and in brand equity. Everyone is aware of the challenge of fragmented systems, the challenge of not treating the customer as a customer. And these challenges are being exacerbated.

As much as I like [Salesforce.com founder and CEO] Marc Benioff, Marc is a little bit of the problem. Salesforce comes in one department at a time, and because it was built to be a business-to-business, simple CRM, theyre coming in and layering on top of each one of the product areas  mortgages, auto loans, all these siloes of systems  because its platform is built to do lead management. It runs in the cloud, which means it doesnt have access to all the back-end systems, all the transaction data. Banking systems werent built to talk to something outside of the bank  banks are all about trying to secure their systems. The bottom line is, his system runs external to the banks systems, instead of providing automation that orchestrates processes within those bank systems.

It can all be distilled into one simple sentence: Banking systems dont necessarily make it easy for someone to get something done. CRMNEXT can do bidirectional integrations with 100 backend systems in 60 days. Our DNA enables banks not only to have a view across all systems, but to be able to do across all systems. Automation is not about taking people out of a process. Its about making it a one-minute task for them to complete, so they can instead focus on the customer. This isnt about automation to get rid of people. Its automation so that when people are doing a repetitive task, its done quickly so that youre able to talk to customers about what else you might do for them.

Salesky had a lot more to share, including the story behind how a guy whose legacy was born in Silicon Valley ended up as CEO of a CRM company born in India  and why an Indian company got right what CRM companies in this country got wrong. Ill go there in a forthcoming post.

A contributing writer on IT management and career topics with IT Business Edge since 2009, Don Tennant began his technology journalism career in 1990 in Hong Kong, where he served as editor of the Hong Kong edition of Computerworld. After returning to the U.S. in 2000, he became Editor in Chief of the U.S. edition of Computerworld, and later assumed the editorial directorship of Computerworld and InfoWorld. Don was presented with the 2007 Timothy White Award for Editorial Integrity by American Business Media, and he is a recipient of the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award for editorial excellence in news coverage. Follow him on Twitter @dontennant.

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McDonald's has recently filed a lawsuit against Florence, Italy worth $20 million for blocking plans in opening a restaurant in one of the most iconic places in Europe, the Piazza del Duomo.

McDonald's Suing Florence, Italy For $20 Million After Rejecting Plans To Open Up The Fast Food Chain In Piazza Del Duomo

It has recently been reported that one of the biggest fast food chains in the world, McDonald's filed a lawsuit against Florence, Italy charging the city almost $20 million in damages. According to the mayor of Florence, the fast food chain did submit their application to open up a branch in Piazza del Duomo just like every other business all over the world. However, the city mayor said they also have the right to decline such application that was made.

Piazza del Duomo has been well known for its Gothic and renaissance architecture that has been kept that way for years now. Tourists and even locals have come to that place over and over again; and they share the sentiment of the Florence mayor about declining the construction and opening of a McDonald's fast food chain in the area. The ambiance itself is not fit for the restaurant, but they have already opened up branches in other parts of the city.

McDonald's To Ruin The Architectural Heritage Of The Area; Best To Be Opened Elsewhere

According to the some of the people who signed the petition not to have the fast food chain open up in Piazza del Duomo, there is no need for a McDonald's in such a beautiful place. The place is known for the sanctity of its Italian ambiance, street food and the like; and there are one too many McDonald's chains already all over the world. The place should be preserved for its Italian atmosphere and allow tourists to get the feeling of being a locale in the area. The cultural and artistic heritage of the area would just be tainted at the presence of McDonald's there, according to some locals and tourists.
Kyiv has called on separate areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (ORDLO) to provide correct information on hostages kept in the territory not controlled by the Ukrainian authorities and made a compromise proposal on their release, First Deputy Speaker, Ukraine's envoy to the humanitarian subgroup at Trilateral Contact Group talks in Minsk Iryna Gerashchenko has said.

She said on Facebook page, writing from Minsk, on the results of the subgroup meeting on Wednesday that the OSCE coordinator Toni Frisch told the humanitarian subgroup about the details of his visit to the occupied territories and prisons, where the Ukrainian hostages are kept.

"He was able to give letters to hostages from their homes and inspected the conditions of their detention. It was the first opportunity during one and a half year to see the guys - we had been struggling for a long time to achieve it ... But, of course, our key objective is not a visit, but their liberation," Gerashchenko said.

"At the meeting of the humanitarian subgroup, Ukrainian side has called ORDLO to provide correct information about the hostages, and made a specific, compromise proposal for the release of the hostages," the Ukrainian representative said.

According to her, the specific cases of illegal detention were pointed to at the meeting. "Kyiv has expressed concern that the number of cases of illegal arrests has significantly increased in the occupied territories in recent weeks," Gerashchenko said, concluding: "well provide the details no longer for the sake of the result, lets continue working."
Moana has been the talk of the town these past few months. With how the preview introduced Moana, people knew that she is never the ordinary princess. Not just that, the storyline invites you to know a culture that everyone is not familiar of.

Moana Introduces A Polynesian Culture In Its Storyline

According to The Guardian, producing Moana is never easy; it entails an intricate study of how the character would move in every way. To prove that, before the Disney's film was released, it was tagged as ethnic-stereotyping and is promoting a white-centric point of view; but the creators have proved otherwise. The story introduced the Polynesian culture in which Disney has judtified despite being accused of depicting the culture in a bad light.

The story introduced a great amount of how the Polynesian culture looks like, from its dance movements to the great sceneries, you just know that Disney did their research as they were able to inject precision in every detail of the storyline.

The film started by introducing the legend of Maui, a demigod who was able to get the stone that gives fertility. He then lost the magical fishhook; which made him transform into another creature. When Moana observed that his society is ignoring its culture, she decided to do what's right. Despite of having orders that no one should go beyond the reef, Moana learned to hear her own convictions and tried to hit the high seas.

Moana Gets To Meet Maui, A Character Voiced By Dwayne Johnson

With this, she gets to meet Maui, who is big just like his dad. The character is voiced by Dwayne Johnson, making the character a lot manly and strong. Maui's only interest is to look out for his fish hook but the journey suggested differently. With Maui empathizing with Moana, he then goes on an adventure looking beyond his mere wants and interests.

The story gives out a message of identity that parents would have their kids to hear. Besides being culturally aware, Moana wants to let viewers know that you could listen to your own heart and stay true to your conviction.

According to Variety, the musical part of the show is also a must-see in the movie. Both were original: 'Where We Are', a song for her father's belief and 'How Far I'll Go, Moana's going out to her comfort zone and desiring beyond what her society dictates of her. The two songs were a collaboration of Lin Manuel Miranda and the band Te Vaka.

In addition to that, what's good about Moana is that she is not forced to be molded just like the other Disney princesses before. Her appearance is greatly proportionate to the journey that she would take. Moana, being a female explorer and a great heroine, would also boost the good inside every viewers after watching the film.

Lastly, Moana didn't waste all her life waiting for her prince to come and sweepher off her feet. Moana, as observed in the story, took a step closer to her destiny by choosing it on her own. The story is simple but the lesson is so catchy and right on the spot. The movie is recommended not just for kids but for everyone who would want to unleash the greatness within them.
The actors' six kids, Maddox, 15, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne will "remain" under her custody, while Pitt, who retains their shared legal custody, will have visitation rights, the rep said.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have now reached to an agreement over their six kids, her representative told Us Weekly on Monday, November 7.

"We can confirm that childcare professionals have encouraged a legal agreement accepted and signed by both sides over a week ago. In accordance with this agreement, the six children will stay in their mother's custody, and the children will continue therapeutic visits with their father," the statement to Us reads. "We are not able to discuss the details. We believe that all sides are committed to healing the family and ask for your consideration during this difficult time."

The agreement has not yet been filed in the couple's divorce resolution. The statement also did not mention the investigation of the alleged disputes over their flight last September. As per source "closest" to Jolie, the agreement is not brief. "There is no expiration date on the agreement," the insider explains. "The only way for this agreement to change is if both parties agree to a change or Brad must file a completely new motion to go to court."

The statement comes after Pitt, in his response last week to Jolie's September 19 divorce appeal, filed for joint physical and legal custody of the children. (Pitt quoted September 15 as their day of break-up, which is one day after the so-called plane incident.) Jolie has had physical custody of the children before the split, under a voluntarily shared parenting plan agreed to by the actors'. Pitt has since met with his children.

Another source tells Us that Jolie "will retain temporary sole physical custody of the children until the investigations are closed and then they will work out custody from there." However, from a legal source familiar with the case implied any custody agreement was likely an extension of Pitt and Jolie's temporary, voluntary parenting plan.

"This doesn't make sense because Brad filed for joint custody on Friday," the legal source said. "It had to be a temporary extension of the previous voluntary agreement in light of the fact he filed on Friday. His motion was actually filed with the court."

Another source close to Pitt also mentioned that the actor will continue the fight for joint legal and physical custody of the children. "Brad's filing demonstrates that he's going to fight for the kids, his filing shows that he is going to stand firm on sharing custody of the kids. It's a clear sign that he's going to fight for his right for the kids."

"There is still an open investigation going on by the FBI and DCFS, and the results of those investigations will be a factor in determining custody. Brad just wants the level of visitation and amount of custody a parent would have in a normal situation. Once those cases close, either DCFS or the FBI have the option to recommend charges or refer the case to another court."
On the eve of Election Day, the presidential campaign websites of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were both subjected of sustained cyberattacks waged with the Mirai cyberweapon, the same malware that was responsible for recent internet disruptions around the world.

New Mirai Cyberattack

Researchers at Flashpoint, a New York-based cybersecurity company, said on Monday, Nov. 7, that the candidates' websites sustained a total of at least four, 30-second distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. On the company's website is detailed that hackers waged the DDoS attacks against the candidates' websites on Sunday and Monday this week. However, the series of attempts aimed at knocking the websites offline were unsuccessful.

According to The Washington Times, Flashpoint's researchers pointed out that the recent attacks weren't likely the workings of nation-state hackers. The statement comes amid a row between Russia and the U.S. amplified by recent computer intrusions blamed on Moscow. The latest cyberattack, however, was attributed instead to "unsophisticated actors."

Flashpoint said that a website associated with the Republican nominee for president, Trump, was attacked once on Sunday, Nov. 6, and repeatedly over the course of several minutes on Monday, Nov. 7. Flashpoint added that during the last of the attacks against Trump's website on Monday was also launched a separate attach aimed against a website associated with his Democratic rival, Mrs. Clinton. All the attacks were perpetrated using Mirai-based botnets, but each of the attacks appear to be distinct and come from different groups.

According to internet security experts, Mirai is a specific strain of malware, or malicious software that recently came into attention after temporarily knocked out parts of the internet last month. The Mirai botnet is composed of a collection of infected IoT connected devices that operates like a megacannon. The malware is taking out websites and potentially knocking companies off the internet, by flooding computer servers with a huge amount of data,

On October 21, when it stopped users for hours from accessing top web services such as Twitter, Spotify and Netflix, this new cyberweapon made a big splash. Its makers are still unidentified. However, they released the malware's computer code, providing hackers everywhere blueprints to recreate the same kind of cyberattack.

Why The Cyberattack Was Unsuccessful?

Hackers are now fighting to control the Mirai botnet cyberweapon. The competition among them is leading to having many people trying to use Mirai at the same time. The effect of this situation is diffusing Mirai power, weakening the cyberweapon as a whole, according to Flashpoint.

Allison Nixon, Flashpoint's security research director said that hackers are competing over control of the same population of infected or vulnerable digital video recorders. Many hackers have been using the Mirai malware to interrupt computer servers that run popular multiplayer video games such as Minecraft and Counter-Strike, instead of pointing the cyberweapon at a single victim. According to CNN Money, that matches with Flashpoint's theory suggesting that Mirai was created by hackers who are frequenting gaming forums.

Ronnie Tokazowski, Flashpoint's senior malware analyst, said that the company is aware of lots of smaller attacks taking place. But neither of the DDoS attacks worked on Sunday and Monday, when the unidentified hackers repeatedly aimed to take down Clinton and Trump's campaign websites.

The failure of the latest Mirai attacks is due to this fight for control over the mass army of infected machines that forms the botnet. Normally, a botnet receives attack commands from a select few computers under the control of a hacker. But now the botnet is receiving instructions from 52 different locations.
Apple's handhelds are still one of the most popular in the smartphone industry, despite the constant backlash and sheer number of worthy competitors that it has. But one thing that has always set back the iPhone line is its hefty price tag. But to combat this, the Cupertino-based company has officially made it possible to purchase all the best of an iPhone without the payout.

As Apple Insider notes, Apples is selling refurbished iPhone 6S and 6S units on its online store. Currently, the prices are discounted by more than 15 percent from new models. A 16GB 6S model, for example, is now available for US$449, while it would originally sell for US$549. Meanwhile, the 16GB 6S Plus refurbished model can be purchased at US$529, while a new model would set back a buyer by US$649.

Granted, the price is still relatively heavy when compared to the rest of the offerings from the smartphone market - but it is a lighter burden to bear for those that continuously eye the iPhone. And the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus are still considerably new in the market. But there are more reasons to take advantage of Apple's sale of refurbished devices.

For one, a purchase will arrive with a 1-year warranty, which comes standard with every new purchase of an iPhone device. So while cheaper refurbished iPhone devices are available, Apple has provided these particular units with its seal of approval and is even throwing in warranty for it. Other third party providers may boast of Cupertino quality, but these refurbished iPhone 6S and 6S Plus devices are of actual Apple quality.

The resold devices will also come with new batteries and new outer shells, so interested buyers are sure not get cracked or bent units. Moreover, the replaced parts are sure to be original pieces. The setup, at this point, is ideal because buyers will get all of the perks of the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus, without the same payout.

This is only the first time that in a while that Apple has officially sold refurbished smartphones - the last of which was in 2008 when iPhone 3G devices were being resold. The reason as to why the decision was made has not been publicly made, but it is likely because sales of the 6S and 6S Plus have not been at par. In fact, they have been underwhelming in comparison to their direct predecessors.

In all possibility, Apple may be selling refurbished units in order to provide better competition, or clear out inventory. With the release of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, the Cupertino-based company has to keep looking forward. However, clearing out its older units must also still be a priority.

As Digital Trends reports, the iPhone 6S has a 4.7 in display, is 5.44 x 2.64 x 0.28 inches all around and weighs just 5.04 ounces. While it runs on iOS 9 straight from the box, it has just 2GB of RAM and comes in 16GB, 64GB and 128GB storage options. Its rear camera is 12 megapixels and its front camera is 5 megapixels.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 6S PLus has a 5.5 inch display, measures 6.23 x 3.07 x 0.29 inches and comes in at 6.77 ounches. Unlike the smaller options 14 hours of 3G communication, the 6S Plus can clock in 24 hours worth of talk time while on 3G. It does, however, share the same camera system and storage options as the iPhone 6S.
Even before the world gets to know the winner of the 2016 US election, here comes a new winner. Florida becomes the latest entry among the list of medical cannabis states in the United States. This overrules the narrow defeat medical marijuana suffered in the southeasternmost US state two years back.

Amendment 2 got 71 percent support. It allows the medical use of cannabis for those who have critical medical conditions. Any constitutional amendment in Florida required at least 60 percent support for the win. Two years ago, medical cannabis won 58 percent votes, finishing just behind the required threshold.

This comes as a major setback for Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. The GOP donor spent $1.5 million in the state and millions more in other states to stop the use of recreational pot. In 2014, he spent $5.5 million and became successful in keeping the legislation on hold. Florida sets an example by legalizing the use of medical use marijuana. According to Tom Angell of "Marijuana Majority," this comes as a major tipping point.

"With Florida's decision, a majority of states in the U.S. now have laws allowing patients to find relief with medical marijuana," the Washington Post quoted Angell as saying. "And these protections and programs are no longer concentrated in certain regions of the country like the West and Northeast."

There have already been 25 medical cannabis states, as well as the District. Florida joins in as the latest entry to the list. This means doctors in the state will now be able to prescribe marijuana for patients who are best suitable for it. It will, however, depend on the doctor's judgment that the medical use of marijuana would actually improve the patient's health condition.

Five states are going to decide the fate of the legalization of recreational pot. The states are California, Massachusetts, Maine, Arizona and Nevada. Three other states, North Dakota, Arkansas and Florida, were supposed to decide if marijuana should be used for medical purpose.

According to CBS News, the state Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is going to regulate the use of recreational pot in Maine. The state is going to allow people, 21 or older, to cultivate up to six pot plants at home. It will also allow the possession of 2 1/2 ounces of cannabis. It seems like more names will be added to the list of medical cannabis states.
Much has been said about the disaster that is the Galaxy Note 7 but most focused on the negative. Samsung made a positive move by apologizing for the company's misstep.

Samsung paid for full-page ads on three of the leading publications in the United States -- the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and New York Times.

The company also posted the open letter on its official website.

The ad starts off with Samsung addressing who it considers its "valued customers".

"At Samsung, we innovate to deliver breakthrough technologies that enrich people's lives. An important tenet of our mission is to offer best-in-class safety and quality."

Samsung went on to admit that it "fell short on this promise".

"For this we are truly sorry."

The company not only apologized for the Note 7 fiasco but also maintained that they are still investigating the real reason behind the exploding smartphones.

"We will re-examine every aspect of the device, including all hardware, software, manufacturing and the overall battery structure. We will move as quickly as possible, but will take the time needed to get the right answers."

Samsung also stressed that i is moving on from the controversy to continue providing innovative products and services but not at the expense of its patrons' safety.

"Samsung has a long heritage of innovation and we have shown that we can and will learn from our mistakes," the company writes. "While we are always looking to innovate and create the next generation of great consumer technology, safety will remain our top priority. We will invest to better serve your needs through enhanced customer care and quality assurance."

The apology was signed by the president and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America, Gregory Lee.

Samsung's woes are not just centered on the Galaxy Note 7. Recently, the South Korean company was forced to recall 2.8 million top-load washing machines.

Because of the issues, Samsung suffered a significant dip in profits.
In the battle of man vs woman, you may be surprised to know who drops the F-bomb more. According to a recent study, women say F*** more than their male counterparts. So, next time, someone asks you to watch your language in front of ladies, you may like to refer to this article.

According to the research conducted among the British population, women swear more than men. The research also shows women have developed their swearing skills over the years. In 1990, men dropped the F-bomb 1,000 times in every million words. Women, on the other hand, used it only 167 times for every million words.

The situation has changed drastically over the years for both men and women. In 2014, men used the F-word 540 times in every million words, almost half of what it was around 15 years back. On the contrary, women used it 546 time for every million words. That is another victory for the fairer sex in the man vs woman battle.

The research also reveals that women used sh*t ten times more than men. Women used the word more than men in the 90s as well. However, they used it four times more than men at that time. According to one of the researchers at the Lancaster University and the Cambridge University Press, ladylike language and gentlemanly behavior may be a thing of the past.

According to The Times, the research is based on a relatively small group of people. But, researchers it is enough to understand the growing equality between the genders. Many activists criticize those who do not endorse women using swearing words. According to the activists, it shows the double standard and gender discrimination.

The Telegraph believes it is OK to swear at times. There are times when swearing is the only genuine way of expressing one's frustration. Swearing women also take gender equality to another level. Why should women be termed as vulgar when men are considered funny or expressive for using the same words? So, f*** everything. Women are leading in this man vs woman battle this time.
People have been wondering if there are other life forms out in the universe. The search for life goes on in other planets, hoping to find evidence of other life forms. There might be alien life proof coming, as a giant radio telescope may find it soon.

The project to find alien life has been called Breakthrough Listen. This has been a 10-year project to find intelligent life out in the universe. The project was started in 2015 by Yuri Milner and astrophysicist Stephen Hawking. The first observation being done by Breakthrough Listen has been announced recently.

Breakthrough Listen has announced that the Parkes Radio Telescope in New South Wales, Australia would be used to search intelligent life outside our planet. The Parkes Radio Telescope would be joined the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia and the Automated Planet Finder at the Lick Observatory in California. Working at Parkes is a team of scientists from University of California Berkeley's SETI Research Center.

The Parkes Radio Telescope would be pointed at the Southern Hemisphere, where there are many potential targets. That would include the center of the Milky Way and other galaxies nearby. Pete Worden, Chairman of Breakthrough Prize Foundation and Executive Director of the Breakthrough Initiatives, said the Parkes Radio Telescope has much history and that Breakthrough Listen would be working with Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (SCIRO).

Along with the Parkes Radio Telescope, Breakthrough Listen would also be using the FAST telescope, according to Phys Org. Together they will coordinate in searching for intelligent life in the universe. The two would exchange and share plans, methods and data for a more thorough search.

The first target for the Parkes Radio Telescope would be the exoplanet at Proxima Centauri. Proxima b is said to be within the habitable zone of a star system where life would be possible. This makes the planet to be an ideal target for possible intelligent life, as Astro Watch reports. A sister program of Breakthrough Listen, Breakthrough Starshot, is also looking at Proxima b.

Breakthrough Listen is said to be the most comprehensive program to date for any search for intelligent life. It just might find alien life proof, and the giant radio telescope may find it soon. A report earlier said that a UFO sighting in Hawaii has caused controversies.
For millions of years, dinosaurs ruled the Earth. When the dinosaurs disappeared from the Earth, much of life on the planet was also affected. Life took a long time to recover. Scientists now though are finding out that life recovered much faster than what has been known. After the dinosaur extinction, the Earth did not care much as life rebounded.

Scientists have looked into fossilized leaves found in Patagonia, Argentina and discovered that many of them had feeding marks. They speculate that these marks were from insects during the time after the dinosaurs. What they found remarkable was that the leaves came from a much earlier time.

An asteroid is said to have struck the Earth over 66 million years ago which has wiped out dinosaurs and most other life. For a time after that, the Earth took a long time to recover from the event. The asteroid hit in what is now known as Chicxulub, Mexico near the end of the Cretaceous Period.

Much of life in and near the impact area had taken long to recover. Michael Donovan, the lead author of the study and a doctoral student of Geosciences in Penn State University, said that while it has been studied that life in and near the impact area took around nine million years to recover, areas much farther from it had a much lesser recovery time.

The ancient leaves found in Patagonia, Argentina were around four million years old, according to Penn State News. The leaves were found to have feeding marks on it, which showed that there has been life in the area much earlier than in areas much closer to the impact site. Donovan and his team looked at 3,646 fossil leaves for any sign of leaf miners, which were insect larvae that tunnel into leaves.

Peter Wilf is a Professor of Geosciences at Penn State and the study's co-author. He said that Donovan has made a technique in looking for leaf miners to find out how life rebounded after the dinosaur mass extinction. While no leaf miner species survived the asteroid crash, it has been speculated that leaf miner species did evolve in time after it, and that they came out much earlier in areas much farther from the impact site.

The assessment made by the team is that because Patagonia has been much farther from the impact site, this has allowed leaf miner species to come out much earlier, as Science Daily reports. Wilf said that the study should help in understanding biodiversity and how it can cope after a calamity. The study would also help people understand how life was after the dinosaur extinction.

With the dinosaur extinction, Earth did not care much and soon rebounded from the event. The study has shown that life rebounded much faster in regions that were farther from the asteroid impact site. Also, another study has said that life on land has come 300 million years earlier than first thought.
Dogs have been around for a long time, and have been part of modern human existence. Much of recent history has shown that dogs have been with man. It is said that dogs are man's best friend, and now Science has a new theory for this.

How dogs stayed with man has been the speculated. A new study suggests that farming has much to do with why dogs have stayed with man for so long. The study has shown that dogs in the early days adapted much when they had extra copies of starch-digesting genes.

This likely happened 7,000 years ago, which would be fairly recently in man's history. Farming has changed the way man eats, and this has affected dogs as well. This has been the assessment of Peter Savolainen, who is a geneticist at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. As man began to eat starch, he began to adapt to this new source of food. The dog did the same. Savolainen is not involved in the study.

Dogs have 30 copies of the gene called Amy2B. This is the gene that helps dogs digest starch. Erik Axelsson from Uppsala University in Sweden discovered this. Dogs differ in that respect from wolves, as wolves only have two of those genes, according to Science Mag.

Morgane Ollivier, a paleontologist from the Ecole Normale Supeieure de Lyon teamed up with Axelsson to find out more how dogs have evolved to become closer to humans. By extracting DNA from 13 specimens of ancient dogs and humans, Ollivier has found out that dogs then had more than eight copies of Amy 2B. The samples were from dogs that came before any of the modern dog breeds now present.

With the DNA samples, Ollivier theorized that the dogs most likely ate leftovers from humans. This showed the close relationship between dogs and humans even then. The dogs may have even acted as guard dogs over the farms.

This has been the conclusion reached as well by Kerstin Lindblad-Toh from Uppsala University. She has also worked with Axelsson in researching how dogs came to be domesticated, as The Scientist reports. In her research, she has found evidence that the digestion of starch by dogs have led to its close relationship with humans over the years.

What scientists want to find out now is how the dogs were particularly domesticated. The ability to digest starch in of itself would not make a dog docile, noted Rodney Honeycutt, an evolutionary geneticist at Pepperdine University. Lindblad-Toh speculated that early dogs probably rummaged through garbage left by humans in search of leftovers. This might have made them move closer to humans over time.

While it is not entirely clear how dogs have become close to humans, what is clear is that dogs are man's best friend. Now Science may have a new theory for this, as dogs remain loyal to humans. A report also shows that genetics may have played a role in the dog's relationship with man.
Interfax-Ukraine to host press conference 'Presentation of the draft Law of Ukraine On public attestation of the local authority as a basic element of democracy in today's information society'

On Thursday, November 10, at 14.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference "'Presentation of the Draft Law of Ukraine On Public Attestation of the Local Authority as a Basic Element of Democracy in Today's Information Society." The participants will include chairman of the youth organization "Association of Regional Development" Pavlo Kravchuk; political analyst Mykola Spiridonov; leader of the NGO "Society of Schaslyve" (the village of Schaslyve in Boryspil district) Ihor Levin; chairman of the youth organization "Future of the White Church" Valeriy Myschenko; public figure, representative of the merged community of Bucha town "I am Bucha citizen" Olha Vyshniakova (8/5a Reitarska Street). Admission requires press accreditation. Details by phone: (067)343 3444.
There seems to be a lot of confusion about the Samsung Galaxy S8 release date. At first, reports stated that the next flagship smartphone from Samsung will arrive in the last week of February, before the start of the 2017 Mobile World Congress (MWC).

Samsung usually announces its S series smartphone a day before the start of MWC. However, because this year was not very good for Samsung, there have been reports that the company may announce the device earlier.

An earlier release may help Samsung get back some of the losses that the Galaxy Note 7 brought. Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that Samsung could actually postpone the Galaxy S8 release date to April.

Now, according to Business Korea, the Galaxy S8 will see an announcement in February, before the start of Mobile World Congress.

What Is Samsung Up to?

It is a known fact that Samsung is not in a very good state at the moment. After the Note 7 recall, the bad publicity and now the Samsung washing machine being recalled. The South Korean company has not had a very good year.

Therefore, it is possible that Samsung does not want to hurry with the launch of the Galaxy S8 just to make up losses. What if something goes wrong again? After all, the company just apologized to its users. Samsung probably wants to make a good comeback and release a solid product, instead of rushing things, which might be a good idea.

Galaxy S8 Release Date

The Samsung Galaxy S8 will most likely be announced on Feb 26, before the start of MWC 2017. But first, the company has to gain back its customers trust and figure out what exactly caused the Note 7 battery issue. What good is a smartphone with the best features and hardware, that is not safe to use.
Samsung is really sorry that its phones are blowing up.

In an effort to show full contrition for the Note7 debacle, Samsung took out a full page ad in three newspapers to apologize in November 2016.The ad appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. The letter is attributed to Gregory, the president CEO of Samsung Electronics North America.

In the ad, says the company will do everything it can to make amends and find out why the phone shipped with such a dangerous flaw:

An important intent of our mission is to offer best in class safety quality. Recently, we fell short on this promise. For this we are truly sorry. We will re-examine every aspect of the device, including all hardware, software, manufacturing the overall battery structure. And will move as quickly as possible, but will take the time needed to get the right answers.

In October 2016, Samsung killed off the Note7, and asked all customers to return their device for reimbursement. The letter also references the recall of Samsung top-loading washing machines.

With two major recalls in one year, Samsung clearly felt the need to try win back consumer trust.

Most importantly, safety remains our top priority, the ad says. We are grateful for your ongoing support again, we are truly sorry.

Full page ads are quite the revenue stream for the newspaper industry. Recently Slack took out a snarky full page ad, when Microsoft launched its competitor, Microsoft Teams.

The story behind the story: Samsung was already looking ahead to the Galaxy S8, confirming that it will include an artificial intelligence powered digital assistant. It had us thinking that Samsung may double down on its previous strategy of pushing consumers into its own services overpowering the phone with software choices. In the era where a solar-powered Pixel is on the shelf, its a tenuous strategy.
Google, Amazon, and Facebook can magically recognize images and voices, thanks to superfast servers equipped with GPUs in their mega data centers.

But not all companies can afford that level of resources for deep learning, so they turn to cloud services, where servers in remote data centers do the heavy lifting.

Microsoft has made such cloud services trendy with Azure and is one of the few companies offering remote servers with GPUs, which excel in machine-learning tasks. But Azure uses older Nvidia GPUs, and it now has competition from Nimbix, which offers a cloud service with faster GPUs based on the Nvidia's latest Pascal architecture.

After renting time on the cloud service, customers get a virtual machine with access to bare-metal server hardware. Nimbix offers customers cloud services that run on Tesla P100s -- which are among Nvidia's fastest GPUs -- in IBM Power S822LC servers.

There are other advantages to the cloud service. On the server side, a high-speed NVLink interconnect links the GPU to the CPU and other components at speeds 2.5 times faster than PCI-Express 3.0.

Microsoft's Azure offers cloud services with servers running Nvidia's Tesla K80, which is based on the older Kepler architecture, and Tesla M40, which is based on Maxwell, a generation behind Pascal.

Typically, machine-learning tasks use many servers, and faster CPUs and GPUs return faster results. The IBM Power S822LC servers have two Power8 CPUs, four Pascal GPUs, and half a terabyte of system memory.

The Nimbix cloud service is targeted more toward high-performance computing applications. It also supports Caffe, Torch, and Theano deep-learning frameworks. Pricing starts at US$5 per hour.
Microsoft today patched a Windows vulnerability that was disclosed just over a week ago by researchers from Alphabet Inc.'s Google.

In one of several security updates -- 14 to be exact -- Microsoft fixed the bug in the Windows kernel drivers that Google security engineers had revealed on Oct. 31, 10 days after notifying Microsoft of the vulnerability.

Microsoft credited Neel Mehta and Billy Leonard of Google's Threat Analysis Group for reporting the flaw. Last week, the two said that because the vulnerability was being actively exploited, a disclose-within-seven-days policy applied.

Microsoft's top Windows executive, Terry Myerson, castigated Google for the move. "Google's decision to disclose these vulnerabilities before patches are broadly available and tested is disappointing, and puts customers at increased risk," Myerson wrote in a Nov. 1 post.

Myerson claimed that the attacks in circulation were being conducted by a Russian group that previously was linked to a hack of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). The gang, which Microsoft dubbed Strontium, has been responsible since at least 2007 for very targeted attacks against governments, militaries and diplomats around the globe.

Also last week, Microsoft asserted that, while the latest Windows 10 upgrade -- the summer's Anniversary Update -- contained the flaw, an anti-exploit defense had been added to that edition prior to the attacks coming to light. "These Windows 10 Anniversary Update mitigations, which were developed based on proactive internal research, stop all observed in-the-wild instances of this exploit," Myerson said.

Today, Microsoft patched the kernel drivers bug in Windows 10, as well as in Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.
Google infrastructure czar Urs Holzle is focused on a cloud future where customers don't think about the infrastructure underlying all of the workloads they're running.

In his view, one of the key advantages of the cloud is that customers can get the benefits of new hardware without having to completely rework their software.

"So that means you can have a million customers who move to that new hardware platform, not knowing they did," he said Tuesday at the Structure Conference in San Francisco. "Which means that you can really insert this new technology in a much faster cycle than you could if you did the same thing on-premises."

That means companies can get quick, seamless improvements to performance, as opposed to an on-premises deployment. When operating their own data centers, companies must take the time to evaluate new hardware, and take the time to roll it out.

Use of the cloud also means providers like Google can experiment with the underlying hardware to improve performance, and then decide to go in a different direction, without requiring customers to rework what they need to do.

While Holzle's vision holds true to a point, no abstraction layer will be completely bulletproof in the future, IDC Program Director Al Hilwa said by email.

"Over time, architectures and methodologies change, and in software, that is happening faster than in many spaces," he said. "Still, a good abstraction provides protection and better longevity."

Furthermore, Holzle sees a future where the overwhelming majority of customers won't even worry about what type of compute instance their workloads are running on. Instead, platforms will be responsible for intelligently suggesting what sort of compute resources customers should use and keep pace with what they need.

"So I hope, five years from now, 1 percent of cloud customers know the word 'machine type,' and 99 percent say 'I've never thought about it,"Holzle said. "'My stuff runs at great performance, low cost, I guess someone must pick the right machine type for you.'"
Microsoft is betting on artificial intelligence (AI) with the creation at the end of September of a new AI and Research Group. This newly formed group brings together Microsofts research organization and more than 5,000 computer scientists and engineers focused on AI and is now the fourth major division in the company, on par with the Windows, Office and Cloud divisions.

The job of the AI and Research Group will be to work on four overarching initiatives:

Harnessing AI through agents such as Cortana, the companys digital personal assistant

Infusing AI into Skype, Office 365 and every other Microsoft application

Making cognitive capabilities such as vision and speech and machine analytics available to external developers

Using Azure to build a powerful AI supercomputer in the cloud to provide AI as a Service

AI tidal wave

When Microsoft talks of infusing every application with AI, its reminiscent of the famous Internet Tidal Wave email Bill Gates sent to all staff in 1995. In it, Gates outlined his desire to focus the companys efforts on the internet with immediate effect and told them to assign the internet the highest level of importance in everything that they did henceforth.

Is the creation of the AI and research group effectively a tidal wave message? Does Microsoft boss Satya Nadella believe that AI should be assigned the highest level of importance to everything the company does?

Rob Sanfilippo, an analyst at Directions on Microsoft and former Microsoft employee, doesnt think so. Nadella is certainly trying to make some marks on the company and AI is the latest mark he is trying to make, but no, this not as much a pivotal moment as the Gates email and the internet, says Sanfilippo.

His reasoning is that AI has become over-hyped. I dont entirely believe all the prognostications that have been made about AI. Some of it is real and will be successful, but some things will never come to fruition, he says.

And although Microsoft has talked enthusiastically about agents and bot frameworks, the practical value of these technologies is doubtful, he believes. These are really just bits of technology that look good in demos, he says.

The Cortana problem

Microsoft seems to be banking on Cortana being one of the key ways its customers access AI in the future. (The company also offers Cortana Intelligence Suite for businesses and developers to add machine learning, image recognition and other intelligent capabilities to their own applications.)

The problem, Sanfilippo says, is that Cortana is not actually very good at what it does. I do think there are problems with Cortana, he says. It came from an Xbox character, and then it became a phone entity, and then it came to Windows 10. It looks good, but it is very weak and in the real world it has not had the adoption that Microsoft claims.

Anecdotally, Sanfilippo suggests that many people find Cortana gets in the way of work and does not actually do what they want. Eighty percent of the time it just searches the web for what I want. It bugs me that Microsoft talks about it as a success when most people probably just get annoyed by it, he says.

The danger for Microsoft is that a rival assistant such as Amazons Alexa or Googles Assistant becomes the de-facto standard way for end users to access AI services and enterprise AI systems. If that happens, Cortana could become the digital assistant equivalent of Windows Phone: a largely irrelevant entity that few people use and even fewer developers bother integrating with.

Sanfilippo points out that many investments in AI have been written off in the past, so theres a very real risk that Microsoft could abandon Cortana in two or three years time.

Strong in the cloud

The good news for Microsoft is that even if Cortana is relatively weak, it has a very real competitive advantage in the cloud, where it can harness the computing power of Azure to do intensive computational AI work (such as translating all 1,440 pages of War and Peace from Russian to English in 2.5 seconds.) It can also offer this power to third parties.

And with its $26 billion purchase of LinkedIn, Microsoft also has access to a social graph of over 425 million business users. This puts it in a strong position when it comes to offering services based on the combination of AI and social networks  for example by providing customers with a personal newsfeed based on the projects they are working on, or enabling Office to suggest experts to connect with via LinkedIn.

Fear of missing out

David Schubmehl, a research director at IDC, takes a more sanguine view of Microsofts AI efforts, and says that AI  agents and all  will be central to everything that Microsoft does in a relatively short space of time. I think as time goes on all enterprise software will have AI functionality, and we are already seeing the green shoots of that, he says.

But, like Sanfilippo, he thinks that some of what Microsoft is saying is motivated by the desire to ensure that it doesnt get left behind. Four years ago IBM was the only one doing cognitive and AI. Then Google talked about embedding AI into everything. Then Salesforce made its Einstein announcements and Oracle talked about Adaptive Intelligence. Thats why Microsoft has established this new division  but I do think it sees AI as where the computing world is moving to.

Microsoft got left behind when the mobile computing revolution took off, and its only now that it has begun recovering from that by concentrating on getting its applications and services on iOS and Android. It may well be that, more than anything else, its the fear of getting left behind in an AI revolution  if it ever comes to pass  that is whats driving the company to embrace AI technology.

In other words, the company may not be absolutely sure that an AI tidal wave is about to hit, but its determined to be prepared for one, just in case.

Related video:
Today

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 61F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 61F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.

Tomorrow

Sunshine in the morning followed by partly cloudy skies and gusty winds during the afternoon. High 74F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Ukraine is willing to join the "16+1" mechanism, a platform created by China and 16 Central and Eastern European countries, to start a comprehensive cooperation with China under the Silk Road Initiative, a senior Ukrainian parliament official announced on Monday.

"It is very important for Ukraine to join the "16+1" format and become a full member of the Silk Road project," Iryna Gerashchenko, First Vice Speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, said during the 2016 Ukraine Silk Road Forum in Kiev.

To assist the accession process, a special "group of friends of China", uniting more than half of Ukrainian lawmakers, was created in the Ukrainian parliament, Gerashchenko said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Gennady Zubko, who also took part in the forum, said that Kiev is considering the Silk Road initiative as a priority chance for Ukraine to unlock its transit potential.

"The Silk Road is an investment artery that connects Central Asia, the largest producer of goods, with the rest of the world. Ukraine is the first European country on this path, and we must fully take the advantage of this position," Zubko said.

Ukraine, which plans to launch a regular cargo train service to China next year, has already established a railway link with the countries of Northern Europe and is holding talks with several Central European countries over an establishment of freight train connection, he added.

Separately, Ukraine's Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister Natalia Mykolska said that the possible establishment of an international transport corridor linking Europe and Asia in Ukraine will increase the investment attractiveness of the Eastern European country.

She said that Kiev hopes to attract Chinese investment to produce goods, which will be exported to China and to the countries and regions, which have free trade agreements with Ukraine, namely the European Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States and Canada.

"Ukraine could become a manufacturing hub for Chinese investors," Mykolska emphasized.

She noted that Ukraine is interested in enhancing cooperation with China in such fields as industry, agriculture, tourism, and the sector of information technologies.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Du Wei said that China welcomes Ukraine's efforts on enhancing economic cooperation in the framework of the Silk Road initiative.

"We hope that Chinese investors will come to Ukraine with investments in agriculture, science and technology, infrastructure, logistics, finance, e-commerce, nuclear and renewable energy, as well as in other areas," Du said.
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As the results come in for the most dramatic election campaign in US history since World War II, uncertainty about the future of Sino-US relations persists.

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump represent two different concepts of governing a country. Democratic nominee Clinton's domestic platform focuses on intervention through various social policies. In foreign affairs, she will extend the country's overseas presence and insist on values-based diplomacy. After all, Clinton is the initiator of the US policy to rebalance Asia and her overseas supporters have benefited from US presence and intervention.

Republican candidate Trump will pursue conservative economic and social policies that reduce economic intervention and return to "traditional US values." Externally, Trump will cut back on the US overseas presence and pull together domestic resources and energy to focus on building capability domestically.

If Clinton is elected, she will likely continue with the policies pursued by Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013 when she served as Secretary of State, which may exacerbate the hollowing out of the US economic foundation and reverse discrimination. The labor force participation rate in the US has dropped to 62.9 percent, the lowest level in more than four decades. I would suggest that such a situation will pose a long-term threat to the sustainable development of the US economy and society.

What's even worse is that American politics overemphasizes equality, which weakens American traditional values and undermines its competitiveness. Those who strongly recognize American traditional value and remain motivated and hardworking are subject to reverse discrimination. They fear that if Clinton is elected, that tendency will be reinforced and thus shake America's economic foundation and undermine its social development. On international affairs, the intervention policy line practiced by Obama and Clinton will erode national strength.

If Clinton is elected, she will be a very vulnerable president. This is not only because her e-mail scandal has weakened the trust the American public has in her but also because she has lost the support of some Americans. In order to consolidate the support of her "die-hard fans," she will rely even more on policies which may undermine the sustainable development of American economy and society.

While the economic and political policies are more predicable if Clinton takes office, the uncertainty regarding economic and political policy will be huge if Trump is the next president. If Trump follows his core political stand and policy lines as he presented before - lowering tax rate, streamlining bureaucracy and reducing overseas presence, it is no doubt a good thing for America's economic and social sustainability. But the problem is that it remains a mystery over whether he can live up to his promises and deliver results.

Nevertheless, from a comprehensive view, it would make it easier for China to cope if Trump is elected. This is because under the policy line advocated by Obama and Clinton, the political and military frictions between China and the US will be more frequent. Instead, Trump has always insisted on abandoning ideological division and minimizing the risks that unnecessary conflicts with other countries may bring to the US. Regarding his remarks on trade protectionism he has made during the election campaign, he will be probably be forced to adjust to be in line with the laws of economics if he is in power.

More importantly, if Trump takes office, it will probably create a chance to end the "self-damaging competition" between China and the US, where the leaders have adopted improper policies and measures in order to gain advantage in international competitions even when they know these policies will fundamentally erode social cohesion and the potential for sustainable development of their nations.

Many Chinese observers believe that if Clinton wins the election, it will accelerate the erosion of America's national strength and therefore benefit China. But in fact, the US is only an external element. What matters most for China is that it should enhance its own social cohesion and remain committed to reform and progress. In doing so, China could advance shoulder-to-shoulder and prosper along with the US if the country remains resurgent; and if the US declines, China will not be affected.

The author is a research fellow with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. [email protected]
Due to changing views about marriage and parenthood among China's younger generation and the country's serious gender imbalance, a growing number of men are seeking the company of lifelike dolls, instead of real relationships.

Bob (pseudonym) introduces his dolls to the Global Times reporter during an interview on October 26 in his home in Haidian district, Beijing.Photo: Li Hao/GT

When Mathilda knocked on Leon's door in Professional, a 1994 thriller film, Leon's solitary life was forever changed. For 32-year-old Bob (pseudonym), Xiao Ying, a 145-centimeter silicone doll, is his Mathilda. She filled his empty heart and rejuvenated his life the moment she was delivered to his doorway.

Bob bought Xiao Ying two months after breaking up with his last girlfriend, and he treats "her" as if "she" were his "daughter."

"I have a hole in my heart that needs to be filled," he said while sitting in his apartment in Beijing's Haidian district.

On the day of his interview with the Global Times, he dressed Xiao Ying like a high school student. In addition to a red school uniform, the blonde doll wore a pair of glasses as she lolled on the couch.

"It's impossible to find such a beauty in the real world that can be as beautiful as her," he said.

Bob, a Beijing local and part-time game designer, is not alone in seeking the company of dolls instead of real people. A search of baidu.com reveals numerous forums where tens of thousands of doll aficionados gather and exchange their experiences.

Wu Xingliang, marketing director of the silicone doll company Exdoll, told the Global Times that "there are an increasing number of Chinese people buying silicone dolls in recent years."

The popularity of lifelike dolls is in part due to the influence of Japanese otaku culture and changing attitudes toward marriage and fertility among the younger generation, he added.

Easier than real women

Apart from Xiao Ying, Bob also has another doll he acquired from his friend named Xiao Yue. Xiao Yue is "a friend's child," according to Bob.

The 145-centimeter doll weighs over 10 kilograms. Carrying it consumes so much energy that Bob said playing with dolls is the same as working out in the gym.

Usually twice a month, he bathes the doll and sprinkles baby powder all over its body. As the dolls are unable to stand up for a long period of time, most of the time he positions the dolls on the window by his bed. "I talk to her all the time in my mind," he said.

According to Bob, he reconstructs events that happened to him and his girlfriend with Xiao Ying. "I kept thinking if the same things happen to me and my daughter, will I take a different approach?" he said.

Bob had a three-year relationship with his ex but the girl broke up with him and went back to her hometown last year.

After the breakup, Bob had a blind date with a Beijing girl, but the relationship soured after the woman refused to accept his "daughter."

Unlike a real person, Xiao Ying can never react negatively to Bob's words and can never argue with him. "Dealing with dolls is much easier than dealing with a real woman," he said.

Li Chen is well-known in the human-like doll circle as he can make changes to the dolls so that they move more like humans.

Li divorced his wife, who was 18 years younger than him, 12 years ago, because she was a gambling addict.

When the 58-year-old father later tried to form a new family, he found out that women of his age are "too scheming" and he didn't want his son to "suffer." So he gave up the idea.

In 2014, he bought his first doll. In Li's home in Guizhou Province, there is a room especially for his dolls. He has spent a small fortune on doll clothes. More expensive outfits can cost up to 3,000 yuan ($448), according to Li.

"I used to think raising dolls was cheaper than raising women. But now I think I was wrong," he told the Global Times.

"Unlike human beings who pick clothes according to their own natural conditions, the dolls are so beautiful and they can exhibit their beauty in every kind of uniform. So I can't help but keep buying different kinds of clothes for them," he said.

Playing with dolls gave Li a second life. He once planned to marry his young girlfriend who is in her 20s. But after she went to a big city to work, she was attracted to the city life and decided to halt their marriage plan.

"Compared with women, dolls are more reliable and they will never betray you," he said.
A court in the Ouhai district of Wenzhou, Zhejiang province ruled that an online store should immediately cease violating the intellectual property rights of Adidas, and compensate the company with 1.2 million RMB.

Little Golden Eggs, the online store in question, insisted that they used four short lines and four leaves in their logo, as opposed to the three short lines and three leaves of the Adidas logo. However, the judge refuted this claim and delivered a verdict in favor of Adidas.

The online store is based in Wenzhou, and has sold over 150,000 pairs of shoes for a profit of over 10 million RMB. An Adidas representative bought three pairs of shoes from the online store last year, and the company took the store to court in May, suing for 3 million RMB in compensation.

The offending products are no longer available for purchase from the online store.
Climate change may have been underestimated as it was gauged ten years ago, according to Nicholas Stern's point of view. The author of the well talked about Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change contained statements released by Stern forecasting the future of the then climate change threat.

In 2006, Stern released the famous report about the social climate. He stated in the said report that the cost of actions taken to prevent climate change in the present is nothing compared to the cost of inaction that the future generation is expected to suffer.

Stern also predicted on the decade-old report that there will be about two to three degrees of temperature increase in the long run. His prediction, however, proves to be lower than the reality of four-degree temperature increase as he sees in the present.

In an interview, the former permanent secretary at the Treasury believes that the statement he released ten years ago may have underestimated the climate change. The increase in carbon emission seems to bay way higher than the amount of the planet and the atmosphere's carbon absorption making the global warming effects felt faster.

Stern believes that the climate change's effects being underestimated caused nations to act slowly than how they should be. The greenhouse gas emissions-curbing have been delayed that from the 40-41bn tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in 2006, there is now an alarming carbon dioxide amount of 50bn tons in the atmosphere, as per The Guardian.

Jim Yong Kim, the new World Bank president also expressed concern about the rapid increase in the climate change effects. He said that if the four-degree rise will be proven true, in the near future there will food and water fights everywhere.

On the other hand, the Paris climate talk's success last year is giving hope to Stern. He sees the acceleration on the move from Kyoto protocol that took eight years before implementation to the 11-month Paris agreement ratification, Think Progress reported.
China decides to allow scholars to take work positions in companies

A new document from the central Chinese authorities is allowing scholars in the country to accept paid job responsibilities from companies and other social organizations while retaining positions and earnings in their own research organizations.

The document says the income earned from such work positions will in principle all belong to individual scholars.

However, it's also been noted that scholars will need to gain the approval from their own work units before they can work for other organizations.

In addition, the document is encouraging scholars to take up non-profit positions.

Majority of China's top scholars currently work for public universities or state-run research institutes in the country.

With more on this, CRI's Ding Heng earlier spoke with Mike Bastin, Director of the China Business Center at Southampton Solent University.
The pressure could not get any higher with only one day left for the 2016 US elections and all Americans, including celebrities. They participate in the spirit of democracy by sharing more than their two cents.

A lot of them would want to leave the country if Republican nominee Donald Trump gets elected. Cher took it to the next level stating that she will 'leave Planet Earth' if Trump becomes president.

The Goddess of Pop did not tone down her wrath upon the GOP representative during a fundraiser campaign for Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton in New York last Thursday. She is just one of the many famous personalities who simply do not want Donald Trump as president.

The special animosity that Cher harbored against Trump has a lot to do with his supporters. According to an article by The Hollywood Reporter, Trump's supporters oftentimes call her a "libtard" due to her left-leaning political perspective.

Cher also shed a little light about her upbringing and how it generally shaped her view of the world. She's one of the many celebrities who are no stranger to hardship, growing up in relative poverty and two waves of dysfunctional households until her mother's marriage to a wealthy bank manager in 1961.

Celebrities who are no stranger to life's socioeconomic struggles simply cannot sympathize with Trump. Among them includes Stevie Wonder, a blind iconic RnB legend. He was quoted in a special commentary by Huffington Post saying, "Voting for Donald Trump is like asking me to drive a car."

While the GOP candidate is being pelted by insults and parodies at home, several townsfolk in England just burned him to ashes for decapitating his rival. Anyone who really hates Trump might accompany the Goddess of Pop in the next Mission to Mars.
Current account holders in Tesco Bank has experienced losing money from their accounts. Over 20,000 Tesco Bank account owners have claimed that cash has gone missing from their account without any permission.

As a result, multiple cards have been blocked and it takes a long time to connect to Tesco customer service over the phone. According to the bank, their anti-fraud system has detected suspicious activity on the affected accounts. On Monday, the bank admitted that 40,000 customers are targets of an online heist over the weekend. Money was reportedly stolen from half of the targeted accounts.

Tesco Banks took immediate action by freezing online transactions to prevent any further losses. Furthermore, the bank also pledged to refund all the customers who had money stolen from their accounts. This event is notably the largest cyber-theft issue to happen in a UK bank.

In an effort to minimize the damages, Benny Higgins, the chief executive of Tesco made the decision to freeze all banking activities. With regard to this horrible incident, Higgins had this to say: "We apologize for the worry and inconvenience that this has caused for customers, and can only stress that we are taking every step to protect our customers' accounts."

Tesco Banks will provide a refund for those customers who have lost thousands of pounds on Monday. However, Higgins is still facing issues from MPs who are demanding an explanation. The reason behind this cyber-crime incident needs to be identified as this is the first time a large UK Bank experienced such a nerve wracking theft event.

The explanation provided by Higgins was indeed short despite the high demands for a detailed explanation to enumerate what went wrong. Customers were in a state of worry when the bank started texting them as a warning because they have detected suspicious activity. All Higgins told BBC was "it was a systematic, sophisticated attack"
The "La La Land" cast Emma Stone enters the red carpet dazzling; a prediction that the movie will again hit the top of the records for this year's entries to the best drama and romance films.

Emma Stone has just turned 28 years earlier this month, and it is really a surprise to all Emma Stone fanatics out there. Indeed, her dazzling sweet face does not show that she is already in her late twenty's.

Along with Ryan Gosling who will be Emma Stone's partner in the upcoming drama and romantic-themed musical movie, the actress has been busy roaming around the world for their press tour. Included in the list of their past trips is their visit to Venice, Toronto, New York and Denver where the actress has been seen in very stunning and dazzling outfit getaways.

Emma Stone will be playing the role of Mia, and Ryan Gosling will be the Sebastian in the upcoming movie. This highly anticipated film is expected to be aired in the first week of December 2016.

In addition to the Hollywood stars who will be casting the "La La Land," John Legend will also be there to add more spice in the songs and music developed by their passionate director, Damien Chazelle. Also, the character of Fletcher as seen in the movie "Whiplash" will also be there for the complete contrast with the sweetness of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.

"La La Land" has already been reported by the Variety to garner awards at "Hamilton Behind the Camera" program, along with the movies "Jackie" and "Fences." The awarding took place last November 6, 2016, at Exchange LA.

Aside from "La La Land," Emma Stone is also expected to cast the 2017 and 2018 movies "Battle of the Sexes," "The Favourite," and "Cruela" She will also appear in TV series "Maniac" and "The Croods 2" respectively.
The arrest by the Turkey government of lawmakers belonging to the People's Democratic Party (HDP), the main pro-Kurdish group signals the last hope for achieving peace in the country. The group's acclaimed leader, Selahattin Demirtas was among those arrested.

From the time its trouble with the rebellious Kurdistan Worker's Party restarted in July 2015, Turkey has suffered considerable casualties. In the ongoing struggle there have been more than 2,300 people killed along with 360 civilians.<

The Kurdish-populated areas in Turkey's southeast have been devastated and the government started to arrest non-combatant Kurdish activists, media groups and political leaders sympathetic to the rebels.

Efforts to bring peace have been a failure especially with the arrest of Selhattin Demirtas. The arrests and crackdown on local opposition groups started after an attempted coup on President Recep Tayiff Erdogan in July.

The falling out of the Kurdish groups with President Erdogan may have come because of developments in the civil war raging in Syria. Successes of Kurdish groups there has inspired Turkish Kurds and put Turkey government on high alert.

The Kurdistan Worker's Alliance (PKK), with U.S. support and alliance with its Syrian counterpart hope that they will prevail despite the severe military impositions by the Turkish government.

Recently, PKK's Syrian affiliate has declares an assault on Raqqa, a stronghold of the Islamic State. This move has strengthened the tie-up between US and Kurdish groups, which pose a further threat to Turkey, who is also being besieged by Islamic State.

After the arrest of Selhattin Demirtas, Henri Barkey, director of the Middle East Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington believes the worst is yet to come. He said "you can predict that things will get worse after these arrests, but how much more is hard to say"

In the Kurdish areas of Istanbul, protests have started simultaneously along with those being held in the southeast of Turkey. Not much information is coming out of Turkey because of government suppression of media after the arrest of Selhattin Demirtas.
A mother of six from Northern California could be facing jail-time after selling ceviche via social media. She allegedly violated the law according to authorities, for selling food without a valid business permit and license from authorities.

Mariza Ruelas, a single mother could be imprisoned after selling homemade ceviche. It was reported that Ruelas sells her homemade ceviche- a Latin American citrus-marinated seafood dish typically made from fresh raw fish meats on Facebook. She started selling her ceviche after joining the Facebook group called "209 Food Spot" where thousands in Northern California share their recipes and cooking tips.

Wanting to take advantage of the network, the 37-year old single unemployed mother took a photo of her homemade ceviche and posted it on the Facebook group site. Ruelas offered her homemade dish to the group members of 209 Food Spot and started selling it online at $12 for 32 ounces.

Unknown to Ruelas, an undercover investigator took the offer, paid in cash and took off. Days later, Ruelas received a notice from the San Joaquin County district attorney's office stating that she has been charged and that "she's one of some people charged with misdemeanor for operating a food facility and business without a license."

Ruelas was the only one who refused a plea bargain deal and prosecutors may proceed with a court trial for the charges. According to Ruelas she was offered a different deal with the rest of those charged for a similar violation. She claimed the offer was to accept a guilty plea in exchange for 3 years probation and 80 hours of community service. The others charged, she said, were offered a year of probation, 40 hours of community service and a fine of $250.

Ruelas faces the prospect of getting imprisoned once the court finds her guilty for the violation.
Prophet, a global brand and marketing consultancy, recently released a report on the most favored brands of Chinese consumers. Data showed that Alipay ranks first and WeChat ranks second among the top 10 most relevant brands in the Chinese market. In electronics, Chinese local brand Vivo comes in 17th, leaving Microsoft and Apple behind.

Based on Prophet's analysis, Alipay has completely reformed the idea of electronic financing. Alipay's market share is up to 70 percent of the national electronic payments market. Its active users have reached 450 million, and the company's average daily transaction volume has reached 175 million RMB.

Moreover, Prophet attributed the success of Vivo to its focus on China's high-end market, rather than the low-end and low-profit part of the market, as its competitors emphasize. Samsung ranks 45th on the list, though its ranking may have been influenced by the recent incidents of explosions, according to a Chinese partner of Prophet.

Brand relevance is based on which brands are constantly in demand by consumers. Prophet interviewed nearly 10,000 Chinese consumers and selected the top 50 brands among 279 brands in 24 industries around the world. The criteria it used include customer obsession, pragmatism, inspiration and innovation. This is the first time that Prophet has reported on the Chinese market.
People's Bank of China (PBOC), China's central bank, said that stabilizing property prices at the sacrifice of the RMB exchange rate is undesirable, and vice versa. The PBOC believes that risks in both Chinas exchange rate and property market have been exaggerated.

The central bank offered its explanation in the "China Monetary Policy Report of Quarter 3, 2016," issued on Nov. 8. The report was a response to public debate over the government's choice between depreciating the RMB against the USD, and managing the runaway housing market.

According to the report, monetary policy is restricted by international asset pricing and exchange rate in the open macro environment. With rapid economic development, China's residential wealth, especially housing assets, has been growing at a high speed. It is estimated that the financial assets of Chinese citizens have been expanding over 20 percent each year since the late 1970s, while the expansion of housing assets is twice the speed of residential financial growth. Internationally, the rapid growth of stock assets tends to have a great impact on the economy, which is closely related to real estate.

The report said that to stabilize the exchange rate at the expense of the property market is to tighten monetary policies to eliminate asset bubbles, and to raise the exchange rate through high interest. However, the PBOC believes that such passive deleveraging is a hard process that comes with high risks, and the stabilization of the exchange rate will also be difficult to achieve.

Meanwhile, easing the monetary policy and backing property prices will further contort the economic structure and accelerate debt accumulation, which will make a structural adjustment a much lengthier and costlier process.

"Both measures have exaggerated the risks in their respective fields, and are not desirable," the report concluded. The PBOC will maintain a prudent and moderate monetary environment, utilizing macroprudential policy to stabilize the financial system. More importantly, structural reforms must be carried out to boost market confidence and vitalize the economy, said the PBOC.
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Chinas e-tourism giant Ctrip has rewarded 10 well-behaved tourists in an effort to improve the country's image overseas - especially when it comes to tourism.

Launched in October by Ctrip, the Excellent Chinese Tourists Fund aims to reward tourists who serve as role models for others, and promote the idea of civilized tourism among Chinese travelers. The prize recipients were chosen by Internet users, and the top winner will receive 10,000 RMB.

Sun Min won the top prize after rescuing tourists in a car accident. Sun and his family were in a severe traffic accident during a trip in August. Despite his own injuries, Sun selflessly rescued eight tourists trapped in a tour bus. His own mother passed away due to injuries from the accident.

Other tourists have also been rewarded for their good deeds while abroad, including a traveler who waited for hours to return a passport to its owner in Japan, and a parent who carries a bottle everywhere to clean a toddlers urine without contaminating the environment.

As Chinas economy continues to grow, more and more Chinese tourists are traveling overseas. Over 4 billion trips are made by Chinese citizens in domestic tours annually, while over 100 million trips are made abroad. Some egregious and rude behaviors on the part of Chinese travelers have severely damaged the countrys image abroad, while the behavior of most civilized Chinese tourists goes unnoticed.

According to Ctrip, the company will keep rewarding "model tourists" in the future, while badly behaved tourists may be listed as unwelcome visitors.
Health for All and All for Health: 9th Global Conference on Health Promotion to be held in Shanghai

(People's Daily Online/Zhao Jinghan)

The 9th Global Conference on Health Promotion (GCHP) will be held from Nov. 21 to 24 in Shanghai. The conference will highlight the Healthy City Mayor's Forum and China Day, said Song Shuli, deputy director-general of the Department of Communications of the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC).

GCHP is the highest-level conference on health promotion in the world. Its ninth iteration is being jointly organized by the NHFPC and the World Health Organization (WHO), and hosted by Shanghai People's Government.

The theme of the conference is Sustainable Development Goals, and the slogan is "Health for All and All for Health." The goal is to promote the incorporation of health issues into the UN Sustainable Development Agenda. The conference also supports the revitalization of health promotion in the 21st century.

Lasting for three and a half days, the conference will cover topics including "Health City," "Cross-sect Action," "Social Mobilization," "Health Literacy" and more. Important documents such as the Shanghai Declaration and Shanghai Consensus on Healthy City will be adopted at the conference. The Shanghai Declaration will guide the next phase of work in global health, facilitating health promotion and enlarging the role of health in the UN Sustainable Development Agenda by 2030.

According to Song Shuli, Healthy City Mayor's Forum and China Day are the highlights of the conference. Healthy City Mayor's Forum will cover the topics of road safety, the environment, healthy lifestyles, scientific and technological innovation, aging and hygiene. China Day will include forums, exhibitions and field trips, intended to show the world China's health-related achievements.

Attendees will include those working on health promotion from member states of WHO, representatives of UN agencies, several countries' health ministers, Healthy City mayors and experts in international health.
Imperial Brands PLCs risky expansion in the U.S. market met revenue and market-share expectations in its first year, the British tobacco manufacturer said Tuesday.

Imperial reported more than doubling both its U.S. revenue to $1.83 billion and its U.S. adjusted operating profit to $1.02 billion.

Imperial spent $7.1 billion in June 2015 to buy the traditional cigarette brands of Kool, Salem and Winston from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., and traditional cigarette brand Maverick and No. 2 electronic cigarette blu eCigs from Lorillard Inc.

ITG Brands LLC, based in Greensboro, was formed by Imperial to combine its legacy U.S. operations with the brands and production it gained. At least 375 production jobs have been eliminated since the companys formation, cutting its Greensboro workforce from 1,700 to 1,325.

Winston represented 18.6 percent of Imperials overall growth brands revenue in fiscal 2016. It is the only U.S. brand of the 10 in the manufacturers top global portfolio category. Winston is a top-10 brand in the United States with a 2 percent market share.

Alison Cooper, Imperials chief executive, said in a statement that ITG Brands continued to perform strongly.

We are investing to support growth, funded by the acquisition synergies, to drive long-term sustainable value. These prioritized investments have driven steady improvements in the market shares of Winston and Kool, Cooper said.

Of more global investor interest, Imperial remained committed to its pattern of forecasting an annual dividend increase of 10 percent. For fiscal 2017, it would rise to $1.92 a share.

Some analysts view the dividend commitment as one piece of Imperials strategy at remaining independent in a consolidating global industry which is still coming to grips with a potential $47 billion purchase of Reynolds American Inc. by British American Tobacco PLC.

The (dividend) increase in itself is not a major shock, as this follows the pattern seen over the past seven years, said Stephen Pope, the managing principal of Spotlight Ideas of London, a financial-services firm. The surprise is to be found in the degree of increase when group profits were down.

Imperial reported overall profit of $828.5 million, down from $2.1 billion in fiscal 2015.

When excluding $1.71 billion in net finance costs related to the U.S. portfolio purchase and higher taxation costs, the adjusted profit was $3.02 billion, up from $2.57 billion in fiscal 2015.

Cooper has today set a tough benchmark by which Imperial will be measured, as she said the group will remained committed to this level of increase over the medium term, Pope said.

Other analysts have questioned Imperials ability to increase profit outside the U.S. market, particularly as some European countries have increased their tobacco excise taxes and the European Union is preparing to implement plain packaging of cigarette packs.

Investors and analysts also took note of Imperials plans to accelerate its cost-cutting initiative, projecting to spend $932 million over three years  the bulk in fiscal 2017  on streamlining operations in hopes of producing $371.5 million in annual savings. That includes shrinking its global brand offerings from 184 to 125.

The spending is projected to lower fiscal 2017 earnings by 4 percent to 8 percent.

Imperials U.S. expansion has been a source of debate since the deal closed.

Imperial said its U.S. market share was at 9.2 percent at the close of fiscal year 2016.

Meanwhile, Wells Fargo Securities analyst Bonnie Herzog has estimated the market share as low as 7.2 percent, based on her research with retailers.

Pope said the U.S. revenue performance delivered good news to Imperial.

It is a testament to the skillful brand and operational expertise in the U.S., he said. I perceive that Alison has identified that the correct way to play the U.S. market is to look for growth in top line and margins over time through building a quality portfolio.

Imperial credited a marketing push and new retailer contracts with Winstons performance. It said it has signed up about 165,000 U.S. retail outlets  about 90 percent of the market presence  with the contracts.

Although Winston has been at times the No. 2 global traditional cigarette brand under the management of Japan Tobacco, it was relegated to second-tier status in the United states by Reynolds in favor of Camel and Pall Mall.

A rejuvenated pack design and new consumer marketing is further enhancing brand equity, Imperial said about Winston cigarettes.
22nd Century Group Inc. moved slightly closer toward its first quarterly profit during the third quarter, the company reported Tuesday.

Based in Clarence, N.Y., 22nd Century opened operations in Mocksville in 2014 through acquiring the production equipment of the defunct Renegade Tobacco Inc. It has 39 employees overall.

The third-quarter loss was $2.68 million, down from a loss of $2.76 million a year ago and a loss of $6.15 million in the second quarter.

It had an earnings loss of 3 cents a share, compared with a loss of 4 cents a year ago and a loss of 2 cents in the second quarter.

The company reported revenue of just under $3.1 million, up 16.1 percent from a year ago.

Part of the reduced loss came from a $65,000 decrease in operating expenses. The company also reported paying $204,860 in equity-based compensation to management during the quarter, down from $314,743 a year ago.

When using adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization  known as EBITDA  financial totals, the second-quarter loss was $2.18 million, compared with a loss of $2.15 million a year ago. Many analysts put their financial focus on EBITDA when evaluating the performance of a company that has yet to make a profit.

The company has applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for permission to advertise its very low nicotine cigarettes as a reduced-risk product.

Its Goodrich Tobacco Co. subsidiary makes Spectrum at the Mocksville plant, as well as Red Sun and Magic superpremium brands. Goodrich was the entity that applied for the reduced-risk designation.

The company has launched a new line of products to meet growing international demand for very low nicotine research. For research purposes, 22nd Century makes cigarettes with nicotine levels ranging from 95 percent lower than traditional cigarettes to three times as much.

The new line will be sold to accredited scientists, researchers, universities and government health agencies.

The company said the research cigarettes will be produced with precise tobacco blends, nicotine contents, filtration, tar yields and even custom taste characteristics according to the exact specifications required by researchers.
OAK RIDGE  The American Heart Association and the Bank of Oak Ridge sponsored a Heart Healthy Thanksgiving Tasting last Wednesday to encourage people in the Triad to make some healthy changes this holiday season.

The event took place on National Healthy Eating Day.

Its a perfect day to start talking about making heart-healthy changes, said Sarah Fedele, the director of marketing and communications for the Triad office of the American Heart Association.

The event included a sampling of traditional and nontraditional Thanksgiving food, provided by Whole Foods Market. It also included recognition of some Triad residents who are working hard to improve their heart health.

We are looking at taking the traditional dishes and making them a little healthier, Fedele said.

We also are looking at things you might not have served before and helping you bring them to the table.

Nic Albright, the metro marketing and community-relations manager for Whole Foods, prepared a spread that included roast turkey, mushroom gravy, cranberry sauce, oven-roasted root vegetables, garlic green beans, homestyle cauliflower mash and a quick-and-easy banana dessert.

All the dishes were prepared without salt, using herbs and other seasonings to boost the flavor.

All the dishes were also low in fat.

The cranberry sauce has no added sugar. Instead, the sauce is sweetened with pineapple juice, natural applesauce, and fresh orange juice and zest.

The recipe for root vegetables is flexible. It allows cooks to introduce a wide variety of nutritious vegetables, including beets, carrots and parnsips. Just a small amount of oil is used to help the vegetables brown, and some dried rosemary and garlic add flavor.

Garlic also flavors simply prepared green beans. They get just enough butter to give a hint of holiday richness.

Instead of straight mashed potatoes, Albright prepared a homestyle mash of half potatoes and half cauliflower, which is considered an excellent source of folate and Vitamins C, K and B6. A one-cup serving of cauliflower provides 73 percent of the recommended daily value of Vitamin C. Cauliflower is associated with healthy digestion, brain health and reduced risks of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Albright didnt use any butter in his homestyle mash. Instead, he used just enough half-and-half to moisten the mixture without adding any significant fat.

Albrights quick-and-easy dessert is something he calls bananas and cream. As a sweetener in the dish, he used Truvia, a natural sweetener made from stevia leaf extract.

Albright sliced some bananas and put them in a cold skillet. Then he mixed Truvia with a healthy dose of cinnamon and a little bit of half-and-half. As with the homestyle mash, the half-and-half was used in a small quantity so the dish was low in calories and fat. And people can substitute regular or reduced-fat milk to lower the calories and fat even more.

The whole mixture is heated in the skillet just until hot. The only key is to not cook the bananas at all. You just want them to get warm, Albright said.

If he was feeling indulgent, he might serve these with whipped cream or ice cream. But they feel like a treat by themselves.

This is one of my easiest recipes that everybody seems to love, he said.

As part of the Bank of Oak Ridge Heart Healthy Challenge, four people were recognized for their fights against heart disease and their efforts to improve their health:

Martha Jumpiere learned that she had congestive heart failure in 2009, suffered sudden cardiac arrest in 2014 and now wears a pacemaker. She was recognized for her rehabilitation that included losing 32 pounds through diet and exercise.

Harry Lee wa

s gaining weight and suffering from high cholesterol and on several medications when he decided to take up running. Now he has run a marathon and changed his diet. He gave up fried food and red meat, and he switched to seafood. Now he doesnt need medication.

Tonya Moore had an undiagnosed heart attack in 2006, and was told that she had ischemic cardiomyopathy and heart failure in 2007. She was placed on a heart transplant list and in 2013 was implanted with a Left Ventricular Assist Device. In 2014, she participated in her first 5K. She remains on the transplant list, but continues to manage her health through exercise and diet.

David Landon

turned his

life

around after joining a workout group called F3 (Fitness, Faith and Fellowship). It wasnt long before he was leading the group. Now he runs 1 to 2 miles a week and monitors his calories. He has registered for a 12-man, 208-mile run through the Blue Ridge Mou

ntains next fall.
One early December morning in 2006, Andy Stokes felt the weight of his new job bearing down on him.

All of a sudden it hit me... . I realized I was responsible for the safety of 40,000 people in the county, Stokes said. He and his wife, Jewell, prayed. And I gave the sheriffs office to the Lord.

Stokes recalled his first days of the job on Monday, minutes after announcing to the Davie County Board of Commissioners that he plans to retire on Dec. 31, leaving two years on his term.

The executive committee of the Davie County Republican Party, of which Stokes is a member, will recommend his replacement to commissioners, according to state statute. Commissioners must elect the partys choice, if the recommendation comes within 30 days of the jobs vacancy.

If no recommendation is made within that time frame, Chief Deputy J.D. Hartman takes over the job until commissioners appoint a new sheriff to fill the unexpired term.

A former magistrate and trooper with the N.C. Highway Patrol, Stokes lost his first bid for the sheriffs office in 1998, falling to incumbent Allen Whitaker. Eight years later, in 2006, Stokes beat Whitaker by about 1,200 votes in the Republican primary, a winning streak that continued in the next two elections.

The office he inherited from Whitaker was in disarray. Some deputies had quit, citing an atmosphere of intimidation, and a veteran detective pled guilty to embezzling from the departments evidence room, all of which led to the State Bureau of Investigation scrutinizing the department three times in a two-year period.

Stokes made over the departments organizational structure, eliminated a few positions and rehired a few employees who had been fired by Whitaker.

Stokes told commissioners Monday that he believes the sheriffs office is the best in the state.

Im proud to have been a part of it, he said.

Commissioners praised Stokes, calling him a true leader.

Andy Stokes has been a working sheriff, Commissioner Mark Jones said. When youre on Interstate 40, hes out there directing traffic.

Commissioner John Ferguson called him loyal.

We have a safer situation here than before he came, Ferguson said.

In 2014, Stokes was cleared of any wrongdoing by District Attorney Garry Frank after he accidentally shot one of his deputies during a standoff near Mocksville. The deputy, Chris Fleming, suffered wounds to his cheek and shoulder during an exchange of gunfire. Gorky, a police dog, was killed in the shootout.

Earlier this year, Stokes was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, an honor given by the Governors office to citizens who have shown exemplary service.
To say that the J-20 jet, Chinas new-generation stealth fighter, copied the technologies of U.S. F-117A fighter, which the U.S. Air Force first flew in the 1980s, is simply ludicrous, People's Frontline said in a commentary. The newspaper argued that such voices reflect the jealousy of the U.S.

The original remarks were made by U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein in August. People's Frontline refuted Goldfein's claim, remarking that if the two models do share similarities, it is only that they both have wheels and wings.

The article exposed the truth behind the dismantled F-117. The aircraft sacrificed aerodynamic design for stealth, rendering it unable to fly at supersonic speeds. In addition, the F-117 could only cover a range of 1,000 kilometers with two land-attack missiles. Its performance is not even compatible with the J-5 and J-6.

Though the F-117 was a point of pride for U.S. military experts, it was shot down by Yugoslavia's SAM missile. Therefore, the U.S. decided to dismantle the aircraft and started development of the F-22, the paper added.

If, as Goldfein stated, China really had copied the technology of the F-117, then that would indicate that the J-20 is not competitive. But if that were the case, the U.S. government would not continually speak about a "China threat," People's Frontline mused.

Its not reasonable to compare the J-20 to the F-22 and F-35 either, the article said, adding that the latter has been frequently challenged by technical defects. In addition, the expensive F-22 fails to provide sufficient oxygen for the pilot. CNN commented that the F-20 would pose a threat to the U.S. in certain operational scenarios, such as a confrontation over Taiwan or the Diaoyu Islands.

As China makes progress on manned space flight, navigation satellites, early-warning satellites, remote-sensing satellites, aircraft carriers, major stealth destroyers, stealth aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and large aircraft, the U.S., as a major military power, has exposed its fear through its remarks about China's achievement.

China hopes to safeguard world peace through the development of cutting-edge weapons. Therefore, it doesn't matter what the U.S. hegemony says, the paper stated.
For years, Gus Dark prayed for the day his son, Kalvin Michael Smith, would be a free man and he could welcome him into his home.

Part of Darks prayer was answered on Wednesday. Judge Todd Burke of Forsyth Superior Court granted a motion and signed an order calling for Smiths release from prison, where he has served nearly 20 years for assaulting Jill Marker, an assistant manager at the former Silk Plant Forest store on Silas Creek Parkway, on Dec. 9, 1995. That assault left Marker with severe injuries. She gave birth to a son while in a coma and lives in Ohio under 24-hour care.

Smith has maintained his innocence.

Walter Holton and Cheryl Andrews, attorneys for Smith, filed a motion last week, arguing that Smith should be immediately released because his trial attorney, William Speaks, failed to submit evidence that could have led to a shorter sentence for Smiths conviction for armed robbery. Smith also was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury.

Smith was convicted and sentenced in 1997 to a total of 29 years in prison for both charges and has served the sentence for the assault conviction. But he still had to serve time for the robbery conviction, which meant he wouldnt be eligible for release until 2020.

Speaks, however, should have presented mitigating factors showing that Smith had a positive employment history and strong family support, Holton argues in the motion.

If those mitigating factors had been considered, Smith might have received a sentence of about six to nine years, making him eligible for release from prison on May 22 of this year, Andrews said in an affidavit.

Burke granted the motion after a hearing that lasted less than an hour in Courtroom 6A. Smiths handcuffs were taken off, but because of paperwork issues, Smith wasnt released from prison Wednesday. He will likely be released today from the Forsyth Correctional Center, where he has been serving his sentence.

Ive waited 20 years to have my son in my house, Dark said after the hearing.

He broke down in tears as he thanked everyone who supported his son and fought for his freedom.

God is good, he said.

Smiths mother, Shelia LeGrande, had a huge grin on her face.

Im so happy, she said.

Markers family had a different reaction, though.

Bud Hoisington of Akron, Ohio, Markers father, disagreed with Burkes decision, saying Smith should serve his entire sentence.

About three weeks ago, Hoisington said, a prosecutor and a Winston-Salem police detective visited the family in Akron and told him Smith would not be released from prison.

Hoisington said his daughter cant talk, is confined to a wheelchair and has a feeding tube.

That guy should never get out prison, he said. He doesnt deserve to get out of prison.

Long road to freedom

Smith, 45, has maintained his innocence for the past 20 years.

He said he was railroaded.

Others have agreed, including the Silk Plant Forest Truth Committee, a group of residents who believe that Smiths conviction should be vacated. In a statement, committee members said they were happy he was released, but they said the fight is not over.

Todays events do not, however, correct the miscarriage of justice he has suffered, the fundamental violation of rights or the nearly twenty years taken from him, the statement said. We will continue to work toward the day that he is fully exonerated as the facts indisputably dictate, his full citizenship is restored and he can put this travesty behind him.

The Winston-Salem Journal published a series of articles in 2004 raising questions about the police investigation and the prosecution of Smith.

Chris Swecker, a former assistant director of the FBI, and the Silk Plant Forest Citizens Review Committee, which was created by Winston-Salem City Council, looked at the police investigation and concluded that it was flawed. Swecker specifically recommended that Smith be granted a new trial. Duke Universitys Wrongful Convictions Clinic has been working on the case since 2003.

All of Smiths appeals in state and federal courts have failed, including most recently at the N.C. Supreme Court.

The N.C. Attorney Generals Office has handled Smiths post-conviction appeals after the Forsyth County District Attorneys Office declared a conflict of interest in 2008.

Students at Winston-Salem State University, Wake Forest University and Salem College and other activists have pressured N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper to help vacate Smiths conviction. Cooper, a Democrat, ran against Republican Pat McCrory for governor and has a narrow lead in a tight race that wont be called until the provisional ballots across the state are counted.

At the center of all the issues with the police investigation of Markers assault is Don Williams, the lead detective in the case.

The Journals series showed that Winston-Salem police failed to thoroughly investigate Kenneth Lamoureux, a man with a history of violence who was seen at the Silk Plant Forest store the day of Markers assault. Williams dropped him as a suspect when Lamoureux, who died in 2011, moved to Charlotte.

Police also failed to look at other suspects, according to the series. Police never had any physical evidence connecting Smith to the crime scene and relied on witnesses, such as Eugene Littlejohn, to put Smith at the store at the time of the attack. Police and prosecutors failed to corroborate significant information from Smith and other witnesses, the series said.

Marker identified Smith as her attacker, but the series quoted medical experts, including her own doctors, who said Markers brain injuries would have made it unlikely that she would have remembered who attacked her.

Williams told the Journal he did not document certain evidence that he believed might have been favorable to Smith.

Affidavit questioned

Smiths most recent appeals focused on a disputed affidavit by Arnita Miles, a former Winston-Salem police officer who was among the first on the scene of Markers assault.

Smiths attorneys had argued that Forsyth County prosecutors used the affidavit, which was never introduced into court proceedings, as a way to undermine Smiths efforts to prove his innocence. Appeals on that basis have, so far, been unsuccessful.

The Rev. William Barber, the president of the North Carolina NAACP, said he had a chance to shake hands with a free man Wednesday. But he said people should continue to fight for Smiths full exoneration.

James Coleman, a co-director of Duke University School of Laws Wrongful Convictions Clinic and one of Smiths attorneys, said he and others intend to do just that. They plan to file another appeal to try to overturn Smiths conviction.

Speaks, Smiths trial attorney, said he was pleased that Smith was ordered released from prison. He declined to comment on his handling of Smiths sentencing.

Anything that got Kalvin out of prison early is a good thing, he said.

Chris Mumma, the executive director of the N.C. Center on Actual Innocence in Durham, said she was thrilled Smith was released from prison.

Its a tragedy that he isnt being released as an innocent man, Mumma said.

Phoebe Zerwick, the former Journal reporter who wrote the 2004 series about Smiths case, attended the hearing Wednesday. She is now the director of journalism at Wake Forest University.

At the Journal, we got the whole story rolling by looking to the case 12 years ago, Zerwick said. After looking into it, it was clear that he was likely wrongly convicted.

Carl Crothers was the executive editor of the Journal in 2004, and helped lead the push to examine the Smith case, as well as the case of Darryl Hunt, who was exonerated in 2004 in the killing of Debra Sykes, a copy editor at The Sentinel, the citys defunct afternoon newspaper.

Crothers is now the owner of Blue Wind Communications of Winston-Salem, a media relations and marketing company.

Although its not an exoneration, at least he is free so that he can continue to work to clear his name, he said. Smiths story represented a more severe case of wrongful conviction than even that of Darryl Hunt. As our series detailed, the incredible mishandling of the case by police is a lesson for us all that the system can fail and fail miserably.

David Clayton, a retired assistant chief of the Winston-Salem Police Department, said in court that what happened Wednesday was the result of people coming together. It wasnt about rehashing the facts of the case but figuring out the right thing to do was, he said.

Good things happen when people who trust each other sit down and have conversations, Clayton said.
A heated governors race appears to be headed to a recount with Democrat challenger Roy Coopers popularity in the states eight urban counties edging Gov. Pat McCrorys overwhelming support in rural and suburban counties.

With 100 percent of the states precincts reported to the State Board of Elections at 1:53 a.m., Cooper led by 5,001 votes out of 4.66 million cast in the governor's race.

If it comes to a recount, provisional ballots could be critical to deciding the winner.

In statewide races, such as those for governor or Council of State, a trailing candidate may ask for a recount in a very close race by 5 p.m. two days after canvass, after all ballots, including provisional ballots, are counted.

Provisional voters tend to lean Democratic, according to political analysts.

This year, the canvass will be Nov. 18. In statewide races, election results must show a difference of no more than 0.5 percent before the trailing candidate may request a recount  or no more than 10,000 votes, whichever is less.

Cooper declared victory early today.

This has been an extremely hard fought race, but the people of North Carolina have spoken and they have chosen a change in leadership, Cooper said. We are confident once the results are certified we will confirm tonights victory.

The News & Observer quoted McCrory as telling supporters that "we're going to fight for every vote between now and Nov. 18."

"We're going to check everything and we're going to make sure that every vote counts ... We plan to be governor in a second term."

Libertarian candidate Lon Cecil may have played a spoiler by gaining 2.17 percent of the vote, or 101,409.

Until the Durham votes came in, McCrory had held a 1.1 percentage-point lead for more than 2 hours.

Zagros Madjd-Sadjadi, a political science professor at Winston-Salem State University, considered Forsyth as a bellwether county in the governors race in terms of McCrorys best chance of winning an urban county against Cooper.

In Forsyth, Cooper won by a 56.2 percent to 41.5 percent lead on McCrory.

By comparison, in the presidential race Donald Trump received 42 percent of the vote in Forsyth and Hillary Clinton 53 percent.

As a bellwether county, that small difference between the McCrory vote and the Trump vote could be the difference in defeat for McCrory, Zagros Madjd-Sadjadi said.

McCrory won most of the rural and suburban counties outside an area northeast and east of the Triangle that included Edgecombe, Nash, Pitt and Wilson counties.

In the 12 suburban and rural counties that comprise the Triad and Northwest N.C., Cooper won only Watauga County.

Overall, McCrory won in 72 of the 100 counties.

Cooper won six urban counties by a fairly comfortable margin  Buncombe with 59.3 percent of the vote, Cumberland with 55.8 percent, Durham with 78.5 percent, Guilford with 60.8 percent, New Hanover with 50.8 percent and Wake with 59.9 percent.

Perhaps most pivotal, Cooper won 63.3 percent of the vote in Mecklenburg, beating McCrory in his home county by 135,663 votes.

In the 2012 governors race, McCrory won Forsyth, Mecklenburg, New Hanover and Wake counties.

McCrory was criticized for his stance on several controversial issues, such as House Bill 2, Interstate 77 toll lanes, coal ash spills, film production incentives, the ending of several individual state tax exemptions and his overall relationship with former employer Duke Energy.

Allan Louden, chairman of the communications department at Wake Forest University, said Tuesday he was not surprised by the urban-rural voting split in the governors race.

Urban areas are those impacted by House Bill 2, having more reason to oppose McCrory, Louden said.

McCrory also appears to have been the victim of more split tickets among N.C. voters than president-elect Donald Trump or re-elected U.S. Sen. Richard Burr and re-elected Lt. Gov. Dan Forest - who has expressed his interest in running for governor.

Forest gained 88,529 more votes than McCrory, as well as Burr gaining 89,588 more votes and Trump 57,901 more votes.

The board said about 45 percent of eligible North Carolina voters  out of nearly 6.9 million  cast their ballots during the early voting period.

Although the early voting totals overall tend to trend Democratic since they represents the majority of those voters, political analysts caution that early gains can be offset, if not overtaken by the number of Republicans who tend to vote on Election Day.

The eight urban counties represented 41.4 percent of all votes cast in the 2012 governors race  up from 40.5 percent in 2008.

In 2016, the eight urban counties represented 41.5 percent of the votes case in the governor's race, or 1.93 million out or 4.66 million.
There are no words to adequately describe how Eric Ellison, the chairman of the Forsyth County Democratic Party, felt after learning that Republican Donald Trump would be the next president of the United States.

Ellison said Wednesday that local Democrats had worked hard for more than a year to make Hillary Clinton the first female president.

We were ready to make history. This wasnt just, Oh, its Oct. 20  lets get to work, Ellison said. The Forsyth County Democratic Party had a huge investment in this.

I expected that Secretary Clinton was going to win, he said.

Expectations among Democrats nationwide were apparently buoyed by polls showing Clinton leading weeks ahead of Election Day in such key states as Pennsylvania, Florida and Wisconsin.

By the end of election night, Trump had taken the three states  and others that pollsters had expected would fall in Clintons column.

Obviously, they werent picking up a segment of Trump supporters, Ellison said. Obviously, the polls were reading something wrong. Period.

The national pollsters may be wondering how they got the presidential race wrong but there are at least two in North Carolina that came close to getting it right  the Elon University and High Point University polls.

As for national pollsters, Jason Husser, a political-science professor and the director of the Elon University Poll, said he could only speculate.

My best educated guess with only a few hours of reflection is that low response rates  people refusing to talk to pollsters at record high numbers  was the biggest factor most contributing to nationwide error, Husser said. However, the entire polling industry will spend the next several months digging deep into the data to figure out what went wrong in detail.

The final Elon Poll before Election Day, which sampled 710 likely voters Oct. 23-27, showed Clinton and Trump in a tie.

With a margin of error of 3.8 percent, that meant Trump could finish on top by that margin.

As it turns out, Trump won North Carolinas 15 electoral college votes by a margin of nearly 3.8 percentage points, according to preliminary results posted by the State Board of Elections. Election officials plan to certify final results Nov. 18 after all ballots, including provisional and absentee ballots, have been counted.

Similarly, the final HPU Poll, which sampled 479 likely voters Oct. 1-6, showed Clinton with a slight leading margin of 1 percentage point. But the poll allowed for a scenario in which Trump could be the winner. A margin of error of 4.5 percent meant that Trump could lead by 3.5 percentage points, according to the early October poll.

Many of the estimates we did were within the margin of error, said Martin Kifer, a political-science professor at HPU and the director of its Survey Research Center. Things didnt go badly, but we can always improve.

The average of the final five polls from Oct. 26 to Nov. 6  none done by Elon or HPU  showed Trump up by a slight margin, according to the website Real Clear Politics.
When Steven Hewett woke up Tuesday morning, he had one mission in mind: Promote Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton as the final hours of voting began to creep away.

He didnt quite anticipate how hard it would be to take a stand as a truck hit his knees, nearly knocking him to the ground, he said.

It was intimidation. It not only endangered my life, but everyone who was there at the voting station, said Hewett, who is seeking hit-and-run charges in the incident. I have video evidence that someone purposely, willfully and maliciously ran into me because they didnt like my sign.

The video was turned over to the King Police Department, which is investigating the incident.

Chief Paula May confirmed the incident occurred just before 10:30 a.m. She said police will not release further information until the investigation is complete or charges are filed.

Hewett, a well-known atheist activist in the King community, was at the American Legion voting site in King on Tuesday morning when the incident occurred, he said. He shouldered a large, glaring Veterans against Trump sign on a pole topped by a pro-Hillary sign.

Some men, who he believes were part of a military color guard, began taunting Hewett, an Afghanistan veteran, from across the parking lot, and words were exchanged, Hewett said.

Next thing I know theyre leaving and one of the trucks breaks out of line and heads straight toward me, Hewett said. I was looking the other direction when I heard the vehicle revving up. It slammed on its brakes a couple yards away, then rushed toward me and hit me.

Hewett was uninjured as the bumper of the silver Chevrolet struck him in the knees, he said. The vehicle drove away, but he was wearing a body camera and has the incident on tape, he said.

Hewett is not a member of the local Democratic party, but has been actively campaigning for Clinton  and against Republican nominee Trump  for several months.

Steven Hewett is not active in the Stokes County Democratic Party, said David Dalton, chairman of the county chapter of the party. But we absolutely respect his First Amendment rights.

Hewett said it was clearly intentional and aggressive. But nothing can stop him from standing up for what he believes in, he said.

I am not going to be intimidated by these people because of who I want to win this election, he said. Voter intimidation is not going to stand.
The grieving process did not take long for Hillary Clinton supporter Steven Albertson.

Im actually already looking ahead at 2020, Albertson said Wednesday during his lunch break.

Not all of Clintons supporters were ready to let go of the disappointment of losing to Donald Trump in what was one of the most heated and contentious presidential elections of the last 50 years.

Give them time, said Sam Gladding, a professor of counseling at Wake Forest University.

We have instant grits and instant oatmeal, Gladding said. We have no instant kind of resolution for something this bitter, this divisive. It will take time.

Adding to the disappointment is the shock of the loss, he said. Most polls had Clinton with a slim but comfortable lead heading into Tuesday, giving supporters a false sense of confidence.

When people are shocked, they have a number of emotions and most of them are not positive, Gladding said. In fact, none of them are positive unless you win the lottery. You begin to question what was out there, how you read it. But more importantly, it has a personal aspect to it, that you were blind-sided and you feel like youve been emotionally hit over the head with a proverbial brick, so theres depression, a feeling of being unsure, scared and betrayed.

Albertson credited comedian Stephen Colbert with helping him move forward early Wednesday morning. During Colberts live election-night show on Showtime, he told viewers that roughly half of the country backed Trump and half backed Clinton.

His main idea is to give a hug to the opposite side, and well get through this thing, Albertson said. It was more of a unity thing.

Several members of Albertsons family are Trump supporters.

When you have that connection, it makes it a lot easier, he said.

For people still mired in a funk, Gladding has a few suggestions that include doing something fun by yourself or with family, giving to others less fortunate, and practicing gratitude by finding beauty in your life and friends.

Taking some prolonged time-outs from media will help, too, he said.

Though social media can be a place for support, its also important to be with people face to face.

Take time to take a walk, exercise, do yoga, read a good book, he said. These are important things to do to de-stress.

Students at Wake Forest University had a few outlets for their grief. A prayer service of healing and reconciliation that had been planned for months was held Wednesday at Wait Chapel. Additionally, students were welcome to visit a peace pole at Benson University Center to write messages of unity.

Mona Zahir, president of the Student Government Association at Winston-Salem State University, said her group organized a prayer service at the clock tower on campus.

The group also plans a series of events in the future on how to move forward.

We are giving students a time to heal and recollect after so many worked hard on voter organizing, Zahir wrote in an email.

Gladding said he was encouraged by the conciliatory tone of Trumps victory speech on Wednesday. But its unrealistic to expect the most passionate of Clintons supporters to pledge allegiance to him after months of derogatory comments, he said.

Its going to take considerable time, Gladding said. I think the best Donald Trump could do is to be modest, be humble and reach out to those that he offended or who felt alienated by his message.
The Philippines and the United States now both have presidents who have "joked" about sexually harassing or assaulting women - a striking sign of the times.

On Nov. 8, as Americans went to the polls, the president of the Philippines told a crowd about his attempts to flirt with Vice President Leni Robredo during cabinet meetings, commenting on her "shorter than usual" skirts, asking her if she had a boyfriend and joking that he "may be killed" if she did.

As he described searching for a seat with a better view of her legs - and calling on colleagues to join him - the crowd laughed. Robredo, sitting behind him on a stage at an event to mark the anniversary of a deadly typhoon, did not.

On Wednesday, Robredo, the widow of a former interior secretary, issued a statement calling his behavior and remarks "inappropriate." Rodrigo Duterte, meanwhile, shrugged it off. "It's appropriate. As a matter of fact, it is good," he said.

During his election campaign, Duterte made headlines around the world for saying that an Australian woman who was raped and killed in a prison riot in the Philippines was "so beautiful" that he wished he'd "been first." He still won.

Sen. Leila de Lima, a Duterte critic who has been shamed and ridiculed in blatantly sexist language, said the remarks about Robredo show the president's "misogynistic character" and the profound "machismo" of Philippine politics.

Of course, it's not just the Philippines. Several Filipinos gathered at the U.S. Embassy's election party in Manila noted that Duterte's words reminded them of another politician: Donald Trump.

Trump's campaign was dogged by accusations of sexual assault and harassment. In a 2005 interview with television host Billy Bush, he appeared to brag about assaulting women.

"When you're a star, they let you do it," Trump said. "You can do anything."

"Grab them by the [genitals]," Trump said. "You can do anything."

Trump later dismissed the comments as "locker room" banter - and went on to win the presidency.

It is still unclear how the surprise Trump win will shape U.S.-Philippine ties, which have been rocky since Duterte took power. He has told Obama to "go to hell" for criticizing extrajudicial killings and has said he wants a "separation" from the United States.

Duterte on Thursday congratulated President-elect Trump, according to a statement from Duterte's spokesman, Martin Andanar. Duterte, he said, "looks forward to working with the incoming administration for enhanced Philippines-U.S. relations anchored on mutual respect, mutual benefit and shared commitment to democratic ideals and the rule of law."

trump-duterte

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Keywords: rodrigo duterte, duterte trump, leni robredo, duterte us, duterte obama, duterte sexist
A story about the misfortune of an elderly Chinese woman has been circulating WeChat groups in the U.S. city of Atlanta, Georgia. According to the story, the granddaughter of an 81-year-old Chinese woman left her in the Atlanta airport for three days, despite the fact that their home is in the city of Atlanta.

According to AtlantaChineseLife.com, a local website for Chinese residents of Atlanta, the elderly woman, surnamed Zhang, is a retired teacher. After her husband passed away, she raised her daughter alone, paying for the girl to study at Tsinghua University and in the U.S. Zhang also helped her daughter to raise her baby girl.

When the girl was 12, Zhang, her daughter and her granddaughter immigrated to the U.S. Zhangs daughter married an American after divorcing her first husband. According to Zhang, she was often the subject of abuse from her new son-in-law, with the man even calling her "old dinosaur.

Although the daughter and son-in-law both have decent jobs with high incomes, they never spend money to improve Zhang's quality of life. Despite living in the U.S. for many years, Zhang rarely went out, and had only been to an Asian supermarket once or twice.

Nevertheless, to help pay for her granddaughters college education, Zhang sold her home in Beijing. But her granddaughter has been indifferent to Zhang since she graduated from Georgia State University. With no family members or even a home left in China, Zhang has no choice but to endure the cold indifference.

A disheartened Zhang decided to go back to China because she did not want to see her unfilial daughter and granddaughter anymore. Her granddaughter bought her a ticket for Nov. 6, but she took Zhang to the airport on Nov. 3 and left her there.

During her stay in the airport, a number of strangers extended a helping hand to Zhang. One person bought her breakfast on the day of her departure; another arranged a bus to take her to the airport terminal. Later, an airline employee helped her to board the plane.

Upon Zhang's arrival in Beijing, some volunteers picked her up at the airport. A nursing home in Beijing offered her accommodation for a short period. Now, Zhang lives in a place provided by her friend. Zhang later called the volunteers in Beijing to express gratitude to all who have helped her.
Forsyth County voters have given a $350 million vote of confidence to Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools and Superintendent Beverly Emory.

With more than 95 percent of the precincts reporting, the school bond proposal has been approved by nearly three-quarters of Forsyth County voters. Voter approval in the referendum paves the way for eight years of building, renovation and expansion in the countys public schools.

I am overwhelmed by how supportive this community is, Emory said Tuesday night. Sometimes were so caught up in the things we need to improve that we dont stop to appreciate all the good going on.

This is the first bond on the ballot for the school system in a decade. Emory and other school officials have said the bond is badly needed to address capacity issues at the elementary and middle school levels, where the district has more students than seats inside brick-and-mortar schools. The bond includes plans for two new middle schools, four replacement buildings, four renovations and four additions.

That could be good for business, said Joe Crompton, a local contractor, voting for the bonds at Reynolds High School Tuesday.

Thats potential work for us, Crompton said. But I also want good schools. I think thats important.

Construction on the school projects will begin in the next couple of months. A new joint building for Lowrance Middle School and Paisley IB Magnet School and a partial replacement for the aging Konnoak Elementary School will be the first projects out of the gate, if the bond resolution passes.

In the first year of the eight-year package, work will also begin on smaller maintenance projects, safety improvements at several stadiums, traffic projects at a handful of schools and technology upgrades that will eventually benefit every school in the system.

I have a little guy, said Heather Spivey, standing with her son Jackson in front of Whitaker Elementary, her polling place and his school. I think its important.

Dozens of these smaller projects will be spread out around the district. In addition to technology upgrades, every school will see renovations to make media centers more modern. School officials have traditionally tried to touch every school in some way with bonds, to help build a broad base of support among the parents, teachers and community members.

I vote for all bonds, said Greg Gordon, walking up to cast his ballot at Whitaker Elementary School. I know every bond is needed.

Though a vocal group of voters worried about the toll on taxes showed up at many of the information sessions and public hearings about the bonds over the last six months, they proved to be an outspoken minority. School bonds continue to receive huge support in Forsyth County.

We had a good feeling just based on working polls and voter reaction, but you want those votes to be counted ultimately, Emory said. Im just really grateful to our community.
Politics are such a torment that I would advise everyone I love not to mix with them. Wait, thats not me talking now. That was Thomas Jefferson, writing to his daughter in 1800.

In other words  if it makes us feel any better, if perspective can perchance calm our nerves  the 1800 presidential campaign was just as vicious as what we saw this year.

Incumbent President John Adams and his surrogates slimed Jefferson as a God-hater who, if elected, would close the churches and import French revolutionaries to wreak violent havoc upon the land and foment the insurrection of the Negroes in the southern states. Adams surrogates called Jefferson an open infidel who, if elected, will be a center of contagion to the whole continent.

One pro-Adams tract (akin to a superPAC TV ad) warned the people of Delaware that if Jefferson is elected, the morals which protect our lives from the knife of the assassin, which guard the chastity of our wives and daughters from seduction and violence, defend our property from plunder and devaluation, and shield our religion from contempt and profanation, will be trampled upon and exploded. If Jefferson is elected, Americans would become more ferocious than savages, more bloody than tigers, more impious than demons. And the top pro-Adams newspaper (the Fox News of its day) blared the slogan JEFFERSON  AND NO GOD!!!

Jefferson finally gave up trying to fact-check his accusers: It has been so impossible to contradict all the lies that I have determined to contradict none; for while I should engage with one, they would publish 20 new ones.

But Jefferson and his allies slimed Adams as a war-mongering dictator who wore a mask for monarchy, who, if re-elected, would whack the average citizen with higher and higher taxes in order to support a massive military buildup and thus burden an enslaved and impoverished people. Indeed, the foundation for monarchy is already laid. A vote for Adams was framed as a vote for war and beggary.

Jeffersons surrogates, in their mass-produced pamphlets (the social media of their day), also slimed Adams as a rank hypocrite, because even though Adams routinely denounced slavery, he still had three slaveholders in his Cabinet.

Jeffersons face is on a coin today, and Adams stars in an HBO series, but back in their day, voters basically saw that campaign as a choice between the lesser of two evils. (Which should sound familiar.) One disgruntled pro-Jefferson guy wrote, Now I dont know that John Adams is a hypocrite, or Jefferson a Deist  a synynom for a God-hater  yet supposing they are, I am of the opinion the last ought to be preferred to the first (because) a secret enemy is worse than an open one.

And even though Washington D.C. was a brand new city, people already hated its partisan fervor. One government official wrote, No stranger can be here a day and converse with the proprietors without conceiving himself in the company of crazy people.

So. Do we all feel a lot better knowing that, as William Faulkner famously said, The past is never dead, its not even past? That America (then and presumably now) can survive even the most twisted lies and slanders?

Oh well. It was worth a try.
On Nov. 8, Beijing's Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, held a ceremony in honor of a treasure chest returning "home" to the main hall of the royal Taoist palace in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Built in 1542, the royal Taoist palace is adjacent to the northwest section of the Forbidden City. The palace has historical, aesthetic and social value, since it has retained its original wooden structures. However, the palace was deteriorating until 2010, when the Palace Museum took over its repair and protection. The project started in April 2015, and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

During the ceremony, workers put the treasure chest in a ridged cylinder. As the treasure chest is well preserved, there are no plans to have it opened, though it is likely to contain gold ingots, jewels, spices and grains.

Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum, explained that the methodology of architectural archaeology was being applied to the repair of the royal Taoist palace, in an effort to maximize the preservation of the architecture's historic information. Additionally, 20 research institutions and academies also got involved in the repair work.

Before this, Shan disclosed in October that another museum will be built 25 kilometers from the Palace Museum, to make more collections available for public viewing. Construction will start next year. (Photo: Du Yang/China News Services)
On Nov. 8, 17 elderly Canadian fans gathered together at Chengdu Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan province. The Canadians enjoyed a solid friendship with a particular panda in their youth.

In the 1930s, Canadian, American and British churches set up West China Union University, which now is West China Center of Medical Sciences, Sichuan University. Since the parents of these 17 men and women were teachers at the school, they themselves grew up in Chengdu, studying at a Canadian school that was specially set up for them on campus.

From 1937 to 1946, there were giant pandas on the university grounds. Among them, a panda named Pandora established a solid friendship with the children in 1938.

We went to play with Pandora after school every day, the elderly visitors excitedly recalled. They also remembered that many citizens came to the school to see Pandora.

The children missed their panda friend after returning to Canada. They have long gathered annually to share memories; such get-togethers have been occurring for the past 78 years.

The research base also gave these elderly fans a surprise, as images of Pandora were shown to them using 3-D thermal imaging technology.
For various reasons local animal shelters are seeing a constant increase in numbers and are, most days, at capacity. Read moreLost or abandoned, numbers climb at animal shelters
Lets talk about offbeat news: We humans get ourselves into some interesting situations, to put it mildly. The first one made me laugh out loud. I felt bad for the cop, but lol. Read moreSmith Says: Deputy uses taser on K9 unit that attacked cow
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By Emilio Ferrara | (The Conversation) |  

Key to democracy is public engagement  when people discuss the issues of the day with each other openly, honestly and without outside influence. But what happens when large numbers of participants in that conversation are biased robots created by unseen groups with unknown agendas? As my research has found, thats what has happened this election season.

Since 2012, I have been studying how people discuss social, political, ideological and policy issues online. In particular, I have looked at how social media are abused for manipulative purposes.

It turns out that much of the political content Americans see on social media every day is not produced by human users. Rather, about one in every five election-related tweets from Sept. 16 to Oct. 21 was generated by computer software programs called social bots.

These artificial intelligence systems can be rather simple or very sophisticated, but they share a common trait: They are set to automatically produce content following a specific political agenda determined by their controllers, who are nearly impossible to identify. These bots have affected the online discussion around the presidential election, including leading topics and how online activity was perceived by the media and the public.

How active are they?

The operators of these systems could be political parties, foreign governments, third-party organizations, or even individuals with vested interests in a particular election outcome. Their work amounts to at least four million election-related tweets during the period we studied, posted by more than 400,000 social bots.

Thats at least 15 percent of all the users discussing election-related issues. Its more than twice the overall concentration of bots on Twitter  which the company estimates at 5 to 8.5 percent of all accounts.

To determine which accounts are bots and which are humans, we use Bot Or Not, a publicly available bot-detection service that I developed in collaboration with colleagues at Indiana University. Bot Or Not uses advanced machine learning algorithms to analyze multiple cues, including Twitter profile metadata, the content and topics posted by the account under inspection, the structure of its social network, the timeline of activity and much more. After considering more than 1,000 factors, Bot Or Not generates a likelihood score that the account under scrutiny is a bot. Our tool is 95 percent accurate at this determination.

There are many examples of bot-generated tweets, supporting their candidates, or attacking the opponents. Here is just one:

How effective are they?

The effectiveness of social bots depends on the reactions of actual people. We learned, distressingly, that people were not able to ignore, or develop a sort of immunity toward, the bots presence and activity. Instead, we found that most human users cant tell whether a tweet is posted by another real user or by a bot. We know this because bots are being retweeted at the same rate as humans. Retweeting bots content without first verifying its accuracy can have real consequences, including spreading rumors, conspiracy theories or misinformation.

Some of these bots are very simple, and just retweet content produced by human supporters. Other bots, however, produce new tweets, jumping in the conversation by using existing popular hashtags (for instance, #NeverHillary or #NeverTrump). Real users who follow these Twitter hashtags will be exposed to bot-generated content seamlessly blended with the tweets produced by other actual people.

Bots produce content automatically, and therefore at a very fast and continuous rate. That means they form consistent and pervasive parts of the online discussion throughout the campaign. As a result, they were able to build significant influence, collecting large numbers of followers and having their tweets retweeted by thousands of humans.

A deeper understanding of bots

Our investigation into these politically active social bots also uncovered information that can lead us to more nuanced understanding of them. One such lesson was that bots are biased, by design. For example, Trump-supporting bots systematically produced overwhelmingly positive tweets in support of their candidate. Previous studies showed that this systematic bias alters public perception. Specifically, it creates the false impression that there is grassroots, positive, sustained support for a certain candidate.

Location provided another lesson. Twitter provides metadata about the physical location of the device used to post a certain tweet. By aggregating and analyzing their digital footprints, we discovered that bots are not uniformly distributed across the United States: They are significantly overrepresented in some states, in particular southern states like Georgia and Mississippi. This suggests that some bot operations may be based in those states.

Also, we discovered that bots can operate in multiple ways: For example, when they are not engaged in producing content supporting their respective candidates, bots can target their opponents. We discovered that bots pollute certain hashtags, like #NeverHillary or #NeverTrump, where they smear the opposing candidate.

These strategies leverage known human biases: for example, the fact that negative content travels faster on social media, as one of our recent studies demonstrated. We found that, in general, negative tweets are retweeted at a pace 2.5 times higher than positive ones. This, in conjunction with the fact that people are naturally more inclined to retweet content that aligns with their preexisting political views, results in the spreading of content that is often defamatory or based on unsupported, or even false, claims.

It is hard to quantify the effects of bots on the actual election outcome, but its plausible to think that they could affect voter turnout in some places. For example, some people may think there is so much local support for their candidate (or the opponent) that they dont need to vote  even if what theyre seeing is actually artificial support provided by bots.

Our study hit the limits of what can be done today by using computational methods to fight the issue of bots: Our ability to identify the bot masters is bound by technical constraints on recognizing patterns in their behavior. Social media is acquiring increasing importance in shaping political beliefs and influencing peoples online and offline behavior. The research community will need to continue to explore, to make these platforms as safe from abuse as possible.

Emilio Ferrara, Research Assistant Professor of Computer Science, University of Southern California

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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Related video added by Juan Cole:

Newsy: This election had about 400,000 Twitter bots
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By Herbert Vytiska | EurActiv.de | Translated By Samuel Morgan | EurActiv |  

Curbs on press freedom have been dramatically increased since the failed coup attempt against President Erdogan.

The Association of European Journalists (AEJ) has called on the European institutions to exert more pressure on Turkey, in face of further restrictions on freedom of expression and the press. EurActiv Germany reports.

Protests against the arrest of journalists in Turkey are attracting wider public attention. At the general meeting of the AEJ in the Irish city of Kilkenny, the association not only condemned the systematic repression being carried out by the Turkish authorities but also called on the EU to put more pressure on Ankara.

AEJ President Otmar Lahodynsky told EurActiv.de on the sidelines of the event that the situation for the media, and in general, for the opposition in Turkey, is unbearable. EU leaders must do more to get our Turkish colleagues released. So far, many of them, apparently out of fear of Erdogan cancelling the refugee deal, have been far too timid.

Merkel says Turkey media crackdown highly alarming German Chancellor Angela Merkel today (2 November) called Turkeys latest arrests of opposition newspaper journalists highly alarming and said they would impact Ankaras EU membership negotiations. EurActiv.com

Facts and figures presented at the meeting illustrated how rigorous President Recep Tayyip Erdogans regime is rooting out unwelcome media. It isnt just the written press either, radio and TV stations have also been closed or put under state supervision. The government has also blocked free access to the Internet.

To date, more than 150 journalists, as well as publishing staff, have been arrested without charge and have been denied access to legal representation.

The AEJ conference finished with a stark conclusion: Turkey is becoming the biggest prison in the world for journalists. The country has removed itself from media freedom and the rule of law and the government disregards fundamental basic rights and freedom, wrote the AEJ in its final resolution.

In the final text, the journalists also appeal to the Council of Europe, the European Commission and the European Parliament to prioritise restoring freedom of expression and the press in Turkey, as well as an independent judiciary.

Ankaras accusations that journalists are supporting terrorism and anti-state efforts are only a pretext to rid itself of unwelcome critics, insisted the AEJ.

The EU and the Council of Europe must sanction the violation of fundamental European rights by a candidate country, said Lahodynsky. It raises the question whether Turkey still even retains candidate status, given that it is in gross violation of the Copenhagen criteria.

Yesterday (7 November), Council of Europe Secretary-General Thorbjrn Jagland expressed similar concerns about Ankaras crackdown on Turkish daily newspaper Cumhuriyet, labelling it highly questionable, as well as condemning the closure of 15 Turkish media channels.

Turkey detains editor of opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet

Turkish police on Monday (31 October) detained the editor-in-chief of the newspaper Cumhuriyet  a thorn in the side of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan  as Ankara widens a crackdown on opposition media.

Erdogans manoeuvering has led to record numbers of complaints being lodged with the European Court of Human Rights over the past two weeks. In addition to the 7,750 cases already on record against Turkey, a massive 850 were added in the past fortnight alone.

By Herbert Vytiska | EurActiv.de | Translated By Samuel Morgan

Via EurActiv



Related video added by Juan Cole:

Euronews: Turkeys crackdown on journalists and MPs provokes protests Europe-wide  world
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BETHLEHEM (Maan)  A bill preventing supporters of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement from entering Israel was authorized on Monday for its first reading in the Israeli parliament, according to Israeli media.

According to the Jerusalem Post, the interior committee of the Knesset, Israels parliament, approved the bill, which was initiated by Knesset Member Yinon Magal from the ultranationalist Home Party, paving the way for the bill to enter its first reading in the Israeli Knesset.

The bill would allow individuals supporting a boycott against Israel to be banned from entering the country.

The BDS movement was founded in July 2005 by a swath of Palestinian civil society as a peaceful movement to restore Palestinian rights in accordance with international law through strategies of boycotting Israeli products and cultural institutions, divesting from companies complicit in violations against Palestinians, and implementing state sanctions against the Israeli government.

The move came after several months of Israeli efforts to crack down on the BDS Movement. Israeli Minister of the Interior Aryeh Deri and Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan announced in August that they were forming a joint task force to expel and ban the entry of BDS activists into Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.

We must not allow BDS activists to enter the state of Israel. This is a necessary step, given the malicious intentions of these activists to delegitimize and spread lies and distortions about the reality in our region, Erdan was quoted as saying in a statement released at the time, adding that the boycott movement against Israel must have a price.

Fighting against Israeli boycotts starts by fighting those who undermine the state of Israel, Deri also said at the time.

We have a responsibility to do everything possible to crush any boycott and to state clearly that we will not allow the State of Israel to be harmed. Forming the task force is an important step in that direction.

Without citing any names, the statement estimated that hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists and dozens of organizations were currently in Israel to gather information and use it to boycott Israel, and harm its citizens, and that the task force would also try to prevent the entrance of activists in the future.

The statement also alleged that BDS activists traveled to the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem to incite Palestinians.

The announcement led to outcry from groups like the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), which believed they were the targets of the newly-formed task force.

Isolation of Palestinians by denying access and/or deporting human rights activists aims to make Palestinian communities already vulnerable and suffering from abuseeven more vulnerable, ISM said in a statement in response to the plans of forming the task force.

We condemn Israeli suppression of Palestinian nonviolent resistance. This recent attempt to further isolate Palestinians indicates the occupation authorities unwillingness to do the only thing that will actually bring an end to Israels isolation  to adhere to international law, end the occupation and grant Palestinians their rights.

ISM argued that its foreign activists play a crucial role in trying to prevent Israeli army violence against Palestinians.

As a civilian population living under military occupation Palestinians in the occupied territories are promised protection under International law, the group said in its statement. (Foreign) civilians have been attempting to fill in the gap created by the failure of governments and official international bodies to provide protection and fulfill their obligations.

We find that our presence sometimes results in reducing the level of lethal force used by the Israeli military against unarmed Palestinians.

The boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel has gained momentum over the past year, with activists targeting companies that act in compliance with Israels illegal occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

In late July, the Black Lives Matter movement  which denounces police violence against African-Americans in the United States  came out in support of BDS, stating that it was committed to global struggle, solidarity, and support of the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement to fight for freedom, justice and equality for Palestinian people and to end international support of the occupation.

The Israeli government, meanwhile, has grown increasingly concerned about the growth of the BDS movement, as the movements support base has expanded to include companies, universities and religious institutions around the world divesting from organizations complicit in Israels violation of Palestinian rights.

In January, the Israeli Knesset held a conference to discuss ways to combat BDS, and dedicated 100 million shekels ($26 million) of the governments 2016 budget to the issue.

In May, Israel issued a travel ban on BDS cofounder Omar Barghouti, a permanent resident in Israel, as Mahmoud Nawajaa, the general coordinator of the Palestinian BDS National Committee, stated at the time that the decision reflected the lengths [Israel] will go to in order to stop the spread of the non-violent BDS movement for Palestinian freedom, justice and equality.

More recently, Israels Parliament, the Knesset, passed a controversial NGO transparency bill into law on July 12, compelling organizations to reveal their sources of funding if more than half came from public foreign entities  a law which human rights groups and opposition Knesset members condemned for seeking to silence criticism of Israel and delegitimize left-wing groups.

Opposition leader in the Knesset Isaac Herzog of the Zionist Camp party then slammed the law for symbolizing the budding fascism that is rising and flourishing in Israeli society and making a mockery of the right to organize, which is a sacred founding principle of a democratic society.

Via Maan News Agency
[JURIST] Gun control ballot measures were approved by voters Tuesday in California, Nevada and Washington while failing in Maine. Californias Proposition 63 [materials] would require individuals to obtain a permit before purchasing ammunition. It would also eliminate several exemptions to the states large-capacity magazine ban and increase penalties for possessing them. This proposition passed [official results] with 62.7 percent of the vote.

Question 1 [text, PDF] on the Nevada ballot would require that an unlicensed person wishing to transfer or sell a firearm conduct the transfer through a licensed gun dealer who runs background checks, with some exceptions including transfers between immediate family members and of antique firearms. Those found in violation could face up to one year in prison, a $2000 fine, or both. This proposition passed [Politico results] narrowly, with 50.4 percent of the vote.

Washingtons Initiative 1491 [text, PDF] would authorize courts to issue extreme risk protection orders that would prevent an individual from possessing firearms, if the person is considered a significant danger to themselves or others. These orders would last one year, with the possibility of renewal for an additional year. This ballot measure passed [official results], with 71.24 percent of the vote.

Question 3 [text, PDF] on the Maine ballot would require background checks before a gun transfer or sale between persons who are not licensed firearm dealers, with some exceptions. Maine currently has no state law regarding background checks for gun sales, instead following the federal law requiring background checks by licensed dealers. This proposition failed to pass [Politico results], with 51.9 percent of voters voting against the measure.

Gun control and the Second Amendment continue to be controversial topics across the US. In September the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit restored [JURIST report] gun ownership rights of two individuals convicted of minor crimes. In June the US Supreme Court ruled [JURIST report] that a state law conviction on reckless domestic assault is sufficient to bar possession of a firearm under federal law. Earlier in June Hawaii Governor David Ige signed a bill [JURIST report] requiring gun owners to be listed on an FBI database, notifying police if a Hawaii citizen is arrested in another state and providing a continuous criminal record check on those individuals seeking to possess a firearm. Also in June the US Supreme Court denied certiorari [JURIST report] in two separate cases challenging bans on assault-style weapons. The court denied the appeals without comment, letting stand lower court rulings that had upheld the bans [JURIST report] as constitutional.
Eleven people with a safety evaluation company that provided Ruihai Logistics counterfeit safety reports bow at the court in north China's Tianjin Municipality, Nov. 9, 2016. Courts in Tianjin on Wednesday sentenced 49 people to prison, including 24 company managers and staff members as well as 25 government officials found guilty of various crimes that led to the city's warehouse blasts, which killed at least 165 people in August 2015. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

TIANJIN, Nov. 9 -- Courts in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Wednesday sentenced 49 people to prison, including 24 company managers and staff members as well as 25 government officials found guilty of various crimes that led to the city's warehouse blasts, which killed at least 165 people in August 2015.

The suspects were tried by The Second Intermediate People's Court of Tianjin and nine other grass-roots courts from Nov. 7 to Nov. 9. As the rulings were made on Wednesday, all suspects agreed with the verdicts and expressed remorse, sources with the Higher People's Court of Tianjin said.

On Aug. 12, 2015, a series of explosions ripped through a warehouse of Ruihai Logistics Co. Ltd. (Ruihai Logistics) in Tianjin Port, leaving 165 people dead, eight missing, and 798 injured. The blasts also damaged 304 buildings, 12,428 cars, and 7,533 containers, incurring economic losses amounting to 6.87 billion yuan (1.01 billion U.S. dollars).

The court found Yu Xuewei, chairman of Ruihai Logistics, guilty of bribing port administration officials with cash and goods worth 157,500 yuan (23,333 U.S. dollars) to obtain a certificate to handle hazardous chemicals at the port.

Yu was convicted of illegal storage of hazardous materials, illegal business operations, causing incidents involving hazardous materials, and bribery. He was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve.

The deputy chairman and general manager of Ruihai Logistics and three other employees of the company were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 15 years to life. Seven Ruihai Logistics staff members directly responsible for the incident were sentenced to between three and 10 years in prison.

Eleven people with a safety evaluation company that provided Ruihai Logistics counterfeit safety reports were also jailed.

Twenty five officials, including head of Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission Wu Dai, were sentenced to prison terms lasting from three to seven years for dereliction of duty, abuse of power, and accepting bribes.
A Canadian law firm has filed [press release] a class action lawsuit against Samsung [corporate website] for negligence in the distribution of the Galaxy Note 7 [recall materials]. McKenzie Lake Lawyers, LLP [firm website] filed the action Friday with the Superior Court of Ontario [official website]. The firm alleges that Samsung was negligent in their marketing and distribution of the phone. Further, McKenzie Lake suggests that the company knew, or should have known the devices were likely to cause harm to those who purchased them.

Samsung has been faced with a host of issues relating to the design and distribution of one of their recent smart phones, the Galaxy Note 7. Earlier this week, Samsung released several ads to apologize [BI report] for the devices failures. By November nearly 85 percent of Galaxy Note 7s in the US had been replaced [Forbes report]. In early October a flight was evacuated [WSJ report] before take-off after a passengers phone began smoking. The device was found to catch fire [Reuters timeline] in September.
Colorado citizens on Tuesday voted in favor of Proposition 106 [text, PDF], a state ballot proposition that gives terminally ill adult patients the right to self-administer lethal drugs after receiving approval from two physicians. The measure passed with a substantial majority, with over 65 percent of voters in favor. Under the new law, physicians are not legally compelled to provide approval, nor are they allowed to administer lethal drugs to patients.

Similar measures have passed in several other states. The Colorado ballot initiative is similar to previously passed measures, beginning in 1997 with the Oregon Death with Dignity Act [official materials]. The Oregon law was upheld [JURIST report] by the US Supreme Court in 2006. In 2008 the Montana First Judicial District ruled [JURIST report] that physicians cannot be prosecuted under state statutes for providing prescriptions for lethal drugs to terminally ill patients. Washington state also approved a similar lethal prescription ballot initiative in 2008, and the Vermont legislature approved legislation [JURIST reports] in 2013. In August the California Superior Court rejected a challenge [JURIST report] to the states recently enacted aid in dying law [text].
Colorado voters on Tuesday rejected [Politico results] Amendment 69 (ColoradoCare) [text, PDF], which would have created the states first universal health insurance program, with 80 percent of voters voting against the initiative. According to Coloradans for Coloradans [advocacy website], ColoradoCare would be an even bigger burden on the states already strained budget. Coloradans for Coloradans also claim that the increase in income taxes needed to afford ColoradoCare would make Colorado the state with the highest income taxes in the nation. The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce [advocacy website] voted unanimously against Amendment 69, believing it would have an adverse effect on small businesses due to the hefty tax burden. Supporters of the initiative had hoped it would have collectively saved [advocacy website] Colorado individuals and businesses over $4.5 billion, without deductibles or co-pays for primary care.

Health care reform remains a contentious issue across the nation. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) [JURIST backgrounder] has generated legal controversy and a series of court challenges since its passage. In January the US Congress sent a bill [HR 3762] to repeal the ACA to President Barack Obama, which he vetoed [JURIST report]. The National Conference of State Legislatures [official website] reports that between 2010 and 2015, at least 21 states have enacted laws attempting to challenge or completely opt out of mandatory provisions of the ACA. Most recently the ACA was amended by the Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees Act [text], which allows states to consider employers with 51 to 100 employees as large employers, removing certain restrictions on small employers from those employers in this category. Last year the US Supreme Court ruled [JURIST report] in King v. Burwell [SCOTUSblog materials] that tax credits available to those who buy health insurance through state exchanges are also available to those who buy it through the federal exchange. In 2011 Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin signed [JURIST report] a health care reform law that promised to create a single-payer system.
A federal judge on Tuesday rejected [order, PDF] a request to block [WSJ report] a San Francisco law that forbids home-rental companies from reclaiming booking in circumstances where the home has not been registered with the city. Judge James Donato of the US District Court for the Northern District of California rejected Airbnbs [corporate website] assertion that the ordinance violated federal law that protections internet companies from liability for content posted on their platforms. The judge found [Reuters report] that this argument did not hold merit since the ordinance did not regulate what could be said or posted in the listings but did call for further proceedings on the matter. Airbnb provides a website to connect hosts with short-term renters. The San Francisco ordinance makes it illegal for Airbnb to collect fees for rentals that are not properly registered with the city.

Airbnb has been involved in a wave of lawsuits [JURIST report] this past year. The company filed similar suits against Anaheim in July and Santa Monica [LAT reports] in September, both of which also similarly fined the company for illegal listings. The San Francisco suit was the first of this kind filed by Airbnb where the company sought an injunction to prevent the city from removing listings and fining the company for the unregistered listings. In San Francisco and Anaheim, Airbnb similarly invoked free speech protections of the First Amendment and the Communication Decency Act, while additionally invoking the Fourteenth Amendments equal protection clause protections in Anaheim. In Santa Monica, the company made no mention of the Communication Decency Act, but additionally invoked the Fourth Amendments protections against unreasonable search and seizures. Both the Santa Monica and Anaheim laws involved a similar 30-day period and violation of the same triggering the imposition of fines. Airbnbs market value has tripled [NYT report] within a short period of two years to $30 billion, and the company is fiercely challenging any regulation that would adversely affect its host count. New York City is Airbnbs largest market in the US where Airbnb hosts generated over $1 billion in revenue [NYT report] in 2015.
More than 1,000 Hong Kong lawyers dressed in black marched [Reuters report] through the the city in silence on Tuesday in opposition of a decision by the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress that barred two elected pro-independence lawmakers, Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-Ching, from taking their seats in Hong Kongs Legislative Council [official website]. In October several newly-elected members of Hong Kongs Legislative Council protested for pro-democracy rights while taking their oaths [JURIST report]. Two of the lawmakers held signs which said Hong Kong is not China and used swear words during the ceremony. A third lawmaker included fight for genuine universal suffrage as part of his oath. All legislators are required to take an oath before they assume their position, and the committee ruled that oaths by Hong Kong lawmakers must be taken accurately, sincerely and solemnly for them to be valid. The Hong Kong Bar Association [website] expressed [press release] their regret over the interpretation.

Chinas human rights record has garnered international attention for the governments treatment of the growing civil rights movement [JURIST op-ed] in the country, led by a number of prominent rights activists and attorneys. A Hong Kong court in August sentenced three leaders of the 2014 pro-democracy protests [JURIST report] who were convicted on charges related to their occupation of a government building. In January, Chinese authorities brought charges [JURIST report] against seven lawyers from the Beijing Fengrui Law Firm related to events that have allegedly disrupted the public order, including a police shooting. In December, prominent Chinese human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang was released [JURIST report] after receiving a suspended sentence. Pu was detained in 2014 on a charge of causing a disturbance after he attended a weekend meeting that urged an investigation into the 1989 crackdown of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square and was subsequently denied bail.
The Hungarian National Assembly [official website] on Tuesday rejected a constitutional amendment proposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban [official website, in Hungarian] to block the settlement of new refugees in Hungary. Orbans ruling Fidesz party [official website] failed to attract [BBC report] the two opposition votes necessary for a two-thirds majority vote in parliament. The bill sought to refuse an EU-set quota scheme that would relocate 1,294 refugees in Hungary. In October a low voter turnout invalidated [JURIST report] Hungarys referendum in which Hungarian citizens voted to oppose any EU mandatory placement of refugees, however, had the constitutional amendment passed, it would have blocked any future attempts by the EU to impose refugee quotas on Hungary.

In November the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) urged [JURIST report] the EU to better address Hungarys sustained attack on human rights and democracy since Prime Minister Viktor Orban took office in 2010. Upon the beginning of Orbans term, Hungary adopted a new constitution called the Fundamental Law [text, PDF], which has since been criticized for neglecting international human rights standards and fast-tracking political procedures in a manner that jeopardizes the countrys separation of powers. The FIDHs accusations echo similar statements [JURIST report] made by Human Rights Watch (HRW) in 2015 against the EU for refusing to take action to address Hungarys laws and practices regarding human rights. In 2013 the Hungarian government enacted constitutional amendments [JURIST report] after receiving criticism over its 2012 amendments. HRW and other human rights groups criticized [JURIST report] the changes as largely cosmetic, highlighting a lack of resolve over issues surrounding weakened human rights protections in the country.
Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara [BBC profile] signed [Reuters report] a new constitution into law on Tuesday. Voters endorsed the new charter with over 93 percent of the vote in a referendum last month, and the Ivory Coast court upheld [JURIST reports] the referendum results last week. One of the major changes in the new constitution is that candidates now only must have one natural born Ivorian parent.

The Ivory Coast has faced turmoil since 2010 when former president Laurent Gbagbo [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] ran for reelection against former prime minister Ouattara. The EU recognized that Ouattara defeated Gbagbo, but Gbagbo refused to concede victory. Gbagbo has been accused [JURIST report] of starting a civil war after losing the presidency, which resulted in 3,000 deaths and one million people displaced. Gbagbo is currently facing trial before the International Criminal Court.
Missouri voters approved an amendment [text] on Tuesday to require voters to present photo identification at the polls. The amendment proposes the same bill that Governor Jay Nixon vetoed in July. The Missouri Legislature overrode [JURIST report] his veto in September. Opponents of the bill say that it will make voting more difficult [SLPD report] and could disenfranchise voters, while its proponents believe the law would make election results more reliable.

Voter ID laws have remained a particularly contentious issue. In September the US Supreme Court denied a motion to reinstate [JURIST report] North Carolinas recently overturned law that limited early voting to 10 days and required voters to present approved ID cards. The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit denied [JURIST report] an emergency petition in August for a rehearing regarding the Wisconsin voter ID law. Also in August an Oklahoma County judge upheld a controversial voter ID law allowing the law to be in place while early voting commenced for a primary run-off.
[JURIST] Two members of the US Senate Judiciary Committee [official website] sent a letter [text, PDF] to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) [official website] Monday asking them to review Mylan NV [corporate website], the manufacturer of the EpiPen allergy shot. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) [official websites] raised concerns about Mylan NVs potential violation of antitrust laws. The two senators claim that Mylan NV may have engaged in exclusionary conduct and exclusive contracting when they entered into contracts with schools that barred the schools from purchasing EpiPen from any of their competitors. Such practices, they argue, have a detrimental impact on competition in the industry and patients access to the drug.

Since Mylan acquired EpiPen in 2007, the price [WSJ report] of the drug has increased more than six-fold. In September the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a part of the US Department of Health and Human Services [official websites], advised [Reuters report] Mylan NV that they misclassified EpiPen as a generic treatment rather than a branded drug. This allowed Mylan NV to provide state Medicaid programs with a 13 percent rebate as opposed to the 23.1 percent minimum for branded drugs. Due to this misclassification, Mylan NV might owe [Bloomberg reports] as much as $607 million in additional rebates. In October Mylan NV announced [Reuters report] a $465 million settlement with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) [official website] over the drugs misclassification. There have been no reports that this settlement has been finalized. Grassley plans [press release] to hold a hearing on November 30 to examine the merits of the settlement offer.
[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website] on Tuesday heard argument [day call, PDF] in the cases of Bank of America Corp. v. City of Miami and Lightfoot v. Cendant Mortgage Co. [SCOTUSblog backgrounders]. Believing cyclical poverty in Miami is a byproduct of predatory loans against minority groups, Miami brought a federal lawsuit against lenders Bank of America and Wells Fargo [corporate websites] alleging violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) [text]. The district court dismissed the citys cases, and the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit [official website] reversed [opinion, PDF]. The cases were consolidated for appeal to the Supreme Court into Bank of America Corp. v. City of Miami [transcript, PDF], to answer the question of whether the FHA endows cities to file such suits.

In Lightfoot v. Cendant Mortgage Co. [transcript, PDF], the Supreme Court will determine whether the presence of the Federal National Mortgage Association [official website], also known as Fannie Mae, is sufficient alone to confer federal jurisdiction. Typically, federal courts only have jurisdiction over cases arising under federal law, or in certain cases based on diversity of the citizenship [Cornell LII backgrounders] of the parties. This diversity jurisdiction has also typically included when the federal government is a party, particularly when the legislation creating the federal agency permits it to sue in federal court. The issue before the court is whether the seemingly poorly-selected language of the US Code section [12 USC 1717] creating the Federal National Mortgage Association endows federal courts to hear Fannie Mae-related cases.
BEIJING, Nov. 9 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on becoming president-elect of the United States, and said he hoped they could work together to boost China-U.S. relations so as to better benefit peoples around the world.

Republican presidential nominee Trump, 70, won the Nov. 8 presidential election in the United States and is set to succeed Democratic Barack Obama as the next U.S. president.

In his congratulatory message, Xi said that while China is the world's largest developing country and the United States the largest developed power, both, as the world's top economies, bear the special responsibility of maintaining world peace and stability and boosting global development and prosperity, and share extensive interests.

To develop a long-term, healthy and stable China-U.S. relationship is in line with the fundamental interests of the peoples of the two countries as well as the general expectations of the global community, Xi said.

"I highly value the relations between China and the United States, and I am looking forward to working together with you to expand China-U.S. cooperation in every field, at the bilateral, regional and global levels, on the basis of the principles of non-conflict, non-confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation, with differences controlled in a constructive manner, so as to push China-U.S. relations further forward from a new starting point, better benefiting the peoples of the two countries and other countries," Xi said.

At the same time, Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao sent a message to Mike Pence, congratulating him on becoming the U.S. vice president-elect.

Related:

Donald Trump clinches U.S. presidency

NEW YORK, Nov. 8 -- Republican Donald Trump has beaten Democrat rival Hillary Clinton in a close race to win the 45th U.S. presidency early on Wednesday, pulling a major upset after a controversial and scandalous campaign cycle. Full story
UNICEF [website] urged [statement] the government of Myanmar Tuesday to protect its children, particularly those in regions most embroiled in conflict. The statement calls attention to the area of Rakhine State [JURIST report], highlighting the concern for those children who have been isolated from receiving aid as a result of internal tension. UNICEF stated that the children in Rakhine State already struggle to obtain basic levels of nutrition, health, and education. The statement calls for unfettered access to this population by health officials and teachers. The statement further urges the government to investigate the violations impacting its youth.

Human rights has been on the forefront of Myanmars new democratic government since ending a decades-old military rule. In June a UN expert presented [JURIST report] a report on religious, free market, political, and nationalist or cultural fundamentalism, stating that fundamentalist intolerance is growing throughout the globe and is directly contributing to infringements of the rights to association and peaceful assembly. Early this month, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed [JURIST report] shock at the increasing number of children recruited and killed in armed conflicts in several countries; the government of Myanmar alone released [JURIST report] 46 underage child recruits from the military in March as part of a UN join action plan made in 2012. In May Human Rights Watch urged [JURIST report] the Myanmar Parliament to reconsider a proposed law that they say has the advocacy organization says has the potential to limit free expression and peaceful assembly. Also in May US Secretary of State John Kerry offered support to Myanmars newly democratic government and urged [JURIST report] the country to push more democratic reform and address human rights issues.
Voters in California, Massachusetts and Nevada approved proposals to legalize recreational marijuana on Tuesday, while several other states voted to permit the use of medical marijuana. California voters passed Proposal 64 [text], which immediately permits [LAT report] those over 21 years of age to use recreational marijuana. This creates the largest market for the legal use of marijuana products in the country. It imposes a 15 percent tax and allows individuals to posses and grow up to one ounce of marijuana. Massachusetts also approved a measure [text] to legalize [Boston Globe report] recreational marijuana, which will become effective December 15 with shops opening up in January 2018. Nevada voters approved a recreational marijuana law that would tax the substance and is expected [RGJ report] to have a $1.1 billion economic impact by 2024. On the other hand, Arizona rejected a similar proposal [text] on Tuesday.

Other states voted on initiatives concerning marijuana specifically for medical purposes. Voters in Florida approved [Miami Herald report] a medical marijuana ballot measure [text] with 71 percent voting in favor of the amendment. Two years ago the state had rejected a similar proposal. Montana voters approved Initiative 182 [text], which removes restrictions on their current medical marijuana laws. The new law would permit [Helena IR report] medical marijuana for patients suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and would remove limits on the number of patients to which medical marijuana could be prescribed by a single provider. Montana initially legalized medical marijuana in 2004. Medical marijuana proposals in Arkansas and North Dakota [texts] were also approved.

In recent years there has been a movement to decriminalize marijuana, which has resulted in many states allowing various forms of medical marijuana and several states decriminalizing marijuana all together. In April Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed a bill [JURIST report] legalizing medical marijuana. In February the Utah Senate voted to advance a bill [JURIST report] that would legalize the use of medical marijuana in various forms such as vapor or edible form. Last November New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed two bills [JURIST report] in order to expedite the distribution of medical marijuana to citizens with critical health conditions. Earlier that month New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed [JURIST report] a bill into law that would allow for the administering of edible medical marijuana to sick and disabled children on school grounds without triggering the arrests of parents or educators.
Production of the Toyota C-HR crossover has been officially launched at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey (TMMT) in Sakarya as the automaker promised increased exports outside Europe.

The C-HR became the eighth model currently produced in Europe and enters the C-segment. It is the third Toyota hybrid car produced in Europe after the Yaris in France and the Auris in the UK.

TMMT will add the C-HR to its current production of the Corolla sedan and the Verso MPV, on the same line. It is the first hybrid-powered vehicle to be produced in Turkey.

The C-HR is the first Toyota car outside Japan to be manufactured based on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA).

Total production capacity at TMMT will increase from 150,000 to 280,000 vehicles per year. TMMT has hired an additional 2,000 workers and the total number of employees is now around 5,000. Production is organised in three shifts. The additional plant spend is around EUR350m, taking cumulative cost of the plant to EUR1.7bn since it started operations in 1994.

TMMT, which already exports around 80% of its production to Europe, will gradually expand export markets outside Europe to include the US, Canada, Taiwan, Mauritius and South Africa.

"It is a great privilege for us to export to North America, because it is [our] biggest market and our customers there expect a lot in terms of quality, customer satisfaction, and connection to the brand," Toyota Europe said in a statement. "TMMT has been one of our best plants globally for many years when it comes to build quality and we are very confident our [workers] there will exceed our North American customers' expectations."

The 1.8-litre hybrid powertrain for the new crossover is produced at Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK (TMUK)'s engine plant in Deeside, North Wales. An additional GBP7.1m was spent on the factory and new equipment.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Poland (TMMP) in Walbrzych, Poland, will supply manual transmissions for the 1.2 litre turbo engine versions. TMMP will start production of the hybrid transaxle in 2018, replacing components currently made in Japan.

European companies supply the bulk of the individual parts for the C-HR. Of the 135 suppliers, 134 are based in Europe with 71 in Turkey.

The proportion of locally-produced Toyota brand vehicles sold in Europe is now over 75% on a full production year basis.
People visit the "Sun Yat-sen and Overseas Chinese" exhibition in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 9, 2016. The exhibition, jointly held by Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and China Overseas Exchange Association, kicked off here on Wednesday to commemorate the 150th birthday of Sun Yat-sen. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

A photo exhibition commemorating the 150th birthday of Sun Yat-sen opened in Beijing Wednesday.

The exhibition, jointly sponsored by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council and the China Overseas Exchange Association, features 75 pictures revealing Sun's life as well as the contribution made by overseas Chinese to the nation's rejuvenation.

After the display in Beijing, which will last one month, the exhibition will visit about 20 overseas countries and regions.

Born in 1866 in south China's Guangdong Province, Sun Yat-sen was the founder of the Kuomintang Party, and a revered revolutionary leader who played a pivotal role in overthrowing imperial rule in China.

Related:

China issues Sun Yat-sen commemorative coins on his 150th birthday
Mondelez International has locally launched international biscuit brand, Lu, in China.

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How have Chinese consumers reacted?

How might the Chinese government react?

What are the potential growth opportunities? While wanting to protect the country from being overwhelmed by Omicron, Chinas adherence to a Zero-COVID policy is resulting in a significant economic downturn. COVID outbreaks in Shanghai, Beijing and many other Chinese cities will impact 2022s economic growth as consumers and businesses experience rolling lockdowns, leading to a slowdown in domestic and international supply chains. Chinas Zero-COVID policy is having a demonstrable impact on consumer-facing industries. Access GlobalDatas new whitepaper,, to examine the current situation in Shanghai and other cities in China, to better understand the worst-affected industry sectors, foodservice in particular, and to explore potential growth opportunities as China recovers. The white paper covers: by GlobalData Enter your details here to receive your free Whitepaper. Please enter a work/business email address Country United Kingdom United States Afghanistan Aland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, The Democratic Republic of The Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote D"ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and Mcdonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People"s Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People"s Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and The South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United States Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Download free Whitepaper By clicking the Download Free Whitepaper button, you accept the terms and conditions and acknowledge that your data will be used as described in the GlobalData privacy policy By downloading this Whitepaper, you acknowledge that we may share your information with our white paper partners/sponsors who may contact you directly with information on their products and services.



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Lu has been available through import channels but the biscuits are now being launched across our retailers and e-tailers in China, a spokesperson for Mondelez in the Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, said.

One of the retailers through which Lu will be sold is JD.com, one of Chinas largest e-commerce retailers. Announcing the launch of Lu, JD.com said it promoted the biscuit brand, as well as other Mondelez brands, at substantial discounts.

JD.com, for example, pointed at the 30% discounts for purchases of three or more items on products including original Ritz crackers and a mixed berry BelVita breakfast line.

This summer, Mondelez launched European chocolate brand Milka in China. When Mondelez announced a tie-up with Chinese e-commerce retailer in Alibaba in April, it said its Cadbury and Toblerone brands would be available on the Tmall.com platform. However, the launch of Milka marked Mondelezs first signifcant move into Chinas chocolate market.

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JERUSALEM, Nov. 9 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday congratulated the United States elected president, Donald Trump, saying he believe the alliance between the two countries will grow stronger.

In a statement released by his office, Netanyahu referred to Trump as "a true friend of the State of Israel," saying he expect to bring the relations with the U.S. to "new heights" during Trump's governance.

"We will act together to advance the security, stability, and peace in our region," Netanyahu said, adding that the firm bond between Israel and the U.S. is based on "mutual interests."

Netanyahu refrained from endorsing either candidate during the recent presidential campaign. He held two separate meetings with both of them in New York.

During his campaign, Trump sided with Israel and vowed to acknowledge East Jerusalem as part of its capital. Israel occupied this predominantly Palestinian territory in 1967 and later annexed it in a move never recognized by the international community.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 9

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 25 times violated the ceasefire in various directions along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry Nov. 9.

Armenians were using large-caliber machine guns.

The Azerbaijani army positions located in the Bala Jafarli and Kemerli villages of Azerbaijans Gazakh district, Alibayli, Aghdam and Kokhanabi villages of the countrys Tovuz district underwent fire from the Armenian army positions located on the nameless heights of the Ijevan and Noyemberyan districts of Armenia, as well as in the Aygedzor, Chinari villages of Armenias Berd district.

The Azerbaijani army positions also underwent fire from the Armenian positions located on the Armenian-occupied nameless heights of the Tartar, Goranboy, Fuzuli and Jabrayil districts.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 9

Trend:

The OSCE is expected to monitor the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops Nov. 10, said Azerbaijans Defense Ministry Nov. 9.

The monitoring will be held under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative, said the ministry.

On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring will be held by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Gennady Petrica and Simon Tiller.

On the Armenian side, the monitoring will be carried out by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Hristo Hristov and Jiri Aberle.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 9

Trend:

The Armenian leadership hampers the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, Susan Jaghinyan, Armenian journalist and social activist, said in Baku Nov. 9.

"The Armenian people had their share of grief, she said. Only occupiers benefited as a result of the conflict.

Jaghinyan stressed the need for resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, stressing that Armenia and Azerbaijan are suffering as a result of the conflict.

"The purpose of my visit to Baku is to contribute to the conflict settlement, she said. The whole nation is being destroyed. If the perpetrators of the conflict and those who are currently in power in Armenia remain unpunished, there will be no Armenian nation in 20 years."

Jaghinyan stressed that the Armenian government is inadequate.

"My visit to Baku is a slap in the face for the Armenian leadership," she said, by calling Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan occupier, who came to power through murders.

President Sargsyan robs his people, she said.

Jaghinyan added that after her publications appeared in the Azerbaijani media, President Sargsyan instructed his officials to declare the journalist dead.

"The only way for the Armenian leadership to solve the problem with such people as me is murder," she said.

"My property was withdrawn in Armenia, she said. I am not a citizen of Armenia. My passport has expired and there is no decision on its extension."

Together with the participants of the conference entitled "Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: main obstacles and prospects of settlement. Look from Armenia and Azerbaijan", recently held in Baku, Jaghinyan tried to contact Yerevan by Skype, but the Armenian authorities broke the connection.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 9

By Seba Aghayeva - Trend:

The change of power in Armenia can speed up the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Vahan Martirosyan, Armenian human rights activist, said in Baku Nov. 9.

However, Martirosyan said that the Armenian current authorities will never leave without the coup.

Martirosyan added that providing Nagorno-Karabakh with autonomy is a reasonable decision.

"Nobody is going to evict Armenians, he said. Two peoples will be able to coexist peacefully there. It is necessary to immediately return seven districts around Nagorno-Karabakh area to Azerbaijan."

He added that once Robert Kocharyan, Armenian ex-president, said that Azerbaijanis and Armenians are not genetically compatible peoples.

"Yesterday we visited one Armenian family without journalists, he said. The members of that family said that they have no problems. Armenian names and surnames are indicated in their documents. Unfortunately, such a case is not observed in Armenia."

The human rights activist added that the representatives of both countries' diasporas abroad - Armenians and Azerbaijanis have already proved to the world that they can peacefully coexist.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 9

By Anakhanum Hidayatova  Trend:

US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta told reporters in Baku Nov. 9 that he cannot comment on the future US election results, adding that the country will watch the election live.

It is obviously a very exiting day for the Americans, Cekuta noted.

The US election is really a conversation within the country about the countrys future, he said.

Democracy is not about election only, it is about rule of law and principles, the US ambassador added.

Democracy is about peoples ability to say what they say and leaders ability to hear them, he noted.

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, the US citizens have gone to the polls to cast their votes for the 45th president of the US.

Americans are choosing from Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, as well as third party and independent presidential candidates, including Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson, Green Party nominee Jill Stein, and Independent candidate Evan McMullin.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 9



Trend:



Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Nov. 9 sent a congratulatory letter to Donald Trump, the newly elected US president.



"I cordially congratulate you on your election as President of the United States of America. Your victory in the election testifies to the friendly American people`s confidence in and support for you.

I hope that bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and the U.S. will continue to develop successfully. The history of relations between our countries spans 25 years. Over this time our ties of friendship and cooperation have reached a high level. We are actively cooperating in political, economic, energy, security areas, including global anti-terror war and NATO`s peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan.

For many years, Azerbaijan has suffered from the aggressive policy of Armenia. Twenty per cent of our territories are under the occupation, and more than one million of Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced.

Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity was recognized by the entire world community and international organizations. Armenia ignores the UN Security Council`s four resolutions demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijan. Our firm position is that the UN Security Council`s four resolutions as well as decisions and resolutions of the UN General Assembly, OSCE, Council of Europe, NATO, European Parliament, OIC, Non-Aligned Movement and other international organizations must be implemented. The conflict must be solved in compliance with international law and within Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity.

It is my hope that under your leadership the U.S., as co-chair of the Minsk Group, will contribute to a fair settlement of this conflict in accordance with the norms of international law, and within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

Once again, I extend my sincere congratulations to you, and wish you good health, happiness and success in your activities for the prosperity of the people of the U.S," said Ilham Aliyev.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.8



By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:



There is significant potential for the delivery of gas via the Southern Gas Corridor to Europe through the Eastring gas pipeline, Public Relations and Communication specialist at Slovakias Eustream company Pavol Kubik told Trend Nov.8.



The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey.



At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor project. Other sources can also join this project at a later stage.



As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of TANAP and TAP.



Eastring has obtained the status of the Project of Common Interest (PCI) for the European Union. It will be ready for future gas imports to Europe from well-established, alternative sources - the Caspian Sea region and the Middle East.



Bulgarian and Slovak natural gas transmission system operators Bulgartransgaz and Eustream signed a memorandum of understanding on Nov.4 on cooperation to improve security of natural gas deliveries in Central and Southeastern Europe and the implementation of gas infrastructure projects, namely Balkan Gas Hub and Eastring gas pipeline.



This document confirms the link between the two projects, as Bulgartransgaz and Eustream will draft a concept for the development of a gas hub in Bulgaria in accordance with the Eastring project.



"Eastring project is not linked to any supplier. Therefore, it will be open for every source on the non-discriminatory basis in full compliance with EU legislation. In this context, we believe there is a significant potential towards Caspian region and Southern Gas Corridor route," said Kubik.



Regarding the link between Balkan gas hub and Eastring, he said that the common aim of both projects is to provide European customers with transparent and non-discriminatory access to a wide range of supply sources and therefore both companies recognized synergies of the projects.



"The synergy with Eastring lays in the fact, that both companies agreed the Eastring pipeline will serve as a priority western route for the interconnection of the regional markets and the Balkan Gas Hub (the new gas hub needs to be connected to sufficient infrastructure)," added Kubik.
Tehran, Iran, Nov. 8

By Mehdi Sepahvand, Fatih Karimov  Trend:

Iran confirmed that it has held talks with foreign leasing companies to finance Airbus jets purchase.

Several companies have submitted offers to finance the Iran-Airbus deal, government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said in a press conference Nov. 8, Trend correspondent reported.

Nobakht further said that Tehran will make decision to choose one of the leasing firms.

This is while Reuters reported Nov. 7 that Tehran has already reached a deal with a foreign leasing company on the issue.

The deal removes a significant hurdle to securing the first tranche of jets, following uncertainty over financing and political opposition in the United States and Iran, though the sources caution months of talking have thrown up new potential hurdles.

Iranian officials declined to name the lessor involved, but industry sources said in September that Iran was in advanced talks with the United Arab Emirates' Dubai Aerospace about helping to finance the purchase.

"We have a deal to finance the first 17 aircraft," a senior Iranian official told Reuters, without elaborating.

Earlier in September the US removed a final hurdle for Western aircraft manufacturers to sell planes to the Islamic Republic.

Iran plans to buy about 500 aircraft in 10 years to refurbish its ageing fleet. Iranian airliners average 25 in age.
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Today Hounsy Boulaiz was added to Kent Police's list of the county's most wanted criminals.

The list now has 11 individuals being hunted by the Force as a priority.

Some are wanted for horrific crimes such as rape, some are wanted for assault while others are wanted for robbery.

Kent Live has put together a list of all those the police are most eager to catch. If you believe you can help, contact Kent Police on the 101 non-emergency number and quote the crime reference number highlighted in bold underneath each picture.

1. Hounsy Boulaiz

Boulaiz is wanted after failing to answer police bail in connection with a robbery and theft in Canterbury. For legal reasons we cannot publish his age.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Kent Police on 101, quoting Most Wanted and the crime reference number ZY/29720/16 .

Alternatively contact Kent Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

2. Rafiullah Hamidy

Don't let his smile fool you, Rafiullah Hamidy is wanted in connection with a rape in Ramsgate.

Hamidy is believed to have connections with both Thanet and London. In particular the areas of Croydon, Lambeth and Mitcham.



ZY/033187/16

3. Jonathan Huntley

Huntley failed to appear in court in connection with a burglary and is now wanted by Kent Police. He is believed to have connections in the Rainham and Canterbury areas.



XY/25221/16

4. Stephen Anderson

Anderson is wanted in connection with an incident of fraud by false representation in the Whitstable area.



ZY/4544/15/CA

5. David Kernaghan

This man is wanted in connection with a robbery which took place in Maidstone in February this year.



YY/003619/16

6. Dwayne Harris

Dwayne Harris has connections to Margate and South East London.

He is wanted for failing to attend court in connection with an alleged robbery in Rochester in February 2016.

XY/4256/16

7. Wayne Russell

Russell is wanted in connection with conspiracy to supply class A drugs in the Dover area.



ZY/4066/15

8. Michael Cawley

This young man is wanted in connection with a conspiracy to burgle case in the Gravesend area.

XY/33986/15

9. Jevgenijs Jakovlevs

Jevgenijs Jakovlevs failed to appear at court in connection with a Sittingbourne assault in February 2014.

XY/1340/14

10. Jamie Critchell

Jamie Critchell is wanted in connection with an assault in the Tonbridge area.

YY/4954/16

11. George Austin

Austin is wanted in connection with an assault in Aylesford.

YY/7152/16
Tehran, Iran, November 9

By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:

The Embassy of Finland in Tehran is encouraging Finnish businessmen to make direct contacts with Iranian businessmen in a bid to improve bilateral business ties, Finish Ambassador to Iran Harri Kamarainen told Trend November 8.

Iran and Finland have already signed memoranda of understanding in very important areas, but they do not exclude other areas of cooperation, he said.

During the past two years we have had a very active period. We have had high-level visits on the political level from Finland to Iran and from Iran to Finland. On the economic level also we have opened a new chapter in Finland-Iran relations, the ambassador underlined.

We have had more than 200 business companies from Finland visiting Iran. And we have signed a number of important MoUs how to increase cooperation. The first MoU was in the field of environment signed in February. And this is I think a very symbolic issue because environment is a burning issue not only for Iran, it is a burning issue for the whole world, including Finland.

We also signed a MoU in the field of healthcare in August. Then we have signed a MoU in the field of forests and natural resources, which is a very important field for Finland, because we are a country of forests and the green gold. And there is a lot of expertise to share how to take care of forests in a sustainable manner. Then we have MoUs in the fields of ICT, energy, and investment, he added.

Trade turnover between Finland and Iran reduced in 2013 under international sanctions. Finland then ranked as Irans 14th trade partner.

Iran and Finland agreed to connect their railways through Azerbaijan, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in October.

We approved connecting the countries through the railways and we are going to connect Iran to Finland through Baku and Moscow, Rouhani said during a joint press conference with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto on a visit to Tehran, Oct. 26.
Tehran, Iran, November 9

By Mehdi Sepahvand  Trend:

The Iranian government is concentrating on two areas as the main propelling power behind the countrys non-oil economy, government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said.

One of the areas is petrochemical industries in which Iran enjoys some degree of advantage for being an oil and gas producer, Nobakht told Trend in a press conference.

"Fifteen or 20 years ago we made some investment in the petrochemical sector, which now has the largest share in the countrys non-oil product," he pointed out, adding that there are still plans to further develop the petrochemical sector as a great source of income.

Iran produced 46.4 million tons of petrochemicals during the last fiscal year (ended March 20), but for the current year, the figure is planned to reach 54.7 million tons. The countrys actual petrochemical output capacity is around 63 million tons per year. Iran hopes to bring the capacity to 120 million tons by 2020 and 160 million tons by 2025.

"There are some industries such as the automotive, where we are far behind developed countries," Nobakht noted, adding, "However, there are some other fields such as high-tech in which we are not behind."

"Therefore, high-tech, and in particular science-based industries, are the second area which we are considering as a suitable area for investment and development."

Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called for the advancement of a knowledge-based economy, and in this vein, support for domestic high-tech firms. These companies have been benefiting from special tax exemptions, financial incentives and laws to ban imports of products whose equivalents have been produced domestically, among other measures.

Also, research and development investment in some fields became highly profitable during the sanctions era.

In 2015, Secretary General of Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council (INIC) Saeed Sarkar said Iran ranked 7th in the world and 1st among the Islamic countries in scientific production and nanotechnology, one of the most hotly pursued fields of science in the country.

Besides nanotechnology, Iran is investing heavily in the domestic applications of nuclear technology, medicine, satellite, as well as some military-dominated areas of sci-tech such as drones and radars.

Nobakht said the government hopes by developing these two areas it will attain its objective of becoming a regional economic and technological hub.

Iran is projected to experience the largest growth in the contribution of the non-oil sector to its gross domestic product in the 2021 outlook.

The International Monetary Fund in a mid-October report predicted that the countrys non-oil share in GDP growth in the 2021 outlook will be greater than that of all other countries in the MENAP (Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan) region.

This year Iran saw a huge rise in oils share of GDP growth. The countrys headline growth has been revised up to 4.5 percent this year, owing to faster-than-expected increases in oil production and exports following the unwinding of sanctions.

However, the government is intent upon using the opportunity to diversify its GDP composition as well in a bid to reduce its dependence on oil revenues.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Jaberi Ansari said on Tuesday that the European Union sought n Iranian help to deliver humanitarian assistance to Syria, IRNA reported.

Speaking to IRNA, he said that deterioration of humanitarian situation has alarmed the humanity and the international community must respect the commitment to alleviate sufferings of the Syrian people caused by terrorism.

Regretfully,'We are now witnessing practice of instrumental use of terrorism as well as double standard polices adopted by certain states and international organizations about the Syrian crisis,' he said.

From early stages of the humanitarian crisis, the Islamic Republic of Iran independently and through Iran's Red Crescent has rendered relief aid to the needy people trapped in this crisis, he said.

Upon suggestion made by Switzerland government, a trilateral cooperation between Iran, Syria and Switzerland formed to render humanitarian assistance to Syria, he said.
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According to recent research, a hug a day could keep the doctor away. According to another study, Twitter can predict the chance that people will experience heart attacks. A normal blogger would look at these two findings and tell a story about the relationship between stress and health. Im not normal. I looked at these two studies and came to a different conclusion  that we need to change the way we reimburse physicians.

Want to know how I arrived at that view? Lets start with a quick look at the two studies.

A research team headed by Sheldon Cohen from the University of Pittsburgh exposed volunteers to Rhinovirus particles and monitored them for signs and symptoms of illness, going as far as weighing their nasal mucus. (Isnt research fun!) Consistent with previous research, they found that people under psychological stress were more likely to become sick, unless they reported having strong social support in their lives. You see, stress creates a neurohumoral cascade, a series of physiologic reactions in the body that impair the immune system. But social support can buffer the immune system.

Even more interestingly, Cohen discovered that hugs  the likelihood that a volunteer was hugged each day  further buffered peoples immune systems, reducing colds even after accounting for the other kinds of social support people received. Hugs are good medicine!

What does this hugging study have to do with physician pay?

In the old days, health care reimbursement was based primarily on the volume of services medical providers provided. Perform one procedure and receive payment; ten procedures and receive ten payments. Perform one annual exam, and youll be paid for one annual exam, well  you get it. More recently, payers have tried to shift from such fee-for-service payments to pay-for-performance methods.

Two doctors might charge Medicare for conducting annual exams on their patients, but if measures show that one does a better job of making sure her patients receive appropriate preventive measures, she will receive higher payments than the other physician. In this case, Medicare would be relying on process measures of care to adjust payments. In other cases, pay-for-performance is based upon outcome measures. For example, cardiac surgeons might receive different levels of pay at the end of the year depending on the survival rates of their patients who undergo specific procedures, after accounting for the severity of patients underlying illnesses before the procedure. Its these outcome-based pay-for-performance measures that are threatened by hugs and tweets.

You see pay-for-performance doesnt account for hugs. Any pay-for-performance system that emphasizes outcomes needs to account for social factors not captured by traditional measures of health and sickness. All else equal, people with strong social support will live healthier lives than others. When recovering from bypass surgery, they will ward off pesky viruses more easily, perhaps averting a disastrous lung infection that would otherwise, in their weakened condition, have killed them. Its not fair to blame a cardiac surgeon when her patient dies from pneumonia secondary to a paucity of hugs.

I expect some of you readers will counter that hugs and lack of hugs will even out in the long run  that some patients will receive more social support than others, but that across an entire years worth of bypass procedures, most surgeons will operate on a similar percent of hugged and not-hugged patients. Enter Twitter, stage left.

If you have spent time on Twitter, you know that people can express lots of thoughts and feelings in 140 characters or fewer. In fact, some people wear Twitter like a mood ring, broadcasting their emotions to any and all who care to follow them. As it turns, these mood-tweets predict heart disease mortality better than many traditional measures of health and illness. That was the conclusion drawn by a team of researchers who studied 148 million tweets across 1,347 counties in the U.S. They used computer algorithms to count the frequency of positive and negative emotions expressed in those tweets. Tweet that you hate something and they would count you as expressing a negative emotion. They then mapped there data onto county-level statistics on heart disease.

If you want to know the rate of cardiac mortality in a community, you will need a good measure of smoking, diabetes and high blood pressure. The researchers had those measures in hand and found, as expected, that they correlated with cardiovascular outcomes in those localities. But none of those measures correlated as strongly as the Twitter mood measure. If you know nothing about a community other than the emotions expressed by its population on Twitter, you will do a better job of predicting cardiovascular outcomes in that community than will researchers who have access to smoking, diabetes, and hypertension data.

Predictors of cardiovascular outcomes

Now, back to pay-for-performance. Social stress is not evenly distributed across the country. Some providers practice in areas with much greater social stress than others. Their patients simply wont respond as well to treatment as will those in other locales.

Im not suggesting that Aetna or Medicare adjust pay-for-performance payments based on hug counts or Twitter activity. Instead, I am pointing out a major problem with P4P measures that emphasize the kind of patient outcomes that will be influenced by social stress. In recognition of this influence, payers need to either tie performance measurement to local standards, or they need to emphasize process measures in their reimbursement schemes.

As for those of us not in the health care reimbursement business, we should focus our energy on hugging people we care about. And minding our tweets.

Peter Ubel is a physician and behavioral scientist who blogs at his self-titled site, Peter Ubel and can be reached on Twitter @PeterUbel. He is the author of Critical Decisions: How You and Your Doctor Can Make the Right Medical Choices Together. This article originally appeared in Forbes.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 9

By Fatih Karimov  Trend

The result of the US presidential election has no impact on the Islamic Republics policy, Irans President Hassan Rouhani said.

Rouhani made the remarks commenting on Republican Donald Trump's victory at the US presidential election, Irans state-run IRINN TV reported Nov. 9.

Rouhani further said that the nuclear deal is independent from the administrations decision and cannot be overturned by the governments change.

Irans sagacity was in having the nuclear deal endorsed as a resolution by the UN Security Council and not just an agreement with a single country or administration, so it cannot be changed by decisions of one government, Rouhani said.

The P5+1 (China, France, Russia, the UK, the US as well as Germany) reached a historic deal with Iran last year to curb the Islamic Republics nuclear program in return for lifting the nuclear related sanctions. The deal came into force in January.

Trump has severely criticized the nuclear deal during his presidential campaign.

He has said that would rip up the Iran nuclear deal, which was aimed at curbing the nation's ability to acquire nuclear arms.

"The nuclear deal puts Iran, the number one state sponsor of radical Islamic terrorism, on a path to nuclear weapons," Trump said in one of his convention speeches.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 9

By Orkhan Quluzade  Trend:

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway will revive the historical Silk Road, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, TRT Haber TV channel reported Nov. 9.

Erdogan noted that Turkey will be connected by a continuous railway with China with the help of the BTK.

Earlier, Turkish Minister of Transport, Shipping and Communications Ahmet Arslan told Trend that the BTK railway, along with other railway projects under construction, will bring annual revenue of billions of US dollars to Turkeys logistics sector.

The BTK railway is being constructed on the basis of the Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish intergovernmental agreement.

The peak capacity of the railway will be 17 million tons of cargo per year. At the initial stage, this figure will be one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @o_quluzade
A man is in critical condition at a Laredo hospital after two men stab him at a friend's gathering.

Police say Juan Ancira and Austin Galarza showed up at a home in the 200 block of Toro Loop.

The victim sustained five wounds to the stomach at the time of the alleged attack.

Both men were arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault with a Knife.
Robbie Williams has always been very proud of his Irish heritage and in particular his Kilkenny born grandfather, Jack Farrell.

Exhaustive research over the last three weeks has revealed that it was Robbie's great-great grandfather that was Irish and that his maternal grand-dad, Big Jack Farrell was actually born in Stoke-On-Trent but considered himself a Cat and often sang, the Rose of Mooncoin at family occasions and in the pub run by Robbie's parents, called the Red Lion in Burslem.

John's Green

The Farrells, originally from John's Green in the centre of the city were similar to a lot of hard working Irish immigrants who left post-Famine Ireland for the Collieries and Iron Works in the Tunstall area of "The Potteries" in Stoke-On-Trent.

John Farrell 1845 - 1872 was born in John's Green and he and his wife Sarah moved to Stoke and Robbie's great grandfather, John Farrell was born at Goldenhill, Stoke.

Boer War

Robbie's great grandfather, Martin Farrell fought in the Boer War and World War I and died in December 1942 while his son Big Jack was fighting with the 4th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment in World War II.

Earlier, in the 1930s, he had followed his father into the pits during the coal mining boom. Jack would become Robbie William's Grandfather to whom Robbie was very attached..

In an interview from 2014, Robbie William said of his grandfather: My grandfather, Jack Farrell  Jack the Giant Killer  was a huge man, built like an Irish navvy, fought in the Second World War, lived on a council estate. He was the first real male figure in my life  he was an honest man, he taught me to box, I was surrounded by women and he worried that I was going to be a sissy.

Robbie named his clothing line after his grandfather, Farrell

And said of the clothes; The integrity of his influence runs throughout this collection.
Details of the villains of Victorian Kilkenny who engaged in animal rustling, forgery, assaults and murder are now available through the publication of 19th century police files.

The collection allows members to examine their family and local history in a different light as it may be found that your great ancestor may have lived a life of crime, or rather may have been a victim of one.

The records include the names, addresses and descriptions of Kilkenny residents wanted for and convicted of various crimes, as well as their victims. Many of the crimes were connected to heightened periods of civil unrest that defined the Land War and its related tensions in rural Ireland in the final three decades of the 19th Century.

This was an era in Ireland when murders were seven times more likely and theft was rife. The collection reveals that across Ireland assault was the most common crime over the 32-year period with 28,353 cases reported. This was closely followed by reports of breaking of license conditions (28,092 cases) and of theft (23,345 incidences). The collection depicts 249 records relating to murder that occurred across Kilkenny.

Castlecomer Fraudster

A man who claimed his name was called John Kelly and a native of Castlecomer stood charged in November 1855 in Burnchurch with having stolen a set of pony tackling from Patrick Brophys stable. The pony tacking was recovered following the theft. But it is believed he also committed a similar crime in other areas across Kilkenny. He is described as having the appearance of a collier with broad shoulders, a dark complexion and being of stout make. He is about 45 years of age with dark hair and whiskers. When last seen he was wearing a soft hat and blue sack coat.

Stone Throwing in Kilcross

In the gazettes, multiple incidences of serious assaults are seen. In December 1866, John Shea a labourer was struck with a stone by James Byrne. John later died as a result of his injuries at his home in Kilcross. A 50 reward was offered for information on James Byrne within six months, which would be paid upon conviction.

James was described as being 25 years of age, 5 foot 8 or 9 inches tall, of stout make, with a smooth, fresh complexion and a long nose. On the day in question, he was wearing a black cloth cap, dark tweed trousers and a vest. James is also described as being a labourer and walks with a firm soldier like step. He had served in the Kilkenny Militia.

Walsh Ass Car

Mary Walsh ass car is depicted in the gazettes. The car was stolen from Ballinacurra. The car is described as having a body made of larch, the loft shaft was broken and repaired with a piece of hoop strapped around it.

The car was blue in colour with the name James Barry Dowling painted on he right side. The wheels are described as being nearly new and painted red.

Animal Stealing

A description of five heifers is also seen. These aniamls were the property of Thomas T. Bowers and were stolen in Kilmoganny 15th or 16th of November 1877. The animals are described as two red or red and white heifers, in good condition. Two strawberry or roan heifers, in good condition. One white heifer with some light red spots the white heifer was described as being a remarkably lengthy animal, and supposed in calf. It also had three remarkable spots on one side resembling the letters A, B, and O. Each of the six are one and a half years old, and valued at 9 each.

Family Murder

We see a description of John Brett from September 2nd 1877. John stood charge with having murdered his brother, James Brett. John is described as having a recently shaved face, large grey eyes, long nose, fresh complexion, long face, stout make, six foot tall and about 30 years of age.

When last seen he was wearing a dark coat, brown tweed trousers and a vest. He is finally described as being good-looking.

Ancestrys Rhona Murray commented, Its fascinating to see the variety of crimes and note how some of them differ from those committed today. Stealing livestock was rife and the level of assaults and murders was much higher than the present day. It all makes for fascinating reading for anybody looking to find out more about either a historic offender or a victim of crime in their family tree.

Ancestry is the worlds leading family history site containing the largest collection of family trees with over 6 billion profiles from over 100 countries. This year they have launched new Irish collections of records including over 10 million Catholic Parish records and a fascinating collection of once secret 1916 Easter Rising files.

To search the Irish Police Gazettes 1861-1893 log onto www.ancestry.ie. The records are searchable by name, date, type of crime and that county in which they occurred.
Leading up to the Kilkenny Business Awards at Lyrath Estate Hotel on November 19, the Kilkenny People is taking a closer look at the companies chosen as this years finalists.

Having received over 250 award nominations, Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce, in association with the main sponsor Glanbia and a specially selected judging panel have shortlisted 46 Kilkenny based enterprises for one of this years prestigious awards.

Several outstanding candidates have been chosen as finalists in multiple award categories including Kieran OGorman Hair & Day Spa, Eco Life Energy, MindaClient, Colour World Print Ltd., Pembroke Kilkenny, Left Bank, Rudolf Heltzel, Rustiq Salon, CiphersTech EU Ltd, The Newpark Hotel, O Shea Farms, Trademark Now and Hermitage Genetics.

Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce CEO, John Hurley said, We have reviewed some exceptional local businesses as part of the Kilkenny Business Awards this year. The judges were very impressed with the high standard of entries and following a difficult decision making process, the winners have now been selected and will be announced at this years awards ceremony on November 19th. We would encourage anyone connected with the business community to come along to network and enjoy the gala event and to find out who the winners are.

RTE broadcaster Mary Kennedy will host the event which was set up to celebrate excellence in business throughout the county. Mary will be joined by over 500 guests including Kilkennys business leaders at an elegant Champagne reception followed by a glamorous gala dinner with dancing at the back-tie awards ceremony, taking place on Saturday, November 19th in Lyrath Estate Hotel.

Along with the overall 20 category winners, the prestigious Business of the Year, Lifetime Achievement & President awards will also be announced at the awards ceremony on Saturday.

See this week's Kilkenny People for the full list of nominations.

The Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce has nominated Cois Nore as their charity beneficiary at the Kilkenny Business Awards 2016. Tickets for this years black-tie awards ceremony are now available from 75 + VAT online at www.kilkennychamber.ie or by calling 056 7752767.
Kilkenny local authority was strongly represented at a national conference on housing finance that took place in the city last week.

The conference was organised by the Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH), the national federation for non-profit housing associations, and was held in the Newpark Hotel.

Over 30 housing and finance experts spoke at the two-day ICSH conference.

Representatives from Kilkenny County Council, SOS Kilkenny Housing Association who provide housing to people with intellectual disabilities and Colliery Christians Voluntary Housing Association, Castlecomer who work with older people joined 200 delegates from housing associations, local authorities, financial bodies, government departments and the construction industry nationwide.

Access to Land

At the conference, Dr. Donal McManus, CEO of the ICSH, called on the Government to ensure housing associations can access sites and private finance to meet the targets set out in the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.

Under the Governments Action Plan for Housing, our sector is tasked with delivering 15,000 homes over the next five years, he said. This will entail an investment of up to 2 billion by housing associations.

We have repeatedly called for State lands to be released to housing associations immediately. Access to land has to occur in the first year of the five-year period set out for the Governments Action Plan. Identifying and assembling sites, going through the planning process, and commencing development can take two to three years. So if land is not made available now, the targets in the plan will not be met.

Dr McManus also highlighted how housing associations have worked with the private sector in recent years by opportunity and necessity to deliver social housing.

The Action Plans ambitions will not be met without private sector developers increasing the output in the development of new affordable homes as a matter of urgency. This challenge cannot be underestimated. The housing market is too crowded, leaving those at the bottom without a home and that has to change and change immediately, he said.
Now comes the hard part for Donald Trump  turning the rhetoric of one of the most divisive campaigns in decades into the reality of governing.

When Trump becomes the 45th president of the United States on Jan. 20, 2017, Republicans will hold power in the House and have narrow control of the Senate. In normal circumstances, thats a huge advantage when it comes to implementing an agenda. But these might not be normal circumstances.

Not only does the nation need to heal from the brutal race, but a divided Republican Party must find a way to come together, and quickly. Trump will face internal opposition to some of his early efforts, especially if he maintains his strong campaign positions against international trade agreements, cooperating with Russia and taking a hard line against illegal immigrants and Muslims.

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Many Republican members of Congress have to run again in two years and will proceed with caution.

The Senates procedural rules will serve as a brake on some of his efforts, as well. It takes 60 votes to move most measures through the body, and with only 51 Republicans, some Democrats will have to vote with them to pass legislation.

The Senate can change the rules to allow a simple majority to move bills, but dont expect the GOP majority to push for that change in general. Veterans of the chamber know the tide will shift at some point and the Democrats will be back in power so theyll be slow to do anything that would make it tougher to be in the minority down the road.

There is one possible exception: Trumps nominations to the Supreme Court.

One of his first moves in the Oval Office will be to propose a replacement for conservative lion Antonin Scalia, which would restore the Courts 5-4 conservative majority. If theres any foot-dragging by Democrats, the way Republicans did on President Obamas nomination to Scalias seat on the bench early this year, GOP leaders will quickly push for a majority vote.

Its fair to ask whether one appointment will make much of a difference, and its reasonable to suggest that it might not. The key, as it was when Scalia was alive, will be Justice Anthony Kennedy. Hes a conservative, but as a fan of individual rights, he has sided with the Courts liberal wing and given them notable victories on same-sex marriage, affirmative action and abortion. Other vacancies might be forthcoming  several justices are in or approaching their 80s, but for now just one seat is in play.

Trump wont be the first leader of the free world to arrive in Washington as an outsider. In 1976, after the stain of Watergate, Jimmy Carter blazed such a trail to the nations capital set on changing the ways of Washington. Almost from the start, he butted heads with a fellow Democrat, House Speaker Tip ONeill, accomplished little and ended up a one-term president. Its much too soon to forecast much about Trumps tenure than this: Given his rocky relationship with House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans, and minority Democrats looking for ways to be relevant, the new president is likely to have a bumpy start.

Besides quick action on a new Supreme Court nominee, Trump is likely to move fast on other key issues that include:

Tax reform. Theres a good chance for a broad tax reform deal, featuring across-the-board tax cuts, if such legislation can be moved through the Senate via the reconciliation process, which allows Congress to bypass procedural hurdles. Odds appear favorable to such an approach.

Illegal immigration. Trump will take immediate steps to suspend immigration from Syria, pending more controls. Other action on stemming immigration will need cooperation from Congress; moderate Republicans there will take a cautious approach. But if Congress balks, look for Trump to take executive action. As for Trumps plan to build a wall along the border between the U.S. and Mexico, it will run into opposition in Congress. Moreover, such a wall would have to traverse private lands, tribal lands as well as public propertya significant hurdle. But chances are good for additional spending to go for more electronic surveillance along the border.

Health care. Trumps election virtually assures major changes to the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. Likely targets for elimination include the requirement that individuals buy health insurance and that employers with 50 or more workers offer it. Look for the GOP to work toward allowing insurers to sell across state lines. Republicans are also likely to create a federal high-risk insurance pool for people who are ill and unable to get private insurance, and to give block grants to states for Medicaid. Certain popular provisions in Obamacare would be retained, such as allowing kids to stay on their parents health plans until age 26 and guaranteeing coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions.

Financial reform. Trump has criticized the Dodd-Frank Act for suppressing economic growth and stopping banks from giving loans and supporting businesses. Look for the next administration and GOP Congress to tweak financial regulations to favor Republican objectives, such as helping small banks and deregulating certain types of businesses for big banks.

Infrastructure. Trump will throw his weight behind overhauling public works funding, aiming to fulfill his campaign promise to infuse nearly $1 trillion into upgrading the nations roads, bridges, railways, tunnels, seaports, airports, electric grid, water systems and communications services. The move will benefit scores of construction companies and their subcontractors.

Trade. Theres little chance of ditching the North American Free Trade Agreement, though some modifications are a good bet. NAFTA benefits many U.S. exporters who have built deeply intertwined networks with trading partners in Canada and Mexico. The president-elect will also focus heavily on keeping U.S. manufacturing jobs from being shifted abroad.
For the second time now, the Science Night students group has organized the public lectures series. (Photo: Ingo Reuter)

From nasty viruses and dangerous infections to new materials produced by the 3D printer, from the secret life of clouds to weight problems of particle physics, from autonomous vehicles to the question of what students are like today: The second Science Night that will start on October 28, 2016, 8 pm, at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) will present about 20 lectures covering various disciplines at the lecture halls Daimler and Benz (both building 10.21) as well as at the Redtenbacher lecture hall (building 10.91) on Campus South. The event is organized by the Science Night students group. The group is supported by the General Students Committee (AStA), the Arbeitskreis Kultur und Kommunikation (AKK, Culture and Communication Group), and KIT. The presentations will be in German.

[...]



For the complete program and further information, click:

http://www.ndw-ka.de



Contact: info does-not-exist.ndw-ka de

Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,800 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.
Hillary Clinton will win California and Hawaii, and take the Electoral College lead, CNN projects, while Donald Trump will win Idaho, CNN reported.

Donald Trump will win the key state of Ohio, CNN projects, a key victory as he and Hillary Clinton wage an epic battle for swing states that will decide the race for the presidency.

The Ohio victory is especially important for Trump as no Republican has won the White House without taking the Buckeye State. That result and his strong position in Florida make it increasingly possible Trump has a path to the 270 electoral votes needed to win.

But Clinton pulled out desperately needed wins in Virginia and Colorado even as she faces a much stronger than expected challenge from Trump in Michigan and Wisconsin. Those Midwestern states form the bedrock of her Democratic firewall.

The mood in the Clinton campaign has shifted dramatically as it frantically tries to understand what's happening in Florida. A senior adviser conceded the campaign's modeling was off, but believed Clinton has enough votes still out to take the state.

Beyond his lead in Florida, Trump is also ahead in North Carolina.

That prospect of a Trump win quickly sent global markets tumbling, amid fears his vow to ditch global trade deals and brand China a currency manipulator would spark global economic shocks. Dow futures plummeted 500 points, or almost 3%, Wednesday night. Major indexes in Asia are falling by similar amounts.

So far, Trump has won 19 states, including Texas. Clinton has come out on top in New York and 12 other states along with the District of Columbia. Trump has 167 electoral votes compared to 131 electoral votes for Clinton, according to CNN projections.

Regardless of who prevails, history will be made as Americans elect either their first woman president or side with the ultimate political outsider.

Both candidates argue the election presents an unusually significant choice for a divided nation. Democrats warn that Trump, with his rhetoric on race, gender and immigration, would represent a rejection of core American values. Trump insists his campaign represents America's last chance to drive out a corrupt political establishment that has turned its back on hard-working Americans.

New York is the center of the political universe this Election Day. This is the first campaign since 1944 in which both candidates are from the Empire State. And their victory parties are being held a mile and a half apart in Manhattan.

Early exit polls show that a majority of voters -- 54% -- approve of President Barack Obama, but only 4 in 10 said they would be optimistic or excited about a Trump or Clinton presidency. And 4 in 10 said their top priority was a candidate who would bring needed change. But a similar share said they were voting on experience or judgment, sentiments that did not seem to offer an edge to either candidate.
The founders of INERATEC, a spinoff of KIT, develop compact, microstructured chemical reactors for conversion of gases into high-quality liquid fuels. (Photo: KIT)

Demand-driven production of liquid fuels from regenerative energy sources is a major element of the energy turnaround. Production of synthetic fuels from solar energy and carbon dioxide extracted from air is the objective of the SOLETAIR project started now by INERATEC, a spinoff of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), in cooperation with Finnish partners. Together, the partners plan to take into operation the first chemical pilot plant worldwide. It is so compact that it fits into a ship container and produces gasoline, diesel, and kerosene from regenerative hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

The plant consists of three components. The direct air capture unit developed by the Technical Research Center of Finland (VTT) extracts carbon dioxide from air. An electrolysis unit developed by Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) produces the required hydrogen by means of solar power. A microstructured, chemical reactor is the key component of the plant and converts the hydrogen produced from solar power together with carbon dioxide into liquid fuels. This reactor was developed by KIT. The compact plant was developed to maturity and is now being commercialized by INERATEC.

Projects, such as SOLETAIR, are essential for the success of the energy turnaround, Professor Thomas Hirth, Vice President for Innovation and International Affairs of KIT, says. Commissioning of this pilot plant is an example of successful transfer of KITs research innovations to industry. INERATEC GmbH is a spinoff of KIT and develops, constructs, and sells compact chemical plants for various gas-to-liquid and power-to-liquid applications. The spinoff is supported under the EXIST research transfer program of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

We are proud of our participation in this promising international project, INERATEC founder Dr. Tim Boltken emphasizes. In the future, KIT, INERATEC, and VTT plan to extend their cooperation. Under the national research alliances of Energy Lab 2.0 and Neo-Carbon Energy, work will focus on the investigation and development of innovative energy systems based on renewable energy sources, novel storage technologies, and the conversion of renewable energies into chemical energy carriers. In addition, KIT and INERATEC contribute their expertise to the Power-to-X Kopernikus project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The energiewende will only be a success, if we pool our know-how and jointly strengthen the competencies of European industry in the energy sector, VTT scientist and SOLETAIR project head Dr. Pekka Simell says with respect to the planned cooperation. The new power-to-liquid plant will be taken into operation at the BIORUUKKI Piloting Center of VTT this year. In 2017, operation is planned to be continued on the campus of LUT. The SOLETAIR project will be completed in mid-2018. It is funded with EUR 1 million by the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes).

Press release by VTT on SOLETAIR:

http://www.vttresearch.com/media/news/first-test-plant-to-produce-fuel-from-solar-power-to-be-established-in-finland

Press release on INERATEC:

https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2016_114_chemistry-2-0-kit-participates-in-ineratec-spinoff.php

The founders of INERATEC on the photo, from left to right: Tim Boltken, Philipp Engelkamp, and Paolo Piermartini.

More about the KIT Energy Center: http://www.energy.kit.edu

Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,800 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.
BAUCHI, Nigeria, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Gunmen have killed more than 30 gold miners in a remote area of northern Nigeria, police said on Tuesday.

The attackers raided a camp of artisan miners late on Monday in the Maru area in the northwestern state of Zamfara, police spokesman Muhammed Shehu said.

The gunmen stole nothing, he said, adding that the motive for the attack was unclear.

In March gunmen attacked a camp in the same state, killing one miner in what a police official described as possible conflict between miners.

Nigeria has been trying to attract investment in its nascent mining sector but insecurity and a lack of data has dampened appetite of foreign firms.

(Reporting by Ardo Hazzad; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Andrew Roche)
HANOI, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official market and indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi at 0113 GMT.

Nov 9 Nov 8 USD/VND mid-point 22,025 22,029

USD/VND interbank 22,334/22,336 22,310/22,370 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 35.90/36.30 35.90/36.32

NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank quotes are indicative bid/ask prices.

One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co, the gold manufacturer.

Interbank offered rates are indicative, quoted from market sources.

For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom)
HANOI, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates at 0417 GMT.

Nov 9 Nov 8 USD/VND mid-point 22,025 22,029 USD/VND interbank 22,330/22,340 22,310/22,370 USD/VND unofficial 22,340/22,360 22,340/22,350 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.30/36.82 35.90/36.32

Interbank offered rates Overnight 0.7-1.5 0.7-1.4

1 week 0.9-1.6 0.7-1.4

1 month 1.8-2.1 1.5-2.0

3 months 3.6-4.6 3.5-4.3

NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016 the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources.

One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co.

For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on .

For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom)
Republicans retain control of House of Representatives.

Trump has edge, but races close in key states.

(Updates with more votes)

By Amanda Becker and John Whitesides Nov 8 (Reuters)

(Reuters) - Republican Donald Trump held slight leads in the vital battleground states of Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio on Tuesday, clinging to a narrow advantage over Democrat Hillary Clinton in key states that could decide their race for the White House.

With voting completed in more than two-thirds of the 50 U.S.

states, the race was too close to call in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Virginia, leaving the race for the White House on a knife's edge.

Both candidates scored victories in states where they were expected to win. Trump captured conservative states in the South and Midwest, while Clinton swept several states on the East Coast and Illinois in the Midwest.

But Trump's slight edge in Florida, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio gave him an early advantage in the state-by-state fight for 270 Electoral College votes needed to win.

Clinton had more options to reach 270, with Trump needing a virtual sweep of about six toss-up states to win. But a Trump win in those four states would make it nearly impossible for Clinton to clinch the White House.

With 94 percent of the vote counted in Florida, Trump led Clinton by about 140,000 votes out of 9 million cast. In Virginia, with 76 percent counted, Trump led by 60,000 votes out of 2.9 million cast. With 55 percent of the vote counted in Ohio, Trump led by about 275,000 votes out of 3 million cast.

As of 9:30 p.m. EST (0230 GMT on Wednesday), Trump had 133 electoral votes to Clinton's 104, with U.S. television networks projecting the winner in 25 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Clinton is seen by financial markets as more likely to ensure financial and political stability and as the early election results showed a close battle, the U.S. dollar skidded in wild Asian trade on Wednesday.

Much of the action was in currencies where the Mexican peso has become a touchstone for sentiment on the election, as Trump's trade policies are seen as damaging to Mexico's export-heavy economy.

Going into Election Day, Clinton led Trump, 44 percent to 39 percent in the last Reuters/Ipsos national tracking poll. A Reuters/Ipsos States of the Nation poll gave her a 90 percent chance of defeating Trump and becoming the first woman elected U.S. president.

Also at stake on Tuesday was control of Congress. Television networks projected Republicans would retain control of the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats were up for grabs.

In the Senate, where Republicans were defending a slim four-seat majority, Democrats scored their first breakthrough in Illinois when Republican Senator Mark Kirk lost re-election. But Republicans Rob Portman in Ohio and Marco Rubio in Florida won high-profile Senate re-election fights.

In a presidential campaign that focused more on the character of the candidates than on policy, Clinton, 69, a former U.S. secretary of state, and Trump, 70, a New York businessman, accused each other of being fundamentally unfit to lead the country.

Trump again raised the possibility on Tuesday of not accepting the election's outcome, saying he had seen reports of voting irregularities. He gave few details and Reuters could not immediately verify the existence of such problems.

(Additional reporting by Steve Holland and Emily Stephenson in New York, Letitia Stein in St. Petersburg, Florida, Luciana Lopez in Miami, Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem and Kim Palmer in Ohio; Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by Howard Goller and Frances Kerry)
BUDAPEST, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Hungary's budget posted a surplus of 59.7 billion forints in October, which means that the full-year deficit target of 1.7 percent of GDP looks achievable, the Economy Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Hungary cut its 2016 budget deficit target to 1.7 percent of economic output last month.

"The modified EU-based deficit target of 1.7 percent looks realistic even reckoning with a run-up in spending related to EU projects in the rest of the year," the ministry said.

"The government is currently examining the possibility of using the room of manouevre within the budget," it added.

The October surplus pushed the accumulated January-October balance into a surplus of 57.3 billion forints, which has been unprecedented in the past 15 years, the ministry said.

In the same period of last year, the ten-month deficit was 816.2 billion forints. ($1 = 271.8000 forints)

(Reporting by Krisztina Than)
LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Nigeria's crude oil exports in December are set to fall from the level planned for the month earlier as maintenance on one field and persistent problems with pipelines hit exports.

The loading programme of 55 cargoes, for a total of 1.63 million barrels per day (bpd), compared with 63 cargoes in November totalling 1.89 million bpd.

Some November Forcados exports were pushed into December, trade sources said, after another attack on the Trans Forcados pipeline, meaning the decline in exports is smaller than the initial plans suggest. But maintenance work on the Agbami field that cut exports in half in December, along with a significantly smaller export plan for Brass River, a grade under force majeure due to pipeline attacks, mean exports are likely to be somewhat lower.

Grade December Barrels per November Barrels

cargoes day cargoes per day Abo 2 26,000 1 23,000 Agbami 4 126,000 8 260,000 Amenam 3 92,000 1 32,000 Antan 1 13,000 1 22,000 Bonga 6 184,000 6 190,000 Bonny Light 5 156,000 6 175,000 Brass 3 92,000 5 158,000 River** EA 1 31,000 2 48,000 Ebok* 0 0 Erha 5 153,000 5 167,000 Escravos 5 129,000 5 158,000 Forcados** 9 258,000 6 171,000 Okono* 1 13,000 Okwori 0 0 1 22,000 Oyo* 0 0 Pennington 0 0 0 0 Qua Iboe 8 245,000 9 285,000 Usan 2 97,000 4 133,000 Yoho 2 31,000 1 32,000 Total 55 1.63 62 1.89

million million **Grade under force majeure

(Reporting by Libby George; Editing by Mark Potter)
By Laura Benitez

LONDON, Nov 9 (IFR) - Near-term European corporate bond issuance plans faltered on Wednesday due to market volatility after the surprise victory of Republican candidate Donald Trump in the US presidential election.

Bankers had previously predicted a very busy session for corporate bond issuance if Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton won, but markets were once again caught off guard.

"We're advising clients not to issue bonds today, we need a period of reflection and to adjust to this new paradigm," one syndicate banker said.

The banker said that underlying bond rates are too volatile for a clear assessment of borrowing costs required to access the market.

The synthetic credit indices opened on a torrid note, but bounced back quickly with the iTraxx Main and Crossover bid 3bp and 11bp wider, at 75.75bp and 337bp respectively.

In cash, investment-grade bonds spreads on recent deals have edged wider. Statoil's dual tranche 1.2bn deal that priced last Wednesday widened by 3bp across both tranches to 43bp and 73bp over mid-swaps respectively, according to Tradeweb.

"We see 2-3bp widening across the corporate investment-grade universe but that's more traders marking wider," another banker said.

"Cross-border names have been impacted slightly more but not much, although there's not a lot of flow."

But while investment-grade spreads have not spiked substantially, syndicate bankers expect the election result to put a dampener on the primary corporate market.

One corporate expected to hold fire on its bond plans in the near term is US commodity giant Louis Dreyfus.

"A company like that does not need a nervous market, and considering the negative headlines and risky nature of the credit and its sector, I would be surprised if they went ahead this week," another banker said.

Louis Dreyfus' plans were in the market's sights after the company said it was struggling with falling prices and weak demand after a decade-long industry boom.

The unrated firm met investors in Paris on Monday, London on Tuesday, and is wrapping up meetings in Geneva and Zurich today for a potential five to six-year euro deal.

"I heard meetings were not going well, they will need to manage their price expectations because it's not an easy sell," the banker said.

(Reporting By Laura Benitez, Editing by Helene Durand, Alex Chambers)
(Adds quote, details)

MOSCOW, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Russian oil production is expected to rise to 555-560 million tonnes by 2020, Deputy Energy Minister Kirill Molodtsov told an industry conference on Wednesday.

He said Russian market share in the global oil market would stay stable at 12 percent.

"We are more likely to go beyond the Soviet daily production record at the start of or mid-2017 if there is a need," Molodtsov said.

Russian oil output set a new post-Soviet record high in October, rising 0.1 percent from September to 11.2 million barrels per day (bpd), supported by an increase in drilling The ministry said earlier it expected a rise in oil output in 2017 to 548 million tonnes, or 11 million barrels per day, due to new fields coming online.

For a factbox on how Russia is ramping up its oil output in 2016-2017, click on (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin and Oksana Kobzeva; Writing by Denis Pinchuk; Editing by Polina Devitt/Andrew Osborn)
* Will review new Egypt investment if not repaid by year-end - CEO

* Owed $242 mln as of Sept. 30 - statement

* Swings to net profit of $13 mln in Q3 2016

(Adds CEO comments, detail, context)

By David French

DUBAI, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Dana Gas will review its 2017 investment plans for Egypt if the North African country doesn't repay the full amount it owes the United Arab Emirates-based energy firm by the end of the year, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

Patrick Allman-Ward was speaking after the firm swung to a profit in the third quarter, halting a run of poor earnings performances, as it benefited from interest contributions on crude receivables from the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Dana has been hamstrung in recent quarters as it awaits receivables owed in both Egypt and Iraqi Kurdistan, following political and economic turbulence in both places which have delayed payments.

As of Sept. 30, the amount owed by Egypt was $242 million, up from $221 million at the end of 2015. Dana's share of owed receivables from the Kurdistan Regional Government was $722 million, down marginally on $727 million at the end of 2015.

However, Egypt is hoping to secure $12 billion in aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as part of a series of bilateral fundraisings and economic reforms - most notably the free float of the Egyptian pound - aimed at revitalising its economy. Part of the IMF loan will be distributed to the petroleum sector to meet outstanding debts, Allman-Ward told reporters on a conference call, citing conversations the firm had held with Egyptian officials.

"If it doesn't happen (the payment), in keeping with our long-standing policy of balancing collections for investment, we would be forced to review how that balance can be maintained," he said.

The payments issue is overshadowing a number of exploration developments in Egypt for the company. Its North El Arish Concession/Block 6 in the Eastern Nile Delta was an "exciting" prospect and the company was in talks with seven potential partners about a farm-out agreement, Allman-Ward said.

Production from Egypt in the third quarter rose to 40,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), up 24 percent on the same period last year.

Dana made a net profit of $13 million in the three months to Sept. 30, compared with a loss of $9 million in the prior-year period, it said in a bourse statement.

It reported falling profits or a loss in five of the six quarters to March 31, hit by a slump in oil prices from their mid-2014 peak, before achieving flat profits in the second quarter. (Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Mark Potter)
Donald John Trump has been projected as the winner of the presidential election, according to the Associated Press, after election returns showed that Trump had won stunning come-from-behind victories across a swath of contested states.

Trump, 70, will be the 45th president of the United States. A real-estate developer and former reality-TV star, Trump is the first person to win the presidency without having previously held public office or served in the U.S. military, Washington Post reported.

Mike Pence, 57, will be vice president. Pence was a longtime member of the House of Representatives and is now the Republican governor of Indiana.

Trumps victory could produce significant repercussions, both economic and political. Stock markets had risen in recent days, believing that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton would win. On Tuesday evening, as Trump reeled off a string of unexpected victories across the Midwest, futures market nosedived -- likely anticipating global upheaval as Trump tries to follow through on aggressive campaign promises: to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, to impose tougher trading conditions on China, and to force U.S. manufacturers not to move operations overseas.

In political terms, Trumps win will likely hands Republicans control of both the executive and legislative branches of government.

That could lead to long-sought GOP dreams coming true, like the repeal of Obamacare and the end of regulations limiting greenhouse-gas emissions. But it could also lead to Republican infighting, since Trumps policy ideas  including more friendliness toward Russia, and protectionist trade positions  are starkly at odds with what other many Republicans believe.

His victory on Tuesday was the biggest surprise of the modern presidential era  a shocking upset, at a time when mass communication and zealous polling sought to make such surprises less likely.

Trump had entered Election Day trailing Clinton in a slew of national and swing-state polls, and with a get-out-the-vote operation far smaller than hers. He had fared poorly in all three debates.

But Trump was helped by an odd confluence of outside forces.

The website WikiLeaks had been releasing thousands of emails stolen from Clintons campaign chairman, John Podesta  a massive hack that the U.S. government blamed on Russia.

Then, in the campaigns late stages, Trump got help from the combination of Anthony Weiner  the former congressman, married to Clinton aide Huma Abedin  and FBI Director James B. Comey.

After FBI agents seized a laptop used by Weiner in an investigation into lewd text messages that Weiner allegedly sent to a 15 year-old girl. In late October, Comey announced that the FBI was examining other emails found on the laptop, which might have been pertinent to a previous investigation into Clintons use of a private email server for government business.

Nine days later, Comey announced that the review had found nothing that changed the bureaus past investigation. But the damage had been done, as voters were reminded of Clintons email scandal.

On Tuesday, Trump won, based on very strong turnout in rural areas, and among white voters.

That victory was the last, and most incredible, in a series of unexpected victories for Trump since he rode down a Trump Tower escalator last June to launch his presidential bid. He defeated 16 other Republicans in the primary process, and then beat the better-funded and better-organized Clinton by relying on huge rallies, free TV exposure, and the electorates hunger for change.

Clinton, the former first lady and secretary of state, had been the de facto Democratic nominee for the entire campaign. She was hampered, in its final hours, by lower-than-expected enthusiasm among young voters, and lower turnout in urban areas.

Clintons campaign team had felt buoyant coming into Tuesday, after a massive rally Monday night in Philadelphia that featured President Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, and Bruce Springsteen.

But Clintons bid to be the first female president ended in disappointment.
SHARE Jeffrey Bassett Age: 55 Background: Attorney (criminal law, juvenile offender matters, labor and industries, personal injury, bankruptcy, family law and appellate law) Dale Magneson Age: 65 Background: Solo practitioner representing clients in the Kitsap County Superior Court for over 28 years, in addition to representing clients in the Federal Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington

By Andrew Binion of the Kitsap Sun

PORT ORCHARD  Kitsap Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Bassett took a lead over challenger Dale Magneson in preliminary results released Tuesday night, accounting for 51.9 percent of ballots cast.

Bassett took 53.3 percent, or 38,060 votes, to Magneson's 46.4 percent, or 33,095 votes. More results will released Wednesday.

Bassett was appointed in February by Gov. Jay Inslee to fill out the remainder of Judge Jay Roof's term.

During the campaign, Bassett emphasized the breadth of his experience in the courtroom, while Magneson emphasized his local roots, having been raised in Bremerton.

Although Magneson had never taken a case to trial, and had no criminal law experience, he sought to assure voters that he could learn on the job.

Bassett, whose father was a judge, had experience in several areas of law, and in part was selected by Inslee based on the recommendation of other Superior Court judges.

Magneson ran unsuccessfully for Superior Court in 2004, against retired Judge Anna Laurie but was eliminated in the primary. Bassett had applied for other vacancies on the bench prior to being appointed by Inslee.
SHARE

Despite the fact that we are going to the polls to cast our ballots, we didn't actually vote for Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Gary Johnson or Jill Stein.

We instead voted for "electors" who will cast the actual ballots for president. Those ballots won't even be counted until December. That is when the "real" presidential election takes place.

The presidential election is actually decided by 538 electors who make up the Electoral College, a curious artifact of our Constitution. Some people want to amend the Constitution to eliminate the Electoral College; they instead want the presidency to be decided by a straight-up popular vote. Their argument is that a popular vote by its very nature ensures that the candidate with the most votes wins. There have been instances in history where a president ascends to the White House by winning the Electoral College vote, but not the popular vote (George W. Bush won this way in 2000).

Also, it is argued, the Electoral College creates many areas of the country that are noncompetitive, and therefore the votes of people in the minority don't count for much (Republican voters in deep-blue Massachusetts, for example, have little reason to cast a ballot for president).

Despite these arguments  which are no doubt important  I predict that many Americans will wake up Wednesday morning and be grateful for it.

Here's why:

First, the Electoral College makes election rigging difficult. If the nation elected its president with just a popular vote, rigging could take place anywhere in the country. And because of that, schemes would be hard to detect. Dividing our national presidential election into 50 smaller elections frustrates the schemes of would-be cheaters and lets officials know where to concentrate their efforts on ensuring accuracy.

Second, the Electoral College provides decisive victories. There will be about 130 million votes cast this year. Numbers this large are hard for most people to comprehend, and the differences between the two major candidates can seem negligible.

In 2012, the difference between President Barack Obama's and Mitt Romney's vote totals was only about 5 million votes out of 127 million cast. Some elections are much closer, and such small margins can seem unclear and inconclusive. The Electoral College tends to make victories appear clear and margins distinct. In 2012, despite the 4 percent margin in the popular vote, the Electoral College vote was a decisive 332 to 206.

Such numbers are easy to interpret and provide newly elected presidents with the legitimacy they need to govern. This year, Donald Trump has flirted with the idea of not conceding the election to Hillary Clinton, because according to him, "It's rigged." If the current opinion polls stay true, Hillary Clinton likely will win. Her victory in the Electoral College, which is currently expected to be large, will make any claims of "rigging" look ludicrous.

Third, the Electoral College isolates problems  if there are any  to specific states. If there is to be a question about the sanctity or accuracy of the vote count, the Electoral College effectively isolates those questions to specific states. In 2000, when there were questions about the outcome, the subsequent litigation and recount were isolated to a few counties in one state (Florida).

In 2004, there were questions about the close outcome, but again, those questions were isolated to Ohio. Imagine if the recount in 2000 were to take place in every precinct in every state across the country. There would be widespread and endless challenges, litigation and chaos. The Electoral College prevents this.

American elections are messy business. There are primaries, caucuses, general elections and electors. There is nothing simple about our system. But the Electoral College, despite its faults, makes the business of electing a president much less messy.

And it just may be a lifesaver this year.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.9

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

EU-US ties are deeper than any change in politics, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice President of the EU Commission Federica Mogherini said on Twitter Nov.9.

We'll continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe, she added.

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, the US citizens have gone to the polls to cast their votes for the 45th president of the US.

Donald John Trump has been projected as the winner of the presidential election, according to the Associated Press, after election returns showed that Trump had won stunning come-from-behind victories across a swath of contested states.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.9

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Donald Trump may prove to be a loose cannon in terms of foreign policy, according to the analysts of the UK Capital Economics consulting company.

He is likely to take a harder line with China and could create friction in relations with European and other NATO allies, said the report obtained by Trend.

However, the analysts believe that there is also a prospect of reduced tensions between the US and Russia which could hasten the end of the civil war in Syria.

In short, even the geopolitical consequences of a Trump presidency may not be entirely negative, said the report.

Regarding the global economic consequences of Trumps presidency, the analysts of Capital Economics said that his victory in the US presidential election has, so far, had less impact on financial markets than most anticipated.

The economic consequences of a Trump presidency for the rest of the world will not be clear for a long time yet, but we suspect that they will also be smaller than many fear, said the report. Much will depend on how much Trump moderates his policies when he takes office.

The presidential election was held in the US November 8. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump won the election. The newly elected president will take office on January 20.
Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential elections will put more pressure on military budgets of NATO member states, Czech Defense Minister Martin Stropnicky said Wednesday, Sputnik reported.

Stropnicky recalled that Trump had repeatedly stressed that the United States had been burdened by financing NATO's budget with only five member states fulfilling their obligations to spend 2 percent of GPD on their defense.

It is possible that Washington will exert more pressure on its NATO allies "so that they [defense budgets] go up to the necessary level," Stropnicky stressed.

The Czech Republic is now spending about 1 percent of its GDP on defense. The government set the goal to increase the military budget to 1.4 percent of GDP by 2020. The Czech defense minister also commented on Trumps wish to improve relations with Russia saying that only crazy people do not want that. "But of course on worthy conditions. Worthy conditions are, for example, implementation of the Minsk agreements," he said.
Ankara, Turkey, Nov. 9

By Ahmet Ismukhan  Trend:

Turkish jets destroyed PKK targets in northern Iraq, the military said Nov. 9.

A statement by the Turkish General Staff revealed that 4 positions of terrorists were destroyed.

The PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- resumed its decades-old armed campaign in July last year.

Since then, PKK terrorist attacks have martyred more than 600 security personnel and also claimed the lives of many civilians, including women and children, while more than 7,000 PKK terrorists have been killed in army operations.
By Park Jae-hyuk





Shim Dong-sup

KIETaC Chairman

The government has authorized a licensing system for e-trade and e-commerce, the Korea Institute for Electronic Trade and Commerce Promotion (KIETaC) said Wednesday.



"Korea should train e-commerce experts to integrate Korea, China and Japan's digital markets into a single one and make the country a leader in global e-commerce," KIETaC Chairman Shim Dong-sup said. "Licensed experts should bring industry innovation, through being hired by related firms or running their own businesses."



In order to introduce the licensing system, KIETaC enacted several rules this April related to management and operation of the system.



The government has strictly examined the rules and finally approved the system to take effect on Nov. 11, KIETaC said.



KIETaC said it will recruit applicants for the license through its website kietac.or.kr from Nov. 14 to Jan. 31 next year.



Each applicant will get 80 hours of education on weekends between Feb. 4 and Mar. 25 next year and successful ones will be certified in April, according to KIETaC.



They will take 16 general electives, including courses on the Electronic Trade Facilitation Act, electronic finance and 22 specialized subjects, such as electronic trade simulation and an introduction to global B2C and B2B.



More details on registration and courses will be available on KIETaC's website.

KIETaC said it will provide full support and give various benefits to licensed experts on e-trade and e-commerce.



It plans to add points to firms hiring licensed experts, when it selects companies to invest in.



If the experts establish their own businesses, KIETaC will add points to their businesses during their investment assessments. KIETaC will also recommend the licensed experts to related businesses.



When an incumbent worker takes courses for the license, KIETaC will cover tuition costs, cooperating with the Ministry of Employment and Labor.



Established last November under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, KIETaC aims at training human resources specialized in electronic trade and e-commerce and plans to establish an integrated platform for e-commerce markets in Korea, China and Japan.
By Park Jae-hyuk



Most Korean firms are unlikely to enjoy increased demand during China's Singles' Day, Nov. 11, though they are desperate to hit the jackpot by preparing many promotional events.



Korean firms sold only $7.37 million worth of goods at Alibaba's Tmall  China's biggest online shopping mall  on Singles' Day last year, which was 0.05 percent of the total revenue  $14.3 billion  on the day, according to a Korea International Trade Association (KITA) report released Wednesday. The figure was low, considering that Korea covered 10.9 percent of China's imports last year.



KITA pointed out the problem is because small- and medium-sized businesses rarely supply their products to Tmall. Firms should submit dozens of documents and pay over 25 million won ($21,000) to sell their products there.



During Singles' Day last year, E-Land Group, a retail conglomerate which has more than 20 brands, posted 31.7 billion won in sales, the largest among Korean firms. "Our company expects to sell over 60 billion won on Singles' Day this year," E-Land China Chairman Choi Jong-rang stated in a press release.



Lotte Group, Korea's No. 1 retailer plans to introduce various Korean goods through its e-commerce platform Global Lotte.com, and to give away gifts worth 33 million won to 11 consumers, who bought goods at the Chinese website of the Lotte Duty Free Shop. The company will also hold large discount events in Korea, selling various products at Lotte Department Store's online malls.



Large Korean cosmetics firms, on the other hand, did not benefit much from Singles' Day last year, although cosmetics were the third most popular item during the event.



The two biggest  AmorePacific and LG Household & Healthcare  failed to rank in the top 10, having market shares below 1 percent. They have promoted that they are leading the K-beauty fever in China, but L'Oreal and Olay were the only foreign firms among the top 10.



KITA said firms should let Chinese customers get to know their brands first, and then enter into the market with viral marketing and celebrity promotions. It added firms should continue to invest in the Chinese market, taking a long-term view.



Singles' Day  or "guanggunjie" in Chinese  is the world's largest online shopping day among young Chinese people, who celebrate that they are proud of being single. The date is chosen, as the number "1" represents a lonely individual.



It became the Chinese version of Black Friday in 2009, after Alibaba  China's No.1 e-commerce firm  hit the jackpot during a large discount event at its open market Taobao. As other e-commerce companies joined the event afterward, the total revenue posted about $14.3 billion in a day last year, which was double the combined total revenue earned on Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday last year.




Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun, standing third from left, poses with Guizhou ProvinceCommunist Party Secretary Chen Min'er, fourth from left, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins, second from left, and other officials at the Guiyang International Ecological Conference Center, Tuesday during a signing ceremony for a strategic joint venture agreement.

/ Courtesy of Hyundai Motor



By Jhoo Dong-chan

Hyundai Motor said Wednesday that it has signed a deal with the Chinese government to jointly build a big data center that will develop connected car technologies.

According to a Hyundai Motor press release, Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun signed a strategic joint venture agreement with Guizhou Province Communist Party Secretary Chen Min'er at the Guiyang International Ecological Conference Center, Tuesday.

Under the deal, the two parties will first build a big data center at the Guian New Area, a state-operated big data-specialized industrial cluster in the southwestern Chinese province. The center is expected to study and analyze various information, including drivers' preferences and decision-making processes, to develop connected cars and services.

"Hyundai Motor's decision to build a big data center here is the best choice for their future operation," said Chen during the signing ceremony.

"Other global ICT firms who previously launched operations here were all satisfied with the business environment at the cluster. The Guizhou Provincial Government promises full support for Hyundai Motor's future operation in big data."

Chung also expressed his expectations about the big data center in the cluster.

"Guian New Area is the country's industrial heartland with boundless potential for big data," he said.

"The joint venture with Guizhou Province will boost Hyundai Motor's development of future car technologies, including connected cars, as well as our sales operation in China."

Hyundai Motors said in a press release that it will soon carry out approval procedures with the government, prepare for the move-in and then establish infrastructure to open the center in June 2017, becoming Hyundai Motor's first-ever overseas big data center.

The world's fifth-largest automaker opened its first Korean big data center in 2014.

Hyundai Motor also said that it will consider a partnership with other global firms located in the cluster such as Amazon and Baidu to collect various market information and customer preferences.

"There are also a great number of human resource pools in IT there," it said.

"Hyundai Motor will also hire qualified big data analysts by the opening of the center."

Separate from the agreement with Guizhou Province, Hyundai Motor also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the world's largest network device maker Cisco at a hotel in Guiyang, Guizhou Province, Tuesday.

Under the MOU, the two companies promised to work together in developing network and security technologies for their connected car project.
By Nam Hyun-woo



The feud between lawyers and real estate agents is expanding, as a recent ruling paved the way for the former to tap into the latter's domain.



Market observers say the ruling will have far-reaching effects on the real estate business, expecting that competition will increase in the already saturated market.



The Seoul Central District Court on Monday ruled not guilty for lawyer Kong Sung-bae, who heads Trust Lifestyle and was charged with conducting a real estate brokerage business without a real estate license.



In its ruling, the lower court said: "The evidence submitted by prosecutors is not sufficient to acknowledge that Kong was active in the real estate brokerage business. Thus, the court found Kong not guilty according to the principle of presumption of innocence."



In the legal battle, Kong's side claimed the company conducted legal advisory services, not real estate brokerage services. However, the prosecution claimed the company conducted real estate business, citing it uses "real estate" in its company name in Korean and has put up some 800 properties on its website.



The ruling also drew keen attention because it involved an issue over commission rates. Realtors here have been receiving 0.4 to 0.6 percent of the price of properties they broker as their commission. If a property is 400 million won ($352,000), up to 2.4 million won will go to the realtor.



However, Kong's company receives a fixed commission. For property sales, the company receives 450,000 won for properties between 150 to 250 million won and 990,000 won for those above 250 million won. As for fees on rent, it receives 450,000 won for properties between 150 to 300 million won and 990,000 won for those above 300 million won. When a 400-million-won property is traded through Kong's company, clients have to pay only 990,000 won. The company says the fee is for legal services during the transactions, not for brokering them.



Kong asked the court for a civil trial by public jury, in an apparent bid to win public favor over the cheap commission rate. And four out of seven jurors found him not guilty.



As Kong's company was found to be a operating legitimately, this will likely bring down the commission rates of realtors. Also, real estate agents will likely face a decline in the number of clients visiting them, as the ruling will likely spur more people-to-people real estate transactions without an intermediary.



Real estate transactions oftentimes involve real estate agents because expertise is required in handling legal issues. However, if real estate brokering can be supplanted with legal services  as Kong claims  more people will likely find their trade counterparts through the internet or other methods and pay lawyers for legal services.



However, questions still linger over the court's vague decision because it did not clearly state whether legal advisory and real estate brokerage businesses can be acknowledged separately.



In a 2006 verdict, the top court decided that lawyers can act as real estate brokers only after they acquire a realtor's license.



The Korea Association of Realtors said in a statement that Kong has tarnished realtors' reputation that they receive more than offered. Officials at the association believe the prosecution will appeal to a higher court.



Over the new business opportunity, lawyers welcomed the ruling. The Korean Bar Association said in a statement: "The ruling opened a new opportunity for the public to trade their property more cheaply and for lawyers to advance to the real estate market, which will help the market to advance down the road."



The company said it respect the court's decision, which reflected the consumer's voice for broader choices.




By Yoon Ja-young



President-elect Donald Trump is expected to deal an enormous blow to Korea Inc. which is heavily reliant on exports as he has vowed to strengthen trade barriers.



Youn Woo-jin, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, said that the result of the U.S. election will adversely affect Korea's already faltering exports on increasing risks of a slowing economy there as well as aggressive protectionism.



President-elect Trump has been pledging strong protectionism, which even most of his fellow party members criticized as populism.



"Trump has been moving away from the Republican Party, which has been a traditional guardian of free trade," Youn said.



He pointed out that Trump had been vowing to adopt far-fetched protectionist measures, such as a withdrawal from negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and high tariffs on imports from Mexico and China. Trump has also denounced the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as a "job killing" deal, leading to speculation that his victory will lead to renegotiations or a complete scrapping of the deal.



Youn, however, said that such pledges are "little likely to be realized as there should be cooperation from Congress, as well as when taking into account the huge impact this will have on the global economy."



The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), meanwhile, expects Trump will demand a renegotiation of the Korea-U.S. FTA, on top of strong pressure such as antidumping and countervailing duties.



"Even if the U.S. Congress opposes these moves, Trump may be able to scrap the FTA or levy high tariffs on certain countries, with the authority endowed to the president," said Yun Won-sok, executive vice president for business information and trade at KOTRA, pointing out that the diverse trade related laws give considerable authority to the president.



However, he added that trade with Korea may have less priority in Trump's agenda as he has been more aggressively criticizing China and Mexico.



He has pledged levying a 45 percent tariff on Chinese products and levying a 35 percent tariff on Mexican-produced cars.



A trade war with China will also weigh on the Korean economy which has been exporting components and materials to China. The hard-landing of the Chinese economy also means that Korea's biggest export market will be diminished.



As other countries will also retaliate against the United States, Trump is likely to trigger a protectionist trade war. This means the Korean economy, which has been heavily relying on exports, will be further pressured. Korea's exports briefly rebounded in August following 19 months of falls, but they dipped again in September and October.



Youn also expects the U.S. economy to enter a recession with the trade war, with the economic growth rate projected to fall from 2.7 percent in 2016 to 0.3 percent in 2017, and to minus 0.1 percent in 2019. A recession in the United States in itself is also negative for Korean exporters.



However, some businesses may find bigger opportunities to advance into the U.S. market as Donald Trump has pledged massive infrastructure investment.



"Based on Trump's public infrastructure policy, construction, communication, logistics and construction materials will likely see markets expanding," Yun said.



Trump has also stressed opening the pharmaceutical market for higher efficiency of the U.S. public health system. Yun said this may be an opportunity for Korean pharmaceutical exporters as well.




Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach attends the 2016 Miss Teen USA Competition at The Venetian Las Vegas on July 30, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo : Getty Images / Ethan Miller)

If you are eager to watch the spectacular coronation ceremony of the next Miss Universe then you have to wake up really early. The pageant has an early morning schedule this time.



In a press briefing Wanda Corazon Tulfo Teo, tourism Secretary of Philippines said the pageant will start at 5:30 am on Jan. 30, 2017, Business Mirror reported. While expressing her relieving reaction to the press, Teo confirmed that Philippines is finally hosting the upcoming Miss Universe event.



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After her press release, media is buzzing over the ceremony timing of the event as it is surely an odd timing for half of the world even for the hosting country. It is not hard to assume that The Miss Universe Organization based in New York wants to coincide local time of the event with the primetime of America (which is around 7 pm evening) to telecast the beauty pageant live for the American audience.



Reigning Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach released a short videotape on behalf of the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) and expressed her feeling in few lines "Hi Guys! I'm so excited to share with you all that yes, the Miss Universe competition is indeed happening in the Philippines and I can't wait to show you all my beautiful country."



Wanda Teo also described the holding of Miss Universe pageant in her country as one of the proud moment for all Filipinos. She said no other venue could be better for the reigning Miss Universe Pia to take her final walk on the coronation stage and pass on her crown to her successor than her own country, the Philippines.



In next Miss Universe event, Maxine Medina is going to represent the Philippines in this grand competition. She is one of the top 10 favorite contestants for the beauty pageant and her countrymen are expecting her to be the next most 'beautiful woman of the universe.'



In spite of all this enthusiasm, pageant critics are surprised about the odd timing of the event, The Trending Facts reported on their site that. Netizens expressed their strong disappointments online over the pageant timing as it will disturb their 'Biological Clock' terribly.



Check out the glimpse of the pageant last year:






Minister of Health and Welfare Chung Chin-youb / Courtesy of Ministry of Health and Welfare



By Chung Chin-youb

The main theme of this year's World Economic Forum (WEF) was the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which also happens to be the title of the book written by Klaus Schwab, president of the WEF. In this book, Schwab predicted that the fusion of a wide range of sectors powered by advances in scientific technology and digitalization will fundamentally change our lives in ways that have never been witnessed before.

In the era of the new industrial revolution, the healthcare and bio sectors are likely to emerge as core drivers of growth, along with the rise of new scientific technology such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence (AI).

As people live longer, the idea of healthy ageing is gaining more traction. This trend is shifting the paradigm of care in the way it focuses more on prevention and control rather than treatment, while accelerating the sophistication and diversification of healthcare services.

Rapidly evolving scientific technology combined with medical technology enables customized care which has higher efficacy and fewer side effects than conventional care. Advances in mobile and communication technologies have also fueled the enhancement of healthcare services.

Consider families with dementia patients. Thanks to technological innovation, they are now able to constantly monitor their sick family members for safety through internet of things (IoT) devices installed at home. AI and big data also present opportunities to make more accurate diagnoses and find the best possible treatments.

Korea has an immense potential to lead the global bio-health sector with its highly-skilled healthcare workforce, first-class medical technology and advanced healthcare system and ICT infrastructure.

In particular, Korea has a high-level of expertise in regenerative medicine which is a branch of the medical field that helps restore damaged body functions. In fact, four out of all seven stem cell therapies developed worldwide originated from Korea. Additionally, Korean pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies are increasingly expanding exports, and a growing number of Korean healthcare facilities are making inroads into overseas countries through the application of telemedicine technology.

Such endeavors to boost the healthcare industry have produced some tangible results. This year, Korea signed a letter of intent with Bahrain to export the nation's highly advanced healthcare system, and SK Chemicals, a Korean pharmaceutical company, obtained FDA approval of its new biologic drug, AFSTYLA.





Minister of Health and Welfare Chung Chin-youb, left, shakes hands with Inter-American Development Bank President Luis Alberto Moreno at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel in New York, on Sept. 20, after signing a memorandum of understanding to seek cooperation in health-related projects, such as telemedicine technology and public healthcare management. / Courtesy of Ministry of Health and Welfare



In addition, the Ministry of Health and Welfare is poised to navigate through the rapidly changing global landscape wisely. It has established the National Comprehensive Plan on the Development of the Healthcare Industry with the aim of becoming the seventh-largest global bio-health powerhouse.

To achieve this vision, the ministry will fully tap into the nation's excellent healthcare workforce and advanced medical technology, the core strengths of the Korean healthcare industry. Traditionally, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and cosmetics have been considered promising areas and received a continuous flow of support from the government. Research and development investment in these areas will be further expanded to make the local healthcare businesses competitive enough to lead the global market.

Precision medicine and regenerative medicine will grow out of the infant stage where most investment went to laying a foundation. Going forward, a national cohort of 100,000 individuals for the collection of genome data, as well as a platform for sharing such resources will be established to make further advances in precision medicine, which will enable us to provide customized, optimal care for individuals. Moreover, legislative efforts will be made to ensure the swift introduction of cutting-edge regenerative technologies into hospitals.

Such new technologies are expected to significantly reduce the length of treatment for severe diseases. Additionally, the government will work toward industrializing precision medicine, and legislating a special act to build a vibrant ecosystem for precision medicine businesses, particularly through the nurturing of experts.

Furthermore, Korea will make bold steps toward achieving the happiness and well-being of people and becoming a global leader in healthcare. To this end, the government will continue to spread the so-called Korean Wave in the global healthcare sector, and reorganize the national healthcare system to create a robust ecosystem for innovation.

In particular, Korean-style medical clusters will be built around research-driven medical centers, bringing together hospitals, venture companies, universities and research institutes. Such an integrated system for innovation will generate enormous value that sets us apart from others. In addition, the government plans to step up support for healthcare start-ups, and the commercialization of bio and medical technologies throughout the entire cycle of technology and business.

Overall, the healthcare industry and scientific technology will serve as engines for future growth and help Korea rise to global prominence. The ministry will channel its resources and skills into invigorating the healthcare industry to create decent jobs for young people and ultimately promote the health of all people. I look forward to ushering in the era of a health economy where health drives growth across all sectors of the economy going beyond the healthcare sector, and economic prosperity contributes to the healthy lives of global citizens.





The writer is the minister of health and welfare.


By Lee Han-soo

The anti-president rally will continue Saturday after more than 200,000 people rallied at Gwanghwamun Plaza in downtown Seoul last week.

President Park Geun-hye is under immense public pressure to resign after an influence-peddling scandal involving confidant Choi Soon-sil was revealed.

Organizers hope to attract more than a million people to this week's rally, which will include more than 1,500 civic groups.

"If one person speaks out it might mean nothing," a rally organizer told Joongang Ilbo, a Korean news outlet. "But if 100,000 people gather it becomes public sentiment. And if a million gather it becomes the will of the people."

Last week thousands of people, including expats living in Korea, took to the streets for the anti-Park rally.

Police sent some 20,000 riot police to control the protest and prevent angry demonstrators from making their way to the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, which is just a few kilometers from the plaza. But the rally was peaceful.
Fewer than half of women in their 20s practice contraception, according to a survey health authorities released on Monday. / Korea Times file



By Lee Jin-a

More than half of Korean women in their 20s do not use contraception, a survey showed Monday.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 96 percent of the 1000 women in their 20s surveyed said they had received education on birth control while nearly 80 percent said they were taught how to use condoms. But among the 674 respondents who said they had sex in the past year, only 47 percent said they used contraception.

The experts said Korea's sex education system is behind the times, making it less useful for young people.

"The curriculum of public schools is more focused on college entrance exams," the researchers said. "Therefore, the educators spend less time on physical education and teach sex education in a one-time event.

"Like the Netherlands and Switzerland, Korea should provide practical educational programs to students so they can prevent unwanted pregnancies and have healthy sex lives."

In Korea, public schools are only required to provide 17 to 34 hours of sex education for teenagers a year.
By Kim Hyo-jin



The three main opposition parties rejected, Wednesday, President Park Geun-hye's offer for the National Assembly to select a new prime minister.



The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), the People's Party and the Justice Party instead decided to join a rally demanding Park's resignation, scheduled for Saturday near Cheong Wa Dae.



The move could deal a blow to Park, who is seeking to normalize state affairs and overcome a leadership crisis triggered by the corruption scandal involving her confidant Choi Soon-sil through cooperation with the opposition.



Amid a growing public outcry, Park asked the Assembly to pick a new prime minister, Tuesday, withdrawing her prior nomination of Kim Byong-joon, which was criticized by the opposition bloc as a unilateral move.



Calling the President's offer "not worth considering," the opposition leaders vowed to actively participate in the anti-Park rally instead of discussing potential candidates.



"It deserves no consideration," said Rep. Youn Kwan-suk, the DPK chief spokesman. "We decided to channel our energies into the upcoming rally as it will be a critical event reflecting the public call and sentiment."



Youn said the parties agreed to push for an independent counsel and an Assembly investigation into the scandal while urging the prosecution to conduct an exhaustive probe.



However, the parties were at odds over whether to demand Park step down, said People's Party spokesman Rep. Son Kum-ku.



"We couldn't discuss it further due to differences of opinion," he said. "But the DPK and People's Party agreed to call on the President to give up her ruling party membership."



The Justice Party remained adamant in its stance that Park be forced from office and the ruling party through major reforms, while the remaining opposition parties were reluctant to make such calls.



The spokesmen said the leaders will meet again after the rally to discuss how to make a joint move against the President.



Following Park's proposal Tuesday, the opposition parties criticized her for falling short of clarifying the scope of authority to be wielded by the new prime minister.



They argued that she should step aside from her governing role, handing full authority over to the new prime minister.



"Park failed to explain to what extent she will delegate her authority to the prime minister," said Rep. Park Jie-won, interim leader of the People's Party. "If our call is not heard, we will be raising candles along with the public on Nov. 12."



Earlier in the day, Bae Sung-rye, senior presidential secretary for public relations, reiterated in a meeting with reporters that the President will clearly guarantee that the new prime minister would strongly exercise all rights enshrined in the Constitution, including the right to recommend the dismissal of Cabinet members.



He also said if the parties recommend a suitable figure, Park would appoint him or her without delay.



Meanwhile, the ruling Saenuri Party urged the opposition parties to start talks to select the new prime minister in an effort to settle the political quandary.



It criticized the opposition parties for aggravating the situation, saying the President accepted all of their demands.



"They are forcing Park to give up her role as chief of state but it is not possible as the Constitution disallows the President from handing over the rights to exercise supreme command or proclaim martial law," Saenuri floor leader Chung Jin-suk said. "They are practically saying the President should step down."




U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has blasted the free trade agreement with South Korea as a destroyer of jobs in the American auto industry, not a creator as promised by the administration.

Trump made the accusations during a campaign speech in Ohio, one of the "rust belt" regions with declining economies, blaming free trade deals for job losses and other economic woes and accusing his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, of backing such agreements.

"Hillary Clinton supported and lobbied for the South Korea trade agreement, you know that one, that's been another disaster, on the promise of 75,000 new jobs. Instead, her trade deal destroyed 100,000 jobs, mostly in the auto industry," Trump said during the rally.

"And believe me, as you stand here today, your executives are negotiating deals to move businesses out of Ohio and into Mexico and other countries, because we have nobody to protect our companies and really nobody to protect our workers," he said.

The painstakingly negotiated Korea-U.S. FTA has been in effect since 2012 and has widely been considered a symbol of the economic alliance between the two countries. Attempts to revise or renegotiate the agreement could set off diplomatic tensions.












The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae will convene a session of the National Security Council on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the potential impact of the U.S. presidential election, officials in Seoul said.

South Korea has been carefully watching the U.S. presidential vote as its outcome will affect the Asian country's economic and diplomatic relations with its superpower ally.

Media reports showed that Republican candidate Donald Trump is ahead of his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as vote counting continues.

Trump's electoral win would foretell a change in the relationship between Seoul and Washington, analysts here said, as on the stump, the real estate tycoon has made a series of disturbing remarks that questioned the economic value of the security alliance and belittled the bilateral free trade agreement as a "disaster."

Meanwhile, observers said a win by the former secretary of state would largely mean policy continuity given that she, along with her policy aides, spearheaded Washington's ongoing strategic refocus on the Asia-Pacific -- also known as the "pivot to Asia" -- following a decade of ground warfare in the Middle East.

Mindful of concerns about any shift in the bilateral relationship, officials from both Seoul and Washington have repeatedly said that the alliance would remain strong regardless of who will be at the helm of the world's most powerful nation.

The U.S. election came as the two countries have been seeking to bolster security cooperation in the face of an increasingly provocative North Korea. (Yonhap)
Donald Trump



By Lee Han-soo



Donald Trump's election as the next U.S. President is expected to put the free trade pact between South Korean and the U.S. in grave jeopardy.

Trump has repeatedly blasted the deal as "catastrophic" and "unfair" to the U.S.

"Hillary rammed through the job-killing trade deal with South Korea in 2011," Trump said during a campaign stop in Ashburn, Virginia, on Aug 2. "That South Korean deal is a disaster for us."

Trump also said South Korea was laughing at the U.S. over the FTA.

"Hillary's Korea deal, South Korea, cost us another 100,000 jobs," Trump said at a campaign rally in Nevada on Oct. 5. "Remember that? It was supposed to be a good deal. It cost us jobs, tremendous numbers of jobs. And South Korea, like almost every other country, is laughing at how stupid we are."

Trump also claimed that the deal destroyed the auto industry.

"Hillary Clinton supported and lobbied for the South Korea trade agreement, you know that one, that's been another disaster, on the promise of 75,000 new jobs," Trump said during a rally in Ohio, one of the "rust belt" regions with declining economies, on Oct. 27. "Instead, her trade deal destroyed 100,000 jobs, mostly in the auto industry."

Trump is expected to seek renegotiation of the Korea trade deal if he is elected to the White House. Though he has not directly mentioned such a possibility, aides have long said the real-estate businessman wants to reevaluate, or go back to "ground-zero," on free trade agreements.

The painstakingly negotiated Korea-U.S. FTA has been in effect since 2012 and has widely been considered a symbol of the economic alliance between the two countries. Attempts to revise or renegotiate the agreement could set off diplomatic tensions.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) said in a report in late June that the Korea deal has been good for American interests, saying the agreement is estimated to have improved bilateral merchandise trade balances by $15.8 billion last year.
Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, left, and Defense Minister Han Min-koo attend a meeting with lawmakers of the ruling Saenuri Party to discuss possible effects of the U.S. presidential election on South Korea, at the National Assembly, Wednesday. / Yonhap



NSC holds meeting to discuss possible impact on alliance



By Yi Whan-woo

South Korea is bracing for possible pressure from the United States to overhaul mutual security and foreign policies after Donald Trump was elected as the next U.S. president, Wednesday.

Cheong Wa Dae convened a National Security Council (NSC) meeting to assess the impact of the U.S. presidential election on South Korea.

NSC chief Kim Kwan-jin presided over the meeting, attended by key security and economic officials, and reported countermeasures to President Park Geun-hye, according to the presidential office.

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se assured those present that the Seoul-Washington alliance will remain unchanged. He also said ministry officials will communicate with relevant members of the U.S. presidential transition team to cooperate on issues on the Korean Peninsula.

But the mood here is somewhat pessimistic following the unexpected election results.

"We're in very, very serious trouble," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University. "The decades-long alliance between the two nations is now facing a test and we should prepare to confront all possible risks."

Some analysts downplayed the Republican candidate's pledges concerning sharing of defense costs with Seoul, possible talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Seoul's possible nuclear armament as "unrealistic," claiming such rhetoric was merely aimed at wooing white working-class voters.

Advocating an "America first" view, Trump has been insisting on South Korea paying more for its defense if it wants to maintain 28,000 American troops here against North Korea's military threats.

He once threatened to pull out U.S. forces if South Korea does not pay "very substantially." He called it "peanuts" even though Seoul agreed to pay 920 billion won ($886 million) in 2014 under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).

"It will not just be the military alliance that will be affected by Trump's victory," Park said. "Possible negotiations over sharing defense costs can also hurt diplomatic relations and even public sentiment toward the U.S."

He cited that many South Koreans tend to view the SOFA between the two allies as biased in favor of the American side.

"Any sign of being too submissive toward a Trump administration in military negotiations can lead to anti-government and anti-U.S. sentiment," Park said.

Trump, who has been underscoring an isolationist foreign policy, indicated that South Korea and Japan might need to obtain their own nuclear arsenals to counter North Korea's evolving nuclear threats despite concerns of a nuclear arms race in East Asia.

Cheong Seong-chang, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute, said the government should pursue "fundamental changes" in its policies on diplomacy, security and Korean reunification.

"Under a Trump presidency, it is possible Japan may opt for nuclear armament even if we don't," Cheong said. "South Korea has been relying on the nuclear umbrella provided by the U.S. The government now should actively consider taking responsibility for its own security for a healthier and balanced alliance with the U.S. from now on.'"

Regarding relations with North Korea, Trump said he is willing to invite young dictator Kim Jong-un to the U.S.

But this does not mean Trump will be interested in resuming dialogue with North Korea or actively intervening to stop Pyongyang's nuclear program, according to analysts.

They speculated that Trump, who has been known for his unpredictability, may launch a nuclear strike against North Korea if he finds the Kim Jong-un regime's advance in nuclear and ballistic missile program "intolerable."

"Trump once said he will press China to exercise more leverage on North Korea but it's unlikely he will do so considering his isolationist policy," said Paik Hak-soon, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute.

Park agreed. "Trump may let South Korea, Japan and other relevant countries deal with North Korea's nukes," he said.

"He will only pay attention to Pyongyang's nuclear program if he finds that it becomes a real threat to the U.S. He may order bombing of North Korea."
By Kang Seung-woo

President Park Geun-hye congratulated Donald Trump on being elected as the 45th president of the United States, Wednesday.

"Park sent a congratulatory message to President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence on winning the election, hoping for closer cooperation between the two nations on North Korea's nuclear issue and a stronger ROK-U.S. alliance," presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk said.

The government will work closely with the incoming U.S. administration for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, in Northeast Asia and beyond on the back of the deepening and developing alliance, Jung said.

Trump is scheduled to take office on Jan. 20, 2017.
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) President Kim In-chul, left, stands in his office on the campus in eastern Seoul with Park Myung-seok, second from left, chairman of Jinseok Company who has donated more than 200 million won to the university since 2006, after naming one of the lecture rooms after Park to honor his contribution, Wednesday. The other dignitaries are Lee Jin-sil, second from right, Park's wife, and Kim You-kyung, vice president of external affairs and development at HUFS. / Courtesy of HUFS



By Chung Hyun-chae



Park Myung-seok, the chairman of lease business operator Jinseok Company, has been donating to Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), his alma mater, to help nurture global talent.



Honoring his decades-long contribution, the school named one of its lecture rooms "Myung Seok Park Lecture Room" after Park's name, Wednesday.



"HUFS should play a leading role in cultivating globally minded students who have a good command of English and can embrace other cultures," Park told The Korea Times.



He especially stressed the importance of English writing to stay ahead of fierce competition in the global market.



"If you are a businessman, you should at least be able to write a clear English email to your foreign partner," Park said.



This is why he donates 10 million won every year to HUFS to hold an English essay contest. Three departments of the College of English  English Linguistics, English Literature and Culture, and English for International Conferences and Communication  take turns holding the contest.



"I hope the essay contest will continue to be held at this lecture room named after me," Park said.



Park, who is also the head of Beautiful Community, a volunteer service group, also provides 5 million won every year to help underprivileged students read The Korea Times to study English.



The total amount Park has donated to the university since 2006 has amounted to more than 200 million won.



He also emphasized the importance of teaching intercultural communication skills to students.



"It is important to have both linguistic and cultural competence to understand and respect other countries' cultures so that they could ensure competitiveness in this globalized society," he said. "I also hope that HUFS will provide more intercultural communication-related lectures to students in this lecture room."



He established the Korea Communication Association in 1976. And he was a founding member of the Pacific and Asian Communication Association (PACA), which encompasses the Pacific Rim region. He is now an advisor to the World Communication Association.



Park graduated from HUFS with a BA in English language in 1961 and attended graduate school at Seoul National University from 1961 to 1964. He received a Ph.D. in literature from HUFS in 1974, then served as professor at HUFS from 1968 to 1983.
'Pirates Of The Caribbean 5' to have different subtitles in different nations

'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales' poster shows lead actor Johnny Depp. (Photo : YouTube/HQ)

"Pirates of the Caribbean" will be released with different subtitles in different countries. A recent report stated that Disney is planning to come up with separate titles for the movie releasing in France, Spain, and Italy for reasons yet unknown.



While the fifth film in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise will continue to be subtitled "Dead Men Tell No Tales" in the United States, the film will be known as "Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge" in the United Kingdom. In France, Italy and Spain, the movie will be titled "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Revenge of Salazar," Slash Film reported.



Advertisement

The production house is yet to explain the reason behind the move. The trailer shows that Salazar is the name of the main villain who is a ghostly pirate. The character is played by Javier Bardem.



Captain Salazar has just escaped from the Devil's Triangle, and is on the hunt for Captain Jack Sparrow. As we saw in the trailer below, Salazar tells a young man to find Sparrow and inform him that death is coming for him.



While the viewers are still wondering why Disney decided to come up with different titles, some fans have claimed that Disney wants to stress on the fact that the upcoming movie is more about Captain Salazar than Jack Sparrow. The popular character is played by iconic actor Johnny Depp.



The popularity of Depp's character was considered one of the primary reasons behind the franchise's success. However, in the wake of the divorce proceeding and physical abuse allegations levied against him by his estranged wife Amber Rose, Depp's popularity has witnessed a sharp decline in the recent times.



If the perceived reason behind the production house's move is true, fans may not see Depp or his character Sparrow in case the franchise plans another sequel in upcoming years. It is also rumored that Disney wants a young star to lead the film appealing to the younger generation.



Since the upcoming sequel is expected to be Depp's last movie of the franchise, fans are wondering if Sparrow is finally going to settle down. The spoiler of the movie suggests that Sparrow, who is in search of the Trident of Poseidon as a weapon to fend off Salazar, will meet a woman named Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario). She is also on a quest for the trident and will eventually become his love interest, Headlines & Global News reported.



Watch the trailer of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men No Tales" below:






Lt. Gen. Thomas S. Vandal, the commander of the Eighth U.S. Army

By Chung Hyun-chae



Despite increasing threats from North Korea and the political situation in the United States, the Korea-U.S. alliance will continue to strengthen and deter threats from North Korea, the commander of the Eighth U.S. Army said Tuesday.



"I want to reassure you the center of gravity of the ROK-U.S. relationship is the alliance that we have. What I am describing is that this alliance has never been stronger and more ready and poised for any threat from North Korea at any time," Lieutenant General Thomas S. Vandal, the commanding general of the Eight U.S. Army, said during a special lecture at Seoul Cyber University in northern Seoul, Wednesday.



"Our alliance has never been more prepared to defend the ROK in order to achieve the ultimate goal of reunification," he added.



The theme of his lecture was the strengthening of Korea-U.S. alliance.



"Regardless of the outcome of the election in the U.S., you will see continuity of our policy and you'll see enduring commitment to this alliance," Lt. Gen. Vandal said.



He mentioned growing threats from North Korea several times as its leader Kim Jong-un continues to emphasize the development of his ballistic missile program and weapons of mass destruction.



Seoul Cyber University and the National Unification Advisory Council held this special lecture to raise national security awareness.



Lee Se-ung, board chair of Seoul Cyber University, is vice chairman of the council.



More than 500 people including the council members as well as faculty, students and parents of Seoul Cyber University, plus Shinil High School, Shinil Middle School which are under the Shinil Educational Foundation, attended the lecture.



"The ROK-U.S. alliance is not only strong and ready to defend this peninsula but it has also been able to meet some global security challenges that we share mutual interest in, including peacekeeping activities, stabilization, reconstruction effort and disaster relief," Vandal added.
Han Ji-hye, right, teaches her classmates about tropical savanna climate during a geography class at Baebang High School in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, Oct. 31. / Courtesy of Baebang High School



Flipped learning immerses students in class



By Chung Hyun-chae



ASAN, South Chungcheong Province  Contrary to concerns that students can hardly concentrate on studying in activity-centered classrooms, students at Baebang High School in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, said they gain a deeper knowledge of geography while teaching their friends during class.



"While explaining what I've studied to my friends, I can summarize the main points of the learning material," Han Ji-hye, 17, a second-grader at the high school, told The Korea Times during her geography class on Oct. 31.



Han was explaining to her classmates about the tropical savanna climate during the class. That way, she repeated what she had learned to five groups of students.

According to Han, every student should study the section assigned to them before coming to class so that they can explain their part to other students. Every time different students play the role of "teacher."



This kind of learning is called "flipped learning," in which students learn new content in advance outside of the classroom and discuss it in class, engaging in "peer teaching," which allows them to learn from one another.



"I realized that the memory lingered longer when teaching my friends the same thing several times and being taught by them than when I passively listened to lectures," Han added.



Geum Min-jeong, Han's classmate, said she can study geography, a subject which requires memorization, more efficiently in that she only has to study some parts of the subject and then listen to her friends who studied different parts.



"Knowing basic concepts and terms is not enough to explain to other people; I have to fully understand the material," Geum said. "The students, my peers, who can explain in plain words, help me understand the material better."



Geum said the flipped classroom has encouraged her to study even harder not to cause any trouble for her friends.



"If I don't study and prepare for the class, I will waste other students' time during the class, which motivates me to study harder," she said.



Geum said her average geography score increased by over 10 points after taking part in the flipped classroom.



For Im Su-bin, another student, flipped learning is effective in that she can ask questions whenever she has any.



"Unlike in the past when I hesitated to ask a single question of the teacher during class, now I can ask my friends freely and we can hunt for the right answers together," Im said.



For this, students are allowed to use their smartphones only during the geography class so that they can search on the internet to find answers to their questions.





Cho Mi-kyeong

Cho Mi-kyeong, the geography teacher, began the flipped classroom in March 2015.



She adopted the method after taking a training session at the regional education office in November 2014 on how to run the flipped classroom.



The basic concept of the flipped classroom is to reverse the traditional education model by delivering instructional content, often online, outside of the classroom. In Cho's class, however, students do almost everything. They make teaching and learning materials without any content provided by the teacher.



"The key in running a flipped classroom is to reduce teacher-led education and to allow students to teach each other and pursue the quest for knowledge on their own," Cho said.



More than five teachers from other schools in the province visited Cho's class on the same day to adapt her teaching methods in their classes.



"I saw that students can improve their presentation skills as well from the flipped classroom," Seo Eun-soon, a teacher at Yeonhwa Elementary School, said.
By Mark Leonard



LONDON - British Prime Minister Theresa May once warned her fellow Conservatives of the perils of being known as the "nasty party." But after 100 days in office, she is in danger of going further, turning the United Kingdom into the nasty country.



In just a few months, May has launched attacks on "international elites" and decided to prioritize immigration controls over single-market access in negotiating the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. At one point recently, companies faced the threat of being compelled to furnish a list of their foreign workers. And the 3.5 million European citizens who are settled in the UK were left to worry about whether May's government would guarantee their residence rights.



It did not take long for the normalization of nationalist rhetoric to affect the daily lives of Britain's immigrant population. Indeed, hate crimes began to proliferate almost immediately after June's Brexit referendum  even before May took power. Her government's attitude seems to be a symptom, rather than a cause, of a broader nativist revival in Britain.



This revival has come on fairly quickly. As recently as the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the UK was showing a very different face to the world: welcoming, connected, and self-confident in its diversity. The current surge in identity politics seems to reflect a backlash against all that openness. In fact, Britain seems to be oscillating between inclusion and exclusion  and has been for four decades.



When Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister in the 1980s, she promoted exclusion, defining British identity with reference to its enemies  and not just external foes, like the Soviet Union or the European Commission. There was no shortage of domestic villains: trade unions, miners, teachers, doctors, the BBC, ethnic minorities, the Scots, the Welsh, and Irish Catholics.



By the time John Major took over the premiership in 1990, there was a sense of national malaise, fueled by anguish about Europe and frustration with the declining prestige of British institutions. In 1995, opinion polls showed that only a minority of the country felt "British," while many groups  namely young people, ethnic minorities, Londoners, Scots, and Welsh  felt poorly represented.



It was around that time that I, a precocious 23-year-old, became embroiled in the debate about national identity. In 1997, a few months after the election of Tony Blair and a few days after the death of Princess Diana, I wrote a report arguing that, instead of mourning the death of the old narratives, we should celebrate the birth of new ones, reflecting pride in our past successes, while touting our creativity, diversity, and openness to business.



The point of my report, which was credited with spawning the political and media effort to rebrand the UK known as Cool Britannia, was to recognize Britain as a "silent revolutionary" that constantly renews itself, rather than basking in tradition. I was advocating a kind of progressive patriotism  one that was soon embraced by Britain's political class, beginning with Blair himself.



To my surprise, when the Conservative Party started to renew itself under May's predecessor, David Cameron, it focused on celebrating an inclusive national identity. Cameron and former London Mayor Boris Johnson, who now serves as foreign secretary, represented the modern, outward-looking, multiracial, multi-ethnic Britain that was broadcast to the world in the electrifying Olympic opening ceremony in 2012.



To be sure, within a couple of years, Cameron was calling for the Brexit referendum in a bid for votes, and Johnson was stepping up as a leader of the "Leave" campaign. Nonetheless, they did not unravel the progress of the previous years.



A major opinion poll recently showed that almost a third of England's people feel "very positive towards our multicultural society," up from 24% in 2011. Meanwhile, the proportion of Britons who are most strongly hostile to immigration and a multicultural society has declined, from 13% to 8%. As The Economist's Jeremy Cliffe argued in a 2015 paper, factors like rising racial diversity, a more educated citizenry, urbanization, and increased variety in family structure seems to be giving rise to "an emerging cosmopolitan majority" in the UK.



As with any major social shift, diversity has its detractors. White, English, working-class men over the age of 55 feel particularly excluded from the progressive version of patriotism, and fear becoming a minority in their "own" country. (According to data cited by Cliffe, the majority of the UK's population will be non-white by 2070.) So they are revolting against cosmopolitanism  and May is playing to the crowd.



Some fear that this is the new normal. When May's government first threatened to force companies to list foreign workers, I was dining with tech entrepreneurs from other EU countries who are settled in the UK. They joked darkly about being forced to wear blue stars on their clothes, speculating that the 1990s could one day be seen as an Anglo-Saxon version of Germany's ill-fated Weimar period. That may be a stretch, but concerns that May's decision to vacate the political center could represent a long-term reversal of Britain's political moderation are very real.



Fortunately, however, the long-term trend seems to be toward inclusion, even if the UK takes a couple of steps backward today. Even May herself, in her recent attack on cosmopolitanism, inadvertently celebrated Britain for precisely the achievements that its cosmopolitanism has enabled, from its outsize share of Nobel Prizes to the City of London's financial clout.



Nonetheless, as the Brexit vote highlighted, Britain's success is fragile. And the surge in hate crimes shows that the emerging cosmopolitan majority cannot simply sit back and wait for history to do its work. It must offer a new kind of politics that places a wedge between genuine fears and isolationism. It must show how Britain can reinvent its economy and state to deliver equitable growth, thereby regaining its agency in the world. And it must offer new ways to build solidarity and advance inclusion. Britain must not be allowed to become the nasty country.



Mark Leonard is Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations.




South Korea and Japan are set to hold working-level talks in Seoul on Wednesday on a bilateral pact to share military intelligence on North Korea.



Expectations are growing that the two sides would conclude the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) since they resumed negotiations in Tokyo last week after a botched attempt four years ago in the face of public opposition in Seoul.



Defense and foreign affairs officials from the two neighbors will attend the second round of working-level talks. the Ministry of National Defense said.



"The wording of the pact currently under review is not different from that of the agreement discussed in 2012," said a ministry official. "We expect that the two sides would finalize the pact's wording soon."



In 2012, the two nations initialed the pact but Seoul suspended its signing due to strong opposition from opposition parties and civic groups. They claimed the deal was arranged too hastily and behind the scenes.



Seoul and Tokyo, which are still in historical rows, are seeking to conclude the pact by the end of this year in a move that they say is aimed at countering North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats.



North Korea has made strides in developing its nuclear and missile programs. Pyongyang conducted two nuclear tests this year alone following detonations of nuclear devices in 2006, 2009 and 2013.



Defying international condemnation, North Korea has also test-fired more than 20 ballistic missiles so far this year including intermediate-range Musudan and submarine-launched missiles.



The military pact, if clinched, will likely set the stage for both countries to share more extensive military information on North Korea. Seoul will get access to intelligence collected by Japan's surveillance satellites and Aegis-equipped destroyers.



In December 2014, South Korea, the United States and Japan signed a preliminary deal that calls for voluntary sharing of military secrets on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.



The deal paved the way for Seoul and Tokyo to share such intelligence via the U.S. after their bilateral pact fell through in 2012.



Defense Minister Han Min-koo told lawmakers on Tuesday that the pact would help Seoul counter threats from North Korea's submarine-launched ballistic missiles.



But opposition lawmakers said that it is still inappropriate to clinch the bilateral information-sharing accord, given Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has not sincerely apologized for Japan's wartime wrongdoings while moving to boost Japan's military power. (Yonhap)




Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump won't take any options off the table in dealing with North Korea, including a strike on the communist nation, top foreign policy advisers to the two sides said Tuesday.

"The secretary and her team have made clear that North Korea is an urgent matter that requires focused American attention working closely with allies and partners," former Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, a key adviser to Clinton, said during a discussion in Washington in response to a question about pre-emptive military action against the North.

"As Secretary Sherman, Vice President-elect Kaine, others have indicated, we're not going to take any options off the table at this time," Campbell said, referring to former Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine.

Sherman, a top foreign policy brain for Clinton, said during an international conference in Seoul earlier Tuesday that every possible tool, including military action, should be used to denuclearize the North.

Kaine also said during a vice presidential debate last week the U.S. should take action against imminent threats.

Campbell spoke at a discussion organized by the Korea Economic Institute. Also attending the event was Peter Hoekstra, a former congressman who is in Trump's campaign.

Hoekstra also said Trump won't take any options off the table.

"I think Mr. Trump has been very, very clear about when it comes to our national security, whether it's throughout the Middle East or whether it's in Korea, or whether it's the continuing evolving threat from Russia, that he'll do two things: He won't take options off the table and he won't release a lot of clear signals to people about at least short- and medium-term objectives as to what we may be doing," he said.

"Obviously, you have got to establish parameters in terms of where your foreign policy is operating from and what's acceptable and what's not. But I think the statement that at least as we enter into the next set of negotiations with our friends in the region as to where we're going to go, all the options at least initially are going to be on the table," he said.

As to how to deal with the North, Campbell said the immediate focus should be "almost exclusively on tightening the sanctions" on the North, rather than trying to reopen negotiations with Pyongyang. The U.S. should also try to have a "different kind of conversation with China" to elicit its cooperation in pressuring the North, he said.

"The almost exclusive economic and commercial partner of North Korea is China. China has played a remarkable role in some kinds of interactions. We have to go directly to China and make clear that we want to work with you on these steps in terms of financial sanctions and the like, but if you have inhibitions about working with us, we're going to be prepared to take these steps alone," Campbell said.












By Yi Whan-woo



Concerns are growing that South Korea is not sufficiently encouraging the international community to adopt new sanctions against North Korea following the scandal-ridden President Park Geun-hye's decision to skip this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Summit.



Analysts said Wednesday that such a decision "adds to woes" over the delay at the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) in passing a stronger resolution on Pyongyang in response to its fifth nuclear test.



They said the President is missing a chance to convince other heads of states to show and share Seoul's determination to press the Kim Jong-un regime harder.



The APEC summit, which will run in Lima, Peru, from Nov. 19 to 20, will be attended by U.S. President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladmir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.



The four countries were all members of the six-party talks aimed at the denuclearization of North Korea. China and Russia, also veto-wielding members of the UNSC, are believed to be reluctant to adopt a new resolution against the Kim regime.



"It's true South Korea cannot directly influence the UNSC to adopt fresh new sanctions against North Korea. But there are still many roles that Park could play, such as meeting and talking with other world leaders," said Paik Hak-soon, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute. "And it's regretful she decided not to attend the summit in Peru due to domestic affairs."



Paik pointed out that the Ministry of Foreign Affair's announcement, Tuesday, concerning Park's absence at the APEC meeting comes amid a scandal surrounding her longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil that surfaced last October.



The ministry denied speculation that the scandal affected Park, who is losing her grip on state affairs, in her decision to skip the APEC summit. It will be the first time for a South Korean leader to miss the summit since it began in 1993.



"The APEC summit has been critical for our leader to enhance ties with other heads of states, especially in terms of cooperation on security on the Korean Peninsula," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University.



APEC, with 21 members, focuses on sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the region. North Korea is not a member.




By Kyung Moon Hwang

One of Karl Marx's most famous observations was that history tends to repeat itself, first as a tragedy, then as a farce. It is difficult to discern, however, whether the current crisis surrounding President Park Geun-hye and her longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil constitutes more of a tragedy or a farce.

The farce is that, once again, we have a major scandal involving bribery and influence-peddling by people close to the President during the closing stages of her term. This has become predictable almost to the point of ridiculousness.

Indeed, in an age of relentless social media, just hints of dubious behavior have led to wild speculation that Park, immersed in a cult founded by Choi's deceased father, turned to Choi to act as a kind of shaman sorceress in making presidential decisions. This notion is patently absurd, but the fact that such an idea has gained traction is telling, as it points to another repeating pattern in Korean history, one with much deeper origins.

Since the ancient era, a tension between "high" and "low" religion has periodically arisen in the political realm. Early Buddhist clerics skillfully absorbed the underlying shamanistic character of popular devotion in order to spread their teachings and gain access to political power, and monarchs in turn relied on Buddhist scholars and monks for advice, spiritual comfort and legitimacy. But Buddhist clerics who could channel personal charisma or popular followings for political purposes also represented a looming danger.

Occasionally a monk gained tremendous influence over political rulers, resulting in crises and even emergencies. In the Goryeo era, for example, the monk Myocheong appeared to hold King Injong under a spell before instigating a major rebellion, and later the monk Sin Don gained such sway over King Gongmin that Sin effectively controlled the court.

The Confucian scholar-officials who founded and maintained the succeeding Joseon Kingdom were determined to eliminate this religious influence over state affairs. They tried to preserve a strong separation between what they considered the realm of rational politics and that of popular religion, namely Buddhism and shamanism. They tore down Buddhist temples in urban centers and even banned Buddhist clerics from the capital.

For the most part, despite the idiosyncrasies of individual monarchs, the Joseon Kingdom succeeded in limiting such religious influence. In the 19th century, however, three enormous rebellions (1811, 1862 and 1894) shook the country, two of them inspired by popular religions. Even the uprising of 1862, not directly instigated by religious fervor, led quickly to the state execution of a budding spiritual leader, the founder of the Donghak movement.

When Donghak followers, three decades later in 1894, drove the largest revolt in Joseon history, it seemed to validate the elites' longstanding fear of popular religions. Indeed, the Korean government, even while loosening the prohibitions against Buddhism, restricted the work of shamans and other similar figures.

When the Japanese took over in 1910, the colonial regime further systematized this approach. While the government recognized major religions such as Buddhism and Christianity, it labeled smaller religious groups and movements as pseudo-religions and greatly suppressed their activities on fears that, like Donghak, they could lead to social and political instability.

South Koreans today seem largely to maintain this view that a modern political order is incompatible with popular religious practices and practitioners, especially those who draw on primal religious tendencies. But there is nothing illegal or even particularly wrong with a president practicing her personal religious beliefs, whether they be an institutionalized religion or shamanism. Shamanistic ceremonies appear regularly in public rituals, in fact, as they are seen as representative of core Korean traditions.

So the widespread condemnation of President Park's superstitious turn to a shaman or cult is itself somewhat farcical. Furthermore it hides the more sincerely tragic elements of this scandal, which revolve around the central problem with her standing and authority: The support for her was always based on her ancestry, not her personal qualifications. She is, in some ways, a victim of this tragically repetitive historical farce.

Park Geun-hye was raised in sheltered surroundings as the daughter of the ruling president, and in her young adulthood she experienced the assassination of both her mother and her father. Could we really have expected anything resembling a realistic perspective on society by someone with such a background? It would be more surprising if she had NOT been exploited eventually by shady people who provided her comfort and easy explanations for her ordeals.

And yet, none of these considerations prevented hordes of political opportunists and millions of elderly supporters from elevating Park toward the presidency over the past two decades, based solely on her ancestry. This was a farce from the start: Park"s return to public life began when she won the election as assemblywoman for a district in Daegu, her father's regional power base. Granted, she was born in Daegu, but she had spent almost all her life in Seoul.

That this and other absurdities seem not to have mattered has forced the country to face, again and again, the long-term consequences of South Korea's dictatorial past.

As Americans now confront an unprecedented crisis by disregarding the dangers of dictatorship, I hope that South Koreans, at least, can overcome their history by resisting its tempting repetitions."

Kyung Moon Hwang is a professor in the Departments of History and East Asian Languages and Cultures, University of Southern California. He is the author of "History of Korea: An Episodic Narrative" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016). Checkhttp://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/category/subsection?33.html
By Oh Young-jin

Don't whine. Don't even think of suggesting a recount.

If one does either of the two, it could mean that he or she doesn't understand the dynamic underneath this expected but unexpected victory. Most media outlets took in their disdain and fear for the man who is "all too human," or in other words falls short of a decent man by normal standards. The result was their lopsided prediction for the victory of his opponent Hillary Clinton until they were pressed to the wire.

Those last-minute predictions proved true.

Incredible as it may sound, it's Donald Trump's victory, but at the same time it is not his.

Although his presidential privileges won't be diminished a bit, it is worth noting he has just acted as an avatar for the disenfranchised. There are many layers of irony. Trump is an aristocratic, mercantilist, male chauvinist, who happened to serve as a lightning rod for ordinary people. He has been in the position of saying, "You're fired," but has also ridden on the frustration of people on the receiving end of his firing squad.

This is not the first time. After the surprising June 23 British vote for an exit from the European Union, it is not the masses but their supercilious well-heeled, royal college-educated parliamentarians who have taken the job of executing their will. If it was meant to be a revolution, it was a half-successful one not because the process has been halted by a court but because a different cast from the same ruling class has been put in charge.

Therefore, the function of irony, the rhetorical application, has met the end of its day.

Whether he likes it or not, Trump is now saddled with their collective desire and there is no turning back for him. He is the icon of the people he is expected to be least capable of representing.

What made this mismatch possible?

From the viewpoint of U.S. domestic politics, Trump's rise has been overanalyzed  a last-ditch attempt for the less-educated, left-behind class of white Americans to wrest back control of the nation before the demographics change and make it impossible, their wrath against the first black man's rule, their unwillingness to accept a woman as president and the shallowness of Americanism itself.

These white, male and American concerns have metastasized more concretely into enthusiasm for Trump's suggestions of building a wall to fend off Mexican rapists (more American was his suggestion of having Mexico pay for it), keeping Muslims out of America, getting even with the Chinese challenge for global hegemony and forcing its allies  South Korea and Europe  to stop being freeloaders and pay for their defense. It remains to be seen whether or more exactly how far Trump can go in implementing these.

Although the impact could be enormous in the U.S. and internationally, the business of the first order is to understand the depth of popular frustration that propelled Trump to the throne of American democracy. The reason for that is the likelihood that the Trump victory is one of the first harbingers of more to come. After Brexit, the world has still been in denial. It remains to be seen how it will react to the Trump victory. Then from Trump's point of view, a failure to irrigate the public antipathy that enabled him to win the presidency can also deprive him of much of his political capital, if not the mandate in its entirety.

The common currency that fueled Brexit and Trump's rise is the popular feeling of betrayal that democracy and capitalism as we know them are losing their relevance. Democracy is the rule of a majority but it has been distorted to serve a minority with capitalism being their friendly tool. The result is the rich getting richer, and the poor getting poorer. Now, those fat cats are bringing in the fourth industrial revolution  automation for the maximization of profits at the expense of the majority.

The majority have sent their signals  the Occupy Wall Street movement and similar movements that followed across the world. Most of them were the strong manifestation of the frustration of the masses that came close to civil disobedience. Then came Brexit. In Korea, we have seen many events similar in character and different in size to the Brits' momentous decision  the 2002 presidential election of President Roh Moo-hyun, a man with humble beginnings who rose to power through young people's rejection of the status quo.

In Trump's victory, the majority has spoken again.

This warning can be ignored like before to give it a chance to morph into an even bigger Kraken that can sweep the world with a greater degree of ferocity. The chance is that even Trump doesn't know what he is getting into. But let's give him the benefit of the doubt for now. Let's summon up our sense of optimism and put on hold our fear of the rule of Donald the Vulgar. Let's concentrate on the benefits of his victory  for one, the Shumpeterian possibility of destruction for constructive purposes. Let's remind ourselves that this election is not about one person but is a vehicle for taking power back. Naive, maybe.



Oh Young-jin is The Korea Times' chief editorial writer. Contact foolsdie@ktimes.com and foolsdie@gmail.com.
By Kim Rahn

With a journalist for a mother, my eight-year-old daughter has been "forced" to watch the evening news at home for the past weeks; her mother has had to watch the news for developments regarding the massive scandal involving President Park Geun-hye's confidant Choi Soon-sil, even after coming home from work.

At first, the first grader had no idea who Park and Choi are or even what a President really is. She had no idea what they did and why all the news outlets are making a fuss about the issue. She just hoped her mom would stop watching the news so that she could watch more cartoons.

But eventually, she began to show interest in the issue, which may be inevitable as she has heard the name "Choi Soon-sil" about 100 times from one news program alone. And she began to ask questions, to which I had to give as simple an answer as possible for her to understand.

"Who is Park Geun-hye?" "She is the President of Korea." "What is a President?" "It is like the principal in your school. It is the leader of the country."

"Who is Choi Soon-sil?" "She is the President's friend."

Then she asked what "haya" means  it is a Korean word for the resignation of high-ranking officials, specifically of the President.

"Why do people say Park should resign?" "Choi did something wrong, and Park let her do it, so people are angry." "Oh, then Park needs to resign."

The child's mom and dad were startled at her comment  Park needs to resign  which was bold and may have been considered so profane in the 1960s or 1970s that her parents would have been put in jail by the intelligence agency. Not caring about her startled parents, the girl chanted slogans she heard in the news: "Park Geun-hye must step down!"

And after seeing on TV the candlelight vigil in downtown Seoul Saturday, she urged her mom and dad to take her there, even though she had no idea what a rally means. I found out some friends of hers went to the protest with their parents. Fortunately, no violence occurred in the demonstration and everybody returned home safely.

Throughout this series of incidents, I wonder how my girl and her friends would view a President. Will they think a President is a bad person? Will they think a President can change according to what the people want?

In my parents' time, a President meant an almost almighty power, mainly because of the dictatorship of former President Park Chung-hee, the current President's father. Those who were against the President were subject to punishment, including imprisonment, or worse, death. Such experience has made my parents' generation believe a President is someone whose power cannot be challenged, even after the dictatorial regime has passed.

In contrast, one of the most significant political events my generation has witnessed is the impeachment of former President Roh Moo-hyun. In 2003, the National Assembly, dominated by the then opposition Grand National Party, the predecessor of the current ruling Saenuri Party, passed the impeachment motion for Roh for illegal electioneering only because he made supportive comments about his party.

With this impeachment, a President has become a person whose authority can be challenged and who can be stripped of power. But it was still the politicians, not the people themselves, who stripped the President of his power.

Now, in the 2010s, the younger generation is witnessing that the people can demand a President's resignation if he or she has done something egregious, that there is no absolute power and that it is the people, not the President, who have the real power.

These concepts may not be something my daughter needs to know at her age. Children and teenagers may be too young to fully understand the current scandal and ensuing protests. But I believe, and hope, their experience about the scandal will influence them positively when they become the mainstream members of the society and help them create a better future for themselves and the generations to come.
Lawmakers are pushing for legislation to confiscate the illicitly amassed fortune of President Park Geun-hye's longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil, who is now under investigation, and that of her family members.



A new special law is needed to do so because currently there are no legal grounds for the state to seize real estate and assets accumulated through corrupt offenses by non-government officials. Especially given the public outrage against the Choi family due to the escalation of the scandal, few would oppose the legislation.



It is unknown how much Choi's wealth is, but she is believed to have accumulated 30 billion won at least. Fortunes possessed by the whole Choi family, including her sisters and relatives, might amount to hundreds of billions of won.



Choi Tae-min, her late father and the leader of a dubious religious cult, allegedly began to extort black money from businesses in the 1970s under the patronage of Park, who then played the role of first lady following the assassination of her mother. Choi Soon-sil also followed in the footsteps of her father and amassed a massive fortune by establishing two nonprofit foundations, using her 40-year relationship with President Park.



But it's not easy to prove that the fortune of the Choi family was piled up illicitly 30 to 40 years ago, much less punish the alleged offenders. Nor is it easy to push for retroactive legislation, considering the law's possible unconstitutionality.



Even so, that's not entirely impossible, given the precedent of a law enacted in 2013 to seize ill-gotten wealth by former presidents.



According to news reports, the administration of former liberal President Kim Dae-jung conducted a tax audit into the Choi family and secured considerable amounts of documents about their fortune. These materials are classified confidential until 2030.



What's most urgent is to figure out the whole picture of the family's wealth. Already, there are allegations that one of Choi's relatives has offered a property in the southern resort island of Jeju for urgent sale at a bargain price. After that, it will be necessary to carry out an extensive probe of how they accumulated such a huge fortune. All of this should precede public debate on whether or not to introduce the legislation.



The latest influence-peddling and corruption scandal should not have happened. But it's worth it only if we can learn a lesson from the scandal that wealth accumulated through illicit means can be confiscated even several decades later. That is why we should make the Choi family pay the price even if we have to enact a special law.




Writer George R. R. Martin, winner of Outstanding Drama Series for 'Game of Thrones', poses in the press room at the 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 20, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo : Getty Images/Jason Meritt)

HBO has gone to extreme lengths to keep "Game of Thrones" a secret after several episodes from the fifth season were leaked online before its official broadcast. However, the network has once again suffered a major leak after plot details of the upcoming Season 7 made its way to the Internet.



A Reddit user named awayforthelads shared some major spoilers from next season on the internet community, including major character deaths and plot twists. Normally, fans would shrug off information like that as fan-made theory, but "Game of Thrones" fansite Watchers on the Wall also started confirming the detailed spoilers using sources and on-set photos. The Reddit user's account was also mysteriously removed.



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If the leak is anything to go by, fans will see Queen Cersei, Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow join forces to fight against the White Walkers in the upcoming season. Snow refuses to bend the knee for the Mother of Dragons, but agrees to give up his 'King of the North' title if she teams up with him against the humanoid ice creatures.



What happens next could be considered as one of the most epic scenes in "Game of Thrones" history. Cersei, Tyrion Lannister, Snow, Targaryen, Varys, Missandei, Qyburn, Euron Greyjoy, The Mountain and The Hound assemble in the Dragon Pit in King's Landing, where Snow has brought an undead wight as proof of the impending threat against the Seven Kingdoms.



Cersei agrees to help but goes back on her word when the time comes and instead sends her men north, in an attempt to make the most of the ongoing battle between the White Walkers and her weakened opponents. Disgusted by Cersei's move, Jamie Lannister rides north to join the fight against the Night's King.



Snow enlisted the likes of Tormund Giantsbane, Beric Dondarrion, The Hound, Thoros of Myr and Jorah in order to catch the wight, according to Daily Mail. However, they are attacked and surrounded by the White Walkers on an island encircled by a frozen lake.



The ensuing battle results in the deaths of Thoros, who is killed by a wight polar bear, as well as Snow's uncle Benjen as he tries to protect his nephew. The group is rescued by Targaryen and her three dragons, but one of her dragons, Viserion, is killed by the Night's King in the process. He later brings the dragon back to life as his own mount and uses the blue-fire breathing dragon to bring down The Wall.



If the leak is genuine, there is no doubt that the upcoming season will be an epic one for the fans. "Game of Thrones" Season 7 is expected to premiere in Summer 2017.



Watch the video below for more spoilers from the upcoming season:






A U.N. population organization has forecast a slight increase in the life expectancy for North Koreans this year from the previous year, a U.S. broadcaster, monitored here, reported Tuesday.

In its latest "State of World Population 2016" report, the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) predicted the life expectancies of North Korean males and females born from 2015-2020 at 67 and 75, respectively, the Radio Free Asia (RFA) said.

Comparable figures for males and females born from 2010-2015 were respectively 66 and 73.

The 2016 North Korean figures are still far cries from those of South Koreans -- 80 for male and 86 for female, according to the report.

North Korea's fertility rate is estimated at 1.9 per woman this year, down from 2.0 in the previous years, the report said.

The North's total population was calculated at 25,300,000 this year, up 100,000 from a year before, according to the report. (Yonhap)
Christoph Loos, CEO of Hilti Group, poses with his company's signature hard hat at the company's Korea office in southern Seoul, on Nov.1. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Hilti Group pushes 'Champion 2020' for sustainable growth

By Kim Ji-soo





Loos smiles during an interview with The Korea Times.

/ Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Coming out of a meeting, Christoph Loos, the globe-trotting CEO of Hilti Group., easily put on the company's hard hat and picked up the hammer drill to pose for a photo op. For executives and employees of Hilti, a supplier of quality, innovative and specialized tools for construction professionals, on-site demonstrations are a regular event.

"It's just that we don't usually wear a suit (when handling power tools)," Loos said, smiling in an interview with The Korea Times.

Loos was visiting Korea as Hilti Korea marked its 30th year in the country. Hilti first became familiar with the country because of Korean workers in the Middle East in the late 1970s. Hilti Korea has been growing significantly in recent years, and Loos forecasts further growth in the country, the fifth-biggest market in Asia and an important player in the company's Asian portfolio.

"We believe we can double business in the next five to seven years in Korea in all construction segments including infrastructure, commercial, residential, and oil and gas," Loos said. Hilti Korea posted 68.4 billion won in sales in 2015 and is expected to post double-digit growth this year.

"The construction market in Korea is expected to grow by 2 to 4 percent in the next few years," he said, adding this will give Hilti, which currently has a fairly small market share, a significant opportunity to capture more.

"Also, the construction market (in Korea) asks for products that make job sites safer, make buildings safer, and that allow contractors to be faster and save labor costs," Loos said. "There is a great need for more productivity for Korean construction companies."

Loos also ascribed his optimistic forecast to the Korean team that he met. The multinational company's CEO visits each country typically for three days, going to sites with sales people, and holding internal meetings with employees and business meetings.

"We have a great team here in Korea," he said. "We work with a team to become even more team-oriented, across departments and across hierarchies," he said, adding that Korean companies  Hilti Korea included  tend to be more hierarchical.

This team dynamic is central to the operation of Hilti Group. The company was voted for such awards as the 10th in Best Workplaces in Europe by "Great Place to Work" Award in 2016; Hilti US ranked 68th in Fortune's "100 Best Workplaces for Millennials" in 2015; and Hilti Korea one of Aon Hewitt's top 10 employers in Korea in 2016. Loos stressed the singular combination of caring for people and demanding high performance as one of the key factors to Hilti Group's success.

The group posted net sales of 5.12 trillion won in 2015 and this is expected to grow 7 to 8 percent in 2016. Loos attributed this feat to the multinational company implementing the "Champion 2020" strategy, focusing on leadership and differentiation. He also noted the company's direct customer contact. "Customers work with us and pay a price premium because of the combination of high quality products and many services our sales force and engineers provide, such as technical advice or on-the-job training for our customers," he said.

As CEO, he sees himself as chief guardian of the cultural values of integrity, teamwork, courage and commitment, values with which the millennial generation can also relate.

"Let's take integrity for example. People want to have an environment where they don't have to play a role. They want to behave similarly, like they do in their private lives. They want to have honest conversations," Loos said regarding managers who give employees honest feedback about their performance and career development.

Further, as people in general want to work in teams and communicate across departments and country borders, this concept also resonates very well with young people. Loos said that in that vein, the other values of commitment and courage correspond. With respect to courage, he said he wants to dial it up in Korea, because Koreans, culturally, tend to wait for their bosses' words. "We (at Hilti) have a type of culture where teams take responsibility and they decide what they have to do. The management on top challenges, observes and gives feedback ... because this is what makes teams more successful."

Born in Germany in 1968, Loos holds a doctorate in business administration from University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. He worked in international management consultancy in Germany and China. He joined Hilti in 2001, first leading the corporate development team and then establishing the strategic marketing unit. He worked as a general manager of Hilti Germany, a stint that he described as one of most challenging.

During his three years in Germany, when the company was bogged down by numerous management changes and more than a decade of unsatisfactory results, Loos and his team spent a tremendous amount of time with more than 1,300 team members to re-establish self-confidence, teamwork, trust in management and a fighting spirit.

He experienced that situation again later in his career, when he became the group's CEO two years ago. Loos has been a member of the executive board since 2007, and he became CEO in 2014.

"Going from being a peer to becoming the boss is not an easy situation to manage," Loos said. But he again made significant efforts to rebuild the trust and team dynamics.

"If you're not performing well as (a member of) a top team of a company, if you're not aligned on the most important direction of the company, if you're not able to speak with one voice to your organization on what is important and what is expected, then you create chaos in the company," he said.

Once you become aligned with your team members, you can multiply the team's combined energy, enabling it to flourish throughout the company, Loos said.

"My experience is that many top leadership teams in other big companies under-invest in such dynamics," he said.

As a global CEO, Loos finds it exciting to see in person Hilti's operations in other countries. He has a tough juggling act, as he is also a husband and father and wants to spend more time with his family.

Hilti as a group is looking forward to tackling the challenges of dealing with uneven performances in global markets, as well as finding, training and retaining people and responding to the challenges and opportunities digitalization presents to construction.

"More large buildings are being modeled completely in 3D on computers, and many small applications are being designed already on the computer models," he said, "so we have to make sure that our products are already being designed on digital models and that all our products are available as digital objects so that they can be integrated into these models."





Hilti, the company





Hilti Korea workers using their products on site in this file photo. / Courtesy of Hilti Korea



Hilti Group, a top solutions company serving construction professionals, was founded in 1941 in the small nation of Liechtenstein by Martin and Eugen Hilti. The supplier of quality, innovative and specialized tools and fastening systems for professional users has over 24,000 employees in 120 countries over the world.



Hilti Korea was established on July 10, 1986. Hilti Korea provides innovative products, equipment and services for construction professionals. Its bestsellers, namely anchors, nailing machines, chemical firestops and power tools are often used at landmark construction projects. In Korea, these include buildings such as Lotte World II high-rise and the second passenger terminal at Incheon International Airport.



Currently employing around 200 employees in Korea including engineers and sales people, Hilti Korea was voted one of the top 10 best employers in Korea by Aon-Hewitt.
"Citizenship and Immigration Canada," the country's immigration website, crashed with high traffic volumes at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday (local time) as Americans who feared a Trump win rushed the site to seek an exit to Canada. / Screen capture from "Citizenship and Immigration Canada"



By Hong Dam-young

Some Americans joked about crossing the border to Canada if Donald Trump became the president, but it is not a joke anymore.

"Citizenship and Immigration Canada," the country's immigration website , crashed with high traffic volumes at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday (local time) as Americans who feared a Trump win rushed the site to seek an exit to Canada.

Twitter lit up in the U.S. with news of the crash and the error message. Netizens on Facebook also shared the news.

Canadian immigration ministry officials did not immediately respond to the website problems.

Canada has been touted as a refuge among Americans against Trump, with its generous Syrian refugee program, decent welfare system and its Obama-friendly Prime Minister Justin Trudeau -- the values Trump has been railing against during his campaign.





In March, Trudeau embraced the idea of welcoming Americans fleeing Trump at a global town hall hosted by Huffington Post Canada.

Trudeau promoted Cape Breton on Canada's Atlantic coast in Nova Scotia as a place to live, saying: "Cape Breton is lovely, all times of the year." The island's website in February branded the place as a "refuge for Americans."

In July, Air Canada launched its "Test Drive Canada" advertising campaign, inviting Americans to check out the country in case Trump wins.
It truly is such a big achievement for k-pop artists to get recognized outside of their spheres of influence. Everybody knows that k-pop is predominantly more popular in Asia, especially the countries neighboring South Korea. However, it is safe to believe that k-pop has progressed to the point where it has also managed to penetrate through western culture even with the language barrier. Now, you can add k-pop group GOT7 as another testament to this extraordinary feat after they have been chosen as one of the recipients for the Best Worldwide Act award in the recently held MTV European Music Awards.

Now, it's not unheard of for k-pop acts to gain recognition from the western side of the world. BIGBANG has done it and so has 2ne1, Super Junior and SNSD. Heck, BTS right now is making waves on the international scene with their recently released 'WINGS.' So with GOT7's latest win, it only means that k-pop's visibility is continuously growing with more people regardless of their location becoming expose to Korean music.

MTV has been known to recognize various artists all over the world and aside from GOT7, B.A.P too was given the Best Korean Act award for which GOT7 was also nominated.

The 2016 MTV European Music Awards was hosted by Bebe Rexha and featured performances by hit music stars such as Martin Garrix, Shawn Mendes, OneRepublic, Green Day and more. Lady Gaga took home Best Female while Canadian superstar Justin Bieber took home several awards including the Best Song award for his hit single 'Sorry.'

Billboard reports that apart from GOT7, other artists that were awarded the Best Worldwide Act were Troye Sivan (Australia), Shawn Mendes (Canada), Maluma (Columbia), Wizkid (Nigeria), Zara Larsson (Sweden) and Ariana Grande (US). Other Asians that were recognized by MTV EMA 2016 were Vietnam's ong Nhi and Chinese superstar G.E.M.

According to SBS Popasia, GOT7 were unfortunately unable to attend the event as they are busy with their promotions. However, they did manage to send a video thanking their fans and MTV for the award they had received.

Congratulation to GOT7 for their well-deserved award!
A prototype of Toyota Motor Corp.'s fourth-generation Prius hybrid vehicle sits parked ahead of the test drive at the Fuji Speedway. (Photo : Getty Images/Tomohiro Ohsumi)

In a significant reversal of its policy, Toyota Motor plans to start mass production of its electric vehicles with a view to increase its assembly of green automobiles outside hybrid and fuel-cell cars. The new vehicles are expected to be available in 2020.







Expecting to enter the electric vehicle market in a major way, the Japanese automobile giant will develop an internal team to plan and develop the new electric vehicles (EVs) as soon as early 2017. In the process, the company will look for support from group companies to facilitate production at the earliest, Nikkei newspaper reported on Nov. 7, Monday.



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Including longer-range EVs in its lineup will help Toyota to make a shift from promoting hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles (FCVs) and plug-in petrol-electric hybrid cars to offering the most suitable substitute for conventional cars. According to the Japanese publication, the automotive giant aspires to develop an EV, which will be able to run beyond 300 km on a single charge. The company is said to be considering using the platform for models like the Prius hybrid or Corolla sedan for developing an electric sport utility vehicle.



Toyota plans to boost battery development, as it is a vital component of any EV, which determines the performance of the vehicle. The company established its battery material research department in January and now wishes to reinforce it. Aside from developing batteries in-house, the company may also purchase batteries from outside vendors to keep the price of EVs low and, at the same time, offering high-quality performance, together with driving range and charging time.



Meanwhile, Toyota has neither confirmed nor denied the report. It just stated in an email response that the company does not comment on product development plans, Reuters reported. The company, however, added that it was in the continuous process of developing a variety of fuel-efficient technologies, including EVs.



While rival auto manufacturers like Nissan Motor Co, Tesla Motors and Volkswagen AG have backed genuine electric cars, because they are the most practicable vehicles with zero-emission for the future, Toyota has also said that considering the expensive rechargeable batteries and the prolonged charging times, it would set aside EVs for short-distance commuting. It has also vowed to make all vehicles manufactured by emissions-free by 2050.



Watch the Toyota i-Road, an ultra compact electric car, concept below:






Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic before attending the 4th Meeting of Heads of Government of China and Central and Eastern European Countries. (Photo : Getty Images)

An investment fund of about 10 billion euro ($11.15 billion) has been set aside by the Industrial Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) to finance infrastructure projects in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), the bank said in a statement released on Sunday, Nov. 6.



Reuters said that Sino-CEE Financial Holdings Ltd, a company put up by ICBC earlier this year, will manage the fund, which is called the China-Central Eastern Europe fund. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang formally launched the company during his visit to Riga on Saturday, Nov. 5.



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According to the statement, China Life Insurance and Fosun Group are also involved in managing the fund.



ICBC said in the statement that it is planning to raise about 50 billion euros in project finance which will cover sectors such as infrastructure, high-tech manufacturing and consumer goods.



The bank said that although the project is focused on Central and Eastern Europe, other regions that are related to China-Central and Eastern Europe cooperation, may also be covered.



ICBC added that though the fund is supported by the government, it will be market-driven and will run under business principles.



As China's economy is currently slowing, it needs to find new export markets in Central and Eastern Europe as part of the modern Silk Road established by the country.



Last year, Chinese vice commerce minister Gao Yan said that more than $5 billion have been spent by Chinese companies in various investments in CEE countries.



China's move to increase its investments in the region, known as the gateway to the European Union, come s at a time when Germany is calling for limitations to Chinese investment in some industries.



Leaders from China and 16 central and eastern European countries, a group dubbed by China as "16+1," are expected to attend an upcoming summit that will be hosted by Riga, the report said.


Android 7.0 Nougat: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, S7 update delayed (Photo : Getty Images/ Jung Yeon-Je)

If the latest news emerging from South Korea is any indication, Samsung seems to have started leaking details of its upcoming flagship smartphone, Galaxy S8. The next-gen design of the new device is not only expected to be entirely different from its predecessor, the faulty Galaxy S7, but also be somewhat more fragile compared to the previous handsets in the Galaxy lineup.



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The Galaxy S8 may come with a full-screen display, which will fold down the sides of the device. This means that the upcoming flagship smartphone from the South Korean tech titan will do away with much of the bezel, as the device is expected to incorporate the "Edge" factor on more than two sides, South Korean publication ET News reported.



Some sources in the know of developments at Samsung claimed that the company may remove the Samsung logo from the phone's front. However, this seems to be unlikely unless the South Korean tech giant is of the view that this would have a positive effect on the customers. Alternately, it could also be possible that the design of Galaxy S8 will be so distinctive that customers will recognize it even without the company logo.



The leak in the Korean publication also hinted that the next Galaxy smartphone may use a next-gen OLED material composition. While the Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy Note 7 and Galaxy S7 used M7 material, latest news implies that the Galaxy S8 will be using M8.



It is expected that the shift in the color technology will help to offer superior color accurateness, advanced brightness, and more proficient power consumption. Since it has been found that nearly all smartphones lose much of their battery power to their display, the change in color technology may prove to be a considerable enhancement for the Galaxy lineup, Slash Gear reported.



"Samsung Display would roll out a full-screen display whose display area ratio reaches more than 90 percent next year," the report quoted Samsung Mobile engineer Park Won-sang saying at iMiD 2016 in Seoul in October this year. An earlier report hinted that a 4K display would make the upcoming Galaxy S8 a new generation of smartphones with sharper displays than any previous device in the lineup. The new display will be perfect for virtual reality headset applications.



Based on the release date of the Galaxy S7, it is speculated that the next Galaxy phone will be released sometime in February 2017. This speculation gains ground from the fact that the company has said that it would reveal the release date of its upcoming flagship smartphone early next year.



Watch the video on Samsung Galaxy S8 concept below:






Voter turnout could climb to historic levels in Greene County on Tuesday. It could reach 65 or 70 percent of registered voters. That meant long lines at the polls in many places.

At Macedonia Baptist Church on West Sunshine Street, officials said 48 percent of registered voters had cast their ballots by about 4:30 p.m., and that number was rapidly growing as people stopped by after work.

Election Day began with long lines in several precincts.

I arrived at about 7:30 and realized the line was around the building, said Becky Bryant.

It doesn't surprise me, because I think we've got a pretty divided country right now, said April Cassada.

I came this morning; it was pretty crazy. It was going out to the parking lot, so I came back, said Jamie Koehler.

A hiccup with an iPad used to check in voters at the South Side Senior Center on Fremont Avenue slowed the line in the morning, but most across Greene County say things went smoothly at the polls.

Everyone in line was very friendly and patient, and I was in and out in 45 minutes, said Bryant.

While voters made their voices heard, others voiced their opinions in more creative ways across from one polling place. Paul Black had a big display that said Hillary for Rock House not the White House across from a polling place at Glidewell Baptist Church on Farm Road 141 north of Springfield.

We're doing this in a peaceful, fun manner. Anybody can stop by. We've had people from both sides stop by and laugh, give us their opinions; it's all about a good time, said Black.

Most voters are pleased to see the campaign season coming to an end as they anxiously await the election results.

Absolutely! I'm so tired of hearing the campaign stuff on the internet and on TV, said Cassada.

As they anxiously await the election results.

Well, hopefully, it's good for everybody. I really hope it is, said Koehler.

My allegiance is ultimately with heaven, so, whatever happens, I think we'll be okay, said Cassada.

Other places where lines were long besides Macedonia Baptist Church were Second Baptist Church on East Battlefield Road, Berean Baptist Church on Norton Road in north Springfield, and the Willard Community Center, among others.
Miesha Tate advises Cris Cyborg to trim down instead of rant for a 145-pound division in the UFC. (Photo : Getty Images/Jerry Markland)

Cristiane Cyborg Justino continues to bat for a 145-pound division which Miesha Tate feels is a long shot. Cupcake advised that it may be best for her to target the 140 catchweight to gain better chances at a possible match with Ronda Rousey.



Rather than going higher, Tate believes in adding a 125-pound division instead, MMAFighting.com reported. Between the two, it all boils down to the female talent the UFC has. And even if there were in the heavier classes, it would be better to trim down that add weight as far as performance is concerned.



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Tate weighed in on the social media rants being made by Cris Cyborg Justino calling for a 145-pound division. Right now, that category best fits Invicta unless the UFC brings in more talent to comprise the category.



The move seems more catered to have Cyborg in the UFC as of right now. Could it possibly fish in Ronda Rousey, Cyborgs main target? Highly improbable.



Tate believes that if Cyborg is dialed in to secure a match with Rousey, the safe call is a 140-pound catchweight. But if she is determined, trimming down all the way to 135 lbs. will likely be her best chance.



Unfortunately, Cyborg has sounded off before that the drop in weight makes a big difference. Hence, a reasonable compromise would be 140 lbs. It also opens up other possibilities like a potential match with Tate.



Tate believes that Cyborg can reach 135 lbs if she wills it. She recalls Cyborg making 139 lbs. but admits that the lost calories could make a big difference once the fight is on.



So rather than fight for a class which may have no opponent, Cyborg may want to consider Tates take on how she can get better opponents and reign in the UFC.



As for Tate, she meets Raquel Pennington at UFC 205 this Nov. 12 in New York, ESPN reported. Other than being part of the UFCs return to the region, it could be a stepping stone for her next match  possibly against Amanda Nunes or even Ronda Rousey.



The video below shows Miesha Tate open to facing Cris Cyborg but only if it will be at the 135-catchweight.






VT-5 light MBT. (Photo : Norinco)

China has high hopes its new VT-5 "light-duty" main battle tank (MBT), which is derived from a tank built to battle the Indian Army at high altitudes, will make a killing in the export market.



State-owned Norinco (China North Industries Group Corporation), China's largest builder of tanks, said its VT-5 fills a niche in the export market for tanks not as huge, heavy or as expensive as the U.S. M1A2 Abrams MBT or the German Leopard 2.



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Because of this, Norinco is eyeing buyers from developing countries in Asia and Africa where it has had export successes for its military hardware.



Norinco described the VT-5 as a new "light-duty" MBT that is the most advanced light-duty tank available in the international market. It first publicly revealed the VT-5 at the just ended Zhuhai Air Show or the 11th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition.



Norinco spokesman Lin Wei said the Abrams and the Leopard are too heavy to operate on roads and bridges in developing countries. The VT-5, therefore, is an ideal option for developing countries because its firepower, mobility and information systems are as good as those of Western tanks, he noted.



Lin said the VT-5 was specifically developed for export and is totally different from a Norinco model unveiled in 2014.



Norinco bills the VT-5 as a multirole, light-duty MBT capable of operating in various terrain, including desert, forest and urban areas.



The VT-5 weighs 36 metric tons and has a crew of just three men. Its main armament is a 105 mm rifled tank gun that can fire armor-piercing rounds, high-explosive anti-tank rounds and missiles. Secondary armament is a 12.7 mm remotely controlled machine gun on the turret.



The tank is equipped with an integrated electronic system; a tactical command system; a satellite-based positioning device and modular armor. These systems give the tank crew the battlefield awareness and information capacity needed for modern joint operations, according to Norinco.



Western sources said the VT-5 is probably derived from the ZTQ light tank specifically designed for operations in mountainous and high-altitude regions such as Tibet. This "mountain tank" first reported by Chinese media in 2011 seems to have been deployed to armored units facing the Indian Army across the Line of Actual Control (LAC).



The tank's light weight and a powerful diesel engine make it suitable for fighting in oxygen-deficit, high-altitude environments such as those in the LAC.



The ZTQ has an advanced fire-control system and a 105 mm gun capable of firing shells and guided missiles. The missile capability enables the tank to shoot down helicopters, one of the major threats to tanks on a battlefield.


Streets too small for trucks, landscape constantly run over

During the annual Bird Rock Community Council (BRCC) Maintenance Assessment District (MAD) meeting Nov. 1, treasurer Barbara Dunbar shared concerns about the traffic-calming infrastructure being run over by cars and offered a few solutions.

(Some streets) are literally not wide enough for trucks to go through, she said during the meeting at La Jolla Masonic Lodge, 5655 La Jolla Blvd. So, several medians will remain without landscaping. The issue is they are run over every single day. On one of them we have California poppies planted that come up seasonally.

But, on top of the accidents, there are occasions where landscape damage is done on purpose. Some people seem to think its funny to do drive-arounds on the apron of the roundabouts, Dunbar reported. If you go look, you can see some new fresh tracks. Unfortunately, drivers go over the edge and damage our plants and our irrigation system.

Further, landscape is run over by drivers who arent familiar with it or dont see it. For those instances, the MAD and the City of San Diego have a solution  planting additional drought-tolerant lantana that produces bright yellow flowers that add visibility to the traffic-calming infrastructure.

Weve had substantially fewer drive-overs when we use it, and we have comments from people saying it helps. The City is looking into planting lantana in other locations where there are similar problems, she said.

Resident Steve Burr had questions about missing landscape on the north side of Bird Rock, which Dunbar blamed on the drive-over issue. She said that, for now, some patches will be left bare lacking a better solution.

The 2017-2018 MAD budget

The 2015-2016 assessment of the Bird Rock MAD calculated a higher amount than they ended up spending, and Bird Rock home or commercial owners will be paying $84 per Equivalent Benefit Unit (EBU) instead of the estimated $90 with their property taxes. Dunbar said, The assessed rate is calculated based on EBUs, a single family home is one EBU, a condo is 7/10 of EBU and so forth.

Dunbar explained that the MAD, supervised by BRCC, is responsible for management and environmental safety, maintenance, irrigation, water conservation, aesthetics within the Maintenance Assessment District boundaries. Among the improvements made this year, the MAD replaced the guard railings adjacent to the roundabout between La Jolla Boulevard and Midway Street.

She reminded residents of their role in alerting the MAD and City staff to broken curbs, potholes, missing or broken water meters and signage issues, so these problems can be addressed. Its illegal to display unpermitted signs in the district and the MAD is charged with collecting these signs. We are allowed to throw them away and we will do so.

Another problem for the MAD is the depth of a few tree wells, which some neighbors say are too deep and have become pedestrian trip hazards. That was pointed out to a City representative recently, and we discussed the possibility of adding soil, but that option would jeopardize the health of the tree, Dunbar said. However, the City did say we could add small-sized river rocks. So if the City does not respond, the MAD will add small rocks to the base of the trees where needed, and make the area more level.

On a final note, Dunbar brought up a frustrating, ongoing issue caused by some dog-owners. Weve received complaints about off-leash dogs and dog waste. Certain areas are now fairly bad. Its a dog-owners responsibility to pick up after their pet and keep their dogs on a leash. Landscape work crews should not have to clean up dog poop as part of their job.

 BRCC next meets 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6 for its Holiday Party, the location TBD.
City engineers outlined two upcoming projects at the La Jolla Community Planning Association (LJCPA) meeting Nov. 3  a bicycle lane that will run along Gilman Drive from La Jolla Village Drive to SR 52, and the installation of a 250-foot-long connecting sidewalk on La Jolla Mesa Drive.

The bicycle lane is part of the Coastal Rail Trail, a bike route that was originally planned in the mid-1990s to run from Oceanside to the Santa Fe Depot in Downtown San Diego. Segments of the trail have already been built by different cities, and now San Diego is trying to fill-in the gaps for a safe bike route people of all ages can use as a clean transportation mode, part of the Citys Climate Action Plan. The project will link the Del Mar path with an existing bike route along SR 52. The proposed bike lane is a Class IV, which means its physically separated from traffic by more than a white stripe.

The stretch of Gilman Drive that will accommodate the project currently includes two lanes each way. City engineers propose to reduce one lane northbound for most of the segment and reduce one lane southbound in the stretch south of Via Alicante. Then, the two-way Class IV bike lane will be located on the east side of the road with a three-foot separation from traffic.

LJCPA vice president Helen Boyden and treasurer Janie Emerson voiced concerns about eliminating car lanes on southbound Gilman Drive, a street that routinely gets backed up by traffic trying to enter I-5. Senior City Engineer Dan Nutter responded that traffic studies showed the backup is caused by the I-5 entrance, and therefore reducing incoming lanes wont make traffic worse.

But Boyden persisted, Its going to make it worse if theres only one lane, because there are people who want to get on the highway, and there are people who want to go straight through. I think its a problem and you should reconsider.

City staff also received criticism about an extra single bike lane currently in the design phase that would run southbound alongside traffic. I will never ride downhill on the east side of the road because I have to stop at all those stop lights. Given the choice, every single cyclist is going to stay on the west side because of those intersections, said trustee Brian Will.

Nutter reassured LJCPA board members that the project is in the early design stages and many changes  including those suggested during public presentations  will be added to it. Said board president Cindy Greatrex, I suggest that you have follow-up presentations with us.

La Jolla Mesa Drive sidewalk

A 250-foot-long, 5-foot-wide sidewalk will be added to La Jolla Mesa Drive (between Deer Hill and Bajamar) linking two existing pedestrian walkways. The project includes the replacement of traffic signs and repainting of the street lines. Its scheduled to begin in summer 2017. Were in the design phase at 90 percent completion, said project manager Alex Bansean.

Asked about the pricetag for the project, which the 2016-2017 Fiscal Year City of San Diego budget set at $826,000, Bansean said that the costs have been reduced. The initial project was a lot more complicated. We were going to build a retaining wall (to widen the road), but after a lot of analysis trying to reduce our environmental impact, we decided not to put the retaining wall in because it added weight to the slope, which could cause a failure, he said

Nutter added that the current estimated cost of the project has been set at $500,000. (more information coming from the City).

In other CPA news:

Chelsea Street project: Planners voted to reject a proposal to demolish an existing single-family dwelling and construct an 8,963-square-foot unit at 5228 Chelsea St., supporting a similar decision last month by La Jolla Development Permit Review (DPR) committee that findings couldnt be made to approve the coastal development permit.

Applicant Claude Anthony Marengo pulled the item for full presentation by LJCPA after the DPR voted down the project (4-2-1) due to boardmember concerns that the house, which includes a roof deck with a bathroom, was going to be turned into a short-term vacation rental party house.

Marengo told LJCPA that he implemented a modification proposed by DPR (and LJCPA) trustee Brian Will, to set back the rooftop bathroom back 6 feet to eliminate the third floor from a visual perspective. During the last DPR meeting, Will made a motion to approve the project including that change, but the board rejected it.

However, neighbors who attended the planning association meeting said they werent worried about the aesthetic of having a third floor on a street with one-story houses, but the noise and annoyances that could come from a party house. Hes building a house on spec, his construction cost is going to be $10 million, and he told me he wants to sell for $18 million, said resident John Silver. I think its not going to be long before he realizes that at that price he cant sell it (and he starts renting it out). Its 9,000 square feet, so theres going to be a lot of people renting it, and with the roof deck, theres going to be a lot of people there, and theyre not going to be neighbors.

To the short-term rental accusation, Marengo responded, Theres a lot of lost value when you rent a home. So to take a brand new home and rent it to whomever, whos going to make a mess out of it, youre losing value. If we were doing an Airbnb, we would market it as an Airbnb, and they wouldnt spend as much money there. We would fix up a few things, add a second story in, and rent it.

But that didnt convince neighbors who said they Googled the name of the Las Vegas-based architecture firm on the project, Blue Heron, and found instead a cottage rental business in Ocean Beach by the same name. Planners had doubts about the bulk and scale of the project, in addition to the neighborhood outcry it provoked, and some expressed discomfort in voting against a DPR recommendation they agreed with after conscious review. A motion to deny the project was made by trustee David Little and it carried 9-2-1.

Board candidates: A special election will be held 3-7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1 at the Rec Center to fill two empty seats on the LJCPA. One seat expires in April 2017 and the other in April 2019. Both will be eligible for re-election for an extra three-year term at the end of the first terms. Three candidates came forward to fill the two seats, Mike Costello, David Gordon and Sheila Palmer.

Village parking: Trustee Will brought up his solution for the parking shortage in the Village: La Jolla downtown has suffered from losing businesses to UTC because parking is difficult, and I think we, as custodians and residents of La Jolla, need to help. If you live near the Village, find a way to clear your garage and use those two garage parking spaces youre required to have. Keep the street parking open so we dont lose our commercial zone. We all have to make an effort to support our businesses and make available what little parking there is. Im shifting the burden to La Jollans to see if we can do a better job so we dont lose more businesses.

 The LJCPA next meets 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1 at the Rec Center, 615 Prospect St. lajollacpa.org
The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) has hired Patrick Walders as its next choral director after a search that included local and out-of-state candidates. Walders is an Associate Professor of Music at San Diego State University (SDSU), where he conducts the Aztec Concert Choir, SDSU Chamber Choir and oversees the University Chorus. Additionally, he maintains a career as a professional vocalist, music educator, church musician, clinician and conductor.

He will succeed David Chase, who has been the organizations choral director since 1973 and will retire at the end of the current season in June 2017.

Walders, a native of Buffalo, New York, arrived in San Diego in 2011 to join the SDSU faculty. Outside of academia he is founder, along with wife Katie, of a professional chamber choir, San Diego Pro Arte Voices, and is founder and artistic director of the San Diego Summer Choral Festival & Conducting Workshop.

He has led Honors Choruses and workshops throughout the United States. His international conducting experience includes teaching and guest conducting in Austria, England, Germany and the Czech Republic. He holds a doctorate in conducting from the University of Maryland-College Park.

Following a figurehead like Dr. David Chase after his more than four decades of service is daunting and humbling, said Walders. I am delighted at the opportunity, and look forward to carrying on the tradition of excellence of the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus.

Walders will begin his tenure with LJS&C on July 1, 2017. As choral director he will be responsible for preparing the chorus for the organizations subscription series, leading concerts of choral music at community venues, and sharing conducting duties with maestro Steven Schick, who recently renewed his contract with LJS&C through 2022.

LJS&C is San Diegos longest-running and largest community orchestra and chorus, is a non-profit organization celebrating its 62nd year. Its 90-person orchestra and 100-person chorus perform groundbreaking orchestral and choral music along with traditional favorites from the classical repertoire in Mandeville Auditorium on the UC San Diego campus. The next concert program will be Dec. 3-4. (858) 534-4637. lajollasymphony.com
To get the attention of San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and the San Diego City Council, La Jolla Shores business owners, employees, residents and other concerned citizens staged a sit-in the morning of Nov. 7. Pulling up chairs across a closed section of Avenida de la Playa between Piatti and Barbarella restaurants, dozens gathered to protest what they see as a lack of City accountability during the last three years of street construction projects.

La Jolla Shores businesses and residents (are here) because we want to see some accountability ... the businesses are being affected and the residents main thoroughfare is being torn up. We have employees who cant park, we have customers who cant park, and vendors who cant make deliveries. We are suffering, said Angie Preisendorfer, co-owner of Rusty Surfboard. We know infrastructure has to be repaired and we cant stop it, but it would be nice if the City was sensitive to our needs.

Work has been underway since fall 2013 to replace the outfall infrastructure at the end of Avenida de la Playa and upgrade the sewer and water lines under the main street and residential roads that feed into it. However, errors in engineering plans, delays and system failures have extended the construction timeline past its winter 2015 end-date. The new completion date is currently May 2017. Work in the Shores is subject to a summer construction moratorium, from Memorial Day (in May) to Labor Day (in September) during which crews are banned from working on projects. There is also a winter tourist season that takes place in November and December, during which area businesses request no construction take place.

In January, a bio-filter box under Avenida de la Playa at El Paseo Grande overloaded during a rainstorm and flooded the street and some of the businesses. During the sit-in, concerned citizens watched as crews closed the intersection and the entire block west of it to remove that box so it could be replaced with piping.

When City engineers came to us and said the system failed in January, they said they couldnt start work until after the summer construction moratorium. So we were expecting for them to start the day after Labor Day and they would have been done by now, Preisendorfer said. October is dead down here, thats why we have our Fall Fest in October, but November and December is busy with winter tourists (and holiday parties).

Insisting there has been no accountability for the workplace errors or financial losses to businesses, Barbarella owner Barbara Beltaire opined, Its been horrible and its shameful on the City and the Mayor. Following the sit-in, Beltaire added she would like to get a group together to participate in a similar protest at City Hall.

Jim Morris, owner of the La Jolla Shores Plaza building adjacent Laureate Park, suggested several ways the City could be accountable. Among them: A list of new cost estimates to complete work and regular report of expenses; a realistic timeline and penalty system should the contractor fail to meet project deadlines; new policies to assist with performance monitoring, reporting and information sharing; and changes to the Citys management capabilities of staff.
Xi'an Y-20 in service with the PLAAF. (Photo : PLAAF)

The largest transport aircraft in the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) will have a commercial counterpart as China seeks to end the dominance of Western aircraft manufacturers in this lucrative business.



The commercial version of the Xi'an Y-20 heavy-lift transport jet -- dubbed the Y-20F-100 -- will feature a redesigned air frame and cargo loading system, said state-owned defense technology firm, Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).



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The Y-20F-100 will be longer than the Y-20 and will carry up to 28 airfreight containers, or 65 metric tons of cargo. It can also lift supersized engineering equipment.



The Y-20F-100 will have a maximum range of 8,000 km. More than 1,000 Y-20s and Y-20F-100s will be needed by China, said Zhu Qian, head of AVIC's large aircraft development office. He said this figure was calculated based on the experience of the United States and Russia since these countries have used heavy-lift transport aircraft for many years.



A small-scale model of the Y-20F-100 was displayed at the recent 11th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition at Zhuhai in Guangdong province.



"This project represents our commitment to transferring military technologies to boost civilian sectors and will fill the absence of a domestically developed large cargo plane," said AVIC.



There were only 122 cargo jets in use by cargo airlines on the Chinese mainland in 2015 and most of their large freight jets were made by Boeing and Airbus, said AVIC. On the other hand, heavy-lift cargo jets used by the PLAAF were mainly imported from Russia.



This means only a handful of aviation firms in the world are able to design and produce large cargo jets and now China wants to be among this exclusive group.



The first Y-20s, nicknamed Chubby Girl, were delivered to the PLAAF last July. China is the third nation after the United States and Russia to design and develop its own heavy military transport aircraft.



The Y-20 is the largest military transport aircraft in Asia and the largest military aircraft currently in production.



Developed by Xi'an Aircraft Corporation, the Y-20 has an empty weight of 110 short tons. Boeing's C-17 Globemaster III, however, is bigger than the Y-20. The American transport's empty weight is 60,000 pounds more than the Y-20 and its payload capacity is 25,000 pounds more.



The Y-20 can transport China's largest tank, the Type 99 weighing 54 tonnes, plus other vehicles, supplies or a large number of troops. It draws power from four Russian-made Soloviev D-30 turbofan engines.


Australian actors and brothers Chris Hemsworth, Luke Hemsworth and Liam Hemsworth at the premiere of 'Vacation' on July 27, 2015 in Westwood, California. (Photo : Getty Images/Jason Kempin)

"Thor: Ragnarok" is already stirring a lot of buzz way before its November 2017 premiere. The Chris Hemsworth-starrer is adding more of A-list actors on its cast list, and is introducing more realms in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In a Facebook Live chat, director Taika Waititi teased the role of a new character in the movie.



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Waititi gave fans a virtual tour of the "Thor: Ragnarok" set, which he described as a "sci-fi space wasteland," wherein Hemsworth and co-star Tessa Thompson also appeared in the video in full costume. Minutes into the video, the director mentioned an actor named Steve, whom many presume to be playing Miek - a key character in the "Planet Hulk" comic book storyline.



"[You] can't say anything about where we are, and you can't tell anyone about what you've seen," Hemsworth told during the Facebook Live audience about the big reveal. The cast and the director even joked that they may "get fired" after this.



According to The Hollywood Reporter, Miek is an alien who teams up with Hulk in order to overthrow a cruel regime that forces slaves to fight in gladiator-style battles to survive on the planet Sakaar. The only difference between the comic and movie versions of Miek is that the character is portrayed as human in the movie. The addition of another "Planet Hulk" character further supports the theory that "Thor: Ragnarok" is based on the said comic.



According to JoBlo, the third "Thor" film may be a lose adaptation of "Planet Hulk." In the film, Thor and Hulk will clash in one of the gladiatorial games orchestrated by Jeff Goldblum's character, Grandmaster, one of the Elders of the Universe. Interestingly, Hulk gets a major upgrade in his appearance as he will be sporting a one-shoulder armor similar to that in the comic book, and will also be armed with weapons.



The main gist of the "Thor: Ragnarok" storyline is that he needs to find the ultimate weapon that will stop Ragnarok and thus reset time, which means an even massive storyline involving various other worlds.



"Thor: Ragnarok" opens in theaters on Nov. 3, 2017.



Watch "Thor: Ragnarok" leaked teaser trailer below:






Hon. Karu Jayasuriya, Speaker of the Parliament, attending the 135th Session of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva, was invited to chair the emergency session on Syria called by the IPU Assembly on 25th October. The Session had before it a Resolution titled The war and the severe humanitarian situation in Syria, particularly in Aleppo presented by Germany and Mexico. Pursuant to the General Debate, a Drafting Committee was mandated to discuss and present the finalized Resolution on 27th October 2016, for the consideration of the IPU Assembly.

The Speaker and the Sri Lanka delegation also had a courtesy meeting with the Secretary-General of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) Mr. Martin Chungong. During the discussion, Mr. Chungong noted the positive developments in Sri Lanka and the democratic gains. Hon. Speaker stressed the contribution of parliaments and parliamentarians in the democratic process and underscored the need to strengthen parliaments as well as the importance of building networks between the parliaments and parliamentarians. Mr. Chungong agreed with the Speaker to enhance cooperation between Sri Lanka and the IPU.

The Speaker and the cross party delegation also held bilateral discussions with the delegations of Germany, the Russian Federation, Bhutan, Maldives, France, and China.



At the bilateral meeting with German delegation led by Madam Sabine Sutterlin-Waack, Sri Lanka and Germany agreed to further strengthen parliamentary cooperation, including through exchanges of parliamentary delegations. In addition, cooperation between Friedrich Naumann Foundation of Germany and the J.R. Jayawardena Centre, particularly in the areas of research, training and capacity building of the parliament and parliamentarians was discussed.



The Sri Lanka delegation discussed the signing of a Cooperation Agreement between the two Parliaments with the Russian delegation. Hon. Iliyas Umakhanov, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Federation of Russia said that they looked forward to welcoming a Sri Lanka parliamentary delegation which is scheduled to visit Russia in March 2017.



The Speaker of Bhutan Hon. Jigme Zangpo, thanked Sri Lanka for the opportunities for many Bhutanese students to pursue education particularly in the medical field in the universities in Sri Lanka and the two speakers discussed the exchanges of parliamentary delegations.



At the bilateral meeting with the Maldivian delegation, the Speaker was briefed on the political developments by the Maldivian Speaker Hon. Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed.

On 24th October the Speaker and the delegation held a bilateral meeting with Madam Michele Andre, leader of the French delegation. They recalled the close bilateral ties between the two countries marked by several high-level visits to and from both countries in the recent past. The Speaker extended an invitation to the Chairs of both the Senate and the Assembly of the French Parliament to visit Sri Lanka. The Speaker also drew attention to several issues of interest to Sri Lanka concerning Education, Cultural Heritage, Tourism, Trade and Intelligence Sharing etc. In this context, it was noted that two Cooperation Agreements had been signed between the two countries covering education and culture. Also the French Travel Agents will be organizing their Congress in Sri Lanka on 31st October.



The Speaker and the delegation met with the Vice-Chairperson of the National Peoples Congress of China and the leader of the delegation Madam Yan Junqi. Mr. Wang Xiaochu, the Vice-Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the NPC and the President of the Sri Lanka-China Parliament Friendship Group, and the Permanent Representative of China to UN in Geneva, Ambassador Ma Zhaoxu were present at the meeting. The Speaker thanked the Chinese Government for the excellent hospitality extended and for the arrangements during the recent visit to China by a cross-party delegation led by him which enabled the visiting Parliamentarians to understand the parliamentary system of China, and it was agreed to continue such visits as part of greater cooperation and friendship between the two parliaments. It was further discussed to explore the possibility of a Cooperation Agreement between the two Parliaments. The Speaker renewed the invitation to the Vice-Chairperson to visit Sri Lanka.



Associated with the Speaker at the bilateral discussions were Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Hon. Vijitha Herath, Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, Hon. Velu Kumar, and Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake, Secretary General of Parliament, H.E. Ravinatha Aryasinha/Permanent Representative of UN in Geneva, Mrs. Samantha Jayasuriya/Deputy Permanent Representative and Ms. Shashika Somaratne/Counsellor.

Press Release in PDF



Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka

Geneva.

27 October 2016
There's no surprise that Attorney General Kamala Harris was elected to succeed Barbara Boxer in the U.S. Senate. The news is that California voters also approved legal marijuana, kept the death penalty and added limits on appeals, allowed bilingual education in schools, put restrictions on ammunition sales and rejected a law to require condom use in pornography.

And more. Remember, there were 17 measures on the state ballot.

Under Proposition 64, people 21 years old and up can grow six marijuana plants, possess or buy up to 28.5 grams, and smoke in private  as soon as Wednesday. Pot smoking will be banned anywhere tobacco smoking is banned by state law, while driving, and within 1,000 feet of a school, day-care center or youth center while children are present. Eventually, stores will be licensed to sell marijuana and the sales can be taxed.

It looks as if California voters have decided, as they always do, to retain the death penalty. Proposition 66 was also leading to put a time limit on appeals. They gave the day's biggest margin to Proposition 58, which reauthorizes bilingual education. They slapped a background check requirement on some ammunition sales, passed the cigarette tax and rejected the AIDS Health Foundation's bid to require condoms on male adult film performers everywhere in the state.

The voters went for Proposition 57, which will allow earlier release from prison of felons held on so-called nonviolent crimes. And they appear to be rejecting Proposition 61's limit on prescription drug prices.

Latest statewide results.

In Los Angeles County, the results were coming in slowly. At a bit after midnight, just 29.65 percent of precincts were counted. More than 500,000 vote by mail ballots had been counted.

Kathryn Barger had a sizable lead in the open race for county supervisor in the 5th district, and Janice Hahn led in the 4th district.

Measure M, the sales tax increase for transit and freeway projects, needs two-thirds of votes cast and had that, but with under 30 percent of votes counted. Too close to call.

The LA city ballot measure to fund the construction of homeless housing, HHH, was running well ahead of the two-thirds vote it needed. JJJ, labor's measure to add a bunch of requirements on local residential projects, also was passing easily.

County results.
PRESS RELEASE

ICRC: Jihadis Prevented Medical Evacuations from East Aleppo

Nov. 8, 2016 (EIRNS)Plans to evacuate civilians from eastern Aleppo for medical care apparently fell through in recent days, and the International Committee of the Red Cross is blaming the jihadis. The original plan was to evacuate 200 patients, with their families.

"During the discussions, the number of 200 went to 10 persons with familiesthat was the final figure articulated in the discussion, and even this didnt happen, because we didnt have enough security guarantees to carry out this medical evacuation,"

Robert Mardini, the ICRCs regional director for the Middle East, told Sputnik. "So nothing happened."

"Last week, when the medical evacuations were discussed, we didnt get the security guarantees from the groups inside Eastern Aleppo," Mardini said when asked which side did not provide the guarantees for medical evacuation.

The Russians, meanwhile, have continued the humanitarian pause in air strikes against targets in the jihadi-held parts of eastern Aleppo. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitri Peskov said, yesterday, that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to continue the pause, on condition that the jihadis dont resume offensive operations.
Alien Face on Mars (Photo : NASA)

Experts say that majority of the alleged UFO sightings on Earth have some logical explanations such as strange lights just being regular aircraft or government testing some missiles. However, if the sightings believed to be signs of life of another planet were taken by credible space agencies, is it sufficient proof that other life forms exist there?



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The latest alleged proof of life on Mars, claimed by UFO blogger Scott Waring, is several faces carved on the surface of the Red Planet. The image was taken by NASAs Curiosity Rover, Dailystar pointed out.



Waring wrote on his blog UFO Sightings Daily that there are three photos of the alien face which is sufficient proof of something. He claims the image seen is the side view of the face of an intelligent species. His basis in stating it is intelligent are the large eyebrows and lengthy forehead.



The fossilized creature looks similar to a bear, Tech Times pointed out. In the past, other shapes have been captured by NASAs Curiosity Rover such as a shoe, Bigfoot skull and an extraterrestrial warrior.



Waring believed the dark object looks like having a coat of fur, while the area supposed to be its face has lesser hair. It would be consistent with an animal fossil. But skeptics disagree with Waring and said it is just a simple Martian rock with a weird shape. The doubters said the rock appears to have the shape of an animal due to the angle of the light and the illumination from the NASA vehicle when it took the image.



Tech Times stressed it is merely pareidolia, the phenomenon of cognitive bias in which the mind perceives a stimulus as a familiar pattern.



But Waring added that if there would be a stronger evidence of life on Mars, it would be to see an alien walking on the planet which he claims had occurred two times.






PRESS RELEASE

Focus on Wall Street Crimes Will Continue After Election

Nov. 8, 2016 (EIRNS)The major crimes of Wells Fargo and other of the biggest Wall Street and London banks, will continue to be a focus of Congress in the immediate aftermath of the election, continually posing the question of restoring Glass-Steagall.

A group of Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley, and Sherrod Brownhave initiated a stream of letters to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) head Mary Jo White and other regulators, detailing suspicions of Wells Fargos criminal activities. As a result, the slow-to-act SEC has begun an investigation of Wells Fargos broker-dealer unit, since whistleblowers have told the Senate Committee that fraudulent brokerage customer accounts were created there, as well as in the retail branches. Wells has just paid a second, $50 million fine to the Consumer Financial Protection Board for excess charges to foreclosed homeowners, for new appraisals of their lost homes! And the Senators have been informed that Wells blackballed the thousands of employees it fired, damaging their ability to work, while richly rewarding the senior supervisors who pressured the employees to commit fraud.

Wells Fargos corruption now smells so, that the "reputational" damage may threaten the bank itself in the coming period. The Senate Banking Democrats clearly seem to be preparing the way for new, more damning hearings on Wells.

Todays Wall Street Journal reported that the SEC had launched another investigation into fraudderivatives fraud, in this caseagainst JPMorgan Chase, Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, and Bank of New York Mellon. The type of derivative is oddly named American depository receipts; they are derivative, or betting, securities, issued to U.S.-based investment funds by banks, based on European-listed stocks the banks have bought. These banks, however, were issuing the derivative securities without owning the stocks, directly violating their derivatives contracts.

JPMorgan Chases recent crimes, from sponsoring the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme on, are the sole subject of a whole new book just publishednecessarily, a long oneentitled JPMadoff.... Its most recent fine to the SEC, $267 million for defrauding customers on the prices of financial products, was levied as recently as three months ago.

Moreover, there remains Rep. Maxine Waters stated intention to legislate the breakup of the Wells Fargo, "and if it breaks up other banks, so be it."
As election night turned into Wednesday, the political commentators floating around the gleaming red, white and blue set at NBCs Rockefeller Centers studio appeared dazed over the unexpected results that tilted toward Donald Trump becoming the 45th president of the United States.

The stun is palpable, said the conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt after appearing with NBC News political director Chuck Todd. Nobody I know predicted this, and anybody who says they saw this coming is lying.

It was less a partisan reaction and more astonishment over what is arguably the greatest presidential election upset in history, with Trump, a political novice who repeatedly made incendiary statements, toppling the most seasoned of opponents in Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

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Hewitt described himself as the classic reluctant Trump voter who cast his ballot for the candidate. But he expected the night to wrap up by 11 p.m. Tuesday with Clinton as the winner. I dont think theres anybody in this room who didnt think it would be called by then, he said.

This is our Brexit. People are not entirely sure about why theyre pissed off.  Tom Brokaw

Instead, it was past midnight and Trumps electoral vote count continued to grow. Hewitt noticed Democratic strategist and long-time Clinton supporter James Carville preparing to join the anchor table.

James - is there a path? said Hewitt, asking if there were still enough to states that were within Clintons reach.

No, a visibly dismayed Carville barked as he dug his hand into a bowl of candy and came up empty.

Throughout the night, NBCs anchors stared at their digital devices with a degree of disbelief, as the polls had given them no indication of what they were reporting. Tom Brokaw, a veteran of NBCs presidential election coverage, tried to explain it as he headed off the set to grab a sandwich.

This is our Brexit, said Brokaw, referring to the equally stunning vote by United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union. People are not entirely sure about why theyre pissed off. I was just out in Nebraska, South Dakota and Iowa  things are good. But they feel like they have to be pissed off.

This election was much more about Duck Dynasty than Saturday Night Live.  Tom Brokaw

Brokaw returned to the table with NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt, Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie and the networks political director Chuck Todd, and then tested a line he received from pollster Peter Hart that summed up the race in pop culture terms.

This election was much more about Duck Dynasty than Saturday Night Live.

Todd, the Meet the Press moderator who made his name in political coverage with his granular understanding of voting patterns, tried to make sense of the data that defied the predictions of nearly every expert and pollster. He was on his phone in constant touch with the voting data analysts at the election decision desk  referred to as the boiler room. He asked producers to get graphics ready with the results in congressional districts in Maine and Nebraska. At one point, Todd went to the electoral map touch screen with Holt and showed how the red and blue states could divide into a 269-electoral vote tie between the two candidates.

Standing nearby, NBC News Chairman Andy Lack noted how he requested the what-if scenario. He then thought about what could follow  and came up with the potential of an election going to a Supreme Court with only eight justices. The prospect brought a flashback to his first term as the chief of NBC News.

I was here in 2000, he said, referring to the disputed results of George W. Bushs contest with Al Gore. Its going to be a long night.

Lack summed up the Trump-Clinton race with an abbreviation that Brokaw had been using throughout the campaign.

UFO, Lack said before heading to cable news network MSNBC one floor below. Its the unforeseen that will occur.

Outside 30 Rockefeller Center, the midtown Manhanttan area that NBC transformed into Democracy Plaza had turned somber by 12:30 a.m. Many of the people in the thinned-out crowd sat and silently stared up the at the giant screens broadcasting MSNBCs coverage as it got closer to naming Trump as the victor.

A pro-Trump crowd gathered round the corner outside of Fox News studios on the Avenue of the Americas. They cheered and became more excited as Trumps unlikely victory approached.

It was a sign that the election may be over, but the cable news battles will keep on going.

stephen.battaglio@latimes.com

Twitter: @SteveBattaglio
A federal court judge declined Tuesday to impose a preliminary injunction against a San Francisco law that makes it a crime for short-term rental companies to collect booking fees on properties not registered with the city.

Airbnb, the popular short-term rental site that has listed more than 7,000 homes for rent in San Francisco, had sued its hometown, contending that a law passed this year violates Airbnbs 1st Amendment rights as well as federal protections for Internet companies.

U.S. District Judge James Donato rejected the preliminary injunction request, saying Airbnb isnt prohibited from listing a rental or monitoring what is posted on its site. Instead, the company can simply post a notice that rental owners must register with the city before posting on Airbnb.

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Still, the judge said there may be another reason to temporarily halt San Franciscos law: The city has no way for Airbnb and other sites to promptly determine whether a property is registered. Donato has called on lawyers for both sides to meet again next week to discuss the matter.

San Francisco has voluntarily agreed not to enforce the law, pending an outcome of the legal dispute.

San Francisco housing advocates have blamed Airbnb for a shortage of affordable housing in the city.

Airbnb said it disagrees with the judges conclusions.

No matter what happens in this case, we want to work with the city to fix the broken system long before the legal process runs its course, Airbnb spokesman Nick Papas said.

San Francisco Supervisor David Campos said he agrees with the judges ruling. But he also took a shot at Airbnb, saying the company has not been willing to work with the city to find a solution to the dispute.

Airbnb has had opportunity after opportunity to work with San Franciscos City Hall to craft regulations that actually protect our neighborhoods, while still allowing them to make billions, he said in a statement. But instead theyve employed an all-or-nothing strategy thats wasted San Franciscos time and money.

The city of Anaheim banned the short-term rentals and was threatening to impose fines on listing sites such as Airbnb for posting homes and apartments that violate the citys rental regulations. But Anaheim backed down after Airbnb sued, announcing in August that the city would not impose the fines against such short-term rental sites.

hugo.martin@latimes.com

To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter.

UPDATES:

5:35 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details about San Franciscos short-term rental law.

The article was originally published at 4:45 p.m.
Beleaguered retailer American Apparel is likely to close its stores in the United Kingdom and some European locations after the holiday season.

Thats according to accounting giant KPMG, which announced Tuesday that it has been appointed as administrator in charge of American Apparels retail and wholesale business in Britain.

The Los Angeles-based clothier is up for sale, but its operations in the United Kingdom and certain parts of Europe will not be part of the sale, KPMG said. Therefore, those operations are likely to be wound down.

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The 13 UK stores are well stocked and will continue to trade as usual in the lead up to the peak Christmas trading period, Jim Tucker, a restructuring partner at KPMG, said in the statement. A number of the UK stores are in prime high street locations, and we will also aim to sell individual stores after the holidays.

Tucker said that American Apparel has already stopped shipping inventory to its British stores after experiencing strong retail headwinds. The companys British business, he said, is similarly struggling.

American Apparel declined to comment but pointed to the KPMG statement.

American Apparel, which filed for bankruptcy last year, lost its chief executive, Paula Schneider, in October. She stepped down after leading the company through the nearly two years of turmoil following the firing of Dov Charney, American Apparels founder and former CEO and chairman. The companys general counsel, Chelsea Grayson, replaced Schneider.

The two most likely types of buyers for American Apparel are a branding and licensing company or a private equity firm, analysts said.

Follow Shan on Twitter @ByShanLi
Walgreens sued Theranos on Tuesday claiming that the once high-flying blood-testing start-up had breached its contract with the national pharmacy chain.

The drugstore chain filed the lawsuit under seal in U.S. District Court in Delaware. Walgreens lawyers said details of the suits allegations had to remain confidential because of terms in the contract the company signed with Theranos in 2009.

In a statement, Theranos called Walgreens allegations unfounded.

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Over the years, Walgreens consistently failed to meet its commitments to Theranos, the statement said. Through its mishandling of our partnership and now this lawsuit, Walgreens has caused Theranos and its investors significant harm.

The lawsuit is only the most recent in a wave of bad news descending on the Silicon Valley start-up and its 32-year-old founder, Elizabeth Holmes. The companys downfall began about year ago with a series of stories in the Wall Street Journal that showed how the companys much-hyped blood-testing technology was flawed.

Under the two companies partnership, Theranos had built blood-testing stations, which it called wellness centers, in 40 Walgreens pharmacies in Arizona, as well as one in Palo Alto.

The pharmacy chain had been drawn in by Holmes claims that she had found a way for consumers to access less invasive and more affordable blood testing. Holmes had said that her blood-testing device, called Edison, could perform multiple tests with just a few drops of blood taken from a tiny finger stick.

Based on those claims and its deal with Walgreens, Silicon Valley venture capitalists once valued Theranos at $9 billion. And last year, Holmes appeared at the top of Forbes magazines list of Americas richest self-made women.

But all that wealth was just on paper, and it is now gone as the company battles myriad lawsuits and federal investigations.

In May, Theranos announced that it was retracting the results of tens of thousands of blood tests that doctors had depended on to care for patients over the last two years.

The next month, Walgreens said it was terminating its relationship with Theranos and closing all the blood-draw sites in its stores. The pharmacy chain has now been named as a defendant in lawsuits brought by patients against Theranos.

Phil Caruso, a Walgreens spokesman, confirmed the drugstore chain had filed the lawsuit. We arent commenting beyond that, he said.

The Journal said Walgreens was asking for $140 million in the lawsuit.

Last month, Theranos said it was shutting its labs and laying off 340 employees, or more than 40% of its workforce.

The company said it was changing its focus to developing a portable blood-testing device called the MiniLab.

Holmes had little choice but to stop operating the blood-testing laboratories. In July, after finding a number of violations at Theranos Northern California lab in Newark, federal regulators banned Holmes from owning or running a medical lab for two years.

melody.petersen@latimes.com

Follow @melodypetersen on Twitter

ALSO

Forbes cuts estimated wealth of billionaire Theranos founder to $0

Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes is banned from running medical labs

Theranos seeks turnaround with a portable blood-testing device, but skepticism abounds

UPDATES:

4:40 p.m.: This article was updated to include a statement from Theranos.

This article was originally published at 4:05 p.m.
Canyon views and a location within a gated 90210 community contribute to the appeal of this Cape Cod-inspired contemporary. And if Hollywood history is a draw, the one-story home has that too. Among owners who have hailed from this address is Eddie Van Halen of the hard-rock band Van Halen.

Address: 12024 Summit Circle, Beverly Hills 90210

Price: $3.095 million

1 / 11 Home of the Day | The Summit (Jo David / Charmaine David Photography) 2 / 11 Home of the Day | The Summit (Jo David / Charmaine David Photography) 3 / 11 Home of the Day | The Summit (Jo David / Charmaine David Photography) 4 / 11 Home of the Day | The Summit (Jo David / Charmaine David Photography) 5 / 11 Home of the Day | The Summit (Jo David / Charmaine David Photography) 6 / 11 Home of the Day | The Summit (Jo David / Charmaine David Photography) 7 / 11 Home of the Day | The Summit (Jo David / Charmaine David Photography) 8 / 11 Home of the Day | The Summit (Jo David / Charmaine David Photography) 9 / 11 Home of the Day | The Summit (Jo David / Charmaine David Photography) 10 / 11 Home of the Day | The Summit (Jo David / Charmaine David Photography) 11 / 11 Home of the Day | The Summit (Jo David / Charmaine David Photography)

Built: 1987

Lot size: 0.43 acres

House size: 2,917 square feet, three bedrooms, four bathrooms

Features: Office, Wolf range, Sub-Zero refrigerator, marble countertops, French doors, vaulted ceilings, dark hardwood floors, custom cabinetry, canyon views, deck

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About the area: The median sale price for single-family homes in the 90210 ZIP Code in September was $2.55 million, based on 21 sales, according to CoreLogic. That was a 38.6% decrease compared with the same month last year.

Agents: Maya Hazen Manshel, John Aaroe Group, (424) 249-7173, and Aaron Kirman, John Aaroe Group, (424) 249-7162

To submit a candidate for Home of the Day, send high-resolution color photos via Dropbox.com, permission from the photographer to publish the images and a description of the house to lauren.beale2@latimes.com.

Follow Lauren Beale on Twitter @LATHotProperty.

See more Homes of the Day:

Home of the Day: Classic color scheme in Echo Park

Home of the Day: Where golf and art go hand in hand

Home of the Day: A Pacific Palisades traditional designed for entertaining
The question that will be on everyones mind for the foreseeable future is how did Donald Trump, a businessman with a record of bankruptcies and a reality TV star with a flair for demagoguery, become the next president of the United States.

The answer isnt likely to be found on cable news or in a newspaper. The medias coverage of the campaign was fixated on the horse race and the clash of flawed personalities, leaving little time to explain the urgent issues of the day to a distracted citizenry.

Where can we turn for enlightenment now that the toxic political Super Bowl is over? Is there anyone to lead us from the simplistic sound bites that have relegated us into enemy camps?

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Enter Lynn Nottage, a distinguished American playwright who set out to better understand the anger of todays betrayed working class. Her latest play, Sweat, which is having its New York premiere at the Public Theater, transports us to a Pennsylvania manufacturing town rocked by the seismic effects of globalization  a locale that is nearly as culturally distant to elitist urban audiences as the Congolese brothel of her Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Ruined.

Sweat, directed by Kate Whoriskey (who staged the world premiere at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival last year), grew out of interviews the playwright and her collaborators conducted in Reading, Pa., one of the poorest cities in the U.S., according to census data. The statistics are stark, but Nottage wanted to know the people behind the statistics and she has built a meaty  and acutely politically relevant  drama around what she learned.

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The main setting for Sweat is a blue-collar bar, where workers come in after their shifts to gripe, gossip and get blotto. The play takes place largely in 2000, just as the effects of NAFTA are starting to ripple through this factory town  bad news for the workers but a boon for bar receipts.

Stan (James Colby), the bartender of this no-frills establishment, says to Tracey (Johanna Day), a worker at the local steel tubing plant, You could wake up tomorrow and all your jobs are in Mexico, whatever, its this NAFTA  . To Tracey, NAFTA sounds like a laxative, but she will become intimately acquainted with the consequences of trade deals and globalization as the play jumps back and forth between 2000 and 2008, another watershed in the life of this economically battered community.

Nottage, an African American playwright, never loses sight of the humanity of her white working-class characters even when the strain of their economic problems draws to the surface their latent racism. Shes alert to the way the lack of human decency by employers has compromised the values and ideals of their employees, who have come to define themselves by their jobs.

Three generations of loyalty to the same company, Stan complains to a patron about the way he was treated after being injured. This is America, right? Youd think that would mean something. They behave like theyre doing you a ... favor.

But Nottage isnt simply writing to explain the behavior of a certain segment of Donald Trump voters. Shes analyzing the way economic pressures and changing demographics have, as this election has dismayingly shown us, pitted communities against one another.

Cynthia (Michelle Wilson), an African American friend and coworker of Traceys, is tired of working on the floor of the plant. Her middle-aged body is starting to break down, but shes also smart and ambitious and realizes that theres no reason she shouldnt apply for a higher position.

Cynthias promotion, however, turns out to be a mixed blessing. As the union loses power and the company bosses take an increasingly hard line with the workers, she will be seen as a traitor for appearing to side with management.

Sweat doesnt leave out the younger generation  those who roll their eyes at the idea of college, like Jason (Will Pullen), and those who are still looking for an educational way out of this manufacturing dead end, like Chris (Khris Davis). What happens to these two young men loosely structures the play, which can admittedly feel more reportorial than plotted  a symptom perhaps of the works quasi-journalistic roots.

At various points, the socioeconomic context threatens to dwarf the drama. Nottages writing falls into expositional phases that provide the actors with plenty of realistic detail and local color but these passages slow momentum. (Whoriskeys lived-in production, it must be said, is first rate.)

The play also enunciates its points a little too baldly in places. Tracey pays homage to her grandfathers solid, worker hands in the talking head language of a Michael Moore documentary.

More prosaic than Ruined, which was modeled on Brechts Mother Courage and Her Children, Sweat invites an audience to spend time with characters when theyre off the clock  to observe them in their everyday flow as the noose tightens around their necks.

The play gains speed as it heads toward its explosive conclusion. Oscar (Carlo Alban), a Colombian American busboy who lurks in the shadows of the bar, takes on a larger role that will fatefully intersect with the lives of Jason and Chris. Its hard to talk about the plot without spoiling the surprises, but suffice it to say that Nottage touches on immigration, the alt-right, addiction and prison in ways that feel disturbingly organic to her dramatic portrait of contemporary America.

Much has been made about the timeliness of Sweat, the way it sheds light on the national schisms that have made this election such a horror to live through and the platform it has provided embittered workers who have lost their foothold in the middle class. Nottage helps us see that though this community may feel abandoned and culturally isolated, it isnt all that disconnected from the multicultural patchwork that is the United States.

The economically disenfranchised of all races and ethnicities, it turns out, have a good deal in common, which is the reason politicians and corporate bosses are so intent on stoking conflicts and inflaming resentments. A fractured opposition is much more easily manipulated and subdued.

Sweat roils with anger and frustration, but these feelings are put in the service of a public good: fostering solidarity where polarization has grown most extreme. The play may not be an enduring masterpiece, but it offers a path toward healing for a nation riven by a torturous election. We would all be well served to follow Nottages compassionately wise example and venture outside our comfort zones and unplug our ears.

charles.mcnulty@latimes.com

Follow me @charlesmcnulty

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Theres really no other way to put it: Los Angeles on Tuesday threw off its typical and longstanding ambivalence about whether it wants to be a big city and definitively embraced a more urban future.

In giving the Measure M transit tax roughly 70% support, a full 3 percentage points above the super-majority it needed to pass, county voters virtually guaranteed that L.A. will finally build the mature, comprehensive public transit system it has been working toward, often haltingly, since the 1980s.

There is plenty of money for roadway improvements in the measure, but a remarkable $860 million in estimated revenue each year will be earmarked for mass-transit projects. Some are ambitious enough to radically remake the regions public transportation map.

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Another countywide proposition, Measure A, passed with an even higher margin, earning more than 73% of the vote. It will boost investments in park space and could accelerate plans to open much of the Los Angeles River to public access. (Measure M will help do the same, in part by funding improvements to the network of bike paths along and leading to the river.) And make no mistake: A city with more open green space is a more urban and public-minded city, one at long last moving beyond the radical privatization that accompanied postwar growth in much of Southern California.

A $1.2-billion city bond measure to build new housing for the chronically homeless, Proposition HHH, passed with exceptionally strong support, gaining 76% of the vote.

In Santa Monica, voters decisively rejected the aggressively anti-urban Measure LV, which would have (among other curbs on construction) required a public vote to approve nearly any new building higher than 32 feet. Yes, readers of mine from out of town, you saw that right: Had the measure passed, those mammoth, marauding four-story skyscrapers now threatening to overwhelm Santa Monica would have been banned except where green-lighted by special referendum.

It remains to be seen what these results will mean for L.A.s own Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, which will appear on the city ballot in March and calls for restrictions on development and new housing that are  if not quite as extreme as LVs  certainly as clear in their desire to shape Los Angeles along fundamentally suburban lines.

Still, the idea that L.A.s core identity is wrapped up in the car and the single-family house  a notion that has been both crumbling and rather desperately defended by nostalgic readings of the city in recent years  took the sort of hit from which it may never recover. This is especially true given the margins Tuesday, with Measure Ms 69.8% support surpassing even the 67.2% that an earlier transit tax, Measure R, gained in 2008 and Measure LV winning just 43.8% of the vote in Santa Monica.

That definition of the city has always been at least partly a fiction in any case, given both the realities of regional demographics  one recent study found that L.A. has a higher proportion of renters, at 52%, than any city in the country, with the percentage in Santa Monica even higher, at about 70%  and the history of urban development here. But for whatever reason, we seem to have a collective amnesia about the character of prewar Los Angeles, finding it all too easy to forget about the reach of the L.A. streetcar network in the first half of the 20th century and the power and volume of early experiments in moderately dense multifamily modernist housing by architects including Irving Gill, R.M. Schindler and Richard Neutra.

This is perhaps the most important message sent by voters Tuesday: The Los Angeles dominated by the single-family subdivision and the freeway overpass is not some permanent, fixed city. It was preceded by a different kind of city, one deeply reliant on mass transit and active in building cooperative and multifamily housing. The results on Tuesday suggest there is little doubt now it will be replaced by a noticeably different kind of city as well.

This emerging city  which I have referred to as the Third Los Angeles, following the prewar First L.A. of the streetcar and the bungalow court and the Second L.A. of the freeway, the concrete-lined river and the glamorous detachment of the single-family house  will continue to be challenged and even attacked by supporters of what for many powerful people in Los Angeles has been a remarkably generous status quo.

The residents who have benefited for the longest period of time and most directly from the largesse of Second L.A.-era policies have much to protect and will use their significant resources to protect it. They have been aided not only by low property taxes and the mortgage-interest deduction but various caps on the supply of new housing in L.A. County, which has caused residential property values in some neighborhoods to leap 30- or 40-fold or even higher since the 1970s.

The most extreme version of their rhetoric is not so different from Donald Trumps promise to Make America Great Again; it depends after all on the notion that Los Angeles, as it grows taller, denser and more urban, is in danger of losing some fundamental part of its traditional civic identity or perhaps has already lost an appreciable chunk of it.

Nor is it a stretch to see the opponents of new housing and foes of transit spending as close and perhaps natural allies. A main backer of the Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, donated $10,000 to the campaign to defeat Measure M.

But cities, if they are to be living and not dead, vital and not vast museums, have an obligation to plan for a range of futures: to consider the needs of residents not yet here or not yet born as well as those already established here. (This is true even in cities like Los Angeles where population growth has markedly slowed.) On a day when the rest of the U.S. rallied on behalf of an America that in demographic terms is fading from view  and there is no way to ignore or sugarcoat that fact, given that Trumps support was highest in the whitest and oldest sections of the country  it was encouraging, a small but significant comfort, to see voters in Los Angeles send a different message.

In that difference  and in the increasingly stark electoral gap between large metropolitan regions and the rest of America  lies what is sure to be a dominant story line for U.S. cities over the next four years. Despite being a lifelong New Yorker (and a developer of tall buildings, no less), Donald Trump ran explicitly against big cities and multiculturalism and by extension against cosmopolitanism. That message proved hugely appealing in rural and small-town America.

Many of the transit projects set to be funded by Measure M dont rely on federal support. Others will take long enough to plan and build that they could presumably wait out the Trump administration. But some will likely face a bumpy road under his presidency, which is expected to favor public-private infrastructure partnerships over the kind of transit lines Los Angeles has been building.

The journalist and editor Carey McWilliams famously described Southern California in 1946 as a place apart  as island on the land, as he put it, a region geographically attached, rather than functionally related, to the rest of America. Certainly Los Angeles, at the ballot box, asserted that singular independence again yesterday.

But McWilliams words may turn out to describe quite well the way all of urban America feels about its relationship with the rest of the country under the new administration in Washington.

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christopher.hawthorne@latimes.com

Twitter: @HawthorneLAT
Two years ago, after a remarkable career that spanned six decades, Debbie Reynolds was preparing for her final live performance. A still spry 82 at the time, the legendary triple threat was finally retiring with a gig in the city that was her home away from home, Las Vegas. Carrie Fisher, Reynolds daughter, sparked to the idea of capturing that moment on film.

Shes never really been seen as she is. Shes very candid onstage, but its still a performance, Fisher says of her mother. I thought we were a funny couple.

A longtime friend and house guest of Fishers, producer Charlie Wessler, suggested she speak with the filmmaking duo of Fisher Stevens (Oscar-winning The Cove) and Alexis Bloom (We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks). Their collaboration resulted in Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, a documentary (airing on HBO in March) that is refreshingly honest in its depiction of a mother and daughter whose public contributions to the movie business are the stuff off legend.

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I mean, the first time we filmed Carrie and Debbie together, that was the storyline, really. Sort of the ties that bind us, Bloom says. We didnt know when we would stop or how far back we would archive, but the axis on which the film turned was their relationship and their love -- even though showbiz warps the best of people and warps the best of relationships, and Im sure to some degree they would agree its warped their family. But at the center of it is love, and thats sort of undiminished.

Of course, although both women have spent almost their entire adult lives in the public eye, neither truly understood what she was getting into.

People have said to us, Oh, this is automatic for them. They are always writing or onstage. That is true, Bloom says. Their lives are their material, but I dont remember a time when they have given it over to somebody else to tell. That was certainly a surprising process for them. You could see at a certain point Carrie perceptively going, Not terribly sure about this. 

The film ended up chronicling the months leading up to Reynolds accepting a lifetime achievement award at the 2015 SAG Awards. While this allowed Bloom and Stevens to capture a powerful moment when a heartbroken Fisher realizes her mother may not be well enough to accept the honor in person, its the intimate scenes at the Star Wars stars home that are the most intoxicating part of the movie.

The scene that encapsulates the film best for me was when we interview Debbie, and Carrie sets off the burglar alarm, Stevens recalls. I had actually set it by mistake. Debbie started to feel worse and worse during the interview, anyway, so we werent getting much, but after the alarm she woke up and gave us great stuff. She truly is unsinkable.

For Bloom, its the window into Fishers world that sticks with her the most. She notes, I feel incredibly tender toward Carrie when shes home getting her manicure because shes incredibly manic. You can see shes in pain and you can see what a survivor she is. She is incredibly honest and kind of vulnerable at the same time, and I love that scene when she plays with the ladies who are doing her nails with glitter. That is Carrie. Shes covered in glitter, and she has that fairy dust about her.

Fisher says its been hard for her to watch the film at times and admits that at the New York Film Festival screening, she had to leave the theater when footage of her visiting her late father, Eddie Fisher, was shown. But, shes also overcome with how loving it all is. Her mother became quite ill after the SAG Awards when filming completed and was unable to accept in person her Jean Hersholt award from the film academy 10 months later. Fisher reports that Reynolds is doing better now (shes seen the film), and even she marvels at her vitality.

There is no obstacle my mother wont acknowledge. She broke her leg once while onstage and went back on and sang Tammy. Shes this amazing creature, yknow?  Carrie Fisher

Oh, my God. Her work ethic is crazy, and thats how she didnt die, Fisher says. She will power through anything. There is no obstacle my mother wont acknowledge. She broke her leg once while onstage and went back on and sang Tammy. Shes this amazing creature, yknow?

calendar@latimes.com
President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump walk from a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at the U.S. Capitol November 10, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo : Getty Images/Mark Wilson)

Republican nominee Donald Trump scored an upset victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton to be declared the 45th president of the United States on Nov. 9, Wednesday. Trump, a real estate magnate and former reality television series host, will be the first U.S. president who did not hold any public office or serve the military earlier.



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Trump, 70, defied all predictions and polls to stage a shocking and historic victory by winning several battleground states, including Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. He fought a lengthy and bitter campaign to secure 278 electoral votes, six more than the required 270, from 27 states to capture White House, AP reported.



Along with Trump, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, 57, will be sworn-in as the vice-president on January 20, 2017. Earlier, Pence served as a member of the House of Representatives for long.



Trump's victory in the key 'swing states' like Ohio, North Carolina and Florida has been crucial. These 'swing states,' also dubbed as 'battle ground states,' have never voted consistently either for the Democrats or the Republicans.



On the other hand, former secretary of state and Democrat nominee Clinton won just 218 electoral votes, much less than expected. She had pinned her hopes on the 'swing states,' but they returned her empty handed. While the final results are yet to come, they are do not matter anymore.



Trump upset victory may have significant ramifications, both economic as well as political, Eurasia Review reported. In recent days, stock markets had seen an upward swing, as polls showed Clinton ahead of her rival in the run-up to the historic election. However, the markets nosedived on Nov. 8, Tuesday, as Trump pulled off a string of surprising victories.



Experts are predicting a global upheaval if Trump really follows up his aggressive campaign promises, which include building a wall down the length of the U.S.-Mexico border, imposing stricter trading stipulations on China, and forcing the U.S. manufacturers not to outsource their operations overseas.



As far as the political significance of Trump's victory is concerned, Republicans will now control of both the executive as well as legislative wings of government. This, in turn, may result in the long-standing demands for GOP to be materialized. It is anticipated that Trump may repeal "Obamacare" and also withdraw regulations that limit emission of greenhouse gases.



Watch Donald Trump delivering his victory speech in the early hours of Nov.9, Wednesday, morning:






The rumors are true: Michael Keaton will be playing the villain in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has confirmed in an interview with the Toronto Sun that Keaton has been tapped to play the Vulture in the upcoming Spider-Man reboot.

Weve had a wish list, and most of them in the near-term are coming together, Feige revealed while discussing the Marvel Cinematic Universe villains. Cate Blanchett is playing Hela in Thor: Ragnarok. Michael Keatons Vulture in Spider-Man is something. And of course, finally, were showcasing Josh Brolins Thanos [in Avengers: Infinity War]. Were looking forward to that very much.

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Keaton, of course, is no stranger to superhero films. Before starring in Oscar-winning films such as Birdman and Spotlight, the actor portrayed DCs iconic comic book hero Batman in 1989s Batman and in the follow-up, Batman Returns.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

In July, Sony released concept art revealing that the new Spider-Man would feature the villain Vulture. At Marvels San Diego Comic-Con presentation, the new Spider-Man director, Jon Watts, described the film as a straight-up high school movie.

In comic books, the Vulture was an alias used by Adrian Toomes. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Toomes was an electronics engineer who invented a special suit that enabled him to fly and also gave him enhanced strength. He turned to a life of crime after being wronged by his business partner.

Spider-Man: Homecoming stars Tom Holland as 15-year-old Peter Parker. The cast also includes Donald Glover, Marisa Tomei, Zendaya, Jon Favreau and Tony Revolori. The film is scheduled to hit theaters July 7, 2017.

tracy.brown@latimes.com

Twitter: @tracycbrown
Imagine a dollop of sweet raspberry jam sandwiched between two rich cookies flavored with walnuts and a hint of rum. That alone sounds great, but drizzling melted chocolate over these little sandwich cookies takes them to another level completely. Meet the Hungarian Isler cookie, a finalist one year in our Los Angeles Times Holiday Cookie Bake-off.

Have you submitted your favorite recipe yet? Theres still time. Enter our sixth Holiday Cookie Bake-Off, and put your best up against the rest.

The Hungarian Isler cookies come from Monika Csaszni of Redondo Beach. She wrote:

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When I was a little girl, during the holidays we would go to my grandparents house in the countryside. I fondly recall the magical memories of my family and the holidays that this cookie is responsible for. I can still picture my grandma in the kitchen making the cookie dough, my sister was in charge of cutting the cookies and I was responsible for the chocolate coating and decorating. My mom, who was not the best cookie baker, would handle making the holiday dinner. Meanwhile, in the background you could hear my dad getting mad because he was having trouble putting the light on top of the Christmas tree.

Think you can do better? Show us by entering our bake-off today. Entries must be submitted by Nov. 14 at midnight.

Click here to submit your cookie recipe, along with a short essay about why your cookie is such a holiday favorite. Include a photo if you can; voters will want to see proof.

Readers will vote online for their favorites. The top 20 cookie recipes will be tested and judged by our Food staff to determine the five finalists.

The finalists will be invited to the Los Angeles Times for a tour of the Test Kitchen, and will be photographed and featured, along with their recipes, in a Saturday section article during the holidays.

Love baking as much as I do? Follow me @noellecarter

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Voters appear to have rejected a ballot measure aimed at granting more autonomy to the scandal-plagued Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, one of the nations largest public utilities.

The tally for Measure RRR as of Wednesday afternoon was 52% against and 48% in favor, with 100% of precincts reporting, according to the Los Angeles County registrar-recorders website. An undisclosed number of provisional ballots might still be outstanding making the results semi-official, according to county officials.

The measure would have added people with industry expertise to the DWPs board and given it the ability to sign contracts without the approval of the City Council. It also would have allowed the department to hire employees without going through the citys cumbersome civil service process. That provision was chiefly responsible for more than $1.6 million that poured into the No on RRR campaign from unions representing employees of other city departments and their political allies.

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They claimed divorcing the city utility from the civil service system could result in coveted well-compensated jobs at the city department going to friends and relatives of current DWP employees, not the most qualified candidates. They also worried that employees of other city departments might no longer be able to easily transfer into desirable DWP jobs.

After being approved for the ballot by the City Council, and endorsed by Mayor Eric Garcetti and DWP administrators, there was no organized campaign to pass the measure.

Fred Pickel, the citys ratepayer advocate, who also supported the measure, said backers might have believed a campaign was unnecessary because initial polling showed public support at about 57%. But the polling also showed voters were persuadable, Pickel said.

Pickel, who wrote the citys official argument in favor of the ballot measure, was criticized for failing to mention that approval would have allowed him to be reappointed to a second five-year term in his $276,000-a-year job and raised his minimum office budget by more than $1 million per year.

Those details were also omitted from the one-paragraph summary voters saw next to the spot on the ballot where they checked yes or no. They were mentioned, briefly, in the thick pamphlet voters received by mail.

Opponents, while agreeing the utility needs reform, said that what appeared to be self-dealing and a lack of transparency in the ballot descriptions were emblematic of why voters didnt trust the City Hall-backed measure

DWP cant be reformed from the inside out; it has to happen from the outside in, said Jamie Court, president of the Santa Monica advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, which opposed the measure.

jack.dolan@latimes.com

Follow on Twitter at @JackDolanLAT

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While many California voters voted in advance, there was still a large turnout when the polls opened at 7 a.m. as residents cast their ballots for the next President of the United States, as well as a myriad of local and state measures and Congressional races. Polls close tonight at 8 pm.

As of today, there were 5,191,388 registered voters in the county, according to the Los Angeles County registrars office.
Manuel Acosta wanted to believe the time had finally come.

For three decades, many Latinos felt American politicians targeted them. There was Proposition 187, the 1994 California measure denying public services to immigrants in the country illegally. That was followed by voter-approved bans on affirmative action at state universities as well as bilingual education.

Now, Donald Trump seemed to be attacking Latinos  especially Mexican immigrants  to electrify his presidential campaign, calling them criminals, rapists and drug dealers. He promised mass deportation and a big, beautiful wall along the Mexican border.

America would not abide this, Acosta and many others believed. The morning of the election, polling experts predicted that Latinos, with their rising voter numbers, could be the ones to defeat Trump.

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 Los Angeles Times staffers visited Boyle Heights to hear Southern California residents take on the election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president.

Instead, before the sun broke Wednesday morning, many found themselves, once more, grieving and shocked.

Its a depressing reality check, said Acosta, a financial analyst from El Sereno. Were still the underdog, despite how much power and clout people assume we have.

As the weight of the defeat sank in, many Latinos feared for loved ones who could be deported or face hurdles with residency applications. Some hit the streets in protest. Others tried to find solace in the thought that Trump might soften his stance or be limited by Congress and legislative powers.

I hardly doubt that all the plans he has, hell make happen, said George Galindo, 31. Therefore, Im not scared. Im here to have a regular job like everyone else.

But others wondered how they and their Spanish names, the color of their skin, their hometown and heritage, would be seen in Trumps America.

For Sophia Sanchez, 31, the president-elects rhetoric was confirmation that racism is still alive and well.

Sipping coffee in Boyle Heights, Sanchez and her fiance, Mike de la Pena, 45, said they were glad those emotions are now public, rather than hidden within the countrys fabric.

Trumps victory comes amid a surge in Latino political power in California. Many of the states top legislative leaders are now Latino, and theyve pushed through an ambitious agenda to aid rather than punish immigrants.

As a result, De la Pena said he didnt worry about backlash in California, but Sanchez was concerned about family living in Texas and Kansas.

Who knows for people living in small towns in Idaho or North Carolina or God-knows-where, what theyre feeling and how theyre feeling about their neighbors, De la Pena said. Their neighbors have made a pretty clear statement about how they feel.

Roger Salazar, a Democratic strategist who worked for the Bill Clinton administration, wondered whether news about the wave of early Latino voters might have motivated more white, working-class voters  particularly non-college-educated males.

I think there is going to be a lot of dissecting as we sift through what is left of this election, he said, wondering if many Latinos underestimated Trump.

Preliminary estimates showed that close to 30% of Latinos voted for Trump. That still represented a victory for Hillary Clinton among the nations second-largest ethnic group, but it may not have been enough given how strongly the white vote went for Trump.

His win, I think, is really a slap in the face to women  Latinos and minorities in this country, said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. Many have awoken to the fact that we have more work to do to be considered equal in America.

Some Latinos were pleased to see Trump win. Everardo Rangel, who came from Tijuana in 1986, voted for the Republican candidate because he longed for change after eight years of Barack Obama. Now that the deed was done, said Rangel, as he loaded chips at a meat market in Venice, he was curious to see what Trump would do in office.

Im just anxious, waiting to see what will happen, he said.

Some had too much at risk to sit idly until Inauguration Day. That included so-called Dreamers, who benefited from Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. (DACA granted temporary deportation protection to more than half a million young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.)

Recipients of the executive action on Tuesday night flooded Facebook groups to express their fear that Trump would do away with the protection and that a system that once gave them relief would now flag them for deportation.

Karla Estrada, 25, of Chino, urged people to stay calm and strong.

You can no longer be passive, you can no longer do nothing, she wrote. Our lives are at stake. All of us. We must fight together.

Although the Latino electorate was not enough to defeat Trump, in Arizona it helped oust Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, ending a 23-year reign that spurred lawsuits and accusations of bias against Latinos.

In Nevada, Latinos helped elect Catherine Cortez Masto, who became the states first Latina senator.

Many Latinos are hopeful that come 2020, their numbers will grow and have a greater effect nationwide.

Acosta, the 36-year-old financial analyst from El Sereno, is counting on younger voters.

Once the older generation passes away, the new generation will come in and our strength will grow, he said. At least thats my hope.

 For many Latinos, a historic election turns into a nightmare

esmeralda.bermudez@latimes.com

cindy.carcamo@latimes.com

Times staff writers Brittny Mejia and Nina Agrawal contributed to this report.

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Investigators worked through the night to piece together a portrait of a gun fanatic who armed himself with an assault rifle and unleashed a cocaine-fueled rampage Tuesday in an Azusa neighborhood, killing one man and critically wounding two women before being killed by police.

Residents in the quiet San Gabriel Valley neighborhood waited for hours to return to their homes and reunite with the families as investigators swarmed the area to understand what happened, Azusa police said.

Although the motive for the shooting remained under investigation, authorities said the gunman had been on a cocaine binge when he launched his attack.

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On Wednesday morning, the Los Angeles County coroners office said investigators were still working to identify the 45-year-old gunman and notify his family.

They had identified the deceased victim as Francis Varney, 77, of Azusa. The condition of the two wounded women, 59 and 65, remained unchanged. One woman was shot in the face, the other victim was struck by gunfire on her body, authorities said.

Los Angeles County Sheriffs Lt. John Corina said investigators were still trying to learn more about the assailant, whose cocaine binged prompted his wife and two children to leave their familys home Monday evening.

The man was employed at a public works division in an unspecified Orange County city and was previously in the U.S. military, Corina said.

He collected guns and had at least four weapons, including handguns, a shotgun and a rifle, officials said. He had lived in the Azusa home for about five months.

Parents evacuate their children after Slauson Middle School was placed on lockdown during a shooting at the intersection of Orange Avenue and Fourth Street in Azusa. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times )

He is kind of a gun fanatic. He came out in the street and, according to people, he started shooting randomly at people.  Los Angeles County Sheriffas Lt. John Corina

He is kind of a gun fanatic, Corina said. He came out in the street and, according to people, he started shooting randomly at people.

Armed himself with handguns, a rifle and shotgun, the man walked outside of his home and began shooting at cars.

Clad in black combat gear, he shot at a woman driving a van, causing her to crash into cars, authorities said.

The gunman fatally shot Varney when he walked out of his home to see the commotion, Corina said. He then shot at another woman making her way down the street.

As police officers from Azusa and Irwindale pulled into the neighborhood, they were met with hail of gunfire from an assault rifle with a rapid-fire capability, acting Azusa Police Chief Steve Hunt said.

A gun battle erupted as officers attempted to tend to the wounded victims. Authorities were forced to secure the neighborhood and shut down nearby polling places  sending voters scrambling to find alternate locations as police confronted the assailant

The shooter fired at least 20 rounds at police.

Officers took cover and returned shots at the assailant, who retreated into a home in the 500 block of Fourth Street. No officers were injured.

I heard this boom boom like a rifle or shotgun, and then I heard pop pop back, then boom boom again, said neighbor Hector Serrano, 21. I came outside and [police] were throwing gas at the house.

An hours-long standoff ended Tuesday evening after police shot and killed the gunman.

Sheriffs officials used a robot with a camera to confirm the gunman was dead. His body was found in a homes entryway.

Inside the mans home, investigators found hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and family members told authorities he would occasionally binge on cocaine, Corina said.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

For breaking news in California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter.

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It wasnt your average undercover sting or your usual contraband.

San Joaquin County investigators launched the stealthy operation to infiltrate a 15,000-person ring  actually, a Facebook group  that peddled not cocaine or heroin or illegal weapons, but homemade food and recipes.

Six people were busted by the investigators, but it was the case of Mariza Ruelas, a 37-year-old mother of six, and her ceviche that gained the most notoriety. For selling 32 ounces of the citrus-marinated raw fish or seafood dish that is served cold, county prosecutors charged her with operating a food facility and business without a license.

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They were misdemeanor charges, but Ruelas faced the possibility of jail time. Her defense attorney said it was an over-the-top approach that wasted taxpayer money.

I didnt consider it a business, and neither did my attorney, she said. Its not something I did every day.

But San Joaquin County Chief Deputy Dist. Atty. Sherri Adams said the case has been misunderstood  and misrepresented. She said there are significant health risks behind selling food the way Ruelas did.

If one person gets salmonella or E. coli and they die, then wed be the first person theyd contact to say, Why didnt we do anything about this?  Adams said. Thats our main objective  people who operate these types of businesses out of their home; theres no oversight. They could be doing it in their dirty garage, in their kitchen with no sanitation.

Ruelas complained that she was offered a stiffer plea agreement than the others: three years probation, 80 hours of community service and a $253 same fine. But Adams said that was because she continued to advertise her meals online even after she was charged.

San Joaquin County prosecutors got some support from health and food-safety experts.

Im sympathetic to the situation, but its all about public safety. What would you say to that person if their child consumed that food and that child died?  Roger Clemens, a professor and food safety, law and regulation expert at USC

Im sympathetic to the situation, but its all about public safety, said Roger Clemens, a professor and food safety, law and regulation expert at USC. What would you say to that person if their child consumed that food and that child died? Its a waste of money, but gee, if it was my son or daughter, Id feel different.

According to the district attorneys office, the sting concluded with citations against six people, charging each with two misdemeanors of operating a business and food facility without proper permits.

The county launched its investigation in 2014 after someone reportedly got sick from food bought through the food group, named 209 Food Spot, Adams said.

Authorities monitored the group and mailed letters to members they found were advertising their meals online, telling them to stop, she said. Ruelas was among those who received a letter, according to Adams. Ruelas denies getting any letter.

When Ruelas and the five other defendants failed to comply, the case was handed to the district attorneys office, which launched the sting that ended with Ruelas ceviche sale.

Her offer was community service. Shes making more of this than it is, Adams said of Ruelas, who has taken her case to the media. Its not the big, bad D.A.s office trying to take this woman down.

Don Atkinson-Adams, Alameda Countys chief of environmental protection, said the California Health and Safety Code seeks to regulate retail food. I would like to know that the food being sold to me is properly prepared by someone who knows what they are doing.

He said California allows for some small-batch sales of food prepared in home kitchens. But a 2013 law, known as the California Homemade Food Act, skews heavily toward jams, pastries and confections such as fudge and flavored popcorn  not the type of food Ruelas cooks with regularity. Meat, which is more susceptible to food-borne illness, is forbidden.

As for Ruelas serving serious jail time, Adams said that would not happen.

Really? That would never happen, she said with a laugh.

In fact, the prosecutor said, if Ruelas is convicted, she would probably get no more than 10 days in county jail for selling illegal ceviche.

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Three daycare providers were arrested Tuesday in connection with the death of a toddler who was found not breathing at their Fontana facility, police said.

Sagan Marriott, 27, Rebecca Lutz, 29, and Deborah Jimenez, 52, were taken into custody on suspicion of child endangerment, according Sgt. Kevin Goltara, a spokesman for Fontana Police Department. Police said the child care providers were negligent in their care of 1-year-old Deacon Morin, and also had too many children for the facilitys size and staffing.

I dont know if parents were aware of what their licenses were for, he said.

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Detectives began investigating the daycare providers after Deacons death on Oct. 5.

Deacon, who was wearing an amber-beaded necklace around his neck, had been placed down to sleep during naptime at the Marriott Family Child Care facility.

At some point, Marriott and Lutz discovered he was unresponsive and not breathing, police said.

When Marriott and Lutz found Deacon, they waited for Jimenez to arrive to the facility to call 911, police said.

He was taken to a hospital, where he remained on life support for five days. Deacons cause of death hasnt been determined.

On Oct. 10, his mother, Danielle Morin, decided to take him off life support and donate his organs, she wrote in a Facebook post.

The grieving mother called for justice, saying she and other parents werent made aware of the facilitys infractions.

I almost threw up in my lap that a daycare where my son just died still holds the right to watch kids regardless of their 14 hidden infractions and 3 year probation for non-supervision that us parents were made unaware of, she wrote. This means that these women have the right to watch your children too.

According to police, Marriott was grossly over capacity on the day Deacon was found. The facility was caring for six infants, two more than the number of children allowed at any time, police said. At least 12 other children were also at the facility that day.

The daycare staff grossly exceeded the licensing regulations by over four times, endangering the lives and safety of the children under their care, police said.

Marriott and Lutz worked for Jimenez, who also ran Little Impressions Child Care, also known as Jimenez Family Child Care Home.

When Jimenezs facility reached its capacity, she would send children to Marriott, police said.

Jimenezs facility was on probation and had been cited at least 13 times for immediate and potential health, safety and personal impact violations, according to the states Department of Community Care Licensing.

Goltara said the facilities licenses have been suspended.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

For breaking news in California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter.

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Prosecutor defends her decision to charge a woman for selling ceviche illegally
Since taking office three years ago, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has sought to win over residents with his vision of the citys future.

Voters this week overwhelmingly backed that vision, approving two ballot measures championed by Garcetti that create a more urban city  a metropolis knitted together with transit lines and denser development, as well as new apartment buildings for some of L.A.s 28,000 homeless people.

Both Measure M and Proposition HHH, authorizing new taxes to address the urgent issues of traffic and homelessness, cleared the two-thirds bar for approval  legacy-making initiatives for the leader of the nations second-largest city.

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Their passage marks a major victory for the 45-year-old mayor, who faces reelection in March and is expected to explore a run for governor or U.S. senator. (Garcettis immediate predecessor, Antonio Villaraigosa, said Thursday he will run for governor in 2018.)

People got it, and put the pieces together, Garcetti said Wednesday at Union Station, crediting a wide coalition of supporters for pushing through the transit tax and homelessness measure.

The victories reaffirmed his governing style: forging ahead locally on issues such as the minimum wage and climate change despite inaction or a lack of money at the federal level.

The theme that Los Angeles isnt waiting around for outside help took on greater resonance as Garcettis presidential choice, Hillary Clinton, lost to Donald Trump.

The success of the two ballot measures now gives Garcetti vast sums of money to expand transit and build housing for the homeless. Los Angeles already is in the midst of a major development boom, with new high-rise and mixed-use buildings rising from downtown to the Westside. Both measures will add to that rapid remaking of the city.

But Garcetti also faces challenges that could frustrate his political aspirations. The projects have sparked an anti-development backlash in some neighborhoods. Voters in March will decide whether to fully back Garcettis push for a more urban, dense city when they weigh in on a ballot measure that could halt so-called mega-developments.

Other issues persist, such as rising crime and tensions between police and activist groups, said Jack Pitney, political science professor at Claremont McKenna College.

He knows the limits of what a mayor can do, Pitney said. But if he aspires to a legacy and higher office, he needs accomplishments that he can show in a campaign.

With this weeks victories, Garcetti proves himself a politician who not only talks about progressive causes, but achieves tangible results, Pitney said.

Whatever his political aspirations beyond next spring, Garcetti refuses to discuss them publicly and declined to be interviewed for this article. But he took a leading role in promoting Measure M and Proposition HHH, emerging as the public face for both.

At a rally near skid row in September, Garcetti implored voters to help the citys homeless living in shelters, under freeway overpasses and in sidewalk encampments. He appeared in television ads for Measure M and appeared at the Coliseum last weekend urging Rams fans to support the transit tax.

Measure M will add at least 450,000 jobs  about half in the construction industry  according to a recent Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation report, while Proposition HHH is expected to create about 50,000 jobs. Both measures also are likely to help Garcettis long-term goals of adding 100,000 housing units by 2021 and boosting Los Angeles economy.

Gary Toebben, the president and CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, has been a regular critic of City Halls record on job growth since Garcetti took office. But at a Measure M election party in downtown Tuesday night, Toebben likened both measures to economic stimulus packages.

He championed both, Toebben said of Garcetti. He staked his reputation on those measures.

Passage of the two measures is icing on the cake for Garcettis reelection bid in March, said Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State L.A.

Homelessness and traffic relief are more translatable to voters than some of Garcettis earlier achievements, Sonenshein added, such as passage of the citys earthquake retrofitting law and a $15 minimum wage.

Those issues are harder to tout on campaign ads, while new transit lines and housing projects are physical reminders of a politicians mark on a city. Such projects also allow for years of ribbon-cuttings by elected officials.

With the March mayoral election four months away, Garcetti has raised more than $2.2 million, while his announced challengers, who include longtime political operative Mitchell Schwartz and charter school founder Steve Barr, have garnered far less.

Schwartz, a Windsor Square resident, plans to go after the mayor on housing and urban density issues during the campaign.

If you like the development policies the way they are, Schwartz said Thursday, you should vote for Garcetti in March.

Dakota.smith@latimes.com

Twitter: @dakotacdsmith

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UPDATES:

2:55 p.m. Nov. 10: This article was updated throughout with additional reporting.

This article was originally published at 1 p.m. Nov. 9.
Los Angeles voters were in an especially giving mood.

Four major tax measures, clustered near the bottom of the ballot, sailed to victory in Los Angeles on election day, mostly by dizzying margins.

Voters embraced $94 million per year for parks, $1.2 billion to house the citys homeless, $3.3 billion for community college facilities and a stunning $120 billion to pay for subways, light rail lines and other transit projects over 40 years. Those measures, backers say, will help Los Angeles tackle two of its most intractable problems  traffic and homelessness  and potentially reshape the region.

For L.A.s mostly Democratic political leaders, despondent over losing both the presidency and the battle for Congress, the success of the four measures was welcome if bittersweet. Unofficial returns had the countywide transportation tax passing with nearly 70% of ballots cast, the county park tax with more than 73%, the community college bond with 75% and the city housing bond with 76%.

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When compared to the national results, Los Angeles has become an oasis in a dry and unforgiving political desert, said Councilman Mike Bonin, who campaigned for the transit and homeless measures.

Voters saw that we have big, scary problems  and they were more than willing to invest in solving those problems, said Bonin, who represents part of the Westside.

The electoral success was far from a sure thing. Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson had feared from the beginning that, with such a crowded and complicated ballot, one or more of the tax proposals would go down to defeat. Thats what happened in the 2008 presidential election, when voters embraced three tax increases but rejected a fourth  one devoted to paying for gang intervention programs in the city.

Winning approval of every local tax on the ballot never happens, said Wesson, who stumped heavily for passage of Measure HHH, the homeless housing bond.

This is a coup, he said Wednesday.

The results also came as a surprise to Richard Close, president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Assn., who frequently argues against local tax hikes. Close, who endorsed the homeless housing bond but remained silent on the rest, said voters were ready to take action on traffic and homelessness.

They want change, even if it costs them more money, he said.

One political expert attributed Tuesdays results, in part, to the one-sided nature of the local ballot measure campaigns.

Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC, said Mayor Eric Garcetti and his allies succeeded in isolating the influence of the groups who fought Measure M, the half-cent sales tax hike for transportation. The other three measures, he added, had little organized opposition.

If voters only hear one side of the story, theyre a lot more likely to believe it, Schnur said.

The four-for-four sweep of the tax measures will free up money for a vast menu of construction projects.

Measure HHH, the homeless bond measure, is expected to produce enough funds to pay for thousands of below-market residential units. Those homes, constructed in partnership with private developers, would offer on-site services such as substance abuse counseling or mental health services.

At the Los Angeles Community College District, Measure CC will help pay for earthquake retrofits and other repairs at nine campuses. And money from Measure M, the half-cent sales tax hike, would go toward dozens of projects, including one of the biggest public works initiatives on the drawing board right now: two 8.8-mile tunnels through the Sepulveda Pass, connecting the Westside with the San Fernando Valley by rail.

Still, each of those initiatives could quickly run into trouble. Metro is already behind schedule and over budget on a downtown subway line aimed at linking rail routes to Long Beach, Pasadena, East Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Construction of subsidized housing can take several years, with private developers working to acquire land and cobbling together city, state and even federal funding. And the community college found itself mired in contracting woes the last time voters backed new finding measures.

A Times investigation in 2011 found that the college district had wasted tens of millions of dollars as it built new facilities using publicly approved bond money. Then-State Controller John Chiang later identified $140 million in questionable spending stemming from the construction work.

Community College board president Scott Svonkin said the district installed new safeguards in the wake of Chiangs report, to ensure that the awarding of construction contracts is more transparent and competitive. Were doing things differently today than we did six years ago, he added.

Svonkin said that before the election, he was nervous that voters would recoil at having to decide so many tax measures  rejecting all of them in response. But voters from both parties showed they wanted to improve their city, he said.

This investment will change the face of Los Angeles, said Svonkin, whose board went on record supporting all four tax measures. It will make our city so much better and so much more livable.

One Measure M backer argued that the push to have so many taxes paid off.

We used to say fortune favored the bold, said Denny Zane, executive director of Move LA, a non-profit organization that advocates for public transit investment. Now we know. Voters favor the bold.

Schnur said the strength of the regions economy might provide another explanation for Tuesdays tax sweep.

Employment is much stronger than it was in 2008 and 2012, two years when voters rejected local tax measures, he said. This year, voters were feeling more economically comfortable  and understood that the tax measures would not result in dramatic and immediate changes in their community.

They were willing to make long-term investments, even if theyre not going to see the results for a while, he said.

david.zahniser@latimes.com

Twitter: @davidzahniser

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Executive producer Dan Cohen, creator/executive producer Ross Duffer, actress Winona Ryder, Chief Content Officer for Netflix, Ted Sarandos, VP of Original Content for Netflix Cindy Holland, creator/executive producer Matt Duffer and executive producer Sh (Photo : Getty Images/ Alberto E. Rodriguez)

Have you heard? "Stranger Things" Season 2 is getting even bigger! Following the confirmation of Millie Bobbie Brown's return as fan favorite Eleven, more stars are confirmed to be joining the growing cast of the hit supernatural drama. The new additions are even familiar faces too.



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When viewers return to Hawkins, Indiana for "Stranger Things" Season 2, they will meet new characters, as revealed by creators Ross and Matt Duffer. EW reported that Danish actress Linnea Berthelsen is on board as Roman, who is described as an "emotionally damaged, magnetic young woman who suffered a great loss as a child." Interestingly, the character is not a resident of Hawkins, per se, but is somehow "mysteriously connected to the supernatural events at the lab." From this alone, Roman seems quite similar to Eleven. She probably also enjoys Eggos as well.



Paul Reiser is also joining the cast as Dr. Owens, a "high-ranking member within the Department of Energy on a 'clean-up' assignment, tasked with containing the events of last year." Reiser's Dr. Owns could be the new big bad from the government since what happened to Matthew Modine's Dr. Brenner still remains a mystery.



Perhaps one of the most exciting additions to the cast is Sean Astin, star of the cult classic "The Goonies." If there's anything that screams the 80s and obviously inspired the whole "Stranger Things" old school vibe, it's definitely "The Goonies." Astin plays Bob Newby, "a kindhearted former nerd who went to high school with Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Hopper (David Harbour). He now manages Hawkins' RadioShack.



In the meantime, Netflix released an '80s-style newcast detailing the events in "Stranger Things" Season 1. According to Polygon, the video also took note of the disappearance of Barb Holland, who was described as "someone who was loyal to a fault to Nancy."



In a previous report, it was hinted that Barb's death might be discussed as some length in "Stranger Things" Season 2 although the actress, Shannon Purser, will not return to reprise her role.



"Stranger Things" Season 2 will return to Netflix in 2017 with the main cast members returning.






They didnt draw out the long-inflamed passions that the marijuana legalization initiative has. They didnt carry the solemn consequences of abolishing or expediting the death penalty. They certainly didnt evoke the fury of the presidential election.

But civic leaders and activists waited anxiously for two local measures that would directly affect anyone who lives or drives on the streets of Los Angeles for decades to come.

No measure on the ballot Tuesday could shape the future of Los Angeles more than Measure M, which would fund the most ambitious transit expansion in Los Angeles County history.

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And Proposition HHH would help build as many as 10,000 apartments as part of a broader push to get homeless people off the streets and sidewalks in Los Angeles.

Both measures were leading in early returns Tuesday night.

Mayor Eric Garcetti has been a strong advocate for both measures.

In an advertisement for Measure M, filmed as he was driving his car, Garcetti called it something that will help relieve traffic and literally change our lives.

At a party for the measure Tuesday night, Garcetti said the early results looked very promising.

Im superstitious, Garcetti added. I dont ever declare victory until the end.

Measure M would raise the county sales tax by a half-penny, generating an estimated $120 billion over four decades for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to build new highway projects and expand bus and rail lines, including boring twin rail tunnels through the Sepulveda Pass.

The rail system would expand to Pacoima, Claremont, Westwood, Torrance and Artesia. The tax would also fully or partly fund 10 highway projects, such as an extension of the freeway on State Route 71, and a new carpool-lane interchange between the 405 and 110 freeways.

Measure M would raise the countys base sales tax rate by half-cent in 2017 and increase it to 1% in 2039 after another half-cent sales tax expires. The levy would continue until voters chose to end it.

Patrick Janssen, 30, a sound mixer for film and television, voted for the measure at his polling place in Los Feliz.

Any attempt to improve transit  please, please, please. Its my least favorite thing about this city, he said.

Traffic always ranks high among concerns for residents of this relentlessly clogged metropolis. But critics have warned that because Measure M has no end date, voters may find it difficult to hold Metro accountable for cost overruns and schedule delays that have beset many agency projects in the past. And city leaders in the South Bay  where rail lines are scarce  opposed it because the northern parts of the county get their projects first.

Like all tax measures, both Measure M and Proposition HHH need a two-thirds majority to pass.

The city homeless housing initiative would authorize $1.2 billion in borrowing to accelerate the pace at which mostly nonprofit developers build permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless people. The bonds would be repaid by a new property tax averaging just under $9.64 for each $100,000 in assessed valuation each year over 29 years.

The owner of a $1-million property would pay, on average, $96 every year. The owner of a home with a median assessed value would pay about $32 a year.

City officials who placed the measure on the ballot say it would help fund 1,000 apartment units a year for 10 years. Los Angeles County would provide the support services for the city housing.

After years of ineffective efforts to stem the spread of tent encampments that now dot the city, the bond measure is an ambitious approach to achieve a long-term solution. If approved, it would have little immediate effect, leaving the city and county struggling to gain traction with short-term efforts, including offering services to those living on the street and finding placements in existing housing.

On skid row, voters hobbled out of their tents and welfare hotels in force Tuesday, lining up at times to cast ballots at four polling stations in the 50-block district.

They were prodded by a registration campaign, phone banking and the housing measure.

I need help and my brother here needs help, said James Evans as he and friend David Chavarria sat outside Midnight Mission in wheelchairs. He hoped the measure could get them off the streets one day.

Proposition HHH had the backing of much of Los Angeles political leadership and civic groups. United Way of Greater Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce are coordinating the campaign. Opponents, who argue that the city should use existing revenue to address homelessness, have not formed a campaign committee or raised funds.

Though no polls specifically aimed at Proposition HHH have been published, voters have consistently rated homelessness as one of the citys top issues.

A number of other California communities are also using the ballot to address their own acute homelessness crises.

In the most ambitious bid, San Franciscos Proposition J was seeking $1.2 billion over the next quarter century for homeless services, including housing, and $2.4 billion to beef up public transit, fix roads and improve pedestrian safety.

At the state level, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill in July allocating $2 billion for housing for homeless people with mental illness. The money will come from the states Mental Health Services Act, funded by the Proposition 63 millionaires tax approved by voters in 2004.

joe.mozingo@latimes.com

Twitter: @joemozingo

doug.smith@latimes.com

Twitter: @latdoug

laura.nelson@latimes.com

Twitter: @laura_nelson

UPDATES:

11:38 p.m.: This article was updated with a comment from Mayor Eric Garcetti.

This article was originally posted at 9:15 p.m.
Voters in Santa Monica soundly defeated a strict anti-development measure on Tuesday, marking the end of the latest chapter in a contentious battle over how best to manage urban growth in the booming beachside city.

About 56.19% of voters rejected Measure LV, which had the potential to levy some of the most stringent growth limits in the state.

The initiative would have required elections for most development projects taller than 32 feet  a low bar covering many new apartment and condo developments, as well as office and retail projects.

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The debate over the measure offered a preview of a much larger controversy brewing in Los Angeles, where voters in March will consider growth limits.

Santa Monicas push for slow-growth rules came as the city saw a boom in multi-use projects, with developers seeking to take advantage of the new Expo Line and the citys bustling downtown area.

Edward J. Casey, an attorney who represents residential, retail and commercial developers, said taking each new development in Santa Monica to the ballot box would have mired an already complicated process.

The entitlement and environmental review process on any project takes a long time, Casey said. To add to that the whole voter approval process makes it a lengthier and more costly project.

Backers of the measure said that they fear the influx of luxury developments could eventually price out Santa Monicas renters, who make up 70% of the citys 93,000 residents. They argued that the planning process at City Hall is rigged to favor deep-pocketed developers who promise a meager number of affordable housing units in order to build expensive mega-developments.

Tricia Crane, a member of the group Residocracy, which led the campaign for LV, said much of her concern surrounds the impact of development on the small city.

Theres a disturbing lack of transparency in our government and a tremendous amount of power held by developers, she told the Los Angeles Times last week.

Critics of the ballot measure worried that it would grind development to a halt, hurting the local economy. They argued that some new housing is necessary and could reduce prices.

Im grateful voters affirmed Santa Monicas commitment to an inclusive and diverse community, rejecting a measure that would have limited our ability to meet Santa Monicas housing needs, said Santa Monica City Councilman Kevin McKeown.

McKeown said he heard LV supporters concerns about traffic and overdevelopment loud and clear and has proposed less extreme ways of assuring voter approval for projects that exceed the zoning code.

In Beverly Hills, a contentious ballot initiative to erect the citys tallest building ever, a 26-story condominium tower adjacent to the Beverly Hilton hotel, failed 56% to 44%.

Some provisional ballots remain to be counted, but voters forceful rejection of Measure HH probably will result in the Hilton-backed project proceeding with previously approved plans for two condo towers of eight and 18 stories each, spokeswoman Marie Garvey said Wednesday.

We stated from the beginning that we wanted to let the residents decide what would be built in the future, Garvey said. Right now it looks like they want the 2008 plan built, and if that result holds, that is exactly what we will do.

Los Angeles Times staff writer Kim Christensen contributed to this report.

sarah.parvini@latimes.com

For more California news follow me on Twitter: @sarahparvini
Southern California sizzled under a heat blanket while powerful ocean waves pounded the coastline Wednesday, triggering warnings for surfers and boaters.

A strong high-pressure system floating over the state left Californians feeling like it was a toasty summer day instead of fall. By noon, Camarillo in Ventura County reached 95 degrees, one degree above the record for the date set in 1956.

As the valleys and foothills baked, beaches were hammered by strong surf, according to the National Weather Service.

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Forecasters warned the high surf would last through Thursday night along the Central California and Los Angeles and Ventura County coasts.

Use extra caution at the beaches during this time, especially the Central Coast where sneaker waves will be possible, large shore pound, and long wave run-up on area beaches, the weather service said.

The U.S. Coast Guard warned that a large west-to-northwest swell had moved into area beaches, with waves possibly reaching 7 feet.

By Thursday, temperatures will cool down slightly, but will still be 10 to 20 degrees above normal, the weather service said.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

For breaking news in California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter.
President-elect Donald Trump has said he admires Vladimir Putin, considers global warming a hoax and has denigrated U.S. allies like Japan. He wants to wall off Mexico, raise tariffs on China and scrap the Iran nuclear deal.

A Trump presidency thus promises a fundamental realignment of Americas relationship with the rest of the world and a scrambling of decades-old military alliances, international institutions and foreign policy priorities in an era of rising global instability.

It is unclear if Trump will choose advisors who will advocate a more conventional approach. Names the Trump campaign has circulated as possible Cabinet members so far do not include noted diplomats, experts or other successful veterans of foreign policy.

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Trump offered mostly vague and contradictory national security nostrums during the campaign. In April, in his only foreign policy speech, he promised to be reliable and unpredictable on the world stage.

Skeptics at home and around the globe now worry that control of Americas nuclear arsenal is about to go to someone with no experience in governing or in military and international affairs.

Trump sought to calm those fears in his victory speech early Wednesday morning, saying he expects to have great, great relationships with other countries.

I want to tell the world community that while we will always put Americas interests first, we will deal fairly with everyone, with everyone  all people and all other nations, he said. We will seek common ground, not hostility, partnership, not conflict.

Those conciliatory comments, analysts were quick to note, appeared in conflict with the provocative positions Trump struck during the long, ugly and hard-fought campaign.

Trump turned 70 years of American foreign policy under both Democratic and Republican administrations on its head during the campaign, R. Nicholas Burns, a former senior State Department official who now teaches at Harvard, wrote in an essay Wednesday.

He consistently denigrated NATO allies in Europe for not paying enough for defense, and disparaged Asian allies Japan and South Korea, suggesting he may decide to remove the U.S. military bases and the nuclear umbrella in place for decades, Burns wrote.

Live U.S. election results | Live California election results

He should signal quickly and unequivocally that he intends to be a faithful ally and to protect these countries from Russian and Chinese aggression in Eastern Europe and the western Pacific, Burns added.

Trumps criticism of NATO deeply rattled the Baltic states, Poland and other former Warsaw pact nations, said James Stavridis, the retired U.S. admiral who served as NATO chief until 2013 and is now dean of the Fletcher School of international affairs at Tufts University. I hope the new administration will give NATO a chance to prove its value to the United States but it will certainly be a skeptical appraisal.

During the campaign, Trump vowed to dismantle the NAFTA and CAFTA free trade agreements and to kill the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which President Obama had championed.

He also pledged to withdraw from the historic Paris climate change agreement, which was signed by 193 nations in December in an effort to reduce greenhouse gases and cool the warming planet.

His lavish praise for Russias president seemed the most mystifying to the U.S. foreign policy establishment.

The biggest single Trump turnabout will likely be relations with Russia, said Cliff Kupchan, chairman of the U.S.-based Eurasia Group risk-analysis organization. Hes an outspoken admirer of President Vladimir Putin, and the feelings mutual.

During the campaign, Trump called Putin a strong leader, better than the U.S. president, and refused to condemn Russias military interventions in Ukraine and Syria. He suggested he may not defend NATO allies if Russia pushes into Eastern Europe.

Trump also said he wants to strike alliances with Putin, especially in the fight against Islamic State. U.S. experts say Russias military is not targeting the terrorist group in Syria, but is fighting to defend Syrias dictator, Bashar Assad.

Most U.S. experts and diplomats view Putin as a belligerent and autocratic Russian nationalist who increasingly challenges and undermines U.S. interests.

During the campaign, the director of national intelligence said senior Russian officials had directed the hacks of thousands of emails from Democrats. Trump benefited from the leaks and is not likely to approve retaliation, experts say.

With Republicans in control of Congress, Trump is likely to have a free hand in issues the GOP opposes, like the climate change deal and the landmark Iranian nuclear deal.

Republican lawmakers also will support Trumps vow to keep open the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba and to expand its use. Since 2009, they have blocked Obama from closing the controversial facility.

Whether they would also endorse Trumps call to torture terrorism suspects and to kill their families is less clear.

But Republicans generally still believe in a robust NATO and are less conciliatory toward Russia. That could be a mitigating force as Trump learns foreign policy on the fly.

Trump must find the right balance between reassuring an uncertain world while avoiding commitments that exceed the tolerance of the American public, said Bruce Jones, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Brookings Institution think tank.

Trump gave mixed signals on his intentions on the war in Syria, alternately suggesting a more muscular response and vowing not to get involved. He showed no interest in the humanitarian crisis there, saying his only focus is on fighting Islamic State.

That could prove decisive in the countrys bitter civil war, where U.S. backed rebels have struggled to hold ground against Russian, Iranian and Syrian government forces.

The only thing holding up the moderate rebels in Syria after six years of war is the United States, said Christopher Harmer, a military analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, a public policy group. If the Trump administration falters in that support, the moderate rebellion in Syria is over. Full-stop.

Trump also gave mixed signals on his plans for the U.S. military. He vowed to boost defense spending to expand the Army and to build more ships, warplanes and arms, but also pledged to avoid more foreign wars like those in Iraq and Afghanistan.

If were going to sit back in our fortress with two oceans on either side of us, what do we need more weapons for? Harmer asked. Guess well find out. 

Mackenzie Eaglen, a defense analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, said Trumps foreign policy is likely to be less radical than his inflammatory language suggested during the campaign.

My experience has been that once new presidents start getting daily briefs and see how scary the world is, reality sets in, and they re-think their stances, she said. Im confident hell reassess his assumptions.

For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter

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The path he started on years ago led Joe Arpaio to a red-lit stage in July, his hand outstretched as thousands cheered Trump! Trump! Trump!

Never before had a presidential candidate so embraced the man who calls himself Americas toughest sheriff, a founding father of the strong-borders movement whose hardened views on immigration seemed to square up perfectly with those of the Republican nominee. Donald Trump gave Arpaio a full five minutes in front of the Republican National Committee.

It marked what probably was the last major national appearance of Arpaios political career.

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While the sheriff never changed, the landscape around him slowly did, and on Tuesday, his constituents  now younger and more Latino  voted him out of office, ending a six-term career as the sheriff of Maricopa County. In his place, Paul Penzone  a retired police officer  will be the top lawman of the states most populous county.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. (Mary Altaffer/Associated Press )

An epilogue awaits in December, when Arpaio faces trial on charges of criminal contempt over allegations that he ignored the courts order to stop his deputies from racial profiling.

Arpaio made headlines for housing inmates in canvas tents in the scorching Arizona temperatures and his tough talk on immigration. But when he first won election in 1992, the former Drug Enforcement Administration agent ran on a traditional platform  being tough on crime at a time it was spiking in the U.S. Within a decade, after writing an autobiography and winning reelections by wide margins, Arpaio was considered a favorite as the Republican nominee for governor, but chose not to run, instead supporting Democrat Janet Napolitano for governor.

In 2004, the Maricopa County Republican Party took its revenge, refusing to endorse Arpaio for sheriff. It was a lesson he would remember as he sought influence at the national level.

When Maricopa County Atty. Andrew Thomas won election in 2004 promising to crack down on illegal immigration amid a burgeoning border crisis and drug cartel wars in Sonora, Mexico, Arpaio took notice. He would not need the county Republicans if he could expand his base nationally.

He did, by turning to the rest of the country for campaign donations. The result was a war chest that perpetually dwarfed those of his opponents.

Protesters display an effigy of Maricopa Country Sheriff Joe Arpaio wearing prison clothes in front of U.S. District Court. (Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press )

Never a kingmaker, Arpaio had an unfortunate penchant for backing candidates at the wrong time. He endorsed Republican Mitt Romney for president in 2008 over his home state senator, John McCain, who won the nomination. In 2011, Arpaio gave his earliest endorsement to Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who was tumbling in the polls.

The belief in Arpaio was always a belief in Phoenix as it was after its postwar population boom, when cars made it navigable and air conditioning made it habitable. His supporters, mainly older white conservatives concentrated in the faceless suburbs and mobile home parks of outer Phoenix, responded to his urging of a return to that idyll by keeping him in office by comfortable margins.

Arpaio did his part, crowding his calendar with public appearances and boasting that his name recognition in the county approached 99%.

Never a graceful speaker, Arpaio instead intoned from the pulpit, index finger extended, in a deep baritone. But aided by a former TV reporter as his right hand, Arpaio developed a savvy press strategy with the understanding that good video will always get on the air, and live video will lead newscasts. So Arpaio gave the press good video, particularly if it involved armed agents busting drug-trafficking or human-smuggling operations.

The downside to his successes was the opposition he helped galvanize. It began with Mothers Against Arpaio, a group that focused on the sheriffs treatment of inmates under his watch. His opponents have since spread to business groups, drug-reform advocates and an expanding Latino voter base that viewed Arpaio overwhelmingly unfavorably.

Inmates gather around Sheriff Joe Arpaio as he walks through a Maricopa County jail called Tent City in Phoenix. (Matt York/Associated Press )

Before his current court troubles, he was used to defeating federal investigators. As recently as 2012, the Justice Department cleared Arpaio of wrongdoing in a four-year abuse-of-power investigation. But in U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow, Arpaio met his match.

After reviewing Arpaios treatment of Latino drivers in massive stings, Snow deemed Arpaios application of justice as unfair, partial, and inequitable.

Bit by bit, Arpaios fellow strong-borders advocates fell away in the face of changing national attitudes toward immigrants and illegal immigration.

Follow Nigel Duara on Twitter: @nigelduara

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Voters in six states approved measures Tuesday that will expand legal use of marijuana as millions across America weighed in on some of the most contentious issues facing the nation.

California, which was the first state to allow marijuana to be used for medical purposes two decades ago, voted to allow adult recreational use of the drug along with Massachusetts and Nevada.

Florida and Arkansas became the first Southern states to legalize medical pot, and they were joined Tuesday by North Dakota. Medical marijuana was already legal in 25 other states.

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Three other states were considering ballot questions on the drug, which is still prohibited by the federal government.

Proposals on gun control, the death penalty and raising the minimum wage were also among the more than 150 initiatives under consideration across the country.

In California alone, voters were deciding on 17 ballot questions, including whether to require actors in adult films to wear condoms when filming sex scenes.

Supporters of legalizing marijuana hope Tuesdays state votes will put more pressure on the federal government to lift its ban on the drug.

This is a major tipping point, said Tom Angell, chairman of the Marijuana Majority group, in a statement. A majority of states in the U.S. now have laws allowing patients to find relief with medical marijuana, and these protections and programs are no longer concentrated in certain regions of the country like the West and Northeast.

Opponents have likened the legalization effort to Big Tobacco, accusing the campaign of endangering children and prioritizing corporate profits over public health.

Voters in Arizona rejected a measure that would have allowed recreational pot in the state. Maine was considering a similar proposal.

And Montana was deciding whether to ease restrictions contained in an existing medical marijuana law.

Here is a look at some of the other issues at stake in this election.

Guns

Four states were deciding on whether to increase restrictions on the sale of guns and ammunition.

California, which already has some of the nations toughest gun laws, voted to strengthen the states regulation of ammunition sales, with a ballot measure that requires background checks for ammunition purchases and bans high-capacity magazines.

Washington voted to allow families or authorities to obtain a court order to temporarily seize guns from individuals who are deemed a threat to themselves or others.

Nevada and Maine had proposals on the ballot to expand federal background checks on firearm sales between private parties, closing a loophole that supporters say has allowed convicted felons, domestic abusers and the mentally ill to buy firearms at gun shows and online.

Death penalty

The execution chamber at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. (Sue Ogrocki / Associated Press )

The death penalty made it onto ballots in three states.

Nebraska voted to reinstate capital punishment after state lawmakers repealed it last year.

There are currently 10 men on death row in the state and Nebraska has not executed a person since 1997.

Oklahoma decided to enshrine capital punishment in the state constitution with a measure that ensures the state can carry out the penalty by other means if a method is blocked.

California had two competing measures on its ballot. One that would repeal the death penalty was trailing another that would speed up appeals so sentences could be carried out.

Minimum wage

The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour hasnt changed in seven years. But Arizona, Colorado and Maine voted to phase in an increase to $12 an hour by 2020, and Washington voted for a minimum of $13.50.

Voters in South Dakota, meanwhile, rejected a measure that would have reduced the minimum wage for workers under 18 there to $7.50 from $8.55.

Other issues

In Colorado, voters decided to allow physicians to help terminally ill people die, which is the practice in five other states.

But they rejected a proposal to set up a universal healthcare system funded by payroll taxes that would have replaced the system based on private insurers.

Colorado also voted against raising taxes on tobacco products, along with Missouri and North Dakota. But Californians supported a measure that increases the price of a pack of cigarettes by $2 and levies new taxes on e-cigarettes.

In Washington, voters rejected an initiative that would have introduced the nations first statewide tax on carbon emissions.

The measure was cast as a bipartisan effort to fight climate change that could build momentum toward creating a national carbon tax  and Washington, a liberal, environmentally minded state, seemed a promising place to do that. But the campaign met opposition from an unlikely alliance: environmental groups, which argued it did not do enough to expand renewable energy and help communities most affected by climate change, and conservative groups including the Koch brothers and the fossil fuel industry.

Maine was deciding whether its elected officials can be selected through a system allowing voters to rank their choices of candidates.

Times staff writers William Yardley in Seattle and John Myers in Sacramento contributed to this report

alexandra.zavis@latimes.com

Twitter: @alexzavis

UPDATES:

Nov. 9, 12:35 a.m.: This article was updated with more results.

11:55 p.m.: This article was updated with more results.

9:20 p.m.: This article was updated with more results.

This article was originally published at 7:40 p.m.
A man accused of killing a police officer and holing up in an eastern Arizona cabin with a teenage girl believed to have been a hostage was shot dead Wednesday by officers after the suspect opened fire, authorities said.

The shooting of Daniel Erickson, 36, came after he pulled a gun Tuesday and shot Officer Darrin Reed of the Show Low Police Department when Reed was responding to a report of a disturbance at a restaurant, the department said in a statement.

It was unclear whether Reed was shot inside or outside the restaurant in the town of about 10,000 people in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.

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Erickson fled following the shooting and was found at a rental cabin in the nearby community of Pinetop-Lakeside, where he barricaded himself inside with the girl, said Chief Deputy James Molesa of the Navajo County Sheriffs Office.

We assume that she was a hostage throughout the whole thing, Molesa said.

The girl, who Molesa said was 14, was treated for minor injuries from glass shards. The Show Low department said she was 15. No other details about her were released.

Ericksons death came after he fired at officers who had surrounded the cabin, and they returned fire, Molesa said.

Reed was married and had two children. The former sheriffs deputy was scheduled to retire from the Show Low Police Department in February, Molesa said.

He was known and liked by everybody, Molesa said. This will be really tough for this area.

He said Erickson had no outstanding warrants for his arrest, but an Arizona Department of Corrections online profile said he had served prison time over the past decade after being convicted of endangerment and a crime involving marijuana.

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Disturbed by a series of U.S. Marine aircraft crashes, deaths and incidents of bad behavior, the commandant of the Marine Corps has ordered a one-day pause in operations for the service to regroup, look inward and find ways to improve.

Gen. Robert Neller, in a memo to his commanders, said that more than 140 Marines died this year, and only one was in combat.

We are seeing too many training accidents and we have a small but not insignificant number of individuals that continue to exhibit destructive behavior, Neller said in the memo obtained Wednesday by the Associated Press.

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Pointing to incidents of sexual assault, hazing and alcohol abuse, Neller said, It is time for us to take a look inward.

He ordered commanders to conduct a one-day stand-down for professional development between now and Dec. 1 for active-duty Marines, and gave reserve units until February. In a more broadly distributed message to his entire force, Neller said that while Marines are performing excellently in combat and in response to other disasters, some are stumbling at home.

In our pre-deployment training and garrison activities, we are falling short, he said in the message sent out Tuesday. We are losing too many Marines to avoidable death and injury. We have a culture of combat excellence, but we have to guard against complacency and a lack of focus at home station.

The order comes on the heels of a string of crashes and other incidents, including the nighttime collision of two CH-53E transport helicopters off the coast of Oahu in January that killed 12 Marines. The Corps blamed pilot error compounded by low aircraft readiness and a lack of focus on basic aviation practices.

A Marine Harrier jet crashed in September off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, and an F/A-18 Hornet crashed in the California desert a month later. In both accidents, the pilots ejected safely.

The incidents of bad behavior include the deaths of two Marine recruits at Parris Island in South Carolina over the past eight months, triggering investigations into widespread hazing and abuse.
Calexit movement says Trump win helps their calls for California to secede

A group trying to get California to secede from the United States said the results of the presidential election gave their cause new momentum.

As they held a protest outside the state Capitol on Wednesday night, members of the Yes California Independence Campaign said they wanted Californians to vote on the issue. Their aim: a 2018 ballot initiative to force a 2019 special election.

The relationship between California and the federal system just isnt working, said Marcus Ruiz Evans, vice president of YesCalifornia.org.

People in front of the California Capitol before a protest to bring attention to a campaign for Californian independence. (Sophia Bollag / Los Angeles Times)

He said the money California pays in federal taxes isnt adequately supporting aging infrastructure and public programs in the state.

Evans and about a dozen other supporters paced the sidewalk in front of the Capitol on Wednesday evening, chanting, What do we want? Calexit! When do we want it? Now! Some wore dark blue Yes California shirts.

Protesters now marching up and down the sidewalk in front of the Capitol chanting "What do we want? Cal-exit! When do we want it? Now!" pic.twitter.com/ACN5RD3iHG  Sophia Bollag (@SophiaBollag) November 10, 2016

Yes California was one of several groups protesting the outcome of the election at the Capitol on Wednesday evening. Another group formed a large semicircle to share postelection feelings on the Capitol steps. Two women held Free Hugs signs. In the street, a group of dozens of protestors blocked traffic and chanted F--- Trump while waving posters that said Not my president.

Evans said the Yes California group planned the event months in advance and would have protested regardless of the result. But he said Donald Trumps victory Tuesday strengthened their case and generated additional support.

Now that America chose Trump, no one is debating with us that America is failing, Evans said. So then the question becomes, do you want to go down with the sinking ship, knowing that you have a ship thats able to sail the international economy on its own?
Egypt's Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Magdi El-Agati told reporters Tuesday that a Cairo administrative court's rejection of a government appeal against a previous court ruling voiding Egypts agreement to give Saudi Arabia two Red Sea islands does not invalidate the deal.

This ruling does not mean that the deal with Egypt and Saudi Arabia on the two Red Sea islands  Tiran and Sanafir  has become invalidated or that this is the end of the road for this deal, said El-Agati.

El-Agati added that an appeal by the government before the Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) is still being deliberated.

Today's ruling does not affect in any way the government's appeal before the Supreme Administrative Court, which is expected to be decided on 5 December," said El-Agati.

El-Agati explained that the administrative court's rejection of the appeal was based on technical matters.

Before he was appointed minister of parliamentary affairs, El-Agati was a judge with the State Council and administrative courts.

El-Agati has previously said that parliament has the final say on the Tiran and Sanafir agreement.

[Parliament] will not discuss the matter as long as it is being deliberated by the judiciary, said El-Agati.

In April, Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement that placed the two Red Sea islands of Tiran and Sanafir into the territorial waters of Saudi Arabia. The agreement was reached during a visit by Saudi King Salman to Cairo on 8 April.

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Measure to speed up the death penalty leads, while bid to end it fails By Jazmine Ulloa (Sue Ogrocki / Associated Press) California voters on Tuesday defeated a ballot measure to repeal the states death penalty, and instead a proposition that aims to amend and expedite it narrowly leads. The outcome concluded a closely watched ballot race to address what people on both sides of the debate have agreed is a broken system. Proposition 62, which would have replaced capital punishment for murder with life in prison without parole, garnered 46.1% of the vote. Proposition 66 intended to speed up executions by designating trial courts to hear petitions challenging death row convictions, limiting successive petitions and expanding the pool of lawyers who could take on death penalty appeals. With all precincts reporting, it currently has the approval of 50.9% of voters, but provisional and other ballots remain to be counted. The outcome reflects similar findings by a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll, which found California residents, like the nation, remain very much divided on capital punishment, even as public opinion has shifted against the practice over the past 40 years. This year, proponents of the measure to amend not end the death penalty system centered their campaigning efforts on emotional appeals from law enforcement and crime victims, who urged voters not do away with what they called the last defense against the worst of the worst in society. But death penalty opponents, a diverse group of crime victims, celebrities and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, argued the system could not be fixed. They pointed to a costly appeals process, the arbitrary application of the punishment and its impact on poor and minority communities. Times staff writer Liam Dillon contributed to this story. FOR THE RECORD: 11:11 a.m. This story and headline has been corrected to reflect that the Associated Press has not called the race for Proposition 66. This story was originally posted at 6:31 a.m. Facebook

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Republican Cunningham wins tight state Assembly race to hold a GOP seat By Christine Mai-Duc Republicans have held on to the 35th Assembly District on the central coast, with GOP candidate Jordan Cunningham defeating Democrat Dawn Ortiz-Legg, according to the Associated Press. Cunningham led Ortiz-Legg 54.6% to 45.4% with all precincts reporting. The two were running to replace termed-out Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian (R-San Luis Obispo), who ran for Congress but was knocked out in the June primary. The Republicans 5% voter registration advantage four years ago is now at just 1.5%, with a significant number of Latino and Asian registered voters. Times staff writer Liam Dillon contributed reporting. Facebook

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Proposition 51, the $9-billion school bond, wins By Liam Dillon California voters have approved Proposition 51, a $9-billion bond for school construction projects across the state. The measure was leading 53.9% to 46.1%, according to election returns at 5 a.m. Wednesday, and the Associated Press has called the victory. State funding to help finance repairs and new school facilities across California had run dry, and Proposition 51 will refill the pot. School construction needs billions of dollars every year, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office. With the new cash infusion, the state will once again match local district funding for construction projects. Proposition 51 had a more difficult campaign than many might have expected. Critics of the measure, notably Gov. Jerry Brown, had argued that Proposition 51 unfairly prioritized larger more, affluent areas because the state handed out the money on a first-come, first-served basis to districts that already had matching funds. And public polls in the fall showed the measure not reaching majority support among voters. But school bonds are popular. Eighty percent of local measures pass, according to the League of California Cities, and the previous four statewide school bonds were successful as well. Facebook

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Funding to house L.A.'s homeless has strong lead By Howard Blume Homeless people on the street in Venice. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Backers of a bond measure that would provide housing for many of the citys homeless were optimistic as early ballot counts favored the measure, which needs a two-thirds majority to pass. With 50% of precincts reporting early Wednesday morning, Measure HHH had captured 76% of the vote. We earned our wings tonight, 8th District L.A. City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson said on Tuesday night. We completely lived up to the title City of Angels. Supporters of the measure, including city officials, gathered on the 30th floor of a downtown skyscraper. Looking good so far, said 14th District Councilman Jose Huizar. It reflects all we had seen in our polling and talking to people. I think it looks excellent. The measure asked Los Angeles city voters to approve general obligation bonds that would raise money to build housing for chronically homeless people. The city would borrow up to $1.2 billion over 10 years for construction projects to provide safe, clean, affordable housing for the homeless and for those in danger of becoming homeless. The average annual cost over the 29 years the bonds are being repaid would be $9.64 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. That would be $32.87 on a home valued at the median of $341,000. The measure would not nearly move all the citys homeless into housing, but supporters have argued that it is an important early step. Facebook

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Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, one of most targeted Republicans of the Legislature, keeps her seat By Christine Mai-Duc Assemblywoman Catharine Baker ( (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) Assemblywoman Catharine Baker (R-Dublin) has held on to her seat in a closely watched race against Democrat Cheryl Cook-Kallio in the East Bay. With nearly 95% of precincts reporting, Baker was leading, 56%-44%, against Cook-Kallio. Early in the campaign, Baker, who is a social moderate and fiscal conservative, was identified as one of Assembly Democrats top Republican targets to pick off on their quest for a Democratic super-majority. Cook-Kallio, a former Pleasanton City Council member, was one of four California legislative candidates endorsed by President Obama. The contest was one of the most expensive legislative races this election cycle, with party spending on both sides nearing $2.8 million and independent expenditures just under $2 million in the final days of the campaign. Facebook

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Assemblyman David Hadley, one of the most targeted Republicans in California, is in for a long night By Christine Mai-Duc (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Assemblyman David Hadley (R-Manhattan Beach) was in a car on his way home early Wednesday morning after an election night party in Redondo Beach. With 42% of precincts reporting, Hadley was lagging behind challenger Al Muratsuchi, 53% to 47%. But the race is still close to call and both candidates will likely have to wait until later Wednesday, or perhaps even later, to know whether Hadley will keep his seat. I have vague memories of refreshing my browser at 2:30 and 3:00 in the morning in 2014, Hadley said. I have a sneaking suspicion Ill be doing that again tonight. Democrats had hoped to turn Hadleys L.A. County coastal district blue as part of a strategy to regain a super-majority in the Assembly. As of early Wednesday morning, nearly all of those key targets Democrats had hoped to win were too close to call -- including Assembly District 65, where Assemblywoman Young Kim (R-Diamond Bar) and Democrat Sharon Quirk-Silva were separated by 1%. Were still watching and well see how we do, Hadley said of his race, noting that the 2014 results showed he fared much better in certain parts of the district than others. We just want to see more precincts in first. Assembly Democrats had tried to tie Hadley to Donald Trump during the campaign, despite the fact that he had said he would not vote for the Republican nominee. On Friday, Hadley revealed that he had cast a ballot for Gary Johnson for president, saying Johnson appeared to be the third-party nominee with the best chance of showing dissatisfaction with the two major party nominees. Facebook

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Legislature will have to pass bills under new transparency rules set by Proposition 54 By John Myers California voters have approved a significant change of the rules in how proposed laws are approved by the Legislature, overwhelmingly supporting a new mandate for public review of legislation before any final vote. Proposition 54, which will impose a three-day waiting period before lawmakers can take action on the final version of bills, appeared headed for an easy victory on election night. As of early Wednesday, it was winning with 64% of the vote. The change in legislative rules was long discussed in the state Capitol but failed to gain momentum until the initiative written by a former GOP legislator and bankrolled by a wealthy Bay Area activist. In addition to the three-day delay for public review of most bills, Proposition 54 will also impose new rules requiring that video of legislative hearings and debates be posted online. It also removes a ban on using video from legislative proceedings in campaign commercials. Facebook

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Burbank airport terminal replacement measure has wide lead in early returns By Rong-Gong Lin II (Raul Roa / Los Angeles Times) A measure to allow the replacement of the aging, cramped and seismically deficient Hollywood Burbank airport was dominating in early voting results Tuesday. With 31% of the precincts reporting, 72% of voters backed Measure B. If approved by a majority of voters, Measure B will permit the construction of a 14-gate replacement terminal at what was formerly known as Bob Hope Airport in a plan supported by both airport officials and a majority of the Burbank City Council. Opened 86 years ago, the Burbank airport terminal is considered outdated and obsolete, so close to the runway it does not meet federal safety standards. It also is vulnerable to heavy damage in a major earthquake. Airport and Burbank city officials have openly feuded about the terminals future for decades, and this agreement would finally pave the way for a replacement. A rejection of Measure B would likely result in an ongoing legal battle between the airport and the city, and the airport authority could attempt to build a terminal of the same size in a less favorable area, one that would force the demolition and replacement of the general aviation terminal. Facebook

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Lead increases for tax hike to expand L.A. Metro mass transit By Rong-Gong Lin II An ambitious measure to dramatically expand Los Angeles Countys mass transit system widened its lead Wednesday morning as election officials counted ballots into the wee hours of the night. With 46% of the precincts reporting, 68.82% of voters gave a thumbs-up to Measure M, as of about 12:45 a.m. Wednesday. Thats above the 66.67% threshold it needs to win. On Tuesday night, Measure M backers were optimistic they would pull off a win. Im superstitious. I dont ever declare victory until the end, said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. But, he added, early results looked very promising. Metropolitan Transportation Authority board member Jackie Dupont-Walker, the agencys only voting director who is not an elected official, said she was hopeful that the measure would pass. Im feeling good, she said, adding that she had spent the last few days crisscrossing the county, talking to transit riders along the Expo Line and the Silver Line busway. Garcetti also spoke optimistically about Measure HHH, an ambitious measure to tackle the homeless problem in Los Angeles. People said here, solve the problems that we face every day, Garcetti said, referring to both Measure M and Measure HHH, the proposed $1.2-billion bond to build housing for L.A.'s homeless. Thats a very strong message coming from Los Angeles and coming from the West Coast. Facebook

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Bay Area soda taxes headed to victory By Rong-Gong Lin II (Frederic J. Brown / AFP/ Getty Images) Soda tax measures were headed to victory in Bay Area cities in early returns. The measures, on the ballot in San Francisco, Oakland, and the East Bay suburb of Albany, would place a penny-per-ounce tax on sodas and other sugar beverages. The measures require a majority vote to pass. In San Francisco, Proposition V was ahead 62% to 38%, with all precincts reporting. Oaklands Measure HH had an identical tally, with 62% backing the measure, with 85% of the precincts reporting. And in Albany, 71% of voters were backing Measure O1, with all precincts reporting. A study published in August reported that after Berkeleys first-in-the-nation soda tax, Measure D, passed in 2014, lower-income residents reduced their consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by 21% compared with the pretax days. Opponents, led by the American Beverage Assn., have called the measures an unfair grocery tax. Soda taxes proposed in El Monte and Richmond in 2012 failed by wide margins. Facebook

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L.A. measures to revise rules for utility and police pensions too close to call By Howard Blume A measure to revise the oversight and operations of Los Angeles city-owned water and power utility slipped behind in returns late Tuesday night. Edging into positive territory was a measure that would allow airport police officers to join the pension plan of other city police officers and firefighters. With 25% of precincts reporting, Measure RRR, to reform the Department of Water and Power, was opposed by 50.9% of voters. The total includes a partial count of mail-in ballots. Measure RRR is a long and detailed, but not sweeping, set of changes to the utility. Supporters say it would give the DWP more independence in a way that would make the municipally owned utility more accountable, transparent and responsive, as described in the citys official ballot argument. Backers were concerned about the possible impact of a disclosure days before the election. It came to light that the measure would allow Fred Pickel, the executive director of the citys Office of Public Accountability, to be appointed to a second five-year term in his $276,000-a-year job as watchdog over the DWP. It also would double the minimum budget of his small department. Pickel was responsible for submitting the wording of the ballot summary for voters and did not include these details. Measure backers say its important to boost Pickels budget to ensure his independence and insulate him from political meddling. The measure is endorsed by Mayor Eric Garcetti, the City Council and DWP management, who hope it will streamline operations at the roughly $4-billion-per-year department that keeps the lights on and faucets flowing for millions. Opponents agree that the DWP, which has been plagued by controversy, needs reform. But they argue the ballot measure would be a step backward, allowing elected officials to avoid responsibility for missteps by the department and DWP managers. Measure SSS sought to consolidate the pension systems of two police forces serving Los Angeles, and it was narrowly ahead. It would move new hires at the L.A. Airport Police Division into the same pension plan as other police and fire department employees in the city. It also would allow current airport officers, about 500 in all, to buy their way into this pension fund. Currently, airport police are part of the citys general pension system for municipal workers. With 25% of precincts reporting, 50.2% of voters cast ballots in favor of the measure. The total also included a partial count of mail-in ballots. Facebook

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Trumps first address as president-elect is a call for unity after a divisive campaign By Seema Mehta Donald Trump: It is time for us to come together as one united people. https://t.co/UuQUxMznHD https://t.co/09w2zOes5Q  CNN (@CNN) November 9, 2016 After waging a fiercely divisive campaign that ultimately netted him the White House, Donald Trump called for unifying Americans early Wednesday. Now its time for America to bind the wounds of division, he told cheering supporters at a Manhattan hotel. To all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. Its time. I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans. Trump said he received a call from Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton conceding the race and congratulating him on his win. He said he, in turn, told her she had fought hard, and in his speech, he only praised the former rival he regularly referred to as Crooked Hillary on the campaign trail. Hillary has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for service to the country, Trump said. I mean that very sincerely. In his 15-minute speech, Trump said he planned to focus on growing the nations economy, embarking on infrastructure projects that would put millions of Americans to work and caring for the nations veterans. There was no mention of mainstays of his campaign rhetoric, such as building a wall along the southern border and making Mexico pay for it or ripping up trade deals. Instead, he pledged to work with other nations. We will seek common ground, not hostility. Partnership, not conflict, Trump said. Facebook

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Measure to restrict Santa Monica development trails in early returns By Rosanna Xia A new mixed-use hotel, cultural, retail and residential development is slated at the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Ocean Avenue. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) An initiative in Santa Monica that would create one of the strictest slow-growth measures in the region is trailing in early returns. If passed, Measure LV would require voter approval for most development projects taller than 32 to 36 feet. That threshold would cover many new apartment and condo developments, as well as office and retail projects. Without the growth limits Measure LV would impose, backers say more developers will tear down existing housing and build even more luxury developments that could price out Santa Monicas renters. Pro-growth groups, meanwhile, argue more development is needed to address the regions soaring rents and shortage of housing units. With 9% of the precincts reporting, Measure LV is trailing, with 55.72% of the voters opposed. The growth limit measure comes as more developers seek to take advantage of the new Expo Line and the citys bustling downtown area. Urban planners are increasingly favoring this kind of multi-use development to foster walkable neighborhoods and encourage residents to ride bikes or take mass transit rather than drive. Read More Facebook

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Early lead for Bay Area transit measures backing BART renovation and extension to San Jose By Rong-Gong Lin II (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) Bay Area measures that seek to restore BART and extend the commuter rail system to downtown San Jose were ahead Tuesday in early returns, both of which require a two-thirds vote to pass. In Santa Clara County, Measure B asked voters to raise the sales tax by half a cent for every dollar spent to fund a host of freeway and transit improvements, including funding to bring BART to downtown San Jose, raising more than $6 billion over the next three decades. Measure B was garnering 71% support with an estimated 44% of the ballots counted. Voters in San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties were deciding the fate of Measure RR, a $3.5-billion bond measure to rebuild the core systems of the aging electric train service, which has been plagued with ancient, faulty power systems and water leaks that have weakened steel rails so much they crack during the commute. With 76% of the precincts reporting, Measure RR was garnering 70% of the vote. In San Francisco, voters were considering Propositions J and K, which would increase the sales tax rate by three-quarters of a penny for every dollar spent and set aside about $100 million a year to pay for repairs, upgrades and infrastructure improvements to Muni and about $50 million to provide services to the homeless. Those measures require a majority of votes to pass. Facebook

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Hillary Clinton concedes defeat in private call to Donald Trump By Michael A. Memoli (Drew Angerer / Getty Images) Hillary Clinton has conceded defeat to Donald J. Trump, ending her quest to make history as the nations first female president. Clinton did not speak publicly, as Tuesday night turned to early Wednesday morning on the East Coast. But as Trump addressed his supporters, the president-elect announced he had spoken with his former rival. She congratulated us, Trump said, and I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign. We owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country, he added. The former secretary of state, like many in her party, entered election day confident in a victory that would have ensured Democrats retained the White House for a third consecutive term. But Trump, the real estate magnate turned reality television star, demonstrated unexpected strength in Rust Belt states that had been the foundation of President Obamas two victories. The White House did not comment on whether Obama would also call Trump. Facebook

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Mike Pence: This is a historic night By Kurtis Lee (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Vice President-elect Mike Pence thanked the American people for placing their confidence in him and President-elect Donald Trump, capping off an upset victory in Tuesdays election. This is a historic night; the American people have spoken, Pence said. America has elected a new president. Facebook

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Barger holds early lead in 5th District supervisor race for northern L.A. County By Howard Blume Darrell Park and Kathryn Barger are running to replace L.A. County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, who is being termed out of office. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) Kathryn Barger held a solid early lead in the race to replace Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, who represents northern Los Angeles County. With 28% of precincts reporting, Barger claimed 62% of the vote, while her opponent, Darrell Park, received 38%. The total includes a partial count of mail-in ballots. Barger, a moderate Republican, is Antonovichs longtime chief of staff, and started working for Antonovich as an intern 28 years ago. She also has the backing of four of the countys five supervisors and of powerful labor groups, including the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. Her opponent, Park, has campaigned heavily on his Democratic Party affiliation. Park is a green energy entrepreneur and former staffer in the White House Office of Management and Budget under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Antonovich, a Republican who has held his seat on the Board of Supervisors since 1980, is being forced out by term limits that were approved by voters in 2002. He is seeking election to the state Senate. Facebook

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At New Beverly Cinema, dozens hide out to escape political reality By Amy Kaufman This seemed like a good way to hide out in a dark hole and await the apocalypse, Connor Weber reasoned, standing below the the theater marquee. The 28-year-old took a drag on his cigarette. He was one of a few dozen who had shown up at the New Beverly Cinema on Tuesday night to escape the chaos of election night, paying $8 for a double bill of Shampoo and The Candidate. Like most at the theater, he had an I Voted sticker still affixed to his shirt; he said he had gone to the polls to write his own name in the presidential candidate slot. Im pretty politically disillusioned, he said with a sigh. About 120 people  mostly men  came to the Quentin Tarantino-run venue on Tuesday. Mike Schlereth, a 33-year-old from North Carolina who voted for Hillary Clinton, thought it seemed like a good alternative to watching the news. Still, he was distressed by how close the race between Clinton and Donald Trump was at 9:45 p.m., when there was a brief break between the two films. Its a little worrying, he said. Im gonna try to turn my phone off. Nearby, a group of three friends who described the theater as their church lamented how well Trump was doing. Jesus, 34-year-old Christopher Stefanic said, shaking his head. Id rather relate to the stories that were presented when America was great. Yeah, if the election doesnt go the way I want, at least I can get some entertainment out of it, agreed his buddy, Jeremy Warner, also 34. They were both wearing buttons that had been handed out at the screening with pictures of Robert Redford on them. I Voted for The Candidate,  the pins read. New Bev 2016. Inside the lobby, employees had affixed a handwritten list of updated results to the popcorn machine. Those who purchased concessions were also encouraged to tip by putting their spare change into glasses for Clinton, Trump or Redford. Bill Steele, 52, had intended on coming to the screenings to stave off his anxiety. But he found himself distracted during Shampoo. For about an hour, I was able to escape the anxiety, because its a great film, he said. But really were just pushing off the inevitable. Facebook

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O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do ahead of Michele Martinez in contentious race By Anh Do Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do is facing challenger Michele Martinez, a Santa Ana councilwoman, for his 1st District seat. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times) Incumbent Andrew Do has an early lead over challenger Michele Martinez in the race to be the Orange County supervisor for the 1st District, with 56% of the precincts reporting and Do leading with 56.4% of the votes. The contentious race is likely to come down to the districts respective turnout in its large Vietnamese-American and Latino communities. The two emerged as the top vote-getters in a heated June primary race, with Do winning 38% of the vote and Martinez 34%, according to the final tally. If Martinez wins, she would be the only Democrat on an otherwise all-Republican board. A Santa Ana councilwoman, she is trying to become the first person from her city to represent the 1st District on the Board of Supervisors. Experts say the competition between Do and Martinez reflects the changing demographics of central Orange County, where candidates must look well beyond traditionally white voters to win  and where they increasingly have to leverage their cultural connections to many of the residents they seek to represent. Countywide, the 1st District is the most liberal district, with Democrats boasting a 13-percentage-point lead over Republicans in voter registration, according to the Registrar of Voters. The district spans Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Westminster and parts of Fountain Valley, and it includes 209,000 registered voters, according to Political Data Inc. Among them, 43% are registered Democrats and 30% are Republicans; 37% of the voters are Latinos and 25% are of Vietnamese descent. Read More Facebook

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Donald Trump is projected to be the nations 45th president in a stunning upset By David Lauter (Butch Comegys / Associated Press ) Donald Trump shocked the political establishment Tuesday, triumphing over not just Hillary Clinton but large parts of his own partys hierarchy, to be projected the winner of the presidency in one of the biggest upsets in U.S. political history. Trumps victory, which defied most preelection polls and the opinions of the nations foreign policy, financial and cultural elites, resulted from a massive outpouring of votes in rural areas and small towns across the country, overturning Democratic calculations that their dominance of urban America would seal their victory. Read More Facebook

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Measures to increase fire patrols in the Hollywood Hills and Santa Monica mountains leading in early returns By Rosanna Xia Two tax measures that would enable more ranger and fire patrols in increasingly popular areas along the Hollywood Hills and Santa Monica mountains is leading in early voting results. Measure FF calls for an annual $15 tax on developed parcels of land that are within a special hillside district covering parts of Woodland Hills, Encino and Tarzana. Measure GG would impose a $35 tax on similar parcels west of Griffith Park but east of the 405 Freeway. Only voters in these districts saw these two measures on their ballots. Both measures require a two-thirds vote to pass. With 7% of the precincts reporting, Measure FF is leading, with 75.44% of voters in support. Measure GG is similarly leading, with 8% of precincts reporting and 81.26% backing the initiative. It is important to beef up ranger and fire patrols in these areas, such as the seven-mile unpaved section of Mulholland, park officials said. Visitors to these quiet, mostly residential areas have increased because of apps such as Waze and social media photos that have made these off-beaten paths more widely known, they said. The chances of car exhaust sparks or a carelessly tossed cigarette in these under-patrolled, tinder-dry areas have become an increasing concern. Facebook

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Yorba Linda water board incumbents who backed rate hike losing badly in recall election By Matt Stevens (Christina House / For The Times) Water board members in a northern Orange County suburb who backed a water rate hike in the midst of intense drought were trailing badly in a recall election. The Yorba Linda Water Districts board attracted the ire of the Yorba Linda Taxpayers Assn. when the district unanimously raised bills by $25 a month. The battle has transformed the sleepy suburb into a cautionary case study for other California water suppliers coping with a decrease in water sales during drought. With 36% of the precincts reporting, all three incumbents seeking to stay on the five-member Yorba Linda Water District were losing. About 70% of voters voted to recall two board members, Gary Melton and Robert Kiley. And the boards president, Ric Collett, appeared to be losing his bid for reelection, coming in last place in a field of four candidates, where only the top two finishers would secure a new term on the board. A fourth incumbent board member, Michael Beverage, said he would not seek another term. The vacant seat is up for grabs between a candidate aligned with the incumbents and a challenger angry at the rate hike. The Yorba Linda Taxpayers Assn. is backing a slate of four candidates: Al Nederhood and Brooke Jones to replace the board members targeted by the recall, and Benjamin Parker and John Miller for the open seats. Nederhood and Jones were leading in their races to replace the incumbents, garnering 51% and 72% of the vote so far, respectively, against candidates who are allied with the board incumbents. For the two open seats, the leaders in that race were Miller, backed by the tax association, and Hall, aligned with the board incumbents. If the results hold up, the outcome would give the tax association-backed candidates a 3-to-2 majority. Read More Facebook

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Some supporters hold out hope after Hillary Clinton declines to concede By Chris Megerian Hillary Clinton supporters. (Aaron P. Bernstein / AFP/Getty Images) The 2000 recount that ended in Al Gores defeat is a painful memory for Democrats, but some at Hillary Clintons election night party found comfort in the thought after she declined to concede early Wednesday. Thats the right thing to do, said Judy Aronson, 56, of Tenafly, N.J. Its so close in every single state. She added, Hopefully it wont take six weeks like it did in 2000. Her husband Mark, also 56, agreed. We lived through 2000 where they called states and reversed states, he said. Weve been there before. Facebook

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Californias new senator has a message for potential President Donald Trump By Phil Willon Kamala Harris takes the stage at her election night party Tuesday night in downtown Los Angeles hours after winning Californias U.S. Senate election. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times) Californias newly elected U.S. senator, Kamala Harris, gave a defiant victory speech Tuesday night aimed at Donald Trump, who appears to be inching toward victory. Flanked by family and friends on stage at her election night celebration in a downtown L.A. dance club, Harris vowed to fight for gun control, abortion rights and worker rights, and to address climate change and the Black Lives Matter movement. Whatever the results of the presidential election tonight, we know that we have a task in front of us. We know the stakes are high, Harris told a cheering crowd inside Exchange LA. When we have been attacked and when our ideals and fundamental ideals are being attacked, do we retreat or do we fight? I say we fight! Harris also praised rival Rep. Loretta Sanchez and her own parents, saying they prove the American dream is still in reach. Facebook

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L.A.'s Measure RRR, on reforming DWP, holds narrow lead By Howard Blume Early vote totals gave a slim lead to Los Angeles Measure RRR, which would revise oversight and operations of the citys water and power utility. With 8% of precincts reporting, the measure was supported by 50.5% of voters. The total includes a partial count of mail-in ballots. Measure RRR is a long and detailed, but not sweeping, revision to the operation and oversight of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Supporters say the measure would give the DWP more independence in a way that would make the municipally owned utility more accountable, transparent and responsive, as described in the citys official ballot argument. Backers were concerned about the possible impact of a disclosure days before the election. It came to light that the measure would allow Fred Pickel, the executive director of the citys Office of Public Accountability, to be appointed to a second five-year term in his $276,000-a-year job as watchdog over the DWP. It also would double the minimum budget of his small department. Pickel was responsible for submitting the wording of the ballot summary for voters and did not include these details. Measure backers say its important to boost Pickels budget to ensure his independence and insulate him from political meddling. The measure is endorsed by Mayor Eric Garcetti, the City Council and DWP management, who hope it will streamline operations at the roughly $4-billion-per-year department that keeps the lights on and faucets flowing for millions. Opponents agree that the DWP, which has been plagued by controversy, needs reform. But they argue the ballot measure would be a step backward, allowing elected officials to avoid responsibility for missteps by the department and DWP managers. Facebook

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Rep. Loretta Sanchez on the outcome of the U.S. Senate race: I dont believe that yet By Nina Agrawal U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Orange), hugs supporters at her election night party. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Rep. Loretta Sanchez was smiling and seemed upbeat as she greeted supporters in Santa Ana on Tuesday, hours after the Associated Press had called the U.S. Senate race for her opponent, Kamala Harris. Despite the projections, Sanchez said, she would not concede the race yet. Actually, the Associated Press already said that my opponent has won, Sanchez told the crowd, gathered in a campaign office-turned-party venue. But I dont believe that. I dont believe that yet. Sanchez thanked her supporters, friends and family for their efforts and for getting voters engaged in the campaign. We jumped in this race to give the people of California a choice, Sanchez told them. Even if we dont make it over the line tonight ... never underestimate Loretta Sanchez. Facebook

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Hillary Clinton wont concede tonight By David Lauter Clinton's campaign chair speaks, says states are too close to call tonight pic.twitter.com/HtimnWEnVO  Los Angeles Times (@latimes) November 9, 2016 Hillary Clintons campaign chairman said early Wednesday in New York that she would not concede the presidential race yet. Its been a long night, and its been a long campaign, but we can wait a little longer, cant we? top aide John Podesta said to a dispirited crowd at the Javits Center. Theyre still counting votes, and every vote should count. Several states are too close to call, so were not going to have anything more to say tonight. Facebook

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Hillary Clinton gets 71% of the vote in Los Angeles By Angie Quintero Los Angeles voters heavily favored Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race. According to exit polls, 71% of Angelenos who cast ballots chose Clinton, compared with just 24% who said they voted for Trump. Facebook

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Need an election night refresher, America? Well catch you up The Times Christina Bellantoni and Anthony Pesce tell you whats happened nationally and in California on election day. Facebook

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California voters approve gun control measure Proposition 63 By Patrick McGreevy Store managers Jamie Taflinger, left, and Kendyll Murray show customer Cornell Hall, of Highland, different types of ammo at the Get Loaded gun store in Grand Terrace. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) Following a year marked by a series of mass shootings, voters on Tuesday approved Proposition 63, which toughens Californias already strict gun control laws. The initiative outlaws the possession of ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, requires background checks for people buying bullets, makes it a crime not to report lost or stolen guns, and provides a process for taking guns from people upon their conviction for a felony. The measure was proposed by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who late Tuesday called the vote historic progress to reduce gun violence. It was a repudiation of the National Rifle Assn. and the gun lobby. They lost badly, Newsom said in an interview. Its a very important initiative because I think its the beginning of a national debate on relinquishment (by felons) and ammunition background checks that will I think will have a very significant impact on reducing gun violence in this country. During the campaign, Newsom argued more laws are needed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and terrorists following a series of mass shootings in the United States. Tuesdays vote came nearly a year after two terrorists killed 14 people in San Bernardino. The Proposition 63 campaign ads also cited a mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub that killed 49 people in June and the 2012 massacre that left 20 children and several educators dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The opposition, which includes the National Rifle Assn., argued it would create a burden on gun owners but that criminals will find a way to get around the new law. Opponents also said Newsom was using the ballot measure to raise his profile ahead of his campaign for governor in 2018. Prop. 63 is another attempt by Newsom and his 1%, elitist friends to attack law-abiding Californians, said Craig DeLuz, a spokesman for the Stop Prop 63 Committee. They want to replace the War on Drugs with The War on law-abiding gun owners so they can continue locking up young black and Latino men. With the NRA focusing more of its resources in other states where gun control had more opposition, the campaign against Proposition 63 was outspent. Supporters raised close to $4.5 million, while opponents were able to raise about $868,000. Facebook

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Millions fear their liberties will be threatened under a Trump administration, McMullin warns By David Montero The people filed out of here, heads shaking a bit. A couple posed next to a sign that said Decision 2016 and had their selfies snapped - thumbs turned downward. Their man had lost  not the whole election  but the state of Utah. Evan McMullins bid for the presidency was always a long-shot. He wasnt even on the ballot on all 50 states. And yet, the believers waved flags, hugged each other as they said their goodbyes and clung to the only thing they had left  that they stood on their principles. McMullin said as much when he spoke for about 10 minutes  well past 10 p.m. when many of the families who had come to watch saw their sleepy kids curl up on the floor or snooze in cribs  and told them Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton would never be for them. But Trump drew most of McMullins fire. We are all human beings created equal, he said. We all have liberty to pursue happiness in the way we want. But tonight there are millions of Americans, Im sad to say, who are in fear that their liberties will be challenged and threatened under a Trump Administration that has made a campaign of targeting people based on their race, their religion and gender. This is why a new conservative movement is necessary. At one point a voice in the crowd shouted out 2020 and McMullin laughed it off and pivoted to the theme hes been hammering home in recent days  the continuation of the movement. Its unclear what that movement is, but McMullin told the crowd that the Republican Party can no longer be considered the home of conservatives and said we are not going away. But for the night, at least, when McMulliln exited the stage, the night wasnt theirs. Not even in Utah. Facebook

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Asian markets slump in reaction to Trump gains By Jessica Meyers A Chinese man reacts near a board showing the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index at a brokerage in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016. (Ng Han Guan/Associated Press) Asian markets nosedived on Tuesday as Donald Trump won key states in the U.S. election and appeared headed toward the presidency. Shares dropped in every market throughout the region, with Japans Nikkei index plunging as much as 5.3% by mid-afternoon. Hong Kongs Hang Seng index fell to 2.6%, while the Korea Stock Exchange dropped 2.9%. The numbers reflected rattled markets and uncertain investors worldwide, as swing states started flashing red by the late morning. A Trump victory would mark the second political hit to financial markets since the Brexit vote in late June. One stock benefited. Wisesoft, a Chinese stock whose name Chuan Da Zhi Sheng sounds like Trump Wins Big, jumped the most in five months, according to Bloomberg News. Facebook

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Janice Hahn holds early lead in 4th District supervisor race to succeed Knabe By Howard Blume Janice Hahn celebrates her early lead in San Pedro. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Janice Hahn was ahead in early results in the race to replace Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, who represents southern Los Angeles County. With 19% of precincts reporting, Hahn was winning with 55% of the vote, while Steve Napolitano was pulling in 45%. That total also includes a partial count of mail-in ballots. U.S. Rep. Hahn, a Democrat from San Pedro, faced a tough fight with rival Napolitano, a Republican and former Manhattan Beach councilman who has worked for Knabe for 12 years. If elected, Hahn would be the fourth labor-backed liberal on the officially nonpartisan five-member board  constituting a supermajority that could make it easier to approve tax and salary matters favored by the countys most powerful unions. Knabe and Michael D. Antonovich  the two Republicans on the board  are being forced out by term limits. Knabe, a resident of Cerritos, was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 1996. Facebook

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Loretta Sanchez supporter on her defeat: Thats a shame, but Im not surprised By Nina Agrawal (Nina Agrawal / Los Angeles Times) Sitting at tables decorated with red, white and blue centerpieces, supporters of Orange County Rep. Loretta Sanchez had no idea her race for U.S. Senate had already been called, and not in her favor. They chatted, mostly in Spanish, over bottles of Jarritos soda and waited for the Mexican food buffet to open up. Sanchezs election night party was held at a Santa Ana campaign office she shared with Lou Correa, the Democrat shed endorsed to take her place in Congress. A bank of cameras separated a smattering of tables from an empty stage. Sanchezs race was one of the first in California to be called. Correa, on the other hand, appeared to be winning by a large 70-30 margin in early returns. Yvonne Gonzalez Duncan, 69, was incredulous when she was told the Associated Press had the Senate race in favor of Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris. Thats unbelievable. I mean, 20 years of experience, she said before trailing off and shaking her head. We were hoping to have ... a Latina senator. Its a shameful thing for California that we dont. Edwin Power, a Sanchez supporter and a former neighbor of hers, was more subdued. I can believe that, he said of the news that Harris had won. Thats a shame, but Im not surprised. She would have had to plant herself in Northern California and picked up a lot more funding to overcome the situation she was in. Facebook

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L.A. County tax measure for parks leading in early results By Rosanna Xia Men play pinochle at Fred Roberts Recreation Center in South Los Angeles, an area that is among the most park-poor parts of L.A. County. (Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times) A Los Angeles County ballot measure asking voters to tax themselves for park improvements is leading in early voting results. With 14% of the precincts reporting, Measure A is leading with 70.19% of voters in support of the ballot initiative. It requires a two-thirds vote to pass. Measure A, if passed, would impose a county tax on improved property, at a rate of 1.5 cents per square foot of building area  about $22.50 a year for a 1,500-square-foot house  and bring in $94.5 million a year, without an end date. It would replace a county tax that passed in 1992 but expired last year, and another one adopted in 1996 that sunsets in two years. Those taxes have been the primary source of parks funding not just in the countys system but for most of the regions 88 cities. The initiative is the countys second recent attempt at persuading voters to tax themselves to pay for parks, recreation, open spaces, neighborhood recreation and senior centers, and other cultural amenities. A proposed $23 parcel tax for park projects had failed narrowly in 2014. In preparation for the second attempt, county officials commissioned a study of open space needs throughout the county, which found large disparities in park access. Countywide, there was an average of 3.3 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. Communities in Central and South Los Angeles, southeast county areas and parts of the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys had the most park-poor areas. Facebook

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New York was the center of the political universe, but much of the city was glum as Trump pulled ahead By Barbara Demick The Empire State Building in New York is lit in red, white and blue Tuesday as seen from Weehawken, N.J. (Eduardo Munoz / AFP/Getty Images) The Empire State Building was illuminated in red, white and blue, with election results projected along the side of the building for the city to watch the action live. Times Square had a dozen competing screens projecting news of the election. Much as they do on New Years Eve, crowds gathered in suitably colorful attire  mostly red, white and blue  in hopes of celebrating with their compatriots. All eyes were on New York on election day, with the presidential candidates holding dueling election parties 15 blocks apart in midtown Manhattan, and thousands of their supporters cheering them on. Read More Facebook

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Measure CC, to raise $3.5 billion for L.A. community college construction, holds lead in incomplete returns By Howard Blume Early results late Tuesday night were positive for Measure CC, a $3.5-billion construction bond for the Los Angeles Community College District. With 8% of precincts reporting, the measure was securing nearly 72% of the vote, better than the 55% majority needed to pass. The early totals also included partial vote-by-mail counts. Supporters argued that the money is necessary to complete renovation efforts that began with earlier bond measures. Projects to be completed include earthquake-safety upgrades and better access for disabled students. I have to think that voters are going to support Measure CC, said Joanne Waddell, president of Local 1521 of the American Federation of Teachers, which represents 5,000 faculty members on the nine college-district campuses. Weve been transforming our campuses and this will take us to the next step in that transformation. Our students deserve this. Opponents pointed to problems that arose with the spending of money from bond measures adopted in 2001, 2003 and 2008, which residents are still paying off, and questioned why more money is needed. Past projects were beset by mismanagement, waste and nepotism, as The Times detailed in 2011. College officials insisted their efforts have improved and are overseen by new and professional leadership, with better accountability measures. One of the districts biggest changes was to strip away from individual college presidents the power they formerly had over design and construction, and to centralize that authority with the districts administration. Facebook

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Measure to build new San Diego stadium for Chargers failing badly By Rong-Gong Lin II A San Diego ballot measure to increase hotel taxes and build a new downtown football stadium for the Chargers was losing badly Tuesday. With about 20% of the precincts reporting, 61% of voters were opposing Measure C, and 39% of voters signaled support. Measure C requires a two-thirds majority to pass. Drafted by the Chargers and backed by San Diegos mayor, Measure C would increase hotel taxes from 12.5% to 16.5% and use the money to build a city-owned downtown football stadium and convention center. Opponents say tax money is better used for other purposes. A competing proposal, Measure D, would also raise hotel taxes, but by a lesser amount, but prohibits public money for a stadium. But that measure was also losing badly, with 60% of voters opposed. The city attorney says Measure D also requires a two-thirds vote, but a lead author of Measure D argues that only a majority vote is required. In January, the San Diego Chargers said the team would not move to Inglewood for the 2016 season and would redouble efforts to reach a deal to remain in their hometown. A failure to reach a deal could result in the Chargers moving to the Los Angeles market. Facebook

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Hillary Clinton can still win the popular vote, thanks to California By Michael A. Memoli (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) Barring a late rebound in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, Hillary Clinton appears unlikely to get 270 electoral college votes to become president. But, like Al Gore, she may be on track to still earn more votes across the country. Heres why. The states with the most vote still left to count are primarily those on the West Coast, with notoriously slow-counting California chief among them. As of 10:20 p.m. Pacific Time, Trumps popular-vote lead over Clinton was just over 1.3 million votes. But less than a third of Californias precincts have reported so far. Only 10% of precincts in Los Angeles County are in. In 2012, President Obama netted more than 3 million popular votes out of California. Should Clinton end up with a similar tally, or even shy of that, she could still end up topping Trump in the popular vote. Facebook

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San Francisco measure to allow 16-, 17-year-olds to vote slightly ahead in early returns By Rong-Gong Lin II A measure that would lower the voting age and allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in municipal elections in San Francisco was leading in early returns Tuesday. With 40% of precincts reporting, Proposition F was supported by 53.71% of voters. If approved, those teenagers would be allowed to vote for school board and community college board members, and for local candidates and local ballot measures. The city controller estimated the number of registered voters would probably increase by up to 1%, if 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds vote at the same rate as the general population. Supporters say Proposition F would encourage improved civic participation  the earlier someone starts voting, the more likely they are to vote for the rest of their life, they argued. Opponents say adolescents shouldnt have the privilege of voting, as many of them dont have the daily responsibilities that adults do. Facebook

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Gary Johnson to supporters: There is going to be a third voice in this country By Kurtis Lee (Molly Riley/AFP/Getty Images) From the outset of his campaign, Gary Johnson was the longest of long shots. But in a tight race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, Johnson netted several hundred thousand votes in key states. In New Hampshire, where Trump and Clinton were only 4,000 votes apart, Johnson received 25,000 votes, based on preliminary returns. During an election night party in New Mexico, where he served as governor from 1995 to 2003, Johnson thanked supporters. We have a lot to celebrate, a lot to celebrate. This is a celebration, Johnson said. In Michigan late Tuesday night, the race between Clinton and Trump was being decided by less than 100,000 votes, and Johnson received nearly 150,000 votes. There is going to be a third voice in this country moving forward, Johnson told his supporters. Facebook

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Republicans retain control of Senate as a conservative wave takes shape By Lisa Mascaro Republicans kept control of the Senate on Tuesday, retaining the majority after Democratic challengers failed to win key elections in battleground states. Just one Republican incumbent senator lost, in Illinois, while several others pulled through in Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The race in New Hampshire remained too close to call, and Louisiana pushed to a December runoff but it is set to remain Republican. Read More Facebook

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Voters approve Proposition 55, which extends higher income tax rates for the wealthiest Californians By Liam Dillon First-grade students at Vine Street Elementary School in Hollywood. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) The wealthiest Californians will continue to pay higher income taxes as voters look to have approved Proposition 55. In returns as of late Tuesday night, the measure led with more than 61% of votes counted. California voters have once again stood up for our children and schools in approving Proposition 55 to protect critical funding for education and keep vital services intact, Jennifer Wonnacott, spokeswoman for Yes on 55, said in a statement. Proposition 55s passage means that single-filers earning more than $263,000 and joint-filers making more than $526,000 will pay a 10.3% tax on their income through 2030. Those making more than $1 million will pay the highest rate of 13.3%. The nonpartisan Legislative Analysts Office has estimated that the higher tax rates will raise $4 billion to $9 billion a year, depending on the economy and stock market. Voter approval of Proposition 55 continues the states reliance on the wealthiest Californians to fund a significant amount of services. The richest 1.5% of taxpayers paid $33.9 billion in income tax revenues last year, a substantial portion of the day-to-day operating budget. The higher tax rates were first implemented in 2012 when voters approved Proposition 30 during a time of severe budget crisis. Under the measure, those rates were set to expire in 2018. Since Proposition 30 passed, the states revenues have improved dramatically, but Gov. Jerry Brown warned of future deficits unless Proposition 55 was approved. Facebook

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Pat Toomey holds on to his Senate seat in Pennsylvania By Cathleen Decker Katie McGinty and Pat Toomey. (Jared Wickerham / Associated Press) Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey successfully beat back a challenge by Democrat Katie McGinty to claim his second term. The Republican had fought for most of the general election against a strong Democratic headwind in the state, as many of the moderate voters who determine Pennsylvania elections sided with Hillary Clinton and McGinty. Seeking not to further alienate them, Toomey throughout the race declined to say whether he would vote for his fellow Republican Donald Trump, instead lamenting the choice facing voters in the presidential race. He and allies, including a conservative super PAC, also leveled a fusillade of advertising at McGinty critical of taxes she had advocated as an aide to Democratic politicians. One of his most controversial moves came at the end of the campaign, when Toomey, who had regularly criticized President Obama, launched an ad featuring positive statements that Obama had made about his actions on a failed measure to expand background checks. The ad prompted a rare rebuke from the president, who said Toomey, 54, was trying to have it both ways by telling different people what he thinks they want to hear. Facebook

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California passes Proposition 52 to make Medi-Cal funding program permanent By Sophia Bollag A technician prepares surgical trays at Providence Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance in 2015. (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times) Californians have chosen to make permanent the hospital fee program that helps fund Medi-Cal, the states subsidized healthcare program for low-income residents. Early election returns show the measure passing with more than 70% of the vote. Proposition 52 will hobble state lawmakers ability to change or end the hospital fee program. Through the program, hospitals pay to generate a federal contribution to Medi-Cal that results in a net benefit to the hospitals. During the fiscal year that ended in June 2016, the program generated $4.4 billion in federal funding for Medi-Cal. The Legislature first authorized the program in 2009. Now, changes to the program will require voter approval or a two-thirds majority vote by state lawmakers. Facebook

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How did the weakened Voting Rights Act impact election results? By Jaweed Kaleem Most undercovered story of 2016: today is 1st presidential election in 50 years without full protections of Voting Rights Act pic.twitter.com/ARVvBRnVzb  Ari Berman (@AriBerman) November 8, 2016 How did the newly weakened Voting Rights Act impact election results? In short, its very hard to know yet. Tuesday election was the first since a monumental Supreme Court ruling in 2013 struck down key part of Voting Rights Act, leading to sweeping changes in voting rules across a swath of Southern states and several other districts or states that had historically discriminated against minorities. Those changes included new voter ID requirements, as well as closing or changing locations of hundreds and likely thousands of polling sites, shifts that used to require federal approval. Studies and some court rulings have said that ID laws have disproportionately impacted racial minorities, a group that tends to vote Democratic. The Supreme Court ruled over the summer that new North Carolina voting rules targeted black Americans with almost surgical precision. A preliminary report from the nonpartisan Election Protection Coalition said voters faced numerous obstacles on Tuesday, including incorrect enforcement of voter ID laws. The group said it logged 35,000 complaints from round the country for alleged voter intimidation, long lines and other problems. But voting experts say that doesnt necessarily mean -- at least not yet -- that the new ID rules and other changes affected election results. The reason: its impossible to know who or how many people didnt vote because of new voting restrictions, and its also difficult to say how they might have voted. Its difficult to make a direct link between the results that were seeing so far and the Voting Rights Act, said Nicole Austin-Hillery, director of the Washington, D.C. office of the Brennan Center for Justice. Austin-Hillery said she was concerned that voter ID rules may have had a chilling effect on voters showing up at the polls. On the presidential level, the Southern states that made up the largest area impacted by changes to the Voting Rights Act are states that have voted Republican for decades. Still, civil rights groups said Tuesdays election showed why it was necessary to fully reinstate the Voting Rights Act. We will learn more in the coming days about the specifics of the challenges faced by voters around the country, but we already know the truth: The Voting Rights Act is vital and necessary to protect our elections, said Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. Voters were confused because of changes to their polling places and a lack of accurate information provided to them by their state officials, she said in a statement. In jurisdictions formerly covered by the Voting Rights Act, voters saw 868 polling places closed, forcing too many people to travel as far as 25 miles just to be able to vote, said Ifill, who monitored voting sites in Alabama, where new ID laws were used. This year should go down in history as the only presidential election of the modern era without the full protections of the Voting Rights Act, she added. Facebook

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How the USC/L.A. Times poll saw what other surveys missed By David Lauter Nellie Gillogly, left, of Santa Ana, and fellow Republicans erupt in celebration as Donald Trump wins Florida. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) For most of the last four months, the USC/L.A. Times Daybreak tracking poll has been the great outlier of the 2016 campaign -- consistently showing a better result for Donald Trump than other surveys did. In light of Tuesdays election returns, the poll now looks like the only major survey to see the wave coming. Most of the summer and fall, the polls results have been about 6 percentage points more favorable to the Republican than the polling averages. As of Tuesday morning, the polls final forecast for the election showed Trump leading by a little over 3 points, 46.8% to 43.6%. The polls findings caused dismay  even outrage  among some readers, especially Democrats, who have denounced it and often criticized The Times for running it. Read More Facebook

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Garcetti optimistic about passage of L.A. Metro tax measure By Laura J. Nelson (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) An ambitious measure to raise the Los Angeles County sales tax and dramatically expand the mass transit system took an early lead Tuesday night in early and absentee voting, just passing the two-thirds threshold needed for victory with 9% of precincts reporting. The early tally showed 67.28% of voters favored the half-cent sales tax increase. Thats above the 66.67% threshold it needs to win. Im superstitious. I dont ever declare victory until the end, said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. But, he added, early results looked very promising. Metropolitan Transportation Authority board member Jackie Dupont-Walker, the agencys only voting director who is not an elected official, said she was hopeful that the measure would pass. Im feeling good, she said, adding that she had spent the last few days criss-crossing the county, talking to transit riders along the Expo Line and the Silver Line busway. But the early returns went essentially unnoticed at the initiatives downtown victory party. About 100 transit advocates, politicians and public employees gathered at the Farmers and Merchant Bank event space, holding cocktails in plastic cups and staring at CNN on a large projection screen, watching the results come in for the presidential race. Garcetti spoke optimistically also about Measure HHH, an ambitious measure to tackle the homeless problem in Los Angeles. People said here, solve the problems that we face every day, Garcetti said, referring to both Measure M and Measure HHH, the proposed $1.2-billion bond to build housing for L.A.'s homeless. Thats a very strong message coming from Los Angeles and coming from the West Coast. Facebook

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When reality sets in By Matt Pearce Claudia Goytia checks her smartphone for any good news regarding Hillary Clinton while attending a party for a local measure in downtown Los Angeles. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Hillary Clinton had been leading all along. Or thats what the polls said for months, and thus what the poll-tracking sites said for months. Thats part of the story of tonight: the mood of mild certainty that had rippled through Clinton supporters friend circles and their Facebook feeds. It had given Democrats the deceptive feeling of a tailwind as they glided out of the final years of the Obama administration. Thats all gone now. Read More Facebook

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A look back at the career of Joe Arpaio, Americas toughest sheriff By Nigel Duara The path he started on years ago led Joe Arpaio to a red-lit stage in July, his hand outstretched as thousands cheered Trump! Trump! Trump! Never before had a presidential candidate so embraced the man who calls himself Americas Toughest Sheriff, a founding father of the strong-borders movement whose hardened views on immigration seemed to square up perfectly with those of the Republican nominee. Donald Trump gave Arpaio a full five minutes in front of the Republican National Committee. It marked what probably was the last major national appearance of Arpaios political career. Read More Facebook

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Proposition 51, the $9-billion school bond, leads in early returns By Liam Dillon Proposition 51, a $9-billion bond for school construction and repairs, has a lead in early returns. The measure leads with 52.4% of the statewide vote. Proposition 51 had struggled in public polls throughout the fall. It never trailed, but hadnt reached majority support. The states four most recent school bond measures passed, and school bonds in general tend to see strong support. Facebook

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Rep. David Valadao wins a third term, beating son of labor rights icon Dolores Huerta By Sarah D. Wire Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford) speaks with high school interns at his Hanford campaign office (Sarah D. Wire / Los Angeles Times) Rep. David Valadao won a third term representing the Central Valleys 21st District, holding 58.3% of the vote with nearly two-thirds counted. The race between the Hanford Republican and Democratic attorney Emilio Huerta, the son of labor rights icon Dolores Huerta, was one of the more closely watched in the state. Democrats hoped Huertas name recognition would turn the tide and that the districts nearly 75% Latino population would be spurred to vote by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps comments about Mexicans and immigrants. But Valadao announced in June that he could not support Trump because of his rhetoric and would not back Democrat Hillary Clinton either. He was able to keep the race focused on local issues, particularly the agricultural areas water needs, a topic hes focused on in his first two terms. The district covers a vast stretch of the Central Valley from Bakersfield north into Kettleman City and Wood Ranch. Valadao is known in Washington for repeatedly pushing water legislation focused on funneling more water to San Joaquin Valley growers by reducing the amount used to support endangered fish populations. Democrats and environmental groups say the plan would override federal legal protections for salmon, migratory birds and other fish and wildlife. Californias U.S. senators and Bay Area House Democrats oppose the plan, which has passed the House a number of times but hasnt moved in the Senate. Facebook

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California will bring back bilingual education as Proposition 58 cruises to victory By Jazmine Ulloa Public schools in California will have more power to develop their own bilingual and multilingual programs after voters on Tuesday approved a measure repealing English-only instruction across the state. With nearly 21% of 24,849 precincts reporting, Proposition 58 appeared to coast to victory, with 73% support among voters. Twenty-seven percent of voters sought to defeat it. Proposition 58, the product of 2014 legislation written by Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), overhauls key parts of a 1998 law that requires students to take classes taught only English, unless parents sign a waiver requesting otherwise. But it preserves a portion of the statute mandating that all students become proficient in English, no matter what program they choose. Supporters of the measure lauded its approval, saying the bureaucratic red tape around multilingual education is harmful to students in a global economy, where the most sought-after employees speak more than one language. But opponents of the measure, most notably Silicon Valley multimillionaire Ron Unz, who wrote the original English-only Proposition 227, have said the new law would be a return to the problems of the past, when bilingual programs were failing to teach Spanish-speaking students English. The vote comes as less than 5% of California public schools now offer multilingual programs, though there are now 1.4 million English learners  about 80% of whom speak only Spanish. Read More Facebook

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Burbank airport terminal replacement measure leading in early mail-in votes By Rong-Gong Lin II An airplane takes off at Burbank airport in March. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) A measure to allow the replacement of the aging, cramped and seismically deficient Hollywood Burbank airport was dominating in early vote-by-mail ballots counted Tuesday. The early yes vote clocked in at 75.78% of the vote. But no ballots cast at Tuesdays polls had yet been counted. If approved by a majority of voters, Measure B will permit the construction of a 14-gate replacement terminal at what was formerly known as Bob Hope Airport in a plan supported by both airport officials and a majority of the Burbank city council. Opened 86 years ago, the Burbank airport terminal is considered outdated and obsolete, so close to the runway it does not meet federal design safety standards. It also is vulnerable to heavy damage in a major earthquake. Airport and Burbank city officials have openly feuded about the terminals future for decades, and this agreement would finally pave the way for a new replacement. A rejection of Measure B would likely result in an ongoing legal battle between the airport and the city, and the airport authority could attempt to build a terminal of the same size in a less favorable area, one that would force the demolition and replacement of the general aviation terminal. Facebook

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Proposition 57, Gov. Jerry Browns push to loosen prison parole rules, is approved by voters By John Myers California voters handed a decisive victory to Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday in his effort to reshape the states criminal justice system, approving a ballot measure to offer a new chance at prison release for thousands of prisoners. (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press) Proposition 57, the governors plan to further shrink the states prison population, was supported by almost two-thirds of voters in Tuesday night returns. Its strongest support came from urban areas with a sizable number of Democratic voters. The ballot measure changes the states prison and legal systems in three significant ways. The least controversial element will reverse a law approved by voters in 2000 that sent more juvenile defendants to adult courtrooms. Those young defendants will now only be charged as adults with a judges approval. The most controversial parts of Proposition 57 involve the prospect of parole for felons who have not been convicted of one of Californias designated violent crimes, and the creation of new good-behavior credits that all state prisoners would be eligible to earn. Brown and district attorneys clashed mightily over the ballot measures assertion that new parole eligibility would be limited to nonviolent felons. Prosecutors accused the governor of hiding the fact that some prisoners convicted of brutal sexual assault crimes, for example, would be eligible for parole under Proposition 57. Brown fired back, accusing district attorneys of having helped craft a narrow definition of violent crimes under state law, and he said prosecutors did not want their decisions to be reviewed by the state Board of Prison Hearings. Just how many prisoners would be eligible to request parole remains to be seen, though early estimates suggest it could be in the thousands. Proposition 57 also now requires state prison officials to craft policies for new good-behavior credits, allowances that could be earned by those serving a wide variety of sentences. Facebook

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Arizona Democrats were desperate for good news. They found it in Sheriff Arpaios loss. By Melanie Mason View Twitter post The cheers in the Renaissance Hotel ballroom werent just joyful, but cathartic. After a night of nail-biting over presidential election returns, Arizona Democrats roared with relief when they learned their longtime foil, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, had lost his reelection bid. As the crowd waited for Arpaios successor, Democrat Paul Penzone, to take the stage, they chanted: A new sheriff in town! We made a statement across the nation, Penzone told them. Arizona stands for something greater. No matter where we come from or what we look like or what our beliefs are, were all entitled to respect. Arpaio, who was charged last month with criminal contempt for violating a judges order in a racial profiling case, had long been a target of Democrats. They said his aggressive crackdown on illegal immigration had terrorized the states Latino population. Attendees at the Arizona Democratic Party gathering to watch election results appeared genuinely grateful to get some good news as Donald Trump took state after state. They cheered both Penzones victory and the passage of a statewide initiative to raise the minimum hourly wage to $12 by 2020. Otherwise, they anxiously scanned their phones and watched cable news returns, trying to make sense of a presidential race that upended all political predictions. Worried, worried, worried, was how Star Carreon, 44, a human resources associate from Tempe, described her state of mind. I didnt think it would be this close, she said as results were still coming in. Facebook

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Measure CC, to raise $3.5 billion for L.A. community college construction, would pass if early lead holds By Howard Blume Early results are positive for Measure CC, a $3.5-billion construction bond for the Los Angeles Community College District. With 6% of precincts reporting, the measure was securing nearly 71% of the vote, with a 55% majority needed to pass. Supporters argued that the money is necessary to complete renovation efforts that began with earlier bond measures. Projects to be completed include earthquake-safety upgrades and better access for disabled students. Opponents pointed to problems that arose with the spending of money from bond measures adopted in 2001, 2003 and 2008, which residents are still paying off, and questioned why more money is needed. Past projects were beset by mismanagement, waste and nepotism, as The Times detailed in 2011. College officials insisted their efforts have improved and are overseen by new and professional leadership, with better accountability measures. One of the districts biggest changes was to strip away from individual college presidents the power they formerly had over design and construction, and to centralize that authority with the districts administration. Read More Facebook

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Steyer: Californians are going to oppose Trumps hate-filled rhetoric By Liam Dillon California Democratic mega-donor Tom Steyer said he hopes the election results in the state stand as a stark contrast to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps strong performance across the country. I really feel as if the question here is going to be: Do we fully embrace each others humanity? Thats actually going to be the question on the ballot for me in 2016 in California, said Steyer, speaking outside state Democratic Party headquarters before the polls closed in California. I think the answer is going to be yes. I think this is a year where honestly the opposite has been stated very loudly by Mr. Trump and Im hoping that the California citizens in a very extended fashion are going to step up and say no to that kind of Trump hate-filled rhetoric. Steyer was a major donor behind seven state ballot measures, including those to end the death penalty and allow for bilingual education in schools. Steyer was the largest contributor in support of Proposition 56, which would raise the cigarette tax by $2 a pack, spending $11.6 million. He also supported local tax hikes for transportation and low-income housing measures. So far, in early returns, most of Steyers statewide bets look good, with only his efforts on the death penalty losing. Steyer, who also spent heavily on a major voter registration drive, has been mentioned as a future candidate for statewide office. He declined to address his own future Tuesday night. What Ive said is were going get the information from this election and assess it and make a decision about what the best way is to pursue the interests and passions that we have as a group and I personally have been pursuing, Steyer said. Facebook

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Breaking down Prop 64 support by region By Deborah Netburn William Britt, of Long Beach, and Al Moreno, of Fullerton, both proponents of Proposition 64, the California Adult Use of Marijuana Act, celebrate a win at the DoubleTree hotel. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) The Associated Press has projected that Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, will pass with 55.2% of voters supporting it. But the rejoicing (toking?) will not be uniform across the state. Exit polls conducted by Edison Research showed some counties passed it by a much larger margins (hello Bay Area!), while there was significantly less support in other parts of the state. Support for the measure was lowest in the Central Valley and other inland areas of the state where the vote was split almost down the middle. Enthusiasm for legalizing marijuana was highest in the Bay Area, where an impressive 72% of the electorate voted yes on the proposition. Exit polls show that 60% of voters in L.A. County supported the measure, compared to 61% among people who live along the coast, and about half of the electorate in Orange, San Diego and other Southern California counties. Six years ago, California voters were asked a similar question about legalizing marijuana, but Proposition 19 failed, 53.5% to 46.5%. While Prop. 19 found support in city centers, people in suburbs and rural areas mostly voted against the measure. This time around, residents of suburbs appear more receptive to legalization. According to exit polls, 55% of respondents from suburbs said they voted yes on Proposition 64. Support was again high in cities. Facebook

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Kamala Harris will be the first Indian American U.S. senator and Californias first black senator By Sarah D. Wire (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Kamala Harris win Tuesday night will make her the first Indian American to serve in the U.S. Senate. She will also be just the second black woman to serve in the U.S. Senate, and the first black senator from California. Harris race and ethnicity were never a focal point of the contest, which she was projected to win handily. Many people focused more on the possibility that California might have elected the first Latina to the Senate if Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Orange) had won. Harris mother, Dr. Shyamala Harris, emigrated from India. Her father, Donald Harris, emigrated from Jamaica. According to the U.S. Senates website, just nine black Americans have ever served in the Senate. Democrat Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois became the first black woman to serve in the body in 1993. A handful of Indian Americans have served in the U.S. House, including Californias Dalip Singh Saund from 1957 to 1963 and current Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove), who was first elected in 2012. Facebook

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Support for marijuana seems strong across the nation By Kurtis Lee (Haven Daley / Associated Press) Its on the ballot in five states and many voters appear to be in favor of legal recreational marijuana. In California, Massachusetts and Nevada, voters approved marijuana for recreational use. Maine and Arizona also voted on recreational weed on Tuesday, but the results were not yet clear. Meanwhile, Florida and North Dakota legalized marijuana for medicinal use, and Arkansas considered such a proposal. This is the most important moment in the history of the marijuana legalization movement, Tom Angell, chairman Marijuana Majority, a group in favor of legalization efforts, said about the passage of Prop. 64 in California. He added that the state has the sixth-largest economy in the world and is hugely culturally influential. Most importantly, this vote will dramatically accelerate the end of federal marijuana prohibition. Dozens of states already allow medicinal marijuana, while four states  Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington  passed legal recreational pot in past years. Facebook

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Barger takes early lead in 5th District supervisor race for northern L.A. County By Howard Blume Darrell Park and Kathryn Barger are running to replace L.A. County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, who is being termed out of office. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) Kathryn Barger forged a solid early lead in the race to replace Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, who represents northern Los Angeles County. With 19% of precincts reporting, Barger claimed 62% of the vote, while her opponent, Darrell Park, received 38%. Barger, a moderate Republican, is Antonovichs longtime chief of staff, and started working for Antonovich as an intern 28 years ago. She also has the backing of four of the countys five supervisors and of powerful labor groups, including the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. Her opponent, Park, has campaigned heavily on his Democratic party affiliation. Park is a green energy entrepreneur and former staffer in the White House Office of Management and Budget under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Antonovich, a Republican who has held his seat on the Board of Supervisors since 1980, is being forced out by term limits that were approved by voters in 2002. He is seeking election to the state Senate. Read More Facebook

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Janice Hahn takes early lead in 4th District supervisor race to succeed Knabe By Howard Blume (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Janice Hahn was ahead in early results in the race to replace Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, who represents southern Los Angeles County. With 6% of precincts reporting, Hahn was winning with 55% of the vote, while Steve Napolitano was pulling in 45%. U.S. Rep. Hahn, a Democrat from San Pedro, faced a tough fight with rival Napolitano, a Republican and former Manhattan Beach councilman who has worked for Knabe for 12 years. If elected, Hahn would be the fourth labor-backed liberal on the officially nonpartisan five-member board  constituting a supermajority that could make it easier to approve tax and salary matters favored by the countys most powerful unions. Knabe and Michael D. Antonovich  the two Republicans on the board  are being forced out by term limits. Knabe, a resident of Cerritos, was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 1996. Supervisor candidates Janice Hahn and Steve Napolitano at a debate in May. (Christina House / For The Times) Read More Facebook

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Liz Cheney wins dads onetime congressional seat By Seema Mehta (Jenna VonHofe / Associated Press) Liz Cheney won her fathers former congressional seat in Wyoming on Tuesday. The eldest daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney cruised to victory over Democrat Ryan Greene. Cheney previously served in the State Department but has never held elected office. She had widespread name recognition in the state and a large financial advantage over Greene. But she was accused of being a carpet-bagger and criticized for running against an incumbent Republican in a 2013 primary before dropping out after polling poorly. Facebook

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Republican Phil Scott wins Vermont governors race By Laura King Vermont Republican gubernatorial candidate Phil Scott. (Andy Duback/Associated Press) In the governors race in Vermont, voters switched the state into the GOP column. Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Scott bested Democrat Sue Minter, the former state transportation secretary. Although the state is traditionally Democratic-leaning, it sometimes supports candidates who are fiscally conservative but socially liberal. Facebook

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Measure to approve building of Beverly Hills tallest tower trailing in early returns By Rosanna Xia Ongoing construction in Beverly Hills. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) An unprecedented ballot measure asking Beverly Hills voters to skip the citys planning review process and approve what would be the citys tallest tower is trailing in early voting results. Sponsored by the towers developer, Beny Alagem, Measure HH would allow him to bypass city officials and secure permission directly from the voters for a $700-million redevelopment project, which includes a 26-story building, at the site of the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Local authorities say this is the first time voters have been asked to approve a project that wasnt fully vetted first by planning commissioners and the City Council. With 16.67% of the precincts reporting, Measure HH is trailing, with 42.57% backing the measure and 57.43% opposed. If passed, the project would in effect stack two previously approved condominium towers of eight and 18 stories into a single 26-story tower, while adding a Waldorf Astoria hotel and expanding a green space from 1.25 acres to 1.7 acres. Standing at 345 feet, the tower would be twice the height of any other structure in Beverly Hills. Measure HH is opposed by a subsidiary of Chinas Wanda Group, controlled by the richest man in China, and its development partner, Athens Group, which together are building a $1.2-billion hotel-condominium project called One Beverly Hills just across from Alagems property. John Mirisch, the citys mayor, has also come out against the Hilton project  both because its out of scale for our community and because he says Alagem is trying to circumvent city planners and mislead residents. This is a skyscraper masquerading as an open-space initiative, he said. Facebook

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Higher cigarette and income taxes for California look strong on first returns By Liam Dillon (Paul J. Richards / AFP/Getty Images) Early returns show strong support among Californians for a $2-per-pack cigarette tax increase and continued higher income tax rates for the states wealthiest residents. The first results from the Secretary of States office show that Proposition 55, which would maintain the higher income tax rates first passed four years ago through 2030, leads with 61% of the vote with 13% of precincts reporting statewide. Similarly, the Proposition 56 tobacco tax hike leads with almost 61.5% of the vote with 13.6% of precincts reporting. The early returns track with strong polling numbers that both measures have received throughout the fall. The Associated Press has not yet called Proposition 56, but supporters of the tobacco tax are already declaring victory. Finally, after tobacco companies have preyed on our communities for decades and used their influence to stop tobacco taxes in California, voters have sent an unmistakable message: your products, including e-cigarettes, destroy lives, and we are committed to breaking the cycle, said Laphonza Butler, president of SEIU California, in a statement. Facebook

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Funding to house L.A.'s homeless leads in early returns By Howard Blume Homeless people on the street in Venice. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times) A bond measure that backers say would fund the most ambitious effort to confront the homeless crisis in Los Angeles was leading in early returns Tuesday, and, if the margin holds, the measure would achieve the two-thirds vote it needs to pass. With 52 of 1,700 precincts reporting, Measure HHH had the support of 75% of the electorate, but it is much too early to project a result. Measure HHH asked Los Angeles city voters to approve general obligation bonds that would raise money to build housing for chronically homeless people. The city would borrow up to $1.2 billion over 10 years for construction projects to provide safe, clean, affordable housing for the homeless and for those in danger of becoming homeless. The average annual cost over the 29 years the bonds are being repaid would be $9.64 per $100,000 of assessed valuation. That would be $32.87 on a home valued at the median of $341,000. The measure would not nearly move all the citys homeless into housing, but supporters have argued that it is an important early step. Read More Facebook

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Tax hike for L.A. Metro transit expansion leads in early returns By Rong-Gong Lin II (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) A sales tax hike that would fund the most ambitious mass transit expansion in Los Angeles County history was ahead in early returns Tuesday. With 9% of precincts reporting, 67.28% of voters favored the half-cent sales tax increase. Thats above the 66.67% threshold it needs to win. If two-thirds of voters approve Measure M  which would raise the sales tax an additional half a penny for every dollar spent  Los Angeles County would see a dramatic rail expansion over the next 40 years. By raising about $120 billion in revenue over four decades, the plan envisions a tunnel through the Sepulveda Pass, connecting the San Fernando Valley and the Westside along the congested 405 freeway, as well as transit lines extending to the suburbs of Artesia, Claremont, Torrance, Whittier and South El Monte. Facebook

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A Trump supporter on his battleground state wins: Now I feel redeemed By Michael Finnegan 'Take a sledgehammer to Washington. Take out the entire system. It's all rigged.' Laura Loomer, NY pic.twitter.com/TwviGtsiba  Michael Finnegan (@finnegan
If youre reading this, youve no doubt survived election day. Congratulations. And maybe, just maybe, youre ready to move onto something else  anything, really  to take your mind off of this unforgettable election year. Might we suggest leafing through a new cookbook?

Theres nothing quite like the smell of a new cookbook, the vivid photographs, the feel of crisp new paper between your fingers, the recipes a treasure trove of possibilities. This has been a particularly good year for new cookbooks, and we check out over two dozen of our favorites. Whether youre thinking planning holiday menus, or thinking holiday gifts  for others or yourself  we have tempting suggestions.

 Noelle Carter

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FALL 2016 COOKBOOKS

Ina Garten. Mark Bittman. Nancy Silverton. Alton Brown. Jessica Koslow. The list goes on. 2016 has been an excellent year for cookbooks  this fall especially  and so many of our favorite cooking authorities are coming out with new works. Food editor Amy Scattergood reviews 27 new favorites, and contributor and Good Food radio host Evan Kleiman takes a look at the recent crop of cookbooks devoted to Persian, Turkish and Uzbek cuisine. Finally, we take a look at the current state of the cookbook industry.

ANTHONY BOURDAIN DISHES ON HIS APPETITES

Its been more than 10 years since Anthony Bourdain has written a cookbook, but the chef, author and television host is finally out with a new recipe-laden book, Appetites. In it, the author shares his version of family life, including favorite recipes he likes to make at home (yes, you will want to make his lasagna recipe). Deputy Food editor caught up with Bourdain to chat about the book, how much he loathes the club sandwich, and the, well, inspiration behind all of the interesting photography.

INSIDE DORIE GREENSPANS COOKIE WORLD

To fans, Dorie Greenspan is a patron saint of the baking and pastry world. The author of multi James Beard-award winning cookbooks is back, just in time for the holidays, with a new book on cookies. Dories Cookies contains more than 170 recipes for both sweet and savory cookies. Contributor Margy Rochlin checks in with Greenspan to chat cookies, baking, and offer words of advice for first-time bakers.

Chocolate raspberry thumbprint cookies with chocolate drizzle. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times )

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THE SWEET POTATOES NOW IN SEASON

Whats the difference between a sweet potato and a yam? (Hint: Most yams you buy are sweet potatoes.) Native to the Americas, sweet potatoes come in many varieties, ranging from pale tubers to the dark-skinned orange varieties often mistakenly called yams. We share cooking tips along with some of our favorite recipes.

Zeas sweet potato bread pudding with rum sauce. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times )

HOMEMADE WHIPPED CREAM? ITS EASY. CHECK OUT THESE TIPS:

 Los Angeles Times Test Kitchen manager Noelle Carter shows how easy it is to make your own whipped cream.

Our cookie bake-off returns: Have you submitted your favorite recipe yet? Entries are now open for our sixth Los Angeles Times Holiday Cookie Bake-Off. Now is the time to put your best up against the rest.

Love cooking as much as I do? Follow me @noellecarter

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Counter Intelligence: Sign up for Jonathan Golds weekly newsletter

Check out the thousands of recipes in our Recipe Database.

Feedback? Wed love to hear from you. Email us at food@latimes.com.
Even as we congratulate Donald Trump on his victory, and even as we hope  perhaps against hope  that he will govern in a more inclusive way than he campaigned, we cant conceal our disappointment that such a candidate was rewarded with victory.

How did we get here? How did an opinionated billionaire with no political experience and a willful ignorance about government wrest the nomination of a major party away from a large field of senators and governors and then prevail in a general election against a former U.S. senator and secretary of State? Why didnt he hemorrhage support when he was caught in lies big and small and revealed to be a bully, a racist and a misogynist?

It was only four years ago, after Mitt Romneys 2012 loss, that the Republican National Committee commissioned a study which came to be known as the autopsy. The report was brutally frank in describing the partys unpopularity with young people and racial minorities. With an eye toward 2016, the authors advocated comprehensive immigration reform and a willingness to tolerate alternative points of view.

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But Trump rejected that advice. Instead, he called Mexican immigrants rapists. He compared African American and Latino neighborhoods to war zones. He promised a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.

While some prominent Republicans bravely refused to endorse him, others cynically backed Trump on the pretense that Clinton was worse.

These offensive comments served as the caffeine in Trumps campaign, energizing supporters who accepted his insult-driven politics as a sign of authenticity. Its often argued that many Trump supporters backed him not because of his bigotry and volatile temperament but in spite of those qualities; their vote should be interpreted, the argument goes, not as an endorsement of Trump but rather as a poignant expression of their economic anxiety and frustration with dysfunction in Washington.

Of course theres some truth to that; Trump clearly struck a chord with many voters  especially non-college educated white males  who had legitimate grievances. But he also effectively exploited anxieties about the changing racial and religious demographics of the country  anxieties that in some cases crossed the line into bigotry.

Clinton may have overstated the percentage of deplorable Trump backers, but she was absolutely correct that some of his support came from the racists and the haters and the people who are drawn because they think somehow hes going to restore an America that no longer exists. How else to explain the racial slurs at his rallies, the violence, the chants of Lock Her Up?

Trump also was supported by voters who were free of bias but who were angry at Washington, various elites, the media and political correctness  so angry that all they cared about was shattering the system. Nothing else  not the issues, not the candidates qualifications, not even his moral character  mattered. Thats an irresponsible way to select a candidate.

Trump had help from unlikely allies. Some prominent Republicans flattered him as a plausible president from the beginning. Then, when he became the front-runner for the nomination, party leaders failed to coalesce behind a better qualified rival.

Trump also was buoyed, especially in the early months, by uncritical saturation coverage by cable television news channels.

Once he seized the Republican nomination, Trump won the support of party loyalists who were encouraged by party leaders  and vice presidential candidate Mike Pence  to believe that Trump would govern as a conventional Republican.

While some prominent Republicans bravely refused to endorse him, others cynically backed Trump on the pretense that Clinton was worse. Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell and others knew it was craven and dangerous to do so, but calculations of their own self-interest won out.

Trump was helped by a widespread belief  which he fanned  that Clinton was not just untrustworthy but was corrupt. It is true she shouldnt have used a private email server as secretary of State, but it was only in the fun-house mirror held up by Trump and other Republicans that her misjudgments looked like crimes.

We will be the first to praise Trump if he governs in a way that departs from the aggressively divisive campaign that has brought him to the highest office in the land. But the campaign, and the candidate, played to the worst in America, and it has left the electorate scarred.

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Free trade historically represented a rare thing in Washington: a policy embraced by Republicans and Democrats alike. Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bill Clinton and Obama all supported the idea  and were proven right  that lowering barriers to international trade has tremendous benefits for Americas economy and national security.

That is why it is so hard to understand why both parties played politics with the Trans-Pacific Partnership throughout the divisive 2016 election. The TPP is a trade agreement with the power to bring the additional economic growth our country desperately needs, while also strengthening our alliances in one of the most important regions of the world, the Asia-Pacific. Now that the campaigning and voting is done, Congress should show the American people that bipartisanship is not dead and ratify the TPP before the end of this year.

The economic argument alone is reason enough to support the TPP. International trade supports more than 40 million American jobs  and those jobs have grown faster than total employment over the past decade. Although the United States has some of the lowest barriers for foreign imports, in other countries American goods and services face steep tariffs and other barriers.

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Any agreement that levels the global playing field for U.S. businesses  including our manufacturers, farmers, and service providers  deserves a fair hearing.

Therefore, any agreement that levels the global playing field for U.S. businesses  including our manufacturers, farmers, and service providers  deserves a fair hearing. The TPP does that and more, establishing rules and standards that reflect U.S. values across 11 countries in a critical economic and geopolitical region. For instance, the TPP will help create a single market with labor and environmental regulations that mirror the high standards we set here at home.

Todays critics of free trade agreements have been preying on fears of foreign competition for jobs. The hard truth is that in the last 30 years the greatest number of American jobs disappeared not because of trade, but because of technological innovation and related productivity gains. Global competition is a reality, but attempting to shelter our economy behind high tariff walls and other protectionist devices will prove as ineffectual today as it did in the 1930s. The TPP, on the other hand, will provide the market access and high standards that our exporters need to compete.

The challenges of globalization, of course, extend beyond tariffs and taxes. The United States needs to reinvent our educational system to give younger people a strong start in this new economy and to provide new skills to older workers displaced by technology. These are important issues, but not ones that a trade pact should address. The TPP, when honestly evaluated, is deserving of ratification on its own.

It is estimated that the TPP will increase economic growth, create jobs and raise incomes in the United States while also creating opportunities for American innovators, small businesses and technology companies to sell their products and services abroad. The economic case for the TPP is indisputable and is eclipsed only by the geopolitical rationale.

Eight former Defense secretaries recently wrote of the Asia-Pacific that no region will impact American prosperity and security more in the coming century. They are right.

The TPP presents a tremendous opportunity for America to stabilize Asia for generations. Our allies in the region recognize this; already key partners including South Korea and Thailand have expressed a keen interest in joining the TPP once it is ratified. Their interest is a testament to the impact of American leadership.

If the United States walks away from the TPP, however, we will not be left with the status quo. Instead well find ourselves in a weaker position in Asia while other regional alliances, led by China and its Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, strengthen. Furthermore, New Zealand recently said that the other signatories to TPP will go ahead, with or without the United States. Such a scenario would leave America outside of the two major deals that will shape the 21st-century trade agenda.

With the election over, Congress must put the political rhetoric aside and recognize the TPP for what it is: a strategic anchor to build bridges and alliances that will bolster U.S. leadership in the Asia-Pacific and strengthen our national security.

In a democratic system, nothing is perfect, and compromise means concessions. However, insisting on the perfect solution for any policy objective  including trade  will never move America forward. It is urgent that our policymakers take action to ratify the TPP this year. Lets not make the perfect an enemy of the good.

Bob Dole, the former U.S. senator from Kansas, was the Republican presidential nominee in 1996. His current work includes representing the interests of Taiwan.

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From the beginning of the 2016 presidential campaign, pundits puzzled over why Donald Trump garnered so much support. Now theyre puzzling over why a majority of the country picked him despite increasingly unsavory revelations about his business dealings, his behavior toward women and his open contempt for anyone who opposes him, even mildly.

Trump mostly appeals to older white, male, working-class voters, although we now have to acknowledge that his white support cuts across many lines. Trumpism isnt limited to Southerners in pickup trucks sporting Confederate flags. Middle-class and educated white people in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Indiana and Arizona are with Trump too.

As the polls tightened in the final days of the campaign, Trumps support reflected Republican tribalism  the party, or whats left of it, coming home. But it also reflected a big surge in white tribalism.

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Why wasnt anyone in this election cycle obsessively asking black people what they think of our embattled democracy?

What bothers me is that all along the media treated this brand of tribalism with respect rather than the derision it deserves. Reporters and commentators couldnt bring themselves to call the Trump phenomenon what it is: a very public expression of what many white Americans privately sanction  massive entitlement and emotional, race-based beliefs about who should be calling the shots in the United States.

It isnt just Trump and his most-dedicated followers who expect to see themselves on top. Many others who dont support Trumpism in all its details are still willing to tolerate a certain amount of intolerance. It doesnt raise their hackles; they may even see it as necessary to some degree. For them, Trumps crudest remarks are unfortunate, perhaps, but obviously not a deal breaker.

Such indifference is one effect of privilege, privilege that extends to the mainstream media. Despite being constantly accused of liberal bias, the mainstream media have been falling all over themselves writing and broadcasting sympathetic stories about Trump supporters, who have been mostly painted as victims of a vicious economy and an elitist government that left them out in the cold.

These profiles have carefully parsed whats going on with these folks  who are they, what makes them tick? Why are such essentially good people so bitter? Thomas Franks famous question from the George W. Bush years, Whats the matter with Kansas? has expanded into Whats the matter with America? And the approach to answering it has been to give Trump voters the benefit of the doubt.

But since were on the subject of ascertaining whats wrong with America, what about me? Why wasnt anyone in this election cycle obsessively asking black people what they think of our embattled democracy? Why not delve into how we feel about being targeted yet again, caught up in racial ugliness Trump himself seeded in the birther movement against Obama eight years ago?

Why havent there been big takeouts about embittered African Americans facing a gravely uncertain economic future? Why not ask us how we felt watching the chief provision of the Voting Rights Act  acknowledged as crucial by every president since Lyndon Johnson  unceremoniously gutted by the Supreme Court? Why hasnt anybody been examining black anxiety in the age of Trump?

The lack of media interest in these questions is not just frustrating but racist. The black point of view and its place in the campaigns national conversation was occasionally recognized, but it wasnt examined in any depth. Although the fortunes of black people are always a telling indicator of the health of the American project, the intimate question of what makes us tick  or explode  was not deemed particularly newsworthy in months (and months) of election coverage.

So in case anybodys listening, Im officially angry.

Being black in America is never not complicated, and the choices we faced in this election highlighted those complications as never before. We had to deal with the open racism of Trump, which flirts with white nationalism and traffics in the worst kinds of stereotypes. And we also had to reckon with the Democrats cumulative indifference, and sometimes its hostility, to issues we see as explicitly racial.

Even sympathetic white liberals and progressives tended to flatten us out, erase us, by reflexively equating our struggles with those of immigrants, for example. Leave it to the bilious Trump to accidentally have a point when he advised us to vote for him because, given the persistence of our crises under both parties, what did we really have to lose in voting for a man whos essentially a party of one?

Of course Trumpism is no answer. The Trump presidency will exacerbate our problems; with him in office we have everything to lose.

And yet Trump is hardly the only white person who reduces black reality to the simplest of terms for political, personal or professional expediency. Memo to the media and the nation: Black reality is singular. It matters. And never more than in an extraordinary election  and with, regrettably, an electorate  that was fueled by white rage.

Erin Aubry Kaplan is a contributing writer to Opinion. Her latest book is I Heart Obama.

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Donald Trumps unexpected victory means our next president will be an untested non-politician who made a list of campaign promises he cant possibly keep; a foreign policy novice whose vows to scrap trade agreements and renegotiate alliances have alarmed our oldest friends; a crude braggart who derided minorities, women, the disabled and even prisoners of war.

But its in the nations interest to pray for his success  because the failure of an American president, especially one with Trumps shoot-from-the-hip style, would be chaotic and destructive.

Begin with the economy. Trumps first challenge is likely to be a slump in the financial markets; on Election Night, Dow futures plunged as his victory became clear. Can the New York mogul find the words and actions to persuade investors that hes not the bad news they think he is?

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Move on  quickly; hell have no choice  to foreign policy. Vladimir Putin may be celebrating, but thats little comfort. U.S. allies in Europe are worried; will Trump reaffirm our ties with them, which are vital to combating international terrorism, or allow them to deteriorate? China has warned that Trumps promise to impose sanctions on its economy (for currency manipulation that experts say Trump is wrong about) will prompt swift reprisals; will the president-elect tell Beijing he was only kidding?

Some of his agenda can be achieved through legislation. He can repeal Obamacare... He can almost certainly win funding to deport more undocumented immigrants.

Last but not least, consoling the American people. Fewer than half of all voters actually chose Trump; will he reach out to those who fear or loathe him? Minorities, including Latinos and African Americans, decisively rebuffed his purported outreach in their direction; does he care?

Trump does have some assets as he approaches a job he has done little to prepare for. He will likely have majorities in both the Senate and House of Representatives, giving Republicans control of a one-party government for the first time since 2006. In the hands of a more conventional politician  a Mitt Romney, a Marco Rubio  this would be a golden opportunity to pass legislation to advance conservative goals, including lower taxes and tighter federal budgets.

But Trump is no mainstream Republican. To take just one glaring example: Sen. Mitch McConnell, Rep. Paul Ryan and Sen. Ted Cruz have all argued that the only way to rein in the federal budget is by trimming future growth in Social Security and Medicare spending. Trump disagrees, emphatically.

Trumps fiscal campaign promises simply dont add up. Hes said he will balance the budget and cut taxes, but expand Social Security and increase military spending. That cant be done. Hes promised steel workers in the Rust Belt and coal miners in Appalachia that hell bring their old jobs back; thats not likely to happen, either.

Still, some of his agenda can be achieved through legislation. He can repeal Obamacare, President Obamas health insurance program  and leave the details of what should replace it to Congress. He can almost certainly win funding to deport more undocumented immigrants and build a wall on the southern border the cost of which, he says, will be reimbursed by the Mexican government. (Mexico says it will do no such thing.)

And many of Trumps biggest promises on trade, immigration, national security and foreign policy can be achieved through executive action.

He has said his first order of business, on Day One, will be to reverse many of President Obamas executive orders, beginning with immigration. For example, Trump would immediately end Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that has granted temporary work permits to dreamers, young immigrants who lack legal status.

Trump could suspend immigration by refugees from Syria and impose extreme vetting on immigrants from other countries affected by terrorism.

He could follow through on his campaign promise to renegotiate the NAFTA trade treaty with Mexico and Canada  and, if the talks went poorly, he could carry out his threat to leave the trade pact. Hes also floated the idea of withdrawing from the World Trade Organization, an action which could set off an international trade war and financial panic.

He could attempt to renegotiate U.S. participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance, reducing our military commitments in Europe if the allies dont spend more on defense.

And, since he says the threat of climate change is a hoax, Trump could keep his pledge to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and undo regulations that reduce U.S. carbon emissions.

The problem with all of those unilateral moves is that they could well cause retaliation by other countries  a factor President Trump wont be able to control. His early months will be a test of his ability as a crisis manager.

An optimist might argue that Trump wont govern the way he campaigned: that hell surround himself with seasoned advisers, embrace more traditional positions and satisfy himself with half-measures.

But Trumps record offers little reassurance on that score. When he won his partys nomination, old-guard Republicans predicted he would pivot toward the political center and look more presidential in order to secure an electoral majority. Trump rejected their advice  and hes likely to take Tuesdays result as evidence that he was right.

In short: Its going to be a very rough ride.

doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com

Twitter: @doylemcmanus

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Los Angeles voters sent a clear message Tuesday with the passage of three tax increases: They will pay more for services that will improve the regions quality of life.

Voters overwhelmingly backed Measure M, the permanent sales tax hike that help build more than a dozen new rail lines, as well as improve freeways, fill potholes and add more bike lanes to city streets. The measure passed with nearly 70% of the vote, well over the two-thirds approval needed to pass the tax. By comparison, Measure R, the 2008 sales tax increase that kick-started the transit building boom, just barely passed with 67.93% of the vote. The message? Los Angeles County residents want alternatives to sitting in traffic, and theyre willing to tax themselves to build them.

County voters also gave a resounding yes to Measure A, a tax on property to pay for parks, recreation, open space and cultural amenities. That measure passed with 73% support, again, well over the two-thirds approval needed. Parks taxes and bonds generally do well in California elections  we love our parks  but the fact that Measure A garnered so much support in a year with so many taxes and ballot measures shows that voters put a priority on public green spaces.

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And in the city of Los Angeles, voters easily passed Measure HHH, the plan to borrow $1.2 billion dollars to build 10,000 units of permanent supportive housing and affordable housing for homeless people. The measure passed with a shockingly high 76%  an impressive figure considering that 10 years ago, city voters rejected a similar bond measure to fund homeless and low-income housing. But as homeless encampments have spread beyond skid row to all corners of L.A., voters this year were willing to raise property taxes to pay for a long-term solution to homelessness.

Theres a common thread in these measures: When voters are given the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in their communities  through road and transit improvements, through more and better parks and through housing for the homeless and mentally ill  they will support higher taxes. Hopefully that message is heard in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.

For more opinions, follow me @kerrycavan
The day started off so great  all those photos of women making pilgrimages to Susan B. Anthonys grave to post their I Voted stickers  homage to the fact that women not only can vote but that women and men were voting today for a woman for president. A woman who was up in the polls and looked like she had a quick path to victory.

This is over by 6 p.m., says a good friend  here in L.A.  and wonky follower of the electoral college map.

And then  a tiny but promising lead for Clinton in Florida turned to a tiny and then growing lead for Trump.

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OK, she didnt need Florida.

A text from a close friend in N.Y.: Im scared about Florida.

Be calm, I tell her. Broward County hasnt reported in.

Im so scared about this election right now, my 16-year-old niece texts. She adds weeping emojis.

She doesnt need Florida to win. Hang in there, I text back. Then, Ohio starts to go for Trump  then, wait, whats going on in Michigan?

This is not happening this is not happening. The texts start coming in fast and furious from friends on both coasts.

Carla, what is happening? says a friend, a lawyer, who did political volunteer work in New Mexico.

A bumpy ride, I suggest. Just everyone sit tight.

Then 54% of Wisconsin is reporting, and Trump is still leading. And Clinton, at this point, must win that state.

Scary stuff going on now, texts my brother from Wisconsin. I feel like a doctor who told everyone that the patient would live and now the patient has taken a bad turn.

I feel like a patient with a terminal illness, texts the friend in New Mexico, having seized on a similar metaphor, and I want to connect amidst the craziness.

Theyre serving food at work but I cant eat. Im too shell-shocked. I just keep frantically refreshing the cyber voting count map to see whats happening in Wisconsin.

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To Donald Trump, from the undocumented immigrant who graduated alongside your daughter
To the editor: Donald Trump will become the 45th president of the United States because the people rejected the mainstream medias characterization of him.

He called out illegal immigrants, not people who come to this country through legal channels. He has never been a racist during his entire life; only in the eyes of a biased media was that charge ever given any weight.

Trump was pilloried endlessly by newspapers and pundits across the land  but the people were not swayed. If this election has proved one thing, it is that the mainstream media have lost their credibility.

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Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton gave a very gracious concession speech and stated that Trump should be given a chance to succeed and asked her followers to keep an open mind. It would be nice to see this newspaper elicit the same generous sentiment.

Charles Reilly, Manhattan Beach

::

To the editor: There was one huge issue that clearly contributed to Trumps victory: President Obama acted as if he was king of America. Clinton was simply more Obama.

After the humiliating midterm election of 2014 in which Obama and his Democrats lost huge numbers of seats in the House and Senate  and sent a clear message that Americans didnt like what the administration was doing  the king instead doubled down on his unpopular policies with executive orders and legal actions and arrogantly ignored Congress.

Obama, Clinton and their Democrats are out of touch with mainstream Americans, as this election clearly shows. It will be a pleasure watching Trump undo what the king and his Democrats should never have done in the first place.

Hopefully Trump will work with Congress and not emulate the misguided arrogance of King Obama.

Larry Hamlin, Dana Point

..

To the editor: Trumps victory has been decades in the making.

The Democrats abandoned their constituency of working people in favor of the professional class. A flawed establishment candidate took her traditional constituency for granted and ran such a lackluster and overly nuanced campaign that she outsmarted herself. Even the admirable efforts of Sen. Bernie Sanders were not sufficient to inspire enough voters to carry her over the finish line.

In January we will have a Republican president and a Republican Congress, and the promise of a Republican-inspired Supreme Court. One can hardly blame the progressive wing of the Democratic Party from saying, I told you so.

Ken Levy, Los Angeles

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When it dawned on Arohi Sharma that she wouldnt be able to cast her vote in the 2016 presidential election, she was devastated.

Sharma, a second-year graduate student at the Harvard Kennedy School, had mailed her vote-by-mail application to the Los Angeles County registrars office Oct. 24, but because it was lost in the mail or not recorded, she was told she wouldnt be able to request an absentee ballot in time to vote.

For Sharma, 26, a native Californian, participating in this election was more than a civic duty. It was writing history. She had only one option left: fly from Cambridge, Mass., back to Los Angeles so that she could cast her ballot during early voting.

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So thats what she did. On Saturday, Sharma boarded her 7:30 a.m. flight and landed in Los Angeles more than 5 hours later.

Sharma is a political enthusiast and understands the voting system well, but like many university students and other Americans who request absentee ballots, she was caught in a bureaucratic and logistical process many describe as unduly cumbersome.

She said she spent two hours on the phone with various registrar offices and voter assistance hotlines to no avail. She couldnt request an absentee ballot from the Los Angeles County registrars office because the deadline was Nov. 1, and she couldnt vote provisionally in Massachusetts because shed missed the deadline to register there.

It brings up bigger issues about why it would take any system longer than five or six days to pass a ballot, she said.

After Sharma began discussing her absentee ballot ordeal with her classmates, she realized she wasnt the only one experiencing problems. I started to hear all these crazy stories about how my classmates werent able to cast absentee ballots, she said. I realized I shouldnt be blaming myself for not calling a day earlier.

Sasha Belenky, one of Sharmas classmates, experienced similar anxiety over voting by absentee ballot for her home state in Kentucky. Belenky, 28, said she was uncertain of the timeline and not clear how long any of the steps would take. She said she filled out a request for an absentee ballot in early October and that it wasnt until Friday that she got her absentee ballot.

I filled it out and ran over to UPS before it closed, Belenky said.

Sharmas parents spoke with her on the phone the night she learned she would not be able to vote. I was crying and they calmed me down, Sharma said. They knew how important it was for me to vote in this election.

Thats when her father suggested that she fly home and vote early here.

The $627 plane ticket was an extravagance that not everyone could afford, Sharma acknowledged. I recognize that I had the privilege to overcome the hurdle, but there are infinitely more who dont have those kinds of resources, she said.

It means that voter education and simplified processes are even more important, so that those who dont have the money to afford a flight home dont have to make that decision in the first place.

For Sharma, a Democrat and staunch Hillary Clinton supporter since 2008, said it didnt matter to her that California is a solid blue state almost certain to vote overwhelming for Clinton.

Not every decision needs to be economically rational, and that decision to me didnt have to be rational, she said. Now that I cast my vote for Hillary Clinton, if she gets elected and her policies are implemented, I can hold myself accountable.

Sharma said she also received about $100 from classmates who donated money to help pay for her flight.

After arriving in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon, Sharma headed out to her polling station, El Camino College. After waiting 1.5 hours in line, Sharma finally cast her vote.

melissa.etehad@latimes.com

Follow me on Twitter @melissaetehad
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called for continued efforts to boost Egyptian-French ties and cooperation between the countries' parliaments, state news agency MENA said.

El-Sisi's remarks came as he met on Tuesday with the president of the French senate Gerard Larcher who arrived in the capital on Sunday for a three-day visit.

During their meeting, El-Sisi discussed recent economic and political developments in Egypt, as well as government efforts to draw foreign investment, adding that there are many prospects available to French investors in Egypt, presidency spokesman Alaa Gawish was quoted as saying by MENA.

The pair also discussed ways to bolster international efforts to combat terrorism and extremism as well as a number of regional issues including attempts to revive the Palestinian-Israeli peace process and the crises in war-torn Libya and Syria.

Tuesday's meeting was also attended by Egypt's Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal. Larcher.

Larcher met on Monday with foreign minister Sameh Shoukry.



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Buoyed by the victory of Donald Trump, Republicans kept control of the House on Tuesday and hung on to their majority in the U.S. Senate, enshrining at least two years of single-party rule in Washington.

Democrats lost the chamber in 2014 and would have needed a net gain of five seats to retake the Senate with Trump in the White House.



For the record: This article says the GOPs 247-188 House majority would be the largest for either party since the 1930s. There have been several occasions since then when the party in control has held a more sizable majority.

They fell well short.

Election 2016: FULL RESULTS 

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Many experts and political analysts had predicted a Democratic takeover, given the daunting math facing Republicans  who had to defend far more seats  and Trumps erratic campaign.

But just as they underestimated the Republican nominee, they failed to account for the resiliency of some of the GOPs most endangered incumbents.

Republicans staked victories in every one of the hardest-fought contests, with one exception. In Illinois, Democratic Rep. Tammy Duckworth knocked off Mark Kirk, long seen as the most vulnerable GOP member of the Senate.

In Wisconsin, Ron Johnson had been all but written off by strategists in both parties. Instead, he handily fended off a comeback attempt by former Democratic Sen. Russell D. Feingold. In North Carolina, Richard M. Burr won a second term despite waging a lackluster campaign.

In Arizona, Sen. John McCain easily won a sixth term after the toughest challenge of his lengthy career and Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri also withstood a more-difficult-than-expected fight. In Pennsylvania, Patrick J. Toomey won after casting himself in a bipartisan light and touting his work with Democrats on gun control.

Republicans, who currently hold 54 of 100 seats, also posted victories in two states once eyed by Democrats as promising takeover opportunities.

In Florida, Marco Rubio  a once and likely future presidential candidate  coasted to a second term after he reversed himself under pressure from GOP leaders and decided to seek another term. In Ohio, Rob Portman also won easy reelection after running one of the strongest campaigns in the country in a perennial battleground state.

In Indiana, former Sen. Evan Bayh disappointed Democrats by failing in his comeback attempt, losing the states open-seat contest after Republicans and their allies poured in resources for Rep. Todd Young.

In a bright spot for Democrats, Nevadas attorney general, Catherine Cortez Masto, rallied to hang on to the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Democratic leader, Harry Reid  becoming the first Latina in the Senate.

One contest remained too close to call: the New Hampshire race between incumbent Republican Kelly Ayotte and Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan. Even if Hassan wins, Democrats would only net two seats.

The final makeup of the Senate will not be determined until the race in Louisiana is settled. Since no candidate won more than 50%, Republican state Treasurer John Kennedy will face Democrat Foster Campbell in a December runoff.

Apart from the presidential contest, nothing on Tuesday will do as much to shape the political outlook for the next two years as the fight for control of the Senate.

Live updates from the day after the 2016 election 

Trump would have faced a much more difficult time if he won the presidency and faced a Senate in the hands of opposition Democrats.

Despite one-party rule, Tuesdays results may not ease the partisan infighting or persistent gridlock that has defined Congress in recent years, to the great frustration of many voters.

Trump broke with Republican orthodoxy on several issues, including trade and foreign policy and that could set him against many congressional Republicans, including House Speaker Paul D. Ryan.

Ryan campaigned on the need for Republicans to have unified government, with control of Congress and the White House, but keeping lawmakers in line to actually pass legislation may prove difficult. Bringing Democrats on board for GOP priorities seems even more unlikely.

Im hard-pressed to think that Congress will be able to muster much more agreement with themselves or the incoming president, said Sarah Binder, a political science professor at George Washington University and expert on Congress. Most of the ingredients that have created this low-functioning Congress are still in place, Binder said.

Part of the dysfunction in Congress could be eased if the new president played a more actively bipartisan role, reaching across the aisle much the way former President Bill Clinton did when he faced a Republican-held Congress, some analysts said.

Politically, however, there may be little incentive for the new president to court votes from the other side after such a deeply polarizing election.

Voters seemed equally skeptical of change.

I thought Congress would get better when Jesse Helms retired, said Mike Pedneau, an independent voter and retired mental health worker in Raleigh, N.C., referring to his states arch-conservative senator, who died in 2008.

Its gotten more brittle, Pedneau said. Id almost rather have the other side win it if meant an end to gridlock.

Republicans began the election cycle with a built-in disadvantage.

The GOP was forced to defend 24 seats versus 10 for the Democrats, and the partys difficulties seemed to be compounded when voters picked Trump as their nominee.

His many controversial and insulting statements forced Republican candidates to either defend or condemn their presidential standard-bearer, antagonizing voters whichever they chose. Some repudiated Trump. Others contorted themselves by saying they would vote for the nominee but not endorse his candidacy.

More significant, Trump failed to invest in the kind of political infrastructure  such as voter identification and turnout operations  that are typically led by a partys presidential candidate.

Since Trump hasnt been running a campaign as much as a concert tour complete with merchandise, many of [the] programs that usually help down-ballot candidates are bare bones or missing entirely, Jennifer Duffy, a nonpartisan campaign analyst, wrote in the Cook Political Report.

That seemed not to matter, however, as Trump strongly outperformed past Republican presidential nominees in a number of states and especially among rural voters. They needed no prodding to turn out.

Polls waxed and waned through the fall, with Democrats gaining momentum in Senate and House contests as Clinton opened a substantial lead over Trump after his widely panned performance in three presidential debates.

But races tightened again after FBI Director James B. Comey sent a letter to Congress on Oct. 28 saying investigators would review a newly discovered trove of emails connected to Clintons private email server as secretary of State. By the time Comey released an all-clear letter Sunday, Democrats said several Senate seats had slipped beyond their grasp.

He became the leading Republican political operative in the country, wittingly or unwittingly, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-S.F.) told reporters during a brief stop Tuesday at Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington.

In the House, Republicans held a 247-188 majority, the largest for either party since the 1930s.

Democrats lost control in 2010 and the 30-seat gain they needed to take back the House always appeared well beyond their reach, given district lines that favor sitting lawmakers and shelter most incumbents from serious challenge. They picked up four seats with several more contests still to be decided.

Twitter: @markzbarabak, @lisamascaro

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This is Americas state of mind on election day

The mailbox-driven campaign: How California political races captured voters attention  and frustration  in 2016

UPDATES:

12:10 a.m. Wednesday: This story was updated with Trump winning the White House.

9 p.m.: This article was updated with results from Wisconsin, North Carolina and Arizona.

This article was first published at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday.
The Empire State Building was illuminated in red, white and blue, with election results projected along the side of the building for the city to watch the action live. Times Square had a dozen competing screens projecting news of the election. Much as they do on New Years Eve, crowds gathered in suitably colorful attire  mostly red, white and blue  in hopes of celebrating with their compatriots.

All eyes were on New York on election day, with the presidential candidates holding dueling election parties 15 blocks apart in midtown Manhattan, and thousands of their supporters cheering them on.

A crisp, unseasonably warm autumn evening brought out the crowds in droves, but the mood soon dampened as the projections came in showing Republican Donald Trump doing far better than expected. Though Trump is a native son, New York City leans heavily Democratic  Manhattan voted for Clinton over Trump by 87% to 10%  and groans rippled through the crowd with the results.

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I am afraid to talk about this because I might start crying, said Elizabeth Yusupova, 24, who was being comforted by friends at a rooftop bar on Fifth Avenue overlooking the Empire State Building. Behind her was the large projected face of a smiling Trump, who had been just declared the winner of Ohio.

I was so excited to be voting for our first woman president, she said. I cant believe this is happening.

Most of the patrons at the bar were foreigners, tourists and expatriates, who also seemed in shock that Clinton wasnt the obvious winner.

I dont understand your country very well. This is confusing. Can you explain why anybody would vote for Trump? asked Matias di Matteo, 28, an Argentinian advertising executive who was on vacation in New York.

Trump is just like Berlusconi, said Massimo Maresca, 39, an Italian who lives in New York, referring to the flamboyant former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi. Nobody thought he would win because when they took the polls, voters didnt want to admit they were voting for him, but in the end what they wanted was to be followers of a strongman.

Supporters of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump react to early results during election night at the New York Hilton on Nov. 8. (Mandel Ngan / AFP/Getty Images )

Trump did have his supporters in this Democratic city. A few dozen have been gathering regularly in front of the Trump Tower, the 58-story black-glass monolith where Trump himself lives in a penthouse apartment. On the sidewalk across the street, a man wearing nothing but bikini underwear with the words TRUMP strummed the guitar. More conventionally attired Trump fans handed out buttons and campaign literature.

Trump will make America strong again. Thats what we want, said Leah Bartholeme, a nurse who had emigrated from the Philippines.

As midnight passed with Trump leading but no winner declared, it wasnt obvious where the post-election victory party would be held. Clintons campaign booked the huge Jacob K. Javits Convention Center with a symbolically glass-ceiling atrium. Trump was supposed to have his party in the midtown Hilton, 15 blocks away.

Outside Clintons campaign headquarters in Brooklyn, the streets were empty. A few campaign staffers trickled out, still wearing their Hillary 2016 gear and carrying leftover bright blue signs, mostly silent.

barbara.demick@latimes.com

Twitter: @BarbaraDemick
In the moments after Donald Trump won the presidential election, his oldest son was struggling to grasp the magnitude of what his father had pulled off: He had captured the most powerful job in the world.

Its surreal, Donald Trump Jr. said after he left the Manhattan hotel stage where his father announced that Hillary Clinton had called to concede. Its still setting in. We fought pretty hard for a very long time, and were emotionally numb right now.

So were many of the Trump supporters who filled the hotel ballroom. Polls had pegged Clinton as the clear favorite, so there was scant reason to be more than cautiously optimistic when Fox News anchors on the big screens bracketing the stage started calling a few battleground states for Trump.

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Now, advisors to the Republican presidential nominee were looking ahead to Trump  a novice in politics  taking command of the most powerful government in history.

Live U.S. election results | Live California election results

Even Rudolph W. Giuliani, whose angry tirades against Clinton and President Obama could make Trump look gentle by comparison, struck a newly conciliatory tone as he looked forward to the transition of power.

What Ive found about Barack Obama, despite my disagreements, is hes a gentleman, Giuliani said.

It was a new tone set by Trump in his victory speech on a stage packed with family members, friends and allies, including some, like Giuliani, who might join the new Cabinet.

For those who have chosen not to support me in the past, of which there were a few people, Im reaching out to you for your guidance and your help so that we can work together and unify our great country, Trump told his cheering supporters.

The audience that just hours ago was shouting Lock her up! even applauded Clinton when Trump said she had called to congratulate him.

And I congratulated her and her family on a very, very hard-fought campaign, he said.

In his 15-minute speech, Trump vowed to create jobs and rebuild Americas highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools and hospitals.

There was no mention of building a wall along the southern border, a proposal that had symbolized the nations sharp divisions over Trumps belligerent political posture.

We will seek common ground, not hostility, he said. Partnership, not conflict.

The mood of jubilation built gradually in the hours before his speech as his battleground state victories piled up.

Ohio drew the first big burst of cheers, but it was not entirely a surprise after weeks of polls showing Trump running ahead of Clinton there.

That puts us on a path for a really, really good night, said Sarah Huckabee, a senior Trump advisor watching the returns near the open bar in the partys VIP section.

The next win, North Carolina, sparked louder applause. It was a more hard-fought contest. Clinton staged a midnight rally in Raleigh on the eve of the election, and President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama both made repeated visits in what turned out to be a vain effort to inspire the states black voters.

Florida soon followed, and the mood suddenly turned giddy, with a constant din as Trumps supporters, many of them wearing red Make America great again caps, marveled at the possibility that he could really pull it off.

But it was Foxs call of Trumps win in Wisconsin, where Clinton was heavily favored, that really sent the room into a frenzy. People screamed, waved their red caps in the air and leaped into one anothers arms. One woman lost her high heel. Another called out: If he won this, my husband works in the White House.

Look at this excitement, said Sasha Epshteyn, 50, a Russian immigrant wearing one of the red caps. People laughing, people cheering, people kissing each other.

No network had called the election for Trump, but Epshteyn, a New Jersey telecommunications manager, said he was 150% sure at that moment that Trump had captured the White House.

Laura Loomer said she was jumping up with joy at Trumps victories in Florida, Ohio and North Carolina.

Now I feel redeemed, said Loomer, 23, a multiplatform journalist wearing a Hillary for Prison T-shirt.

Hes politically incorrect. Hes totally anti-establishment. Hes going to go to Washington and take a sledgehammer to everything, take a sledgehammer to the media, said Loomer, who is from Westchester County, N.Y.

michael.finnegan@latimes.com

Twitter: @finneganLAT

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Trump victory sparks angry protests across California: Not my president

I will be president for all Americans  transcript of Donald Trumps election night victory speech

UPDATES:

3:47 a.m.: Updated to add more background and reaction.

12:35 a.m. Nov. 9: Updated to include excerpts from Trumps speech.

This story was originally published at 10:30 p.m. Nov. 8.
After a dark presidential campaign, roiled by warnings of widespread voting fraud and intimidation, hundreds of Justice Department and other lawyers stood ready Tuesday for a stormy election day.

For the most part, they didnt get it.

With tensions high, more than 30,000 calls about malfunctioning machines, alleged voter intimidation and other problems poured into a hotline set up by a coalition of civil rights and legal aid groups.

Callers complained of signs put up to scare black voters in Ohio, of faulty voting machines in North Carolina and other states, of arguments and snubbed voters in Florida, and of late-opening polling places and other snafus in Philadelphia.

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But as the day wore on, sunny and warm over much of the country, there was little out of the ordinary.

In Broward County, Fla., police were called after a scuffle broke out between two election clerks, and they were fired. In Los Angeles County, a shooting left one person dead near a polling place in Azusa. The county registrar told voters to avoid the area and go to alternative polling stations.

In Fort Bend County, Texas, the sheriffs office said it arrested a man who tried to vote twice. Claimed he worked for Trump and was testing the system, the sheriffs office tweeted.

In African American neighborhoods in overwhelmingly Democratic Philadelphia, a city Donald Trump had repeatedly called a nest of voting fraud, there was no army of his rural supporters outside polling places, as local officials had feared.

We have no founded complaints of intimidation, no founded complaints of voter fraud, and we have no apocalypse of zombies voting all over town, Dist. Atty. R. Seth Williams said at a news conference.

Several hundred men volunteered to stand outside polling places in African American neighborhoods to watch for trouble from outsiders  and didnt find much, if any.

My job is to make sure theres no disturbance when people come to vote, said Howard Walker, 76, a deacon at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, outside a polling place in the Mount Airy neighborhood. I dont see that really happening.

That appeared to be the case elsewhere around the country.

Were seeing various kinds of complaints, from police officers being too close to the polls to overzealous partisans, said Myrna Perez, a lawyer from the New York-based Brennan Center for Justice who joined an Election Protection legal aid project that involved dozens of civil rights groups.

Perez reported scattered complaints of attempted voter intimidation but no sign of a concerted campaign.

Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said Election Protection lawyers logged a substantial number of complaints from Florida, including an aggressively assembled group outside a polling site in Hollywood, north of Miami.

In Palm Beach County, some students at Florida Atlantic University were told they could not vote because their dorms didnt count as a legal address; they were given provisional ballots, Clarke said.

Were going to dig into all these reports more closely and carefully, Clarke said. But most importantly, we want to ensure that voters are able to cast a ballot free from intimidation or harassment, which requires making sure that unauthorized people are not inside our polls today.

Homeland Security Department officials reported no sign that computer hackers had attacked polling systems at the nations 9,000 voting districts.

That fear had grown after a campaign that, U.S. intelligence officials say, saw Russian-backed hackers steal and leak thousands of emails from Democratic officials, including Hillary Clintons campaign manager, in an effort to interfere with the election.

Long lines and voting machine glitches were common, a regular problem in a nation with aging election machinery.

Broken or balky machines were reported in Utah, New York, Illinois, Kentucky, Texas, Virginia, Ohio, Connecticut and especially North Carolina.

Electionland, a voting monitoring project, reported glitches with optical scanners in seven counties in North Carolina. The state elections board instructed Durham County officials to use paper ballots instead and extended closing time at several polling places.

Officials in Dover, N.H., also extended voting hours after an email sent the wrong poll information to voters there.

Civil rights groups reported confusion in Alabama and other Southern states with new voter ID requirements since the last presidential election. In some cases, voters did not realize their polling locations had changed since 2014.

Voters were confused because of changes to their polling places and a lack of accurate information provided to them by their state officials, said Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Trump filed his own lawsuit Tuesday in Nevada, saying polls were wrongly kept open late during early voting in the Las Vegas area, where Clinton had strong support. Nevada law says polls should stay open for eligible voters already in line at closing time.

At a hearing, District Judge Gloria Sturman rejected a request by Trumps attorneys for the names of paid and volunteer poll workers at the locations where Trump alleged improper after-hours voting took place.

Do you watch Twitter? Sturman said. Have you watched any cable news shows? There are Internet  you know the vernacular  trolls who could get this information and harass people. Why would I order them to make available to you information about people who work at polls?

Problems on election day are common, but Trump turned those concerns into a keystone of his unconventional campaign, warning for weeks that voting would be rigged against him.

joseph.tanfani@latimes.com

Twitter: @jtanfani

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Voter voices: Americas state of mind on election day
As election returns rolled in Tuesday night, the creator of the USC/Los Angeles Times Daybreak tracking poll was in Washington for a speaking engagement. He watched the results on television in a hotel bar, surrounded by about 20 drunken Danes who were in the capital to study the election.

It was an odd experience, Arie Kapteyn said Wednesday morning.

The same might be said of the furor that surrounded the Daybreak poll during the campaign. It was the only major public survey that consistently showed Donald Trump winning. As a result, it drew frequent and loud denunciations from many Democrats, especially as election day neared and passions rose.

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But on Wednesday, as many other pollsters struggled to explain why their surveys seemed blind to Trumps support, Kapteyn and his colleagues were among the few who could say their work got the basic issue right.

To be honest, I was surprised, said Kapteyn, a USC economist and expert on public opinion.

In an interview several days ago with a radio station in Holland, where he grew up and received his doctoral degree, Kapteyn had predicted that Clinton is going to win, but I think its going to be a lot tighter than people think, he recalled.

That prediction, he said, highlighted the problem with most efforts at political analysis.

When you look at pundits and their predictions, the correlation is zero between what they forecast and how things actually turn out, he said, citing work done by Daniel Kahneman, the Nobel Prize-winning behavioral economist.

You have to trust the numbers, he said. Dont get distracted by all the things you think about plausibility.

What you think personally doesnt matter, he added. I thought Clinton would win. But that shouldnt change the numbers.

The tracking poll was not perfect, of course; it projected Trump to win in the popular vote by slightly more than 3 percentage points, but in reality Hillary Clinton seems set to gain a slender popular vote majority, currently about 0.2%. Her margin could expand as late ballots are counted in heavily Democratic California.

That result, however, was well within the polls margin of error. The more crucial point was that the poll correctly detected Trumps appeal to a key bloc of voters: conservative whites who had sat out the 2012 election but intended to vote this year. That group strongly favored Trump, the poll found.

The polls ability to pick up those voters, Kapteyn said, stemmed from its approach, which differs notably from the one used by most major surveys.

Instead of asking people to simply choose between the candidates, the Daybreak survey asked respondents to rate, on a scale from 0 to 100, their chance of voting for Trump, Clinton or some other candidate. The poll also asked people to use the same 0-100 scale to rate their likelihood of voting.

That method, which Kapteyn had used four years ago to accurately forecast President Obamas reelection, is the most important part of what the poll demonstrated, he said.

By asking people to give a probability, the poll avoided forcing voters into making a decision before they were truly ready. As a result, it may have more accurately captured the ambiguity many people felt about their choice.

Moreover, by asking participants to rate their chance of voting, the poll could take advantage of information from everyone in its sample group, rather than cast aside those who do not meet a test for being a likely voter, as most traditional surveys do.

One of the ways in which other polls may have gone wrong is that they have a hard time defining who is going to vote, he said. Polling firms should look at their likely voter model and think about whether they are excluding too many potential voters, he said.

The polling profession plans to review why so many of this years general election polls were inaccurate. The American Assn. for Public Opinion Research, the professional group for pollsters, has set up a committee to study the polls and report back by May.

Unlike many pollsters, Kapteyn, 70, is neither a political scientist nor a political activist. His work on predicting election results is an outgrowth of his main research interest on how people make decisions on their finances.

The fact that he could approach the poll as a science project provided some mental insulation from the criticism the poll drew during the last few months.

There was some flak, he said. Among other researchers, however, the response all along had been more appreciative, he said.

People would say, You may be wrong. We think youre wrong, but we understand what youre doing, he said.

In science, you dont have to be right to do something useful, he said, noting that even if the test of a new method fails, researchers can learn from it.

This time, however, as was the case in 2012, the test succeeded. It was not, however, the outcome he wanted.

Im very unhappy about Trumps victory, he said. But thats the way it is.

David.Lauter@latimes.com

For more on Politics and Policy, follow me @DavidLauter

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UPDATES:

4:50 p.m.: This article was updated for clarity at the top.

This article was originally published at 1:40 p.m.
America had a message for Donald Trump: Youre hired.

There were impromptu celebrations at his Walk of Fame star and Republicans planned victory laps Wednesday in Washington after easily keeping control of the House and Senate.

Im Christina Bellantoni. This is Essential Politics, in a world where just about all the predictions, projections and polls were wrong.

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Save one. For all the criticism the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Daybreak tracking poll received over the last few months, it turns out it spotted what other surveys missed: a wave of Trump support.

Well be spending a lot of time analyzing the vote to understand how Trump won, how the Republicans have scrambled the electoral college map and whats next for each party. Stay with us.

For now, explore our look at what a Trump presidency would look like.

And check out The Times front page.

In his late-night speech in New York, Trump said he would reach out to those who didnt support him for your guidance and your help. (Read the full transcript.)

I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all Americans and this is so important to me, the president-elect said.

What kind of president will Trump be? He pledged that every single American would be able to realize his or her fullest potential.

He added, We are going to get to work immediately for the American people and we are going to be doing a job that hopefully youll be so proud of your president.

What will Hillary Clinton say today? Her top aide John Podesta offered his message before it was clear Trump would blow past 270 electoral college votes: She is not done yet.

You can track every last vote on our maps and stay with us for full coverage of the aftermath.

 Electoral college

 U.S. House

 California results

KAMALA HARRIS MAKES HISTORY

Kamala Harris, the daughter of a mother from India and father from Jamaica, made history Tuesday night. Harris became the first black politician elected to represent California in the U.S. Senate in the states history.

Phil Willon reported that Harris, at her campaigns election night party in downtown Los Angeles, gave a defiant victory speech after clinching the race, aimed directly at Trump. Harris vowed to continue fighting for gun control and against climate change deniers, and she promised to uphold abortion rights, protections for union workers and environmental safeguards. When we have been attacked and when our ideals and fundamental ideals are being attacked, do we retreat or do we fight? I say we fight! Harris said.

Orange County Rep. Loretta Sanchez told her supporters late Tuesday night that she was not ready to concede. Nina Agrawal and Christine Mai-Duc report that she added if she does fall short, supporters shouldnt count her out in the future.

Edwin Power, a Sanchez supporter and the congresswomans former neighbor, was somewhat subdued. I can believe that, he said of the news that Harris had won. Thats a shame, but Im not surprised. She would have had to plant herself in Northern California and picked up a lot more funding to overcome the situation she was in.

VALADAO REELECTED, HONDA OUT. THESE RACES ARE HANGING IN THE BALANCE

Democratic hopes of reclaiming control of the U.S. House are dashed. Rep. David Valadao held back Democratic attorney Emilio Huerta. Two years after Rep. Mike Honda won a close victory over fellow Democrat Ro Khanna, he was solidly defeated in a rematch.

There were three open seats in the California congressional delegation and two new members, while another race was too close to call around midnight. Sarah D. Wire and I explained what happened on with Californias 53-member House delegation.

Well be tracking what happens next and all of the close contests on Trail Guide. Follow @latimespolitics for in the moment coverage.

VOTER VOICES

Depressed, scared, unsettled, unpredictable  these are a few of the adjectives people used to describe how the contentious 2016 presidential election has made them feel. After interviewing hundreds of people across the country, Los Angeles Times reporters captured Americas state of mind on election day.

Some memorable quotes:

It made me feel like this country has gone backwards. I could not believe the comments I was hearing. I couldnt believe how ugly things had gotten, said Christine Maclin, 62, from Atlanta.

Upset because theres a lot of confusion and corruption, and I want it to be cleaned up. Thats what I want, 42-year-old Anthony Pagnotta, a Trump supporter, told Times reporter Chris Megerian in White Plains, N.Y.

Beth Lau, 71, of Burbank, said this election has made her feel unsettled. Its been depressing. Its gone on far too long. I dont think when the results come out Ill feel much different, she said.

I am surprised that it turned into what it was. Its like the country went through a civil war. Im surprised that [Trump] went this far, Jill Stein voter Steve McGill said.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT

 Full coverage of everything we covered Tuesday

 When reality set in for Clinton supporters

 Pot is fully legal in California. Now what?

 California voters legalize pot and expand prison parole, reject repealing the death penalty

 California voters approve gun control measure Proposition 63

 Cocaine, guns and fury: 1 dead, 2 critically injured in Azusa shooting near polling place; gunman found dead

 Inside the push to mobilize Arizonas Latinos to turn a red state blue

 Dejected? Empowered? The mood among Arizona voters varies by neighborhood

 Exit poll: 47% of Californians trust Clinton, just 17.2% trust Trump

 This woman flew 2,597 miles across the country just so she could vote

 Cyber vulnerability briefly allowed users to manipulate Trumps website

 In Little Saigon, a possible generational divide at the polls

 It looks like Trump might be doing his own tweeting for election night

 President Obama: The sun will rise in the morning

 How this election has revealed workplace sexism is still an issue

 President of the Mexico chapter of the GOP didnt vote for Donald Trump

 Fear of a wall weighs on Latino voters in L.A.

 Two of L.A.s oldest voters want you to vote

 Democratic challenger holds slim lead in North Carolina governors race, but GOP makes gains elsewhere

 Californians arent the only ones voting on marijuana, gun sales and the death penalty

 Trump sues to challenge early voting in Las Vegas area, which had big Latino turnout

 Artists create super PAC as performance art

 In Philadelphia neighborhoods where Trump warned of fraud, voters are sending a message back

 Not all immigrants are voting against Donald Trump

 In an upset, Melania Trump wears white to her husbands victory rally

 Commentary: Donald Trump is our next president. What do we tell the children?

 Scenes from a Mexico City bar the night Donald Trump won the presidency

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Voters on Tuesday approved Proposition 64, an initiative that will make California the most populous state in the nation to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, setting state officials in motion to build a massive retail sales system to accommodate the new law.

The ballot measure was buoyed by a flood of $16 million in campaign cash from supporters including former Facebook President Sean Parker.

The approval of the ballot measure would create the largest market for marijuana products in the U.S. It comes six years after California voters narrowly rejected a similar measure. Activists lauded the expected passage as an important moment in a fight for marijuana legalization across the U.S.

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Proposition 64 will allow California to take its rightful place as the center of cannabis innovation, research and development, said Nate Bradley, executive director of the California Cannabis Industry Assn.

The initiative allows Californians who are 21 and older to possess, transport and buy up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and to use it for recreational purposes. That expands the law that 20 years ago legalized marijuana for medical use in California.

California is the largest of five states that were considering the legalization of recreational marijuana use Tuesday and approval here was seen as a milestone in the effort to end prohibition of pot nationwide. Another four states  Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska  have previously legalized pot.

I think its the beginning of the end of the war on marijuana in the United States, said Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was the leading voice of the campaign. I think it will have repercussions internationally, particularly in Mexico and Latin America. And there are a million people who tomorrow can begin the process of clearing their records.

The new California initiative would allow adults to grow as many as six plants for personal use. In addition, the ballot measure allows retail sales of marijuana by licensed shops and imposes a 15% excise tax.

Although the measures passage would immediately allow adults to possess and grow marijuana, there may not be places to legally purchase it for some time.

The measure only allows non-medical marijuana to be sold by state licensed businesses, and it gives the state until Jan. 1, 2018, to begin issuing sales licenses for recreational retailers.

The approval of Proposition 64 sets off a scramble by state agencies, law enforcement, university researchers and local governments to prepare California for a system that allows people to legally buy and use recreational marijuana.

Updates from Sacramento 

Were in a period of massive transformation in cannabis policy, said Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Oakland), a leading lawmaker on marijuana issues.

The issue of when people can legally buy marijuana is one that the state Legislature is expected to grapple with when it returns in January.

Bonta said lawmakers will likely consider allowing existing medical dispensaries to be given temporary, interim power to sell marijuana for recreational use until the new licensing system is in place.

We have to consider honoring the spirit of the law and making it work, Bonta said. If its legal to use but there is nowhere to buy, then I think we could consider a special, conditional, time-restrained license that could be operative for a short period of time while we bridge into the new regime that Proposition 64 envisions. That is definitely possible.

Some in the industry would prefer to let cities and counties approve temporary licenses to sell recreational pot to avoid delays while people are allowed to possess marijuana.

If you dont fill that vacuum with regulated sales, then people are going to go to the black market, Bradley said.

The Legislature will also have to decide whether to reconcile differences between Proposition 64s regulation of recreational pot and the law approved last year by the Legislature for medical marijuana  or to have two different regulatory schemes.

The state is expected to create a task force to look at which rules to merge.

Some of the changes will be easy. The name of the state agency that will regulate and license marijuana sales will immediately change from the current Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation to the state Bureau of Marijuana Control to reflect its broader mission.

Lori Ajax, who was appointed to head the bureau last spring, is hiring staff and holding public meetings to draft regulations on issues that include licensing.

The approval of Proposition 64 also triggers a five-year, $15-million study by the California Highway Patrol to develop standards and protocols for determining when a marijuana user is too impaired to safely drive a vehicle.

The campaign this year had a big advantage over the failed effort of six years ago. With financial support from Parker and New York hedge fund billionaire George Soros, the campaign was able to raise about 10 times brought in by the opposition.

Newsom, the face of the campaign, argued that the national war on drugs has failed while disproportionately hurting minority residents and wasting law enforcement resources.

Proposition 64 was opposed by most major law enforcement groups, including the California Assn. of Highway Patrolmen, the Peace Officers Research Assn. of California, and the California Police Chiefs Assn.

Opponents, who also included California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, cited problems including teen drug abuse and impaired driving experienced in states where recreational use was previously legalized.

California Gov. Jerry Brown has voiced concerns in the past about marijuana use affecting worker productivity but did not take a position on Proposition 64, despite a request by five former heads of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency that that he oppose the measure.

It will continue to be illegal to smoke marijuana in public and at locations where tobacco use is outlawed, including restaurants and theaters. Violators will face fines.

Smoking pot is also prohibited within 1,000 feet of a school, daycare or youth center when children are present. In addition, motorists cannot smoke marijuana while driving.

The initiative bars the marketing of marijuana products to minors, which means ads would not be able to use symbols, language, music or cartoon characters aimed at appealing to those who are underage.

Federal law will continue to designate marijuana as an illegal drug, and federally regulated television and radio states are not allowed to advertise illegal drugs. If federal law should ever change, the ballot measure would require that broadcast, cable, radio, print and digital marketing only be displayed where at least 71.6% of the audience is reasonably expected to be 21 or older.

In addition to the excise tax, the ballot measure would charge a cultivation tax on growers of $9.25 per ounce for flowers and $2.75 per ounce for leaves. Cities and counties could also create their own excise taxes.

The state taxes are expected to generate up to $1 billion annually to be used to cover the states enforcement costs, allow research into impaired driving and pay for drug prevention, job placement, mental health treatment and drug abuse treatment.

Aaron Herzberg, an attorney and partner with marijuana product firm CalCann Holdings, said he expects Californias action to reverberate throughout the nation.

Approving recreational marijuana in California, the sixth-largest economy in the world, and a state that often sets the trend nationwide, is the death knell of a failed policy of prohibition, Herzberg said.

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

Follow @mcgreevy99 on Twitter

ALSO

Before Proposition 64, simple possession of marijuana was already decriminalized

Proposition 64 would legalize recreational use of marijuana though its illegal under federal law. How will that work?

Younger voters overwhelmingly favor marijuana measure, which is likely to pass, poll finds

UPDATES:

11:45 p.m.: This story was updated with a response from Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom.

This article was originally published at 8:50 p.m.
Faced with the longest statewide list of ballot measures in more than a decade, Californians made history on Tuesday by legalizing marijuana for adult use and passing a raft of measures including tax increases and a statewide ban on plastic bags.

But they appeared to refuse a repeal of the death penalty, the second such effort in four years, as well as a ballot measure over the cost of prescription drugs that sparked the most expensive campaign of the year.

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The victory for Proposition 64, making marijuana legal for adults to use and taxing it on the state and local level, could change the national discussion given Californias size and prominence. Election night returns showed the ballot measure winning with some 56% of the vote.

Just the opposite could be said of the societal debate over capital punishment, with voters likely rejecting Proposition 62 and its attempt to replace the death penalty with life in prison for the 750 men and women on Californias death row. Meanwhile, voters appeared to approve an initiative to speed up the court appeals offered to condemned inmates, Proposition 66.

Kamala Harris is elected Californias next U.S. senator 

In all, election night results showed all but four of the statewide propositions ahead or solidly winning. The campaigns in support or opposition of the measures was fierce, with campaign contributions surpassing previous records and totaling more than $473.5 million. A number of the propositions were never issues brought to the Legislature but taken directly to voters by well-funded interest groups.

Voters decided in two instances to rethink decisions they had made years before. Proposition 58, a ballot measure to formally cancel a controversial 1998 initiative that had banned most efforts at bilingual education, passed handily. At the same time, voters changed course on juvenile justice by making it harder for young defendants to be sent to adult courts.

The juvenile changes were contained in Proposition 57, the sweeping series of criminal justice proposals championed by Gov. Jerry Brown. Most notable in the ballot measure, which was strongly ahead in election night returns, is the loosening of parole rules for all but the most violent of state prisoners. Proposition 57, once enacted, will give the state Board of Prison Hearings new flexibility to offer parole to thousands of prisoners. Brown hailed it as a common sense reform, while district attorneys around the state worried about the violent backgrounds of some of those who could be released early.

Brown also may have scored a win with the apparent defeat of Proposition 53, a measure that would have required statewide voter approval of multibillion-dollar revenue bonds for public works projects.

The other politician who could proclaim victory in terms of ballot measures on Tuesday was Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a declared candidate to replace Brown in 2018. Newsom championed not only the marijuana legalization measure, Proposition 64, but also the effort to impose new rules on firearm ammunition under Proposition 63. The gun violence proposal was a lopsided affair, with gun rights advocates failing to raise significant money or opposition to a ballot measure that mirrors some of what state lawmakers enacted earlier in the year.

The least controversial measures on the ballot were surprises, given the states historic reluctance to support taxes. California voters imposed new taxes on tobacco, through Proposition 56, and extended temporary income tax surcharges on the most wealthy for an additional 12 years in Proposition 55.

Voters look to have narrowly approved a $9-billion school bond, Proposition 51. And they strengthened a source of healthcare funding for the poor, Proposition 52. They imposed new transparency rules on the Legislature, in Proposition 54, and they refused to overturn a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags by passing Proposition 67. They also appeared to turn back a related effort by the plastic bag industry in Proposition 65 to redirect fees imposed on paper bags to environmental projects instead of grocers.

One of the most unusual ballot measures seemed unappealing to voters, the effort in Proposition 60 to require the use of condoms during the filming of explicit sex scenes in movies. The ballot measure was losing in election returns posted late Tuesday night.

And in the general elections most expensive proposition fight, voters looked as though they would reject Proposition 61 and its effort to impose new price controls on prescription drugs paid for by state government dollars. The initiative was supported by liberal healthcare activists and the California Nurses Assn., along with a last-minute push by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. But the pharmaceutical industry threw more than $109 million into an effort, apparently successful, to kill the measure that appeared largely to be a proxy war for a nationwide debate over the cost of prescription drugs.

Of the 17 propositions on the ballot, only one carried no force of law whatsoever: Proposition 59, an advisory measure asking the states congressional delegation to seek a constitutional amendment limiting money in politics. Fittingly, the proposition saw the least amount of money spent on its passage  it appeared to pass with a slight majority of votes.

john.myers@latimes.com

Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast

ALSO:

Record spending on California ballot measures

Updates from Sacramento

Updates on California politics
California voters elected Kamala Harris, the daughter of immigrants from India and Jamaica, to the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, tearing down a color barrier that has stood for as long as California statehood.

The Associated Press called the race minutes after the polls closed, with no votes yet reported. Early returns with less than half the vote counted showed Harris winning by more than 1.3 million votes.

From the outset, the Senate race between Democrats Harris and Orange County Rep. Loretta Sanchez possessed an air of history in the making. California had never before elected a black or Latino politician to the United States Senate, and Harris will become only the second black woman in the nations history to serve in Congress upper chamber.

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Even in a state often perceived as liberal outlier, Harris victory to succeed retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer provides another significant marker in the march for political equality during her lifetime. Her elementary school class in the 1970s was the second one to integrate Berkeley schools. Harris was the first woman elected as San Franciscos district attorney and the first woman to be elected as Californias attorney general.

Harris supporters looked nervous at her party at a night club in downtown Los Angeles, but not about the Senate campaign.

Kamala Harris celebrates at her rally in downtown Los Angeles. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times )

As Hillary Clinton trailed Donald Trump in the presidential race, Harris supporters were watching the giant TV screen looming over the dance floor.

Were a bit concerned about whats happening nationally, said Angelov Farooq, director of UC Riversides Center for Economic Development & Innovation. But Im excited about Kamala Harris. I think she represents the future. Shes a very authentic leader.

Harris used her acceptance speech to address what seemed to be an impending Trump victory.

Whatever the results of the presidential election tonight, we know that we have a task in front of us. We know the stakes are high, Harris told a cheering crowd inside Exchange LA. When we have been attacked and when our ideals and fundamental ideals are being attacked, do we retreat or do we fight? I say we fight!

Follow California election results 

Immersed as a child in the 1960s Berkeley civil rights movement, the 52-year-old California attorney general weaved populist themes of justice and redemption into her Senate campaign and leaned heavily on the old-school political tactics honed during her political rise in San Francisco, responding sharply and quickly to Sanchezs political attacks and subtly launching a few of her own.

Harris background attracted Lee Lovingood, 34, to vote for her.

Her victory is going to be pretty historical, right? Lovingood said. Shes going to be the first African American and Indian American senator from California. He said Harris had a more positive message while Sanchez says some wild things.

In the campaign for the first open Senate seat California has seen in 24 years, Harris quickly cemented herself as the Democratic Partys favored candidate, dissuading some of Californias big-name politicians from challenging her, including former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Kamala Harris watches as Loretta Sanchez performs a dab at the end of her closing statement during their debate last month. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times )

Harris appeared to have prevailed in all but three of Californias 58 counties. One county had reported no votes by 11:30 p.m.

Sanchez was smiling and seemed upbeat as she greeted supporters in Santa Ana on Tuesday, hours after the Associated Press had called the race for her opponent.

Sanchez did not concede the race.

Actually, the Associated Press already said that my opponent has won, Sanchez told the crowd, gathered in a campaign office-turned-party venue. But I dont believe that. I dont believe that yet.

Sanchez thanked her supporters, friends and family for their efforts and for getting voters engaged in the campaign. Even if we dont make it over the line tonight ... never underestimate Loretta Sanchez, she told them.

The Harris-Sanchez contest was the first major test of Californias top-two primary system, an experiment in democracy that state voters approved in 2010 in an effort to temper the highly partisan influence of the Democratic and Republican parties and give independents and moderates more clout in the political process.

In this go-around, the California Democratic Party support for Harris played a significant role in her victory, since the party endorsed her in February and provided close to $700,000 to the Harris campaign  and not a dime to Sanchez.

I think for voters, this race was confusing, Sonenshein added. In a society that is extremely divided by party, where partisanship seems to color everything everyone does, it is certainly hard for voters to navigate when both candidates are in the same party.

Harris and Sanchez topped the field of 34 candidates in the June 7 primary, sending the two Democrats to the November runoff and denying a Republican a spot on the fall ballot for the first time since the state began directly electing its U.S. senators in 1914. Harris won that race 40% to 18.6% for Sanchez.

The Senate race began just days after Boxer announced she was retiring at the end of her fourth term in the U.S. Senate.

Boxers departure dangled a coveted political gem in front of younger generations of California politicians who had been biding their time to run for one of the states most prestigious political offices. She and fellow Democrat Dianne Feinstein have held their posts since 1992, and Jerry Brown is serving a historic fourth term as California governor, albeit in two separate stints. All three were born before World War II.

Harris seized the opportunity and launched her Senate bid just days after Boxers announcement. The two-term attorney general immediately locked up the successful San Francisco political consulting team led by veteran Ace Smith, who has worked for Hillary Clinton and Brown, began raising money and snatched up endorsements from Democrats across the nation  including from big names such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey.

FULL COVERAGE: 2016 election day 

Over the following weeks, a list of Californias Democratic heavyweights flirted with a run before taking a pass, including Newsom, Villaraigosa and billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer.

Sanchez, who considered a run for governor in 2010, launched her Senate bid in May 2015, four months after Harris announcement.

The congresswoman first rose to national prominence two decades ago when, as a little-known financial analyst from Anaheim, she beat archconservative Rep. Robert B-1 Bob Dornan for Congress in 1996. Sanchezs victory provided hope that the long-waited political ascension of Latinos in Orange County, as well as California and the nation, was taking root outside the urban cores of Americas biggest cities.

But Sanchez, who already was known for her flamboyant personality and off-the-cuff political style, stumbled from the outset.

The launch of her campaign was flubbed when a draft announcement was leaked to reporters days before she was ready. Sanchez also was singed by criticism for imitating a Native American war cry and for saying 5% to 20% of Muslims supported the establishment of a strict Islamic state. When President Obama endorsed Harris, his longtime political ally, in July, Sanchez implied on television that it was in part because both are black.

Either way, Sanchezs campaign never caught fire. The congresswoman, not well known to many Californians outside of Orange County, struggled to raise money.

Perhaps because a Democrat was guaranteed to win no matter the outcome, the race also failed to attract the millions of dollars in spending by super PACs, unlike other Democrat-versus-Republican Senate contests across the nation.

Sanchez out of necessity tried to patch together support from Latinos, Republicans and independents. She campaigned as a fiscal moderate and expert on national defense, touting endorsements from Republicans such as former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan.

The candidates debated just once, with the most memorable moment coming when Sanchez performed a dab at the end of her closing statement.

Harris hewed her campaign to the Democratic Partys liberal base, picking up the support of major labor unions, environmental organizations and pro-choice groups, especially after Democratic Party leaders began to coalesce behind her: the governor, the president and finally Boxer and Feinstein.

Throughout her carefully orchestrated campaign, Harris was careful to avoid blunders or give Sanchez a window to close the gap. Though at times accused of being overly cautious and scripted, Harris nevertheless led comfortably in every pre-election poll.

Nina Agrawal contributed to this report.

phil.willon@latimes.com

Twitter: @philwillon

ALSO:

How race helped shape the politics of Senate candidate Kamala Harris

8 things to know about Senate candidate Kamala Harris career gold stars and demerits

Q&A: California Senate candidates Loretta Sanchez and Kamala Harris on policy, politics and the state of their race

$25-billion foreclosure settlement was a victory for Kamala Harris in California, but it wasnt perfect

Kamala Harris should take bolder action on police shootings, civil rights advocates say

Buttressed by the support of top Democrats, Kamala Harris shores up her lead after U.S. Senate debate

Californias next senator could be a Latina. Will her past mistakes get in the way?

8 things to know about Senate hopeful Loretta Sanchezs 20-year political career

Hurting for support in her own party, Rep. Loretta Sanchez tilts her Senate campaign to the right

Loretta Sanchez has gone negative. Now shes risking fallout for a future in the Democratic Party

UPDATES:

11:55 p.m.: This article was updated with quotes from the Sanchez party.

11:30 p.m.: This article was updated with quotes from the Harris victory party.

This article was originally published at 9 p.m.
Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft will speak Thursday night at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa for the schools second annual Bill & Jo Anne Larson Lectureship of Ethics & Business.

Ashcroft, the nations chief law enforcement officer from 2001 to 2005 under then-President George W. Bush, will discuss ethics and values in relation to business and leadership, according to the university.

The event, which will start at 7 p.m., is open to the public. To register to attend, visit vanguard.edu/give/larsonlecture. Tickets are $25.

Vanguard is at 55 Fair Drive. For more information, visit vanguard.edu.

*

Cancer fundraiser Wednesday in Corona del Mar

Hanley Investment Group, a Corona del Mar-based real estate brokerage and advisory firm specializing in retail property sales, will present Cocktails for a Cure, a fundraiser for the Movember Foundation to fight mens cancers, from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at El Cholo restaurant, 3520 E. Coast Hwy.

Hanley agents, many with newly grown mustaches, will be guest bartenders at the event, where all cash tips and 25% of proceeds from food and beverage purchases will be donated to the foundation. The public is invited.

*

Reid Day School to host medical officer

Reid Day School in Costa Mesa will host a presentation and Q&A from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday with Marc Lerner, a medical officer with the Orange County Department of Education.

Reid is for students who are considered twice-exceptional, meaning they are gifted and have a learning, emotional or behavioral issue.

Lerner will talk about the social and emotional needs of such students.

Reid is at 151 Kalmus Drive. For more information, call (949) 680-9592.

*

Authors Luncheon in H.B. to feature Vietnam vet

The Huntington Beach Central Library will hold an Authors Luncheon on Thursday with Vietnam veteran and author Frank Pangborn.

Lunch will be at noon for $25, followed by a program at 1 p.m. for $12 in which guests can learn about U.S. military history, starting with the Revolutionary War.

The library is at 7111 Talbert Ave. For tickets, visit fotlhb.com/tickets.html.

*

Art & Nature draws thousands to Laguna

More than 2,000 people attended programs and exhibitions while more than 12,000 visited an art installation on Main Beach as part of Laguna Art Museums Art & Nature event last weekend.

Phillip K. Smiths work, 1/4 Mile Arc, featured 250 stainless-steel posts with mirror-polished surfaces that reflected colors of the ocean, sky and shoreline.

A record 530 visitors experienced a variety of interactive art, nature and science activities, along with face painting, at a family festival Sunday.

*

Newport woman named a director for senior services nonprofit

Newport Beach resident Martha Farrington has been named director of fund development for Laguna Hills-based nonprofit Age Well Senior Services.

Farrington has held executive positions with various nonprofit organizations over the past 25 years, according to a news release.

She has worked with the South Coast Medical Center Foundation, Riverside Community College Foundation, Hoag Hospital Foundation and USC School of Medicine.

*

Womans Club seeking donated items for December luncheon

The Womans Club of Laguna Beach is seeking donated items such as holiday decorations, jewelry, art, toys and gently worn clothing for its Tarnished Treasures Luncheon and Fundraiser on Dec. 9.

Items will be on sale at the luncheon, with proceeds benefiting needy families in Laguna Beach.

Donations may be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the Kinsman & Kinsman office at 32355 S. Coast Hwy., except for Nov. 24 and 25.

Donations also will be accepted from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and 2 to 5 p.m. Thursdays at the Womans Club at 286 St. Anns Drive, except for Nov. 24.

The deadline to donate is Dec 8.

Admission to the luncheon is $35 for club members and $40 for nonmembers. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m.

Reservations are required by Dec. 4 and may be made at wclb.org/event.
Police were searching Tuesday for a man who burglarized a clothing store and robbed a witness at gunpoint in Costa Mesa, authorities said.

Police responded to a report of a robbery at the No Rest for Bridget clothing store at 250 E. 17th St. at 1:42 a.m. Sunday, police said.

A witness who was passing the store confronted the burglar after he heard a window break and saw the man leaving the store with clothing, police said.

The witness tried to call police on his cellphone but the burglar pulled out a handgun, stole the phone and fled westbound, police said.

The witness was not injured.

Police described the burglar as African American, 35 years old, 6 feet tall, with short black hair and wearing a checkered shirt with dark pants and a light gray hoodie.

benjamin.brazil@latimes.com

Twitter: @benbrazilpilot
Two people reported being shot at in Fountain Valley early Sunday, authorities said Tuesday.

Police were on patrol near the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Penguin Avenue at about 1:20 a.m. when two pedestrians waved them down and said they had been shot at, police said.

Police searched the area and found a discarded gun and used shell casings, police said.

Police said they had no suspects who could immediately be tied to the shooting.

A Santa Ana man, Christopher Mendez, 51, who was found near the scene was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and possession of narcotics paraphernalia, police said.

benjamin.brazil@latimes.com

Twitter: @benbrazilpilot
Democrat Anthony Portantino came out on top in the state Senate race in the 25th District Tuesday night.

The former state Assemblyman received 139,116 votes, or about 59%, compared to Republican L.A. County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, who had 97,878 votes, or roughly 41%, with all precincts reporting.

Early Tuesday night, during his election night party at the Armenian Cultural Foundation in Pasadena, Portantino said he was hopeful that he would maintain his lead.

The night is young. We just got the first round of results, he said. I like the trend, I feel very positive  Im cautiously optimistic that it will remain throughout the night.

Once his victory was assured, Portantino on Wednesday issued a statement through a spokesperson:

Wow! What a night. Ellen, Bella and Sofia join me in expressing our sincerest appreciation to everyone who walked a precinct, made phone calls, posted or tweeted a positive message, financially contributed, endorsed and sent well-wishes [and] positive thoughts about our campaign for the state Senate. Collectively and collaboratively, your dedication and efforts made a difference and we won, according to the statement.

I also want to take a moment to extend my personal gratitude to Supervisor Mike Antonovich for his long and distinguished service to the County of Los Angeles and the residents of the 5th District. There is much for all of us to appreciate in his work.

Portantino went on to say hes honored to have been trusted by friends and neighbors in the district and is looking forward to working to the best of my ability to meet those challenges and continue to make a positive difference.

Just 3 miles away from the center on election night, Antonovich was hosting his own event at Cafe Santorini in Pasadena. Antonovichs run for the seat came after he termed out in his position as a Los Angeles County supervisor.

At that time, Antonovich said it was too early to declare any winner in the state Senate race. He said the broad range of support he has received may lead to a victory.

Ive had many leading Democrats support, along with Republicans and independents, he said. You cant make any predictions right now  well have to see how the vote will come out.

At a candidate forum held last month, the two candidates held differing views on the controversial 710 Freeway extension, which would close a gap between the 10 and 210 freeways.

Antonovich said that he is waiting for the completed environmental report on the project and wont make a decision on the extension until all the documents are finished.

Until the plan is completed, you cant make a judgment until you see what the facts are, he said. Otherwise, youre shooting from the hip and thats the wrong way of doing business.

Portantino said he is 150% opposed to the project, which he called a boondoggle, adding that the documents that are needed to make a call on the extension are already available to the public.

Its a $20-billion hole in the ground that doesnt solve a transportation problem, he said.

Also, Los Angeles County and the state are facing a growing homelessness issue, and the two candidates had differing opinions at the forum on how to address the problem.

Portantino said there has to be a dedicated revenue stream to fund projects aimed at helping homeless people and giving them the support that they need on a statewide level. Additionally, he would seek to change the housing element, which requires cities to identify low-income housing. Portantino said he would incentivize cities to follow through and build that housing.

Antonovich said there are various types of homeless people  those who are economically deprived, those who are addicted to alcohol or drugs and those suffering from mental illness. His approach to addressing the issue would be to offer housing to those who cannot afford it and offer longer-lasting programs for those who need medical treatment.

--

Andy Nguyen, andy.nguyen@latimes.com

Twitter: @Andy_Truc
Measure GC, a $325-million facilities bond that will pay for major upgrades at Glendale Community College, received roughly 73% of the vote, according to election results Tuesday night.

The measure garnered 33,099 votes, while 12,317 voters, or about 27.12%, didnt support it.

We thank our community, said Anita Quinonez Gabrielian, president of the board of trustees, shortly after early results came in.

Leading up to the vote, students also got involved with the campaign, walking the precincts and calling residents, she said, while members of the Armenian National Committee of America-Glendale were incredible champions of the bond.

Join the conversation on Facebook >>

President/Supt. David Viar said the communitys support of the bond will make the college the best it can be, he said.

Im not surprised by their support, he said. It is consistent with what I hear when Im out in the community. They tell me day after day what an asset the college is. This translated today to that kind of support.

Glendale Community College officials watched the results come in at the Glen Arden Club, eager to see whether 55% of voters would approve the bond, the amount required for it to pass.

The funds will help school officials achieve their goal to house academic programs in premier facilities as students prepare to transfer to four-year universities or receive the required job training to launch directly into careers.

This bond comes more than a dozen years after Glendale voters approved a $98-million bond for the college in 2002.

In late 2015, the colleges board of trustees mapped out a decades worth of needs and recommendations for the campus, which was built in 1927.

The document was a key stepping stone to college officials ultimately concluding that in order to tackle many of the facilities needs in the plan, they would likely need to turn to Glendale voters for support.

The plan noted that a number of the buildings on campus built before 1975 will be more than 50 years old in 2025 and that no comprehensive renovations have been undertaken in the last 10 years.

Consultants also studied how pedestrians moved about the campus and how vehicles navigated around it.

They found that for every five students, there is one parking space and, they suggested a new parking structure that would provide more than 600 spaces.

Based on interviews with college staff and third-party experts, consultants labeled buildings as being in poor, fair or good condition, and suggested entirely replacing structures in poor condition with new ones.

The plan also linked facilities needs to academic focal points, citing the manufacturing, welding, robotics, engineering, chemistry and math programs, among others, as areas that expect growth, thus requiring upgraded classrooms and labs.

A new advanced technology center would house some of those programs, according to the plan, and replace the current building, which is listed in poor condition.

In other areas, the plan cited facilities that could benefit from renovations, including the colleges library, auditorium and Verdugo Gym.

--

Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
Get into training this winter on the Alaska Railroad with a Winter Escape Getaway, offered now through mid-May. The snowy train trips are a result of expanded service at Christmas and New Years, as well as in February and March.

For those looking for a New Years Eve tour, the Aurora Winter Train can be booked for a Dec. 31 departure. It leaves Anchorage for a one-night stay in Fairbanks, known for its aurora borealis displays and flight-seeing opportunities above the Arctic Circle. Travelers can return by air to Anchorage or take the train back on Jan. 4. Other winter holiday trips are also available.

Dates: The Aurora Winter Train travels north from Anchorage on Dec. 27 and 31, and Jan. 3. It travels south from Fairbanks on Dec. 28, Jan. 1 and 4. See website for complete schedule.

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Price: From $395 per person, double occupancy. Includes rail from Anchorage to Fairbanks, one-night hotel stay in Fairbanks and return flight to Anchorage.

Info: Alaska Railroad, (800) 544-0552

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The European Union on Wednesday criticized Turkey for democratic backsliding after an attempted coup and warned that its candidacy for membership in the bloc was in jeopardy if a crackdown on the judiciary, parliament and the media were not reversed.

In a bitter retort, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan challenged the 28-nation EU to decide once and for all if it wants Turkey, which has been seeking membership for decades, to join.

They shamelessly say that Turkeys EU negotiations should be reviewed, Erdogan said. Review it as soon as possible. But do not just review. Make your decision.

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The sharp exchange came amid a growing political crisis in Turkey, as Erdogan, taking advantage of a state of emergency after the July coup attempt, supported the arrest of 10 Kurdish members of parliament and the detention of nine journalists and executives of the newspaper Cumhuriyet, one of the last independent news outlets.

The opposition Republican Peoples Party said the arrests of the lawmakers were unconstitutional and called for the release of the journalists. Party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu issued a declaration saying: No to coups, no to dictatorship, long live democracy.

Erdogan retorted that those who betray this nation  should pay for it, and his prime minister, Binali Yildirim, dismissed the criticism as vileness.

There is also a growing security crisis, with Islamic State extremists and the Kurdistan Workers Party blamed for violent attacks on civilian targets.

The EU report, which is issued annually, took exception to Erdogans actions after the failed coup, which have included suspending or firing about 110,000 civil servants, judges, teachers, journalists and soldiers, political interference in the judiciary and stepped-up pressure on the countrys remaining free media.

The EUs top enlargement official, Johannes Hahn, said the coup attempt was an attack on democracy per se and a swift reaction was legitimate in light of the seriousness of the situation.

However, the large scale and collective nature of measures taken over the last months raise very serious concerns, he said.

The report used the word backsliding 103 times, referring to setbacks in the rule of law, human rights, freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary.

It said amendments approved by parliament, where Erdogans Justice and Development Party has an absolute majority, had turned the Court of Cassation, an appeals court, and the Council of State, which reviews administrative court judgments, into tools of the executive. It also said that torture and ill treatment of political detainees were on the rise. Also noted were the moves in parliament to restore the death penalty  a direct violation of EU basic principles.

The report criticized the exclusion of members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party, or HDP, from meetings of parliamentary commissions and voiced serious concern over last weeks arrests of lawmakers accused of ties to the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which the EU, the U.S. and Turkey have branded as a terrorist group. The government and the PKK are engaged in combat in southern Turkey, but the report said the only solution to the Kurdish issues was a political settlement.

These various actions  seem to be incompatible with Turkeys official desire to become a member of the European Union, Hahn said in Brussels. It is time Ankara tells us what they really want.

The report also chided the government for not investigating major corruption allegations implicating Erdogan dating to 2013.

Despite the rhetoric, the two sides appear to need each other, especially to handle the refugee crisis growing out of the war in Syria.

Turkey, which has 3 million refugees, agreed with the EU in March to block migrants from embarking across the Aegean Sea to seek refuge in Europe in exchange for visa-free travel by Turks to EU countries, which has yet to come about. Undoing that accord would unleash a crisis that neither side wants.

The report said the government has failed to produce convincing evidence to justify the dismissals of so many officials reputedly linked to Fethullah Gulen, the Muslim cleric living in self-imposed exile in the United States whom Erdogan blames for the putsch.

Erdogan has demanded that the U.S. extradite Gulen to face trial, but the EU report is expected to add to the skepticism in Washington that Turkish authorities have a solid case against him.

Top EU officials are expected to visit Ankara in coming days, among them Federica Mogherini, the high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs.

As Turkeys EU minister, Omer Celik, put it, the report was not drafted in a manner that serves relations between the EU and Turkey. He added: We are faced here with a report that is far from being constructive and offering a way forward.

Gutman is a special correspondent. Special correspondent Duygu Guvenc in Ankara contributed to this report.
Donald Trumps election was greeted around the world Wednesday with widespread expressions of consternation  and no small amount of glee in some quarters  as global leaders scrambled to assuage the shock of his victory in the U.S. presidential election.

Amid a popular explosion of derision and dismay across social media networks, key U.S. allies hurriedly sought to calm plunging financial markets and lay the groundwork for a working relationship with a divisive figure whose leadership many feared would usher in a prolonged era of unpredictability and instability.

The left-leaning French daily Liberation greeted the news with a one-word coinage often echoed elsewhere: Trumpocalypse. The Times of India, that countrys largest newspaper, offered congratulations to the president-elect, paired with a sly use of ellipses to refer to one of Trumps best-known vulgarities. Donald Trump grabs America by the  it tweeted.

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Trumpocalypse  The Times of India

Confronted with the reality of the worlds most powerful office soon set to pass into the hands of a man who has vowed to tear up trade deals, fence out immigrants and reconfigure global partnerships of decades standing, some leaders who had expressed deep misgivings about his candidacy weighed in with congratulatory statements that carried an undertone of teeth-gritting.

Others firmly put pragmatism first, stressing the importance of continuity and calm. Britains Prime Minister Theresa May, who came to power after her own countrys stunning vote in June to exit the European Union, voiced support for continued close ties.

We are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defense, May said in a statement.

Many ordinary Britons felt a sense of deja vu upon hearing the news from across the Atlantic.

People wanted change and with Donald Trump, this was their chance to be able to voice that, said sound engineer Kris Burton.

Predictably, many who had opposed Britain leaving the European Union were also distressed by Trumps victory.

With Brexit, I felt disappointed, said Londoner Vincent Girdwood. With Trump, I felt scared.

Trumps often-stated admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his ties to Russia became a campaign issue, particularly when he called on Russia to hack his Democratic opponents email. Putin issued a statement Wednesday congratulating Trump and saying he hoped for cooperating in ending a crisis in Russian-American relations, said the message, which was posted on the Kremlins website.

In Germany, where polls had consistently showed more than 80% hoped for a Hillary Clinton win, there was a sense of profound shock. Germany, still shadowed by its own militaristic 20th century past, considers itself to be one of closest U.S. allies.

Opposition to Trump was strong even in his grandfathers home town of Kallstadt, a rural wine-growing town near the Rhine River. Clinton, who visited Germany numerous times as first lady, a senator, and secretary of State, was extremely popular in Germany.

Whoever rules this great country with its gigantic economic strength, and its military potential, and its ability to influence cultural issues carries the weight of responsibility that can be felt by almost everyone around the world, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who also noted that the campaign was marked by at times confrontations that were difficult to accept.

Merkel had been the target of criticism from Trump from time to time for letting more than 1 million refugees into Germany from Syria, Afghanistan and northern Africa over the last 15 months. She added that American voters had decided that it was Trump who should carry that responsibility. On the basis of these values, Id like to extend the offer of close cooperation to the United States, she said.

In Mexico, where the U.S. elections were likely more closely watched than in any foreign country, word of Trumps victory stunned a nation fearful that the new presidents actions could batter the Mexican economy and have other negative repercussions.

Some headlines on Wednesday caught the sense of shock and disbelief that washed over a flummoxed Mexico. Earthquake! declared the daily Reforma. Nightmare, declared the Economista newspaper.

The sense of astonishment was evident on the street and in cafes.

Poor Mexico, and the poor Mexicans in the United States, I cant imagine how worried they are, said Ariel Zamora, 29, one of a number of stunned patrons at a bar after midnight Tuesday who watched the U.S. results roll in. This cant be happening.

For some who watched from afar  especially those already disillusioned by aspects of U.S. foreign policy  the vote offered bitter confirmation that often-stated U.S. ideals were little more than empty words.

Trump is the true face of the United States without makeup, Mahmoud Bitar, a Syrian pro-opposition aid worker who lives in Turkey, wrote on Facebook.

We have a saying: A white dog and a black dog Either way, theyre just dogs, said Nihad Ashqar, a 63-year old retiree sipping coffee in the Old City of Damascus, the Syrian capital.

Some far-right political figures, particularly in countries that have been buffeted by a wave of migrants fleeing war and poverty, reacted with expressions of satisfaction, raising the prospect that Trumps triumph will embolden homegrown nationalists elsewhere.

Today the United States, tomorrow France!  Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of Frances far-right National Front

Today the United States, tomorrow France! tweeted Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of Frances far-right National Front and the father of its current leader Marine Le Pen, a presidential aspirant.

With Trump having threatened to scrap one of President Obamas signature achievements, the historic nuclear accord with Iran, that countrys foreign minister said the new U.S. leader must respect previous commitments.

We have a saying: A white dog and a black dog Either way, theyre just dogs, said Nihad Ashqar, a 63-year old retiree sipping coffee in the Old City of Damascus.

In China, often a target of Trumps harsh campaign rhetoric, millions tracked the vote online. By Wednesday afternoon, the election topped the trending list on Weibo, the countrys most popular microblog, with more than 1.17 billion views.

Some posts fretted about Trumps victory  the world will not be in peace, wrote one  while others chided the fallibility of democracy. We dont have to go through all the trouble, wrote one user. Lucky.

Asian stock markets plummeted as Trump closed in on victory. Japans Nikkei index plunged more than 5% Wednesday and Hong Kongs Hang Seng index fell 2.2%.

Trump spent much of his campaign bashing China. He accused the Communist country of raping the U.S., manipulating its currency, and stealing jobs from American workers. He also vowed to yank the U.S. out of the Paris climate change deal, an agreement the two countries point to as a sign of shared goals.

But Chinese tend to take a pragmatic approach to U.S. elections, and often disregard slights made during the presidential campaign. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang on Wednesday said the country would work with the new U.S. president to ensure steady and sound ties.

Yin Hao, a doctoral student in Guangzhou, China. (Jessica Meyers / For the Times )

Yin Hao, a doctoral engineering student at Guangzhous South China University of Technology, tried his best to sound hopeful.

Former President Clinton and President Obama both attacked China before they got elected, said Yin, who has translated campaign speeches into Chinese since the primaries and posted them online. Afterward, cooperation between the two countries got closer and trade relations increased. So maybe Trump will turn back to his business side.

The news resonated in far-flung hot spots, including the northern Iraqi city of Irbil, a scant 50 miles from the battle to retake Mosul from the militants of Islamic State.

Trump is going to be tough with terrorists, said Omar Omar, a Syrian refugee who said his wife in Michigan voted for the Republican. Standing on a street corner in Irbils busy Ainkawa neighborhood Wednesday, Omar said he wasnt bothered by Trumps hard-line stance on immigration, Muslims and Syrian refugees.

But Hoshank Adnan, watching the returns at the Irbil Samsung store where he works as service manager, was disappointed. He wanted Clinton to win, citing her longtime experience in world affairs.

Were worried, he said of Trump. Because he doesnt have any information about politics.

 Iraqis react to Donald Trumps Presidential campaign victory. (Molly Hennessy-Fiske / Los Angeles Times)

In Israel, the rightist government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered congratulations, with a message on the prime ministers official Twitter feed hailing Trump as a true friend of Israel. Netanyahus tenure has been marked by friction and policy disputes with Obama. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat sent a letter of congratulations, appending a handwritten Mazal Tov, Mr. President!

Israeli leftists, though, were worried, saying that Trumps polarizing style reminded them of Netanyahu himself. Im in shock, like after Bibi was elected, said Yuval Shemesh, a 45-year-old software startup executive, using Netanyahus nickname. Its a feeling of fear, uncertainty and extremism. I expect more militancy and less reconciliation.

In contrast to the warm congratulations from Israeli officials, the reaction from Palestinian officials struck a chillier tone. We will deal with any president elected by the American people on the principle of achieving permanent peace in the Middle East passed on the two-state solution, Nabil Abu Rudeinah, spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said in a statement.

In the Gaza Strip, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said expectations for the election were low to start. The Palestinian people do not count too much on any change in the American presidency, because the U.S. policy toward the Palestinian issue is a consistent policy and based on the bias for Israel.

In Turkey, the authoritarian-minded President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signaled that a Trump administration might prove a more compatible fit than has the Obama administration.

While most Western governments have been critical of Turkeys sweeping post-coup crackdown on political opponents, Trump has been more supportive.

With this choice, a new era has begun in America, Erdogan declared.

Although Trumps characterizations of Muslims have made many uneasy, some Turks said they were still willing to give him a chance as long as he was straightforward in his dealings with the Islamic world.

In Africa, where Obamas family roots had been a source of pride, many reacted with shock. In April 2015, Trump referred to South Africa on Twitter as a total  and very dangerous  mess.

South Africa President Jacob Zuma congratulated Trump on Wednesday, saying he hoped South Africa could further strengthen its relationship with the U.S. But prominent radio presenter Eusebius McKaiser began his morning news program on Radio 702 with a minutes mournful silence, and tweeted in capital letters, BREAKING NEWS: HATE TRUMPED LOVE.

Staff writers Jonathan Kaiman in Beijing; Molly Hennessy-Fiske in Irbil, Iraq; Robyn Dixon in Johannesburg; and special correspondents Jessica Meyers in Beijing, Nabih Bulos in Damascus, Christina Boyle in London and Erik Kirschbaum in Berlin contributed to this report.

laura.king@latimes.com

Staff writers Jonathan Kaiman in Beijing, Molly Hennessy-Fiske in Irbil, Iraq, Robyn Dixon in Johannesburg, and special correspondents Jessica Meyers in Beijing, Nabih Bulos in Damascus, Christina Boyle in London and Erik Kirschbaum in Berlin contributed to this report.

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11:55 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from officials and observers in Britain, Mexico and Turkey.

8:45 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri and Hoshank Adnan of Irbil, Iraq.

This article was originally published at 7:05 a.m.
Bashir Ahmad slid his oar into the gray-green water, making a gentle splash. Ripples rolled across the wooden houseboats and azure peaks reflected in the glassy surface of the lake.

Rowing from the rear, Ahmad eased his bright yellow boat along Dal Lake, the mountain-ringed jewel at the center of Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian-held portion of Kashmir.

He stopped to point out the home of the grandson of Kashmirs last maharajah or to pluck a waterlily and hold it to his nose, inhaling the faint citrus scent. His clients reclined on a cushioned divan-style seat.

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I tried to imagine if this was what my parents saw when they took a ride on a shikara, a gondola-style boat, four decades ago while on their honeymoon. It was 1975, and they had married in Mumbai, India. Kashmir was seen as a local answer to Switzerland, a country that held a deep fascination among Indians since it became a popular location for Bollywood song-and-dance montages.

No pictures survive of that trip. My parents soon moved to the United States, where my father was doing postgraduate studies, and although they visit India every year or two, they have not been able to return to Kashmir.

Their visit came during a period of calm in South Asias beautiful and volatile territory. Pakistan and India have tussled over Kashmir since they gained independence in 1947, but conditions were largely quiet until the late 1980s, when a violent separatist insurgency erupted in the Indian-controlled south.

Peace prevailed for much of the 2000s, and just a few years ago more than 1 million tourists were visiting the Kashmir Valley annually. When I traveled there in October, Srinagar was enduring its worst upheaval in years, due to an Indian military crackdown and a statewide general strike called by separatist leaders.

The sign outside the airport read, Welcome to the Paradise on Earth. Elsewhere, shops were shuttered, hotels sat empty, anti-Indian graffiti screamed from street corners and pairs of helmeted soldiers were posted at regular intervals along the roadsides.

Normally at this time of year, the valley would teem with traffic as Indians escaped the soul-sapping end-of-summer heat for the crisp air of its northernmost region. As I stepped into Ahmads shikara, he said he had not had a passenger in nearly a week.

The lake was nearly empty of boats at midday. A father rowed along with his son, who ran his hand through the placid water. The houseboats with their intricately carved awnings sat deserted. A couple of boatmen pulled up next to us, halfheartedly hawking cheap metal trinkets that glinted in the sharp sun.

We used to have a lot of weddings at this time of year, said Ahmad, who has spent most of his 62 years guiding tourists and lovers across the lake. Couples would come to get married in the beautiful outdoors, then stay for their honeymoon. Now no one would dream of coming here.

Ahmads forehead was dark and creased, and his tall, lean frame spoke to a career of exertion. His father was an oarsman who taught a 10-year-old Ahmad to pilot the shikara.

NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj 

Now it appears the family business will likely die with Ahmad. His sole child, a daughter, works as a tailor. He has nephews but none are interested in a lifetime on the lake.

The new generation does not want to do such work, Ahmad said. If I sold carpets or did some other business, I could pack up and move to another city to practice my trade when things got bad here. But I am a boatman  where else can I work?

A water bottle floated past the shikara, and Ahmad groaned as his oar began to pick up clumps of vegetation at the surface.

Dal Lake has slowly been dying, another casualty of the political unrest in Kashmir. Millions of gallons of untreated sewage flow into the lake from the houseboats and communities living at the waters edge, spawning weeds and algae that have clouded the lake.

Kashmir authorities have mounted periodic attempts to restore the lake by resettling families, curbing the dumping of waste and even flooding the lake with weed-eating Chinese carp.

But every time violence breaks out, restoration efforts cease.

The lake will never be clean again, Ahmad said. They clean up some and then the mess just regrows.

Soon the shikaras will be hauled away for winter, when the lake freezes over. There was little sign that visitors would return before that, meaning that the thousands of Kashmiris whose livelihoods depend on tourism would lose an entire seasons worth of income.

Ahmad prefers not to talk politics with his guests, he said. But this summers violence, which has killed nearly 100 civilians and wounded thousands, was the worst he had seen since the 1980s. More than ever, he believed Kashmir should be an independent state.

I dont think I will live to see it, he said, tying the boat to the dock where half a dozen shikara drivers sat idle. But I have hope.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Follow @SBengali on Twitter for more news from South Asia

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Scenes from a Mexico City bar the night Donald Trump won the presidency
The Mexican dive bar was dimly lit.

And as the results of the U.S. presidential election began to roll in, it seemed to grow considerably darker.

Donald Trump was winning. The way Luz Enco saw it, that meant Mexico and Mexicans were losing.

It feels like that they dont want us, said Enco, 33, a Mexico City real estate agent. Its a sign that America is not a place for us.

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I cant believe it, said her friend Adriana Garcia, 30. Its like we are officially not welcome in the U.S.

The whole world was riveted by the unexpected outcome of Tuesdays presidential election, in which Trump upset Democrat Hillary Clinton despite polls that predicted otherwise.

But there is perhaps no country besides Mexico where the results felt so personal.

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In his year-and-a-half-long campaign, Trump threatened to withdraw from free trade agreements and cut off remittances to Mexico. He vowed to deport masses of immigrants in the U.S. illegally and to build a towering border wall.

The Mexican peso plummeted upon news of a Trump win as the countrys finance officials scheduled emergency meetings.

At the bar located on the first floor of an old American Legion meeting hall in Mexico City, crowds of Mexicans and their American expatriate friends slumped in their seats and shook their heads in disbelief.

Ive never been more ashamed, said Michael Snyder, a 28-year-old American writer, shortly after CNN called Pennsylvania in Trumps favor. I dont know how to internalize this.

Patrons in a Mexico City bar watch as Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech (Kate Linthicum / Los Angeles Times )

The night had begun much more cheerfully, with around 200 patrons crammed shoulder-to-shoulder and a man who usually works as a dishwasher deployed to the front door to turn people away. Bartenders barely managed to keep the refrigerators stocked with beer.

Heres to being on the right side of the wall! one man joked, clinking glasses with friends.

But as the polls closed and state after state slid in Trumps direction, the mood in Mexico began to sour.

There didnt appear to be a Trump supporter in the room. Still, arguments erupted as the night wore on and the alcohol took hold.

Friends debated whether one-time Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders could have defeated Trump. Others angrily railed against Americas two-party system.

One of the most pressing topics was whether President-elect Trump will really try to carry out the policies he has threatened against Mexico.

Bar owner Grant Badger said he thinks Trumps threats were part of his election technique.

I dont know if hes really interested or capable of carrying out these policies, said Badger, a Washington native, who said Trumps proposals to withdraw from or rewrite some trade proposals could have catastrophic consequences.

The world economy could be really doomed, he said.

A friend stepped behind the bar to embrace him. I have to go home, Jessica Churgin, 29, moaned. I cant do this anymore.

As a Trump victory became more and more apparent, the crowd thinned considerably. But a few people stayed around to watch until the end.

Trump was declared the winner and took the stage, pledging to be president for all Americans. The crowd in Mexico shouted insults at the screen.

Alexandra Baker, 28, cries as she watches Donald Trumps first speech as president-elect from Legion Americana bar in Mexico City (Kate Linthicum / Los Angeles Times )

Its going take me a couple of days to reconcile the fact that this is our reality, said Alexandra Baker, 28, of Santa Barbara, who was crying quietly in a corner.

I was hoping to see the Obama dream continue into the future, said Baker, who is teaching in Mexico on a Fulbright program. Her voice was barely audible because of too many cigarettes and too much shouting.

Baker said many members of her partners family are immigrants living in the U.S. without permission. While she is concerned about what Trumps victory means for Mexico, she said she is more concerned with Mexican immigrants living in the U.S.

Im worried that they will continue to live in fear of deportation for years, she said.

As closing time neared, gloomy bar patrons sought out one final drink or smoke before heading out into the rain.

We just burned Rome, a man bellowed. Now someone give me a cigarette.

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

Twitter: @katelinthicum

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Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi approved on Tuesday a law aimed at curbing illegal immigration and cracking down on human smuggling amid a hike in the number of migrants illegally departing from the country to Europe, state news agency MENA said.

The law was passed by the Egyptian parliament in mid-October, in a move to combat human smuggling along the country's northern Mediterranean coast which has put thousands of migrants on precarious boat journeys to Europe.

In September, a boat carrying up to 450 people capsized off Egypt's north coast. At least 202 bodies were recovered from the sea and 169 people rescued. Around 320 migrants and refugees drowned off the Greek island of Crete in June, with survivors saying their boat departed from Egypt.

The new law requires forming a national committee to combat illegal immigration and human smuggling and setting up a fund to provide financial aid to victims of trafficking.

The legislation punishes those convicted of smuggling potential migrants or acting as brokers with prison sentences and fines. It also imposes prison sentences on those who facilitate migrants' journeys or provide shelter to them.



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Officials with U.S.-led coalition forces are investigating accusations by Syrian activists who say airstrikes killed at least 20 civilians in a village near the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqah, a coalition spokesman said Wednesday.

The spokesman, U.S. Col. John Dorrian, said coalition airstrikes occurred near Heisha, but he said he could not address civilian casualties.

More information is needed to conclusively determine responsibility, said Dorrian, who is based in Baghdad. Were being very careful and doing the best we can to minimize the impact on innocent civilian life.  Were trying to be very prudent about it.

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The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 20 civilians, including nine women and two children, were killed as they sought shelter from warplanes. About 30 people were wounded, the observatory said.

The coalition provides air support in the region for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which committed 30,000 fighters to an offensive launched Sunday on Raqqah, the extremist groups de facto capital.

Seven coalition airstrikes were conducted in the area Tuesday against a half-dozen Islamic State tactical units, destroying three fighting positions, a vehicle and a car bomb facility, according to a coalition statement.

Dorrian said coalition officials also were investigating allegations that another U.S.-led coalition airstrike killed eight civilians, including three children, in the Iraqi village of Faziliya, north of Mosul, late last month.

Coalition forces have been advising and supporting Iraqi troops who launched a separate offensive against Islamic State in Mosul on Oct. 17.

U.S. officials previously acknowledged that a coalition airstrike against Islamic State in the eastern province of Dair Alzour on Sept. 17 mistakenly hit Syrian government troops, killing 62.

Chris Kozak, a Syria analyst at the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War, said that while activist accounts are not always accurate, because it can be difficult to distinguish coalition airstrikes from those by Russian or Syrian government warplanes, the timing of the airstrike lines up with this new offensive.

This is something that will likely generate some outcry but not derail the Raqqah offensive, Kozak said. Forces on the ground will press forward regardless.

U.S. Central Command announced Wednesday that during the past year, two dozen U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria may have killed 64 civilians.

We have teams who work full time, to prevent unintended civilian casualties, said Col. John J. Thomas, spokesman for U.S. Central Command. Sometimes civilians bear the brunt of military action, but we do all we can to minimize those occurrences even at the cost of sometimes missing the chance to strike valid targets in real time.

The list includes numerous airstrikes outside Raqqah and Mosul, but not the most recent ones associated with the offensives.

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com

Twitter: @mollyhf

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Forty years ago, my parents honeymooned in Paradise on Earth. Kashmir doesnt feel the same

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All material is subject to strictly enforced copyright terms & conditions and cannot be repurposed or reproduced.  19882022 Latin American Financial Publications Inc.
The investment by a group of Venezuelan businessmen led by Oswaldo Cisneros comes as Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA looks to attract private investment to the country's struggling energy sector
The ministry of interior's decision comes a day after a deadly school bus accident killed four people, including a 6 year old girl in a collision on Suez road

Egypt's Ministry of Interior will no longer allow trucks to use the Suez and Ismailia highways on the outskirts of Cairo from 6 am to 9 am and from 1 pm to 4 pm, Al Ahram Arabic website reported.

This decision comes a day after a school bus accident killed four people, including a 6 year old girl, and 17 injured in a collision on Suez road between a school bus and a truck.

The Ministry said on Wednesday that trucks will not be allowed to use the Suez and Ismailia roads from the Cairo entrance to the Ring Road.

In 2015, Egypt saw 25,500 road fatalities and14,500 car accidents in total, the official statistics body CAPMAS reported in August.

In mid-August, a campaign was launched on social media, demanding that measures be taken to reduce deadly car accidents after a high-profile truck collision in which a mother lost her seven-year-old daughter to a truck accident.

According to a 2015 global status report on road safety published by the World Health Organisation, Egypt's fatality rate ranked 16th among Arab countries and 109th globally out of 180 countries.



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The Egyptian president is the first world leader to speak with the new US president election on the phone.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi invited on Wednesday US President-elect Donald Trump to visit Cairo, in a telephone call in which El-Sisi congratulated Trump personally on his triumph in the US presidential elections, the Egyptian Presidency announced.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Egyptian presidency, El-Sisi expressed his hope for more cooperation between Egypt and the United States in all fields.

On his part, the newly-elected 45th president of the United States thanked El-Sisi, saying he appreciated the call and hinting that it was the first telephone call he had received from a world leader.

Trump also expressed his wish to meet with the Egyptian president soon.

"Egypt is looking forward to seeing a new spirit brought to the presidential term of President Trump in terms of Egyptian-American relations, including more cooperation and coordination for the mutual benefit of the American and Egyptian people," the Egyptian presidency's statement read.

The Egyptian Presidency added that Egypt is looking forward to the enforcement of peace and development in the Middle East and hopes for continued stability and prosperity for the American people.

El-Sisi met Trump in September during the UN General Assembly. He was the first Arab president to meet the Republican nominee.

Republican Donald Trump won the Presidential election in the United States defeating Democratic Hillary Clinton early Wednesday.



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An online fundraiser has been launched to help raise funds for a 2-year-old who died Saturday at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township.

Allentown police and the Lehigh County Coroner's Officer continue to investigate the death of 2-year-old Julio Angel Osorio Jr., of the 1600 block of Grace Street South.

The boy, who also went by the nickname, "Juju," died suddenly and his family is unsure what caused his death, according to Jacqueline Hillanbrand, the toddler's aunt. The Lehigh County Coroner's Office said Sunday the death has not been ruled suspicious.

An autopsy was conducted on Monday, however, and Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim said results remain pending. The autopsy would determine Julio's exact cause and manner of death.

The family launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to help with funeral expenses. By Wednesday morning, 13 people raised $440 of the $1,000 goal.

"This baby was a blessing and a joy to everyone around him and we as the family are asking for contributions," Hillanbrand said.

Hillanbrand said while the child lived most of his life in Pennsylvania, he has several relatives in Ohio who would need transportation to attend the funeral.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Allentown police late Wednesday morning released more details about a fatal crash that happened Tuesday night at Seventh and Linden streets in the city.

Police responded at 9:04 p.m. after a Mazda sedan driven south on Seventh by a 21-year-old Coplay woman collided with a Kia minivan driven west on Linden by a 50-year-old Allentown woman, police Capt. Bill Lake said.

Police didn't release the name of either driver. Both streets are one-way.

About the same time, a woman who appeared to be about 50 years old was crossing Seventh Street and she was struck by one of the vehicles, Lake said. The investigation is continuing and he couldn't say which vehicle hit the woman.

The pedestrian was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township and later died, Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim said. An autopsy was planned for Wednesday, Grim said. She has yet to be identified.

The 50-year-old driving the minivan was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at an area hospital, Lake said.

No one is charged or cited at this point, Lake said. It's not yet known if drugs or alcohol played a part in the wreck, he added.

An accident reconstruction was done and the streets were closed as that progressed, Lake said.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Two more women are accusing a Bethlehem police officer of exposing himself in his personal car, bringing the total number of accusers to four.

Glenn Woolard joined the Bethlehem Police Department in 2013. (Photo courtesy of 69News, WFMZ-TV)

Glenn Woolard was previously accused of masturbating in his car on two different occasions in front of two different women: on Sept. 27 at the Target in Hamilton Crossings in Lower Macungie, and Oct. 5 on Hamilton Boulevard while driving.

But at Woolard's preliminary hearing last week, prosecutors added two more counts of indecent exposure. One was for an incident on Sept. 21 at the Weis Market in Fogelsville, and another involved the same Target, court records show.

Woolard waived his hearing on Nov. 2, and now faces possible trial in Lehigh County court on four counts each of indecent exposure and two counts of disorderly conduct.

The 35-year-old Woolard, of the 6600 block of Mine Drive in Lower Macungie Township, is free on his own recognizance. A call to his attorney Gary Asteak, was not immediately returned.

The accuser in the Oct. 5 incident gave Pennsylvania State Police the car's license plate number, and troopers traced it to Woolard's house soon after the incident. A trooper found Woolard at home, told him of the accusations and Woolard denied any involvement, state police said.

Woolard then agreed to a voluntary interview at the Fogelsville barracks, troopers said. Woolard reportedly told troopers that the Sept. 27 and Oct. 5 incidents were not about seeking sexual gratification.

Rather, Woolard said he was trying to stimulate himself to "stay awake" while driving home from work, state police said.

Woolard is a patrolman who worked the night shift for the Bethlehem department. He has been with the department since February 2013, but was suspended in light of the investigation, officials said.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
The attorney for a bus driver accused of fondling himself outside Liberty High School told a district court judge Wednesday that his client suffers from a "medical condition."

Douglas Leon Siska, 60, of Dingmans Ferry in Pike County, Pa., gave up his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday before District Judge Roy Manwaring. Dressed in a blue dress shirt, beige pants and brown shoes, Siska only spoke when the judge asked him direct questions.

Police said Siska on Oct. 3 was caught masturbating in a vehicle outside the high school's Klein Classroom Center while waiting to pick up a student from the East Stroudsburg Area School District.

A teacher had shot a video of Siska before he left the school. The teacher turned over the video to the school resource officer, according to Bethlehem police.

Siska had been facing charges of indecent exposure and open lewdness, but prosecutors Wednesday withdrew the indecent exposure charge.

Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Tatum Wilson told the judge prosecutors would have a difficult time proving the charge.

"It's the Commonwealth's position that we wouldn't be able to meet our burden on that charge -- that his genitals were actually exposed," Wilson said.

Siska's defense attorney, Scott Wilhelm, said Siska suffers from a "medical condition" that led to the incident. He did not elaborate. Siska has no prior criminal history and would be seeking enrollment in the county's accelerated rehabilitative disposition program.

The program, which is open to first-time offenders, would allow the remaining open lewdness charge to be expunged if Siska successfully completed the program. Wilhelm did not state specifics of Siska's condition, but said he had documentation of it and paperwork was being turned over to Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli.

Siska told the judge he has been married for the past two years and had lived with his wife for 10 years before that. They each have two children of their own.

Siska made headlines years ago when in 1996 he was accused of cheating in the old Forks of the Delaware Shad Fishing Tournament. An accomplished angler, Siska was disqualified and banned from the tournament after officials said they found wrapped lead weights in one of Siska's fish at the weighing station.

Siska was not working for the Bethlehem Area School District when he was charged in October. Wilhelm told the judge his client had worked under a contract with the East Stroudsburg School District but the contract was terminated afterward on Oct. 12.

Siska told Manwaring he is now unemployed.

The student being picked up on Oct. 3 lives in another district, but attends a program run by Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 that's housed at Liberty High School, Bethlehem Area School District Superintendent Joseph Roy had said.

Manwaring set bail for Siska at $10,000 unsecured, but told him to stay away from Liberty High School and to refrain from drug and alcohol use.

"Stay out of trouble," the judge said. "And show up for future appearances."

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
An Easton robbery suspect rejected a plea deal, fired his lawyer and faces life in prison when he represents himself at trial.

Jonny Sanders, 45, is accused of wielding two guns during the robbery of the Family Dollar store on Jan. 8 in Downtown Easton. He made off with about $500, police said.

The Philadelphia man was offered a plea deal that likely would have resulted in 15 to 30 years in prison. Now he faces 45 to 90 years. The two-time convicted robber could get life in prison if Assistant District Attorney John Obrecht pursues conviction under a "three strikes" law. Obrecht is exploring whether the law is constitutional.

Sanders told Northampton County Judge Michael Koury he's fed up with public defender Anthony Rybak trying to persuade him to plead guilty.

"I don't want to move forward with my life on the line with an attorney who doesn't have my best interest," Sanders said.

Sanders maintains his innocence despite two clerks who identified him, despite the fact that he was found outside the store holding a plastic dollar store bag full of money and despite the fact that his DNA was linked to a discarded gun, authorities said.

Rybak agreed there's an "utter breakdown of communication" between himself and Sanders. Even though each wanted to part ways, the judge gave Sanders the option of either keeping Rybak or representing himself.

"I want to represent myself," Sanders decided.

Rybak will be standby counsel, which means he can offer legal advice but won't handle the case when it goes to trial in December.

Sanders told Koury that Rybak should have ordered a police lineup rather than have the clerks identify him during a court hearing in October.

"When they see the person's locked up they're going to point to that person," he said. "All they have to do is see the person in handcuffs and the jumpsuit."

Obrecht pointed out a surveillance video shows Sanders in the video wearing the same clothes as when he was captured by police.

Sanders is charged with fighting with police when he was captured. Sanders says police attacked him and he has photos of his injuries to prove it.

"I was in the hospital for nine days," he said. "They had to put my eyeball back in my socket."

Sanders said Rybak acknowledged Sanders' DNA was on the gun when in fact no DNA test is 100 percent definitive. And Rybak made no argument when charges were bound over for trial.

"He seems at times to be playing the role of the prosecutor and not my attorney," Sanders told the judge.

Sanders was in the store during the robbery with his son, Rachyeeh David Hollenbach, of York, Pennsylvania. Obrecht said Hollenbach would testify against Sanders at trial, but Sanders disputes that claim. Hollenbach is not charged with any crime.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
Egypt MPs said the election of Donald Trump as America's new president means hard times ahead for the Muslim Brotherhood and good news for the country's president Sisi

In a quick reaction to the results of America's presidential election, Egypt MPs said the triumph of republican candidate Donald Trump could be a very positive development for Egypt.

Most of the MPs who spoke with parliamentary reporters Wednesday also agreed that the election of Trump should be considered good news for Egypt's president Abdel-Fattah El-Sisithe first Arab ruler to congratulate him on his triumph. Besides, they added, Trump's victory means a big setback for the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist movements who had high hopes that Democratic party candidate Hilary Clinton would win.

Margaret Azer, a Coptic MP, said in a statement that the election of Trump will surely mean a positive new beginning for the world and the Middle East.

"Trump's victory represents a radical departure from the Obama-Clinton clan who supported the Muslim Brotherhood and other political Islam movements," said Azer, adding that "in fact Hilary Clinton was the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood  rather than the Democratic party  in the US presidential election."

"The election of Trump should also help put an end to the terrorist group ISIS and to chaos in Syria," said Azer.

Azer said that she hopes Trump will move quickly to restore old strategic relations between Egypt and the United States. "This strategic relationship is necessary for America to win the fight against terrorism in the Middle East," said Azer.

Parliament's Human Rights Committee also issued a statement Wednesday, stating that the election of Trump should not come as a surprise. "This election has clearly shown that the American people have voted against the disastrous policies of (current US president) Barack Obama and his former secretary of state Hillary Clinton," said the committee's chairman Alaa Abed.

Abed accused Obama and Clinton of spending billions of dollars on support for Islamist movements in the Middle East. "They were under false convictions that these movements are moderate and democratic, and in this way they gave them cover to spread their terrorism and poisonous ideology in the Middle East," said Abed.

Abed said the stunning victory of Trump has also exposed the American media's flawed and biased coverage of the election and how it managed to mislead the American people and the world. "Please review the hundreds of flawed anti-Trump reports and opinion polls which the American media published for months, to discover the disgusting reality of this malicious media," said Abed.

Abed also agrees that the newly elected Trump should move quickly to restore strategic relations between Egypt and the US. "If he is really serious about fighting radical Islam, he should win big allies like Egypt," said Abed.

In one of his foreign policy speeches last summer, Trump said he would call for an international conference on terrorism and that King Abdallah of Jordan and President El-Sisi of Egypt would top the list of invitees.

El-Sisi was the only Arab president who met with Trump during his visit to New York to attend UN General Assembly meetings last September. On 19 September and after his meeting with El-Sisi, Trump's political advisor Walid Fares told reporters that Trump assured El-Sisi that he looks forward to restoring strategic relations with Egypt.

Phares also told Egyptian MPs who were visiting America at the time that Trump considers the Muslim Brotherhood a radical movement."There is no problem at all with Trump's administration, in that the Muslim Brotherhood would be designated a terrorist organization," said Phares.

Phares also said that Trump greatly appreciates the Egyptian people's willingness to stand against the Muslim Brotherhood, saving their country from the chaos which hit countries like Syria and Libya.

Abed agrees that Trump's victory represents a big setback to the Muslim Brotherhood. "They were eager to see Clinton become the new president to use it as a tool for exerting pressure on Egypt, but their hopes were seriously dashed," said Abed.

Mostafa Bakri, an independent MP and high-profile journalist, said on his twitter account that the loss of Clinton and the victory of Trump means very bad times for the Muslim Brotherhood and its television mouthpiece "Al-Jazeera."

Other MPs, however, said "Egypt should be cautious in its expectations about Donald Trump."

"I know that some in Egypt are happy and feel optimistic about Trump's victory, but all should be cautious and wait until we see how this new US president will translate his promises into action on the ground," said Tarek El-Khouly, deputy chairman of parliament's foreign relations committee.

El-Khouly, who attended the general assembly meetings in New York last September, said he agrees that President Sisi's meeting with Trump was very positive.

"I agree that there was a kind of love chemistry between the two, and the fact that Trump was keen to meet with El-Sisi should be considered a positive development," said El-Khouly, adding "but I insist that we should not pin exaggerated hopes on Trump because his policies might antagonize the Muslim world in general rather than put an end to political Islam."

Ali Ezz, deputy chairman of Egypt's Information Technology and Telecommunication Committee told reporters that Trump's victory was a big surprise to him. "I was deceived by the American media, but now we see that there was a broad-based rejection of Obama and Clinton in America," said Ezz, adding that "If Trump is serious about fighting terrorism in the Middle East, he should cooperate with strong leaders like El-Sisi and president of Russia Vladimir Putin to stem the tide of political Islam."

Solaf Darwish, a female MP, also agrees that the election of Trump means very bad times ahead for the Muslim Brotherhood. Darwish, who was also in New York last September, said "El-Sisi and Trump's meeting was very positive."

"While Trump told El-Sisi that he wants Egypt to be a big ally of America again, Hilary Clinton showed that she was an extension of the Obama mentality when she tried during the meeting to exert pressure on President El-Sisi by raising issues on human rights and democracy," said Darwish.



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The first secondary school in Laois to have a strong Irish language emphasis has got a green light, with a promise by the new patrons to enhance the diversity of education in Portlaoise.

The Department of Education and Skills last year announced that a fourth 1,000 pupil secondary school was planned for Portlaoise, one of the fastest growing towns in Ireland.

Last week news came that the patron chosen to run it is Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board, with trustee partner An Foras Patrunachta, who are offering a co-educational, multi-denominational option, with an Irish language unit for those who prefer to learn through Irlsh.

The school may pick up many of the 300 students from Gaelscoil Phortlaoise, and possibly some more from Gaelscoil an tSli Dala and Gaelscoil Thromaire, who up to now had to go by bus to Kildare or Carlow to continue education through Irish.

However, the school will include education through english.

An Foras Patrunachta, the main patron of Irish-medium schools, says it will be the first time that an Irish unit is planned to grow into an independent Gael-cholaiste, under the co-patronage of two organisations.

They were chosen over one other applicant, the Catholic ethos organisation Ceist who run St Mary's CBS and Scoil Chriost Ri in Portlaoise.

Educate Together withdrew an earlier application .

Joe Cunningham, Chief Executive of LOETB, said the school will cater for diversity in Portlaoise. It will be inclusive and represent all communities, he said.

He is determined to push ahead with plans.

We hope to appoint a principal as early as possible. We will be seeking an early meeting with the Dept. of Education to plan the timeline and logistics for opening the school. No decision has been made on a site but given that the school is to open in September 2017, temporary accommodation will be required, he said.

The school will initially take in only first years. A new school will be built in 2021, to cater for 1,000 pupils.

Parents can register expressions of interest for enrolment on the LOETB website, while a lot of calls are already coming in, Mr Cunningham said.

It is very encouraging. We will keep the community fully-informed on all developments as they occur, Mr Cunningham said.

He thanked the community of Portlaoise who supported their application, as well as his board and staff, particularly Director of Schools Linda Tynan and Coiste Bunaithe Phortlaoise.

Caoimhin OhEaghra, General Secretary of An Foras Patrunachta is delighted.

Choice is very important to us and we are delighted that parents preferences were considered as part of this patronage selection process. The new school will provide diversity in being both co-educational and multi-denominational.

Our aim is provide Irish-medium education to every child who wants it. We will use our expertise to grow the Irish-medium unit in the new secondary school into an independent Gaelcholaiste under the co-patronage of the two organisations, he said.

Laois TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan welcomed the news.

There has been a rapid population increase in Laois which has put severe pressure on secondary schools. Construction of a further secondary school in Portlaoise will ensure that there are sufficient school places for pupils in the area. The priority now is to ensure that the building is commenced without delay, he said.
This article was originally published on November 9, 2016.

Anger has won the day, populist rage has triumphed. A billionaire of dubious character who has not paid his taxes for 20 years; who lies through his teeth and flirts openly with racism, xenophobia and sexism; who has never held public or elected office of any kind; crystallised this sentiment brilliantly. The Republican Donald Trump will become the 45th president of the United States and move into the White House on January 20th.

The country that elected Barack Obama in 2008 and in 2012, the first African American in the White House and a Harvard graduate, has just crowned a property magnate ridden with flaws and who flaunts his 'good' European genes. This is the mood today in America, and also in the rest of the Western World. Hillary Clinton is not the only loser in this election. A great wave of protest is unfurling over the traditional elites on both sides of the Atlantic.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S., July 25, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTSJMG1 CARLO ALLEGRI / REUTERS

Donald Trump's election is an earthquake, a game changer for Western democracy. Like the fall of the Berlin Wall and 9/11, this event marks the beginning of a new world where only one thing is certain: in this new place, everything that was once thought impossible, or unrealistic, is now conceivable. Each country is different, but the anger common in every one is rooted in a broad fear of globalization that focuses on two themes: immigration control and income inequality. The British cast their Brexit votes with those in mind. Trump predicted his victory would be a 'Brexit times ten'. He was right. And this is also a way of saying that Europe is not protected from the seismic shift that has just shaken Washington to the core.

Obama failed to unite a divided country

One could say the result of the US election on November 8th - after which the Republicains keep control of the Congress - is first and foremost an American issue. During his two terms in office, Barack Obama achieved good results with his domestic policy. He inherited a disastrous economy from his predecessor George W. Bush, and he improved it: unemployment has slipped to below 5%, economic growth is higher than the European average, the country's public finances are healthier, public healthcare has been considerably expanded, the motor industry has been resuscitated and the High Tech industry is more dominant that ever. Strange as though it may seem on this triumphant day for the Republicans, Barack Obama is popular among the Amercian people. But his achievements and high popularity ratings appear to have given him no hold on what is going on in the country.

Obama failed to do the one thing that was expected of him: unite a divided nation. He was unable - or did not know how - to mend the old racial fracture. Black voters did not turn out en masse to vote for Clinton. Nor did he allay new fears over growing inequality born out of the globalization of trade and the technological revolution. On this point, Trump was right. He said fighting this the challenge would take a generation and not just two presidential terms.

In this context, Trump has shown diabolically intelligent political. He was able to embody a new kind of leader to go against his own party, then against his democratic opponent. He was able to take on the role of a new man who was not part of the political elites who have been discredited by two catastrophes that deeply marked the American people: the war in Iraq and the financial crisis in 2008. Never mind that these were largely a result of Republican policies.

Before Trump and Bernie Sanders - Hillary Clinton's unsuccessful opponent - nobody spoke for those who have been left behind by globalisation. Nobody was punished for the devastation created by Wall Street. Nobody foresaw the consequences of a type of growth that hurts the middle class in so many ways. Donald Trump did, by choosing three scapegoats: immigrants, free-trade and the elites. He knew exactly how to channel the worries of the white American population which may soon be overtaken by the country's total ethnic minorities.

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Unfortunately for her, Hillary Cinton embodied perfectly the quintessence of the American political elite. Rightly or wrongly, her image reflected the status quo - despite her having the most solid and achievable agenda. There are many lessons to be learned from this election. Traditional political parties must take heed. So must the media and the pollsters, who for the most part, did not predict this outcome and no longer know how to gauge public opinion. These lessons are all the more vital because those who represent the voices of protest anger, whether it be Trump or his European clones, have no idea how to solve these complex problems. They sell illusions, and Trump is the master illusionist. They live off simplistic arguments which threaten our democracies. From Paris, Trump's victory coming after Brexit is another prescient warning. In this new post-election world everything is possible. The prospect that we in France are still unable to look at in the eye looms: the rise to power of the far right.

(Translated from the French by Emilie King)

Le Monde Jerome Fenoglio(Director of 'Le Monde') Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.
Marseille lose to Tottenham, eliminated from all European competitions

The Premier League side came from behind to defeat Marseille 2-1 to advance to the knockout round of the Champions League, while sending the French side to last place in Group D.
It looks as if it isnt just the Liberal Democrats who are keen to remain within the European Union. Charles Goerens, a member of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament from Luxembourg, has suggested that there might be scope for those British citizens who wish to be part of the Union to obtain associate citizenship.

He has submitted an amendment to a draft report from Guy Verhofstadt on Possible evolutions of and adjustments to the current institutional set-up of the European Union, which reads;

Advocates to insert in the Treaties a European associate citizenship for those who feel and wish to be part of the European project but are nationals of a former Member State, offers these associate citizens the rights of freedom of movement and to reside on its territory as well as being represented in the Parliament through a vote in the European elections on the European lists

Its an interesting idea, and opens up all sorts of possibilities. But is it workable, and would the European Parliament be keen?

* Newshound: bringing you the best Lib Dem commentary in print, on air or online.
Open thread/live blog.

Just watching the results, I think were looking at President Trump. Hillary Clinton is struggling in Wisconsin and Michigan so it seems unlikely she can win.

This is an extraordinary result.

The New York Times gives Trump over a 95% chance of winning.

I need a glass of water.

Fox News projects Wisconsin for Trump  its over  Taegan Goddard (@politicalwire) November 9, 2016

Ive just updated the title of this post from It looks like President Trump to +++Its President Trump.

Hillary cannot win if she loses Wisconsin (shes also struggling in Michigan) so we just need to get used to the idea of President Trump, Im afraid.

As Tpfkar says in the comments, its highly likely that there will be a Republican controlled Senate and House plus Trump in the White House. Its my worst nightmare, but we need to stay strong and keep the faith.

04:50: Never mind a glass of water  I need a full on cup of tea!

One of the strengths of the US system has always been the counter-weights of the three elected branches: Presidency, House, Senate. But here we have Trump with a Republican House and Senate (likely). As Robert Reich has just said on the BBC, it could be that the Republicans in the House and Senate may oppose some key proposals by Trump. We can only hope.

It seems that Donald Trump has worked an electoral miracle with white men in the rust belt. That seems to be the key story of the election.

Andrew Neil is excellent on the BBC tonight. Thats the one glimmer of positivity I can offer you at the moment.

I offer you this from our esteemed LDV editor:

Just woken up and wish I hadn't. We're all screwed, then.  Caron Lindsay (@caronmlindsay) November 9, 2016

I love this:

This makes Brexit look like an all-inclusive week in Ibiza.  rd  (@ILaughAtYoux) November 9, 2016

We can only hope that President Trump is not as bad as candidate Trump  but it is more a prayer than a hope! A Republican talking head said tonight that maybe Trump will go back to being a Democrat like he used to be. Well I suppose its a twelve million to one shot but at least it could happen.

05:27 Hillary Clinton has won Nevada. She also won Colorado. This underlines the story of the night  an extraordinary high turnout for Trump from white men in the Rust Belt. (plus Florida) 

Everyone is rightly saying that this is a nightmare. But the reality is that if you are not a straight white man, it is beyond terrifying.  Caron Lindsay (@caronmlindsay) November 9, 2016

This could lead to 2-4 Trump appointments to the Supreme Court. That really is scary.

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
I am one of those people who have often wondered why British governments pay relatively little attention to India. After all, its a big country, with an emerging middle class who want to travel, buy luxury goods and send their children to good universities overseas. Why wouldnt we want to build stronger links with a Commonwealth country that is likely to be one of the worlds largest economies before too long? And yet, the attention of our politicians and diplomats often seems biased towards China.

Frankly though, after Theresa Mays trip to New Delhi and Bengaluru, I almost wish that she hadnt bothered. Yes, I acknowledge that she has a number of problems in attempting to build a stronger relationship with India  the fact that she is trying to implement a Brexit decision on the basis that migration was a key factor, whilst some Leave campaigners were claiming that Brexit would mean easier access for Indians (and others) wanting to visit family here, is a contradiction almost impossible to square. But she seems determined to reinforce the fears that many Indians have about Britain and its attitude towards them.

Continued downward pressure on the number of Indians allowed into Britain to study has led to a surge of young people travelling to the United States, Canada and Australia instead, denying our universities valuable revenue, and all because an unknown number overstay their visas. A concession allowing very wealthy Indians into the GREAT Club, a VIP visa service aimed at those likely to be able to invest significant sums of money, is merely a pinprick in the numbers of those wanting to come to Britain, either on holiday or to visit family. There has been no movement on making it easier to get a British visa generally, and it is fearsomely difficult to get one at present.

Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister, has made it clear that greater freedom of movement for Indians is a key part of any trade deal post-Brexit, and until Theresa gets it, there isnt likely to be a deal. Indian politicians wont easily forget that she has been one of the prime obstacles to a trade deal between the European Union and India, either.

Some of the supposedly free-trade, pro-Commonwealth Conservative MPs need to be challenging their leader to deliver upon some of the promises made by the Leave campaign. Daniel Hannan, who called for a level playing field for non-EU nationals, might like to campaign for just that. After all, he did try to persuade Asian voters that Brexit would lead to enhanced opportunities to come to Britain.

Or, more likely, its just another broken promise, never likely to be redeemed.
It is strange that this election night is being seen as an anti-establishment vote in the US, or as an insurgency.

The Republican establishment is wiping the floor of the Senate, the House, State governorships and state legislatures, plus they have the White House (with, at least, a nominal Republican in there). And this will lead to a marked right wing shift in the Supreme Court as well (I certainly fear for Americans on that score).

This is the Republican establishment with a stranglehold on power right across the US.

Yes, voters (particularly white male rust belters) may have thought they were voting insurgently. But the effect of their votes is that the Republican establishment will be very firmly in the driving seat of the USA.

A couple of Trumps key lieutenants will be Rudy Giuliani and Newt Gingrich. These are not insurgents  theyve been around in establishment circles for decades!

* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
The committee formed last week by the president Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to review the cases of Egyptian youth detainees said on Wednesday that the final list it would send to the president for consideration would not include Muslim Brotherhood members.

Tarek El-Kholi, an MP and a member of the committee, told parliamentary reporters that the committee is currently discussing with the authorities on who could be included on the final list.

El-Kholi said the committee has not received any requests from the Brotherhood for the release of their detainees.

The committee will conclude its task by presenting the final list to El-Sisi on 20 November, El-Khouli added.

He explained that the committee has divided its final list into two groups.

The first group would include names of individuals who received final court verdicts. The names in this section will go to the Egyptian presidency as the sole authority entitled with pardoning detainees who have received a final verdict.

The second group includes detainees under precautionary detention especially minors or those suffering illnesses. However, since this second group does not qualify for a presidential pardon per current Egyptian law, El-Khouli said that the justice ministry could draft a new legislation allowing the president to issue a full pardon for those who have not yet received final verdicts.

The committee to review the cases of Egyptian youth detainees was first proposed by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi during the National Youth Conference held in Sharm El-Sheikh in late October, and was tasked with reviewing the cases of young people held in detention.

The committee includes five members: prominent politician and member of Free Egyptians Party Osama El-Ghazaly Harb, writer Nashwa El-Houfy, MP Tarek El-Kholy, National Council for Human Rights member Mohamed Abdel Aziz, and Karim El-Sakka, a former member of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's electoral campaign.

The only presidential pardon issued came in September 2015, and led to the release of 100 prisoners, including tens who were convicted of breaking the controversial protest law in the November 2013 Shura Council demonstration case and the January 2014 Ittihadiya demonstration case.

The government has designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization in late 2013 after a series of deadly attacks by supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi on security forces.

Thousands of Brotherhood members and other Morsi supporters have been convicted and received jail sentences on various criminal charges. Hundreds of non-Islamists have also been detained or face trial for mainly breaking the protest law.

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ALL of Limericks 25 secondary schools are expected to open as normal this Wednesday after the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) suspended its industrial action.

The union announced this Tuesday evening that following the intervention of a third party, there will be no further action for the moment.

On Monday, teachers withdrew from supervising students during break-times in a row over a move by the Department of Education not to pay monies due in recognition of supervision and substitution work.

And in a separate dispute, a majority of schools in Limerick were closed on Tuesday as teachers set up picket lines outside in a row over pay for teachers starting out in the profession.

Having said it would be open the involvement of a third party mediator, the ASTIs standing committee met this evening.

This was triggered by an approach by an arbitration body, the Teachers Conciliation Council, which is chaired by Anna Perry, an official of the Labour Relations Commission, to open talks on the stand-off.

Both the ASTI and the Department of Education say there are still significant gaps between both sides despite a week of almost daily talks.

In a statement released a short time ago, the union said: The ASTI has agreed to defer its directive on supervision and substitution and its strike action to facilitate this process for the duration of the talks. It is expected that this process will continue until the end of November.

ASTI members will be available for teaching and supervision and substitution duties tomorrow and for the duration of the talks. We expect that all second-level schools will be open tomorrow.

School will be open tomorrow!  Laurel Hill Colaiste (@LHCfcj) November 8, 2016
THE Simon Community in Limerick is calling for urgent action to be taken following the death of a homeless woman in the city yesterday.

The body of the woman, who has been named as Louise BuBu Casey, was discovered in the basement of a derelict building at Catherine Street shortly before midday on Tuesday.

While a post mortem examination is to be carried out, gardai investigating the circumstances of the death of the 31-year-old do not suspect foul play.

Geraldine Clancy of Mid West Simon Community says her death shows immediate and appropriate action must be taken to reduce the numbers of people sleeping rough.

We really want the government to treat it as an emergency as it is and to try and open up as many hostel beds as possible, as many winter beds as possible and as much emergency accommodation as possible, she said.

Meanwhile, Joe Lynch (55), a friend of Ms Caseys, described her as a caring person with a heart of gold.

BuBu was homeless for the past few years. We used to go to the soup run at 7pm every evening, and wed go to Mallow Street Hall on a Sunday for dinner, said the father-of-two.
PLANS to redirect 330m litres a day from the Shannon up to Dublin will leave the mighty river a shadow of its former self.

Thats the view of Gerry Siney, of the River Shannon Protection Alliance, who also warned of the economic detriment to the 1.2bn proposals unveiled yesterday by Irish Water.

As part of a huge project, Irish Water is planning a 170km pipeline from Parteen to Peamount in West Dublin, with the aim to supply the equivalent of 125 Olympic-sized swimming pools to the capital and the midlands on a daily basis.

Irish Water argues that the population of the Greater Dublin area will rise to over two million by 2050, leading to the necessity of the extra water.

But there is anger in Limerick, with Independent councillor John Gilligan saying the move will represent the greatest disaster not just from an ecological point of view, but from a financial point of view we have experienced in many years.

Mr Siney said the move could lead to a decline in business at Limerick Port.

We rely on the fast-flow of the river, and the strength of the flow in the river to clear the shipping channels. If that does not happen, ships will not reach Limerick Port, he claimed, There is an immediate economic impact there.

He confirmed the alliance will be making the strongest case possible against the plan, stressing: This is not a fait accompli.

It is a proposal, and it cannot go ahead without planning approval from An Bord Pleanala. We are lobbying to get this shut down before it reaches this point, Mr Siney told the Limerick Leader.

He also said Irish Waters claims of 330m litres a day going to Dublin do not wash.

I think this will be the thin end of the wedge. They say they wont exceed it, but we dont accept this, he said.

Cllr Gilligan, who has long campaigned against the move, said other options would be far cheaper and far easier.

When London was short of water less than ten years ago, it built a special unit which was more cost-effective than what they are planning to do, he said.

The Independent member also warned that the proposals could lead to private control of Irelands water supply.

Irish Water is going to put all its eggs in one basket and pump water to Dublin. It is then very easy to control. Once they control that, they control everything else. In the not too distant future, if we are not careful  and I dont think our government are  we will have multi-nationals owning the water. They will dictate where it goes, and how much it costs, he warned.
THE mother of a teenage girl who was groped twice while walking in Limerick city centre says such behaviour is at epidemic levels and needs to be stopped.

Businesswoman Theresa Storey says she has decided to speak out publicly about what happened as victims, such as her daughter, are too afraid and embarrassed to do so.

She are and her friends are very very reluctant to talk about it because they are still little teenage girls who are half girls, half grown-up but Im not reluctant to talk about it because I am old and mean and half-American so I will speak for my daughter because she is too scared to, she said.

Within minutes of Theresa taking to airwaves of Live 95FM on Tuesday morning, the radio station was inundated with calls of support for Theresa and her daughter  with some reporting similar experiences.

Theresa says her daughter was subjected to two separate sexual assaults last Saturday morning. The first incident happened as she as walking on Cruises Street at around 10.30am.

Her breast was brushed against strongly so she went oh thats a bit weird and very uncomfortable, she said adding that a group of 20 something year-olds were responsible.

The second incident happened around an hour later as the 16-year-old was returning to the Milk Market where her mother operates the Green Apron stall.

On the way back somebody grabbed her bum as she was walking on Denmark Street while her arms were folded so now she is thinking is this what happens everytime I walk through Limerick?, said her mother, who added that she did not learn of what happened until Saturday night.

In both cases it wasnt students, it was older people in their early 20s  this seems to be the age demograph that harasses teenage girls, said Theresa who says such behaviour is not acceptable.

While gardai have been informed of both incidents, a formal investigation will only be launched if the teenager makes a formal complaint.
According to the coalition, the new law 'would provide NGO's with the maximum capacity of freedom in consideration with the country`s national security'

Related Egyptian court rules NGOs have right to foreign funding for development The Support Egypt Coalition submitted on Wednesday a draft legislation for a new NGO law to the parliament, to be discussed on the floor of the house next week.

According to the coalition, the new draft law "aims to organize the activities of civil society and non-governmental organizations, in addition to ending chaotic foreign funding of these organizations."

The draft law would provide NGO's with the maximum capacity of freedom in operations, while taking in consideration the country`s national security, the draft states.

The proposed law, which was approved by the social solidarity committee of the parliament last week, will be discussed in the house's next session next week.

The government's February 2016 decision to reopen the 2011 NGO foreign funding case has caused anger among rights advocates and NGO workers.

A number of rights activists have been facing charges of illegally receiving foreign funding for their NGOs but the case was put on hold until recently.

In February of this year, the authorities also froze of assets of several Egyptian human rights activists and their families, and banned them from travel.

The activists under investigation include Hossam Bahgat, founder of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR), Gamal Eid, founder of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information and Bahey El-Din Hassan, director of the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS).

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Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak congratulated U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday, saying the Republican victor had appealed to Americans who wanted to see the United States less embroiled in intervention abroad.

"His appeal to Americans who have been left behind - those who want to see their government more focused on their interests and welfare, and less embroiled in foreign interventions that proved to be against US interests - have won Mr Trump the White House," Najib said in a statement.

Najib said he looked forward to continuing a partnership with the United States under Trump's presidency.

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Related Trump admits error in claiming he saw film of Iran cash transfer

Iran's foreign minister called Wednesday on US president-elect Donald Trump to stick to international agreements following his threats during the election campaign to tear up a nuclear deal with Tehran.

"Every US president has to understand the realities of today's world. The most important thing is that the future US president stick to agreements, to engagements undertaken," Mohammad Javad Zarif said in Romania.

Trump has vowed to rip up last year's deal with world powers which lifted international sanctions in return for curbs on Iran's nuclear programme.

Tehran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful and has so far met its obligations under the deal, but supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said he would happily "burn" the agreement if Trump decides to tear it up.

Some Iranians believe the US president-elect will not make good on his threat.

"The Trump of the campaign is different to Trump the president," said Allaeddine Borujerdi, chairman of parliament's foreign affairs committee.

"It is natural that the American president is constrained by international rules and must apply them, notably on the nuclear deal," the ISNA news agency quoted him as saying.

Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said it was prepared for any eventuality.

"We have defined our nuclear programme in such a way that we can continue in any situation," spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told the state broadcaster.

The deputy commander of the elite Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, said it made no difference to Iran who was in the White House.

"When the Republicans were in power, they threatened us and showed their hostility... and when the Democrats were in power, the policies of the United States were the same," Salami told the Fars news agency.

Iran says the United States has not stuck to the spirit of the nuclear deal since it came into force in January, because a raft of unilateral US sanctions remain in place that have left it frozen out of the international banking system.

The US Congress is due to vote next month on whether to renew those sanctions, which are linked to Iran's human rights record and ballistic missile tests.

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A US-led coalition air strike killed 20 civilians, including two children, overnight in a village near the Islamic State group's Syrian stronghold of Raqa, a monitor said Wednesday.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said dozens of people had also been wounded in the strikes on Tuesday night on the village of Al-Heisha, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Raqa.

"The toll has risen to 20 civilians, including nine women and two children," Observatory chief Rami Abdul Rahman said.

The monitor had earlier given a toll of 16 dead.

Abdul Rahman said 32 people had also been injured in the strikes, adding that all the casualties were civilians.

Al-Heisha is controlled by IS group and has been a target of a new assault by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as it pushes to capture the militants' Syrian bastion of Raqa.

A spokeswoman for the Kurdish-Arab alliance dismissed the reports of civilian deaths.

"There is no such thing, and any such claims are IS news," Jihan Sheikh Ahmed told AFP.

The SDF's media account said at least six IS fighters had been killed by US-led coalition strikes in the village and accused the IS group of preventing civilians from leaving Al-Heisha in a bid to use them as "human shields."

The US-led coalition had no immediate comment on the report.

The SDF announced Sunday it had begun an operation to capture Raqa from IS group, as the militant group also comes under pressure across the border in Iraq, where its bastion Mosul is under attack.

Civilians fleeing Al-Heisha told AFP on Tuesday that IS fighters had brought heavy weaponry into the village when the SDF operation began.

"Daesh fighters brought heavy weapons to our village and stayed among us so that if there were strikes they would hit us," 45-year-old Saada al-Aboud said.

"They wouldn't let us leave. We had to escape by running out into the fields, with our children and old people. What else could we do? We left everything behind."

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The European Union will have to accept the consequences if it decides to halt membership negotiations with Turkey, President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Wednesday.

"If they resort to such ways, they will have to live with the results," Ibrahim Kalin said in an interview with broadcaster A Haber.

"If the EU is making threats to freeze accession talks, these threats don't have any basis here."

His comments came after the bloc's top official in charge of ties with Turkey told Reuters in an interview that Ankara must reverse its post-coup crackdown on civil rights or risk an end to accession talks.

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In "Blueprint for a Battlestar: Serious Scientific Explanations Behind Sci-Fi's Greatest Inventions," NASA insider Rod Pyle explores remarkable and memorable technologies from the world of science fiction. Each concept is explained and dissected to reveal the real science behind it. Some are temptingly within our reach  such as cyborgs and artificial intelligence  others are further off, but fast approaching reality (think bio-ports or cloaking devices). Below is an excerpt of "Blueprint for a Battlestar: Serious Scientific Explanations Behind Sci-Fi's Greatest Inventions" (Sterling, 2016).

Death from Above: Building a Death Planet

Without doubt, the technological celebrity of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was the death Planet known as the Death Star. It was the threat that hovered above a world...the target of the heroic pilots in their X-Wing fighters and the home base that Darth Vader so tenaciously defended with his wicked Twin Ion Engine (TIE) Fighters.

Tactical Concerns

Death Planet Mk1: General Arrangement Diagram

The death planet seemed so effective that it was even the subject of a public petition sent to the White House in 2012. The suggestion was that the US should build its own Death Star, presumably to maintain law and order on some planet other than Earth. The tongue-in-cheek document garnered more than 25,000 signatures, enough to warrant an equally silly response from the Obama administration. They said the cost of such a device was estimated at about $850 quadrillion (which is even larger than the US debt,) and that it would take 833,000 years to create enough metal to fabricate it. The response further elaborated that the US government did not support blowing up planets and had tactical concerns about a weapon which could be destroyed by a tiny, battered one-man fighter.

NASA may not be working on a death planet. But what would it take to actually build one? The first problem to overcome is sheer size: The death planet, as represented in the Star Wars films, is really big. Various sources have estimated its diameter at somewhere between 60100 miles. At this size it would put most of the inhabitants of the asteroid belt to shame and, even though basically hollow, would have a small gravitational field and essentially be a mini-planet, if you will.

If something that size was placed in Low Earth Orbitthe region around our planet extending to an altitude of 601,200 milesa goodly chunk of it would be hanging down into the atmosphere, dragging and heating up and rapidly reentering. It would most likely crash into the ocean.

Just getting the death planet into orbit in the first place wouldn't be easy. After spending nearly a million years to fabricate the metal, it would take an untold number of launches to get all that mass up there...enough to permanently poison the atmosphere.

There is one way around this particular problem, however. There is plenty of metallic ore in the asteroids that roam the solar system. Most of it is in the asteroid belt and the Kuiper Belt (outside of Pluto's orbit,) but there are also plenty of rogue wanderers. Grabbing a number of large ones and smelting their ores down would net many millions of tons of metal that is already up in space...no bulk launches necessary for building materials. Of course, powering the mining operation itself would require solar panels, possibly thousands of miles across.

If built on Earth getting the death planet into space would be daunting. The largest flying machine ever created was the Apollo program's Saturn V rocket, which weighed over five million pounds, when its fuel is included. It was about the size and mass of a World War II navy destroyer and, had it exploded, would have had the power of a small atomic bomb. All this explosive power was required simply to propel the tiny 12,000-lb capsule at its nose to the moon and back. Moving the death planet would require something hugely more powerful.

Supposing a death planet could actually be built and powered, it would still lack the very nasty weapon the original version had. It is never explicitly said exactly what kind of weapon the death planet used to destroy Alderaan, but some documentation refers to the weapon as a "Super Laser." Laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation (LASER.) This is a fancy term for 'coherent' light, a form of light in which all the waves cooperate to move essentially in unison. This can create a powerful beam that carries a lot of energy a long way, if the laser is powerful enough. Lasers have been around for about 50 years and are well understood devices, currently in use in everything from DVD players to military weapons.

Once properly converted into energy, the mass equivalent to Mount Everest could power a single blast from the laser.

Today's most powerful lasers don't even use electricity to power them. Instead they employ gases that are forced explosively through a large tube at high velocities. In the correct configuration, a gas that changes temperature rapidly enough can emit light, in this case coherent light. But you need a lot of gas, moving very quickly, to do this. The upside is that a lot of very powerful, hot light can be created for a brief time. The largest such lasers known today are the MIRACL (Mid-Infrared Advanced Chemical Laser,) made by the US Navy, and a US-Israeli collaboration called the Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL.) Lasers in this size and power range, the current upper limit, can shoot down artillery shells and small battlefield rockets up to five feet long and well under a foot in diameter. Thats a bit smaller than Alderaan.

That planet was around 7,700 miles in diameter, or about the same size as Earth (just shy of 8,000 miles.) To destroy it would take the equivalent of over a sextillion (or a billion trillion) artillery shells. The 'super laser' would need to be enormous. The Star Wars version also vaporizes the planet in just two to three seconds, far quicker than todays battlefield lasers can destroy those artillery shells. So for a gas laser, you would need a small planet-full of gas (bigger than the death planet itself) to fire up the laseror all the power that could be made by the combined generating stations of Earth in a few trillion years (for comparison, the entire universe is just over 12 billion years old.)

Elsewhere in the official Star Wars universe, it is mentioned that the weapon is actually powered by hypermatter. Regardless of what powers it, vaporizing matter gives off energy. How muchmatter would need to be flashed out of existence to create that much power? About the equivalent of the mass in Mount Everest is how much. We do have a lot of mass on Earth, enough to make many thousands of Mount Everests so as long as we're willing to dig enormous holes in our planet. The problem is to figure out a way to convert it into energy.

Bear in mind that, using this system of reference, one gram of matter contains as much energy as 21.5 kilotons of TNT high explosive, or about the same explosive force of the plutonium atom bomb dropped on Nagasaki in the Second World War. So how many grams are in Mount Everest? The mountain contains about 365 cubic miles of mass, or about 6,399,000,000,000 metric tons. That's a huge amount of explosive energy to be released if we vaporized it, making it possibly more practical than a gas-powered death planet.

Copyright  2016 by Rod Pyle. Used by permission of Sterling. All rights reserved.
Voters in California, Massachusetts and Nevada decided yesterday (Nov. 8) to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in their states.

These three states joined Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia, which had already legalized the drug for recreational use in previous votes.

In addition, four states voted yesterday to legalize using marijuana for medical reasons: Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota, Time magazine reported.

That means that medical marijuana is now legal in 28 states, and an additional 16 states have laws that allow for limited medical use of the drug, according to Time. In most cases, these limited-medical-use laws mean that only a specific type of cannabis extract can be used. This extract contains concentrated cannabidiol but is low in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive compound of marijuana, according to the marijuana advocacy organization National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. [Marijuana Legalization in the US (Map)]

In California, Massachusetts and Nevada, the new laws limit marijuana use and possession to adults ages 21 and up. Residents of those states will legally be allowed to grow up to six marijuana plants, although in Nevada, cultivation will be allowed only for people who live more than 25 miles from a retail marijuana store.

In California and Nevada, employers will have the right to enforce rules about how their employees use marijuana. In Massachusetts, the ballot measure states that employers will be permitted "to prohibit the consumption of marijuana by employees in the workplace."

Marijuana use in public places, however, is still illegal in all states that have legalized recreational marijuana use.

A Gallup poll from October found that 60 percent of Americans now say marijuana should be legal.

Originally published on Live Science.
Hillary Clinton defeated her Republican rival Donald Trump in a hard-fought contest in battleground Virginia, US television networks reported on Tuesday.

Virginia has 13 electoral college votes and while the state's south leans Republican, its heavily-populated north -- which neighbors the capital Washington -- is staunchly Democratic, and helped put Clinton over the top.

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French far-right leader Marine Le Pen congratulated Donald Trump on Wednesday as the Republican appeared close to victory in the US presidential election.

Le Pen, who heads the anti-immigration National Front (FN), tweeted: "Congratulations to the new president of the United States Donald Trump and to the free American people".

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Building work on the much anticipated Center Parcs Longford Forest has moved a step closer this morning with confirmation that the first in a series of construction related contracts has been agreed.

Officials from the UK based holiday village giant has shaken hands with Mullingar based construction firm Bennett Construction Limited to develop a footpath and security fence at the site in Newcastle Wood, Ballymahon.

The project entails the building of a four kilometre long public footpath and security fence around the perimeter of the 395-acre site.

Work on the public perimeter footpath, which will include a riverside walkway, is expected to commence later this month for completion in spring 2017.

This morning's announcement is the first in a string of contracts that are expected to be signed off on over the next number of weeks with the tender process to select contractors for the infrastructure, centre buildings and lodges at the village ongoing.

Center Parcs CEO Martin Dalby said the agreement was evidence of the firm's earlier promise to provide employment and financial support to as many locally based outfits as possible.

"Its a pleasure to announce we will be working with local firm Bennett Construction Limited on the first part of the development of Center Parcs Longford Forest to get underway," he said.

"From the outset we have spoken of our commitment to working with as many local and national suppliers in Ireland as possible in both the development of our holiday village, and indeed when its operational.

"Today is an important first signal of the local economic impact our project will have.
Gardai are pressing ahead this week with separate murder and aggravated burglary investigations that occurred within the space of a 48 period.

Witnesses are still being sought in relation to both in what was an extremely busy few days for Garda chiefs last week.

It all started during the early hours of last Monday morning (October 31) when a three man gang burst into a woman's home and held her captive for over two hours.

The incident took place at the Weaver's Hall apartment complex, just off the town's Market Square at around 3am.

The victim's four-year-old son, who was asleep in a nearby bedroom was unharmed as the gang proceeded to ransack the apartment in front of the woman.

It's also believed at least one of the suspects was armed with what has been described as a small handgun.

The gang, all of whom were wearing disguises, made off with an undisclosed sum of cash and electrical items including a laptop and mobile phones.

Gardai were alerted shortly after 6am and an incident room was set up to head up the investigation.

As detectives began making enquiries, the focus and national media spotlight was soon drawn to Longford barely a day and a half later following a fatal stabbing.

Polish man Arkadiusza Czajkowski died after he was attacked while walking along Rue Noyal Chetillon Street close to the Longford town shopping centre last Tuesday morning.

The 31-year-old had attempted to seek cover inside the centre but within seconds collapsed on the floor in front of stunned shoppers.

Despite being rushed to the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar, Mr Czajkowski was pronounced dead a short time later.

Within the space of a couple of hours gardai had conducted a number of searches, resulting in the arrest of a 24-year-old man.

He was questioned throughout the course of Tuesday and Wednesday and even had his detention time extended before gardai formally charged him later that evening.

The following day, Rihards Lavickus, of 2 Annally Court, Longford was brought before a sitting of Mullingar District Court and was remanded in custody until a sitting of Cloverhill District Court tomorrow (Thursday).

Meanwhile, gardai have renewed their appeal for any witnesses in relation to both cases to come forward.

We would still welcome witnesses to help us, said Superintendent Jim Delaney, stressing those who do would be treated with the strictest of confidence.

Longford Garda Station can be contacted at (043) 3350570.
The counties of Cavan, Leitrim, Longford and Roscommon took centre stage at the Invest4Success seminar in Croke Park on Thursday evening.

A large crowd came to hear from leading businesses in the region. The event attracted many jobseekers looking to return to the region for work.

The free expo heard the story of many different organisations such as Vistamed, Abbott Diagnostics and Cora Systems.

Raj Singh-Dehal of Center Parcs said that they were extremely committed to the region and would be providing 750 construction jobs and 1,000 full time jobs when they open. He pointed to the good road network, proximity to Dublin and the large availability of a committed workforce as reasons for locating in the region.

Paddy Mahon, Chief Executive of Longford County Council said: It is important for Longford to show investors and our diaspora in Dublin that the Upper Shannon Erne Region is open for business and has huge potential for growth. The co-operation and synergies among the four counties will help to develop and promote the region. The event provided a valuable networking opportunity but it is only our first step.

The challenge now is to build on the success of this expo and develop further potential opportunities for investment in the region and prove that regional development is real and clearly evident on the ground.

Cathaoirleach of Longford Co Council, Cllr Mick Cahill was delighted with the event and stated that it was very important that the four counties, together with Bord na Mona and the ESB took this joint initiative to show they could all work together to showcase the Upper Shannon Erne Region as a region of opportunity.

A diverse range of local SMEs also attended and displayed the many different new businesses that have grown and developed in the region.

Declan ORourke Managing Director of Tool and Plastic, Longford who exhibited at the event stated that: The Upper Shannon Erne Region is a growing one with a real sense of community and a willingness to welcome and help business. Employees value a better quality of life, access to the best of schools, strong communities and affordable housing. The jobs on offer are of a high quality with significant career opportunities.

There is much to look forward to and we want to welcome people back to the region with offers of firm and stable employment. We were delighted to be part of Invest4success to showcase exactly what can be achieved when people work together.
Relatives belonging to defeated Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine in Co Longford are still planning to roll out the "red carpet" for Hillary Clinton's running mate in the wake of this morning's US election.

Mr Kaine, whose great grandfather PJ Farrell hailed from the small, rural village of Killashee, saw his hopes of becoming Mrs Clinton's presidential understudy slip away earlier today following one of the most historic electoral results in US history.

The Virginian Senator had been tipped as the safe pair of hands behind a Clinton campaign that until the early hours of this morning looked set to continue eight years of dominance in the White House.

Those aspirations were soon cut to shreds as the key swing states of Georgia, Iowa, North Carolina and Florida all went the way of Mr Trump.

Back in Killashee, relations of Mr Kaine struggled to sum up their emotions as news filtered through of the billionaire reality TV star's impending triumph.

"It's very disappointing," said Marie Farrell, a fourth cousin of Mr Kaine's. "It's a bit like what went on over the water (in the UK) with Brexit."

A descendant of the 'Farrell's of the Crevice', a family who resided in nearby Derryadd, Mr Kaine and Ms Farrell's great great grandfathers were brothers.

Mr Kaine's side of the family, including his great great grandfather PJ Farrell emigrated to the US at the age of four.

Mr Kaine himself returned to retrace his family roots in 2006 and according to Ms Farrell, has not ruled out making a return visit next year.

"We will definitely, yes," she insisted when asked about hosting a possible homecoming.

"I'll keep after him about it. I rang his office to wish him luck a few days ago and I posted a card with a pebble from 'The Crevice' where Tim's people came from as well."

As to her own views about what may have prompted voters to side with Mr Trump and not Mrs Clinton, Ms Farrell said had her cousin been running for the presidency himself, a different result may have arisen.

"The Clintons were a long time in power and maybe people had just had enough of them."If Tim had gone for President it might well have been a different story, but we will never know now will we?"
School & Education, Local News, Press Releases

By WFSD News Published: November 09 2016

William Floyd Board of Education President Robert Vecchio will be featuring students from the Floyd Academy on an upcoming episode of Spotlight on Long Island Schools.

Ronkonkoma, NY - November 8, 2016 - William Floyd Board of Education President Robert Vecchio will be featuring students from the Floyd Academy on an upcoming episode of Spotlight on Long Island Schools, a program focused on showcasing the positive things happening in schools all across Long Island. The episode is scheduled to air on Saturday, November 26 at 10:30 am on Long Island News Radio 103.9 and streaming live at www.linewsradio.com.





This episode will feature Floyd Academy Principal John DeBenedetto and four students  seniors Lena Amodeo, Sean Garcia and Stephanie Gordon, as well as junior Megan Healy. During the interview, Mr. DeBenedetto shared about the Floyd Academy itself and the process of garnering acceptance which includes an application process or faculty referral. He also highlighted the more individualized attention that each student receives in the smaller classrooms and the 21st century learning environment. Students shared about their experiences at the Floyd Academy and the challenges that they faced before entering the program and how the program has helped them become successful.





It was wonderful to listen to the students discuss the remarkable progress they are achieving in this new program, said Mr. Vecchio. We are glad to have the opportunity to talk about it on the Spotlight on Long Island Schools program. Plans are in the works to have the same students on the program in the spring to give an update on their progress.

William Floyd will also be featured on two additional upcoming programs, a Superintendents Roundtable featuring Superintendent of Schools Kevin M. Coster along with his counterparts from other districts on December 3, 2016 and the perennial powerhouse William Floyd High School Youth & Government program on January 7, 2017. Youth & Government had the honor of being the inaugural show for Spotlight on Long Island Schools back in September 2015.

Mr. Vecchio has served as a trustee for the William Floyd Board of Education since 2003 and as the Board President since 2006. He is very active with the Nassau Suffolk School Boards Association and is a member of the legislative and executive committees. He has been called upon to testify before the New York State Senate Education Committee on educational issues, and maintains positive relationships with educational policy makers both on the federal and state level; he is widely regarded as a strong advocate for public education. Mr. Vecchio brings a unique perspective from multiple levels and is well versed in the current policy and financial issues school districts face.

Spotlight on Long Island Schools is recorded at the Slomins Studio in the terminal at Long Island MacArthur Airport and is sponsored by Suffolk Speech and Myofunctional Therapy.
Music, Movies & Entertainment, Local News, National & World News

By Long Island News & PR Published: November 09 2016

One Nation Under Trump filmmaker, BC Furtney, will be Tom Needhams special guest this Thursday on WUSBs The Sounds of Film.

Stony Brook, NY - November 9, 2016 - Documentary filmmaker BC Furtney will be Tom Needhams guest this Thursday at 6 P.M. on WUSBs The Sounds of Film. He will be discussing his film, and giving his insights into Trumps remarkable presidential victory.

BC is the writer/producer of One Nation Under Trump, the first comprehensive documentary to examine the powerful Donald Trump revolution. The film explores both the high and low points of the tycoons incredible rise to popularity. Viewers will revisit televised debates, political speeches and public media feuds. The film takes an unflinching look at the candidate who may become one of the most important political figures of the 21st century.

About the Sounds of Film
A senior member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party said on German radio on Wednesday that the German government was uncertain what Republican Donald Trump would do if he wins the U.S. presidential election.

"We're realising now that we have no idea what this American president will do if the voice of anger enters office and the voice of anger becomes the most powerful man in the world," Norbert Roettgen, a member of Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and head of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee, said on Deutschlandfunk radio.

"Geopolitically we are in a very uncertain situation," he added.

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Village of Hempstead Celebrates the Hispanic Counseling Center's 39th Annual Gala

Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: November 09 2016

LongIsland.com

Village of Hempstead Deputy Mayor Luis Figueroa celebrated the Hispanic Counseling Centers (HCC) 39th annual gala to recognize extraordinary individuals in the community.

(L to R): Village of Hempstead Deputy Mayor Luis Figueroa presents local Hispanic leaders with a Certificate of Recognition from the Village of Hempstead for their dedicated work on behalf of the Hispanic community. They were participating in the Hispanic Counseling Centers 39th annual gala. Photo by: Village of Hempstead.
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

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A stony silence cast a pall early Wednesday over what was meant to be Hillary Clinton's presidential victory party as, one by one, states turned Republican red for Donald Trump.

The billionaire property mogul had not yet won the White House but for many, it was only a question of time.

No one was expecting such a violent slap in the face. Some were saying it would be close, and many Democrats said they were nervous as they arrived at Clinton's event at the Javits Center on the west side of Midtown Manhattan.

But no one imagined the night would turn into a political funeral.

At the food court, located underneath the hall where Clinton had been expected to write her name in the history books, two young women sobbed, and the alcohol was free-flowing.

At a table, two other women stared blankly, their hands on their heads.

"It is surreal," said one government employee who gave her first name Margarita, a beer in front of her.

She says she fears a new era in America -- not just in terms of politics, but also from those who voted for the 70-year-old Trump.

"Our lives are not safe -- as queer women, as brown women," she told AFP, struggling to put her feelings into words.

Many spoke about what they felt was total ignorance among Trump supporters.

"I think these people probably flunked out of school -- they don't know history, they don't understand the world," said Elmy Bermejo, who traveled to the Big Apple from San Francisco for the occasion.

But Bermejo tried to see the bright side on a dark night.

"After I have a stiff drink of tequila, I'm going to get up, and since I'm a hopeful person, then I'll do whatever I can to make sure we vote him out of office, because that's what democracy is about," she said.

Shock was the dominant reaction, rather than anger at what looked like a stunning loss. New York is a Democratic bastion, one that voted for Clinton -- and seems far from Trump's America that disdains Washington insiders.

"We definitely knew it was close -- not this close," said 22-year-old Evynn Stengel, who started drinking before the disheartening results started trickling in.

"We feel like we live in a bubble -- voting for Trump to me is so shocking."

Next to Stengel, 25-year-old Yanni Trittas, a local elected official, said: "They're people who hold on to racism and xenophobia," an intolerance that stems from what he said the Republican Party had "ensured by underinvesting in education."

Faces once bright with the hope of seeing America's first female president elected started growing longer and longer at about 9:00 pm, when the results appeared to be leaning Trump's way.

"Not great," said Joan Divenuti, a retired rail worker who came from Massachusetts. "Florida was always a problem," she said, shaking her head.

It was not long before the US television networks called the Sunshine State for Trump.

Then the Clinton supporters -- initially quite talkative about the prospects for a Clinton presidency and many of them dressed in Clinton garb -- clammed up as the hundreds of journalists on the scene began documenting the palpable anxiety.

Heads were shaking in front of the giant screens beaming the results to the crowd, and the voices of reporters echoed in the huge hall, which was otherwise silent.

Supporters manically refreshed their smartphones in search of better news.

But The New York Times only had bad news for them, with their forecast for Trump's chances of winning rising as the night wore on.

In a desperate bid to motivate the crowd, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said: "We believe that Hillary Clinton is going to be the next president of the United States."

At 10:44 pm, the Times gave Trump a 93 percent chance of winning.

Team Clinton vanished, avoiding reporters like the plague. She, her husband Bill and her entourage were holed up at a hotel not far from the venue.

After midnight, when The Times put Trump's chance of winning at 95 percent, some started to leave the party-turned-funeral.

A few brave campaign volunteers kept reporters from going into a large hall where several thousand dejected supporters were gathered.

"I am praying -- and I am not religious," said Anabel Evora, a 51-year-old from Tennessee who works at a non-profit organization.

"We need a miracle. I am sad. I'm about to cry."

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Republican billionaire property mogul Donald Trump, on the cusp of a shock victory in his brutal White House showdown with Hillary Clinton, was to address his supporters in New York early Wednesday.

Minutes earlier, Clinton's campaign chair John Podesta said the election was still too close to call, and that the Democrat would not speak in the coming hours, as a handful of key US states were still undecided.

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The European Union will continue to work together with the United States following the election of Republican Donald Trump as president, EU foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini said Wednesday.

"EU-US ties are deeper than any change in politics. We'll continue to work together, rediscovering the strength of Europe," Mogherini said as Trump won a stunning upset victory.

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European stocks tumbled in opening trade on Wednesday after Donald Trump was elected US president, beating market favourite Hillary Clinton and sparking investor fears over the world economy.

In initial deals, London's benchmark FTSE 100 index shed 1.87 percent to 6,718.85 points, Frankfurt's DAX 30 dived 2.9 percent to 10,181.89 points and the Paris CAC 40 index slid 2.8 percent to 4,350.07 compared with Tuesday's close.

Markets however quickly retraced ground within fifteen minutes of the open, with London standing just 0.50 percent lower at 0820 GMT.

The Amsterdam AEX stocks index tanked briefly by 3.09 percent on opening, but rallied to stand at 1.59 percent lower at 443,02 points.

Republican Trump defeated his Democratic rival to become the 45th president of the United States, sending shockwaves across global stock markets.

"This is another black swan for European stocks -- despite Brexit, markets were still not prepared for a Trump win and stocks will bear the biggest brunt of it," City Index analyst Ken Odeluga told AFP.

"It is a long-term negative for global growth because of the protectionist instincts of President Donald Trump.

"Global trade will be curbed and the biggest multinationals face challenges to revenue growth as the expansion of globalisation itself comes into question."

Meanwhile, returns on German government bonds -- seen as a safe haven during market turbulence -- fell sharply as investors rushed to purchase the assets.

The yield, or the return on investment to investors, on 10-year Bunds fell to 0.098 percent in early trading on the secondary market, compared to 0.188 percent at the close on Tuesday.

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From plush penthouse apartments on the Upper East Side to bars in midtown Manhattan, New York's financial community watched in stunned dismay on Wednesday as Republican Donald Trump clinched the White House.

An early party mood quickly soured as donors and supporters of Hillary Clinton realized that the Democratic candidate, Wall Street's preferred choice because she represented the status quo, had lost.

Many were stuck for words.

"Not really much to say," said Marc Lasry, a billionaire credit investor.

Trump's unpredictable pronouncements and opposition to free-trade agreements have made the real estate mogul unpopular with many financiers, who fear that he could disrupt global trade and damage geopolitical relationships.

The U.S. dollar sank and stocks plummeted as investors fled risky assets. S&P 500 index futures crashed.

Joseph Peiffer, a lawyer who has represented investors and others in class-action lawsuits, cracked open a third bottle of wine, his "only in the case of an emergency" bottle, while watching the returns during an election night party he hosted for about 20 friends and family members in his hometown of New Orleans.

"This seems like enough of an emergency to break it open," he said.

Trump's pronouncements on the financial sector have perplexed Wall Street.

On the one hand, he has pledged to dismantle much of the regulation put in place after the financial crisis, known as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law. On the other hand, he has called for a "21st century" version of the 1933 Glass-Steagall law that required the separation of commercial and investment banking.

Trump has not said what that version would entail other than saying that he would prioritize "helping African-American businesses get the credit they need."

"Sometimes you hear him on the stump criticizing the banks," Peiffer said. "Then his policy paper says he wants to deregulate the bank. The two things don't jive. But who knows what he really thinks. And we won't know that until he does it."

For Trump supporters who work on Wall Street, his victory is a vindication.

"I'm very happy," said Matthew Tyrmand, a private investor and contributor to the Breitbart News website, who was attending a Young Republicans party at a bar off Madison Avenue.

Tyrmand, who had shorted stocks ahead of the election - a bet that stock prices will fall - said he had been called "delusional" for predicting a Trump win.

Tyrmand said Trump would be good news for markets because he understands the benefit of letting businesses fail. He predicted equity markets would go through a prolonged correction before recovering.

"We will be healthier long term," he said.

Around Tyrmand, other Trump supporters hugged one another, sang "God Bless America", clinked glasses and called out "M-A-G-A!" - the acronym for Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again."

But in one corner of the bar, a man and a woman downed shots before starting on fresh pints of beer. Asked if the drinks were out of celebration or depression, the response was quick: "Depression," the man said, declining to give his name. "But either way we drink"

Matthew Farley, a lawyer with Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP in New York, said he had been warning friends and colleagues about an electoral upset for months.

"I told them that ... a significant portion of the country wanted someone to do a cannonball into the pool and mess up the status quo," said Farley, who advises Wall Street brokerages on regulation and arbitration issues.

"The cannonball party is not united. They're progressives and conservatives, but they're fed up with the status quo and all they know is that anything is better than what we got."

Trump supporter Steven Chiavarone, associate portfolio manager for Federated Global Investment Management Corp, a fund that invests in stocks, bonds and currencies globally, said the market gyrations should not be seen as a harbinger of doom.

"The world doesn't end. Assuming capitalism survives, you manage through the volatility and then find the opportunity.

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Britain's Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage said Wednesday he would "hand over the mantle" to Donald Trump as he congratulated the Republican on his US presidential election win.

The interim UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader hailed a year of "two great political revolutions" as commentators immediately drew parallels between the US vote and Britain's decision to leave the European Union.

"I hand over the mantle to @RealDonald Trump! Many congratulations.

You have fought a brave campaign," Farage wrote on Twitter, alongside a video in which Trump publicly hails the eurosceptic, anti-immigrant politician for his success in Britain's June 23 referendum.

Speaking outside the US embassy as Trump's election win became evident, Farage said he was "not particularly surprised" by the outcome.

"The political class is reviled across much of the West, the polling industry's bankrupt and the press just hasn't woken up to what's going on in the world," he told journalists in a video posted on his Twitter account.

"So 2016 is, by the looks of it, going to be the year of two great political revolutions.

"I thought Brexit was big but boy, this looks like it's going to be even bigger."

In a final campaign push in Raleigh, North Carolina on Monday Trump said the US vote would be "Brexit plus plus plus".

Farage threw his support behind the billionaire businessman during the US election campaign, attending a rally in Jackson, Mississippi in August and likening it to his own campaign to leave the EU.

"There are millions of ordinary Americans who have been let down; who have had a bad time; who feel the political class in Washington are detached from them," he told the rally, two months after Britain voted to exit the bloc.

Aaron Banks, a key Farage ally and UKIP's main donor, also took to Twitter to congratulate Trump on his "great result", hailing him the new "Mr Brexit".

"Nigel connected with the working class, Trump did the same. You have no clue of the anger of people who have had enough," he wrote.

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The great Gold Rush Music Festival returns to the township of Waihi, with the first nuggets of gold dropping for the highly anticipated return of the 2023 festival.
Back in May, when Donald's Trump's stunning U.S. presidential election victory seemed the remotest of possibilities, a senior European official took to Twitter before a G7 summit in Tokyo to warn of a "horror scenario".

Imagine, mused Martin Selmayr, the head of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's cabinet, if instead of Barack Obama, Francois Hollande, David Cameron and Matteo Renzi, next year's meeting of the club of rich nations included Trump, Marine Le Pen, Boris Johnson and Beppe Grillo.

A month later, Britain shocked the world by voting to leave the European Union. Cameron stepped down as prime minister and Johnson - the former London mayor who helped to swing Britons behind Brexit - became foreign minister.

Now, with Trump's triumph over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, the populist tsunami that seemed outlandish a few months ago is becoming reality, and the consequences for Europe's own political landscape are potentially huge.

In 2017, voters in the Netherlands, France and Germany - and possibly in Italy and Britain too - will vote in elections following the triumphs of Trump and Brexit, and the toxic politics that drove those campaigns.

The lessons will not be lost on continental Europe's populist parties, who hailed Trump's victory on Wednesday as a body blow for the political mainstream.

"Today the United States, tomorrow France," French National Front founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, the father of the party's leader Marine Le Pen, tweeted.

Daniela Schwarzer, director of research at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), said Trump's bare-fisted tactics amounted to a model for populist European parties in the looming campaigns.

"The broken taboos, the extent of political conflict, the aggression that we've seen from Trump, this can widen the scope of what becomes thinkable in our own political culture," Schwarzer said.

Early next month, Austrians will vote in a presidential election that could see Norbert Hofer of the Freedom Party become the first far-right head of state in western Europe since World War Two.

On the same day, a constitutional reform referendum on which Prime Minister Renzi has staked his future could upset the political order in Italy, pushing Grillo's left-wing populist movement 5-Star closer to the reins of power.

Right-wing nationalists are already running governments in Poland and Hungary. In western Europe, the likelihood of a Trump figure taking power seems remote for now.

In the parliamentary democracies that exist in many European countries, traditional parties have banded together to form coalitions to keep out the populists.

But the lesson from the Brexit vote is that parties do not have to be in government to shape the political debate, said Tina Fordham, chief global political analyst at Citi, citing the anti-EU UK Independence Party which has just one seat in the Westminster parliament.

"UKIP did poorly in the last election but had a huge amount influence over the political dynamic in Britain," Fordham said. "The combination of the Brexit campaign and Trump have absolutely changed the way campaigns are run."

As support for traditional parties erodes and new political movements emerge, the challenge of forming coalitions and holding them together has becoming increasingly fraught.

In Spain, incumbent Mariano Rajoy was returned to power last week but only after two inconclusive elections in which voters fled his conservatives and their traditional rival on the left, the Socialists, for two new parties, Podemos and Ciudadanos.

After 10 months of political limbo, Rajoy finds himself atop a minority government that is expected to struggle to pass laws, implement reforms and plug holes in Spain's public finances.

The virus of political fragility could spread next year from Spain to the Netherlands, where the far-right Freedom Party of Geert Wilders is neck-and-neck in opinion polls with Prime Minister Mark Rutte's liberals.

For Rutte to stay in power after the election in March, he may be forced to consider novel, less-stable coalition options with an array of smaller parties, including the Greens.

In France, which has a presidential system, the chances of Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, emerging victorious are extremely slim.

The odds-on favourite to win the presidential election next spring is Alain Juppe, a 71-year-old centrist with extensive experience in government who has tapped into a yearning for responsible leadership after a decade of missteps from Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy.

But in a sign of Le Pen's strength, polls show she will win more support than any other politician in the first round of the election. Even if she loses in the second round run-off, as polls suggest, her performance is likely to be seen as a watershed moment for continental Europe's far-right.

It could give her a powerful platform from which to fight the reforms that Juppe and his conservative rivals for the presidency are promising.

In Germany, where voters go to the polls next autumn, far-right parties have struggled to gain a foothold in the post-war era because of the dark history of the Nazis, but that too is changing.

Just three years old, the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD), has become a force at the national level, unsettling Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, who have been punished in a series of regional votes because of her welcoming policy towards refugees.

Merkel could announce as early as next month that she plans to run for a fourth term, and if she does run, current polls suggest she would win.

But Merkel would do so as a diminished figure in a country that is perhaps more divided than at any time in the post-war era.

Even Merkel's conservative sister party, the Bavarian Christian Social Union, has refused to endorse her.

Her only option for retaining power may be in another partnership with her traditional rival, the centre-left Social Democrats, a combination that was once considered anathema but has now become the norm.

She would face an emboldened opposition, with the AfD expected to enter the Bundestag for the first time.

"The great stability of the German political system in the post-war era was built on its two large moderate parties," said Schwarzer of the DGAP.

"But if the current trend continues, even 'grand coalitions' may not have enough support to rule anymore."

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US House Speaker Paul Ryan, who had distanced himself from Donald Trump's populist White House run, said Wednesday he looks forward to working with the incoming president.

"I think we are going to hit the ground running," Ryan, the country's top Republican lawmaker, said in his first public comments since Trump's upset victory.

"We had great conversations about how we would work together on the transition," said Ryan, who spoke from his hometown in Janesville, Wisconsin.

Ryan also called for healing, saying the bitterly contested race must now be followed by a period "of redemption, not a time of recrimination."

A spokesman for his office confirmed that Ryan planned to remain on in his powerful leadership role in the House.

"Speaker Ryan plans to remain speaker," spokesman Doug Andres said.

The Republicans also retained their majority in both the House and Senate, defying predictions that Democrats would take control of the Senate along with a Hillary Clinton presidential victory.

But that did not happen, and come January Republicans will control both the White House and Congress.

"We won more seats than anyone expected and much of that is thanks to Donald Trump, (who) provided the kind of coattails that got a lot of people over the finish line," Ryan told reporters.

Ryan had been intensely criticized by several rank-and-file Republicans for refusing to align more closely with Trump during his extraordinary and controversial presidential campaign.

Ryan did not rescind an endorsement of the 70-year-old real estate mogul, but after a 2005 tape emerged early last month in which Trump was heard making lewd remarks about women, the speaker said he would not defend or campaign with Trump for the duration of the race.

"I think our relationship's fine," Ryan said.

"There is no doubt our democracy could be very messy and we do remain a sharply divided country, but now as we do every four years, we have to work to heal the divisions of a long campaign."

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New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday in a television address announced that Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 denomination notes stands withdrawn from midnight. He said that the 500, 1000 notes will become mere paper.

The banks will remain closed for public work on November 9. People can deposit Rs. 500 and Rs. 1000 in post office accounts as well as bank accounts by December 30, 2016. There will be no limit on the deposit amounts.

The public can exchange old notes through any bank, head post office or sub post office by showing ID proof. The limit for this is Rs. 4000 up to November 24.

The withdrawal has been limited to Rs. 10,000 per day and Rs. 20,000 per week and this will be increased in the coming days. There will be no restriction of any kind on non-cash payments by cheques, demand drafts, debit and credit cards and electronic fund transfers. The ATMs will not work on Nov 9 and Nov 10.

For the next 72 hours, government hospitals, railway ticket booking counters, ticket counters of government buses and airlines, petrol, diesel and gas stations of authorised public sector companies, consumer co-operatives stores by state and central government, government authorised milk booths, crematorium and burial grounds will accept old Rs. 500 and Rs.1000 notes for payment.
Top brands and amazing deals for your Christmas shopping

The biggest online shopping event in Southeast Asia kicks off on November 11, 2016 with the participation of more than 12,500 local and international brands and 6,000 merchants. This month-long shopping event is Lazadas fifth Online Revolution since its launch in 2012.

This years theme is Brands for All, putting customers favorite brands in the spotlight. Customers can expect jaw-dropping, well-curated offers, and exclusive launches of branded items.

These deals come on top of the wide and growing assortment on Lazada. To date, Lazada boasts an unmatched catalog of close to 30 million products for consumers across six Southeast Asian countries. In the Philippines, the assortment grew 4x more than in 2015.




Merchant vessels sailing through busy shipping lanes between Somalia and Yemen may be underestimating the risk of piracy and terrorism following two attempted attacks last month, maritime officials say.



More than 40 percent of the world's seaborne oil supplies pass through the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea, a major shipping lane also used to move exports and commodities such as food between Asia and Europe.



The European Union's counter-piracy naval force (EU Navfor) confirmed on Nov. 4 that six armed men attacked chemical tanker CPO Korea 330 nautical miles (610 km) east of Somalia on Oct. 22, the first reported attack on a major vessel off the country for two and a half years.



The last reported attack was in February 2014 and involved a container ship which came under fire from gunmen in waters near Somalia, EU Navfor said.



On Oct. 25, assailants opened fire on a gas tanker off Yemen. The tanker's owner said the gunmen had a "substantial amount of explosives" and one maritime source told Reuters it may have been an attempted suicide attack.



"Recent incidents off Somalia, the Bab al-Mandab and wider Indian Ocean indicate an increased threat level to shipping from piracy and maritime terrorism," said Gerry Northwood at British maritime security firm MAST.



Northwood, a former Royal Navy captain, said that after a period of relative calm some shipping firms were underestimating the threat and using poorly trained and equipped security teams, "more used to calm waters than the genuine risk of attack".



In the first incident, EU Navfor said suspected pirates in a high-speed boat exchanged fire with guards aboard the tanker, which escaped without casualties after accelerating, altering course and using fire hoses to thwart the attack.



"This attack shows that pirates still have the intent to attack ships for ransom and cause misery to seafarers and their families," EU Navfor Operation Commander Rob Magowan said.





"Fragile and Reversible"

Attacks in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean escalated in 2008 and by 2011 more than 700 hostages and 30 vessels were being held by Somali gangs who demanded millions of dollars in ransoms.



Since then, the deployment of armed security guards on ships with a mandate to respond robustly combined with pre-emptive strikes by naval forces and more protective measures on vessels helped cut attacks to just two in 2014 and zero last year.



Besides the EU naval force, the United States, South Korea, Iran and other nations all deployed ships in the wake of the surge in piracy to halt a business that was costing the world economy billions of dollars a year at its peak.



A report by the United Nations last month, however, said progress on combating piracy remained "fragile and reversible".



The report said political instability in the central region of Somalia, together with the finite mandate of the international naval force, "has the potential to become a security vacuum that could trigger a resurgence of piracy".



The world's biggest container shipping line, Maersk , said it was closely following the situation, adding that piracy "was a challenge we have to address".

Major Damage

A week-old ceasefire between the Somali regions of Galmudug and Puntland, both areas where pirate gangs used to operate, broke down on Sunday and fighting over their disputed border has killed at least 29 people.



"There have been reports of pirate groups being organised and equipped in Mudug and in the area in the Horn of Africa east of Bosasso in Puntland," the UN report said.



Maritime security sources also said some fighters from Somali Islamist militant group al Shabaab were looking to get more involved in seaborne piracy.



EU Navfor's Magowan said it was coordinating efforts with counter-piracy partners to ensure "pirates do not once again terrorise the waters off the Somali coast".



In a special note on its website, the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) also warned mariners sailing through the Red Sea, Bab-al Mandab and Gulf of Aden to operate "under a heightened state of alert".



"Increasing tensions in the region escalate the potential for direct or collateral damage to vessels," the ONI said.



A suicide bombing by al Qaeda, which has a powerful regional arm in Yemen, killed 17 sailors on the U.S. warship Cole in Aden's port in 2000. Two years later, al Qaeda hit a French tanker in the Gulf of Aden, south of the Bab al-Mandab.



"There seems to be fresh ambition to inflict major damage on a ship that we have not seen since 2002," one maritime source said.



(By Jonathan Saul)
Photo by Scott Olsen/Getty Images.

Editors' Note: Our political commentary is nonpartisan and non-ideological by design as political bias is a dangerous investing error. We favor no political party or candidate and assess politics solely for potential market impact.



The voters spoke, and while the final few precincts are trickling in, Hillary Clinton has conceded the race and Donald Trump will be America's next President. The Republicans will keep both houses of Congress, losing only a handful of seats. S&P 500 futures plunged as the news developed, but later cut losses. In our view, you should stay cool: Short-term volatility is normal, and this too should pass. Looking forward, markets move most on the gap between reality and expectations. People fear Trump's campaign pledges, but politicians' promises rarely become reality. As Trump does less than people fear, we expect markets to get plenty of relief. In our view, a less-bad-than-feared Trump should be a positive surprise for stocks in 2017.

Tuesday night's theatrics remind us of the Brexit vote: Now, as then, the real losers are the pollsters, media and political sages who presumed polls were airtight. As markets closed Monday, most pointed to gains in the S&P 500 and record inflows into the biggest US-listed Mexican ETF as signs Clinton would win-just as UK stocks' gains on June 23, Brexit day, supposedly telegraphed a Remain win. When Leave pulled ahead as votes were tallied, the pound and stock futures tanked-just as S&P 500 futures tanked Tuesday night, as a Trump victory grew likelier. In the two trading days after the Brexit vote, world stocks fell -7.1%, and UK markets lost -5.6%.[i] But on day three, the tide turned. Investors who based their forecasts and decisions on polls got over their shock, and stocks recovered. It wouldn't surprise us at all if we saw a similar drop this time-volatility tied to a winner people didn't expect and most in the investment world didn't want-but it, too should pass. The immediate reaction to Brexit didn't tell you how things would ultimately be, and nor does the immediate reaction to Trump. Markets will readjust and move on. The more they see Trump can't do as much as he says, the happier they should be.

Expectations Versus Reality and a Bit of History

While politics are just one driver-and it's premature to forecast economic and sentiment drivers-political winds should boost stocks next year as markets treat Trump the way they'd normally treat a new Democratic president.

Historically, when Democrats win, returns are below-average in the election year-just 7.4%, since 1928-and stronger in the inaugural year, averaging 16.2%.[ii] Under Republicans, it's the opposite-stronger returns in the election year (15.5% on average) and weaker the next (0.7%).[iii] Presidents' tendency to break campaign pledges gets much of the credit for this, in our view. Usually Democrats run on anti-business platforms, making investors run for the hills, and then relieve markets when they don't see most of those promises through. Either they moderate, already eyeing re-election campaigns and the need to keep Independents in the fold, or Congress gets in the way. Republicans, meanwhile, usually make pro-market promises, boosting sentiment when they win, but disappointing investors the next year when they, too, get very little done.

Trump isn't your typical market-friendly Republican. Anti-trade talk scared the pants off Corporate America. No Fortune 100 CEO endorsed him. Hostile Wall Street Journal op-eds were a regular occurrence. His corporate tax cut might appear pro-businesses, until you realize he'd end deferred taxation of US firms' overseas profits, instead taxing them immediately. Most investors saw little to cheer and everything to fear-just as they typically do with new Democratic presidents.

That sets expectations at rock-bottom, which stocks like. It won't take much for markets to get a positive surprise-a President Trump that does less than feared and is less bad than feared should do it. When markets expect disaster, anything less than disaster is a relief, and relief brings rallies. Returns this year are fully consistent with a feared election outcome, which we believe tees up markets for big, happy political surprise potential for 2017.

Exhibit 1: History of Returns Under Democrats

Source: Global Financial Data, as of 11/4/2016.

Gridlock, Gridlock, Gridlock

While Republicans maintain control of Congress, Trump will likely be at loggerheads with his own party. A good-sized chunk of the GOP's Congressional firmament was part of the #NeverTrump movement. Several refused to endorse him. Some publicly said they'd vote for Hillary Clinton. Trump doesn't forget these things. Those who were at war with him during the campaign will be at war with him in Congress. They might be relegated to the back of the bus within the Republican Party hierarchy, but they'll fight back. They can still point to their victories and say "Hey, voters picked me and my platform, and I won't back down-I'll trump Trump." This bloc should be a powerful resistance within the GOP.

A GOP, we should add, that won't have a filibuster-proof majority. Even if all the #NeverTrumpers drank some funny Kool-Aid and got on board with everything The Donald wanted, Democrats could talk any sweeping new laws to death.

Then, too, Trump isn't winning with a huge mandate. However lopsided the Electoral College might ultimately look, anyone staying up late Tuesday night knows it was close. America didn't broadly tip one way-this wasn't a landslide a la Reagan or Obama. It was narrow split between urban and rural voters, much as Brexit was.

Ronald Reagan once said truly great presidents might get three or four major initiatives passed-we're talking hugely popular guys with big mandates and dynamite horse-trading skills. If they're less skilled, have less support or waste political capital on partisan bickering and party in-fighting, they get less done. President Obama enjoyed a Democratic supermajority during his first two years, and he got just two big laws-Dodd-Frank and the Affordable Care Act-and both were watered down significantly from initial proposals. A President Trump with a thin Republican majority and intraparty resistance probably does even less.

Don't Overrate Presidential Politics

It is crucial not to overrate the presidency in your market outlook. Politics are only one driver of demand for stocks, the others being economics and sentiment. America is also only about 25% of world GDP, so actions taken by the US government do not have the reach to unilaterally affect the world economy. Many also overrate presidents' ability to enact change unilaterally. The Constitution limits their power, requiring Congress to approve most tax-and-spend and legislative decisions. Trade policy is a wild card, as Congress has ceded some authority to the president, but that isn't reason to be bearish today. US presidents have a long history of spouting anti-trade rhetoric on the campaign trail, then U-turning once in office. Bill Clinton campaigned against NAFTA, then signed it. Ditto for Barack Obama and the free-trade deals with South Korea and Colombia. Threatening tariffs against China over currency manipulation and "dumping" subsidized exports is basically a campaign requirement, but no one ever follows through.

Political reality could easily get in the way of Trump's trade pledges. Legally, perhaps he could pull the US from NAFTA. But alienating all those in the services, logistics and retail sectors whose jobs depend on NAFTA would be an odd move indeed. Remember, a first-term president's goal is always to be re-elected. Everything else comes second. In other words: Watch what he does, not what he says.

The Executive Branch can issue executive actions and regulatory shifts, but these are narrow in scope and subject to challenge in court. Two June decisions illustrate this perfectly, one involving Department of the Interior regulations governing fracking on federal lands, the other regarding President Obama's shielding select undocumented immigrants from deportation. In both cases, several states challenged the feds authority on constitutional grounds. The courts agreed. Love or hate the rulings, the law is the law. The law governed all. Markets will slowly realize this. While many are unhappy (and others joyous) over the presidential election's result, remember: It is only one vote affecting one third of the US government, one of three drivers affecting a quarter of world GDP. It isn't the be-all, end-all.
Rough Stage is screened within the Crossroads section of the ongoing Panorama of the European Film, 2-13 November; you can still see the film on Thursday

Let me see the sea graffiti adorns the otherwise ugly, mammoth concrete barrier, also known as The Apartheid Wall, that separates the occupied West Bank from Israel.

Perhaps the duet of hope and pain that underpins this graffiti sentence also sits at the heart of Toomas Jarvets 2015 documentary Rough Stage.

The film follows Maher Shawamreh, a Palestinian contemporary dancer in Ramallah, who, as the film opens, is assured that hes the best dancer in Palestine and is encouraged to put on his own show.

Jarvets camera then follows Maher as he moulds this dream into reality, battling against society, bureaucracy and occupation.

Mahers parents are eager to see him start a family. His brother wishes Maher could present art more imbued with the political and less subtle in its message. He wants Maher to discuss the ugliness of occupation, and reflect on the power of resistance. Meanwhile, the municipal authorities only care that he fulfills their many requirements before he can put on his show. Can Maher circumvent all these challenges and solely focus on his art?

That said, 'Rough Stage', as Maher and Toomas would stress in a Q&A discussion that followed Tuesdays screening of the film in Cinema Karim, is not about a Palestinian dancer working towards the realization of an artistic dream. Rather, it is about the ardent pursuit of art, the hard work that goes towards its molding, and the inspiration a loyal commitment to art emanates.

Toomas's camera is as malleable as Mahers gracefully supple moves. It fervently observes the intricacies of his steps, and when possible, zooms out to embrace the Westbanks picturesque landscape.

The film score complements Mahers steps and Palestines beautyall three elements rendering this documentary a poetic piece of art.

'Rough Stage' is about Maher in as much as it is about the re-appropriation of public space in todays Arab worldeverywhere is Mahers stage, anywhere can be Mahers stage.

There is also room for heartwarming humour. We see this in Mahers encounters with his family members, how they love him but also think he has his priorities wrong in life. When Maher asks his elderly mother to attend his upcoming performance, she refuses, owing to illness. When he insists, she exclaims, What? Are you going to free Palestine? in a spontaneity so raw it leaves the audience in giggles.

But yes, perhaps this is the beauty of Mahers artistic vocation. It isnt burdened by the explicit practice of resistance, but it comes out as an act of inspiring resistance nonetheless. Maher's very dance moves defy the occupation, a reminder of the ever-present ingenuity that characterises Palestinian sumoud (steadfastness).

And this very idea of sumoud, we learned in Tuesdays Q&A discussion, is in itself an incessant element in Mahers own life.

A former political prisoner due to his participation in the first Palestinian Intifada, Maher spent three years and a half locked up in an Israeli prison cell. The experience, while steeped in brutality, forced Maher to think of my senses and as time passed, he renegotiated the prisons sizeso that this confined space became so vast that it actually tasted of the sweetness of freedom.

The film's ability to avoid falling in the trap of one-dimensional and stereotypical depictions of the Palestinian struggle was one major point raised during Tuesdays Q&A discussion.

The discussions moderator, Egyptian filmmaker Salma El-Tarzi, praised how the film navigated this parallelism between Mahers own approach to art and the way Toomas directed the film. Both are not burdened by an overt portrayal of the conflict and how it is being resisted against. In doing so, Maher and Toomas invite us to rethink our own understanding of resistance and what it entails.

The choreographic snippets audiences see throughout 'Rough Stage' propose yet another reading of the film: a graceful dance performance.

The good news then becomes that you can see Maher perform live on Thursday at the French Institute, where he will present on the ideas discussed in a workshop he held with students from the Cairo Contemporary Dance Centre.

The performance will be preceded by a screening of 'Rough Stage' at 6.45 pm.

Check here the complete programme of Panorama for Cairo, Alexandria, Ismailia and Port Said

Ahram Online is the media sponsor of the Panorama of the European Film and of Zawya

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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Washingtons Post-Election Gridlock and Africa

After the bizarre 2016 election, Washington faces a slate of legal investigations, a massive political gridlock, the threat of new Cold Wars and possibly a contested election. What does it mean to Africa?



Last July, FBI Director James Comey closed the probe of Hillary Clintons emails and decided not to pursue charges, which resulted in broad criticism. Recently, Comey re-opened the case following a discovery of new emails. In addition to the Benghazi and FBI debacles, these efforts are likely to include some 50,000 emails from Wikileaks, particularly those of John Podesta, Clinton campaign manager and chair of the Center of American Progress (CAP).





The questions will center on Clintons private email server; her special assistant Huma Abedin and her ex-spouse; the pay-for-play allegations about her office and Bill Clintons speeches; the controversial Clinton Foundation and the alleged coordination between the Democratic National Committee, the Clinton campaign and various big money lobby groups (super PACs), including mega financiers, such as George Soros - and recruited groups to incite violence and chaos in Trump rallies.These events were then recorded by mainstream media - from CNN to Google - which is now in trouble as well for alleged collusion with the Clinton campaign.

Washingtons gridlock



Republicans want investigations about the role of the State Department, the DOJ and the FBI, even President Obama, due to a cover-up to protect Hillary Clinton, as the Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman Reince Priebus says. Speaker Paul Ryan has promised aggressive oversight work of a quid pro quo deal between the FBI and the State Department over emails.



As chair of the House Oversight Committee, Jason Chaffetz is pushing for a slate of new hearings. House Republicans are demanding a special prosecutor to investigate the Clinton Foundation for possible conflicts of interest. There is enough evidence, says former New York City mayor and Trump supporter Rudy Giuliani, for a RICO case against the Foundation as a racketeering enterprise.



Currently, the Senate and the House are under Republican control. The Democrats have a good chance of taking over the Senate. If Congress remains divided after the election, Clinton must rely on limited legislation and executive action.



During her campaign, Hillary Clinton often said that she would block the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): I oppose the TPP now, Ill oppose it after the election, and Ill oppose it as president. However, Washington expected her to flip-flop after the elections and argue that the TPP is in the national interest because America could not alienate its TPP allies in Asia, particularly Japan and Vietnam.



In contrast, Trump would not only oppose the TPP but its US-EU counterpart, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) - and he would re-negotiate US relationships with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and Asia.



What about Africa?

Meltdown of US-Africa trade and power initiatives



In May 2000, President Bill Clinton signed the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) into law. Its stated purpose was to assist the economies of sub-Saharan Africa and to improve economic relations between the US and the region. During her nine-country trip in Africa in 2012, Hillary Clinton said that AGOA showed how America is working with our African partners-governments, the private sector and civil society.



While Trump could well scrape the AGOA, along with a number of other US international agreements, others have criticized it as a one-sided agreement in which there was little African involvement in the preparation, despite the participation of some 40 African countries. Also, it has been dominated by oil and raw materials.



Moreover, during the two Bush terms, the AGOA trading volume rose from $28 billion in 2000 to a peak of $100 billion in 2008. As the Obama administration took over, that volume plunged to $36 billion in 2015. In 2008, African exports to the US still accounted for more than 80% of the total; today, barely 50%.



The story of Power Africa is even more instructive. In 2013, President Obamas five-year US presidential initiative was designed as a multi-stakeholder partnership among the US, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and Liberia, and the African private sector. The initiative was certainly needed. More than two-thirds of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is without electricity. Over 85% of those living in rural areas lack access. Yet, Obamas $9.7 billion plan to double electricity access in the region has produced less than 5% of the new power generation it promised.



Even as the Power Africa plan dissolved, Hillary Clintons associates profited handsomely from the US Export-Import Banks financing of the worlds largest coal plans in South Africa. The debacle features a series of names - Clintons top aide Huma Abedin, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and her daughter, Howard Topaz (Clintons tax advisor), State Department official Richard Haass and so on - which are also featured in the current debacles and investigations, or both. Despite official stress on sustainability, Clintons State Department exported oil and gas fracking technologies to the rest of the world, while supporting coal in Africa.



There is a great gap between Senator Hillary Clintons statements against corruption and Secretary of State Clintons de facto policies in Africa. Changes in policies conformed with the interests of Clinton Foundation large donors, concludes Peter Schweizer in Clinton Cash (2015), which FBI reportedly has used as a road map to investigate the Foundations controversial money flows.

Yesterdays neoconservatives, todays liberal internationalists



Historically, when the White House has failed to united America through economic policy, defense has been the second-best option.



Clinton supports hawkish security policies advocated by both the Democratic liberal internationalists and the Republican neoconservatives. Last summer, the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) , a bipartisan successor of the neoconservatives New Project for the American Century a decade ago, published its report on Extending American Power, as a kind of a transition memo for Clinton.



Essentially, it advocates increasing use and threat of military force, which could result in an increase in Pentagon spending of up to $1 trillion over the next decade. The major CNAS donors feature the leading Pentagon contractors, including Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Boeing, which also support Clintons campaign.



In contrast to Obama, Hillary Clinton has called for stepped-up military action to deter President al-Assads regime and Russian forces in Syria, whereas Obamas advisers warn that you cant pretend you can go to war against Assad and not to go war against the Russians. Yet, Clinton wants new sanctions against Russia, despite increasing nuclear threats.



It was this aggressive policy stance that also led Clinton to support a series of military interventions in the Middle East and Africa, as Secretary of State. Indeed, economist Jeffrey Sachs attributes destabilization in the Middle East and Africa in part to Clintons policies a. To Sachs, Clinton is the candidate of the war machine. She backed the regime change act in 1998 that paved way for the Iraq War in 2003, which she also supported. Her record extends from Libya to Syria, Ukraine and Georgia and to sub-Saharan Africas civil wars and famines.

What next?



For weeks,both Trump and Clinton have been building legal cases and armies of lawyers for the possibility of a contested election.



Whatever happens after the US 2016 election, America is about to move into a new era.



Internationally, the new United States will virtually ensure greater economic uncertainty and market volatility, political division and fragmentation, and growing strategic risks.

Dr. Dan Steinbock is an internationally recognised expert of the nascent multipolar world. He is the CEO of Difference Group and has served as Research Director at the India, China and America Institute (USA) and visiting fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and the EU Centre (Singapore). For more, see www.differencegroup.net

 2016 Copyright Dan Steinbock - All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

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Uncertain US Election Outcome and Uncertainty After Bodes Well For Gold

Polls suggest Clinton to win but as with Brexit is chance of surprise

Polls suggest Clinton to win but as with Brexit is chance of surprise PredictWise gives Clinton an 89% chance of becoming President-elect, giving just Trump just an 11% chance.

Gold price may move about 1.8% to 4% if result is uncertain

Demand for gold and silver is up this week by a factor of 25 percent

Sales of American Eagle gold coins have climbed 23%

Gold to benefit from Punch and Judy election

Latest Punch and Judy U.S. Election  Image from Wikipedia

A lot of us were looking forward to today, it signals the last day of election-mania and we might all be able to get on with our lives, whatever that means under whoever wins.

The problem is, today might not be the last day of uncertainty. Trump has already said that he will keep us in suspense as to whether or not he will accept a Clinton win, this has been followed by many cries of rigged from both Trump and his cohort. The other factor is that the election might be so close that it is too close to call and we see another Bush-Gore debacle.

Should there be an unclear winner tomorrow, or if Trump wins, then what will this mean for gold?

Is there still expected to be an uncertain outcome?

The most obvious answer is that this will be good for the gold price. As we have seen in the month of October, gold thrives in an uncertain environment. Yesterday, it dropped seemingly on the news that the FBI had dropped the investigation into Hilary Clinton and, therefore, some assumed this meant she was once again the likely winner and putting rest to uncertainty.

However, the polls are still extremely close whilst the betting markets suggest otherwise.

Yesterday, PredictWise gave Clinton an 89% chance of becoming President-elect, giving just Trump just an 11% chance. Yet in a Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll results showed 44% of likely voters support Clinton, while 40% support Trump, showing Clintons lead to have fallen by over 60%.

Much of the fall in Clintons ratings are down to Trump gaining support amongst his own party, rather than Clinton losing votes, this puts him on a closer par with the Democrats support for their candidate.

The increasing popularity of Trump may well make this a tight election, and one that may not serve an outcome straight away, or a satisfactory one for one particular candidate.

It is worth remembering how badly wrong the polls, pundits and markets were regarding the Brexit vote.

Uncertainty  how much of a boost for the gold price?

Joseph Innace of S&P Global Platts, spoke to MarketWatch yesterday, and outlined how a contested or uncertain election will impact the gold price.

Looking back at the 40-day Bush Gore battle, Innace finds that surprisingly the gold price did not move at the extent many expected, about 1.8% to 4% depending on what date is chosen as the end of the time frame.

On election day Nov. 7, 2000, gold settled little changed at roughly $264.30 an ounce on Comex and later that night, Gore was projected to be the winner, recalled Innace.

The next day, Bush looked to be the winner, and gold prices edged up. But with a narrow lead of less than couple of thousands votes in Florida, a recount was called. A complicated legal battle ensued, effectively ending with a controversial Supreme Court decision on Dec. 12. In televised speeches on Dec. 13, Gore conceded and Bush accepted the presidency.

Innace said that gold prices moved steadily but modestly higher from Dec. 14, the day after Bushs acceptance speech, to Dec. 27, when it reached a peak for the period of $275.20 an ounce.

So throughout that time frame, the change from Nov. 7 to the peak on Dec. 27 was just 4.1%, said Innace.

The gain is even smaller if you compare the Nov. 7 settlement to the $269 an ounce gold ended at the day after Bushs speech. Thats a difference of roughly 1.8%, Innace said.

Short-term we may not see much of a spike in the price of gold, however the idea of either candidate winning is enough to see a long-term climb in the gold price, as we reported on Friday.

This has been enough to drive up gold demand in the US, ahead of time.

Gold rose in the 8 years of the Bush Presidency and we expect similar gains for gold in the four years of the next U.S. President.

Uncertainty has boosted gold demand

Yesterday Reuters reported that US dealers have reported a jump in sales, ahead of the US election and the expected rate rise in December.

Investors have been actively buying gold and silver all year through exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Holdings of the eight gold ETFs followed by Reuters reached the highest in more than three years late last month, while the holdings of the six silver ETFs tracked by Reuters reached a record high at the end of October.

Demand (for gold and silver) is up this week by a factor of 25 percent across the board from where it was last week, said Roy Friedman, president of New York-based Manfra, Tordella& Brookes, on Friday.

The increase in demand  stretches from private investors through institutional investors coming to us looking for gold and silver.

At the US Mint, sales of American Eagle gold coins have climbed 23% in the month of October, and silver coins more than doubled. The chart above, courtesy of Frank Holmes, shows that gold-coin sales are at their highest since January.

Gold  the only winner?

As we outlined last week, the price of gold has been predicted to benefit from this election no matter the outcome, by a number of analysts. It may be 1% in the coming weeks, or it may shoot to $1,850, depending on which reports you read.

Either way, the uncertainty that either candidate, or a stalemate election will bring will see an increase in safe haven investment demand for gold. However, it is important (as impossible as it may now seem) to look beyond the US election, and instead the wider, global environment.

Post-US election, we will still be in a world that is witnessing turmoil spreading from the Middle East and up towards Europe. That same world is experiencing considerable uncertainty in regard to the gigantic monetary experiment of ZIRP and NIRP, the poor health of the financial system and a slump in oil prices. Meanwhile voter sentiment regarding immigrants, free trade and closed borders is rapidly becoming the zeitgeist.

A climb in gold investment numbers, through ETFs, coins and physical bars suggests that more investors are no longer concerned about, the increasingly lower, opportunity cost of holding gold. Instead they are realising that the uncertainty we feel is not in regard to the US election, but how much the uncertainty in the world will remain no matter which titular figure wins this latest punch and judy show.

Gold Prices (LBMA AM)

08 Nov: USD 1,284.00, GBP 1,034.26 & EUR 1,162.02 per ounce

07 Nov: USD 1,286.80, GBP 1,036.13 & EUR 1,162.50 per ounce

04 Nov: USD 1,301.70, GBP 1,042.79 & EUR 1,172.57 per ounce

03 Nov: USD 1,293.00, GBP 1,040.61 & EUR 1,165.90 per ounce

02 Nov: USD 1,295.85, GBP 1,056.51 & EUR 1,169.76 per ounce

01 Nov: USD 1,284.40, GBP 1,048.58 & EUR 1,167.52 per ounce

31 Oct: USD 1,274.20, GBP 1,046.25 & EUR 1,163.22 per ounce

Silver Prices (LBMA)

08 Nov: USD 18.26, GBP 14.72 & EUR 16.54 per ounce

07 Nov: USD 18.22, GBP 14.67 & EUR 16.47 per ounce

04 Nov: USD 18.30, GBP 14.65 & EUR 16.48 per ounce

03 Nov: USD 18.07, GBP 14.50 & EUR 16.32 per ounce

02 Nov: USD 18.54, GBP 15.05 & EUR 16.70 per ounce

01 Nov: USD 18.24, GBP 14.91 & EUR 16.54 per ounce

31 Oct: USD 17.76, GBP 14.59 & EUR 16.22 per ounce

This update can be found on the GoldCore blog here.

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Neither Election Candidate Has the Character to Govern the US

BY GEORGE FRIEDMAN : This years campaign has got to be one of the strangest of all time. We have two major candidates running for president. One says strange things. One does strange things.

Donald Trump has been accused of collaborating with the Russian president and his intelligence service. He is on tape claiming that he can have sex with anyone he wants.

He lost almost a billion dollars one year and says he has paid no taxes since that loss. Thats not illegal. But it does indicate he didnt make as much money as he claims, since a billion-dollar loss (which knocks out 15 years of taxes) doesnt get you to $10 billion.

And I leave out the various other things he has said and meant.

Hillary Clinton, for reasons never explained, used a private server for classified messages. She and her husband also ran a foundation while she was Secretary of State. It appears that charitable fundraising, meetings at the State Department, and making substantial amounts of money for themselves intermingled.

And finally, the FBI has found thousands of emails concerning Clinton on the computer of a man who sends pictures of his private parts to women and whose wife is Hillary Clintons top aide.

And I leave out the things she has said and has not meant.

The email saga continues

If I use reason to untangle the latest eventFBI Director James Comeys letter to CongressI come up with the following: He is fully aware of the consequences of what he did, and that it could change history.

Since he is not an idiotFBI directors can be strange but not stupidhe did this deliberately. That would indicate that he has found something that will shortly be revealed and might disqualify Clinton as president.

He did it now, because if she were elected and then this came out, we would face an impeachment, paralyzing the government in a time of war. So he fired his first shot with just days to go before the election. You can expect more to come soon.

But reason may not work here. Another explanation might be just as he said. He has no reason to think that the emails are even from Clinton, but he felt that it would be nice to keep Congress in the loop. So he told them he was reopening the case to keep everybody on the same page.

He either didnt notice it was only 11 days before the election or thought this announcement would not affect it.

The degree of strangeness is amazing. This is not the worst election in historythat has to go to the election of 1860, which started the Civil War.

They are two sides of the same coin

The oddest thing is the similarity between the two candidates. The difference is that Trump is profoundly inarticulate. Clinton is articulate in the way that people who use the term messaging are articulate.

But beneath the surface they strike me as the same. Neither believes in anything beyond what is of use at the moment. Neither is embarrassed by anything.

It was once said that former-UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim had no backbone but was kept upright by his thick skin. They say Trump has a thick skin. He has taken a lot of fire without being deterred. As for Clinton, she is no more capable of being ashamed than Trump.

Neither seems to believe that laws and social norms apply to them. And neither knows how to close off an ongoing issue with a simple admission of error, a clear explanation of how that error occurred, and a profound apology.

Trump can barely get the word sorry out of his mouth. Clinton will say it more easily but less believably.

Clinton can get out of this current problem by doing two things. First, explain coherently and believably why she set up the server. Then come clean on why she deleted 33,000 emails. She wont, because she either cant reveal the truth or cant utter it.

Its not the end of the world

I still believe the republic will survive either candidate. It doesnt matter who wins. The problem is not their policies and flip-flops. I dont care about those. I have always argued that character is more important than policy.

The presidents policies are unimportant because the most important things he or she will face will be totally unexpected. There will be mere hours in which to make decisions with no policy paper to rely on.

That is why character matters more than policies. At the crucial moments in history, a president can only go deep within himself to find the path and the courage to take it. The president may make a mistake, but if there is no depth, he will always fail.

I have studied each of these candidates. I think neither has the depth to govern. They are each shallow in different ways. But the United States will survive either one.

I respect anyone who deeply believes in either candidate. I have no interest in persuading anyone of my nihilistic view.

Watch George Friedman's Ground-breaking Documentary, Crisis & Chaos: Are We Moving Toward World War III?

Russian adventurism. An ailing EU. Devastation in the Middle East. These are just three symptoms of a systemic instability engulfing a region thats home to 5 billion of the planets 7 billion people.

In this provocative documentary from Mauldin Economics and Geopolitical Futures, George Friedman uncovers the crises convulsing Europe, the Middle East, and Asia and reveals the geopolitical chess moves that could trigger global conflict. Register to watch the documentary now.

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US Election 2016 - Small-town America Will Decide the Fate of Everyone

One congressional district in a state that nobody pays attention to could find itself at the center of American politics. That districts single electoral vote could spell the difference between a razor-thin win and a tie. Seriously.

Maine is one of just two states that apportion electoral votes by congressional district and not by the total state count. The state has four total votes. Two go to the statewide winner, and one each goes to the winners in the two congressional districts.

District 1 along the coast is firmly Democratic. And as of now, District 2 had been in the Clinton tally too. But what almost no one is talking about is that for Trump to get to 270 electoral votes, he has to carry Maines 2nd congressional district (CD 2), which has exactly one electoral vote.

As you can see on the map below (in the upper circle beside Maine), ME2 is now red. This gives Trump the one vote he needs for a win.

Election polls are not very helpful

If you look at the polls since early September, they are all over the place, from Trump up big to Clinton with a solid majority. The most recent poll shows Clinton with a two-point advantage, but when averaged with another poll, Trump has an advantage of 0.5%. And thats with Gary Johnson getting 7% and Jill Stein getting 2.5%.

The Democratic candidate for president has won in Maine CD 2 in every presidential race since 1992. The district had a Democratic congressman from 1995 to 2014. Then the Republican candidate, small businessman Bruce Poloquin, was able to win the district with 47% of the vote.

This is because an independent candidate took enough votes to keep the Democrat from winning.

Campaign spending in Maine breaks all records

Spending on this race has shattered previous records. Both parties recognize the significance of this one little district. Seventy-five members of Congress have dipped into their own funds to support the candidates. Additional money has come in from party-affiliated organizations and outside political action committees.

This amount of spending and attention on the district means that the outcome in Maine CD 2 (as it will be called on election night on all the networks if it becomes important) is truly unpredictable. If Maine CD 2, with its one electoral vote, flips back to Clinton and Trump wins Florida, then we could end up in an Electoral College tie.

That would send the decision to the House of Representatives. Wouldnt that be fun?

What will small-town America decide?

The district itself is enormous. It is the largest congressional district east of the Mississippi. Much of it is moose country, sparsely populated. It is one of the poorest regions in the nation. Here is a map of the district.

Maine CD 2 is typical small-town America. It comprises nearly 80% of the state's total land area, and 72% of it is rural. It is almost 96% Caucasian. There is 10% unemployment and a college graduate composition of about 20%. The median family income is 20% lower than the US average.

This district is the battleground of frustrated America. The paper mills and other industries have been closing down, as are the solid union jobs. Its a hard-knock life for many of the residents.

So I think its fitting that this one small district has the potential to determine the future of our country. I readily admit that its not the America I live in, but it fits the image that many of us hold in our minds when we think of America. Not the beat of the city, but the pulse of the country.

All eyes will likely be on Maine tonight.

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The Metropol Theatre (also known as Abdelmonein Madbouly Theatre) is the home of The National Children's Theatre

Cairos Metropol theatre reopened its doors to the public on 8 November after months of renovations.

Also known as Abdelmonein Madbouly Theatre, the edifice is the home of The National Children Theatre which operates under the Artistic Theatre House.

Hassan Youssef, director of the National Children's Theatre, told Ahram Online that the theatre has been closed for renovations since March. He had previously stated in a press release that it has been operating experimentally for the past three months.

During this soft opening period, the theatre hosted plays during the Cairo Experimental Theatre Festival which ran between 20 and 30 September.

According to Youssef, the evening honoured several seasoned names in childrens theatre, including the first director of National Children's Theatre Mahmoud El-Alfy, as well as Mohamed Abdel Moaty, Hussein Hamed, Sayed Gabr, Hamdy El-Araby, Mahmoud Abdel Ghaffar, Nasser Abdel Hafez, and the late Sayed Abdel Rahman.

The opening also acknowledged a number of artists who have been awarded in international and regional festivals, including Sameh Yousry, Einas Noow, Mahmoud Hassan, among others.

Director Khaled Galal, head of the Culture Ministry's Division of Cultural Production, and director Ismail Mokhtar, head of the Artistic Theatre House, in addition to directors of the National Theatre troupes and a number of figures in the theatre scene will also be represented at the opening.

A performance by young participants in a workshop held by the National Children's Theatre was performed on stage as part of the celebration.

Director and critic Amr Dawara thinks it is impossible to talk about the theatre -- the body -- without mentioning the National Children Theatre -- the soul.

Established in 1982, The National Children's Theatre troupe aims to target children of different age groups and provide a space for creativity, and social development through drama, and aims to be a model for childrens theatre in schools, culture palaces for example.

It presents works in three branches -- theatre by professionals for children, theatre performed by children, and storytelling plays for younger children.

Situated on Halim street in El-Darb El-Ahmar neighbourhood, The Metropol theatre itself witnessed many changes and has housed important theatrical works.

Dawara gave Ahram Online a timeline of the theatres most important moments throughout the years.

The space used to be a cinema under the same name, until in 1959 Ahmed Orabi, [then occupying the role of Artist's Delegate/Deputy] changed it into a theatre, Dawara says.

In 1960, the renowed Reda Troupe was performing there, as well as comedian Shekoko who performed monologues and the Aragoz (clown) performance. It also welcomed on its floors a new troupe called Saaa Le Albak, which originally performed on radio with Fouad El-Mohandes.

The theatre was renovated in 1968 which allowed it to expand as the stage was deepened and more chairs were added to the hall to host 760 audience members.

From then until 1978, the theatre continued to host a number of important actors and performances, including El-Meallem troupe which featured the well-known actors Mahmoud El-Saadany and Mohamed Reda, Sanaa Gameel and Abdelsalam Mazhar as well as others. The stage also hosted El-Masraheya troupe of Amir El-Heneidy, and El-Nahar troupe of the renowned actor Mohamed Nouh.

Metropol Theatre afterwards became a national theatre, and in 1982 became the residence of The National Children's Theatre.

It was closed for a few years between 1986 and the late 1990s, and has since been operating until last March when the latest round of renovations closed it for nearly another six months.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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MARTINSVILLE-When the Patriot Players present Mary Poppins: The Musical, dont keep your eyes on the stage or you might miss something.

Instead, be sure to look up.

Actors will perform several aerial stunts, also called flying, high above the floor.

Jason Whicker, an aerial director with On the Fly Productions, has been training Patriot Players performers and crew how to perform flying on stage, in preparation for Mary Poppins, which opens on Nov. 25.

On the Fly Productions is based in Indianapolis, Indiana, and St. Louis, Missouri. Whicker described his role as overseeing the conceptual idea of what the flying could be when a performance needs something in the air with human bodies.

The first step is to plan the choreography of the flying. I work with the artistic director  in this case, Devin Pendleton  to realize his visions, he said.

Next, he determines which type of equipment is needed to carry out the stunts. Whicker, a certified rigger, installs the equipment. He trains the crew how to take it down, so that it may be shipped back to On the Fly after the show.

Finally, I train everyone how to do it (the flying choreography) properly, operators and performers, he said.

He arrived in Martinsville Thursday night to start training on Friday morning. By Sunday, the whole cast joined in. Also on Sunday, he gave a free workshop and flew the cast members, and some of the mothers of cast members, he said.

We get Mary Poppins flying away and in with her umbrella, the very iconic thing we all know and love in the movie, he said. We get Bert (Pendleton) to do a fun flying moment.

On Monday, he finished the last equipment that Mary Poppins (Lauren Mixter) flies on. It was a bit of a fun puzzle to figure out, he said.

I have a bit of fear of heights, Mixter said, but its so cool to be high up in the air. It gives you a whole different perspective of the stage, too, which is so great as a performer.

The stunts all depend on the actors wearing a harness which is attached to cables. The movement is controlled by the cables. Out-of-sight operators work the cables to lift the actors above the stage.

Mary Poppins uses three different aerial systems, Track, VIP and Hong Long. There are hundreds of types of systems that could be used, Whicker said.

The Hong Kong method was used in movies made in Hong Kong, Whicker said. The flying movement is created by three or four men who walk on the catwalk above the stage, unseen by the audience. The actress wears a harness which is connected to a cable that runs to the men above. The way they walk determines what her flying looks like.

A Track system allows you to independently go up and down, he said. One (crew member) controls the lift, and one controls the travel.

The VIP system is a system of ropes and wires that allow us to pull her into the air at different places on stage, he said.

Whicker said he performs his services at about 40 locations around the world each year.

The most common shows for which he provides his services are Peter Pan, Wizard of Oz, Beauty and the Beast and Mary Poppins, he said. He also set up the Tarzan crew and cast for that Patriot Players show, which ran in April.

He has worked with Cirque du Soleil, Royal Caribbean and Cedar Point Amusement Park, as well as The SpongeBob Musical, which is about to make its debut on Broadway.

Of all he does, he most enjoys working with community theaters, he said. Theres so much love and attention and appreciation from them, as opposed to Broadway, where he finds a lot of ego and the attitude involved with it.

He started flying as a performer 15 years ago and became interested in the behind-the-scenes mechanics of it, he said. Once in the industry, I created a lot of the standards some of the other companies use. I created choreography and safety methods.

When he arrives to set up flying methods, actors are usually bubbly and excited about it, he said. Sometimes they are afraid, depending on how much they are afraid of heights.

The Patriot Players crew to the air as ducks take to water, he said. The challenges in Martinsville came from rigging this space. Some parts of the building are old, (which creates) unknown factors. I have to compensate to make sure its 100 percent safe.

The biggest misconception people have about aerial stunts is that they are dangerous, he said. A lot of steps are taken to keep it completely safe.

Jason is such a great teacher, and hes made this experience so amazing for all of us, Mixter said. I really think the audience is going to be blown away by all the stunts, and just the magic of it all.

Mary Poppins: The Musical will run Nov. 25 through Dec. 4 in the Walker Auditorium of Patrick Henry Community College.

Holly Kozelsky reports for the Martinsville Bulletin. She can be reached at holly.kozelsky@martinsvillebulletin.com
Around 5:10 p.m., a masked man walked into the LoanMax Title Loans business on Memorial Boulevard and pulled out a handgun. He demanded money, local law enforcement officials say. Witnesses at the scene say they couldnt get a look at any description of the mans face. He not only wore a mask, but witnesses also told police he was wearing a black hoodie and gray jogging pants. They were able to describe one identifying mark, the fact that he wore orange Nike shoes. Also, witnesses said the man was skinny and was around 6 ft. tall. Deputies were also able to identify what they believe is a possible getaway vehicle, a blueish gray Nissan Altima.
The forum will hold its first meeting on Wednesday in Shenzhen, China

UNESCO has established a high level forum on museums, in keeping with the body's 2015 recommendations concerning the protection and promotion of museums and collections, their diversity and their role in society.

The forum's inaugural meeting will take place in Shenzhen, China from 9 to 12 November 2016, according to a UNESCO press release.

The event is co-organized with the National Commission of Peoples Republic of China to UNESCO, Shenzhen Municipality, Zhi Zhen Art Museum and the State Administration for Cultural Heritage (SACH) of China.

Egypt's Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany travelled on Wednesday to attend the forum where he will deliver a speech on the role of Egyptian museums in protecting national heritage and raising cultural awareness.

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova will also attend the forum long with top Chinese officials and general directors of museums worldwide.

The forum will discuss issues concerning museums all over the globe, the press release stated, particularly as in the past 40 years the number of museums in the world has more than doubled.

Recognizing that museums play important social, educational and economic roles, Yasmin El-Shazly, General Supervisor of the International Organizations Department at the Ministry of Antiquities said that the Forums international panelists will discuss new museum sector trends and public policies.

Panelists will also discuss the protection of cultural property and collections, ethical and technological standards in museums, and how to better engage and benefit communities.

The implementation of UNESCO's 2015 recommendations will also be discussed, along with ways to boost international cooperation between museums.



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MARTINSVILLE  Kathy Lawson, Sharon Brooks Hodge and Chad Martin were the winners in the City Council race Tuesday night.

Receiving 3,376 votes, Lawson, a former Martinsville mayor making her first bid for public office in six years, placed first among the six candidates running for three council seats up for grabs. Sharon Brooks Hodge, the lone incumbent in the race, will receive a second term on the council, having placed second with 2,472 votes. Martin, a political newcomer who placed third with 2,296 votes, also was elected, unofficial election results show.

Uptown business owner Joe Martin came in fourth with 2,144 votes. Ural Harris, who is retired and frequently speaks during public comment periods at city council meetings, came in fifth with 1,170 votes. Efigenia Cuenca Mota, also the owner of an uptown business, received 1,025 votes, the unofficial results show.

The results will not be certified as official until after the Martinsville Electoral Board conducts a canvass this morning.

Hodge said that to her understanding, after the new members take their oaths of office in January, the council will have its first African-American majority, as well as its first female majority, ever.

Nobody can now call the city council a good ole boys network, she said.

Lawson and Chad Martin will join Hodge, Gene Teague and Jennifer Bowles, who currently is vice mayor, on the council.

Hodge, Martin and Bowles will be the African-American members. Hodge, Lawson and Bowles will be the female members.

Council members Mark Stroud and Danny Turner, who currently is mayor, did not seek re-election.

Lawson, 62, manages the personal lines department for insurance firm Burch-Hodges-Stone Inc. She served on the council from 2006 to 2010 and was mayor during the latter two years of her term. After unsuccessfully running for re-election in 2010, she attributed her defeat to the popularity of Kim Adkins, who won that years election and served as mayor during her entire four years on the council.

Tears filled Lawsons eyes as she stood in the city circuit court clerks office Tuesday night, watching as election results were called in by poll workers. She was optimistic that she would win, but the results surprised her.

I didnt think Id be the top vote-getter, Lawson said.

To be out of the public sector for six years and have the opportunity to come back is very humbling, she said.

She attributed her victory largely to going door-to-door to talk with voters. She also said she believes that she did well while participating in candidate forums and convinced voters that she has their best interests at heart.

I just have to thank the good people of the city of Martinsville, Lawson said. In addition, she credited supporters who helped her with campaigning and making door-to-door visits.

Martin, 37, was totally surprised by his victory.

Wow! he said repeatedly while looking stunned during an interview after the results came in. He admitted that he had been driving around and thinking about concession remarks that he thought he would be making today.

He did not fully comprehend winning a council seat, he said, until after Teague contacted him on Facebook to congratulate him and the media began calling him for interviews.

I had a small piece of hope that he would win, Martin continued, adding that his victory is so surreal to me right now.

Martin said he credits God first and foremost for his win. He then said that he believes people in Martinsville are ready for a change (in leadership). Theyre tired of the politics of politics.

A former teacher, Martin now is the teen director for the Boys & Girls Club in Danville. He also volunteers in the community, and he believes that people realize how much he cares for Martinsville-Henry County.

To realize that people see what you do and appreciate it means a lot, he said.

Hodge, 56, is a self-employed corporate communications consultant and executive director for an Ohio-based nonprofit organization. She said she thinks her victory is due much to progress that she and other council members have helped Martinsville to achieve in the past four years, such as with small business development and appointing new school board members who hired a new superintendent who they believe can get the schools fully accredited under the state Standards of Learning.

She emphasized, however, that one person cannot accomplish anything without help from others on the council.

Mentioning that revenues from Martinsvilles sales and meals taxes have increased, Hodge said she thinks the city needs to focus on trying to attract new stores and restaurants to generate even more money. She also believes the city should strive to revitalize more properties to boost their values which, in turn, will lead to more tax money.

Hodge and Martin both mentioned that Tuesdays council race was close. In campaigning, Hodge observed, all of the candidates focused heavily on the same things  economic development and educational needs.

Starting to weep during his interview, Martin indicated that he thinks the three candidates who did not win council seats also could have been good council members.

Im so sorry they didnt win, he said. It takes a certain level of courage to step out there and want to serve the public.

Voter turnout in Martinsville was 66 percent.

More coverage of Tuesdays council election will appear in the Martinsville Bulletin on Thursday.

Mickey Powell reports for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at mickey.powell@martinsvillebulletin.com.
It was a long and interesting weekend.

Last Thursday, I joined forces with my dad and my uncles Bill and Captain Joe, and the four of us flew from Greensboro, N.C. to Tyler, Texas.

My Uncle Jim and Aunt Glenda, who are longtime Texans, have now become Virginians. It was our job to load up a U-Haul with all their worldly possessions and drive said U-Haul from East Texas to Martinsville (In fairness, Captain Joe did all the U-Haul driving while my dad and I followed in Jims pick-up, because Joe made the mistake of mentioning early on that he has a Commercial Drivers License).

I was nervous about the trip, but it honestly could not have gone any better. There were no mechanical failures, no moving-related injuries, and not even much traffic around Atlanta, which is a miracle in and of itself.

And even though I spent about 15 hours riding down the road, it wasnt boring, either, because I received the gift of Sizemore Family Stories.

I dont know what kind of stories normal families share with each other. I assume they tell stories about Mee-Maws famous sweet potato pie, or the time Gramps won the bowling tournament, or the time that Pops dressed up as Santa Claus to the delight of the neighborhood children.

Sizemore family stories arent quite like that. They are epic tall tales resembling a combination of a Babylonian creation myth and a Popeye cartoon.

In Sizemore family stories, most of which are set in the 1960s and 1970s, people act like lunatics to get a rise out of the normals and men perform awe-inspiring feats of strength, and anyone who stands against the family runs the risk of being obliterated. Every central player in a Sizemore family story is basically a genetic combination of Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase and Bill Murray in Caddyshack.

Even so, the characters in the stories fall into certain archetypes. My dad is usually the everyman, a victim of circumstance swept up into some sort of chaos. Uncle Bill is the sheer force of will, a Herculean figure who appears and quickly performs an insane feat of strength. And in nearly every story, my late Uncle Chuck appears as the capering Trickster who destroys conventional reality and replaces it with something bizarre and new.

Some of the stories I had heard before the trip, but many I had never heard before. I heard a story about Uncle Bill riding the hood of his old Ford LTD II like a giant bug while Uncle Chuck steered, then sailing overtop of a three-foot rock wall when Chuck slammed the brakes. I heard stories about Sizemores appearing at parties and bars and clubs and simultaneously terrifying and delighting all in attendance. I heard not one, not two, but three separate stories involving Sizemores pulling people through the drivers side windows of their cars to prove a point.

And I heard plenty of stories that I probably shouldnt commit to print, because I dont know enough about the statute of limitations.

Depending on who was telling the story, subtle variations would appear. In one telling, someone might flip a car onto its roof and push it into a lake. In another version, they didnt actually push the car into the lake, just next to the lake. In a third version, they didnt actually flip the car, but they did move it slightly, which is still pretty impressive considering that this was in 1970 when cars weighed 5,000 pounds.

The one thread that runs through all of these stories is that, no matter what, the family stuck together. Sure, people might get thrown off of cars occasionally, or get insulted hilariously and relentlessly, or have the tree that theyre hiding in get chopped down while theyre still in it, but at the end of the day, everyone cared about each other deeply.

Maybe theres a lesson there.

But the more immediate lesson, for me anyway, is that I have a whole lot more crazy stuff to do so that future generations will be able to remain entertained during a 16-hour car ride.

Ben Williams writes for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at benjamin.williams@martinsvillebulletin.com
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SPRINGFIELD -- Blanca Tosado greets voters with her father State Rep. Jose Tosado during election day Nov. 8.

(Elizabeth Roman / The Republican)

BOSTON -- Blanca Tosado may have moved to Boston, but she finds herself back in her native Springfield often. Yesterday, she spent the day at the polls with her father Jose Tosado, who was re-elected as the state representative from the 9th Hampden District.

Blanca Tosado

"I always come back for elections," she said while waving at voters at the Boys & Girls Club on Carew Street in Springfield.

Tosado, who is the head administrative assistant to the executive director of the state's Supreme Judicial Court, Carol Lev, was recently appointed to Boston's Residency Compliance Commission. The commission ensures that municipal employees are in compliance with residency requirements, which have been recently streamlined.

"Since the inaugural meeting, we have been discussing the goal of standardizing procedures, processes and forms in order to ensure fairness and equality across the board," said Tosado.

Comparing the residency issue in Springfield to Boston, Tosado said she can understand the importance of balancing residency requirements for municipal employees with the best interests of the city.

"Much has happened in Springfield recently with regards to the administration of the Springfield Fire Department (and the residency requirement issue). Both sides have made valid arguments with respect to the balance between finding the most qualified candidates vs. how realistic it is to find them within the city limits," Tosado said.

A graduate of Cathedral High School and Our Lady of the Elms College, Tosado said she is looking forward to serving on the commission.
AMHERST -- The New Salem brothers charged in connection with the Oct. 15 shooting death of 31-year-old Jose "Joselito" Rodriguez are still in Arizona awaiting extradition to Massachusetts.

Soknang Chham, 33, and Soksot Chham, 35, waived extradition in an Arizona court Oct. 28 but remain at the Coconino County Detention Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. Neither jail officials or the Northwestern district attorney's office are certain when they will be returning to Massachusetts for arraignment.

Soknang Chham is charged with one count of murder and one count of armed assault with intent to murder. His brother is facing a charge of being an accessory to murder after the fact.

A 28-year-old man was shot multiple times in the same Oct. 15 incident at Southpoint Townhouses & Apartments. He was treated at UMass Medical Center in Worcester and eventually released, authorities have said. His name has not been released.

The arrests came after investigators learned the duo had left Massachusetts on a bus bound for Phoenix, according to Mary Carey, spokeswoman for the Northwestern district attorney's office.

Friends of Rodriguez said the brothers used to drink with them, although they did not know their names. One friend said he used to see them around town.

Police have not revealed a motive in the shooting and all records have been impounded pending a Grand Jury investigation. Citing a statement from the U.S. Marshal Service, the Associated Press reported previously that investigators had information suggesting the victim had "laughed" at one of the brothers.

A GoFundMe page was created to help pay for Rodriguez's funeral costs. So far, $9,877 has been raised toward the $12,000 goal. His funeral was Oct. 25.
A 39-year-old Connecticut man was arrested Tuesday in connection with a lenthy investigation into the sharing of child pornography over the internet, Connecticut State Police said.

Brian A. Lasalle

Brian A. Lasalle of Jewett City, was charged with illegal possession of child pornography.

State police detectives began investigating Lesalle in December after tracing child pornography files that had been traded on the internet to internet account assigned to Lasalle's residence.

Detectives obtained a search warrant in March and seized computers from his residence. A review of the computers found files containing child pornography and Lasalle was arrested.

He was ordered held on $50,000 bond and he is due in Norwich Superior Court on Nov. 17.
SPRINGFIELD -- Hampden Superior Court Judge Edward J. McDonough ruled Wednesday the prosecution can present testimony from two doctors about shaken baby syndrome at the murder trial of Luis Prosper, of Holyoke.

The trial is scheduled for Jan. 3 in the case prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jane Mulqueen.

Prosper, 29, in August 2014 denied a charge of murder related to the August 2011 death of a 19-month-old baby in a Holyoke apartment. He also denied two charges of assault and battery on a child with substantial injury.

Defense lawyer Alan J. Black had filed a motion saying two doctors to be called by the prosecution should not be allowed to testify about aspects of shaken baby syndrome.

McDonough, in denying Black's motion, said after the doctors testified at a hearing on Black's motion he determined the scientific and other criteria for their testimony to be allowed at trial were met.

According to documents filed in the District Court when Prosper was arraigned there, he was at the time the boyfriend of the little girl's mother.

Police said the death of Jaliyah Silva was a case of shaken baby syndrome.

Shortly before Prosper's District Court arraignment, the state medical examiner's office notified the Hampden District Attorney's Office that its final finding was that Silva's death was caused by "shaking injuries of the head and neck."

According to a narrative in court documents by Holyoke Police Officer John F. Sevigne Jr., Deanne Morrissette, the baby's mother, said at the time that she had spent the afternoon of Aug. 7, 2011 swimming at a local pond with her two children, Prosper and several friends. They returned to her home at 93 Jackson St., third floor right, at about 6 p.m., Sevigne's narrative said.

While in the shower, she heard screaming and opened the shower curtain to see Prosper holding Jaliyah in his arms. The child wasn't moving. Morrissette tried to revive the child with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and told Prosper to call 911, Sevigne's narrative said.

In his statement to police, Prosper said that while Morrissette was in the shower, he heard Jaliyah make "gargling" noises. He gave her a sippy cup both times. The second time, the noise was more "profound," Sevigne's narrative said.

"Thinking she was choking, he picked her up and patted her on the back. He then related Jaliyah began 'changing colors and going limp,' " Sevigne's narrative stated.

Prosper patted Jaliyah on the back and "red nasty stuff" was coming from her mouth. He took the baby into the bathroom because Morrissette knew CPR, Sevigne's narrative said.

Jaliyah was eating normally and otherwise active earlier that day, according to Morrissette, Prosper and another witness, Sevigne's narrative stated.
SPRINGFIELD --City councilors announced a proposed ordinance on Wednesday that calls for bringing back a citizen Police Commission in Springfield, but it may not take effect until 2019 when the current commissioner's contract expires.

The proposed five-member Police Commission was abolished in 2005 by the former state-appointed Finance Control Board. The control board instead hired a single commissioner to oversee hiring, firing and disciplinary matters, along with the day-to-day duties that were handled in the past by a police chief.

City Council President Michael Fenton said that the Police Commission "will bring transparency and fairness," serving to deal with issues of police oversight and discipline.

The proposal resurfaces after recent news involving allegations of police misconduct in Springfield, and questions if the discipline has been sufficient. It was unveiled at a press conference at City Hall.

Under the current system, Police Commissioner John Barbieri decides discipline, and sometimes receives recommendations from a Community Police Hearing Board (CPHB).

"This is not a vote of no confidence in Commissioner Barbieri," Fenton said. "This is about creating better systems for oversight, which have failed the public recently. We've been working at this for years, it's called leadership."

The 13-member council is scheduled to consider the Police Commission proposal at its next meeting on Monday, for first step approval. The meeting starts at 7 p.m., at City Hall. and the council could consider final approval at its next meeting, Fenton said.

The ordinance is sponsored by himself and nine other councilors, making it veto-proof if the mayor vetoes the legislation, Fenton said.

Barbieri's current contract does not expire until May 31, 2019, and thus could block the ordinance from taking effect until that date, Fenton said. The ordinance states the change to the commission will take effect "on the earlier of May 31, 2019, or upon termination of the employment agreement by and between the City of Springfield Massachusetts and John Barbieri, dated April 1, 2014."

The new commission would make rules for the Police Department "including the regulation, government and discipline of such members and employees," under the ordinance, as well as hiring and promotions, Fenton said. Members of the commission will be appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the council. In the past, commissioners were appointed by the mayor without council confirmation.

Under the ordinance, Springfield would return to a police chief under Civil Service guidelines, with the chief having day-to-day department management.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, who appointed Barbieri, has defended the commissioner, the Police Department and the current CPHB system.

Fenton cited recent news of alleged police misconduct including a case where a detective, Gregg Bigda was caught on surveillance footage threatening the lives of two young car theft suspects and threatening to plant drug evidence on them.

Some councilors have questioned why Bigda was not fired by Barbieri, instead receiving a 60-day suspension. Barbieri said he in part relied on advice from the Law Department, which he says concluded that a firing would likely be overturned on appeal.

In an unrelated incident coming to light at the same time, off-duty officers are accused of beating a man in an early morning incident outside Nathan Bill's restaurant.

"It was only a matter of time before the inherent flaws in the CPHB system exposed the City to danger, and that time has now come," Fenton said. "Recent changes made by the Mayor to his Executive Order regarding CPHB completely strip the body of its ability to make recommendations as to the extent of discipline. The CPHB that was once said to have no teeth, well today it doesn't even have a mouth."

"As a community we should all rally behind this call for reform to preserve the good name of the Springfield Police Department. It is my true and sincere hope that the Mayor and others will join us in this effort."

Councilors sponsoring the ordinance are: Justin Hurst, Kateri Walsh, Bud L. Williams, Adam Gomez, Melvin Edwards, E. Henry Twiggs, Marcus Williams, Timothy Allen, vice-president Orlando Ramos, and Fenton.

Several councilors joined Fenton at Wednesday's press conference in saying the return of the Police Commission would help bring transparency and accountability to the department. They were joined in supporting the ordinance by state Rep. Jose F. Tosado and Urban League president Henry Thomas in praising the planned return of the civilian commission, with both Thomas and Tosado being past Police Commission members.

Those sponsors also spoke of their support for the Police Department, but their belief that a better system was needed for oversight.

There were multiple council proposals to restore the Police Commission over the past eight years, most recently in 2014, Fenton said. A five-year contract awarded to Barbieri by Sarno in 2014 brought an end to the that commission proposal, he said.

The CPHB system in place was "one that was designed to fail from its inception," Fenton said.

Councilors Thomas Ashe and Timothy Rooke oppose the ordinance, and Councilor Kenneth E. Shea said he does not support it now but will discuss the law with proponents.

Rooke said that if there is "any lesson we have learned from the most recent presidential election, it is that we should have less bureaucracy and more accountability. The old ways are no longer the best ways to govern."

Hurst, in support of the ordinance, said he personally feels the call for a Police Commission "is an indictment of Commissioner Barbieri. He repeated an earlier comment that he believes in the aftermath of the Bigda suspension, he believes Barbieri should be stripped of his disciplinary powers.

Ramos said the creation of a Police Commission is "a good first step in helping us build trust and repair the relationship between our community and our law enforcement officers." He said for him, it's about "fixing the system that has broken for awhile."

Bud Williams, in supporting the return of the commission, said he feels the people have "lost faith and confidence in the review board, and what we need to begin is a healing process because this city is really divided."

Walsh said that police have a very dangerous job, but she believes the return of a commission "will make for better relationships within the community which will help them in their job." She said there has never been a lack of good people to serve on such a citizen committee.

Tosado said he served for four years as vice-chairman of the former Police Commission.

"It's not a perfect system, it's not a panacea, but it is certainly a much better system than we currently have," Tosado said.

It provides accountability, transparency and provides an outlet for citizens and police officers, he said.

Thomas, who served for six years on the commission including past chairman, said the commission it is a matter of adding "transparency and teeth"
Democratic State Sen. Eric Lesser is headed back to Beacon Hill in January, defeating Republican challenger James "Chip" Harrington in the First Hampden and Hampshire District.

Lesser declared victory shortly before 9:30 p.m., after Harrington called to concede the race. Both candidates congratulated each other on a well-run campaign, Lesser said to a crowd of cheering supporters at Central Square Grill in East Longmeadow.

Lesser, a freshman senator from Longmeadow and former White House aide to President Barack Obama, won reelection in a rematch against Harrington, a Ludlow convenience store owner, part-time police officer and school board member.

In a victory speech, he thanked his campaign team and volunteers while pledging to keep fighting for the cornerstone issues of his campaign: economic development in Western Massachusetts, high speed rail between Springfield and Boston and ending the opioid addiction crisis.

"I will give you this promise," Lesser said. "We can never promise specific things or specific outcomes, but what I can promise is every single day when we take that drive down the Mass Pike -- which eventually will be a train -- we'll be fighting for all of our families here in Western Massachusetts and for expanding and creating that dream and that hope and that optimism for everyone here."

Harrington, a former Democrat, had challenged Lesser in the Democratic primary in 2014. Harrington joined the Republican party this year, citing his fiscal conservatism and support of gun rights.

"I hope to see that he continues advocating really strongly for this district," Harrington said in an interview. "I like Eric personally. I could never say anything negative about Eric at all. I do have some criticism about the votes he takes. I'd like to see it be more business friendly, to take care of the some of the small business owners in this area...I'd like to see him move to a bit of a more responsible manner for the taxpayers in this area."

Harrington said he recognized he was running an underdog campaign, and that he now plans to return to a normal schedule and finish out his tenure on the Ludlow School Committee.



His name could appear on the ballot again in two years.



"You never say never in this business," Harrington said of another run for the seat. "I'm only 48, so I've got a lot of fight left in me."

In his campaign, Lesser touted his record on supporting manufacturing in Western Mass., sponsoring measures to combat the opioid addiction crisis and advocating for the construction of a higher-speed rail line between Springfield and Boston.

In the last weeks of the campaign he trotted out an array of high-profile Democrats at his campaign rallies, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and was endorsed by Obama, his former boss in the West Wing.

Harrington's campaign relied heavily on the endorsement and fundraising support of Gov. Charlie Baker, who appeared at multiple campaign events for Harrington. Harrington described himself as a "Charlie Baker Republican," saying he supported the governor's socially moderate vision of the GOP.

Harrington also advocated for increased public safety funding for cities in Western Mass. and positioned himself as a local working man while criticizing Lesser as a political careerist who drew much of his funding from out-of-state.

But his efforts did not succeed in unseating Lesser, who promised to continue working for Western Mass if reelected.

Lesser cited his support of funding for advanced manufacturing training in the region, and said he would fight to bring the benefits of the economic recovery to his district. He touted his sponsorship of a bulk purchasing program that cut costs of the anti-overdose drug Narcan for first responders, and said he would work to curb over-prescription of narcotics in his next term.

And he promised to revive his proposed feasibility study of a new passenger rail line between Springfield and Boston, which was vetoed by Baker during budget season this year.

Lesser benefitted from a large fundraising and spending advantage over Harrington throughout the campaign, with strong local fundraising bases in Longmeadow, East Longmeadow and Springfield, as well as support from progressive groups, former Obama administration officials and business leaders in Washington, D.C. and San Francisco.

In 2014, Lesser won his seat in his first race for elected office, defeating Republican Debra Boronski. He narrowly beat Springfield City Councilor Tim Allen in the primary; Harrington placed third, with Ludlow Selectman Aaron Saunders fourth and Tom Lachiusa of Longmeadow fifth.

In their three debates this year, Harrington and Lesser delved into policy positions and also clashed over politics beyond Massachusetts' borders. Harrington repeatedly criticized Lesser's experience in Washington, D.C., saying he did not believe the district should be represented by a career politician. And Lesser criticized Harrington's use of Mass GOP campaign resources that we also shared with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who Harrington had disavowed.

The First Hampden and Hampshire District includes Ludlow, Belchertown, Granby, Hampden, Wilbraham, East Longemadow, Longmeadow, and parts of Springfield, and Chicopee.

Melissa Hanson contributed reporting to this story.
SPRINGFIELD -- Supporters of an East African advocacy group that has filed a "crimes against humanity" lawsuit against anti-homosexuality evangelist pastor Scott Lively gathered in front of the federal courthouse Wednesday morning

Dozens of supporters, including 16 Ugandans, some of whom traveled from their country to be present here today, demonstrated outside in advance of a hearing later this morning on the lawsuit.

The hearing concerns the Springfield pastor's request that a judge toss out the case.

"Scott Lively worked with my religious leaders and politicians to undermine our work and all our efforts to fight for our rights as LGBT persons in Uganda," said Frank Mugisha, executive director of SMUG, also known as "Sexual Minorities Uganda," the group which filed the lawsuit.

Members of the Stop the Hate and Homophobia Coalition, along with community members and a coalition of faith leaders from Massachusetts and New York, will also be present at the court for oral argument on motions for a summary judgment in SMUG vs. Lively.

Lively, who arrived the courthouse well before the start of the 11 a.m. hearing, said he believes he and his supporters are "in a very solid position. I am very optimistic that this frivolous lawsuit will be defeated today."

A number of Western Massachusetts residents participated in the demonstration outside the courthouse.

"He is spreading hate around the world and we really need to stop him," said Ellen Graves, a West Springfield resident and member of Stop the Hate and Homophobia Coalition.

A smaller number of pro-Lively supporters gathered as well.

"I am here to support Pastor Scott Lively," said John Maak of Ludlow. "I believe in a Judeo-Christian world view and a moral code. I do not believe in political correctness. I believe it's a secular moral code that is a modern phenomenon and I am here to stand against it."

SMUG is a non-profit lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender & intersex advocacy organization in Uganda. The group is being represented in the case by the Center for Constitutional Rights.

The lawsuit, filed in 2012, pertains to multiple visits Lively made to the country during which he likened homosexuality to a "disease" spread to children by Western sadists conspiring to "prey upon" the country's youth in presentations to high government officials in 2009 and 2012, according to Mother Jones.

Lively, who runs the church Redemption Gate Mission Society and owns the coffee shop Holy Grounds, both in Springfield, says he never advocated punishment of homosexuals, rather therapy.

But in other writings Lively specifically opined against empathy for homosexuals.

"Public sympathy for 'gays' as victims is not grounded in logic, but in emotion," Mother Jones quoted from a passage Lively penned. "An effective strategy is to emphasize the issue of homosexual recruitment of children."
Joseph Hirschel.jpg

SOUTH HADLEY - Massachusetts State Police say an elderly man reported missing has been found safe.

At around 2 p.m. Monday, police requested a Silver Alert for Joseph Hirschel, 73, of Camden Street. The alert was canceled at about 9 p.m. Tuesday.

In a tweet, state police thanked the public for its assistance.
WORCESTER -- The city of Worcester, like the rest of the nation, is still processing the surprise victory of Republican Donald Trump in the presidential race against Hillary Clinton.

Overall, Clinton took about 61 percent of the state vote, with 30 percent going to Trump and the remainder going to third-party and write-in candidates. In Worcester County, Clinton led Trump by 10 percentage points.

Suffice to say, Massachusetts was never expected to go Trump, which makes a Clinton loss even more jarring for locals.

Over 42,534 people voted for Clinton in Worcester, compared to Trump's 17,634 votes. Third-party candidates took in nearly 3,400 votes. In Worcester, turnout was highest it has been in 40 years, when Gerald Ford lost to Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Despite the election fervor, many people approached to do a video segment were uncomfortable speaking about the election.

In Head Quarters Barbershop, located on 14 Portland St., debate was erupting as customers sat down to get their cuts.

"We need to stand up, protest, and stand for what we believe in," one customer said.

Jahaira Gomez, 35, who works in Head Quarters, worries that a Trump presidency would threaten free speech. For her, election 2016 was an opportunity for American's to set the country on a more free, inclusive path for the future, but that the opportunity has been wasted on Trump.

"Who I feel the most for is the third-world countries that have no voice, while we have a voice here in America and that was not heard," Gomez said.

Noah Kane, 20, said that now was the time for people to come together and unify against divisive language.

"All we can do in this current situation is love everybody that we can and keep putting that light out into the world," Kane said.

Meanwhile, Osbourne Dokyi, 46, said people should accept the results and wait to see how Trump behaves as commander-in-chief, before jumping to conclusions.

"Since he's now the new president, I would say that he has to take care of everyone," Dokyi said.
Big decisions happen on a given day. Although big decisions do not happen every day, we know the big decision or event days when they come. Tomorrow is Election Day in the United States of America, and it is a big day. More than Election Day itself is the coming day after. Tomorrow sets a new stage.

By Jon Mertz

Full Story: https://www.thindifference.com/2016/11/coming-day/

***

Well, the election is over, and now, as with all elections, it is time for all us of us to come together and support OUR president-elect as we move forward with four years of a Trump administration. Our respect for elections and our system of government is a huge part of why our country is, has been, and will continue to be, great.

Based on the campaign he ran and the life he has led to date, hes clearly not the best choice our country has ever made. However, as president, his story is as yet unwritten. Im a glass-half-full person (or try to be), so heres how Im hoping things play out:

First, the gravity of this election and the importance of the office of the President of the United States of America stirs a sudden and radical shift in his personality and brings about a level of statesmanship in him previously contrary to his entire being. It could happen, and I hope it does.

Second, he abandons virtually all of the vague policies he hinted at during the campaign and instead surrounds himself with smart, informed and responsible people who can serve as his policy brains and who can keep us on a path where we arent engaging in trade wars and destroying our foreign policy infrastructure as he has suggested.

Third, Congress exits their long slumber and starts taking an active role in running our country, serving as a check and balance and taking the wheel when it comes to most domestic and foreign policy.

And last, even though this last campaign made our jobs so much harder, its still on each of us as parents to do our best to raise our kids to have values that will serve our country well when its their turn to take things over from us. Even though we often fail in our own lives, we need to teach them right from wrong, to not lie, to respect and lift up others instead of tearing others down, to work hard, and to be good, thoughtful, and intellectually curious human beings.

The President of the United States is the most powerful person in the United States, but is still a very small part of the power of the United States. America is far greater than any one person or any one elected official. We may well have elected the least prepared and least fit for office President in our history, but well be fine. And in four years, may the cartels that decide who we get to choose from select two far better options. In the meantime, I hope both Trump and America thrive under his leadership.

Brad Bergum
Keith Blount is the Commander of NATO's Allied Maritime Command.

He is NATO's principal maritime adviser and has operational Command of NATO's Standing Naval Forces.

He joined the Royal Navy in 1984 as a helicopter pilot. He received his wings in 1986 and was a front line aviator at the age of 20. Through a varied flying career, he qualified as an instructor and flew in the Royal Navy Helicopter Display Team.
Students study at a private school in Beijing that caters to migrant workers' children on May 28, 2015. Photo: Visual China

Editor's note:

China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), banned for-profit schools from offering classes from the first through ninth grades earlier this week, pushing them to switch to a nonprofit status or shutdown. Lawmakers say the amendment to a 2008 education act will stop for-profit educators from "infringing on an area that should be the government's responsibility" and minimize inequality in China's education system. In China, all children are entitled to nine years of free, compulsory education, which includes six years of elementary school and three years of middle school.

The NPC's latest restrictions on private education will hit rural children, whose parents have migrated to cities, the hardest.

Data collected by the National Institute of Education Sciences (NIES) show that 12% to 13% of children currently in elementary or middle school attend private schools. Rural children  some left in the care of grandparents or relatives, and others who migrate with their parents to cities  account for more than half of these private school students. The rest are mostly students at expensive private schools in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Many migrant parents have no choice but to send their children to private schools. Public schools in large cities where they work have increasingly raised entry requirements for migrant children, but at the same time, public schools in their hometowns frequently suffer from poor standards and poor teacher-to-student ratios. Parents who are far away and unable to constantly supervise their children's education feel that private schools are more reliable.

Private schools attended by rural children are mostly funded by investors, not donors. Once these schools switch to a non-profit status, many investors will likely withdraw their support. Nonprofit private schools usually receive government subsidies, but these subsidies will make up for only a small portion of the total funding that schools could lose as private investment dries up.

Students paying middle fees at prestigious urban private schools will also be affected by the latest rules. More parents might choose to send their children abroad rather than pay for increasingly government-influenced private schools at home.

Private education in China has boomed in recent years because it can cater to needs that are underserved or left untouched by the rigid public school system.

In 2006, the government abolished school fees for public elementary and middle schools, which caused many private school students to return to public education. Before that, 2 out of 5 elementary and middle school students in the country were enrolled in a private school. This figure dropped to around 5% the year fees were axed, but has risen to 10% in the decade since.

While free education remains a big draw, there are still a significant number of parents who prefer private schools.

Ultimately, the new law will do little to reduce inequalities in China's education system. The difficulty of enforcing such a law will mean that most private education providers can continue to exploit loopholes in the rule and generate profits while officially appearing to be non-profit institutions.

At the moment, China lacks many of the mechanisms that support non-profit private education that exist in other countries, such as a tradition of individuals or non-governmental organizations making financial endowments to schools. The latest clampdown on for-profit schools will only result in superficial administrative changes. To reduce inequality, China needs to consider the real needs of students instead of policing an arbitrary distinction between "non-profit" and "for-profit" schools.

Chu Chaohui is a researcher at China's National Institute of Education Sciences.
Travelers take a puff inside a smoking room at the Chengdu Railway Station in the southwestern province of Sichuan on May 31. Photo: Visual China

(Beijing)  Anti-smoking activists are appealing to lawmakers in Shanghai to reconsider a draft law that would exempt some businesses and indoor venues from a citywide smoking ban  a law that they say would compromise anti-smoking efforts nationwide.

Legislators in the municipality are scheduled to convene for a third reading of a draft revision to the city's 2010 anti-smoking legislation later this month.

The action comes after lawmakers in September proposed allowing smokers to light up in indoor public areas under certain circumstances, or in a designated indoor smoking chamber.

The proposal is a major departure from an earlier draft in July, which opted for a comprehensive ban on smoking in indoor public spaces.

Lin Huabin, who is on the legislation subcommittee of the city's legislature, argued that this U-turn came about because some companies handling hazardous materials needed an indoor smoking chamber because their employees were unable to smoke outside.

By going soft on indoor smoking, Shanghai's legislature could be jeopardizing national efforts to curb the habit, which are already far behind a 2007 deadline set by the central government to ban indoor smoking in all public spaces under a World Health Organization (WHO) convention.

"We hope Shanghai will plug the hole in the anti-smoking legislature and it will not undermine anti-smoking efforts nationwide," said Liang Xiaofeng, a deputy head of the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention. "Otherwise, it will tarnish the city's image as an international metropolis as well as the reputation of its residents' having a higher awareness of public health."

The Chinese Association on Tobacco Control is organizing a national symposium on tobacco control in order to pressure legislators in Shanghai to reverse their decision, according to Song Chunyue, a campaign manager at the government-backed association.

"We've got to stop it because the third reading is also the last," Song said.

"Once it's done, there is nothing we can do about it."

China ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in January 2006 and should have imposed an across-the-board ban on indoor smoking and smoking on public transport, according to a follow-up document agreed upon by all signatories to the convention in 2007.

The apparent backpedaling by lawmakers in Shanghai is in stark contrast with a national trend developing since 2009 in which more than a dozen cities, including Yinchuan, capital of the northwestern region of Ningxia, and Changchun, the capital of Jilin province, imposed a total ban on indoor smoking.

Regulators in most of cities have opted for an across-the-board ban on smoking in indoor public spaces, or offered a grace period allowing indoor smoking rooms in some venues pending government approval for an outright ban.

The Chinese capital put in place local anti-smoking regulations in June 2015, the toughest seen in the country so far, to not only ban smoking in all indoor public spaces, but also at outdoor venues where people line up, such as bus stops.

To exempt smoking rooms from an indoor smoking ban will make enforcement more difficult, said Professor Xu Guihua of the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control, citing their research.

For one thing, he said a smoking ban is easier to enforce at Chinese airports by simply not providing smoking rooms for passengers.

At least 11 airports across China  including Beijing, Qingdao and Shenzhen  have closed their smoking rooms to enforce a total smoking ban.

Contact reporter Li Rongde (rongdeli@caixin.com); editor Calum Gordon (calum@caixin.com)
(Beijing)  Chinese authorities have issued a set of recommendations for proposed health care reforms on Tuesday that will ban public hospitals from marking up prices of drugs they prescribe  a controversial practice aimed at making up funding shortages.

Regulators will ease price controls on services such as consultations and in-patient care by allowing the public facilities to charge more for premium services they supply, according to a document released Tuesday by the State Council, China's cabinet.

The central authorities also promised in the document to roll out more funding for government-run medical facilities to help maintain the level of medical services at public hospitals.

Public discontent has been surging for years over soaring medical bills resulting from expensive medication and unnecessarily complicated examinations that patients are often forced to go through at public hospitals.

Amid mounting pressure, health authorities launched trial programs in 2009 to prevent public hospitals from marking up prescription drugs while allowing them to set prices on certain services.

Five public hospitals in the Chinese capital joined the pilot program in 2012 when they stopped imposing a 15% markup on prescription drugs, according to the Beijing News. The total money patients spent on drugs at these hospitals dropped by up to 30%, the Beijing News reported Tuesday, citing official statistics.

The document was given the seal of approval by the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reforms, a top policymaking body affiliated with the Communist Party.

Authorities are encouraging top public hospitals to reform their rigid hiring and remuneration systems to compete with private hospitals to offer attractive packages while recruiting medical professionals, according to the official document.

The government also stressed the need to enforce a requirement for patients to gain a doctor's referral before they visit specialists at top hospitals to allow the doctors to focus on caring for patients with severe illnesses.

The underlining issue plaguing the health care system is that the top-tier hospitals are often overwhelmed by patients with minor illnesses who should have instead visited community clinics for consultations or treatment, according to professor Liu Guoen at Peking University in Beijing.

A doctor's referral system will make specialists at large hospitals more accessible to patients in the broader community, Liu said. Authorities should devise incentives for patients to uphold the referral system, and impose penalties on them if they fail to comply, he said.

Contact reporter Li Rongde (rongdeli@caixin.com); editor Calum Gordon (calum@caixin.com)
(Shenzhen)  The Shenzhen backdoor listing plan of property developer China Evergrande Group hinges on whether it will back out of a heated contest for control of leading home builder China Vanke Co. Ltd. and instead support a firm owned by the Shenzhen government, according to a source close to the city government.

Under the plan released last month, Evergrande would inject almost all of its property assets and a range of other businesses into Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Real Estate & Properties (Shenzhen Real Estate). It would receive cash and stock in the Shenzhen-listed firm and become its controlling shareholder.

The Shenzhen government agreed to support the reverse merger on condition that Evergrande sell its holdings in Vanke to Shenzhen Metro Group Co., a state-owned subway operator handpicked by Vanke executives as a potential "white knight" to save Vanke from a hostile takeover, according to the source close to the government.

Evergrande  one of the country's largest property developers  first announced its investment in Vanke on Aug. 4, thrusting itself onto the stage and adding uncertainty to a contentious corporate takeover battle that had dragged on for months.

Vanke's founder and top managers have firmly resisted Baoneng Group, a Shenzhen-based developer that had acquired more than a quarter of Vanke and become its biggest shareholder.

The management team has put forward a plan that would end Baoneng's supremacy in Vanke by making Shenzhen Metro its biggest shareholder instead. But the representatives of other major shareholders, including Baoneng, have rejected the proposal.

As of mid-August, Evergrande held 6.82% of Vanke's stock and was its fourth-largest shareholder, behind Baoneng, 25.4%; China Resources, 15.31%; and two funds owned by Vanke's management team, which held a combined 7.12% of the developer.

Shenzhen government officials said they will allow Evergrande to use Shenzhen Real Estate for a backdoor listing only if it sells all of its holdings in Vanke to Shenzhen Metro, according to the source. It's unclear what this maneuver would ultimately accomplish, but it could pave the way for Shenzhen Metro to influence Vanke's important decisions.

Shenzhen government and the municipal State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission did not reply to Caixin's requests for comment.

It is unclear whether Evergrande will follow through on the restructuring plan. Sources close to the firm said Hui Ka Yan, founder and chairman, seems to be also considering a different approach to the backdoor listing that does not involve Shenzhen Real Estate.

A possible alternative is Shanghai-listed Langfang Development Co. Ltd., which has side businesses in a wide range of fields, including property and telecom services, according to one of the sources close to Evergrande.

Evergrande had wanted to engineer a backdoor listing using Langfang Development as the "shell," the source said. "It dropped the plan and turned to Shenzhen Real Estate instead because it found many problems with the shell," he said.

Nevertheless, Evergrande has continued to buy shares of Langfang Development. It invested another 558 million yuan ($82.3 million) into the firm on Oct. 28, increasing its holdings to 20% and becoming its biggest shareholder, according to a corporate announcement.

Evergrande has also increased its holdings in Vanke to 7%, a move that some analysts said sends a confusing signal about Hui's intention of keeping to the plan with the Shenzhen government.

The investments show that Evergrande is apparently hedging its bets, indicating that Hui has not made up his mind yet regarding its backdoor listing plan, the source close to the firm said.

Evergrande is seeking a market value of 228 billion yuan in its proposed backdoor listing involving Shenzhen Real Estate, which it plans to complete before the end of next April, Reuters reported earlier, citing a document for investors.

Compared with Vanke, Evergrande has a much higher leverage ratio and faces greater liquidity pressures, said a fund manager who has closely followed China's real estate sector.

Evergrande had 818 billion yuan in debts and nearly 1 trillion yuan in total assets, according to its second quarterly report. It had 182 billion yuan in equity funds, including 116 billion yuan from perpetual bonds, which are a debt-funding instrument but resemble equity investment because they can last as long as the company exists.

Contact reporter Wang Yuqian (yuqianwang@caixin.com); editor Ken Howe (kennethhowe@caixin.com)
Pixium Vision, a company based in Paris, France, has announced that its Iris II bionic vision system has been implanted into the first patient. The Iris II was cleared in Europe back in July of this year and the UK regulatory authority, Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), gave a green light for a clinical trial a month before that. The first implantation was performed at the Moorfields Eye Hospital in London in September and the system activated shortly thereafter.

The Iris II vision prosthesis includes an epi-retinal implant that features 150 electrodes and is positioned next to the eye. A special pair of glasses that have a built-in camera capture the imagery in front of the patient, convert it into a series of electric signals, and send those signals to the implant that stimulates nerve cells of the inner retina. The system effectively replaces the work of damaged photoreceptor cells, letting people blind from retinitis pigmentosa restore some basic vision.

The camera within the glasses is quite unusual, having independent pixels that update naturally as the incoming light changes rather than on a regular clock cycle. The implant, on the other hand, is both explantable and upgradeable, giving patients hope that their vision will be improved even further.

Flashbacks: IRIS II Bionic Vision System Approved in Europe; UK Regulatory Authority Grants Clinical Trial Approval for Pixium Visions Bionic Vision System; Pixium Vision Implants Restore Sight in Rats with Retinal Degeneration, Humans Next

Via: Pixium Vision
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by Josh Lovison , November 8, 2016

Its hard to talk about the emergence of VR without talking about VR porn. So lets talk. (Note: due to the not safe for work nature of the things discussed here, no outbound links will be provided. But Google will get you there if you really want to visit.)

The porn industry has, historically, been cited as a deciding factor in various technology wars. In truth, this misconception is patently false, but many believe it to be so, due to the common confusion between correlation and cause-and-effect.

The reality has always been that the porn industry, a fiercely competitive one where the content is so indistinct and relatively inexpensive to produce that its uniquely commoditized, has always looked to technology for a leg up on competitors. So indeed, at the time that a particular format wins a format war, porn has already embraced the winning format and gets some degree of credit for the victory. But, in the annals of tech warfare, we frequently forget that theyd embraced the loser too. After all, porn embraces everyone.

So, too, we see the porn industry embracing VR.

Pornhub is probably the biggest name thats thrown its weight in a serious way behind VR. The company has a dedicated category for aggregating VR videos, which typically come from VR-specific publishers.

Search volume on Google Trends for VR porn has grown exponentially, and has now eclipsed searches for 3d porn. And the growth curve does not appear to be tapering off  its grown six-fold in just the past 12 months.

Its important to note that theres three distinct groupings within whats on tap for VR pornography. The first grouping is 360-degree video, which, while being the easiest to produce and providing some degree of immersion, is much like its non-pornographic relation, and barely qualifies as VR (360-degree video is neat, but lacks depth perception that enhances presence).

Then theres some work being done taking 360-degree scans of models, and importing those models as 3D-representations in a virtual environment. This is more immersive and truly VR, but currently lacks motion.

The third grouping is pornographic animation in VR, which provides the greatest degree of immersion from a VR perspective  but is literally cartoons, so certainly has a more limited market appeal.

VR video is currently the only one of major significance, but because of the relatively low technical hurdle, theres already VR Cam sites set up, which points to an eventual mass amateur market for this type of VR porn, likely within a year of VR devices becoming mainstream.

The 3D scans solution offers the greatest chance at a professional vs amateur market, but is still early in development. And the animation is already getting a lot of traction within its market segment, but will never grow beyond that segment.

Regardless of what content the pornography industry delivers to VR devices, any degree of immersion is a big sell for the product, and the industrys embracing of VR is a driving force behind the popularization of VR, particularly mobile-format VR devices (such as the Google Cardboard), which have a low cost barrier to entry, are unfit for high-end immersive experiences, but are perfectly adequate for 360-degree video.

Whether the symbiosis between porn and VR is a good or bad thing is left up to the reader. But the two industries are, without a doubt, pushing each other forward.
by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, November 9, 2016

Donald Trumps surprising victory over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election has done more than simply defy expectations. It calls into question the integrity and accuracy of dozens of polls that showed Clinton with a several-point lead over Trump.

Armed with such data, the media made confident predictions of a Clinton victory.

Indeed, its remarkable just how wrong so many of the polls were in retrospect.

Casting an eye back over the surveys on the last day before the election, Monday, November 7, as compiled by RealClearPolitics, in the four-way election (including Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein) Bloomberg had Clinton ahead of Trump by three points, CBS News by four, Fox News by four, Reuters/Ipsos by three, ABC/Washington Post by four, Monmouth University by six, Economist/YouGov by four, Rasmussen by two, and NBC News/SM by six.

In a two-way comparison of Trump and Clinton, the same polls generally gave Clinton margins as big or even bigger than those listed above.

One survey, the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Daybreak poll, at least deserves credit for bucking the trend by showing Trump was still very much in the running  but even here the results skewed considerably the actual returns, just in the opposite direction, giving Trump 48% to 43% for Clinton in a two-way match up.

Overall, none of the polls, whether four-way or two-way, came within four cumulative percentage points of the actual result, an effective tie in the popular vote, with both candidates receiving 48%.

Newspapers and other big news orgs, which based their predictions on these polls, and generally made no secret of their disdain for Trump, now face a crisis of credibility with their readers, who could be forgiven for simply disregarding poll results in future contests.

In fact, in an ironic twist it may be the news medias strident opposition to Trump that is to blame for the discrepancies.

While its hard to know for sure, the near-unanimous condemnation of Trump by news media may have made some poll respondents reluctant to indicate support for his candidacy when canvased by strangers on the phone.

On that note, some pundits  not to mention Trump himself  have drawn parallels between his victory and the British vote this summer for Brexit. It's another case where expert and elite opinion was so strongly against the final result that it seems likely poll respondents said one thing but ended up voting another.
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, November 9, 2016

Google's ongoing effort to rid the Internet of malicious sites filled with malware, unwanted software, phishing attacks and social engineering software has led the company to add a tag to its arsenal of warning signs.

Now the company will flag "repeatedly dangerous" Web sites as unsafe. The new classification, triggered automatically or at the request of the webmaster via the Search Console, resides under its Safe Browsing Initiative and aims to better protect visitors from malicious Web sites trying to undermine the system.

"Starting today, Safe Browsing will begin to classify these types of sites as 'Repeat Offenders,'" Brooke Heinichen, strategist, safe browsing operations at Google, posted in blog.

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"Sites that repeatedly switch between compliant and noncompliant behavior within a short window of time will be classified as Repeat Offenders," according to Google.

Google said Web sites that are hacked will not be classified as Repeat Offenders, but rather sites that purposefully post harmful content.

After Google's system has determined that a site is a Repeat Offender, the site's webmaster will not have the ability to request additional reviews through the Search Console for 30 days.

Warnings also will continue to be shown to users. When a site is established as a Repeat Offender, Google will notify the webmaster via email to their registered Search Console email address.
by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, November 9, 2016

MDC Partners has reached an agreement in principle to resolve the ongoing investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission that began more than two years ago. The agreement, reached with the Philadelphia Regional Office of the SEC, is subject to formal SEC approval.

The company noted that terms are not final.

The holding company noted that the SEC will continue its investigation of certain persons who previously served as executive officers of the company. Former CEO Miles Nadal was not specifically cited in that context by the company, however, much of the SEC probe had to do with improper expenses taken (and subsequently returned) by Nadal.

Also, former Chief Accounting Officer Michael Sabatino was relieved of his CAO duties back in April 2015 and departed the firm at around the same time as Nadal, July 2015.

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As part of the agreement, MDC will pay a $1.5 million civil penalty to resolve all potential claims by the SEC against the company relating to these matters. The SEC staff had concluded that MDC unintentionally violated a number of SEC rules, but under the framework of the proposed deal the holding company is not admitting liability.

Contrary to the prediction of at least one short seller earlier this year (Gotham Research), the company said there will be no restatement of any of its previously filed financial statements per the SEC agreement.

The company first announced the SEC investigation on April 27, 2015 (it started the previous October), as well as subsequent actions taken as part of an internal investigation, including the resignation of Nadal. As a result of the SEC probe, Nadal agreed to fully repay the company nearly $11.3 million for improper expenses incurred, and another $10.6 million in unearned cash bonus awards.

Scott L. Kauffman, MDC Chairman and CEO, stated: "We are extremely pleased this matter is on its way toward final resolution for the Company and our stakeholders. We greatly appreciate that the Philadelphia Regional Office of the SEC recognized our high level of cooperation and the extensive internal investigation conducted by the Company's Special Committee and outside counsel, as well as the self-initiated remedial measures implemented in connection with new policies and procedures."

Word of the tentative settlement followed the companys poor Q3 earnings report last week, which sent the companys share price into a tailspin. Today, the stock was up 10%-plus in mid-afternoon trading.

When it disclosed earnings last week, MDC also indicated that it had retained financial advisor LionTree to assist in evaluating its financial and capital structure strategy. Such a move is often considered a sign that a company is preparing itself for sale, although company officials denied that was the case on an earnings call last week. A day after the call, The Wall Street Journal cited unidentified sources as indicating that a sale was one of the options being considered by the company.

The proposed settlement also follows a recent court victory for MDC.

In October a U.S. Federal District Judge in New York tossed a class-action shareholder law suit against MDC Partners that alleged a pattern of fraudulent behavior on the part of the company and certain current and former executives. The suit was filed after the company first disclosed the SEC probe, which resulted in a sharp drop in the price of company shares.
by P.J. Bednarski , Staff Writer @pjbtweet, November 9, 2016

While it was happening over the last several months, I wondered how various columnists, show hosts, performers, publications and Web sites would recover if Donald Trump got elected.

The media may have done a terrible job covering this election, but along the way, some outlets and opinion makers stated their anti-Trump messages without any of the softening pundits often do to leave themselves some "I got to work in this town" wiggle room. Because they were sure he wouldn't be there on Nov. 9.

So, until right now, Huffington Post ended every one of its stories about candidate Donald Trump with the postscript reminding readers:



Other publications, online and print, and via video, issued similar conclusive judgments against Trump but not as boilerplate as HuffPo's. Im not disputing their opinion which, based on things Trump has said, is solidly grounded in fact. But now, for four years, people like Stephen Colbert, John Oliver and Seth Meyers, or the places that hired them, may not feel much love.



It was It was Meyers who conclude d about Trump's role in the birther controversy: The bottom line is this: Trump built his career on a racist lie because hes a racist and a liar, and instead of denouncing that lie, the GOP doubled down on it completely, Meyers continued. And now Trump is trying to trick people once again that he was never really a birther at all, and that it was Hillary Clinton that started it.

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Even Garrison Keillor, the recently retired host of Prairie Home Companion, belittled Trump in a Washington Post op-ed, asserting that Trump is a just a sad billionaire no one likes.

In another essay, he concluded: We made our mistakes back in the 20th century, Lord knows, but we never nominated a man for president who brags about not reading. Calvin Coolidge had his limits. Warren G. Harding spent more time on his hair than strictly necessary. Lyndon Baines Johnson was a piece of work. But all of them read books. When I envision a Trump Presidential Library, I see enormous chandeliers and gold carpet and a thousand slot machines. God help us. I mean it. Were in trouble down here.

Now, Americas media get something it certainly didnt want: President Trump.

If there is an ounce of vindictiveness in Trumps body -- and Id guess there are really a couple hundred pounds of it -- some very major media are going to have trouble getting access to the White House. For Web sites, cable channels, newspaper columnists, (and Ohio Gov. John Kasich), it could be theyll get the kind of treatment supporters at Trumps rallies showed protesters in their midst.

It could get nastier than that.

The FCC controls TV licenses. Business has long feared an angry president could wreck a network and its stations, or just make life ugly. After media-loathing President Nixon gave a speech about the Vietnam War, the Nixon-appointed FCC chairman called the networks and demanded transcripts of their post-speech commentaries. Feel that chill?

At least that was within the ugly realm of official overreach by a U.S. agency charged with overseeing the communications industry. But its not just a skewering of Saturday Night Live to watch for. It's Viacom called to account for all those wiseacres at Comedy Central, and of course, CBS' Leslie Moonves called in to defend Colbert, who mocked Trump even in his moment of triumph early this morning.

Imagine what President Trump, or his ardent supporters could say (or do) about the next mocking viral video on YouTube, the next mean parody on "Funny or Die," someone tweaking of Melania on Refinery29, or an expose of Trumps business dealings on Vice?

You might say, hey, theres no law! And there isnt. But weve never had a sheriff like this before, either, coming to town with some scores to settle. He may have a different definition of Net neutrality.

pj@mediapost.com
As mammals evolve, so do mammalian viruses. In doing so, they develop creative and effective ways to counter and evade the antiviral responses of their mammal hosts' immune systems. Researching those mechanisms at the molecular level can reveal key insights into the principles of such strategies relevant to therapy development. An international team of scientists, led by prof. Savvas Savvides of the VIB Inflammation Research Center at Ghent University, set out to do just that. By zooming in on GIF - a protein secreted by the virus that causes Orf, or 'thistle disease' - they unraveled viral molecular strategies to counter the mammalian immune system. Their findings, published in Nature Communications, provide the basis for developing antiviral therapies and for exploiting the potency of viral proteins to tweak the human immune system to counter inflammatory diseases and cancer.

Orf disease is highly contagious and causes painful scabby lesions on the lips and nostrils of animals such as sheep, goats and other livestock. As a zoonotic disease, it can also be transmitted to humans. In fact, Orf is in the top 20 most important viral diseases affecting the rural poor in developing countries - especially in economies that depend heavily on animal farming and agriculture. Although seldom fatal, the disease not only potentially leads to high mortality rates in young animals and children when lesions make it impossible for them to eat; lesions can also impact livestock reproduction and make infected hosts vulnerable to other infections. It is clear that determining just how the virus goes about its infectious business is of major socioeconomic significance.

An integrative, cross-border approach

Coordinated by prof. Savvas Savvides from VIB-Ghent University and spearheaded by Dr. Jan Felix, an international team of scientists rose to the challenge of shedding light onto how Orf cripples the mammalian immune system. The aim? To obtain structural and mechanistic information through an integrative structural biology approach on how GIF - one of the proteins secreted by the Orf virus - inactivates two key cytokines of the host immune system: IL-2 and GM-CFS. Both proteins play key roles in cell signaling and immune system regulation.

Prof. Savvides (VIB-Ghent University): "Our approach involved the use of various methods in the spirit of integrative structural biology, including x-ray crystallography and electron microscopy, combined with biochemical and biophysical studies. To achieve this, we worked closely with colleagues from France, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. In addition, much appreciated research funding from national and international agencies, as well as access to specialized facilities at the European level proved to be crucial for our research."

A rare and surprising discovery

Prof. Savvides (VIB-Ghent University): "We investigated GIF because we are intrigued by how viruses use specialized proteins to change the immune system's response. What we discovered was surprising: it is very rare that one viral protein can target two different host proteins to dodge the immune response, yet this functional duality is exactly what characterizes GIF. Most surprising was the finding that GIF uses its structure in distinct ways to target the cytokines IL-2 and GM-CSF with high affinity. Remarkably, GIF's structure does not look anything like the natural receptors of the cytokines it targets, yet it is able to mimic their ability to bind to IL-2 and GM-CSF to prevent the normal functions of the two cytokines. A scary feat!"

Great potential for innovative therapies

Prof. Savvides (VIB-Ghent University): "By unveiling how GIF works, we have taken an important step towards understanding the molecular virtuosity that viral proteins develop as they evolve, and how they interact with their hosts' immune systems. As our research moves forward, we would like to consolidate our findings. This, in turn, may help us use viral protein structures, like GIF, to target human proteins in a therapeutic context to combat inflammatory diseases and cancer."
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It also affects the decisions to stop play or activities, or when patients who have suffered a concussion can safely return to normal activities without risking further injury.Dr. Douglas Fraser, a physician in the Pediatric Critical Care Unit at Children's Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre and Lawson scientist, led the study with his co-investigator Mark Daley, a professor in the Departments of Computer Science, Biology and Statistics & Actuarial Sciences at Western University.In the new study, researchers have demonstrated that aMetabolomics is the scientific study of metabolites present within a cell or tissue. These are the end products of cellular processes.In the relatively inexpensive test, blood is drawn from an individual that may have suffered a concussion as the result of a sudden blow to the head (or from transmitted forces from a sudden blow to the body) within 72 hours of the incident.The scientists measured a panel of metabolites, small molecules that are the products of the body's metabolism, in the blood of male adolescent patients and in non-concussed male adolescent patients to search for distinct patterns that indicate a concussion has occurred."This novel approach, to use blood testing of metabolites as a diagnostic tool for concussions, was exploratory and we were extremely pleased with the robustness of our initial results," says Dr. Fraser, also an Associate Professor in Western's Departments of Paediatrics, Physiology & Pharmacology and Clinical Neurological Sciences at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry.In this latest successful attempt, the researchers took a different approach and investigated a full spectrum of 174 metabolites.The profile reveals a very different spectrum among concussed patients and with fine tuning, the accuracy level of the test is over 90%.Clinicians hope that in future, the blood tests would also aid predicting concussion outcome, as well as aid rehabilitation after concussion.This new method, fully funded by the Children's Health Foundation and conducted by the Western Concussion Study Group. The findings were recently published in the international journalSource: Medindia


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United States of America has decided. Donald Trump is the 45th American president now. Racism, sexism, and white male supremacy have won the day and the world stands shivering in its boots right now. As Canadian immigration website crashes and how to move to Canada becomes a high-searched query on Google, the world vents out its shock, disbelief and dismay. As you still reel under all of this, heres how media across the world reported this piece of news.

1. Dark Ages again?

 Vox

Theres no way around it: Donald Trump is going to be a disaster for the planet  Vox

2. *Canadian immigration website crashes*

 The Independent

How to leave the United States and move to another country now Donald Trump is president  The Independent

3. Calling a spade a spade

 The New Yorker

'An American Tragedy' : The New Yorker

4. God save America

 The Guardian

Donald Trump wins presidential election, plunging US into uncertain future  The Guardian

5. America brought it upon itself

 The Huffington Post

America Has Done What Seemed Unthinkable. Donald Trump Is The Next President.  The Huffington Post

6. Sexist much?

 The Guardian

Glass ceiling watch: America turns its back on electing its first woman president  The Guardian

7. The world wont be the same anymore

 The Guardian

The US has elected its most dangerous leader. We all have plenty to fear  The Guardian

8. Pretty much everyone today

 Buzzfeed

Well, Fuck  Buzzfeed

9. Apparently, 53% of the voters were women

 The Huffington Post

America Elected A Man Who Said 'Grab Them By The P***y' Over The First Female President  The Huffington Post

10. As humanity takes a hit

 The New York Times

Donald Trump Is Elected President in Stunning Repudiation of the Establishment The New York Times
Anyone who says that he predicted Donald Trump to win this big on election night is either a compulsive liar or a clairvoyant. A Trump win will reverberate throughout the world and will drastically change Americas involvement in critical world issues including the Middle East, the South China Sea and the ever changing power equation with Russia.

While the Trump camp was confident of a clear path to victory even before the last ballots were cast, the Hillary camp is just devastated considering how the American media predicted a massive win for her. These pictures of the election night in America describe why the power of democracy should never be underestimated

1. The night started with Trump a little ahead of Hillary

 Reuters

2. And it was pretty apparent quickly that Trump would not give up without a fight

 Reuters

3. Even as returns poured in for both the candidates, few swing states including Florida sprung up big surprise

 Reuters

4. A Trump win now a possibility, some people just could not believe what they were witnessing

 Reuters

5. As Hillary tried to close the gap, weeks of pre-poll predictions fell like a house of cards and the race seemed pretty even

 Reuters

6. The silent majority had decided to vote and the cracks were beginning to emerge

 Reuters

7. As more leads emerged, the election night went from bad to worse for Clinton supporters really quickly

 Reuters

8. Unexpected and devastating, the results just kept on pouring for the man everybody said was incompetent to run for the white house

 Reuters

9. And there were no concessions for those who believed in the Hillary Clinton phenomenon

 Reuters

10. Because for Americans, apparently a bigot-clown president is better than a woman president!

 Reuters

11. A win for Trump however justifies the American anger towards the elite few in Washington.

 Reuters

12. And as he buckles up to take over the white house

 Reuters

13. Hell need to bring together a divided country

 Reuters

14. Its not just about Trump now, its about America

 Reuters

15. And now, on one mans triumph rest a nations hopes. Time to deliver, President Trump.

 Reuters
1. At the invitation of H.E. Mr. Gebran Bassil, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of the Republic of Lebanon and following the Conference on Stability and Security of Rhodes (8-9 September 2016), the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus H.E. Mr. Ioannis Kasoulides and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic H.E. Mr. Nikos Kotzias met in Beirut on November 9th, 2016.



2. The European Ministers congratulated the people of Lebanon and Minister Bassil for the election of General Michel Aoun as President of the Republic of Lebanon.



3. The Ministers discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in multilateral fora and exchanged views on regional and international issues, especially on developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and the wider region. They agreed that the region is full of opportunities to be seized in order to serve the interests of its peoples. They stressed that regional dialogue can serve the common goals of strengthening the relationship between Europe and the Middle East, and further promote solidarity and mutual understanding, emphasizing their contribution to mainting the stability in the region.



4. The Ministers agreed on the importance of preserving the plurality in the region as the co-existence of diverse social, religious and ethnic components living peacefully side by side and as the sole guarantor of sustainable democracy and long term prosperity that will be mutually beneficial to the Mediterranean and the European countries. In this regard, they praised to role model of Lebanon as a beacon of tolerance and humanism.



5. They also stressed the importance and the advantages of the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation for the countries of the region. They agreed that the region is full of opportunities to be seized in order to serve the interests of its peoples. In this respect, they examined ways to take full advantage, where applicable, of the institutional EU-Lebanon relations, including the tools and means provided by the revised European Neighborhood policy. They stressed the importance of the EU-Lebanon Partnership Priorities for the period 2016-2020 within the framework of the ENP Review, and of the respective Compact Agreement, which will usher in a new page in EU-Lebanon relations. Moreover, they underlined the important role of the Union for the Mediterranean towards enhancing such cooperation.



6. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs discussed the growing global phenomenon of large movements of refugees and migrants at an unprecedented scale. They called for global approaches and global solutions based on shared responsibility and international cooperation.



7. The Parties praised Lebanons generosity but expressed continuing concern about the negative impact of the Syrian crisis on Lebanons stability, and the alarming consequences of the mass influx of Syrians displaced into Lebanon.



8. The Ministers agreed on the need for the E.U. to explore every possible way of demostantions solidarity in supporting Lebanon, both politically and economically in order to increase its capacities resilience. They agreed that the only sustainable long term solution for the Syrians temporary displaced into Lebanon is their return to their country, including during transition, under a safe and secure environment.



9. Regarding migration in the broader region of Eastern Mediterranean, they stressed the need for a holistic approach in identifying solutions to this complex and multifaceted issue, putting emphasis on the critical importance of:

a. effectively combating the illegal networks of migrant smuggling, where the role and responsibility of the countries of the region are determining

b. the active solidarity and cooperation of Europe in order to address adequately this challenge of primarily humanitarian character and of unprecedented magnitude for the region.



10. They also underlined the crucial role of Greece with regard to the reception and accommodation of the refugees, which was appreciated worldwide all the more for the humane way that the refugees are being treated.



11. The Parties condemned all terrorist activities, expressed concern for the proliferation of terrorism, not only on a regional, but also on a global level and underlined the necessity of regional and international cooperation in confronting this threat. They expressed strong concerns regarding terrorism and the immediate threat it represents to Lebanons security in terms of the spread of terrorist organizations at its borders. They focused on increasing military and security cooperation and highlighted that safeguarding the security of Lebanon should be a core issue in EUs policy and the International Communitys approach concerning security in the region. To this end, they underlined the importance of exchange of information on a regular basis, among countries of the region.



12. They also stressed the need to address the root causes of the regions conflicts, in order to counter sectarianism, extremism and radicalism, which create a fertile ground for terrorist groups. They reiterated the urgent need for ending the turmoil of violence that has engulfed many regions in the Middle East.



13. They stressed also the need for a political solution in Syria, safeguarding the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country and establishing credible inclusive governance which will guarantee the security and the protection of the rights of all its citizens, regardless of ethnicity or religious denomination.



14. The Parties stressed as well the continuing need for the international communitys support to the national reconciliation process in Iraq and to the countrys national unity and integrity, and called upon all parties in the region to fully respect its sovereignty.



15. Discussions covered regional prospects of the oil and gas sectors, as well as other energy related activities, in particular renewables (solar, wind, hydraulic etc.), as well as avenues for boosting cooperation and exchanges between their competent institutions and their private sector.



16. The Ministers acknowledged education as a top priority sector and agreed to explore opportunities for further cooperation in this, through the establishment of a network of presidents of universities. This network will focus on research and other forms of cooperation among departments that deal with matters related to history as well as on common innovative projects in universities pertaining to the field of research in green and renewable energy.



17. The Ministers agreed that enhanced cooperation, especially between Universities and Research Centers, should be sought, establishing a network focused on exchanging views and ideas and promoting contacts between youth and academia.



18. They underlined their willingness to join efforts for the protection of antiquities and for the preservation and development of historical and archaeological sites, with the view to safeguarding the historical memory of their peoples and the common cultural heritage of humanity, as well as their readiness to cooperate, inter alia, for the protection of underwater cultural heritage.



19. Finally, the Parties reiterated the importance of pursuing the practical follow up steps agreed upon during the Conference on Stability and Security of Rhodes, together with the other participants, keeping an open door policy for further participation.
N. KOTZIAS: It is a great pleasure to be here in Lebanon, which I am visiting for the first time. We have fine weather. The country has a new President. We are moving ahead together in a friendly atmosphere, contemplating the future of our three countries.



This past September, in Rhodes, we created a positive agenda for the relations among Cyprus, Lebanon and Greece and we are continuing down this path. We believe that Lebanon is the country that is showing everyone in Europe the way to solve all the problems of the Middle East. It's a country where different religions collaborate and coexist. Diversity imparts a positive impetus to this country, which faithfully follows the path of tolerance and respect. We are proud to be sharing a common course and be working together with the government of the friendly country of Lebanon. We will continue throughout the day to exchange views and seek new forms of collaboration. Thank you.



JOURNALIST: What is the Greek governments reaction to the election of Donald Trump as the new President of the United States?



N. KOTZIAS: We would like to congratulate the new President of the United States of America, Mr. Trump. As the Greek government, we have systematically developed relations with both the Democratic and Republican parties. We had frequent talks  quite a while before the elections  with the Trump team on issues concerning the region, with the latest talks taking place in late September.



The Greek government, like every Greek government, has always had good relations with the American state and the American people. We continue to work in order to further advance our stable, good and creative relations with the American political system and the American people. As you know, we are expecting President Obama in Athens in a few days, and, as the exit polls showed, he continues to enjoy great popularity. His meetings with the Greek Prime Minister and with the Greek government, in general, will be positive and creative.
Thousands of children of North Korean refugee mothers remain unprotected in China.

Park Ki-choon, a lawmaker for the opposition Democratic United Party, on Monday announced the figure citing a report by the National Human Rights Commission based on interviews with 100 children born to defecting North Korean mothers in 14 regions in China's Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang and Shandong provinces last year.

Only 21 of the children lived with their North Korean birth mother and 20 lived with their father only. Another 39 were looked after by grandparents or relatives, and 20 lived in shelters run by evangelical missionaries.

The NHRC, however, believes there are 20,000 to 30,000 children under 19 born in China to North Korean mothers, based on the estimates by Korean NGOs and researchers at Johns Hopkins University.

But a missionary working with North Korean defectors from China said, "We estimate that there are 50,000 stateless orphans whose basic livelihood is not protected in northeast China, to say nothing of their education."

The main reason these children are abandoned is because China deported the mothers back to North Korea, accounting for 36 percent. Another 31 percent said the family broke down when the mother left the family, mostly by going to South Korea.

A former high-ranked South Korean Foreign Ministry official said, "The tragedies happen because the Chinese fathers often don't have the money to bring up the child."
Four Eurofighter Typhoons from the British Royal Air Force took part in an aerial exercise with South Korea and the U.S. on Tuesday morning.

The air combat maneuver has been going since last Friday. Pilots from the three countries received briefings and trained to understand the terrain until Monday, but the full-swing exercise is now underway from Tuesday to Thursday.

The four Eurofighters also participated in joint exercises in Malaysia on Oct. 11-20 and in Japan on Oct. 24-Nov. 3. This is the first time since the Korean War that British fighter jets have flown to Asia to take part in a joint aerial exercise.

The U.K. and U.S. air forces have carried out joint operations in bombing Iraq, Libya, and Islamic State since the Gulf War in 1991.
President Park Geun-hye will not attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on Nov. 19-20 in Lima, Peru, Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Joon-hyuk said Tuesday.

Cho said Park is staying home "in consideration of the grave security situation on the Korean Peninsula in the wake of North Korea's fifth nuclear test" and claimed the decision "was already made in September."

But that seems a transparent face-saving claim as Park's rule has collapsed in a widening influence-peddling scandal centered on her friend Choi Soon-sil.

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn will most likely attend the APEC summit on her behalf, Cho said.

He denied that the scandal has paralyzed the country's diplomacy, adding, "The government is ready for any eventuality."

This is the first time a South Korean president has missed an APEC summit since they started in Seattle in 1993.
Samsung is considering delaying the release of its Galaxy S8 smartphone, according to industry sources on Tuesday.

The electronics giant has typically released its new Galaxy S models at the Mobile World Congress, the world's largest mobile event held in Spain in February every year. But a company staffer said that it is looking to delay the release of the Galaxy S8 after the Note 7 debacle.

"It is not a good idea to release a new model before we figure out the exact cause of the Note 7 battery explosions," the staffer said. "We haven't decided when we will launch the Galaxy S8, but we are looking to delay its release."
Choi, President Park Geun-hye's confidante at the center of a massive influence-peddling scandal, allegedly took the money to buy a horse and equestrian facilities in Germany for her daughter Chung Yoo-ra.

Prosecutors raided Samsung headquarters in Seoul on Tuesday over allegations that the conglomerate paid 2.8 million euros to Choi Soon-sil (US$1=W1,136).

Prosecutors also raided the headquarters of the Korea Equestrian Federation, which is headed by a Samsung executive, and the Korea Racing Authority.

Chang Choong-ki, head of Samsung's corporate strategy office, the group's de facto control tower, has been banned from leaving the country.

Samsung signed a consulting contract in September last year with Widec Sports, a company established by Choi in Germany, and paid it 2.8 million euros.

The money was intended to buy pure-bred horses and rent special vehicles to transport the animals to European competitions.

Samsung has claimed the aim was to nurture talented Korean equestrians for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but there seem to have been no candidates other than Chung herself, and it is unclear how talented she is.

Investigators want to know if Samsung gave the money to Choi as a bribe seeking to benefit from her ties to the president.

Prosecutors also plan to investigate other conglomerates that were allegedly pressured by Cheong Wa Dae to donate money to Choi's dubious Mir and K-Sports foundations.

Meanwhile, prosecutors have arrested Cha Eun-taek, a prominent advertising director who was a drinking buddy of Choi's and given a seat on the board of the Mir Foundation.

Cha was arrested on arrival at Incheon International Airport on Tuesday night.
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11:52 p.m.: President-elect Donald Trump pledged to bind the wounds of division and unite the country after capping his improbable journey to the highest office in the land.

We have to come together, Trump said at his New York campaign headquarters after getting a call from Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton to concede.

I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be president for all our lands, Trump said. For those who chose not to support me, Im reaching out to you for your guidance and help, so we can unify our country.

The Republican swept to victory by picking off a series of Rust Belt and Upper Midwest states that had been considered safe or competitive for the Democrats.

11:40 p.m.: CNN reports that Hillary Clinton has called Donald Trump to concede the presidential election.

11:29 p.m.: The Associated Press has called the presidential election for Donald Trump.

Trump won key Rust Belt states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, pushing him over the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election.

11p.m.: Hillary Clintons campaign chairman, John Podesta, told supporters at the candidates New York headquarters that several states are too close to call  signaling that the Democratic nominee was not prepared to concede the presidential race to Donald Trump.

Podestas comments came as the Republican nominee moved to within reach of a victory, having already captured battleground states including Florida, North Carolina and Ohio. The Associated Press and Washington Post have called Pennsylvania for Trump.

We can still wait a little longer, Podesta told the crowd of thousands of increasingly dismayed Clinton supporters.

Podesta said that several states are too close to call, so were not going to have anything to say tonight.

Trump led in those states, including in Wisconsin and Michigan. Without them, Clinton loses.

10:40 p.m.: Donald Trump continued to lead the presidential contest as the number of ballots in the crucial Rust Belt began to dwindle, and with them any hopes of a Hillary Clinton victory.

In Pennsylvania, which carries 20 electoral votes, Trump was up by a one percentage point with 97 percent of precincts reporting. The Associated Press and Washington Post called the state for the Republican nominee.

Trump was up more than three points in Wisconsin, where 88 percent of ballots were counted. Fox News has projected a Trump win there, but all other major outlets were holding off.

In Michigan, Trump held a lead of more than two percentage points with 81 percent of votes tallied.

All three of those states had been considered safe for Clinton going into election day. With most other battlegrounds having already gone to Trump, Clinton was just about out of paths to the White House.

The electoral map made for bleak news for Clinton supporters, many of whom planned on celebrating the first woman president before voting began Tuesday. At gatherings around the country, once-optimistic Democrats watched in shocked silence as the results came in.

CNN reported that Trump had prepared a victory speech.

9:41 p.m.: Hillary Clinton won Nevada but still trails Donald Trump in critical swing states, with time and outstanding ballots running out for the Democratic nominee.

Trump has a significant lead in Wisconsin and is deadlocked with Clinton in Pennsylvania and Michigan, states the Democrat needs for any chance at the presidency.

In the battleground of New Hampshire, Clinton was leading by a mere 15 votes with 81 percent of precincts reporting.

9:21 p.m.: Donald Trump has won Iowa and is leading in Wisconsin, further cementing his increasingly likely path to the presidency.

In order for Hillary Clinton to win, she will have to take Michigan, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. She is trailing in all three.

Pennsylvania, where Clinton led for most of the evening, was considered one of the Democratic nominees solid Blue Wall states. It tilted in Trumps favor by a handful of votes with 90 percent of precincts reporting.

The Republican nominees lead in what were considered solidly blue states has shocked election forecasters. The Detroit Free Press, which projected a Clinton victory in Michigan shortly after polls closed, has backed off on calling the state for the Democrat.

8:43 p.m.: Donald Trump has taken Georgia, as the race for president narrows to just a handful of battleground states.

The Republican nominee is holding a steady lead in Wisconsin and Michigan. A win in either state would deal a crushing blow to Democratic nominee Hillary Clintons chances.

8:17 p.m.: Donald Trump has won the hard-fought battleground state of Florida and its 29 electoral votes, the Associated Press projected. He also carried North Carolina, which Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton had hoped to put in her column.

Trumps victories come as the Republican nominee continues to lead in Michigan and Wisconsin, states Clinton has to have if she hopes to win the presidency.

In states where the polls closed at 8 p.m., California, Oregon and Washington were projected to go to Clinton, while Idaho went for Trump.

7:39 p.m.: Hillary Clinton was projected to take Virginia and Colorado as she and Donald Trump continued to chop up the remaining swing states on the path to 270 electoral votes.

The possibility of a Trump presidency, meanwhile, threw global financial markets into chaos. Dow futures plummeted 700 points after Trump all but locked up Ohio.

There was increasing likelihood that the election could come down to Michigan and Wisconsin, states that Clinton had been expected to win, but where Trump was running ahead as the returns poured in.

7:18 p.m.: The possibility of a Donald Trump presidency was becoming more likely, as the Republican nominee was predicted by CNN to win Ohio and votes continued to tilt in his favor in many other battleground states.

The results come as a shock to Democrats and political forecasters, many of whom predicted an easy win for Hillary Clinton leading up to Tuesday.

The New York Times Live Presidential Forecast, for example, showed Clinton with a significant chance of winning before polls closed Tuesday.

That has changed dramatically to an 82 percent chance for Trump, who is keeping his lead in Florida, North Carolina, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

6:50 p.m. The electoral map was thrown into turmoil Tuesday night as GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump was leading or virtually tied in several key states around the country.

While Trumps path to the presidency was narrow leading into election day, a victory for the New York billionaire was not as far off as many had predicted, including those in the Republican candidates inner circle.

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton took a narrow lead on Trump in Virginia with 82 percent of votes counted. But in Florida, Trump was leading by a bit more than one percentage point with 95 percent of vote counted.

In Wisconsin, which was thought to be a safe Clinton state, Trump was leading by five percentage points with 27 percent of the vote counted. And in North Carolina, which Clinton had designs on heading into election day, Trump led by five percentage points with 81 percent of vote counted.

Trump was also leading in Michigan, while Clinton was leading in Pennsylvania.

6:36 p.m.: Donald Trump is ahead in the crucial battlegrounds of Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia as votes continue to pour in from around the country.

The results have startled pollsters and forced prominent forecasters to recast their predictions that initially showed a clear path to victory for Hillary Clinton.

Polls have closed in nearly all states outside the West Coast.

6:07 p.m.: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are caught in tight races in all the battleground states as polls close in 14 more states, including New York and Texas.

In Florida, all but a must-win state for Trump, the Republican nominee was leading Clinton by more than 100,000 votes  less than two percentage points  with 91 percent of votes counted.

The two presidential candidates were very close in the crucial states of Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Michigan and Georgia.

Several networks projected that Clinton has won New York and that Texas has gone to Trump. The GOP nominee was also projected as the winner in the solidly red states of Wyoming, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska and North and South Dakota.

Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Iowa and Wisconsin  all battleground states  were too close to call, as was Utah.

5:40 p.m.: Donald Trump has won Alabama and remains virtually tied with Hillary Clinton in Florida, with more than 90 percent of votes counted in the Sunshine State.

The battlegrounds of Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Hampshire were too close to call.

5:07 p.m.: Polls in the crucial states of Michigan and Pennsylvania closed at 5 p.m. PST, as the battleground of North Carolina appeared to be leaning toward Hillary Clinton.

With polls closing up and down the East Coast, Clinton is projected to win Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island , New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Illinois and the District of Columbia. Donald Trump has won in Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia Tennessee, Mississippi and Oklahoma.

Clinton was leading Trump in North Carolina by roughly seven percentage points, with half the vote counted.

In Florida, Clinton was leading by less than one percentage point, with almost 80 percent of vote counted. A Clinton victory in either North Carolina or Florida would make it extremely difficult for Trump to find the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election.

4:34 p.m.: Donald Trump has won Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia, while Hillary Clinton has won Vermont, as polls close in key battleground states of Ohio and North Carolina.

Early vote counting in battleground states of Florida and Georgia, which have 29 and 16 electoral votes, respectively, show a neck-and-neck race.

Polls closed at 4:30 p.m. PST in Ohio, North Carolina and West Virginia. CNN projected Trump has won the solidly red West Virginia.

4 p.m.: The latest round of polls closed in several important states for the presidential election. Voting ended at 4 p.m. PST in Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia and Vermont.

Additionally, some polls closed in Florida, Alabama and New Hampshire, along with the remaining polls in Indiana and Kentucky.

Early polling indicated that South Carolina and Alabama are heavily favoring Donald Trump, while Virginia and Vermont are expected to go for Hillary Clinton. CNN projected that the Democratic nominee has won Vermont.

Florida, Georgia, and New Hampshire, though, remain close and will be key pickups for either candidate on the path to the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.

In both Kentucky and Indiana, Trump is leading by significant margins, with less than 10 percent of the vote counted. CNN projected the Republican nominee has won both states.

3:13 p.m.: The first polls closed at 3 p.m. PST Tuesday in some parts of Indiana and Kentucky, two solidly red states expected to vote for Donald Trump. Some polls in those states will stay open until 4 p.m. PST.

Indiana has voted for Republican nominees in all but two of the previous 14 presidential elections  Lyndon Johnsons 1964 landslide against Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater and the 2008 election of President Obama.

Early polling shows Trump with a decisive lead in the state where his running mate, Mike Pence, is governor.

The majority of polls indicated Trump will easily win Kentucky, which has voted in favor of Republican candidates in the last four presidential elections. Early counted votes indicate Trump leading in the state.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky
Harley-Davidson, Inc. manufactures and sells motorcycles. The company operates in two segments, Motorcycles and Related Products and Financial Services. The Motorcycles and Related Products segment designs, manufactures, and sells Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including cruiser, touring, standard, sportbike, and dual models, as well as motorcycle parts, accessories, apparel, and related services. This segment sells its products to retail customers through a network of independent dealers, as well as e-commerce channels in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. The Financial Services segment provides wholesale financing services, such as floorplan and open account financing of motorcycles, and parts and accessories; and retail financing services, including installment lending for the purchase of new and used Harley-Davidson motorcycles, as well as point-of-sale protection products comprising motorcycle insurance, extended service contracts, and motorcycle maintenance protection. This segment also licenses third-party financial institutions that issue credit cards bearing the Harley-Davidson brand. Harley-Davidson, Inc. was founded in 1903 and is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
ICL Group Ltd, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty minerals and chemicals company worldwide. It operates in four segments: Industrial Products, Potash, Phosphate Solutions, and Innovative Ag Solutions (IAS). The Industrial Products segment produces bromine out of a solution that is a by-product of the potash production process, as well as bromine-based compounds; produces various grades of potash, salt, magnesium chloride, and magnesia products; and produces and markets phosphorous-based flame retardants and other phosphorus-based products. The Potash segment extracts potash from the Dead Sea; mines and produces potash and salt; produces Polysulphate; produces, markets, and sells magnesium and magnesium alloys, as well as related by-products, including chlorine and sylvinite; and sells salt. The Phosphate Solutions segment uses phosphate commodity products to produce specialty products; produces and markets phosphate-based fertilizers, as well as sulphuric acid, green phosphoric acid, and phosphate fertilizers; and manufactures thermal phosphoric acid for various industrial end markets, such as oral care, cleaning products, paints and coatings, water treatment, asphalt modification, construction, and metal treatment. It also develops and produces functional food ingredients and phosphate additives for use in the processed meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, beverage, and baked goods markets; and produces milk and whey proteins for the food ingredients industry. The IAS segment develops, manufactures, markets, and sells fertilizers based primarily on nitrogen, potash, and phosphate, including water soluble specialty, liquid, soluble, and controlled-release fertilizers. It sells its products through marketing companies, agents, and distributors. The company was formerly known as Israel Chemicals Ltd. and changed its name to ICL Group Ltd in May 2020. The company was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Recent statistics highlight the endemic abuse and trafficking of North Korean women who flee to China.

Figures show that the children of North Korean women and Chinese fathers now outnumber young North Korean defectors.

The Education Ministry on Sunday said 1,249 children of North Korean defectors who were born in China went to school in South Korea as of the end of last year, outnumbering the 1,226 students who were born in North Korea. And as of September, 52.1 percent of children of North Korean defectors who go to school here were born in China.

A spokesman for a human rights group said, "The fact that there are more children of North Korean women with Chinese rather than North Korean fathers is proof of the human rights abuses the women suffer when they escape to China." This often includes a kind of indentured marriage that is little better than sex slavery, with Chinese men "buying" the women from border traffickers.

"I escaped to China trusting a broker, but ended up being sold for money and had to endure all kinds of abuse as I was dragged from one location to another," one defector recalls. "Some women who are sold into sexual slavery are stripped naked and locked up so that they cannot escape."

The children these women have with Chinese men are frequently unable to get legal protection or go to school in China because their mothers are considered illegal immigrants or their fathers refuse to register them as their own.

Some of the women manage to escape to South Korea with their Chinese children or go ahead first and bring their children afterwards.

According to one broker, there was a huge upsurge in women fleeing the North after a botched currency reform in late 2009 who now seem to be finding their way to South Korea. Some 70 to 80 percent of recent defectors are women, and they have an estimated 20,000-30,000 children who were born in China, according to one source.

But the children are not entitled to the same educational and financial support here as defectors. A woman surnamed Chung who arrived in South Korea in 2010, said, "I arrived in South Korea with two children I had in China, and they don't get any assistance, which makes life difficult for us. A major problem is that they can't speak much Korean."

Savvy women lie to investigators here, saying their children were born in the North but only grew up in China, which explains why they do not speak the language. A government source said, "There's no way to check their place of birth, so we often take their word for it."
Provident Financial Services, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Provident Bank that provides various banking products and services to individuals, families, and businesses in the United States. The company's deposit products include savings, checking, interest-bearing checking, money market deposit, and certificate of deposit accounts, as well as IRA products. Its loan portfolio comprises commercial real estate loans that are secured by properties, such as multi-family apartment buildings, office buildings, and retail and industrial properties; commercial business loans; fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgage loans collateralized by one- to four-family residential real estate properties; commercial construction loans; and consumer loans consisting of home equity loans, home equity lines of credit, marine loans, personal loans and unsecured lines of credit, and auto and recreational vehicle loans. The company also offers cash management, remote deposit capture, payroll origination, escrow account management, and online and mobile banking services; and business credit cards. In addition, it provides wealth management services comprising investment management, trust and estate administration, financial planning, tax compliance and planning, and private banking. Further, the company sells insurance and investment products, including annuities; operates as a real estate investment trust for acquiring mortgage loans and other real estate related assets; and manages and sells real estate properties acquired through foreclosure. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 96 full-service branch offices in northern and central New Jersey, as well as in Pennsylvania and New York counties. The company was founded in 1839 and is headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Fortis Inc. operates as an electric and gas utility company in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean countries. It generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 438,000 retail customers in southeastern Arizona; and 100,000 retail customers in Arizona's Mohave and Santa Cruz counties with an aggregate capacity of 3,485 megawatts (MW), including 53 MW of solar capacity and 252 MV of wind capacity. The company also sells wholesale electricity to other entities in the western United States; owns gas-fired and hydroelectric generating capacity totaling 65 MW; and distributes natural gas to approximately 1,065,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in British Columbia, Canada. In addition, it owns and operates the electricity distribution system that serves approximately 577,000 customers in southern and central Alberta; owns 4 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 225 MW; and provides operation, maintenance, and management services to five hydroelectric generating facilities. Further, the company distributes electricity in the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador with an installed generating capacity of 143 MW; and on Prince Edward Island with a generating capacity of 130 MW. Additionally, it provides integrated electric utility service to approximately 68,000 customers in Ontario; approximately 272,000 customers in Newfoundland and Labrador; approximately 32,000 customers on Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and approximately 16,000 customers on certain islands in Turks and Caicos. The company also holds long-term contracted generation assets in Belize consisting of 3 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 51 MW; and the Aitken Creek natural gas storage facility. It also owns and operates approximately 90,200 circuit Kilometers (km) of distribution lines; and approximately 50,500 km of natural gas pipelines. Fortis Inc. was founded in 1885 and is headquartered in St. John's, Canada.
Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer and distributor of professional beauty supplies. The company operates through two segments, Sally Beauty Supply and Beauty Systems Group. The Sally Beauty Supply segment offers beauty products, including hair color and care products, skin and nail care products, styling tools, and other beauty products for retail customers, salons, and salon professionals. This segment also provides products under third-party brands, such as Wella, Clairol, OPI, Conair, and L'Oreal, as well as exclusive-label brand merchandise. The Beauty Systems Group segment offers professional beauty products, such as hair color and care products, skin and nail care products, styling tools, and other beauty items directly to salons and salon professionals through its professional-only stores, e-commerce platforms, and sales force, as well as through franchised stores under the Armstrong McCall store name. This segment also sells products under third-party brands, such as Paul Mitchell, Wella, Matrix, Schwarzkopf, Kenra, Goldwell, Joico, and Olaplex. As of September 30, 2021, the company operated 4,777 stores, including 134 franchised units in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany. It also distributes its products through full-service/exclusive distributors, open-line distributors, direct sales, and mega-salon stores. Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in Denton, Texas.
Afghanistan has been an afterthought in the campaign but the next president will have to deal with an international inquiry into war crimes in Afghanistan that could involve U.S. troops.

State Department spokesman John Kirby last week expressed U.S. concerns that the International Criminal Court would soon initiate an investigation of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan that could target U.S. personnel.

Kirby took no position on the ICC's right to investigate but suggested that it was unnecessary in regard to American troops since the U.S. military already pursues any wrongful actions by service members under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

"No government, no military on Earth, takes its responsibilities in the way it conducts war more seriously than we do," Kirby said in response to questions at a regular State Department briefing.

The U.S. had a "robust system" of military justice that was "vibrant and fair and open," said Kirby, a retired Navy rear admiral. Going forward, the U.S. would "rely heavily on that system," he said.

American officials recently visited the Hague in the Netherlands to discuss with ICC officials an investigation by Fatou Bensouda of Gambia, the ICC's chief prosecutor, that was expected to begin with a preliminary examination before the end of the year into abuses in Afghanistan, Foreign Policy magazine reported last week.

The ICC is an independent judicial body whose establishment was negotiated within the United Nations and was empowered to prosecute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity under Rome Statute, a multilateral treaty that went into effect in 2002. More than 120 nations have signed the Rome treaty but the U.S., China and Russia are not signatories.

As a non-signatory, the U.S. would be unlikely to submit any nationals to the ICC's jurisdiction, but an investigation in Afghanistan could still prove to be embarrassing to the U.S.

In previous yearly reports, the ICC has singled out possible abuses by U.S. personnel in the treatment of detainees in Afghanistan. The 2015 report by the prosecutor's office of the ICC noted the alleged use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" by U.S. armed forces personnel against suspected members of the Taliban and other detainees.

The report cited "information available" that members of the U.S. military used enhanced interrogation techniques "against conflict-related detainees in an effort to improve the level of actionable intelligence obtained from interrogations."

Citing U.S. documents, the report said that the techniques approved for use allegedly included "food deprivation, deprivation of clothing, environmental manipulation, sleep adjustment, use of individual fears, use of stress positions, sensory deprivation (deprivation of light and sound), and sensory overstimulation."

Such techniques "could, depending on the severity and duration of their use, amount to cruel treatment, torture or outrages upon personal dignity as defined under international jurisprudence," the report said.

The response to an ICC investigation by Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, depending on who wins the presidential election, would be difficult to gauge since neither has been forthcoming on Afghanistan during the campaign.

"Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have said next to nothing about how they would handle the war in Afghanistan," the Associated Press reported. "Neither of the candidates' websites, which usually go into detail on policy matters, have a mention of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan or what to do about it."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
Despite Flipping in Surf 4 Times in a Year, Marines Say New ACV Is the Future of Amphibious Warfare

Some Marine veterans familiar with the vehicle and its operations have worried about the reliability of the ACV.
The U.S. Defense Department just completed the largest single shipment of ammunition for Army and Air Force units in Europe in more than two decades.

More than 600 shipping containers worth of ammo arrived at the port of Nordenham, Germany, as part of the continued effort to reassure NATO allies in Europe and bolster deterrence against potential Russian aggression.

The ammo build-up is intended to increase the readiness of U.S. forces stationed in Europe, said Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commander of U.S. Army Europe in a recent Army press release.

"This is about deterrence," he said. "We could have 1,000 tanks over here, but if we didn't have the ammunition for them they would not have any deterrent effect. It's another example of the commitment of the United States to security and stability in Europe."

The shipment by itself is significant because it equates to more than 620 containers, according to Lt. Col. Brad Culligan, commander, 838th Transportation Battalion, Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command.

The ammunition will be transported by train to Miesau Army Depot, Germany.

Hodges, who was present for the arrival of the first trainload to Miesau praised the joint nature of the endeavor, adding that German support was a key factor to getting the ammunition where it needed to go.

"The fact that the ammunition came from Nordenham port by rail all the way to Miesau is only possible because our ally, Germany, allows it to happen," Hodges said. "So it's another way that Germany contributes to deterrence, is by enabling the movement of ammunition and equipment inside Germany for the United States Army."

The ammo shipment arrived just before the U.S. Army's 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, is scheduled to arrive in Europe in January as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

The arrival of the 4,000 soldiers from the 3rd ABCT will mark the beginning of a continuous rotation of U.S.-based armored brigades to Europe. The brigade will consolidate in Poland before deploying its units across seven countries from Estonia to Bulgaria beginning in February, according to Army officials.

Hodges said in early October that he also wants anti-drone weapons to counter potential threats from Russia, among other equipment.

Hodges said he would welcome any number of systems to do the job, from newer non-kinetic technologies to older, Cold War-era equipment such as the Avenger, a Humvee equipped with a launcher housing eight FIM-92 Stinger missiles, as well as the German-made Gepard, a twin-33mm cannon mounted on a Leopard tank.

In addition to counter-drone weapons, Hodges said he would like to have more truck-mounted launchers capable of firing MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, made by Lockheed Martin Corp.

The Army also plans to equip the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Europe with the new version of the M1126 Stryker infantry carrier armed with a more potent 30mm cannon in May of 2018.

The service took delivery of the first prototype in October. It features a Kongsberg Medium Caliber Remote Weapon Station, or MCRWS, that houses a potent 30mm cannon. The weapon system, which can be fired from inside the safety of the turret, is capable of engaging enemy targets out to 3,000 meters.

By comparison, Strykers armed with M2 .50-caliber machine guns have a maximum effective range of 1,830 meters on an area target.

"We're bringing ammunition into the theater to resupply and set the stage for the European theater for any type of exercises or potential future missions that may come about," Culligan said.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
All 184,000 Marines across the Corps will take a 24-hour pause from normal work activities within the next month as the service cracks down on needless death and injury and incidents of misbehavior within the force.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller announced the one-day operational pause Nov. 8, telling all unit commanders and enlisted leaders in a message that "training accidents and destructive behavior by a small number of Marines" were indicators that the force needed to improve, Neller's spokesman, Lt. Col. Eric Dent, told Military.com.

In fiscal 2016, which ended Sept. 30, there were 80 on and off-duty Marine Corps fatalities, according to the Naval Safety Center.

These figures include on-duty work accidents and aviation mishaps as well as off-duty car, motorcycle, and recreational fatalities. They do not include combat deaths, suicides and other categories. Stars and Stripes, which first wrote about the operational pause, reported that there had been 152 Marine Corps deaths in total during the fiscal year, and 53 had been self-inflicted.

The one-day pause is for professional development and discussion, Dent said.

"We are losing too many Marines to avoidable death and injury," Neller said in a message to Marines Tuesday. "We have a culture of combat excellence, but we have to guard against complacency and a lack of focus at home station."

He added, "When we lose a Marine, you are the ones who feel it most -- they are your friends; they are your roommates in the barracks; you know their parents and loved ones. I need your help. The strength of our Corps is in our small unit leaders."

While on-duty and off-duty fatalities are down in all categories from fiscal 2015, there have been several high-profile incidents in the last year that may give cause for concern among Marine Corps leadership.

In Okinawa last month, officials with III Marine Expeditionary Force put a temporary ban on all water-related activities after three Marines and a Navy corpsman drowned in separate recreational incidents within 30 days.

The Marines' East Coast boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, was also rocked this year by the suicide death of 20-year-old recruit Raheel Siddiqui, a tragedy found to be caused by hazing that pervaded the culture of his recruit training battalion.

In the last two weeks, another recruit has been hospitalized in critical condition after an apparent suicide attempt, and another, 18-year-old Zachary Boland, was pronounced dead after being discovered unconscious in his bed. Boland's death has yet to be explained.

Dent said Neller's directive did not concern matters that remain under investigation or within the legal process, as all the Parris Island incidents do, but added that the commandant is concerned about the existence of hazing within the Marine Corps.

Marine Corps aviation has also come under scrutiny this year, beginning in January with a horrific collision of two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters during a night flight off the coast of Oahu that resulted in the deaths of all 12 Marines aboard.

An investigation released in late October found that the cause of the crash was human error, driven by a lack of pilot flight hours as a result of limited available aircraft. The Marine Corps suffered two other aviation fatalities in fiscal 2016, both as a result of individual F/A-18 Hornet crashes.

The operational pauses will be observed by individual active-duty commands by Dec. 1, Dent said. Reserve units have until Feb. 13, 2017, to conduct the professional development days.

"This is our chance as professionals, from Private to General, to pause, think, reflect, and discuss who we are and how we can improve, both as individuals and as a team," Neller said in his message to Marine leaders.

"My goal is for Marines to understand their value to the organization, to know they have a voice, and for leaders to join them in the trenches to ensure we are focused on success," he said.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
In an election night that proved to be an unexpected nail-biter for the presidential race, a number of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars found their own paths to victory.

Some half-dozen fresh-faced veterans won seats in the House of Representatives by the wee hours of Wednesday morning as more remained locked in races too close to call.

One congresswoman, Illinois Democrat Tammy Duckworth, who served honorably as an Army officer in Iraq, made a successful bid for a Senate seat. And in one of the most closely contested races, Eric Greitens, a decorated former Navy SEAL who served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, won his election for governor of Missouri as a Republican against Democrat Chris Koster, the former State attorney general.

Tuesday's election underscored a growing trend of veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan parlaying their military leadership skills in bids for national elected office. More than 30 veterans of the two wars ran for House Seats they had not held before.

For Greitens, who has never previously held elected office, the path to election included some controversy. He took some heat for posting provocative imagery in support of the Second Amendment and drew eyes to his race with campaign ads featuring an automatic rifle and a machine gun. But he also has a distinguished resume as a former Rhodes Scholar and White House Fellow who is also the founder of The Mission Continues, an organization supporting veterans.

The 42-year-old led his race with 52 percent to Koster's 45 percent with 90 percent of precincts reporting early Wednesday morning.

For Duckworth, her bid against incumbent Mark Kirk may have been boosted by an ugly exchange at a debate late in October. Kirk, himself a Navy veteran of the war in Afghanistan, attacked Duckworth, who is half-Thai, for calling herself a "daughter of the Revolution," telling her, "I forgot that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington." He later apologized for the remark after Duckworth posted a photo of her mother and her American father, also an Army veteran.

Duckworth, a former helicopter pilot who lost both legs in Iraq, will be the second female Iraq veteran in the Senate, joining Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican of Iowa.

And among many stories of heroism among military veterans making bids for Congress this year, the most inspiring story may be that of Brian Mast, a medically retired Army staff sergeant who lost both legs to an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan and first considered running for an elected office while recovering in a hospital bed at Walter Reed, according to an Army Times profile. An explosive ordnance disposal specialist, Mast earned his bachelor's degree after he was wounded, taking classes at Harvard University.

A Republican, Mast won the seat left open by Rep. Patrick Murphy, who made a Senate run, with 54 percent of the vote to Democratic challenger Randy Perkins' 43 percent.

Other veterans heading to Congress for the first time include Republican Scott Taylor, a another former Navy SEAL and veteran of the Iraq War who will fill the Virginia Beach seat left open by retiring Rep. Scott Rigell, and Democrat Jimmy Panetta, a Navy veteran of Afghanistan who is the son of former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and defeated Republican Casey Lucius in California.

Anthony Brown, a Democrat from Maryland who formerly served as lieutenant governor, and who served a tour in Iraq as an Army judge advocate, won a House seat vacated by Rep. Donna Edwards in a landslide. Republican Jim Banks, a former Navy officer who served in Afghanistan, and Republican Mike Gallagher, a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq, won seats in Indiana and Wisconsin, respectively.

Some 14 veteran incumbents kept their seats, including defense leaders Duncan Hunter, a Republican of California, Adam Kinzinger, Republican of Illinois, and Martha McSally, Republican of Arizona.

Many other high-profile races remained too close to call early Wednesday morning. These included some of the most-watched contests, including Republican and Reserve Marine Col. Doug Applegate's bid to challenge incumbent Darrell Issa in California. In late returns, Democrat Jason Kander, an Army officer who served in Afghanistan, lost his bid to unseat Republican incumbent Roy Blunt for Senate in Missouri.

--Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
President-elect Donald Trump's ambitious plans to reform and rebuild the military will have to get past the easily re-elected chairmen of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees who refused to endorse him.

Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican and the chairman of the Senate panel, will preside over hearings for a successor to defense secretary, as well nominations for service secretaries and the top uniformed leadership.

McCain, whose heroism as a Vietnam prisoner of war was mocked by Trump during the campaign, withdrew his reluctant endorsement of Trump in response to the candidate's vulgar comments about women while stressing that he would not vote for Trump's Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

However, on Wednesday, McCain posted on Twitter in abbreviation: "Congrats to President-Elect Donald Trump - as Chrmn of Armed Services Cmte I'll work to confront nat'l security challenges & support troops."

After defeating Democratic challenger Ann Kirkpatrick 53-41 percent, McCain told supporters that he will "extend an open hand to our new president and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to solve our problems together as fellow Americans, who have more in common than we have differences."

Rep. Mac Thornberry, a Texas Republican and chairman of the House defense panel, was also in a somewhat awkward position after winning re-election against libertarian and Green Party challengers with early results showing Thornberry taking more than 90 percent of the vote.

Thornberry's refusal to endorse Trump goes back to June. He said then, "If you endorse somebody, it's like a stamp of approval and embracing them. I'm not comfortable doing that with him based on a number of reasons."

Before Trump emerged as the winner early Wednesday, Thornberry told supporters, "I'm hopeful that we can actually get some things done" in the next Congress. "Now, what gets done is going to depend on who gets elected and how much we can agree. There are a lot of details."

Thornberry will have a major role in the upcoming battle over the annual defense policy bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act in the lame duck session of Congress. The bill is now under a continuing resolution and it was unclear whether Congress would simply pass a similar stopgap funding measure to await Trump's inauguration.

Neither McCain, who won re-election to his sixth term, nor Thornberry, who will be serving his 12th two-year term, attended the Republican National Convention that nominated Trump.

Also winning re-election was McCain's fellow Arizona Republican in the House and A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support pioneer Martha McSally. In December 2014, McSally was declared the winner following a vote recount in Arizona's 2nd district. Like McCain, McSally has over 20 years of military experience -- she flew the A-10 over Iraq and Kuwait, and retired as an Air Force colonel.

In another election surprise, incumbent Republican Kelly Ayotte was defeated by New Hampshire's governor Democrat Maggie Hassan. Ayotte heads up the Senate Armed Services Committee's Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee. She has also been a critic of President Barack Obama's strategy to defeat the Islamic State, or ISIS.

A handful of notable and veteran lawmakers also won't be returning to the counterpart panel in the House.

Illinois Democrat Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a double amputee from the Iraq War who retired as a lieutenant colonel from the Illinois Army National Guard, won her bid for a Senate seat after unseating Republican Sen. Mark Kirk.

Virginia Republican Rep. Randy Forbes, chairman of the panel's Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, lost his seat during the June primary to state Delegate Scott Taylor, who won again on Tuesday.

Nevada Republican Rep. Joe Heck, a doctor and brigadier general in the Army Reserves and chairman of the committee's Military Personnel Subcommittee, sought to take Sen. Harry Reid's capture in the Senate but lost to Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, the first Latina elected to the Senate.

California Democrat Rep. Loretta Sanchez, the ranking member of the panel's Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, also lost her bid for a Senate seat to California Attorney General Kamala Harris.

--Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.

--Richard Sisk can be reached at richard.sisk@military.com.
Updated 5:14 PM EST

A Marine Corps pilot has been recovered by a search-and-rescue crew after ejecting when two F/A-18 Hornets collided off the coast of San Diego earlier today.

The collision took place today around 11:45 a.m. local time during a training mission over waters near San Diego, California, according to a news release from 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

One of the pilots ejected from the aircraft and send up a distress call at about 12:11 p.m., officials said. The pilot was recovered 30 minutes later by search-and-rescue assets from the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, which is based in San Diego.

The two single-seat aircraft were attached to 3rd MAW, although the squadron has not been identified.

The other pilot landed without incident at nearby Naval Air Station North Island, officials said. Both pilots are in stable condition and have been taken to nearby medical facilities for evaluation, according to the release.

The incident marks the second time in 12 months that two Marine Corps aircraft have collided in flight, and the fourth recent incident involving Marine Corps Hornets.

In January, two CH-53E Super Stallions collided during a night mission off the coast of Oahu, tragically resulting in the deaths of all 12 Marines aboard the aircraft. And between between October 2015 and August of this year, there were three separate F/A-18C Hornet crashes, two of them fatal. All three Hornets were from the same Miramar-based squadron, VMFA-232.

In August, Marine Corps leaders ordered all aviation squadrons to observe a 24-hour operational pause within the space of a week to address best practices and ways to improve. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller would later tell Military.com that the pause was intended to address lower-level mishaps, rather than major crashes.

Neller maintained the squadron in question did not have any pressing readiness issues.

The cause of the crash is being investigated, officials said.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

Original Story

A search-and-rescue operation is underway after a mid-air crash of two Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornets that caused one pilot to execute an emergency ejection.

The collision took place today around 11:45 a.m. local time during a training mission over waters near San Diego, California, according to a news release from 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

The two single-seat aircraft were attached to 3rd MAW, although the squadron has not been identified. One of the pilots was able to eject safely from the aircraft, officials said. Search and rescue assets are currently en route to recover that pilot; it's not clear how long that mission will take.

The other pilot landed without incident at nearby Naval Air Station North Island, officials said.

The incident marks the second time in 12 months that two Marine Corps aircraft have collided in flight, and the fourth recent incident involving Marine Corps Hornets.

In January, two CH-53E Super Stallions collided during a night mission off the coast of Oahu, tragically resulting in the deaths of all 12 Marines aboard the aircraft. And between between October 2015 and August of this year, there were three separate F/A-18C Hornet crashes, two of them fatal. All three Hornets were from the same Miramar-based squadron, VMFA-232.

In August, Marine Corps leaders ordered all aviation squadrons to observe a 24-hour operational pause within the space of a week to address best practices and ways to improve. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller would later tell Military.com that the pause was intended to address lower-level mishaps, rather than major crashes.

Neller maintained the squadron in question did not have any pressing readiness issues.

The cause of the crash is being investigated, officials said.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.
In a stunning upset, Republican Donald Trump on Tuesday was elected to become the next commander-in-chief over his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

Trump, 70, behind in polls going into Election Day, was declared the winner and president-elect by the Associated Press early Wednesday morning after seizing a number of key battleground states, from Ohio to Pennsylvania to Florida.

Clinton initially declined to concede the race. John Podesta, her campaign manager, told her supporters, "We'll have more to say tomorrow."

But in a speech to supporters, Trump said he received a phone call from Clinton congratulating him on his victory. "It is time for us to come together as one united people," he said.

Trump also had a message aimed at international observers. "We will get along with all nations willing to get along with us," he said. "We will seek common ground, not hostility; partnership, not conflict."

On Jan. 20, he will succeed President Barack Obama, assuming command of a military with readiness gaps after years of fighting in hotspots around the world, from Afghanistan to Iraq to Syria, while undergoing a cultural shift as more women seek to fill combat jobs previously held by men.

Preferred Boss

Many officers and enlisted service members preferred Trump to Clinton.

Career-oriented troops favored Trump over Clinton by a 3:1 margin, according to a voluntary online survey conducted by Military.com in October. A poll by another news organization also found service members preferring the Republican nominee, though by a 2:1 margin.

"I really think he cares about us and cares about America," said an Army major who identified himself as Hispanic or Latino and politically independent. "Plus, there are a lot of negatives on Hillary."

Across almost every demographic group, from branch of military service to paygrade to gender, Trump was the clear winner in the survey. (The Republican presidential candidate was also heavily favored by thousands more veterans and military spouses who filled out the questionnaire.) Most black troops who responded, however, preferred Clinton.

Military Boost

Trump in September proposed an almost Reaganesque plan to boost the size of the military.

He called for increasing the size of the Army to about 540,000 active-duty soldiers, the Marine Corps to 36 battalions, the Navy to 350 surface ships and submarines, and the Air Force to at least 1,200 fighter aircraft.

By comparison, the Pentagon's $583 billion budget proposal for fiscal 2017, which began Oct. 1, requests funding for 460,000 active soldiers, 24 Marine infantry battalions, 287 naval ships and roughly 1,170 fighter aircraft (excluding A-10 ground attack aircraft) -- all for the active component. The figures don't take into account additional troops and equipment for the Guard and Reserve.

Trump didn't specify how he would work with Congress to fund such a plan, which would cost tens of billions of dollars, at least.

Many troops who responded to the Military.com survey said they welcomed his comments that he "would listen to the generals" in deciding on military matters, including combat operations. At the same time, the candidate has suggested he would look to replace military leadership if elected to office: "They'd probably be different generals, to be honest with you," he said during a forum.

NATO

During the debates and on the campaign trail, Trump criticized the military brass under the Obama administration and U.S. policy in Iraq, praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, defended comments on gender-separation in the military and supported undocumented immigrants serving in the military.

Notably, he triggered alarms in Europe when he questioned the automatic defense of NATO states, already on edge amid rising Russian aggression in the region.

Trump has said the U.S. vastly outspends NATO allies on defense and security. According to a NATO report from July, only five of members -- the U.S., Greece, United Kingdom, Estonia and Poland -- met the guideline for spending at least 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense.

"We defend Japan. We defend Germany. We defend South Korea. We defend Saudi Arabia," Trump said during a debate. "They do not pay us what they should be paying us."

Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan

His cooler stance toward NATO may be viewed as an example of his preference for a more isolationist posture for the U.S. abroad, but his statements have been mixed.

While he proposed having the Mexican government fund the construction of a wall along the border with the U.S., Trump has also vowed to "knock the hell out of" militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS.

In addition, Trump has said ISIS "wouldn't have even been formed" had the U.S. left 10,000 or more troops in Iraq, suggesting support for an interventionist posture abroad. There are currently about 5,000 American service members in Iraq. Trump also repeatedly said the U.S. should have seized Iraqi petroleum assets, which he said became the terrorist group's "primary source of income."

Yet Trump stopped short of Clinton's calls to create a safe zone and no-fly zone in Syria, where the U.S. and Russia support opposing forces engaged in a bloody, five-year-old civil war and where about 300 American service members are fighting.

Many U.S. troops oppose the idea of creating a no-fly zone in Syria and Trump disagreed with his running mate Mike Pence's calls to meet Russian provocations in Syria with "American strength."

Pence, the governor of Indiana, has said, "if Russia chooses to continue to be involved in this barbaric attack on civilians in Aleppo, the United States of America should be prepared to use military force to strike military targets of the Assad regime."

When asked about the comments, Trump simply said, "He and I haven't spoken, and I disagree."

Trump hasn't detailed his plans for Afghanistan, where 8,400 U.S. troops are expected to remain into next year. He has said the risk of global nuclear proliferation is the single-greatest threat to U.S. national security.

Veterans Care

Trump has been outspoken in his plan to give veterans more access to private healthcare -- a proposal supported by nearly three in four vet respondents to the Military.com survey.

He wants to reform the Veterans Affairs Department in part by ensuring that "every veteran has the choice to seek care at the VA or at a private service provider of their own choice," according to his campaign website. "Under a Trump Administration, no veteran will die waiting for service."

During a forum with Clinton, Trump called for giving veterans greater access to private care if they face waits of several days for appointments at hospitals and clinics run by the VA, which he described as "almost a corrupt enterprise."

While Trump has said he believes in protecting the Second Amendment, which gives citizens the right to bear arms, he also said he would support a law that prevents a person from acquiring a gun if they appear on a terrorist watch list.

-- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dropped his previous harsh criticism of Donald Trump Wednesday and said the new U.S. commander-in-chief could usher in a "new era" of cooperation on the anti-ISIS campaign and access to the Incirlik Air Base.

Erdogan had earlier called for Trump's name to be removed from the Istanbul Trump Towers over the new President-elect's anti-Muslim campaign rhetoric, but his statement on Trump's stunning election win was conciliatory.

"I wish a future full of success" to Trump, Erdogan said. "With this choice, a new era has begun in America. I hope this choice of the American public will contribute to beneficial steps toward basic rights and freedoms, democracy and developments in our region," Erdogan said.

Since the failed July coup in Turkey, the U.S. and Turkey have been at odds over the campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in both Iraq and in Syria. Turkey has been demanding a role in the current Mosul offensive in northwestern Iraq for the Turkish military and Turkish-trained tribal militias. The Baghdad government has rejected Turkey's demands.

In northeastern Syria, Turkey has also protested the role of the Syrian Kurdish Popular Protection Units, or YPG, in the just-begun offensive to retake the ISIS stronghold of Raqaa. Turkey has labeled the YPG a terrorist organization.

The friction between the U.S. and Turkey has extended to the Incirlik Air Base, which has been vital to the U.S. air campaign against ISIS in Syria and northern Iraq. Turkey has been pursuing closer ties with Russia, and Turkish officials have periodically suggested that Russia should also have access to Incirlik, which would be a non-starter for the U.S.

Top aides to Erdogan suggested that continued cooperation with the Trump administration could depend upon the U.S. acceding to Turkish demands for the extradition of Fethullah Gulen, the exiled Muslim cleric and former ally of Erdogan who now lives in Pennsylvania. Erdogan has blamed Gulen for fomenting the July coup.

"We congratulate Mr. Trump," Prime Minister Binali Yldrm said, but "I am openly calling on the new president from here about the urgent extradition of Fethullah Gulen, the mastermind, executor and perpetrator of the heinous July 15 coup attempt, who lives on U.S. soil."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at richard.sisk@military.com
U.S. airstrikes may have killed 64 civilians and injured eight more in Iraq and Syria during the past year, officials said.

U.S. Central Command on Wednesday released a statement saying two dozen airstrikes launched by American warplanes and meant to target militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, may have "regrettably" struck civilians instead.

"It's a key tenant of the counter-ISIL air campaign that we do not want to add to the tragedy of the situation by inflicting addition suffering," Col. John J. Thomas, a command spokesman, said in the statement, using another term for ISIS.

"Sometimes civilians bear the brunt of military action but we do all we can to minimize those occurrences even at the cost of sometimes missing the chance to strike valid targets in real time," he added.

The release included short descriptions of the 24 airstrikes, which targeted ISIS leaders, fighters, weapons, storage facilities and other targets from Nov. 20, 2015, through Sept. 10, 2016, the release states. More than a third of the bombings occurred in Mosul in Iraq. Other strikes occurred in and around Qayyarah, Kisik, Qayyarah and Ramadi, Iraq; and Dayr Az Zawr, Ar Raqqah and Manbij in Syria, it states.

Investigators reviewed military records and outside sources such as news reports and other accounting by independent organizations and U.S. agencies, the release states.

The Pentagon has previously acknowledged that at least 55 civilians were killed in airstrikes since the U.S. air campaign against ISIS began in August 2014.

The latest estimate represents the largest number of civilian casualties since the air war against ISIS began. Taken together with the previous figures, the total death toll from U.S. airstrikes in the campaign stands at about 119 civilians.

-- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry.
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The White Sox enter the winter with plenty of questions  not just of how to address immediate roster needs, but also of how to approach the offseason strategically. GM Rick Hahn suggested to reporters today that the club intends to oversee some changes in its roster-building mentality this winter, as Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago reports.

With an impressive, controllable, affordable core, but also numerous needs, the White Sox could pursue a variety of avenues. The most drastic would be a full-blown tear-down in which the teams best player assets  the contracts of stars such as Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, and Adam Eaton  are marketed to the highest bidder.

Hahn certainly didnt commit to that kind of course. But he did indicate that the broad imperative is now different, which could conceivably lead to rather dramatic change. Hoping to put ourselves in a position to in on a sustainable basis, Hahn explained, required the team to focus[] on longer-term benefits over the offseason.

What does seem clear is that the White Sox will not continue to pursue shorter-term, expensive veterans to build around their core. We have taken the approach for a number of years that we were focused on a short-term success, Hahn said, specifying that the team was no longer interested in continuing that course because it realize[s] a better position for the long-term is a more prudent path.

Hahn didnt prime fans for a massive rebuilding effort, though. He suggested that the club still has hopes of winning next year, but that the offseason targets will have a little bit longer fits in nature. But there does still appear to be a real possibility of some deals involving the teams veterans. Hahn explained:

Should we go to the position of selling off assets, looking toward a more long-term future, the market will dictate how deep of a cut that is. That would also be based on the return for some of our players. The market plays a huge role.  The other part is how your players are valued by the industry. We would not be just trading a younger piece for a younger piece. We would want to diversify the use of players, depending on the depth and strength of the roster. You may look at five or six spots to improve on.

Clearly, theres still a lot of uncertainty even with the GM Meetings underway. But it sounds as if the White Sox are open to any number of scenarios involving veterans. In addition to the key players noted above, the organization possesses a wide variety of short-term assets (e.g., Melky Cabrera, Todd Frazier, David Robertson) whod surely hold appeal to contenders. And if the organization isnt looking to add those types of players, its fair to wonder whether theyll want to retain them.
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga

ZEELAND, MI - U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga appeared to be on his way to easily winning a fourth term as votes were being counted for the 2nd Congressional District late Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Huizenga, R-Zeeland Township, was opposed by Democrat Dennis Murphy and several third party candidates, including Libertarian Erwin Haas, Mathew Brady of the Green Party and Ronald Graeser of the U.S. Taxpayers Party.

As of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, with less than half of the precincts counted, Huizenga held a commanding lead with more than 70 percent of the votes while Murphy trailed with less than 28 percent percent of the votes in what has been the most Republican-leaning congressional district in Michigan.

Celebrating at a downtown party, Huizenga was more excited about the strong showing in Michigan by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

"He needs to have traditional Republicans in West Michigan to come out for him," said Huizenga, who supported Trump's candidacy.

In his campaign, Huizenga, a former state representative and aide to former U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, stressed his experience, pro-life and conservative principles. Murphy cast himself as a "pragmatic progressive."

Unlike some moderate Republicans, Huizenga embraced GOP presidential nominee Donald J. Trump, speaking at an Oct. 31 Grand Rapids rally for Trump.

Murphy and Huizenga met in three debates during their campaign, focusing mainly their differences over Obamacare and immigration issues.

Huizenga outspent Murphy heavily in the race. While Huizenga raised and spent about $1.1 million, Murphy raised about $16,000 and spend about $14,000, according to federal campaign finance reports.

The 2nd Congressional District includes West Michigan's coastal region, including the counties of Benzie, Manistee, Wexford, Mason, Lake, Oceana, Newaygo, Muskegon, Ottawa, and the northern portion of Allegan and the northwest portion of Kent.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Republican Donald Trump's win in Michigan benefited from a strong turnout by voters in West Michigan while the turnout for Democrat Hillary Clinton was less robust, according to preliminary review of election results.

Trump won 147,959 votes in Kent County, while Clinton garnered 138,567 votes in an election that saw a 69 percent turnout of registered voters.

While Trump's results did not match GOP nominee Mitt Romney's 2012 margins over President Barack Obama, they came close to matching Republican John McCain's vote totals in 2008.

But in 2008, Obama beat McCain in Kent County by gaining 149,909 votes, compared to McCain's 148,336 votes. That's almost 10,000 more votes than Clinton collected in Kent County.

Trump also benefited by getting most of the 30,000 new voters in Kent County since 2008. On Tuesday, Nov. 8, 69 percent of Kent County's 453,437 voters showed up to vote compared to 2008, when 72 percent of 421,151 voters showed up to vote.

Doug Koopman, a Calvin College political science professor, said he suspects Clinton's support among minority voters did not match the turnout that Obama enjoyed eight years ago.

"I would look at the heavily minority precincts in the city," said Koopman. Minority voters may have supported Clinton but stayed home, assuming she would win Michigan, he said.

"People perceive only their own micro-environments in their neighborhoods," Koopman said. While minority voters supported Clinton, their support may not have run deeply enough to create the type of turnout that gave Obama a Michigan victory in 2008 and 2012, he said.

Koopman also questioned whether labor-oriented voters who traditionally voted for Democratic candidates responded to Trump's message on NAFTA and other trade agreements.

In Ottawa County, 73 percent of the registered voters turned out and gave Trump 61 percent of their votes. Clinton pulled slightly more than 31 percent of the vote while Libertarian Gary Johnson received slightly more than 4 percent of the vote.

Steve Daitch, elections coordinator for Ottawa County, said did not match 2008, when 78 percent of the county's voters turned out and gave John McCain 61 percent of their votes.

Tuesday's turnout numbers were similar to 2012, when 72 percent of Ottawa County voters turned out and gave Romney 66 percent of the vote, Daitch said. "It was a remarkably similar turnout to 2012," he said.
UPDATE: This teen was identified as a Huron High School student.

ANN ARBOR, MI - One person is dead after a fall from a University of Michigan parking structure on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Police were called about 3:15 p.m. to the Thayer Street parking garage, 300 S. Thayer St., for a person who reportedly fell from the structure, an official previously said.

The male was transported to C.S. Mott Children's hospital in unstable condition.

He later died, Diane Brown, spokeswoman for the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security, confirmed Tuesday night.

Police have not yet identified the individual.

Brown said although the matter is still under investigation, preliminary investigation showed the incident may have been an accident.

Further information on the incident was not immediately available.

It was not immediately clear what level the person fell from, but a police vehicle was parked on the top floor of the 7-floor structure Tuesday afternoon.
ANN ARBOR, MI - Washtenaw County will send four Democrats -- three of them new faces -- to represent the area in the Michigan House of Representatives for the next legislative session starting in January 2017.

Democrats prevailed in all four state House races on the ballot in the greater Ann Arbor area on Tuesday, Nov. 8. They are Donna Lasinski, Yousef Rabhi, Ronnie Peterson and Adam Zemke.

Clockwise from top left, Donna Lasinski, Yousef Rabhi, Adam Zemke and Ronnie Peterson.

Lasinski, an Ann Arbor school board member from Scio Township, won the 52nd District seat that includes western Washtenaw County.

She will replace Gretchen Driskell, who ran for Congress instead of seeking reelection. Driskell lost her congressional race.

Rabhi, a county commissioner from Ann Arbor, won the 53rd District seat representing much of Ann Arbor, replacing Jeff Irwin, who is term limited.

Peterson, a county commissioner from the Ypsilanti area, won the 54th District seat, replacing David Rutledge, who is term limited.

Adam Zemke, who represents parts of Ann Arbor and surrounding areas, retained his 55th District seat.

The race between Lasinski and Republican Randy Clark was the only one that was close. It was neck and neck until the results from Scio Township were tallied early Wednesday morning, giving Lasinski about 52 percent of the vote in the end.

Rabhi won with 80 percent of the vote against Republican Samuel Bissell and the Green Party's Joseph Stevens.

Peterson won with 74 percent of the vote against Republican Kevin Jardine. And Zemke won with 69 percent of the vote against Republican Bob Baird.

Statewide, the Democrats failed to take back the state House as they hoped Tuesday night, leaving them still in the minority.
A2 winners.jpg

Jeff Gaynor, Simone Lightfoot and Harmony Mitchell were elected to the Ann Arbor Public Schools board of education on Nov. 8, 2016.

(Provided photo)

This post was updated to include complete election results.

ANN ARBOR, MI - Jeff Gaynor and Harmony Mitchell will take seats on the Ann Arbor Public Schools board of education along with incumbent Simone Lightfoot.

Gaynor emerged as the leader of the eight people vying for three four-year terms on the school board. He received 22,167 votes. Lightfoot, who has been on the board for six years, received 21,429 votes and Mitchell drew 20,450 votes cast, according to unofficial results from the Washtenaw County clerk's office.

Also running were current board president Deb Mexicotte, who received 19,455 votes; Hunter Van Valkenburgh, 17,502 votes; Rebecca Lazarus, 15,753 votes; Don Wilkerson, 10,896 votes, and Jeremy Glick, 9,664 votes.

Gaynor ran with Mitchell and Van Valkenburgh. He credited the volunteers who campaigned for their slate and endorsements of the Teacher Union and Labor Federation with giving him and Mitchell the advantage in the election.

"Having a 38-year teaching career also gives me credibility," Gaynor wrote in an email to The Ann Arbor News. "I may not always say what people - including former colleagues - want to hear, but people are clear that I know, and I care, about educating children, about excellence and equity."

He said he will bring to the board the same principles he followed in his classroom, including frequent and straightforward communication, critical thinking and problem solving and "the belief that all kids count."

Mitchell - who has three children enrolled at AAPS - plans to represent the voice of the community on the school board.

"I think my message of transparency, collaboration with all stakeholders - parents, teachers and students - and equity is what resonated with voters," Mitchell said in an email early Wednesday morning. "I am extremely thankful that Ann Arbor has decided to support me. I look forward to working with the board for the benefit of all in our community."

Lightfoot, who is currently the board parliamentarian could not be reached for comment.

Mexicotte was optimistic about the direction of the board moving forward - whoever was elected.

"It was certainly a close race," Mexicotte said just after midnight Wednesday, when Gaynor, Lightfoot and Mitchell had garnered a lead. "I think whatever happens, Ann Arbor is a great community. It cares a great deal about its schools. And whoever is put into a position of being a board trustee has the responsibility for the welfare of 17,000 students. That's an honorary privilege in this community."

Mexicotte would like to see the board continue to work with district administrators to maintain the gains the district has seen in recent years.

Van Valkenburgh hopes the school board will act on some of the issues he campaigned on: a reduction in student testing, reforming the teacher evaluation system, providing more avenues for public discourse with the board members and reversing the privatization of some of the district's support services.

Lazarus said in an email to The Ann Arbor News that she hopes Gaynor and Mitchell bring a "more critical eye to the board." She advocated for more accountability for the companies that provide services like transportation and custodial and maintenance services for the district.

Glick said he enjoyed the campaigning experience and the people he met along the way.

"I'm very proud of what we did and what my team did and I look forward to staying involved over the next few years and we'll see what the future holds," said Glick, a University of Michigan student who graduated from Skyline High School in 2014. "I would encourage the new members who will be joining the board to make sure they have a 'students first' focus in their work."

Wilkerson said the campaigning experience was rewarding.

"I would like the board to continue to put our students first and continue to deliver the great new programming that has been brought to the classroom, all while strengthening the engagement of our community as part of the discussion," he said in an email Wednesday.
ANN ARBOR, MI - As the nation continues to process the outcome of a divisive 2016 presidential election, those gathered at First Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 9, had a single-minded focus: unity and peace.

Republican nominee Donald Trump was named president-elect in Tuesday's election, drawing 279 electoral college votes to Democrat Hillary Clinton's 218, according to unofficial results.

The popular vote tipped slightly in Clinton's favor - by a half percentage point - which the Rev. Fairfax Fair pointed to as a sign of how divided the country has become.

"We gather aware of the deep divides among the people in our nation - proved reality as of (Tuesday's) basically 50-50 split vote," said Fair, who has pastored the First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor since 2011. "(Tuesday's) results demonstrate splits between races. The results highlight divides between urban and rural voters, between men and women, between people of color and whites, between those who feel they have a voice and those who feel that they are overlooked."

In the face of those divisions, Fair urged the group of more than 40 people gathered at the Presbyterian church the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 9, to make unity their No. 1 mission.

She quoted from Romans 12:13-18, emphasizing the verse that says, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."

"(Tuesday) was a historic election. Scholars from the University of Michigan are going to be dissecting that race and the final vote for years to come," Fair said. "None of us can name all of the factors that played a role in the outcome, but we know that billions of dollars were spent and billions of hours of time were invested. We also know that families were split, parties divided and history has been made.

"The actual results of the election, however, are not yet known," she continued. "Those results will partially depend on us. ... The task before us today is actually the very same task (before) us yesterday. We must do what would otherwise be impossible - remembering that all things are possible with God. We must find it in our hearts and in our souls, in our actions and our words to be peacemakers."

While acknowledging that some across the country and even in the church were celebrating the outcome of the election, there was an air of grieving at the service in a church located in Democratic Party-leaning Washtenaw County. People hugged each other as they took their seats arranged in a circle around the communion table. Some wiped tears and put their arms around each other as they sang hymns and prayed for the country.

Fair said she started planning the post-election service about a month ago due to the "ugly divisiveness" the polarizing presidential candidates brought out. She knew people would need to be reminded after the outcome of the election - whatever it was - that this is God's world and he will help Americans move forward together.

Sharon Sheldon, of Ann Arbor, attended the post-election service because she wanted to connect with people and share their emotions about the results. Still feeling shocked a few hours after Trump had been named the president-elect, Sheldon said the election showed her how many people must feel disenfranchised with the current political system.

"As people of faith, it is our responsibility to show grace to the world and to try to find ways to work toward better understanding and reconciliation," she said. "I'm here today to celebrate that and to commit to doing it and to be strengthened by other people in the faith community to give us the strength to fight against some of these dark forces that we saw come out in this race."

Another event to promote healing and unity is planned for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the University of Michigan Diag. The "Uniting Michigan" vigil will be a "discussion about where we as a community go from here," according to the Facebook event page.
YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, MI - Police are seeking help identifying a man

accused of shoving a woman to the ground

during an altercation about presidential candidates outside a polling place on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Police were called just after 10 a.m. Tuesday to the Moose Lodge, 5506 Stony Creek Road in Ypsilanti Township, for a report of an altercation, police previously said. The lodge is serving as a polling place for Ypsilanti Township's precincts 13 and 15.

Police determined the incident began when a 29-year-old woman was campaigning for the Green Party from the allowable distance away from the polling site. A 64-year-old voter who was leaving the polling site responded and urged voters to support her candidate, police said.

The two then got into a verbal altercation that led to pushing, police said. An unrelated man then pushed the 64-year-old to the ground and left, police said. Police then arrived and separated the parties.

No one was injured in the incident and no arrests had been made by 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The matter is still being investigated, but police are hoping to learn who the male subject was, said Derrick Jackson of the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office.

Cynthia Bedolla, an Ypsilanti Township resident, told The Ann Arbor News she saw the incident between the Green Party supporter. She said the couple got in the Green Party supporter's face and the three got into an argument between two vehicles.

The Green Party supporter then jumped out and said the other woman spat in her face, Bedolla said.

The couple attempted to leave, but the Green Party supporter stood behind her car so they couldn't, and the incident escalated into shoving and racial slurs, Bedolla said.

Keena Mills of Ypsilanti Township told The Ann Arbor News she saw a woman push a man, ran over to try to diffuse the situation and took video of a woman spitting and calling the man and Mills a racial epithet.

The woman has not been identified.

Once the investigation is completed, the case will be forwarded to the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office for review.

Those with information on the incident are asked to contact the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 734-994-2911 or the confidential tip line at 734-973-7711.
Donald Trump

President-elect Donald Trump speaks during an election night rally, Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

(Evan Vucci)

ANN ARBOR, MI - Regardless of who pundits thought would come out victorious in Tuesday's presidential election, chances are the road Donald Trump took to victory was different than the one exit polls anticipated.

University of Michigan American politics professor Vincent Hutchings said the discrepancy between media polls leading up to the election and the final vote tallies shined a light on some of the flaws of the polling as gauge of the prospective voting population.



According to the Chicago Tribune, final tallies produced by CBS News, FiveThirtyEight, Fox News, Wall Street Journal-NBC News and Washington Post-ABC News all predicted a relatively safe 4-point win for Clinton. Only slightly less wrong were polls by Bloomberg Politics and New York Times's Upshot, which estimated a Clinton victory by 3 points. Rasmussen Reports called for a 2-point Clinton triumph.

Only a couple were correct in their predictions, the Tribune noted - The Investor's Business Daily-TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence poll and a tally by USC Dornsife-Los Angeles Times, which were among the rare outlets to call the election for Trump, by 2 and 3 points, respectively.

While many assumed Clinton would cruise to victory in states like Wisconsin and even Michigan just a couple of weeks before the election, Hutchings said he believes there were some indications there were concerns media polls weren't as accurate as the data both Trump and Clinton's teams were collecting.

"Both Clinton and Trump seemed to sense something was going on in the Midwest, which is why you had both of them visiting Michigan, along with Barack Obama campaigning in Ann Arbor the day before the election," said Hutchings, author of the Princeton University Press book "Public Opinion and Democratic Accountability: How Citizens Learn About Politics," which focuses on how, and under what circumstances, citizens monitor their elected representative's voting behavior.

"It seemed on its face that it was kind of a wasted effort (for Trump) to keep visiting these states because polls suggested Clinton would win easier, but that turned out to not be the case," he added. "It may be coincidental, but I think the candidates knew something that the pollsters didn't."

Hutchings pointed to a couple of key demographics where polling predictions were off, including the gender gap -- the support women gave to Democrats relative to Republicans -- not being as large as predicted and Clinton's success among white voters.

In a CBS News exit poll gender breakdown among white voters, Trump beat Clinton among white women 53 percent to 43 percent -- close to Romney's margin in 2012. By comparison, Obama won 35 percent of white, male voters in 2012, while Clinton lost to Trump among that group by 63 percent to 31 percent.

"Statistics suggest that (Clinton) received 37 percent of the white vote nationally, which is the lowest a Democrat has done since Walter Mondale in 1984 when he got 34 percent," Hutchings said. "I think that shows why she didn't do as well with women, as well, because she didn't do well with white women.

"If the story of the last two elections were about the non-white vote (in favor of Obama), this vote was about the white vote (in favor of Trump)," he added.

Michael Traugott is a professor emeritus of communication studies and political science and a senior research scientist at the U-M Center for Political Studies.

As an authority on political communication, public opinion and media polling, Traugott said the overwhelming turnout from the white population in favor of Trump may have thrown polling data off and has left analysts grasping for reasons.

"The election results reveal a deep cleavage in American society between those who feel they have been left behind or ignored and those who have an idea of a multicultural society that requires changes that the first group finds uncomfortable," he said in a statement. "This is a polling error on the order of 1948, and it will require considerable effort to figure out what went wrong. All of the modelers and data aggregators also suffered because their basic ingredient are the poll results -- nationally and at the state level."

Aaron Kall, director of the U-M Debate program and Dean of Students, said a potential flaw in media polling could be rooted in its reliance on past election data to make projections.

Kall referenced the projection provided by the Detroit Free Press, in which the publication predicted Clinton would take the state of Michigan just minutes after polls closed. Trump eventually was declared the winner in Michigan by more than 12,000 votes.

In an explanation of its methodology, the Free Press stated that its election night analyst used a methodology this year that relied on past elections and a sample of real-time precinct results.

Kiska and Kall said what that project didn't account for was the overwhelming support for Trump in rural areas of the state.

"The major error of the Free Press calling the state for Clinton was kind of consistent with those polls that were released a few days before the election that had Clinton favored by as much as 5 points," Kall said. "The major take here is a lot of people doing projections were making those projections based off of 2012 and 2008 election data. The thing that Trump did was get increased support in rural areas of Michigan."

Basing projections off of the past couple of elections also didn't take into account the unique relationship Obama had with his supporters -- a relationship that simply didn't resonate among supporters of Clinton, Kall said.

That combined with the fact that early voting polls indicated positive returns for Clinton may have influenced election day results.

"I think one of the problems for Clinton was the early voting results gave her so much hope and optimism, which was neutralized with the day-of voting," Kall said. "I think the major takeaway is out of the millions of voters who supported Obama, maybe 5 million were not willing to turn out to support Clinton for various reasons. His coattails were a lot less useful to her and didn't translate as some might have expected."
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The Violin Monster plays for students waiting in line to vote inside the Michigan Union on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Martin Slagter l The Ann Arbor News

ANN ARBOR, MI - With lines approaching more than two hours inside the Michigan Union on Tuesday, Nov. 8, students waiting to cast their ballots were serenaded with the soothing sounds of patriotism.

The Violin Monster, a werewolf who's made a name for himself playing fiddle tunes on the streets of Ann Arbor and beyond, brought his act into the Union shortly after 5 p.m. as students waited in lines that snaked through the first and second floor of the building.

The Violin Monster, who appeared on "America's Got Talent" in May, said he was asked by a local campaign organizer to stop by and play. He stressed that he wasn't playing for or representing any candidate, but rather trying to help the students get through a long line with songs like the national anthem.

"It wasn't anything that was planned, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing," he said. "They told me there were long lines down here and I thought why not do that. It sounds pretty neat."

"For me, it's not anything partisan," he added. "I'm not here promoting a candidate, just hopefully making the long line more bearable."

U-M student Kellie Lounds said she waited about an hour-and-a-half to vote at the Michigan Union when she arrived earlier in the morning.

"I waited for about an hour-and-a-half and that was when it was all on the first floor," she said. "Now it's about two or two-and-a-half hour wait.

"Obviously nobody wants to wait an hour-and-a-half in line, but at the same time, I'm happy to see that many people out voting,"

Although many had to wait for a while to vote, many of the students weren't unhappy with the long wait.

U-M student Marena Dieden said she needed to wait an hour-and-a-half to vote at her polling location inside the Michigan League.

"I voted in the Michigan League this morning around 10:30 a.m. and I waited for about an hour," she said. "The lines were just getting long as I was leaving.

"I think there was some pressure on Michigan to deliver, and I think we have so far," she added.
Four years ago, Democrat Gretchen Driskell, then mayor of Saline, won election to the state House by defeating a Republican incumbent on GOP turf.

She set out on a similar task this year, challenging Republican incumbent Tim Walberg for Michigan's 7th Congressional District seat.

Walberg, R-Tipton, proved he was up to the challenge, defeating Driskell in the Nov. 8 election.

The first 66 of 312 precincts counted showed Walberg ahead with 58 percent of the vote. And as more votes were tallied, Driskell eventually called her opponent to concede at about 10:30 p.m., her campaign confirmed.

"We're very proud of the message that we communicated to the folks in the 7th. It resonated with many of our neighbors," said Driskell's campaign manager, Keenan Pontoni, speaking by phone from Chelsea. "And tonight was not the result we were hoping for, but we're really proud of the work we did."

Walberg said he's humbled and honored to earn such strong support across the 7th District to serve for another term.

Speaking by phone from Jackson at about 11 p.m., he said, "Trump just won Florida, so it's even getting better. It's a great night for us."

Walberg said he hopes to work in Washington with Republican Donald Trump as president, and he was feeling good about Tuesday night's results.

"That gives us a chance to do some things we should have for quite some time but didn't have a president to sign the bills," Walberg said, mentioning legislation he would like to restructure or repeal, including the Affordable Care Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Walberg said he also wants to work with Trump to get the United States military "back in line" and properly funded.

"We've seen our military, to a great degree, emasculated in its ability to use the training it has," he said, suggesting he would support more offensive military strategies. "There's a whole bunch of stuff I think we can do."

Commenting on the prospect of a Trump presidency, he added, "I think we'll probably work together well, and we'll see how it goes."

In a written statement, Walberg thanked his team of supporters, saying they spent countless hours volunteering and sharing his record of fighting for solutions to help Michigan families. He said he'll continue to advance policies to create good-paying jobs, improve education, and make health care more affordable.

"Working together, we can restore America's founding principles and build a more prosperous future for our children and grandchildren," he said.

Considered a top battleground district, the 7th Congressional District includes Jackson, Branch, Eaton, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties, as well as much of Washtenaw County, but not Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.

More than $4 million worth of campaign contributions were pumped into the race, one of the most closely watched congressional races in Michigan. Driskell and Walberg reach reported contributions totaling more than $2 million.

Driskell also released a written statement thanking her supporters for their work over the past two years. She said Tuesday night was a difficult night.

"Despite the disappointing results of this election, I have been heartened by the deep and broad support of our message: that everyone deserves equality of opportunity, and that working families deserve a strong voice to represent them," she said. "The immense network of grassroots support that we have all built together is a testament to the strength of our message.

"We should all be encouraged tonight to know that our values resonated with so many voters and supporters. Thousands of donors, like you, gave what money you could to support me and give working families a shot at having a strong voice in Washington. Hundreds of volunteers, like you, donated your time to listen and talk to your neighbors about our message and values. And all of you have personally supported me and our campaign team, allowing us to continue our hard work."
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An AAATA bus picks up passengers in downtown Ann Arbor at the end of the work day before heading to Ypsilanti via Washtenaw Avenue.

(File photo | The Ann Arbor News)

ANN ARBOR, MI - It's not entirely clear yet what will happen next after voters rejected a regional transit tax proposal.

But leaders of the Southeast Michigan Regional Transit Authority will have time to process the results of the Nov. 8 election and think about their next steps. By law, they can't put the question to voters again until November 2018.

"Obviously we're just trying to absorb what happened," said Michael Ford, the former CEO of the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority who was chosen two years ago to lead the RTA as CEO after leading a successful effort to win voter approval to expand transit services in the Ann Arbor area.

Ford didn't get the win he wanted Tuesday night as a slim majority of voters across four metro Detroit counties defeated the RTA's 20-year, 1.2-mill tax proposal, but he felt good that it at least had support in Wayne and Washtenaw counties.

Voters in Oakland County were fairly evenly divided on the proposal, and voters in Macomb County soundly rejected it, enough to ensure its defeat.

A not-yet-final vote count shows the proposal had about 49.5 percent support overall across the four-county area, which wasn't quite enough.

"We're going to have to reassess, understand why," Ford said of why people voted against it, adding he plans to convene with the RTA board, which includes representatives from the different communities, to discuss possible next steps, including whether to plan to put a proposal before voters again in two years.

"That's would be the next opportunity. That will be something we'll have to discuss with the board, take a look at what makes sense," he said.

"We remain optimistic about the need to try to get something done and we'll continue to assess options and opportunities."

Members of Citizens for Connecting our Communities, a group that supported the RTA proposal on Tuesday's ballot, said the election didn't deliver the outcome they wanted, but they argue the need for reliable regional transit is still great.

Ford agrees.

"It's a problem, so I think the objective is still important and it needs to get accomplished some way, somehow," he said.

Ford said he thinks the plan the RTA put before voters, including commuter rail between Ann Arbor and Detroit and a host of regional bus services, is still a solid plan that offers needed services to get people where they need to go.

Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor said he's disappointed in the RTA proposal's defeat. He and a majority of City Council members supported it.

"We are a region that requires regional transit and the RTA millage was a careful, well-thought-out mechanism to achieve that needed goal," he said.

"There's no question that passage of the RTA millage would have given Detroit-to-Ann Arbor commuter rail service some momentum," he said, adding he hopes the RTA plan achieves support in the future so that can move forward.

"Commuter rail is a necessity for Ann Arbor to improve our local economy and to improve our local quality of life."

Matt Carpenter, Ann Arbor's transit authority CEO, was similarly disappointed in Tuesday's outcome.

"I think for everyone who supports the mobility and the freedom of movement and regional integration that that millage represented, certainly it's a disappointment," he said. "I believe a majority of Washtenaw County supported it, and there certainly was a lot of support throughout the other three counties as well, which I think is a strong foundation that could be built on in the future."

He thinks the proposal will have a better chance of passing if it goes on the ballot again after more people have had a chance to get comfortable with it.

One of the services proposed under the RTA plan was bus rapid transit service along the Washtenaw Avenue corridor between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.

In many ways, Carpenter said, the RTA's proposal was a way to sort of accelerate what the AAATA already is working on in that regard. He said the concept envisioned under the local ReImagine Washtenaw initiative is what he calls "BRT light" with a series of bus super stops slowly being rolled out.

Carpenter said the RTA plan, if funded, would provide more resources to get that concept to full buildout sooner.
During the course of the presidential campaign, Donald Trump's caustic rhetoric outraged many of his critics.

But to the folks out in Michigan's Livingston County who helped propel Trump to victory Tuesday, the candidate's frank nature was something to be celebrated.

"He went outside of the box," said Kris Sundberg, who runs a marketing company in downtown Howell. "(He) didn't act like a politician, more like one of the guys."

Sundberg said Trump's opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton lacked integrity and had a "hidden agenda."

Livingston County was overwhelmingly in favor of Trump: 62 percent to 33 percent. The rest of rural Michigan -- and America -- were key in Trump's stunning win.



Trump voter David Ahlquist, of Marion Township, said turnout was huge.

"That was the most people I've ever seen in the township hall and I've been here 37 years," he said.

Other residents out and about Wednesday morning in Howell and Fowlerville sang the president-elect's praises.

"It's who I wanted," said Dan Ligenfelter, a commercial painter. "I just think we need someone new as our president. Maybe not as political as a lot of our presidents have been. I think we need (a) new, fresh person to do something different. The politicians have always been corrupt. I believe that Donald Trump is going to be great for America, just like he says."

Ligenfelter feels Trump will beef up the military and crack down on immigration. He said it's not fair for illegal immigrants to come and take jobs while Americans are "homeless and sleeping under bridges."

"I do strongly believe in that," he added. "I don't think we should deport them all. If they're here legally, then sure, they have a right to be here."

Rick and Katie Bauer, married 50 years, have a deep distrust of the Clintons and the media.

"I don't trust any of the media," said Rick Bauer. "I don't even trust Fox. I don't trust zero of the media. I think they're all a bunch of shysters."

Katie Bauer cited the media polls that had Clinton ahead for most of the campaign.

"Those polls are bull****," she said.

Katie Bauer, who owned a cleaning service in Howell, went on to echo some of her neighbors by saying she believes Trump says what he thinks and isn't fake.

"I think that he's going to be an honest man," she said. "I think he's going to tell people ... the truth and not go around the bush with it. He's going to change things like he promised. The Clintons, they've been in there a long time and never come through."



Steve Ellsworth works at a factory in Fowlerville. The Trump supporter feels politicians in Washington have lost touch with average Americans, which is why many supported the bombastic Republican candidate.

"He was an outsider," said Ellsworth. "Clinton was a professional politician. That's why she lost."

Even people out in rural Michigan who voted for Clinton like Brandon Hines of Gregory - who said he did so grudgingly - feel politicians routinely let them down.

"They're all crooks, they all need to be fired ... out of a cannon," he said.
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Paul Lyons Jr. and Taelor Milton

( )

BAY CITY, MI -- Two Detroit-area residents accused of traveling to Bay County in hopes of fraudulently obtaining painkillers have accepted plea deals.

Paul E. Lyons Jr., 32, and Taelor A. Milton, 26, on Wednesday, Oct. 26, appeared in Bay County Circuit Court and both pleaded guilty to one count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. The charge is a four-year felony.

In exchange for their pleas, the prosecution dismissed three counts of possessing a fraudulent prescription form in each defendant's case. That charge is a one-year misdemeanor.

The pair's trial was to begin Tuesday, Nov. 8.

According to court records, shortly after 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 24, police responded to the Walgreens at 2901 Center Ave. in Hampton Township after employees there called them to report a customer trying to pass a forged prescription. Officers arrived and found Lyons sitting in a parked gray Ford Fusion and Milton walking in an aisle inside the store, court records show.

Lyons told police he didn't know why Milton was inside, while Milton told police she was doing Lyons a favor by driving him from Detroit to Bay City, court records show.

A pharmacist told police Milton had provided a prescription for OxyCodone -- an opioid pain medication -- that bore the apparent signature of a doctor whose license had been suspended earlier that month, court records show.

With Milton's permission, police searched the Fusion and found in its trunk a law firm folder containing numerous prescription forms, blank prescription paper, receipts from other pharmacies and five different identification cards, court records show.

After police read Milton her Miranda rights, she told them she had picked up Lyons from a Southfield KFC earlier that day. They had driven north on Interstate 75 and stopped at several pharmacies, she said.

Lyons would give Milton folded pieces of paper and send her inside the pharmacies, she said. She added none of the pharmacists filled the prescriptions and she never looked at what was written on the papers, court records how.

Lyons initially declined to speak with police, but later changed his tune to say he was paid to buy the pills for another man who brings drugs into Bay County, court records show.

Court records list Lyons as a Detroit resident and Milton as an Oak Park resident.

Circuit Judge Joseph K. Sheeran is to sentence Lyons and Milton at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 5.
BAY COUNTY, MI -- It was a night for incumbents on the Bay County Board of Commissioners.

In the closest race, 1st District, Democrat Michael Duranczyk won by a mere eight votes, garnering 3,660 votes to Republican challenger Brandon DeFrain's 3,652.

Four of the five contested races in the Nov. 8 general election were won by incumbents. The fifth did not involve an incumbent vying for reelection.

In the 3rd District, incumbent Republican Vaughn Begick received 5,719 votes to Democrat challenger Abel Torres' 2,818.

The 4th District race saw incumbent Democrat Kim J. Coonan receive 4,094 to Republican Chad Sibley's 2,615. In the 5th District, incumbent Democrat Thomas M. Herek garnered 3,775 to Republican Randy Badgerow's 2,297.

The race between Herek and Badgerow was a rematch of a 2014 contest for the seat, which Herek also won.

The lone race without an incumbent was for the 6th District, a role formerly occupied by Don Tilley, who was defeated by Brian Elder in the Aug. 2 primary race for Michigan's 96th House District.

The results of the 6th District race saw Republican and former Bay City mayor Christopher Shannon receive 2,183 votes to Democrat Tom Ryder's 3,344.
BAY COUNTY, MI -- There will be new faces in three high offices in Bay County.

Incumbent probate Judge John C. Keuvelaar was upset by public defender Jan Miner, 25,151 votes to 15,570.

Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Keuvelaar to the bench in March after Karen A. Tighe retired. Miner is an attorney who handles juvenile delinquency, child abuse and neglect cases.

Before his judicial appointment, Keuvelaar served as an assistant prosecutor dealing with child protective cases including abused and neglected children as well as juvenile delinquency, mental health, guardianships and conservatorships.

In the sheriff race, voters in the Nov. 8 general election selected Democrat Troy R. Cunningham as the next Bay County sheriff. Cunningham garnered 31,735 votes to Republican Jason N. Holsapple's 18,905. Write-ins received 124 votes.

"I'm humbled, proud, and honored the Bay County voters put their confidence in me," Cunningham said. "What a great responsibility this is."

Cunningham, 44, is currently the county's undersheriff, a role he's had for the last three years. Sheriff John E. Miller did not seek reelection and will finish his term at year's end.

He said his priorities going forward is to continue training deputies, collaborating with other police agencies, and working to deal with the county's heroin epidemic.

"I want to keep Bay County as a safe place to live, make our department as awesome as it can be, and keep advancing with the times," he said.

In the August primary election, Cunningham defeated Democrat challengers Pinconning Police Sgt. Terry Spencer and former Deputy Robert C. "Bobby" Lee in the Aug. 2 primary election. Cunningham garnered 9,082 votes to Spencer's 3,882 and Lee's 3,042.

Holsapple, 36, works part-time as a Tuscola County sheriff's deputy and has owned Intricate Concrete, 4422 Ace Commercial Court, for more than eight years. From July 2011 through March 2012, he worked as a Bay County Sheriff's deputy, but was fired by Miller while still on probationary status.

Holsapple later filed a lawsuit alleging he was fired for having supported Lee in the 2012 election and that his First Amendment rights were violated. The sheriff's office countered Holsapple's employment was terminated due to "misconduct, his apparent disregard for the sheriff's office and commanding officers and his probationary status."

The suit in May 2014 was settled out of court with receiving a check for $480,000 from the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority, the sheriff's office insurer.

As far as the prosecutor race, Nancy E. Borushko received 36,017 votes. She ran unopposed, but 857 people wrote-in candidates.

"I'd like to thank the voters of Bay County," Borushko said. "I'm truly humbled by their support and I'm ready to continue the work I've been doing for last 15 years in Bay County. My priorities will always be the protection and safety of the people of Bay County. I have a lot of different ideas and I'm ready to get started doing the tough work."

Borushko, 46, is currently the county's chief assistant prosecutor, a position she's held since 2006. Borushko put her bid for the seat in after current Bay County Prosecutor Kurt C. Asbury announced he is not seeking reelection.

Borushko in the August primary defeated attorney Marcus R. Garske. It had looked like she would be challenged in the general election by prominent defense attorney Edward M. Czuprysnki, wh was running as an independent. However, he failed to obtain the number of verified signatures to have his name appear on the ballot.

Borushko obtained her law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2000. As a law student, she interned with the Bay County Prosecutor's Office.

Then-prosecutor, current Bay County Circuit Court Joseph K. Sheeran hired Borushko as an assistant prosecutor in July 2001.

Asbury began working as an assistant prosecutor in Bay County in 1986. In 2001, he was promoted to chief assistant prosecutor and in 2006, the county's three Circuit Court judges appointed him head prosecutor.

Voters elected Asbury to the position in 2008 and again in 2012. He is to work his last day Friday, Dec. 30.
DETROIT -- School district's across Wayne County will receive an additional $385 per student beginning next year, thanks to Wayne County voters' approval of a new tax.

Voters passed a 6-year, 2-mill levy that is expected to raise $80 million in 2016 alone, and will be disbursed evenly among the county's school districts.

The property tax, expected to cost someone with a house valued at $100,000 an additional $100 per year -- about $8.33 a month -- passed by a vote of 364,478 to 305,632 with 54 percent of the vote.

The millage is set to expire in 2021.

According to the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency, the entity that proposed the tax, 75 percent of school boards in Wayne County's 33 districts supported the ballot initiative.

Loss of population and student enrollment has contributed to a $485 million decline in operating funds available to county districts since 2011, millage proponents said.

A similar millage narrowly failed, 51-49 percent, in the August 2014 primary.

"Districts have identified priorities such as reducing class sizes, hiring quality teachers, repairing schools and improving technology," ballot proponents said before the vote. "Money could only be used on school programs and every dollar, as with other district funds, would be subject to annual, independent audits to ensure transparency for taxpayers."

Wayne County serves about 290,000 students with nearly 50,000 attending the newly formed Detroit Public Schools Community District.

Detroit schools have been in dire financial straits under state emergency management with debt that has continued to rise steadily since the state took over in 2009. It approached $500 million prior to the passage of a $617 bailout package passed by state legislators in June.

The package changes the structure of DPS by splitting it in two, creating the Detroit Public Schools Community District to focus on educating children -- without debt leaching funds meant for education -- and leaving an old Detroit Public Schools District to continue collecting millages and pay down existing debt.

"I am confident that the district is on firm footing," Detroit Public Schools Community District Transition Manager Steven Rhodes said. "All critical elements are in place, we are virtually debt-free, we have a comprehensive academic plan and our citizens have cast their vote for local control. "I thank all of the citizens who voted in favor of the education millage."
DEARBORN -- A department involved in two controversial civilian police-involved fatal shooings in the last year is being held up as an international model for how police can better interact with the public.

Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad was invited to speak on "best practices for community engagement" and "trust building" at a global conference in Brussels, Belgium.

Thirty-two civilians were killed in Brussels after three suicide bombers detonated explosives March 22.

"Dearborn was the only city and police department in America selected to participate," Dearborn police said in a statement Tuesday. Haddad, who had other obligations, including oversight of the election, "high-level security meetings with corporate partners" and traditional Veterans Day ceremonies, planned to send Dearborn Police Commander David Robinson on his behalf.

It's likely Haddad was chosen in part because of the unique demographics of the city he serves. Dearborn has the highest concentration of Arab-Americans in the nation, about 40 percent.

"Mayor (John B.) O'Reilly and Chief Haddad are recognized nationally and around the world as thought leaders for developing security measures that are dependent on community engagement and trust-building," said Homeland Security Council Senior Advisor Paul Goldenberg, who's leading a panel entitled, "The Importance of Community Policing." "Dearborn should be extremely proud of their efforts."

Dearborn police shot and killed 31-year-old Janet Wilson on Jan. 27 and 35-year-old Kevin Matthews on Dec. 23, 2015. Both were fleeing police, unarmed and said to have suffered from mental illness.

Wilson allegedly drove her SUV at an officer -- causing him to fear for his life and open fire -- after causing a disturbance at Dearborn's Fairlane Town Center mall. Matthews was wanted in connection with a larceny and had an open arrest warrant stemming from a probation violation in Redford Township. He disobeyed an officer's order to stop prior to being shot nine times.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy's office has been reviewing independent investigation by third-party police agencies into both shootings but has not said publicly if they were justified, or if laws appear to have been broken by police involved.

"They are under review," Worthy spokesman Maria Miller said when asked about the status of the investigations on Wednesday. "We expect the work to be completed in the near future."

The back-to-back fatal shootings by Dearborn police led the federal government to offer grant funds to the department for use-of-force training.

While Haddad said his department was "dedicated to maintaining transparency throughout the investigation" following the Matthews shooting, very little information has been released publicly -- at least by Dearborn police.

State police have released a large portion of their investigation into the Wilson killing.

Dearborn police and City Council, at the recommendation of their attorney, denied a records request and appeal submitted by MLive for jailhouse video of an incident involving Police Officer James Wade, who killed Wilson.

The video is believed to show Wade injuring a suspect during transport to the Dearborn jail in 2014, but the city claims release of the footage would violate the prisoner's privacy rights.

Civil lawsuits have been filed in both killings.
DETROIT -- Former Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh was sentenced to up to 15 years in prison on Wednesday, Nov. 9 for criminal sexual conduct according to WDIV-Detroit.



Pugh will serve at least 5 1/2 years in prison after admitting last month to having sex with an underage boy he was mentoring while working as an anchor at Detroit news station Fox 2 Detroit.

Pugh admitted to having a sexual relationship with Austin Williams, who is now 28. During a preliminary examination earlier this year, Williams testifed to having sex with Pugh at least five times, giving Pugh oral sex and mutual masturbation while watching pornography together.

Thanks to a plea bargain reached by Pugh's lawyers and prosecutors, Pugh pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person between 13 and 15. In exchange for that plea, counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct were dismissed.

Pugh must also register as a sex offender.

Last year, in a separate case, Pugh was sued in a federal civil lawsuit for allegations that he groomed and sexually harassed another 18-year-old he mentored in 2013.

A jury awarded the plaintiff in that case $250,000 from Pugh and a $300,000 settlement from Detroit Public Schools, which ran the mentoring program.
U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, a former Michigan Secretary of State, gave up another run for Congress to run for an obscure Macomb County office:

Public works commissioner.

With 333 of 337 Macomb County precincts reporting as of 1:55 a.m. Wednesday, Miller appears to have won the seat over Democratic challenger Anthony V. Marrocco.

Miller has 54.6 percent of the vote (215,619) to Marrocco's 45.4 percent (179,058).

Paul Mitchell, a Republican, will replace her in Michigan's 10th District, which includes much of Macomb County and Thumb Region, after beating Democratic challenger Frank Accavitti.

Miller knocked Marrocco out of a seat that he had held for 24 years, in what turned out to be one of the more unforeseen, intriguing races in Michigan's election season.

"Because of Flint, I think people are very receptive as to the impact underground infrastructure has on us," Miller told Bridge Magazine ahead of the election. "You have pipes that are out of date, crumbling, but nobody is doing anything about it."
In a statewide election, a Republican and a Democrat split the two open seats on Wayne State University's Board of Governors.

Michael J. Busuito, a Republican, won with 23.1 percent of the statewide vote, while Mark Gaffney, a Democrat, took 23.11 percent of the vote, according to results from the Secretary of State's office.

The seat carries an 8-year term.

There were nine other candidates on the ballot looking to fill the two seats in a tightly-contested race in which Busuito and Gaffney were separated by less than 1,000 votes.

The votes tallied in Wayne County, home of the university, told a different story when compared with the rest of the state's votes for a Detroit-based school's board of governors.

Gaffney and fellow Democrat Yvette McElroy Anderson dominated the polls in Wayne County, grabbing around 67 percent of all votes cast.

Gaffney received 33.2 percent of the vote (330,404) and Anderson 33.22 percent (332,286).

The candidate who received the most votes in Wayne State University's home county will not sit on its board.
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Genesee County Clerk-Register John Gleason is getting ready for gay couples to get their marriage licenses Friday, June 26, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled banning same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.

(Sarah Schuch | MLive.com)

GENESEE COUNTY, MI - Despite thousands of faulty ballots hitting municipalities throughout the area, Genesee County Clerk John Gleason says he doesn't anticipate any major issues with tabulating tonight's election results.

"There really wasn't very many of them," said Gleason of 14,000 faulty ballots that were sent to 22 Genesee County municipalities. "It's not much of an issue. I'm more concerned with the long wait times at some precincts in a number of areas."

Fourteen thousand ballots were sent out to 22 outlining Genesee County communities, including Flint and Genesee townships. Out of the 2,000 faulty ballots sent to Flint Township, Gleason said there were only about 100 not returned to the clerks' offices and about 95 percent of the faulty ballots from Genesee Township were returned.

Flint Township had the most faulty ballots.

The faulty ballots were discovered in October after some municipalities started sending out absentee voter ballots.

Gleason said election officials sent out new ballots with letters explaining the unreadable ballot errors. Most of the faulty ballots have been returned. The ballots were found to have errors including smudges, incorrect ink density and uneven cuts all making it impossible for them to be read automatically by machines.

The ballots have been printed at the same company for nearly and came with a $340,000 price tag for Genesee County taxpayers. Gleason did say in October that he hoped to hash out an agreement with PrintComm, the Flint-based company responsible for printing the county ballots throughout Michigan for the last 32 years.

Company owner Kevin Naughton told the Flint Journal in October that he felt terrible and the company has never had a problem of this magnitude since it was created in 1950.

"Honestly, we feel pretty horrible about everything that happened. We've been printing ballots for Genesee County and other counties for many, many years," Naughton said. "We are not very happy with the way all this turned out at all, to be honest with you."

A new company -- Printing Systems, Inc., a company based in Taylor -- was immediately hired to redo the job. The company was able to get the work done quickly enough that new ballots could be sent to absentee voters, and clerks would have enough time to test them and prepare them for the November Election, said Gleason.

MLive Staff Reporter Molly Young contributed to this story.
GENESEE COUNTY, MI - Early voter turnout in Genesee County surpassed levels experienced during the historic 2008 election of President Barack Obama, according to Clerk-Register John Gleason.

Turnout was around 63 percent in Genesee County during the 2008 race when Obama, who became the nation's first black president, defeated John McCain to win the first of two terms in office.

"At mid-day, (the numbers) were far above the Obama turnout in '08, which would be phenomenal," Gleason said the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 8.

However, he noted those figures may taper off later in the evening.

Some voters have encountered lines at their polling places, including two sites in Grand Blanc Township where a spoiled ballot and issue with verification delayed the process Tuesday morning.

Genesee Township Supervisor Steve Fuhr said there was an issue with a few machines counting ballots, but they were quickly corrected.

In speaking with clerks around Genesee County, Gleason said there have been some precincts with over a 90-minute wait and several others with at least a 45-minute backup for voters.

Part of the issue may result from first-time voters adding to the turnout, Gleason said.

Burton City Clerk Teresa Karsney said they'd seen more than 5,000 voters cast ballots as of 2 p.m. Nov. 8, with two of 10 precincts not reporting at that time.

"It's actually been pretty good, pretty high," she said, with the city having ordered a ballot for each registered voter.

Absentee ballots could be used if a municipality ran out of ballots due to the high turnout, Gleason said, but he did not foresee that issue arising in Genesee County.

Statewide, Michigan could experience a record turnout during Tuesday's presidential election.

Secretary of State Ruth Ruth Johnson told MLive there was a record amount of voters in the March presidential primary -- 2.5 million voters -- breaking the previous mark set in 1972.

Polls in Michigan close at 8 p.m. Anyone in line at that time is still allowed to vote.
GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- The numbers are pouring in on a number of local races in several Genesee County communities, including state representatives and supervisor positions.

Rep. Sheldon Neeley, D-Flint, retained the 34th District House seat against Republican challenger Page Brousseau, as well as 49th District state House Rep. Phil Phelps, D-Flushing, well ahead of Republican nominee Jeremy Baker.

Rep. Joseph Graves, R-Argentine Township, is well on his way to victory with a nearly 2-to-1 vote lead against Democrat Ryan Bladzik in the contest for the 51st District state House spot.

Rep. Pam Faris, D-Clio, maintains roughly 10 percentage point lead against Republican nominee Joseph Reno to retain the 48th District House seat with 61 percent of precincts counted.

In another tight contest, Democratic nominee Tim Sneller is besting Republican challenger Michael N. Matheny in the 50th District state House race by less than 2,000 votes with 39 of 40 precincts reporting shortly before 2 a.m.

Local races also witnessed slim voting margins, such as Argentine Township where Brian J. Saad unseated incumbent supervisor Robert Cole Jr. by 354 votes with tallies in from all three precincts.

In one of many close races on Election Day, former Burton Mayor and Democratic state Representative Charles Smiley lost to Republican challenger Scott Bennett for Grand Blanc Township supervisor by less than 1,500 votes.

It's the first time Smiley has lost an election, dating back to his 1987 candidacy for a Burton City Council seat.

Vote totals have not yet come in as of early Wednesday morning for races in Richfield Township, Clayton Township, Flushing Township, Forest Township, Montrose Township, Vienna Township and the city of Montrose.
FLINT, MI - A jury convicted a Flint Township man on Tuesday for shooting a police officer during a 2015 traffic stop at the Hometown Inn.

Christopher Arren Washington, 57, was convicted on assault with intent to murder and 12 felony counts on Nov. 8.

Washington's trial began Oct. 26.

The charges stemmed from a 2015 shooting of a Flint Township police officer during a traffic stop at the Hometown Inn in the 3200 block of Miller Road.

Around 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 23, Flint Township officer Michael Schuyler pulled Washington over at the Hometown Inn and a scuffle broke out between Washington and the officer.

Police were attempting to arrest Washington on multiple misdemeanor charges when Washington pulled out a gun and shot Schuyler three times, according to Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton.

Schuyler then called for backup. Both Schuyler and backup officers returned fire, hitting Washington, police previously said.

Washington was shot six times during the gun battle.

"I am very pleased with the conviction of this dangerous individual," Leyton said. "It is incidents like these that every police officer risks encountering when they put on their uniform each day. I am grateful that no lives were lost and we were able to see justice through in this case."

Jurors found him not guilty of a charge of attempted killing of a police dog.

Washington will be sentenced Dec. 19. before Genesee Circuit Judge Archie Hayman.
GENESEE COUNTY, MI - Six out of every 10 straight-party voters in Genesee County chose the Democratic Party in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, with 97 percent of the ballots counted.

There were 104,574 straight-party ballots submitted in Genesee County, according to Genesee County Election statistics.

More than half of the ballots, at just over 54 percent, in Genesee County were straight-party votes.

Democrats received nearly 63 percent - or 65,567 votes - with 232 of 239 precincts counted.

Hillary Clinton got more than 100,000 votes in Genesee County, according to unofficial Genesee County election results.

Half of Michigan voters used the straight-ticket option in the 2012 election.

Genesee County had 72 percent of its voters or about 80,000 people vote a straight-Democratic ticket in the 2012 election, while about 27 percent or 30,000 people cast a straight Republican ballot, according to Genesee County election results.

There were 35,973 Republican straight-ticket ballots counted as of 5:31 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 9.

President-elect Donald J. Trump garnered 81,047 or just over 42 percent of the presidential vote in the county.

Just over 1 percent - or 1,145 people - voted a straight-party Libertarian ballot in Genesee County.

Less than 1 percent of Genesee County voters submitted straight-party ballots for the Working Class, Green or Natural Law parties.
Flint Democratic Election Party.JPG

More than 100 people gather to watch results for the presidential election at a Democratic election watch party on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 at Blackstone's in downtown Flint. Jake May | MLive.com

FLINT, MI - Flint-area Democrats said they were disappointed the presidential race is so tight as the choice of the nation's next president could be in the hands of Michigan voters.

Democrats gathered Tuesday, Nov. 8, at Blackstones Grill in downtown Flint to watch vote totals roll in.

"I initially hoped for a landslide to say that that kind of hatred is not what our nation is about," said Hillary Clinton supporter, Brad Khirfan.

Khirfan along with other supporters and race hopefuls packed the downtown restaurant to watch election results. But some were packing up to leave the party and watch results come in from their homes.

Several major news networks, including NBC News and CNN, are predicting Michigan and Wisconsin will likely be a deciding factor in how the election between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton will play out.

With roughly 40 percent of votes counted in Genesee County, Clinton held a 58 to 37 percent edge over Donald Trump here.

President Barack Obama carried more than 63 percent of the votes in 2012.

"I am very disappointed in this race," said Kris Stand who was also at Blackstones. "This shows that people do not have morals and values."

A number of local politicians and race hopefuls, including U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, state Sen. Jim Ananich and Genesee County Commissioner Bryant Nolden were at the restaurant. Flint's Police Chief Tim Johnson and Fire Chief Barton were also there to support Democratic candidates and public safety and police millages on the ballot this year.

Kildee, who showed up to talk to supporters regarding his bid for a third term serving the Fifth District, said the presidential race is closer than he wanted it to be.

"This is going to come down to Michigan and Wisconsin," Kildee said. "We're still confident that we are going to win, but obviously it's a lot closer than we wanted it to be."

Kildee was at a 70 percent lead against his opponent Al Hardwick around 10:30 p.m.

"I'm feel pretty good where I'm right now," he said. "We wait for all the votes to be counted before we make any declaration."
Japan overwork suicide: Dentsu probed

From:Agencies | 2016-11-08 12:52

Japanese authorities raided the countrys top advertising agency Dentsu yesterday as they launched a criminal probe into the suicide of a 24-year-old employee due to overwork on suspicion of systematic illegal overtime at the company.



Yesterdays investigation follows the governments recognition in September that Matsuri Takahashi died of karoshi, or death from overwork.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said investigators from the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry raided Dentsu Incs Tokyo headquarters and three branch offices on suspicion the company broke the law by forcing Takahashi to engage in chronic overwork.

Investigators suspect widespread illegal overtime at the firm. In Japan, labor officials can conduct criminal investigations and hand over cases to prosecutors for possible indictments.

Karoshi causes hundreds of deaths and illnesses every year in Japan despite efforts to curb overwork.

Labor officials found Takahashis overtime pushed past 100 hours a month, way over 80 hours, a threshold for karoshi. But she reportedly was asked to report overtime only below the firms own monthly limit, which was 70 hours at the time.

On top of the 40-hour work week the labor standards law sets for most workers, as an exception that serves as a loophole companies can establish voluntary ceilings for overtime, making the law toothless.

Dentsu president Tadashi Ishii said the company will cooperate in the probe. The firm has admitted at least two other karoshi cases since the 1990s and says it is trying to prevent overwork, going so far as to turn off lights in its headquarters after 10pm.
[November 09, 2016] Orange Supports Global Enterprise Demand For IoT Solutions in Brazil with Porto Seguro Conecta

Orange (News - Alert) and Porto Seguro Conecta are collaborating to support IoT (internet of things) projects in Brazil to meet the demand from multinational corporations. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109005655/en/ The agreement between the two companies enables Orange to provide its global customers with IoT coverage in Brazil through the Porto Seguro Conecta connectivity and mobility platform. Porto Seguro Conecta's extensive experience in IoT connections in Brazil, used for tracking car and residential alarms and IoT applications, is instrumental for local support, and complements the Orange global footprint. "Brazil is a strong market for IoT solutions in various sectors, such as utility, consumer appliance and electronic, automotive, medical and financial services. With an eye on this demand, Orange can offer its customers, via Porto Seguro Conecta, a dedicated connectivity service. We are prepared to implement new applications and broadband requirements that are essential to IoT communications," says James Galli, Head of Porto Seguro Conecta. "With the key support by our preferred partner Porto Seguro Conecta in Brazil, we at Orange can continue to provide our global IoT solutions, including fleet and asset management, payment and Point-of-Sale, smart metering and industrial applications, locally in the country. With a local partner in Brazil, we round out our global footprint, helping us to continue delivering global IoT solutions to our enterprise customers across a range of sectors. Today we manage 10 million connected objects for our customers worldwide," said Emmanuel Routier, vice president, Orange Business Services (News - Alert). The Orange Business Services IoT connectivity service is part of Datavenue, a modular IoT and Analytics solution. To enable advanced analysis and decision-making, the Datavenue solution encompasses the selection of relevant data and objects, their reliable and secure connection, and their management in the customer information system environment. A global team of more than 700 Orange dta-scientists and engineers design and develop these innovative services. Orange already supports over 10 million active objects across a variety of sectors, including Smart Cities, Healthcare, Automotive and Manufacturing. The launch of Datavenue reaffirms the Orange commitment to supporting businesses with their digital transformation.



Porto Seguro Conecta is the first and only Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) to operate in Brazil and has over 330,000 active lines for M2M communications, tracking cars insured by Porto Seguro Auto and residential alarm systems, monitored by Porto Seguro Protecao e Monitoramento. About Orange Business Services

Orange Business Services, the Orange branch dedicated to B2B services, is not only a telecom operator, but also an IT solutions integrator and applications developer in France and around the world. Its 20,000 employees support companies in all areas of their digital transformation: mobile and collaborative workspaces; IT/cloud infrastructure; fixed and mobile connectivity; private and hybrid networks; applications for Internet of Things, 360 customer experience and Big Data analytics; and cybersecurity thanks to dedicated experts and infrastructure to protect information systems. More than 3,000 multinational organizations and 2 million SOHOs, enterprises and local authorities in France rely on Orange Business Services as their trusted partner.

Learn more at www.orange-business.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and our blogs. Orange is one of the world's leading telecommunications operators with annual sales of 40 billion euros in 2015 and has 154,000 employees worldwide at 30 September 2016. Orange is listed on the NYSE Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN). Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited. About Porto Seguro Conecta

Launched in August 2013, Porto Seguro Conecta (www.portoseguroconecta.com.br) is the first operator of virtual mobile telephony (MVNO) to operate in Brazil. The MVNO model allows Porto Seguro to operate in the mobile telecommunications segment using the infrastructure of a traditional operator and to provide the service through its own customer service channels, sales and marketing team. The carrier operates in the regions of Santos (area code 13), Campinas (area code 19), Rio de Janeiro (area code 21), Sao Paulo (area code 11) and the Paraiba Valley (area code 12). In total, it has 390.000 active lines, including the company's corporate mobiles and M2M connections used in tracking and residential alarms. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109005655/en/

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[November 09, 2016]

ASD Technologies Provides Cloud Service to Indosat, A Leading Indonesian Telecom Firm

SEOUL, South Korea, Nov. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- K-ICT Born2Global Centre (Born2Global), a major Korean government agency under the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP), announced on Nov. 9 that ASD Technologies, a member of Born2Global, will supply Cloudike, its cloud service, to Indosat, a leading telecommunications company in Indonesia.

Indosat is Indonesia's second-largest telecommunications service and network provider with 70 million mobile phone subscribers in the country. /p>







This supply contract represents ASD Technologies' success in exploring Southeast Asian markets, having already established itself in Korea, Russia, and Turkey, and is a major step toward the company's goal of securing a leading position in enterprise cloud services.

ASD Technologies works with Vodafone, LG Electronics, LG CNS, Hitachi, MegaFon, Vestel, Telehouse, Mail.Ru Group and startups.

About ASD Technologies

ASD Technologies is the developer of Cloudike, an official supplier of solutions based on Amazon Web Services, and integrator of OpenStack. ASD Technologies was founded in 2009 with a vision to bring high-quality server software development services for demanding clients. ASD Technologies' specialists are successfully handling projects involving Cloud systems requiring storage, processing analysis and structuring of large amounts of data. Over the years ASD Technologies has accumulated rich experience using Python and C++ for the development of distributed server software.

For more detailed information on the ASD Technologies, please check out http://asdtech.co.

Contact Person:

Jina Lee

Email: [email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161108/437012

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/asd-technologies-provides-cloud-service-to-indosat-a-leading-indonesian-telecom-firm-300359064.html

SOURCE K-ICT Born2Global Centre
business Donald Trump will do what is best for US: Narayana Murthy The challenge for Indian companies with respect to the US is to try to become more valuable to the customers. IT companies can increase value, by mainly delivering on the innovation front and improving productivity and quality of output, says Murthy.
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November 09, 2016

First Thoughts On The "Not-Hillary" Election Results

So I just woke up and found that the world has changed. World War III was called off. Trump won, Clinton conceded. His victory speech is fair and integrating.

My "not Hillary" hunch for the election was right. That is, I believe, how Trump won. No so much by gaining genuine votes but by taking them from the crappiest candidate the Democrats could send into the race. This was not a "white vote". Trump did better with black (+5) and latino (+2) voters than Romney. Racism does not explain that. Clinton promised more wars. Those who would have to fight them on the ground rejected that position.

The people voted against corruption, against international warmongering, against attacks of the culture of their life and against Zionist and Arab potentate manipulation. In short - they voted against Hillary.

The media with their outright and widespread manipulation and one sided reporting against Trump and for Clinton lost too. People did not believe the partisan crap that fact-checked Trump on every minor issue but hardly reported on the huge, huge scandals and corruption Wikileaks revealed about the Clintons. Fact-checkers ain't a good weapon in a culture war. The people want authenticity - lying is not seen as bad - if it is fairy open and authentic. Clinton is not authentic even when she tells the truth. The polls, but the one of the LA Times, turned out to be systematic manipulation.

The leading politicians in Europe will crap their pants. Nearly all but Putin bet heavily on Clinton. The European media were also strongly pro Clinton, even more so than in the U.S. There was zero reporting about Trump's real political positions and support. Only tiny bits about Clinton's corruption were revealed on the back pages. They always believe what the NYT writes is the essence of U.S. thinking. It is far from it. No one but a few east-coast party goers and the NYT cares about some 16 year old girl, who thinks she is "transsexual" and wants to use a men's public toilet. The average people think that such craziness deserves zero attention if not a hefty kick in the ass. Pro-migration and other political correctness movements in Europe will have a difficult stand now. They can no longer work against the instincts of the people by pointing to the soothing, fake words of an Obama or Clinton.

The Democratic party failed. The outright corruption of the party heads, who pushed Sanders out to move Clinton in by manipulating the primaries, blocked the natural development that went on at the base. They even wanted Trump as a candidate because they though Clinton could easily beat him. They were totally detached from real life. I am sure that post-mortem analysis will show that many, many potential pro-democratic voters were just disgusted and stayed at home or voted for a third party. The establishment of the Republican party were no better. They failed their voters just as much by shunning Trump and working for Clinton. All the neo-cons that flocked to Clinton will now scramble to get back to Trump. They will have little chance.

But the election also created huge new dangers. People around Trump, including his vice-president, are not sane realist but fairly extreme ideologues. Trump himself isn't. He is, in my estimate, fairly pragmatic. The Republicans also won the Senate and House. There is a danger that extreme policies will be implemented with huge and terrible long-term consequences. But remember that Obama had the same chance in his first two years of his Presidency. He never used it. From a progressive view he blew it.

Winning back the House and Senate in two years is a must for anyone with some middle-of-the-road thinking.

I believe that this result is good for Syria and the non-Jihadi and non-Zonist Middle East. Al-Qaeda in Syria will have a sad. Their main supporters leave the stage. The result is likely good for Europe including for Russia. It is bad for economic equality and other important issues in the United States and elsewhere. But would Clinton have been really better on these?

I for one feel mightily eased (with a not-so-small dose of Schadenfreude). The U.S. voters knocked over a chessboard that brought war and misery to many people. We do not know how the new game will look, but I think there is a fair chance now that it, in total, will be somewhat less devastating for the global good.

Posted by b on November 9, 2016 at 8:03 UTC | Permalink

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Burke County voters turned out to the polling locations Tuesday to cast their ballots in the 2016 election.

The News Herald canvassed many different voters in Burke County about what national and local issues they thought were important during the election, how they hope the next elected officials will handle those issues and why they decided to wait to vote until Election Day.

During this election, to me the things that are important to Burke County is the rise of homelessness. During this election, I hope it will help make a way to decrease the number of homeless and those who are hungry. At wintertime last year we lost somebody that froze to death because they were cold and homeless. Everybody is a somebody. That is my main desire and prayer that we can do something on the rise of homelessness because it is not decreasing it is increasing.

 Tammy Waters

I would say something for these kids because there is nothing for kids out here, especially in Burke County. It is like they set them up to fail  that is the main thing is getting something to occupy these kids minds because that is why kids are getting in trouble and hard to make it out of high school. I would like to see a YMCA just something to keep them busy just to show that someone cares because a lot of kids think their parents do not care about them. So something to show that this community cares about the kids is the main thing because they are the future leaders of tomorrow believe it or not.

 Deon Hawkins

One of our concerns is the environmental protection of (Lake James). We see that there is a lot of growth and, when we first came here, there were a lot of restrictions about building and it seems that has been put on the table and no one is paying attention to that anymore. The growth out here is significant and I think there should be stronger rules about where you can build land how you can build because this is a beautiful area and it would be a shame that the lake would become polluted. We have never seen a lake that is this clear. That is my concern.

 Faye Trunkfield

My major concern is the ineffectiveness of our Congress and everything that happens in Washington. The reason the way I voted the way I did was I am hoping the next president can do a better job of trying to get some decisions made because of the split we have in our country and until we can deal with major issues things are just going to continue to deteriorate. Right now, we are not dealing with the major issues, we are dealing with people who are stuck in their way of thinking and are not willing to compromise and I think our government was built on compromise and we are not doing it right now.

 Art Trunkfield

My first answer to that is a bit unorthodox. The biggest issue is that I dont think people should really put all of their trust and hope in government. For me as a believer in Jesus Christ, my trust is in the Lord Jesus Christ first and foremost. I am not dependent on this system and I will never be dependent on a system to supply any of my needs.

Then, when I start to look at who I like and who I dont like, I really look at the platform that they are on, what the platform is for a party as opposed to trying to discern things between personalities. In the presidential race, I think both candidates have a lot that you long to desire for. Their character some of the issues of the day dont really line up with what I would want in a president, so it was a really difficult choice this year.

I think that when you are looking at issues, government should be for the people and by the people, so I think when candidates are really earnestly for the people they are looking at what would really meets the needs of people, but not manipulating the people in order to get elected. I think there were a lot of things that would make you wonder is what your rhetoric is really what you will do once you are in office.

For the presidential race, on both sides, I am concerned about that. For the other races, locally, I think you can do a whole lot more for people that are close to home, so things that are great concern to me is who is empowered to make changes in education. I think education is so critical  we make the decisions for them because they cannot make them for themselves and so I think it is really important to have people who are looking at children and putting them as a first priority, but being able to balance that with what is needed in a community.

Your morale character, are you a person who does what they say is very important. I did not do any kind of straight ticket and I really wanted to go into this thoughtfully and I have. Some candidates I liked on the red side and some I liked on the blue side, some of them were independent.

 Naomi Smith

A lot of the issues I see that America needs is to kind of step back and protect ourselves because we are getting too involved in foreign policies and we are not thinking about home right now.

With all the jobs we are losing and there are people at home that need help just as much as people that are foreign need help. We need help with health insurance definitely. Premiums are going up and I am a single parent and my insurance alone is almost $400 a month and I can only imagine what it would be if you had two or three kids.

Whoever we choose, whether it be Hillary or Trump, make sure they are a good leader and make sure that when they are making decisions they make their decisions for everybody not just what they think is right.

I am pro-Trump because I looked at both of them and Hillary seems like she is saying things just to make people happy. I have pulled previous videos where she was anti-gay marriage and now it seems like she is wishy-washy.

 Montgumery Lowery

The deficit would be first I think because something has to be done about that and of course we need to have a good immigration policy. I am not against immigration, but we need some kind of rules there.

About two months ago, Jimmy Carter made a statement a when he said we have changed from a democracy to an oligarchy and I think we need someone in there who will address that problem and try to lead us back into a democracy rather than consolidating us as an oligarchy.

There are issues everywhere. Education, taxes, and it almost seems the military. It almost seems that if it is out there it is an issue and something that everybody needs to be concerned with.

I like to vote on the exact day. I did early voting one year and when Election Day came around and I felt there was something that I needed to do that was important and something I had missed, so it is just very important for me to vote on Election Day.

 Dawn Poore

National security and the economy. Strengthen up the military and make sure it has what it needs to do what we have to get done.

Basically, do away with Obamacare. From what I have heard from other people because it doesnt apply to me I got VA (Veterans Affair) health care, but from everyone else I have not heard one positive comment from anyone who was affected by Obamacare. I said this back in 2008 when it first came up  forcing something on somebody is not giving somebody a choice that is basically (saying) Hey buy this insurance policy or I am going to tax you every year.'

Everybody I know that had their own insurance they got screwed out of theirs and were forced to buy what the government offered and it wasnt half of what they were receiving. Basically, the Obamacare it hurt everybody, the working class families that couldnt afford the insurance in the first place and now if you cant afford it you are penalized for it on tax returns. People depend on those tax returns and it was just a bad call.

 Joshua Steffey

We have to come out and make that difference. We have to come out and vote.

Social issues as well. Like the boys using female bathrooms. We are completely against that. We do not want our boys growing up in a world where they have to ask what your birth gender is before they carry on with a date. It has just gone way far out of hand.

 Melanie Mitchell

I think protecting our borders is huge to me and the whole issue of terrorism. I think it is all connected because I dont see how you really separate it.

I am conservative and Christian, so to me things like abortion and just social issues are huge to me. I dont like where this country is going at all. Then there is the economy is this area and just across this country. People are really suffering and they act like it is getting better, but it is not getting better. I want Obamacare repealed ASAP. It is awful and horrible.

(I voted) Trump for President, Pat McCrory for governor, Burr for Senate and Mark Meadows.

 Susan Starnes

I hope they raise social security. I am on a fixed income, so I get money just once a month from retirement and it would be good if I had more.

I will be 75 years old next week and I only get $15 worth of food stamps and I am on a monthly income, so you see how I am struggling.

I voted early when I voted for Obama and this time I just thought not to, then this lady called me on the phone and talked to me and told me to go and vote and all this and that and how they wanted Hillary to win and so I said, okay I will go right now.

I voted straight Democrat.

 Elizabeth Corpening

My biggest concern is immigration reform because I was born here, but my parents migrated here illegally, but now they are U.S citizens themselves because they have worked hard since they were 18. They have pushed me to do the same thing in the United States and to live as an American and I want the same thing for other individuals for other families, so I think Hillary Clinton and her ideas about immigration are comprehensive compared to all of Trumps.

For example, the Republican Party says they are pro-life and in many ways I think I am too, but in every single way of pro-life meaning families should be together and I think if kids were separated from parents that would be a horrible lifestyle and that is not pro-life in my opinion. They speak about being a pro-life party when they are not promoting a healthy lifestyle.

I am working for the Tim Barnsback campaign as the Hispanic outreach coordinator and I think Tims views on bringing the community together opposed to being more secluded from one another is a great thing.

I was born in California, but I have lived here basically for all my life and this is such a beautiful community with great members in it. It is very diverse and the diverse community and the minority communities within Burke County are not being well represented, like Hugh Blackwell.

I just graduated from college this May and, as a first generation student, I think a better education system is ideal in every way, shape or form. I think the Democratic Party has a better view on students like me who just graduated with loans. I mean it's necessary for anyone to get a high-quality top-notch education and to make that not happen for millions of people is kind of sad. If our society is not well educated then it is not going to go anywhere. I am proud to have bachelor's degree from a state school here in North Carolina because North Carolina has an amazing educational system, but it should be better and more accessible to thousands of people throughout the state.

I vote all blue.

 Lorenzo Pedro

Help fund public education more than they are doing now and also ensure that along with that the public school teachers increase the salaries, so they can keep up with the standard of living.

I think the HB2 has really hurt the economy at a state level and it is discriminatory just where you cant sue. Hopefully when the elected officials get in that all will change.

I voted for Secretary Clinton and a straight democratic ticket.

Keith Atkins

I think from the ground up education is the No.1 builder of our society. I think if you dont focus on teaching people to be more involved from a very young age I think it is possibly not going to happen. The amount of prejudice in this type of election is really sad to me, especially in this day and age and it constantly goes back to how well are people, not educated in the sense of weather and mathematics, but truly how well are they able to perceive what a real issue is and how do you go forth and get involved in your grassroots level.

My second issue would be would be globalized trade because I think we have such a wide globalized society now and people forget how to bring those jobs and those ideas and any of those industries back and do that in a fair enough way too where it is not extreme amounts of wealth getting a lot of money and then sort of like pee on people working in these factories that they decide to build back here.

I like the idea of Election Day that we can all go out and do our civil duty and right, so I thought it was more special to do it that day.

(I voted for) Gary Johnson and it was pretty much straight Democrat after that.

 Christian Robinson

Whoever is elected whether it is state or local or especially the presidents position, for me, it is civility  we have to have a return to civility in this country. There is such division partisan politics has created.

They seem to be battling against each other. I think we need to focus on national security and, of course, rebuilding our strength militarily but, more importantly, from a common job basis for the state of North Carolina. They are all tied together and you cant build one without the other and I think to get civility again you are going to get everyone working together. So bring the American people back together as a whole instead of playing partisan politics and being divisive, and the two parties have failed us from that standpoint. I dont care if you are a Republican or Democrat. I think they have both failed to bring leadership strong enough on either side to balance as well as being willing to work together and give and take.

I always vote on Election Day. I think it is important to weigh all the facts and the only way you can do that is to make a decision logically based on what you might hear right until the last day, but that is just tradition for me. I love doing my constitutional duty it makes me proud.

I did a mixed ballot. I always do, although I am registered with one particular party. I dont have such great alliances or allegiances. I do think that Pat McCrory has done an excellent job despite some of the things that we have challenging us in laws and things that have happened in the state. He has helped to move our state forward in a positive way. I had to vote for Trump.

 Ken Volz

Staff Writer Jonelle Bobak can be reached at jbobak@morganton.com or 828-432-8907.
As the unofficial results rolled in late Tuesday, it became clear that Burke County voters would give incumbent Republican Hugh Blackwell another term to represent them in District 86 of the North Carolina House of Representatives.

With 100 percents of precincts reporting  though curbside and provisional votes had not all been tallied  Blackwell cruised to an unofficial win by more than 8,000 votes, defeating Democratic challenger Tim Barnsback.

As of 10 p.m. on Monday, Blackwell was credited with 20,795 votes to Barnsbacks 12,436. That tally represented a margin of victory for Blackwell of 62.58 percent to 37.42 percent.

Barring a change following the tallying of the additional votes and the canvassing process, Blackwell will serve his fifth term in District 86. His previous wins came over Walt Church Sr. (2008), Walter Church Jr. (2010) and Jim Cates (2012 and 2014).

Im honored and humbled, Blackwell said.  Ive got a lot of things Im interested in continuing to work on, following through on sustaining the new (N.C.) School of Science and Math thats coming to be built here. Im trying to make permanent the raise that we gave to (state) retirees last year.

Im working on state employees and working on principal pay and new principal preparation, bringing a lot of education issues (to the floor). Im anxious to get back to work on those things now that the campaigns over.

Blackwell said he just wanted to express his thanks to the citizens, whether they were on his side or not.

Clearly, thank you (to the voters), he said. I encourage them to, whether they voted for me or not, Ive always made it my policy to try to be open to other peoples ideas and to help people if theres something that we can help with. I hope people will continue to do that.

Im not perfect. When you get thousands of emails, I know theres some I havent responded to. But if people will call or email us, Im happy to hear from them. I think it helps me to be a better representative if I get input from people in the district as to what their feelings are about things.

Barnsback said he takes pride in the support he received and the way his campaign played out during the race. He hopes that the race will allow the community to become more unified.

(Im proud) of all the people who supported us and how thankful I am for my family and my friends who stood by us with a lot of integrity and dignity, Barnsback said. Of course, I hope that our community will now come together and find ways to have very deep conversations about the things that we need to do to serve each other and support each other and move forward to a much brighter future for Burke County.

Blackwell said when he looks back on his campaign and the race for his seat, hell remember that people trusted his integrity, despite the fact that he and Barnsback sparred over concerns about special interests at a candidates forum in October.

I think I will just remember that the voters of Burke County believed in my integrity and my work ethic and my effectiveness to give me a chance to continue serving.

Justin Epley can be reached at jepley@morganton.com or 828-432-8943.
CONNELLY SPRINGS  Crews with the North Carolina Forest Service continued to battle a wildfire in South Mountains State Park on Tuesday. The wildfire is the third in the region after fires broke out in Dysartsville and at Chimney Rock State Park in Rutherford County in the past few days.

The fire began late Sunday night near the Chestnut Knob area of the park and had spread to 75 acres as on Monday evening. As of Tuesday afternoon, the fire had doubled in size to 150 acres, according to the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation.

Charlie Peek, public information officer for the parks service said that the fire spread down to a parking lot late Monday, but that the situation around the fire was getting better as of Tuesday afternoon.

We are not out of the woods yet, but things at South Mountains are improving, Peek said. The fire burned down to the High Shoals parking lot last night. This is the main visitor area in the park and it has been closed due to fire operations and crews setting up in the parking lot.

Along with the visitor area and parking lot, the park itself is closed as well, according to a memo posted on the parks website Tuesday morning. The memo said that the park will reopen as soon as possible, but no timeline has been made available as to when the fire will be extinguished or when the park could be made available to visitors again.

Peek said that on scene Tuesday at 4 p.m. were 16 members of the park staff, two forest service BRIDGE crews and four forest service staff. Peek said the hotshot crew that was on scene Monday was expected to return later Tuesday evening. A crew with the South Mountains Volunteer Fire Department also has assisted with the fire.

The objective of the day is to strengthen the pinch point that is of most concern, Peek said. Forestry has a high confidence that this fire will be contained with the current lines and at a total acreage of 150 acres.

On Monday, the parks service issued a ban on campfires in 14 state parks, including South Mountains and Lake James. Additionally, the forest service issued a ban on open burning and canceled permits in 14 western North Carolina counties late Monday, including Burke. On Tuesday, the forest service clarified its ban and dispatched a fire education prevention team to the region.

The ban does not include cooking fires where grills and outdoor cookers are used. However, under the North Carolina Fire Code Section 307.3, the Burke County Fire Marshals Office encourages citizens to refrain from any use of plant material for any cooking or patio type pit fires as embers from these materials can travel a great distance, causing spot fires that can easily grow due to dry conditions.

The forest service reminds citizens that violations of the state imposed ban carry a $100 fine plus $180 court costs. Additionally, violators may be liable for any costs associated with extinguishment of a fire by the forest service.

The fire prevention team arrived Tuesday afternoon and is working out of the Montreat Conference Center Assembly Hall, which is located east of Asheville. In addition to assisting with information delivery for wildfires occurring in the mountains of western North Carolina, the team also will engage directly with communities, distribute information and work with the media to help raise public awareness about the current fire danger. For more information regarding the mission of the N.C. Fire Prevention Education Team, call 919-218-3179 or contact it by email at ncfsregion3fpet@gmail.com.

The state ban and fire marshal recommendation will remain in effect until the state ban is lifted by the commissioner of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture. Any questions on the burning ban should be directed to Burke County Fire Marshals Office at 828-764-9322.

Justin Epley can be reached at jepley@morganton.com or 828-432-8943.
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Mount Pleasant, SC (29464)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 59F. Winds light and variable..

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Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 59F. Winds light and variable.
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Its been a busy past few months for Apache Corp. after the No. 3 oil company in the Permian Basin revealed that it had struck it big in an area of the southern Delaware Basin once thought too unconventional for oil and natural gas extraction.

Apache President and CEO John Christmann talked about the companys new discovery Tuesday at the Hart Energy Executive Oil Conference at the Horseshoe Pavilion. There area is known as the Alpine High. It was once thought to be uplifted and complex because of the nearby Davis Mountains, that its clay content was excessively high and that it was a dry gas environment. Past knowledge proved to be wrong.

We confirmed its in the wet gas and oil window  and that the clay content was unusually low, Christmann said, adding that even though parts of the Alpine High geology are complex, its not nearly as intense as once thought.

Apaches discovery is expected to yield 3 billion barrels of oil and 75 trillion cubic feet of natural gas within a unique sweet spot spanning 9,000 feet to 14,000 feet that includes the Woodford, Barnett, Pennsylvanian, Wolfcamp and Bone Spring formations, Christmann said.

Christmann said Apache plans to operate four to six rigs in the Alpine High, but the company wont focus only on its newfound discovery.

When we talk about the Permian, it is the crown jewel, Christmann said, and Apaches intense focus on the Permian is clear when looking at how its 2016 budget played out.

If you look at 2016, we budgeted for $35, he said. Our original capital expenditures were 29 percent for the Permian Basin, roughly 5 percent of which was going into the Alpine High area.  Really, about 50 percent has gone into the Permian this year.

Apache has about 1.7 million acres in the Permian, much of it in the Central Basin Platform, which accounts for 739,000 acres. Apache has 443,000 acres in the Midland Basin, Christmann said. The company has 433,000 acres in the Delaware Basin and 97,000 acres in the Val Verde Basin.

Christmann said Apache is well-positioned to be successful in the Permian.

I cant say enough about the efficiency out here.  Our well costs are coming under $4 million.

Apache currently operates two rigs in the Permian but plans to add three more by years end.

Christmann said the company is focused on responsible drilling in a number of ways in the Alpine High. Apache has two exclusionary zones in Balmorhea State Park and the city of Balmorehea. He said the company is also working with nearby McDonald Observatory to curb light pollution. Apache will use LED lights and shields and will point lights away from the skies. The company also invites McDonald Observatory representatives to visit sites to solicit recommendations and improvements.

While in Midland, Christmann said he was compelled to solicit lunch away from the conference. Living in Houston, you dont get Rosas very often, though getting food at the popular restaurant is only part of the reason why he was glad to be in the Tall City.

Any excuse I have to come back to Midland is always welcome, said Christmann, who lived here when he was Apaches Permian region vice president.

Like Trevor on Facebook and follow him on Twitter at @HowdyHawes.
Former state Rep. Wayne Christian has won the race for Texas railroad commissioner.

With roughly a third of precincts reporting Tuesday night, the Republican had nearly 53 percent of the vote. That was enough to clinch an easy victory over Democrat Grady Yarbrough, Libertarian Mark Miller and Martina Salinas of the Green Party.

Christian will fill David Porter's shoes on the three-member Texas Railroad Commission, known for overseeing the states iconic oil and gas sector. The curiously named agency also regulates coal and uranium mining, pipeline safety and natural gas utilities  but not railroads.

"Were excited," said Travis McCormick, a campaign spokesman. "Wayne Christians prepared to join Christi Craddick and Ryan Sitton on the Railroad Commission and protect Texas jobs while ensuring that bad actors do not get out of line.

The race came as the industry was mired in uncertainty, grappling with stubbornly low oil prices that have spurred bankruptcies and layoffs. Meanwhile, staffers at the Sunset Advisory Commission, a legislative body that periodically reviews agencies effectiveness, have recommended a major overhaul at the 125-year-old commission.

Christian, who works as a financial planner in Center, was the odds-on favorite to win the race, partly on the strength of more than $300,000 in fundraising since July, most of it from oil and gas interests. He nabbed endorsements from Gov. Greg Abbott, each sitting railroad commissioner, industry groups and more than two dozen other state officials.

Perhaps his biggest advantage, however, was his party affiliation in bright-red Texas. More than two decades have passed since a Democrat sat on the Railroad Commission. After defeating real estate mogul Gary Gates in the Republican primary runoff in May, Christian largely stuck to ideologically friendly events on the campaign trail.

Yarbrough, a retired schoolteacher from Flint who did not raise or spend any money since early in the summer, trailed Christian by a wide margin when the Texas Tribune called the race Tuesday night. The 79-year-old Democrat had 40 percent of the vote.

Miller sat in third place with just under 5 percent of the vote. The Libertarian drew an unusual amount of attention this election cycle. Campaigning on his technical expertise and calling for the Railroad Commission to do more watchdogging of the industry it also champions, the 65-year-old drew endorsements from the states biggest newspapers.

But he could not overcome the hurdle of his third-party status.

"Straight ticket voting is a real problem in Texas," Miller said after the race was called, and he suggested that "Texas will probably rue the day that Mr. Christian is railroad commissioner."

Miller was holding out hope that he would clinch 5 percent of the vote  the threshold needed in a statewide race to earn his party ballot spots during the next election.

Salinas, a 38-year-old construction inspector, notched less than 3 percent of the vote late Tuesday.

This was Christian's second attempt to join the commission, after he lost a 2014 Republican primary runoff against current Commissioner Ryan Sitton.

Christian, 66, was considered a conservative firebrand during a 14-year legislative career in which he sought to add restrictions on abortion and encourage schools to challenge scientific theories like evolution.

On the campaign trail, he echoed Republican talking points that bash the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and advocated keeping a light regulatory touch on oil and gas producers.

Speaking at a candidate forum in February, Christian said he would not advocate for any major reforms this legislative session. We need to protect the industry, he said.

Sunset Advisory Commission staffers have recommended a host of changes at the agency, including beefing up its oversight of drilling, pipeline safety and abandoned wells; improving record keeping; changing its name; and no longer regulating natural gas utilities.

Industry and some lawmakers have pushed back against the proposals.
James Durbin

Runners take to the streets in last years Turkey Trot. The fifth annual Turkey Trot is Nov. 24 -- Thanksgiving Day -- at Memorial Stadium, 2001 W. Cuthbert Ave. The event, which benefits Midland County Greater Works, includes a 10k, 5k and Kids Fun Run. Registration fee is $45 for 10k and $35 for 5k. Fun run is free with food donation. Online registration ends at 10 p.m. Nov. 18, but runners may register the day of the race beginning at 7 a.m. Fun run begins at 8 a.m., 10k at 8:30 a.m. and 5k at 9 a.m. For more information, visit midlandcountygreaterworks.com.
More than 400 protesters marched through downtown Austin Wednesday in an 9-hour-long protest of the election of Donald Trump to president.

The growing demonstration began just after noon on the University of Texas at Austin campus, with dozens of students chanting and marching in high-trafficked areas on the school's grounds, according to the Austin American-Statesman. It concluded after 9 p.m.
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Three terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba were also arrested during the operation.
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Tuolomne County Election Office View Photos

Sonora, CA  On Election Day 2016, Tuolumne and Calaveras counties supported Donald Trump by a wide margin. The next president-elect received 55% of the vote in Tuolumne County and Democrat Hillary Clinton received 36%. In Calaveras County, Trump received 56% of the vote compared to Clintons 34%.

The State of California, as a whole, was overwhelming for Clinton with 61% compared to Trumps 33%. At the local level, it appears there will be a new look to the Tuolumne Utilities District Board of Directors. With three open seats, Barbara Balen received 23%, followed by Bob Rucker with 20% and Ron Kopf with 19%. While there are still vote-by-mail and provisional ballots to be counted over the next week, Kopf has a sizeable lead over 4th place Kent Johnson (14%) by about 2,000 votes.

Measure K also received a majority of the vote in Tuolumne County, related to affordable housing, with 52% in favor and 47% opposed.

In Calaveras County, former Supervisor Gary Tofanelli received 54% of the vote in the District One Supervisors race and Cliff Edson was in second with 44%. 61% of voters said District Five Supervisor Steve Kearney should be recalled, and the person voters decided to replace him with is Clyde Clapp with 34%. Measure D failed to gain support, related to medical marijuana cultivation regulations, with 45% in favor and 54% opposed.

In the US District Five Congressional race, Congressman Tom McClintock will return to office with 62% of the vote and Democratic challenger Robert Derlet received 37%.

Assemblyman Frank Bigelow also easily won re-election by receiving 64% of the vote and Democratic challenger Robert Carabas with 35%.

Democrat Kamala Harris (62%) defeated fellow Democrat Loretta Sanchez (37%) in the race for US Senate.

12 of the 17 California ballot measures received a majority vote. They include high profile measures like Proposition 56 (increasing the cigarette tax), Proposition 57 (criminal sentences) and Proposition 64 (marijuana legalization).

You can find more results, including school and special district races, in the Election Section of myMotherLode.com.
WASHINGTON  Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began mailing ballots to eligible farmers and ranchers across the country for the 2016 FSA County Committee elections on Monday, Nov. 7. Producers must return ballots to their local FSA offices by Dec. 5, 2016, to ensure that their vote is counted.

Producers elected to FSA county committees play a vital role in local agricultural decisions, said Dolcini. Their contributions are essential to the daily operation of nearly 2,200 offices across the country. It is a valued partnership that helps us better understand the needs of the farmers and ranchers we serve.
COLLEGE STATION  Higher-than-normal temperatures made October one of the warmest on record, according to Texas State Climatologist Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon.

Nielsen-Gammon said there were 242 high temperature records reported around the state during October. The month was the fourth-hottest October on record and the hottest since 1947.

Temperatures were especially warm in the southern part of the state and Panhandle, he said. Observers in McAllen reported five days of temperatures in the triple-digits, including as late as Oct. 20. Temperatures reached triple digits twice in the northernmost Panhandle in mid-October, including a 102 degree reading.

Weather patterns featured an upper-level ridge that kept cool fronts north, he said. Usually we have a few cool fronts in October, but this year wasnt the case.

To compound that, Nielsen-Gammon said conditions have been very dry since the end of August, especially in October. Ground temperatures stayed warm and the lack of precipitation helped keep temperatures high as the sun moves lower on the horizon heading into winter.

Nielsen-Gammon said the forecast doesnt look promising for people or producers hoping for cooler temperatures. Temperatures are expected to remain mild for at least another week, and the long-term forecast is calling for a warmer and drier winter.

Were seeing more drought conditions around the state, he said. Well just have to see what the forecast holds with rains. Rains this time of year are good because they bring temperatures down and get water into the soil which is good for cool-season plants, and it builds up the moisture index for spring planting.

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

SOUTH PLAINS: Areas received 0.5-5 inches of rainfall, which slowed the cotton harvest. Most areas received 0.5-1 inch of rain. The wheat will really respond to the rain. Cotton harvesting continued in some areas. So far this season, yields were above expectations and grades were excellent. Cotton in many areas had not been graded. A hailstorm hit the southern part of Lynn County. Severe damage was done to the cotton in that area. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were low due to lack of moisture and above-average temperatures. Pastures and rangeland were in fair to good condition. Wheat was expected to respond well to the rain. Cattle were in good condition. Conditions remained wet and foggy in areas where rain fell.

PANHANDLE: Temperatures were above average for the district. Soil moisture varied from adequate to very short with most counties reporting short. Some moisture was received in most areas of the district. Totals of 1-1.5 inches were common across the area. Rain will benefit small grains and rangeland. A few fields of corn and sorghum were left to harvest. Sunflower and cotton harvests progressed well. Cotton yields were very good with many fields making two to three bales per acre. A few cattle were put out on wheat. Pastures still had a little green around the base. Weaning spring calves continued, and fall calving wound down. Some producers were in a holding pattern for harvest because of showers. There was still some corn and grain sorghum to harvest. Sugarcane aphids were still interfering with sorghum harvests due to excessive honeydew left on plants. The cotton crop looked better than expected with strippers to start as soon as weather permits. The winter-wheat crop was in fair to good shape, and some producers started to lightly stock some fields. Cattle and pasture conditions continued to decline. Milo harvest stopped.
HARRISBURG, Pa.  Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Deputy Under Secretary Alexis Taylor on Nov. 4 announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will offer a new Conservation Reserve Program Grasslands practice specifically tailored for small-scale livestock grazing operations. Small livestock operations with 100 or fewer head of grazing dairy cows (or the equivalent) can submit applications to enroll up to 200 acres of grasslands per farm. USDAs goal is to enroll up to 200,000 acres.

For 30 years, lands in the Conservation Reserve Program have contributed to soil and water protection and wildlife and pollinator habitat, while playing a significant role in mitigating climate change, said Taylor. CRP Grasslands recognizes the conservation value of well-managed, working grazing lands and pasturelands. This new opportunity for small livestock operations, like the dairy farms or small beef farms common in Pennsylvania, will help ensure that livestock operations of varying scales and across the country have an opportunity to achieve environmental and economic benefits. Small livestock operations are encouraged to contact their local Farm Service Agency office to learn more about this program.

Taylor also announced that the current CRP Grassland ranking period will end on Nov. 10, 2016. To date, the USDAs Farm Service Agency (FSA) has received nearly 5,000 offers covering over 1 million acres for this CRP working-lands conservation program. These offers are predominantly larger acreage ranchland in Western states.

The new practice for small-scale livestock grazers aims, in part, to encourage greater diversity geographically and in types of livestock operation. This opportunity will close on Dec. 16, 2016. Offers selected this fiscal year will be enrolled into CRP Grasslands beginning Oct. 1, 2017.

Participants in CRP Grasslands establish or maintain long-term, resource-conserving grasses and other plant species to control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat on marginally productive agricultural lands. CRP Grasslands participants can use the land for livestock production (e.g. grazing or producing hay), while following their conservation and grazing plans in order to maintain the cover. A goal of CRP Grasslands is to minimize conversion of grasslands either to row crops or to non-agricultural uses. Participants can receive annual payments of up to 75 percent of the grazing value of the land and up to 50 percent to fund cover or practices like cross-fencing to support rotational grazing or improving pasture cover to benefit pollinators or other wildlife.

USDA will select offers for enrollment based on six ranking factors: (1) current and future use, (2) new farmer/rancher or underserved producer involvement, (3) maximum grassland preservation, (4) vegetative cover, (5) environmental factors and (6) pollinator habitat. Offers for the second ranking period also will be considered from producers who submitted offers for the first ranking period but were not accepted, as well as from new offers submitted through Dec. 16.

Adding a working-lands conservation program to the toolbox is an exciting opportunity for the future of CRP, said Taylor. There also are ways that CRP Grasslands could be combined with other traditional CRP conservation practices, such as riparian buffers on the same farm, to create a package that can help keep small livestock operations in production. An example of such a package would be to dedicate the most sensitive land to conservation, while still maintaining the bulk of the area as working grasslands for livestock. USDA would provide cost-share assistance to help farmers install fencing and provide alternative water sources to livestock, as well as annual CRP payments to help the farm's bottom-line.

In May, FSA accepted 101,000 acres in the grasslands program, with more than 70 percent of the acres having diverse native grasslands under threat of conversion, and more than 97 percent of the acres having a new, veteran or underserved farmer or rancher as a primary producer.

Small livestock operations or other farming and ranching operations interested in participating in CRP Grasslands should contact their local FSA office. To find your local FSA office, visit http://offices.usda.gov. To learn more about FSAs conservation programs, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation.
The Plainview City Council by unanimous vote on Tuesday approved paying its first $20,000 installment on a five-year, $100,000 pledge to Covenant Health Plainviews $40 million renovation and expansion project.

In October 2015, the council joined the Hale County Commissioners Court and Plainview/Hale County Economic Development Corporation in each pledging $100,000 toward the campaign. On Tuesday, the council made good on that pledge by approving its first payment.

This project is testament to the viability and sustainability of our hospital, explained Mayor Wendell Dunlap. Im very proud that the City is be a part of this project.

In recommending the action, City Manager Jeffery Snyder pointed out that Covenants parent corporation, St. Joseph Health System, is contributing $31.5 toward the overall project with the Hale County Hospital Authority contributing $5 million. The remaining $3.5 million is being raised locally.

David Wilder, chair of the local fundraising campaign, reported that the local fund campaign is past the halfway mark with more than $2 million toward its $3.5 million goal.

There are a lot of things that are important to the growth and viability of a community, including its churches, quality of its schools and the hospital and medical community, Wilder said. Our hospital is one of Plainviews major industries which serves a wide area, including Dimmitt, Olton, Silverton and the entire region.

He told the council that Plainviews three foundations have contributed $910,000 toward the Covenant campaign, with another $800,000 coming from individuals. Many of those contributions are sponsoring patient rooms at $5,000 each.

Were are finishing up Phase 1, which is the surgical suites for which the Meyer Foundation contributed $500,000, Wilder said.

Covenant Health Plainview CEO Bob Copeland added that support toward the hospital from both the community and Providence-St. Joseph Health System has been overwhelming.

The hospital has received a certificate of occupancy from the Texas Department of Health for its new surgical suites, and are going over the final punch lists as construction winds down.

A reception will be held 5:30-7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, for donors to give them let them tour the new surgical facilities, with an open house for the community Sunday, Dec. 4. Before that, during the week after Thanksgiving, school children will be touring the facilities. We want to do that to help demystify operating rooms in the event they are brought in as a patient, and perhaps pique the interest of some who might consider a career in medicine.

Copeland said Covenant hopes to occupy the new surgical suites in mid-December, and then begin renovating the current surgical space. In mid-January, Phase 2 is expected to begin with the radiology department including the installation of the hospitals own permanent MRI unit.

The council also unanimously renewed its annual contract with the Plainview/Hale County EDC to promote economic growth and development in Plainview and the area. As part of the contract, the city will contribute $39,000 toward the day-to-day operation of the EDC as well as give $80,000 toward the EDCs industrial incentives and marketing efforts. Those funds represent 1 cent of the citys property tax rate that has been specifically set aside for that purpose.

In other action, the council authorized the city manager to sign agreements with Amerik Medical Billing LLC designating it as billing agent for citys ambulance service. One of 17 firms submitting proposals, Amerik had the winning bid in July. It will receive 5.7 percent of collections. The city has been paying a collection fee of 7 percent.

The council rejected all bids for the Milwee Lift Station Project after they came in significantly higher than anticipated. The project was estimated at $1.07 million, with actual bids ranging from $1.77 million to $2.2 million. Instead of seeking bids on the entire project, this time around the project will be split into separate proposals. One will be for construction of the lift station itself. The other will be for installation of sewer mains. The project is designed to replace two existing lift stations, on Juniper and Milwee, dating to the 1960s.

The council spent about 90 minutes in executive session evaluating City Manager Jeffrey Snyder, but adjourned without taking any action.
The Texas Workforce Commission, in partnership with 28 local workforce development boards and the Texas Veterans Commission, will host 30 statewide veterans hiring fairs on Thursday, Nov. 10.

South Plains Workforce Solutions will host one of the hiring fairs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center, 1501 Mac Davis Lane, Lubbock.
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Donald Trump supporters hugged, cheered, and chanted lock her up at a Tuesday night election party that ended up serving as a victory party for the New York billionaire.

About 200 people packed into the party at a Market Street event space. Fox News was broadcast over a projector, and drinks flowed.

Obviously this is amazing, said Erin Smith, a member of the San Francisco Young Republicans. Im really excited. I had a feeling that there was an undercurrent of support for Trump that wasnt showing up in the polls.

It wasnt just pollsters and election forecasters who were surprised by Tuesdays results. Many of his supporters had figured a Trump presidency was a long shot.

"I think the people who have been left behind by our economic growth have spoken," said Josh York, a San Francisco Republican Party board member. "Now we have a new president and we're going to see what he can do."

Daniel Businger, 19, who wore a stars and stripes sport coat, a Trump for President pin and a Make America Great Again hat, jumped in excitement.

This is something Romney and McCain werent able to do, he said. Were seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

While Trump has swaths of support around California, particularly in rural parts of the state, San Francisco, along with other urban areas, was firm Clinton territory.

About a dozen protesters briefly gathered outside the Trump party chanting "racists" at any Trump supporters who left the election night party. Police hovered nearby until the confrontations ceased.

Local Republicans said they relish their role as underdogs.

Its fun being a Republican here in San Francisco, York said. Youre always the contrarian. Youre always outnumbered. And you have a lot to answer for, particularly in this election.

National party official and local attorney Harmeet Dhillon said that the Republican Party is going to have to work to mend the divisions that emerged during this race, including with Republican voters who have steered away from the partys traditional stances on social issues and trade.

"The coalition that elected Ronald Reagan is not the Republican Party today," she said. "It is a coalition of people who have been left out."

Cynthia Dizikes and Evan Sernoffsky are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: cdizikes@sfchronicle.com esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @cdizikes, @EvanSernoffsky
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In the Bay Areas marquee congressional race, Fremont Democrat Ro Khanna was holding a strong early lead in his bid to oust Rep. Mike Honda from the South Bay seat the incumbent has owned for the past 16 years.

With 18 percent of precincts reporting, Khanna led his fellow Democrat 58 percent to 42 percent in the bid for the 17th Congressional District seat.

I know its a deeply divided national election and its easy to become cynical these days, but let us remember our democracy is the most open political system in the world, Khanna told a raucous crowd at the Royal Palace Banquet Hall in Fremont about 9:30 p.m.

The gathering for Honda at Justins, a restaurant in Santa Clara, was subdued from the start. The candidates spokesman, Vedant Patel, said shortly before 10 p.m. that the campaign would wait for final vote tallies before making a statement on the race.

The race was a repeat of their 2014 contest, when Honda narrowly won over Khanna. This year, by contrast, the challenger brought momentum into the fall campaign with a first-place finish over Honda in the June primary.

It was an often bitter campaign, with Khanna, a 40-year-old attorney, arguing that the 75-year-old Honda was too old and out of touch to represent a district that includes the heart of Silicon Valley. Honda hit back with ads pointing to his 35 years in political office and accusations that Khannas campaign had illegally hacked into his campaign files.

The Democrats-only contest had limited national appeal. By contrast, both Democrats and Republicans spent big in a half-dozen other hotly contested California races.

Rep. Ami Bera of Elk Grove (Sacramento County) was winning a third term in a battle with Republican Scott Jones, the Sacramento County sheriff. With 56 percent of precincts partially reporting, Bera held a 54 percent to 46 percent lead.

Two years ago, Bera won re-election by fewer than 1,500 votes in the rural Sacramento County district, beating former Rep. Doug Ose 50.4 percent to 49.6 percent.

GOP Rep. Jeff Denham of Turlock (Stanislaus County) was winning his rematch in the 10th Congressional District with Democrat Michael Eggman, an Atwater (Merced County) farmer whom he trounced in 2014. With 53 percent of precincts reporting, Denham had 52 percent of the vote to 48 percent for Eggman.

 In the 21st Congressional District, Republican David Valadao of Hanford (Kings County) was defeating Bakersfield attorney Emilio Huerta, a 58-year-old political novice.

Huerta, the son of Latina labor icon Dolores Huerta, found that his famous name wasnt enough to overcome the popular 39-year-old dairyman, despite the districts strong Democratic and Latino tilt. With 70 percent of precincts reporting, Valadao held a 59 percent to 41 percent lead.

In the Santa Barbara area, Democrat Salud Carbajal held a lead over Republican Justin Fareed in the race to fill the seat of retiring Democratic Rep. Lois Capps. With 47 percent of precincts reporting, Carbajal held a 55 percent to 45 percent lead. Carbajal is a 51-year-old Santa Barbara County supervisor.

GOP Rep. Steve Knight of Lancaster (Los Angeles County) was fighting off Democrat Bryan Caforio, a Santa Clarita (Los Angeles County) attorney, in his high-profile contest to win a second term in Congress. Knight held a 55 percent to 45 percent lead with 28 percent of precincts reporting.

GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista (San Diego County) took a narrow lead in early returns against San Clemente (Orange County) attorney Doug Applegate in Southern Californias 49th Congressional District.

Issa was ahead 52 percent to 48 percent with 31 percent of precincts reporting.

While on paper, the district should be a safe haven for Republicans, Democrats worked overtime to tie the conservative Issa to GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump and his policies.

Chronicle staff writer Karen de Sa contributed to this report.

John Wildermuth and John King are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com, jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth, @johnkingsfchron
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Bay Area voters ensured Tuesday that, along with $3.5 billion to rebuild its rail system, BART will have three new directors and funding to extend service to downtown San Jose and Santa Clara.

In San Francisco, Alameda and Contra Costa counties, voters agreed by approving Measure RR to increase their property taxes to pay for the BART overhaul. At the same time, Santa Clara County voters approved a $6.3 billion sales tax measure for various transportation-related projects. Up to $1.6 billion of the Measure B money can be used for the BART extension.

But voter generosity went only so far. Sales tax proposals that included money to buy more new BART cars failed in San Francisco and Contra Costa counties.

The biggest news for BART was the passage of Measure RR. The debate over the issue became unusually contentious with opponents, led by state Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, accusing BART of past fiscal mismanagement, particularly with its labor contracts, and arguing that the agency couldnt be trusted to spend the new money wisely.

Proponents argued that BART, now 44 years old, is suffering from middle age as well as growing pains. Ridership has swelled and everything from rails to train controls to electrical systems needs replacing, they said.

Measure RR, which needed a two-thirds supermajority for passage overall, passed relatively easily with a combined 70.1 percent of voters in the three-county BART district voting in favor.

Support was weakest in Contra Costa, where just 59.5 percent voted in favor. But it was countered by San Francisco, where 81.1 percent of voters cast yes votes, and Alameda County, where 70.9 percent voted in favor.

BART officials said Wednesday that they were heartened by the outcome and were preparing to start work, some of it as early as next year.

We are grateful for all the Bay Area voters who doubled down on their commitment to transit and to BART, approving the $3.5 billion infrastructure bond designed to keep our system safe and reliable, said board President Tom Radulovich.

Radulovich, who has served on the BART board for 20 years, decided not to seek re-election in District Nine, which includes central San Francisco neighborhoods, and will leave the board next month. On Tuesday, voters elected former San Francisco supervisor and homeless czar Bevan Dufty over two other candidates as his replacement.

Dufty will be one of three new directors sworn into office next month. He will be joined by Lateefah Simon, who ousted incumbent Zakhary Mallett in District Seven, which includes parts of Richmond, Berkeley and southeast San Francisco, and Debora Allen, who defeated Gail Murray, a 12-year incumbent, in District One, which represents much of central Contra Costa County.

Two other incumbents fought off challenges and won re-election  Rebecca Saltzman in District Three, which includes parts of Berkeley, Oakland, Albany and El Cerrito, and John McPartland, in District Five, which represents Castro Valley and the Tri-Valley region.

Tuesdays election was the first in recent memory in which a majority of the board faced challengers. But the effect of the results is unclear as none of the candidates ran as part of a slate, and one critic of BARTs labor unions, Mallett, will leave the board while Allen, who campaigned for better fiscal management, will join. Both were supported by Glazer.

In Santa Clara County, Measure B passed with 71 percent of the vote. In addition to the BART extension, money will be dedicated to Caltrain crossing and capacity improvements and road repairs.

Sale tax proposals that would have helped BART expand its rail-car fleet failed in Contra Costa and San Francisco counties. Measure X in Contra Costa received 62.5 percent of the vote, falling short of the 66.7 percent it needed. And in San Francisco, Prop. K, a tax for homeless program and transportation, failed even though it needed only a simple majority. Voters cast 65.1 percent of their ballots against the measure.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@ctuan
Jacom Stephens/Getty Images

A man was found dead in central San Jose Tuesday night after police received calls about a fight involving several people, officials said.

Police responded about 7:30 p.m. to reports of the fight in the area of West Alma Avenue and Mastic Street near the Alma Community Center.
Whether you stream, buy or rent, heres a look at whats new or notable in home video. Movies are available on streaming sites such as iTunes, Amazon and Vudu unless otherwise noted.

Sausage Party: This Technicolor hash of munchies and metaphysics must have been hatched under the influence of something. The hero is a talking frank named Frank (Seth Rogen) who tries to alert his fellow groceries when he learns how short and brutal life for them is outside the store. Sausage Party is often funny and almost always offensive: It turns out thats it is possible to objectify a hot dog bun and stereotype a bagel. The movie transforms a shopping cart mishap into a Saving Private Ryan spoof and ends with a food-on-food orgy that crosses boundaries and grocery store aisles. Its almost, but not quite, entertaining enough  sort of like listening to someone tell you about their really weird dream.

Also: Morris From America

In theaters

Army of One: With faith in God, a background in robbery and construction, failing kidneys, an uncertain sense of geography and a 40-inch sword, Gary Faulkner traveled to Pakistan in 2010 to capture Osama Bin Laden. He did not succeed. Its a weird American story that is now in the hands of a weird American actor, Nicolas Cage, who plays Faulkner in this based-on-reality comedy directed by Larry Charles (Borat). British comedian Russell Brand, it must be noted, appears as God.

In focus

Deep Web: Could there be an upside  a reduction in violence  to the anonymous online sale of illegal drugs? Thats just one of the issues at play in this provocative documentary about the arrest and trial of Ross Ulricht (above), creator of the Silk Road marketplace on the dark web. Others include whether privacy is possible in the Information Age and how the Fourth Amendment applies to virtual searches. On a lighter note, Deep Web is a Bill & Ted reunion of sorts: Alex Winter directed, and Keanu Reeves narrates.
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At a time when our country is so bitterly divided, a uniting ray of hope shines through in the form of a wonderfully personal documentary film that people in San Antonio can see on the big screen for free next week.

Weaving the Past: Journey of Discovery chronicles Walter Dominguezs painstaking quest to unearth his Mexican immigrant grandfathers turbulent and colorful history and, in doing so, find his own roots and purpose.

Dominguezs journey begins more than a century ago, and along the way he discovers answers to mysteries surrounding his grandfather Emilios early life in Mexico. He traces Emilios astonishing transformation from an abused boy of 5 who fled his home on foot across treacherous terrain to a dedicated revolutionary who toiled alongside a famous anarchist hero and finally to a social activist pastor who ministered to Latino immigrants in California from 1917 to 1973.

I came to see that everything my grandfather had experienced changed him and made him into the great man he became, Dominguez says in the film. What I learned on this journey of discovery changed me, too, and there was no going back.

Weaving the Past also effectively shines a human light on the heated debates concerning immigration by showing the great worth of these spirited people who have crossed the border into the United States.

The free screening will be at 6 p.m. Nov. 16 in the Aula Canaria Auditorium on the University of Texas at San Antonios Downtown Campus, 501 W Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. It will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Dominguez.

Cant make it that evening? Look for this two-hour gem on Amazon Prime and YouTube.

Will & Grace fans may be drawn to it for another reason: Dominguezs partner on the film is Shelley Morrison, his wife of 44 years and a favorite of TV viewers for nearly a decade. From 1998 through 2006, Morrison played quick-with-a quip housekeeper Rosario and, as part of the original cast, may be part of a buzzed-about revival of the hit comedy.

Thank you, NBC and Will & Grace, Morrison, executive producer of Weaving the Past, said at the start of our phone chat.

Because shes low maintenance, the actress explained, a lot of her earnings from that show were available to finance the documentary, which took a decade to make. She described the prize-winning film as our gift.

They show it in high schools and colleges, Morrison said, and when young people see it, they cant wait to go home and interview their elders.

I think everyone has amazing stories in their lineage, in their ancestors, Dominguez added. They just may not fully know the details, what they may have gone through, what they left behind.

The documentary grew out of the dark time following 9/11, he said, when, like so many others in this country, Dominguez felt wounded, lost and in need of something to help move him forward.

I needed to reconnect with the roots of my ancestors, he says in the film, especially my grandfather Emilio, the one I always called Tata.

I realized I didnt know important things about him, especially in his early life. I needed to know how he came to live on an hacienda owned by the family named the Guerreros and needed to learn how he came to become friends with Praxedis Guerrero, one of the younger sons of the haciendas owners. Praxedis was a brilliant young writer and revolutionary who changed the course of Tatas life and changed the course of history.

I knew they fled across the border into the United States  but why did they have to leave Mexico? he adds. What were their plans and what happened to them?

Helping to fill in the blanks was the films chief historical consultant, whom Dominguez met during a 2002 trip to San Antonio where, he said, he shot an exterior shot of the Alamo to establish where we were.

From there, he visited with esteemed Texas author and professor Ward C. Albro, who was full of knowledge about that period of history  the late 1800s and early 20th century, when anarchists fought for the beaten and exploited Mexican people. Albro also will answer questions at the UTSA screening.

Enriching the film are dramatic re-creations that make you feel youve been transported back to an earlier era.

Because we live in Los Angeles, we were able to visit prop houses where they specialize in that period, the clothing, the hats, everything, Dominguez said. We strove to weave the re-creations in so they would feel organic, natural and not jarring. Many characters even were played by descendants of my grandfather.

What can audiences take away from Weaving the Past?

Right now, obviously, we have a country thats full of so much mistrust and anger, he said. Im hoping people will find through the film a feeling of coming together of our common humanity, the universal concerns we all have as members of a family. Im hoping my grandfather and Prax will serve as inspirations and examples for people to feel were all in this together and well figure it out.

Jeanne Jakles column appears Wednesdays and Sundays in mySA, and she writes online at mySA.com/Jakle. Email her at jjakle@express-news.net.
Little Gretel in Boerne is a step above the tourist oompah of the German-Czech restaurant experience, and its a good place to start a new series called Another Taste.

Somewhere in the zone between our up-to-the-minute Just a Taste reviews and the full-court press of a starred Taste Test review lie some of San Antonios most celebrated and reliable restaurants. Thats where Another Taste comes in. Well look at our last full review, then give our sense of where the restaurant is now. Consider it a checkup for the springs Express-News Top 100 Dining & Drinks guide.
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Sinking feeling for Murphy, Himes

Sen. Chris Murphy was in Hartford coming down off the stage from celebrating fellow Sen. Richard Blumenthals re-election victory Tuesday night when he realized something was amiss.

Butterflies started quickly when he realized that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton might lose presumed easy-win battlegrounds such as Michigan and Wisconsin.

I was in the camp that thought (Clintons victory) was 75 percent a sure thing, Murphy said.

Rep. Jim Himes was at a Democratic victory party in Stamford when Clintons race began to go South.

It was a tough adjustment (from) imagining working with Clinton on her progressive agenda to realizing things would be very different, he said.

Both were heartened by now President-elect Donald Trumps conciliatory remarks in his victory speech. But both tempered optimism with the realization that it is not always certain which Donald Trump will show up on any given day, on any given issue.

Being in the minority on Capitol Hill is never fun. But in a world with the White House and Congress both in Republican hands  and Trump an unknown quantity as president  this will be more than an average challenge for Democrats.

In his victory speech, Trump talked about reconciliation, opportunity and infrastructure.

Im for all three of those things, Himes said. If hes earnest about pursuing that, maybe theres an opportunity there to work together. But if he turns out to be the angry autocrat he appeared to be in the campaign, my role will be one of standing up for the institutions that define our democracy.

Bracing for an onslaught

At age 43, Murphy is among the next-generation Democratic faces on Capitol Hill to whom the torch was passed by Clintons defeat.

But Murphy insisted hes not looking past his own likely bid for a second Senate term in 2018.

My focus is simply going to be on getting good things done for the state of Connecticut, he said. Twenty-four hours after the election is too early to be speaking about future of the Democratic Party.

Murphy, Himes and the rest of the Democratic Connecticut delegation will be in a defensive crouch, with Trump promising to unglue the legacy issues of the Obama administration, including health-care and the Iran deal.

Murphy scoffed at the idea of rolling back the nuclear agreement with Iran.

People voted against the Iran deal because they said it wouldnt work, but its working, said Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Even the Israelis say its working. I know what Trump said on the campaign trail, but I cant imagine hed cancel a deal thats stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Himes said hes most worried about Trumps inexperience in national security and his commitment to shutting down Obamacare.

He demonstrates a willful ignorance on foreign policy, said Himes, who serves on the House intelligence committee. Im horrified by the prospect of him getting irritated and the next thing you know, the 82nd Airborne is in country you have to look up on the map.

Trumps pledge to do away with Obamacare would deprive millions of Americans of health insurance.

Governing is a profoundly challenging matter, said Himes. His bluff will be called.

Asking for open-mindedness

Because Connecticuts entire congressional delegation is Democratic, you hear very little from D.C.-based Connecticut Republicans. But they do exist and want to be heard  as loudly and clearly as anyone in the political hothouse that is the nations capital.

One such person is Betsy Wright Hawkings, originally of Greenwich. She is a longtime Washingtonian who worked on Capitol Hill for a variety of Republican members of Congress, including former Rep. Chris Shays, R-Conn.

At the GOP Convention in Cleveland, Hawkings served as a delegate for Ohio Gov. John Kasich  a presidential contender who epitomized her own more centrist approach to politics. When Kasich fell along with the others to President-elect Donald Trump, Hawkings did a fair amount of soul-searching. Like many other Republicans, she ultimately decided not to support Trump.

But when the dust settled Wednesday morning, Hawkings took to Facebook to implore Hillary Clinton supporters and everyone else to hear the message she believes Trump backers were trying to deliver.

Their support for Trump was not based in racism or nativism, (though) that was surely present, Hawkings wrote. It was a vote against elitism and the failure of the system to meet the needs of average Americans. And a frustration so great they were willing to overlook almost every convention of civility and decorum we like to think characterizes our system of government.

Like Trump or not, everyone should ask themselves what can be heard or learned from the folks who raised their voices, Hawkings wrote. Maybe thats the first step toward helping rebuild a system that works better for all Americans.

dan@hearstdc.com; @danfreedma
T20 World Cup: I Am Hopeful That India Will Play Final - Sourav Ganguly Praises Rohit Sharma And Co

WATCH: Virat Kohli Spends Time With KL Rahul in Training Session, Advices Him to Adjust Few Things

IND vs BAN: Dinesh Karthik Pull up Pretty Well in Training Session, Will Take Final Call on Him Tomorrow - Rahul Dravid

T20 World Cup: Jos Butler, Alex Hales Help England Cruise Past New Zealand
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Many local Latinos and Muslims and their allies were struck with fear Wednesday after Donald Trumps election as the next president of the United States.

During his campaign, Trump denounced Mexican immigrants as criminals and vowed to build a wall along the border with Mexico. He also vowed to deport all of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants and called for a ban on Muslims coming into the country, although he has since somewhat softened his stance on these two issues.

Angelica Idrovo, an undocumented immigrant living in Danbury, said she was devastated by news of Trumps victory over Hillary Clinton.

I was really sad, said Idrovo, who came from Ecuador with her parents and two younger brothers in 2009. Im still in shock that there are people across the country who have let this racist and misogynist become president.

Since August, Idrovo has worked in Washington, D.C., for United We Dream, a national immigrant-led organization. At 1 a.m. Wednesday, while votes were still being counted, Idrovo and many others marched from their office to the White House to protest.

After the march, Idrovo, 20, found out that Trump had been declared the winner.

We do feel fear and we are very sad that he won, but I think our community is strong, she added. I know I have my undocumented community at my side and were going to fight back.

On Wednesday, United We Dream called on President Obama to freeze all deportations and urged sympathizers to demand that their mayors and governors declare their cities and states as safe spaces for immigrants.

Others worried about what a Trump presidency might mean for refugees now living in the area.

Jennifer Wurst, leader of the Refugee Resettlement Ministry at the Congregational Church of Brookfield, said she is still in shock over Trumps win. The group is co-sponsoring a Syrian immigrant family and has helped resettle five other families from Iraq, Liberia and Nigeria.

Ive never, ever been this upset, because this may be my last refugee family for a long time, she said. I just cant get my head around it.

Wurst said she is nervous for the safety of the families she has helped.

There is a part of me thats concerned that, Will they have a fair chance at a future here, or will they give up and just go back? Wurst said.

But Abu Helalul Karim, a Danbury Muslim who immigrated to the United States from Bangladesh 33 years ago, said his relatives in Bangladesh are more concerned about the election results than he is.

Im not worried for anything, he said. The only thing that would make me worried would be if anybody would hate my flag, if anybody would hate my country, America.

Although he is a Democrat who voted for Clinton in Tuesdays election, Karim said he will support Trumps presidency. Karim said he appreciates this country and all the opportunities it has given him too much not to.

If you live in America, you love America, he said. Youre raising your kids, youre raising your family, you love this country, you love your president, you love your congressmen, you love your neighbors. ... It doesnt matter what religion you belong to. The most important thing in life is you are human.
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GREENWICH  Greenwich High School recognized forty-six students who qualified as National Merit Scholar Semifinalists or Commended Scholars and seven students honored by the National Hispanic Recognition Program on Wednesday morning.

This is a great celebration for us, said GHS Headmaster Chris Winter in a ceremony for students and parents. Congratulations to all. I am thrilled that you are able to do such amazing things.

Seniors Margaret Cirino, Sophia Salzer, Christopher Thomas, William Chen, William Yin, Alexander Brett, Maxine King, Peter Bound, Maeve Markowitz and Connor Li were honored as National Merit Semifinalists. To earn this distinction, these students scored in the top .5 percent of the 3.5 million high school juniors who took the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) test last year.

Based on their academic records, many of these students will qualify as National Merit Finalists and have the opportunity to win college scholarships.

Nationally, 50,000 students who scored in the top 1.5 percent on the PSAT were recognized as National Merit Commended Scholars. GHS seniors Brittany Banker, Megan Imperato, Aaron Jaffe, Kai Sherwin, Megan Tedford, Sihan Zeng, Madeleine Zhou, Madison Arnold, Kevin Downey, Emma Himes, Erik Mini, Jennifer Tibbets, Luci Turkel, Ann Wissmann, Timothy Bennett, Robert Blank, Amanda Brea, Brittany Cleary, Henry Dowling, Avanelle Kelly, Adriana Knight, Daniel Kramer, Olivia Luntz, Paris-Sima Mohammadi, Elizabeth Murray, Sanjeev-Kumar Sathish, Amanda Yu, Dominic Calkosz, Manuel Carballo, Patrick Iskandar, Christopher Popham, Simone Advaney, Alexandra Buss, Henry Foster, Raena Greenbaum and Andrew Schiff earned this award.

Seniors Bernardo Rodriguez, Amandra Brea, Paul Ruh, Manuel Carballo, Brandon DelCristo, Alejandro MacLean and Michelle Mato were honored by the National Hispanic Recognition Program. Students recognized by the program score in the top 1.5 percent on the PSAT, have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and identify as Hispanic or Latino.

Winter said seven students winning National Hispanic Recognition is a very high number for us.

Superintendent of Schools Sal Corda applauded the accomplishment of these students and their families.

I want to thank the parents for all the hard work that they have done because we know what it takes to reinforce for our kids the importance of using their brains as effectively as they can, he said. We know what it takes to be encouraging, cajoling, all of the elements that are necessary to turn out individuals who are demonstrating a level of competence and achievement such as we are recognizing here today.

His remarks, coming just hours after Donald J. Trump was elected President of the United States, concluded with a weighted tone.

We need you, and we need you desperately, he said. We need to make sure our country benefits from the gift that you have and the capacity of your mind ... We need you because the world has become significantly more complicated, and it will continue to become significantly more complicated. And it is only through the act of the participation of our citizens bringing to bear all of the skills and the knowledge and the talent that they have that we as a country are going to be able to go forward.

emunson@hearstmediact.com; @emiliemunson
State Attorney General Kamala Harris beat fellow Democrat Rep. Loretta Sanchez, a 10-term member of Congress, in the race for Californias first open Senate seat in a generation, but Democrats nationally appeared they would fall short of their effort to recapture the Senate.

Harris will head to Washington as a junior member of the minority party, with Republicans firmly in control of the Senate and the House. If Republican Donald Trump wins against Democrat Hillary Clinton, Republicans could control all branches of government and wield enormous power in Washington.

With returns still incomplete, it appeared that Democrats gained two Senate seats. The current Senate is split 54-46 with Republicans in the majority, so Democrats needed to gain five seats to retake control. Democrats had expected Clintons coattails to sweep them to a Senate majority, but it was Trumps astonishing strength with rural white voters that rescued vulnerable GOP incumbents.

Although Democrats during President Obamas first two years and Republicans under much of George W. Bushs presidency have controlled Washington in the recent past, a Republican-controlled federal government under a Trump presidency is a profound unknown.

We are in uncharted territory because in the past there was agreement between the congressional majority and the president, said UC Berkeley political scientist Jack Citrin. In this case, there are deep divisions between congressional Republicans and Trump on numerous policy areas, from trade to overseas alliances to the budget and Social Security.

Whether Republicans will now unify, and around what, is unclear, Citrin said, because its really pretty unclear what Trumps legislative agenda is.

Bruce Cain, a political scientist at Stanford University, noted deep divisions between establishment Republicans in Congress and Trumps grassroots populism.

Trump is a very instinctive guy and doesnt always jibe with the Republican Party line, Cain said. Weve never had a president so unorthodox with respect to his party. From criticizing former President George W. Bushs invasion of Iraq to free trade, a bedrock of GOP economic policy, Trumps breaks from GOP ideology are just shocking, Cain said.

Harris was declared the winner soon after polls closed in California, pulling far ahead of Sanchez from the start just as she had led in polls throughout the campaign.

The U.S. Senate race was the first major statewide contest under Californias top-two primary system between members of the same party, and it delivered a remarkably uncompetitive and low-visibility race. Sanchez positioned herself as the more conservative choice in an attempt to appeal to Republicans, but GOP voters told pollsters that lacking a choice from their own party, they preferred to sit out the race.

A former San Francisco district attorney, Harris, 52, came into the contest the clear favorite of the Democratic establishment, winning the endorsements of President Obama, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Sen. Barbara Boxer, who gave up the seat rather than run for a fifth term. The 56-year-old Sanchez, D-Santa Ana, struggled to break out of her Southern California base amid a series of campaign blunders.

Harris will head to Washington as a telegenic Democratic star with the built-in clout that comes with representing the nations most populous state. She will be Californias first new face in the Senate since 1992, when Feinstein and Boxer won their seats. By taking the seat vacated by Boxers retirement, Harris will extend the dominance of Bay Area liberals over the states top political offices.

But she will enter office facing an uphill struggle as a liberal in a Senate under control of a Republican majority. Republicans will be setting the legislative agenda and chairing the committees, leaving minority Democrats with little power to advance their agenda.

The biggest immediate consequence will be the Supreme Court. Democrats in 2013 eliminated the filibuster for executive and judicial appointments, except for the Supreme Court, fearing that they would be helpless to block future Republican Supreme Court nominations.

There is currently one vacancy on the court, because Senate Republicans refused to hold hearings on President Obamas nominee, Merrick Garland. More are expected in the next four years.

That means Democrats can still block Republican Supreme Court appointments, unless Republicans decide to use the nuclear option and eliminate the filibuster on high court appointments as well.

Republicans may feel emboldened knowing that in 2018, Republicans will face an electoral map that is the opposite of this years, where Democrats had a huge structural advantage. Two years from now, Democrats will have to defend 25 seats and Republicans only eight.

The power of the Senate majority has diminished in recent years by wholesale use of the filibuster to block legislation, requiring a 60-vote supermajority to overcome it. Once reserved for only the most important ideological showdowns, filibusters have become routine over the past 15 years as both parties have wielded them when in the minority.

Filibusters now block all but the most uncontroversial legislation, often reducing the Senate to little more than a debating society and a political platform for those with presidential ambitions. But it is one of the few levers of power still left to Democrats.

In late October, when Clinton was sailing ahead of Trump in the polls, Democrats were all but certain they would win back the Senate majority, which they lost in 2014, and thought they had a chance at the House, where they need to net 30 seats to regain control.

That all changed 11 days before the election, when FBI Director James Comey told congressional leaders that his agency was investigating more emails related to Clintons use of a private server as secretary of state. Clintons lead over Trump narrowed sharply, with damage for the Democrats percolating down to Senate and House races.

On Sunday, Comey said nothing relevant had been found that would warrant bringing a criminal case against Clinton, but the damage was done. Democrats have given up hope of retaking the House and now are barely favored to win control of the Senate.

Carolyn Lochhead is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: clochhead@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carolynlochhead
CASS CITY - She has done it again, and again, and again, etc.

At age 94, Dagmar "Walker" Brown of Cass City completed her 57th walk across the five mile long Mackinac Bridge Labor Day.

For 59 years, the Mackinac Bridge allows walkers on the bridge only on Labor Day.

She says the walk this year was the most challenging of all of the walks she has done because the wind was so strong and she is now legally blind.

Each year, she proudly announces to local papers she participated in the walk, and shows the certificate each walker receives who completes the walk. She keeps them in special frames.

According to Brown, she would have participated in all 59 walks, but she couldn't find a ride up North to do the first two.

Brown has meet each governor since the event was started by then Governor G. Mennen "Soapy" Williams in the late 1950s.

Of all of the governors she has walked with, she admired Williams for starting the walk, and former Gov. Jennifer Granholm, and the least favorite was former Gov. John Engler.

And, politics has nothing to do with her opinion. She said she liked Granholm because she set a good pace by jogging across the bridge, and her issue with Engler was that his pace was too slow.

Each walk lead is by the governor; and according to the rules, walkers cannot pass the governor until the halfway point.

Until age started slowing her down some, Brown kept track and prided herself on how fast she could walk the five-mile track. Her worst time was with Engler.

During her annual walk across the bridge, Brown has a tradition of stopping part way on the bridge to toss three new pennies in the lake while she makes a wish for "good health, happiness and peace" for herself and her friends.

"Her devotion to this great Michigan tradition serves as an inspiration to us all," said Sen. Mike Green during a presentation ceremony of a state resolution in 2013. "When the governor heard her story, he wanted to honor her. We don't think anyone else has completed that many bridge walks."

Despite valiant efforts to try to verify if anyone else had done the walk as many times as Brown, it wasn't able to be verified because those who coordinate the walk don't keep that type of record.

While thousands of Michiganders walk or run the 26,372 foot-long bridge, most believe it is doubtful Brown's participation record could be matched or broken.

Going up north to do the bridge walk is the only vacation Brown ever takes.

She is retired from the U.S. Navy, the State of Michigan, and McDonald's restaurant. She officially retired from McDonald's when she was 89 years old.

Brown walks at least four miles everyday  except when it is lightening.

Besides her annual Mighty Mac walk and daily constitutions, Brown also participates in the Tuscola County Human Development Commission's annual Walk for Warmth each February. She has participated in each walk for warmth since it started.
FAIRFIELD -- Sen. Tony Hwang, R-28, won re-election Tuesday night, defeating challenger Democrat Philip Dwyer, Fairfield's Board of Education Chairman.

Unofficial results from Fairfield showed Hwang winning 61 percent with 16,185 votes. Dwyer had received 10,200 votes, as of 9:30 p.m.

After town Republicans announced Hwangs victory, he spoke with his wife, son and daughter at his side, calling it a thrill to have his whole family there. He thanked his family as well as his political family.

Win or lose there is no shame because we have done it the right way, Hwang said of Fairfield Republicans campaigns.

He said town Republicans commit to the community and its not a slogan and that people voted despite negativity from the Democratic side.

Hwang called Election Night a chance to renew, move forward together and heal. And thats what we need to do right now, he said.

The Republican said he will look to build the state economy and create jobs as he continues in office.

Tonight, we celebrate, he said. Tomorrow, Nov. 9, we work to try to make Connecticut a better place for everyone.

Republican Town Committee Chairman Jamie Millington said he is proud of the victory despite what he called an unbelievable negative campaign from Democratic candidates.

Im extremely happy for Tony, Brenda [Kupchick] and Laura [Devlin] for getting re-elected, he said.

Dwyer conceded the election around 9 p.m., Republicans announced.

I knew it was an uphill battle, but nonetheless, I knocked on many doors, Dwyer said. I enjoyed this race because every day Id come in here and find dozens of people.

He thanked all the volunteers for the work they did on his behalf.

I look forward to working with my compadres here in the next election, he said.

Dwyer said he looked forward to continuing to work for the town school system and the Board of Education.

Hwang has occupied the 28th state Senate seat since 2014, when he beat out Democrat Kim Fawcett. The district, representing Easton, Fairfield, Newtown, Westport and Weston voters, has long been Republican-held, with John McKinney serving as its senator from 1999 until Hwangs election.

Hwang has said the state budget will be his first concern in office.

Im thrilled its Election Day, Hwang said in the early afternoon, calling the day a culmination to celebrate one of the greatest rights Americans have, voting.

He added that interacting with voters at the polls and getting their affirmation after the course of the 2016 election has been genuinely refreshing.

Genevieve Reilly contributed to this report.

Lweiss@hearstmediact.com; @LauraEWeiss16
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Step one in becoming an eagle hunter is to get your hands on one of those magnificent birds of prey. Not an easy trick, as we learn in Otto Bells remarkable and entertaining new documentary  but the movies 13-year-old heroine accomplishes it with lots of intestinal fortitude.

The Eagle Huntress (referring not to someone who hunts eagles but who uses them as a hunting aid) details this necessary step in the quest of young Aisholpan to crash the gender barrier thats been an unspoken rule of this traditional Mongolian art and sport.

In one of the films most striking sequences, Aisholpan, under her fathers guidance, is lowered by rope into an eagles nest high on a pinnacle in the Altai Mountains, and bags (literally) one of the young birds.

These hunting creatures are not some diminutive offshoot of the noble bird  they are large and formidable golden eagles, and handling them isnt for delicate sorts. We readily believe the girl when she casually tells her parents that she wrestled the boys in her class that day, and beat them all. Shes a sturdy one.

Aisholpans father is an eagle hunter, the latest in the (male) family line, and has no hesitation about bringing his daughter into the fold. That makes him stand out among the (male) elder practitioners of the sport, seen repeatedly tut-tutting that women should attend to domestic duties.

The capture and training of the bird are prefaces to the movies main segment, involving a traditional competition among several score of eagle hunters. There are vertiginous shots of eagles swooping down from the heights to alight (or not) on their handlers arms, thickly clad in leather.

A staged competition is one thing, the elders grouse, but how will Aisholpan fare in the real test  a horseback trek into the mountains in dire winter conditions (dire as in 40 below) to catch a fox. Thats the substance of the movies final section. Director Bell also intersperses footage of Aisholpans home and school life, including one amusing scene in which she awes her female classmates with her determination to break tradition.

The offbeat subject and remote location are decidedly Herzogian, but as intriguing as the film is, Bell, a Briton making his first feature, has a long way to go before he challenges the German auteur. More background about the nomadic lives of Aisholpans people would have been helpful. And some obvious questions  could the other contestants really have had no inkling that a girl was about to join them?  are left hanging.

But dont let these quibbles deter you. This movie exhilarates and inspires.

Walter Addiego is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: waddiego@sfchronicle.com

The Eagle Huntress

Documentary. Directed by Otto Bell. (G. 87 minutes.)

To see a trailer: http://bit.ly/2cP20FS
HARBOR BEACH  Harbor Beach Community Schools officials announced the school will soon have a new sensory room, putting them ahead of the expected government mandate for this type of facility.

According to K-8 Principal Tumara Johnston, there is proposed legislation to require schools to change how they deal with students with severe behavioral problems. Knowing this, Special Education teacher Mathew Quintano wrote a mini-grant to improve student achievement in an academic or behavioral area supporting technology or supporting transitional activities.

During a recent school board meeting, Johnston said the room is not designed for seclusion of students, nor is it a time-out room. It will not be used to exclude special education students from the general education population. She thinks Harbor Beach will be one the first schools in the area to have such a facility in place.

Quintano's grant was approved. With the help of Occupational Therapist Bev Gregg form the Huron Intermediate School District (HISD), he was able to pick out about $2,500 worth of equipment. Quantano hopes this will have a positive effect on students with behavioral needs, including those with autism.

During her building report, Johnston told the board several teachers have attended a class for new teaching strategies. In addition, teachers will soon be implementing a new Social Health Class for seventh and eighth grade girls. The class will help girls create and build personal self-esteem, and it will deal with personal relationships in school.

"If we have good feedback, we'll offer it to other grades girls and boys," Johnston said.

During the high school building report, Principal Michael Hugan said there were 215 high school students attending the school. He is in the process of first round observation with teachers in their class room settings. Students in grades 9-11 have been given a practice- SAT in preparation of the real tests.

Hugan also told the board Karen Currie from the HISD had recently given a refresher course dealing with teacher certifications. She discussed new state mandates.

In other business during the latest school board meeting:

 Superintendent Lawrence Kroswek discussed a piece of school owned property with the board. The property, officially known as 309 S. 5th St., is for sale by the district. He posted it in various media, but no interest has been shown for the site at this time.

 Kroswek discussed the recent cases of foot, hand and mouth disease at the school. The school reacted quickly, using extensive measures to disinfect any common areas in the buildings. A school nurse, who had contact with the health department, said they told her the school followed the right precautions and acted properly. Later, the superintendent said there were only two to three reported cases of the disease at the school.

 It was learned Charlie Andrews of the Michigan Leadership Institute will meet with the school board Jan. 18 to start creating a candidate profile for a new superintendent. This will officially start the process to replace retiring superintendent Kroswek. They expect the process to be finished by May, with a new superintendent in place at that time.

The next Harbor Beach School Board meeting is scheduled for Nov. 16.
John Roberts, an organic chemist who pioneered the use of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and other techniques to reveal the structures of molecules and the dance of atoms as they rearrange in chemical reactions, died on Oct. 29 at his home in Pasadena. He was 98.

The cause was a stroke, his daughter, Anne, said.

In the 1950s, Mr. Roberts played a crucial role in the explosive growth of physical organic chemistry, a field that studies the reactivity of biological compounds. One of his most notable contributions was in popularizing nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which was developed by physicists to understand chemical structures and reaction mechanisms.

This was a real revolution for organic chemists at the time, said Peter Dervan, a professor of chemistry at Caltech, where Mr. Roberts worked for more than 60 years. Jack saw the potential use of this spectroscopy and mastered it, and then by publishing papers in this area convinced other organic chemists that this was a powerful tool.

Mr. Roberts was a leader in understanding how organic reactions occurred, and he shared his techniques with the scientific community.

He helped enable the development of everything that involves organic compounds, said George Whitesides, a professor of chemistry at Harvard University who received his doctorate under Mr. Roberts in 1964. So, if you eat it, take it as a drug, use it in your clothes  all that stuff uses techniques that he didnt necessarily develop, but that he taught to the chemical community.

In addition to spectroscopy, Mr. Roberts helped popularize the use of isotopes as tracers to monitor where atoms move during chemical reactions.

Isotopes are forms of an element that have different atomic masses but retain similar chemical properties. Mr. Roberts saw their usefulness as labels to help organic chemists decipher the short-lived intermediaries between starting material and product.

He worked out this quite mysterious and marvelous way of looking at things that are so ephemeral that you cant see them, Whitesides said. Its envisioning the invisible.

Mr. Roberts also wrote about molecular orbital theory, which is one of the fundamental concepts within organic chemistry used for predicting where electrons in a molecule go.

Jack is an absolute supreme educator, said Jacqueline K. Barton, who heads the chemistry department at Caltech. He didnt come up with molecular orbital theory, but he could beautifully apply it, and explain it and teach us all about it.

John Dombrowski Roberts was born on June 8, 1918, in Los Angeles. As a teenager he frequented science open houses at Caltech and was fascinated by the chemistry experiments and electrical machines that shot sparks and blew up blocks of wood.

He took his love for chemistry to UCLA, where he completed his undergraduate degree in 1941 and received a doctorate in 1944.

In 1945, he went to Harvard to begin a postdoctoral program, and then in 1946, he became a professor at MIT. Around this time, Mr. Roberts performed perhaps his most famous experiment, which produced the short-lived molecule benzyne, a form of the molecule benzene that contained a triple bond, which people at one time did not think could exist.

He left that position in 1953 to return to California for a job at Caltech, where Linus Pauling, who would go on to win the Nobel Prize twice, was the chemistry division chair.

At Caltech, Mr. Roberts persuaded Pauling and the universitys board to buy a nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy machine, which was the first sold to a university.

Mr. Roberts won a number of awards for his contributions to chemistry, including the Priestley Medal in 1987 and the National Medal of Science in 1990. He wrote his autobiography, The Right Place at the Right Time, in 1990. He became a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2008 and a fellow of the American Chemical Society in 2009.

Besides his daughter, Anne, he is survived by three sons, Donald, John and Allen; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. His wife of 68 years, Edith, died in 2010.
WILTON  Even though Gail Lavielle already knew she would be re-elected in the 143rd House District before results came out Tuesday night, she spent Election Day meeting with voters at the polls.

For me, it is and has always been and always will be to be accessible to the people I represent, said Lavielle, who was uncontested and represents Wilton, Norwalk and Westport. If I dont see them, then theres no point in doing this.

And of course, I love thanking them for their support, she added.

Lavielle secured her seat with 5,105 votes in Wilton, according to unofficial results from the towns Registrar of Voters Office. In Norwalk, she took 3,599 votes, unofficial tallies show.

Lavielle has held the 143rd seat since 2010, after 26 years in business communications.

During her fourth term, she hopes to bolster the states education, transportation and economic development by continuing her work on reducing state taxes and growing the tax base, improving the transportation infrastructure and making the education funding system more equitable for underfunded districts like Norwalk.

She also wants to ad dress rising tuition costs of the higher education system and focus on providing more services for people with disabilities.

Based on her time in the House on various committees, most recently as the Houses ranking member of the General Assemblys Education Committee and a member of the Appropriations and Transportation committees, she is confident she will continue to enact change in those areas.

The longer youre there, the more you understand how things work, she said. I built a lot of good relationships with legislators on both sides of the aisle.

Overall, Lavielle is excited to have another term to represent her district towns.

Its very humbling and its a very great privilege and I dont ever take my constituents for granted, she said. Every time I get voted in, Im conscious of it. And this time even more so because Im unopposed.

You have to do this job with humility because youre doing it on their behalf not yours, she added.

Lavielle was endorsed by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, the National Foundation of Independent Businesses, Connecticut Realtors and the Connecticut Association of Retired Teachers.

She was also named a Childrens Champion by the CT Early Childhood Alliance and a Legislative Champion by the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters for the fifth consecutive year.

SKim@hearstmediact.com; 203-354-1044; @stephaniehnkim
In one night, the number of states allowing the sale of marijuana for recreational use almost doubled, from four to seven states. About 20 percent of all Americans now live in a state where recreational marijuana is legal, and more than half the states - 28 -- have now approved medical marijuana.

The election results last night could lead to more than $7 billion in additional cannabis retail sales annually, according to estimates from Marijuana Business Daily.

In two of the nations most populated states -- Florida and California -- voters approved measures allowing the sale of medical marijuana and recreational marijuana, respectively, which experts anticipate will gemerate millions of dollars in cannabis sales and influence more legalization across the United States and the globe.

"This represents a monumental victory for the marijuana reform movement," Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, said in a statement. With Californias leadership now, the end of marijuana prohibition nationally, and even internationally, is fast approaching."

Heres a look at how the measures fared in all nine states that had marijuana on the ballot.

Related: How Famous Entrepreneurs Are Spending Election Day

Recreational Marijuana

Before Tuesday, the District of Columbia and four states had approved recreational marijuana: Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington. That number jumped to seven states on Tuesday.

California

This is the biggest story of Election Day for marijuana advocates. The most populous state in the union now will allow the sale of cannabis for recreational use (medical marijuana already is legal in California). The new law allows people to carry 28.5 grams of marijuana and grow up to six plants in their homes. Marijuana will have to be used in private areas, not public areas.

This now means the entire West Coast has approved the use of recreational marijuana. The question now is if this will put more pressure on the federal government to change laws that make marijuana illegal at the federal level.

Massachusetts

Voters in Massachusetts made it the first state to legalize marijuana for recreational use on the East Coast. The Massachusetts law would allow residents to keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis at home, as well as grow six plants.

Maine

In Maine, counting on the ballot issue went into Wednesday morning. Voters narrowly approved recreational marijuana, according to the Bangor Daily News, with 50.9 percent approving the measure. Maine joined Massachusetts as the only states on the East Coast to approve cannabis for recreational use.

Related: Mark Cuban: I'd 'Rather Lose Every Penny' Than Have Trump as President

Nevada

Support for legalizing recreational marijuana had a narrow margin of support in Nevada going into the election, but marijuana supporters prevailed. The new law will allow people to carry up to one ounce of marijuana and grow six plants at home.

In Arizona, legalization of recreational marijuana failed, with about 52% voting against.

Related: 10 Daily Habits of the Most Successful Entrepreneurs

Medical Marijuana

Before Tuesday night, 25 states allowed the use of medical marijuana, which requires a prescription from a doctor to obtain. In all cases, cannabis remains restricted to those over the age of 21 and can only be purchased from licensed dispensaries.

Its also heavily taxed and has been a money maker for many states, bringing in millions in tax dollars.

Three states approved the sale of medical marijuana. Montana voters also decided to ease restrictions on existing marijuana laws.

Florida

The Sunshine State represents one of the big prizes in the legalization movement. And it wasnt even close. More than 71 percent of Florida voters approved an amendment allowing people with a variety of medical conditions legal access to marijuana, including those with HIV, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress syndrome, epilepsy and Crohns disease.

North Dakota

Voters in North Dakota approved an amendment that will allow those with certain conditions to possess up to three ounces of medical marijuana and also allow qualified patients the right to grow up to eight plants at their home if they live more than 40 miles from a dispensary.

Arkansas

Voters in Arkansas approved the sale of medical marijuana, making it the first state in the Deep South to do so. The new law sets up a commission that could allow 40 dispensaries in the state and eight marijuana-growing operations.

Related:

Legal Marijuana a Big Winner in Elections Across the Country

San Diego Company Bids to Become First Marijuana Business on NYSE

Decision Time: Legal Marijuana Faces Big Moment On Election Night



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If there was ever any doubt about who should be recognized as the greatest artist the Bay Area ever produced, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has resolved the question definitively with its lovingly presented, sweeping analysis of the work of Bruce Conner. The exhibition Its All True, opening Saturday, Oct. 29, comprises some 300 works and is accompanied by an authoritative, 384-page book. Together, show and catalog provide a detailed argument for the artists dominance in a range of media, from collage and assemblage, to independent film, to conceptual art.

But it is the many layers and subtleties of meaning, not the varied means of Conners expression, that place him at the top of a proud list of San Franciscan contributors to arts vast history.

His art is the embodiment of primal angst and spiritual yearning  of our mortal fears, joys, pain and pleasures, and our aching need to transcend them. Like the peyote buttons and other fuels of his early creative efforts, his work sets us teetering on a thin edge between enlightenment and oblivion. The product of a prolific career spanning more than 50 years, buried for long periods by the neglect of the art world and his own consuming wariness, the work smolders still with a palpable heat.

SFMOMA has a broad international agenda and a penchant for market-sanctioned Big Art. It was crucial for its credibility that the museum take the lead in this new assessment of such a key figure in its midst, who made his work  much of which you could carry under one arm  from leftovers and discards. And it matters that the show takes things beyond the regional, in partnership with the Museum of Modern Art in New York, to acknowledge Conner (1933-2008) as among the most significant artists of the 20th century.

 2016 Conner Family Trust, San Francisco / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

The exhibition is laid out chronologically, the only route possible through such a varied production. There are something like 18 discrete galleries, beginning with ephemera-filled cases that give a sense of, among other avatars, Conner the Dadaist performance artist  wearing surgical scrubs to receive an honorary doctorate; running for San Francisco supervisor  and Conner the conceptual artist  insisting that an employer-required fingerprint be treated as one of a series of multiple works of art.

Conners attention to the aesthetics of even the slightest gesture extended to his requirement that titles be rendered in capital letters with no other punctuation, which he saw as like objects in themselves. ... They have an architectural structure. Similar to newspaper headlines, true titles, imperative or directive phrasing, such as HELP, STOP, FREE, TAKE ONE.

The ephemera cases, along with a group of mid-1950s student paintings in the language of late Abstract Expressionism, are shown in a kind of entry hallway. I was surprised that the first larger gallery is devoted to a theater-style presentation of the 1958 masterpiece A MOVIE.

Conner has always been known for a substantial body of films with loose or nonexistent narrative structures. And A MOVIE  a collage of found footage snippets, some of them menacing, some comic, set to Ottorino Respighis Pines of Rome  is widely recognized as groundbreaking. But in relation to his entire output, filmmaking has generally been considered a parallel but distinct pursuit. Here, SFMOMA implies a central place for film.

At MoMA, where the show was presented earlier this year, the films were shown in spaces entered through sound-dampening doors; in San Francisco, music issues freely from darkened galleries, becoming a kind of soundtrack for the exhibition itself. And it works in this instance, where only one film features spoken words: Sculpture and graphics galleries are enlivened, moods shift, new sounds draw us along.

Many of the films have recently been restored, sometimes transferred to video. The results are downright gorgeous. Conner resisted digitizing his work, his media assistant and collaborator Michelle Silva has said, until he could no longer get the quality he demanded from analog processing shops.

That change of heart made possible a version of BREAKAWAY (1966) that is as tonally rich in black-and-white as the day it was made. A visual expression of dance as joyous, dervish-mystical abandon, it features a Toni Basil as sensually alluring on the screen as the 23-year-old must have been in front of the camera.

Conner famously considered all his work, in any medium, to be subject to revision, if not perpetually unfinished. Museums and collectors might stay his hand when it came to, say, sculpture they presumed to own, but no one could stop him from endlessly revising his films, and digital tools only made that easier. REPORT, his elegy to John F. Kennedy and the era he represented, is exhibited at SFMOMA as a 16mm film. It went through at least eight versions from 1963 to 1967, but kept its title and form.

 2016 Conner Family Trust, San Francisco / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

THREE SCREEN RAY (2006), on the other hand, is an entirely new digital piece, drawn from his seminal 1961 work COSMIC RAY, which continues its existence embedded within the later piece. (An interim work not included in the show, EVE-RAY-FOREVER (1965/2006), dispensed entirely with the Ray Charles soundtrack, the classic Whatd I Say.)

Curators usually have to mete out the best pieces to bring balance to an exhibition. But as one walks through this show, the realization dawns that virtually every room seems to contain at least one masterwork. The assemblage sculpture that, to many, still defines Conner as an artist, occupies three large galleries and then some.

Yet these works  which were shown around the world, collected by museums and entered major private collections well before he was 30 years old  were all made in the first tenth of his career. By 1965, he was done with the art that had had critics comparing him to Robert Rauschenberg and curators including him in exhibitions of international influence.

It began in 1958 with RATBASTARD, a squarish canvas no bigger than 10 inches across, which Conner slashed open and stuffed, along with costume jewelry, photographs and other found materials, into a pouch he made of nylon stockings. A canvas handle from which the object could hang on a wall  but which also allowed the artist to carry it like a purse  was nailed to the stretcher.

RATBASTARD and other nest-like, pendulous works take their place in the SFMOMA show alongside other horrid constructions with titles like SPIDER LADY HOUSE and ARACHNE (both 1959).

THE BRIDE (1960) is covered with molten wax. The exhibition label tells us that the artist kept the candles that cover the work burning throughout its first showing. Deeper, darker than a commitment to change, it was an embrace of entropy. Works that started their lives as accretions of the decrepit had nowhere to go but to dust. Reason enough to see this show: These will be different works when you see them next.

The so-called dark sculptures, in their black-painted gallery, evidence an awesome gravity. At the nucleus of both room and exhibition: CHILD (1959), a slumping, dismembered figure with the painful grimace of a mummified corpse.

Aspects of CHILDs fascinating history are retold in a short catalog article. Owned for nearly half a century by the Museum of Modern Art, it was in storage for most of its existence and never shown at MoMA until this year. Yet it is a legendary cultural relic of its era. Originally cited by the artist as a protest against the death sentence imposed on one man, Caryl Chessman, it came to more generally symbolize cruelty and inhumanity, central themes of Conners total oeuvre.

Avert your eyes from this nightmare. Through a glass wall, the film LOOKING FOR MUSHROOMS (1959-1967) offers relief, a gesture toward redemption. Its hallucinatory imagery and the words of Timothy Leary, chanted by the Beatles, draw you into Conners short Mexican sojourn. It is a holistic vision  the resplendent PARTITION (1961-63) is part fleshly decadence, part Christian passion; CROSS (1962) conflates the corpus of Christ with an Aztec head.

There is much in the exhibition that cannot be adequately reproduced, and too much to sufficiently describe. Galleries overflowing with meditative abstract drawing; precisely arranged collages of old engravings; obsessive folded inkblot imagery; gritty photographs of punk music clubs and their denizens.

In Conners case, too much is the right amount. He lived for too much. He was too much for most curators, who handled him gingerly or faced his rancor. Too much for an art world that wanted to set the terms of a relationship.

The denouement of the exhibition, though not the literal end of the gallery sequence, is a darkened room around which are arrayed eight of Conners ANGELS (1973-75)  life-size photograms of his whole body that he made with another artist, Edmund Shea. Unique objects, acutely tangible as records of actual skin in contact with paper, they are also images that fairly glow from within. The physical become transcendent.

Are the angels meant to be our protectors, or do they defend against us? Through a window into an adjacent gallery, we glimpse the answer.

Beyond that glass wall, we encounter a spellbinding installation of Conners famous, mesmeric meditation on the first widely announced nuclear bomb test, CROSSROADS (1976). A work of fearsome monumentality even viewed on a small TV monitor (the way I first saw it years ago), the recently restored version presented here  in grand scale with a superb rendition of the Patrick Gleeson/Terry Riley score  is stupefying.

Insistent, numbing, repeating eruptions  clouds of a terrible, purposeless storm. We came upon this tempest through a chamber of spectral attendants  guardians of humankind or from it? Our world needs both.

Charles Desmarais is The San Francisco Chronicles art critic. Email: cdesmarais@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Artguy1
NORWALK  Running unopposed, state Rep. Bruce V. Morris sailed to victory Tuesday evening to secure a sixth term representing the 140th House District.

Im forever proud to have the opportunity to serve my constituents in the 140th District and the city of Norwalk, Morris said. We have some tough times ahead of us, but my experience in the last 10 years and success therein has prepared me to make the tough choices and the right choices going forward. A heartfelt thanks to everyone that voted for me.

Running up to the election, Morris counted among his accomplishments helping pass legislation governing excessive police force, reintegrating non-violent offenders into society and strengthening set-aside requirements to create jobs for small, minority and women-owned businesses.

Now set to begin a sixth term, Morris said hes focused on the economy and education and looks forward to participating in discussions to rectify public school funding in Connecticut.

In September, Superior Court Judge Thomas Moukawsher issued a decision finding Connecticuts school funding formula irrational and giving lawmakers six months to rectify the situation.

In November 2006, Morris defeated Republican Richard A. McQuaid to secure his first two-year term representing the 140th District, which is part of South Norwalk. He has run unchallenged except for 2014 when fellow Democrat Warren A. Pena challenged him in a primary.

Morris is deputy house speaker. He serves on the Judiciary, Human Services and Energy and Technology committees.

He is an associate pastor at Macedonia Church in Norwalk. He is the former district climate coordinator and human relations officer for Norwalk Public Schools.

rkoch@hearstmediact.com
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NORWALK  Connecticut State Police cited a Norwalk man who drove his car through an entrance at Norwalk Community College Tuesday night.

Police were dispatched to the East Campus at NCC at approximately 9:24 p.m. on a report of an accident.

Upon arrival, State Police troopers observed a 2003 green Subaru Legacy had driven into the building.

Police said the operator of the vehicle, Jean Brutus, 56, of Taylor Avenue, told them that he had gone to the school to pick up his sister-in-law. While attempting to park, Brutus told police he stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake.

The vehicle went over the curb, onto the sidewalk in front of the campus entrance. Police said that the car then continued forward until striking the glass doors of the building. The collision heavily damaged the glass doorway to the building.

Brutus was transported by paramedics to Norwalk Hospital with minor back pain. There were no other injuries reported.

The Subaru sustained heavy damage to all four sides and was towed from the scene. Police said airbags were deployed.

Brutus was issued an infraction ticket for unsafe movement of a stopped or parked motor vehicle.

llake@hearstmediact.com
NORWALK  Amid the chaos of Election Day, Karen Doyle Lyons and Stuart W. Wells were re-elected as Norwalks registrars Tuesday in unopposed races.

Lyons, the Republican registrar, said she is ready to continue serving Norwalks voters for another two-year term. She was first elected to the position in 2000, taking office in January 2001.

I have been honored to serve my community in many capacities, and especially as the registrar of voters, Lyons said. Our veterans have served our country and given us the right and opportunity to express our right to vote for whom we choose and that is democracy. I grew up in the Air Force. Most of my family has served in the services and we continue to do that ... I thank our poll workers for their diligence in serving democracy and serving our electors, but most of all I thank my husband for putting up with me.

Wells echoed Lyons, saying hes honored to serve another two years as the Democratic registrar. Wells was elected and began his first term in 2008 after his predecessor quit.

Wells and Lyon have worked tirelessly for months, running the primaries in April and ensuring things ran smoothly for voters in Tuesdays election.

We had a lot of new stuff this year, with so many more people registering, Wells said. Its been a lot of work and Im sure glad its over.
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A sweeping state gun-control initiative designed to clamp down more on ammunition than rifles or pistols themselves was approved by voters Tuesday.

The idea behind Proposition 63 was to cut gun violence by making it harder to obtain ammunition. Authored by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, the measure will require background checks for anyone selling or buying ammunition, ban ammo magazines of more than 10 rounds, and make it an infraction for dealers not to report bullet thefts to police within 48 hours.

The initiative will also stiffen penalties for those who dont report stolen guns and intensify tracking of people ineligible to own firearms. It will mandate that California authorities share that information with the FBI for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, data for which vary from state to state.

The proposition was winning 63 percent to 37 percent with about 40 percent of precincts reporting, a lead that would be nearly impossible to reverse.

Prop. 63 built on a flurry of laws signed this year by Gov. Jerry Brown that were written to make it harder to buy ammunition. Some law enforcement groups that opposed those laws, including the California State Sheriffs Association, also opposed Newsoms initiative. They said the measure wouldnt stop criminals or terrorists from getting cartridges, would make it harder for law-abiding citizens to arm themselves and could force small ammunition retailers out of business.

They also called the proposed $50 fee for a license to buy ammunition onerous.

Proposition 63 has very flawed and oppressive provisions that will be challenged in court under various legal theories, including the Second Amendment, said Sean Brady, a lawyer with the Coalition for Civil Liberties, a gun-rights group that fought the initiative. Brady said a potential Donald Trump presidential victory could make the U.S. Supreme Court more amenable to such a legal challenge.

Newsom has been a gun-control advocate since his time as mayor of San Francisco, and attributes much of his passion for the cause to the suicide years ago of his grandfather, who shot himself to death in front of Newsoms mother. He said he doesnt oppose all guns, pointing out that he has enjoyed shooting skeet, but maintains there have to be stiffer limitations to bring down the 33,000 annual firearms deaths in the U.S.

The fact is in California  anyone up until today could sell ammunition, Newsom said in San Francisco on Tuesday night. Those days now are over. California has become the first state in the nation to (regulate) ammunition.

As of Monday, $5,263,881 had been raised in support of Prop. 63 and $871,151 against.

Peter Hartlaub contributed to this report.

Kevin Fagan and Hamed Aleaziz are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com, haleaziz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinChron, @Haleaziz
Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

Bianca Valenti boarded a flight Tuesday morning for the island of Maui. In the name of womens surfing, her San Francisco home and the spirit of competition, she intends to make an impression.

As noted in the Chronicle last week, the Mavericks surf contest has opened its doors to women this year: a single heat featuring six women at some point during the event (the waiting period runs through the end of March). Valenti surfs Mavericks more often than any woman in the world, but she was named only a first alternate to the event. Because she has been a strident voice in favor of the womens big-wave surf movement, there was speculation that the contest organizers, Cartel Management, left her out for political reasons.
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(After a grueling election, Hillary Clinton was favored to win the presidency going into Tuesday's presidential election. The world was stunned by the eventual victory of Donald Trump, see how newspapers around the globe presented the news on their front pages, above.)



LONDON - Allies recoiled. Adversaries rejoiced. And on the day after U.S. voters made Donald Trump the country's 45th president, the world was left to collectively wonder: What happened to America?

The question hung in the air even as once-unthinkable congratulatory messages poured into Trump Tower from capitals across the globe.

Foreign leaders who had spent months disparaging the Republican nominee as unfit for office were forced to reckon with the reality that he will soon govern the world's sole superpower. U.S. foes who may have only dreamed of a Trump presidency seemed to scarcely believe their good fortune.

Through it all on Wednesday was a palpable sense that Trump's stunning victory could fundamentally transform the global order - though in this endlessly unpredictable year, no one dared forecast exactly how.

"We have no idea what this American president is going to do, when this voice of anger will be the most powerful man in the world," Norbert Rottgen, chairman of the German parliament's foreign affairs committee, told public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk. "Whether he knows his allies and friends, how he is going to approach Vladimir Putin, an authoritarian ruler, how he is going to act when it comes to the question of nuclear armament, all these questions are completely open."

That profound uncertainty was masked by a succession of bland statements from Trump's soon-to-be counterparts among the ranks of global leaders.

Through gritted teeth, democratically elected allies congratulated Trump on his victory and promised business as usual.

In Britain - where the Parliament in January debated banning Trump from even visiting the country - Prime Minister Theresa May said her nation and the United States had "an enduring and special relationship based on the values of freedom, democracy and enterprise." That, she insisted, would carry forward under Trump.

Global autocrats were far more enthusiastic.

News of the Republican's victory was greeted with broad smiles and a round of applause in the lower house of the Russian parliament. In a Moscow ceremony to welcome new ambassadors, Putin referenced Trump's call for warmer ties and said "Russia is ready and willing to restore full-fledged relations with the United States."

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, whose record of imprisoning opponents and restricting speech has earned him condemnation from human rights groups, said he "looks forward to the presidency of President Donald Trump to inject a new spirit into the trajectory of Egyptian-American relations."

In a later statement, Sissi's office boasted that the Egyptian president was the first world leader to reach Trump by phone and personally congratulate him.

Burundi's controversial leader, Pierre Nkurunziza, who has been accused of directing the killing of civilians, said of Trump, "Your victory is the victory of all Americans."

Democracy activists and human rights campaigners, meanwhile, were despairing.

In Brazil, analysts noted that the United States now has the kind of leader more commonly associated with Latin America - a "caudilho," an authoritarian and charismatic figure often linked to military or landowning elites who responds to a desire for "dramatic solutions."

"The North American electorate broke open the shell of the serpent's egg that Donald Trump incubated during the campaign this Tuesday," wrote Clovis Rossi, a columnist for Brazil's Folha de S.Paulo newspaper." Therefore all of the demons that the politically correct had buried or at least eased in United States society are loose."

In the Middle East, Trump's win was seen as a decisive victory for Syrian President Bashar Assad, Egypt's Sissi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other leaders who routinely flout the rights of their political opponents.

"[Trump] is not going to talk about human rights, definitely," said Hisyar Ozsoy, a parliament member representing Turkey's opposition pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party, or HDP, whose leaders have recently been arrested. "He will remain deaf and blind to whatever happens here if he wants to work with Turkey."

Erdogan, who had criticized Trump during the presidential campaign for showing intolerance toward Muslims, said that the Republican's victory was a "positive sign" and the "beginning of a new era in the United States."

There was no such optimism among the United States' closest democratic allies.

In Europe, there was never any secret about the continent's overwhelming preference for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

For months, leaders have spoken openly of their contempt for Trump and their fear of the consequences should he be elected - views that, according to pre-election polls, were reflected in a European public that saw a Trump win as a reason to be "afraid." On Wednesday, the terms "shock" and "nightmare" were trending on Twitter in Germany.

Trump's win had many European nations scrambling to understand his intentions on foreign policy, which have been only loosely sketched out.

Envoys from major U.S. allies typically meet campaign advisers to Democrats and Republicans ahead of elections to try to understand how elections will affect them. That was easy to do with the Clinton campaign, which was studded with veterans from her decades in the public eye. But countries such as Germany - Europe's dominant power - have not been able to secure meetings with the Trump campaign, officials said.

In Brussels, diplomats fretted about the consequences for NATO, which was the target of sharp rhetoric from Trump during the campaign as he questioned the priorities of the military alliance. While the Obama administration has committed a battalion of troops to Eastern Europe to deter a resurgent Russia, Trump has proposed a radically different approach to the Kremlin.

But mainstream leaders who just a day before were openly criticizing Trump moved quickly Wednesday to play nice, recognizing that they had no choice but to work with the new American president.

"It wasn't what we were expecting," said David McAllister, a German lawmaker who is the head of the European Parliament's delegation to the United States. "We Europeans need the Americans to guarantee our security, and we have a huge interest in transatlantic relations."

The quiet grimaces from Europe's mainstream contrasted vividly with the cheers from the continent's far right.

Trump's win was immediately seen as possible harbinger of a far-right victory in France's 2017 presidential election, which analysts now say could represent a third chapter in a string of stunning populist upheavals.

"It's a divine surprise for the National Front," said Dominique Moisi, a co-founder of the French Institute for International Relations. "Suddenly the possibility that after Brexit and after Trump there could be Marine Le Pen is striking the French."

To many in Britain, Trump's victory was stunning - but also familiar, coming as it did less than five months after the country voted to leave the European Union.

"Trump said himself that his election would be 'Brexit plus plus.' and he was right," said Thomas Roulet, a management professor at King's College London.

Nowhere was the result felt more keenly than in Mexico, where the peso crumbled. "It feels like our nightmare is here," tweeted Jorge Guajardo, who was Mexico's ambassador to China from 2007 to 2013.

Trump's disdain for Mexican immigrants and his pledges to build a wall along the Mexican border and renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement have made him a figure of hate for many Mexicans.

"Mexico will have a very big problem having good relations with him," said Raul Benitez Manaut, a professor at Mexico's National Autonomous University. "Mexicans are very nationalistic, and they feel aggrieved by Trump."

In South Africa, as well, many were angered by the election of a man who had called their nation "a crime-ridden mess that is just waiting to explode."

A Trump victory "is a victory for right-wing racist politics. It doesn't bode well for the world," Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille told the country's Business Day newspaper.

Trump's victory was also deeply concerning to the governments in Japan and South Korea, Washington's two closest allies in Asia. On the campaign trail, Trump had repeatedly pledged to upend the American military pacts with both countries, saying neither was paying enough for its defense against a nuclear-armed North Korea and a strengthening China.

"The current situation seems like the beginning of the U.S.'s decline and a beginning of the failure of democracy," said Hasung Jang, a professor of finance at Korea University in Seoul.

China's state media made a similar point.

"The probably most divisive and scandalous election in American history has eroded voters' faith in the two-party system, as many voters called it a game of money, power, and influence," wrote the state-run Xinhua News Agency.

Meanwhile, governments that have been out of favor under President Barack Obama foresaw new opportunities under Trump. Israeli politicians called for Trump to make good on his campaign promise to move the American embassy to Jerusalem, a long-running source of contention. And they predicted an even bigger triumph in the region's decades of conflict.

"The era of the Palestinian state is over," said Education Minister Naftali Bennett.

Others in countries on the outs with Obama were far less sanguine.

In the Philippines, the mood was somber at the U.S. Embassy's election party, with a crowd of Filipino Americans and students eager to study in the United States expressing fear, shock and disappointment.

"The U.S. is known as a country for immigrants, as the land of the free, but he wants to build a wall," said Carlos Llamas, a 19-year-old college junior studying consular and diplomatic affairs. "As president you are chief diplomat for your country, but he doesn't act like that."

---

Denyer reported from Beijing. The Washington Post's Joshua Partlow in Mexico City; Michael Birnbaum in Brussels; Loveday Morris and William Booth in Irbil, Iraq; Erin Cunningham in Istanbul; Emily Rauhala in Manila; Rama Lakshmi in New Delhi; Yuki Oda in Tokyo; Yoonjung Seo in Seoul; Congcong Zhang, Luna Lin and Jin Xin in Beijing; Stephanie Kirchner in Berlin; Sudarsan Raghavan in Cairo; Pamela Constable in Kabul; Louisa Loveluck and Liz Sly in Beirut; Kevin Sieff in Nairobi; Dom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro; and James McAuley in Paris contributed to this report.
NORWALK  Norwalks top elected official will continue to seek voter approval every two years after a revision to the town charter extending mayoral terms to four years failed to pass Tuesday.

Voters also shot down an attempt to tie Common Council salaries to that of the mayor and give councilors a raise for the first time since 1980, and decided against eliminating the positions of city treasurer, sheriff and selectman. The only revision Norwalkers did vote in favor of will change all charter references to members of the Common Council to be gender-neutral.

The four questions posed by the Charter Revision Commission were formed by the city to address key changes to the towns governing documents.

Thats fine, said Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling. The goal was to get the questions in the hands of the voters and they decided they did not want four years for the mayor, they did not want to give a raise to council members and they did not want to eliminate those positions. Thats why we brought it to the public, so they could decide these matters.

According to unofficial results, Question 1 regarding term lengths failed with 53 percent of people voting no. Question 2, the question about eliminating various positions, failed with 57 percent of voters choosing not to eliminate the positions. Question 3, which would have given common council members a raise, failed in the closest vote in the revision questions with 51 percent of people voting against it.

Question 4, changing all references to common council members to be gender neutral, passed with 74 percent of voters approving the change.

It sounds like the voters sent a powerful message that is probably two fold. One that they didnt want those particular changes, but possibly also that theres a greater interest in having more substantive changes done in the charter, said Diane Cece, a member of Norwalk First, the citizen activist group opposed to the changes.

I would hope the leadership follows through on their commitment to impanel a new charter revision commission and look into more areas of the charter, Cece said.

Norwalks mayors and town clerks have served two-year terms since the charter was first written in 1913. Though there are no term limits, some argue two years isnt enough time for voters to adequately determine if a sitting mayor or town clerk is doing an adequate job, and at the same time argue two years isnt enough time for the people elected to those positions to adequately affect change.

The Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, which lobbied heavily for the charter revisions, argued having a mayor in office for four-year terms provides stability and allows for long-range planning. Those opposed to extending the mayoral term argued the benefit to residents and businesses of extending a mayoral term to four years was unclear.

The compensation for Common Council members is currently fixed at $600 annually, a pay grade last amended in 1980. A survey of legislative salaries provided by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities surveyed municipalities with a population over 60,000. Of the 12 municipalities in the survey, half pay their legislators, with compensation ranging from $600 to $15,000, annually. None of the cities surveyed tie compensation for legislators to that of the mayor, and there does not appear to be a precedent for this strategy.

While few argued the council members should be compensated, even minimally, for their time, many expressed concern over tying council salaries to that of the mayor. Ultimately voters shared this concern, electing to forgo a salary bump altogether in favor of waiting for a better revision.

The revision commission determined the positions of treasurer, sheriff and selectman were outdated and redundant, recommending voters eliminate them. The measure, though not controversial in the weeks leading up to the vote, did not pass.

At the polls, it seemed many voters knew little about the charter revision questions and either did not vote at all, or made a last minute decision.

KKrasselt@scni.com; 203-354-1021; @kaitlynkrasselt
Now is the time to check your health care coverage for 2017 or sign up for the first time. Open enrollment through the health insurance marketplace continues until Jan. 31.

Here are six key facts to know about this years enrollment season.

-- Your actual premium costs probably arent as high as youve heard.

More than 7 in 10 Texans with coverage through the marketplace will be able to find a health plan for less than $75 per month, thanks to financial assistance.

If your income falls below 400 percent of the federal poverty level -- thats $48,000 for one person or $97,000 for a family of four -- youll qualify for federal tax credits that will help make your coverage affordable. About 8 in 10 marketplace consumers in Texas are eligible. Because the tax credits increase dollar for dollar with the cost of a benchmark health plan, most consumers are protected from rate increases.

If youre buying an individual health plan but not through the marketplace, youd be wise to visit healthcare.gov and recheck your eligibility for the tax credits. An estimated 252,000 Texans who purchased coverage outside the marketplace and paid full price for it last year have incomes low enough to qualify for assistance.

-- All consumers still have choices.

About 8 in 10 marketplace customers will be able to choose from competing insurers for 2017. But even consumers served by a single insurer will select from a range of plans.

Texans can choose from an average of 26 health plans, though the exact number will vary from county to county. Rural areas are likely to have fewer. You can view all of the plans for sale in your area at healthcare.gov.

If you havent purchased a health plan through the marketplace before, you should know that all plans cover a comprehensive set of benefits, including doctor visits, hospital stays, preventive care, pregnancy and prescription drugs.

The plans must treat you fairly. Insurers cant deny you coverage because you have a medical issue, such as cancer or diabetes. Nor can they charge you more than they would someone whos in good health.

-- It pays to shop and check out your options.

If your health plan from this past year is continuing into 2017, you may be automatically re-enrolled. But youll still want to review it to make sure it meets your needs.

Every year, insurers adjust premiums, out-of-pocket costs and benefits. You should have received a letter from your insurance company explaining the changes for 2017.

Even if youre satisfied with your current coverage, its smart to log into your marketplace account at healthcare.gov and update your information on household income and family size.

Updating your personal information is important, because you may be eligible for lower costs than last year.

-- Comparing plans at healthcare.gov is easier than ever.

The marketplace simplifies your shopping for coverage by letting you make convenient comparisons of health plans.

The process is faster and more streamlined this year. You can even shop and enroll from a smartphone or tablet.

Healthcare.gov helps you put together the full picture of your health care costs, including premiums, deductibles, copayments and coinsurance. An out-of-pocket calculator will give you an estimate of your total yearly costs for each health plan, based on factors such as your age, gender, income, ZIP code and how much health care you expect to use.

You can also check out a plans list of covered drugs and find out which doctors and hospitals participate in the plan youre considering.

-- Deductibles can often be made more manageable.

Most marketplace consumers qualify for financial assistance that lowers their deductibles -- the median marketplace deductible is now $850.

All plans cover some preventive services, such as cancer screenings, vaccines and well-child visits, without a deductible. And 8 in 10 marketplace consumers select plans that cover common health services, such as primary care visits, generic drugs and some specialist visits, before meeting the deductible. Instead of bearing the full cost of your doctor visit, you may have just a copayment.

-- There are places to turn for help with signing up.

Besides relying on healthcare.gov, you can call 1-800-318-2596 and visit with a marketplace customer service representative. You can also visit localhelp.healthcare.gov to locate the organizations in your community that will assist you in signing up for coverage.

Open enrollment runs until Jan. 31. But you must act by Dec. 15 if you want any changes in your coverage to take effect on Jan. 1.

Dont risk paying a penalty of $695 or more because you go uninsured next year. Check out your options at healthcare.gov. Plans may be more affordable than you think.

Bob Moos is southwest public affairs officer for U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Gicela Sanchez had never voted before - until this year. When she filed into the voting booth in south Houston last week, she decided to send a clear message, checking straight-ticket Democratic.

The 27-year-old receptionist was born in Houston but her parents are from El Salvador. Her husband is here illegally. For her, the choice was simple.

"When Donald Trump said Mexicans were rapists and bringing drugs, that was it," she said. "Even though we're not Mexican. Because when he says Mexican, he's talking about all Hispanics."

Sanchez represents an unprecedented surge of Hispanic voters across the country who Democratic strategists had hoped would help clinch key states for Hillary Clinton Tuesday. It's a dramatic break from decades of lackluster Latino performance at the polls, lower than nearly all ethnic groups, that analysts kept predicting would upend American politics but never has.

Whether that was enough to help outweigh Trump's stronghold of white, male voters remained unclear as the race tightened late Tuesday and states in the west were still being counted.

Though final results are still being analyzed, early voting outcomes indicate Latinos have indeed turned out to the polls like never before.

An election eve poll of 5,600 Latino voters in 12 states, including Texas, suggests a reason. Roughly two-thirds named immigration as one of the top, if not the most important, reasons to vote this year, according to Latino Decisions, a polling group focused on Hispanic patterns. Like Sanchez, 60 percent said they know someone who is here illegally.

Three-quarters of registered Hispanic voters say they have discussed Trump's comments about Hispanics with family and friends, according to the Pew Research Center, a think tank in Washington D.C.

In Texas, voters with Hispanic surnames made up almost one-fifth of early ballots cast in 20 of the state's largest counties, according to an analysis by Derek Ryan, a political consultant and former research director of the Republican Party of Texas. That's up more than 4 percentage points from 2012. More than 20 percent had never voted in a primary or general election.

Key down-ballot contests such as the Harris County sheriff's race, which saw challenger Democrat Ed Gonzalez unseat the Republican incumbent, indicated they may have had an impact.

Hispanic turnout and 'Trump bump'

But Trump won the battleground state of Florida, where voters who said they were Hispanic on their registration form represented more than 15 percent of the early vote. In 2012, they made up only 12 percent of all voters, leading some strategists to forecast Democratic wins.

Record Hispanic votes weren't enough it seems to offset Floridians concerned about immigration, who exit polls said overwhelmingly supported Trump.

Historic Hispanic turnout in heavily Latino Arizona and Nevada, on the other hand, could add those states for Clinton. In Nevada, where Hispanics make up 17 percent of eligible voters, early voting polls had to be kept open late last week after so many people turned up in Las Vegas on Friday.

Overall,as many as 3.5 million new Latino voters were projected this year, adding to the 11.2 million who cast a ballot in 2012, according to Latino Decisions. It estimated 79 percent would vote for Clinton, up from the 71 percent share Barack Obama received in 2012, according to exit polls.

Earlier surveys had lower numbers for Clinton but analysts similarly predicted a record Latino turnout in her favor, spurred in large part by a vote against Trump, who made deporting all immigrants here illegally a central part of his campaign and said he would make Mexico pay for a wall on the border.

Gabriel Sanchez, a principal at Latino Decisions and political science professor at the University of New Mexico, called it the "Trump bump." He said Hispanic voters were much more enthused this year, citing their No. 1 desire to stop Trump. Nearly 80 percent of Hispanics viewed him unfavorably, according to a Washington Post/Univision poll last week.

Still, there are those who don't. On Tuesday, 72-year-old Guadalupe Guajardo voted for the first time - for Trump. She said she'd never been moved by a presidential election quite like this one. Speaking in Spanish outside a Denver Harbor community center, she said she feels as if the Republican candidate tells the truth, even though it may be uncomfortable to some.

Latinos comprised just 12 percent of the electorate in 2012. But they make up roughly one-fifth of eligible voters in the competitive states of Arizona, Florida and Nevada. And they can tip down-ballot races even in Republican stalwarts like Texas where at least 2 million Hispanics were expected to vote this year, up from 1.8 million in 2012.

Mike Madrid, a GOP political consultant in California who specializes in Latino voters, said the boost in Hispanic turnout would undoubtedly favor Clinton.

Artemio "Temo" Muniz, chairman of the Federation of Hispanic Republicans, an auxiliary of the state's Republican Party, said it is what he has warned his party about since 2012.

"I was trying to get my party to understand there's a wave coming," he said. "You can't bash immigrants and expect the Hispanic community to vote for you."

'There is a lot at stake'

Certainly part of the growth is purely a reflection of demographics.

The number of eligible Hispanic voters jumped by about 4 million to 27.3 million from 2012, on par with the overall growth rates of the population, said Mark Lopez, director of Hispanic research at the Pew Research Center.

But for decades, Latinos have gone to the polls at abysmal rates, running as much as 20 percentage points below African-Americans and whites. Even their record turnout in the 1992 presidential election between George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Ross Perot still represented just more than 50 percent of eligible Latino voters, Lopez said.

Partly it is because they are overwhelmingly young, so less likely to vote. Millennials made up 44 percent of eligible Latino voters this year.

More than half live in the non-battleground states of California, Texas and New York where campaigns wage few get-out-the-vote efforts.

Results so far this year suggest this historic underperformance has changed.

"When your community is attacked you're going to respond in kind," said Lydia Camarillo, vice president of the Southwest Voter Research Project.

For Abraham Espinosa it felt like a no-brainer. He became an American citizen just a few weeks ago, barely in time to cast his ballot against Trump.

"There is a lot at stake," said Espinosa, a community organizer at FIEL Houston, an immigrant advocacy group, whose mother brought him here from Mexico when he was 1.

Until now, Latinos haven't typically voted as an ethnic bloc. In Texas, for example, some exit polls showed Republican Gov. Greg Abbott winning 44 percent of the Latino vote in 2014. About as many across the country supported President George W. Bush in 2004.

Mark Jones, a political scientist at Rice University, said he expected the Hispanic share of the electorate in Texas to grow by 2 percent this year, based just on demographics. A gain of 3 to 4 percent, however, would be a sure sign of a Trump effect and worrying for Republicans in the future.
Alexandria Vera, the middle school teacher accused of having a long-term sexual relationship with a 13-year-old boy, arrived in court Wednesday after violating terms of her bond condition.

The 25-year-old former Aldine ISD teacher is free on $100,000 bail, but has to wear a GPS ankle monitor, stay away from schools, have no contact with the teen who allegedly impregnated her, and must abide by a set curfew.
With some votes left to be counted, the Edgewood and Somerset Independent School District boards remained the same, East Central ISD was still undecided, and the face of the South San Antonio ISD board changed.

A new trio will join the South San ISD board of trustees, which will retain one incumbent, while another lost their race.
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U.S. Rep. Will Hurd declared victory over Democratic challenger Pete Gallego in a hard fought battle in the sweeping 23rd Congressional District.

Gallego, D-Alpine, conceded the race after Hurd declared victory.

Hurd, R-Helotes, defeated Gallego, then the incumbent, two years ago in the swing congressional district.

The race, one of the most expensive in state history, saw more than $12 million spent by the two campaigns and third-party interests.

Partial returns, including the Bexar County early vote, gave Hurd the edge from the start, with a small fraction of the vote going to Libertarian Ruben S. Corvalan.

Though some rural returns favored Gallego, Hurds lead continued to build as the votes were tallied. With 307 of the districts 1,119 precincts counted, Hurd led 81,706 to 73,435 over Gallego. Corvalan trailed with 7,472.

Hurd, a cybersecurity expert from Helotes and the states first African-American Republican to serve in Congress since Reconstruction, and Gallego, an attorney from Alpine, were monitoring the outcome at their San Antonio watch parties  Hurd at the suburban Eilan Hotel and Gallego at the rooftop Paramour Bar downtown.

For months the race was rated a toss-up, prompting national Democrats and Republicans and third-party groups to pour a record $14 million into advertising that saturated the districts airwaves with mostly negative messages.

Hurd ads portrayed the former CIA officer as an authority on national security and cybersecurity, while painting Gallego as a career politician and Washington insider who didnt adequately represent the district in his two-year term. Gallegos ads cast him as an advocate for veteran and seniors, while bashing Hurd for being on the same ticket as Donald Trump.

More Information U.S. House District 23 53% reporting 40,994 Pete Gallego (D) 40.03% 55,840 Will Hurd (i)(R) 54.53% 5,572 Ruben Corvalan (L) 5.4% See More Collapse

Hurd declined to endorse Trump, denounced some of his comments about women, and sought to distance himself from the GOP nominee, whose approaches to immigration and border security displeased some Republicans in the districts border communities. Hurd, Gallego asserted, was afraid to call him (Trump) out.

District 23 is the states largest congressional district, covering parts of 29 counties and stretching from San Antonio to El Paso, almost the entire Texas-Mexico border.

The district has seesawed between the major parties in the last three elections. In 2010, Republican Francisco Quico Canseco ousted then-Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, a Democrat, after defeating the newcomer Hurd  a former student body president at Texas A&M University  in a runoff for the GOP nomination.

Two years later, Gallego, 54, won his first term in the U.S. House after unseating Canseco. Gallego had previously served in the Texas House from 1991 to 2013.

But Republicans quickly pounced on the freshman congressman, linking him to the president and the difficult rollout of the Affordable Care Act.

Gallego then became another page in the districts flip-flop history: In 2014, he narrowly lost to Hurd, the first non-Latino to hold the seat in more than three decades.

We left nothing on the table, Hurd said of that hard-fought contest.

Within three months of his defeat, Gallego hinted he might run again; he formally declared his intentions in April 2015.

A Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman at the time made clear the organization was focused on recapturing the swing district and warned that Hurd shouldnt unpack.

In their first matchup, Gallego performed better in his West Texas strongholds of El Paso and Eagle Pass, while Hurd outperformed him in Bexar and Medina counties.

Gallego began the day early, attending Mass at Holy Trinity Catholic Church on Huebner Road and then visiting several polling places and a phone bank, said his communications director Lyndsey Rodriguez.

On Monday, Hurd was joined by Gov. Greg Abbott for a final campaign event.

jgonzalez@express-news.net

vdavila@express-news.net
All four occupants of a vehicle that burst into flames after a crash at the end of October on a South Side road have been identified.

Melinda Rodriguez, 27, and Aliza Maldonado, 8, were the last two officially identified by the Bexar County Medical Examiner. The two died in the accident Oct. 29 alongside Rosemary Rios, 26, and Steve Garcia, 34, in the 14300 block of Applewhite Road.
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Voting in Bexar County drew to a close Tuesday with around 111,000 people casting ballots, an election official said.

Election Day and early voting results combined reached an estimated 580,000 votes. Voters and election officials experienced a few headaches this year but no serious issues.

Turnout was high but not what Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacquelyn Callanen had hoped.

I really, really was hoping that we could be up there in the thresholds of the 600,000, and I don't think we'll get there, but we still saw a lot of people and a lot of interest, she said.

She praised poll workers and judges, saying those who called with evening updates had reported high emotions from many people who attempted to vote but did not understand they had to register beforehand, she said.

There was a lot of anger today, we had a lot of people that showed up at the polls still that were not registered to vote that had to fill in provisional ballots, she said. We saw a lot of that, so again, I'm just proud of the election officials, but we're ready for it to be over, she added, laughing.

Callanen said there were only two incidents that brought Bexar County sheriff's deputies to the polls, and another in which a man claiming to be a poll watcher was told to leave the voting area.

No arrests were made.

The roughly 2,100 voting machines appeared to cause no significant problems in Bexar County as had been reported sparsely in other parts of the country. Workers at one local site ended up having to return to a closed building to pick up results that had accidentally been left there.

Callanen said the election judge's team at First Baptist Church of Leon Springs had inadvertently left the cartridges that are used to record votes in the building, which was then closed. The cartridges are shaped liked eight-track tapes, but are smaller.

Efforts were being made to re-open the church so the cartridges could be recovered and taken to a regional facility for tabulation.

bgibbons@express-news.net

Twitter: @bgibbs
Embattled Windcrest City Councilwoman Kimberly Wright will be a council member no more. The subject of a recall vote, Wright failed to retain the support of voters and lost by a whopping 69 percent, 1,916 to 839.

Windcrest Place 1 Councilman Gerd Jacobi was re-elected by a 1,531-1,210 vote over challenger Frank Archuleta, and former Councilman James McFall returns to council, defeating Joan Pedrotti 1,562 to 1,149.

Councilman Jim Shelton, who vacated his current council seat to run against Place 3 Councilwoman Pam Dodson, defeated her by a 1,509-1,229 total.

In Converse, two city councilmen were losing their re-election bids. With nine of 11 precincts counted, former Councilwoman Deborah James was firmly ahead of Place 4 incumbent Steve Brown by a 2,653-to-1,571 total, a 62-37 percent margin. Place 2 Councilman Jeff Beehler was upended by challenger Chris Clark, who built a substantial lead with nine of 11 precincts counted.

In Schertz, Mayor Michael Carpenter was ahead in early returns and appeared poised to turn away a challenge from Councilman Grumpy Azzoz as voters also chose five new city council members to join him.

Carpenter said a track record of meeting the needs of citizens helped him. Its about representing the people, and nothing else. Its about maintaining the character and culture and charm of Schertz, Carpenter said. And managing growth, without letting it become just some big, oversized suburb of San Antonio.

Schertz added two new seats to the council this year. Angelina Kiser, in Place 6, was leading Michael Dahle, while Bert Crawford pulled away from opponent Eric Beam early in the race for Place 7.

In Place 1, Mark Davis jumped out early and was leading Carl Douglas. In Place 2, Ralph Gutierrez was leading Glen Outlaw. Scott Larson and David Scagliola were only a few percentage points apart in the Place 3 race.

Alamo Heights and Leon Valley sales tax measures were overwhelmingly ahead in early returns. The Leon Valley measure will free up 1/8 percent of its sales and use tax to allow for its expenditure for economic and community development.

The Alamo Heights proposition reauthorizes a 1/4 percent sales and use tax for street maintenance and repair.

jflinn@express-news.net
Dia de los Muertos: Honoring Our Traditions. Remembering Our Loved Ones is an exhibit of altars created by local artists honoring notable Latinos who have died, many with connections to San Antonio. The exhibit, free and open to the public, is on display at the Centro de Artes Gallery, 101 S. Santa Rosa, through Nov. 27.

The exhibit includes tributes to Manny Castillo, Elvira Cisneros, Rosita Fernandez, Juan Gabriel, Emilio Navaira, Selena Quintanilla Perez and Emma Tenayuca. Participating artists include David Casillas, George Cisneros, Rigoberto Luna, Ernesto Olivo and Cruz Ortiz.

The free Centro de Artes gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. For more information, go to GetCreativeSanAntonio.com.

San Antonio

VIA Poetry on the Move contest seeks entries

VIA Metropolitan Transits 2017 Poetry on the Move contest is open through Nov. 10.

Now in its eighth year, the contest features selected poems, illustrated with designs by area teen art programs. The illustrated poems will be displayed on VIA buses and vans during National Poetry Month in April.

The contest is open to anyone 18 and older in Central and South Texas. Entries must be postmarked or emailed by Nov. 10. Contestants may submit up to three unpublished poems. Poems must be no longer than 10 lines, including titles and spaces, free of offensive language and understandable by a wide audience.

Operation Homefront seeks entries for Child of the Year

National nonprofit Operation Homefront is accepting nominations for the 2017 Military Child of the Year awards through Dec. 5.

Six winners from 8 to 18, representing the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Guard, will receive $10,000 each. They will be picked based on scholarship, volunteerism, leadership and extracurricular involvement.

A seventh award, open to those 13 to 18, is the Military Child of the Year Award for Innovation. The winner shows the power of innovative thinking, including a new invention, improvement to existing technology or the creation of a nonprofit. The award recipient will receive $5,000 and a mentorship by technology management company Booz Allen Hamilton to advance the winners project.

Winners will be flown to Washington, D.C., with a parent or guardian, to get the awards.

Anyone, including family members, who knows of a deserving military childs talents may nominate online. Go to militarychildoftheyear.org and click the nominate tab.

VIA announces special schedule for Veterans Day

VIA Metropolitan Transit bus routes and information centers will operate on a special schedule Nov. 11 in observance of the Veterans Day holiday.

All regular bus routes will operate on a regular schedule; the customer service/information line (210-362-2020) will be available 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; the downtown information center will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and all other information centers will be closed.

For more information, visit VIAinfo.net.

Southeast Side

Business womens group

to host arts and crafts fair

Southeast Business Womens Club will hold a Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 19 at Highland Social Club, 2929 S. W.W. White Road, just north of East Southcross. Admission and parking are free.

Tables are available for $25 each. Interested crafters should contact Reba at 210-912-1367. The indoor event is open to everyone. Baked goods and chopped barbecue sandwiches will be sold.

South Side

Library donations needed

The Mission Branch Library is seeking donations for its biannual book sales. Items sought include adult and childrens books, specialty books, DVDs, VCRs, cassette tapes and magazines. Items must be in good condition.

All proceeds help fund library programs. Call for pick-up service for large donations. Call Oscar Gonzalez at 210-207-2704 for more information.

Palo Alto hosts Veterans Day event

Palo Alto College invites the community to its ceremony saluting military veterans.

The ceremony starts at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, on the college campus, 1400 W. Villaret Blvd. Several local veterans will be recognized. A reception will be held after the ceremony.

For more information, call 210-486-3111.

West Side

Deanery to close Holy Doors as Jubilee Year finishes

The Western Urban Deanery of the Archdiocese of San Antonio is expecting hundreds of pilgrims for the closing of its Holy Doors on Nov. 19 at San Juan de los Lagos Catholic Church, 3231 El Paso St.

The deanerys 12 churches will begin pilgrimages from their parishes to San Juan de los Lagos between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., said San Juan parish leader Diana Aguero.

Pilgrims then will attend a 10 a.m. Mass, she said.

Among the churches that will be represented are Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Timothy, St. Jude and Our Lady of Good Counsel. Visitors are also welcome to take part in the pilgrimage and service, Aguero said.

The Mass is among several in the archdiocese that will mark the end of the Catholic Churchs Jubilee Year of Mercy, which began last November.

Throughout the year, San Antonio Catholics and non-Catholics were encouraged to perform pilgrimages to the archdioceses Holy Doors. Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller elected 16 parishes to host Holy Doors, including San Fernando Cathedral, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower, Mission San Jose and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Panna Maria.

The ritual is described as a symbolic expression of conversion, and the door is viewed as an ancient symbol of Christ.

Other parishes will close theirs doors, including the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower at an 11 a.m. Mass on Nov. 20.

Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller will celebrate Mass at San Fernando Cathedral at 5 p.m. Nov. 20 to mark the end of the Jubilee Year of Mercy and close the cathedrals Holy Door. The Mass will be said for families affected by incarceration.

Compiled by Melissa Renteria
SAN ANTONIO  A 31-year-old man was transported in stable condition Tuesday night after being shot three times outside a food mart on the East Side, according to police.

The incident occurred at about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Hays Street and New Braunfels Avenue, where the victim suffered two gunshot wounds to the left leg and one to the right foot. The victim was not cooperative with giving information to police at the scene, but he was possibly shot while standing directly in front of the Hayes Food Mart, according to a preliminary police report.
The oldest judge on Texas' highest criminal court has won a final term that by law he can't finish because of his age.

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Michael Keasler easily won his third re-election bid Tuesday night. But the Republican is prohibited from serving all six years because in August he turns 75, when Texas judges must begin stepping down.
Republican and former Texas state lawmaker Wayne Christian has won a seat on the state Railroad Commission, which regulates oil and gas, mining and pipeline safety, but not railroads.

Christian defeated Democrat Grady Yarbrough, a retired schoolteacher.
Someone at Trump Tower is getting ready to celebrate Election Night with a giant cake in the shape of Donald Trump's head. At least, we're pretty sure it's supposed to be Donald Trump's head.

The expression on Cake Trump's face shows about how we feel after seeing a cake version of the GOP nominee, and Twitter agrees.
Incumbent constables across Harris County held onto their seats by comfortable margins, and two Democratic newcomers won posts in Precincts 6 and 3.

Democrat Silvia Trevino, a 20-year Houston Police Department veteran, bested Republican Richard "Rick" Gonzales in the race to claim the Precinct 6 seat her husband used to hold.

Victor Trevino held the east Houston seat for nearly 26 years until he retired in 2014 in the wake of a public corruption conviction.

Silvia Trevino, who most recently worked in the Precinct 7 constable's office, held a commanding lead over Gonzales, a retired 30-year HPD officer, throughout Tuesday night.

In Precinct 3, located in northeast Harris County, Democrat Sherman Eagleton, who has served as a deputy in Precinct 3 since 1993, easily outdistanced Republican Dan Webb.

Webb is a Texas Department of Public Safety ranger who has served 33 years in law enforcement.

The incumbents seeking reelection in Precincts 1, 2, 4 and 8 all kept their seats with little trouble.

Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen, a Democrat, beat Republican Joe Danna, who also ran in 2012 and was employed by the precinct for nearly 20 years.

Rosen has served as constable in the western Harris county precinct since 2012.

In Precinct 2, incumbent Democrat Christopher Diaz, who served as former mayor and councilman in Jacinto City, fended off challenger Daniel Vela, a Republican who has served in law enforcement for 21 years.

In northern Harris County, Precinct 4 incumbent Republican Mark Herman, appointed last year after his predecessor, Ron Hickman, was appointed Harris County Sheriff, held off Democrat Jeff McGown, a 23-year veteran of the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

The Precinct 4 constable's office, which covers from Highway 290 to Lake Houston, currently is under criminal investigation after it was revealed in September that a former deputy there destroyed evidence affecting hundreds of criminal cases.

In Precinct 8, which borders the Houston Ship Channel in southeastern Harris County, incumbent Republican Phil Sandlin beat Democrat Heather Perry, who has served 11 years in law enforcement.

Sandlin, a 24-year veteran of the department, was appointed to the position in 2011 and reelected in 2012.

Two other posts, Precinct 5 Constable Ted Heap and Precinct 7 Constable May Walker were unopposed for re-election.
NEW YORK - While marijuana-related proposals dominated referendums across the nation, some states were voting on gun control and the death penalty.

In all, there were more than 150 measures appearing on statewide ballots. California led the pack with 17 ballot questions, including one that would require actors in porn movies to wear condoms during filming of sexual intercourse. Another would ban single-use plastic grocery bags.

One hot-button issue - gun control - was on the ballot in four states, including California, which has some of the nation's toughest gun-related laws. Proposition 63 would outlaw possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines, require permits to buy ammunition and extend California's unique program that allows authorities to seize firearms from owners who bought guns legally but are no longer allowed to own them.

In Maine and Nevada, a group founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg spent millions promoting ballot measures that would require background checks on nearly all gun sales and transfers.

Supporters say the changes would close gaps in the federal system that allow felons, domestic abusers and the mentally ill to buy firearms from private sellers at gun shows and online without a background check.

Washington state had a ballot measure that would allow judges to issue orders temporarily seizing guns from individuals who are deemed a threat.

California was one of three states voting on capital punishment, with two competing measures on its ballot. One would repeal the death penalty, which California has rarely used in recent decades. The other would speed up appeals so convicted murderers are executed.

In Nebraska, voters were deciding whether to reinstate the death penalty, which the Legislature repealed last year. Oklahoma residents approved a measure to make it harder to abolish capital punishment. It seeks to ensure the state has a way to execute prisoners even if a given method is blocked.

Among the other topics:

Minimum wage: Arizona, Colorado and Maine were considering phased-in $12 minimum hourly wages by 2020. In Washington state, where the minimum wage is $9.47 an hour, voters weighed raising that to $13.50 an hour by 2020. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.

Aid in dying: Colorado voters approved a measure that will allow physicians to assist a terminally ill person in dying. Physician-assisted death also is legal in California, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. And Montana's Supreme Court has ruled that doctors can use a patient's request for life-ending medication as a defense against any criminal charges.

Health care: Another Colorado proposal, trailing badly in partial returns, would set up the nation's first universal health care system.

It called for a $25 billion-a-year health care system funded by payroll taxes.
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Republicans and Democrats each retained governorships Tuesday in hard-fought battles in Indiana and West Virginia as voters picked chief executives in a dozen states.

The governors' contests were part of a battle for statehouse supremacy that included nearly 6,000 state legislative elections. Heading into Tuesday, Republicans controlled more than two-thirds of the nation's legislative chambers, as well as 31 of the 50 governors' offices.

Indiana Lt. Gov. Eric Holcomb defeated Democrat John Gregg to keep Republican control of the office being vacated by GOP vice-presidential nominee Mike Pence. In West Virginia, billionaire businessman Jim Justice won election to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.

In a key legislative battle, Republicans won control of the Kentucky House - the lone remaining Democratic-held chamber in the South - while defeating Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo.

The states in play Tuesday include:

North Carolina

In the nation's highest-profile race, Republican Gov. Pat McCrory faces a strong challenge from Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper.

The race has become a referendum on North Carolina's rightward shift under McCrory, highlighted by a law that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and directs transgender people to use public restrooms matching the gender on their birth certificates. Cooper has vowed to try to repeal the law as governor.

Recent flooding from Hurricane Matthew has also played into the race, as McCrory has been at the public forefront of response and recovery efforts.

Missouri

Former Navy SEAL officer Eric Greitens, a first-time candidate, is locked in a close contest against Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster.

Greitens has capitalized on his military service and his work as founder of the veterans' charity known as The Mission Continues. He casts himself as an outsider going up against a career politician. Koster, a former Republican state senator, has picked up key endorsements from the National Rifle Association and major agricultural groups.

Including primary candidates, Missouri governors' campaigns have raised more than $72 million, easily doubling the previous record. The winner will succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon.

Indiana

Holcomb's election will continue a 12-year run of Republican governors in Indiana. Holcomb, a former state Republican Party chairman, had been appointed to the state's No. 2 spot by Pence and later was nominated as his replacement when Pence dropped his re-election bid in July.

Gregg had tried to cast Holcomb as a "rubber stamp" for Pence, pointing out Holcomb's support for a religious-objections law Pence signed. Opponents said the law, which was later revised, sanctioned discrimination against same-sex couples by allowing businesses to refuse to serve them.

New Hampshire

The governor's office is open because Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan is trying to oust Republican U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte.

The race to replace her features two members of the governor's Executive Council - Democrat Colin Van Ostern and Republican Chris Sununu, the son of former Gov. John H. Sununu and the brother of former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu.

Democrats have controlled the governor's office for 18 of the past 20 years.

Vermont

Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Scott faces Democrat Sue Minter in what Republicans view as their best pickup opportunity. Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin is not seeking another two-year term.

Scott is the only Republican statewide officeholder in a liberal-leaning state but has tacked toward the left by embracing abortion rights and gay marriage. Minter is a former transportation secretary for Shumlin.

West Virginia

Justice's victory will continue a 16-year stint of Democratic governors in a state that has otherwise been tilting toward Republicans. Justice cast himself as a political outsider adept at creating jobs.

Republican candidate Bill Cole, the state Senate president, had hoped to ride Trump's coattails. But Cole's pledge to revive the coal industry was offset by Justice, himself a coal billionaire.

Montana

Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock faces a challenge from Republican Greg Gianforte, a businessman who struck it rich when he sold his cloud-based software firm to Oracle five years ago.

Gianforte has poured millions of his own money into the race, airing more TV ads than all other statewide executive candidates in the nation, according to an analysis by the Center for Public Integrity of data from the tracking firm Kantar Media/CMAG.

Bullock has been heavily aided by the Democratic Governors Association.

Other states

In Delaware, Democratic U.S. Rep. John Carney Jr. was elected to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Jack Markell. And in North Dakota, Republican businessman Doug Burgum won election to replace Republican Gov. Jack Dalrymple, who did not seek re-election. Republican Gov. Gary Herbert won re-election in Utah, and Democratic Govs. Kate Brown of Oregon and Jay Inslee of Washington also were expected to turn back challengers.
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WASHINGTON - Republicans retained their lock on the House for two more years early Wednesday as GOP candidates triumphed in a checkerboard of districts in Florida, Virginia and elsewhere that Democrats had hoped Donald Trump's divisive comments about women and Hispanics would make their own.

Democrats who had envisioned big gains in suburban and ethnically diverse districts instead seemed on track for modest pickups. Republican contenders were buoyed by the GOP presidential candidate's tight battle against Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Expectations were nearly zero that Democrats would win the 30 seats they had needed to capture House control for next year, but both sides had anticipated they'd cut into the historic GOP majority by perhaps a dozen seats. Republicans currently hold a 247-188 majority, including three vacant seats, the most the GOP has commanded since their 270 in 1931.

Democrats miss mark

By late evening, Republicans had won at least 218 seats - guaranteeing control - and just four of their incumbents had lost. The GOP retained seats in Minnesota, New York, Colorado, Iowa and Wisconsin that Democrats sought to grab, and Republicans prepared to build on their current six-year run of control.

"This could be a really good night for America," House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who won a 10th term, told supporters in his hometown of Janesville, Wis.

In Florida, freshman GOP Rep. Carlos Curbelo won a race that underscored how Trump's damage to Republicans would be limited. With around seven in 10 of the Miami-area district's voters Hispanic, Democrats targeted it and the race became one of the country's most expensive with an $18 million price tag. But Curbelo held on.

Virginia freshman Rep. Barbara Comstock kept her seat in the Washington, D.C., suburbs despite Democrats' relentless attempts to tie her to Trump. The two sides spent more than $20 million on that contest in a district of highly educated, affluent voters that both sides had viewed as vulnerable to a Democratic takeover.

Democrats defeated two Florida GOP incumbents, but those results seemed due to local circumstances.

Rep. John Mica, 73, a 12-term veteran from the Orlando area, was criticized by GOP strategists for a lackluster campaign and lost to Democrat Stephanie Murphy, a political neophyte. Democratic challenger Charlie Crist, once the state's Republican governor, defeated Rep. David Jolly in a St Petersburg district that had been redrawn to favor Democrats.

Democrats spent $4 million and beat GOP Rep. Scott Garrett, a member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus from a northern New Jersey suburb of New York City. And they defeated Rep. Bob Dold, a GOP moderate from the Chicago suburbs where Democratic strength proved overpowering.

Campaign cash flowed

Both parties' candidates and outside groups spent nearly $1.1 billion combined on House campaigns, shy of the $1.2 billion record in 2012, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group. Republicans had only a slight financial edge.

Trump hurt Republicans in some areas, but his appeal to working-class white voters and their antipathy to Clinton helped GOP candidates in others.

That seemed likely to help Republicans limit an erosion of their House majority, which would have left hard-line conservatives with added clout to vex party leaders.

Even with the Ryan-led House GOP's formidable advantage, work has stalled on spending bills after hitting objections from conservatives, including the roughly 40 members of the hard-right Freedom Caucus. A major winnowing of moderate GOP lawmakers, which hadn't materialized by early Wednesday, would increase dissident Republicans' leverage next year.

House Republican leaders face problems ahead. Conservative objections are likely over a fresh round of budget legislation plus the need to renew the government's borrowing authority or face an economy-jarring federal default.

Ryan, 46, who's said he wants to be speaker in the new Congress, is not immune to ire from the Freedom Caucus and others upset over his refusal to campaign for Trump.

Just a handful of disgruntled conservatives could block Ryan from the 218 votes he'd need to retain his post. That could be an embarrassing setback for the GOP's 2012 vice-presidential candidate, who might harbor White House aspirations, and some Republicans say it might persuade him to leave Congress.
SAN ANTONIO  Weather in the Alamo City is looking wet with dark clouds post-Election Day and a 50 percent chance of showers throughout the day Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

San Antonio is experiencing some widespread to scattered showers due to rain coming from the Hill Country, said NWS meteorologist Larry Hopper.
A devoted mother to her six children, Micaela Rosas Gonzalez was known for her gentle wisdom, and acceptance of others.

Popular with young and old alike, her childrens friends often invited her for a night out or on road trips.

One of my friends called me several years back, asking if I wanted to go to Kickapoo (Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass), her daughter Leticia G. Perales said. When I said no, she asked, Do you think you mom would like to go?

That wasnt unusual.

My mom made herself fit in everywhere, Perales said. Not that she tried; she was just very likable.

Gonzalez died Nov. 2 at 97.

Born the seventh of 17 children, Gonzalez was raised on the West Side. Attending Lanier High School until the 10th grade, she started skipping school to work at a garment factory.

Meeting her future husband while on vacation in Mexico, Gonzalez settled there for 15 years after marrying in 1939, raising two children before the family moved to San Antonio.

Adding four more children to their brood, Gonzalez took care of the children and their home during the day and cleaned offices at night.

She was up in the morning, made us breakfast and lunch, sent us to school, Perales said. Then she would clean up all day; when we got home from school there was a hot meal waiting for us.

More Information Micaela Rosas Gonzalez Born: May 8, 1919, Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico Died: Nov. 2, 2016, San Antonio Preceded by: Husband Jose Maria Gonzalez; son Jose Maria Gonzalez Jr.; parents Miguel Rosas and Manuela Maldonado Rosas; 16 siblings. Survived by: Daughters Irma G. Vazquez, and Leticia G. Perales; sons Jesus Carlos Gonzalez, Hector Gonzalez, and Emilio Gonzalez; 12 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. Services: Visitation from 2-9 p.m. Thursday, at Funeraria Del Angel Trevino Funeral Home, 226 Cupples Road; funeral at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Luke Catholic Church, 4603 Manitou, followed by burial at San Fernando Cemetery II, 746 Castroville Road. See More Collapse

Perales marveled at her mother after having children of her own, asking her how she handled four children with with no microwave and cloth diapers.

Perales recalled that her mothers answer was simple.

The job had to be done, Gonzalez responded.

Losing many of her siblings to illness and accidents by the time she was an adult, Gonzalez was close to two of her sisters, playing poker with them every weekend for more than 50 years.

Rotating the home in which they played every weekend, the sisters brought their children and husbands along.

They played all night  to 3, 4, 5 in the morning, Perales said. Then they would go and buy barbacoa, and then  all go home and sleep.

mheidbrink@express-news.net
They answered the call to serve. They risked their lives in defense of our country and our liberty. Now back home, many of them are struggling. We can help. We must.

More than 1.5 million veterans in the United States live in poverty. An estimated 12 percent of the homeless have served in the U.S. military. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, five of the top 10 unmet needs of our veterans involve legal issues such as securing benefits theyve rightfully earned, avoiding homelessness, and managing child custody issues.

The legal profession has an obligation to help, and it is responding. The American Bar Association recently launched a national effort to mobilize lawyers across the country to serve our nations veterans, and Texas attorneys are proud to lead that effort. The State Bar of Texas created Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans in 2010, building on the important work started by Houston lawyers serving veterans.

Texas has the second-highest population of veterans in the nation. One of the greatest challenges veterans face when they come back to the U.S. after deployment is access to the legal help they need. In fact, for many of our veterans, access to legal aid can be a lifeline. Obtaining free legal services can be critical to getting the benefits and support they need for themselves and their families.

This week we celebrate Texas Veterans Legal Aid Week. Across the state, local bar associations and legal aid organizations are hosting free legal clinics aimed at increasing our veterans access to the justice system.

But our commitment to our veterans, and all Texans, continues beyond this week.

In the last legislative session, the Texas Legislature appropriated $3 million in funding to legal services for our veterans. That, along with private donations, enabled legal aid organizations, in 2015, to provide free legal services to more than 8,000 veterans.

Legal aid provides basic civil legal services to the poor, not only for veterans returning home but for victims of domestic violence, the elderly facing foreclosure, and children in need. The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, created in 1984 to fund civil legal aid in Texas, stands committed to a vision that all Texans deserve equal access to justice, regardless of income.

But legal aid cant do it alone. Even with government support, Texas legal aid organizations only meet 10 percent of the need for legal services among low-income Texans. Thankfully, every year, Texas attorneys donate more than 2 million hours of pro bono work. In fact, since 2010, more than 7,000 private attorneys have donated pro bono services to help more than 23,000 veterans.

Through a new initiative launched by the American Bar Association, the number of veterans receiving pro bono legal assistance will continue to increase, and solutions to systemic problems that hinder access to justice for all Americans will be addressed  because the problems that veterans face are the same problems that all Americans face.

Continuing to ensure access to justice for all Texans, especially our veterans, requires a renewed commitment to the promise of equality, regardless of income, in our justice system. With adequate funding for legal aid, and a continued dedication to pro bono work from the private bar, we can move closer to our goal of seeing justice for all, not just for those who can afford it.

To our men and women who answered the call to serve, thank you. We owe you more than gratitude. We owe you a commitment to ensuring that our justice system lives up to the ideals for which you fought. Thankfully, Texas attorneys are prepared to answer that call.

In recognition of Texas Veterans Legal Aid Week, clinics offering free legal assistance for veterans are being hosted throughout Texas. To find a clinic in your area, visit texaslawhelp.org/veterans-portal. To check out what the ABA is doing on veterans issues, go to ambar.org/veterans.

Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht has been a member of the Texas Supreme Court since 1988 and is a U.S. Navy veteran. Linda A. Klein is president of the American Bar Association and the senior managing shareholder at Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz.
Americans have long dreamed of enacting term limits on members of Congress. The window of opportunity to do it has come open, but it will stay that way only if Texas takes action.

In early 2016, Gov. Greg Abbott unveiled his Texas Plan, a way for states to convene a convention to restore the Constitution. Abbotts strategy  found in Article V of the Constitution  allows state legislatures to bypass Congress and obtain amendments that politicians in Washington wont support. Once 34 state legislatures pass resolutions for a convention on the same topic, they can get together to propose an amendment in that subject area.

Shortly after he developed the Texas Plan, Abbott praised congressional term limits, saying we need disrupters in D.C. focused on reform not re-election.

The public couldnt agree more. According to a recent Gallup poll, 75 percent of people support congressional term limits, including 82 percent of Republicans, 79 percent of independents and 65 percent of Democrats. That makes term limits the most popular and bipartisan issue in America.

It is clear, however, that career politicians in Congress wont listen to the people and vote for limits on their own power. Abbotts end run around Washington is the only means of getting it done, and we applaud him for his courage on this issue.

Thats why we have taken the first steps and crafted legislation the Texas Legislature can pass right now to let states take our Congress back. Its a simple one-page resolution expressing the will of Texas to join a convention among states, with the sole purpose of limiting terms of U.S. congressmen and senators.

There are several reasons why this resolution needs to be passed immediately.

First, congressional tenure and dysfunction have reached all-time highs and we cannot afford to wait any longer for solutions. Each election cycle, members of Congress get what they want: re-election in big numbers. Ninety-five percent of incumbent congressmen on the ballot are returned to office. Some have been in Washington for 30, 40 and even 50 years.

But our country never gets the results we deserve. Congress has piled $20 trillion in debt onto the citizens of tomorrow because re-election depends on the special interests of today. Health care and education remain a mess because politicians lack the courage to buck the status quo.

Only by returning to a government of citizen legislators can we begin to address these problems.

The politics of Texas are another reason we must act now. Gov. Abbott has done more than any other chief executive in America to draw attention to the heavy-handedness of Washington. He has changed the debate around the Article V convention from a question of if it will happen, to when it will happen. His Texas Plan is less an experiment than a blueprint for action. We must capitalize on that momentum before it has a chance to slow down. Texans need to see progress in this fight to be convinced it is the right way.

A term limits convention is not the only convention worth having. Some very smart people have developed resolutions pushing for a balanced budget amendment, fiscal restraints on Washington, and other elements found in the Texas Plan. The Convention of States Project has even bundled these items with term limits in a super-resolution of sorts.

If Texas wants to remain the national leader on constitutional reform, it needs to pass all the Article V resolutions consistent with limited government principles. That way, it has the ability to integrate with whichever approach reaches 34 states first. Stand-alone term limits on Congress are a crucial piece of that puzzle.

Phil Blumel is president of U.S. Term Limits, a national organization with a Texas chapter focused on enacting congressional term limits.
The San Antonio Independent School District scored a major victory at the polls Tuesday.

Overwhelming support for the districts bond and tax increase proposals is a vote of confidence in the future of this inner-city school district and an endorsement for the direction it is taking.

Since stepping into the top administrative position just over a year ago, Pedro Martinez has raised the bar for SAISD students and staff. He has developed good working relations with his board and engaged the community in an unprecedented manner.

It is encouraging to see taxpayers standing behind him by voting to tax themselves to take the school district to the next level. The $450 million bond issue and vote to allow the district to increase its maintenance and operations tax rate by 13 cents were approved by more than 70 percent of the voters.

With high-profile races on the ballot, it was gratifying that voters cared enough about their district to scroll through a long ballot to find the SAISD items. Nearly 70,000 voters cast ballots on the two items. Only 9,549 voters skipped over the tax item and 7,850 voters chose not to vote on the bonds.

Bond funds will allow the district to continue the work begun with a 2010 bond issue. The money is earmarked for extensive renovation of decades-old facilities and increased security. The work is planned at seven high schools, four middle schools and two elementary schools.

The success of SAISD schools impacts all who reside in the area. Without thriving SAISD schools, we will not achieve the vibrant downtown we envision, workforce needs will go unmet, and economic development will stall. We recognize that higher taxes and bond funding alone dont level an education playing field.

We trust Martinez and his board will be good stewards of the funds and use them to make SAISD a destination school district.
Re: Times up  deadlines that span a life, Buck Harvey, Sports, Sunday:

What? No more Buck Harvey? This really messes with my love-hate relationship with your publication. My disdain for your liberal bias was offset by my appreciation of your sportswriters, Buck in particular. He told interesting stories and shared insightful opinions without the gimmickry and cute tricks of many of todays writers.

He just delivered great content. After having to wade through the left-wing headlines and propaganda of the front page, you could always count on a Buck Harvey column to keep my subscription alive.

Best wishes, Buck, but what are we to do now?

Clark Tilley

First Tim, now 

Re: Times up  deadlines that span a life, Buck Harvey, Sports, Sunday:

Sad enough when we lost Timmy. And now Buck. Stop the pain.

Paul Vautier

The final gun

I have never really connected with Buck Harvey until reading his final column Sunday, probably because I still miss Dan Cook and have disagreed with Harveys columns as often as I have agreed.

But his final column is a masterpiece and connected with me historically and personally.

Kudos, Mr. Harvey.

Terry Topham, Boerne

Leg up for Illinois

Re: Santa Anas leg belongs in San Antonio, Editorial, Oct. 31:

Not sure what the editorial writer means.

There was no reason given why the leg belongs in San Antonio. It was captured by the Illinois Volunteers, at the Battle of Cerro Gordo, during the Mexican War. Not to mention, he lost his leg during the defense of Veracruz, during the Pastry War. Nothing to do with San Antonio.

Misael Orozco

Big, bad piece of art

Re: County approves $735,000 on public sculpture; It goes on San Pedro Creek improvement, Metro, Nov. 2:

With all respect to the various boards, courts, judges and panels involved in the selection of Barcelona-based artist Jorge Rodriguez-Geradas sculpture design for the San Pedro Creek Improvement Project, were there no art world professionals consulted during the process? Was there really no better proposal? Is a six-story sculpture of a face really an iconic representation of the communitys unity, or just a giant piece of bad art, and a wildly expensive one at that?

San Antonio has a vibrant and historically grounded culture for the arts, with top-notch museums, galleries and public art. Letting the Parks Department choose the definitive piece of artwork for San Antonio is a regrettable mistake for the city.

A giant face? Bad is bad, and bigger is worse.

Michael Ricioppo

Social media rancor

I have noticed with dismay the increased reporting of what social media says in articles, both local and national.

The only thing easier than posting a rant or a mean-spirited, snarky comment on Twitter or Facebook may be passing it along to others.

Reporting such comments gives them a power and prominence  and a shelf life  far beyond what they are worth. It seems akin to reporting as news what the gossiper down the street whispered or what your third cousin said at a family reunion.

In your editorial pages, you rightly and eloquently lament the loss of thoughtful and civil discourse in this political season. But feeding the frenzy with news stories about what is lighting up social media simply fosters more rancor and thoughtless commentary.

For the sake of a more informed people and a kinder society and the integrity of your own reporters, I encourage you to have them set aside their electronic devices and get out and talk to people more interested in shedding light than fanning flames.

David Reed

Rudeness on wheels

I was walking along a trail in Hardberger Park one morning, and passed an elderly couple walking slowly, side by side, on the right side of the trail.

Shortly after passing them, a young woman riding a bicycle behind them yelled as she passed them for not walking single file, stating that she and her bicycle group always ride single file.

Unfortunately, I did not act fast enough, or I would have stopped that woman and brought her back to apologize to the elderly couple.

I would have pointed out that faster moving traffic always should yield to slower moving traffic, and that she should only be so lucky to have a spouse at an elderly age.

If available, I would have scolded her parents for not teaching their daughter manners.

Joel D. Rosen

Look in the mirror

Re: Dont hire them, Your Turn, Oct. 30:

The letter writer hit the nail on the head. Dont consume drugs, and you wont create a market for them.

And if you dont hire cheap and exploited workers, there will be no need for illegal immigrants. We need to look inside our borders to remedy these two critical issues.

Malcolm Kirven
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Control of the U.S. Senate hung in the balance of eight toss-up states, with Democrats needing to gain four seats to give them a 50-seat working majority if Hillary Clinton wins the White House, or five for an outright majority if Republican Donald Trump prevails.

On the East Coast, three GOP incumbents are facing strong Democratic challenges in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire.

Republicans picked up a big win in Florida, where Sen. Marco Rubio was declared the winner over Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy. In defeating Murphy, Rubio, 45, whose thrashing by Trump in the Florida primary led him to exit the presidential primary, won a second term. After initially refusing to endorse Trump in the general election, Rubio relented but tried to keep his distance.

Democrats also lost one of their key targets in Indiana, where Republican Todd Young defeated former Gov. and Sen. Evan Bayh for an open seat vacated by retiring Republican Dan Coats. Young cast Bayh as out of touch with the Republican-leaning state.

Democrats picked up a seat in Illinois, their first of the night, where Democrat Tammy Duckworth, a disabled war veteran, defeated incumbent GOP Sen. Mark Kirk.

In North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, a 20-year incumbent and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, was running ahead of Democratic challenger Deborah Ross, a former director of the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, with 11 percent of the vote counted. In Pennsylvania, GOP incumbent Pat Toomey, the former head of the conservative Club for Growth political action committee, is being challenged by Democrat Katie McGinty.

In New Hampsire, GOP incumbent Kelly Ayotte, who rescinded her endorsement of Trump during the campaign, is in a close contest with Gov. Maggie Hassan. The race has cost an astonishing $100 million in a state with a population of just over 1.2 million.

In the Midwest, the most closely watched states are Wisconsin and Missouri, where GOP incumbents are defending seats, and Indiana, where an open seat vacated by a retiring Republican is hotly contested.

In Wisconsin, former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold at first seemed a shoo-in to recapture his seat against incumbent Republican Ron Johnson, a former businessman, but the race turned into a toss-up.

First-term GOP incumbent Roy Blunt was a strong favorite to hold his Missouri seat until Democrat and war veteran Jason Kander put out an ad showing himself putting together an assault rifle blindfolded, a big plus in this Republican-leaning state. .

The last cliffhanger is Nevada, where the parties are battling over a seat being vacated by retiring Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid. Its the only place where Republicans have a chance to take a seat from Democrats. GOP Rep. Joe Heck and Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto, the former state attorney general, have been in a toss-up. A huge Latino turnout could help Cortez Masto, the granddaughter of a Mexican immigrant.

Democrats only need four seats if Clinton wins, because Vice President Tim Kaine would cast a tie-breaking vote in the event of a legislative deadlock. Republicans now hold 54 seats in the 100-member Senate. In late October, when Clinton was sailing ahead of Trump in the pols, Democrats were all but certain they would win back the Senate majority, which they lost in 2014, and thought they had a chance at the House, where they need to net 30 seats to regain control.

That all changed 11 days before the election, when FBI Director James Comey told congressional leaders that his agency was investigating more emails related to Clintons use of a private server as secretary of state. Clintons lead over Trump narrowed sharply, with damage for the Democrats percolating down to Senate and House races.

On Sunday, Comey said nothing relevant had been found that would warrant bringing a criminal case against Clinton, but the damage was done. Democrats have given up hope of retaking the House and now are barely favored to win control of the Senate.

Carolyn Lochhead is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: clochhead@sfchronicle.com
Republican Donald Trump  billionaire developer, reality TV star and political novice  rode his populist message of drastic change into the White House Tuesday, in a stunning victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American dream, Trump said in his victory speech, which didnt begin until nearly 3 a.m. in New York. America will no longer settle for anything less than the best. We must reclaim our country's destiny and dream big and bold and daring.

The Trump victory, along with a surprisingly strong GOP showing in the House and the Senate, gave Republicans control not only of the White House, but also both houses of Congress.

Trump rolled through the nations rural areas Tuesday, running up overwhelming margins among blue-collar voters slammed by an economy thats improving at a snails pace and desperate for someone  anyone  who might bring political change.

Trumps vows to make America great again and drain the swamp of corruption in Washington resonated with those voters, who turned out in droves during his campaign to cheer the larger-than-life businessman at raucous rallies across the country.

In his 15-minute speech, Trump thanked Clinton for running a very, very hard-fought campaign and said that the former secretary of state, who he has attacked nonstop through the entire campaign, has worked very long and very hard over a long period of time, and we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country.

He continued the theme of reconciliation, opening whats likely to be the long and torturous process of healing the partisan void left by a long, divisive campaign.

Now it is time for America to bind the wounds of division, we have to get together, to all Republicans and Democrats and independents across this nation, Trump said. I say it is time for us to come together as one united people.

That sweep of the governments leadership will give Trump the backing he needs to boost his ambitious plans for changing the focus of government and the way it works.

The president-elect will also have the support of the many people pulled together by what he said was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement, made up of millions of hard-working men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their family.

He spoke of that earlier in the day.

Weve brought millions and millions of new people ... into the party, Trump said Tuesday afternoon in an interview with conservative talk-show host Michael Savage. These are great people that have been forgotten, and theyre hard working, theyre very, very smart and they feel let down by their politicians and let down by their country.

Trump won the battleground states of Ohio, Iowa, Florida and North Carolina and broke through Clintons blue firewall of must-win states.

While Clinton took Colorado and Virginia, and Trump claimed Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. That was enough for a victory, even though the results still werent final in Michigan and New Hampshire.

Clinton needed to draw a political inside straight to keep Trump from becoming the 45th president of the United States, overcoming the businessmans late leads in those states. She didnt.

The former secretary of state didnt take the stage at her New York City rally on election night. Instead, John Podesta, the campaigns director, came out at 2 a.m. in New York to tell the stunned crowd of Clinton supporters it was time to head home.

Theyre still counting votes, and every vote should count, he said. Well have more to say (Wednesday).

At 6 p.m., with Trump showing surprising early strength across much of the East and South, Clinton sent out a Twitter message to her supporters.

This team has so much to be proud of. Whatever happens tonight, thank you for everything, she said in the tweet.

An overjoyed crowd of Trump supporters wasnt going anywhere on election night as they jammed into the GOP party in New York, hoping to hear Trump give a victory speech.

For Republicans, who also held control of the Senate, it was a time to start thinking of what a Trump administration could do, especially with his party holding both houses of Congress.

In his interview with Savage, Trump said he was confident that his election day performance was going to surprise pollsters who had made Clinton a slight favorite to become the nations first female president.

By 8 p.m., Trumps supporters in San Francisco were growing increasingly excited. Supporters raised their plastic wine glasses high and erupted in cheers, whooping and clapping as Trump was projected to win Ohio.

This is amazing, said Daniel Businger, 19, who wore a Stars and Stripes sport coat, Trump for President pin and Make America Great Again hat.

This is something Romney and McCain werent able to do, he said. Were seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Trump is outperforming. I didnt expect him to do so well, said Jason Clark, chairman of the San Francisco Republican Party. This could be Americas Brexit moment, he said, referring to the United Kingdoms surprise vote earlier this year to leave the European Union.

About 100 supporters in the small event space in the Twitter building on Market Street clapped and cheered as Trumps electoral vote tally rose. Several sported Trumps signature Make America Great Again hats.

It was a very different story at Clintons headquarters on Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco.

Clinton supporters walked into the party in high spirits, ready for a victory bash.

But with Trump outpacing Clinton hours after polls had closed across the country, voters and volunteers held tight to their beer bottles and wine glasses.

I know we live in a bubble here, and I know San Francisco doesnt look like the rest of the country, but still, said Liz Garcia, 30, who lives in the city. I feel so out of touch with so much of America, and I just dont understand how I can be so well informed and so out of touch.

For many observers, the 2016 presidential race brought out the worst of American politics, with both candidates relentlessly on the attack. Instead of providing voters with a positive picture of who could best solve the countrys many problems, Clinton and Trump instead painted grim caricatures of opponents they argued could mean the end of the country as we know it.

According to a national exit poll, the tsunami of personal attacks left many voters disgusted with both candidates. While 61 percent of the electorate said they didnt like Trump, an only slightly smaller 54 percent expressed similar feelings about Clinton.

Neither came close to cracking 50 percent when voters were asked about whom they viewed favorably. The rating was 44 percent for Clinton and 37 percent for Trump.

Only 39 percent said they would be excited or optimistic having Trump as president; 43 percent were enthusiastic about seeing Clinton in the White House.

The next president could be the candidate voters dislike the least, said Tony Quinn, a former GOP consultant who now edits the nonpartisan California Target Book. There is a lot of unhappiness out there.

But just how big a difference the mudslinging, the charges that brought screaming headlines and the repeated Twitter storms actually made was questionable.

Exit polls found that most voters had picked their candidate long ago. About 62 percent of voters said they decided before September whom they were going to vote for. Another 26 percent decided in either September or October. Only 12 percent said they made their choice in the past week.

Even before the votes were counted, there were calls for a political cease-fire.

Ive been tough on Donald Trump, as tough as anyone, Vice President Joe Biden said at a Virginia rally Monday night. But when this election is over, we have got to let it go. ... We have got to stop being blinded by anger. We have to start seeing each other again.

It wont be easy. For much of the fall, the campaign was a compilation of calumny, with each candidate vying in a seemingly endless contest to see who could toss out the ugliest charges.

To Trump, Clinton was Crooked Hillary, the most corrupt candidate ever, and someone he vowed to jail as soon as he was elected for her alleged mishandling of classified emails during her years as secretary of state.

For her part, Clinton lambasted Trump as a failed businessman and tax scofflaw who repeatedly abused and derided women and someone temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be president and commander-in-chief, as she said at an October rally.

They each had plenty of outside help to make those charges stick.

In October, a 2005 video was released with audio of Trump, who was wearing a live microphone, bragging to Billy Bush, then the host of Access Hollywood, about his attempt to seduce a married woman and how he could grope and manhandle women without consequences, because when youre a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.

While Trump apologized and dismissed the incident as locker-room talk, more than a dozen women later came out to say they had been groped and grabbed by Trump over the years.

Clinton found herself the target of computer hackers, likely from Russia, who broke into the files of both the Democratic National Committee and John Podesta, her campaign chairman, and stole thousands of emails. Those emails were released by Wikileaks in a continuing drip of material embarrassing to Clinton and her campaign.

The email problems caused her continuing woes, even after FBI Director James Comey announced last July that while an investigation found Clintons use of a private server to handle State Department emails to be extremely careless, no criminal charges would be filed.

But on Oct. 28, just 11 days before the election, Comey said in a letter to Congress that a new batch of emails had been found on the computer of a Clinton aides estranged husband and that the investigation was active again.

While Comey said Sunday that no new evidence had been found in the emails, the renewed investigation stopped Clintons rise in the polls and allowed Trump to hit the corruption question even harder.

Chronicle staff writers Cynthia Dizikes and Marissa Lang contributed to this report.

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth
Donald Trump's presidential election victory has already been cheered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a constellation of right-wing European populists, a former Ku Klux Klan leader and a Middle Eastern strongman. But there's another curious constituency that seems to be happy about the new American president-elect.

Shortly after Trump was declared the victor, a number of prominent Salafist ideologues linked to jihadist outfits in the Middle East took to social media to cheer the prospect of a Trump presidency.

Now News, a Lebanese English-language website, aggregated their comments.

The remarks signaled the militants' apparent belief that the victory of a candidate like Trump, who has suggested potentially unconstitutional blocks on Muslim immigration and advocated torture, undermines the United States' moral standing in the world.

"Trump's victory is a powerful slap to those promoting the benefits of democratic mechanisms," tweeted Hamza al-Karibi, a media spokesman for Syrian jihadist group Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, which was formerly affiliated with al-Qaeda before rebranding itself this year in a bid to avoid being targeted by both Russian and American airstrikes.

Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, a jihadist ideologue linked to al-Qaeda who has close to 60,000 followers on Twitter, gloated about Trump's victory, suggesting that it "may be the beginning of America's fragmentation and the era of its breakup." In a second tweet, he said that Trump "reveals the true mentality of the Americans, and their racism toward Muslims and Arabs and

everything. He reveals what his predecessors used to conceal. So his victory further exposes America and its appendages."

"Have you seen how pleasant a society it is!" tweeted another Salafist-jihadist mainstay, Abu Qatada al-Filastini, who was deported from Britain in 2014, to tens of thousands of followers. "This is the American society that [supposedly] opposes its leaders' policies by not hating or disdaining the world, and then it votes by the millions for Trump!"

The reaction of these extremists is the reverse of some of the consternation aired in the United States by Trump's critics, who see in his demagogic rise the unraveling of the American republic and the collapse of the myth of American exceptionalism.

Farther east, in Afghanistan, a spokesman for the Taliban used language not out of place among the ultra-nationalist, populist movements in Europe that aligned themselves with Trump's campaign, oppose immigration and, sometimes, agitate against intervening in conflicts elsewhere.

"Our message is that the Americans should draft a policy not to take away the independence and sovereignty of other nations," the militant group said in a statement Wednesday. "Most importantly, they should withdraw all their troops from Afghanistan."
The original artwork will be on display in three new Texas locations.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas  Stripes Convenience Stores will tell their story through art. The chain has commissioned a local artist to create a one-of-a-kind original art design that tells the story of the Laredo Taco Company, the Corpus Christi Caller Times reports.

The artist, Mayra Zamora Hecho A Mano, will have pieces on display inside the Elgin, Houston and Sequin stores. Stripes requested the artist study the Laredo Taco Company brand to contemplate the integrity and art of making homemade tortillas. For Zamora, the task was easy as she pulled from her roots as a Latina growing up in South Texas as her inspiration, a news release quoted by the paper stated.

Zamora, born in Austin and raised in Tivoli, Texas, has an extensive art background. She has painted electrical boxes for the Corpus Christi Downtown Management District and participated in a wide variety of exhibitions from Los Angeles to New York City. My current body of work is a devotion to the fundamentals of art and my love for my Mexican heritage," Zamora said.

This isnt the first time Stripes Convenience Stores have tapped artists. For the past two Octobers, the retailer has had Texas artists Elisa Klye Gilp and Christian Lain each design a commemorative cup for a Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos, which is celebrated between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2. Each cup has the artists own design, as well as the Strips Stores and Coca-Cola logos.
The chain gave funds to four groups that help military veterans.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.  Rhodes convenience stores recently donated $5,000 to four local organizations committed to serving U.S. veterans through grassroots efforts. All four organizations submitted detailed online applications to Rhodes last summer after the company gave $10,000 to the USO for nationwide efforts and announced that local donations would be made available.

Four organizations were selected as recipients of the funds:

Student Veterans Organization of Southeast Missouri State University received $2,000 to help finish Missouris first Veterans Transition House. The house will provide a safe and secure setting for student veterans as they adjust to civilian and college life. The organization hopes to open the house in fall 2017.

received $2,000 to help finish Missouris first Veterans Transition House. The house will provide a safe and secure setting for student veterans as they adjust to civilian and college life. The organization hopes to open the house in fall 2017. The Shawnee Veterans Wall Memorial received $1,000 to construct a memorial wall on the campus of Shawnee School District. The memorial will recognize local veterans and foster appreciation for their sacrifices among younger generations.

received $1,000 to construct a memorial wall on the campus of Shawnee School District. The memorial will recognize local veterans and foster appreciation for their sacrifices among younger generations. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3416 of Wappapello, Mo., received $1,000 to host social events on its premises and at the Poplar Bluff veterans hospital.

received $1,000 to host social events on its premises and at the Poplar Bluff veterans hospital. The Elks Lodge 1641 of Anna, Ill., received $1,000 to help provide clothing and grooming supplies for 50 to 100 veterans monthly.

Rhodes commitment to honoring and supporting the individuals who have protected our countrys freedoms is inspired by its own founder, Gene Rhodes, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean conflict.
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Heres the timing:

Most of the US will have to wait for polling stations to close  typically between 19:00 EST (00:00 GMT) and 20:00 EST (01:00 GMT)  for state projections. As for the final result? Stay glued to your phone or TV or set your alarm for 23:00 EST (04:00 GMT). Thats when West Coast polls close and history suggests a winners declared. It was bang on the hour in 2008, and 15 minutes later in 2012.

Of course, if you go further back in history, 2004 was a nailbiter. I remember very well going to bed after the Kerry campaign said theyd challenge the result based on Ohio, and getting up in the morning to find out theyd caved. And of course election 2000 was what it was.

There will be many sites tracking the results as they come in; heres Politicos for the presidency (they also have the House and the Senate). Its impossible to know which one is the best until data actually appears; I prefer maps with results as they come in by county. And speaking of counties

The final RCP averages put Clinton ahead in the national popular vote by 3.3%. However, with Trump ahead in Florida (0.02%), North Carolina (1%), and Clinton only ahead by 0.5% in New Hampshire, it still looks like a horse race, to me. (Of course, I may have become counter-suggestible to the idea that Clinton has it in the bag because almost the entire political class is yammering that she does.)

Anyhow, if indeed this is a horse race  and if our famously free press doesnt simply decide to call it  well be up late waiting for county data in the states that are close (presumably swing states like Florida, North Carolina, and New Hampshire). So here is a table of the counties that various sources regard as key:

NPR AP MarketWatch Politico Arizona Maricopa Maricopa Colorado Jefferson Jefferson Arapahoe, Jefferson Florida Hillsborough Duval, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade Escambia, Orange Miami-Dade Georgia Gwinnett Gwinnett Maine Maine Second Iowa Cedar Michigan Oakland Macomb Oakland Nebraska Omaha Nevada Washoe Clark Clark New Hampshire Hillsborough Hillsborough Hillsborough, Rockingham North Carolina Watauga New Hanover, Wake, Watauga Wake Wake Ohio Montgomery Belmont, Hamilton Hamilton Mahoning Pennsylvania Bucks Chester, Philadelphia Bucks, Westmoreland Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery. Texas Tarrant Utah Weber Salt Lake Virginia Loudoun Loudoun Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William Wisconsin Racine Brown Waukesha

As you can see, all the sources differ, both on the states that are important, and the counties within the states! NPR uses the concept of bellwether counties, debunked by Edward Tufte in todays Water Cooler. Politico includes both Maine and Nebraska because they are not winner take all states. Anyhow, the purpose of the table really isnt analytical; if you hear the name of country in coverage, you can check this table for it, and then click the column headers (NPR, AP, MarketWatch, and Politico) to find a information on that country.

Of course, everything might already be decided by the time this post launches (assuming, of course, that Putin doesnt take down the Internet). But I doubt that.

Oh, Im not sure what the appropriate substance abuse game would be. But if you hear healing, or coming together, feel free to take a big hit!
By Bill Black, the author of The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One and an associate professor of economics and law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Jointly published at New Economic Perspectives

I am writing this article late on election night in my office at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, about a mile from the home in which Tom Frank grew up just over the state line in Kansas. Beginning with his famous book, Whats the Matter with Kansas, first published in 2004, Tom Frank has been warning the Democratic Party of the increasing cost it was paying by abandoning and even attacking the working class, particularly the white working class. Some political scientists tried to savage his work, pointing to Bill Clintons electoral success and arguing that the disaffected members of the working class were also less likely to vote. Frank returned to the theme just in time for this election with a new book  Listen, Liberal  that documents in damning, lively narrative the New Democrats war on the New Deal, their disdain for organized labor, and their antipathy for what they viewed as retrograde white working class attitudes.

Frank kept showing the enormous price the working class were paying as a result of the economic policies of the Republicans and the New Democrats, and the indifference to their plight by the leaders of the New Democrats. Senator Bernie Sanders consciously took up the cause of reducing surging inequality and became a hero to a broad coalition of voters, many of them fiercely opposed to the New Democrats embrace of Wall Street cash, policies, and arrogance. Sanders set records for small donor fundraising and generated enormous enthusiasm. Sanders knew he would face the opposition of the New Democrats, but he also found that progressive congressional Democrats would rarely support him publicly in the contest for the Partys nomination and even union leaders sided overwhelmingly with Secretary Hillary Clinton, the New Democrats strongly preferred candidate.

Hillary did not simply fail to reach out to the working class voters that the New Democrats had turned their backs on for decades, she infamously attacked them as deplorables. This was exactly the group of potential voters that was enraged because it believed, correctly as Tom Frank keeps showing us, that the New Democrats looked down on them and adopted policies that rigged the system against the working class. Hillarys insult confirmed their most powerful bases for their rage against her. Her insult was an early Christmas present to Trump. Her attempt to walk the insult back was doomed.

Hillary Clinton handled things so miserably that she allowed a plutocrat whose career is based on rigging the system against the working class to become the hero of the working class. That is world-class incompetence. Had she followed Tom Franks advice she would today be the President-elect. The real cost, however, of her failure will be enormous damage to our democracy, the safety of the world, and the damage that President Trump will do to the working class as he systematically betrays their interests.

The first test of whether the Wall Street-wing of the Democratic Party has learned any of the lessons Tom Frank tried to teach them is whether President Obama will continue with his threat to try to have the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) approved by the lame duck session of Congress. Obama, who was elected on the promise that he would stop TPP, should listen to Senators Sanders and Warren and honor his promise to the voters to stop TPP. He must begin the process of the Democrats winning back the support of the working class.

The leaders of the democratic-wing of the Democratic Party need to move forward assertively to retake control of their Party. The current head of the DNC has been exposed as part of the effort to prevent Senator Sanders from winning the nomination. She should resign tomorrow. The Clintons should cease acting as Party leaders.

A period of enormous corruption and elite fraud is coming soon as the Trump administration brings its signature characteristic  crony capitalism  to bear to control all three branches of government. Trump promises to deregulate Wall Street, appoint top supervisors chosen for their unwillingness to supervise, and appoint judges who will allow CEOs to loot with impunity. Trump promises to outdo even the savage anti-media and anti-whistleblower policies of the Obama administration. The House and Senate committee chairs will intensify their blatantly partisan use of investigations while refusing to conduct real oversight hearings revealing the elite fraud and corruption.

The progressive Senate Democrats will have to be innovative and stalwart in these circumstances to find ways to blow the whistle repeatedly on the mounting corruption. Their challenge will be to lead despite having no real institutional power. Democrats should start by doing what they should have done in 2004  take Tom Franks warnings deadly seriously.
Even if Clinton manages to come out with a lead in the popular vote when Californias results are added to the evenings totals1, the results are a stunning repudiation to pollsters, the punditocracy, the mainstream media, professionals in both major parties, and most important, to Hillary Clinton herself.

I seriously considered shorting the market first thing yesterday morning, and have the e-mail record to prove it. And this wasnt confirmation bias since I decided not to vote for any Presidential candidate.

It was based on the fact that every single bit of anecdotal information I had from real people ran against what experts and the polls were saying. For instance, the overwhelming majority of Hispanics I ran into, once I gave them latitude to express their views by saying I hated both candidates, made clear they were seriously entertaining a Trump vote, including a van driver in Dallas. The upper income, 30s to middle aged guys in my gym, all of whom save one had been Sanders voters, were voting for Trump (I added another one to that tally tonight). A 70 year old college educated friend in Dallas, never married, whod lived ten years in New York running a major department at Christies and joked that she was the only one of her girlfriends not to carry a gun in her purse, said apologetically that she thought both candidates were terrible but Trump might be a tiny bit less terrible. The 40-ish partner from Apollo who sat next to me on the plane to Dallas (a rare sighting, private equity partners rarely slum by flying commercial) was reading the New York Post and checking Drudge on his iPhone and thus clearly not going to vote for Clinton.

So even though my sample was small (and I have more examples), it said the closeted Trump voter was a real phenomenon and likely bigger than anyone was allowing for.

The election outcome was based not just on Clinton being a terrible candidate on the merits, but on the abjectly poor conduct of the Clinton campaign.

Let us not forget that Clinton had every advantage: Presidential campaign experience, the full backing of her party, a much bigger ground apparatus, oodles of experts and surrogates, the Mighty Wurlitzer of the media behind her, an opponent widely deemed to be world-class terrible  utterly unqualified, undisciplined, offensive, with a mother lode of scandals  and what historically was deemed the most important asset of all, a large lead in fundraising.

Yet Clinton was a lousy campaigner and strategist. By all accounts, she was a micromanager who regularly overrode her staffs advice. All the big-ticket Madison Avenue spin-meistering could not get the dogs to eat enough dog food.

You dont win voters by telling them they are stupid and beneath contempt. That is tantamount to saying you have no intention of representing them You dont win voters by failing to offer a positive vision and selling only fear You dont win voters by trying to get them to believe youll suddenly behave differently and take positions contrary to the ones youve held for decades to extract cash from the the richest and most powerful You dont win voters with a record of failing upward You dont win voters by saying your opponent is a sleaze, even when undeniably true, when you are at least as sleazy yourself

And readers in Lamberts live blog last night read Clintons defeat the same way:

John: The Red Wave is rolling across this country because

the Democrats wont listen to their base. Waldenpond Trumps election is completely due to the incompetence and arrogance of the D elite. Scott Its really amazing to see how little of the blame is going to Clinton herself. It was her decision to set-up a private email server. It was her decision to serve as Secretary of State while accepting millions from foreign governments. It was her decision to get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars while unofficially running for President. It was her decision to call millions of Americans deplorable. Uahsenaa The liberal histrionics and gnashing of teeth (especially on twitter) are actually just making me mad now. So, you sat out the fight from 2008 to the present and suddenly NOW the world is coming to an end. Where were you when Occupy was scuttled by your precious Democratic administration? Where were you when Secretary Clinton was negotiating away the last vestiges of labor rights in this country? Where have you been while state after state has passed right to work laws? Where were you when the current administration ramped up deportations? Where were you when the DoJ pumped weapons into Mexico just to see what would happen? Where were you when a sixteen year old American kid was blown to pink mist in Yemen? And the list goes on I should make this into a card that I hand to every single person tomorrow who blubbers about the coming apocalypse. The world was already on fire. Now the veil has been lifted. Id hope to see these fresh discontents on the picket lines, but something tells me thats unlikely.

We have very little idea of what a Trump presidency will amount to. My best guess has been that he will be a Jimmy Carter cubed in Berlusconi packaging.

Recall that even though Carter has been the best former President of the modern era, he came to Washington as an outsider with his Georgia team. Despite having ben a governor and thus knowing how to draft legislation and get bills passed, he famously got little accomplished despite having a Democratic party majority in the House and Senate.

Trump is likely to spend his first year, and conceivably his entire Presidency, with all of the Democratic party and enough of the Republican party against him to stymie him, fighting for the right to govern. And that assumes he has an agenda beyond the very few goals he has articulated consistently: getting out of bad trade deals and entering into better ones; reducing immigration and deporting many undocumented immigrants (and building his famed wall); investing heavily in infrastructure; making NATO members pay their share of its budget (the theoretical level, 2% of each nations GDP, is largely footed by the US); cutting back our involvement in overseas conflicts; cutting taxes; and repealing Obamacare.

The only initiatives where the Republicans might back him solidly are cutting taxes and ending Obamacare, and even then, given the lobbying power of Big Pharma and the health insurers, the Republicans might not be as willing to pull the trigger on Obamacare as all their kvetching would lead you to believe.

There is one more Trump campaign promise that will serve as an important early test of his seriousness as well as his survival skills: investigating Clinton. Even if Obama pardons her, as our Jerri-Lynn Scofield has predicted, it will be critical for Trump to carry out a probe of the Clinton Foundations business while Clinton was Secretary of State.

If Trump is to cut the cancer of the neocons out of the policy establishment, he has to have them on the run. It is a reasonable surmise that Clintons enthusiasm for war was due at least in part to heavy Saudi support of the Foundation. Showing that Americans escalation in the Middle East, which Obama tried with mixed success to temper, was due in part, and perhaps almost entirely, to the personal corruption of the Secretary of State, would keep the hawks at bay, particularly if other prominent insiders and pundits were implicated in Clinton Foundation influence-peddaling.

It will be hard for Trump to do much to alter the course of the military-surveilance complex unless he can hamstring the warmongers. Just as Warren has argued relative to bank regulations, personnel is policy. If Trump is a fast learner, hell see that that is just as true on the foreign policy front.

Finally, those on the left need to turn the blame cannon aimed squarely at them back on the professional hacks who are truly responsible. Despite their tiresome chest-beating about meritocracy, these Acela corridor bubble-dwellers are constitutionally incapable of holding their fellow club member accountable. Their preening self regard repelled hard-working Americans whod done the right thing, as in gotten an education, and if they were older, launched a career, bought a house and started a family, only to struggle harder and harder while seeing any vestige of security and hope of improved living standards erode. And unless they were at the top of the professional classes, they felt defeated by not being able to pay for their kids to go to college and being uncertain as to how to advise them with their educations and job prospects.

The Democrats under Clinton and Obama abdicated the duty of the elites, which is to improve the conditions for, or at least limit harm to, the members of the communities they lead. Even Bill Clinton did remember that the most important duty for a Democrat is to create jobs, even if he did so by presiding over a rise in household debt and a stock market bubble.

Young people, who poll well to the left of their elders, have inferred a lesson that the labor movement forgot: the exercise of power includes being willing to inflict punishment in the form of withholding support. Look at how diminished organized labor has become by casting its lot with the feckless Dems whove sold them out again and again. Hillary tried the Clinton They have no where to go trick one time too many, kicking the left after she only narrowly beat Sanders. And the left decided to return the favor. She made clear she has no intention of representing them. They heard her message loud and clear and acted accordingly.

As reader aab:

The big question to me is, take over the hollow shell of the Democratic Party, or crush it with a new party. Is it possible to take over the Ds  as weak as it is now as a party  without being corrupted and co-opted? I now hate my former party to such a degree, I find myself recoiling at having anything at all to do with it. But given all the institutional constraints, it still may be smart to try; the answer is above my pay grade, as they say.

This is an important question to consider as we see how the Democratic party responds to this well-deserved defeat.

______

1 As of 6:00 AM, the Wall Street Journal still shows Trump as leading in the popular vote, but only marginally: 58,728,425 versus 58,637,055.
New light sensor to spot deadly bacteria in minutes (Nanowerk News) Outbreaks of Legionnaires Disease, a respiratory infection that can cause pneumonia, and in severe cases organ failure or septic shock, are more common than we might think. With anyone being susceptible, more than 100 cases are reported each week both in America and in Europe, with a fatality rate of around 10%.

Naturally occurring in freshwater lakes and rivers, the Legionella bacterium is harmless in small enough quantities, but problems start when it multiplies in plumbing systems, air conditioning units, Jacuzzis, decorative fountains or in a public water supply. Here it can be transmitted to humans when it condenses into droplets of fine mist which are inhaled and then settle in the lungs.

Roughly 5,000 cases are reported in the United States every year, while 2013 saw 5,851 cases reported by 28 EU Member States and Norway, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control (ECDC).

The European group POSEIDON, (or Plasmonic-based automated lab-on-chip sensor for the rapid in-situ detection of Legionella) intends to change all this, having developed their scanner to spot the deadly Legionella bacteria in under one hour, a process that normally takes 10 days of cultivation and analysis.

Equipped with tiny sensors, the device works by using the photonics technique of Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), a procedure that reads information from a refracted laser beam, allowing fast, highly sensitive, inexpensive detection from a small sample without the need for labelling, the process of binding to a protein in order to be detected.

SPR occurs when polarized beams of light hit a metal film at the interface of two media. A charge density oscillation of free electrons (or surface plasmons) at the metal film occurs, reducing the intensity of reflected light. The scale of the reduction depends on the substance on the metal at the interface. Information then gathered from the refracted can then be analysed, and a pre-programmed pathogen confirmed, resulting in an unambiguous detection of the bacteria in situ.

Detection and investigation of viruses, bacteria and eukaryotic cells is a rapidly growing field in SPR bio sensing, but the detection has only been achieved in laboratory settings. With our unique innovative SPR sensing architecture, POSEIDON provides reliable measurement readouts of legionella bacterial cells that are driven and entrapped on a custom sensing surface specifically designed with opportune positive and negative controls.

Surviving and flourishing at temperatures between 25 to 45 C, Legionella bacteria are normally prevented by heating water units above 70 C in order to kill them off. However new bacteria can form quickly, and not all of the pathogens are necessarily removed. The POSEIDON project aims to remove the uncertainty involved.

Scientific coordinator, Roberto Pierobon explains: POSEIDON is a first for detecting Legionella with light and provides an inexpensive, user-friendly, state of the art early warning system on an air-conditioning unit. We aim to reduce the time involved in a diagnosis from 10 days to less than 1 hour. In order to prevent outbreaks at critical times of the year, we should be talking about a matter of minutes, rather than days.

Cells remain intact throughout the whole fluid transportation system in the device, and do not adhere to the fluidic piping and microfluidic channels. Virtually all of the bacteria cells in the sample are delivered to the sensing unit, giving extremely high sensitivity and specificity, said Pierobon.

Hoping to have these revolutionary new pathogen detectors ready within 3 years, Bruno Bello, project coordinator and CEO of Clivet, is excited about the implications for the future,

The exciting feature of this device is that with future development, it could be recalibrated to look for other pathogens, which would provide incredible safety options for the environmental, medical or food industries, Bello said.

Earlier last year the POSEIDON consortium received funding of 4,068,781 from the Photonics Public Private Partnership, via the European Commissions H2020 program for a three year research project. Coordinated in Italy, POSEIDON is comprised of a number of European partners, including Protolab, Clivet, A.R.C (Italy), Catlab (Spain), Metrohm Applikon (Netherlands), and Uppsala University(Sweden).

About POSEIDON

The POSEIDON project targets to change the approach in bacteriological environmental monitoring and in infection risk management by developing a fully automatic and reliable system. Handling of the air/water sample will be designed and integrated in preconditioning system and microfluidic device through which whole bacteria cells will be transported from the sampling module to the sensing plasmonic surface. The complete measure protocol will be integrated and performed according to EU legislation guidelines. Specificity will be ensured by immuno-functionalization of gratings surfaces and enhanced system sensitivity will be granted by the optimization of the optical detection system architecture. Sensors based on Grating Coupled Surface Plasmon Resonance (GC-SPR) in azimuthally rotating configuration have recently proved sensitivity enhancement up to almost two orders of magnitude. Furthermore, the symmetry breaking related to grating rotation allows exploiting the incident polarization, more easily controlled with respect to incidence wavelength and angles interrogation. The prototype will be designed to be integrated in water distribution or HVAC systems in order to demonstrate its feasibility in industrially relevant fields and to open new applications and new market opportunities. POSEIDON project aims to address new solutions in this relevant health and safety societal challenge. http://www.poseidonproject.eu

About Photonics21
Microscopic sensor for more precise radiology treatments (Nanowerk News) A team of Norwegian, French and Australian researchers is the first in the world to succeed in quantifying the effects of radiation on individual cancer cells. This means that radiation therapies can now be tailored to individual tumours and thus be more effective.

The recently developed sensor is the first of its kind and can measure radiation doses at the level of the individual cell in mixed radiation fields (e.g. measuring all type of radiation at the same time). It enables doctors to obtain a complete picture of how much damage each cell has incurred following treatment.

"This technology means that doctors can monitor and control radiation doses to make sure that only cancer cells are destroyed, with only minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue", explains physicist and SINTEF researcher Angela Kok. Kok has been leading the work to develop the sensor as part of her day-to-day research looking into microsystems and nanotechnology.

SINTEF researchers Marco Povoli and Angela Kok have contributed towards the development of a microscopic sensor that measures what no other sensor can  the radiation doses absorbed by individual cancer cells. (Photo: SINTEF)

A million cells on a pin head

Until now, quantification of the radiation dose absorbed by an individual cancer cell has been regarded as a very difficult task. Firstly, each cell is very small, and there may be as many as about a million cells in a single cubic millimetre of tissue. For this reason, and to ensure that the resulting data are correct, a sensor designed to measure radiation has to be as small as the cell itself. In other words, there has to be space for a million sensors in a single cubic millimetre of cancer tissue.

The second problem is that the cells themselves "perceive" the radiation dose in an entirely different way to the sensors. This is why, until now, no sensor has been able to quantify the actual degree of damage caused to cells by a radiation dose.

Mimicking human tissue

But the international research team has now succeeded in solving both of these problems.

The sensor size issue has been addressed simply by developing a sensor that is as small as a cancer cell. This has been achieved using a technology called semiconductor processing.

The second problem, addressing the different ways in which cells and sensors perceive radiation doses, represented a major challenge. But researchers solved this problem by encapsulating the sensors in a plastic material that mimics human tissue. In this way, the radiation dose measured by the sensors is almost identical to that absorbed by real cancer cells.

The measuring instrument contains microsensors placed alongside each other in a way that creates a "sheet" of sensors mounted on the silicon base. Dispersal across a given area enables the sensors to provide an image of the location within the cell that absorbs the highest levels of radiation.

"In simple terms, we can say that the sensors are used to map variations in radiation intensity absorbed across the exposed cell", explains Kok.

A result of basic research

The most important component of the new sensor is the element silicon, which is a semiconductor with radiation detection properties.

"When radiation counteracts with silicon the energy is converted into a measurable electrical signal", explains Kok. "The magnitude of the signal indicates the intensity of the radiation", she says.

The very first sensor prototype saw the light of day at SINTEF's microsystems and nanotechnology lab following a major multinational project involving researchers in the field of medical radiation physics. It was tested recently at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble with outstanding results. It has also been tested by Australian researchers at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.

"This project is a little unusual because our research has resulted in new and fundamental knowledge about what happens in a volume of silicon that has the same dimensions as a typical cell", says Senior Research Scientist Kari Schjlberg-Henriksen, who has been working with quality assurance on this project. "We've taken this knowledge further and have seen it applied in practice after only four years", she says.

Advancing proton therapy

Research scientist Marco Povoli has been working on this project both as a SINTEF employee and as part of his post-doctoral studies at the University of Oslo. He believes that this innovation may be good news for the future development of cancer treatments using proton therapy. (Read the fact box)

"It appears that proton therapy produces better outcomes for some types of cancer than traditional radiotherapies", he says. "This is why the University of Wollongong, with which we collaborate, has been working for some time to develop sensors designed for use in proton therapy.

There currently exist no sensors (microdosimetry tools, Ed. note) capable of measuring radiation of this kind, but we realised that our technology could be adapted to develop sensors with the right specifications", says Povoli.

The team based their work on a technology originally applied to develop sensors for tracking nuclear particles as part of experiments using the particle accelerator at CERN. The technology was used to make the silicon structures that now mimic the effects of radiation on human tissue.

"The fabrication process required more development to optimise the reliability of the results, but we overcame this challenge within a few months", says Povoli.

The sensor has now been tested with excellent results. According to the research team, it is capable of measuring the true values of radiation doses absorbed by tissue, and with a better spatial resolution than existing equipment. The team is now hoping to be able to contribute towards the future development of radiation therapies for cancer. This can be achieved by providing a more precise quantification of the radiation doses absorbed by cancer tissue, while at the same time reducing the damage incurred by healthy tissue.

The work has been carried out in collaboration with what Povoli describes as world-leading centres in the field of medical radiation physics, including the CMRP (Centre for Medical Radiation Physics) at the University of Wollongong in Australia, the University of Manchester in England, and the ESRF laboratory in Grenoble in France. The ESRF centre specialises in radiation physics.

The project is called "Si-3DMiMic" and is funded by the Research Council of Norway as part of its NANO2021 programme.


StartupNano is promoted by the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) and the Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials (CeNTI), in partnership with Startup Braga. The program is leveraged by an ecosystem for nanotechnology in the North of Portugal, where is located INLs high-tech research environment formed by state-of-the-art infrastructure equipped with the latest technologies, built by Portuguese and Spanish governments in the city of Braga in 2010. The program is ready to support startups at any stage of development from all around the world and is looking for applications until Nov 20.



From an innovation workshop agenda, running during November, researchers and entrepreneurs can explore and further develop business ideas based on nanotechnology with international guest speakers experienced in entrepreneurship in markets such as USA or EU.



Launchpad stage is the entry point for teams with an idea, looking to validate their technology and market before creating a company. 6 ideas will be selected and supported during 3 weeks trough one-to-one mentoring with nanotechnology and business experts, the chance of winning free incubation at INL, more than 40.000 in awards and perks and a road show trip to meet investors in the USA, among other awards. 3 teams will be selected to move into acceleration stage. Submissions for 2016 are open until Nov 20, and the program starts on Nov 25.
Nanoparticle treatment adds antimicrobial coatings to leather (Nanowerk News) Traditional leather manufacturing requires the use of several toxic chemicals, such as halogenated flame retardants or organic antimicrobial solvents, which cause pollution. Now, a team of researchers led by Robert Franz of the Montanuniversitat in Leoben, Austria are testing an eco-friendly alternative: silver-titanium nanoparticles.

Franz will describe their work at the AVS 63rd International Symposium and Exhibition held Nov. 6-11, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee during the Advanced Surface Engineering and Tribology Focus Topic session.

Along with their partners in Romania and Portugal, Franz and his colleagues tested a mix of nanoparticles made of titanium and silver for their antimicrobial properties. When materials treated with titanium dioxide were exposed to UV light, the metal set off a catalytic reaction that destroyed organic matter adhered to the surface. Silver nanoparticleswell-known for their antimicrobial propertiesare already used in textiles to prevent sweaty odors caused by microbial activity.

The team relied on a process known as magnetron spattering to create the nanoparticles in the lab. Within a vacuum chamber, where the air has been removed, they ignited spattering plasma to erode a solid titanium dioxide or silver target into nanoparticles. They added oxygen to the plasma, which is reactive, so they could grow thin films of the materials. The process resulted in a fine titanium-dioxide layer embedded with silver nanoparticles. Although these titanium-silver nanoparticles are not commercially available, the process to manufacture them will likely prove easy to scale up, according to Franz.

For other materials these processes are already widely used in industry, Franz said. They tested two ways of applying nanoparticles to leather. In one method, they mixed the titanium-silver nanoparticles with film-forming polymers and coated the leather surface. A comparison of leathers treated in both ways will yield the most likely method to be successfully introduced to commercial applications.

The team tested the durability of leather samples that were either untreated, pre-treated with traditional chemicals, or coated with the titanium dioxide-silver film. They chose different counterpart materials, including rubber and various polymers with defined pore sizes, and pressed spheres of these mixtures against the leather samples. As the leather rotates along the other material, we can measure the friction that develops, and later analyze the wear tracks formed where the two surfaces were in contact, Franz said.

They then turned to Raman spectroscopy, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy to examine the wear patterns. They also measured how much of the nanoparticles was retained on the leather versus transferred to the other surfaces.

While low friction materials such as the polymer polytetrafluoroethylene may not cause a lot of wear, rubberwhich causes more frictioncould cause nanoparticles to be transferred from the leather to itself, which could cause the leather to lose its antimicrobial properties.

Verifying durability is a crucial step. We frequently work with thin films and coatings on other materials like steel, and there we have very well established techniques, Franz said. But for a substrate like leather, these nanoparticle coatings have not been tested.
A record attendance that saw some of the country's best take part, made last Sunday's Poulmucka Ploughing Competition a great success.

The annual competition, on November 6, saw competitors from as far away as Mayo attend.

The association had some Lay Ploughing which attracted some world, national and county champions to the site under the shadow of Moorstown Castle on the lands of the Casey family who have been great supporters of ploughing in the county since the foundation of the club.

It was a cold but dry day and the Poulmucka club pulled out all the stops along with the Ballingeary ICA ladies who were at full steam to keep soup, tea and sandwiches coming out to all the competitors and supporters alike. Club member Lorcan Bergin, who won an all Ireland this year, was trying to get back on the podium again and the father, son and grandson combo of the Treacys, who travelled from Carlow, were being well flanked on the senior competition. One entrant had travelled from Clonakilty in a four-hour trip with his tractor and plough was delighted with the conditions and complimented the organising committee.

A fantastic day was had by all who attended and competed.
Three Transition Year students from the High School, Clonmel - Michael Cleary, Kevin Hogan and Brian Lacey, along with their teachers Catherine O'Dwyer and Ruth Mockler - will travel to Kolkata, India with the Hope Foundation next February.

The Hope Foundation is dedicated to promoting the protection of street and slum children.

The foundation supports children and their communities through 60 on-the-ground projects.

It provides healthcare, counselling and education to ensure that children in its care enter adulthood equipped with the tools and support they need to lead happy lives.

This is a unique opportunity for the students to visit Kolkata and witness first-hand the work of Hope and the extremities of life in Kolkata.

In India the students are introduced to poverty and the realities of street children.

They will be based in Kolkata, where they will interact with children and adolescents who are in the Hope-supported projects.

The students must raise a substantial donation, which will be donated to the projects. At the moment they are very busy fundraising.

They have sold Butler chocolate bars in aid of the Hope Foundation, with great help from the First Years in their school. They also had a very successful Rub and Hug fundraiser during the summer, in conjunction with Uncle Mike's Pet Shop.

The High School students are holding a Vintage Coffee Morning in order to raise funds at Place4U Cafe, Morton Street, Clonmel on this Saturday, 12th November from 10am-12.30pm.

They would very much appreciate your support.
U.S. Supreme Court justices signaled they may divide over the ability of cities to use the Fair Housing Act to sue banks for discriminatory lending practices that contribute to urban blight.

Hearing arguments in Washington as the country went to the polls to choose the next president, the high court grappled with a case that grew out of the subprime mortgage crisis.

A federal appeals court read the Fair Housing Act as giving Miami the right to sue Bank of America Corp., Wells Fargo & Co. and Citigroup Inc. Miami says the banks targeted minorities for riskier and costly loans, leading to foreclosures that cost the city property-tax revenues and forced it to spend more on police and fire services.

Some of the court's liberal justices indicated through their questions that they would vote to let the cases go forward. Justice Elena Kagan suggested the dispute was at the heart of what the landmark 1968 law was designed to address.

"Everything about this complaint is about racial segregation, it seems to me," Kagan said.

But two potential swing votes, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Anthony Kennedy, suggested they saw a need to limit the types of suits that could be filed under the law. Roberts called Miamis injury "derivative."

"I don't see how you can say that your loss of property taxes is a direct injury," he told the city's lawyer, Robert Peck.

The Election Day argument was a relatively low-key affair, with Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas asking no questions and Justice Stephen Breyer saying far less than usual. One possibility is that the shorthanded court could divide 4-4, an outcome that would let Miami press ahead without setting a nationwide precedent.

Bank of America and Wells Fargo say Congress didn't intend to allow private lawsuits by a plaintiff who wasn't a victim of discrimination and whose interests are so far removed from the alleged wrongdoing.

The banks' lawyer, Neal Katyal, said the city was "borrowing someone else's anti-discrimination interests." Citigroup isn't directly involved in the Supreme Court appeal.

The Fair Housing Act says an "aggrieved person" may sue. In 2011 the Supreme Court interpreted similar language in the federal job-discrimination law to mean that only people within the law's "zone of interests" could sue.

Miami and the Obama administration say the 2011 decision left intact earlier rulings suggesting that the Fair Housing Act was drafted broadly. They say the only restrictions on who can sue come from the Constitution and its requirement that a plaintiff suffered an injury that a court would be able to redress.

Similar suits have been filed around the country, including claims by Los Angeles and three Georgia counties.

Peck told the court that the cities of Baltimore and Memphis, Tenn., had settled similar claims for less than $10 million.

"We not talking about huge sums of money," he said.
Note: This story was originally published last week, but has been updated following the election results.

WASHINGTON  Republicans had a big night on Tuesday, capturing not just the White House, but staving off a challenge to their control of the Senate, which will likely deliver the gavel of the banking panel to Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, next year.

Crapo is expected to push forward quickly on a bill to give regulatory relief to smaller institutions, but it remains an open question whether he can find accord with Senate Democrats after talks between current chairman Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, broke down last year.

Crapo and Brown are said to have a better working relationship, and the Idaho Republican has a history of reaching bipartisan deals, including with then-chairman Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., on housing finance reform in 2014.

Crapo "would look out for community banks," said John Evans Jr., president and chief executive of the $1.2 billion-asset D.L. Evans Bank in Burley, Idaho. "He will be able to work across the aisle. Community banks are in touch with him regularly and he is aware of our plight."

Crapo's agenda will likely be aided by the election of Donald Trump as president, but the Senate remains closely divided, leaving Republicans with a slim majority.

That will make it a challenge for Crapo to move legislation out of committee or the Senate at large unless he can appeal to either Brown or moderate Democrats such as Sens. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D.

Mark Calabria, a former top GOP Banking Committee aide, said he doesn't see much common ground between Brown and Crapo, but suggests the Idaho Republican could try to appeal to others on the panel.

"The real question is going to be if Crapo can project enough of a moderate stance that some members of the other side break from Brown," said Calabria, who is now at the Cato Institute. "The ability of the committee to do nothing is simply not going to be sustainable."

But Isaac Boltanksy, an analyst at Compass Point Research & Trading, said all roads lead through Brown, with the prospects for legislation resting on cutting a deal with the Ohio Democrat.

"Ultimately, if regulatory relief legislation is going to pass in the next Congress, it will only do so with the blessing of" Crapo and Brown, Boltansky said.

Some said the issue will be the size of institutions that get helped by legislation.

"He would like to do something for the community banks," said Ed Groshans, an analyst at Height Securities. "However, I feel his definition of community banks is a bit bigger than Brown's, so I think there is work to be done there."

While Calabria sees Crapo as just as conservative as Shelby, others see him as more moderate  a trait that could make it easier for him to cut a deal. During his time as lead panel Republican between 2012 and 2014, Crapo generally appeared center-right.

Crapo is clearly not as ideological as his counterpart in the House, Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, who is viewed as a hard-line conservative, observers said.

"I don't think they are in the same place," said Oliver Ireland, a partner at Morrison & Foerster. "I think there will be differences in views in the House and the Senate."

Crapo has already demonstrated his ability to work in a bipartisan manner. In 2014, he cut a deal with Johnson on a bill to wind down the government-sponsored enterprises, one of the most contentious financial issues yet to be resolved.

Some said Crapo may take another stab at housing finance reform if he assumes the chairmanship.

"He put a big shoulder behind the Johnson-Crapo bill and I would guess he wouldn't like to see that work go to waste if he has the gavel," Groshans said.

The Johnson-Crapo bill would have eliminated Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and replaced them with a federal mortgage insurer that would guarantee mortgages through a combination of private and public capital.

"We expect Crapo would re-engage on mortgage finance, although we are skeptical that his approach in 2014 will get more traction in 2017 than it did in 2014," Brian Gardner, an analyst at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, said in a note to clients.

Though the bill had the support of a few Democrats, it was opposed by Brown and other progressives, who said it did not do enough to provide affordable housing.

Hensarling, meanwhile, argued that the Johnson-Crapo bill went too far when it came to promoting affordable housing, and favored his own bill that would have privatized the GSEs, leaving government without a significant role in the mortgage market.

Still, Brown has expressed a desire to work on housing issues, which could ease the path to reopening negotiations on the issue.

Crapo could also find his agenda swamped by battles over nominations. Clinton's victory may push her to nominate more liberal candidates for key regulatory positions, a prospect that may bother Crapo and other Republicans

"You are going to have a real fight if Crapo is chair because there is going to be a tension between what the [Sens.] Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders wing of the party want versus what Republicans are willing to hold a hearing and confirm," said Ed Mills, a financial policy analyst and managing director at FBR Capital Markets.

Warren, D-Mass., and other liberals have publicly made it known that they would oppose regulators that are perceived to be too close to Wall Street.

It raises the question of whether Crapo might take the same approach as Shelby, who has not held votes on several pending financial nominees.

Most observers believe that's unlikely, however, with Crapo wanting to get things done.

"It has been a long, quiet term with Sen. Shelby and the committee will almost certainly be more active under either Crapo or Brown," Boltansky said.
WASHINGTON  Housing was the talk of the campaign two presidential elections ago, but it stayed under the radar in the 2016 race, leaving plenty of room to speculate about President-elect Donald Trump's likely mortgage policy for the next four years.

On the one hand, without a crisis, observers said there is little incentive for him to move quickly on the issue.

But the unresolved question of what to do with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac  both in conservatorship since before Barack Obama's election  will loom large over the future Trump administration.

Exactly how Trump would address the issue is a complete mystery. The issue was never raised on the campaign trail.

"The disappointing part [of the election] has been that the Trump campaign has had very little to say about housing," said Patrick Sinks, the chief executive of MGIC Investment Corp. and the chairman of U.S. Mortgage Insurers, a trade group for the private mortgage insurance industry.

Trump may also be reluctant to weigh in on a subject that has tripped up policymakers in the past.

"Lots of people have put a lot of thought into [government-sponsored enterprise] reform, but it is incredibly difficult to get a super-majority consensus on it," said Dennis Kelleher, the head of the advocacy group Better Markets.

With the GOP in control of the House and the Senate closely divided, it's clear that any housing finance reform legislation would need significant bipartisan support  and it's not at all obvious how that can happen. The last bipartisan effort died two years ago after progressive Democrats said the bill would not do enough to promote affordable housing.

"Any new housing policies will have to be bipartisan and carefully negotiated," said John Dalton, head of the Financial Services Roundtable's Housing Policy Council.

Yet Trump may eventually have to address the issue as Fannie and Freddie are projected to run out of capital by 2018. The two GSEs have a line of credit with the Treasury Department, but as part of their conservatorship they are required to transfer their profits and a portion of their operating capital to the Treasury, a structure that was meant to force Congress and the next administration to reform the housing finance market.

Some speculated that Trump will at least start allowing the GSEs to rebuild capital so that the issue will not come to a head. Recapitalizing the GSEs and releasing them from conservatorship might prove too difficult a lift, given opposition from Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

"We believe that recapping and releasing the GSEs will prove difficult without legislation, but our sense is that there is a high likelihood of capital retention if Trump takes the White House," wrote Isaac Boltansky, an analyst at Compass Point Research & Trading in a note to clients.

Ed Groshans, an analyst at Height Securities, argued in a note to clients that Trump would delay dealing with the issue as long as possible.

The complete exclusion of housing as a priority means that the issue of housing finance reform would not come to the forefront unless he were reelected to a second term," he wrote. "In our view, the GSEs will continue to pay all earnings to Treasury well into the second term of the next President, assuming reelection."

Joseph Murin, who previously served as president of Ginnie Mae during the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, said Trump may leave the issue to GOP lawmakers.

"There are people on the Hill eager to retool the government-sponsored enterprises and move them forward," said Murin, now the chairman of the investment advisory firm Jjam Financial. "Folks on that side of the aisle believe in housing finance reform. They believe that a structure needs to be put in place that allows the government to participate in catastrophic coverage, not first-tier coverage."

Beyond GSEs

Outside of housing finance reform, Trump is expected to shake things up. Some predicted that he would seek new leadership of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

"[Director] Mel Watt will be gone," said A.W. Pickel III, president of the Midwest Division at AmCap Mortgage Ltd. in Houston, a lender and servicer of government and GSE loans.

Trump is also expected to be supportive of big businesses, but it is unclear what his single-family-housing policies are or what they could portend for smaller lenders, said Brent Nyitray, director of capital markets at iServe Residential Lending in Stamford, Conn.

While Trump has been involved in home mortgage lending and has ties to the industry, more of his work has involved large commercial real estate projects.

"It could be good or it could be bad [for single-family lenders]," said Nyitray.

Trump and the Republicans have shown interest in reforming the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, but Senate Democrats retain enough influence to make that challenging at best.

Still, CFPB Director Richard Cordray's term will expire in 2018, giving Trump an opportunity to influence the agency at that time. The agency's fate may also depend on pending litigation.

The GOP will also likely to push legislation that will lighten the regulatory burden on lenders.

"It's pretty obvious the Republicans are [for] less government in housing," said Brian Montgomery, vice chairman of The Collingwood Group and a former Federal Housing Administration commissioner.

But no one expects sweeping action because other issues are higher priority, such as health care reform.

"If you ask most lenders, the market works today," Sinks said. "A lender wants to originate a loan, insure that loan and turn around and sell that loan to the GSEs and replenish their capital and start the process over again. That works. And it keeps humming along."

As long as that remains true, the incentive to take big chances won't be there.

"The bigger issue is what the right role for government in housing is," Sinks said. "That's going to take legislative action and [lawmakers in either party] just don't seem to be in a hurry to resolve it."
Donald Trump's stunning upset in the presidential race on Tuesday is likely to embolden his followers to push for changes to Internet law that could significantly alter how financial technology is conceived, built and delivered to market.

Technology startups across the payments and financial services industries rely on an open internet to develop, market and deliver their services. Although a partisan battle over internet access predated Trump's candidacy, he provided a key boost to the issue, setting a stage for a larger battle still to come  a battle that will be fueled by Trump's victory.

The stakes are particularly high for fintech firms, a large portion of which rely on open source development or technology toolkits that decentralize innovation, allowing businesses to become payment companies with minimal coding. A significant amount of money has already poured into this market, notably PayPal's transformative $800 million acquisition of Braintree, the development platform used by Uber, Airbnb, OpenTable and TaskRabbit.

In other words  without an open internet, there would be no Uber.

"Fintech startups want access to global markets," said Richard Crone, a payments consultant. "So anything that speaks of any kind of isolation is not good for fintech."

At issue is net neutrality, which refers to the treatment of the internet as an impartial utility, which bars internet service providers from setting up tiered lanes that favor access based on pricing or other factors. Democrats are mostly in favor of net neutrality; President Obama and Clinton have both supported it.

Republicans are generally opposed to net neutrality. Sens. Ted Cruz and Mitch McConnell have stated a strong opposition, but Trump upped the ante, comparing net neutrality to the defunct Fairness Doctrine and stating that net neutrality would allow parties to target conservative content on the internet.

Fintech firms fear that if anti-net neutrality sentiment grows in the U.S., it could lead to the kind of uncertainty already plaguing the U.K., where British fintech companies were hard hit following the Brexit vote. In addition to open source, much of the current innovation in payments is geared toward cross-border transactions, using blockchain and cloud technology to ease execution and erase artificial borders. The idea that there may be even a digital wall built around the U.S. could further chill the market.

GOP lawmakers already introduced a bill this year to end net neutrality, a bill Trump would likely sign into law if passed.

"The internet is based on the premise of 'open,'" said Jordan Lampe, director of communications for Dwolla. "To censor the internet or place restriction on its current existence disregards nearly 30 years of economic prosperity and threatens the future of nearly every industry."

The technology industry is mostly in favor of net neutrality, and even the largest Silicon Valley companies generally express support for the concept. Cable companies and telcos oppose net neutrality, as does Peter Thiel, PayPal's co-founder, who endorsed Trump and donated to his campaign.

Thiel argues net neutrality is an unnecessary regulation, insisting that despite appearances, many in the tech world agree with him, though "it's certainly been hard to accept for Silicon Valley, where many people have learned to keep quiet if they dissent from the coastal bubble," he said in an Oct. 31 speech making the case for a Trump presidency.

He also holds that Trump is a movement as well as a candidate, and will long outlast his candidacy. "No matter what happens in this election, what Trump represents isn't crazy and it's not going away," Thiel said.

Trump and Clinton have not had a lot to say specifically about financial technology. Clinton has called for deregulating smaller financial institutions, a plea that included support for more online financial services and other financial technology. Clinton has also visited a financial technology startup during a broader tour in Denver to support new technology development.

"If net neutrality is challenged by a Trump [administration], the perceived impact on net neutrality could have nearly as much impact on innovation and creativity as actual regulation," said Thad Peterson, a senior analyst at Aite Group. "It would be possible that individuals seeking to start a firm in the U.S. might look to another market where access is more available."

Even slight changes to the law could cause major problems, Lampe warned.

"Business and app makers rely on the Internet to grow not only their revenues, but the deposits of 'Bank A' or 'Credit Union' B," Lampe said. "Tinkering with the principles of a fair and open Internet means tinkering with the fair market principles that led to one of the greatest eras of economic prosperity this nation has had."

The mere perception that net neutrality is in play could cause some companies to rethink doing business in the U.S., according to payment experts. Combined with Trump's isolationist position on trade policy and that policy's impact on the broader Republican party as GOP members seek support from Trump's base, Trump's presence in the White House could tip the scales.

The partisan rancor leaves little room for compromise, though the threat of cyberattacks and data breaches could lead the parties to come together in the next year.

There is a silver lining in some of the more dangerous turns of the campaign, particularly for those in the cybersecurity industry. The stories of political hacking during the campaign, especially from outside the U.S., are likely to draw attention to cybersecurity in financial services, payments and other industries.

"I think that fact that Russia has been able to influence this election through hacking will serve as a sharp wakeup call that we need to significantly up our game in this regard," said Julie Conroy, research director at Aite Group. "I think cybersecurity is probably one topic that will see some bipartisan middle ground."
(As delivered)

President Niinisto,

Dear Sauli,

It is really a great pleasure to welcome you here to NATO headquarters. That is really something I appreciate because this is the first visit ever by a Finnish President to NATO headquarters. So in many ways this day is a historic day.

Finland is one of NATOs closest partners. You participate in many of NATOs operations and missions. You are present in Afghanistan together with NATO troops. And you also help us in other operations for instance in the Balkans.

This is of great importance both for Finland and for NATO because we share the same values and we face the same security challenges.

And NATO and Finnish troops have worked side by side as I said in many different operations and missions.

And we have been able to develop a very close partnership on a range of different issues including planning for civil emergencies, and security in the Baltic Sea region.

We are now expanding our cooperation when it comes to information exchanges on hybrid warfare, coordinating exercises, and developing joint situational awareness.

All of this will allow Finland and NATO to address common threats more effectively.

Cooperation means more security for all of us.

Today, our discussion covered a wide range of different issues but also the situation in the Baltic Sea region.

And President Niinisto, NATO very much welcomes your personal engagement on the issue of air safety in the region.

We agree that transparency and risk reduction are vital to avoid incidents. And if they happen, to prevent them spiraling out of control.

NATO is committed to pursuing our political dialogue with Russia.

In fact, when tensions run high, dialogue is even more important.

And the NATO-Russia Council is a key forum for dialogue between NATO and Russia. The Council has met twice this year. And we intend to hold another meeting in the near future.

President Niinisto, thank you again for our talks today.

Our close cooperation benefits both Finland and NATO.

And I look forward to taking our partnership further in the future. And once again a warm welcome to NATO headquarters.

MODERATOR: Wall Street Journal

Q: Mr. President a question for you. With the election of Mr. Trump does that make NATO membership less attractive or more attractive? Do you think that Mr. Trumps victory will bring more stability or less stability to the Baltic region? And Mr. Secretary General do you anticipate sort of, any, do you anticipate that, NATO would be able to work with Russia in places like Syria like Mr. Trump has suggested or do Russian tactics in places like Syria, prohibit any deep cooperation between the Alliance and Russia.

SAULI NIINISTO (President of the Republic of Finland): If I start, well NATO and NATO membership is not depending on one person only, even though that would be the President of USA, and it doesnt have an impact in Finland, I do not believe in that. What else we can think well, we heard already earlier this morning, different kind of Mr. Trump talking. He was very constructive and surely we hope that he will continue on that way with regard to Europe to European Union and surely NATO.

JENS STOLTENBERG (NATO Secretary General): NATO will continue to provide support for the coalition fighting ISIL and also then provide support for the coalition that fights ISIL in Syria and we have just started to provide support with our AWACS surveillance planes. NATO has also increased its presence in Turkey, the ally most affected by the crisis in Syria bordering Syria. But NATO as an Alliance is not present in Syria. We provide support for the coalition and we have increased our presence in, in Turkey. We are of course concerned by the significant Russian buildup and the airstrikes conducted by Russian planes against many different targets in, in Syria, including indiscriminate bombing of civilians, hospitals and, and many other targets especially in in Aleppo. And we are, we are concerned about the military buildup because we have seen that this capabilities have been used in attacking, not only ISIL but, also attacking many other groups and also indiscriminate bombing against also civilians. And we now see the deployment of the Kuznetsov carrier group which will further increase the capability of Russia to conduct even more airstrikes against Aleppo and this is something which we have then expressed concern about, because we saw the risk of exactly this happen when the Russians decided to deploy the carrier group Kuznetsov to the Eastern Mediterranean.

MODERATOR: NTB.

Q: Secretary General how soon do you expect to speak with Mr. Trump and what do you hope to hear from him?

JENS STOLTENBERG: I first of all would like to meet him as soon as possible and I welcome him to the NATO Summit in, in Brussels next year, but I will also, of course, reach out and and look into the possibilities of having a conversation on the phone as soon as possible. But as you understand, nothing has yet been decided and and therefore, that is something the staffs of my Secretariat here in NATO, but also the transition team of President elect Donald Trump has to look into.

MODERATOR: Gentleman on the left.

Q: Id like to ask you both Mr. Secretary General and Mr. President, do you think this election result will, Im (inaudible) Finland, does this election result force some kind of a new rethink about the way in which the security and defense is arranged in Europe? Is it too soon to say anything about that because theres a pretty lively conversation going on in any event about the EU, NATO cooperation, etc?

JENS STOLTENBERG: The US commitment to NATO and the US commitment to the collective defense of Europe has been rock solid for almost 70 years and Im absolutely confident that, that will still be the case and that the US will be committed to the defense of Europe and to the NATO obligations and our security guarantees. And Im confident because a strong NATO is important for Europe, but its also of great importance for the United States. Two World Wars have taught us that stability in Europe is also important for the United States and we have to remember that the only time NATO has invoked our collective defense clause, Article 5, was after an attack on the United States 9/11. And thousands of European soldiers also from Finland, partner countries of NATO has participated in NATOS presence in Afghanistan as a direct response on the United States. So I really believe that that the strength of NATO is so important for United States and Europe, so we will continue to respond together to a more challenging security environment.

MODERATOR: Question in the middle.

SAULI NIINISTO: Yes, I have not that much to add to what Secretary General said. Surely I will trust that USA keeps its word, not only to NATO, but also otherwise to international community. What comes to Europe I have said many times that European countries inside European Union maybe should wake up to take more responsibility of their own security and that is surely what Finland is doing, and has been doing, all these decades of, lets say, self-evident peace time.

MODERATOR: The middle.

Q: (inaudible) Finnish Public TV (inaudible). I have a question to both gentlemen. Are you concerned that a President Trump will find a new kind of relationship with Russia, with Vladimir Putin, and and, where does that leave Europe vis-a-vis questions like the Ukrainian crisis, thank you?

JENS STOLTENBERG: I think we have to remember that the decision made by Heads of State and Government at the Warsaw Summit was a decision about enhanced NATO presence in the eastern part of our Alliance and our absolute confidence that NATO will implement those decisions. We are in the process of doing that now. So more deterrence, more defense, but combined with a message of the need to continue dialogue with Russia and to keep channels for political contact with Russia open. So for NATO, there is no contradiction between political dialogue with Russia and strong deterrence and defense. Actually, we believe that a strong defense, strong deterrence is the foundation for dialogue, political engagement with Russia and Im confident that that will continue to be the case, also after the U.S. elections.

SAULI NIINISTO: In a situation like this where we are now, surely dialogue is very important, its needed and Im quite sure that President Trump will continue to dialogue. He has expressed many times that he considers it its being very important. That has actually nothing to do with deterrence which is the other part that the NATO has decided and also partners to follow. We need these both paths to go forward.

MODERATOR: With that thank you very much. Thats all we have time for.
(As delivered)

Mr. Chairman,

First of all let me welcome you to the NATO Headquarters. Its great to meet you again and Bosnia and Herzegovina is an important partner for the NATO Alliance. And Bosnia and Herzegovina is a candidate for NATO membership and our partnership dates back many years. And your country makes a significant contribution to our common security. Through a clear commitment to regional dialogue and cooperation. And through participation in NATOs mission in Afghanistan.

I want to take our relationship forward and we want to do that together. NATO is and remains committed to stability in the Western Balkans.

Today we discussed the crucial reforms that Bosnia and Herzegovina is making. And I welcome what has been achieved so far in reforming the defence and security sector. And I count on you to continue on the path of reforms.

Full integration into the Euro-Atlantic family takes time and effort. But it is worth it. Because it leads to greater security and greater prosperity. Activation of the Membership Action Plan remains an important issue. It will be a positive step for your reform agenda. NATO stands ready to activate the Membership Action Plan, once all defence properties have been registered to the state. Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to keep moving forward with this effort.

I welcome the recent guidance by the presidency on your defence review. We would like to see the review completed as soon as possible. Including a plan for modernization of the armed forces. Bosnia and Herzegovina has the necessary tools to move towards NATO membership. We will continue to help you move towards the Alliance. I call upon all leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina to work constructively for the benefit of all citizens. And to undertake the reforms that are necessary for your country to realise its Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

Let me then also add a few words about the US elections. I congratulate Donald Trump on his election as the next President of the United States. And I look forward to working with him. And it is important that the transatlantic bond remains strong and we face a challenging security environment, hybrid warfare, cyber attacks and the threat of terrorism. US leadership is as important as ever. Our Alliance has brought together Americas closest friends in times of peace and of conflict for almost 70 years. A strong NATO is good for the United States and it is good for Europe. NATO has responded with determination to the new security situation. But we have more work to do. And I look forward to meeting Mr. Trump soon and to welcome him to Brussels for the NATO Summit next year, to discuss the way forward.

So with that, Mr Chairman, I give the floor to you.

MODERATOR: Reuters.

Q: Robin Emmott from Reuters here. Secretary General, what does an election victory for Donald, Donald Trumps election victory, sorry what does that mean for NATO, given that he explicitly set conditions for defending allies basically saying, those who dont pay up will not be defended, thank you?

JENS STOLTENBERG (NATO Secretary General): NATOs security guarantee is Treaty commitment and all allies have made solemn commitment, a solemn commitment to defend each other. And this is something which is absolute and its unconditioned. The NATO security guarantees are important for Europe, but they are also important for the United States, so a strong NATO is important for Europe, but its also important for the United States and we have to remember that the only time that we have invoked Article 5, our Collective Defense clause, is after an attack on the United States, after 9/11 and thousands of NATO soldiers also from Europe, Canada and also partner nations, have been deployed and have contributed to the efforts of the whole Alliance, to fight terrorism in Afghanistan and, and NATO continues to provide support, not only for the efforts of our mission in Afghanistan, but also provide support to the US-led coalition fighting ISIL. We have just decided to provide, for instance, AWACS surveillance planes as a direct support to the coalition fighting ISIL and we train Iraqi officers. That just underlines that NATO is important, both for collective defense in Europe, but also to provide help and pay and play a key role in the fight against international terrorism, and therefore Im looking forward to work with President-elect Trump; and I look forward to welcoming him to Brussels at our next Summit next year and also to meet him soon, to discuss the way forward and how we can strengthen the Trans-Atlantic bond in challenging times, with a new and more challenging security environment.

MODERATOR: Bosnian TV.

Q: Elliot Busrab (sic) Bosnia State Television. Since anyone will ask you about American election I will stick to Bosnia. So Bosnia membership action plan (MAP) and Italian pre-conditions European Union, recently switched to the more realistic approach to Bosnia. Is it the time for NATO to do the same? Im not talking about a change in Italian pre-conditions, but changing the way how NATO is considering their efforts from Bosnia-side, thank you. So theres the question for both of us.

JENS STOLTENBERG: So, NATO remains fully supported of the membership aspiration of Bosnia Herzegovina and we will continue to support Bosnia Herzegovina implementing the necessary reforms and I just discussed with Chairman Izetbegovic how we can step up and increase our support for Bosnia Herzegovina. We have the different partnership programs which are addressing exactly how we can help Bosnia Herzegovina, and we are working on the implementation of the different elements in that plan to make sure that we are delivering as much support as possible in support of Bosnia and Herzegovinas Euro-Atlantic integration. We still, of course, focus on the importance of implementing what is called Tallinn conditions, the registration of defense properties by the State and the Chairman updated me on progress which has been done there and, we will also add the Foreign Ministerial Meeting of NATO in December. Have a report on the Western Balkans including the progress which Bosnia Herzegovina is making on implementing the necessary defense reforms.

BAKIR IZETBEGOVIC (Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia Herzegovina): Speaking foreign language.

TRANSLATOR: Well its exactly the same idea in the parallel that I drew as Mr. Stoltenberg. I drew a comparison between what the EU did, and what NATO has not done so far. So, they changed the sequence of the priorities from those easier ones to the most, to the more, from the more, difficult ones when we (inaudible) order. Progress has been made in Bosnia Herzegovina. So I asked Mr. Stoltenberg to do the same on behalf of NATO, so if you have the, so we have these forces in Bosnia Herzegovina why do we, why should we, put in their hands the mechanisms that can allow them to do that so we have the armed forces in all of the military sites. There is the court decision that this is state-owned property and registration has begun in Federation and (inaudible) and the EU should do a similar approach and send a similar message about prospective of Bosnia Herzegovina West Balkans. So the opponents to these efforts should not play with white players in this chess game.

Q: Trump has articulated a different sort of approach to Russia. a) do you expect NATO to change its tone or make any adjustments to the enhanced forward presence, as the Trump Administration takes effect, and to follow up on your last response Mr. Trump has talked about a larger counter terrorism role for NATO which seems to suggest not just the kinds of training thats been done in Afghanistan or in Jordan, but a actual bigger role in European counter terrorism. This is not something thats necessarily popular with other allies. Is there room for NATO to do more than what its doing now to fight terrorism?

JENS STOLTENBERG: NATO has already decided to step up its efforts to provide support to the coalition fighting ISIL and we decided to maintain our presence in Afghanistan which is our biggest military operation and its and we are in Afghanistan to fight terrorism to prevent Afghanistan becoming a safe haven for international terrorists. Then, of course, we will always assess how we can do more both to stabilize our neighbourhood to fight terrorism but also of course provide the necessary collective defense in Europe, making sure that we provide the necessary deterrents. And thats the reason why Im looking forward to meet President-elect Trump, to sit down with him and to discuss the way forward and also to welcoming President-elect Trump to our next Summit here in Brussels because that provides the platform that provides the opportunities to sit down with a new US President and discuss how we can all live up to what is our Treaty commitment, to provide collective defense based on the idea of all for one, one for all and to be able to do that we have to respond and to adapt to a more demanding security environment, including hybrid threats, terrorist threats, cyber-attacks and many other kinds of threats and challenges. So this is something we are working on at NATO, we have made important decisions, we are implementing decisions and I congratulate Donald Trump on his election as President and Im looking forward to work with him on all these important issues and to discuss the way forward when we meet.

MODERATOR: This concludes this press point. The Secretary General will be back at around 11:30 with the President of Finland. Thank you very much.
Is the Clinton Foundation under probe as well?

Big bomb just a couple weeks out from the election

(NaturalNews) The political soap opera that is the entire career of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton took a new turn Friday, as the FBI announced that it is now looking into whether or not the perverted husband of one of Clinton's closest aides mishandled classified information.As reported , agents discovered new emails on a computer that was initially seized during an investigation of disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., and that prompted the FBI to open new lines of inquiry related to Clinton's private email server.But for some strange reason, the new "investigation" didn't last long, though it sure sounds like it should have.In a letter to congressional leaders several days ago, FBI Director James Comey said that his agency would take "appropriate investigative steps" to find out whether the newly discovered emails contain any classified information, as well as make an assessment of their importance in the overall Clinton investigation.Thesaid that the emails were discovered on a computer that had been used jointly by Weiner and his wife, Clinton aide Huma Abedin. Federal authorities have been scrutinizing Weiner's alleged sexually suggestive online messages to a 15-year-old girl  a link that was reported initially by The New York Times With Comey's announcement to congressional leaders it appeared as though the FBI investigation into Clinton's email server, which was previously halted in July without any recommendation of charges, had been re-launched.In his brief letter, according to the, Comey said that his agency, while investigating an "unrelated case," had recently "learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the Clinton investigation."It wasn't clear what the "unrelated case" was, though some have speculated that the FBI might have been looking into the Clinton Foundation and it's so-called 'pay-for-play' sale of access to former President Bill Clinton and his wife when she was secretary of state."Mr. Comey said that the FBI was taking steps to 'determine whether they contain classified information, as well as to assess their importance to our investigation ,'" thefurther noted. He said he did not know how long it would take to review the emails, or whether the new information was significant.The fact that Comey even notified congressional leaders of the investigation is significant, because the agency does not normally contact Congress when it launches investigations. It's likely that the nature of the case  the fact that it has potential ties to a presidential nominee  is the reason why the FBI director reached out to key lawmakers.Remember, too, that Comey took the rare step of announcing in July that his office would not be recommending charges against Clinton, which he later told a congressional committee he did because of the highly unorthodox nature of the investigation.But it all turned out to be for nothing.Just days later, Comey sentletter to Congress informing leaders that, in record time, his agents had managed to pour through 650,000 emails, only to determine, again, that his prior decision not to recommend Clinton be indicted for obvious violations of the Espionage Act, would stand.Clinton got away with it ... again.GOP nominee Donald J. Trump, who has remained close to Clinton in the polls, seized on the FBI's announcement during a rally in New Hampshire. " Hillary Clinton's corruption is on a scale we have never seen before," he said to chants of, "Lock her up!""We must not let her take her criminal scheme into the Oval Office.""You have to understand, it's a rigged system and she's protected," Trump said."General [James E.] Cartwright's not protected ... four star general ... could go to jail for up to five years, two weeks ago," Trump said, referencing a Justice Department case against the retired former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who faces a felony conviction for mishandling classified information.Trump also noted that retired four-star Gen. David Petraeus, once head of the CIA, was also prosecuted by Obama's Justice Department for mishandling classified information.
(NaturalNews) Voter fraud allegations continue to mount, and it appears that the political class have reached a new low  new reports indicate that they are even taking advantage of mentally ill and mentally incapacitated individuals.This morning in Broward County, Florida, a sworn affidavit was released, stating that dozens of voters with special needs or mental illnesses have had their ballots filled out by individuals who were claiming to assist them.The affiant, or poll watcher, certified by Broward County reports that these occurrences have been a continuing problem at the North West Regional Library polling location in Coral Springs since early voting began in late October.Current voting laws dictate that assisting a voter who is physically or mentally unable to fill out their own ballot must be limited to reading the ballot to the voter, and then receiving a form of confirmation from the voter before taking action to fill out the ballot. Additionally, two election workers are required to be present to witness the exchange.According to the affiant, these measures were ignored and did not take place. Dozens of mentally ill or incapacitated voters had ballots filled out on their behalf, with no interaction between the assistants and the voters  and of course, no poll workers to oversee the process.Do these voters have the right to cast their ballots? Of course they do  but it seems that these "assistants" may have taken that right away, by casting ballots for people without even asking about which candidates they wanted. It certainly sounds like fraudulent behavior, doesn't it? What happened to honesty The library's voting location clerk, who was identified as Claire Dunn by Breitbart's Caleb Ecarma, is reportedly exasperated by the ordeal. She told Florida Republican operative Laura Cooley, "We call Brenda Snipes' office and they don't care. They say let everybody vote . Let everybody vote. So we do. They don't want any attention brought to them, any legal trouble."One particularly jarring instance documented in the affidavit describes a man filling out a ballot for a woman who was not physically able to do so herself. Apparently, after this man filled out his own ballot, he began to fill out a ballot for the woman as well  without ever speaking to or acknowledging her. In fact, the report states she was sitting in an adjacent booth alone, rocking back and forth with her arms wrapped around her body and seemingly experiencing some kind of physical discomfort. After the man filled out her ballot, the woman then tried to insert it into the optical scanner by herself. She was unable to do so, and poll workers provided assistance.After witnessing the exchange  or rather, lack of exchange  between the woman and her "assistant," Dunn called an official SOE office to report the incident. The response? "Everyone will vote."No further action was taken to address these clear instances of voter fraud and violations of voting laws, despite the registered poll watcher's numerous attempts garnering the Broward SOE's attention."These people are infirmed, if you know what I'm saying, they sit in their wheelchairs and stare straight ahead while their 'assistor' effectively marks their ballot," he told Breitbart.According to the poll watcher, these incidents are happening multiple times each day, by different groups of people. She said, "[T]his isn't a one time thing and it's a third degree felony in the state of Florida."The poll watcher has also stated that he witnessed a group of these "assistants" making negative remarks about Donald Trump, after helping a man in a wheelchair cast his vote.After becoming disparaged by the sheer volume of fraud, the affiant commented, "[T]he poll workers were not allowed to stop the fraud even though it was to spot. [W]hat I witnessed was an abuse of the elderly and infirmed in Broward for the purpose of Elections Fraud relative individuals marking ballots that were not their own."
Series of failures are monumental

But what will change in Britain's failing system?

(NaturalNews) Socialized medicine around the world is failing to deliver on its promise of universal, high-quality healthcare for less money, and that is especially true in the United Kingdom, despite the country's continued reliance on a failed model.That was summed up again recently, and in a most tragic way, as reported by the UK's Daily Mail The site noted that a 4-year-old boy died after having heart surgery and being so badly neglected afterward that he had to suck on moisture from disposable wet wipes because he was dehydrated.A government oversight official found that hospital staff "failed" Sean Turner, who died in March 2012 from a brain hemorrhage following a cardiac arrest six weeks after he underwent corrective heart surgery.The Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman's inquiry found evidence of "service failure," and that the Bristol Children's Hospital was guilty of "maladministration."The finding led University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust to issue an apology, saying it was "sorry" for the failure to properly care for a child whose condition was so obviously critical.In all, the government watchdog found 22 failings, and noted that the young patient was not provided with "the best possible chance of survival" by medical staff assigned to attend him. At one point his parents found him so severely dehydrated that he was sucking on wet wipes for fluid.The paper reported that the indictments of the hospital were listed in a 223-page report, which noted that the boy's fluid levels were not properly monitored. The failures that led to his death were described as "systemic."The ombudsman's report noted that Sean was allowed to become "significantly hypovolemic"  or suffer a serious drop in body fluids. In fact, he was so clinically dehydrated that his life was put at additional risk. What's more, despite his advancing state of dehydration, the dosage of a diuretic medication he was being given  a side effect of which is wasThe hospital also misled Sean's parents about its high dependency capabilities. In one incident, the paper noted, hospital staff gave Sean a clot-busting treatment for three days instead of the recommended six hours, while failing at the same time to stop a blood-thinning medication he was also being given.The ombudsman's report claimed that Sean ought to have been moved to intensive care when his condition began to deteriorate, but for some reason he remained in a non-high dependency ward instead. Plus, his anticoagulation treatment, which reduces the body's ability to form blood clots, was not properly monitored within stated guidelines.At one point, practitioners suspected that Sean was suffering from a brain bleed, but the ombudsman found that an inappropriate delay prevented him from receiving a timely CT scan. And his blood thinners were also not halted, which likely only added to the brain bleed."We find these failings mean that the care and treatment the trust provided for Sean and the support Mr and Mrs Turner received fell so far below the applicable standards and established good practice that it amounted to service failure," the ombudsman's report stated."[Sean] did not receive the best post-operative care and this in turn meant he was not given the best possible chance of survival," it continued.The ombudsman's report noted further that Sean's parents were made to suffer  and are continuing to suffer  needlessly, and that the suffering is likely to only be compounded in the months ahead by the "uncertainty" of not knowing whether their son would have lived.The watchdog noted that Sean's parents, Steve and Yolanda, have blamed doctors and nursing staff for their son's death. They have contacted NHS England, which has launched an investigation.Which won't change anything, of course, since Britain has no intention of changing its failing socialized medicine scheme any time soon.
'We're spending millions, they're making millions'

PCBs affecting people 40 years later

(NaturalNews) GMO king Monsanto has another legal problem heading its way.A federal judge has said that the city of Spokane, Washington's lawsuit against the agro-chemical behemoth over pollution in the Spokane River can move ahead.Last year, the city sued the St. Louis-based Monsanto , alleging that the company knew for decades that it was making and selling chemicals that were dangerous to people and to the environment,The added that Spokane, in conjunction with a few other cities, is trying to force Monsanto to clean up contamination allegedly caused by the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) the company manufactured.Meanwhile, Monsanto has asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit based upon eight separate claims, including that too much time has gone by for the city to file its suit.In a recent ruling, U.S. District Judge Salvador Mendoza, who was appointed by President Obama , denied all but one of the lawsuit's claims, which cleared the way for it to move ahead.Rick Eichstaedt, the executive director for the Center for Justice and its Spokane Riverkeeper program, was pleased with Mendoza's decision, thereported.He referenced the city's vast investment in storm water tanks and other steps to limit runoff into the Spokane River, adding that the lawsuit complimented those efforts."We're spending millions of dollars to try to get clean-up on this river," he said, while Monsanto has earned millions of dollars in sales of toxic materials "when they knew there was an impact."Officials with Monsanto said that Mendoza's ruling does not take into account the dismissal of several cases that are similar to the one filed by Spokane and other cities."We disagree with the majority of the court's opinion, which is in conflict with prior decisions in Washington state and California on these very issues," said Scott Partridge, vice president of global strategy at the agribusiness giant, according to theOther cases brought by the California municipalities of San Diego, Oakland and Berkeley were dismissed by a federal judge in September.In addition to Spokane, the city of Seattle has also filed suit against Monsanto, claiming the company's products were responsible for polluting the Duwamish River. That case is scheduled to go to trial in April 2018, the paper noted.Monsanto was the only company manufacturing PCBs between 1935 and 1979, after which the U.S. government banned them because of an established link to cancer and other health conditions. They were widely used in industrial, commercial and household products.Spokane is alleging that the now-banned PCBs leached into wastewater and storm water systems from their original compounds, and have contaminated water and poisoned fish in the Spokane River.High levels of PCBs are a violation of both state and tribal standards of water quality, thereported."Publications and internal communications in the 1960s and 1970s demonstrate Monsanto's awareness that PCBs were widely contaminating the environment around the world," said Mendoza's order.Thenoted that Monsanto officials have pledged to "vigorously defend the case."In December 2013, Natural News reported that PCBs were still very prevalent throughout the U.S. population, having negative effects on brain development and function some 40 years later.Maryse Bouchard, a scientist from the University of Montreal and CHU Sainte-Justine, found a significant association between high PCB exposure and lowered cognitive abilities in older people aged between 70 and 84."While most studies have looked at the impact of PCBs on infant development, our research shows that this toxin might affect us throughout our lives," Bouchard reported at the time.
(NaturalNews) The long, tiring and frustrating election season is finally over and it's been historic in its own right: GOP nominee Donald J. Trump's victor has proven once more thatare the real power brokers in the United States of America, not the corrupt, rigged system that was built by shady, crooked career politicians like Hillary Clinton and the fat cat donors who own them.It was an uphill battle all the way for Trump, who fought "the establishment" for every vote. The entire political machine consisting of both Democrats and Republicans, global corporations, foreign governments, and the lying mainstream media were aligned against him. Billions of dollars were spent trying to prevent him from winning the White House.That's because in the end, the American people rose up and chose a candidate that did not have a three-decade record of failure. Hillary Clinton has been in politics for more than 30 years but, as first lady, then U.S. senator and finally secretary of state, she never managed to achieve much. During her campaign she touted her resume early and often, but being in a position is not the same thing asTrump, by comparison, offered Americans a legitimate record of accomplishment. The billionaire businessman built a brand and a financial empire that few will ever accomplish. The difference is, Trump has always said he wantswho put in the time and energy to have the opportunity to mimic his success. To do whathas done. To achieve whathas achieved.For Trump, it was never about the presidency, per se. He didn't need to run. But he wanted to because he has always felt that he was the best-suited to give the country back to the people after wresting control over it from the big corporations, the lying media and the political establishment machines of both major political parties (which essentially pursue the same policies).What were the messages a majority of Americans just sent to Washington, D.C., and the world by choosing Trump?-- They trust Trump more than anyone else to bring back their jobs.-- They don't want open borders and unlimited migration into our country from the Third World.-- They don't want more of the same kinds of 'trade deals' that offshore more jobs than they bring in, raising trade deficits in the hundreds of billions. They are tired of America making other countries rich while we get poorer.-- They don't want the United States to be the world's police force.-- They are tired of being discounted by career politicians who beg them for votes and then ignore them after they win and get back to Washington.-- They are fed up with broken policies that never get fixed.-- They are sick of inefficient, wasteful and expensive big government.-- They want their healthcare system back and believe Trump is the one to return it.-- They want a president who respects the rule of law.-- They want a president who protects national security and doesn't give away secrets (or sell them).-- They arewith "politics as usual" and the co-opted and corporate-owned political class that has gotten more and more wealthy and powerful, as the people have gotten poorer and underrepresented.They want better roads, bridges, schools, and airports.They want their rusted, aged, lead-leaching water pipes replaced.They want jobs that can support them and their communities' tax base.They want opportunities that have long since gone away.They are tired of Washington's one-size-fits-all approach.They don't want "solutions" imposed on them from five Supreme Court justices or the federal court system in general.They want their own state and local leaders managing state and local affairs because they are tired of being told what to do and how to do it from nameless, faceless bureaucrats in Washington who doesn't know them or their community's needs.There are millions of people who are not happy with President-elect Trump's victory. For some reason they believed that a career criminal masquerading as a politician was somehow more "qualified" to be our president. For some reason they thought that because he was plain-spoken he was "unqualified." They believe that he's "unfit" to have his hand on the nuclear weapons codes, and that Clinton  so obviously co-opted and compromised by foreign governments  was somehow a wiser choice to secure our country and protect our people. Frankly, that's incredible.But now it's time to come together as a nation. We have made our choice and it is President-elect Trump. We should support him and allow him the opportunity to make good on his pledges. He'll put a good team in place and he'll show the world just why a billionaire businessman is exactly the right person for America at exactly the right time.
We must pull together and get behind Trump's effort to #DrainTheSwamp and reform America's corrupt government

(NaturalNews) To all Natural News fans, readers and patriots:Last night we struck a devastating blow against the establishment, acting in self-defense to protect our nation, our liberties and our Constitution.Today I declare "LOVE WINS" because it isLike you and I, Donald Trump loves America. He loves it enough to risk everything -- his business, his reputation, even his life -- to fight for Americans... even when so many of those Americans have been hopelessly misinformed and brainwashed by the corrupt, leftist media to hate everything America stands for.LOVE WINS when we protect our borders and demand that immigrants follow the law. (Note to all: My wife is an immigrant. She followed the law!)LOVE WINS when we defeat a great evil. Hillary Clinton and her hundreds of co-conspirators are the most evil, destructive and corrupt people to have nearly seized total power in Washington. Stopping them in their tracks was a tremendous act of courage, love and self-defense.LOVE WINS when wewhich, in my view, means throwing the corrupt, criminal political elite out of Washington and reforming government to finally represent the interests of the People. The swamp is so putrid and nasty that I heard the EPA is going to announce that draining it will be an environmental hazard.LOVE WINS when we, a catastrophic failure that has caused immeasurable pain, suffering and despair across the population. Obamacare has contributed to more job loss, more high-stress uncertainty and more economic destruction than any single law in our lifetimes.LOVE WINS when we help Trump nominate U.S. Supreme Court justices who, including protecting the Second Amendment, which remains America's "immune system" against tyranny.LOVE WINS when the lying, cheating, rigging, deceptive democrats LOSE. The big message today?. If we do not respect the laws of the land and the process of democracy -- which the democrats openly despise -- then we do not have a nation. The fact thatmeans that LOVE for democracy has carried the day.LOVE WINS when we protect the lives of third-term babies living in the wombs of their mothers. The despicable, anti-human left has long pushed for the organ harvesting of living human babies that are partially born and then murdered for profit. If we love our children, we obviously cannot tolerate their deliberate murder. It's time to end late-term abortions and partial birth abortions (and organ harvesting, which the delusional left still does not realize is happening).LOVE WINS when we stop the hemorrhaging of the U.S. economy through horrifically bad trade deals that bleed our nation's wealth. To protect and defend America , we must defend its economy.LOVE WINS when we maintain a strong, defensive military presence in a world full of insane foreign enemies like China and North Korea. If we love America, we must defend it from foreign attack. While none of us want war, it is investment in the prevention of war -- the maintaining of a strong military presence -- that gives us peace. Reagan was right: "Peace through strength" is what really works. Today I salute ourwho patrol the world's oceans, sending a powerful message to all the enemies of America that messing with the USA will have dire consequences.LOVE WINS when democracy works. All throughout the campaign, Hillary Clinton and the corrupt, criminal DNC, Dept. of Justice, etc., all sought toand nullify the will of the People. This same effort was also echoed by CNN, MSNBC and most of the leftist media, which, as of today, has. To move America forward, we must get back to respecting democracy and defending open, free and fair elections as a universal binding principle. (And, by the way, the leftist media polls, we now know, were ALL RIGGED FROM THE START.)When LOVE WINS, we all win.Now, our mission is to. The angry, bigoted, intolerant left does not accept the will of the people. It does not accept the very principles of a representational republic -- heck, most people on the left don't even know what a "republic" is in the first place.We must now be prepared toby HALTING the violence and riots of the left. We must lend Trump our support for all the wholesale reforms that will be necessary to. And we must seek the criminal indictment of all those on the left (or the right, as a universal principle) who have conspired to fraudulently steal political power in America.I see 2017 as a time of great revolution for America... a combination ofand true economic revival for this nation.For the first time in my adult life, I now feel an overpowering sense of LOVE for this nation, and I hope to contribute to America's safety and success in whatever way I can.Stand by for some surprising announcements of what's next for Natural News and the Health Ranger. HINT: I have a plan to fix Obamacare, and I'm going to lay it out for Donald Trump's consideration... to help make America HEALTHY again!
Modern Prometheus: Editing the Human Genome with CrisprCas9 Jim Kozubek Cambridge University Press (2016) 9781107172166 | ISBN: 978-1-1071-7216-6

As the CRISPRCas9 method for rewriting genomes revolutionizes biotechnology, bioinformatician Jim Kozubek steps into the maelstrom with a weighty exploration of its discovery and implications. It should be noted that Kozubek was recently affiliated with an institution battling for patent rights to CRISPR gene-editing. His tome is also in need of a heavy edit. But he usefully pushes the discussion beyond obvious designer-baby concerns to the technique's limitations, and its broader implications for agriculture and the commercialization of science.

Vertical: The City from Satellites to Bunkers Stephen Graham Verso (2016) 9781781687932 | ISBN: 978-1-7816-8793-2

Our view of cities is perilously partial, argues urban geographer Stephen Graham. Mustering evidence in engineering, sociology and beyond, he argues for a new, vertical perspective  satellite to sewer  to reflect today's intensified urban stacking. Seeing cities as Gordian knots of geopolitics, he gathers an impressive range of case studies to bolster his analysis. These compel and convince, from Saudi Arabia's high-rise vanity projects to Rio de Janeiro's favelas  which struggle with basic services beneath cable cars full of tourists  and the ultradeep mineral mines that service urban infrastructures.

Egyptomania: A History of Fascination, Obsession and Fantasy Ronald H. Fritze Reaktion (2016) 9781780236391 | ISBN: 978-1-7802-3639-1

The richness, distinction and diversity of ancient Egyptian culture has fired imaginations for millennia. Here, historian Ronald Fritze examines 'Egyptomania' in detail and through time. As Herodotus and other classical scholars extolled Giza's pyramids and the great lighthouse at Alexandria, Egyptian cults and esoteric tracts seeped into Greece and Rome  to later fascinate and befuddle medieval and Renaissance scholars. The cracking of hieroglyphs, discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb and mummymania from the nineteenth century onwards ensured that the craze persists almost unabated today.

The Man Who Ate the Zoo Richard Girling Chatto & Windus (2016) 9781784740405 | ISBN: 978-1-7847-4040-5

Victorian zoologist and surgeon Frank Buckland occupies a peculiar place in science history. Like his renowned naturalist father William, he was both a serious researcher  rubbing shoulders with scientific heavyweights such as Michael Faraday  and an eccentric who dined on giraffe and panther. In this lively biography, Richard Girling revels in Buckland's phenomenal drive to master animal biology in a number of contexts: domestic menageries featuring marmots, a meerkat and a bear; a flood of natural-history writing; stints as a zoo medic; and distinguished contributions to fisheries science.

Utopia Thomas More Verso (2016) 9781784787608 | ISBN: 978-1-7847-8760-8
Rosa Cossart thinks she knows what a memory looks like. Elaborate arrangements of lasers, mirrors and optics are allowing researchers to probe the brain in ever more creative ways. Credit: He Tian

In a study published in Science in September, Cossart, a neurobiologist at the Institute of Neurobiology of the Mediterranean in Marseilles, France, opened up mouse brains to visualize their neural activity as the animals raced on treadmills and rested. As the mice ran, some 50 neurons in their hippocampi fired in sequence, possibly to help the animals measure the distance travelled. Later, when the mice were resting, certain subsets of those neurons turned on again1. This reactivation, Cossart suspects, has to do with encoding and retrieving memory  as if the mouse is recalling its earlier exercise.

The power of imaging is really to be able to see the cells, to see not only the active ones but also the silent ones and to map them on the anatomical structure of the brain, she says.

It has not yet provided proof for Cossart's hypothesis, but the microscope and neural-activity markers behind the techniques represent the very latest in methods to study brain connectivity. In the past, researchers studied just a few neurons at a time using electrodes implanted into the brain. But that gives a fairly crude picture of what is going on, like looking at a monitor with just a couple of functioning pixels, says Rafael Yuste, director of the NeuroTechnology Center at Columbia University in New York City.

But new techniques are fleshing out the picture. Scientists can now watch neurons live and in colour, helping them to work out which cells work together. Methods such as Cossart's zoom in at the microscopic scale to catch individual neurons in the act; others provide a whole-brain, or mesoscopic, view. And although it is possible to perform these experiments with an off-the-shelf microscope, scientists have been customizing them to suit their specific purposes; these devices are in various stages of commercialization.

The field of live-brain imaging is flourishing thanks to innovations such as two-photon microscopy, which allows scientists to image deeper into brain tissue, and indicators that flash as neurons fire; Cossart combined the two in her study.

Major funding initiatives are also pushing the field forward, particularly the US Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, which aims to improve researchers' ability to map the brain. The US National Institutes of Health has partnered with groups in Canada, Australia and Denmark to co-fund investigators from other countries involved in the BRAIN Initiative. In Japan, the Brain Mapping by Innovative Neurotechnologies for Disease Studies (Brain/MINDS) programme includes funding for projects such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis of the marmoset brain. New methods such as SCAPE are making it possible to visualize 3D neural activity in animals as they move, as in these apical dendrites in the brain of a living mouse. Credit: Elizabeth Hillman and Randy Bruno, Columbia Univ.

Nevertheless, the scientists involved in these projects face major challenges. The biggest is the brain matter itself. Brain tissue has the optical properties of milk, Yuste says. The light waves that microscopists use to visualize neurons tend to bounce off surrounding tissue and scatter in multiple directions. That means that most studies cannot penetrate much more than a millimetre below the brain's surface. But researchers can now use both crude surgical techniques (removing part of the brain to discern what happens underneath, or poking in fibre optics, for example) and tricks of light to sneak their laser beams deeper into the tissue.

The dream is obviously every neuron  every axon, dendrite, synapse  in the whole brain flashing away.

Other challenges include the incredible speed at which mammalian neurons communicate as well as how to integrate data all the way from the meso- to the microscale. The dream is obviously every neuron  every axon, dendrite, synapse  in the whole brain flashing away, says Columbia biomedical engineer Elizabeth Hillman. We can do it in the fruit-fly brain, and in the zebrafish, just not yet in the mouse.

But despite its limitations, live-mouse-brain imaging is already starting to reveal how neural connections can be silenced, or regrow, in studies of brain disease and ageing.

Of calcium and circulation

Take the work that has been done on stroke at the mesoscale, for instance. Blood clots in the brain damage neurons and thus the routes of neural communication. The damage can easily be seen in people: fMRI has shown that stroke affects the flow of blood between mirror-image parts of the two hemispheres, a cross-talk that is crucial for activities such as coordinated movement. But probing the details of stroke is difficult to do in people, so researchers including neurologist Jin-Moo Lee at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, are keen to use mice as a model to study the disease and possible treatments.

However, mouse brains are so small that fMRI signals get lost in the noise, so Lee had to turn to a different technique to track blood flow. His colleague Joe Culver, a biomedical engineer, introduced him to a technique called optical intrinsic signal imaging (OIS), which picks up colour alterations that are linked to changes in blood oxygen levels. Oxygenated blood is reddish and deoxygenated blood bluish, and the different colours can be detected through the thin skull of a mouse using fairly basic scientific equipment, or even a wearable consumer camera known as a GoPro. Well-oxygenated areas are likely to be more active than others. To study neural connectivity, Culver and his colleagues zoomed out to look at the entire cortex, and presumed that highly oxygenated spots that are flashing in sync are likely to be connected. He calls the new method functional connectivity optical intrinsic signal imaging, or fcOIS2.

In 2014, Culver and Lee used this technique to show that strokes in mice affect connections between mirror-image parts of the two hemispheres, just as they do in people3. Culver has also applied fcOIS to a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease and found that cross-hemisphere communication not only drops, but is also correlated with plaque deposition and with ageing. The loss of connectivity seems to happen first, foreshadowing which areas might be vulnerable to plaque accumulation4.

The technique provides a good first-pass screen for changes in connectivity, Culver says, because it works on any mouse; some markers, including those used by Cossart, need to be genetically engineered into mouse neurons. Yet it's still only a surrogate marker of brain activity. A step closer is calcium indicators. When neurons receive a signal, an electrical current passes through them. That depolarizes the plasma membrane and opens ion channels, allowing calcium to flood into the cell. Indicators in the cytoplasm change shape and fluoresce when calcium flows in, providing more-immediate visual feedback. Among the most popular calcium indicators are the GCaMP proteins (see 'An imaging palette') developed at the Janelia Research Campus in Ashburn, Virginia, which are now in their sixth generation. We're switching everything we can over to calcium, says Culver. Table 1 An imaging palette A selection of the genetically encoded neural-activity indicators used in live-brain imaging. Full size table

Flashing quasars

Microscale images can reveal neural activity in a rat hippocampus. Credit: Samouil Farhi Calcium indicators have become the workhorses of live-brain microscopy. Scientists can see every neuron  at least in the plane imaged by their microscope  and follow their activity over time. For this kind of focus, scientists often use two-photon microscopy. In standard microscopy, a fluorophore is excited by just one packet of light, so any fluorophore that receives a packet will light up, even if it is outside the focal plane. In two-photon microscopy, scientists use a longer-wavelength laser, so the fluorophore must absorb two photons simultaneously to fluoresce. Because the chance of two photons hitting the same spot is high only at the laser's focal point, the signal is effectively limited to the focal plane. As an added bonus, the longer-wavelength, lower-energy light can penetrate deeper into the tissue. By scanning the laser across the brain, microscopists can build up a high-resolution picture of the brain at a depth of up to one millimetre, Yuste says.

Yet calcium indicators are still only a proxy for the electrical spikes that mediate neural signalling. And they're relatively slow to reflect neural communication  the smeared-out remnant of a spike, says David Kleinfeld, a neurophysicist at the University of California, San Diego. It takes about 100 milliseconds after the membrane depolarizes for the calcium to bind to the indicator and cause it to change shape and fluoresce, estimates Karel Svoboda, a neurobiologist and biophysicist at Janelia. It also takes half a second or so for the fluorescence signal to decay back to the unlit state, so two or three electrical impulses, or 'action potentials', could pass in the time that the calcium system can indicate only one. You probably miss stuff, Svoboda says.

The seventh generation of GCaMP indicators, anticipated within the year, should improve the response speed by an order of magnitude, as well as boost its sensitivity, Svoboda says. But no calcium indicator will ever measure action potentials with the same speed and range as electrodes, he says.

Adam E. Cohen, a biophysicist at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is pursuing a faster type of visual indicator  one that fluoresces as the membrane depolarizes.

The sensors  called genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs)  are based on a protein that allows a Dead Sea microbe to harvest solar energy. Luckily for Cohen and his collaborators, that protein  called Archaerhodopsin  also fluoresced in response to changes in membrane voltage. And Cohen's team was able to enhance the mechanism to create a pair of GEVIs called QuasArs. But the QuasArs were fairly dim, so the group fused them to brighter fluorophores to create pairs that perform fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), with one fluorophore influencing the emission of the other5.

Cohen's team used these indicators, which are available in a handful of colours (see 'An imaging palette'), to monitor spontaneous and induced voltages in cultured rat neurons. Yet, like calcium indicators, GEVIs are neither fast enough nor bright enough to faithfully report neural firing, Cohen acknowledges. And the available colours are restrictive: ideally, he says, GEVIs should fluoresce in the far-red part of the light spectrum, leaving the rest of the rainbow open for the use of other proteins. In particular, neuroscientists often use light-activated proteins to control neuronal activity, using a technique called optogenetics.

Advancing microscopy

Other researchers are focusing on the microscopy itself, and specifically on imaging in 3D. Because the neurons that work together are not conveniently organized in a single plane, the scanning process must be able to keep pace with signalling across the volume of the brain. Ten frames or 'volumes' per second is a good benchmark, says Fritjof Helmchen, who co-directs the Brain Research Institute at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. This is one of the clocks the brain is working on  millisecond resolution would be even better, he adds. Two-photon microscopy can image cells as deep as 1 mm. These cortical neurons were imaged at 200 m. Credit: Nicholas Sofroniew, doi.org/10.7554/eLife.14472.015/CC BY 4.0

That means that microscope designers must minimize the moving parts that slow things down, says Diego Restrepo, co-director of the Center for NeuroScience at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora. He and his collaborators have eliminated the up-and-down motion required for focusing by using a liquid objective lens that is controlled by electric field. When you throw oil on water, you form a lens, explains Restrepo. By making the lens very small, he and his colleagues have managed to make it very stable, so that it doesn't bobble about as an animal moves. And they can change the lens' shape and focal plane by altering the electrical field. Restrepo's team has used this lens in combination with a confocal microscope and a fibre-optic system to image brain slices6, and now plan to attach the device to a mouse's head.

At University College London, neuroscientist Angus Silver found a way to accelerate the focus changes while imaging across multiple focal planes. He uses an acousto-optic lens that transmits megahertz sound waves through tellurium dioxide crystals to focus the laser beam. The limitation to speed is the speed of sound across crystal, basically, Silver says. The technique still isn't ideal for quickly imaging every neuron in a volume, he says, but it can move from one region to the next in about 25 microseconds7. That makes it useful for viewing all of a sparse population, such as inhibitory interneurons in a volume of brain, he suggests.

Another solution to quickly sampling different depths is a modification of light-sheet microscopy, which typically involves moving multiple lenses to continually refocus a sheet of light. The technique can image one or two volumes per second, Hillman estimates. But by turning the sheet on an angle and using a single mirror to sweep it across the volume of interest, Hillman's group achieved a rate of 20 times per second. Hillman calls the technique swept confocally aligned planar excitation, or SCAPE, and her team has used it to visualize dozens of distinct firing patterns in the brains of awake mice8. The technology has been licensed to Leica Microsystems in Wetzlar, Germany.

Yuste's group offers yet another option. It uses a spatial light modulator, which splits the laser beam into many beamlets, each of which is aimed at a different part of the tissue. Imagine a comb of light that's hitting the sample, Yuste explains. The microscope picks up any light that comes back, so it can capture multiple planes at once9. It can collect about ten sets of images per second, and the researchers are already speeding that up, Yuste says. Yuste has licensed the technology to Bruker in Billerica, Massachusetts, and Olympus in Tokyo, and is contemplating starting his own company.

Zooming in, zooming out

Most 2D and 3D techniques remain hampered by how the brain scatters light, but scientists have ways of circumventing that limitation, too. At Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, applied physicist Chris Xu and his colleagues reasoned that if two photons could push the imaging depth to a millimetre or so, then three should go even deeper. Indeed, Xu's three-photon imaging can reach two or three times further down than two-photon imaging can, he says, although the limits depend on the properties of the tissue being imaged. His group managed to use the technique to image the mouse hippocampus, without removing any of the cortex above10.

We're literally still scratching the surface.

Xu's team still can't penetrate all the way through the brain  We're literally still scratching the surface, he acknowledges  but there's plenty of room for improvement, he says.

There's also room to develop live-brain imaging in other ways. A number of researchers, including Kleinfeld and Svoboda, have devised systems that combine the wide mesoscopic field of view with the single-cell resolution achieved by two-photon imaging, allowing them to zoom out on much of the brain or zoom in, Google Earth-style, on individual neurons11,12. Kleinfeld's field-of-view covers an 810 millimetre section of cortex; Svoboda's group can manage a cylinder of brain about 5 millimetres in diameter and 1 millimetre deep, and that's about 25 times the typical field-of-view in two-photon microscopy, he says. Svoboda has now trained several labs to build their own versions of his microscope, and licensed the technology to Thorlabs in Newton, New Jersey.
A party with booze definitely gives one a whale of a time. The good news is that you can now call on a self-driving truck to stock up your fridge.

Well, that's what happened recently; a self-driving truck developed by Otto, a startup of ride-hailing giant Uber, recently made its first commercial delivery last week without a real human driver behind the wheel, covering 120 miles (200 kilometers) across Colorado to drop 2,000 cases of Budweiser.

The truck started its journey on Oct. 20 from the Anheuser-Busch facility located in Colorado and drove down I-25 till it reached Colorado Springs. A trained driver was present in the truck to take over in case of emergency, but he didn't have to intervene throughout the long stretch, according to Otto. The truck was a Volvo equipped with sensors and cameras, and it carried 50,000 frosty cans.

People in Colorado drank the beer delivered by the self-driving truck, said James Sembrot, senior director at Anheuser-Busch. Transportation officials at Colorado were briefed about the shipment and assisted in planning the route The truck drove at an average speed of 55 miles per hour. Even though the truck developed by Otto is completely autonomous, it will still have drivers for the deliveries. This is because humans are still needed for pickup, loading the shipment, and ensuring that the freight remains secure.

According to Lior Ron, co-founder of Otto, Uber is not focused on building its own trucks but instead wants to collaborate with automakers. The company is presently deliberating with truck manufacturers, he added. Otto wants to dive deeper and test different kinds of highways, weather conditions, and traffic patterns and form more partnerships in the near future, said a company statement. The company is also focused on safety, and it's unlikely for a collision to take place, according to Anthony Levandowski, co-founder of Otto.
It has been suggested by some experts that hospitals should give pregnant patients the option to have a dose of nitrous oxide, also known as the "laughing gas" during labor.

According to American Pregnancy Organization, nitrous oxide in high concentrations is a weak anesthetic, but in low doses it is an anxiolytic, meaning it can alleviate anxiety and analgesic, meaning it can reduce pain.



Thereby, various researches have supported the laughing gas, deeming it as an effective anxioloytic and analgesic drug during labor. However, there are still some people who are giving second thoughts about it.

Is nitrous oxide during labor really effective? Here are some information we know about it.

More hospitals are adding the laughing gas as alternative for epidurals.

Epidural anesthesia is the most popular drug used to reduce pain during labor. However, it is deemed somehow risky because it may cause your blood pressure to suddenly drop and because complications from accidental puncture of the spinal cord may result to permanent nerve damage.



Health News Florida reported that until 2011, only a couple of hospitals in the United States offered nitrous oxide to women on its menu of pain relief options for labor. Today, it's in hundreds, including a newly opened hospital in Rhode Island, South County Hospital in South Kingstown.

Laughing gas can take the edge off.

The article added that although laughing gas is not as strong as an epidural, laughing gas can "take the edge off" of pain.

"It gives you this euphoria that helps you sort of forget about the pain for a little bit," a midwife told the news site.

Laughing gas is safe and relaxing.

New York Mag reported that laughing gas is light and safe. Unlike the epidural anesthesia which results to numbness of the lower part of your body, the laughing gas simply relaxes the body and makes the patient care less about the pain. In addition, the gas leaves the body immediately.
Just when the Internet was shocked by the drama of the penguin love triangle, another penguin relationship has restored people's faith in love. Dotty and Zee, two Humboldt penguins who call Bremerhaven Zoo home, are celebrating their 10th anniversary together. Dotty and Zee are also both male, and their loyalty to each other has drawn the attention and admiration of many.

According to accounts from the zookeepers at Bremerhaven, Dotty and Zee had quickly taken a liking to each other. Every year, they would settle down and build a nest to attempt and start a family. After several failed efforts to produce offspring, tests were conducted to determine what was causing their reproductive problems. A simple DNA test administered by the zookeepers confirmed the reason behind their infertility: Dotty and Zee were of the same gender.

In an effort to encourage reproduction and increase the Humboldt penguin population, Bremerhaven Zoo introduced six female penguins to their colony. To the zookeeper's surprise, three out of the 10 penguin couples turned out to be gay. Humboldt penguins are monogamous as supported by the fact that the gay penguin couples did not switch partners even for the sake of reproduction.

To give them a chance at parenthood, Bremerhaven Zoo facilitated Dotty and Zee adopting a penguin egg that was rejected by a mother penguin. The penguin dads worked together to incubate the egg and shared the responsibilities for feeding and providing everything necessary for the baby. This is hardly considered unusual since same-sex penguin pairs have also been observed at zoos in Japan and New York. Scientists have found that more than 450 species of animals display gay behavior.

Humboldt penguins are classified as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List since there are only 2,000 of these penguins left in the world. These penguins have been heavily hunted for meat, oil and skins and suffered from unsustainable egg collecting. The principal risks to Humboldt penguins are human over-harvesting of the fish stocks, their main food source, and natural predators such as foxes and wild dogs. Recent decades have whittled down the Humboldt penguin population due to the effects of El Nino. The Humboldt penguin population is harmed in two ways: by displacing the cold current of water running from the Antarctic to the equator along the west coast of South America with warmer, less food-rich water, and raising severe storms that can wash out the nesting colonies.
Artificial intelligence (AI) that get to invent life-changing discoveries are not so far away from the future. However, an expert patent attorney said AI inventors should be awarded patents like their human counterparts.

Ryan Abbott, a University of Surrey's law and health sciences professor, is also a patent attorney at the U.S. Patent Office. In a paper published in the Boston College Law Review, he said it may be time to acknowledge computers as inventors.

He argued that this can incentivize the development of creative computers and inspire more innovations.

Abbott told Singularity Hub that current patent laws aren't updated enough to realize that "nonhuman" or AI inventors have inventions that are patentable.

He added that the arrival of computers can potentially spark a "rethinking" of what exactly makes up inventiveness. It may be time to ask ourselves once more just what makes something worthy of a patent? After all, Abbott Said, it's not "hard" to get a patent for a patentable invention.

Granted, there are multiple criteria for getting patents, but it boils down to three. Obviously, an invention must be novel and new. It should also be non-obvious, or extremely far away from existing technology. Lastly, it must be useful to society.

Abbott said there are already a handful of inventions that meet the criteria that aren't made by robots. He said examples are several music compositions, food recipes, and even the Oral-B CrossAction toothbrush.

If these criteria are met by a product that an AI designed, then it should be patented.

Of course, another alternative is to assign the patents to the owners of the AI inventors. This is similar to software ownership. However, conflicts may arise if AI inventors by different individuals collaborate.

Abbott emphasized that it's the arrival of factors like these that require fleshing out the patent system.

He added that we should think ahead given the developments in AI technology, as various companies and individuals are striving to make new developments in the horizon.
A giant turbine is set to make a milestone in the tidal industry after its unveiling in the Bay of Fundy.

The 1,000-ton tidal turbine in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia will be a "huge milestone" for a test project that will fully demonstrate the potential of tidal waves to generate energy. A spokesperson for Cape Sharp Tidal said the turbine was put in place on Monday and will hopefully demonstrate the capabilities of tidal energy as both a technically and financially stable form of renewable energy.

The project is a joint venture between Emera Inc. and OpenHydro. Jeremy Poste, the manager of Cape Sharp Tidal, explained the turbine will be connected to the power grid through a subsea cable and will generate enough electricity to supply 1,000 households.

According to CBC News, hopefully, the partnership will be able to help install two-megawatt in-stream turbines that will be North America's first tidal array connected to an electrical grid.

The Cape Sharp Tidal project is just the first of many plans to test different turbine technology in the Bay of Fundy. The bay is home to some of the world's most powerful tides.

However, a spokesman for the Bay of Fundy Inshore Fishermen's Association told CBC that his group was upset that the turbine was deployed in the middle of lobster season. Colin Sproul said he was worried the vessels in the area may damage their gear and displace fishermen that were local in the region.

Just the previous month, the Nova Scotia Supreme Court denied an injunction sought by Sproul and his group to halt the deployment of the Cape Sharp Tidal project. Sarah Dawson, another spokesperson for the latter, said it will deploy every two weeks based on tidal conditions to avoid interrupting maritime affairs.

She also stressed that they have all the regulatory requirements to deploy. She emphasized that the project is also essential to demonstrate the full capabilities of tidal energy as a renewable power source.
Although we are taught not "to judge a book by its cover," it appears AI can evaluate book covers just as good as we do.

This is an incredible leap for artificial intelligence, although developments do point toward an eventual arrival in aesthetics. We already know that AI can "judge" people by the way they look, and it appears they can do the same for books.

According to tTechnology Review, Brian Iwana and Seiichi Uchida from Kyushu University in Japan "trained" a neural network to "study" book covers. It was successfully able to determine the category of said books, a whopping 137,788 unique book covers from Amazon.com.

The neural network had 20 possible genres to fit the books on. When Amazon lists a book in more than one category, they used the first one as its primary category.

The pair then used 80 percent of the set to "train" the neural network to recognize the book's genre via its cover image. It has four "layers" with 512 neurons each. All of them will try to see the correlation between the design and the genre.

The pair used another 10 percent to validate their model and the last 10percent to check how the AI analyzes books it has never seen.

The results are astounding. Apparently, the AI neural network was able to list the correct genre in its top three choices for over 40 percent of the tests. It was also able to find the exact genre 20 percent of the time.

Apparently, other categories also appear to be more recognizable than the other. For instance, travel books and technology books are easier to spot because designers use similar images and design. Cookbooks are also easy to spot if they use food in the cover but are harder to see if they use different designs.

The network also had trouble recognizing biographies as the AI often chooses "history" as a category. Interestingly, Amazon also had "history" as the said books' second category.

The AI appears to confuse children's books, comic books and graphic novels with each other. The same appears to be the same for medical books and science books. However, the aforementioned book genres do have similar designs.

However, Iwana and Uchida did acknowledge that they were not able to compare the performance of their network to an actual person "recognizing" the said books. That could make for another interesting experiment.

Until then, no one exactly knows if machines are better than this than humans. However, it may be time to acknowledge that robots are slowly getting more capable of outperforming us.
As the daylight saving time comes to an end and the time was reverted back to the standard, many healthcare professionals are worried about the emergence of the so-called seasonal affective disorder.

Seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression that typically occurs in the beginning of the fall and may continue throughout the winter months.

According to the report from International Business Times, seasonal affective disorder occurs when change in seasons, e.g. the lower levels of sunlight during fall and winter months, influences the body's melatonin and serotonin levels. These natural substances are linked with sleep timing and mood.

Usual symptoms of seasonal affective disorder include irritability, excessive sleeping, overeating and social withdrawal. Before being clinically diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder, the patient has to develop acute symptoms for at least two years. People are suffering from seasonal affective disorder may appear moody and may experience constant need for sleep, low energy or excessive cravings for carbohydrates.

"The weeks immediately after the switch to daylight saving time is often the period of time when this emerges," Jeff Janata, a professor of psychiatry and the director of psychology at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, told ABC News. "It's not so much melancholy depression as it is what we think as neurovegetative depression,"

Patients who think they are experiencing depressive symptoms during the fall and winter months must first consult healthcare professionals before attempting self-treatment. There are couples of ways to avoid experiencing seasonal affective disorders. The best way to prevent developing the disorder is maintaining a regular schedule that includes daily exercise, outdoor walking and sleeping habit.

Additionally, experts believe that consuming vitamins, such as vitamin D, can help fight fatigue and lack of focus. Constant social interaction with friends and families can also lessen the risk of seasonal affective disorder. As much as possible, avoid isolated activities. Isolation could exacerbate the feeling of depression.


While the advent of artificial intelligence can ease day-to-day life for most of the population, a few experts have expressed their concerns over the future of humanity in the midst of the ever advancing robots. The threat of a robot uprising has been the subject of popular culture for many years. Considering the available technology at present, what used to be fodder for movies is likely to be a reality.

Nevertheless, there are scientists who remain doubtful over the negative impact of AI to the population.

Last September 2016, Oren Etzioni, CEO of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, published an essay on the MIT Technology Review arguing against the notion that AIs are a threat to humanity. Etzioni conducted has since conducted independent research on the subject. According to his findings, more than 60 percent of the 80 respondents believe that superintelligent AIs would not be developed in the foreseeable future, which in this case means beyond twenty five years from now.

"Predictions that superintelligence is on the foreseeable horizon are not supported by the available data" explained Etzioni.

Allan Dafoe and Stuart Russell, from Yale University and University of California in Berkeley, has since published a response to Etzioni's article in the MIT Technology Review. According to Dafoe and Russell, the data gathered by Etzioni is faulty. They explain that the threat of AIs to humanity should not be ignored just because the possibility is more than twenty five years away.

"Many prominent AI experts have recognized the possibility that AI presents an existential risk. Contrary to misrepresentations in the media, this risk need not arise from spontaneous malevolent consciousness. Rather, the risk arises from the unpredictability and potential irreversibility of deploying an optimization process more intelligent than the humans who specified its objectives" quipped Dafoe and Russell.
What would you get if you cross ibuprofen with aspirin? No one is sure, but a team of MIT researchers headed by Alan Aspuru-Guzik has developed an artificial intelligence program that could provide an answer to this by recommending a molecular structure that amalgamates properties of both the medications.

The program could assist in finding new drug compounds. So far, researchers have relied on software that crawls through huge pools of candidate molecules with the help of rules crafted by chemists to predict or identify useful structures. This technique often requires humans, the precision of simulations, and the necessary processing power.

The new artificial intelligence is, however, independent and uses deep learning instead of lengthy simulations. It uses its own experience, created by training machine-learning algorithms with information on countless drug-like molecules.

Humans will turn out to better chemists with this program since it explores things intuitively using the chemical knowledge it acquires, similar to a chemist, said Aspuru-Guzik. The AI was trained on nearly 250,000 drug-like molecules and was able to generate conceivable new structures with the help of the knowledge of properties of current drugs and combining them. The software could even identify certain properties of molecules, such as solubility, for instance. According to Aspuru-Guzik, the chemical knowledge of the AI will be improved if it's fed more amount of data.

Vijay Pande from Stanford University hints that the software could be used widely by playing a role in optimizing or discovering drug candidates or other fields like catalysts or solar cells. One challenge that could crop up, according to Pande, is that the technique involved in teaching the software to learn chemistry. Researchers are yet to find the best data format that can be fed into the software. Text, speech, and images may not be a great way to encode chemical structures, he said.
A highly classified Kremlin video has allegedly leaked online, showing a meeting between Vladimir Putin and incumbent Vice President Joe Biden, with Obama (through Biden) warning Russia of an alleged alien invasion in September 2017.

According to the Daily Star, the file titled "US warns Russia Aliens on Their Way, Will Be Her in 2017" surfaced on Oct. 27. A narrator on the video said Biden was delivering a message from incumbent President Barack Obama regarding plans of a worldwide missile defense system in case of aliens invading Earth. Obama was asking for Putin's cooperation.

The alleged six-minute video says that the UFO alien invasion will occur in September 2017 after NASA confirms a wave of UFOs entering our system. Strange as it may sound, the video said that "[at that date], in the skies over Nuremberg, Germany hundreds of UFOs engaged in a battle witnessed by thousands and which can be read as reported from those times.

HNGN notes that NASA has not yet confirmed of seeing any extraterrestrial activity and is quite sure that aliens will not attack earth in September next year. But Gamer's Drop reports that despite the lack of evidence, the Pentagon is interested to learn more about the fleet of UFOs allegedly entering our system and attacking Earth.

Strange and enticing to alien hunters as this maybe, no concrete reports from NASA and other space agencies has confirmed the validity of the video and the document, and this new information should be taken with a grain of salt.

Read:

Alien Face in Mexico, UFO Sighting in Hawaii Could Suggest Hidden Alien Bases? Here's the Truth

UFO X-Files Revealed: MoD Source Admits Government Is Hiding Half of the Truth About Aliens

Mysterious Alien Phenomenon: Bizarre Footage Shows 'Cloud-Cloaking' UFO
A recent study reveals that teens who vape or use e-cigarettes often have a higher possibility of becoming heavy cigarettes smokers in just six months.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), involved 3,000 participants who are students from 10 public high schools in the Los Angeles area. The 10th graders, aged 15 years old, were analyzed in terms of their e-cigarette use during the fall of 2014 and then six months later.

Conducted by researchers from the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, the study shows that those who vaped more has 10 times the possibility of being heavy smokers than those who have not vaped at all, the American Pharmacists Association reports.

Adam Leventhal, director of the Health, Emotion and Addiction Laboratory, told TIME that it is important to get participants who are 15 years of age because this is a "critical time when smoking either onsets or accelerates."

The study reveals that 20 percent of the teens who are heavy vapers transitioned to cigarette smoking in just six months while only 1 percent of the participants, who were non-vapers, became cigarette smokers. Leventhal explained that the logic behind this connection is due to the amount of vaping. The higher the amount of vaping a person does, the higher will be his/her requirement once he/she becomes a smoker.

Its such an emerging public health issue. These teens arent just experimenting -- a significant portion are progressing to more regular levels of smoking," said Leventhal.

Leventhal says that the link between vaping and smoking may be due to the fact that vaping still has nicotine, which triggers an addicting effect to the teens' brains. When a vaping teen tries his or her first cigarette, the experience will be familiar and more pleasurable than to non-vapers, who might dislike nicotine as they have not been exposed to it before.

Currently, there have been a lot of studies on e-cigarettes and vaping and its claim of helping people to quit smoking.

"Im aware of six separate studies now that show that teens who vape are more likely to start using a smokable tobacco product. This pattern is associated with a high risk of health effects and progression to adult and chronic smoking," Leventhal said.